"It's so pretty.. I didn't know this place was on the grounds." Rei Ayanami's voice echoed faintly in the garden outside of NERV's headquarters, ringing slightly around the splashing fountain before her.

"You worked here so long and didn't know?" Shinji Ikari asked, slightly dubious.

"I was never told.. To come here." Rei replied softly, gently submerging her left hand into the warmed depths of the water. A slight silence hung in the air between the two silent figures, shattered suddenly by a slight sigh from Rei. "The first time we touched.. I didn't feel anything."

"Huh?" Shinji blinked.

"Your hand." She stated."

"The first.. that time?" Shinji interrupted, his fingers twitching in remembrance as he held a heavily bandaged and bleeding Rei in his arms.

"The second time.." Rei continued, either ignoring or deaf to Shinji's outburst. ".. It felt a little queasy. I think." Shinji blushed hotly as, unbidden, the scenario played itself before his eyes, his tripping and tumbling to the floor, reaching out for something to hold himself up and grabbing the towel Rei had wrapped around herself, having left the shower at hearing Shinji's disturbance of entering her home, pulling it from her and knocking her over with his own weight, and then kneeling on the floor, astride the naked form beneath him, Gazing down into deep red eyes, calmed, Rei's eyes.

"Ah.. About that.. I'm sorry.." He started.

Rei continued. "The third time.. I felt warm inside." Rei's voice had sunk into a soft murmur, her words seeming to float on the air before fading. "It was the heat from your hand. Even through the suit." "But the fourth time.." Shinji stared intently at Rei's stooped body. ".. I was just happy." "Happy that you were concerned about me." Tipping her head back and craning her neck Rei looked over at Shinji's prone figure. "Could I.." She began. "Hold your hand again?" She asked quietly, serenely. Shinji's hesitation lasted only a moment.

"Yeah." He stated, reaching out and slowly tangling his fingers within Rei's outstretched hand.

"Shinji! Rei! Where are you?" Misato voice rang through the metal walls of NERV in a high pitch whine. "Damn." She cursed once, turning down another corridor before blinking in surprise at the sudden lancing sunshine beaming down on her face. Silently and rapid, her eyes scanned over the soft green grass of the outside garden, sweeping over the fountain before placing a hard stare on the two silhouettes outlined in the sunshine. Stealthily marching over to them she growled to himself, several scoldings running through her head as she did, however she stopped, poised, no more than ten feet behind the pair as her eyes slowly flitted over the intertwined fingers of both Shinji and Rei. Groaning in consternation she approached the two.

"Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami!"

The effect was instantaneous, the pair twisted apart, turning to face Misato, Shinji's cheek's warming in an effort to hide a blush and Rei, unruffled by her sudden appearance. "Yes, Miss Katsuragi?" She intoned.

"What do you two think you're doing out here?! Get your behinds inside now!" Misato exploded. "For briefing! Shinji you shouldn't even be out here after what you just went through!" She snapped, Shinji quietly lowered his head in rebuke but no words passed his lips as he walked up to and past Misato, head still lowered and Rei slipping up behind him in his wake.

The duo made no comment as they marched through the metallic walls obediently, Misato watching from behind them as she sighed to herself. "Move!" Misato snapped irritatingly as they came to the air-locked doors, annoyed she slid her card down the card-reader on a side panel and entered the small, dimly furnished room with a satisfied hiss of escaping air as the doors closed. "Sit." She said, her voice controlled as she ushered the pair into two hard backed chairs.

She continued to stand. "Now after the Angel attack it's going to take some time for repairs to be made, possibly weeks as every one of the eighteen layers of the GeoFront has to be replaced or mended by the technicians. You've gotten some rest which will do for now as I intend to have you both training every spare minute in the time we have, we don't know when the Angels might attack again or how they will go about it. That being said I want the pair of you outfitted and ready for anything that may occur. Now go suit up! Meet me in the training facility in fifteen minutes sharp, we'll have your Eva's prepared." Sitting morosely in his chair Shinji suddenly paled. Misato surveyed the sudden lack of color in Shinji's face with compassion. She spoke again, her voice softer. "Don't worry Shinji, nothing bad is going to happen, we'll have everything under control." Shinji nodded, but said nothing. "That's all for now."

Misato turned on heel and walked towards the door stopping momentarily in the frame as she turned her head back to the two. "I saw what you two were doing at the fountain." Her tone was surprisingly neutral. "Do not let it interfere with your jobs. You're both Eva pilots first. Everything else comes second. We can't have any problems between the two of you jeopardize the fate of the entire world because you can't control yourselves. Am I clear?" Shinji swallowed and nodded, furtively glancing at Rei, who spoke.

"Do not worry Miss Katsuragi, there is nothing between Shinji and myself." With her head held high, Rei exited the room, moving around Misato and walking down the hall. Dumb struck, Shinji followed.

Shinji silently entered the suit rooms, moving to his own locker and opening it, pulling out his suit and his body moving without input from his mind, his insides abnormally cold in comparison to the warm room temperature. Did she mean it? He asked himself, What she said.. Turning his head Shinji eyed Rei as she dressed through the thin curtain set up to divide the room. Is there anything between us? Shedding his clothes Shinji pulled on his blue and white suit. Maybe it's better that way. He thought. What do I know of feelings anyway? Do I deserve love? Similar thoughts continued to plague Shinji's mind as he pushed a small red button on his wrist, the air decompressing from his suit as it molded to his body.

The curtain lifted up as Rei moved toward the door, suited up and without glancing at Shinji she reached for the door at the same moment he did, once more the two's fingers overlapped as they gripped the door knob. Neither made any move to pull back. Shinji spoke first, his voice cracking slightly despite his best efforts at control. "Rei.. About what you said.. To Misato.."

"It was the truth Shinji." She cut across him, turning her head to meet his gaze. "There is nothing between us.. Because I don't know what it could be.." She gazed at the floor, Shinji watched her pose silently, she looked vulnerable he thought. Helpless. He cleared his throat.

"If you want.." He started, his voice incredibly dry. Nonetheless a slow warmth was flowing over his body. "We could find out together.." He finished, licking his lips. Rei lifted her head and gazed at him for several long moments, before pulling her hand out of his and pushing the door open. Shinji's heart plummeted in his chest, resting someplace around his belly button. "Oh, okay then.." Shinji swallowed hard and stepped out the door before Rei reached out tentatively and slowly wrapped her arms around his torso, Shinji could feel her warm breath tickling his ear and the side of his neck.

"I'd like that.. Ikari-kun." She murmured, before the warm press of her body was gone and she stepped past him out the door. Staring stupidly at her back, his hand still gripping the doorknob Shinji slowly released it and followed after her, his lips curving with the ghost of a smile.

A/N: This idea actually came to me at two in the morning and I wrote this down on paper before I lost the general idea. Shinji may appear out of character simply because he's such a hard character to get into, from an emotional stand point. I also wanted a more emotional Rei, but weighing how she is and how I want her to be was rather complicated, but it's human nature when confronted with something alien, such as feelings for Rei, to either fight or flight. I wanted a more of an understanding caution. Which in turn I think is part of Rei herself.

For those wondering the scene in the beginning is taken from the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga volume eight stage fifty-four.