Why was the room so cold? And most importantly why did he like it? Jack looked around wishing he could run from this. Run back to the past people claimed had once been so great. A past he didn't remember. Before the second impact.

His body shivered in the small room and he wondered when he would be taken out of punishment, he had told them he wouldn't pilot it, and they had placed him here. In the dark. In the cold. Alone.

All Alone.

Jack sobbed softly pulling his knees up to his chest warming himself up as he wrapped his arms around himself as the tears fell from his eyes. He was the pilot of Unit 04, and they were going to send him and his Unit to Japan.

With none of his friends. No one he knew, he didn't even know how to speak Japanese…he'd have to learn.

The door to the room opened and he saw Captain Emroch leaning against the doorway staring at him.

"Are you ready to live in Japan, Jack?"

He nods softly knowing he had no choice. Emroch helped him up and led him out the room and Jack winced from all the lights, closing his eyes as he was led into what felt like a plane.

He finally opened his eyes looking around, it was a small plane with very big seats, not bad at all. The plane was warm and much more comfortable than the room he had been in the past three days.

Sitting down, he closed his eyes again wondering how long it would take to get to Japan. He wondered where he would stay. Emroch handed him a small device, he knew what it was…but he'd never used one.

"You should listen to the recording, it was sent by your new guardian."

Jack grabbed the device from him, plopping in the earbuds surprised when an energetic childish voice started yapping in a thick japanese accent.

"Hey, Fifth Child, it's great to hear I'll be having you in my house, don't worry, I won't touch you…too much," The voice giggled. "Just kidding, I won't touch you at all. My name is Misato, and you're gonna be living with me and two other eva pilots, I'm sure you three will get alo" Jack turned the device before she could continue.

He didn't want to get along with anyone, he wanted to stay with his current friends, but instead he was going to be piloting an eva…how fun.

Jack whimpered slightly as a tear threatened to fall from his eye. Tears were for the weak, he couldn't cry. Not like he always did.

Crying is for the Weak. The Weak are not Strong.

A rumble made Jack jump in his seat and wake up. He whipped his head around wildly wondering what was happening.

"Don't worry the plane is landing now, this is how it always is." Emroch gave Jack a small smile. "Now remember konichiwa means hello, jane means bye, arigato means thank you. I trust you will learn the language here quickly.

"Arigato gozaimasu." Jack said trying his best to sound Japanese. "I hope I will."

Emroc led him out of the Plane and he glanced out taking in the familiar smell of the red ocean. He wondered what it had smelled like before the second impact.

Jack straightened his glaces and licked his braces making sure everything was ok. He straightened his clothes and checked for any stain, his anxiety racking up to a hundred knowing he would meet two other kids his age that day.

He followed Emroch as the young man led him to a woman with dark hair grinning widely and Jack sighed not ready to meet anyone.

"Hi, you must be Jack!" Her accent was familiar and Jack nodded.

"And you must be Misato." he replied, a drop of sweat falling from his hair and down his forehead. He raised his hand and wiped it off not wanting anyone to notice how anxious he felt at that moment. All he knew was that Misato was probably judging him at that exact moment and that was enough to make his legs shake.

"You look a bit nervous, Jack, but don't worry, other than the angel attacks, Tokyo 3 isn't all that bad." Misato ruffled his hair making Jack stiffen.

When was the last time he had cleaned his hair. Was it obviously dirty? Had Misato taken notice of that?

Jack nodded, masking his thoughts. "I'm fine, it's just strange being in another country."

"I'm sure Asuka can relate to that." Misato said.

"Asuka?" Another name. Another person he would have to meet. Jack placed his sweaty palms in his pockets fidgeting with a coin in the right one.

"Yes, she is currently living with us along with Shinji. They might be a bit…independant, but you'll grow on them."

Jack shivered slightly at that. By her tone, he could tell they weren't exactly gonna be friendly, were they gonna notice that his dark blue shorts didn't really fit with his pink shirt?

"Well, let's go Jack, Shinji will probably have prepared dinner for us."

"Arigato gozaimasu," Jack responded, already trying to kick in his Japanese, he followed the pretty woman into a car. "Ms. Misato, I don't want to intrude, don't need to st-"

"Oh no problem, Jack, I don't mind having you in my house at all."

"Arigato." He opened the car door sitting in the passenger's seat shifting slightly and placing his hands on his lap. His fingers gently played with each other as he heard Misato sit next to him and start driving.

"You're a shy one aren't you?" Misato said, smiling.

"Uh…yeah a bit."

"You'll fit in with Shinji perfectly."

The car rumbled along the road, each spin of the wheels making Jack more and more anxious. He removes his glasses, placing his head in his hands, shaking slightly.

"Are you okay?" Misato said. Her voice was calm, dear, almost motherly? Jack shuddered slightly, he didn't deserve pity.

"I'm fine, just tired." His voice was slightly shaky but Misato didn't insist.

The car parked near an apartment and Misato beckoned for him to follow and he carried his small suitcase out of the car wondering if it was enough.

Misato opened the door of her house. "Welcome home."

"Arigato." Jack walked in the floor feeling unfamiliar to him and he glanced around the house smaller than any of the ones he had seen in america…yet it felt…homey.

A young girl with red hair and beautiful green eyes rushed into the entrance. "Finally, I swear I was gonna start eating without you two." She said in a perfect accent then looked at Jack with a slightly disgusted look on her face. "Ew, he has glasses?"

Jack blushed slightly shifting uncomfortably at her words. "Well, sorta need them to see."

"And he seems even more anti-social than Shinji, that's just great…wait, are those braces?" Asuka gags. "Just what I needed, a nerd living in the same house as me."

"Be nice, Asuka." Misato said and turned to Jack. "Don't worry she's like this to everyone."

Jack nodded slowly but couldn't help feeling very self conscious about his appearance. Did he really look that nerdy?

He followed Misato to the living room and saw a young boy already sitting at the table waiting for them. He had brown hair that covered his forehead and his eyes were just as brown, he glanced up and forced a very…shy smile.

"H-Hey, I'm Shinji." The boy blushed slightly looking back down.

"I'm Jack, It's a pleasure to meet you." Jack said, smiling at the boy not feeling as anxious around him. "You seem nice."

Shinji shook slightly and looked back up his eyes connecting with Jack's for the first time. He seemed to be searching for any sign that Jack was joking. "Really?"

"Yeah, can I sit next to you?" Jack asked his tone calm and…relaxed? When was the last time he had felt so ok with a person he didn't know?

"S-Sure," Shinji said, his smile widening slightly as Jack sat next to him.

"Oh great, the two wallflowers are getting along." Asuka groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Be nice, Asuka," Misato said as she stared at the two boys fondly. "I think it's nice that the two are getting along."

Shinji blushes furiously, his eyes once more flying to the ground, obviously just as anxious as Jack had been with Misato and Asuka. He placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder, surprised at his courage.

"I think we're gonna get along just fine, Shinji-kun.