A/N: Sorry this took so long. Blame crazy schedules and my need for perfection. Hope you enjoy.


Karen had to keep glancing in the mirror because she just didn't recognize the person staring back at her. They had just closed the fastenings on her floor length bridal gown. It was an A-line silhouette with white lace designs down the front. More lace was wrapped around the front of her bodice. White lace sleeves started just under her shoulders and ended above her elbows. Her hair was pulled into a half pony tail with a new sapphire clip holding it back, it was her something blue. The veil would be her mothers, something old. Her wedding dress was brand new and Marlena had loaned Karen the necklace at her throat. "How do I look?" she asked quietly.

"Stunning," Jessica told her.

"Derek won't know what hit him," Marlena added.

"I hope he likes it," Karen smiled.

"If he doesn't, he's blind," Bobby called from the bed.

Marlena took her arm and led her over to a chair. "Let's get this veil on you so we can get you married."

Derek tried not to fidget as he took his place by the altar. He watched as his old friends escorted Karen's bridesmaids in peacock blue halter dresses down the aisle. Each girl held a bouquet of callow lilies. Bobby was next to last and Jordan, his escort, looked slightly nervous. Derek could only imagine how outrageous Bobby had been just before stepping out on the aisle. Derek's excitement grew as he watched Tevin escort Marlena down the aisle. Any moment Karen would walk through those doors.

Everyone stood as the bridal march began to play. The doors opened and Karen walked in on the arm of her father. Derek couldn't see her face through the veil but he knew she looked lovely. "If you ever get bored with her, give me a call," Tevin whispered.

"Talk about her like she's a toy one more time and I'll break your kneecaps," Derek whispered back.

"Who gives away this woman to be married?" the priest asked.

"I do," Roger said. He placed Karen's hand in Derek's. "You better look after her."

"As long as she'll let me," Derek replied.

Derek wanted to skip the annoying ceremony part and go straight to the 'I do's but that wasn't going to happen. So he suffered through the priest's droning. This was what he got for falling for a girl who loved church. He'd tried to convince her that a justice of the peace was just as good but Karen insisted on a traditional wedding ceremony, priest and all. So he just kept glancing at Karen to remind himself how very worth it all of this was.

Finally they got to the part Derek had been waiting for. Derek nudged Tevin for the rings. The priest turned to him first. "Do you, Derek Wills, take this woman, Karen Cartwright, to be your wife, according to God's holy decree; do you promise to be to her a loving and loyal husband, to cherish and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, to be faithful only to her until death do you part?"

"I do," Derek nodded. The priest nodded back and Derek placed the ring on Karen's finger.

The priest turned to Karen and repeated the vows. "I do," she said. She slipped a ring on Derek's finger.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the priest stated. "You may kiss the bride."

Derek raised Karen's veil for the first time. Those doe eyes he loved so much shined at him with too many emotions to count. "I love you," he whispered as he leaned in. Karen barely heard the cheers as Derek kissed her. They made their way to the back of the church to greet everyone that had come to see them.

Derek mostly stood beside Karen and nodded. He was never one for human interaction. Unless he was interacting with Karen of course. Karen gushed over each guest that came their way, making the person feel like they were the most important person to attend. "Tom! I'm so glad you came! And Sam, you both look so dashing."

Tom smiled as he gently hugged Karen. "You look beautiful, Karen. Congratulations."

"I was lucky he proposed to me," Karen grinned.

Tom moved to Derek as Sam distracted the bride. Though Tom kept smiling, his handshake turned tight. "Break her heart and I'll break your legs," Tom said.

"Not the first time I've heard that," Derek smiled.

"Oh, Eileen," Karen gasped. "I thought you'd be too busy to come."

"This is Broadway history," Eileen told her. "I wouldn't miss this for the world. By the way, this is Nick. His friend was the principle investor in 'Bombshell'."

"Thank I should thank your friend for investing in my future," Karen joked.

"Hopefully it's as amazing as you were in 'Bombshell'," Nick told her.

Karen looked at her new husband. "It'll be even better."

Julia was next through the line. "Karen, you look stunning," she smiled. "Congratulations. I wish you all the happiness in the world."

"Thanks so much, Julia. I know Derek and I will be just as happy as you and Frank."

"Preferably without the added complications," Derek muttered. Julia shot him a look but he just smiled as he usually did. Derek glanced toward Karen as she gasped and his smile got wider. "Karen, I'd like you to meet Lyle. I used to know him when he was quite a bit younger."

Lyle kissed Karen's hand. "It's an honor to meet you."

"That's–that's very kind," Karen told him. "I'm a big fan of your work. You're a great actor. And I'm very glad you came to the wedding."

"I would never miss a scene like this," Lyle grinned.

Karen smiled softly. "Derek likes to think he's a hard catch. He really wasn't."

"Only for you, darling."

"Oh, Ivy!" Karen called.

The blonde gave them a brittle smile. "You guys look happy," she said.

"We are," Karen nodded. "I'm glad you came."

"Can't miss a chance to be a part of Broadway history," Ivy told them. "The papers can't stop talking about you guys."

Karen's nose wrinkled in disgust. "I really wish they would leave us alone."

"That's what you get for marrying this one," Ivy chuckled, tapping Derek with her program. "Get used to life in the spotlight."

"Thanks for coming, Ivy," Derek said sincerely.

After greeting everyone in the church, Derek led his new bride out in front of the church for pictures. He couldn't help but laugh as Bobby and Jessica kept egging Karen on to more and more outrageous stunts. "You've got a real live one there," Tevin laughed.

"Keeps me on my toes," Derek agreed.

Soon it was time for them to make their way to the reception hall. Karen laughed as she fell into the limo that was taking them there. "I can't believe we're married," she grinned.

"You're stuck with me now," Derek told her.

"Good. That's the way it should be."

Derek laughed as he kissed her. He helped her out of the limo once they were at the hall. "Ready?" he asked.

"Can't wait," Karen said excitedly.

"And now, put your hands together for our newlyweds, Mr. & Mrs. Derek and Karen Wills," the MC announced.

Karen laughed as they entered to thunderous applause. The space was perfectly decorated in their colors of peacock blue, black and silver. They needed to thank Amy for all she had done. Dinner was served and everyone ate well. Derek and Karen had to pause for all the tinkling glasses that said guests wanted them to kiss.

Finally Tevin stepped up. "Time for speeches," he told everyone. "Feel free to take a nap right now if you need but I promise to be as brief as possible." Everyone laughed and Karen leaned on Derek as everyone droned on. There were a lot of people that wanted to wish them well. Which was nice but Karen could tell Derek was getting bored.

After everyone was done, Karen got up. "I have a few things to say. First is my own sort of speech. And to do it I need the help of the amazingly talented, Tom Levitt."

There was polite applause as Tom got up and went to the piano. "Ready when you are," Tom told her.

"This is for my wonderful new husband," Karen smiled. She nodded to Tom who played her an intro. "Our day will come/ And we'll have everything/ We'll share the joy/ Falling in love can bring."

Derek grinned as he watched her sing. He remembered the hallucination he'd had of her as Marilyn singing this song to him. But now all he could see was Karen. White dress, brown hair, and soulful eyes. His beautiful Karen telling everyone in the room how much she loved him. Derek had never felt so blessed. Not that he'd ever tell anyone. Except maybe Karen if she asked. She came to the final line. "Our day has come."

Derek was one of the loudest to applaud when Karen finished. She took the praise with her special blend of shy grace that had helped her get so far in Broadway with so few enemies. Karen made sure Tom got up to take a bow as well. "And now, I want to turn the mike over to the MC but first, I'm sure you're all wondering why there is no DJ or band. Derek and I talked it over and we realized that Broadway people were likely to steal the show from any musical act we could provide. So you guys get to entertain yourselves tonight. And for those of you not from Broadway, there will be choreography and lots of show tunes. Keep up as best you can."

Breathlessly she collapsed next to Derek. "Don't' get too comfortable," Derek told her. "It's time for our dance."

Derek hauled her to her feet and they waltzed together for a few minutes. When he led her back to their table, she was grining brightly. Their Broadway friends did exactly as Karen asked and began to entertain everyone. Derek was pulled up to dance with his mother while Karen danced with her father. Afterwards, Karen tapped Derek's shoulder. "I'm going to get some air," she told him.

"Don't be too long," he replied with a kiss. "I think Tom wants you to sing something."

Karen smiled and ducked outside. The party was insane and she still couldn't fully believe she was married to Derek now. "You look beautiful," a British voice said.

For a moment, Karen thought it was Derek talking to her. But then she realized it wasn't quite the right accent. She turned to see a familiar face there. "Dev?"

"That wedding dress looks stunning on you."

Karen was instantly wary. She and Dev hadn't parted on the best of terms. Dev certainly held no love for Derek. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see you of course."

"How did you know where I would be?"

"Broadway director marrying the woman he made a star? You're in every paper." Dev smiled. "You'll have to try harder than that if you want to stay hidden."

"Yeah, I guess so. Look, Dev, I still don't know why you're here. We're over, remember?"

"Yeah, you've made that pretty clear by marrying that asshole."

"Don't call Derek an asshole."

"The man sexually harassed you the first time he met you."

"He's changed. Besides, when he asked me to marry him, he didn't go sleep with the next available woman."

"Karen, I told you it was a mistake."

"So was being with you."

Dev marched forward and grabbed her arm. "Look, you wanted to make a point and I get it. But marrying him? How could you be so stupid, Karen?"

"Stupid?" Karen repeated. "Dev, I love him."

"He doesn't love you."

"How would you know? You didn't love me either."

"Of course I loved you."

"If you loved me, you wouldn't have been with RJ and Ivy. Now, let me go Dev."

"Not until you see the mistake you're making. Karen if you just go in there and—"

"And what, Dev? We're already married. The ceremony is over. It's official. I am Mrs. Derek Wills now. We're married and we're going to have a family and live together for the rest of our lives."

"He'll leave you the minute you start aging."

"Unlike you, Derek knows of this concept called loyalty."

Before Dev could respond further, an iron grip ripped them apart. Dev was sent sprawling in the grass while Karen was forcefully kept on her feet. She turned to see Derek standing there, his face a mask of fury. "Look, I know it was hard to hear in the church, but the vows we took said 'until death do us part' not Dev. Now get the hell out." Derek turned to her with a softer, annoyed expression. "You know how much I hate human contact, love. If I'm going to be forced to suffer through this, then I will only do it with you by my side. Seeing as how you are one of the very few people I actually enjoy being with."

Without even giving her a chance to respond, Derek turned around and pulled her back into the hall. Karen smiled as the paused inside the door. "Have I ever told you I love when you're a force of nature like that?"

"Not recently but feel free to keep stroking my ego."

Karen kissed him. "On the one condition that you don't do what you're thinking about."

"What's that?"

"Sending your groomsmen to go beat up Dev."

"How do you manage to read my mind like that?"

"It's what makes us work well together."

Derek raised an eyebrow. "You sure you don't want me to have Dev tossed around?"

"No, because I just introduced Jordan and Ivy. And they need time to connect."

"Are you playing matchmaker, darling?"

Karen grinned. "I might be."

"I love you."

"There you two are," a voice called. They turned to see Tevin smiling at them. "Come on, it's time for cake cutting."

Derek led her over where their cake stood in all it's glory. "Shove cake in my mouth and I will kill you," Karen whispered.

"Yes, ma'am."

They cut the cake and nicely fed it to each other. Derek was eagerly counting the minutes now. In just under an hour, he could sweep Karen off to their honeymoon. Then he'd have her all to himself for two whole weeks.