I actually really like this chapter. Hope you enjoy it, too! Tried to make it a bit longer for you guys!

I don't own Wreck-It Ralph.

Chapter Numero Twenty-One

Day 5

Ralph spent the whole miserable day at work in Fix-It Felix Jr., thinking about what had transpired that morning. When it was finally closing time, Calhoun appeared.

"Any sign of Vanellope?" Felix asked as soon as she was close enough.

She shook her head. "None of her racers have seen her all day."

Ralph deflated, exhausted. He had't been able to rest for a long time, not that he could actually get to sleep with everything that was going on. He could tell, just by looking at them, that Felix and Calhoun were just as exhausted as he was.

"Why don't you two get some sleep?" He suggested wearily. "I'll go look for Vanellope."

When they started to protest that they needed to see that Vanellope was safe, too, that they needed to make a plan to stop Turbo, he answered. "We have time now. We're not out of the woods yet, but were not in such a rush any more. Vanellope comes first. Turbo can wait."

They went silent. He took that as a sign of their agreement and began to walk away. To the place he knew his kart racer would be.

Fifteen minutes later, he was standing in front of the Coca cola mountains. He walked through the invisible doorway that led to its heart.

And there she was. Curled up in a ball, much to close for his comfort to the fizzing lava-like soda, completely silent. He briefly wondered if she had fallen asleep.

He walked toward her. She heard him approach and stood up, keeping her back to him.

"Go away, Ralph."

"No, Vanellope." Ralph stated. He continued to walk closer. "You need to tell me what's going on."

She whirled around, eyes ablaze, but he didn't stop making his way toward her. "What's going on? It feels like I can't control myself. And I'm tired of you guys treating me like I'm still a kid. Everyone's acting so weird around me, and nobody will tell me the truth." She stood up, hands curled into fists. "I have no idea what's happening! I'm strong, Ralph, I can handle it. I thought you of all people would know that."

Ralph statement immediately brought guilt crashing down on him. He got closer to her. There was so much she still didn't understand. So much he hadn't told her. "We're just trying to keep you from getting hurt-"

"Well, I hate it." She turned her back to him. "It... makes me feel like the glitch again... Like nobody cares..."

"But, Vanellope, I care about you!" Ralph yelled, shocked.

Then she turned back around. "But not in the way I want you to!" She yelled back.

He backed up a few steps, having realized how close they'd gotten. "What are you talking about?"

"When I became an adult I thought... I hoped you'd start seeing me differently. The way I've seen you ever since I changed."

Ralph's heart sped up. "And how do you feel about me?"

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Vanellope blushed, looking down at her hands. "I kind of like you, you duffus."

His mouth gaped. "Vanellope-"

"Don't say it. I know you don't feel the same way."

"But I do." Ralph stated, his voice conveying how true his words really were.

"Wha-" she looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "What?"

"I like you too." He gave a crooked smile, reaching forward to grab one of her hands with his own freakishly large one. Vanellope grinned back. Warmth spread through Ralph's chest, but his thoughts suddenly turned dark. "But, Vanellope, I'm a bad guy. What would people think-"

"Do you think I care? You're my hero, remember? Everybody else can just shove it." She squeezed his thumb because that's all her small hand could fit around. "All I care about is being with you, you know."

Ralph smiled because that's exactly the way he felt. A weight seemed to lift off his shoulders and he felt happier than he had felt in a long time. Vanellope leaned forward to tell him something when her eyes went wide. Her body was suddenly shaking with a glitch. Terrible, terrible glitching that forced all the air from her lungs and her knees to become weak. She collapsed into Ralph, who caught her.

"Vanellope!" He yelped. "Are you okay?"

She nodded quickly, not letting him see her watering eyes. She didn't realize the sleeve of her infected arm had rolled up. Out of the corner of his eye, Ralph noticed something green.

"The virus..." Ralph looked down at her infected arm, realization dawning on him.

Vanellope squeaked and scrambled from his grip. She pulled down her sleeve and gripped it tightly in place.

"Vanellope." He growled. He pulled off her hand and lifted up the cloth. The white medical tape that had once surrounded her hand was gone. He could now clearly see that the virus had gone up to her elbow and past what he could see.

"It's spread." Ralph gasped, letting the clothing drop. He looked into her nervous eyes and demanded. "Vanellope, how far has it spread?"

But she didn't have to answer. He noticed then, at the collar of her hoodie, where the skin of her neck had started to turned green.

He gave her a small shake. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want you to worry." She swallowed thickly. "And because there's nothing you can do to stop it anyways."

"But the software Doctor Eggman gave you-"

She shook her head. "Doesn't work. I only told you that so you'd stop trying to find a cure and start trying to find Turbo."

"Vanellope!" He cried. "Don't you realize how serious this virus is? Your code..."

"Finding Turbos more important. We can't let him win!"

"But you'll die!"

Her eyes grew hard. "If that's the price to destroy Turbo for good, I'm ready to pay it."

"But I'm not." Ralph whispered. "Where going to fix this. Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"To see Doctor Eggman."

This is one of my favorite chapters. Finally, a confession! Too bad it had to be followed up with some pretty bad news... Until next time!