( DO YOU REMEMBER
THE FIRST TIME? )

BAR
[ ☾]

       Elena is at the bar with Zander and is having a good time when she gets a surprise. Dean had just walked in and he was staring intently at her. Elena turns to Zander. "Can you grab us a couple drinks?" She asks.

       "Sure." Zander walks away as Dean. approaches Elena. Zander returns. "Hey. Wine or beer?"

       "You know, um, it doesn't matter, whatever you want." Elena fails to prevent Dean and Zander interacting; Dean shakes his hand.

      "Hi. Dean Winchester, Elena's ex. Nice to meet you..."

      "Zander."

       "Zander." Dean repeats and looks at Elena.

       "Wait. Dean?" Zander asks.

       "Dean." Dean repeats.

       "As in the ex who died?"

      "Right. Yeah, um, that is what I... What I told you." Elena says. "Obviously, that's not true."

       "It's a figure of speech. It's more kind of an emotional death. You know, it was a very messy breakup, but we're past that now, right?" Dean asks. "We're... we're in the friend stage."

      "Right." Elena says.

      "Yeah." Dean says.

      "Yeah."

       "So the ex meets the new guy. Heh." Dean steps in front of Zander. "How freaked out are you right now?"

       "I feel a little threatened, but I think I could take you."

      "Confident. Pfft. Sexy." Dean says.

      "Dean." Elena warns.

      "I'm sorry. What's going on?" Zander asks.

       "Go to the bar, get her a Chardonnay." Dean says forcefully as Zander walks away.

       "I hate Chardonnay." Elena says.

       "I know." Dean says.

       "What are you doing?"

        "I'll explain on the dance floor. May I?" Dean asks. Elena and Dean begin dancing.

       "Why are you doing this?" Elena asks.

       "Why? Well, because I'm an incredible dancer, and it would be a shame not to share my talent with the world." Dean says as Elena smiles a little. "Oh. Don't worry. I didn't see you smile." He twirls her then reels her in closer. "Charity Ball. First time we ever danced. Dick Roman stood you up...surprise, surprise... So I stepped in."

       "You're trying to stir up memories." Elena says. "This isn't a good idea."

       "I stepped in, sexy as hell, and saved you from complete and utter humiliation." Dean says. "Of course, you were just worried about Sam, but there was this moment, this one moment, where everyone else fell away, and it was just the two of us."

       "Look. I'm here with someone, Dean." Elena says. "You can't just come unannounced and ruin my night."

       "Come unannounced? What are you talking about?" Dean asks. "I literally went through time and space to be with you."

       "I know, but look. Do you want me to feel guilty?" Elena asks. "Because trust me, Dean. I do, ok? I feel horrible, and I'm sorry, but I don't... I don't know what to tell you." She says. "What do you want me to say? I don't remember us."

       "I do, and no matter how much I missed you or how much pain I was in, I never would have erased everything we ever had." Dean says. "Even if I was drowning in grief, I'd rather hang on to every moment that I ever held you or every laugh that I ever heard, every shred of happiness that we ever had. I would rather spend every moment in agony than erase the memory of you." Dean touches Elena's face; after a moment, she pulls away.

       "I need some air."

       Later, Dean takes a shot at the bar and gets another, but Elena takes he before he can. "I want to remember." She says.

       "Well, you're a day late and a dollar short, honey?" Dean says.

       "I mean, I want to try. Knowing that there's this whole piece of my life missing, it's... it's driving me crazy, ok?" Elena asks. "So I have to at least try to get it back."

       "Yeah. How are you supposed to do that?"

       "I know there's nothing we can do about the compulsion, but maybe if we unwind the memories backwards, something might trigger something, and maybe they'll all come back, right?" Elena asks.

       "Yeah. Sure. Tell me what you want me to do." Dean says.

       "Take me to the last place I told you I loved you." Elena says as Damon smiles.

HOMELESS COMPOUND
[ ☾]

         Leaning against a wall, Dean looks down at the spot where he got stabbed, while Elena stands next to him awkwardly. "I don't remember being here with you that night." She says.

       "Ok. What do you remember? How are you rewired?"

       "I remember going home one night and then nothing."

       "There's just one little part of that story that you're missing." Dean says. "You left home to find Sam and me because a demon told you to."

      "What?!" Elena asks.

       "You bumped into me that night and I almost punched you, but you said that I had to protect Sam. That was the moment I realized you were the perfect girl for me because you were just as crazy as I was."

       "Ok. Tell me more. Something happy?" Elena asks.

       "Ok. Happy. Well, there is that time I kissed you in front of your motel room." Dean says.

       "What else?"

       "You in your very passionate and adorable way told me you were in love with me while I was still getting over Lisa, and hell if you were gonna apologize for it." Dean says. "My favorite memory of us, oh, one that I've relived a million times over the last 4 months is this summer night that we got together." He says. "You ran away to get away from me and then your car broke down. I found you. There was rain, lots of rain. You were so sure it would clear, and it was just easier to believe you, and I took your hand..." Dean takes Elena's hand and puts it on his shoulder.

       Elena stares into his eyes, then blinks. "This isn't working. I'm sorry." She turns and walks a bit away.

      "Hey. Maybe you just need to try a little harder."

       "I am trying! I get that we had an amazing life together, and I know that I loved the fact that you were reckless and probably made me feel very free, but now when I look into your eyes, I just..." Elena caresses his face.

       "What? What do you feel like?" Dean asks.

      "I feel like... Like I'm looking at a stranger because I'm never gonna be able to give you what you want, because I just can't remember."

       "Hey. There are things you can't erase, and you know that." He holds her face in his hands. "Hey." Dean's face gets closer to Elena's. Elena pulls his hands down and Dean backs off. "Sorry."

MOTEL
[ ☾]

        Dean walks Elena back to her room. "When you told me you loved me, part of me was thrilled because suddenly there was this possibility I could have you in my life forever, but then the other part of me was devastated because I realized you'd lost the life that you wanted to have." He says.

       "It started to rain, and then what happened, Dean?" Elena asks.

       "And since I've been gone, you've gotten part of that life back. You're thriving, you're happy. Yeah, sure." Dean says. "Maybe you'd be happy if we gave it another chance, but the truth is is... You're better off without me."

       "What are you talking about?" Elena asks.

       "I died. You started over. I need you to live your life. Be happy. I love you, Elena. Enough to let you go." Dean looks down, sad.

       Elena continues to look at him. "It started to rain, and then what?" She asks again.

        "It got cold and muddy. You were miserable, so we got in the car and... We drove home." Dean turns and leaves; Elena doesn't look satisfied with this answer.

GRAVEYARD
[ ☾]

        Dean pours some bourbon on a grave . "One for you, one for me. Cheers." He recalls the night with Elena, kissing in the rain. In the memory, Elena smiles big and Dean smiles back, when it starts to rain.

FLASHBACK

STREET
[ ☾]

        Right before Elena is about to leave town, the car refuses to start. "Great." She gets out of the car and checks under the hood; smoke comes out. "That doesn't look good."

       "The starter won't crank. The battery is fried." Dean is walking towards Elena slowly. "It's like fate is trying to tell me something."

       "What are you doing here? Does that mean—" Elena starts.

       "When I had Castiel take Ben and Lisa's memories away, in my mind, I thought that it was the right thing to do." Dean says.

      "What are you—"

       "Just please let me finish." Dean says sternly.

       "Alright." Elena says.

       "You were right." Dean says. "I was afraid. Losing Ben and Lisa was hard, but it also meant something else to me. I loved her. I mean I really loved her. But Maybe it wasn't meant to be."

       "Don't say that. You loved her and I didn't want to take that away from you." Elena says.

       "But no matter what crap that comes my way or the monster that I have to kill, I always find my way back to you. I will always find my way to you. Even though you and Sam's destiny was fated—"

       "Screw destiny. Sam and I might have been fated, but I like to think of here and now." Elena says. "It's our turn." She whispers.

       Dean leans in to kiss Elena slowly, but it starts to drizzle. They both pull apart and look at the sky. Then it rains harder. "Maybe we should—"

       "Just shut up and kiss me?"