Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass. If I did, I wouldn't have let Lelouch die… or would I?

A/N: I've been meaning to complete this story for a very long time now, and I've only been inspired to do so now. Although I do like Code Geass as an anime series, I seem to have lost the feeling that really pulled at my heart strings in order to complete the story as heartfelt and angst. Regardless, I tried my best, although the characters might seem a bit OOC to everyone and I apologize in advanced for this. I was also too lazy to review and edit, so R&R are appreciated! If I have time/when I get in the mood, I will definitely revise any mistakes I find or parts that I want to make better. Thank you!


Gasps and murmurs began to swarm around like a wave across the hundreds of thousands who had gathered at the scene of the parade as the Emperor's limp body tumbled down the steep platform on the float and just a short distance away from the girl in a simple red dress, her arms and legs loosely bound together by heavy metal chains.

"O-Onii….-san…" The shackled girl's raw voice choked out, thick with emotion. There were no words that could express how she felt at that moment; sad, angry, shocked, scared, hopeful yet hopeless. Before her, lying on the staircase was the Emperor of Britannia-- of the world. Her brother. The most beloved person in the world to her.

The Emperor still looked defiant and proud, even with Death's tightening grasp over him. Crimson blood began to stain his regal white attire, blossoming until his entire torso changed from a pure white to dark red.

His breath came soft, slowing as the seconds began to tick away the remainder of his life. His deep purple eyes shimmered with the remaining sliver of life left in his body as he touched his wound, smothering his hand in the fresh blood pouring out. Lifting his hand up to his gaze, he smiled with irony. "To be…killed on this day…"

Here laid Lelouch vi Britannia, stabbed by Zero the masked Reinforcer of Justice, during his inauguration parade which was to be the most glorious day of his life. It was so not because he had just achieved the title of Emperor of the World, but because today marked the day that the world would be free of dictatorship, free of him.

Despite the heartless and underhanded methods he used to obtain the position of Emperor, his true intentions were buried deep beneath the surface manipulations and murders he committed.

Lelouch had sacrificed his very being to reshape the world into one for the person he held most dearly—Nunnally vi Britannia, his dearest and only sister.

He gave up his heart and morals, training himself to become hardened and numb to the inhuman actions he committed. He knowingly sold his soul one ticket to Hell after death to accomplish his goal.

Lastly, he sacrificed his physical being, his face, to be known to the world as the ruthless dictator who kills all who oppose his ideals. Of course, that was not all untrue. As self-sacrificing as his true goal may sound, it would be a lie to say that he did not enjoy watching those who antagonized him and the one he holds most dearly beg for mercy at his feet like the cowards that they were and then die a cruel death at the control of his Geass.

Nunnally, even with her hands and feet shackled, slowly and incredulously crawled over to her brother's limp body, her large, innocent eyes horror-stricken at the gruesome and almost unreal sight in front of her.

Until Zero's sword plunged into Lelouch's body, Nunnally had almost forgotten the gentle and kind brother Lelouch had been up until she discovered his crimes.

"Onii-chan, I want to live in a peaceful world together with you."

"Is that so, Nunnally?"

"Yes."

"Then I promise you."

The last sentence she had ever said to her brother painfully echoed in her head as the crimson life force gushed slowly out of Lelouch's wound and pooled around him.

"Onii-san, I am prepared to kill you if you stand in my way." Nunnally said, as resolutely as she could, shakily aiming the gun barrel at her brother's chest.

I hadn't truly meant that, Nunnally thought, wishing she could take back that sentence from their last exchange of words.

With shaking fingers, she lightly brushed her fingertips over the dark hair strewn across Lelouch's forehead, watching the Emperor, no, her only beloved brother draw in shallow breaths.

"No… This… Isn't real… It can't be…" Nunnally whispered, eyes glistening with tears threatening to overflow.

Her brother's half-closed eyes glanced over to where her voice was coming from. As his purple eyes fixed onto hers he murmured, "Please… Nunnally…don't cry…"

"Onii-chan why is the world so cruel? Why did Mama…" A young Nunnally asked, her voice trailing off, shaking with mixed emotions of grief. The ash brown haired girl was propped up on a hospital bed with her fists clenched tightly upon the stiffly starched blankets covering her lap.

Lelouch placed a hand over his little sister's and forced himself to smile, as if Nunnally could actually see his reassurance. Although he knew she could no longer see him or anything else in the world for that matter, simply doing the action made him feel like he could help placate her.

Indeed, why was the world so cruel to put one so innocent as Nunnally through such trauma? He thought bitterly, his smile slowly transforming into a hideous scowl.

"Daijoubu…Nunnally, you always still have me, your Onii-chan," Lelouch said soothingly through gritted teeth. "Someday, I will make the world a better place for you. For now, just rest up, Nunnally." He continued coaxing, stroking her small fists in his own hand. At the same time, Lelouch's free hand rested on his lap, balled tightly.

Until the nurse instructed Lelouch to leave Nunnally for the day to give her some time to rest, he did not realize just how tightly he clenched his hand until he found nail dents embedded into his palm as he walked out of the hospital room.

Nunnally's eyes widened at the sudden memory of the day after the traumatizing night, the comforting words Lelouch had spoken then. "Onii-chan…could it be…" Nunnally whispered with fresh tears streaking down her cheeks. "That world… is…"

Lelouch tilted his head over to his younger sister kneeling by his side. With a sincere but frail smile, Lelouch beckoned for Nunnally to lean closer to him.

Mesmerized by the gentleness her brother had displayed throughout childhood and yearning to see more of his handsome visage that she had not since she lost her sight, she shook her head slowly from side to side as she leaned her head closer to her brother's.

"Nunnally…The world…I've made it…so that you may live happily and in peace…"

"Onii-chan…" Nunnally's voice cracked on the last syllable, her throat constricting with the overwhelming grief she felt swell inside of her chest. "Why—" But Nunnally was cut off.

Lelouch's eyes lit with genuine warmth as he weakly lifted his arm up towards his sister's pale cheek. "I'm sorry…for doing this… " He glanced down at the imprisonment collar around her neck as his eyes began to glisten with regret. "Perhaps I went… too far…" Lelouch chuckled quietly, drawing in ragged breaths. He pressed one hand over his open wound, the blood gushing over his fingers and palm too quickly for him to slow the flow.

"You've…grown to become…so beautiful and… radiant," Lelouch said tenderly, his voice fading as well his heartbeats dulled, eyes becoming glasslike and distant. He fondly ran his fingertips over her cheek, brushing away the tears that streamed down her cheeks before dropping his arm beside him.

"Don't leave me…Onii-chan…" Nunnally's voice broke on "Onii-chan," the tears coming down even harder as she grabbed onto his bloodied hand over his wound, staining her own small pale ones with crimson.

He took one last look at her delicate features and smiled to himself as he closed his eyes for good. I can rest at peace after seeing you so closely, Nunnally.

"Be happy, Nunnally… In this renewed world…one without corruption anymore…" He uttered as his irregular breaths quieted down, his heart coming to a halt like gears of a worn out machine.

"Onii-chan…?" Nunnally whispered, her eyes widening with disbelief. "Onii-chan?! …ONII-CHAN!!!" She began to scream and collapsed onto her brother's unmoving chest, bawling though it did not help ease the aching pain in her heart.

I wanted a peaceful world…But I just wanted to stay with you forever above all else…