Jeremie is a simple man that has a simple life; a stable job, a girlfriend, and a small home.
But when the Lyoko warriors were told that someone close died, they knew that they didn't kill off what haunted them when they were kids, and Jeremie reverts to his old ways.

As in, a story I had in my mind for 10 years that was finally put into words. A story that the group wasn't careful enough. This is a way to show my love for this show.

He had a soft spot for her. Overprotective. Annoying. Maybe even boring. But her silence guided him and stood beside him. The times that he hurt her was not purposeful; yet she didn't budge. What made him a true savior? He had no idea, but it was almost out of a dream. A hell driven dream; get the girl but risk almost dying every day for no one to give thanks. More than a damn chore than homework for 3rd period.

"What is love?"

Love. It was stupid, he thought. It doesn't make sense. It was a waste of time and only breaks you down more. Hopeless romantics have field days trying to find "the one" but never think for themselves. Not him, his love was his computer. A Gateway Performance 1500 with Pentium 4 processor, a tower with two USB ports on the front panel, and two 17-inch monitors. He spent all-nighters prying it open and cleaned it. Striped down every part and played with every wire, cleared the dust and used a toothbrush to clean the motherboard with an alcohol solution. To know something inside and out, remembering every detail, gifting it with time; that was love.

"Jeremie?" he fumbled with his fingers, the dirt in his fingernails bothered him. Hygiene was not a factor in his life since acne began to form on his cheeks. His looks never bothered him and didn't think to bother since the beginning of last year. A school dance prank took place, and he was the victim. Some jock preteens told him that he had a cute blind date that was begging to meet him but rejected him immediately, claiming that she "never seen this geek in my life!" He became the laughingstock and a star in the Kadic newspaper. What a way to ruin reputation on the first year of Junior High. God, love was stupid.

"If I'm bothering, I can leave you to rest." Her pixelated eyes peered, moving her head to see his hanging head.

Jeremie's ears stopped ringing. His eyes looked up at the screen, seeing the angel. Sighing, he crossed his arms on the desk and laid his chin on his wrist, "There's no need. Just thinking about… things."

"About my question?" she said, her eyes darted to him, "About love?"

He perked his lips, watching her sway like a lily in the wind, "I don't know, Aelita… It's when two people date each other, I guess…"

"Yeah, but-" Aelita shuffled herself, "But what is it?"

Jeremie lifted his head, staring at the screen. Aelita… she looked more human every day. She was learning too much from Ulrich and Odd. Maybe how Odd keep finding a new girl daily or how Ulrich can't confess his feelings to Yumi. Maybe she was learning on the internet, watching the pirated slow burn romances or the "break-up" songs that Jeremie provided. Besides, he didn't want her to be bored in the tower, and it was at her request to learn about Earth.

"It's like talking to someone you like every day and share your… deepest secrets?" Jeremie said slowly, unsure if he is satisfied with that answer.

"But we do that." Aelita crossed her arms, "And told me your deepest secrets."

His face turned red, scratching his cheek, "And it bothers me that you haven't told me any yourself."

"Quite frankly it's hard to have secrets when I'm stuck in a tower all the time." She added, laughing at his expression. Then she her laugh slowed to a stop, staring, then lowered her head, "I think about you a lot."

Jeremie cleared his throat, trying to not shift in his seat. "Oh." What else could be said about that? How can a virtual being have complex feelings to someone they never met face to face? But Jeremie couldn't be an asshole about it, she is a human being. She is real, or he wouldn't have risked his mental health for a girl that could be mistaken for a video game character. Odd always keep telling Aelita she resembles Mileena and her signature pink outfits from Mortal Kombat arcade game, but she took the moment to look it up. While she was flattered by his comment, she does not prefer lewd clothing and piranha teeth. Jeremie also prefers not to think about it. At all.

"I think about all of you guys." Aelita added quickly, "It's hard to think that someone would risk their lives to save just some program." She chuckled softly.

"We keep talking about this, Aelita. You are not just some program." Jeremie rubbed his eyes, the blue light from the monitor straining his retinas, "We will fight to bring you home."

"It's not my place to call it home, Jeremie." Her head leaned to the side, "I've never been there."

Jeremie huffed, crossing his arms in an annoying manner, "Well just you wait. I'll work my ass off just to prove you wrong!" he bit his lip, "Sorry for cussing."

She laughed heartily, "It's okay, I heard it all from Ulrich."

Jeremie smirked, his chest swelling. He lifted his hand to gently place his fingers on her window, the static beaming at his tips, "I will bring you home, I promise."

"No need to promise anything. I just want to meet you." Aelita smiled gently.

She was human alright and was damn convincing too. Jeremie knew she was. Although she begs to be a part of their lives, yet she pleads not to so no one gets killed. He knew that people died because of Aelita and no one blames for her existence. She was the key to Lyoko and was burdened with it. There were disturbing times she asked to shut the supercomputer down so she could... disappear… an obvious suicide attempt. But Jeremie knew better- that she was a real live, breathing, loving human being that was trapped. Her heart beats through the screen and her charming smile were the light that strained his eyes. She had blood that coursed through the wires and the bones that supports the motherboard. To know something inside and out, remembering every detail, gifting it with time; Jeremie knew she was love.