Author's Notes: Sorry this got out so late. But this last week has been hectic with all the midterms and projects teachers have been clamoring for. On a side note, I popped my knee last Friday doing stupid stuff (If anyone asks how, tell them I jumped in front of a truck to save some wittle fwuffy duckies). And yes, Misty-chan, I have been keeping ice on it, and it seems to be working quite well, thank you. I have an ice pack on it right now, in fact.

For those of you who may be wondering, Vegeta's Lil' Princess has already hit me over the head for posting so late (she couldn't find a mallet, so she used a bottle of Diet Pepsi).

The chapter title is taken from a song titled "Lucy meets Hyde" but the lyrics are actually an excerpt from "Dangerous Game". A variation of the full song does appear in some versions of the musical shortly after the character Lucy meets Mr. Hyde. (note: there are a lot of versions of this musical.) I would recommend seeing it on stage if you can. There are sites that list most of the showings of Jekyll and Hyde in production, including local companies. Failing that, I would recommend listening one of the CD's available. As a last resort, there is a recording of the Broadway Production with most of the original cast, though the two title characters are played by *shudder* David Hasselhoff, who needed oxygen tanks backstage (no joke, he actually passed out onstage after one song).

But as for the story, this chapter proved quite difficult to plan as it was a late addition to the storyline (on my computer it is actually listed as chapter 7.5). I had planned on including Rei in chapter 6 and 7, but I found the chapters were already getting too long. I am an Asuka/Shinji fan, but I like Rei as well. I just find there are few Rei/Shinji fics out there that I like. But just to reassure everyone, this will not be a Rei/Kensuke fic.

Special Note: to see a picture of the author scheming for his story's scenario, just go to the homepage link in my profile. Its right at the top of the page.

And for a short series of movie clips showing my pre-readers singing karaoke and playing DDR, just go to http:// www…*gets a crate of Pepsi dropped on him* ouchies…

(Super-Special Note: This is the fifth time I have posted this chapter in one day, as I keep finding pieces missing. I blame it all on my computer, AOL, and four-in-the-morning writing sessions)

Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or Jekyll and Hyde.

Two days before the scheduled testing of Eva Unit 03.

Shinji leaned forward on his desk, giving himself the appearance of sleeping to anyone that saw him from behind. If it were not for the fact that his eyes were wide open, glued out the window, the illusion might have been complete. But as much as Shinji wished he could, his mind was too wracked by disturbing thoughts to sleep through he old teacher's lecture. It had been four days since he had ingested the formula, and three days since Doctor Keel's murder. There had been no word out of Nerv about the Doctor's recent demise, though someone had already called to cancel the appointment he had with her at the end of the week.

She's dead because of me… He could not get that out of his head. He had insisted on using her treatment, hell, he practically begged her to do it. And now she was dead because he had been too weak to control himself after taking the formula. He knew the doctor was an adult and that she knew what she was doing, but he couldn't help but feel responsible.

Then there was Asuka. He could not bring himself to look at her, not after what he had done. She had been somewhat withdrawn over the past few days, staying in her room most of the time. When the did run into one another, both avoided looking the other in the eye.

He continued staring out the window, totally oblivious to the rest of the classroom. Ignorant of the unusual, active conversation between a certain class rep and military otaku, the empty seat of the classroom's resident jock, and the uncertain gaze of a pair of sapphire-blue eyes falling on the back of his head.

If there was one bright side to it all, the had been no more incidents since the first night. Maybe it had been only a one-time occurrence, something he could just keep hidden and forget about. He could only hope that it was all over.

The teacher continued to drone on, seemingly content to listen to the sound of his own voice for hours on end, not caring that most of the class had found other ways of passing the time.

He shifted his gaze, glancing at the other student staring out the window. Rei Ayanami.

In some way he was both intrigued and a little frightened by the quiet girl with the sky-blue hair. She was a mystery to everyone around her, never talking to anyone, always eating lunch alone…

Well, that wasn't entirely true. The was that one lunch two weeks ago, but Shinji was fairly certain that it had been a unique occurrence. Of course, it had happened on the one day when Asuka was trying to bring him lunch.

Shinji looked away from her, trying to bury the feelings of anguish and anger he felt when he thought about that day. He couldn't be angry with Ayanami. There was no way she could have known what was going to happen that day. It was his fault for not acting quickly enough, for trying to take the easy way out.

But why did she want to talk to me right then?! Shinji clenched his fist in frustration. He still didn't understand what it was that Ayanami had been trying to ask him. It had something to do with the time when Asuka had told Ayanami they should be friends, back when they had first met. It was hard to think that Asuka would have ever said such a thing, considering the animosity she held for the first child now. Maybe it was because Rei had rejected Asuka's offer.

The strange thing was that Ayanami seemed genuinely perplexed by the whole incident, even if it had been months before. She kept asking him questions, strange ones like 'What is friendship?' What kind of question was that anyways? He had told her then that it was not something he could just explain. She had seemed disappointed, but had thanked him, apologized for taking up his time and left him to his lunch.

He hadn't thought much of what she had said, his mind was too occupied with other things at the time.

But now, he wondered why she would ask him those questions. Friendship wasn't something that was easy to explain, but that was because it shouldn't have to be explained. He knew Ayanami spent most of her time by herself, but did that mean she didn't have any friends?

Had she ever had friends?

He looked at her again. He didn't feel angry. He was still sad over the whole incident, but not only because of the wedge it had driven between him and Asuka. He was saddened that he had not been able to see it sooner. Rei wasn't alone because she preferred solitude.

She was alone because she didn't know anything else.

* * *

Rei stared out of the classroom window, ignoring the teacher's lecture. She did not need to listen. She already knew the material, and her grades were exemplary. For some reason, she found it… soothing.

She had always felt ill at ease in large groups, something she had been forced to deal with since she had started attending public school. She had found it unsettling, the way they stared at her, but there was something more painful than being a oddity to be gawked at.

It was being ignored.

Not ignored in the way the students ignored the droning of the teacher, but ignored to the point where the subject no longer was treated as a human being. The still stared at her, but always looking away if she returned their gaze, avoiding her if they could. It reminded her of something she had heard from others' stories.

A ghost. Forced to walk the world, but forever apart from it.

It was a troubling. Rei knew that it shouldn't matter if she did not have friends. It was not her purpose. In fact it was better that she held no attachments to existence, nothing to hold her to this world. It would be easier for her to carry out her duty if she had no friends.

Then what was this feeling? This emptiness…

Was this loneliness?

Why am I alone?

She had never had a friend before, and though she had rejected the second child's offer, it had started a cycle of questions in her own mind that she could not understand. Did she want friends? What would it be like to be friends with the second child, or with the third? Was it even possible for her to be friends with someone?

She put it out of her mind. It was not important. Friends were not necessary in her life.

A bird flew past the window, landing on a tree branch easily visible from her desk. She stared at it for the longest time as it perched on a branch alone.

Her notebook chimed as a message popped up on the screen. She was about to close the screen when she saw who the sender was and her eyes widened imperceptibly.

Pilot Ikari wishes to speak to me? She thought. Rei sat there for a few moments before responding.

"Yes pilot Ikari?" She typed back.

"I just wanted to say I was sorry for the other day, when we talked."

She was confused. Had Ikari done something wrong? She could not think of anything he had said that could have been thought of as inappropriate. She typed, "There is nothing for you to apologize for. You did not do anything improper."

"But I should have done something else," he typed. "I don't feel like I said enough."

Rei just sat there, staring at the screen stunned, but seeming perfectly calm on the surface.

Shinji sent another message, "What I really want to say is, if any time you need a friend, I'm here."

"Thank you, Ikari," she typed back, feeling a slight warmth in her cheeks. Rei was unable to quantify the emotion she was feeling. She did not look back. For some reason she could not understand, she did not want Ikari to see her reaction to his offer of friendship.

He did not type any more, and Rei went back to staring out the window. She noticed as the lone bird that had perched outside was joined by another. As the two slowly edged closer, until they were touching, the corners of her mouth twitched up into a barely noticeable smile

* * *

Shinji smiled to himself as Rei went back to staring out the window. He caught a glimpse of a ghost of her reflection in the window, and thought he saw her smiling, but could not be certain. Well, at least I tried for once, he thought.

The rest of the class sped by with relative quickness, though it was not fast enough for some. Kensuke wanted to talk to Hikari about Touji's recent absences from school, and the strange way he had been acting the last couple of days. Unfortunately for him, Asuka too had plans for Hikari and was already talking rapidly to the pigtailed class rep.

"Excuse me, Kaiser. I need to talk to the class rep about something." Hikari started to speak when he said this, but Asuka beat her to the punch.

"Sorry nerd, but I already asked Hikari to go shopping with me today, so you're out of luck." She smiled triumphantly, "And besides, what would you have to talk to her about?"

"Not that its any of your business, but its about Touji."

"Oooh!" Asuka cooed teasingly. "What happened? Did the jock send you here with a secret message for Hikari? Is he too scared to deliver it himself? Come on, tell us what loverboy had to say."

Hikari's face got redder and redder with each teasing remark out of her friend's lips, finally she slapped her hand over Asuka's mouth, laughing nervously. "Sorry Kensuke, I completely forgot about going shopping with Asuka. If you want you can come to the mall with us and we can talk about it there."

Kensuke and Asuka gaped at Hikari, their eyes wide in shock, more shocked than had she announced the school's name was being changed to 'Saint Gendo Junior High'. Asuka said something that began, "What the… " Well, attempted to say, as Hikari's hand was still clamped over her face.

Kensuke, mortified alone at the thought of going to the mall with two girls, let alone when one of them was almost certainly the devil incarnate, began backing away from the two. "Its okay, its not that important. I'll talk to you about it tomorrow, okay Hikari?"

She nodded, and no sooner had she finished the motion, Kensuke rushed out of the class the hounds of hell nipping at his heels. She blinked a couple of times, taking a moment to actually register the sensation of teeth trying to gain purchase on the skin of her palm. She pulled her hand away from the irritated redhead just in time to keep from being bitten.

Asuka glanced over to where Shinji was busy packing up his things and shouted to get his attention, "Hey, Baka! I'm going to the mall with Hikari. Tell Misato that I'll be back later."

"Okay Asuka?" he said. The two started leave.

"Hey, Asuka?"

Asuka and Hikari both stopped, sticking their heads around the doorframe. "What, Baka?" Asuka asked.

"Just… you two be careful, okay?"

Asuka flashed a self-confident smirk, "What, you think we can't handle ourselves? Do you want to go with us and hold our hands so we don't get lost?"

"N...no. I just…"

Asuka sighed. "I swear, third child, you seriously need a humor transplant."

Shinji hung his head and let out a long breath after she had gone. Well at least he hadn't stammered out an apology, that was something.

His stomach grumbled as he picked up his school bag. For some reason he had felt hungrier lately, and what he normally ate for lunch no longer stuck with him as long as it used to. If this kept up, he might soon rival Touji's appetite.

He saw Ayanami waiting at the corner for the signal to change when he got outside. He briefly wondered if she might be hungry. Maybe she would like to go and get something to…

But before he could even get the thought through his mind, his typical nature kicked in and he started walking the other direction. He had made it a little more than a block away when a sudden wave of nausea washed over him. He leaned against a wall to regain his balance, scratching his itching scalp. The nausea passed and he stood up, only to be struck by a massive bolt of pain in his temples.

He grabbed his head, rubbing his temples as he tried to will the pain away. His hands were shaking. He pulled them away from his head as his left hand started clenching and unclenching rapidly. He grabbed his left hand with his right, trying to stop the motion, but it would not be stopped. He could only scream in agony as the darkness claimed him.

* * *

Rei walked towards her own drab apartment at a steady rate, her mind once again on the topic that seemed to plague her. Why was she alone? Was it because of who she was? Was her appearance that disturbing?

Was she truly alone?

Rei slowed her pace. Something was out of place, a feeling of… wrongness. She stopped, turning to look behind her. Her crimson eyes scanned the typically empty street, finding nothing out of the ordinary.

She turned back and continued on her way, but the feeling did not leave her. Her heart rose, and her skin began to perspire. She started paying more attention to the noises around her, her own footsteps echoing off the walls of the buildings, and hidden in that echo the faint sound of another pair of footsteps. She glanced behind herself again, the shadowing footfalls halting as she did so.

Again, she saw nothing behind her and paused to be certain.

Nothing.

She continued walking, quickening her pace as she did so. She could hear the footsteps again, hear as they quickened their own pace to keep time with hers. She turned around a corner, taking a slight detour from her normal route between he apartment and the school. Walking beside a building with dark-tinted glass windows, she looked in the reflection to see what was behind her.

An empty street and her own slightly distorted reflection staring back at her were all she saw in the window. She continued walking, but still kept her gaze locked on the reflection. Her footsteps and heartbeat echoed in her ears, but she still could see nothing.

Yet the feeling of being pursued would not go away.

She continued her fast paced walk until she reached the next corner. At that point Rei immediately broke into a sprint, her face betraying no hint of fear, but her heart pounding loudly beneath her chest. She continued to run until she reached her apartment, she was breathing hard and sweating as she opened the door and closed it behind her, and, with a little uncertainty, locked it.

She sat on her bed as her heartbeat slowly wound its way down, thinking of what to do next. She thought against calling section two, as she had no proof that there was definite any threat, but she still felt a need to call someone.

'If any time, you need a friend…'

She hesitated. She did not wish to call Ikari without reason, and she did not know the number for his cell phone. She did, however, know the number for Major Katsuragi's apartment.

She took a breath, and dialed.

* * *

She could hear the phone ringing from outside as she opened the door. "Dammit! Hold on! hold on!" she shouted at the device until she answered it. "Katsuragi here."

She was surprised to hear Rei Ayanami's voice on the phone. "Hello Major. May I speak to pilot Ikari?"

"Um, I'm sorry Rei, but I don't think Shinji or Asuka are here at the moment," the purple-haired Major replied. "Do you want to leave a message?"

There was a pause. "That will not be necessary, Major Katsuragi."

For a moment, Misato wondered if she wasn't talking to someone else. Rei's voice sounded shaky, uncertain, so unlike the emotionally reserved girl she was accustomed to.

Rei continued, "I'm sorry if I disturbed you, Major."

"Rei, wait." Misato interrupted. "Are you alright?"

"I am uninjured."

Misato smiled at the very literal answer from the girl, "What I meant to ask is…" she paused, trying to find the right words, "Is there something that is upsetting you?"

"I…I am not sure." Misato could hear the stress evident in the young pilot's voice and grew very concerned. This was not like Rei.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

Rei described her walk home and the sense of being pursued, and Misato grew even more worried, even though Rei admitted she saw no actual evidence she was being followed .

"Rei, don't worry. I'm sure it was nothing, but just stay there. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"T...thank you Major."

"Your welcome Rei," Misato said, smiling. "I'll see you in a few minutes. Goodbye."

She heard as Rei hung up on the other end. From anyone else, it might have appeared rude to hang up without saying goodbye, but this was Rei. Feeling a beak pecking at her leg, she looked down. Pen Pen pecked her once more and stared up at her, giving her a hungry, "Wark."

"I'm sorry, Pen Pen but I don't have time to feed you right now?

"Wark!" the hot springs penguin expressed indignantly, pecking her legagain.

"Ow!" Misato yelped, grabbing her shin. "Look, I'll make it up to you when I get back okay. How does salmon takeout sound?"

Pen Pen looked at her skeptically.

"Fine!" Misato said exasperated. "I'll get you the shrimp special as well. Does that sound acceptable?"

The penguin seemed to find this acceptable and nodded his agreement with a happy "Wark."

* * *

Rei sat on her bed, waiting. It had been a few minutes since she had hung up the phone. She was unsure of how long it would take Major Katsuragi to arrive, but she had overhead Pilot's Sohryu and Ikari discussing her driving habits before, and though she thought their claims were slightly farfetched, she expected the Major would arrive a few minutes from now.

There was a knock on her door, and Rei stood and walked over to open it. She was a little amazed that the Major had already arrived. Perhaps Ikari and Sohryu were not exaggerating.

But her visitor was not who she expected.

He stood there smiling at her. Rei stared back, unsure of what to do, anxious . It was the boy who finally broke the silence, "May I come in?"

"No." Rei began to close the door, but he stopped it with his foot.

"Just one question." He said, his gaze determined.

Rei stood there, continuing to lean her small weight against the door. She knew she should not even give him the chance, but if allowing him to ask his question would get him to leave sooner, then it was worth it. She opened the door slightly, allowing him to remove his foot. She remained ready to slam the door shut at the first sign of hostility.

"One question," she stated flatly, "then you will leave."

"Why are you alone?"

Rei's mind flinched at that question, one of the many that had been rolling around in her mind that day. Felling very uncomfortable in the boy's presence she tried to close the door again, but he kept it open with his left hand. He did not try to force his way inside, but kept door open just enough that he could continue to speak to Rei face-to-face.

"You asked your question," she said. "Now, leave."

"I'm not going to go yet for two reasons," he said. "One, you never answered my question, and two," he smiled cunningly, "you didn't say 'please'."

"You are making me uncomfortable," she said. "Please, leave."

He frowned. "Very well. I only wished to speak to you, but if that is what you want, then I'll go."

She let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, as he turned to leave. He looked back and gave her one parting remark. "If you truly wish to be alone, then I'll leave."

He slowly started to walk away, Rei standing in the doorway of her apartment as she watched. He could only wonder if he had said enough for her to take the next step.

"Wait," came the soft voice from behind him. He smirked to himself victoriously before composing himself and turning back towards Rei.

"You wanted to talk," she stated.

"Yes," he replied. "Do you want to talk out in the open, or inside where we can sit down?"

She paused, debating whether or not to just shut the door and be done with it.

"Please," he said softly, "may I come in?"

He didn't tell her to let him in, or command her to do it. He was giving her a choice. Though she still felt uneasy she stepped aside and held the door open for him. He waited for her to shut the door behind him before walking over to sit on the edge of the bed, already knowing that there were no chairs to sit on in the small apartment. He looked around the room noting the garbage and filth on the floor and countertops.

He smiled, "Nice room. Quite appropriate."

Rei was puzzled. When Ikari had been in her apartment, he seemed put off by its appearance. And what could he mean by "appropriate"?

He anticipated her question and explained, "I mean, it just seems fitting to find such beautiful flower growing in the trash."

Rei found her face growing hot for the second time that day. She looked away to hide her embarrassment.

He laughed lightly, and when she looked back he motioned for her to sit beside him. Rei eventually did, though she kept a distance between the two of them.

"You still haven't answered my question," he stated. "Why are you alone?"

"I don't know."

He placed his hand on the bed, so that his fingers brushed against hers. She pulled her hand away placing it on her lap. She did not understand why she had let him in. She didn't even know his name, and yet he was in her apartment, sitting on her bed next to her. She did not feel at ease at the moment.

Yet, she did not want to be alone…

"You don't have to be alone…" he whispered. He reached out and took her hand, motioning her to move closer. He wrapped his other arm around her, holding her close to him. She looked over to where his ashen hand rested.

I feel your fingers, cold on my shoulder…

He ran his fingers down to the middle of her spine, pausing where he material of her uniform passed over a thin strap of elastic and cloth that ran horizontally across her back. She shuddered at the contact.

Your chilling touch as it runs down my spine…

He ran his hand softly back up her back, running his thumb along her jaw line. Lifting her chin so that her ruby eyes locked with his. He stared at her, his gaze, those icy, blue eyes gazing into hers.

Watching your eyes as they invade my soul…

She was being drawn in by them. She was afraid, and yet she was slowly moving closer. She wanted to pull away, and yet she couldn't will herself to do it. How was it possible to feel two things at once? He drew his own lips closer to hers, as Rei's mind tried to resist the strong pull of the emotions coursing through her.

Fighting feelings I cannot define.

She pushed him away as their lips made contact, standing up and backing away from him. He stood and glared at her, his eyes becoming harder and colder in an instant.

There was aloud knock on the Door causing the boy to jerk his head and stare wild-eyed at the noise.

"Rei? Rei, its Misato. Are you there?" She knocked on the door again. Rei rushed towards the door, but the boy grabbed her by the throat and pressed her against the wall.

"You betrayed me," he growled. His grip grew tighter.

"No one betrays Edward Hyde…" he whispered as Rei gurgled for breath beneath his hands, her vision filling with dark splotches, images flashing past in her mind. Strange images of a woman in a lab coat, her hands outstretched towards her as if to grasp at something…

"Rei? Rei, I'm coming in!" Misato shouted outside.

Hyde suddenly released his hold on Rei and she began coughing and gasping for air. Misato swung the door open just in time to witness the form of a teenage boy as he dove through the window. She pulled her sidearm, but, by the time she reached the window, he was gone. She holstered the gun and kneeled down to check on Rei

"Are you alright?" She asked, her tone concerned but exhibiting a deadly seriousness. Rei was still gasping, but managed to nod an affirmative to Misato's question.

"We need to get you out of here. Do you think you can walk?"

Rei tried to stand, but it was obvious she couldn't. The Major scooped her into her arms and carried her to blue Alpine Renault waiting outside. She put Rei into the passenger seat, making sure the girl was securely buckled in before running to the driver's side.

The tires squealed as she tore onto the main streets, racing towards Nerv. She pulled put her cell phone, dialing with one hand as she wove through traffic.

"Akagi," the voice on the other end answered.

"Ritsuko. I'm on my way in to Nerv with Rei."

"What?! What happened?"

"I'm not entirely sure. It looks like someone tried to strangle her." Misato said, looking at the marks visible on the girl's neck.

There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

"Ritsuko, did you hear me? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. I'll have a medical team standing by."

"Right. See you in a few." She hung up the phone, glancing at the blue haired girl sitting next to her. "Its going to be okay, Rei."

Rei looked at her, her expression was composed, but her breathing was still ragged, and her eyes. Misato could actually see fear in Rei's eyes. Misato reached over and grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Putting her attention back on the road, she made a mental note to deal with whoever was in charge of the first child's security detail personally.