One Week

Seraphim Earl

Author's notes:

The usual disclaimer applies… (getting bored of such)

I think I got enough non busy time to finish all my stories… so happy!

My tagline goes here… (Do you know what that is?)

Chapter 4: Connections and Protections

"I really must stop drinking tea too much." Kallen groaned as she took another sip to her jasmine tea. Lelouch chuckled as he watched how her beautiful face contorted to fake disgust. Kallen relayed to him CC's visit a while before him and she was drinking tea there as well. "Why of all teas, jasmine Lelouch?"

"You said I prepare the tea." he answered simply with a shrug as he took another sip of his serving of his tea. He could see the troubled expression on her face and was concerned about such. He came here to think and be at peace but Kallen's plight, whatever it was, took most of his concern and mind away. "What's your problem Kallen?"

"Nothing." She said with a matching tone as his.

"You are those kinds of women who say nothing when there really is a problem." Lelouch sighed as he fisted his hand and let his chin rest at it as he bore his gaze to her. The kind of gaze that he was not by any chance convinced in any way that there was nothing. she met his gaze with the stubbornness she was widely known.

"Please do let me clear my statement then," she said with a jaded expression and groaned. "Nothing of your concern."

"Your expression tells me otherwise. It took my concern that is." He replied with that sarcasm of his. Her thoughts came back to what CC said a while ago and it was rather disturbing her current situation. She started building her mental barriers and blank façades. "It's useless for evasion Kallen."

Silence. Lelouch visibly sighed. The 'Ring Five' of the Order of the Black Knights are the closest persons of the Order and what the world doesn't know is that they also have problems of figuring each other out. This was one of those moments. He needed to push the right buttons then for him to figure it out.

One question bothers him; why was he too much bothered?

She didn't answer to his underlying question and by the minute it was nagging him to know. One of the many similarities he and his Q-1 has is over curiosity that it kills them not to know. His mind was running light years as he conceived plans on how he can make Kallen talk. "Not even Zero has the concern, Q-1?"

"No, not even your alter ego." Kallen said as she turned her gaze to the garden. She couldn't think straight because her conversation with CC would always intrude her thoughts in every other minute. She needed to look away from him if she needed to keep her problems for herself and her family alone. She could only wish that he would only leave her alone.

"A chess match?" he asked, turning to his other plans. He knew that nothing can make his Q-1 visibly disturbed unless it was really serious. He didn't wait for her answer and stood up from the wooden floor and strode to the hallways to his former room and took his chess set there. He was surprised that his favorite chess set was the one he left there, his very expensive diamond chess set. The onyx and diamond chess pieces rattled softly as he went back to the room. He wanted to know her problems so badly and he knew that it was his past affiliation to her, his love for her. "What side would you be on?"

"Weird thing for you to ask." She said as she turned to him with surprisingly dull eyes. There were only two instances where those eyes were as dull as those. He didn't even want to remember. "I'll take the onyx ones since you are too courteous to ask."

He knew that her mind was not in the game as he watched her dull eyes as it moved through the crystal board. He knew Kallen too well and how she was acting was really disconcerting to him. Kallen was fire and what she was at the moment was close to being extinguished. Her being was haunting him to the past memories that he regretted, and still regrets, to the times where he failed to protect his love ones especially her. Their match was made in silence. His mind was raging with thought and questions and being the man he is, he stayed silent, analyzing. "Checkmate."

"As expected Lelouch." She said simply as she pushed her onyx king with a thud. She smiled that small smile that always made his inside churn in the past and now he felt his belly do just that. They only saw each other almost twice a month and it was barely because of the Black Knight meetings and they seldom have a decent conversation such as this. They always have too many responsibilities in both their countries, families, subjects, the UFN and the Black Knights. When the chess set was put away and they were back to their second batch of tea and sticks of dango, Lelouch could only go to his second to the last alternative.

"Do you think I could be nothing of help?" he posed to her. She shook her head in denial. "Even just for listening purposes?"

"Never thought you could be so stubborn." She huffed as she could only rest her back on the shoji door her yukata looked lovely to her very being. "You do not have any involvement to my problems so better not hear it."

"You are my Q-1." He said as he bore to her his amethyst orbs, stubbornness shining brightly on them. "You are my friend, a love one as well."

"You'll bother me nonstop unless I tell you wouldn't you?" he nodded truthfully because he really wanted to know. Kallen isn't herself and he only saw two instances where she was like that. Two instances that would surely come back to him tonight, he was sure of that. It seemed like she was thinking of the same thing as he met her gaze. "Nothing escapes you as usual Lelouch."

"Not absolutely 'nothing'." she gave off a small hesitant smile as he said the statement. She was unsure of whatever she will do and it was visible to him. "You aren't yourself Kallen."

"I am being pressured of getting married and they wouldn't tell me the reason, any reason at all." She started pouring her problems to him. "I don't want any of my suitors and if I could I'll just tell them off but Okaa-san warns me not to call them off."

He listened intently. "I will not want an arranged marriage and I honestly do not know what to do. My family wouldn't even tell me the reason why I must marry so early! I'm just 23 for Kami's sake!"

"Even CC?"

"She doesn't know anything." Kallen answered. "Naoto's already married and it settles the royal line so why must I marry so suddenly."

"Did they give you a deadline?" Lelouch said as she saw his calculating gaze of possible reasons and answers to her plight.

"No deadline, but I think my parents will announce another 'marrying age' announcement on my birthday party." She said as she groaned in exasperation as she took an uneasy sip of her tea. "I miss the homey celebrations."

Lelouch decided to talk of other things after that, trying to stray her mind from her current predicament and she played along as the fire in her eyes slowly sprouted. She started smiling widely as he pushed the right buttons in making her flare in anger and soon it was as if they were just Kallen and Lelouch, no prince or princess and no Zero or Q-1. He left her with an assurance that for some time she will be happy and his thoughts were sprinting.

She was silent for days and every one of them was worried for her. Her eyes were dull blue and Naoto was frantic of how his sister was acting. He himself was holding the grief in for his sister so that she can hold onto him for support. She stopped holding onto him as soon as her tears dried of. Every one of them knew that she was breaking inside.

"She's still like that?" Lelouch said as he put off his Zero mask and sat beside him in the couch. Each of them were worried sick and not just because of Kallen but also for her mother and one of the mothers of the Order of the Black Knights. Yukari Kouzuki Stadtfeld was declared hopeless with the three embedded bullets on her back. The whole Order and both Britannia and Japan were praying and hoping for the empress' recovery.

"She's still locked in her room and even if she had a refrigerator full of food, I doubt she'll be eating!" Naoto said in desperation as he pulled his auburn hair off his head. Nunnally was recently found out, alive and well, and Lelouch could only wonder if she would be acting like that if his imouto died truly. He was near insanity that time and here Naoto was barely holding on if it wasn't for Kallen, Reinne and CC. It was midnight and it was Kallen's seventh day of not appearing to them. Lelouch understood somehow and he gave her family space that was the whole time they were hoping and grieving. Schneizel was doing his part of being an ally of the Order and Japan that Britannia was the one fighting UEAS (United Empire of American States). "I don't know what I have to do."

"Go home and have some rest, help Reinne in running Japan for a while until we assure Yukari-san's condition, I'll make sure that our doctors will do their best and more." Lelouch said as he patted his comrade's back. "You need some rest, don't worry. I'll watch over Kallen and convince her to at least come out."

Naoto sighed and nodded, standing up and raking his hand through his wild hair. He was a figure of disaster and distress and Lelouch felt more than pity to his second family. "I'll leave everything to you then."

As soon as Naoto left he called on Tohdoh and Ohgi to his office. The two came in a span of five minutes and he was looking through the files of the doctor's recent reports about the Japanese Empress' current predicaments of health. "You called for us Zero?"

"Lelouch, please. We aren't in any field or battle so please we are family." He said as he looked at both weary men. "Prepare Crimson Tide and all the Knightmares available for battle."

"Crimson Tide?" Ohgi said in disbelief. "Why?"

"We will commence our Plan Zephyr in three days time, Ohgi inform everyone and as well as Naoto and Reinne as well. Tohdoh, prepare the troops according to our immediate plan." Lelouch continued amidst the confused gazes that the other two men are sending him. :It is time for us to stop mourning and put up the flag of hope we've been waving for some time now."

"I think I follow to your plan Lelouch, but Kallen is still locked up in her room and wouldn't even talk to anyone!" Tohdoh said out of pure concern for the redhead. Lelouch just gave them a smile that told them that he would take care of such. They understood and carried out his orders. It was time for in making his part of the plan.

Lelouch stared out his windows in his flat as he laid sprawled on his bed, his mind numb and not thinking for once this day. He was only looking at the blurred lights of the city and then it was by that time that his memories came rushing once again. He closed his eyes and diverted his thoughts, he can't.

He opened Kallen's door with a very familiar number code that was apparently like his and as soon as the door slid open he saw the usual sight of Kallen's impeccably clean room. He stepped in to silence and looked around, finding the redhead sitting on her wide window seat and was visibly from a shower as the scent of sakura drifted through the room. She was smiling as she ate some grapes she seemed fine and happy, like nothing happened. Horror settled in to Lelouch's whole being.

Empty Refrain syringes were scattered on the floor around her, six syringes at his count. He inched closer to her and saw another syringe on her lap beside her plate of grapes and he was even more horrified. He never had the chance to do such thing at the said death of his sister because he had his family there for him, especially his mother to assure her that Nunnally is alive and well, he was always in close watch. He has more reasons of continuing the fight even when Nunnally's gone. He tried, oh yes he did, but her face always flashes in his mind as he couldn't hold onto the Refrain any longer. He couldn't believe that she was taking a dose of Refrain once in all the six days she locked herself up and that she was going to take another dose today. "Kallen."

She turned to him with dull oceanic eyes however it was that a smile was gracing her lips. He felt anguish at her situation and could only sit on the remaining space the seat have so that he can meet her eyes. She met his gaze readily and it pained to see her grief there hidden by her smiles. "Would you like some grapes Lelouch?"

He could only nod as he saw Kallen more than just a warrior princess she is, she was fragile, very fragile that if he touch her she will break to a million pieces and be blown by the winds to oblivion. He never really knew how to interact with Refrain dosed people and he could only wonder and test the waters. She reached out a hand with a grape in between her fingers and as if waiting, she encouraged him that it was delicious. He took it with his mouth feeling her delicate and calloused fingers pushing it in. The moment was serene and almost holy and sacred to him that he wouldn't want to do anything to spoil it. "Isn't it delicious? Okaa-san loves eating grapes and picked many of the delicious ones. She just told me that I need to take a shower and clean myself if I want some."

If only he could live with her in those dreams. He knew he couldn't and would need to break the reality for her. "I believe you are fine then?"

"Why would you ask?" she said with owlish eyes as she bent her head to the side. "Is there a problem? Okaa-san said that you better tell it before it hurts too much."

"No… Not really." He turned his goal to the Refrain on her lap. He needed to take it away from her and make her realize that this isn't the only way, like how she made him realize such fact. "May I ask what this is then?"

He took the Refrain from her lap and could see her eyes as it widen in surprise and sudden regret. He examined it and turned it here and there, looking at it in feigned interest. Silence reigned for a few moments. She sighed and tried to take it from his hold but he didn't let her in any way. "It's a gift."

"A toy?" he pressed the syringe until the liquid was pouring out and dripping on the floor. Alarm was in her eyes as he can see her mind raging with thoughts. He continued what he was doing until the syringe was half full. "From who?"

She stayed silent as she watched the dripping liquid in silent awe as its sounds softly echoed in the room. "Okaa-san said to not take anything that isn't yours Lelouch."

The last drop came and he released it as it toppled to the floor with a clang and looked at her blue eyes as he felt his own amethyst eyes hardening. "You're mother's dying Kallen and we're doing our best to save her life."

That made crystal tears ran down her face like it was a broken dam. The mist in her eyes was cleared and soon she was crying to herself. He just realized that she was breaking so beautifully that his heart clenched in regret and sorrow. "Do you think I don't know? I'm trying to hold on, to hope that everything was a fraud and a nightmare for me to wake up to."

He gathered her broken pieces to his arms and let her cry through the whole day, until her tears have dried out. She talked to him and he listened knowing that it was the best way to help her with her anguish. "She'll be fine Kallen. I wouldn't let anyone loose a family member in this war."

He made that promise be done to the greatest extent that he can. Three days later, the Crimson Tide was flying through the skies in all its glory. Several days later, most of the world celebrated Yukari Stadtfeld's defiance to death. That was the day he realized that he loved Kallen more than anything and anyone else.

Lelouch picked up his phone in a hesitation. Yukari and Reinne Stadtfeld were not the kind of people to hide some things and act in such way that would endanger anyone, especially family. They weren't the kind of parents to let their daughter to be like the woman with the dull eyes he remembered a while ago. If they were letting her go through her ordeal naïve to the reasons, it would be something critically important. He needed to make some calls to clear his curiosity and his mind. "Suzaku? Yes I need to know some things."

Silence.

"I wouldn't take 'nothing' for an answer Suzaku." He growled as his amethyst orbs glowed in the darkness.

-TBC-

Author's notes:

This is the end of day 2 and the next chapter would be day 3… thank you those who read and reviewed and favorite and alerted and whatsoever you did with the story. I am now without any idea how I would continue this story…

What are the reasons? Reasons, reasons, reasons. There are so many. One of the many wishes would be granted. Do you know whose wish it would be?

Reviews are demanded, craved for, begged and wanted, loved and appreciated as well.

Till next chapter then.