a/n: this takes place during the first half of the first season and is in an alternate universe in which Derek was a single father to a daughter!
Derek Rayne picked up the telephone as it rang. He answered in his usual manner. A second later, he smiled. "Yes, Arabella, I'm still coming to get you tomorrow," he said.
Philip Callaghan looked up from where he was studying a text nearby. "I'll leave you alone," he murmured. "Tell her I said hello."
Derek chuckled a little. "Philip says hello," he said into the receiver. Just as Philip reached the door, Derek Derek called out: "she asked if the book you're reading is any good!"
Philip smiled. "Tell her it's ancient Greek."
Derek smiled again. "You remember she studies ancient Greece, don't you?"
"I remember. It's one of her hobbies."
Derek listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. "Alright, but be nice." He tapped the desk to get Philip's attention again. "She wants to talk to you for a minute."
Callaghan walked over, shaking his head. He took the telephone receiver from Derek. "What is it?" he asked. "No, I'm not watching a scary movie with you ever again!"
Derek stood nearby, resisting the urge to laugh, as he remembered the incident in question quite well.
"Why? Because the last time you licked my face and said the power of Christ compelled you to do it!" Philip said after a few seconds pause.
Now Derek did start to laugh.
"I guess I shouldn't have even said that..." Philip muttered. "Any time it's mentioned someone goes into hysterics!"
"She enjoys teasing you," Derek mouthed.
Philip scowled at Derek before speaking into the receiver again. "Do you want to speak with your father again?" he asked. He rolled his eyes, "no, the power of Christ does not compel me to get revenge for you licking my face. But I don't think your father should have let you watch The Exorcist."
"I told her she could watch it if someone watched it with her," Derek whispered. "She chose you. Possibly just so she could lick your face, but I doubt it. It was her nineteenth birthday that day. She's twenty now. You still can't get over it a year later."
Callaghan gave Derek a dirty look again.
As soon as he was done talking with Arabella, Philip handed the telephone back to Derek. He walked out of the room, muttering about face-licking.
Rachel Corrigan approached Alex Moreau and Nick Boyle after seeing Philip leaving Derek. "Is there something I should know about? I just heard Philip muttering about his face being licked."
Nick and Alex both smiled. "Derek's daughter pulled a prank on Philip last year on her birthday." Nick told her.
"Derek has a daughter?" Rachel asked.
"I guess someone forgot to tell you," Alex said. "Derek has a twenty year old daughter. She's been off at school. That's why you haven't met her."
"But what is this thing about Philip's face being licked?"
"Arabella wanted to watch The Exorcist and Derek kept saying no," Nick said. "Finally, on her birthday last year, he said she could watch it but only if someone watched it with her. She talked Philip into watching it with her. Part way through the movie, she turned to him and licked his face. When he asked her why she did it, she told him the power of Christ compelled her. He still hasn't let that go. Partly because someone loves bringing it up."
Rachel frowned. "But why did she do it?"
"She loves teasing Philip," Alex answered. "He's always refused to prank her back for anything. If he was muttering about that, then that means she's coming here from school soon."
"He's going to get her tomorrow," Nick said.
"Am I sure I want to be here for this?" Rachel asked.
"She's not that bad. It's mostly just Philip she does that kind of stuff to."