Chapter Text
“But why?” Crowley asked for what was probably the 5th or 6th time.
Stella sighed, sitting on her suitcase to get it to close properly, “We’ve talked about this.”
“But I still don’t understand!” He said, definitely not pouting, “You can do anything you want, right here. You could get a job in your Dad’s bookshop, or...or anywhere you wanted.”
“Papa,” she said, a little condescendingly as she closed the case, standing in front of him. She was just as tall as him now, it was weird. “I’ve spent most of my life cooped up in Tadfield. It’s time for me to get out there. See the world you saved. Understand it and…” she took a breath, “Understand my place in it.”
Crowley’s scowl deepened. “But why can’t your place be HERE?”
She chuckled, wrapping her arms around him. “I’ll miss you too, Papa.”
Aziraphale waddled in, balancing a giant, heavy-looking bag up to the door. “I’ve got all the books you’ll need,” he said, “All your favorites, some recipe books, and some of my prized prophecies. Not all of them accurate, but you never know when it could be useful.”
“Thanks, Dad,” She said, taking the bag, which immediately dropped to the floor, “Oof, how many did you fit IN here?!” she asked, “I’m not sure the plane will even take off!”
“You can always just fly on your own,” Aziraphale said, helping her load it up into the car. “You sure you won’t take the Bentley?”
“I can’t take it over water, Dad.” She said, “Besides, I think it still doesn’t like me.”
The car’s radio came on, starting the opening notes to ‘Another one bites the dust.’ She gave the back wheel a kick, “Yeah, yeah, love you too.”
Crowley had followed them out as they packed her luggage in the trunk and backseat. “But why can’t you just go to a university here?” He asked, “There’s one close by, it’ll be fine. You like learning things.”
Stella sighed, turning to Aziraphale. “He’s still in denial.”
“So I see,” Aziraphale said, “Don’t worry, he’ll come to terms with it in a decade or two.”
Stella chuckled, closing the car up tight. “Come on, Papa. Time to go to the airport.” Crowley stayed stubborn in the driveway, arms crossed tight.
Aziraphale, “If you don’t want to take her, I suppose I could drive the Bentley.”
Crowley stepped between him and the driver’s door before he could so much as approach. He sighed reluctant and climbed inside. Aziraphale took the backseat while Stella sat in the front with him.
Even as he started the car, Crowley looked reluctant. “It’s just...it’s dangerous out there,” He said, “What if something….something happens and we’re not there.”
“I’m eighteen, Papa,” She said, “I can handle myself.”
Eighteen, Crowley thought, at eighteen, humanity was just learning about murder and farming and things. And even then, just barely. At 18 there were about 4 people in the world. Now there were billions. How was she supposed to manage out there among billions?
Still, he drove out. Tadfield didn’t have an airport (anymore) so it was quite a drive to get to the nearest one. They made it to the airport and hit a line of traffic driving into the Departing terminal. “Bloody airport traffic,” Crowley muttered.
“Didn’t you design airports dear?” Aziraphale asked.
“Shut up,” he grumbled, inching forward.
Aziraphale and Stella exchanged amused looks. “What are you going to do in America?” He asked.
Stella sighed, “I’m not sure yet. Get a car and drive from coast to coast. Head down through Mexico and Latin America before jumping over to Australia and up through Asia. But I don’t have it strictly planned out, really,” She shrugged, “I figure better to go where fate takes me.”
Aziraphale smirked at that. “Well, keep us updated,” he said, “Call whenever you need. Every day, if you want, we won’t mind.”
“You’ll have to fill a wall with all the postcards I send you,” She said, “and I’ll be sure to send you recipes for anything particularly good I come across.”
Too quickly, they reached Stella’s terminal. She got out, Aziraphale helping her get her bags to be checked, while Crowley sulked, leaning against the car. The radio was on, playing “Keep Yourself Alive.”
Once her bags were checked, Aziraphale pulled her into the tightest hug he could manage, and kissed her on the head until she pulled away, embarrassed. “Dad!”
“Last time I’ll get the chance for a while,” He said jovially, “Have to save it up.”
She smiled fondly, before turning to Crowley. She smiled as she walked up to him. “I promise I’ll be safe,” she said, “And I’ll come back. This isn’t forever. We’ve got the rest of eternity, you know.”
He took a sharp breath through his nose, and then wrapped Stella up so tight even he was unsure if he’d let her go. He only allowed himself to tear up through his glasses so she didn’t see.
In her handbag, Twigger stuck his little head out to look up at the scene. Crowley met...well the thing didn’t have eyes, but where eyes would be if he had them. “Splinters,” he mouthed at him, and he shuffled back inside.
He did, eventually, let her go. Holding her shoulders to look in her eyes. “A wall full of post cards, huh?” he said, “You know I invented those.”
“I know, Papa,” She said, rolling her eyes. She stepped away, taking her carry-on luggage, and went inside.
Aziraphale put a hand on his shoulder. “You alright to take us back home?”
Crowley swallowed, “maybe we should wait a bit,” He said, “She could still change her mind.”
Aziraphale squeezed his shoulder, “Come on, the agent is giving us dirty looks.”
Crowley gave the man in the bright yellow vest an equally dirty look back, but reluctantly sat back in the drivers seat. “Why do kids have to grow up?” he asked.
“I mean,” Aziraphale, started as he got in the passenger side again, “It’s sort of your fault, isn’t it?” Crowley glared at him. “I’m just saying.”
Crowley huffed. “I don’t mean LOGISTICALLY,” he said, “Just...we were happy. This was all….good, why’s it all have to go away?”
“It’s not going away,” Aziraphale said, “She’ll be back. And before she does, she’ll...create new things, affect new people, take what we’ve taught her and show it to the world. Isn’t that what you wanted in making a new life?”
Crowley shrugged, “I don’t know what I wanted,” he said, “I just…”
Aziraphale squinted at him, trying to ignore the speeding the car did. “Why did you want to make a child anyway?”
Crowley shrugged awkwardly. “Why does anyone want to have kids.”
“Societal expectations,” Aziraphale said, counting off on his fingers,“Creating a continuation of their line, and species. Having someone to look out for them when they’re old, and remembering them when they die. None of those seem to apply to us, though.”
Crowley sighed, “I dunno, it kind of does,” he said. Aziraphale raised an eyebrow, “I mean, we’re an endagered species now. Supernatural beings looking after humanity. And Heaven and Hell have both proved they want nothing more than to get rid of us. So. I dunno.” He clenched his teeth.
Aziraphale squinted at him, curious, “Crowley, were you lonely?”
Crowley smirked at him, “Never with you, Angel,” he said, trying to throw him off with a joke.
“It is...hard,” Aziraphale said, “Not having Heaven on my side anymore. I suppose they weren’t really for a while, but…” He sighed, “It’s nice, being a family. A family more than just two people.”
Crowley nodded, and if Aziraphale saw him covertly wipe a tear away from his eye, he ignored it. “You want to make another one?” He asked.
“Crowley,” Aziraphale chastised.
“What?” He asked, “Lots of kids have siblings ages apart. Eighteen years is hardly a big deal when you think about it.”
Aziraphale chuckled a bit. “We’ll talk about it with Stella next time she visits,” He said, “Seems like a family discussion.” Crowley nodded, knowing he was right. “You know, you could make friends with SOME humans. You don’t need to be the angsty immortal from those novels Stella reads. And I know you do too, by the way.”
Crowley looked guilty, “Hey, you spent centuries just trying to get me to read,” he said, “Be grateful.”
Aziraphale’s chuckle turned to a whole laugh, that made Crowley laugh too. And they laughed all the way home.