I don't own Code Lyoko or the characters.

Note #1: This is a YumixUlrich/UlrichxYumi fic, and takes place during the first season.

Note #2: Edited so that Odd's name was spelled right, and to fix the editing that disappeared on ff.n

Note #3: Story fixed/edited for grammar (and a couple names that were inconsistent with the seasons) on September 2010

Cold Snap

It was a slightly cloudy Monday at Kadic Junior High, and was getting cold as winter headed into full-tilt.

Yumi walked over to where Odd and Jeremie were sitting in the spot they always met each other in the mornings, then blinked. "Morning! Where's Ulrich?"

Odd fielded that one, "Ah…he didn't wake up when the alarm went off…and you know, his alarm is loud since he sleeps with earplugs…which I still don't know why…"

"Get to the point, okay?" Yumi sighed as Jeremie chuckled.

"Oh, right." Odd nodded. "He wasn't looking that great, so I let him sleep."

"Wasn't 'looking that great'?" Yumi frowned. "What's wrong with him?"

"He looked a bit pale, that's all," Odd replied.

"Guess we'll pay him a visit after class," Yumi stated. Inwardly, she was worried.

Jeremie smiled when he noticed her concern. "Probably just the flu or something. It's going around this time of year."

Yumi nodded as the bell for class rang.

"See you after class!" Jeremie waved as he and Odd headed for science class while Yumi went to her first class.

Kiwi wagged his tail when Odd opened the door to the room he shared with Ulrich, allowing Yumi and Jeremie in.

Ulrich was still in bed, sleeping, though he would frown or wince in his sleep now and then.

"Hey, champ! Wake up!" Odd called.

"Odd!" Yumi hissed, noting Ulrich's flushed cheeks.

Ulrich stirred and opened his eyes, then rubbed them and sat up, taking the earplugs out and orienting himself a moment. "What's everyone doing here?"

"Odd let you sleep through science," Jeremie explained, "Said you looked a bit ill."

"I'm okay." Ulrich shook his head, then winced and put his head in his hand.

"Are you sure?" Yumi asked. "For once, Odd is right…you don't look well at all."

Ulrich looked back up. "I'll be fine…"

Yumi put a hand to his forehead, then shook her head. "You have a fever, Ulrich. That's not 'fine'."

Ulrich seemed to pout a bit. "What if XANA attacks?"

"Let's just hope he doesn't. And if he does…it's okay. Yumi and Odd are still good…they can go into the scanner." Jeremie smiled.

Ulrich groaned and flopped back on the bed. "…sucks…"

The others chuckled.

"I'll wait out in the hall," Yumi stated, heading out.

"Wait for what?" Ulrich blinked.

"For you to get dressed. You're going to the infirmary even if we have to drag you, kicking and screaming, the entire way." Odd winked as Jeremie left with Yumi to give them some more space.

Ulrich rolled his eyes and got out of bed. "Okay, okay…I'll come quietly, officer."

"Good!" Odd grinned.

After getting dressed, Ulrich walked with his hands in his pockets, shivering occasionally, as the group headed for the infirmary. He wouldn't admit it to his friends, but he just wanted to go back to sleep.

"And just what are you four up to this time?"

A couple groaned, and they turned around to see Jim standing behind them.

"We aren't up to anything," Odd said. And for once, it was the truth.

"Oh?" Jim raised an eyebrow. "Then what are you all doing here, when…"

"We're taking Ulrich to the infirmary…he has a fever, and we want to make sure he's not coming down with something," Yumi interrupted.

Jim straightened up and looked at Ulrich, then nodded when he saw the boy's half-lidded gaze and flushed cheeks. "It'll go faster if I carry him."

"I can walk…" Ulrich started, then swayed a little as the world spun.

Yumi supported him. "Ulrich…"

Jim scooped Ulrich up. "Okay…let's go."

"Thanks, Jim." Yumi smiled.

"Yea, yea…" Jim blushed a little, and they headed for the infirmary.

"Plenty of rest, lots of fluids, and don't forget the medicine," the nurse, Yolande, stated, then went to fill out some forms that would excuse him from his classes.

"The flu." Ulrich sighed miserably. "Why now?"

"Hey…cheer up. At least you won't have to listen to Mrs. Hertz's science lectures! Or go to math class for a while!" Odd grinned.

Ulrich smiled a little, then coughed a couple times into his hand so the others wouldn't catch it. "How I'd love to blame XANA for this…"

That got the others to laugh.

"How long do you stay in the infirmary?" Odd asked.

"Until I'm better." Ulrich groaned. "So she can 'keep an eye on me'."

"That sucks." Odd frowned.

"You're telling me." Ulrich closed his eyes and coughed again.

"Guys, how about we let him get some rest, huh?" Yumi looked at the two.

"Okay." Odd nodded. "We'll go on ahead. Feel better, champ."

"Rest up, Ulrich. See you later…and pray that XANA doesn't attack." Jeremie winked, then followed Odd out.

Yumi reached out, then brushed some brown bangs out of Ulrich's face. "You going to be okay for a little while?"

"Yea." Ulrich smiled. "Thanks, Yumi." He shivered and closed his eyes. "Be great if XANA attacks now…we're all at the school, and I can't exactly go anywhere…"

Yumi frowned in thought as she pulled the covers around him more. "I have an idea. I just have to ask my parents."

Ulrich opened his eyes a bit and gave her a questioning look.

"I'll ask if you can stay with us until you're better," Yumi stated, "They're keeping you on campus so someone can bring your schoolwork to you…and you live a little too far from the school to get sent home unless you get worse…so…maybe I can see if you can stay with me…" She looked tentatively at him.

Ulrich smiled. "I'd like that." He coughed again, and closed his eyes. "Thanks, Yumi."

Yumi beamed. "Hey…you're always there for me. Now it's my turn."

Ulrich smiled again, then yawned.

"I'd better go to class…and you'd better get some rest." Yumi looked around, then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Feel better." She left in a hurry, a blush on her face.

Ulrich blinked and felt where he had been kissed, then grinned. "I already feel better…"

Ulrich was asleep when Yumi snuck into the infirmary that evening. She nearly wasn't able to convince her parents, but somehow got them to agree, as long as Ulrich wasn't in the same room as she was. The next day, her parents would speak with the principal about it.

Yumi smiled as she watched him sleep, sitting on the bed. Ulrich…we've been through so much together. I guess…we're definitely more than just 'friends'. She watched as he winced and turned onto his side in his sleep. I shouldn't wake him…he needs to rest. She stood up, when his voice stopped her.

"…don't go…"

Yumi turned around, and was surprised to see Ulrich still asleep. Sweat rolled down his forehead, and he clenched and unclenched his fist as if he was having a nightmare.

"…I need you…" Ulrich muttered in his fevered sleep, turning over again, his eyebrows knitted together as if he was experiencing something painful. "…don't leave…"

Yumi frowned and went over. I wonder who he's dreaming about… "Ulrich…hey, Ulrich! Wake up! You're having a nightmare!"

Ulrich just winced again and turned onto his other side again, reaching out for something in his dream. "…no…"

"Ulrich!" Yumi hissed, shaking his shoulder.

Ulrich's eyes shot open, and he sat up so fast that Yumi recoiled. He was breathing hard, and pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs. As he coughed a couple times, he shivered and buried his head in his arms.

"Ulrich…" Yumi whispered, but loud enough so he knew she was there. She moved closer to him and gently rubbed his back in slow circles.

That seemed to calm him down, and he swiped an arm over his face (and his eyes, more specifically), then slowly started to relax.

"Doing better now?" Yumi asked worriedly. The flu was something that usually skipped Ulrich, but hit the rest of the group. She was surprised that he even caught it. Then again, he had been training extra hard in soccer, even off-season, and had used the gym the other night with permission from Jim. I guess pushing yourself to the extremes like that would get anyone sick…

"Y-Yumi…" Ulrich blearily moved his head out of his arms to look at her.

"Shh." Yumi smiled at him. "I snuck in."

"Thanks." Ulrich let out a shaky breath.

"What was your dream about?" Yumi asked. "You usually don't get that upset about something…"

Ulrich averted his gaze and shook his head. "I…don't want to talk about it…" Just thinking about the awful dream he had made him feel sick. He groaned and dragged a hand over his face.

"I have good news," Yumi decided to change the topic.

"Yea?" Ulrich jumped at the chance to get off the subject of his nightmare.

Yumi smiled and nodded. "My parents OK-ed you staying with us until you're better. They're going to talk to the principal tomorrow morning, since their word is higher than mine, and I'd rather not have to ask Sissy for any favors."

Ulrich grinned weakly at that. "Yea…she's a pain. She came by earlier. I pretended to be asleep…though, I had to blow that cover and finally shout at her to leave me alone because she just wouldn't stop talking!"

Yumi giggled. "And I imagine Yolande chased her out?"

Ulrich smirked. "Yea…with a thermometer she was holding!"

Yumi laughed. "I would have paid to see that!"

"It was pretty good." Ulrich grinned. "Odd and Jeremie stopped by, too. Jeremie gave me my homework." He rolled his eyes. "And Odd…I know he meant well, but he was giving me a headache, so I ended up splashing him with water that was on the nightstand there."

Yumi had to put a hand over her mouth to hide her laughter.

"He said if I wasn't sick, I'd be in trouble." Ulrich paused to yawn. "But it's okay…no hard feelings. He did tell me of a prank he pulled on Sissy that almost worked. Wish I coulda been there…" he was just about forcing himself to stay awake now.

Yumi smiled gently and pulled the covers around him like she did earlier. "Go to sleep, Ulrich. You'll feel better."

Ulrich blushed, though it was hard to tell with his fever. "I already did…when you came…"

Yumi blushed as well, then stood up. "I need to go before I get caught…or before my parents realize I snuck out. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright. Night, Yumi." Ulrich curled up under the covers with a shiver.

Yumi frowned and looked around, then grabbed the blanket on the other bed and draped it over Ulrich.

Ulrich smiled gratefully as his shivering lessened. "Thanks…it's a bit cold in here…"

"You're welcome." Yumi smiled, then leaned over and kissed him on the forehead for a couple seconds. She pulled away and ran a hand through his hair. "Sleep, okay?"

But Ulrich was already asleep, a big smile on his face.

It only took a little while, but Yumi's parents were able to convince the principal to let Ulrich stay with them until he got better since Yumi's mother didn't work during the day and could keep an eye on him.

He found himself in the guest room at Yumi's house that morning, and was a little relieved since that meant that there would be no visits from Sissy.

There was a knock on the door, and Mrs. Ishiyama came in. "How are you feeling, Ulrich?"

"A bit better," Ulrich answered weakly. "I appreciate this…I mean…thanks for…"

Mrs. Ishiyama smiled. "Think nothing of it."

Ulrich just smiled tiredly in return. Yumi's father was a bit wary of him and the others, but her mother knew him and trusted him.

"Is there anything you need?" Mrs. Ishiyama asked.

"No thank you," Ulrich responded, then closed his eyes.

Mrs. Ishiyama smiled. "I'll let you sleep, then. Yumi will be back this afternoon."

But Ulrich didn't hear the rest of it, since he was already asleep.

Ulrich wasn't sure what woke him up…he certainly didn't remember his dream, though he remembered the first part of it. He shivered, since it was exactly the same as the one he had in the infirmary. Odd is the one who's supposed to get flashes, not me. But still…seeing everyone encased in ice is a little…I don't know where I got it from. Maybe it's the fever…

It was then when he realized that something was strange in the house. He had woken up earlier around lunch time, and remembered hearing the sounds of Mrs. Ishiyama in the kitchen. Now, there was nothing.

Ulrich shivered again; it seemed even colder than before. He pulled the blanket around himself as he sat up, coughing. He blinked when he realized he could see his breath when he exhaled. Okay…that's not normal. Maybe Yumi's mother had to run an errand and the heating went out…? I'd better to check…

The teen slid out of bed and dressed, pausing here and there when the world would spin a little. Choking back nausea, he slowly made his way out of the room. When he opened the door, he was hit by a wave of intense cold that made him stumble back. Shivering consistently, he continued to the kitchen, leaning heavily on the railing. What's going on…?

He nearly collapsed a couple times, and fell down the last couple steps. Breathing hard and starting to lose feeling in his fingers, toes, and nose, he used the banister to pull himself to his feet. Stumbling to the kitchen, he found Mrs. Ishiyama on the ground, passed out and shivering.

"What?" Ulrich exclaimed, stumbling over to her and going down on his knees. He reached out to shake her, and pulled back immediately. "Cold…this is not normal!" Fumbling, he found his coat and put it on, then pulled out his cellphone as he quickly pulled on his sneakers and left the house. It was warmer outside than it was inside, confirming his suspicions.

He doubled back inside and dragged Mrs. Ishiyama outside, then found a jacket and put it over her. That'll have to do for now…it's warmer outside, so hopefully, she'll warm up. But now, I need to make a phone call. Something's up!

Ulrich dialed Jeremie's number. "Jeremie! Are you there? Pick up!" He coughed a couple times as he ran as fast as he could towards the manhole entrance to the sewers by the school.

"Ulrich?"

Ulrich let out a sigh of relief, then coughed a couple times. "Jeremie, what's going on! It was below freezing in Yumi's house, and the temperature was getting even lower!"

"It's XANA," came Jeremie's response, "He's somehow hacked into the heating controls for the entire city. He has complete control over them. He's concentrating the energies at the school, bringing down the temperature."

"Are you at the factory?" Ulrich asked, and paused at the manhole to catch his breath.

"No…we're trapped in the school. We can't get out. We're trying to get through the boiler room, but the doors are too cold to touch, and Yumi can't kick them down! Odd already passed out…"

Ulrich swore under his breath as he grabbed his skateboard and took off down the tunnel that led to the factory. "I'm on my way to the factory now."

"Are you crazy? You're sick…!"

"Well, I'm the only one who can do something!" Ulrich responded, then thought for a moment. "Did you try breaking the windows?"

Silence.

"Jeremie?"

"I'm still here…"

"Don't go silent like that!" Ulrich nearly shouted, then coughed a couple times. He paused again to catch his breath as he stood beneath the ladder leading up to the manhole by the factory. The world spun around him, and he leaned heavily against the sewer wall, closing his eyes against the dizziness.

"Sorry…we're trapped in the Math room…and that's on the third floor. Even if we did break the windows, we'd have no way of getting down."

Ulrich gritted his teeth and pulled himself up the ladder despite the aches, then covered up the manhole and ran to the factory when he was out. "What about Aelita? Can you contact her?"

"I was able to…before it got too cold to use the computer. There are pulsations…in the Polar region. Can't do much…more now…"

"Jeremie, are you okay?" Ulrich noticed the weakness in his friend's voice as he grabbed onto the rope and slid down, then ran to the elevator and hit the button to go to the control room, hard.

No response on the other end.

"Jeremie?" Ulrich shouted into the phone again, then coughed deeply, leaning against the wall for support as he doubled over. The elevator made it to the control room as he regained his breath.

"Ulrich?"

Ulrich recognized the voice. "Yumi!" Not good…she sounds like she's pretty weak, too… He walked into the room with the big computer, breathing hard. "I'm at the control room…do you know what I have to do, Yumi?"

"You can't go to Lyoko, Ulrich! Not in your condition…!"

"If I don't go, who's left?" Ulrich shot back. "Aelita can't do it alone…we both know that!" He stumbled and caught himself from collapsing, just about falling into the chair in front of the main computer. His voice came out weak. "What do I do?"

There was a pause. "Ulrich…"

"Yumi, please…I have to do this!"

"Okay…contact Aelita. Jeremie came through the scanner once because Aelita was able to monitor the program for transfer."

Ulrich nodded. "Okay." He turned on the machine.

"She'll…guide you through the steps…but Ulrich, please…be careful…"

"Yumi…keep talking! Don't pass out on me!" Ulrich shouted into the phone as he shivered. "I'm waiting for Aelita to respond…why isn't it freezing in the factory?"

"The heating and air conditioning…they don't work there anymore. Ulrich…I can't stay awake…I'm sorry…"

"No…you have to hold on, Yumi!" Ulrich was on the verge of panicking. It's just like in my dream! Everyone's going to freeze to death! He squeezed his eyes shut. Come on, Aelita…please answer…!

"I can't…Ulrich, I have to…tell you something…"

"Yumi, keep talking! Don't give in!" Ulrich watched the screen as Aelita started to appear on it.

"Ulrich…I lo…"

Silence.

"Yumi! YUMI! Please respond! YUMI!" Ulrich shouted into the phone, then squeezed his eyes shut in frustration.

"Ulrich?" Aelita questioned.

Ulrich took a deep breath, holding back a cough as he put on the headset. "Yea. It's me. Look…the others are trapped in the school…XANA did something to the air conditioning, and if that tower isn't deactivated, it'll turn into another North Pole. But there's nobody here to work the scanners…could you do it?"

"Yes." Aelita nodded on the screen.

"Okay…tell me what to do." Ulrich wiped sweat off his brow, and prayed he wouldn't screw up. "We can't waste any time."

"Okay." Aelita nodded, and guided him through the process and what keys to press.

"Finally, you have to set the coordinates for the return trip to the past, since nobody will be there to punch them in," Aelita ended.

Ulrich blinked back a wave of dizziness as he followed the instructions. "Is that it?"

"Yes…it should work now. Be careful, and please hurry!"

"Where are you?" Ulrich asked.

"At the Polar region…but there are three wasps here, I can't get to the tower! I'm taking shelter in a cave, but I don't know how much longer it will be before they find me…"

"Okay…I'm ready." Ulrich nodded, putting down the earpiece and standing up. He looked at his cellphone for a moment, then gritted his teeth against another coughing fit and went into the elevator, riding it down to the scanner room. Odd…Jeremie…Yumi. I promise…I won't let you down! Wincing from a headache, he quickly made his way into the scanner.

"Okay, Aelita! I'm in the scanner!"

"Okay…I'm transporting you."

Ulrich nodded as the doors closed. He felt the familiar tingling sensation of being scanned, and closed his eyes. A gush of wind blew, and he felt himself being pulled into something else, like usual when they went to Lyoko.

Ulrich materialized in the Polar region, and landed on the ground a bit shakily. He stood up and put a hand on his katana, looking around. He headed north of his position, where Aelita said she was hiding.

Sure enough, he found her in a small alcove in the ice. The tower was just up ahead, but there were three Frelions and two Blocks guarding it.

Ulrich swore to himself at those numbers as he nodded to Aelita. "This doesn't look good."

Aelita nodded. "I don't know what to do…"

Ulrich thought a moment. I'll have to use my triplication. Send them after the wasps and I'll go after the Blocks. "Okay…I've got an idea. I'm going to lure the Frelions away, and then take out the Blocks with my triplication. As soon as I head to take out the blocks, run to the tower."

Aelita nodded, "Okay."

Ulrich nodded, glad his cold didn't transfer over into Lyoko. He was sure that he was minus at least twenty life points, though. Maximum of eighty life points to start with…I hope this will work… "Ready?"

Aelita nodded.

"Here we go…" Ulrich ran out of the cave as fast as he could, making it to the wasps. He managed to catch one by surprise and destroy it, then ran in a triangle around the other two as the Blocks headed over. "Triangulation!"

When that died down, there were three of him there.

"Come on, you flying pieces of junk!" two of him shouted, swinging at the Frelions and backing up away from the cave and the tower. The Frelions followed, shooting. As one of the shots took out a clone, the real Ulrich was on top of a confused Block.

"Impact!" He jammed his blade into the eye of the Block, then jumped off as it blew up. He winced when he took a hit from the laser of the other Block, and retreated to draw it away from the tower. "GO!"

Aelita nodded and ran as fast as she could towards the tower.

Ulrich leapt up and dodged a laser from the Block as Aelita got closer.

Just then, the other clone that had the Frelions out a good distance away was destroyed.

Ulrich rushed at the Block, and was able to slice it in two, causing it to blow up. He yelped as one of the Frelions fired a laser that hit him in the back. He fell to the ground, but pushed himself back up.

Aelita was almost at the tower.

"You want a piece of me, you overgrown mosquitoes! Then come and get it!" Ulrich shouted and ran at the two Frelions. He jumped up and downed one of them, but was hit by the laser from the other. As he started to dematerialize, he saw Aelita enter the tower, and smiled. Good…

The scanner opened, and Ulrich gasped for breath, slumping down as he stumbled out, then finally gave into the illness and passed out onto the ground.

Meanwhile, back in Lyoko, Aelita stepped onto the platform and traveled up to the second platform, then called up the screen and touched her hand to it. The words came up on the screen:

AELITA

CODE:

LYOKO

Things froze, and the boxes of binary data fell around her into the depths of the tower, where a light started to come out.

In the real world, everything stopped.

A bright white light started out and engulfed the entire town.

Return to the past…

Odd looked at Ulrich. "Aren't you going to the gym to practice your soccer?"

Ulrich shook his head with a grin on his face. "Nah…even if XANA was responsible for my flu because he lowered the temperature in the gym during my practice, I think that on days as cold as this, I'd much rather do something else." He looked at the clock, and smiled, throwing on his winter coat. "Well, Yumi said she would stop by to help me talk to Jim about using the gym, so I'd better tell her it's a no-go."

"Okay," Odd stated, then winked. "You go, champ!" He ducked a pillow thrown at him as Kiwi barked as if laughing. "HEY!"

Ulrich waited outside the equipment shed, then smiled when he saw Yumi. "Hey."

"Hey." Yumi blushed.

"Um…" Ulrich started, then cleared his throat.

"You don't look like you're going to practice," Yumi stated.

"Nah…I decided not to. It's not worth chancing a real bout with the flu…not a XANA involved one." Ulrich grinned.

"Yea…makes sense." Yumi giggled.

It was quiet for a while.

"Three, two, one…" Ulrich counted, and as soon as he said 'one', it started to snow gently.

They stood there, watching the snow fall, until afternoon rolled around and they had five minutes before the lunch bell rang.

"Look…um…about what happened when we talked over the phone…" Yumi blushed.

"Y-yea…?" Ulrich was blushing now as well.

"I…well…what I was going to say…I mean…"

Ulrich blushed even more, but smiled and leaned forward, kissing her on the lips to silence her. He pulled apart, blushing even more.

Yumi, too, was blushing.

Ulrich looked up with a shy smile. "I understand."

"So do I." Yumi blushed.

The two stood there, blushing, until the lunch bell rang.

"So…I don't think my parents would mind if you came back home with me for some lunch and hot chocolate…what do you say?"

"Sneak off school grounds? Sure!" Ulrich grinned.

Yumi crossed her arms.

Ulrich reached out and took her hand. "And, of course…"

Yumi blushed at the sentence that didn't need to be finished. "Y-yea. Let's go, then."

While some students stopped and stared, the two didn't mind as they walked the path through the courtyard/park of the campus to the gates, holding hands the entire way.

THE END