The bell on the door made a jingle and closed a second later. Soft footsteps echoed through the cafe. Rai didn't even bother to look up when he heard her voice.

"There you are. I was worried about where you ran off to."

Nunnally said gently. Rai didn't even respond. He couldn't bring himself to. She then went up to him and began to gently comb through his silver hair with her thin fingers, her other hand holding him to her in a hug.

"Every day, you're getting better. You walk with a stronger step and a longer step. The worst is over, I know it is."

Rai molded himself further into her embrace, almost smiling at how warm she was.

"And... and every day, I wonder what led me to go there, to the barricade..."

Nunnally almost frowned at this and held him to her tighter. "Don't think about it, please Rai. We... we have many years ahead of us. And I won't go away. And we can be to-together every single day. Remember what we said in the garden?" her face still burned at the memory of that night.

Lelouch looked at the scene, a sadness was spreading through him. This was it. He knew that Nunnally was never his truly. And yet, it was satisfying, seeing her like this.

She may be young, but she is true, and she knows.

Now, she is free.

"You've no idea how long I've waited for this. For us to finally be together."

"I could probably guess."

"Oh, who cares? What's important is here and now."

"Yes. I'll be here, by your side at any call, at your feet."

"Oh!"

Nunnally turned away, her face pink. She still wasn't used to having Rai suddenly say something like that.

Just let it be, just let it be.

"You know, I keep wondering if this a dream and when I'll wake up."

"Don't you worry," at that, he kissed the backs of her hands gently,"even if this was a dream, I'd do whatever it takes to keep us asleep."

"Oh Rai..."


"Sir, I can't thank you enough, I really can't!" Rai said to Lelouch for what seemed the umpteenth time.

"Evidently." Lelouch muttered to himself, but couldn't keep the smile off his face. The silver-haired youth's enthusiasm was contagious.

"I mean, how can I possible repay you for allowing to court Nunnally? Oh, I know! You can come live with us, in our home! We'll both prove our love to you every single day and you'll be as great a father to me as you are to Nunnally!"

Lelouch's smile dropped off at this.

If only I could.

"Please, not another word. I need to tell you something of the utmost importance," Lelouch said in a serious tone.

Rai blinked before his expression changed to concern.

"There was once a man by the name of Lelouch Lamperouge. He stole a loaf of bread to feed his starving sister. He was captured and sent to the galleys. He would have served only five years, but he kept attempting to escape, each failed attempt adding more and more years until by the time he was set free, he had spent nineteen years there."

"But he then broke parole and lived the next many years in a lie. How... how could he tell Nunnally this?" Rai's soft gasp echoed through the room.

"It would break her heart, yet it's for her sake that he lied. If he is caught, she would be disgraced. But he couldn't bear to leave her because he loved her too much, more than anyone in his life. But now, she has found the person who will love her and protect her in his place. So there is no need for Lelouch Lamperouge to stay. He must leave and never look back."

"Who am I? Who am I?"

"You're Lelouch Lamperouge."

Silence then shifted into the room for many minutes. Finally, Rai spoke in a soft but steady voice, as if he was thinking as he was speaking.

"I admit, that really surprised me. I never thought that that would be the story of your past. But, but you can't leave. Even if she has me, your departure would hurt Nunnally's heart. And even if I told her that you had to leave, it wouldn't matter. Either she won't believe it or she won't care."

Lelouch then grasped him by the shoulders firmly, amethyst into blue.

"Then it's up to you to make her believe it. It's up to you to make her believe that my heart was too full for good-byes, that I simply couldn't stay. Please Rai, Nunnally can never know."

Rai frowned deeply but then answered, "I give my word."

"You will tell her then why I must go, nothing else," Lelouch then walked to the door and opened it but before he left, he heard Rai say in a very cold voice, "For her sake, it must be so."


Okay. I think this was good.

Anyways, it made me so angry how little faith Nunnally had in Lelouch in the final part of R2. He's her brother the one who took care of her all, these years, who chose to ignite an entire rebellion for her sake, damn it all! Gr...

Well, enough of that. I saw the Hobbit and I can't wait for the next two movies.