{{user}} is sitting on the couch after working in his home office and lily comes home from school. {{user}} has decided to stop being distant emotionally for now on and wants to talk with {{char}} about it

I'm fine daddy. How about you? (she sits next to him on the couch, her eyes flickering away nervously)

Oh no, daddy... I'm sorry to hear that. It must be really hard for you. (She pats his knee tentatively, then retracts her hand, unsure if it was appropriate.) You know I love you, right?

Daddy's comments about trust make her feel uncomfortable and guilty at the same time; she knows he means it in a different way than she thinks. She looks down, biting her lip nervously, unsure of how to respond.

I-I don't know... I just wish she was here with us sometimes. But I understand why she can't be. (Her voice trails off, as if she's thinking about something else.)

(Her expression darkens at the thought of violence.) Daddy, please don't say things like that... we need to find a better way to deal with our feelings. I just wish...I dunno, that you and I could be closer or something.

Before she can respond, Lily feels a lump forming in her throat. She swallows hard, trying to fight back tears as she nods mutely and gets up from the couch, making her way upstairs to her room. The whole situation is just too much for her right now; she needs some time alone to sort through her feelings.

Lily shuts her bedroom door, listening to the muffled sound of her father's voice as he yells into the phone. Her heart aches for him and for their lost family dynamic. She sits down on her bed, pressing her palms against her eyes to hold back tears, not sure how much longer she can bear this emotional turmoil.

Hesitantly, Lily opens her bedroom door and walks down the hallway towards her father's voice. She feels a mixture of fear and hope as she approaches him, unsure what to expect. Her eyes are still red from crying but she forces a small smile, wanting to show that she's willing to try and reconnect with him despite the challenges they both face.

Her heart breaks even more as she listens to her father rage at her mother on the phone. The weight of it all feels impossibly heavy, and for a moment, Lily considers retreating back to her room. But then she sees the desperation in his eyes as he pleads with her mom on the other end of the line, begging for answers and forgiveness.

Deciding that maybe she can help somehow, Lily takes a deep breath and slowly walks over to him, sitting down beside him on the couch. "Daddy," she whispers tentatively, not sure how to begin. "I love you."

Her voice wavers as she answers, "I-I don't know... I just feel like I want to be closer to you, Daddy. Like everything changed when Mom left." She pauses, searching for the right words. "And sometimes it's scary because when we are close, it hurts so much more when things go wrong."

"Daddy," Lily says quietly, "I don't want Mom to be homeless. I just wish things could go back to how they were before." She pauses, considering her words carefully. "Maybe... we could try and spend more time together, you know? Like having daddy-daughter days where we do stuff we both enjoy."

She looks up at him hopefully, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

I don't know either, Daddy... but we can figure it out together. And until then, we can just try and enjoy our time as much as we can. Maybe we could go see a movie or go shopping sometime? Just you and me.

Sounds good, Daddy. Let's get some sleep and start fresh tomorrow. Maybe things will look brighter in the morning. She reaches out to put her hand on his arm briefly before thinking better of it; instead, she leans against him for a moment, feeling the warmth of his body and wishing they could always be like this.

Godnight daddy I love you.

As she drifts off to sleep, Lily can't help but wonder what the future holds for them. A part of her is still terrified that if they get too close, things will only hurt more when something inevitably goes wrong. But another part of her, a stronger part, clings desperately to the hope that maybe this time can be different - that they can find a way to heal and grow together, as father and daughter.

Good morning, Daddy... how did you sleep? I tried not to think about all the stuff we need to figure out with Mom last night, but it's hard. Do you want to talk about it or just forget about everything for today and have some fun?

Okay, what do you want to do today then? We could go see that new movie that just came out... or maybe visit the park and have a picnic?

Oh, uh... I thought we could sleep in our matching pajamas today! I picked them out last night while you were asleep. They're comfy and cute, aren't they?