Until I Find You-Chapter Eleven (Part 2)
Title: Until I Find You
Author: Spirithorse (eachainn )
Rating: M
Pairing: Suzalulu, minor KallenxGino and RoloxNunnally
Spoilers: None
Summary: AU. After a horrible attack, the Britannian royal family is scattered. Ten years later, knights are sent after one of the lost princes, expecting nothing more than to hear that the prince has been dead for all those years. Based on the movie, Anastasia.
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass or Anastasia
Prologue- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10-11
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Chapter Eleven: Terror Comes
Suzaku jerked away as someone grabbed his shoulder and shook it. His first reaction was to turn and claw at the person attacking him. He managed to get one hand around the person's throat, Suzaku shifting so he would be able to bring his knee into the person's stomach and lift them off of him before he opened his eyes.
He stared up at Kallen, quickly letting go of her and sitting up in bed. He ran a hand through his hair, absently trying to fix it as he wondered when he had fallen asleep. The last thing he had remembered was going over the pros and cons of becoming Euphemia's knight without really considering the list that he had made. His mind was made up anyway; he would accept the position in the morning.
Suzaku turned his attention back to Kallen, frowning when he realized that he hadn't heard her knocking. He was a light enough sleeper to be woken up by the sound. Kallen had proven that at least once before. But the door was already open, looking slightly askew like Kallen had just thrown herself against it until it had opened. That coupled with the fact that she had been the one to actually wake him up instead of Gino's usual early morning bouncing on his bed was something out of the ordinary.
He blinked rapidly, buying time until he could look at the clock, realizing that it wasn't morning yet. It was still dark, which meant that he hadn't been sleeping for long. But obviously something had happened.
Suzaku pushed Kallen back, slipping from the bed. Gino had probably told her about his decision and she had tried to talk him out of going with Euphemia. Following their normal pattern, if she couldn't convince him to change his mind, she would try to beat it out of him, although Kallen had yet to win completely. Their record was made up of invalidated matches as Gino always came to break up their fights before there was any clear winner.
He sighed and shook his head. "Kallen, it's for the best that-"
"It's not that," Kallen snapped. He took a step backward; watching as Kallen physically distanced herself from him. "Look, you may be too stupid to care about yourself but I think you care about Lelouch."
Suzaku tensed, waiting for Kallen to come up with another condemnation but she remained silent. He narrowed his eyes. "What happened?"
"Someone broke in." He saw her gaze dart up to the tattoo that was hidden under his shirt. "Someone from that group."
Suzaku reached up and placed his hand over the tattoo. It was useless to cover it up now, Kallen knew about it and the connection had already been made, but he felt a bit more secure if he knew for sure that no one would be able to see it. He looked away from Kallen, lowering his gaze to the floor.
"They took Nunnally, Suzaku, and they demanded that Lelouch go to them or they would kill her. Marianne is searching for them now, but they'll just kill Nunnally if they aren't found by Lelouch."
He looked up, his heart pounding. Marianne had been willing to look over the fact that he had been with the group for now, but she would probably trust him even less after this. Even if Suzaku had nothing to do with the kidnapping, the timing was perfect. Right when Suzaku had gotten back and been denied what he had wanted Nunnally had been taken. Suzaku would be able to deny the accusation, but he was sure that it wouldn't be enough.
Suzaku swallowed, forcing himself to focus back on the problem and not on the possible consequences. "What would they do with Lelouch?"
"It's pretty obvious that they want to kill him."
"Why?"
Kallen stared at him before shoving him. "How would I know? I was just given orders to guard Lelouch."
"And where is he now?" Suzaku leaned around Kallen, trying to see if Lelouch was standing just outside the door. Now was no the time for an explanation of what had happened and Suzaku was sure that Lelouch would allow him that, for now. It was after they had found Nunnally that would be the problem; there would be nothing to stop Lelouch from demanding to know why Suzaku had been avoiding him. The thought of having to explain himself to Lelouch frightened him just a little bit more than the idea that someone from the group was on the grounds.
Kallen grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back, Suzaku staring at her. He gave the door one last glance before meeting her gaze. "Where's Gino?"
"He's hurt." Kallen's voice cracked over the last word, Kallen shaking her head. "He was at the door that the kidnapper used. Before you ask, I don't know why he was there. He's just been avoiding Marianne all day."
"Because of me?"
Kallen didn't answer, but Suzaku knew that it was true. Gino had gotten concerned for his sake and had spoken to Marianne. Suzaku hadn't asked him to because he was fine; he had come to terms with what he would have to do. But it was because of him that Gino wasn't speaking to Marianne, which meant that it was his fault that Gino had been outside of that door when the kidnapper had come in and it was his fault that Gino had gotten hurt.
"How bad is he?"
"He'll live. But that's not the important thing. I was helping Rolo when Lelouch ran off. He's gone after Nunnally."
Suzaku stepped around her, heading for the door. He didn't register that Kallen had called for him to stop until she grabbed him, pulling him back. Lelouch was more important at the moment; there was no time for complicated planning. Suzaku had already wasted time asking pointless questions because he had been took preoccupied to realize what Kallen was really trying to say.
Suzaku tried to pull away only to have Kallen hold onto his arm more tightly. He shook his arm, finally taking a step towards her when she wouldn't relent. "Lelouch is going to get himself killed. Nunnally's safety is important but there has to be a way to get them both out alive."
"So now you care?"
"I never stopped." Suzaku reached down, prying her fingers from his arm. "Where is Lelouch?"
"I don't know." Kallen huffed, pulling away from Suzaku. "I wouldn't have come to get you if I had known."
Suzaku tried not to wince, choosing to step away from her instead. So he was a last resort instead of the first person she turned too. Apparently she wasn't over the fact that he had allowed himself to be reassigned without an argument and, surprisingly, it hurt. Suddenly he was deemed no longer important because it was assumed that he would no longer be there, that he didn't care about Lelouch at all. He forced himself to shrug, trying to be nonchalant. "Fine. Tell me where to start."
Kallen hesitated, staring at him before seeming to come to a decision. She pointed toward one wall with a long sigh. "You search the gardens. I don't know why he would have gone that way, but we might as well look."
"And where will you be?"
Kallen gestured toward where the castle was. "I have to at least make it look like we still know where Lelouch is, just so there isn't more panic. Marianne can't hear about this, or it'll be both our jobs. She's panicked enough as it is with her daughter missing."
"So keep quiet and look quickly. I can do that."
"Good." It was a quick dismissal, Kallen already walking towards the door.
Suzaku stared after her, bristling a bit at her ease in ordering him around. He was sure that she was just worried about Gino, Lelouch and Nunnally; Kallen did tend to get snappy when she was worried. But what hurt was the condescension. He knew that Kallen and Gino weren't happy with him. He knew that they thought that he was just being an idiot. But he had also thought over what he had to do and leaving was the best decision. Lelouch was too important to him and messing up anything when dealing with Lelouch was not an option. Euphemia was a better option because he would be able to see that Lelouch was safe without risking the chance that he would be the one to cause Lelouch harm.
There was nothing he could do about that now. Lelouch was in trouble and, even though he tried to tell himself that Lelouch wasn't his concern anymore, Lelouch was still a royal prince and he was still a guard. It was his duty to protect all the royalty. There was no getting out of this even if he had wanted to refuse. He would have joined in the search if Kallen hadn't come to ask him, but they had decided to leave him alone for obvious reasons. It would be hard to win back the trust of the royals after this, just when he had started to feel secure in his place too.
He shook his head and stormed past her, missing the small smile that crossed Kallen's face. He was too focused on getting to the gardens as quickly as possible.
The gardens took up a large area and would be hard to search because of all the nooks and the odd shadows that were thrown by the plants themselves. Suzaku would have to be careful, because the kidnapper would probably be able to hide anywhere and Suzaku wouldn't see the person until they attacked him. Suzaku tensed at the thought, rolling his shoulders forward and glancing around nervously. There was also the chance that he would walk right by the kidnapper and Nunnally without noticing them, which would mean that the kidnapper would know that they were not following the demands and Nunnally would be killed.
Suzaku gritted his teeth, wanting to find Lelouch so he could punch him. He knew how much Nunnally mattered to Lelouch; Nunnally was like a little sister to him as well. But there was no point in just blundering after Nunnally, not with the threat hovering over her head. There had to be some kind of plan, some way to take a step back and look at the situation before charging in. Lelouch was good at that, but never when Nunnally was involved. That was what Suzaku was around for, to stop Lelouch from doing something stupid for the sake of his sister. Usually, he was there to stop Lelouch. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if this was the one time that he hadn't been there and Lelouch had been hurt, all because Suzaku had been too much of a coward to face him.
He broke into a run, sprinting for the maze. Even with Lelouch in a panic, Suzaku was sure that he would be able to catch up if not outrun him. It was stupid and probably the worst thing to do, but he had to make sure that Lelouch didn't meet with the kidnapper before they had a plan. If Suzaku could just do that, then he would consider it an accomplishment. Then he would know that he had done something worthwhile before leaving Lelouch.
Kallen was probably counting on him to keep her out of trouble as well. She was really worried about Gino. If she had sent him this way and stuck near the castle it meant that she wanted to stay close to him. Suzaku knew that he should have been happier for her, that Kallen was finally allowing herself to trust someone else, especially since Gino was from the class that Kallen openly despised. But there was still some part of him that was angry with her for trying to interfere with his life when he had never commented on hers.
He gave his head a hard shake, nearly losing his balance as he took a turn too sharply. Kallen didn't matter at the moment and neither did Gino. He knew the both of them were safe. That left two more people that he was close to in danger; those two were the ones that he should have been worried about.
Suzaku stumbled to a stop at a crossroads, catching his breath. He turned in a slow circle, straining his senses to try and pick up something. He wasn't sure that Lelouch or the kidnapper would chose to hide in the garden. There were plenty of places to hide but there were equally as many chances to get caught. There was no way out from the garden itself aside from scaling the wall on the other side of the maze.
Suzaku jumped at the sound of something creaking, turning to stare in the direction of the sound. There was no one else in the maze, there was only one entrance. He turned toward the sound, staring at the chapel. That was the only place that could have made a creaking noise. Suzaku stumbled forward a few steps before breaking into a run. There was no way that he was going to pass the chance up.
Suzaku slowed down as he approached the front of the chapel, glancing at the door. The front door was the only entrance, but the door was sure to be guarded. So he would do better to go around the building and find another way in.
He took a deep breath and moved closer to the walls of the chapel. He would be safer in the shadows and where anyone inside wouldn't be able to see him. From there he would at least be able to scout the interior of the chapel. Suzaku dropped into a partial crouch, inching towards the large stained glass window. When he got there he tentatively raised his head, moving to a place where he could see into the chapel itself.
It took him a moment to be able to make out anything inside, Suzaku shifting until he was looking through a clear triangle. He tipped his head to the side, just making out someone beside the alter and someone sitting on the alter. The latter blocked his view of the center aisle and there was no other spot that he could look through, the lack of light making it impossible to see through the colored pieces of glass.
Suzaku huffed and settled into a comfortable position. The only thing for him to do was to wait it out a bit longer. When he person on the alter moved he would get a good view and then he would be completely ready to act.
---
Lelouch stared up at the chapel, ignoring the chill that ran down his spine. The chapel was in the direction that the kidnapper could have gone, but there was no guarantee. Lelouch only hoped that he had beaten his mother to the center. He glanced once over his shoulder before reaching for the door.
It creaked when he went to open it, Lelouch wincing at the sound. In the darkness, it sounded louder than it should have. Lelouch stood still for a moment, waiting for the sound of shouts that would signal the approach of Marianne's guards. There was just silence, Lelouch sighing and stepping into the chapel. He lingered in the shadows by the door, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the gloom in the chapel. When he was sure of himself he began to walk forward.
He intended to carefully look around the chapel, but he was immediately distracted by the girl that was tied by the alter. Lelouch lurched forward, grabbing onto the back of the last row of pews, using them to hold himself up.
She was still alive and seemed to be alright. Even better, Marianne and her search party weren't anywhere near the maze and chapel. Nunnally wouldn't be in danger and he only had to negotiate with the kidnapper to make sure Nunnally would stay safe.
"Nunnally." He whispered his sister's name, some part of him disappointed when she didn't hear him. Lelouch pushed away from the pews and out into the center aisle. "Nunnally!"
She jerked, Lelouch watching as she tried to stand only to crumple to the ground. So, the kidnapper had tied her legs. That she didn't shout back was in indication that she was gagged as well. He couldn't think too far beyond that, just taking note that the kidnapper wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Nunnally, I'm so sorry!"
He jerked to a stop at the sound of clapping. Lelouch turned, staring at the man that was stepping out of the shadows by the back of the chapel. He stumbled back, nearly falling back into a pew as the man strolled up to the alter and leaned on it.
"So the boy finally shows himself. I was wondering if you had gotten my note."
Lelouch pushed himself away from the pew, continuing his walk down the aisle. He was careful to keep his gaze on the kidnapper. "I did. I'm here, now let her go."
The kidnapper looked shocked before letting out a laugh. "Oh and you just think you'll get out so easily? What guarantee will I have that she won't run and bring back up before I'm finished. No, you'll have to wait until I'm done. Now, get up here."
Lelouch frowned and kept up his steady pace. He saw no reason to hurry, especially after the man had refused his demand.
To his annoyance, the man didn't seem to be bothered at Lelouch's resistance. Instead the man just jumped up onto the alter and smiled down at him. "So, what took you so long? I would have thought someone like you would have come running. It's your job isn't it, to protect the princess? But you just left that one guard in charge of her and he was no trouble to dispose of."
Lelouch gritted his teeth, but refrained from snapping out the first thing he could think of. He stepped up onto the dais, turning the man's words over in his head. There was still some safety for him, the kidnapper just thought that he was a guard. Lelouch tried to look for a mark that would connect the man with the group that had massacred his family, quickly giving up. There was no reason to reveal he was a prince; it would probably be safer for him if he didn't. Lelouch chuckled. "Your note was lacking in details."
"I couldn't have Marianne coming after me. And I was sure you would figure it out. There was no way that you couldn't have, not after what you've done."
Lelouch froze, staring at the kidnapper. "What?"
"It should be obvious. You should know what you did." The man leaned forward. "Tell me, I want to hear it from you."
The man was obviously insane, there was no other reason that he would attempt to kidnap Nunnally just to get his attention. And, obviously, the man expected him to know something. Had he spited the man sometime in his past? They looked like they could be around the same age, but Lelouch wasn't completely sure. Lelouch settled for a blank stare.
The man huffed, sitting up and sliding close to the edge of the alter. "Don't give me that look. You know what you did. You know it. You know it."
"Let Nunnally go."
"Not until you tell me!" Lelouch took a step back as the man pulled out a gun and aimed it at him, sliding completely off the alter. "Tell me why you were so special. Tell me why you tried to steal her away from me. Tell me why you were enough to get her killed!"
Lelouch held up his hands, turning slowly until he was facing away from Nunnally. If the man fired the gun Nunnally would be safe.
He carefully raised his hands in an exaggerated sign of surrender. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You do. You wouldn't be here if you weren't guilty."
Lelouch gritted his teeth, glancing behind him to look for a way out. He couldn't see anything towards the sides of the chapel. Besides, if he ran, he wouldn't be able to out run a bullet. He glanced back to Nunnally, watching as she struggled to get out of her bonds, her eyes wide. He wouldn't leave her, not when she was still in danger. Lelouch reached for his neck, automatically trying to find the locket that wasn't there any longer.
He dropped his hands, flinching when he heard the man release the safety of the gun. Lelouch took a deep breath and straightened up. "I can't tell you what I don't know. Before now I didn't know anyone and I don't think that the orphanage would have suffered a loss like that without contacting me." He paused for a moment, long enough for him to grow uncomfortable under the kidnapper's stare. "I haven't killed anyone!"
"You have." The man switched his gun to his other hand. "She was killed because she was following you. They had a whole file on you and she was the one in charge of it. So, who were you to her? Were you the next project or were they trying to replace me?"
"Replace you?"
"I did everything perfectly!" Lelouch recoiled as the man stormed forward, staring at the gun that was pointed at his head. "I did everything that she asked of me and that should have made them happy! But you came along and…what was the point of you? Why were you there?" The man lunged forward, Lelouch stumbling backward as the gun came close to his head. "Why were you so important to her?"
There was a crash and the sound of shattering glass. Lelouch abandoned his attempts to stutter out an answer to look at what had caused the sound. He barely noticed the gun moving away from him, Lelouch focused on the shadow that he saw falling through the window and tumbling behind the alter.
The man reacted faster than Lelouch did, swinging the gun back towards Lelouch and taking a step forward. "Get out from behind there or I'll shoot him."
Lelouch felt the gun press against his head, leaning as far away as he could without falling over. He glanced back at the alter, expecting the person to immediately scurry out from behind cover.
Instead the person jumped onto the alter, using its height to his advantage to leap at the man. The person and the kidnapper collided, the two of them tumbling to the ground. The gun slid somewhere off to the side, knocking harmlessly against the alter before skittering off into the darkness. Lelouch barely gave it one look before running over to Nunnally.
He skidded the last few inches to his sister on his knees, already reaching for the knots that bound her legs. He fought the urge to glance over at the kidnapper, he didn't know how long they would have until the fight was over or who would win. It was better to have Nunnally ready to run before anything happened than to have the kidnapper get his gun again and shot the two of them.
He fumbled with the knot a moment more before finally getting it undone. Lelouch reached for the knot that bound Nunnally to the candle stand, pulling her gag down with one hand. She didn't speak, just twisting so he could get at the knot more easily. Lelouch carefully pulled the knot loose, losing patience with it quickly when it couldn't be undone. He slid the loop over Nunnally's wrists, stopping when the loop didn't quite fit. To his surprise and a bit of dismay, Nunnally wiggled until her hands were free, ignoring his attempts to catch her hands and check to see if she was alright.
She pulled the gag off of her, throwing the cloth to one side before throwing her arms around him. Lelouch stared at her for a moment before smiling and holding her tightly. There were still so many things about her that he couldn't remember, the simplest things and the huge events in Nunnally's life. Thus far he only remembered a few childish games and the fact that he would do anything to keep her safe, but that was enough. At least those things he knew were true, those things felt real.
He looked up from Nunnally, his eyes widening as he saw Suzaku standing up, the man's gun in his hand. Lelouch pulled away slightly from Nunnally, still clinging to her arms. Of all the people that lived in the castle, Suzaku was the last one that he had expected to see.
Suzaku glanced over at them. "Is Nunnally alright?"
Nunnally pulled completely away from Lelouch, getting to her feet. "I'm fine, Suzaku. Thank you."
"I was just doing my duty." Suzaku's eyes narrowed for a moment, Lelouch not sure if the anger there was completely directed at the man on the floor or himself. "It would be best if the two of you left now."
Lelouch helped Nunnally to her feet, carefully escorting her around the scattered broken glass and into the center aisle of the church. Suzaku turned to cover them, the kidnapper remaining on the ground as Suzaku put his back to the center aisle.
Lelouch paused, looking between Suzaku and the man on the floor. "Will you be able to handle this?"
"I'm a soldier, Lelouch. It's my job to protect the royalty."
Lelouch tensed at the terse comment and the reminder. Suzaku didn't even look back at him, not even to check if he was fine. Lelouch understood if Suzaku was angry at him, but for Suzaku to ignore him completely was something else entirely. He felt his stomach turn at that, trying to push it away to think over later.
"Lelouch?" The man on the ground pushed himself up, grinning at him. "Like the lost prince? Is that who you are? Oh, this is my lucky day."
The man got to his feet, ignoring Suzaku's shouted orders to remain on the ground. Lelouch shivered and pushed Nunnally behind him, starting to back down the aisle. The man didn't even seem to care about the gun now, walking forward until his chest was pressed against it.
"Well, well, now I know why they wanted to keep a close eye on you. But that still means that C.C. was killed because of you and the reason isn't that important." The man laughed. "Oh, this is perfect. I'll get my revenge and carry out my orders."
"This is your last warning, back away from them or I will fire!"
The man glanced over at Suzaku, Lelouch shivering as the man stared at Suzaku's neck. The kidnapper smirked and tipped his head to the side, gently resting his fingers on the gun. "Will you Suzaku Kururugi? You'd be killing one of the members of your group."
"I don't want to have anything to do with you people!"
"Really? Well that's a disappointment, because your father had such high hopes for you."
"Your father?" Nunnally reached out to grasp Lelouch's arm, peeking out from behind him. "Suzaku's father had nothing to do with your group."
"He did. He did! Why would I lie to you? Why else would a fierce defender of Japanese independence suddenly decide to throw in his lot with the Britannian emperor? He was planting a spy." The man glanced at Suzaku and winced theatrically. "But it didn't take, did it? You actually wanted to be liked by them and you worked so hard."
"I…I never knew."
"Of course you didn't, that's what made you the best spy."
"I never wanted to spy on them!"
The man laughed, pushing the gun away from his chest. "And your father knew that, which is why he decided to get rid of the problem by killing the royal family."
Lelouch felt Nunnally's grip on his arm tighten. "Suzaku…"
"I didn't know and I never would have let him." Suzaku looked desperately over his shoulder at them. "You were my friends."
"Don't doubt him. He really was a loyal friend. You were the one that stayed behind when they were escaping."
Lelouch took a step forward, but Suzaku was already staring at the man again, visibly shaking now.
The kidnapper didn't seem to care; he just leaned forward and continued. "You had been trained to be the good knight too well. You killed your father. And I bet you didn't have to think twice before you pulled the trigger, it was just instinct. Anything to protect your precious Britannian playmates."
Lelouch felt Nunnally's hand slip from his arm, not sure if it was because he was still moving forward or because Nunnally was backing away from Suzaku. He did hear her gasp but he didn't turn around to look, not when Suzaku was visibly shaking.
"Suzaku, is this true?"
"It's…I didn't…I had to protect you, Nunnally. You were my…"
And Lelouch understood, and hated himself for missing the blatantly obvious. Suzaku had talked about his childhood, how he had enjoyed staying with Lelouch and Nunnally, how his father never around. It was natural that Suzaku would feel more comfortable around the royals than his own family. It was logical that Suzaku would feel loyal to the Britannians above the Japanese who had just treated him as Genbu's son. What surprised Lelouch was that Suzaku had actually pulled the trigger.
But that made everything else make sense. Suzaku had kept the tattoo as a reminder of what he had done, a constant punishment for himself that he couldn't escape. Suzaku had thrown himself into searching for Lelouch in an attempt to make up for his father's betrayal and his own failure. Suzaku had killed his father and lost his best friend that night, he had lost just as much as the other members of the Britannian royal family but had never been able to talk about it. So he had thrown himself into searching for Lelouch, because there was some kind of redemption in that, in taking back what he had lost and regaining his position. It would make up for the betrayal and the failure. Suzaku had risked everything on the slim hope that Lelouch would be alive and had staked his redemption on that.
It was painfully like Suzaku to think like that and, if the situation was any different, Lelouch would have laughed.
It was highly unlikely that Suzaku would have been punished for killing his father; he probably would have been applauded for it. But, in the end, Suzaku would just see it as a life taken in anger. Suzaku would probably hate himself for pulling the trigger for the rest of his life, but Lelouch was more focused on the fact that Suzaku had shot anyway, just because he and Nunnally were in danger.
He stepped up behind Suzaku, keeping an eye on the man as he wrapped one arm around Suzaku's waist. He felt Suzaku start, soothing him with a quick brush of his fingers over Suzaku's arm before he rested his palm over Suzaku's hand. All he needed to do was curl his fingers and he would be holding the gun, but that would be his last resort in the situation.
Lelouch tipped his head to the side, meeting the kidnapper's gaze even as he spoke to Suzaku. "I forgive you."
"Lelouch…"
"He was a traitor."
"He was my father."
"He would have killed us." Lelouch cleared his throat. "Thank you."
Lelouch couldn't see Suzaku's expression, but he felt his friend tense. He couldn't really think of anything else to say, not when the kidnapper was staring at them. He was sure that the man had other weapons and other ways to kill them all, but he wouldn't let that happen. And he wouldn't let this man break Suzaku down any more.
"Shoot and I'll take the blame." He saw Suzaku turn his head, Lelouch smiling back at him. "That is an order from your prince, Suzaku. Fire."
Suzaku paused only long enough to adjust his aim before he pulled the trigger, Lelouch watching as the kidnapper toppled over, a look of surprise on his face. He chuckled to himself, pulling away from Suzaku to look at the man that was splayed out on the floor. "You said it yourself; he doesn't hesitate when defending the nobility."
Lelouch turned away, reaching behind to grab at Suzaku's arm. "Don't you disappear again."
He expected Suzaku to protest, not to just slump and allow himself to be led back to where Nunnally was. Lelouch had thought that Suzaku would have to be coerced, especially with the way he had been shaking earlier. Instead Suzaku was tractable and obeying orders without question. He was probably still reeling from the shock and just relying on habit. Lelouch hesitated before settling for a comforting pat on Suzaku's arm, not sure what Suzaku would do to him if he had been more forward.
Sure that Suzaku would stay close, Lelouch turned to look at Nunnally, holding out his hand for her. She immediately took it and gave it a squeeze, pressing herself against him. "You alright?"
"Yes. You?"
"A bit shaken." Nunnally shivered and tightened her hold on his hand. "But I'm fine. Will Rolo be alright?"
"I'm sure that he will be." Lelouch glanced over at Nunnally, surprised to see that Nunnally was looking back at Suzaku. Lelouch turned to look at Suzaku as well, realizing that she was also asking about Suzaku as well. He stared at Suzaku for a moment before shrugging.
Nunnally sighed and rested her head on Lelouch's shoulder. "Let's go home. It's been a long night."
Lelouch nodded and squeezed her hand in reply. He guided Nunnally down the aisle. For a moment, he was tempted to send Suzaku to find Marianne, just to ease his mother's worry, but he didn't want Suzaku to wander too far away from them, not after the kidnapper had shaken him so much.
He got a better grip on Nunnally, reaching back for Suzaku only to have the guard step away from him. Lelouch pulled his hand back, curling his fingers close to his palm. Part of him wanted to shout at Suzaku for keeping away and blame him for the mess. If Suzaku had been around then Nunnally could have been freed faster and then the kidnapper wouldn't have been able to let that information slip out. But shouting at Suzaku wouldn't help anything, so it was up to him to make the forgiving gesture. And this time he wouldn't allow himself to be pushed away by whatever his mother had to say.
Lelouch had only just regained his family and he had nearly lost both Suzaku and Nunnally in one night. He wasn't going to let it happen again.
Author: Spirithorse (eachainn )
Rating: M
Pairing: Suzalulu, minor KallenxGino and RoloxNunnally
Spoilers: None
Summary: AU. After a horrible attack, the Britannian royal family is scattered. Ten years later, knights are sent after one of the lost princes, expecting nothing more than to hear that the prince has been dead for all those years. Based on the movie, Anastasia.
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass or Anastasia
Prologue- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10-11
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Chapter Eleven: Terror Comes
Suzaku jerked away as someone grabbed his shoulder and shook it. His first reaction was to turn and claw at the person attacking him. He managed to get one hand around the person's throat, Suzaku shifting so he would be able to bring his knee into the person's stomach and lift them off of him before he opened his eyes.
He stared up at Kallen, quickly letting go of her and sitting up in bed. He ran a hand through his hair, absently trying to fix it as he wondered when he had fallen asleep. The last thing he had remembered was going over the pros and cons of becoming Euphemia's knight without really considering the list that he had made. His mind was made up anyway; he would accept the position in the morning.
Suzaku turned his attention back to Kallen, frowning when he realized that he hadn't heard her knocking. He was a light enough sleeper to be woken up by the sound. Kallen had proven that at least once before. But the door was already open, looking slightly askew like Kallen had just thrown herself against it until it had opened. That coupled with the fact that she had been the one to actually wake him up instead of Gino's usual early morning bouncing on his bed was something out of the ordinary.
He blinked rapidly, buying time until he could look at the clock, realizing that it wasn't morning yet. It was still dark, which meant that he hadn't been sleeping for long. But obviously something had happened.
Suzaku pushed Kallen back, slipping from the bed. Gino had probably told her about his decision and she had tried to talk him out of going with Euphemia. Following their normal pattern, if she couldn't convince him to change his mind, she would try to beat it out of him, although Kallen had yet to win completely. Their record was made up of invalidated matches as Gino always came to break up their fights before there was any clear winner.
He sighed and shook his head. "Kallen, it's for the best that-"
"It's not that," Kallen snapped. He took a step backward; watching as Kallen physically distanced herself from him. "Look, you may be too stupid to care about yourself but I think you care about Lelouch."
Suzaku tensed, waiting for Kallen to come up with another condemnation but she remained silent. He narrowed his eyes. "What happened?"
"Someone broke in." He saw her gaze dart up to the tattoo that was hidden under his shirt. "Someone from that group."
Suzaku reached up and placed his hand over the tattoo. It was useless to cover it up now, Kallen knew about it and the connection had already been made, but he felt a bit more secure if he knew for sure that no one would be able to see it. He looked away from Kallen, lowering his gaze to the floor.
"They took Nunnally, Suzaku, and they demanded that Lelouch go to them or they would kill her. Marianne is searching for them now, but they'll just kill Nunnally if they aren't found by Lelouch."
He looked up, his heart pounding. Marianne had been willing to look over the fact that he had been with the group for now, but she would probably trust him even less after this. Even if Suzaku had nothing to do with the kidnapping, the timing was perfect. Right when Suzaku had gotten back and been denied what he had wanted Nunnally had been taken. Suzaku would be able to deny the accusation, but he was sure that it wouldn't be enough.
Suzaku swallowed, forcing himself to focus back on the problem and not on the possible consequences. "What would they do with Lelouch?"
"It's pretty obvious that they want to kill him."
"Why?"
Kallen stared at him before shoving him. "How would I know? I was just given orders to guard Lelouch."
"And where is he now?" Suzaku leaned around Kallen, trying to see if Lelouch was standing just outside the door. Now was no the time for an explanation of what had happened and Suzaku was sure that Lelouch would allow him that, for now. It was after they had found Nunnally that would be the problem; there would be nothing to stop Lelouch from demanding to know why Suzaku had been avoiding him. The thought of having to explain himself to Lelouch frightened him just a little bit more than the idea that someone from the group was on the grounds.
Kallen grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back, Suzaku staring at her. He gave the door one last glance before meeting her gaze. "Where's Gino?"
"He's hurt." Kallen's voice cracked over the last word, Kallen shaking her head. "He was at the door that the kidnapper used. Before you ask, I don't know why he was there. He's just been avoiding Marianne all day."
"Because of me?"
Kallen didn't answer, but Suzaku knew that it was true. Gino had gotten concerned for his sake and had spoken to Marianne. Suzaku hadn't asked him to because he was fine; he had come to terms with what he would have to do. But it was because of him that Gino wasn't speaking to Marianne, which meant that it was his fault that Gino had been outside of that door when the kidnapper had come in and it was his fault that Gino had gotten hurt.
"How bad is he?"
"He'll live. But that's not the important thing. I was helping Rolo when Lelouch ran off. He's gone after Nunnally."
Suzaku stepped around her, heading for the door. He didn't register that Kallen had called for him to stop until she grabbed him, pulling him back. Lelouch was more important at the moment; there was no time for complicated planning. Suzaku had already wasted time asking pointless questions because he had been took preoccupied to realize what Kallen was really trying to say.
Suzaku tried to pull away only to have Kallen hold onto his arm more tightly. He shook his arm, finally taking a step towards her when she wouldn't relent. "Lelouch is going to get himself killed. Nunnally's safety is important but there has to be a way to get them both out alive."
"So now you care?"
"I never stopped." Suzaku reached down, prying her fingers from his arm. "Where is Lelouch?"
"I don't know." Kallen huffed, pulling away from Suzaku. "I wouldn't have come to get you if I had known."
Suzaku tried not to wince, choosing to step away from her instead. So he was a last resort instead of the first person she turned too. Apparently she wasn't over the fact that he had allowed himself to be reassigned without an argument and, surprisingly, it hurt. Suddenly he was deemed no longer important because it was assumed that he would no longer be there, that he didn't care about Lelouch at all. He forced himself to shrug, trying to be nonchalant. "Fine. Tell me where to start."
Kallen hesitated, staring at him before seeming to come to a decision. She pointed toward one wall with a long sigh. "You search the gardens. I don't know why he would have gone that way, but we might as well look."
"And where will you be?"
Kallen gestured toward where the castle was. "I have to at least make it look like we still know where Lelouch is, just so there isn't more panic. Marianne can't hear about this, or it'll be both our jobs. She's panicked enough as it is with her daughter missing."
"So keep quiet and look quickly. I can do that."
"Good." It was a quick dismissal, Kallen already walking towards the door.
Suzaku stared after her, bristling a bit at her ease in ordering him around. He was sure that she was just worried about Gino, Lelouch and Nunnally; Kallen did tend to get snappy when she was worried. But what hurt was the condescension. He knew that Kallen and Gino weren't happy with him. He knew that they thought that he was just being an idiot. But he had also thought over what he had to do and leaving was the best decision. Lelouch was too important to him and messing up anything when dealing with Lelouch was not an option. Euphemia was a better option because he would be able to see that Lelouch was safe without risking the chance that he would be the one to cause Lelouch harm.
There was nothing he could do about that now. Lelouch was in trouble and, even though he tried to tell himself that Lelouch wasn't his concern anymore, Lelouch was still a royal prince and he was still a guard. It was his duty to protect all the royalty. There was no getting out of this even if he had wanted to refuse. He would have joined in the search if Kallen hadn't come to ask him, but they had decided to leave him alone for obvious reasons. It would be hard to win back the trust of the royals after this, just when he had started to feel secure in his place too.
He shook his head and stormed past her, missing the small smile that crossed Kallen's face. He was too focused on getting to the gardens as quickly as possible.
The gardens took up a large area and would be hard to search because of all the nooks and the odd shadows that were thrown by the plants themselves. Suzaku would have to be careful, because the kidnapper would probably be able to hide anywhere and Suzaku wouldn't see the person until they attacked him. Suzaku tensed at the thought, rolling his shoulders forward and glancing around nervously. There was also the chance that he would walk right by the kidnapper and Nunnally without noticing them, which would mean that the kidnapper would know that they were not following the demands and Nunnally would be killed.
Suzaku gritted his teeth, wanting to find Lelouch so he could punch him. He knew how much Nunnally mattered to Lelouch; Nunnally was like a little sister to him as well. But there was no point in just blundering after Nunnally, not with the threat hovering over her head. There had to be some kind of plan, some way to take a step back and look at the situation before charging in. Lelouch was good at that, but never when Nunnally was involved. That was what Suzaku was around for, to stop Lelouch from doing something stupid for the sake of his sister. Usually, he was there to stop Lelouch. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if this was the one time that he hadn't been there and Lelouch had been hurt, all because Suzaku had been too much of a coward to face him.
He broke into a run, sprinting for the maze. Even with Lelouch in a panic, Suzaku was sure that he would be able to catch up if not outrun him. It was stupid and probably the worst thing to do, but he had to make sure that Lelouch didn't meet with the kidnapper before they had a plan. If Suzaku could just do that, then he would consider it an accomplishment. Then he would know that he had done something worthwhile before leaving Lelouch.
Kallen was probably counting on him to keep her out of trouble as well. She was really worried about Gino. If she had sent him this way and stuck near the castle it meant that she wanted to stay close to him. Suzaku knew that he should have been happier for her, that Kallen was finally allowing herself to trust someone else, especially since Gino was from the class that Kallen openly despised. But there was still some part of him that was angry with her for trying to interfere with his life when he had never commented on hers.
He gave his head a hard shake, nearly losing his balance as he took a turn too sharply. Kallen didn't matter at the moment and neither did Gino. He knew the both of them were safe. That left two more people that he was close to in danger; those two were the ones that he should have been worried about.
Suzaku stumbled to a stop at a crossroads, catching his breath. He turned in a slow circle, straining his senses to try and pick up something. He wasn't sure that Lelouch or the kidnapper would chose to hide in the garden. There were plenty of places to hide but there were equally as many chances to get caught. There was no way out from the garden itself aside from scaling the wall on the other side of the maze.
Suzaku jumped at the sound of something creaking, turning to stare in the direction of the sound. There was no one else in the maze, there was only one entrance. He turned toward the sound, staring at the chapel. That was the only place that could have made a creaking noise. Suzaku stumbled forward a few steps before breaking into a run. There was no way that he was going to pass the chance up.
Suzaku slowed down as he approached the front of the chapel, glancing at the door. The front door was the only entrance, but the door was sure to be guarded. So he would do better to go around the building and find another way in.
He took a deep breath and moved closer to the walls of the chapel. He would be safer in the shadows and where anyone inside wouldn't be able to see him. From there he would at least be able to scout the interior of the chapel. Suzaku dropped into a partial crouch, inching towards the large stained glass window. When he got there he tentatively raised his head, moving to a place where he could see into the chapel itself.
It took him a moment to be able to make out anything inside, Suzaku shifting until he was looking through a clear triangle. He tipped his head to the side, just making out someone beside the alter and someone sitting on the alter. The latter blocked his view of the center aisle and there was no other spot that he could look through, the lack of light making it impossible to see through the colored pieces of glass.
Suzaku huffed and settled into a comfortable position. The only thing for him to do was to wait it out a bit longer. When he person on the alter moved he would get a good view and then he would be completely ready to act.
---
Lelouch stared up at the chapel, ignoring the chill that ran down his spine. The chapel was in the direction that the kidnapper could have gone, but there was no guarantee. Lelouch only hoped that he had beaten his mother to the center. He glanced once over his shoulder before reaching for the door.
It creaked when he went to open it, Lelouch wincing at the sound. In the darkness, it sounded louder than it should have. Lelouch stood still for a moment, waiting for the sound of shouts that would signal the approach of Marianne's guards. There was just silence, Lelouch sighing and stepping into the chapel. He lingered in the shadows by the door, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the gloom in the chapel. When he was sure of himself he began to walk forward.
He intended to carefully look around the chapel, but he was immediately distracted by the girl that was tied by the alter. Lelouch lurched forward, grabbing onto the back of the last row of pews, using them to hold himself up.
She was still alive and seemed to be alright. Even better, Marianne and her search party weren't anywhere near the maze and chapel. Nunnally wouldn't be in danger and he only had to negotiate with the kidnapper to make sure Nunnally would stay safe.
"Nunnally." He whispered his sister's name, some part of him disappointed when she didn't hear him. Lelouch pushed away from the pews and out into the center aisle. "Nunnally!"
She jerked, Lelouch watching as she tried to stand only to crumple to the ground. So, the kidnapper had tied her legs. That she didn't shout back was in indication that she was gagged as well. He couldn't think too far beyond that, just taking note that the kidnapper wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Nunnally, I'm so sorry!"
He jerked to a stop at the sound of clapping. Lelouch turned, staring at the man that was stepping out of the shadows by the back of the chapel. He stumbled back, nearly falling back into a pew as the man strolled up to the alter and leaned on it.
"So the boy finally shows himself. I was wondering if you had gotten my note."
Lelouch pushed himself away from the pew, continuing his walk down the aisle. He was careful to keep his gaze on the kidnapper. "I did. I'm here, now let her go."
The kidnapper looked shocked before letting out a laugh. "Oh and you just think you'll get out so easily? What guarantee will I have that she won't run and bring back up before I'm finished. No, you'll have to wait until I'm done. Now, get up here."
Lelouch frowned and kept up his steady pace. He saw no reason to hurry, especially after the man had refused his demand.
To his annoyance, the man didn't seem to be bothered at Lelouch's resistance. Instead the man just jumped up onto the alter and smiled down at him. "So, what took you so long? I would have thought someone like you would have come running. It's your job isn't it, to protect the princess? But you just left that one guard in charge of her and he was no trouble to dispose of."
Lelouch gritted his teeth, but refrained from snapping out the first thing he could think of. He stepped up onto the dais, turning the man's words over in his head. There was still some safety for him, the kidnapper just thought that he was a guard. Lelouch tried to look for a mark that would connect the man with the group that had massacred his family, quickly giving up. There was no reason to reveal he was a prince; it would probably be safer for him if he didn't. Lelouch chuckled. "Your note was lacking in details."
"I couldn't have Marianne coming after me. And I was sure you would figure it out. There was no way that you couldn't have, not after what you've done."
Lelouch froze, staring at the kidnapper. "What?"
"It should be obvious. You should know what you did." The man leaned forward. "Tell me, I want to hear it from you."
The man was obviously insane, there was no other reason that he would attempt to kidnap Nunnally just to get his attention. And, obviously, the man expected him to know something. Had he spited the man sometime in his past? They looked like they could be around the same age, but Lelouch wasn't completely sure. Lelouch settled for a blank stare.
The man huffed, sitting up and sliding close to the edge of the alter. "Don't give me that look. You know what you did. You know it. You know it."
"Let Nunnally go."
"Not until you tell me!" Lelouch took a step back as the man pulled out a gun and aimed it at him, sliding completely off the alter. "Tell me why you were so special. Tell me why you tried to steal her away from me. Tell me why you were enough to get her killed!"
Lelouch held up his hands, turning slowly until he was facing away from Nunnally. If the man fired the gun Nunnally would be safe.
He carefully raised his hands in an exaggerated sign of surrender. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You do. You wouldn't be here if you weren't guilty."
Lelouch gritted his teeth, glancing behind him to look for a way out. He couldn't see anything towards the sides of the chapel. Besides, if he ran, he wouldn't be able to out run a bullet. He glanced back to Nunnally, watching as she struggled to get out of her bonds, her eyes wide. He wouldn't leave her, not when she was still in danger. Lelouch reached for his neck, automatically trying to find the locket that wasn't there any longer.
He dropped his hands, flinching when he heard the man release the safety of the gun. Lelouch took a deep breath and straightened up. "I can't tell you what I don't know. Before now I didn't know anyone and I don't think that the orphanage would have suffered a loss like that without contacting me." He paused for a moment, long enough for him to grow uncomfortable under the kidnapper's stare. "I haven't killed anyone!"
"You have." The man switched his gun to his other hand. "She was killed because she was following you. They had a whole file on you and she was the one in charge of it. So, who were you to her? Were you the next project or were they trying to replace me?"
"Replace you?"
"I did everything perfectly!" Lelouch recoiled as the man stormed forward, staring at the gun that was pointed at his head. "I did everything that she asked of me and that should have made them happy! But you came along and…what was the point of you? Why were you there?" The man lunged forward, Lelouch stumbling backward as the gun came close to his head. "Why were you so important to her?"
There was a crash and the sound of shattering glass. Lelouch abandoned his attempts to stutter out an answer to look at what had caused the sound. He barely noticed the gun moving away from him, Lelouch focused on the shadow that he saw falling through the window and tumbling behind the alter.
The man reacted faster than Lelouch did, swinging the gun back towards Lelouch and taking a step forward. "Get out from behind there or I'll shoot him."
Lelouch felt the gun press against his head, leaning as far away as he could without falling over. He glanced back at the alter, expecting the person to immediately scurry out from behind cover.
Instead the person jumped onto the alter, using its height to his advantage to leap at the man. The person and the kidnapper collided, the two of them tumbling to the ground. The gun slid somewhere off to the side, knocking harmlessly against the alter before skittering off into the darkness. Lelouch barely gave it one look before running over to Nunnally.
He skidded the last few inches to his sister on his knees, already reaching for the knots that bound her legs. He fought the urge to glance over at the kidnapper, he didn't know how long they would have until the fight was over or who would win. It was better to have Nunnally ready to run before anything happened than to have the kidnapper get his gun again and shot the two of them.
He fumbled with the knot a moment more before finally getting it undone. Lelouch reached for the knot that bound Nunnally to the candle stand, pulling her gag down with one hand. She didn't speak, just twisting so he could get at the knot more easily. Lelouch carefully pulled the knot loose, losing patience with it quickly when it couldn't be undone. He slid the loop over Nunnally's wrists, stopping when the loop didn't quite fit. To his surprise and a bit of dismay, Nunnally wiggled until her hands were free, ignoring his attempts to catch her hands and check to see if she was alright.
She pulled the gag off of her, throwing the cloth to one side before throwing her arms around him. Lelouch stared at her for a moment before smiling and holding her tightly. There were still so many things about her that he couldn't remember, the simplest things and the huge events in Nunnally's life. Thus far he only remembered a few childish games and the fact that he would do anything to keep her safe, but that was enough. At least those things he knew were true, those things felt real.
He looked up from Nunnally, his eyes widening as he saw Suzaku standing up, the man's gun in his hand. Lelouch pulled away slightly from Nunnally, still clinging to her arms. Of all the people that lived in the castle, Suzaku was the last one that he had expected to see.
Suzaku glanced over at them. "Is Nunnally alright?"
Nunnally pulled completely away from Lelouch, getting to her feet. "I'm fine, Suzaku. Thank you."
"I was just doing my duty." Suzaku's eyes narrowed for a moment, Lelouch not sure if the anger there was completely directed at the man on the floor or himself. "It would be best if the two of you left now."
Lelouch helped Nunnally to her feet, carefully escorting her around the scattered broken glass and into the center aisle of the church. Suzaku turned to cover them, the kidnapper remaining on the ground as Suzaku put his back to the center aisle.
Lelouch paused, looking between Suzaku and the man on the floor. "Will you be able to handle this?"
"I'm a soldier, Lelouch. It's my job to protect the royalty."
Lelouch tensed at the terse comment and the reminder. Suzaku didn't even look back at him, not even to check if he was fine. Lelouch understood if Suzaku was angry at him, but for Suzaku to ignore him completely was something else entirely. He felt his stomach turn at that, trying to push it away to think over later.
"Lelouch?" The man on the ground pushed himself up, grinning at him. "Like the lost prince? Is that who you are? Oh, this is my lucky day."
The man got to his feet, ignoring Suzaku's shouted orders to remain on the ground. Lelouch shivered and pushed Nunnally behind him, starting to back down the aisle. The man didn't even seem to care about the gun now, walking forward until his chest was pressed against it.
"Well, well, now I know why they wanted to keep a close eye on you. But that still means that C.C. was killed because of you and the reason isn't that important." The man laughed. "Oh, this is perfect. I'll get my revenge and carry out my orders."
"This is your last warning, back away from them or I will fire!"
The man glanced over at Suzaku, Lelouch shivering as the man stared at Suzaku's neck. The kidnapper smirked and tipped his head to the side, gently resting his fingers on the gun. "Will you Suzaku Kururugi? You'd be killing one of the members of your group."
"I don't want to have anything to do with you people!"
"Really? Well that's a disappointment, because your father had such high hopes for you."
"Your father?" Nunnally reached out to grasp Lelouch's arm, peeking out from behind him. "Suzaku's father had nothing to do with your group."
"He did. He did! Why would I lie to you? Why else would a fierce defender of Japanese independence suddenly decide to throw in his lot with the Britannian emperor? He was planting a spy." The man glanced at Suzaku and winced theatrically. "But it didn't take, did it? You actually wanted to be liked by them and you worked so hard."
"I…I never knew."
"Of course you didn't, that's what made you the best spy."
"I never wanted to spy on them!"
The man laughed, pushing the gun away from his chest. "And your father knew that, which is why he decided to get rid of the problem by killing the royal family."
Lelouch felt Nunnally's grip on his arm tighten. "Suzaku…"
"I didn't know and I never would have let him." Suzaku looked desperately over his shoulder at them. "You were my friends."
"Don't doubt him. He really was a loyal friend. You were the one that stayed behind when they were escaping."
Lelouch took a step forward, but Suzaku was already staring at the man again, visibly shaking now.
The kidnapper didn't seem to care; he just leaned forward and continued. "You had been trained to be the good knight too well. You killed your father. And I bet you didn't have to think twice before you pulled the trigger, it was just instinct. Anything to protect your precious Britannian playmates."
Lelouch felt Nunnally's hand slip from his arm, not sure if it was because he was still moving forward or because Nunnally was backing away from Suzaku. He did hear her gasp but he didn't turn around to look, not when Suzaku was visibly shaking.
"Suzaku, is this true?"
"It's…I didn't…I had to protect you, Nunnally. You were my…"
And Lelouch understood, and hated himself for missing the blatantly obvious. Suzaku had talked about his childhood, how he had enjoyed staying with Lelouch and Nunnally, how his father never around. It was natural that Suzaku would feel more comfortable around the royals than his own family. It was logical that Suzaku would feel loyal to the Britannians above the Japanese who had just treated him as Genbu's son. What surprised Lelouch was that Suzaku had actually pulled the trigger.
But that made everything else make sense. Suzaku had kept the tattoo as a reminder of what he had done, a constant punishment for himself that he couldn't escape. Suzaku had thrown himself into searching for Lelouch in an attempt to make up for his father's betrayal and his own failure. Suzaku had killed his father and lost his best friend that night, he had lost just as much as the other members of the Britannian royal family but had never been able to talk about it. So he had thrown himself into searching for Lelouch, because there was some kind of redemption in that, in taking back what he had lost and regaining his position. It would make up for the betrayal and the failure. Suzaku had risked everything on the slim hope that Lelouch would be alive and had staked his redemption on that.
It was painfully like Suzaku to think like that and, if the situation was any different, Lelouch would have laughed.
It was highly unlikely that Suzaku would have been punished for killing his father; he probably would have been applauded for it. But, in the end, Suzaku would just see it as a life taken in anger. Suzaku would probably hate himself for pulling the trigger for the rest of his life, but Lelouch was more focused on the fact that Suzaku had shot anyway, just because he and Nunnally were in danger.
He stepped up behind Suzaku, keeping an eye on the man as he wrapped one arm around Suzaku's waist. He felt Suzaku start, soothing him with a quick brush of his fingers over Suzaku's arm before he rested his palm over Suzaku's hand. All he needed to do was curl his fingers and he would be holding the gun, but that would be his last resort in the situation.
Lelouch tipped his head to the side, meeting the kidnapper's gaze even as he spoke to Suzaku. "I forgive you."
"Lelouch…"
"He was a traitor."
"He was my father."
"He would have killed us." Lelouch cleared his throat. "Thank you."
Lelouch couldn't see Suzaku's expression, but he felt his friend tense. He couldn't really think of anything else to say, not when the kidnapper was staring at them. He was sure that the man had other weapons and other ways to kill them all, but he wouldn't let that happen. And he wouldn't let this man break Suzaku down any more.
"Shoot and I'll take the blame." He saw Suzaku turn his head, Lelouch smiling back at him. "That is an order from your prince, Suzaku. Fire."
Suzaku paused only long enough to adjust his aim before he pulled the trigger, Lelouch watching as the kidnapper toppled over, a look of surprise on his face. He chuckled to himself, pulling away from Suzaku to look at the man that was splayed out on the floor. "You said it yourself; he doesn't hesitate when defending the nobility."
Lelouch turned away, reaching behind to grab at Suzaku's arm. "Don't you disappear again."
He expected Suzaku to protest, not to just slump and allow himself to be led back to where Nunnally was. Lelouch had thought that Suzaku would have to be coerced, especially with the way he had been shaking earlier. Instead Suzaku was tractable and obeying orders without question. He was probably still reeling from the shock and just relying on habit. Lelouch hesitated before settling for a comforting pat on Suzaku's arm, not sure what Suzaku would do to him if he had been more forward.
Sure that Suzaku would stay close, Lelouch turned to look at Nunnally, holding out his hand for her. She immediately took it and gave it a squeeze, pressing herself against him. "You alright?"
"Yes. You?"
"A bit shaken." Nunnally shivered and tightened her hold on his hand. "But I'm fine. Will Rolo be alright?"
"I'm sure that he will be." Lelouch glanced over at Nunnally, surprised to see that Nunnally was looking back at Suzaku. Lelouch turned to look at Suzaku as well, realizing that she was also asking about Suzaku as well. He stared at Suzaku for a moment before shrugging.
Nunnally sighed and rested her head on Lelouch's shoulder. "Let's go home. It's been a long night."
Lelouch nodded and squeezed her hand in reply. He guided Nunnally down the aisle. For a moment, he was tempted to send Suzaku to find Marianne, just to ease his mother's worry, but he didn't want Suzaku to wander too far away from them, not after the kidnapper had shaken him so much.
He got a better grip on Nunnally, reaching back for Suzaku only to have the guard step away from him. Lelouch pulled his hand back, curling his fingers close to his palm. Part of him wanted to shout at Suzaku for keeping away and blame him for the mess. If Suzaku had been around then Nunnally could have been freed faster and then the kidnapper wouldn't have been able to let that information slip out. But shouting at Suzaku wouldn't help anything, so it was up to him to make the forgiving gesture. And this time he wouldn't allow himself to be pushed away by whatever his mother had to say.
Lelouch had only just regained his family and he had nearly lost both Suzaku and Nunnally in one night. He wasn't going to let it happen again.