"Someday, I will be back here with all of you, and we'll set off fireworks together."

"You promised, Lelouch…..."

Rivalz pulled an old box out of the storage closet, tears gathering in his eyes. "Shirley would be so disappointed. Well, at least you didn't go off gambling…."

He hoisted the box onto his shoulder, making his way out into the hall. With each step, the load thumped against his body, a heavy physical reminder of the pain seeping into his heart.

"I guess though, in a way, you did go off gambling, for some pretty high stakes….." He laughed half-heartedly, reaching up to wipe away tears threatening to spill.

One step, and he was closer to the stairs. Another, and he was gripping at the door to the roof. Soon, Rivalz found himself setting up for a fireworks display.

"Kallen never got to do this with us, and neither did Nina or Suzaku. Heck, Nunnally didn't even get to be here with us, because she was still in Britannia!"

A few minutes later, Rivalz was finished, and he grinned lightly at his handiwork.

"Well, what do you think, Lelouch old friend?"

He reached into his breast pocket, and pulled out a small photo of the Britannian prince. It was a rare picture of him smiling, in that moment Shirley had just teased him again for gambling.

"I know, it's not with everyone, like you wanted, but Milly is off working with the news station, Kallen is still working part-time with the Black Knights, Nina is working with Earl Lloyd, of course Nunnally is the Empress, and…." Rivalz faltered. He couldn't bring himself to mention Shirley.

"Well, shall we get to it?" With a small smile, Rivalz lit the fireworks, basking in the bright colors.

"Next time, it will be all of us. I promise."