Pre-notes: I just noticed I haven't kept a timeline for the tangents. I re-numbered the second Rolo outtake to set it to happen before Gino's part. All the others stay the same.

Disclaimer: Code Geass belongs to Sunrise.

Part 3.603: The Power of One

*THUD!*

In unison, the occupants of the classroom looked towards the source of the sound to see Lelouch Lamperouge picking himself up from the floor.

"I appreciate your coming to class today, Mr. Lamperouge, but do please try to look remotely interested."

"I'm sorry, Professor," Lelouch replied while returning to his seat. "It won't happen again."

Noting Kallen's worried look from three rows ahead of him, he slid two fingers over his left shoulder, as if wiping off some dust.

I'm fine.

Acknowledging the phrase from their secret sign language, Kallen turned back to face the front of the classroom. The worried look, however, never left her face.

It had been three months since it was first explained to her that, as a part of his sentence, Lelouch was to do some part-time work for the Black Knights on top of his schoolwork. Their weekly meetings with the Knights included his report on the paperwork he was given, and every one of those he had delivered with incredible ease. Homework was never a problem for him, and he even once told her that the extra paperwork actually helped to keep him from being bored while he was stuck in Ashford.

This week, though, she thought he was getting paler by the day. Him falling off his chair just now was the third time it happened this week; he was only lucky they all happened to different professors. For the master in sleeping in class to fall off his chair so many times, there was bound to be something wrong. When they later met at the Student Council meeting room, she voiced her concern.

"I'm alright, really," he had assured her. "It's just that the club budget proposals got in the way of this week's report. I thought I could finish it after a quick browse through the proposals, but it turned out to be harder than I thought."

"I'll help you with the proposals, then," she offered. "I'll skip girls' night for now."

"No," he was quick to counter her, "go out and enjoy yourself. Ohgi and the others already know you have plans and will arrive late for the meeting tonight. Don't cancel on my account.

"Besides," he added, "it's a good two hours before the meeting starts. I'll finish the report long before then. The budget proposals can wait until after the meeting." Then, looking her straight in the eye,

"I have everything under control."

"Okay," she reluctantly agreed, "but leave some for me to do, okay? I'm part of the Student Council, too, you know. Don't leave me out of the action."

"I won't. You'll probably need to fly the Guren on your way back here if you really want some work, though. I just might end up finishing them all myself."

"Outrun me while I'm wearing that green otter costume and maybe I'll actually believe you."

He gave a defeated sigh. "Fine," he said, standing up and picking up his laptop, "I'll leave some for you."

"You'd better," she replied, standing up as well, "or I just might bring the Guren."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Since Lelouch managed to joke around with her just now, Kallen supposed he really was fine. She knew she could trust him. She supposed she would just have to trust him on this one. With one last look to see him entering the library before she left to meet with her girl-friends, Kallen tried her best to ignore the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

-o-O-o-

Lelouch leaned back in his chair and squeezed between his eyes to get some relief from the stress he was feeling. This week's report was harder to put together than he thought. He'd already lost five nights of sleep over it, and he was still nowhere near done. The last time he was this stumped in thinking up a solution was when Nunnally first arrived as governor. At least he had C.C. to talk to, back then. Thinking out loud and hearing somebody answer back helped in his thought process. Idle chat with Nunnally helped ease up the stress a bit, too, when the Black Knights were just starting. Now C.C. was comatose for some unknown reason, and any form of contact with Nunnally was forbidden. He thought of discussing some points with Kallen, but that was against the rules. Besides, with all the classes she missed over the past year, she had her hands full in make-up credits. She already had enough problems without adding his own, even if it was just the need for someone to talk to.

"Alone again," he mused.

Refusing to let the feelings of loneliness surface, he returned to his work. He only had ten minutes left before the meeting starts - not much time. He'd already set the video comm to auto-answer earlier, so his work would not be interrupted by the need to walk over and push a button on the terminal. He'd be caught still working on it, but at least he had the skill of being able to pay attention to whatever else that was being discussed while doing so.

He let out a groan when he realized that he left a disk that he needed in his room. He would no make it back in time if he went to get it himself now. Pulling his mobile phone from his pocket, he decided to ask Sayoko to bring it over. As if refusing to cooperate, the phone slipped off his hand as he opened it, then slid to the other end of the command center.

Not wanting any further delays, he quickly stood up from his chair to retrieve the phone; or, at least, that's what he wanted to do. The next thing his mind registered was that he was lying on the floor, and that his body wanted to stay that way. Gathering all the willpower he could muster, he tried to reach for the phone. If he could at least get someone to put him back in his chair, he could still finish the report. At this point, however, even his eyes refused to cooperate anymore.

No!

Still refusing to give up, his mind tried to fight off the dream state that began to take over. He focused on the reason why he's doing all this - on the promise he made as a boy to a certain angel eight years ago.

I will do everything in my power to make that day come to pass.

But he was still only human, and his eighteen-year-old body can only hold out for so long without sleep. He knew he was fighting a lost battle.

I'm sorry, Kallen.

Minutes later, the video comm came online, but Lelouch Lamperouge was already beyond all contact.

-o-O-o-

Kallen thought the elevator was taking too long to open.

She was already on her way back to Ashford, having left her friends earlier than originally planned, when the call from Ohgi came. The uneasy feeling she had before going out only became more difficult to ignore as the evening wore on. Ohgi's words were all she needed to start running straight from the mall all the way back to the Academy.

-Kallen. Where's Lelouch?-

She tried to call him several times along the way, and every time it switched to voice mail made her want to scream for him to answer her all the more. Now finally facing the door to the command center, she angrily swiped her access card and her racing heart stopped when she saw Lelouch collapsed on the floor.

"Lelouch!" She ran to kneel by his side, then pulled his head to her lap.

"Can you hear me?"

She saw his eyebrows furrow slightly, but his eyes didn't open. She saw one hand twitch, and she understood.

"It's alright, Lelouch. The meeting's been canceled." With those words, his face completely relaxed.

-What's happening, Kallen?- came Ohgi's voice from the video comm.

"This meeting's canceled, Ohgi-san," she answered as she lifted one of Lelouch's arms over her shoulders. She couldn't just leave him on the floor, after all.

-What do you mean? Where's Lelouch?-

In response, Kallen stood up, with a sleeping Lelouch hanging off her shoulder, her right arm holding him steady.

"As you can see," she elaborated, her voice stern, "he is in no condition to attend. As for myself, you were informed of my plans for tonight and have requested that I submit my report in advance. I have done so and therefore have nothing to contribute. It will be pointless to insist to continue."

"Now, if you don't mind," she added when the silence stretched for quite a while, "I have to make sure he gets some proper rest." She began dragging Lelouch to the long bench at the end of the room without waiting for an answer.

-Very well,- came Ohgi's reply, -We'll send Sayoko over to help you take him to his room. We'll be sending you the agenda for next week's meeting in the next three days. Black Knights out.-

Hearing the video comm go offline, Kallen let out the breath she had been holding. She never thought she'd have to speak to Ohgi like that, but with the condition Lelouch was in - sentence or no sentence - it really did go against common sense to continue. Upon reaching the bench, she twisted to make Lelouch sit on it, then carefully lowered him to lie down its length. She finished up by making sure none of his arms and legs were hanging off the side.

He's lighter than I expected, she noted. What have you been doing to yourself, Lelouch? She was about to loosen his collar when she heard the video comm come back online.

-Oniisama!-

"Shh!" she reacted instinctively, but noticed her mistake immediately. Nothing could possibly wake him right now. She walked to the conference table to make her presence known to the caller.

"Hello, Nunnally."

-Is my brother...?-

"He's fine, just exhausted," she reassured the very worried Empress of Britannia. "How did you know about it, Nunnally? I thought all contact wasn't allowed?"

-I was allowed to watch the meetings, so long as I don't make my presence known. I know I'm still not allowed to, but if Oniisama...-

"...nnally."

They went silent at the sound. They both heard it clearly, but with one look Kallen could tell he was still very much asleep.

"Looks like he's saying he's fine, Nunnally."

-Yes,- Nunnally agreed while wiping off the corners of her eyes, -that's just like him. Please take care of him, Kallen-san.-

"I will," she answered, and the comm went offline once again.

-o-O-o-

Lelouch opened his eyes to find himself in his room. Seeing no light seeping through the curtains, he assumed it to be late at night. Turning his head to take a look at the clock on his desk, he noted that the lamp was turned on low, and there was someone working there.

"Kallen?"

She turned to face him. "Welcome back," she said with a smile. "Glad to know you're still with us." She went on to pour something from a thermos to a mug.

"What time is it?" Lelouch asked as he sat up on his bed.

"A little past seven," she answered, bringing the mug with her. "You had us worried there."

"A little past seven," he repeated, then made a move to leave the bed, but Kallen's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Where do you think you're going?"

He gave her a confused look. "The meeting is in less than half an hour, and I still haven't finished that report. I can still make it in time if-"

"The meeting was two days ago, Lelouch." Her face remained serious while she watched his expression move from shocked, to thoughtful, until finally he held his head in both his hands and let out a moan. She sighed then pulled the chair to his bedside.

"Here," she said as she held out the slightly steaming mug. "You haven't eaten anything since lunch the other day, right?"

Catching a whiff of what he recognized as tomato soup, he turned to sit on the side of the bed, accepted the mug then took a sip. His tongue registered that it was made with fresh tomatoes, not canned ones, and that there was a spice used that he didn't recognize. It had a curious effect on the taste and he wanted to know what it was.

"Did you make this?"

"No. Sayoko did," she answered, taking her seat. "I wanted to bring you cookies, but my mother said warm soup would be better since you haven't eaten for so long. Sayoko had it ready, too, so," she finished with a shrug. Lelouch nodded in acknowledgment. He would have to remember to ask later.

"Were you here the whole time?" he asked before taking another sip from the mug.

"No. The rest of the Student Council took turns with me and Sayoko. Rivalz just left when you woke up, and Sayoko will be taking over at nine."

He nodded again, and was surprised he already finished up the soup. Kallen had noticed how quickly he drank it during her explanation and was already on her way back with the thermos, ready to pour him a second helping.

"Take it slowly this time around," she said after emptying the contents of the jug into his mug. "You've only just woken up, after all."

"I will," he answered, taking better care to control his sips. "Did... Ohgi say anything?"

"Nothing much. Just that he'd send the next meeting's agenda, and that arrived earlier today. Pretty much the same as the last one's. Looks like they weren't rushing that report of yours, after all."

"I see. Did you bring my laptop back here, too? I'll need to get started as soon as-"

"No, you won't," she interrupted, "not until you're fully rested."

"I am rested," he countered. "Two days straight is long enough sleep for any-"

Kallen had put a finger on his forehead when he straightened, and he frowned. He would not be able to stand up while it was there. She enjoyed showing off her strength, even if it was the laws of physics that gave her that 'strength'.

"The soup decides if you're rested enough."

"The soup?" He remembered unknown spice he detected earlier. "What's in it?"

"No idea. I didn't make it, remember? Anyway," she continued, changing the subject, "just what was that report about? It was never this bad when the Black Knights were starting, as far as I can remember." He removed her finger from his forehead before answering.

"I'm not allowed to even talk to you about it and you know that." Her other hand took the place of the one he removed.

"Okay, so I'm not allowed to know. How about you ask them to let me in on the work during the next meeting so I would be?"

He reached up to remove the offending hand, but quickly figured out she'd only keep changing hands unless he dropped the mug. Doing so would make a mess. She had him trapped.

"I can't do that."

"And why not?"

"You already have your hands full with make-up credits. You need to take care of your mother, too. If I had my way, you won't even need to join the meetings at all."

"Because the burden is yours to bear and yours alone?"

"Yes."

"No, it's not."

"Lelouch," she continued before he could answer back, "if you hadn't noticed, there are people who care about you. And it's not just me or Sayoko. Rivalz, Miya, everybody around you does, one way or another. Seeing you all helpless but trying to keep up a strong front makes us think you don't trust us, and it hurts. I know what you're doing is supposed to be top secret, but if this keeps up, they're going to need an explanation and I don't want to have to tell them any more lies. If you're so adamant about not wanting me to get involved in your work, that's fine, but at least swallow that pride of yours and tell Ohgi-san and the others that it's too much for you to finish alone.

"Besides," she added while finally lowering the finger on his forehead, "I'm pretty sure they didn't work so hard to save you from the death sentence so you could kill yourself overworking like this."

Check,

He lowered his head and stared at the mug in his hands. "You're beginning to sound like Shirley."

"Well, maybe that's her ghost talking through me. But, seriously," she said as she covered his hands with her own while he still held the mug, "you really do need to take better care of yourself, Lelouch. Nunnally would throw a fit if she saw a scarecrow instead of her brother next time you meet."

...and mate

He sighed. "All right, you win."

Kallen took the mug from his hands at the large yawn that followed. "See, you're not fully rested yet."

"I am, too," he said, followed by another yawn. His eyes seemed to droop against his wishes, too. Kallen giggled at the sight, then moved to make him lie back down on his bed.

"Don't fight it, though you won't really be able to. Sayoko said she put in some herb that keeps you from fighting off sleep, but it only kicks in when you're already tired. She said her clan usually gave it to hyperactive toddlers who won't go to bed. Sorry, but I'd have to agree with her that you're a special case."

"...not...fair...!" he slurred as she pulled the covers over his chest.

"Nope. You already said I won, remember?"

-o-O-o-

-Finally!-

Lelouch blinked, confused at Ohgi's reply. It was time for him to present his report to them, but he still wasn't able to finish it. He told them as much, and, with difficulty, he admitted that the work was too much for him to do by himself. The reply they gave was not among the scenarios he predicted.

Lelouch' eyes grew even wider when Ohgi, Xingke, and Tohdoh went on to explain that less than a handful of the paperwork he was given were real; and that most of those, especially the present one, were meant to push him to the limit and make him admit he would need help sooner or later. Payback, they said, for keeping them in the dark during his time as Zero.

-Sorry for having to put you through all that,- Ohgi added, -but we didn't want you to think you got off easy. For what it's worth, you scared all of us last week. Maybe we did take it too far with that last one.-

-I dunno,- Tamaki interjected, -the look Kallen had gave me nightmares all week.-

A collective "Tamaki!" silenced him for the rest of the meeting.

After getting Lelouch's assurance that he would continue to cooperate with the Black Knights, they ended the meeting early to give both students more time to recover from the excitement of the past week. When the meeting ended, neither of them moved or spoke for a while, equally surprised by this development.

"I guess I owe you." It was Lelouch who spoke first.

She shrugged. "I'll put it in your tab."

"You keep tabs?"

"You should see the notebook I keep."

"Does it say 'Zero' under mine?"

"Shut up, Lelouch," she answered, catching his question's double meaning.

He chuckled then went on to say "Thanks. For drilling some sense to this idiot."

"You're welcome, just make sure I won't need to ask Sayoko for that recipe of hers."

The following week, Lelouch got the surprise of his life when Nunnally's face showed up next to Ohgi's in the video comm. After explaining that he was now allowed to speak to her as long as conversation stayed off the topic of governance, Ohgi signed out. Kallen then excused herself to leave the siblings to catch up. After what seemed like hours of exchanging stories of their year apart, their conversation turned to more recent topics.

"Nunnally," he began, then continued as if embarrassed to be asking the question at all.

"What do you think of Kallen?"

End-notes: Longer than predicted, over-dramatic at parts, and then rushed. Looks like I need more practice. But, yeah, review anyway :p

Date last edited: 2010-06-20