Aelita stepped through the degraded building she had called home most of her life, the wooden boards creaking lightly as her weight fell upon them. She entered the living room, a large piano covered in dust, not having been used in many years.

She vaguely remembered the songs her father used to play for her when she was younger, her mind mesmerized at the time by the magical sound of the vibrating strings.

Aelita approached the piano, remembering the first time her father thought her to play.

—

"Aelita, you need to make sure your back is straight, but don't raise your shoulders too much."

"Okay daddy!" The young Aelita replied. She sat next to him on the long wooden seat, adjusting her spine to straighten her position. At first, Aelita's shoulders were higher than usual due to her focus on her back, but then she remembered her fathers words and quickly lowered them.

"Good, now, let's learn some of the keys. Place your thumb here." Franz said, gently moving her right hand to have her thumb over middle C.

"Now, push down with your thumb."

Aelita pressed down lightly on the key, but the noise was still audible.

"Good, maybe press a bit harder next time. What you just played was middle C, it's very important to beginner level songs." He explained, trying to keep things simple for his young daughter while also understanding she could handle much more than most children of the same age.

"Can you teach me some songs, daddy?" Aelita asked, looking towards her father with her right hand still hovering in the position he had earlier placed it.

Franz laughed at his daughter's eagerness.

"It's good that you're so excited about learning, but before we can play any songs you must learn some more basic skills. Now, bring your left hand up here..."

—

Aelita remembered that day well, much more clearly than most. It was on that day her love for music began, and from there it had only flourished.

She placed her hand exactly where her father had shown her many years ago, the entire length of her arm shaking noticeably. She pressed down with her thumb with the same force as before, the sound echoing in the room, but more so in her thoughts. She couldn't hold back anymore, her pain and fear had built up to their capacity, the dam had burst, metaphorically and physically. Tears welled up in her eyes, eventually streaming uncontrollably down her face.

The others had entered the room moments ago, watching from a distance, their hearts broken by their friends tragedy. Jeremy stepped forward, coming closer to Aelita as she fell to the ground. He sat next to her, placing a hand on her back to comfort her, if someone in her state could be comforted.

"Aelita... It's okay... let it out..."

Jeremy wasn't too good with words, at least not in these emotional situations. He did his best to think of something to say, but he didn't think anything would really help. All he could do was be there, and let her know he would always he there for her.

"We're here for you... We'll always be here for you..." Jeremy placed his head next to hers, wrapping an arm around her. "I'm always here for you..."

Aelita had been in an unbreakable trance. All she could see were images of her father, sifting through broken memories, vague recollections. She was in a state of total vegetation, her body practically shutting down to the point where she felt as though she couldn't feel anything around her, that nothing existed, that she wasn't there.

Then, out of nowhere, she could feel a warm presence on her back. It distracted her from the thoughts she couldn't break from, but it shatter her trance. It was when she heard the words the presence said to her that she realized who it was, and how much her friends, her family, mattered.

"...always...?" Aelita asked, her words barely escaping through tears and gasps.

The rest of the gang was now in tears if they weren't already. They gathered around their pink haired friend, each placing a hand on her.

"Always." Jeremy confirmed, smiles appearing on everyone's faces, even Aelita's.

She wasn't sure of the future, or what could happen, but as long as she had friends like these, she could face anything head on.

—

They had been there for hours, all just huddled together, comforting their friend for her loss. It was now late, even later than it had been earlier, so any rest tonight was out of the question. Then again, with what had just happened, that fact was already apparent to the gang.

"Let's get back to school." Jeremy said, his arm around Aelita as they stood outside the Hermitage. The rest of the warriors were standing with them, and with the geniuses words, they proceeded walking back through the woods.

In the intensity of what had happened, Yumi had completely forgotten about talking to Ulrich until now.

"Hey, Ulrich, hold on for a sec." She said, watching the boy stop in his tracks and turn to face her.

"What is it?"

"I need to tell you something." Yumi said, watching as the rest of the gang walked ahead, leaving them alone. She noticed Odd looking back before they disappeared from sight, and it appeared he understood they wanted some alone time.

"Won't your parents be worried if you don't get home soon?" Ulrich asked.

Yumi sighed and answered him. "They're probably too busy arguing to notice... But that's not what I'm here to talk to you about. Ever since the whole picture incident, I've been such a jerk to you." She said, looking him in the eyes.

"No, I was the jerk, I'm the one..." He was cut short by her next words.

"Let me finish." She said, continuing from where she had left off. "Ever since then, I haven't even given you as much as a chance to apologize, much less fix the problem. I gave you the cold shoulder because I thought it would be a way of getting back at you for not trusting me, but then I realized just how much it hurt me not to talk to you, and how hard it was to shut out your voice."

Tears were forming in Yumi's already raw eyes. She grabbed Ulrich's hands, meshing their fingers between each other.

"I realized just how much I need you, and how much it hurts to be away from you."

Yumi moved in to hug Ulrich, a gesture he quickly returned, locking the two in a strong embrace.

"...I realized how much I loved you..." Yumi said, her voice shaking. She normally was stronger than this, could hold on better than this, but when she was around Ulrich, she was a completely different person. He completed her, and she completed him.

"I'm so sorry for not trusting you..." Ulrich said, tears accumulating in his eyes now as well.

"I'm sorry for not giving you a chance to apologize." She replied, the tears continuing to roll down her face.

They stood there, fitting together like matched puzzle pieces. Even when rough times may break them apart, they will always be a perfect fit for each other and no one else. A perfect fit indeed.

—

Well, this chapter was kind sad to write. It took me a while thanks to a trip to Memphis (btw, great BBQ there). There is only one more chapter before season 1 is finished, and I can't thank you guys enough for sticking with me this whole time!