"Opening The Future Doors"
Fourth chapter-Part three-

................

/Tick. tick. tick. tick

The only perceivable noise in the maternity waiting room of Nerv's hospital was the ticking from the pendulum clock, which hung up the wall. Everything else had been standing , since Ritsuko and Yukito had entered the delivery room, escorted by other doctors and nurses employed on the Base, who had helped them in carrying Rei.

Althrough kind of drowsy, Shinji was staring at the moves of the pendulum clock straight before him; possibly, in that very moment, he was the most anxious person in the world..

Just next to him, there was Misato, sitting on the couch. Even the Major could not help being worried; still she tried not to show her anxiety, in order not to make Shinji's emotional state worse.

"Huff! Where the hell is Kaji!? I am starting to believe that he got lost somewhere in the Base facilities....", Misato said, disappointed by the silence hanging between them; then she leaned her hands on the nape of her neck, crossing her fingers.

Anyway, Shinji had not recovered from his daydreaming, since he stood motionless, looking like he was sunk into oblivion, twenty thousand leagues under his cares. He had not at all paid attention to Misato, which she had not considered him blameable for; on the contrary, she had kept on smiling broadly at her little Shinji.

He was about to hit the target, by achieving the main goal in life.

"Puff! I'm coming!", Kaji said in a huff, while popping out of a corner, coming from the corridor. The two sleeping children still rested in Ryouji's arms, with their heads leaned upon his shoulders, their arms and legs hanging down.

"Kaji! Where have you been!?", Misato asked in surprise.

Ryouji sniggered, approaching his wife." I guess I got lost once again.."

"I should have figured!", she answered, extending her arms towards her husband. "Dear, just hand me Akane-chan". Misato offered to help her husband, noticing his efforts to support the children's' weight

Given the fact that Kaji-san had his other arm busy in sustaining Tomoyo-chan, he could not give his wife Akane ; therefore, he was limited to bringing his arm near her: she grasped his intention, and gently took the child from her husband.

Unluckily, it all disturbed Akane's slumber.

"Mummyyy...what's that light!? Where are we, mummy!?", sounded a shrill voice from Drowsyland. She had to close her eyelids, bothered by the blinding halogen light filling the room. A rude awakening had been added to the numbers of disturbances the little girl had to go through, all along that hectic night.

Misato nestled her daughter's face against her chest, trying to shelter her eyes from the lamp glare.

"We'll be back home soon. Please, sleep dear...", Misato fondly whispered, rocking her to sleep. Akane indulged her mother's wish, falling asleep again, still pressed against Misato's chest. Kaji sat down between Shinji and his wife, arranging Tomoyo-chan comfortably in his arms.

"Did you tell Ritsuko and Yukito that her daughter is here with us?", Kaji questioned his wife, while he took care to blanket Tomoyo's shoulders under
his own jacket, so that she did not catch a cold.

"I didn't tell them. I guessed they'd figure it out. ", Misato averred, mimicking Kaji's gesture, by taking off the light coat she wore over her dark blue dress, then covering her daughter with it. It was then that Shinji removed his own jacket, offering it to her former guardian with gallantry.

"Take it, Misato-san!", he said. Somehow, Misato was surprised by his gesture. Shinji's kindness had overwhelmed his anxiety, she thought.

"Domou arigatou, Shinchan."

Shinji smiled back at her, then he sunk again into the depths of his thoughts; he had just changed his main focus, averting his attention from the little bronze pendulum hanging on the wall, to concentrate on the person of Kaji-san.

It didn't take that long for Ryouji to notice Shinji's intense glances towards him.

"Hey, Buddy! Are you dreaming about what your children will be like?!", Kaji asked with a hint of irony.

Hearing those words, Ikari recovered himself from Wonderland. "Kaji-san..." Shinji finally gave up his worries, staring at his interlocutor melancholically.

Kaji smiled "Lo! An upcoming father, getting sleepy on the very night when his children will be born!", he emphatically said.

"Right now, I would be alright with everything but feeling so dizzy!", Shinji retorted, while nervously crossing his fingers. He finally leaned back, getting involved again in his troublesome cares.

Kaji rested his free hand upon Shinji's shoulder.

"You'd better relax, Shin-chan. That's not good to get so nervous in such a circumstance! You're going to live one of the best moments in your life! You definitely can't let this anxiety of yours waste it all!" Kaji uttered.

"I know it, still I can't help feeling like this...", Shinji whispered.

"What about going to the bar and having something? I can't assure you there 's someone there, since Kensuke and Nozomi invited nearly anyone employed at
the Base to their wedding... Still I guess wandering around will possibly be of some use in calming you down."

Shinji reflected for a moment upon Kaji's suggestion, then he consented to have a break. Shinji nodded repeatedly, before rising from the bench slowly.

"You're making sense, Kaji-san..", he answered, bending to Kaji and Misato.

She was still gazing at Ikari-kun, her glance filled with compassion.

"I guess having a walk is definitely ok for me.". The young man made an effort to smile, while saying those words unwillingly, doubtfully.

Kaji nodded assent " Why don't you have a coffee ? Just to remain awake... A coffee sounds very good, when it's half past two in the night!",
he added, meaning to relieve the tension.

Shinji didn't say a word, but just kept on staring at Kaji for some moments, with the same worried look he had been displaying since they'd arrived to
the hospital. Finally he headed towards the lift, which was 50 meters far.

"Poor little Shinji... He's so scared..", whispered Misato, with her eyes following Shinji-kun, while he moved towards the elevator.

"That's right..", Kaji agreed with his wife's words. "..Still he made his effort best to be brave and strong in front of us, and of Rei-chan, most of all. This too is a brave action. Just like the way he acted aboard the Evas."

"We did it.." Shinji whispered to himself, looking at the fist he was clenching and unclenching compulsively, while the lift was slowly going down to the lower floors of the huge facilities.

He raised his eyes, reading the pointer, which indicated "7th floor".

"Once upon a time I found myself in this very lift......", he unconsciously whispered to himself *...how many things happened inside here..*

\\FLASHBACK\\

*....10 years ago Ikari-kun was a shy, insecure fourteen year old boy. The scene fades to the inside of an elevator; Shinji is talking to Rei..*

" Do you know? This morning..at school... when we were cleaning our classroom up.. I observed you.... I thought you looked like a mother..",
Shinji uttered unusually.

"A...mother?", the blue-eyed girl faltered in awe. Her muttered words had let her suppressed emotions carelessly leak out. Whenever it happened, anyone but Shinji ignored what was hidden in her heart.

"Yup!", the young man assented with a timid smile, which softened his look
.

"The way you wrung the cloth..it reminded me of a mother's attitude..", he smiled before going on speaking.

"I guess you would be a good mother !"

//END FLASHBACK//

When the lift stopped with a ring at the floor he was headed to, Shinji's mind came back to the present day

" Who could imagine my dream would become reality, and I would find myself in the same elevator, looking back to that distant day?.." At that thought,
he smiled sweetly, as he did ten years ago, while talking to Rei.

"Rei-chan..."

Once the lift doors opened at the second floor, there appeared the bar, which was daily frequented by all the Nerv staff. Shinji remembered a more recent dialogue, the one that took place on his wedding eve.

In that occurrence, a trembling-voiced Rei scarily to confessed him it was impossible for her to have children, her cheeks getting wet by slow and silent tears.

\\FLASHBACK\\

The cold evening breeze passed through Misato's apartment solarium. It was the only place where they could withdraw from the fevered party for their
Farewell to Celibacy.

"Will you marry me.anyhow.?..", she whispered to Shinji, her words broken by tears. He was staring at her, being astonished at the sad thought Rei had been able to conceive: she had even doubted the wedding promise he had made her.

Shinji pulled Rei by her arm, bringing her near to him.

He was not so kind, drawing her to himself so harshly; still he couldn't suffer Rei's words, and he wished to reassure her as soon as possible. At once. Immediately. So hurriedly that soon would be too late.

"Of course! I obviously want to marry you, Rei!!" he exclaimed, hugging her as intensely as possible, hushing up her crying.

"I'm not marrying you so that you could give birth to my sons, I'm doing it 'cause I love you! Anata wa suki desu, Rei-chan! Nothing else matters to me, but you! Nothing more!!"

"Shin..chan..." She nestled her face against his chest, while tightly clasping his shirt with her hands "Since I can't give you children...am I
still a woman?", she went on speaking.

"Stop it!" Shinji shushed her in reproach, "Rei! I don't mind it! I..I love you as you are! And.." Shinji's voice was gradually softening, while he finished his sentence "..our love won't be defined by the absence of children"

Once he had finished his sentence, Shinji smiled. It was hard to believe that smile came from the same person who had spoken just before in such an
authoritative tone.

Rei lifted her eyes, and watched at him in an astonished way, without leaving her place at Shinj's chest. "Are..are you sincere, Shinji?", she answered, slowly stopping to cry.

The guy nodded "I swear it, Rei-chan.."

*

//END FLASHBACK//

*How contradictory..*

Shinji mumbled, proceeding along the corridor, undisturbed. *Since then, I knew for sure we couldn't have sons. I got used to it. So I almost fainted, when Rei gave me the good news. Nine long months has passed, And now, this is the moment. All this time looked never-ending to me..*

When he finally arrived to the Geo-Front bar, he woke up from his train of thoughts.

Unfortunately, a gate barred the entry. Shinji stopped for a moment. He was quite surprised to find it shut. He went on towards the grating, advancing a few paces; once he was near enough, he leant his hands on the gate, his fingers grasping its diagonal bars.

"Closed.", he said, eyeing through the grating.

The bar was still lightened inside, despite it was totally empty and still.

*..It resembles my heart as it used to be: shut down, despite the fact that it was filled with light..*

Shinji understood there was no time left to wander in Dreamland. He'd better move up to the hospital.

The young man turned to his side, noticing a long row of various vending machines, not far away from the lift exit. Drinks, snacks, hot drinks, ice creams: they were suited to any taste. There was no precooked food available, since Nerv's restaurant was on the upside floor.

Shinji approached the hot-drinks machine. There were even aromatic drinks, like rose tea. Yet Shinji opted for a classic beverage; after inserting a loose coin he had found inside his trousers pockets, he forcibly pressed the button, waiting for his milky-espresso. Then he inserted two more coins, to have a coffee for Misato and Kaji, as a token of thanking for having suggested that he take a walk, which had really improved his mood: Nerv's Vice-Commander felt quite relaxed now.

The vending-machine quickly poured three coffees into the paper-cups; Shinji slightly bent down to pick them up, arranging them so he could carry them without spilling them on the floor. Shinji was applying a tiny cover on the border of the last cup left, when he suddenly felt a light wild breeze, as if someone had passed just next to him. He turned in amazement: was there anyone right there besides him? Wasn't he all alone?

He looked all around himself once again; there was no one except him and 'Lord Silence', which reigned uncontested.save that some rustles eventually ripped its surface.

Shinji saw only one moving thing, which suddenly caught his attention: it was a lightly flatting feather, which wandered under the young man's nose, then rested upon the border of the still uncovered coffee cup. It was within a hair's breadth of sinking into the hot drink.

Shinji's eyes were fixed directly on the standing feather; he took care not to shift its position by breathing. He stared at it in astonishment for some moments, being almost frightened. What the heck ..was a bird down supposed to be in a place like that?..

Shinji swallowed to clear the lump in his throat, then he took it, collecting all his bravery, bringing it nearer to his eyes. He held it up to the light, having the mild feeling that there was something strange about it.

What was in Ikari's mind?

It was definitely an harmless feather, after all; according to its size, one could have argue it belonged to a quite big bird...

What if that bird didn't chirp?

Shinji Ikari gave another look around himself, then he looked upwards.. since it had feathers, one could figure it also had wings..consequently, it was supposed to fly.

Still he saw nothing, while staring at the ceiling: no signal, no message, and no clue..nothing at all could help him to find out whom this unusual feather belonged to.

Shinji didn't notice anything particular. All but that feather had remained unchanged around him. He turned back again; still, when he watched at the feather again, what he saw impressed him more than being face to face with its owner. It was not there anymore.

The down had disappeared in his hands. Before guessing haphazardly about the true mystery, he turned his glance towards the floor, and the coffee cups. Maybe it had simply fallen down. Yet it was not like that: it had vanished, as Shinji exactly knew. He couldn't say why he run away out of the blue, headed to the lift, after having quickly capped the coffee cup.

Both anxiety and firmness were showing up on his face. He hurried to the lift doors, which swiftly opened. He jumped in, then pressed the button
leading to the 7th floor, the one hosting the Nerv Internal Hospital.

*

In the meanwhile, inside of the operating theatre, which possibly was more hectic than ever, Ritsuko, Yukito and the other doctors were finally allowed to sigh in relief and take a moment of rest. Dr. Akagi began to slip her gloves off, followed by the rest of the medical staff.

"We did a great job...", doctor Tsukishiro exclaimed with resolution: he faced this kind of emergency daily, since he was a certified surgeon. He stared at his wife, who smiled at him, nodding.

"Congratulations!" Ritsuko waited for a smiling assent from the other doctors, who were taking off their coats. Then she approached again the person who had been the reason for that night feverish activity: Rei Ikari Ayanami. She was lying on a bed: maybe she had been the first sighing in relief. The brand new mother was panting because of the recent effort, her eyes shut, her face was moist with sweat: the twin's birth had not been that easy for her...

Ritsuko stared at the young woman for some moments, then she smiled, resting her hand on Rei's forehead.

"Rei-chan, Are you all right?",

Rei couldn't even talk; despite her pain, she succeeded in opening her eyes, as a showing of her assent. Ritsuko's hand moved Rei's hair from her forehead.

"You did wonderfully, Rei-chan. Everything turned out well, and we owe it to you.", she averred while caressing Ayanami.

Rei made an effort to reply, yet it was of no use: she had spent all her strength in giving birth to her sons. Ritsuko could see it better than anyone. So Yukito, Maya, and the rest of the staff didn't complain at all about Dr. Akagi not allowing the mother to take the children in her arms just after the labour, given her distress.

Rei could not even keep her eyes opened; so the doctors thought it would be better showing her the children later, once she would regain her strength.

"Have a rest now, please, Rei-chan. From now on, we'll manage everything, you know? Just worry about recovering..."

Yukito joined the talking " You gave birth to two wonderful babies, Rei-chan!"

Rei gave Yukito a questioning look, then he turned her eyes again to Dr. Akagi. "That's true; today has been a wonderful day, for Shinchan and yourself. You gave birth to a male and a female."

At those words, Rei couldn't help but make the tiniest of the smiles. She willingly yielded Rituko's suggest, indulging in a little rest. So she closed her eyes and then she felt asleep, while her look slowly softened.

Ritsuko moved Rei's hair, hanging on her face, behind her ears. After that she turned her gaze towards the other doctors.

"Carry her to the ward, please, and let her have a quiet rest. She's totally exhausted!"

"Ok, Doctor Akagi!", chorused the doctors, hurrying to set up a stretcher to carry Rei with.

In the room's corner, there was a young woman, dressed in a coat, who was very busy about something.

"I did it...", she softly whispered, while making a very tiny hand pass through the equally tiny sleeve of his white-coloured cotton overalls.

"I'm done with you, baby." Maya Ibuki smiled, while lifting in front of her one of the two people responsible for that unbelievable night. One couldn' t relate how sweet and tender the creature Maya-san held in looked her arms. He was a blue-dressed baby; his eyes shut, the baby child was asleep, just like his pink-dressed sis, who was still in her swaddling bands, with her fists clenched tightly in front of her face, the tiniest threads of blue hanging over it: she had the same hair colour as her mother.

Maya was almost touched; they reminded her of her little Fuu-Tien, whom she had entrusted to her husband; possibly, both of them were asleep by then. Maya leant this baby too upon the bed, waiting for someone to bring the cradles.

"Senpai, I'm done!" Doctor Ibuki exclaimed, turning towards Ritsuko.

Doctor Akagi headed over to Maya. "Is it all right, Maya?"

"Yes, Senpai! Both the children are healthy; I signed their weight both on the clinical board, and the identification bracelet."

"Perfect. Thank you, Maya." Ritsuko couldn't help but fix her gaze on the babies. They looked so tender, while sleeping next to each other, resembling two angels fallen down from the sky.

"They are the sweetest thing, aren't they?", doctor Akagi said with a smile, caressing the childrens' bodies.

Maya nodded "Yup. They are really two wonderful babies. They are very like their parents."

"Yeah. I'm so happy Rei could give their sons what she couldn't have for herself.", Ritsuko whispered, her hand rubbing the children's velvet overalls, a sad thought forming in her mind.

Maya stared at her in surprise "What are you talking about, Senpai?", wondered Doctor Ibuki.

Ritsuko tried not to give vent to the tears forming in her eyes, just to hide them from her friend "Uh..never mind, Maya..", she exclaimed, turning her face again towards the babies, whose sight of whom turned into happiness the melancholy surrounding the doctor.

*

"Come on! Come on!!", yelled Shinji, trying to make the lift doors open up quickly. He couldn't say why he was so hurried; he only knew something had
happened to Rei-chan. Something he couldn't guess; he just had to get to where she was.

Nerv's vice-commander finally got out of the lift, rushing towards the corridor, which seemed quite calm. Misato was in sight, sitting in the lounge, while rocking her crossed legs, holding Akane in her arms. Ryouji was next to her, holding Tomoyo-chan. Neither Katsuragi nor Kaji noticed that Shinji was approaching them. He slowly paced, keeping his gaze fixed to the distance.
It all looked changeless, yet he felt something was occurring.

"Ah! Shinchan!", yelled Misato, realizing Shinji's presence. "Are you back already!?"

"Yeah...", Shinji answered in dismay, while continuing to look around himself, as if he was in search for something, his eyes filled with anxiety.

" As far as I can see, your walk's not been that relaxing, ne, Shinji-kun?", Kaji uttered ironically, observing that his advice had not made things better.

*..Possibly he needed a camomile tea more than a coffee...*, he thought to himself.

"Nope..on the contrary.. something special's happened?!", Shinji said, revealing his omen, which quite dumbfounded Misato and Kaji.

"Well... while you were away, Dr. Ibuki came here in a hurry, volunteering to help Ritsuko and Yukito in the labour. Nothing more.", Kaji answered.

"Oh..." Shinji let out a disappointed sigh, fixing his gaze again at the door, which came between the lounge and the maternity ward. He felt the heat coming from the coffee in his hand, which was now unbearable to suffer anymore: so he remembered it, and offered the hot drinks to Misato and Kaji, with a slight smile

"I've almost forgot it. I took some coffee for you too."

"Oh! Arigatou gozaimasu, Shin-chan! I really need it!", answered Kaji

"Me too! I was on the verge of falling asleep!", Misato said cheerfully. "hmm..does the alcohol vending machine still work?"

"Alcohol is not allowed inside the Nerv facilities, Colonel Katsuragi!"

Shinji put on an authoritative tone for a while, asserting his own rank: yet it was a joke, which everybody grasped at once. Shinji would have never ever behaved as his father used to. Colonel Katsuragi had to make a certain effort not to burst out laughing: seeing a firm Shinji was such a rare thing!

"Come on and sit down here, Shinchan. Why are you standing?" Misato said happily.

Shinji assented and sat down, still he was somehow dumbfounded: there was something bothering him, besides the long waiting. Both Misato and Kaji noticed it; they were about to ask him what was wrong, when the huge door next to them opened with a sudden shriek; which made the three of them turn abruptly, yet more synchronously than two Evangelions could.

Ritsuko came out of the maternal ward, followed by Yukito and rest of the surgical équipe.

Shinji was overwhelmed by sheer terror, without even understanding why, so that he didn't dare raise his eyes to meet Rit-chan's look. He felt as if the world started whirling, crazily. He saw Misato rising from her seat; she touched his forearm.

"Shinji, get up....."

Shinji did not react at those words, being overcome by scary emotions.

His guardian's face was relaxed. She was already chattering with her friend...what were they talking about.

Indistinct words came to Shinji's ears: to him, everything looked hazy. He couldn't even stand up, because of his fear. It was then Ritsuko addressed him: "Shinji?".

She had called for his attention. Everybody's eyes turned towards him.

"Ha..hai...", he swallowed, getting ready to listen to the doctor's response. Millions of thoughts crowded throught his mind out of the blue. His whole life passed in front of his eyes, making everything even more blurred.

Ritsuko smiled "Everything 's all right, Shinchan. Rei-chan did not suffer a lot..."

"...and the babies are in a very good health!", Doctor Tsukishiro added happily, while slowly moving forward. Were those the words that Shinji-kun had wished he could listen to? Nobody knew...yet they amazed him so much that he stood speechless, his eyes starting to sparkle. He would have said a billion words! Still there was something restraining him. He didn't know how to start; his hand was trembling, as it never did. He was shivering. In that very moment, he had become a father.

Ritsuko, Misato, Kaji, Yukito, even the whole medical èquipe standing on the threshold, smiled sweetly at seeing the young man behave like that.

"Watashi...", he could only stammer in disbelief.

The oddest thing was the little Akane and Tomoyo, who were still asleep, despite all that turmoil, lying on two armchairs. Just before, Misato and Kaji had rested them on the chairs, placed on the other wall. Shinji was so tenderly shy, while showing his own worry. Such a miracle was too much for him.

"Won't you come and give a look at your wife, Shinji? By now, she's the mother of two babies......", Ritchan turned to him smiling. Shinji stood in the middle of the corridor, where his main focus lay: his entire inner universe collapsed before the only thing he could feel. Shinji felt like being dragged away...

' your wife..mother...children..'

He saw everyone around himself smiling, he heard Kaji congratulating him..

The door, which Rei was behind, was turning ajar. He would enter it soon...everything was accomplished, by then. There was nothing more to be scared about...

All sounded died. He tried to step forward: it felt like floating. He felt Misato hugging him by his waist, and then carrying him forward. Still there was something else. His eyes blurred, while he perceived an odd buzzing.

When he turned, it was like he had leant his head on a cushion; as if he could see through the wall at his left... There was someone, someone he knew well.. a young man smiling to himself, his back rested against the wall.

"Kaworu-kun...", he whispered...

Kaji-san heard him; he was about to tell Shin-chan something, when he had about to sustain Shin-chan, who had suddenly lost his balance.

"Shinji-kun!!", Misato yelled , while the whole group bent over Shinji, who was lying on the floor, unconscious, being held up only by Kaji's arms.

"Calm down, he's only fainted.", Yukito reassured everybody. "The distress overwhelmed him. Poor boy.."

Everybody relaxed at those words, while Yukito and the other doctors were helping Kaji to hold up the brand new father, and bring him to a room next
to there, where Shinji could come round.

"We might have expect it. Let's make him sleep in the room next to the one where Rei is. He'll wake up by himself soon.", Doctor Tsukishiro said, explaining to the other doctors what to do with Shinji.

"Yeah! I think a good sleep will be of great use to Shinchan, in order to get over the stress he accumulated tonight...", Ritsuko added by his turn.

Then the doctors went away, together with Kaji and Yukito who brought Shinji to the nearest maternity ward, to let him rest on a bed. Both Doctor Akagi
and Colonel Katsuragi sat down. Their look settled upon their respective daughters, who were still sleeping on the facing armchairs.

"Tomoyo and Akane are still asleep..", doctor Akagi exclaimed, with relief.

"Yeah. At least, the two of them have been sleeping all night long, without noticing anything at all!", Misato added by her turn.

"All night long? I wonder what time is it..", Ritsuko questioned doubtfully. One could tell by her look how tired she was, after spending the last few hours like that.

"It's almost forty past three.", Misato declared, after comparing her watch hands with the pendulum clock ones.

The scientist leant her hand on her face. "Phew! I had lost my sense of time."

Colonel Katsuragi smiled at Ritsuko, then she leant her hand on her friend's face. "What about having some rest? You also are very tired, Rit-chan."

Ritsuko swiftly moved her hand from her face, trying to put her fatigue aside. "No, I definitely can't, Misa-chan. Rei has just given birth to her children, and I can't get away from here, right now."

"By the way, how is Rei?", Misato answered in a worried tone.

"Rei-chan's all right, luckily, but she needs a lot of rest, by now. She's more exhausted than all of us. It was a troublesome labour, still everything
's turned out well: and this is the most important thing." Ritsuko smiled once she finished speaking, while stroking Tomoyo's long purple hair, absent-mindedly.

"Yup. I was so scared Rei could suffer from complications, because of this night's turmoil.", Misato said, being reassured by her best friend's words.

"What about the babies!?", she added after a pause.

"They're two wonderful babies...", doctor Akagi answered, using a sweet tone of voice. " The ultrasounds were not deceptive: they are different sex twins, a female and a male."

At those words, Misato's look and voice softened even more. "I can figure they are tender. I'm looking forward to see them."

"That's true. They're so tender! And so healthy, considering it as a premature birth.. there were 26 days left... The female one is slightly
lighter than the male, but it's only a few grams, nothing to worry about. I saw worse than it."

"Yeah. Do you remember when Akane was born? Her weight was barely 1 Kg and a half."

"That's what I meant, Misa-chan. By the way, Rei-chan will totally recover in a few days. She must stay absolutely at rest."

"I see. I feel so glad for her and Shin-chan.."

"That's how we all feel, my friend.. ."

Misato stood up abruptly, with a smile on her face. "Come on! Let's have a coffee! At least, it will awake us for a bit."

Shinji Ikari, Nerv 's brand new vice-commander, was still lying senseless on a ward bed. In the next room Rei was sleeping. Though he had fainted, Shinji
felt like dreaming an odd dream.

He looked around himself. He found himself in a place, which looked deeply covered by snow. A street in suburbia. A church roof and belfry, which had
obviously turned white.

Shinji recognized that place. What the hell was he doing there?

"Shinji.." Someone calling his name, making Ikari suddenly turn towards the voice source.

There was a young man, sitting on a bench. His hair was silver.He was smiling and staring at Shinji-kun.

In spite of the snow blanket spreading all over, the silver-haired guy was dressed in summer clothes: he looked like he was not suffering because of
the chill.

He held a big feather in his hands. It looked like the one which had leant over Shinj's coffee cup from the vending machine.

Ikari-kun recognized the young man playing with the down.

"That's you, Kaworu-kun..", he whispered in surprise, keeping his eyes over Nagisa.

"Did it take that long to you, just to notice me? I have been trying all night long to give you signs of my presence", he averred quietly,
reassuringly.

" Signs..?."

"Right. Life's a sign, Shinji-kun. What you gave me is a sign. What I gave you is a sign."

"What reason are you doing this for, Kaworu? What's in your mind?"

Kaworu raised his red eyes to Shinji: they were so similar to Rei's ones..

" Just to thank you, Ikari-kun..." Kaworu hit his friend's heart once again, though Shinji couldn't grasp the meaning hidden in Nagisa's swords.

They usually unfolded like a poem without paraphrase. Anyhow, they filled every single space left behind inside him.

He tried to mutter a reply, yet his voice was like "suppressed" by floating feathers falling down the sky like snow.

Once they disappeared, everything fazed out, as if that unusual snow had swept it away.

Kaworu too disappeared, last.

6:00 AM

"Shinji!? Hey! Shinji!!" Kaji's utterance broke the silence of the dream, bringing Shinji back to reality.

"Wake up!",Ryouji added, while shaking Ikari-kun by his shoulder.

Bothered by it, Shinji finally opened his eyes "What's up!?."

"What do you mean what's up!?!?!?! You've just become a father, and the best you think is to sleep!?", he said with a hint of irony.

Shinji Ikari sat down on the bed, while lazily rubbing his eyes

"Did I become a father?" It was as if his mind had erased for a moment all that night's happenings.

Yet he regained consciousness of them at once, which didn't calm him down.

"Oh my! Rei-chan!!", Shinji exclaimed, shifting the blankets, then getting down from the bed hurriedly.

"Just calm down, Shin-chan! No reason to be alarmed!!", Kaji uttered, grabbing Ikari-kun by his shoulders, firmly, restraining him from doing God knows what.

"Is she all right?! Are you sure?! Where's she, now!?", he inquired of Kaji nervously, while cold sweat drops came down his face, because of the newly upcoming fear.

"Just in the same place you are. In the third room of maternal ward, here at the Base hospital."

"What..". He couldn't see what was happening to himself, till he became aware he positively was in a hospital room. Shinji blushed furiously. "Oh, my! Don't tell me I am.."

" ..In a room of the maternal ward!", Kaji interrupted his speech.

Ryouji finally smiled, clearing his throat. "Please, Mr. Ikari..Would you tell us what's like for a man to be admitted to a strictly female ward?", Ryouji questioned him, pretending he was an interviewer, while Shinji's face was getting more and more scarlet.

"What a shame..", he cried, while trying to cover his face under the blankets.

Kaji patted him, to his comfort " Gambare, Ikari-kun! Just don't behave like this! You should be glad, after all. You will possibly go into the Book of Records!"

" I can believe it...", he muttered uncomfortably.

"Please, come along with me, Shinji. I wanna show you something", Kaji happily whispered, while standing up.

"I wish I could see my wife!", he said hopefully.

"I think it's still impossible, Shinji. I heard

Ritsuko talking to Misato before about Rei.."

"What's wrong with her?!?!", he asked in alarm, before Kaji could finish his sentence.

"She's only having a rest, and it would be better if you didn't disturb her.", he quietly said, his look softening while it crossed Shinji's worried eyes.

"I see. May I see her later?", he asked again, pleadingly. Shinji was so eager to see his wife again, that he had almost forgotten why they had spent all night there.

Kaji nodded "Yes, I suppose. While away, I'll show you something else delightful to you.", he added in amusement.

"Are you..are you serious?", Shinji answered surprisedly.

" Just follow me."

End of IV chapter, part three.


To be continued...

*********

~*~ *relief sigh* Finally this chapter's out!^_^; I just can't believe it!I'm that it has took too long, but try to understand...it's really hard for me have a fanfiction translated...T_T

~*~ I hope you'll like this chapter. The next will be the last chapter of this fanfiction (I hope that I'll get it sooner than this one!)

~*~ Many thanks to Faby-chan for this translation and many thanks to Jason Carter too for the corrections!^__^ THANK YOU!^O^

~*~ C&C are welcome!:) And as usual..DO NOT FORGET TO REVIEW!!!!!!!^-^

~*~ Please email me if you wanna tell me something: reichan@inwind.it or visit my website http://members.tripod.it/aoitears

Bye!^o^
Rei-chan