CHAPTER 4

PenPen noisily swallowed another piece of tuna as Shinji absently scratched his head.

Some time had passed since Shinji's return, and while some things were getting better -somehow his mother was alive, the commander had been agreeably absent from his life and Maya and Rei seemed to be more friendly with him recently, but on the other hand, many things seemed to be getting worse.

Asuka, for one.

He was still unsure whether Unit One's malfunction was a bad thing or not, he mused for a second. However, if Nerv's defeat by the angels would really lead to Third Impact, then it would seem that he had no other option but to pilot it. But it was at least a relief to avoid such a burden for a few days.

Since Misato was out for a few days -supervising the rebuilding of Matsushiro's Laboratories-, it seemed that nobody was expecting an immediate attack. The flashy Nerv's officer had left a few hours ago, leaving him alone in the house until Asuka returned from Hikari's; however Asuka and he would only be alone until lunchtime, when Ritsuko would come chaperone them. Misato had insinuated -as subtle as an earthquake would do, and together with loads of meaningful winks- that he might employ the time to fix things between Asuka and him, as he had promised the last day.

"Asuka..." he sighed.

He wasn't dense enough to be unaware that Asuka's anger was due to his performance with his Eva. But still...

"And now you're far away from me, and you don't care, do you?" she had asked sadly.

Had she been talking about their Synch ratios? Usually it was all that she cared about, but might she had meant...

'Naah,' Shinji shook his head, Though he did have a smattering of affection for Asuka, it wasn't going to make him see things that weren't there. Still, he had made her angry -as always he did- and he should face it. After all, apologizing was the speciality of the cook.

The black and white penguin ate another mouthful of fresh fish. His avian mind could discern that his feeder was distracted that morning. He was better than his mistress in her best times, so really he couldn't complain. When the clock showed ten o'clock, the main door slid open.

Asuka.

The redhead crossed to her room without deigning to give him more than a quick glance, slamming her door shut noisily.

He sighed.

***

"Okay, Third Child," she said, smiling briefly. "I accept your apologies, for the moment. Let's start over."

Shinji nodded quietly; Asuka went back to her room, now much more calm but not without warning him that she wanted something non-Japanese for lunch. An Italian recipe was what Shinji was thinking of preparing, so that wasn't a problem. He heated water and put the noodles in it, gathering the rest of ingredients for the recipe while waiting for the water to boil.

The doorbell rang. 'Ritsuko,' Shinji thought. It was about time that she arrived, and Shinji was grateful that he had been able to patch things up between him and Asuka before she arrived.

Asuka's head popped out of her room, and seeing that Shinji was busy in the kitchen, she decided to answer the door. "I'm going(I'll get it," she announced.

His work in the kitchen prevented him from hearing what they were saying at the door, but he discerned another female voice apart from the slighty garish voice of Asuka.

He added the meat to the boiling mixture and put the lid on the pot. Shinji walked out of the kitchen to receive Ritsuko, while hearing how the redhead greeted her.

"I see," Asuka was saying. "It's nice of you to have come."

"It was nothing."

That wasn't Ritsuko's voice, Shinji mused. But rather the soft, melodic voice of her assistant, Maya Ibuki.

Shinji waved awkwardly at her and she gave him a shy smile, while fidgeting nervously with the thin chain that surrounded her waist over her light blue sundress.

"I was telling Asuka that Doctor Akagi wasn't able to come," she said softly. "So here am I instead."

"Hm? Oh, it's all right," nodded Shinji. "Here, give me that."

Shinji gently took the small bag she was carrying and led her to the interior of the apartment after she left her sandals in the foyer. Asuka followed them, hearing a vague murmur from the kitchen. She smirked.

"Shinji..." she purred seductively.

When Shinji looked dumbfounded at her, she smiled sweetly. 'Noodles,' she mouthed, pointing with her hand to the kitchen.

"Wha... The food!"

Shinji rushed to the kitchen to take care of the burning pot.

"Shinji's cooking," she explained to Maya, laughing softly.

Maya smiled gently, sitting down on the small couch of the living room.

"I see," she mused. "You seem to be having a good time."

"What? No, that's not it," Asuka waved. "But it's fun to tease him."

Maya smiled. "Poor Shinji. I think that you're teasing him too much."

"Try it, it's relaxing!" she said. "I'm sorry, but I have to do my homework," she sighed. "Ask Shinji if you need something."

"I'll do that," Maya nodded.

Asuka walked into her room, leaving Maya alone in the living room, while the redhead sat down and grabbed a book about Japanese literature -somehow, the school hadn't been destroyed in the last attack. Maya stared at her hands for a long time. Finally, she sighed and got up making her way, uncertainly, to the kitchen.

***

While Asuka had used the opportunity to tease him, she wasn't kidding about the noodles. Fortunately, Shinji had arrived at time to prevent the meal from turning into a Misato style dish, and now he was giving the last touches to the recipe.

Whistling happily -he knew he was skilled in cooking and that thought was reassuring- he commenced to prepare a sauce for the fetucinni, unaware of the young woman that was observing him from the door frame.

Maya sighed, toying with the silver chain of her dress. Shinji added some oil to the sauce and began to mix it.

"You forget the parsley," she said softly.

"Uh?" replied Shinji surprised. "Ah, it's you. What's that?"

"The parsley," she smiled awkwardly, pointing to the green herb that Shinji had left on the table.

"Ah, yes," he said, chopping it. "By the way, thank you."

"You're welcome."

"No, not for the parsley," Shinji waved, smiling, "but thank you for that also. I meant, thank you for having come in a Sunday. I'm sorry."

"I..." Maya blushed heavily. "I don't mind, Shinji."

"Ah, thank you," he smiled, returning to the meal. "I guess that Unit One is giving you loads of work."

"No, we've... I mean, yes. That's why Doctor Akagi... couldn't come."

"I see. Tomorrow is the test, isn't it?"

"Yes," Maya nodded.

Shinji stiffened visibly. "I see."

Maya felt a huge tear inside. She couldn't stand to see him so hurt, so vulnerable. She wished she could somehow protect him; she wished to see him happy. 'For God's Sake!'she said to herself, 'He's still a child!'

But she couldn't deny the urge she felt to embrace him until he was sad no more. Maya sighed and bit her lower lip.

Unaware, Shinji shrugged. "It's the same," he whispered. I still have to do it."

Maya closed her eyes.

"I should..." she mumbled.

"Would you like to try that?" Shinji asked, changing quickly the subject.

Maya knew perfectly that he was referring to the meal, but, however, the question make her shiver.

"I'd love to..."

***

Ritsuko had always wondered why Gendo liked so much symbolism. Even though Gendo was the ultimate pratical man, he was always surrounding himself with things that hinted to his true intentions, such as the Tree of Sephiroth engraved upon the ceiling of his office, or NERV's motto. A reminder, perhaps, she decided. However, she would have liked a smaller reminder. The Commander's office was so big that it diminished the space dedicated to the rest of personnel's rooms, including herself.

In any case, At that moment the size of her office was the least of her concerns, as she stood in front of the massive desk of the Commander's office.

"I thought that the Commander wanted to be informed," she said.

Fuyutsuki, in what was starting to become a common sight, was sitting in Gendo's chair, frowning.

"The Commander is busy," he growled, "and I've assumed control of the daily operations, Doctor Akagi."

"Yes, sir."

Oh, she knew perfectly why the Commander was busy. The reason had brown hair and green eyes, a sweet smile...

And she hated it.

"However, I must say that I don't like this a single bit, Doctor Akagi," he said, angrily throwing the dossier over the table. The pieces of paper fell off it to the feet of the blonde scientist.

"The Commander himself approved the protocol for such a contingency months ago, sir," she smiled coldly.

"Oh, so he did, didn't he?" he hissed, tapping with his fingers on the large wooden table. "Who would replace him, anyway?"

"He might accept Rei, I think. He will protect her. "

"You two, both of you..."

"What's wrong, sir?" Ritsuko smirked.

"You're wrong. God helps me, he's a child, Ritsuko."

"We need a core," she shrugged.

Fuyutsuki got up and gave her a look of loathing.

"Now listen to me!" he shouted, walking to the door. "You will not employ this procedure, ever. Protocol 294 is hereby cancelled!"

"Under whose authority?" she smiled seductively.

"Under mine!"

"You need Gendo's approval, darling, and I doubt that you can get it..."

"You're sick," replied Fuyutsuki, slamming the door.

Alone in the big office, Ritsuko giggled quietly.

Fuyutsuki was far from laughing. The old man walked quickly to one of the bridges of the Magi System, where a group of terminals where placed. He would have to convince him, or... He didn't even wanted to start thinking about it.

Surrounded by several technicians in their stations, Gendo was sitting in one of the terminals, apparently doing nothing, only staring at Yui. Gendo's wife was reading something in the screen, seemingly unaware of the rest of the world. Gendo was smiling sheepishly, with a dreamy face.

Frowning, Futyutsuki coughed getting their attention.

While Gendo raised an eyebrow, Yui waved at him happily. Nodding, he spoke to Gendo.

"May I speak with you?"

Gendo nodded and got up, heading to the corridor.

"I'll give him back to you soon, Yui," Fuyutsuki smiled briefly at Yui.

"Thank you, Professor," she giggled softly, returning her attention to the screen.

Once in the corridor, Fuyutsuki faced Gendo, pointing a finger towards him. Gendo frowned.

"What do you think you're doing?" the older man hissed.

"Don't point your finger at me. What are you talking about?"

"Protocol 294."

"Oh," Gendo replied. "So Akagi has finally found a way."

"I've forbidden it. You couldn't possibly dare to do that, Ikari!"

"You did what?" Gendo asked surprised.

"What do you mean)? It's your son, for God's sake!"

"It's a war, old man. there are always casualties," he smirked.

Agape, Fuyutsuki looked at him speechless, leaning against the wall for support.

"What will Yui say, Ikari? Have you thought of that?"

"You won't tell Yui anything, Kozo. Stay away from her," Gendo said coldly, the menace visible in his gaze.

"I... I cannot believe this."

Fuyutusuki breathed deeply, making his decision. "I will talk with Yui, Ikari. I'll tell her everything. All of what you've planned."

Gendo sighed. "You, come here!" he said loudly, calling one of the soldiers that were guarding that particular corridor of the complex.

The soldier came running. "Sir?" he saluted.

"What are you doing?" Fuyutsuki asked confused.

"You... Kanzaki," he said, reading the name of the guard. "You will escort Sub Commander Fuyutsuki to the cells and make sure he's kept there."

"Yes, sir!"

"You're committing the mistake of your life, Ikari."

"Sure, Professor. Away with him, Kanzaki," he sighed, returning to Magi's facilities.

Back in the terminal, he kissed Yui's cheek before sitting down again.

"What did the Professor want?" she asked absently, concentrated in the screen.

"Nothing important."

***

"Checkmate," Maya giggled softly.

"Oh, not again," Shinji lamented.

It was the third consecutive checkmate that Maya had achieved that afternoon.

"It's your fault, silly," muttered Asuka, lazily lying down on the couch. "I told you that you shouldn't have moved that bishop."

They had spent a peaceful afternoon, after voraciously eating Shinji's spaghetti. Maya was surprised: the boy was really a skillful cook, despite his attempts to claim otherwise. He had turned as red as a tomato when she had complimented him.

"That's easy to say."

"It's easy to do," she chuckled. "Jeez, even PenPen would have played better than you."

"Why don't you try then?"

"Come on," Maya said. "It's just a game."

***

"I know, but I cannot avoid it," sighed Yui, spinning in her chair. "I just need to do something."

"You should try to recover first," Gendo said, holding her hand.

"I don't like to be a burden."

"You are not."

"I don't like to feel like a burden, my dear," she said, sitting down on Gendo's lap and encircling his neck with her hands. "God, I've been... there for so long, so lonely..."

Gendo put his arms around her waist, speaking softly in her ear. "Not any more)."

She shivered and hugged him.

"Thank you," Yui mouthed, giving him a peck.

They stayed like that, Yui getting comfort in his arms, Gendo pushing away the guilt to a corner of his mind and loosing himself in the even breathing of his wife.

"And now?" she asked softly.

Gendo frowned slightly. Now that Fuyutsuki wasn't there to do his job, he had to get back to it, and God knew that the moment when Akagi were no longer reliable would come soon. Sooner then he would like, whenever it came.

Rei. Another unknown variable in his once perfect scenario. Since the events that had followed the defeat of the Fourteenth Angel, Rei had been... voluble, if such a term could be applied to the pale girl.

The card castle was starting to oscillate dangerously. He didn't know for how much time he would able to prevent all from falling apart.

However, the war's end was so close... Three Angels more, and he could go with Yui and live away with her, and her alone. Nobody nor anything would bar his way this time. Seele, the Dead sea Scrolls, Shinji, the Project E... Nothing.

"I don't know."

To be continued....

***

AUTHOR'S NOTES

In first place, many thanks to Steve Vader by his comments and his suggestions, that opened me possibilities that I hadn't considered before. I'm grateful as well to Inanis Machina for his help with the grammar issues.

Not much else to say. This is just another 'build-up' chapter before the activation test of Unit one arrives. By the way, I like girls wearing sundresses, hence Maya's clothing. ^_^ I've saved the conversation between Shinji and Asuka for another chapter, where a flashback will bring us back what they said.

See you!
Athos