Not much to say... sort of boring even... maybe lol but needed to set up the next part.

Enjoy and FEEDBACK pretty please

xox

ep

Chapter 9

Time

The next few weeks passed pretty slowly for Molly. The end of November crept into December making the days even shorter and nights colder, especially the nights when she found herself alone. And they were many, as Dean and Sam scheduled more runs than usual trying to get stocked up before the winter brought bad weather and impassible roads.

By mid December Molly was becoming increasingly tired, grumpy and bored. Not to mention huge. When Castiel was home she forgot all of those things. He doted, on her, offering up back rubs and foot rubs as often as possible. She returned the favor taking with him the long walks he loved and reading to him from his favorite books as she ran adept fingers through his hair while he snuggled against her ever growing belly. He had traded is gaggle of women for the angel he loved and the child she carried and he never looked back. Any remaining urges were now satisfied by hours soaking together in warm baths of herb scented water, and if not there, couple could be found intertwined on just about any available surface of the cabin. They were finally free to love each other, and neither could have been happier despite the circumstances. But when he was gone, even her best efforts fell short, Molly found it hard to be content.

The last few days had been good though, Castiel had been gone on a four day run with Dean and the others. Molly was nearly insane with boredom and worry by the time he pulled into camp, she could hardly contain her excitement when he finally did. He slid out of his truck and looked up to the front porch as he always did, he grinned to see her waiting. The former angel was tired, weary even, but still managed to race to where she stood and scoop her into his arms. They spent most of the next 3 days just that way, in each others arms. Now it was time for him to leave again and Molly could feel the restlessness building inside of her already.

She was standing at the cabin door holding it open as Castiel moved another armload of firewood inside. She wasn't sure how many trips he had made she lost count at four. "This should be enough, no matter how cold it gets." he said, setting the last load down then dropping to his knees to stack each wedge neatly with the others.

"I can do that after you've gone." Molly said reaching for his arm and pulling until he gave in and rose to his feet.

He could see it on her face she was dreading his leaving, though she would never say so. He brushed the dust and chips of wood off of his jacket then took her in his arms. "It's only a two day trip." he said soothingly, pressing her head to his chest and swaying her back and forth.

"I know." She answered and looked up at him, offering a small smile. "It's just boring when you're gone." she sighed.

He nodded his head, he knew her so very well, at her core she was, like him, a soldier, doing nothing when so much needed to be done was just not in her nature. He imagined her place in all of this had to be maddening for her. He nudged her lips with his own, teasing her into a lingering kiss, and when it ended he said, "I know it's hard, but for now your only job is right here." he said dropping a hand and sweeping it lovingly across her bulging belly.

Molly smiled at both his gesture and the squirms and bumps his touch seemed to elicit from the life growing inside of her. "He knows who you are." she whispered into Catiel's ear and he smiled at the idea.

"You think so?" he questioned.

"uh huh." She nodded and smiled.

He grinned from ear to ear at the prospect, then kissed her again.

"I was thinking of talking to Lilly." Molly said when he pulled away from the kiss. "About maybe helping her at the infirmary." she looked up at him hopeful but prepared for his argument.

Castiel dropped his head and sighed. "Molly… I don't think that is the best place for you right now."

"Castiel… I was raised the daughter of Doctor," she moved in with her defense quickly, knowing he would resist. " I worked with my father in some pretty awful places the past five years. Longer than that if you consider all of the clinic work he did before the world went crazy." she told him.

"I know that… but… Molly it's a big risk for you… for the baby. No… I don't like the idea." he determined, shaking his head. "It's not gonna happen." he went on shaking his head.

She narrowed her eyes at him and tightened her full lips.

"Don't look at me that way." he said, absently scratching at his scruffy chin, knowing his obstinacy on the subject may very well have tapped into an anger that would make a room full of croats look appealing.

"I need to do something Castiel and this is something I know how to do." she said just as stubbornly, pulling away from him and crossing her arms over her chest and resting them on her expanding stomach.

She was perturbed, but accepted his decision better than he'd expected. Either way he wasn't backing down. "After the baby comes, I'm sure Lilly will find a place for you if that is what you want." he told her, turning to zip his duffle closed.

"After the baby comes I plan to go with you." she informed him.

Okay this was news to him and he didn't hide the fact. "What?" he asked, stunned, turning to face her. "No that is just… out of the question." he dropped his bag to the floor.

"Castiel I am more than capable of doing what you do."

And she was… if she were still an angel… but she wasn't. He answered her with one word. "No."

"And why not?" she persisted.

"For one we will have a child. What do you plan to do with him? Take him along?"

"Of course not. Lilly and the others will help."

He shook his head. "No." he said again and went back to gathering his things for the trip.

"I am here for a reason Castiel… You know that is true. My work is in the world out there not in here behind this fence." she reminded him.

He turned to face her and placed his hands on her shoulders guiding her backwards to a chair, pushing her down to sit in it next to the fireplace, before dropping to his knees in front of her. 'Maltiel" he used her true name, that is, after all who she was and exactly who he was dealing with at the moment.

"No one knows better than myself what you are capable of." he started. "But you are human now, your experience with human weapons is limited at best. You are not prepared for the world that lies beyond the fence of this encampment." he told her gently.

"Then I will learn." she said determined.

He sighed again, and then chuckled remembering how and exactly why he fell in love with her. She was determined, and fearless, she was always true to the battle, no matter what the battle may be. 33 years in the body of a mortal woman did nothing to change that, not one bit, he found. He lifted his head and she opened her mouth to speak, more arguments he assumed. He didn't give her the chance, instead he covered her mouth with his own, kissing her passionately, bringing his hands up to the back of her head, pressing her mouth to his forcefully while his fingers tangled in the long dark locks of her hair. He smiled into the kiss as he felt her hands and mouth respond in kind. If he could have only done this in heaven how different their disputes might have ended there, he thought, as his tongue twisted with hers.

He pulled from her reluctantly, looking at her longingly. "Please." he said. "We can talk about this when I come home. I have to leave and I don't want you to be angry when I do."

Molly's face softened. "I'm not angry… just frustrated." she told him and kissed then nibbled at his scruff covered cheek. "I love you." she whispered as her lips worked their way to his ear. "I just miss they way we were… together."

"You've told me yourself things are about to change… it will not always be this way."

"Yes" she nodded.

"Then be patient." he said and kissed her one last time, "I love you." he told her, before standing and slinging his duffle over his shoulder.

Molly walked with him to the porch and watched as he and chuck got into his truck, he gave her one last wave before pulling away, falling in line with the rest of the convoy.

She pulled the thick sweater she was wearing tightly around her, and shivered with a chill, watching the last truck fade from view. The sky was gray heavy with clouds that promised snow and her chest was full of dread for reasons she couldn't explain.

XXX

The two days the men were gone passed even more slowly than usual for everyone in the camp, but especially for Molly. The feeling of trepidation she felt when they left persisted, made worse by the heavy snow that began to fall within a few hours of their leaving. The snow continued into the next day, leaving the encampment to contend with several feet of frozen misery. With many the strongest members of their group gone on the supply run the camp was all but paralyzed by the snow and ice that soon formed.

To make matters worse a virus had made it's way into the general population. While Doc sounded positive and assured everyone it was nothing more serious than the common cold, Molly knew, in these conditions, there was nothing common about a cold. It was quite serious, many of the inhabitants were weak from not enough food or medications to treat other chronic ailments. For those people, something as simple as a cold, was a death sentence. Molly had seen the devastation the sniffles could cause in a community like this one while working with her father over the last few years.

The sun was setting and Molly sat on the porch in her usual chair wrapped in a heavy quilt. She had a book open on her lap and she did her best to focus on it, but the words just passed in front of her eyes, little of their meaning made it to her brain. She checked the position of the sun and confirmed her fears by looking at the watch on her wrist. It was 30 minutes until sundown and there was no sign of the convoy. They were late. She could only hope they had stopped and found safe shelter before sunset. Things were worse after dark, she knew this not only from Castiel's warnings, but from her own experience in the deteriorating world.

She was startled by a sneeze, and the muttering of "Damn" coming from a voice just off of the porch.

"Lilly?" She questioned getting up to move to the stairs to look down.

"Yes." the older woman answered "Sorry… I wanted to get up here to check on you sooner, but we've been over-run at the infirmary."

"It doesn't look like you are doing too well either." Molly noted.

The doctor grunted and shrugged. "I don't have the luxury of getting sick even when I do." she laughed.

Molly laughed with her, but inside she was concerned. It was said Doctors made the worst patients, she knew from caring for her own father how true this was. He rarely even admitted to illness let alone accepted care.

"I feel bad Lilly… you didn't need to come all the way up here in the snow. I'm fine. Bored but fine."

Doc nodded. "He doesn't let you do much of anything does he." she chuckled.

"No." Molly sighed and rolled her eyes. "I've loved him from the moment I saw him, but he can be impossible."

Lilly laughed "He calls you stubborn."

"I'm aware." Molly sighed, "But at least I am reasonable."

"He just worries about you." she laughed and squeezed Molly's shoulder. "He loves you and I for one am glad to see it."

"Yeah" Molly responded with a smile that soon turned to concern. She looked back out to the gravel road leading into the camp. There was no sign of the convoy and it was officially sunset. "…And now it is my turn to worry." she said getting up and walking to the edge of the porch.

Doc understood Molly's concern. "So they're a day late getting back… it happens sometimes in bad weather. I wouldn't worry too much just yet."