AN: Okay, so this will be a series of one-shots based around Cassidy from Preacher and an OC, inspired by Joseph Gilgun's performance. Each one will be inspired by a song. There will also be very minimal editing. I'm going to treat this like a writing exercise, basically writing what first comes to mind for each chapter when inspiration hits, and barely going back to edit. Please keep in mind that I have not read the comics. Enjoy!

I was originally going to do these in no particular order but I've decided to go back and start from the beginning, so if you've been following (Thank you!), the first three chapters will remain in the same order, so I would pick up at chapter four, and the chapters that were previously posted will still be in the story, just later on.

Chapter One

Cancer-Twenty One Pilots

Turn away

If you could get me a drink

Of water 'cause my lips are chapped and faded

Call my aunt Marie

Help her gather all my things

And bury me in all my favorite colors

My sister and my brothers, still

I will not kiss you

'Cause the hardest part of this is leaving you

Cassidy followed behind Jesse while Tulip unlocked the door and held it open. He watched as Jesse carried his younger sister in his arms as if she weighed nothing. Her eyes were sunken and her skin was pale as she had her head resting against her brother's chest while he carried her to her room.

"Cass, can you bring Dean in here?" Jesse asked.

Cassidy moved into the living room in answer, unplugging her oxygen machine that she'd named after her favorite television character. He entered her room, with its calm green walls and shelves of books, and that deep purple comfortable they'd spent so many nights curled up on together.

As Jesse removed the tubing that was hooked up to her portable tank and shut the tank off, Cassidy plugged Dean into the outlet nearest her bed. He gently placed the cannula inside her nose and tucked the tubing behind her ears.

Jesse bent down over her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Tulip and I will be in my room if you need us."

"I love you," she said softly.

Jesse smiled before responding, "I love you too. More than anything."

When Cassidy moved to leave the room as well she grabbed his hand. He looked down at her, under the sheets and wrapped up in one of his zip-up jackets, warring with himself. He wanted to stay, for her, but he also wanted to go for his own selfish reason, he honestly didn't know if he could stand it. This whole thing just wasn't fucking fair, to any of them. He loved her. God did he love her, and now…now…

"Please?" she asked, her eyes pleading up at the vampire.

He could feel how weak she was and it made his gut churn. He nodded and removed his own jacket as she slowly scooted over a bit so Cassidy could lay next to her. He pulled the sheets back and lay on his side before carefully pulling her against him and burying his face into her neck. Cassidy pressed gentle kisses on her neck, slowly, trying desperately to memorize the feel of her soft skin, her smell, the beat of her pulse underneath his lips, the sound of the little gasps that he was causing to escape from her pale lips.

Cassidy pulled away when he felt a drop on his neck. He used a thumb to wipe away her tears and then ran a hand through her short dark hair. They'd stopped chemo before Cassidy ever came to town. It wasn't working, so she, along with Jesse, decided the turmoil of the treatments should stop so she'd have a better quality of life. However long that was, the doctors hadn't exactly given them a definite time frame.

She reached her own hand up to run through his hair. "How come you've never mentioned changing me?"

Cassidy's eyes went wide before taking a breath and answering. "Well, you never brought it up. I'm a selfish bastard. You know that more than anyone. But…I…I can't resign you to that fate. I can't let you go through what I've been through. I love you too much for that."

She smiled and dropped her hand, curling herself into his embrace.

Only when she'd been unable to keep her eyes open did she get some sleep. She'd been fighting to stay awake in Cassidy's arms, to savor every moment with him and everything about him: his smell, his face, his voice, the feel of his lips against her own. In the light of the moon streaming through her lace curtains they traded soft kisses. Finally he plucked her well-read copy of Macbeth off her bookshelf and started reading it to her, only then, in the middle of the first act did she succumb to sleep. Cassidy watched her as she slept in his arms and listened to the sound of her breathing aided by the oxygen machine.

The next morning she felt better and was able to sit up in bed. A nurse came from the hospital to administer more fluids and some morphine for the pain.

At some point during the day Cassidy had put in the first season of her favorite show and maneuvered them so he was sitting behind her and she was leaning back into the warmth of his chest. He watched her smile as she watched the Winchester brothers on screen and how she would giggle at their antics, trying not to think about how much he would miss that sound. Later, after the sun was starting to set, she took a bath with some help from Tulip. Cassidy had originally volunteered but when Tulip saw him carrying her into the bathroom she went in and kicked him out and because of the look on Tulip's face he didn't even dare to argue. Tulip wrapped her in a towel afterwards and went to get Cassidy, who was right outside the door. He picked her up and once in her room he sat her on the bed and helped her dress in her favorite sweatpants, her well-loved Twenty One Pilots t-shirt, and his jacket.

They lay back on the bed again, as they had been the night before. She placed a hand on his cheek. He closed his eyes at the feeling and shivered at how cold she was. "You're a good man Cass," she said.

He shook his head and opened his eyes. "No. I'm not. But you make me better than the right arsehole I am. Aren't you going to make me promise to be good…after…?" He couldn't say it. He still couldn't say it. It hurt too much.

"No." Her thumb stroked his cheek. "I won't do that to you."

Cassidy turned his face and pressed a kiss into her palm, letting his lips linger there.

She pulled her hand back and he watched as she unclasped her necklace, a raw emerald on a rose gold chain. She took his hand and put the necklace in his palm. "But I want you to have this."

He squeezed the necklace, feeling it almost cut into his palm. "I won't need it. I'm going to join you as soon as I can."

She recoiled as if he'd slapped her and she surprised them both with how quick she moved. "Don't you dare say that!" she hissed. "You-you can't-" tears began to leak from her eyes and Cassidy wanted to punch himself.

"I can't help being honest love," he finally said.

"You never have been able to," she said and then let out a small laugh.

Cassidy closed his eyes. God, could he do this? Could he live without her? He'd been waiting years for her without even knowing it. Sure, he no way in hell deserved her, but this…losing her…it was the purest form of torture he'd ever endured.

"I just want you to be happy," she said, and she meant it. She moved so she was flush against him.

"I just want you," he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

She moved so she could look at him and her eyes were filled with so much grief he would've looked away if she hadn't moved in and pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose. "I love your nose," she said, causing him to smile. "I love you."

"I love you. I love you so much," Cassidy told her, holding her tighter. He wanted to tell her how he felt, that he didn't deserve her. All the shite he'd done in his long life. He wondered if this was his punishment. Finding her and then her being taken away from him. She knew who he was. She knew he knew that she knew who he was and she still loved him. For all his flaws and imperfections and all the times he'd been a downright arse, she loved him. He held onto that in his mind as he held onto her in his arms.

It was a few hours later. She'd drifted off for a bit but then woke with a start. He could see she was struggling to breathe and her eyes were wide. She clutched him desperately as he yelled for Jesse and Tulip. They rushed into the room, looking like they hadn't slept since they got back from the hospital.

Jesse immediately went to the other side of the bed and Tulip sat on the end.

She continued clutching onto Cassidy, fighting for her breath, as he lay next to her on his side. A few moments later and her grip went slack, causing Cassidy's to tighten. As she looked at him he wasn't sure she was truly seeing him and her eyes closed and he felt her go limp. Cassidy faintly registered an agonized sob come from Jesse who moved to wrap an arm around his sister as Cassidy released her from his arms and, trying and failing to stand, sunk onto his knees next to the bed.