CHAPTER 2

Fuyutsuki frowned when he saw the mountain of papers on his desk: UN's reports, rants of the government and Section Two's documents threatened to break his desk. Since the return of Yui, one week ago, Gendo had delegated all the responsibility over him; the Commander didn't leave the hospital's room where his wife was, even for a single minute.

He had visited Yui, too. The young woman -young, because she looked exactly like the day she had vanished, which made Fuyutsuki realize how old he was and how many time had passed since her disappearance- seemed to be well, at least physically. Her mind was another thing, though. She was confused and scared: Gendo said she had nightmares and didn't sleep well. He had shown more concern and fondness in one week than in the last ten years.

Fuyutsuki didn't blame him, but Gendo had avoided all of Yui's questions about Shinji. He was probably afraid of what she could say. After all, he had abandoned Shinji and hadn't shown any interest about his welfare, even when he was hurt. And later were Rei, and his role in the development of the Human Complementation Plan... and his own plans. Yui wasn't going to like any of that, he was sure. Remembering the awful character of Yui when she was angry, Fuyutsuki didn't envy Gendo.

Shrugging, he looked back at his crowded desk. He started to read one of the city hall's complains about excessive and unnecessary damage to civil property. Fuyutsuki groaned. The mayor was a little annoying man, always ranting about the damage that the Evangelions did to the city.

The ring of the phone rescued him from the boring lecture. Relieved, he answered it. He heard the voice of Ritsuko Akagi replying him from the another end.

"Have you read my report about Shinji's rescue schedule, sir?" she asked.

Fuyutsuki coughed embarrassed. The mentioned report was somewhere in his desk -as long as he knew-. He had a very vague impression of having seen it... somewhere. But he hadn't read it. He tried desperately to sound truthful.

"Yes... yes, Doctor Akagi. I read it... yesterday, that is," he said, hearing a quite bad dissimulated series of giggles in response.

"Interesting. I'd sent it to you this morning, sir. Besides, the report said that the operation was scheduled ten minutes ago. We're waiting for at the Eva01' observation pods, sir."

Fuyutsuki frowned. He didn't like to be put on the spot like that. "I'm on my way," he groaned.

"Very well, sir," replied Ritsuko, still giggling.

Meanwhile, the technical team was doing the last revisions on the device installed on the head of the Eva01. Ritsuko had ordered a typical system into place in order to avoid unexpected problems and she had been checking the devices personally. Misato looked silently at her when she entered the pod, leaving dark footsteps from the LCL.

"Where have you been?" asked Ritsuko while Misato was staring at her. "I didn't see you in all the week."

Misato slicked her uniform, erasing the wrinkles. "I was busy. I had work to do," she pointed bitterly, "unlike other people I know."

Ritsuko frowned. "You don't know if we're going to fail. Have faith, Misato. We'll recover him."

"That was what you said the last time."

"I haven't been awake the last thirty-seven hours to hear your ranting," yawned Ritsuko nonchalantly. "We won't fail, don't worry."

A noise from the computer distracted them. In the main screen appeared two images; two girls dressed in plug suits with their eyes closed.

"Doctor Akagi, the sync test has been completed," Maya informed. "We have all the data we need."

"Ah, well..."

"Asuka, Rei, we're finished," said Maya to the two pilots.

Both opened their eyes. Slowly Rei -she looked down-, blinking furiously and rubbing them Asuka.

"It's about time!" replied the redhead angrily. "This has been the longest test I can remember."

Ritsuko couldn't care less about Asuka's opinion.

"We needed the information, Asuka," she shrugged. "By the way, you've increased your ratio by 1.3; nice job, Asuka."

Asuka didn't answer. She knew very well that her ratio had fallen fifteen points after the battle with the Fourteenth Angel, and she didn't feel like talk about it.

Without said anything, Maya simply pointed to the another number of the screen. Unlike Asuka's, Rei's sync ratio had fallen another five points. Another fall.

"Rei, are you well?" asked Ritsuko, concerned.

Rei's ratio was the most stable of the three pilots'. She had maintained a fifty-six percent of ratio since she started to pilot an Eva, and she hadn't changed it after thirteen battles. The last one had been different, though, and Ritsuko suspected that Shinji's disappearance was strongly related with the fall.

After a long -even for Rei- time, the blue-haired girl replied, "Yes, Doctor Akagi."

"Your ratio has descended again, Rei. Are you sure? How do you feel?"

Another long pause.

"Yes," she whispered. "I... I'm tired."

Ritsuko let the excuse pass, although she knew that the physical condition of the pilot couldn't influence the results. If Rei didn't want to talk about it, she wasn't going to press her. At least at the moment, she thought.

The noise of the door announced that somebody had entered the pod. 'Probably the Subcommander,' thought Ritsuko.

It wasn't. Gendo and Yui had just walked into the small chamber. They were holding hands, and Gendo seemed to have forgotten his sunglasses. And he was shaved, noticed Ritsuko, raising an eyebrow.

Yui stared at the purple Evangelion. It was shut down, and its head had been covered again with the huge helmet, hiding those insane bright green eyes. The android won the staring contest, though, and Yui closed her own eyes.

She shivered openly and grabbed strongly Gendo's hand.

"When are you going to start, Doctor Akagi?" asked Gendo, without looking at Ritsuko.

"In a few minutes," shrugged Ritsuko nonchalantly, "as soon as the Magi finishes to... Ah, we're ready, now."

"Proceed, then."

"Yes... sir," replied Ritsuko. She was starting to feel sick watching the attentions that the Commander was giving to Yui. 'Am I jealous? She's his wife. It's the right thing...' she thought, 'but then why I'm so bothered? I knew that he didn't love me, but...'. She shook her head, trying to focus in the operation. "Maya, start the sequence," she muttered to her assistant.

"Yes, ma'am," nodded Maya, unaware of Ritsuko's concerns. "Tracking wave pattern."

The computer biped after a few seconds.

"Wave pattern locked."

"Run a double check," muttered Ritsuko. 'Just in case,' she thought.

"Yes," replied Maya. "Verified, it's Shinji's pattern. Pulse charged and ready."

"Discharge."

Finally he had awoken. Shinji could perceive the difference between his dreams -or whatever that they were- and his current location as he firstly observed the ceiling.

"The same ceiling again," he muttered relieved. He hated Nerv's infirmary, but that meant that he had won. Kaji had said that a defeat would have meant the extinction of the human race. He didn't feel like extinct, so...

"You're awake," stated a soft and smooth voice.

'Rei, of course. Thanks God she's alive,' he thought before turn his head and look at her.

"Hi, Ayanami," he said, smiling weakly. "I'm glad to see you."

"Yes? I... You should rest. I'll... see you... later," whispered Rei.

She suddenly got up and left the room, crossing paths at the exit with Asuka. Throwing an angry gaze to Rei, the redhead walked in.

"Hi, idiot," she groaned.

"Hi, Asuka," smiled Shinji. Certain things never changed, thought Shinji. Better in that way.

"Finally you've awaken, uh?"

"It seems so," Shinji nodded, "I'm glad you're fine, after the battle. I was afraid you were hurt."

Asuka blinked surprised, but she frowned in response after a second.

"I don't need your pity!" she yelled, making Shinji sweat nervously. "Besides, I was hurt, but it's not like you care for that!"

"Asuka, I..."

"...am sorry?" she interrupted. "Weren't you going to say that? I'm sure you're not serious! You're the mighty and invincible Shinji Ikari, after all. The pride of Nerv."

"Asuka..." Shinji tried to say. He couldn't.

"Shut up!" interrupted again Asuka.

Shinji noticed then that Asuka wasn't really angry. Well, she was, but also... uneasy, or something that resembled very much to it. 'Strange,' he thought.

"I want to know something, Shinji..." she began.

She couldn't ask him anything, though, because a phone rang interrupting her. Seeing that Shinji was unable to reach it, Asuka answered it.

"Yes?" she said harshly. When she heard the answer, her cold blue eyes shone with rage.

"Yes, I'm the Second Child," she almost yelled, emphasizing the 'Second', "and yes, he's awake. Just five minutes ago."

She heard the reply and hung up the phone with a loud clack.

"Damn!" she said, looking again at Shinji. "I hope you're glad, Shinji. Your parents are coming to see you. Have fun!"

Shinji watched astonished how Asuka stormed out the room, too much surprised for her annoyance to realize what she had said as farewell. He leant his head back onto his pillow, sighing.

'Wonderful,' he thought. 'I came back to save them and now they don't want even to talk with me. At least they're well...' Fatigue finally overran him and he, soon, fell into a blissful dreamless sleep.

Some time later, Shinji awoke with a pressing sensation on his chest.

He opened his eyes, finding the frowning face of his father in front of him. He frowned back in answer, remembering his last conversation. If he didn't want to see him any more, why was he there, he thought angrily.

He found also that the pressure was caused by the tight hug of a brown haired woman. Shinji thought at the first time she was Maya, but he realized quickly that she wasn't the sweet Akagi's assistant.

"Father," he muttered.

Gendo merely nodded. The hug was finally broken and the woman looked at Shinji with her deep green eyes. With short and unruly brown hair, she had more or less Misato's age. Her eyes make something jump in Shinji's mind, but although her face was very familiar, he couldn't place it. Maybe...

"Shinji..." she whispered then, "hello again, my little Treasure."

'Treasure?' Shinji asked himself. An old picture came to his mind.,

+

A sunny day, with white clouds peacefully crossing the sky.
A tree in the middle of a green field, with the noise of cicadas in the background.
A woman sat down below the tree.
And himself, running towards the tree.

"Look, Mom! Look at what I have here!" he was shouting.

"What is it, Treasure?" the woman had asked, laughing.

Shinji came back to the reality, blinking as his mind refused to accept the impossible.

"Mom?" he whispered, barely audible.

Yui nodded and hugged him again. Shinji looked astonished at her while a chill ran down his spine.

"But... but... how? You were dead. I... I saw your grave..." babbled Shinji, confused.

"I wasn't... I was... I..." she said, shivering at the simple thought. "I've come back," she whispered, hugging him tighter.

'She have... come back? Like this? This must be a dream... This is...,' he thought.

Slowly, like in a dream, Shinji completed the hug and he started to cry in the shoulder of his mother.

"I've missed you so much, Mom," he sobbed.

"Me too, Treasure," she replied through the tears. "Me too."

Gendo frowned.

"But how is this possible?" asked Shinji, blinking at the next day under the bright light of the scanner.

"I've told you, we don't know," replied Ritsuko absently, while looking at a screen. "I don't see any damage," she said finally to Maya, "but I want Doctor Kikutsuki to revise the lectures."

"Yes, Doctor." nodded Maya, taking notes in her laptop. She smiled at Shinji, who breathed a sigh in relief.

Ritsuko looked also at him. "Well, Shinji, I'd want to keep you under observation more time, but I really have no arguments against your departure. You can go home this afternoon," she said, getting up. "I'll see you later, Maya."

A sweet smile of Maya escorted her while she walked out of the room. Minutes later, she looked at Shinji, who was walking to the folding screen where he had his clothes. He was wearing only an hospital coat, Maya noticed. And she had to agree with Asuka, the boy had a nice...

Maya Ibuki blushed heavily when she realized where her thoughts were sailing to, and coughed in embarrassment. Unaware of this, Shinji started to put on his clothes behind the screen.

"Are you going to stay with Major Katsuragi?" asked Maya trying -and failing badly- to think about something different.

"Yes, I guess, at least till my mother gets out of the hospital," confirmed Shinji.

"You know, I think that that could take a while. Your mother is still quite affected, and Doctor Akagi wants her to be under care," she said.

"I know, said Shinji, smiling warmly, "and I have to thank her for what she's doing."

Maya watched Shinji as he walked out of the room. "I have to go, Miss Ibuki," he said. "I want to see my mother again, before I leave."

"Call me Maya," she said absently, still blushing.

"As you wish," nodded Shinji, smiling at her.. "Goodbye, Maya," he said, leaving the brown-haired technician alone in the room of the scanner.

Maya stood alone in her chair, pondering about Shinji's new mood. The young Ikari had been all the day in a extremely good mood, she thought. And since Shinji used to be a kind and polite person, that meant that he was just charming. And not only because he had found his mother again, but also, she suspected, because certain pilots were safe, as well.

'He saved all of us,' she thought, spinning in her chair, 'Including me.'

She remembered the death light of the Angel, destined to her, just before Shinji arrived and defeated the Angel.

'Just like a knight, saving the day. And saving me. I'd...'

She blushed. She didn't like what she was thinking about. Nervously, she switched off the lights and walked along the corridor, shaking his head.

Unaware of Maya's preoccupations, Shinji looked at the white door of the room of his mother. He was afraid. He hadn't seen her more than a few minutes, before an horde of nurses came to make him go through all the medical tests known by mankind, and a few more; Shinji almost could swear that they had made him a pregnancy test.

Certainly, as Maya had noticed, he was very glad with her return, happy how he hadn't been in the last ten years. He had saved more people than he thought when he chose to pilot again his Evangelion. He wasn't afraid of his mother.

But what Kaji had said to him in the watermelon field still resounded in his ears. He had discovered that his mission was more complicated that it seemed when he arrived to the city, and he had realized that the worse part of ask something is that you can get back an answer. And he didn't like it. Behind of that door was his mother.

But also his father.

He sighed and opened the door.

Yui was asleep and, next to her, a newspaper was sat down in a chair.

The newspaper went down till Gendo's frowning face become visible. For several minutes, both maintaining a staring contest that Shinji lost.

"Father," he muttered.

"Shinji," muttered back Gendo, still frowning.

"I'm going home... I wanted to see Mom again before..." he muttered, feeling uneasier each second.

"I see."

Gendo didn't said any more. Neither Shinji, but he felt the urge to fill that silent, while they come back to the staring contest.

"Shinji, is this you?"

The eerie silent finally broke when Yui spoke with her soft voice. If somebody else would have watching the scene, he would have found funny the sudden changes in the faces of the two male Ikari. Shinji nodded, smiling warmly, while Gendo's frowning disappeared in a second, leaving the shadow of a smile on his lips.

While Shinji was hugging Yui, Gendo got up and walked out the room.

"I'm going to pick up the lunch, honey," he announced.

Shinji looked at him astonished. He couldn't believe that his father had said the last word. It simply didn't fit him.

"Wait here till I come back, Shinji, and don't excite your mother," he said -rather ordered- coldly, closing the door behind him.

Shinji fought the urge to answer, 'Yes, Commander'. He looked back at Yui. He didn't know what to say.

"I'm leaving the hospital today, Mom," he said finally, feeling as a stupid.

"I know," replied Yui, messing his hair with her hand. "Your father told it to me."

Shinji smiled. "Mom, I..."

"What?" she said sweetly.

"I'm glad you had come back."

"Me too, you can be sure," she replied, smiling. "When I go out of this, everything will be like before."

Shinji smiled, but inside he felt cold. Nothing could be the same. His father had rejected him twice, and he had threatened him with killing him. That kind of things couldn't be forgotten like that. But Yui didn't seem to be aware of that incidents, so maybe...

'Yes, it must be that,' he thought. His father had told her a lie. Obviously, he had pretended that nothing had happened between Shinji and him. And looking in the sweet green eyes of his mother, Shinji knew that he wouldn't dare to tell her the truth. In her condition, That would kill her, and Shinji was too much happy to change anything. If Gendo wanted to play to the 'Happy Family', then he would play, too. At least by the moment.

"I guess," he replied carefully. "What do you feel, Mom?"

Her smile disappeared, and she grabbed her knees, making her chin rest on them.

"I... I'm not sure, Treasure," she replied. "I... When I'm alone, I'm scared, but I don't know what or who scares me. It's that... I feel that..." She closed her eyes, shivering. "Never mind," she said, smiling again. "Talk me about you, Shinji. I've heard that you live with a German girl... Asuka, isn't she? Is she your girlfriend?" she teased.

Shinji blushed. That was going to be a long afternoon.

Some time later, Shinji would remember that scene and he'd feel ashamed by his reaction, but by that moment he was simply confused and slightly annoyed. He stood in front of the sliding grey door, scratching his head.

"Asuka, open the door," he pleaded again.

"I don't want to see you!" Asuka yelled, keeping the door locked from the other side.

"But Asuka, I live here. I need to come in!"

"Go with your Mom, Shinji!" she shouted. "You only came back to ridicule me. Now you've achieved it. Go away!"

Shinji knew then that Asuka was talking about the battle with the Fourteenth Angel. "I'm sorry," he said.

The door finally opened, revealing a very, very angry redhead. Asuka looked at Shinji with such an annoyed look that he stepped back, slightly scared.

"I don't want your pity, I've said you that already!" she yelled. Eyebrows furrowed, she approached Shinji. "Tell me, Shinji. Why did you come back?"

"I... Asuka, I don't know. I really don't understand all this mess."

"Now, you're far from me again. And you don't care. Do you?" asked Asuka with a strange voice, looking down.

'The sync ratio. Always that goddamned ratio,' he thought. "No, Asuka, you know that I don't care for that. I did what I did for..."

Asuka didn't waste a single second to interrupt him, "I... I..." she said menacingly, her voice dangerously low. "I'd want..." She shook her head and walked towards her room. "Fine. Come in!" she said. "And when you've finished of making me feel like a zero, make dinner! Stupid Third!" Asuka slammed her door.

Shinji stood hesitant in front of Asuka's door. He really didn't know what to say.

"Asuka, I..."

The door opened again and Asuka slapped him. "I said you that I don't want to see or hear you. Didn't you understand me, Third?" she coldly asked.

Shinji looked down. "Yes, Asuka, but..."

"Fine," she said, "I don't want to see you anymore! I'm staying at Hikari's," she announced, going out of the apartment.

Sighing, the brown haired boy headed for the kitchen and, picking up his SDAT player, started to prepare the dinner.

The earphones prevented him from hearing the main door open, or, for that matter, hearing Misato enter the room.

"You're here," stated Misato without looking at him. Shinji only could nod. "I haven't seen Asuka. Where did she go?" asked Misato absently.

"To Hikari's," replied Shinji with a rather dull and lifeless moan. "She was angry with me..."

"I see..." she muttered. Misato looked at him for the first time, but when Shinji locked eyes with her, he saw nothing behind those garnet eyes. He felt scared by their absolute emptiness. The raven haired woman nodded, and left the kitchen.

Shinji stood frozen while he heard a vague murmur coming from what sounded like the answering machine, until the sobs of Misato came till him. Entering the living room, he found her fallen onto the couch, her head buried beneath her arms.

Shinji debated between leaving her alone or saying something to her. Part of him -the part that didn't want to interact with anybody- told him to leave the living room and go to seek refuge in his room. The another whispered softly to him to do something. Normally, Shinji would have hid in his room, but now he remembered his mother.

'I'm so proud of you, Shinji,' she had said. His father had praised him, once, as well as Misato -several and bright times-, but it wasn't the same. Now his mother was proud of him, and the thought was...

...comforting.

Misato was crying bitterly when she felt a hand cover her shoulder. Without say anything, Misato simply followed the arm and embraced Shinji, burying her face in his shoulder. Shinji hugged her back.

"I'm so sorry, Shinji," she cried. "I didn't want to see you because I thought... I'm sorry. I wish... wish that this all could be different."

He didn't know what she was talking about, but that didn't bother him.

"Don't worry, Misato," he said, hugging Misato and letting her to cry in his shoulder until her crying was reduced to a quiet sobbing, and finally uneven breaths. Shinji realized that Misato had fallen asleep in his arms. Tenderly, he laid her in the couch and covered her with a blanket. He walked out silently and turned off the lights.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Well, finally, this is the second chapter of 'Eurydice'. I've realized that people doesn't understand what I was meaning when I said that this is a free adaptation of the Orphean myth. Don't worry. The references will be more clear at the end of the fic, I hope. If not, don't worry, and try to enjoy the story; it's only for fun.

If you have realized -I'm sure you have- the endings of both chapter are very similar. That's fully intentional (Liar, liar... I realized after finish them that both concluded in the same way, but I'm so lazy, and it doesn't look bad, after all). Hidden somewhere in the chapter there is a Chesterton's reference; if you're deadly bored, you can spent an afternoon trying to find it.

I'd like to thank Soaz and Autophage for keep reading the successive versions of the chapter and help me to improve it. A 99'99 of the merit belongs to my wonderful prereaders, so... Thanks!

I'll be more than happy of answering any question you could have. Just write me at

EDIT: Oops, fixed several grammar mistakes.

Athos