Hey. It's been far too long. (This really, really isn't my fault… I promise. The reason why I haven't been updating is a really long story that would bore you all to death before you even got to the actual fic…)

Okay, well, because I know how annoying it is when someone stops updating for a really long time and then randomly pops up and you've completely forgotten what's going on in their fic, here is the story so far… all for your benefit and so that you don't have to go back and read the earlier chapters.

Aelita is materialized, but she has this virus, which has mutated from what it originally was to a new program, that is basically killing her whether she's on Earth or on Lyoko, so they just decided to keep her on Earth. However, things get worse: Jeremie and Aelita are fighting (it all started because Jeremie was angry that Aelita hadn't told him that she knew her virus had changed until much later) and Jeremie is really fried at her. (And also vice-versa… read the other chappies if you've forgotten why Aelita's so pissed.) Also, Yumi and Ulrich are suspicious of Aelita's doctor, who's hair covers up what they think may be the symbol of Xana…

Also, Odd has been hearing voices that are commanding him to do something pretty serious… to kill Ulrich! Last chapter we left off with Ulrich and Odd in the factory, the purple-haired boy about to mince Ulrich up with a pocketknife!

What will happen now?!

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Jeremie's P.O.V.

The sound of my footsteps on the floor of the hospital were almost startling. I hadn't actually been out of my dorm for a long time, and the only noise I was used to was the low humming of my computer, which was always on.

But after Ulrich's visit, I knew he was right, even though I would never be able to admit it to him. I did need to go see Aelita. And it would all be okay after that.

I stopped at the desk in front of the Intensive Care Unit, and a young woman in a pink nurses' uniform looked up at me.

"Uh… is Aelita here?" I asked clumsily.

"Last name?" the woman inquired, typing something into the computer in front of her.

"Um, Lyoko… maybe…" I hoped that that was the name Aelita had been admitted under.

"Yes, she's in room 206. It's right down the hall," the woman said with a small smile.

"Thank you," I mumbled.

"Oh, and sir? One more thing," she said as I began walking away. "Visiting hours end in twenty minutes, so you'll have to hurry up, alright?"

"Yes ma'am," I said, and then turned around again and walked away from the desk.

"207…207…Oh, there it is," I thought to myself, as my eyes scanned the room numbers and finally found what they were looking for. I took a deep breath, opened the heavy door, and walked inside.

The room behind the door was completely white. A lone window let in a little bit of light, but the world beyond the sparkling-clean glass was almost more depressing than the emotionless little room this girl who was once nothing more than a computer program was bound to.

I took a deep breath, pushed my glasses back up my nose, and focused on the still form in front of me.

On a bed with white sheets, Aelita lay there, not moving. Her hair was tangled, and her breath came out slowly and steadily. The only thing disturbing the quiet of the room was her heart monitor, which beeped at an unhurried pace. She seemed so… unlike she usually was. Though of course I recognized her face, it was as if she was a different person. Warm smiles and glittering eyes were replaced by a look of nothing; cold, uncaring, nearly dead.

I felt my own heart begin to race, and tears formed in my eyes. "Oh my god, Aelita…" I breathed. This was not what I had wanted for her. And yet, it was still all my fault.

The sickening sensation one gets just before they vomit met my stomach. Turning, I threw open the door, and flung myself out into the hallway. Running as fast as I could, I tried to force the lump in my throat away. Nurses walking calmly along would raise their eyebrows at me, but I didn't care.

As soon as I was on the ground floor, I tore out of the emergency room and sped away from the disturbing scene I had witnessed in Aelita's room. I couldn't take it. And, as usual, I was too weak to keep myself together.

I had been running longer and faster in the direction of the school than I had ever done before. Legs like lead, lungs like fire, I could no longer take it. Stopping, I gasped and wheezed, each intense breath of air not enough. I could no longer hold off my tears, and they streamed down my face, leaving freezing wet streaks on my flesh and clothing and everything else they landed on.

As soon as I could bear taking another step, I began walking back to the school like before.

After what seemed like hours of making little progress in getting to my destination, I finally yanked open the door to Kadic, and made my way back down the hallway to my dorm.

I was finally there. Once I got into my dorm, I'd dive onto my bed and try to forget it all… under warm bed sheets and the comforting familiar feeling of my own room.

I was about to unlock my dorm and go inside, when I noticed something on the floor. I squatted, and picked it up.

It was a book, black, and unmarked on the outside. It was maybe three inches by two.

I pushed my glasses into place, and opened it.

"What the… it looks like a diary or something…" I whispered.

Looking around to see if anyone was watching me, I stood up and opened the door to my room. Once inside, I closed and locked the door. Then I sat on my bed and opened the book again.

"I suppose I could read just one entry, just to see if I can figure out who this belongs to so that I can give it back to them…" I said aloud. Even though I knew it was wrong to read someone's diary without permission, I was really sort of curious to see what the mystery person had to say.

'May 25th, 2004

It feels so wonderful to be alive! I have decided to start keeping a diary. I got the idea from Ulrich. I saw him writing one day and I asked him what he was doing. He blushed and put the book he was writing in away, but then he said it was a diary and please don't tell people he keeps one. I laughed and I agreed, as long as he would explain to me what it is and how to use it. He told me and I thought it sounded like a good idea. So I went to a convenience store and bought this little book. I'm not exactly sure if I am doing this right, and it feels a little awkward writing like this. Maybe I should ask Ulrich if I am doing it right. Ah well, that is for another day. For now, I will just be happy I that am here.'

My eyes widened. I began to have a theory about who the diary belonged to… though I didn't know for sure. So, I decided I had better read another entry.

'July 6th, 2004

Goodness. Last time I was able to write in this thing, I learned that I couldn't stay with my beloved forever like we had planned. I had to hide my diary in Yumi's house until the next time I could use it. I found out that I am bonded to my own world by Xana…'

"Oh my god, it IS Aelita's diary!" I whispered. "Well now that I know I should stop reading. Aelita wouldn't want me to…" I stopped talking when I realized that I was reading even when I was telling myself not to. "Oh well, maybe it would be okay to finish this entry…"

'…and must remain in Lyoko until the only one I truly love can find a way to free me.'

I blushed.

'Jeremie is the most important person in my life. I asked Yumi why I feel so strongly about him, and she said it was because I love him. I guess I do love him. He so amazing… and when I kissed him it felteven moreamazing… I will never forget that…I only hope with all of my heart that he feels the same way…'

New tears began forming in my eyes.

"Okay. One more entry. Just one more," I decided. I flipped ahead, looking for more recent entries. I wanted to know if Aelita still felt this way about me. I needed to know.

'October 22nd, 2004

Here I am, back in the real world again for a visit. I am fortunate that Xana has not been active lately, meaning that my life has not been endangered – yet. Ulrich, Odd, Jeremie, and Yumi are all just waiting though; I can see it in their eyes… for Xana's newest plot against this world. I can feel him even here on this planet. I know he is going to do something… and I know that it will be his most horrific attack yet.

Jeremie has been working day and night looking for the anti-virus. I came to Earth to tell him in person that he should stop overworking himself and get some sleep. After all, sleep is an amazing feeling that I should think Jeremie would want to enjoy as much as possible, given that, unlike myself, he has the ability to experience it whenever he wishes. I love him and am worried about him. Very worried. I am going to tell him to stop looking for the anti-virus some time, though I haven't been able to lately. I feel bad asking him to stop. I know he wants me to be able to remain here on Earth, but if it means that he should suffer for me I will not have it. When Xana attacks, I am willing to allow myself to be deleted in order to save his world. It means too much to too many people. I am just a computer program, after all. I do not matter.

Should I not go on, I will state now that I love Jeremie more than anything, except for maybe pepperoni pizza. Just kidding! I love him much more than pizza. And I want him to live on, even if it means he shall live on without me.'

I smiled at the last part, but my happiness faded quickly. "No, Aelita," I whispered, choking on my words. As if she were there, I said, "I will live on, but only if you are there with me."

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Yumi's P.O.V.

"ODD! NO!" I screamed. Standing on the floor above my two friends, about fifty feet up, I leaned over the edge of the railing feeling helpless to stop Odd from hurting Ulrich.

Odd looked up. "No," he said.

"Odd, you have to! You aren't yourself! It's Xana!!" I cried.

"No it isn't! All Ulrich cares about is you, Yumi! He doesn't care about me or Jeremie!" Odd burst, still holding the knife above Ulrich, ready to cut him.

"That's not true, Odd. You're my best friend! And you know it," Ulrich squeaked.

"Yes it is. And you're not my friend. You never were. Xana has nothing to do with this," Odd spat. The spike of hair on the back of his head shook a little bit as he said that, almost seeming to agree with him. "That's why I have to do this," Odd said. He swung at Ulrich with the knife.

"NO!" I yelled, squeezing my eyes shut.

A moment later I heard Ulrich call out to me. "I'm ok, Yumi…" Opening my eyes, I saw that Odd had severed his hand in the place right in between his thumb and fingers.

"Odd, stop it, please! This is Xana's doing, not yours! You have to try and remember that you and Ulrich are best friends, and that we all love you, Odd. I love you. I don't want this! Please don't hurt him any more!"

Odd looked up at me. "You what?"

"I love you Odd, and I care about your safety," I said, barely loud enough for them to hear.

"You do?" Odd asked.

"Yes Odd, I do."

Odd lowered the knife.

Ulrich spoke up. "She's right, Odd, you aren't being yourself."

Odd stiffened again with anger, and re-positioned his knife. "SHUT UP!" he yelled.

"Odd, no!" I yelled.

"ODD! Odd." Ulrich began.

"What?!" Odd asked.

"Odd, come on. Think about all of the times we've spent together. Remember when we tricked Sissi into going to the garden shed where Herb and Kiwi jumped on her? Or all the times in Lyoko when we've tricked Xana's monsters together? Without you I couldn't have killed them by myself," Ulrich said.

Odd looked like he was about to cry. Though he didn't appear as angry as before, he still held the knife in the same place.

"Come on, Odd, you're better than this! I know you are," I called.

Odd's face went to a look of confusion. He didn't say anything, but instead dropped his knife on the floor of the factory and ran away, out the door.

Silence.

Finally I remembered Ulrich and I broke out of my trance. "Ulrich! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm coming up. Meet me by the supercalculator," he said. I heard him smack the 'up' button on the elevator after clambering inside it.

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Odd's P.O.V.

I dashed out of the factory, and ran all the way back to school. I sprinted across campus, passing students and teachers alike. I'm pretty sure Jim was yelling at me to stop, but I didn't. I couldn't.

I darted behind the doors of the school. Something was seriously wrong here. I had just cut my best friend with a pocketknife. Or had I? The whole experience seemed blurred and weird, the way you remember a bad dream after having just woken up from one.

It took me a moment before I realized where I was. Where was I supposed to go now? The whole time I was outside running, all I was thinking about was getting inside. Now that I was there, I didn't know where to go. Back to the dorm? No way. It would remind me too much of Ulrich and what I had done to him. To Jeremie's dorm? No, if Yumi and Ulrich came looking for me, they would know to find me there.

Dazed and confused, I ducked into a classroom that wasn't in use. I closed the door behind me, and just stood, looking around stupidly. Finally I walked over to one of the desks and sat down in the chair, out of impulse. I put my head down, and buried it in my arms.

"What have I done?" I asked myself, out loud.

Completely still, I sat there contemplating everything. Wondering why, and how. All I had were questions, and none of them had answers.

I heard the classroom door open and close, which brought me out of my thoughts. I might have looked up to see who it was, but the truth was, I didn't care. I assumed it was Yumi or Ulrich, or maybe Jeremie.

"Odd?"

Definitely not Ulrich or Jeremie. And unless Yumi was throwing her voice, it wasn't her either.

"Go away," I said, without lifting my head.

"Odd, it's me, Rhiné. Do you remember me from earlier today?"

I looked up. "Oh, it's you. What do you want?" I asked, sounding a lot like I had just woken up.

Rhiné brushed a piece of long red hair behind her ear. "Well, I looked in the classroom and you happened to be in here… and I wanted to know what was up," she said softly.

"Well, for starters, I just cut my best friend with a pocketknife. You still want to be here? I'm violent," I said matter-of-factly. Maybe if I scared her, she would go away.

"You bet. You look kind of sad. Wanna talk?" she asked, popping her bubble gum and prancing over to me, where she proceeded to sit in the chair beside me.

I rubbed my forehead and tried to look bored with her. "No I don't want to talk. Now will you please just go away?"

"Hey, that's no way to treat a girl. Come on. Something's really bothering you. Now spit it out," she said, grinning.

"You're in, what, the sixth grade and you're trying to cheer me up?" I asked, still not looking at her.

"Seventh. Now come on, no one else is going to try and help. I know you want to talk, Odd. And I'm not leaving until you do," she declared, crossing her arms over her chest.

I rolled my eyes.

She chewed her gum harder, and her dark blue eyes wouldn't leave me. "You can start by looking back at me," she said.

"Fuck you."

"Hey, don't say that. Come on. Just look at me. Please? You'll feel a lot better," she said.

I still wouldn't look at her.

Finally she sighed, reached over, grabbed by chin, and forced my head to move her way.

"Ok, I'm looking at you now. Are happy?" I asked.

What I would never admit was that Rhiné WAS kind of pretty. For a seventh grader, anyway. She was wearing a big orange coat that went down to her knees, and a little black skirt that matched her shirt, which was half hidden by her coat. Her hands, which were playing with a piece of her hair, had black fingerless gloves on them. Very… anime.

But I still couldn't shake the feeling that I knew someone who looked a lot like her. I just could pin down who that was…

"No, now you have to talk," she said, and then blew a bubble as big as her head, which popped, without spilling the pink sticky substance all over her face.

I sighed. "Fine."

A huge smile spread across her face.

"Well, see, my best friend is going out with this girl I like… and… I don't know… I guess it just sort of bothers me…" I began.

"Oh, so you're jealous?" Rhiné interrupted.

"No, I'm not jealous! Look, do you want me to tell you what's wrong or not?"

"Sorry, go on."

"Well anyway I just haven't…been…myself lately… I guess. And my friend doesn't seem to really care about me anymore. It's all about Yu…err, his girlfriend."

Rhiné's eyes lit up. "Oh, are you talking about Ulrich Stern?" she giggled. "Yeah, every girl in the whole school seems to have a crush on him. Some of them are really jealous that he apparently likes Yumi. I don't have a crush on Ulrich though, I like someone else," she babbled, chewing on a strand of her hair in between sentences.

I coughed.

"Sorry!" she said, still laughing.

"Uh, yeah," I said, giving her a look.

"So basically what you're saying is that your best friend is dating the girl you like, and you're jeal…I mean, that bothers you, because he only pays attention to Yumi and not you?"

"I guess so," I said.

"And you stabbed him or whatever because of that?"

"Look, it was an accident! I didn't mean to! I swear!" I said, trying to keep myself from crying.

Her face softened. It was no longer playful and happy, but serious. She leaned over and put her arms around me. "It's ok, Odd. Things will work out," she said softly.

I would have pushed her away, but I didn't. Why, I don't know.

And so we just sat there, holding one another, for I don't know how long.

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Cute. :P

Now, tell me. This fic doesn't have sex or drugs or anything like that in it... but they do swear a lot. Do you think I should change the rating to R? I don't know if I should, but someone said it should be R rated. But, you're the readers, and you guys are the ones that matter. So, what do YOU guys think? :)