Disclaimer: Take a wild guess

Chap. 15

Katsuragi Residence

Asuka decided she would go home alone. Hikari might worry, but she would understand. Asuka felt like she needed this time to reflect. Entering the house, she saw that no one was there. It was no big surprise. Misato said earlier that she would be at NERV for awhile and Shinji was stuck with clean-up duty at school. Sighing, Asuka plopped herself on the couch and switched on the TV. However, her attention wasn't in watching the screen, but rather her earlier discussion with the First Child.

Flashback

"We need to talk."

Rei merely turned her head in Asuka's direction.

"Do you remember?"

"Yes."

Asuka remained silent and looked up at the ceiling, "So I didn't imagine it all."

"No. We didn't." the First Child agreed

Asuka frowned, "All this proves is that he is a pervert."

"That's not true and you know it." If Asuka didn't know better, she could swear that Rei was agitated. "You care for him very much."

"I do n..."

"You can not deny it from me any longer." Her voice then calmed, "We both felt the same way that night."

Asuka could have argued back, but there was no point. Hate it or not, Rei was absolutely right. There's no sense in fighting someone who had shared feelings, emotions and thoughts with her.

"Of all the brains to join, it had to be yours." she sighed.

Rei said nothing, as usual and Asuka continued, "So, do you remember what we agreed on?"

The albino nodded slightly, "Yes. I will feign no memory of the events."

"Good. This should be between us."

____

Yeah. Between us. I don't need anyone to know about how I feel about him. Despite her constant verbal abuse, she couldn't also help feeling a bond between herself and the Third Child. At first she just thought that she had just got used to him. But when he saved her all those times, she couldn't help feeling more for the boy. She had entertained the idea of being his friend, but she knew her feelings ran deeper than that. Her own pride had prevented any chance of such a relationship, but after what happened, her feelings, however unusual, were brought to the surface because of her. Because of Tsunami. That was the same with Rei. Asuka noticed a significant change in her personality. True, she was still introverted, but now Asuka understood her to a degree where it didn't seem strange to her anymore. More like an understanding. Perhaps the world is coming to an end.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

Shinji had just arrived from school after completing his duties there.

"Shhh. Keep it down, baka. I'm trying to watch TV here."

Shinji looked to see Asuka on the couch, remote in hand.

"Okay."

Shinji then began to walk to his room, but was stopped by her next comment, "Why Shinji, I do believe you are growing up."

Shinji blinked. Hard. Was Asuka...commenting him? "Excuse me?"

She turned slightly, "You didn't do your usual line of apologies." She grinned, "That's a step up."

"R...really?" Shinji didn't know what to say. Asuka had never done anything like this, ever. Did it mean..? No. But maybe it affected her a bit.

"T..thank you, Asuka."

"Don't let it get to your head though. You're still a perverted baka." Saying that, she went back to watching TV. However, she noticed that the Third Child was still staring at her.

"What are you staring at? Flush your hentai thoughts down the toilet and fix me my dinner!"

The sudden snap brought Shinji back to reality, "S..sure."

_____

NERV HQ...

Ritsuko had finished her final tests on Rei and was about to send her on her way when Commander Ikari came into the lab.

"How are you feeling, Rei?"

Rei looked up at him, "I am well, Commander."

"Do you have any recollection of the events these past two months?"

Straight to the point. The question caught Rei off-guard a bit. She had never deceived the Commander or anyone before. Hiding the truth is one thing, but outright lying was far different. Still, she did promise.

"No."

Underneath the glasses, Gendo's eyes narrowed. She hesitated.

"Are you certain?" He said in a cold voice.

"Yes."

Gendo's gaze was unchanged. Could she be...lying? Perhaps. But then again, perhaps not.

"Very well. You may go."

"Yes, Commander."

Rei quietly left the doctor and Commander behind. For Shinji...

_____

Shinji found himself in a black void. The young man looked around and saw nothing but darkness.

"Hello Shinji."

His eyes widened. No. I can't be..? He turned around and saw her. He couldn't believe it. It was her. She's...

"Tsunami? Is that you?"

A strange grin appeared, "Of course. Who else would it be?

In no time at all, Shinji arms enveloped the girl in a tight embrace, crying all the way.

"I never thought I'd see you again. I thought...?" Shinji suddenly went stiff. He lifted himself off of her and looked around himself. His face then went sad and he looked down.

"This is a dream, isn't it?"

Tsumani nodded, but said, "Does that matter? Your feelings are real, are they not?

"For all of us."

The voice came from a new form that appeared behind Tsunami's left side. It cleared out and formed into the lithe figure of Rei.

"That's right."

Another form appeared, this time on Tsunami's right side. This turned out to be the vibrant form of Asuka.  Shinji's face wrinkled in confusion.

"I...don't understand."

The red-haired German shook her head and grinned, "You really are a baka, aren't you?"

Rei then started speaking, "We are Tsunami. She is us. We are her."

Tsunami strode forward and lifted her hand. Her palm opened and she let it rest on Shinji's cheek.

"Shinji, I will always love you. Whether I am Tsunami, Rei, or Asuka. We are all one now, remember?"

"Yes. We are one."

______

"Yes. We are one."

Shinji smiled in his sleep, blissfully unaware that a certain fiery-haired girl was sitting next to him. Her hand softly touched Shinji's cheek.

"We sure are, baka. Shinji-kun."

With that said, Asuka stood up from her seat and left Shinji to his sleep.

________

AN: Done, at last. Now before you start talking, no this is not an Asuka/Shinji fic, at least not totally. I've decided to do the same in my last fic which was to just leave it open. Only in this one, I made it seem like it would more likely to be Asuka to pair up with Shinji as opposed to my End of Loneliness fic where it was more likely to be Rei. That doesn't mean that will happen though, but it something for the reader to go on. I may place alternate endings to this; I'm not sure. I truly thank all of you for you reviews and for reading. Apperently, this is my best fanfic and it was all because of you. But in no way is this my last fanfic and certainly not my last Eva fic, although I think I'll tone it down a bit. Domo Arigato and Sayonara...for now.