It went to days, to weeks for our heros, and no word between them.

Finally, on a Sunday, with no school.

"What is going on Jeremie?!" Odd almost screamed.

"Don't bother Odd. I don't want to explain." He replied.

"But, please explain, Jeremie." Yumi said softly, "We don't like to see you like this, and with Fall break in a week.."

"If you must know, Xana's been very active lately, but he's not going for us..anymore."

"What do you mean?" Ulrich asked

"He's planning on imploding The Univerisity of Caen."

"Isn't that the school Aelita goes to?" Yumi questioned.

With a stare that meant 'Yes' Jeremie sighed.

"Oh, can't we stop him?"

'No, He doesn't have to activate a tower anymore, he can come and go as he pleases until i find a way tos hut down Lyoko for good."

"Damn, I wish Aelita was still here." Yumi sighed.

"Me too." Jeremie replied.

Yumi gave the youngest one a friendly hug.

"Don't worry, Jeremie. Everything's going to be okay." She sounded like a mother to a son. When the worlds about to end.

"Wait, I don't understand." Odd answered, "So..Xana, can go..anywhere?"

"Anywhere with computers.." Jeremie answered.

"Well, could he still if the power went out?" Ulrich asked.

Yumi now sat beside Jeremie at the table they were sitting at.

"Uh, I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I don't think so..but either way, we can't cut the power to UC! If we were caught-"

"We know..We know." Odd sighed, "Oh,well."

"We can't give up." Yumi urged. She knew how they felt. Moving to a different school, new teachers, more hours OF school, new principal. She got used to it, but her friends..not so much.

"She's right." Ulrich always stuck by Yumi, he could hate some or be hated BY some for it, he could even think it was the worst idea ever, but Yumi was his girlfriend now. He loved her; She loved him. She already knew the 12th grade teachers by heart already, and already getting to know the College teachers.

As weird as this may sound, but is true in parts of France. Senior High (11th+12th) has the same campus as one College, you don't HAVE to go to it,but if you don't you better have an excuse..and 'It's TO FAR away' isn't really going to work.

"What do we do?" Odd asked, always clue-less. Somethings won't ever change like his horrible grades.

"We wait, and work, and keep up with the school. None of the less, I don't wish to repeated 12th or Acidemption***." Jeremie sighed.

"Oh yeah."

"Alright, it's noon now guys, How about we go to someone's dorm about now and check this out?" Yumi asked.

"By someone's you mean mine don't you?" Jeremie looked at her.

She smiled.

"Not really, but your volunteering."

"Alright. Let's go."

. . .

"How much have you searched through?" Ulrich asked looking at the screen.

"12.3 Mega bites..it doesn't sound like much, but trust me, it's more than you think." Jeremie sighed..again. Today, no, this week...no, This month just wasn't for him today. Yumi couldn't help but feel sorry for him. The two other boys were getting rather annoyed with this.

"I bet so." Odd replied, "Oh DAMN IT!"

"What?"

"I forgot, I have math tutoring today!!" Odd quickly grabbed his backpack and leaped into the hallway.

"Somethings won't ever change, I suppose." Yumi snickered.

Ulrich smiled at her, as Jeremie chucked.

Ulrich knew she was trying to lift weights off Jeremie's shoulders. That was what she does. She was the..parent of the rest of them. The gardian. A person you don't even have to know, and know she's cares for you.

He thoughts were broken as Yumi kissed his cheek.

"I forgot this morning." She whispered.

"I did too."

Jeremie could hear the whispering, but decided to ignore it. He knew how those moments for them meant so much. It reminded him of Aelita, even worse right about now, but he shook her out of his memory and back on Xana.

Now, Ulrich kissed Yumi back. She hugged her arms around his neck. His hands rested on her hips. They seemed to have forgotten Jeremie right in front of them for Yumi started pushing Ulrich to the bed.

He toppled over, and with a THUMP He fell. Jeremie quickly swung around to see the making out couple.

"Could..we stay on target guys?" He asked.

Reality hit Yumi quick and hard, and she jumped up, helping Ulrich up as well.

"Sorry about that, Jeremie." She apologized.

"It's nothing. It's more cute than digusting if you ask me." Jeremie smiled as he looked back at the computer.

"Maybe you could come to my dorm, tonight." Yumi whispered. Having her own dorm ROCKED.

"Not tonight, I have so much homework for Monday you wouldn't believe it."

"Project?"

"Yup."

"Thought so."

Jeremie shook his head.

"Forget this guys." He got up, "I'll let you to your romance." and left.

The two shrugged.

"What did we do?"

A/N: If your happy and you know it review! REVIEW! I love you all! in a best friend kinda way!

Acidemption- When you repeat a semester for College.

"Turn left here." Aelita instructed.

The Plan about 'running away' wasn't really in plot. Or in action. OR in mind! Class was only two weeks and then Fall Break. They had decided to wait the few weeks instead of first-term exams  -which are much hated-

"What High school is it?" Kim asked, still focusing on the road before her.

"Whichever the Kadic goes to." Aelita shrugged.

"You DON'T know?!" Kim turned her head to stare for a second and then back to the street.

"Well...I used to." Aelita started, "I'm sorry."

"No, No. It's fine."

Glengard High, If I'm correct." A boy instructed.

"Thanks, then." Kim looked through the mirror to the boy lounging in the back looking through a 'Girl's Life' Magizine. She shook her head before her eyes met the tar.

"What?" He asked, seeing Kim's movement.

"Since when are you such a girl?" Kim asked.

Aelita giggled and looked at him.

"WHAT?!" He cried.

"Can you not read?" Aelita asked, pointing to the magizine.

"I'm bored, Kay? I read when I'm bored."

"In A 'Girl's Life' Magizine?" Kim added.

"Well, this is the first. Trust me."

"Sure. Sure."

"WELL IT IS!"

"I said sure didn't I?" Kim looked back through the mirror.

"You know, why don't you look like any of these girls, Kim?"

"ME?!" Kim screamed, "I couldn't care less."

"Not surprising."

"What is THAT supposed to mean?"

"Oh..uh..nevermind."

Aelita blushed. Surprised that he didn't mention anything to her. She knew she didn't look like any of those teen model's either which is why...

"Neither does Aelita here!"

"Well she's being nice, so she does."

"Oh Whatever."

"How long will this take ?"

"You didn't have to go."

"I didn't know YOU were driving."

"Hoping for some alone time with Aelita?"

The blonde girl turned a scarlet.

"Stop with your teasing already." He sat up, "There it is."

"Glengard High." Aelita muttered, "I wish I went here."

"Your in college my friend." Kim stated, "Your ahead of them."

"Okay, Girl Chat! Girl chat! Let's get out already." He stung.

"Your the one reading the Girl magizine."

"Oh, will you get OVER that?!"

"AELITA!" A group of kids shouted waving them down.

As Aelita walked up, she hugged each one of them.

"And who may just they be?" Yumi asked, a friendly tone.

"This is Kim...I know I told you about her." Aelita slightly pointed to her friend, "Your age too. Yumi."

"Cool." Yumi nodded, greeting Aelita's friend.

"And you?" Jeremie asked to the boy.

"Jason." He answered, "Aelita's new boyfriend."

Aelita's smile faded quickly after that last word

Boyfriend

Boyfriend

Boyfriend

'HE IS MOST DEFINATLY NOT MY BOYFRIEND!' Aelita thought

"Oh..nice to meet you." Jeremie managed to smile at him.

"Let me see..I want to guess your names here." Kim stepped in front, knowing what's going on.

"Odd, Ulrich, Yumi, and Jeremie..correct?" Kim pointed to the face that matched the name she said.

They nodded,

"So you have heard of us." Odd stated.

Kim grinned.

"Aelita here wouldn't stop talking about 'cha."

But Kim whispered to Aelita.

"That blonde guy, with the purple? He's kinda cute."

Aelita stood shocked before saying something.

"Are we going to someone's dorm?"

"Yeah, let's go to mine." Yumi vouleentered.

As they walked Aelita could've sworen Jason and Jeremie were having a war in their minds.

What a week THIS was going to be.

A/N: Update ness! YESS! If your a UxY fan read 'Could it be?' for a little surprise! I love messing up couples! XD

"I can't believe it!" Jeremie started, it was late at night now and his two best friends were trying to calm him down.

"Well, Jeremie..I mean, She had the right." Odd replied.

"But she knew I loved her!"

"Jeremie! Think about it!" Ulrich answered, "It does make sence."

"I guess your right." Jeremie sighed

The door opened. Exposing Jason.

"Heylo there." He waved, "The girls were wonderin' if you have an extra pillow.."

"Yeah here." Jeremie tossed the pillow to him a little too hard.

"Hey, dude. You okay?" Jason asked catching the pillow.

"Yeah, he's fine." Odd nodded.

"Good." Jason replied firmly.

"Better question." Ulrich started, "Are YOU okay?"

"I'm just so fuckin' peppy." Jason answered, "I doubt Aelita even cares for me."

"Huh?"

"Look, I barely know you guys. So I won't explain right away." He turned to Jeremie, "You stay ten feet away from her."

"Excuse me?" Jeremie asked.

"You heard me. You keep youself away from her at all times." Jason threatened.

"Wait, Jason, right? Calm down!" Odd started.

"She still has damn feelings for you, and I don't want that. She needs to love me now. You stay the hell away from her." And with that he left.

"Crap." Jeremie stated.

"I know." Ulrich answered, "He's not the best guy. But.."

"I'm gonna kill him!" Jeremie stood up.

"No, Wait. Jeremie. Kill him. Have fun, but not tonight."  Odd replied.

"Yeah..work on something else." Ulrich mentioned, "You still have Xana to worry over."

"Yea. Yea. Good idea." Jeremie calmed himself down. He knew he, Jeremie Belpois, wasn't a guy to blow up about that. No, that was Ulrich, not him.

He sat back down breathing a little faster than normal but he gained his cool again and typed away on the computer.

XxX

"I'm back." Jason smiled with the pillow in his hand.

"Thanks..uh..uhh.." Yumi stuttered.

"Jason." He nodded.

"Jason. Right." Yumi reapeted.

He cuddled next to Aelita.

"Aren't they just so cute?" Kim asked Yumi.

The black haired girl nodded.

Jeremie opened the door this time. He decided right now in front of the girls would be the best time to confront him.

"Just the best couple I've known." Yumi replied.

Their backs were turned to the door and Jeremie wasn't loud enough.

"I suppose."

He sighed and closed the door.

If he waited a few more second he would've seen Aelita push Jason away and hear her say:

"Jason, your not my boyfriend."

"I'm not?"

"He's not?"

"No, your not. I still love Jeremie..and now that i can see him, I want to talk to him. You didn't have to come."

Yumi stared at the now blonde headed girl. That can't be Aelita. No way. She's much more shy and much more polite. Something happened to her friend. Something horrible happened to her friend and this..clone or something took her place.

"Aelita..are you okay?" She finally asked.

"Just fine,Yumi."

"Aelita..but..but you kissed me."

"She pushed me into you!" Aelita replied, "I'm going to find Jeremie."

"Why?"

"I'm going to tell him I still love him."

'Aelita walked down the hallway.

'Jeremie's dorm was 312 right? No, wait. It was 213, no..that's not right. That's upstairs for the girl's dorms. Was it 321? No, no. Pretty sure it was 312...Maybe it was 311 or 313.'

Aelita was confusing herself already looking down the hallway.

'There's 312..Should I knock? Maybe I should- No. What if it's the wrong dorm? What am I supposed to say?!'

"Hey there Aelita!" Odd greeted her, "What're you doing on this side of campus? Yumi's dorm's on the other side."

"I know." She answered a little frightened, "I was-l-looking for Jeremie. I can't seem to remember his dorm number."

"It's 312, right there. To the right. Be nice to him, ya here? He's been having a bad day."

"Thank you. I will." Aelita smiled and waved to Odd.

'Odd's gotten a little cuter over the past few months. Wait! No! I came to see Jeremie!'

Aelita shyly knocked on the door.

"Yeah? It's open." Jeremie called thinking it was Ulrich or Odd.

Aelita opened the door and walked in.

"Hello Jeremie."

"Aelita?" He turned, "Oh..Hey. I thought it was Ulrich..maybe Odd."

"Sorry I had to dissapoint you."

"Dissapoint me? You could never dissapoint me."

She smiled,

"I need to tell you something." They said at the same time.

"Oh, uh, You first Jeremie."

"Uh, No. It's okay, I insist you go first."

"You."

"Fine, Jason came in earlier today asking for a pillow and he told me I couldn't come ten feet from you."

"We're less than that." She answered, "What is he going to do?"

"He is your b-boyfriend, isn't he?"

"So he likes to think as himself."

"What do you mean?"

"Jeremie. I love you."

"Huh?"

"I love you."

Jeremie froze up. He knew what he was supposed to say now. He knew the four words. He wanted to say it. He had to say it, but..he didn't.

His silence made Aelita's smile fade.

"Okay..well. Good night Jeremie." She got up and walked to the door, "Sorry I wasted your time."

"You didn't waste my time."

"Then tell me, how do you feel about me?"

"Aelita..I- I think our relationship is wrecked up." Jeremie answered.

"I know, I tried to fix it and you, you say nothing. Good night Jeremie."

"But-"

"GOOD night Jeremie." And she left.

The boy hit his head against his computer screen.

"You idiot. You idiot!!" He reapted, "You love her you know that! Why didn't you tell her?! ARG!"

The computer componded a voice:

"Destination- Lyoko."

Jeremie looked up.

On his computer screen:

Subject: Lyoko
Terminate? Yes/No

"Oh my god! If found it!" He smiled and glared upon the few words on the screen, He clicked on it's properties.

"Looks just fine." He clicked Terminate and Lyoko shut off and deleted itself. Xana with it.

XxX

Aelita walked back to Yumi's dorm but fell into her room wether of walking in.

"Aelita? Aelita?!?" Kim screamed.

"What happened?"

"Oh damn it Jeremie!" Yumi jumped up, "I'll be right back."

"WHAT did that stupid punk Jeremie do?!" Jason asked.

"I don't know. But he knows everything about her, He'll know."

"I'm coming with you. I want to talk to him."

"No you stay here. With Kim and Aelita. You stay here."

"No way."

"Look Jason, you listen to me right now or I'll slap you so hard.." Yumi didn't have to finish Jason looked to terrified and kneeled beside Aelita's sleeping body.

XxX

Knock Knock Knock!

"Uh huh?" Jeremie opened the door a smile on his face.

"GAH JEREMIE!" Yumi clawed him and pinned him against the wall.

"What's going on?" Ulrich and Odd walked in, "Whoa. Explain please."

"What'd I do?!"

"You killed Aelita!" She cried, "I know you didn't like very much anymore but you didn't have to kill her!!!"

"Kill her?" Odd reapted, "What do you mean?"

"She dropped dead in my dorm. WHAT DID YOU DO?!?" She yelled at him.

Jeremie looked at her confused. Yumi was usually the one calming him down and now she's the one firing him up. Something wasn't right.

"Oh...crap." Jeremie stated.

"What did you DO?!"

"I found a way to shut down Lyoko and I did, but..we relased Aelita from Xana! That shouldn't have killed her!"

"But it did, Jeremie! It did! You-You- You...MURDER!"

"Shh. Shh! Yumi!!" Ulrich came closer trying to calm her down, "The walls have ears...clam down."

"I can't! That bastard killed her!'

"I can fix it, Yumi. I can." Jeremie reassured her.

"You better." Yumi looked like she was going to attack her friend.

"Yumi. Yumi! Calm down!" Ulrich talked to her softly, "He can fix it. Everything's fine."

"I'm sorry." Yumi apologized, "Sorry Jeremie. It just scared me so much that Aelita's gone."

"It's alright." Jeremie brushed off his shirt as he walked over to teh computer, "Damn. Your right Yumi. I AM an idiot!"

"What? What?!"

"We only released Aelita from Xana."

"Yeah.."

"We didn't release Xana from Aelita!!"

"What?!"

"In order to mess up her code. Xana implanted something and took something away."

"Erm..kay."

"We found and gave Aelita back her code, but Xana's still inside Aelita!"

"Xana! Why must he be so smart?!"

XxX

"I can't believe it." Kim sighed feeling Aelita's heart beat slow..and slow...and slow.

"How could Jeremie kill her?"

"I don't know."

"If she dies, Jeremie's the next one dying."

"Jason, don't talk like that."

"I'm serious. I'm really going to kill him. I have to."

XxX

"It'll take awhile." Jeremie answered

"We don't HAVE awhile!"

"I know. I know. Don't worry. I'll go over to the factory tonight, I'll access Lyoko from there and turn it back on.

"Please hurry." Yumi pleaded.

"No, Yumi. I'm going to take my time to save her. I'm going right now." Jeremie opened the door, "Yipe! Mr...Nickles...How nice to see you!"

"Uh huh." Mr.Nickles answered, "I bet so. Few questions for you kids."

"Yes?"

"1. Yumi Ishiyama what are you doing on the oppisite part of campus in a boy's dorm?"

"Oh..I- well."

"She's helping me with my Chemistry." Jeremie fibbed.

"Oh really? Della Robbia, Stern, what about you?"

"We're studying together."

"Hmm..Then where are you going?"

"...I was going to..to..."

"Go to the library to see if he could check out a chemsitry book real quickly."

"At seven?"

"It closes at seven thirty! I have to hurry!" Jeremie replied.

"..Okay." Mr.Nickles walked away.

"Oh, god. That was TOO close." Odd sighed.

"Yah. I'm leaving." Yumi replied.

"We should all. Contact us, Jeremie."

"Mmm Hmm."

A/N: Okay, so that's the end of this chapter. YAY! Or..uhh NO!! R&R! I love reading your reviews! Speak your minds!

Jeremie was up for the next 36 hours trying to find a way to keep Aelita alive.

Luckily, Yumi carried her friend's dead body to Jeremie's room, so he could see her movement, if any, when he did something.

He has yet to go to the supercomputer, thanks to Mr. Nickles and his stricter policy. Some smart kids these days, jumped the gate and went partying the day before Aelita dropped dead, and the principal was camara's watching the gates.

Jeremie was getting fed up and angry with this. He wanted Aelita alive more than ever.

"Come on, please. Please?" Jeremie begged as he downloaded his last file. This was his last hope. If this didn't work, he couldn't help Aelita from his spot in his dorm. It would be another week or so before he could sneak out into town to get to the super computer- and with no idea on how Aelita's time barrier is going to break, a week may just be too late. Also to note: Aelita had to be back at her school in six days, 11 minutes, and 32 seconds. (But who's counting, right?)

Hey, 36 hours ago, might have just been too late.

DING!

The computer binged with success and!

OH MY GOD!

...She didn't awake.

Aelita's poor body was still lying on the bed on Jeremie's right.

He screamed in his head, and kicked the bed post with his foot.

He got up too quickly, and made the chair fall, and he paced up and down.

Time for some serious thinking.

"Jer-Jeremie?" Ulrich slightly knocked on the door, "Any progress?"

"Do you THINK I got any progress? Do I think i'd be in here right now if i got any PROGRESS?!"

"Whoa, Whoa. Whoa. I'm sorry." Ulrich wimpered.

It wasn't Aelita Ulrich was so worried about anymore.

"No, Ulrich, I'm sorry." Jeremie opened the door, "What is it you really came down here for?"

"Kim and Jason want to know what's going on."

"...Yumi dumped you?"

Ulrich whimpered again as he nodded, a tear fell off his cheek.

"Oh my god! Do you know why?"

"I'll tell you if you continue to work on Aelita."

"I'll work on Aelita and let you tell me, if I just KNEW what else to do!"

"What do you mean?"

"Ulrich, I've done everything I can. I think...I think...she'll be...dead...forever."

"No! Jeremie! No! Work harder! There's something your missing!"

Jeremie sighed deeply as he picked up his chair.

Ulrich looked at Aelita, but then jumped back as he heard Jeremie hop up in the air, and into his seat.

"Ulrich, if I wasn't straight, I'd go up and kiss you right now." He said, as he typed on his computer.

"..Uh, you're welcome?"

"I did forget something."

"What are you doing?"

"Who says we have to bring back Lyoko?"

"...You did, don't we?"

"No, we can just bring back Xana!"

"...As a smokey figure?"

"As a human! ULRICH! Don't you see?!"

"No..I'm not following."

"It'll take me some time to create a human body fit for Xana, but if he comes back as...well half human, Aelita will be good as new!"

"Okay..."

"So, now, as I work. Tell me. What happened?"

"...That's it Jer. I don't know." Ulrich sighed as he sat on the bed, letting Aelita's head rest in his lap, and he played with her blonde hair.

"What do you mean you DONT KNOW?!"

"...Her own words: 'Hi, Ulrich. How are you? I'm sorry, but we have to break up, but I still love you." He mimiked in a high pitched voice and once done. Sneezed.

"She sneezed at the end?"

"Don't be funny in a time like this, Jer. That's Odd's job."

"Yeah. Sorry. So, tell me more. A little before, A little after."

"...Oh DAMN IT! Jeremie! I know why she's mad! I know why she broke up with me!"

"AMAZE-ZA-ZING! WHY?!?!"

"YOU GUYS! SHUT THE FUCK UP!" The guy across the hallways screamed. Seeing it was...3 in the morning.

Whoops.

"Oh, sorry Jim." Jeremie waved.

Jim snorted but closed the door.

"Okay, why?" Jeremie looked up at his friend.

"Oh no." Ulrich's pointed finger, that pointed to the sky, bent, pointing to the wall.

"What? Stop stalling! Tell me!" Jeremie closed his own door, and he said this in a hushed yell.

"Oh. Uh. Nevermind. Good night, Jeremie!" Ulrich stepped out and walked to his room.

"Tell me tomorrow?"

"...I'll tell you Thursday."

"Why Thursday?"

"...I'll tell you then."

"...Fine."

Ulrich gave a weak smile and waved goodnight.

Jeremie went back to his work.

Please come back Aelita.

"I'm sorry Aelita." Jeremie whispered in her ear. "I'm so sorry, Aelita. I- I love you."

The weird part: She heard it.

And Jeremie knew it.

He saw her.

She smiled.

Normal POV

Yumi's throbbing broken heart wanting to talk to Ulrich and find out why he had to do what he did, she wanted to go outside, and walk around. Finally, after fighting with herself for a little over ten minutes, she got up, changed into a better outfit and wandered around the campus.

I miss him so much. I love him so much. She stopped to sit on a green bench. She looked up to the stars, "I love him so much..."

"Yumi?"

She looked up to the voice that stated her name, "Jer? What are you doing here?"

He took a seat next to her, "I'm letting a file download. I can't see Aelita like that. I want to wake her up, but it's like I can't take her out of her nightmare."

"You'll find a way out of this, Jer. You always do..." She admired each one of her friends for different things. Odd for his humor, Aelita for her polite attitude, Jeremie for his knowledge, and Ulrich for his strength. But with her strength gone since Ulrich was now out of her life, she felt she had no purpose.

"You think so?" Both, Yumi and Jeremie, were looking up at the velvet sky with beautiful white shinning stars painting the scene.

"I know so, you always helped us through Lyoko and now’s your time to show Aelita how much you really care..."

"Thanks Yumi." He finally looked at her, her eyes sparkled from the stars, but her tears trails stained her face, "What's wrong?"

"Just a...major case of Broken Heart." She answered, "Ulrich and I always went to the park at night to look at the stars. Just the two of us." She felt Jeremie move closer and embraced her into a friendly hug.

She broke then and wrapped her arms around his neck, and cried on his shoulder.
He hugged her tighter- Seeing the most together and mature one in the group break-down like this broke his young heart, "Yumi do you want to go back to my dorm to talk for a little while?"

She smiled at her friend- She loved him so much.

. . .

"Jeremie, I wanted to thank you for-"

"No need to thank me, Yumi. What are friends for?"

Yumi smiled and sat on the bed, next to Aelita. She felt so bad for her once-pink headed friend, once so full of life. It made her throbbing heart hurt even more. Why is it life is worse without Lyoko?

“Um, so…how far are you on getting Aelita back?” She wanted to create conversation, silence was just tearing her heart apart, and another second she’d literally jump out the three story window.

“Not any farther than I was yesterday.” She could hear the sorrow stinging his voice, “You still haven’t told me what happened.”

“You ever have that feeling…” Yumi slowed down, staring off into space, “That life and love don’t mix? That you love someone with all your heart and they don’t seem to understand…” She stopped her voice cracking. Any other noise made from her lips and she’d break down to tears again.

Jeremie wrapped his arms around her neck for another tight hug, “Don’t cry, Yumi. Of course I know how that feels. I had this crush on you…for awhile, but I didn’t want to take you away from Ulrich. I knew you liked him more, and I knew it was because Aelita wasn’t here anymore. I told her everyday in every letter how much I loved her, and she said she loved me too, and she comes back with…Jason.” He rubbed her upper back and lower neck gently, “Please don’t cry. It’s going to be okay…”

Yumi hugged Jeremie back- She loved how he was always there for her. He would stop whatever he was doing just to talk to her. But wait, what did he say? I had a crush on you?

“…You had a crush on me?” She repeated, and saw his face blush a small bit as he nodded.

“It’s hard to explain. I liked you, but I felt hopeless. I felt it was because Aelita wasn’t with me, and that Ulrich would be pissed off if I ever said anything.”

“…Because…I used to have a crush on you too.” She looked away, not wanting to see his facial expression, “And I think we both would have been better off that way…”

He sighed, letting an arm sat around her shoulders, “I guess we’ll never know, but I can’t tell you just how happy I am that you’re my friend, Yumi. You’re a big impact on my life, that’s why I hate seeing you like this.”

Her tear-stained face smiled and eased. Has she mentioned how much she loved Jeremie for that?

“You’re my best friend. So is Ulrich and Odd, but you seem to understand me better.” He explained, “It’s the least I can do is to care for you as you do for me.”

“I’m just glad I can talk to someone. I’m neutral with Odd, but I can’t ever seem to talk to him alone due to the fact that he shares the same dorm as Ulrich. As to what I said before, you always find a solution to the hardest problems. Pretty much the reason I come to you first.” She admitted.

Honestly, this whole thing would be awkward if it wasn’t so heart-to-heart. They both understood each other very well, these years kept them close together for a reason.

. . .

“Ulrich, man, calm down.” Odd sat next to his best friend and roommate on his bed. Stern was never the one to cry, but there he was bawling in the middle of the night. Odd’s seen him cry once but that was at his mother’s funeral, and it was a teardrop. This was heart-to-tear crying. It was bad, Odd hated seeing this just as much as Jeremie did.

But there’s nothing they could do.

“Odd, you don’t understand. The one girl I ever loved doesn’t want to be with me.” He mumbled through his sobs, his poor injured heart broken to pieces, “I love her so much.”

“It’s okay; I promise you things will get better.”

Ulrich kept on talking to himself, “Things will get better… Things will get better.” What was with this? Aelita gets back, she dies, and they have to bring their worst enemy back to save her. Yumi caught him doing something he knew he shouldn’t have, he breaks her heart and she breaks his.

He could barely breathe; his cries were softening, although his hearts was no where near through. That feeling of knowing she’ll never be there for him again is like taking his most prize possession and throwing it against the hardest wall.

Odd pat his friend’s back, seeing Ulrich like this wanted him to cry as well. This isn’t the time. This just isn’t the time. Nothing else could be said, both hearts broken. Neither wanted to talk to each other, but they wanted their relationship fixed.

Dammit, why didn’t anybody tell them love is hard?

. . .

Once Jeremie was sure enough that Yumi was okay, he sat down and typed up a storm again, although there was tears in his eyes, he would brush past his throbbing emotions and work till his eyes bleed, if that’s what it means to bring back Aelita.

“So, how is everything going?” Yumi asked him, “I mean family wise and stuff.”

“My dad got a promotion in his engineer job, my mom is seven months pregnant with another man’s son, but won’t tell my dad that and my older brother’s getting married.” Jeremie answered, still trying not to start bawling in front of her.

“Oh, well. Hooray about your dad and brother, but what’s this about your mom?” Yumi took a seat on his desk like she used to before they moved to high school and she had to stand up and be alert.

“I love her to death, I do.” He answered, taking off his glasses again to wipe his eyes, and pushed them back on, “But sometimes she can be a total whore.”

“I’m sorry. You know about my parents, so don’t get me started.” Yumi rolled her watery eyes.

Jeremie stopped typing and put his left hand on hers, “Don’t worry. Our parents are freaking messed up, but we have each other. Best friends till the end, right?”

She smiled, “Right. Oh, but may I ask about your brother’s wedding?”

Jeremie sighed a happy sigh and nodded, “What do you want to know?”

“When is it? What’s the colors? What’s her name? How long have they been dating? Where is it? Those things.”

He grinned, “Uh. Well, it’s in December. It’s blue and white. Her name is Kelly Larson. Uh, dating for like...three, four years. It’s here in Paris France.”

“Ohh, how wonderful.” Yumi swooned, “I always pictured my wedding somewhere in Japan. I prefer Tokyo, but whatever floats his boat. What about you?”

“I’m fine with France, but I’d love to visit America.” Jeremie sat back, waiting for another file to load, “But whatever floats her bout, I suppose.”

. . .

“Kim?”

“Yes Jason?”

“Is your real name Kimberly?”

“…Yeah.” Kim sat up, Yumi was nice enough to let her and Jason stay with her for the rest of the week,  “You call me Kimberly, I kill you, got that?”

“Okay.” He answered, he laid on his back looking up at the white ceiling, “What happened to Aelita?”

“I think they took her to the hospital.” Kim was as worried as he. Although both didn’t know her perfectly, they learned to love her.

“If that stupid Jeremie did anything that caused this, he’s so dead.” Jason popped his knuckles and his face with in total disgust.

“Look, Jason. I know you don’t want Aelita and Jeremie together, but you do have to realize that Aelita loves him. No matter what she says, she loves him.”

“I guess, the only way to win her back, is to…”

“No, Wait! Jason! You can’t! No!” Kim started, but Jason got up and closed the door behind him.

“Kill Belpois.”

XxX

“Oh my god, Yumi.”

“Jeremie…”

“Did we?”

“…Oh my…”

“YES! Yumi! You are the best!” Jeremie and Yumi were prancing up and down, side to side, and all around thanks to Yumi’s smart thinking- they could bring Aelita back the next morning- that is, if her brain was still working through the night.

“Yay! I’ll have my friend back!” They listed on and on about Aelita and what they would do once they had her back.

“Oh, Thank you, Yumi!” Jeremie hugged her tightly, “I love you.”

Yumi hugged just as tight, “I love you too.”

It took a second to realize what they said and they both added at the same time, “You know, as like…a brother/sister thing. Yeah…”

Knock! “Jer? What’s going on?”

“Fuck, it’s Ulrich.” Yumi whined, “And to think I was actually having an okay time.”

“Let me talk to him, he doesn’t know you’re here.” Jeremie reminded and walked to the door, opening it, and stepped back a bit- Ulrich was standing in nothing but boxers in front of his friend and girl-uh…ex-girlfriend, “So…Er. Hi, Ulrich.”

“Hey, Jer. What’s with all the ruckus?” He questioned, “Do you realize it’s almost five in the morning? Honestly, what could you be doing so…oh, well. Never mind, but- We’re trying to sleep!”

This little skirmish turned into an argument a few seconds later, until Yumi stepped in, “Stern. Leave him alone! He’s trying to bring his love back from the dead! Something you wouldn’t understand!”

He shut up- like that, and said one thing, “Yumi…”

“Yeah, it’s me. I’m here. In the flesh, talking to you. Telling you to back off of Jeremie! He’s been working his tail off for two days now! Why don’t you just go back to sleep?!”

“Yumi, I need to talk to you. I have to tell you something. It’s really important.”

“…Urg. What, Ulrich. Just what?”

“I love you with all my heart, and I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I know it was wrong and I know it was cheating and I know you would find out, but I’m sorry, and I love you. Please, oh god, please, forgive me.”

Jeremie slid past the ‘couple’ to get in Odd’s dorm, “Odd. What’s going on in here?”

“Ulrich’s been crying for a few nights now, bout time he apologized. What’s with the party next door? Finally got a new girl? Sounds like you two had funnn. We heard the bed running against the wall. Give up on Aelita, did you?”

“What? It was Yumi…”

“You slept with Yumi?!”

“WHAT?! NO! Yumi was in my dorm, I was about to give up on Aelita, but she gave me an idea.”

“Oh, well. Okay.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall,

“How dare you cheat on me, break my heart, and still tell me you love me?! How could anyone do such a thing?” Yumi replied, Ulrich’s left cheek still red from that hard slap she had given him.

“Please, please. Yumi. I can’t live without you. I can’t focus, I can’t sleep, I can’t eat. I can’t. I need you.” He begged more and more, and took her hands in his, “I’m so so sorry! Please! PLEASE.”

“No. I won’t ever forgive you. I can’t believe you did this to me in the first place.”

“Don’t you remember the fun times we used to have?” He reminded her, “The good times out at the picnic or in Lyoko, in your college dorm or just out with out friends? Remember? Remember…this…” He gave her an apologetic kiss on her lips, she was shocked- After all this…after all the fighting, kicking, refusing, slapping, bad-mouthing she did to him- He still wants her back, he broke away and made her look in his tear-full eyes, “I love you.”

Silence. Pure, eerie, silence.

She looked deep in his eyes, past the tears, into the desperate and love-infected boy she knew as Ulrich Stern. She missed him, she loved him, she needed him. She knew it was true.

She pulled apart from him and pointed to the door, “Leave.”

XxX

“So she’ll be back by tomorrow morning?”

“Perhaps. Hopefully, as I’d say. There’s really no actual percentage. She may not came back at all, or need a more strong offence.” Jeremie replied, moving his glasses up and wiping his teary eyes, “What a night this has been. Everyone’s crying.”

“I know, but at least Yumi and Ulrich are talking to each other.”

“She said she wants me dead.”

“What? Ulrich? What did you say?” Both Odd and Jeremie turned to look at the more hurt than anything boy in the doorway.

“…Yumi.” He took a breath, “She said…she wants me dead. And if it were me instead of Aelita, she’d make sure…” Another breath, “That Jeremie couldn’t bring me back. She…” Another small breath, “hates me.”