There Goes My Life

13.

Derek ran into the hallways just in time to have someone call his name. "Mr. Shepherd stop right there." The deep voice of the principal, Richard Webber, boomed through the hallways. Derek turned his head back to look at the principal. "My office." He said and Derek knew it wasn't debatable, even if he wanted to run from him and find Meredith. Derek sighed and hung his head as he turned and walked towards the principal's office.

He walked into the office and the secretary, Miss Patricia, shook her head and told him to take a seat. He waited there, hanging his head as he wrung his hands together as he worried about Meredith and not so much what the principal was going to say about him punching that stupid Steve Kellerman. A few moments later Kellerman left the principal's office as Mr. Webber stood at the door. "Mr. Shepherd." He said eying Derek, who stood and walked past him into his office. Mr. Webber closed the door behind him and walked over to his desk.

He stood behind his desk not saying anything for a moment when there was a knock at the door. Miss Patricia held out an ice pack as Mr. Webber nodded for her to bring it to Derek and place it on his hand. Derek winced. "My hand is fine." He said trying to take the ice off of his hand.

"You need to keep it on your hand before it swells." She tried to insist as she looked up at Mr. Webber.

"Put the ice on your throwing hand." He said in an authoritative tone. Derek sighed and left the ice on his hand as Miss Patricia left the office, closing the door once again. "You hit Kellerman? You hit him? Why son? Why would you hit Kellerman?" He asked as his voice began to increase in volume with every question. Derek sighed and was about to speak when Mr. Webber put out his hand. "I don't even want to know." He said as he shook his head and turned around to look out the window.

"I expected more from you Derek. You're a role model around here. You're a popular kid who has never let it go to his head, and rather gave everyone a fair chance, and now I find you punching Kellerman." He let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm going to have to call your mother. You're going to be suspended for this." He said as he turned around and looked Derek in the eye. "Do you have anything you want to say before I call your mother to tell her you'll be heading home for a few days?" He asked.

"I don't see why you have to involve my mother when I'm not living there." Derek said honestly. The principal gave him a quizzical look. "Meredith Grey and I moved into an apartment together. The school was given the change of address when it happened. But I'll grab my stuff and be on my way home." Derek said as he stood up and headed for the door. He turned as he reached for the door handle, pausing for a moment. "He made a crack about Meredith being pregnant. No one was supposed to know yet so she got upset and I hit him. Just thought you should know." Derek said as he opened the door, flinching as he gripped the knob with his injured hand. He walked through the door, leaving it open as he quickly grabbed his things from his locker and headed home, hoping to find Meredith there as well.