A/N: There are a few loose plot threads that were never addressed, I'll be going back to fix those later, and I might end up rewriting several chunks of the story, especially in the earlier parts, but we're getting closer, so I'm gonna wrap it up first.

Kaji's footsteps echoed through the night as he ran down a deserted alley, gun in hand. Up ahead, there was an alcove leading into a building. He didn't know how close they were, but he veered his torso to the left, kicking off with his right foot.

Pop pop.

The silencers helped dampen the sound, but they were still loud enough to wake the neighbors... if there had been any left in this part of the city after the angel attacks. He was glad he decided to take that little detour, as those bullets probably would have been the end of him. The metal door to the building was cracked. He gave it a kick and dove inside.

Pop.

Clang.

They had hit the door.

He hadn't expected his return to Tokyo 3 to be so... eventful.

He thought he'd covered his tracks good enough.

Apparently not.

"Come on," he called to his assailant as he pressed his back against the wall framing the door, "Can't we just talk this out?"

'It's not like I have information that will lead to the direct end of SEELE and the disbarment of half the UN or anything,' he thought.

Pop.

Crack.

The bullet hit the wall.

He had to figure out where they were before he could do anything.

Whoever they sent this time wasn't just a wet work guy. This was a professional.

He looked forward and into the building, a long hall with several side rooms. Some debris scattered about, and some of the doorways blocked. At the end of the hall was a set of stairs.

Not good enough, so he decided to stay where he was. He rocked his magazine out and checked his ammo. Nine bullets. The gun let out a satisfying click when he pushed it back into place.

He probably had about half a minute before this guy was on top of him. Misato had more combat experience than him, maybe it had been a bad idea to cut her out of the loop. It was meant to protect her, but she already dealt with danger regularly.

Pop.

Yeah, it was definitely a bad idea, he decided.

He poked his gun around the corner and pulled the trigger twice.

Footsteps... to the right!

He twisted his body and kicked his right foot out to the bottom corner of the door, pushing it open the rest of the way.

Silently praying there was only one, and not a surprise partner waiting in the wings for an ambush, he leveled his gun and stepped out of cover.

The building's wall went for several feet on his left leading back into the alley, and it was under the cover of the corner that he saw him.

Two more shots to keep him pinned as he ran forward.

Kaji pressed his gun against the man's head and pulled the trigger one more time.

What a mess.

End of Evangelion

Part 5

Misato didn't even know where to begin. She sat at her desk in the NERV office complex, fingers trailing over long buried documents that she would never have gained the clearance to see before.

"That is everything," a voice behind her said. Kozou Fuyutsuki. "I don't know how much Akagi-san told you, but it must have been a great deal considering what you've accomplished. We had no idea who destroyed the dummy plug system until it was too late. I didn't expect it to be Ayanami herself."

As far as she was concerned the old professor was teetering on the edge of a knife, and surely he knew this as well. At any moment she could have cause to pull her gun on him. Now being in charge of NERV, she could execute him on the spot for being an internal liability.

"Why did you decide to help us?" she asked.

Fuyutsuki sighed. "Would you believe me if I said it was to atone?"

"No."

"I figured as much."

Misato clenched her fists over the documents on her desk, "What you did to Shinji, and Asuka, and Rei..."

"I know."

"It was unforgivable."

"I know."

Silence fell over the both of them.

Eventually, Fuyutsuki spoke again. "Gendo Ikari was an old student of mine. I'm sure you've read his files by now. He was always getting into some fight or another. Back then, I went out of my way to put him back onto the right path. He was my student, after all. I couldn't just leave him to rot."

"So that's what this is about, you thought you could steer him back..." She wheeled on him, tears now welling up in her eyes, "Where WERE you? Where were you when Shinji was trapped, when Asuka was being violated by that... by that THING?!" Fuyutsuki looked away, and Misato scoffed. "Where were you when he shot my friend?" she whispered.

"I... was afraid..." he said. "SEELE is very powerful, even now. You can lock me up, you can shoot me, I don't care. After what we've done here SEELE will be gunning for us even harder than they did before, and we still have the final angel to contend with. A piece of advice Katsuragi, do not wait for them to come to you. Take the fight to them."

Misato turned back around, burying her head in her hands. She knew where to start now.

Her right hand reached for the thumb drive that Kaji had left her.

She had been afraid that using it would mean accepting that he was gone, but he had entrusted her with it.

There must have been something on there.

"I'm home." Misato closed the door behind her, letting out a tired sigh. There was no sign of Shinji or Asuka. Odd, usually they were lounging about in the living room, watching TV or playing video games.

Hearing a squawk, she looked down to see Pen Pen. "Oh hey," she said. "Have you seen Asuka and Shinji?"

Another squawk. She laughed and shook her head, walking around him and removing her jacket. "Anybody here?!" She shouted.

Thud.

Stomp stomp stomp.

Asuka's room. Well at least someone was here. Misato moved towards the door and knocked, "Asuka, you in there?"

The door opened, and there was Asuka... in only a T-shirt and panties, and with messy hair. "Hey!" she shouted, "What's going on? Is everything all caught up at NERV?"

Misato raised an eyebrow. "Where's Shinji?"

An awkward laugh, "Oh that idiot? He's probably out with Haru somewhere. I swear I'm always losing track of him..."

"I see. Well everything's been declassified. If you want to review anything else aside from the Eva documents I suggest heading in tomorrow. Just remember, no gossip at school. It's still not public information. Also the repairs are almost finished, so you'll be returning to sync testing in a few days."

"That's great!"

Misato turned and began to walk away, then stopped. Asuka tilted her head.

Misato smirked, and without turning back around, said, "Oh and Shinji, I'd like it if you could pick up milk on your way back from school tomorrow."

She heard Asuka click her tongue and curse under her breath.

Shinji sheepishly rounded the corner from behind her door, walking to the kitchen to prepare dinner without saying a word.

Haru raised her hand to knock on the door of Misato's apartment, only to jump out of her skin when she heard a voice to her left. "Hello again."

She brought her right hand to her heart and fanned herself with her left, turning to face Kaworu and tossing him a glare. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

His smile didn't falter. "I did not mean to startle you, but don't you think it's fascinating?"

"Wh... what is?"

He gestured to his door. "You did not hear the door open and close, but you heard me when I called out to you."

Now she understood what he was getting at. "I guess I was just excited to see Shinji."

"Ah, the eponymous third child. Excited, you said? Let's go together."

"I don't really think that's..."

"It's fine, Shinji and I have already met and spoken."

She raised an eyebrow. A moment passed, then another.

Finally, she relented and knocked on the door.

"I'll get it," I said, "The stew needs to simmer, anyways." I turned the pot handle away from me and stirred it with the ladle one last time. Asuka was lounging in front of the TV as usual, and Misato sat at the table with a stack of papers, leafing through and carefully reading them. I stepped through the hallway and cracked the door.

Haru stood there, Kaworu trailing closely behind her.

"Hello Shinji-kun," he said, waving in greeting.

"H... hi," I said, hesitantly bringing my hand up to wave back.

Haru gave me a sheepish smile, as if she were apologizing.

"Who's at the door?" called Misato from the table.

"It's Kaworu and Haru."

Misato raised an eyebrow. Why did the name Kaworu sound so familiar to her? She eyed the documents in her hand and shrugged. She had more important things to worry about, like reading everything that Gendo had hidden from them.

"Come on in," I said. "Do you wanna stay for dinner? I'm making stew so there's plenty for everybody."

"That sounds wonderful," said Kaworu.

"Hey Asuka," said Haru as she walked past her.

"Yo."

I followed behind her and veered right into the kitchen.

"Very cozy," I heard Kaworu say as he closed the door behind him. "It feels more homely than mine. Perhaps because there are so many people." He walked forward, making his way to the table and sitting across from Misato. "You must be Shinji-kun's guardian," he said.

"That's me," she replied, not looking up from the papers.

I laughed and shook my head. Even after finally getting home she was still buried in work. I supposed it was to be expected. A lot had happened. Haru walked further, also making her way to the table, but not sitting down. "So," she said, "How do you know Shin-chan?"

"Oh it's nothing amazing, I'm afraid. We simply met by chance." I turned back to the pot and heard the chair creak as Kaworu leaned back in it. "You could even say it was fate."

"Hands off the merchandise, pretty boy," I heard Asuka shout.

Misato coughed very deliberately.

Kaworu let out a small chuckle. "I wouldn't worry, I have no intention of eloping with him," he said.

Asuka scoffed.

He seemed friendly enough, but I honestly couldn't tell whether it was genuine or not. I looked at him, hand absent-mindedly stirring the pot. He turned to me, and his smile widened.

Still nothing.

"I see. I apologize, Shinji-kun, please give me a moment."

Slowly, as if corners of my mind were opening, I saw it.

Happiness, introspection, resignation.

Lilim.

I turned away, my hand tightening around the ladle.

What the hell was that?

"There," he said, "Much better, wouldn't you say?"

I didn't reply. I didn't even know what to say.

I heard Haru finally pull a chair and sit down.

Another paper shuffling as Misato scoured her documents.

"So now that I've 'spilled the beans', as it were," he continued, "How did you meet Shinji-kun?"

"He's a childhood friend." There was a slight edge of bragging to her voice, "A science project I've been working on."

Asuka laughed.

"And what would the results of the project be thus far?" asked Kaworu.

"Well," said Haru, "Everything's shaping up pretty well so far. He even has a girlfriend."

"Pure happenstance," called Asuka, waving a hand without turning around. "You can't take credit for that one."

"Oh I wouldn't go that far," teased Misato, setting down her papers. I looked towards her and she had a smirk on her face. "From day one he's been Asuka's knight in shining armor, you know."

I glared down into the pot.

Maybe if I looked angry enough the blush would go away. I could only imagine what Asuka, who was now completely silent, was going through.

Misato laughed, "What's the matter you two? Cat got your tongue?"

"So," said Kaworu, "What specifically have you done to help Shinji-kun, Haru?"

Haru let out a very audible, "Hmmm," and I heard her shift in her chair slightly. "Well, people can be tricky to understand. They close themselves off sometimes, or lie, or cheat, or try to hide things from you. Sometimes it's hard to understand where other people are coming from, but if you do, you can sympathize with them."

"Indeed," said Kaworu.

"But there's also something else you can do. You can empathize with them. If they cry, you can cry. You can open yourself to other people and feel like they do. My mother, my biological mother, was a doctor, she was the one who taught me about it. It's not anything impressive."

"I beg to differ." I heard Kaworu shift in his seat once more. "Empathy is a tool," he said. "In fact, for someone in Shinji-kun's position, I'd say it is a VERY important tool."

I dropped the ladle and turned my gaze towards Kaworu once more, "And why is that?" I asked.

"Look around you," he said, gesturing to everyone in the apartment one by one. "Would any of these people be here were it not for your ability to empathize with them?"

I thought back.

Misato's worry that Kaji had gotten himself killed. I had hugged her then.

Asuka's suffering, her breakdown after the 15th angel. I had been there for her.

Haru's kindness. Her innate ability to just be there as long as you opened yourself up to her.

Not just them, either.

Rei's developing emotions, her newfound openness with both me and Asuka.

Touji's situation with his sister.

Hikari looking after Asuka.

Ritsuko giving her life to stop Third Impact.

Maya risking herself to get info to Misato.

Kaji's advice when it came to Asuka.

"You see," said Kaworu. "It is these little everyday things that you take for granted. It comes so naturally to you at this point that you don't even notice it. This empathy you use has become a part of you, Shinji-kun, in the same way that it is a part of Haru. There is no great one thing that can spin fate to your will. Imagine marbles on a glass table. One by one they collide with the glass, but one or two marbles by themselves will make no difference. However, with each marble added, the glass weakens under the weight of their gathering force.

"Eventually, even the strongest glass will break under the might of the gathering marbles."

What had once been an apartment bustling with activity had now gone completely silent. All eyes were on Kaworu.

I asked myself a question.

Who exactly is Kaworu Nagisa?

"The boy will make his move soon," said 01.

"What do you think will happen?" asked 06.

"It does not matter. Preparations will continue."

"I see," said 03, "Then you will be happy to know construction has begun."