No Strings Attached

Day 269

            "Just because," Elena mumbles, guilt rumbling deep in her belly. No amount of anger towards Dean would make her feel less guilty. "I did something bad, Jo. Like really, really bad."

            "You didn't do anything. You're just in shock," Jo insists, rubbing Elena's arm. She doesn't see the raging war going on behind Elena's eyes. "Maybe you need a break. Did you ever get your car back?"

            "Yeah, the cops brought it over this morning," Elena answers. "But that's not the point. I had to drop the charges. It was too much. Dean didn't—"

            "Elena stop." Jo takes Elena's hands, squeezing tightly. "This man broke into your home. He hurt you and he hurt Damon. He has to pay for this."

            "But—"

            "Any man who hits you doesn't deserve your kindness," Jo finishes, brows furrowed in concentration. Elena's lips press into a thin line, her stomach churning. Reluctantly she nods and allows Jo to pull her into one last hug before trudging back to Damon's hospital room.

. . .

            By the time Damon wakes up the sun is already slipping beneath the horizon, the light glowing through the leaves of a potted plant and casting the room in a green haze. Elena's head is resting against his hand, her eyes closed even though she hasn't been able to sleep. When she feels Damon's fingers move softly against her cheek she bolts up, startled.

            "Hey," Elena murmurs, reaching out to push some of his hair out of his eyes. The gesture is small, but it stirs old butterflies and does nothing to help her guilty nausea.

            "Hey," Damon whispers, coughing lightly. Elena struggles to smile, the action making her sick to her stomach. "What... What happened?"

            "Dean, umm..." Damon's eyes flash with something similar to his look last night, but Elena ignores it. "He knocked you out and—and with the bat he..."

            Elena swallows hard, unable to articulate exactly what Dean did. It was so out of character, so frightening. This switch had flipped inside him and for the first time Elena was afraid of him. It was that fear that was resting just below her rib cage, slowly morphing into an ugly anger directed toward her green-eyed lover.

            "You were bleeding internally," Elena continues, blinking away the memory and stealing herself as she does wit other patients. "But the doctors were able to stop it. You're leg is gonna take a while to heal, but it'll be okay. You're gonna be okay."

            "They better be giving me the good stuff," Damon mutters, his attempt at a joke only making Elena wince. Damon frowns. "How are you feeling?"

            Elena's hands skitter across her side as she shivers and shakes her head. Her injuries were insignificant compared to Damon's, but the bruises and broken ribs were causing her trouble.

            "I'll be okay," Elena musters, grimacing. Damon takes her hand and smiles even though it hurts his swollen lip.

            "I'm really glad you're here," he whispers, lightly squeezing her fingers. Elena just nods, taking her hand back. "What you said... before I... Did you mean it?"

            Elena closes her eyes and breathes as deep as she can without causing her ribs to throb. She didn't know what she was feeling, not anymore. Guilt and anger fight for control inside her, tearing her apart in the process.

            "I don't know," she finally whispers, opening her eyes to the sickening green haze and meeting Damon's gaze.

            "I want you to stay," Damon tells her. "We'll start over. I'll quit drinking—"