Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko.

Sorry for the slightly different format and spacing, I had to write this chapter on my phone. Anyway enjoy!

Chapter 3

The days had turned into two weeks since my father talked to me about the university. Honestly I knew I wasn't any closer to an answer. But I also knew he wasn't going to wait much longer for me to make up my mind. Shoving out a sigh I tilted my head back slightly so I could get a better view of the newly wallpapered nursery. For the delivery to be only a month away, I still felt like there were a million things left to do. But I figured what could I possible do to ever prepare me for being a father...?

Slowly I stuffed my hands in my pockets as I looked toward the floor. Just a few years ago I would have guessed I was dreaming if someone had said I'd be facing this day now. Back then I would have been the happiest man in the world to be good enough to be her husband... Back then I would have done whatever I had to to take care of our family...

So why was I hesitating to accept an offer that would make sure they had the best out of life now...? Pacing over to the empty crib I slowly traced my fingers along the side rail. It was stupid, and I must have been being selfish about the whole thing, or else I already would have took the dumb job!

My forehead tightened as I felt a wave of frustration pour over me. A million different memories flashed inside my head as I reeled from the thought of them. My father was so sure that the best way to be a dad was to make a lot of money, but I couldn't believe that no matter how I tried to make myself. The truth was he was never there for me or mom, and if he wanted me to turn into him he was wrong. I wouldn't do it to Yumi or our daughter.

"Hey the walls look great Ulrich!" I flinched as her voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "Yumi..." I whispered as I turned to face her. Her smile softened as she leaned into the doorframe. "Still thinking about what your dad said huh?" I frowned as I dug my hands deeper into my pockets. "How can I not be...?"

"Well he sure was generous, I'll give him that." I opened my eyes a little wider as I focused on her face. "You think I should do it then don't you...?" Walking toward me she placed a strong yet soft hand on my shoulder. "Hey I never said that... I have a feeling if you wanted to do you already would have. But you haven't so something about it must be wrong to you right Ulrich?"

I stared down at my shoes as I tried to make myself just tell her what I was feeling. "It...it just reminds me of a lot of bad memories..." She raised an eyebrow. "Care to walk me down memory lane then?" I frowned a little deeper as she said the exact words I'd been dreading. I wanted to blow off the whole thing, but I had a pretty good feeling she wasn't gonna let it go that easily.

Huffing out a sigh I tried to gather my thoughts in as few a words as possible. "You know the story Yumi...the one about the guy who works and thinks that a big check is better than spending time with his kids..." She reached to wrap an arm around my stiff shoulders. "You mean the one where that little kid grows up and worries that he'll became the same kind of parent that hurt him...?" I glanced her out of the corner of my eye. She was always right... "Yeah...basically..."

She smiled. "Then tell him you've made up your mind Ulrich..." I felt my face soften as I turned my head to look at her. A part of me knew I was the uncertain little kid right now, while, like always, she was the strong one...

"What..." I started to whisper. "Am I gonna do if you're ever not around...?" She laughed gently. "Hey I wouldn't worry about it, since I'm not going anywhere... Besides..." She said as she stared into my eyes sincerely. "I'm just reminding you to listen to yourself..." All I could think to do was smile at her. It was the sort of look nobody else would have understood, but like everything...she knew what I meant.

"Anyway..." She stared to say with a grin. "Aelita is picking me up in a few minutes, we're gonna do lunch." I nodded slowly. "Ok...but don't wear yourself out." She smiled before she leaned to quickly kiss me on the cheek."Alright, see you later." I watched as she headed for the doorway, where she stopped just long enough to glance reassuringly back at me.

Holding as much of that courage as I could in me, I left that afternoon...I left to see my father. I shouldn't have been surprised at how fast my heart started to beat as I waited outside his office. I wanted to rehearse everything perfectly in my head, so I'd lay out how I felt with enough confidence that he'd understand. I swallowed sharply as I heard his door click open. As if he'd ever understand me...

"Ulrich...?" He asked as he stared at me from his doorway. "Dad...I wanted to talk to you..." I mumbled out as I felt my heart brace for impact. "Oh Ulrich good, I was hoping you'd give me an answer soon, I admit I was beginning to think you didn't appreciate my offer..." I tried to ignore his frown as I walked through his door and hesitantly took a seat in front of his desk.

Crossing his arms he leaned into the side of his desk as if waiting for me to spit out whatever I came to say. Taking a deep breath I tried to say all the phrases I'd been repeating in my heart all afternoon. "It's about the offer...I...I want to know that I do appreciate it..." He nodded slightly as he waited for me to go on.

"But I wanted to say that I..." Clenching my fists I looked up to meet his eyes. "But I can't go." The words hung stale in the air as his face slowly changed from disbelief to anger. "What! And might I ask why on earth not!" I looked toward the wall. "I don't want to. It's...it's just not for me..." He slammed his fist down on his desk as he gritted his teeth. "Oh and I suppose stocking shelves like a delinquent dropout is your idea of a steady income!?"

I frowned as I felt a wave of emotion flood through me. But I did my best to bite my tongue. "It's good enough..." "Good enough!? Good enough for who Ulrich!? Ruining yourself is one thing, but when you don't provide for your own family it's-" I stood as my forehead tightened. "I am providing for them!" Turning I started walking to the door. "Ulrich don't you dare walk out on me! So help me if you do, don't ever show your face again!"

Something in his words stopped me. I wasn't sure why but I almost felt like a part of me was defeated. What should have just been anger, was now mixed with a pain I couldn't understand. I turned in silence as I gazed at his glaring face. "I'm a father now, so my daughter comes first." Reaching into my jacket pocket I pulled out my childhood drawing before crumpling it and dropping it on his floor.

If this really was the last time I ever saw him then...I didn't care... I was tired of being hurt by people who didn't care about me. Closing his office door behind me, I stormed down the hallway and out under the clouding sky.

I wanted to clinch my heart and cry when I finally sunk down into the seat of my car. But I couldn't bring myself. I couldn't let go of the emotions stuck inside of me. I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket but I ignored it as I leaned my head into the steering wheel. I didn't care who was calling, because as far as I was concerned nothing mattered... The minutes crawled by in what seemed like forever as I noticed raindrops start to cling to my window. Then that same annoying vibration shook my pocket.

Huffing out a sigh I dug it out of my pocket and held it up to my ear. "Hello...?" I mumbled; not trying to hide the feeling spilling out of my mouth. The voice on the other end was one I recognized right away, but her normally soft tone was...frantic. "What happened?" I asked as I snapped alert.

A few words...

Telling me something was wrong...

My throat went dry as I felt my heartbeat fall.

Aelita was crying...

"W-When did the pain start!?" I shouted as I gripped my phone to the point of hearing it creak under pressure.

A few more words...they seemed almost foreign to me...but they relayed the message that Yumi was in the emergency room.

Every part of me wanted to run away from reality as a single line of though ran trough my mind... It was too soon...

The world blurred as I twisted the key and slammed the gas petal until the hospital came into view. Throwing my door open I raced inside to the swirl of hustling staff and endless white walls. I felt lost as I frantically looked for any sign of her. But nothing... Nothing until I noticed Aelita sitting in a corner as tears silently streamed down her face.

"Where is she!?" I asked desperately. Turning to see me Aelita stood and ran to grab my sleeve. She held onto me as if I was holding her together as she struggled to gather her words. "The doctor is with her Ulrich..." She whispered in a soft though somewhat tear rasped voice. I held onto her shoulders for a few moments as I fought to transfer some comfort to the person that had been my friend for so many years.

I wanted to tell her it would be alright, but I couldn't manage to convince myself long enough. So hesitantly breaking away I ran to the reception desk as I demanded to be shown to her room. Unsurprisingly I was met with a firm "no." "Can't you at least tell me what's going on!?" I shouted loud enough to draw the looks of the whole room. The nurse frown. "I'm sorry sir, but the doctor is with her now, and he hasn't released a statement about her condition as of yet. Please calm down and take a seat, we'll let you know as soon as we have something to tell."

I wanted to scream as loud as my lungs would let me, I wanted to run to her, but I had to sit and wait instead. I hated myself for giving in like that...but I didn't see another choice... I don't know how many minutes at crawled by when I first noticed Jeremie race in with a look of sweaty horror on his face. Or how long he comforted Aelita or had his hand on my shoulder.

I lost track of how many seconds were in each minute that Odd spent telling me everything was going to be fine over the phone. Or how much time passed as I blankly stared into the mass of white space inside that cold waiting room. I started to think just maybe my life had finally detached from reality as I promised myself I'd find a way to survive this somehow.

I was exhausted, but I still hated myself for not being strong enough to endure being consciousness any longer. Night was heavy all around the windows when I finally closed my eyes and let my mind fall into a coma. All the humming lights faded and I was left only with a numbness I couldn't seem to gasp...

"Ulrich!" I frowned as I heard a voice yell at me from out of no where. "Ulrich wake up!" I felt two hands grip my shirt and shake me as I slowly opened my eyes. "Jeremie...?" I mumbled as memory of where I was, or what I was doing failed to come back to me. "Ulrich get up, the doctor wants to see you!" He said as he stared urgently over his glass frames.

I stared at him completely at a loss for a few seconds before the realization of what was going on hit me. Lunging to my feet I stared in breathless suspense as an older man in a white coat reached out to shake my hand. "Mr. Stern?" He asked as a smile slowly formed on his face. "Yes..." I whispered as I tried to read between the lines on his face. He smiled wider. "Don't worry, your daughter isn't the only baby to want to come earlier than we doctors planned..."

I stared at him as a million different things raced inside my head. But at last when his words started to make some sense to me I brushed past him as I shoved open the two swinging doors leading to the hallway. I couldn't remember how to breath as my eyes checked each door plate, until the words "Stern, Yumi" came into view. Pushing the door open I stared into the small room as I huffed for enough air to finally let myself believe this was happening.

"What took you so long...tough guy...?" Yumi whispered as she slowly looked over at me. "Yumi!" I shouted as I raced to her side. As she reached up to stroke the side of my face I felt a wave of tears start streaming down my face. She smiled weakly. "Hey...chill out Ulrich...I'm the one who had the hard part..."

I smiled as I felt myself breaking down a little more. Honestly I was almost too scared to let my eyes drift to the baby in her arms. I was afraid that as soon as I saw her tiny face...the face that looked so much like me...that I just might wake up. But I didn't want this dream to end...no never... "I'm sorry baby but..." Yumi laughed gently to herself. "But this crazy guy is your dad so...you might as well meet him..."

Taking her in my arms, I stared down at her staring up at me. The both of us were looking like the other person was the most amazing thing to see in this strange world. She'd have to figure out in the years to come that I didn't quite fit that description, but I was sure she always would...

I could have stayed like that for the rest of my life. But I knew that no matter how much of a little kid I felt like right then, I'd have to find a way to be a father for her.

The didn't really notice when I heard the door click open, or when a few foot steps echoed through the room. But I felt my veins fill with ice water when I heard his voice. "Ulrich..." Turning I saw without a doubt that it was really my father. I felt a frown start to form on my face, but as I focused on the two tiny eyes looking to me for an example, I I forced my expression to soften.

"Dad...?" I asked hesitantly. He didn't say anything, he just took a few steps closer to us as he peered down at the small person wrapped in my arms. "She's beautiful..." He whispered as he gently brushed a few springs of hair from her eyes. "I guess you can thank your mother and Yumi for that Ulrich..." I nodded slowly. "Yeah..."

A painfully gentle look flickered across his usually harsh face as he chucked to himself. "But you can think me for her eyes..." I stared at him harder as I watched him pull a wrinkled piece of paper from his coat pocket. My breath caught back in my chest as I gazed over the scribbled childhood doodle...

He pulled the two of us into a hug as I felt water run down his face and onto my shoulder. "Because Ulrich...you have my eyes..."

Of all the places I could have been right then...I knew there really wasn't anything better than here. So...at last forgiving him for every night I ever cried myself to sleep... I pulled away just enough to look into his eyes.

"So what do you think...Reiko, Kaoru, Ami, or Kami...?"

FIN

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