Brave Nurse Shinji
An Evangelion fan fiction by rojo
Disclaimer: I don not own Evangelion or its characters. Wish I did but I don’t. The idea for this story is all mine.
Chapter 3: Small Steps
Shinji turned to what he thought previously was an unconscious girl.
"Rei?"
Her red eyes fluttered open lazily.
"…Ikari…" She surveyed her situation. "…I…was in the shower…how…did…" A confused look crossed her pale face.
"Ah…well, I-I came to check on you. The door it was…Misato sent…I, um."
Rei looked directly at him for the first time.
She looks so tired. And confused…and you're not helping her, idiot. Just tell her what's happening.
Shinji held up his hand so she wouldn't try to speak and took a deep breath so he could recount what she had missed.
"You have a fever and you passed out in the shower. That's about all I know. Misato…ah, just sent me over here to check on you. I tried to knock but there was no reply. I was going to… "
Shinji looked down with a shameful expression.
"…um, leave. But I thought something might be wrong…that you might need my help. So I came in and then I found you…"
Shinji swallowed,
"…in the shower."
A minute of silence passed then Rei spoke softly. "Did you carry me in here?"
Shinji started to turn red. "Yes…and I'm really sorry."
"What for?" She gazed at him curiously.
"Well…I saw…see, ah…you were…naked. I'm sorry that I saw you like that." Can I turn anymore red?
She considered him for a moment.
"I am sorry that my body makes you feel uncomfortable."
"I…What, no, that’s not it. I just…"
I'm just making this worse.
"I…do not understand."
"It's like this: I saw you when you really didn't have a choice about whether you wanted me to or not, so I feel bad, like I took away your privacy without asking. Do you understand?"
Again a pause.
"…Yes…I believe I do."
Shinji gave a little smile as he looked at her.
That wasn't so hard. Wow, I think I just had a real conversation with her. Now, what was I going to say before all this…Oh, god! All that stuff I said when I thought she wasn't listening.
The Third Child went pale.
What does she think of me now?
Noticing his distressed face Rei spoke, "Are you well, you look-
"Ah, Ayanami, how long were you…uh…listening to me?"
Rei looked away from him and spoke quietly. "…I was-
The door bounced open as Dr. Akagi and some NERV medical staff came running in.
She immediately saw Shinji sitting on the bed.
"There you are. How is she? Did she-" Ritsuko looked at the First Child, realizing she was awake. "Rei, how are you feeling?"
Shinji stood up and backed away to make room for the doctor and the medical team.
Ritsuko had some piece of equipment that she was setting up.
"I am…fine, doctor. Ikari made sure that I was safe." Rei caught Shinji's eye with her last word. Shinji stared deep into her crimson eyes and felt like he was being swept away.
…So beautiful.
Dr. Akagi turned to the boy, "Could you please wait outside."
"Ah…yeah, sure." Shinji said sadly.
Well. I helped her. Now I guess that’s it.
Leaving the apartment he found a seat on the concrete steps.
In his mind's eye he saw himself helping Rei and became lost in thought.
Her eyes. They made me feel…
Wow.
He looked out at the city. Today had been a long day.
I hope she understands how I feel. I don't know if I could explain it all.
Shinji had a vision of himself in a teacher's cap drawing on a blackboard trying to explain his feelings to her.
That's probably what it would take. He laughed to himself.
Helping her felt really good.
The concept rolled around in Shinji's mind.
I did something that really helped someone. Someone I care about. And it makes me feel good inside.
A small smile played across his lips. "Just for her…"
"Shinji?" He turned at the sound of his name.
"Huh…oh, Dr Akagi. You surprised me."
How long have I been sitting here?
"How are you doing?" The doctor walked up behind him and stood looking at the neighborhood.
"Oh, I'm ok, I guess."
"She's going to be fine, thanks to you."
"I…well, I didn't really do anything."
"You were there when no one else was and that's what mattered."
"I guess." Shinji stood up to let the medical staff down the stairs.
"Don't be so hard on yourself. Anyway, we're leaving. Rei's going to be fine. She still has a fever though and she will have flu-like symptoms for a few days."
"What's she sick with."
"Just a virus." Ritsuko said quickly.
"Oh…"
Ritsuko turned to leave as the last medic walked by her.
No one's going to stay here?
"Um…Doctor?"
"Yes, Shinji?"
"Isn't…anyone going to stay with her? Couldn't that just happen again?"
"I have instructed the First Child not to do anything that requires too much effort. She has her phone if she needs to call us. There really isn't any need to keep staff here and she doesn't want to go in to the hospital…so…" Ritsuko shrugged and put her hands in the pockets of her white lab coat.
"Yeah, I see."
"I'll see you later, Shinji."
Shinji watched her walk down the stairs and disappear from view.
Maybe I can still help out.
Rei lay in her bed staring at the ceiling. Dr. Akagi and the medics had just left, leaving her alone.
Alone.
The word echoed in her mind.
I have always been alone, why?
Because it is not important that I interact with others.
The young girl sighed deeply.
I feel so tired, could I close my eyes…and just let it all fade away, to return to nothing?
But when I do I hear his words. The feeling of someone carrying me, of closeness.
Ikari.
His kind words.
And I thanked him. Words of gratitude that I have never used, not even with the commander.
How do I feel about him?
Rei pulled the blanket tighter around her body. Her feelings were something that had always been alien to her. And now she wished to understand them.
She heard the door to her apartment open once more.
"Ayanami?" Shinji stood in the entryway looking at her.
"Yes?"
"I…ah…was just wondering if you still wanted some company. I mean, being sick isn't fun so…ah, I thought you might want to have someone around…um, so you wouldn't get…lonely."
He is offering to be with me? Why?
So I am not alone. And I feel like I want that…to be around him.
"I…would like that." Rei blushed lightly.
Shinji didn't seem to notice as he pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat down.
Dr. Akagi stared at the city as the medical team drove back to NERV.
She was thinking of what to tell Commander Ikari about Rei's condition.
And the same thought kept coming up again and again.
The commander is not going to be happy.
Please read and review!
Author's note: Sorry for the delay. This was the hardest chapter I had to write yet. And I know it's short. But I really had to make the decision whether to end this series in a chapter or two or just go with it and see where I end up. I have some good ideas but I don't want this fic to get to complex and ruin the original idea of a good Shinji/Rei interaction. For the fans out there (since I got such a great response) I decided to run with it. So BNS will continue for several more chapters. At some point I want to launch my other fic which is my original Rei/Shinji fic and it’s the big one. But BNS grew on me and now I can't stop writing. Oh, well. Again thanks so much to all of you that have reviewed and put me on the favorite list. It's really been a great experience for me. Got questions or ideas, please email. I answer all that enquire. Special thanks to Christian for the great idea, I was going to use something like that, you just made it easier to explain.
Sincerely, rojo