Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko.

I'm warning you know that there will definitely be a cliffhanger in the end.

You have been warned.

Without a Trace

Chapter 12

Ulrich stared at Aeilita as she told him the news later that day. His theory had been right. The five years the Lyoko Gang had spent since the supposed victory had all been false. Xana had them imprisoned in some sort of dream sequence chamber right now.

What's worse is the fact they had been so easily fooled for so long by their enemy. They had all gotten jobs within the same city, had reached their dream jobs without a hard time, and were living as close to a perfect life as they could get.

"Since it is true, how do we undo the effects and get back to reality?" Yumi asked. They entire Lyoko Gang had met up again in Ulrich's office.

"Our theory is that we can use the scanners that brought us to Lyoko to bring us back to the real world," Jeremy said.

"We'll need a volunteer though," Herb added.

"The dreaded word," Yumi muttered to herself. She remembered all the horrible things that had happened when the genius' had asked for a 'volunteer'. They had nearly lost a few lives of the Lyoko warriors from 'volunteering'.

"It's only fair that I do it. I should have been real with you guys from the start; instead I got us into a huge mess," Ulrich said.

"You don't always have to be the hero you know," Odd said.

"So you're willing to risk your life by doing this, and if it succeeds free the rest of us before one of Xana's guards find you and capture you and force you to face Xana again on your own?" Ulrich asked.

"No, I was just saying that you don't always have to be the hero," Odd said. "Feel free to do it though."

Everyone laughed at his joke. (I know scary, Odd made a real joke)

"If you're really willing to do this Ulrich, we'll probably be ready to do it tomorrow," Jeremy said. Ulrich nodded.

Ulrich and Yumi were enjoying their last night together in the dream world. They were eating dinner at a fancy restaurant that no one who actually needed the money for other things would normally go to.

"Ulrich?" Yumi said, getting the brunettes attention. He looked up at her. "Promise me one thing before you go."

"Anything for you," Ulrich said.

"Don't forget what almost happened here," Yumi said, fidgeting with her engagement ring. Ulrich understood that she meant 'don't forget we loved each other enough to get married'.

"How could I ever forget? I've loved you since the first day I laid eyes on you."

"I know you won't, but can you also promise me that no matter what happens in the real world, you won't get yourself killed?" Yumi asked him. Ulrich was stunned she cared this much to worry so hard for his safety.

"I can't make a true promise for that since I can't control destiny, but I can promise I'll do my best not to get killed," Ulrich said, a sympathetic look in his eyes. Yumi smiled at him, but her eyes were full of sadness.

The next morning seemed to come faster than it should have for the Lyoko gang. All seven of them were at the factory by nine a.m. wondering what would happen. (Seven wonders of the world!)

Yumi was clutching Ulrich, not wanting to let her love go. He seemed very reluctant to leave her and climb down the ladder that went down to the scanner room.

It all seemed like a serious case of Déjà vu to him, being in the factory, climbing down the ladder from the lab above to the scanners below. The eerie lights that were always on, (seriously, the scanner room is always orange, and the lab is always green! Didn't they have money to pay for some decent light fixtures?)

Ulrich stepped into one of the scanners and turned around, and all too familiar move. The doors of the scanner closed around him as Jeremy went through the familiar routine. Somehow the genius had managed to remember how to do it throughout the years, even though he hasn't done in over five years.

"Scanner Ulrich."

"Transfer Ulrich."

"Virtualization!"

Ulrich heard the last word, and didn't see how it worked with what was going on. He closed his eyes as his mind and body were removed from the dream sequence.

He opened them to reveal…

-End of Chapter 12-

I did warn you I was going to do that.

Weekends over now, so I don't know when I'll update again. Probably going to depend on how many threats I get and if they're actually threatening enough.

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