Lelouch had to step away to recollect his thoughts. "Don't get greedy now. Don't need to make me more unstable than I already am."

"Well you're the one who started it..." Ishi said, pressing her forehead against his, still staring into his eyes.

Lelouch cracked a smile. "Only because it is you."

"And that, Lelouch Kastina..." Ishi said as she kissed him again, placing a brief kiss to his neck before embracing him, "...is your weakness."

Lelouch's face turned serious. "Oh how I wish that were the case." He broke off the embrace to lean back on the tree and look up at the sky.

Ishi sighed and rested her head against his chest, drawing imaginary patterns on the back of his hand with her finger. "You need to relax, Lelouch..."

"Hard to do that with coven after coven coming after me for my head. Plus you know how easily angered I get. Sometimes I wish you didn't know though." Lelouch had a sorrowful look on his face.

Sitting up a bit, Ishi kissed him again. "Please, don't look so sad. When I see you like this it tears me apart. And don't say that I shouldn't know who comes after you. I have every right to know, especially if it concerns your life."

Staring into his eyes, Ishi stroked his cheek lovingly, solemnly. "I promise, I won't let them hurt you. I'll slaughter a thousand of my kind before they even lay a finger on you. I swear my life on it."

Lelouch still had sadness in his eyes. "They will kill you too just for helping me. I am risking too much just being around you."

"Come on, what's life without a little risk?" Ishi asked jokingly, still stroking his cheek and smiling softly. "No matter what, I'll always be here for you. Isn't that what love's all about?"

Lelouch couldn't help but cheer up. "Still, you mean too much to me for me to lose you. I know that my body is deteriorating already so the longer this goes on, the harder it will be for me to protect you."

"Then let me be the one to protect you for a change." Ishi insisted, "I'm not a fragile flower that will break with a mere touch. I'm a warrior, have always been. I'm tougher than you think, Lelo."

"And I don't doubt that. Believe me I still have the scars to prove it." He gestured towards his ribs. "But no matter how strong you or I are, there will always be someone stronger."

"And by defeating them we will become stronger ourselves." Ishi mused as she took his hand in her own, kissing it softly.

There was no point in fighting it. "I guess you are right. Sometimes I just can't help but worry." Ishi was the only thing Lelouch had left so he wasn't going to be wagering what was more precious than gold to him. He needed strength but how to obtain it?