Odd opened his eyes. And looked around. His head was ringing, and he felt tired. He was in a hazy mist, the same he had been when he had seen Aelita before.

Aelita…

There she was.

"Odd," she said. She was holding the roses and was in the white dress. Her face wash washed over in fear.

"Aelita," he said. "Am I dead?

"No. And I will give you back your memories," she said. "But I must give up my existence to do so."

"What?" Odd said. "Aelita—why?"

"You see, Odd. I am still linked to XANA. I always will be. But I am different, for I can choose when to give up my existence or not. And if I give you back your memories, i want you to deactivate XANA. Even if I will give up my existence."

"No," Odd said.

Aelita felt tears in her eyes. "I am nobody, Odd. I am a ghost to this world. And the longer XANA is here, the more of a chance you have of being destroyed."

"But you aren't nobody—you're somebody. You will always be to me."

Aelita nodded, and smiled through her tears. "I wish I could kiss you now," she said, giggling. She wiped her eyes.

"Me too," Odd said. But she was untouchable. She was transparent, so he would go right through her.

Aelita held out her hand. "It's time."

Odd held out his hand next to hers. He felt tears come to his eyes.

"I love you," Aelita said. But before Odd could reply, a bright light swallowed him up.

He could feel himself moving—flying, almost.

I love you, Aelita, he thought. I always will.

………………………………………Memory…………………………………………..

Odd stood nervously in front of the dorm, biting his lip and smoothing his hair. He glanced around the dorm halls, making sure no one was there. He cleared his throat, and adjusted the pink roses in his hands.

"Hey, Odd," Aelita said, opening the door. "I thought you'd never come."

Odd laughed. "Ready princess?"

"And of to the Winter Semi we go," Aelita replied, smiling.

"Your white dress looks beautiful." Odd marveled at the beautiful designs on the white dress.

"Thanks," Aelita replied. "So are we ready to go?"

"You bet," Odd replied and the two linked arms and made their way down the hall.

"Well guys, this is too us," Jeremie said, smiling. His arm was placed around Bell, a new girl from China, who had agreed to be his date. "We finally deleted XANA, and we're all free."

"To us," the gang recited.

"What's XANA?" Bell asked, puzzled.

"And inside joke, Bell," Jeremie said. "I'll tell you later."

Bell smiled and nodded.

A slow song began to play, and Odd stood up.

"Well princes, can I have this dance?"

Aelita giggled and smiled. "Yes, sir Odd."

Odd smiled as Aelita slipped into his arms. The two began to sway softly as the music drifted on.

"You know," Aelita whispered in Odd's ear. "I think we should go outside. Did you see how snowy it was?"

"Yes," Odd replied, smiling. "We can sneak out the back way."

Aelita nodded. The breath from his lips was sneaking on her back, giving her a slight shiver.

When the song was over, the couple scanned the dance floor to make sure Ulrich, Yumi, Jeremie, and Bell were out of the way. Then they slipped quietly into one of the rooms. There was the back door, with a bunch of windows lining the wall. It was like a sunroom, but there was no sun.

"Oh Odd," Aelita said. She twirled around, her dress floating up and gracefully landing back down. "I love it here."

Odd smiled.

Aelita walked over and leaned against the door, staring out. "I haven't had a good Christmas since—when I was little."

"What about last Christmas?"

Aelita shrugged. "Sissy put jell-o in my soup."

Odd laughed. "But we took that picture of her and Herb under the mistletoe!"

Aelita laughed and turned back too Odd. "You can always make me laugh, Odd."

Odd smiled and stepped close to her. "You can always make me smile."

Odd wrapped his arms around her and she leaned close to him.

"I love you…" he said.

Aelita suddenly jerked away from him.

"Watch out!"

A burst of glass smashed Odd in the face and he flew back, slamming against the wall. He opened his eyes, seeing two krabs.

They both went into the party room and the students begin to scream.

"Aelita!" Odd shouted. "Where are you?"

"H—here, Odd."

Odd scanned to floor to see the pink haired girl sprawled on the floor, clutching her stomach.

Odd got up and darted over to her. "Oh my god," he said. She was covered in blood.

"I'm fine," she said. "It doesn't hurt."

"I don't care," Odd said. He picked her head up.

"It doesn't hurt," Aelita repeated. "I'm in no pain."

"I have to go help the others," he said. "I'll be right there."

Aelita looked away from him and up at the ceiling. In her eyes, Odd could see the light dying.

"I'll wait for you."

Odd was surprised. "Huh?" he said.

Something grabbed him from behind and smashed him against the wall. Then whacked him in the head, hard.

The world was fading. Aelita's words hung in his head. "I'll wait for you."

For the second, the room was quiet. Odd could feel the darkness seep into him. He felt like he could sleep forever.

Odd crawled his way to Aelita. She was on the floor, smiling. She took his hand.

"Remember," she said in a dream-like voice. "Remember…I will never fade…"

The krab grabbed her leg and began to drag her away.

"I'll never let go…" Odd said, choking. "Never…"

Aelita let go of his hand.

"Aelita…" Odd whispered before letting his head fall on the floor in defeat. He looked up once more and saw the girl he loved being dragged away, leavening a blood-trail in the soft winter snow.

……………………………………………..End…………………………………………..

Odd opened his eyes and sat up. His head hurt like crazy.

"Are you OK?" someone asked. Odd turned to see a man in his forties with a boy that looked about five beside him.

"Sorry, mister," the boy said. "I didn't catch it."

"Huh?" Odd asked. Then he noticed the baseball beside him

Then, he looked at the boys face. Suddenly, it changed. Right before his eyes.

The hair turned pink and grew to his shoulders. His blue eyes turned green. And then Odd realized that it was true. It was all true.

"I remember," Odd whispered. The boy's face was now back to normal.

"Excuse me?" the man asked.

Odd sprung up. "I REMEMBER!" he shouted, and he began laughing. And then he ran.

He ran through the woods and to the cemetery. He hugged Aelita Stone's grave stone.

"Oh, Aelita," he said, tears falling down his face. "How could I forget? How could I ever forget? I love you. And I never will stop. I will love you forever, Aelita." Odd wiped his eyes. "I remember."

------------------------------------------------------------------------ br

"I can't do it," Yumi said. She buried her face in Ulrich's shoulder, sobbing. Ulrich nodded, feeling tears coming down his face too.

"She'll be gone," Ulrich said. He sniffed. "Forever."

Jeremie didn't say anything. Tears slid down his face also.

Odd was the only one that did not cry.

They four were standing in front of XANA's main power source.

"I can't watch," Yumi said.

"Odd, I think you should do it," Jeremie said.

"No," Odd shouted, causing the three to jump. He turned to his friends.

"We fought him hard. We didn't give up. We put up with him for three years. And there is nothing that is going to get in the way of us stopping him right now. And we do this together. We came into this mess as four, and we come out as four."

The three stared at him, but nodded.

They all put their hands on the lever and pulled it down.

THE END…or is it?

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I'm SOO sorry it took so long to update! I didn't know what to write for a wile. Anyway, I'm thinking about putting an epilog in there. If any one wants it, review and tell me. And review for this story, too. I hope you all enjoyed it!