Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion but we all know who does.
Could it be Toei? No. DiC? No. Thank God... Gainax? Yup that's it.

The story of a man who wants another chance and a change.

Changes

He sat on an old wooden park bench to rest up for a while. His destination was about an
hour or two away and it had already taken him three hours to get to where he was now.
He knew he could have taken the train or someone could have driven him there but he
wanted to walk. It was his first day out in the sun after all and he welcomed its rays. He
breathed in the fresh air. His hands were already beginning to tremble from what he had to
do.

Sometimes he was tempted to just turn back. He knew that he would not be welcomed
when he got there but he also knew that if he did turn back, he would be running away.
Which he realized long ago he had been doing most of his life. He knew it was time to
face him.

He looked at his watch, 18:00. If he kept his pace, he would be there in an hour and
before it got really dark. He took in another deep breath, grabbed his suitcase and headed
for the newer section of Tokyo 3.

Things had certainly changed since he was here last. It was years ago when he still lived in
that apartment. And they were still constructing the neighborhood. He put his suitcase
down to rest for a bit. His age was getting up there and he could feel an upcoming pain on
his legs and thighs. "I'm going to have a hell of a pain tomorrow," he said under his breath.
He picked up his small suitcase again, only to be bumped into a little boy.

The boy looked at him with scared brown eyes. "I...I'm sorry Mister... Um.. I was in a
hurry," he said.

He could feel the boy tremble when he placed his old wrinkled hand on his small
shoulders. "It's all right, son," he said smiling.

The boy smiled back relieved. "Sorry," the boy said again, bowing to him. "I was just
running cause if I'm late for dinner again, my Papa's going to get mad."

He watched the boy run the opposite direction and smiled to himself. That boy was the
first person to actually talk to him since he began walking. It felt good to hear a voice and
see a smile directed at him instead of just ignoring him like the others he had passed. He
did not blame them though.No one really notices a man of his age anyway. He was like
everyone else now and was lost in the crowd.

And that was another thing that was new to him. There were actually people walking
around. They were talking, laughing. They were everywhere. It seemed they were finally
getting over the fact that those Angels weren't coming down anymore. It had been years
now since the last one attacked and it was almost peaceful. There were still small battles
going on, but they were easy battles. No one needed to be evacuated, no one needed to be
in shelters, no one needed to be scared.

He did not want to think about those things though, especially those Angels. It had been
15 years. Fifteen long years that made him think about his whole pathetic and lonely life.
Fifteen years of promising himself that someday, when he can smell the fresh air he
missed, he would try to change everything.

He dropped his suitcase. He was finally at his destination. It took him exactly one hour.
One thing for sure, even at his old age he still got the knack for being on time. He had
seen pictures of the place, so he knew exactly where it was. Acquaintances had given him
the pictures about 2 years ago. The house stood tall on a small hill. It was a large 2 story
brick home with white shutters and a white picket fence. It looked definitely peaceful and
comfortable. He could hear voices from inside filled with laughter. A man's voice saying
something. It was deeper now. More manly but he knew who it belonged to. He heard a
woman's voice next. It sounded familiar.

Again, he was reluctant. They sounded happy. Why interfere? But no. He cannot run
away. Not now. Not ever again. He had to do this. He did not want to die without doing
what he has planned to do.

He opened the white fence slowly, walking towards the looming double black doors. "It's
now or never," he said, pressing the doorbell. He wasn't expecting the door to be opened
so quickly. It made him jump.

"Sakura-chan! You're finally here!" A little girl with light brown pigtails squealed excitedly
but quickly changed her happy expression to one of shock and surprise. "Umm.. um..
You're not S... Sakura," she said.

"No. I guess I'm not." He looked at the girl. The site of her made him smile a little. She
looked about nine or so and was the exact image of both of them. He could see it. The
blue eyes, her hair, her nose. It was everything.

"Oh no. I did it again," she said, putting a small hand on her forehead, shaking her head.
"Papa told me never to open the door to strangers and look what I did."

"No...no, it's all right. Your Papa knows me."

She looked up at him and her face brightened up. "Honto?" She put a hand on her heart
and sighed, relieved. "I'm glad. How to you know my Papa?"

He was about to answer. "I am um.. I am.. his" ~So he never told his daughter about me~
he thought. ~It's just as well~

"An? Who are you talking to? Aren't you going to let Sakura-chan in?"

"It's not Sakura-chan, Mama. It's um... It's someone who knows Papa."

"Well, by all means, be a good host and let them in. And go get your Papa in his office."

"Hai." The girl opened the door wider. "You can come in, Sir. I'll go get my Papa." She
bowed to him and ran inside a hallway.

The woman's back was to him when he stepped inside. She was holding a baby in her
arms and was calling after the little girl. "An! How many times do I have to tell you not to
run around the house...." She sighed. "That girl never listens to me. Always her father. I'm
sorry about that. An gets a little excited whenever someone comes over. Um... so you
know my husband?" She turned around to look at him for the first time with a bright smile
on her face like her daughter had earlier on but her smile quickly disappeared. "It's... it's.."
She managed to say as she dropped the baby's bottle to the floor in her shock. "What are
you doing here?" There was a tremble in her voice.

The man remained calm. He could see that she was utterly terrified, angry, surprised at the
same time. "Forgive me," he said in a low voice. "B.. but.." He wanted so badly to say the
right thing but he could not find the right words. Just looking at her... It seemed like it
took him back 15 years.

She did not change much except that she looked more mature. She became a very
beautiful woman he noticed. Her hair was styled shorter ~ that was the only thing
different. The baby she held wiggled in her arms when she picked up the bottle. "It's OK
Aki, don't cry." She kissed the baby's cheek but kept staring at him. "I don't know why
you're here but you have to go." She shook her head not believing it. "This can't be..."

"I... I have to see my so..."

"No! Don't do this to us! Not now..."

"Asuka, who is it?" That voice. His voice. It was coming from the hallway.

She turned to the side turning her hot gaze away from him. She hugged the baby closer to
her "Shinji..." she said, her voice trembling.

"Papa, he's there see." An tugged at his black sweater and pointed at the man's direction.

Shinji looked at Asuka questioningly and saw how troubled her face was. "Asuka..."

Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned his head to see who it was. His eyes turned large from
shock. He put his arm around the woman's shoulder and lifted up his daughter. "What...
What are you doing here?" He asked in a voice that had a touch of anger.

"Shinji..." The old man began.

Shinji shook his head. "Don't. We settled this 15 years ago...."

"Please..."
"What do you want?" Shinji asked, trying to look away but he couldn't. After 15 long
years he had the nerve to come and see him. "You were the one who told me not see you,
remember? Why are you here? Why are you here?" He almost screamed.

Asuka placed a hand on his chest. "It's all right," she whispered. "Just calm down."

"Papa, why are you mad?" An asked, looking up at her father and then to the old man who
stood by the spiral staircase. "Papa?"

"If you give me a chance, I just want to say that... that... I was wrong... And I..."

"Haven't you done enough? Haven't you seen what you've done to everyone you know?
You can't just come back and say that you were wrong. It just doesn't work that way." He
put his daughter down and opened the door. "You have to go. I.. I don't want this
again..."

"Shinji..." The old man started again. He looked at the man standing by the door that had
anger all over his face. Fifteen years certainly had changed him also. He was taller
now, mature, and had eyes that had seen it all. He stood there rigid by the door. He was
not the scared little boy anymore. He spoke his mind and stood firm.

"Papa, why are you making him leave? Aren't you his friend?"

The old man watched the exchange looks of the man and the woman. They both looked at
their daughter trying to find an explanation. But the old man spoke up for both of them. "I
am not your father's friend." He said firmly, although with a hint of sadness. "He just knew
me a long time ago." He looked down at the little girl whose face was full of confusion. "I
am sorry I had disturbed you. I will be going." He said to the man who still held the door
open for him. He touched the girl's cheek and picked up his suitcase. ~At least I tried... I
can't blame them. I had done this. It was all me. ~

He looked over at the woman carrying the baby that was now crying softly on her chest.
He tried to say something... "Sorry I had frightened you," he said to her. She did not reply
and he wasn't expecting her to. He stared down at his worn sneakers and walked outside.
He looked up at the black sky. It was starless, bleak. It was perfect. The door closed
behind him. He sighed. ~At least I got to see them~

There was nothing he could no anymore. Shinji was right. He could not fix everything by
admitting he was wrong. There needed to be something more. And that something more
was still hard for him to do or to say.

He stepped out of the gate, looking from left to right wondering if the house was near a
park. It was the only place he could think of to go. He decided to go to the left. Hopefully
it wouldn't be too far. He'll get some rest. He was awfully tired. His feet ached, his arms
felt like they were about to fall off and he kept forcing his eyes to not close on him. He
walked for blocks not finding anything but slowed a bit when he heard footsteps behind
him.

"Do you have a place to stay?"

He dropped his suitcase, startled by the voice. There was no anger in the voice. Instead it
sounded concerned. Concerned for him?

"I... I was thinking of going to a park. There is one near here isn't there?"

"It's about two more blocks," he answered. "If you turn right at the end of the street."

The old man picked up the suitcase. It seemed he had been doing that all day. "Arigato."
He said walking towards the direction of the park.

"You're not really going to think I'm going to let you stay there are you?"

"I don't want to trouble you. So, I will go."

"You can't just show up and expect us to welcome you just like that.... But I can't let you
just go off somewhere without no where to stay."

"It is all right. You don't have to. I ca.."

"I want to. And besides, An will not forgive me if I don't come back with you. She's in her
curious stage. She always likes to see new people. She wants you to meet Sakura."

"Sakura? Her best friend?"

"You can say she's her cousin." He gave the old man a small quick smile, walking up to
him to take his suitcase. "She's probably there now. She might look familiar to you."

The old man followed behind him, not used to the fact that he had nothing to carry and
was a bit glad that the extra weight was taken away from him. He was surprised at the
actions of the younger man. No matter how long he lived he would probably never get
used to kindness. And would always be surprised when it is directed towards him, no
matter how minimal that kindness is. "You... you don't have to do this."

"I already made up my mind. Once my mind is made up I don't back down on it. I am not
the child that you know anymore. I never turn away someone that needs a place to stay
because I know how it feels like without anywhere to go and no where to stay."

"Shinji..."

"You can stay with us until you find a place." He looked over his shoulder at the old man
as they continued to walk silently home.

"Are you tired?" He finally asked the old man when they arrived at the house again.

The old man nodded.

"I never meant to be so angry earlier tonight."

"I do not blame you."

"I'll prepare the guestroom for you," he said opening the door of the house.

"Papa, you're back! And you're here too!" The old man found himself being hugged tightly
by a little girl who still did not loose her exuberant energy. "By the way, what's your
name?"

Again the old man was surprised. What can he say to her? Her parents did not even tell
her about him.

"It's Rokubungi." Shinji answered for him.

The little girl smiled and bowed. "I am Ikari An. My brother's name is Aki but he's
sleeping now and um... that's my cousin Sakura. But she's a little shy."

The old man followed the direction of where An's head turned to. The other little girl with
familiar brown eyes stared back at him from behind a wall. He was shocked at the
resemblence. She had dark brown hair and pale white skin. "Sakura..." he said under his
breath. It was like a mirror. Sakura looked exactly like her when she was six. She was six
wasn't she? When... When.. I did... Except her hair color is different and the eyes. But yet,
yet, those eyes are the same.

"The guestroom is this way." Shinji said leading him up the spiral staircase.

"Goodnight Rokubingi-san" The little girl called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Goodnight An-san, Sakura-san" The old man replied, following Shinji to the second floor
silently.
There were pictures that hung on the walls of the hallway. There were paintings and
flowers. Everything looked... looked comfortable. Nothing looked disregarded. It was
nothing like his old apartment where it always seemed cold and bare. Even when it was
full of furniture.

"It's in here," the young man pointed to a door. He waited until the old man had caught up
with him to open the door. "I know you want to rest. I'll fix up the bed quickly." They
went inside a nice comfortable guestroom with a vase full of flowers on the window sill. It
had cream carpeting and a dresser and a full bed. A bed that was being fixed by the red
haired woman in a ponytail.

"Asuka?" The younger man looked surprised.

She patted the blanket one last time before looking at them. "I know you more than I
know myself, baka Shinji. So I knew what you were going to do. That's why I fixed this
room up so you didn't have to." The old man watched their exchange. The woman stuck a
loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled at her husband. "No need to thank me. It's
your turn to take care of Aki tonight when he wakes up in the middle of the night."

"Of course. But I'll thank you anyway."

She smiled. "Well everything's done." She looked at the old man and back at her husband.
"I'll um.. I'll be downstairs fixing up something for the girls."

"OK, I'll be down in a minute."
"Hai." The woman crossed the room and kissed her husband on the lips and went out
quickly.

"Have a good rest," he said to the old man. "When you feel hungry just come down to the
kitchen and there will be food there."

"You... you have a nice family." The old man remarked with a touch of sadness in his
voice again. He sat on the bed and focused his attention on the carpet.

"Yes. They are my life," he replied avoiding the old man's face by putting the tattered
suitcase in the closet. "I always try to be the best father and husband." He turned to the
old man. "If I don't see you later tonight, I'll see you in the morning. It seems An has
taking a liking to you. So um... have a good rest. The bathroom is just down the hall. You
won't miss it." He gave a quick bow and walked out.

The old man stared at the door for a while and decided to let his body rest. The bed was
comfortable. He relaxed his legs and back and sighed deeply. He did not plan his first day
out in the sun to be this way but he was OK with it.

"Yui, I will do my best," he whispered to himself tiredly, his eyes finally closing.

Author's Notes:
I revised this first chapter because I caught some errors. I haven't read many Gendo stories
so that's why I decided to write this. Besides that, he's one of my favorite characters.