Nothing Will Ever Change That

Chapter 81: Trouble

A/N- This chapter was proof-read by Frost-Eva-00, thanks again! Okay, now that Asuka and Shinji aren't engaged anymore, what exactly will become of this story? Hell, they're not even together! Any theories?

Asuka's Room – The Next Morning

Asuka actually let me sleep in her room, sure, it was on the sofa, but it was better then nothing. I had – by far – the best night sleep that I've ever had in my life last night. I knew that, with time, I and Asuka would be back together and we would be a family again. With a yawn and a stretch, I slug up off the sofa. I go over and look down on Asuka sleeping. I sit next to her and gently run my fingers through her hair. Even after all that time in Germany, it was still soft as silk. She smiled faintly as I did this.

"Mmmm…" she softly hums in her sleep. I loved it when she talked in her sleep, it was so cute. She has always been loud, whether it is from sleeping, yelling or… yeah… that… she was always loud. Not that it mattered to me; it was just funny how deep in her personality it was. Subconsciously, she reaches up and grabs my hand. She brings it down to her chin and snuggles it with a smile. She may say she doesn't want to be together right now, but it's apparent she was just being cautious. She didn't want to get hurt again, and I don't blame her. I know that I hurt her BAD, and truthfully, I'd stay away too. "Shin… ji…" yet another thing I loved; her speaking my name in her sleep. For some reason, it would always boost my ego to hear that she was dreaming of me.

"I'm so sorry Asuka… I will never hurt you again…" I whisper under my breath to her. She continued to hold my hand near her face as I spoke to her. I could feel her warm breath on my fingers as she breathed. Slowly, I see her eyes slowly open.

"Shinji, What are you doing?" she looks down at my hand and lets go of it.

"Sorry… sleep good?" she sits up and looks at me with a smile.

"Yeah, more or less," she stretches as she spoke, "You?"

"Great, actually, Just being around you again calmed me so much," she blushed a little, "Listen… I want to apologize for everything I did… there was no excuse for it. I could have found another way to get to you, but instead I took the lazy way out. I put both you and Dietlinde in danger, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry." She stared to get out of bed.

"You know what? Just forget that this ever happened. Just don't talk about it, and you'll be forgiven," she smiles back at me as she went into the bathroom, "Now remember… no peeking." With that, she shut the door and I hear the shower turn on. Just like when we lived together at Misato's she warned me not to peek before a shower. Just like old times… I didn't like the sound of that. It made it sound like we never had anything, but there was proof of our dead relationship sleeping across the room. I go over and pick that remembrance up and cradle her.

"How did you sleep, huh?" she looks up at me with a smile, "So, how long do you think it'll take to get mommy back? Hopefully not too long, right?" she still looked up at me with a smile, "Look at me, I'm asking a baby for advise on girls… kinda funny don't ya think?" she laughs at my smile.

"You know Shinji, I can hear you!" Asuka yells from the shower.

"I know!" no I didn't, but hey, if the opportunity presents itself, take it! "You know what else?" I'm talking to Dietlinde again… kind of… "Your mom isn't too bad on the eyes. Wanna know her measurements?"

"Hey!" I laugh at her yelling from the shower, "How do you even know them!" once again, I didn't.

"Well, if you want to truth, I HAVE gotten a pretty good view of them." I hear a sigh coming from her.

"Perv…" well I did! I was holding the result in my arms right now! I can see her blushing right now, "Hey, at least mine can be measured in inches! We gotta use a precise ruler with you!" ouch… my pride… that was just plain mean! Time to get back at her… I put Dietlinde back in her crib and stand next to the bathroom door.

"That didn't seem to bother you too much! Remember what Cass said? You weren't exactly quiet about it!" I'm trying so hard not to laugh right now!

"I was just being nice about it! I didn't want to make you feel bad, so I faked it!" now that I knew was a lie! She could be a pretty good liar, but in this situation, there was no getting around it. Like I said, she was ALWAYS loud.

"Riiight, Asuka, I know you better then that and you know it!" I hear the water stop.

"Okay… maybe that was a lie…" a long pause.

"Can't think of a comeback, can ya?" she opens the door and walks into the room in a robe.

"Shut up… you started it!" she stares at me in the eye with a sarcastic, yet serious look in her eyes. We were just inches apart as we stared each other down. She had he hands on her hips and her 'don't mess with me' face on. We stayed like this for awhile, and then I spoke up.

"Who are you kidding?" she looked at me with confused eyes.

"What are you talking about? I told you I was lying," I shake my head.

"Not that… why are you tormenting me like this? I know for a fact that you still love me, and yet you can't admit it. Why?" she rolls her eyes and walks off to her closet.

"You really don't get it do you?" she walks into her small closet and starts to get changed; "I already said that I still love you, and I've made that clear. I'm not going back into this relationship any time soon because of what I saw you COULD be, not what you are. After seeing you kill all those men… it completely ruined my view of you…" she walked out of the closet with a distressed face "I will never forget how you looked when you pulled that trigger… it literally haunts me…" I see a tear form in her eye, "I hated to see you like that… you looked so heartless… I know that you aren't like that… that's why I hated it," I once again feel my heart sink.

"I'm… sorry…" I start walking out of the room.

"Oh grow up Shinji! You can't even talk about it now? You can't always run away from your problems!" I turn and look at her.

"You know… I used to see you as a problem and I didn't run, did I?" she took a step forward.

"You know damn well what I mean! You're eventually going to have to face your sins and deal with them, and you know what? You just might be alone when you finally do…" even her eyes went wide at the last part.

"Alone? Should have seen that coming," I once again start to walk out of the room, "Nice one Asuka. You just love to kick me when I'm down, don't you?" I start to open the door.

"Shinji I'm sorry… I went too far…" I turn and look at her.

"Yeah, you did," I walk over to her and look at her, only inches from her face, "I told you how I felt about what I did, I told you that I'm going to hell for it, and I told you that I can't make up for it. I have more then enough sins to carry on my back, and this just adds to it. If you had even an idea what I dreamt of when I would kill a man, you would be more then terrified. So I'm asking you, don't tell me how and when I'm going to face them. Okay?" she looks up at me with the tear still in her eye.

"Sorry… I won't say it again…" with a sigh, I take her in my arms.

"God… I really screwed up, huh?" she wraps her arms around me and embraces the hug, "You know… I wasn't insulting you about your measurements… I like em'" I give a small laugh.

"Heh… I know you do…" she pulls back and looks at me again, "And I like yours…" she smiles.

"There's the Asuka I know." Just then, a knocking at the door can be heard. Asuka goes and answers it to show Sam standing there.

"Oh, hey Sam, You need something?" she held herself in crossed arms.

"I need both of your help… do you mind coming with me? I need you to read something to me," I start to walk over to her.

A/N- What do you think happened to Sam, huh? I know that this was a filler chapter, but I had to get back to my drama writing style. Now that I'm back from the land of action, I can write about the main storyline! What did Sam have? What trouble did she speak of? Find out in the next chapter; Meet Me, until then, keep on keepin' on!