Author's note: I thank those who reviewed/followed and clicked favourite. I hope you're still enjoying the story. I figured Kplus rating was better, since I do not swear and talk about certain themes, like cruel deaths, in this story. I have almost finished the story! I hope you are ready for this chapter (and the one still to come) :)! Here we go!

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko! Only my imagination:)!

Chapter 7: Relief and frustration

In the present...

"It's done! It's fixed! Guys, we are close to ending this chapter of XANA's wickedness!" Jeremy exclaimed. Odd woke up surprised by the loud screaming. He immediately noticed Aelita looking happy. "Well, that sure is a lot better than the sad face, the frustrated face, the angry face and actually any other face like that," Odd thought. "However..." Odd looked at Jeremy when he said 'however'. "One of you will have to go back to get him out of there. I will implant a materialistic equation in the return to the past program, in order for both persons to be transported here in the present. Which you do by triggering the electronic device that is coordinated on the program I just fixed. According to my watch, we still have twenty-five minutes," Jeremy explained. But when he looked around, he saw two confused and annoyed stares and Aelita's face that told him the others had not understood what he had just said.

"What I mean is that I have made a sort of program, of which I calculated everything accurately, that I will insert in the return to the past's program. It has the same principle as the materialization program, which will make sure you return here and not in the strangest location possible. I also took a remote control and turned it into an electronic device that is linked to the program. When you push the button, I will receive a signal and then I will know that I need to start my self-made program together with the return to the past, or in this case future. Do you get it now?" Jeremy asked.

He still received confused looks, but he also saw that everyone was relieved to hear the good news. Odd finally spoke up. "Whatever you say, Einstein. All I got was the part of pushing a button and returning here. I volunteer," Odd replied. "Hold on," Aelita said as she pointed to Yumi, who had clenched her fists. "No, Odd. I will go and that's final. I have a chance to still my guilt. I can't just leave Ulrich behind. Certainly not after what he said to me," Yumi said. "Whatdid he tell you?" Odd asked curiously. "Odd!"Aelita cut him off and gave him a warning glare.

"I'm not sure if that's such a smart idea. I am sorry, but you might get distracted by your mixed up feelings. It would be better to send Odd to retrieve Ulrich," Jeremy said firmly. Aelita could not believe Jeremy had just said that. Odd also stared at him in disbelief. They could all get distracted by their emotions at this moment. Jeremy kept rattling on about how risky it was. Eventually Odd punched him in the face, knocking him out. "What did you do that for?!" Yumi screamed, fearing that no one would be able to get Ulrich back now.

"Aelita asked me to," Odd said and put his hands in the air as if trying to come across as innocent. "I am sorry Jeremy, but Yumi needs to do this," Aelita told the unconscious Jeremy. "And I believe she can," she continued and smiled at Yumi. She gave Aelita a grateful look, but it faded away. "How will I be able to do it, if Jeremy has been knocked out?" Yumi asked. "Don't worry, Yumi, he is not the only one who knows a lot about computers and programs,"Aelita said and winked. "I know how this program works and I can control it. You just hold on tightly, "Aelita walked over to the chair, seated herself and started typing. "Ready? Activate the device. You'll have twenty minutes. There is pressure, but I'm sure you will succeed,"Aelita told her. Yumi nodded and pressed the green button on the device.

In the past quite a while after Yumi's departure to the present...

Ulrich had reacted shocked when all the monsters exploded and vanished. He sighed in relieve. "It looks like the others deactivated a tower," he thought. Ulrich started to limp back to the shed, back to the first aid kid. Once he made it there, he treated his wounds in the best way he could. Remembering how skillfully Yumi had bandaged his leg he wondered if she was alright. Then, he thought about what he had done a few hours ago. And especially about what he had said to Yumi. Never before had he felt such a desperate urge to express his deeper feelings. He had always blocked everything, assuming Yumi wouldn't have the same feelings. And he still had no idea about her thoughts of him.

Suddenly, a lot of tension built up within him. It started to rain and Ulrich was standing outside. He spread his arms and let it all fall down on him. Ulrich kept shouting, ignoring the burning pain of his wounds that was worsened by the heavy rainfall. He faced the sky and let it out, all of it. "For two years I have been struggling with my feelings, for two years I have withdrawn from telling Yumi everything. Why have I chosen the impossible pathway up the hill? Instead of speaking my mind, I refused to, thinking that Yumi would never like me the way I do, that she only felt attracted to William. When I finally had the chance, I stopped, again! Now that she is gone, trying to save me, my life depends on a ticking time bomb! Over time I realized how important she is to me. Today was the ultimate point of that realization. And I still couldn't tell it all. WHY NOT?! Because I don't want our close friendship to be ruined? Because I don't want us to separate? Because I don't want us to end up in a fight? Or because I don't want to and cannot lose her?!"

Thunder could be heard, lightning could be seen, but Ulrich did not stop. "Why can't I just say that I like her, that I can't imagine my life without her, that my heart almost explodes when I hold back everything I have to say, that I hate William because he's so open-hearted, that I want to be with her, that MY HEART HAS THAT ONE REAL FEELING FOR HER!?" Ulrich yelled aloud. "Answer me!" He grabbed his head with both hands out of frustration and stood there standing in the rain for many minutes.

"Because you want to stay good yet in love friends, you don't want to separate, you want to see her smile, you want to have her close to you. You don't want to hurt her. And she understands it all. But you would never hurt her, because she has those same feelings, Ulrich. She has been longing to hear you admit everything and now she has. Now I ask you: do you think you could say it once more?" Yumi said after hearing Ulrich's frustration shouted aloud.

Ulrich lowered his arms, turned around and saw Yumi standing there, just as drenched as he was. They walked towards each other, then stopped, keeping a few inches between them. Ulrich looked her in the eyes. It was hard to see because of all the rain, but he noticed she had cried. She had a certain look in her eyes. No words were spoken, no questions were asked, only looks were exchanged.

Once more he took Yumi's hand and pulled her towards him with caring force. Once more he felt her ending up against him and she felt his right arm embrace her. And once more he whispered. But this time he said: "No, I won't. There is no need to tell you once again. Because now I know. From this moment onwards, it is you and me."

Yumi and Ulrich closed their eyes, again, while standing in the same position. Then Yumi pressed the red button.