Nothing Will Ever Change That
Chapter 76: One More Problem
A/N- This chapter was checked by Frost-Eva-00, thanks for the help!
The Next Morning
My brain is slowly coming back. I can feel it switching on function after function, and eventually I awake and find myself in a hospital bed. Akagi is on a chair sleeping across the room.
"Akagi," I wasn't exactly in the mood to be nice. I wanted her awake, now, "Ritsuko, wake up," she begins to stir and I see her eyes open.
"Oh… you're up. How do you feel?" she slugs over to my bedside. Come to think of it… I feel like crap.
"Horrible… what happened?" images of Asuka flashed in my mind. God… what were they doing to her? What were they doing that could make her beg for death? My heart once again starts to hurt and I find it hard to breath. A loud beeping fills the room.
"Whoa! Shinji, calm down!" she once again puts something under my tongue, which soon dissolves. The pain in my chest goes away and I'm able to breathe easily, "You need to stay calm. I think the stress is finally getting to you…" getting to me?
"What is wrong with me this time?" she pulls a chair over and sits by my bedside.
"Last night after you saw Asuka, you had a heart attack. You need to calm down, too many things are going on with you right now, and the stress is affecting you physically. I'm not too sure that going to Germany is the best thing for you right now… just let me go," I had a heart attack? I will be the first to admit that I have plenty of stress, but that?
"Hell no! I am going to Germany, and I am getting Asuka back! I don't care what happens to me!" at this point, that was true. I couldn't care less what happens to me.
"I knew you'd say that… if you're going to be stubborn about it, at least bring these with you," she hands me a bottle with pills in it, "if you feel your heart hurting or find it hard to breath, put one of these under your tongue. You have about fifty in there, so it should hold you off until you get back. I'll take care of Dietlinde," great, now not only did I not have a hand, my heart is screwed up.
"Thanks…" I needed to go talk to YY about the flight, "Can I go to Asuka's room? I just want to sleep," sob story, but it worked.
"Sure, just remember what I said," I get up out of the bed and walk to Asuka's room. After about ten minutes, I leave for Rei's. I decided to take my car, not wanting to start yet another attack. When I get there, I see YY outside selling his merchandise.
"Yo Monster!" he sees me and calls me over.
"Hey," he takes the guys money and the addict walks off, "listen, I need the plane ticket for tonight," he reaches in his back pocket and pulls it out.
"I'm a man of my word, you leave at nine. If you don't mind my asking, why are you going?" I felt as if I had to tell him.
"I need to go see my fiancé… she's… I just need to go see her," I take the ticket from him, "Really… thanks for the help… I owe you," he waves a hand in the air.
"Forget about it. I'm gonna miss you; you're the best damn killer I've seen. You're still a kid though… maybe we'll get together some day and start our own business?" he always made his work sound like it was a real job.
"Sorry, I doubt it. I got a family to think about… I only did this for some extra money," greed.
"Family? I thought you said she was… oh! You have a kid?" I nod, "Really? Well, good luck. Try and stay away from people like me, you have a life which I lost some time ago," I never thought a dealer could be so… deep. He was actually pretty nice.
"Thanks," with nothing more said, I walk back to my car and drive back to NERV. On the way, I got to thinking about how exactly I'm going to get Asuka back. Like she said, there're not just going to hand her over. I really couldn't think of anything… so like always, I'll just wing it. When I finally get back to Asuka's room, I frown slightly to find that Dietlinde wasn't in there. I needed to spend some time with her before I left… it could easily be the last time I see her. Almost like clockwork, someone knocks at the door.
"Hey Shinji, Can I come in?" it was Ritsuko, hopefully with Dietlinde.
"Sure," the door opens to reveal what I hoped it would. Akagi held Dietlinde in her arms as she walked in.
"I thought that you might want her before you leave. Do you?" I take her from Akagi's arms and cradle her.
"Yeah… thanks…" after a few seconds of silence, she speaks up.
"Do you have any idea what you're getting into?" none.
"No, not at all, I'll figure it out as I go," she chuckles a little.
"That's just like you. You know, I'm not going to soften it, you could die. Asuka could die. Are you willing to risk that?" as long as I got her out of that plug, I don't care what happens to me.
"Yeah… I'll do anything for her… I'll even die…"
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Same Place – 8:00 PM
I'm getting ready for my flight, more mentally then physically. I was literally preparing myself for death. I just kissed Dietlinde and put her to bed in Akagi's office. I had to fight back tears when I saw her face; it was almost like she was begging me to stay. My last words to her were 'I'll be back with mommy… I promise,' and it killed me to say that. How could I be leaving her like this? I claim to love her, yet I constantly leave her alone. She deserves a better father then me. Painfully, I push these emotions out of the way and walk to my car.
"Wish me luck," I whisper into the night air as I crawl into my car. With my mind racing, I drive to the airport. I had no idea how I was going to get to her, or even get into the German NERV for that matter, but I was going to do it. Come to think of it, they should just let me in if I flash my ID card, I DO outrank them after all. Okay, so getting in wouldn't be all that hard, but past that point is basically impossible. I wish Akagi would have given me back the gun; I could have used it if I were to get it past the security. Then I remember that I still had the knife YY gave me… and I leave it in my pocket. I knew I was risking getting caught, but I could use this later.
I finally pull up to the airport and reluctantly leave my car. A small voice in the back of my head prayed that it would still be here when I got back, but the majority of me didn't care. I walk through the cold night air as I enter the busy building.
"Japan to Germany, ten minutes. Japan to Germany, ten minutes," a call rang through the building. Crap! Only ten minutes? I run to my loading bay and slow down as I get in line. I swear the woman checking the tickets, could not have possibly gone any slower. Ten minutes my ass, more like half an hour. When the line finally withered into just me, I nearly jump onto the plane. By some miracle, the metal detector didn't pick up my knife. How it didn't was beyond me, it was a six-inch piece of metal… closed! The blade alone was a good six inches on its own! Finally… I was finally going to see Asuka… we'll be together again soon. I take my seat at a window and the seat next to me was soon filled with another man.
"So, what are you goin' to Germany for?" great, I got one of the guys that wouldn't shut the hell up!
"Family…" I stare out the window as I spoke.
"Really? Personally, I'm goin' for vacation!" silence… peace… which only lasted for about ten seconds, "What family are you seeing?" please just shut up.
"My fiancée…" he laughed a little.
"So, you're getting one of those mail-order wives, huh?" I shoot my head in his direction and glare into his eyes.
"Take my advice… shut the fuck up," he sat there wide eyed and kept quiet, "Learn some respect asshole," I turn back and look out the window. I hear him adjust in his seat, obviously uncomfortable.
"The plane will be lifting off soon. We will have to ask that you buckle up until further notice. Thank you," a stewardess spoke over the intercom. I reach down and do as I was told. I lean back my head and relax… soon I fall asleep under the soft humming of the engines.
A/N- Off to Germany! So, how do you think Shinji will get into NERV? Will his heart hold out? Here's an interesting little fact about this chapter, I was originally going to have him miss the flight and have to sneak onto a different plane, but I decided against it. Too much strain on his heart to make it realistic. Anyway, find out what happens in the next chapter; Making A Killing, until then, keep on keepin' on!
A/A/N- Okay, I'm only doing this because a few people sent me personal messages telling me to do it. After seeing how many reviews my new fic and this one have been getting lately, I'm raising the bar. Now I will post a chapter at 8 reviews. The last two chapters have gotten nine, so I'm not going over what I've seen. Remember, people recommended this to me.