Lelouch's and Shirley's Fate: Take Two

[sweettalkeress.livejournal.com]

 This is Part two of a two-part project. Part one is here. It's not necessary to read Part one to understand Part two, but part of the point is to read them both and see the contrast, so....

One more thing: the beginning of this story is mostly just like the beginning of Part one. It's the different ending that counts.

I OWN NOTHING!!

Characters/pairings: Lelouch/Shirley
Genre: Drama, romance, hurt/comfort
Rated: PG
Warnings: None really. It's just pretty weepy.

 

Shirley was dying. She could feel intense pain in her chest and belly, and increasing weakness as her lifeblood drained out of her. Lelouch was screaming, begging her not to die, to stay with him; but she could feel his voice slipping, slipping away. She wanted to grab onto him, to hold him; but she couldn’t. She was simply too tired. She was just about to fall asleep and when she woke up, well... she would be far away from him. She barely had time to think these thoughts before a crushing blackness became all.

 

The next thing she knew, she was walking toward a warm, white light, wearing a white dress so soft and comfortable that she actually rubbed her face with her sleeve a few times, just to feel it. Suddenly it opened in front of her, to reveal a beautiful meadow, green and full of flowers, with trees and the most stunning landscape she had ever seen going off into the distance. The sky was a perfect shade of blue, without a single cloud, and the sun shone brightly. Shirley saw people everywhere, laughing, talking, and hugging one another. Children were playing, and couples were holding hands.

 

“Oh, what a beautiful place!” said Shirley to no one, in particular. She began walking through the soft meadow, looking around. The first person who met her eyes smiled at her so sweetly she shuddered with pleasure.

 

Suddenly: “Shirley?” Shirley heard a voice that she knew all too well. “Is that you?”

 

“Oh, Dad!” she replied, turning around and running to her father as tears welled up in her eyes. They hugged each other for a long time. “I’m so glad to see you! I missed you!”

 

“I’ve been watching you,” he said, “I couldn’t believe it. Seeing my little girl, a young woman, give her life for the man she loved. I didn’t know whether to be proud or upset!”

 

“Dad, I... I had to. He was all alone except for me,” said Shirley, tears rolling down her face.

 

“It’s alright,” said her father, “You don’t need to cry. This is your home now, and you’ll love it here. You can make lots of new friends....”

 

“Yeah, sure,” said Shirley, wiping her eyes. “I guess... it is my home now, so....”

 

And as Shirley got used to paradise, she spent time watching over her still-living friends, and especially Lelouch. He worried her, though; he was starting to commit many murders, and Shirley shuddered to think that she could have led him to it, however indirectly.

 

She watched him commit more and more violent and cruel acts, and her hopes of ever being united with him sank lower and lower and lower. Soon she couldn’t even bear to watch him without bursting into tears.

 

To distract herself, she began spending more time focusing on heaven itself. She made lots of new friends easily, with some of the sweetest, most gentle people she had ever met. She spoke to and cuddled the children, and soon they learned her name and would invite her to play. Many, many people told her how beautiful she was; especially men.

 

She never quite forgot Lelouch, though; and she watched as he died, stabbed by his old friend Suzaku. She tried to remember if she knew what the circumstances were; perhaps he had planned it. That was very like him.

 

It was officially true, she was sure. Lelouch was gone from her forever. He murdered so many people; surpassed all others Shirley could possibly imagine in acts of violence and cruelty. He was doomed. Her darling was going to hell, and she would never see him again. Tears welled up in Shirley’s eyes until she could no longer see the grass she was lying in, and she cried her heart out. Instantly no less than five people rushed to her side and began patting her and cuddling her and inviting her to do things to cheer her up. People were so rarely sad here that anytime it happened everyone in the vicinity would attempt to fix the problem. “N-no thanks,” she said, “P-please, can I just be alone?”

 

“What’s happened?” asked one person.

 

“My....” Her what? “My b-boyfriend... just died.... And he’ll go to hell!”

 

“What kind of boyfriend would go to hell?” came the reply, “If he’s going to hell he’s not good enough for you; forget him!” There was a general murmur of agreement.

 

“No, you don’t understand...,” she began. After several unsuccessful attempts to cheer her up, most people lost interest and left. One of a group of young men approached her. “Gee...,” he said sheepishly, “M-maybe I could cheer you up? I could be your boyfriend. Sorta.... C’mon, I’ll show you my favorite....”

 

“That’s... very kind of you,” said Shirley, raising her voice to show her emotion, as her cheeks flushed pink in indignation and shame, “But... I’d really, really rather be alone.”

 

“Oh, okay,” said the man, wandering away with the rest of the crowd.

 

Years went by. Shirley focused on her new friends, and her old ones too. Her mother had taken to living alone after the deaths of her husband and daughter, and spent the rest of her life doing good. Nunnally became a major diplomatic figure in the world, and Shirley laughed a little, remembering the young blind girl who relied on her older brother for everything. Milly and Rivalz married, and it made Shirley’s insides constrict in joy and longing to see them with their rapidly-growing family.

 

One day, when Shirley was entertaining a lone little boy, she saw people start moving toward the spot where people arrived in heaven. “Hay, Shirley, let’s go see who it is!” said the boy, pulling Shirley after the crowd.

 

The sight that Shirley saw as she pushed herself through the crowd shattered something deep inside of her, but in a good way. There was Lelouch, observing his surroundings, the heavenly sunlight glancing off his sleek black hair and violet eyes. She pushed her way through the crowd and threw her arms around him, almost knocking him over. “Lulu I can’t believe it’s really you!” she screamed. She began groping at him, running her hands all over his body, kissing him all over; even licking his cheek and sniffing his hair, just to be sure he was real.

 

“They let you here if you have any good left in you at all,” Lelouch clarified, hoping she could understand him, “But let me tell you, it took a lot to get there....”

 

Shirley then sank into his arms, crying happy tears. Lelouch held her tightly, feeling how soft and warm she was, and started leading her out of the crowd.

 

Soon they were sitting curled up together in a choice part of the meadow, the little boy from earlier teasing Lelouch (“Shirley has a boyfriend?!”). Shirley laughed and lay her head on Lelouch’s chest, closing her eyes, which Lelouch kissed. “We belong together, I’ve always known it,” said Shirley.

 

“Yeah, I guess so,” said Lelouch. When he spoke again, it was in the softest, warmest, most gentle voice Shirley had ever heard him use: “I love you, Shirley.”

 

“I love you too, Lulu,” Shirley sighed happily.