See Chapter One for Disclaimer


Day one goes well. Cas falls asleep in a bed, under the thick comforter and various throw blankets that Maddie had insisted he needed, and though Cas is woken up once when Maddie sneaks in to steal a blanket or two back, he sleeps otherwise undisturbed…his first restful sleep in a long, long time.

Cas wakes up to the smell of sausage and stumbles to the kitchen to find Maddie, wearing baggy sweatpants and a navy sweater that hugs her belly, making breakfast and humming to herself. The two shared a mostly silent breakfast-only broken up when Maddie inquired of his schedule or informed her of his own- and soon enough he was off to work.

Maddie appeared a few minutes before his shift ended and he found himself walking back to her apartment with her, any notions of escape he might have harbored during the day dashed at her appearance.


Another meal, in which conversation flowed much more freely; Maddie telling him about her job as a journalist and the article she'd worked on that day and Cas in turn sharing about the customers he'd dealt with, all superficial conversation that gave nothing away.

Cas went to sleep that night, once more in Maddie's guest bedroom and after a long night of doing the dishes and a riveting television show called COPS that had Cas intrigued and Maddie in tears, Cas believed that maybe, staying with Maddie might be a good thing.


Day one was supposed to go well. Maddie, being the genius mastermind that she was, would never strike on the first day. No…it was best to lull one's prey into a false sense of security before striking…which is why, on day four, Maddie coaxed Cas into a bar and guilted him into drinking for the both of them.

Fortunately for Maddie…it was proven easily enough that Cas could not hold his liquor. Unfortunately for Cas, he was a chatty drunk. A VERY chatty drunk. In between drinks seven and eight, Cas spilled his life story. In between drinks twelve and thirteen, Cas began to cry, worried that Maddie didn't believe him and hated him now forever. In between drinks seventeen and twenty-two, Cas finally believed that Maddie neither hated him nor thought him a liar.

And the next day, when Cas woke up with a splitting headache that Maddie explained away as "weather shift" (whatever that meant,) with no knowledge of the previous night or conversation and Maddie treated him no differently, Cas continued on…none the wiser.

But Maddie knew. And as she'd reassured the angel-turned-human the night before, she didn't care…and she believed him. Angels were, quite honestly, the LEAST of Maddie's worries.

And so the life and style of Maddie and Cas continued.


Of Course, Maddie, genius mastermind she was, was in no way finished plotting.

On Day seven, Maddie brought a camera home from work, intent on showing Cas how to use it.

When Cas asked why, Maddie just shrugged and said simply: "You see life differently than most people, in a better light. I think that you should learn how to capture your ideas, and then that you should share them. I think if you do that, you could change the perspective of the world into something…better."

Cas took Maddie's words to heart. He was a lousy human, had been a lousy hunter, and quite frankly, hadn't been all that great of an angel either. But he still had a strong drive to impact earth, to make it better. And Maddie thought that Cas could do it this way…then he would try.

For the technology-newbie that Cas was, he took quite quickly to the camera, able to adjust the settings to fit his purpose after less than an hour of fiddling with it. Unfortunately, Photoshop took much longer to learn.


Cas wasn't quite sure how it happened, but after only a few days with the camera Maddie had convinced him to shoot the pictures that would accompany her articles. It only took one finished product for Maddie's editor to be calling Cas in personally and offering him a job.

Maybe Maddie had been right. Maybe Cas DID have something still to offer Earth, even as a human. When Cas had said as much to Maddie, she had laughed…for a long time.

"Yeah, Cas," She'd said wryly once she caught her breathe. "You still have a lot to offer. But the most important thing?" Maddie had locked eyes with him, then smiled. "Faith. This world needs a whole lot more of it, and something tells me you have plenty to go around."

Cas had simply smiled at that. She wasn't wrong. And less than a day after being offered the position, Cas accepted.


Once Cas accepted the position at Maddie's Newspaper, they began to work together. At first, Cas went out solely with her, but then he began to be assigned to work with the other writers as well.

Gary, who wrote sports, had been nice but loud, very enthusiastic about stats and players. Margaret, who wrote fashion and style, was petite and blonde, and she'd had the worst potty mouth at the paper. Jeff was weather, and he reminded Cas very strongly of Sam: tall, broad-shouldered, with long wavy dark brown hair and a wide smile. Jeff was also blind…but he was the best at his job. Cas saw Jeff's success in the face of adversity, and his hope strengthened.

Maybe he could be more than a lousy human, or even just a good one. Maybe he could make an impact…be different, better.

Maddie believed in him, had from the very beginning. And after all she'd done for him, who was he to let her down?


As Maddie and Cas began to see each other less during "work hours", (they were always different and subject to change) they decided that every evening after work they would eat together and then watch a movie before going their separate ways.

Due to this rule, Cas was slowly becoming more "pop-culture-literate." Maddie was forcing him through what she'd dubbed were the "classics", and the duo had made their way through Star Wars, Star Trek, the Jurassic Park series, The Harry Potter series, and on day 37, Maddie had brought out a new pick.

"It's called Jupiter Ascending." Maddie had said seriously, the DVD case resting on her belly as she stretched her feet out on the couch. "It's widely famous, specifically among teenage girls, and I'd tell you why…but I think you need just need to see it to believe it."

Cas narrowed his eyes.

Maddie was notorious for messing with people, and Cas, who'd at first thought she just did it to him, found she acted rude and hateful to everyone, (especially Gary at work.) He'd slowly gotten used to how she'd snarl while doing something nice or grumble when comforting a friend. To be honest, Maddie's gruff nature was more than familiar.

Maddie, with her short stature and large belly, didn't look a threat. She never did, especially at home, where her go-to clothing choice included faded sweatpants that rested right under her belly and tight sweaters or jackets that hugged her belly and made her look equal parts tiny and ginormous.

She didn't look a threat…But Cas knew by now that she WAS one. So Cas narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms while Maddie sat on the couch, her brown eyes innocent and hands resting on her belly.

After a long moment…Cas simply sighed and held out his hand for the movie. Maddie's triumphant grin was not comforting.


"That was…..so unrealistic," Cas muttered as he held out his hands.

Maddie grinned and grabbed hold, letting Cas do most of the work to heft her off of the couch. "It's a fantasy film…the genre by itself is unrealistic," she reminded brightly.

"Still," Cas muttered as he followed down the hall. "How dare they call it Jupiter Ascending - she was consistently falling!"

"I know." Maddie sympathized.

"And the bees!" Cas threw his hands up. "The bees!"

Maddie just grinned.


"Hey. You can drive right?"

Cas frowned over his bowl of cinnamon toast crunch. "Yes?" He said slowly.

"Good. I need a ride." Maddie pushed her own bowl away and stood.

"To where?" Cas rose as well and grabbed both bowls, moving to the kitchen.

"The hospital. I have an appointment."

Cas turned.


Maddie didn't look sick. She looked…pregnant. Not the glowing pregnant that Cas had found was always described in movies, but real life pregnant. Her hair was thick and shiny, but frizzy and thrown into a messy pony tail, her clothes worn and plain, accidentally accentuating her pregnant body. There were bags under her eyes and when she walked, her hands fell automatically to support her belly and her back.

"Everything's ok?" Cas asked finally, realizing he'd just been standing their staring awkwardly while she stared back, waiting patiently for him to speak.

"Yeah." She answered quickly. "It's just a checkup, make sure everything is growing properly. Might even get to see gender today too."

Cas smiled, and then he nodded. "I can take you."

"Thanks." Maddie said a bit stiffly. She turned as quickly as she was able. "Hurry up now, I don't want to be late. Time is money."

Cas shook his head, dropped the bowls in the sink, and followed Maddie out the door.


"Wow."

Cas braked as the light turned red, then beamed at Maddie, who sat ashen-faced in the passenger seat.

"So!" He said brightly. "Is it what you wanted?"

Maddie shrugged. "I hadn't really thought about it. Now it's too late: I already have my answer."

"A girl?" Cas prompted.

"Would've been terrifying." Maddie admitted. "I'm much more equipped to deal with trucks and worms, which is great," Maddie rolled her eyes, "seeing as this baby has an outie."

Cas choked. "Vulgar." He admonished.

Maddie shrugged, and finally, grinned.

"I'm just saying," Maddie rubbed her belly. "This little guy has a tomboy for a mom. So I think we'll be just fine." Maddie was silent for a long moment. "Even if he wasn't planned; he's mine and I'm his, and it's me and him against the world now."

Cas tilted his head.

"Just you and him?" He repeated softly.

Maddie turned her head. Cas kept his eyes on the road, even as her eyes bored into his skull.

"Well, and his Uncle Cas too, of course, if he plans on staying in touch." Maddie added airily, but Cas smiled.

"You're my only friend." He admitted. "You're stuck with me."

Maddie frowned at that. "I'm not your only friend."

And Cas thought of Gary, of Jeff, of Margaret, of the two brothers he hadn't seen in months and the patchwork family they'd created, and he shrugged.

"Not my only friend," he amended. "But certainly the first one who befriended me without strings attached.

Maddie shrugged. "I'll take it." She smiled, and even if he hadn't wanted to, Cas wouldn't have been able to stop himself…he smiled back.

Because even if Maddie had just seen a stray when she'd seen him the first time, she'd helped him, befriended him, advised him, all when she didn't have to.

So…yeah. He'd take Maddie as a friend anyday.


Maddie's plan had stalled. She had plotted no further than day 37. How else could she help her new friend if she had no more ideas to push him further into the world of humanity?

And as if she'd spoken aloud, the universe heard her, and on day 43, Two brothers in a black car rode into town, one on a murder case…and another on a missing persons.


WHO COULD IT BE?!

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~CLC~