Disclaimer: Me own nothing.

Shinji woke up the next morning and stretched. His arm still hurt, but at least he had somewhat full mobility. He scooted closer to the edge and got in his chair. He rolled out of his room to the smell of something utterly divine. He wheeled into the kitchen to find Asuka buzzing around the kitchen. He smirked, "So, the German princess knows how to do something other than brag about how great she is."

Asuka whirled around and dropped the pan she was holding. She blushed slightly, "Well, umm….I did have to cook for myself for all this time."

Shinji wheeled up looking over what was being fixed. He smirked when there was obviously more than enough for both of them. "You must be hungry if you made all of this."

She turned hiding her blush as if intensified. She put the food on two plates and placed the food on the table, "Eat up."

Shinji smiled as he wheeled forward and started eating. He choked when he heard clapping coming from the doorway. He turned around and saw Misato standing there.

"Wow, you're actually being civil with one another. I'm impressed."

Asuka growled from her seat, "What are you doing here?"

Misato eyed Asuka, "Door was open. And I came to check on our dear patient. Though I would say that I may have set him up with the wrong girl."

"Don't you ever insinuate that I have any kind of feelings for that baka!"

Shinji placed his cup of tea down and wheeled out.

"And why haven't you finished your food Shinji!"

He turned around looking at Asuka with a glare that I had to get from her, "I wouldn't want to be a hindrance or anything." He then wheeled to his room and locked his door.

Misato already had taken Shinji's place at the table and started eating his food, "You know, this is real good."

Asuka shot her a glare speaking through gritted teeth, "What do you want?"

"Seems to me that someone still has feelings for a certain red-head I know. Couldn't imagine what the idiot sees in her. I mean all she ever does is berate and insult him."

Asuka crossed her arms, "He's a baka and a pervert. He deserves it."

Misato shook her head, "You know, you should be out of the whole name-calling stage by now."

"Name-calling stage?"

"Of your crush on Shinji."

Asuka punched the table breaking it in two, "I DON'T HAVE A CRUSH ONE SHINJI!"

Misato smirked as she looked over her fork, "Is that so?"

Asuka stood disposing of her dishes quickly, "Yes, that is so."

"Well then, I must have been wrong. Thanks for breakfast." Misato put her fork down and stood up. She moved to Shinji's door, "Shinji, it's time to leave. If you hurry, I will take you to your appointment myself."

Asuka was about to reject when Shinji rolled out past Misato and out the door. Misato winked at Asuka as she passed, "We'll be back before dinner mom."

The door closed as a glass plate hit it. Asuka let out a yell and then went to get a broom while she mumbled, "I really liked her better when she was drunk all the time."

Hour later at the therapy session---

Dr. Natsume smiled as Shinji finished his story about what happened to him after the angels were gone. "So, you must have liked living with this sensei of yours. He taught you to cook and treated you like a son. So, you once again submersed yourself in a pseudo-family."

Shinji chuckled, "I guess you could call it that."

"And now his granddaughter works at your restaurant?"

"Yeah, a few years after I left, Suki showed up."

Dr. Natsume chuckled, "Sounds to me like you have a young lady with a crush on you."

Shinji blushed slightly as he ran his hands through his hair, "That's what she tells me."

"And you haven't attempted a relationship with her?"

Shinji shook his head.

"Why is that?"

"She's like my sister. I looked out for her when she was little. She-"

"She's not Asuka?" asked Natsume leaned forward in his chair.

Shinji bowed his head and smiled slightly, "Exactly."

Natsume leaned back folding his hands in front of his face, "So, after all this time you still have a crush on her?"

Shinji nodded.

"But if you told her-"

"She would clobber me."

Natsume stood and went to his desk and pulled another photo off his desk. He looked at it for a moment then handed it to Shinji. Shinji looked at a much younger version of Dr. Natsume and a Red-headed young lady. "She's still the most beautiful person I ever saw," started the doctor. "We knew each other most of our lives. She was always the leader, I was always the follower. I was too shy to take the lead. Then finally when we were about your age, I took a shot. I asked her out. We dated…got married."

Shinji smiled at the picture and how happy Dr. Natsume looked.

"She died a few years later while giving birth to out little precious girl." Natsume took the photo and sat it back on his desk. "Every day I look at my daughter, I see her. I see her pride, stubbornness, but most of all I see her kind heart."

"I'm sorry she died," stated Shinji.

"You know what hurts the most?"

Shinji shook his head.

"I waited so long to take the lead. If I had been a little braver, I would have more time with her." He then sat down looked Shinji in the eye, "Look, I can't tell you what to do, but I can give you this little bit of advice. If you are sorry…truly sorry that I lost my wife, then don't wait too long like I did. Tell her."

"But she doesn't-"

"Tell me Shinji, where was she before she came to visit?"

"Germany."

Dr. Natsume chuckled and smiled, "People don't give up their entire life and move to another country because some one gets hurt Shinji. You had people to take care of you here. But she wanted to be the one to take care of you." He looked at his watch, "Our time is up for today. Next session will be our last."

Shinji looked up, "You mean it?"

Dr. Natsume smiled and nodded, "You've made a lot of progress in these few weeks. I'll give you a clean bill, cause I know you can handle yourself now. Just remember what we talked about and I'll check in on you a few times."

"Thank you very much Doctor."

Dr. Natsume smiled, "You just remember what I told you."

Shinji then left. Misato was sitting outside flipping through a magazine. She looked up when Shinji exited the office. He smiled as he wheeled past her and smiled as he whispered, "One left."

Misato smiled as she stood and followed.

Physical Rehab---

Shinji was floating in a bat of red colored liquid. Misato looked through a one-sided mirror as a Doctor stood beside her.

"He's doing quite well. He's got a strong spirit when he's focused."

Misato nodded in agreement. "You know that stuff he is in looked like-"

"It's not. Best thing we could do to recreate it, but you know it's hard to reproduce the blood of an angel. But it still has some remarkable qualities. When we apply an electrical pulse to it, it stimulates the muscles to repair themselves. It speeds up pretty quickly."

"I owe you one for this one doc."

The doctor shook his head with a smile, "NERV personnel were the ones to develop this technique. So, it's the whole medical world that owes you."

Shinji was helped out of the liquid and handed a towel. He was then lead to a set of crossbars where he actually tried to stand up out of his wheelchair. He took a few steps but then stumbled. The assistants caught him and tried to get him to sit back down, but he refused.

Misato looked on in amazement, "He must be in a ton of pain."

"Unbearable. He must have something really driving him."

Misato smirked, "I think I have an idea of what."