Miyu drifted in and out of consciousness as she staggered along the roadside. Her feet left bloody prints in the wet pavement, her body trembling with every step. The rain plastered her tangled hair to her pale face, her many eyes half-lidded, glowing faintly in the dark.
She collapsed in the middle of a deserted street.
Headlights swept across her broken form, and she flinched, expecting once more the roar of the Impala, the thundering boots of Sam and Dean Winchester.
But instead… a gentle voice.
"Oh my God…"
A woman rushed to her side, kneeling in the rain without hesitation. She wore a long coat, her dark hair plastered to her cheeks. Her hands, warm and trembling, pressed against Miyu's cold skin.
"Hey… hey, it's okay," the woman whispered. "You're safe now. I've got you."
Miyu tried to speak, but only a broken sob escaped her throat.
The woman looked into her many eyes—and did not flinch.
"My name's Melinda," she said softly. "I can see things others can't. I know what you are… but I also know you're hurting. You don't have to be alone anymore."
Miyu's shadows twitched weakly, but instead of striking, they curled around her like frightened children. For the first time, she let someone touch her without fear.
Melinda helped her up, guiding her gently toward a waiting car. Miyu leaned heavily against her, shivering, her body torn and burned from the battle.
"Where… where are we going…?" Miyu rasped.
"Somewhere safe," Melinda said.
—
Hours later, Miyu awoke in a warm bed. The scent of tea and candle wax filled the air. She was wrapped in blankets, her wounds carefully bandaged.
The house was quiet, filled with the soft hum of old wood and the faint whisper of unseen spirits.
Melinda sat nearby, watching with eyes full of sympathy.
"You're safe here," she promised. "Sam and Dean… they won't find you. Not as long as you're under my roof."
Miyu blinked, her voice hoarse. "Why… why would you help me? Don't you know what I've done?"
Melinda's gaze softened, though sorrow lingered in her eyes. "Yes. I know the blood on your hands. I can feel it. But I also see the girl who's been used, hunted, broken. The girl who never had a chance to just be."
Tears welled in Miyu's eyes. The silence inside her—where the demon once whispered—was crushing. She felt small, empty, and lost.
Melinda reached out, brushing a strand of wet hair from Miyu's face. "You don't have to be their monster. You don't have to be afraid. Let me help you find yourself again."
For the first time in months, Miyu closed her eyes not out of fear, but out of fragile trust.
Outside, the night wind howled.
And somewhere far away, the Impala's engine growled, carrying the Winchesters closer.
But for now… Miyu was hidden. Protected.
For the first time since her escape, she had a home.