A.N. Heyo, sorry for the long wait. My access to a computer has been zero, excuses excuses, blah blipity blah. I'll just start the story.

Lin POV

I was running, fast, and with no idea where I was going. This is a dream. I think to myself. A dream; you can take whatever your mind throws at you.

All around me was a forest of green, the bare earth beneath my feet. I slow down and hear voices calling my name, all my names, saying things of all kinds.

Jacqueline, come here my child. I must teach you how to behave as a proper Britannian child. It's for your own good.

Jackie, let me make you feel beautiful!

You were never my friend and I was never yours. Jacqueline, such a Brit's name. I hate you, you damned Britannian bastard child. You should just DIE!

BURN IN HELL YOU BITCH!

Come here my sweet flower. It's nice to see how well you have blossomed.

Lin, my sweet child, give Amma a hug. I'll always love you, I'll always protect you, I promise.

One step, then another, then I'm sprinting toward the sound of my mother's voice. I keep going, and I end up in the middle of a crowd. I look up and see my mother's lifeless body hanging from the window of our home. She's swinging in the breeze, eyes dead and cold, and then screaming hits my ears. I see myself, as a young child, yelling for my Amma, being dragged from the window by her advisers. For once, they looked at me without hatred, their eyes full of pity. I was just a young girl who lost her mom when her papa left the town. Not the bastard child. Not someone to be shunned, but someone who needed love.

Another voice breaks through my haze and I hear it calling to me, faintly.

Hey, hey, don't cry, pretty girl, don't cry. Lin, I'm right here, right next to you. Stop crying, I'll fight those dreams away, I'll be your knight instead of your Black King. Just wake up, sleepy girl, it's only a dream. Lin.

Lin.

Lin.

"Lin."

My eyes fly open and I see Lelouch staring down at me, worried. I feel tears coursing down my cheeks and I notice we're still in the Library. "Hiya." My throat feels raw and my voice is rough.

"It's getting late, why don't you have dinner with Nunnally and I?" I nod and stand up.

Silently, we walk down the hall. My breath jumps every once in a while with the hiccups that came to me since I stopped sobbing. Lelouch is next to me, close enough that I can feel his arm brushing mine as they swing. I try not to notice how his hair shines in the moonlight, or how fluidly he walks, or how bright his eyes seem to sparkle, or-

I stop myself and shake my head. Stop, Lin. Get a hold of yourself. This is the same Lelouch from before, just older. When I glance up, I see the small smile that lit up his face, and I smile a bit to myself.

Dinner that night was wonderful. Lulu and Nana both insisted I sleep over.

No nightmares.

When I wake up, it's early in the morning and Lelouch isn't there (strange.), so I slip out of the room and back to my dorm. Classes have been cancelled for the day and I decide to hide out in my room. Then my door bursts open and two of my biggest headaches walk in. Schneizel el Britannia and Milly Ashford.

"Lin! Are you coming to Lake Kawaguchi Convention Center Hotel with us today or are you going to spend the day with his highness doing a shit-load of boring-"

"What Ms. Ashford means is are you going to some hotel far far away after a long cramped train ride or spending the day with me as we plan some of the finer details of our wedding?" The look in his eyes tell me to say 'Wedding', so I go with the obvious.

"Well, if there's enough room and all, I'd like to go to the hotel with you, Milly." Lesser of two evils, people. She squeals and starts to raid my closet to pack for me. Schneizel walks out of the room, tense, and I notice his right eye twitching. Ha. As Milly rambles on about how exciting this will be and how much fun we'll have, I let my mind wander. Closing my eyes and laying my head down, I see Lelouch and the way he looked last night and how sweet he was and how happy I was just being there with him. No wonder so many girls are after him (i.e. Shirley) and maybe even a few guys (Suzaku?...). A light blush dusts my cheeks. Why am I thinking like this? Lulu is my friend, nothing more!

"Whoa, there, Jackie. What's with the blush?" Milly asks, teasing, prodding. I bolt up and glare at her.

"Nothing." She smirks and continues to demolish my organized closet. I wonder what Lelouch is up to and why he was gone this morning. He'll be back later. He wouldn't just leave Nunnally like that.

Milly is dragging my out the door before I can continue my thoughts. Then we're on the train for a "hell of a good time" according to Milly. Shirley seems excited (and disappointed Lu isn't coming with us -.-"), Nina is scared of the ghettos we're passing, and I'm trying my hardest to separate myself from my surroundings. But I can't help but think of responses to my friends. To Shirley: Man up and tell him you like him. Maybe he'll return the feelings (should I feel weird after 'saying' this?). To Nina: I lived in a ghetto like this for a few months. I realize you've been through some tough times, but GET OVER IT! Being scared isn't going to get you anywhere in life. Everyone has a sob story, no need to let it control how you live. To Milly: Do you know? Know how I feel, who Lelouch really is, what happened to my mother? Do you understand all the terrible things in the world? The terrible things your friends have been through? Yet you can smile? I thank you for your smiles, no matter if they're forced. WHY AM I THINKING THIS WAY, GOD DAMMIT!

Maybe a small vacation will do me good. Although I can't help but agree with Shirley. Where is Lelouch? I wish he was here...

A.N. The end of chapter 4! And yay, something every Code Geass watcher should recognize: Lake Kawaguchi Convention Center Hotel! Here comes Zero, folks!

Also, I was thinking about another one-shot, maybe the Zero Requiem and how the whole scene appeared for the outside world and Suzaku. IDK, just a thought. Lemme know if I should, I might anyways.

Oh, and I have successfully stopped myself from continuing my emo-ness. Yes, people, I did self-harm, but I stopped! So, go me!

"Emo" Asian Otaku out!

-Mem