Fandom: Joan of Arcadia

Pairing: Joan/Adam eventually

Rating: T

Spoilers: Takes place after season 2 finale

Disclaimer: No one belongs to me.

Notes: I don't know when Adam's birthday is so for the sake of this story, I'm putting it in the Summer.

Summary: School has ended. Joan has a lot to think about with the entrance of Ryan Hunter. God has some plans in the works for Joan as well.

The Gift

"Hello Joan."

Joan looked up from her book as Old Lady God walked into the bookstore. She sighed and put her book down. Pasting a fake smile on her face, she turned towards God. "Hello ma'am. Can I help you with anything in particular? We have a pretty good religious section in the back of the store."

God peered at her over her glasses. "I've read them all. Fascinating, really. You should look into it. But that's not why I'm here."

Joan straightened up the counter. "Of course not. You never stop by to just hang out. It's always, 'do this' or 'build that'." She looked at God.

God placed Her purse on the counter. "Well I am omniscient. Small talk would be redundant since any questions I ask, I know the answer to."

"Yeah, yeah." Joan waved her hand. "So what am I supposed to do now?"

God smiled. "I want you to give Adam a present."

"Uh," Joan blinked. "A present?"

"Yes Joan, it's something you give your friend because you care."

Joan rolled her eyes. "I know what it is. I wouldn't know what to get him."

God raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?" She walked over to the arts and crafts section and started browsing through the books.

"Well, what do I get him now that we're not-" Joan fidgeted. "You know." God looked at her then went back to checking out book titles. "Besides, I forgave him and all that. Getting him a gift would be... awkward."

"Tell him."

"What?"

She smiled. "Tell him about Me."

Joan had to close her mouth. "Tell him… you're serious?" God looked at her. "Of course you're serious. Why?"

God put down the book that She had been looking at.

Joan rubbed her head. "Right, don't question. So for my gift, you want me to tell him about You."

God smiled. "Really Joan, you need to learn how to pay attention," She said as She left the store.

Joan looked out the window. "How am I supposed to do that?" she yelled. "Well this is great."

Joan couldn't believe she was doing this. She was going to tell her secret that she'd been keeping for the past year to the boy who had cheated on her. Why God wanted her to do this, she didn't know. But there was one thing she had learned from her missions with God, and that was to do what He asked. If God wanted her to convince Adam that He was real, then she would. The only problem would be getting Adam to believe her. She remembered when she had tried to tell him in the hospital when she had Lyme disease. He didn't believe her then.

She sighed and looked at the garage where Adam's dad had said he was. After Adam had gotten lost in the woods, she thought she had lost him. She had been so afraid Adam had done something to hurt himself. She had told Grace the truth, she still loved Adam but didn't know if she could trust him again. Was that why God wanted her to tell him? To learn to trust Adam?

Even if that was her mission, she didn't know if she could do it. Not yet. Though a month had passed, the pain was still new, still fresh. When she looked at Adam, all she could see was him kissing Bonnie. How could she even think of trusting him with a secret as important as God?

Joan turned around. She had to get out of here. She couldn't do this. Why did He think she could? She looked up and froze. Across the street was a little girl with pigtails and a blue ball. The girl smiled and pointed to the garage then gestured towards it.

Joan shook her head. "No, I can't do this. I don't care why you want me too, I can't-"

"Jane?"

Joan froze and closed her eyes. She swallowed and took a deep breath before turning around. "Hi Adam."

Adam smiled hesitantly, as though afraid to show how happy he was to see her. "What are you doin' here?"

Jane looked over her shoulder to the girl who was bouncing her ball on the sidewalk. She turned back to Adam. "Oh, I just thought we could, you know, talk."

Adam nodded. "Yeah. Come on." He led the way into the shed, Joan following. Adam sat down on his stool behind the table where a mess of wires and metal were spread out. Joan fidgeted, unsure of what to say. Adam just looked at her.

"So," she said, not looking at her.

"How are you?" Adam asked in that soft, uncertain voice of his.

Joan looked at him and tried to smile. "I'm good. Glad school is over, you know."

"Yeah."

She looked around, trying to find something to focus. She cleared her throat. "Adam-" she started.

"Jane," he said at nearly the same time.

"You start," she said.

He shook his head. "No, go. It's… it's not important."

Joan walked over to the table and started playing with some of the wires. "Oh, well. Do you remember…." She had no idea how she was going to do this. "Adam, I have something to tell you."

Adam looked away and she realized he looked scared. He was afraid of what she would say and she knew he had good reason to be. She hadn't been the nicest person recently although she had been trying.

"You know how I sometimes get a little crazy and do weird things?"

Adam nodded and looked confused. "Yeah."

"Well the truth is, I mean, the reason why I do those things is that… It's because-"

"Jane," Adam said. She looked at him, scared. She couldn't get through this. He looked at her. "Just say it."

She nodded and took a deep breath. "I talk-"

"Yo Rove! You in there?"

Joan shut her eyes in frustration. She loved Grace. Really she did, but sometimes her timing sucked.