A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for all the positive feedback so far. I appreciate it! Here's the update.
He rubbed his stinging cheek, staring at Penelope in dumbstruck shock. "You slapped me," he stated simply.
"You wouldn't stop," she replied harshly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to finish the laundry and help Sebastian with his homework."
"Wait," Derek said, clinging to her arm. "I'm sorry. I just...I don't want to lose her. She's my firstborn. Our little girl."
Penelope only stood looking at him while he spoke. She had no words. "Do you remember when she was born?" he asked. "She was so little. Avery barely weighed six pounds."
"Of course I do," Penelope whispered. "You cried more than I did."
"That's what I'm thinking about right now," he said. "She's still so little, Penelope. Avery might turn eighteen in a couple of months, but she's still that baby to me."
Softening a little, Penelope led him over to the bed and they sat down. She took his hands into hers. "Look," she said. "I'm not the biggest fan of her having sex either. I'd rather her wait. I just want her to be honest with me and take precautions. I'm not giving her the go-ahead to do anything."
"I shouldn't have said that," Derek said. "I'm sorry. I was just really angry and freaked out by the whole thing."
They sat in silence for a moment and looked around the teen's bedroom. The walls were still painted a light pink from her nursery days. Avery's volleyball awards and certificates covered the entirety of one wall. Her poster of the Beatles hung on her closet door.
"When is she coming back from volleyball practice?" Derek asked. "We need to talk to her."
Penelope glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. "It should be any minute now," she said. "Avery is usually home before four."
Right on cue, Avery's red jetta pulled into the drive. They listened to the car door slamming, her footsteps on the porch, and the opening of the front door. They heard her talking to Sebastian downstairs. Chloe and Kylie were both at friend's houses.
"What are we going to say?" Penelope whispered. "We don't want her pulling away from us. If we make her angry enough, she won't confide in me anymore."
Avery was coming up the staircase now.
"I'm going to tell her like it is," Derek said. "I'm disappointed in her for doing this."
"Derek," she hissed, but Avery was at the door already.
"What are you guys doing in here?" Avery cried, tossing her volleyball bag on the floor. "Somebody better have died."
"Avery," Derek said simply. "Sit down. We need to talk."
The teenager looked at her parents defiantly. "I'd prefer to stand," she said, tossing her curly hair behind her shoulder like Penelope did when she was mad. "I only have a minute or two to talk. I'm babysitting for the O'Briens later and need to study for a test."
"Is that really what you're doing?" Derek said, anger radiating off him like heat. "Or are you hanging out with Alex?"
"Alex?" Avery asked confused. "He's not even in town. He's visiting his grandparents in Philadelphia for the weekend."
"Sure he is," Derek said and swore. Then: "Is he waiting at a hotel room for you? Or do you have the house to yourselves?"
"Derek," Penelope yelled. "Stop it."
"Let me guess," he continued to snarl. Derek was pacing now. "He's a complete bastard when it comes to sex. He makes you buy the condoms and everything, doesn't he?"
Avery looked at him for barely a second before bursting into tears. "What are you talking about, Dad?" she sobbed. "Alex and his parents really are in Pennsylvania for the weekend. He posted pictures on Facebook yesterday."
"Are you sexting him? Have you sent him pictures?" he continued to yell. "Because, Avery, I swear..."
Penelope jumped to her feet. "That's it!" she yelled. "You are not talking to our daughter this way. She's practically an adult, Derek!"
"She's still seventeen," he said. "You're going to talk to us, Avery. Start from the beginning."
She only looked at him with a fire blazing in her eyes. She definitely had her father's temper. "Why should I?" Avery countered. "You were never concerned before you thought we were having sex. You didn't even really like Alex all that much."
"I never…"
"You didn't like him!" Avery insisted. "You never let us be alone in the house. You read all the text messages I sent him. You wouldn't let him take me out after dark for months!"
"Avery," Derek said. "Let me get a word in, please."
"No!" she roared. "You never asked me about Alex. Not once in the last two years. When I brought him up, you changed the subject. You never listened to anything I had to say regarding him."
"I'll listen now," he pleaded. "Please. Just talk to me. I just want to know that you're alright and being safe. What more could do a father want?"
"Maybe if you listened more you'd know that Alex and I broke up last week," Avery said. Then, looking at Penelope: "I didn't tell you because I didn't want Dad throwing a party to celebrate. You know he would."
Then she turned and ran out of the house. She didn't stop, even when Derek and Penelope yelled for her to come back.
"You," Penelope started. "were the biggest asshole ever. What gives you the right to talk to her like that?"
They were still in Avery's bedroom, but Derek's eyes were glued to the car in the driveway. Avery was sitting inside, but she hadn't left. At least not yet.
"I lost my cool," he said. "I'm human."
Penelope shook her head at him. "Lost your cool? More like going complete apeshit." Then:"I'll be with Sebastian. You need to make things right with Avery. She's furious."
"Penelope," Derek started, but she turned on her heel and left him in the bedroom, staring after her in bewilderment. It seemed he couldn't do anything right by his wife or daughter today.
How was he supposed to reason with a 17-year-old who was rebellious as anything? He certainly didn't want Avery to run off with Alex or another strange guy. Derek just wanted her to be responsible. Especially when it came to serious things like sex. Why couldn't he get through to his teenager?
He headed down the stairs, nearly colliding with his second daughter Kylie. Apparently she had came back early from the neighbor's house she had been studying at. The fourteen year old grinned at him.
"Hey Dad," she said. "Wanna play flag football?"
"Later," he replied. "I promise Ky. I just need to fix things with your sister first."
With that said, Derek practically ran outside. Avery was still in her Jetta, the engine running, and one of CDs playing through the speakers. It sounded dark and depressing.
He knocked on the passenger side window. Avery barely looked at him. Wordlessly she unlocked the door, and he slid into the seat.
"Avery," Derek said. "I'm sorry, but we need to talk about what I found."
A/N: Don't forget to review! New update will be soon.