If that's what it takes

64

He stood for a moment in front of the door, watching the children running around, hanging up their jackets, finding their places and he took a very slow, very deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment and felt a hand on his shoulder. "Derek?" Kara said as she watched him release his breath slowly, opening his eyes, he turned his head to her.

"Hey." He said, with a half smile. He tried to sound nonchalant, but it only came across as exhausted.

"Are you alright? You look like you were counting to ten..." She said with a friendly smile.

"I was just... hey, how are you feeling? You were pretty upset yesterday because of your patient..." He said as he put his hand on her shoulder and started to lead her away from the classroom.

"You're changing the subject." She replied. "Denial, Derek..."

"Not denial... concern... are you feeling better?" He asked.

"You're changing the focus... I'm asking about you, and you're changing the focus..."

"Good... you look to be on top of your game today... you must have gone home, had a nice meal... gotten some sleep..."

"Bubble bath, I had a bubble bath..." She said as they walked out of the school and down the steps.

"And here I am... trying to be a good friend and not imagine you naked or in bed..." He said as he laughed at her shocked face. "Sorry... was that an inappropriate joke?" he asked as she stood with an amused, slack jawed face at the top of the stairs as he passed her and walked quickly down them, turning around with a smirk as she stood there.

"Derek!" She exclaimed as she hopped down the stairs quickly after him, smacking him with her hand. "I'll have you know... I have a boyfriend who would be pretty jealous if he heard you talking like that."

"Well... I have a girlfriend who would be pretty upset if she heard me say that..." He said, as he kept walking, smiling as she caught up with him.

"Hey, you never mentioned that you had a girlfriend..." She said as she looked over at him as he laughed.

"I just dropped her off at school..." He said with a laugh as she shook her head. "You never told me that you had a boyfriend." He said, nudging her as they walked.

"You never asked." She said as she walked backwards a little and watched him raise his eyebrows at her.

"Touché" he replied, nodding at her giggle.

"So, you were going to tell me something yesterday..." She said as she glanced to Derek, trying to get his attention as he walked with his head down. "About Zoey..."

"I was?" He replied, looking up at her, shuffling his feet as he stopped. He tilted his head as he feigned confusion. "I don't think I was..." He said as he turned and continued to walk.

"Yeah you were... and the little ones came out of the room, and you stopped... Does it have anything to do with the fact that you're not Zoey's father?" She asked as Derek stopped. He stared at his feet for a moment and Kara instantly felt bad. "Derek... sorry... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that... I'm just... I'm pushy and Carrie told me that Zoey had told her some things, and I asked her a couple questions... I'm sorry..."

Derek smirked at his feet as he lifted his eyes to hers. "No... she's not my daughter..." He said with a polite smile. "I told you... she's my girl..." He chuckled as he continued to walk. She rushed to catch up with him again as they walked across the parking lot.

"You adopted her?"

"Took her in." Derek said as he walked with Kara by his side. "I feed her... she eats a lot... does your daughter eat a lot?" He asked as he gave Kara a strange look. When she didn't answer right away, he just continued talking. "I hold her when she has nightmares... I make sure she has clean clothes and a bed to sleep in... she's not my biological child... and I really don't know her family very well...I just... She's in a very unique situation... and I was in the right place at the right time, and when all is said and done... she keeps me sane." He said, stopping at the door as the doors opened in front of him. He ushered Kara inside, and smiled as she nodded and laughed, walking past him into the hospital as he followed behind her.

"You took her in... well, that was very noble of you."

"Not noble... it was my responsibility... she needed me, and I needed her... and now she needs her mother... and its my responsibility to make sure that happens."

"Where is her mother?"

"Oh... well... that's another talk for another walk to work..." He said with a smirk. "I should go... I have some new interns today... I have to get them all situated and initiated..." He winked as he took a step backwards.

"Okay..." She said with a smile. "What about lunch... are you busy then?" She asked with a polite smile.

"Actually... I have a date..." he raised his eyebrows at her.

"You do?" She asked.

"I do..." He nodded. "With one of the most beautiful women in the hospital... excluding yourself, of course..." He nodded.

"Oh well then... you have fun on your lunch date..."

"I will... she's a shy one... but I'm dying to get inside her head..." He wiggled her eyebrows at her.

"I hope that's all she lets you inside of..."

"Oh! That was getting me back for the..."

"Yeah, get out of here... you have interns to corrupt..." She giggled as she watched him take off for the stairs as she laughed on her way to the elevator.