Fever...Chills...Damn. Withdrawal already? I woke up in the passenger seat of my Mustang, ready to come unglued. Things were so bad that I could hardly formulate a comprehensible sentence, "Cr...Crow...Ley..."

"Good morning, sunshine," he reached over, cradling my face in the palm of his hand, "Not feeling well, are we?"

"Please," I shivered. At this point, I'd rather be thrown from an overpass into rush hour traffic, "I..."

"Shh..." Crowley settled me ,"Don't overexert yourself, darling. I'll get you some shortly."

"Now," I demanded, feeling the throbbing ache spread throughout my body.

"Alright," the fuzzy outline of his arm reached back into the cooler behind my seat, "Here. Drink."

Putting blood in the squeeze pouches was probably the smartest idea we've ever had. I could've very easily downed half a dozen of them, but for now, all I needed was the one. A little bit to give me the nice, warm buzz I felt all the way to my toes. I started to come back around, "Thank you..."

"How are you feeling, Lena?" Crowley worried, "You're paler than a ghost."

"That's my usual complexion, you dick," my vision started to come back.

"I know your usual lack of pigmentation," he rolled his eyes, "A color that would suggest you're terrified of the sun or you lived underground. This is different. Are you sure you're feeling ok?"

"Getting there," I grabbed another pouch out of the cooler, "I'll be fine."

"Lena," he took my hand, "I know you tend to run away from your emotions, but you did just go through a sort of break up."

"Oh, God," I groaned, "No. We're not doing that. Besides, I cut off his dad's head and then, I cut his head off. I think I'm over it. Do we have any whiskey left?"

"No," Crowley got off on the exit, "I wonder what you'd be like if you were a normal girl."

"I'd be boring," I shook him off, curling up in my seat, "End of story. Where are we, by the way?"

"Almost Nebraska," he guessed, "You told me to wake you once we were somewhere warm. We're getting there, but not quite. I was thinking Mexico."

"Mexico sounds nice," I agreed, "My Spanish is rudementary, but it's enough to carry on a conversation."

"Why don't you go back to sleep, ok?" Crowley insisted, "You need to get some rest."

"Fine," I turned the heat up a couple clicks and shut my eyes. Maybe Gabriel was onto something about kicking my feet up on the beach. Beautiful people, a constant stream of drinks. Ever since I started doing demon blood, it takes me a hell of a lot more booze to even get drunk. I couldn't wait to get to Mexico. But for now, a nap sounded better. It's been a long, exhausting case in Sioux Falls. Although the blood was making an incredible painkiller, I still needed sleep.

"Lena," I woke up a few hours later. The sun was starting to set again and I wasn't in the car, "Lena, wake up."

"I know damn well we're not in Mexico," I groaned, "Where are we?"

"We stopped off and got a hotel," Crowley had an arm around me, "How are you feeling?"

"Thirsty," I laid in his shoulder, "You think you could hook a sister up?"

"I'm so sorry, dear," he shot me down, "But no."

"Excuse me?" my eyes shot open. If looks could kill, Crowley's brains would've just repainted the room, "Why not?"

"I can't," Crowley winced, preparing for me to dropkick him in the jaw, "Ever since you and I have begun our journey together, Lena, you've drained a lot of blood from me. I never could find another demon for you. No one would volunteer for the job once they realized how much you'd be taking. Any average demon and you would've been through a dozen or so by now. I need some time to replenish the stock, so to speak."

"Dammit," I pouted, "What about just to tide me over? Can't we find some random demon for that?"

"You'll be alright," he assured, holding me a little tighter, "I promise. Sleep will help. You won't use nearly as much energy and it'll make the blood last longer in your system."

"Ok," I feel like I've slept more in the past day or two than what one person should. That might also be the withdrawal kicking my ass. Understandable. Hopefully, by the time we get to Mexico, I'll be able to chug enough demon blood to the point where I'll smell colors. I'm sure Crowley will be more up for it by then. At least I sure as hell hope so.

The next time I woke up, I was on a different bed. This wasn't the last hotel we crashed in. How long have I been out of it? Now, things were getting bad. If I didn't get any blood in me in the next five minutes, it will not be pretty for anyone within a ten mile radius. Either blood, a drink, or a cigarette. Any of the three would do, but right now, blood was the preference.

"There you are," Crowley greeted me as my eyes slowly opened. Not that I could see him very well. My vision was damn near black, "Good morning, Lena."

"Where..." my voice shook, "Are...We...?"

"Somewhere safe," he held me, "A new hotel. How are you feeling?"

"Seize-y," I curled into him, "I...I need..."

"I know," Crowley cradled me, "I know. But I'm sorry. I can't give you what you want."

"Why?" I snapped.

"Because," a deep, familiar voice spoke. Son of a bitch, "We said so."

Crap. Because on top of blood withdrawal, let's throw THEM on top of it, "Dammit...This isn't…How I thought this…Would go."

"Hi, Lena," another joined us, "Or should we call you Elizabeth, Lizzie, Charlotte...?"

"Is it just you two," I asked, heavily out of breath, "Or is...?"

"It's just us," Dean assured, "I'm not sure if I should kill you or hold onto you and never let you go."

"If it's...Just going to be...Lecture," I fell into my bed, "Could we...skip the...foreplay?"

"Have her eyes changed?" Sam asked.

"Not that I've seen," Crowley thought, "But who knows what I've missed behind closed doors?"

"Lena," Dean sat with me, "Why? Why did you do it?"

"You'd think you would've heard enough precautionary tales to say no," Sam added.

"In my..." I only got dizzier and talking got harder, "Defense...I didn't...Know I was...Getting it...At first...Crowley...Drugged me."

"We'll deal with him later," Dean took me out of Crowley's embrace, "For now, let's take care of you, ok?"

"Do you guys..." I wondered, "Have any...more..."

"No," Sam put his foot down, "You're not getting any more blood, Lena."

"You're..." I growled, "Scared of me...Because I'm...Stronger than you...I could...Take out...The great Winchester brothers...In one...Fell...Swoop...And that...Scares the hell out of you..."

"Lena..." That one was different. Cas, I'm guessing. He never was too far from the boys, "The demon blood is giving you strength, yes, but you don't need that. It's also chipping away at your humanity and your soul. If your soul burns out..."

"Then, I burn out," I figured, "Or...I become...A demon...Right?"

"Trust me, Lena," Dean hugged me tighter, "You don't want that."

"So..." I thought it over, "You're saying...I shouldn't have...That kind...Of power..."

"You weren't meant to have that kind of power," Cas went on, "Humans should not have that kind of power. Their bodies can't handle it."

"Mine can," I promised, "It's...Handled...Angel grace...Archangel...At that..."

"Not very well," he remembered, "Demon blood is worse."

"Give...me...some...now."

"No."

"Cas...Told you..." I assumed, "Where...I was...Didn't he? Right...After...Philadelphia."

"What?" Sam perked up.

"You met with Lena?" Dean wondered, sounding kind of heartbroken, "You knew where Lena was and you didn't tell us?"

"You two were busy with a case," Cas defended himself, "So I..."

"You saw Lena," Dean lost the heartache and got angry, "And you didn't bother telling us? You found Lena, the same Lena we've been searching our asses off for the last year and a half and you couldn't bother to tell us?"

"Dean..."

"No," he put me back down on the bed, "You found our sister and couldn't be bothered to tell us?! What the hell, Cas?!"

Ooh…Trouble in paradise…Did I do that? I had no idea Cas wouldn't have told them about me. Let's see how far I can push this, "Two…weeks…ago…I was…In Philadelphia."

"TWO WEEKS AGO?" Dean was good and pissed. I shouldn't be delighting in this, but…Well…He was keeping my blood from me. We'll chalk this up to karma.

Even in my weakened state, I yanked on Crowley's jacket sleeve, "What is it, Lena? Are you alright?"

I bit down on a scabbed over cut on his arm and got a little bit of blood in me. Just enough to get my strength back up…Or a little extra for recompense…And maybe a bit more to make him go sleepy-by. Without another thought, I jumped out of bed, "I don't need you anymore."

"Lena," Sam grabbed me, "You're in no shape to get up."

"Am I?" I threw him across the room, not even touching him, "I think I'm in pretty damn good shape. Look, boys. I love you both. You're the brothers I never had. Really, you are. But I was told I was on a nonstop party train and quite frankly, I'm not ready for it to stop quite yet. What has you two so dead set against me having a little fun?"

"We don't want to see you become a monster," Dean argued, "This is beyond you having fun, Lena. Going to Disneyland is fun. Going to the strip club is fun. Our night drives are fun. What you're doing is wrong."

"You act like I killed anyone," I scoffed, "The only ones I've killed all juiced up like this were Nikolai and Seth."

"Who the hell are they?"

"Those vampires you two were after in Sioux Falls," I pointed out, "We actually met on the corner, but neither of you realized it was me. Hiding my face was a smart idea on my part, but I actually got close to the younger one you found in the basement. And the girl, too. Could you imagine if he actually got what he wanted?"

"What did he want?" Sam worried.

"Me," I smirked, "He wanted to turn me, but he also didn't know I had another kind of blood in me. Imagine me a human/vamp/demon hybrid. I'd be unstoppable. I'm also kind of tempted to go back and steal the Rolls Royce in the garage."

"Lena," Cas tried getting between us now, "Please. Let us help you."

I thought on it for a minute or two. Help me, huh? Interesting, "There's nothing to help me with. There is no problem. You three are just bitter because I won't be your damsel in distress anymore. Now that I have the capabilities to take care of myself, you don't have any purpose anymore. But on the plus side, you don't have me as a burden anymore either. Later, boys. And please. Don't come running after me."

I left the hotel room and jumped in the Mustang. Looks like I'm going to have to dump my car again. That sucks. Oh, well. I can leave her around Lawrence since, by the looks of things, that's where we are. Poetic justice, huh, Crowley? Bring me back to the boys in their hometown just as we leave a case from mine. It's too bad I dropped him like that. He did betray me, though, by taking me to Sam and Dean. Not to mention, how many times he's brought me close to them without warning.

Still, I'm going to miss that crazy son of a bitch. He was fun while we lasted. Now, for the suck part. I needed to score some demon blood. I won't last much longer on what I've got left in the back seat. I only had half a dozen pouches of Crowley's left. Then again, I had one hell of an idea. I'm sure there are some demons that aren't exactly Crowley's biggest fans and would be more than happy to sacrifice themselves for me. Especially one in particular. I drove a few towns over and shut myself off in the middle of the woods where no one would think to find me. Rumor has it, there used to be roads that ran through these woods. Any crossroads would do, right?

"Hi, Lena," a familiar voice spoke, "Long time, no see. Not since your run-in with Lucifer."

I couldn't hold back a grin if I wanted to. Granted, I'm sure he won't regenerate his blood as quick as Crowley did, but he'll do for the time being, "Hi, Xander."

A/N: Oh, how I could go on. But I won't. Because I'm an asshole and a sucker for a cliffhanger. I also have the Dramatical Murder OVA paused and I really want to get back to my yaoi. But Lena had a short-lived reunion with Sam and Dean this chapter. She also got royally screwed over by Crowley, who brought her to them in the first place. And Lena's gotten herself a new friend. Well…Technically an old friend. You guys remember in "A Family Forged in Fire" when they were investigating the ghost in Illinois and that one demon tried claiming the bounty for Lena? Guess who….? That's right! Xander! Yay! He thought Lena was cute, so here we are. Of course he's going to be there. Things aren't exactly…doing well right now. Depending on which side you're on. Welcome to the gray area! Now, I'm going to go back to my cartoons. See you next chapter! xx