A/N: This takes place about a year after the finale. I wanted to write a Cartwills fic where Ivy had the baby, and this was in my head, so it needed to be written. I thought before that this might just be a one-shot, but it looks like I'll be continuing it. Thank you for reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own the sadly canceled "Smash" or any of the characters. I am only borrowing them, and I would plan to return them, but there is unfortunately no longer a series to return them to. Thus, they live on in fanfic.


"This is so beautiful, Derek. When were you planning to give it to me?"

Derek hadn't meant for Ivy to see that necklace. He had carelessly left it just sitting on the dresser. Derek thought about lying to Ivy and claiming he was going to give it to her for her birthday, but he couldn't. He couldn't lie to her anymore.

"That wasn't meant for you," he said softly. "I'm sorry, Ivy."

"It's meant for her, isn't it?"

That was sadness on Ivy's face but not surprise. She knew that Derek talked to Karen regularly. He hadn't lied to her about that. He had only lied about how he was feeling. He would have broken it off with Ivy sooner, but there was the baby to think about. Could he still be a good father if he wasn't with Ivy?

Really, though, their relationship had been deteriorating for awhile now. He had asked Ivy if she wanted to live together, and she had said no. She was still very independent, and she liked her apartment. He had pointed out that her apartment would be too small when the baby got older, but she said that she would just move.

"We haven't…done anything," Derek said. "Other than talk. It's just…I'm not over her. I've tried. I really have."

"I know," Ivy said. "I've always known. That's why I didn't want to live with you. I knew you still had feelings for Karen. Did you even really mean it when you said you loved me?"

"Of course I did," Derek said. "It's just…Maybe I love you more as a friend, that's all."

Ivy nodded. "Maybe it just wasn't meant to be."

"What about Emily?" Derek asked.

"You'll still see her just as much as you see her now," Ivy said. "Just give me a call when you want to spend time with her. If she's not with me, she'll be with my mom. We can schedule days that you regularly have her."

Ivy's mother had been excited about the baby and had offered to babysit on a regular basis. Ivy had taken advantage of that, and it had allowed her to go back to performing after she had Emily. She had recently been cast in a new show that was heading to a workshop soon.

In fact, Emily was with Leigh right now. He had thought Ivy was bringing their daughter over, and he had been wondering why she had come alone.

"Was there something you wanted to talk to me about, Ivy? I had expected you to bring Emily."

Ivy gave him a sad smile. "Actually, I was coming over to break up with you. I starting second-guessing myself when I saw that necklace. I'm actually a little relieved it wasn't for me."

Derek chuckled. "Well, at least we both know when something isn't working."

Ivy smiled, and Derek poured them both a glass of scotch. Ivy left after they had their drink.

Derek looked at the necklace, and he wondered if Karen was at Table 46 tonight. He picked up the necklace and headed out the door.

He saw the necklace at a little shop a few days ago, and it made him think of Karen. He ended up buying it even though he had no idea at the time when on earth he would give it to her.

He had been talking to Karen at least a couple of times a week since the Tony Awards. He would sometimes see her at "Hit List" and other times would meet her at Table 46. They just sat and had drinks and talked about everything: Broadway, movies, music, television, food. They kept discovering that they had more in common than Derek had thought.

It hadn't taken him long to realize that he wasn't over her at all. But, he was with Ivy and she was with Jimmy. He couldn't believe that Karen would wait for someone while he was in prison. How could Derek compete with somebody Karen loved that much? At least she hadn't talked much about Jimmy when they had their nights of drinking and talking at the bar.

Derek had figured he would never have a chance with Karen because of Jimmy, even if weren't for Ivy and Emily. But, when Jimmy got out of prison, Karen started talking about how much Jimmy had changed. A few months later, she had told Derek that they had broken up. He had wanted to console her more that night, but he was worried that he might do something he would regret.

He wasn't lying when he said nothing had happened between them. Nothing physical, anyway, not since that one night they kissed on her couch and Jimmy showed up on her fire escape. Derek still had no idea if Karen really felt anything for him, but he could swear that he sometimes saw real feelings in the looks she gave him.

When Derek walked into Table 46, his heart started to beat faster when he glimpsed Karen sitting at the far end of the bar. He usually wouldn't feel nervous about talking to her, but tonight was different. Finally, he walked over to her.

"Hello darling," he said. "Mind if I sit next to you?"

Karen smiled at him. "I suppose that would be alright."

Derek smiled back and sat down on the stool next to Karen. He ordered his usual scotch.

"So, how are you this evening?" he asked.

"I'm good," Karen said. "How are you, Derek? How is your show going?"

He had just started working on a new show with a couple of young writers. They were both considerably easier to work with than Jimmy, though.

"It's going pretty well," Derek said. "As well as can be expected at least, with a couple of writers who don't really know what they're doing yet. And how is your show?"

Karen was playing Daisy in "The Great Gatsby." She was working with Tom, Julia, and Eileen again. It felt odd to Derek that he wasn't her director this time, but that probably made it easier if they were going to have a relationship. That is, if Karen was even interested in a relationship with him.

"It's going well," Karen said. "Tom and I are getting along much better than we did on 'Bombshell.'"

Derek nodded. "That's good."

Karen smiled and lightly touched his arm. "He's still not you, though."

Derek took a few sips of his scotch and tried to work up the courage to say what he needed to say to Karen. At least he would know how she felt now, one way or the other.

"Karen, I have something that I need to talk to you about."

"What is it, Derek? You can tell me."

That brought back memories of the time she had rejected him when he had last tried to confess his feelings for her. It made him hesitate for a moment, but he needed to know for sure how she felt. At least, then, if Karen didn't feel the same way, he might be able to finally move on.

"Karen, I still have feelings for you. I'm still…I'm still in love with you."

He was looking down at his drink as he said it, and it took him a few moments to be able to look up at her. When he finally did, he could swear she was giving that look that often made him believe that Karen felt the same way.

"What about Ivy?" Karen asked softly. "And Emily?"

"Ivy and I broke up today," Derek said. "It was mutual. Hopefully we'll still work it out so that I see Emily as often as I do now. Karen…I need to know how you feel about me."

Karen was silent for just a moment, but it felt like an eternity to Derek. "I'm in love with you, too, Derek. I have been for awhile now."

Derek smiled. "Then I should give you this."

Derek handed Karen the box, and she raised her eyebrows. "What's this?"

"Well, open it and find out."

Karen smiled and opened the box. "Oh, Derek, this is gorgeous. When did you get this?"

"I bought it a few days ago," he said. "I saw it in this shop, and I kept thinking about you being my star."

Karen had tears in her eyes now as she looked at the necklace. It was a golden star with dozens of tiny colorful jewels.

"Will you help me put it on?" Karen asked as she turned around.

As he clasped the necklace, he thought about how lucky he was that Karen really felt the same way about him. He had almost given up on her completely so many times.

"Do you like it?" Derek asked as Karen turned back around.

"I love it," Karen said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "And I love you."

As their lips met, Derek still couldn't believe that this wasn't a dream. If it was, though, he never wanted to wake up.