No Strings Attached

Day 269

            "You've said that before," Elena reminds him.

            "This time I mean it," Damon promises, reaching for her hand. "I want this to work. I can't lose you, Elena."

            Elena opens her mouth to respond, but movement at the door draws her attention away from Damon's proposal. It was just someone walking by, but Elena stands up.

            "Where are you going?" Damon's question is left behind as Elena steps out into the hall. The man is already at the other end, his military jacket and blond hair disappearing around the corner.

            Elena begins to walk after him, her pace quickening to a jog as the thought of losing him crosses her mind. Rounding the corner, Elena spots him by the nurse's station.

            "Hey!" Elena rushes towards him, fury building up inside her. "What the hell do you think you're—"

            Elena grips the man's shoulder and whirls him around, stopping short.

            "Can I help you?" The stranger peers down at her curiously, raising his eyebrows. Elena takes a step back.

            "I'm so sorry, I... I thought you were someone else," Elena apologizes as she continues to back up. He didn't look a thing like Dean, so why she made the confusion she didn't know. "I'm sorry."

            Elena turns and bolts, quickly walking back the way she came. She's about to reach Damon's room when she decides she can't go back in there and stare at his blue eyes and the green leaves. So, passing the hospital room, heads toward the elevators.

            She needed to find him.

. . .

            Of course he would be here, the bar where they first met. Elena huffs in frustration as she slams her car door, glaring at the Chevy Impala parked in the parking lot. There aren't any other cars in the lot, which isn't surprising considering it's early on a Monday evening.

            Upon entering, Elena instantly sees Dean sitting at the bar. She pauses, wondering if she made a mistake coming here. She still wasn't sure what she felt towards Dean, but she knew she was upset. So, squaring her shoulders, Elena makes her way to his side.

            "What do you want?" Dean sets his glass of bourbon on the bar, not bothering to look up at Elena. The bruise on his cheek matches Elena's, and his bloody knuckles don't go unnoticed. Pursing her lips, Elena struggles to hold back her emotions.

            "I want to talk," Elena says, drawing a chuckle from Dean's chest.

            "You want to talk," Dean repeats, shaking his head. "How big of you."

            "You don't have to act like that," Elena sighs. Dean chugs the last of his drink before turning to face her. His eyes soften momentarily when he takes in the sight of her bruised skin, but the moment doesn't last long.

            "How am I supposed to act, Elena? Please, enlighten me, because I seem to have lost the manual on how to act after your girlfriend puts an arrest warrant on your head," Dean spats, jaw clenched as he stares her down. The bartender freezes, Dean's eyes flickering in his direction. "Calm down buddy, she dropped the charges."

            "I was never your girlfriend," Elena clarifies once the bartender has returned to his job. Dean just turns away.

            "That was a low blow," he mutters. Scoffing, Elena shakes her head in disbelief.