"So, why are we doing this?"
Cas looked over at Meg in the passenger's seat. "I already told you! These humans are destroying the Earth given to them, so now would be a great time to see the night sky in its glory one last time."
Meg laughed. "I thought you could travel in time, Clarence."
"No time like the present."
They were driving from Sacramento to Denver. California, according to a electronic consciousnesses called 'Google', said that Colorado was a great place to see the stars, without the city lights drowning them out. It was a long drive. Worth it, but still long.
When they arrived at the forest, Cas expected there to be some person at the entrance asking people to pay to go in. They probably would have been some homeless person pretending to be a guard, but dean said that humans lie to get what they need.
Cas didn't need to lie to get Meg to come with him across the country. For some reason, she just did. No questions asked. Not that he was complaining, of course.
Meg had no idea why she agreed to go on a ten hour car ride to some random forest with Cas. She told herself that it was just so that she could keep him from complaining, but she was actually touched. She always said that she didn't like Cas' little poetic outgoings, but this one was sort of cute. He wasn't crazy anymore, so Meg could actually talk to him and see his real point of view on things.
Meg really thought that being his nurse had changed their relationship. When Cas had taken on Sam's burden, she expected them to stay and try to help, or at least to feel guilty. But, as far as she could tell, they were unfazed. The brothers had just left the angel.
But Meg wouldn't do that. She didn't use Cas just to keep herself safe, that was just a bonus. She would never say it out loud, but he really was special. He didn't see her as an abomination, or a pest, just something to exterminate. He saw her as something worth talking to, and appreciating. Meg liked that.
She was looking forward to this whole 'night under the stars thing'. She had no idea what Cas had in store. All he had told her was that they were going to see the stars in Colorado. It was exciting. Sort of.
The car ride was killing her. For some reason, Cas liked the head banging type of rock. He said that it was just interesting, but it seemed more like a distraction for him from all of heaven's crying on angel radio.
Meg didn't have a problem with that.
Cas smiled widely when they arrived at the entrance to the woods. Partly because he could wait to sit under the stars with Meg, and partly because that rental car was really uncomfortable. It may have said Number One car in safety for 2011, but it is defiantly NOT safe to sit on a felt-covered rock for ten hours.
He and Meg got out of the car. Meg sighed. When Cas looked over at her, he could see that she was hiding a smile.
"Why are we doing this, again?"
He just smiled and led the way into the forest. He had brought a thick blanket from Sam and Dean's motel room, a comforter, they called it. It was comfortable.
Before Lucifer had been cast out, he had taken Cas to see the stars once. It had been wonderful. Cas had been young then, but it was one of his best memories of any of his brothers. He didn't want the stars to die before he could see them one last time, or before Meg could see them at all.
Cas shook those thoughts from his mind. Tonight wasn't about the past. It was about the present.
Cas was leading her through the forest. It was already past sundown, but the sky hadn't become truly dark yet. Meg knew that the humans had a word for it, a word that hadn't been thought up when she had been one of them.
After what seemed like hours, but was really probably only twenty minutes, they came to a clearing in the middle of the forest.
"Did you know this was here, Clarence?"
Cas grinned. "What, did you think I didn't scout it out first?"
Meg was sure her amusement was clear on her face.
"Come on, help me lay out the blanket."
They unfolded the comforter and laid it out in the middle of the clearing. Cas played down first, and patted the spot next to him. After a moment's hesitation, Meg laid down, too.
"Where did you come up with this idea, Clarence?"
Cas stayed silent for a moment, and sighed. "A brother showed the stars to me, when i was young, and I don't think I could live with myself if you didn't see them, too."
Meg smiled. She scooched closer to him. "Well," she murmured, "they are beautiful."
"Yes, they are." Cas turned his head towards her. "Almost as beautiful as you."
Meg tisked at him. "I don't like poetry."
"That wasn't poetry. That was truth."
She raised an eyebrow at him. Damn, this boy was getting better.
After a couple minutes of silence, Cas began talking about the stars. He told her facts about them and stories and legends.
Eventually, Meg's eyes started to droop. She scooted closer to Cas and put her head on his shoulder.
Cas realized that Meg was falling asleep.
"Meg! Stay awake!"
"Why?" she mumbled.
"I don't know!"
"Fine."
She sat up and put her hands together in front of her knees. Cas followed suit.
"Hey, Clarence."
"Huh?"
"We're in the middle of a deserted forest, under the star light, no person for miles, a comfy blanket underneath us. Do you think it would be possible to get some pizza?"
"Why would you — oh. Yes, I think we could get some pizza."
"Are you sure you would want to eat it now? Some pizza tastes better if you wait."
"Actually, Meg, I'm sort of craving some pizza right now."
"Are you sure, because I am too."
"No time like the present."
