Author's Note: I'm apologizing in advance because this chapter is shorter than the previous ones (and some of you might be grumbling about this unhappily). I think I have one more short chapter coming up and then a long one so please don't kill me!! Son of Xana and aznBLONDiE, you guys rock (you've reviewed my story the most)!!! But I love all my reviewers dearly, so thank you! Now read this short chapter that promises long chapters to come...

"I've finally uncovered some information on what Xana's trying to do, Jeremy."

"So have we," Jeremy countered. "Tell us yours first."

She nodded, her pink hair bobbing up and down. "I found out something when I hacked into Xana's system in Lyoko. Apparently, he was materializing his monsters when he discovered a glitch in his system. He found it about the same time Ulrich and Yumi were in Lyoko. He realized that he had programmed himself to be too fair. When Ulrich and Yumi materialized out of Lyoko to help Odd, four blocks of the colors red, yellow, green, and blue materialized as well. Four. One for each of you. They posed a little threat to you, but not much so you could retrieve the crystals and us them against him."

Jeremy nodded understandingly. We all crowded around Jeremy in his swivel chair, brows furrowed in thought. "Anything else, Aelita?"

She paused, then nodded again, but I saw that this time it was more wistfully than the time before. "Odd, Yumi, and Ulrich can't come back to Lyoko anymore. At least not now."

"What?" Odd, Jeremy, Ulrich, and I all exclaimed in unison.

Aelita closed her eyes for a second and then opened them again, as if trying to lift some worry off her shoulders. "If you came to Lyoko, Xana would just send hoards of monsters after you."

"Like he doesn't do that already," Ulrich stated flatly.

"No," Aelita shook her head quickly. "He will use you to kill his monsters. That's the quickest way to get them materialized though I still haven't figured out why he's doing so."

"That's where we come in," I said, and started explaining Xana's tactics for the third time with help from Ulrich. When we finished, her look was off complete horror.

"Obviously, Xana's materializing more monsters to expand his army of zombies," Odd stated.

"But he doesn't need as many as Aelita says," I pondered, "since it can be spread through a kiss."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Sorry, Aelita," Jeremy whispered. "Got to go." Aelita nodded one final time before her image melted away into the screen with green numbers and figures running up and down it vertically. When she was gone, all of us turned to face the closed door.

The knock came again, but it surprised me with its lack of persistence. It was as if it was waiting patiently, beckoning for us to open it, politely waiting to be invited into the room. It came again and I'm sure we all concluded it couldn't be Jim. He would have broken the door in two by now in his fury of not being acknowledged. No, it was someone else, but I wasn't sure if it was someone I wanted to face.

Nevertheless I pushed off Jeremy's desk and started for the door. I felt someone grab my arm. I turned and saw it was Ulrich and he looked worried. I smiled slightly and continued walking. His hand slipped to my hand and then dropped to his side.

The knock came again but it didn't seem hurried. I was right in front of the door now. I didn't know why it had to be me opening the door but I felt it was my responsibility. I reached out to touch the doorknob and saw how fragile and white my hand was. I felt so weak all of a sudden, so vulnerable. I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed these thoughts forcibly away. I was a girl, but I was a tough girl. I could fight anything.

Maybe I was wrong...just this once.

I finally twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open slightly. Nothing happened but for some reason, I kept looking down.

Then a hand reached out and seized me harshly. I flinched from the grip and in a second was pulled outside. I heard Ulrich scream my name and knew he had started for me. But I couldn't do anything. It seemed all my resolve had broken down. I finally realized it was Ben's first kiss that was slowing my thinking and reactions down. Xana had gotten to me after all.

The other hand reached out and grabbed both my hands tightly. He brought up my hands and placed them close to his chest. My eyes followed our hands and then looked up to see Ben's face. His eyes were still glowing, but he didn't look as hostile anymore. He looked handsome and kind, as if he knew I wouldn't have any strength left to resist him.

I didn't. He was absolutely correct.

"Xana will reward me greatly for this," Ben breathed into my ear.

When Ulrich finally flung open the door wide in an attempt to save me, Ben had already leaned in and was kissing me hard.