Title: Seven Heavens
Chapter: 1
Story Notes: I know very little of religion, so I am researching as I go. I also may 'make up' as I go. You have been warned.
I also don't tend to write stories with pairings. Everything you see is strictly friendship.

Chapter Notes: Probably one of my more thought out plots. But we'll see how it develops. This chapter is just barely long enough for me to consider a chapter, but I wanted to get the story rolling. This could almost be considered a Prologue, but I don't feel it has that air to it really. It is, however an intro and the main fun will start in the following chapter :)

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and before he created humans he created the celestial beings we call angels."

"Duo!"

Silky brown hair brushed lightly against Onyx feathers as Duo looked over his shoulder towards the sound of the voice. A smile already gracing his lips before he made the move, that clear tenor was always the first thing he heard when he got back. Always cheerful, always happy for his return. No matter how many times Quatre called his name from the other side of the gate, he would never tire of it. It meant more then the other could ever fathom.

Blond hair, shining aquamarine eyes, the figure moving towards him was the picture perfect angel. Duo chuckled lightly, pausing in his work to watch Quatre running across white fluff they harbored upon. The souls waiting to cross could wait just a few moments longer for their entrance into eternity. He always enjoyed watching the little angel run around. Quatre loved the use of his legs like no other angel in the seven heavens. Why would you when wings were at your disposal?

The blonde angel's pure white wings spread out half way when he drew near, assisting in his stop on the top of a puff of a white cloud remaining on the 'heaven' side of the shining entrance Duo currently watched over. His mouth dropped slightly in an 'o' as he looked past the braided boy to the line of glistening souls waiting to be admitted.

"No wonder you were gone so long this time Duo!" One last step forward brought Quatre to gold frame, the gates of Heaven, pale hands reached out and caressed the solid side lovingly before he leaned into it.

Heaving a small sigh the brunette nodded his head, "There were many waiting for me this trip." He mentally took count of those still waiting to be named. "I probably should have left sooner then Gabriel saw necessary."

"He was right though! You waited until he told you to leave and they are all here still." A delicate hand waved out indicating the line of shining souls. "You give yourself too little credit my friend… and the Archangel knows this. He tells me so himself."

At this Duo laughed, the force pushing the nearest ball of soul back a few feet. He placed his quill gently onto the parchment of names and left it to float in the air so he could finally turn and face his angelic friend rightly. "So now you are telling me that you talk about me behind my back! As if there isn't enough of that already hmm…?"

"Duo…"

The care free smile always gracing Quatre beautiful face diminished. Certain bounds had been over stepped and Duo quickly realized his mistake. "No…no! Quatre I was kidding. Sarcasm, remember? We talked about this last time I came back." One full stride took him away from his duties and to the other side of the gate where the young angel fretted. "Maybe I should have explained it better." Duo hands hovered on either side of cherub, brushing lightly over the soft feathers that adorn each wing pressed closely to his sides.

Of all the two hundred angels who watched over the 'promise land' Quatre was probably the only one who ever experience the sensation of 'guilt'. Granted he would never understand the concept it held if explained to him. Duo chalked this up as another one of his 'mistakes' during his time in Shamayim, the first of the seven heavens.

Impossibly large eyes starred directly into his own, waiting to be told right from wrong. But those types of answers were always the hardest when an angel was involved. So instead he went back to the beginning. "Remember last time… I had told you the story of the little girl and boy?"

Almost white locks bounced with the small nod. Duo knew he would remember. Quatre had asked him to tell him that very same story each day after his lessons were finished. It was just the understanding response he wanted. "And every day with their friends they would play. They would chase each other around and around in the grass outside the school, trying to catch one another. But they were equal in speed and intelligence that each and every day would pass with neither catching the other. And this went on for 'years'."

"Until one day the girl grew just a bit faster and finally caught the boy."

Duo's careful smile grew brighter. "Yes! Then she kissed him. Right on the lips! And what did the little boy say right after she did?"

The blonde angel thought for a moment before remembering the most important part of the story. "Ewww… that's gross!" The delight added wasn't exactly how Duo remembered for the story cit but it worked all the same.

"Exactly! But what he said wasn't the truth… in a sense, but he wasn't lying either. It was more in the middle. Because on Earth kisses are as wonderful as ever! Little boys just 'think' they aren't." Duo paused; thinking about what he just said and scratched his head. "Sarcasm is kind of like jesting, it's not meant to be serious. So I was being sarcastic just now when I made the comment about talking behind my back, okay?" He took the cherub's slightly rounded face in both of his hands and tilted it down so he could softly kiss Quatre on the forehead, emphasizing his point.

Blue-green eyes looked back up at him as soon as they were given the chance. It wasn't really understanding that shone in them, but there was no more of the shame in them. "I'm not sure I'll ever understand Duo."

Giving a soft smile, Duo's hands ran one last time down the downy white feathers. "You were never meant to beloved. So stop letting my silly stories go to your head."

Quatre opened his mouth to reply that he loved listening to the stories Duo told. But a quick glance over his friends own wings of black quickly sent the thought to the back of his mind. "Ummm… Duo."

Behind them, just beyond the sacred grounds of Heaven. A long line of agitated souls followed the stairway to earth. The balls of light floated up and down, pulsating rapidly.

"By the heavens!" Turning in a rush of feathers, Duo crossed back over to the earthen side of the gates, sputtering off apologies for the long wait.

By now the lost smile of Quatre's had returned in full force, and an added healthy giggle came with it. No angel in all of Shamayim acted as Duo did. Then again he was different then all of them. Cupping one hand around pink lips Quatre called above the drone of irritated souls. "Duo!" A quick flip of the braid was his sign the other was listening while still frantically filling in names on his long neglected parchment. "I'll meet you outside the gardens! I want to hear all about you visit to Earth!"

The black winged young man gave a thumbs up over his shoulder. This Quatre 'did' understand, Duo had taught him that, high fives, and secret hand shakes… Rocking happily back on to the heels of his bare feet the young angel took the small hop off his high ground and made his way back towards the angelic city of Shamayim, clothed in lilies and guarded by the Archangel Gabriel.

"How many cars are there on Earth Duo?"

Both angels lounged on their backs, white tuffs of cloud pillowing their under sides comfortably. The sky was perfectly blue above them, a small breeze carrying the sweet scent of lilies throughout the clean air.

"Millions I'm sure."

"And humans drive these... cars? How do they move?"

The other chuckled, knowing the questions would never stop if he allowed them to continue. How do you explain something "man made" to an angel. "I'm not sure if you can call what some of them do "driving", but yes. Humans drive cars. Most drive them everywhere, they can't fly on their own after all. And cars run by burning gas from in the Earth. AND before you ask me, gas is just what came to be of the dinosaurs when they were squished."

Silence filled the air, stretching for a couple minutes which was probably a record for the blond angel when Duo was around.

"Poor dinosaurs..."

Duo chuckled, turning his head to watch the other. The ending of life was something that was just part of the circle of life. Quatre knew this, and while he didn't understand the sense of being "sad". He knew that the dinosaurs were no longer walking the Earth. Which would you like better, walking around or being squished into gas. It was easy to see how Quatre came to the statement.

The thought process he forced the little being to also gave him a chance to ask a few questions of his own. "So, how have those lessons with Gab been going?"

"Duo!"

"What?!"

"He's an Archangel, you should not address him so... so..." A pause, before Quatre rolled closer so he could whisper into the black winged angel's ear. "unceremonious."

Giving healthy laugh Duo swung one leg over the other and gently kicked it back and forth. His trips to Earth always kept him busy, so these down times were hard to force his body to stay still and just relax. "I bet the old man would get a kick out of someone calling him anything besides from "Holy Archangel Gabriel"."

"Duo!"

"I know! I know! As the third created by God and the second in delegated authority in all of the seven levels of Heaven. Archangel Gabriel is in a position of holy respect by us mere subjects, blah blah blah. Seriously Quatre, don't you think that would get old real fast, everyone greeting you the same way for... eons!" Duo's brain was annoyed just by imagining it, not that he would ever be in that position, but the angels were murmuring. The point might eventually hit closer to home that he cared to admit. "There is a reason you have been appointed lessons with Gabriel after all. How would you feel if I didn't call you Quat anymore?"

"I..." Archangels were the first created, never had there been a possibility that one might become an Archangel. "I don't believe you could change, even if I did." The young angel smiled to the sky, spreading his pure white wings in a stretch that covered his companion completely, receiving a surprised squeak. "The lessons are fine. I feel like I'd learn more about Earth from you though. How do you be a overseer and protector when you don't fully know what you are protecting? I feel like all the knowledge Archangel Gabriel has stems from him knowing the Earth. Seeing it with his own eyes." The little angel used his wings to propel him forward and to a standing position. Arms spread wide as if he wanted to hug the rows of fruit bearing trees that surrounded them. "Why won't he let me go with you? I want to understand the love for the Earth my heart has, but my mind can comprehend fully."

Sighing, Duo also stood up, forgoing the use of wings for the motion. He was so use to not having them anyway while working on Earth. "Your heart is possibly 'too' big beloved." He wrapped an arm around the others body in comfort. "You'll understand someday, I promise."

"You promise I'll understand, a lot."

"And I'll continue to do so until the ends of time." He ruffled blond hair affectionately. The statement was the truth, even if it was one that may never be fulfilled. Angels didn't lie, they didn't know what a lie was. But Duo wasn't technically an angel. Quatre's hands gently petted the ebony feathers that the other wrapped around his body. He was the only one who didn't shy away from the color others considered un-pure. Well... him and Gab, But the Archangel, known as the angel of mercy and resurrection, was the one who gave him those wings of pure black. The only set of black amongst a sea of brilliant white.