A fancy black limousine drove silently across the bridge, its fine threaded tires crushing the light layer of snow as it went on the road. Dark and cold outside, but inside the vehicle it was warm with tension.

"You sure this is a good idea, Your Majesty?"

Sitting in the back of the long limousine in near total darkness was Lelouch Vi Britannia, the Emperor himself, dressed in an elegant black suit and yet his facial expression showed deep thought that ruined his otherwise casual countenance. He had been quiet the entire time while he had bene on the phone, barely acknowledging the voice of the head of his security force.

Until now that is.

"Why must you ask the same question over and over again?" He was almost irritated by what he would call nagging, even to those whom they pledged his life and wellbeing above even their own.

The soldier cleared his throat over the telephone, excusing his manners, "I am just hoping you know what kind of risk this event is going to possess. I mean, the gala is usually only for the aristocracy-"

"And the nobility, and the royals of the earth, and those who want to stay on my good side. Et cetera, et cetera..." said Lelouch as he took another look at his watch. It was nearing seven int he evening. He wanted time to slow down for once and he secretly wished it would slow down. Just for tonight. Just for her...

The Emperor cleared his throat this time, further cutting off the soldier's diatribe. "Make sure Nunnally is taken care of until I see her. Other than that, just make sure security is as tight as you can make it. That's all I am going to say on the matter."

The soldier knew that his career would be destroyed if he spoke up any further. Thus he was resigned to accept Lelouch's orders. "Very well, sire."

The line went dead and Lelouch put the phone down before looking out the side window. To be perfectly honest the young ruler wasn't worried about security issues. Since he had taken up the throne strife within the empire had become little more than political squabbles. War had been virtually wiped out with his ascension and months following his diplomacy. Democracy had, returned to the world outside the home isles in Europe though for security and trade the Empire still had hold of strategic locations across the globe. But as far as Lelouch was concerned, his attention had been in Japan in the last few weeks. He had tried to spend time with his friends at Ashford Academy but, with being a ruler, that option was nonexistent.

And he hated being unable to see any of his friends. Only by speaking to them via phone was he able to stay connected with them-through strict timetables, for fear of hacking.

That pissed him off.

So, he decided to break the rules a little and have some fun. Thus why he was going to the Solstice Gala, usually a private party meant to celebrate the coming of winter was, for the first time since it had been created, open for the public to come in and enjoy themselves.

'The look on everyone's faces when I had made the announcement was rather...perfect,' he thought with a laugh and a small smile. To be frank no one was happy with him, but they let it slide when he told them to let loose and have a good time before they resumed their duties following the start of the New Year. Only after he had left had they realized that he had given them a full three weeks of select leave (i.e. they could still work but at their leisure).

As for Lelouch, he had other priorities. When the snow started to fall he had made it plain that he was to bring all his classmates from the Academy to the party regardless of their upbringing or social standing. Yet there was one he would personally escort to the party himself, and he was on his way to get her.

'Maybe I should call her...ask her if she is ready?'

He eyed the phone next to him, and for a brief moment his hand twitched under his white leather glove. Yet he hesitated before actually reaching for it. He grabbed it and dialed the number, and hoped for an answer before it drove him crazy...

"I'm gonna go crazy!"

The dorm room was a mess and Shirley wasn't having any of it. Her room looked like a tornado had run through it then made a U-turn and destroyed what was left. Clothes were scattered all over, items of personal value laid out on the bed, though a red and green dress was hanging on a hanger on the bathroom door. Given to her courtesy of the finest tailor this side of the world. Its value was in the thousands and Shirley dared not ruin it.

"That blasted brush...where is it?!"

She had been given two days to be ready for this party and here she was at the eleventh hour and only now she was beginning to panic!

Dressed in only a white bathrobe, make up on her face but her hair was still drying from her shower, Shirley was nowhere near ready for the party yet. Her hair was up in a towel wrapped around her head and it hurt when she moved too quickly. She had thought her brush had been on her sink in her bathroom but that was not the case.

She finally found it but it had been in the last place she expected to find it. On her nightstand, where she must have used it the night before. It had been right next to the picture of her and Lelouch, taken a few weeks before his coronation.

"Finally..." she removed the towel and allowed her hair to fall down her back. The red was starting to come out as it began to dry before she used the brush.

Then the phone rang and she knew she was in trouble. "Darn it!" She tried to do three things all at once. Between using one hand to try and brush her hair, the other in the midst of removing her robe and then the phone ringing she didn't know what to prioritize. Thus she let her robe fall and grabbed the phone with a flustered look. "Hello?"

"Please stand by for His Majesty-"

The woman's voice was like a hammer on Shirley's head. Lelouch was calling her? Now of all times?! Her cheeks went red and she tried to brush her hair faster than she should have before she heard his voice on the other end of the line.

"Uh, Shirley? You there?"

She stopped cold in her motions, "Huh...hi, lulu..."

Hearing his nickname made the Emperor clear his throat. "You sound like you're in trouble. Is everything all right?"

'If you want standing in nothing but my underwear while on the phone with the Emperor of Britannia as well as school crush trouble, then you'd be right!' Shirley's mind was going a million miles a minute and for a moment she couldn't bring herself to speak.

Luckily Lelouch didn't pursue in finding out. "I was just calling to let you know I am a few minutes out."

"Oh, okay! I was just doing some things before I got fully ready," she said, finally forcing words out of her mouth despite the heavy pounding in her chest.

Too bad that was a bit too much for Lelouch to digest, "You aren't ready yet?"

"I-I am I just have to-" she felt a sneeze coming on, but before she could pull away from the phone she let it out. Thankfully she had gone away from the receiver but it no less hurt. Her hair flew over and covered her face. "Ugh...that hurt."

"I hope you don't catch a cold," he said with obvious concern.

"I'll be fine once I put some clothes on-" she stopped herself when she realized what she was saying. Her face went even redder and her hand was shaking the phone.

Lelouch paused for a moment, not sure how to react, but then spoke, "Two minutes. I'll be there in two minutes, Shirley."

...yeah, I'll see you in a bit," she said before she heard the phone click on his end. then she chucked her own phone across the room, flustered and very embarrassed. "I'm never gonna let that down!" She turned in a huff and her eyes were quickly drawn to the dress the tailor had sent her. Rumor was that Lelouch himself had picked it out for her. She wouldn't dare want to disappoint her friend. Her nerves went hard as steel. "I'll give him a night he won't regret."

As soon as he had hung up the phone Lelouch had to rub his eyes. "I called her when she was getting dressed? I have the absolute worse timing it seems..." He sighed before looking out the car window. Snow was falling lightly and the wind had died down since the afternoon. Thank goodness since the gala was partially held outside he didn't want anyone to get sick because of him.

Especially Shirley, his mind thought before he shook his head. Tonight was the most important night of both their lives though for different reasons. For Shirley she was going to a party with her friend who just so happened to be the ruler of the most powerful empire on the planet. For Lelouch it was the time he could concoct triple master strokes of his plan and bring his reign to a climax.

All the while pulling off the greatest challenge he could ever give himself. He reached into the jacket he wore and pulled out a small box. Inside was the ticket to his future happiness, as well as the key to unleashing his feelings for Shirley that he had held inside for a very long time.

'All I have to do is ask her, and hopefully...' his mind began to feel the light touch of doubt and he put the box back in his pocket. "We'll just have to wait and see."