He realizes that he should be happy, this is what he had wanted for as long as he and remember: his brothers getting along again, not fighting at every little drop of a pin, not tearing themselves and their family apart as though they meant nothing to them, everyone back together and happy again, he really should be singing for joy. Singing the praises of their Father for this miracle. For answering the prayers that he had started to think had gone unheard.

But he couldn't find within himself to be happy. Those praises remained silenced and his bitterness took over any semblance of joy he could muster.

Everyone had been so quick to forgive and forget, let bygones be bygones, and pretend that nothing bad had ever happened. And while it was good to move on, to rebuild and move forward, he just couldn't get himself to do that, not after everything that had happened between them, not after all the heartbreak and betrayal. He'd died, and at the hand of his own brother, the one who had raised him since he'd been old enough to leave his Father's side and he was just meant to forgive and forget that, top pretend that it hadn't happened.

In a fit of anger, Gabriel swiped at everything on the desk he'd been standing in front of, and he watched as his belongings toppled over the edge of his desk and shattered upon hitting the stone floor, the room echoing with the scream of rage he unleashed at the sudden acting. He flipped the entire wooden desk with a strength that went underestimated due to his build. His own brother had stabbed him in the chest with his own blade and he would be damned if he would just let that go and be hunky dory, pretend everything was fine like everyone wanted him to.

He could be angry if he so wanted to be, he was an Archangel, who were they to tell even dare to think they could tell him what he could and could not do.

He'd fucking smite them if they tried.

Gabriel huffed and spun around again, anger making his fists clench once more as his blazing eyes searched for something else to destroy. In finding that he had already broken everything that he could break in his office, the Messenger twisted around fast, plowing his fist into the wall. It was hard enough, strong enough, that it made a crater in the polished granite. Small bits and dust fell to the ground as he pulled his hand back, grimacing in pain as he did, looking down to his broken knuckles, as blood dribbled down his clenched fingers.

"What on earth are you thinking?"

He never heard his office door open, nor Raphael walk in, his rage echoing too loud for such trivial things to be heard, he didn't look up as he marched across his office to stand before him and he allowed them both to fall into silence. The gentleness of the grip that he took upon his injured hand made him swallow harshly, his brother had once been so gentle, so kind, and then he just wasn't anymore. Though, the Messenger still hissed at it despite the gentleness and he had to refrain from pulling his injured appendage away, from one's own natural instinct. Gritting his teeth, he allowed his elder brother to pull him from the room and lead him down the hall, towards the main room of their shared home, where they used to gather after a long day of preforming ones duties to relax and talk, bask in each other's presence, until they all slowly ebbed away and he was the only one to sit in the darkness.

Raphael, on his part, was somewhat speechless, and a bit shocked, at the state of his brothers room. The bed was torn apart, all the glass and ceramic figures lay in broken pieces, scattered around the floor, books and papers were thrown about, his entire desk was thrown over. They had all noticed that something was off when it came to the Messenger, but seeing him so tightly strung, they did not want to push him away with anything spoken out of place, despite how well meaning it may have been.

And so they left it alone.

Until now, that it, it was their duty now as his older brothers to step in.

"They are not going to be happy finding that you so foolishly decided to 'fight' the stone wall of your bedroom."

"Who cares about what they think?"

Raphael looked back at his brother, startled at his tone, this was most unlike Gabriel. They had not wanted to intrude and push him away from them, but perhaps, seeing him now, they had done him a disservice by trying to keep him close by ignorance.

"Honestly, Gabriel, I do not know what has gotten into you."

Michael stood behind Raphael as the Healer bound the Messengers broken hand, back straight and arms crossed over his chest, that same stern light shining in his eyes that he hadn't seen since before the war, eyes that were hard and stern, but full of love and worry, as he stared down at his baby brother. Lucifer was next to them, a few steps behind, leaning against the wall, silently watching them all whilst deep in thought. Out of all of them, he had always been the most observant, it was what made him so unbeatable as Heaven's strategist before his leaving them. Something had changed in their baby brother though, something had snapped where it shouldn't have, and despite how observant he may be, he hadn't an idea what it could be.

Gabriel had to refrain from snapping out at his older brother as he watched Raphael mend his hand, long nimble fingers wrapping a clean white bandage around his knuckles, his golden eyes staring purposely downwards to avoid the oldest archangels gaze.

Lucifer sighed through his nose heavily as he pushed off of the wall, came to stand next Michael, crossing his arms thoughtfully. He was under the impression that if the Messenger wanted to act like he was a child, petulant and misbehaving, then he would be treated as if he were one.

"Brother, I believe that our baby brother needs a time out."

Michael looked at him strangely at the particular emphasis in their brothers station in their quartet, even Raphael looked the slightest bit confused, but Lucifer didn't add further comment and didn't meet his gaze, his own never once wavering from Gabriel's still form. The youngest Archangel took a breath and his uninjured hand clenched into a fist, biting his tongue to keep from adding his own opinion on the matter, and glared a hole into the floor under him.

"If he insists on misbehaving."

Gabriel shot up quickly, startling them all, as he rushed forward and shoved Lucifer as hard as he could in the chest with his good hand. The Morning Star let out a sound of distress as he stumbled backwards, arms flailing about in an attempt to steady himself, though continuing to stare ahead into those blazing golden eyes. Michael rushed around to catch their brother as he lost his footing, reaching for his arm, catching him mere moments before he would have fallen backwards to the hard floor under him. Once they were sure Lucifer was not going to be solid in his stance, they spun around to look at the seething Messenger, Gabriel was breathing harshly through his nose, glaring at them through narrowed eyes.

"Don't treat me like a child!"

Lucifer was angry now, angry that he was being spoken to in such a manner, at being treated so disrespectfully by his younger brother, and his own gaze turned into an icy glare. He shoved away from Michael and stalked forward, pointing a finger at the Messenger, as he met the glare aimed at him with one of his own, coming to stand directly in front of him.

"You will be treated like a child if you insist on acting like one."

Gabriel took a breath, and his fist tightened as though he was going to dare try to throw it at the older archangel, muttering under his breath curses that would have had even their Father turning at the sound of. Lucifer narrowed his eyes at the clear sign of a challenge to his authority. He turned the finger that pointed at the Messenger in stern fashion, pointing it towards the hall that lead to their bedrooms, and narrowed his eyes in a challenging manner.

"Go to your room."

The Messenger looked taken aback at the command, growling under his breath at his treatment, and stared at him like he was preparing to daringly challenge his order. Lucifer, his older brother, looked at him with a look as if daring him to challenge his authority, to see what would happen should he try. Gabriel glared harsher, taking a deep breath, his fist still clenched tightly at his side. The elder took a step forward, his younger brother not frightening him in the slightest, he was the second in all creation and would not be intimidated by someone so much younger then him.

"And nothing better be broken this time."

Gabriel huffed angrily and shoved past his brother, marching from the room and down the hall, and the slamming of his door echoed through their small villa. They all watched him go until he disappeared from sight and released sighs of distress and relief.

Lucifer pressed a hand to his temple and messaged the skin gently, closing his eyes as he lost himself deep in his thoughts, releasing a single long calming breath. Michael turned from watching their baby brothers departure to look at his remaining two, there was something amiss here and he, no, they needed to get to the bottom of this.

"I just don't know what has gotten into him."

Michael nodded in agreement. Raphael was too busy thinking over something to interject. Lucifer finally opened his eyes and exchanged looks with the two of them.

"I would have thought that he would be the happiest at the peace." He turned to cast a glance in the direction of the Messengers room, "Is our return not what he has always wanted?"

Raphael's eyes widened in realization at the root of the problem they faced with uncertainty. He stepped forward and placed a hand on each of his older brother's shoulders in order to gain their attention. They both turned to look at him with full given attention, Lucifer may be the most observant, but their younger brother was the deepest thinker they knew, he was the problem solver, the cure all.

"I think I know what is wrong."

Gabriel looked up at the gentle knock on his door.

When he had first stormed in here, he was half tempted to throw the room apart once more just to spite the Morningstar but thought better on it at his older brother's unspoken threat. Lucifer did not make threats he did not intend to follow through on, he never had, and he never would.

The door to his room opened slightly and a head poked in, followed by another, two sets of eyes searching him out in silence. Gabriel took one look at his two older brothers, and turned on his side, glaring at the wall on his other side. It was bad enough that he was confined to his room like a child, but now he had to deal with them, he wished they would just take the hint and leave him be. The door opened silently to allow them entrance, and clicked gently as Lucifer shut it behind him, he glared harder when he heard them step across his room. A moment later, and the bed dipped behind him, and a gentle hand rubbed at his shoulder.

"Gabe?"

They must have felt bad. Good, he thought bitterly, they deserved to feel bad.

"We're so sorry."

"And we understand why you are angry at us, we deserve it."

Gabriel shoved the warm, gentle hand away from him, though a part of him told him not to because he did somewhat enjoy the feeling, spinning on his bed until he faced both Michael and Lucifer, where they sat upon the edge of his bed and he honestly resisted the urge to kick them off.

"You don't deserve that, you deserve much worse! You deserve to be hated! To be resented! Forgotten and abandoned, for what you did to our family! But instead, instead, you get forgiveness and everyone is supposed to just let it go, move on, let bygones be bygones! I can't just do that, ok! Not after all you did!"

They nodded along, which only seemed to infuriate him more, and he turned more fully.

"Why couldn't you just stop! Just listen! I begged you to stop fighting, to apologize and let it go, but you refused! And then you went even further to ask us, me, to choose a side! Choose between the two who had raised me! How could you put me in that position!"

Gabriel pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his face in his arms. Tears soaked his sleeves and sobs rocked his body, making his shoulders quake, as every ounce of bottled emotion spilled over all at once. He was startled when a gentle hand caressed his hair, brushing through the silky locks, scratching down the back of his head.

"Hush now, Baby Brother." He knew that voice to belong to his oldest brother "Ccome here, Little One, come here."

Warm hands guided him to uncurl from himself, from that protective ball he'd perfected so carefully, and pulled him gently into his big brother's lap, into Michael's warm and protective embrace.

Lucifer's cool hand rubbed at his back until his sobs reduced to whimpers.

"And it's really hard because I still love you guys and you don't even deserve it!"

Warm lips pressed against his forehead, speaking into the skin softly, and he closed his eyes as the warmth washed over him from the simple gesture.

"We will not ask for your forgiveness, Baby Brother, but we will do everything we can to earn it instead."

Gabriel nodded into Michael's chest, his grip with his good hand turning his knuckles white, and he felt himself start to calm at his mere presence. This was the older brother that he remembered, that he had missed so dearly, the one who could destroy when the time called for it, and who could be the gentlest creature to those who he adored. Michael rubbed at his back gently, his hands moving slowly up to his arms, he could feel the grip on his shirt tighten, and he was quick to reassure the younger softly.

"Come, Little One, lay back with me." He sighed tiredly when he felt his older brother's arms curl around him tighter "Let us take care of you now."

The younger archangel let him guide them both to lay in his bed, his brother leaning into his many pillows, and he curled into his brother's chest. His gaze coming up to meet Lucifer's, the Morningstar's eyes were full of concern, and he smiled softly when their gazes met.

"I'm sorry."

The Morning Star shook his head slowly, "No Gabe, you have nothing to be sorry for, it is I who should be apologizing to you."

Gabriel shook his head, causing his older brother to narrow his eyes once more, and he heard the deep chuckles come from the chest under his ear. Michael smiled fondly as his baby brother began to wiggle and twitch in his hold, and he tightened his hold just a tad to add his own minute assistance, as Lucifer poked playfully at his belly. It was only when that finger wiggled in his belly button, making him squeal adorably, did Lucifer stop his playful attack, and touch a gentle finger to the Messenger's lips.

"There's that smile I missed so much."

Gabriel shied away, and buried his face in Michael's chest, when he felt his face heat up. A large hand pet the back of his head, stroking through his hair, and he sighed tiredly again. Lucifer pulled the blankets up to cover them, with leaning forward to press a tender kiss to the younger's forehead.

"Sleep baby brother, sleep."

AN: For those folks who think they've already seen this, you most certainly already have. I'm sorting through my fics and touching up some that need it. I've been rereading through them and cringe at how poorly their structured and am trying to revamp them into something better.