Okay, there's some things you have to know about this fic. Ikuko was married before Kenji and had Usagi. Kenji was married to someone else before Ikuko and had Sammy. End there. This story takes place when Usagi's about seven years old. They haven't met Kenji, and won't ever in this story. I felt compelled to right this when I read an e-mail. If you like the poem, you may take it. It doesn't belong to me, and I don't know who wrote it, but they did an excellent job.

On with the story.

// = the poetry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

/Her hair was up in a pony tail,

her favorite dress tied with a bow.

Today was Daddy's Day at school,

and she couldn't wait to go./



Usagi Stevens had her long blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail, wanting to go for a change for this special day. She wore her favorite pink dress with a thick white band of fabric tied in a bow around her. She wore her favorite dress shoes - tiny pink shoes with a one inch heel on them with little rabbit faces on the side. Today was a day only celebrated once in the school year - Daddy's Day - and she couldn't wait to go.

/But her mommy tried to tell her

that she probably should stay home.

Why the kids might not understand,

if she went to school alone./

"Are you sure, Bunny?" Ikuko Stevens asked her little girl worriedly. "You should probably stay home, they won't understand why Daddy isn't there with you..."

"It's okay, Mummy." Usagi smiled. "I know what I want to do."

/But she was not afraid;

she knew just what to say.

What to tell her classmates

of why he wasn't there today./

Usagi hugged her mother. Ikuko smiled and hugged in return, small tears gathering in her eyes at how brave Usagi was.

/But still her mother worried,

for her to face this day alone.

And that was why once again,

she tried to keep her daughter home./

"Are you positive, Usagi darling?" Ikuko asked again. Usagi bobbed her head yes. "Okay, but I'm going to go with you. I don't want you to face this day alone."

/But the little girl went to school,

eager to tell them all.

About a dad she never see

a dad who never calls./

The two rode in silence to school and they walked into the classroom.

/There were daddies along the wall in back,

for everyone to meet.

Children squirming impatiently,

anxious in their seats./

Ikuko went and stood in the back where all the other fathers stood. Some looked weirdly at her, others glared, some were just indifferent. The children squirmed in excitement at the prospect of tell the class all about their daddies.

/One by one the teacher called,

a student from the class.

To introduce their daddy

as seconds slowly passed./

The teacher quickly took roll call, then started to call up the students and their daddies.

/At last the teacher called her name,

every child turned to stare.

Each of them was searching,

for a man who wasn't there./

"Usagi Stevens, can you come up here please?" The teacher asked. Usagi stood and walked to the front of the class, alone. The students turned to look around for the daddy that wasn't there.

/Where's her daddy at?"

she heard a boy call out.

"She probably doesn't have one,"

another student dared to shout./

The student started to make up ideas as to why Usagi's father wasn't there. Ikuko was ready to run up to her Usa as soon as she saw the tears forming, but Usagi shook her head at her to stay.

/And from somewhere near the back,

she heard a daddy say,

"Looks like another deadbeat dad,

too busy to waste his day."/

Ikuko glared at the man as he said the derogatory things about her husband.

/The words did not offend her,

as she smiled up at her Mom.

And looked back at her teacher,

who told her to go on.

And with hands behind her back,

slowly she began to speak.

And out from the mouth of a child,

came words incredibly unique./



Usagi shook her head at the man's narrow minded opinion. The words he sad did not offend her in the least, but she worried about her mum. Usagi smiled at her mother, then turned towards the teacher.

"Go on," The teacher smiled. Usagi nodded, and grasped her hands behind her back. Usagi opened her mouth and started to speak the words she had practiced late into the night.

/"My Daddy couldn't be here,

because he lives so far away.

But I know he wishes he could be,

since this is such a special day.

And though you cannot meet him,

I wanted you to know.

All about my daddy,

and how much he loves me so.

He loved to tell me stories

he taught me to ride my bike.

He surprised me with pink roses,

and taught me to fly a kite.

We used to share fudge sundaes,

and ice cream in a cone.

And though you cannot see him,

I'm not standing here alone.

'Cause my daddy's always with me,

even though we are apart

I know because he told me,

he'll forever be in my heart."/

/With that, her little hand reached up,

and lay across her chest.

Feeling her own heartbeat,

beneath her favorite dress./

Usagi reached up and put her hand over her heart, feeling it beat beneath her favorite dress.

/And from somewhere in the crowd of dads

her mother stood in tears.

Proudly watching her daughter,

who was wise beyond her years.

For she stood up for the love

of a man not in her life.

Doing what was best for her,

doing what was right./



Ikuko felt tears running down her face at her daughter's words. She hadn't know about Usagi's plan, and it had surprised her. But she was so proud of her daughter, so proud.

And when she dropped her hand back down,

staring straight into the crowd.

She finished with a voice so soft,

but its message clear and loud.

Usagi dropped her hand from her heart, staring into the crowd for her mother. Seeing her, Usagi opened her mouth again, speaking soft words.

/"I love my daddy very much,

he's my shining star.

And if he could, he'd be here,

but heaven's just too far

You see he was a fireman

and died just this past year

When airplanes hit the towers

and taught Americans to fear.

But sometimes when I close my eyes,

it's like he never went away."

And then she closed her eyes,

and saw him there that day./

Usagi closed her eyes slowly, imagining her father - her father, with her blonde hair and cheerful smile - standing next to her with his hand on her shoulder.

/And to her mother's amazement,

she witnessed with surprise.

A room full of daddies and children,

all starting to close their eyes./

Ikuko watched as the children and adults in the room closed their eyes, some with tears on their faces.

/Who knows what they saw before them,

who knows what they felt inside.

Perhaps for merely a second,

they saw him at her side./

Usagi opened her mouth.

/"I know you're with me Daddy,"

to the silence she called out.

And what happened next made believers,

of those once filled with doubt.



Not one in that room could explain it,

for each of their eyes had been closed.

But there on the desk beside her,

was a fragrant long-stemmed pink rose.



And a child was blessed, if only for a moment,

by the love of her shining bright star.

And given the gift of believing,

that heaven is never too far./

Usagi stopped speaking, staring with tears running down her face at the long stemmed pink rose. A sob rose in her throat, and Ikuko was at her side in an instant, holding her sobbing daughter to her shoulder and rocking her to and fro. Ikuko tilted Usagi's head up and made her look into her eyes.

"I am very proud of you Usagi, and so is your Daddy. Never forget that. We both love you very, very much." Ikuko said. Usagi nodded, and sobbed harder. The teacher, with tears in her eyes, stood.

"Mrs. Stevens, you may take your daughter home if you wish. I am allowing this once; because of the bravery she showed to do this." The teacher smiled through her tears. "Usagi, you are a very special girl."

Ikuko picked up Usagi, and then to walked to the car. They drove home, thinking about the man who couldn't be there ever again physically, but will always remain in their hearts.