Haunted

Chapter Three: Angel's Judgment

I'm drifting...so cold...so dark. Nothing...I can see nothing, but this endless dark that seems to consume my heart. I don't understand. What's happening to me? I can still feel it in me. The Angel...it's in me. I'm alone...someone help me...I'm so alone...

"Wait...there is someone else here....Who...who are you?" Who else could be here?

"That is irrelevant."

"What do you want with me?" Is this the Angel? Is the Angel talking to me?

"I want to know you."

"Why? Why me?!" It has to be it. Where's everyone? Misato, Asuka, Rei...father. Where is everyone? Someone help me! The Angel....it's here....it's here...but I'm all alone!

"Do not fear me for we are part of one another. "

"I don't understand. What do you mean?" This can't possibly be happening....can it?

"My feelings are yours and yours are mine. My soul is yours and yours is mine. My heart is yours and yours is mine. We are one. "

"Then why do I feel so scared?"

".....Because I am scared."

.............................................................................................................................

"WHAT?!" Asuka screamed, hesitantly taking a step back from the Angel. "What do you mean that I'm hurting Shinji?"

"I don't know how, but whenever the Angel is attacked Shinji is attacked as well." Misato explained her patience wearing thinner by the moment.

"Then what am I supposed to do!?" Asuka asked, exasperated.

"I don't know..." Misato said regretfully, biting her lip. "Where is Commander Ikari?"

Lieutenant Maya turned to her. "I just received communication from him. He wants us to pull back. Return the Evas to headquarters and await his arrival."

"What?! What about the Angel? We can't just leave it there!" Misato exclaimed slamming her fist down on the table

"But look...it's not even moving anymore...he hasn't moved since Shinji passed out.." Maya pointed out. Misato went deathly silent.

"Ok, Asuka bring Unit 02 in. Leave the Angel." Misato ordered after a moment.

"But!" Asuka stammered, her eyes flashing.

"Just listen to me, damn it!" Misato insisted. "Bring the Eva in!" she turned to look at Shigeru. "Do we know Shinji's status? Where is he?"

"The pod was ejected effectively. Shinji was recovered and is being brought to hospital facilities right away. His status is still unknown."

"Has Rei been found yet?" Misato asked. Her mind was in a flurry. Why was everything going so wrong? What was with this Angel? She had never seen anything like it before. What was she going to do? How was Shinji? Was he ok? What if he was dying as she sat here doing nothing?! ..........................................................................................................................................................................................

Rei Ayanami was sitting bleakly on a bench in the park oblivious to anything that was going on in the other parts of the city. It was dark and silent here, the wind billowing her short skirt around her pale legs. Her thoughts were tumbling over one and another like water trickling over the rocks in a stream creating rapids in her troubled mind. Then out of nowhere she heard a terrible metallic shriek, calling through the infinitesimal city like a stone crashing through a tiny glass window, shattering the smooth exterior that hid the darkened corners of her suicidal heart. Rei's head shot up and she looked through the trees into the distance to a shadow that she had not seen before, a shadow of ghostly white that shone brightly through the night like a flame in the darkest corner. Her heart stopped. It looked just like an Eva. She began to run at full speed, her long legs stretching as far as they could. She had to get to headquarters. Something bad was about to happen.

..........................................................................................................................................................................................

"Leave me alone? Why are you here? Why won't you leave me alone? What's happening? What did you do to me?" Someone...help...get me away from here...out of this darkness...I can't stand it...

.

"Why are you here? Maybe that is the real question. Haven't you been wanting to know that? Why do you think about that so much?"

.

"I don't know why I am here. I don't think I should be. I don't deserve to be alive."

.

"I see. You think you are worthless...that you have no purpose...I could give you a purpose...I could show you the way."

.

"What do you mean 'show me the way'?"

.

"I'll show you if you let me...."

"Where have you been Rei?!" Misato asked exasperatedly as she looked at the silent teenager who sat in front of her. "An Angel came for god's sake and where were you?!"

"I was walking. I was not aware that anything was happening." Rei said in a monotone voice.

"Why weren't you carrying any form of communication? You know that we need to be able to contact you at any moment!" Misato screamed.

"I do not know." Was Rei only response.

"You DON'T KNOW! That's all that you can come up with!" Misato said angrily.

"Yes." Rei said, not looking up at her. Misato was ready to scream some more when there was a loud bang and Commander Ikari came bursting in the room.

"That is ENOUGH Major Katsuragi...Leave Rei with me...You should probably go see to the Third child now. You are his guardian." Ikari said in a firm tone.

"Yes...and he's your son..." Misato mumbled under her breath.

"What, Major?" Commander Ikari asked, his voice deadly and vehement.

"I mean...Yes, Sir." Misato said before she turned sharply and rushed out the door. She had never heard of such a uncaring father. She herself was swamped with worry for Shinji and she didn't even know how bad a condition he was in.

Misato entered Shinji's sterile, empty room to find that Ritsuko was already there.

"What are you doing here?" Misato said surprised.

Ritsuko sighed. "I'm trying to figure out something.."

Misato walked over to the bed where Shinji was still lying unconscious. His brown hair was scattered over his pale face, his breathing shallow and rasping.

"My god...is he ok?" Misato said, running over to his side.

"He's sustained wounds in his stomach, his shoulder, and his right thigh. The worst is his stomach. He has severe cases of internal bleeding. I'm afraid that there is a good chance that he may not make it through the night." Ritsuko said with a growing sorrow.

"WHAT?! Then why isn't anyone doing anything for him? Why isn't there any machine helping him recover!" Misato exclaimed, her hand tightening around Shinji's limp hand. Ritsuko was silent.

"Tell me!" Misato insisted.

Ritsuko turned away and faced the window. "Commander Ikari's orders."

"But WHY?" Misato asked nearly in tears. Ritsuko sighed heavily and buried her face in her hands. "Because...if Shinji dies.....the Angel dies too...."