Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass, and by no means am I trying to profit off of it.

Spoiler Alert: If you have not seen the entire series, this story contains spoilers. This story will take off where Code Geass season 2 left off. I highly recommend watching the rest of Code Geass because it has a storyline which has some twists that will blow your mind.

Author's note: This is my first fanfic, so I would really appreciate reviews. I'm trying to improve my writing, so I would appreciate constructive criticism. Seeing how short this document is after uploading it, I will try and make the next chapter longer. This is my own personal take on where the story could go if Clamp and Sunrise decide on making a third season and continue where they left off. As for the romance part, don't expect it for awhile. Enjoy!

1. A Wake for a Demon

They were no longer a numbered territory. They had a name again. Japan. For years, the Japanese had not dared hope for independence. But finally, peace blanketed the war torn nation, a nation that had been the center of the clash between the Holy Britannian Empire and the World.

People celebrated in the streets. Groups of people were singing celebratory songs. A Britannian and Japanese man could be seen stumbling out of a local bar. They had their arms wrapped around each other, slurring a song celebrating the death of the Demon Emperor. The respective mens' friends were trying to separate them and make them aware of their racial difference, but the men were too drunk to care. They were free.

Confetti rained from the sky, blanketing the city in red and white. Under the spell of the celebratory atmosphere, lovers were kissing each other and taking pictures to remember the momentous day. Children danced in the paper rain calling to their mothers to watch them. Children with little Zero masks could be seen bobbing up and down and cutting in-between legs. The parents laughed at the children's enthusiasm. It felt good to laugh again. Tokyo sang of its proudly won peace by their hero, the man of miracles, Zero. The sounds of revel making could be heard everywhere, but to Suzaku Kururugi, it was a somber time.

The crack of the fireworks reminded him of explosions, which had only stopped in the last three months. The constant drone of a voice over the radio emergency system announcing "Japanese liberation day" was the same voice that had too often ordered him to the forefront of some battle against his own people. Many of the friends he wished to share this day with were dead. This peace had cost him dearly.

In the depths of the Viceroy's Palace in the center of the Tokyo Settlement, Suzaku sat in a heavy, ornately carved wooden chair against a wall in a conference room. The conference room was frugal with its decorations. The starkness of the room focused the mind on negotiations and any other dealings which were supposed to take place there. Upon entering the white marble room with various shades of gray imperfection spotting the wall, one would be greeted by a map showing the number of territories that Britannia had conquered built into the adjacent wall. A black marble table occupied most of the central space of the room. Normally, sixteen chairs would encircle the table, but instead, the chairs lined the wall to give berth to the conference table. It was in one of these chairs that Suzaku sat. The reason for the odd arrangement was that today the room had a special purpose. Today, it served as a morgue to the late Demon Emperor, Lelouch Lamperouge.

Suzaku's eyes kept being drawn to the defining piece of furniture of the austere room: the black marble table. The black marble table dominated the room. The table lacked the imperfections of the white marble on the wall giving it a sheer black look, a trait about the table impossible to find anywhere else. Suzaku knew it must have come from one of Britannia's other territories. And, it was on this stygian conference table that the body of Lelouch Lamperouge rested. The black luster of the marble table contrasted with the ivory skin of the deceased youth accentuating the lack of color in his face. He looked almost angelic in the peaceful slumber of death. It was hard to believe that it was this man who was feared by the whole world only a couple of hours ago.

The sounds of celebration could be heard through the open window in the west wall and echoed in the empty room. The sounds lulled Suzaku into a hypnotic state forcing him to remember the events of the day. The memories were like a bothersome fly, disappearing for a few seconds only to be found moments later in front of his face. He tried to brush the thoughts aside, only for the memories to buzz to the forefront of his mind. Suzaku closed his eyes.

Memories vividly flashed in his mind's eye. He could hear the whizz of the bullets as he ran through the hail of death from the Knightmare rifle. He could feel the warmth of the blood of the late Demon Emperor as it trickled down his sword and seeped through the Zero suit. The thought made him smell the sharp metallic sting that still hovered about him. It was the smell of death he was all too familiar with. He opened his eyes to look at the friend who lay on the slab in the middle of the room.

The nondescript meeting room emanated cold from its sterile stone, chilling its occupants. Suzaku could feel the weight of Zero's helmet weigh down on him. The helmet was recognized by the world as the face of Justice. The helmet was not his by right, but Lelouch's.

Lelouch had been constructing a plan for world peace. He led the double life of tyrant and savior. He became a demon on which the world could focus its hate, and developed the hero who would save it. With these dualities, he created Zero Requiem, a plan to complete his goal. He would sacrifice himself as the Demon Emperor and have his Zero counterpart complete the task. Suzaku had agreed to become Zero and assist Lelouch in the task. Suzaku shifted in his seat thinking of how much he and his friend had sacrificed to bring peace to the world; to ensure that the millions who died before them did not die in vain.

Suzaku ran his hands down the solid wooden armrests with its engravings. He traced the snake-like designs until his hands rested on the end of the armrest. He clutched the ends trying to take his thoughts away from the cold of the room which had seeped into his suit hours ago. Suzaku looked over at Nunally sitting next to her brother, and worried that she might catch a cold in this unforgiving room.

Suzaku gazed at Nunally, who still sat clutching her brother's hand ever since the body had been transported to the palace. After the Demon Emperor's death, the crowd had tried to pull the body away from her. Nunally had pleaded with them to leave her her brother's body. Only the authority of Zero had saved the body from the desecration the mob had in store for it. Suzaku personally escorted the body to the Viceroy's Palace to ensure nothing happened to it. Nunally had quieted down since the parade grounds and had not spoken since Lelouch had been moved. Her eyes were red rimmed; tears would no longer fall from her tired eyes.

Suzaku worried for her. It reminded him of his mourning of Euphemia. He wistfully remembered her smile. Euphie, the princess who he loved and who believed in the same peaceful world he did. She, who was framed and killed in Zero's first crusade against Britannia. He unconsciously released the armrest and clenched his fist making a crisp swish sound with the polyester gloves. He had lost his love, Euphie, and as far as he was concerned, he had lost his friend, Lelouch, that day too. Now, he wore the uniform of the man who had killed her. The mask was stifling him, giving him a claustrophobic effect. Suzaku gripped the armrests of the chair again, squeezing them to calm his nerves. He still could not accept some of the choices his friend had made.

Oddly, the three would forever be linked together in history. Euphemia, Lelouch, and Suzaku would be remembered in infamy for the massacre and enslavement of millions. They had torn apart nations and made the Earth tremble. But unbeknownst to the world, these three were the secret architects of the peace that existed now. Through all the trials, the Sword of Akasha and the Damocles, he and Lelouch had overcome them all to make Euphie's dream of world peace come true.

A phrase Lelouch spoke to him before the completion of Zero Requiem continued to echo in the back of his head. "You will sacrifice all of your own happiness for the world. Eternally." Suzaku closed his eyes and saw violet eyes looking at him. He clenched the end of the armrest and vowed to himself to take that responsibility yet again. He had to, for her dream to continue. He could no longer afford to care for the dead; he had to care for the living. Suzaku relaxed his muscles and laid back in his chair. He wanted Nunally to have more time with her brother before he and she confronted the media and the world.

Suzaku looked at Nunally, holding her brother's hand, squeezing it as if to bring life back into it. Beneath the eyes of weariness, Nunally had a tiny smile, a smile that embodied understanding and her characteristic kindness. It was her defining feature, and it was this kindness which would characterize the next Britannian rule. Suzaku still worried for her, but he knew she would be alright. He couldn't believe how strong she was. Only recently she had overcome the shock of regaining her sight, and now, she was beginning to accept the death of her brother. Suzaku knew Nunally was perceptive, and that she understood her brother was not the monster he appeared. Suzaku wondered how much she knew about her brother's actions. Regardless of how much she understood, he knew she would ensure the continued success of world peace.

Suzaku thoughts were interrupted as he heard the clack of shoes. The sounds echoed in the empty hall outside the conference room and got louder as they approached the door. The clack was higher pitched than the hard soles of a military boot. It sounded more like high heeled shoes. Suzaku assumed it must be Cornelia coming to check up on Nunally. Suzaku shifted in his seat readying himself for whoever it might be. He heard the shoes stop right outside the heavy oaken doors. He adjusted his helmet and prepared himself to play the part of Zero accordingly.

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