Chapter Four: Alone

The first thing I was aware of were just sounds. There was periodic traffic. The sound of the wind outside. Then sounds closer to me. Clinking glasses. A faint music. The most prominent sound was the turning of pages. My brows furrowed as I shifted my body. It felt normal. There was pressure on my legs. I cracked my eyes open just as the weight shifted and Windsor started to gently lick my face.

"It's okay." I told him. "I'm okay."

I turned my head to see the stranger sitting at my desk. He didn't look at me as I slowly sat up. Looking myself over I found that I was in one piece. Not a trace of what happened to me. Frowning hard I looked back at the stranger, realizing that he was paging through my journal.

"Hey!" I said rushing over to him, grabbing it. "That's personal."

"I'm sorry." He said looking at me. "It's very interesting."

"Who are you?" I asked him.

"A friend." He told me as he stood.

"That's not a name." I stated. He just looked at me. "You're not going to tell me are you?" He still remained silent. "What do you want with me?"

"Nothing." He said and walked to the door. "Just know…you're not as alone as you think you are."

I just looked at him for a moment, suddenly angry. "You don't know anything about me. I'm completely alone." I told him coldly.

"Only in your mind." He said and left.

I closed the door, locking it, before taking a long shower. I felt like something big had happened. Something that I was completely unaware of. He scared the shit out of me. I couldn't explain it. He knew something. I just had to figure out what it was.


You're not as alone as you think you are.

His words kept repeating in my head. But I felt alone. More alone now than I had for quite some time. Two weeks had gone by since I had last seen him. Didn't know where he went or if he was coming back. Not that I was horribly saddened by this, but I wanted to know who he was. No, I needed to know who he was.

"You've been pretty quiet." Bruce commented.

"I know." I replied. "Just haven't had much to say."

"You've been preoccupied."

I looked at him and smiled. "You know, for a guy who looks like he used to run a gang, you're awfully observant."

He gave a short laugh. "I've heard that before." I just nodded at him. "The mics free." He told me.

"Your point?" I asked him with a raised brow.

"You've got a good voice." He said sweetly.

"Ha!" I said grinning at him.

"What, you don't think I hear you?" He asked. "You sing along with the jukebox. You hum to yourself all the time. And these walls are not as thick as you might think." He said with raised brows as he leaned toward me.

I felt my face flush. "Well, with all due respect, I don't want to."

"Oh, come on."

"It wouldn't be anything happy." I told him.

"I know."

"You know?" I asked.

"You went dark after your fiancé died. I get that. But you seem like you're healing." He said gently.

"Not really." I replied. "Just getting better at hiding it."

He nodded and didn't push. We went about our work. Working harder than I usually did, I was trying to forget about the stranger. Forget about what Bruce said. Just…forget.

As the night wore on my mind became more and more weighed down. Even Windsor couldn't turn my mind off. It was nearly bar close and Windsor was playing with a tennis ball. He was pretty good at keeping himself entertained. As mellow as he was, he was still young, prone to bursts of puppyhood. He was the loudest thing in the bar.

"It's awfully quiet." Bruce stated.

I sighed and looked at him. "You're being awfully persistent."

"I'm not saying you have to do it every day. I'm just saying it might help." He told me.

"I doubt that." I replied.

"Just one." He said and gave me his best pouted face.

If you've ever seen a big man like that pout it really is hard to say 'no' to. Glaring at him I went up to the machine. There were plenty of songs. Several of the classic rock songs appeared high on the list. But I couldn't do it. They reminded me far too much of Dean. Dean. Tears came to my eyes and I wasn't sure I wanted them to go away this time. I found something. Typing in the numbers and sitting on a stool in front of the mic. Soon the music started. I had to restart it twice before I actually built up the strength to open my mouth. There was a certain amount of twang to the song. It was more of a war story than anything else. But Dean had been a soldier. Just not the typical kind. Talking about marriage. About a life together. He died and she was left alone. In its own way, it was perfect. When the chorus came I shocked myself with how much soul I put into it. I understood what that girl was feeling. I knew where she went…

"Baby, why'd you leave me? Why'd you have to go? I was counting on forever. Now I'll never know. I can't even breathe." I sang on the top of my lungs. "It's like I'm looking from a distance. Standing in the background. Everybody's saying he's not coming home now. This can't be happening to me. This is just a dream."

When the song was over tears stained my face and I could hardly catch my breath. I took a moment to gather myself before looking up. All eyes were on me. I felt my face flush and I quickly got off the stage. I walked behind the bar and Bruce was grinning at me.

"What?" I asked him.

"Nothing." He said. "Feel better?"

"Maybe a little."

"A bit of a release?" He asked.

"A bit." I replied.

He just nodded and kept working. I just sighed and shook my head as I started to clean the glasses.

"That was wonderful." A voice said that was becoming much too familiar.

"What do you want?" I asked him.

"A drink." He replied.

"You've never drank before." I stated.

"Perhaps some water." He told me.

"Oh, God." I said and rolled my eyes. "I'm done with your games. Who the hell are you?"

There was a long pause before he finally said, "Castiel."

"And what do you want with me?"

"To help you." He replied.

"Why do you think I need help?"

"Because it's written all over your face." He replied.

I just looked at him nodding, "You might be right. But how would you be able to help me?"

"In any way I can." He replied.

I just looked at him. There was no lie in his eyes. "Thank you." I said softly.

"You're welcome." He said kindly. "What do you call yourself?"

"Hailey."

"Interesting." He replied.

"It's a pretty common name." I told him, feeling the need to defend my fake name.

"Yes." He replied matter-of-factly.

"Okay." I said and continued working.

He didn't mention helping me again. He simply sat and watched as I worked. Windsor was out of character as he sat at Castiel's side. He was almost statuesque. His eyes moved and he occasionally moved his head but otherwise he was as still as stone.

"We're closing now." I told him.

"May I come again?" He asked.

"I can't stop you." I told him with a small smile. He nodded and turned to leave. "Castiel?" I said and he turned and looked at me. "Thank you. For saving me."

"You're welcome." He said and left.

I watched him go. Happy to at least have found out his name. I was wiping down the bar when Bruce came up to me with a pleased grin on his face.

"Do I dare ask?" I frowned at him.

"See? You sing a song and gain a guy." He grinned at me.

"I don't need a guy." I stated.

"He's been here several times."

"I know." I told him and called my dog.

We retreated to our room and got ready for bed. I had made a connection with another human being and yet…I still felt alone. It felt good to connect with someone again. To feel less hollow inside. But it would never fill the void in my chest. There was still only one person I wanted.


The moon was still high when I shot awake from my latest nightmare. More whispering filling the room. It had become calming, even though I couldn't make out what it was saying. I ran my fingers through my sweat drenched hair. Windsor let out a low whine next to me. I stroked his head, rubbing his ear, before lying back down.

The nightmares…they were always the same. Dean was always getting torn apart. He was always dying. Cass made an appearance or two, just standing there, watching it all happen. But their main focus was always on Dean. I couldn't sleep anymore. I got up and took a shower, washing the dream off of my body.

Windsor waited patiently as I got dressed but wagged his tail eagerly to go outside. Since the bar was around five miles out of town, the night was quiet. There was a small wood that lay behind it. Windsor made his way toward them, happy to do his business. I sighed, waiting for him. He was gone only a few minutes when he let out a bark and I saw him came racing from the woods. He circled around me before stepping in front of me. His hackles were raised and his lips were quivering, the white of his teeth showing periodically. His ears were back. I knew there was danger near but I couldn't see anything through the dark. My eyes darted along the tree line but I couldn't see what danger he was trying to alert me too. I took a step back but he whirled around letting loose a series of barks before appearing to look in every direction.

"Windsor, you are really starting to freak me out." I told him quietly.

His growling was starting to intensify. I turned to run back to the bar but ran into a well-toned chest. I looked up at the man who now had my arms. A second layer of teeth descended from his gums.

"Oh, crap." I said and pulled free.

"We've been looking for you." He told me.

"And why would you be looking for me?" I asked as I backed away.

Another man grabbed my arms from behind. He pressed himself against my back. He put his lips against my hair. Taking a long inhale of my scent he whispered, "Because you are Evy Connors."

"You've got the wrong girl." I told them. My eyes quickly moved to the shed behind the bar. There were tools in there. But getting to it would be a little on the difficult side.

"Oh, I don't think so." The first man told me.

Looking around I saw at least five of them. All were large men. There was no way I would be able to take them all on by myself.

"What makes you think I'm her?" I asked them.

"Because you're not screaming." The man who still held me told me viciously.

"Would that help?"

"It might." The first replied.

I opened my mouth as if to scream before slamming my elbow into the solar plexus of the man who held me. His arms loosened and I turned and thrust my palm up underneath his nose. Ducking in time, I dodged a swinging arm, but soon all of them were coming at me. I turned and fled toward the bar. As usual, I didn't make it that far. I was grabbed and thrown. I heard frantic barking as Windsor fought against two of the vampires that were trying to get a hold of him. I hadn't anticipated this and had no weapon on me. I had stopped carrying 24/7. This was the first time anyone had come looking for me. They were the first to call me by name.

I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder as he tried to place his teeth into my neck. I struggled against him. I managed to crawl forward, kicking him in the face. Getting to my feet I turned and grabbed the head of the vampire as he came at me. I braced myself before snapping his neck. It wouldn't kill him but it would slow him down. Hearing a yelp, I turned and ran toward my dog. They got a hold of him. I saw a knife at the waist of the vampire in front of me. His back faced me. Grabbing it, I stabbed him in the side. He turned and attempted to backhand me. I ducked underneath his arm as I shifted the blade against my forearm, bringing it across his throat as he exposed it to me. He stumbled back, gurgling on his own blood. I turned to take care of the other but was hit. I tasted blood as the ground came up to meet me. I was tossed around like a rag doll. Being bitten by every vampire I was thrown to.

"You taste just like I remember." A female vampire told me. She had come out of nowhere.

"You were in Colorado." I stated.

"Yes." She grinned. "We should have drained you then, but I wouldn't have gotten this pleasure all over again."

She jerked my head backward by my hair. Sinking her teeth into my neck as the others came forward. Hearing a snap, I heard the clink as my pentagram hit the ground…so much for protection. I felt a mouth caressing either thigh before pain seared in my legs. There was so much pain. It intensified before dulled to a throb as they sucked the life out of me. I heard a whine, moving my eyes to see Windsor crawling along the ground toward me. He was clearly hurt, putting most of his weight on his left side. I frowned, starting to feel weak.

My eyes drifted to the sky. The stars were bright tonight. For a moment I was lost in them. Knowing what lay beyond them. Knowing what I would be going to. Then the whine hit my ears again. I rolled my eyes down at the head that was at my neck. Her hair was wrapped in a bun, put in place with bobby pins.

An idea struck me and I ripped my arm away from the vampire sucking my wrist, my skin tearing, and tore out a bobby pin, jamming it into her jugular vein, twisting and turning it till the blood started to spurt all over my hand. She pulled back, screaming. I yanked my other arm away from the teeth that were sunk into it, feeling my skin tear again, before pulling the vampires off my thighs. I managed to retreat a few feet, turning to see three of them still standing, blood dripping down their faces. The shed was just a few yards away. It stood between me…and them. Windsor let out a chattering whiny bark. Everyone looked at him and, with energy I didn't think he had, he lunged at the vampires. In the same moment I darted to shed. It was always locked, I knew that. When I reached it I slammed my elbow through the window, feeling the glass pierce my skin. I threw myself through the window just as a hand brushed my ankle. I fell on the saw horses, sending pain through my side. I stumbled forward, grabbing a long saw on the wall, turning just in time to see a vampire barrel through the window. Another one broke through the door.

"Please, just let me go." I told them, feigning fear and weakness.

"Since you're boy died, I think you've gotten soft." One told me.

"Almost not worth it." The other agreed.

"I'm still waiting for the real Evy to come out."

Okay, they were making me angry now.

"Good thing that Winchester boy isn't here to see her like this."

"He's probably happy he's in Hell. He won't have to deal with this one anymore."

Okay, I'd had enough. I dropped the saw and rushed forward, punching one before turning and elbowing the other. I stomped on one foot, elbowing him in the face, before swiping the legs out from under the other. I rolled, grabbing the saw. I turned and met one of them in the throat with it. I forced him to the ground and took off his head. The other looked at me before turning to the door and retreated. I thought about going after him but I just didn't have the energy.

I waited a few minutes before daring to go outside. They were gone. All of them were. I had only succeeded in killing one, but I wounded many. My name would hopefully still strike fear in the hearts of the supernatural. Windsor limped over to me, leaning against my leg.

"Well, we did it." I said petting him. "And we did it alone." I couldn't help the small smile that crossed my face.

Walking slowly, I made my way back to the bar. I stumbled a few times but made it there in one piece. I staggered through the back door, trying to leave as little blood behind as I could. When I pushed the door open Cass was standing in the center of it.

"Cass…" I said looking at him.

"You're wounded." He stated.

"Yes, very." I replied limping to the bathroom, my thighs were killing me.

"Let me help you." He said and waited for me to reply.

I just looked at him before nodding. He stepped forward and helped me into the bathroom. It felt odd and I was extremely uncomfortable, but I needed the help. I couldn't take care of myself on my own. He was gentle as he cleaned the blood and bandaged my wounds. When it came time for my thighs I protested but he simply moved my hands and helped me from my pants. He didn't focus on anything other than the task at hand. As I watched him work, trying to keep myself from yelling out, I couldn't help but study him. He was an attractive man. A very attractive man. To have him this close to me was terrifying. I was shaking, only it wasn't just because of the blood loss or the shock. I hadn't been this close to anyone for months. But he was focused, as usual, and once he was done he helped me into my sweats and helped me to bed. I laid down, the bed felt wonderful. I didn't say a word to him and he didn't say anything to me. He simply walked to the desk and sat in the chair. He just watched me and soon I fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.