A/N: Just to let you guys know the character, Dan and myself have two completely different pasts. The only thing we really have in common is that we've both been through hell and lived to tell about it. So don't feel too sorry for me.

thesuperdot: Your name says it all. You're super (I know that's cheesey). Thank you very much for reviewing ALL my chapters. BTW, Dan isn't a scientist. He's just freakin' smart.

CLNut: I'm not going to say whether Y&U make up. Just read this chapter and you'll see why. Your analysis of the story is pretty good. I'd say about 65 percent of what you said was correct. Or course, I'm not going to say which parts are right but thanks for keeping up with the story!

Olivia: Thanks for the compilments. I do appreciate them. BTW, what is your Fan Fic called?

Blood Vampire: You're very much welcome. I can't wait to read your next chapter. Anyway, a little spoiler here--I will tell all about Dan's past soon (next block!).

A/N: Don't forget to review all of you who read. It does mean a lot to me. Thanks.

Downtown Paris---

The police interrogation wasn't as bad I thought it would be. I went there to do two things: give them my testimony about Sissy and her final hours form my perspective and to clear my name before it sullied. The police would interview everybody at Kadic anyway so I'd rather tell them what I had to say now rather than later. Not to mention if they discovered what's in my room before I told them I'm sure I'd be arrested on the spot. Long story short, they were nice and didn't hold me long; I think that they were sympathetic.

Right now, I'm walking in a downtown residential district trying to clear my head. Sissy was probably the closest friend I had at Kadic. She was the first person to truly greet me and talk to me here. It's hard for me to make friends so now that I'm looking back at her I guess that she was really my only friend. My life is going to be different because she is now dead.

I stopped at the edge of an intersection. It was peaceful and quite; just what I needed. I stood there on the sidewalk relaxing my body as the wind blew by. Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes and sighed. When I opened them I felt somewhat refreshed and was greeted by the post that had the street names written on them.

"9th and Eiffel." I said to myself. 'Doesn't Yumi live on Eiffel Street?' I thought trying to recall what her profile said when I looked it up the day she asked me if she could help Ulrich. After a few seconds of debate, I remembered that she lived on 749 Eiffel Street.

I searched for the numbers on the house closest to me and saw that I was at 351. 'Maybe I should visit her and ask her to forgive Ulrich. God knows, he'll need it.' I thought as I crossed the street in the direction of her house.

When I came to her house I rang the door bell and her mother answered. I was surprised at how much Yumi looks like her mother. I asked to see Yumi and she went up to her room and brought her down.

"Hello, Yumi." I greeted as she came down the stairs.

"Dan?" She replied. I knew she wasn't expecting a person like me to show up at her door step. Unfortunately, I'm used to this kind of welcome.

"Yumi, would you mind if we took a walk? I'd like to talk to you about a few things."

"Okay, I guess." She said with a monotone voice. Then we stepped off her porch and began our walk around the block. As we left her house, Yumi's head continually looked down. I managed to get a glimpse of her cheeks which were red; probably from crying. Little did she know that I knew firsthand how she felt. My emotions compelled me to help her.

"So, how've you been?" I asked.

"Well, to be honest today's the worst day of my life. First, I had an argument with Ulrich and learned how he truly felt about me. Then I found out that Sissy is dead. I've been crying all day. I've never felt so much pain before." She replied. I put my arm around her to comfort her. Her head was still pointed downward.

"Don't worry. You're a strong person, Yumi. You'll get through this." I looked at her face. Tears were starting to form. "Would you like to talk about it?" I asked.

She peered into my eyes and gave me an obvious, inaudible answer. I replied to her silence, "Come on, what's on your mind? I promise I won't tell anyone." My arm is still around her shoulders.

"It's not that I don't think you'll tell others because I know you won't it's just that it's...really personal." She confessed. It's not good to keep emotions like these bottled up inside. I knew that she was hurting very badly. The only way I could think of to get her to talk would be to relate to her. I'm glad I took that Psychology course last year.

"Then let me tell you a little bit about myself," I began, "Yumi, a long time ago I used to live in America. When I was nine years old my friends and I were involved in a terrible incident. As a result, three of them died and my best friend who lived went into seclusion. Over the following years, I too became depressed and so I decided to move here to...start over, well, sort of." Unknowingly, I had Yumi's undivided attention. She had watched every word come out of my mouth.

I stopped and twisted my body towards her and continued, "Now, I'm not telling you this to make you feel more depressed but rather I want you to learn from my mistakes."

"What do you mean?" Yumi asked in a nervous voice as she looked up at me. I don't want to tell her all the details because THAT would make her depressed. We started to walk again. My arm is now at my side.

"My mistakes: becoming depressed, not going on with my life and feeling sorry for myself. I didn't tell anybody how I felt because I was too shy and sensitive. I thought that if I told people then they wouldn't care. Right now, you're in the same situation as I was almost four years ago except unlike me you have a person who cares." I then turned my head to her smiled, "Yumi, please, you can trust me. I'm not the assistant nurse for nothing, ya know."

"Dan, I had no idea you had gone through so much." She replied.

"Well, I still don't like to talk about it in detail. However, I don't want you to repeat the same ordeal that I went through. Please, tell me what's on your mind?" I started to walk slower to allow her to say as much as she could. From what Yumi told me it looks like she has a lot to say.

"Okay but promise me that you won't tell anybody. Not nurse Dorothy, not Odd or Jeremy and especially not Ulrich." Yumi's voice was a little angry when she said Ulrich's name.

"Sure thing. I promise I won't tell anybody." I'm glad that she agreed to talk. I know that I could help her.

"Thanks Dan. I don't want to sound heartless but Sissy's death really doesn't bother me too much. It's what Ulrich did that's making me upset."

"What did he do?" I replied. I already knew the answer but I want to know what happened from Yumi's perspective.

"Well, it all started this morning. I had to take the long way to school because the traffic was so crazy. When I finally got to the dorms I saw an ambulance in the parking lot. At the time I didn't know that Sissy had died so I thought that it was for Ulrich." I nodded at listened very carefully, "I ran to his dorm room and along the way I saw a medical team take a body bag out of the building. My heart was beating so franticly. I swear I thought it was Ulrich in that bag." Yumi began crying again.

"Hey, it's alright." I said rubbing her back, "Just take your time." Yumi sniffled and continued.

"I went into Ulrich's dorm and saw him sleeping but it looked like he was lifeless. He wasn't moving and his face looked so pale. I feared the worse. I called out his name twice but he didn't reply. I put my head against his chest mourning his death when suddenly he started laughing! Apparently, he thought that my feelings were funny!" Yumi's face was starting to excrete water. I put my arms around her again and drew her into a hug.

She embraced me with her arms and continued, "Ulrich doesn't care for my feelings. I don't know if he ever did. Until today I thought that I was in love with him but I guess I was only a fool." Yumi sobbed greatly. Ulrich really hurt her.

The only thing I heard from this morning's argument was Yumi yelling at Ulrich for something he did or said and then she stormed out the door crying with Ulrich calling out to her. I had no idea what he really did but this is only Yumi's side of the story; I had to defend Ulrich somehow. Otherwise, these two lovebirds could kiss their relationship goodbye. Pardon the pun.

With Yumi still wrapped in my arms I said softly, "Yumi, I know a lot about sickness and disease and I can tell you this: a disease can affect a person's judgment and perception of reality. Promise me that you'll give Ulrich another chance when he gets better. I'm sure he didn't mean what he did." I've always been a good listener but not a good speaker. I know what I said was kind of blunt but I don't know any other way to say it. Besides, Yumi needed to know the truth. Speaking of truth, I'm going to have to talk with Ulrich about this to get his version.

"Dan, I don't know if I can do that. Right now, I just don't want anything to do with him." Yumi replied in a shaky voice.

"Well, you won't have to for the rest of the week. Just relax and try to put things together." I told her. Just then I got an idea, "Yumi, I'll make you a deal. I'll talk to Ulrich this week and talk some sense into him. However, I want you promise me that you'll give him another chance after that."

"Thank Dan but I really don't want to see him period." She replied unwrapping herself from my torso. Time for the "what if" game.

"What if he changes and apologizes?"

"If he apologizes then I suppose I'll give him another chance." She replied. Victory at last!

"Good. Hey, Yumi, I hate to change the subject but what's your favorite food?"