Shinji let out a sigh of relief when the hot water hit him. It had been forever since he had had such a good nights sleep. He quickly took his shower then stepped out looking at his image in the mirror. He rubbed his chin and frowned, "I need to shave but my razor is back at the apartment."

There was a soft knock on the door. Shinji quickly put on the same clothes he came with last night and opened the door. He saw Rei standing at the door with a small bag in her hands.

"I reported your presence to Major Katsuragi. She brought some things you may need."

Shinji paled, 'If Misato knows where I'm at then-'

"I requested that she keep this a secret from Pilot Soryu."

Shinji smiled and took the bag. He looked through it taking out a change of clothes and his razor. He quickly started to shave forgetting to close the door. Rei stood at the door staring at him.

Shinji smiled, "You need something Rei?"

"I believe it is appropriate for one to be there for their friend when they have had a sad occasion."

Shinji finished shaving wiping off his face with a towel, "I'm fine Rei." He then shut the door and quickly changed. He placed his old clothes back in the bag and opened the door back up to reveal Rei still standing there with a stern look on her face.

"You are very bad at lying Shinji."

Shinji moved past her gathering his shoes and putting them on, "Thanks for letting me stay here last night Rei. I appreciate it; you're a great friend." He then started for the door but was stopped when he saw Rei standing in front of it with her arms crossed. Shinji was slightly shocked, 'Is she taking a stand?'

"If I am a good friend as you say, you will allow me to 'be there for you'."

Shinji sighed bowing his head and dropping his bag, "You just aren't going to let it be are you?"

Rei didn't say a word. She simply kept her confident glare and waited for Shinji to start speaking.

"I don't know what I'm suppose to feel right now Rei. I mean the girl I love told me she didn't plan on our relationship going anywhere. It's like the one person I trusted the most just said she wanted nothing to do with me."

Rei walked to Shinji and hugged him. It was the last thing he ever expected. Shinji didn't move an inch until Rei finally released the hug. She looked at him and smiled, "You talked; I hugged you; the emotions have been healed now right?"

Shinji couldn't help but smile at this. Rei had obviously been watching way too much TV lately. "It doesn't work that fast Rei. But thanks, it does help to know that I have someone here if I need them. See you later." He then walked out the door.

Rei watched him leave, "Where are you going?"

Shinji slung his bag over his shoulder, "Going to go find a place to live, then I got the Night Watch tonight." He then continued to walk down the hall.

Rei frowned as he left, 'What is this feeling? This is very acceptable.' She then walked back inside to make a call.

---Lunch Time---

Shinji sighed as he slid into a booth at a coffee shop. He leaned his head back closing his eyes.

"You seem to have a hard day hun."

Shinji smiled at the familiar voice. It was the same old weary voice that he had gotten used to the past few years. He opened his eyes and sat up and an old woman slid into the booth across from him.

"How are you doing today Mrs. Seymour?"

The old lady had moved here when her husband had retired from the Air Force. Her husband had been through Officer's School in Japan. He had fallen in love with the country and moved back after he finished up his time in the military.

The old woman smiled, "I'm fine child. How about you and that little fireball of yours?"

Shinji kept up the fake smile, "We kind of split ways."

"What! Why? Just yesterday you were thinking of asking her to marry you."

Shinji frowned, "I did."

The old lady finally caught on, "Oh dear, I am so sorry child. It must be hard to live in the same place with her now."

"I'm not. I stayed at a friends house last night and am out apartment shopping today."

"This friend wouldn't have been that Ayanami girl would it?"

Shinji smiled. After meeting Rei a few weeks back, she had been rather insistent with her opinion that Rei was a much better fit for Shinji that Asuka. Shinji would always smile and laugh it off. "Yes ma'am. She was the only place I could think of to run."

Mrs. Seymour showed a sly smile, "You don't say."

Shinji frowned, "Don't read much into it. I slept on the couch and then left this morning."

The old woman smiled as she saw her order come up to the counter, "Well, you take care of yourself child. Good luck with finding an apartment." She then stood and walked off.

Shinji sighed has he looked through the paper one last time.

---Later that night at NERV HQ---

Shinji walked in with his bag. He looked around. Things had changed a lot since the days of the Angels. The EVAs were destroyed, and NERV had been placed in charge of policing the town. Thousands of cameras were up all over the city. NERV had become the watchdog of Tokyo 3. The crime rate had plummeted, and NERV had a new image.

He walked into the main security room and dropped his bag. Misato turned from her post and ran up to him encircling him with a giant hug, "SHINJI! How are you doing?"

Shinji choked for air.

Misato quickly let go of her death grip, "Sorry."

Shinji cracked his neck back in place, "It's okay. Anyway, I'm doing okay. Never realized how hard it is to find an apartment in this town."

Misato quickly switched to mother mode, "You don't have a place to live? What are you going to do?"

Shinji shrugged, "I've got nightshift tonight and find a place tomorrow."

Misato crossed her arms, "And what about sleeping?"

Shinji gave a weak smile, "I haven't been feeling like doing much of that lately."

Misato frowned and but pulled Shinji into a much more gentle version of a hug, "I'm sorry it had to happen like this."

"Me too."

"You know you two will have to come face to face eventually."

Shinji nodded, "I know, I'm just not ready for that yet."

Misato picked up her stuff and started for the door, "Well, my shift is done. See you around."

"Wait? What do you mean? You're supposed to be on the night shift as well."

Misato gave him a sly smile, "Someone wanted to switch with me." She then walked out the door.

What surprised Shinji the most was who was on the other side of the door when Misato walked out.

"Rei?"

Rei walked into the room with a slight blush on her cheeks looking at the floor, "I requested to be able to switched to the night shift. Is this unacceptable?"

Shinji smiled slightly, "No it's fine."