Death: Wow, I'm on a roll here. Must be all the Dr. Pepper I've been drinking as of late. Anyway, once again I have updated without finishing the next chapter after this one. However, I am roughly halfway done with Stage 05, so I am feeling confident to post this up.

Another side note, the title of this chapter is based off of the lyrics of Skyfall by Adele. And some of you may notice a slight theme of that song a little later in the chapter.

LAST NOTE: Um, there was something wrong with the first try I updated this chapter for some reason it said it was a failure. So after about half an hour of waiting and a concerned review I deleted this chapter from the story, then reuploaded. It seems fine now, but I have no idea what the cause of the failure in the first place. I apologize for anyone who tried to read it and found nothing.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Stage 04: When It Crumbles

=3=

Everything was going according to plan, and Ambrose was enjoying it. Sure it was a risk to kidnap the son of the prestige Earl Thornberg, but now that he's finally found the reincarnated Lelouch it was well worth the actions he took. And now the rest was falling into place.

Because of his speech a few days ago the world will pause and think over the belief of peace the Black Knights claimed to have brought after the execution of the Demon Emperor. If there was even a thread of doubt, then the Geass Crusaders will already have the odds in their favor.

And to top it off, the boy has the power of Geass. Which means their work was halfway complete, and B.B. wouldn't have to come all the way to this base for one small reason. The immortal can continue with her job at the base she's stationed at the current moment. With this the Geass Crusaders will have enough recruits to fend off the Black Knights should they come knocking on their doorstep before they were ready to declare war.

And what could be the icing on the cake was the possibility of having the boy's contractor in their hands.

'If he is, then it will be far easier to break the boy. He has a strong mind, even for not remembering his previous life. But it's not like I expected any less for Lelouch.' At that last bit Ambrose smirked.

Though if the boy's hearing doesn't improve soon then it would prove to be a little troublesome.

"Sir, the prototype is nearly complete. Would you like to see it?" A messenger boy informed him, interrupting his train of thought.

"Good. Take me to see it." Ambrose's mood is improving more and more as things were finally going his way.

If the prototype proved to be stable and could do as it was supposed to do, then the Geass Crusaders will have yet another major advantage over the Black Knights. However, should the prototype proved to be a failure then the Geass Crusaders will have to continue to fight the Black Knights on equal ground until a new prototype is completed. And this was something Ambrose could not stand.

They made it to the hangar where the prototype was being created. Pale red eyes widened at the sight.

"By the look on your face, I would be happy to say you owe me a drink." A heavily accented voice laughed.

Ambrose turned to see Dr. Volkov, the one man who designed the prototype. It was unknown if Volkov was his real identity or not, or if he was truly a doctor, but he came to the Geass Crusaders claiming he could build their knightmare with the ability to operate with a Geass user, and more. The man was bold enough to give the power of invisibility a crack.

Even though they doubted this man could do it, Ambrose let him give it a try on a whim. It wasn't like there was anyone else jumping up and down on taking the job of designing a knightmare frame of this kind of work. And just as his named suggested, he had the likeness of a wolf with the way he grinned and paced around.

"It looks magnificent, Dr. Volkov. You've even put a personal touch into it, makes it look feral in a beautiful way. But will it work?" Even though Ambrose had fallen in love with the design, there was still doubt what it was built for would succeed.

"Ah, I see the doubt in your eyes. But trust me in when I say this. This machine will do what you wished it to be. And since it's your dream, I thought about holding off the painting job until after it's tested. Then you will have the honor of choosing the colors, yes?"

At that Ambrose smiled, clearly pleased. "I have to admit, seeing it in person has given me a few ideas already. But as you said it would be best to wait until we know its abilities will be effective or not."

"I've even held off naming it, even though it is like one of my own children since I am its creator." Dr. Volkov grinned in that wolfish way.

"I have a few suggestions, but let's wait until it's completed. Until then I'll hold off owing you that drink." Ambrose promised. "In the meantime I've got another session with the boy."

"Do you truly believe he's the one?" Dr. Volkov inquired, Ambrose could barely understand due to his Russian accent being so thick.

The albino half turned, for he was already making his way towards the other end of the facility, to grant the man with a knowing smile. "Yes, I am positive he's the one. He used Geass on himself to forget about the previous life. And to top it off he compared his power to someone else, the man who was his father when he lived as Lelouch vi Britannia."

And with that Ambrose continued on his way. Even though he was eager to start another session with the boy, he took his time. He had all the time in the world. He will relish all the time he has with the boy. It has been a while since he came across such a highly intelligent mind in this caliber. This just makes breaking him all the more fun.

He entered the room to find the boy resting, still recovering from their previous session. They have had three sessions in total at present. Each time he enters his mind Ambrose feels he is getting ever closer to figuring out how to break the boy. He has learned that using his parents would only spur unrestrained fury from him, so he turned to close friends and family.

As of right now a few seem to affect him the most. His supposed sister was one of the major ones. Closely followed Nunnally was a half sister, the one they called the Bloody Princess. And then the only friend that would give him a cause for a reaction was a girl in the Student Council. Shirley Fannett he believed was her name.

Although he may not remember his previous life, Ambrose believed emotions are like imprints. Once they take form in a mind, they leave a lasting impression. This was proven true when he fed the boy images of the three girls in pain, dying, or being tortured until they begged for everything to end. Even if he used all three at the same time the boy would barely hang onto a shred of hope for his Geass to hold.

Perhaps he should add a drug into the mix. He had thought to have broken the boy by now, but he is proving to be of complete faith that he can withstand everything Ambrose sent his way. And complete faith is not something as easy to break compared to the mind or the heart. So if he added a drug to stress the boy's body out, as well as muddle and confuse the mind, then he just might be able to have the extra juice he needs to break through the Geass.

Decision made, Ambrose turned to the nurse. "Give him a dose of Refrain. Though due to his short stature, I would suggest nothing more than five milligrams as a start."

The nurse stared at him in horror. "Are…are you sure, my lord?"

"Yes, as sure as I'll ever be." A devious smirk crept on his face.

As if sensing any danger about to come his way, the boy's eyes fluttered open. His expression became a mask devoid of any emotion when he realized Ambrose was near. It was a strange thing for this boy to be so in tune with his intuition. And part of it seemed to be because his Geass would tingle whenever Ambrose was nearby. In fact, the boy's power did the same as anyone else with the power of Geass was nearby.

Which the number was roughly ninety percent of the Geass Crusaders that have a Geass power. The only people who didn't have the power were the janitors, nurses, and anyone else with a non important job working under them. Interesting facts indeed. Ambrose will have to make an inquiry to B.B. the next time they spoke.

The nurse came back with a bottle and quickly grabbed a clean needle. The boy watched her warily, but his eyes remained solely on Ambrose. Good, it will prove to be a distraction so the boy wouldn't be using his power when he had the chance.

"Good evening, my young lord. I hope you've enjoyed your nap." He spoke in a mocking tone, of which he received nothing more than a glare. He also noted the boy was staring at his mouth, reading what he said. The boy was still having trouble hearing.

And just with that simple distraction the nurse was able to inject the small dose of Refrain into the boy's IV.

The effect was almost instantaneous. The boy released a soft grunt while his hands clenched into fists, eyes dilating. The little lord sent accusing glares his way, of which Ambrose found amusing to no end.

"What…what did you give me?" His voice was strained, already weak from the screaming and cursing from the previous sessions as Refrain was quick to take effect. It was fast enough for him not realize he could use his Geass power now if he could.

Although the boy probably couldn't hear it, Ambrose chuckled anyway.

"Why I gave you Refrain of course, little lord." He openly laughed as realization struck in the boy's face. "Don't look so horrified, my young lord. We're starting with a very small dose."

"We can't have you addicted to the stuff after all."

=3=

He knew the images Ambrose used in his mind were faked. He didn't know why the faces of those three girls affected him so much. But he has been able to hold on his own rather well. But now that Ambrose has brought drugs into the mix, he wasn't so sure he could hold off any longer. What's more the albino just had to use Refrain.

As of right now he didn't know what the difference was between left, right, or what was up or down. He was remembering the nightmares of his childhood, nightmares of spilled blood and fuzzy faces he should know but couldn't place a name or why they were familiar. Ambrose was watching his memories, searching for something to latch his filthy hands on and use against him.

The only reason why he knew Ambrose was near was because his eye would not stop tingling when the man was around. And over the course of however long they've been like this, he had grown accustomed to the feeling of the other's mind connected to his by a Geass power not his own. And there was something familiar about Ambrose, as if he met someone similar but couldn't quite remember who.

At any rate he was too focused on trying to survive the effects of the drug and this session. The nightmares are starting to become more vivid with each passing minute. He was starting to see more features of the faces amongst a sea of blood. A girl with pale green eyes, a cheerful girl, a girl he somehow knew she was always smiling. Then there was another girl with the sweetest smile and sweet demeanor to match, a kind girl, a girl who died a violent death by his hand.

Wait, how would he know he killed her?

He felt Ambrose try digging further into his head, trying to seek the answer to his question. Geass intensified, the rings around his eyes glowing brighter, nearly dominating his blue violet eyes and transforming them into red violet. For some unknown reason he knew this sort of information should not be made known. This was a secret he took to the grave.

He built a wall surrounding that face. That sweet face, the face that made his chest hurt with an unrelenting wave of sorrow and guilt. With this he was able to focus on the other faces within his nightmares. Even though Refrain left little room for him to work on he was still able to do this much.

But then the next face really did make his heart stop. This one had deep green eyes and curled brown locks he liked to run his hands through. This face brought more emotions forward than any of the others. He felt anger, betrayal, sadness, guilt, happiness, relief, hatred, and perhaps a dose of love. He felt all of these at once and it was all confusing since he couldn't remember why he felt all of these emotions.

Ambrose was completely ecstatic at the little surprise. The albino latched onto the face before he could build another wall. He had put his guard down when he couldn't afford it. And now Ambrose was going through the same torturing process he had tried with the three girls combined. When that happened, he wasn't too affected about the images. But now, now with this boy's innocent smile was being tortured as he screamed, he couldn't bear the sight.

"No…no! Stop it! Stop it, Ambrose!" He didn't know he was begging, or that he was screaming with the top of his lungs.

"Looks like I found your weak point. My search is now complete. I'll leave Refrain to continue its course."

His voice echoed inside his head. His voice was smug with the satisfaction he was one step closer to breaking him. And with that Ambrose turned and left, leaving those images to run repeatedly inside his head. Because of Refrain there was no end to stopping the torture.

He struggled against his restraints in vain. Yet he continued to wiggle and test his restraints with all of his might.

"Get back here! Coward! COWARD!"

His back arched as far as it could. The Geass around his eyes flickered for a moment as it wavered ever so slightly. No, he can't allow it to falter now. Not now! He needed to hold on just a bit longer. A little longer until he was rescued. He knew his father would insist on the help of the Black Knights. If anyone could locate where he was being held captive then it was them.

Even so he found tears streaking down his cheeks. He didn't know why he was crying. This was the first time since his capture tears had made themselves known. Whenever they threatened to come, he willed them away without difficulty. But now he couldn't so much as hold them back without the tears swelling even more.

"No…Ambrose, make it stop. Stop it! I beg of you, stop it! Make it stop! Please, Ambrose!" He was screaming the same words as the nameless boy in his head.

He knew these images were a fake. Yet he still didn't understand why he felt so guilty at seeing such images even in his own head. He wanted to make the torture to end. To end it all and end the nameless boy's pain. He would rather be put in the other's place. He would do this even though all of this was inside his head. And he knew it. He knew this didn't actually happen.

"Ambrose, make it stop! I'm begging you, please! Make it stop! STOP IT!"

But these images went down to the very core of his being. He couldn't stand it even though he didn't know or understand the reason why. As of right now he was beginning to doubt he could hold out until his rescue. If there was even going to be a rescue. After all, he was the son of an earl, yes. Yet he had been hidden away because it was too risky for the world to see if he truly was the reincarnation of someone the masses hated with a passion.

"Ambrose! You coward! Make it stop already! I'm begging you… Please..!"

He felt Geass falter once more. And for a moment, for a brief moment he remembered something.

"Please…Suzaku…" The name was familiar, yet it still tasted foreign in his mouth. "You have…you have to live…"

He saw movement from the corner of his eye. He didn't hear the nurse come closer. If he had been in a sound mind he would have activated his Geass here and now. But as of late his mind was not one hundred percent, and hearing in his right ear has become worse. Ambrose was working on bringing him a specialized doctor in the hearing field, but he had the sneaking fear he would never hear out of that ear ever again.

His eyes widened when he realized the nurse was adding something else into the IV. He began to struggle again. But almost immediately his movement became sluggish. His thought process slowed while his eyelids became heavy. He had just enough time to read her lips before he fell under.

"Forgive me for what I have done. But with these tranquilizers, you should be able to sleep off the effects."

In the midst of his capture in the hands of a crazed psycho, he had gained an unexpected ally. What's more he didn't have to use his Geass. Deep in the recesses of his mind he knew that if he used his power too much then it would eventually consume him. He didn't know where such information came from, for Radimir did not relay even a warning when a contract was made.

Even so, he would hope she would be careful not to be caught helping him. Or else he would lose the possibly one chance he'll have on holding off Ambrose. He realized now he will need all the help he could get.

'Hurry, Suzaku. I can't hold on for much longer.' And with the last thought Geass came back to full power. He had forgotten about the friend that caused him so much hope and grief.

=3=

"Now that we've got the clear to go, are you sure we should rally up the entire Black Knights in preparation?"

Zero was in a meeting with the high members of the Black Knights. Almost all of the leaders were present if not physically, then by communications via video. Most were connected through the communication systems, for they did not have the time to arrive from countries far off. Among them were Ohgi, current Prime Minister of Japan, and Rakshata as she was the lead figure of the Black Knights within the Indian Faction. And with them is Kaguya Sumeragi, the Black Knights' Representative in the Chinese Federation.

With these three familiar faces are other members of the Black Knights that have proven their worth in the past two decades. One of these was a surprising commander of the Britannian regime of the Black Knights, Cornelia Guilford, former Second Princess Cornelia li Britannia of the Britannian Empire. Although everyone opposed of having her join their ranks, Zero allowed her to join anyway with the conclusion the Black Knights needed every available capable commander.

Even if it meant accepting a former enemy of the Black Knights who swore to annihilate Zero. What most did not know was that Cornelia swore to eliminate Lelouch when he was Zero. Due to Zero Requiem the former princess has seen to herself to bring out the peace Lelouch's plan had set in motion. Knowing this Zero accepted her with open arms, if a little cautiously.

"Yes, my gut tells me that the Geass Crusaders will be just as great as a threat as the White Knights. These people have been hiding from under our radar long enough to hold out until the White Knights were wiped out. Because of this they could have a far greater number than we anticipate. For that, we will need to rally the entire order of the Black Knights if we are to succeed in destroying them."

"Don't forget they have an earl's son as their hostage. If Ambrose is not finished breaking the boy by now, then he could use him to their advantage." Cornelia added with a grim expression.

The former Goddess of Victory has mellowed out over the years it would seem. She understood if they were to treat the Thornberg boy like nothing less than trash, it could complicate matters between Britannia and Britain. And if the Black Knights are going to have an all out war soon they would need all the help they can get. With Vincent Thornberg backing them up, he could easily convince Britain to aid them.

But only if they could rescue Thornberg's son from the Geass Crusaders' grasp.

"Have you gotten the test results of the blood samples yet?" Ohgi inquired, attempting to break the tension in the atmosphere.

"Yes, we have." Zero pulled up the folder in question. "They have identified the person shot was indeed an immortal. So the chances of Anghel Thornberg being a Geass user are high. What we found disturbing is the fact the immortal seems to be a distant relative, possibly an ancestor on his mother's side of the family."

Since the Black Knights have hunted down immortals, with the help of C.C. Lloyd Asplund was able to locate the difference between an immortal and mortal in the DNA chain. It was all complicated which Zero did not understand the terms, but the chemical difference was something Lloyd aptly named the Geass Code.

Just the day before the lab results came back with a positive reading of a Geass Code on the samples.

"Do you know if the Thornberg family was in all of this?" Rakshata seemed to have gained some interest in the meeting at least.

"No, Earl Vincent Thornberg's plea to us was genuine. He at least did not know they were harboring an immortal within his mansion. I can't quite say the same for his wife, however."

"Didn't he say she was in hysterics since their youngest has been kidnapped?" Ohgi countered.

"Yes, but if what I've been told is accurate, she was very careful on how to plan her son's day. She may know something or she may be a victim of her son's Geass and ignore anything suspicious. At any rate, we should focus more on figuring out how to locate the Geass Crusaders' main base."

"About that, we're going to have to wait until Ambrose makes another spectacular speech." Lloyd piped up. "We haven't been able to locate where the signal he was airing from since he left behind a troublesome trail for us to follow like dogs to a bone left in various places."

"By then it would already be too late to rescue the Thornberg boy." Cornelia argued.

"And if he truly is the reincarnation of Lelouch…" Ohgi didn't have the heart to finish that sentence.

"Enough speculation whether or not he is the reincarnation, our task is to rescue him before Ambrose could recruit him onto his side." Tohdoh was growing tired of the gossip going around. "If we wait too long, then we will have a powerful enemy to contend with and not just because the Geass Crusaders could have a greater number than we can ever dream of. If Ambrose can convince him he truly is the reincarnation, or if he awakens the Demon Emperor from deep within his mind, not even Zero can hold out against him."

"Do you truly have such little faith in me, Tohdoh?" Zero tilted his head ever so slightly.

"I have no doubt you've been an honor to work with. And you have hold up as a good replacement as Zero, Suzaku. However, do you truly believe you can face the wrath of the Demon Emperor if he turned into our enemy?"

"Enough. We have to focus on rescuing the boy. If Ambrose breaks him before then, then we will still rescue him. I would doubt that even if the Demon Emperor is awakened, he would side with the Geass Crusaders." Zero clenched his fist.

"Lelouch would hardly seem the type. He would rather destroy them for torturing him in the first place." Cornelia added.

"You're right, that is something he would do." Kaguya nodded.

"Though I agree as well, I don't think we should allow it to happen if we can." Kallen frowned. "If Lelouch was indeed locked inside that boy, and is released, what's going to happen with Anghel?"

"This is getting a bit complicated to follow. I mean, sure, there are stories of two souls in one body, but when was the last time we ever came across such a thing?" Ohgi was a little skeptical.

"Let's just all agree that we all need to do our best in locating the boy and then find a means to rescue him." Rakshata sighed, as if she was irritated for even more work put on her shoulders.

"Right. Let's have this meeting end." Zero was all the more grateful for the woman.

One by one the communication links closed as everyone said their goodbyes. The others that sat around Zero left to continue their own jobs. The masked figure remained as one communication link lingered. Once the room was cleared he addressed the former Third Princess.

"You wished something of me, Cornelia?"

"Just one request. If Lelouch does awaken in that boy, do not allow Her Majesty convince you to see him. At least, not until he is ready."

"Oh? Are you doing this for his sake or for Nunnally's?"

"For both, Zero." Cornelia growled out. "But mostly for Nunnally. She would be too hopeful and he would be too confused and filled with guilt. Surely such a mix will not end well."

"I will keep that in mind. Even if he does awaken, I wasn't planning on allowing him to meet very many people until he's fully recovered both physically and mentally." Zero was thinking about the Geass power the boy has, but deep down he cared for the boy's well manner.

"See that you do. Until next time, Zero." And with that Cornelia's link closed.

Zero remained in his seat. His thoughts were all jumbles and concerns. The only factor that seems to be the center of his thoughts was Lelouch and Anghel. The masked figure was so preoccupied he didn't hear the door open. He didn't notice the witch as he normally would sense her, as he had developed a sixth sense when it came down to her appearing at his side from the years they've been working together.

"You're concerned on what would happen if that boy truly is the reincarnation of Lelouch." Her voice cut through the air like a knife. Although Zero didn't make any movement he was startled.

The mask turned to her, staring blankly as she stared back. Although she couldn't see his face she could read Suzaku like an open book. He was far less complicated than Lelouch ever was. But perhaps Suzaku's simplicity was the reason why they were able to tolerate each other's presence for so many years.

"It could just be wishful thinking on my part, but I believe he truly is Lelouch. The only reason I can think of for him to have the power of Kings was to erase all memories of being Lelouch." C.C. didn't have speculations. She spoke the truth, and often times she was always in the right.

"So you're saying Anghel's goal was not to use his power to achieve some dramatic ending, but to save his own sanity." Zero surmised. "But will that be enough for him to hold out against Ambrose?"

The witch shrugged. "It all depends on how hard he is pushed. His mind could be strong enough to keep his Geass to shield him from Ambrose. But what about his body? Since he was born, his body is fragile. There is only so much the body can take in when it is under stress. Let us not forget Ambrose most likely has a power of his own. We can assume it can help him break Anghel, so it will only be a matter of time before the boy breaks."

"A Geass can break? Even a power like that of Lelouch's?" Zero tilted his head at the prospect.

"If it is under enough stress, yes, but it would have to be a great number. And it all depends on the Geass user. If they're strong in mind, then their power is impenetrable. Nothing can break the order that was given. Yours is a good example, as was Euphemia's, even though she fought against the order there was nothing else he could do to reverse it once she succumbed to it."

"Are you saying that incident with Euphy wasn't a plan, but an accident?" Zero rose from where he sat, fists clenched tightly at the revelation.

"He didn't want to tell you it was. He wanted you to believe it was all a plan. He believed that it will be your drive to end his life the way you did. The only reason why I'm telling you this now is because you might lose your temper and accuse him. I cannot foretell on how he will react if that were to happen, so I am clearing some things up now when I still can."

"Then what about Shirley? Was she an accident, too? And Nunnally? She said he used Geass on her so he can control the Damocles. " He grabbed hold of her shoulders tightly, his grip was strong and she was definitely going to have bruises.

"Sit down and I shall explain everything you want to know. And do please calm down. You will only make this harder for me to explain." Her voice was strained. Although Suzaku was getting old, she couldn't say he was growing soft with the way he was nearly squeezing her.

The masked figure hesitated for a moment. But he conceded and let her go. She watched as he sat back into his seat, arms crossed and one leg over the other. How odd that Suzaku takes on the true appearance of Zero as he was meant to be when he was angry. Perhaps she should ruffle his feathers more often.

=3=

Suzaku was in a daze. He couldn't wrap his head around what the witch told him. Euphemia was an accident. He had been too arrogant, relied too heavily on his power, never suspected it would grow out of control so quickly. Shirley met her end not by Lelouch's hand, but by Rolo. In retaliation Lelouch destroyed the Geass Order. He planned well ahead he was going to avenge Shirley's death. But he hesitated, and it was enough for Rolo to continue living. That didn't mean he escaped punishment, not when he used his Geass longer than needed in order to save Lelouch.

But a part of Suzaku was still angry about Euphemia. Lelouch knew that Geass can grow out of proportion. He knew about Mao, seen firsthand what an out of control Geass power can do. Yet Lelouch didn't think for one second it could happen to him as well? Why? The Lelouch he knew was paranoid. He thought over every possibility before it could happen. Lelouch was the kind of person to plan ahead on what would happen if he and Nunnally were found by the royal family for heaven's sake.

And now there was nothing left in him but confusion. He was frustrated at Lelouch for everything that befell on him. But most of all Suzaku was frustrated with himself. How could he had been so blind? Why didn't he realize any of this sooner, before he was to run a sword through Lelouch? Guilt and regret began to eat away at him, and Suzaku couldn't face the Black Knights.

Not when he was so utterly confused and probably mentally unstable at the moment. So he opted to return to his room, leaving the others to continue on without him for another hour or two. He needed to clear his head. And maybe a nap would do him some good, too. He was too emotional to handle whatever situations were thrown at the Black Knights.

Upon entering he threw the mask off, not caring as it hit the floor with a loud thud. He tore the cape and the rest of the outfit off too, discarded to the floor without a second thought. In the middle of it all he turned and locked his door. It was the first time for him to do so, but he didn't want to see the witch now or when he woke up.

Left with only in his boxers, Suzaku practically fell on the bed. He didn't care he was lying crookedly on it. He didn't care his head wasn't on a pillow. He didn't even bother getting under the covers. The air was cold in this room since he didn't bother with the heating. His body shivered for a bit, and his mind was racing a million miles an hour. Yet despite all of these ailments sleep somehow found him.

He was standing in the garden of roses again. He took a moment to admire the sweet smell. But there was something else mixed into the scent of roses. He opened his eyes. Roses were all around him in a never ending garden. But something was different.

There was no gentle breeze. Somehow the atmosphere didn't seem so calming now. He looked ahead and saw the figure from before. This time there was no color in the figure, only black and white like an old photograph save for the outfit. Dread began to fill in his gut that the outfit was stained in red splatters in a pattern he knew of in the battlefield.

The small figure was covered in blood. Then to his horror blood began to drip from the sky like rain. The thick red substance began to stain the roses, turning them to dark crimson. The roses were no longer pure as their stems and thorns darkened into black. The smell was so thick, the mixture of blood and roses were choking him.

He coughed, raising an arm to shield his eyes and nose from the downpour. His hair became sticky and wet. Blood stuck to his skin, but he found that he couldn't care. His eyes were too focused on the figure in front of him.

The black thorns were crawling towards the small figure. Without thinking he ran forward and grabbed hold of the boy. This time around he was able to touch him, but the force of the impact knocked them both over. Out of reflex he only landed on his knees with the boy in his arms, small and frail he felt compared to him.

Familiar eyes stared at him in horror and shock. But the boy in his arms didn't attempt to get away. What disturbed him though was that there was no color in the boy. There was no skin tone, no eye color in those eyes. Just a dark shade of grey that he knew should be the prettiest violet. And yet Suzaku had color, looking at his bare arms. So why was the boy appeared to be straight out of a black and white photograph?

The black thorns surrounded them, never touching, but it looked like they were trying to shield them. At some point the downpour of blood stopped. Yet the dark clouds remained, hiding away the rays of the sun. It seemed as if the heavens have given up on them.

Around them roses began to wither away, as if their life force was sucked dry by some unspeakable evil. Even the thorns became gnarled dry. The only thorns remained alive were the ones shielding the pair. But there was still hope.

They watched as a bud grew before their very eyes. When it fully bloomed it was a white rose with flecks of red on each petal. With a tentative hand the boy reached out to it. He didn't pluck it away, but instead stroked it as if were a treasure. Suzaku watched at how tender the boy's movements were.

And somehow he felt moved at the sight. Suzaku stared at the rose for a moment. Then he lowered his gaze to those eyes. He blinked when he realized color had seeped into those eyes. But they were not violet or blue violet orbs he had thought they were. No, they were stained crimson like the boy's clothing.

Although the boy had the appearance of a demon, there was no hate in those eyes. Instead Suzaku read pain and great sorrow in them, as if the boy was about to give up. Suzaku tightened his hold on the boy, and those eyes gazed up at him, curious.

The world around them crumbled as the ground shook, caving in on itself. The dead roses and thorns cracked and followed after, having no choice but to stay with the ground they grew on. But the circle around the pair remained strong as the thorns protected them. Blood poured down once more, as thunder sounded, and there was a large storm brewing.

"Lelouch, or Anghel, whoever you identify yourself with." Suzaku was smiling despite the predicament they were in. "I will find you, this I swear. I will find you. I will punish anyone who dared to harm you. I will punish them however you see fit."

He leaned forward until their foreheads touched. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes, but Suzaku kept them in check. He smiled sadly as the boy raised both hands to cup his face. He didn't care those hands were stained with blood, leaving bloody imprints on his skin. And for a moment, those eyes were no longer red but violet. Yes, those were the eyes he wanted to see. He didn't care what Lelouch had done. He no longer cared about the reasons around the deaths of two innocent girls. All that mattered was the boy in his arms.

"So please, please hold on just a little longer. Just a little longer and then I will take you away from that bastard. And together we will crush anyone in our path. Just like old times, yes? Together there was nothing we couldn't accomplish. And once there is no one standing in our way, I will go where you go. What you see I see. This I promise you. I don't want to lose you again, not this time. I hope you can forgive me for being so selfish."

Those eyes narrowed. How characteristic of Lelouch. Even so the boy didn't push him away. And when he spoke, his voice was soft and hoarse, barely above a whisper.

"Would you truly come to my aid so willingly? I am a monster. I cannot escape that fact. And I feel…I feel Geass breaking. Is this some kind of new torture? I can't tell what's real and what isn't anymore. I find myself not caring. I know this face…I feel like I should know you…but…" Red rings appeared around those eyes, his expression changed to pain. "No, don't make me remember…I have to hold until…until…"

Guilt filled Suzaku's chest. He pulled away to lightly kiss that knitted brow affectionately.

"Wait a little longer. And you're not a monster, everyone has a choice. It's what choice you make is the decision of whether you become a hero or a villain. But what truly is good or evil? Sometimes to achieve good intentions one must carve a violent path. You were the one who taught me this, and now it is my turn to teach you. You are only evil when you do not know when to stop the violence."

"How can I wait any longer? He's close, so close to breaking me! I can't…I can't hold on for much longer, Suzaku! Please let this not be one of his cruel illusions. It's just a dream…just a dream…I can feel my Geass breaking…I'm remembering…no! Don't make me remember!"

"You can fight him, I know you can! You're strong, and you're quick to making plans. You can escape, just find a way and wait for the right moment if you can't wait for us to rescue you. If you won't do it for yourself, then do it for me. Please believe me when I say this, this is not an illusion. Maybe this is just a dream, even I don't know. You have to be brave, you always were. You just don't know how to be brave yet."

There were tears running down his face now. Suzaku wished he could help the boy. He wished they already had rescued him. The boy stared at him, his eyes having a faraway look as if in a trance.

"Yes…I created and led the Black Knights…I faced Britannia. I can…I can do this…"

Then something in the air snapped. Suzaku watched with dread as the red rings disappear from those eyes. Then the boy blinked, as horror as the revelation sank in.

"No…no, no, NO, NO, NO! You made me remember! Why!? I wasn't supposed to remember! I locked away these memories so I can live in peace! Suzaku, you hopeless fool! Why was I given a second chance? The people who died by my hand should be the ones living a new life! I don't deserve it! Why did you make me remember, Suzaku!?"

Before he could respond the ground that held them crumbled. Somehow Suzaku floated in mid air while the boy fell into darkness. They reached out to each other, hands barely touching but could not grasp just in time. He watched in terror as the boy disappeared into the darkness.

"Suzaku…!"

"Lelouch!"

He opened his eyes as he reached for empty air. Suzaku realized too late that he was leaning too far over the side of the bed and fell head first to the floor. As he recovered, he couldn't help but feel grateful the floor was carpeted not solid tile. When the pain in his head dulled he sat up with a groan. He was definitely going to feel that later.

'Was that…was that a dream? But it seemed so real…I will have to ask the witch about it later. But first, I have to get going on rescuing him.' With new motivation to continue, Suzaku quickly dressed in cleaner clothing.

He wore a dark green haori and brown hakama. It was rare for Suzaku to reveal himself in the traditional attire, and even rarer for him to willingly show his face to the rest of the Black Knights. But the Zero clothing was ruined, and he was sure that there was a crack on that mask when it was thrown earlier.

No matter. It didn't matter, the mask, the outfit, keeping up the appearance, none of it mattered anymore. He had an earl's son to rescue.

=3=

Death: This chapter feels a little short...maybe that's just me being picky. But the next one is going to be long, for there's going to be some action. This chapter is just the build up.

Although they don't officially say that Cornelia and her loyal knight married after Zero Requiem, I would imagine they would marry at some point. I mean, think about it, Guilford was loyal to her even when she gave up her claim to the throne. And he cared for her, as he wanted to protect her in battle even though she kept pushing him away. And when Lelouch tricked him into thinking he was Cornelia, the guy went crazy. If none of those things don't constitute that the man loves her, then I have no idea what love is.

Initially, I did not plan for Suzaku to learn the dark truth about Euphy and Shirley's deaths. But he was going to learn, eventually. And C.C. needed an example that some Geass powers could not break. Though some can, but as she said it all depended on how much stress the body and mind could take. Lelouch couldn't save Euphemia, so he opted for the quickest way to deal with her before she could issue the same orders for the rest of Area 11. Sad, I know, I cry everytime I watch that tragic episode.

And, oh yes, the knightmare frame Ambrose is building? It's going to play a huge part of the plot. But will it remain in the hands of the Geass Crusaders, or will the Black Knights manage to steal it? Ahhhh~ How I love teasing my readers. It's so much fun. I'm still laughing at people's reactions for Everything But Mine.

Yes, I might be evil. There might also be a few screws loose in my head. But, hey, everyone's crazy. It's just the amount of craziness that is the question.

Anywho~ Please leave a review.