ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Part 7: False Hope

For the second time that day
He woke and looked up
But this time at the familiar ceiling
Of his home's rooftop

As he sat up from his futon
Something white caught his attention
But before he could reach for it
Misato burst in with something to mention.

"She's alive! She's alive!"
He stood up, his eyes full of hope
"Rei...she's alive?" With this news,
His brain struggled to cope.

"Yes!" The major said happily.
"She's at the hospital, alive and well."
"Thank God..." he whispered.
His joy was more than he could tell.

As soon as they arrived at the hospital,
Shinji rushed for her room as fast as fast as he could
But as he ran through the corridor
He found her sitting on a bench of wood.

"Rei...thank God you made it."
Great, now that he was near her
He couldn't think of anything else to say
But everything will be fine, that's for sure.

She moved her head to look at him
And he found himself looking down at his shoe
"Rei, I..." he stammered. "I...I..."
But was cut off by her saying, "Who are you?"


It was as if the whole world fell upon him
Followed by a hard smack of a bat
Those words pierced right through his heart
When he heard her say that.

"Wha--? You don't remember me?
"It's me, Rei. It's me, Shinji!"
Her head nodded in recognition
"So you're the Third Child, Shinji Ikari."

"You...you saved me, remember Rei?"
Turning away from him, "I thought it was absurd,
When you ran to me. But the reason I don't know you
Is probably because I'm the third."

He backed up as she stood
"You're...you're not Rei..."
She just stared at him, then shrugged.
"I'm Rei Ayanami, that's what they say.