All characters and concepts are the property of their respective creators. No copyright infringement is intended, or profit made, from this work of fiction.

Ayanami.

Where are we?

This place is a sea of LCL.

The primordial soup of life.

A place with no AT Fields,

where individual forms do not exist.

An ambiguous world...

where you cannot tell

where you end and others begin.

A world where

you exist everywhere...

and yet you're nowhere,

all at once.

Is this death?

Not quite. This is a world

where we are all one.

This is the world you wished for.

But this isn't right.

This feels wrong.

If you wish for others to exist,

the walls of their hearts

will separate them again.

They will all feel fear once more.

Okay then.

Thank you.

I only felt pain

when I existed in that reality.

So I thought

it was alright to run away.

But there was nothing good

in the place I escaped to either.

Because I didn't exist there,

and so no one existed.

Is it alright for the AT Field

to cause you and others pain again?

I don't mind.

But what are

the two of you within my heart?

We are the hope...

that people will one day

be able to understand each other.

And we are the words,

"I love you. '

But that's just a pretense.

A selfish belief.

Like some kind of prayer.

It can't possibly last forever.

Eventually, I'll be betrayed,

and it will abandon me.

But still, I want to see them again,

because at the time,

I know my feelings were real.

Reality exists in a place unknown,

and dreams exist within reality.

And truth lies in your heart.

The contents of a person's heart

shapes their appearance.

And new images will change

their hearts and their forms.

The power of imagination is

the ability to create your own future,

and the power to create

your own flow of time.

But if people don't act

of their own free will,

then nothing will change at all.

So, you must regain your own

lost form by your own volition.

Even if it means

your words become lost...

or confused with

the words of others.

Anyone can return to human form...

as long as they are able to imagine

themselves within their own heart.

Don't worry.

All living creatures have the power

to be brought back to life...

and the will to go on living.

Anywhere can be paradise,

as long as you have the will to live.

After all, you are alive,

so you will always have

the chance to be happy.

As long as the Sun,

the Moon, and the Earth exist,

everything will be alright.

Will you be alright?

I still don't know

where my happiness lies.

I'll still think about

why I'm here,

and whether or not

it was good to come back.

But that's just

stating the obvious over and over.

I am myself.

But, Mother...

What will you do, Mother?

When man created Evangelion,

were we trying

to create a clone of God?

Yes. Humans can

only exist on this earth,

but the Evangelion

can live forever...

along with the human soul

that dwells within.

Even 5 billion years from now,

when the Earth, the Moon,

and the Sun are gone,

Eva will exist.

It will be lonely,

but as long as

one person still lives.

It will be eternal proof

that mankind ever existed.

Goodbye, Mother.

I…won't run away. I…want to go back. Even if it hurts, I don't want to be alone…

Shinji's stomach churned, his pulse pounding in his temples as he squeezed his eyes shut against the nausea. Images flickered through his mind almost faster than he could follow. Asuka fighting against the Mass Produced Evas, Unit 02 getting torn apart. Misato emerging from the survival pod, clutching at her side, blood staining the front of her coat. Unit 01 being born aloft, it's arms impaled by the Lances of Longinus. Him sprawling in the dirt with Toji standing over him, massaging his knuckles. Misato's kiss before she pushed him into the elevator. Kaworu in Unit 01's hand before it crushed him. Asuka lying on her hospital bed, her gown half open in front of him, electrodes and wires attached to her skin, the faint beep of the heart monitor echoing in his ears. Unit 00's armour being penetrated by the 16th Angel as Rei initiated the auto-destruct, the explosion consuming them both. The anger in Rei's eyes as she stalked towards him, grabbing at his Father's glasses that were clutched in his hand. Asuka's screams as the 15th Angel tears into her mind. Eva 03 being torn apart by Unit 01 while he could only watch helplessly, begging for it to stop. He and Misato following Dr Akagi through the graveyard of failed Evas and being shown the clone bodies of Rei floating in their tanks. The 13th Angel tearing off Unit 02's arms. His father walking away, leaving him standing at his mother's grave. His hands burning as he wrestled with the superheated metal of the release mechanism on Rei's entry plug. The 12th Angel's shadow consuming Unit 01, the shots from his pistol bouncing off the concrete beneath him. Rei cradled in his arms, her blood staining his hand as he knelt on the gantry below Unit 01. Asuka's muted agony as the 9th Angel's acid burned through Unit 02s armour. Toji sitting by his sister's hospital bed with his head in his hands. His blood boiling as the 5th Angels attack melted through Unit 01s chest plate, superheating the entry plug's LCL. Unit 02's head landing in the street outside the survival shelter. The 6th Angels jaws bearing down on him and Unit 02 as the water closed over them. His hands burning as Unit 01 seized the 4th Angels whips', grimly hanging on despite the pain. The white-hot pain as the 3rd Angel broke Unit 01s arm.

I wish none of this had happened…

If that is what you desire, then it will be…

'Rei…?' he whispered, clutching at his head as the pressure intensified and he felt like he was falling while standing still. He curled up into a ball with a moan, his head pounding like it would burst and he tasted bile in the back of his throat as he fought not to be sick. As the nausea faded, he opened his eyes to find himself kneeling on the shore by the blue sea, the buildings and skyscrapers of Tokyo-3 rising above him. The sky was clear again and there was no sign of the giant Rei or the devastation caused by the N-2 mine that had torn open the GeoFront.

This…this can't be real…what's happening…?

'This is the new world that you created when you rejected Instrumentality…' Rei said and Shinji spun round to see her standing on the shore, still dressed in her school uniform.

'You don't need to be afraid,' she said as Shinji took a shaky step backwards. 'I am not the Rei Ayanami who guided you towards Instrumentality…'

'Then…who are you…?'

'I am Rei Ayanami…'

'…right,' Shinji said as Rei took off her shoes and socks, stepping into the water up to her ankles, apparently unconcerned that the world had just been turned upside down. He stepped backwards, his foot bumping against something and he stumbled, just managing to keep his balance. Recovering, he turned to see Asuka lying on the sand, scowling up at him. She was still dressed in her plugsuit, but her bandages had disappeared.

'Baka Shinji,' she snapped, struggling to her feet. 'Why don't you watch where you going…?'

'…sorry,' Shinji muttered and Asuka rounded on Rei. 'And what is she doing here? What the hell is going on…?'

'When Shinji rejected Instrumentality,' Rei said, without looking round, 'his thoughts and intentions changed the world…'

'Bullshit…' Asuka muttered.

'How…do you know this…?' Shinji asked, ignoring Asuka.

'When I was bonded with Lilith, I knew everything that she knew. Even though the…connection is broken, some of her knowledge and memories remain…'

'…dümmste was ich je gehört habe…' Asuka muttered as she turned and stalked away, suddenly stopping dead in her tracks.

'…Mama…?'

###################

'Kaji, I did the right thing, didn't I…?'

Misato looked up from where she was lying to see Rei standing over her before everything went white and there was none of the pain, fear, anger, grief and guilt that she had been living with since her Father died. In some way she couldn't define, she knew that there was no 'her' to be feeling anything.

'I…won't run away. I…want to go back. Even if it hurts, I don't want to be alone…'

Shinji…?

There was a sensation of falling and she jerked upright, finding herself back on the cold metal floor outside the elevator where she had said goodbye to Shinji.

Cold…?

Reaching out with shaking fingers, she found that the floor was dry, with no sign of the pool of blood that she had been lying in. Pushing herself up into a sitting position, she saw that the bodies of the JSSDF soldiers she'd killed had disappeared. With shaking hands, she lifted her shirt to find that the bullet wounds she'd sustained had gone, along with the old scar across her chest.

What the hell…?

Getting shakily to her feet and collecting her pistol from the floor, she made her way to the lift to the Command Centre. Slamming her hand on the door control, she staggered through the doors as they hissed opening, leaning against the wall for support. With an effort, she inserted her security pass, pressing the button for the Operations Deck. The lift doors closed with a hiss as it started it's ascent, the motion making her stomach heave and she fought not to be sick...

###################

Dr Akagi's eyes snapped open to find herself lying on the deck next to the pool of LCL.

Where am I…oh, God…

Her breath caught in her throat as she remembered the bark of Commander Ikari's pistol, the LCL filling her throat and nostrils as she staggered back into the pool. With a strangled cry, she struggled to her feet, stopping as she heard a faint moan. Looking around, she saw a naked woman standing behind her, leaning against the wall for support. Then, her eyes widened as she recognised her from the NERV files.

Yui Ikari…?

'Where…am I…?' she asked, seemingly unconcerned about her nakedness, staring past her with unfocused eyes.

'You're…in NERV…in Tokyo 3…' Ritsuko replied, slipping out of her lab coat and holding it out towards her. She stared blankly at it for a second before taking it, putting it on and buttoning it up. She took a hesitant, stumbling step forward and would have fallen if Ritsuko hadn't caught her.

'We need to get you to the…' Ritsuko began, just as she heard footsteps and she looked round to see Commander Ikari behind her, his eyes widening with surprise as he saw Yui.

'…Yui…? No, this isn't real…? You're not really here…like before…this isn't real…'

'I'm not a hallucination,' Yui said. 'I'm here. This is really me…'

'…how…how is that possible…?'

'…It…was Shinji and Rei,' Yui replied, Commander Ikari seeming to get a grip on himself.

'We need to get to the Operations Centre…'

###################

As the elevator mercifully slowed, Misato wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, the doors hissing open. Grimly, she struggled out onto the deck, grabbing the nearest console for support. A few feet away, Hyuga was slumped in his chair, his hands clenching the arm rests and his eyes wide. On the other side of the deck, Maya was huddled under her console next to her laptop, her face buried in her pink pillow. Only Aoba was on his feet, although just barely, his knuckles white from gripping the edge of his console so tightly. He must have heard something because he turned towards her, his eyes widening.

'M…Major,' he stammered, coming to attention.

'I need a status report on the city,' Misato ordered.

'Y…yes, Major,' he said, turning to bend over his console. 'Wait…that's…that's impossible…'

'Report, Aoba,' Misato barked.

'…Major, the city is…back…'

He tapped a sequence into his console, bringing up a surveillance image of an intact Tokyo-3, with no evidence of the damage from the N-2 mines that had torn open the GeoFront.

'That's impossible,' Misato said, her jaw dropping as Maya and Hyuga moved to join her in staring at the viewer.

'How…how is that possible…?' Maya asked.

'It was Shinji and Rei…'

Hearing the voice, Misato spun round to see Dr Akagi supported an auburn-haired woman who was dressed in a buttoned-up white lab coat, her lack of shoes and tights making her think that she was naked underneath. Ritsuko helped her into the chair by Maya's console, supporting her by one arm, just as the penny dropped.

Yui Ikari…?'

'Ritsuko? What's going…?' Misato began, just as a Commander Ikari emerged from the hatchway behind them. Evenbefore that fact had fully registered, Misato drew her pistol, levelling it at him.

'Major!' Aoba said, Misato's finger tightening on the trigger.

'You betrayed us,' she snarled. 'You planned Third Impact from the beginning…'

Commander Ikari ignored her, striding to the centre of the command deck.

'Hyuga,' he ordered. 'I want a full assessment of the condition of the city. Aoba, locate the pilots…'

'Commander Ikari,' Misato barked. 'Stand down or I will shoot…'

'Then shoot,' Gendo said. 'But think about how you will explain that to Shinji…'

Misato hesitated, her finger tightening on the trigger before lowering her pistol and flipping on the safety.

Dammit…

'Sir,' Hyuga reported. 'Surveillance footage confirms that the city appears to have been…restored to it's condition prior to the JSSDF attack. I've also confirmed that Eva Units 00, 01 and 02 are secured in the cage…'

' Dr Akagi,' Gendo said. 'Assess the condition of the Evangelions. I want a preliminary report in an hour…'

'Yes, Commander,' Dr Akagi said. 'Maya, I'll need your help…'

'…yes, Doctor,' Maya said, just as Yui rose from her chair.

'I can help,' she said, both her and Ritsuko glancing at Commander Ikari, who nodded.

'Very well…' he said, Yui following Dr Akagi and Maya towards the lift.

'Commander,' Aoba called. 'I've located the pilots about a kilometre outside the city…'

'Major,' Commander Ikari said without looking round. 'Take a helicopter and bring the pilot's back…'

###################

Ritsuko stepped inside the Cage, glancing from the towering form of Unit 01 to Yui.

If she is…alive again, it's possible that Unit 01 will not function, if her soul's not in the Eva. There's no way to know for certain without the pilots. Still, we need to start somewhere…

'Maya…?'

'…yes, Doctor…'

'Prepare for the synchrograph tests…'

'Yes, Doctor…'

'I'll check the core status,' Dr Akagi said. 'Ikari-san, can you test the nerve junction responses…?'

'Yes,' Yui said, Ritsuko inserting her radio earpiece and riding the elevator to main catwalk. 'Diagnostic is running, Doctor,' Maya announced, her voice sounding crackly in her earpiece.

'Thank you…'

'Doctor, I…what happened…during Third Impact…? I saw…I thought…'

Ritsuko was just working out how to reply when Yui answered.

'Instrumentality was intended to unite all of humanity within LCL as a single consciousness…'

'Then how…why have things changed…?'

'Shinji's desires…had the potential to change the world as Instrumentality collapsed. We may never know the full extent of those changes…'

That might be for the best, Ritsuko sighed to herself, looking up as she heard footsteps ringing on the gantry to see Misato striding towards her.

'We've…located Shinji, Asuka and Rei. I'm going to bring them back now…'

'…do we know whether…what their condition is…?'

'…no…'

'I'll need to speak to them as soon as possible. Especially Rei…'

'Ritsuko!'

'We need to learn as much as we can about what happened during Instrumentality. Seeing as Rei appeared to be…central to what happened, what she knows could be crucial…'

'…they'll need to be checked by the medics first. If they get cleared, I'll ask them…' she said, turning and walking away.

'…Misato…?'

'…yes…?'

'…nothing. Let me know when the medics are done…'

###################

'Mama!' Asuka cried, breaking into a run. Racing after her, Shinji found her kneeling next to a naked, blonde-haired woman lying on the shore.

'Mama,' Asuka said, shaking her shoulder. 'Mama, wake up. Mama…? Hey…get away from her!'

'She's breathing,' Rei said, ignoring Asuka's protests as she knelt opposite her, pressing her ear to her mother's chest.

'She won't wake up. Why won't she wake up…?'

'I don't know,' Rei said, as Asuka scrambled to her feet.

'We need to get help…'

'Help is coming,' Rei said, standing up and turning towards the city.

'What do you mean…?' Shinji asked, just as he heard a faint whup-whup-whup noise which grew steadily louder until a helicopter came into view, circling overhead before landing on the beach a few metres away. The helicopter's doors opened and four armed soldiers jumped down, aiming their weapons at Rei, who was calmly gathering up her shoes and socks.

'Down on your knees,' one of the soldiers barked. 'On your knees now!'

'Stop!' Shinji cried, getting between Rei and the soldiers. 'Don't shoot…!'

'Hold your fire,' the soldier ordered, just as a woman in a red jacket climbed down from the helicopter.

Misato…?

'Lower your weapons, sergeant,' she said.

'Major, she…what she did…'

'Stand down, sergeant,' Misato snapped, her tone softening as she added. 'If she was a threat, there would have been little you could do to stop her…'

'…yes, Major,' he said, gesturing for men to lower their weapons as Misato walked towards Shinji.

'…are you hurt…?' she asked and Shinji shook his head.

'…no…but, Asuka's mother needs help…'

'…her…mother…?' Misato asked, following Shinji's gaze to where Asuka was still kneeling next to her.

'Medic!' the sergeant barked, two soldiers moving towards Asuka.

'Get away from her,' Asuka shrieked, flailing her fists wildly until two of the soldiers managed to restrain her. 'Bastards. Get the hell off me. Mom!'

'She's breathing,' the medic reported, as he inserted a cannula into her arm. 'But her pulse is erratic. She needs medical attention…'

'Get the stretcher,' the sergeant ordered, one of the soldiers sprinting to the helicopter, returning with the stretcher.

'Where are you taking her?' Asuka demanded, as they carried Asuka's mother into the helicopter, loading her in and covering her with a blanket.

'Back to NERV,' Misato said. 'And I need you all to come too, until we can figure out what's going on. I'd prefer not to force you…'

Without a word, Rei climbed into the helicopter, taking a seat and fastening her safety harness. She demurely smoothed out her shirt, seemingly unperturbed by the soldiers around her. Shinji hesitated, glancing at Misato, before scrambling up after Rei and taking the seat next to her.

'Asuka…?' Misato asked.

'…fine,' Asuka muttered. 'It's not like I have a choice…'

'Alright,' Misato said, nodding to the soldier, who released her. Shaking him off as he tried to help her to her feet, Asuka stormed over to the helicopter and threw herself into the nearest seat with her arms folded, glaring daggers at the soldiers around them. Despite herself, Misato had to suppress a smirk as she climbed in, fastening her own harness as the sergeant closed the door behind him.

'Put these on,' Misato said, slipping a pair of ear defenders over Asuka's head and handing a pair each to Asuka and Shinji as the helicopter took off. The flight lasted around 15 minutes, with Rei staring intently out of the window at the city, Shinji looking down at his feet and Asuka constantly glancing over at her mother until they touched down on the landing pad with a faint thump. Even before the pilot had switched off the engine, the soldiers disembarked, carrying Asuka's mother over to the wheeled gurney where a dark-haired man in a doctor's white lab coat was waiting. As soon as the pilot opened the other door, Asuka fumbled to undo her harness, scrambling out onto the landing pad and hurrying over to her mother.

'She's breathing, but unresponsive,' the medic reported. 'No sign of head trauma and pupil reactions are normal…'

'Bring her through,' the doctor said, the soldiers grabbing the gurney and wheeling her inside, Asuka hurrying to keep up, Misato, Shinji and Rei following them through a set of double doors into a cool, white room that smelled strongly of disinfectant. Lt Ibuki stood against the wall with a clipboard tucked under her arm. Two nurses hurried over as they guided the gurney into an empty curtain area, working quickly to wire Asuka's mother up to the array of monitors, attaching a drip to the cannula in her arm while Asuka hovered nearby, clenching and unclenching her fists.

'Do you know what happened…?' the doctor asked and Asuka shook her head.

'No! We…I just found her like this…what's wrong with her…?'

'That's what we're trying to find out,' the doctor said, before turning back to the nurses. 'I want a full work-up, blood tests and an MRI…'

'Yes, Doctor,' the nurse said and he approached Misato.

'Major Katsurugi…'

'Doctor Uyemura…

'Is anyone else hurt…?'

'No, but I need you to give them a check-up,' she said, indicating Shinji, Asuka and Rei.

'What the hell…?' Asuka exclaimed. 'Why us…?'

'Everyone at NERV has been examined following Third Impact,' Misato said. 'We need to know whether there have been any side-effects…'

'But…'

'That's an order, Asuka,' Misato countered, meeting Asuka's angry stare calmly until she relented.

'…fine,' she muttered, looking away. Misato paced up and down while the nurses conducted their examinations, checking their blood pressure, breathing, vision, reflexes and pupil responses before taking blood samples. Shinji sat stiffly during the exam, staring fixedly at the wall. While Rei was as composed as ever, something seemed different about her, less cold and distant in a way that Misato couldn't quite put her finger on. In contrast, Asuka was just about co-operating, constantly glancing over at her mother whenever she could, which was clearly trying the nurse's patience.

'Dummkoff…' Asuka hissed as the nurse started to take a blood sample, cursing under her breath until the syringe was removed. 'Are we done, now?'

'Yes,' the nurse said, removing the canister from the syringe and labelling it. 'We're done…'

'About time,' Asuka muttered, standing up and resuming her place at her mother's bedside before the nurse could put a compress over the injection site.

'Can…you tell me what happened after Third Impact…?' Misato asked, grabbing a chair and sitting down opposite Shinji and Rei.

'I…don't know…' Shinji said, looking down at his feet. 'I heard my mother…and Rei…I just wished…that none of this had happened…'

'After rejecting Instrumentality, Shinji's intentions remade the world…' Rei stated, her voice so deadpan that it took Misato a second to realise that she was being serious.

'Right…' Misato said, just as Doctor Uyemara returned.

'Ms Sohryu's vital signs have stabilised, but she's not yet regained consciousness…'

'Do you know why…?'

'No, Major. I've had a look at her EEG and the results are similar to those seen during synchronisation, although I don't know what that means. We'll keep her under observation and see if she regains consciousness on her own. If there's no change in a few hours, we'll need to decide what to do…'

'Thank you,' Misato said, turning to Shinji, Rei and Asuka. 'Until we know more, I'll need you all to remain at NERV for your own protection…'

'I'm staying here,' Asuka declared, folding her arms across her chest, Misato glancing over at Dr Uyemara, who nodded.

'…alright. Rei, I'd like you to talk to Dr Akagi. We still have a lot of questions about Instrumentality and Third Impact…'

'…very well…'

'Thank you,' Misato said, Rei standing up and following Ibuki out of the door.

'Shinji…' Misato said, gesturing him over. 'I need to tell you something. Your mother…is alive…'

'…how…?'

'We're…not sure. Dr Akagi… found her in one of the abandoned labs on the lower levels…'

'…okay…' he said and Misato frowned.

'…did you…want to see her…?

'…no…' Shinji replied, turning and walking away.

###################

Fuyutsuki observed Commander Ikari as he approached him, his clipboard held at his side. The Commander was seated at his desk above the Operations Deck, his white gloved hands steepled in front of him. Even though they had known each other since college, he'd never been able to tell what he was thinking.

'Fuyutsuki,' he said, without looking up.

'Here's the report of what we've been able to establish so far,' he said, handing him the clipboard.

'Give me an overview,' Ikari said, flipping through the documents and reports on the clipboard.

'Yes, sir. The city's population has increased by approximately 15% and we have been unable to find any indication that anyone outside this facility remembers Third Impact occurring. There are no news bulletins, nothing on social media and no evidence that a state of emergency has been declared. There is also no sign of any JSSDF forces having been deployed. In fact, we've only been able to identify a small number of JSSDF units within the city limits. According to surveillance images and intercepted communications, we've confirmed that there's a Search and Rescue helicopter unit at Yumoto, an Infantry Division at Shinmeimachi and two F-15J/DJ Eagles at Haya Airfield. We've also been unable to confirm the presence of the fixed weapon emplacements or emergency shelters within the city. We're sending teams to…'

'Vice-Commander!' Hyuga called.

'Report,' Fuyutsuki said.

'Sir…I've been reviewing maps and recent satellite images and I can't find any evidence of Second Impact…'

'Explain…'

'Sir, according to these images, Tokyo still exists and I see no sign that the Antarctic explosion ever occurred…'

'Is it possible that our records have been corrupted…?'

'I don't think so, sir,' Aoba added. 'There are 493 domestic flights scheduled to arrive or depart Haneda Airport in the next 24 hours, as well as 824 internal flights. We're also receiving broadcasts from Tokyo news and radio stations…'

'…keep me appraised,' Fuyutsuki said, turning back to Commander Ikari, who was still sitting with his fingers steepled in front of him.

'It appears that there have been unexpected consequences following Instrumentality. It's vital that we learn the full extent of the changes…'

'Yes, sir,' Fuyutsuki said, just as the lift doors opened to reveal Major Katsurugi.

'Commander,' she said, marching over to him. 'The medics say that Shinji, Asuka and Rei are fine, physically at least. However, I'm concerned about their well-being after what they've been through. It's my recommendation that they remain here until we know more about what's happening…'

'The pilot's are you responsibility, Major,' Ikari said. 'I'll leave the arrangements to you…'

'…yes, sir…'

###################

'What can you tell me about Instrumentality?' Dr Akagi asked as Rei closed the door to her office, taking the chair opposite her.

'Instrumentality was meant to bring all of humanity together within LCL,' she replied. 'It was originally intended to use Lilith to initiate Third Impact, but the loss of the Lance of Longinus made that impossible. However, as progeny of Lilith, Unit 01 could also serve that function by generating an Anti-AT field so powerful that no organic life could maintain it's individual form. With the door to the Chamber of Guf open, humanity would cease to exist as separate entities, without pain or grief or fear. Commander Ikari intended that I would guide Instrumentality, but I refused to be his puppet, so I chose to give control to Shinji…'

'Why…?'

'I…felt that he would understand…what to do…'

'What do you mean…?'

'…through Instrumentality, Shinji possessed the power to remake the world according to his intentions and desires. I…felt that he would make the right decision…'

'…and how are you feeling? Since Third Impact…any nausea, pain, confusion or memory loss…'

'…no, but…' she began, her voice trailing off. 'I'm sorry. It's nothing…'

'If you're experiencing any side effects of Instrumentality, we need to know what they are…'

'I feel…whole…different…like I've found something I didn't know I'd lost…'

'…thank you, Rei,' Dr Akagi said, after a moment. 'You can go…'

'…yes, Dr Akagi…'

###################

'…Asuka…?'

Hearing the voice, Asuka jerked upright in the chair where she had been dozing next to her mother's bed, looking round to see that her eyes were open.

'Mama!' she cried, scrambling to her feet and taking her mother's hand.

'Asuka…' she whispered, reaching out to touch her cheek as the doctor arrived.

'Mrs Sohryu, I'm Dr Uyemura…'

'Where…where am I…?'

'In a hospital in Tokyo-3…'

'How…did I get here…?'

'You were found unconscious outside the city and brought here by helicopter. What's the last thing you remember…?'

'I…I was working at Gehirn in Germany and then I woke up here…'

'…that's all? Nothing else…?'

'…just…flashes…images and feelings…I don't know…what's happening…?'

'…that's what we're trying to find out. I'll need to examine you,' Uyemura said, glancing at Asuka. 'Would you mind waiting outside…?'

'I'm not leaving her,' Asuka began, as her mother laid a hand on her arm.

'It'll be okay, Asuka…'

'…alright,' Asuka said, stepping back, Dr Uyemura drawing the curtain around the bed as Misato entered the medical bay.

'I heard she was awake. Are you okay…?'

'…I'm fine,' Asuka replied, folding her arms across her chest, not meeting Misato's gaze.

'Asuka…'

'Don't pretend you care!' Asuka snapped.

'I do, as it happens…' Misato began, just as Dr Uyemura drew back the curtain.

'Her vital signs have stabilised, but I still want to keep her in for observation for the next 48 hours. I've given her a sedative and she needs to rest…'

'I'm not leaving her,' Asuka repeated.

'Asuka…'

'No!' Asuka shouted. 'I want to stay with her….'

'Asuka,' Misato said, her voice hard as steel. 'Outside. Now…'

Asuka held her gaze for a second, Misato simply returning it coolly until she relented with a huff, turning and stalking away.

'Keep me appraised of any changes,' Misato said, before following Asuka out of the medical bay, closing the door quietly behind her.

'She was with me the whole time,' Asuka muttered, her voice cracking and Misato frowned.

'What…do you mean…?'

'She…was with me in the Eva. She protected me…'

She turned away for a moment, before seeming to compose herself.

'I'm going to have a shower,' she said, walking away without looking back.

Misato watched her go, wondering just what the hell she meant.

###################

Misato stopped outside Ritsuko's office, hesitating before knocking on the door.

'Come in,' Ritsuko called and Misato took a deep breath, opening the door. Inside, Ritsuko was sitting with her eyes glued to her laptop screen.

'The information Rei provided was very illuminating,' she said. 'What she told me, it's fascinating and it seems to corroborate the data that we have…'

'I…was just talking to Asuka,' Misato said. 'She told me that…her mother was with her in the Eva…Do you know…what she meant by that…?'

'…the only way to make the Evangelions operational was to implant…human souls into them with a…personal connection to the pilots…'

'Were…Shinji and Asuka's mother's…souls in Unit 01 and 02…?'

'…yes…'

'…then, who was in Unit 00…?'

'We…had to use a portion of Rei's soul…'

'Ritsuko!'

'We had no choice!' Ritsuko snapped, coming to her feet. 'We needed a weapon to defeat the Angels…'

Then, she sagged back into her seat.

'I…don't know. Perhaps, if I'd worked harder, I could have found another way…'

'…you're the smartest person I know,' Misato said, perching on the edge of Ritsuko's desk. 'If there was another way, you'd have found it…'

'…seems all my sins are coming back to haunt me,' Ritsuko sighed.

'Maybe…we've both been given a chance to atone for our sins…'

'Perhaps…' Ritsuko said, just as Misato's phone rang.

'…yes. Alright. I'll be right there…'

###################

'How are you feeling…?' Misato asked, as she ushered Rei into her office, gesturing for her to take a seat on the couch.

'I…am not sure,' Rei admitted. 'Before, I knew that I was different…that I could be replaced. Now, I feel…whole, I think. It is strange, but I am…dealing with it…'

'I…know something about…where you came from…' Misato said, sitting next to her. 'That…you were…cloned from Shinji's mother…'

'Does…Shinji know…?'

'I…don't think so. Whether you tell anyone…is up to you…'

'What…do you think I should do…?'

'I…don't know, Rei. But…whatever you decide, I'll be here if you need anything…'

'…thank you…'

###################

Shinji wandered aimlessly through the corridors, not caring where he was going. His shock and anger had faded, leaving a familiar cold, helpless feeling.

'Shinji…'

Hearing his mother's voice, he stiffened, turning to see her standing behind him.

'I don't want to see you,' he muttered, turning to walk away.

'Shinji, wait,' she said. 'Please…I…knew what would happen when I agreed to the Contact Experiment, but I had no choice. I knew too much and they were coming for me. This way…I would be where I could always protect you and there was a chance that together we could prevent Instrumentality. It…was the hardest decision that I've ever made. Shinji…wait. Shinji…'

Ignoring her pleas, Shinji turned his back and walked away with his hands shoved into his pockets.

###################

Asuka shut off the water with a sigh, wrapping her towel around herself as she stepped out of the shower, heading for her locker. To her surprise, she found that her stuff was still in there, including her clothes. It was only her school uniform, but it was better than nothing. Changing quickly, she began rooting around for her hairbrush, her breath catching in her throat as her mother's doll fell to the floor. She felt tears prickling her eyes as she reached out for it with shaking finger, clutching it to her chest.

'Mama…' she whispered, as the door to the locker room opened. Hurriedly, she stuffed the doll back into her locker as Rei entered, closing the door quietly behind her. Without looking at Asuka, Rei stripped out of her clothes, folding them neatly on the bench before walking unconcernedly across the locker room to the shower.

'She hasn't changed that much,' Asuka muttered, finally unearthing her hairbrush and starting to work the tangles out of her hair, uttering a litany of curses under her breath. She had just finished when Misato poked her head through the door.

'Is Rei with you? Good. Meet me in the pilot's ready room when you're done…'

Without waiting for an answer, she disappeared, Asuka huffing in frustration.

'Wonder Girl,' she shouted. 'Hurry up. Misato wants to see us…'

###################

Having quickly finished her shower and dressed, Rei followed Asuka into the ready room where Misato was waiting for them.

'Thank you for coming,' she said. 'Until we've got a handle on things, you three will be staying with me…'

'I don't need babysitting,' Asuka pouted, folding her arms.

'You're all still minors,' Misato said. 'Until we know more about the changes to the world, we need to make sure you're all safe. Now, get anything you need and be back here in 30 minutes…'

Thank you for reading. I hoped you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.