Baby Sitting Chronicles: Don't Eat the Green Potato Chip!

"How could you tell them I'd do this?!" Misato groaned as she rode on the passenger side of her dad's sports car. "I already had plans for today!"

Mr. Katsuragi chuckled softly as he glanced at his daughter. She had her arms cross and was glaring out of the window. "I thought you said you needed some extra money?"

She looked at him, sighed dramatically then answered "I do. But I thought you would just give it to me!"

A soft smile graced his lips as he tugged on his bow tie. He knew that was what she wanted, but he already advanced his fifteen year old daughter's allowance by three weeks. He felt that is was time she learned the value of money. "It's not that bad. The Ikari boy is a good kid; you said so yourself."

She huffed and turned her gaze back to the window. That wasn't the point. Good or not, she didn't want to watch the kid, she wanted to go out with her boyfriend.

Misato was tired of babysitting the kids in their neighborhood. It all started last summer, when she and her best friend Ritsuko saw this movie about babysitters and how much money those kids made. The two teenagers figured that they could do the same, and make tons of cash. Everyone who lived in Tokyo-3 Estates was well off, and the adults were always going to some type of social function. So getting a well paying sitting job wouldn't be a problem. Then there was another plus side, everyone who lived in Tokyo-3 Estates either had a maid or a cook or both. With this in mind, Misato and Ritsuko figured that the house servants would help them watch the kids. They figured it would be easy. It sounded like such a good idea that they actually convinced Kaji into joining their little business establishment.

It only took one month, of one summer to realize that babysitting sucked! It sucked rotten eggs. Worse than rotten eggs because the servants wouldn't even help them. They usually took that time off and left the house, which unfortunately left them alone with the little rugrats. But what sucked even worse, was that when they tried to quit, their parents wouldn't let them. They claimed that babysitting would help them build character or some nonsense like that. So here they were, almost a year later and still babysitting!

who's stupid idea was this again Misato mentally growled to herself.

However, their parents did have mercy on them and only forced them to baby-sit the kids of their friends. Most of the time, the three teens could usually get out of the job by making plans ahead of time, but then sometimes.... their parents canceled their plans and made them work. That was the case for one Misato Katsuragi.

It wasn't long before they arrived at three story brick house in the middle of a dead end cove-sack. The Ikari's didn't live far from her house. The only reason her father drove her was to make sure she arrived at the Ikari's and not snuck off to hang out with Kaji. (like she did last time. she claimed she didn't know she had to work)

"Have fun at the benefit fundraiser dad!" Misato got out of the car and gave a half-wave good bye to her dad before she walked toward the front door.

The purple haired teenager grumbled to herself to how she didn't want to be here as she walked up the many steps to get to the front door. The young Shinji Ikari wasn't a bad kid. He was actually one of the better kids to baby-sit. He just had his... moments.

Right when she was about to ring the door bell, the front door opened.

"You're late."

The girl meekly looked up at the tall, dark haired man and stuttered out. "S-sorry"

She wasn't *that late* Two minutes at the most, but Mr. Ikari was a complete anal retentive about everything. That was another reason why she didn't like baby sitting Shinji. She was afraid to touch anything.

With cool dark blue eyes he informed. "I thought you weren't going to show up again."

"I got the days mixed up last time, sir." She lied. He didn't appear to believe her so she continued. "My dad brought me...this time" Gawd she wanted to just crawl under a rock. She really didn't mean to ditch working that day. It was just that time flies when your having fun, and boy was she and Kaji having fun. As she remembered that day, Misato fought back a hentai smirk .

She watched the man narrow and shield his eyes as if the afternoon sun was burning them. He then retrieved a pair of tinted glasses from the inner pocket of his tux and put them on. She blink in surprise. The sun really *was* burning his eyes.

Gendo Ikari was known by the neighbor kids as "Mr. Mole." No one knew what he did at his job, but everyone knew that he worked underground. Hence the name *mole*. They also knew that every morning before the sun rose, he would leave for work and every night, after sunset, he would come home. The man hardly ever saw the light of day.

Misato slowed her pace as she followed him, she started to remember that when was younger she thought Mr. Mole was a vampire. She still wasn't complete convinced that he wasn't. As she followed him into the large house, she absently looked for the child she was going to be responsible for the rest of the day and most of the evening. Of course, he was no where in sight. That would just be too easy.

"Yui..." Mr. Ikari called lovingly into the central intercom. "If you don't hurry we are going to be late."

"Heaven forbid." She answered playfully in the intercom. "Gendo, they won't mind if we are late, They'll only care about our presence if we come and don't donate large sums of money."

He sighed in an irritated fashion, but said no more to rush her. He knew she was speaking the truth.

It wasn't long before Mrs. Ikari walked gracefully down the curved staircase. She had on a lavender evening gown and a matching sheer shall, that loosely hung over the crook of her elbows.

"You look lovely." Gendo praised.

Misato nodded in agreement.

"Thank you." She responded sweetly to both of them, then turned her full attention to the young girl. "Shinji is in his room sulking. He is kinda upset that we are leaving him to go to another charity ball."

Misato nodded in understanding to the young boys plight. She used to do the same thing when her parents would go to those things. Now that she was a teenager, and had a boyfriend... hehehe.. Well lets just say she never lets her parents turn down an invitation. "Don't worry about him. I'll take him to the park or something to cheer him up."

The two Ikari's nodded and headed for the door.

"Oh and Misato," Gendo started. "The cook and the maid have the evening off..."

of course they do The young teenager bitterly groaned.

Gendo continued. "So I left some money so you can have something delivered." He had heard from his son about her cooking, and he didn't want to torture the boy. "I've already took Shinji to the video store and bought him a movie. It's Mary Poppins. I'm sure you will be watching that movie at least twice tonight. Everything else you will need for this night is on a list on the fridge. It also tells exactly where you will find everything and all the numbers you may need if something happens to my son." His brow furrowed dangerously over the glasses. "But I am sure that you will not let any harm come to my son, isn't that right?"

Misato paled. This was the same speech she got every time she babysat Shinji, but she would never get used to hearing it or hearing that sadistic tone in which he said it. "I promise you that I will take care of Shinji as if he was my own kid." She breathed a sighed of relief when the two Ikari's gave her a smile of approval.

Shinji was their only child, and they were very protective over him. Overly protective. It amazed her that the boy was so timid and not bratty like another child she babysat often. The same child who always pointed out her incompetence and compared her to her most favorite babysitter, Kaji.

Right before Yui and Gendo Ikari walked out the door, little Shinji Ikari cried out from the second floor hall balcony.

"Mommy! You can't leave!!" He quickly started to rush down the steps.

Yui clutched the part of the dress over her heart. It scared her to see her little 5 year old son hurry down the steps .

"Not so fast, Shinji, and don't forget to hold on to the banister tightly." Gendo reminded as he rushed toward the steps to make sure that his son didn't fall. Yui was very close behind.

"Yes sir." His tiny hand gripped the ornate cherry wood banister with more strength, while his tiny feet meet each other, on each of the steps, one step at a time. Three steps from the bottom he jumped into his mothers awaiting arms. "Do you really have to go?" He pouted.

She nodded. "Where going to raise money for indigents."

"For what?" The little boy asked quizzically.

"For poor people." Gendo clarified. He knew his wife felt guilty for calling people poor, even if they were.

"Why can't they raise their own money?" The boy whined.

that's what I would like to know Gendo growled mentally to himself. He hated going to these events. He hated being around people who didn't work under him.

"Shinji-love," His mother began sweetly. "We've talked about this already."

"I kno.w" He whined, then pointed behind him, at Misato with his thumb. "But why did you get *her* to watch me! She's a girl and girls have cooties!"

oh great, not this again Misato groaned. She thought that she convinced the young Ikari that 15 year old *ladies* did not have cooties. He seemed to believe her, but that was over two weeks ago. She could only assume that his friends convinced him other wise.

"I'll wash you with that special soap when I come home, okay" Yui cooed lovingly. She knew better than to get into the cootie debate with her son right now. She and Gendo would barely make it to the function on time as it is, and she knew how her husband hated being late.

The little boy nodded. If his mom said their was a special soap that could kill all the cootie germs, then there was.

Yui put her son down, kissed his forehead. "Be good" The young boy nodded.

Gendo placed a loving hand on the top of his son's head and ruffled his hair. Then both parents turned to leave.

When Mr. and Mrs. Ikari were gone, Misato turned to her charge and asked. "Wanna go to the park?"

"Not really." Shinji answered honestly. He was more of an inside kid.

"All your friends will be there." That Misato was certain of. This charity was a big thing. She knew that Ritsuko probably got called for a job, and Kaji probably took a job since their plans were canceled. If this was the case, the first place they would take the kids was to the park. They learned that is was always best to let the kids run around and tire themselves out early in the job, so it would be easy to make them go to sleep. It was also a way they could hang out with each other.

Shinji though about it. He guessed it would be better to play with his friend than be stuck in the house with a girl. "Okay, I'll go, but I don't want you to hold my hand." He gave his best impersonation of his dads glare "I won't be tricked by your lies again!" He ran upstairs to his room to retrieve his shoes. His daddy didn't like shoes cluttering up the door way.

"Fine" Misato groaned and sat on the bottom step to wait for him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

True to her word, Misato let Shinji walk to the park without holding her hand. The park was located in the middle of the neighborhood. There was fountain there, picnic tables and a large gazebo for people to sit and watch their kids in the playground. There was a lot of grassy land for older kids to play football or soccer, a basketball court and a tennis court. The only thing this park didn't have was a swimming pool, but that was because everyone had one in their backyard.

Shinji ran across the grass field and ran straight for the playground swings. He loved the swings. It made him feel like he was flying.

Misato look her seat in the gazebo and waited for her friends. It wasn't long before she saw Ritsuko.

~~

In her arms, Ritsuko was carrying one Rei Ayanami. The little three, almost four, year old girl had on a white sailors uniform with a pleated skirt and matching tam-o'-shanter that had a dark blue ribbon in the back. Her thumb was safely hidden in her mouth, and her head was resting peacefully on the young blonds shoulder.

In front of the two girls was Rei's older brother Kaworu. He wore dark blue sailor suit with short pants and a matching hat like his sisters, but his did not fashion a ribbon. He walked at least three steps in front of Ritsuko, to ensure that his babysitter didn't accidentally touch him. He didn't want cooties, and he wasn't gullible like Shinji. It was good that he set his friend straight. Fifteen year old girls did too have cooties!!

Even though it was Saturday, the two Ayanami children wore their school uniforms because they just got back from school. Their mother, Lillith, had placed them in a private Christian school that had classes 6 days a weeks. Ritsuko opted not to change their clothes because it would have just given her a headache. Rei was a good kid, but she was a terror when trying to dress her. It was almost like the child hated clothes and once she was free of them, she wanted to stay that way. The little girl loved being as naked as a jaybird.

Ritsuko watched the little silverish haired boy march in front of her like a solider. The sight of his high stepping made her chuckle softly to herself. His father, Adam Ayanami took him to see the Japanese Imperial parade about a month ago. They were invited by Asuka's dad. He was a four star general in the Imperial Guard. The little boy loved it! He loved the marching formations of the Army and the bands. Ever since then, he started walking like that. That was until he saw one of his friends and forgot about playing soldier.

"Shinji!!"

Kaworu ran across the basketball court, paying no heed that there was a game in progress, to get to the playground. He trekked over the sandy floor that enclosed the children's play area, to get over to the swings. Shinji was his bestest friend; even though, Shinji was a year younger than him. But that was ok.

Shinji eyes lit up when he saw his best friend. He actually had three best friend, but Kaworu was his *bestest* friend. "I bet that I can jump out of the swing farther than you today!" Shinji boasted. He had been practicing since the last time.

The young sliverish haired boy took the empty swing next to Shinji and coaxed. "Only if I let you win!"

"Well see" The brown haired boy coaxed back as he pumped his little legs to swing higher.

~~

At the gazebo

"Rei-chan don't you want to go and play with your brother and Shinji?" Misato asked the little girl sweetly. It was hard not to be sweet to her. She looked so angelic.

Without taking her thumb out of her mouth she answered. "Nowa" Rei very rarely took her thumb out of her mouth.

"She's just a little tired." Ritsuko answered as she sat down and wrapped Rei's tiny legs around her waist so they could sit comfortably. "She had a long day at school."

Rei nodded in agreement and wrapped her other hand around her babysitter's neck. She snuggled closer and rested her head against Ritsuko's bosom to get comfortable . She wanted to take a nap.

Ritsuko looked down at her charge and shook her head. She knew that the little blue haired girl intended to take a nap, and there was now way that she was going to allow it. If Rei went to sleep now, there would be no way to get her to sleep later. But for now, she would allow the girl to think she was going to get some rest. It wouldn't be long until...

"There's Kaji and Asuka!" Misato yelled out and waved them to come over. "Look they have Hikari with them." Misato looked back at Rei. "Your friends are here, don't you want to play with them?"

Rei shook her head no against Ritsuko's chest. She didn't want to play. She wanted to take a nap.

With a tiny gloved hand, Asuka put a tighter grip on Kaji's hand and narrowed her eyes a Misato. The young 5 year old wasn't stupid in the least. She was in 4th grade, for crying out loud. And she knew that Misato had eyes for *her* man. She also knew that the Katsuragi girl thought she was bratty, but she didn't care. Like her daddy says, wars are not kind. And this was war! Kaji was hers,(!) and she knew that when she got 16 he was going to marry her. She figured that by 14 she would be finished with college and by 16 she could drive, so it would be better to be 16 when she got married.

Asuka walked with Kaji inside the gazebo. Hikari followed behind Asuka, but they were holding hands. They were best friends, so they could do that. But more importantly girls didn't have cooties, only boys did. That's why she was holding Asuka's hand not Kaji's. That's also why Asuka wore a glove. She liked Kaji, but she wasn't going to risk getting cooties from him. Hikari thought her friend was the smartest person ever.

"Hi there, Asuka!" Misato chimed sweetly. She noticed that the young red haired girl wore her favorite yellow summer dress.

"Misato-san." The young girl answered her self proclaimed archenemy coolly. She put a tighter grip on Kaji hand.

The boy that stood between them took a deep breath and prayed that the two girls didn't cause *another* scene. He still had scratches from the last time Asuka attacked Misato with a vengeance when she felt that the teen was becoming "too friendly" with him. That was also the very reason that he and Misato kept their relationship a secret from the little girl.

Asuka was much more... violent than the rest of the kids. It wasn't really her fault though. She was five years old and in 4th grade. She had to toughen her outter shell because the older kids she went to school with relentlessly teased her because of her young age. They hated the fact that someone so young could be smarter than them. So since Asuka spent most of time in school, the anger she got from being there unfortunately rolled over to the way she treated her best friends. Fortunately, her friends didn't mind. They actually respected her for it and came to her when they needed protection.

Hikari let go of Asuka's hand and walked over to Ritsuko and Rei. "Are you sick, Rei-chan?"

Rei crimson eyes fluttered open and she sleepily shook her head no before closing them back.

Ritsuko looked up at Kaji and asked a question with her eyes.

"Her sister is watching her." He answered bitterly.

Ritsuko nodded knowingly.

Hikari's eldest sister was the same age as them, so they were never hired to baby-sit Hikari, but her sister would always tell her go to Asuka's house when their parents where gone. So Kaji always ended up watching two kids for the price of one. He didn't mind so much, Hikari was a good kid. It was just the fact that he was watching two kids for the price of one!!

Asuka noticed Hikari trying to urge Rei to wake up so they could go play, but the blue haired girl wasn't budging off of her babysitter's lap. Forgetting about being possessive over Kaji, Asuka walked over the her two best friends.

"She won't wake up." The pig tailed girl pouted.

"That's because its her naptime." Asuka answered knowingly as she stared at the youngest girl.

"She still takes naps?" Hikari asked as if that was the worst thing ever. She must have momentarily forgotten that she also takes naps. Everyday, just earlier than this.

Asuka nodded and answered without malice. "That's because she's a baby. Baby's have to take naps."

Rei's eyes snapped open and she sat back and yelled, which was only slightly muffled because of her thumb in her mouth. "I am not a baby!"

"Sure you are." Asuka answered innocently. Of course Rei was a baby. She was only three and all the gown-ups carried her all the time. And she still sucked her thumb. If that wasn't a baby she didn't know what was.

Ritsuko smiled warmly as she helped the little girl off her lap. She knew this would happen. Rei hated being called a baby, baby doll or little one. However, she did tolerate being called butterfly. She loved butterflies and the little girl told her often, that for her birthday she was going to wish that she would be turned into one.

"I am not a baby!" Rei stated adamantly in an angry clam voice.

Kaji smirked. It always amazed him how the Ayanami children spoke. They were always so calm. No matter how their inner feelings must have raged, their outer appearance stayed calm. He figured that they were imitating their parents. Both Adam and Lillith Ayanami were psychiatrist and they had a very, very, very calm and soothing way of speaking. Kaji doubted if anything could get them angry. They rationalized everything and then prayed for it. The whole Ayanami family were also extremely devout Christians.

Asuka rolled her eyes. She didn't care what the little girl believed. Rei was a baby, but agreed anyway "Okay, your not a baby! Are you ready to go to the playground now? We've been waiting all day!"

To the average 5 year old, waiting *one* minute, is like waiting all day.

The little girl in question looked back at her babysitter. She didn't want to go and play; she wanted a nap. Ritsuko gave her a warm smile and an encouraging push toward the exit of the gazebo. The young blond was determined not to allow Rei to go to sleep until later. Sure, she would get cranky, but her anger was mild. That was unless she was trying to dress her.

Defeated, the blue haired girl nodded to Asuka.

'Bout time!" Asuka growled and spun on her heals to run toward the playground then looked back at the blue haired girl "Do you need me to hold your hand?"

Rei thought about it then shook her head no. Asuka ran to fast, she would end up being dragged like last time.

The red haired girl nodded and ran toward the park, Hikari followed closely and Rei who still had her baby run, ran on her tippy-toes tettering sided to side. So of course, she lagged far behind.

"She just too cute for her own good." Kaji mused as he watched Rei run with her thumb in her mouth.

"Don't let Asuka hear you say that" Misato playfully warned.

Kaji turned to his girlfriend. "She doesn't see Rei as competition. Rei is just a baby in her eyes." He moved quickly and sat beside Misato and wrapped his arms around her. "Now you my dear..." He cooed seductively in her ear.

"Kaji scoot back!" Misato groaned half heartedly "The kids will see us and then all hell will break loose...again."

They all laughed and Kaji pulled away. Then Ritsuko sighed jealously "You are soooo lucky Misa-chan! You always get to baby-sit Shinji!"

"I thought you liked watching Kaworu and Rei?" Misato asked .

"You know I do, but..." The blond blushed "Shinji's dad is such a babe!"

Kaji gagged as he took off his back pack. The bag was filled with treats for them. But they made sure only eat it when they were sure the kids weren't looking. They didn't want to share.

"Ugh!" Misato laughed "I can't believe you have a crush on Mr. Mole!"

~~~~~~~

"Can too!"

"Can not!"

"Can TOO!!"

"Nuh uh! Can NOT!!!"

"CAN TOO!!!!!" Asuka and Hikari screamed at the top of their lungs.

"CAN NOT!!! Girls CANNOT jump further than boys!!" Shinji and Kaworu yelled back, but not nearly as loud as the girls.

"Watch me!" Asuka stomped over toward the swing Shinji was in. She put her hand out and *pretended* that she was going to touch him, making him fall backwards out of the swing and into the sand to get away from her. She pointed at the swing and made swirling circle gesture, to nullify Shinji's cootie germs, then plopped into the swing. She pointed at Kaworu "You me. Now! They winner is the best in the *whole* world! And you also have to say girls are better than boys!"

With no fear of loosing the boy agreed to the terms. "Fine!" He pushed himself to a start and pumped his legs so he could swing higher. "But when you loose, you better say that boys are better than girls."

Asuka snorted at his words. She had no fear of loosing. She opted to stand on the swing and get more speed and height that way.

"Who's going to jump first?" Hikari yelled out to the two duelist.

"Lady's first" The sliverish haired boy grunted out as he tried to match Asuka's height in the air.

Rei walked over to the one baby swing. It was the harness type that had leg holes. She looked back at Hikari and Shinji and commanded softly. "Help." She couldn't get into it by herself.

Everyone was paying attention to the competition. They didn't hear her. The little girl huffed and walked to the closest person.

Shinji eyes tripled their size when he felt someone tug on his hand. He swallowed a shrill and turned to look at little girl.

"Help." She mumbled with her thumb in her mouth. Unlike the others, Rei wasn't afraid of cooties. Well that's not true. She didn't mind them as long as they didn't get on her *thumb*. Her mommy said that cooties couldn't hurt her because God was protecting her and she believed that to be true as long as it didn't get on her *thumb*.

Shinji took a deep breath, pointed at his cootiefied hand with his uninfected hand and did a bunch of cross and X shapes and wiggly imaginary lines. That was the secret de-cootifying gesture. It was different from the girl decootifying gesture, but it worked just the same. Once he was sure that he was now immune, he asked the little girl. "Yes Rei?"

The little girl pointed to the swing. "Help."

Shinji looked at the swing and cringed. To help her in there would mean that he would have to TOUCH her. How could he do that without getting cooties? A moment later, the answer came to him. "In minute." The boy assured. "When your brother beats Asuka. I'll tell him to help you."

Rei nodded. That was good enough for her.

"You go first, Kaworu!" The red haired girl yelled as she plopped down to a sitting position.

"No you!" Kaworu answered back. "You only want me to go first so you can see how far I jump so I you can jump further!"

"So!"

"So, No!" Kaworu huffed out. "Ladies first!!"

"I'm not a lady!" Asuka panted out. "I am a girl!"

"Then girls first!"

"No!" She screamed as she got herself into the position to jump.

"Why not Asuka? Are ya Chicken?"

All the children they got silent and their eyes became as wide as saucers, as they turned to toward the voice. Chicken!?! Someone actually dared to call Asuka a chicken!

Rei smirked behind her thumb. Asuka would win now. Her friend always tried harder when her pride was challenged. And then after she won, everyone would know that girls were better. She loved her brother but he was still a boy, and girls ruled and boys drooled. The angelic little girl was the last one to look at the person who made the comment. Touji said it.

The dark haired, 6 year old stood next to his sandy brown haired twin brother with a victory grin on his face.

Kensuke tucked his hands in his arm pits and starts flapping his bent arms and clucking like a chicken to instigate the insult.

Kensuke and Touji where called twins because they were same age and were in the same family. However, the two weren't really twins. Kensuke's real last name was Aida, but his mom re-married Touji's dad and now his last name was Suzuhara. Everyone in the neighborhood also called them the "terror twins" because they were *bad.*

"I'm not scared of nothing!" Asuka screamed as she pumped her legs harder to gain more height. "You just wait until after I win! I'll show you just how unafraid I am!"

"Ooooo" Hikari instigated turning completely around to face the boys She wiggled her tooshie as she pointed at them "You're gonna get it now!"

Shinji looked at his two friends and nodded in agreement. Asuka was going to kick their butt for calling her a chicken. It puzzled him to why the twins even said that. They knew just like everyone knew that Asuka never let an insult go unpunished.

Kaworu was already in the precarious position to jump. Each second he delayed he risked falling off the swing. Also he was loosing speed, and if he lost speed then he would lose distance when he jumped. So instead of trying to convince the Asuka to jump again, he took a deep breath and jumped. He made his body as straight as a board to lessen the air resistance as he shot through the air like a bullet.

"Wow!!!' All the children yelled out. They were clearly impressed. That was the farthest anyone had ever jumped in the whole world!

All the children "wowed," except Asuka. She watched him make a line where he stopped and mentally assessed how far she need to jump to beat him. She took a deep breath and jumped.

"I see London! I see France! I see Asuka's under pants!!!" The two Suzuhara twins chimed.

Shinji turned away blushing. He was *not* supposed to see that! He scrubbed his eyes just in case seeing her panties gave him eye cooties. One can never be to safe when cooties were concerned.

Hikari slapped her hand over her mouth in embarrassment.

Asuka grabbed her dress in mid air to cover herself. By doing so she created resistance and instead of passing Kaworu she fell short WAY short

"Say it!" Touji ordered immediately after she landed. "Say boys are better than girls!" He knew that stakes even if he wasn't there when they made them. It was same terms every time.

"No!" Asuka yelled as she stood up and brushed the sand off her legs and dress "You cheated!"

"Who? Us?" Kensuke asked with mock innocents. "You lost fair and square!"

"Yeah" Touji added " You lost fair and square! Its not our fault you wanted to show us your *panties*"

Asuka eyes tripled their size. She was so angry, she was shaking. How dare they look at her private clothing. How dare they accuse her of WANTING them to be seen! Those....those.....those PERVERTS!! "I'm going to scratch your eyes out!!" She shrieked.

Touji's dark brown eyes quadrupled in size, and he backed up fearfully before he turned and ran in a full sprint. The elder Suzuhara twin knew she wasn't bluffing. He was there when she attack Misato.

With her claws bared, Asuka ran after the boy.

Kensuke ran after Asuka. He wanted to help save his brother. Hikari then ran after him, cheering Asuka on. Kaworu then followed just to watch the spectacle.

When Shinji started to follow, he was stopped by a little hand the grabbed his. He had to swallow a scream. Slowly he turned and faced Rei.

"You said that when Kaworu jumped he would help me." She looked at her brother run and follow the rest of the kids then back to Shinji. "He's gone. So you have to help me"

"But...but I can't. You're a girl." Shinji pleaded.

"I don't have cooties" Rei said adamantly with her thumb in her mouth. "You can ask Kaworu. Little sisters don't have cooties. My mommy and daddy said so."

"But you're not *my* little sister!" Shinji contradicted logically.

Rei didn't have anything to counter what he said. So instead she ...cried. "I'm tired... I just want to sit in the swing and take a nap. Please...I need help."

It broke the young boy's heart to see Rei cry. Her ivory skin flushed a bright pink. Her little hiccup whimpers that escaped her thumb filled mouth.. It was just to much. "Okay. Sheesh. I'll help you into the swing."

"Promise?" Rei's sniffed.

Shinji scratched the back of his head and looked around. He wanted to make sure none of his friends would see him. Getting cooties was only a problem when your friends knew you had them. Lucky for Shinji, Touji, Kensuke and Kaworu were busy with Asuka.

Shinji followed Rei to the harness swing. He wasn't sure how he was going to get her in there, he was only slightly taller than the little girl.

"Pick me up." Rei commanded.

Okay, there was his answer.

~~~

Ritsuko watched the two youngest from the gazebo. She watched Shinji hesitantly wrap his tiny arms around the blue haired girl's waist and ...knock her breath out of her with a tight squeeze when he tried to pick her up. She watched him apologize and assure the upset little girl he didn't do it on purpose. She watched Rei tell him something and Shinji reluctantly agreed to get on his hands and knees. Rei then used the boy as a stepping stool, grab the swing chains and pull herself up, so she could crawl into the baby harness. Once Rei put her legs through the leg holes and sat down, she curled up and rested her arm against the front part of the harness and her head against her arm. She was making herself comfortable so she could fall asleep.

"Oh no you don't, little butterfly" Ritsuko said as she started to get up. She was determined not to let Rei fall asleep, even if it meant taking her out of that baby swing. Fortunately, she didn't have to intervene a little furry animal was going to do it for her.

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I don't own anything that deals with Evangelion

Sorry I ended it there. I have this feeling that this fic is going to be too long for a one shot. So I am going to break it up into chapters. ^_~

Love ya lots! I really really do

Kimberly