Authors Note: All Disclaimers apply, blah blah blah, I don't own Code Geass or the characters, only this plotline

1 year after the death of Lelouch vi Britannia

" Oi...Kallen...will ya wake up already?"

Akako Shinjimura, age 17, leaned in and studied the back of the redhead's scalp closely. Confirming that her friend's immobile body was either asleep or dead, she scratched her temple and hesitantly poked the top of Kallen Kouzuki's head.

"Mmmrph..." Kallen grunted and lazily waved her hand above her head. Unamused, Akako continued to stare at her comatose companion, and after some deliberation, attempted to drill a hole in Kallen's head with her index finger.

"Will...You...Wake...Up...Please...Miss...Kallen...Stadtfield!" At the sudden mention of her name, Kallen sat up with fury in her half awake eyes.

"My names not Stadtfield anymore! It's freaking Kouzuki, I will not allow you to call me by my old name!" Akako let out a sigh, scoffing at her friends stupidity.

"Yeah, yeah, I know already. I'm just trying to see how much of a reaction I can tease out of that shell of yours. How long-"

Fwump

Akako jumped at the noise, and stared as Kallen miraculously managed to flop back onto her desk, and fall back asleep. "-do you think I've known you for...." She shook her head with disbelief. Unbelievable. It would probably take the rest of 3rd period to wake her up again.

"Y'know, sometimes I wonder, why do I stick around you...Hell, for that matter, why does anyone stick around you?" She prodded the back of Kallen's head again, more out of habit than an attempt to wake her up. Akako let out another sigh.

"An ex-terrorist now lives her life out as a high school student. If we hadn't straight up seen her with a gun, we probably wouldn't believe that sweet, quiet, and sicky Kallen could turn out to be a guerrilla fighter, much less a Black Knight. It's a freaking miracle the school just up and let her back in!" She frowned, and continued to prod Kallen's head, lost in thought. Finally, she smiled to herself.

"Ah well, it's not exactly like we could just leave her out to die. After all, she's my adorable Kallen, no matter what she did as a side job."

"HEY! My head's not a damn Beanie Baby you can just poke all day! What am I? Jello? OW!! That really hurts! You're so mean Akako!" Akako shook herself out of her fantasy world, and realized that she had just attempted to insert a finger into her friend's eye. Kallen glared at her with tears in her eyes and pouted.

"You're horrible...what did I ever do to you?"

"Ah...sorry, I was a bit out of it there..." Akako laughed shakily. Suddenly, realization gripped her as she reviewed what had just happened.

'Wait a minute....WHO DO YOU THINK I WAS DOING THIS FOR?!? If you don't pay attention in class, you'll fail the test next week! I know you're smart and all, but that can only get you so far Kallen!" The class watched as Kallen and Akako performed their comedy act, laughing at the antics of the duo. Life was peaceful in Ashford Academy, and all was well.

2,000 meters above Tokyo

Aboard the floating fortress Heracules, Governor Nunnally Lamperouge was watching the garden from her wheelchair. She observed the flower, and the butterflies, marveling the beauty in it all. She heard the door open and turned the wheelchair to face a masked man in a cape and flamboyant clothes. The man kneeled before her respectfully and slowly put a hand above his heart, remaining silent the entire time.

"Suzaku, you don't have to wear that getup in front of me. No matter what you wear, I can tell who you are." She smiled gently at the man, and took his head in her hands, slowly raising him until she was looking at her own reflection in the oval crystal faceplate.

"You've always protected me, haven't you Suzaku? And now you bear an even greater responsibility as Zero." She took the man's hand, and held it to her cheek.

"Do you know? Even though I can see again, even though I can appreciate this wonderful world we live in, I feel as if I have seen so much I could only have noticed when I was blind. I could see the sorrow in the heart of the people, the confusion in the heart of my brother, and even the love in yours. And though my eyes are back, I can still see these things, yet other people can't. So I'm going to use this power to help the world, Suzaku. I'm going to look at what is in everyone's hearts, and I'm going to work hard to make the world happy." She smiled and closed her eyes, dreaming.

"I'm going to make a world where my brother would be happy to live in, where we could laugh together, and play together. I'm going to make this world, and then I'll give it to the people. I'll make a beautiful world full of joy!" She looked up into the cold, empty mask, tears streaming down her face.

"If I do all this, do you think my brother would be proud? Do you think he'll smile at me from heaven and tell me I'm a good girl?"

The masked figure stood silently, almost as if contemplating the question. Suddenly, he swiftly pulled Nunnally into an embrace. He gripped her tightly, and slowly let her go, backing away as he did so. But as the mask passed by her ear, it whispered, quietly, but surely,

"Yes, your Highness."