Authors Note:

Okay, guys, I am SERIOUSLY sorry about the prolonged wait. My computer had quite a few viruses and my word program things were being evil. It counted my words and it was like, "she typed twelve! Freeze now!" and I couldn't do ANYTHING. It took about fifty virus scans and twelve defragging things to get it to work. So I'm back now, and I'll make it up!

"Lucilla!" Commodus stormed out of Lucius' quarters. A slave was walking through the hall, and upon hearing Caesar, turned to respond with the required 'Hail Caesar'. He got barely to 'Caes—' before Commodus merely shoved him out of the way and continued on. "Lucilla, where are you!" He called almost desperately, temporarily forgetting that Lucilla was placed indefinitely in her chambers.

He paused, holding back the hot tears that threatened him. A short exhaling, something of a sob, escaped him, but upon realizing he was in a public hall, he continued on, remembering now that Lucilla was in her chambers, Lucius more likely than not with her, though he'd demanded no one was allowed with her. Despite this, the guards would probably let him in. The first company she would've had in quite a while.

Knocking gently, or asking if she'd like him to come in as he'd done so often before. Instead, he shoved the guards out of the way and entered furiously, startling Lucilla. His cold gaze fell on her, recognizing the boy. He was crying into his mothers arms, obviously not able to hold it all in.

Commodus looked over his shoulders at the guards returning to their post, calling one of them over. The guard announced the quite annoying 'Hail Caesar' before doing anything else. Commodus pointed to the boy, his gaze locked with rage on his nephew.

"Take him to his chambers. Have three guards watch him. He is not allowed to leave until I deem it okay." His voice lowered to a harsh whisper on the last part of his order. Lucilla screamed a string of words, insulting the guard, and threatening him with what seemed her entire vocabulary, fighting him off and trying to slap him as he pulled Lucius away. It'd been her first time in a week and a half since she'd seen her son, and she didn't want it to be so quickly over.

The guard walked out, and Lucilla rose, her tear-reddened eyes locked depressingly on Commodus.

"Why must you be so angry with him?" Her voice quivered with every word she spoke. "He's only a child, Commodus, you can't expect him to understand everything about being emperor."

"He must learn soon, then. I had to learn quickly when I was young. He'll do the same."

"If he doesn't want to be emperor, there's nothing you can do about it, brother." There was no disrespect in her voice. She was just stating facts and telling him the truth. "If you make him, he'll just ruin everything, seeking to get revenge."

"I don't plan on forcing him." The Emperor declared after a moment of silence. He stepped forward, a hand on her cheek and the other moving easily to her waist and pulling her close to him. His forehead rested delicately on hers, and his half-open eyes locked on his sister's eyes as well. "You'll just have to provide me with a true heir." He whispered to her, half-smiling.

She hitched her breath, pushing him away with a glare. She shook her head, finding no words to speak. Why must he try this again and again? She opened her mouth but still found herself speechless. After a few moments, she was able to find the courage to speak the words she'd wanted to tell him for years on end.

"I would never bear your child, Commodus. You are deeply disturbed, and father knew that, too." The next words she spoke she knew would cut him deeply. "And that's why he didn't make you Caesar."

Commodus froze at this, trying to fight back once more the tears that'd threatened him before. His lips pulled into a distorted frown, one he hoped that'd appeared full of disgust. However, he failed and only succeeded in looking like a pathetic puppy that'd been kicked repeatedly.

"But I am Caesar, now, sister." He hissed, grabbing her upper arm quickly moving to kiss her, as he wanted to do for so long. She responded with a swift slap across his face, pulling away and looking him directly in the eye.

"You are still only my brother, Commodus." She stared him down.

He had stayed turned, unmoving from when she'd slapped him. Harsh reality was always hardest to deal with…he'd learned that the hard way. And now he realized that he'd never have his sister. She'd never love him as he loved her.

A long silence, his sisters gaze never moving, before he spoke.

"Go. You're free to leave." He whispered, his voice now quivering as hers had done. Lucilla did feel some regret, wounding him so deeply as she had done before, but she supposed it was only family loyalty. She'd feel guilty about hurting her brother no matter what…but that wouldn't stop her from doing it again and again.

She walked past him, brushing by the guards on her way out. She was on her way to Lucius' chambers, wanting to see her son again.

Commodus was left alone in a room once more, and he could only help but wonder why this always happened to him. He'd gotten everything he'd wanted when it came to ruling, but with that success came the loss of everything, and everyone, else in his life.