It was a cold October afternoon, or so Meg assumed. Every human she had passed was hidden away in an oversized coat, trying to take away the bite of the wind that she could feel moving her hair around.

Meg made was walking slowly and deliberately. She didn't have anything to do for once, and no where to go. As much as she could, the demon part of her was protesting, she wanted to enjoy the peace and quiet.

She spotted a park with a small play ground and a few scattered benches for parents to sit at. Without having to tell them, her feet made their way towards the park.

Despite the weathers best efforts, the park with full of children and parents alike. Children having contests of who could run faster, parents making sure coats were buttoned and faces were clean before allowing kids to play, and then there was Meg. Silently observing the happy atmosphere and making her way to a recently vacated bench, that when she sat down she noticed was still warm.

Her hands gripped the edge of the well worn wood as she watched the children. She was being sucked back into old memories, a few decades old, that she really didn't want to think about. But as she watched a young girl help up what looked to be her even younger sister, Meg couldn't resist the sweet tug of her past.


Megan Feathers was not a girl to be messed with. With short hair and a temper half as short, she didn't have many people lining up to be her friend.

It's not anything she minded, she didn't have time for friends. Her father had left them when her younger sister was born when Meg was just three. She had a family to hold together as far as she was concerned.

Her mother was always there for them, when she could be. She usually had to work long hours at the local bars to keep the small family supported. So ten year old Megan was head of the house, because by the time her mother got home, if the two girls were awake, all she had time was give small kisses on the tops of heads, warm hugs, and apologizing 'love you's' before going in her bedroom in the small house and sleeping so she could wake up again at 4 am and start the process all over.

Unknown to the girl's mother, Meg would wake up at the same time as her mother. She would lay awake in the bed she shared with her sister and listen to her mother prepare for the day in the other room. Once she was sure her mother had left, Meg would climb slowly from her place and creep towards the living room/kitchen/dining room.

She would begin each morning by grabbing the paper from the porch and placing it by the fireplace where it would later get used as a fire starter most likely, once the days turned cold. She would proceed by finding where ever her sister had left her lunch box and then make a lunch for her to eat later at school. Once that was done, she would place it in the refrigerator and grab her own, making a noticeably smaller lunch.

But today was different. Meg would turn 11 in a few days. Maybe she could get a small job doing something to help her mother with money? She had added together the total of all the bills this month, and she already knew she was going to have to skip a few meals this month if she wanted to get them payed. So, she went to where she had placed the newest newspaper and shoved it into her ratty backpack before she made her way to their room to get dressed.

After slipping into the school uniform-a blue dress with a cross on the left side of her chest-she stopped in front of the cracked mirror leaning against the wall. She made a face at her growing brown hair, making a mental note to cut it once it got to her shoulders, then made her way toward where he sister was sleeping soundly. The seven year old's blonde hair made a halo around her head on the pillow. Meg wasn't sure if angels existed, but right now she was wondering if her sister was one. Taking a deep breath, Meg began the process of waking up the girl. "RISE AND SHINE, PRINCESS! THE SUN COMES UP IN 5 MINUTES AND YOU DON'T WANNA MISS IT!" She screamed, moving back towards window and throwing the curtains open. The struggling sun began to seep into the room starting from the wind sill, hitting the girl right across the eyes. A loud groan came from the girl. "Don't wanna get up Meg..' She said, throwing a short arm over her eyes. "Too bad,Melody. Gotta go to school. That is, unless your sick." She said as an after thought. An obviously fake cough came from the under the quilts where her younger sister had retreated.

Sighing, she moved the end of the bed and yanked the quilts from her protesting sister and threw it on her side, as far from her sister as she could get it. Finally, Melody stood up on wobbly legs and began her morning stretching routine as Meg began making up the bed. Once she thought herself stretched enough, and had blood flowing correctly to all her limbs, she went to the closet they shared and pulled her own uniform out and made her way towards the bathroom. Once Meg deemed the bed acceptable, she left back to the kitchen to set out her sisters breakfast. She glanced up at the clock. 6:27. They had to be at the school by 7:30 and it was only a 10 minute walk to Saint Mary's catholic school for girls. When he sister emerged 5 minutes later looking a little bit more awake, she thanked her sister before sliding into 'her' chair at the table set up in the corner of the room. After taking a few bites of the cereal, she glanced up at Meg. "Aren't you going to have any breakfast?" She asked innocently. Meg's stomach almost growled at the mention of food, but she only smiled and said "I already ate while you were still asleep, lazy bones!" This was an excuse that got used often, and while her sister seemed uneasy with it, she always accepted it. Once her sister was done with every bite of her cereal-Meg always made sure no food was wasted-they still had almost an hour to kill.

Meg always made sure they had this time, even if Mels would whine about being awake and not having to be. Meg would usually make sure her sisters homework was done and correct at this time, helping her if it wasn't, or reading a book while her sister would draw in her almost filled sketch pad. Today Meg reached for the paper she had stowed away and flipped it to the jobs section. She scanned her optioned before seeing one that looked like something she could do. They wanted a child who could read to come to the local mental hospital and read to patients to calm them down. It payed 5 dollars a day, and you had to being your own (approved) books, Meg smiled to herself, that was easy! The hospital was near the library, so she could drop her sister and pick up some books. Noticing it was almost 7, she quickly grabbed a red marker from her sister and circled the ad before declaring it was time to go. As they left the house Meg locked the door carefully, and then grabbed her sisters hand as they left the apartment.

The walk to school was mostly uneventful, other than the few times her sister would stop the pick a flower and put it in her sketchbook. Meg assumed she would draw them later, but she really didn't know what happened to the flowers that got collected on the morning walks. Sometimes when Meg would have to leave Melody at home so she could walk to the store to buy something for dinner(and probably pick up a candy bar for Mels) she would come home to see the walls decorated with colorful new drawings of flowers and her sister sheepishly telling Meg she might need new coloring pencils. Meg liked these days because later when they cuddled under the quilts in their room her sister always smelled like flowers and pencil shavings.

As they neared the school building Meg slid her hand from her sisters and mentally began the day. She had to have it planned out or something would go wrong. After Meg had dropped her sister off at her classroom, she wouldn't see her again until lunch when they would sit under a small tree in the courtyard and eat their lunches in silence as Meg started her homework so maybe she wouldn't have to stay up so late again-even if it never happened. Then instead of going home and spending the rest of the day waiting for their mother to get back while Mels started her homework and Meg made dinner and cleaned, they would head towards the library and drop her sister off so she got go down the hill to Woodridge Mental Hospital. Then they would get home around 7, and she could make dinner and help Mels with homework.

Once we reached the school only a few students were there, school didn't start for 15 more minutes and most people who went here lived around the corner like they did and had nothing to worry about. She made sure her sister was safely in her classroom before going to her own. While the students didn't like her, the teachers loved her and her sister. Meg was quite sure they liked her sister better-but really, who didn't? Greeting Sister Linda with a smile, she found her desk and sat her things down. She only had four classes a day, which she liked. First was English with Sister Linda, then Math with Sister Elise, Study Hall and prayer circle, Lunch, and finally Science with Sister Ellen. When the bell rang and the rest of the girls poured into the classroom, Meg opened her notebook and began doodling in the corners of pages as Sister Linda talked.

The day flew by, mostly because Meg wasn't really paying attention. She was more focused on getting the new job. So when the lunch bell rang Meg found herself snapped back into reality. She gathered her things together and made her way toward the courtyard where her sister would be waiting. "Heya, Princess." she smiled, sliding against the tree until her butt hit the ground. "Sis!" she grinned and opened up her pink lunch box and pulled out the sandwich, grapes, and water bottle Meg had packed her. Meg grabbed her own red lunch bag and pulled out the grapes and water bottle she had for herself. Her sister frowned at her lunch. "Are you sure you don't want half of my sandwich" Mels asked and started to tear it in half. "No," Meg refused, "its yours, I packed it for you. Eat it." Mels gave her a disapproving look before taking a bite. Meg was tiny, and the school uniform she had was almost falling off her. She would eat, but they didn't have much and better Mels get it then her.

As her sister when into detail about her day, Meg looked around the courtyard and examined the girls gathered in groups. You had obvious groups, and you could even tell what kind of groups they were even if everyone there had on the same outfit. She fond Kass' group of friends easily. She didn't know why her sister bothered sitting with her when they were there. Honestly it wouldn't bother Meg much, if her sister was happy it was okay with Meg. But everyday since she had started school here with Meg she was always with her when she could be. Meg loved it, but she didn't really believe her sister did it because she wanted too.

"Megan Feathers, are you listening to me?" Mels demanded, pinching her sisters arm to get her attention Meg swatted her hand away and her eyes met Kass' brown ones. "No, sorry princess. Lost in thought. But hey, just so you know I have to drop you off at the library after school today for a little bit, okay?" she asked. Kass just tilted her head a little, "Why, do you have something to do?" she asked. "Um, yeah. I'm gonna get a job at Woodridge reading to patients to calm them down or something." she said hoping her sister wouldn't ask for an explanation. She didn't, but Meg was good enough at reading her expression that she could she could she the questions on her tongue when she said her confirmation that it would be okay. Meg let out a sigh of relief and finished her grapes as the warning bell rang.

Saying goodbye to her sister, Meg gathered her things and with one last wave, headed toward Science. Science was one of Meg's favorite classes. For a girl who hated surprises, there was something exciting about watching the teacher mix things together and seeing what would happen. She participated regularly, knowing answers almost before they were asked. They class flew by in a different mannerism then the others did, this one because she was lost in the class, rather than her mind. When the bell rang, she gave her teacher a hardy goodbye before flying out of the classroom towards Mels. She found her sister with her usual group of friends. She stopped short of her, waiting her to finish. When Mels turned to leave, she saw her standing there awkwardly and pulled her in a hug before offering her friends one last goodbye as they left the school.

Once they got outside, they headed towards the library instead of home like they usually would. "Now you aren't to step one foot outside that library until I come back. Get your homework done and whatever you can't do I'll help you with later, or you can ask a librarian for help. Maybe check out a book or two, don't talk to strangers and all that, and make sure not to loose anything." Meg whispered, even if she knew her sister already knew what she was expected to do. Melody rolled her eyes before offering a mock salute as she spread her things out on the table tucked away into the corner they always used. After exchanging goodbyes, Meg left the library and headed down the hill.

When she reached the medium sized building, she received curious looks from the patients and staff alike that where in the main part of the building. Clearing her throat, she made her way towards the counter that she could barely see over. "Excuse me?" she asked. The lady sitting there looked startled, and when she saw her she gave one of the fake smiles she was used to getting when talking to adults. "Are you lost, little girl?" the lady asked, reaching for the phone, "because I have a phone here you can use if you need to call someone." she offered. Meg fought the urge to roll her eyes. "No ma'am, I'm not lost. I'm here about the ad in the paper. Is the position still available?" she asked hopefully. The lady's smile fell a little, and Meg's heart sank. She just knew it had been taken, why did she even bother coming? Before she could apologize for wasting the woman's time she said, "Yes! Yes of course it is! If you would just come with me over here and can read this paragraph of the Bible correctly, then your'e hired!" Meg was confused by the woman's sudden enthusiasm, but wasn't going to question it as she watched her grab a Bible off of one of the tables and began to flip through it. When she found what she was looking for, she bent down to Meg's level and pointed to the paragraph.

It was simple enough to read, Meg had most certainly read much harder books, but with the lady(her name tag stating her name was Grace,) looking over her shoulder she found it difficult. Once she was done, she closed the book and handed it back to her, biting her lower lip nervously, not sure if she would get the job or not. "Your'e hired!" the woman said cheerfully, the volume of her voices causing some of the jumpier patients to glance around in alarm. When she realized her mistake she let out a sheepish "Sorry and turned her attention back to Meg. "Well sweetheart, my name is , and you can think of me as your new boss. Since its getting kind of late, I won't ask you to read today, so you can go home and come back tomorrow, oh! I almost forgot! Can you please tell me your name, I need to write it down." said, moving back behind the counter and pulling out a piece of paper.

"My name is Megan Feathers," she supplied, noticing the way was tapping her pen. "What a pretty name! Well, Megan, I need you to have your mother to sign this before I can let you work here, alright? So head on home and I'll see you tomorrow at 4 o'clock, got it?" said, handing Meg the paper then walking with her to the door. Once they were outside they exchanged goodbyes and went back inside, leaving her standing there. She examined the careful writing of her name on the paper, then looked to the corner that demanded a parent signature for her to get the job. She worried her bottom lip as she began to walk, would her mother sign it? She didn't want her mother to think she was ungrateful, or didn't think she was doing a good job as a mother, she just wanted to help out.

As the thoughts swirl around her head, she glances up and sees that her feet have carried her to the library without her even having to tell them too. Meg hurries in, and makes her way towards the table she left her sister at. When she finds her she has an art book propped open and is scribbling furiously in her sketchpad, which she makes note is almost full and she needs to get her a new one. "Meg, we need to get home, I still have homework to do." she whispers, giggling when her sister jumps at her words. Mels doesn't respond, just nods and begins throwing things haphazardly into her backpack. After Meg does a quick sweep to make sure nothing was forgotten, they head out the doors onto the sidewalk, walking towards their home.

They were about two blocks away from home when she started to feel it. Something bad was going to happen, she just knew it. Her skin crawled and she tried to calm herself down. Looking to her right Melody was happily skipping along, not a care in the world. Seeing her sister just seemed to spike her worries. Meg resisted reaching out and holding her hand, Mels always complained she was too old when Meg held her hand. She didn't have long to think about this thought, she was yanked from her thoughts when she heard the screeching of tires from about a street over. She looked back over at her sister who she noticed was walking in the middle of the road. She rolled her eyes at her carelessness and opened her mouth to call her back on the sidewalk when she saw the headlights at the end of the street.

It had gotten dark unusually fast that afternoon, and even though it was only 6 o'clock only a few rays of sun peaked out from behind the trees and the sky was clouded over from the storms passing through the area. The streetlights hadn't come on. The car, of which Meg could now tell was being driven by someone who was obviously drunk, was coming straight at her younger sister at what would have easily registered at 8o mph. Meg had not time to react when the car slammed first into her sister, then into the lightpole ahead at the crossroads. Meg dropped her and her sisters bag("Meggie, I'm so tired! Can you please please please carry it the rest of the way home?")and rushed to the crash. The driven was slumped over in his seat, dead, not that it mattered to Meg at all. She was more focused on her little sister who had been pushed along by the car and was now laying crushed next to the car. She dropped down to her knees, scarping them as she landed in the puddle of her sister's blood.

"Melody?" Meg asked, reaching out a hand to touch her sister's body, but pulling away at the last second. "Melody," she repeated, almost a broken prayer, "Melody, please wake up. You have to be alright." She wanted to vomit, she stood up and moved towards the bushes. She stepped in something and upon closer inspection she saw it to be part of a brain... her sister's brain. The feeling rushed over her again in a stronger wave, but she couldn't move, just stood and stared at the chunks of brain under her foot and along the path Melody must have slid to come to her final resting place. Meg had expected people would come out soon, drawn by the noise, but the area was sparsely populated. No one had shown yet, but she could hardly say she was surprised when a woman seemed to appear out of thin air. She must have walked up when Meg hadn't been paying attention.

"Well this looks pretty bad, don't it, sugar?" the woman asked, her southern drawl comforting Meg, though something in her was telling her to get away from this woman. She didn't respond, just followed the woman with her eyes as she made her way towards Meg, hips swaying as she walked. "That your sister?" the woman asked in a way that said she knew it was. She mutely nodded, glancing over at her sister's body before looking back at the woman who had stopped only a few feet in front of her. "What if I told you I could help?" the woman asked, she seemed to be examining Meg, logging away her weaknesses in her head for whatever she was planning to do. "What, you have a phone or something?" Meg heard herself, not remembering allowing the words to leave her lips.

The woman's lips quirked into a smile, and Meg wanted to hit her. Why was she smiling? Her sister was dead on the ground not five feet away and she had the nerve to find something funny? "No, babydoll, I was thinking something better then that, how about I bring her back to life?" with the last word, the chocolate brown of her eyes faded away to reveal a bright red that made Meg stumble back away from her. Her eyes widened in fear and awe at whatever stood before her, and she realized that what this woman was offering-bringing her sister back from the dead-could be a legitimate offer. But what could the price be, what could this thing possibly want? Meg closed her eyes and let her thoughts take over, half of them jumping at the chance to bring Melody back to life, and the other half knowing that Melody was probably better off where ever you end up after you die.

"What's the cost?" she finally asked, the more selfish part of her taking over. The woman smirked at her, "See that's the good part. It doesn't cost you anything for 10 whole years. Just make sure you make the best of your life in that time, because once it's up, we come get you. Have our hellhounds drag you out kicking and screaming, no way around it. But your sister, she lives a normal life. She doesn't remember dying, and I'll even clean up the mess here for ya." she offered, Meg wondered how many times today already she had said this speech, changing a few parts to whatever situation the victim was in. Once the idea of the deal had been stated, Meg knew she would have taken the bait no matter what the cost had been.

She let out a sigh and looked back up to find her eyes locked with this, with this demon's, red one. "I'll do it." she said, not even a hint of emotion in her words. The smirk turned into a triumphant smile as she looked down out her. "Of course you do, now. One final thing. We seal the deal with a kiss." She bent down to Meg's height so they were eye to eye. She leaned forward and Meg felt the demon's silky smooth lips press against her own chapped ones briefly before she stood back up and looked around at the carnage, Meg didn't even react at the fact that her first kiss, and probably last considering she had timer over her head counting down 10 years, had been taken by a female demon. "Well, sugar, I have my work cut out for me here. I'll bring your sister back then send you home, don't you worry a hair on your pretty little head what happens here, I'll take care of it."

Meg blinked.

When she opened her eyes again, she was standing outside her home, two backpacks on her shoulder and her sister standing next to her, looking dazed. Mels glanced over at her, a look of confusion on her face. "Meggie, when did we get home? And why are you crying?" Meg brought her hands up to he cheeks and felt the dampness she hadn't noticed before. She took a deep breath and plastered a fake smile across her face. "You must have been daydreaming and now realized we had gotten home. I'm not crying, my allergies are just making my eyes water. Don't worry about it, let's just get inside and I'll make some dinner, okay?" she said, grabbing the key from her pocket to unlock the door. Melody tipped her head to the side, like she didn't quite believe what her sister was telling her was the whole truth. She just sighed and stepped into the house, leaving Meg to wonder exactly how much she knew.

As she made dinner, she mad sure to look over her shoulder at her sister every chance she got, just making sure nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Her sister didn't seem to know what had happened, so at least Meg knew the demon had kept her part of the deal. Once she had finished making the can of soup, she served her sister and sat down in the chair next to her. Mels gave her a strange look, that wasn't her usual seat, her usual seat was across the table from her because she believed it was better for conversation. She also didn't comment when Meg scooted the chair closer.

They were cuddled on the couch watching some show Meg wasn't paying attention to when their mom came home. She looked at the girls and gave a small smile before realizing it was late they had school tomorrow and should be asleep. She sent the two girls to bed with sleepy kisses on their foreheads. Meg walked into the bathroom with her nightgown and changed while her sister changed in the bedroom. All she could think about was the the deal she had just made, even if she had a really good reason to make it. It was selfish, and who knows, maybe her sister had been happy those few second she had been in heaven-because lets face it, if either of the girls where getting in it would be her sweet little sister.

Once they climbed into the bed together Meg couldn't seem to fall asleep and instead counted her sister's breath, knowing know she was the one responsible for her. In a sick way it was almost that she now had to keep this girl safe because if she didn't she had just wasted ten years of her life. As these thoughts crossed through her head, she tried to banish them by reaching out an arm in the space between them and brushing her hand on her sister's warm back. Since she knew she had fallen asleep hours ago, Meg curled up to her sister, making sure she could hear her heartbeat from where she had an ear pressed to her back.

Meg didn't know when she had fallen asleep, but the next morning she was woken up by her sister screaming that they were going to be late if she didn't get up 'right-now immediately'. Meg smiled at this, and even if the deal had been stupid and selfish, she knew that she would cherish these next ten years as much as she could.


When Meg's mind came back to the present, she was only a little surprised to see the angel sitting next to her. She cracked a smile and looked at him from the corner of her eye, "What are you doin' here Clarence?" she asked, wincing when her face sounded weaker then she wanted it to. He gave her a look that made her think her knew what she had been thinking about before saying, "Sam and Dean need your help, even if they are too stubborn to ask for your help. So I was wondering if-" "Of course I'll help out your boyfriend and his brother, as you can tell I ain't got anything to do." He just glared at her before turning back to watch the last few brave souls who were determined to play even if they hadn't been able to feel all their fingers for the past hour.

"You know," Cas said, interrupting her staring contest with a runny-nosed kid who was sitting on the top of the monkey bars, "She'e happy. In Heaven, I mean. She lived a happy life, and most of her heaven is memories with you and her daughter." Meg's heart swelled when she heard she had a niece. They didn't say anything to each other for the longest time, just enjoying each others company as much as a demon and an angel could before she whispered "Thank you." to him, the words barely escaping her lips.

"Well," she said standing up and fixing her jacket, "the boys are getting nowhere without us, so how's about we drop in?" she asked, smirking lightly when she saw the face he pulled. He simply nodded and stood up, and without another word the sound of feathers could be heard as he took off. Meg just concentrated on where her unicorn had gone, and sparing a thought, followed after him. Leaving behind a darkening sky and a little girl who was very confused how two people had just disappeared.