A/N: Ninja update lol.

Chapter 13.589 Alarm

When the alarms went off, his first thought was to run down to where the commotion was and ask what's going on. And maybe jump onto Lancelot and go off to fight whatever enemy that could appear. But then his earlier thoughts about Lelouch came back from the back of his mind.

If he wanted to get some answers from Lelouch—the real truth anyway—shouldn't he try to do something to regain Lelouch's trust in him? And since Nunnally... was the most important person in Lelouch's life, shouldn't keeping her safe be enough to regain that trust?

So that's why instead, he ran towards the Viceroy's office. In order to achieve his goals.

Though the thought of him using Nunnally to get to Lelouch gave him a bad aftertaste. Yet it's worth a try, right?

But alas, the moment he reached the place Nunnally was already being protected. By that maid from the Ashford household. The maid, who was actually more of a personal bodyguard rather than a mere servant. He barely recalled hearing Lelouch talking about it; of how the Ashford's assigned the maid to serve the two. As well as how Sayoko was originally assigned to serve and protect Milly.

That aside, as if he'd not be aware of the reputation the Sonozaki clan had as a strong ninja clan. He was always been made to be aware of that since he was little.

Of course, Lelouch would have brought his own people to protect his most treasured person. The person who Lelouch would trust more, which was definitely not him. Not after everything that has happened between them these past few months.

Why would Lelouch need him for anything anymore...?

"Suzaku?"

Nunnally's voice snapped him out of his reverie as he looked up towards the two.

"Did something happen? Why was the alarm sounded?"

Sayoko spoke out immediately without waiting for his reply towards Nunnally's query. "We tried to contact the security to ask about it, but we're not getting any response. I'd go out and check on things myself, by I cannot leave Mistress Nunnally by herself..."

"Oh," was the only thing that Suzaku could say before turning on his personal communicator to contact Gino. Since Gino was the only other Knight whom he knew hadn't been ordered to return to the homeland.

But apparently, the Knight of Three also got his own troubles to tend to. He could barely hear what Gino was saying as he seemed to be preoccupied with someone else on his side.

"...it's exactly what I said just now. We only noticed now because of the shift change. As much as we don't know how it happened, it's a fact that Lord Schneizel and Sir Kanon was nowhere in sight—!"

"Nunnally!"

Before Suzaku could process what he was hearing just now, he heard rushed footsteps heading towards them. He turned around immediately to find Lelouch standing before them with a haunted look on his face.

xxx

"Big brother..."

He could not say anything or move. Not while seeing Lelouch so distraught in front of him, clinging to Nunnally's hand like a lifeline. There were only a few times he'd seen Lelouch acting like this when it comes to Nunnally, though he never really understood fully as to why Lelouch always get way too overprotective over his sister. He always thought it was just because Nunnally was Lelouch only full-blood sibling, which was the reason why he cared more about her than the rest of the royal siblings...

Then again, there was that time when Nunnally had accidentally fallen into his secret hideout during his childhood—And much more recently, Lelouch had an intense breakdown when the Britannian prince found out that he told Schneizel about Nunnally's whereabouts...

"Your Highness! Are you all right?"

"Master Lelouch!"

Jeremiah and Sayoko kept trying to reach out to Lelouch, but it seemed as if Lelouch wasn't able to respond to them.

Lelouch had a dazed look in his eyes as if his mind had gone elsewhere but where they were at the moment. By the time Princess Cornelia manage to dash towards the corridor they were in, Lelouch had regained his senses.

"I'm... fine," he thought he heard his old friend say. But Suzaku could tell that Lelouch was not well. Not just emotionally... but physically too. Lelouch's leg that was injured; despite the metal supports that's been fastened on it, lay idle on his side like a dead weight. Immediately Suzaku felt guilty for being indirectly responsible for worsening the injury.

"Lelou—" he was about to say before biting his lips.

Suzaku stepped back as he silently stared at Jeremiah helping Lelouch up to his feet.

Who was he fooling? There's no longer a place for him beside Lelouch.

He lost that chance long ago.

A/N 2: I've had this short in draft since February tbh, I might as well be done with this and post it finally.