Belial carried Michael's soul gently, rushing into Heaven and seeking Raphael once more. The healer seraph, youngest of the Seraphim and always the most innocent, was always Belial's second choice for heavenly help – the first being Michael. The other Seraphim were less sympathetic to the Fallen angels.

Raphael was not in the hospital, and Azrael skeptically informed Belial of Raphael's current mission on earth – protecting a human from Asmodeus's murderous intent.

Belial thanked Azrael and chased after Raphael. Luckily, Raphael had successfully shown the man the secret for keeping Asmodeus away. Unluckily, Asmodeus had switched tactics (or perhaps revealed his true purpose – Asmodeus was known for taking the scenic route to success in his endeavors, and had been trying after Raphael for millennia now) and was currently going after Raphael, now that he'd been denied his human play.

It was not a fight – it was lechery and seduction, and somehow, innocent Raphael seemed to be falling into Asmodeus's empty black eyes, as usual. He was lucky Belial showed up.

"Asmodeus! Get the hell off of Raphael! Get back to Sheol, I have business to attend to with this Seraph!" Belial bellowed, landing and tearing Asmodeus away.

Asmodeus glared at Belial. "You'd think one such as Belial would have a little more sympathy," but then he vanished obediently – he was not a Seraph, and even the angels had some question as to just what he was or how he'd come about. The popular rumor was he was Samael's son by Lillith, but Lillith denied Asmodeus, as did Samael. Lillith could lie, but Samael, as a Fallen Angel, could not… Still, there was the chance he was ignorant. Belial had stopped worrying about it long ago, simply considering the strange creature they called a demon for lack of a better word to be an irritance, if successful to the rebellious cause.

"Raphael – are you okay?" Belial asked, looking the tense and frightened Seraph over.

Raphael's chest rose and fell rapidly, but he nodded, leaning against the wall Asmodeus had backed him against for support. "Thank you, Belial. He almost… This time, I almost…" Raphael shuddered, running his hands up and down his arms and not meeting Belial's heady gold gaze.

Belial sighed and nodded. "If only the human charm protected angels as well from Asmodeus. Don't let him get you, Raphael. Even we don't know what it is, but whatever, it is something wholly evil and unnatural in a way no one and nothing else is."

Raphael nodded, smiling weakly. "I know. I'm trying. He's very… persistent."

Belial chuckled a little, but grimly. "Oh, Hell yeah it is. But I don't want to see you Fall for its sake. I'd like for you to join us, but not because of it. Asmodeus is dangerous."

Raphael sighed again and nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Belial, for saving me. But surely you didn't just show up lucky in time?"

Belial nodded, tugging Michael's soul gently out of the pouch he'd carried it in. "Michael's. I can't put it back, though. Raphael…?"

Raphael stared at the soul in wonder, taking it from Belial gingerly. "Take me to him… I don't know, exactly, but…"

Belial nodded, tucking away the precious orb again, and they took to the sky, flying back to Fallax's estate.

Fallax did not leave his room despite sensing his master's presence. Master Fallax Manus, Belial, only had eyes for 'Micah' now. Besides… Fallax Veritas had promised his pet… and he was busy making up to Matt the time he'd spent moping instead of enjoying. He preferred hearing matt moan is name to the Heavens than to stop unsated, only to be turned away by Belial again. Belial had promised him – he would come when he could make that promise be fulfilled.

The two Seraphim hurried instead to Micah's rooms, finding Micah as Belial had left him – staring blankly at a book again. Seeing Micah like this… sickly and soulless and empty… It was enough to make Belial weak. They guided Micah to sit up, smiling weakly at him and trying to cajole him into cooperating. He was like a child. He let his will be shaped by them, and they sat at each side of him.

Belial retrieved Micah's soul once again, and Micah took it instinctively, staring at it with wide blue eyes, apparently fascinated. Raphael studied him, gently pressing his hands against Michael's body, exploring him in the medical sense, trying to find where or how to give Micah his soul back properly.

Belial felt a little queasy watching Raphael work and eventually looked away, reminding himself that Raphael was only there to help… the innocent healer would not abuse Micah, particularly not in such a state.

He heard Micah coo softly and turned, his eyes widening. "Uh… Raphael?"

Raphael looked up at Belial, blushing. "I've… never seen a human one before." He admitted shyly.

Belial jumped up, "Damn't, Raphael, we're not here for you to learn about human anatomy! Just fix him!"

Michael and Raphael quelled, and Belial sagged, shaking his head to clear it. "I'm sorry… You're… trying to help… albeit unorthodoxically. Micah, don't be frightened… we're going to fix you up." Belial took Micah's hand in his, the orb falling into Micah's lap, Raphael having withdrawn his questing hand. The orb glowed a little brighter and pulsed slightly as they kept eye contact. For a moment, fire blazed in Micah's eyes ago then went out, and Belial's eyes widened.

"Micah? Micah, Please!" Belial pleaded.

"Kiss him," Raphael said quickly, an idea rapidly forming in his head.

Belial cocked a brow, "I didn't know you were a voyeur, Raphael, but-"

"No, I think it's because of your connection… Your lovers, perhaps soul mates – if that's so, then maybe your soul is will be the glue to fuse his back to him. Kiss him, and press his soul to his chest!" Raphael explained quickly.

It made as much sense as anything else, and it was worth a try. Belial looked at his Micah and leaned in, capturing Micah's lips softly, kissing chastely – anything more felt wrong, given how clean and innocent Micah now seemed. As many lambs as Belial had led astray and tricked and manipulated and used… He could not do the same to Micah.

Micah's eyes slowly closed and Belial rested one hand at the back of Micah's head, warm and reassuring, the other gently pressing against the orb, trying to slip it into Micah's chest. Raphael added his hands, summoning every bit of healing and binding he could find in himself, putting his prayers to God that it would work.

They didn't even notice Micah's body accepting the orb because it swelled in Belial's grasp, shining brilliantly, but when Micah's lips parted under Belial's and Micah's tongue ran over Belial's full lower lip, Belial opened his eyes wide in shock.

Micah looked back at him, the fire back in his eyes and growing. Belial obliged Micah, sucking the Seraph's tongue into his mouth and welcoming it. Raphael slipped away and Belial pressed closer. Micah's arms slowly slid around Belial's waist and up his back, tugging him in and feeling the down of his falconic wings, always so soft…

Micah swooned as suddenly the rest of his soul was sucked into his body, and Belial groaned, suddenly sealed to Micah as they shed their physical forms.

Bliss… Belial didn't know what else to say… His purest form was somehow not just against Micah's, with Micah's, but actually in Micah's, absorbing and being absorbed into him. It was indescribable… orgasm paled in comparison to this sensation he'd never before felt as his soul did, indeed, serve to anchor Michael's… Leaving them both with scraps of the other, like a twisted form of yin yang.

Raphael stared in awe at the conglomeration of blinding light and decimating heat that Michael and Belial had somehow become together, somehow unable to keep up or tell them apart as angels usually could… It was so powerful it knocked his material form askew, slamming him into his purest form, but his light paled in comparison – a mere glow, his heat a candle flame to their inferno.

Finally, Belial and Michael somehow regained sense and awareness, and slipped into their respective material angel forms… Raphael followed their lead, gaping at them.

"Michael… You… you… wings!"

Michael gaped, reaching back to touch a single pair of downy, falconic wings. Belial appeared perplexed, and reached back – he now only had two pairs of wings. "I… I have wings again… Belial, you… What happened to me?" Michael shuddered, clutching Belial tightly.

"Oh, by the Father, Son and Holy Ghost…. It was awful, Belial! What the Hell happened to me?" Suddenly tears were streaming down his face as he clung to Belial for support, and he didn't care if it was wrong.

"Samael… He took your soul, but we got it back… I'm sorry it took so long…" Belial explained, running his hands all over Michael reassuringly. "You're safe now."

"It… It was… sooooo awful… I was so far away from everything and it was… It was…" Michael trailed off. There were no words for it.

"You're safe now… Don't worry… We would nave have allowed you to stay that way…" Belial murmured.