Hi everybody! I'm so so sorry it's taken me so long to update! It's not from a disappearing muse, I promise you that, it's just college. So without further ado, here is my next chapter.

Enjoy.

"We should have just done Gatsby." Julia mutters. Tom's apartment looks like a hurricane of papers and sheet music, and the eternally abused cork board on the wall is a mess of sticky notes and tacks.

"Like that plot line would be easier." Tom says from the couch, his eyes closed with a wet cloth on them to block out the daylight.

"We should change Karen's character name. Julia and Leah doesn't sound right together. And the name! Eileen wants a name for the musical and I've got nothing." Julia's hands hit a hanging picture as she throws them up in frustration.

"Just have the musical's name be Julia and Leah. That would work."

"I just said I don't like that name." She groans.

"Then find a new one."

"Like it's that easy."

"Kate. Kate and Leah. I like the sound of that."

Julia stops, mouthing the words as she mulls it over.

"Kate? Where'd you get Kate?"

Tom shrugs.

"I just like it."

"Well I'll think it over. It's better than what I've got."

Tom's phone buzzes. He stands, tossing the cloth to the ground as he checks it.

"Ugh."

"What is it?" Julia asks, moving a pink note, stabbing it with a blue tack.

"Another I'm sorry text from Ivy. She's sent me three of them in the past two days."

"Are you going to forgive her anytime soon?"

"No."

Julia sighs, straightening the lines on board.

"Come on, she didn't withhold secrets from you on purpose, she didn't tell anyone."

"She told Sam."

"That wasn't her fault."

Tom flops back onto the couch face first, moving his head from the throw pillows only after suffocating for a good couple of minutes.

"I think this is for the best."

"You being upset with her for eternity?"

"We can't be friends when I'm in charge. It just doesn't work. Every time I think otherwise, things like this just prove that point."

"Well being mad at her isn't helping either."

He shoves his head back into pillow.

"Can't I just stay righteously indignant?"

"No."

Julia doesn't need to hide her grin at his muffled groan.

"No, that was wrong. Do it again." Derek sighs. Karen huffs.

"Well just how high do you need me to kick? Inches, feet, just give me a number, I'm tired of kicking."

"You're supposed to be aligned with Ivy. You are dancing right next to her."

"I'm dancing next to other people too, and her legs are super short."

"Then compensate."

"Why don't you tell her to kick differently too?"

"I'm right here you know, and I can definitely hear you." Ivy says, her arms crossing, an impeccable eyebrow raised.

"I can kick higher if I have to."

"You're fine." Derek says firmly, giving a cursory glance at the rest of the dancers. "We just need to fix a couple things."

"Derek, can I speak to you for a minute?" Karen asks through gritted teeth.

He follows her to the piano, Ivy walks over to the director's table.

"Why are you being so hard on me?" Karen asks as soon as the ensemble can't completely hear the two.

"I'm not."

"You are, you're being really mean to everyone except Ivy. Is this because she's pregnant?"

"No, it's because you can't get the number right."

"It's not my fault."

He sighs as he walks back to the middle of the room.

"All right everyone, take it from the top, but this time, lower kick line. Exactly three inches lower."

Karen sticks her tongue out at his jibe. Ivy walks back to her mark, Derek's frown softens slightly as she passes by.

Karen notices.

Her frown deepens.

"Are you still mad at me?" Ivy asks, arms still crossed as she stands in front of Tom. He shrugs.

"Have any new secrets?" She rolls her eyes, her arms fall in exasperation.

"No. And I've said I was sorry a million times. Can't we move past this? I've already designated you as the godfather."

"Me?"

"Of course. Who else would it be?" Ivy's smile is sincere and warm, it melts his resolve.

"So, are we ok?"

"Yeah, I guess so." He says, giving her a grin and a hug.

"Congratulations, Ivy. I really am happy for you." His smile turns playful.

"Can I name the kid?"

"I'll think about it." She teases with a wink.

"We still need to talk about how this affects the show." Tom says. "And Eileen needs to be involved too."

Ivy sighs, worry wrinkling her brow.

"I know... Tom, do you think I can do it? Be a star and a mom?"

"I guess we'll see." He says after a pause.

"No really, I want your personal opinion. Do you think I can do it?"

Tom's smiles, winking at her as he bumps his shoulder to hers.

"Ivy, there's nothing you can't do."

"Thanks Tom."

"Of course. Now, get back to work."

"You got it, Mr. Director man."

"So Lyle," Karen says, sitting next to him after Tom calls for five. She's done for the day, but she waited for a little while to talk to him. "What did you think of Hit List?"

"Well the music was great, and you were amazing of course-"

"I feel like there's a 'but' coming in there soon." Karen says with a playful smile, but a hint of worry wiggles its way into her tone. Lyle shrugs with an easy and reassuring smile.

"No buts, it was a great musical. I really enjoyed it."

"Thanks."

There's a lull, Karen looks at her shoes.

"What do you think of this show?" She asks, staring at Ivy as the blonde learns the steps to the next dance number.

"It's still a work in a progress, why do you ask?"

"I was just curious."

"I think it should be good."

Karen gives a slight eye roll, bumping a teasing shoulder into his.

"I think you are too opinionated. Please, tell me some more adjectives."

He laughs, shrugging again.

"I don't know what to tell you Karen. It's just too soon to tell."

"Hey Lyle, it's you and Ivy's number." Tom calls, beckoning him with a flick of the wrist.

"Well, that's me." Lyle says, tapping his seat before standing.

"See you out there." He says, Karen nods.

"Yeah, see you."

"Leah, you can do it." Lyle says as his character, kissing the inside of Ivy's wrist.

She jerks it free, slightly turning away, hair shielding her features from view.

"It's too much, Nick. Everything's spiraling out of control, I can't handle this. All of this work, and for what?"

"It just takes time." Brown eyes plead with blue.

"Just how much time? A year? Ten? How long should I continue to delude myself that I can make it?"

"You can make it. Leah, you're almost there."

"Almost isn't enough."

"You are enough, you're a star."

"I'm not."

"You will be."

Reverent hands cup flushed cheeks, thumbs ghosting over dewy lashes. Lyle's eyes are dark with emotion, Ivy shakes her head in watery denial.

"How can you believe that?"

"Because I can believe in you."

He leans forward, his lips hovering just centimeters over Ivy's.

Their breath mixes together, hot and heavy, eyes are locked in entranced want, Lyle smiles, soft and slow.

He leans even closer, and-

"And scene. All right, that's it for today, great job everybody! See you tomorrow." Tom says, clapping his hands once.

"You did a wonderful job today, Ivy." Lyle says, hugging her.

"Aw, thanks Lyle. Same to you, your dance with Karen was fantastic. You two looked like you really connected." He laughs, a hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"I guess so."

Ivy's phone rings. It's her mom.

"Sorry Lyle, I have to take this. See you tomorrow." She gives him a little wave before accepting the call.

"Hey mom, is everything ok?"

"Everything's fine, your father was just wondering if you were visiting today."

"Sorry, I'm getting a late lunch with Derek before the show."

Ivy walks over to where Derek's sitting, grabbing his hand to help him stand. He leaves his notes on the table. She can't help but notice that his pencil lies broken by his papers. The pencil had been fine before her scene with Lyle.

She hides a smile.

Her scary, big Broadway choreographer and director of a boyfriend gets jealous, just like her.

It shouldn't comfort her, and she won't admit it to anyone but herself, but it does.

They may need to work on some problems later, but right now she's just glad he cares.

"Be careful Ivy, pick something light and healthy. It's not good to have fatty foods before a show." Leigh's voice warns, pulling her from her musings.

Ivy rolls her eyes as she tugs Derek along behind her, he's too busy checking his phone to mind.

"Mom, it's fine. Besides, I'm eating for two, so I kind of deserve to have almost whatever I want."

"What?!"

Ivy freezes, stopping right in the middle of the sidewalk; Derek bumps into her.

"Whoops."

"You're pregnant?!" Leigh's voice would sound screechy if she wasn't whispering.

"Umm...surprise?"

Ivy starts walking again, frowning apologetically to Derek as she straightens his jacket with her free hand.

"When were you going to tell me?"

"Soon. I was going to tell you soon. Like, tomorrow, when I visited you and dad. He's a lot smoother than I am with this kind of thing-"

"You told your father before me?!" Leigh's voice rises, Ivy winces.

"I'm sorry mom, it just happened on accident. Look, I gotta go, I'll talk to you more when I visit tomorrow. Love you, bye."

"Now wait just a minute-"

"Bye."

She heaves a giant sigh as she turns off her phone, Derek reads her overwhelmed panic in a single glance.

"Want to just eat in and laugh about some of the really terrible new musicals that have already flopped?" He asks.

Ivy's smile is varying shades of gratitude and affection. She squeezes his hand in thanks.

"I do. I really, really do."

"Bye."

Leigh's mouth is still gaping when Ivy hangs up on her.

The hospital hall is rather crowded, so she shuts it quickly with a snap.

Ivy's pregnant.

Her little baby girl, so young and just now tasting the spotlight, her baby girl is having her own little baby.

The thing that baffles Leigh the most is how completely blind-sided she was by this.

Ivy didn't tell her.

An extremely important and life changing event, and Ivy didn't tell her.

The thought is saddening.

Ivy used to tell her everything, Leigh can still remember every time Ivy's called her, excited about an audition. Always excited for the new ensemble she was in, because it was still Broadway, and ready to tell her mom.

Every time.

Now, she tells Henry things first.

Henry.

He knew this information and didn't deem it important to tell Leigh.

Oh, that man is in big trouble.

"Henry. Brian. Davis." Leigh says, gliding through the door in all of her elegant rage.

He smiles, completely oblivious to her irritation.

"Doesn't my wife look gorgeous today?" He asks the young nurse taking his pulse. She takes in Leigh's perfect curls and high-heeled form.

"Indeed she does."

Leigh's frown softens. She really does love compliments, and Henry often exploits her weakness. Although he does exploit it quite sincerely.

"Your flattery won't save you this time mister." She says, though she waits until the nurse leaves to elaborate.

"You knew Ivy was pregnant and you didn't tell me?" Henry sighs.

"No, I didn't tell you. I didn't think it was my place."

"Well thank you for withholding this from me, husband." Her arms cross as she leans more on her left side, it's her signature 'I'm upset' pose.

"Here, have a seat." He says, patting the space next to him. Leigh doesn't budge.

"Darling." He urges, she walks to his side with a huff, but she doesn't sit down.

He pulls her hand from its tight position and kisses her closed fist, patting it once before covering her hands with his.

"I wanted Ivy to be the one to tell you, my sweet. Not me. I felt I'd be breaching the code of fatherhood."

"There's not a code of fatherhood." She says, still slightly annoyed.

"There are several if you look it up on google." She laughs at his wink. Oh, that man. She can never stay mad at him, even when she wants to.

"Well, she did tell me. But only by accident." Leigh mutters, her shoulders slowly starting to relax.

"Accident?"

"She let it slip that she was eating for two, but I don't think she would have told me if it hadn't slipped."

"I think she would have told you, dearheart. She loves you. She just needs to do things in her own time."

Leigh sighs, sitting down in the chair next to Henry. She restrains a groan, the hospital really needs to invest in comfier chairs.

"How are you so calm? Our baby's making a family." Leigh asks.

"Well, sweetie, Ivy's our baby, but not a baby. So of course the situation will take some getting used to, but I think overall it's a pretty great situation to be getting used to."

"You're right." She says, kissing his hand lightly before twining their fingers together.

"You're always right."

"You're always beautiful. And equally right." He says in response. She smiles.

"Sap."

"You like it."

"I do."

"So, would you mind reading to this sap?" She smiles at that, reading together is one of their favorite activities.

"I'd love to, which book?"

"Anything but Moby Dick. I read that once in college, and once was enough." Henry jokes. Leigh grabs her iPad from her purse, reading glasses perched on her nose. He stares at the endearing sight as she peruses through their shared e-books.

"Ok, found one. 'Call me Ishmael-'"

"Leigh."

"Yes?" Her grin is teasingly innocent.

"You stunning vixen." Her chuckle warms his heart, she is eternally Henry's ray of sunshine.

"Fine." She sits next to him on the bed, curling into him as she opens a new e-book.

They settle together in comfortable familiarity, Leigh clears her throat and then begins.

"'I told you last night that I might be gone sometime, and you said, Where, and I said, To be with the Good Lord, and you said, Why, and I said, Because I'm old, and you said, I don't think you're old...'"