"I'm sorry," the miracle placed her hands in front of her, "but you mean to tell me that bullshit parents tell their children on how they are made is real? When two people love each other, they kiss, and bam, baby?"
The duo glanced at each other. "Well, no" the angel corrected, "but in your case, yes, very much so." His eyes narrowed. "You do know how babies are made? We…we don't need to expl-"
"Yes, I know how babies are made!"
"Mmm…only this time it was more like two people," Crowley pointed between him and Aziraphale, "got together, drank an extraordinary amount of alcohol, held hands, snogged, and thought of a child together that your so called bam, as you put it, happened."
"Yes, but we did not know it was possible to perform a miracle like that, especially a child and especially between a demon and an angel." Cassi kept shaking her head as the news of how she came to be tried to register in her mind. "However, even if you happened to be an accident, Crowley and I love you very much. You are, after all, part of us, only the best of what we have to offer. Overall best qualities."
Cassi raised an eyebrow. "How kind?" She sighed heavily and looked at the duo. "Does…does that mean you're like my parents or something?"
"Errm…" Crowley glanced at Aziraphale, "sort of? If you want to give it a name of what we are. You are our little miracle, essentially." The demon smirked at his angel while the angel returned loving eyes.
"If I'm part demon, does that mean I'm…bad?" The pair looked back at her. "Am I a bad person? Are my eyes going to become snake-like as well?"
"Definitely not!" Aziraphale was quick to correct her. "Crowley might be a demon but deep down he is," he placed his hand on top of Crowley's, "a good person. And, my dear, nothing wrong with snake eyes," he looked at Crowley's exposed face. "Yellow is a pretty color after all and I think the reason Crowley is a good person is because he was an angel once…"
"An angel? You were an angel…now you're a demon? Does that mean a demon can also become an angel? What if you were an angel, then you become a demon, then go back to being an angel, is that possible? Or does one have to be extra good? Can humans become angels if they are good in life?"
Aziraphale grunted. "I see she gets your inquisitive nature, dearest."
Crowley chuckled, "Being an angel is not that great, trust me. No offense, angel. There are so many rules, and you can't question anything because they take it personally. So, I rather you not question anything at all for the time being."
"What are heaven and hell like? Puffy clouds and fire everywhere for the latter? Oh, I bet they play that bebop music for hell. Anything after the 80's is pure rubbish. Have you personally met god? What is she like? Why does she give the humans trials? Does she…"
"Um, Cassi," Aziraphale licked his lips, "it would be best if you do as Crowley suggested and not ask too many questions. We don't want you getting into trouble." Her mouth made an O shape and she slightly nodded. "Good. Now," he cleared his throat, "how long have you known you could do miracles?"
"Since 1943 but, erm, it was completely by accident. Papa Tobias', the elderly man who helped me, crops were dying, and I wished for them not to." She clapped her hands together. "Papa prayed but no luck and so I gave it a go. I closed my eyes, snapped my fingers dismissively because I knew it wouldn't work, however, to my surprise, the crops thrived. The only thing I remember was how I wished for the crops to thrive. Afterwards, I noticed my wishes came true if I willed them."
"Hang on," Crowley began, "slightly off topic but how did you know your name was Cassiopeia?
"I…I recall it being dark. I felt raindrops on my skin while grass tickled my back. I felt cold and wet. I cr-cried because I felt a pang here," she placed her opened palm on her heart, "not…not a bad one but an overwhelming feeling of…of immense love mixed with yearning. I then heard a voice echo in my mind. 'Let there be light, Cassiopeia.' I then slowly opened my eyes and saw the night sky for the first time. It was heavy with rain, but I swore I saw stars. I got up, saw a house, and walked towards it. The elderly couple inside tried to help me as best as they could and they said I had lost my memory and was welcome to stay with them until I could recall something." She laughed through her nose as her eyes became glossy with memories. "They died in 1950 and 1951, three months apart. Eventually, I noticed I was quite different from normal as I did not age. It wasn't until around the 60's that these people in white started inquiring about me. I thought it was because of my aging or something, not because I'm a forbidden…thing."
Aziraphale, not giving it a second thought, wrapped his arms around her tight. "You're not a thing, my darling, you're one of a kind. No, you were not technically born or made by god herself, but you were miracled by the love two silles who could not dare, at the time, comprehend or confess. And just by looking at you makes me think about that fateful night." He pulled her back and looked into her eyes. "A delightful night."
"Oh, please, no, gross. Don't look at me and think of how you snogged him." She pointed at Crowley.
Crowley wrapped an arm around Aziraphale's shoulder and kissed his cheek. "Hours ago you said we were a lovely couple." He smirked. Cassi stuck her tongue out in disgust and disappeared into her room. The demon chuckled and gave Aziraphale a quick kiss.
Aziraphale smiled up at him. "Not right now dearest, we need to figure out how to secure Cassi."
"And we will, however," he wrapped his arms around Aziraphale's waist and pulled him closer, "I'm simply wanting to make up for the many times I desired to kiss you." Aziraphale gave his partner an affectionate smile and placed his manicured hands on Crowley's chest. "Honeymoon phase as the humans call it." Aziraphale's finger was feather-like as he traced Crowley's sharp jaw and let out a sharp breath. "What's on your mind, angel?"
"Heaven is working on the second coming meanwhile, Shax implied there are others like Cassi who are beginning to make their appearance known. Those two things can't be a coincidence, can they? The only reason I found Cassi's and the others' files was by chance." The angel whispered to not alert Cassi in the other room. "They had sent me some files to approve and, you know how I like to read, one of them mentioned a war and secret weapons. The weapons were listed as classified entities, and I took it from there."
Aziraphale glanced to the side, taking in Cassi's map. "She has moved four times in the last three years…almost as if heaven has made it their mission to secure her. I don't wish to lose her just as we begin to know her. I have grown fond of her. I don't want to even think what would happen if someone…if someone manages to capture her…"
Crowley lifted Aziraphale's chin, meeting his partner's worried eyes. "Shh, no one is capturing anyone, especially our miracle. They would have to go through us." He placed a gentle kiss on Aziraphale's forehead, wanting to ease his worry as best as he could. "I wouldn't want to be the poor bugger who has to hold their own against the angel of the Eastern gate, the owner of the flaming fucking sword, the Almighty archangel, or are you back to being a principality?" He chuckled. "Regardless, no one would dare. I'd make them regret ever having been created."
"Here we go." Cassi came out of her room with two pillows and a comforter. "You can take the sofa, it's a pull out. It's a queen so plenty of space. I would offer you my bed but, honestly, I rather not."
"Excuse me?" Aziraphale questioned as he pulled away from Crowley.
Cassi handed them the items and began to pull the bed out. "You mentioned demons at your flat and that little angel in the bookshop." She grunted as she managed to pull out the bed out. "I also doubt you want me alone at the moment." An awkward silence followed. "Erm…sleep?"
"Oh." Aziraphale understood. "Apologies, my darling, we don't need sleep. D-do you require sleep?"
"Of course we don't need sleep but it's fun to do so, isn't it?" She pointed to her head. "I get to see silly little pictures in my head. Sometimes I dream about flying up into the stars while I look down on earth and wave goodbye. Nice, really."
"I sleep." Crowley grinned. "Sometimes even for decades." He glanced over to a blushing Aziraphale who was eying the bed. His grin disappeared as his mind caught up.
It took another awkward silence for the miracle to understand. "Oh, I see." Cassi pondered for a moment and retreated to her room. A few moments later she came back wearing black leggings and an oversized David Bowie tee, pillow in one hand, a tiny projector in the other. "You sleep in your day clothes?"
Angel and demon took in one another until Crowley snapped his fingers; Crowley wore black silk pajamas while Aziraphale wore red and white tartan pajamas.
"When you first miracled me," Cassi began as she set up the mini projector in place, "I had no idea about the concept of sleep. However, I did notice that whenever my papa and mama slept near me, on the armchair or sofa, they became very…calm. Apparently, I emit something that calms people down. Both a blessing and a curse seeing as it attracts unwanted attention at times."
Aziraphale could feel a knot in his throat as he felt Cassi emit the feeling she was referring to. It wasn't a calming feeling she exhumed but a loving one. Of course people felt at ease when near her, he knew she raided the love she was made from and at the moment, as he looked at Crowley, he knew the demon felt it as well.
"There we are." She smiled and gestured to the bed. It took a nod of encouragement for the duo to slip into bed together. They stared at the simple ceiling, trying their best not to touch each other. It was one thing to make out as much as their heart desired, but another to have the one you love lay next to you,
knowing how you feel and how they feel for you. "Three…two…one…" Cassi clapped her hands and the room darken.
"Is something supposed to happen?" Aziraphale whispered.
Cassi's voice was soft. "Oh, right…let there be light." With that said, the projection of stars filled the room. Nebulas, galaxies, and clusters of stars were visible throughout. Technology advances made it possible for the entities to feel as if they were indeed among the stars again. For Crowley, it was a breathtaking view as he had not been among his stars for millions of years. His hand reached for Aziraphale's under the covers and the angel returned his gesture by squeezing his hand gently. "Why did you name me Cassiopeia? Why not Eden or something like that?" Cassi had laid on the floor, while Hex became quite comfortable on her chest, and her head on the pillow she had taken from her bed.
Crowley took a breath. "Because of the heart-shaped nebula within the constellation. I mean sure the garden of Eden was the start of it all," he turned his body and faced Aziraphale; the angel mimicked his movements, "but really…the stars came first. The pinky blue bits." He chuckled breathlessly. Aziraphale blushed and caressed Crowley's cheek. "Stars burn out but new ones are made, the universe is a never-ending process. It will go on and on just like that heart shaped nebula. The garden is long gone but the stars," he stroked Aziraphale's cheek and moved closer, "are there forever."
Cassi was indeed correct. All the anxiety, worry, and overall unwanted certainty melted from them. All angel and demon could think about was how their relationship progressed throughout millennia. They said nothing, only speaking through their eyes and caresses. Was it truly that simple now? To touch each other when desired? Not having that yearning to do so and stopping it by keeping their hands busy with any object, a bowtie, a book, the wheel of the Bentley, etc. There was no permission to be asked anymore.
Eventually, angel and demon were too absorbed with each other they did not hear the creaking of a door being shut, leaving them alone with their stars.