It started with Jack asking Maya to take his hand.

"Where are we going?" she asked, brow raised.

Jack looked both nervous and excited. "To see things. My life. What I do when I disappear."

"You mean when you say you're going for a 'walk' and come back three days later looking like you cried and healed a thousand sunflowers?"

"...Yes."

Maya squinted. "I'm not going to accidentally explode, am I?"

"No! I've buffered your soul."

She blinked. "You what?"

"Just hold my hand."

"...Fine."

---

And suddenly, the world was gone.

They stood above Earth, not in space exactly, but on some celestial plane layered just above reality-where time bent and stretched like soft silk and everything below looked like a massive living canvas.

Maya gasped softly.

The world glittered. Threads of golden light shimmered from person to person, place to place, like veins in a living thing. She saw glowing storm clouds gathering over a village-then flicker and split, pushed away by invisible hands. Below them, a river once dried to mud suddenly flowed again, bright and blue, the fish within dancing joyfully.

And Jack stood beside her, calm and serious and radiant.

Maya looked up at him. "Holy crap."

He nodded solemnly. "This is what I see. What I hear. It's constant. Every second."

She stepped closer, watching another thread of golden energy bloom over a tree that had been struck by lightning-it healed, leaves sprouting anew.

Maya whispered, "You're literally holding the world together."

Jack didn't say anything.

She turned to him slowly. "That's why you always look tired when you come back."

"I try not to let it affect me."

"Jack," she said softly, "you're doing the work of an entire pantheon."

"...I didn't want to burden you with it."

Maya's expression softened. "You think I'd feel burdened knowing you're out here doing this?"

"I don't know," he mumbled.

"You're such an idiot," she whispered affectionately.

He glanced at her, blinking. "Is that... good?"

She smirked. "Only because you're my idiot."

Before Jack could respond, a familiar voice spoke behind them.

"I hope I'm interrupting something."

Castiel.

Maya grinned instantly. "Cas!"

Jack, meanwhile, looked like someone just walked in on him singing in the shower.

"Hey, featherman," Maya greeted with a wink. "Nice trench coat. Still fighting evil with those shoulders?"

Cas blinked slowly. "I suppose."

Jack pinched the bridge of his nose.

Maya elbowed him. "What, are you embarrassed of me now?"

"No! No, not at all, it's just-Cas knows things."

Castiel's head tilted. "You two are getting along."

"We're more than getting along," Maya said, stepping closer to Jack and looping her arm around his. "We cuddle. We kiss. He makes embarrassing noises."

Jack audibly choked.

Cas turned to him, deadpan. "She's delightful."

Jack muttered something about needing to ascend immediately.

Then Cas added, "I may have... hinted. Slightly. That you weren't entirely normal."

Jack froze. "What."

Maya took a step back, watching this unfold like a drama she didn't have to write.

Cas continued calmly, "When she called on me after her vision, I told her there were... eyes on her. And that she was important. I didn't mention your name specifically."

Jack gaped. "Castiel-what if she'd gotten scared? What if she ran?"

"She didn't," Cas said simply. "She came closer."

Maya was still smiling. "You're mad he gave me a hint, but you literally dropped the full truth in a gazebo surrounded by fairy lights."

Jack turned to her, flustered. "That was romantic."

Cas, dry as ever: "It was a bit sparkly."

Maya: "Thank you."

Jack groaned.

---

Later, Jack teleported them to the bunker.

"I want you to meet Dean," he said, almost nervously.

"Dean Winchester. The Dean?" Maya lit up.

"Yes. He's... probably going to say something wildly inappropriate. Don't take it personally."

"Oh, please. I grew up in the hunter community. That's foreplay."

Jack made a noise that sounded like he short-circuited again.

They stepped into the kitchen, where Dean sat with his boots up on the table, munching on a sandwich.

He looked up. "Hey, kid. Oh-this must be her."

Maya stepped forward, arm still looped through Jack's. "Maya. Nice to meet you, Mr. Winchester."

Dean stood and shook her hand with a grin. "Oh no, don't start with the Mister crap. That's how I know I'm getting old."

Maya smirked. "Alright, Dean. You've got legend status where I'm from."

"Do I now?" he asked, puffing up a little.

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Don't encourage him."

Dean glanced between them. "So. You're dating the Almighty himself, huh?"

Maya shrugged. "He's cute, what can I say?"

Jack made a sound.

Dean looked him over. "Still a dork though."

Maya whispered, "I know. It's part of the charm."

Dean chuckled. "So what's the story, sweetheart? You into the 'saving the universe' type?"

"Only if he brings snacks."

"I like her already," Dean said, pulling out a chair for her. "Sit. Drink. Eat. Let's talk about embarrassing things Jack did as a kid."

Jack sighed. "Dean-"

"You shaved your eyebrows off once."

"That was an accident!"

Maya laughed so hard she nearly choked on her water.

Dean winked at her. "So. Any chance you've got a twin?"

Jack's face darkened. "Dean."

Dean held up his hands. "Joking. I'm joking, Cas Junior. Relax."

Maya leaned toward Jack, whispering, "Are you seriously jealous?"

"No," Jack said immediately. Then added, "...Maybe."

"You're adorable."

Dean snorted. "God help me, I never thought I'd say that about God, but she's right."

They stayed for a while-talking, teasing, laughing. Maya asked about some of the old cases Dean had worked, and he told her about the time Sam got tackled by a cupid. Jack mostly tried to keep Dean from making any more innuendos.

It didn't work.

---

As they got ready to leave, Dean clapped Jack on the back.

"She's great. You did good, kid."

Jack smiled. "Thanks."

Dean added, "But if you hurt her-God or not-I will shoot you with something weird and probably illegal."

Jack blinked. "Duly noted."

Dean turned to Maya. "You ever need backup? You call me. Seriously."

"I will," she promised.

As they disappeared, Dean muttered, "I can't believe God's dating a hunter. That's my weirdest Tuesday yet."

---

Back in the celestial plane, Jack and Maya reappeared in a softer glow.

Jack stood silently, his hands in his jacket pockets.

Maya nudged him. "You okay?"

He looked off into the space between stars. "I just... I didn't expect this. You. The way you handle all of it. And I really didn't expect Castiel to go giving out spoilers like we're in a trailer."

She grinned. "Still mad at him?"

Jack huffed. "A little."

Maya shrugged. "I liked it. It gave me something to chew on before the big reveal. He didn't say much, just enough to make me curious."

Jack crossed his arms. "Still. He should've waited."

Maya walked in front of him, put her hands on his shoulders. "What if it helped?"

He hesitated.

"What if it made me a little less shocked? A little more ready? Maybe that's why I stayed calm. Because I already felt something."

Jack's shoulders relaxed.

She leaned in close, kissing his nose. "Cas did you a favor. Admit it."

"...Maybe."

"Good." She stepped back. "Because I'm inviting him to dinner next week."

"What?!"

"Kidding."

"...You're terrifying."

"I try."

---

Later that night, as they lay tangled in her bed, Maya rested her head on Jack's chest.

"Still mad at him?" she asked sleepily.

Jack wrapped an arm around her waist. "Not really."

"You'll thank him someday."

"I'll think about it."

"Mmhm."

She smiled as his fingers traced lazy circles on her back.

"You're not what I expected, you know," he whispered.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No. It's the best thing."

Maya kissed his chest softly, murmuring, "Right back at you, God-boy."

He laughed, light and quiet.

And under the quiet stars, between laughter and warmth, Maya knew-whatever came next, they'd face it together.

And it would never, ever be boring.