I don't own Code Geass

...

Chubu Knight Police Barracks, Chubu Region, Area Eleven, 2017

The air is cool tonight, Zero mused as he glanced over his electronics suite. The winds of autumn had arrived, and the few trees that were around had started to brown. Friendly signals dotted in a line that wrapped around the main Chubu Knight Police barracks, twenty in all, supported by four dozen infantry snuck into the region over the course of the past three days. There were seven last generation Knightmare Frames inside the Knight Police barracks, and Zero wanted them, either in his hands or damaged beyond repair. Anyone who stood in their way was to be killed. The same orders had been given in six other areas. Fire and death would rain throughout Japan.

Zero pulled the sleeve back on his left arm, and checked the watch on his wrist. Twelve-fifty-two, it said, on the AM side. Zero tugged his sleeve back down and let a thrill of excitement pulse through him. In less than ten minutes, if all went according to plan, the first rocket would soon blast out the side of the police headquarters, and the fight would be on.

This was to be their first major operation since Narita, the first in a series that would bring Britannia to her knees. And it would all start just a few hours before Cornelia's new subordinates were to arrive.

A lance of pain went through his head, just above the right eye. He was tempted to grab the painkillers that were now a set piece inside his Knightmare, but he couldn't take them now. He needed his wits about him, and could not afford to take any chances with the opiates.

Zero checked his watch again. One o'clock. There was a flash of light, and a loud thunder as the rocket found its mark. Zero smiled coldly behind his helmet.

Knight takes pawn.

…..

Temporary Black Knight Headquarters, Chubu Region, Area Eleven

The battle was short, brutal, and utterly one-sided. It was the natural result of having geassed infiltrators stockpiling supplies and powering up Knightmares. C.C. looked over the battle map for the entire operation, alongside General Katase and Ohgi. They were getting friendly confirmation signals from squad leaders for every mission.

"The mission appears to be a success," Katase said with his ever-present frown. "The men should be returning inside of an hour." C.C. wondered if he was disappointed at the success. It was an open secret that Katase and Todoh detested Zero for how Narita was handled, and C.C. had no doubt that Katase would take the first chance he got to remove Zero from power.

It still irritated her that Zero had refused to geass the man. "Never again will my followers be slaves," he had told her, against her advice. "Every man and woman will follow me of their own volition. Only my enemies shall suffer under the weight of my power." C.C. sometimes hated his idealism, even though it was what drove him ever forward.

Zero's squad was the first to return, the red Guren in front, and Zero's custom Burai in the rear. First one on the battlefield, last one off, C.C. thought.

Zero descended easily from his cockpit, shared a few quick words with Kallen, who C.C. saw was hanging onto every word he said, and made his way to her.

"The operation was a success," he said triumphantly. "Congratulations gentlemen, My Lady," he said, nodding to each of them in turn.

"Congratulations to you, Commander Zero," Katase said stiffly. "We've scored a great victory tonight on the Knight Police."

C.C. could sense the sarcasm in his words, and she was certain Zero did as well, but the masked man made no comment on them, instead saying to C.C., "Would you join me in my office, My Lady. I have need of your council."

"Of course, My Lord," C.C. said, taking a liking in the use of the title. Zero didn't like the title, but it made Katase's lips curl in distaste, and that pleased her immensely.

C.C. followed Zero into his office, and once the door had slid shut and locked behind her, the rebel leader lifted the helmet from his face and set it down with a wince. He went behind his desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a bottle of aspirin. He dry swallowed two, and sat in his chair, his head resting against the fingers of his hand. C.C. frowned at him.

"Another headache?" she asked, coming forward to sit on the desktop. Zero nodded, his eyes shut. "That makes the third one this week."

Zero frowned up at her, opening his violet eyes. "Do you think my geass may be about to go rampant?" he asked her, a hint of nervousness bleeding through.

C.C. shook her head. "If it was your geass again, it would be your eye hurting, not your head," she reminded him, brushing the back of her hand against his forehead. "You don't have a fever, so you're not sick." She saw a slight amount of bruising beneath his eyes. "How much sleep did you get last night?" she asked.

"Two, maybe three hours," Zero replied, shrugging. "I was overseeing the final details for the operation. It took a little while."

C.C. frowned at him. "That planning session ended at eight-thirty," she said, arching her eyebrow. "With that done, you should have had more than enough time to rest, certainly more than two hours."

Lelouch squirmed beneath her penetrating gaze. "I was also looking over the financial papers for the Student Council," he confessed after a moment. "That damn cat festival that Milly threw really ate into our finances at the worst possible time. I've been trying to find other avenues for funding the big festival."

C.C.'s frown deepened. "That's what's been keeping you up?" she asked sharply. "Finding money for a stupid festival?"

"I've missed out on the last few meetings because of all of this," Lelouch said defensively. "The least I can do is try to find some way to fund the festival." He frowned. "Especially considering I'm the reason it's closing."

He raised a hand to forestall any argument she might make, and stood up. "I'm heading on to bed," he told her, striding around the desk. "Give everyone the rest of the day off. God knows they need some rest."

Lelouch laid down on the sofa on the other side of the room, flipping the switch on the alarm clock that sat on a table next to it. The numbers that flashed up said 'five-thirty.' Considering what time it is, C.C. thought, that gives you maybe an hour-and-a-half. C.C. waited until Lelouch's breaths deepened, and the rise and fall of his chest slowed. She walked quietly over to the table next to him, reached out, and flicked the switch to 'off.' She turned around, her eyes soft, and gently brushed a lock of his dark hair out of his eyes.

You're going to be angry with me when you wake, C.C. thought, but this is really for the best. She placed a soft kiss on his forehead and walked out the door, locking it behind her.

…..

Tokyo Settlement Streets, Area Eleven

Kallen Kozuki, Statdfeld now, checked the time on her wristwatch again, cursing herself for having overslept. She had gotten much better at managing her sleep schedule since the early days of the Black Knights, and she had taken a short nap in the Guren before the operation started last night. However, the heavy combat, and the subsequent return to Tokyo once the fighting was over, had taken their toll on her, and she had been deeply worn out when she stumbled into the Stadtfeld manor. It was a lonely experience; her stepmother had taken her servants and fled the country, and moving crews had come in to pack the furniture and ship it after her. Only Kallen's room had been left untouched, whether by her father's insistence or her stepmother's neglect Kallen neither knew nor cared. Still, it was disheartening to step into the echoing halls of an empty home, where even the semblance of family and stability had been stripped away. She had stripped naked and collapsed on her bed, not even bothering to step into the shower and wash away the sweat and grime that covered her body. She had also not bothered to set her alarm.

There was supposed to be a club meeting early this morning, where the planning would be done for the upcoming Festival. Kallen wasn't sure what all would be discussed; she'd missed the last few meetings because of Nina's initiation into the Black Knights, and the preparation for the operation in Chubu, so she wasn't up to date on what the club had planned. She hated that fact. Kallen was at least a part of why the school was being shut down in the first place, and even though keeping a blue-blood academy open wasn't worth the continued subjugation of her people, she nevertheless felt a degree of guilt over what it was doing to her friends.

That guilt was crushed into nothing when she looked up at one of the building tall TV screens that adorned the skyscrapers, the same ones that would show that idiot Clovis' overly dramatic speeches. On it, Viceroy Cornelia was announcing the arrival of the Glaston Knights. Kallen scowled up at the image. She and the other Black Knights had already been given dossiers on each member prior to their arrival, and Zero's agents within the government had informed him of when they would be arriving. It satisfied Kallen to no end that they had pulled off this latest attack on the day they were supposed to arrive.

Kallen walked the final distance to the bus stop that would take her to Ashford Academy, a light spring to her step. Even with the way everything was going, she loved to be with her friends.

….

Viceroy Palace Conference Room, Viceroy's Palace, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

"Now that the show has been taken care of," Princess Cornelia said, "we can actually get to the business of saving the Area."

The conference room was small, secured deep within the Viceroy's Palace, and occupied by the only people she had even a semblance of trust in left. Jeremiah noted that it was a rather small group. The room had been swept ten times for bugs and other listening devices, every occupant of the room had been ordered to surrender their mobile phones, and even then, an electronic scanner was operating in the corner, its low hum providing an almost spy-film ambiance to what was, in effect, a covert meeting.

"Lord Jeremiah, give us your report," the Princess commanded. Jeremiah stood up to obey.

"At zero-one hundred-thirty hours last night, terrorists operating under the banner of the Black Knights carried out attacks on police barracks in Chubu, Saga, Fukuoka, Yamanashi, Toyama, Osaka, and Nagasaki," he said, reading from a report in his hand. "The assaults have left a total of forty-seven dead, an even hundred injured, and thirty-five missing. In addition to those casualties, twenty-five Knightmare Frames were stolen, along with ammunition and fuel. We have no verifiable information on terrorist casualties, nor do we know the current whereabouts of the attackers."

Jeremiah took a breath. "Survivors of the attacks testify that distress signals were sent out within fifteen minutes of contact with the enemy, but reinforcements did not show up. Examination of the communications systems backs up their claims. Thus, it is safe to assume that signal jammers were used to prevent requests for aid from reaching allied forces. That concludes my report." He sat down, replacing the report on the table.

"It seems Zero has shifted his focus from soldiers to cops," Sir Edgar said disgustedly, scowling.

"Cowardly scum," Sir Bart added angrily. "He must have seen that the garrisons have been reinforced so he went for easier pickings."

Sir Claudio shook his head. "That doesn't fit Zero at all," he said. "Zero is evil, but he's also bold and audacious. To him, attacking and destroying fortified garrisons would be a display of power and an ego stroke." He brought his hand to his chin. "Something is going on here."

"Sir Claudio is right," the Viceroy said. "I don't know what Zero's next move is, but this wasn't indiscriminate slaughter. Whatever he has planned, this can only be the opening move. To figure out his next step, we need every piece of information we can get. Sir Edgar," the Princess said, turning back to him, "what do we have from satellite imagery?"

"Nothing," Sir Edgar replied. "The satellites in question were turned in a different direction."

"It seems another purge is in order, then," Cornelia said, her tone clipped. She frowned at the Glastons. "Dependable people are something of a rarity in this backwater," she said wryly. "Your arrival is a needed welcome to this back-stabbing cesspit."

"We are honored to serve, Your Highness," Sir Claudio said. "What would you have us do?"

"Sir Claudio, you will take command of the garrison in Yamanashi," Cornelia told him. "Start up a recruitment drive so that we can replace those lost in the fighting, and get the defenses rebuilt. Sir Edgar," she turned to the man in question, "you are to take command of the Chubu Region. Sir Bart, do the same in Kansai. Sir David, take command over the occupational forces at Narita." Once Princess Cornelia had returned to her senses, she had led a full army to capture Narita. By the time they arrived, the Black Knights and the JLF were already gone, and all their equipment with them. "Narita is a natural fortress," (She certainly found that out the hard way, Jeremiah thought amusedly), "and I don't want it to fall back into enemy hands."

She turned to Sir Alfred. "I have a special assignment for you," she told him. "My sister has yet to choose a knight as her personal bodyguard. I want you to take over as the head of her security detail. Wherever she goes, you go. Whatever she does, you'll be there. Do not let her out of your sight."

"It would be my honor, Your Highness," Sir Alfred said, inclining his head to her.

"As for you, Lord Gottwald," the Princess said, turning to him, "I leave you to carry out the necessary terminations in our reconnaissance division. Submit the appropriate resumes to me for their replacements."

"It will be done, Your Highness," Jeremiah said, inclining his head. He did not miss that she had referred to him by his last name.

"Good. With that, I declare this meeting adjourned." The Princess stood up, and they all stood up with her. "Gentlemen, you are dismissed."

The Princess swept out, and the Glastons after her, leaving Jeremiah as the last one in the room. Once out of sight, he hurried to his office. There was a phone call he had to make.

…

Student Council Clubhouse, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

Shirley Fenette tapped her pen contemplatively against her dissatisfied frown, her brow scrunched up as she looked at the financial papers. Budgetary review and allocation had always been her and Rivalz's responsibility, and the numbers were not looking good. There were less clubs active at this stage of the year, reducing the amount that had to be allocated to the various clubs, but that also meant there wasn't nearly as much money to be used in the planning for the Festival. The lack of students also now meant they wouldn't be able to keep labor costs down, as they would have to pay for outside help to get everything set up. Finding where they were going to get the money for all of this was proving to be an overwhelming task.

And that's not being helped by more than half the council missing, Shirley fumed silently, glancing at the empty places at the table. Lelouch, Kallen, Nina, Rivalz, and Suzaku were all absent from the meeting, and had been for the past few hours. Nina and Rivalz, Shirley understood: Nina's parents had overridden their daughter's pleas to stay in the Area, and Rivalz was currently working overtime at the bar, hoping to provide some extra pocket cash for the Festival. Where Suzaku was, Shirley didn't have the faintest idea, and the same was true for Kallen and Lelouch. That left just Shirley, Nunally, Milly, and Sayoko to do the work of the entire Council, and really that only left Shirley and Milly since Nunally couldn't see and Sayoko had to look after her.

Shirley sighed dispiritedly.

"Someone sounds rather put out," Milly said, her eyes never leaving her papers.

"Not at all," Shirley replied, stretching her arms and back. "I'm just a little tired is all. We've been at this for a good five hours now, and we're still no closer to having the money we need to pull this off."

"Have a little faith," Milly said, tapping a few numbers on a calculator to her right. "There's money aplenty. We just have to find it."

"It'd be a lot easier if everyone was here," Shirley said, giving voice to her private frustration.

"I won't argue with you there," Milly admitted. "Have you managed to get either Lelouch or Kallen on the phone?"

"No," Shirley replied, "they both went straight to voicemail. I couldn't get Suzaku on the phone either."

"That's actually my fault," Milly said sheepishly. Shirley raised an eyebrow, and Milly answered her unspoken question: "Suzaku told me he promised to meet with someone today, so I told him to go ahead."

"Do you know who he's meeting?" Shirley asked.

"Not a clue," Milly answered, "though my guess would be it's a girl."

"Why do you think that?"

Milly gave her a Cheshire grin. "Because when he told me, his face was the shade of Kallen's hair."

The mention of Kallen had Shirley imagining her two friends together. She tried to picture it properly, but she just couldn't see it. Suzaku's chivalry had made him naturally protective for their two weakest members, but Kallen was very reserved around the Honorary Britannian. It wasn't that she was cold to him, but there seemed to be a shield of courtesy that the redhead kept up between them. Their relationship didn't really go beyond cordial pleasantries. To Shirley's chagrin, Kallen's relationship seemed to be much warmer with Lelouch.

"Then maybe Suzaku's on this mystery date with Lelouch and Kallen," Shirley said.

Milly looked up at her with surprise. "What makes you say that?" she asked.

"Well, look," she said, gesturing at the empty seats. "The two of them aren't here right now, their phones are apparently shut off, and-" she paused for a moment. "And whenever one of them is missing from school, the other one is too."

It was like clockwork now. Whenever Lelouch was gone, Kallen was too. It used to alternate, but now their absences were synchronized.

"Someone sounds jealous," Milly said impishly. "Did your big date with him not go well?" she asked, somewhat more seriously.

Shirley shook her head. "No, it went fine," she said. "We had a fun time."

"Are you sure?" Milly asked. "I mean, I noticed you haven't talked about it."

"There's nothing to talk about," Shirley said. "We went on the one date, he was very polite, and nothing came of it."

"Did he show any sense of feeling at all?"

"None whatsoever. In fact, he was rather reserved about the whole thing. I gave him a hug after he walked me home, and he was just stiff as a board against me," Shirley said. The memory of it hurt. "And besides," she said, shrugging, "that's not even what I'm upset about."

"It's not?" Milly asked her skeptically.

"No. It's that they're not here," Shirley said emphatically, placing her hands on the table. "Rivalz, I get. He's trying to earn some extra cash. Suzaku's a soldier, and with everything going on, he deserves some happiness. And Nina," she choked a moment, "poor Nina's just gone.

"If Lelouch and Kallen want to go out together, that's their business," she said heatedly. "But the least they could do is do it on their own time, and not screw the rest of us over!"

"Are you two alright in there?" Shirley heard Nunally ask. Shirley covered her mouth in horror. She had no idea how loud she'd gotten.

Lelouch's younger sister rolled into the room, Sayoko pushing her. There was a concerned expression on her face, one Sayoko shared.

Milly wiped the shock from her face, faking a smile. "Everything's alright," she said reassuringly. "We're just tired, and there's a lot on our minds."

"Like my brother," Nunally said. Shirley winced and looked away from her friend. Nunally took Shirley's hand into her own. "Please don't be mad at Lelouch," she implored her. "I'm sure that whatever he's doing, it must be very important. He wouldn't miss out on this if it wasn't. And I'm sure the same is true of Kallen."

Shirley didn't necessarily believe that, but her heart twisted at Nunally's faith in her brother. "Right," she said, nodding, "I'm sure that whatever it is they're doing, it's because it can't be helped."

Nunally smiled at her. The sound of voices suddenly filled the hall to the room. Shirley recognized Lelouch's voice.

"As Suzaku and I were climbing up the hill," he was saying, "I slipped on a patch of mud and slid down. Suzaku said I looked like the creature from the Black Lagoon."

There was a sound of giggling that Shirley recognized as Kallen's. "You didn't track all that mud in, did you?" she asked.

"Master Tohdoh wouldn't let me. He had me hosed down with cold water outside the temple. Then he tried to make me do fifty squats for tracking mud up the staircase."

"Tried?"

"I only got through twenty." Kallen laughed in response as the two walked into the room. They stopped upon seeing the crowd inside, and seemed to almost sense the tension in the air.

Shirley plastered on a fake smile. "Hey guys," she said, seething on the inside, "nice of you to show up."

They both looked stricken. "Sorry," Kallen said, bowing her head guiltily. "We overslept."

Milly raised an eyebrow. "What?" she asked mischievously. "As in, together?"

"What- no!" Kallen said furiously, blushing.

Lelouch held up his hands placatingly, blushing just as hard. "It's not like that," he said. "We both just had a long night."

"I'll bet," Milly said with a crooked grin.

Lelouch spluttered, "Milly-"

"Look guys, enough," Shirley interrupted, rubbing her temples. "You and Kallen are late, we get it. Whatever's going on between you two, can we just leave it on the backburner? There's a lot to do, and not enough time to do it."

Lelouch was stunned. "Shirley-"

"Lulu, please, don't," she said, turning her shoulder to him. "It doesn't matter right now. Just pull up a chair and get started. We have a lot of work to do."

Shirley tried to ignore the stunned silence her words had left behind. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the two latecomers sit down on either side of the table, actively looking away from one another. As she looked over her own papers, she tried to tell herself she didn't care.

The aching in her heart said otherwise.

…

Noto's Sushi and Shrimp, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

"Go on, Euphie, just try it."

"Are you sure it's safe? I mean, this is raw fish. There is a reason we cook our food."

"I've been eating sushi since before I could hold chopsticks. I've never once gotten sick."

"Suzaku, you have a freakish physique. I could expose you to plague, and you wouldn't get so much as nauseous."

"I thought you liked my physique. What was it you said last night? My "big, strong arms" and my "broad shoulders"?"

"Oh hush, I'm trying it right now," Euphemia said, a bright blush on her cheeks. She lifted the sushi roll, the chopsticks wavering uncertainly, and tried to take a small bite. This turned out to be a bad idea, and she yelped when the roll fell from her chopsticks and bounced to the floor.

"You know, one would think you were trying to avoid your lunch," Suzaku teased her, his green eyes bright with mirth.

One would not be far off the money, Euphemia thought, picking up the sushi roll with evident distaste. She laid it on a napkin beside her plate, and readjusted her legs beneath her.

Euphemia and Suzaku had been to a number of small restaurants across the Tokyo Settlement since that fateful movie night, a pair of undercover guards, one male and one female, in tow. They had been polite enough to turn in the other direction when Euphemia captured an uncertain Suzaku in a soft kiss, and they accompanied them on every one of their dates since then, surreptitiously tucked into the background. Euphemia suspected they were using her and Suzaku's dates as a cover for their own.

Euphemia lifted the chopsticks again and captured another sushi roll, a salmon one from the look of it. Once again, the fish fell from her trembling chopsticks, (she really needed to figure out how to use these), though this time it fell back on her plate. Suzaku burst out laughing at her struggle.

"If you like," he said, wiping an eye, "I could feed them to you."

"That's an interesting idea, Suzaku," she said, her voice low and throaty, eyebrow lifted suggestively. "Why don't you give it a shot?" She leaned forward, exposing her pale neck, and parted her pink lips.

Suzaku's blush was evident even through the tan of his skin. Gulping, he lifted a shaking hand, grabbed the salmon sushi from her plate, and brought it to her mouth. Euphemia closed her eyes and slipped out her tongue, a muscle Suzaku was becoming very acquainted with, and set it against the underside of the fish. She drew it between her lips, pursing them as she sucked it in slowly, and when she had it in all the way, she chewed with a slow rhythm, rolling her jaw, and flexed the muscles of her throat as she swallowed. When she opened them back up, Suzaku's eyes were as wide as saucers, and his face was about to turn the color of her hair. Over his shoulder, in their corner spot, Euphemia could see her escort silently laughing.

"That," she said huskily, "was quite possibly the most disgusting thing I have ever had." With that, she dropped the act, grabbed her green tea, and sucked the full cup down in one gulp, making a disgusted sound after she had finished. "Ugh! How do you eat that stuff?" she complained, eyeing him with a playful glare.

"Well, usually there's some type of sauce on the fish," Suzaku replied, his blush dying down. "However, I was so….distracted," he spluttered, and she smiled mischievously, "that I didn't think to dip it."

"Well, then, I think I shall try it like that," she said, grabbing the chopsticks again. After a moment of struggling to get the last bit of sushi situated properly, she murmured a very un-lady-like, "Screw it," picked the piece of fish up, dipped it in sauce like a finger food, and stuffed it in her mouth. She chewed on it for a moment, rolling her head around, and, after she was finished, nodded and said, "Much better."

Suzaku chuckled at her antics, and finished his own meal by tossing his sushi in the air, catching it with ease in his mouth on the way down. Euphemia rolled her eyes, but a smile lit her face. "Show off," she said.

Suzaku grinned back at her cheekily. "You know you love it."

Indeed I do, she agreed silently.

Her phone buzzed in her purse. She pulled it out, saw "Jeremiah" on the caller ID, and mouthing a quick "Sorry" to Suzaku, flipped it open.

When Lord Jeremiah had finished, she thanked him reservedly and closed her phone back up, her previous good humor washed away by a river of worry. Suzaku spotted her concern immediately.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"You know that the Glaston Knights arrived today, right?" Euphemia said, trying to collect her thoughts.

"Yes," Suzaku said slowly.

"Well, it seems that Sir Alfred has been assigned as the new head of my personal security," she continued, bowing her head to the table, fighting back a sniff. "He's supposed to follow me wherever I go."

"That's going to make bathroom trips awkward," Suzaku said. Euphemia giggled in response, and she rubbed her nose. Suzaku reached for her hand that was still on the table, and took it into both of his own. "Hey," he said, "it's going to be alright. We'll figure something out. We've gone this long without your sister finding out."

"That was because she was distracted by everything," Euphemia pointed out, shaking her head, her eyes now watery. And because we had her confined for a week. "She's been so focused on trying to get the government back under her control that she's overlooked me." She glanced out the window, to the Tokyo streets outside. "Now that she has her head back on straight, that's all going to change."

Although, in truth, Euphemia wasn't quite certain that her sister was back in her right mind. Euphemia had wept and vomited when she saw what her sister was doing to "suspected terrorists" in the ghettos. The emotional breakdown that had followed had caused her sister to cut her out of government affairs entirely. Euphemia had snuck out of her bedroom where her sister had banished her, stumbled her way to Suzaku's apartment, and spent the rest of the night sobbing in his arms. Her sister had not noticed she was gone.

"Maybe Lord Jeremiah can help us out," Suzaku suggested.

Euphemia shrugged. "I doubt it," she said. "Jeremy has never had any great clout with my sister thanks to the Pureblood Incident, and with Andreas' sons here, he's probably the least of her new court."

"Still, we'll figure something out," Suzaku said, though whether he was trying to convince her or himself, she could not say. He leaned closer to her, hiding his mouth and looking around dramatically. "And besides," he whispered conspiratorially, "I have a few friends at school who are masters at skipping class. I'll consult their underworld expertise in our next meeting." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and Euphemia giggled appreciatively, a modicum of her good cheer returning.

"Oh, Suzaku," she said, laying her own hand over his, "thank you."

Suzaku smiled back at her. "For what?" he asked.

"For just being you."

…

Apartment of Viletta Nu, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

"I'm just not sure what we're going to do, Zero," Ohgi said exasperatedly. "With the Sub-Viceroy stripped of her powers, there's no way to protect the aid to Shinjuku."

"We were on borrowed time as it was, Ohgi," Zero reminded him. "That we were able to keep it going as long as we did is a miracle. Get as many supplies into the ghetto as you can. We'll have to make do with what we have from now on."

"Understood, Zero. I'll squeeze out what supplies I can."

"I know you will, Ohgi. You've done well. We'll talk later." There was a click on the line and Ohgi knew Zero was gone.

Does no one ever say goodbye on these things anymore? he wondered in silent amusement. That amusement left him as he thought about Shinjuku. The Viceroy had announced the end of the program an hour ago, in a quiet web statement. How many more people are going to die because of what the Viceroy is doing? he thought angrily. How many more who could have been saved?

"Kaname, who was that on the phone?" Villeta strode into the room, water from her shower still present on her skin and silver hair. A bath towel covered her modesty.

"Nobody," Ohgi said, blushing at her near-undressed state, "just Tamaki."

"What was he calling about?"

"He's concerned about the aid drive in Shinjuku," Ohgi said, deciding to stay as close to the truth as possible. He immediately regretted it when she grimaced. "Sorry," he said lamely.

Viletta shook her head. "I'm the one who should be sorry," she said quietly. "I should have known the Viceroy was going to end it after the Narita debacle. Had I given it a thought, maybe I could have argued for its perpetuation."

Ohgi shook his head. "After what happened at Narita," he said carefully, "you had a lot on your mind." He remembered that period after the battle, when he was terrified at finding out that he could have lost her. Had he known she was going to be assigned there, he'd have done anything to keep her away. She had spent more than a week at Narita afterward, picking through the mud to find the bodies underneath. Ohgi didn't envy her that job, and felt ashamed that he'd been responsible for it. "And besides," he said aloud, shaking himself from his thoughts, "I doubt she would have listened."

Viletta nodded reluctantly. "You're probably right," she said, but her golden eyes were still tilted downward.

"Hey," Ohgi said, tilting her chin upward with his finger, "you did everything you could. No one can fault you for that. A lot of lives have been saved because of what you did. We couldn't have done it without you."

Viletta smiled up at him when he said that, and Ohgi felt his heart beat faster. Thank God for coffee, he thought. Coffee had led to lunch, lunch to dinner, and dinner to heated kisses in the doorway of her apartment. Ohgi now spent half the week with her, barring the night before in Chubu. Ohgi wondered whether she was part of the investigation team that swooped down on the police barracks they'd destroyed.

"You know, Ohgi, I feel awfully tired," Viletta said coquettishly, looking up at him beneath her silver lashes. "I've been out all day, standing at attention for that ghastly ceremony for the Darlton boys." That'd be a 'no' then, Ohgi thought. "I could do with a bit of rest."

Ohgi swallowed heavily at her suggestive look. "Your bed's right behind you," he said thickly. "Why don't you go on and lie down?" He'd slept on the couch every night he stayed over.

"But it's cold in there, all alone," she replied, a wicked smile on her face. "Especially after a shower, when I'm still all wet. The slightest breeze gives me shivers." She backed away from him, into her room, turned her back to him, and let her towel fall to the floor, revealing a white-lace bikini. Ohgi's mouth watered.

He fumbled at his belt, unbuckling it as fast as he could, his pants going next, and his shirt afterwards. Before he could do anything else, Viletta rested her hand against his chest. "Leave the briefs on, Kaname," she said teasingly. "When I said I wanted a bedwarmer, I meant it."

She drew him back into her room, switching the light off, and dragged him down beneath the covers, curling her head and body into his chest. Ohgi was simultaneously disappointed and amused.

"Tease," he muttered humorously.

"You want anything more, professor," she replied, not unkindly, "there better be a ring and a white gown."

"And plenty of friends around," Ohgi added in a whisper.

She burrowed into him even further, placing a soft kiss on his chest. "Those too," she agreed.

The two fell into an easy sleep.

…

Ashford Residence, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

Milly Ashford had always had a fascination with the news. She appreciated show business in general, but to her, there was something romantic about the idea of a lone reporter going against a corrupt system, armed only with a pen and a camera, and bringing down the light of truth to the masses (or however how much truth got through the government censors). So, whenever she watched the news on Hi-TV, she would always spend at least a moment imagining herself in the anchor's place, though with a great deal more style. So, even as she lay on her bed, working through the financial papers for Ashford Academy, trying to find just one more way to wring up extra money for the Festival, her mini-TV played on the nightstand by her bed. On it, the Viceroy was announcing the arrival of the Glaston Knights to the Area, and promising swift retribution for a series of attacks that had taken place throughout the nearby provinces.

Milly didn't think it would do much good. Zero had already killed the last Viceroy, his whole command staff, and the latest Viceroy's two best generals, all in the span of a few months. Milly thought there wasn't anything the Viceroy could do to stop him.

Her door squeaked. "Milly, darling," her mother said, stepping just inside the door, "what are you doing up this late? It's past midnight. You have school in a few hours."

"I know, mom, sorry," Milly said, affecting an apologetic smile. "I'm just going over the school finances."

"Still trying to find money for the Festival?" her mother asked rhetorically, her expression sympathetic. "Don't you think you should be focusing more on your studies, dear?"

I don't have any studies, Milly thought dryly. "Don't worry, mom, I get great marks at school," she assured her. It was, technically, true; her scores had been great, back in the days when they had had tests. "What are you still doing up?" she asked, though she could guess.

Her mother sighed. "Trying to find a new home," she said, crossing her arms over the ample chest that Milly had inherited. "Your father's been trying to find us a place in Area Six, but the local nobility is hamstringing him. They're asking for outrageous sums of money just to get us an audience with the Viceroy."

Milly didn't need to ask how much they were demanding. Whatever it was would cripple them. "Has Papa tried anywhere else?" she asked instead.

"Of course, he has," her mother replied, "you know that. Before that it was Area Ten, and before that it was Two." Her mother didn't mention any of the other Areas, but she didn't have to. Though her parents didn't tell her anything about the wider situation, there were places on the web that the censors couldn't reach. Places the Viceroy had declared treasonous.

Her mother sighed heavily. "We might not have to worry so much about the Colonies if the Homeland was open to us," she said airily. "Unfortunately, we don't really have much of an in." She looked at her daughter pointedly.

Milly fought back her own sigh. She hated when her mother did this kind of passive-aggressive guilt-trip. "Earl Asplund has been very busy," she told her mother. That was probably true. "He hasn't contacted me in more than a month, and I have no idea what he's up to." And she definitely hadn't contacted him. "Honestly, he probably has more important things on his mind than a possible marriage proposal."

"And that is precisely why you need to be more forceful," her mother said, now stepping fully into the room. She approached her daughter, hips swaying unconsciously from side to side, a move that Milly had yet to master. Her mother stopped in front of her. "You have every tool at your disposal," she said, reaching out her hand. "My golden hair," she ran her hand over Milly's golden locks, "your father's perfect blue eyes," the back of her hand ran down her temple, "and the figure that turned your father's eyes toward me in the first place." She settled her hand on Milly's shoulder. "You have everything you need to become the most important thing on his mind. Use what you have, and he won't be able to concentrate on any of his work because all he can think of is you."

Somehow, I doubt that would ever happen, Milly thought. I don't think he cares much for the company of women. "I'll try, mother," she said aloud. Her mother didn't need to know that all Milly needed to say was 'Yes.'

Her mother's eyes were sad. "No, honey, you must not try." She pulled Milly's head to her chest. "You must do."

…

Ashford Clubhouse Private Quarters, Ashford Academy, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

Putting Nunally to bed wasn't easy that night. "Please understand why Shirley is upset with you, Lelouch," she said as he settled her into bed. "We all agreed to be there at six this morning, and you and Kallen didn't show up until nine."

"I understand why she was upset with me, Nunally," Lelouch said as he stood over her, his hand in hers. "She had every right to be. I didn't live up to my word."

"You haven't been doing that for some time, big brother," Nunally said, gently but firmly. "Even before now, you were going out at all hours, sometimes not even coming home, like last night." Lelouch closed his eyes, trying to fight back the pain at her words. "I don't want to hurt you, Lelouch," Nunally assured him, "but I am disappointed. You've been drifting away from all of us, more and more." Her lip trembled. "It's like we're not good enough for you anymore."

"That's not true at all, Nunally," Lelouch said vehemently. "You and the others are the most important people in my life."

"Then prove it, Lelouch," Nunally retorted. "Be there when you say you will. Or just don't make the promise at all." She tightened her hand on his. "I don't know what it is you're up to. You won't tell me. And that hurts." Before he could reply, Nunally leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, whispered a good night to him, and turned onto her side. Lelouch left her room with his shoulders stooped. He walked past Sayoko and her disapproving glare, and went to his room.

After shutting the door, he snarled at its other occupant. "What the Hell is wrong with you?" he demanded. C.C. flipped a lock of hair nonchalantly, taking a bite of pizza with studied disinterest. Lelouch stomped forward and leaned down in her face. "Why did you turn off my alarm clock last night?"

"Men as pretty as you need their beauty sleep," C.C. replied, flipping through a magazine. "Otherwise you get ugly bags beneath your eyes, and no woman wants that."

"Cut the crap, C-Two!" Lelouch ordered her through gritted teeth. "This isn't funny! You've singlehandedly managed to piss off every single one of my friends, and I want to know why."

"Actually, you're the one who pissed them off," she retorted. Her eyes were still on the magazine, but they weren't moving. "You're the one who didn't show up when he said he would."

"Because you switched off my alarm!" Lelouch said again, even more angry. "And I want to know why."

"Because you need your sleep." C.C. finally looked up at him, amber eyes hard. "You've been getting three, maybe four hours of sleep a night, if you don't toss and turn. You nap in your office, you have headaches during battles, and you keep your attention constantly split between your friends and your army." Her eyes burned at him. "You need rest. And frankly, you need perspective."

"Perspective?" Lelouch asked incredulously. "What on Earth are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about this double life of yours that you're hellbent on maintaining," she said ruthlessly. "What happens if your rebellion succeeds? Will Zero operate in the mornings and night, so that Lelouch can go to school?" She stood up, causing him to back up, and glared right into his eyes. "You think you can keep both lives, but you can't. Trying to be both Zero and Lelouch tore you apart last time. I will not let it happen this time."

Lelouch backed away from her, surprised at her vehemence. He turned away from her and set his hands on the windowsill. He felt C.C.'s arms wrap around him from behind, her face resting against his back. Despite her acerbic attitude, she was warm and soft, and he did not push her away.

"I know you don't want this," C.C. said gently. "But there will come a time when you'll have to make a choice between Lelouch and Zero. If you want to win, you know what you'll have to do."

Lelouch was silent for a long moment. Finally, he said, "I was alone, at the end, last time." He shook his head. "I don't want that again."

C.C. squeezed him tighter still. "You won't be. I'm here with you. To the very end."