"Did you finally calm down now Gino?" C.C. asked softly as she poured him a cup of tea.

He nodded slowly and reached over for the cup. "I'm sorry for my meltdown my lady." He murmured and took a sip.

"It's fine. I need you to get your head together. I can't have you falling apart on me now.. especially not now."

"I can't help that I watched you're husband shoot my friend!" He growled and put down the cup.

"Whatever happened?" She asked and took a sip. "Did he survive?"

Gino's stopped moving and let out a deep breath. "He didn't make it.."

C.C. stopped breathing for a moment and gently placed the cup down. "You're serious?"

He nodded and wiped his eyes. "I couldn't stop the bleeding.. he died in my arms."

"That bastard.." She whispered and rubbed her cheek. How was she going to tell Lelouch about this? "For right now we need to keep that information between us."

"What?" He said baffled. "You can't be serious."

"DO NOT tell Lelouch!"

"He has a right to know! We cannot keep this from him!"

She looked him dead in the eyes and raised up her hand. "This is an order, as Queen of Britannia I command you to not tell Lelouch!"

He sighed in defeat and nodded. "Yes your majesty."

"You are dismissed for the afternoon." She said softly.

He stood up without a word and did a quick bow before leaving. She sighted and rubbed her temples. She didn't want to use her power on Gino's.. but she knew she had too. In time he would forgive her eventually. Even Lelouch would have to forgive her for keeping this secret from him. She didn't want too but if she wanted to Lelouch to get stronger; not only physically but mentally also. The last thing she wanted was to send him back into a coma with the news of Suzaku's death.

"What to do, what to do." She murmured and leaned her head back, closing her eyes.

Schneizel's Office

"You promised that you wouldn't hurt him!" Cried out Euphie.

Schneizel sighed and offered her a handkerchief. He had expected her to be already gone after the wedding. Not here still making a scene over that Eleven. Then again he was sure that he could use it to his advantage.

"Euphemia." He began softly and placed a hand on her shoulder. "How much longer are you going to be stubborn about my decision?"

"You went back on you're promise to me!"

"I never gave you my word! I had said that I would think about it, which you should already know that means no. What made you think that I would change my mind?"

"Because you are my brother!" She shouted and threw his handkerchief back at him. "Or at least I thought you were."

He chuckled and shook his head. "I had a hard decision to make, and I made it for the good of the Empire."

"He wasn't responsible for what happened to Lelouch, and you know it. You just wanted someone to blame." She said and stood up.

"Watch what you say next Euphie." He said and gently touched her cheek. "Because it might just comeback to bite you."

"Same to you." She said and pushed his hand away from her face. "Congratulations on you're marriage as well.. I didn't think you'd ever say, 'I do.' "

"The marriage is strictly political and nothing more." He said and went to go sit down behind the desk. "Don't read to much into it. I had my reasons to marry her, and she had her reasons for saying yes. In the end we both gain something."

"You make marriage sound so beautiful." She said and shook her head.

"As I said, strictly political." He responded back. He began to look over some of the paperwork. "You know that way out little sister."

She gave a quick curtesy and turned to go but stopped. "I hope you know what you're doing." She mumbled softly and left.

He chuckled and put down the paper. "On the contrary.. I do." He said and smiled to himself.

A Month Later..

"I don't understand why you have to keep me cooped up in the damn room?!" Lelouch groaned and put his book down.

"I do apologize sire.." Gino's began and shifted on his feet nervously. "I have strict orders from the Queen to not let you out of my sight when she's not here."

"I forget.. she's Queen now.. to that tyrant." He murmured softly. "How is she doing?"

"She seems to be holding her own, you shouldn't worry about her."

"Hm." He hummed and looked at Gino's face. He looked like that he was having some internal conflict. "What is it?"

"It's nothing.." Gino's mumbled and leaned against the wall.

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't look like nothing."

"Fine.." He breathed slowly. "Do you ever feel like she's maybe.. turning against you?"

"Against me?" Lelouch chuckled and shook his head. "That's absurd."

"Why is it absurd? Betrayal is everywhere sir, look at where you're at!"

He sighed. "I know it wasn't C.C. that put me in this bed. Just how I know that she's not the one who's betraying me. I was the one to push her to saying yes to Schneizel's proposal. And to do whatever she needed to do to get/ gain his trust. By any means necessary."

Gino's jaw dropped open. He couldn't believe his ears! What kind of sick twisted game were they playing at!? Before he realized, he had grabbed Lelouch by the collar of his shirt and lifted him up off the bed a bit. Gino's was fuming with rage.

"I can't believe what you're saying!" He growled.

Lelouch looked at him completely baffled at his reaction. "You of all people should understand." He said softly.

"Well forgive me if I don't." He said bitterly and let go. "Forgive me for my language, but you're whole family is completely fucked up."

"You don't know the half of it." Lelouch chuckled some.

Gino's shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. Then fuck it! He thought. He was about to betray the Queen but it was only right for Suzaku.. and for Lelouch. No matter the consequence he would face when she found out. But as of now he didn't care. He just didn't care anymore.

"There's something I need to tell you." He said softly. "But I need to go get something.."

"What is it?" Lelouch asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Suzaku gave me something to give to you.. before he.."

"Before he what? What are you talking about?"

"Before he died.." He whispered.

Lelouch started to laugh a bit and looked at him. He wasn't amused, he wasn't amused at all. He stopped laughing and rubbed his cheek. "He's not dead.."

"Yes he is sire."

"He's not!" He cried out. "He can't be.."

"The letter should explain better than I could.. and I'll tell you the rest after you're done reading." Gino's said softly and walked outside the door. He could hear Lelouch's faint cries from the room. He knew that he shouldn't have said anything.. but he was left with no choice anymore. He walked to the bookcase, and pulled out the letter from it's hiding spot. He knew that he should hurry back, but he stayed right where he was. He didn't know how he was going to react after reading the letter. This was way beyond him.. but for Suzaku he would be willing to do it.

He needed to hurry back. He shouldn't leave Lelouch alone for too long. Especially not now.

Please let me be doing the right thing. He thought sadly as he walked back to Lelouch's room.

"It took you long enough." Lelouch said angrily.

"Forgive me." He murmured and walked up to his bed. He reached into his jacket to pull out the letter and hand it to him.

"Can I be alone for this?"

"Of course.. I'll be right outside if you need me sire." He said and bowed quickly, before leaving.

When he was finally alone, Lelouch took a deep breath before opening the letter. "Here goes nothing.." He mumbled sadly and started to read.

Dear Lelouch,
I see the letter that I have entrusted Gino's has made it to you. I'm glad. I don't have a lot of time to explain. More like I ran out of time. While you were comatose I have been blamed for what has happened to you. Which means either I am about to be executed or already have been. Please know that I had nothing to do with what happened! I would never harm a single hair on your head.
But I have failed in my mission to keep you safe. And now that mission belongs to Gino's, he will keep you safe in my absence. Do not be sad once you learn of my fate. Instead I want you to act as if my passing does not phase you. My love. I know you will morn me, but I would rather you not. Be strong and get back onto you're feet. And take back your throne. I know you can do it. You're strong. A lot stronger than I ever was.
Also do not be so hard on Gino's and on that woman. Everything they do and the actions they take, are only to protect you. You will be angry, and hurt; but please understand.
I wish that things could have turned out differently. But the one thing that will never change is that I will love you until my last breath.
Yours always and nobody else's
Suzaku

He slowly folded the letter in half and hid it underneath his pillow. He didn't need anyone else to read it. Especially if Schneizel decided to snoop around his room while he was asleep. Or even C.C as well. Right now he had tons of mixed emotions. What else have those two been keeping from him? He knew that Suzaku wanted him to not be angry with them.. but it was going to be difficult.

Because he did not like when people lied to him. Especially not C.C. he thought that she would tell him anything and everything. But I guess that was not the case. Now who could he trust?

He sighed in defeat and laid back onto his pillows. "You can come back in." He said loud enough for Gino's to hear.

"Yes your majesty." He mumbled and walked back in.

"We're going to have a heart to heart." He said softly. "And no matter how hard it gets for you to tell me.. you will keep going."

"Of course, if that is what you want."

"I do. Now tell me what exactly happened after the wedding."

"After we left your room, we we're on our way to the dungeon. But Suzaku insisted to watch the wedding, after the I do's we we're caught and brought to Schneizel's office. I thought we were goners right then and there.. but his new wife stepped in.. I'm not sure what happened in that room when we were taken to the dungeon." He said and licked his lips nervously.

"Don't stop. Keep going."

He nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. "While we we're down there, Suzaku wanted me to find a way to save myself. Can you believe that?! After everything we've been through.. he still expected me to betray him. I couldn't do it. If he was going down then I'd be right there alongside him. Soon after that we we're dragged to the back of the castle. And Schneizel was there.. I was spared but Suzaku wasn't so lucky. That bastard shot him."

"That's what that noise was that day.." He murmured and gripped the sheets. He knew that something had to be wrong.

Gino's nodded. "Yes.. I tried to save him sire.. I really did. But the wound was fatal, there was no way he could survive."

"Thank you Gino.. for telling me." He whispered. "I know it must of been hard for you."

"I feel a bit relieved now.. I didn't like keeping that part from you.."

He nodded. "If you don't mind.. I'd like to be alone now."

"Of course. I'll bring you're dinner later." He said and turned to go. "Will you be okay?"

"Don't worry about me." He smiled.

Gino's nodded and walked out of the room. After closing the door behind him, he soon came face to face with a pair of angry lime green eyes. "Shit.. my Queen. How long have been out here?"

"Long enough." She said and put her hands on her hips. "I gave you an order and you turn around and break it."

"The Emperor had a right to know, it wasn't right for either of us to keep this secret."

"I hope you can live with what you did."

"You need to give Lelouch more credit.. he is not a weak man." Gino said and stood his ground. "I understand if you wish to dismiss me of my duties."

She chuckled in amusement and shook her head. "Nope. You will resume you're normal duty."