Hi everybody! Sorry for the slow update, juggling two fics at once is a handful. Thanks for your patience. Enjoy
Today is the morning of the first workshop for Tom and Julia's musical, and Derek is painfully sober. He's accepted that it will take time before people will want him to direct again, but it still stings.
He'd been there for the meeting on Sunday, though it had taken all his strength not to be as sarcastic and bitter as he felt. It was only later, when he'd snapped at Ivy, that he realized he needed to change his attitude.
Being the understanding angel she was, she had tried to hide her disappointment, but Derek had still seen it. It had hurt. He really had been trying to be better, but screwing up seems to one of his best talents.
He had apologized and she had graciously accepted, but he still left the apartment early, feeling guilty. He had come back with mint tea, two sugars, and her brilliant smile had brightened his cloudy mind. He silently vowed to her, he was going to try harder, she deserved it.
He's early to the studio, a pre-meeting with Tom and Julia. Tom keeps making changes to everything Derek suggests, then changing it back, and it's driving Derek crazy. He sucks in a deep breath and keeps his calm. For Ivy.
Karen is excited as she waits in the elevator, the floors ticking by in red numbers. She's grateful to be starting something new, she needs the distraction. Jimmy has been writing letters to her, sweet and encouraging letters, but she needs more than that. She needs him by her side. With her.
The doors open, her lonely thoughts dissipate as she walks out. She's not looking where she's going, searching for her elusive dance shoes in the wide expanse of her purse, when she bumps into Ivy.
"Oh, sorry." She says, feeling awkward. Ivy looks about the same as she feels.
"No problem." Ivy says, moving around her.
The Sunday meeting about this musical had gone relatively smoothly, but there was an underlying tension between her and Ivy, Karen could tell. They both had been trying too hard not to step on one another's toes, and it was slightly uncomfortable.
Karen hopes that goes away.
"Are you excited?" She asks, walking faster to catch up with Ivy.
"Definitely. You?"
"Super excited." She says. Their shoes click on the hallway floor, Karen doesn't know where to direct her gaze, she desperately wants to see if Ivy's struggling for words too, she settles for staring at her shoes.
"I must admit, I'm not sure I'm looking forward to being bossed around by Derek again." Ivy says, laughing a bit. Karen frowns.
"He's tough, but Derek only pushes us because he wants us to be our absolute best."
"I know that, I was only joking." Ivy says quickly. Karen smiles half heartedly. It quiets again. Karen nearly sighs in relief when they reach the right room. Ivy opens the door.
"And here are our stars!"
The crew applauds as Karen and Ivy enter the room. Derek smiles at their reactions, Karen gaping, Ivy beaming her megawatt smile. Karen squeals as she hugs Jessica and Bobby, excited to see her old Bombshell friends. Ivy saunters to Derek's side, he raises her hands to his lips, kissing both of them once.
"Better be careful, people might think I'm sleeping with the boss." She teases, smirking flirtatiously.
"Considering I've knocked you up, I'd say the rumors are more than true." She smacks him in the shoulder.
"Could you be any blunter?" She mutters. He smiles, his hands on her hips, pulling her closer.
"Also, I'm not the boss. I'm merely the lowly choreographer." Ivy's hands make their way to his shoulders, she straightens the collar of his shirt.
"You still have to boss around the dancers." She reminds him.
"And you." He says.
"Absolutely not."
"I don't think you have a say in that, love. But you're still the boss otherwise." She smiles as he winks at her.
"I can deal with that." She leans in to kiss him, but Tom and Julia both clear their throats loudly. The couple becomes aware of the other people in the room. And the staring. Ivy's cheeks pinken, Derek just scowls. Karen is unnaturally still as Ivy moves to stand by her. She squirms under Ivy's gaze.
"You two look happy." Karen says.
"We are." Ivy pauses, biting her lip.
"How's Jimmy?"
"He's ok. I'm visiting him tomorrow."
"Tell him I said hi."
Tom holds up his arms, all eyes focus on him.
"Hi everybody, welcome to the first workshop!" His hands lower as they applaud, his head bows slightly. Eyes gleaming, he claps his hands together once.
"Thank you. Now, let's get to work."
Leigh is in full costume and makeup, sitting in Ivy's dressing room, when Ivy finally rushes in, so hurried she doesn't even notice her mom sitting in her chair.
"You're late." Ivy jumps, startled.
"Mom! What are you doing in here?"
Leigh helps zip up Ivy's first costume and then hands her a brown wig.
"Helping, that's what. Why are you so late? It's not very professional, or courteous to the cast and crew."
"I know, but today was the first workshop for the new musical and they ran late."
"How did that go?" Leigh asks, fixing Ivy's wig as Ivy slips on her shoes.
"It was-" she's interrupted when someone knocks on the door.
"Ivy, we needed you on stage like yesterday." Says a stressed voice.
"Sorry, I'll be out in a second." She checks her reflection once.
"Can we talk tonight, after the show?" She asks, Leigh nods.
"Sure."
Curtains down, lights off. Stage makeup washed off, costumes hanging in their places, it's time to leave. Ivy grabs her purse and her mom, and they walk out of the theater arm in arm. Cameras flash, people applaud, and chatter turns to,
"Miss Leigh, may I take a photo with you?"
"Ivy Lynn, may I have your autograph?"
"Could we bother a photo with both of you?"
"You both did an amazing job tonight!"
"I'm such a huge fan!"
"Will you marry me?"
After a while of signatures, smiles, and gently turning down proposals, Ivy and Leigh finally escape to a quiet little coffee shop. Both get tea and sit down at a table in the back.
"So, how was the workshop?" Leigh asks, stirring her drink.
"It was really good. We rehearsed a couple songs, and a few scenes between me and Karen. We haven't found the actor to play my love interest yet."
"And how has Derek been?" Leigh asks, Ivy sips her tea before answering.
"He's actually been pretty great about this. I know it was hard for him to be just the choreographer, but he was very respectful to Tom, and was even patient when we'd make mistakes." Ivy almost says something else before she shuts her mouth, pressing her lips together tightly, as though to keep the words in. It slips out anyway.
"Karen kept struggling with the choreography though, she seemed rather distracted."
"Don't be so smug, Ivy. It's unbecoming." Leigh finishes her drink, ignoring Ivy's wince at her disapproval.
"I should probably go, I have workshops all week on top of the show, so I need to get some sleep."
"Keep your energy up, you'll definitely need it. You're only going to get busier."
"Ok. Night, mom."
"Goodnight. Get some rest. See you tomorrow."
Going to prison is not one of Karen's favorite activities. Sure, she's just visiting Jimmy, but with the guards and security cameras all seeming to stare her down, she feels like a criminal. It's disconcerting. She guesses that's the point.
She's led into a room with phones and thick glass windows. Jimmy's waiting for her behind one of the enclosed areas, his smile almost as wide as the window. She picks up the phone on her side, he mirrors her.
"Hi." She says, suddenly shy.
"Hey. How are you?" He asks her.
"I'm ok. I miss you."
"I miss you too." His smile is soft, she wants to kiss him.
"How are you?" She asks, he shrugs.
"Surviving. Jail is like a tougher rehab." Karen laughs, then claps a hand over her mouth.
"Sorry. I shouldn't have laughed."
"No, I meant for you to laugh. You keep looking at me like I'm a wounded puppy, and I'm not."
"Sorry." She says again.
"It's ok." Karen doesn't really know what to say, so she just smiles.
"So tell me how you're new musical is going. What's the name?"
"It's good! Tom and Julia aren't sure of the name yet." Karen says quickly, relieved to be talking about lighter subjects.
"Do they have any names so far?"
"I think right now they've got The Stars That Shine, or The Stars That Fade, since it's about the hardships of fame and wanting fame."
"What about The Now And When, since your character is famous and Ivy's character is waiting for fame? Or All That Glitters, since your character discovers fame isn't what she thought it was."
"Those are good, I'll tell Tom and Julia." Karen says. "Oh! Ivy says hi."
"Why? We don't really know each other."
"I don't know." Karen says, shrugging. "She and Derek seem really happy." Jimmy quirks an eyebrow skeptically.
"Really, doesn't she know Derek kept trying to get with you all throughout Hit List?" Karen shrugs again.
"I didn't say anything."
"Are you two getting along?"
"Sort of. It's really awkward. It's hard to look at her without thinking of what might have happened if I'd stayed as Marilyn. Maybe I'd have won the Tony."
"Maybe's don't make reality." Jimmy says. "Besides, I'm glad you came to Hit List. You were amazing, and you deserved that Tony."
"If I had deserved it, I would have won it." She says dryly.
She checks her phone, gasping when she sees the time.
"Crap. I'm sorry, I have to go. I'm going to be late for a workshop. I'll visit soon."
"You better. And I'll come back soon too."
"You better." She repeats his words, winking at him as she stands up to leave.
She stares at the prison as her taxi drives back to the city. She sighs. She warms up her vocals on the way to the studio, hoping she's not too late. When she gets there, she races through the halls, not even noticing how empty they are. As she bursts through the door, a practiced apology already on her lips, she finally realizes she's the only one here.
Well, almost.
Standing in the middle of the room, is Derek.
Just Derek.
He motions for her to close the door.
She does.
Thanks so much for reading! I have a big favor to ask of you, out of the four names, which do you like the best? Please comment to let me know. If you have a different, original name you like better, don't hesitate to let me know! Thank you, stay chill. :)