(Third Person PointOfView)

Alunni and Sam Winchester sat in Alessa's hospital room watching her sleep. Since her surgery a week ago, she had been under anesthesia, at Alunni's request. She knew Alessa would not be happy that she'd been taken to the hospital, or that she'd had surgery.

Alessa had lost a lot of skin off her back, and didn't have enough of her own for a skin graft, so Sam and Dean had volunteered to donate some. Alunni had wanted to as well, but she wasn't a match to Alessa.

Dean entered the room and gave a white paper bag to Sam and one to Alunni. "There was a McDonald's down the street." Dean had gone out for air nearly half an hour ago.

Sam asked "You didn't get food for you?"

"I ate there." In actuality, Dean had not eaten at all that day, or for the day or two preceding that one. He was worried about whether or not Alessa was going to survive, though he would not admit that aloud to his brother or anyone else. The bandage covering the area where his donated skin was began to itch, reminding him of his small yet important sacrifice.

A nurse entered the room then and detached the anesthetic IV from Alessa's arm, and Alunni nearly lost it. "What are you doing?! I specifically told the doctor to keep her anesthetized!"

"Your friend has been in here for a week and her grafts have almost healed, so we need to have her awake and alert to survey her. She should wake up within a few minutes to half an hour."

The nurse left the room and Alunni uttered several curses as she dropped back into the chair at Alunni's side. "Well, you two better prepare yourselves...As soon as she wakes up, she's gonna lose her shît."

Sam asked "Why does she hate hospitals so much?"

"Honestly, I don't know. But every time I've ever suggested going to the hospital for something, she's flipped out."

"Is it like the thing with her fiancé?" Alunni shrugged.

"I didn't even know about that until she told you. I knew him and I knew they were engaged, but I didn't know about her...killing him. Hêll, I even helped in the search for him!" Alunni had been quite disgruntled when Sam relayed to her what Alessa had told him. "I still can't believe Marilyn did that..."

"Well, sirens can make men do some vicious things...One almost made me and Dean kill each other before." That was something Alunni could actually believe. These two sounded like good hunters, but they did stupid things sometimes. Like letting her best friend get fatally injured.

"You three...had better.. shut up...about Alex." All three of them looked over at Alessa, who had begun to stir. "Or I'll...kick your asses."

"Marilyn! Alessa!" Alunni wanted to hug her best friend, but didn't know if it would hurt her or not, and was forced to fidget in her seat. "I didn't know you would wake up that fast!"

"I have a high tolerance for drugs...I was never fully asleep in the first place." Alessa raised her head and looked at her surroundings, and when she spoke next, it was in a furious tone. "Alunni, where am I?"

"You're...in the hospital. Sam and Dean's friend was able to heal the sword wound, but he couldn't heal the dragon burn, and you were hurt really badly..."

Alessa immediately turned over, ignoring the brief flash of pain that radiated down her back, and sat up. She saw that she wore a hospital gown and immediately shouted "Where the hêll are my clothes?!"

"They got burned...we don't have any here for you!" Alessa stood and slumped against the wall, her head spinning and her legs tingling. Because she hadn't walked for a week, her legs had begun to atrophy.

Alunni tried to help her friend, but Alessa pushed her back down into her chair, even with her diminished strength. She made her way over to the door and called out for a nurse, who nearly panicked when she saw Alessa on her feet.

"Miss Monroe, you aren't supposed to be out of bed! You could tear your skin grafts!"

"I don't give a shît about the skin grafts. Look, one of you nurses better bring me something to change into, or I'm walking out of this hospital in this excuse for a gown."

"You can't leave, you aren't fully healed!" Alessa chuckled under her breath, wanting to strangle the nurse.

"Besides the fact that I have a constitutional right to refuse medical treatment, I will walk the hêll out of here if I goddâmned please. Now get me those clothes!"

The nurse rushed away in fright and Alessa drooped against the wall, holding her spinning head.

None of the three knew what to do, and they simply stared at Alessa until a different nurse came back with a packet of discharge papers in her hand.

"You have prescriptions for Morphine and Oxycodone, and you need to sign your discharge papers. We can provide you with a set of scrubs for you to leave in, if you don't have a set of your own clothes."

"Thanks..." Alessa took the papers and the nurse walked away. She leaned on the small rolling table and signed the papers with the pen the nurse provided, and the nurse was already back by the time she was done. The discharge papers were traded for the scrubs and she stumbled her way the bathroom to change.

After Alunni recovered from her momentary stupor, she gathered up her things and was waiting outside of the bathroom door for her best friend. Sam announced he was going to get her a wheelchair, but Alunni shook her head. Alessa would only get angrier at that.

Alessa exited the bathroom wearing light blue hospital scrubs and white socks, and wobbled her way out of the room. Sam and Dean were still not sure of what to do, and simply followed silently after the injured hunter.

When they exited the elevator, Sam hurried to the Impala and willingly gave his seat up to Alessa. She sat slowly, inhaling a sharp breath when her back came in contact with the leather car seat. Sam and Alunni took the backseat and when Dean got into the driver's, he asked "Is there anything you wanna get before we head back to the roadhouse?"

"My prescriptions filled, and something to eat. I'm starving..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Alessa's PointOfView)

I held my breath as I sat back against a stack of pillows and blankets, and released it with a groan. "You okay?"

"Stop...being so...friendly...It's weird." Dean chuckled. "Where's...your brother?"

"He's with your friend Rosina getting your drugs...So you can be nice and docile and not try to assault anyone for the rest of the day." I made a face but it hurt, and I quickly dropped it. Not that it mattered.

My entire body hurt. The pain radiated from my back all down my arms and legs, and it hurt to move and breathe. It hurt even more to talk.

"You should...get me...my food...I'm hungry."

"Do I have to feed you too?" I smirked.

"Only if you want to." Dean chuckled and left the room, returning with the bag of Taco Bell containing my multiple orders of quesadillas. "So what...are you and Sam...gonna do now?" I had to take a brief breath after every few words.

"What d'you mean?"

"The job is over...so are you two...going to leave...or what?"

"Probably...We haven't found another job yet, so we can stick around a while longer." I smirked again and he looked confused.

"You don't have to...stick around to...take care of me...I know you aren't...the caring type..."

"Forget whatever Sam told you. I do other things beside drink and eat." I chuckled, albeit painfully, and began to eat.

My arms began to hurt halfway through though, and I pushed my food away. "What's taking them...so long?"

"I don't know...I'll call Sam." Dean stood and went into the other room, and I took the opportunity to roll over onto my stomach.

That alleviated much of the pain instantaneously, and I pressed my face deep into my pillow. I could feel my bandages tugging my skin all over my back and sides, and hated the fact that I couldn't take them off for another few days. Just because I hated being at the hospital didn't mean I was stupid enough to ignore their advice.

Dean came back in the room and announced "They're on their way...Think maybe there's something going on between them?"

I chuckled and said "Maybe...I'd rather Alunni...be with Sam...than you anyway." Dean raised an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean? I'm not that bad..."

I scoffed. "You constantly get drunk...and you've been with more women...than anyone should...Besides, Alunni couldn't handle...someone that could...get her killed...during a hunt."

"Hey, you're here, aren't you?" Dean lowered his voice and asked "You're a hunter...think you'd be able to handle all my almost-killing awesomeness?"

I chuckled again. "Definitely...but could you...handle me?" He smirked and I relaxed into my pillows again with a sigh.

This whole fiasco started out with me wanting to kill the Winchesters, and now they were taking care of me...and one was trying to make a move on me.

Did they always turn things around this much?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometime later, I didn't know how long, I heard some noises in the main room that awoke me. I looked around, not even realizing that I'd fallen asleep, and groaned.

I rolled over and threw my legs off the side of the bed and, careful not to bend over too far, pulled my shoes on and stood.

I staggered my way down the short hallway and into the main room, where Sam, Dean, and Alunni were talking to a man in a trench coat. I recognized him as their angel friend Castiel, the one they said had healed me of the sword wound.

Their conversation quieted when I entered the room and I glowered. "Please, don't stop the conversation on account of me."

Alunni came over and asked "Are you feeling okay?"

I jerked away from her hand and said "I don't need your help." I heaved myself up onto a barstool and asked "So, why is there an angel standing in my roadhouse?"

Castiel stepped forward himself and said "When I came here several days ago to heal you, other angels were watching my movements, and have since begun a local search for me."

"And you want to hide here?" He nodded and I wasn't surprised. Even my first time meeting an angel couldn't ever be completely good, like everything else. "I don't have any angel-proofing up, so I'll have to do that. Alunni, get me some paint from the back closet."

She looked at me like I was crazy. "You're injured, you're not supposed to be doing any strenuous activity!"

"Fine, I'll get it..." Everyone's eyes followed me as I got up and walked back through the hallway.

There was some old paint there leftover from I-don't-know how long ago, and I heaved the large bucket with me back into my bedroom.

I couldn't quite remember the proper symbols I needed though, and had to go back into the main room to fetch Castiel.

When I opened the door to my bedroom, though, he was already waiting there.

"Jeez...do you always pop up in the most inopportune places?"

"Sorry...Your friend Alunni was not sure if you would be able to do this yourself, and asked me to help you."

"Sure she did...Well, come on in. One symbol on each window of this building should be enough, right?"

"Yes." I handed the bucket off to him and watched him work.

I didn't really find it strange that an angel was painting symbols used against his own kind in my room, but with what else had happened over the last week and a half, I didn't think I'd be surprised by much at this point.

"So...what's the reason you're running with the Winchesters anyway? I'm sure someone of your...stature knows the trouble they bring."

"Dean and Sam...They do create much trouble, but they do more to solve that trouble than I have seen anyone else do. They have helped me after I deserved nothing more from them than death, and I have come to think of Dean as my own brother...Would you not be so devoted to your sibling?"

I shrugged. "I never got the chance to find out. Ghouls killed my parents when I was young, but I'm sure you already found that out from them...Hêll, I wasn't even allowed to go and find out what being devoted to a loving husband was like, because a siren went and ruined that as well...I guess Sam and Dean aren't the only ones that breed trouble."

Castiel went to leave my room, but I moved in his way to stop him.

"I'm allowing you to stay here because Sam and Dean want it, and because you helped save my life. I suggest you don't stay long though, because this many people with bad luck in one place...Something bad is bound to happen real soon."

"I have helped Sam and Dean defeat Lucifer, Michael, the Leviathans, and countless monsters and demons. I believe that we will be safe enough here."

"Well, I do have weapons we can use against pretty much every known beast...But to be safe, I'll go put some demon wards on the outside. If the angels are after you for that thing you're carrying, I'm gonna assume the demons want it even more."

I didn't have any more paint or chalk or anything inside, so I hobbled my way to the shed outback, where I kept the rest of our 'non-essential' supplies. The bright sun felt hot on my back, even through my shirt and the bandages, and the heat reminded me of how that dragon had sliced his hot claws through my back like it was butter.

"You goddâmned dragon...Shoulda just killed me instead of injuring me, I woulda been happier with that!" I didn't even know why I bothered; the dragon was long dead and there was nothing to do about my injury now but wait for it to heal on its own.

"Well, don't you sound mighty miserable..." I exited the shed with a can of black spray paint in hand and saw Dean standing in the dirt lot.

"There's no need for sarcasm, Dean, I can provide enough of that myself." I limped my way past him to my roadhouse but he grabbed my arm. I jerked it out of his grip, the effort causing my back to twinge slightly, and asked "What the hêll was that for?"

"You trying to get hurt again?" He took the spray paint from me. "You need to take it easy and rest, and stop trying to do everything. There's four perfectly able-bodied hunters here willing to do it for you." I actually laughed aloud at that.

"There's two of the unluckiest hunters I've ever seen, coupled with a fallen angel and my bartender, who is fast on her way to becoming unemployed. I'd say that's a long way off from what you're talking about." I went to limp my way inside, but my mouth got the better of me and I turned and spouted off "What the hêll is wrong with you?!"

"Me!?"

"Yeah!" I forced my way back over to him and looked him right in the face. "First you come here acting like you own the place, then you say you hate working with me, and now you're trying to take care of me like some kind of friggin'...I don't even know!"

"Maybe it's called being helpful to a fellow hunter? A lot of crâp has happened to me too, sister, and I know what kind of toll that can take on you, so I'm just trying to help the best I can. If you don't like the way I'm helping then just lemme know."

I took a deep breath, trying to avoid fully flipping out. "The only thing I would appreciate right now is for you and Sam to stop trying to identify with me. Yeah, you've been through a lot, but you haven't been through what I have. I've killed people, Dean. Human people. I had to kill my own goddâmned fiancé, or did you forget about that? Oh, or maybe I should tell you about the kids I killed overseas! Or how I had to rip my own baby out of my goddamned stomach!"

Dean's eyes widened, and I cackled. Cackled. I was going mad and I knew it.

"See? Told you I've killed more things than you know. You wanna know why I killed that girl we saved? She was râped by one of those dragons, and she was going to bear one of its children, that's why. Dragons take virgins for two reasons: to eat, or to make more dragons."

"How do you know that?" I glowered and he looked pained as he asked "You...were râped by..?"

I threw my hands in the air. "Now you get it! I have that dragon sword in my basement because when I was 19, I got taken. I was engaged and ready to get married, and a dragon snatched me right out of my own front yard. Alex didn't notice, of course, because he'd been taken over by that siren. The dragon râped me, I stole the sword to kill it, and when I returned and Alex attacked me, I used it to kill him too. It wasn't until after I'd burned him and scattered the ashes that I found out I was pregnant."

"So...what did you do?"

"What do you mean, what did I do? I went and got the thing sliced out of me. 'Course, it wasn't completely dead until I stabbed it with the sword...And now that you have that part of my life story, is there anything else you'd like to know? Maybe about how I chopped someone's head off to kill the demon that was bound inside him? Or about the vampire nest that tried to feast on me, and almsot succeeded?"

Dean looked deeply disturbed by the time I was done talking, and I just felt drained. Physically, mentally, emotionally...I felt like I had nothing left. I just spent five minutes of my otherwise useless life telling this stranger, a stranger that'd tried to pick me up, about my dragon spawn and how I'd killed it without a second thought.

Well, that wasn't true. I'd had second thoughts afterwards, and thirds and fourths and fifths. That was the only life and probably would be the only one ever, that had been inside me. I'd wanted to have a real marriage, and got rewarded by having my innocence forcefully taken and my fiancé stolen from me by a bunch of monsters.

God, why did I have such a pitiful life..? Really?