Jeremie: Part 4

"Jeremie, just go apologize, okay? That's all I'm asking. You don't have to say another word to him if you don't want to, but you need to apologize," Aelita urged as the two watched Ulrich and Odd get breakfast and then head for a different table. "We don't need the group splintered like this…."

Jeremie sighed and agreed before going over to where the two sat down. "Listen, I'm sorry…. Yumi's death really hit me hard and I apologize for trying to attack you, Ulrich. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions…."

Ulrich looked down, pushing his food around the tray. "We already lost Yumi, Jer…. If I hadn't stopped you, you would have killed me last night," he looked up at Jeremie. "Would you have been able to live with yourself if you'd killed me? Would you be able to get up and live each day knowing that you took my life? You nearly killed me on a hunch. Something that you thought to be true. What would you have done if you'd killed me and the police came after you? Considering that I haven't done anything wrong to my knowledge and I've always been there for you through everything, there's no way they'd think it was self-defense. She was my friend, too, Jeremie. Having you accuse me of killing her just makes her death a thousand times worse."

"It seems like you don't accept my apology. I already said I was sorry and that I'm just upset, but you can't accept that. Turn it around and put yourself in my shoes for a minute, Ulrich," Jeremie snapped, before turning away.

Ulrich shot up from the table before stopping and grabbing his tray and throwing the contents away and storming from the cafeteria.

Odd just sat alone and ate his food. Things were going badly for their group and it seemed that things weren't going to go right ever again. Yumi had just died and instead of grieving together, Ulrich and Jeremie were arguing. They all needed each other and fighting and hurting each other was going to do nothing, but bring more suffering.

Ulrich locked himself in his and Odd's dorm and slid down the length of the door, hugging his knees and resting his forehead on them. Remembering what Jeremie had done the night before, he started to just let the tears roll down his cheeks. "Why me…?"

Looking at the ceiling, William sat alone in the Factory. He was trying to think back on the time that he had spent under Xana's control, but couldn't get the memories to show up. It was pretty clear to him that Xana had only released him, because it had Ulrich now. He wanted to be able to go back to the school, because then he'd be able to watch Ulrich. He would be able to keep a watch over all of them and warn Jeremie and the others. He just didn't know exactly how he was going to do it yet. Things were going to be even more difficult for everyone since Yumi's death had only been a short time ago.

William knew, though, that he had to do something before Xana could use Ulrich to do its bidding again. If that happened, he wasn't sure which one of them wouldn't make it out alive this time.

Ulrich wandered into the forest and sat underneath the canopy the trees created. He wasn't sure what to do or where to go next. Life was becoming one complication after another. There were the blank spots in his memory, and now to add on top of that, Yumi was dead and Jeremie had tried to kill him.

There's a solution to all your problems….

Then of course there was the voice in his head, telling him things that he'd apparently done or showing him memories that were his but weren't.

Your friends don't care about you anymore, and you and I both know it…. Give me complete control and I'll take care of your problems, Ulrich….

It was a tempting offer, and he'd contemplated giving in many times before. Crazy or not, the voice had a point. There was an escape for him, and he could take it at any time. Maybe things would be better that way. Maybe he'd be able to make his dad proud of him and his friends could be happier.

They would be able to be much happier, Ulrich….

He knew it was probably a bad idea, but maybe surrendering himself to the voice would be better for everyone….

Odd was worried. He hadn't seen Ulrich at all since that morning and now Jeremie was missing as well. There were two things that this could mean, and one he preferred not to think about.

"Odd, have you seen Jeremie? He disappeared earlier and I haven't been able to find him," Aelita came up and asked him as he was headed outside.

"I haven't seen him or Ulrich since they 'talked' this morning," Odd replied, stopping.

"I'm worried that something happened to one or both of them…. We've already lost Yumi, and I don't think that our group can handle losing anyone else…."

Both teens jumped when their phones began buzzing in their pockets, and they saw a messaged from Jeremie telling them of a Xana attack.

"Let's hope that Ulrich got the message, too. We're gonna need all the help we can get," Odd stated as the two took off.

It didn't take long for them to get to the factory and see that Ulrich was there as well, albeit looking a bit different.

"Thank goodness you both are alright. We've been worried. What's the attack?" Aelita asked, moving to Jeremie's side and seeing that William was on Lyoko.

"Doesn't seem like Xana's done anything yet, but Ulrich hasn't spoken or moved from where he's at since he's gotten here. I need you two to get him in scanners. I need to run some tests. William's fighting off monsters, I felt it was safe for him to go back, and I need you two to go help him once you've gotten Ulrich in a scanner," Jeremie told them, not removing his eyes from the computer screen.

Both nodded and stood on opposite sides of Ulrich, pulling him toward the scanners.

(*)(*) Lyoko – Mountains (*)(*)

"Alright, the tower isn't too far from your position. You should be able to see it from where you are, but be careful, because Xana's sent quite an army. I'm working on Ulrich as we speak, so I'll let you know what I find. Also, be careful you three. William's not as experienced as Yumi, so watch his back. You'll need the help," Jeremie told them as they moved forward.

"Let the warriors handle this, Jer, okay? It's not gonna be too terrible. Sure, we're down by one, but we can handle it," Odd stated, running ahead of the other two.

"Odd!" Aelita called as a monster began materializing right on top of Odd.

A/N: Not the best, but not the worst either. =3 Yumi's part was short, but I'm trying to make Jeremie's a bit longer, so that I'll have more chapters. xD Aelita's will probably be short, as will Odd's because you can only play a game of cat and mouse for so long. XD Though, in Odd's part there will be hints to who the mysterious stranger in the prologue was. =3

Sorry for the long wait you guys. D= Huge bought of writer's block right now. Dx

Read and review! ^-^ (please!)

~MoonlitxAngel