Adam groaned as he sat up. He felt strange, not like 'oh I'm sick' strange, but 'I don't know what happened' strange. He could feel the soft grass under his fingers, and he bunched it up and pulled a nice large hunk out of the ground. He could feel the crumbly dirt falling off of his hunk of grass and onto his legs. The wind was cold against his tiny toes.
Tiny Toes?
He looked down and couldn't remember falling into the cage in a size one kids shoes.
"What the Hell!"
He shot to his feet, not seeming to like the way his voice was so high pitched, his voice hadn't sounded like that since he was at least 6. The small '19' year old brought his hands up to his face, examining his tiny fingers and feeling his small arms and small torso.
Why the hell was he a child again!
His old tshirt fit him like a dress and his old jacket was like a bathrobe. He stood a total of maybe three and a half feet tall and he found that his legs were cold with the lack of pants he wore. Life really hated him sometimes, as he was coming to figure out, what with it leaving him trapped in a cage (down in Hell) with an angryish archangel and Satan himself.
And now he was a six year old again. Yep, life hated him.
Speaking of which, Adam was becoming aware of the lack of archangel at his side, something he had become accustom to during his time in the cage. While they had their moments, Adam would be pained to admit that maybe, possibly, sorta kinda, that Michael and Lucifer weren't as bad as they were made out to be. And what with his six year old mind (he was 19 damn it! he should not be thinking like this!) he was beginning to feel alone and scared and didn't know what was going on and just wanted some familiarity in his life right now and if that just so happened to mean that he wanted either Satan or his brother then so be it (or both, he'd go for both right now).
He wandered around the field for what felt like hours looking for one of them hoping that somehow at least one of them had made it out of the freaking cage with him. After the longest time Adam had given up hope at seeing either of them, his tiny lower lip beginning to quiver for some reason, his eyes began to burn as a sure sign they were filling with tears. The small 'teenager' fell onto his bottom as tears began falling down his cheeks.
He didn't want to cry, but once he started he found himself unable to stop.
"Adam?"
The voice from above him startled the young boy enough that he jumped from where he was sitting. His bright green eyes shot up, and soon he was jumping up to wrap his small arms around the waist of the blonde man in front of him with such a force that it made the elder take a step back to catch himself. Lucifer hesitated a mere moment before wrapping his arms around the small boy attached to his waist. Adam buried his face in the mans stomach, causing him to chuckle when the child tried to speak.
"I'm so happy your here! I missed you!"
"You missed me?"
Adam froze in his actions, coming to the realization that he had just flung himself at Lucifer, the archangel had hugged him back, and he had just told the man that he had missed him. What was he doing with his life! Adam quickly pried himself out of the archangels grip and stumbled backwards, arms hugging himself shyly. Lucifer raised an eye brow at the child.
"I mean...I..Ahhh...Was...Umm...Shut up"
Lucifer shook his head with an eye roll.
"I missed you too Kiddo"
"Really?"
Adam really hated being a six year old. Really really hated it. Lucifer smiled down at him, holding out a single hand.
"How's about we go find Michael?"
Adam like the idea of going to find the other archangel, but eyed the offered hand wearily. Lucifer gently thrust it out towards him, indicating for him to take it, and slowly ever so slowly, he did take the offered had. The blonde archangel's hand was warm as it wrapped around his small appendage, drowning it in his grip. Lucifer turned, guiding both of them through the field as they both looked for Michael.
At some point, almost an hour after their take off in their search for Michael, Adam had whined about being tired and Lucifer without waiting for any word for or against it had scooped the small boy up into his arms without even breaking his stride. Adam hadn't complained about being treated like a child too much ('Sorry to break it to ya, but you are a kid, kiddo') and after a single moment laid his head on the archangels shoulder and was out a minute later.
Lucifer found Michael a second after Adam had fallen asleep.
"Is that Adam?"
Lucifer glanced down at the small six year old snuggled into his chest. Michael's smile brightened as he noticed the look of adoration lighten his brothers features. That was one of the things he remembered most about his younger brother, his way with the young ones. Lucifer had always loved the younger angels, often seen playing with them and relaxing with them under his tree (he had been particularly fond of young Balthazar) he made a good older brother.
"Yah its him"
"Why's he so.."
"Small?"
"Imma not small...Hi Mikey"
Adam stirred in Lucifer's arms, lifting his head somewhat reluctantly from his friends chest, rubbing at his eyes with tiny fists. His eyes landed on Michael and he reached out for him. For some unknown reason he wanted to be held. Michael smiled indulgently at the small human boy and picked him up out of his brothers arms. He settled the boy up against his chest with the skill only a big brother could have.
"No, of course not, you are very big Adam, now go back to sleep Little One"
Adam looked like he wanted to protest it but decided against it and was fast asleep in mere moments once more. Lucifer chuckled at the small boy's actions, and even Michael had to smile at him gently.
"He sure sleeps a lot"
"He is young, come lets find a place to stay for the night"
And so, two archangels and a deaged vessel walked out of the feild together, in search of a room to stay in for the night.
"Adam, get in the tub"
"NO"
"Yes"
"NO"
"Adam"
"NO BATH"
Michael sighed as he wiped a hand down his face. Adam normally wasn't this bad, but seeing as this was his chance at a second childhood and Michael and Lucifer being here with him only made it better. Now normally the small boy wasn't this stubborn about certain things, but taking a bath was one of things that Adam refused to do without backup.
And Michael had the back up plan.
"Adam, I'll tell you what, if you get into the tub right now, you can stay up passed bed time (it had not gone of as well as the two archangels had thought and did involve a couple of trips to the timeout corner for it to stick) and watch a movie with me and Luci"
Adam looked as if he were contemplating this deal, "With snacks?"
"Of course, healthy snacks mind you"
Adam nodded in consent, jumping into the warm bath water, splashing Michael in the process. The small boy giggled behind his hands as the archangel wiped water out of his face, turning to glare playfully at the small child.
"Your lucky your cute kiddo, extremely lucky"
Adam giggled as he hung upside down by the ankle in Lucifer's hold. A single finger stroked up and down the center of his tiny foot.
"Mike, I may be wrong, but I think we have a ticklish one here"
Michael pushed himself off of the counter and motioned for his brother to toss the kid to him.
"Really, let me see"
Adam shrieked as he was tossed through the air to Michael, and broke into mad giggles when he buried a hand into his slightly pudgy belly.
His laughter music to their ears.
"He's adorable when he smiles"
Michael smiled at his brother over Adam's shoulder, a smile that Lucifer was all too familiar with but never thought he'd see again. Not that he'd say he missed it though (lie, thats a lie).
"I can think of another person who was adorable when they smiled"
The elder angel stopped his playful attack on the small child he held close and tossed him back at his brother. Lucifer was surprised at the sudden movement and thrust himself forward to be sure he'd catch the shrieking child. With his attention diverted from his brother in order to catch their flying fledgling, Michael took the opportunity to dive at his brother. Lucifer let out a small shriek as he was tackled back onto the bed, dissolving into mad giggles when those evil fingers started their work on his sides.
Michael smiled brightly at the laughter spilling from his little brother.
Adam shrieked and giggled at the sound of Lucifer's laughter; deep and melodic. At the way the archangel underneath him vibrated and shook. Lucifer wrapped his arms around himself, trying to protect the spots he knew his brother knew were sensitive and in the process wrapped them around Adam as well.
"Mihihikeyey! Stohohop!"
"What's wrong Luci, can't handle a few tickles on your cute little tummy?"
Lucifer broke into harsh giggles when Michael reached under Adam to get at his tummy. Trying to squirm this way and that to get away from his big brothers mean fingers, mindful of the small body he still held to his chest. Thinking quick, he shoved the small boy into the air, startling Michael at his sudden shift.
"Gehehet him Addie! Go for his ribs! Go for his ribs!"
Adam giggled (hey! if he was going to be stuck as a six year old then he'd act like one! second chance at childhood was something he would not pass up) and thrust his tiny hands up into the mighty warrior angels ribs. Michael squealed, honest to God squealed, and let go of his brother in favor of trying to protect his ribs. That little traitor! After a moment more the oldest archangel grabbed their young charges hands in his own.
"You think Addie will be your shield Luci? Lets see how well your shield can hold itself, shall we?"
Adam screamed when Michael pulled his small jumper up and blew a large raspberry into his pudgy belly, burying his tiny fingers in the archangels hair, pulling hard whilst at the same time trying to push his head away. He squirmed and squealed when Lucifer, deeming his shield faulty, dug his fingers in both sides of the boys ribs.
And even if he didn't know it, Adam had begun to fix what had been broken between them.
"So he's a new angel?"
"Yes, a fledgling"
"I can see that"
"Don't get snappy Gabriel"
For some reason, when they had woken up the next morning, the small child had been missing from his usual sleeping spot on top of Michael's chest and at the end of the beds in the motel room was a golden crib with ancient enochian markings that both archangels recognized well.
Lucifer was quick in getting out of the covers, not bothering to change his pajamas as he made his way to the cribs side. Imagine his surprise when he saw the bright blue eyes, the familiar bright blue eyes, of the child they had been with for the last week. Adam had been terrified at having woken up smaller then before and not on top of the archangel he had been calling his bed for the last week. His blue eyes had filled with tears and his lower lip wobbled in a way a child's would before they broke down into sobs.
Lucifer had been quick in pulling the small toddler up into his arms, rocking him back in forth in a way he hadn't done since.. Well since Castiel had been a mere fledgling.
Michael sat up in bed rather quickly at the small toddler Lucifer had pulled out of the crib.
"Adam?"
The small toddler looked over at the voice, thrusting his tiny hands out to the archangel laying in their bed and making grabby motions with his fingers.
"Mika!"
Lucifer swiftly but carefully made his way to the bed his brother had claimed and sat down on the edge. He gently set Adam's tiny feet on the soft comforter and held him up as the small toddler walked rather clumsily towards the elder archangel. Michael caught him when his legs had given way before he could fall forward onto the mattress, cradling the small toddler close.
His head shot up a moment later, meeting Lucifer's eyes.
"He has a-"
"Grace? I know, I felt it too."
"He's a fledgling."
"I think he has small budding wings under his skin but you had always been better at seeing them then I had"
Michael nodded and lifted the small human/fledgling up to examine his back gently. Softly hushing the toddler when he made noises of discomfort.
"Shh, shh, I just want to look, its alright Addie, your alright"
Adam calmed instantly at the voice of the Prince, settling back into his chest. Michael waited a moment before looking over his back, and sure enough, under the skin in sets of two were the premature starts of a single set of wings. He pointed them out to his brother as he knew that Lucifer liked to be kept in the loop.
He had slept for most of the day, being turned into a fledgling from a human would do that to you.
But as dusk was rolling around the two eldest archangels had come back from the shop next door (Adam needed new clothes and baby things) to walk in on Adam smiling and giggling as he waddled across the floor in a silken diaper and a very familiar fledgling robe, trying to get into the open arms of the waiting Gabriel as he sat leaning against the side of the bed.
"So...When was anyone gonna tell me about my new baby brother?"
Michael and Lucifer stood, unable to move or make a sound at the appearance of their brother, the messenger looked up at the lack of response from his older brothers startled.
"I'll take the silence as a, 'as soon as we knew you were alive Gabe'. Am I right?"
They just stood there, staring, ever silent. Gabriel groaned, chuckling lightly as the small toddler crashed into his legs, a giggling mess. Gabriel smiled at the small fledgling while lifting him up above his head. The small boy giggled harder and kicked his tiny feet out in the air. Michael was the first to break the silence as he set his bag down on the floor and gently picked the small newly made fledgling out of his little brothers hands, cradling him to his chest as he walked over to set him in the crib.
Nap time, a much needed nap time.
Adam whined a bit, but settled down when the archangel offered him a stuffed lion. He waited a moment as he watched the small boy lay down, arms wrapped around the lions neck tightly, and fall asleep in the next moment. He turned around in time to see Lucifer kneeling down to Gabriel's level on the floor, his hand cradling the nap of their brothers neck. Unable to move his head in his brothers hold Gabriel was forced to look his older brother in the eyes. Lucifer rubbed his cheek with his thumb, unable to find his voice for a moment.
"..Gabriel..."
That was all he said before he pulled his hand in, pulling Gabriel into him. He watched as Gabriel let out a small gasp as he thrust his arms around his older brother, knocking them both to the floor. Lucifer hit the floor with a thud, Gabriel landing on top of his brother. Both of them did not seem to mind that they were on the floor.
"I'm so sorry I stabbed you"
Gabriel buried his face in his brothers chest, but his voice was heard by all in the room (one of the perks of being the Herald).
"I forgave you a long time ago brother"
Michael smiled at the two; this was how things used to be before everything had went bad. He watched silently as they eventually untangled themselves from each other, coming to a stand side by side. They all stared at each other in silence for a moment, before Michael opened his arms and Gabriel swiftly walked over to meet him. Michael wrapped his arms tightly around his smaller brother, relishing in the feeling, his smell, everything that made Gabriel, Gabriel.
"I've missed you little brother."
Gabriel didn't respond with words, but the way his grip on the back of his jacket tightened, he knew that the same sentiment was there. A soft whine and coo interrupted their moment, and all three turned to look at the golden crib where Adam was standing, watching them with large bright eyes, his arms hanging loosely over the side of the crib.
"Do you want to join us baby brother?"
Adam nodded as he thrust his arms out once more, indicating that yes he did indeed want to join them all.
They were all too happy to oblige his wishes.
Heaven was in chaos as everyone prepared for the ceremony taking place later that day.
It was not everyday that a human was crowned as an angel, let alone crowned as an archangel.
Michael and Lucifer could be seen side by side, in the finer robes that had not seen the light of day for as long as most could remember (the last time had been Gabriel's crowning ceremony if memory served some right) standing center at the small stage in the middle of the square. Gabriel was with Raphael, trying to get the fussy fledgling in the robes that the last of the archangels (so in other words; Gabriel) had worn during one of these things.
The only problem was that his wings were growing and with that his grace was expanding; and Adam just was not feeling it today.
The gardeners were trying to get the flowers at their best in their pots along the axis mundi.
The choirs were deciding what hymns to sing at the event.
Least to say, everyone was in utter lack of control.
Gabriel came out of their home, looking like he wanted nothing more then to smite someone or something. His eyes searched out Michael's until the elder was making his way towards him. The Prince placed a calming hand on his younger brothers shoulder, and could feel the tension practically drain from his shoulders.
"What is wrong little brother?"
Gabriel took a deep breath, rubbing a hand over his mouth.
"Addie is not a happy camper"
Michael nodded in understanding, they usually did these sort of things when an angel was older, but He had insisted that it be today. At this age an angel's grace and wings were beginning to come in and it was not a pleasant process (for either party involved).
"Let me see to him, you go see Lucifer"
Michael's tone left no room for argument, not that Gabriel would dare try at this point, and he turned wing and made his way to his (favorite) brothers side. Michael watched him go, just to be sure that Gabriel made it there, smiling at the way Lucifer wrapped his arm around their younger brother and drew him into his side. Michael kept his smile as he turned to enter their rooms.
Adam was curled around his stuffed penguin, his face showing his discomfort, looking as if he were about to break out into sobs.
Raphael looked up as his older brother entered, ignoring the look of shock that crossed his older brothers face at his tenderness as he tried to help his new baby brother. He may not be the most expressive of his siblings (that title was Gabriel's as well) but like it had been with most of his new siblings, Little Adam had not allowed The Healer to dislike him. Michael knelt next to his brothers, his hand gently petting Adam's hair back.
"Whats wrong Little One?"
Adam hiccuped once, it had been at least two years since Adam had been brought into their care, and had since gotten his ability to speak back.
"Mikey I don' feel good"
Raphael rubbed his hand comfortingly over the boys back, knowing all too well what it felt like to have wings growing inside your skin. Michael rubbed his thumb over the toddlers forehead.
"I know you do not feel well Little One, it will only take a little while, and once we are done we can come back here and just relax"
"I sleep?"
Both elder archangels chuckled, "Yes Baby Brother, and you can sleep"
After a long moment Adam unwound himself from his penguin and lifted his arms towards Michael, the elder was more then happy to lift him into his embrace.
"Brothers, Sisters, please come meet the newest member of our family."
The crowd of angels, souls allowed into this part of Heaven (Adam's mom was among them, with Mary and Joseph, she was dressed in radiance), and Saints all turned to look at the small fledgling Michael held in his arms.
"And we now announce him as Adam, Guardian of Mankind."
A small circlet of gold and bronze was placed on the small angels head. There was a roar of applause, some cheers from the farther parts of the crowd. Castiel was among them, while his best friends were the Winchesters (whom had not been happy at the praise Adam had gotten, but with a threatening glare from all four archangels they kept their thoughts to themselves), but Adam had done what none other could do.
He'd reunited Michael and Lucifer.
He'd reunited Heaven.
Sooo? Whatch think? I had gotten a request a while ago and I apologize for the long wait! I hope you like it!
