A DISTANCE VOICE THAT WHISPERS TO YOUR INNER SOUL

I'm so sad the man I know as my adopted father has to leave but our time always feels to short. Despite that I talk to him over a private channel from home. I told him the truth tonight about my family and who they really are because having told Asuka I had to tell him and once more he proved why he is the best person I know and someone I can always trust. He said where I come from doesn't matter one bit what matters is how I embrace the present and behave and what's in my heart.

I told him how it went with Asuka and that she was on my side and he said I shouldn't worry because all her family will see my side of the story and that I'm not to blame but I'm still unsure. I guess I should hope for the best but prepare for the worst and if they are angry, then they are angry and they have every right to be. I watch as the huge air craft carrier starts up as the two Euro fighters take to the air.

Marcus breathed in deeply seeing that Mari looked sad clearly because he had to go. He knew their conversation about who her real family were, was not the end of the conversation not by a long shot and they'd need to talk much more in the coming days. He moved toward Mari pulling her in to a warm hug. "Don't worry kiddo it's all going to be okay. Believe me you'll be forgiven for what happened between you and your little sister."

Mari breathed in deeply trying to ignore the sting of her tears. "I wish you didn't have to go."

Marcus smiled. "I don't want to go ether Mari, I'd rather be here with you but you know I have to go I have to protect Nerv's Bethany base in London." He pulled away stroking her hair. "You just keep making strides like I always tell you." He eased up his army boot. "Best foot forward as they say."

Mari laughed slightly. "You mean dirty boots because I was never good at keeping them clean." Marcus laughed. "That's my girl, with your funny humour." He smiled as he stepped inside the aircraft carrier. "You visit me, when you have your next Nerv holiday at Christmas."

Mari raised her hand. "I will!" She heard the engine roar as huge Lockheed air craft carrier took off rising in to the air as Marcus gave her his final wave, before closing the door as it lifted higher as the two Euro fighters went along side as the cores meant all planes and helicopters could keep pace with each other. Though like cars and motorbikes Euro fighters had more cores like all the other jet fighters and could hit really high speeds. She breathed in as the three planes vanished from sight she was going to really miss him, she always did whenever he was away.

"Did you and Marcus have fun?"

She turned as Maya's hand took hold of her own much to her surprise. She breathed in painfully. "Yeah it did but he has to go home now." Maya looked up seeing the sadness in Mari's eyes she'd kept away to give her space as she didn't see Marcus that often but now he was leaving after being here very late at night despite saying he'd leave earlier.

He and Mari had chatted on and off whenever they'd had a free moment, from what she'd been told. "I realize that Toji and Sakura already left and it's too late for you to visit them but you can come around to my home tonight."

Mari's face turned to a mix of confusion and uncertainty. "Are you sure it's just I thought you'd be mad with me. Because I realized that I screwed up the other day and now everyone knows that we are a couple. Even Marcus knew because he told me about it before I was going to tell him. Apparently Kyo told him while they were drinking together. As he said he wants to see Asuka tomorrow, but tonight he really wants her to get her rest."

Maya looked up slightly. "I was kind of mad at first I confess but after I had a long sleep I realized something. It's only a shock to everyone because I don't normally date and at first I was afraid that Ritsuko was going to pull some crappy rank on me. About you being my subordinate and me breaking rules but she never did she never cared, she just mocked the whole thing in her normal dismissive way." She eased her hand up putting it on Mari's face. "It just made me realize why should I care about what others think? When it's what I want and what you want."

Mari raised her hands. "You know this throws a fucking spanner in the works. Because I had this whole speech prepared on how I was really sorry and how it won't happen again and that I spoke without thinking as I was so excited and happy."

Maya shook her head sadly. "I think you've done enough apologising today Mari. I watched you with Asuka and it was very hard to watch even though the none-see through glass as I had to open the main doors to let your sister and Rei and Shinji out of quarantine."

Mari breathed in painfully. "So you heard everything? Maya nodded moving her hand up running it though Mari's dark hair. "Yes I heard everything and I saw how hard it was for you." She paused as leaned up as Mari lowered herself giving her a gentle kiss on the lips before putting her hands on the side of the taller woman's face. "Now come home with me Mari I'll cook you something nice and you can sleep in bed with me." Mari felt a sly smile form. "So you're not up for more fun time?" Maya took hold of her hands. "I might be depends on how fast you can drive."

8

We are finally home its felt like such a long day but I'm so glad to be back here, we both are. This is our home and even though it's very late, it's special to us. I've missed the smell of the farm land and rice fields and Asuka's sun flowers which are on the front of the house. I can't wait to be seated on the sofa and back in our bed. It will feel like this awful event is finally over and we will finally have some normality.

Rei opened the door to their home she walked inside putting the second key in the IDHS system watching as it all sprang to life. Asuka's coffee maker started as the flat screen came down though it didn't come on though the other screen opposite for video calls came down opposite.

Asuka stepped inside hearing the sudden thrilling meowing as Erika came running towards her, her yellow eyes wide. She leaned down gently picking her up feeling the cat rub her face against hers. "I missed you so much Erika."

Erika began to purr softly as she stroked her watching as Rei closed the door putting down the bag of gifts. She could see their mail stacked up neatly close to one of the shelves along with a small black box addressed to Rei from Mari.

She had no energy to go through her mail right now she just wanted to relax. She slowly seated herself with Erika who carried on purring as Rei down sat next to her. "I'm so happy to be home." Rei leaned over stroked Erika who instantly started to rub her head against her hand. "So am I, I really missed our home." She eyed the cat as she looked up at her. "I missed you too Erika."

Asuka loosened her grip on Erika watching as the Tortoiseshell cat moved to sit on the younger woman purring as Rei stroked her. "She really missed you to." She pulled off her patch throwing it on the coffee table as she put her feet on it.

Asuka eyed the flat screen again. "That's weird it's normally on." She watched in surprise as Anneberg's face suddenly appeared on it. He smiled flashing the screen up in multicolours. "You are finally home I missed you both so much!" Asuka felt a smile form. "We missed you to Anneberg."

She stared at him for a long moment as the confusion took over. "How are you on our flat screen?" Rei carried on cuddling Erika. "Yes I'm rather confused I know you couldn't contact us both on our phones as they are being replaced, due to what happened and that mine was compromised. We both have to buy new ones tomorrow which Ritsuko wants to modify so they work even in places which have lost all connection to the telephones lines and the web."

Asuka raised her hand. "Mari put you on here didn't she?" Anneberg flared his teeth. "No I asked Cheshire to help me hack the IDHS system. He gave me the codes he didn't have Mari's permission." He paused before speaking. "I just really wanted to help you protect this house." Rei looked at him for a long moment. "We are grateful but you don't have to do this." Asuka breathed in deeply. "Seriously Mari had nothing to do with this?"

Anneberg blinked. "No it was all me…I wanted to do this but you wouldn't let me." Asuka breathed in deeply wishing she wasn't feeling tired all over again. "Yes because you're our friend you're not our house servant or slave."

Rei turned slightly running her hand gently though Asuka's red hair letting it spill through her fingers. "You know if he wants to do this maybe we should let him, as this is clearly his choice." Anneberg looked up slightly. "It is my choice it's what I want and I can protect this house far better than the IDHS system."

Asuka looked down slightly maybe the reality was Anneberg was growing beyond her she knew it would happen one day but she was still not prepared for it. She knew what having your growth as a child stunted was like and how it made it difficult for you to see your outward potential and she would never deny Anneberg that.

She looked up feeling a smile form. "Then if you really want to this Anneberg then it's not right for me to stop you." She paused watching as the joy appeared in his face. "But you must do the best job you can as I expect you to protect both the downstairs and upstairs to the best of your ability, it's a big reasonability."

Anneberg face formed a smile. "I won't disappoint you. I'm ready for this responsibility." He paused as he turned to the screen opposite which was open. "Incoming phone call it's your grandmother, Kolby and Aili."

Asuka looked up slightly. "Put them through." Asuka watched as her grandmother appeared on screen, followed by Kolby and Aili appearing on the other side of the screen as her grandmother's face turned to utter joy as she spoke in Japanese unable to hide her tears of joy. "My little one I'm so happy your back."

She turned to Rei. "And you to, we missed you so much." Kolby pressed his screen clearly turning on the translator so Aili could understand and speak in the language as she wasn't fluent in Japanese. "Yeah we all really missed you the family has been wall crawling here we were really worried about you. Both Mari and Shinji were feeling the same."

The tall blonde woman with burning brown eyes who was in her early thirties and heavily pregnant voice hit the air. "Yes the family has been so worried about you as have I."

Asuka breathed in deeply. "We are just glad to be home."

Rei carried on stroking Erika's head listening to her slow purr. "Thank you Aili we both missed you to."

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

She paused. "How is the baby?"

Aili put her hands on her stomach. "Healthy and kicking but I have heard that's a family trait."

Geraldina felt a smile form. "Yes it is Asuka's mother was a kicker so was Kolby before he was born and so was Asuka inside the birthing chamber."

Kolby smirked as he stroked his black beard. "Yeah and me and Asuka weren't born that long after each other. There are only a couple of years between us and she used to come around to my dad's house and play with me sometimes." He turned to Asuka his blue eyes turning serious. "It is so great to have you back."

He paused suddenly looking uncertain. "We heard that Ankh tortured you." Asuka looked at her hands. "They tried to torture me they didn't succeed. One bastard even tried to pull my face around I bit his hand with my razor sharp teeth till he bled." Rei looked up slightly. "They didn't touch me they treated me as a guest."

Geraldina's face filled with concern. "But why take you, why torture you?" Asuka looked at her. "Some verfickte crazy talk about me being a death god in human form…clearly their confused by me almost causing an impact." She paused not sure about how to say her next words as she pulled out her Korth combat revolver from her leather jacket which Misato had returned to her along with Rei's pistol. "The leader of this group is someone you thought you'd killed Grandma. You may not like where the rest of this story is going to go and Nerv will probably issue a full report to you tomorrow but I want to get this out in the open now."

Geraldina looked up in confusion as did the others. "That gun was from the Hyena of Vasai, I killed her she was vile child murdering bitch." Asuka shook her head sadly. "No she tricked you Grandma."

She carefully placed the gun down. "My Mama's husband Langley that was her son and Mari is her grandchild and she has two other older grandchildren Christopher and Achika." Geraldina's face turned to utter shock along with the others. "Grandma there something you need to know the Hyena is the one that tried to drown me. I didn't fall in she threw me in."

She paused. "She made the other children watch me drown it was like a rite of passage for them…but Mari went against it. She jumped in to save me, because she loved me more than them. I couldn't remember the memory but now I do all so clearly."

She looked up meeting her grandmother's gaze. "That woman horse whipped Mari for saving me she still has the scars today." She felt Rei put a hand on her knee squeezing gently. "I'm telling you this because I know you would have found out and Mari is not like her family. She hates these people as they abused her and she feels really awful about what happened."

She looked up slightly. "The point is I don't want this to change how our family feels about her to me she's still my big sister and I don't want that to change." Kolby raised his hands. "Hey if you trust her we are good with it."

Aili raised her hand. "Same here, we trust your judgement." Her grandmother's fist suddenly slammed down hard as the pure rage appeared in her eyes. "That vile woman escaped me tried to drown you and abused Mari with a horse whip and now she captures you and Rei. I'm going to make sure she dies this time, if it's the last verfickte thing I ever do. I always knew Langley was off but Nerv never took me seriously!"

Asuka raised her hands. "Grandma as much as I'd like you to join on that I feel you dealing with Mari is more important right now. She knows this will come out, she knows you'll find out and I want to make sure that she feels nothing has changed. Because she was on her knees to me this morning begging for forgiveness it was heart-breaking."

Her grandmother's anger faded as she looked at her, her face turning to concern and sadness along with the others. "I'll make sure that happens and I will tell her that she's not to blame as she was looking after your house while you were gone with Shinji and it was hard on them as they missed you."

Asuka breathed in deeply. "I missed you all so much."

Rei looked up slightly. "I did too."

Geraldina breathed in painfully knowing nether of them would like this. "You know they will assess you over the next week. You both won't be allowed to pilot and they could even give you both post traumatic syndrome medication and therapy again. They did it to me after my tour in the Ukraine where we saw some terrible things during the civil war."

Asuka breathed in deeply. "I expected as much Misato said she was going to debrief us with Kaji."

Rei took in a deep breath letting it out slowly. "Well we did therapy together once we can do it again."

Asuka looked at her hands. "I did this once I can do it again…even if it does verfickte suck."

8

This body it's so adult so divine so grown up. I have experienced such a wonder being inside it, it is like being inside a warm coat she does not feel me not yet but I feel her oh god do I feel her. Her memories, her life, her loves and losses and I can't help but stem my curiosity.

Every organ works nothing is broken it's also healthy and no emotion has any numbness. Her stomach works, her guts can digest food her lungs can take deep breaths. Her heart beats a beautiful rhythm unlike mine used to and her bones are strong. She's well fed and taken care off and her womb functions normally as mine never did my periods were always short due to it not working right but hers work and she could one day bear children if she desires.

I wonder what sexual attraction and desire is like in this body? I see something that is somewhat strange in this body it only turns on via emotional connection and then it kicks in how strange. I never had that it seems almost unfair that she does and yet with a movement of my finger I can open that walled pillar deep in the back of her mind.

It should not be there anyway clearly it was put there to hurt and deny her, she should feel like I did when I was alive and stopped taking my medication. May be they forced her to take medication maybe that is why she can't feel that. Well it would be most impolite to not give her, what is rightfully hers.

Rei felt her eyes snap open as she blinked in the darkness feeling her breath come of sharply as she realized she was sweating and she had no idea why. Maybe it was a bad dream or something she lay back on the pillow instantly catching sight of Erika who was sleeping soundly at the foot of the bed on her fluffy fake fur cat blanket.

She turned watching as Asuka came in to view she was sleeping beside her she could see the faded bruises which weren't as angry as they had been but they were still very tender all over her body despite the second set of LCL bandages being washing off. She'd had to help her wash in the large tub though she'd felt it was better to just get in with her since it could easily fit two and help her wash down fully.

It had felt almost like a cleansing ritual since the tub had smelled like heaven and had been filled with bath salts. It had made her realize how much you could take for granted. She had missed everything here in their home. She'd missed the rooms the back garden the smell of trees, their cat Erika and the sensation of sitting together washing each other's body and hair.

She paused as her eyes and mind suddenly went off track to Asuka's sleeping form as the other woman was dressed in a yellow oversized t-shirt and due to her curled up position she could see way more as she could see her breasts and collar bone.

She felt the spark hit her lowers before she could stop it oh gods it was burning heat and it caught her completely off guard, she wasn't used to her body being turning on this way. It didn't normally happen the emotions built up first followed by the sensation once the kissing started and went further than the sexual feeling kicked in but she had never been turned on this way just by mere thoughts she'd always felt absolute control.

She felt her breathing start to get faster and the sound of her heart beat as it began to drum in her chest as the feeling got more intense and her sense of control started to waver. The sexual images were starting to appear in her mind with crystal clarity. She wanted to touch the other woman's body even put her hand between her legs and get her fired up sexually even though she knew it was deeply inappropriate and she was sleeping. Yet she wanted to kiss her so badly, more than she wanted to breathe.

She leaned forward moving closer to her face feeling her breathing become even more ragged as she got with inches of her lips only to stop herself. What in the name of gods was she even doing?! She turned away completely from Asuka who turned in her sleep mumbling in German though nothing she understood.

She closed her eyes trying to focus elsewhere wanting this sensation to go away. Even Shinji wouldn't be stupid enough to do something like this. Plus she knew the rules of consent since Misato had told them to her over and over growing up which was don't touch men and women in their sleep it was wrong and out of order wake them up first.

Maybe she could just go in to the bathroom and masturbate or something since that's what people normally did and she had done it in the past but never because she'd been this sexually wound up. She turned feeling something rub against her realizing it was Erika as she was pawing at her leg which meant she wanted to get on her. She turned over letting the tortoiseshell cat move as she pawed at her pyjama top before settling down wanting her face stroked which she started to do hearing the Erika purr, so much for that idea.

8

Toji slowly walked the Arcade twenty fifth level seeing that shops were starting to open. He was here to early but it was due to Sakura's early test as she'd gone up the Nerv School to study as it was today. He turned watching as more metal screens went up on shops it would be over an hour before the others got in and Mari had not been able to visit as she'd been with Marcus and she'd been there very late and she'd sent a message that she'd gone to Maya's house again.

He smiled inwardly he hoped she had fun again as it was nice to see her when she was in that kind of mood as she was full of energy and really happy. He turned breaking out of his thoughts catching sight of Sumire as she was sitting at Café on the level below eating her breakfast and drinking coffee.

He breathed in deeply preparing himself he could do this. He wasn't scared asking out women was easy right? Mari had done it loads of times with Maya but she had been rebuffed. Why was this chicken shit hard, you just go up to her and ask right? He took in a deeper breath as he walked down to the lower level. He could do this and it was now or never, he knew he wanted to and Sakura liked her.

He rose his hand watching as she looked up. "Hey there!"

Sumire looked up from her coffee she felt a smile form as he calmly sat opposite her. "Hello Toji it's so nice to see you."

She felt her smile widen. "How is your sister Sakura?"

Toji shifted his seat a little closer. "She's doing okay we are in early because she has a test."

Sumire finished her coffee. "I hope she does well."

Toji put his hand behind his neck rubbing trying to ignore the nervousness. "I just wanted to ask something because we are friends and I think you're really nice and my little sister really likes you."

He watched her blink almost in confusion clearly because he was rambling. He took in a deep breath as he spoke despite that it was loud. "Would you like to go out on a date with me?" He paused before speaking in an even bigger rush. "Because you know, I really like you!"

Sumire put her coffee down staring at him was this for real? A well-trimmed butch nice guy who was an Evangelion pilot was asking her out? She breathed in feeling unsure of her next words. "You….want…to date me?"

Toji felt a wide grin form. "Yeah." Sumire felt the confusion hit home. "You want to date me despite what I told you about myself?" Toji raised his hands. "Yes!" He paused. "I'm sorry I'm being really forward you know I'm not good at this, Mari is way better at this than me." Sumire looked at her half-finished plate. "No its okay, it's just I don't get asked out on dates that often I'm not used to it." Toji sat up slightly. "I don't see why, you're really hot!"

He put both hands in front of his mouth realizing that that could come off as really rude. "I'm sorry that came out all wrong."

He turned only to watch as she started to laugh. Sumire breathed in as she stopped her laugher looking at him frankly she wasn't offended at all by that comment as she didn't hear that much ether. She turned giving him her best smile. "I'm not offended it's nice to be appreciated in that way from a strapping beefcake like you."

She paused. "So where did you want to take me on this date?" Toji leaned forward feeling the excitement hit. "Wait, so you want to go out with me?" Sumire felt a sly smile form. "Yes I do, where were your planning on us going?"

Toji raised his hand. "I don't know lunch somewhere in Tokyo three together and then you can come back to my place or I can go to yours just tell us which one, as I can have Mari look after Sakura for a while, when I'm gone." Sumire looked at him. "Whatever works for you Toji, I don't mind."

End of part 37

Silvermoonlight