Disclaimer - Jeremie refused to hack the copyright for me. So I don't own Code Lyoko.

A/N: Decided to end it here. Definitely planning on writing more in this timeline though so you'll just have wait while I write it. I could've done sort of a teasing epilogue but I think it fits to stop here. Anyway, enjoy!

The door shuts behind their friends and the two gaze at each other. "Aelita…" Jeremie trailed off into silence at the confused and scared woman in front of him. The realization of her near-demise once again crashed into her mind and her arms clutched at her shoulders. A slight keening bursts from her throat as she finally lets loose the pent-up emotions that her first session didn't free. In a twinkling Jeremie moves to her side with the old determination to wash away all her harm flaring up once more.

Knowing to let her cathartic outburst continue unimpeded, Jeremie simply wraps his arms around her and waits. He ponders at how quiet she was after the initial noise; tears and the shaking of her body provided the only signs. Minutes passed while Aelita clutched him as the only boulder in her personal sea of storms. Jeremie knew this little scene could get him in a bucket of hot water with the hospital administration but he didn't care in the least. He was on his off day and she needed him. That's all that mattered.

On her part Aelita loves the comforting embrace of his soft arms. She hadn't had someone to console her in a couple months. Well…to be honest with herself Aelita truly hadn't felt the arms she wanted the most in ten years. It only took near-death to be with the one she loved. A higher power couldn't send much stronger of a message than that. Chest hitching against the light hospital gown, Aelita spends her emotional coin and receives a measure of peace in return. Her emerald eyes slip closed as the woman relaxes against Jeremie's chest. Their breathing syncs together as Aelita tries to find the words she needed to say.

Unbidden, a wave of irrational fear floods her body. Feeling Aelita's muscles tense for no discernible reason, Jeremie looks at her with concern flaring once more in eyes. Even though it was probably nothing he couldn't help but slip into darker possibilities. Aelita's smooth skin showed no outward signs of stress but the doctor knew exactly when something troubled her. Amazing how easily he fell into their old patterns of somehow being closer than two separate beings. She would mull it over in her mind and tell him…or not. He would remain either way.

Adjusting her position on his chest, Aelita rubs a nervous hand through her hair. A few deep breaths calm her down slightly. The last time she had this conversation it didn't go well. Understatement much? Deep down she knew Jeremie wouldn't care but that grain of insight failed to convince her panicking mind. The pain from Mark's rejection still flowed under the deceptively calm surface of her demeanor. Just say it. Aelita berates herself for the indecision and gathers the scattered bits of her resolve. The pinkette pulls away from him, turns to look at him gravely, and opens her mouth. "Jeremie…" she says in a soft and saddening tone. Oops. That was the wrong tone to use. The only other time she had said his name that way was their final goodbye.

Her voice filters into his mind and Jeremie winces involuntarily. The way she said his name remained inextricably linked to his greatest failure in high school. He looked into her green eyes and saw a spark of pain shining in them. Déjà vu swept over him and a previous memory overlaid his current vision. Aelita saw his attention fade from her face and knew exactly where he was going. Hopefully I'll remedy that particular good-bye when he gets back.

-Flashback-

He stood slightly apart from the others. Their murmured conversation excluded him but Jeremie didn't care. It was by his own choice after all. His purposeful distance didn't stop him from surreptitiously glancing at her though. Nothing prevented Aelita from worming through his barriers. Even the ones I put specifically up against her. With a bubbly laugh tinged with sadness Aelita hugs her three friends then turns to look at him. "Jer, get over here!" she calls. He walks towards her slowly; Yumi, Odd, and Ulrich discreetly move a few feet away.

His mind feverishly catalogued every detail he could. There she stood in a white blouse and blue jeans, ready for whatever the world would throw her way. Three large black suitcases waited patiently beside her jeans-clad leg. Long pink hair twitched in the light breeze and obscured her left eye before Aelita automatically pushed it back behind her ear. Two tiny emerald crystals hung from her ears; Jeremie remembered giving them to her a few months back. The rumble of trains and clatter of people going about their business fades as the blonde's vision focuses solely on her. I may never see her again…

His hands clench for a second and Jeremie forces them open. This never was how he imagined things would play out but change strikes swift and sure. Those who don't adapt and struggle on are doomed to fail. Unfortunately he didn't learn his lesson in time. Now he knew that particular piece of wisdom far too well. Finally he reaches her and simply gazes at her with no reaction. His emotions were buried in a quivering ball locked deep inside.

"How are you doing?" Aelita asks hesitantly. It felt so weird to genuinely not know the answer to that question before she spoke. Jeremie hadn't gotten over her yet and she sincerely doubted if he ever would. Hell, she doubted if she could get over him sometimes when she lay awake at night.

"I'm…not that great." Jeremie replies quietly and the ball of emotions inside him begins to attack his iron grip. Her eyes were too entrancing and they brought back all those memories he would rather not examine. "Look I…" his voice trails off as he tries to figure out what to say. His mind remains stubbornly blank and he sighs. Thankfully Aelita fills the breach by eschewing words with a tentative hug. His arms automatically encircle her body and he wishes the world would freeze right now. Since obviously the hug had to end…

Rather than break away Aelita softly kisses him on the cheek and whispers into his ear. "I'm sorry Jer. But I didn't need your protection….I needed you." Her voice breaks halfway through and Jeremie could barely hear the last part. She pulls out of his arms and Jeremie almost groans at the feeling of loss. Her bright emerald eyes shone with a mixture of tears and tragedy as she looked at him for probably the last time.

"Aelita..." Jeremie realizes that this moment marked his final chance. Their relationship had shattered beyond repair but he couldn't leave it like this. Could he really trample four years of friendship, laughter, trust, and love into the dust? Pain reared its ugly head and Jeremie closes his eyes for a couple seconds. It would probably be for the best if he didn't try to contact her. She didn't want to be reminded and truthfully neither did he. Yet Jeremie still had to say it one more time even if only for himself. "I love you still." he murmurs quietly.

Aelita shows no reaction but Jeremie swears an additional flare of agony appears in her eyes. A sad, wistful smile plays across her lips. Her beauty combined with the melancholy gives her an air of ethereal otherworldliness. The sudden breeze that whips her hair into the air doubles Jeremie's sensation that she was naught but a pale spirit about to depart from his life forever. "I know." she replies. The train horn blares; Aelita steals her last glance of Jeremie and grabs her suitcases. "Good-bye Jeremie."

Jeremie doesn't join in the chorus of good-byes from Odd, Yumi, and Ulrich. He simply watches Aelita's form disappear onto the train and the doors close behind her. The sound of her voice still whispered in his mind with that softly sad timbre she used at the end. He stares in heartache and pain at the locomotive dwindling into the distance. Already he didn't feel whole.

-End Flashback-

Jer shakes his head to banish the memory. Why think of that when she's finally here in front of me? Aelita smiles with relief at the sudden focus returning to his sapphire eyes. She had revisited the memory with him and was glad she no longer felt regret. That moment didn't matter now that he sat in front of her. High past time for them to fix their mistakes.

Aelita decided not to play around the subject. "Still love me Jer?" she asks. The doctor stiffens. Jeremie looks into her emerald eyes and sees hope mingled with fear dancing in a strange formation.

"Yes." That simple word never sounded so good to Aelita. Ten years are erased in an instant as she leans forward and claims his lips for her own. Patterns and quirks reestablish themselves as the instincts of their old relationship rebuild from the ashes. Jeremie's hand lightly plays with Aelita's left ear and she deepens the kiss. Shit, he remembers it all. Excellent. His chuckle at her immediate reaction does interesting things to the position of his lips on hers. Jeremie places his hands on her shoulders and breaks their contact. She raises an eyebrow in confusion. Aelita knew he was enjoying it just as much as she was. He points to the heart rate monitor in response to her unspoken question. Oh. That explains why.

"Sorry dear. You'll have to wait a week." Jeremie says with a smirk playing about his face. Aelita pouts. The doctor laughs at her clear disappointment and takes her hand in his. "I'm assuming that means you want a second try at this?" He gestures with the other hand at the air between them.

"Of course. What else would it mean?" Jeremie's eyebrow twitches as quite a few ideas present themselves. Aelita rolls her eyes at his train of thought and wonders when he got so perverted. Maybe he just decided to reveal his true self.

"No comment." The doctor replies with a twinkle in his eye. "Anyway…this week definitely turned out to be quite surprising." Aelita winces and he squeezes her hand in concern. "What is it?" he asks.

"There's still something I have to tell you." Aelita whispers. Jeremie readies himself for some news that would shatter him again. There weren't any real barriers he could create but self-delusion isn't as bad as utter despair. He tenses as the pinkette takes a deep breath. Aelita searches in vain for a way to cushion the blow she was about to deliver. Just go for it. You'll have to be blunt.

"Jeremie…I can't have children." Her voice struggles and ends in a low whisper of shame. Jeremie closes his eyes and feels a tide of agony run through him. This beautiful creature was denied the chance to ensure her thread tied itself into the web of life. He hadn't expected this tidbit. The doctor had feared something far worse. Opening his eyes, he looked at the woman burying her face in her hands. This didn't change one iota of his feelings for her. "So Jeremie, if you don-" The sentence breaks off as the doctor gently pulls her hands off her face. He stares into her teary eyes and pours all his resolve and love into his gaze.

"I don't care. All I want is you. We can adopt if we get that far." Jeremie replies quietly. Aelita releases a sob of relief. She feared so much that her admission would scare him off like it did with Mark. His hands wrap around her and happiness replaces the earlier dread in Aelita. This roller coaster of emotions was seriously annoying. Exhaustion floods into her; the physical toll of almost dying coupled with the emotional price of the last hour demanded unconsciousness from her brain.

"Jeremie…don't let me go…" she murmurs against his chest. Jeremie shifts position on the bed so the woman could sleep somewhat comfortably. Aelita grins at using him for a pillow yet again and snuggles a little closer. Her breathing deepens and her face goes slack.

The doctor kisses Aelita's forehead and whispers into her ear, "I never will." Filled with joy at having his other half back, Jeremie rests his head on the pillow behind him and lets his thoughts wander. His friends would be back soon. Everything was as it should be; the ten year old rift had been sealed for good. Now all the challenges in front of him would hopefully be a bit more mundane. That's not to say they'd be boring. With Aelita by his side there would always be at least a spark of happiness in his world no matter how bad the particular day was. Hmm…waiting a week will be an obstacle. Chuckling, Jeremie tightens his grip on the pinkette and dreams of a now-bright future.