60 Day Challenge

Day Twenty-Four: Making Up Afterwards

Part Three

            Elena slams the door shut behind her, sliding the lock into place before collapsing to the floor. She hated herself for being so emotional, for letting one silly comment get under her skin this way. But there it was, sitting in her mind like a broken record playing over and over again.

            Had he been waiting to play that card the whole time? Just waiting to slam the door on their future, confirming for her that he had simply been wasting her time? Elena didn't think Dean could ever be so cruel.

            How could he have said that to her when he knew how she felt about the topic? When Sam had brought up the idea of marriage, Elena knew Dean saw the light in her eyes. It was impossible to miss the way she straightened up, the way she looked over at Dean with a crooked smile. It didn't take a lot to know all he had to do was ask, but he'd brushed it off. Just like he brushed off the little comment that he knew would send her whirling.

            A gentle knock on the door pulls Elena from her thoughts, a slight jump rattling her body as she halts her crying. She pushes the palm of her hands into her eyes before standing up.

            "Elena? Please talk to me," Dean says through the door, pressing his palms up against the wood. "I didn't mean what I said. It just slipped out."

            Silence comes from the inside of Elena's room, causing his heart to sink. She could be doing anything in there. For all he knew she was packing a bag, preparing to leave him and the bunker forever. This thought makes him knock again, this time more urgently.

            "Elena, come on. I'm sorry. Please just come out so we can talk about this," Dean begs, placing a hand on the door handle to jiggle it. "Elena. Please."

            Hearing Dean's insistent begging, Sam comes around the corner to see what was the matter. Elena's hurtful tone from earlier had already been forgotten as he approaches his older brother.

            "Do you want me to talk to her?" Dean just glares at Sam when he asks, ramming his fist against the door again.

            "I got it, thanks," he mutters, continuing to rap is knuckles against the door.

            "I don't really think that's helping," Sam points out, stepping closer and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Here, let me talk to her. You obviously really hurt her feelings."

            "But I didn't mean—" Dean stops, sighing before taking a step back. He motions for Sam to go ahead, leaning against the opposite wall to wait. Smiling slightly, Sam steps forward and gently knocks on the door.

            "Hey, Elena? It's me. Open up," he says gently, leaning against the door to hear any movement. It takes her a moment, but eventually Elena unlocks the door and peeks her head out, her eyes puffy and lips trembling. Without glancing at Dean she lets Sam in, firmly closing the door behind her and sliding the bolt into place.

            Jumping forward, Dean presses his ear against the door. He hopes to hear something, anything of substance, but all he gets is muffled gibberish. The doors and walls in this place were too thick to listen in on anything, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try.

            He stands there for most of the night, listening to the mumblings on the other side of the door. His eyes grow tired, but he forces himself to stay awake, knowing the two would be done soon enough and he'd have a chance to apologize. A chance to show Elena that he truly loved her. Dean only ever got mad because he cared so much.

            When Sam finally excuses himself from Elena's room, Dean steps forward with the intention of going in. Sam puts his hand up, stopping Dean from going any further. He puts a finger to his lips, pointing inside to silently tell Dean that Elena was already asleep. Sighing, Dean settles himself on the floor outside Elena's room, refusing to leave until he had his chance.

            He didn't get it until the next morning, when Elena came sneaking out of her room. Dean was on his knees the second he saw her, a ring pop replacing a diamond. In his defense there hadn't been time—he'd made the decision late last night when he realized how stupid he'd been to put it off in the first place. Sam could hear her yes from down the hall.

            That was the last real fight they ever had, and looking back on it years later they could see how each fight was leading up to the moment when they both shoved aside their differences and finally gave in.

Author's Note:

Okay I'm not gonna lie, I got a little lazy with this ending 'cause I couldn't think of how to end it and all I want to do is go to sleep. Thankfully I already know exactly what I'm going to do tomorrow. And just so you know this is the last part for this little arc.