Once again I appreciate all the reviews! There's either going to be just one or two more chapters to this story and then it's done. But don't worry! There will be a sequel for the season that's currently on right now.

I wanted more than anything for a chance to talk to Sam, alone, and figure out what was going on. But throughout Casitel's entire disappearance trying to find a friendly monster, I had no such luck. Dean and Sam had gone on with filling the shells with the phoenix's ashes while Bobby had brought down some maps. He placed everything around a table on the opposite side of the basement from the brothers and the two of us began pouring over everything.

For quite awhile after he'd caught me up on what he'd marked on the maps, we flipped through a few books quietly. From across the basement I could make out low murmurs from the brothers, but I had no idea what they were saying. Something told me it was a continuation of the conversation they'd had last night, the one that lead to Dean shooting me concerned looks.

"What the hell is going on with them?" I finally asked Bobby, my voice just above a whisper.

His eyes slowly rose from the book in his hands to me. He looked a little startled at my sudden outburst.

"What do ya mean?" he asked me.

I closed the book I'd been holding and set it onto the table. I wasn't finding anything in there anyway.

"Sam has been acting weird around me since we got back, and those two keep having talks. They never have conversations that look that serious without me. And Dean keeps shooting me these weird looks, like he's afraid of something. Or worried."

Slowly Bobby pulled the book away from his face. He glanced over his shoulder to see that in fact, they were doing that just now. He turned back to me with a shrug. "It's probably nothing."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Do you know something, Bobby Singer?"

"Does it look like I've got that good of hearing? I have no idea what those two are up to."

Castiel's sudden reappearance stopped both conversations in the basement cold. He wasn't alone, either. A woman was standing beside him nervously, and she looked somewhat familiar.

"Lenore!" Sam called out in recognition.

Startled at the sight of a group of hunters, she turned in the opposite direction but stopped when she ran right into me.

"Hey, calm down, we're not going to hurt you," I assured her as she took a few steps backwards.

"We're happy you're here, we could use your help," Sam added on gently.

Still nervous, she stood as far away from the group of us hunters as she could. I couldn't blame her either, she had no idea what was going on. And knowing Cas, he'd probably just grabbed her and brought her here without saying a word.

"It's been a long time," Dean spoke up. "You remember us?"

"I remember, your hunter friend almost killed me," she answered.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better," I told her in a lighter tone, hoping to calm her nerves, "he turned into a vampire and Sam chopped his head off."

"Yeah, with razor wire," Dean added in with a sick sort of amusement in his voice. "It was wicked."

Sam shot his brother a slightly disturbed look to which Dean just shrugged.

"Well that's something," Lenore said, no longer cowering up against the wall. "Why am I here? You said you needed my help?"

"We just need to talk to you," Sam told her gently.

She raised a brow in question but didn't say anything.

"About Eve," he added.

Lenore straightened up and a firm look crossed her features. "Eve? I have nothing to say about Eve."

"You sure bout that?" Dean asked her roughly.

Her head snapped in his direction instantly. "I'm trying to stay away from her," she spoke between gritted teeth. "Believe me."

"Where's your nest?" Sam asked suddenly.

A softer look crossed her face now and her jaw unclenched. "Gone. They couldn't fight it anymore." Her eyes shifted to the ground as she went on. "It's her voice. In our heads. What it does to us," she growled out. Shaking her head she looked back up at Sam. "They left, started killing again."

"But you didn't," Sam noted.

"Don't look so impressed. I've been hiding in a basement. Not exactly living the high life."

I imagined that right there explained the condition she was in. She was dirty from head to toe, and it looked like she hadn't changed her clothes in quite awhile. Her face was smeared with dirt and her hair looked a little greasy.

"Everyone gives in," she said solemnly.

"So you've got this psychic twin connection going on right? So does that mean you know where mommy is camping out?" Dean spoke up, getting right to the point.

"You have got to be kidding me," Lenore said with a look of disbelief. "You want me to just tell you where she is? You know she could be listening in right now?"

Bobby shrugged. "So we don't have the element of surprise. That's never stopped us before."

Lenore shook her head. "You're crazy. I can't help you."

"Can't, or just won't?" I asked her.

"Look," Sam said, his sympathetic side taking over, "I can tell you still give a crap. You don't want to kill, and you don't want this entire planet dead."

"And you actually believe you can stop her?" Lenore asked in almost a mocking tone.

"Just tell us where she is," Sam coaxed.

Lenore paused for a moment and I wondered if she was going to answer him or not. To my surprise, she did.

"Grants Pass, Oregon. And now she knows you're coming."

"Well let's go see," Bobby said in a determined tone.

"Hold on," Lenore said urgently, "I didn't just tell you this out of the goodness of my heart. I need something."

"What?" Sam asked her a little hesitantly.

"Kill me."

Sam shook his head instantly.

"We'll lock you down until this whole thing is over," Dean assured her. "You'll be safe."

"It's not about that, you don't get it," Lenore told us. "I'm dangerous. I hear her voice all the time."

"But you're not dangerous, you're not like the rest of them," Sam reminded her.

"I'm exactly like them," Lenore growled out. "I fed. I couldn't help it. She couldn't have been more than sixteen, Sam. And I'll do it again. I can't stop."

The way she was inching closer to him was making me itchy for something sharp enough to decapitate her with.

"Lenore-" Sam started, but was cut off by Castiel stepping forward.

A white light emitted from within her, it seemed to shoot straight out of her eyes and her open mouth. Her face caught fire for a moment before the white light disappeared and she fell to the floor. Stoney faced as ever, Castiel stepped backwards and let his left hand drop back at his side as if it had been there all along.

"We needed to move this along," was all he said in his defense when all four sets of eyes landed on him. "Grab whatever you need, I'll get us to Grants Pass, Oregon."

"You're not planning on doing that angel thing again are you? I really hate that," I told Cas.

Sam and Dean turned their attention to me, strange expressions on their faces. Dean was wearing that look again he'd been giving me since yesterday afternoon.

I couldn't stop myself now from finding out what was going on.

"What are those looks for?"

Dean looked over at his brother, waiting for him to speak up.

Sam cleared his throat awkwardly and didn't look directly at me when he spoke up. "I think you should sit this one out."

His words hung in the air as I took a moment to process what he'd just said.

"Why?" I barely choked out.

He raised a hand up nervously and scratched the back of his neck as he exhaled deeply.

"You think I can't do this?" I asked.

"I don't want you to get hurt," Sam told me honestly. "It's too risky, I don't want you to be there. We don't know if the lore is even going to be right about the phoenix ash."

I shook my head bitterly, feeling like he'd just slapped me. "But it's okay if you three go. It's okay if you three take the risk, but I have to sit this one out, huh?"

"Lis, please, don't be like that," Sam begged, taking a couple steps over to me and placing his hands on my shoulders.

I pulled out of his grasp roughly, which only deepened the frown on his face.

"You should probably head back to Illinois with your hunter friends. If Eve knows about our coming, it's safer for you with them," he told me gently.

"You want me to leave? Just like that?" I asked, barely above a whisper.

Sam shook his head. He was giving me a pleading look to just go along with it and not put up a fight. I glanced behind him to see Dean and Bobby trying to stay out of it.

"You both want me to leave too?" I asked to them.

"Yes," Dean said in an instant. "It's not safe."

"Bullshit, it's never safe!" I shot at him. "You know that!"

"Boys are right, Cali," Bobby spoke up suddenly. "You shouldn't be getting involved in this. Just come on back when it's all done."

I stood there feeling like the room was closing in on me.

"We just want you to be safe," Sam told me gently. "That's all."

"But this is what I do. I have your guys' backs!"

"Not this time, squirt," Dean said softly.

Bobby offered me an apologetic smile before he made his way up the stairs, Dean following after him with Castiel at his heels.

"I'm sorry, Lis."

"Just go," I whispered, not bothering to look at him.

Reluctantly he made his way back up the stairs to Bobby's living room. I collapsed into the chair I had been in earlier and listened to the noise on the floor above me. It only took a few minutes for them to gather everything they'd need. I faintly heard them tell Castiel they were ready to go, and I just barely heard the flutter of wings of their departure.

Before I knew it I was sitting alone in Bobby's house feeling so out of place and rejected. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed my third number on speed dial. I listened to it ring a few times before someone answered.

"Hey," the voice on the other end said, "What's up girly?"

"Is there still room for me at the house?" I asked Beth.

"You're coming back?" She asked in shock.

"I'll explain later. I'm leaving right now, I should be there in about ten hours. That alright?"

"Sure thing doll. You okay though?"

I exhaled and ran a hand through my hair slowly. "Yeah, I think so."