Thank you to all :) !

Without further ado here is chapter 2! I DON'T OWN SMASH!

Chapter 2

Karen's POV

My not so thought out plan did not go as well as I thought it would have. I wasn't sure what I was expecting but I had intended to leave the theatre and find Derek to discover precisely what he meant. He must have realised that I would have wanted to talk to him after the show, so why did he go and bugger off! Was it a mistake? Oh here we go again. Here comes the avalanche of questions with a drought of answers.

Oh damn it. It's our day off, I just woke up and I am already thinking of Derek. Alright here's what I will do:

1) Get out of bed and have a shower.

2) Find a lovely outfit that I can wear out.

3) Find out the weather before choosing the lovely outfit.

4) Go out to the coffee shop and get myself a very large cup of very strong coffee, (that should keep Derek off my mind).

5) do some well deserved retail therapy.

6) Contact Bobby, Sue, Jessica, Dennis and possibly the couple that is Sam and Tom telling them to come to my room for some well needed alone time.

7) Get dinner.

8) Go to bed.

Provided that I stick to this plan all should be ok! Rehearsals are not until tomorrow then the next preview is not until the day after that, which is why I am taking full advantage of the day off. In this business take whatever break you can because you don't get them often, that is something Dev found out a couple of months ago.

I was meant to meet him for a business dinner, (well business on his side I was more the "hot" woman standing next to him), and ended up standing him up in front of his colleagues. That was the night we had our first argument about the show and Derek. He was annoyed because according to him "the director was too big and powerful for you, (me), to excuse yourself, (myself), to ring your, (my), boyfriend who your, (I'm), standing up." I apologised more times than I can count but I don't think he ever forgot the incident. This was shown by his increasing possessiveness of me, especially when it came to Derek.

Damn it Karen, why are you tearing up? There is no way under any and every circumstance that you are still in love with him. He broke your heart and your trust. He cheated on you not once but twice while you turned down any and every opportunity to go out to dinner with some amazingly good looking man for fear of infidelity. Oh my word of honour he is a complete and utter %&$£! In fact he is the king of the "£$%!"!£.

As I saw the streams of light pour in through the crack in the curtains I turned to the clock next to me to see the time; seven fifteen. I looked down and rapidly came to the realisation that I had not actually moved from this spot for who knows how long. Note to self-next time you have long memories make sure you get out of the bed first. So long as Dev was still on my mind I was never going to get up. As a result of this instead of swinging my legs round the other side of the bed as I do when I am excited about the day ahead, I decided to raise my body to a sitting position and drag myself to where I am standing on my own two feet. Once standing I opened the curtains looked outside the window and at the magnificent view. Something in that view spoke to me because as quickly as Dev came into my mind in no time at all he was out. I mambo'd to the bathroom where I had a very tranquil shower, (task 1: tick), went to my phone to find 38 missed calls and 67 text messages and that was just from Dev. Delete. Moving on, (I decided to check the rest later), I went to the weather application.

77 degrees Fahrenheit, YES! I run over to my wardrobe where I had unpacked my clothes when we first arrived and found the perfect red and white polka dot summer dress. Go me for thinking ahead! (Task 2 and 3: tick tick).

As I slip on a pair of flats I realise that it was only nine and the coffee shop around the corner doesn't open until nine thirty. Provided that I walk to the coffee shop I should be on time and my plan will be going right on track.

I wonder what everyone else is up to. Most are probably nursing a hangover. Ha! Go me for being "green" in this business as I don't feel the need to drink at every celebration; perhaps the last night at Boston but not yet.

Derek's POV

Last night was not a good night. Over exhaustion, (at least that is what I think was), caused me to hallucinate Marilyn. When in the shower I started to think about a relationship with Karen and although I slept quickly after lying down it wasn't a peaceful sleep. I was tossing and turning trying to figure out if I have "feelings" for Karen. To top it off because I was so tired last night I woke up this morning to room filled with sunlight due to the lack of pulled blinds. I know you may be thinking "why is that bad?" but it was five in the morning and considering the night I had it was bloody bad.

Deciding to eventually get up from bed was - at that moment in time - a mammoth decision. Not the best but it had to be done; I have yet to figure out if my feelings are real. Some air will help - I hope. Crap I am turning into a sponge at the metaphorical hands of Karen who probably has no idea what she is doing to me.

As I saunter over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, I look at the Boston view. Something in me clicked after looking at that because I heard Marilyn again. Am I going mad?

"Derek?" she whispered while placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Just go to her," she whispered again once more like we were old friends. I think I understand now, Marilyn is my subconscious. She is voicing my inner thoughts telling me what I should do. I've always listened to my head, why should it change now? Ok I admit maybe sometimes I listen to what's in my pants but hey I'm a man I make mistakes.

"I can't just go to her. One, its quarter to six in the bloody morning and two she is going to want an explanation which is something I don't have," I find myself saying.

As I think over what I have just said I start to wonder when the time stopped me from doing anything. I mean I went to the theatre at four thirty in the morning the first night of tech and when did a lack of words stop me from anything. I mean look at that night I showed up at Karen's door with her in lingerie, I certainly wasn't expecting that! But that didn't stop me I still stayed, sauntered in and said what I needed to.

What the hell am I doing, I am no longer a teenage boy! I will just walk down to her, how hard can it be? No wait…I will go for a coffee first - a large one at that.

As I pick up my watch from the side table and put it on my wrist I realise that it is quarter to nine and the coffee shop around the corner doesn't open until nine thirty. Maybe I can get that walk in before I reach the coffee shop, who wants to waste money on a cab?

Looking down I instantaneously realise that I am only wearing joggers and a watch. No shirt, no socks or shoes. I should probably get dressed before I go out!

As I walk over to my dresser I chuckle to myself as I comprehend how little I have actually changed. The womanising me is still there but the more human/sensitive guy is dominating.

Judging by the sun I take it is going to be warm today so today's attire shall consist of: a white t-shirt, one of my old pairs of jeans and my old comfy trainers. Hopefully I won't be bumping into anyone I know so today me plan on just thinking, talking and then working.

Glancing over at my watch, it tells me that it is now nine fifteen. Perfect I will start to make my way out.

I wonder what Karen will be doing today? God I hope she's not with that sorry excuse for a man, Dev. I really don't like him, he's stuck up and he slept with Ivy. Not that Ivy is bad but still she's kind of her worst enemy. First he says that he nearly slept with a woman in NYC and then he comes here and sleeps with Ivy. It's like stabbing a person and then twisting the knife.

When exactly was it when I became a soppy romantic? I need that coffee NOW!

With that I pick up my wallet, phone and head out.

Karen's POV

"Miss?" the man over the counter asks.

"Yes, oh sorry, I'd like a large Americano thank you" I reply slightly stunned. Turned out I was daydreaming about - wait for it - none other than Derek. I swear I saw sitting him on the bench near here. Great now I'm hallucinating him. I really have to call him or better yet see him.

As I picked up my large coffee I turn to where the sugars are and stir in two. Taking a small sip of my well deserved coffee being cautious not to burn my tongue I close my eyes and hear a familiar voice.

"You look like you're enjoying that," said the egotistical British voice. I open my eyes half expecting Derek standing there with the same look he gave me the night he came to my apartment. Instead I am greeted by Dev looking so sure of him. I don't want to see him! Why is he here?

"Why are you here Dev?" I reply as coldly as I can, trying to hide the pain in my voice.

"Well I needed a coffee and this is in fact the closest coffee shop to the hotel," Dev responded in such a confident manner.

"You know full well what I mean, why are you still in Boston. Shouldn't you be in New York getting your stuff out of my apartment" I reply starting to walk out of the coffee shop.

"Actually my apartment. My name is on the lease," Dev snapped back still in that self assured voice. How kind of him to remind me of that fact.

"To think I was going to marry you," I whispered under my breath while walking out hoping to see Bobby, Jessica or anyone to save me from him.

"What was that?" Dev asked expectantly while grabbing my wrist turning me round to face him. Lucky for me he turned me so fast that half of my scolding hot coffee spilt all over his crisp white shirt.

He shouts releasing his hold and reaching for napkins to wipe up the mess. I really wanted to laugh but instead I simply walked off.

"Karen wait," Dev's voice trailed off as I refused to turn back. Tears forming in my eyes as I start to pick up my pace.

"Karen," said the British accent in a concerned voice.

"Go away Dev," I respond not stopping. My brisk walking had by now turned into a slow jog.

"Karen wait," he said. His voice sounded louder he must be closer. No I will not stop; I am going back to the hotel.

I feel a rough but gentle hand clasping my wrist and immediately I know it is not Dev. It's the same hand that held me when we danced and the same hand that corrected my posture during rehearsals. I slow down and quickly I am turned to face Derek.

"Do I look like Dev?" Derek said in that same sweet voice he reserved for me when we were alone.

"You only use that voice for me," I said but instantaneously realise what I have said and look down to where he was holding my wrist in embarrassment. He tilted my head up and wiped the tears that were falling down my cheeks.

"I know," he said with the most sincere smile I have ever seen from Derek; his voice, those words, this man. This man; the fact that this man was Derek, my director, was the only thing stopping me from collapsing in his arms.

"Derek not now" I reply fighting the urge to melt fully in his arms and just let him hold me.

"Ok. I'm sorry do you want to tell me why you were running out of that coffee house?" Derek asked while slowly taking me by the arm and walking me in the direction of the hotel.