[ elena doesn't look convinced, but if ethan says it, then it must be true. or he must think it's true.

she's always been able to reach ethan, is the thing. she's always been able to look at him and tell what's wrong. it scares her that she doesn't this time, that if she reaches for him he might not reach back. it isn't going to stop her, but it makes her chest hurt whenever she thinks of how long he's been gone, and where he must've been to become the person that's sitting next to her right now. there are parts of him she still recognizes, however.

the parts of him that want to hold a speed-dating event. the parts of him that brought cookies for her like he did so long ago. the parts of him that look at her the way he is looking at her now. it has elena lifting her hand before she places it on top of his own, a small smile on her face. ] Yeah, there was.

[ she looks down for a moment, since she had been trying not to think about it, but it's one of the things she wants to update him on. ] Your brothers were there, though I'm not sure they had a choice in showing up. The boat just kind of ... pulled everyone in, sometimes picking out their clothes.