No: 1 - Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion or any of the characters they are the property of their respective creators. Please be aware that no profit is being made from this work of fan fiction.

Third impact had passed, the souls of humanity had united as one when their AT fields had been dissolved, and now only two remained. One Ikari Shinji and one Soryu Asuka Langley. At present, the latter lay on her back, gazing up at the stars, her eyes red and swollen from her tears, until at last she could cry no more. Shinji had left her and now she was truly alone…

It had started less than a week before; she had awoken lying on this same beach. Clad in the remains of her plug suit, bandages over her left eye and all down her left arm, covering the injuries she had sustained during her battle against the MP Evas. It was then that he had come upon her, filled with a terrible rage he had straddled her and wrapped his hands about her throat. He had begun to squeeze, slowly cutting off the vital supply of oxygen to her lungs, strangling her. It was strange; those same hands that had reached out to her when she had been falling into the depths of the volcano during their failed attempt at catching an angel…those hands that had reached out to try to hold her…those hands so steeped in blood that it could never be washed away. He had tried to reach out to her for so long despite all she had done to him but now because of that those same hands would bring her death…

As if controlled by some will other than her own, her right hand reached up and brushed itself softly against the cheek of the boy. At the sudden contact the pressure on her neck ceased as his hands uncoiled from around her neck and he collapsed forward, sobbing softly against her chest…now as she recovered some of her senses a wave of bitterness welled up inside her, stupid boy! He couldn't even kill her right!

"Pathetic"

With all the strength she had left, she used her good arm to push him off from on top of her, unable to bear his presence any longer. She tried to lift herself into a sitting position but their was not enough strength left, she got a little way then simply collapsed back onto the damp sand and lay there starring up at the stars…

As the cold of night descended Asuka began to shiver, the remains of her plug suit giving little protection against the cold. She turned her head to the side, Shinji lay exactly as he was before, facing the skies with a vacant expression etched onto his features…it was now as she studied him more closely she noticed that he bore no injuries, whilst her left eye and arm were bound he looked as he had when she had last seen him. Once more, a vengeful wrath rose inside her. Using the strength she had gained from resting, she used her good arm to pull herself closer to him, as her hand accidentally brushed up against his arm she noticed how warm it was. Fuelled by the cold and desperation her anger melted away and instead of striking out at him she pulled herself closer, eventually positioning herself on top of him. Even now she could barely feel the warmth, she tore at his shirt desperately trying to get rid of the obstruction between her and the source of the heat, when it was open she began on his trousers and underwear…after a little while he lay there completely naked, but still she could not get warm…the plug suit! As quickly as she could she peeled away the final barrier separating their bodies. Now as she lay naked atop him a twisted thought entered her mind, why not defile him in the same way she had been by the 15th! Shifting her body slightly she began her revenge…

"Uhhh! Ahhh!"

Her cries echoed into the night as she reached her peak. Satisfied in a way she had never known could be possible she collapsed onto him and fell into a deep sleep. The next few days passed in a similar fashion, each day Shinji would venture into the city to find food for them and then during the night she would make use of his body before falling asleep on top of him. On the sixth night however something changed…

As Asuka once again tried to pull herself on top of him, he pushed her away…

"No."

That was the first word he had spoken to her since third impact had commenced, his voice held none of the conflicting emotions it once had, now it was a level monotone, not dissimilar to that of the first child. He stood then; turning his back to her, beginning to walk away until his form merged with the darkness…

In the time that followed, she simply laid there, images flashing through her mind. All of the times when Shinji had tried to be nice to her, all the times he had tried to help her despite her constant beatings of him and the verbal abuse. Even after everything she had done, he had still tried to help her…tears came then, all at once they burst forth, her vow never to cry again after her mother's suicide undone in an instant. She needed him…loved him, and because of her pride it was now far too late…

Hours passed and the first rays of sunlight began to appear on the horizon, she had fallen asleep and awoke to a shadow blocking out a segment of the light…he had come back! Now she would be able to tell him! Now was her chance to fix all that was wrong between them! It was then; when she looked up at him, she saw the object hanging loosely in his right hand…

The gun was simple in its design, unadorned by any form of decoration, a military design, most likely taken from what remained of one of the soldiers of the JSDF who had attacked the Geo Front. She opened her mouth to say something but the words died on her lips…this was what she deserved after all, now at least she would be free of this pain, free from the look in those eyes…

She closed her eyes, braced for the pain and when it did not come, she opened her eyes once more and stared up at him…he held the gun at his chest, the barrel pointing directly at his heart. For an instant he glanced down at her and their eyes met, frantically she tried to stand, to reach him before it was too late…

The gunshot rang out, the sound tearing apart the silence of the world and through his heart…

"No."

Chapter preread by That Other Guy