Author's Note: Ahh, I've been dying to write this for months. Just a word of warning to the readers… things, uh, get heated here. I don't wish to spoil anything… I guess I can say that I most likely won't go into much details of the… um, stuff. I thought of giving you guys a heads-up before reading. Hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter as much as I had fun writing it. There must be something wrong with me, though... I always feel incredibly nervous and hesitant to post new chapters recently.

On another note, looking back at my previous chapters, I think they were a little too long and had not quite necessary details. With that in mind, I would be cutting back a little on word count while still hitting all the essential points. So... hooray. This chapter is more of a shorter length of six thousand words as compared to the past few ones. (7k for chapter 17, 9k for chapter 16, and 13k for chapter 15).

Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass and I can't possibly own it.

Chapter 18
Awakening

Shirley's jaw dropped as she surveyed the massive ice skating rink, her green eyes wide with wonderment and surprise. The rink was bathed in a pleasant golden illumination, which was neither too bright nor dim. In the centre of it was Lelouch, already in his pair of dark ice skates and clad in his usual maroon leather jacket, dark tank top, and jeans. His hands spread dramatically in a welcoming gesture. The prince, after noting her awestruck stare, knew that he made the right choice and smirked. "You've never told me you had an indoor ice skating rink in the house, Lulu!" Shirley called out, folding her arms across her white dress. Despite her slightly accusatory tone, she was smiling.

"I wanted to keep it a surprise until there was a good time to use it," Lelouch shrugged casually. He subconsciously skated a small round. "Unfortunately, we never managed to find time to do so… until now."

"I didn't know you could skate either."

"It was one of the recreational activities, other than chess, I did when I was younger when my mother was alive," Lelouch stated slightly stiffly. Shirley winced. She inadvertently failed to remember that he didn't like to bring up his rather distressing childhood. "Nevermind that. Care to join me?" He extended an outstretched hand towards her, not before nodding at the pair of white skates next to her at the entrance of the rink.

"I'm curious. How did you come up with this idea?" Shirley inquired as she fastened the skates over her feet.

"Don't you remember? You mentioned that you liked ice skating and you even invited me to skate last winter. Thus, I thought that we should do it as part of your birthday celebration, since… well, I turned your offer down back then."

Shirley remembered that moment in Ashford Academy from many months back. They weren't dating at that point of time - it was numerous weeks before the auction and the spring dance. She did not blame Lelouch for rejecting her invitation, as the prince was actively trying to avoid his friends and emotional attachments during that period. "Today is the seventh of July. My birthday's on the eighth," she reminded him.

"Well, you would be expecting something like this if it took place tomorrow, wouldn't you?" Lelouch chuckled as he smoothly glided towards Shirley, grasping her slender hand and gently tugging her onto the ice. She wobbled precariously, prompting him to hold her closely. "I want to surprise you as much as possible."

The orange-haired adolescent smiled and felt a surge of gratitude towards him. "Thanks, Lulu. I must warn you, though..." She glanced down at his hands gripping her arms gently. "It's just been some time since I did this, and I think my skills have gotten rusty."

"It's alright. I'd like to think that I'm pretty good at this, so I can be your instructor for the day," Lelouch grinned. He slipped his hand into hers and adopted a more relaxed pace. "Slowly now."

"Really? I thought you're always terrible at physical activities."

"Well… I did say that I spent some time doing this when I was younger, so I guess this is an exception." Lelouch snapped his fingers loudly, and immediately jazz music started to play from the speakers. The soothing music, combined with the slightly dim illumination, created a tranquil atmosphere and the couple began to relax. The stress of their predicament temporarily alleviated, they skated over the ice at a leisurely pace hand in hand. A sense of warm contentment filled them as several long, blissful minutes ticked by. While the rather easy pace did not make the activity particularly exciting, Shirley savoured it nonetheless. It has been some time since she spent quality time with Lelouch after all.

As though Lelouch read Shirley's mind, he drastically increased his speed without warning, prompting a surprised squeak from her as they were still linked by their hands. "H-hold on!" She protested as he pulled her along.

"It's no fun if we just stay at such a boring speed," Lelouch called over his shoulder. He released her hand and gracefully skated circles around her for emphasis.

"Show-off," Shirley commented fondly as she eyed Lelouch's impressive performance. Lelouch heard the audible muttered and gave her a boyish grin. The dark-haired teen repeatedly sped past her, giving her gentle taps or brushes on her shoulder and cheek, clearly enjoying that he eclipsed her in a physical activity for once. "Lulu!" Shirley protested as Lelouch brushed his fingers against her cheek for the fifth time.

"Come on. I'm sure your balance is fine enough already," the dark-haired prince's lips curved into a small smile. Lelouch came to a stop next to Shirley and waited, as she seemed to be hesitating. Without warning, she suddenly twirled and bolted in the other direction, leaving a surprised Lelouch behind. "Hey!"

"Can't catch me, Lulu!" Shirley called over her shoulder playfully, laughing at the Lelouch's astonished countenance. He shook his head at her, amused by her silly antics. At least they would be able to forget about their plight for a while, regardless of how temporary it is. He watched her patiently, giving her a short head start before scrambling after her, with his eyes fixed intently on her back.

"Got you," Lelouch breathed into Shirley's ear, having caught up to her in a less than a minute, Startled, she almost slipped while turning around, but he managed to grab her, preventing an embarrassing fall.

"That's fast," Shirley pouted, slightly irked that she was so easily outclassed by him. "It took like, what, thirty seconds?"

"Well… I am more accomplished in this after all," Lelouch stated smugly. "Now, it's your turn."

"Huh?"

"It's only fair that you get to do the chasing now, after springing that on me like that," Lelouch smirked. Without waiting for a response, he darted away quickly. Shirley blinked. She doubted that she would catch Lelouch easily, but she was unwilling to allow Lelouch to continue acting so smugly. With that in mind, Shirley set off in pursuit with a bright smile on her face.

The game of tag did not last long. While Lelouch was able to lead Shirley on a merry chase for the first few minutes due to superior experience and better speed, his poor endurance began to show as time passed. His pride did not want him to admit it, but he already knew that she would eventually catch up. "Alright, you win," Lelouch panted and halted, surrendering to the burning stitch in his side. The eleventh prince turned around and barely managed to get a glimpse of the orange-haired female approaching him at an alarming speed. Shirley was already close to Lelouch before the latter gave up suddenly, and could not halt in time. She collided with the lanky male, causing him to lose his balance, and the pair was sent sprawling to the ground. Fortunately for him, despite not being able to maintain his equilibrium, he managed to fall on his forearms, preventing his head from smashing painfully on the ice.

"Um… oops," Shirley flushed as she found herself on top of Lelouch.

"Why am I not surprised?" Lelouch chortled heartily. Shirley shot him an indignant look and swatted him on the chest, but she joined in the laughter as well. The hysterics died down, and their eyes met – the couple felt a jolt of intense affection rush through them.

Shirley leaned down and kissed Lelouch. "Thanks for the game, Lulu," she whispered. Her peridot green eyes bored into the prince's amethyst ones.

"You're welcome," Lelouch replied softly. Silence reigned for an extended period of time, with the exception of the jazz music playing in the background. "Shirley?"

"Yes?" Shirley asked absent-mindedly, still gazing at Lelouch dreamily.

"You can get off me now, you know."

"Oh, right," the redhead blushed again and she immediately got up. She stretched a slender hand, offering it to Lelouch. The prince promptly took it and she tugged him to his feet without much effort. He wasn't very heavy and she was athletic after all.

"I think that's enough skating for today," Lelouch muttered, moping at his brow. He was already feeling rather fatigued, having exhausted most of his stamina already. "I'm beat."

"I thought you're experienced with skating, and hence, shouldn't be you more energetic, Lulu?" Shirley asked.

"Maybe, but I had to plan this too, you know," Lelouch reminded her. He massaged his neck slowly. "Let's get out of here."

"Hmm? Where are we going, Lulu?"

"Follow me. I've got something for you," Lelouch replied cryptically, smirking again. Shirley raised an eyebrow in curiosity, and she wordlessly followed him out of the indoor skating rink.

Rolo pushed open the door to his bedroom and glared at his bag balefully. If he was honest with himself, he hated his new mission. "Why him? What does it accomplish? Why today of all times?" the assassin asked himself in frustration. He was unable to give himself an answer other than the usually resigned response. "Infinity's orders. You must do it without questioning."

The servant-in-disguise closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His cell phone rang again, and at once he knew who was calling. Schneizel always contacted him before a mission as a reminder. Rolo clenched his fists tightly, ignoring the pain as his nails bit into his skin before he deigned to respond to the call. "Rolo Haliburton speaking."

"Remember your mission, agent." As expected, it was the leader of the Sword of Akasha. "Two a.m. in the next morning. You will observe the target's household before infiltrating the place. Disable any other individuals apart from the target. Once you've done that, kill him. I trust you remember the additional details? Such as what you're required to do after that?"

"Affirmative."

"You're able to sneak out of the villa without getting detected, are you not?"

"Yes. I'm more than familiar with the guard routines."

"Excellent. Now, I know you must be wondering why I want you to kill that man?"

Rolo furrowed his brows. Was he that easy to read? Or does Schneizel simply know him that well? "I'm curious as to why my lord wants me to go on a side mission."

"Joseph Fenette. He's the father of Shirley Fenette, one of your targets. If you assassinate him, his daughter would be understandably distraught," Schneizel explained. "And knowing my brother, he would be guilt-wracked by that. I'd imagine that my paranoid brother wouldn't be on the lookout for suspicious individuals searching for the key if he's busy beating himself up about her father's death. Thus, it will give you plenty of free time to look for the Damocles key." He did not mention that the primary goal of this mission was to ensure that Rolo was still capable of carrying out his orders. However, the secondary objectives, once achieved, has benefits as well.

The servant's stomach churned unpleasantly. "I… I see."

"And her mother disapproved of her relationship with my younger brother. Hmm. I guess it's going to lead to some very interesting drama later on, don't you think so? Enough to keep them distracted." Schneizel omitted that the primary reason for the mission was to test Rolo's willingness to kill a person related to someone he was familiar with. It would be nightmarish if he wouldn't be able to kill Shirley and Lelouch when the time comes, just because he has gotten to know them.

"…." Rolo kept his silence, his fist tightening around his cell phone. He felt slightly nauseous about killing his target – which has never happened to him before.

"Are you prepared for the mission, agent Haliburton?"

"Are you questioning my competence?" Rolo challenged in a fit of annoyance. He immediately regretted doing so – he had never talked back to Schneizel before, and his master was sure to register this new behaviour.

There was a moment of silence. "I never have, agent Haliburton. You were always the best assassin I've ever met. Make me proud, Rolo." The brown-haired youth swallowed heavily.

"I-I will," Rolo trembled slightly as he replied, fighting to steady his voice.

"Good luck, agent Haliburton. I hope to hear good news by four o'clock a.m. next morning," Schneizel ended the call. The second prince of Britannia was indeed disconcerted by his subordinate's rather confrontational words. Perhaps Rolo was under some stress after spending time in the villa without his memories. "I definitely need to test him. This will just be the first segment of it to ensure his loyalty."

Rolo staggered, gazing at his small, but comfortable bedroom in the villa wistfully. He brought up his green cell phone and examined the locket attached to it. It was his first ever birthday present, given to him by Shirley. An image of her, beaming radiantly as she handed him the locket, flashed in his mind. "If you knew who I really am, and what I'm going to do later, we won't be friends anymore, will we?" Rolo asked aloud, his tone tinged with sadness. He shook his head, sighed and pocketed his phone before slinging his bag over his shoulders and trudging out of the room.

Shirley's eyes were wide and unblinking with amazement as she dangled an elaborate-looking diamond bracelet from her fingers. Lelouch watched her raptly for her reaction. He was not very confident about picking gifts for women his age – because he rarely did such a thing. "How do you find it, Shirley?" He asked.

"Lulu... it's gorgeous," Shirley murmured, turning the bracelet around to examine it from all angles. "It's really nice. It must be really expensive." She tore her eyes away from the jewellery to look at Lelouch.

"Hey, it's not too costly for me," Lelouch drawled lazily, sitting down on the bed. "One of the benefits of being a prince."

"You're going to spoil me rotten, you know," Shirley laughed. She sat next to Lelouch and tried on the bracelet, extending her hands forward to examine it. Her lips curved into a small smile. "Thanks, Lulu. It's really nice."

"It's nothing, really," Lelouch waved it off with a grin, glad that Shirley liked the present.

"It's so rare to see you look this carefree nowadays," Shirley noted her boyfriend's relaxed demeanour. It reminded her of the times back in Ashford Academy, when he was always frivolous. It was slightly off-putting to her back then, but right now she was more than pleased to see him so free from tension again. She sighed wistfully and leaned to her left, resting her head on his right shoulder. "How I wish everyday could be like this." Shirley yearned to go back to the simpler and more peaceful days.

There was a short pause before Lelouch quietly stroked Shirley's hair. "I know, but it's not possible." The prince's voice was tinged with melancholy. "Even if the Sword of Akasha is defeated, the inevitable competition for the imperial throne is next." He kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry for getting you involved."

"No need to apologize. You can't help it either," Shirley responded gently. "I'll stand by you through thick and thin."

Lelouch let out a shaky chuckle. "I guess I'm a lucky man, then."

"Guess?"

"No, I'm definitely a fortunate man," Lelouch corrected himself nervously. Shirley giggled, and he felt an intense rush of endearment towards her. Silently, he reached up to cup her face. Her peridot green eyes seemed to draw him in, and he soon found that there were only mere inches between their lips. Without hesitation, he leaned forward, kissing her lips fully, their minds completely blank with bliss.

After what felt like forever to the couple, they broke apart. "Shirley…" Lelouch spoke tenderly. "I cannot make every day be like this, no matter how much I want it. However…" Their eyes met, and Shirley could sense a burning desire in his amethyst orbs. "We can forget all of our problems just for tonight."

"Oh. Um..." Shirley realized what Lelouch was implying. She looked away, staring at the floor. Lelouch could tell from her body language that she was extremely tense. He felt a pang in his heart. Was he too bold after all? The tension grew palpable as time ticked by. "I… um… are we… are we really ready for this?"

Silence greeted Shirley's words and Lelouch stared at her. She felt heat – creeping into her face, and coiling in her body, and she risked looking up at him. The prince grinned, finding her shyness simply adorable. "I am ready if you are," he whispered hoarsely into her ear, sending shivers throughout her from the close contact.

The orange-haired girl hesitated for one second. Two seconds. "I love you, Lulu," Shirley murmured softly. She relaxed, all trace of anxiousness evaporating. "I love you so much." Lelouch stared at her for a moment, then his blank expression was replaced by a tender one.

"I love you too, Shirley," Lelouch whispered. The couple finally gave in to their burgeoning passions, and the night was full of fervor and affection for the two of them.

Joseph calmly watched the television while he reclined on a moderately comfortable grey couch in the living room of his house – a white and brown-painted two-story bungalow. His wife, Mary, shot him an irritated glare from the other side of the furniture– the third or so occurrence on that night, and he could tell that she was unhappy about something. Joseph mentally sighed. He knew what was going through her mind but he had a hunch that even if she discusses that particular subject with him, there would be no satisfactory conclusion as each of them was adamant on their stance.

Mary could not take it any longer. She had to broach the topic to her husband, otherwise, she would not be able to sleep. The sandy-brown haired woman gave Joseph a resentful look for ignoring her rather obvious glares over the past two hours or so. "We need to talk, Joseph," Mary piped up abruptly. As suspected, he did not even look surprised and instead he groaned. Despite Joseph's plain weariness, he turned towards her and matched her gaze evenly.

"And so we shall. What's on your mind, Mary?"

"It's Shirley's birthday tomorrow," Mary started, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm aware of that. We've already bought her present. We can send it to the Aries Villa tomorrow morning."

"And we wouldn't be able to celebrate with her for the first time in nineteen years," Joseph's wife continued, ignoring his other statement.

"Unfortunately."

"Just because they said it would be too dangerous for us to appear again. In front of our own daughter. Because the house they're living in is a prime target for terrorist attacks."

"Indeed."

"How on earth can you just accept that, Joseph?!" Mary exploded furiously, standing up. Joseph jerked in his seat, his resigned countenance switching to an alarmed one. "How could you even allow Shirley, our only child, to continue to be in a relationship with that prince?! Especially after knowing that she's in danger if she does so!"

Joseph sighed and wiped at his brow. "We've been through this before, Mary. I understand your concerns, but we know how headstrong Shirley can be. If you continue pushing for her to break up with Lelouch, the only thing you'll accomplish is a damaged relationship with your daughter. If I joined in, then both of us will have a damaged relationship with our daughter."

"I can't believe she'd choose him, some guy she knew for forty months, thirty-six of which she didn't even know his real identity, over us!" Mary fumed, folding her arms across her chest. "We're her parents, Joseph. And she-"

"It's not that simple and you know it," Joseph interrupted. "She's absolutely smitten with him. Our girl loves him, and you surely you can tell. If my own parents told me to leave you twenty-five years ago for God-knows-what reason, I wouldn't do it. Now, would you end your relationship with me back then when we were dating if your parents told you to do so? Or would you try to get them to approve of it instead?"

Mary opened her mouth, then closed it. She was at a loss for words. "I'm going to bed," she suddenly snapped and turned on her heel before marching up the oak stairs to their bedroom. Joseph blinked and wordlessly let his wife pass. He could not resist the urge to smirk slightly. At least she more or less admitted that she had no good answer for his question. Maybe there was a way of swaying her opinion eventually after all. What Shirley needed from them right now was love and support, not stern and forceful disapproval.

In spite of Joseph's personal convictions, he supposed that his wife had a point. If he was honest with himself and had a choice, he'd prefer Shirley to be with someone else. Joseph didn't want a rich or well-known son-in-law. He wanted one who could give his daughter a stable, safe and happy life. While he was fairly certain that Lelouch would strive to the very best of his ability to do so, there might be some things beyond his control, prince or not. However, he did not have any other options. Shirley made it very clear that she would remain with Lelouch even if the world was against it. Joseph chuckled darkly to himself and shook his head. Trust his daughter to remain as stubborn as she was many years ago.

Joseph put his hands behind his head and exhaled heavily, reminiscing about the times he had spent with his daughter when she was a child. Notwithstanding of whatever faults Shirley has, or his personal thoughts, he was proud of his daughter's strength and will to stay by Lelouch's side in the face of peril. His eyelids grew heavy as he continued lazing on the couch, and he was about to fall asleep when he heard a soft thump upstairs. His brows furrowed and he thought of dismissing the noise, but it was quickly followed by a muffled high-pitched scream. He bolted upright, perturbed, and stared at the ceiling.

"Mary? Is everything alright?" Joseph called out. Only silence answered him – but that only unsettled Joseph even more. The geologist thought of his wife and his sense of apprehension multiplied. He hastily rushed to the kitchen to retrieve a knife, trying to make as little noise as he could. He cautiously tread up the stairs, the blade hidden behind his right wrist.

Joseph paused warily as he faced the door to his bedroom. If there was indeed an intruder, he had to act fast and carefully. He took in a deep breath before swiftly reaching for the doorknob and tugging the ivory wooden door wide open, his right hand raised, knife at the ready.

A rather small figure, clad in what looked to be dark blue camouflage clothing, stood near the doorway silently. Joseph instinctively tried to get a glimpse of the enigmatic intruder's features, but he was covered head to toe. His eyes – Joseph assumed that the trespasser was a male, were obscured by a pair of sunglasses and not even an inch of skin was displayed. Despite his smaller stature, the interloper radiated an aura of calm deadliness.

"Who are you? What do you want?!" Joseph scowled as he adopted what he hoped to be a threatening pose. He waved his blade at the intruder, who did not respond immediately. The geologist risked a glance at his wife, who was splayed on the floor unceremoniously, unconscious, but unharmed. Joseph felt a range of emotions filter through him. Relief, because his wife appeared uninjured. Confusion, towards the infiltrator's presence. Anger, at the trespasser's deeds. He must have somehow knocked out Mary before Joseph came to investigate.

"What do I want…" Rolo murmured in an aggrieved tone, lowering his head. Joseph was taken aback. The encroacher almost seemed to be ashamed – or hurt. His voice sounded young – perhaps one or two years out of puberty. "It's never about what I wanted, Joseph Fenette. It was always about what my master desired."

"What are you talking about?" Joseph demanded of the uninvited stranger in his home. Unease flooded through his mind. "Who the hell are you?"

Rolo's gloved fists clenched. One hand reached towards his combat dagger, which hung from his waist. "I'm an assassin. And my target is you, Mr. Fenette."

"What?" Joseph asked, shocked.

"I'll make it quick. You won't have to suffer," Rolo promised, his voice cracking on the last note. He advanced on the older male, brandishing his weapon as he did so.

Joseph's fist tightened around the handle of his own knife. He glanced at the unmoving body of his wife and grimaced. He only had two options. Either fight the assassin, try to stall him by evading and calling the cops for help – why didn't he think of the latter before confronting the source of disturbance? He eyed his opponent's blade – a wicked-looking knife with serrated edges, with foreboding. While Joseph doubted that he would last long against his opponent, he was worried that the assassin would make a move on Mary if he avoided him. The best choice was to make as much noise as possible to attract the attention of his neighbours or passersby, who would hopefully call the police while defending himself against his adversary. Without further ado, he uttered an incoherent, loud cry and charged forward, which surprised Rolo as he did not expect Joseph to initiate the fight.

However, the geologist's advantage of surprise did not last long against a more seasoned assassin like Rolo, who sidestepped the clumsy stabbing move with ease and kicked at Joseph's knees, causing him to lose his balance and fall backwards, crashing on the ground. While Joseph was disorientated by his jarring fall, Rolo stalked towards him and viciously stamped on his right wrist, prompting him to release the kitchen knife, which the former swiftly kicked away.

Weaponless and cornered, Joseph made a last-ditch attempt to rise. However, Rolo was quicker. His mind still focused on the mission, he plunged the military grade blade into Joseph's torso. The larger man yelled in excruciating pain as he felt the knife rip through flesh with ease. Gore trickled out of the grievous wound slowly as Rolo grimly shoved the weapon as deep as he could. Joseph met his would-be killer's eyes, and through the cloud of agony, he saw remorse and uncertainty gleaming in his foe's orbs. Rolo's death grip on his weapon briefly slackened, and Joseph used the last bit of his strength to seize him by the front and hurl him bodily across the room.

The seasoned murderer effortlessly recovered, turning the awkward fall into a graceful roll and landing. He watched Joseph, who was now breathing heavily while trying to crawl away from his assailant, the dagger still embedded in his body while blood dribbled from the severe wound. Rolo wordlessly unsheathed his second knife, identical to the first one, and closed the distance between him and Joseph in two large strides.

Joseph took several gulps of air and his vision was blurred from tears of agony. He knew he looked pathetic – trying to drag himself away from his soon-to-be killer while on all fours, but the thought of death dismayed him, as that would mean leaving his wife and daughter behind. "D-don't do this," Joseph pleaded in desperation. He raised a hand imploringly at his nearing adversary. "Please..." Rolo now stood over his victim, lifting the knife above him. "I have a wife! I have a daughter!"

The descending knife stopped, and Joseph held his breath despite the wracking pain. Sweat dripped from his forehead. He felt a tiny spark of hope rising within him "Have my words somehow worked on him?"

Rolo shut his eyes, which have become moist for some unknown reason. A recent memory of an orange-haired girl flashed through his mind. She was leaning over him to tend to his bruises on the beach with the utmost gentleness. She gave him a sincere and apologetic smile for accidentally harming him once again. "I know," Rolo croaked. He opened his pink eyes and stared at Joseph. "I'm sorry." The blade was held high, and Rolo swung it in a slashing motion at his victim's neck. This time, it did not stop its descent.

It was the last thing Joseph ever saw.

Shirley woke up with a vigorous start and nearly fell off the bed. The adolescent managed to right herself at the very last moment and she flushed at her own embarrassing lack of grace. She recalled an unpleasant series of images and grimaced, before rubbing her temples. The lithe teenager just had an odd nightmare but was unable to remember much of it. She could only recall splashes of what disturbingly looked like blood and panicked voices calling out. The latter frightened her more than the former as she could recognize the voice as one belonging to her father.

"It's just a dream. It can't be real. Everything's fine," Shirley assured herself. In spite of her own words, she still felt disquieted. Perhaps telling somebody about it would make it better. She turned sideways to gently wake Lelouch up, only to realize that she was alone. In her troubled awakening, she failed to notice that the prince was already up and not by her side.

As Shirley gradually grew more aware of her surroundings after the distressful dream, she came to realize that she was bare, and colour crept to her cheeks once more. The recollection of the events which took place last night in a moment of passion swam to the front of her mind, and she quickly diverted her thoughts away. Her face still burning crimson, Shirley quietly slipped out of the bed and moving towards the wardrobe to grab a set of clothing before heading to the bathroom, which was conveniently connected to the bedroom, for a shower.

Half an hour later, Shirley, clad in a plain but comfortable white t-shirt with dark green sleeves and blue shorts, began wandering around the house to search for Lelouch. It did not take her long - a mouthwatering aroma of food being cooked was emanating from somewhere below her, and where else could the prince be on the morning of her birthday, other than the kitchen? "He's most likely fixing something for me," Shirley thought fondly as she made her way downstairs.

True to Shirley's predictions, Lelouch was standing before the stove. He glanced over his shoulder as the kitchen door slid open, revealing his smiling girlfriend. "Happy birthday, Shirley," Lelouch greeted. His amethyst eyes twinkled with amusement. "Had a good night's rest?"

"Good morning, Lulu," Shirley blushed. "My night was as good as yours." She thought of telling him about her nightmare but decided against it. Lelouch appeared to be in a good mood and so was she.

"You're adorable," Lelouch remarked, noting her reddening cheeks. "You don't have to be bashful about it, you know."

"I know. I just can't help it," Shirley knew what Lelouch was talking about. She pinched his nose playfully, and he made a noise of protest. The redhead giggled and peered over his shoulder. "What's cooking?"

"Blueberry pancakes, which are already done," Lelouch gestured sideways at a plate of said food. "And eggs Benedict served with cherry tomatoes and sauteed mushrooms." Shirley beamed gratefully at him. He remembered that she listed blueberry pancakes and eggs for her favourite breakfast foods.

"That's a lot. Are you trying to make me fat?" Shirley asked lightly, laughing.

"Come on, it's your birthday. You deserve to indulge every now and then," Lelouch chuckled. "And you're so thin anyway. You need to eat more."

"Says the walking twig," Shirley eyed Lelouch's lanky frame with an amused twinkle in her eyes.

"Hey!"

Shirley stifled a giggle after witnessing Lelouch's indignant expression. She almost missed her rather silly banter with him back when she had a crush on him while schooling in Ashford. Her spirits rose at the thought of the simpler and far more pleasant times in the academy. "I was kidding."

"You'd better be," Lelouch warned, although there was a spark of mirth in his eyes. "Between the two of us, I'm the only one with culinary abilities. You won't have a choice but to eat high-calorie food if that was the only thing I cook."

"You're mean, Lulu," Shirley pouted. Lelouch guffawed and was about to reply when there was a series of urgent knocks on the door.

"Come in," Lelouch called out, his brows furrowing in wonder.

"Pardon my interruption, Your Highness!" a middle-aged male servant gasped, bowing quickly towards the pair, who turned to regard him. "We've received a parcel outside a few minutes ago. The sender's address is forty-three Treslar Street."

"That's my house in Pendragon," Shirley recognized the address immediately. It was her family's home before they moved to Area Eleven. Her parents never sold the estate, as they expected to return to Britannia occasionally. "It must be from my parents." She cocked her head to the side inquisitively, wondering why the helper looked so panicked.

"Well..." the servant shifted uncomfortably. "There must be something wrong with the contents. General Darlton instructed me to inform you to head towards the front gates as soon as possible. I must say, he looks quite serious, though."

Shirley exchanged confused looks with Lelouch, before staring at the servant uncomprehendingly. "My parents wouldn't send anything dangerous." They were aware that all packages sent to the villa, regardless of its source, are inspected via X-ray. If they contained anything hazardous, they would be disposed of. "What's wrong with it?"

"I'm not aware, Miss Fenette. General Darlton merely ordered me to let you two know about it."

"Alright," Lelouch straightened his back, all traces of his previous laid-back attitude replaced with utmost seriousness. If Darlton had such a negative reaction but did not dispose of the package immediately, that meant that it contained something unpleasant instead of an unsafe item. "I'll go check it out. Shirley, stay he-" He abruptly stopped as Shirley frowned at him. He sighed, knowing that she did not like to be mollycoddled. "Fine. Come with me, but stay back a little."

"Right," Shirley said shortly, as the three of them departed from the house and made their way to the front gate. As they approached, she noticed a small group of soldiers, all with solemn looks, crowded around the area. Her sense of unease increased as her legs carried her towards the throng.

"Your Highness!" One by one, the soldiers noticed the nearing presence of the eleventh prince and rapidly turned towards him, saluting smartly. Two large figures at the head of the crowd, whom Lelouch quickly identified as Darlton and Jeremiah, mimicked them.

"What happened? General Darlton, Margrave Gottwald, could either of you tell me?" Lelouch demanded. Both of them appeared to be hiding something from view, and Shirley tried to peek behind their backs. It was to no avail, as they were simply too much taller and more well-built than her.

"You haven't eaten breakfast, have you, Your Highness?" Jeremiah asked.

"What kind of question is that?" Lelouch scowled, growing annoyed by the lack of answers.

"I guess not, then. Don't say I didn't warn you," Jeremiah hesitated briefly, glancing at Shirley nervously before beckoning Lelouch over. "Best if you come take a look at it first, Your Highness."

Lelouch trudged forward and the two military officers stepped aside for the prince. His face instantly paled as he stared at the object inside the innocent-looking nondescript brown parcel. A series of emotions flitted through him - consternation, horror, guilt, and outrage. He took several deep breaths and looked away, inadvertently glancing back at Shirley, who was a few feet behind him.

"What is it, Lulu?" Shirley inquired, her voice shaky from nervousness. She glimpsed the look on Lelouch's face, and he looked far from fine.

"Should I let her see it...?" Lelouch shut his eyes as he pondered. "She does not want to be shielded... wait, anyone in her position wouldn't want to see such a thing, you idiot!" He craned his neck to the left, opening his mouth to ask her to step back, but it was already too late. Shirley strode forward and joined him by his side, obtaining a full view of the package's contents, and froze.

The blank, dead eyes of her father's blood-smeared and severed head stared back at Shirley.

"D-dad?" Shirley mumbled numbly, gazing at the grotesque sight before her. Her peridot green eyes were wide with absolute shock and her fingers trembled uncontrollably. Moistness quickly came to her eyes. Whatever cheerfulness she had earlier was replaced by a tide of grief and she felt something within her shatter. "T-this can't be h-happening!"

Lelouch clenched his fists. The heartbreak in Shirley's voice was more than obvious. Sympathy and hatred for the perpetrators - likely the Sword of Akasha, rose within him. Hot tears spilled from her eyes over her face as she let out an ear-piercing wail of pure anguish and she slid to her knees. "Why...? Why would anyone do this...?!"

"Margrave Gottwald, get it away," Lelouch ordered quietly but firmly. Jeremiah instantly hastened to do his liege's bidding, picking up the package which housed the gruesome sight and hurried away. The prince contemplated berating the noble for the lack of warning, but it was far from the most important thing right now.

"Shirley..." Lelouch knelt down next to her anxiously, before enveloping her in a tight embrace. The distraught adolescent continued sobbing, and the prince could feel her nails digging painfully into his back, but he bore with it. Lelouch fumbled around for a way to comfort her somehow "I'm sorry," he simply said, failing to come up with better words.

"This can't be true… There's no way it can be…!" Shirley whispered fervently to herself while her chest shook and heaved with unadulterated sorrow. She tightened her arms around Lelouch. "Dad…" Lelouch felt a stab of pain as he was flung back into the far past, of him discovering his mother's bullet-ridden corpse in the very same villa. He briefly glanced back at the villa, then sideways at the disappearing form of Jeremiah carrying the head of Joseph Fenette. The eleventh prince of Britannia and the seventeenth heir to the throne could not help but bitterly wonder why misfortune constantly befell those whom he cared for.

Author's Note: Good god… I feel so horrible for making things go this way :( I can't help but feel awful.

Anyway, do let me know what you guys think about it. Was this unexpected? Was this a good usage of drama, or was it too sudden? Is this evil? I don't know, really.