(For you Andrea! :) )

"I'm so touched that you're spending more time with me, Giana-lilly," Grell gushed as he shared the bathroom mirror with his daughter. He attempted to knot his bow-tie to perfection. "Ah! It really warms my heart! I forgive you, by the way, for how rude you were the other day to me in Will's office."

"Thanks, dad," the daughter responded lifelessly. "I'm glad I didn't hurt your feelings too much."

With a shifty glance over at his little girl, he noticed something very suspicious.

"Hmm..." He hummed, redoing his crooked tie. "You didn't straighten your hair today. Is something wrong, precious?"

"No, dad. I just didn't feel like going to the trouble," she stated, focusing on the mascara she was applying to her eyelashes.

"Well, that doesn't sound like you! Are you sure? You know you can confide in dear old daddy!"

She gave a small huff of frustration before marching out of the bathroom.

"I said I'm fine, dad! Now please, leave me be," she begged.

The father poked his head out after her, before shrugging and going back to his tie in the mirror.

"Whatever you say, sweetie!" He sang. "Oh, by the way, I laid out a dress for you on your bed. I bought it for you today! I saw it and immediately thought of you! Maybe you could wear it tonight?"

There was a brief pause as Giana went into her bedroom.

"Dad!"

"Yes, dear?"

"It's red!"

"I know, dear."

Her head reappeared in the bathroom doorway.

"You know red isn't my color!"

"Well, that's problematic, my flower," Grell giggled slyly. "Because you seem to be stuck with it for life!" He winked.

She scowled down at her traitorous scarlet locks.

"I prefer blue," she grumbled.

"Eh?!" He exclaimed as she walked away again. "You want blue hair?!"

"What? No! No, I like to wear blue."

Lifting the red dress and holding it to her, she had to admit it was an attractive style, but everything her father ever got for her was-predictably-red. Plus, she was uncomfortable with looking exactly like her father when they both went out together. She was often mistaken for him as a result.

With a sigh, she put the dress back in her room, then went to mope in the living-room. It had been two days since her discussion with William and she was yet to exchange more than simple pleasantries with him. It was troubling. What was more troubling was that her father had noticed, which meant it must've been fairly obvious just by looking at her.

"Giana? Are you ready?" The man entered the living-room and saw the state she was in. "Why, you haven't even put on your dress yet!" There was silence for a moment, then he came and sat beside her, studying her expression closely. "There's definitely something troubling you. You look quite forlorn!"

Giana said nothing. There was no point in opposing the truth now. Things would merely get ugly.

"Let me fix your hair while we talk about it, hmm?"

Silently, she turned her back to him obediently and rested her chin on her knees.

"So, what is going on between you and Will?" He inquired, running his fingers through her fine locks to separate them. "Maybe a french braid? No, no. Heavens, that won't do. Perhaps a waterfall braid will do the trick. Yes, I think so," he murmured as he began weave a loose plait with her thick hair.

Her tongue wouldn't move. She'd never entrusted such sensitive information to her father before and she didn't even know exactly how to begin.

"Now, now, I know you may not want to talk about it, but keeping it bottled up hasn't helped you so far, now has it?" He stated pointedly. "What's going on between you and Will?"

"There's..." She spoke, off to a rocky start. "There's... Nothing between the two of us. Nothing. Nothing at all."

Her words were true enough, but the sound of lamentation saturated her words so heavily that even Grell couldn't have missed it. After finishing with her locks, he took her chin in his fingers and turned her face to him. Tutting at her expression, he gave a pitiful sigh.

"Oh my, I know what that look means. You've fallen in love. Hmm. And with Will of all people," he seemed to be a bit put out. "IF I DIDN'T APPROVE OF YOUR TASTE SO MUCH, I'D BE VERY, VERY CROSS!" Collecting himself, he cleared his throat. "But, 'tis true, all's fair in love and war. So, there's nothing between the two of you, eh? I'll bet you wish there was!"

Giana hung her head as her eyes began to mist. Giving a small, sad nod, she held her tongue.

"Oh~!" He exclaimed ecstatically. "My baby girl! In love!"

"I-It doesn't matter, dad!" She silenced him. "What I said is true, there's nothing between us."

He froze upon seeing the tears in her eyes and fell silent for once.

"I've ensured that," she groaned bitterly, the tears falling now. "I've been such an idiot. You know! You know how work-driven William is! I don't know why I thought I could compete with that."

"Oh, sweet-pea! Please! Please don't cry!" Grell begged, weeping suddenly.

"Maybe I was wrong about thinking that he cared for me..." The image of William carrying her sleeping form into his office then covering her with his coat haunted her. "But I don't think so..." She suddenly felt nauseous at the thought of being responsible for losing access to that tender side of him. "Bloody death, what've I done?"

Burying her face in her hands, she cried silently.

Then she was gathered in the arms of the last person she thought she would be comforted by. Her father held on to her silently and rocked her a bit. Surprised but willing, she let him and cried into his waistcoat.

The mood might've been ruined had she known that Grell had snot running down his face.

"I've ruined it, daddy," she lamented. "I've spoiled it all! I was too quick to approach him about it and now it's over! And it's not fair to William! He needs someone!"

The two of them sat in silence for a while more until Giana had been properly comforted, much to her surprise. As she pulled away from him and viewed his mess of a face, she knew that she would receive no advice, no words of wisdom from him. But he had been there for her in a surprisingly normal way and she was grateful.

"Thank you, daddy," she said softly, drying her eyes. "I think I needed to let that out."

"Oh, anything for you, my baby girl!" He assured ardently, grasping one of her hands tightly. "And please, don't cry anymore! Why don't you finish getting ready and we'll go out, hmm? Won't that cheer you up?"

She smiled and rose from her seat.

For all her father's obliviousness and idiocy, he had a genuine heart underneath. If nothing else came of this whole ordeal with William and it was truly over, she was glad, at least, that she had seen this side of her father.

"Thank you, daddy. Yes, I'll go get ready now." She turned away, but then stopped. "Ah, you won't tell anyone about this, right dad? It'll be our secret?"

He nodded.

"It'll be a secret between daddy and daughter!"

"Good." She noticed the bow at his throat. "Your tie is still crooked."

"I can't help it! The stupid thing won't tie right!" He yapped angrily. Then his voice shrunk to a humble petition. "Will you try to fix it for me?"

Again, she smiled.

"Come here," she caved and redid it perfectly in the first try. "Anything for you, daddy," she said walking away.

"You'll even wear the dress I got you?"

"Anything but that."