Time is immutable and past sins cannot be undone. It is too late for Asuka Soryu, too late for Shinji Rokubungi, too late for Yui Ichijo. Yet hope is not entirely lost for it is not too late for Asuka Langley Shikinami, for Shinji Ikari, for Rei Ayanami, for their time is only just beginning. And into that time steps those who seek redemption from their sins by forging a new dawn.

Shinji is abducted at a young age from the care of his teacher and vanishes. After searching for years, NERV finally finds the Third Child in a war zone days before Sachiel's attack, serving as a child soldier in a secret PMC known as Iron Phoenix. Scarred by years of war, how will he react to being saved from one hell, only to be thrust into another?

After the disastrous kiss, tensions between Asuka and Shinji comes to a boiling point, whereby Asuka makes a major mistake without realizing it, causing Shinji to shut her out. When Shinji's sync rate skyrockets in the aftermath, the friction only increases, racing to the tipping point as the Twelfth Angel looms on the horizon. (not a shipfic, exactly)