A/N: Yay, part two! I hope it'll do justice. Worked on it all day today.

Disclaimer: Code Geass is not my property.

Pt. II

"Where is this coming from, Lelouch?" the emerald-haired woman questioned warily. She brushed away his damp hair so that she could get a better look at his exhausted, amethyst eyes.

"Curiosity." he murmured.

"Curiosity? What a strange mind you have…"

"Just answer the question." the witch could hear the weariness in his voice and thought, 'He is protecting me right now with all of his strength, even though he's fatigued….'

"Have I ever loved anyone…? ….. No. I've found people interesting or decent, but I never allowed myself to love someone because eventually, they would always submit to mortality, and I would have to watch them leave this world."

"How lonely it must have been for you…"

"And you, Lelouch? Have you ever loved someone?" she, of course, already knew the answer to her question. After all, she had been watching over him silently in the shadows for the majority of his life. But if she didn't keep his tired mind occupied, she knew he was going to yield to the strain he was suffering, and there was no way she could save him if he did. Not in this situation.

"… I might have, before. When I was a child."

"When you were a child…" the immortal trailed off thoughtfully.

In her head, C2 thought, 'Ah… I remember now. Euphemia….'

"But I was a child then. I didn't know what the world I was born into was like." the soft purple pools hardened as he remembered his childhood that had been wrought with devastation.

"Only once in your life? I find that hard to believe, especially such an emotional man like you."

"Emotional?"

"Isn't the love for your sister and your hatred towards Britannia driving you to don your mask as Zero and change the world?"

He remained silent, and she continued, "Surely it couldn't have only been that one time in your childhood."

"Because I have donned the mask as Zero, I haven't the time."

"Falling in love doesn't take time; it's instantaneous." she countered. In truth, she hadn't meant for the conversation to continue on the subject of his love. Perhaps it was because ever since she had officially met him, she saw the wounds in his heart and felt a need to heal them. Why? 'Because he's like you.' he was bitter and angry at the world, just as she had been. And she knew how lonely it was to be in his position, where he was trapped everywhere he went, where no one would bother helping him, simply because they didn't understand, nor wanted to come to understand. But she did; she knew and she understood. And she wanted to help him.

"Or perhaps I just haven't met someone worthy."

"Worthy? Worthy of what?" she gave him a strange look.

"Having my adoration. They would have to be someone who I understand. They would also have to understand me perfectly, like two counterparts made just for each other… I've yet to come across someone like that. They would have had to lived years and years to have enough wisdom to see the way I see things."

"Years and years…."

"Do you know someone like that, C2?"

She almost replied with, "Yes. Myself." when she luckily stopped herself in time. She snuck a glance over at Lelouch, whose face was difficult to see in the dark, but she could just barely make out a smirk and realized he was teasing her.

"I can understand now why Shirley is always squealing your name every five seconds." she rested her chin on his shoulder again and played with the ends of his damp hair; 'He should to get a haircut soon.' she thought.

"Not every five seconds." honestly, it felt more like three seconds to him.

"Yes, every five seconds. You know, she-"

"Likes me? I do know."

"Why haven't you done anything about it?" bored, she stopped fiddling with his hair and simply tightened her grip on him. He hitched her up, sending ripples throughout the freezing water before replying, "What would I do? Establish a relationship with her? I don't have the attention or time for something as trivial as that, unless she's planning on joining the Black Knights."

"You're such a cold, heartless person."

"Besides… I don't see her as more than a friend."

For some strange reason, she felt relieved at his answer. No more than a friend... She had nothing to worry about. Smiling, she said, "Lelouch?"

"…. What is it?" the Britannian told himself to focus on C2's voice so that he wouldn't give in to his fatigue. He had given her his word that they would both survive. He refused to be unfaithful to the promise.

"Are you scared? Are you tired?"

"Not particul-" he began to lie, when she cut him off, "Not just now, but in the future. Does the path you've chosen bring you fear and exhaustion?"

He said nothing and she spoke in a gentle voice, "If it does… I'm always here."

"You?" the teenager was surprised by her sudden change of mood.

"Yes."

"Yes… You were always there, and you will-"

"Always be there." she finished softly. The emerald-haired woman ran her hand through his hair comfortingly, until the exiled prince spoke this time.

"C2."

"What?" she tightened her grip on Lelouch; it was so, incredibly cold, and she was also starting to become sleepy.

"I'm sorry."

The apology echoed in the small enclosure, reaching up into the night sky.

"For what?"

"For dragging us into this mess." he replied.

"…. It's not entirely your fault."

"Oh? You're not entirely blaming it on me?"

"Yes, I know… You would think that I would, but… No. Not this time."

There was another silence.

"Lelouch."

"…. What is it?" he had closed his eyes to rest them momentarily, and found himself dangerously slipping away from consciousness.

"Lelouch, don't fall asleep on me."

"Why? Because you'll drown without me?" he smiled sleepily.

"No. Because you'll drown. Lelouch, don't fall asleep whatever you do." the anxiety the immortal was feeling strengthened and she straightened up to face him better.

"C2, do you really think I could sleep in all of this water?" he mumbled.

"Lelouch, I swear to you, if you fall asleep, I will never forgive you."

"Since when have you ever forgiven me for anything?"

She could see his eyes fluttering, and he shook his head as if he were trying to shake off his weariness. His eyelids came dangerously close to closing, and the witch threatened, "Lelouch, if you fall asleep, I'm going to get off and just drown."

"C2, that's an empty threat. You told me you didn't want to die. Besides, you're immortal. You're not actually going to die."

She watched him struggle with his sudden drowsiness from being somewhere cold for so long and she frantically thought of something that she could do. He couldn't die on her; that would mess up everything. He couldn't die; he shouldn't die. Because he shouldn't leave her all alone again.

"Lelouch."

"How many times are you going to call my na-"

She leaned in and kissed him. All sleepiness left him immediately and he stumbled backwards, running into the concrete wall. When the emerald-haired woman broke away, he said, "Why did you do that?"

"It woke you up, didn't it? You should thank me."

"Thank you for the kiss?"

"Yes."

"In your dreams."

"At least you're not dreaming right now though." she straightened his jacket that was hanging around his shoulders as the raven-haired man leaned against the wall and readjusted his grip on C2. She rested her head on his shoulder and they stood in silence until she asked, "Do you long to be normal, Lelouch? Earlier today, you told me that being normal doesn't change the world, but wouldn't you rather be in a glass box, unknowing and powerless, at peace with your life until you die?"

"… Why are you asking me this, C2?"

"I long to be normal. So I didn't have to suffer what I did, suffer through what's happening now, so I won't have to suffer what will happen in the future. So that I wouldn't be cursed and have to watch from afar. You won't believe it, but I used to be a very agreeable person. I was kind and amiable…. Sweet-tempered… But I lost it all to time. Everything, I lost to time, save for my youth. It never goes away. Like a sickness. Like a curse."

As she continued her musing, Lelouch listened to her carefully. Her arms wrapped around his neck tighter and she buried her face in the crook of his neck, and that was when he realized that she wasn't clinging to him for her life, but rather, she was embracing him. He was surprised to feel something wet sliding down his neck, and it dawned on him that the emerald-haired woman was weeping.

"C2."

"…. What is it?" she wiped away a tear.

"You told me that if I were ever to become weary and tired from the path that I had chosen-"

"I would be besides you."

"If you ever become lonely, I'm with you. You chose to come with me down this treacherous path. You took my hand. I have yours. You're not alone."

She smiled sadly; yes, she wasn't alone… Until this man would succumb to a mortal's restrictions. Then she would be alone again.

The witch felt the warlock take her hand gently from around his neck and brushed over her cold fingers with his lips.

"You're not alone. I will never leave you."

"Is this a promise?" how many promises were they making to each other? And how many would be broken, she wondered.

"A promise and a contract."

"A contract…"

"We'll seal it."

"How? Are you going to shake my hand?"

"No. We'll seal it with something much more binding. Much more personal, since this is a much more personal promise."

"I don't like bringing emotions into contracts and promises. Someone always gets hurt in the end."

"That's why I'm saying that I'll protect you and pick you up if you fall." he traced the trail the tear made with his finger as he looked at her. She could tell he was being sincere.

"… How would we seal this… Contract?"

"With a-"

Abruptly, a flashlight interrupted their conversation; both cringed from the sudden light, but were grateful; it meant that someone was there. Someone had found them. And sure enough, there was the night watchman, peering down into their prison. C2 waved and suggested, "The first thing to do would be to get a ladder."

They were saved.

. . .

Lelouch pushed off of the wall, on which he had been leaning on for support, and waded his way to the ladder.

"It's chilly, isn't it?" he joked.

"How can you kid about this?"

"Why can I not? We're not trapped anymore."

"… Aren't you even worried?"

"You're climbing up that ladder, so I'm not worried about anything." he put her hand onto one of the rungs.

"… Lelouch, don't-"

"I won't. Now go. It's the least you could do, especially after I found out where all of the pizza goes." she glared at him and turned to go when he put his arms around her shoulders. Putting his jacket around her, he said in a much more gentler tone, "Now go."

Nodding, she slipped her arms through the sleeves and began her ascent.

. . .

Lights blinded Lelouch as he dragged himself out of the sinkhole. Not even caring how it was undignified, he was on all fours on the ground, trying hard not to shake from exhaustion and cold. All around him, paramedics, firefighters, and the police, were creating a ruckus. Almost immediately, a small group of paramedics swooped down on him, but he pushed them aside. Ignoring the growing crowd of students held back by authority, the paramedics, and his weak state, he began to shoulder his way through the swarming mob of emergency responders.

Dodging and ducking past people, he searched frantically until he saw her wrapped in multiple layers of thick blankets and towels while sitting on the ground. Pushing past the men and women surrounding her, the Britannian knelt in front of the emerald-haired woman, flooded with relief.

Cupping her cheeks with his hands, he said, "You're okay…"

"Of course I am. But you aren't. Lelouch, you're soaking wet. Why haven't you allowed the paramedics to help you?"

"It doesn't matter. It's only water, it'll dry."

"And you'll get a cold. Come here."

"What?"

"Come here." She opened up the fortress of blankets and pulled him inside. Sitting in his lap and leaning against him, she closed her eyes and sighed, "You're surprisingly warm."

He didn't reply with words, and instead, pulled the blankets tighter around them. The prince thought she had fallen asleep, when he heard, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not letting go."

"… You're welcome." he smiled slightly, proud that he had been able to endure.

'But of course… If it was for her, I'd be able to endure anything.' he thought as he wrapped his arms around her, as if saying that they were safe now.

. . .

"Lelouch?"

"What is it?" he was sitting on the sofa, nursing a steaming cup of tea that Sayoko had prepared for him.

"… You never finished telling me."

"Telling you what?"

"How would we seal the promise?"

He turned towards her; for once, she was wearing more than just his dress shirt and was burrowed in his duvet that had been replaced with a much thicker, winter one. She placed her hands on the warm water bottle that was heating her feet, but never took her gaze away from him.

Standing up, the raven-haired man walked towards her and sat down on the edge of the bed. He replied, "Well, what do you think it is?"

"… If it's something personal… Wouldn't that also mean intimate?"

"… It could be." he turned to completely face her.

"And it has to be something that can easily be done here or in that hole we were stuck in."

"You're on the right track." his face inched closer and C2 tried to maintain her calm while continuing her deduction, "So obviously, it's a ki-"

Their lips met, at first hesitantly, and then, as they came to terms with their respective feelings for the other, they let themselves go.

. . .

"Are you going to make me sleep on the floor again?" he played with her hair as she curled up closer to him. Both of them were underneath the blankets, warm and tired, but content.

"Never."

"Oh? I thought you said that men slept on the floor."

"Not my man."

"So I'm yours?" he smoothed her silky green locks fondly.

"How does it feel to be someone's possession?"

"… I really think that it's the other way around."

"There's no need to worry. I take good care of my things when I want to. Cheese-kun knows. Right, Cheese-kun?" she put the plushie in between them, as if it were their child. Lelouch grabbed him, and before C2 could react, threw it behind him.

"Why did you-"

"It was in the way." he simply said while pulling her closer to him, if that were even possible.

"Was it really?"

"Yes."

"… I was wondering how long it would take for you to get rid of him. After all, you're not one to let things get in your way."

They both smiled as they drifted off to sleep, much closer than they had been when the sun had risen that day. After all, there's nothing like being trapped when it came to pulling two people closer together.

A/N: Honestly, what happened was I wrote this, but I hadn't edited it. I finished writing, and then went to edit it, and then I was going to cut the kiss scene. But as you read, it wasn't cut. I'm sorry if it sounds like a cliché plot (well, it is cliché), but I just… With the personalities of C2 and Lelouch, it just seemed more legit that he would kiss her under the pretense of a contract (shrug). That, and it's cute, LOL. Anyhow, I hope you liked it! (BTW, there's a poll on my profile, regarding my next story. Not a one-shot, but a legit story, so if you'd like to have a hand in helping me decide my next project, it'd be greatly appreciated!)