Chapter One: Ever Ever After

Derek Hough shot up in bed as his alarm went off interrupting the amazing dream that he was having. Running his hands through his messed up blonde hair, Derek looked down at his lap confused. His dream had felt so alive, so real. It also made a lot of questions come to mind.

The Emmy's?

Sure, he had two nominations again this year, but he was nominated with Cheslie Hightower, not Alison Holker. And who the hell was Kay? Even more importantly, who was Riker and why did he want to make sure he was being good for his uncle?

The dream was just so weird. He could place all of the faces that he had seen in his dream except for two. The two faces that for the life of him he just couldn't see; the blonde that was obviously 'hosting' the show with the brunette that made him so comfortable and so completely at ease up there onstage. With just a touch of her hand moments before he won the Emmy, she made all of the butterflies disappear. Derek sank back against his pillows as he tried to make sense of everything.

Derek lay in bed for another fifteen minutes before he shook his head in defeat and threw off the blankets. It was time to start his day.

Another year, another season and yet another high profile partner. According to Conrad Greene, he needed to get to LAX where he would need to board a flight to Toronto, Canada where his celebrity partner would be waiting for him. He hadn't been given a lot of information on his partner this year, except for the fact that he needed to be in Toronto since she could leave until all the promotion for her upcoming tour was finished and she had been a car accident the previous year that might limit some of her movement.

With the exception of some of the things that he would need this morning, his suitcase was packed and sitting by the front door ready to go with everything he would need for the next three weeks. But, even though he was packed and ready for almost he anything, he had no idea what to be prepared for. He was almost sure that he was going to have to make appearances with this celebrity partner and he was pretty sure that they were going to be practicing, but other than those two situations he had no idea what was going to be waiting for him in Toronto.

He had no idea what this partner was going to be like or if they were even able to dance. Derek sighed. It may be just another year, another season and yet another high profile partner, but he had a good feeling about it that he just couldn't shake.

Locking the door to his home, Derek smiled.

"Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line and platinum recording artist Kayleigh Ryan finalized their pending divorce today after three years of marriage and a six month separation," reported the radio host to the city of Toronto as the woman in question sat in the early morning rush hour traffic on her way to the studio, "The pair had a whirlwind romance five years ago that Hollywood and the rest of North America fell in love with and by all accounts this divorce is completely and utterly mutual. But, what I want to know Jared is what went wrong?"

"I don't know, Lexi, like you said-"

"Nothing went wrong," the artist explained to no one in particular as she muted her car radio for the third time that morning, "We just couldn't live the way we were anymore." A single tear ran down her cheek as she spoke. She really did love Brian, but they barely ever saw each other on a good day. On a bad day, they didn't even speak to one another when they had a moment to themselves. It wasn't fair to each other to hold on to the romance that no longer existed, not with their busy lives.

Kayleigh wiped the tear away from her chin as the traffic let up. It was a new day and she was going to move on with her life. She had signed up to do Dancing with the Stars and her pain in the ass family doctor just cleared her to not only compete on the reality show, but to put on the greatest tour that her and her team of choreographers could put together.

She could hear her phone vibrating in the seat beside her, but Kayleigh just rolled her eyes as she came to another red light. She knew who was calling and she knew exactly why. It was quite obvious that her manager was trying to get a hold of her. He had been trying to do so since she had gone with her little brother, Lucas to her lawyer's office to put the final nail in her already dead marriage early yesterday morning. She, however, was trying desperately to ignore him.

She didn't need to hear him go on and on about how her marriage was good for the tabloids, that her fans not only envied her, but loved her for the marriage she had. He didn't seem to care that she felt like she was drowning in the lies that he had been spinning. He only cared about the money she brought in, but had no appreciation for the hard work that was put into bringing the money in.

Kayleigh felt like he was trying to work her to death some days. He barely cared about the fact that she had been in a horrific accident the previous year. She cringed as she thought about the accident. Both she and Brian had been in the car, driving home from visiting his band mate, Tyler Hubbard when a semi had run a red light and t-boned them before pushing them into the ditch. Brian had walked away with a concussion and a herniated disk in his back, but according to the doctors had the semi hit the passenger side door head on, she wouldn't have walked away with just a slightly herniated disk in her neck. She wouldn't have walked away at all

The accident had also been the beginning of the end for her and Brian. Being forced to take it slow and actually sit down at home, her and Brian realised that while they still loved one another, the magic that had once been there, no longer existed. Neither one of them wanted to give up though. They lived like that for two months before legally separating.

The separation had been a hope for both of them that during their time away from one another, the magic would return and there would be no reason for them to take any further steps. The hope had been false and after four months with basically little to no contact, the pair decided that it was better for them to be friends, friends that used to be married, but friends nonetheless.

'He's a good time cowboy Casanova
Leaning up against the record machine…'

Kayleigh jumped slightly when the familiar ringtone erupted from the phone sitting beside her. Kayleigh chuckled, a smile spreading across her face, as she blindly fished the Bluetooth headset out of her purse and answered the phone.

"Hi Carrie."

"Why didn't you tell me that you and Brian signed the divorce papers yesterday," questioned the familiar southern drawl of the former American Idol winner. Kayleigh chuckled.

"Yes, I'm fine. How are you?"

"Oh, you want a normal conversation," Carrie Underwood teased, through the phone, "Hi Kay, how the heck are ya? What's this I hear about you and your husband-"

"Ex-husband," the singer corrected.

"Potato, potato," Carrie joked, "Well, since you asked, I'm a little annoyed. You see, my close friend, who I introduced to Brian Kelley about five years ago recently divorced him and I had to hear the news through Country Radio. What kind of friend does that?"

"The kind of friend that told you two months ago that she and Brian were actually going to be getting divorced," Kayleigh answered, as she pulled into the parking lot of the studio that had become a home away from home for her since she was seventeen. As she parked her car, Kayleigh could hear Carrie grumble into the phone.

"I didn't realise that you were going to be signing the papers that quickly," Carrie explained, "It seems just like yesterday that you were looking for an opening act for your world tour."

"Yeah, well, the sore kink in my neck and the lack of bags under my eyes would beg to differ," Kayleigh answered, as she leaned back in her seat, "How's Mike?"

"Don't you be changing the subject," Carrie snapped, but Kayleigh couldn't help the snicker that slipped out. Even when she was trying to be angry with her, Carrie still sounded more like a young toddler holding a tantrum.

"I want to know why you didn't tell me," Carrie said, "Mike's doin' fine by the way."

"Good, good," Kayleigh answered, "And I'm still trying to work my mind around it, Carrie. I had two months to wrap my mind around the fact that I was getting divorced and I still can't believe it. Anyways, the only people that really knew that Bri and I were signing the papers were the two of us, our parents, Luke and our lawyers."

"I don't think anyone in North America believes it, Kay," Carrie commented, "You and Bri were perfect for each other."

"Perfect in theory," Kayleigh told her friend, "Bri and I, we are much too similar and with Florida Georgia Line finally taking off and me working on this upcoming album and tour, our relationship just fell to the side. Neither one of us deserve that."

"Do you think you'll get back together?"

"It's over, Carrie."

"Nothing's over until the fat lady sings."

"Well," Kayleigh sighed, "The fat lady has sung, done her dance and has gone home. Now, I have a recording session that I need to get to, so I'll call you later."

"You better," Carrie chuckled and with that they both hung up their phones. Kayleigh pulled her cell phone into her lap and looked through her contacts until her thumb landed on the name that she had been looking for. Brian Kelley. Her thumb hovered over the number for a little bit, before she shook her head, locked her phone and tossed it back into her purse.

"It's for the best, Kayleigh Rebecca Ryan," she told herself, before throwing her purse over her shoulder and exiting the car. Things could only get better from here.

Derek found himself sitting in the passenger's pick-up location at Toronto Pearson Airport a few hours later. His celebrity partner had been kind enough to send him her private jet, which had given him the time to start planning the choreography for the very first dance. Admittedly, there wasn't much that he could do though due to the lack of information on who this celebrity partner was.

The staff on the jet had been kind though. The personal flight attendant made sure that he was fed when he had gotten hungry and there was never a lack of water when he was thirsty. He just wished that he had been given a tiny bit of information on who their boss was. It would have made his struggle with the choreography a tiny bit easier.

As he was sitting there waiting for whoever was supposed to pick him up (the pilot had informed him that this generous celebrity partner, whoever she was, made sure that he was going to be quite taken care of during his stay in her hometown), his phone began to vibrate loudly in his pocket. Looking at the caller ID, Derek smiled when he saw the name of his best friend and partner in crime, Mark Ballas.

"What's up, my man," Derek greeted.

"I'm wondering where you are," Mark answered, "It's the first day of Dancing with the Stars rehearsals; we usually go to lunch."

"I'm in Toronto," Derek explained, "Partner couldn't get away from her crazy schedule until the announcement for her upcoming summer tour."

"Oh, wow," Mark answered, "They tell you anything else about her?"

"Nothing really," Derek explained, "I was told that she had been a car accident, but she was cleared to compete. I was also told that I would have to fly to Toronto, until she was able to travel to LA. She even set me her private jet." Mark whistled.

"Private jet, huh," Mark repeated, "Well, whoever she is, she's got to be a pretty big deal. Oh, by the way that singer you've been going on about since you heard her first album, Kayleigh?"

"Yeah?"

"Her and her husband just got divorced?"

"Seriously?"

"Yep, apparently the divorce is completely mutual too," Mark gossiped, "There are no bad feelings between her and uh-"

"Brian," Derek supplied.

"Yeah, no ill feelings between her and Brian," Mark finished.

"And just how do you know this," Derek asked, his voice sounding slightly suspicious of the information that Mark was giving him.

"My partner told me," Mark explained, "Her and Kayleigh are quite close actually and they both decided to do Dancing with the Stars this year." Derek's heart stopped for a moment. Kayleigh was doing Dancing with the Stars this year? And he was being flown to Toronto, her hometown?

"Mark, I think I'm her partner," Derek said, just as he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. Mark started laughing as Derek turned to see a well-dressed older gentleman standing behind him.

"Uh, yes?"

"Derek Hough," the older gentleman asked, causing Derek to nod, "Oh good, I've been sent by my employer-"

"Kayleigh Ryan," Derek asked, causing the older gentleman to give him a smile and nod.

"Yes, she sent me to pick you up," the older gentleman explained, "Ms. Ryan sends her apologies, she wanted to pick you up herself and show you around the city before you begin rehearsals tomorrow, but her manager, Allan, called her into the studio this morning and she hasn't been able to get away."

"Oh, " Derek answered, sounding slightly deflated, "Well, I guess you could drop me off at the closest hotel and then we could meet-"

"Oh no, sir, Ms. Ryan has given me clear and precise instructions to drive you to the studio," the older gentleman explained, as he began to gather Derek's many bags onto the trolley that he had brought with him, "Allan won't be able to keep her in the studio much longer, and then she will show you the city just like she had planned to do."

"No, it's alright, I'm sure we can-"

"Mr. Hough," the older gentleman said, his voice much more stern that had been before, "Ms. Ryan will be expecting us at the studio, so I think it is best we get on our way." Derek nodded, realising that there was no use arguing with the man. He obviously took his job very seriously and was not about to have someone tell him to disobey a direct request from his employer. Following behind the older gentleman, Derek shivered in the brisk cold air of Toronto. Despite the cold though, his good feeling from this morning never disappeared.

The older gentleman lead Derek through the winding halls of the old recording studio in the greater Toronto area towards a room that he seemed very familiar with. Derek's many bags were still in the town car that he had picked him up in and were going to be driven to Kayleigh's condo, where Derek would be occupying the guest room.

He was unsure if this overstepping a boundary with his celebrity partner, but according to the producer Derek called upon finding out where he would be staying, Kayleigh had insisted that they not book him a hotel room and that he was welcome to stay in her guest room for as long as they were in Toronto.

It was then that her familiar voice filled Derek's ears.

It may only be a wish away

Start a new fashion,
Wear your heart on your sleeve
Sometimes you reach what's real by making believe
Unafraid, unashamed
There is joy to be claimed in this world
You even might wind up being glad to be you

Ever ever after…

The older gentleman opened the door that lead to the listening area just as Kayleigh reached the chorus to a song that Derek was unfamiliar with. And if Derek wanted to be honest with himself, there weren't many of Kayleigh's songs that Derek was unfamiliar with. Mock him if you wish, but Derek was quite proud of the fact that he had practically memorized her entire catalogue by both album and song.

No wonder you heart feels it's flying
Your head feels it's spinning
Each happy ending's a brand new beginning
Let yourself be enchanted
You just might break through

To ever ever after
Forever could even start today
Ever ever after
Maybe, it's just one wish away
Your ever ever after

There was a group of people gathered in the booth, listening to Kayleigh as she held a long note. In the corner of the room, Derek saw a short balding man, that looked extremely uninterested with the sound that was filling the room and making most of the occupants smile. This man he recognized as the small man that could be seen in practically every photo of Kayleigh. This was her manager.

"You must be her professional partner," commented a blonde that came to stand beside him, "I'm the best friend and confidant, Jenn, you'll be seeing a lot of me while you're in Toronto." Derek took the hand that was being offered to him.

"Derek H-"

"Oh, we know who you are," a brunette interrupted, "Alexandra, the other best friend and personal assistant and might I just say that Kayleigh is going to flip when she finds out that she is dancing with you." As Alexandra finished speaking the crowd gathered into applause as Kayleigh entered the room, a small shy smile on her face.

"Kay, you'll never guess, who you're-"

"Derek Hough," he interrupted, before the tall blonde could continue speaking. Kayleigh looked up at him wide eyed, a slight blush spreading across her face.

"Kayleigh Ryan," she greeted, "And boy am I glad that you're my professional partner."