Not Just the Dark Lord

Chapter One

Walking towards the cemetery Derek Wills looked down at the flowers in his hand before looking up and sighing as he walked through the slightly rusted iron gates. He started the minute journey down a route that was all too familiar. As he came to the end of his journey he again looked down at the flowers in his hands before carefully laying them down beside the tombstone.

Tracing over the name that had been carved into the stone slab Derek couldn't help but blink back the tears that were forming in the corners of his eyes. Twelve years had passed since she lost her fight but it didn't stop the memories that would come as an onslaught on the day that marked the twelfth year anniversary of her death.

Derek looked down at the other bunch of flowers that had already been placed and sighed. He had been there already. Even though he knew it was wrong he looked at the little card that was attached to the flowers. Never Forgotten – Tom. He was right with what he said. She would never be forgotten. She could never be forgotten.

Isobel Wills (Levitt)

1976 till 2000

Much loved sister to Tom, wife to Derek, and mother to Matalia.

Never Forgotten.

Isobel was just 24 when her life was cut tragically short. Matalia (Tali) was just 4 when the diagnoses had come. Brain tumour. She had a 6% survival rate with a risky and complex surgery. There was a 3% chance that she would be strong enough to have the surgery and survive. Her opinion was she could have the surgery and die, or die anyway. The surgery was what she chose and in the end, her body wasn't strong enough. She made it through the surgery only to pass away in ICU.

Tom had hated Derek ever since. If Isobel had chosen not to have the surgery they had given her 9 months to a year and she had gotten two weeks since diagnoses. Tom believed that Derek had pushed her towards having the surgery and Derek had never corrected him. It was easier to have Tom hate him than to have his pity.

Derek blamed himself for not fighting harder for her not to have the surgery but thinking back now, Isobel probably took the best option there was. At least with the surgery she could still remember her beautiful little girl Matalia Rose and she could remember everything about her life. Her doctor had said that there would have been a fair chance that by the end of the 9 months, Isobel wouldn't be able to remember a lot about her life and would end up spending most of her time in a hospital. Not something Isobel had wanted.

At first Derek moved back to London with Tali to live with his mom Elise and sister Grace. Something that had not gone down well with Tom. For years it had just been Isobel and Tom. When Isobel died Tali was the only family that Tom had left so it had not gone over well that Derek was moving back to London so that he could have the support of his family. That being said, Derek never cut Tom out of Tali's life and Tom was always welcome to come to London to spend time with her and Derek made sure that they travelled to New York so that Tom could teach her all about her mom. They ended up moving back to New York when Tali was 6 and had been there ever since.

As he slowly stood from his crouched position Derek kissed the tips of his fingers before placing them on the tombstone. He said a little prayer before shoving his hands in his pockets and heading back towards the entrance of the cemetery. Derek felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He pulled it out to see that it was a message from Tali.

Dad, I know what day today is and I just want you to know that I love you. No matter what. I love you X

Derek smiled at the sweetness that was his daughter. She was 16 and having grown up without her mom had been hard but Derek owed a lot to Julia when it came to all the girly stuff. Derek had never been good with everything that was girl related and when Tali had started to spend a little more time with Tom, Julia had stepped in and she was basically a mom to his little girl.

Tali was currently in London on a summer program for dance. She was incredible when it came to dance. She had danced with the Abby Lee Dance Company since it shifted to New York when she was 3. She had followed in the footsteps of Isobel who had danced with the same company when she was a little girl growing up and Abby Lee herself was ecstatic to have Tali at her studio.

Tali was part of the competition team that Abby had put together and consisted of 8 girls with Tali being the oldest by two years. Sometimes Tali found it hard as she couldn't compete in the group dances at some comps because she was too old but Abby always tried to make sure that Tali was still eligible to compete in the group dances and if she couldn't, she would always have a solo.

In two days Tali was set to be home and in all honesty, Derek could not wait to have her home again. The apartment had felt empty without her and he knew that Tom couldn't wait to see her but he didn't care too much about that. He just wanted to see his little girl again. It was especially hard this time being the anniversary of Isobel's death and not having Tali there by his side. He would just have to wait two more days.

SMASH

Sam walked into the kitchen to see Tom already up and reading the newspaper. This was something that surprised Sam because normally he was up before Tom by a long shot. Seeing him sitting there reading the paper at 6:30 in the morning Sam instantly knew that something was up.

Tom hadn't sleep well and had been up at 4am before getting up and heading towards the cemetery to lay flowers down on Isobel's grave. As always he knew the day was never going to be easy but he normally spent time with Tali and even Derek but this year, this year not having Tali there, he knew that it was going to be even worse than normal.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked when he sat down opposite Tom. Taking a good look at Tom he could see that he had been crying and that his eyes were red and slightly puffy. Tom looked up at Sam and he couldn't help the tear that slid down his cheek.

"There's a lot I haven't told you. About my family and about my relationship with Derek," Tom said with a sigh as he whipped the lone tear away. Sam nodded his head slowly as he took Tom's hand rubbing small soothing circles on his palm.

"I had a sister. Her name was Isobel and she was two years younger than me. She was an amazing actress on Broadway and she was the only thing I had left after my parents died. She was my best friend and someone that I could always count on. Anyway, one day she met my other best friend who at the time was none other than Derek Wills. She fell in love with him and they were perfect for each other. He was happy, she was happy and I was happy. I actually had half a family again. They got married and Isobel fell pregnant and she had a beautiful little girl. Matalia Rose," Tom said with a smile as he logged onto his laptop and opened his images folder before bringing up a photo of Matalia.

"She looks beautiful Tom," Sam said with a smile looking at the picture of the girl who was dressed in what looked like a dance costume with her arms wrapped around Tom's waist with his arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"She is. When she turned 4 Isobel was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She could have a surgery that gave her a 6% survival rate or she could not have the surgery and have 9 months. In the end she chose to have the surgery, which she survived but she died in ICU a few hours later. I blamed Derek for not being able to change her mind. I said he didn't try hard enough but truth be told, no one could have changed her mind," Tom said with a sigh.

"Since then I have hated Derek and we have never gotten on unless it was something to do with Tali. She's the only reason we have any real relationship. Normally I would spend the day with Tali and Derek but this year is the first year since Isobel's death that we won't be together and even though I don't get on with Derek, I actually like the company but Tali is in London and nothing has been organized between Derek and I this year."

Sam wrapped his arms around Tom and let him cry into his chest. Sam didn't know what to say. He never imagined that Derek and Tom were once related through blood. He always thought that the two hated each other due to the fact that Derek had supposably sabotaged one of Tom's plays. He never imagined it to be what it actually was.

There was a knock at Tom's apartment door and Sam carefully untangled himself from Tom to answer the door. He smiled thankfully when he saw that it was Julia and led her to where Tom was now lying on the couch holding a pillow close with tears rolling down his cheek. Julia looked at Tom and sighed. She walked towards the couch and wrapped her arms around Tom.

"Oh Tom," Julia said. Sam walked towards the pair and sat down on the opposite side of Tom who wrapped an arm around his boyfriend and his best friend. Even though he had the two of them. He still wished he had Tali and even Derek. But if he couldn't spend it with them. He would spend it with the two next people in his life.

SMASH

Tali couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she stepped onto the tarmac at JFK. She wasn't due to fly in for another two days but she had finished her summer programme and instead of spending a few days with her aunt Grace like it had been originally intended Grace had taken her to the airport so she could fly home and be with her dad and Uncle Tom.

Tali was really glad that her Aunt Grace understood what today meant to the three of them and when she had driven to the airport instead of towards the Wills Estate. Grace had already brought plane tickets and organized for a car to pick her up from the airport and take her home and Tali was in tears when she found out and could not thank her enough.

So now she was standing in the elevator with her things and couldn't wait to wrap her arms around her dad and hold him close again. God she had missed him so much. The elevator dinged and Tali smiled as she stepped off the elevator and towards the penthouse apartment that she lived in with her dad.

Unlocking the door Tali smiled as she dragged her bags inside before dumping them in the lounge. She looked around and couldn't see her dad anywhere. She went up stairs and looked in every room of the apartment and sighed when she couldn't see her dad anywhere. She pulled out her phone and dialled his number and when she got no answer she decided to try the next best thing. Tom.

45 minutes later and Tali was knocking on Tom's apartment door and hoping that her dad was there. The door opened to a man that she hadn't seen before but she was assuming that it was the famous Sam that she had heard so much about.

"Who is it?" Tom asked in a quiet voice before coming to the door. Tali smiled when she saw her uncle but it was a sad smile when she saw the tears that were in his eyes. Tali couldn't help in and rushed into his arms and Tom pulled in close and held her tight like she was his only life line.

"Tali," Tom breathed as he kissed the top of her head. Tali smiled as she pulled back from the hug and looked around.

"Hi Uncle Tom. Is Dad here?" Tali asked when she couldn't see him and Tom shook his head.

"I thought he would have been back at your place," Tom said as he led Tali into his apartment. Julia smiled when she saw Tali and pulled her in for a hug. Tali smiled. It felt good to be back and she was so happy to see her unique family but she still hadn't seen the one person she really wanted to.

"He wasn't there when I dropped my stuff off and he won't answer his cell. I was actually hoping he would be here but turns out he's not," Tali said looking down at her hands which she was fidgeting with nervously. Tom forgot about all his problems when he saw the tears that were in her eyes.

"Oh sweetie!" Julia said with a sad smile as she sat down next to her on the couch. "I'm sure he's just at the cemetery or something like that. He'll be home in no time."

"It's just, I knew how hard today was on him and Aunt Grace had me on a plane and here I am and I just, I really want to see him because I have missed him so much and I just want to know that he is safe," Tali said as she ran her hands through her long brown hair. Julia looked at Tom who already has his phone to his ear trying to call Derek.

"You're dad will be fine sweetie. You look tired, take a nap and I promise when you wake, your we will know exactly where your dad is sweetie," Julia said as she whipped some stray hairs away from Tali's face. Tali nodded her head and lay down so that her head was resting in Julia's lap. Julia was stroking her arm and before long, she was fast asleep.

"Where the hell is DEREK?" Tom asked in a whisper yell. Julia shrugged her shoulders. "Sam, can you do me a favour and call Eileen to see if she has seen him and I'll go to the cemetery and see if he's there." Sam nodded his head before grabbing his phone and follow Tom out the door. Julia sighed. She just hoped that they would find Derek or at least know where he is.

SMASH

Karen sighed as she looked at the clock. 10 minutes and her shift was over for another day. She sighed before starting to day dream about what it would be like to actually get to play Marilyn instead of being just the understudy. She was brought out of her thoughts by her boss telling her that the guy on table 18 needed a refill. Karen sighed before walking towards the guy who was moping in the back corner.

Karen picked up a coffee pot before heading towards the guy in the back corner. As she came closer so realized that it wasn't just any guy moping in the corner, it was her director and boss, Derek Wills. Karen took a proper look at him and she couldn't help but notice that his eyes were red and slightly puffy and he looked miserable.

"Derek?" Karen asked as she slid into the booth opposite him. Derek looked up and gave her a small smile.

"Hi Karen," he said with a quiet voice. Okay so that defiantly sent alarm bells off in Karen's head. Something was defiantly up with him.

"Derek, are you okay?" Karen asked as she poured some more coffee into his coffee mug. Derek gave her a weak, small smile. "If there is anything you want to talk about, my shift ends in…5 minutes. I've been told I'm a good listener," Karen said with a small smile as she patted Derek's hand.

"Thanks," Derek said quietly before Karen was called away by her boss. Five minutes later Karen had clocked off and was walking out when she saw Derek still sitting in the booth and walked over to him. She sat down opposite and didn't say anything. If Derek wanted to talk, he would in his own time.

"Everyone calls me the Dark Lord and says I'm cold hearted like a reptile but I wasn't always this way and I don't think I am that bad. People just don't see it," Derek said quietly. Karen looked up at him and again placed a hand on his. Derek looked up and again he had tears in his eyes.

"I was married once. 12 years ago. 12 years ago today, at this time she was still alive. Her heart was beating and it stayed beating for another hour before she died," Derek said sadly looking at the clock that was on the wall. This was a side to Derek that she hadn't seen before.

"I'm sorry," Karen said quietly. Derek shook his head.

"I shouldn't be dumping my life story on you. You don't need this," Derek said with a sigh as his phone began to vibrate again. Karen looked at it before looking back up at Derek.

"Did you want to answer that?" Karen asked. Derek shook his head.

"It's just Tali. She's been calling me all day," Derek said. Then realizing that Karen had no idea who Tali was sighed before showing him a picture on his phone. "Matalia Rose Wills. My daughter. She is normally here with me today and the same with Tom but Tali is in London and won't be back for a few days."

"Tom knows about everything?" Karen asked trying to understand what was going on.

"Tom had a sister. Her name was Isobel and she was a lot like you. She was the rookie and she was amazing. I fell in love with her and we got married and then Tali came and everything was great. We were married 6 years before she died of a brain tumour and Tom lost everything. I lost my wife and Tali was just 4 and she lost her mom," Derek said with fresh tears. Karen scooted round in the booth before placing her arms around him.

Derek turned into Karen and cried into her and it was something that she definitely was not expecting. Derek's phone rang again and this time she saw it was Tom and she knew that she would have to call him a little later and let him know that Derek was okay but for now, she needed to be a friend for Derek and she needed to make sure he really was okay.

SMASH

Tom sighed when for the 18th time; Derek's phone went to voice mail. Tali was still asleep curled up in Julia's lap and Sam was still out looking for Derek and talking to a few of the ensemble members to see if they had any idea where Derek was or if they had even seen him. He was about to try again when his phone rang.

"Hello," Tom said as he picked it up quickly.

"Hi Tom! It's Karen."

"Karen hi," Tom said with a sigh.

"Um, are you looking for Derek?"

"How did you know we were looking for Derek? Did Sam catch you?" Tom asked as he sat down on one of his stools.

"Uh no. I'm with Derek. I noticed that he missed a lot of calls on his phone and that you'd been calling."

"You're with Derek?" Tom asked with his eyes wide.

"Uh yeah. I was working and he showed up. He told me what happened and what today was. I uh, I got him back to his apartment and he's asleep now so I thought I would call you and let you know that he's okay."

"Thank-you so much Karen! Would you be able to stay until we got there? Just so he doesn't disappear again," Tom said as he stood.

"Sure. I'll see you soon then." Tom said his goodbyes before he looked at Julia who slowly woke Tali up. She looked at Tom groggily hoping he knew where her dad actually was.

"Do you know where Dad is?" Tali asked. Tom nodded his head with a smile.

"Yeah. Your dad is back at your apartment. Karen Cartwright found him at her work and got him back to his apartment. She's going to stay there until we get there," Tom said. Tali sighed with relief. Wait, did Tom say Karen Cartwright. The one her dad was always going on about when she had called him. The one he had actually confessed to liking. Now she was actually going to get to meet the mysterious Karen Cartwright.

SMASH

The elevator dinged and Tali was the first one off and running towards the door. She had her keys out and unlocked the door. She was in the door within seconds and looking around for her dad and when she spotted him sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen talking to Karen she ran straight towards him.

Derek had no time to register what was happening. One minute the door was opening and the next he was getting attacked by someone. Derek looked down at the girl who was in his arms and he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Matalia Rose in the flesh and in his arms. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.

"TALI!" Derek said with a massive smile as he spun her around before kissing the top of her head. Tali pulled back and had tears in his eyes. Derek looked down at her and could not believe that she was back early.

"Dad! You had me so worried!" Tali said with tears rolling down his cheeks. Derek looked at her and felt his own hot tears come to his eyes. He reached out and whipped Tali's tears away before pulling her in for another hug. Derek looked over at Tom and Julia before whispering thank-you to them both.

Tali pulled back out of her dad's arms before turning and smiling at Karen. She walked towards her and pulled her in for a hug. Karen was surprised by this and the shock was clearly written on her face. Tali pulled back before smiling at her and wiping a few tears that had escaped her eyes before looking back up at Karen.

"Thank-you so much for being there for my dad today. You have no idea, how much it means to me that he was able to talk to someone. Thank-you," Tali said before she went back and stood with her dad. "Everyone, you are invited to stay for dinner and no Tom, dad will not be cooking. I'll cook."

"Well, how can we say no to that," Julia said with a smile at the girl. No matter what Derek and Tom might have thought, Tali was the glue that held a lot of people together. She meant a lot to a lot of people and it wasn't hard to see that she could bring the best out of everyone. Especially when it came to her father.

SMASH

End Chapter One

Let me know what you think about this. I wanted to do something different and show Derek in all sorts of different lights and I think that this back story has a lot of chances to go places so just bare with me and let me know if you have certain ideas where you would like this story to go.

Anyway, I do not live in the US so if there are some details that aren't right…DON'T HATE! I live in Aus and things are different here than America so yeah :)

I don't own SMASH or the Abby Lee Dance Company or any of that :)

CHEERS!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Emma :)