Gah, long time since I updated, I know, and I'm sorry. D: I have the whole thing written out on paper, I've just been too lazy to edit it, and I've been really getting into the other two chapter fics that I've started. But yea, I'm sorry, really, realllyyy sorry. This story really deserves just as much attention. XP

Anyway, onto chapter.. Uh.. 6(?) of Rebirthing. Thanks to everyone who's faved, alerted, and reviewed. You all bring a smile to my face. :)

Lelouch fell to the ground, holding his side in pain. He was completely covered in blood; bullets had shredded through his body. Tears fell from his face because of the sheer pain he felt. However, he was not dying, which only seemed to make the pain worse. In reality, it had all been a few days, but it felt like an eternity. This false person in front of him had been putting him through physically and emotional torture. Physically by using a gun. Emotionally by changing into the people who died because of him.

He wanted to wake up, and discover it was all a dream. A far-fetched wish.

The figure turned into Nunally again. He glanced up at it for a moment, trying to regain his breath and stand up.

"Please... Stop it..."
"Why, brother? It's only fair after all that you've done."
"I did it... For Nunally... I did it... For Euphie... I did it... For Shirley!... And everyone else... Who needed Zero!"
"Even so, in the end, you hurt so many. You killed Euphie, your first love, you destroyed my happiness, and you even killed the girl who loved you for so long."

Lelouch filled with rage.

"Shut up!"
"You destroyed our faith."
"Shut up! You have no right to speak as if you're Nunally! You don't know my reasoning! I did it for them! For the world to move forward!"

The figure changed again.

"I was killed because of you, Lulu."

He couldn't even bear to look up at the false Shirley. He realized she was a fake, but simply seeing the resemblance made all the memories of her flood back to his mind. It made him remember when they first met, to her last moments, which only caused guilt. A guilt that still ate him alive.

"I loved you and this is what I get, right, Lulu?"

She pointed the gun at Lelouch.

"I only wanted you to love me, Lulu. Why didn't you just admit you didn't?"

The last statement made him cringe.

The gun was fired.

"I only wanted to be loved by you. That's all I asked for. If you had just told me you didn't, I wouldn't have to suffered this. Look at what you put me through."

She fired again.

"You didn't go through that... Shirley did... So, stop... Stop pretending to be her!"
"No, for this is you punishment, Lulu."

Tears streamed faster down Lelouch's face.

"You're not... Her... I'm sorry to her... Not to you..."
"It's too late for that now."

She reloaded the gun, aiming for his head. He tried to prepare himself for the unbearable pain he knew was in store for him. Suddenly, she froze. Lelouch slowly looked up, questioning the sudden halt. He eyed another figure next to the fake Shirley.

"We have a problem. She's gotten past everything, all the obstacles. You, my puppet, are to trap her or eliminate her," the unknown figure said.
"Yes, master."

The figure then changed into Lelouch. Lelouch's eyes widened in fear and shock.

"Who's here? Who are you talking about?"

As his torturer embarked on their mission, the other figured turned towards him.

"This does not concern you."

Furious, Lelouch managed to charge at the figure, but just passed through him and fell onto the ground. The figure laughed sinisterly, and began to fade away.

"Shirley... It's not Shirley, is it?"
"You will never know..." the voice said as total darkness eclipsed him.

Shirley continued into the pits of Hell. Everything that surrounded her looked like a baron wasteland; grey with dead, thorny vines. As she walked forward, she spotted someone in the distance walking towards her.

"Hello? Who are you...?" she said, her voice quivering.
"Shirley? Shirley, is that you?" the voice called out.

Immediately recognizing the voice, she instinctively ran towards him.

"Lulu! You're okay!"
"I wouldn't necessarily say okay..."

She scanned his body, noticing that he was heavily bruised and his clothes were tattered and torn.

"Well..." she began, trying to be as optimistic as possible, "It could've been worse. Anyway, Lulu, let's get out of here before He sends more demons after me!"

She went to grab his arm but he pushed her away.

"Lulu? What are you doing? Let's go!"
"I'm not going, Shirley. You're staying with me."
"What are you saying...?"

A smirk found it's say to Lelouch's face as flames began to spark around him.

"What's wrong, Shirley? I though you wanted to be with me."
"Not here... We don't belong here..."
"Shirley, it'll be just us here. Together. For eternity."

He grabbed her arm, urging her to stay. She stared at him, frightened, shocked, and uncertain all at the same time.

"Just stay, Shirley."

She stared directly at him. It was at that moment where she realized something very off about him.

"No... You're not Lelouch..."
"What are you talking about? Of course I am."
"You can't lie to me... You have red eyes... His were violet..."

Lelouch's smirk became more sinister. He grabbed her arm tighter.

"Where's Lelouch? The real Lelouch?"
"That, my dear, you'll never find out. Unfortunately for you, I have orders to trap you, and possibly eliminate you."
"No! Take me to Lelouch now!"

He gave her an amused look, then released a dark laugh.

"Or what? You're much too weak to do anything. You've simply gotten lucky. That is, until now."

Prying his arm off, she through the flames. She continued on for what seemed about a mile, then looked back.

"Did I lose him?"
"Shirley, I'm right here."

Shirley leaped back.

"But... How...?" she mumbled, her voice trembling.
"Don't you get it? You're trapped here. Hope you have a high pain tolerance, for you will be burning in these flames for eternity."
"No... I refuse to stay here! Even if I do stay here, I will be with Lelouch! The real Lelouch!"

Shirley felt herself begin to muster up both courage and strength.

"I will not be with a fake like you!"

She pushed her hands onto his chest. A white beam of light emitted from her hands.

"Huh. What a pretty light show."
"What...? It didn't... Work...?"

He snickered. She was such a fool.

"Did you think such a childish move would work on me? You're with an expert now, so it's not going to be nearly as easy as before."

Shirley panicked. Her mind began to serge, flooding with ideas and possibilities on what she should do. In an instant, she felt his hand around her wrist, swinging her around and flinging her into the flames. He jumped over to her. She screamed at that top of her lungs, slowly crawling out of the flames. He simply pushed her back in.

"It hurts! It hurts!" she cried; tears overflowing in her eyes. She could almost hear her skin cook in the hot flames.
"What did you expect, Shirley? Prepared to feel what's it's like to burn alive?"

She screamed and cried and cried, even though she knew no one would come for her.