A/N: Wow! Another review explosion! However, I got news for all you guys. Please get someone to use a defibrillator on you if you thought this would be discontinued and you had a heart attack as a result. The news is that I'm going to be making some changes to my previous chapters. I'll announce the changes as I make them.

A/O/N: Now back to the topic at hand. A large comet. On a collision course with Earth. IDed as the 6th Black Angel. Let's watch and see how our English speaking duo, Zack and Elly, handle this threat.

"Is everything all ready for liftoff?" Ritsuko asked the chief technician in charge of preparing the EVAs for their mission into space to destroy the Black Angel.

"We're almost ready Dr. Akagi," replied the man in charge. "However, we have to increase the thrust output on the thrusters being placed on Unit 06 because its armour is much thicker and heavier than that of Unit 05's."

"I see," Ritsuko then turned to Misato and switched to Japanese, "So Misato, where's Zack and Elly?"

"Oh I decided to give them some time alone. This may be their last time together, so I wanted them to enjoy it by themselves."

"That's fine," said the doctor who was looking at some notes. "Just make sure they are here when it's time for them to go."

Misato sipped back at her coffee, and said aloud, "It just isn't fair that we have to subject these kids to this. We're depriving them of the adolescence they should be enjoying."

Ritsuko looked down from her notes to look at Misato. "Don't you think that subjecting a child to do an adult's work tears at me everyday too? If I had the choice, I'd pilot Unit 05 or Unit 06 and continue to let those two make out. However, they're our last hope in this battle, or would you rather see all of mankind get wiped out by the largest comet we've ever seen?"

"I don't need to answer that question."

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NERV Cafeteria

It was another lazy day in the lives of those going on at NERV HQ. In the instance of a Black Angel, everyone would be at their battle stations on First Stage Alert. But the new NERV Branch in Florida was taking care of the task this time around. If those Americans were not going to send astronauts into space, Gendo Ikari had insisted that the American NERV Commander allow Major Katsuragi access to the facility to send Units 05 and 06 into space, which the Americans did not object to, save for some Congressmen who were worried that the presence of the EVAs could potentially mean another incident like the Second Branch in Nevada.

But for the moment, the situation was out of his hands. So it was up to Major Katsuragi and the Sixth and Seventh Children to complete the task put in front of them. He on the other hand, was dealing with the prime rib sandwich he had in front of him, and conversing with his former teacher and Vice-Commander. The fact that he was even having this conversation with Fuyutski and was not in Central Dogma showed how calm he was being in such a tight situation.

"With the Sixth and Seventh out of the country, and Rei still unable to pilot, we're down to four pilots," said Fuyutski.

"It is not reason to be alarmed," replied Gendo. "We have managed successful results with only one EVA before."

"That may be true. But SEELE may try another attempt to sow the seeds for Fourth Impact. We may have incapacitated the EVA Series, but what's stopping them from coming back once more? And the threat of the Black Angels on another front makes the threat more impending. Shinji and Asuka may have become more powerful, but even they have their limits. What if they get hurt? That would leave the inexperienced Fourth Child, and the Fifth Child."

Gendo knew what Kozou was talking about and got to the point. "If you're suggesting that we acquire more EVA pilots, then we are only able to acquire one pilot with an adequate EVA from my secret EVA project. And that would be the repaired Unit 07 in the EVA cages. Unit 08 is inadequate, and Unit 10 is missing."

Fuyutski then showed him a list of candidates. "Then that means we will only be able to choose one instead of three."

Gendo looked over the list of candidates, and their potential scores. After a few minutes of reading the score, he spoke up, "Hmm. These three have the overall best scores to be an EVA pilot," he concluded. He watched Fuyutski get up and come around to look.

"I suggest the third of the three choices," said Fuyutski pointing to a name on the list.

"Because of the connections we've learned of?"

"That's only part of the reason. The second choice is also good, and the first would be rather excited about this. However they have drawbacks," answered Fuyutski. "The first would lack the ability to properly read a situation based on the evaluations. The second lives fairly far away from here. The third does not have either of these drawbacks, has leadership capabilities, and tends to be relaxed and calm."

"That is true though. But the question that remains is whether the candidate will be up to the task." Gendo then took a bite into the tasty prime rib sandwich. "And the only way to know is to find out. Bring the candidate in once the Black Angel is defeated. I will trust that you can handle the final decision as to whether our person in question will pilot EVA."

Fuyutski asked another question. "What will you be doing?" he asked indirectly questioning his superior's order.

After Gendo swallowed another bite he answered, "There is a certain someone at Tokyo-3 High School that I need to speak to," he smirked.

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NERV Hospital – Rei's Room

Loneliness was a feeling that still felt very foreign to Rei, but she was beginning to understand how it felt. And from what she had grasped of this feeling, was that it was not a good feeling for a human to have. She would usually get regular visits from Elly when it was time for lunch, or Zack would come by too when he came to see Elly, but they had both left for the United States to combat the next Black Angel. So indeed, Rei was beginning to feel what people tended to call loneliness.

In terms of movement, she had almost complete control of her arms and legs since recovering from Angel Rejection Syndrome. When she asked the doctors if she could try walking with assistance, the doctors declined her request. When Rei asked why, it was because she did not have complete control over her movements. Subconsciously, it was an attempt to get out of that room and brush off the lonely feeling.

Rei was slightly surprised when the doctor who came into her room relayed this message to her: "Miss Ayanami, someone is here to see you."

Rei looked to the door to see the second person in her life that had made a place for her in his heart. Shinji Ikari. She watched as he slowly took a chair and placed it next to her bed.

"Good day Ikari." Shinji merely nodded towards her greeting as he just stared her. As the two stared at one another, the awkward silence between the both of them began to gnaw at them, creating an extremely uncomfortable atmosphere.

In an attempt to break the silence Shinji pulled out a thermos from his bag, "I … I brought some lunch. Zack always told me stories about hospital food that they would vary. So I made you something would probably like." He then opened the thermos to reveal the steaming contents, "This is a cream of broccoli and mushroom soup I made from scratch. Since you're a vegetarian, I figured you would like this a lot." Rei couldn't help but blush. Someone going out of their way to do something kind for her was rare for her. And she did not know how to react for a moment. Quickly remembering that people are usually grateful for others' acts of kindness, it made her feel grateful too.

She slowly smiled at him as she quietly spoke, "Thank you."

"You're welcome Rei." Since the nervous feeling was dissipating, the conversing that was to follow for Shinji felt a little easier, "Do you know when you're coming home? We are all wondering when you can come home."

"Dr. Akagi told me before she left for America that I would be able to go leave when I require minimal assistance to walk, and had full motor control," said Rei with a hint of disappointment as she finished her sentence. Shinji felt sympathetic towards her, as he too wanted her to up and about as soon as possible. The fact she wanted out soon was something he could relate. He wanted her out soon as well to see her up and about once more. All he wanted was to see his sister out of this dreary hospital and be around her family again.

"Family…" he quietly muttered.

"Pardon me?" Rei asked aloud bringing Shinji out his moment of thought. He looked back at Rei into her now lavender eyes to see that she seemed confused about his current state of mind.

As he looked at her, he could somehow see parts of himself, his father, and what he believed to be his mother. He remembered seeing the face of his mother during Third Impact, to see that she had emerald eyes and brown hair. In Rei, he could see the way her hair grew was much like the woman in saw. She also had his father's steel grip upon emotions, while at the same time her own unique set of emotions, or rather lack thereof.

He knew that this issue would come up sooner or later. He always had feelings for Rei, but was never sure of it. Prior to Third Impact, even her death against the 16th Angel, he had guessed he had a crush towards the enigmatic girl that was Rei Ayanami. But with the recent information of what was used to make her unhinged his feelings towards her and unsure of what he should consider her. Even now he was unsure of how to view Rei. Was she Rei his half-sister, or Rei the girl he cared for? He was at a complete loss to put it simply.

"Ikari, is something wrong? You seem troubled."

Shinji took a deep breath, "It's something that's been bothering me for a while now. I am unsure of what to consider you as. Are you my sister? Or are you your own person? I really don't know what to think."

"Do you wish for my opinion?" Rei silently offered. Shinji nodded in acknowledgement.

"I do not care. To me, I am Rei Ayanami. Whether I am your sister or your friend is defined by you and everyone else. I choose whether to define myself as Rei Ayanami, sister of Shinji, or friend of Shinji. It is as simple as that from my perspective."

"Rei," Shinji quietly began, "It's not that simple. I grew up in society. I know its rules, I grew up with the rules, and so I'm bound by them. I can't dump the rules that easily. You know I can't do something like that easily."

"Ikari, it is your decision. I merely offered my opinion. It is you who ultimately makes the choice. I can only offer advice either as your friend or as your sister. Do you understand, Shinji?" He could only sigh in frustration. This was all very confusing for him. Although he had stated to Asuka that Rei was her sister, he was still unsure. He wanted to insure that his feelings of Rei were sorted out. For he could possibly risk getting in trouble with society, while also inadvertently hurt Asuka in the process. That was the last thing he needed. There were at this point two options available.

Acknowledge Rei as her own person and have feelings towards her as a crush and risk hurting Asuka and piss off society if they ever got her medical file, or acknowledge her as his own sister, and therefore spare himself the problem. It wasn't an easy decision. Not because choosing the latter option was the right thing to do, but because of his feelings towards the girl. Was she an Ikari, or was she Ayanami? That's what it came down to. Ultimately it was his choice of whether or not she was family. He also remembered how he had treated Rei before Third Impact.

He feared her. He ran away from her. He couldn't acknowledge the fact that she was cloned, and that she was made from his mother. He still had those feelings after Third Impact, but had better control of it. But now, Rei was aware of his problem and it left him in a bind. He had to make a choice. He had to tell her whether or he considered her his sister or not.

"If you do not have an answer, please do not rush it. I shall still be here when you have come to a decision."

Shinji slightly smiled at her as he replied, "Thank you. I don't think I could come up with an answer right away anyways."

"May I suggest that you speak with your father? I believe he would be the appropriate one to speak to." His smile widened further as he remembered that day he had spent with this father. He had opened himself to Shinji enough for him to learn a few things about the man that was his father. Perhaps this would help.

"Thank you Rei. I will." He looked down at the opened thermos for a moment before he poured her some of the soup and held the cup out to her which she gently took into her hands, and sipped.

As she removed the cup from her lips, she gently smiled and said, "It is nice. Thank you for bringing me this soup"

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Gendo Ikari's Office – He finally turned up the heat. Now to fix the lighting.

"Your concern is noted however without visual evidence of such a sighting, I will not waste resources to have an EVA investigate the matter." Gendo had been on the phone with the NERV Branch in Russia for the last twenty minutes. Apparently there were rumours going about that somebody had sighted a giant robot somewhere in Russia's countryside. But Gendo was having difficulty convincing the Commander on the other end that he would not act unless there was actual first hand proof, and not some third hand sighting from a hippie.

"Present evidence and I shall act accordingly," he firmly stated as he noticed Shinji walk in. That provided him with a perfect chance for Gendo to rid himself of this particular pest.

"I do not have time for this. I have other matters to attend to." Shinji could still hear someone on the other end of the phone still talking as he saw his father hang up the phone. He noticed that although there was still very little lighting in the room, the heat had been turned up a bit. At least enough to the point where he didn't have to resist the urge to shiver.

"You may come forward," Gendo's voice called out. Shinji hesitated for a moment, but eventually proceeded to his father's desk. As he walked up to his desk, his footsteps echoed through the silent room, serving to only build tension within him. For a few moments there was silence. Enough silence for a tumbleweed to blow by. He was also nervous, as this was the second time he was with his father, and was still unsure of how to talk to him. But seeing the significance of what he wanted to speak to his father about was able to muster up the courage to speak to the man. (Formerly known by FF authors as the Bastard King)

Shinji had originally planned to put this off for another time, but this would likely be the best chance he'd have for a while. With Asuka was visiting Hikari at one of the shelters the citizens were ordered into when NERV determined that the comet was a Black Angel. If she knew this crisis was happening, there'd be problems until it was solved. Most likely arguments would incur and possible emotional distress for the both of them.

Not wanting to invoke such a crisis, he decided he needed to settle this now, "Father. I have a question. It's about Rei."

"Proceed," Gendo stated in a crisp yet understanding manner.

"Rei, how is she related or not to me?" asked Shinji. "Ever since I've learned of her origins through what I learned in the Chamber of Guff, it's been a question that never went away." After Shinji asked the question, Gendo went silent, though his posture did not change. Did he have answer? Was he thinking of an answer to a surprise question? Perhaps he was trying to put the answer in a way he could understand it. Nobody really knew what was on the Commander's mind unless he chose to speak it which in itself was a rarity.

"What you ask is in a manner of speaking is a rather vague and ambiguous question," he calmly stated. "What exactly did she say to you?"

"Well uh…" he was feeling extremely flustered, but took slow deep breaths before he continued. "She told me she didn't care whether she was my friend or my sister. She said that I define who she is." Afterwards silence refilled the room.

After about five minutes of silence, Gendo could see that this might prove to be an interesting discussion, "Going by what you see and what the data says she is what you believe is she?"

"I don't understand Father," said Shinji.

"I didn't expect you to," replied Gendo. "My question is this, first glance, what do you see her as?"

"I see her as my sister."

Gendo nodded, "From initial perspective you see your sister. However, sometimes there is more than meets the eye." Shinji could only stare at Gendo utterly confused by his words. He couldn't understand what he was talking about. Seeing the confusion in his eyes, he knew he had to choose his words carefully.

"As you already know though, Rei was created with half your mother's blood. Now, here is the question that you should be asking yourself. When you look at her, what do you see? Do you see a living representation of your mother, just as people would consider you a representation of me? Or do you see a girl who you care for deeply?"

"I…I still don't know…and…I still do not understand father." Gendo looked hard at his son. He could see that he was still highly confused and in turmoil. His face easily told him that he didn't know to think and it left him easily impressionable. Although this would've served him nicely during his scenario, however things had changed, and he was a different man. He knew he had to choose his words carefully yet again.

"I am telling you this not only so you can make the choice yourself, but you must understand how Rei views the world. I raised her to have a unique perspective on the world around her. She makes her own opinions, and then notes other opinions on matters, but never alter her own opinions. That is how she views the world. That should tell you what you need to know in terms of her perspective. Do you understand that?"

"So are you saying that she doesn't really care if I consider her as my sister or friend?"

Gendo nodded, "That is correct. To her, she can be both. Ultimately the choice is yours. There are people who are willing to commit acts of incest. That choice falls upon you. That is the ultimate question. If you were to at some point break up with Asuka, are you willing to commit the act of incest?"

Shinji was stunned. His own father just asked him if he was willing to go as far as having sex with Rei if he and here to have a relationship. He looked down at the floor as he contemplated what exactly he wanted. Did he want go that far? Did he want to love Rei in that manner? What that what his mind and heart told him? This proved to be confusing to him as he tried to come up with an answer.

"Shinji, the facts are present, the opinions have been told, now you make the final decision. What information is relevant to you," which he heavily emphasized. "You can disregard any information that is irrelevant to your decision. It is up to you. Just like your choices in life: Ultimately it is your choice of which action you take. Do you understand?"

"But…that isn't the problem. I don't know what I feel when I'm around her. I-"

"That is your problem. You are clouded by your emotions. Albeit they can be an asset to your decision, this is too much. You must put your emotions into proper perspective to make a proper decision. The decision comes to this. What do you feel? What do you want? How do you want to do this? That is what it comes down to. I have given you all the tools required to make such a decision. Do not let your own emotions cloud your judgment. That was what led me to this state, except it was obsession. Do you understand?"

Shinji looked deep within himself as he began to ask those questions. He knew he loved Rei, and that he wanted to protect her. He wanted her to be safe and to be able to be happy in life. He would willingly give his life to keep her alive, and he would stand by her side and teach her the way to truly live out life.

"I have one final question. When you are around her, do you have the desire to hold her hand, or to hold her at a more intimate level?" He took a moment to think upon the question. He tried to imagine himself holding Rei is any intimate position that didn't involve sex, and found that he couldn't really see himself doing anything he did with Asuka already.

He smiled as he looked up into his father's eyes and spoke confidently, "I know the answer to my question." Gendo took off his glasses for the first time and stared back with his own eyes. Shinji could only stare in wonder as he saw the proud look upon his face. He suddenly brought his hands down revealing a smile upon his face.

"Good. You have made your first decision as a man," he calmly stated. "Now go tell her your newfound knowledge."

A/N: So who is the Eighth Child? Andhowwhat will be the outcome of Shinji's talk with Rei?And how will Zack and Elly fare against the Black Angel?

A/O/N: I'm sorry this didn't get out sooner. I had exams, and the site caught a bug.

Until 57, be cool!