A/N: I have no good excuses for why this took so long other than serious writer's block. I'm still not completely happy with it but I have to move on.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Laura Gauthier was a typical 4.0 student. She was top of her university and was looking to transfer to MIT. That was until she walked out of Tyron's lab. Now she had one goal in mind and multiple steps led to that goal. She took a train to France where she transferred to a new university. Her plan to get her memories started the day after Christmas break.
The city was glistened with snow. The streets were decorated with wreaths and streamers. Music could be heard all around. The city was full of Christmas spirit. The Hermitage was also decorated. There were Christmas lights on the house that shined bright. A Christmas wreath hung on the door, welcoming those. The Christmas tree shined through the window for all to see. The rest of the house on the inside was decorated as well. Stockings were hung on the fireplace. Greenery was wrapped around the staircase railings. In the kitchen, Aelita was busying away with Christmas treats.
The counter was covered in Christmas treats. Aelita pulled out another pan out of the oven, humming to the song that was playing on her phone. She pushed some stuff over, placing the pan down. Ulrich walked in the kitchen, playing with the cigarette in his hand.
"Wow," he whistled, looking around. "How long was I asleep again?"
Aelita giggled. "I stress bake."
"I can tell." He went to grab a cookie but Aelita swatted his hand away.
"No."
"What? Why?"
"They are for Christmas Day," Aelita explained, putting some of the cookies in a container.
"Aelita, it's just me and you for Christmas. There is no way we can eat all this," Ulrich reminded her.
"Actually, I thought we could go up to your grandparents' and see them and your mom," Aelita said, closing the container then grabbing another.
Ulrich sighed. "I'm going out to smoke."
"You need to quit!" Aelita yelled after him. She shook her head, closing the lid on the container she finished filling. She knew she went overboard a bit on the sweets but she was going to save some for the New Year's celebration she had planned. She invited the gang, Vivien, and Nicolette up to her cabin for New Year's since she knew they would be tired of their families soon. It was something to get her and Ulrich's mind off of everything.
Ulrich came back in the kitchen to find Aelita cleaning up, all the treats and sweets in containers. "Hey."
Aelita looked up for cleaning. "Hey."
"I think Christmas at my grandparents' is a great idea," He said.
Aelita smiled. "Great. Can you help me with this? I want to get this cleaned up and head to the factory to look at some things."
"Do you think we'll find anything?"
"I don't know but I have to try."
The two finished cleaning up and headed to their rooms to dress in warmer clothes. They met back downstairs a few minutes later and headed out. The two headed down a familiar bridge and to a factory they never wanted to enter again. Inside the basement, where the mainframe was, Aelita set to work, examining the super computer. Ulrich went around the rest of factory to look for anything else. Aelita called him on his phone a few minutes later, telling him to get back to the super computer.
"Did you find anything?" He asked, stepping off the elevator and standing behind her.
"Yeah, there were parts stolen from the mainframe and I can't get the computer to turn on," Aelita replied, pulling her laptop out of her bag. She plugged it into the super computer and set to work. "Unfortunately, with the parts gone, I can't trace Lyoko or XANA."
"Isn't that a good thing? If you can't trace Lyoko, does that mean Tyron is wrong?"
Aelita shook her head. "No, I can't trace the original Lyoko but a recreated one is possible."
"And XANA?"
"I think we're safe."
Ulrich sighed in relief. "Thank God."
Aelita smiled, continuing to work on her laptop.
"Do you think there is a possibility that someone recreated Lyoko?" Ulrich asked after a few minutes.
"I'm afraid so but I don't understand how. Or who would do such a thing," Aelita answered, her eyes still focused on her laptop. "But I think I can trace the recreated Lyoko if there is one. It will take me awhile though."
"How long is awhile?"
"Weeks, possibly months."
Ulrich placed a hand on her shoulder, watching her work. They stayed like that for awhile until Ulrich's phone interrupted them. Ulrich jumped, pulling his phone out to read the text.
"It's Yumi. She said she'll be at the cabin on the 29th," Ulrich read off.
"Oh good. We need to head back anyway. I can trace this from home," Aelita replied, unplugging her laptop and putting it away.
The two headed back to the Hermitage where Aelita made them both hot chocolate and started tracing a new Lyoko while Ulrich watched.
Christmas came and went. Aelita joined Ulrich for Christmas at his grandparents' and his mother. His mother cried when he walked in, promising him that she will never have to deal with his father again and that she was filing for divorce. Ulrich hugged his mother, tightly, and told her that he couldn't be his father's keeper anymore. His mother agreed, knowing her son was right. They enjoyed a nice Christmas with Aelita's cooking. Three days after Christmas, Aelita and Ulrich took a train to Switzerland where her cabin was located. Aelita had yet to tell Ulrich that she found her family on her travels and decided to keep it a secret a little bit longer. Her family had left a few days before so they had the cabin all to themselves.
Before everyone else arrived, Aelita and Ulrich made sure everything was clean for when everyone got there. The day everyone was supposed to arrive, Aelita and Ulrich sat on the couch on Aelita's laptop trying to trace the new Lyoko.
"Did you find anything?" He asked, after a while of watching her type.
"No," Aelita responded. "But I know it's going to take awhile."
"So are we going to tell the others?"
"Um, I don't feel comfortable telling Jeremy about this."
Ulrich nodded. "I get it but don't you think Odd and Yumi need to know about this?"
Aelita sighed, thinking. "Maybe you're right. I'll tell them after New Year's."
Ulrich agreed and decided it was time to put away the laptop before the others got here. Aelita put up the laptop just as Yumi walked.
"Hey! Merry Christmas, guys!" Yumi cried, going towards Aelita and pulling her in for a hug. "My God, it's cold."
"Merry Christmas to you too," Aelita replied, after Yumi pulled her away. "And of course it's cold."
Yumi rolled her eyes, taking off her jacket, scarf, and hat. "Merry Christmas, Ulrich," She smiled slyly at the guy sitting on the couch.
Ulrich grinned, standing up. "Merry Christmas. Where's your bags?"
"They're still in the car. Can you help me with them?" Yumi asked, placing her hands on her hips.
Ulrich shook his head, smiling but followed her outside to her car.
"How was your Christmas?" Yumi asked as Ulrich grabbed her bag out of her car.
"Well, not so great. My parents split up."
"What? Ulrich, I'm so sorry," Yumi reached over and rubbed his shoulder.
"I-uh I lost control," He admitted, setting the bag down and leaning against the car. "After I found out, the visions came back and just messed me up. I couldn't think, couldn't breathe. So, I-uh I called Aelita."
Yumi stood in front of him, crossing her arms. "Aelita? Why-why did you call her? I'm the one who has been helping you with your visions for months. Why didn't you call me?"
"I-I don't know, Yumi. I don't know," Ulrich shrugged, pushing off the car and going towards her.
Yumi backed away from him. "I can't do this right now. Just bring that bag in, I'll get the other."
Ulrich sighed, picking the bag back up and going inside the cabin. He couldn't explain to her why he had called Aelita that night. He just knew she had to be the one he had to call. He shook his head, going up the stairs and placing Yumi's bags down. He heard a loud squeal letting him know Nicolette had just arrived. He knew they had a little peace before Jeremy and Vivien got here and the tension was back again.
By nighttime, Odd, Jeremy and Vivien arrived. Yumi and Nicolette joined Aelita in the kitchen to help her cook while the guys and Vivien broke out the video games.
"So, elf, what happened to your big travel plans for Christmas?" Nicolette asked, chopping up onions as Yumi stirred the spaghetti sauce.
"I-uh I had something come up," Aelita answered looking at Yumi. Ulrich had told her earlier that he told Yumi and she wasn't happy about it.
"Cool. Cool," Nicolette nodded, finishing the onions and walking over to Aelita. "But, girl, give me the deets on Vivien. Why did you invite her?"
"The same reason I invited her to go ice skating with us," Aelita replied. "To get Jeremy here."
"And me? I'm not part of your 'gang'," Nicolette asked, swinging her hips as she asked.
Aelita giggled, bumping Nicolette's hip. "Because you're fun."
Nicolette laughed. "Thanks, babe, and this supper looks amazing."
"Aelita is a pretty amazing cook, I don't know where she learned it all," Yumi told Nicolette.
Before Nicolette had a chance to respond, Odd came busting into the kitchen, whining about food. Aelita rolled her eyes but smiled as she handed him seven plates and told him to go set the table. The girls heard him complain and whine the whole time, causing them to laugh. They finished up the last minute details of supper than had Odd help them put food on the table and call everyone else over.
That night, the gang departed to their rooms. Ulrich took the room next to Aelita with Yumi in the room across from him. Nicolette crashed in Aelita's room with Jeremy and Vivien in the room across from Aelita's. Odd got stuck in the room next to Ulrich's.
Aelita giggled as Nicolette bounced excitedly on her bed. "What are you doing?"
"It's our first slumber party, elf, I can't contain my excitement," Nicolette answered. She sat up, showing up off her reindeer pajama pants. "And I'm festive."
Aelita rolled her eyes and pointed to her pink snowflake pajama pants. "So am I."
"Twins!" Nicolette cried, throwing her arms around Aelita's neck and hugging her. "Okay, now that we are alone. What is with you and Ulrich?"
"Nothing," Aelita assured as Nicolette dragged her over to the bed to sit down. "We just decided to spend Christmas together, that's all."
"Okay, sure," Nicolette answered, unconvinced.
"It is nothing," Aelita repeated. "He called me because his parents split up. That's it. Now, enough boy talk, let's talk about something else."
"Fine," Nicolette sighed dramatically. "What classes are you taking next semester?"
As the two girls discussed their future plans, across the hall, Ulrich was debating whether to knock on Yumi's door. After a few minutes of debating, he walked, not bothering to knock. Yumi jumped when the door opened.
"Ulrich!" She cried. "Next time knock."
"Never had to knock before," Ulrich mumbled.
"That was before you called Aelita," Yumi counted, crossing her arms.
"Look, can we discuss this later? I'm really tired."
"Then go sleep in your room," Yumi spat at him.
"Yumi, please," Ulrich begged, going over and sitting by her on the bed. "You know I can't sleep without you."
Yumi glared at him for a long time before laying down. "Fine."
Ulrich sighed in relief and laid down beside her.
The New Year's get together was a busted. Tension was high the whole time. Aelita was glad to get back to the Hermitage after the last few days. Now, they had a few more days until the new semester started. But the tension continued to grow. Ulrich and Yumi were still fighting. Jeremy continued to ignore Aelita and Aelita continued to grow annoyed at Vivien. Aelita was overjoyed when classes started up.
Aelita walked into her Physics classroom, smiling at a few familiar faces. She took her usual spot in the front row by one of her friends in the classroom. She made small talk with the girl, pulling out her notebook, not paying attention at the girl who just entered the classroom.
Laura watched Aelita for a few minutes, knowing she was the reason Laura's memories were missing. She also knew if she said anything, her plan would be ruined. She had to pretend like she didn't recognize her. Laura adjusted her backpack and went to sit by Aelita.
"Hi, is anyone sitting here?" She asked, sweetly.
Aelita's eyes widen at the sound of the voice before turning to face the girl. "N-no, there's not."
"Great. I have to sit in the front. I'm Laura," Laura held out her hand.
Aelita took it and shook it, slowly, looking for signs that Laura didn't remembered her. When she was convinced, she finally replied. "I'm Aelita."