"Shinji!" Asuka yelled as the two Evangelions fell and were picking up speed as they descended.

The pilot of Unit 02 didn't get a very good look at the length of the shaft but she was certain that when they hit the bottom that it wasn't going to be a pretty sight. Once again, she tried to stop their fall by forcing Unit 02 to take the position it did before the Angel appeared but, with Unit 01's weight, she still continued to fall.

"Shit!"

She didn't know what to do at all. The situation was hopeless. None of the training she had stated what to do when you were falling with another Evangelion on top of you.

Even if they both were falling, she knew the impact wouldn't kill them but she worried about the acid that was probably still on Unit 01's back eating away at the organic machine.

She momentarily wondered what would of happened if Shinji was in her position.

'He would have been paying attention and killed the damn thing before it could drop so much acid on me…' Asuka thought as she looked at Unit 01 who stared back at her.

For a moment, she could have sworn that it narrowed its eyes. Not only did it indeed narrow its eyes, Unit 01 also fully extended its arms and legs causing it to slowly skid to a stop but Unit 02 continued to fall.

Asuka, now aware that the extra weight was off her, forced Unit 02 to do the same but she could tell the ground was getting closer so she braced for the impact that was sure to come.

Even if she was certain it was probably going to hurt a bit, she was relieved that Shinji was at least able to give her a sign he was alright but the feeling of Unit 01 watching her fall was one that she didn't want to have again.

The impact that the pilot of Unit 02 was waiting on never came and, if it did, it was just a slight bump. Opening her eyes to see what happened, Asuka could make out the image of a single red orb staring back at her.

There was no denying it. Rei caught her.

Gracefully, Unit 00 let the Evangelion on the ground and looked up, "He is falling." Rei stated as she prepared for another catch.

Without a word, both of the girls waited as the purple Evangelion quickly fell towards them. Suddenly the entry plug was bathed in red light as the number display indicated that they didn't have much time left, "Damn… not now." Asuka muttered as Unit 01 neared the bottom.

While it wasn't as graceful a catch as the one Unit 00 made alone, both Unit 00 and Unit 02 caught the Evangelion andwere able to see how its back looked. As the timer in their entry plugs dwindled down to zero, both Asuka and Rei was able to see exactly how corrosive the acid was…

Lately

Hospitals made Hikari feel uncomfortable.

Not only because of the various instruments the doctors used on their patients or the quiet, cool environment but also because of the fact that it was a place where a lot of sick people resided. Many of them already on the brink of dead, and some of them were already there.

Another thing she didn't like was how the doctors and nurses seemed so familiar with Shinji, "Almost like he was here often…" Hikari said to no one in particular as she walked the hall looked for the right room number.

It didn't take long to find the room but it wasn't because she noticed the room number. What she noticed was a person who was very hard to notice given her soft blue hair and red eyes.

Rei Ayanami, her classmate and one of the pilots, stood outside the room and seemed to be standing guard. Most would have probably been intimidated, but Hikari simply walked up to her, "Hello Rei."

"Hello Miss Horaki." She formally replied.

Hikari was surprised to see Rei of all people actually waiting outside the room. In a moment, she could recall all the times she tried to befriend the girl but only to be turned down by polite no's. It wasn't that she was as cold as people say or unfriendly, she just kept to herself.

"How is he?" Hikari asked as she stood beside her classmate outside the room.

"Shinji is… in good health."

She nodded but noticed something, "You called him by his first name?"

"Yes."

Hikari found the floor to be quite interesting as she looked down, "You're not… with him are you?"

"I do not understand."

She blushed, "Are you… romantically involved?"

Rei was a very frank and honest person and, when she didn't answer right away, Hikari was sure she was going to say a pretty straightforward 'Yes' until she opened her mouth to speak, "No, Shinji is my friend."

Hikari smiled, "Can I be your friend too?"

Rei calmly looked at her, "I was under the impression you considered me a friend."

She nodded as she felt a laugh about to come, "I'm not asking can I view you as a friend, I'm asking will you see me as one."

The door opened before she could speak and a nurse looked at the girls. Seeing that the girl was still here, she left the door open as she made her exit, "You can go back in now."

Rei nodded as she entered the room with Hikari, who closed the door, following her.

It was a simple hospital room. Besides the lights, only a bed, a window, and an adjustable table were inside. The bed was positioned close enough to window to provide a view but the only thing you could really see was the tree that was blocking the way.

However, the single occupant of the room looked out that window with a distant look in his eyes.

"Shinji?" Hikari said drawing his attention to her.

He sat up in the bed, "Hikari? W-Who told you I was here?"

She sighed. It was hard getting the information out of Asuka but she made her swear not to tell Shinji she told her since the boy made her promisenot to. Even though she knew he didn't want her to know since she would be worried, she didn't like the fact that he wanted her to be ignorant of the fact that he was hurt.

"I heard some people talking about a pilot being in the hospital and I just so happened to see Rei here and since the two you haven't been at school…"

Wide eyed, he turned to Rei, "You stayed here all three days?"

She looked back at him directly in the eye, "Yes."

He could half remember waking up to find Rei standing at his side but dismissed it as a dream but to think she would have stayed with him so long. Shinji looked down, "You… you didn't have to do that for me Rei."

"I wanted to." She softly said as she stepped closer to the bed.

It was true. She was with him every since the defeat of the Angel. Even now, she could recall how thankful she was that the acid didn't reach the entry plug. The power came back on just in time and they were able to get him treated.

"Thank you." He whispered.

With that, the more recent topic of having a romantic relationship with her friend seemed more and more promising but, given that she still didn't understand that kind of relationship yet, it was not something she wanted to exactly rush into. Nevertheless, she was just content with being his friend, "You're welcome."

Rei turned to Hikari who stood behind her. Not only was the girl's relationship with Shinji cloudy but, because of it, she was unsure of how to proceed on advancing her relationship with him if she desired as much.

With logic judging her actions, the azure-haired girl's thoughts started to surface as Hikari moved towards the side of Shinji's bed. From Rei's point of view, Miss Horaki was a burden to Shinji. Even if her intentions were well intended and meant no harm, she was obviously another source of pressure. It was almost like with the Major in the fact that she did put stress on her friend except she had no authority and wasn't a part of NERV so the scenario was entirely different.

That didn't give her reason to act against her but it did mean that Miss Horaki was one she would not consider a friend.

Rei wanted to observe the visit but she had matters at NERV to attend to. Making an about face, she quietly walked away was about to slip out of the room till Shinji called out to her.

"Thanks again Rei." He said with a small smile spread across his face.

With a blush starting to creep on her cheeks, she nodded before she walked out and left Hikari and Shinji alone.

"How have you been coming along here?" She asked, breaking the silence that fell after Rei's exit.

"Alright… the doctor told me that I have some nerve damage in my lower back so I won't have any feeling there for a while. It's not a problem since I can still move though," He looked up at her, "How have you been Hikari?"

"I… ended things with Touji."

"Huh? Why?" Shinji asked honestly wondering what happened.

"It was a misunderstanding. We're friends, but were not that close of friends but I came here to see how you were doing Shinji," She put her hands on the rails of the bed, "I got worried when you and Rei didn't come to school."

"I'm alright… really and I'll listen if you want to talk about it."

Hikari suddenly noticed that it wasn't any chairs to sit on. Noticing what she was looking for, Shinji pointed out that she could sit on the table if she wanted to, "He felt guilty so he wanted to help in any way he could so he thought being with me would make me happy." She started.

"It's not that I wasn't happy, it was just that it felt so… so hollow. I could tell that he wasn't being himself but it's the fact that I think I changed him that bothers me the most." Hikari stated, "And I think I'm changing you too Shinji."

Her brown eye stared at him, "You're overworking yourself."

"I'm not…"

"I think I might move in with father and my sisters." She softly said as she looked down at Shinji who had shock written across his face.

She wanted to stay but not at the expense of changing the people important to her. The pilot and jock she was familiar with was becoming different people before her eyes and even now she wasn't certain if Touji was changing for the better or not but she was certain of one thing.

It was her fault that Shinji was becoming so focused on his job as a pilot and, even if a small part of her was glad that he even wanted to pilot, she didn't want to even think of the things that could happen to him.

Her own guilt was not a factor in her leaving. It was the idea that it would be good for both Touji and Shinji.

"Don't…" He softly said, unable to look her in the face, "Don't leave."

"Shinji…"

He looked up at her, his eyes pleading with her, "Please, I don't mean to sound selfish but I…"

He paused, "I need you Hikari. I swear I'll protect you no matter what Angel comes. Even if I have to sortie in front of your house or sacrifice Unit 01, I swear I won't let you be hurt anymore."

"That's what I'm talking about Shinji!" Hikari unconsciously wrapped her hands around the rails of his bed, "I don't want you getting hurt because of me. Think of yourself."

"I'm trying my best! I just want you to be safe!" He exclaimed before noticing the soft smile on her face.

Shinji wasn't sure what that smile meant, but, given his reply to her statements, he was about to apologize until she started to speak.

"I'm the only person you raise your voice at." She leaned over the rail as she continued to grin.

"I'm sorry…" He said, not meaning to yell at her.

"You don't have to apologize, it's a sign that you care Shinji," Hikari's smile put him at ease as he lay back down.

"I'll see you later Shinji."

"Hikari, I meant it…"

She was about to retort until the door flew open and Asuka made her grand entrance. Marching all the way up to the side of the bed, his roommate stood with her hands on her hips, "Shinji you idiot! I thought you were going to die!" She stated in front of him as she remembered how bleak his future looked when she seen the back of Unit 01.

When the acid was cleaned off, she discovered that Unit 01 actually had bones.

He cringed, "I'm sorry."

"Anyway," Asuka said, seeing that her roommate was okay given his reaction, "Misato is here to pick you up and… the Angel has been spotted."

"Asuka…" Shinji pointed at Hikari.

The red-haired girl looked over her shoulder, "Doesn't matter, it's not like the Commander will kill us because a civilian knows the Angel is in orbit."

Shinji sighed, "You never know what father might do…"

With that said he motioned to get up but, in an instant, Hikari was on the side of the bed, "What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving."

"What about your rest?"

Shinji thought for a while before replying, "I… wasn't tired."

"You were just about to go to sleep though." Hikari pointed out.

Asuka threw his clothes on the bed, "I'll be in the car." She didn't have the time to listen to Shinji tell bad lies and then try to weasel out of them.

"I'm not tired…" Shinji pulled back the sheets so he could get up, "You should probably get to a shelter before the alarm sounds."

No matter how much she wanted to stop him, she knew she couldn't. Hikari nodded as he started to take off the gown so he could put on his shirt.

"Hikari…"

"Yea," She said as she turned around, hiding a blush as he slid his pants on.

"Thank you… for caring."

-

A will left the things you owned to the people you cared for. No matter how trivial or important, the width or length, the color or shape, or wrong or right, the things you left behind would belong to those still living.

It was funny that by a small thin piece of paper that you would be talking to people after your death but, at the same time, it was like waving a white flag before the war even started.

To even place the pen on the paper would be an open admission of your defeat and Shinji was not going to make that admission as he set his pen down.

"I don't need one Misato." He said out loud, as he started to walk towards the cages.

It wasn't often that Shinji acted with such confidence so, when he did, the Major had to double check to see if she was day dreaming or not. Not that she doubted he was capable of surviving. It was just the fact that her charge was on fire with determination even if this was almost a suicide mission.

'The MAGI only gave it a thirty-one percent chance of working…' Misato thought as she nodded at Shinji.

Asuka finished her will and set the pen aside. She heard Shinji and, although she would never outright say it, she admired the fact that he was for once confident enough in his ability to believe that he wouldn't die or even be hurt.

"Alright, with Asuka finish we can start." Misato said, already knowing that Rei finished before Shinji and Asuka, "We'll carry out the mission when the Angel enters the atmosphere. Board the Evas and get in position."

A collective 'Yes ma'am' echoed through the room.

-

To Shinji, the walk to the entry plugs and the actual time it took to get in position lasted much longer than they told him it did. Even if he didn't leave a will, he still had doubts about the mission.

He shook his head in the LCL in a sad attempt to clear his mind.

He couldn't fail.

Recalling what he did when the will was positioned in front of him, Shinji made a list, not of the things he wanted to leave behind, but of all the people he ever came into contact with.

Needless to say, it was a long list. All types of people were included. It ranged from Ritsuko to Kensuke, Gendo to Maya, Pen-pen to Kaji, and he even counted the people he didn't even know.

Signing that will was, in a sense, saying that he failed everyone on that list and Shinji Ikari was determined to not be at fault for hurting anyone every again.

He gripped the controls tighter. He would protect everyone on that list from Hikari and Mari who he already failed to his father who probably already hated him.

Like a sprinter, Unit 01 kneeled down and almost looked like it was ready to enter a relay race. Misato came up with the idea that they were to run, full speed, towards the planned epicenter and catch the Angel before it landed. Seeing that it would take a lot of space for any of the massive machines to gain that kind of speed, the Major chose the longest streets she could and hoped that at least one of them could make it so the others could later assist.

Suddenly, a yawn escaped his mouth as Shinji patiently waited for the order to act.

He was extremely tired.

'I'm not pushing myself,' He thought as he looked for sight of the Angel, 'Besides it's not like I can go to sleep when an Angel is about to attack…'

"Three!"

Shinji's eyes snapped to the com-link as he noticed the face of guardian. Misato was quickly counting down the time to move out as she looked at her watch, "Two!"

Unit 01's foot scrapped against the asphalt as Shinji listened for the order, "One!"

"Go!"

Thick chucks of asphalt and concrete rose in the air as Unit 01 tore up the road with each step. With thoughts of not only the burdens he carried but also the lives of everyone in Tokyo-3 on his mind, Shinji willed the Evangelion to move faster.

Like a purple tornado, everything in Unit 01's path was torn apart as it ran as fast as it could. The Evangelion's speed couldn't be measured by normal means as it sped across the city.

For a moment, speed was the only thing on his mind and it was easy to tell as the giant, violet colored Evangelion simply turned into a dark purple blur with a green streak. If it was tearing up the path before, it was now destroying it.

As the sight of the descending Angel came into sight, Shinji quickly remembered the reason for the running and, by some act of God, forced Unit 01 to move even faster.

Skidding to a stop like an ice skater, Unit 01 squeezed between the small gap of space that was between the Angel and ground and expanded his AT field.

Unit 01 flexed as it lifted the Angel, "I d-did it M-Misato." Shinji muttered as he fought to keep the Angel above him.

"Good! Rei will be there when?" He watched the raven-haired woman turn to someone on the side of her, "She should be getting there about now."

Unit 00 elegantly came to a halt beside him and used its AT field to assist Unit 01 in holding the Angel up. Shinji breathed out a sigh of relief as Unit 01 fully stood up with its arms fully stretched as it and the blue Evangelion beside it held the Angel up.

"Did… Did Unit 02 trip or something?" Shinji honestly asked, now finding it easier to speak now that he had some help.

"Don't say stupid things idiot!" Asuka yelled as Unit 02 neared the Angel with its progressive knife at the ready.

Without an order even needing to be issued, Unit 02 drove the knife into the Angel's core and another victory was granted to NERV when the monster exploded.

Shinji leaned backwards in the entry plug as Unit 01 kneeled on the ground, "We did it…"

Strangely, the boy almost thought it funny since he thought he was going to trip himself. When he forced Unit 01 to run he didn't realize the fact that it would feel completely different because of the nerve damage in his back

He didn't care about that now at all though. Shinji was more than satisfied with the fact that the mission was carried out with no problems at all and he could finally go to sleep.

"Not that I'm really tired or anything though…"

Even if he said that and probably meant it, the idea of rest didn't seem like such a bad one at all.

-Fin

Author's notes: I wrote this chapter extremely quick…

In other news, the internet will be on next week. o.o

I can't believe you are seriously reading all this stuff though but it makes me happy to know someone is. ;.; I normally would be talking about the story or something right now. ;.;

Well anyway, Shinji and Hikari's relationship looks like it is at a stand-still and Rei is looking like she might hit Shinji up while Hikari is still reviewing her options. Asuka seems to be kind of soft on Shinji also… o.o

Damn, I'm writing this stuff fast.

Chibi Fenrir