Death: I apologize for the wait. Finals are over, and summer has just started to kick in for me. Therefore, I will be able to devote most of my time to my stories here. Hopefully, I will be able to get lots of work done.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Stage 03: The Demon Emperor and the Earl's Son

=3=

The room was dark as he entered, never minding to turn on the light. He had given up being normal a long time ago, so he might as well just give up switching the light on when he only came to his room to sleep. Ever so carefully Zero removed his mask and placing it at the bedside table. The cape was carelessly tossed to the floor while he spent more effort into taking the boots off.

As soon as they were off he collapsed onto the bed, not even bothering with the rest of the clothing. He was too exhausted to properly change into a pair of shorts and a thin shirt that was his usual sleeping attire. He didn't give a damn if there would be wrinkles in the only outfit he had brought when he woke up. Hell, he should be on some sort of permanent vacation after everything he had done to help the world set back into place. He deserved it after all the catastrophes that were sent his way.

Speaking of, when was fate going to give him a break already? The White Knights have finally been crushed into nothing more than ashes. Now there was a new group forming calling themselves the Geass Crusaders? A name like that was most certainly not a good sign, no, not in his book.

Not only that, these people was incredibly bold or stupid if they were going around kidnapping nobles' sons was any indication. And the target just had to be Earl Vincent Thornberg of all people…

The door opened. He didn't have to turn his head to know who it was. By now he was accustomed to her visits at the most random of moments. He should probably consider himself lucky he hadn't taken up a lover, even if he had someone who was a friend with benefits, for nothing would faze the witch.

She had much to his horror walked him in on masturbating once, not at all disturbed and much to his embarrassment she stuck around to watch him finish off. With the witch nothing was private he learned early on after taking up his life time sentence. In many ways it was a curse, but at the same time she was the one person he could rely on. She saw right through him and therefore he didn't need to pretend around her.

"One has to wonder, is that boy the living reincarnation of the one you killed two and a half decades ago?" C.C. sat at the edge of the bed.

"Why are you even bringing this up, witch?" He didn't even have the energy to even sound irritated.

"My, I thought it would be obvious, even to someone as dense as you. Everyone is thinking that he could be."

"Just because he looks like him, that does not mean he is him." Suzaku countered with what could be best described as a growl in his throat.

"Someone is irritable. Is it that time of the month already?"

"Don't you have some other poor unfortunate soul to torture? Because in case you haven't noticed, I need rest."

"No, it's only you who is the poor unfortunate soul Suzaku." She then sprawled across his back and laid her head on his shoulder as if he were a pillow.

"Then do please shut up and let me sleep." He groaned out at the strange position. Sure, she would freely hold him and lean on him, but never has she done something like this. Had he been fully awake with food inside his anorexic body he would question what she was doing.

But as it were, he didn't care. Yes, she could possibly cause more wrinkles in the jacket even though it was his fault for not taking it off in the first place. He would have to spend time ironing the troublesome outfit once he had a few hours of shut eye when he should be spending that time reading the information about the abduction of Thornberg's youngest.

And yet he couldn't bring himself to care at all. He was content to lie there awkwardly on the bed with a witch using him as a pillow. He didn't really mind she was lying on top of him. In fact, he welcomed the warmth she provided. Their shared body heat warmed the seemingly always cold bed. And the way she was drawing circles along his back was soothing.

Suzaku let out a deep sigh, releasing all the tension that had built up the past several days from his body. Just as he was starting to doze off he swore the witch spoke once more, this time softly and gentle he could barely catch what was said.

"You can hide all you want, Suzaku, but eventually you will have to face your fears. So you'd better not lose yourself when you meet that boy. I can most assure you we will meet him. My Code tingled when I saw him, so he is most likely hiding an immortal that slipped from our grasp."

Wait, was she implying the boy had the power of Kings…?

The very idea of that Lelouch look alike having such a power was too…

Think later, sleep now. He will have to question the witch when he wakes up. And with that Suzaku drifted off to blissful sleep.

=3=

He was standing in the middle of a large garden. The sheer size of it could rival the largest palace garden in the world. What he found most interesting was that this garden was made of only one particular plant.

The scent of roses was overwhelming.

All around as far as the eye could see were rose bushes going on forever. They were as white as snow, pale yet full of purity. Never had Suzaku ever seen any sight so beautiful. It was almost surreal, this foreign and heavenly place full of serenity

He realized with amazement that there was only one path in this garden. Ahead far off in the distance was a spec, a small dot of someone also standing in the same path. Curious he warily made his way towards the one other person within the isolated garden.

A gentle breeze came through and the smell of roses intensified to an almost sickening sweet scent. Even so, the wind was warm, thus why he didn't bother covering his nose. He was more focused on his destination than something as little as a strong smell of plants.

It seemed as if he was making slow progress. A part of him wondered why he didn't start running, but he still took his time. Nothing was really new for him. Life was hardly exciting anymore, not since he took the mask. Then again, it was his punishment for atonement.

Of course life as Zero kept him on his toes, but he hardly had time to settle down and just relax. Any opportunity that presented itself where he could take his time he took it. These moments have been stretched far and in between as time flew by.

The rare incidents of suspense that come his way were refreshing. And so he didn't mind the slow walk. And for once it felt nice to simply walk, not have to worry about moving to the next hazardous zone of rebellious behavior being reported. With all the country hopping he's experienced the past few years in particular, it was surprising he wasn't ill from too much jet lag in his system.

A few petals rode along the breeze that was still blowing through. One briefly brushed against his cheek. He stopped without realizing as he raised a careful hand. By the time he was able to hold the soft petal it had slid across and landed over his lips. For a moment he held the petal where it was, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath.

He didn't know why, but he felt that it was where the petal should be. Like it was supposed to land there, and not being an accident from the soft wind. He held the rose petal against his lips for a moment more, wondering why he was doing this at all.

Normally he never cared much for roses. If Suzaku had any fondness towards flowers, it would be the cherry blossoms native to Japan. As a boy he was told the sakura blossoms were like the samurai. At the time, he didn't understand how a mere flower was like a powerful warrior.

But now he understood the metaphor enough to truly appreciate when the sakura trees were in bloom.

And although he held no likeness to roses, at this moment, he truly appreciated their beauty. The softness of their petals combined with their sweet scent, it was no wonder why they protected themselves with deadly thorns. He had heard once that each thorn held just a little poison as an additional weapon for protection.

And suddenly, interrupting his wandering mind, the figure he had been trying to reach was only a few feet away. Blinking, Suzaku swore he still had several miles to go. With his surprise he let the petal that he had been kissing go, carried away by the breeze that brought it to him.

He could see features of the figure now. Short black hair swayed in the wind, silky and appearing soft to the touch. By the structure of the thin frame he realized the figure was a man. A young man, judging by their height difference was major. Although Suzaku didn't have any growth spurts due to Geass, he was aging rather slow than any normal human, the boy before him was short by about a head.

What really stuck out was the strange set of the figure's clothes. From what he could tell the boy was wearing a strange uniform of some sort. It reminded him a little of the old English uniforms back before camouflage became popular.

And like the sea of roses around them, the fabric was white, nearly blending into the background if it weren't for the clear blue sky above them. Honestly, it would have been an optical illusion where all he would see was a floating head of black hair.

Not to mention there was something oddly familiar with the boy…

"Hey…" Suzaku called out, reaching with one hand. But even though the boy was an arm's length away, he still couldn't reach the tiny shoulder. Strange, his arm was stretched all the way out. He should be able to put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"How come you won't turn around?"

The wind suddenly picked up, white rose petals were ripped away and came between them like a curtain drawn between them.

"Who are you…?"

Suzaku opened his eyes. His arm was reaching out, the same arm he reached for the figure in his dream – was it even a dream, he wondered? – and then his brain clicked that there was something incredibly inappropriate at this moment.

He had somehow rolled out from under the witch in his sleep to his side. Right now his hand was gently squeezing the green haired immortal's left breast. She was staring at him with the same doll like expression he always saw her with. Still he felt shame creep up his cheeks and he pulled his hand away in a not so calm way.

"What were you dreaming about? It must have been an interesting dream if you were reaching to my chest like some forlorn lover." At that last bit her lips curved ever so slightly in a not so innocent smile.

Suzaku dutifully ignored her jest as he shifted towards the edge of the bed. As he stood he worked over the crinkles from the result of his nap. Although there wasn't a clock to be found in the room, he had the feeling he had overslept longer than he had planned.

"How long have I been asleep?" There was a stubborn wrinkle of the jacket just near his left hip. Suzaku did his best to smooth it out as best he could.

"Don't look at me, I wouldn't know. There's no clock to tell the time here." Was her bored response.

Oh, way to state the obvious, witch. Suzaku fought the urge to roll his eyes. He didn't know why he bothered asking in the first place. Really, one would have thought he would have expected such an answer after so many years of companionship. He supposed it was mostly out of habit.

"You can come if you wish, but I would imagine it would be boring for you. At present, all we can do is go over the information the earl has sent over while we await a response from the empress."

She watched as the mask clicked over his head and the cape soon joining around his shoulders. Once the boots were on Zero was ready. He could faintly here the witch getting up and following close behind as he made his way out. He was mildly surprised. Normally she would do her own thing. Perhaps this situation they were in was serious after all.

In truth C.C. was only curious as to why the masked figure smelled of roses when he fell asleep with the scent of man and sweat just mere hours before.

=3=

The moment the masked figure stepped in Zaniel was scrunching his nose with disgust. He didn't bother in hiding how he felt about the overly sweet smell of roses. It was an unexpected change from Zero, and he wasn't sure he liked it.

"Hey, boss, may I ask why are you wearing perfume?" The redhead tilted his head.

At his words Zero stopped. The movement of the mask to his direction was that of puzzlement.

"What makes you think I wear perfume?"

"Well, you smell of roses. So it's got to be perfume." Zaniel deadpanned. "Or maybe the witch had something to do with it."

"What is he talking about?" Zero half turned to gaze at his green haired companion in a questioning motion.

"I too have noticed the smell on you when you awoke from your nap. What I find intriguing is the fact you went to sleep smelling like a man who hasn't showered in days. Yet when you woke up you smelled only of roses."

"Are you sure you didn't do anything to me in my sleep, witch?"

"Oh, please. You know such lowly practices are below me. So don't even bother interrogating me about something I didn't do." With that the witch continued past the masked man with an air of indifference.

Deciding her answer was enough Zero sat down and accepted the folder Zaniel had been reading. C.C. lazily lounged in a chair of her own. She was lying down horizontally with her hair flowing down over the side like a green curtain. Although her body language showed she didn't have a care in the world, her eyes portrayed interested curiosity at the folder that held all information about the earl's son.

"From what we were given how similar is he compared to Lelouch?" The witch inquired.

"He's almost an exact match, much to my distaste." Zaniel growled out. "They share the same birthday, nearly the same features, same hobbies, even down to being in a very large and complicated family."

What the redhead said was dead on. The masked figure read over the basic information with wonder.

Anghel Claude Vladimirescu Thornberg.

Date of Birth: December 5, 2025

Age: 17

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Blue Violet

Height: 165 cm

Hobbies: Reading, Playing chess, Riding/Training Black King

"He has a horse named Black King? Curious, one has to wonder if he remembers his past life if he is Lelouch reincarnate."

"Yeah, and that was a nice Spanish Arabian, too. They found Black King in the field where Anghel was taken. Those bastards shot the horse down like a dog." Zaniel informed with a bitterness touch in his voice.

Zero examined the photos of the crime scene. The mask hid his strong expression of disgust over the slaughter of a horse just to prevent an injured boy from escape. At least the private detective Earl Thornberg hired believed Anghel was injured, the grass showed he had crawled to get closer to his mount.

To serve as a distraction from the disturbing photos Zero moved on to the family tree. As Zaniel had said earlier, Anghel belonged in a large and complicated family.

"Well now, here's a surprise. His uncle is the renowned historian Paul Rossi."

At his words C.C. blinked, she tilted her head to stare at the masked man from upside down.

"Isn't that the man who fled from Hungary while the country was on the brink of a civil war five years ago?"

"The very same. Rossi and his family fled to Bulgaria which, in my opinion, has landed them in a far worse situation than when they were in Hungary."

"Don't forget his mother was a peasant. Apparently Vincent's marriage to her was quite the scandal. Kind of reminds me of Emperor Charles and Marianne the Flash. One would think this is all to create the perfect reincarnation or something."

A scandal indeed. If Zaniel knew anymore about his father, including the power of Geass and the betrayal of his parents, he probably wouldn't mention them at all. Zaniel idolized Marianne the Flash as a knightmare pilot, right after his mother. The masked figure never had the heart to tell the boy all of the secrets involved around his father.

"But there are differences, too." Zero added as he skimmed over the folder's contents. "Anghel Thornberg was born prematurely. His mother had severe complications during her pregnancy with him, which I find curious when she had no problems with her first two children. And according to the family tree, the women in her family can still bear children up until their mid sixties."

"So either she's the black sheep of the family or there's something more about the complications of his birth." C.C. didn't have to explain further about the latter.

"What I don't understand is why Earl Thornberg didn't ask for protection from anyone about his son. I mean, he practically has Parliament wrapped around his finger, and all nations of the EU look up to him. I mean, he could practically announce himself as royalty and get away with it at this point." The redhead was beside himself.

"You may understand politics, but you don't understand people. Earl Vincent Thornberg may for have all the power one can ever have in the EU, but for him it's all to keep his family safe. As you mentioned earlier he married a peasant girl from Romania and completely ignored the daughter of a count who was promised to him since they were twelve. When his youngest was born he did everything in his power to keep him a secret. The chances of Anghel being the reincarnation of the Demon Emperor are high. With someone like that in your family, you can't trust anyone who says they support you."

"Or you can't trust someone like him to meet the supporters."

Zero was too distracted by a photo in the folder to listen. The captured moment was of the three Thornberg siblings. The tallest of the three he knew as Ethan, the future heir to the Thornberg title. Ethan's arm was slung around his brother's shoulder with a wide grin. With the way Anghel was leaning away he was trying to get out of his brother's hold. On the other side was his giggling sister as she prevented the shortest of the bunch from escape.

Anghel's expression was that of irritation, but his eyes gave away the happiness he truly felt. There was a fondness in those eyes, a sparkle that was rare in Lelouch. From what he could gather Anghel grew up in a world where there were no demons hiding around every corner.

'Lelouch was never this carefree. Could this boy really be his reincarnation?'

"Is there anything in that file that indicates any close friends, or a friend of the family showing too much of an interest in him?" C.C. inquired, interrupting the masked figure's train of thought.

Zero skimmed through the papers but found none. "Why do you ask, witch?"

"I know he has a contract. If we find someone who hangs around him more than anyone else, then we've found the source." She was intentionally skirting the issue of naming specifics since Zaniel was present.

"I find it unlikely the family would know the contractor. Since we've been hunting down those with that ability, the contractor would be overly cautious not to be seen." Since the death of the Demon Emperor, Zero has made it his mission to hunt down immortals. If they swore to aid him and not turn rogue, then the immortal keeps his or her Code. If an oath was not taken, then it was time for a trip to Kamine Island.

"Now that you mentioned it, there was an update about an hour ago. They followed Black King's tracks through the forest and found where the Geass Crusaders started chasing them. They found blood near a cliff close to Anghel's usual riding trail. The detective thinks it was someone else's blood since there was none found where Anghel fell."

At that new bit of information Zero and the witch shared a knowing stare. By the sound of it the Geass Crusaders rendered the boy's immortal companion useless.

"Was there a body found?"

"No, but there was enough the person should be dead. The detective suspects for some reason or another Anghel's kidnappers took the body. They've also collected a few samples and sent to the labs. We should get an update within the next few days."

Well, now, looks like they've got an immortal to hunt down. And if the Geass Crusaders did take the wounded immortal then the job was already halfway done.

"Assuming whoever lost all of that blood wasn't one of the crusaders." Zero added.

"That would explain why there's no body to be found. But how would he have been shot? That boy was not armed let alone knows how to use one."

"Everything in this case is a mystery." The masked figure said, pulling out the photo of the Thornberg siblings he had been admiring earlier. "Perhaps all the answers we seek will be answered once we locate the young Thornberg."

"By the way, what is Geass? I've asked old man Tohdoh and mom, but they wouldn't tell me anything."

This time the exchanged look between Zero and C.C. was one of dread. They knew a time would come when they would have to spill all of the secrets, but they had hoped it wouldn't be until Zaniel matured well enough not to react violently.

=3=

He heard distant voices. He knew the voices were close to him, he could sense other bodies close to his bed. But for some reason the sound seemed far away. One ear he could hear the voices just fine, but the other, the one closest to the one speaking, everything was muffled.

It was all confusing. He didn't have the energy to open his eyes or move his limbs. The experience was similar to being in water, ever so slowly sinking down. He could barely make out what was being said.

"The fall might have….his hearing may be altered…should see if there's…"

"He's stable…bring in…"

There was a tingling sensation in his right eye. It felt weird and he knew it was his Geass reacting to something. The feeling intensified when the person to his right stepped away and someone else stood there. He could feel the power emanating from the figure, like a leader born to do greatness.

Then there was a hand on his forehead. The hand was calloused and heavy, so the owner was definitely a man. At this point his Geass was nearly burning through his eye, and if he opened his eyes the sigil would be seen, ready to activate.

His breath hitched when he heard a faint chuckle.

"He's awake…how long he's been…since he can't…this will be easy. I will see if…Lelouch…"

Lelouch. That name sent a shiver down his spine. There was something familiar about that name, like he was supposed to know the owner of that name on a personal level.

Then a power that was not his own was activated, the man with his hand on his forehead began to shift through his memories. He couldn't hold back the whimper as he was forced to remember his childhood, couldn't fight back.

'Geass…this man has similar power as…'

A mental picture of the 98th Emperor of Britannia came to mind.

Wait, how would he know that?

The man looking through his memories paused, and then latched onto that image with a firm grasp. Now his head hurt more than his eye, like someone took a blunt object and hit him in the back of his head.

"No…!" He gasped, eyes flying open of their own accord, revealing red rings surrounding blue violet.

He saw a man in his late twenties or early thirties. An albino, he thought, as the man was pale as a ghost and hair to match with deep red eyes. On the left eye was the sigil of Geass.

The man smiled. And his heart nearly stopped at the sight.

"Ah…so you used Geass on yourself." Although he couldn't hear half of what he said, he was able to read his lips.

"This will be a challenge. But at last I have found what I've been searching for in the past twenty years."

"You will not…make me…remember!"

"We shall see about that." His smile widened, foreshadowing all the pain and suffering that was about to come.

=3=

"Zero! Turn on the TV, now! The Geass Crusaders have shown themselves!" Kallen burst into the room followed by Tohdoh, his wife Chiba, and their daughter Shiori.

Zaniel was closest to the remote. He quickly grabbed it and turned it on to a live news channel. On the screen was reporter Milly Ashford, looking grave but still retained most of her cheerful voice.

"We have been contacted by a group calling themselves the Geass Crusaders. They wish for all other news casts be cancelled for their official public debut. As to why they would come out now, just after the defeat of the White Knights, is too coincidental. Do they oppose the Black Knights? Or are they allies?

"Meanwhile, let us all see what they have to say."

The screen changed to a different setting, revealing an albino man in a white uniform. For a moment, Zero stared at the uniform, for it appeared to be similar to the one in his dream. In the background was a big red flag with the familiar sigil of a white bird taking flight.

"Good evening. I am Ambrose, leader and founder of the Geass Crusaders. We chose to come forth now for two reasons. One, the White Knights posed a threat to us. And for that, we thank the Black Knights for abolishing them earlier this morning.

"The second reason, is, I believe to have found the reincarnation of the former 99th Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia."

"Before you all go into a panic, let me clear a few things first. The boy who harbors the soul of the Demon Emperor does not remember his past life. He is currently in my care, so it will be a matter of time until he does remember. With him as an ally, I would hope to crush the Black Knights once and for all.

"Of course, a lot of you are still in doubt I'm sure. Let me show you a side by side picture of Emperor Lelouch and his reincarnate."

The screen changed to two images of the Demon Emperor on the left and Anghel Thornberg on the right. A feeling of dread began to fill in Zero's stomach at the sight. They really were alike, when you put their faces side by side for a comparison.

"On the left, you may recognize Emperor Lelouch. On the left, is one Anghel Thornberg, youngest of Earl Vincent Thornberg of Britain. For seventeen years, Earl Thornberg has kept his youngest hidden from the public eye, so not many of you even know he had a second son. And to prove Anghel is legitimate, I have his birth records.

The images faded and a close up of the records Ambrose mentioned took their place. Near the edges was an intricate design of a faint blue color. On the corner was a red stamp, the ink of a signature next to it was not faded like the transfer of an original into a copy. Zero doubted this was forged, either.

"As you can see, he is a legitimate child of Earl Vincent and his wife Katalina. Also note that the boy was born on December 5, sharing the same birthday as Emperor Lelouch. Coincidence? I think not."

The screen went back to Ambrose.

"It is also to note that, during his childhood, from as early as two to roughly thirteen, he experienced nightmares of people he did not know that were killed. The identities of the people in his nightmares are unknown, for the boy would not tell the psychiatrist. With these nightmares, Anghel was often confused as to what year it was.

"Sometimes he thought it was 2017, and recounted events of how the Black Knights made their debut in the rescue of one Suzaku Kururugi, explaining the gas was not poisoned at all when such a detail was not made known public. This is all the evidence I need to know that Anghel Thornberg is, in fact, the reincarnation of Emperor Lelouch."

The man smiled. "With the Black Knights out of the way, there will be nothing to stand in the way of world peace. Think about it. Ever since the Black Knights have come forth some twenty five years past, there was nothing but fighting. And after Emperor Lelouch's execution, the Black Knights claimed to help the peace afterwards."

Ambrose threw his arms out in an angry gesture. "Tell me, is there really peace? There are still fighting, wars are still being raged, and the common people are the ones who suffer the most! No, there can be no peace. Not so long as the Black Knights remain.

"And who better to hunt them down, to hunt down the masked vigilante Zero, than with the man who in his previous life was slain by Zero's hand? Together we shall rid the world of the sins of those who continue to rage war and suffering upon the world. And thus, Lelouch vi Britannia will have earned his atonement."

"And with that, I bid you adieu. The next time I'm in public, it will be when I and the Geass Crusaders declare an all out war against the Black Knights."

Once again the screen changed, leaving behind Ambrose to a shocked Milly. She didn't even seem to realize she was on air, for she stood still as a statue, hardly seemed to be breathing as the words began to sink in.

In the room, Zero was the first to regain his senses.

"Tohdoh! I want the science department take a snapshot of Ambrose and see if they can identify him." At his order, three Tohdoh's turned to him with a blink of surprise.

"Any of you will do. Zaniel, I need you to contact the Empress. It doesn't matter if she's in the middle of a meeting or asleep, we have to speak to her now so we can get going on the investigation."

Zaniel and Shiori left to carry out the orders.

"Kallen, Tohdoh, round up the Black Knights. We will need the support of all of them if we're going to prepare a war against the Geass Crusaders."

The former Ace stared at the masked figure in wonder. "All…of them?"

"Yes, including the group left behind in Japan, China, and all the others scattered across the EU. Except for the ones that have just arrived in Britain, they will remain there."

Chiba watched as her husband left with the redhead. She turned to Zero with a determined expression.

"What can I do?"

"I need you to contact the group in Britain. If they don't know what had just transpired, inform them. Tell them to surround the Thornberg Manor and protect Anghel's immediate family at all costs. If they have to be relocated, I will see if we can get them to the Empress' care. With her, I can ensure they will not be targeted under my watchful eye."

"What about the families in Bulgaria and Romania?" The witch pointed out.

"The Rossi branch has many allies all over the EU, they can take care of themselves. But just to be safe we will send whoever's closest to them and provide protection. As for the Vladimirescu branch, they live in a village in the middle of nowhere surrounded by mountains. And since they cut off contact with Katalina since her marriage, I don't think they will be a target."

With a nod Chiba turned and left.

"Do you think Ambrose will be able to convince Lelouch to side with him?" Zero turned to the witch.

C.C. blinked lazily. "I don't think he could. It's Lelouch we're talking about. But with Anghel thrown into the mix, I'm not sure."

"No, you're right. Even if Anghel does not support Lelouch in any way or form, he will most likely defy Ambrose."

"Assuming Anghel and Lelouch are different entities."

"If they were one in the same, then we'll have to rescue him from Ambrose as soon as possible."

=3=

Death: I sort of stepped out of line and updated as soon as this chapter was finished, and not finish Stage 04 and then post Stage 03.

Oh, well.

I was too excited to get this one up, for it reveals much of Anghel's family, and we get to see more of the Geass Crusaders, including their intentions. Oh and let's not forget about Suzaku! I had fun making him squirm in this chapter. It's a nice change of pace for him being all serious and all.

So, without further ado, please leave a review. Or I will find a way to travel from my computer screen to yours and creep you out.