PRESENT

He had woken up early. Far earlier than normal.

The almost acidic scent of the strong black coffee was more than enough to keep him awake for the time being. He was glad to have found some instant coffee packets stuffed inside the cupboard of this old place. They were probably expired, and the coffee itself almost tasted like plastic, but it beat drinking nasty tasting filtered water for the 30th time in a row.

Sitting on the small balcony of the apartment he had found, he turned his gaze from the steaming cup of joe towards the horizon. The sky was tinted a deep orange, the suns light beginning to peek over the silhouetted hills in the distance. If the watch he had was right, it was still only about 5AM. He had only managed to get 2 hours of sleep this time, the beaten and bruised face of the redhead asleep on the couch inside having made older memories surface in his dreams. She had looked like a zombie when he had found her, having been so light and fragile that when he had picked her up, he had almost then dropped her in shock from how light she had been. Her face had been so tired, so lifeless.

A cold breeze swept across the building, interrupting his thoughts. His open jacket was slightly pulled to one side in the wind, the beginnings of fall making itself known. Feeling the chill run through his body, he decided now was a good time to head back inside. Grabbing his cup, he opened the sliding door and walked back in, closing it behind him. The scent of the food he had been cooking met his nose as he made his way back into the kitchen. The stew was simple, the majority of the ingredients having come from pilfered rations or found canned goods. It didn't taste amazing, but shaking off some of the rust from his now rarely used culinary skills had helped improve it. Compared to what he had eaten in prison and on the run, this was gourmet.

He stirred the pot gently and put the spoon to the side, turning to sit at the small table nearby. Not even two steps away from the stovetop, a familiar itch began to work it's way into his chest. A timid cough escaped him as he braced himself against the wooden table in preparation for the inevitable. Pain erupted in his chest as his small, almost inaudible coughs turned into violent choked wheezes, specks of blood spattering along the table. Seconds felt like hours as the pain only increased, Shinji powering through. Eventually, he managed to control his breathing enough for the coughing to begin to taper off. Taking a moment to recompose himself once it finally subsided, he checked his watch again.

5:25 AM. Shit. That was bad. Seemed his affliction was only speeding up, the process only getting exponentially worse. He had spent over 20 minutes fighting off suffocation. At this rate, he would be lucky if he managed to survive another month or two. He only hoped he could finish his plans before things got too bad. Wiping away the remnants of the blood spatter on the table, he paused.

Had he heard something? He turned his head and listened to where he was sure the sound had come from. A minute of silence, before again, another noise. It was obvious what it was now, even muffled through the door leading to the living room. It was a light groan, accompanied by some rustling of fabric. It seemed his "guest" had woken up. Sighing, he stood up, preparing himself for the ensuing confrontation.

Time to face the music.

This man in front of her was an odd case. The past few hours had been weird.

Apparently he couldn't talk, and had refused to give her a name, or show his face. He had only answered what he wanted to, either writing what he wanted to say in a small notepad and showing it to her, or simply shaking his head yes or no. Her stomach had made itself known a minute ago, growling with hunger. He had returned with a bowl of food for her, the stew surprisingly well made. While basic, it was well seasoned, the taste reminding her of the days before the third impact, bringing back memories of a certain boy.

Damn. She really couldn't seem to let that dumbass go, could she? Looking up from her half finished meal, she turned her gaze to the unknown man in the room with her, the other quietly cleaning a handgun on a table nearby. She watched as they silently went through the motions, scrubbing the internals free of grime before wiping off what was left. The movements were practiced, almost second nature to them, likely having been done dozens, if not hundreds of times. As the other began to finish up and began to reassemble the firearm, Asuka spoke up.

"Mind if I ask you a sort of personal question?" The other turned their head towards her, evaluating her for a second, before nodding.

"Why did you save me? I'm sure you knew the risks of going against SEELE beforehand, so I have to ask, why?" The other paused for a moment, before reaching for his small notepad and writing down in it, handing it to her after finishing.

"SEELE hurt those who I loved. It's only fair I hurt them back. You simply were caught in the crossfire of it all. I'm only doing what's right."

Well, that didn't answer much, but it at least made her understand the other better. Considering the other was definitely an adult, she ventured a guess that they had likely had their family killed at the hands of SEELE fighters. That was unfortunately, not an uncommon story for many nowadays. She understood that pressing for more information would likely only get her on their bad side, so she stopped there. However, she still had another question.

"Okay, I can understand that. But why won't you show me your face?" Again, pen on paper, before she was handed another note.

"Want to keep who I am secret to you and WILLE. SEELE will kill everybody I know if they hear I helped you out."

Well, that was going to be a problem. Standard procedure meant she would have to bring them aboard the WILLE for questioning, and it seemed that the other wanted nothing to do with them. For now, though, that could wait. After that question, the room descended back into silence, only broken by the occasional clinking of her spoon against the bowl as she ate her fill. The light within the apartment began to darken, the natural light provided through the windows beginning to dim as the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon. Finishing her meal, she gently cleared her throat, watching as the other turned his gaze towards her. She held out the now empty bowl and spoon towards them. She yawned as they drew near.

"I'm finished. Thanks for the food. I think I'm going to try and get some rest." The other nodded, the bowl taken by them before the door to the kitchen shut, leaving her alone, once again in silence. She fell asleep soon after.

The days went by as Asuka slowly regained her strength. After a week, she had finally gained enough strength to walk around. Not enough for long periods, but better than being completely bedridden. Still, even a week in, he had never shown his face to her, let alone his eyes, hidden behind a pair of tinted goggles. During this time, she would observe, and despite the lack of speaking, she learned a lot through his actions. Actions spoke louder than words, and his actions spoke clearly.

He was unbelievably kind. Despite his height and intimidating demeanor, he exuded a sense of restraint. When she would trip and fall after stubbornly trying to move more than she should have in her recovery, he was there to offer a hand. Strong arms and hands helping her up with a gentle grip. Scarred fingers with callused knuckles softly stirring meals up in a pot. It was almost humorous, watching a man who had been so terrifyingly violent a week ago, do something like fluff up a pillow for her when he thought she wasn't looking. It even seemed he smoked, considering many times he would walk in smelling like cigarettes, yet she couldn't recall ever seeing the other smoke near her. He had even been there when her torture at the hands of SEELE had come back to haunt her in her dreams.

The dream had been so vivid, almost like she had been reliving the way they had mercilessly beat her in her cell. She had woken up to the sensation of tears streaming down her face, the other with their hands on her shoulders, heavy hands grounding her back in reality. Their goggles were off, dull blue eyes staring at her, laced with such genuine concern that she had almost instinctively thrown herself at the other, sobbing as they let her cry. It was obvious that the sudden embrace was something that they had been uncomfortable with, as they had tensed up as soon as she had put her arms around the other. And yet, he had still sat there for an hour, rubbing circles on her back as she choked and sobbed in terror. They had only left once she had affirmed for the 5th time that she was okay.

It had felt good to have someone comfort her like that, although her pride would never let her admit that.

So here she was, the night before he would bring her back to return to WILLE. She was standing in his room, having been woken up after hearing rustling and movement. She observed the "room" if you could call it. It was a small space, likely a cleared out storage closet, just large enough for a small bed and nightstand. She had walked in quietly to witness the other tossing and turning in bed, masked face turning left in right in the obvious signs of a night terror. She supposed it was the pride in her speaking, but she had felt she owed it to the other to help them after they had helped her. So, with hesitance, she reached and gently shook his shoulder.

Immediately she felt herself being thrown to the ground, a forearm pressing up against her throat as she was pinned to the floor. Frantic, almost feral eyes stared back at her. They were breathing heavily as they sat there, pinning Asuka to the ground. Asuka laid stuck on the floor, unable to move due to the others' size and strength. Her eyes scared and wide, she watched as the other raised a fist.

"IT'S ME!"

The bloodlust faded from the others eyes, the rage replaced by horrific realization. Immediately they got off of her, jolting back and moving away. Asuka sat up, letting her adrenaline fade, before looking towards the other. They were sitting, hugging their knees towards their chest. Their breathing was heavy, almost on the border of hyperventilating. Sympathy set in as the realization of what had happened dawned on her. She reached to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey it's not your fault. You didn't hurt me." They immediately shoved her hand off, scrambling back. Another minute passed, before she eventually stood up. He was now in the corner of the room, his eyes glazed over. She had seen that look before, in some of the men who served combat roles for WILLE. Veterans who had seen the worst humanity had to offer. Empty eyes, having seen too much too fast. Men who would hear a car backfire and duck. People who couldn't sit in a restaurant without making sure the front door was in their view. Paranoid eyes, never having truly left behind the violence they had seen. Broken people.

She wanted to do more, but she knew whatever she could do would only worsen their current state. They were far too gone for her to help in any way. Her best option was to leave them alone, and let the episode run it's course. So, with hesitance, she walked out, and went back to her room, lying down on the mattress, attempting to get back to bed.

She didn't sleep well that night.

The vehicle was surprisingly roomy, the stolen truck obviously having been built for a squad of infantrymen and their bulky gear. She had thrown her pack on her lap as they drove, the small bag she had been given mostly being used to hold some of her clothes and some small pieces of gear. The events from last night had gone unaddressed by both. He had woken up, tossed her a pack, and walked out, waiting for her to follow. They had gotten into the car and a silent drive had taken place, the man seemingly still upset from last night and Asuka silently working up the courage to try and convince the other to come. The car jolted them forwards as he hit the brakes, having hit the outskirts of the WILLE controlled city. A note was placed on her lap as the other opened their door and got out.

"Take the car the rest of the way. Base isn't too far from here. Good luck." As she finished reading the note, she looked up to see the other leaning against the door, in the midst of a coughing fit. Shouldering her pack and getting out of the car, she was stopped by their outstretched hand, keeping her at bay as the coughing subsided.

"Mind telling me what that was?" Her hands were on her hips, a frown on her face. He waved it off and ignored her. She frowned again as she realized what she would have to do, hoping the other would at least work with her.

"Look, I appreciate everything you've done for me, but you have to come with me. Standard procedure, and you might have useful information for us. We don't know who you are, and WILLE might consider you a threat." Her frown turned into a deep scowl when the other shook his head, grabbing his own pack from the backseat. She looked over at the other, realizing that she couldn't brute force this. He was far larger than her. A light clattering echoed as the pack was dragged out, a spare handgun falling to the ground and sliding near her.

That could work.

Grabbing the handgun, she racked the slide and aimed it at the other, who was now staring at her, an almost bemused expression in their eyes.

"That wasn't a suggestion. You need to come with me. Don't make me use force. Please." The other again, didn't react, only staring at her quietly, eyes boring into her. He began to walk forward at her, steps calm. Her breathing quickened as the distance between the two was quickly closed, the firearm only inches from his chest as he loomed over her. A hand shot up, eliciting a gasp from her as the slide was grabbed, the handgun being forced up, barrel now pressing against their forehead.

What the hell? Did they want to die? The others dull blue eyes bored into her, seemingly waiting for her response from the silent proposal. After a few seconds that felt like hours, she shakily pulled the handgun away, pointing it back down at the ground, stumbling back.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" She received a raised eyebrow and a shoulder shrug in response, the other shouldering their pack, and walking away. She heaved a sigh a moment later, turning back to the car they had left for her. She knew she should have gone to try and find the other, but the Wunder needed her. She flicked the firearm back on safe, before gently shoving the gun into her waistband, covering it with her shirt as she sat back down in the still running truck.

She shut the door, and began her drive to the base, alone. She looked at the now mostly empty rearview mirror, in a futile attempt to maybe catch a passing glimpse of the man from before, and maybe attempt to turn around and drive, and convince the kind person to come back with her. To help them.

He was already out of her sight.

He was now back on track, having abandoned the small apartment once Asuka had been returned to WILLE. The girl had been surprisingly bearable during her recovery, although he attributed that to the fact he had managed to keep who he was a secret to her. He let out a light wheezy laugh thinking back to how the girl had pointed a gun at him trying to get him to come to the Wunder. Of course, the girl was still far too innocent, able to still delude herself with morality, having buckled under his pressure.

He wished he could have come back with her. He wished he could have come back, to comfort the girl who was still obviously haunted by the years of Hell she had endured. He wished he could go back to the Wunder, and help them fight against SEELE and NERV. He wished he could see his sister again. He wished he could go and tell Misato that he never blamed her, knowing the woman was likely wracked with guilt for what she had done. As much as he wanted to hate them, he couldn't blame them. If he hadn't been so selfish, none of this would have happened. He had no ill will towards any of them for what they had did. They were only trying to survive. None of that mattered, however. Because at the end of the day, all of those things were just that.

Wishes. Unattainable wants that were stopped once they reached reality.

The Glock on his hip felt odd, the polymer frame too light compared to the metal framed Sig Sauer he had let the girl keep. The new pack he had felt different, having cleaned out his older one and let the girl use it for her gear. The new one was grey, more of a tactical look thanks to the fact that he had taken it from a dead SEELE member. Not as discreet as he wished it was, but it was better than nothing. He decided now was a better time than ever to sit down and rest his aching legs, having been walking nonstop for the past 7 hours. The rifle in his hands, while light, had begun to feel painfully heavy to his sore arms after 4 hours. He turned his gaze to the edge of the small city he was in. The sun was only an hour from setting at best, so he decided that he would make this small area his campsite for the night. Rummaging through the pockets, he searched for the canned goods he had brought along with him. A small fire tablet was brought out, and 15 minutes later, dinner was served.

It was a quiet night, rather boring all things considered. What was he to do? Maybe his old music player? He couldn't even remember when he had last actually used the damn thing, but he had still brought it along with him throughout the years. Well, he didn't have much else to do. He just hoped the batteries weren't completely dead. He rummaged in the front side pocket, a spot he had almost always put the music player and notebook in to protect them from being crushed.

It wasn't there. Maybe he had put it in another pocket? Searching through the others, he found nothing. After a few minutes of searching, he eventually ended up having emptied the entire pack, and searching top to bottom. Even after going through every bit of gear and equipment, still nothing. Where could it be? He had last moved it a few nights before helping out Asuka, but he definitely hadn't lost it. Where could it… be…?

Oh. Well, that probably would cause problems later on. He had left it in the older pack.

The one he had given Asuka.

ABOARD THE WUNDER

It had been nearly a month since Asuka's. Disappearance. She was beginning to lose hope. If SEELE hadn't immediately tortured and killed Asuka, they likely would have called up WILLE by now and attempted negotiations. Now, would SEELE actually follow any sort of agreement they would make? Likely not. But even then, they would have still said something to WILLE.

Their radio silence told her Asuka was likely already dead.

The hiss of her door opening broke her out of her thoughts, the familiar form of Ritsuko entered, flanked by Mari and Rei.

"I'm just here to give you your daily reports. These two wanted to tag along and I don't have the energy to deal with them right now."

She glanced over to the two, observing their faces. Rei stood silently, stoic as ever. Mari had her smug grin on as always, only this time far more strained. She couldn't blame the girl. She had lost the only blood relative she had. Misato could barely keep herself together as is. She couldn't imagine the pain the girl was going through right now. The girl weakly waved at Misato's questioning gaze.

"Howdy. Thought you would enjoy my presence for the ti-" She was cut off by the hiss of the door opening as another form entered the room, the familiar face of Hyuga peeking in.

"Sorry to interrupt, captain, but this is really important. Check your radio. The Arles base needs to talk to you. They say it's urgent."

Urgent? Aw hell. Misato nodded wordlessly, picking up her communicator and switching to the correct frequency. She motioned for the others in the room to stay quiet. She hoped it wasn't another batch of bad news.

"This is Katsuragi speaking."

"Captain, we are glad to inform you that Pilot Shikinami is safe and sound here at Arles."

Oh thank God.

She glanced over to Mari, and watched as the other smiled, eyes becoming glassy at the prospect that her sister was still alive, barely able to conceal a squeal of joy. She turned back to the radio, swallowing as she struggled to keep her own tears of joy down.

"Understood. Prepare a transport. The Wunder will arrive shortly."

"Mari! Ah, can-can't breathe! Let go! Let me go!" Her ribs ached as the other squeezed her tightly, the bruises along her torso flaring up again in pain.

"No! This is the least you deserve for scaring me like that!" The girl tightened her grip on the other, eliciting a squeak of pain from the redhead.

"Agh! Goddamnit let go!" After a few moments of struggling, she was able to wrench off the others grip, backing off as Mari pouted at her.

Asuka decided to try and lighten the mood for the other.

"Mari, come on. Did you really think they could ever kill someone as great as me?" Mari chuckled, wiping the few tears that had escaped her eyes.

"Good to see your ego is still in one piece." She laughed as the redhead frowned at the comment, her laughter only increasing at the other's one finger salute. Asuka groaned as her sister continued to laugh at her expense.

"You're lucky you're my sister, asshat."

"Oh come on, you know you love me."

The return trip had been surprisingly fast. The medical checkup at Arles had been fast, most of her injuries having healed without complication. The only thing they had done was give her some painkillers for the heavy bruising she had, but after that she had been put in a VTOL, and sent right back to the Wunder.

Now here she was, standing in the captain's quarters, ribs still aching from Mari's "kind" greeting from before. Mari had been all over her, asking her constantly if she was okay and feeling right. Normally, she would have already told the other to go away, but considering that apparently most of the crew had believed she was dead, she let the other dote on her for a bit, even if it was getting really annoying. This might have been the first time in her life she was thankful Rei and Sakura weren't the talkative types. Mari was enough. The door hissed open, cutting off what Mari was going to say, as Misato entered.

"Oooh, hey cap. How was the meeting with Ms. Malpractice?" Misato glared at her with an annoyed expression at the nickname she had created for Ritsuko.

"It was fine. You're lucky I'm not in the demoting mood today, Makinami." Mari smirked at that, a familiar cheshire grin making its way onto her face. Misato ignored the girl's comment, glad to see the other finally happy again. She walked over to where Asuka was standing and hugged the girl, the other surprised at the sudden gesture of kindness.

"It's good to have you back." The hug was broken after a second, the captain going around her desk and sitting down.

"So you mind telling us how you managed to escape from SEELE? Any useful info you managed to find?" She had taken her glasses off, tired eyes looking at Asuka with concern and intrigue. Asuka rubbed the back of her neck as she pondered her next words.

"Um, well, I didn't really escape. Some guy broke me out. Not really any useful info I can tell you. The days inside were a blur, all they really did was beat me, and most of the members who saw me got killed during the breakout." Mari smirked at that.

"Oooh, damsel in distress. Got your knight in shining armor, huh? Did you at least give your prince a nice rew-" Misato cut her off before she could continue.

"Mari, just stop." The girl huffed, crossing her arms and pouting.

"Party pooper. No cake for you." Misato rolled her eyes, turning her gaze back to the redhead who was currently rubbing her temples in annoyance at the girl.

"And what about the man who helped you?" The redhead quietly sat in thought for a moment, seemingly figuring out what to say.

"I don't know. I never saw his face. He always wore a ski mask around me, never spoke either. Never gave me his name. Pretty tall, light skin, blue eyes." Tall, light skin and blue eyes was all they had to go with, and in Europe those traits didn't narrow stuff down much.

"And why didn't you bring him back? You do know we have to question civilians who get involved with WILLE business. For all we know he could be a plant from NERV or SEELE, collecting info on us." Asuka shook her head at that.

"No, definitely not an agent. I don't know of any plants that get into shootouts with their own men, and I'm pretty sure spies wouldn't stomp in the skull of a superior officer just to maintain cover. He didn't ask for any information on WILLE either." Misato frowned again. If he wasn't with SEELE or NERV, why hadn't he come back? What was the other hiding?

"And why is he not here?" Asuka hesitated at that, seemingly conflicted.

"I tried." Her voice was far softer than normal, eliciting an arched eyebrow from Misato.

"He drove me back, I told him he had to come with me to the Wunder. Shook his head. I grabbed his gun and pointed it at him, hoping I could maybe scare him into coming back. Stupid, I know, but he was bigger than me and I knew I couldn't exactly drag him back, so I hoped maybe he would comply through fear." She stopped there, seemingly conflicted with herself.

"You didn't shoot him, did you?" Asuka turned her head back up to the other woman, eyes wide at the accusation.

"No! Jesus, no! Crazy bastard didn't even react. Grabbed the gun and put it to his head. He just stood there. Almost like he was daring me to shoot him. Didn't even flinch, just kept the gun pressed against his head until I got scared enough to put the gun down. He walked away after that, and I let him go." Misato frowned at that.

"So you were saved by a crazed gunman with a death wish. Any other identifying features? Any motives you can think of as to why he didn't just kill you?" Asuka sat for a moment, eyes staring at nothing as she tried to recall details.

"Not sure about his motive. Only thing I was able to get out of him was apparently that SEELE had 'hurt those who he loved.' So I'm guessing whatever issues he has with SEELE, it's personal. Probably had family that he lost to them. Gonna guess some sort of combat veteran with a vendetta. Definitely knew his way around a rifle." She sighed, readjusting herself on the chair she had sat down in.

"As for physical stuff, not much. He has a pretty noticeable scar running along his hand. Never really saw him in anything but long sleeved shirts and jeans, so If he has more identifying attributes, I didn't see them. Only other thing I can say would be a scar near his left eye, maybe a burn? I can't really say. He wore goggles most of the time, only caught a glimpse once or twice." Goggles? Mask? She did not like the thoughts that brought up, and forced herself to remain silent as Asuka reached down, picking up the pack that was next to her chair, placing it on her lap.

"I'm not sure if this will help, but this pack too, it was his. Lost mine after the crash, so he cleaned this out and let me use it for my stuff." She patted the backpack on her lap. She paused, before patting a specific spot on the backpack again, eyebrow raising in confusion.

"Wait, I didn't put anything in that pocket." Misato watched as the girl unzipped a side pocket quietly rummaging through it before her hand came out, holding a notebook, and a… music player? Misato had to shake off the feeling of familiarity staring at the music player. Asuka observed it for a second, before offering it to Misato.

"Here. This might help. This isn't mine. I'm guessing this is his stuff that he forgot to take out." Misato quietly took the offered items, looking at the player. Clicking the play button, she found it still worked, and it seemed that the batteries within it still had some power. Grabbing a spare cord for her computer speakers, she connected the player to it, letting the tape inside rewind before hitting play.

Soft tones of piano notes filled the air, the notes of classical music being heard. Mari smirked hearing the music.

"Seems the guys got a soft side to him. Man sis, you really should have taken your shot."

"Mari, shut the Hell up."

"No can do." Misato was ignoring the two, a fear creeping into her chest.

She was not one to care for classical music. She had grown up listening to what was on the radio, drinking and partying in college to whatever was popular at the time. She couldn't name a classic artist to save her life.

And yet she knew this song. She didn't know the name, she didn't know who made it, and yet this was familiar. She had heard it before. But where? Her mind searched for an answer, before she realized. It had been years ago, but she remembered. Before the third impact.

She had heard it from a certain someone. And that music player looked awfully familiar, too. She swallowed, hoping the conclusion her mind had reached wasn't true. She looked back towards Asuka. She had to be sure.

"Can you describe what he wore? Be detailed." The girl snapped out of her conversation with Mari, realizing Misato's question, and began to answer. The more the girl talked the more the feeling of anxiety in her chest rose. It all added up. Same clothes, same disguise, same scars.

"-and that's all I saw him wear. Why? Have you seen him before?" Misato didn't answer, instead reaching into her desk and reaching for a manila folder. She opened it, hands trembling as she quietly placed a printed photograph on the table for Asuka to see.

"Is this the man you saw?" The image was grainy, and from a low angle, the man in slightly different clothing and holding a rifle, but as soon as Asuka laid eyes on the image, she knew.

"Yeah... that's him. That's exactly who saved me. Why do you have an image of him? Is he a fugitive? Some sort of secret WILLE agent that I'm not supposed to know about?" Asuka looked back up at Misato, eyebrows furrowed. Misato didn't answer, still in shock from the realization. Of course that boy had helped her. That fucking boy had risked his own life to save Asuka. Even after all this time, her boy was still a bleeding heart. She would have smiled if not for the horrific violence Asuka had described a moment earlier.

"Yes. We know who they are. They are not with WILLE." She did not elaborate, even under Asuka's questioning gaze. She hoped the girl wouldn't press, but she watched as the sharp girl began to piece together clues, and slowly came to her own conclusion. Looking at Mari, it seemed she already knew. She wouldn't be surprised if the damn snoop had seen the image before.

"Oh come on Cap. Both you and I both know who it is at this point. I think it's about time we got the princess up to speed." Asuka turned her gaze towards Mari, suspicion growing at that statement. She was beginning to realize that both Mari and Misato knew who it was and weren't telling her. This was starting to piss her off. What the hell were they hiding from her? Sakura's voice cut in before she could speak.

"Captain, if it's something that you don't want the crew to know, we can leave." Misato sighed, seemingly fighting an internal battle before looking back at Sakura.

"No. I'll let you in on this, you all know this person. It's only fair I bring you into the fold. The only caveat is that for now, what I'm about to tell you does not leave this room. Understood?" The girl nodded at the request, curiosity getting the better of her. Misato turned to the others, watching as they all nodded under her gaze.

Asuka had a sneaking suspicion of who she was referring to, and her heart rate picked up when the captain mentioned how she had apparently seen this person before. Who had they all seen? Well, nearly everyone she had known was in WILLE, or dead. This person had apparently seen all of them at one point or another, and yet wasn't working for WILLE? She decided to nod her assent to the woman, waiting for her response to hear who it was.

"This 'stranger,' that helped you?" She tapped the photograph on the desk.

"That's Shinji."

What.

She stared at the woman in disbelief, thinking it was maybe some sort of elaborate prank, mind ignoring the fact that the woman almost never joked nowadays. She looked to Mari, who seemed to be following her train of thoughts.

"Sorry princess, but it's not a joke this time around." She stared back at Misato's face, the gaze serious without humor.

She looked back to the image and thought back to the familiar man that had nursed her back to health. She dug her face in her hands in anger at having missed so many obvious details in hindsight. A low growl of anger escaped her throat as the realization of how thoroughly fooled she had been set in.

"That fucking asshole!"