Shinji slowly opened his eyes in bed.
"An unfamiliar ceiling... wait, that's not right?!"
Shinji jerked his head up and found himself lying in a hospital bed.
"Why am I here?" He had no memory of anything after defeating MK2.
"Shinji, you're finally awake..."
Zero's spectral form and Yui Ikari were watching him with concern.
"Zero, Mom? How did I end up here? I wasn't even hurt."
Zero sighed. "You weren't hurt, but do you know how long you slept after teleporting back?"
"A full eighteen hours. You even scared me..."
Yui Ikari said, "We couldn't wake you no matter what we tried, so we rushed you back by helicopter. But after examining you, the doctor said you were just exhausted..."
"Eighteen hours?! Why so long? Ow, my face..." Feeling a dull ache in his face, Shinji covered it with his hands.
Zero scratched his head. "Uh... well, when you passed out, Asuka was frantic. She slapped your face more than a dozen times. Even Misato couldn't stop her..."
"Asuka? She really didn't hold back..." Shinji felt his face hurt even more.
"She was just worried. You can't really blame her," Yui Ikari said soothingly.
As they spoke, the hospital room door opened, and Asuka came in.
"You idiot, you slept for so long! I was worried sick!" Asuka threw herself into Shinji's arms and gave him a few light thumps.
Shinji gently stroked Asuka's hair. "There, there. I'm fine, aren't I...?"
"You two really do look like a little married couple." Seeing them, Yui Ikari covered her mouth and giggled.
Asuka blushed. "Please don't tease us..."
Just then, a voice came from outside. "Shinji's awake!" Rei Ayanami, Misato, Kaji, Ritsuko, Mirror, and Guren all crowded into the room.
"What are you two...?"
"Ah! Nothing! You didn't see anything!" Asuka