Chapter Six

Jeremy looked over at them and said, "You're finally here." His face was grim and he looked like he had very bad news.

"What is it Jeremy?" Yumi asked straight to the point as always. Her face was blank.

"It seems that X.A.N.A and Lyoko don't exist purely on this computer anymore. X.A.N.A managed to transfer Lyoko's hard drive and systems to a new computer which he has connected to this computer by a cyber link so that if this computer was ever turned on the new computer would boot the system up and X.A.N.A would be able to access Lyoko. He still managed t have access to files that he could hack into and has managed to keep running by putting itself in a kind of cyber-sleep and when Sissy activated…."

Two ominous rumblings were heard upstairs. Dirt and rubble started to fall from the ceiling. The factory was old and could only last so long as they had learned previous times before. They all looked up nervously.

"To wrap it all up when we thought we destroyed Lyoko we actually didn't and now we're having a visit from a forgotten enemy. I can't seem to establish a direct link with Lyoko though!" Jeremy sighed exasperatedly. Nothing seemed to be working and it didn't help that right now his brain was in half panic wondering what X.A.N.A could have learned while they were gone.

Aelita patted his shoulder. "Maybe I should try now Jeremy. It won't help any of us if you can't help us when we would need it the most. Ulrich, Odd, and Yumi had better go plug in the scanners so when we get the systems online we can go directly to Lyoko." As if to punctuate her point the ceiling in the room started shaking again except this time it was more violent and the whole room shook.

Instantly the three just mentioned left. They knew they had better work fast. There was more at stake right now then just the factory falling down.

Jeremy POV

He smiled halfheartedly at Aelita as he said, "I suppose it's time to get to work again. Not that we have any leads of course." He tore at his hair in anger. "Err. If only I hadn't destroyed everything. Maybe just did a trial run. But no, I had to d everything all at once. Just to prove it to myself that I had done it. Now that I think about it seem more like showing off. Now X.A.N.A has another plot up his sleeve to destroy us and everyone else that exists on earth for no reason that we know(1)."

"It's okay Jeremy. I am eternally grateful to you for bringing me here to earth where everything is alive and is wonderful. No one deserves to be beating themselves up, especially not you. Jeremy you're an amazing person and everyone makes mistakes."

Jeremy couldn't help blushing at her words. Suddenly that triggered something in his memory

Flashback:

Jeremy waited with bated breath. He had just made Aelita back to Lyoko and then once she was in a tower activated the materialization program. The virus was gone. Finally and truly. He could hardly believe it. Ulrich and Odd had tried to make him be the one to go to the scanner room but he didn't want it to all just be a dream and end the moment the scanners opened and a feeling of dread would crash over him. He heard an elevator humming. They were coming. He shut his eyes tightly. And then the sound he longed to hear burst through the silence.

"Jeremy?" Aelita's voice penetrated his thoughts. Not Ulrich's or Odd's Aelita's here without any computers on. He opened up his eyes to see her standing before him. Ulrich left silently dragging Odd with him noticing that Jeremy wanted to be alone with Aelita.

Stammering Jeremy asked, "I, I trust everything umm, wor… , worked(2) out ok?"

Aelita smiled happily. "Yes I believe so. But…"

Jeremy paled at that but. If everything had worked out there shouldn't be a but. Then again, her being here erased any buts since Lyoko was destroyed the minute she left it.

Aelita continued, "But… should I still be able to sense Lyoko? I mean, the signal is faint but, it's still there."

Jeremy heaved a huge sigh of relief. Smiling he said, "It might be natural thing, you've co-existed with Lyoko for so long you might just be remembering it's code or essence and believe it to be Lyoko." His technical side had taken over so all embarrassment was gone. "It should fade away eventually."

End Flashback

Why hadn't he asked her later if she still felt that connection! Why! But maybe he could correct that mistake now.

"Aelita, remember when you first came, well not the first time, but when you emerged from the scanners for the last time?"

Aelita nodded, looking confused. She had obviously forgotten their strange conversation at the begging. Or not. Her face lit up with realization. "When I told you I still felt Lyoko if faintly! Then," her face dimmed, "Then, this means you never really materialized me!"

Jeremy's face was a mask of horror. He hadn't realized that. The thought was overwhelming. He decided to dismiss it for later. "We have to think about that later. Right now we have to find out if you still have a connection to Lyoko, the flaw in X.A.N.A's perfect plan. If you can still feel that connection then maybe, you can access Lyoko from the computer. There is a chance if the link is strong enough that you will be able to access the codes to the encryptions and get past all the defenses."

(Aelita's POV)

Aelita nodded and concentrated. She let all the whirring of the robots fade from her mind. She knew that right now she had to find the link to help her friends and the new home she had become accustomed to. But she had no idea where to start. Before the link to Lyoko had just been there. Maybe though it was the same feeling that Jeremy had described as serenity which could help her find it. It was when you were at complete peace. She let all thoughts fade. At first nothing happened, but then she stopped even looking for Lyoko at became nothing. There! It was a code that surrounded her, the same that had been in the towers that had been used to help return to the past to undo X.A.N.A's mistakes. I was familiar and she knew where it was and how to get to it. Subconsciously she reached out until her fingers touched the keyboard and she started typing. She just knew how to get there. Her fingers typed various keys quickly, breaching the lines of defense X.A.N.A had made. She knew nothing but the code enveloping her and the sound of the keys and suddenly she felt it. The link had become stronger and there fore the codes in her mind had brightened. But more then that it felt like the return of another part of her that had been hidden.

(Jeremy's point of view)

He had watched anxiously as Aelita's face had turned blank, the computer at her side. Then her face had changed it had become void of expression, of anything really. Her eyes were open but they seemed closed. Deep rumblings were heard from above but he didn't process that information right now. All he could see was Aelita. Suddenly, it happened. He could see computer codes just running through her eyes. In a trance she reached out to the keyboard and rapidly just started typing. Her fingers were a blur moving faster and faster. Yet almost as soon as it started it stopped. Aelita's face then took on just one emotion. Peace.

(Normal Point of View)

Aelita's eyes opened. The first thing she saw was a Lyoko window pulled up. Jeremy couldn't restrain his broad grin. "Aelita you did it! Lyoko is back online!"

Aelita smiled lightly. She was happy that she had helped her friends. Jeremy pulled out his cell phone and called Ulrich. "Ulrich are you done plugging in the scanners?" there was a pause as Ulrich responded. "Good, Lyoko is back online and we are ready to roll! Climb into the scanners. I'll transport you to Lyoko." He hung up and went to pick up the computer.

Aelita was now confused. "But weren't their forms erased? After turning off the main channel shouldn't they have been deleted?"

Jeremy shook his head. "When they first came to Lyoko they didn't choose their forms. When they went into Lyoko their forms were chosen for them. All I could ever do to them was upgrade them, never change them completely. So the forms the get might be slightly different seeing how they have changed physically and emotionally. All I need to do is scan them."

Aelita nodded in understanding. It would explain many things. Jeremy prepared to scan their three friends, just as the ceiling shuddered one final time before creating a hole and allowing X.A.N.A's robots to come through.

Authors' Note

They never tell us why X.A.N.A's attacks do they?

The repetition is on purpose to make it seem like he's nervous 

To all you lovely reviewers who stayed with the story, we are so sorry for taking so long. The next chapter will be up soon we promise you very much, due to our spring break coming soon. We will answer your reviews in our next chapter to get this up as soon as possible.