No Strings Attached

Day 266

            "Why not? I mean we've been together since high school. We aren't kids anymore, Damon. We're adults. And adults who have been dating for years tend to talk about marriage," Elena says, watching Damon carefully. He doesn't flinch at the word of commitment, but he doesn't seem pleased to hear it either. "Say something. Please."

            "We aren't ready for that," Damon says, pushing his food around with his fork.

            "What do you mean we aren't ready for that? How are we not ready to take the next step in our relationship?" Elena puts down her fork, leaning back in her chair when Damon finally looks at her. Although this conversation is quite serious, Damon's eyes still carry a sense of amusement.

            "Elena, we have all the time in the world. The bar is booming right now. And your schedule at the hospital doesn't leave much time for anything else. Now isn't the time to get married," Damon explains, obviously intending this to be the last words of the argument. Sadly for him, Elena isn't quite ready to roll over.

            "We don't have all the time in the world, Damon. I don't have all the time in the world," Elena says, putting a hand to her stomach. "I want a family. I want children. You know I do. And last time I checked, I don't have until the end of the world to get pregnant."

            "You can get pregnant, Elena. Right now just isn't the time," Damon says, making a point by returning to his food.

            Elena swallows hard, blinking back tears. Damon's decision is steadfast. As long as things are going the way they are, he has no intention of completely settling down with her, and Elena will be without children.

            Elena desperately wants to fight Damon on this, to stand up for her wishes. Damon had promised they would build a home together, and so far he's fallen short. Elena has every right to scream at him, to a make a scene, but there is a coil of fear twisting her gut.

            "Okay," Elena murmurs, taking a deep breath before scooting her chair back. She's always pictured her children with bright blue eyes like Damon's, but now, staring at Damon with Dean just a few tables away, she considers the possibility of them having apple green eyes. Forest green eyes. Emerald green eyes.

            "If you'll excuse me."

            "Sit," Damon snaps, reaching out and grabbing Elena's wrist, "down."

            "Dean, sit down," Lisa instructs, sipping her wine. "What are you doing?"

            "I—" Dean hardly hears her, his focus solely on Damon's fingers wrapped tightly around Elena's frail wrist. The only thing keeping Dean's feet planted where they are is Elena's wish for him to stay on his side of the restaurant. "I just..."

            Dean watches as Damon releases Elena. She clutches her wrist to her chest, sinking deep into the chair as if to become invisible. Anger boils Dean's blood as Damon continues his meal as if nothing had happened. When Dean finally locks eyes with Elena, he can see the tears welling in her eyes.

            "I have to use the bathroom," Dean stammers, shoving his hands in his pockets so Lisa can't see how tightly clenched they are.

            "But you just went—"

            By the time Dean gets to the bathroom, his anger has practically boiled over the surface. The crazy side of him wants to punch something, specifically Damon's face. Thankfully there's a guy already in the bathroom, stopping Dean from taking out his rage on the fragile bathroom mirror. The man nods a hello before heading back into the restaurant. Taking a deep breath, Dean walks toward the sink to calm down.