Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for your lovely reviews and support, it really keeps me going and writing with more passion just for all of you.

So this chapter is again set in heaven, though now not so long before the creation of Earth and human. I decided on following this part of the plot a little longer so anyone who liked this angelic fluffines should be pleased, I hope ;) And for those who wait for a bit more of Apocalypse - we are heading there so keep calm and carry on reading!

This chapter was was fully beta-ed by amazing Rhaenys I would like to thank her so much for her hard work with my childish mistakes. Rhaenys, you helped me so much, both with mistakes and making up my mind! Thank you so much!

So here it is! Enjoy!

PS. If you think you have heard that lullaby somewhere - you are probably right.

PS2. Anyone knows already what will be the Araquiel's duty? ;)

Lucifer was gone.

He left heaven in rush, he flew away with immense speed leaving the Garden in a horrible state. Only a light trace of his Grace stayed behind and pulsed weakly before disappearing as well. Michael stood still, staring blankly at the spot where seconds ago his brother, who he had called traitor, a disgrace and liar, stood. He was fighting him with words, but he had nearly reached for his powers. The same goes to Lucifer. Michael knew that he was on the brink of exploding with rage as well. It made no difference though. His brother was gone just the way he said he would if Michael weren't to listen to him. And he didn't. He let his brother leave heaven under threat of imprisoning him. And now he was alone in the shattered Garden with guilt slowly reaching his heart.

Lucifer was gone for a week.

Raphael started to worry. They haven't heard anything about his brother since his disappearance and it wasn't exactly a good omen. Even though Raphael was full heartedly for Michael in this particular case, he couldn't help to worry about the oldest archangel. On the other hand he thought there was nothing in the whole universe that could be any danger to Morningstar. But was he so sure about it? No. Not after Father showed them Leviathans and Titans. Although they were supposed to be weaker than an archangel, they were dangerous opponents even for them. And Lucifer was somehow out of his mind, of that Raphael was sure. To argue like that with Father? To threaten Michael, to curse him like that? Something must have been very wrong with the Morningstar.

Lucifer was gone for a month.

Raphael and Michael stopped talking at all a few days ago. They both went to their solitudes and refused to speak to anyone. Were they angry? Or hurt? Gabriel didn't really know. And he didn't care either. Since his brothers started to act like complete morons he had to take matters into his own hands. He was careful not to let Araquiel anywhere near them even though she was doing everything she could to make it hard for him. She kept on running away from him on every occasion to find her brothers. She mostly aimed for Michael as he was the one to always comfort her anytime something was wrong, but not this time. After Gabriel saw him pushing her away with his Grace, he hadn't trusted his brother with her anymore. So he started to take care of her all the time now to distract her from everything else. She was still so young and innocent… She hadn't grown up though she should have after learning how to fly. No one knew why it hadn't happened though no on minded as well. They loved her the way she was – small, delicate, soft, and the most beautiful creature in the universe.

And now she was crying in Gabriel's arms. Shiny crystal tears ran down her pretty face leaving wet traces on her reddened cheeks. She clenched her little fists on his robe and pulled closer to him to hide her face in his chest. She wasn't even asking him questions anymore, probably because she grew tired of him repeating the same, stupid answers every time. She just cried and he knew that it was caused of her longing for Lucifer. She was always so close to him and to be parted from him like that must have been horribly painful for her. He cursed Morningstar in his thoughts for hurting Araquiel like that. Did he never think of anyone but himself? Selfish twit. Lucifer the Great, Lucifer the Oh So Powerful, Lucifer the Proud Prick. Really, who cared if he was right and Michael had insulted him? It didn't matter after all. What mattered was that Araquiel suffered because of his stupid cockiness.

Gabriel felt her weep louder into his chest and hugged her instinctively. They were lying in the Garden, preparing to sleep as the heavens eternal light faded, as if it tried to soothe them as well. He felt Araquiel shiver and sob and it broke his heart. He promised himself to kick Lucifer's stupid ** as soon as he would come back and stroked his sister's black curls softly. He didn't know how to comfort her any better… he wasn't really good at this. It was Michael's thing, but of course Michael was unavailable now. He bit his lip, thinking quickly about what to do… an idea came to his mind as if it has been put there by someone else and Gabriel thanked Father for it. He pulled Araquiel even closer to him, hugged her and lifted her chin a little to softly kiss the tears off her face.

"It's okay now, Araqui, don't cry." He said with a faint smile, looking deep into her navy blue eyes. "I'm here with you, now. Come here. What are you crying about? You got me." He hugged her and put her head on his chest. And then he began to sing quietly and as softly as he could, putting all his love and willingness to take her pain away in the melody.

"Now hush little baby, don't you cry

Everything is going to be alright

Stiffen that upper lip up little lady, I told you

Gabe is here to hold you through the night

I know Luci is not here right now and we don't know why

We fear how we feel inside

It may seem a little crazy, pretty baby

But I promise Luci is going to be alright"

He felt her sob again but less this time. She wiped out the tears from her face and clenched on his robe tighter, not wanting him to stop. So he didn't, making up words as he sang them.

"And if you ask me too

Gabe is gonna bring you a pegasus

I will give you the world

I will make a colorful rainbow for you

I will sing for you

I'll do anything for you to see you smile"

She stopped crying. Her breath was now steady and quiet and when Gabriel looked down on her he saw that she had fallen asleep finally. She was resting her head on his chest, her little hand on his arm so he didn't dare to move as he wouldn't wake her up. He leaned a little and kissed her head with love. He wasn't going to sleep himself. He wasn't getting tired that easily now but he was going to stay with her as long as he needed to. She was too precious to leave alone, and she was too good for the rest of their brothers to hurt her like that. Gabriel knew that he would be having a lot trouble forgiving them for what they had done to her with this stupid quarrel of theirs.

If only he had known then that this was just the beginning of the horrible and painful things that were about to come…

Lucifer has been gone for three months now, but he was about to come home.

He looked at his sister, still unsure how to react to her words and sudden appearance. He has been wandering through the universe for all this time, cooling his anger and making up his mind after what happened between him and Michael. He knew he could have come back to heaven months ago because Father told him so, but he did not. He didn't want to see Michael's face just yet, he was still too mad at him and he wanted to rethink everything once again before confronting him.

So he flew as far as he could so they wouldn't find him. He thought it was a great idea and a favor he did them. They really wouldn't want to face him when he was mad. It made him feel better, knowing that despite his anger he was able to cut off his siblings for their good. The only detail he hadn't predicted was that they wouldn't look for him.

He was so sure that Michael or at least Gabriel would show up sooner or later and ask him to come back. That they would miss him. That they needed him. He was so wrong. No one had taken the trouble to look for him. No one even searched for him with their Grace even though it would be so easy. No, there was no sign of any interest from their side. They just let him leave and didn't bother with it. Just like they didn't care if he was there or not.

It enraged him. How could they!? His brothers who claimed to love him! He didn't count Araquiel, because she was still too young to fly around the universe and she didn't know how to control her powers yet. But them? They were perfectly strong and capable of searching for him and yet they chose not to. It made him so mad, so hurt that he took it out on innocent meteoroids passing by the Pegasus galaxy. He smashed everything that came near to him only leaving planets untouched for his Father forbid him to destroy any of them. But comets? Meteors? Moons? Not many lasted his fury showdown. He then got tired a bit and with that his frustration was gone as well. So he decided to go back closer to heaven. It has been nearly three months after all so if his brothers were to go search for him… well, he wanted them to find him. As simple as that. He was unable to fully believe that he could have meant so little to them. He hoped they would look for him when he landed on Venus and lie alone on its beautiful, warm fields.

But the days passed and no one came. No Grace, no voice, no sound of wings. His brothers forgotten him and left him. They didn't love him. It hurt Lucifer, it hurt him so bad but he definitely wasn't going to admit it or show it in any way. He pushed his feelings away and nearly decided to finally go back to heaven whether they wanted him there or not.

And then she appeared out of nowhere. He hasn't even heard her coming, be it because of he was distracted or her being so quiet and skilled in flying. He only noticed her when she spoke to him, and turned his head to face her.

"Hello Lucifer."

It was Araquiel. He felt her warm, loving Grace he would recognize always and everywhere. But she has changed as well. She wasn't that little angel child he remembered though, she still appeared to him rather fragile. She was much taller now, very slim and delicate in posture probably because of her narrow waist. She had long limbs and fingers, skin nearly pure white only covered in beautiful freckles over her arms, back and high-boned cheeks. Her wings still had the amazing color of her eyes – deep and shiny navy blue. And she was smiling at him with love so pure it warmed his aching heart.

"Sister…" He said only, standing up and admiring her beauty. She laughed happily and ran towards him and then fell into his embrace to hug him tight.

"Oh Luci, I missed you so much!" She said, brushing her cheek on his chest. He was still much taller than her but it seemed just right to both of them. He was the older, stronger one after all.

"You did?" Instead of hope and happiness, suspicion crawled into his voice when he stroked her long, black curls.

She pulled back a bit and looked and him, affronted. "Of course!" She said looking into his bright eyes. "I cried for so many days and nights and yet you didn't show up!"

Now he saw a deep pain in her eyes and he believed her in an instant. He pulled her closer and hugged her, placing a kiss on her head. "I'm sorry sister." He said quietly and he meant it.

"I know. You wouldn't leave me like that on purpose, right? You must have had had something to do out there, some work for Father I suppose. It's fine Luci. But can you come back now? Raphael and Michel missed you even more than I did."

He felt his heart break while listening to her. She was so pure in her love… she wasn't like her brothers. Oh, she was so much better than them… he frowned when she mentioned them. "Do they?" Now it was pure disbelief in his voice.

"Yes. They won't talk to anyone for months already. At first Gabriel forbid me to go see them as well but after I grew up… well, don't tell him okay? I just went to see them, but they pushed me away, both of them. They must miss you horribly."

Lucifer shook his head. He couldn't believe her. No, it was impossible. If they missed him, they would have come looking for him, and they didn't. No, there must have been other explanation to their weird behavior. It was something he was going to think about later.

Lucifer spread out his wings and tangled them softly with Araquiel's making them both smile in pleasure. She sighed lightly and raised her hand to caress his cheek.

"I love you Luci. Don't leave me like that anymore okay?" She asked looking deep into his eyes and all he could do was nod before he leaned forward to kiss her forehead affectionately.

They didn't go back to heaven until the next day. They flew together and landed in the Garden, still holding hands. The pain and every trace of sadness from the past months was gone from their eyes and Graces. Even Lucifer felt… warm. And calm. Araquiel's love was a medicine for his anger and now he was ready to confront Michael not to quarrel with him again but to simply talk. So he let go of her hand, spread his wings again and he took off, aiming for his brother's desert.

Araquiel watched him fly away and then turned to face her Father and Gabriel walking towards her. She smiled at them lightly, thinking about everything Lucifer told her yesterday. They spent most of their time on Venus talking while walking holding hands or showing each other affection in other ways. And Araquiel felt like she grew up again, this time mentally rather than physically.

"You did marvelous job bringing him back Araquiel." Her Father spoke, smiling at her with appreciation. He then turned to Gabriel and gave him more serious look. "Can you see now, my child? He needed her far more than she needed him."

Gabriel nodded though he still seemed rather unconvinced. "Yes Father but… he still shouldn't have left in the first place after saying such things about Michael."

"He shouldn't have." Agreed God, nodding slowly with recognition. A worried expression crawled upon His face as He thought about His oldest son. He knew that this quarrel was nothing in comparison to the war that was about to come… but He couldn't do more than He already did to prevent it. He had already given His children, His archangels the gift of free will and he wasn't going to take it back now. Each of his children was adapting to it in their own way and that pleased God as it was exactly His plan, His experiment.

"Father… Will I have my duty now as well?" Araquiel asked suddenly, breaking the silence. God raised his eyes on her and smiled.

"Yes, my dear. I will present you to your duty in seven days." He said and then stroked her hair in a good bye before disappearing.