No Strings Attached

Day 78

            "So what? I don't have a New Year's resolution. Loads of people don't." Elena scoops some of the omelet into her mouth, glancing across the table at Dean.

            "You of all people have to believe in this crap. This is right down your alley!" Dean and Elena sit across from each other at their usual table, the café sitting empty around them. They'd grown accustomed to Saturday mornings in the rundown place, and Elena had a thing for their omelets. Dean was on task of trying every single thing on the menu, but he wasn't even close.

            "Do I look like the kind of person that enjoys supernatural hoodoo psychic crap?" Elena raises her fork in accusation, pointing it at Dean as he opens his mouth to respond. "Don't answer that."

            Chuckling, Dean continues to enjoy his meal. Two weeks into January and they were still freezing their butts off. Their usual table had become an icy tundra, a thick layer of frost stuck to every available surface. It had taken the waitress quite some time to scrape the ice off their table. Although it was freezing, the couple refused to sit anywhere else. It was their ritual and they didn't want to break the pattern now.

            "So are you gonna tell me where we're headed?" Elena puts down her utensils, quickly wiping her mouth with the corner of her napkin as she awaits Dean's response. Elena's schedule was generally very tight, not much leeway for the fun activities Dean always wanted to do. Today was different. She had been given an extra day off from the hospital and Damon was unaware of the change in schedule. He always forced her to spend her days off with him, so when given the chance to spend the entire day with Dean, Elena was more than happy to deceive her boyfriend yet again.

            "I thought we could drive to St. Louis. Spend the day in the city, then dinner and a movie. I know you've been wanting to get out of town for a while, so I thought this could be fun," Dean tells her, smiling broadly. He had told Lisa that he was going hunting with some old friends. She seemed to be more aggravated lately, disapproving any and all of Dean's trips out of the house. She was like Damon in that way, clinging tightly to Dean and wanting him to spend every last second with her even if it made them both miserable.

            "That's pretty far..." Elena chews her bottom lip, contemplating if the drive was worth it or not.

            "I'll have you back by midnight. Scouts honor," Dean assures her, giving her a small salute, which makes her giggle.

            "There's no way you were a boy scout," she teases as they rise from the table, paying on their way out of the café.

            "Was to! At least for a little while." Dean opens the car door for Elena, holding it open until she's settled inside. St. Louis was at least a four hour drive, but knowing how Dean drives, Elena suspects they'll make much better time.

            "How many badges did you earn?"

            "What badges?"

            This sends Elena into a fit of laughter, Dean's little frown not helping the giggles die down. They pass the time as best they can, blasting music and singing along to the old rock tunes Dean loves. They attempt to play the license plate game, but they quickly realize no one drives through Missouri endless they have to. By the end of the first hour, both Dean and Elena are finding it difficult to pass the time.

            "We could play I Spy," Elena suggests, moving in her seat to face Dean. Puckering his lips, Dean shakes his head.

            "No, that game doesn't work. We drive by everything too fast," he reminds her, causing her to give him a pointed look.