Finally going to send this off to RAAC.  One last post to make sure.

Disclaimer:  All characters portrayed in this story are the property of
their respective creators and companies.  I don't own any of them. 
Please don't sue me.

This story draws ideas from the anime of all series involved and happens
at the end of each one.

This story is part of my Preludes and Interludes series, which in turn
is part of my crossover series, Life and Times.

C & C welcomed.  Flames not.

Preludes and Interludes:  Ayanami Rei III

by

Donny Cheng

Third Impact aftermath...

	"Misato!  Misato!"

	Misato swatted at the source of the voice blindly in front of her. 
"Leave me alone.  Just ten more minutes and then I'll go to work."  She
tried getting back to sleep, but something in the back of her mind told
her something was wrong.  That's right, she remembered.  She was dead.

	Usagi jumped back as the woman in front of her suddenly bolted up from
bed and started to feel herself all over.  Usagi blushed, when the
woman's hands reached certain private areas.  "Yes, you're alive!  Don't
need to pinch yourself."

	"What?  How's this possible?  The explosion, the Evas, the..."

	"I can explain," Usagi cut Misato off.  "I guess I should introduce
myself first, my name is Usagi.  Yes, Misato, you did die.  But, the
soul does not leave a body that it has been attached to for nearly
thirty years so easily.  Your soul, along with the other Nerv
personnel's, just stuck around long enough for the Human Completion
Program to absorb it."

	"Then the Third Impact..."

	"It did happen, but we were able to reverse the process.  Don't ask how
we did it, because I'm not too sure myself.  Anyway, me and my friends
are going around making sure that those that did die just before the
program took affect make an easier adjustment to a new chance at life."

	"..."  Misato was silent as let this all sink in.  She was alive.

	"If you don't have anymore questions, I have go and check on the
other's that haven't awaken yet," Usagi said to Misato.  She tried to
resist the urge to look back and stare at the woman again.  She had a
nagging feeling that she had seen Misato from somewhere.

	Misato stared after the young woman that just left.  She felt this
Usagi reminded her of someone.  She shook off the feeling.  It was
probably nothing.  Her thoughts then turned to her moment of death.  She
touched her lips in remembrance.  DAMN!

			* * * * *

	"Rei, would you stop following me?"  Usagi turned around and faced
nothing but thin air.  However, that would last for only a moment.  The
third clone of the First Children mysteriously appeared as she walked
into Usagi's view from the shadow of the night.

	"I have a debt and I intend to pay it," Rei's voice was absolute and
offered no chance of rebuttal.

	"You know, it was really Hotaru that did all the work.  She's the one
that saved you.  She probably would have done that anyway even if I
hadn't given the order."  Usagi could have sworn she saw Rei redden in
the face at the mentioning of Sailor Saturn.  Those two weren't...

	"She is... occupied with something at the moment.  I will watch over
you until she is available again."  Ever since Hotaru had saved her, Rei
had kept a vigilant eye on the senshi.  During this time she caught
Hotaru watching Ranma doing a kata from a distance.  Saturn also seemed
to like him and was too shy to actually go up and talk to the First
Knight.  So, Hotaru just silently stood there while Ranma trained
alone.  Rei had chosen at that point to make a little noise that he
would be sure to hear and then promptly disappeared.  Before she faded
out she caught a glimpse of Ranma scanning the area with his eyes at the
sound.  Hotaru would have some explaining to do.

	Rei was not a person that could not share.

			* * * * *

	Misato found Shinji to be alone within the bare building that was once
part of Nerv HQ.  Their home away from home for the past year.  "Uh,
hi."

	"Hi."  Shinji tried fiercely to forget about his last moment with
Misato.  However, he was fighting a losing battle as blood rushed to his
face and his heart started to pound with maddening rhythm.

	Misato wracked her brain for something to say.  What do you say to
someone that you've all but declared love to?  She looked at Shinji who
had turned away from her.  Boy, he was cute.  Ah, to hell with it, she
thought.  She walked up to Shinji and turned him to face her.  "I
promised that we would do something about 'it' when we got out alive." 
Without another word, she pulled him in for a full-blown kiss.  She
guessed that maybe she did like younger men better.

	"Mmmmrph!"  It was hard to say anything with a tongue touching your
tonsils, which Shinji just happened to find out.

	"Misato!  First Ryouji and now Shinji?"  Asuka had apparently reached
the building also.

	Misato let go of Shinji, who had already fainted, and looked at Asuka. 
This was her rival?  She, a thirty-year-old woman, was chasing after a
fifteen-year-old boy, who had a fifteen-year-old girlfriend.  Misato
didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

			* * * * *

	Rei waited patiently to be admitted into the large office while she sat
on one of the plush chairs outside.  She didn't have to wait long as a
beautiful woman opened the doors and stepped out.

	"The Almighty will see you now," Belldandy said to the young angel in
front of her.

	Rei nodded and entered to office.  She was immediately treated to the
most awesome sight she had ever seen in her short life.  How did one
address the Almighty?  God?  Lord?  Master?

	"How about just father?"  The voice was gentle yet firm.

	Rei smiled.  That sounded right to her ears.  "Father."

			* * * * *

	Asuka looked apprehensively at the floating angel in front of her. 
Angel.  The word brought back bad memories.  "What do you want Rei?"

	Rei looked around at hastily rebuilt apartment Asuka shared with Misato
and Shinji.  It looked lived in.  Probably due in no small part to
Misato's habits than anything else.  "I came to speak with her."

	"Who?"  Asuka tried playing innocent, but she eventually came to the
conclusion that Rei did not fall for it at all.  Asuka sighed and put
fingers to each side of her temples.  "Hey, Rei!  Someone's looking for
you."

	Rei III waited for a moment as Asuka's body started shuddering.  Asuka
soon regained her composure and looked at Rei III with the same
dispassionate gaze.  "Hello, Rei."

	Asuka/Rei continued staring for a moment before replying.  "Hello,
Rei.  How did you know?"

	"Our father told me.  No, not Gendo.  Our real father."

	Asuka/Rei did not even blink.  "What did you want?"

	"I'm going to be going a way for awhile... for training.  I don't know
when I will be back.  Other than father, you are the closest thing I
have to family.  Your thoughts are always on my mind despite my best
efforts rid myself of them.  They will not let me have a moments rest
until I know for sure.  Are you happy?"

	Asuka/Rei thought for a moment.  She then smiled a rare and beautiful
smile.  "Yes, I believe I am.  Asuka doesn't seem to mind me anymore and
I get to be with Shinji-kun."

	"I'm glad."  Rei III smiled as the voices in her head quieted down.

	Asuka blinked a few times.  "Finished talking?"

	"Yes, she told me she was happy.  How about you Asuka?"

	Asuka frowned.  Other than Misato, life was perfect.  But she knew that
Rei wanted to know about what she felt about her sister.  "I should have
guessed that Shinji would waffle on me.  Don't get me wrong.  I think
this just proves he likes me more.  Sure he chose the both of us, but it
was my body and my mind he wanted first.  It feels nice being wanted. 
And if Rei being a part of me made that happen, I don't mind one bit.

	"Thank you, Asuka."  Rei III wished her predecessor and sister the best
of luck.  Now to find Moiraine.

			* * * * *

The End. (maybe)