Thank you for the review, they inspired meto continue to write. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I wanted to do something different with the character. Thank you for reading.
Disclaimer-I do not own Smash or any of the characters affliated with the show.
When they arrived at the restaurant, everything was going smoothly. The conversation was seemless and Karen was very comfortable around Derek. Derek arranged for them to sit in a booth in the back corner of the restaurant. It was nice.
"Are you trying to hide me Mr. Wills?" Karen said as she tilted her head waiting for his response.
"Hide you? Darling if it was up to me..."He hesitated. His thoughts were not exactly friendship territory. "If it was up to me, I would never hide you." he continued.
"Well then Mr. Wills, what happened last night? It seemed like you were in for a pretty passionate surprise with your girlfriend!" Karen asked. You could hear the question in her voice.
before he responded Derek thought about last night, about the way he spat his words at Ivy, they were to harsh for Karen to hear. He had to change her perception of him.
"It was definitely a heated night." He looked at Karen pausing to find the words.
"Oh, I'm sorry I asked" Karen responded beginning to blush as she scanned her menu. She was hoping that he said he told her off and sent her out. But he didn't have to end things with Ivy just because she slept with Dev.
"Darling, are you blushing mad?" Derek replied to her actions. It humored him to think that Karen was jealous. "We did-"
"What'll be folks, you still need a moment? I could just get you refills if you're not ready." The short and stout waitress asked in her very raspy voice.
"I'll have the fish and chips" Derek requested. Karen thought that sounded great.
"I'll have the same." She said in an English accent. "I hope it comparable to back home". she teased looking at Derek.
"You really have to work on that. It sounds like you're a def girl from Ireland." They both laughed and Karen gave him a little kick under the table.
"Are you trying to play a game of footsie with your director, Ms. Cartwright?" Derek said sarcastically.
"No I wouldn't want your girlfriend to have more reason to hate me", Karen said trying to get a status on his relationship with Ivy.
"Darling, Ivy is not now,nor has she ever been my girlfriend." He said with a smirk.
"I guess that would explain why you didn't have a problem sleeping with Rebecca." Karen's words were blunt.
"Yes that would be exactly why." Ivy said. They hadn't even notice she was standing in front of their table.
"Oh bloody hell Ivy, are you stalking me now?" He felt his anger level rising. He didn't want to have this conversation. And he certainly didn't want to have it with Karen here.
"Of course not, I just came to lunch with Tom and Sam." She pointed to them waiting for a table by the door. "When I saw my Director and Ms. Marilyn, so I decided to come say hi."
"Hello Ivy," Karen replied with a smile. A smile was the only movement she could do if fear that she would attack Ivy if she did anything else.
"Karen, be careful this one here will use you up, and then throw you away for another leading lady...By the way how are things with you and Dev?" Ivy turned to walk away as her words made a mess of Karens day.
Karens eyes whaled up. She was furious, but she couldn't do anything about her anger but watch Ivy in disbelief.
Karen stood up immediately. "Ivy" she scolded at her.
Ivy turned around "yes" she replied innocently.
"I have been nothing but nice to I will not take your bullshit anymore." Karen spat the words out as she walked inches away from Ivy's face. "You have never been a star, you are a chorus member who couldn't hack it pass workshop. Despite sleeping with the director of the show. You're a joke! You try to manipulate others to get what you want, but I guess you're just not that good at it, it never works. You are completely void of any human emotions. Maybe you should take up contact sports, you have the body for it you know."Karens word stung with venom. She was proud of her self. As she stood over Ivy, she felt dominate.
Ivy was too shocked that Karen had the never to say anything back that she didn't respond.
"And I suggest you think twice before you question me about Derek, Dev, or anything else in my life, because next time I wont be so polite!" and at that Karen brushed pass Ivy her shoulder nearly knocking her over.
When Karen walked out of the door of the restaurant it was storming outside. The storm was a metaphor for Karens emotions. The silky dark gray clouds that turned the sky to an angry full of rage dark color, were symbolic of her emotions. Thunder was her outbursts. And the rain of course her tears. She didn't hesitate to run out into the rain. It felt good on her skin, and within ten seconds she ws completely soaked.
"Karen, Karen!" Derek chased after her. "Karen stop!" He yelled at her.
She pretended not to hear him and she continued running down the street. The hotel was three blocks away. And she was determined to run there. She could hear Derek getting closer. But she didn't realize he was right behind her. Her grabbed her by the shoulders and swung her under a canopy of the store front they were passing.
"Let me go Derek!" she screamed at him. "Go back and deal with Ivy!" Karen was crying, but hoped the rain hid the tears from her eyes. She was furious and all of her emotions were finally coming to the surface.
"Are you bloody mad? Were outside in the middle of a typhoon, you're gonna get sick." Derek was concerned for her.
"That'll be perfect, Ivy can have her part and you can go back to sleeping with her and everybody will stop hating me." Karen was sobbing against Derek's chest.
"Karen, stop it! You are Marilyn, and you deserve it! Nobody hates you! I know that you are going through a hard change, but you have to use your head. So will you please come back to the hotel with me?
"Fine, Derek, Fine. I will go back to the hotel. But I am packing my stuff and leaving. I am going home!" Karen started to run to the hotel which was one block away. The rain was still pouring down.
She is a bloody lunatic. a beautiful bloody lunatic. He frantically chased after her, and thought how happy he was he brought a waterproof case for his laptop.
Karen ran into the hotel and to the elevator, then she realized that she didn't have her room key. Damn it. She fell to the floor of the elevator and cried her eyes out. The sight broke Derek's heart, and he didn't know why. He'd seen Ivy cry before, and countless other women,and quite frankly it annoyed him. But not Karen Cartwright. This hurt him. Drove him bloody mad.
"You're coming to my room", he demanded when he finally said something to Karen.
The bell rang at the 15th floor and Derek exited the elevator.
"Are you going to come or do I have to carry you?" Derek said really questioning what her actions were going to be. He knew he had to work on softening his tone for her.
She stood up without a word. and followed Derek to his hotel room.
I can't believe I let him see me like is not good. I didn't want to go crazy in front of Derek, especially not in front of Derek. He must think I am a lunatic.
"Darling sit down, I will draw you a bath." Derek motioned for her to sit on the couch.
"I don't want a bath Derek. I want to go home." she was angry. but he hoped her anger would subside with a warm bubble bath.
"Trust me it will help you relax, and then when you are done, I will pack your things myself" Derek replied.. "That is if you still want to go" he called from the bathroom.
Derek leaned over the bathtub and turned on the warm water. The tub was large enough for two or three people. And while the thought of joining his young starlet did cross his mind, he decided not to do what he usually would. Not with a woman of Karen's caliber. He filled the bath with bath salts he purchased from the store last night. For some reason he was contemplating Karen coming up for a romantic evening. He poured in lavender bubble bath and touched the water to check the temperature.
"Karen," He called to her.
"Karen, please come take a bath, I promise you will feel better." he was sympathetic to her emotional state. "Please love" he pleaded with her.
"Okay..." her voice drifted off. She was sitting in an almost catatonic state on his couch, staring out the window. She stood up and walked over to the bathroom.
"I think you'll feel better after you relax. I grab you something to put on when you are done." Derek held her elbow as he spoke. His eyes traced her face, but she wouldn't look at him. He turned and left the bathroom.
Derek went to his room and grabbed some clothes out of his suit case. He pulled out black Adidas sweat pants and of course a black t-shirt. He toweled off his body and put on the sweats. He grabbed a pair of sweats and a t-shirt for Karen,which were also black in true Derek fashion.
"Derek!" he was startled when he heard her call his name. She couldn't have been done yet. He checked himself in the mirror and headed to the bathroom.
"Yes love." he didn't fully enter the bathroom. He didn't want to intrude.
"Would you stay with me?" She was still very sad. .
"Of course." he said as he entered the bathroom and sat on the closed toilet. He notice that she was submersed in the water to her neck and placed a towel across her chest from what he could see under the water. Her long porcelain legs were flawless, she placed them on the rim of the bathtub.
"I'm sorry", she stated as she looked him in the eyes. At that moment she noticed that he had the most beautiful eyes. The green color was amazing, but the most amazing part was how soft his eyes were. They led into his deepest thoughts, the thoughts he tried to hide.
"Karen, I know this can't be easy for you, And Ivy was a complete witch." He empathized with her. He grew more excited with each passing moment.
I can make it easy for you. I can't take away all the pain. I can show you what love really is.
"Derek what did you mean when you said you understood love last night?" The question was direct, and came out of nowhere.
"Um...I- I - I just meant that I do understand love."He was unprepared for the question, he wondered if she read his thoughts. He longed to tell her everything in that moment. How he had started developing feelings for her ever since their collaboration for Touch Me. He didn't want to alarm the poor girl in her fragile state. He continued "You know I have quite a few years on you, which a lot for a large number of life experiences. And a greater understanding of life...and love." he stumbled over his words as he talked.
"Oh" she said quietly. Secretly she wished that he said something else. Something romantic about his feelings, about feelings for her. "You never display any emotions, I forget that you have a life outside the theater." Karen still spoke softly.
"I wish I had a life outside of directing" Derek gave a little chuckle. "I wish I met you outside of the theater. So you could she me in a different light" he thought about it as he spoke. He smiled "Maybe it's best we did meet this way", Derek said after thinking about the way he handled women outside of the theater.
"I asked you about understanding love, because I don't think I do anymore. I don't know what I did wrong Derek. I did everything for Dev,I cooked, cleaned, worked...I made love to him when he wanted...I- I just don't know anymore", tears began to slowly stream down her cheeks. "It's all my fault, I focused so much on Marilyn, on being an ensemble member, I didn't show him any attention." She looked at Derek , and his eyes showed anger burning inside.
"Karen you are perfect the way you are. You don't deserve to be mistreated by a man because you didn't devote every second of your life to his needs. Dev cheated on you, I don't know about his relationship with LJ, KJ, RJ, but with Ivy, he meant to hurt you. if he knew half of the issues you have had with her since you joined this production then he meant to hurt you. And that is a man who doesn't deserve you another day in his life" He spoke slowly. He was pissed at Dev for putting her in that situation. How could he try to destroy such a beautiful and delicate woman.
"But maybe he was right. I'm just in the ensemble." She didn't take her eyes off of the bath while she spoke.
"You're the star...never forget that love." he couldn't believe she was accepting the blame for that asshole.
"I'm the star because Rebecca got sick, what happens if she returns, or Eileen finds another star, or Ivy..." she couldn't help but cry now.
"Oh, Darling, I'll tell you this, if they replace you, I will quit" He smiled at her, and her eyes finally met his.
"You would do that? Why, I'm not-" Karen tried to say, but was cut off instantly.
"I don't know what you've been through with Dev, so I won't tell you howyou should act. But I want you to know that you are an amazing woman. I never want to hear you sell you self short. You're the star, because that's the way it is meant to be. I've always seen it in you. I told you the road to broadway is exceedingly long. But I somehow always knew you'd be playing Marilyn love. Now finish up and you can put on these sweats when you are done.
"Thanks" she replied as he walked out of the door. Derek was completely different from what she thought. She didn't know that he thought so highly of her. It was comforting that some had so much faith in her. The fact that she felt she could depend on Derek for anything made her smile.
She stepped out of the tub and dried herself off. She slipped on his sweats that smelled like tide. they fit her, baggy, but they fit her. She looked at herself in the mirror and managed a smile. She could get used to this Derek. She really liked him. Karen grabbed her wet clothes and shoved them into a laundry bag.
When Karen walked in the living room, Derek was nowhere to be found. She walked into the bedroom and set on his bed. Her stomach began to grumble, she forgot she didn't eat lunch, due to the rude interruption. And just as she stood up to go find Derek and ask if he was hungry he walked in the room.
"Room service love". he looked at her knowing that she must be starving.
how does he do that?
"How did you know". She asked smiling at him, a big genuine smile
"Just a hunch darling". He responded arrogantly.
They ate a lunch of soup and sandwiches. They were good sandwiches, but not fish and chips.
"That was great" Karen said. "Thank you so much."
Derek laid back on the bed and set the tray on the floor. "You're welcome" he motioned for her to lay down next to him.
Karen laid next to Derek and they starred outside at the rain continuing to pour down. She was glad there was no performance until tomorrow night. Derek wrapped his arm around her waist unsure how she would react. Karen tensed up, but then allowed herself to relax she felt so comfortable with Derek. He kissed her on the shoulder.
"You're beautiful Karen." was the last thing he whispered in her ear before they both dosed off.