At 23:30 hours the lights all across Japan began to go out. Only places with their own generators such as hospitals or military bases still had power. The country entered into momentary darkness in order to fight one more desperate battle.

XXXXXXXXXX

Shinji and Rei were sitting together on a platform high above the ground. They were in their plug suits and waiting to enter their EVAs. They sat close to one another, holding hands and looking out at the Angel. It had gone through 20 defense zones already, only two more remained.

As they watched most of the lights in Tokyo 3 went out. Only a series of high powered search lights remained active. These kept the Angel fully illuminated and in clear view.

"We'll have to go soon," Rei said.

"Yeah."

"Are you still scared?"

He turned his head away from the angel to look at her instead. "No, if you're protecting me there's no reason to be scared."

She thought he meant it. "Good."

With regret she slowly let go of his hand and got up to her feet. "I guess we need to get to our EVA plugs."

"I guess so," he said and got to his feet.

She looked at him and smiled. For a long time that had seemed unnatural to her. Now though it came easily whenever she was near him. "Shinji?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." She quickly left and ran off towards her plug.

As when she had climbed into his hospital bed or kissed him he was again startled. They had both said those words many times before where no one else could hear. Hearing them now they gained a deeper meaning. Shinji couldn't help but think they sounded a little like, 'goodbye.'"

"I love you too," he whispered though of course there was no one to hear.

XXXXXXXXXX

In a command trailer on sight Misato and the rest of her team watched as the clock ticked down to midnight. At last the screen read 0:00.

"Commence the operation!" Misato called out. "Shinji, we entrust to you all the power in Japan." To say nothing of the fate of all mankind. "Do your best!"

"Roger, I won't let you down Misato!"

"I know you won't," she answered. "Rei take up your defensive position, you must protect Unit 01 no matter what."

"Understood," she replied.

"Open the first connection," Misato ordered. All around her gauges began to move and a hum began to rise as the power of a whole country was routed past them.

"Voltage coming up to operational levels," Shigeru stated.

"All cooling systems at full power," Maya said. "Temperature is stable no problems."

So far, Misato thought and unconsciously put her hand over her father's cross. "Open the second switch."

The hum around them increased noticeably.

"Positron rifle charging, at 15%." Ritsuko stated.

"Mandatory condensers on line," Maya said. "Everything shows within tolerable limits."

As they waited for the power to build up the clock continued to run and showed 0:03. In three more minutes the last armored defense zone would be breached and NERV headquarters would be helpless.

"Open the third connection!" Misato ordered.

"Rifle charge at 50%," Ritsuko announced.

In his EVA Shinji breathed in and out slowly. He looked at the targeting computer and tried to relax. Hit the target. Hit the target. Hit the target. The through ran through his mind again and again as he tried to forget everything else.

"Rifle charge at 90%!" Ritsuko declared.

"Open final connection, release all safety locks, weapons free," Misato ordered.

"Weapons free, all safetys released." Maya said.

"Pull the bolt back," Shigeru ordered.

Unit one pushed back on a gigantic bolt just as if this cutting edge prototype weapon were an old fashioned Springfield rifle. A huge fuse larger than a tractor trailer slid into place like a bullet. Inside the plug a visor dropped down over Shinji's eyes and a pair of 'X's moved toward the Angel that was in his sight. "Here we go," he whispered only for himself.

"Charge at 98%... 99%..."

Out in the distance a section of the angel began to glow white hot.

"I have high energy readings on the enemy!" Shigeru shouted. "Enemy power levels spiking!"

"Charge at 100% ready to fire!" Ritusko cried.

"Shinji shoot!" Misato cried.

Shinji saw the tow 'X's cross and light up green. He squeezed his trigger finger just as a beam of energy race off the Angel.

The two beams followed the same trajectory, as they approached each other each was effected by the other and the beams danced about wildly. They went past no longer on a straight path but both of them looping around. Shinji's beam annihilated a block of buildings in Tokyo 3 while the enemy's crashed into the side of Mt. Futagoyama, causing the ground to shake but doing no real damage.

"That was a miss!" Shigeru cried out. "I repeat, a miss!"

"Reload and fire again!" Misato cried.

"Cooling systems at full," Maya called. "Temperature dropping to tolerable levels."

"Positron charge at 22%." Ritsuko called.

In his EVA Shinji calmly worked the bolt and slid out a smoking and blackened fuse putting in a new one he slammed into place and waited for the targeting system to come to life again. Hit the target. Hit the target. Hit the target! He thought with even greater urgency.

Everything was coming back up with painful slowness. As Misato looked on the clock read 0:06.

"Enemy has penetrated last armor barrier," Maya said. "The angel appears to be retracting its drill."

It has a clean line of fire now, Misato thought with sickening certainty. As soon as it gets its drill out of the way it's going to annihilate NERV headquarters. "How much longer?" Misato demanded.

"At least another 20 seconds," Shigeru stated.

A section of the angel glowed white hot.

"Enemy power level spiking! It's about to fire!" Shigeru said.

"Charge at only 78%."

A beam of white energy fired from the angel.

"Shinji!" Misato cried.

Shinji saw it coming and shut his eyes. He opened them a couple seconds later.

"Rei!"

Unit 00 was standing directly in front of him holding up a gigantic shield. Even as he watched Shinji could see the shield beginning to warp and melt.

"I need to shoot!" Shinji yelled.

"Charge at 85%," Ritsuko announced.

"Ten more seconds," Maya stated.

In her EVA Rei could feel her hands burning and her skin blistering under the extreme heat. The shield wouldn't last much longer but she was certain her EVA could survive at least another 8 to 10 seconds if necessary. She would protect Shinji with her life.

"Charge at 100%!"

Shinji saw the X's cross and squeezed the trigger. The positron ray fired just past Unit 00's right shoulder and it fired straight and true. It hit the angel dead center, overpowering it's AT field and burning clean through and out the other side. The angel's beam shut off as it slammed down into the city.

Above its now cracked and lifeless form a gigantic cross of energy rose, marking its demise.

XXXXXXXXXX

When the beam shut off Unit 00 tossed aside the now useless shield. Its own armor was badly melted and slagged; it slumped down to the mountainside.

The EVA deactivated and did not move any further. "Rei!" Shinji shouted. "Rei are you all right?!"

Closer than anyone else his EVA got to her and, carefully, removed Unit 00's back plate and released the Plug. He pulled the plug out and safely set it down on the ground before manually ejecting his own.

XXXXXXXXXX

Rei slowly came back to consciousness to the curses and pounding coming from her plug's entryway. As she watched it was pulled back with a loud grunt. She saw Shinji lean in, he was crying. She noticed that the gloves on his plug suit had burned off and the skin there was red and bloody.

"You burned your hands," she noted.

He didn't seem to hear her. He climbed in and got to her seat where she was still strapped in. "Are you all right? Are you okay?" He asked through his tears.

"I'm fine Shinji," she told him.

"Really? Are you really?"

"Yes," she assured him. Reaching up she wiped away his tears. "Please don't cry anymore."

Putting his arms around her he pressed his face to her shoulder. "I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you…"

He repeated it over and over again as she quietly rubbed the back of his head.

XXXXXXXXXX

So we managed to survive one more time, Misato thought. Is that just dumb luck or is someone watching out for us?

She received a sound only message from NERV headquarters. "Congratulations on your victory Chief Operations Officer Misato."

"Thank you Commander Ikari. How are things there at headquarters?"

"You succeeded in defeating the angel before we suffered any damage," he informed her. "What is the condition of the two pilots?"

"We've just confirmed both are well and have suffered only minor injuries," she said with relief. "Unit 00 appears to be badly damaged and may be undergoing repairs for some time."

"Understood," the Commander said. "Please place Pilot Ayanami under arrest and have her brought to the stockade."

"Wh… what?"

"Was my order unclear? She is to be arrested and returned here for incarceration. Charges are insubordination and willful refusal to obey lawful orders."

"Commander, given the circumstances I wish to withdraw those charges."

"This is not a civil matter Officer Misato, whether or not she is to be charged is not your decision, it is mine. Now have her arrested."

"Yes sir," she said. If she'd said what she'd really wanted to she'd have gone to the stockade as well.