' Why did you stand me up at the alter?' That question was what Yumi was fearing would come pass Ulrich's lips. It was what she feared, but knew was coming. Since Ulrich had reintrodused himself back into her life, she knew that question was coming. Whether it was now, or later. It was still coming. She had praticed the answer, tryng to place it into words. Nothing came, everything was silent. It was like someone hit the mute button on Yumi's universe.

Ulrich stood there waiting for the answer. Yumi opened her mouth, knew she said something but didn't hear it, apparently thinking she said it. After realizing nothing left, she closed her mouth and turned her back on him. She had practiced it hundreds of times, but still couldn't say it.

" Ulrich please," she said to him, hoping this would make him drop it so she didn't have to answer it. So she could avoid the question.

" Please what?" Ulrich asked annoyed. He knew she was trying to avoid and he wasn't going to let her. Yumi felt her pulse go up. She knew he wasn't letting her go.

" I...just..." Yumi began, then took a step away. Perhaps having a more distant proximity would help. Then she sat on her couch, and looked at the floor.

" Answer the damn question," Ulrich said to her. Yumi sighed. More pressure.

" I wasn't ready to get married," Yumi said to him.

" Why not?" Ulrich asked her. If she felt she wasn't ready, he figured she wouldn't have said yes to his proposal.

" I was too young?" She said to him. Ulrich shook his head. He knew she was only floating around the real reason until he bought it and left it alone.

" Then why did you say yes when I asked in the first place?" Ulrich asked.

" What was I supposed to say. I'm sorry, I'm too young to get married," Yumi said to him sarcastically.

" Better than saying yes and leaving me alone at the alter. Better than breaking my heart," Ulrich said to her.

" I did what I thought was best," Yumi said to him. " For both of us."

" Bullshit," Ulrich said to her. " What was best for us, was you actually attending your own wedding," Ulrich to her.

" How would you know?" Yumi said to her.

" Oh come on Yumi, I've been able to read you like a book since jr high. I knew when you were mad, sad, upset, happy. I was the only one who could make you stop crying after your parents got into a fight. I was the only one who laughed at your dumb jokes. I was the only one who could help you stay level through all of it. Then you stood me up as if I didn't mean anything to you."

Yumi exhaled then looked at him. " Please stop. I'm sorry. Is that what you want me to say. I'm sorry, I really am. But I don't regret it. We were too young. You dropped out of college to be with me, and when I left, you finished. If anything I did you a favor," Yumi said to him. Then wished she'd have stuck her foot in her mouth.

" A favor!" Ulrich shouted at her. " You stood me up just to teach me a lesson about life.." Ulrich continued.

" That's not what I meant..." Yumi tried to say, but he kept talking.

" So everytime you said you loved me was just a lie. Nothing behind it but words and air?" Ulrich shouted. Yumi decided now that he was angry, she could use that to help her avoid the question.

" It wasn't a lie when I said that. I meant it, but sometimes love just isn't enough," Yumi said to him. " It takes trust, communication, both of which you suck at," Yumi said to him.

" What do you mean?" Ulrich asked, though he kinda knew what she already meant.

" Whenever I talked to another guy, you wanted to kick his ass. You never trusted me enough to take care of myself when talking with guys who I wouldn't let touch me. When we needed to talk about something with our relationship, you'd try to change the topic, or avoid the question."

" Like what your doing now," Ulrich asked her. Yumi froze. She was almost certain that would work. " Socialogy was one of my majors. When a human wants to avoid a question, he or she will bring up the past in hopes to take away interest in the previous topic."

" When the hell did you get so smart?" Yumi asked him. It was strange. Ulrich was never stupid, but he was never an honor student.

" About the same time you weren't a distraction anymore," Ulrich said to her. " I guess you did do me a favor." Ulrich said, hoping to make her angry. It worked.

" Oh that's real mature," Yumi said to him.

" Why. Just answer. You say you loved me, but you were too young."

" Because I knew it would ruin both of our lives. I mean, look where we're at now. I'm an executive for a company. Not a secretary or some crap like that. I give orderes instead of just taking them, or giving some asshole his coffee. Your the lead artist, you give orderes too."

" And you don't regret it. Not any of it?" Ulrich asked.

" Not anything," Yumi said, to confirm that. Ulrich sat on a chair and let that settle. He had an answer. Not a very good one, and he doubted it was whole truth. But he knew continuing this conversation was suicidal.

" Sorry I asked," Ulrich said then stood up off the chair. He started to walk to the door, then grabbed the doorknob.

" Ulrich," Yumi said to him. Ulrich stopped moving, but kept his hand on the doorknob. " I really am sorry."

" I know," Ulrich said, then left the room, closing the door behind him. He was actually smiling when he left. If she was sorry, then it meant she regretted something.

A month later after Ulrich and his art team got their first paychecks for the new ad campaighn, Ulrich moved out. He had money, a steady job. Even if his exfiance was his boss. He didn't need to live off of Odd and Aelita anymore. Managing to find an apartment at a managible price, he packed his things, and moved out. He hadn't closed it, but he was going to the walkthrough with the realestate agent.

" As you can see Mr. Stern the kitchen is finished, as well as both bathrooms. You asked for wood flooring in the spare room so we installed that, and carpet in the master bedroom. All new appliances in the kitchen, oven, microwave, fridge. Also as it said in the deal, it comes with a washer and dryer so you don't have to leave the apartment to do laundry," the realestate agent said showing him around the apartment.

" How many square feet?" Ulrich asked, looking at the kitchen.

" About fifteen hundred. Which is a pretty rare find in France I must add. You made the first bid, and trust me, there were plenty of bids for this place."

" I bet. Good view, and I'm actually not that far from my job," Ulrich said to her.

" Where do you work?" she asked.

" Billboard advertisment. I'm the lead ad campaighn artist. I basically direct the art team, but we all work together so no one is doing nothing."

" Is your team a bunch of slackers?" She asked.

" No. They work do their work, and do it well. The three of us have actually been friends since jr high. It's funny because no one thought they'd end up married."

" That's life. So, what do you think?" She asked, crossing her fingers, hoping for a sale.

Ulrich look at the empty space of the rather large two room apartment. Seven fifty a month, two bathrooms, a huge kitchen, spacious living room. It was just what he needed.

" I'll take it."

" This wouldn't be so bad if you weren't on the third floor," Odd said on the other end of the couch him and Ulrich were lifting up the stairs.

" Shut up and lift," Ulrich said as they finally got off the last step and started toward the door. They dropped the couch in the living room. There was an elevator, but the couch wouldn't fit.

" So, what have you and Aelita been up too?" Ulrich asked. He'd been gone for a week, the first thing he moved in was his bed, dresser and some food.

" She brought it up," Odd said then sat on the couch.

" Brought what up?" Ulrich asked then sat next to him.

" The B word. Starts with B and rhymes with maybe," Odd said. Ulrich thought of the words that rhymed and began with B. Only one came to mind.

" Baby?" Ulrich asked.

" Yeah. She says now that our income is a little more stable, we can move out of the studio apartment, get a house, and raise a family," Odd said then took a deep breath.

" And how do you feel about that?" Ulrich asked, because right now he didn't seem too excited. Odd took a deeper breath. Ulrich stood up then walked into the kitchen. " Beer?"

" Got any vodka?" Odd asked sarcastically. Ulrich chuckled then walked back and placed a beer in Odd's hand. " But no, she told me think about it. So naturally I thought about all of the bad things first. Crying keeping me awake. Diapers, toys, potty training, crying in the super market. But then, I thought about the fun stuff. I really thought about it, and it out weighed the bad stuff. So I told her let's do it," Odd said then took a sip of his drink.

" Then why are you so flustered right now," Ulrich asked.

" Because. After I answered positively, she took a sigh of realief and said, ' Good, because I'm already pregnant.'" Ulrich heard that and choked on his drink, but kept it from spraying out. After a second he swallowed it down then started to cough. Odd patted his back.

" Aelita... Aelita is pregnant?" Ulrich asked. Odd nodded.

" She showed me the pregnancy test. That's why she was so antcy the last month. We're not sure when, but she thinks it was the honeymoon, because the doctor says she's about three months," Odd said then leaned back into the couch more.

" You know, I think I might have some vodka," Ulrich said then went to check.

Ulrich had been moved in for about a week. Everything was finally unpacked. His living room had a forty two inch in it, a couch and a chair. His coffee table had a coaster with a beer on it, and the soccer game was on. The game was Germany vs France, so he was finding it hard to decide who to root for. Ulrich was laying with his back against the couch and his feet using his coffee table as a foot rest.

Next to him on the couch was a bag of tortilla chips and a bowl of salsa next to the beer. France scored on a corner kick, and he wasn't sure if he should be happy or mad about it.

" Alright, heads, France. Tails Germany," Ulrich said, then flipped the coin. Tails, Germany. " Dammit, I picked the losing team." Then he heard a knock on his door. " Bout time," he said, figuring it was his chinese.

Grabbing his wallet he watched Germany kick off the ball, then walked to the door. " How much do I owe...you," Ulrich said while openeing the door. To see it wasn't the delivery boy. It was Yumi holding a potted plant.

" Expecting someone?" Yumi asked. Ulrich didn't say anything. He barely said anything to her at work besides, 'good morning', and 'when do you need this by?' " Can I come in?"

" Sure, but you know I might not be alone in here?" Ulrich said to her. Yumi smiled then stepped right in. " What's with the plant?"

" Homewarming gift. Figured you'd need something to add colour."

" Well thank you," Ulrich said as Yumi placed it on the table in the kitchen. Then she saw the game.

" Who's playing?" Yumi asked.

" Germany and France. Whoever wins this plays manchester," Ulrich said, then thought that was a little weird. Yumi never talked about soccer. " When did you start watching soccer?"

" I hung out with you long enough didn't I," Yumi said then sat on the couch. She took a chip then dipped it in the salsa. Ulrich heard a knock at his door and saw the delivery boy, paid for his food, and closed the door. As he placed the food on the table he saw Yumi eating his chips.

" Make yourself right at home why don't you," Ulrich said then began to dig through the bag for his egg rolls. Yumi smelt something good then turned her head.

" Chinese?" Yumi asked.

" Mine," Ulrich said, claiming his food. " Alright, obviously you didn't come here to drop off the plant. What's up?" Ulrich asked.

" About that conversation we had," Yumi began. " It got me thinking about what happened," Yumi said to him.

" With what?" Ulrich asked.

" Well, plus with Aelita showing up pregnant last week got me really thinking about things."

" Yumi, please don't talk about this," Ulrich said. He already knew what it was. He didn't like that part of his life. It hurt him pretty bad.

" Well we kinda have to. It made me wonder. What would of happened if we hadn't lost the baby?"