A Desperate Life

Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko.

Chapter 3: A Dark Night

It was almost midnight when Ulrich and Odd decided to go to bed. Jeremie had gone to bed over an hour before.

"One of you can sleep…" Yumi started.

"No offence but we'd rather share the room," Ulrich told her.

"Why, you guys get lonely?" Aelita teased.

"We're just going to get some sleep," Odd said softly.

"Then good night," Yumi said.

"Good night," Aelita said brightly.

"Good night," Ulrich said to both of them.

Odd nodded and gave them a small smile.

Both teens headed for the guest bedroom.

"What do you think happened to them?" Aelita asked Yumi.

"Something bad enough to make them scared of separating," Yumi responded, "did you notice that both went to bed less than half hour after Ulrich came in here to watch TV with us?" she asked.

"Yeah but it was cute that Ulrich had taken the sleeping Hiroki and tucked him in," Aelita said.

"Do you have a crush on him Aelita?" Yumi asked a grin forming on her face.

"No," Aelita responded with a laugh, "do you?" she questioned.

Yumi immediately shook her head.

"Too different?" Aelita asked.

"Too similar," Yumi said surprising Aelita, "temper wise," she added.

"Well he does have an attitude," Aelita admitted, "but he's alright, real nice."

"Nice?" Yumi asked.

"Yeah, look how he played with Hiroki," Aelita pointed out.

"So," Yumi asked.

"So do you enjoy playing with Hiroki?" Aelita countered.

"Point taken," Yumi conceded, "but when those two went into the bathroom together…" she started.

"Oh come on…just drop it," Aelita said tired of it, "I don't think they screwed silently in your bathtub okay."

"Aelita!" Yumi cried.

"Well just leave it alone," Aelita told her, "you brought them here," she reminded Yumi, "you can't expect them to be completely within your moral jurisdiction," she chastised her.

"Well excuse me guardian angel," Yumi said sarcastically.

Aelita gave her a cold look.

"Sorry," Yumi apologized.

"I'm going to bed," Aelita said.

"I'm Sorry," Yumi said more firmly.

"I know, it's okay," Aelita told her, "just turning in," she said.

"Well good night," Yumi said carefully.

"Good morning," Aelita corrected her.

Yumi sat back fuming.

-----

Aelita tried to sleep but couldn't. She decided to check on everyone in bed.

Hiroki was asleep. She noticed that his yellow sweater was folded and rested next to him. She didn't see that when Ulrich had first put him to bed.

Could he be neater for once? Aelita wondered.

Aelita continued checking around the house until she came to the guestroom. But just then Ulrich exited.

Both teens saw each other and in the silence that followed blinked several times.

"Um, I was just checking on everything," Aelita said nervously, "I wasn't trying to spy."

Ulrich saw her honesty (under her nervous behaviour) and smiled.

"It's alright," Ulrich said dismissively.

"Good," Aelita said, "are the other two awake?" she asked.

"Yes," Ulrich mouthed, "No," he then spoke.

Aelita's eyes drifted to the door. She already understood.

"Well I hope you sleep well too," Aelita said kindly, "will you be okay when you leave?" she asked him.

"Huh, oh yeah of course," Ulrich said.

"Well if anything goes wrong you can always come to Hermitage," Aelita informed him.

"Um, thank you," Ulrich said carefully and gratefully.

"Don't forget me," Aelita said then blew him a kiss before she left.

Ulrich touched his cheek as blush now flooded his face. He had limited female contact. Even now being free from the whorehouse. He was still nervous, weary, and careful of the opposite sex. He had a couple sexual encounters. He had quickly learned how sexually charged teen females were today. They weren't in the majority. But they were quite a big minority. Guys weren't excluded. Jeremie had a few. Odd only had one with a male he didn't know since they left the whorehouse. It was six months after they escaped and it was mostly by chance. Odd was glowing afterwards. He never had another sexual experience with a stranger since. Ulrich had decided to stick to females. He broke that plan five times but only with Jeremie and Odd.

"Aelita wait," Ulrich said and caught up with her, "come with me," he said and took her to the guestroom.

Inside Odd and Jeremie were up.

"Decided to stop fake sleeping?" Ulrich asked upon seeing Jeremie's angry face.

"Are you trying to ruin the chances for us?" Jeremie demanded.

Odd was looking down at his hands as he wrung them.

"I want us to have a life," Ulrich said, "a real one," he added.

"Awww," Jeremie said, "did playing with Hiroki remind you of the times you played before you were taken?" he teased.

Ulrich gulped and glared at Jeremie.

Odd looked from Jeremie to Ulrich with a worried face.

Aelita meanwhile was looking at Ulrich. She could tell that what Jeremie said had upset him and in his eyes she could tell he was remembering past things.

"Must suck," Ulrich said as he blinked back tears, "to not even have those memories," he said to Jeremie.

Jeremie's face became stony.

"You think my life was perfect at the whorehouse?" Jeremie asked outright.

Ulrich's eyes widened while Odd looked completely horrified.

"Well we're getting more open with our new friends aren't we?" Jeremie asked sarcastically, "why not tell her everything?" he suggested, "in fact, why not bring Hiroki and Yumi in and have a tell all jamboree?" he suggested with false excitement.

Ulrich's response was a punch that might've broken some of Jeremie's ribs. Then another that sent blood gushing out of his nose. Aelita screamed and fled the room.

Odd moved further over in the bed and started crying.

Ulrich however looked ready to kill Jeremie. Jeremie who was shaking and had his left hand over his ribs and his right hand over his bleeding nose, started to cry. Blood mixed with tears as he sobbed and even coughed several times causing blood to spread.

Just then Yumi and a fearful Aelita entered the room. Aelita immediately grabbed unto Yumi's shoulders upon seeing Ulrich's handiwork.

"I would complain about you bleeding on my sheets," Yumi said coldly, "but with what Aelita told me, you haven't even tasted punishment yet," she snarled, "how dare you suggest telling my brother that the guy he's been having fun with came from as whorehouse?" she demanded angrily, "do you know how old he is!" she shouted, "he doesn't have to hear about that horrid crap you sicko!"

Jeremie only cried harder.

Odd however was wiping away at his tear-streaked face and was ready to talk.

"He didn't mean it," Odd said tearfully, "he was just upset that Ulrich had broken so many rules…" he tried to explain.

"Me!" Ulrich shouted, "you're the one who gave your name freely."

"That's just you," Odd said, "ready to pounce, always on the defensive," he said in a pitying voice.

"I don't need your pity," Ulrich told him.

"After all you've done you're lucky I'm even talking to you," Odd snapped, "look at him!" he cried pointing at Jeremie, "your temper's so bad that you've hit Jeremie, again!"

Both Yumi and Aelita looked at Ulrich incredulously.

"You've done this before?" Yumi asked.

"I only slapped him," Ulrich responded.

"You slapped him so hard that his damaged cheek bled!" Odd cried.

"It was bruised not damaged," Ulrich said quickly, "and I apologized for that," he added.

"And what about this?" Odd demanded.

"Never," Ulrich declared, "he deserved this one."

"Because he put down Hiroki?" Odd asked, "that boy will forget you in a day," he told Ulrich.

"He'll remember me," Ulrich said defiantly.

Odd laughed.

"You're so naïve," Odd said on the verge of crying again, "we can't have this life," he said, "we stop running, we get caught."

"Maybe it's time I got caught," Ulrich said in response.

There was suddenly a dead silence.

Jeremie had by now practically stopped sobbing and now only a few tears slowly rolled down his cheeks.

Ulrich sighed and got the first kit out of their bag.

"Give me I'll do it," Odd said and held out his hands for the kit.

"No Odd I'll…" Ulrich started his voice now soft and obviously ready for an apology.

"Give me the motherfucking kit!" Odd exploded and grabbed the kit out of Ulrich's hands.

"I'll fix you up okay," Odd said comfortingly and ran his hand through Jeremie's hair, "I won't let dumb ol' Ulrich touch you," he added and kissed Jeremie on top of his head.

Jeremie coughed and his whole body continued shaking.

Yumi looked at Ulrich. Wondering if her agreement in him hitting Jeremie was premature.

Aelita meanwhile looked at Ulrich like she was staring at a monster.

"Yumi what's going on?" Hiroki asked sleepily as his voice neared the guestroom.

Yumi ran to keep him from seeing inside the guestroom.

"I will not tolerate violence," Aelita finally said in a shaky voice, "even if it is to defend Yumi and Hiroki," she told Ulrich.

"I'm sorry," Ulrich said softly.

Odd meanwhile helped wipe away the blood off Jeremie's face. Jeremie had stopped crying and was trying to determine the damage done to his ribs.

"None broken," Jeremie said in a cracked voice, "so you're sorry huh?" he asked Ulrich.

"I'm apologizing to Aelita," Ulrich said firmly, "I'm not sorry for hitting you," he told Jeremie.

"Ulrich!" Aelita cried.

"He had no right to drag you, Hiroki and Yumi into this," Ulrich said angrily, "even after he dragged Hiroki into it first I didn't bring in anyone close to him to use in my argument!" he shouted.

"Please calm down," Yumi said after re-entering the room, "Hiroki's trying to go back to sleep."

"Oh, sorry," Ulrich apologized.

"So you can only say sorry to girls today?" Odd asked with open bitterness.

"What is your problem?" Ulrich hissed in a hushed voice, "these girls give us food and shelter and most of the time either one or both of you are treating them like evil bitches."

Both Yumi and Aelita gasped at the term.

"Maybe because that's how you treat us," Odd countered.

"What are you talking about?" Ulrich demanded, "if they treated you badly I'd be just as hard on them," he told Odd.

"Would you hit them?" Odd asked.

Ulrich heard a fearful gasp from Aelita.

"No," Ulrich said honestly.

"Why?" Odd asked.

"Because it's just…" Ulrich started but stopped.

"Wouldn't be right?" Yumi finished.

Ulrich didn't respond.

"We just don't want to feel disrespected compared to strangers," Odd told Ulrich, "we're your friends," he pointed out, "long before you met these girls and that little boy," he added.

"Our names are Yumi, Aelita, and Hiroki," Yumi said dangerously.

Ulrich fought the urge to defend Yumi and Aelita. Minutes went by without a sound. Soon even more went.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Ulrich said and headed for the door.

"Wait," Jeremie said suddenly.

Ulrich stopped and waited.

"I'm sorry about dragging Hiroki and Yumi into our arguments," Jeremie apologized, "I'm sorry about blowing the lid in front of Aelita and that Yumi had to hear about it," he continued, "but I'm most sorry for hurting you Ulrich," he concluded.

Ulrich was completely taken back.

"Um," Ulrich said but was unable to say anything else.

"Maybe we should go," Aelita whispered to Yumi.

"I want to see this," Yumi mouthed refusing to move.

Jeremie saw it and wondered if this Japanese girl thought she was watching a soap opera.

Odd was confused.

"You guys know that I um, don't mean to get mad I just…" Ulrich started.

"It's okay Ulrich," Odd interrupted, "just come back to bed."

"I need," Ulrich stuttered.

"No you don't," Odd said.

"Just come back to bed Ulrich," Jeremie said, "we're not mad anymore really," he told Ulrich.

Ulrich stood where he was and soon started to hug himself. He started to take in deep breaths and the girls started to wonder if he was about to or was going to wheeze.

Jeremie got out of bed and walked up to him.

"Just come to bed," Jeremie said carefully.

Ulrich slowly started to walk towards the bed. But his steps were so small and slow it was like he was a toddler taking tiny steps.

Ulrich eventually reached the bed and carefully climbed into it. Then he rested his face into 'his' pillow and started bawling. Bawling loudly.

All four teens were shocked by Ulrich's behaviour.

Suddenly he got out of the bed still bawling and opened their bag. Out of it he took out a print out of an old newspaper. He then handed it to Odd.

Odd's eyes widened.

"I never got to tell her goodbye," Ulrich said tearfully.

Jeremie realized what must've happened without looking at the newspaper print out.

"Ulrich I'm so sorry," Jeremie said, "I know you always loved your mother."

Yumi and Aelita froze.

"When did you find out?" Jeremie asked.

"When we went to the library before we boarded the bus," Ulrich responded.

"This can't be!" Odd shouted (out of the blue).

Everyone turned their attention to him.

"Ulrich, did you read the entire article?" Odd asked.

"No, after I noticed the headline I just printed it to see if it was true," Ulrich responded.

"Are you sure my last name is Della Robia?" Odd asked fearfully.

"What's wrong?" Ulrich asked immediately.

"My parents are dead," Odd revealed, "they were on the first plane that crashed in America's September 11th," he told them.

"What!" Jeremie cried.

"I'll never get to see them again," Odd said as he started to tear, "my parents," he said tearfully.

Aelita walked up and took the paper. Yumi meanwhile hugged Odd who hugged her back and softly cried.

"Your name is Ulrich Stern?" Aelita asked looking at Ulrich in shock, "son of David Stern, Executive Director of Robia Studios?" she asked incredulously, "Oh my god Odd," she whispered. "you're an icon," she told him.

"Your Odd Della Robia, son and inheritor of the Della Robia fortune!" Yumi cried and held Odd so that she could see his face, "you looked happier and healthier in your younger photos," she noted.

"He just found out that he lost both of his parents," Jeremie said coldly.

"I meant generally smart man," Yumi struck back.

"I know I don't look that healthy," Odd said in a cracked voice, "I'm just not hungry that often and get full easily," he told Yumi, "and after everything I don't smile like I used to," he added looking down in shame.

The other three teenagers glared at Yumi.

Yumi felt the heat rise in her face.

"Um," Yumi said, "um," she repeated, "I uh."

"It's okay," Odd told her, "I look completely different, I know."

"You're such a sweetheart," Yumi said and hugged Odd then kissed him on the cheek.

Odd's eyes widened. They stayed so for a while.

"You've never been kissed by a pretty girl before?" Aelita teased.

Odd immediately looked away and blushed.

"I didn't mean to offend you," Aelita said immediately feeling guilty, "I just meant…"

"It's okay Aelita, I understand," Odd said shyly, "it was a nice kiss Yumi," he told her.

"Oh," Yumi said blushing, "well your welcome," she told him.

"So what are you guys going to do?" Jeremie asked, "since you know about your parents and their company."

Odd and Ulrich looked at Jeremie. Both noticed that he seemed a bit crestfallen.

Quickly they both realized why.

"We're not going to run off and leave you behind Jeremie," Ulrich told him, "we're a team, forever," he declared.

"Yeah," Odd said happily, "we're too close to be torn apart," he told Jeremie.

Jeremie looked at them and smiled. Tears shone in his eyes.

"We'll always be a great trio right?" Jeremie asked in a small voice.

"Of course," Ulrich said taken a back by Jeremie's behaviour.

"We're not going to runaway and leave you," Odd said hoping to cheer up Jeremie, "no matter what, we'll find a way to be together."

"He can stay with my Dad and I," Aelita suggested suddenly.

Everyone else looked at her sceptically.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Yumi asked apprehensively.

"My Dad will be willing to help," Aelita said, "and if any of you need a place to stay, you can come to Hermitage," she told them, "I'll tell you the directions if you want," she offered.

"Tell us," Ulrich said immediately.

Aelita started to give the directions. Ulrich grabbed pen and paper and took it all down word for word. Afterwards he gave the pen and paper to Jeremie.

"Jeremie looked at Ulrich dumbfounded.

"Promise me," Ulrich insisted.

Jeremie gulped.

"I um can as long as I can make a run for it if the whorehouse figures out my location and that's the only way to get away from them," Jeremie responded.

"Done," Ulrich said.

"Are they that scary?" Aelita asked.

"They prostitute little kids and teenagers Aelita," Yumi pointed out, "I doubt they'd be given the thumbs up to work for Santa Claus," she told her.

Aelita immediately went extremely red. Ulrich looked at Yumi disapprovingly.

"Then you tell her about them Prince Charming," Yumi countered.

Aelita turned her attention to Ulrich.

"They're really bad guys," Jeremie spoke up, "they work in a place those used as whores are mostly considered as trash," he told her, "getting us back is like going to your boss for your benefits or pay check and told you can get extra benefits, but you have to capture some runaway chickens," he explained, "you're going to chase the chicken," he concluded.

"Not if it's worth this," Aelita said, "stealing the freedom and childhood of little children," she stated, "I mean, the horrors you must've experienced."

"That's the nice way of putting it," Odd said frankly.

"You poor thing," Aelita said lovingly and patted him on the head; then she started to run her fingers through his hair.

Odd watched her curiously. Not saying anything.

This feels nice, Odd thought.

"So they really hurt you guys huh?" Yumi asked.

"They took what they wanted," Ulrich responded.

"What's the worst thing they did to you in there?" Yumi asked, "besides use you as…sex slaves," she added.

"Sex slaves," Jeremie said incredulously, "and I thought the term whores was dirty!"

"I didn't mean to offend you," Yumi apologized immediately.

"I know you're curious Yumi," Ulrich said, "but the less you know the better," he told her, "these guys mean business," he added seriously.

"So why you'd bother running away then if fear is going to control your life?" Yumi asked.

"There's a lot worse things that can control your life Yumi," Ulrich told her.

"Like?" Yumi demanded angrily.

"Them," Ulrich told her, "out here we can move around with dignity," he said, "in there…" he started but stopped.

"Making us feel like dirt and making us do disgusting things," Odd said hatefully, "I'll never be the same thanks to them," he said, "I'll always be looking over my shoulder wondering," he said unhappily, "always wondering," he concluded softly.

"So what was it like for you Jeremie?" Yumi asked.

"Bad," Jeremie responded.

"How bad?" Yumi pressed.

"Hey Yumi," Ulrich spoke, "he doesn't want to talk about it," he told her, "leave it alone."

"Why do you always seem ready to bother me?" Jeremie asked suddenly under his breath.

But everyone heard him.

"Because you're at my house," Yumi snapped angrily.

"Yumi," Aelita said in an attempt to calm her down.

"You want to know what happened to me at the whorehouse?" Jeremie asked suddenly.

"Forget it, no," Yumi said surprising everyone, "I regret that I even asked," she added.

"Yumi!" Aelita cried in disapproval.

"What?" Yumi demanded, "I'm backing off aren't I?"

"So what do you call an attack?" Jeremie asked sarcastically.

Yumi turned around and glared at him.

"Why don't we all go to bed," Ulrich suggested.

"I can't sleep," Aelita said.

"I hear a warm glass of milk helps," Odd said shyly.

"My Dad gives me that sometimes," Aelita recalled.

"Do you have insomnia?" Ulrich asked her.

Aelita shook her head.

"Maybe your mind's on too many things," Jeremie suggested, "that can affect your ability to sleep," he told her.

"I know it's that," Aelita confessed, "but I don't have an off switch," she added sheepishly.

"Well I'm going to bed," Yumi said and got up, "good luck in your decisions and goodnight," she said and left.

"I'm going to try that milk thing and see if that gets me in bed," Aelita said nervously, "good morning," she said happily then left the guestroom.

The three male teens lay back in bed. Ulrich to the left hand corner, Odd in the middle, and Jeremie to the right (hand) corner. That was how they rested before the girls came in and that's how they rested before the girls came in and that's how they rested after they left.

"Um guys," Ulrich said.

"What?" Jeremie asked.

"Oh nothing," Ulrich said quickly.

The other two wondered what Ulrich had wanted to say. But since he didn't want to say anything about it, they had no way of knowing.

------

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter.

Aelita: It should be called 'A Dark Morning'.

Be quiet.

I plan to update at least once next week. Check out my forum for more on my story and M rated Code Lyoko fics in general.