Author's Note: Finals in one week. I'm going to study like crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!! But in the meantime, I will enlighten the people that don't have horrible finals by updating my story. I hope it is sufficient enough to entertain you. Welcome new reviewers, like sissyhater (I hate Sissy too! Right on!) and pearl fairy (that is so cute! I love pearls!). To sissyhater, your wish is my command. Read the chapter and you'll understand (whoa, double take, that rhymed!). Thanks for the warm compliment, pearl fairy. And, dedicated J-lyoko, there will be emails...next chapter. But be happy with what you have in this chapter, okay? Thanks again to all my fantasic reviewers and readers! You guys rock my socks. Enjoy!

"Nothing's better than a full stomach, that's my motto."

Yumi laughed loudly. "Since when, Odd? It seems your motto changes periodically to fit your mood."

Odd glared at her playfully. "How would you know? You haven't seen me in..." he stopped to think, drawing math figures in the air and counting on his fingers. Finally he gave up and just said vaguely, "In years."

Yumi nodded her head. "Okay, Odd. Whatever you and your mathematically challenged brain says."

Ulrich snorted. "It seems his brain is more than only mathematically challenged."

"Oy!" Odd said, sounding offended. "What was that for? I never did anything to you."

Ulrich shot Yumi a knowing look, which made her laugh harder. "Sure, Odd."

Aelita had started to giggle as well. "You guys are still the boys you used to be."

Jeremie looked at them each scornfully, but had a grin on as well. "You better believe it, Aelita." Then he lovingly took Aelita's hand and they intertwined fingers.

Yumi felt a pang of longing run through her when she saw Jeremie doing that simple action. She had always wanted to do that. But she had never had the chance. Sure, she had almost kissed Ulrich in Lyoko ten years back, but she had never actually had someone to hold, to love, to kiss, to be with seriously. And, plus, ten years was a long time. And ten years could change a lot. Now as she gazed at Jeremie and Aelita's interlocked fingers, she wanted more than ever to have her hand warmly in someone else's. She fell into brooding and an uncomfortable silence suddenly filled the group of old friends.

The silence became more oppressive as they retraced the path that they took so many times ten years back. Their skateboards long gone, they walked through the sewer tunnel, each of them trying to ignore the strong stench that assaulted their noses. They all remembered how they had gotten used to it when they made this trip regularly ten years ago. That made them long for the past for just a bit.

Someone had yet to speak a word when they emerged onto the bridge. The only sound was the soft landings of their footsteps. Then the sound of ropes as they slithered down, a bit stiff because they were out of practice. Then they all filed into the elevator.

Ulrich was amazed that the elevator was still in working condition. The steel door still closed and the contraption still started to move downward slowly. Memories flooded him of being in that elevator, especially of him and Yumi in that elevator alone. Of course, Sissy's face then popped in for a visit and he grimaced, quickly shelving the memories.

Out of habit, they passed the first floor and stopped directly at the second. Jeremie hesitated slightly, unsure if he actually did want to open this door, this door that had led to the best thing in his life but also the greatest annoyance in his life. Finally he gave everyone else a nervous smile and stepped up to the keypad. He hesitated there again. He turned to look back at the other four, waiting expectantly. "I hope I didn't forget the combination," he said in a wavering voice. Then he turned back to the keypad. He knew he hadn't forgotten, that he had said that just to stall for time, to calm and steady himself. How could he possibly forget?

But, he suddenly started to second-guess himself when the door wouldn't open. He punched in the number combination again, and again the door didn't move. He started to panic just a little bit when he punched it in a third time and the door didn't budge.

"What, Jeremie? Did you actually forget the combination?" Odd said. Jeremie detected in Odd's voice, however, that he was serious this time. His joking tone was gone.

Jeremie took a deep breath and turned back around. "I-I honestly don't know," he said, softly and slowly. Then he stepped aside. "Perhaps if one of you did it, it would work. Maybe I did forget the combination."

Yumi stepped forward, to the relief of Jeremie. That relief was immediately expelled when Yumi's repeated attempts resulted in no progress. Ulrich then replaced the frustrated Yumi and only succeeded in frustrating himself. Then Odd came in, shoving Ulrich aside, not even proclaiming his usual, "Watch and learn from the master, folks." He was too worried to say anything stupid like that. Even so, Odd couldn't make the door do anything. Finally Aelita stepped forward, their only hope. Their only hope turned out to be a failure too.

"I can't believe it," Jeremie said, walking forward and placing a hand on the closed door. "Why can't we get it?"

"Maybe the code reset itself over time," Ulrich suggested helpfully. "I mean, anything could have happened to cause it to change."

"That's exactly what I am worried about," Jeremie said, starting to pace around the small elevator. "Anything could have happened. Say Xana woke up and changed the code? If we can't get in, what will happen? Say some other people found out about Lyoko? Say some other students?" Jeremie suddenly stopped pacing and clutched his head in his heads. "I don't know. I don't know," he muttered helplessly. Aelita glided over to Jeremie's side and wrapped him up in her arms.

"Suddenly, I'm glad you gave those students our email addresses," Yumi said in a sudden burst of thinking. "If one of the students know about Lyoko, they could email us about it. They probably wouldn't know what it was anyway, even if some students did manage to find it."

"Let's just hope they do," Odd said, looking at the five of them. "Well, I guess there's no point in sticking around here if we can't get into the lab room. Let's head back."

Jeremie was still being comforted by Aelita, so Ulrich went ahead and pressed the up button. When they reached ground level, Aelita and Jeremie said their goodbyes, promising to check their emails and to keep in touch with the rest of them. Then they walked off, again hand in hand.

Yumi sighed. "They are so lucky they have each other," she said out loud. She almost clapped a hand over her mouth. She hadn't actually meant to say it out loud.

Odd sighed as well. "Yeah, your right Yumi. They are lucky. Of course, you and Ulrich could have hit it off but you both were too scared or stuck up. Either way, you two were stupid."

Yumi blushed as Ulrich snarled, "Shut up, Odd." Suddenly, for the three of them, it seemed like old times again.

Yumi got over her sudden attack of blushing and looked to the sky. It was turning a beautiful golden yellow with the setting sun. "Well, I'd better get back home," she said to the two others. "I'll check my email and keep in touch as well."

"I guess Xana beat us this time, didn't he?" Odd said with a smile.

"No," Ulrich said suddenly. "Technology beat us this time." Then he turned to Yumi. "See you later, Yumi. Have a safe trip home." He gave her a warm smile and watched as she gave him one back and walked away. Just like when they were thirteen and fourteen, he watched her until she disappeared from view.

"You still like her, huh?"

Ulrich turned sharply to look at Odd leaning against the warehouse wall causally with a smug grin on his face.

"I do not."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Mr. Ulrich trying to be all grown up but he isn't."

"But really, I don't."

"Sure, that's what you tell yourself, but deep inside, do you?"

Ulrich turned to look back at the way Yumi had gone. "I don't know," he said after a while. "It was all so awkward meeting her again after such a long time. Even if I did like her now, she probably doesn't like me, so what's the point?"

Odd snorted. "What's the point? Geez, you really like pounding on yourself, don't you? Didn't you see the way she looked at you? She wants you to like her again, she wishes you did. Are you blind?"

Ulrich shook his head slowly. "I guess I am. See you around, Odd. I'll keep in touch." Ulrich started to walk away.

Odd smirked and called after him. "You better keep in touch, Ulrich. I'm going to bug you until you ask Yumi out. For real."

Ulrich turned and walked backward for a bit. Odd saw that he had a big grin on his face. "Odd, stop being such a kid. I know you have as much intelligence as one, but please." Then Ulrich turned around and walked away for real.

Odd laughed softly. Typical Ulrich, turn around to throw back one last petty insult. But Ulrich was the one being childish here, and Odd knew it. "You might think I'm joking, Ulrich, but I'm telling the truth. You are going to get together with Yumi. I am going to make you," he whispered into the fading light.