After breakfast, Fionnuala and Derek returned to his bed where they cuddled up again. He hadn't put a shirt on yet which he apologized for.
"Why are you saying sorry for that?" she asked. "You're quite right. I love the sight in front of me. I do have a request for you when we get back from running our own errands though."
"Can I know it now?"
"Absolutely not."
"Why am I not allowed to know?"
"Because I want to keep it as a surprise."
"Are we baking a cake together?"
"Oh, we're playing 20 Questions now?"
"Sure."
"Alright. You have 19 left, because no, we're not baking a cake. Ask away."
"Does it involve just me?"
"Hm. Yes and no. 18."
"Do I have to wear my shirt for it?"
"If you want to. But it's not a requirement. 17."
"We're not going swimming. It's not warm enough."
"Yes. 16."
"Hey! That wasn't a question! But we're not going somewhere public?"
"No. Considering you're now suspected of murder, we're not going out. 15."
"So we're not making a cake, it does and does not involve only me, and a shirt is not required." He shrugged. "I'm stumped."
"You still have 15 questions left."
"I honestly can't think of anything."
"I'll give you a hint, okay? But it's gonna be the only one."
"But you can't give hints in 20 Questions. That's against the rules!"
"Says who? And besides, if you're stumped, even more of a reason to try and give you a hint."
"Okay. What's the hint?"
"It's something that was started, but never finished."
"Every time we kiss."
"No. 14."
"But it's true!"
"I know it is. At least for you. But it's not that."
"Our cuddles this morning?"
"We're finishing those right now. So no. 13."
He huffed. "I'm not guessing anymore."
"Well, then you'll have to wait until we get back."
"Please just tell me."
"No." She began to get up. "Come on. I need to be home soon and you need to get your car."
He pulled her back down. "Not yet."
"I'll go home and stay home?"
"No."
"Then let's get going! And make sure you put on a shirt before we leave!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
45 minutes later, they were both in Derek's car on the way back to his loft. When they arrived, he closed the loft door and said, "So, what're you gonna have me do that does and does not involve only me? You realize that makes no sense whatsoever, right?"
"It will when I tell you. Do you want your shirt on or off?"
"Which one would you prefer?"
"Off. Duh. But it's up to you."
"Off it is then. Now, what am I doing?"
"You're gonna finish your workout. And since I have no homework, I can watch." She flopped back onto his bed.
"That's what you meant when you said that it does and does not involve only me."
"Yep. Chop chop. Get to it, hot stuff."
Derek rolled his eyes, grabbed the top of the door frame, and performed a chin-up. "Satisfied?"
"Keep going." She smiled. "One chin-up isn't enough. I missed it last time because I was doing homework, remember?"
"Fine. I'll keep going." There was silence for a couple minutes before he asked, "Did your dad ask you where you were when you got home?"
"Yep."
"And what did you tell him?"
"I was at Lydia's. He sighed and said that there must have been some miscommunication between the two of us and that it was kind of a good thing Lydia was there last night to let him know where I was."
"Didn't even think to consider it might have been rebellion and not miscommunication?"
"Clearly. Unh-uh. Don't stop."
There we are. Fi gets her entertainment. Who figured out what her plan was for Derek before he found out?