Disclaimer: are you starting to get the pattern of me not owning anything?
a/n hey everyone. As we're nearing the end, I would like to thank you all. There will only be a few more chapters, but I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Yumi Stern and Top20fan13. I don't think they've missed a single installment of the story. Thanks you guys!
Lab
"Jeremy are you sure?"
"yes I ran a test on it."
"Maybe you should do it again, Just incase."
"I've ran 3 separate tests today, it's going to work."
"just one more?"
"Lita you need to calm down, Jer's never let us down yet,"
"Odd I'm just.. Oh alright. When are they coming?"
"Soon."
'sigh' Aelita rested herself on the arm of Jeremy's chair.
"It'll be ok," he reassured her.
"I know I know," she muttered. Her cell phone rang and she jumped up.
"yes hello?" she calmed down and sat back down.
"I'm sorry.. Yes I know. My husband is very sick. I know the meeting was important.. Yes.. Alright, alright, I have to go now. Bye." the others looked at her.
"I was suppose to go to some board meeting today. So Jer if anyone asks you're really, really sick," she laughed. Ulrich and Odd exchanged an evil smirk.
"so Lita…" Odd started. Sam hit him in the back of the head with out looking up. In her hands she had a white binder with 'Song Selection' written on the front.
"Odd, shut up and help me pick out the mix for the party we're DJ-ing tonight," she said trying to keep him out of trouble with Aelita. You never messed with Aelita when she was upset, it was suicide. Odd muttered something to himself and sat down next to her. Yumi threw her arms into the air.
"what is taking them? This is important!"
Stables
"uh, nothing important," Dylan said slipping his arms around her waist. Kai lee giggled.
"I have to take Stella out," she said giving him a quick kiss. Jason and Nicole stood behind the couple pretending to gag.
"ok. See you in a bit," Dylan went back to work as the girl rode out of the barn. A few minutes later he slumped against the wall.
"guys," he said weakly,
"I don't feel so well." Nicole rolled her eyes.
"you're just trying to get out of cleaning," she said tossing her brush over to Jason to hang up.
"no guys I really don't.." he didn't finish the sentence. The sign on the back of his hand flashed an eerie red.
"xana!" Nicole gasped. She stumbled back bumping into Celeste. Jason pulled out his cell phone.
"Jeremy! Xana.. Yeah. Ok. We'll try," he hung up quickly and grabbed Nicole by the wrist to get her attention.
"xana's taking control of Dylan, we need to get him to the factory now," he insisted. Dylan's eyes started to glow red. He laughed evilly, his voice deep and distorted.
"look who we have here, the children of the lyoko warriors," he sneered.
"you, girl, looking just like your father. I will take great pleasure in disposing of you." He shot an electric ball at them.
"Nicole! Run!" Jason yelled.
"yes Nicole, run. It makes the game more fun," Xana laughed. Nicole looked over at Jason. She didn't need to say a word. He knew what she was thinking. They run, he'll follow. They took off towards the factory. Jason was in front and Nicole tried to keep up with her still injured leg.
"if we get through this Ben dies,' she thought to her self. Kai lee was riding up besides them.
"what are you doing?" she asked.
"We need to barrow Stella! You have to get back to your grandparents house and hide, we'll explain later. GO!" Jason panted. Kai lee got off the horse and ran. Jason got up on Stella and pulled Nicole on behind him.
Kai lee's pov
I was running and I didn't even know why. I just ran. I neared the house and seen someone out of the corner of my eye. I ducked behind a bush and peaked over the top. It was Dylan. He looked angry. He was looking for someone.
Nicole.
Jason.
They were running. They told me to run. Why would Dylan be running after them? I'll follow him. No bad idea, yet my legs are carrying me at a distance behind him. Where is he going? He stopped and looked over his shoulder. Did he here me? Wait, why would that matter… he's my boyfriend.
"Dylan!" I waved over to him. He just walked away and ignored me. What's going on here?
Factory
Nicole and Jason got off Stella.
"go home," Nicole said petting her nose. The horse trotted in the other direction.
"Where is he?" Jason asked. Nicole glanced around.
"he'll be here soon," he cell phone rang.
"hello?…ok! Ok we're sorry. Having a few slow down problems. .. Yes, Dylan," she sighed and hung up.
"mom's freaking out," she explained. A blast shook the bridge. Dylan walked closer.
"hello. Ready to die?" it was xana. The marks were now in his eyes. Nicole glanced over at Jason.
'Lyoko' she thought. 'that's where we're going, we have to get Dylan to the towers' her feet made the decision to turn and run into the factory. She swung off the ropes and ran into the elevator. Jason close behind and they shut the door. Xana walked into the factory, evil smirk present.
"The elevator?" he asked to no on.
"they think that can save them?"
Lab
Nicole and Jason ran in.
"where's Dylan?" Aelita asked.
"coming," Nicole panted.
"the anti-virus is working, we just need to get Dylan in the scanners." Everyone nodded.
"so what's the plan?" Ulrich asked. Aelita sat down on the arm on Jeremy's chair.
"We'll stay here and coordinate everything, Yumi, you and Odd are leading the distraction," she directed. Yumi nodded. Odd was up off the floor now and gave Aelita a mock salute.
"Ulrich, you and Sam are going to lyoko. There's some monsters and we need to get the tower deactivated as soon as Dylan is free of the virus," Aelita continued. Jason and Nicole were becoming impatient.
"Yumi, Odd, get Dylan down into the scanners via the corridor, Sam, Ulrich, go to the scanners now, we'll transfer you. I'd go to but I need to upload the anti-virus while Jeremy defragments the system. Good luck guys. Be careful." Odd was dancing around.
"this is always my favorite part, we get to play super spy. I feel like a secret agent," he laughed.
"come on secret agent, we have work to do," Yumi smirked grabbing the sleeve of his shirt and pulling him towards the elevator.
"uh.." Nicole started.
"what about us?" she asked.
"to dangerous, you're not doing anything," Aelita said. Jeremy nodded in agreement. Nicole let her mouth hang open in protest.
"Aelita! Dylan is our friend! Let us do something!"
"absolutely not," She said picking up her laptop.
"Aelita, you're going to need back up," Jason reasoned.
"send us to lyoko." Aelita shook her head.
"no. You're staying here until this is over. No more conversation on it," she said.
"Aelita,"
"no Nicole! You're parents would die if anything happened to you, same goes for you Jason. Best leave this to the pros, ok?"
"no! I can not just sit here while who knows what is happening to my best friend!" Nicole protested loudly.
"I'm going, you can't stop me." she turned and headed towards the elevator.
"Nicole, think it over," Aelita sighed.
"you go, you risk messing up one small detail in the plan, endangering Dylan's life. Is it worth it?" her years as a teacher had taught her how to deal with irrational behavior. When people are angry, they act like children. Nicole's eyes were full of anger and unshed tears. She walked off to the opposite wall to sulk. Jason sighed running a hand through his hair.
"well then," he started.
"what CAN we do?"
Factory
Xana, well Dylan, but in his present state Dylan was only serving as a host, was gathering power from exposed circuits. Yumi and Odd were perched up on a beam suspended from the ceiling by another beam. Yumi looked over to the blonde.
'what's the plan?' she mouthed. Odd grinned and shrugged. She rolled her eyes. It seemed always to be up to her in these situations. Odd just took orders and then did what ever worked.
"we're going to swing down," she whispered pointing to the cables.
"Then we'll run towards the corridor. Got it?" Odd nodded.
"Don't hurt him," Yumi stressed grabbing the cable. Odd sighed and nodded again.
'take the fun out of kicking Xana's butt, Yumi,' Odd thought to himself.
Lyoko
Ulrich and Sam we're transferred, along with their vehicles, to the forest region. Awaiting them was an army of monsters. So, of course, being the mature adults they were, they were having a contest to see who could destroy the most.
"23!" Ulrich yelled taking out another block.
"19! You are not on 23! You last one was 17!" Sam yelled from across the plateau.
"24!" Ulrich laughed. Sam growled taking 3 light disks from her side. The disks each hit a crab.
"22!"
"25!" Ulrich said in sing-song.
"stop fooling around you two," Jeremy groaned. Sam slipped a light disk beneath a crab, which fell over onto 5 kraelets.
"28!" Sam yelled sticking out her tongue.
"I'm serious you guys, If you get devitalized you'll be caught in the scanner room with Xana," Jeremy stressed to the lyoko warriors.
"oh Jer, give it a rest. You never let us have any fun with the monsters!" Sam complained throwing a light disk out. She sat with a bright smile on her overboard.
"that's 30 Ulrich."
"stop fooling around! If this was Nicole or Jason you wouldn't be doing this, would you?" Jeremy demanded. The two were silent. Jeremy sighed and rubbed his eyes back in the lab.
"I'm sorry," He said into the headset.
"I shouldn't have snapped like that. I'm just… Dylan. I don't know what Xana's going to…" he never finished. Sam and Ulrich looked at each other, empathy on their faces.
"sorry Jer, we shouldn't be acting like this," Sam said quietly. Jeremy wiped his eyes.
"20 kraelets coming from the north, heads up."
Factory
Yumi swung down. Xana turned around. Odd landed next to Yumi. Xana didn't move. The look on Odd's face changed.
"I don't think I could hurt him anymore," he whispered to Yumi.
"Trust me, there's nothing worse than this," Yumi said. Unshed tears were blinked back. Standing in front of them wasn't Xana, it was Dylan. Sure, Xana had control, but it was still the boy the two had help raise practically. Xana chuckled.
"Silly, pathetic humans. Always letting emotion get the best of you." Yumi narrowed her eyes.
"we're pathetic? You're the one who took control of a 13-year-old," she spat.
"you were much more fun at his again," Xana grinned demonically. Yumi remembered. She remembered Xana having control. She remembered being completely conscious of attacking Ulrich until he passed out onto the floor. She remembered throwing Jeremy into a tree, she remembered it all. She couldn't help but wonder if Dylan knew what was happening. Yumi growled.
"coward!" she yelled.
"you are a coward." her voice was icy. Odd had hold of her arm as she stepped forward.
"I'm smart, not a coward. But go ahead, continue being foolish, I'll kill him," Xana laughed. A ball of energy glowed in his had. Though her rage Yumi missed the small detail. Xana shot it at her. Odd pulled her out of the way and it bounced off one of the beams, letting out a loud crashing noise.
Lab
Nicole was pacing the room as she heard the crash. Jason had been put to work monitoring the halo-map while Jeremy worked on setting up the system defragmenting.
"Aelita, What if they're hurt?" Nicole asked.
"Nicole, sit down. Sleep. Do something," Aelita said not looking up.
"Aelita what if.."
"Nicole. Stop it! Don't you think I know? Yumi is practically my sister! I know, and she knows the risk!" Aelita yelled, voice shaking. Nicole went and sat against the wall. Her hair fell around her face. She didn't bother pushing it back.
"Aelita," Jason sighed.
"Jason. Della. Robbia. Don't you dare start," Aelita barked. Jason didn't continue.
"Jas, give me the head set I have some directions for Sam and Ulrich," Jeremy said. Jason handed it over. Jeremy tilted his head towards Nicole. The younger boys face turned red. He had a look of 'what?' Jeremy made the motion more insistent and Jason caught the hint. He walked over and sat next to her, brushing her hair back on one side and tucking it behind her ear.
"we've been in this position a lot this week huh?" he asked. Another crash shook the lab. Nicole shut her eyes tight. Jason wrapped his arms around her and gave her a supportive smile. She fought back tears and shifted herself into his lap, pulling his arms around her tighter. It was the safest she could hope to feel with some much happening. He rested his chin on her shoulder. Aelita was watching the two from the corner of her eye. She fought back a smile as she worked.
"I just want to be useful," Nicole whispered to Jason.
"Doing what we're told is being useful," Jason whispered back.
"we have to stay out of the way, they know what they're doing ok?" He kissed her cheek. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
"I'm going to lose my mind." Jason laughed.
"no, you're not." He took his hands, lacing his fingers with hers, and then wrapped his arms around her again.
'maybe..' Nicole thought to herself. Jason smiled at her as she got lost in her thoughts.
'we've been together since we were born, maybe I just haven't seen that he..' she shook her head as a smile played on her lips.
'who knows?' She opened one eye to see him staring at her.
"I don't like sitting here," she said.
"we could go sit in the storage closet,"
"ha. Yeah, ok. We can close the door and turn off the lights too," Jeremy raised his eyebrows giving the two a skeptical look.
"oh yeah," Jason winked and laughed.
"see?" Jeremy asked.
"this is what happens when they get bored." Aelita gave him a playful slap on the arm.
"leave them be," she said.
"I guess their parent were just as bad," Jeremy snickered. Nicole and Jason turned bright red.
Factory
Yumi took a deep breath and started running, she ran full force towards the corridor with Odd not far behind. Xana, oblivious to their plan, followed, throwing balls over energy at them. The factory shook slightly. It was amazing how the old thing could hold up so well after all it went through. Odd turned around as he reached the corner.
"what's wrong Xana? Slowing down in your old age?" he taunted.
"programs do not get old, foolish human," Xana said firing at him.
"Odd," Yumi panted as she ran past him.
"He has NEVER got your jokes. Cut the chit-chat and run!"
"Man, no one ever gets my jokes! What is with this world hmm?" he asked as the reached the stairs.
"it could be the fact they're not funny," Yumi snickered.
"hey, all my jokes are funny," Odd protested. He slid down the railing of the first set of stairs. Yumi hit the wall as the stairs turned. Xana was coming down close behind them.
"go time," Odd grinned. Yumi nodded.
"we're not going to make it!" she yelled.
"get to the scanner room! He can't get us on Lyoko!" Odd yelled back. They ran into the scanner room.
"Fools! I control all of lyoko," Xana let out an evil laugh as they entered the scanners.
"quick Jeremy!" Yumi called up to the lab.
"Scanning," Jeremy said. Xana got into the last scanner, victory insured. At least he thought.
"don't be so cocky next time, Xana," Odd laughed as the scanners closed.
"scanner Odd, scanner Yumi, transfer Odd, transfer Yumi, virtualization." Yumi and Odd were sent to lyoko, Dylan and Xana, still trapped in the scanner.
"launching," Aelita said entering in a code.
"system defragmented," Jeremy responded. A 3-D outline of Dylan came onto the supercomputers screen. The lights in the lab flickered. Nicole hid against Jason as the room started to shake.
"what's going on?" she shrieked.
"Xana's fighting back," Aelita explained. Not good news. Dylan's picture flickered from red to green for a moment then back to red.
"Jeremy, put in the other codes, you have to do it manually from the supercomputer," Aelita said shutting down the laptop and handing him a disk. He nodded and took it. A light bulb broke near Jason and Nicole. They shielded their faces from the glass and crawled towards the supercomputer.
"Jeremy how long will this last!" Nicole yelled over the rumbling. On cue, it stopped. Dylan's picture changed to green.
"now," Jeremy sighed.
"Scanner Dylan, transfer Dylan, virtualization."
"I'm going to lyoko," Aelita said as she reached for the ladder near the elevator.
"Aelita, It won't hurt! Let us come!" Nicole said getting to her feet. Aelita gave Jeremy a careful look.
"hurry," she urged going down. Jason and Nicole followed quickly and Jeremy transferred them to Lyoko.
"You'll find the others on the main plateau," Jeremy said as they landed. Aelita lead the way and the other two followed. Aelita ducked behind a tree as she heard Odd yell out when he hit a block. Jason ran towards the fight with Nicole right behind him. Yumi was fighting off two crabs and Ulrich had 3 hornets coming over head.
"trade ya monsters, Yumi!" he yelled. Yumi smirked.
"one!" she yelled catching her fan.
"two," Ulrich answered.
"three!" Yumi did a back handspring and Ulrich turned and sprinted.
"Oh! They still got it!" Odd cheered taking out a block Sam moved so she was back to back with him.
"the once, and forever, unstoppable team," she added. Yumi turned and threw a fan at the duo.
"hey now! Same team!" Sam yelled.
"ops, forgot," Yumi caught the fan and killed the last hornet.
"all clear Aelita," Ulrich said removing his sword from a crab as it exploded. Aelita ducked out without another word and ran to the tower. The aurora changed from red to blue.
"you're coming back you guys," Jeremy said. There was a faint sound of typing. Dylan, Sam, and Odd were first. Followed by Jason, Nicole and Aelita, and last Ulrich and Yumi. They got into the elevator and headed up to where the others were waiting in the lab. Nicole had a smile on her face. Absently, she was leaning against Jason. He had his arms wrapped around her waist and they were watching Jeremy type some final codes into the computer. They walked into the center of the room. Ulrich glance over at Nicole and Jason and raised an eye brow to Yumi. She rolled her eyes and smacked him playfully.
"I've shut the supercomputer off manually. Through the system. Xana's gone," Jeremy said spinning in his chair. The gang cheered and Jason spun a laughing Nicole around into him. She smiled brightly as he looked at her seriously and leaned in. She thought he was kidding.
"Jason we can't just.." she blushed. He was serious. The others weren't paying attention as Jason pressed his lips to hers. Giving in, she kissed back. Ulrich seen it out of the corner of his eyes, and his face went red. Odd noticed his long time friends expression and looked over as Nicole and Jason broke apart smiling at each other.
"Uh. Ulrich?" Odd laughed nervously. Dylan had his phone out and on screen was a shot of the two kissing.
"Yay camera phones," he laughed. Ulrich took a step forward. The two teens turned around, faces slightly embarrassed.
"Nicole," Ulrich said in a warning tone.
"gotta go bye!" Nicole took Jason by the hand pulling him into the elevator and shutting the door. They laughed pressing their backs against the elevator wall. It was almost possible to hear Ulrich beating his fists against the wall.. Or possibly his head.
"you're dad is going to kill me," Jason stated plainly. Nicole laughed.
"aww, are you afraid?" she asked. He nodded furiously.
"what just happened," she started.
"it was stupid right?" Jason asked. "no, It was perfect," Nicole confessed. Jason pulled her into another kiss as the elevator opened. The two smiled and headed back to the stables. They had a lot of explaining to do.
A/n o.m.g. that. Took. Forever. I am so sorry! Thanks for waiting so long. One chappie left. Thanks so much for reading.
Lyoko's Princess: lol. Thanks bunches Kim!
Vic92091: hehe. Nooot. I know! Nicole actually got hers before I got mine! Strange right?
Top20fan13: thanks! And thanks for your review on my one-shot.
AngelBolt: lol. Thanks for reading. Yay fluff!
CrazyCreator33: yep. Thanks for reading and good luck!