The tea he had ordered to the drawing room should be ready about now. Guilford pulled his hair back and switched out his shades for clear glasses. The afternoon was turning to evening, so the light wasn't too bad, and he didn't like the way Euphemia looked at them. There hadn't been the right opportunity to explain, as any one thing required the explanation of ten others. He should be used to people staring, but it mattered more that it was her. Cornelia never looked at him with pity, although it had been hard to see either way when they first reunited. No, if she had seen a problem she would have told him he looked weak, but she also took things for what they were a lot of the time. Euphemia tried to look past things, and transform them, and maybe that was what bothered him. He didn't necessarily want to face whatever she was seeing.

He had been the last to clean up after their incident earlier, so when he made his way downstairs the Princesses were already there. Euphemia was nibbling at a piece of sandwich, though it seemed the tea hadn't been poured. She was wearing one of Cornelia's dresses, and he could see that she might have grown a bit. She was closer in height to Cornelia, but the excess fabric draped over her belt awkwardly, showing how thin she was.

"I'm sorry I just couldn't help myself," she said in between bites. They'd been waiting for him.

"I told you it's alright, Euphy. You must be hungry," Cornelia answered for him as he took a seat across the table. He tried to pour the tea, but Cornelia rushed to do that too, so he just watched as the girl devoured her food as fast as good breeding would allow.

"I guess I'd forgotten how hungry I was," she said between mouthfuls, "I ate last night when we arrived in New York, but then I traded my food vouchers for a ticket here."

"Who is 'we', my Lady?" he asked. He shared a look with Cornelia. He wasn't supposed to use titles anymore, but calling Euphemia informally seemed wrong.

"It was a refugee transport taking Britannians from Areas to the Homeland. We were in a float unit aircraft carrier like Schneizel's Avalon, but I think it was Chinese Federation. It was staffed by Britannian military, though. Really strange." She was clearly considering what she said next, eyeing a dish of candied fruit. "I applied for passage saying I was displaced by conflict, but that's just what other people told me to say if I wanted to go. I didn't want to attract attention, so I didn't ask a lot of questions." Guilford arranged a similar program in Area 11 (Japan, he corrected himself) before they left it in the hands of Kaname Ohgi, but that wasn't a joint operation.

"You were in a refugee camp then? But...how did you get out of Japan, and why?" Cornelia asked.

"Oh, I forgot something," she said, placing her teacup down gently and rising, "It will help. I tried to write down everything I could remember." She hurried out of the room, and he heard her running upstairs. He wasn't sure exactly what she meant. Cornelia reached her hand across the table, and he took it in his. Whatever Euphemia said, it was going to be hard for her.

"What matters is that she's here," he said.

"I know."

When Euphemia came back, she had a worn looking notebook in her hands. She turned it toward Cornelia, handling it like the reports she'd written as Sub-Viceroy, and Cornelia turned a few pages before laying it on the table where he could see. There were small notes and diary entries alongside drawings. Different inks, but all the same flowing cursive and well-trained portraiture. There were a few sketches of Kururugi in there, he noticed. The loose papers were pamphlets and news clippings. One was a picture of Cornelia speaking to the crowd while the Black Knights were being freed. It was taped carefully in place.

She turned to a page near the beginning, where some sentences had been written and then scribbled out, with one circled at the bottom: Lelouch at the Special Zone. "It took me a few weeks, but this is the last thing I remember."

"That was when he used his Geass on you, after he requested an audience as Zero." Guilford said. She was so happy to show them that he was sure it was impossible for her to know what happened after. He wasn't sure how to put it. "What's the next thing you remember?"

"I've never been able to figure out if it was just a dream, but I remember Suzaku carrying me, I think." She played with the folded corner of the page. "In the dream, I'm really sad about something, as if someone told me he would be gone forever. It can't be just a dream though, because I have a memento of his. I don't remember him giving it to me…" she trailed off. He looked to Cornelia, and she gave the slightest shake of her head. She would lead, then.

"What we know is that you were wounded after talking to Lelouch. Kururugi was there, but they told us you didn't survive, and your body was sent to the Homeland before I returned to the Tokyo Settlement. But you say you never went to the Homeland?" she asked.

"That's right. The next long while I don't remember much. I woke up in a room with new clothes, and I do remember I had a wound, on my stomach. It was like a prison. They did these tests on me, and some of it was similar to what happened with Lelouch. I would realize I wasn't where I should be, and I never knew anyone's name there, or met any other tested people, but there was this strange boy." she flipped through the pages again to a portrait of a child with long blonde hair, and the the symbol of the Geass Directorate, which she had doodled in the corner. Cornelia laid her hand on the image.

"Him! I killed that disgusting imp. He said he was our father's brother. He was a vessel for these Geass powers." She looked like she might tear the page out.

"You're the one who-you killed him!?" Euphemia asked.

"He was taunting me! He spoke of sibling loyalty, and he had you this whole time." she said.

"The center where you found him was destroyed by the Black Knights. She must have been at a second location." he said, trying to redirect Cornelia. V.V. was able to travel around the empire with power given to him by the Emperor. He could have taken her without anyone knowing, but had the Emperor known? Or Schneizel? He had never been able to read the man. He had no doubt Kururugi was ignorant of this plot. Would Lelouch have even gotten as far as he did if Suzaku had known Princess Euphemia was alive somewhere? "Do you know where this other research center was?"

"I don't know exactly, but the first city I was in after escaping was St. Petersburg. I tried to keep all the travel information." Euphy answered.

"Euro-Britannia?" He supposed it wasn't too far, but then V.V. could have just sent her to the Homeland. Thank God they didn't take her to Pendragon.

"Euphy, how did you escape?" Cornelia asked. The girl looked down, subdued. He was reminded of when she was small, pouting outside of Cornelia's rooms when she knew her sister was going to scold her, or hiding when she found out they were deploying to the front lines without her. She was ashamed.

"I didn't know until later, but it must have been when Lelouch killed our father. I kept hearing that 'everything was over'. That boy had been gone a long time, their Director, and I think they weren't sure what to do without him. One of their leaders came to me later, with a box that had my things. He said I could try to leave with him, or stay there. It didn't matter whether it was a trick. I had to try," she said. She paused and took a deep breath.

"The man took me in a train as far as St. Petersburg and abandoned me on the second day. He said he was getting revenge on someone, and that no one would be looking for me. So you see, I never did anything to help myself. I wanted to be strong like you, Cornelia, but I'm not." She was immediately in her sister's arms.

"Don't say that. You survived, and you made it home all on your own. That's strong." Cornelia closed the book with one hand and pushed a plate back toward Euphemia. Seeing her be the doting sister again was a bit surreal. "We can talk about it further when you're ready. Is it ok if I keep this with me?" She pointed at the notebook. The girl nodded.

There was still something he needed to know. He looked Euphemia in the eye. "Did they give you a Geass power?" He asked.

"No, I don't think so."

"Then everything will be fine." He said. She gave him a weak smile from Cornelia's shoulder. She would need to find her strength in the coming weeks. They wouldn't be able to hide her forever.

The door opened, and a maid appeared. "A call from your father, sir." She announced. He turned to his Princess for orders.

"It's not a secure channel," she said.

"So we'll tell him when he gets here. Hopefully he's not bringing Gordon." He sighed, rising to leave. "Excuse me, Princess."

The news from his father had been unsettling, though he couldn't say exactly how. There had been the expected inquires into his health and whether Princess Cornelia was enjoying her stay. His father still used her title, but many people did despite the dissolution of the aristocratic system. Perhaps it was odd how vague his father had been in their conversation. He was kind in his own way, but usually stern and very scrupulous. He'd told Guilford they were returning tomorrow with guests, but hadn't named anyone. It felt like a trap. If it was, there was no getting out of it. Right now he needed to plan with Cornelia. Euphemia would want more appropriate clothes brought if they had to do this.

His worry began to amplify as he stared out the window from his father's study. Their vacation in the countryside was definitely coming to an end, but he should have realized that the second he saw Euphemia. It was too bad, he hadn't lied to his father when he said they were enjoying their stay. There was an easing of everything: their formalities, their grief, and their sense of urgency for the future. For a day or two, at least, he felt like he had when he was first knighted, back when Cornelia was just his fellow pilot and friend. Everything had been so uncomplicated, and there hadn't been anyone there to demand it be otherwise. They had been right to mark their professional boundaries years ago. One step over, and he knew he wasn't going back.

At least, he wouldn't want to go back. He could never deny Cornelia anything, so maybe he was just lucky up until now, but protecting Euphemia would mean her accepting one of the positions offered by their new Empress. He wasn't about to let her go alone, whether he was still a knight or not. He didn't see how they could operate professionally and carry on like they had been, especially if they were going back to the military. These things shouldn't go unsaid, but they kept going around it, never defining what exactly was going on between them. It was very unlike his Princess, not to cast off weakness.

He'd been taking that as a good sign, even though that made him a fool. Whenever she said she needed him or told him not to go, he knew she wouldn't leave him alone either, but reality would come for him in the middle of the night. He would wake from some nightmare with her in his arms, remembering battles he'd fought, and realize it had been months since he'd tried piloting. What if she said these things to him because she knew he couldn't join her in the next fight? She was training him to stay. No, doubting her was wrong. When had he started doing that?

Through the window he saw her in the garden with Euphemia, laughing about something. Cornelia looked much better smiling. What was he supposed to say to Euphy, about their relationship? He wouldn't know what to say about it. Definitely nothing, he decided. Cornelia should deal with that. When they spotted him, he realized he had been standing at attention, and Cornelia was looking at him with a small frown. He must look like his father, ready to break up their fun. He relaxed and gave a small wave. They should all enjoy today.

Guilford couldn't sleep that night, so he went out walking the grounds. Cornelia had decided to use her own bedroom instead of his, saying that Euphemia might need her in the night, but he could see she was embarrassed when he tried to kiss her. It was either that or the pizza Euphy had insisted upon for dinner that had him tossing and turning.

It was better outside in the cool summer night. He walked until he was no longer so frustrated, finally settling down on a bench in the garden. From here he could see where the lawns sloped down into woods, and above the moon was rising. The light was so soft it didn't hurt to look, and he could actually see the stars. He still felt a bit lonely, but the crickets he had silenced with his stomping about were back, and he heard an owl calling out. It was soothing.

He closed his eyes, content to fall asleep here if that's what it took, but there was a heavier sound on the pavement behind him, toward the house. Footsteps. He jumped and spun around. It was Euphemia.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I startle you?" She asked.

"It's alright, please," he gestured for her to sit down. She had a cup cradled in her hands. He could see the steam coming off it.

"I couldn't sleep and I saw you walking," she said taking a sip, "are you sure I'm not disturbing you?"

"Not at all, Princess," he answered. They sat in silence a moment, but she seemed unwilling to say whatever she'd come to talk about. He could tell there was something, as she was fiddling her feet into the grass nervously.

"There is something I was wondering," he said, "why did you come here after arriving in the Homeland? You didn't know Princess Cornelia and I would be here." He did think it was odd. She'd apparently spent the last of her money on a bus ride and a soda. That was confidence.

"Well, I had no way of contacting Cornelia without revealing myself, and I was too scared to tell anyone who I am. When I was approved for the refugee transport, I knew it would be better than staying in the Chinese Federation waiting to be found, but the problem was that almost everyone I knew in the Homeland was gone. My whole life was in Pendragon. I knew you probably wouldn't be here but...well, you're Cornelia's knight. If I could just get your family to call you, I knew you'd protect me."

So it wasn't confidence. It was trust, and he was somewhat overwhelmed by it, especially considering his real reaction to finding her alive. She didn't seem to require a response to her explanation, for which he was grateful. She did reach into her jacket for something, which she handed to him. It was an old pocket watch, worn smooth where someone had held it often. He taped on the glass lightly. It was broken.

"It belonged to Suzaku's father. He carried it with him everywhere," she said.

"This is the memento you said you had?" he asked. She nodded.

"It's what I wanted to talk to you about. Cornelia doesn't want to make me sad, but I thought you would understand. He was my...he was my knight. What happened to him, Guilford?" she asked. She was right. It was his responsibility to explain, in the same way he had been compelled to reach out to Kururugi whenever they'd crossed paths. The watch felt heavy and cold.

"Kururugi was a good pilot and ambitious. He became a Knight of the Round by capturing Zero, and avenging you, but he ended up following Lelouch," he said.

"You and Cornelia know Lelouch was Zero?" she asked.

"Yes, and Suzaku found out at some point as well. I'm not sure when he was compelled to work with Lelouch, or why, " he answered.

"I was naive to think I could save Lelouch from the methods he'd chosen, but I agreed with his desire for a better world. Perhaps it's my fault, for bringing Suzaku into it. If they worked together, I hope he found some kind of peace." She was clutching her cup tightly, but was looking up at the stars. He wasn't sure Kururugi was worth her despair, but he could keep that to himself. It was possible that the young man's behavior was a result of Geass manipulation. He preferred that to thinking Suzaku would fight for the man who had tried to kill Euphemia.

"When he returned to Area 11, he was still against violence. He did try to create peace there, for your sake, I think, and he stood by his conviction to fight within the Britannian system. I don't know about personal peace, but his countrymen have what he wanted," he said.

"He wanted me to go to school with him, even though I was the Sub-Viceroy, and after what I did," she said. He couldn't tell if she was crying, but he didn't want to look. He traced the watch with his thumb. So, she did know what Lelouch had made her do.

"I wasn't your fault. Lelouch was a demon," he said.

"But he wasn't always, and who was responsible for his wish to destroy? We all participated in a system that created his hate," she answered.

"Any boy can claim his sin is his father's. Suzaku took responsibility for his actions and ambitions, which made him the better man. Whatever you feel, he never blamed you, so please don't blame yourself."

She seemed to consider what he said. He knew how confusing it was to separate responsibility when Geass was involved. She finished her drink and put the cup on the ground, so he passed the watch back to her. She held it carefully as if it would vanish.

"Do you think he found happiness?" she asked. He briefly considered lying, but Kururugi wouldn't have.

"I'm sorry, Princess. I don't think I ever saw him smile after you were gone. I should have done more for him," he said. He felt her face against his sleeve. She was crying. He could see why Cornelia would avoid this, crying about lost knights.

When she stopped, he picked a flower off the bush next to him and offered it. She picked the petals off one by one, and he listened as she talked about Suzaku. She took another as he told her about Kururugi's time as a Knight of the Round. They continued until she was almost asleep. Everyone had suspected the attachment between Euphemia and her knight, but having it all laid out before him showed just how tragic it was. After he'd seen her safely to bed, he laid in his own, wondering if he'd ever figure out what really happened to Suzaku.

A/N: Thanks to the people who reviewed. It means a lot when someone leaves a comment. I guess my OCs got pushed to the next chapter. It might be a bit slow paced, but I hope each section will be enjoyable on its own. Please, let me know what you think! - T