Firstly, I'd like to say that this is the longest story I've ever written without completely giving up :D.

auggy1984-- Thanks as usual :)

Moonlight Sonata k29-- Ah...hope you're reading this then.

beama-- This chapter is gonna be my fan service to you :D.

colorado-- Update!

The week flew by like it never happened. Friday came and went, and before everyone knew it, it was the day of the Prom.

Hana, helter-skelter, had managed to find a dress just in time. Her father had helped her find it. In fact, he was more involved in her Prom than she could ever have expected. The dress was an old cocktail dress of her mother's, and Hana had been simply amazed by how beautiful it was. The most formal clothing she had ever seen her mother in had been knee-length dresses; and that was only for special family occasions.

"Your mother wore this only once years ago for a very formal dinner-and-dance that was held by the company I work for, before any of you were ever born," Hana's father had explained with a nostalgic smile. "She was the most beautiful woman there that night, and I was so proud to be by her side".

Hana had simply studied her father as he had muttered this, holding the dress in his hands as if he could see a tapestry of long-gone memories playing on the silky dark blue fabric. For a moment then, she could imagine her parents as a young couple; the pair of them dancing carefree and lost in their own world on the dancefloor, their happiness making heads turn to look at them.

And now, now her mother's dress was hers, looking like it hadn't aged a year. Hana studied her reflection in the mirror and was taken away by how different she looked simply by having put it on. The dress accentuated curves on her that she'd never really been aware of before, and its hem swept in fine layers around her ankles like a dark blue waterfall.

"Wow," she whispered softly, amazed.

But she was still far from ready.

"Dad?" she called out and stepped out of her bedroom. He appeared from the living room and froze for a moment when he saw her, stunned.

"Squirt, you grew up on me," he joked a little sadly. Hana smiled sheepishly.

"Dad, I don't know what to do with my hair," she helplessly admitted. At this, her father simply smiled and walked over, a secret gleam in his eye.

"Luckily I have a few tricks up my sleeve from helping your Mom".

By seven that evening, Hana was all made-up and ready to go. Her father was waiting with her by the stairs for her date to arrive. He stood apart from her and looked at her proudly, seeing her in a new light. His daughter was all grown up now. He must have missed it because he couldn't remember when it had begun to happen.

Hana smiled at her father, feeling slightly embarrassed by the look he was giving her. It almost looked like her grandmother's every time she greeted her with a crushing hug.

"Thanks Dad," she finally said with a smile that said more than her words ever could. He had done a wonderful job with her hair; pinning it up in a twist so that a few curled strands dangled on either side of her face. She felt magically transformed, and the most unbelievable and astounding thing was that her father was her Fairy Godmother.

Just then, the sound of a car hummed up their driveway outside.

"Your coach is here," her father said with a wry smile. Without waiting for the doorbell to be rung, he opened the door to greet whoever it was. Hana rushed after him slightly bewilderedly. She stepped out to the cool evening air, and saw Ephram and a man walking up the driveway to their house. She smiled excitedly at Ephram who looked rather embarrassed.

"Hello, sorry if I'm barging in a little here, but I couldn't trust Ephram with the car. See...he's a lousy driver," Dr Brown explained with a laugh, his brown eyes twinkling even in the dim light. Hana didn't miss the mortified look that appeared on Ephram's face at his words. She bit back a laugh.

"It's alright Dr Brown," Hana replied rather amusedly. At this, Hana's father's ears perked up.

"So you're the famous Dr Brown," he said, pleasantly surprised, and extended his hand in greeting. "Hana forgot to mention that," he continued, and turned around to give her a look. Hana innocently raised her eyebrows and shrugged. Dr Brown laughed pleasantly.

"Nice to meet you Mr..."

"Parker," Hana's father offered. Dr Brown acknowledged this with a nod and smile and they shook hands. "I've been meaning to introduce myself," Hana's father said honestly, "but I haven't found the time. I've heard alot about what you've been doing for this town, and it's a great thing".

"Thank you," Dr Brown replied with a humble smile.

"Ahem," Ephram cleared his throat behind his father and gave him a meaningful, impatient look.

"Well...guess I better send the kids off before they decide to murder their chauffeur," Dr Brown laughed. "It was nice meeting you".

"It was nice meeting you too," Hana's father smiled sincerely. Dr Brown and Ephram made their way to the car as Hana's father hugged her and gave her a brief lecture about taking care of herself and not coming home too late.

"Bye," she called out to her father when he had finally let her go and she walked towards the car where Ephram was waiting anxiously. He wore a dark suit with a maroon shirt inside it together with a green tie.

"You look nice," she complimented with a teasing smile.

"You don't look so bad yourself," Ephram teased back. In actuality, he was completely taken away by how amazing she looked right then. That couldn't be the same Hana he knew, could it? Her eyes sparkled with a happy, confident glow- something that didn't happen quite as often as it should.

"Oh," Ephram suddenly remembered. "I didn't know what colour your dress was going to be but luckily I got you the right corsage," he said, turning around and fishing through the car's back seat. He turned back around to face her with a corsage of dark blue flowers in his hand, its petals dotted with tiny dew-like crystals. "Blue's your favourite colour right?" he asked hopefully.

Hana was surprised that he knew and even more overwhelmed that he remembered. She nodded mutedly. "It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Here, I'll help you put it on," he offered and before Hana knew it, he was busy pinning it onto her dress by her left shoulder-blade. Ephram was wearing cologne, and the smell entered her nostrils headily. She was so close to him, and it only agonized her, knowing that he didn't feel the same way as she did about him. She prayed that he wouldn't be able to feel her heart slamming like a jack-hammer against her chest. She willed her breathing to remain calm.

Finally, he was done. He pulled away and smiled at her, a smidgen of something indiscernible (was it uncertainty?) burning in his eyes. What was he thinking?

"Let's get in the car," he cleared his throat, breaking their gaze. Hana snapped out of the thoughts that threatened to suffocate her and nodded unneccessarily as he stepped aside for her to enter first.

Soon, they were off to the Prom.