Dean stood beside the bed, his eyes on the limp, motionless body. Sam sat in a chair beside him while Jody and Bobby talked with the nurse. "I thought she was dead." Dean commented as he watched the faint rise and fall of her chest due to her shallow breaths. His hand went to her head and he wiped a piece of hair to the side.

"She was...clinically. Maybe one of the angels is still on our side." Sam commented as the small group moved towards them.

"They're going to take her and get some tests as well as get her through surgery to fix some of the broken bones and to check for internal bleeding. She's fairly stable and they're going to do everything to keep her stable but we have to stay in the waiting room." Jody said and boys nodded. "Dean, Sam...you boys did save her."

"No. Whatever is going on, someone else saved her." Sam said and Dean walked past them, heading to the doctor that was waiting on the side.

"You better take good care of her." He said not hiding that his voice was protective and downright threatening. The doctor simply nodded, unperturbed by Dean's tone.

"Of course Mr. Winchester. We'll do whatever we can to return your daughter to you." He replied. They wheeled the bed out of the room, the monitor beeping rhythmically. Dean kept watching even as the bed disappeared.

"Whatever brought her back...it's not on our side. It's on hers." He answered finally.

"And who's side d'you think she's on?" Bobby asked gruffly. "That girl's been here... what... seven.. eight months?"

"Yeah, and she spent over a month in a damn box."

"And that ain't your fault!" Bobby shouted. Dean actually looked up at him at this point. "Dammit, kid, those Leviathan did it, and it wasn't your fault as it wasn't hers. The only ones here to blame are those bastards who took her in the first place."

"She wouldn't have gotten there if I hadn't-"

"If you hadn't what, boy? If you hadn't brought her back all those months ago? Do you know where she'd probably be right now? Hell, maybe. Dead, most likely. You know why she survived a month with those bastards? One, 'cause she's a stubborn hardass like you, and two because you gave her a chance Dean. Deal with the leviathan. Don't blame yourself."

"I could've stopped-"

"Tell her that." Jody said and the boys looked at her confused. She had the I'm right face and Dean tilted his head. "Tell her you could've stopped. See what she has to say. I can bet you she won't blame you at all. She knew something was wrong, and she's smart." She paused momentarily and patted Dean's shoulder. "Hey, she's alive. That's the most we could hope for." She said and led the others down to the cafeteria for some coffee. It'd be a long wait before they'd be able to see her, the doctor had said that, with tests and surgery, it'd be at least 5 hours, likely to go over the time in the case they find anything wrong internally.

~~O~~

When I awoke, again, I was in a hospital bed. The lights weren't as bright as they'd been before. And I was glad for that. I hadn't seen much light at all in the past month. I took a moment to take in what I was feeling. Physically, I felt better. Hydrated. I was a little disoriented and groggy though. I rolled my head to the side, wincing at the throbbing pain that came with movement. I had a few bandages, but no casts that I could see. I was clean though. No blood caked on me anymore. My hand went to my head and found yet another bandage. I looked to the side and saw Dean staring out of the window. I hoped he wouldn't notice that I had awoken, but at the moment, I couldn't stop looking. His body language told me he was calm, but tense. It was then that I realized he wasn't alone. Bobby sat in the chair beside him. Dean facing the window, while Bobby faced Dean. Neither of them looked over.

"Bobby, I don't know what to do." He was saying in a quiet voice. "She was my responsibility and she got hurt because of me. You should have seen the look on her face when we found her. She didn't want to leave because she didn't trust us."

"Yeah, boy, I get it. She was terrified. It happened, though. You can't take it back."

"She was dead, though." He said. "They did what they wanted to do...They had broken her."

"What did she say to them?" Bobby asked.

"She gave them only one answer and she had more. She wouldn't move and I'm surprised she had the energy to speak. Had she not moved in that room... I would've sworn she was dead already." Bobby stood and patted his shoulder.

"She's strong, Dean, and stubborn. Remind you of anyone?" There was moment of silence before Bobby spoke again. "If they used you-copies to do the work they also wanted to ruin your image in her mind. They weren't plannin' on killin' her off, not right away at least. They probably thought of using her, more like it."

"Yeah, but Bobby, she's our responsibility. She's my responsibility. I should've noticed sooner that they had an interest in her."

"What you could've done, could've noticed, you can't change it, got that? What ever you take away from this, you saved that girl, Dean. And no amount of whining about what happened is going to make her feel better about it now." Bobby turned and I knew he saw I was awake. He nudged Dean and I watched silently as Dean turned to Bobby and then to me. Bobby smiled gently and approached me, taking my hand and squeezing it lightly. "Good to see you awake, princess." Dean stepped a little bit closer. Bobby smiled again and walked to the door. "I'm gonna talk to Jody." He said just before walking out. It was silent a minute as I watched Bobby leave and then slowly let my eyes return to Dean.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey." I replied, hardly above a whisper.

"Goddammit...Liz, I'm so freakin' sorry this happened. I'm an idiot. We never should have left you like that. It's my fault." He paused and I saw he was upset. I looked up at him silently, staring at him. That's when I realized I had been wrong. That those eyes were soft, gentle, and sad. They weren't dark and ominous. Dean was distancing himself from me a little.

"It's not your fault, Dean." I spoke, my voice made it hard to talk. I paused and stared at his eyes again. "I'm so stupid." I muttered, angered that I had a suspicion but I didn't hold to it.

"No, you're not." Dean argued with a calm, gentle voice.

"I am. They came to the motel room and..I thought they were you. I'd had caught up with some of the show and I wasn't happy. I was upset and wouldn't talk." My throat hurt with every word and I could hear how hoarse it was.

"It's not your fault-"

"I let slip that I know about you two and they took it and they knew it. They called Jody and- oh, Jody...is she..?" I asked now scared of that possibility.

"No, no, Jody isn't one. We tested her and each of us." He replied and I sighed in relief. "She thought we had called her. They wanted us to know they had you. Last I heard, her and Sam had gone to get some coffee. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been tortured for days on end." I muttered but glanced at him. If he heard, he didn't react. I let out a soft breath and said quietly. "Sore, in burning pain in some places, but definitely a lot less frightened than before."

"Sorry. We weren't thinking of what they did. Just saw you and we had to get you out of there. There wasn't time to explain and once you made it clear that you didn't have energy to stand, I had to carry you."

"I thought you were there...to finish me off or put me through something worse."

"I'd never hurt you, Liz." Though he spoke gently my mind flashed to when replica Dean would come in and throw me against the wall before pulling knives out and cutting dangerously close to major, important veins and arteries. I tried to sit up but Dean pushed me back down gently. "Don't." I flinched at his touch and he drew away. "I'm sorry. I was told you weren't to sit up, as there may be some strain on muscles." I looked to the ceiling to avoid making eye contact in fear that I would start crying. I nodded softly and stayed quiet. "You're alive though. They said you were dead...for minutes...and then you jumped up, screaming. Do- do you, uh, remember that?"

"Screaming?" I asked and then it hit me. Everything that had happened when I was brought to the hospital. "Right.."

"Huh?"

"Uh, a reaper... Annabel...she let me choose. Y'know life or death. I saw you and Sam...Bobby, Jody...I-I couldn't...I couldn't leave..not yet." I struggled to talk and so I just stared up at the ceiling, biting my lip. Dean struggled with finding the right words.

"I could've stopped it, y'know." Dean said softly and my eyes shot to him. "I could've kept you with-"

"Dean Winchester, you stop it right now." I said, coughing softly after trying to speak to loud. "Listen to me. You could not have stopped it. I didn't even know they were in that town...wherever we were. They weren't supposed to be there. You wouldn't have known." He nodded softly, reaching for the mug of ice water on the bench. He came closer and seeing me tense, he slowed down, uncapping the straw and giving it to me. I didn't have the strength to hold it though, so he held it as I sipped. I pushed it away lightly and looked up at him, trying to see him and not the images that fogged my mind. "Don't you go thinking everything is on you, Dean."As he set it down on the bedside table, a voice entered the room.

"Hey, you're up." It said and I immediately tensed, staring at the ceiling and biting my lip. All I could see was flashes of blood, a dark damp room, and Sam grinning devilishly. I felt if I looked at them, I'd be stuck on the past. I pressed the back of my head into the pillow, closed my eyes, and took deep breaths, which were hardly deep, but I felt like I was going to scream.

"Oh thank heavens, hon, how are you feeling?" Jody said, pushing past Sam and pulling the chair to the bed. I opened my eyes slowly and looked at her and gave her a small nod. Dean pulled Sam into the hallway and I guessed that he was going to explain what he found out to Bobby and Sam.

"I'm okay...really sore." I answered quietly and Jody made the bed sit up so as not to upset any doctors or open any stitches that I may have had. I felt the IV in the back of my hand and listened to the rhythmic beeping from the machine beside the bed. I felt the nose tubes that fed me oxygen to.. well, I don't know, maybe I had trouble breathing. I was going to say more but I had to muster the strength to speak. So instead, I listened to her tell me little, positive, unimportant things. I listened, but only a little. My mind ran through what had happened. I found that there were times I don't remember. Apparently there were multiple memory loss points during my tortured days. Lack of water, lack of nutrients, lack of oxygen, and loss of blood. I was actually happy for those moments that I couldn't remember. They wouldn't be able to haunt my nightmares. I interrupted her to tell of when I broke in the endless, torturous, interrogations and she said she didn't care about that. It wasn't important. It was over and it was nothing for me to worry about. I didn't tell her when the real Winchesters came because I'd been absolutely terrified and still don't want to revisit that one just yet. I didn't tell her what I had told the Leviathan and I didn't talk long. And it wasn't easy and so when my voice cracked due to it being dry and having a tube shoved down it, I gave in and fell silent as Jody took over again and told me some more lighthearted things.

~~O~~

"You were right...they made her afraid of us." Dean said softly as to not attract the attention of any medical staff.

"What?" Sam replied, confused. Bobby stood beside him, not as confused though.

"She believed it was us. The leviathan that looked like us had held her captive and tortured her."

"That's why she won't look at me.."

"Yeah, she looked at me but I could see how much it took her to do that. She tried to sit up and I told her she shouldn't and when I tried to lay her back down she flinched away. Dude, she's terrified. The most I know is what the doctor has relayed. That she was strangled, beaten, cut, burned. She's been through a crap load of torture and was, somehow, only near starvation. They wanted her alive though, because they had been feeding her somewhat. At least we know Death wants her alive."

"What are you on about?" Bobby asked, now confused.

"She said a reaper offered her a choice of life or death."

"And she remembered it?"

"Name and all."

"So you think that Death has a soft spot for her?" Sam asked.

"I don't know, man. I hope so, to be honest." Dean answered. Sam turned towards the room and looked towards the bed. The girl in the bed didn't look like the girl that appeared out of nowhere what seemed forever ago. She was battered and bruised and it seemed like she'd aged. Dean noticed it too. She was fragile. Actually, no, he realized, she wasn't. She'd gone about a month of torture and lived. She survived. She wasn't fragile, she was strong, but she was just thrown into it too quickly with too much at once. No fifteen year old should ever go through that. No one should. "Bobby... You and Jody were right. She doesn't blame me or any of us."

"What did you expect?" Bobby asked.

"I... I don't know. She said they weren't supposed to be there. That she didn't even remember leviathan in that town." He paused and it was silent for a minute.

"What do you think we should do?" Sam asked.

"Give her distance and space to let her relax a bit."

"Think it would be a good time to see if Jody would take her?"

"Now?"

"Yeah, I mean, she's gone through a lot. Maybe a normal life would be welcomed and the best and safe place to do that would be with Jody. It's worth a shot." Sam waited for a response as Dean glanced into the room. Jody was showing Liz things they'd bought and even after everything, those small pleasures brought a small smile to her face. That's when he knew that it had to be done.

"Yeah. Let's give her this one. She wasn't born into the hunter life so let's save her from it." Dean answered and the three of them entered the room as Jody was speaking.

"They said nothing heavy so I brought you some juice and pudding."

~~O~~

"Thank you." I said softly though I wasn't exactly hungry. I glanced at Sam and Dean and realized how rude I'd been. I knew the mistakes from the day that everything began to now and there has been so many. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Sam replied with a wave of his hand.

"I shouldn't have told them..." I said but I shook it off too. I didn't and wasn't going to tell them everything I said. "I told them that you'd kill Roman, though."

"And?" Sam pressed, though lightly. I simply shook my head and looked at my hands.

"I-I...never wanted to tell you.. so many have died... your mom, Jess, Jo, Ash, Ellen, Pam..." I glanced at Bobby and he gave me a confused look and I felt my heart ache at the sight. Remembering what would become of him.

"Chuck." Sam added and I cocked my head at him.

"No...not Chuck."

"I thought Chuck was dead. We haven't heard anything from him in a while."

"As far as I know, he isn't dead, but then again I don't think he's Chuck either." As I spoke, my throat was rough and my voice, cracked. My voice was a whisper at this point.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked and I bit my lip and looked at my lap.

"God, I think. He looked at Cas and he knew. He knew Cas was the soldier he created. I could see his look of admiration at Castiel and then, before Sam went into hell, that episode was Chuck telling the story of your life. How the Impala was your home and everything." I coughed roughly as Jody rubbed my back and handed me the ice cold water. I took a small drink and let my throat settle before continuing. "How are there are parts in the car that you always leave every time you fix it...like the legos. He knew what all three of you went through and it hurt him. I could see his pain with the things you went through...I never knew why he didn't just stop it but I think he was hoping you could. But he was telling the world about you, hoping people would listen and be supportive of not just the bible's work, but of team free will, of Sam and Dean Winchester and of the angel Castiel."

"Hey, what's wrong?" Bobby asked pulling up a chair beside Jody. It was then that I realized I was shaking a bit but I shook my head softly. I didn't have anything else to say at the moment. Instead my attention turned to an entering doctor and nurse.

"Alright, Elizabeth, I think it's time for you to rest again." The doctor said as the nurse approached me. The doctor pulled aside Dean, Sam, Bobby and Jody and, though he spoke quietly, I heard what he was saying. "She's a little confused. We think it's a mixture of trauma and medication. You had gone down for something to eat and one of the nurses had been changing the IV and she was partially awake, babbling biblically."

"What did she say?" Dean asked and a nurse played with the tube on my hand. I was growing tired as she stood near me.

"She was talking about the year 2014 and such. There was something that concerned us and that was her believing there had been an apocalypse and saying 'I have to change it...'. And she repeated some names..." He paused and looked at the clipboard. "Does Ezekiel, Castiel, Metatron, Kevin, Charlie, and Crowley...Do any of those names mean anything." He said softly. Dean shook his head a bit. My hand searched my neckline and I began to grow nervous. It wasn't there. My necklace, my samulet, it was gone. I was pretty sure I looked like I was going to cry because Jody walked away from the doctor and took my hand gently.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay..." She said soothingly. The others had finished talking with the doctor and the nurse had left pushed another liquid into my IV. Jody stroked my hair in an effort to calm me down. I realized it wasn't the fact it was the Samulet that I was crying. It was because it was my only link to my world. I'd gotten it in my world and it was my security item, to be honest. I fidget a lot and so I used the necklace as sort of a fidget toy. I didn't want to lose it now.

"Liz?" Sam asked seeing my hand was against my neck. I figured they wouldn't understand why it meant so much to me, but I had to have it.

"It's gone-" I murmured quietly. Dean reached around his neck and unclasped a necklace and held it out.

"I don't know if you remember, but you gave it to Jody to give to me." He said as he handed the necklace to me. I relaxed a bit and even felt a little warmth grow in my chest as I saw that his place to keep it safe had been around his neck.

"Thank you." I replied softly as my hand ran over the oddly shaped amulet and stared at my hands. My head felt bob back as I began to go under what the nurse had sent through my IV. Dean looked at me and I knew what they were going to ask. "I was drugged...ignore it."

"Boys, don't you dare question her about it now. She doesn't want you to know. You leave her be on the topic, we clear? And Bobby, don't you encourage them." Jody said when their mouths opened and I was thankful for the back up. I smiled softly and looked at Jody. It was beginning to grow harder to focus and keep my eyes open.

"I don't...want to sleep. I just..woke up." I said as I tried to stay focused. She ran a hand through my hair.

"They just don't want any stitches ripped and know that right now if you were awake you'd probably not go to sleep again."

"I don't wanna sleep." I repeated and teared up. "I don't want too..please." I began to cry and Jody sat on the edge of the bed holding me against her while she ran her hand over my back. The boys took a seat in the corner and Bobby sat on my other side. My voice was pleading and I could feel myself shake. "Please...don't make me..sleep. Don't make me... I don't want to go back...please...don't make me go. Please!"

"Liz, it's okay. We're not leaving your side." Bobby said and Jody just shushed me softly. Before I fell asleep, I saw the blurred, worried expressions of Sam and Dean.

~~O~~

"Why didn't the nurse ask to sedate her?" Jody asked as she laid the child back against the bed and pulled a blanket up and wiped the girl's tears. "She's terrified."

"Yeah, we saw." Sam said with a frown.

"For all we know, she could think this is a dream and if she wakes up she's gonna be in that terrible place." Jody said and glanced at the boys. They hadn't thought of that, they'd thought of nightmares, not of the possibility that she may think she wasn't saved. It was a harsh thought to think about.

"Jody?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

"Do you want to take Liz?" He asked and glanced at the sleeping girl. "Give her a normal life and let her heal?" Jody watched the boys and glanced at Bobby who gave her a slight smile.

"It'd be like having a child again, only this time starting at the teen years." Bobby said and Jody smiled softly.

"Of course I'd take her. You do realize there's a potential she may not want to stay with me, though, right?"

"I don't think she'll completely mind." Sam said softly.

~~O~~

After a day and no more sedatives given without permission, I was visited by a therapist, Theresa Itella. Three days into our session and I still spoke very little to her. My mind was trying to re-examine what was acceptable and what was considered crazy.

"Elizabeth, it says that awhile ago, before you were kidnapped, you were in the emergency waiting room."

"Yeah..."

"Can you tell me why you were there?"

"My dad and uncle got into an accident."

"Were you present at the time?"

"Yes."

"But you were...unharmed?"

"Yes."

"Have either of them ever harmed you." I froze. This was one of those moments where my mind tried to trick me.

"No."

"You had to think about-"

"No. They wouldn't ever hurt me."

"I can't help you if you don't tell me the truth."

"I am telling you the truth."

"Elizabeth, I know you've been through a lot and were hurt. Do you know who hurt you?"

"No." I answered, frowning. "I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

"I need to know if there is any possibility that it was someone you know-"

"Don't you understand? All you people that try to pry into my mind...you all think that they're causing me pain. That they're hurting me but you can't seem to understand that I was perfectly okay. My dad and my uncle don't harm me at all. Neither do Bobby or Jody. They're my family. It wasn't me hurt that night. All you guys seem to care about is manipulating the truth."

"Why do you keep your distance then?"

"I haven't exactly been allowed up. I haven't done anything. Besides, they look at me like I'm broken and if they touch me, I'll break more..." I coughed roughly and continuously and Itella was sent from the room as a doctor came in to help soothe my coughs. They didn't let anyone in the room for about twenty-five minutes and then, I was worn out, in pain, and shaking. I refused to speak to her after that day and they stopped sending her in but they kept trying with different people.

Jody returned every day but then had to return to work and so couldn't come as often as I would've liked. I was kept company by either Dean, Sam, or Bobby. But it was only about four days after Jody left before I complained to the doctor.

"Can I go home?" I asked.

"No. You've been through quiet a big deal and it's best that you stay until you are healed a bit." I frowned as the doctor left the room and looked at the window. I no longer relied on the nose tubes for oxygen, and I didn't even know what was under the bandages. Scars, I presumed. The doctor turned and left the room. I waited a minute before sitting up and sliding out of the bed. I had been allowed up recently, but usually with a nurse in the room. My muscles weren't top notch due to over a month of not moving. I was very wobbly and I grabbed the blanket, draped it over my shoulders and walked over to the window. They didn't have me on IV's any longer, but the did check to see I was at least putting an effort towards eating. What they didn't know is that I couldn't eat much without feeling sick. One of the nurses had me eat some but I'd confided in her that I wasn't too hungry and couldn't eat much yet. She never required me to eat too much and would take the food out so that I wasn't kept here longer. I'd promised her that I would eat a little bit more every now and then. I leaned against the wall and stared out the window.. It was fall. October actually. The leaves outside the window had changed color and began to drop and most trees were nearly bare.

Dean walked in not much later and because I had been facing the window, I hadn't noticed. He came over and gently put his hand on my shoulder and I jumped slightly but he didn't pull away. "You're wobbling, come on.." He said and led me over to the chair to sit and I sat with my legs crossed and pulled the blanket over me. "Hey so, Bobby's at the motel looking into some cases and where the leviathan are but Sam's at the grocery store. Is there anything you want?" He asked. I had relaxed a bit around the two and they knew it but even then they kept their distance. Dean now stood across from me at least three feet away.

"To leave this stupid hospital for good." I muttered and glanced at the hospital door, longing for the day when I could leave this room behind me. They'd taken me out for rounds about the halls and outside but only for half an hour and I was stuck in the wheelchair. "I'll find a way out if I have to stay any longer."

"I don't think they'd let you go."

"I don't care. I'm physically fine. Besides lack of muscle, scarring, and emotional trauma, there is nothing they can do for me. They're only worried about my mental health." I frowned and glanced at Dean. "I'm not insane and you know that. It's not my fault I rambled- Dean what if I rambled like that to the leviathans..?"

"Don't you worry about them, they're goin' down. You have nothing to blame yourself for, alright?" He said gently and I nodded hesitantly.

"I-I'm not insane and you know that." I repeated a little more firmly. "I don't want to stay because of that." Dean's mouth opened but I cut him off. "Don't you go saying that it might be better that I stay because of the trauma I went through. Don't you dare say that, Dean Winchester. You died, you were tortured, you tortured, for heaven's sake you've been to hell yourself! You didn't go through what I did like I did, but you still know pain and suffering and you should be able to answer me one question. If you didn't go through therapy, why should I?" I knew I had hole in my logic but I wasn't staying here any longer and I would find my way out if I had to. Dean contemplated and stared at me.

"Give me a minute and I'll come back and let you know?"

"Know about what?" I called after him as he walked out of the door. I sat nervously awaiting his return before getting up and throwing on a pair of pants and a shirt and my sweater and sitting back down. It was difficult to get dressed with only a half a minute before my muscles began to hurt, but I managed, even without touching bandages.

"Alright, well, they don't want you to go because of your bible-talk and they're covering it up by wondering if you're getting enough fluids. They're insisting you stay," My face fell at this statement and I looked down. "but I brought up that I am your father and that whatever I say goes. I've got legal jurisdiction on what happens to you and so it's my say or the courts. And they don't want to deal with that. They're getting me the release forms and then we're going." I immediately turned to look at him.

"Since when have you done something legally?"

"Since it affects whether I get you out or not." He gave me a smile and a doctor walked in handing him a clipboard and glancing in my direction.

"I don't think it's wise taking her out-"

"I don't think it's wise holding a child for no reason and ignoring the demands of the father." Dean growled and the doctor nodded and left and I smiled thankfully. He sat down on the edge of the bed and began filling out the forms for about half an hour. It was peaceful and I relaxed back until he stood up and left the room without a word. I realized I hadn't slept much since they stopped giving me sedatives but it didn't bother me, I hardly slept at all. Dean returned with a smile and a nurse followed behind with a wheelchair. I felt giddy with excitement as the nurse helped me keep my balance into the wheelchair and Dean took over and pushed it. "You ready to go, kiddo?"

"More than ready." I replied and he wheeled me out without a second glance into the room and downstairs. I felt a cooling breeze sweep past me and saw that Sam was waiting outside with the Impala and I just felt relief wash over me as I stood from the chair and sat in the backseat. We were off in just a few minutes. It was then that I remembered that I was at Sioux Falls general and I laid back and waited to see where we were going. We stopped at a house and I was confused until Jody opened my door and I smiled.

"Hey, c'mon in." She smiled and helped me up and walked me inside where we sat on couches with cups of coffee and Jody asked me small questions to pass the time. "So, who were you raised by?" Her smile was gentle and I smiled back.

"My mom." I answered. "My dad sort of left...well, I say left.. he was a soldier and he walked out one night when I was four. At least I think he was. After that day, my mom didn't do too much with me. She was more work revolved."

"And what are you most afraid of?"

"Being forgotten." I replied playing with the mug. It seemed the Winchesters had been expecting something along the lines of the leviathan, but to be honest they weren't my biggest fear. They just added to my list of fears. "I've got a few friends that I know are looking for me. Last I checked I'd been gone at least a few months. I just vanished. I'm afraid for their sake." I paused and bit my lip. "A lot of people are looking for me and I'm not there. I don't care if I die..it doesn't scare me anymore. I care that they won't ever know what happened to me. They won't have closure." There was a pause in the conversation before Sam spoke up.

"But you know how to manage yourself and you're very smart. Your mother must be proud of you. And your friends, they'll see you again. I promise."

"One, don't promise something you can't be sure of. I know you're only trying to help but empty promises are never good." I replied without a care about how I came off. "And two, my mother..." I grimaced at the word and looked down at the cup of coffee in my hands for a moment before looking up at them. "She wasn't proud. I was my father's daughter. She didn't want to see him after he left and she didn't try to even give me a chance. I don't think I was her daughter, in truth. I was average grade and all I was ever good for was chores. She was sort of like John, no offense. She could've taken better care of me, but she didn't. Your dad didn't care, or show he cared that you got into college, Sam. Sorry, but your dad sucks. It's okay, my mom does too. My mom is like your dad...minus the hunting and traveling.." I paused and looked up at the two and they just looked sorry. "You should've been raised by Bobby. His biggest win in life, and he admits it, is that he adopted two boys who grew up to be heroes. I've never had that sort of person."

"Yeah?" Dean answered softly. The entire time it seemed he didn't mind me bagging on their dad. I was silent and took a sip of coffee. He looked at me gently. "I don't believe that, Liz. Y'know? I don't believe that you've never had that sort of person. I've known you for quite a few months, and I have been proud of you. Sure I got angry here and there, but don't you ever think I haven't cared for you, kiddo." It was silent for a little bit.

"Dean?" I started softly. I didn't know if I had hurt him in some way but I had to say something even if their presence still shook me. "If you ever get the chance, don't be like your father."

"I already am, aren't I?"

"No!"

"I taught you to shoot a gun. I put you in danger."

"Well, you didn't teach me to shoot, Sam did. But I'm not blaming him either. I was put in danger the minute I arrived in this world. It was only protection that I learned how to use weapons."

"But I didn't leave you any."

"And you didn't need to. I wouldn't have shot you or Sam even if I knew it wasn't you. I couldn't ever see myself doing that."

"How am I not like him, Liz?!"

"You actually care!" I shouted, though I was visibly shaking. "You cared about what happened to me!" I took a breath and lowered my voice as Jody put an arm over my shoulder. "You kept me off cases and you still protect Sam. You're not Cain and Abel. You're not Micheal and Lucifer. You're Dean and Sam. Neither perfect in every way, but you aren't you father. You are so much more." I stopped again and sipped the coffee trying to settle my nerves. I was hesitant and I almost expected one of them to start hitting me. Dean nodded though and I guessed I hit home with him. "If I'm stuck here, I'm glad its with you guys. But you don't have to keep me off cases."

"Liz, you're not staying with us." Dean said softly and I was confused. "You're going to stay with Jody. We figured since you were tortured by the leviathan..us...You may feel a bit more comfortable in a normal home for a bit. A normal life. Normal school, normal teenager." I was shocked to say the least. My mouth opened and closed as I tried to form words and understand what was going on and so I just stared at my lap and opted to stay quiet. I didn't argue though I wanted to and they knew it. I actually wasn't sure if I wanted to stay with them at the moment as I could always feel the fear creeping in the back of my mind when I was close. I sighed and Jody broke the silence.

"I had some records made up for you and all that is left is to get your school credits in and you'll be officially registered." She said and I nodded a bit before they began talking about lighter topics and I shifted over to set the cup of coffee down at the side table. They continued to talk softly.

~~O~~

Dean smiled lightly as he talked. "So what's the school like?" He asked in hope that the school would take care of Liz well. Though when he glanced at Liz, he paused and shook his head. "Never mind, it seems we've lost her for the night." Sam and Jody looked over and saw that Liz had curled herself up and fallen asleep. They smiled simultaneously all relieved that she was getting some sleep, knowing that she'd hardly slept in the hospital. Dean knew it more than the others because he'd sit in the room on the laptop and, though he didn't draw attention to her, he could see that she was watching him, or studying the room. Jody stood and gently shook Liz's shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open, not frightened, but tired.

"Come on hon, I'll take you to your room." She said as she helped Liz up and took her upstairs. Dean and Sam stayed seated and watched them before turning to each other.

"Look's like Jody's gonna be happy in the mother position again." Sam commented and Dean nodded.

"Yeah, I mean she lost her son but now she's got a temporary daughter."

"You think Liz will be alright?"

"She's gonna need some time, but Jody's there for her."

"Yeah." He replied with a breathy sigh.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's..."

"Hard, yeah, I know. We're leaving her in safe, capable hands, Dean, it's the best we can do for her."

"And the Leviathan?"

"Just have to keep them distracted in other locations, I suppose, do what we can. But Jody's here as well. Liz is safe." The two nodded at each other and a minute later Jody returned and they went back to talking for about twenty minutes.

"Alright, well, Bobby wants us to get a head start to a case a few towns over. He said he was gonna stop here and make sure you and Liz have everything you need. He'll also drop off her clothes." Dean said and the three stood as Jody walked them out to the car. She gave them each a hug and stood just a foot from the car. "Take care of her, alright?"

"Of course. You two stay safe and don't be strangers, okay?" The boys nodded. There was a moment of silence and Sam stood at an open door glancing back.

"She okay?" He asked.

"I took her to the guest room and as soon as she hit the mattress she was asleep again. She's going to be fine." Jody smiled and they said their goodbyes and went off in separate directions, the boys in the Impala and Jody back to the house. She locked the door once inside and did her usual house rounds including closing the blinds and shutting out the lights. She cleaned up the cups and headed upstairs to the room just a few doors from Liz's.

~~O~~

The darkness rolled in and the grotesque faces popped like flashes of lightning in my nightmares. First were the faces I didn't recognize, then those I did, and then the ones of the dead and finally, Dean and Sam. At first they were protective and then they started to get angry and turned on me. They growled and raised their weapons and directed them at me as they came closer. I could hear their taunts and their threats and I tasted the blood on my lips and felt the cracking of my bones. I screamed and my hands went directly to my ears, trying to block out their terrifyingly real and threatening voices. "Please! No! I got out! I got out, you're not here!"

"You've never left." They taunted and I screamed louder.

"Liz! Liz! Elizabeth!" A voice entered my mind. It was soft, gentle, but concerned. I woke up and I was nearly in Jody's arms, shaking and crying. She didn't ask what happened. She gently ran her hand threw my hair and rubbed my back in slow circles as she repeated softly, "Shh, it's alright, it's alright." I curled closer to her and relaxed a bit and after twenty minutes, she spoke again."Try to sleep, I'll be right here."

"I..don't think I can sleep anymore." Jody simply nodded and rubbed my back gently.

"Do you want to stay home today? I could stay home with you, if you'd like, or you could come to the station with me if you prefer." I didn't reply, unsure of what I wanted at the moment. I knew, for one, I did not want to be alone yet. That's what got me into all the crap before. Alone was out of the question and Jody knew it, that's why she'd offered up two other options. I sighed a little, Jody had missed work because of me already, besides we had some papers we had to fill out, maybe we could do that on her break or at lunch or something.

"I guess I'll go to the station with you." I sighed, resigned to the final option.

"Are you sure? You could stay home, or we could stay home-"

"I don't want you missing more work than you have to." I paused and glanced at her and gave her a small, tired smile. "I'm sure." Jody gave a gentle smile in return. "What time is it?"

"Nearly 6am. You slept fairly well, fell asleep about 10 last night. I woke you to bring you up here."

"Really? I don't remember." I hesitated slightly. I was glad I had gotten sleep, though disappointed it'd been interrupted by night terrors. "Are Sam and Dean here?" I asked, and though I was somewhat relaxed about them, I heard a small tone of fear in my voice as I said their names. Jody picked up on it as well, apparently. She turned on the light and ran her hand through my hair. We both sat on my bed still, neither willing to move yet, her mainly for my benefit.

"No. They went to the motel. Bobby will be by this morning."

"Did I upset them?"

"Oh, of course not! No, you did no such thing. They know that you're still unsure about everything that has happened and they know you're still young and you've got to heal. They worry, Liz, we all do. They figured if you had fallen asleep, it was best to let you rest. You can call them later if you want." I nodded softly, a little reassured by her words and she smiled at me. "I don't have to be in until 9:30 today, but I'll let them know I'll be in around noon instead. What do you say we go get you some new clothes?" I nodded a little with a smile and she rubbed my back. "You hungry?" I nodded again, I wasn't truly that hungry but I knew it would make her feel better if I ate something. She got up with a smile and headed downstairs, I assumed, to make breakfast. I laid back down, flat on my back, and stared at the ceiling. It was embarrassing that the first chance I get comfortable enough to sleep, I wake up terrified. After five minutes or so, I stood, relaxed. I didn't have any clothes but the ones I was wearing so I didn't bother getting changed. I went in to the bathroom, forcing myself to be steady.

Eventually, after I got tired of staring at myself in the mirror, scrutinizing every little visible scar that wasn't covered, I went downstairs where Jody had breakfast waiting on the table. The air smelled of sausage and pancakes and for the first time in forever I truly felt like I was home. The other time I felt like that in this world was Bobby, Dean, Sam, and I forgetting about the evils of the world and just chilling to watch Doctor Sexy. That was entertaining, but we never actually cooked, well, much. It was usually quick eats.

Bobby stopped by about 7 and the first thing that happened was Jody brought up my duffel bag with my clothes. I told her to let him know I'd be down in a few and she nodded softly, closing the door as she left. I pulled out my clothes and tried them on. My pants nearly slid off me, and my shirt was really baggy. I felt really wobbly still, all due to the lack of muscle from over a month of being unable to gain muscle or exercise to keep muscle.

I sat back down on the bed and stared at myself in the mirror that hung on the back of the door. I wore a simple blue shirt and jeans, both of which were loose. I stared at the sweaters but stepped away from them as they were either Dean's or Sam's. Apparently I had worn my only sweater on that day and so I didn't have one that was mine alone. I never bothered with make up but now I wish I had some. I had cuts still, ones that I wish I could cover up. I threw my hair up into a messy bun and turned towards the mirror. Nothing fit me. The shirt was hanging off me and the jeans were about ready to fall. I happened upon a belt and put it on. I peeled off a bandage that had been covering a wound, one that needed a few stitches, on my forehead. I started at the mark, still a little purple-ish, I figured it was due to irritation from the stitches which only came out yesterday. Around my neck I still wore the samulet but there was still dark bruises that wouldn't fade quickly due to the repeated damage and overall, I looked out of place. There were scars and bruises on all visible skin. I had some bruising on my face too, but I was lucky those had began disappearing or had disappeared altogether. The worst was around my wrists, apparently those chains were killing my hands. They still hadn't allowed me to remove those bandages. Each wrist and each ankle was wrapped but at the moment, I didn't care.

I unwrapped my wrists first, staring at scabs and newly scarred tissue. Either wrist had about two inches up my forearm and it wrapped entirely around my wrists. On my ankles, it was the same thing, except maybe with a different sort of look. I remembered at the beginning, I'd pace around, minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day, until I grew weak, and then the only time I was up was when they came in.

One thing I was sure of was that, though I still wasn't eating up to standards, I was hydrated. I had many IV bags and when I was taken off the IV, I was told I had to drink at least two water bottles within a day, each day. They would prefer three, but two was just as good. As much as I said, there was three times as much that I didn't say. I didn't say what exactly they did to me. I didn't say what exactly I said to the leviathan. I didn't bring up what I may or may not have said when they rescued me because I wasn't sure which parts were real and which weren't. I didn't say how much I hated the feeling of the medication, or how much that stitches irritated me. I didn't say how much it hurt to lay on my side or how much it hurt to lay on my back. I didn't say that I felt like I was surviving and not living. Not to Dean, not to Sam, not to Jody or Bobby. I didn't say those things and more because I knew I had no right to complain. But I realized, I would have been allowed to complain. I was allowed to be hurt and I was allowed to say what was on my mind or what was paining me. I was allowed to say whatever I wanted because it was my medical needs and my health that was being monitored at the hospital but I just didn't speak up. I supposed it was all my years at home with no one really listening to me that I just assumed no one would care how I felt. That all the hospital staff was going to do was try to get the bed emptied for the next patient.

Sitting on that bed and staring at the mirror, I realized how wrong I was to think that nobody would care about what I had to say. That I literally just had to say something and someone would help me. One of the nurses, Annie, she was a regular. Mainly in charge of my room. She would come in and sit with me after either Winchester had left and I was alone and she'd talk with me. She'd tell me of her son, Trevor, or as she called him Trev, and how they went here or there. She said that I would probably like Trevor, because I had told her that a couple years back, before we started moving around, that I used to babysit children. On one occasion, Trevor's father came by with Trevor and Annie brought him in. I sat in the bed as the shy Trevor was introduced to me. After a couple minutes of little words, he was set on the edge of my bed and my food table was set between us with some crayons and some paper. We chatted and his mother went to check on a couple of patients and his father sat out in the hall talking with a nurse on break about the recent basketball game at the local college.

I had realized that Annie had her husband bring Trevor in just so I would get the chance to do something different. Plus, at the end of our 20 minutes together, I had sketched Trevor, twice. One for him. It was him smiling, just as he'd been while we coloured. I'd given that one to him and he'd given one to me. It was of a park, drawn in crayon, it was what you would expect a five year old to draw, but I loved it. It was something that he worked really hard on and had signed the bottom. When he left, he was so excited to show the drawing I'd made of him to his mom and dad, and they had been really glad of their decision to bring their son in. I still had that drawing, and the second one, where I added Trevor's parents to the picture. They both were in a bag around here because I wouldn't allow them to be lost. I smiled, remembering that lone day in the hospital where I didn't feel all that lonely. I decided that that was going to be another thing I would do again. Babysit or work with children. I've always felt comfortable around them.

I got up and looked at the side table. 7:43am the digital clock read. I decided that this was all I was going to be wearing until we went shopping and so I went downstairs, slowly and with a lot of caution, putting much of my weight on the railing and taking it a step at a time. Downstairs smelt like pancakes and sausage, and though I didn't have a huge appetite, it was a very welcoming scent and I was ready to eat some as I let myself drop onto the couch. Jody peeked out of the kitchen and glanced and me with a gentle smile. I knew I'd taken awhile to get dressed, but she didn't really care. She brought out two plates, with two pancakes, two pieces of sausage and set them down on the coffee table before returning to the kitchen. Bobby peeked around the corner and then came out with his own plate and cup.

"Liz, would you like some coffee or orange juice?" Jody asked.

"Coffee please." I answered, speaking up so she would hear me. She returned to the living room with two mugs and set one down beside me and we began eating. I started with the sausage because it was my favourite thing to eat.

"Are you okay with getting up and down the stairs or would you rather sleep down here for a little bit?" She questioned.

"I think the stairs are good to get muscles working right." I commented softly, taking a bite of the pancake and after eating one sausage and half a pancake, I felt full. I nibbled on the other sausage while Jody talked.

"How you feelin', kid?" Bobby asked with a fatherly grin as he playfully nudged my shoulder. I couldn't help but smile at him.

"Better." I answered softly and he smiled, standing up with his plate.

"You look better, except I think it's time for new clothes." He responded and I nodded, looking down at the cup of coffee in my hand.

"Yeah...After we eat we can go to target and JCPenny's and get you some new clothes, does that sound good?" I nodded as she finished her food. I stood up and grabbed my plate, taking it to the kitchen and Jody followed. "You don't need to, I'll take care of it."

"Are you sure?" I asked. I was usually one to be kept with busy work, especially with Dean and Sam. Though on days they were extremely busy, I'd managed to find free online classes which I would go through and keep up with my studies because I didn't want to be incredibly behind. Good thing too, because Jody had brought up that next week or just after I would start attending the local high school. I'd rather start sooner than later anyway, otherwise I was going to become stir crazy.

"Yeah, maybe when you're moving around a bit easier you can pick up some chores, but for now I got it." Jody said. It was one of the things we talked about a lot. I told her of quite a few things about myself, and she told me about herself, things that the show never told me. I made her laugh when I told her of one of the shows I used to love to watch called Suite Life of Zach and Cody and Suite Life on Deck and I told her that she was the mother character, having been an actress in the other world, that was a mother to two twin boys. One was a genius, the other more of a sports kid. They each had their own talents, and that she managed them well as well as singing and working and living in the hotel. She had sung every now and then and I had to admit that it was identical to what I'd heard on tv. Bobby stayed only twenty minutes longer, and when Jody brought up going shopping, Bobby took that as his leave. He stood and I stood as well. He pulled me into his arms, smoothly, holding me with care as his chin rested on the top of my head.

"You get better and call, okay, Liz?" He said, still hugging. I nodded, my head against his chest. He released me gently and gave a small kiss to the top of my forehead and I smiled a little, hugging him for a split second more. He smiled down at me. "See ya later, kid."

"Bye, Bobby." I murmured as he left the house, taking off in his vehicle. Jody's arm wrapped around my shoulder.

"He'll be back, hon, don't you worry." She cooed and I simply nodded. "C'mon, lets go get those clothes."

~~O~~

We spent a good hour and a half shopping for clothes, as I had to continually keep trying clothes on. In the end, I had chosen to change into one of the outfits we'd bought and once I did, I felt a little more comfortable and relaxed, though I know I looked extremely out of place no matter what I wore. I had changed into a more closely fitted, but not tight, t-shirt with the avengers on the front and a pair of boot cut jeans and some black vans. I found a jacket as well, a comfortable fit black leather jacket.
I decided to save that one for later and for now I'd settle with a comfortable zip up sweater. After we'd finished shopping, we went back to the house, where we took the clothes and set them on the couch, Jody had wanted to put them away with me, because there were quite a few bags. But when she saw the time, she realized she needed to get to work, and so off we went to the police station.

"Good morning, Jody." One of the male officers greeted.

"Morning, Joe."

"What's this? Pick up a trouble maker on the way in?" He nodded towards me, and though his voice was lighthearted, I still lowered my head.

"Oh, no, Joe, this is Elizabeth. I'm her legal guardian for a bit." Jody answered and put her arm over my shoulder, gently. "Liz, this is officer Joe Stevens."

"Nice to meet you." I answered softly and raised my uninjured hand towards him very slightly, only to see the scars poke out and then I focused on the floor. He must've seen too because when he shook my hand it was gentle.

"Same to you, shouldn't you be in school?"

"Not yet," Jody answered, taking over for me. "She needs a little adjustment period."

"Ah, gotcha. If you need anything, let me know." Jody and I nodded and we went back towards her desk as she wasn't on patrol today. There was a few more greetings and introductions to other officers and then Jody and I worked on my course selections. I told her of what classes I'd taken and what classes I should be taking. I told her approximate grades, A's and B's for certain classes, C's for others, a D for World History because I was terrible at memorization of dates. Plus, when I took my AP exam, we'd only just discovered America. We hadn't even gotten past that point in the class. She began to work on some other paper work, still for school, and I made my way to fetch some printer paper from the back. I ended up pausing in the break lounge. There was one officer in there, her name tag read Porter. I sat down and she looked up with a soft smile.

"Hi." I greeted softly, taking out a pencil.

"Heyya," She responded cheerfully. "I'm Lydia Porter." She stuck out her hand and I slowly reached out to shake it, glancing away once again as the scars showed. I wished I had worn a larger sweater, maybe one of the boy's sweaters because they would've stayed long and I wouldn't have to worry about them showing. But then again, it's not like it mattered. I had enough scars and telling signs, like jumping at small sounds. A door opening or closing, any sort of chain sound... I was basically a real mess.

"I'm Elizabeth."

"Nice to meet you. You're Jody's charge, right?"

"Uh, yeah." I answered nervously, and though I wanted to leave, my legs weren't strong enough and I needed to sit for a few. She nodded softly.

"If you need anything, let me know, okay?" I nodded in response and grabbed the papers and pencil and quickly left the room, heading back to Jody.

"I want to go to school." I mumbled as I sat beside her and she looked at me with a confused and concerned look.

"You're going-"

"Tomorrow."

"Liz, are you sure you're ready?"

"I can't stand being out of place, Jody...please." She hesitated, but nodded gently.

"I don't have anything left to do, the chief said I could leave early." I figured there would be a question to this statement, and I wasn't wrong. "Do you want to go drop off the papers and get everything worked through before you attend classes tomorrow?" I nodded, silently, but smiled. I was eager to do something normal. I was going to be a normal teenager again.