So I carried on Derek's POV here and will do the next chapter in Karen's POV to compensate. The drama I think will continue for a bit so hopefully you won't get bored if you do let me know and I will try to fix that. Don't forget to comment, follow, so on and so forth. OK without further ado here's chapter 9...
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SMASH!
Chapter 9
Derek's POV
"Derek? What's going on? Is Karen OK?" Dev asks as soon as I opened the door. He tries to push past me and as I much as I really do not want him in my apartment what we have to say should probably have him sitting down and in a private residence.
"Karen, why are you in his? Oh you're together now? Is that why you wanted me here to rub it in my face?" he carried on now marching towards Karen holding as much contempt for her as he does for me. As he gets closer to her instincts make sure that I am in front her before he can lay a finger on her and I look at him with resentment in my eyes. This must have been something he saw because he quickly backed up not wanting any physical violence. Now turning around I see Karen's eyes express emotions of fear and uneasiness but he was not like Ivy. Dev was must stronger than Ivy and with the anger I have already witnessed coddling her in front of him may not be the safest thing for me to do. So instead I look to him, adjust my posture so I am standing tall over him and say, "Let's get a few things straight. One, you lay a finger on me or Karen and let us just say that you won't be standing for much longer. Two, yes we are in a relationship but that is not why we called you over. Three, sit your backside down because what we are about to tell you is not exactly something you want to hear standing up." I look over to Karen who had now come to put a hand on my shoulder to calm me down and whispered that she will take over.
"Dev," Karen started in a gentle voice but Dev, not sure what to make of it simply sat with confusion written all over his face. "Can you remember if you used protection when you slept with Ivy?" she carried on but instantly Dev's face became one to be feared and I stood closer to Karen and placed my hands on her shoulders in a protective form. He was angered by the accusation and I suppose rightly so because as much as I don't like Dev he must have enough sense to use protection but considering the situation it seemed like an appropriate question.
"Dev, answer the question!" I snap and glared at him.
"Of course I bloody did! Who do you think I am?" he snaps back but after settling back down he stopped and his face became a picture of realisation.
"You didn't did you," I state my arms now crossing my chest; he didn't do anything to say otherwise. He did nothing to deny it, but also did nothing to support the 'accusation.' What gave it away was he did next. To put it simply he put his head in his hands and started mumbling, what exactly neither Karen nor I could make out.
"Dev, Ivy's pregnant," Karen stated placing a comforting hand on his back. He shrugged it off and repeated over and over again that we were lying. I stood in front of him and knelt down so I was eye level and said, "She's 2 months and 1 week along. Think along the timeline." As much as I wanted him out of my apartment he needed to understand that the baby was his. Dev's reaction was one I was expecting so I prepared Karen by telling to stand in the kitchen to which she nodded her head in understanding and walked away. As soon as she left I felt a sharp blow across my face and looked up to see Dev standing over me. Considering I was expecting the reaction I don't think I was expecting such a hard punch, he sure has some arm on him! You could see in his face that the confusion and guilt he was once feeling had completely transformed into raw rage. He went to dive in for another punch but fortunately I saw this coming and reacted quick enough to stop it and get myself up. Karen looked frozen in horror the tears threatening to fall again.
"You're bloody lying!" he screamed while I had managed to pin his hands behind his back. "Both of you are bloody lying!" he screamed again. After 10 minutes of screaming and cursing directed at no one in particular Dev decided to calm down and say, "Derek, let go of me I'm fine, I won't lash out again I swear," he stated in a slightly calmer voice while attempting to wriggle out of my hold. Seeing Karen nod her head at me showing that she trusted Dev enough to know he was telling the 'truth,' (on the other hand I don't trust Dev as far as I can throw him but I trust Karen's judgement), and I reluctantly let go of his hands.
"Thank you," he sighed while rubbing his wrists and fixing his shirt. He looked over to Karen with soft eyes, eyes that showed he still loved her and was sorry but Karen looked back with terror. Terror at the side of Dev she didn't know existed; terror at the mere fact that she loved this man or was deluded to love this man. She looked at me like a scared puppy and flinched back as Dev stepped forward. At this I moved forward and grabbed Dev's shoulders firmly to pull him back, then transferred myself so I was standing in front of Dev and hiding Karen from view.
"You know the baby could be yours," he said matter-of-factly, "and Karen will come running back to me after she realises what a b****** you really are," he carries on looking at me as if to challenge me.
"I would never run back to you if you were the last man on earth," I hear Karen snap behind me but I didn't look back. Dev was staring directly at me and I am staring right back. The fear and confusion he had, had now completely and utterly disappeared, it was replaced by arrogance and what looked to be denial. He said nothing and I said nothing; we were locked into a staring match both of us glowering at each other trying to intimidate the other. "Even if the baby is Derek's then we will get through it as a couple," Karen stated sounding confident but the unsteadiness could still be heard. While saying this she had sneaked to stand next to me, uncrossed my arms and held my hand. Hearing her say what she did and feeling her presence beside me at this moment made my heart skip a beat and the daggers I was giving Dev had turned slightly less intimidating. By now Dev had stopped glaring at me and turned his stare to Karen, but it was one of hurt as he had clearly been distressed by her words. I turned to look at Karen who was now stating back at Dev with confidence in her eyes.
"Dev, the baby is yours," she stated calmly still holding my hand. At this Dev had swung his arm and hit a lamp off the side table which smashed on the floor, as a result Karen took a sharp intake of breath and held me a little tighter. My reaction to the situation was to push Karen behind me and grab Dev again.
I managed to get him to sit on the couch again where he started demanding a paternity test. "I want hard-core proof that the baby is mine!" Without it I am doing nothing, with it…" he couldn't carry on because truthfully I don't think he knows what to do if he is the father.
"Dev I think you need to get out now, we will let Ivy know what you have said and let you know," to this, (unlike Ivy), he nodded his head and walked out the door as calmly as he could shutting the door behind him. He turned around briefly and the confusion and guilt had returned to grace he face before carrying on out the door.
I turned to where Karen was still standing in shock and took her into another embrace. I genuinely don't think I have hugged someone so much in one day! "Have you ever hugged someone as you have hugged me today?" she stuttered trying to get her mind off the events of today. I laugh quietly and mutter "great minds think alike."
We stayed in silence for a bit before I lead her up to the bedroom and lay her down. She was clearly exhausted; emotionally this has been a very hard day. We lay down and she sobs into my chest to which my heart starts to break again, but in an attempt to calm her down I stroke her back and give her some reassuring words. After half an hour she was asleep the tears had dried on her cheek but she looked peaceful. I got up and went downstairs only to be greeted by the mess that Dev had created. I put on a pair of slippers and knelt down next to the broken lamp and start picking up the bits of china.
After sweeping up the last of the mess I take a seat on the couch and placed my head in my hands. What if the baby is mine? What am I going to do? I can't ask her to have an abortion that is completely against my morals and I can't ask her to put the baby up for adoption, what if she wants to keep it? What would Ivy ask for? How will Karen feel? I don't think I am ready for that yet maybe in two three years but not yet, not now this instant. How did we become the mediator for Ivy and Dev? I have only been in a relationship with Karen for about 8 weeks; I don't want that to be it. I love Karen have done for months. So much has happened and I don't think she knows what she has done to me. When she said she loved me I think that was only in the heat of the moment, I don't think she knows whether she loves me or not. I don't want to confront her about it at least not yet. Oh where's Marilyn when you need her?
"Calm down," I hear from the stair and look over to see a rested Karen come down to sit next to me. She manoeuvred herself so I was leaning on the back of the couch with her in my arms. I needed that; I needed to feel her in my arms to know this relationship is real. She looked up at me with loving eyes and said in a whisper, "we can do this; I am not going anywhere even if the baby is yours." To that I kiss her on the forehead and relax back into the couch. I look over to clock on the wall and see the time is nearly midnight, thank goodness tomorrow is Sunday so no work until Monday. I turn to say something to Karen but see that she has now fallen asleep in my arms, I smile at the sight and whisper, "I love you Karen Cartwright." To which I hear "and I you Derek Wills," as a result I smile, lean my head back and close my eyes. Sleep was another thing, despite the calm half an hour that has just occurred my mind kept repeating the day's events and Dev's instance on a paternity test made me have the realisation that the baby could be mine. For all we know Ivy could further along or it could even be a hysterical pregnancy but like I said we don't know. Until we do, jumping to conclusions is probably not the best thing to do.
Tomorrow we will ring Ivy tell her what Dev said and see what happens next. I hope this doesn't take longer than it needs Karen really doesn't need any more drama in her life than that has already gone on. Oh no what about the media? What are they going to do when they hear about this? I need to call Eileen as well, I need to speak to Tom and Sam and I need to have a proper conversation with Karen about this tomorrow. All I can do now is rest; I am no good to anyone if I am any more irritable than usual.
