"Jeremie," Aelita began, sitting on his bed for the twelfth night in a row. It was late at night, and the only thing emitting light was the slightly eerie glow of the computer screen.

"Yes?" He replied, reeling around in his desk chair to face her.

"Do you ever get tired of working on William's materialization program?"

He sighed, "It doesn't really matter what I feel, I don't have much choice."

"Well you could at least take it easier on yourself, and actually get some sleep some nights," she suggested. "You look really pale in the mornings."

"Even if I could take a break from it, I wouldn't be able to sleep," Jeremie explained with a sigh.

"You don't have to feel guilty Jeremie, it wasn't your fault that he was captured by XANA." It was probably more my fault than anyone else's, Aelita thought.

"No, i-it's not that," he turned back to the glowing screen wih a sigh, "Never mind."

"What is it Jeremie? You know you can tell me anything," she assured him.

"You really mean that?"

"Absolutely."

He faced her wih a hopeful but usure look in his eyes. "D-do you trust me?"

She nodded.

"Then close your eyes." She immediately did.

Slowly, Jeremie slipped off his chair and crept across the room, sitting down next to Aelita on the bed. Timidly, he leaned in, and she could feel his breath on her neck.

Aelita suddenly felt a sharp pain in her throat, and she found it hard to breath. Her wide eyes were fluttering all around the room as she gasped for air. "Jeremie!"

He retreated cautiously, and that's when Aelita saw the blood, coating his lips and dripping from two pearly white fangs.

She stared, horror filling her eyes, unable to speak.

Jeremie looked guiltily at her, as if begging for forgiveness. "Can you keep a secret?"

• • •

Aelita moved back, barely daring to blink, and felt her neck. A warm, sticky liquid surrounded two small wounds. She looked down at her hand, and even in the lack of light she knew what it was. Blood.

She scrambled back until she could feel the wall against her back, still not taking her eyes off the boy before her.

"I'm sorry," he reached out a hand.

"Don't touch me!" She yelped, diving for the door and whipping into the hallway.

Jeremie started to go after her, rushing to the doorway, but stopping when he heard footsteps from the other end of the hall. Remembering the scene on his face, he quickly ducked back into his room.

Meanwhile, Aelita was sprinting down the hall, already out of breath due to her hyperventilation (and the two extra holes in her neck might have something to do with it too). She took the stairs two at a time and rounded the corner like a streak of light, flying up the next round of steps. As she sped down the hall, the world began to spin, and she felt lightheaded.

Stumbling more than anything, Aelita scrambled into her room, attacking the doorknob until she made sure it was securely locked. Only then did she take a breath.

Her head spun as she tried to wrap her mind around what had just happened. She couldn't think clearly, everything was clouded. Aelita dropped herself on the bed, and was almost instantly unconscious.

A/N:

I'm sorry everybody, for not updating for so long, but at least I'm back now right? I hope you'll enjoy this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. Btw: happy birthday code lyoko! XD Everybody celebrate for 10 years of the best show in existence!