Simple words we never knew,
The power behind what they put us through,
Now it's all begun,
What it takes to make it real.
We're standing on the edge of this,
When our soul is gone what will we miss?
We lost what it takes to really, really feel.

"They're just humans, Michael!" Lucifer's face was furious as he confronted his older brother, "Just weak, pathetic humans! Why does it matter if they're destroyed or not?"

"You know why, Lucifer," Michael looked up at his brother from where he was sitting, his fingers kneading his temple in a way that suggested he'd explained this many times before, "They are our Father's crea-"

"Don't you wonder why he prefers them over us, Michael? Don't you ever feel like we're being ignored? He's just so sentimental over these…nothings. These…these insects that could be wiped out in a matter of seconds."

"Lucifer…" Michael looked up, "You are already very close to disobedience. Do not make it worse."

The brothers were in the Heaven of a woman who had died in a car crash at the age of 28. She had also had a severe obsession with Jane Austen novels, and the room they were in reflected that. One of the walls was taken up with a huge bookcase, containing every book that was written in or about the 1800s. The rest of the room was taken up by paintings, plump sofas and huge pieces of ornate furniture, including the table where Michael was sat, looking at his younger brother in exasperation.

Lucifer rolled his eyes, "Can you be disobedient to an already absent Father?" He watched as Michael frowned for a moment, apparently thinking of a comeback and then smirked, "Yeah, didn't think so."

"You know what we are, Lucifer. We are angels."

"Well, thanks. I hadn't actually realis-"

"You know what I mean, brother!" Michael was suddenly on his feet and the table crashed the floor as he pushed it over, "We must have faith or we're nothing! We are lost without it! I will not have you fall. I…you are my responsibility. I'm supposed to look out for you."

"How can you be so sure, brother?" Lucifer spat back, taking a step closer to Michael, "How can you be so sure that we'd be lost without faith? What if faith is the only thing that's keeping us here like…like prisoners? What if-"

A small cough made both brothers break eye contact to look towards the entrance of the heavily decorated room. In the doorway stood a gangly teenager with messy black hair and blue eyes. He was wearing an untucked shirt and a dark blue tie along with a nervous expression.

"Castiel." Michael turned to face the newcomer, his expression relaxing into one of concern, "You shouldn't be here."

"Why not?"

Michael sighed and closed his eyes, "Because Lucifer and I are having a private conversation."

Castiel tilted his head to one side, a confused expression on his face, "Is it still private if I heard all of it?"

Lucifer groaned, "Great."

Michael walked over to his youngest brother and put a hand on his shoulder, "Disregard it, Castiel, it is not of your concern. You should go home." He gently pushed the smaller boy towards the heaven's entrance.

Castiel sat on the grass and watched the kite fly overhead him. He knew it was only a matter of time before someone came looking for him so he had decided to make it easy for them. He looked upwards to the blue sky and sighed, mulling over Lucifer and Michael's latest argument. Was Lucifer right? Did their Father really love the humans more than his own angels? It wasn't like there was anyone to answer these questions. There hadn't been for centuries. That was the reason there were so many arguments recently. Although it didn't explain why Castiel was never allowed to know what was going on.

"I'm four hundred years old," He muttered to himself, "You would think I would be allowed to know what was going on by now."

"You could be four thousand years old," A voice from behind him said, "But you'd still be our little baby bro."

"Hello Gabriel," Castiel kept his gaze on the sky, "I thought it would be you they sent."

"No-one sent me anywhere," Gabriel's head suddenly popped into Castiel's eyeline, making him jump, "I just wanted to…to see how you're doing."

"How I'm 'doing'?" Castiel narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?"

"How are you feeling? Why have you come here to your…" Gabriel paused, "Special place."

Castiel frowned and turned to face his older brother, who had sat down on the grass next to him, "I just want to know what's going on. I'm tired of being kept in the dark and being treated like a little kid."

"You want to know what's going on?" Gabriel raised his eyebrows, "Well, if Lucifer carries on the way he is, total war is going to break out…and then, basically, we're screwed. Lucifer will fall and Michael will hate himself forever because he couldn't save his little brother, metaphorically or literally." He look down at Castiel, "And, coincidentally, I'm getting out of here."

"'Getting out?'" Castiel stood up quickly, staring down at his older brother, "You're leaving?"
Gabriel shook his head and stood up, "I can't stay here, Cas. I can't stay here and watch Michael and Lucifer tear each other apart. I can't keep pretending it's all fine when they are arguing every other hour of the day."

"But…you can't leave me here. You can't leave me with this. You can't leave me alone!"

Castiel grabbed his brother's arms and shook him slightly, "Gabe, please. Don't."

Gabriel gently pulled himself out of the younger boy's grip, "You'll be fine, bro. Once I'm gone, everyone might pay you some attention for a change."

Castiel shook his head, "I'd rather they ignored me."

"Yeah?" Gabriel smiled, "Well I think you deserve more than that. One day, you'll be able to get the attention you served." He turned to go and then looked back, "Maybe I'll see you around. Hopefully away from arguing brothers, this time."

Castiel sniffed and swallowed slowly, "But who else will get chocolate for me?"

"If you're such a big boy, you can do it youself," Gabriel smiled, "I'll see you around, little bro. Or not."

And he was gone.