Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed/read this story – it's very gratifying just knowing someone cares even enough to leave a review. Hopefully it's being enjoyed by everyone who's read it!

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"Yui…" Rei flicked her eyes to the sound of the Commander's voice as he mumbled in his sleep. She squirmed a little, trying to extricate herself from beneath his surprisingly heavy arm. She snorted softly in disgust and pulled herself away from him, picking up her torn and rumpled clothes from the floor. He had done what he wanted with her body and then fallen asleep, pinning her beneath him without a thought as to whether or not she wanted to go home. This time it had been all 'Good girl' this and 'I'm sorry' that. She had not resisted him, and so he believed he had won her, and had been gentler with her. She wrinkled her nose and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, shaking out her hair. She could smell him on her skin, and she felt sick. True, she bore no marks from this encounter, no bruises, no blood, he had not threatened her, but nonetheless he had forced her. She glared back at him and dressed slowly, watching him as he spoke softly in his sleep.

His voice was quiet and muffled, but she could still make out all of his words. "She will bring me to you soon. It is…nearly time…" Rei snorted again, setting her jaw and staring at him with detest.

"Ever-faithful Ikari," she spat, looking down at his sleeping form imperiously. "Wasn't satisfied enough with Naoko Akagi and her daughter, so he had to take me as well. I hope you've seen, Yui. I hope you've seen how many sacrifices he has been willing to make for you." She shook her head, straightening her dress and smoothing her hair. "He has given me your face and the hope that I will bring him to you." She shook her head, glaring into space. "No. I am not her, but more than that, I am not you."

Without a glance back at the sleeping form of her Commander, she turned on her heel and slipped out of the room.

She glanced from side to side, seeing no one walking near her. Walking composedly down the hall, she noticed that it was still night. She turned a corner and slowed down, coming face to face with Kaoru.

"Ayanami." He bowed in acknowledgement.

"Fifth Child." She cocked her head, watching him silently. He was always…around at the strangest times. "What are you doing here?"

He stepped closer with the hint of a sympathetic smile on his lips. "I could ask you the same thing." He nodded towards the Commander's room she had just left.

Rei looked away, silent. "I'm fine," she said eventually.

"Look at me, Ayanami." She lifted her eyes to look at him, and without warning he gently took hold of her face and pressed his lips against hers, allowing her access to his mind.

Her first reaction was to pull away, startled by his contact. But her body remained motionless, compelled to give him a chance. Her eyes widened as images from his mind swirled into hers - images she had only sensed just watching him. How can he…do this? she wondered, confused and surprised. The feeling of having images from another brain flooding into her head disoriented her, but she concentrated on the pictures, trying to understand the message he was sending her. Adam, the Being of Light. Shinji. Herself. Adam. Terminal Dogma. Adam. She frowned, consolidating the information. Terminal Dogma…how would he see it…how would he see Adam? She could sense pure love, unadulterated and unconditional. He loved her, but more than that, he loved Shinji. Kaoru's emotions were so strangely pure and strong, almost…inhumanly so. Rei froze, blinking once slowly, cautiously stepping back from him. Why did Kaoru know about her and the Commander? How did he know about Terminal Dogma? How could he connect with her mind like this? Inhuman. Yes. She gasped softly and nodded. Of course. Kaoru wasn't…The Fifth Child wasn't…wasn't human. Rei could feel her heart pounding and she slid a hand over it to feel it thumping steadily in her chest. He stared at her sadly, knowing now what she learned about him. She had…known it all along, hadn't she?

But if the Fifth Child wasn't human…what was he? What was she?

"You don't owe him anything, Ayanami," he said quietly, interrupting her thoughts. He stared intently into her eyes, mirrors of his own. "You don't have to just take it from him."

"I know," she said. "I will not obey his ultimate requests."

"You can do more than that." Kaoru's voice was anxious, and his eyes darted from side to side as though ensuring no one was within earshot. "You have power much greater than what it takes just to resist him. You and I are the same."

Rei narrowed her eyes, nodding gently, feeling and understanding that what he was telling her was true. "You are worried about Shinji Ikari." She wanted to help him too, to give something back to him.

Kaoru looked away, sighing. "Yes," he said finally. "I…I love Shinji." He looked back at Rei with pain in his ruby eyes. "I don't want to have to-"

"Shhh…" Rei held a finger close to his lips, silencing him. "Do not worry, Fifth Child. When the time comes, I will help save you." Leaving him staring at her with a mix of pride, sadness, and relief in his eyes, she turned gracefully and left him.

"Ayanami…" Kaoru watched her go until he could not see her any longer, then looked away, and strode towards the hangar with new determination in his step.

*

"Unit 02 is activating!" The panicked 2nd Lieutenant Makoto Hyuga glanced up from his flashing monitor, alerting the rest of the staff to the problem.

Major Misato Katsuragi ran towards him, stopping on her heels to stare at the screen before her. "That's impossible! Where's Asuka?"

"She's in room 303! I've just confirmed it!" cried Shigeru Aoba, another 2nd Lieutenant.

"It's unmanned!" Lieutenant Maya Ibuki yelped. "There is no entry plug inserted in Unit 02!"

Rei had waited at NERV long after she had left Kaoru, and she had been expecting this. She walked slowly into the sidelines of the command centre, watching the statistics and readings on the giant screens silently. She stayed in the shadows near the door, so as not to be detected, and watched quietly.

"AT Field detected in Central Dogma!" Makoto screamed, his hands flying over the keyboard.

"Is it Unit 02?" Misato sounded almost hopeful.

"No, the blood pattern is blue! It's definitely an Angel!"

Rei's eyes widened from her perch in the shadows. "The Fifth Child…of course. It is time." She turned and without a sound slipped from the room, determinedly heading for Terminal Dogma.

NERV closed up around her, personnel evacuating and doors slamming closed, but she walked on, fiercely determined to find Kaoru. "The strongest AT field ever has been detected!" Makoto cried over the loudspeaker. "Light, magnetism, subatomic particles!"

"It's shutting out everything! We can't monitor any-" Shigeru's voice faded out with a crackle as the loudspeakers died. Rei glanced briefly up at the speaker on the wall, but continued walking steadily. The Fifth Child was the last Angel. She knew where he was going. He would find Terminal Dogma, and he would cause Third Impact. She narrowed her eyes again and sped her pace, her mouth twitching into a smile. He had told her that she and he were alike, and now she knew how. Kaoru would not cause Third Impact. She would.

"Final safety system released." Shigeru's voice was dull, resigned.

"Heaven's Door is opening," Makoto breathed.

"The Angel has finally reached it." Misato shook her deep purple hair, bowing her head. "Hyuga…" She squeezed the 2nd Lieutenant's shoulder gently, sighing. She looked up suddenly as the screens began flashing in a panic. "What's going on?"

"Another AT Field!" Makoto gasped. "A field as strong as the first one has surrounded Terminal Dogma!"

"It's invading the other AT Field!" Maya looked ready to pass out, but she held her ground and concentrated on her screen.

"Impossible!" Misato cried. "Is it another Angel?"

Rei had reached Terminal Dogma, standing over top of the room before her, watching the forms of Unit 01 and Unit 02 grappling for control. She could see Kaoru before Lilith, the giant being crucified and hidden in NERV's bottom-most level. She kept her eyes on Kaoru, fighting to negate his AT Field, forcing him to lose control of Unit 02. The sensation was strange, but her sudden realisation of her own power and her determination to help Kaoru fueled her ability to fight him. She knew he didn't have the energy to keep both his AT Field and Unit 02 fighting Shinji, and Rei spread her own AT Field to invade and destroy Kaoru's. He was strong, his AT Field comparable to any other Angel, but he could not match her. She could sense his will faltering, his hesitation to return from whence he came. He loved Shinji too much, and he did not want to destroy him. "I understand now, Fifth Child," she whispered as Unit 02 collapsed to allow Shinji and Unit 01 to pass. "We are alike. But don't worry. I will not allow you to cause Third Impact."

She watched expressionlessly as Shinji took Kaoru in Unit 01's hand, and she swallowed, aware of what he had to do. "I'm sorry, Fifth Child," she said softly, bowing to his small form below her. "Thank you."

From far below, Kaoru glanced over to look straight at Rei. He smiled at her, his eyes full of sorrow for her, for Shinji. But she could sense gratitude as well, and relief. She stared back at the silver-haired Angel, her eyes sad. But she was not helping to destroy him, like Shinji would think, and judging by his hesitation, what he obviously did think. No, she was helping to save him. He didn't want to cause Third Impact, not really. But he had to try: he was an angel. And she would help to stop him, to save him, so that she could do it herself. She watched Shinji carefully for another moment, bowed again, and turned away, not wanting to watch him defeat the last angel.

*

She now stood in an orange raincoat, standing passively beside Commander Ikari, watching the giant hoses wash down Unit 01 of blood and LCL. She dared a sideways glance at Gendo, and watched him coldly from the corner of a scarlet eye. Kaoru had shown the way, but she would walk the path. Inevitability was coming at the Commander like a speeding train, and he would never know what hit him. She allowed herself a small smile. He would control her no longer. His fate was in her hands now.