If there was one thing Eleniel Winchester knew it was pain. She had experienced almost every kind in her twenty eight years of life. The pain of losing a parent twice over, the pain of heartbreak, mental pain, and more physical pain than she could list. Broken bones, torn flesh, bullet holes, knife cuts, bruises and scars galore that littered her body on a weekly basis. but none of those pains, not one, could compare to the agony she now felt.

Breathing was a trial she only barely brought herself to conquer, a struggle to stand and move around as though she were a complete person. It only got worse when her little brother left, storming from their psuedo- father's house in a swirl of rage and hurt.

She broke just a little more with each day and it killed Bobby that he couldn't help her. Her situation was so unique to her and the problem at hand that there was no solution to be found. Dean was dead. And as much as he loved her and Dean, he wasn't stupid enough to try and offer his soul in return for Dean's. He was sure if Lennie could bring herself to leave her bed she would try, no matter how foolish it was.

As it were, she was practically comatose. She spent her waking hours staring at the far side of the room. If she did move it was to nibble half-heartedly at the food he would demand she eat or to drag her way to the bathroom to relieve herself or shower.

She was a broken husk of a woman, Bonny had to admit to himself after the third month with no change. There was no emotion, no recognition, nothing that would signify that there used to be a vibrant, lively, sarcastic woman where she now lay. And as the fourth month began, Bobby started to wonder if it was worth it to check her into some kind of institution. Loathe as he was to think the thoughts he knew this was something he knew nothing about.

Reaching for his phone he resigned himself to the decision he had made, starting to dial the number he had found for the closest mental asylum. But before he could hit the final digits, a piercing scream split the silent house. Hunter instincts that had kept him alive had him reaching for his revolver. Parental instincts that were new and freshly used over the last few months had him recognizing Lennie's pain filled voice.

'Nightmares' he thought, pushing away from the table to go check on her. A dull thud from above had him full on sprinting for the stairs, urgency filling him as choking sounds reached his ears.

Line Break

Pain.

Eleniel woke to a pain that burned like hell fire under her skin. A strangled scream tore her throat as she fell from her bed, scrambling at the walls for a hand hold.

"Gah!" she shouted, clutching at her chest, eyes screwed up against the torment.

Oh gods, it felt like someone was dragging her through a bed of hot coals, then dropped her in a sea of acid, complete with flesh eating leeches. She howled long and hard, falling to the floor in a heap of shaking, jerking limbs.

"Ah! Dean!" She sobbed, fresh waves of agony flitting across the bond that had, for four excruciating months, remained cold and flat. Now, emotions and memories ran fast and rampant through her, tearing at her heart and psyche. Then, just as suddenly as it began, it stopped, and she went limp, relief flooding her mind.

She lay there for who knows how long, time having lost conscious meaning, and lazily hearing the voices that drifted to her ears.

"Couldn't possibly be her"

"You felt the disturbance in the Righteous man's soul, it called out to her"

"But what is she? She is no white witch"

"We should end her now"

"Dangerous"

"Unknown"

"-could it be her?"

"No"

"Let her be."

"But Michael-"

"Let her be. This may be to our advantage."

Eleniel shifted, face scrunching at the pain that followed the movement, and the voices abruptly cut off, leaving her in silence.

Silence that was abruptly broken as her bedroom door slammed open and Bobby ran through, immediately finding her crumpled form.

"What the hell was that?!" He demanded, scooping her up to return her to the bed. Taking a step back, he blinked as color flooded Lennie's previously pale cheeks. She smiled at him warmly, eyes bright and shining for the first time in months.

"Dean's coming home, Bobby." Was all she said before turning on her side and falling into a deep, restful sleep.

Bobby stepped back from the bed, blinking back tears. He would call the asylum in the morning. He would let her have this last peaceful moment, comforted by her own illusion.