Shirley was dead… Lelouch couldn't protect his lover…

Shirley was a toy of the Geass… it erased her memories of her friends… and killed her after…

Lelouch couldn't take this anymore… he wanted to protect Shirley till the very end… he wanted her to be next to him till the very end…

Zero came in.

"Lelouch?" C.C was laying on the couch and eating pizza.

"who else, you immortal witch?" Zero took off his mask and hung up his clothes.

"oh, did something unfortunate happen?"

Lelouch swallowed. " no,"

C.C chuckled. "don't lie to me… it doesn't work. Someone died… who?"

Lelouch shook his head. "it doesn't matter anymore…"

"of course it matters." C.C. grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the couch. Lelouch laid uncomfortably, with his eyes covered. "tell me, who died?"

Lelouch didn't answer.C.C made a face. "you killed thousands of people before. One death should not matter. Now, get up and be strong like you always are."

Lelouch shook his head. "she said she loved me…"

"loved you?"

"she said… she loved me before her memories were gone, after her memories were gone, and even when she found out I am Zero, she still couldn't bring herself to hate me…"

C.C put her index finger on her chin. " is it Shirley?"

Lelouch quickly shot up from that name. his eyes were red and watery. "YES!" he yelled. "IT'S SHRILEY! BECAUSE OF ME SHE'S DEAD!"

"calm down…"

Lelouch grinded his teeth. " I didn't tell her… I didn't have enough time…. I wanted to… "

C.C laughed at his sadness. " are you seriously crying like a baby over one girl?"

Lelouch turned around to face her. It was scary face even for C.C.

She became serious, " you know that I lost my loving people over the flow of time? I watched them grow old while I stayed forever young. Do you know how unbearable that is?"

Lelouch sighed, " the last thing I want is to hear are your stories, Immortal Witch,"

C.C. laughed again, but then, she scooted closer to Lelouch and gave him a hug. Lelouch gasped.

" If you can bring one person back to life… who would it be?"

"what?" he was confused. Nothing or no one could bring the Dead back to life. It was impossible.

"if you can bring ONE, just ONE person back to life… who would it be?"

"C.C," Lelouch untied her arms around him for air. " that's not possible. Can you just tell me your useless stories and get this whole pep talk over with?"

"fine,"

Lelouch got up and walked to his Zero helmet.

"thank you. Now begin your stories,"

"well, Lelouch, I tried to tell you that I can bring one person back to life… but I guess you don't care…now… I'll start in London in 1832..."

"pause," Lelouch slowly turned around to face C.C.

" you are seriously telling me that you can bring people back to life?"

C.C. shook her head, while reaching for the last slice of pizza. " only ONE,"

Lelouch saw visions of his great soldiers, and poor innocent people that this war killed… he also saw Euphie and Shirley… and his mother.

Lelouch bit his lips. "how does this reincarnation work?"

"well," C.C. swallowed. " you go to their grave, work some magic, and she comes back alive,"

" any rules concerning this reincarnation?"

"of course,"

Lelouch crossed his arms. " tell me on our way to Japan," he grabbed his cape and his helmet while C.C dressed in her Black Knight uniform.

"Lelouch?" they were in the elevator now

He didn't answer

C.C. sighed deeply, " Zero?"

"what?" he coldly replied.

" why did you choose Shirley?"

" so, it's obvious," Zero looked down, " I have to tell her, then I am going to cast the Geass and tell her to sleep underground until I tell her to wake up again.,"

"Why?"

Zero chuckled quietly. " because I don't want her to live in this horrible place. When the war is over, I can bring her back,"

C.C. scoffed. " so, you already planned it… even though I didn't tell you the rules…"

The elevator door opened. "Tousan!"

"yes Zero?" Tousan bowed.

" I'm going to Japan with C.C to figure out some complications. If anything happens… you take care of it."

Tousan crinkled his eyebrows. "what if the enemy attacks?"

"you are the Man of Miracles. I bet you can figure things out,"

"but-"

C.C lightly jumped on her Knightmare and Zero used the stairs. "if something very important happens and all of you cannot figure it out or you all are about to die, then call me,"

The Knightmare flew across the Chinese sky and headed East.

"C.C, tell me the rules," Zero took off his mask. He was Lelouch again.

"the person can only be alive for an hour and it's not their body, it's their spirit,"

"so, my plan goes in the trash can…" Lelouch breathed to keep it calm. " what you do mean by 'their spirit?'"

"I can't explain it. You'll have to see it for yourself,"

Lelouch groaned. "what can I do to keep her alive? For more then an hour?"

" you can't. It's take the hour that God give you, or don't take it at all. You can't bend the rules of the nature, Lelouch. Just accept it."

Lelouch smashed his fist. And thought about his problem.

C.C. smiled. " don't think too hard. You can't win this time. All you have to do is talk to Shirley. You'll have plenty of time to say good-bye."

*************************************************************************************

Japan, near Shirley and her father's grave

With no luck, rain started to pour down.

Lelouch got off by C.C helping him. She controlled her Knightmare to put Lelouch safely to the ground. After that, she jumped off.

"this is her grave,"

"hmmm, I should tell you before we start this."

Lelouch turned to face her.

" by doing this, it takes five hours of your life."

"I don't care. Just make it happen,"

"dig her up. Then, we'll start."

Lelouch looked around for some shovels, then he saw a cottage. It was probably where the keeper of this grave lived. Lelouch went inside without knocking.

"w-" it was an old man with a shotgun. Lelouch quickly took off his lens.

"I command you to a shovel and start digging Shirley's grave as fast as you can. Then, leave the house for about an hour,"

The old man went outside with a shovel on his shoulder and ran to Shirley's grave. He started digging as fast .

C.C. sighed, "nice for you to make the old man do the hard work…"

"will this work?" Lelouch stared at her grave stone.

"I don't know. I never tried, but if we go by the books, we'll be fine,"

"thank you C.C…" he smiled warmly at her. " because of you, I'll be able to say good-bye,"

C.C awkwardly smiled back. "n-no problem,"

"all done boy, I'll be leaving now," the old man climbed out of the hole to leave.

Lelouch turned to the witch. "now, it's time,"

C.C. placed two hand on the coffin. There was a sudden light under hands and inside the coffin too. Lelouch heard bells… and Shirley's voice…

"Shirley, there is someone here to see you. It's Lelouch. Wake up," C.C commanded as she stood up from the ground.

The coffin automatically opened, and Shirley slowly opened her eyes.

Lelouch gasped. It worked… Shirley is alive. He immediately dropped to the ground to greet her. He felt tears on his face."S-Shirley?"

"Lulu?"

Lelouch smiled happily. "welcome back,"

Shirley gasped. She also spilled tears. " how… why…."

"God gave us time to be together for the last time. I have so much to tell you…" Lelouch wrapped her naked body with his cape and scooped her up.

"Lulu…" she rested her head on her shoulders.

" remember, Lelouch. One hour," C.C. warned before they went into the house together.

They sat on the old man's bed. He didn't let her touch the ground of the mattress. He placed her gently on his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Lulu…"

"yes?"

" how did I die?"

Lelouch bit his lips and thought about Rolo.

"someone killed you,"

" who?"

Lelouch couldn't answer. "it was…"

Shirley raised her eyebrows, waiting for the answer.

"it was…" how can he tell her that it was Rolo? She would feel betrayed by him.

"don't lie, please…"

Lelouch smiled at her. "I would never lie to you,"

Shirley frowned.

"please, for my sake, don't frown Shirley," Lelouch stroked her cheek carefully.

Shirley closed her eyes to feel his touch. "tell me everything Lulu. What happened to me? Why did you erase my memories?"

Lelouch looked into her eyes. "if I tell you… will you kiss me?"

Shirley blushed, it was a slight shade of pink. "yes,"

Lelouch smiled. "I erased your memories because I wanted to protect you… I-"

"you didn't do it so you could protect your secret?"

"t-that may have something to do with it. But it was you that I worried about. If I erased your memories so you wouldn't remember me, then you wouldn't be a threat to the government or anything. You would just be living your normal live as Shirley,'

"but I fell in love with you again, no matter how many times you erase my memories, I still fall in love with you,"

Lelouch got a flashback to the station where Shirley said the same thing before she died…

Fate

"Shirley,"

"yes?"

"why do you love me? You know that I am Zero, the murderer of your father and they one who started this bloody war… why do you still love me?"

Shirley smiled at his question. " I honestly don't know. No matter how much I want to hate you, I can't. it's like I was born to love only you,"

Lelouch spilled tears again. " I don't deserve you… I'm not good enough to deserve you. You needed someone who is loyal and trustworthy. I lie to everybody. Even to Nunelly,"

Shirley kissed his tears away. " you are trying to achieve something great. That's why you lie. You said you wanted to create a better world… that's why I love you,"

Lelouch shook his head. "stop it… stop saying that… because of your love for me, you died. How can I forgive myself?"

Shirley hugged him closer to her. "you are so lonely right now, aren't you? You need someone when I leave,"

"no," Lelouch choked. "you can't leave me,"

"silly Lulu. Look at me,"

Lelouch finally noticed that she looked like… an angel…glowing, almost transparent.

"w-what's happening to you?" he panicked.

"I'm dead, Lulu. Remember? I'm not human anymore,"

Lelouch remembered what C.C. told him… their spirit… her spirit..

"please…please tell me that you are real…." she looked beautiful… so beautiful that no human eyes can see her.

"I'm real… but I won't be any longer. I feel like I'm disappearing every second,"

Lelouch couldn't hold it anymore. He cried. He cried for Shirley… he cried for his loneliness.

"you can't leave me! What will I do without you?"

"you do what you did before… be the symbol of the lost ones out there. Bring back peace into this world. Fight what you believe in." Shirley smiled. "you'll be a great world leader."

Lelouch sighed and buried his face under her chin. " I wanted to do this with you, by my side. I always wanted to protect you from this ugliness of me. But… in the end… you died because of me,"

Shirley wrapped her arms around her head and whispered. " I never regret dying for you. don't feel sorry for me. It is so much better then dying old without knowing you,"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm…sorry…" Lelouch cried.

"it's ok… I love you, so I don't care,"

Lelouch lifted his head to face her. " I love you too, Shirley. I love you so much. I love you."

Shirley beamed. "you finally said that to me!"

Lelouch chuckled. " I love you." Lelouch placed a kiss on her forehead. Shirley sighed in relief.

"Lulu,"

"yes?"

"I think I have to go soon,"

Lelouch closed his eyes. " I felt that too. I think our time is up,"

Shirley smiled. " I'll see you soon. In Heaven,"

Lelouch swallowed. " you really think that I'll make it to Heaven?"

"of course. I'll be waiting for you forever."

"S-Shirley…"

Soon, they both heard bells again. Shirley was glowing more powerfully then ever before.

"Lulu, can you do me a favor?"

"what is it?"

"the other angels just told me that you are going to forget everything about our meeting,"

Lelouch placed his both hands around her beautiful face. " I'll never forget this. I'll always remember that I met you, in your angel form."

"remember that I'll be waiting for you in Heaven. No matter what happens, come. Ok?"

Lelouch nodded. "I'll come and get you."

Shirley smiled and she spilled tears. " I'll guard you from above so you can safely come up. I…"

She gasped for air. She was crying too hard. " I love you,"

Lelouch smiled happily. " I love you too."

They twined their fingers together and waiting for Shirley's departure. Lelouch felt her weight was disappearing and he couldn't feel her warm fingers anymore.

" I love you, Shirley. Wait for me. I'll break though Heaven's gate if I have to,"

Lelouch couldn't hear the bells anymore.

C.C came though the door. " Lelouch?"

Lelouch gasped loudly. Then he looked around,. " C.C, what happened? Why are we here?"

Then, his phone rang. "Tousan?"

"Zero, I know you told me not to call you, but we have a bi emergency,"

"what do you mean I told you not to call you?"

"you gave me the command not to call you, but-" the phone line was cut off.

"C.C, did you cast the Geass on me?" Lelouch raised an eyebrow.

"no, it wasn't me. And I doubt that it was a Geass either,"

"then w-"

C.C cut him off. "we better go Zero. The Black Knights are waiting."