Short and sweet. I wasn't really in my zone today and was super tired, but I hope you guys still like this chapter.

Also, almost seventy reviews, wow. You guys make me happy. You really do.

I'm gonna take a nap now. Enjoy.

Chapter Nine: Fruit Loops & Nap Time

Isaac woke up and yawned, looking around the room. The sunlight shone in through the broken glass and he shoved the heavy blankets off of him, wincing at the cold. He remembered he was only in boxers, so he threw on some jeans and a T-shirt and headed downstairs. He saw Derek sleeping in a chair with Ruby tucked into his side. Derek's head was leaned on top of hers and he was snoring rather loudly.

Isaac smiled to himself and went to get another granola bar. He decided on strawberry and leaned against the doorway, laughing as Derek's snoring hitched.

Derek woke himself with his own snores and looked over at Isaac in a daze of sleepiness. "What time is it?"

Isaac looked at the old watch on the table. "About ten."

"It's Sunday?" He asked, looking down at Ruby for a quick moment. She fussed, pulling the blanket over her head. She groaned and hit Derek lightly in the chest. He slipped out from under her and she curled into a little ball again.

Isaac nodded, "Yeah, Sunday."

Derek nodded and dragged his hand down his face, try to swipe the sleepiness away.

Ruby sat up with a rat's nest of tangled hair and rubbed her eyes. "I'm hungry."

Derek sighed, "I'll get you something."

"I want Fruit Loops!"

"We don't have Fruit Loops." Derek replied, digging through the cupboards.

"Can we buy some?" Ruby asked, sitting up in her chair. Derek looked over to her and saw she was giving him the puppy dog look.

"No," Derek said, "That's not working this time."

Ruby jumped out of the chair and ran up to Derek, clasping her hands together and looking up at him with a pout. Derek looked over at Isaac, who was struggling not to laugh at the two.

"No. Fruit. Loops." Derek said.

"Please!" Ruby whined, tugging at his shirt.

"No," Derek said, looking down at her.

It was what had made him crack. The spoiled girl making her eyes as wide as could be, tearing up just a bit with her lips jutting out again. She had her hands stuck together like a Hallmark card.

"Isaac," Derek said, hating himself for it. "Go buy her some cereal."

Isaac was hunched over in hysterics by now and looked up, his eyes tearing up. "Oh-okay." He managed to hold himself together and reply, "Yeah, I can go with her."

Derek shook his head and looked down at Ruby, who was smiling up at him. She hugged his legs.

"Thank you!" She said.

"Yeah," Derek replied, "Go change."

Ruby skipped over to the The Gap bag and pulled out a pink dress today, shrugging off her nightgown and tossing the dress over her head.

Isaac's face was returning from its red state and he smirked at Derek. "Growing on you?"

Derek scoffed and turned away, chewing on a granola bar.

.

Ruby held up the box of cereal.

"Found it!" She cheered, hopping over to Isaac. "We need milk!"

"Milk, eh?" Isaac asked, steering the cart over.

"Can I sit in the seat again?" She asked.

Isaac shook his head, sighing, "I guess."

"Yay!"

Isaac set her in the seat and she looked up at him.

"You're just lazy." Isaac commented. Ruby crossed her arms.

"I'm just tired." She pouted.

Isaac chuckled and grabbed some milk. "Want anything else?"

Ruby thought for a moment and shouted, "Hula hoops!"

Isaac shrugged, "Derek's money."

When they got to the toys, Isaac began to see just what Derek had succumbed to. All the adorable pouts, some of the ugly tantrums and mostly just trying out the toys.

"We have to try to hula hoops," Ruby said.

"We have to?" Isaac asked. "Why do have to?"

"Because they might be broken," she pointed out. Isaac had to laugh.

"Alright, then," Isaac said, pulling a couple hula hoops off the rack. Ruby spun it around her hips and it clattered to the floor. She huffed and tried again...and again...and again.

"You try!" She told him.

Isaac smiled and spun the hula hoop around his hips for about another three minutes before Ruby crossed her arms and mumbled, "You're a show off-er."

"A show off-er?" He asked, tossing the hoops into the cart. She nodded and stepped onto the bar, holding onto the cart.

"Uh-huh."

They looked at the toys again until Ruby tugged at Isaac's shirt.

"What?"

"Someone's watching us," she whispered into his ear when he leaned down.

Isaac stood up quickly and looked around.

"Who?"

"They left." Ruby said. "Can we go home?"

Isaac nodded, "Yeah, let's get out of here."

.

Derek was looking through the books again when Isaac and Ruby came in with at least six bags of food.

Like he said. Broke.

"What's all this?" He asked, throwing his arms up in an agitated way.

"We needed spoons to eat with!" Ruby said, "And hula hoops and Fruit Loops and bowls and milk!"

"And Cheetos?" Derek asked, pulling a bag of Cheetos out.

Ruby nodded, "Isaac said I could get them!"

Isaac scratched his head and looked down when Derek glared at him.

He sighed, "Yeah, just go eat."

Ruby jumped up and grabbed one of the bags, running into the kitchen.

Isaac waited until she was out of hearing distance. "There was someone watching us."

Derek looked at him, "What?"

"Ruby said she saw someone watching us." Isaac said.

Derek nodded, "Anything else?"

Isaac shook his head, "No, nothing else."

"Be on guard," Derek said. Isaac nodded just as Ruby came back in.

"I need milk!"

Isaac pulled the milk out and followed her into the kitchen.

Derek looked after them, worried.

What could he have done if the hunters were in public again? Baring his fangs wouldn't be classified under self-defense.

.

After Ruby had finished her cereal, she slid under his arms and looked at the book.

"What are you reading?" She asked, leaning back. He rested his chin on her head.

"A book." Derek replied.

"What kind of book?"

"A book you can read."

Ruby tipped her head back and looked up at him, "Why doesn't it have pictures?"

Derek looked down at her and said, "I don't like picture books."

"Can you read it to me?" Ruby asked, slumped down again. Derek had his chin resting on her head again.

"You wouldn't like it."

Ruby sighed and yawned, "But I like books."

"Not this book." Derek sighed, tipping his head forward and kissing her hair. "I'll find you a different one and then you can take a nap."

"I don't like naps." She yawned again.

Derek almost chuckled, "You need one."

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "No I don't..."

Ruby's breath started balancing out and becoming softer.

Derek debated laying her on the couch, but decided to hold her instead. He rested his cheek on her head again and closed his eyes, taking in her scent.

She would need another bath soon, that was for sure.

"Daddy?" She murmured.

"Hmm?" He asked, keeping his eyes closed.

"Are they gonna hurt us?" Ruby asked him, tilting in his grip and laying with her stomach against his.

"No," Derek said softly, "I won't let them."

Ruby nodded into his shirt and fell back asleep.