A/N: Here's one about my favorite of the canon characters. It's a sort of reflective thing that tries to show her at various times in her life. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass. I do own my characters.

Setting: Some point during seven weeks Turn 23 takes. the skies outside of battleship Hitokage.

Kallen Kozuki wore a stern expression as she sat in the seat of her Guren, facing down a fearsome knightmare. Or, well, Hiodoshi would normally be a fearsome knightmare. For the sake of combat training, all of its weapons systems have been reduced to five percent output. Guren's likewise had been reduced to one percent its usual strength to prevent any needless damage.

"Okay, girls, don't hold anything back," Kallen started in a strong voice, anticipating the girls' first movement as she did.

"Right, mom! Here we come!" Katsumi shouted back, excitably. "Let's do this, sis!"

"Yeah, let's go, Katsumi!" Katsue responded, affirming the call.

With that, Katsue flew Hiodoshi straight at Guren. It made a claw swipe. Kallen countered it with her own claw, pushing both of them back. Another swipe came. Again, Kallen blocked. The girls repeated the motion, trying to squeeze an attack in. Kallen fired off a one percent strength blast from her Guren's claw, forcing the Hiodoshi flying back.

"Not good enough!" Kallen called out, as she landed a quick follow up grab, taking Hiodoshi into her grasp.

"Then, we'll just try harder!" shouted Katsumi, and then several smoke missiles fired from Hiodoshi's shoulder mounted missile launchers. The distraction allowed, the girls to shake Kallen off and find decent distance. Soon low-powered beam weapons were hitting Kallen's shields. She smiled.

"Nicely executed, but can you keep it up?" Kallen challenged.

"You just watch us," Katsue snickered.

Kallen nodded. She had never thought this day would come. No, she had wanted it never to come. She had fought for peace exactly so the next generations wouldn't have to fly through the skies in these machines. She honestly still had mixed feelings about it still, her daughters following in her path. But, so long as it was what they wanted, she found she couldn't rightly challenge it.

Katsumi and Katsue were everything to her. As she faced them, her mind went backwards. She remembered a day long ago. She smiled as it came back to her vividly.

---

There weren't words to describe what Kallen felt. There were hardly emotions known to her that covered it. She was tired, first and foremost; she supposed it wasn't bad just leaving at that. But, looking down at the newborn infants in her arms, looking up at her, she felt a sense of joy. It was something beautiful. Something priceless.

Katsumi and Katsue Kozuki were two beautiful baby girls. Little Katsumi, the second born, had a sense of wide-eyed wonder in her violet eyes, and seemed to be smiling. The older child, Katsue seemed less confident and more scared but seemed to calm down the longer Kallen held her.

Giving birth had certainly been a lot to bear. Kallen was still exhausted from it, and it had been half a day now. But she knew at once it was worth it. She had been drifting. She had been lost. Now her life had meaning. Now she had direction. For the first time in five years, she was content with everything she had.

She didn't want to label her love a mistake, she couldn't do so rightly. Even so she had suffered for it the past five years. She couldn't forget him. She could smile, she could carry on with her life, but she couldn't forget those all too brief moments she spent with that captivating man. She couldn't let go of that love that had taken a rigid hold of her heart.

The world had cheered at his death but she had seen through it as it had happened. When all was said and done, she wept over what he had done. She cursed him for being so selfless as to sacrifice himself for the sake of everyone else. She hated him for it. Even if she knew it might have been the only way to ensure peace, she hated him for it. She hated him for it because she was still in love.

But once he died, she was left alone. She returned to school. She led a simple, easy life full of smiles. Gino Weinberg did his best to court her in the first year and a half. He partly succeeded before guilt and confusion made Kallen push him away. Years after the fact, Kallen still wondered why. Why should she trample over the feelings of one who loved her for the sake of someone already dead? But still, in those years after Gino, Kallen had done the same thing to others. She had allowed lovers to get close, only to freeze up in the end. She kept finding herself at that block, unable to move forward.

Had she already exhausted all the love she had on one man? Kallen began to think as much. She didn't like the thought. It was ugly. It was selfish. But perhaps it made sense. He was all she had back then. Her friends from the old days at Ashford Academy remained distant because she wasn't fully one of them anymore. The Black Knights also were hardly close to her. She had been close with him, most of them viewed him with contempt but she refused to speak a word against him. The new friends she met after that day were the most distant. She was the famed Kallen Kozuki after all. It was hard to find true friendship in the face of a crowd which reveres you.

The past two years, Kallen had become fairly despondent. After finishing up school she had rejoined the Black Knights. She had considered doing something else with her life, but being a Black Knight already felt like it was an important part of her. She didn't want to lose that connection to the group he started. As a Black Knight, given the rank of General for her service, she helped guide the Black Knights around the world in the effort to keep the peace.

She was working to protect his dream. She was protecting the world he had given his life to create. When she thought about it like that, she was happy. She became devoted wholly to her job. Her life beyond it felt hollow. That was until a chance meeting led to her making a decision. That decision led her to this hospital bed and these twin girls she held in her arms. Right now, she wondered if it wasn't the single best decision of her life.

"Ah, they're so cute!" a voice called. Kallen looked up. She had a visitor.

"Oh, Kaguya, hey," she started. Kaguya Sumeragi still made an effort to be her friend, though likely only because she tried to be everybody's friend. Kallen supposed she was glad to see a familiar face.

"Can I hold one?" Kaguya asked eagerly.

"Sure," the older girl started. She handed young Katsumi to the black haired girl. She held her softly, knowing what to do.

"Cute! What's her name?" she started.

"Katsumi," said Kallen.

"Aww, little Katsumi~," Kaguya teased the still-smiling infant with her finger. "And that one?" she asked Kallen.

"Katsue," Kallen said.

"Oh, how cute," Kaguya laughed. "'Victory', huh? I suppose that fits you, Kallen."

"You think?" Kallen smiled.

"Yeah," Kaguya smiled back. "You know, I think it really suits you being a mother."

"I hope so. If it doesn't suit me, it's kind of too late now," Kallen said with a short laugh. Kaguya laughed too.

"Ha, very true," said Kaguya. She then sighed. "But to think you'd have twins… You might want to hurry up and find a man to support you, or else its going to be hard."

"I don't… I don't need a man," said Kallen in a low voice.

"A woman then?" Kaguya suggested in a mischievous voice. Kallen was slightly taken aback.

"I-I'm not into that..." Kallen stammered; Kaguya broke out in laughter.

"Fair enough," Kaguya shrugged. "But I'll never understand you girls who go and get pregnant when the circumstances are so difficult."

"You know a lot of girls like that, Kaguya?" asked Kallen.

"A few," the other said with yet another shrug.

"I'm strong, and I'm paid well for my job. If it absolutely becomes impossible for me to do it alone, there's always hired help," said Kallen.

"Katsumi and Katsue are lucky. They have a very good mother," Kaguya said with a smile.

"Thanks," Kallen replied. She smiled. She felt happy. Even if he wasn't there. Even if there was still one missing piece, everything felt complete.

---

Hiodoshi roared as it tried to catch a fast moving Guren. Kallen maneuvered her machine unpredictably, trying to test Katsue's proficiency at flight. Guren was a faster machine. Kallen wasn't making this easy for the girl. She was forcing her child into vigorous acrobatics in an effort to catch her.

But then, Katsue, finally found a perfect patch, catching Kallen on an up swing with a sudden huge acceleration. Hiodoshi all but tackled Guren. Katsumi launched an attack, which of course was absorbed by the shields.

"Good job, you two are doing excellent," Kallen said, smiling and nodding.

"Heh, thanks," Katsumi responded softly.

"But we're far from done, right?" asked Katsue.

"I'm afraid so," Kallen said, shaking her head. Her mind went back again as she started the next test.

---

Kallen hummed softly as she opened the front door to her home. She had just returned from a long, important meeting with the Black Knights' higher ups and was glad to finally be home. She entered her door quietly and entered with a smile.

"I'm home, girls!" she called. She got hardly a sound in reply. Strange. Usually the girls came running to greet her.

The girls were eleven now. Raising them alone had been difficult at times, but it was nothing if not rewarding. Kallen had cherished watching them grow, watching them mature. It had made her life full, vibrant. She still hadn't taken a full-time lover, but she felt she didn't need one anymore. These two girls were enough for her.

Kallen nodded as she walked through the house, to the twins' room. The door was open so she walked in. She was taken aback by the sight she found. Katsue was on top of her sister, Katsumi's shirt pulled part of the way up as Katsue's hands went beneath it holding the girl down. Everything about it was suggestive.

"Girls! What's wrong with you! What are you doing?!" she called in a sharp voice. Katsue pulled off innocently.

"Oh, mom, you're home?" she started with a smile. Katsumi picked herself up and straightened herself off.

"Please explain this," Kallen demanded. It troubled her. These two had always been inseparable in an almost unnatural way. They were highly physical. It was easy to misunderstand their behavior with one another.

Or Kallen hoped she was misunderstanding. As the two approached maturity, she wasn't so sure any more.

"Oh, I was just trying to force her to submit," said Katsue with a short laugh.

"K-Katsue--!" Kallen stammered, her eyes wide as she tried to comprehend this.

"What?" Katsue titled her head. "She's the one hogging it."

"What's that?" Kallen started, now confused.

"Video games. She won't let me play mine, so I was holding her down until she let me," Katsue said in a huff.

"Katsue, that's not nice of you," Kallen said. She omitted the "but it's infinitely better than what I thought you were doing," part.

"Heh, yeah!" Katsumi, said, pointing at her sister.

"And you should share with your sister," Kallen offered a harsh look to the other child.

"Okay," Katsumi said with a low sigh.

"I thought you guys played these games together, anyway," Kallen started.

"Some times. But her games get boring. All they are is fighting," Katsue said as if the game was beneath her.

"You just don't like losing to me," Katsumi snickered.

"Katsumi, please," Kallen said, shaking her head disapprovingly.

"Oh, okay. I don't mind letting Katsue play her game for awhile, even if it is really boring," Katsumi gave a heavy sigh. "But I want one more match first."

"Is that okay, Katsue?" Kallen asked.

"Eh, sure," Katsue nodded. Both girls picked up controllers.

Kallen looked at the screens. She had never honestly paid much mind to the games the two of them played. She paid for them, but she hadn't really watched much before. That's why she was a little surprised to see the screen fill up with computer generated knightmare frames. Each girl picked from a wide selection. Katsumi picked the Guren, which caused a strange mix of feelings in Kallen. Katsue picked the Shinkiro, which might have caused stranger feelings.

The two units began to fight. Kallen didn't like watching Guren fight Shinkiro, even as a simulation. It felt awkward. It didn't help that the very thought of the game was pretty violent. Kallen wasn't sure she liked the kids playing it. Katsumi was clearly better. She led most of the match. Then she slowed down when Katsue was about to be defeated. Katsue quickly took advantage of this and scored victory. Kallen shook her head; she wasn't sure if Katsumi wanted to make up to her sister for not letting her play her game, or she just wanted her sister to continue playing this one with her, but she supposed it was a vaguely mature thing to do.

"Yay! I won!" Katsue didn't catch on to the scheme, whatever it was.

"Your game's more peaceful than this one, right?" Kallen asked Katsue, still not sure what to make of the game.

"Not really," said Katsue. She handed Kallen a game box. Guren and Lancelot were on the front cover along with a bunch of knightmares.

"Eh, isn't this the same thing?" asked Kallen.

"No, it's a strategy game. You play as Zero and command the Black Knights to victory in massive battles in the war against Britannia," said Katsue, nodding with enthusiasm. It sounded even more violent. Kallen sighed. She was finding it hard to believe there were games like this.

"Do you two have any games that aren't about fighting, war, and knightmare frames?" Kallen sighed.

"A few, but these are the best," Katsumi said with a nod. "Knightmare frames are cool!"

"Honestly…" Kallen shook her head.

"And you're the coolest for having piloted the coolest one ever," Katsumi added.

The three of them rarely discussed Kallen's part in the war. It wasn't a usual topic. Hearing Katsumi say that what she did back then was "cool" kind of didn't set well with her, even if she recognized the girl was nothing but well-meaning.

"I work every day to make sure war never breaks out again. There's nothing cool about it or the weapons it is performed with," Kallen said in a quiet voice, closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry, mom," Katsumi said, frowning.

"It's okay," Kallen said patting the girl on the head.

As Katsue put her strategy war game into the console, Kallen gave a nod. It was best that knightmare frames remained "cool" video game characters to this girl. Kallen needed to work hard then to ensure it stayed this way. As much as they reveled in these games, Kallen never wanted to see these two in an actual knightmare frame.

---

Kallen wore a cold grin as she watched Hiodoshi carefully as it approached. Beams shot at her. She zipped up to avoid them, and charged in. She fired off Guren's arm for a grab. Katsue barreled to the right to avoid it and then Katsumi fired some smoke missiles followed by some more beam weapons.

It was an impressive effort. The girls had come a long way since Kallen had taken over their training. They were adept at this. The two knew each other so well, that it was almost like they were one. But because they were still two, they were capable of so much more than one pilot alone. They were still too young, they still lacked experience, but they had potential to be maybe even better than Kallen herself when together.

"Good job, kids. I think that'll be enough for today," Kallen said.

"Got it!" the two replied in perfect unison then started giggling.

The three returned to the Battleship after that. Kallen's mind returned to the past one last time in the process.

---

Kallen smiled as Guren landed. It was a happy day. They had won. She had seen her Japan liberated from occupation for the second time in her life now. This satisfied her. What satisfied her more was that two bright-eyed twin girls were waiting outside her Guren as it became still. She opened the hatch and stepped down into the Hitokage. Katsumi and Katsue both ran up and hugged her tightly.

"You two..." Kallen laughed softly and embraced her children back.

"So, what did you think! We sure showed up at a convenient time, huh?" Katsumi said with a cute smile.

"You certainly did help me out back there," sai Kallen. "Thanks."

Katsue blushed. "I'm sure you could have handled that guy even without us," she said.

"I'm not so sure. He really had me on the ropes," said Kallen with a smile, the fight with Damian Marsh appearing as something of a blur to her.

"I'm glad you're okay, mom. We wouldn't know what to do without you, said Katsue.

"I feel the same way about you two. That's why it's still hard to see you dressed like that," said Kallen, looking at their military uniforms. "I'd be devastated if I lost either of you."

"That's why I'm never fighting without my sister. I couldn't live without her," said Katsumi, blushing a little. Katsue laughed.

"I feel the same way," she said softly.

"Let's just all promise to make it through all this alive, all of us," Kallen said with a nod.

"Right!" the twins responded at once in unison.

"It's good to be back with you two again. You don't know how I missed you," said Kallen, her tone affectionate.

"You're not going to have to go back again, are you?" asked Katsumi, earnestly.

"I'll speak with Tohdoh about it. If anything, I'd rather stay here and whip a certain two new recruits into shape," Kallen laughed.

"Huh?! You'd train us?! That's scary…." Katsue said, turning slightly pale. Kallen laughed.

"Hey, it won't be that bad," Kallen said with a short glare. "Though I won't make it easy for you. I'm not going to stop until I'm confident you won't end up dead."

"Great. Sounds like fun," Katsue said with sarcasm apparent.

"Yep. I agree!" Katsumi said, missing the sarcasm entirely.

"Oh. And there are still some things I need to discuss with the two of you," Kallen said, taking a stern tone of voice. "I understand you took out Hiodoshi out it was without permission, having had no prior training…"

"Eh, y-yeah…" Katsumi spoke sheepishly.

"W-we're sorry…" Katsue meekly stated.

"But that scolding can wait for later, I'm not in the right mood," said Kallen, a smile appearing again on her face. The other two smiled as well and sighed little sighs of relief.

---

Yep, things had changed. Katsumi and Katsue had grown up. They had become fine young women. Now they were soldiers. As much as she had previously hated that idea, Kallen now welcomed it. Her children were strong. They had her strength, and more.

They would fight and she would show them the way. They would fight, just like she did. They would fight, just like he did. That is what was right for them.

A/N: End chapter. Aww, cute. Kallen is awesome. Kallen twins are cute. I think this turned out nicely. It was long again. When I'm writing about Kallen, I find it difficult to brief, I guess. Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading.