A Code Geass fanfic. I own nothing.
A sequel to The Funeral.

~ Truth or Lies

Time

"Get those people out of here NOW!" general Tohdoh had taken command of the chaotic situation that had now occurred in the conference hall. People were screaming, running, cameras flashing and adding to the panic. By the time he issued the order most of the reporters had already fled the conference hall in panic.

The shooter was gone. Mere seconds after the shooting had ended Xing Ke had moved, overpowered the shooter and rendered him harmless. The man was now being towed out by Xing Ke, screaming profanities and laughing, to a secure room. Tohdoh frowned. The man was japanese.

This is bad.

"Zero!" Nunnaly's scream had terrified all of them. It had taken them all by surprise. One minute Nunnaly was smiling, the next her smile froze and her expression turned terrified. He didn't see what terrified her so much before the gun went off. So many rounds were fired at the empress, the prime minister and the chairman of the UFN. And by a miracle none of them hit their true targets.

All of them were captured by Zero, who'd moved with almost inhuman speed in front of the three leaders, taking the full blast.

Then everything happened very fast. Xing Ke captured the shooter while the rest of the room were in a state of shock. Zero sank to one knee, head bowed. He didn't say anything, but then the blood starting pooling below him.

And everything went into chaos. It was hard for the Black Knights to reach the victims, with the terrified journalists running everywhere.

Tohdoh turned to his men. They had failed their task, a killer had gotten in.
"Get those people out of here NOW!"

The first one to reach Zero was the disguised C2, who were by his side in a matter of seconds, kneeling down. Ohgi, Nunnaly and Kaguya had all be forced into the room next to the conference hall, Nunnaly screaming and crying, refusing to leave her guardian behind. She didn't have a say on the matter though.

C2 had her hands on Zero's shoulders, supporting him in his kneeling position. She looked up when Tohdoh finally reached them. The rest of the Black Knights were either busy getting the people out, or standing behind Tohdoh, eyes wide and faces shocked.

"We need to get him to the next room! We need to get him out of sight!" C2 ordered, her face grim. Tohdoh nodded, understanding.

"You, Tamaki, give me a hand." the two men carefully lifted the semi unconscious man from his kneeling position on the floor, careful of his terrible wounds. C2 ran ahead of them, opening the door to the next room where Ohgi and Kaguya were fighting to keep Nunnaly from going back into the danger zone.

They all froze when C2 forced the door up, followed by Tohdoh and Tamaki carrying Zero.

"Lay him down." C2 ordered, pointing to the floor. Tohdoh and Tamaki shared a look before complying with the order. They stepped back, as C2 kneeled by Zeros side once again.

C2 quickly glanced around the room. "Get those people out."

There were no doubt whom she meant. People were emptied out of the room until only the core members of the Black Knights remained. Nunnaly actually ordered her own people out, her voice louder and more commanding than they had ever heard her.

The door had barely closed before Zero grasped C2's arm. "what.. what are you doing.. Don't.." the rest of his words drowned in a sicking cough, sounding like water in a drain. The rooms occupants turned pale.
C2 looked at the men in the rooms. "Give me your jackets, pillows, anything!"

They provided her with said items. She gently placed them behind Zero's back, forcing him in sitting position. The sicking sound disappeared as his breathing turned easier. The floor was shining red. Blood was everywhere.

Zero moved, trying to speak again. His breathing had eased but it still difficult. C2 reached towards his face. He once again grasped her hand. "Don't!" he gasped, trying to force her away and failing miserable.

"I am sorry, but I need to talk with you and you can't breath with that thing on."

The Black Knights all hold their breaths, unable to believe that they finally would see who was beneath the mask. But to find out like this. Ohgi stepped forward, stopping C2 from her task. She looked at him, rather annoyed.

"Are.. are you sure that is the right thing to do?" Ohgi asked, looking quite uncertain.
"Yeah, he told you not to do it!" Tamaki pointed out, earning some very confused glances from the others. C2 looked at him, bemused before turning back to Zero.

"I am sorry about this, but I need to talk with you. Now." A few more seconds, and he released her hand, too weak to protest any more. She gently lifted his head, and with a very faint click she removed the mask.

And the truth was revealed. On the floor, lying on whatever they had found to support him, was Suzaku Kururugi. Knight of Zero, killer of millions. And supposed dead. Not that he looked that much alive.

He looked nothing like they remembered him. He was extremely plae pale, his curly hair flat and dull. He looked sickening. Blood was dripping from his mouth.
His green eyes were glazed with pain and anger.

He didn't look at anyone, but C2. The pain and humiliation was too great for him. "C2.." he breathed, trying to sit further up. His eyes went wide from the pain, and he sank back down. He was soaked in his own blood.

"It had to be done. It was time." C2 tilted her head. "Remember what I told you the other day Suzaku. You can die now."

"I don't.. want to!" he yelled, making everyone jump. He coughed up blood, before continuing. "I'll survive this, like I've survived everything else. I need to. I have to."

"You are a traitor, Suzaku Kururugi!" Tohdoh stated, making Suzaku look at him. "Why do you deserve to live when you have taken the lives of so many people?"

Suzaku winched with pain. Not from his wounds, but from the words of his old teacher.

"I don't." he murmured. The Black Knights looked bewildered as he lifted his head once again.
"I.. I don't deserve to live. That's the point. I need ...to live. It's my punishment." he turned his head, looking at Nunnaly. "I need to protect Nunnaly. I need to... I promised.."

"You've been released from that promise Suzaku, and you know that! The only thing holding you back now is yourself." C2 stated, her words harsh.

"No!... no, I need to protect Nunnaly, that's all that matters.." he almost whimpered as he tried to get up again. "I need to."

C2 pushed him back. "No you don't. Today you didn't protect Nunnaly, today you saved her. And that will be your final act as Zero."

He looked at her, the pain making it hard to think straight. "No. I am Zero. The world needs Zero. And I need.. to be.. him for the sake of.. the world." he sounded desperate. And weak. It pained Kallen to watch him like this. The once strong, proud Suzaku now reduced to this, a slave of his past unable to move on because of the deep pain.

"You are right Suzaku."
"I told you not to call me that!" more blood.
"The world is in need of Zero." C2 smiled. "Not you."
His eyes were confused. "But.. I am Zero."
C2 shook her head. "No dear Suzaku. You suffered enough. Lelouch can't bear forcing you through anymore. It's not fair anymore. It never was fair."

She gently placed a hand on his cheek, smiling softly. "You've broken the geass Lelouch placed upon you. It had been growing weaker, but today you broke it, in order to save Nunnaly, Ohgi Kaneme and Kaguya. Lelouch is very proud of you."

Suzaku stilled, looking at her. He seemed very much like a lost child to the people around him. Confused, pained. "He is?" he asked, voice small and almost begging. C2 nodded.
"He isn't angry... or disappointed?"
"No, not at all. You've done everything perfectly."

He didn't answer her. His hands pressed against the numerous wounds in his stomach, flinching with pain as he did. "Please.. please help me."
C2 pressed her hands against his body. "I will help you as I promised. But I can't save you."

Kallen stared when C2 removed the mask. For some reason she'd hoped that Zero wouldn't turn out to be Suzaku even though they all were so absolutely sure that he was.

But when the face of Suzaku were revealed.. she didn't know what to think. This was Suzaku, her sworn enemy. An enemy she'd been sure she'd killed in the final battle. But clearly he'd survied.

I guess that means I lost that battle. I lost to the Lancelot.

She'd been unconscious for several hours after the battle, waking up in captivity. The burial of the Knight of Zero had been grand. That grave must be empty.

Kallen looked at her comrades. Just like her, they seemed rather confused. For some reason blaming Suzaku had been easier before. But now he laid before them, bleeding and in terrible pain. After saving their prime minister and Kaguya. And Nunnaly.

They all listened to what C2 said, and Suzaku's answers, broken with the sickening cough from time to time. Blood continuing spreading on the floor.

They all jumped when he yelled "Don't call me that!". He refused to go by his own name? Why? Kallen grasped her own head, feeling just as confused as Suzaku. Why did she feel sorry for him? He'd killed so many.. and as he said, this was his punishment. And yet, it seemed so unfair. So cruel. And Lelouch had ordered him to do it? Could he really be that cruel?

"... Lelouch is very proud of you." Kallen lowered her hands, starring at C2. There. Again she spoke as if Lelouch was still alive. But he was dead. They buried him for gods sake!

Kallen stepped forward, into view of Suzaku. His eyes drifted to her, barely recognizing her through the pain.

"Suzaku.. why did you do it? Why did you fight on Britannias side instead of ours? Why did you kill your own people?" I have to know!

He didn't answer straight away. He looked at her, as if trying to determine why she would ask that. Finally he took a deep, rattling breath.

"I.. was idealistic. I thought I could convince the other soldiers to respect life, to not kill the innocent. I thought.. that justice.. would ..prevail." he coughed, blood now flowing from his mouth in a more rapid pace.
"I thought.. that people no matter what nation they were from, could learn to respect each other.." tears started to form in his eyes. He closed his eyes, in anger.
"I was a fool. I learned.. that people only ever care about themselves and that they think everybody else is wrong."

"How did you beat my Knightmare? It had better specs than yours?"
Suzaku smiled through his tears, biting back a bitter laugh. "That.. was Lelouch's handiwork. Because of the Geass he'd put upon me. He'd commanded me to live. And no matter what I did I just couldn't refuse that order. You could never kill me. You couldn't beat us." He sounded proud now, lost in the moment. He turned his head, looking at C2.

"Won't you please get a doctor?" he asked. "I need to protect Nunnaly."
It sounded so sick to the surrounding people. How he repeated that one sentence, as if it were his only reason to live. And the sad part being that is was.

C2 moved her hands from his wounds, and sat back, looking at him. With the pressure now gone blood started flowing again. They could see how it pulsed from the wounds. Most looked away.

"No Suzaku. You won't survive. Not this time."
He opened his eyes again, frowning at her answer. "But.. I can't die.. I need to protect.." C2 cut him off.
"No you don't! You have to face the truth now Suzaku, and the truth is that you are dying!" her words harsh and blunt. He looked very shocked at that.
"But.. what about Nunnaly? Zero needs to protect her? I.."
C2 leaned forward, taking his hand in hers.
"Don't worry about Nunnaly. Your part in protecting her is over. I'll take it from here." she tilted her head. "You've proven Zero's biggest weakness. Mortality. I don't suffer from that. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

"You.. you will?" Suzaku sounded very surprised at that. And uncertain.

"Yes. You go on, Lelouch and Euphemia are both waiting for you."

His eyes flashed as he tried to sit up. "They are?"

C2 nodded. "Yes. They've waited for you for a long time. But before you go and meet them, there's one thing I have to make sure you do." she leaned forward, starring into his eyes.
"Remember when I said you needed to forgive that last person?" He nodded, hardly able to move his head now.
"You thought I meant Lelouch. But you've already forgiven him. You've been lying to yourself all this time, when in truth the only last person you needed to forgive.. was yourself. You didn't do anything wrong. It was war, and war is cruel. You did your best and nobody can ask more of you. You tried to save the innocent, an honorable deed."

She gently wiped away the tears flowing from his eyes.

"Please forgive yourself Suzaku. You didn't do anything wrong."

He didn't say anything for several moments. For a minute the Black Knights thought he'd stopped breathing.
But then he opened his eyes again. "I'm.. I'm dying, right? I won't survive?" he whispered.
C2 smiled. "You won't survive, not this time. It's time to leave Suzaku."

And once again the Black Knights were witnesses to a man smiling in his final moments. Suzaku smiled. His first smile in almost two years.
"Thank god.." he whispered. He then turned his head, looking at Nunnaly. Nobody else mattered to him now. Not C2. Not the Black Knights. Only her.

"I am so sorry Nunnaly. I am sorry for lying to you, for betraying you. For killing your brother. And I'm sorry I wont be able to be by your side." he whispered.
Nunnaly smiled through he tears. "Don't worry about it Suzaku, I've forgiven you a long time ago. Please.." her voice failed. She coughed, and reached to touch his hand.

"Please tell my brother and sister that I love them."
"I.. will..." he turned to the smiling C2.

"Thank you." he leaned back, staring into the ceiling, still smiling. C2 let go of his hand, and it sunk down beside him, unmoving.

Suzaku Kururugi, Knight of Zero, had died.

.. I actually killed Suzaku. Pardon for doing that, but I felt so bad for him! He wanted to die, he missed both Lelouch and Euphy. So I took pity on him and killed him. Nice, I know.

Originally I didn't plan to kill him. But as the story progressed I came to realize that he would never be happy or content without Lelouch and Euphemia. He loved both of them so much. Forcing him not to be with them were just too cruel, even for me.

Only one chapter left. We all wonder who killed him, right?