Neon Genesis Evangelion
Pilot's Table
By D.A.
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Title: Join me, Living a new Life?
Prompt: Set 1 / Prompt 4 (Joy)
Word Count: 2400+
Rating: T
Summary: By Shinji's choice, all the poeple of Earth, all the people he knew, are granted a second chance at life. Not a repeat, but a continuation from where they left off. A chance to make up for their pasts, and move forward.

Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion

Notes: I just realized I haven't included either Rei or Kaworu in the last few chapters other than mentioning them. So I decided to do a chapter about them, and that snowballed into a third chapter for what I'm calling the "Awakening" Arc of my Pilot's Table drabble series.

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Rei watched, hovering above the sea as it slowly changed from orange to blue once more and people continued to escape the grip of Instrumentality.

Floating just a foot above the gentle surf, she watched with a small smile and a few tears as Shinji and Asuka connected, finally letting their hearts bind in a way that they had longed for without even realizing since they synched during their training for Israfel and that fateful kiss later on. She watched as Hikari and Touji awoke and found comfort in each other's presence, beginning to bind themselves together in much the same way Asuka and Shinji had. She smiled when Kaji and Misato reconnected their broken hearts, starting to heal and one day build the future they had thrown away in fear and hate.

She watched as the man who had raised her, despite his errors and mistakes, finally admitted his connection to Ritsuko, the woman who had hated her for most of her memory for simply having more of Gendo's attention than she had. She watched, smiled, and cried as her father connected with the woman she, without consciously knowing, had wanted to consider her mother.

And she wept, because she couldn't join them. She was bound to Lilith, and with Instrumentality collapsing Lilith was dying. So was she, the feeling even now starting to creep into her fingers and toes as she shifted forward and set down on the shore not far from the group of people she considered family, now that Instrumentality had granted her glimpses into the varied realities that could have been.

How she wanted to find her place here with them, wanted it so badly it hurt and pulled more tears from her eyes as she finally broke down and fell to her knees sobbing, unnoticed by the people around her. Unnoticed by all but one.

"Ayanami?"

The voice startled her, and she hiccupped as she jerked her head around and stared at the boy kneeling beside her, a boy she had helped kill though Shinji never knew of her involvement and the guilt she had struggled with though she hadn't known why she felt guilty at the time.

"Tabris...?"

"Come now," Kaworu smiled a small, almost fragile smile, as he tilted his head slightly to the side, "You know I prefer the name Shinji-kun knew me by."

"I'm sorry," she returned the smile with a very shaky one of her own, and ducked her head to hide her tear stained face behind her shoulder-length blue hair, "How did you come to be here, Kaworu?"

"Rei, you know why." was his gentle answer.

Nodding her head, Rei touched what she could still reach of Lilith's knowledge. Shinji's choice meant everyone he knew could come back and live again if they wanted.

"You should go to him, then," her voice shook as she fought more tears, "He'll be glad you came back, once he and Asuka finish their bonding-"

And she broke down in tears again, as the pain overrode her fragile control, control that had once rivalled the commander's. Kaworu placed an arm over her shoulders, and stiffened in shock when Rei copied Gendo and nearly threw herself into him. Wrapping her shivering arms around his waist, Rei sobbed into his chest, and he wrapped both arms around her.

They spent long moments that way, as Rei cried and Kaworu gently shushed her tears until she calmed. Hand light on her cheek, he tilted her face back until she could see his face, and he smiled. A warm, joy-filled smile despite the faint tear tracks on his face that lit a spark of hope in her heart against her will.

"Rei, that chance is given to you too." he whispered, "Can't you feel it? Lilith is letting you go before her fall takes you with her."

And when he said it, she realized it was true. The tingling had faded and instead of being numb she found the bond she had with Lilith was nearly gone. Only a thin link remained, and through it she could feel hope feeding into that spark Kaworu's smile had ignited. And then it was gone, like the flick of a switch, and all she had left was herself. Only her uncertainty and fears, as well as her hopes and all her memories of the lifetimes inside Instrumentality.

And she smiled, the fullest smile anyone who knew her had ever seen.

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Odd. This was the first thought Tabris had, or as he prefered to be called during his time among humans, Kaworu.

His second was that he should be joined in the sea of Consciousness that was Instrumentality, since he had been in the presence of Lilith when he died. Not on the shore of Japan under an orange sky as the sun rose, next to a sea slowly turning from orange to blue.

His third was cut off rather abruptly when, as he sat up, he spotted Rei suspended over the sea staring at something further down the beach from where he was. Turning his gaze to find what she saw, he instantly spotted Shinji and Asuka. Not only saw them, but could feel the slowly settling turmoil of emotion around them.

He smiled when he felt the turmoil flow into love, and happiness, tinged with all the other emotions present in life that made it such a wonderous experience. Everything, good and bad, that flavored life and made him wonder how SEELE could have been so driven to erase it all through triggering Instrumentality.

He continued to smile, though now it was just a touch sad, as the varied memories and experiences from within Instrumentality caressed his mind and settled into place. A new chance was not what he had expected when the Lilim triggered the massive psychic bonding that waking Lilith caused. But it was not an unwelcome surprise. It was nice to know his kind's progenitor had spent his last energies to buy them an out through Instrumentality when Shinji chose to return. He could only hope they took the chance so he might get to know his brothers and sisters as he had a chance to know Shinji.

A sound caught the edge of his attention, and when he turned to find the source he instantly stood and began to walk. Rei was on her knees not fifteen feet from Shinji and his family, for that is what Kaworu knew he considered them, and she was sobbing such that it twisted at his heart.

Kneeling beside her, his normal sense of joy dimmed by the sorrow he felt rolling off Rei, he found he didn't know what to say. So he settled for the simplest thing.

"Ayanami?"

And when he had finally calmed her, the smile she gave him made it all worth it. Worth every twist of his heart, worth the guilt he felt for when he forced Shinji and her to stop him, worth giving up the percieved perfection of Instrumentality for the reality of life here. And he found he regretted not getting to know Rei before, but was glad he had a chance now.

Ode to Joy caught on the edge of his thoughts, and letting a bit of his power flow through his voice, he hummed the tune and let everyone on the shore for miles around feel through the song the joy he felt at this rebirth.

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"Kaworu..." Rei started and trailed off, once the Angel had finished the song.

"Yes, Rei." his reply felt like an answer to her, though she hadn't even asked the question on her mind.

They were now next to the others as they sat on the beach and watched the sun continue to rise above water that was again blue. The men, for after the trials and lives before and within Instrumentality none of the youths could ever be called children again, sat or leaned back on one arm as they held the women. It was a calm scene, a pause that seemed to fill with contentment and a sense of peace no one present had felt in a very long time.

"I did not finish my question." she stated, a small smile she was quickly learning loved to slide onto her face for the smallest of reasons once again on her lips, and she turned her head enough to be able to see his face and his answering smile.

"True, but now you have my answer and may use it how you like." Kaworu replied serenely, "I do not fear what you might do. I trust you the way Shinji-kun now trusts Asuka."

His statement gives her pause. She had been going to ask him if she could live with him, for her appartment was destroyed when her prior incarnation had used the self-destruct in her Eva to kill Armasael. Instead, she decided to follow Asuka's lead and change her question to one less serious and more playful.

"Then bend your head and look me in the eye."

Now confused, the expression on his face one she had yet to see and which gave her a need to giggle which she quickly surpressed, he turned his head and bent his neck to comply with her request.

And nearly jumped out of his shoes when she placed both her hands on his cheeks and touched a light, lingering kiss to his lips.

"I-" he blinked, their faces barely a couple inches apart, "I-uh, I do not believe that was your original question, was it...?"

"I decided to-uh do as you said, and used..." she trailed off for a second, the flow of emotion her attempt at teasing had sent through her had surprised her, before she caught herself and finished almost in a rush, "used your answer to my benefit."

Giggling nearby caused both Nephili to jump and turn to see that Shinji, Asuka, Gendo and Ritsuko had apparently all seen Rei's actions. Asuka and Ritsuko both smirked, Asuka teasingly and Ritsuko both happy and nervous, which sent a shiver of excitement and nerves down her spine. Shinji merely smiled, content and happy. Gendo watched the two of them for a few long seconds, enough to cause Kaworu to begin to feel nervous for reasons he did not yet understand and Rei to be worried, before he gave them a small smile with his eyes twinkling at some internal joke. Which instanly turned Rei's nerves and worry into mild annoyance that he would make a joke at her expense. Which was both new to her and welcome.

Standing and helping Ritsuko to her feet, Gendo looked the group over as they all turned to watch him.

"Come," his voice was a touch rougher from crying, but his tone was softer than any of them had heard, as he gestured inland with his free hand, "Let's find some shade, and maybe some food, before we go looking for home."

"Commander, the Geofront is gone. So is most of the city." Misato said, using his title out of habit, as Kaji gave her a hand up and the others stood too.

"I did not say base," he corrected gently, at least gently for him, which was enough of a change that they noticed, and he turned his gaze on Ritsuko, "I said home. Perhap near Nagoya, I believe you had cousins there, correct?"

"I think so, yes." Ritsuko nodded, her expression business-like as she thought, "I haven't spoken to them in years, but they were always very friendly, the opposite of mother. I'm confident they would be glad to see and help us."

"Sounds good to me," Kaji put in his two cents, "What about you guys? After that mess, you aren't really kids who need guardians anymore."

The three young pairs looked a bit surprised, both at his implying they were adults and that none of the others tried to correct him. They shared a glance, the feeling of an unspoken conversation strong between the couples, especially Asuka and Shinji.

"You're family," Shinji said, backed by nods of agreement from the others, even Touji and Hikari, "Of course we'll follow you."

The feeling of warmth that spread through the group at his words stayed with them as they set out, the youths leading the way and the adults willing to let them take control. Their shadows stretched out before them, much like their future, they were content to walk in silence.

And when Kaworu again began to hum Ode to Joy, his happiness still over-flowing, they hummed with him. Their combined joy filling the air around them, and everything seemed that much brighter and new.

They knew, after Instrumentality, that there was no 'happily-ever-after'. But they also knew that it was up to each individual to make of it what they would, and to choose each day to look on the future with hope and acceptance. Remembering the past while moving to the future, and living each moment to the fullest.

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed my take on these two, and how I wrapped up my version of the end of End of Evangelion. I always hated how it finished with such a sense of hopelessness, with Shinji almost killing Asuka and the two of them alone and broken on the shore of a red sea under a blood-slashed night sky.

Please, read all three chapters of my "Awakening" story arc, and leave at least one review for the entire arc. I really want to know your opinions.

This is D.A. signing out, for now.

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