Spider-chan: Well, my lovelies, this is the beginning of the end :c Second to last chapter right here! –sighs of relief from readers who cannot take much more reading- I know, I know, I'll send you all fruit baskets for all the words you've had to process. Anywho, on with the show~~

--

C.C POV

I gasped and caught his eyes. They weren't sad like mine; they held a firmness that I hadn't noticed in a long time. It almost seemed unnatural to me.

Here was my choice: I could stay here, remain miserable for the rest of my days with the man my parents had hand-picked for me to marry, or I could leave with the love of my life and turn my back on it all. Either way, somebody was going to get hurt.

What to do…?

He stood there, poised, awaiting my retaliation. I bit my lower lip in frustration. I really was being selfish, but for the first time, I didn't care as much.

"Yes," I agreed with a nod, "let's go."

Goodbye, Mao. This is it; I'm leaving you for good. I know you love me, I know you would have cared for me, but I could never return such feelings, and you deserved more than that. I'm sorry…

A smile spread across Lelouch's face. He kissed the top of the forehead contently.

"Suzaku." He beckoned the chestnut-haired boy. Suzaku looked to him in response.

"You have been helpful through all of this, and I cannot thank you enough. However, I need you to do us just one last favor…"

--

An hour or so later

I was busy gathering my clothes together and placing them neatly inside my carrying case. I couldn't believe it; I was actually going to leave the bounds of this estate. I was going to be free.

Free.

It felt so good to think of such a word, I closed my eyes for a moment and meditated on how it would feel. Perhaps a bit nostalgic and unsure at first, seeing as I'd never been away from this life. In the end, though, I couldn't help but see an ideal ending for Lelouch and I.

We would be together, just like we'd always dreamed. We wouldn't have to hide anymore.

Perhaps we could even have a few children. Yes, I could see him taking a liking to that. Matter of fact, we'd actually discussed it before. He'd told me that one day, he would take me as his wife and that if and when I was ready, he wanted to create a family together.

The moment he'd said that, I remembered blushing. It seemed so farfetched and blurry to me, but now, it seemed like maybe things would go according to that plan. Now it seemed all too wonderful and I couldn't wait for it to become my reality.

I exhaled and opened my eyes. I had to hurry up if we were to get out around the expected time frame.

It had been decided that he and I would both gather our things and meet back with one another outside his room in about an hour. Simultaneously, Suzaku would keep an eye on things and make sure that he and I would go unnoticed while we slipped away, never to return.

In some ways, I couldn't wait to turn my back on this place. In other ways, I was saddened. I was sick of being prisoner in my own home, but I was surely going to miss Suzaku. He'd done everything for Lelouch and I and he was one of the greatest friends I'd ever had, even if it came down to comforting me in times when Lelouch wasn't around. Yes, I was going to miss his smile, his friendly disposition, everything. I knew Lelouch would miss him too. They were the definition of lifetime friends and now they were going to be separated for the rest of their lives.

Another thing, I could say that I wouldn't miss Mao, but that would be a terrible lie. After all, Mao had always taken care of me. Always treated me properly, always smiled and showed his affections for me, always…loved me. He wasn't a bad person, just jealous and territorial when it came to me, and I understood that. Though he loved me, my marriage to him was also his right. I would miss Mao's cheeriness, his love…but I couldn't let him plague my mind any longer. I had to put this conflict to rest before anyone else got hurt…

I closed the clasp on my suitcase filled with my various necessities, held it securely in my hand, and left everything else in my room to stay. One thing I brought me was the engagement ring Mao had bought for me so many years ago. Though Lelouch might claim that it would stir up bad memories, it would help me to not feel so homesick about all of this.

I turned out the lights in my room, flooding the room in shadows illuminated in faint moonlight. I shut the door to my room, being rewarded with the satisfaction of never having to set foot in it again. Now was my escape and as I walked through those dreary halls for the last time, I didn't look back.

--

Lelouch POV

I didn't even bother packing anything up. What did I have here? Clothes? Useless. Those can be rebought. The only material thing that I had, I was taking with me. And she would forever be with me after this night.

I stood outside my room, waiting. I realized that this was it; There was no taking back what we were about to do. If we were to ever return, I could be killed for treason, or kidnapping, whatever the justices saw fit. This meant no more pesty Count to deal with, but it also meant that I would never see Suzaku ever again. And I admit, that hurt. But he and I had both agreed, after discussing my plan, that we would rather not see one another than have C.C or I suffer as we were now.

My mind was made up and though it may hurt some, escape was the only way out of all of this. It had to be…

C.C noiselessly made her way over to me, suitcase in hand, ready to run off with me forever. I smiled at the thought. When things were finally in my favor, the word forever had a very sweet connotation to it.

I outstretched my hand to her and she eagerly took it. I walked forward and she followed.

Without a word being said, entwined at the hands, she and I began a walk that would lead us to the rest of our lives.

--

The long, wooden doors stood closed before us. This was it. The word exit had an entirely new sense to it in my mind.

I turned to her and smiled. She returned the favor; however, her smile didn't seem as sincere. Almost like she were lost or in some sort of trance. Seeing as this made the biggest impact upon her, this didn't shock me to discover.

I shifted my hand out in front of me, prepared to push open the door to our freedom. However, I was stopped by the sound of Suzaku's shrill yell.

"LELOUCH!!!!!" He yelled in distress. I didn't like the tone. Nor did I like the sound of quick footsteps approaching us.

I spun around swiftly just as Suzaku rounded the corner and ran up to us. He looked terrified.

"He's…coming." He explained breathlessly.

I felt my pupils grow in apprehension.

"I'm…so sorry…," He huffed, "he got up and left the room. I followed him for as long as I could but…he went in a different direction and I lost him. He's coming, Lelouch. I don't know where, but you HAVE to get out..now!"

I bit my bottom lip and nodded. This wasn't going to be as easy as I thought. At least we would have a head start.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind was the instant that I ironically heard the sound of a gun clicking off its safety directly behind my ears.

I watched a tidal wave of panic sweep over both Suzaku and C.C. I didn't know if I was scared or what, but I stood frozen in place.

I was made positive that I was being held at gunpoint when I felt the cold, sleek metal against the back of my skull.

"Hello…Lulu." The Count's voice chilled my blood. It sounded so sinister, so unlike him. Apparently he wasn't the only one who had overplayed his hand.

Well, if he thought I would go this far to just back down, he was crazier than I gave him credit for.

I smirked to myself, unbeknownst to him. Suzaku, noticing the look in my eyes, relaxed a bit. He knew I wasn't about to die just yet.

"You give C.C back to me, and I won't have to put a bullet in that thick head of yours. Take a step near her, and I'll soon have your blood all over my nice clothes. And we wouldn't want that, would we?" He instructed darkly.

I rotated my body slightly. And just as I thought, he wouldn't have killed me even if I was going to go to her. What a loser.

I took a few steps away from him, making about three feet's space between the two of us. I stood facing him, a glaring contest breaking out between our eyes. My smirk stayed strictly in place.

"Suzaku!" I shouted, grabbing his attention and earning a questionable look from Mao.

"…Take C.C outside." I stipulated.

Mao's mouth dropped completely open. One way or another, I was ensuring that at least C.C got away.

Suzaku grabbed C.C's arm and began leading her out, starting up a steady run.

"Wait..!!" I heard C.C interject in opposition.

"No!!" The Count growled, now attempting to aim his gun at Suzaku.

Just as I had anticipated. I plunged towards Mao, tackling him to the hard floor.

Suzaku and C.C were now halfway out the door. "Lelouch!!" She screamed and the large door swung closed.

Perfect.

I began fighting with Mao, throwing in a few punches and roughly shoving him around in an attempt to wrestle the gun out of his hand.

"I will have her, Lelouch. One way or another, she's mine!" He grunted and shoved me off him.

"You don't get it, do you?" I questioned as he pinned me down, "She never loved you. She loves me. Why can't you just accept that and let her be truly happy? Why make her suffer?"

He slapped me, hard, across the face and yanked me back down by my hair.

"Because she was mine first. She belongs to me, Lelouch. She loved me first!" He replied angrily.

I wiped away some excess blood that was trickling down my mouth.

"Think about it, Lelouch." He said as he elbowed me in my throat, causing me to furiously spit out the excess blood and saliva in my mouth. "Has she ever tried to tell you about our past together? No. She didn't want to tell you because I was the one who took care of her after her family died, not you. She may think she loves you, but she truly loves me. She's told me many times."

For some reason, this started a fire in the pit of my stomach. I threw a rough punched in his gut. "You're lying." I gasped. And I realized, he was right. C.C never spoke about their past. Could she really love him?

Mao took me by my shoulders and pinned me once again against the floor. My spine was digging into the marble, my head was spinning, and I was gasping for air. He was stronger than I thought.

Then I realized, I'd let my feelings play too big of a part in this. I was believing whatever he was telling me and, true or not, they were affecting my actions. No wonder I was losing so badly.

To hell with all of this. Enough fighting over her, enough doubting our love, enough hiding like a coward. Now was the time for me to take action and I was letting it slip away. I had to believe what I knew was the truth, she did love me. I knew it. Enough letting my jealousy control me completely. It was taking its toll on my sanity all because I'd been questioning things from the beginning.

Now, I had to end it. Once and for all. I was done being jealous and done playing games.

I squirmed out of his hold and, instead of trying to take my anger and frustration out on his body, knocked the gun clear out of his hand. It slid across the floor a few feet from where we were fighting.

Try as I did to get up, Mao kept overpowering me. So, I used one of his tactics and elbowed him square in the chest.

He wheezed at the pain and pressure and I slipped out from under him. I got up on my feet and staggered over to the weapon, eyeing it like it was precious to me.

Before I could bend down to grab it, Mao grabbed me by my left leg and jerked me back down.

I hit the floor with a painful 'thud' and desperately tried to crawl over to it, though Mao was pulling me back towards him. I reached out towards it helplessly, extending my arms and fingers as far as I was physically able.

I nudged it slightly as I kicked and moved my legs in any motion to prevent Mao from dragging me back. Finally, my right hand grabbed a hold on it and I drew it to me, gripping it with both hands and allowing the Count to bring me toward him.

As I slid across the floor back to him by his own hand, my smirk returned. It at first didn't come clear to him what could possibly make me so cocky, but once I whipped out the gun and pointed it directly at his forehead, things seemed to register.

I don't know what came over me then, but I felt so powerful. For once, I felt stronger than him. For once, I wasn't the one who held all the cards. I don't know why I liked the feeling so much, but I felt like…I'd won.

"So, Mao." I spoke up. He just looked at me with fearful eyes. "Although it isn't your favorite story, I'm sure that you can recall one of the final scenes in Romeo and Juliet where {Paris and Romeo fight for Juliet's love."

He remained deathly silent and I pushed the gun further against his forehead. "Well, in the words of Romeo, Here's to my love!" I gripped the trigger like my life depended on it.

--

Outside, C.C POV

I was hyperventilating like I never had before. I held my head with my shaking hands in order to remain calm.

"Please," I begged, "take me back in there!"

"No! I promised Lelouch I would protect you." Suzaku replied.

I felt like my entire world could fall apart in a split second. I didn't want either of them to die!

"But if I could just talk to Mao, I could convince him!" I explained.

Suzaku stayed quiet.

That's when we heard the off-sound of a gunshot come from inside the castle.

I heard my heartbeat inside of my ears. That sound rang inside my head for what seemed like an eternity.

My breath caught in my throat. This had to be the scariest thing I'd ever experienced.

I felt the tears building up inside my eyelids. Did one of them actually get shot? I realized that if either one had been wounded, I'd scream and cry.

It seemed like I'd detested the Count, but that wasn't it at all. He cared for me, loved me. As did Lelouch, but still, Mao had needed me in entirely different sense. I felt like I had to be there for him, like he was there for me. May times I'd heard people say to never take someone for granted, but that's just what I'd done. I'd hurt and betrayed Mao in every way.

Suddenly, Lelouch emerged from the castle. He was alone, with a cold stare set upon his features and blood was covering him in select areas.

That was it. Mao was dead.

"Mao!!!!!!!!!!" I let my blood-curdling scream escape from my throat and broken down into a sob.

--

Lelouch POV

I walked outside, trudging past the door. I felt numb, what I had just done didn't even faze me.

C.C's scream suddenly filled the air. "Mao!!!!!!!!!!"

For some reason, reality smacked me. I looked down at my hands. They were coated in Mao's blood. It registered in my mind that I had actually just killed a man.

My body shook in terror. I stared down at my hands like I was watching myself mutate. All the stressful things that had recently happened to me were nothing like this.

Jealousy, anger, frustration, betrayal, and…murder. All these things swept through my subconscious like wildfire.

I put my hand up to my ears to block out her scream. I fell to my knees weakly.

I'd just killed someone…with my own hands; I'd taken someone's life. And that was something that I could never correct.

On my knees, I bent over. I felt like I was going to vomit.

No way could I ever fix this. And I could never make it up to C.C either. I could tell from her screaming that his death really must have taken a toll on her.

I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…

The only way I could find to calm myself down was that everything else was over with. I wouldn't have to suffer through any of that again.

"Its over." I kept repeating to myself, loud enough that I could block out the sound of C.C's muffled crying. "It's over…"

--

Spider-chan: O____o intense! And you think it ends there? Well love, it doesn't! I'll see you next time for the final chapter. (Also sorry for posting this so late, but ironically I WOULD want to update as soon as a freaking technical glitch stops ppl from logging in =.=) Ciao~