Not long after their talk, Ulrich and Yumi had returned to their friends. When they arrived they found Odd, Jeremie and Aelita sitting in the Sun on their bench.

"Hey guys," Odd said with a wave. Ulrich and Yumi waved back but kept their entwined hands together, a fact that Odd did not miss.

When the couple drew closer they could tell that Odd was bursting at the seams to ask about their hands. Sadly for him Aelita beat him to it.

"So are you a couple now?" she asked with a tilt to her head, hope resting in her eyes.

"Yes," was Ulrich's only reply, but this was enough for Aelita to rush forward grab them both in a hug and then pull Yumi off to the side for some girl talk. Ulrich only watched with a smile at the help me' look on Yumi's face. But his smile was short lived as Odd and Jeremie surrounded him and began bombarding him with questions of their own.

"What took you so long?" Odd asked as he shook his friend's hand.

"I was scared, but I realized that you guys were right, she does love me."

"Why now?" From Jeremie.

"Why not?" Ulrich replied with a shrug.

Silence followed his question as the other two tried to fish around for an appropriate response. Finding none they just shrugged and proceeded to congratulate him.

While Ulrich was getting mauled, Yumi was undergoing a much gentler variation.

"So," Aelita said as she crossed her arms across her chest and smiled. "What'd he say? I want details!"

Yumi just laughed before recounting the events.

"Well, when I found him he was in his tree, just looking out toward the city. He mentioned how great the view was and then he made his way down to meet me on the ground. He told me that he had spoken to my father today. Needless to say I was worried, my dad has never been very pleased with any of my boyfriends, he said he didn't like the fact they had no respect for him, he only wanted them to ask his blessing to date me. Apparently Ulrich knew this and had a talk with him. He told me that dad gave him his blessings. Oh, Aelita, I'm so happy!"

Yumi was so caught up in her emotions that she reached forward and pulled Aelita into a hug. The younger girl only smiled as she returned the embrace.

"So tell me about the ring," Aelita whispered into her ear. Yumi pulled away with a giggle.

"It's a promise ring, his promise to marry me when we're both ready. Isn't it wonderful Aelita?"

"It sure is," she replied even as Yumi began to fall into a dream world, imaging the events that would happen one day.

"Come on, lets get back to the others," Aelita said as she took Yumi's hand and began to pull her toward the boys.

Yumi could only nod as her eyes locked with those of Ulrich. His smile had returned to his face at the sight of her, and she could feel a similar one breaking across her own face.

They both knew that this had to be the best day of their lives and both were content to just finish it in each other's company. But alas such was not to be for just as Yumi and Aelita reached the others the school bell rang. Lunch was over.

AaAaA

Classes the rest of the day passed in a kaleidoscope of colors and sounds for Ulrich and Yumi, but for the others they seemed to drag on endlessly.

At the end of the day when Yumi had to go home Ulrich was there to offer her his arm and his company. With a wave at their friends they left the school.

Neither spoke for the entire trip, Yumi had her arms wrapped around Ulrich and her head tucked against his neck. She was grateful that they were so close in height, any more of a difference and this would be painful. Ulrich's arms were wrapped around her as well, lending her what warmth he could in the chilly spring evening.

Upon reaching her house they broke apart, hands still clasped together. Walking her to her door he took her hand and raised it to his lips and placed a tender kiss on the knuckles. Releasing her hand he pulled her into a hug and whispered I love you' into her ear before pulling away and stepping back. He waited until she had entered her house before he turned to begin the walk back to Kadic.

"Ulrich," her voice stopped him before he could pass her gate. Turning he was just able to catch her before they both fell to the ground. Looking up into her smiling face as she leaned over him, he returned her smile.

"I love you too," she said as she closed the distance and kissed him, neither caring that she had left her front door open and that her entire family could see them. Neither saw the pleased smile on her father's face.

He makes her so happy. Her father thought as he watched his only daughter wish her boyfriend good night. I knew he'd be the one for her.

As the couple pulled away they stared into each other's eyes again for a moment before sharing another small kiss.

Gently lifting herself off him she helped him stand and brush some of the grass off his back.

"I'll see you tomorrow Yumi," he said with a smile as he held her hand once again. Reluctance to leave the other was obvious as they tried to pull away but couldn't. Realizing that some intervention was needed Mr. Ishiyama stepped to the door to help; after all he had been the same way with Yumi's mother.

"Yumi, it's time to come in for dinner. Bid Ulrich good night and come inside. You will after all see him tomorrow at school."

"Coming daddy," she said over her shoulder. "Good night Ulrich."

"Good night my love," he replied as he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek before escorting her to her front door and her smiling father. After seeing that she was safely in his care Ulrich was finally able to make his way back to the school grounds.

Even as he fell into bed that night he couldn't help but wonder why it had taken losing her for him to realized his feelings. His only regret now was not having told her he loved her before. With a mental shrug he settled himself for bed; after all he could only change the past so much. Tomorrow he would begin working on saving his friends from X.A.N.A.

He knew beyond a doubt that his dreams would be of Yumi, he only hoped that they could chase away the nightmare of watching his friends die.

AaAaA

The next few days passed by without much difference, school, bad food and Sissi throwing herself at Ulrich. In addition to the regular events nothing had been happening with X.A.N.A. and the others were grateful for the break. Ulrich on the other hand had moved to step up his plan to stop X.A.N.A. once and for all. While the break did give him more time with Yumi, it also gave him time to make further plans and backup plans. Having lived in the other timeline had given him the wisdom to have several backup plans just in case.

After sneaking out of the factory after using the supercomputer to run a few simulations he made his way to Kadic where he was going to meet Yumi for a date.

Just as he was leaving the Lyoko Chamber, as he called the computer center, he was met by a stern looking Yumi guarding the bridge from the factory with arms crossed against her chest.

"Yumi!" he said in shock as his mind began processing what she could be doing there. He still had two days left until Sissi and X.A.N.A. tried to kill his friends and he had a lot to set into motion. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just about to ask you the same question," her voice was like steel, he wondered how she knew he was here. But more important than that, he wondered why she was mad.

"I was just" he was cut off as she raised one hand and gave him a look. He was about to respond when she spoke.

"Don't lie to me, I don't need any lies, I want the truth, why were you messing with the Supercomputer? You've been acting strangely for a few days and I want to know why."

With a sigh he knew he had to tell all or risk losing her and he knew he could never live with that pain a second time.

"Alright," he said as his shoulders slumped in defeat. "But not here."

She began to protest until he took her hand in his and began to pull her away from the factory.

"I'll explain everything once we get back to my room, it'll be easier that way."

AaAaA

Once they reached the safety of his room he locked the door behind them.

"Sit," he said as he pointed at his bed, she replied without complaint.

He moved to his closet where he pulled out a small duffle bag. Removing a strange looking device from it he turned it on where it gave off a series of chirps and light flashes before lighting a steady green. With a nod of his head he returned the device to the bag and the bag to the closet.

"That," he said interrupting Yumi before she could ask the very question he was answering, "was an electronic listening device scanner. I was making sure the room wasn't bugged."

"Why?"

"What I have to tell you cannot leave this room, understood? It's a matter of life and death that you not tell anyone about this."

Taking a moment to absorb this she swallowed nervously before nodding her head in the affirmative.

"Good," he said as he sat beside her, a few inches separating them. This confused her since they had been inseparable since they had begun dating.

With an inhale he told her the truth.

"I'm not the Ulrich you knew four days ago." While he knew this would confuse her he had to ease her into this, it was a lot to take in all at once.

"What? How can you not be Ulrich, I don't see anything different about you and I know there is no such things as alternate dimensions or pod people despite what Odd says."

"Do you believe in time travel Yumi?"

This question caught her off guard more than his previous statement.

"Not really, from everything my science teachers have rambled on about I know that it's impossible. Personally I wouldn't consider the Returns to be time travel, more like pressing reset on the day."

They both knew that her answer was rather incorrect, as Jeremie had several times told them that a Return was in fact a form of time travel, however he hadn't elaborated much beyond that.

"What if I told you that it was possible? That you could only send a person's consciousness back in time and not their body. That the Returns that we do are in fact time travel and that Jeremie was correct in that assumption."

"I'd say you were insane and should be committed."

Ulrich sighed and stood from beside her, moving to look out the window as he continued.

"I was afraid you'd say something like that. Yumi, I'm going to tell you some things that will fly in the face of modern science and seem like the ravings of a madman, but please hear me out. After I'm done, if you never want to see me again I'll understand, but please hear me out first."

"Alright," she said after a few moments of silence wondering why he would think she would never want to see him again.

"My name is Ulrich Stern; the mind in this body is from five years in the future. In two days time X.A.N.A. and Sissi will blow up the factory killing you, Odd, Jeremie and Aelita. I'm the only one that will survive because Sissi tried to recruit me to their side. William is X.A.N.A., he has been possessed for a while, but I'm not sure how long. Several months after he kills you he releases all the safeties on the scanners and brings his entire army to our world. He begins by destroying Kadic and then taking over France and the UN. After that the world falls to his power in next to no time."

She could only stare at him as he finished his abridged version of his history and one possible future. He turned his eyes from her face when he saw the fear rise up in her eyes. He knew she wouldn't believe him.

"You're insane," she said as she backed away from him as far as the bed would allow. He had been expecting this, but it still hurt all the same.

"Yumi, let me explain"

"No, you stay away from me." She said as she rose and moved to stand in front of the door, not trying to leave just yet.

"Please, you need to understand that I'm telling you the truth, this will really happen in two days." He pleaded from across the room, unmoving so he wouldn't scare her even more.

"How do you know this?" she demanded angrily, her eyes blazing at his lies and delusions. And here she thought this was the man she would be able to spend the rest of her life with, shows just how bad a judge of character she was. "How do I know that what you're saying isn't some twisted plot to do something evil to me? How do I know you're not possessed by X.A.N.A.?"

Even as she was saying this she was working the promise ring he had given her from her finger. As she finished removing it, she threw the object onto his bed. For Ulrich that was the final hurt, he could take her hating him, but the ring had been the end of him. His emotions finally snapped and he cried out his pain, suppressed for far too long.

"BECAUSE I WAS THERE AND LIVED IT ONCE BEFORE!" he roared at her before his strength left him and he collapsed to the floor, wracking sobs over taking him as memories assaulted him.

"Do you know what it's like to watch the person you love more than anything and your best friends die and not be able to do a thing about it? Do you know what its like to have to then go to their funerals knowing that you'll never be able to tell their parents the real reason they died? Do you know what its like to watch those same friends placed in the ground in coffins? No, if you did then you would understand my pain and my reason for what I've done."

She was stunned to hear him yell at her like that and even more so to hear his words and sobs, his voice so quiet she had to struggle to hear it.

"I was there when the factory blew up; I was there at your funeral. Your father gave me your stuffed animal; you used to sleep with it every night. He told me he always knew we belonged together and wished that we had that chance." His confession was mixed with choking sobs making some words difficult to understand.

Yumi felt her heart break at the pain in his voice. It wasn't from some madness-inspired delusions; it was the pain of memories of the most tragic events of his life playing before his mind's eye once again. When he looked up at her she could see the memories passing before his eyes, the pain and sadness she saw there nearly tore her apart. What had she done by taking the ring off?

"Ulrich," she began as she took a tentative step toward him, hands out in front of her.

"After that I had to live through the world being enslaved by William and Sissi. I led the resistance against them, but every year we were fewer and fewer, either from dying or being betrayed to William's troops."

With a sigh he looked up into her eyes again, the tears continuing to fall unheeded.

"Before he blew up Kadic I began to study the manual Jeremie left for Lyoko in addition to Franz Hopper's journal. There was much in there that Jeremie missed or hadn't found. During those five years I learned many skills with electronics and weapons. I had to kill to protect myself and others several times. After the destruction of the school I took what remained of the journal and devised a plan to send my mind back to before the attack and prevent it from happening. One of the goals I had set myself was telling you I loved you, I didn't want to lose you again with out telling you how I really felt."

He took a shuddering breath as he turned his head to the floor once again, his tears falling and soaking into the carpet.

"Now that you know the truth, know how I feel, you're free to leave. That's all I asked of you, to hear me out. I know you believe I'm crazy but I'm not. Please, regardless of what you think, don't tell anyone about this."

His voice trailed off when he heard the door open and close behind her, confirming his beliefs.

Well, that answers that question, he thought as he slowly crawled toward his bed and leaned back against it, his hand wrapping around the ring he had given her. He didn't even flinch as the diamond began to cut into his flesh. He didn't even try to fight it as the tears began to fall once again; he no longer cared what happened to him. Yumi had left him and he was alone once again. She thought he was crazy and he knew he would never see her or hear her say she loved him again.

With a shuddering sigh he resolved to finish this battle the only way he knew he could with the recent turn of events. His life was meaningless without Yumi. He knew she could and would move on, she'd fall in love and forget about the insane boy she had dated for a few days back in high school. But for him she was his world, without her he had nothing. He would take this fight to X.A.N.A. and give his life for those of his friends and the world, a fate he'd accepted a long time ago, even if they didn't understand he would still do this final thing for them.

Closing his eyes he hung his head and continued to cry, he didn't even look up when the door opened and closed again. He just didn't care any more.

"Sometimes I wish that I had died with them in the factory," he whispered to his knees unaware that anyone had heard him.

"Ulrich?" a soft voice called out to him. His head instantly snapped up at the sound.

"Yumi?" he said as he sniffled and struggled to wipe the tears from his blurry eyes.

She smiled at him as she gently sat beside him and raised the soft towel to his face, wiping the tears away.

"What" he was cut off by her finger on his lips.

"Shhh, just drink this water ok?"

He wordlessly took the offered glass, after a slight hesitation he drank the contents. It could be poisoned for all he knew but he no longer cared.

Once he finished the glass she took it from him and set it aside, the towel continuing to dry his tears.

Ulrich was confused; didn't she just walk out of his life forever? Judging by her reaction when he told her what was to be he had assumed that she was leaving, after all taking her ring off was a pretty good indicator. Why did she come back? Was it just to taunt and torment him?

"Yumi?" he asked in a whisper as he struggled to suppress the memories.

She just smiled at him as she wrapped her arms around him making him stiffen before he relaxed into her embrace.

"I'm sorry," she began as she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"For what?" he asked confused by her sudden comfort. "You have every right to react the way you did."

"No I didn't. I hardly listened to what you were saying and assumed that you weren't the man I loved. I should have listened better."

"Yumi"

"No Ulrich, when you told me what happened I didn't believe you. I thought you were insane. But when you broke down I saw your eyes. It wasn't madness that was in them, it was pain and sadness. The kind that only comes from memories. I've seen that look before when my parents remember sad moments in their lives."

She paused to pull away and look at him again.

"Now, though that pain is gone. Now I only see resignation, no hope, and no future. I should have comforted you, but instead I pushed you away." She searched his eyes and saw that all she had noticed was still there. She knew that he had come to a decision and she was sure that she wouldn't like the outcome. "What are you planning?"

"I lost you once before and it tore me apart. Only the knowledge that I could try and change the past kept me going for all those years. The hope that I could see you again and tell you how much I loved you. I have done that but now that you've rejected me I only have one thing left to do, take out William and Sissi."

"What do you mean take out'?" she asked as the fear and dread began to creep into her gut, leaving her cold and scared.

"I mean kill them and prevent them from harming you or the others."

"But how? Surely you can't mean on Lyoko!"

His silence was all the answer she needed.

"But what about Sissi? She's not on Lyoko."

"I will deal with her in person and then I'll take out X.A.N.A."

"Surely there has to be another way, this has to be suicide" she broke off at her realization. He was planning a suicide mission and it was all her fault.

"No, I won't let you," she said as she pulled herself closer to him. He only smiled sadly. He knew now that she didn't love him, how could she. He was a monster, an aberration of all the laws of physics.

"I have nothing left, you were all I had. Now I have nothing to hold me back." He said with perfect calm, his tears long since dried, acceptance shining in his eyes.

"No, no, no, no." she wept as she buried her head in his shoulder, what had she done by leaving?

"I know you don't really love me," he said as he gently stroked her hair taking what little comfort it offered.

"I do," she sobbed. "I do love you, more than anything in the world. That's why I came back!"

"I would like to believe you Yumi, but I can't. I want you to know that these last few days have been the best in my life. I will never forget them; I also want you to keep the ring, think of it as a memento." With that he kissed her head and slowly pulled away, the forsaken ring now resting in her closed palm.. When he set his mind to something it was near impossible to change it, he was so stubborn it was scary. Yumi now knew that he had set his mind to the mistaken fact she no longer loved him and he had to die to save her and their friends.

"If you'll forgive me, I have some things I must prepare. Take care of yourself Yumi."

When he was far enough he stood and looked down at her. Smiling at her one last time he began to walk to his closet when he was tackled from behind. Turning in midair he landed on his back and took the brunt of the impact, Yumi falling on top of him, her arms around his waist.

"No!" she said as she pressed her weight against him, trying to hold him to the floor. "No, I won't lose you now that I have you. I'm sorry I over reacted, I'm sorry I walked out, I love you. Why won't you understand that? Why can't you see how much you mean to me?"

Ulrich was needless to say shocked at her reaction and the tears falling from her eyes. He had thought that she had returned only to put her own mind at ease before leaving him again. He believed that her words of love not mere moments ago were simply placating, a way to alleviate her own guilt. Now he could see how deeply she meant them. For the first time in the last half hour he was happy. He felt joy and love wash over him even as her tears soaked into his shirt.

Pulling her up so that they were face to face he kissed her gently. Instantly she began to return the kiss, hungry in her need to make him see how much she loved him.

Several minutes later they were lying on Ulrich's bed cuddling, the ring once again adorning Yumi's finger. They hadn't done anything but kiss and reassure the other that they loved them. Now they had to talk. Yumi was the first to break the silence.

"Ulrich?" she said from the circle of his arms, not bothering to lift her head as she listened to his heart beat in time with hers. "You're not going to go on that mission now are you?"

"No, that's a contingency plan in case the main one fell through."

"Oh, and what was your main plan?" she asked as she tilted her head to look him in the eyes.

"You believing me," he said with a smile as he kissed the top of her head. She smiled and snuggled deeper into his warmth.

"Good."

"Ulrich," she said after a few minutes.

"Yeah?" he asked as he turned to look at her.

"I'm glad you didn't die in that other future."

"Me too Yumi, me too."

They were silent for another few moments as they relished in the love they shared.

"So what's the plan now?" Yumi asked into the silence, yawning a bit from the exhaustion that their conversation had created.

"Same as it was before; stop William and Sissi, only this time with out getting killed in the process." He reassured her with a smile which she returned.

"Good," she said as her eyes closed and she fell asleep. Ulrich chuckled to himself before he too fell asleep.