Є027 spam/voice [slightly forward dated to 01/24]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

spam - simon.

[When Elena wakes, she sits up abruptly with a loud and harsh gulp of air. She looks around the room with only her eyes at first, her neck too stiff and sore to move without pain, trying to figure out where she is. Elena at first is blinking rapidly because she remembers what happened and she has to do something to keep the tears back. Her heart is pounding in her chest as she tries to calm her breathing.]

[After a few seconds, she realizes she's not alone. Elena turns her head to look at him with a small wince, hand instinctively reaching to rub at her neck. They haven't met before, but she assumes he's the one who found her on the deck. (And this is probably his room.) Did he find Dean, too? (She wonders if Dean's okay. Maybe he doesn't deserve her concern, but it's reflexive and she can't help it.) There's also the question of who exactly this guy is. But she starts with her first question.]

Where's Dean?

voice.

[Elena doesn't stay in Simon's cabin long. Once she's done talking with him, she manages to keep herself together until she makes it to her cabin. She closes her door and leans against it. For a brief moment, it feels like she'll be okay. But alone, with no one to pretend that she's fine in front of, she can't keep the tears back any longer. Elena purses her lips as her vision blurs with tears before she slumps down onto the floor feeling entirely exhausted and empty.]

[She thinks of reaching out to people. She picks up her communicator countless times trying to make herself call someone. Abigail, Arkin, even the stupid impulse to call Dean. (At one point, she fishes out the cell phone he gave her, just staring at his phone number knowing there's no way to actually reach him.) But each time she ends up setting it back down with a fresh wave of tears. But she's not just crying entirely for herself.]

[She didn't deserve that. She knows she didn't deserve that. But it didn't just come out of nowhere. That Dean is this far gone hurts. It hurts not just for herself, but for everyone who's ever known him. And it hurts Dean most of all.]

[When she finally feels like she can keep it together long enough, she picks up her communicator.]

If you found my diary, I'd appreciate it if you'd give it back. [She draws a steadying breath, pushing her hair back out of her face. There's a small sniffle.] I'm uh... I'm in my room. Level 4, room 3.

Thanks.

[She cuts it there.]

Comments

Private

[voluntaryapnea]

[He debates for a long time about what to say. They haven't even talked since her reappearance on the Barge. Things are always crazy here.]

Hey. This is Stiles. [He pauses.]

I don't know if you remember me or not.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

Scott's mentioned you before.

[So no, she doesn't remember him on her own.]

[voluntaryapnea]

[He's not surprised. Sometimes people remember, other times they don't.]

Yeah, Scott's my best friend. [He takes a deep breath.] And Dean's my inmate.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Well, that makes more sense why he's contacting her right now. Not that it would necessarily be above or beneath Stiles to just contact her out of common courtesy. But it makes more sense.]

I guess someone already filled you in on what happened?

[voluntaryapnea]

Yeah, my friend Kira. Can you tell me about what happened?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[She hesitates to say anything. Even after what he did, a part of her feels like she should be protecting Dean from being punished for things that were outside of his control. But she doesn't owe him that and they're speaking warden-to-warden right now.]

I just went up to the deck and saw Dean. So, I decided to stop and talk to him. [He can't see, but she furrows her brow.] I don't know what set him off exactly. The conversation was the same one we'd had before about how he wants me to stay away, but I told him I'm not going anywhere.

Before...Before I tried to walk away, I mentioned that he could come pickup the things I got him for Christmas and consider them a birthday present. Then he just...

He just snapped.

[voluntaryapnea]

[He hears the pause, the moment of hesitation. And he gets it. The desire to protect someone you care about. And he knows that Elena and the other Dean had been friends. But this isn't the other Dean. He hasn't been since the moment he stepped foot on the Barge this time around.]

Your neck. [He grimaces, because the truth is, if it had been nearly anyone else on the ship, that person would be deathtolling right now. And just because she isn't doesn't mean that the intent wasn't there. He draws in a breath and lets it out slowly, rubbing a hand over his face.]

So it was just -- the usual talking and he lost it?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

Yeah. [Elena nods even though he can't see it.] I didn't say anything to antagonize him or piss him off.

[Not intentionally anyway. She wouldn't do that.]

[voluntaryapnea]

[He lets out a breath and closes his eyes for a moment.]

I didn't think so. [That's sort of the problem at hand.] Thanks, Elena. I'm sorry -- you know. About the neck snapping.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

It's not your fault, Stiles. You really don't have to apologize for what Dean does.

[Dean makes his own choices. Stupid as they might be. She also understands the impulse to apologize for him all the same though.]

But I appreciate it.

[voluntaryapnea]

Yeah, I know.

[That it's not his fault, and that he doesn't have to apologize for Dean's actions. But it still feels like he should.]

No problem.