Sorry for the delay folks, writers block. This is a fluff chapter. Co written with Halloween9movie. The better writer Happy 2014 and all thoughts welcome!.

Weeks past, rehearsals came and went. Derek was happy. He, Tom and Julia had set up days and times to meet with Ben.

Derek was amazed at how easily it was just to play with Ben and to see the little man find out about the world. It was so refreshing. Being with Ben lifted his spirits, and everyone noticed the big change in him. Including Eileen and Karen.

Karen was singing Don't Forget Me; she could feel his eyes watching her. It only made her put more emotion into it, he was her Raul (when happy and Phantom when moody). She smiled inwardly at 'When sing Happy Birthday to someone you love' as she remembered her private audition. She had seen his mood lift recently.

And when the choreography needed fixed, he was back to holding her a little too close and rubbing circles onto her hand. Her heart fluttered when his green eyes alighted on her. Here she was on the last note, singing, just for him.

The curtain came down after everyone had taken their bows. Derek was sitting in Karen's dressing room, he felt nervous.

He was ninety nine percent that these feelings he was letting resurface were all one sided. Yet according to Tom and Julia, he was one-hundred percent wrong.

Karen had always had feelings for him. Going as far back as when she had sang as his modern Marilyn, she had noticed the way he looked at her in the white sheet/dress. And when Derek asked them how they knew, they both agreed it was like intruding on a moment between two people who were falling for each other.

He was called out of his thoughts when he saw Karen walk in. "Karen! You were amazing, the audience loved it! And the last note, wow, so much feeling in it" finished Derek with a smile.

Karen blushed "Thanks, there was someone special I was thinking of when I sang it."

Derek's heart went. Karen went bright red. "Really? Whom? Pray tell." He was dying to see if Tom and Julia were right.

"I think you know. The only man who has been at my side these months. Who showed me behind his mask. And is standing here, looking as if he's just won a Tony."

Derek was floored. He felt the grin get wider as he looked into her eyes.

"Karen. Do you remember when I told you about I knew about love? Just before you went on stage? It was only in that moment, that I realized it was you who had opened my heart. And my feelings never faded. I even tried to tell you at Hit List, but then life burst the bubble and we were sent on different paths only to be brought here, right now."

Karen wanted to cry, but panda eyes wouldn't be a good look. Not yet.

"Derek the kiss in my apartment wasn't a drunken kiss, it was, - and 'Can I be brave enough to go through with dating this amazing, mixed up man?' As we know I chose wrong, with Jimmy and Dev. This is it for me Derek; if we can't work then I don't know what will happen."

Derek got up and in a few strides he was in front of her with his arms around her waist. "Karen breathe, you'll go blue. As for us - this, we will take it at any speed you want. We can even have date nights. After Ivy, and Ben, I am certainly not planning on going down that road again. I want to do this for keeps - till death do us part."

Karen's head was swimming. She was glad Derek was holding her as she could feel herself shake.

Really? Wow. You always surprise me Mr Wills. Mrs Karen Wills, I like
the ring of that." "And I love you in that gold dress. Mmm." Derek
loved making her blush. "Derek Wills! I will not wear this as a
wedding gown - we have to survive dating each other first!" He was
just about to lean in for a kiss when "Ahem." Derek slowly turned to
see Tilda Winters standing behind him. She was dressed in her usual
style of business wear albeit with a little light up Christmas brooch
hanging from her lapel.

"Can't leave you two alone for five minutes, can I?" Tilda teased

"It's not…" Derek stammered

"Don't particularly care what the director gets up to in his free
time" She smiled "Just telling you that your phone has been ringing
off the hook for the past three hours"

Derek held his hand out expecting his phone but all he got was a
confused look from Tilda.

"Where is it?" he asked seriously

"Where you left it" Tilda retorted with a smirk directed toward Karen
before swaggering off back to her duties.

"I swear that woman is getting more and more contemptuous" Derek complained

"Because she didn't bring your phone to you?" Karen laughed

"Yes, I am a very important man you know" Derek said as he once more
leaned in for a kiss

"Ah no" Karen stopped him with her palm to his face "You have to go
answer your phone, I have to go change out of this" she pulled at the
material of her gold dress "Meet up in the lobby in half an hour?"

"It's a date" Derek teased

Karen smiled and walked off "It's the start of one!" she shouted back

Derek grinned to himself as he watched her walk off, then a feeling of
utter dread washed over him. A date with Karen Cartwright. He wasn't
ready for this, was he? Derek self consciously fixed his hair and then
wandered off in search of his phone.

After wandering around for a good fifteen minutes trying to jog his
memory of he left his phone, Derek discovered it lying on his
favourite sofa in the green room. He must've put it down when he was
lecturing Bobby about his accent earlier.

Eighteen missed calls from an unknown number. Probably just a reporter
snooping around. Derek thought no more of it and pocketed the phone,
however as he left the green room and entered the hallway outside, his
phone started to ring. He took it from his pocket and answered it.

"Derek Wills" He answered politely, nothing or no one was going to
spoil his night

"Derek, so good that you finally picked up your phone" replied a voice
from the past, Derek could scarcely believe it

"Jerry Rand, long time no speak" Derek growled

"Eh business doesn't allow for social calls"

"I think you mean I was unmarketable"

"Whatever the case, I have a bit of business I'd like to talk to you about"

"Yeah" Derek gave his best enthusiastic tone "Well you can go hang for
all I care"

"Les Miserables!" Jerry blurted out

"What?"

"I'm assuming you know about the Broadway revival"

"Yes but that already has a director, Laurence what's his face"

"Very true but the new UK sequel tour is lacking one"

"Sequel!" Derek shouted down the phone "Who would be insane enough to
make a sequel to Les Miz"

"A woman with impeccable vision" Jerry beamed "Verity-Dahl Crawford"

"Who?"

"I'm surprised you haven't heard of her, she's been writing some of
the edgiest, complex dramas on the other side of the pond"

"Yeah well I haven't been on the other side of the pond in quite a bit"

"Then take this chance" Jerry countered "I'm producing this particular
piece of art and when Verity asked me who would be directing and
starring in this production, I might have casually name dropped you
and your lady friend"

"Karen!?" Derek exclaimed

"Yeah her" Jerry said rather broadly "You have a budget of just over
1.5 million dollars to work with, a chance to rebuild your name and
your gal Friday by your side, what do you say?"

Derek looked as though he was considering the offer before deciding

"I say take your edgy writer, her dumb idea and your ridiculous budget
and shove it where the sun don't shine"

Just before Derek ended the call he heard "You haven't heard the last
of me!" being spat down the phone at him.

Derek definitely would love to do a show with Karen in the UK at some
point just as long as it wasn't produced by Jerry Rand, wasn't based
on a terrible idea and wasn't clearly a ruse to get him away from
Bombshell.

Every fantastic show they would put on every night in Bombshell would
rebuild his name more and more and though he knew he couldn't do it
forever, he was having far too much fun to stop now.

And Derek grinned from ear to ear thinking of his date with Karen. Jerry was right she was his Girl Friday. Being stuck on the island of Bombshell was his idea of perfection.

He reached the lobby early.

Oh Miss Cartwright!