Disclaimer: see part 1

Chain of Command

Epilogue

Restart, 2022

By Random1377

"Honey… it's your turn…"

Shinji groaned as his placid dream was torn into small fragments. "Didn't I get up last night?" he asked, trying to pull the covers up over his head.

"Yeah," Asuka said tiredly, "but it's your turn again…"

"Why?" the brown-haired man demanded sullenly.

"Because you love me…"

With a deep sigh, Shinji threw the covers back. "Fine…" he sighed, "but I'm taking a nap later in the day – and that's the last time you get to use that one!"

Asuka made no reply, which was hardly a shock, since she had already fallen back to sleep.

Shinji got out of bed and headed to the nursery. "Hey," he whispered gently, "what are you two fussing about?"

His twin daughters refused to indicate what had caused them to erupt into the high-pitched screaming they were currently engaged in, and really, how could they? Three-month-old children weren't very good at communications skills.

"I doubt they'll tell you," Misato said with a yawn, as she came into the room, tying up her robe, "you get Aya… I'll get Ruri…"

"Thanks," Shinji said, pathetically grateful.

Asuka's pregnancy had been surprisingly easy on the redhead… though not on her husband. She had had peculiar cravings, and was not lenient on Shinji when it came to demanding whatever the growing children demanded.

"I don't care if it's two AM… the babies want ham salad!!"

"Why isn't your hair gray?" Shinji asked, laying the still-squawking child down for a diaper check, "I think mine's already starting to turn…"

Misato grinned, cradling the younger of the twins (by a whole three minutes) against her chest. "I dye it," she said with a wink.

"I should have known," Shinji grumbled, finding that there was, in fact, more in the diaper than just his child.

He changed the girl with a deep scowl on his face. –My turn again…- he thought darkly, -fourth time this week…-

"How can you look so mad?" Misato asked softly, smiling at the small bundle in her arms, "Look at those eyes!" she said, "She's not doing it on purpose…"

Shinji smiled. "I know…" he said, lifting Aya into his arms, "just tired…"

They rocked the children in silence for a few minutes, managing to get them back to sleep and laying them down in their cribs.

As they slipped out, Misato commented, "I'm still surprised you chose those names… I thought you would name one of them after each of your mothers."

"We almost did," Shinji admitted, "but we ended up deciding that they should have their own identities… ones that don't have anything to do with EVA…"

The purple-haired woman nodded. "That makes sense," she said, "we're still trying to figure out what to name this one…"

Shinji grinned as she ran her hand over her stomach. "You've still got five months to worry about it," he pointed out, "and if you're hard up, you could always name it Shinji."

Misato laughed. "One Shinji is enough for me, thanks…" she pulled him into her arms, kissing his cheek softly, "Asuka's very lucky."

Shinji blushed, changing the subject. "We should probably keep it down," he said, "we'll wake Reiko…"

"Nah," Misato said, keeping him close to her, "she was up until midnight… she's out."

Misato and Reiko had only been in town for two weeks, and they were slated to stay for another six. But to Shinji it felt like they had been there forever, and were about to leave.

"Thanks for coming," he sighed, letting the purple-haired woman lead him to the kitchen.

"Of course," Misato replied, "I'm sorry we couldn't make it to the birth…"

The former Third Child nodded. When the twins were born, Kaji's trial had still been in deliberation. His lawyer had argued that, even though he had been responsible for frightening a great number of people, he had ultimately caused no bodily harm.

The prosecution had contended that it was an act of terrorism – and successful or not, the fact remains that he did try to (for lack of a better term) kill everyone on earth.

The trial had been lengthy, with many twists and turns… and it had finally ended a month prior, with Kaji been relegated to NERV's custody – at the request of their commanding officer, who had pointed out that she was the one most harmed in the attack.

When Misato had asked what Rei was going to do with her husband, the blue-haired girl had smiled and shook her head.

"I have no idea, major. I do not believe I can allow him to simply be set free… but I cannot allow him to be placed in a normal prison, either…"

Ultimately, Rei had placed her former advisor in a holding cell in NERV, allowing his wife and child to visit him.

"Has Kaji's punishment been decided on?" Shinji asked, "I heard Hines was asking for life in prison, and quit when Rei refused."

Misato sighed. "She hasn't decided yet," she said, "but I hope she's lenient… I want him around for the baby… and me." She looked into Shinji's dark blue eyes, "Is that selfish?"

"No," he said soothingly, "it's not…"

Misato rested her head against his shoulder as he embraced her. "She said she would decide before she turned in her resignation," she said sadly, "but that's not for a month, and I-"

"Are you putting the moves on my husband?" Asuka asked, yawning as if she truly did not care, "You could at least do it in the guest room so I don't have to see it…" she frowned, "you're blocking the fridge… move it."

"That's sick," Misato said, sticking out her tongue, "he's my son!"

"Only by law," Asuka said, pausing for another, deeper yawn, "I've seen you looking at his ass."

"Ewwwww!!!" Misato cried, "No no no no no!! Ugh!!"

Shinji sighed as Asuka embraced him from behind.

"You know you want him," the redhead teased, "he's good, too. Sometimes, he gets my legs in just the right position, and-"

"Gahh!!" the purple-haired woman gasped, "Shut up!! I need to bathe…"

-This is how it all ends…- Shinji thought, closing his eyes as the two women continued to banter back and forth, -not with a bang, not with a whimper… but with laughter…-

That something was ending, he had no doubt… he just wasn't sure what. The war had been over for a year, and they had been living in France for ten months – first in Mira's rather sizable house, and then in the one they had bought for themselves using NERV's severance money and bonuses.

-Maybe it's me that's ending,- he thought, startled by the depth of the concept, -the old me… the scared me…- he smiled softly, thinking that was probably ok.

"What's so funny?" Misato asked, catching the grin on her son's face.

"Just happy…" he whispered putting one arm around her and reaching back to pull Asuka closer to him with the other.

The two women smiled at each other, and silence fell on the trio.

After a moment, Asuka gently turned Shinji around to face her. "This is how it should be," she said gently, smiling as Misato nodded, leaning her head on his back.

Shinji blinked, "What do you-"

"Shhh…" Asuka admonished with a gentle smile, laying a finger against his lips, "you'll wake the children…"

They stayed that way for over two hours, just enjoying the calm togetherness, until a quiet knock at the front door forced them to part. When they opened it, there was too much joy to be contained at the sight of who was waiting on the doorstep… and the children were awakened…

But this time, no one seemed to mind…

**

Rei opened the door to the meeting room in the UN's Tokyo-3 building and stepped in, looking up at the disapproving faces of the most powerful men in the world.

"You are not in uniform," the head of the UN pointed out, with a frown, "do I need to remind you that this is a very important meeting?"

"I am no longer an employee of NERV," Rei stated quietly, "my presence here is only a courtesy, to inform you of my decision to retire. As my last act as Commander, I am formally requesting that NERV be dissolved."

The room was instantly taken with pandemonium.

"Miss Ayanami!" the council head said disapprovingly, as soon as the initial clamor had quieted, "NERV is a very important organizat-"

"No," the ex-commander said calmly, cutting him off. She raised a hand as he began to protest, waiting until he fell silent before speaking.

"NERV is no longer necessary…" she said plainly, "the angels are gone, the Evangelions are all destroyed, and our top researchers have left. NERV is no more, gentlemen."

"What you say is not all true," the council head retorted, "Unit 09 is still functional, Misses Ibuki is still in Tokyo-3, and there is the matter of Ryouji Kaji to be dealt with."

Rei met his stern gaze levelly. "Misses Ibuki has announced her desire to leave Tokyo-3," she said calmly, "she and her husband will be travelling with me and my companion, Mister Aida. As for Mister Kaji, and Unit 09…" a faint smile appeared on her lips, "Unit 09 has been destroyed, and Mister Kaji has been released from custody for fifty hours now. My guess is that he is already with his wife and child."

"Y-you had NO authority to take those actions!!" the man exploded, "Mister Kaji-"

"Was under my direct custody," the former First Child cut in, "the courts decided his punishment was in my hands. It was my feeling that the loss of his right hand and his order to pull his hired troops back voluntarily more than compensates for his actions. As for Unit 09, it was under the sole jurisdiction of NERV, and was deemed to be an overly-expensive relic with no practical application." She smiled faintly, "The pilot was most pleased to be the one to detonate the Unit."

"No practical application?!?" the head of the UN shouted, "Do you know what that thing could do in a land war, Miss-"

"Yes," Rei interjected, fixing him with her cool, crimson gaze, "and that is why it was neutralized. The angels are gone, gentlemen… NERV's job is done."

"So what, then?" the head of the join chiefs asked, "You're just going to let it go? Give it all up? What do you plan on doing?" he asked with a derisive snort, "Hide under a rock and die?"

"No," the blue-haired girl replied with a smile, "I plan on living…"

With that, she turned and strode from the meeting room, ignoring the angry shouts that followed her.

"How did it go?" Kensuke asked, rising from the bench where he had been waiting for her… but keeping his hand within easy reach of the pistol he was carrying.

He didn't trust this place, and the further they got from it the happier he would be.

Rei shrugged. "It is done," she said calmly, taking his hand in hers, "I would like to leave now, Kensuke…"

Kensuke smiled and nodded. "Ok, honey…" he whispered, kissing her gently, "do you want to go visit Shinji and Asuka? I'll bet everyone's there by now…"

He had gotten word from Shinji that all of the pilots would be stopping in when they could to see the children… and had happily accepted the other man's offer to come see them himself, and bring Rei with, as soon as possible.

"Touji and Hikari are in America right now, but they said they'd visit in a month or so… you should try to come then."

"Yes," Rei said as they headed for the door, "then I would like to find a place for us…"

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused by the odd tone in her voice.

Rei smiled, "I mean a place where you and I…" she stopped walking, flushing faintly, "can be together… always…"

"What exactly are you saying, Rei?" Kensuke grinned, "Should I be looking for a best man?"

Rei said nothing, but as she continued walking Kensuke noticed that her smile stayed in place… and that her free hand was holding a small, velvet box.

"Yes…" whispered, turning to face her as the reached the door, "I will…"

She smiled. "I have not asked yet," she replied, slipping her arms around his waist, "but since you've already given me your answer..." she leaned up and kissed him softly.

-Guess I should cancel the dinner reservations,- he thought wryly, amused that she had proposed less than six hours before he had planned to, -but at least I already have her ring…-

"Let's go," she said as they parted, pushing the door open and stepping out into the bright world outside, "we have much to do…"

And so it was that in the year of Our Lord, two thousand twenty-two, the Children of EVA were finally able to put the past behind them and make peace with themselves, moving towards the bright and shining future that awaited them all.

And never once looking back…

The End

Author's notes: ok, now Chain of Command is complete. Obviously this epilogue isn't really necessary… but it made me feel all warm and tingly to write it :P I love hearing how everyone ends up after the curtain goes down… ^_^

Thanks to Ryoma for pre-reading another chapter. And you thought it was all done… heheh. Thanks for the twins idea! And by the way, the Ikaris hate you ^_~

Feedback is always welcome at random1377@yahoo.com