It was late at night in the massive underground complex known as NERV. Most of it's staff had gone home for the day. The only people that were remaining were the graveyard shift,a few guards ,and one Ritsuko Akagi.

We find the the faux blond scientist in her office with the lights off, she liked it dark for some strange reason. As usual she is typing on her computer at breakneck speed , back slightly hunched over and eyes speedily scanning the text in front of her.

She was currently reading over the pilots' most recent psych evaluations. It was the last piece of work she had to do before she could go home and relax for a couple of hours before she has to come back and start again.

She had already finished with Rei's and Auska's which only left Shinji. She clicked on the report and began speeding through it as it opened.

As she read, she came across the report from NERV's personal therapist.

Her eyes widened a bit as she read over it. Shinji was showing symptoms of PTSD. Mentally he was sound , but it was the emotional part that was influencing him.

It went on to say that this was most like a result from his child hood and not getting the proper attention needed at that time of emotional development which was the root of his emotional instability.

She flinched a little bit as she remembered the boy's story. 'Who could blame him, he's been through a lot for someone his age, and all by himself too' Ritsuko thought to herself. She wished she could help in some way.

She closed the file and exited to her desk top , an orange kitten with a birthday hat on. She propped her head up with her hands by placing her elbows on her desk. She sighed, she knew that a case of PTSD this early in his life could lead to massive psychological trauma latter on in life.

She pulled out a cigarette and lit it with a silver zippo. She blew out the toxic smoke and rubbed her temples as she leaned back in her chair. She could put him on medication , but anything that would help him would be too strong for his liver.

He would need a transplant by the time he was 21 , and who knows how long that one would last? She racked her brain for answers. She and Shinji had grown close over the months he had been apart of NERV.

They started emailing each other , at first it was just to tell Shinji about sync tests and things of the like , but Shinji started whole conversations with her.

Their conversations gave her something to do when she was bored at NERV all day, and Shinji just wanted some one to talk to who didn't beat or tease him.

Ritsuko could have just ignored him , but the guilt of what they had already put him through had weighed on her.

She knew his estranged father only cared if he piloted the Eva , anything after that didn't matter, but it mattered to her. She looked at the cigarette burning in her hand as she tried to think of s solution , but she was stumped.

She sighed again as she put her cigarette out in a nearby ashtray on her desk. She reached down and opened her lower left drawer and retrieved a pill bottle. She opened the bottle with her hand revealing about 15 or so 3 inch joints.

She took one out and put it to her lips as she lit it and inhaled deeply and held the smoke in for a few seconds before releasing it, sending a haze of blue smoke around the room.

Yes Ritsuko smoked pot. Not frequently , just occasionally. Especially when she was stressed out like she was at the moment. Since second impact several governments , including Japan's, legalized the drug to stabilize their economy, and that was good enough for her.

Ristuko took another hit as she felt the drug take effect. Her muscles relaxed and her eyes dropped slightly as she felt the tension flow out of her.

"Now then what could I give Shinji to make him feel better?" She said in a sing song way as she took another hit leaning back in her chair as she did so.

Her question went unanswered as she heard a knock at her door. She put the joint out in her ashtray and got up to answer it. She punched in her code in the number pad near the door that controlled the door's lock.

The door slid open to reveal Shinji. She cast an analyzing gaze over the boy. He had grown a good foot or so and his hair was down to his shoulders, he looked slightly thinner. 'He hasn't been eating right' She surmised.

She could see something had happened by the dark look in his eyes with darkening rings appearing around them.'Or sleeping by the looks of it/' She licked her lips as her mouth was dry now 'Damn cotton mouth' She thought to herself.

"Shinji is everything ok?" She coaxed.

He looked her in the eye as he spoke. "Not really, Auska went ape shit she just started her period, and I just couldn't take her ranting and raving anymore. Think I could just hide out here for a while?" He pleaded.

Ritsuko thought about it. She was going to leave , but her mind wouldn't let her turn him away. 'Ill just hang out with him for a while.' She thought to herself feeling her buzz clearly now.

He walked in and looked around. As he sat down in front of Ritsuko's desk he smelled a weird odor. It smelled like cigarette smoke, but it was much more...loud.

"Ritsuko what's that smell."

Ritsuko had sat down and looked at the joint in the ashtray and then Shinji.

Joint

Shinji

Joint

Shinji.

An idea shot into her by now completely baked mind. A large shit eating grin came onto her face. She picked up the joint and lit it. She then brought it to her lips and inhaled as she brought her Zippo to it.

She held it in before opening her mouth and forming an O and blew a smoke ring in Shinji's face. She then reached out and offered it to him before speaking.

"Shinji I want you to try this." She said seriously.

Shinji looked at her like she was smoking crack. "Isn't smoking bad for you?" he said confused as to why she would offer him a cigarette.

"This isn't a cigarette Shinji its a joint , a cigarette with marijuana in it , now before you say anything it is not illegal and has been proven to help people with various physical as well as mental conditions. I think it might help you with what your going through right now."

Ritsuko had to admit the boy had really stepped up to the plate. He literally has the weight of the world on his shoulders . Reluctant at first , but he had adapted and survived as well as taking the mantle as one of the protectors of the world.

Shinji looked away at that. Lately he just felt uncomfortable around other people. He also had some trouble getting to sleep .He didn't really have any outgoing hobbies so he was by himself all the time. It really was starting to get to him.

The pros and cons bounced around in his head. He shrugged and took it from her.

"Now you have to hold it in for a while before blowing it out." She advised.

Shinji nodded as he brought the lit joint to his lips. He inhaled deeply, trying not to cough. He held it in for a little while before he was forced to let it out as he started coughing slightly. "That wasn't too bad." He said out loud, feeling his body numb slightly.

"Told you so , take another hit." She said urging him. She was curious to the out come. If she was right this could really help Shinji emotionally, and maybe get him to loosen up hopefully.

He took another hit as he felt his body relax as he slouched in the chair. He passed the joint back to Ritsuko.

They passed it back and forth, talking to each other about mundane things like school and just generally how things were going with Shinji. To Ritsuko's surprise he opened up and put things quite bluntly to say the least.

"I mean what did I do for her to be such a royal bitch to me. I mean god damn she slaps me in the face for shit I didn't even do on a daily basis.

I swear to god one of these days im going to pull that stick out of her ass and beat her with it." He said as he took a hit from the rapidly disintegrating joint .

They looked at each other , and busted out laughing at Shinji's ranting. They both wiped their eyes of tears.

Shinji felt great . He was getting a lot of stuff of his chest and it really released some weight off of his shoulders, and he felt tingly all over.

Ristuko put out the joint now turned roach after taking one last hit . "Well that's all she wrote." She said.

"That's ok I had a good time anyway." He said getting up. "Thanks for hanging out with me like this." He said sincerely.

"It was no problem." She replied. She had liked the results of their little sessions. Shinji seemed more at ease, and calm. Another marijuana induced idea entered her head.

"Hey Shinji how about you wait for me at my car and I'll drive you home, it is pretty late." Shinji nodded as he left to go to Ritsuko's car , he had gotten a few rides from her before. As he left Ritsuko got to work on her idea.

…..

Shinji was walking down the halls of NERV high as a kite everything seemed so...interesting and more defined to him.

His eyes were squinted and bloodshot. His posture straight yet relaxed. He smacked the inside of his mouth as he was really thirsty.

He walked by a drink machine and then walked backwards until he was in front of it. He put in his money into the machine and selected a Sprite. He picked it up from the dispenser and ripped the cap off and began taking big gulps of it before stopping to release a vibrating belch worthy of a god.

"Excuse me." He said chuckling slightly before continuing his way to Ritsuko's car , sipping his beverage along the way.

…...

He made it to Ritsuko's red Mazda 6. He didn't have to wait long as Ritsuko walked out of an opening elevator with her white lab coat still on. She had a medium sized black box with a blow bow on it.

"Boy do you look stoned." She said as she walked up to him.

"What?" He replied with a silly grin plastered on his face.

"Just get in the car" She said with a small smile.

"Are you ok to drive?" He said concerned about her well being.

"Pffft please I've been doing this for a while , plus there's not many people on the street this time of night anyway." She replied

As they got in the car she handed the box to Shinji. She nodded for him to open it as he looked her in the eye.

He opened the box to see several objects. He saw a black Zippo that Ritsuko had bought on a whim. Along with that was fluid for said Zippo, a large pill bottle of joints, eye drops, and finally a new Ipod touch.

He couldn't believe it he looked up to see a smiling Ritsuko.

"Consider it a late birthday present. Plus I thought you needed to replace your SDAT they don't make new music and that format anymore." She said as she started the car and pulled out of her spot.

The car ride home was relaxed. The radio was turned off and Ritsuko had the windows down, It was all very relaxing for Shinji. He laid his head against the head rest as the wind whipped through his hair.

Ritsuko couldn't help but think how handsome he looked when he was relaxed. 'Seems like the experiment was a success. With any luck he can start to have a more positive outlook on things and actually start living for once.'

She thought to herself. She thought of the possibility of Gendou interfering , but she knew anything outside of Shinji piloting he didn't much care for , so that base was covered.

Pretty soon they made it to his flat. "Now put that box on the top shelf in your closet , and if your going to smoke in your room open up your windows and burn some inscence , and if you need anymore just call." She said with a smile.

Shinji looked at her. He had a strange feeling in his chest. It was unfamiliar to say the least. No one really took the time out to advise him or really pay any attention to him in general.

Without warning he reached across the middle console of the care and enveloped Ritsuko in a hug.

"Thank you." He said.

Ritsuko was surprised. She would have never expected Shinji to be so open with his feelings. 'This may come out better than I thought.' She just needed to write a prescription so he didn't get in any trouble , just because it was legal doesn't mean it doesn't have rules along with it.

"Anytime." She replied as she returned the hug.

He then got out of the car and waved Ritsuko off as she drove to her own flat.

He then slowly made his way into his own home. He closed the door very softly as to not wake the volatile females that dwelled within. He slipped his shoes off and snuck into his room.

He left the lights off and walked up to his desk where his laptop was charging. He sat the box next to the computer and sat down as he turned it on. He unwrapped his new ipod and hooked it up to his computer.

Not many people knew this but Shinji had an extensive library of music. He just no had way of taking it with him since he only had an SDAT. He then synced his ipod , filling it with musicy goodness. He then got up and placed the box in his top shelf in his closet as Ritsuko had advised.

He then changed into a wife beater with some basketball shorts that he had gotten since arriving at Tokyo -3. He wrapped him self in the warm comfortable covers of his bed , almost instantly falling asleep.

…...

Well Shinji's a pot head now , what shall happen now while he is under the influence of the sticky herb. Only way to find out is to read the next chapter.

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