Escape and Comfort
"Misato, be careful. If you're caught..."
"I'll be fine, Kaji. Don't worry about me."
"Take your gun...just in case."
"Why? You're doing most of the work. You'll be in a lot more danger than I will be."
"Well, you never know. Please."
"Alright, alright. Midnight, right?"
"Right."
"Roger."
(Cut)
"I'll never get this paperwork done," Commander Fuyutski muttered, tearing off his glasses. "Come in!" The door slid open and Misato strode in, eyes determined. "Captain, I believe you are still suspended—"
"I want to see him," she broke in before he could finish.
"We've been over this. It's out of the question. Narikage is dangerous."
"He's dangerous."
"Yes."
"But you'll let two fourteen-year-old girls go in to see him, no problem, right?" The Commander sighed, rubbing his temples.
"They were closely monitored—"
"You can monitor me too! I don't care! I just want to see him!"
"Misato, do not try my patience. We did a test yesterday and the DNA has reached 98." Her mouth dropped.
"98......"
"Yes." She cleared the shocked look off of her face, looking determined once more.
"I still don't care. He's not dangerous to me, no matter how high his numbers are."
"Captain, please. I'm tired. If you come back in the morning—"
"No, god-damnit!"
"Commander!" A NERV worker suddenly burst in, his face pale and his uniform splattered with blood. The older man instantly shot to his feet.
"What is it?"
"It's Eiro, sir!"
"He's loose?!"
"No! His heart is failing!"
"WHAT?!" Misato leapt forward, shoving her way past the terrified worker and taking off down the hall.
(Cut)
"Watch his wings!" Ritsuko dodged to the side as the silver objects made a stab in her direction. Doctors swarmed over the flailing boy, trying to hold his seizing form down while trying to keep from being impaled by his darting wings.
"I got his wrist!" one declared, foolishly letting his guard down. A moment later, he was thrown aside by one powerful sweep.
"Someone grab his arm! And check on that idiot!" Ritsuko had to yell to make herself heard over the crashes and shouts.
"His heart rate is still dropping!" one of the nurses called over the noise. "His brainwaves are falling steadily!"
"Temperature?!"
"104.7 and rising!"
"God DAMNIT! Someone grab his god damn arm! We can't lose him!"
"Narikage!" Misato elbowed her way into the room, guards hanging off of her like living accessories. She took one look at Narikage being restrained on the metal table and let out a loud scream of fright. "What's happening to him?!"
"Misato, get out! It's dangerous in here!"
"No!" She threw the guards from her and dashed for the shaking boy. Before she could reach him, a powerful wing swung around, catching her in the side and sending her reeling. Blood splattered on the tile floor but she ignored it, running forward again. The wing came at her once more but she ducked under it, managing to grab onto his trembling arm. "Yoshiko!"
Suddenly, all movement stopped. Narikage's wings gave a final shudder before falling back to the metal table The boy himself also shuddered and relaxed, his head rolling to the side as he slipped into unconsciousness
"Heart rate decreasing. Blood pressure normal."
"Temp?"
"101.4." Ritsuko let out a loud sigh of relief.
"Thank god." She gently took his wrist, checking herself to make sure his heart rate was indeed decreasing. She looked over at Misato with a slight smile. "Looks like your voice made its way through."
"How did this happen?"
"We aren't sure yet. A guard found him huddled in a corner, shaking uncontrollably. Right after we transferred him here, he started having a major seizure."
"I-is he going to be alright?"
"I think so. We'll have to test for brain damage, ect. We'll do that now, while he's out." Misato let out the breath she had been holding, squeezing Narikage's limp hand. A stab of pain shot through her arm and she winced. "Your arm is really bleeding. Here, let me see." Ritsuko drew up two chairs and they each took one. Gently, she peeled off her friend's jacket, letting out a low whistle. "He really got you. This is going to need stitches." Misato smiled wryly.
"Not the worst I've ever had," she replied, looking down at the cut on her forearm.
"No, I guess not."
"Well, stitch it and wrap it up already."
"Come into the next room—"
"No. Here."
"Misato, everything in here is covered in blood. It's not very hygienic—"
"If I leave now, they'll move him and I'll never know where he was placed."
"It's alright, Captain." Commander Fuyutski entered, his darting eyes surveying the damage done to the room. "Go get stitched up, then you can come back."
"I can?"
"Yes. As long as he is unconscious, you may stay with him. Guards will be placed outside, of course, but you'll be able to move freely through. Once Narikage is well enough to go back to his room..."
"I understand. Arigato, Commander." She glanced over at the sleeping boy, giving his hand another squeeze. "I'll be right back, Narikage, I promise." She stood and followed Ritsuko from the room.
(Cut)
After having her arm repaired with twenty-eight stitches, Misato returned to Narikage's side. A few hours later, he still hadn't awakened and Misato was starting to get rather sleepy. Her only communication was with the doctors and nurses that came in every so often to check on Narikage, and she would bombard them with questions until they fled the room.
Sometime around midnight, Misato poked her head out of the room, scrutinizing the new guards. "I don't suppose one of you guys would get me some coffee?"
"We were ordered not to leave our post. If you want coffee, get it yourself," one snapped in an annoyed tone. It seemed each new guard was surlier than the last. Misato scowled.
"Ever heard of chivalry? It's obvious you two are single." She slipped from the room and stormed past them, muttering curse words under her breath. At a juncture in the hall, she turned back and called, "And if either of you so much as TOUCH Narikage, I'll have your heads on my wall!" She disappeared around the corner.
"What a bitch," the other said in a grumpy tone.
Just a few minutes after she had left, the guards heard two soft popping noises and felt a slight pain in their leg.
Seconds later, they were out cold.
Two doctors tucked the guns back into their white lab coats. "What's the status on the cameras in the room?" one murmured.
"Technical difficulty. We have five minutes." Pushing a gurney, they slipped into Narikage's room.
"Narikage." One of the doctor's touched the boy's shoulder. His blue eyes opened instantly. Kaji grinned down at him. "Your rescue team is here."
"You're late," he said in a curt voice as Kaji and the other man removed the restraints on his arms and legs.
"We had to wait for Misato to leave. She can't be involved in this any more than she already is." Narikage sat up, rubbing his wrists.
"I see. And if YOU'RE caught?"
"Then I guess I won't be getting that date. Now, hop on. We'll have to restrain you again, but we'll do it loosely, just in case."
"I know what to do." He laid down on the gurney, tucking his wings as close to his body as he could. Kaji and his friend covered him with a thin sheet and Narikage was wheeled out.
(Cut)
By the time Misato returned fifteen minutes later, the search for the missing angel was well underway. The entire headquarters was on lockdown and the silent alarm had been set.
"The guards are just unconscious; they'll be alright in a couple of hours," Ritsuko was saying to the Commander as Misato came flying up.
"What the hell is going on?!"
"It seems that our angel has escaped. Where have you been, Captain?" She held up her paper coffee cup.
"I went to get this so I wouldn't fall off my chair, asleep. And what do you mean, 'escaped'? He was unconscious when I left!"
"Most likely, it was a farce. He probably faked the entire seizure as well." The Commander let out a weary groan/sigh. "Either way, we have to find him as soon as possible. God, what a mess this is turning out to be. Captain, I'm lifting your suspension as of right now. You can help us look; he trusts you the most anyway. Take a group of guards and start looking in G Wing."
"Hai."
(Cut)
"Do the clothes fit?" Kaji called from his kitchen. Narikage entered a moment later, buttoning the blue shirt he had been loaned.
"The arms a little too narrow. Your muscles must not be that big." Kaji winced. A sixteen-year-old was more buff than him.
Comforting thought.
"Well, you know, I'm not as in shape as I used to be. One of the problems of getting older, ne?"
"I wouldn't know." Narikage's voice was passive as he seated himself stiffly at the table across from the other man. Kaji cleared his throat.
"You don't like me, do you?"
"No." Kajii winced at the bluntness."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't trust you."
"Not even after I helped get you out of NERV?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I don't need to explain myself."
"Are you jealous?"
"Jealous? Of what?"
"Well, that I'm Misato's boyfriend. I know you have kind of a thing for her." Narikage bristled.
"What I have for Misato is a great respect, a respect you've probably never even HAD with another person, least of all her. You use Misato like she was just a woman put there for your amusement. THAT'S why I don't trust you."
"That's not true at all! I have never used Misato! I care for her! I helped her get you out for God's sake!"
"To make yourself look good in her eyes." Kaji paused for a moment. "Exactly," Narikage said after he had been silent for a few minutes.
"Okay, so, what if I did? That doesn't make me the horrible person you're making me out to be."
"It shows just how unwilling you are to help others just to help. If you care for Misato as much as you claim, helping would be just that: helping. You would have nothing to gain." Kaji was silent again after the outburst from the boy sitting across from him. Narikage found his gaze and held it firmly, refusing to let the older man look away.
The longer Narikage stared at him and the longer Kaji looked back, the lesser he felt. The young man sitting across from him was more of a man than he could ever hope to be. A deep feeling of humbleness overtook him.
"You're not as much as a kid as I thought," he finally said in a quiet voice. "And you're absolutely right." Narikage gave him an ironic smile.
"For once."
They heard a sound at the front door and Kaji leapt to his feet. Narikage, on the other hand, appeared quite calm.
"It's me!" Misato appeared around the corner, an exhausted smile on her face.
"Misato-san." Now Narikage stood, a genuine smile on his face. The woman's eyes instantly brightened and she ran forward, capturing him in a quick hug.
"I'm so GLAD you're really alright! How on earth did you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Fake that seizure so well! For a few seconds, even I bought it!"
"It just takes a little concentration, that's all. I'm sorry about your arm."
"Don't even worry about it. It looks a lot worse than it feels." She glanced over at Kaji, still smiling. "Looks like I owe you those dates, ne?" Narikage glanced back, an eyebrow raised. Kaji cleared his throat again.
"No, you don't. Just...don't worry about it, Misato. I just wanted to help you get him back." Misato blinked a couple of times, then her smile softened.
"Arigato. But...what if I really want one?"
"Er...well...I guess if you want one..."
"I'll think about it." Kaji gave her a mock glare as she laughed. "Excuse us for a minute." She grabbed Narikage's hand, dragging him into Kaji's living room. There, she gave him another hug. "I was so worried about you two. The whole place was crawling with guards. I thought you'd never make it."
"We nearly didn't. One guard got very suspicious and almost called the Commander to confirm the 'transport order.' His friend stopped him, thankfully."
"Kaji got you some clothes I see." Misato stepped back a little, looking him up and down. "But I don't understand how you got that shirt on with those wings."
"They disappear, remember? I just put the shirt on when they were gone then let them break through again. Of course, there will be a couple of holes in the shirt after I return it."
"I doubt he'll mind; you look better in blue than he does anyway. You should wear it more often." She straightened his collar and Narikage chuckled. "What?"
"Nothing. Is the Commander suspicious of you?"
"A little but my alibi is too solid for him to bring charges against me."
"Do the girls know anything?"
"Yes, they were called and they're aware that you've escaped. But I'm not going to tell them any more than that."
"Good. The less they're involved, the better."
"You're very protective of them, aren't you?"
"What are big brothers for?" Misato smiled.
"You're a better person than you think, Eiro Narikage. I wish you'd believe that."
"When you say it, Misato-san, I almost do." She pulled him into her arms, holding him tight and making no move to let him go. Narikage returned it just as tight, burying his face in her shoulder. After a few moments of silent holding, he said in a soft voice: "You smell like her..."
"Who?" She ran her fingers though his fine hair and she felt warmth seep into her shirt.
"Mama..." Misato said nothing. "You would make a good mother, Misato-san."
"When you say it, Narikage, I almost believe it." He smiled, lifting his head a little to reveal the bloody tear-tracks on his cheeks.
"Gomen...I didn't mean to ruin your shirt." He started to step back but Misato pulled him back gently, laying his head on her shoulder.
"It's alright. I never really liked it much anyway." His arms went around her waist and he pressed close.
Kaji peeped in on the two, making sure they were alright. When he saw them, he felt himself smile.
The looked just like Mother and Son.