Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion and all rights got to there respective owners. Also all OC's are the creation of JimmyWolk himself.

SPOILER WARNING: This contains spoilers for the fanfic "The 2nd try" by JimmyWolk. So If you haven't read that then you should definitely stop right here and check that out first.

Summary:

Asuka prepares to read her daughter a bedtime story but to her surprise Aki asks her a different story to tell.

"Bedtime Story"

"Nooooooo!"

It was another late evening in the Ikari family home and once again another hard battle for Asuka Langley Ikari. Every night either she or Shinji had to face this, making sure Aki brush her teeth properly before bed and tonight was Asuka's turn.

As always Aki made a fuss of not wanting to brush her teeth and every time she would lose the battle of wills as both Asuka and her husband Shinji were adamantly clear on making sure the little rascal did so.

"Come now Schätzchen, brush those teeth or there will be no bedtime story for you tonight." Asuka half heartedly threatened, knowing full well that the threat of no bedtime story would guarantee to make Aki comply.

"Noooooo!" Aki wailed while shaking her head before begrudgingly brushing her teeth. Aki hated doing this but her parents made it clear that this was a routine which she could never skip out on plus the threat of not having her bedtime story was not a risk she was was willing to take as she loved the stories Mama and Papa read to her.

So after Aki had finished brushing, she was escorted by her Mama to her bedroom and was helped changed into into her nightgown before being tucked into her bed along with Kiko. Asuka went over to the small nightstand and took out a few books before sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Ok Schätzchen, do you want me to read Dornröschen again?" Asked Asuka.

Aki shook her head.

"Um what about Rapunzel?"

Again Aki shook her head negativity.

Seeing that any of her usual choices were being turned down, she opted to ask Aki which she wants. "Ok Schätzchen which story do you want to me to read?"

Aki looked at her shyly. "Can you tell me how you and Papa met and fell in love Mama?"

This small request from her daughter surprised Asuka. While Aki, being the curious child that she is, was always asking questions, many of which tested the minds of both her and Shinji, but asking how she and Shinji met as well as fell in love was a different one entirely.

"Why do you want to know that Schätzchen?" Asuka asked curiously.

"Well because in many of my favourite stories, the prince always falls in love with the princess and I was wondering if it was the same with you and Papa." Aki told her mother truthfully.

While Aki answered her Mama's question, it left Asuka in a bit of a predicament as her and Shinji meeting each other and falling in love wasn't exactly a fairy tale story and one that wasn't a happy one till at least the end. Also Asuka definitely didn't want Aki to know of the many painful and unpleasant parts as it would either disappoint, scare or make the girl sad.

"Mama?" Aki voice broke Asuka out of her thoughts. Apparently she had been deep in thought for a bit and seeing the expected look on her daughter's face, she wasn't gonna be able to change the little one's mind.

Sighing, Asuka was mentally comprising the said tale.

"Well Schätzchen, how me and Papa met was many years ago when I was a teenager. I came from a foreign country, far far away from here. From a young age everyone used to treat me like I was special as I was tasked to something very important to a lot of people and that I was one of a very few handful of people who could do it."

Aki tilted her head slightly in confusion. "So you were kind of like a princess, Mama?"

"Uh? Well, I guess in a way…?" Asuka said sheepishly while scratching her cheek. Admittedly looking back on those days, her younger self did act like she was royalty, being pampered up by NERV to become its elite pilot certainly boosted her ego. Looking back at it all, Asuka admitted that she hadn't done anyone any favours with her attitude, including herself.

Shaking her head slightly, Asuka continued with the story. "Anyway how I met your Papa was on a very big ship called Over the Rainbow."

"A ship that went over a rainbow!?" Aki asked in amazement.

Chuckling at that Asuka corrected her daughter. "No no, it was a ship that was just called Over the Rainbow. It was a huge ship that could could carry hundreds of people in it."

"Wow, and that's were you met and fell in love with Papa?" Aki asked.

"Uh well…yes!" Asuka hated lying to her daughter about this. She clearly remembered that fateful day she and Shinji had met, recalling how unimpressed she was at the time of the supposedly famous and strong Third Child being nothing but a weak and scrawny Japanese boy. "But while me and Papa did fall for each other right there, we didn't tell each other till much later."

"Ahh but why though Mama?" Aki asked while pouting, clearly disappointed and confused on this part.

"It's because me and him were both stubborn and scared about telling each other how we felt for one another, Schätzchen. Also for a long while, I thought your Papa might have been interested in another girl. I guess she had some aura of mystery surrounding her, that he might have found attractive."

"Was she a princess like you too, Mama?"

"Eh... I guess in a way. She was clearly the commander's favourite for the grand scheme of things." Asuka said while silently muttering the last part.

"What you say Mama?" Aki asked, clearly not hearing the last part.

"Eh, nothing Schätzchen. Anyway after a while we kept beating around the bush with our feelings for each other and for a short time I thought that maybe your Papa didn't really love me. But he proved to himself and to me that he really did care for me, when he held me, and promised me that he would never leave me alone."

Asuka looked at her daughter while tenderly stroking the side of her face with her hand. "It was then and there I knew I truly loved your Papa, Schätzchen and I will always be thankful for him for loving me and for also giving me you."

"Wow so Papa really was your Prince Charming!"

Chuckling at Aki's declaration, Asuka once again stroked her daughter's face." Yes, yes he was."

Noticing that her story has dragged on, and seeing Aki yawning heavily, Asuka knew it was time to call it a day. "Ok that's enough story time for tonight Schätzchen, it's time for you to sleep," Asuka said while tucking in her daughter. Aki, now really tired, didn't resist and was slowly drifting off into dreamland.

Looking down at her daughter one last time for the night, Asuka kissed her forehead. "Gute Nacht Schätzchen."

Walking toward the bedroom door and just as Asuka was about to close it, she looked at her fully asleep daughter one last time. And again, she was thankful for her Prince Charming for everything.

End.