Author's Note:

I understand that delay between updates generally distresses people; I know that, since I too want to read more of stories I particularly like... I'd like you all to know that I never leave a story forever; I may leave it behind for some time, with the most common cause being not having enough time or inspiration to go on at one point. However, and I want you to trust me, I never drop a story: it's besides my ideals to discard a work you like, and I never post things I don't like on the Internet.

I thus request that you be patient if I delay any stories; "Do you want a puppy?" has reached more than a one-year cycle and has yet not been finished, but I will get back to it as soon as possible. In the meantime, I would like you to enjoy this...

Symbology:

' translates either as "× minutes" or as "× feet"; similarly, " translates either as "× seconds" or as "× inches", however, ˚ translates either as "× hours" or as "× degrees (angles)".


Chapter 01 - Revelation

As the possibility of Rei actually having a tumor made its presence apparent in Misato's mind, she felt rather tipsy; the repercussions of such a situation for Shinji would be catastrophic!

"I... don't know what to say..." Misato took a small step back to regard the young woman in front of her. "Rei. Have you thought of what will you do if this is true?"

Rei turned her head to look at the ground, feeling defeated by the outcome of her life as its seemed. 'To be united with the one you love, only to be separated so soon...'

"Rei-chan?" Misato insisted, a little more than worried for the girl's condition. "Hai. I know what would be best for him, or so I think, but I also know what I would like to do..."

"And what do you think you'll do?"

Her crimson eyes turned back on Misato's own brown ones. "I will do what he deserves." She sighed audibly. "I will tell him the truth after the tests' results come in..."

It was right then and there that one particular cell phone begun ringing.


Maya heard the distinct sound of her call being answered.

"Moshimoshi?"

"Ohayo, Rei-kun;" The teenager fidgeted a little at the answer she got from the other end of the line. "I called to tell you about the results." Maya waited for a few moments for a response; realising that the girl was too anxious to give one, she went on. "I think it would be best to come and check them trough here... Can you bring Misato with you as well?"


Rei winced and took a tentative glance at her guardian. "Sure... Alright, I'll be there in an hour or so. Ja ne..." She stared at the device she held in one hand for a few moments; not long after the phone call and the ensuing conversation commenced, she pushed the "off" button and wrapped her arms around her now held high knees as she gazed at the scenery in front of her in a thoughtful manner. She could stay like that forever, especially if Shinji was with her and there were no issues ruining such perfect moments...

However, there were such issues that ruined her mood, and topping that with one worried Katsuragi-shousa under the name of Misato who lived in Tokyo-3... Well, it was not exactly a moment one would choose to do some site-seeing!

"So, what does Maya-chan say?" Misato asked, her brow in a worried frown. Rei glanced at her once more and put her cell phone in her guardian's hand. "She didn't say much more other than that we should go to the laboratory at the Geofront; I told her we would be there in half an hour." And with that she picked herself up.

The older woman stared after her. "We? I hope this does not include Shinji... Is it serious?" It was then that she noticed the girl's distant look. "As I said, she didn't tell me."


The ride was rather calm for Misato, especially so if you consider what took place right under her nose... In any case, they failed to reach Head-Quarters at the appointed time...

The reached Head-Quarters in 10' time.

As the women walked the corridors - well, Rei walked in front, since she knew them like the back of her hand, with Misato behind her dreading the fact that she wanted to get there as soon as humanly possible ('Bad way to put it!', she mentally slapped her mouth.), while the girl was too anxious to rush things up - they suddenly heard a slight swishing sound from a little ahead of them and on their left side. A surprised Maya appeared in the middle of the corridor they were taking.

"Ohayo, Misato-san, Rei-kun... I thought you would be coming in 15' or so?" She looked at the older woman, who now was rather embarrassed, and shrugged the matter off. "Doesn't really matter, does it? Come with me, please." Then she turned her back at them and took off, leaving them to follow her.

Misato took a few steps, then noticed that the First Child was glued where she stood, transfixed by the sudden onset of the news she was unprepared to take. "Rei-chan, you took the first step on this path; but you know that taking the next step, and the next step, and the next after that, is as important as taking the first one... Don't back off."

Rei watched the young doctor turn at these words with an understanding smile at her lips. "My mistake here: I should have told you there is no reason to worry... I just wanted you to come here with Misato for legal reasons, and for the fact that young people always find it best to leave their guardians in the dark."

At this, Maya actually laughed at the pout on Misato's face, and Rei eased, not only because of her words, which truly lifted a heavy burden from her shoulders, but also because the atmosphere lit up. She could not help a delicate small smile forming on her face as she walked forward, with her elders walking right behind her. "She has changed quite a lot, don't you think?" Misato whispered in Maya's ear.

The young scientist could only grin good-naturedly at this. "You have no idea...", she said, leaving Misato behind and more dumbfounded than she ever was for quite some time...


While her two visitors took their seats right across from her on the other side of her desk, Maya leafed through a stack of papers that were contained inside a manila folder in her hands. "Most of this don't concern you... They show that your current health status is a little unstable, if not below optimum condition, but this is to be expected in the situation you are in... However, there are a few tests you should pay more attention than just a quick browse to estimate the extent of it." She finally chose a few sheets of paper that seemed they would do the trick according to her facial expression, and then handed them over to them.

Misato took the papers and checked them through in quick succession before making a very long check-through on each of them, each leaf of paper taking her more time as she checked back the rest of them. She then lowered the papers, her wide eyes falling on Rei's eager ones. "You should see this..." Her face split in a supportive smile. "This must be some of the best news you ever got, or ever will get, Rei-chan..."


Later on that day, not 2˚ after that, Asuka heard the door opened to reveal a very happy-looking Rei and a rather pleased with herself Misato. As she watched the younger of the two head for the bathroom, she could not help her brow from achieving a new record in mountaineering. Turning back on their guardian, she finally managed to lower her brow and spoke up. "What's with Rei today? The last few days she was rather moody, and now she is like she won the frigging lottery!" Misato sighed at this and said: "Might as well she has...", making the redhead's brow break its own record...

"Whatever... I suppose it won't take me long to figure out what it is." A vein popped up in Misato's forehead at this, making her answer the challenge in a sing-song voice. "Iit wiiill..."

"It won't." "It will."

"It won't!" "It will!"

"Won't!" "Will!"

"Won't!" "Will!"

"Won't!" "Will!"

"Won't!Won't!Won't!Won't!Won't!" "Will!Will!Will!Will!Will!"

And so they went on for some time...


The brown-haired young man was lying on his futon in his room, his head resting on his forearm over the pillow, watching the ceiling with little interest. He no longer felt unfamiliar with that one ceiling, as Misato's apartment now really was his home.

Shinji heard the door open, and a little noise from the kitchen, where Asuka and Misato obviously had a playful argument. "At least they now have fun... Wish they would keep it low, though..."

It was as he reached for his pillow that he heard a soft knock on his door. "Shinji, I'm coming in." It was Rei's voice, soft and beauteous as ever. "Hai."

The door slid open, revealing his lover's form standing at its frame. "Do you have a moment?" Shinji smiled at her and sat up, patting the space next to him on his futon. "Of course I do; sit here..." Rei nodded, got in the room, then closed the door and neared him, kneeling on the covers and bringing her legs around, so that she would lean closer to him on one arm. He brought one arm around her shoulders in response, supporting her with his own body, and she raised her arm to reach around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder.

They stood like that for a couple of moments, enjoying the sensation of snuggling to one another, then Rei reached up and kissed him squarely on the lips. "I wanted to tell you how happy I am with you... koibito." Shinji smiled at this and caught Rei's right hand, which rested on his futon, in his left hand. "Me too... Aishiteru, kanoji..." Then he leaned and kissed her as well.

They stayed snuggling in his room for a little more, then got out of the room to see what the other two were doing; they had stopped shouting for some time...


Asuka had somehow managed to get Misato drunk by avoiding to continue their previous ranting and giving her more and more beer, then other stuff, but she just wouldn't say what it was that made the First Child so happy... Finally, after some time, the Second Child was getting close to finding the truth...

"Anh derr sh-shee cohls, Mayia-schan Ii tell ya, anh shays sh-shee haz shumm beegh nooz fohrr Rhay-schan... Shay, nho morh Zebeezhu? Dhrat! Ehnywaee..." It was then that the door to Shinji's room opened, and Asuka did notice, unlike a certain Major. "... azh Ii wuaz shayingh... Nhau, wuat wuaz Ii shayingh?"

As Rei and Shinji entered the room, they were startled to see more than a dozen empty beer cans littering the kitchen floor. "Asuka, why have you let her get so drunk?" Shinji asked a little annoyed at the sight of his guardian being so heavily intoxicated. On the other hand, Misato had just noticed what she was just talking about. "Hhay, nhau Ii rhememmberr...", she shouted.

Asuka slapped her forehead, knowing all too well how angry would Shinji be if he knew she was meddling into things she shouldn't... However, fate was merciful with her this one time, as the three children's guardian finally caught up with the alcohol she had drunk and announced it... rather pathetically so. "Ii shinck Ii ahm ghoingh too bee seeck." And with that, she bolted for the bathroom, out which ensued some of the most "pleasant" sounds one can ever hear throughout his life. "I am going to see what I can do..." Shinji said

After a few moments, when all the noise died down, Shinji gasped loudly. "Can anyone help me? Misato-san passed out!" Asuka went for the batroom door, bent on at least helping out a little after the chaos she caused... 'Gott in Himmel, that was close!' Asuka thought.

Rei on the other hand was on another line of thought... 'How will I tell him... that I now can bear his child?"


Maya was having a cup of green tea at her office, looking once again at the results of Rei's tests... She had done so for many times after they came in, and she still pondered them. "Who would have thought such a thing would occur?" She thought aloud, as she checked them once more... The tests showed one thing clearly. It was no tumor that had formed in Rei's abdomen; she had simply grown what she never quite had.

She now was physically complete.


Author's Note

See you soon, I guess... ^-^