redheadcarrier | [DDD | 046 | RL] Saving a Life (Backdated to before end of Marriage Virus)

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[DDD | 046 | RL] Saving a Life (Backdated to before end of Marriage Virus)

It was actually fairly difficult to try and carry an adult, even if there were three of them. It wasn't because Misato was heavy (she wasn't, especially), but because she was just bigger then any of them. It was something of a placing that they onl had to stagger a few steps to dump her onto the couch. They were back in the apartment that Asuka had just left (supposedly to go on her honeymoon) a day or so before. Great. Not to mention that the airfare was wasted.

It had been rather exciting, though. The trip through time and space to pull Misato out of her own death (why couldn't they have saved others?), to alter the timeline slightly. To ensure that Misato lived instead of died. It was something, though. No matter how small, she'd salvaged something out of that miserable place.

She folded her arms with a harumph, glancing over at Kaworu and Minato, "Now what? Do wej ust wait for her to become lucid again? She can't live here!"

Yes, she was already complaining.

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Misato groaned quietly from the couch stirring slightly, still not quite out of unconciousness.

He could still hear the thrumming of the facility. The scattered shots. The back-beat of voices. And each sound becoming tangled, lost, as they'd stumbled back into the apartment. As they stumbled out of the shrieking of sirens and the heavy sense of loss. (Or, perhaps stumbling into it. Back again, in Iwatodai, there was no way to salvage that world. There was nothing they could bring back, replace, nor stop. And though he had known it, always known it, he kept hope that they might make the right choice. Knew, later, they would make the right one. For themselves.)

Still, he had been pulled from sleep (far too early or far too late) by the call. He discussed what options there had been (there hadn't been one), and had went. To retrieve her. (To leave them to the mercy of the JSSDF was far less preferable. At least he might shield them. At least he could guide them, at all. To leave them to her potential demands. To - There was no means to avoid it. Not now. She happened to know whom he lived with. He could not prevent an encounter, should she awaken. However, he might at least -)

He did not miss the groan. The faint stirring. Did not miss Asuka's question, though he continued to monitor Misato. For awareness. For awakening.

"I do not think she will wish to," and it is honest. His words are weighted with thought. "However, to move her while she happens to be recovering is not advisable."

"It's kind of early," Minato agreed. "Diarahan doesn't make you any less tired." Asuka would know that, of course, since it'd been cast on her countless times during their battles in Tartarus; but Minato thought it bore repeating.

It took him a moment to realize his heart had stopped racing from the adrenaline. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he holstered his Evoker and put Kanzeon's mirror on the bookshelf, safely out of the way.

"Maybe we should let her sleep it off..."

Glass of water? Blanket? Should he get her a pillow? Minato was at something of a loss. He felt compelled to keep helping but unsure how.

Asuka sighed and rubbed her temple. This was too much. She hadn't really had a plan past, "Get Misato, bring her back." She glanced around and then reluctantly turned towards the bedroom - she didn't really have the need for a second set of blankets now that she was sharing a bed with Kaworu.

"I guess I'll get her a blanket or something... she can sleep it off and we can figure out what to do when she finally does wake up."

Misato tossed and turned fitfully, her sleep uneasy. Unfortunately for Asuka, they wouldn't have much of a chance to discuss. Because then her eyes shot open, the woman sitting up in bed with a sharp gasp.

"Shinji--!" She glanced around the living room, disoriented.

It had only been a matter of time. He had considered the discussion. Heard the suggestions. Was about to offer that they might take his own blankets, instead (after all, it was not his room he and Asuka often seemed to sleep in) - but, it tapered off. Thoughts stilling, for a moment, as she jerked awake.

He did not startle, though he had felt the familiar threads of caution settle into his shoulders. The familiar knotting of tension. (He would not defend himself, yet. To take unnecessary action was to trigger a potentially more volatile response. There was a possibility -)

He waited.

Edited 2009-10-14 23:15 (UTC)

Minato stepped in front of Kaworu without a moment's hesitation, obstructing him from her line of sight. He trusted Asuka to take up her attention. He didn't really know what to do or say, anyway - she was the only one Misato was likely to trust.

"Misato? You're awake already?"

Asuka hurried back, a blanket rather awkwardly clumped in her arms, "You're not bleeding out anymore. And yes, you should be thankful that we decided to even go save you at all!"

"A-Asuka? But--" She groaned and slumped back against the couch, head spinning. She was still woozy and disoriented from her blood loss, even if she didn't have to worry about having a bullet inside of her anymore. She gingerly touched her side, feeling the hole in her clothing, but no blood, not wound.

"Where...? What happened?"

Asuka dropped the pile of blankets on the floor next to the couch, hands settling on her hips. For a moment she just watched Misato, trying to figure out how she felt about this - confused, happy, angry, sad - and what she should do. What she should say.

She finally rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh, "You're in our apartment. You should be thankful you're not dead!"

Their apartment...but that meant--

"Shinji! Where's Shinji?!" She tried to sit up, found the effort too much for her.

Asuka almost flinched. Almost. Instead she sighed, "Shinji's not here. I told you that."

"No!" She gasped the word out, shaking her head.

"You--you have to go back for him!" Her attention was focused on Asuka (so far).

"You can't save me and not him!"

Asuka glared again, folding her arms. She didn't have to take this. Misato didn't know. She didn't realize the arguments Asuka had had with Kaworu, the irritation and anger and absolute helplessness she'd felt. She would just have to deal with it.

"We can't. If we do then thing get messed up in his timeline and then the whole word goes... crazy. Besides... if it ends up like our timeline, he'll be OK..."

"No...No! If anyone deserves to be--Oh, God, I think I'm going to be sick..." She coughed, clutching her stomach with a pained look.

"Y-you...oh God..." She coughed again, then quietly began to cry.

"It's okay," said Minato, speaking in his usual quiet tone and realizing that Asuka wouldn't be the best person to offer comfort. "We've gone through this a couple times... if I thought we needed to rescue Shinji-kun, I'd figure out a way." The hard determination on his face was difficult to refute or argue with on that point. "But he should be fine; it's just important to let him stay for now."

Asuka just found herself a wall to lean against. She didn't want to talk about Shinji right now. She didn't want to talk about any of it.

"Can't you at least be grateful?"

"Why? He's done..." No. He needed to do it. That's why you gave him that talk, that kiss, right, Misato?

"He--can you get him, once he does what he has to?" She glanced up at the others.

"And I"m grateful...believe me, I am grateful. I was ready to die."

"...maybe we can, maybe we can't."

Asuka shrugged, "I don't know."

At least she hadn't spotted Kaworu, yet.

Misato slowly sat up, practically pulling herself with one hand until she could against the back of the couch. Through her movement, she caught a glimpse of grey-white silvery hair, a pale boy.

"ASUKA GET DOWN!" Her first reaction. Protect the girl, even though she hasn't a chance of beating the thing. Her hand disappears under her jacket, groping for the pistol there. How many rounds left? There couldn't be many now. The weapon felt so heavy in her hand, as if it had gained ten pounds. So weak. It must be the blood loss. She unsteadily leveled the pistol, trying to aim the swaying weapon.

He had been waiting on a word. On a movement. The motion or the appearance of a gun. (An opening. Anything. Minato could not stay stationary, nor did Kaworu wish him to. He might protect himself, but he might protect them both and - Before hand may have called for more reaction. A sort of violence. A reassurance that he was there hurt them both, and -)

He did not need to think.

His fingers were already on Minato's shoulder, pulling him back and out of the way. He was already casting Asuka a sidelong glance. Confirming her position. Behind him. Before stepping in the line of fire.

She would pull the trigger, he knew. It was a matter of timing it before she did. (And even so, he did not wish to harm her. Understood her intent. Understood her reasons. To her, he was the enemy. To her, he might always be. He did not blame her.)

It would take an eye blink. A simple pull for cover. (And he could feel it thrumming beneath his skin. Waiting. Could feel the - )

As soon as she pulled the trigger, the A.T. Field would manifest itself.

"No!"

Irrationally, she felt spurt of fear. She shouldn't - she knew in the back of her mind that Kaworu would be fine. He has an AT field. That doesn't mean she doesn't want him to die, to lose him just like she'd lost everyone and everything else who'd ever mattered. Always wrenched away by fate or simple, cruel chance.

She darted forward, putting her shoulder into Kaworu's, shoving him to one side as she spread her arms, "You can't shoot him!"

The pistol wavered as Asuka shoved the...thing to the side.

"Asuka. Get out of the way." It's futile, futile, futile. She knew it but she couldn't just sit and accept it. Had to try.

"You have to move, Asuka." Her voice was calm, authoritarian. Please, Asuka, move. Please. She pleaded silently, the pistol wavering. She couldn't hold it steady for long and every moment Asuka stood there it grew heavier.

"I'm not moving and you're not going to shoot him! If you want to shoot him, you have to shoot me!"

She glared at Misato, keeping herself in between the barrel of the gun and Kaworu. Misato couldn't do this. She wouldn't let her.

"You're so stupid! You think you understand everything, but you don't!"

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[DDD | 046 | RL] Saving a Life (Backdated to before end of Marriage Virus)

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