Jump Then Fall

28.

The day had finally come. The day for his son's big speech as a candidate for the Student Body President at his school. If he won, he would be the president until he left that school, getting to make decisions and take part in something that actually meant something to him. And Derek had promised to be there. He had cleared his schedule, rearranged surgeries and gotten paperwork done early so he could be there for his son. But as he stood in his office, reading an e-mail on his Blackberry that he had just gotten from one of the hospital board members, he knew that he wasn't going to make it. He had made promises and signed the permission slip and now he wasn't going to be there for his son's big moment after all of the hard work.

He shoved his phone into his suit jacket pocket, the suit that he was so uncomfortable in and so used to wearing since being named Chief of surgery. Right now, the only thing he could hope for was no emergencies and a quick meeting with no sidetracking which was almost impossible. All he could see in his head as he left his office was the disappointed look that he'd have to see on his son's face when he got home from work that night. He groaned as his phone buzzed again in his pocket, and he pulled it out, not watching where he was going and bumped into someone. "Sorry...Damnit..."

"Chief." Callie Torres laughed, seeing her boss before frowning and shaking her head. "No....no you can't be rushing off anywhere."

"I have to get upstairs." He sighed, quickly typing a message back. "Do you need something?"

"I was coming to see if you wanted me to ride with you to Trevor's speech which is in forty five minutes Derek." Callie groaned, walking quickly with him. "You can't miss this."

"If this meeting only lasts forty minutes, I'll be there."

"Have you told his teacher this yet? The one you're sleeping with!" Callie slapped his arm.

"How do you know about that?"

"We all know...Mark isn't good with secrets and you two practically dry fucked in the bar a few nights ago."

"Great." Derek groaned.

"Derek you told the board you had to go...tell them that hasn't changed." Callie demanded.

"I can't. It's an emergency."

"That is bull crap because you have more say over anything in this hospital and Mark and I both were able to clear our afternoons to see Trevor's speech...Bailey even moved a surgery so the three of us could be there."

"Bailey's going?" Derek sighed, running a hand through his hair, the guilt coursing through his body.

"Leighton asked us to help her make invitations last weekend at our apartment...she made them for everyone inviting them to see her brother be president." Callie laughed. "Needless to say we sat there with her for three hours helping her spell out and learn to write each word."

"I can't leave."

"Let me see this." Callie groaned, pulling the Blackberry from his hand.

"I'll call Meredith before I go into the meeting...at least I'll try."

"Derek." Callie rolled her eyes, handing him the Blackberry back. "It's a meeting about the budget plans for the media this year. It's not a do or die...you told them and your son..."

"Its a meeting that's been put off for the past three weeks...I'll try to speed it up but I can't miss it." Derek replied, putting the phone back in his pocket.

"Fine. Let your son down." Callie groaned.

"I'll get out of there as fast as I can." He sighed.