A.N. Sup? IT'S UPDATE TIME!

And yes, I'm Filipino, American born, blah-blity-blah-blah. If you really wanna know, just check out me profile. It's somewhere near the top ^^

And while this isn't a LelouchxOC, I will push my boundaries. I don't think Lelouch will 'love' anyone in my fic, unless requested enough. He just seems too busy to realize if he has any romantic feelings for anyone. Like with Shirley. HE HAD TO LISTEN TO HER THEN? OF ALL THE TIMES, HE LISTENS WHEN [blocked out due to content that might be categorized as spoilers].

*cough* I'm done. Here's the next chapter!

Lelouch POV

I lead Jacqueline to the section of the school where Nunnally and I live. She should be out in the gardens, so I can surprise her with Lin, like I did with Suzaku. "Lulu, where are you taking me?"

"To see Nunnally. We're gonna surprise her." She smiles and I squeeze her hand, letting my excitement show, just a bit.

*skips about 10 minutes ahead*

Sayako wheels Nunnally into the house and spots Lin. She gives me a questioning look, but I hold a finger up to my lips. Lin walks forward, on the pads of her feet, and kneels in front of Nunnally. She raises her hands and cups her face, smiling when Nunnally reaches up to grab her hands.

"These hands, they feel so much like Onii-sama's, but they're different. Familiar, but not. Are you... someone I know from before the accident?..." I thought she might have difficulty recognizing her, since Nunnally wasn't so sensitive to people's aura and such when she could see. Lin leans in and gives her an Eskimo kiss and Nunnally giggles. "Oh! I know who you are now! Could it really be? Lin?"

Lin laughs. "Yes, it is, my dear little flower. It's so nice to see you again." Nunnally's smile drops a bit and she takes up a thinking position.

"Are the two of you engaged again?" My jaw drops and Lin is left sputtering.

"Wha- Wha- What? Ah-hehehe, ah, nooo! We are not engaged again!" Her face is bright red and she gives me a look that screams Did that really just happen?

I chuckle and divert the conversation away from that topic. "Nunnally, Jacqueline lives on campus, in the scary, haunted dorms!" I say in a silly voice. "She can visit us often."

Nunnally smiles and we all settle down in the living room. Everyone's laughing, smiling, just having a great time. Then Milly walks in. "I knew installing a hidden mic in here would come in handy! You two were engaged?!"

Let's just say the night ended with us running the hell away from my own home.

Lin POV

I wake up, feeling worn out and rested at the same time. I need to get Lelouch fitter, he's still as weak as when he was a child. The image of him sprinting and wheezing as he runs away from fangirls and Milly pops into my head and I giggle. Thank God it's Saturday. My phone starts to ring and I look at the caller ID. Dread courses through my veins. It's my dad. I answer.

"Hello?"

"Ah, yes, good morning, Jacqueline. I trust you're adjusting well. I need you to come with me to the government buildings for a meeting. It is very important you arrive on time and make a great impression. Wear a dress. The meeting is at 10, so that gives you an hour." He hangs up before I can respond. Damn him!

I drag myself out of bed, get washed up, and find a dress. It's simple, dark blue with pockets, and I slip on a pair of black leggings. Where are those shoes?... Ah, there they are. Stupid heels. I teeter over to my door and look back at my room. Tomorrow I'm doing some serious renovating; this place looks like it could use a face lift. I check my watch, I have half an hour to get to the government building. On the train, off the train. 10 minutes. In the building, find the office. 2 minutes. Slid into chair, door opens. Let the meeting begin.

I rise from my seat, to greet whoever my father wanted me to meet and a hand envelopes mine. I look up, and lilac eyes stare back. Sch-Schneizel? What the fuck? Something, like panic and confusion, must have flashed in my eyes, since now he's smirking down at me. Is he taller than Lelouch?

"It seems the flower has bloomed." He says softly. "What a lovely blossom..." My eyes narrow and I pull away. Curtsy.

"Hello, Your Majesty. What a fine pleasure it is to be in your presence." I bow my head, acting shy, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he will get the hint to act like he doesn't know me. He does, but discards it like yesterdays fashion trend.

"Now, now, Lin. Don't be that way. If one is familiar with another, you should greet them accordingly." He pauses, then whispers. "Lady Medina."

"Jacqueline, Your Majesty, please take a seat. Now Jacqueline, my daughter, I have not told you why I have summoned you, yes?" I nod. "Well, it is so you understand the terms of your engagement to the Second Prince, Schneizel." I stare at him, aghast. Engagement? As in, I'm marrying Schneizel? He's like a brother to me!

"Wait. When.. no, how... no, WHY did you engage me to him? When, how? I am not just yours to sell off, you know! I will not marry him! I do not love him in that way, nor will I ever."

Schneizel is still as impassive as ever. "To answer your questions, I asked your father a month ago how he'd feel to have you married into the Royal Family, and he gladly accepted. As to why I would want you as my wife, you have always intrigued me. So, I wished you to be mine. And what I wants as mine, will be mine. I'm very selfish, you see." He finishes with a snarky grin that I really want to smack off his face.

Suddenly I bolt up and out of my chair and out of the room. Kicking my heels off, I run and block out the sounds of my father's yelling. I just have to get away. People try to catch me, but I dodge them, kick, punch, flip over them. Then I am outside, barefoot, trying my hardest to get away from this place. I sprint all the way to the train station and I jump on any train. I spend my day away from Ashford, since I could potentially expose the Lamperouges as the vi Brittanias.

It's nighttime when I finally get off the trains. I can't go back to Ashford yet, I know patrols have probably been set up around the school. I could... go to Suzaku's? He lives off the academy, I think... No, I hardly know him, it'd be weird. A hotel it is. I go to a casino, since they know me well enough (my dad is Thomas Creed.) and get a room. Maybe on Monday I'll let them 'find' me. For now, I sleep most of my two day stay.

When they do find me, Schneizel insists he takes me to school, so everyone knows to 'stay away from what's his'. Kanon somes along, duh, and I'm late for homeroom, since I need my uniform. I can't find it, until I remember Milly has mine and left me the monstrosity I must wear for a month. Donning my clothes, I sigh. I have to let Schneizel see me in this. My eye twitches when he escorts me to homeroom. At least I got word to Lelouch that Schneizel is with me. He's probably in the bathroom, making sure he goes unseen. I sit (more like plop) down in my chair and stare out the window. Whispers fill the room around me and I'm pissed. Pissed because I hate rumors, because Schneizel is smirking, because even my friends are giving me weird looks. I stare out the window, but soon, Schneizel is even invading my view! He sees me, looks directly at me, and blows me a kiss. What the hell?! Everyone notices my beet red face, and those by the window start to whisper to their friends and it becomes a chain of whispers told behind hands. I glare at him and give him the finger, a universal sign for Fuck you. I get a text. I will gladly. Unfortunately, it will have to wait for our honeymoon. I look up, face red with anger, as he gives me a smirk and a little wave. Kanon is holding up Schneizel's phone, acting as the messenger.

I feel a migraine coming on.

All day, everyone is giving me weird looks, pointing and whispering. I go hide in the library and skip all my classes.

From my dark isolated corner, I hear footsteps come to a rest, then a thoughtful 'Hmmm.' The footsteps come closer, and lo and behold, it's Lelouch, probably the only person I can tolerate right now. He smile slightly at me and holds out his arms. Grateful, I tuck my face into his chest and let him rub soothing circles into my back. A memory pops up in my mind.

Lelouch is holding me the same way; some of his half-siblings were teasing me and threw my favorite chess board into a fountain. The pieces were ruined. Lelouch is rubbing circles in bu back to sooth and to keep me warm. An autumn wind chills me to the bone and I shiver. I pull back to look at him.

"Why? Why do you help me?" This is the first time we met, and thought he hated me.

He gives me a soft smile. "Well, anyone those assholes pick on I consider an ally." Ally? That means we're not friends, but it means we trust each other, depend on each other's help.

"So I'm your ally and you're mine?" He nods and I return the smile. Not friends, but allies who can learn to get along. That sounds nice...

"Hey, Lelouch?" I ask. He hums in acknowledgment. "Are we still allies? Or can I call you a friend?" He shifts, surprised at the question, but then his grip on me tightens a little.

"Friend." That's all I need to know.

Closing my eyes, I snuggle into his warmth and enjoy this peace. It's nice having a friend.

A.N. , the whole arranged marriage thing kinda came out of nowhere. I don't even know where that came from. But, I did think up a plot to follow it, so it's all good. And Schneizel, with crude humor? What?

The whole 'Ally-Friend' thing was because I realized this:

Lin can't be his first friend! That's Suzaku! Gotta fix this... Ummm... OH! I know!

And yeah. Hehehe... So, where's Zero, everyone? When will that side of our dearest Lulu come out? Soon? Maybe.

Reviews to feed the starving artist- eh-hem, writer.