The birth of a new angel is something that happens only once in a very great while. Many, many thousands of years ago, all of Heaven rejoiced as a new angel was brought forth. God called all His children together to give them the good news.
"This is your newest brother," He said, cradling a tiny baby in His arms. "His name is Castiel."
"Ooh!" All the angels crowded in for a better look. Castiel had hair the color of midnight, eyes as blue as the sea, and tiny black wings on his back. He gazed up at his brothers and sisters before closing his eyes and settling down for a nap.
"And who among you," God asked, "will help me take care of him? For I am very busy creating the Earth. One of you must teach him all he needs to know."
"I can't," said Michael, the oldest archangel. "I'm busy training the other angels to fight." Michael was the commander of his Father's legions.
"I can't," said Raphael, the second archangel. "I'm teaching the fledglings to fly."
God looked at the third archangel, Lucifer, who pouted and turned away. "I don't wanna," he said. Lucifer had what his Father called an attitude problem.
From the back of the crowd of angels came the voice of the youngest archangel, Gabriel. "I'll do it, Father! I'll take care of him!"
Everyone took a step back.
"Oh, no, not him!" said Michael. "He's irresponsible!"
"He's disrespectful," said Raphael.
"He's a pain in the-"
"Lucifer!" his Father admonished him.
"Well, he is!"
Gabriel pushed his way through his brothers and sisters until he was standing in front of Father. "Hello, Castiel," he said, stroking the baby angel's tiny black wings. "You and I are gonna have such fun!"
"That," said Raphael, "is what we're afraid of."
Gabriel stuck his tongue out at him.
"Gabriel." Father leaned down and looked him in the eye. "Babies are a big responsibility. You need to make sure he's safe and warm and happy. He won't be big enough to play with you for a long time, but right now he needs you more than ever. Can I count on you to take good care of him?"
"Yes, Father. I'll do a really good job!"
"Very well." Father leaned down and placed the tiny bundle in Gabriel's arms. "I trust your brothers will help you if you ask them."
"Of course we will," said Michael.
"I suppose," said Raphael.
"Yeah, whatever," said Lucifer.
Father really needed to have a talk with Lucifer.
It would take many, many years for Castiel's grace to grow enough to sustain him. Until then, the baby angel needed to eat, and sleep, and be changed.
Gabriel was good at watching little Cassie sleep. He would cover him with a blanket that had pictures on it of all the animals that were to come. Sometimes he would whisper the animals' names in the baby's ear. One day, when he was big enough, Castiel would go down to Earth and see them for himself.
He wasn't quite as good at feeding him, but he managed. Michael had taught him how to hold the baby in the crook of one arm while holding the bottle with the other. Gabriel was still so small that sometimes he couldn't hold the baby well enough, and he'd have to put the bottle down and grab him before he fell, but he eventually worked out a system where he wrapped his arm around Castiel's body and leaned him back against his (Gabriel's) body, and fed him that way.
Changing him, on the other hand, was something he didn't like at all. Baby poop was messy and stinky and got everywhere. He always had to get help changing the baby's diaper.
By the time Castiel was old enough to sit up by himself, Gabriel had worked out his routine: early in the morning (for he was old enough not to need sleep now), he fed and changed the baby, and then brought him to Angel School with him. Castiel slept in a little cot while Gabriel learned his lessons. When he woke up, Gabriel would give him another bottle, check his diaper, and then put him down again. One of the other angels (it was usually, but not always, Raphael) would watch over the baby while Gabriel had horn practice in the soundproof studio. It didn't matter; Castiel was a champion sleeper. Not even the loudest noise would ever wake him up.
After horn practice, Gabriel brought his baby brother back to the nursery, fed and changed him one last time, and then put him down for the night. All night long, Gabriel sat by him, ready at a moment's notice if the baby woke.
He never did. He was such a good baby.
One day, Gabriel was coming home from horn practice when he was met by another young angel. Balthazar was a fledgling whose wings were only just starting to grow in.
"Gabey? Can you help me? I lost my ball."
"Okay, sure, Balth, where did you lose it?"
"Over there," he said, pointing to a very dark, very thorny section of the garden. "It rolled under a bush and I couldn't get it. Pweeeese?"
Had he known what was to come, Gabriel would have gone and found someone else to help retrieve the wayward ball. He had to get home to feed the baby, after all. Little Castiel was counting on him. But Gabriel never hesitated to help one of his brothers or sisters, and so he found himself crawling under thorn branches to reach the ball. Just a little further . . . got it!
"I got it!" he called out, and Balthazar squealed with joy. Then Gabriel tried backing out the way he had come. He slid a few feet backwards, and then . . . stuck.
"Oh, man!" His wing was caught on a very large, very thick thorn, and try as he might, he couldn't get it free. He tried to wriggle forward, and he couldn't. He couldn't go back, either. He was stuck!
There was only one thing to do. "Balthazar," he called out, "go get help!"
"Why?"
"Cause I'm stuck! I can't get out! Please go get someone!"
"Okay." There was the rustle of wings as the young angel flew away. The next thing Gabriel heard was his brother Raphael's voice.
"You've really got yourself stuck, haven't you, squirt? How did you manage that?"
"I was getting Balthy's ball for him."
"Your wings are caught here, here, here, and here. Don't worry, I'll free them for you." There was some pulling and tugging, but Raphael was gentle, and it didn't hurt at all. "All right, try it now."
Gabriel wriggled and found that he was able to slip free. "Wow, thanks, Raph!"
"Tell me something, little brother: who is watching Castiel while you're here?"
"What? Oh, no!" He'd forgotten all about the baby. "I gotta go, bye!"
He raced back home, hoping that baby Cas was okay. He was probably screaming his head off right now. He might be hungry or wet or both. But when Gabriel entered his suite of rooms, he heard nothing. No crying. As he drew closer, though, he could hear the creak of the rocking chair and someone singing softly.
" . . . lay your weary head to rest, don't you cry no more."
The person had his back to him, but Gabriel saw black clothes. Only one person in Heaven wore black right now.
"Lucifer?"
"I gave him four ounces," the older brother whispered. "I burped him, I changed him, and now he's just about ready to go down. You had a good day, I hope?"
"Uh huh. I got stuck in some thorn bushes trying to get Balthazar's ball."
"Let me see. Spread your wings."
Gabriel turned around and spread his golden wings wide.
"Yeah, I can see a couple of missing feathers here and here. Don't worry, they'll grow back." He handed the baby over and kissed his younger brother on the top of the head. "Take care, Precious."
"Thanks, Luci."
"You tell anyone about this, I'll kill you."
Gabriel looked alarmed.
Lucifer grinned and sputtered laughter. "I'm kidding! I wouldn't really kill you. But I mean it. Don't tell them, okay? You'll ruin my rep."
He slipped out of the room and was gone.
Gabriel laid baby Castiel in his crib, kissing him on the forehead. "Night, Cassie. Love you, baby."
