Hey all! Welcome back! Shit hit the fan for a while but I'm back and I have a few things in the works, some new ocs that are going to be coming up here in a while, including this little masterpiece here! There's a new oc in here that I'm toying with! Let me know what you think over in those comments! :D

…

Trading punches with the heart of darkness

Going blows with your fear incarnate

The Fall hadn't just decimated the Archangels Fold, it had decimated the entirety of heaven in one foul swoop, leaving nothing but pain and sorrow in its place. The songs of the choirs no longer echoed through the skies, the messengers no longer traded pranks with one another, once family turned enemy in one decree.

Many of the folds shut themselves in, in fear of the same retribution from The Prince, the Commander, as he was soon known by. Gone was Michael, the steadfast Archangel who had once been so gentle with the fledglings, who watched over his siblings with the fierce intensity of a lion in wait. In his place was a hardened stone-cold version of himself. No longer did he laugh at the messenger's nonexistent pranks nor hum along to the various songs of the choir echoing around them.

None felt the wrath of the loss more then the Choir. Gone was their master, the one who knew them better than some even knew themselves, hand picked by the Morningstar, each and everyone shut themselves away in fear of being torn apart. In these trying times it was best to stick together, gather your flock close and keep each other in the others warmth. Though they are sticking together was not an easy feat, they weren't met with much acceptance and their tearing apart was not for lack of trying.

Michael and subsequently Raphael had tried a number of times to resort them into new factions, and even in the new barracks they managed to congregate as one once more, up until the point that the elders merely gave up but swore to keep watch over his students waiting for any sign of rebellion.

And so, the elder members of his choir took control, shutting the doors to their pavilion to the outside world, never to be seen nor heard again. Eventually even the remaining archangel forgot their presence, the living embodiment of 'out of sight out of mind', the Messenger left his students and proteges and soon the group left behind in his wake were separated from one another, a feat that had never been managed with the missing class.

They were disbanded and this time the same mistakes weren't made as they were before. Harsher punishments were implemented for those caught sneaking to meet one another in the cover of darkness until no one dared go against the Commander and his Second.

They were the lucky few left untouched by the reeducators when the time came for their rise in need. While everyone else was being turned into shells of their former selves, they remained who they'd always been, hiding away from all to see.

Soon enough though they were discovered, never in the way imagined, the Darkness was released and still they stayed locked away. The Archangels were banded together once more to fight their common foe, Father and Aunt returned in a wave, setting things right once more, removing the damage done to the poor children who had been turned into something they weren't. Naomi and her reeducators were punished for their deeds, the Commander disappeared in a flash of great emotion and the Healer returned to offer comfort to the wounded and recovering. The Messenger returned once more, gathered his flights back up, and together they locked themselves with in their tower for nearly a month and a half before anyone saw hair or hide of them again. Rumor has it that it took nearly half that time for the Messenger to get his classes to talk to him again.

The war among the four archangels left everyone else devastated.

You know the situation can't be right

And all you ever do is fight

But there's a reason that the road is long

It takes some time to make your courage strong

"You will never know if you never go in."

Lucifer turned to peer over his shoulder, standing just before the granite steps that lead up to the building that had been sealed from the inside for nearly an eternity, the inhabitants even longer, it looked no worse for wear, perhaps a few steps blown to rubble and some pillars fallen over here and there, but other wise the building still stood.

It was a beautiful creation, tall pillars shined in the sunlight that gleamed from the polished white granite. The steps were a marble color, and the atrium was big enough to fit nearly the entire choir, younger classes included, though they were in scarce supply these days. From what he had heard the ones locked within are the only ones who remain.

Michael meets his gaze from behind, his eyes sad and so full of guilt, the pain he's caused his siblings will haunt him for the next few decades to come at the least. It wasn't until he'd had his eyes truly opened did, he sees the damage he had caused. The littlest ones could barely look at him for a moment before breaking down into tears of terror. It broke his heart, but he knew it was nothing less than what he deserved.

The Morningstar nodded in agreement but still he remained where he stood, gazing up sadly at the once pristine building. Where his students used to run around, he could almost hear their laughter as they ran to their classes, not wanting to be late lest he get involved personally, the fledglings giggling as their instructors tried to get them to pay attention despite knowing that he was standing behind them dramatically mocking whatever it was he was saying. They were a rowdy bunch, but he wouldn't have traded them for the world.

And then he had.

Given it all away for his jealousy of the humans.

"Go. You are the only one who could possibly gain entrance now. Only you know the seals that could lock them in, only you could remove them, it was after all, you who created this entire place."

He had, built it from the ground up, just as Gabriel had built his aerie, Raphael his Hospitals, and Michael his barracks. Lucifer had created the Choirs pavilion.

"Wish me luck."

"Luck."

Michael smiled at him when he turned to glare at him over his shoulder. Lucifer took a deep breath and stepped up one stair, and then another, until he was nearly halfway there. Michael watched him go, he could feel his eyes on his back, and he stepped up on the ledge of the last step until he was standing in the large gaping grand entrance. Taking another deep breath, he gathered his courage and set his hand on the door. The sigils glowed a light blue, fading out as his grace pushed through them, freezing them first until they dissolved. Straining slightly, he leaned into it, and pushed the great doors open.

The sound of them opening echoed through all of Heaven, the others turning to witness something so great as the choir being released from their self-imprisonment.

Lucifer spared his older brother one final look and stepped inside. His foot steps echoed on the granite walls around him, the place looked better on the outside then it did on the inside, there was rubble everywhere, statues and debris covering most of the floor, his foot kicked against one of the first years book of hymns and he bent to pick it up with a sad sigh.

His attention was quickly pulled away from the book and the memories that came with it by the sound of a stone hitting the floor, it echoed around the room, like a pin dropping in the hall was so silent. There was a shiver of a shadow across the opposing wall and he stood back straight. A small head of braids peered up at him from under a fallen pillar, shining in the dim light of the hall.

"Hello?"

The youngster gasped softly, nearly pulling back completely, but he stopped them with a raised hand, outstretched as if to grab them.

"No, no, wait! Please! Please don't run!"

They edged out from behind their hiding place and peered up at him, muscles tensed in the chance that they needed to bolt at a moment's notice. But there they remained, watching him walked closer and closer. They couldn't be older than a few centuries, barely coming up to his knee, so much so that he knelt once he was close enough.

"Hello?"

The child didn't so much as acknowledge his greeting, tugging at the edge of their robes with their tiny fingers, and he tried to smile a smile he hoped was comforting.

"Do you remember me?"

This got him a slight eyeroll, "Course I do Luci."

He smiled at the nickname, one he hadn't heard from one of his pupils in so long, he'd made a joke of detesting it back then, but he'd allow them to call him any rendition of his name so long as they spoke to him at all. He held his hand out for the little angel, hoping beyond hope that they would take it, and they eyed the appendage warily.

"Please Akeelah?"

She bit her lip and he closed his eyes, preparing for the rejection that he'd become so accustomed to. And then it hit him, the feeling of little fingers curling around his, and his eyes flew open at the feeling. The little fledging smiled up at him, soft and shy, holding onto his fingers with her little hand.

"It's okay. You remember me? Even after all this time?"

Lucifer smiled at the fledgling, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze, "Of course I remember you. You were a loud little thing, always coming up with new beats, driving your instructors mad with them. I picked you right up the moment they came to complain."

She smiled up at him, wider and just a bit brighter, and he returned it in kind. She tugged at his hand lightly pulling him in one direction.

"Come on, we're this way."

He followed without prompting, allowing her to pull him along, anything to get to the others. They hadn't been seen in nearly three decades and he wanted to be the first to lay his eyes on them all. Look them over, have them close, and never let them go again. Akeelah tugged on his hand again when they came to an overturned column. He obliged her silent request and picked her up to step over the large column that blocked their path. When he made to set her back down, she latched onto his shoulders, and he smiled to himself as he settled her on his hip and kept walking.

"So…How is everyone?"

She giggled at his attempt at small talk as they kept on their trek to the other side. Why in Dad's name had he made this place so big?

"Good. Daniel let me on the drums yesterday. I got to make new beats for the first time since the bad day."

The restored Archangel could only smile at her exuberant excitement, nodding along as she told him all about her days locked within their pantheon, what she did from sunrise to sunset and where she explored and the old trinkets, she kept to herself. She told him everything, a talkative little thing, and he hung onto every word. At least there was one who would talk to him after everything he had done to tear them all apart. Perhaps she was too young to remember the war completely, she would have still been a young fledgling back then, but she seemed to know more then she let on and he quickly dismissed the idea completely.

She led him around turns and through side halls, towards the heart of his pantheon, chattering the entire way about her days, like young children was wont to do. They found their way to the double doors of the center room, where his personal selected choir practiced and gathered, and there they stood for a long moment. He was nervous to open those doors, his fear practically making him shiver at the thought that his old students, the ones he had played an elaborate hand in making who they were and developing their personalities as they had would reject him after all he had done to tear them all apart.

Akeelah looked up at him, a braid of fine dark hair falling back over her little shoulder, bright electric blue eyes stared at him in silence. Almost as if she could feel his rolling nerves, she hugged her arms around his neck to draw his attention away from the two double doors, and his saddened gaze met hers.

"I'm so sorry little one." She continued to stare at him as he spoke to her in soft tones "So sorry for all the pain I've caused you."

Tears slowly escaped from his blue eyes, against his will they slid like little rain drops down his cheeks. She huffed softly, reaching a hand up to wipe away the tears with her tiny fingers, then pressed her little cheek to his, talking into his ear in an equally soft tone.

"We understand Luci." And she kissed his cheek lightly "Hold on tight a little longer. Can't change without' a fallout."

He smiled at her, her confidence and her forgiveness, she was truly one of a kind and he'd never been happier that he had snagged such a gifted fledgling up for his own choir. Her heart was as big as her grace was, and she loved deeply and wholly, though such adoration was not to be mistaken as from what he's heard she can be quite the spitfire.

Michael had told him that once when he had tried to snag her away from two of her older siblings she had bit his hand hard enough to break the skin and proceeded to stomp on his foot hard enough that it had made the battle hardened warrior let her go from the pain of it.

He only wished to revisit their little spat someday.

She tugged on his ear and he was torn once more from his own internal musings, turning to look back over to her again, she smiled at him encouragingly and placed a little hand over his on the doors. Lucifer returned her smile and hefted her higher on his hip, nearly cradling her flush to his side, and together they pushed the doors open.

…

Nearly a dozen eyes turned to look at them. None quite as young as his little passenger, but some not much older than her, the oldest ones glared at him and he knew he deserved their anger. Some looked at him with tired sad expressions, and others merely stared with hidden emotion.

One of the young lady's stepped forward, watching the restored Archangel carefully, a beautiful hazel colored young lady with bright green almond shaped eyes, a single dark braid falling down her back stepped forward with her hand held out "Akeelah come here."

The little one he carried on his left arm huffed again in the way children do when their told to do something they have no interest in doing and are in that mood to challenge the given order. Akeelah stared straight at her, despite her higher rank then she bore, and laid her head on his shoulder.

"No. I'm comfortable."

It warmed his heart slightly to know that she wasn't going anywhere, his arm may start tiring soon but he would only set her down when she asked him to, he would hold her all night and all through the next if she so wanted him to. The women's eyes set in a harsh way and thrust her hand out with a bit more intent.

"Akeelah."

"I said no!"

The young lady gave up a moment later and her hand fell back to her side, instead turning her gaze to meet his own, apparently the chosen speaker for the majority behind her. The only one who must have dared to step forward. She stared at him, neither happy or upset to see him standing there and it made his grace flutter in nervousness.

"Welcome back."

Her tone still held the slight edge of the sharpness it had when she'd demanded Akeelah to obey her despite the little things' stubbornness. Though the sharpness was like the edge of a dull blade that still managed to draw red blood, her eyes held a soft hopefulness to them that helped calm his racing nerves.

"It's good to be back Sariel."

She gave a small smile at the sound her name coming from his soft words, she clasped her hands together tighter and seemed to be hesitating on what to say next, at a sudden loss of words. There was an awkward moment that followed, none of the others stepped forward to fill it, and he knew deep down that it was his turn to say something, to break this building ice, and he wasn't sure where to begin. Akeelah's soft braids rubbed against the side of his cheek, her head still resting in the crook of his neck, little fingers playing with the sash that ran across his front and disappeared under her and back all the way around, twirling the little beads that were sewn in. Her words ring in his mind, truly more thoughtful then she let on with her constant chattering, a well sewn disguise for how much she really knew of the world around her.

"I'm so sorry. So so sorry for what pain I've caused you all."

Sarial blinked at him, turning to look at the brother that stood closest to her, and he nodded back silently indicating that she had the floor to speak on their behalf and so she turned back around to face him with her lower lip between her lips in her nervous state.

"I don't know if we can forgive you."

This was it, the rejection, the part that they told him the denounced him as their master and wished to be rid of him. This was the moment he'd been preparing himself for since he'd arrived, the moment that his brothers knew he feared the most, and it was slowly unfolding before him in slow motion style. A film of his worst fear coming true.

"But I think we'd like to try and begin again."

Her soft words snapped him back to the reality at hand and he stared back at her with wide surprised eyes, stuttering slightly at the confusion as to what he should say to that, Akeelah pinched his shoulder slightly and he shook his head to clear his mind.

Nodding profusely, "I would like that. Very much."

Sariel smiled at him, still small and shy, but the others seemed to lose some of their nervousness. Another stepped forward, dark hazel eyes shining like Akeelah's did when he'd told her that he'd remembered her, his hands clasped together nervously.

"Do you remember me?"

He nodded once "Of course Jeremiah, always.", the smile that it brought to his face, just hearing his name being said by his favorite teacher made the archangel's heart warm even more. The others slowly moved from their various positions around the room, coming to crowd around him, asking if he remembered their names as well and smiled every time, he named them; one by one. They talked for some time, about their days and what they did and the time they spent together since that fateful day all those eons ago. The sun slowly crept across the sky, from one side to the other, and soon began fading from view as it set behind the clouds, nighttime falling over them like a soft darkening blanket.

Maria reached to take Akeelah from him, and he prepared to feel the warmth she was against his side disappear, but she hung on tighter despite her sleepy state.

"I wanna stay with him."

"But Akeelah, he has—"

"It's okay" he was quick to interject, not wanting to let his one link go, the only one who seemed to completely forgive him for his wrongs "I can take her for the night and bring her back tomorrow."

They seemed hesitant to let her out of their sights, especially if they were letting her go be amongst the archangels, which was like a stab in his grace. They had truly messed up for the younger ones to be so openly against the youngest of them being left alone among their fold, there was a time some few eons ago, that it was a commonality for the fledglings to often spend their nights with them.

Even Raphael, with his rough edges, was prone to allowing fledglings stay with him for as long as they desired. He was often seen carrying one or two around the hospital as he walked among his patients.

Akeelah seemed to like the idea and hummed sleepily against his shoulder. The others seemed to consider it and bowed to the inevitable defeat, Akeelah had been known for her stubbornness even back then, one of the other reasons he snagged her up from her young beginners class at first opportunity, she was the youngest in his handpicked choir that had once sang for all of heavens joy. Sariel and Jeremiah sighed in defeat and they nodded together at his offer, once the little fledgling decided something there was no swaying her.

He bid them all a good night, patting the young one's bottom softly with a gentle hand, her arms wrapping around his shoulders lazily as she tucked herself back into the crook of his neck. The others returned his goodbye in kind, bidding him until the next morning, and he smiled to himself as he turned him and his passenger back towards the double doors at the extended welcome to his returning. It had been more then he had come expecting to receive and it made his grace soar with happiness that they would want to see him again.

The sun had nearly set, casting a purple hue across the sky above them, a few stragglers making their way back to their resting places as the stars started twinkling above them. They were about halfway there, the twinkling of the lanterns that led up the path to their personal Villa was just coming into view, when Akeelah pushed away from his shoulder and looked up at him with her soft iridescent eyes.

"Thanks for bringing me too."

"You're most welcome little one, I'm sure the others will be glad to have met you, despite how much trouble I've heard you can be."

She gave a soft giggle and he smiled down to her warmly, reaching to open the gate that kept their little Villa's path private (for the most part) and closed it behind him upon entering. She stared in wonder at the glowing lanterns as they walked up the path and turned wide eyes to stare at their Villa in amazement. She had been locked up in the Pantheon for so long she had nearly forgotten what the outside looked like, the different buildings and beautiful plants. The glow from inside was still bright, dimmer now that the sun had set, but it danced across the grass around them, white satin curtains blowing in the gentle breeze that danced around the two of them.

Soft talking could be heard but too soft to name who it was coming from, and the feeling of irritation came rolling towards them though it was drowned out by the general feeling of happiness. Akeelah tugged on his sleeve and he bent to set her on her feet at the silent request, brimming with joy when her little fingers curled around him palm, letting him curl his larger ones around her small hand.

"You ready?"

She put on a brave face, making him chuckle softly at the sight, before settling back down again and offering him a nod, and together they stepped forward into the warm lit Villa.

…

Two sat at their table conversing in modern English, and paused their conversation to greet their brother upon noticing his entrance, and froze silent at the sight of the fledgling walking in behind him, her little fingers curling around his and the other hand clutching tightly to the back of his trousers. They met the almond shaped iridescent eyes that peeked out from behind his leg.

Lucifer greeted his brothers softly, and they returned it in kind, staring at the fledgling that had attached herself to him, "Michael, Raphael, good evening."

"And to you brother." A moment passed before they asked, "Who might this be?"

"You remember Akeelah?"

Michael's eyes immediately flashed in recognition, Raphael took a bit longer to remember where he could place hearing that name before, and the eldest turned to look back at the fledgling with raised eyebrows.

"You're the one who bit me."

"I bit you!"

She leaned just a tad around the Morningstar's leg to give her soft yelp back, before quickly retreating to her safety, she watched the elder archangel carefully. Little muscles ready to run for it should he make any sudden movements. But he just smiled at her, leaned back in his chair, and rested his hands on his knees.

"I like you." His confession confused her and he could see it in the way her eyes widened, clearly having expected a reprimand and he was ashamed to admit perhaps an act of violence, but he tried to smile in a soft way for her, "You have a fire burning in that belly of yours. We don't get many that are strong enough to try and succeed in defying us." She peered up at him a little more, coming just a bit more out of her hiding spot, Lucifer not moving in the slightest to disturb their moment and at the same time happy that she was becoming just a bit more comfortable in the way she was slightly leaning out from behind his leg, "And so I like you. I'm going to be keeping my eye on you though, very sure in the trouble you could most certainly cause, it is an honor to finally meet you on better footing."

"You too. Sorry for biting you."

"Sorry for trying to take you away from your brothers and sisters."

"It's a'ight."

He smiled at her, and it was in that moment that Raphael seemed to remember where he had heard her name from, not including the time he had to bind Michael's hand from when she had bitten him and made her escape, she had once been good friends with the messengers young protégé. It seemed she was warming up to her master much quicker than Zaveriel was warming up to his, Gabriel had returned to their Villa with a stunning black eye that he thought he deserved well enough that he had denied healing it.

"I remember you, and all the mischief you used to get into, especially in my Garden."

Before he had become the Healer of Heaven, and even some time after, he had maintained his place as the gardener. Training Joshua in all the secrets the garden could hold, how to care for all the plants and fauna, and to treat them with the love they deserved. He could remember the fledgling, younger than she was now, running around in the tall grass playing a game of tag with the other fledglings in her flock.

She smiled up at him from behind her mentors' leg, "I liked your fruits."

"Oh yes, you were quite adept in scaling the trees to get the ripened apples and peaches. It is wonderful to see you again."

Though his tone could be misinterpreted as being sarcastic, Lucifer knew his brother well enough to know that he meant those words to their fullest meaning. Raphael really did care deeply for the fledglings he used to watch over when they played in his garden or ran around brightening the days of his patients in later years.

They both knew this fledgling quite well. She was a rarity among them, being one of the few who could drift outside of her assigned flocks of the choirs and interweave with the others. She was like Zaveriel and few others, those who could stand head to head with just about anyone, it was a rare trait and one they tried to grow into something magnificent. They knew she would accomplish great things when she was older.

"Where is Gabriel?"

Michael waved a hand, no longer staring at the fledgling, leaning back in his chair still lazily picking at a stray ball of lint on his sleeve, "Around here somewhere, though he has come to decide he deserves their anger, he is still moping about it."

"I am not moping."

The Morningstar had made his way to the free chair between the Commander and Healer, lifting little Akeelah to sit on his thigh, Raphael had taken a final sip of his warm drink and passed her the half full mug and she was thoroughly distracted by it to realize that another had joined the party. The Healer was telling her what it was in hushed tones when the Messenger entered the gathering still sporting his black eye. Lucifer whistled at the sight of it, different shades of blue and purple, curling his right hand around the little fledglings belly to keep her in from falling should she lean to far to one side, her back resting up against his chest and her little legs straddling his thigh as she perched there.

"That looks like it hurts." He eyed it carefully grimacing at the power it must have taken to bruise an archangel like that had "Who gifted you that beauty?"

"Who else? Zaves is not happy to see me now. He's got quite a punch."

"I'll say."

Gabriel took a seat across from them, leaning heavily on his arms over the table, sparing the fledgling in their presence a look, "Hey is Akeelah drinking all the ambrosia or is there anymore?"

They all turned to stare at the Messenger, even little Akeelah peered up at him from over the large mug, and it prompted him to roll his eyes.

"Yes, you dunderheads, I know little Akeelah, she is one of the few who's managed to prank even me and get away with it. Though she may have had help, some of them from what I can remember were elaborate for one lone fledgling, but then you've always been good friends with my second haven't you?"

She giggled softly, as if remembering some of the tricks that she had played against the Messenger and they all smiled at the sound of it, the true music of Heaven was the soft giggling of a fledgling. They talked well into the night, well after the sun had set and the crickets began singing their song around them, the stars illuminating the sky in soft light above them, the moon bright and full. Akeelah had abandoned her cup, passing it back to the Healer who took it back mid-sentence without missing a beat on what he was saying, and curled around against the Morningstar's chest, falling into sleep without interrupting their soft conversation.

Next to her she could feel the tingles of someone's gaze focusing on her and she turned slightly to see who it was, her tired eyes meeting those of the prince, he was still leaning back in his chair and had crossed his arms, a lone finger tapping mindlessly at his forearm. He watched her for a moment as she regarded him but ultimately turned back to lay her head on her mentor's chest under her, settling down as small children do before they inevitably fall asleep.

He watched as her eyes slowly fluttered closed and didn't reopen, though he knew she was still awake, only just, but still awake by the way her breathing hadn't evened out completely. Just about there but not just yet. The eldest paused the conversation with a slightly raised hand, taking the attention of the three sets of eyes that turned to him at his silent command, still looking to the fledgling that was slowly losing her fight against much needed sleep.

"I'm sorry to cut this short brother, but I am exhausted and intend to turn in for the night, I would advise that you do the same soon as we have much to do come morning." And then directly to the Morningstar "Besides brother, I do believe our little guest has decided it is passed her bedtime."

Lucifer looked down at his words and nearly gave an unmanly coo at the sight of the little fledgling curling against him nearly asleep, her little fingers kneading softly at the fold of his rode across his chest. He adjusted his hold to accommodate her, cradling her close and falling still while she curled around him even more in her new position, and he stood from his place.

"I too believe it's time for us to turn in. My little guest has decided that it is time for us to sleep and so we shall."

They bid them a soft goodnight as to not wake the fledgling from her lite slumbering state, and the Morningstar turned down a hall towards the room that was his. It was large, wide and open, where one could stand just about anywhere and spread their wings to feel the breeze drift slowly through them. It was a tad chillier out this night and so he closed some of the windows and gathered a few more blankets with one hand. Setting the little one down on the one side of his massive bed she curled up on her side as he sat on the edge, reaching to pull her tiny sandals off and set them aside, tucking a warm soft blanket around her gently. She gave a soft mew of a sigh at the soft warm bed and curled more so under the blanket he'd curled around her. He smiled at the sight of the fledgling for a moment, simply watching the rise and fall of her chest, before he stood and kicked off his own sandals so he could climb into bed beside her.

If at one point during the night he woke to a warm body pressing up against his side, he didn't comment on it the next morning, and at the time just curled his own arms around them and curled around them in kind too.

…

Akeelah woke before him the next morning, and she looked down first at the arm that had circled around her during the night and then up to look at her master's peaceful face, his eyes were still closed, and she didn't want to wake him.

But she wanted to wake him.

There was a whole big garden to explore and she wanted to start early so she could see it all, after having been shut in the pantheon for so long she forgot what most of the rest looked like. Last night had been the first time she'd ventured from the choir hall since the elders had shut them all up within. Locking them as prisoners within the silent walls and locking the rest of heaven out. She crawled and wiggled her way out from under his arm, and he turned on his back to continue sleeping without her as a warm weight pressed against his chest, draping an arm over his eyes as he settled back down.

She crawled up to sit on his stomach, legs straddling on either side, and leaned forward on her left hand. He grunter at her sudden weight on his chest but didn't open his eyes. She pouted and poked at his cheek lightly to rouse him, but it didn't have much of an affect. She poked him again and still he slept on, murmuring softly and twitching to the side, and she bit her lip in slight irritation that he wasn't waking up. So instead of poking him this time, she opened her hand, and smacked his cheek for the flat of her palm.

He woke immediately, sitting up in quick succession, looking around for the attacker ready to jump onto the fray. Akeelah shrieked as she tumbled down across his legs and giggled in excitement, she had finally woken him from his deep sleep, and he looked down at her for a long moment before reaching his hands up to rub the remaining sands of sleep from his eyes. Angels didn't need it, but it didn't mean they didn't enjoy it.

The elder angel paused mid rub and looked at her from under his fingers, "Did you just slap me?" and she giggled again at his question indicating very plainly that she in fact had done what he suspected of her. His hands fell to his lap in a moment of silence as he simply stared at her. She was a daring fledgling, strong in ways that others weren't and fearless in a way that could be dangerous if not curbed to a certain extent.

"You did slap me."

She shrieked when he grabbed her by the ankles and pulled her close.

"Let me show you what happens to those who slap their master."

…

He smiled as the excited little fledgling ran forward to look about the garden and no doubt find some sort of trouble to get herself in, she reminded him of his youngest brother in a way, the curiosity that ended mostly in finding themselves in some sort of trouble was delightful. The Second Prince tilted his head slightly in greeting to his brothers as he approached them where they had gathered next to a sparkling lake.

The garden was vast and full of beauty, reminiscent of the Garden that had once been home to Adam and Eve and was full and lush to explore through. The fledgling never strayed too far from his sight, but she was peering into everything and feeling anything that looked as though it would be soft to the touch and smelling every scent from every flower.

Michael, ever the oldest brother among them, kept just as keen an eye on her as her master did, smiling slightly at her childlike curiosity, jumping over the little waves that caressed the shore of the sparkling lake they sat near giggling to herself as she did.

"She is a lively one, little brother."

Raphael was watching her too, fascinated in the fledgling who did not shy away from their presence, the fault was theirs to take and after the last thousand years or so they had not given the best impression to the younger generations; showing them only cruelty and violence where caring and kindness had once been. Sure, the older siblings among them tried to tell them about times passed, but it was hard to imagine such a time when you were watching your siblings being stripped and beaten down. Fledglings were terrified of them and preferred to hide in their guardians robes then face the possibility of drawing their attention to them. All but this one. She was fearless in a way that was refreshing. She forgave with a wholeness that was unseen in most, never forgetting the horrors that she'd faced, but refusing to let the tragedy define who she was.

A curious one indeed.

Gabriel grinned as he watched her hop over the rolling water coming up to lap against the shore, his mind drifting to the tune that the Healers had, unknowingly of course, enjoying the sight of a fledgling trusting enough to allow herself to be in such a state in their presence.

"I heard she bit you Mike."

"Indeed."

The fondness was palpable in his tone, watching her silently from where he sat reclined in the soft grass, he was not lying when he said that she was well liked. They never swayed the younger generation in becoming anything but what they wanted, and he knew whether she continued in the choir or decided to be a warrior, or healer, or messenger, she would excel in any line. Her exuberance was like a tonic to anyone who happened to get close enough to get a taste of it. Shy to a point but outgoing once it passed.

He turned away from her to look at the choir master instead, "And the others?"

"Not so forgiving I'm afraid but they want to start over and that is all I ask from them. More than I expected."

The elder hummed in response "I am surprised they let her come with you."

"None more then me. She is a stubborn one. They merely gave up in trying to order her into doing something she had set her mind against. She forgives without reason."

"I doubt that, she is a good soul, very bright. I can see it. She knows exactly what she's doing despite how young she is. She remembers you?"

Lucifer nodded, smiling slightly at the giggles that floated their way, "She remembers. As far as I am aware, she remembers some before the war and then living through it. Her exuberance and demeaner are astounding. The horrors I'm sure she has faced are not allowed to define her. She is too strong for that."

The Messenger hummed in agreement, silent throughout, watching her play in the shallows. The war had changed them all, some for the better and some for the worse, but she was a breath of fresh air compared to the sights they had beholden in the efforts to rebuild as a united front once more. Beside him the Healer gave a nod in agreement.

"She is the best of us. What should have been. Perhaps the strongest out of us all. Will you return her to the others? I am sure they are not with the idea of her staying with you."

"Only if she desires to. For a small thing she can seemingly hold her own against them all. I would not be surprised if she could hold her own against those twice her size."

Gabriel snorted softly, turning a cheeky grin towards his eldest brother, "She got one over on Heaven's Sword."

"And Heaven's Sword will get one over on you if you don't watch yourself, little brother."

They fell silent after that, watching the fledgling play in the shallows, kicking water around her and splashing around like children do. She danced around, twirling with the water that she kicked, her smile bright as a shining star. Her braids twirled around with her, wet from the water she kicked up, her little bare feet soaking the bottom of her cinched tunic.

"Do you intend to return to the choir?"

"I do. I want to be there, but am fearful of pushing too much too soon, there is much to overcome after all this time. They are not as forgiving as our little fledgling guest. Though I should take her to see them so their fears can be alleviated on her wellbeing."

"Luck to you in getting her to go back. She seems to enjoy it here. And from what I can see, though she's hesitant about it, she also quite likes you."

They fell silent again as she ran up towards them, tunic soaked halfway up, and smiling happily like children do when they've enjoyed themselves. She sat in the grass next to her master, smiling up at him, and he returned the gesture in kind.

"Did you have fun?"

She nodded excitedly, "I like the water!"

"I can see that. You're nearly soaked."

His brothers watched them in amusement, and Michael chuckled when the Morningstar admitted defeat and let the soaked little one crawl into his lap and shook his head fondly at the little smug quirk to her lips as she did, making herself comfortable against him. Her little feet rested on the grass in front of them, her legs stretched over his folded ones, her little fingers twining with his when he relinquished a hand to her.

Lucifer let her bend his fingers this way and that, focusing back on the conversating they had been having before her minor interruption, changing the subject so she would not know they were talking about her.

"Plans today brothers?"

Beside him, Michael heaved a sigh, "I have more training to do unfortunately, the factions have split apart and need to be dealt with before they cause more havoc."

"Malachi is a jerk."

They all turned to look at the input from the fledgling, giving various looks of surprise from such an outburst.

"He thinks he's better than everyone. I kicked him too. But harder than you. I think I bruised his leg cause next time I saw him he was walking funny."

Michael hummed slightly, he had indeed seen the faction leader walking with a limp, he had assumed it was from the infighting. Perhaps the fledgling made more trips outside the confines of the Pantheon more then was originally thought. Though she still explored everything with a certain type of excitement, she still had friends among the other classes, of course she would not be stopped in visiting them.

"So, it not just me that you kick?"

"Nope. But I like kicking him better then kicking you. You're too tall."

"I see. My apologies."

"It's okay. No one is perfect."

Gabriel snorted again and tried to hide it in an unconvincing coughing fit that fell upon him a bit too suddenly. Even Raphael chuckled softly to himself. Lucifer laughed outright at the look on his older brothers face. Michael was inordinately fond of her, that much anyone could see if they looked close enough, and the humor shined in his eyes. Akeelah giggled at the look she was given for her cheek and ducked back in her master's embrace.

"Indeed. Just you wait little one."

The Healer clapped his hands and the conversation returned to their duty as he made to stand from his place, "I must see to my healers, some are out of practice and need to be refreshed in the ways of their tasks, I will not have inadequate hands tending to the wounded."

Akeelah jumped up from the choir masters lap and latched onto the Healer's hand as he made to bid them his farewell for the day and leave them to do as he needed. He turned to look down at her in surprise and she smiled up at him in wonder.

"Can I come too?"

Her unending trust was hard-pressed to come by and sent them off for a moment, and he glanced up at his older brother, the elder merely shrugged at the silent inquiring gaze. So long as she was looked after he didn't mind if she went along.

The Healer curled his long fingers around her little hand, letting her step up to stand at his side instead of dangling from behind, "Of course, fledgling, stay close to me. We will meet you at midday."

"I'll be like a shadow, promise!"

…

"Where is Akeelah?"

"She went with Raphael to explore more."

"She is safe?"

"No harm will befall her whilst in our care."

"We will hold you to that."

"Have you thought about rebuilding?"

"We will need help that we won't ask for."

"What if I offer it instead?"

…

The little fledgling's fingers tightened around his palm as they got closer to their destination, and he returned the squeeze in a reassuring gesture.

"It's okay, little one."

She nodded bravely, stepping up the steps beside him, the white stone steps warm against her little feet and she smiled at the feeling. Her small gasp halted their trek at the top, and he turned to look down at her in worry at the aspect of him returning her to her master in once piece but slightly torn. She refused to let go of his hand but bent to look at her foot. As she stumbled slightly as balance was lost, he saw her leave the faintest traces of a red footprint on the stone entrance of the infirmary. She gasped again at the irritation of the new cut on the bottom of her foot when she stepped down on it. He tightened his grip on her fingers as he turned slightly to swing her off her feet.

"We will have to get you some new shoes. Come, we will have a look."

The windows to the infirmary had been broken out during the war, raids had taken nearly everything from them, but they managed to start rebuilding anew. They all turned in various ways from around the wide room at his entrance and eyes widened in surprise at the fledgling he carried on his hip.

"Quyen, Iariahel, Rosemary, gather over here."

He figured, if he was to clean her up and mend the small wound on her foot he might as well make a lesson out of it, they needed to be reminding of their practice and the little one needed her foot tended to at the same time. He was nothing if not resourceful. They whispered to each as they approached at the sight of one of the elusive choir members, and one of their youngest, in the arms of an archangel; one of the two who had tried to separate them no less.

Raphael set her down on a free bed, and kneeled before her, reaching for her little foot as gently as he could and lifted it up to see the damage.

"We have a wound with debris in it, what do we do first?", none of them made to answer so he called them out one by one, "Quyen."

"Um…We remove the debris first?"

"Be confident in what you believe. If you are to tend to the injured, you must be confident in what you do. Yes, we remove it first.", he lectured the young angel first before turning to the fledgling watching them in fascination, "It'll only hurt for a moment." And pinched the edge of the glass fragment and pulled it free. She sucked in a breath but remained resolute to watch him work. She was enthralled with the fluidity of his movements.

"What do we do now, Rosemary?"

"Clean the wound."

"Very good. With what?"

She thought a moment, "A disinfectant. You could use ginger and honey.", for a moment there was silence and the young healer feared she had said the wrong thing, looking down to her feet in defeat.

"Very good", he had just been distracted with ensuring the fledgling was calm still, "Would you get me some?"

The younger healer nodded quickly, running off to mix a small bowl of the antiseptic and gather a cloth for him to use to clean the little wound on the fledgling's foot. Raphael thanked her softly, setting the bowl to the side and dipped the cloth in the mixture. The fledgling pulled her foot away at the sting, hissing slightly in pain, long fingers curled around her ankle and pulled her foot back, "I know it stings little one but only for a moment.", she nodded, her eyes watering slightly in the way a young ones eyes do when they are in pain but do not want to give up their resolute strength in the form of crying out.

She wanted to, oh how she wanted to, but Akeelah bit her tongue to keep herself from doing so.

"And then? Iariahel."

"We bandage it."

"Yes" he reached for a swath of cloth bandage and wrapped it around her little foot, her toes poking out from the large wrap, and he tugged at them as he stood back to his full height. She smiled at him, though a bit watery and strained, reaching up for both hands in the universal command to be picked up. She was lucky they were all fond of her already, despite only having met her the night before, and he grabbed her up under her arms to rest on his hip again. She buried her face in his shoulder, braids brushing against his chin as she let a few tears fall in the safely hidden spot of curling into the covered shoulder. He rubbed a large hand over her back in comfort, he knew that most antiseptic concoctions stung when applied and was proud of her resolute strength in refusing to allow herself to break down completely in the eyes of everyone else, though he was mildly concerned at her seeming attempt to hold in her tears altogether.

"Just remember your training and be confident and you will be fine. Back to work with you."

They nodded, thanking him as they scurried away, and he turned his attention to their fledgling (when she had become their fledgling he paid no mind to—it just was as it was at that point) and murmured a soft word of comfort, "It's alright to cry little one, it takes more strength to admit you hurt then to try and hide it."

She sniffled for a moment and finally turned to look at him with her breath-taking iridescent eyes, "It hurt."

"I know it did. I'm sorry."

"I forgive you. Will you hold me though 'because it still hurts?"

"Until you tell me to put you down."

Akeelah kissed his cheek lightly and laid her head back down on his shoulder, watching from over the folds of his emerald robes as the other healers scurried about their duties and tended to those who needed tending to as the process of rebuilding uncovered the injured left over from the war.

The Archangel walked through the aisles, checking on those under his care as he did, continuing to rub at the fledglings back. It was a calming presence, to see him carrying her around with him, indicating to others that if a fledgling was comfortable enough to be in such a volatile stated around him that he was good enough again to not fear as he came close.

It was about halfway to midday, after falling into a light slumber on his shoulder from the exciting day she'd had thus far, that she tugged in his collar in the indication that she wanted to be set down. The third Prince bent slightly to relinquish his hold on her, and watched fondly as she scurried off again, well recovered and once again filled with that consuming curiosity to see all she could see. They made a game of it, her ducking under and between the other healers as they milled about tending to their patients. She lightened the infirmary in a way it had not been lightened in such a long time. The tended to smiled at the fledgling's natural exuberance and brightness, a cheer that was spread around as the air itself, all watching as the fledgling investigated anything and watched everything as it was done.

Eventually she made her way back to the archangel's side, ducking under his arm as he worked on a feathered appendage of one Power who had been the victim of a Holy Fire raid. She watched as his fingers worked between each individual feather, straightening the salvageable ones and plucking the others that weren't so lucky. The archangel didn't move much from his position, merely raised his arm slightly to allow her more comfortable access, and she leaned against his knee on her elbows watching him as he worked.

"What are you doing?"

"Sifting through the feathers and plucking the ones that we cannot save so that the new can begin to come through."

"Why don't I got wings?"

He spared her a glance from his work, "You are young, you will surely get them as you grow.", though it was somewhat worrisome as most fledglings would have been showing visible signs of their growing wings and she wasn't yet. It was something he would keep to himself of course, there was no need to make her feel as though she was inadequate for the way she looked, perhaps she was just a late bloomer too as he'd seen such from others and now they worked under Gabriel's tutelage. From what he can remember, Zaveriel was a late bloomer, often teased by the others in his flock for this and now he was the Messengers Second in Command.

They fell into soft silence after that, Akeelah following his fingers as he worked quick and efficiently through the wing stretched out for him, and he focused back at the work on hand and the fledgling that was a warm weight against his knee. There was something about her that brought out the lighthearted side in everyone she touched, they hadn't seen the gruff Healer be so gentle in nearly 3 thousand years, and yet this little runt of a fledgling managed to coax that side of him into play again. He managed to work quickly through the top layer of feathers and moved onto the more sensitive underside, the angel he focused his personal attentions to flinched under his touch at him reaching for the underbelly of the wing and it made him sigh silently a sad sort of sigh. Though there were some that were able to hide it better than others there was still reminders of just how much damage they had inflicted on those they had been meant to lead and guide into their own.

Akeelah smiled that bright smile of hers and pushed away from his knee, stepping around the Power to sit in front of him, and grabbed for his hands that clutched at the soft blanket on the bed he was sat upon. He looked up at the fledgling seated before him and gave her a small encouraging smile. She folded their fingers together and leaned forward to whisper something in his ear, giggling when he nodded at her inquiry.

"I can see you hurting"

Her voice floated around them, and it halted some completely where they stood, turning to look at the young choir angel. Even the great Healer himself paused in his motions, looking over to the young fledgling in surprise. Their songs hadn't been heard for millennia and hear one was letting a piece be heard by them all. He had always wondered why his older brother had taken one so young under his wing before the great war and inevitable fall, she was perhaps the youngest in The Choir, and hearing her captivating tune finally helped him in understanding. He smiled at her distracting his patient so he could complete the underside of his wing without the worry of it jolting under his touch, the Power was completely captivated. Staring into those bright eyes, listening to her spin her melody for him and him alone.

'I've been through the same thing"

That slight, perhaps unintentional admission, had him looking up again. The eye of a practiced healer looking the little fledgling child over for any possible injury that had been missed during their first meeting the night before. Other then her little bound foot there was nothing he could see with the naked eye, though it was not something he was going to let go unacknowledged, the young ones were priority in getting healed. He had helped in tending to several fledglings, more then he would have liked, but never had this fearless fledgling come in for him to mend.

"Baby, don't you worry, I got you."

They stared at each other, the young choir angel and the Power, completely in their own world. The Healer spared the others a look to order them back to work silently, not wanting to disturb the precious melody that danced around them, in case she was urged to stop if interrupted before returning to his own work. He was just about done and was able to get through most of the worst with the Power completely captivated by the fledgling. It was not often that the choir sang for individuals and even rarer these days that they lived in.

"I just wanna know you."

The Power sat absolutely still, staring into those glowing eyes, listening to her as she serenaded him into calmness. Its hand been thousands of years since he had last heard a choir angel sing, let alone one of it's youngest. He had heard rumors of this particular fledgling, that she had even stood up to the Commander and lived to tell of her adventure and seeing her now made them seem all to real. He knew that the rumors were true with her conviction, she was powerful, captivating, and he could feel her strength in more ways then one. It would not have surprised him to see her managed to stand against the eldest Archangel and come away from it unscathed.

"Tell me all your secrets."

Raphael was able to finish his work and reach for a younger student to bind the wing, moving back slowly as to not disturb them, he listened to her with complete attention.

"Lookin like you need it, 'because I got you."

Her little song tapered off and the Power smiled at her, pressing their temples together with conviction for her singing to him, "Thank you little one." He whispered to her with wholehearted meaning to the words. She giggled again, nodding, and leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek.

"You're welcome."

Akeelah squeezed his fingers tightly and let him take his hands back, scooting to the edge of the bed to hop back down to her feet. The others stared at her before turning quickly back to their work, and she seemed to miss their sorrowful looks knowing that the song was over, and she hopped back to the archangel's side to take his hand. He smiled down at her and nodded to his second to take over, they had to meet up with the others for midday rest, where all could take a breather from their duties and the Architects could rest from their rebuilding some of the Halls along the Axis Mundi.

They bid the others a goodbye as they walked down the main row through the great infirmary and the gesture was returned in kind. The sun shone on them brightly as they stepped out of the comforting dim glow from the infirmary, and the fledgling hopped down each step as they crossed them, her little fingers curling around the archangels' palm. Some turned to watch the little fledgling and tall archangel as they walked passed hand in hand, it would be faster to take her up in arm and fly to the Heart Hall, but walking let her see all there was along the main road in all Heaven. And look around she did, at the different dwellings and little Shoppe like carts that carried different fruits and flowers, weapons and armor, it was similar to a market on earth, but they paid no money and took only what was needed. One of the passersby holding a small bouquet of flowers passed her a full purple one and she tucked in in the braid running around the side of her head coming to an end wrapped around her ear. She swung their arms as she walked in step with the tall archangel, hiding slightly away from the passersby in the folds of his robes, still shy around new faces despite her fearlessness when she discovered they were friend and not foe.

"Hey!"

She froze at the voice that called out to them, perhaps from recognition, and he turned to look down at her with a mixture of confusion and concern. Akeelah let go of his hand and ducked out from under his cloak to turn and meet who ever had called out to them. Two young boys, perhaps messengers in training upon seeing his brothers seal cinching the left sleeve of their short robes. All younger generations wore knee length robes to allow them to run freely until they got older, and at that point they had the choice between full length robes or midcalf ones.

They were both bigger than her, but she met them head on.

"What?"

"We told you to stay locked up in that cruddy Pantheon where you freaks belong, like the cowards you are."

"Remember what we said last time you showed up for all to see?"

It was only in their favor that it was him here instead of his brother; seeing as he had designed that Pantheon with painstaking care and took to being somewhat overprotective when it came to his Choir angels. Raphael made to step forward and rebuff them for their disrespect and keep them from harming the smaller fledgling, or her from harming them if what her history proved.

She snapped back just as quick as them, "I forgot you existed."

They glared at her in anger at her insult and the chuckles from the others walking past their little spat. The larger of the two reached out to shove her, and she stumbled back into the archangel's knees, it was in that moment as they followed the knees up to meet the electric blue eyes of the third archangel that they realized their blunder.

Their eyes widened as he finally stepped into the confrontation, "I do believe that your master will be made aware of your bullying.", taking advantage of their distraction, and with nothing holding her back, Akeelah balled her little fist, fingers clenched together tightly, she jumped forward at the one who had pushed her and walloped him solidly in the eye enraged that he would dare insult her own Choirs in front of her like he had. He stumbled back from the blow and tripped over his own feet to land in a crumbled mess on the stone path under him. His hands came up to cover his throbbing eye, looking up in surprise that the runt had gotten one over on him. She took a step forward in warning, despite the archangel reaching down to keep her in place now that he knew she was more then able to stand her own.

No wonder the oldest archangel liked her so, as he had proclaimed to.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her back into his chest, "That is more than enough." Despite his stern tone her fingers tried briefly to tug his arm free so that she may get on more hit in, he gave her a slight squeeze in warning, and she fell still, glaring still at the two messengers before her. "Let me see.", and the archangel reached out for the fledgling sprawled on the stone path in shock that he had been beaten by something less than half his age. He flinched only once but allowed him to remove his little hands with a gentle tug to examine his eye. It was going to smart for a while and turn a dark shade of purple and blue. The archangel helped him to his feet, "Go to the infirmary and ask one of the aids for some ice to put to that eye. It will bruise but heal in time. Your mentor will still be made aware of your actions, but rest assured hers will be too.", there had been enough violence to last them all a lifetime and were taking it very seriously in putting an end to any they managed to catch. The time for fighting was done, Father had declared as such before leaving shortly with their Aunt (on the promise that He would return in a short while) and brought them all back to be as a family should.

The two messengers nodding at him and turned to do as told, and he looked down to the fuming fledgling in his grasp, "And you calm down little one. Honestly.", he stood taking her with him, though he doubted any others would invoke such a response he wasn't willing to test his theory on it, and he didn't mind carrying her around. It had been some time since they had fledglings attached to their back or hip and he would loath to admit he had missed the feeling. Understanding now why his brother had been reluctant to set her down the night previous. "Did you have to punch him so hard?" he smiled slightly at her giggles.

Surprising, or rather unsurprisingly, they were not the last ones to arrive at the Hall where they had agreed to meet every day. It did, however, come as a shock to see the timid young lady standing slightly behind his brothers' right shoulder, Lucifer nodded in greeting and Akeelah huffed in slight annoyance at the sight of her. He recognized her as Sariel, and her eyes widened at the sight of the bandage wrapped around the little girl's foot and rushed forward.

"Are you alright? I knew this was a bad idea, I knew, and I warned Jeremiah that this might happen! You are coming back to us where we may ensure your safety!"

Akeelah made to refuse but fell silent when the arm around her waist gave her a gentle squeeze. She nodded in defeat, a look that was so wrong on her brave face and let herself be tugged away by her older sister. Sariel gave them all one more distrusting look and disappeared with the fledgling in the crowds wandering by. Lucifer sighed sadly but in understanding, turning to gaze at his little brother wondering the same thing as his choir angel had inquired about.

Raphael nodded in understanding and explained, "She stepped on a piece of glass, it will have been cleared away by now, we've been rather busy as of late."

It was not something Lucifer could fault him for, accidents did happen, and the joy seemed to have left with the bubbly fledgling's leaving. Gabriel met them some time later, appearing to deflate into himself at the missing member of their quartet. Though they had just met her, the fledgling had managed to capture all of them, perhaps unknowingly.

"Where's Akeelah?"

"On her way back to the Pantheon."

That seemed to upset him more, but he soldered on, turning an inquisitive look to his third older brother, "I was informed by Nathanael and Brachial that they were attack unprovoked on the Axis today?"

Raphael shook his head, keeping to his word, "It was hardly unprovoked. They have become bullies to the younger generation, and from what I could see, they had been going after our young friend for some time."

The Messenger nodded, that would explain why his Second looked so proud at the black eye Brachial was sporting now, though it did impress him that one so small could pack so much power in such a tiny fist. Their meeting was somewhat dim without the fledgling there to listen to their duties with such peeked interest, it was clear that the Messenger was hoping to take her to see his aerie and was saddened that he couldn't now.

They split to complete that day's needs, helping to rebuild the fallen section of the heart hall and repair two of the gates, and the sun quickly set on another dim day. They met up once more at the same table they had sat at the night before, Raphael sipping at another mug of mint and lavender (different then last night's ambrosia—one must not use such things too much), Michael leaning back in his chair in deep discussion with Lucifer on the repairs him and his choirs had managed, it would take time before they were ready to face the host again, and it was time they were more then happy to oblige with. Gabriel was writing something on a piece of paper and muttering to himself every so often. This night was so dim compared to the last, despite her only being there for one evening, it had lightened the room so much. They were too prideful to admit it, but they all missed the little inquisitive fledgling.

Behind them they heard the gate close with a click and they each turned to look at the darkened doorway to see who had dared enter their garden, it was not something they would frown upon but curiosity won over anything else at the thought of someone venturing in. Michael and Lucifer laughed softly together, the youngers flashing a smile, as the little dark head of their little friend turned the corner and she jogged through to meet them. A smile was brightening her expression, and iridescent eyes were filled with such joy, that it lightened the room entirely. Her personality was contagious in that way.

Akeelah was breathing quick, giving the impression that she had run all the way here through the dark cover of night, and leaned against her master's leg to catch her breath and for the support against her tired little legs. Lucifer chuckled softly, bending slightly to scoop her up into his lap, Michael's eyes were filled with humor as he leaned forward on his elbows.

"How on earth did you manage to find your way back here?"

"Theres…A…. hole…. In the wall."

She had snuck out of the Pantheon like a little mouse scurrying about on the freeway, and it made them smile in amusement, glad to have her back in their midst. Raphael passed her his cooling mug, when her breathing regained control, and she took a curious sip of the new concoction he had that night, eyes brightening at the sweet taste, and she took another sip before passing it back.

Lucifer looked down to her bandaged foot, "How are you? Does it hurt you any?"

"Nope! Sariel's just a worrywart! Honestly, you should see her, she needs to take a chill pill!"

They chuckled at her whine of annoyance and her dramatic flop back against her choir master's chest, little arms crossing. Her archangel seat pats her belly softly, "Does anyone know of your disappearing trick?"

"Jeremiah does! He said I could come back if I wanted to and felt safe." The four archangels watched her silently, preparing for the feared admission that she was terrified and really wanted to stay at the Pantheon for the rest of the night-"I wanted to come back! You guys are fun! And I can see everything 'cause you are all so tall!", though they had prepared for the worst it still filled them with a sense of relief that she had come back on her own will and not out of a feeling of obligation. She turned to smile at the eldest excitedly, "Can I come with you tomorrow?", he smiled at her enthusiasm and nodded, "I think that can be arranged.", she punched the air excitedly and they chuckled again, going back to their previous doings with a new sense of happiness. Gabriel had this little smile on his features as he went back to writing on his paper, snapping up another sheet despite Michael's slight whack to the head and soft 'get up and get it' (she giggled at the look he sent Michael's way when he turned back to his conversation with her choir master 'I saw that') Raphael let her have the rest of his cooled drink and went back to reading the volume he had found from somewhere. And Lucifer had curled his hand around her belly to keep her from falling and responded to whatever it was Michael had asked him about.

Akeelah sat back, silent at their doings, watching them all in humor. Honestly, she didn't understand what everyone was so timid about. Sure, they had done some bad things, but hadn't they all, and watching them interact during these quiet times was far from terrifying. They acted like brothers were supposed to. They weren't plotting or fighting among themselves as was the rumor going around. They were upset about what had happened and were trying to make amends and sometimes she felt like she was the only one with eyes open enough to see that.

She was torn from her thoughts when his fingers dug slightly into her belly and it made her bend slightly in a fit of giggles as her fingers tightened around the nearly empty mug.

"Did you hear what he said?"

"Who?"

Raphael reached for his mug back, "Me. You had said something today that caught my attention, you had mentioned you knew the pain that Power was going through. Care to elaborate."

She feels silent, so unlike her that they all gave full attention, siting up straighter in their seats. Akeelah shrunk on herself, gripping at the fingers curling around her belly and bit her lip. It was not something she had known he had heard from her and had she known he was actually listening she would not have said it.

"I don' like talkin' about it."

"Please little one?", Michael sounded so soft, his voice carrying the emotion he was feeling, and she looked up at him with watering eyes, "Please let us help?", she stared at him for a long tense moment and finally nodded, ducking down into herself even more, and slid down from her master's knee with his help.

She turned around to show them her back and slowly tugged the top of her tunic down, "I got so good at sneakin' cause I got caught once.", in the dimming glow of their sitting room, the light illuminated the little lines that etched across the smooth fledgling skin of her shoulders. During the war there had been many actions that had went unnoticed or unchecked, even to the fledglings, and it made them sick to their stomachs to know that such beatings were implemented on those so young. They had been around for a long long time and knew what those little stripes meant, knew what happened to cause them, and it silenced them for a long time, "I was let go and ran back to the Pantheon. Sampson had been so mad, I've never heard him say so many mean things before, Jeremiah threatened to wash his mouth out. Yuck.", she fixed the top of her tunic an turned to tug at the Morningstar's hand to be lifted back to her seat.

"Little one", she turned to look at Michael again and felt saddened at the anguish that shone in his normally so bright eyes, they usually shined like hers did, "I am so sorry little one. This should have never happened. Can you ever find it in yourself to forgive me I will forever be in your debt."

Her head tilted slightly in confusion, "But I was never mad at you. You didn' know. 'ts not your fault anyway."

There had been rumors about his Powers acting out in such harsh doings and he had pushed them away as cannon fodder at first thing, thinking them cruel lies and too focused on the war to care. If only he had listened those who'd been wronged in such a way could have been spared such a cruel lashing.

There was a difference, a big difference in a gentle but stern reprimand and a cruel needless beating.

"You should be little one. It was my Powers who did such things."

"But we all did things that weren't good. It's no use at being mad at someone when you know you did bad too."

"What could someone as small as you done to hurt someone?"

Gabriel couldn't help but snort softly at the question, Cerviel's eye was going to be blackened for some time to come, though she may not be able to weld a blade did not mean she couldn't cause some damage. Michael seemed to come to the same conclusion but shook his head all the same.

"Hardly a comparison."

She frowned at him, and boldly slid down from her archangel perch to step around the table to tug at the eldest's hand, he obliged her silent request and scooped her up to sit on his knee. She hugged him as best as she could, her arms barely making it around his chest, but the gesture meant more then words.

"I was never mad so it's okay. Besides it helped make me the best at Hide-and-Seek. Don't be upset."

Her kindness knew no bounds and he wrapped her into a tight hug in thankfulness. She was forgiving to those who he thought didn't necessarily deserve it and stood by what he had said that morning of her being the best out of all of them. Father had made her special, and special she was, she could touch all of heaven and change them all for the better.

"I forgive you for your forgiveness little one."

"Good cause I don't like it when people are sad. Unless you're a jerk 'cause then I'll kick you."

"Or punch, from what we were told.", Lucifer gave her a slight disapproving look, "Can we agree to try and tone down the physical attacks?"

"Can I still kick if they get me first."

"Only if, and I mean only, if they get you first."

She giggled and held a little hand out for the choir master to shake and he shook his head as he reached out to shake her hand.

"Deal."

"We are eternally thankful for your cooperation."

"You are most welcome."

…

Lucifer woke up the next morning alone in his bed, but the blankets pushed aside that indicated the little fledgling had crawled away out of bed and his door was cracked open enough that he could see the little table in the hall. He stretched and grimaced as his back cracked before tossing the blankets aside and following her lead. He stretched again as he walked down the hall and smiled at the sound of young giggles that floated down the hall from their sitting room.

He walked into the sight of Michael seated in his usual chair, their little fledgling friend cradled in his lap, they were whispering to one another and every now and then the muscles in his older brothers' arm would twitch and she would giggle adorably up at him. It was a heartwarming sight and he smiled as he stepped into the room.

Michael looked up at him at his entrance and their fledgling giggled again.

"Don't stop on my account, older brother."

He chuckled at the younger playful permission and turned back to the fledgling in his lap. "Do you hear that little one?" she giggled again, and as he stepped behind his brother to get a mug of coffee (the gold among human creations), he saw the hand that was curled around her little belly, "Your Choir Master has given me permission.", she giggled again, her little fingers curling around his, "Shall I?" and she shook her head quickly, giggling adorably up at him.

Gabriel entered next, smiling at the fledglings giggle too, and reached over them for the mug his older brother was holding out for him, "Aww kiddo, has Mike managed to get his claws into you?" he sat in the chair that the Healer usually took up, and smiled over at the fledgling. "It's been nice knowing you."

"I told her that her penance would come for kicking me.", he smiled softly to the giggling fledgling in his lap "And I intend to continue until I am satisfied."

Lucifer took the seat across from him, the one that he usually took during their nightly get togethers, smiling at his fledgling choir member. She was the youngest he had, and it made him happy that his brothers were coming to care for her just as much as he did. It was easy to love her with how forgiving she was, how bright she was, she made them into better versions of themselves, brought out the best in anyone. Michael had always had a soft spot for the fledglings, and to see them cower away in fear at his presence made the only one that didn't that much more special to him. Akeelah had seen him come from the room across the hall from her spot curled around her master's arm and softly ducked under it to slide out of the bed and follow him.

She loved all of them, perhaps more then they deserved, and gave them the kind of forgiveness that was hard to come by these days. She loved with her entire being, letting them try to make their amends for their actions without meeting them with scorn. She was giving them a chance that not many others allowed them, it was in that part of her fearless personality, willing to get close to the catalyst that had once caused them so much pain. The war had broken everyone, grown and fledgling alike, and yet she hadn't let it change her in the slightest.

Akeelah had comforted one of those who had once been cruel to her.

She gave the head archangel a giggly apology and he let up for the moment, letting her sit up and lean back against his chest instead, as he leaned back in chair as he usually did. She was still giggling as she played with the fingers wrapped around her belly to now keep her in place. He chuckled softly at the left-over giggles in the fledgling and pat her belly twice with his hand.

"Calm little one, I've stopped" he poked a few fingers into the giggly fledglings belly again, "For now."

"Can I still come with you?" she looked up at him with wide hopeful eyes, Raphael chose that moment to enter into the fray and chuckled at her question, "You did give your blessing, brother."

"Of course, you may join me little one."

…

They left just after the sun crested over the trees in the distance, the little fledgling swinging their arms, fingers curled around the large Archangels. Michael's fields were halfway to the other side of Heaven, it would take them hours to get there by walking, the quickest was to fly and he stopped them just as they were about to leave the garden.

"Would you be okay if we flew?"

She nodded and turned to him excitedly.

"Yes!"

He turned her around and bent to wrap his arms around her middle and around her waist, keeping her securely pressed to him as he opened his magnificent white-blue tinted wings. She stared at them in awe and reached out to touch one, as he had three, touching one's wings was usually a private ordeal, but he pulled one in close for her to feel and she gasped at how soft it was to the touch. He had no doubts, from her gasp of surprise, that she had seen the wings of soldiers tear into another during the war. He knew all to well of the horrors she was sure to have seen during the fighting.

Michael bent his knees slightly and opened his wings wide, darting into the sky above, she gave a small frightened shriek and clutched to the arm curled protectively around her middle. He leaned in to whisper a few words of reassurance to her and she looked around in awe at how beautiful it all was from this height. He smiled at the wide eyes that tried to see everything there was for her to see as they flew to his fields. They still trained, but as brothers now, to fight against the demons that were left unchecked on the earthen plane below. They were left with no direction and were running amuck.

The older Warriors were already sparring each other when they landed gracefully on the grass of the training fields, shifting the fledgling to perch on his hip, he gave the younger trainees a few positions to start training and surveyed them as they went through the motions.

"Can I try?"

He looked down to the fledgling perching on his hip and smiled, "I have no doubts that you would be a valiant opponent to face, little one, but perhaps when you're a bit more grown."

"I believe she has already faced our Commander and dealt you a defeating blow, Sir."

Nisroc met them halfway across the field, as Michael's second he stood out among the rest, he was usually left to train the youngest trainees that managed to get into their legions. It had been a tense week at their first reuniting, and they'd had more then one private word, but there had been a forgiveness given wholly, bygones becoming bygones. He chuckled at the elder Power's approach and reached out to embrace his arm as they met, Akeelah reaching out to mimic the gesture.

The Power smiled and returned the embrace as it was offered.

"She is as much a Power as any of us. I do believe the final test is facing off against yourself and she has already defeated you. And younger than a fledgling, sir, are you sure you are still fit for command?"

"Come closer, if I were not carrying such a precious passenger, I would show you just how fit I am."

"I'm shaking in my boots sir."

Nisroc reminded him much of the fledgling he held, they had similar personality and naturally sought out the goodness in people where others might have overlooked. He had been just as curious as she was when he was a fledgling, always managing to get himself into more trouble than he was worth (though he would never have given him up for anything in the vast universe), and had turned out to be one of the best warriors he had ever trained. There were few who had gotten one on him personally, and Nisroc was one of those few, and regrettably, so was the fledgling he adored.

The Second in command bowed slightly, smiling in amusement, and stepped around him to tend to the youngest trainees up front. They were tough on them, but no tougher than they were on any of the rest, as they had to be strong enough to face the evil the universe and old creations had to offer.

Akeelah looked around in awe at all the solders, sparing in trapeze like moves, jumping and twisting in a dance that was all their own. It was mystifying to watch for a fledgling who had not been chosen for their task just yet and sorted into their place among them, under which ever archangel she most matched. Though she was in the choir now she could be moved about freely to find a better match when the time came. There was few who could hold their own in all four sections, young Zaveriel, Gabriel's second in command, being one of those few. And thus far from what he's seen, this young one was sure to be one of those few as well, it was a special gift.

"Can I got explore?"

He set her down, "Sure, but be mindful of where you step, watch out for anything.", she nodded once in acknowledgement and ran off to see all she could see. The little fledgling disappeared after that, somewhere among the crowd of sparing warriors, and he didn't see her again until they had stopped for a water break; to cool down and rest before setting up once more. Training could take all day if it was needed, and though Michael could be strict with the legions, even the youngest ones, he was not a tyrant and was more understanding them some assumed of him. If one was over worked, one would not work up to their fullest potential.

It was as he was walking back to the benches, where they would rest for a moment, perhaps fifteen minutes to half an earth hour, conversing with his second on new recruits and how the youngest ones were coming along in their training, that they laid witness to the spat. Two of the youngest, a small boy with shoulder length wavy hair and a larger boy with a blonde knot on his head were wrestling each other, spitting out curses to one another as they tumbled about. The Archangel made to intervene and put an end to it, demand answers for such behavior with a strict sternness that would no doubt leave them shaking in fear.

Not fear of being struck, hopefully, but fear that they had been caught fighting one another when that had been stopped immediately.

But his second stopped him with a hand on the shoulder, Nisroc nodded towards the other side of the small ring of solders cheering on one or the other. He managed to spy the little figure sitting in the dirt of the training field, normally bright eyes darkened in anger. Akeelah had been pushed, by one of the boys, into the dirt and she appeared to be fighting to keep her deal with Lucifer on not kicking them if they had not acted against her first. Pushing her down counted as acting out first, and Nisroc squeezed his shoulder again, drawing him from his thoughts.

They watched in silence as the little fledgling stood slowly dusting the dirt off herself as she did, at least a half a head, to a full one, shorted then both boys wrestling in the dirt. Her little fists curled tightly, no doubt how they had when she had punched the messenger in the face Michael noted, it was a good posture. She surveyed the two, tracking the larger one with the knot of blonde hair, like an animal stalking its prey. When it seemed like the right moment, something that could be used as a learning experience later as to why one should never doubt another's strength despite appearance, she leapt into the fray. The blonde boy huffed as she landed on his back, wrapping around him like an apt impersonation of a burdock, and choked on a breath as her little arms wrapped around his neck. The other boy took a deep breath, holding his left wrist in one hand, one could see it was broken even from where the Archangel and his Second stood. Akeelah knew the amount of pressure needed, Michael noted in wonder, that was needed to get someone to bow to their knees but not cut off the air supply completely. The blonde boy coughed, and she whispered something into his ear, he shook his head at first and she squeezed harder and he gagged this time, eyes filling with tears.

She forced him into apologizing for pushing her into the dirt, a little fledgling, a little runt of a thing, had gotten one up on one of the best performers in his youngest classes. Nisroc stepped up to his side, letting go of his shoulder.

"She is smarter than she lets on.", he watched as the blonde boy slumped into the dirt in defeat and the little fledgling pressed his head slightly harder down, dirt pressing to the side of his face, before she let him go and crawled off of him to help her friend back to his feet. "She is going to be to watch, that I assure you, if she chose to, I would gladly show her everything I knew though perhaps when she's older."

Michael nodded in agreement, if she were to choose the path of a warrior he had no doubts that she would be one of the best, she was not needlessly cruel but knew how to get those bigger then her to bend to her level, to get what was needed. She had forced him into apologizing her wronging her, and she had let him go as soon as she had gotten it, hurrying to help her friend back to his feet.

That was when they chose to step in, "Scatter, you three stay.", they all moved at the command of the Archangel. Akeelah looked down to her feet as if she was to be punished for not keeping her deal with her master on not acting first. Michael helped the blonde boy to his feet and gave them each a stern look, "What in Father's name is going on?"

"He called her a traitor and pushed her into the dirt!"

He blinked at the dark-haired boy's quick admission, watching with pride as he stepped forward as if to protect the small fledgling from a wrath of anger, even if it meant going up against the eldest of the archangels.

"Paul, is this true, did you call her a foul name and push her into the dirt?"

The blonde boy huffed in a breath now that he was able to again but nodded his head at the inquire from his commander, ducking his head in shame at the stern rebuff he received. Turning slightly over his shoulder, his second stood at attention, infighting was something their archangel took seriously, especially in these times.

Nisroc took his silent command and steered both boys away towards the infirmary as the others began their sparing once more, he was sure his brother would give the young man who pushed his favorite fledgling into the dirt quite the tongue lashing, which was one of the reasons he had sent them along to him, both, to get the others wrist tended to.

Akeelah sniffled, kicking at the dirt, "I'm sorry I broke my deal.", he sighed, scooping her back up again, she was a warm weight against him side and knew why his brothers loved carrying her every moment they could. "You did no such thing, I am proud that you managed that short temper so well, he pushed you first and then you retaliated.", he lifted her chin slightly with a knuckle and rubbed his thumb over her cheek, "I can hardly fault you for defending yourself.", he turned to continue walking among his soldiers as they spared once more, "Though, please tell me where you learned such a maneuver? That is not taught until they reach their third year of training and yet you", he poked her belly to entice a soft giggle from her, to bring that shine back to her eyes where it belonged, "the tiny little thing that you are had nearly perfected it at such a young age."

"I like watching you guys train."

He turned to look down at her, "You used to watch us?"

The little one nodded and pointed to the hill overhanging the training fields and he hummed in acknowledgement, smiling down to her.

"You truly are a sneaky little thing, aren't you?"

The archangel carried her from that point on, and she somehow managed to make her way from his hip, to his back, and finally seated atop his shoulders. Nisroc had returned twenty minutes after heading off to see to the young ones wrist, and Paul looked a bit paler after meeting the Healer's vengeful wrath for daring to push his favorite fledgling into the dirt, he was ushered back into rigorous training with a higher classmate for his actions while his companion was directed back towards the benches, his wrist splinted. It would heal within a week or two and he would be back to training.

His lieutenant came to walk at his side, smiling up at the fledgling perched on his shoulders, "See everything from up there?", to which she nodded back excitedly. Michael smiled at the two of them as they exchanged a soft sort of banter that indicated that this was not the first time they had met, it truly surprised him at just how many she knew despite having been 'locked' up with in the Pantheon for thousands of years. Though from what she proved last night at her grand return to them he was sure that she did not stay with in the confines of the walls for as long as they all assumed, she did.

A sneaky one indeed.

Training went on until sunset, and she made her way back down into his arms, sitting akimbo on his left arm, as he did a final round as the elder legions finished out one last round of sparing, hand to hand combat was always saved for last, and she was dozing off against his chest.

"I do believe the little warrior is exhausted after such an exciting day."

Nisroc met at his side for the final time that evening, watching as the others finished up and went back towards their barracks conversing with each other in whispered tones, nodding as they passed their second and commander.

"Not a warrior yet, though perhaps one day, despite it all she will always have a place among us."

As if to prove them wrong at their assumptions, she yawned largely and rubbed at her eyes, leaning further back on the archangel as she dozed off again. They both smiled at her, and her carefree way of showing when she was vulnerable, it was not something that was shown so much in these days following the war and their return with Father and Aunt.

"I believe that means it is time to get her into bed.", they embraced arms again, and Nisroc bid them both a good night as he turned to retreat to his own barrack. Michael smiled down at the tired fledgling, turning her into his chest, her little fingers curling into his top as he did, and opened his wings, jumping into the air as gently as he could as to not disturb her slumber. They flew swiftly through the starry sky towards their garden and he touched down just as softly as they had taken off, opening the gate to their garden he stepped in and let it close behind him, carrying the sleeping little fledgling up to their home, stepping inside, the others had already gathered around the table and looked up at their entrance. Raphael looked up at her in concern from over his mug of chamomile and mint, but he was quick is dissuading their fears for her wellbeing as he passed her back to her choir master. The Morningstar took her into his arms and cradled her close as she drifted back off, curling into his chest as she did, not noticing the others in the room as she dozed back off into slumber.

"Everything is alright. No harm down. She stood her own against one that was supposed to be the best of my youngest classes. She is a mighty little thing."

"And of the one who pushed her to the dirt?"

"Nisroc will ensure he knows not to do it again. Besides, I believe she has taught him not to pick on her again."

Gabriel gazed upon the sleeping fledgling, "How much longer will this continue?"

"It shouldn't happen in the first place. Though locking themselves away in the Pantheon does not shine them in the best of lights throughout the war."

"But to take it out on a defenseless fledgling."

Michael hummed in response to the Messenger, "She is hardly defenseless, despite her age and childlike moments, she chokehold the one who pushed her into the dirt until he apologized."

"Mighty little thing."

The Morningstar hummed and nodded, "Mighty until you give her belly a few pokes."

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Okay guys we can agree that she's just adorable."

…

The next morning Akeelah ran up to Gabriel excitedly, "Can I come with you today!", the Messenger swooped her up into his lap and bounced he slightly, "Of course you can nugget!"

"I'm not a nugget."

"Sure, you are."

"I am not."

The youngest archangel dug a few fingers into her belly, following in time when she bent forward falling into a fit of hearty giggles, taking advantage of his upper hand. Though her giggles were like a balm to him and made his grace soar at the sound of them.

"If I say you're a nugget then you're a nugget."

"Okaaay! You win! You win!"

He squeezed her close for a moment and let up on his convincing torment, smiling in greeting as each of his brothers came in for the morning, making to get their own cups of coffee. Lucifer passed him her shoes over the table, and he helped her slip them on and make sure they were nice and secure. Raphael made her a small mug of lavender and mint tea and she happily sipped at it as they went over their deeds for the day like they did every morning.

Gabriel bounced her every other minute on his knee, and she giggled into her mug when he did, bringing a smile to their faces every time she did. They had slowly grown to adore her with her time being there and would loath to have her taken back to the Pantheon.

They quickly finished up their morning get together and she was hoisted up onto the archangel's shoulders almost immediately and she giggled excitedly and buried her fingers into his hair, not so much as pulling, but to stable herself when he jumped down the path. His aerie wasn't as far as the training fields and they could walk there down the Axis Mundi. It was a big building with lots of open spaces and over hanging perches.

"Akeelah!"

Gabriel set her on her feet at her excited shriek and tug on his hair, running down the stairs towards them was his runty second, trying to meet them halfway. Akeelah ran up the steps to meet her friend and Zaveriel swung her around in a large hug when they finally met. They laughed together and the Archangel continued his way up to meet them smiling at their exuberant reunion. It her track record of sneaking out of the Pantheon was to be believed then there was no doubt in his mind that they two of them were to have met at some point. They were just too mischievous to have not to.

"What are you doing here?"

The Messenger finally met at their side and set his hand on the little fledglings head, "She's here for a visit. To see everything, would you want to give her the grand tour?"

The little fledgling nodded vigorously and latched onto her friends' hand, Zaveriel nodded in similar fashion, and they bolted off to see what there was to see, her older friend intending to show her everything there was in the aerie. Gabriel shook his head and stepped up to enter the aerie himself, smiling at the greetings from his messengers and returning the gestures in kind as he walked past. The week following his return had been tough on everyone involved, no one had been willing to talk to him, the youngest messengers had left the room as soon as he entered, all of them angry at him for abandoning them as he had. And he knew that they had every right to be. He was ignored for the better part of a week and when he finally tried to confront them on their pretending, he was still gone his own second in command had punched him in the face. Despite his appearance, much like their little fledgling Akeelah, he packed quite the punch (he'd once been trained under Michael too) and it had bruised his eye in similar fashion Akeelah had bruised Cerviel's eye. It had long since healed but he was sure the young boy would be a little more careful around her.

Things had started to take a turn for the better after their second had punched him. Little Hazel had even gone to get a cold cloth from his brother so he could press it against his blackened eye. They were still trying to forgive him for leaving them, but the tension was nearly nonexistent, and they didn't pretend he didn't exist anymore.

It was well after lunch when he was finally joined by the two miscreants again, giggling to each other about something he was not privy to. He knew they had left the aerie after the thorough tour of it and had undoubtedly played a few harmless jokes on those who had captured their attention, Zaveriel was just as sneaky as their fledgling child was.

"And what did you two do today?"

They merely giggled again and shook their heads, and he chuckled at their secretive reaction to his inquiry, "If you attempted to prank Mike again and dragged the fledgling he's so fond for with you, do keep in mind that he will get you both back in turn. Perhaps one before the other though, one of you is returning to his garden tonight while the other is not.", it was admittedly an adorable sight when little Akeelah curled in on herself and curled her small arms around her belly protectively, "Oh I would consider it little one.", he guided them forward towards his 'office' and gentle hand pressed to the back of her head and locking his arm around his seconds.

"Come on, you can come with me to deliver messages."

Akeelah nodded excitedly at the thought of flying again, and listened closely as the archangel explained the different types of messages and what each color ribbon signified, helping him put the ones he needed into his satchel and climbed up to sit on his right arm so he could open his golden wings wide in preparation to take off.

"Gabe why don't I have wings?"

"Because you're just a baby yet, don't worry, you'll get them."

…

Father returned a few days later and they found Him in the Throne Room, their Aunt standing a pace or two behind Him, looking curiously down at the little bundle He held cradled in His arms. They bowed first in respect and then offered a verbal greeting of their own personality. He shushed them softly and revealed the peaceful face of their sleeping fledgling. The four Archangels looked surprised to see her in His arms, but Lucifer recognized Jeremiah standing next to the Throne and knew immediately that he was there to update their Father on the progress and Akeelah had come with him when asked. She had only met Him when she had been very small and had been very shy at first but quickly warmed up to Him and Aunt, climbing to sit up in His lap.

"She is a powerful fledgling."

His tone was soft as to not disturb her from her slumber and He rocked in a way He had not done since the archangels themselves had been small fledglings themselves. He had missed such things and His little daughter had been so fearless in allowing Him to do so with her until she fell asleep in His arms.

"Perhaps doesn't realize it but has Heavens four most powerful archangels wrapped around her finger."

He sat back in His Throne, Aunt sitting in one that had been set there for their return, it was just as beautiful as Fathers was. Akeelah murmured in her sleep and curled closer into Him, clutching at the silver sash that crossed over His chest. They may wear human attire on earth, but they all reverted to the attire of the Heavens upon returning, it made everything easier to attain.

"You have each come to care for her?"

They nodded as one, looking up to meet their Father's eyes to convey their conviction in their unanimous agreement, and behind Him, Lucifer saw Jeremiah smile at them. It was a knowing smile, as if there was some sort of secret that they had been left in the dark towards.

"My young Jeremiah tells me that she spends most nights with you four, is this true?"

They turned to look at her master, and he nodded nervously, not wanting to run the possibility of her being taken away from them after all they had accomplished and all she had unknowingly done for them.

"Yes, she is a stubborn fledgling and manages to find her way back."

"Stubborn indeed, and there is no infighting between you?"

They shook their heads as one and He smiled, proud that they had set aside their differences as they had, and in the case of the fledgling they'd seeming adopted into their own flock He was happy to see they had come together for her. She had seen many horrors during the great war, some that she perhaps had not made them aware of for the sake of their own feelings, but they still haunted her so much and would for some time to come. But they had helped her in more ways then they even knew they had.

"She resembles the best of each of you, I created her that way of course, in hopes it would show you back to the path you had once been on. She is not an archangel but lives as a physical representation as the best My four archangels have to offer; Loyal, caring, curious, happy, and so full of forgiveness."

He gazed down at the little fledgling adoringly, her completely unaware of the meeting taking place with her as sole focus, Jeremiah stood behind Him still smiling at them all.

"When I created her, I created her with the hopes she would guide you back to yourselves, and she has done just that. Jeremiah has told Me of your progress. The choirs are ready to come forth again at the word of a fledgling, the youngest among them all, has vouched for you all. My son."

The second to the choir master stepped forward at the call, his hands folded in front of him, eyes sparking in a way that was not seen in thousands of years.

"I've been watching you all, as our youngest we are very protective of small Akeelah, but she has changed and for the best. And she has changed all of you with her. She needs you just as much as you all need her. I am willing to pass guardianship of our fledgling to them if you would accept Father."

He nodded in agreement to His young sons' words, willing to make such changes if all parties involved desired it, minus the fledgling of course, He loath to wake her now that she was soundly asleep.

"The horrors this young one has faced are numerous. She has seen friends come and go in one moment. They haunt her dreams at night, the first time she's slept soundly for a long time was wrapped in her choir master's arms. You have all shown her more love from an outside force then she has witnessed in such a long time." He tucked the blanket further around her, "A clever and wise fledgling she is, noble in her years, perhaps one of the few youngest lefts since the fall. One of the last in the flock last created at My hand.", He bent to deposit her in her choir master's arms, "Continue to take good care of her. She deserves that at least."

"And more."

He smiled at the blonde archangel, "Well said. I give her to you all to raise. I trust you won't let her go if I were to say otherwise?"

They shook their heads as one and He chuckled softly, "I suspected such things. Let her sleep. She needs it.", and He turned to look at the others, "I have need of one of you, demons are destroying a town and I fear I cannot interfere this time, and our earthly hunters have requested any help they can get."

Gabriel and Michael stepped forward as volunteers and He approved them with a nod of His head.

"They will know of your coming, their guardian has already been made aware and will relay the news, I trust—"

"I wanna go!"

They all turned to face the young fledgling, perched on her choir master's arm, staring at Him with stubborn iridescent eyes. Aunt smiled from next to Him and placed a hand on His arm, "Let her go brother. She can handle it and they will not allow harm to befall her.", He seemed reluctant but nodded in allowance and she whooped as she was set down and ran over to take Michael's hand, her fingers wrapping around his.

"I wanna kick some demons!", she turned towards the blonde archangel with the question on her lips, but he cut her mid inquiry with a chuckle, "Yes you can kick them first."

Aunt smiled again, leaning closer to Her Brother, "I like this one Brother."

"I am quite fond of her too Sister.", He waved a hand in their direction and they nodded, disappearing from where they stood, gone to do as tasked of them.

…

"When are they supposed to get here?", the human hunter grumped as they waited for their Archangel companions to arrive to help in clearing the town overflowing with demons, "We don't have all day. The longer we wait the bigger the problem gets."

"They are nearly here."

The gruff voice of their guardian answered and then he frowned, there was an unfamiliar grace, familiar but not, he could not place the name of who the third one was. It piqued his interest, he had heard rumors of the Archangels taking on a fledgling into their own flock, but he doubted that they would be daring enough to bring them here, to fight against hordes of higher-class demons.

"Chill Winchester! Don't get your panties in a twist."

Gabriel smirked at them, wagging his eyebrows in the familiar way, and it made the older Winchester brother groan at the sight of. He really did had a wicked sense of humor if He chose to send Gabriel with them. The trickster archangel tugged his navy leather jacket cuffs up and flexed his fingers.

"Gabriel do not antagonize them too much.", Michael stepped up beside him, holding the hand of a little girl, she looked at the three of them curiously clutching at the fingers of the archangel, "They are allies after all?"

Dean cut him off slightly, staring at the little girl, braids going down the back of her head, in rows, eleven in total. Her eyes cut into him, they glowed in a way he had never seen before, and assumed it was just the way some angels were. Beside him his brother stepped up, looking concerned that they would being a child into this mess, she couldn't be any older then six or seven (whatever the equivalent was in angelic years) dressed in a dark green knee length dress, dark leggings, a pair of black little combat boots and she was accompanying them to fight for this town. Her eyes turned to meet his and he was breathless for a moment, it was like he was looking into a glowing star, they shined against her dark complexion.

"You brought a child? I thought you'd be better than that. She could get killed!"

"Who's the kid?"

Between them, a pace behind, Castiel met her gaze last and the gaze hardened. He had heard of them taking in a fledgling but had never thought it would be her of all fledglings, though it didn't come as a surprise to him. She was so much like them it was almost as if she was created for them.

"You brought Akeelah?"

Gabriel smiled proudly at the knowledge that others even stationed on earth knew of their recently acquired fledgling. "You got it bucko!", he ignored the younger Winchester much to his annoyance, "You've heard of her?"

"Many have heard the tale of her and the Prince facing each other."

Michael glanced down at the fledgling holding onto his fingers and she giggled up at him brightly, smiling cheekily at him, he would wait until they were back home safe and sound to remind her about what happens when it's brought up that a fledgling had managed to get one up on him.

"Hey! Sam asked a question!"

They rolled their eyes at the elder Winchesters loud exclamation. Akeelah looked at him hotly fighting the urge to run over and kick him, despite knowing she ran the possibility of breaking his leg, and it took even more control not to run over to the other angel and kick him too for what she had heard on the grape vine he had done to Raphael. They were her Archangels and only she got to one up them, even if they got her back later, it was the principle of the matter.

"Don't worry Dean Winchester, we heard him." Michael knelt, letting her hand go for a moment as he reached into his jacket, though they were dressed in human attire that didn't mean they didn't still use some of their angelic tricks, such as hiding two little daggers in the metaphysical plane and pulling them out from his inner jacket pocket to hand to the fledgling, "I trust I will get these back when we are done, little warrior?", she carefully took them in hand and stared at them in awe for a moment, they were old and crafted from celestial metals, jewels decorated the hilt of both knives, Michaels crest was carved with intricate grace on the flat of the blade (they were his obviously) and nodded, "Yes Michael."

"Good girl.", he rubbed a hand down the back of her head and helped her strap the little daggers to her waist with a thin leather belt before standing back to his full height, curling his fingers around hers when she grabbed onto his hand again, "Believe me when I say appearances can be deceiving, Samuel Winchester, she is more then capable of handling herself.", the hunter still looked like he was going to fight against the idea of a child no older then maybe 7 years fighting at their side, but Castiel laid a hand on his shoulder and vouched for the child angel, more hands were better in the long way.

They turned to walk into the town, all dramatic like, heading to the fight of the evening, nothing but a bit of fun to the two archangels and they started a competition to see who could get the most demon heads that the little girl was adamant in joining.

Sam continued to watch her (as if the two archangels weren't keeping track of her every move) until she jumped from Gabriel's back when he bent to tie his shoe (of course the Messenger wouldn't take this serious enough and would stop to tie his shoe) and jumped up onto an approaching demons back. The Messenger was more then aware of the thing approaching from his left side but was more then thankful that she had been watching. Sam watched her jab her little dagger into the Demon's throat and jump back down, smooth and precise, and it was in that moment he turned his attention away from her and to the issue at hand. Appearances were deceiving in this case. He watched her fight a few more times, falling to crawl under a zombie like demons legs and cut the tendons in his legs to make him fall over and keep him from getting up, it latched onto her leg and she shrieked drawing the two archangels in her direction, their heads snapping around, but they needn't have worried, she kicked the creature in the face and freed herself easily.

Despite her seemingly natural ability in fighting the demons around them, the one that managed to get her leg seemed to have startled her, seeing as she returned to standing in between the two archangels and refusing to allow her to be torn from their sides.

When the last demon was vanquished by Michael driving his sword cleaning into their temple and back out again in one swish, Sam had been forced to eat his words when she came in a close second to the Messenger who's leg she leaned against and watched as she handed the little daggers back to the older angel and he tucked them back into whatever pocket reality he was using to store it in the 'inner pocket of his jacket'.

Dean reluctantly thanked them for their help and watched as she broke away from the Messenger and stomped over to their Guardian, Castiel looked down at her apprehensively and immediately dropped to clutch at his leg when she pulled her foot back and kicked him in the shin as hard as she could, before she turned and ran for the safety of Michael's arms.

"That's for Raphael!"

Gabriel snorted at her way of standing up for their older brother's honor watching as Castiel rubbed at his throbbing shin. Beside him he could tell Michael was just as amused, patting the little fledglings bottom with the palm of his hand.

"Now Akeelah, we've talked about kicking people."

"He deserved it."

"Akeelah you should apologize."

"Fine.", she turned to give the seraph a dull look, "I'm sorry you deserved it."

Gabriel barked a full-on laugh and tugged the fledgling from his brothers' arms before he could retaliate, having to turn away as he laughed into the back of her neck as he held her up on the curve of his left arm. Michael narrowed his eyes at her, and she smiled innocently.

Dean threw his hands up in the air and turned to make his way back to the Impala, "Angels!"

They gave Sam the last bit of their attention, "Anything more you need our assist with?"

The hunter heaved a sigh and shook his head, thanking them as he turned to head back to their car too, muttering under his head something about baby angels and manners and kicking people.

Castiel limped after him.

The two archangel and their charge watched as they drove off, "What are we going to do with you fledgling?"

"Love me."

"More then you will ever know."

…

WHEW! This little masterpiece took me two entire days to write! I always write for male fledglings and decided to mix it up. Akeelah is my life, she's so snarky and stubborn and mischievous and gets away with it because she's so adorable! I hope you enjoyed it! I know it's a bit long, but it's been so long since I've released something nice and long, with that wholesome family feeling, so I wanted to deliver something good for the long wait.

I chose the name Akeelah because of its meaning, it's a popular Arabic and Swahili name that means 'A wise and clever woman' and a variant of a Hawaiian name that means 'noble' and I tried to capture that and maintain a childlike personality for my little oc.

We may be seeing more of her in the future, I'm still playing with the concept and idea with her, its coming along and I'm trying to come up with a reference for visual. I have a few sketches and character designs for a few of my old ocs and some new ones in development that I'll release on my Tumblr page. I'll include a link when I do!