Chapter one-

DISCLAIMER: I do not own code lyoko or its characters.

~~ Okay this is just a sample chap. If I can get 3 good reviews I'll keep goin

The sound of car doors closing and the cool that the rain now brought seemed to give the service just the finish Yumi had needed. It was a good feeling; like when you turn the last page in a book, or cross that last 'to-do' off of your list. It was misting heavily and the people walking away from the pavilion began to rush; opening umbrellas and throwing coats over their heads. But the rhythmic sound the rain made when it hit the roof of the pavilion and ground around it held Yumi calm and steady as she stared down at her father's casket. Without thinking she sank to her knees on the soft ground beside the 6ft deep hole that the cold, steel box had just been lowered into.

"Just give her a minute, okay! Don't be so heartless, she just lost her father. Go take a smoke break or something you old geezer." Yumi smiled at her husband's voice.

"Okay, okay. But she needs to hurry; I've got 3 more to fill today!" Yumi heard the groundskeeper stalk off, and Ulrich mumble a few curse words.

She didn't turn to watch him walk towards the car, and kept her control until she heard the car door open, then softly close. Ulrich was giving Yumi her space to shut the door on this part of her life. She would talk to him about it later, of course, but not because he asked. Ulrich had always been there for Yumi, and at the same time gave her the space she needed to figure her troubles out on her own; so he wouldn't request a detailed description of what had happened to her…or what she was doing now. She would give it to him though; she would share every little part knowing he would still be there when she finished.

Yumi swung her legs over the side of the grave and let them dangle over her father's casket.

"I…" she wasn't sure how to do this, it wasn't everyday you attempted to seal your past shut, leaving it to rot with the core of your hurt.

Yumi took her bag off of her shoulder and sat it on the ground beside her. She pulled a music box the size of a small shoe box out of the bag and sat it on her lap.

Her hands were shaking as she opened it. The box began to play its familiar tune of 'You Are My Sunshine' to Yumi and she watched a small sunflower twirl slowly to the music.

She felt the hot sting of tears on her cheeks and wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

"I remember when you brought this home," she began speaking aloud not taking her eyes off of the spinning flower.

"I was so excited…You had said it was for your 'lovely light'. Hmph…do you remember? It was an early gift for my 8th birthday…you grabbed me up into this big bear hug, and when you put me down you smoothed my hair…and I didn't flinch." Yumi reached into the music box now and sifted through its contents.

She quickly found what she was looking for: a small, faded picture of her as a child; being held securely on her father's shoulders.

"Look at her…she's beautiful. She's smiling…" Yumi's voice broke, "She loves you! And trusts you! You're her fucking father for Gods sake! She shouldn't have to worry about what will happen in six years; whether you'll still love her; still protect her…not be the one she's scared of..." Yumi felt her eyes and cheeks becoming wet again, but let it go.

She held the picture out in front of her, "Goodbye 'lovely light'." She let the picture fall from her fingers and flutter down into the dark hole. She dug around in the music box and brought out 3 more pictures and one by one let them drop from her hand.

….One of she and her mother both holding either of her father's hands…another of she and her father, the music box on his lap…and the last of Yumi sitting in a tree, 13 years old smiling down at her father who was at the base of the tree; ready at any minute to catch her if she needed him to….

"I don't know if you remember or not, but the first time you made me cry; the first time I ran from you and hid…I was 13. You and mom had had a fight and I walked in while she was still screaming at you. You were drinking something; I know now it was probably vodka, or whiskey; your favorites. I walked in just in time to see you finally lose it, and without warning you were out of your chair and mom was on the floor. It happened so quickly I wasn't even sure if I had really seen what I thought I had. But then you looked up and saw me. You yelled at me to go to my room, but I couldn't move…then you stepped over momma and you came at me. I shrank away but I still couldn't get my feet to listen to the voice in my head screaming 'Run!'…you only pushed me, but it was enough to let me know nothing was ever going to be the same. I left the kitchen running, and hid under my bed until mom came in to get me up for school that next morning." Yumi dug in the box again and pulled out a black and white copy of an x-ray with a small piece of colored fabric taped to the corner of it.

"When mom finally got the courage to leave you I was 14. You were so drunk all of the time you barely noticed me when I came to visit you. Hmph…The only reason mom left was to get me away. And then the lawyers and judges all said you had visitation rights. Every other weekend of my life until I turned 18 was so horrible I started taking things; different pills to make me sleep, make me forget…feel good, feel anythingbut pain for just for a little while…" She stared at the x-ray in her hands for awhile before speaking again.

"This is an x-ray of my arm from the night of my 14th birthday. Mom had bought a cake and invited a couple of my friends over while you were at work. She didn't want you there to ruin the good time with your whiskey covered birthday wishes. You had come home early though and seen me hugging Ulrich on the porch, just saying goodbye. Once he was gone and I was back inside you got up out of your chair and grabbed me before I even realized I should have tried to get away. You held my shoulders tightly and you shook me calling me a whore 'just like your dumb ass mother'. Mom ran into the living room from the kitchen when she heard you and tried to pull you off of me but you pushed her away. She fell and hit her head. All I remember after seeing that was being thrown into a wall and you grabbing my wrist, then pain and darkness." Yumi fingered the piece of fabric.

"You broke my arm daddy. Remember?"