AN: Thanks for the reviews! It was fun to put some of the team in there a bit. Posting now before CM tonight...looks so good!....

Chapter 4

It was four weeks and twenty-three disastrous dates later. Derek knew he was toeing the line very closely to the due date, and there was no one, abso-fucking-lutely no one who even came close to being a serious girlfriend, much less a candidate for Mrs. Derek Morgan.

Not unless he wanted to pay for her.

Unfortunately, that was a thought. He could hire someone to do it, an escort or an actress. However, Derek had never had to pay for a date, or sex, in his life. He sure as hell didn't want to start now.

Deep down, he knew he wasn't trying very hard, either. If he listened earnestly to his heart, he'd know he really didn't feel comfortable going with just any girl. He'd told Penelope he didn't care about romance, but he wasn't really telling the truth.

He wasn't a born romantic, but Derek was raised seeing the love affair his parents had. It was a true, passionate love they had shared. His mom had been single for almost thirty years now, because no one could take the place of his dad. Deep down, he wanted some woman to love him like that, and he wanted to love her in exactly the same way.

He started thinking what Penelope said was right. Just tell the truth and be done with it. He was all set to do that, until his mother called, all thrilled she was finally meeting his Baby Girl. She'd told her sisters, Derek's Aunt Pat and Aunt Janet, and they couldn't wait to meet her, too. He froze. The excitement, the joy in her voice, was irrevocable. He couldn't burst her bubble. He just couldn't do it.

In all honesty, he knew all along he was going to bring Penelope. The dates didn't work because he wanted P. there, but he also felt awful about making Penelope lie. He wasn't proud of it, however, he also knew she could pull it off. There was so much... something when he was with her. Penelope loved him, he loved her. There was a lot of chemistry and attraction and friendship there. It was magic, in a lot of ways, when they were together.

His mother would know Penelope was exactly what he wanted in a woman. Laughter without flightiness, love and compassion, confidence without arrogance, beauty with sex appeal, passion with caring. Most of the time, those words exemplified his Baby Girl.

Nonetheless, she had someone; he knew it, and he'd given up a long, long time ago about getting in the way of it.

However, he knew it would be damn convincing once they started acting the part. She knew a whole lot about him, and he knew a lot about her. There wouldn't be a lot of awkwardness; they didn't need to kiss a lot or anything. They could be one of those couples that didn't like too much PDA.

He laughed. The rest of the team teased them already about their public displays of affection. They were infamous for it. They liked to touch and hug. They didn't kiss, not on the lips at least, but they did just about everything else. They were constantly touching; this would be no different.

No, it shouldn't be a problem or be too awkward.

It hit him then, exactly how he could proceed with a clear consciencious. He smiled to himself. He knew exactly how to solve the problem of having Penelope lie. He put his hands in his pockets and whistled as he walked down the hallway.

"Excuse me?" she asked, complete confusion on her face. "What did you say, Hot Stuff?"

"I said, 'Will you marry me?'"

She laughed and stood up, getting ready to leave the restaurant table. "Derek, you're as nuts as a ten pound Christmas fruitcake."

"No, hear me out," he said, smiling. He held her hand and made her sit. "I know you don't like lying. To be honest, I don't like asking you to lie for me. I am doing this, so when anyone asks you in Chicago if you are engaged, you can say it with a clear conscience."

She looked at him as he took a ring out of his pocket and slipped it on her finger. It was a perfect fit, and it didn't look cheap. "Where did you get that?"

"A friend of mine is a jeweler."

Her heart pounded. It was the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen. Marquis cut, probably about a karat, and glinting like a chunk of ice in a highball, it was breathtaking.

"It's stunning, Derek," she breathed. "How did you-"

"It's a loaner, so don't worry." He was grinning at her, obviously proud to have been so clever.

For some reason, that took some of the wind out of her sails. She didn't know why; it wasn't like she wanted Derek to really marry her. Seriously, a borrowed ring shouldn't matter to her. However, as much as she didn't want to admit it, it did matter. And even more ridiculous to her, it hurt.

She smiled stiffly. "That's nice." She was quiet for a moment, staring at the gorgeous but cold stone, and then she laughed a little.

"What?"

"First time I get engaged, it's fake and it's a borrowed ring." She smiled at him, her sense of humor returning. "Kinda funny, huh?"

Derek didn't feel like that was very funny. His Baby Girl deserved a lot better than that. He felt like an ass and a heel. He may not be the romantic sort, but he knew Penelope was.

He didn't want to take that away from her. "Look, honey, I'm sorry. You deserve better than this, I know it."

"No, Hot Stuff, seriously," she said, smiling. "It's all right."

"So you'll do it?" he asked, smiling back and squeezing her hand. "You'll be my fiancee and come home with me?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Perfect," he said, kissing the back of her hand. "Now, you get to pick anything you want. What would that be?"

She smiled off kilter. "I haven't really thought about it. Can I get back to you on that?"

"Sure, princess," he agreed. "Whatever you want."

She slid the ring off and handed it back to him.

He scowled. "What's wrong?"

"Kevin wouldn't like me wearing another man's ring in town here. That would be kind of awkward."

Derek felt like someone had punched him. He didn't know why that bugged him so much. He was used to his Baby Girl being with ol' Lynch. For some reason, her having his ring must've been clouding his mind. He shook off the fog and shrugged. "Oh. Okay."

She sighed, then raised her shoulders with an excited grin and a crinkle of her cute little nose. "When do we leave?"

"Three weeks from today."