A/N: Thank you so much guys for all reviews. You're amazing. Hope you enjoy reading this chapter, as much as I enjoyed writing it ;)

Karen didn't know what to answer. After all, Derek was standing on her apartment door, at one a.m, saying something completely random that didn't make any sense for her. What he was talking about?
Her first thought was that he was drunk.

She was staring at him, speechless. So she asked him the only question coming out in her mind. "What are you talking about?"

Oh, that had caught up Derek unprepared. What could he answer? Sorry Karen, but your new boyfriend has been cheating on you too? He had no answer.
He was completely vulnerable. He was fighting against his own mind, thinking in millions options and rejecting all of them.

They stared at each other for about a minute, both of them arguing with their respective minds.
Karen couldn't understand what he was doing there. Her mind was screaming at her to close that door - it was a dangerous situation after all, Derek could be drunk. But her curiosity was screaming louder.

Seeing Derek's vulnerability, and realizing that she wouldn't get an answer, she did the only thing coming out in her mind.
She quietly took three steps behind and opened a little bit the door, allowing his entrance. And he entered at her apartment.

The place was still exactly the same since the last time he went there, except, maybe, that it was more clean and organized.
That was such an embarrassing situation - they just didn't know what to do, how to act. It was a mix of embarrassment and attraction, fear and security.

Karen closed the door, and turned around, finally meeting his eyes.
Derek did not move. So did Karen.

Derek breathed slowly, and started by the easiest way he could find.

"Karen." He took another slow breath. "Jimmy has been... cheating on you."

That couldn't be happening again. She had never felt something for Jimmy, yes, but be cheated definitely isn't a good thing.
She got sad. Not because of Jimmy or their relationship, but because she was feeling that she couldn't trust anyone.

Realizing Karen's reaction, Derek became more vulnerable than he was when she asked him what he was talking about, early. He was vulnerable because seeing her sadness, seeing that she was depressed, he just didn't know what to tell, what to do.

So he told her the most cliché thing he could think of, but yet, the most effective. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah." She murmured just enough for only him listen, sitting, after that, on the couch.
As if he was tied up with her, he sat by her side.

They were in silence again. He, respecting her pain and surprise, and she, processing everything that had happened with her in the past few minutes.

Then, fixedly looking at the floor, suddenly she just said: "I didn't."

"What?"
"I didn't sleep with him."

Happiness ran through his veins. He was so relieved.
"I'm glad for you. Truly."

She organized her thoughts. First of all, what he was doing there? It was none of his bussiness if she has been cheated! Was he trying to humiliate her? Was he expecting to see her crying?
It seemed that humiliating her at rehearsals was not enough for him. Possessed by anger and almost crying, she lifted her head, and looking directly at him, asked: "Why Derek? Why are you glad? Why you had to come here tell me that I've been cheated?" And then just yelled: "It's none of your business!"
Well, now she was crying, and he.. he was shocked. He wasn't expecting that reaction.

"Are you trying to humiliate me, aren't you?"

"Karen, I..."

"Please, go away Derek. Please... just go."

"I will. After you listen to me. Ok? Listen to me."

"Derek, go away..."

"No Karen. Listen to me. Please."

He wouldn't give up easily. And she was looking for the truth, right? So he was going to tell her the truth.
The fact was, If he stopped to think, he wouldn't say anything. He had to pull out all his feelings, no doubts, no second thoughts.

"I'm not trying to humiliate you. Not at all."

"Karen... I care for you. You are an amazing person, probably the kindest humain being on earth. You're strong, talented and Gods know, so beautiful. You don't allow anyone around you feel miserable, you don't let anyone hate you.
Seeing you depressed it's one of that kind of feelings that I wouldn't like to feel for a lifetime."
Looking at the floor, unable to look directly at her eyes, he continued.
"I was at a bar, and when I saw Jimmy... kissing a woman that wasn't you, I... I got mad, I couldn't believe how can someone cheat on a woman like you."

She was the one shocked now.
That were... a lot of informations. He cares for her? Was that what he said? Karen's mind was a mess, and she couldn't describe what she was feeling. She was still sad, but she also was happy. And surprised. And excited.
It wasn't a declaration of love, but coming from Derek? It was at least unexpected.

He stood in silence, until he told her something completely random as a try to make her smile. He needed that - he needed to see her smile.
"...Darling, I punched his face." He gave her a small grin.

She stopped thinking. She wasn't feeling miserable anymore... No, not at all. Somehow, Derek has a kind of a power that easily toys with her emotions. She stopped crying, and with an impulse, she just did what her heart was telling her to do. She hugged him. Well, actually, she threw herself at him.

It took a time for Derek realize what was happening. But when he did it, he simply reciprocated the hug. He was smiling too. Both of them were smiling at theirselves.

"Thank you." Karen said, while she was moving away from him just enough to look at his eyes.

"What for?"

"For punching his face... I wouldn't be able to do that." Well, actually, she wanted to tell him "thank you" for so many other reasons...
Thank you for telling her the truth. Thank you for appearing at her door, at one a.m, ignoring all his emotional blocks, to tell her she had been cheated. Thank you for being by her side at the most difficult situations. Thank you for being the only one who has been, unreservedly, trusting her talent and capacity. But none of that reasons came out her mouth.

"You're welcome, darling."

They were smiling again.

"Are you Ok now?"
"Yeah, I'm."
"Good."

He got up, heading to the door. Before he could open it, Karen was getting up from the couch too.
"Derek, wait."
He turned around, looking at her.

"Thank you." She was now really close to him.

He gave her a smile, and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
He closed the door and went away, leaving a completely stunned Karen.