Woo! 2nd Chapter! Don't worry, it all gets explained why he's there in this chapter. Also, it seemed that some people got kinda confused on the Adam thing. He's mad at Joan because he thinks she lied about CuteBoy!God and her relationship with him, because he remembers them dancing in "Recreation", so he's mad because he thinks she didn't trust him enough to tell him, because he's trusted her with his 'ship' with Iris. I hope that makes sense. And don't worry, I don't plan on bashing Adam. *g* Anyways, I hope you like it. And YES I know this idea is as far-fetched as they get, but hey, it's fanfiction remember? So again I reiterate, If the idea of CBG/Joan squicks you beyond all squicking, then please back away from the fic. Thank you, that is all.

Responses: Thank you to all who reviewed, it was muchly appreciated. And thanks for pointing out my tense issues. I totally don't even realize I do it, and I rarely catch it. I'll try to be on the look-out from now on. If it happens again, just uh, ignore it. *g* Again, thank you.

Disclaimer: Hall is God (kinda) and I am just a lowly servant of written creation. Deal.

Dedications: To SWG, you're like a lifesaver, yo. And not the icky pineapple ones either.

Small Note: Oh yeah, Joan gives Him a name in this chappy. I mean, she can't go around calling him God. Well, not in front of everyone else. The name she gives him has two meanings. One of them is purely for fun, and any Kris Lemche fan will get it. The second one is because the name she gives means "To hear", which is technically what he did. He heard her. Okay, now seriously, on with the show.


Here With Me: Chapter Two


When she got to the door and opened it she nearly fainted. Her mouth opened in utter surprise when she came face to face with CuteBoy!God.

"Oh my god .."

"Not quite, Joan."

She blinked a few times wondering if he was actually standing there, leaning against her door frame with the ever present amused smile, or if she was dreaming it all. She looked over at her family who were watching her intently, especially her parents. She huffed softly and pushed him back onto their porch and shut the door behind her.

"What are you doing here!?" She hissed quietly.

"I'm here to learn Joan."

"Uh, what? You need to learn? From me of all people?" She scoffed at the idea "Are you sure you didn't hit your head on the way down?"

He just smiled at her, amused, "I thought about what you said Joan, about me not understanding what you're going through. Technically you do have a point. I understand alot, everything really. But I don't have the same emotions as you do, so I can't, as you say, feel the same things you do."

Joan put her hands up to stop him from continuing. "Whoa, wait... dealing with Luke is bad enough. Can you just talk normal?"

He chuckled and shook his head "Let's just say I'm here to learn a bit, about this emotion thing everyone gets so worked up over."

"Uh, okay." She said, not fully understanding what's going on. "So uh .. how does this work. I mean, you're God, all knowing and all that other stuff."

"It works like this Joan, for as long as I am here I will have normal human emotions, I will experience all the same things you will. Obviously not the same exact things you will. Do you get it now?"

"I think so. So you're like, human right? For however long you're here with me?" She asked, still wary of this whole situation. He merely nodded.

"Okay. But .. wait. You'll know what I'm feeling, so doesn't that like, I don't know, defeat the purpose or something"

He smirked at her confusion. "It would if I knew what you were feeling, or thinking for that matter."

"You're saying you don't know what I'm thinking or feeling?"

"As of right now. Technically the minute I knocked on your door."

"So .. right now .. you don't know what I'm thinking?" She asked. He shook his head.

"Really? Okay, what number am I thinking of."

"10"

She opened her mouth to reply, but stopped when she realized his answer was wrong. "Wow, you aren't kidding." She then looked at him suspiciously "Either that or you're lying to me.."

CuteBoy!God looked at her, raising his brow at her accusations. "Okay right, like you'd lie" She said, knowing full well he wouldn't.

"You don't trust much, do you Joan."

"I trust!"

"I don't have to be omniscient to know that you don't." He said with a small smile.

"... Sometimes." She added.

He chuckled a bit and then stood there, regarding her. He reached out and flicked his fingers against her pink pajama shirt. "Cute"

Joan blinked a few times and stared at him. Well that was a first. She can't ever recall a time when he had commented on her clothing or the way she dressed. She unconsciously folded her arms across her chest. She could already feel her face start to flush.

"You're blushing." A small smirk of amusement played on his lips.

"I am not!" She said, of course she knew she was, but she wasn't going to admit it.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not!" She said, coming fairly close to stomping her foot on the ground like a child. She opened her mouth to retort but closed it, cocking her head slightly to the side she looked at him suspiciously.

"Wait ... Are you teasing me? God teases?"

Instead of an answer she got the all too familiar amused smile in return. She let out a small laugh, yes he was indeed teasing her. Which was a little odd to be honest, but she didn't mind it.

He nodded to the street, "Take a walk with me Joan."

"Uh .. okay" She said, not really wanting to argue with why, "Let me change and tell them I'm leaving." She then went back into the house and ran upstairs, leaving the door wide open, as she'd only be gone a few minutes. And she was pretty sure He wasn't going to wander in her house.

Upon returning she was stopped short of the door by her parents. She winced slightly when her father called her name, usually he didn't use -that- tone unless there -might- be something she -could- have done wrong.

"Yeah dad?"

"Where you going? You're not staying for breakfast Joan?"

"Uh, no .. I can't. I ... forgot I had to work today. At the bookstore? Yeah, that ..friend of mine .. he uh works there too and came to remind me that I had to come in."

She hoped that it was convincing enough for them to not want her to drag Him in. She didn't want them to give him the third degree. Sure He could probably handle himself, but she didn't think she stood a chance.

"Does this friend have a name?"

"Oh, uh yeah. It's ..Sam." She glanced nervously at the door, "I've gotta go, I don't want to be late. I'll get something on the way there!" She said before bolting out the door, practically slamming it behind her.

She walked passed "Sam" and grabbed his coat sleeve "Okay, we need to go now, before my dad sicks a squad car on us."

She stopped a few feet away from her house, once she knew she was clear from their sight. She promptly let go of his sleeve and fidgeted with her own coat. "Uh .. sorry for dragging you away like that. I kinda panicked."

He just smiled and shook his head "It's okay Joan." He said as he continued to walk down the street. She walked after him and stayed at his side, in step with him as they walked towards the Bookstore.

"So .. how does this work?" She asked, breaking the few minutes of silence. "I mean, I get the whole feeling thing, but are you still like, you know, God?"

He smirked and nodded, but said nothing more. She took that as a "yes" answer. "So you can't read my thoughts or know what I'm thinking?" He glanced over at her with a look that said "we've discussed this"

"Right, no. So do you like, eat? I mean, like a normal person."

Again he nodded. She looked down as she walked, thinking all this over. She still wasn't really sure why he'd chosen her, yet again. Maybe this was a mission. She wanted to ask, but thought better of it.

"Interesting name you chose for me, Joan" He said. The sound of his voice startled her from her thoughts.

"What?"

"Sam?"

"Oh, right." She said, laughing nervously "I was watching some horror movie last night and it was the first thing that came to mind." She paused a moment, "Why?"

"Do you know what 'Sam' means Joan?" She shook her head, "It means 'to hear'"

She thought about this for a moment and smiled a little. "I guess it does fit huh?"

They walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence. Joan took this time to review everything she had said and done, the missions and the like. It gave her time to think. She'd like to think she at least learned something from all of this. She was sure she did, she just couldn't recall it. As they came upon the bookstore she asked him to wait outside while she went in.

She opened the door, the bell sounded throughout the quiet store. She walked around until she found Sammy, she asked him if she needed to come in.

"Oh, Joan. Girardi right? You still work here?" He asked, putting a few children's books back on the right shelf.

"Uh yeah, I don't remember quitting or you firing me. Things have been .... a little hectic."

He shrugged and put the last book on the cart away. "Nah, you can go. I don't see us getting much business today anyways."

"Great! I'll see you later!"

Joan then walked back to the front, opened the door and walked outside. She was pleased to see "Sam" in the same place that she'd left him. Not that she expected him to leave, well she kinda did, but was glad that he didn't.

"I don't have to work today! Or .. ever, I think." She said, then shaking her head.

Soon after, they left the bookstore and continued down the street, eventually passing the market she was at yesterday. She almost asked about that, why he'd shown up, but decided that she liked the peacefulness and didn't want to ruin it with something she probably didn't even want to know.

Joan was broken out of her reverie of thoughts when a women, slightly older than her mother, cursed loudly as the contents of her bag spilled, various boxes and fruits rolled onto the sidewalk. Without hesitation Joan walked over and grabbed what few items had not rolled into the street, and handed them back to the woman.

"Here you go ma'am." Joan said politely as she handed a box and some apples back to her.

"Oh thank you so much." She said, depositing them back into the bag.

She looked at Joan and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry for the course language, I didn't think my bag would rip."

Joan laughed a little, "It's okay, I've heard plenty worse."

The woman laughed also, "I don't know if that should be a good thing or a bad thing."

The woman thanked her again and walked away, down the street, opposite the way Joan was going. An uneasy feeling settled in Joan, she only got that feeling when something was or seemed wrong. Hesitantly she walked after the woman and eventually caught up with her.

"Ma'am?" She said, cautiously tapping her on the shoulder.

"Yes?" The woman turned around and smiled when she noticed it was the girl who'd helped her. "What can I help you with dear?"

Joan took a deep breath, "I know it's probably none of my business or anything, but .. is everything okay? It just seemed like, I don't know, the bag wasn't the only thing you were mad at."

The woman stared at her before laughing quietly. "You're quite bright, you know that?" She sighed sadly. "Yes, things haven't been good lately. I don't understand really. My son, he's about nine years old, is living with my ex-husband. We were supposed to have joint custody, but whenever I try to call him to set something up, his girlfriend says he's not there. I just .. don't know what I did wrong. Is God punishing me?" She asked, not really to Joan, but more to herself than anyone.

Joan was taken aback by this, but stayed calm when she spoke "No, I don't think he is. I think things will work out. Maybe not right now, but they will eventually. You just ..." She smiled a bit, "Need to have faith."

The woman smiled, tears shown in her eyes but didn't fall. "Thank you. I think .. I needed to hear that." She reached out and patted Joan on the shoulder. "Thank you very much." With her faith renewed, the woman bid her goodbye and continued on her way.

Joan smiled to herself before returning to Him, who was still waiting for her. She walked up to him and noticed him smiling at her.

"What?" She said, raising her brow.

"Nothing" He then turned and walked away, leaving Joan to catch up to him yet again. She caught up and walked in a steady stride next to him, almost completely in step.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course Joan."

"Will ... will everything work out for that woman?" She asked, concern evident in her tone.

"Yes."

"How?" She knew he wouldn't say, but she had to ask anyways. After a long moment, and to her surprise, he answered.

"She'll go home now, after talking to you, feeling better than she had in a long time. As she turns the corner she'll run into her son and ex-husband. She'll confront him about what has happened, it will be a calm conversation. They talk things over and she'll eventually get to see her son again, almost on a regular basis. After a few more months her ex-husband will leave his girlfriend and ask the woman to take him back. She does and they live out the rest of their lives that way."

Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them away. She looked down when she spoke. "All ... because of me?" She asked, almost timidly.

"Yes, Joan. Simply because you were present, you altered the lives of three people. Three people who will now live happily together."

Joan couldn't help but smile. She knew that most of the time she never got to know what happened in the end, she was glad he told her. It made her feel better about doing her missions.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

They continue to walk aimlessly through parts of the city. She passed Kevin's work and showed him the building, though he already knew where it was at, she did it anyways and he didn't complain or say otherwise. By the time they had returned to Joan's home it was nearly five in the evening, just before dinner. She couldn't believe the day had gone by so quickly. She walked up the sidewalk and onto the porch before she turned to face him.

"Well, I'd invite you in ..but .. I don't really want to play twenty questions with everyone tonight."

"It's alright Joan, I -do- know your parents." He commented. She laughed and shook her head. "Yeah, I know. But still .."

She shuffled her feet, almost not wanting him to leave. Truth be told she actually enjoyed walking about the city with him. It was as if she was with an old friend. She chatted and he listened, commenting every once in awhile, debating, sharing a friendly argument every now and again. No, she didn't really want to go inside.

"So .. I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

He smiled softly, "I'm sorry Joan, I'm busy tomorrow."

"But tomorrow's Sunday"

"But I'm God"

"Oh right, never figured that."

"Yeah well, for some reason, people seem to want to talk to me more on Sunday"

She tried not to smirk at his last comment. It was true however, but she kept her mouth closed. She glanced up at him "Monday then?"

He nodded, "Monday."

She nodded in return. "Okay then. Goodnight ... Sam" She said with a slightly amused smile.

He tilted his head and looked at her for a moment, as if to say something, but instead he just smiled "Goodnight Joan." And with that he stepped off her porch, walked down the sidewalk and onto the street. She watched him for a few more minutes before smiling to herself and going inside.

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Okay, so I'm really really trying to keep them as in character as I can while writing a fanfic of this degree and trying to develop a believable plot of this caliber. It's not easy let me tell you. So I hope they weren't -too- ooc. And I hope you understand what's going on. If you need me to explain it, I'm on AIM like, all the time. Or you can send me an email and I'll do my best to explain it without ruining the rest of it. To be continued!