Alita's POV:

The Return trip sent us back to just before I made my deal with XANA. My friends were skipping class to have an emergency meeting at the Factory. I knelt in the way tower in the Forest Sector. Once more, I was seeing their world only through a screen.

"XANA has done some major damage to our matrelztn program." Jeremy said. "It's gonna set us back, but we'll keep working on it."

"I'm more concerned about that white orb." Ulrick said. "How do we know it's really on our side?"

"You saw what it did!" Od said. "That blast could've easily taken us out, but we were still standing once all of XANA's monsters had fallen! Of course it's on our side!"

"But why now?" Yumi wondered aloud. "We've been fighting XANA for months. If this orb is really on our side, why would it wait until now to show itself?"

I tuned out as my friends kept speculating. It was time for their history class right now, the first class I had ever attended. I might not ever get the chance to go back.

Now that I've been to Earth, now that I know what living in the real world is like…Lyoko felt even lonelier than usual…

"What's this?" Jeremy asked, & I tuned back into the conversation. A small message window had popped up.

Take good care of my little girl. –Franz Hopper

"Who's Franz Hopper?" Ulrick asked, but there were more pressing issues to address.

"Something's messing with the matrelztn program!" Jeremy said. It had popped open in a new window.

Jeremy started to fight it, trying to stop the program. I looked at the calculations with interest. Jeremy & I had never thought about it this way…

"Jeremy, wait!" I said. "I don't know what's going on, but these numbers make sense. It's almost as if something…or someone…is fixing the program."

A test scan was running, & I held my breath to see the results.

It was positive.

"It works." I said, barely able to believe it.

Suddenly, my screen closed itself. I felt myself lift off the platform, & I knew I was headed back to Earth!

That's when I felt something grab my leg.

It felt like an ice cold hand was gripping my ankle, trying to keep me on Lyoko. XANA had figured out that I was leaving, & was trying to keep me trapped here.

I tried to shake him off, but it was no use. I was floating in mid air, caught between two worlds. There wasn't much I could do.

I felt a warm presence, similar to what I had felt when the orb had saved me from XANA. There was a sharp pain in my ankle, but then the icy hand released me. I floated to the top of the tower, & I knew that I was leaving Lyoko.

"She's here at last." Jeremy said. I smiled as I opened my eyes. I was lying down, curled up in one of the scanners. My friends stood over me. They helped me to my feet.

"Jeremy?" I said, testing my voice. It was still there.

Of course, we would soon find out that this was not the end of our battle with XANA. XANA still had more tricks to play. We would soon discover an old home in the woods, which would give us many clues about the mysterious Franz Hopper...as well as my own past...

But, for now, I was simply happy to be back on Earth, with my friends.

I wrapped my arms around Jeremy as he whispered in my ear.

"Welcome to Earth."

When I started this story back over the summer, I didn't think I would still be working on it in November…but I think it's so fitting that the final chapter gets posted over Thanksgiving weekend. I am so thankful that you guys enjoy my stories! Your support means the world to me.

Until next time!

Please review!