Five Years

Chapter One - Scars

Time heals all wounds. That was a lie.

It's been five years since a Lyoko Warrior fell to X.A.N.A. and nothing has healed. Every wound he had taken from that battle still ached…still burned. He felt as if his own blood had been tainted by the devastating loss. Every time he entered his room; looking to the other side…seeing it empty he cried. Every second that slowly dragged by, his heart was breaking. Everything hurt. He felt like death itself wouldn't be enough to cope with losing Odd. Ulrich smirked, sadly, feeling exactly how Odd had felt when he had been taken.

Ulrich would spend several days locked up in his/their room just sitting on the empty side of the room. The principal kept offering to get him a new roommate and every time Ulrich would snap, yelling at him…the answer always being no. He didn't want a new roommate. He didn't want a new best friend. He didn't want a new lover. He wanted Odd. Just Odd.

Ulrich sat on the untouched bed and hugged his knees. Kiwi jumped onto the bed and sniffed it, whining, he curled up next to Ulrich. Ulrich looked down at the one of the few things Odd's family had let him keep of his. After hearing their son had disappeared and the investigation giving up they wanted everything of Odd's to go with them. Ulrich sniffled; he knew the tears would come again soon. He sat there waiting while gently petting Kiwi.

Ulrich knew he should feel grateful for even being able to be here with Kiwi; when he didn't almost make it himself. He had woken up in a hospital bed over four months ago. Being in Lyoko for so long had almost killed him when he returned home. He didn't want to even think about Odd being there longer than he was and William has been there longer than that. His body shuttered at the thought of them both falling out of the pods…dead.

He remembered being dragged to the way tower then suddenly everything went white. Next thing he remembered was being on a hospital bed with Jeremy and Aelita on either side of him. Neither of them had any sign of an injury…he smiled; as he remembered feeling the slightest bit happy. Even if it did only last for a second.

"Jere...my. Ae...lita." Ulrich whispered as he awoke.

"Ulrich!?" They cheered. They each squeezed Ulrich's hand.

"I-I'm glad you two are al…right."

"We are now that you're awake!" Aelita cheered, hugging Ulrich.

He looked at both his friends, tears in their eyes. Something was different. Aelita's body had changed and her hair was down to her waist, tied back. Jeremy was taller, his hair was messier, and he wasn't wearing his glasses. Ulrich was confused at how much his friends had changed in a few days.

"You okay Ulrich? How do you feel?" Aelita asked. Ulrich nodded and saw that they kept exchanging looks.

"He needs to know Aelita." Jeremy said. Ulrich was even more confused when he noticed Jeremy's voice was deeper.

"Ulrich." Jeremy said squeezing Ulrich's hand tighter. Ulrich nodded once.

"After what happened on Lyoko…Aelita and I carried you to the way tower. I de-virtualized myself and Aelita did the same. Then I de-virtualized you. We were all hurt badly. When we got taken to the hospital, Aelita and I were patched up then released a few days later."

"Okay…" Ulrich said waiting for Jeremy to go on.

"The Doctor said you're injuries were too severe and that he didn't know if you'd make it through the night."

"And I did." Ulrich said.

"Yes and we were very happy you did, but then you never woke up. The Doctor came in the next day and said...what happened...the loss forced your mind into a coma. He said your body was healing perfectly, but mentally you weren't."

"…"

"We know what happened was hard for you. It was hard for all of us, but you can't do that to us Ulrich. We need you here…awake and alive." Jeremy said patting Ulrich's hand with his free one.

"I'm sorry. I guess I didn't care to wake up...knowing he wasn't here…" A single tear fell and stained the bed sheets.

"Y-you don't have to apologize Ulrich." Aelita stuttered.

"H-how long was I in the coma?"

"Almost five...years."

"What?" Ulrich asked, shocked.

Jeremy and Aelita nodded slowly.

F"-five years!? Are you serious!?" Ulrich exclaimed looking at his friends. Now understanding why they looked so different.

"T-that means Odd's been there for that long! H-have you been to Lyoko?"

"I've been to Lyoko everyday since…"Aelita trailed off.

"I've monitored every visit and X.A.N.A's bug is still in effect. I don't think I'll be able to get rid of it." Jeremy looked at the floor.

"Have you seen-"

"No. Every time I've been there. I searched every corner on every sector. There hasn't been a single sign of X.A.N.A, Odd, or William." Aelita said looking just as disappointed as Ulrich.

"Lyoko has been quiet since he took Odd."

"Which means he's planning something...something bad really soon. I need to get to Lyoko." Ulrich said turning his body so his legs hung off the bed.

"Ulrich wait!" Jeremy said, thinking back to how Odd did the same thing when Ulrich was taken.

"I can't wait Jeremy. X.A.N.A may be hiding until I go to Lyoko. He did say he may come back for me too. So I'm going to get Odd back and you two are coming with me."

"What about Yumi?" Aelita cut in, regretting it as soon as she said it.

Ulrich threw his fist into the nearest beeping medical machine, causing it to dent inward.

"If I see her…I don't know what I'll do." Ulrich threatened pulling his fist from the broken machine. Aelita looked sympathetically at Ulrich. She knew Yumi had…done something bad, but there had to be a reason as to why.

"Help me up." Ulrich said. Jeremy put his arm around his neck and put an arm around his waist for support. Ulrich leaned onto Jeremy, realizing his body felt heavy.

"Aelita go check him out and then meet us at the factory." Jeremy said helping Ulrich change into the clothes they brought for him.

Dressed, Ulrich slowly stumbled into use the bathroom. He closed the door and turned on the light. Gasping at the unfamiliar person in the mirror. He's been in a coma for almost five years and the change in his face shocked him. He barely recognized himself. He had grown taller, like Jeremy, and his hair was much longer with his bangs hanging in his face. He moved closer and touched the face in the mirror then touched his cheek. It was pale in comparison to his hand and his eyes looked tired…almost like he was dead. He jumped when Jeremy knocked on the door.

"You okay in there Ulrich?"

"Y-yeah I'm coming!"

They left the hospital and made their way to the computer lab. It looked exactly the same except there seemed to be a thicker coat of dust on everything, excluding the keyboard.

"I've programmed new upgrades for our uniforms for each of us, since everything is different now. Lyoko is different. We'll end up fighting to the death again to retrieve our friend."

"I'll do anything to get him back." Ulrich announced, climbing the ladder to the pods.

"Just don't get yourself killed Ulrich. Go Aelita." Jeremy ordered. Aelita nodded and followed after Ulrich. They entered the pods and they went through the familiar flash of white.

Virtualized…they were back.

Ulrich woke to someone banging on his door. He didn't remember falling asleep, but he got up from the bed without moving Kiwi. He opened the door and saw an alert Aelita, panting, leaning against the wall.

"C-come to the computer lab…h-hurry."

"Why? What happened Aelita?" He asked gripping her shoulders.

"He…Odd. W-we found him."

Ulrich's eyes widen as he pushed past Aelita and took off down the hallway, running as fast as he could to the computer lab. Aelita, still panting, followed behind.

Finally after five years!

(A/N) Okay it's really not what I expected, but that doesn't mean I don't like it. :) Anyways, in "Five Minutes" they're all about 13 & 14 years old so now their all around the ages of 18 & 19 in this story. Yay! Older Ulrich and Odd! Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of the sequel "Five Years" and look forward to a new chapter coming soon! REVIEW PLEASE!

***RATED "T" for language, violence, tragedy, and Odd X Ulrich yaoi.