I only own my imagination, not Smash. Please R&R! Thank you.

Chapter 4

...

Great. Only Dev. Once kicked out of the apartment, came running back here. Take the hint. My hand still on the spray. Guess he has something to say.

"Dev, why are you here? There is nothing for you here now." He glares at me straight in the eye. "How dare you Karen! You've gotten all my stuff taken out of our apartment! What am I supposed to do now?"

"How dare I? You are kidding aren't you! You play away with RJ and then Ivy! And how dare I, Karen Cartwright get all your stuff out of MY apartment? Heaven forbid I have a backbone" I yell at him.

People are looking, and on my part it's deliberate, witnesses.

"Karen, can't we go back?" "GO BACK" I bellow. "No chance, did you think that when I said I was going to try my hand at Broadway. You thought, "let her try and then when it doesn't work out, I'll be press secretary by then and she'll be my wife?" I said very loudly. Not breaking eye contact.

"What if I did? Surely if you'd loved me, you would have decided this wasn't you and fall in line."

"In line? Really? You have certainly changed, when we met, you weren't this arrogant, or nasty. I think maybe, I never really knew you. In a way I'm glad I found out now before it was too late."

Dev sees red and try's to strike Karen, yet her spray is out before his hand goes anywhere near her face. He's crying out in pain but he still is able to grab her. This was not in her plan, and the one time she needs someone, the street seems empty.

...

How does Karen Cartwright do it? Casts her spell on everyone, and then is the first one out of the theatre. I haven't spoken to her since this morning, but she left so quick tonight, that I had wondered if something was wrong. It has been a roller coaster of a week and half for her.

I am half way back to my hotel when I get a nagging feeling at the back of my mind. I can't explain it, something doesn't feel right. Something is wrong...Karen! I turn and speed up. As I turn into the street where Karen is staying, I see her. Someone is pulling at her and she's giving as good as she's getting. Using her bag to beat them. Still I keep running.

When I finally reach her, I grab her attacker off her, its Dev! I knew he was a loser, but to attack Karen? I would never have thought he would do that. I send him flying to the ground. I turn and see Karen, her eyes with pure anger. Mental note to self, don't get on her bad-side. The anger is still there, eyes not seeing me.

"Karen? Karen! Look at me, come on, look." Her eyes soften and refocus, she sees me or I think she does. She sees Dev on the ground. "I sprayed him with pepper spray; he went to hit me so I got in first!" Her voice is full of anger. "Dev, you Ever come near me again, you'll be sorry."

Dev is still on the ground winded and in pain.

I turn and finally I see who helped me. Derek. He's looks worried but there is pride there too. "Derek, thank you. Fancy a tea? I need to calm down." I start walking into the hotel lobby and find my key, I hear footsteps behind me, and I know it's Derek. As Dev will probably be still seeing stars right now I know it's not him.

We get into the lift, with an uneasy silence. The lift stops at my floor; I walk to my door and open it, letting Derek walk through. Once I'm inside I lock it, force of habit. I go to boil the kettle when Derek speaks "Karen? Care to sit down I can do that, and I'm sure your capable, but let me feel useful." I relent I put the kettle down go to the table and chair by the bed and take my shoes off.

….

Derek isn't sure what just happened, but Karen looks like a ghost of her usual self. To keep himself busy he makes her tea. Not sure what to say, he sits on the bed, waiting.

...

Should I talk to her? Hold her? She's pale, must be shock. Poor girl. No, woman. She fought the person she thought loved her. Her mind must be racing; either that or it has shut down, trying to use its coping function. She looks young and old at the same time. She needs something, but what?

...

Part of me is glad Derek is here and is giving me time to let my heart and my head catch up. But I'm cold, physically and emotionally. I need to feel warm.

...

Karen shifts in her chair and looks at Derek hoping that a silent plea gets answered. Derek is taken by her eyes, the question in them. She shivers and suddenly Derek gets up from the bed and is at her side.

He holds out his hand and she takes it. He walks her to the bed, throws back the covers and let's her climb in. He tucks her in and in no time she is sleeping. He goes back to her chair and sits with her for the rest of the night lost in thought.

I'm not moving from this seat. I know Dev won't be back tonight, reputation or not I can't very well leave her here on her own. Everything is bound to hit in the morning. She needs a familiar face. For the life of me I don't know what I'll say. Right now I have my eye on the door and I have to make sure Karen is ok.