Skiergirl-Well after thoroughly depressing myself watching AMVs I decided to make yet another one shot unconnected to anything. See, I was watching depressing and sad videos of when Maes Hughes died. Since I can't make a video myself, the music system I used is all legal and stuff now, I decided to write a fanfic...well...songfic to the song that I thought most appropriate from the ones I saw. So, here it is. My depression turned into a work of writing. And, as a note imagine Hughes is singing this up from Heaven.

The song is Father and Daughter by Paul Simon and I don't own it or FMA, if I did Envy would have died a long time ago. And things would be a lot more morbid, possible trust me.

Father and Daughter-

Small footsteps could be heard as a young girl no more then four walked towards a grave slowly. She was not alone though. Behind her traveled her mother looking upon her daughter with a small smile.

What they were doing, visiting his grave,it had become habit. Elysia still really didn't understand the thought of death. Or, if she did she grasped it at a level her mother couldn't grasp. So,because of that Elysia had come to visit her father everyday to tell her how her day went. It usually only took ten minutes, certainly no more, but in a way Gracia was sure that in that time her daughter could actually speak with her late husband.

"Daddy, I worked hard for you today." Elysia said as she came upon the grave and knelt down to put her bouquet of flowers on the ground ad mist the other ones that were there from previous days. "I hope you're proud of me daddy. I know mommy said you were up in heaven and watching me.But, I like talking to you"

As Elysia said this she sat down and leaned forward as if actually having conversation with her dead father.
"I don't know if you can hear me or not daddy. But, if you can listen 'cause I did a lot of stuff today"

Now folding her small hands in her lap Elysia began speaking. "At first I thought today was going to be bad because I had a bad dream. It's okay now though because even though it was a bad dream I woke up and saw you watching over me. I told mommy and that's when she told me you were watching over me down from heaven. And,I'm glad daddy because I have lots of bad dreams but if you are there to watch me from heaven I think it will be okay"

'If you leap awake In the mirror of a bad dream
And for a fraction of a second You cant remember
where you are Just open your window And follow
your memory upstream To the meadow in the
mountain Where we counted every falling star'

"You know I miss you lots daddy. Mommy says you have a lot of work to do in heaven though. So, I hope you can finish it all and come back from there. Heaven sounds pretty but I really do miss you daddy"

Looking down at her feet Elysia took a deep breath. No matter how much she tried she always cried. She knew that her dad would want her to be strong, he had said so himself after her bad dream, but sometimes it was just hard. Especially since she was only four.

"After the nightmare though. Mommy made me waffles. They were really tasty and I saved you some so you wouldn't be hungry in case you were working a lot in heaven. I hope you did eat them daddy. I don't want you being hungry with all the work you must have"
Despite her best at trying to be optimistic Elysia soon found tears running down her eyes though she continued to speak. "After waffles Aunty Riza came to visit with her Black Hayate. I had lots of fun playing with them. Aunty Riza's doggy always would lick me in the face and wag his tail. I bet you would have liked that too. Getting doggy kisses and playing fetch and tug of war. All that time I thought of you daddy. And I hoped that you could take a break off work and watch me play. I don't think the people in heaven would mind if you took a break. That way you can come and see me again. And we can play together"

By now Elysia's quiet crying had become sobbing that stopped Elysia from going on about her day. At four she couldn't really explain how she felt but something deep inside her felt empty. It was as if something precious and dear was no longer there and had been taken away at the same time her dad had to work in heaven for a long, long time. And, even though Elysia was young this feeling still hurt. It still made her cry and feel pain. She still really missed her dad and could only hope he missed her as well.

'I believe the light that shines on you
Will shine on you forever And though
I cant guarantee Theres nothing scary
hiding under your bed I'm gonna stand
guard Like a postcard of a Golden Retriever
And never leave till I leave you With a s
weet dream in your head'

"By the time Aunty Riza left it was getting late. And since I come to visit you here everyday I wanted to come before my bedtime. I was hoping you could tuck me into bed like you did last night. And sing me that song you always sing. It's so pretty. It's my favorite song"
Though her voice was cracked with sadness and it had taken a lot to say those words Elysia still felt better. She could feel just a little bit of that emptiness in her heart fill up. It never lasted long but it was enough. Enough to let Elysia continue on and know her dad was still with her. Taking a break from work just long enough to touch her from heaven somehow.
Never could she fully explain how she knew this but she did. It was like information in her soul or in her being. It was what made Elysia, Elysia.

"I started to learn to read all by myself now. I know all my alphabet. I sang them to you before. But, if you want to here them again just tell me. I know you might have forgotten since you must be so busy in heaven. But, I won't sing them now because I have more to tell you. And I think you might have to leave soon. I don't want you to get in trouble for not doing work"

Wiping her eyes now Elysia leaned forward even more. To the point where she could touch the gravestone of her father's. "Remember the promise I made you yesterday? I said the first thing I'd ever read by myself was what it said on this stone. I can't read all of it yet but I know the second word. It's in. The other words are sort of big so I'm sorry I can't read you what it says today. I know you'd like to hear it soon though. And, I promise I'll learn to read real well so that I can tell you what it says everyday I come to visit you"

For a moment now Elysia was quiet as if letting her father have his own conversation with her, Though no words were spoken a small smile came on Elysia's face and after about a minute or so she spoke again.

"I hope they didn't work you too hard. I know that you can get really tired if you work a lot. I can tell to because you snore after you work a lot." Elysia giggled at this remembering such times. She had been told that her father's snoring had made her laugh even as a baby.
"Mommy says I must have gotten my good sense of humor from you. She says that I'm like you even though I look more like mommy. She said that since I love you so much that makes me like you because you love me lots. And that's why you have to work a lot. For me"

'I'm gonna watch you shine watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign So you'll always know
As long as one and one is two There could
never be a father Who loved his daughter
more than I love you'

"And that's why I'm working now. So that you can come from Heaven sooner and see me. Today I helped mommy clean the dishes and I cleaned my room all by myself with no help at all. I know you wanted to help me daddy but I wanted to show you what a big girl I was"
Again smiling it seemed Elysia was in a happier mood. And though this was so her heart hurt still. And by the way it was hurting she wasn't sure if it'd ever stop completely. Not unless her dad came back. But, her mom said that her dad had to work for a very long time up in heaven. And he'd never be able to visit again.

Elysia hadn't believed that though. Especially when she could feel her father tuck her in at night or when she had a nightmare and he was there to tell the monsters to leave her alone.

"I know mommy said you'd probably never find time to see us again but I hope you do daddy. Then I can show you all the good things I did instead of just tell you. I like telling you though daddy. I do because you always listen so well. And I just hope that I can make you smile some more while you work in heaven. And I want to see you smile because your my daddy. And your smile makes me and everyone else smile"

Thinking for a moment Elysia was silent yet again seeming a bit saddened but not to the point of tears. "When you do get time to visit, if you do, that's the only present I could ever want. Your smile. I know you always liked getting me things but just getting your smile would enough for, forever. So, I hope you can bring that to me soon daddy. And bring one for mommy too because she needs to smile more"

'Trust your intuition Its just like going fishing
You cast your line And hope you get a bite
But you don't need to waste your time
Worrying about the market place Try
to help the human race Struggling to
survive its harshest night'

Now, hearing her mom call her Elysia started to get up leaning back and on her knees before something came to her. "Before I have to go, can you tell me why you have to work in heaven? You had work here too didn't you? I think mommy said you had no choice but why? Did something bad happen"

Now it seemed Elysia was scared. Frightened that something awful had happened to her dad and now he had to work in heaven as punishment. Sure, she had been told heaven was supposed to be nice but no one besides her father had ever been there so she was scared that maybe no one knew what heaven was like and were just hoping for the best.

"If heaven is a bad place you should come home. No one would mind. If you weren't allowed to work anymore in heaven it'd be better that way. You wouldn't be in a bad place. You'd be in a good place with me and mommy. So, please if heaven is a bad place come back. I don't want to see you all upset and tired after all. What I miss most is that you were always so happy to see me. So, no matter what if heaven is bad come back and be happy. I won't be mad at you and I'm sure mommy won't be mad either. She misses you to you know. She never really says it but I can tell she misses you. It's because I sometimes here here crying and saying your name. But, please don't tell mommy that cause I don't want her to think I was spying on her or anything. I was just worried because mommy seemed sad lately. It was like I said before. She wasn't smiling a lot. And I think it's because you had to go to work in heaven"

Hearing her name be called yet again this time Elysia got all the way up and started to walk towards her mom. Before she got too far though she once again stopped. "Please just remember that both Mommy and I miss you lots. We both wish that you could come back from working so hard and so long. So please, if you can, don't forget about us. I promise if you don't I won't ever, ever forget you either and I'll come to visit you here everyday"

'I'm gonna watch you shine Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign So you'll always know As long
as one and one is two There could never be a father
Who loved his daughter more than I love you'

Now Elysia turned back from the grave to her mother. She had realized it but Gracia had heard some of what her daughter had said and had started to cry. After all her daughters words were so mature despite her young age. Elysia was already growing up. And that was hard. What was harder was to have to see it happen and know that the person who had so dearly loved his daughter was gone. Perhaps he could watch from heaven yes, but Gracia had long ago stopped trying to think on such things for they were too painful even now. It was better to just let time heal everything.

"Just don't forget me daddy." Elysia whispered as she took her mother's hand and started walking from the cemetery towards her home. There she would help her mother make dinner and start getting ready for bed. And all through that Elysia would at least know her father was watching down from heaven taking a break from work just so see his daughter again.

'I'm gonna watch you shine Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign So you'll always know As long
as one and one is two There could never be a father
Who loved his daughter more than I love you'

That night, though it rained and poured as if the angels themselves were crying Elysia slept soundly knowing her father was right there watching. Perhaps he was sad to, hence the rain, but he was still watching and he was never going to forget his daughter. Elysia Hughes.

Skiergirl-Wow, long story. I suppose that's what I get for staying up the whole night. I hope you all enjoy this story. It certainly made my depression go away though I'm not sure it will do the same for however you readers are feeling. So, until next time read and review.