Day 54: Sun Room [Fourth Shift]
He saw her at the end, when everyone was rising from their seats.
For all that Stefan had spent the day consumed with his own thoughts and cravings, the conversation over the intercom distracted him too. He hadn't been paying attention enough to follow what they - Landel's irate voice, the head nurse, someone else (the one in charge of the soldiers?) - were talking about, but he noticed the way some people looked up at the sound of the last voice. Stefan didn't recognize it, but it was clear that many people did.
He puzzled over it only long enough to notice two people who didn't automatically get up as the new shift was announced: his brother first, still a shock in anything less than tailored black, and there, right beside him...
Elena.
By the time Stefan registered what he was doing, he was already on his feet, a little shaky but walking steadily enough across the cafeteria. She was whole. She was safe. And if she'd already seen Damon, even better. As much his brother pretended to care otherwise, there was no way he'd let Elena go to the Rec Field alone if she was seriously hurt - although it was just as possible that Elena had insisted he not hover. Either way, it didn't matter. Stefan would know soon enough once he was able to hold her in his arms, and feel her warm and alive against his chest.
"Christian!" A nurse stepped in front of him. Stefan pulled himself up short, and helplessly watched as Elena moved out of sight. The nurse seemed to guess what he was thinking anyway. "Samantha needs to go for roll call. You've already had your session on the Recreational Field, remember?"
Which meant he was supposed to be in the Greenhouse with the other men, guaranteeing he wouldn't be able to see Elena. "I'll go to the Sun Room. Could you tell her I'll be waiting for her there?" He remembered how sharply the staff had looked at them the last time they'd been together. How strict were the rules here, for patients? "I haven't seen her all day. Please."
In the end, she agreed, leaving alone at the entrance of the Sun Room. Stefan sank into an empty couch, and tried his best not to get into any more trouble.
For all that Stefan had spent the day consumed with his own thoughts and cravings, the conversation over the intercom distracted him too. He hadn't been paying attention enough to follow what they - Landel's irate voice, the head nurse, someone else (the one in charge of the soldiers?) - were talking about, but he noticed the way some people looked up at the sound of the last voice. Stefan didn't recognize it, but it was clear that many people did.
He puzzled over it only long enough to notice two people who didn't automatically get up as the new shift was announced: his brother first, still a shock in anything less than tailored black, and there, right beside him...
Elena.
By the time Stefan registered what he was doing, he was already on his feet, a little shaky but walking steadily enough across the cafeteria. She was whole. She was safe. And if she'd already seen Damon, even better. As much his brother pretended to care otherwise, there was no way he'd let Elena go to the Rec Field alone if she was seriously hurt - although it was just as possible that Elena had insisted he not hover. Either way, it didn't matter. Stefan would know soon enough once he was able to hold her in his arms, and feel her warm and alive against his chest.
"Christian!" A nurse stepped in front of him. Stefan pulled himself up short, and helplessly watched as Elena moved out of sight. The nurse seemed to guess what he was thinking anyway. "Samantha needs to go for roll call. You've already had your session on the Recreational Field, remember?"
Which meant he was supposed to be in the Greenhouse with the other men, guaranteeing he wouldn't be able to see Elena. "I'll go to the Sun Room. Could you tell her I'll be waiting for her there?" He remembered how sharply the staff had looked at them the last time they'd been together. How strict were the rules here, for patients? "I haven't seen her all day. Please."
In the end, she agreed, leaving alone at the entrance of the Sun Room. Stefan sank into an empty couch, and tried his best not to get into any more trouble.