A/N: Thanks for all of your reviews for this story! I really enjoy reading them. I'm trying to find a balance with the girls where they're not too bratty, but not perfect, either so that it's more realistic! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

If I could just wiggle my body towards the foot of the bed…Penelope held back a sigh. She'd been over it a thousand times in her mind, and there was no way to get out of this without waking Derek. The only thing she could do was hope that because he was so exhausted, he would sleep through her disentanglement.

She reached for the hand that was resting on her waist and gently lifted it up. He growled in his sleep as his hand came back down to her waist. His touch was rough this time, almost possessive.

Penelope closed her eyes and stilled her body, waiting a few seconds before resuming her breathing. Un-frickin-believable. She revised her plan and started with her bottom leg this time, pulling it back so the leg that had been resting between hers fell to the mattress. OK, she thought. One body part down. She felt victorious. She could do this. Thank God he'd worn his t-shirt and a pair of sweats to bed last night, or this would have been even more awkward.

She quickly lifted Derek's hand from her waist and rolled away from him as fast as she could. She squeaked when she almost fell off the side of the bed. Her hand flew out to clutch the sheet and her body teetered on the edge of the mattress for a moment before she got her balance again. Sighing in relief, she sat up on the edge of the bed, and then stood. She turned around with a triumphant grin—that froze on her face.

Derek was laying there, a smile spread across his face. "Now that was interesting," he said playfully.

Her gaze narrowed. "Were you awake the entire time?" she asked accusingly.

He cleared his throat. "I…" His grin widened and he decided to change the subject. "How about a morning romp?"

"Funny, Derek," she said.

"Oh, but I wasn't trying to be funny," he said in a teasing tone.

Penelope—suddenly aware that she was wearing no bra and had a thin tank top on—grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at his face.

"You don't play nice," he complained.

Instead of saying anything, she leaned over the bed and grabbed the pillow, hitting him in the face again. When she picked it up again and swung a third time, he reached up and seized her wrist, pulling her down onto the bed. He rolled up onto his knees and had her pinned beneath him in no time. He was up on all fours, a knee on each side of her waist, his hands holding her wrists above her head. He lifted an eyebrow at her. "What do you think of that?" he asked.

Penelope wasn't sure what to say, so she said nothing. But she could feel her breathing increase. How in the hell was she going to get out of this one?

"Daddy!" came a little girls yell. "What are you doing on top of Penelly-p?"

He flew off her so fast she nearly fell off the bed again. "Playing," he said quickly. "We were…just…playing," he said—clearly mortified at the thought of being caught by his little girl.

Penelope scrambled to get to the other side of the mattress. Thank God for the interruption. She had to force herself not to shake her head to clear it. If Derek felt guilty, that meant he thought they were doing something…naughty.

"Well I wanna play!" Chessie said, running at top speed towards the bed. She ran towards Penelope and she caught her, pulling her up onto the bed. Chessie stayed on Penelope's lap, but turned to look at her father. "When did you get home, Daddy?" she asked.

"Last night after you were in bed," he told her.

"Did you come in to kiss me?" she asked.

He reached out and pulled her from Penelope's lap into his own, then leaned down and nuzzled her neck. "Of course I did," he told her.

"Daddy!" Millie said excitedly from the doorway. She ran for the bed just like her sister had, but she ran for her father. Derek passed Chessie to Penelope and when Millie reached the bed, she jumped up over the side and onto his stomach.

"Oooomph."

"Sorry, Daddy," Millie said unconvincingly. Her excitement at seeing him won out over sincerity. She threw her little arms around his neck and gave him a tight squeeze, and then sighed in delight. "I'm so glad you're home, Daddy," she said.

"Me, too," he agreed.

She pulled away and rubbed her cheek, studying his face. "You need to shave," she informed him.

Derek laughed. "You're right about that," he said.

"Do we have to go to school today?" Millie asked.

Derek shook his head. "It's the weekend," he said.

Chessie gasped. "Then probably Hannah Montana is on!" she exclaimed. "Can we see?"

Derek opened his nightstand drawer and pulled out the remote, turning the widescreen television resting on his dresser on.

"It's three-six," Chessie told him, annoyed that it was taking him so long to find the right channel.

"Hey, a little patience," Derek warned his dramatic daughter. He hit the right buttons, and then laid back on the mattress, Millie cuddled up beside him. He had one arm wrapped around her, the other he had up over his head; his legs were crossed at the ankles.

Chessie looked up at Penelope. "I'd be a lot more comfortable if you would lay down," she informed Penelope.

Penelope could hear Derek trying to stifle a laugh.

She fluffed the pillows behind her and lay back so she was still partially sitting. Chessie lay down on her chest. The only way Penelope would be comfortable was if she got out of this situation. She'd never have slept in the same bed as Derek if she hadn't been so exhausted. She barely remembered him coming in last night. But she couldn't blame everything on her exhaustion. She'd seen his arms before—but she'd never noticed them. Oh, but she was noticing them now. She cleared her throat and tried to focus on Hannah Montana.

Derek lifted his head up off a pile of pillows. "Hey, Ches," he said.

Chessie looked over at her father.

"Do daddy a favor and make sure Penelope stays on her side of the bed."

Penelope's jaw dropped and she gave Derek a dirty look.

Chessie shook her head enthusiastically. "Or you might get on top of her again?" she asked innocently.

Derek grinned at his daughter. "You never know."

"Daddy, why were you on Penelope?" Millie asked curiously.

Penelope rolled her eyes. He'd really gone and done it this time.

___

"Let's go out for breakfast this morning," Derek said after three grueling episodes of Hannah Montana. After seeing a commercial that this was a Hannah Montana marathon, he was so desperate to get away from the television that he almost suggested Disney World.

Chessie crawled out of Penelope's lap and was on her knees beside her father. "Can Penelly-p come with us?" she asked.

Derek grinned at her. "Yes. If Penelly-p wants to, she can come with us," he told his daughter.

Two sets of hopeful chocolate brown eyes flew to Penelope's face. She forced herself to grin. "Can't wait!" she said. Clearly escape was never going to come.

___

Penelope was buckling Chessie in her seat while Derek was buckling Millie in on the other side when Chessie piped up.

"You know, if you're gonna be in the same bed, I think you have to get married," Chessie informed them.

Penelope lifted her head so quickly she hit it on the doorframe.

Her eyes met Derek's and he grinned at her uneasiness.

What was everyone's sudden preoccupation with marriage? For crying out loud, even Derek was dreaming about it. It was almost as if she was supposed to marry him. Was that even a possibility?

If the world were a Magic-8 ball, all signs were pointing to yes.