Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko.

Okay so as I'm sure you can guess by the name, please read my other story "Loyalty" first if you haven't already. :D

Loyalty II

Chapter 1

Slowly I scanned the the simple crayon lines scribbled in the form of two people holding hands. A little kid and a man. I shouldn't have been surprised to find it was still stuffed underneath my childhood mattress. My old room hadn't been touched since I first packed up my things and went to Kadic. I wanted to, but I couldn't manage to stop my eyes from drifting over to the tattered corner of the aged drawing. "Ulrich, age 7" was all it said. Folding the paper into a small square I stuffed it into my jacket pocket. I should have been asking myself what I wanted with something as useless as this, but I figured that was a stupid question. One I already knew the answer to...

"Ulrich dear, I found it." Snapping me out of my thoughts I turned to notice my mom had just stepped into the doorway; a small blanket in her hands. "It was always your favorite when you were little and..." Cutting her self off she slowly reached to hand the blanket to me. "Anyway...I know it'll be special to have it for your baby..." Silently I ran my hand over the soft green fabric. Gathering my thoughts and courage I slowly looked up to meet her gaze. "By the way...it's a girl...we just found out yesterday..." I noticed her lips tremble speechless for a few seconds before she ran to wrap her arms around my neck in a hug.

"Oh Ulrich, I'm so happy for you both!" I could feel a slight smile filling my face as I closed my eyes and held on tighter to her. "Thanks..." After what seemed like forever she pulled away and brushed a little bit of water from off her face. "Ah I've been doing a lot of this lately... I'm sorry Ulrich, I'm just so happy..." I nodded with a slight smile. "I am too..." The words were really simple, but I couldn't figure out a better way to say it. She patted me on the shoulder as she gestured toward the door. "Anyway you should be getting back home, Yumi might need you."

So after we said our goodbyes, I secured the blanket into the storage bag on the back of my motorcycle, before hopping on it and revving the engine. The trees lining the road were a blend of oranges and reds, it was fall now. The days had turned into weeks and finally into years since Yumi agreed to marry me. At first that was something I couldn't make myself believe. But as time went on, I started to wonder how I had survived any other way. Every-time I almost got lost inside myself, and refused to let anyone else near me, she would always find a way to pull me back into the outside world.

Sometimes I figured it might have been easier on her to have fallen for some other guy, then to have to put up with me, but then she'd always scold me and say she was strong enough to put up with anything...even me. I smiled a little at the memory as I noticed a few leaves drift into the road. I knew she was right. She was strong enough to face up to anything, and sometimes I wished I had her courage. Especially now... I'd never been happier, or any more terrified. I wanted to be the best parent in the world, but I already knew I was going to fall way short. I wasn't perfect...but I needed to be...

Our daughter deserved me to be. Rounding a bend I felt a rush of breeze ripple across my jacket. Maybe more than anything I was worried I'd end up never getting the nerve to tell her I loved her, or I'd spend too much time at work. She needed a father who could be better than all those things...but all she was going to get was me... By the time I got home my thoughts were a jumbled mix of emotion I figured was going to show on my face. But I did my best to hide it as I stepped into the front door. "Oh Ulrich!" I heard Yumi's voice say suddenly as she looked up at me from the sofa. "Good I'm glad you're home!"

Smiling slightly I went to sit down in the chair across from her. "Okay I've thought about it all day, now tell me what you think..." Clearing her throat she then started to read off a piece of paper. "Reiko, Kaoru, Ami, or Kami?" I thought for a second as I let each name drift around in my head. "I like all of them." Yumi smiled a little playfully as she laid her head in her hand. "Yeah me too, but that isn't much help now is it Ulrich?" "No I guess not..." I mumbled as I rubbed my hand over my old baby blanket. "So that's it huh?" She asked slowly as her eyes drifted onto it.

"Yeah, I don't really remember it, but my mom says it was my favorite." She smiled a little wider. "Well it's your favorite color, that should count for something." I nodded. "Yeah...I just hope our daughter likes green half as much." Yumi slowly reached over to grab my hand as her smile softened. "Something tells me she'll be a lot more like her father than he realizes..." Slowly I looked up to notice her eyes; they were sincere... I smiled. "Maybe...but I wouldn't mind if she was like you either Yumi..." She laughed. "Yeah me either, that would be flattering right?"

Standing with a smile, I walked out of the room to go put the blanket into the, now filling, nursery. But I didn't notice that my childhood drawing had fell out into the chair until it was too late, and Yumi was pouring over it. "Hey Ulrich, you never told me you were an artist." She said with a laugh. Stepping back into the living room I felt my heart sink. "It's just a stupid drawing..." I mumbled in defense. She looked up to meet my line of sight. "Then why'd you keep it all this time huh...? Folding my arms I looked toward the wall as silence was the best answer I could think of. Standing, she started to walk over to me.

"Hey don't freeze me out all of a sudden Ulrich, it was just a simple question." I let go of a sigh. "Well...it's not really a simple answer...that's all..." She was silent for a few moments before I felt her hand rest gently on my shoulder. "It's of you and your dad...isn't it Ulrich..." She asked softly. Exhaling slowly I tried to just spit out the words I wanted to. The words that would be my only way of sharing my feelings with her. I wanted her to know everything about me...but nothing ever seemed easy to say.

"Yeah..." I began simply. "I...I drew it for him when I was seven..." "Oh?" She whispered, encouraging me to go on. I ran a few nervous fingers through my hair. "Long story short, he was too busy to pay attention when I tried to give it to him so...I kept it myself..." "So you could give it to him later?" She added with a slightly hopeful edge to her voice. I frowned. "I guess I meant to...but I never got the chance so...so I just gave up on it..." The softest smile came to Yumi's face as she gave me that look that meant she was reading my mind. "Then how come you still have it?"

I was stunned as usual by her. She was right like always... All along, even today, I'd been thinking something that pathetic... I really hadn't given up yet... Laughing to herself she leaned to kiss me on the cheek before she walked out of the room and left me standing in the middle of my thoughts. I turned to watch her round the corner as I felt my heartbeat thud in my ears. "Yumi..." I whispered just loud enough for her to hear. She stopped and glanced over her shoulder. A hesitant, shy smile, slowly drifted to my face. "Um...I love you..." I said, as I forced out the words I didn't say often enough. She smiled back at me. "I know Ulrich...I know..."

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