Author's Note: I've been debating on writing this for a little while if I was honest. Partially because it would be my seventh Code Geass fanfiction and the third or so CG one-shot. The other side is because I feel like people are going to ask for me to continue this idea because I can fully see the ability to do so. I just don't happen to have any idea on what I would do.

The reason why I'm writing this? Still stuck on chapter 4 of The Search for Lelouch and chapter 6 of Lelouch of the Talk Show. Though in the case of the latter of the two it isn't so much writer's block as trying to think up a dramatic way for Lelouch and Nunnally to reveal themselves. Needs to be suitably epic considering the situation of course. I have a slight idea, but I don't really know for sure yet.

Disclaimer: As per usual I still do not own Code Geass.

Stage 01
Escape

Lelouch found himself cursing his luck. They had packed a bag for each of them the night before, ready to disappear for a day, and of course that plan was ruined. Things couldn't just fall into place. Instead Nunnally had come down with a bout of the flu in the night and thus it wouldn't be helpful for her to go anywhere unless absolutely needed.

On a normal day it wouldn't be a big deal, but today isn't a normal day. It just had to be on the day his sister's were coming to visit Ashford. Two people, though they missed them, that Nunnally and Lelouch could NOT afford to be found by. So the raven-haired prince found himself looking for Milly to warn her.

Thankfully she was easy enough to find because she was panicking in the student council room. If it wasn't so serious he might have reveled seeing her in such a tizzy. She looked at him with wide eyes. "What are you still doing here?! They'll be here within the hour!"

His lips flattened into an unhappy line, "I know. In the night Nunnally came down with the flu and moving her would not be helpful." Lelouch's frustration was palpable as he punched the wall next to him. "So we're staying here, but will be locking the door. I will stay with Nunnally all day. Please be sure the others don't accidentally let the cat out of the bag."

"You know you will probably have to tell them at least something after this right?" Milly looked at him in worry as she made sure they were alone even as he nodded to her. "I will try my hardest to ensure nothing occurs when your sisters are here, but we both know I can't promise something won't still happen."

He hesitated before nodding again. "I know. I'm going back to my room." Lelouch turned around and approached the door before pausing. "If the worst should happen and we are discovered then know that we are forever grateful for what your family has done for us, Milly. Hopefully we'll have a chance to escape, but either way. Thank you."

He turned his head and truly smiled at her. Then he left her and somehow she knew something would go wrong. She could feel it. "I hope to see you again some day Lelouch." Gathering what wits she could the blonde prepared for the arrival of the li Britannia siblings and one Suzaku Kururugi.

"I don't understand why you are going so far for this Eleven, Euphie." Princess Cornelia shook her head and pursed her lips as they neared their destination, "I am grateful for all he did for you even without knowing who you are, but if you want to send him to school you don't have to visit it."

Princess Euphemia sighed as she realized her sister was going to be difficult, "You didn't have to come with me if that is how you feel. Would you also mind not talking about Suzaku like he isn't here?" The Sub-Viceroy apologized to the Honorary Britannian for Cornelia's rudeness.

He just smiled, "It is fine princess. I still feel like you are wanting to give me too much." The soldier shrugged, but no less politely. "I'm just thankful for such a chance."

Cornelia smirked victoriously, "See Euphemia? He's fine with it." The Viceroy eyed the green-eyed young man as if silently telling him to stay away from her sister. They pulled up beside their destination and just outside the entrance were several students and an older gentleman waiting for them.

The purple-haired woman got out of the limo and had to hold back a derisive laugh as Suzaku looked at the school with wide eyes. The elderly gentlemen approached her and extended a hand, "Good afternoon, Viceroy Cornelia. I don't suppose you remember me, but I am Ruben Ashford and I'm the headmaster of Ashford Academy. It has been over seven years since I last saw you."

She blinked in surprise as she hadn't paid attention to the name of the school itself. She proudly shook his hand, "It is a pleasure Ruben. We'll have to find some time to reminisce about Lady Marianne sometime." The princess smiled pleasantly, "She and our siblings might be gone, but old stories will keep their memory alive." Mr. Ashford readily agreed and it was probably for the best she had her attention focused on him. His granddaughter had tried to not react when the vi Britannia siblings were mentioned, but failed spectacularly.

"I have much to do, Viceroy, but we will have to get together and do that soon. My granddaughter, Milly, and her friends from the Student Council will give all of you the tour. Please enjoy." Cornelia nodded respectfully as the man left and she turned towards the teenagers.

The blonde stepped up, "I am Milly Ashford and I'm the president of the Student Council."

Euphemia's eyes lit up in recognition, "Oh! It has been so long since we played together! I remember you." She laughed lightly, "I remember fighting over who would marry Lelouch with you and Nunnally." Milly twitched slightly and innocently looked at her friends as to remind them to not say or do anything. Seems they had learned to act well enough to mostly hide their shock at what the princess had insinuated. "I miss them. If only they were still alive."

Milly nodded solemnly, "I miss them too. Teasing Lelouch was always fun and I can only imagine how much more so it would have been now." She looked over to Suzaku and decided it was time to change the subject. As it was she knew that Lelouch and Nunnally would need to answer more than a few questions that their friends will have after this was all over. "Childhood aside you are here for the tour. Presumably to decide if Mr. Kururugi should come here for his schooling. So let's start." The pink-haired princess without hesitation confirmed that and they quickly made their way across the grounds.

"This is a private school and many of it's students live in the dorms during the week, but that isn't a requirement. Some families don't feel comfortable with their children living away from home so long and some students might remain living with family thanks to health issues. The latter being the case with our fellow member of the Student Council, Kallen Stadtfeld." She motioned towards the red-head in their midst.

Cornelia looked at the girl and found something not so gentle in her eyes, but ignored it. Whether or not the girl is as meek as she seems to try to look doesn't matter unless she happened to be a terrorist. She almost snorted at that ridiculous notion and if she hadn't been in public she probably would have. "This school must be elite if its exterior is any indication yet you don't reserve it to only those of noble descent. Why?"

"My grandfather, myself included, believe that a school is still a school. Just because you have a distinguished heritage doesn't mean you are entitled to learn more than others. How can we better ourselves without learning all we can? As fair warning though we do require our students to join at least one club."

Euphemia's eyes lit up such a point of view and smiled brightly, "That sounds so wonderful! I would love to come here too. If I didn't have Sub-Viceroy duties to attend to anyway."

Cornelia allowed herself a small smile at her sister's excitement, "Maybe you can. After the terrorists, including Zero, have been put down and Area 11 has calmed."

"A real princess possibly attending Ashford in the future?" Shirley almost let out a squeal, "I hope we can be friends!" The two girls, despite one being royalty, hit it off quickly after that. Both of whom only see the best in people and hope for a gentler world. As they talked Nina was following them in curiosity, but was too shy to do more than listen.

"That would be a lot of fun wouldn't you think Milly? If I went here." The pink-haired princess looked at her with her cheery smile as they continued to walk around campus. "It would be like old times."

Milly felt very nervous. If things don't go wrong today then they will in a few months if Cornelia had anything to say about it. If there was one thing the mischievous blonde could say about the princess, aside from her buxom nature, is she was efficient. Nunnally and Lelouch were in hot enough water as it is and it could start boiling at any moment. Despite her growing panic she managed a small encouraging smile, "It would be."

Euphemia smiled brighter before turning to keep looking around and talking to her other friends. They were telling her little tidbits about the school and its classes. Sharing this information with Suzaku at the same time. Then her lavender eyes blinked in confusion as they told her their jobs in the student council, "So where is the Vice President? That is the only position missing among you."

Kallen was unsure what was going on, but had picked up on Milly's rising urgency when she told them to not mention Lelouch or Nunnally by name. Knowing the others might say something by accident she quickly stepped in out of kindness to the blonde. "He is out sick and is staying in his room to sleep it off. We apologize for his absence." She politely bowed, much to her chagrin, to the princess.

Milly sent her grateful look even as Euphemia nodded in understanding. "I see. Well I hope he feels better soon. Unfortunate we couldn't meet him. Perhaps another day?" Through all this Cornelia noticed something going on in how they seemed to tread carefully around mentioning the Vice President. Like there is more to why he wasn't there. With no such proof the purple-haired princess opted to simply pay more attention to their faces for the rest of the tour. They might accidentally give away a hint.

For his part Suzaku had been struck speechless by his surroundings. He finally found his voice after several minutes of trying, "Princess . . . I couldn't possibly ask for you to pay for me to go to such a school like this. This is too much."

She shook her head at him, "I told you before Suzaku. It is no problem. You should be in school and this place? This place is magical. I know you will enjoy it . . . and I have told you to continue calling me Euphie." He relaxed for a moment and seemed like he was finally going to agree when Cornelia glared at him. Immediately the teen stiffened, but nodded awkwardly.

The Sub-Viceroy sighed as she didn't miss her sisters look, but knew she wouldn't be able convince her to stop. Her new friend Shirley looked at them both in curiosity, "Why are you wanting to send Suzaku to school anyway Euphie?" The pink-haired princess was glad the girl so readily accepted her desire to be called by her nickname.

"He helped me in a tough spot. I want to give him something in return and he really should be in school. I should be too of course, but like I said earlier. I have important duties right now." She frowned at the boy, "He is just too polite for his own good. Suzaku deserves this even if he says it was no big deal."

Milly watched her face as she talked about Suzaku and the blonde smiled. A smile that transformed into a devious smirk. Happy for the distraction from her panic, "Seems like you have a budding admirer, Suzaku." Euphie flushed red of what she implied and the boy just gaped at the perverted girl. "Not that I blame her. You aren't half bad to look at and it seems you helped her with something she believes is important."

The blonde, finally hitting her stride, ignored the look from the Witch of Britannia. Wriggling her eyebrows suggestively, "Ah. A forbidden romance. I wish you luck Princess." She giggled and winked at the pinkette as her face burned even brighter. Suzaku looked away mortified to the president's enjoyment. She happily spent the next few minutes watching the two teens not look at each other as their blush refused to go away. Continuing to ignore the glare from the pink-haired princess's overprotective big sister she grinned widely all the while.

Her friends just sighed, unsurprised, but secretly thankful that she had a different target at the moment. Rivalz looked around to find they had returned to the main plaza, "Seems we have toured everything we thought important for the tour. Is there anything we didn't show you that you might want to see?"

Despite having finally relaxed just moments before her panic returned instantly as she watched Cornelia gaze at the Student Council building. Where Lelouch and Nunnally still were. Unfortunately the princess saw the fear that she couldn't hide in time as she glanced over to the building. Cornelia looked like a cat with a canary in its claws as she asked for a tour.

She desperately tried to save the situation while trying to act like everything was alright. "That is just the storage building and where the Student Council meet. The is nothing there, Viceroy Cornelia. Just a large building where we keep the extra books and things."

Her heart sank as Cornelia's smirk widened, "I still want to see it, Ms. Ashford. Unless there is something you don't want us to see in there." The blonde flinched and perhaps the only two member's of the student council to not glance at her were Nina and Kallen. Nina was so shy there was no real visible difference in how she was taking the request. It was the red head who interested the princess again. She seemed hardly bothered by it aside from the slight narrowing her eyes.

Even Euphemia could tell there was something wrong, but felt curious as well. "I would like to see it too."

Milly forced herself to smile cheerfully and nodded, "Of course! Then we'll just go there now."

If there was one thing that had surprised Cornelia about this school is that it isn't as gaudy as she had been expecting. There wasn't overtly extravagant decor everywhere she looked and where it did exist it felt right. That extended to this alleged storage area that they were to tour last. Which despite them also, according to them, meeting up here for their own club she found it a little strange to see it so in-tune with everything else if that was all it was. Just as strange that it would be so close to the school even if it did double as a meeting place.

She was certain there was more to this place than what they led on. So she kept her eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary that would make how they reacted make sense. Then Euphemia spoke as she shifted slightly foot to foot, "I need to use the bathroom. Is there one around here . . .?"

The blonde's eyes flickered over to her and the purple-haired princess could almost see the gears turning in her head as though thinking she could use this to get them to leave. In the end Milly just sighed softly before nodding. "Shirley. Can you-," but she was interrupted by Euphie.

"Oh no. Just tell me around where it is. I'll find it on my own. I don't want to hold you all up longer than I have to. I'll find you guys. Don't worry." Of course Milly did have a reason to worry about what might happen if one of Lelouch and Nunnally's sisters are just walking around near his home. She knew that, but also knew that Euphemia would not back down if the girl was anything like she was when she was younger. She could be remarkably stubborn. So she told her how to get to the bathroom before continuing the tour.

The pink-haired princess really DID have to go to the bathroom, but after she had gone she found this place was bigger than she thought it was. So much so that she ended up lost as she tried to find where the student council along with her sister and Suzaku had gone. Then it happened. As she passed by a door on the first floor she heard sounds behind it. Didn't seem to be her sister and others. The lavender-eyed teen blinked in confusion as she heard an unfamiliar voice. Though through the door it was slightly muffled. Euphemia, though unsure if she should bother these people, let her curiosity get the better of her and knocked.

No one answered at first until she knocked again. Then a boy's voice called out. "Is that you Milly?" Several moments of silence before an audible sigh could be heard before he called out again. "I'm getting the door Sayoko! I think it's Milly messing with me again. Why she is choosing today of all days I don't know. Keep eating that soup, Nunnally!" She froze after hearing that name, but quickly squashed down the hope that appeared in her heart. His footsteps approached, "Are my sister's gone n-," His question stopped in shock as he opened the door to see his visitor. "Euphie . . ."

Her breath hitched as she looked at a teenage boy who was definitely her brother. Who was supposed to be dead. "Lelouch." They both stared, wide-eyed, at each other in stunned silence before he suddenly slammed the door shut. She could hear the lock turning. "W-wait! Lelouch! If that's really you please come back! Please . . ."

It felt like a several minutes had passed though it was only a few moments when she heard someone lean against the door. "I'm sorry Euphie, but . . . we're not going back. I want you to know that Nunnally and I miss you and Cornelia both." Her brother left the door and she fell to her knees and wept. Listening as she heard hurried movements inside and panicked voices calling her name from way down the hall. She heard one more shout from her brother, "Sayoko! Escape Plan Delta!" Then more hurried noises came from the room.

It took nearly five minutes for everyone to find her and when they did the princess was leaning against the locked door. She was crying into her hands while the hurried movements inside had stopped. She could hear Milly mutter, "Oh no." Euphemia slowly raised her head and glanced with her puffy eyes towards her sister. Even as the blonde was looked at the door with a knowing look.

Cornelia, without knowing why her sister was crying so badly, looked very worried, "Euphie?! What's wrong?"

She hiccuped and gave her sister a watery smile, "I-I was trying to find all of you when I heard noises behind this door. I knocked and . . ."

The president, knowing the cat was most certainly out of the bag, hung her head. "Lelouch answered the door didn't he? Thinking it was me." Cornelia's eyes flashed dangerously at the blonde in question. "He is our vice president. It was actually his sister who got sick in the night rather than himself."

She growled and looked at the door, but heard nothing moving beyond it, "Then open this door so I can confront the man who made my sister cry! I'll have his hide!"

It was Euphie that stopped her, "He didn't do anything to me, Cornelia." Her sister looked at her in confusion. Not understanding why she was crying then. "It was Lelouch. Our Lelouch. He and Nunnally are alive."

Her eyes softened and kneeled before her sister, "You know that isn't possible. As much as we both want them to somehow still be alive . . ."

"He called me Euphie when he saw me. I knew it was him right away and he immediately recognized me too!" She looked up at her sister in despair, "But he slammed the door and locked it. He even told me that he and Nunnally miss us."

The Witch of Britannia turned a glare towards the blonde as she wanted an explanation. Milly hoped her childhood friends were long gone by now and smiled awkwardly, "I'll unlock the door for you."

"What does my sister mean? She isn't crazy and wouldn't make this up." The purple-haired princess wasn't looking at her in hatred. Just anger and the kind of demanding aura only royalty seemed to have. Even Lelouch had had it time to time given the right motivation.

Milly stiffened slightly before offering another awkward smile, "Lelouch and Nunnally vi Britannia ARE dead." She began to unlock the door, "But Lelouch and Nunnally Lamperouge, wards of the Ashford Family since the end of the invasion, are very much alive." Cornelia's eyes went wide as she caught exactly what the blonde meant.

Her breath caught in her throat, much like Euphie, as the door opened. She no longer cared for paying attention to the other student council members. She helped her sister up as they stepped through the door. Hoping their long lost siblings were still there, but judging by the papers and a few stray belongings strewn everywhere it was unlikely.

Kallen was staring wide-eyed at the president as she too caught the real meaning behind her words. Could such a thing even be possible? Had there been two members of the Britannian royal family hiding here all this time? In fact no one missed what the blonde meant. All of them having trouble internalizing what was insinuated even as they walk through the now empty rooms.

Then they found it. Placed on the table was a picture and a neatly written letter. When Cornelia picked the picture frame off the table she almost dropped it when she looked. Silent tears began to fall as it was of a maid along with a teenage boy and girl. The girl sitting in a wheelchair with her eyes closed as the boy kneeled beside her and held her hand while smiling at the camera. There was not a doubt in her mind who they were as she held a hand to her mouth.

She swallowed nervously as she forced herself to put the picture down. Allowing Euphemia, who began crying again, to get a look at it. Cornelia picked up the letter and began to read.

Dear Cornelia and Euphie,

Hopefully we will be long gone by the time you read this letter even though we would both like to see you two again. We also apologize because we do not want to go back to Britannia. I do not trust the Emperor to not use Nunnally against me to ensure my obedience. My trust in that man has been broken for a long time.

Despite this I can guarantee that you will see us again. When I do not know, but you will. You two are some of the only people who actually cared about us back then. Just as you are two of the only people we truly cared about. Even now. Because of that I ask that you do not harm the Ashford Family. We were the ones who asked them to hide us away for so long and not the other way around. Milly is the only member of the Student Council who knew who I was.

I would prefer if you don't tell people we are still alive, but I leave it to your own discretion. I would also like to apologize to my friends for never telling them who we were by birth. To us we officially stopped being members of the Royal Family on the day of the invasion. When no one came to retrieve us before the bombs rained down on the Kururugi Shrine. Intentionally with the knowledge we were still there at that.

Nunnally and I will return to Ashford one day that I promise. Keep an eye out for us?

Love,
Lelouch and Nunnally Lamperouge née vi Britannia

P.S. Sorry for taking Sayoko with us Milly. She refused to let us go on our own and wants to protect us. Apparently she's a bonafide ninja. Who knew?

P.S.S. Also. Thank you Suzaku for saving my life in Shinjuku. You gave me the chance to escape from Clovis's Royal Guard before they killed me. Though I apologize that you had to get shot to do so. It was nice to see you again after so many years and I know Nunnally is glad you were acquitted after all. Thanks to Zero.

Cornelia just stared blankly at the letter before glaring at Milly as she handed the letter to Euphemia to read. "You're lucky he asked me to not harm you or your family." She shook her head in disbelief as the blonde flinched at her tone. "I can't believe it. They were hiding under Clovis's nose all this time and were so obviously them. Did he even try searching for our missing family?"

Even as she muttered obscenities about her deceased brother's idiocy her eyes glanced over to the Japanese teen. "You are the son of Genbu Kururugi aren't you? How did I miss that connection? In the letter it says you saved his life at Shinjuku." Suzaku shivered as her stare made him feel uncomfortable, but he nodded. "Why didn't you report his survival?"

"I . . . as kids we became friends while they stayed at the Shrine and I knew if he hadn't been found yet then he didn't want to be. Plus I didn't even know if he survived Shinjuku until now. The Royal Guard shot me when I refused to kill him and I am lucky to have survived. I didn't know if he had made it out or not."

His outright accusation that Clovis's Royal Guard tried to have Lelouch killed stunned the pair of sisters along with the council. Then, to his surprise, only moments later Euphemia hugged him. "Thank you for saving our brother. I just wish they hadn't run away from us." While this surprised him it also had another reaction. Angering Cornelia as Milly's earlier teasing came to mind.

"Get off my sister, Kururugi!"

Author's Note 2: I could probably keep going and going into more detail about the reaction of the Student Council and everything, but then this thing will just get way too long for a one-shot. So I hope this is good enough for you. I think I started thinking about this idea around the same time as I did Lelouch of the Talk Show. As you can tell that the latter story had a lot of my focus for awhile. Still does, but I'm taking a break as I consider what Turn 08 will do exactly. I have idea's, but nothing concrete yet.