Hello all! This is not my first Karen x Derek story but it is the first one I've decided to publish. I heard the cover of "Lil' Red Ridin' Hood" by Laura Gibson and I instantly saw Derek dressed up and Karen in a huge red cloak so this is what I imagined...

Love, Breckin

It was pitch black, aside from some swirling mist entering her line of vision, and Karen Cartwright had no idea where she was. Sitting on the ground, yes, but she didn't know how she got there. She stood up and pulled the deep red cloak she was wearing tighter, pulling the hood up on her curls. She started walking, her sandals crushing and her long dress and cloak scraping over what sounded like dirt as she walked. "Where am I?" She asked softly and was stopped short by the replying sound of music and foot step and then a familiar accented voice...

"Who's that I see walkin' in these woods?

Why it's Little Red Ridin' Hood..."

Derek stepped out of, seemingly, nowhere wearing a bright white dinner jacket with a black pocket square, a black dress shirt, black pants, and shiny black shoes. His hair was it's usual messy style and his green eyes were sparkling. A grin similar to the cat getting the canary consuming his face as he held out his hand for her. "Derek..." She started but he put a finger to his lips, signaling for her to stop nodded and took his outstretched hand as moonlight simultaneously exploded over them and revealed the fact that they were in some woods. Not knowing what else to do she walked with Derek who, surprisingly, started to sing for her.

"Hey there Little Red Ridin' Hood," He looked over to her, looking her up and down, as he sang "You sure are lookin' good. You're everything a big bad wolf could want." She knew, somehow, he was the big bad wolf he was singing of."Little Red Ridin' Hood, I don't think little big girls should go walkin' in these spooky old woods alone," Stopping to look around she did see that the woods were looming over them in a menacing manner and she unconsciously moved closer to Derek with a gasp as some bats flew overhead. A hand was under her chin then, bringing her to lock eyes with him.

"What big eyes you have, the kind of eyes that drive wolves mad," She could see brown and gold flecks littered in the depths of his green eyes that alarmed her, she'd never seen those before "So, just to see that you don't get chased, I think I ought to walk with you for a way." With those words he brought her close and they resumed walking.

Karen watched Derek closely as he licked his lips before singing to her again with the voice she was practically hypnotized by, it sounded so good and alluring "What full lips you have, They're sure to lure someone bad," he was now looking at her lips while he sang and she flushed a little at the compliment, feeling him intertwine his long fingers with her smaller set "So, untill you get to grandma's place, I think you ought to walk with me and be safe." She felt extremely content, almost serene, and definitely safe as they continued through the woods together. Something was nagging at the back of Karen's mind, a reminder or maybe a warning, but it was completely disregarded as Derek sang to her yet again.

"I'm gonna keep my sheep suit on till I'm sure that you've been shown that I can be trusted walkin' with you alone," He was adjusting his white dinner jacket with his free hand and giving her a very, very charming smile. She wanted to tell him that she did trust him but, as she opened her mouth to speak, she found her voice had left her. That was alright, albeit strange, as she was more interested in what he had to say- er- sing.

"Little Red Ridin' Hood, I'd like to hold you if I could," That sounded plenty appealing, she pictured Derek's strong arms wrapping around her and her eyes fluttered close at that mental sensation but they opened to see a dejected looking Derek merely holding her hand still "But you might think I'm a big bad wolf, so I won't..." Karen felt bad as they continued to walk. I don't think you're bad, she thought, I did before but now...

She looked at him as he stopped, taking both her hands."What a big heart I have, the better to love you with, Little Red Ridin' Hood, even bad wolves can be good," He was serenading her and it was making her feel amazing, he was also seemingly pleading with her to believe he was good and all she could do was give him a smile and nod. With that he smiled and dropped one of her hands, keeping a loving grip on the other, and continued leading her somewhere...

"I'll try to be satisfied just to walk close by your side, maybe you'll see things my way, before we get to grandma's place." He sang and she looked ahead of them, seeing a cottage she knew very well. Her grandmother's house where she spent some holidays as a child. Derek was taking her there? Escorting her to be exact. That was very sweet.

Once they got to the door, Derek let go of her hand and she looked at him, a frown on her lips- she had an overwhelming feeling of abandonment and she just knew he was leaving her. He stepped forward, nearly backing her into the door, and cupped her face gently. More gentle then she'd ever been touched, even by Dev.. Her ex-boyfriend was swept from her mind as Derek locked eyes with her intensely."Little Red Ridin' Hood, you sure are lookin' good, you're everything a big bad wolf could want..." He sang very softly, letting his eyes shut, and leaning in to capture her lips with his in the softest but most passionate kiss she'd ever experienced. She was about to wrap her arms around his neck when everything came to a screaming halt.

Karen Cartwright leapt up, panting, as her phone suddenly was announcing, on full blast, that it was time for her to wake up. She was coated in sweat and her lips were tingling and burning from the incredibly vivid dream. She laid back against her headboard, taking steadying breaths with her eyes closed, and, once she calmed down, her ears were suddenly filled with his soft singing again. "Little Red Ridin' Hood, you sure are lookin' good, you're everything a big bad wolf could want..."

Derek Wills was definitely the big bad wolf but she was the red riding hood that loved him...