Lelouch lay awake in his bed.

In their bed.

The current object of the ruler of the world's attention was the green haired witch sleeping soundly within his arms. The immortal vixen was curled up tight against his bare chest while her toes fused intimately with his own as their legs lay wrapped together under the sheets.

While the nubile female's curves normally held his attention for the better part of the day, Lelouch was instead staring at her peaceful face. He stared at the soft, gentle, curve of her lips; they were all but hidden from view. He traced her cheeks to her ears, which were almost always hidden from view by her hair. He doubled back to her closed eyes and remembered her vibrant golden orbs.

Everything about C.C said hidden. Her body excluded a sense of the word "private" that most people would never know. In fact, to most of the world, she was a completely unknown entity despite having existed longer than most of the former super-nations of the world.

But to him, she was something else. To Lelouch Vi Britannia, C.C. was more than just a hidden secret that he had run into completely on accident.

She was treasured.

And so, as he awaited the hour in which he would have to rise and thus disrupt this perfect moment of peace and prepare himself for the grip of death, Lelouch tried with all his considerable will to memorize her face.

He knew every inch of her body as if it were his own. He knew her personality inside and out. Indeed, they had literally traded their entire memories with one another. There was just simply no way to know anyone better than he knew C.C.

Yet he feared he would forget the face of the only woman left in his life. Shirley's would never leave his mind's eye for so long as he lived—which wasn't very long actually—and Kallen had cemented her face in his own enough physically to leave it there mentally. Nunally's would forever be engraved after he had walked away from her, laying on the steps of the throne room of the Domacles.

But not C.C.

She had been with him since he had started down this journey that both Heaven and Hell would damn him for. She had followed him every step of the way without a word of hesitation while others had abandoned him. From his first orders to the imperial soldiers to take their own lives to his commands ordering the eradication of billions, she had stood by his side as they stayed a course through an ocean of blood.

Yet he feared he would forget her face.

How the hell was he supposed to walk willingly to his death when this woman was laying in his arms?

He remained as he was for another hour or so before the woman in his arms stirred and groaned softly as she stretched against him. It was not entirely a completely natural reaction to waking up so early in the morning as it was an inviting ploy on her part and Lelouch had to admit he would miss their bedroom banter.

"Good morning," he whispered gently into her ear, causing a genuine smile to spread across her features as she looked up at him, her golden irises locking with his fuchsia-violet ones.

"Good morning," C.C. repeated back as she leaned up and kissed him softly before returning for a second and third helping. The kissing turned slightly heated and his hands were in her hair as she clung to him before he realized his face was wet with her tears.

"C-" She silenced him with a finger to his lips as she buried her head in his chest while fighting valiantly to maintain her cool composure. She had nearly broken down last night after everything was said and done, but having him hold her had seemed to have ailed it away.

"Why...why do you have to do this?" She muttered, her voice equal parts broken and angry. Lelouch remained silent, knowing that anything he said would be the wrong thing. Any logical argument would become illogical. This was just another beating he would have to endure until his task was complete.

"Answer me you bastard!" C.C. demanded as she smashed her fist onto his chest as she, the immortal and otherworldly being near outside of time itself, broke down again and held onto the emperor of the world with all her might.

After a very long several minutes, she calmed down and began to compose herself as someone rapped on his door roughly.

"Lelouch, it's time." Suzaku stated solemnly from the other side of the wooden door.

Pulling C.C. to him softly, Lelouch kissed her gently before tilting her head to face his own.

"You're sure you wish to stay?" He inquired as she fought back the tears that were reforming once more at the corners of her eyes.

"I'd rather go back to that church then watch Arthur's chew-toy kill you." C.C. stated simply, though the aloofness in her tone failed to fully develop and it came out more as a raspy wheeze than a sarcastic remark.

Lelouch grimaced and leaned down to kiss her once last time. She met him halfway and the lip-lock became fiercely passionate as Suzaku began to bang on the door once more.

"Promise me something." Lelouch said immediately after they had separated for the final time.

"What?" C.C. demanded after eyeing the dark haired man suspiciously.

"Don't do anything stupid."

C.C. merely nodded as she began to withdraw from him and return to her side of the bed. She was stopped by Lelouch grabbing her wrist.

"Lelouch Vi Britannia c-commands you," he said weakly, his voice cracking, as he made one final joke at her while throwing his arm off weakly to the side. Despite it all, the green haired witch actually giggled sadly before leaning up and kissing his nose.

"I'll await our reunitement until the sun burns cold and the dark realm is opened to the gates of Poseidon." She stated solemnly.

Lelouch, despite it all, quirked an eyebrow. "Is that really how the world ends?"

C.C. stared back at him blankly as she said, "you won't get to know, so why do you even care?"

The emperor of the entire world chuckled sadly and kissed the top of her head before turning around and leaving the room before the emotion of the moment could appear on his now stoic features.

It was only after she was sure that Lelouch Vi Britannia was never coming back to their room that the Immortal Witch of Cathers crumpled in on herself.

"I guess this is where we say goodbye, Suzaku," Lelouch remarked as he and his knight stood in the shadows of the archway that would lead out onto the muster field where the Imperial Motorcade lay awaiting his orders to move out. Soldiers ran this way and that as they patrolled the grounds while guards and technicians respectively moved the maximum-security prisoners onto the transports and prepped the vehicles.

"It would seem so, Lelouch," Suzaku agreed simply as he adjusted the collar on his disguise. Minus the helm, he was nearly a spitting replica of Lelouch's Zero. He would seem very realistic when the crowd gathering in Tokyo finally saw him on the way to the execution grounds.

"Before you go, I wanted to show you this...before the end." Lelouch said just as simply as he clasped Suzaku's forearm with his own. The brief confusion that had erupted across the Knight of Zero's face was blown away in shocked awe as memory upon memory flew through his mind's eye. The brunette fell to his knees as his eyes watered as he came to the full realization of what all Lelouch had endured so far. And what he would endure very shortly...

"L-Leouch...how...you even...lied about forcing...h-how?" Suzaku nearly whimpered as he fought against the emotions of the memories. The deaths, the sins, the madness of it all nearly consumed him and he was but an observer. How could even a man such as Lelouch stand so calmly as it ate at him every single second?

"I did order Euphe to kill all those people." Lelouch said, once again in a simple tone, as he adjusted his crown. "It wasn't on purpose, but it wasn't something I did all I could to stop either. I just wanted you to see it all before..."

"I don't even know if I can drive this blade into you now..." Suzaku murmured as he rose to his feet.

"Do it...if not for yourself or Euphe, than for all the innocent blood I have on my shoulders."

"That same blood swells to my chest just as much as it does to your shoulders."

Lelouch smiled at him, but in a sad way.

"Here we are, Suzaku, fighting over which one of us is more damned. But we are both cursed to our fates, so let us carry out our final free acts." And with that, the Emperor of Britannia walked forward through the archway and out onto the muster field and into the light.

"We're approaching the city, go ahead and take your position Jeremiah," Lelouch ordered as the motorcade began to slowly rumble towards the royal colony of Tokyo.

"Yes, your majesty." Jeremiah said with rigid solemnity as he thumped his arm across his chest and gave a formal half-bow from the waist up.

However, rather then turn and make his way to his post by the golden-chain-clad form of Schneizel, he bowed once more in a deeper, more respectful, full bow.

"It has been my most greatest honor to serve you in these last few moments, my lord, Lelouch Vi Britannia." Jeremiah said emotionally as he voice wavered briefly at the beginning before finishing with the strong and proud voice of a loving servant.

Lelouch tilted his head to the man, as a bow or any other form of acknowledgment would be suspicious to the crowds now gathered around all sides of the motorcade.

"It has been my honor, Knight Gottwald, to use you as I saw fit and it is my desire that you be informed that my mother would be proud of what you have done for her in her name."

Jeremiah, now even more emotional, half-bowed once more before heading to his post.

It was probably a little too much, Lelouch decided, but figured the world was too busy seething at him or fearing him to really pay attention to how defeated Jeremiah was looking as he assumed his post by Schneizel. It was also a bit much to say what he had said about his mother, especially considering how she had tried to destroy the world; but it had meant a good deal to Jeremiah and the man had proven that regardless of all the other things that could be said about him, he was loyal to a very fine fault.

As the motorcade rumbled onwards, Lelouch began to muse. Outwardly, his face remained pridefully confident with a cruel sneer thrown in at one corner of his lip. Inwardly, he was thinking on all the death and destruction that would lay in his wake.

He had slaughtered millions, he had committed virtually every atrocity that could be found in any book in any—former—nation. He had even wiped the memories of friends and loved ones and forced his own sister to commit acts of terrorism in her name rather than his before coldly executing her in some corrupted rape on the word of justice. He had lied and betrayed everyone that had ever lent him their ear or their confidence. He had crushed the heart of his little sister and forever denied her the love of her older brother.

He truly the Demon Emperor Lelouch.

But it was not all for naught. With all the nobles of the empire dead, brain-numb, or powerless thanks to his and Jeremiah's efforts, the U.F.N. had a good chance of establishing itself peacefully before the empire was able to recover. More than likely, Nunnally would succeed him as the only living capable heir to the throne—unless Cornelia suddenly, and in all honesty probably, resurfaced.

But if all went according to plan, those deaths would have meaning. Peace would reign forever even if the bill had come far, far, too high. Lelouch was content to an eternal spot in hell's deepest circle so long as Nunnally was able to live on in a world that never again saw mass-violence.

The world erupted in shouts and cries as the motorcade came to a stop.

It was time.

Lelouch let a startled expression claim his face as he watched "Zero" appear and make his assault on the motorcade. The nightmare pilots had been instructed to miss the knight on purpose and then forget those orders following Jeremiah's stand down command. It was doubtful that they would hit Suzaku, but it was always better to be safe than sorry in case that unfavorable scenario came upon them at this stage.

Jeremiah ran forward to engage "Zero" and was immediately "dispatched" by the masked hero. The avenger of justice landed before Nunnally—also in chains—before leaping forward and landing before Lelouch.

Feeling his stomach clench and drop into the pit of his very being, Lelouch rose and drew his pistol. It was a real one this time and was even loaded.

"You cretin!" He roared and pulled the trigger as "Zero" flourished his blade, deflecting the shot while sending the pistol flying. Lelouch felt just the tiniest bit of fear pump into his stomach as he watched the large sword withdraw and then fly forward.

For all of you...

Lelouch knew the pain of the blade soaring into his solar plexus had to have been terrible. He felt his body go numb and something coppery splattered up his throat and out of his mouth.

He should have been screaming in agony. Instead, he only saw Shirley and Euphemia smiling at him as they both touched either side of his face with their hand. He fought of the smile that wanted to appear on his features as he smiled at them with his eyes. His time would come, but for now, he had to finish one last thing that was not on the script that he and Suzaku had practiced.

"L-Lelouch..." Suzaku wept in anguish as he felt the dying man lean onto him for support as more of his blood spilled both from his back and his chest to stain both the white of his robes and the floor of the emperor's mobile throne.

"The punishment for what you've done shall be this then." Lelouch began as he coughed more blood up.

As he began his speech, Euphemia and Shirley joined Suzaku in holding up Lelouch, their unseen strength keeping him from falling forward almost immediately. Lelouch, realizing he really was dying if he could see two ghosts before him, finally allowed a warm smile to start to spread over his face as the girls weakly smiled back at him.

"You will live on, always wearing that mask, serving as a knight for justice and truth. You will no longer live your life as Suzaku Kururugi." As he felt Suzaku start to shudder under the emotional agony of what he was doing, Lelouch reached up and held his friend for the briefest of seconds with a bloody hand.

"You shall sacrifice the ordinary pleasures of your life for the benefit of the world...for eternity."

"This Geass...I do solemnly accept." Suzaku breathed out as he prepared for the final moments of his friend's life.

As Lelouch lost the strength to hold up his hand, "Zero", with a mighty pull, drew the blade out of the demon emperor and turned to the side. Lelouch stumbled forward several feet and paused as the now silent crowd took in the sight of the dying emperor and his bloody clothes.

"Euphe...says..." Lelouch breathed out so quietly that Suzaku almost missed the words.

The Emperor of Britannia fell to his knees and felt the world spin several times far to fast to follow.

"She...loves...you."

And with that, Lelouch the Demon fell forward and tumbled down the ramp that led to the throne atop the transport. He came to a stop at the foot of the ramp in a crumpled heap and lay still.

As Suzaku turned to face the crowd he felt the gentlest of caresses on his cheek and realized that the last time he had felt that exact caress had been when Euphe had died. Choking on his tears now, he heard Nunnally start to wail hysterically as her brother finally met his end.

With a herculean effort, Suzaku managed to find the will to flip the blood off his blade as the crowd began to cheer and storm forward. The guards began to fall back as Jeremiah gave the retreat order.

Nunally continued to wail and wail brokenly as—her skin now more red than her dress—she held her lifeless brother and begged him to not leave her.

It will be some time before Nunnally ever smiles her smile again, Suzaku thought grimly.

How wrong he was.