Disclaimer: What? Really? Does anyone here think I own Code Geass? Anyone? Is anyone that stupid? And, you know, for clarification, the obviously labeled quotes aren't mine. Nor are the obviously labeled songs.

Note: Hark? Doth I hear people complaining about my use of subbing for parts of these stories? /plugs ears/ Ah, it seems I doth not.

Extra Note: Yes, people, the story started slightly en medias res. Yes, it'll all become clear eventually.

Extra EXTRA Note: /sighs/ I go on the belief that the same people would at least EXIST in their universe, even if they do not become who they are in our universe. So while Bush would never be a president in Geass-land, he would still be alive. That's the important part. X-P She simply doesn't speak 'her own words.'

"Only the forgotten are truly dead."

-Tess Gerritsen

Only the Forgotten

Chapter Two

Blind Sight

"He can only fool himself for so long
He can only fool himself for so long
(I'm too weak to face me)
He can only fool himself"

~Linkin Park, "Creep"

Miyamoto glared at Schneizel, standing like a robot just inside the door to Zero's room. Suzaku stood by the desk, watching as Miyamoto practically bristled. "The officers swear to their stories, sir, and they're oddly consistent."

Suzaku nodded. He could understand why Miyamoto was suspicious of his men's reports, but for Suzaku it only cemented his own belief. But why would C.C. cover up the words? Who, then, had put them there? "The message. What was it?"

Miyamoto made a disgusted sound. "That's the best part, sir. They didn't get it. They were going to write it down, but a homeless man distracted them and when they turned back, the message had already been covered up by the spray can ghost." He waved a hand as if shooing away a particularly pesky fly. "They said the message had something to do with living on or something, but they forget the rest."

Suzaku just barely managed to control the flinch in time. Thank goodness the message had been covered. If it stated anything linking him to Suzaku, or him to Geass, everything he and Lelouch had sacrificed for would go up in smoke. He took a deep breath. "And have your men canvassed the area for any other messages?"

"They're looking now."

Suzaku frowned. Chances were that none of them would be found. That cursed green-haired woman would most likely have started her search. But what in the world was going on? "Make sure they canvas the city. It may be late, but these messages may be important. Bring whatever they find straight to me. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Miyamoto saluted and hurried out of the room.

He turned to Schneizel. "I need you to watch over this. No matter what, anything that may incriminate me must be destroyed."

Schneizel bowed. "Yes, Zero." And he, too, stood and walked out. The room was eerily quiet without their presences, and Suzaku felt the thrum of tension between his shoulder blades. Why would C.C. write a message, only to cover it up? She would have no reason to, which meant she was only doing one or the other. He wanted to believe that she was the one covering the message, that the one who wrote it was normal and human and couldn't become invisible, but he'd spent time with Lelouch that last month, and he'd had time over the past year to study the strategies that had given Lelouch victory, and he couldn't just brush aside the idea that something much larger than he could anticipate was happening. If it was a war between two Immortals, then all hell would break loose. But what other Immortal was there? Lelouch had said that he'd killed all others with the Geass, and after Emperor Charles' death, only C.C. had remained as an Immortal. Unless that wasn't true. Maybe Lelouch had lied again when he'd said he'd erased Geass. Hadn't he called Geass a wish?

Suzaku's hands clenched to fists. But no, that wasn't right. Lelouch was many things, many abhorrent things, but he had known, in the end, what Geass was. Hadn't he? It was so easy to doubt Lelouch now. The man had sacrificed everything for victory. He'd killed Euphie without a second thought. Perhaps it had been for peace, but then if Lelouch had thought the continuance of Geass necessary for peace, then...

Suzaku held no illusions that Lelouch wouldn't lie to him about keeping Geass on the planet. With so many other lies, what was one more?

Then perhaps C.C. had been in charge of the users of Geass, and one was running amok. That would make sense. Had she told the other Geass users about him, or was it this one's ability? He knew they differed; he'd been shown that when Emperor Charles had used his Geass on Lelouch.

Almost he called for Schneizel to return, but it was more important that whatever information was out there wouldn't cripple his efforts. Whatever danger he was in, it wouldn't kill him. Nothing would but old age or, maybe, some disease he couldn't stop. On bad days, that thought was enough for him to wish radiation poisoning.

Outside, only the lawn lamps illuminated the night, shining off of the flowers and trees and creating an almost romantic setting. Suzaku had no doubt that it was all done for Nunnally's benefit. He thought he saw a cricket hop from a flower, but couldn't be sure. A part of him wanted to get away from the windows. He considered it for a moment before flipping the cosmos a metaphorical bird and turning away. He had to attack, not defend. If C.C. was doing something with Geass, then he needed to put a stop to it.

With that in mind, he left his room and started down the still-bright corridors to the far wing, where Nunnally undoubtedly still waited by Empress Tianzi's side. The halls were even more silent than usual, and every step he took echoed. The banners flapped slightly as he passed. He heard an almost-squeaking sound and paused, moving slightly to the side. Around a turn came Nunnally, her eyes on the floor as she maneuvered her wheels around the sharp angle. He shifted slightly to tell her of his presence, and she looked up at him with a smile. "Zero! How good to see you!"

He nodded slightly and took his usual place behind her, gently pushing her down the hall. It was unnecessary, but it gave them closeness, and him an excuse to stand near her, murmuring secrets into her ear. At many diplomatic functions, the act had become essential. She closed her eyes and leaned back. "How is Li Xingke?" he asked.

"He's doing well," she said, but she bit her lip. "For now. It's getting worse, and Tianzi's having a hard time watching."

He knew the feeling. He'd watched someone he loved die, too. "Are they resting now?"

She sat up a bit straighter. That question was not normal. "Yes."

"Then, if you're not too tired yourself, I have something I would like to discuss with you."

Nunnally kept her eyes closed, but it was most likely only to keep up appearances. He was passing his office and moving beyond, past several stationed guards. He watched them out of the corner of his eye, not turning his head. It would look as if he wasn't giving them even a passing notice. Nunnally, in turn, kept her small smile and nodded once. "All right. I'm not very tired, and if there's something I should hear, I would prefer now to later."

It said something about the trust placed in them that none of the guards questioned them. The halls widened slightly as he took her to the garden. The smell came even before they turned into the right hall, filled with rich aromas and a sort of heat that greenhouses seemed to emanate. The garden was indoors and its upkeep maintained year-round. It had more often than not become both their haven and their meeting place, and the guards stationed at the doors held them open, then closed them before moving to the other side of the hall. Both Suzaku and Nunnally waited for the ritual to be over before speaking. "What is it, Zero?"

He clenched his fingers around the handles of her wheelchair. "It's C.C. There's... more."

"What? Did you find her?" Nunnally sounded slightly skeptical, and Suzaku could understand why. He let go of the handles and walked around her wheelchair. The garden still held some Eastern horticulture, but it was confined to the West area, while the rest was all Japanese in origin. Rows of Japanese maples lines the cobblestone walkways, Burgundy Lace and Bloodgood and Dwarf Reds. Garnet maples, almost short enough to be bush-like, sat beside a black metal bench. The bench had been used only a short number of times, and usually by visiting officials. By the bench and around a slight bend sat the koi pond, maintained to crystal clear perfection. Suzaku could see a few fish swimming idly to and fro, their orange and white scales seeming to shimmer. He touched one of the maples and sighed.

"We didn't. If she doesn't want to be found, I doubt she will be. No, the problem is that there is most likely someone else involved."

He watched as her brow puckered. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Someone else? Helping her?"

He shook his head. "No. There was a graffiti'd message on a wall. It, too, had the 'Shinjitsu' kanji marked beside it, just like the bodies, but apparently a spray can stood and sprayed over it all on its own before officers could say what it said. It seems no one's being forthcoming with what the message may have said, either. I can't really blame them; it's abnormal to see an object move and act seemingly on its own."

He waited as she sifted through the information, feeling the bark's coarseness beneath the fabric of his gloves. Nunnally wheeled her way to the koi pond and watched those bright tails flicker in the water. "Then we don't know what the message is."

Suzaku's lips thinned. He didn't know how much Nunnally knew about the Geass or what transpired between him and Lelouch. Did she know about the Geass Lelouch used on him? While she'd confided in having been a victim, he had stayed his tongue. It had been surprising enough to learn that Lelouch had needed to do so; Suzaku had thought it to be a line Lelouch wouldn't cross. Then again, there were many lines he'd thought Lelouch wouldn't cross. In any case, he hadn't told Nunnally about his 'Live on' Geass, and he wasn't sure he wanted her to know. It was his burden, his curse, given to him by his friend. A punishment for his sin, a penance for his choices, a demand for the future. Nunnally's had been simple, one she could easily move on from. It would no longer touch her. Maybe that was why it was easier for her to forgive her brother.

He shook his head. "It may have something to do with... the curse." That was their code for his taking up Zero's mask.

Of course Nunnally knew he was hiding something, but other than a short, sad look to him, all she did was nod. "But the information was hidden quickly enough that no one understood?"

"So it seems. In any case, it wouldn't be something universally understood." Playing the tiptoe dance with Nunnally didn't feel quite right. It was in him to apologize.

"All right." She leaned down and skimmed her fingers over the water. One fish came up to investigate, nibbling her finger for a moment before giving it up as a food source and leaving. Nunnally giggled before pulling her hand back up. "C.C. would most likely be covering the evidence, then, wouldn't she?"

That's what he wanted to think, but then they were back at square one when it came to the Shinjitsu killer. "Still, whoever's leaving those... notes... has something to do with Geass."

Nunnally frowned. "I can't imagine my brother would willingly leave such a loose end as Geass." Suzaku's lips thinned at that, but he said nothing. "He wouldn't let his efforts be wasted."

That made sense. "He may have a plan for Geass beyond his death."

Nunnally didn't look pleased with that, but she nodded, biting her lip as she did. They were silent then, each stumbling through their own thoughts. He leaned against the tallest of the maples, the burgundy, with leaves a dark almost-purple, and watched as Nunnally leaned down and once more teased the fish. She didn't smile this time, though, and he knew it was because of what he'd said. Even more than throwing aspersions on her brother was the fact that he was the one to do so, the one closest to Lelouch. The one who, other than her, should know him best. One of them had to be wrong. Hell, maybe they both were. Lelouch, in that last month, had been more like the Lelouch he'd known. There had been more pain in his eyes, more grief.

Suzaku shook his head. No, he couldn't think like that. If he started thinking of Lelouch as a martyr...no. He'd fallen into that once before, as he'd watched his friend's eyes dim... he took a deep breath. Lelouch had received his own curse, his own penance. For everyone's happiness, he'd substituted his own. Suzaku closed his eyes. In order to bring the wish of peace to life, he'd given all of his own wishes. It wasn't enough to make amends for everything – it wouldn't bring Euphie or Shirley back – but it was everything Lelouch could give.

"Is there any way to stop someone like C.C.?" Nunnally said finally, and Suzaku saw her looking at him once more. "What can we do to stop this?"

Suzaku moved to wave away her words and felt the cape against his hand. He shook his head instead, remembering Lelouch's order: never move the cape unless you intend to make a statement. "Leave that to me. I just want you to be aware. If I'm not with you, make sure at least two guards or Schneizel remain by your side. I'll order him to protect you as soon as he returns."

"What about you?"

His smile was self-deprecating, and he was glad she couldn't see it. "I'll be fine." He thought her eyes narrowed, but she just nodded and let it go. They stayed for a while longer, listening to the silence and relaxing in the short moment before the real world would intrude again. The night carried with it a sense of solitude, as if the very earth was sleeping. He knew it wasn't true; somewhere out there, C.C. lurked. C.C. and someone else, someone potentially as powerful. He frowned. "For now," he said, breaking the silence, "you should probably rest. I'll make sure guards are stationed outside your room. If anything happens – even if you just wake up in the middle of the night – inform the guards. It's better to be too careful than not enough."

She nodded. He left his spot against the maple to go to her, encircling his fingers around the bars again. She leaned back until her hair lay heavy against his gloved hands. He felt its weight, but not its texture. She wasn't doing it deliberately, not to upset him and not to flirt. He could see her relaxing as he led her to the garden doors. The guards came forward and got the door for them. He pushed Nunnally through. "Set up guards around Miss vi Britannia's quarters. No less than three." The men accepted his orders, and one left to do as told. The other closed the garden doors behind them, and in silence he wheeled Nunnally to her private rooms. The sound of her wheels on the floor marked their movement. Otherwise, they were silent. Despite having said she wasn't tired, Nunnally's breathing was beginning to even out. He smiled down at her. She'd overdone it again. He needed to pay closer attention. She would work herself to death if given the opportunity.

Soon enough, they were outside her rooms. Two guards were coming from the side, and both saluted when he saw them. "Hobson is coming," one said, and Suzaku lifted his chin in acknowledgment. He moved around Nunnally's chair, one hand trailing along the handles, and opened the door. As he moved back, he lightly shook her shoulder. She blinked her eyes open and look around. She smiled at the guards as he wheeled her into her room.

"Sorry about that," he murmured after he'd closed the door behind him, and she nodded. She yawned as he moved around the wheelchair and knelt before her. The position was familiar, a decade old. His gloved hands rested on her knees automatically. "At least three guards will be outside your room at any time. I'll send Schneizel to you later, as well."

She smiled. "What about you? When will you sleep?"

"I'll rest after Schenizel comes back. Is that all right?" She seemed to consider it, and finally she nodded, yawning again. He couldn't help another soft smile as she waved him off, still covering her mouth with her other hand. He left her rooms and the familiar strawberry and vanilla colors within. The two guards saluted, and a rushed-walk sound alerted Suzaku to the third member of Nunnally's guard. He waited for the man to arrive before leaving them to their work, staring at them a moment longer than necessary before walking away. It was enough to get them to straighten their spines. Lelouch hadn't left much for Suzaku to need to do in the bluffing department; the strongest men became cowards before Zero's mask. It was... strange. Terrifying. Rewarding. Burdening. It made him doubly aware of every movement he made.

His rooms were only a hallway past Nunnally's, closer to the entrance and made to defend her if the occasion arose. He went into his room and closed the door. He didn't relax until he'd turned on the defense switches. A steel door slid down behind the wooden door. Metal blinds hid the stars, and he walked through the white-walled seating area before collapsing on top of the red sofa. The layout was plain and austere, made to be seen. His bedroom was the same. He could afford no knick-knacks, no decorations. Zero had no personality. Zero wasn't human.

He hung his head and sighed. He heard the metal shades fall in the bedroom, too, and heard a small beep that said the alarm had been switched on. He was tired, almost sluggish with the weight of what was happening within the city. His past was returning like a wraith to haunt him. He could feel its cold fingers along his skin, traveling up and down his back and digging its nails into his shoulder blades. It was as he was reaching up to remove his mask that the alarm went off.

He stood and hopped away from where he'd been sitting. The alarm was hooked up to his room, made to alert him to any movement of a separate heat source from his own. If it was going off, then he wasn't alone.

A soft thump alerted his attention to the far corner, and he froze. A yowl broke the silence of the room, counterpointing the soft rustle of his outfit. He jerked back as a gray cat started walking toward him. One eye was shrouded by darker fur, making it looked like it got punched in the face. He stared at it. How...? "Arthur?" The cat meowed again and sat, simply contemplating him. He took a step forward.

"Animals want to be with their owners." (1)

Suzaku jerked back, crouching into a ready position, pushing away the cape as he did. He couldn't see anyone, but that voice had not been C.C.'s. It had been female, but that was as far as the similarities went. This voice was even less passionate, a higher timbre and strangely rhythmic. He narrowed his eyes. Unless technology could now turn people invisible, it was an Immortal. Was she here to deliver a message? "What do you want?"

He heard nothing, but suddenly there was a push against his chest, and only quick reflexes kept him from falling back onto the couch. He spun away and landed once more in a crouch. He strained his senses for something, then let them fall. No matter what, he would survive the encounter. He just had to rely on the Geass placed on him and his soldier's instinct.

"We must respect the past, and mistrust the present, if we wish to provide for the safety of the future."

His brows furrowed. "What?"

He felt a prickle along the edge of his shoulder blades and rolled to his left, landing just in front of the protected windows. He eyes darted to the side, toward the protective barriers. He needed to flip the switch and get them open. But if he did, what would the other soldiers be walking into? The danger was bad enough for him alone, but the soldiers had nothing to protect them – no Geass to tell them when to dodge. And what could this Immortal say? This might be the one who left the message of his Geass on a public wall. He couldn't let them in and have his secret revealed. If people learned he was Kururugi Suzaku, Lelouch's Knight of Zero...

He saw a flash of light off of nothing and twirled away. He had weapons hidden around the room. He would have to reach one of those – his Geass activated, pulling him into a roll just as a bang sounded. Something slammed into the metal behind him and pinged off. A bullet. He cursed as he landed. Someone would have heard that.

"What are you doing this for?" he asked, hopping back up to his feet and kicking where he'd seen the flash of light. Of course there was nothing, and he turned around again. Someone pounded on his door. He heard muffled shouting. "Find Schneizel!" he ordered, his voice echoing through the voice distorter in his mask, and for a moment his voice sounded like Lelouch's. He shivered and focused back on his attacker. "Well? Why are you trying to kill me?"

He still saw nothing, but he moved three inches to the right as another report sounded. This time the bullet sank deep into plaster. "Enflamed with the study of learning and the admiration of virtue," the voice said, and he followed it as it came closer to him, "stirred up with high hopes of living to be brave men and worthy patriots, dear to God, and famous to all ages."

He blinked. He hadn't understood a word.

"So killing Zero will bring that fame to you?" More banging could be heard outside his room, and beyond that, a small, high-pitched voice, slow with sleep. Nunnally. He cursed.

Whoever his attacker was, they didn't answer his question. Though he'd begun to think that even if she did, he wouldn't understand what she said. Nunnally's voice got louder, more insistent, and Suzaku knew it was only a matter of time before they found a way to get inside. He needed to hurry. But how could he fight an invisible opponent? And if he touched her, would those horrific visions enter his mind like they had with C.C.?

A loud shriek-like cry sounded, then the noise of a laser object melting through metal. The danger his Geass had been about to force him to dodge disappeared. "No matter how sharp a grievance or how deep a hurt, there is no justification for killing innocents." He didn't know what that meant, but there was no way for his enemy to escape so long as everything remained sealed. He had to decide if letting this Immortal loose was worth the dangers of an unknown opponent.

"Stop!" he shouted, but the order was too late. He heard the shriek sound rise to a crescendo before a sharp thunk reverberated through the room. "Who are you?" he asked, even as soldiers shoved against the small slab of metal and ran inside. "Why are you after me?"

He heard nothing, and the men were searching everywhere. Just outside the room sat Nunnally, her blue eyes open and fierce. A gun sat in his lap, cradled in the folds of her pastel pink nightgown.

"Truth." He jerked at the sound, and the soldiers who had started staring at him swung their guns around, searching for the enemy. He held up his hand to still them. "Truth," she said again, "that fair goddess who comes always with healing in her wings."

What did that mean? Was she... threatening him? Did she intend to rip the mask off of Zero?

"Seal the exits," he said, ordering the men standing like fools in his room. "And fix that door. Do not fear; I will lead you to victory."

Suzaku had never had need to use that phrase before. He remembered Lelouch smiling at him as he'd been told that trick. 'Remember that people will always believe those who speak what they want to hear. And everyone wants to know they're on the winning side.' Lelouch had looked almost sad when he'd said the words, his body laced with the green glow of the lights in the basement Lelouch had Geassed someone into making. 'Take the burden and people will follow you into death.'

Now the words had slipped out, a cause more of year-old habit than because he would think to use them. He wanted to curse Lelouch for making him practice the line over and over, but he could see the soldiers' spines straighten; he actually watched their resolve harden as if quenched in a fire to unbendable steel. The men started out, each calling out which duty they would take, waiting a split second to hear if Suzaku had any other desires for them. There was no hesitation. No doubt. Nunnally watched him from outside the room with a steady gaze. Her hands rested against her gun. "What do you need me to do?" she asked.

Suzaku felt something tight twist inside his throat. Nunnally was ready to kill on his order. His hands shook with the knowledge. The men here expected him to bring victory. They expected him to create miracles, just as Lelouch had. And for once Suzaku saw that the Geass wasn't the only weapon Lelouch had used. How had Lelouch felt, knowing that one false strategy could kill everyone?

"S...Zero?"

He focused on Nunnally again. Her brows were furrowed. "Sorry," he said, his voice too robotic through the distorter to convey the chagrin he felt. "It wasn't C.C. It was... another."

Nunnally nodded. "I'll help the soldiers by the garden to lock up. If I see Schneizel, I send him to you."

Suzaku grimaced, but nodded. Nunnally sometimes had a hard time being around Schneizel, seeing as he was nothing but a lifeless droid, programmed to Zero's – and thus Suzaku's – every whim. But Nunnally had once said, in a sad voice, that brother had chosen their punishments, and she, too, had her role to carry out as the world's advocate.

"Be careful, Nunnally. I think they're after me, but–"

"I know." She gave him a little smile. She'd never seen death right before her eyes. Not until she'd watched her brother... Suzaku's teeth clenched together with a tight clack. He couldn't think about that. "I'll be all right."

Suzaku nodded and watched as she wheeled off. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He couldn't feel the danger anymore, but she had to still be nearby. Maybe he could use his Geass to pinpoint where she was. It took a few minutes, but he felt something. It didn't feel quite like what he was looking for, but he'd never searched for someone with his Geass before. Hell. He would follow the link, but first he had to take care of Nunnally. This was the worst time for this. C.C. was still out there somewhere.

"There are few who deny
At what I do, I am the best"

~Nightmare Before Christmas, "Jack's Lament"

Lelouch's heart still hammered double-time in his chest. For just an instant, he'd felt his plans crumble to dust as he stood outside Zero's private rooms and saw Nunnally order the soldiers to force their way inside. His throat had seized. His blood had gone cold.

How long had it been? How long since he'd seen his little sister? She'd grown her hair even longer, and was now practically sitting on it. She sat straight still, her spine strong. And her eyes. He'd been standing to her side as she ordered men twice her age, and he'd seen those eyes wide open. He wanted, so badly, to go to her, to touch her shoulder and have her turn to him. He could almost see it; how those eyes would blink, how the cerulean skies inside would glitter. She would grin from ear to ear and shriek, clapping her hands...

But no. Most likely she would start crying, and those glittering pools would squinch in pain. His heart thumped hard. His existence upon this earth had ended one year ago. For her, for Suzaku, for everyone. That was why he'd left when they'd wheeled the Nd-YAG laser down the hallway. He had to get into position, or else his quickly-erected plan would crumble. He moved down the halls, feeling lost and out-of-place. This estate had been erected for Clovis when he'd come to live in Japan. It had never before held the banners of the UFN. He'd stayed here himself when he'd been emperor, coming over to the country he had to conquer. He wasn't surprised to see that Nunnally and Suzaku had chosen to stay here while they solved the Shinjitsu murders, but he still felt that the place couldn't be less suited to their goals.

Still, each turn felt both familiar and alien, and he had trouble reconciling the halls with the ones he'd traveled just a year ago. The opulence was stark after traveling the outskirts of the country, living on the land and what they could find. C.C. had complained about it enough times for him to memorize what she would say, but she still never left his side. He had to consider the idea that she'd done so for this moment – for D.D. But for now...

There. He stopped in front of the garden and looked around. The guards he'd seen before had run to Zero's defense, and he took the chance to slip inside, re-locking the door behind him. The garden was dark, just dark enough that the grass and flowers blended into the path, until he wasn't sure that he was stepping on the plants until he did so. The garden had been changed. He'd expected as much, though it would make his life harder. His brow furrowed. He thought he heard water. If he did, that would make things even easier.

He took a few moments to reorient himself with the place; there were more trees, each thin enough to prove they were new. He was getting closer to the water. It was a slow trickle that he heard; all he could think of was that little pond at the shrine, with a reed that would fill with water and dump it when it got too heavy, clapping right back up afterward. He didn't hear that repetitive sound, and for that he was happy. It had always grated on his nerves.

When he was fairly sure of his surroundings, he slid to the far corner and crouched, making sure he was still invisible. He heard noises from outside, but for now, he would be fine. Things were just going to get difficult. He had known he would feel pain at the sight of his sister and old friend. He'd thought he'd prepared himself, but his chest ached with want. He'd given it all up to succeed with his plan. At first to die, and then to live forever, beyond the life of all those he loved. He'd accepted that. He'd achieved that.

He closed his eyes and listened as soldiers raced past, one checking to see if the garden door was locked and then racing off again. He snorted softly. Of course. These fools wouldn't know how to do their jobs if they had a microchip implanted in their skulls. Things were quiet for a moment then, and his eyes had adjusted enough to see small shapes through the light coming in past the door. The flowers stretched shadows across the floors, overshadowed by thin trees Lelouch thought might be native to Japan. He smirked. Of course Suzaku would want that.

The water was a small pond, though that reed was thankfully absent. He thought he saw movement within. His mind showed him flashes of orange and white and black. Koi. There were koi in the pond. He almost laughed. Was this really at Suzaku's behest? Perhaps the Japanese working here had wanted it. Or perhaps Nunnally. Yes, that one made the most sense. Nunnally would try to recreate Japan's world within this extravagant estate, even if the architecture was boldly European. And no one would have the heart to tell her it was useless. Perhaps they would appreciate the thought, if nothing else.

He stilled as the sound he'd been waiting for approached. A soft whirring, almost indistinguishable as the alarms were turned on. He stood. Nunnally unlocked the door and wheeled herself inside, pausing just within. His heart seemed to thunder. She was haloed from behind by the light in the hall, and through the trees he could see that mass of curls shine in the light. Her eyes were open, but she closed them and took a deep breath. Through memory she went down the path, pausing at the end before the path branched right and left. There were no traditional exits past here, no external doors to lead out. She tilted her head, and he knew she was listening for sounds. He felt like he should hold his breath. She would probably also be feeling for wind. The walls inside were all bulletproof glass, and if one was broken, the night air would creep inside. She finally put her head down, apparently satisfied.

"C.C.?"

He almost jerked back. She could sense him? But of course she could. He bit his lip. He couldn't go to her. He'd turned away from her over a year ago, on the Damocles. He clenched his fingers into fists. His existence had ended.

"No, you don't feel like her." Her head tilted to the side. Her eyes remained closed, but her brows furrowed and her lips parted. Her voice hushed. "You feel more like–"

"Nunnally?"

Lelouch clutched his chest at the sound of that voice. His eyes whipped to the door. He hadn't even heard the man approach, he'd been so engrossed in what Nunnally was saying. He was thankful that the distorter muffled the voice the way it had been made to, that there was no piece of Suzaku beyond the mask of Zero. He could almost trick himself into thinking he hadn't yet seen Suzaku. That standing before him was only Nunnally and Zero, his precious sister and his own mask come to life before him. Not his old friend. Not the man who'd wanted him dead so powerfully that the friendship they'd shared couldn't penetrate his hate.

"There's someone in here," Nunnally said, and Zero stopped still. That costume seemed to stretch around the skin of its wearer, and Lelouch knew Suzaku was preparing to fight.

He just couldn't, in the end, think of Zero as an entity. Inside was Suzaku, and he had to realize that in order to make his plan work. If he was right, she would come here. She liked playing cat and mouse with her enemy. She would come and speak to Zero – to Suzaku. And though he wasn't Lelouch's knight anymore, Suzaku would do exactly what Lelouch needed him to.

Suzaku had left the door open as he'd entered, keeping an exit available for Nunnally. Lelouch felt something in his chest calm at the sight. Suzaku was taking care of Nunnally. That was something he'd hoped for, that Suzaku's kindness would be enough to protect Nunnally, whom they both cared for.

He saw her then. Her white hair was straight as an arrow as she entered, flashing in the light, though he was the only one to see. She watched Suzaku as he turned to Nunnally, his stance vaguely protective even to Lelouch's untrained gaze. Lelouch waited, his tendons snapping. For this to work, he had to stay in the shadows.

"Zero, behind you," Nunnally said, but Suzaku was already turning. D.D. had reached out a hand to touch him. As Suzaku crouched and pulled out his gun, Lelouch felt a deep sting of relief that he'd used his Geass on Suzaku, after all.

"The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision."

Her eyes were on Nunnally now, but while Lelouch and Suzaku tensed up, Nunnally only cocked her head, keeping her eyes closed. "And what do you envision? Why is it that you've come?"

D.D. moved around Zero as Nunnally spoke, her eyes moving up and down the girl's body. If Nunnally felt D.D.'s eyes on her, she didn't react.

Lelouch slid his hand along the bark of a tree, readjusting according to the new layout. He should be able to do it, so long as Suzaku and Nunnally hadn't changed too much. As long as they didn't do anything completely out of character...

"In all secrets there is a kind of guilt, however beautiful or joyful they may be, or for what good end they may be set to serve. Secrecy means evasion, and evasion means a problem to the moral mind." D.D. flicked her white hair back and stepped away again. Suzaku – Zero – turned to where she'd been. Lelouch bent his knees slightly. It was almost time. All he needed now was for her to light the fire herself.

Nunnally's brow furrowed. "You intend to uncover the truth of Zero?"

"I know where I'm going, and I know the truth." Suzaku lifted his gun, but she'd moved once again. "Allow me to introduce you. This is my knight, Ku–"

Suzaku snapped his hand up and shot her. His shot went straight through her chest, dropping her like a stone to the cobblestones below. Nunnally opened her eyes and blinked up at Zero. Suzaku was gasping for breath; the costume, tight around every part of the anatomy, showed the gasps he took even more than the trembling in his limbs or the frozen aspect of his muscles. Lelouch hurried forward then, hiding within the trees until he was beside D.D. There was only a short amount of time before she would recover.

"S... Zero?" Nunnally twisted in her seat, staring up at him.

"I... I think I hit her."

Nunnally's brows were low over her eyes. She looked around. "I don't see her." She turned to where D.D. had stood. Lelouch pulled his own gun out as he neared D.D.'s prone form, ready to shoot her again if he had to. Finally Nunnally nodded. "We need to get more soldiers in here. She's Immortal, so she'll be able to escape if we don't do something."

"We need to get you out of here, Nunnally. Now."

She opened her mouth to protest, and for a moment Lelouch feared he'd pegged her wrong. She'd changed in those last few months. She'd gotten more of a backbone. She'd gone up against him. She'd risked his life. For a short, timeless moment he felt his heart stop.

Then she sighed. "You're right. I'll leave."

D.D. shifted, and Lelouch's heart flipped. Nunnally turned and wheeled out, the soft whirr going down the hall. Lelouch watched until he couldn't see her anymore. Suzaku looked down to the floor, roughly where D.D. lay. He lifted his gun again. "You're Immortal, right? You can't die from a bullet wound. I know. C.C. told me."

D.D. moved again, and the shuffling sound alerted Suzaku. He aimed for the movement and fired. A bright spot of blood bloomed from D.D.'s neck. Lelouch found her blood creeping along the flowers to his feet and wanted to curse. Hopefully Suzaku wouldn't notice. He couldn't move now. It would mean getting shot himself, and he needed to be able to move. "You're going to answer my questions. All of them. And in a way that can be understood. That whole 'virtue-famous' thing meant nothing to me."

Lelouch tilted his head. Would that be a quote she'd used? It probably made sense to her, which meant it was something Lelouch should know, as well. Poor Suzaku probably couldn't follow it at all. Almost Lelouch chuckled. It seemed Suzaku really hadn't changed much at all. Of course, he thought, and his humor died stillborn, that would mean that Suzaku's opinion toward him hadn't changed, either.

"Now show yourself. Or I'll just keep shooting."

Lelouch stopped then. That... had not been part of his plan. He looked around quickly, then scowled. The king had to move first.

He stayed low as he raced to the door, shooting at the lock until the door swung open. Suzaku shot at him, over his head the first two times, then just missing his leg. His fourth shot sent fire through Lelouch's right ankle, and he fumbled in front of the door. He swallowed the scream that rose in his throat and pushed the door open. He moved as silently as possible away from it, ignoring the blood that splattered to the floor. Suzaku stomped over to the door and looked out. Lelouch clutched his ankle and flicked the blood out the door. Suzaku fired out there again, then cursed under his breath. He looked around. Lelouch clutched his ankle tighter, hoping his blood wasn't dripping.

"Nunnally," he said, and finally turned away. Lelouch watched, adrenaline screaming in his veins, until he was gone. Then he went back to D.D., injured ankle be damned. Before she could recover, he grabbed her and dragged her inch by inch to the pond, dumping her head into the water and gasping for breath. Suzaku would be back soon. He had to hurry. But hell if the term 'dead weight' wasn't over-exaggerated. He cursed, not for the first time, his lack of physical prowess.

"Lelouch."

He flinched and turned, scowling back at C.C. as she walked up from the bulletproof walls on the left. "You should hurry. Suzaku is coming back."

He cursed. "You have a few questions to answer, but later. Help me now."

She snorted and came to his side. "Even when you ask for help, you're bossy. At least you listened when I told you about immortality. Good idea, sticking her in the pond."

"Talk later," he growled, lifting the woman up. "If she so much as moves, shoot her."

C.C. just sighed.

"Secure the exits!" Lelouch looked back as Suzaku shouted through the voice distorter, sounding every inch the symbol of justice, "ensure Lady Nunnally's safety!"

Lelouch turned back to the bulletproof windows. He'd made a few modifications to Clovis' rather elitist building. The fool had thought that his name would stop any and all assaults. Lelouch hadn't been so cocksure. The garden had been upgraded, and he'd kept such information from anyone – including the construction workers involved. He'd Geassed every last one. Now the only ones who knew about it were himself and C.C. She'd already come through to enter, just as he'd come through the entrance on the other side of the building. "Let's go," he whispered, and with a grunt they dragged D.D. away from Suzaku and Nunnally. Lelouch had to ignore the desire to see them one more time. He was dead. For the world's sake, everyone had to believe that.

A/N: /dies/

(1) In order:
Kim Kappler
Joseph Joubert
John Milton
Bill Clinton
Anne Shannon Monroe
Helen Keller
Gilbert Parker
Muhammad Ali
Lelouch vi Britannia