Here comes a new chapter! I was about to post this chapter earlier in the morning as I was intending, but a couple of errand distracted me. So far I'm having a good day and hope you guys are too. Enjoy!

Miles Away from Lake Ontario, SHIELD Base 35, Shinji's Room

The young Shinji Ikari is sitting up on his bed, just looking at the TV. The news was on, but he wasn't watching it. He just like the sounds for some reason. It makes him feel like he's not alone. It's been two weeks since it started snowing.

When things became too uncomfortable for Shinji, he occasionally looks outside, to the large white blanket of the snow as well as the frozen lake from afar. He has never once gone outside to the snow. He was not allowed to. The reason for it is because it will be too much of a risk. The most he has ever gotten out, was by touching the coldness of the windows with his hands. He loved and hated the feeling of coldness for some reason.

So far, Shinji had little to no contact with the outside world, besides television and YouTube in a tablet. The most he has ever talked to people is the nurse, the doctors who runs tests on him, and Blake, who visiting counts is at 4. He usually comes late at night, when Shinji is about to go to sleep. When he does come, it feels like a Q&A most of the time. Blake asks Shinji questions like, "Do you remember anything?", "How comfortable do you feel?", "Do you feel any changes?", etc. Shinji usual answers are, "Nothing.", "It's okay.", and "Not much." and "Yes.". 2 out of the 4 he's visited, Blake just ask these questions, tries to make small talk, before leaving. The other 2 times, small talk succeeds, but Shinji most of the time, just listens to Blake. Nothing usually comes out of these small talks, but Blake did say he'll show Shinji something the next time they'll meet. The date is December 14th on a Tuesday in an afternoon.

"Hey!", the sound muffed call yells.

The muffed sound came from his right as Shinji turns to see to the other side of the window and sees Blake with a bag and a tray of drinks on his left hand, waving with his right. Shinji gives a faint smile as he hesitantly raises his hand, gesturing hi. Blake comes into the room as he pulls out of the large bag, another bag from a fast food place.

"What's sup. I brought you something from Wendy's. The doctor said it was okay to eat from outside places.", informs Blake as he gives Shinji a cheeseburger with fires as well as having his own burger,
"It will be good to eat something other then what they have here. I did not know what kind of drink you want, so I brought you Coke. Is that okay?"
"It's okay.", answers Shinji as he took a bite out of his burger and widen his eyes a bit from the taste,
"It's good."
"Well it is high class Mcdonald's.", jokes Blake before he took a bit, ends up chewing it much longer then it should, then looks at Shinji, with a more serious face, "Do you remember anything?"
"Nothing."
"Okay.", says Blake as he puts ketchup on his fries, "How comfortable do you feel here?"
"It's okay.", softly answers Shinji as he takes another bite out of his burger.
"Okay, then do you feel any changes to your body?", continues Blake.
"Nothing.", monotony answers Shinji.
"How about your powers?"

That took Shinji by surprise as he stops taking bites and just put down his burger. For a few moments, he didn't say anything. He just turns his eyes below him saying nothing at all. He takes a deep breath before answering.

"The doctors told me to use my powers for some tests.", answers Shinji.
"I know that. There was a rubber ball test, where they throw the ball at different speeds at you and you reflected it back and the pressure test, where they put a metal rod against your barrier to see how long it last until the pressure takes it down.", Blake says as he usually informed by the doctors before seeing Shinji, "So far it's you, 10 and rubber balls and metal rods, 0. But I'm asking if you use your powers when your not doing any tests?"

Shinji took about 3 seconds before answering, "No. I had use it outside of them. For some reason… it just feels weird, that all."

"Weird how?", questions Blake as Shinji feels a little pushed.
"It feels…", Shinji says before pausing, "Never mind."
"You sure you don't want to talk about it?", asks Blake as Shinji shakes his head.
"No thank you."

Once again, Blake attempts to talk to Shinji fails. Although, Blake thinks he should have talk about something else other then things related to Shinji, but even though a part of Blake wants to be friendly for real, it was his job to get answers from Shinji or at least help trigger Shinji's memories. Blake thinks that perhaps, he's been a little too straightforward, but Blake still has a backup plan.

"I never asked, but what kind of music you have in that tape player?", Blake asks as he points at Shinji's SDAT on the table next to Shinji's bed.
"It really just two tracks that I listen to.", answers Shinji, "You won't be interested in it."
"That okay, but I have something to show you.", says Blake as he takes two more things out of the bag, a small speaker and a mix tape, "Ta-da!"
"Ummm…", noises a stunned Shinji, "What is going on?"
"Well this is a speaker, which you can use to plug into your tape player and listen to music with other people and this is my own mix-tape or the mix-tape my aunt gave me in which I later added my music.", explains Blake, "And if you don't want to listen to your music, lets listen to my music, if that's okay."
"Umm… it's okay.", Shinji says with hesitation as he a bit reluctant about it.
"Great!", Blake says out loud as he goes over and grabs the SDAT.

He takes out the headphones, which in this world, is really old and only seen in stores at low prices. He places them on the stand following by taking out the tape. He looks at the tape to see that the cover is empty as he shrugs and place it next to the headphones as he insert his speakers and tape in it. The first song playing at first sounds like bongos before becoming rock.

"What song is this?", asks Shinji as he sees Blake tapping his feet.
"We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel.", answers Blake, "Most of the songs here are ether mine or my aunt's, so you'll hear songs from bands from Nirvana to 60's bands like Rolling Stone or Beatles. Have you every heard of them?"
"No.", Shinji says, shaking his head.
"Well then, prepare to be amazed.", announces Blake as the music continues.

SHIELD Base 35, Research Center

The head doctor who is studying is no Reed Richards, but has a wide experience studying biology as well as advanced study on metahumans. Due to how much technology has improved since the arrival of Galactus, Dr. Rorke, who looking at a computer on observatory above the machine, looking at analyization of Shinji, found something new about Shinji. It relates to Shinji's tissues and cells just how much Shinji's body had change.

"His cells, as first I thought they've stopped moving, but now…"

SHIELD Base 35. Shinji's Room

"So is this song was a tribute to this dead song singer?",Shinji as they just finished listening to American Pie.
"Yeah, my aunt and the Internet confirmed me of that.", explains Blake as the next song plays.
"You told me that you have both yours and your aunt songs in the tape.", says Shinji who a bit nervous asking this next question, "Umm… what kind of person is your aunt?"
"My, well she a pretty energetic person. She spends most of her youth during the late 60's, where she protested the Vietnam War and march for Women's Rights later.", Blake says smiling as he talks about his aunt, "I owe her a lot. My parents weren't the most… acknowledgeable people to, so the person who helped shaped me was her, since she didn't have any children. She says she has trouble getting guys to stay with her."
"Your parents…", Shinji says, as he feels something familiar, relatable, "Your parents didn't acknowledge you. Why?"

Blake didn't say anything. He just looks at Shinji, looking like he as about to say something, but then turns to his front. Feeling like he says something he shouldn't have, Shinji tries to apologizes.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to be too-"
"It's okay. Really. I'm not offended. I'm the one the brought it up.", Blake says, assuring Shinji, "And for your question, lets just say I wasn't a white sheep. My hardass dad and my shrewd mother had a couple of reasons for treating me like the shame of the family. Not including the teenage pregnancy. So, its was my aunt who truly gave a damn to help me grow up. It helps that she a therapist so helps figure out some problems. So now, I'm a debatably, normal functioning adult."
"I see.. so she helps you solve your problems.", wonders Shinji.
"Like I said, she figures out.", says Blake in a more serous as his eyes shifts to the window, "There are some problems that even therapy can't solve."

The atmosphere around them felt tenser after Blake says that, but Shinji felts a bit more less stress out now that he knows a few things about Blake. Still, Shinji couldn't shake that feeling, the relatable feeling he shares with Blake. Shinji tries to figure it out, but has a vision, like back at the carrier.

Shinji is on a bridge, looking at a giant head of EVA Unit 1. Standing to his sides, are Misato Katsuragi and Risako Akagi, but Shinji doesn't remember them, but he felt tense being around Misato. All of this felt new and familiar to Shinji, like deja-vu. Shinji then looks up to see another person, with cold eyes, looking down on him. Shinji couldn't help but stay still as that person, his father, just says one sentence to him.

"Get in the EVA."

"EVA", mutters Shinji which Blake catches.
"What was that?", Blake asks as he listens in closely.
Shinji just quickly looks at Blake, before shaking his head and turns his head to the window, "It's nothing."

The silence filled the room as nether knew what to say next. Blake knew that he couldn't just push on it, but he had to do something. The only opinion he knows and what he wants to do, is leave, but some part of him is telling no. He was saved, when the door opens as Dr. Rocke comes in, with some information.

800 Feet In The Air

"Are you sure, Nick?"

Inside a VTOL, two men are sitting across from each other with two four guards around them, Nick Fury and Dum Dum Dugan. This time, it's the actually Nick Fury, blood and everything. He just sits there, no saying a word as the VTOL closes in to the base.

SHIELD Base 35. Shinji's Room

Silence and shock. That what can describe the room's atmosphere. Blake just stood there with his eyes wide, but not as wide as Shinji. The doctor, looks at Shinji's, who's puppy eyes is confused, but it has denial in them as he questions the doctor.

"What do mean, I can't age?", questions Shinji who wants to hear that those aren't the words the doctor meant.
"I looked at your test and the results of your DNA test…", says Dr. Rocke as takes a pause to take a breath, "Your DNA and tissues, it's like there frozen. There barely any movement in order for you to age. I could make more test, but right now, even if 2 or 3 years pass, you will still look 14 years old. I'm sorry."
"What are you-"
"Doctor.", Blake says, cutting off Shinji, "Are you saying that he'll be 14 years old for the rest of his life?"
"I won't say that.", assures Dr. Rocke as he gives Blake a clipboard with Shinji's DNA results, "There is a chance that reason he not growing up is that something stopped is progress. He should heal normally like any other person or faster then most, so there a possibility that he'll grow up, eventually. The movement of his growth rate may not be absolute zero, where there is no movement, but, all we know that Shinji may not physically change this or next year. Sorry."

The doctor leaves the room, leaving Blake and Shinji alone with this news. Blake looks over the papers, and with Blake basic knowledge on biology, it seems that the doctor maybe right. He glances at Shinji, who in shock as his head and eyes are looking at the wall, with his eyes gleaming. He wants to say something, but doesn't know what. Should he tell him everything is going to be okay? That the world is not ending? No matter what Blake says, it doesn't change the fact that having powers is one thing, but not aging is another.

"Shinji?", Blake calls out for.
"What should I do?", whispers Shinji with his head down, "He is lying is he? Tell me that he's lying."
"I don't think he is.", says Blake as Shinji grips his hands.
"What are you doing to do to me? How am I going to live? Just why is this happening?", Shinji questions as he looks up for some reason, "Why me? Why am I getting punished? I didn't do anything!?"

Blake is surprises by Shinji's outburst, but he couldn't blame him. The chance that he'll might be 14 years old forever, where he is stuck in an age where can't enter adulthood nor go back to childhood, stuck between child and adult.

"What do I have to do?"

Shinji stops looking up and looks at Blake with his wide eyed desperate eyes.

"I do I have to do to stop this? Please tell me. I don't what to do. I don't what going on! Somebody tell me what to do!", screams Shinji as Blake walks over and put his hand on his shoulder.
"I don't know.", Blake answers bluntly, "I'm not you, so I don't what I'll do if I was in your position."
"What would you do if you were me?", soft asks Shinji, as he closes his eyes.
"I don't know.", answers Blake as he removes his hand off Shinji's shoulder, "I told you I'm not you. What is it that you want to do?"
"I want to die."

Shinji is close to crying as he closes his eyes, feeling cold. He holds himself as he refuse to look at anything.

"I want to die. I don't want this. I never ask for this. These things just happened. Me coming here, almost dying, killing someone, stabbing him, not growing up.", Shinji continues as he is close to breaking, "I have enough of this! No one would care! People here look at me like I'm dangerous! They won't the care! Your boss won't care! You won't care! No one!"

Suddenly, Blake punches Shinji in his cheek as Shinji falls back into his bed. He touches his cheek to see that it stings as he looks back at Blake, who looks enraged. Before Shinji can do anything, Blake reaches his arm at Shinji, but ends up patting Shinji in his head.

"Sorry about that, but don't bitch about dying or the fact that no one cares. Because it's not true.", says Blake, trying one his most gentle voice, "You said I won't care, but I do. People may see as the kid who got out of a giant robot of doom, but I see in my eyes is a nice fourteen year old boy, with problems in communication and depression. If I can't help that kid, if that kid kills himself… then I'll blame myself for not helping him. I will be sad that he died for nothing. Even if that entire world truly doesn't care, in the end, I'll still care. You got that?"

Shinji doesn't say anything. He just lowers his head down and shuts his eyes as his hand is still on his cheek. Blake sighs as he smiles.

"Sorry about that, but let just say that I fell into a serious depression when I was a little older then you, so I know how you feel a bit, but now talking about wanting die is stupid.", Blake announces, "I see that now. I don't need something else dying. Just stop thinking that everything is bad, okay? Because it's not. This isn't the end."

Shinji takes a glance at Blake, before seeing something out the window. Blake notices this and turns to see, Nick Fury, talking to Dr. Rocke.

"Wait here.", Blake tells Shinji as rushes outside to the door.

SHIELD Base 35, Hallway Outside Shinji's Room

"Sir!", Blake calls out to as he salutes in front of Fury, "I didn't know you were coming here. If I may ask, for what reason did you come here?"
"At ease, Saunders.", assures Fury as Blake drops his arm, "I'm just here to personally look at the progress of boy, then I take my leave. I'm cue to be in D.C by 2 hours. Depending on what I hear, I'll keep those politicians sitting on their asses like always."
"Director Fury, it seems we have some stuff to tell you.", says Dr. Rocke as Fury turns his attention on him.

Shinji's Room

He can hear them. They probably think he not listening but he can hear them. Why? Because Blake forgot to close the door and they are talking out loud.

"He's wrong."

Just like before, Shinji finds himself in emptiness. Just like before, he appears in front of him. The silhouette who caused grief for Shinji. His voice isn't the same accusing tone he had, just more somber.

"As long you are Shinji Ikari, your life will never get better. People will turn against us. They'll use us for their own advantage before throwing us away, like many times before.", said the silhouette.
"Like many times before?", wonders Shinji as the silhouette chuckles a bit.
"Hm, they'll use us for their duty, vendetta, wish, everything they want, while denying us the thing we want.", announces the silhouette, "They'll deny us our only desire, for their desire. That man too, one day. He'll forget what he said and condemn you for that wish. Just like her. Just like everyone we thought cared about us. He'll says that he on your side, but twice you've been lied to."
"Us? Twice?", questions Shinji as the silhouette turns around.
"I've said too much.", says the silhouette, "But, do as you like. One day, you'll see it. Hit the despair you've once felt again, again, and again."

He is back in his room. He wants to say more to him, say more about him, it didn't happen again. All Shinji can do is wonder what the silhouette meant by all that, but part of him is familiar with him. The only thing to do now for Shinji is to go rest, but couldn't as talking can still be heard outside.

Hallway

Dr. Rocke explained to Nick Fury on the situation with Shinji. While Dugan looks bit surprised, Fury doesn't even seem to be phased. He simply closes his eyes, thinking of something before turning to Blake.

"We need options on what to do with the kid.", explains Fury, who looking for ideas, "I have some, but since you been with him the longest, I want your input."
"Me?", stutters Blake as he regains his composure, "Sir, after taking the time and getting to know him the better, in a normal situation like this, I would have suggested the normal route on how we deal with other superpowered kids."
"Giving them to someone with a home.", Fury says, finishing Blake's sentence.
"Mutant, we send them to Xavier. Meta, the government gives them to foster home with someone who can take care of metahumans.", continues Blake, "Ideally, this would be the best solution. Giving an adolescent child to a pair of loving parents."
"It would work, but do you know why we can?", questions Fury as he knew that knows the answer to that.
"That why I said ideally. While Shinji is 14, he a 14 year with mysterious powers.", answers Blake,
"Even if we exclude the powers, he still came out of that thing. Too much risk on doing that."
"Exactly. Now, tell me what would happen if we decide to force him into living his days here?", Fury asks, expecting an answer from Blake.
"Well, sir. He'll go crazy. He basically living in solitude, with minimal human contact. I like to think that he'll say he won't mind, but I think in reality, he'll hate every single of it.", answers Blake as well as adding, "He hates his current circumstance, so making him live his days here would be torture to him. It's more humane to find a different choice of living conditions."
"What other living conditions?", questions Fury, "SHIELD doesn't have the damn resources for providing living space to kids we found in giant robots."
"Then lets leave him with someone who can keep an eye on him.", suggest Blake, "Someone we can trust."
"It not about who we trust", says Fury as he looks at Blake with a serious, "It if we can trust him. To you, he is a 14 year old, to me, I have to keep seeing as the kid who came out a robot. I don't know who got him into the robot, but until then, I can't see him as a 14 year old. So remember your mission, agent."

Fury leaves with the doctor to hear more about another project they've been working on as Dugan puts his hand on Blake's shoulder.

"I known Nick for a long time. I know that in a perfect world, he would this boy a home, but as long as he is the head of SHIELD and a man who wants to protect the world, he'll do it by any means necessary. Even if it mean scarring a little boy.", says Dugan as he walks towards Fury.

Blake stands alone in the hallway, looking lost. He looks at Shinji's room through the window as he sighs. He looks at Shinji's room before sticking his head in Shinji's room.

"Shinji, it's me.", Blake calls out to Shinji, who resting as he has his head to the other side of the room, "Listen, I have to leave now. I have nothing to do tomorrow, no assignments or anything, so I'll come early in the morning. Okay?"
"Okay.", says Shinji as he continues looking at the other side, "You have to do that, so I shouldn't bother you. Right now, I just want to sleep."
"Okay.", says Blake as he turns off the lights, "See you tomorrow."

He alone in the dark again. This time, he now knows what's going to happen to him. Shinji just holds himself as he hates his situation, but what he do?

"It because that man doesn't trust me.", Shinji tells himself as he knew the answer, "What can I do?"

Shinji thought turns to Blake and how he is involved in his situation.

"His mission is to do something with me. Befriend me? I know that it his mission, but…"

Shinji thought of how genuine Blake tries to be as well as the fact that Fury says that he not looking at Shinji the way he is suppose to.

"He is getting in trouble, because of me? Am I really that much trouble?", Shinji asks himself, trying to find something out of all of this, "I want to get out of here, but Mr. Fury doesn't trust me? Can I get him to trust me?"

Shinji asks himself this as he thought of how it works for everyone if Fury did trust Shinji. Blake won't be in much trouble and Shinji doesn't have to live here. But, the problem is how and can he. Shinji remembers that Fury is the head of SHIELD, a organization that fights super powered threats, something Blake is a member of too.

"Mr. Fury and Mr. Blake. I couldn't do anything back then, yet they are people who fight daily. Why?", thought Shinji as he looks at his hand, remembering the blood on his hands as well as the feeling of the knife, "Now that I think about it, I think I once hold a knife before. When? I remember feeling it and swing it at something. Does that mean I once fought too? For what reason?"

He pretends to hold a knife on his hands and visual himself thrusting it. But he remembers purple hands instead of him own swinging the knife. He then starts to remember shooting out of a machine gun, but with the other hands.

"Point and click.", Shinji whispers out loud.

He remembers shooting out of a weird looking sniper rifle, getting his hands impaled, a lot of things that involved fighting, but not with his own hands. Shinji closes his eyes, imagining doing those with his own hands, using what he felt as a guide. He opens his eyes and looks at his hands, just staring blankly at them.

"What are these hands for? What did I use them for? For what sake were they used?"

Next Day, Morning

Shinji is sitting in his bed, listening to the music he been listening to for the past 2 weeks. He left Blake's mix tape and speakers alone due to Blake leaving them behind the day before. He waits and waits for Blake since waking up early at 5:00 am, because he wants to ask him something.

"Here I am.", announces Blake as he brought a bag from McDonald before singing, With breakfast as well.

Blake looks at Shinji and sees Shinji with less sullen look then usual. Blake can see that something happened to him and walks up to him. Before Blake can say anything, Shinji went ahead first.

"Mr. Blake.", Shinji says softly.
"Just Blake. Mr. Blake just sounds weird.", informs Blake.
"Bl-Blake.", Shinji pronounces as he nervously stutters a bit, "Does Mr. Fury trust you?"
"Trust me?", Blake wonders as he gives it a thought, "Well he does think I'm capable enough to do difficult missions, so he trust me enough to do that. The truth is that Fury trust only a few people in this world. Most of them are people he fought along with during World War 2. Where did that come from?"
"Well…", Shinji tries to say, but pauses as he takes a deep breath, "The truth is that I heard what you say yesterday. Your talk with Mr. Fury. Is the reason I have to stay here is because he doesn't trust me?"
"Your heard it all yesterday!?", Blake shouts out loud.
"Sorry. It just that the door was open and I can hear your voices. Sorry for listening in.", apologies Shinji as Blake takes a moment on what to say next.
"That okay, it was my fault for not shutting the door.", Blake says as he tries to figure out what to do with this situation, "But know that you know, what do you think we should do with you?"

This questions this Shinji harder then expected. He just looks down to the floor, saying nothing as he tries to figure what is it that he wants. Even if Fury lets him go, where would you go?

"I don't know.", sullenly answers Shinji, "I really don't. I don't want to be here for the rest of life. I don't."
"If Fury does let you out, what would go?"
"I don't know."
"What are you going to do with your life?"
"I don't know."
"Do you want to go back where your from?"
"I don't know."
"Then what is it that you want from us, Shinji?", demands Blake.
"I don't know."
"Can't you say anything but "I don't know"?

Shinji says nothing this time. He just holds his hand together and looks away. Blake knows that he might have been pushing it, but he a little annoyed that Shinji doesn't even know anything to do out there besides not being here.

"If you don't know what you want, why leave? Because you don't like it? That just acting like a child, even thought your trying to act like an adult.", Blake jeers as Shinji looks up with an angry look.
"What do you want me to do! I am a child! I going to be a child for next years of my life! Don't blame me for not liking where I am and trying to change it! How do you want to me to act!? Why would you care!? Why do you do the things you do!? Why do you fight!?", screams Shinji as Blake is surprised by his loudest outburst yet.
"Why do I fight?", Blake says, repeating what Shinji told him, "Is that what you want to ask me?"

Shinji just nods his head, while Blake tries to figure out what is it that Shinji wants from his answer.

"The truth is, my dad was an army man. He joined the army at age 17, when he got permission to join up early. He took two tours in Vietnam and came back, only to stay in the army after deciding not to the get a job and got stationed in Germany before marrying my mom in the late 70's. He always wanted a son in the army as well and he got one a couple of years later. When I was little, he used to spend time with me. He got me into football and baseball as well. But as I got older… things happen and I ended up becoming bad seed. I don't remember ever talking to my as a teenager besides the occasional "yes", "no", "shut up you # *$, and not to mention the yelling. I use to think that reason he spend time with me is to raise me into the best soldier I can be and I wanted him to accept me, so I think that was an initially reason on how I into the army. The real reason why I join is because I didn't what else to do. I had a good body and mind, so I joined the army. There a lot of reasons why I join, but how and why I ended up joining SHIELD…", explains Blake as he pauses a bit, reflecting on his life and decisions, "Because when I came back from the Middle East, I was like my dad when he came back from Vietnam, didn't know what else to do but fight. I didn't know what else to do but to fight, so I joined SHIELD. I couldn't go back there."
"So your still fighting, because you don't know what else to do?", asks Shinji as he looking at his hands.
"That's right.", nods Blake.
"I fought once. Maybe I fought a lot before.", admits Shinji who vaguely remembers something, "I think I did. I remember feeling a knife in my hands, even thought I know it wasn't mine hands."
"You remember something!?", Blake asks immediately.
"I'm not sure.", admits Shinji, "It's more like my body remembers. It remembers holding a knife, gun, a lot of things. But the thing is, it not my actual body, but a separate body with me knowing what it did. I don't how to say it. The best I can say that it feels familiar."
"Familiar.", repeats Blake, "If you say is true, then what is it that you want to say."
"The only I can get out of here, is for Mr. Fury to trust me. I don't know how, but you said he trust the people he fought alongside with, so…", Shinji tries to say, but is scared of what he about to say, "I don't know a lot of things here, but I remember fighting. I don't like fighting, but if that the only thing can do, then-"
"Stop.", Blake interrupts as he knew what Shinji is going to say, "You can't. Your just a kid, you're not meant for fighting. If your 18, then that little different, but-"
"We don't know that I'm really 14.", Shinji informs, "The doctor said that I look like I've stop aging, how do we know that I'm not 20 or 30. We don't know."
"Even if you are older, I don't Fury will allow you to do that.", says Blake, "Besides, do you really want to join SHIELD."
"No, but I don't want to be here for the rest of my life. I have to do something. I don't if this is right choice or even the sane choice, but I don't what else to do. If fighting is the only thing I can do, if my powers are the only thing I have, then isn't this the best choice for me?"

Shinji then smiles at Blake as he said that. But it wasn't a genuine one, one just for show. Like he acting that he is okay with his decision. Blake doesn't know what to do. He can argue with Shinji, he doesn't have much of an alternative option on what to do with Shinji. If fact, Shinji's plan is the only one in the realm of possibility. It worked for Black Widow.

"I don't know, but you shouldn't be this desperate.", says Blake.
"Then, what choice do I have left?", questions Shinji as Blake just stands there without an answer.
"Well… you see…", Blake stutters with no answer to give, no suggestion to make, and no argument to make except that Shinji doesn't want to fight and even that becoming less and less of an argument.

He knows that this desperation, not Shinji's own will, and yet it might be the best answer to all this. If Fury says yes, then Shinji would get training now in all sort of equipment, combat skills, and espionage before going into the field at 18. Meaning for the next 4 years, Shinji can't escape not having a choice until be only becomes Fury's subordinate, ideally. But, is this the really the best choice, is what Blake is trying to figure out. This isn't what Shinji wants and yet is the best Shinji can do.

"I'm going out for a bit.", Blake announces as he gets and walks out of the room.

Shinji's fake smile fades and turns back into his own sullen look.

"Is this really the best that I can do?", Shinji questions to himself, "I don't like fighting, but… I don't know what else to do."

Shinji just lays down on his bed and puts on his headphones and listens to his SDAT. He does make a move, except blinking as he stares out the window at the white snow from afar. He doesn't know how it came to this or how he thought of this decision, but it just came to him and now he has to wait and see what happens next. If Fury says yes, the he fighting for him. Ether way, Shinji is scared of comes next, even if it the result he wanted.

Hallway

As soon as he out of Shinji's room and into another hallway, Blake just put his back to the wall and breathes in hard before letting out a loud sigh. Right now, he doesn't know what to do. He wants to help Shinji, but he also wants to do his job. Blake wonders if he should not tell Fury, but knows that there will be consequences for not telling Fury of what Shinji said. Blake knew this option might not work for Shinji, but Blake as a feeling that is still possible for Fury to say yes.

Blake pulls out his communicator to Commander Dugan, where if he tells him, Dugan would route the message to Fury. He hopes the Dugan would say no, that Fury would say no, or that Shinji would change his mind. He sets up communication to Dugan, hoping he was too busy, but the call connects.

"Agent Saunders.", greets Dugan as sounds a little busy, "What is it?"
"Commander Dugan.", says Blake before pausing a bit, "There is something that Shinji said that I think you need to know."

Shinji's Room

After about a couple of minutes, Blake comes back into Shinji's room, with a serious expression on his face. When he approaches Shinji, he lets out a sigh.

"The Director of SHIELD, Coronal Nickolas J. Fury shall meet you on the middle of the day, 2 days from now, if the day goes by without incident.", announces Blake in a proper tone with no emotion.
"I see.", Shinji says who sounds a bit hesitant.
"Is this really what you want, Shinji?", asks Blake.
"No, but it the best that I can do.", says the sullen Shinji, "Even if I do hate it."
"I see.", says Blake as he has no choice but to watch what happens when Fury gets here.
"Blake.", Shinji calls to without stuttering this time, "Do you like it, fighting I mean?"
Blake just looks at Shinji for a few seconds, but he wasn't looking at Shinji, before answering, "No. Not that much."
"I see.", says Shinji before looking at the other side.

Blake turns around to his bag of food in which he grabs it. He takes one out and puts it Shinji's lap, not saying a word, before sitting down starts eating. Shinji then grabs his sandwich and starts eating as the two has a silent breakfast. No words given except for their thoughts in the their heads. Blake remembers the sullen look Shinji gives him, as in a way, they remain him of something.

"He really is almost like me back then."

Two Days Later

Today is the day both Shinji and Blake have been waiting for. So far, no incident has occurred, meaning Fury might come here on time to meet Shinji once again face to face. Blake arrived early on a chilly sunny morning, where he been staying in Shinji's room all day. He convinced Shinji to let him play his music in the SDAT before the two haven't said anything to each other for the remaining time. When Blake receives the call that Fury has arrived, he turns off the SDAT.

"Stand up.", Blake tells Shinji, "If you are going to ask him to join SHIELD, then at least face him man to man."

Shinji nods his head as gets off the bed. His legs are kind of wobbly due spending most of his time in bed, but he managed. The door opens and standing outside of it, is Nick Fury. He only surrounded by two guards who then guards the outside as Fury walks in, closing the door. Blake salutes before Fury gestures him to settle down as Fury then looks a Shinji. Shinji became intimidated by Fury, before Blake pats Shinji's back, gesturing Shinji to remain calm. Shinji relaxes a bit as Fury looks at every detail of his body.

"Name?", Fury just asks to Shinji.
Shinji was bit surprised as Fury just said one word, before Blake pats Shinji again, causing Shinji to answer.

"Shinji Ikari, sir."
"Where are you from?"

Shinji was a bit hesitant, but he at least has an idea on where he used to be.

"Japan."
"Age?"

Shinji stops a bit after that question. He remembers that Blake once told him that the living legend, Captain America, is about 70 years old, but is physical and mentally a man in his thirties, due to being frozen in ice. While Shinji doesn't know how old he really is, he still 14 years old mentally and physically.

"I think I'm 14, but I really don't know."
"I see, then tell me. Why is it that you want to join SHIELD and why should I let you?"

Shinji tries to remain calm, but knew that his answer is a selfish one. Should he pick a lesser motive but more noble motive is what he is thinking, but Fury's presence throws him off, like Fury knows if Shinji going to lie or not. The best Shinji can do is give his answer to man who considered a legendary soldier like The Star Spangled Avenger, Captain America.

That is all for this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it.

Author's Notes

I'm not going to lie, I had quite a bit of complications with this chapter. Not with the chapter itself, but how I'll give Shinji a motive for being with SHIELD and how to execute it. When I first thought of making this story, I thought that I could make a story where Shinji would join SHIELD. As time when on, I got an idea, I thought I could make it work. But, when I was writing, thinking about how Shinji is going to join SHIELD, I froze. Suddenly, I thought I couldn't do it. I looked at what I wrote before and thought "Shinji won't do this". I became hesitate, but I didn't want to stop this story so I went look at sites and video about Evangelion to understand Shinji or Hideaki Anno's mind when making Shinji. In one video, it was said that Anno didn't plan on somethings when he was making the show and even said that his opinion shouldn't matter much to the audience. The YouTuber said that Anno was using Death of the Author, a concept that means the creator's or author's intentions shouldn't matter much to the audience and shouldn't be taken at point value and that the audiences's view are the most important. That got me thinking and I started to think back when I was middle and high school. Back then, I had a lot of common with Shinji. I was overweight and got picked on from a guy in my gym class which got me depressed. I didn't have lots of friends ether, just people I sat at lunch with, but never once gone to their houses or hangout after school, which got me thinking that we where just acquaintances at best. Ether way, I was lonely and hated myself back then. So I began to think, "what would the me of middle do if he was in ShInji's shoes and why?". The answer I arrived to is if I hate the position I was and wanted to escape, using anything I can take advantage of. So I directed some of those feelings to the Shinji inside me and wrote things I believed Rebuild Shinji would do. In the end, I don't know if I nailed it, but I do know this. While Shinji in this story is trying to take control of his life, trying to join SHIELD out of desperation might not be the best thing to do, but it a start on making your own decisions.