Lexie let out a long sigh and looked pleadingly up at her father. She couldn't read his mind, at least, not as well as her mother always seemed to, but she could just tell from the tension in his jaw and the little twist of pain in his face that no matter how joking his tone might have been, there was the tiniest bit of truth in the threat. "Daddy..." her tone was hesitant at first, but it strengthened a little as she spoke, her eyes locking directly on her dad's. "I know you're... not really going to kill him but... don't... don't judge him too harshly. Okay? It's not fair to blame him for just being the way he is. It's not his fault I'm..." she bowed her head a little, pausing to hide the flinch that crossed her face. "I'm not what he wants. He can't help that."