i Two weeks after Penelope was shot /i
"Baby girl, you need to keep your arms down. You did enough at work today, you need to relax now."
"But my hair is crazy. I just want to braid it in pigtails and then I won't move again. I'll lay right back and go to sleep," she said, as she sat on her extremely comfortable bed.
He sighed for a moment, but took the brush from her and sitting behind her on the bed said, "So, you wanted two braids?"
She stole the brush back, "Babycakes, I love you madly, but there is no way you can do this."
"Oh you wound me beautiful. I'm surprised you doubt me since you know I have two sisters. I can do hair, especially hair as gorgeous as yours."
She shrugged, "Well, do your worst then gorgeous." She handed him the brush and turned her body, half resting on his chest as he brushed her hair.
"Your hair smells good too. Is that vanilla? I expected something crazier from you."
She shrugged, "I change every few days, try something new. If you looked under my sink, you'd seen no less than twelve different scented shampoos. See, I'm not normal."
"Perfectly normal," he said, kissing her neck softly as he parted her hair.
She shivered, "Well I wouldn't say…"
"I would, you're normal, if there is any such thing as normal, you're also interesting. Not a boring bone in your body."
She smiled, holding her head still as he began twisting half of her hair into a braid.
She reached up as he finished one and let out a surprised laugh, "You really can do it."
"Told you. It's not really all that hard with gorgeous hair like yours."
She leaned back, pressing against him as he did the other side of her hair, "I don't think anyone's ever done this for me before, except maybe my mom. I think you'd make a good boyfriend, gorgeous. Too bad I can't keep you around."
She gasped as his lips kissed her neck as his fingers put the finishing touches on her braid, "What makes you think I'm going anywhere, baby girl."
She said nothing, trying to remember how to breathe as Derek stood, smiling at her once before heading to the couch for the night.
She pulled on a braid and smiled to herself as she laid back. She just might have to keep him around.