A/N: Hihi! So, I realized how long this chapter was getting and I while I love long chapters, this was two chapters worth of material, so you can expect the next one to show up really soon :) Have some familiar faces here, this time and some new things.

Thanks to everyone who has faved and followed. It makes me so excited to know that you guys are enjoying this fic. I'd love to know your thoughts.

Enjoy!

"Get back here, Eliyon!"

Eliyon laughed and landed, watching as Castiel picked himself up after becoming a tangle of limbs, wings and grass. The other Fledgling's ocean blue eyes locked on Eliyon, his wings tucked behind his back and he launched himself at his playmate. This time, Eliyon let himself get caught.

They collided and tumbled, laughing uproariously. Then, Castiel shoved him away.

"It isn't fair if you let me win," he said seriously.

Eliyon shoved him back and a grappling match ensued, brown and black wings thrashing wildly as each Fledgling tried to wrestle the other to the ground. Castiel had almost succeeded when Eliyon wrenched away, throwing them both into a roll that drove them against a pair of legs.

Eliyon's heart sank. Oh no, not Liel or Zachariah…

"Easy kiddos. Roughhousing is only fun if you survive it!"

They looked up with wide eyes to see Gabriel standing there with a huge grin on his face. A tremor of nervousness passed through Castiel but Eliyon grinned back.

"Don't look at me like that," Gabriel told Castiel. "I'm the last one that's going to punish you for something."

Castiel nodded. This wasn't his first encounter with Archangel but he hadn't spent as much time with him as Eliyon and so, still viewed him with a small level of apprehension.

"Ha HA!" Balthazar dove on top of them, causing them to shriek with surprised laughter.

Suddenly, Eliyon was on top of him, pinning him neatly.

Gabriel blinked, startled by the Fledgling's speed.

Balthazar spit some grass out of his mouth. "Agh…let me up, Eliyon!"

Eliyon grinned and let go. "Alright—OOMPH!"

Castiel plowed into him, knocking him back into the grass…then his hands were empty and Eliyon appeared behind him.

Gabriel's mouth fell open slightly.

Castiel was undeterred and he instantly threw himself toward Eliyon once more, latching onto his arm with fierce determination. Balthazar dove in again, tackling Eliyon's legs before thinking the action through. Eliyon and Castiel fell on top of him and the air was crushed out of him with a loud OOF! The three of them lay on the ground, laughing and exhausted.

"Get off me, Castiel," Balthazar groaned. "Eliyon, you're on my wing."

Castiel was sprawled across both of them and instead of just rolling off of Eliyon, he bounced across Balthazar, causing the other Fledgling to grunt painfully. Eliyon rolled to his feet so Balthazar could get up and the three of them took some time to dust the grass from their heads and straighten out their feathers.

"Come here, kiddos," Gabriel called. "I'll handle that."

"Gabriel, it is essential that they learn to care for their wings themselves."

He looked up to see Esme, another Caretaker, watching with a disapproving frown. Castiel and Balthazar were her wards, like Eliyon was supposed to be Liel's. However, unlike Liel, she didn't really seem to know when to hold her tongue.

"I'm aware," he said coolly. "I was just going to make sure they weren't injured."

"Since you don't seem inclined to do so," he added, communicating through their connected Grace.

Her head snapped up and she had the good sense to be a little alarmed at his disapproval.

The Fledglings walked over to him, still giving each other light shoves that caused Esme to purse her lips into a thin line of disapproval at their lack of decorum in the presence of the Archangel.

Gabriel checked Castiel, then Balthazar, straightening their black and sand-colored feathers, respectively, and checking for bends and breaks.

"Everything looks good," he told them.

"Come along, little ones," Esme called and the Fledglings gave Gabriel grateful smiles before following their Caretaker.

"Your turn, kiddo," Gabriel said and sat down in the grass.

Eliyon spread one wing, then the other, letting him check them over as he'd done each day after he'd learned that some of the other Fledglings had been pulling out his feathers. Most of the down had been replaced with sleeker feathers by now and the deep, bronze color glistened in the light. He ran a finger along the edge of Eliyon's flight feathers and Eliyon squirmed at the ticklish sensation.

"You're good to go," Gabriel announced, standing up again.

"Why do they look like that?" Eliyon asked, peering at his feathers.

"What do you mean?" Gabriel asked.

"They aren't smooth."

Gabriel cocked his head, wondering about that himself. The edges of Eliyon's wings weren't a straight line like every other Angel's wings. They were serrated.

"Dunno," Gabriel confessed lightly.

"Are they supposed to be like that?" Eliyon sounded worried.

"Suppose so," Gabriel told him, clapping him on the shoulder.

Along with his healed wings, Eliyon's Grace had recovered, as well and he was able to connect with his brothers and sisters without difficulty.

"You've got some nice speed, by the way," Gabriel told him.

Eliyon ducked his head in embarrassment and Gabriel chuckled.

"Come on, I want to show you something."

Eliyon's face lit up eagerly and he followed Gabriel out of the garden. At first, he thought they were heading to the Archangel's aerie, then, they turned down a road that became smooth, gray stone instead of the golden pavement that spread throughout Heaven.

"Hang on to me," Gabriel instructed. "This is a little far for you."

Eliyon took hold of Gabriel's arm and the Archangel stepped off into nothingness. Heaven seemed to soar away from them and Eliyon gasped, but was unable to scream. The wind buffeted him violently and he instinctively tucked his wings against his back. Gabriel looked down and gave him an approving nod and grin and suddenly, everything changed. He could see trees and mountains, he could hear wind and birds, but the voices of his brothers and sisters became both distant and sharper.

Then, they were standing on solid ground.

"Is this Earth?" Eliyon asked, looking around quickly, just as he had when Gabriel dropped him on the plateau.

"Yep, sure is," Gabriel replied. "Right now, we're in the astral plane, kinda between the two places. We can't really step through to the physical plane unless we have a vessel."

"A…vessel?" Eliyon asked.

"A human willing to carry us around in their body," Gabriel explained. "They have to give us permission," he said to Eliyon's appalled expression. "It isn't like we just snatch them up."

Eliyon nodded, a disturbed look on his face. Then, it vanished, replaced by a look of wonder as he gazed around, taking in everything. In the distance, he could see a mountain spewing molten rock and behind him was a body of water that spread all the way to the horizon and washed away the shore at the same time.

"That's the ocean," Gabriel explained.

"May we see it?" Eliyon asked.

Gabriel laughed. "Yeah! That's why I brought you down here. To see things."

They walked to the beach and when Eliyon stood on the sand, he stopped, frowning down at it and picking his feet up gingerly.

"Gabriel," he called.

Gabriel turned around, concern knitting his brow at the uncertain tremor in Eliyon's voice.

"It's sticking to me," Eliyon told him.

Gabriel grinned. "It's supposed to," he said. "See?" He held up his own foot.

Eliyon peered at the sand covering the bottom of Gabriel's foot and his face cleared. "Oh," he said.

Gabriel smiled fondly as the Fledgling dug his feet farther into the sand so that it stuck to the tops of his feet, as well.

After so long of hearing that something was wrong with him, he thought this was more of the same.

"Gabriel! Look!" Eliyon held something up in his hand, his face alight with excitement.

"Whatcha got, kiddo?" Gabriel asked, walking back to him.

"I don't know," Eliyon replied. "But it's pretty."

Gabriel looked down at the little pink shell he held in his hand. "Might want to put that down, kiddo."

"Why?" Eliyon asked.

Spindly little legs eased out of the shell and Eliyon's eyes went wide.

"What are you?" he breathed in astonishment, watching the tiny creature's eyes flick around at the environment.

"That's a type of crab," Gabriel told him. "He lives in that shell. Put him down so he can go home."

Eliyon nodded and set the shell down on the sand. The crab scurried away.

"Come this way," Gabriel said and led the way closer to the water.

Eliyon followed with wide eyes, trying to absorb the sheer size of the body of water before him. "What is it, Gabriel?"

"It's called the ocean,' Gabriel called over his shoulder as he started down the hill toward it. "Come on!" he said excitedly.

Eliyon hesitated, hearing a continuous wet roar and a sound like a million tiny things falling and breaking and shifting. When he came to the top of the hill, he froze at the sight of the wild waves standing up and crashing over. That was the source of the noise. He quickened his pace to catch up to Gabriel and suddenly, the ocean was coming closer. His eyes went wide with fear and he danced backward with a startled yelp, his wings fluttering as he tried to escape.

Gabriel spun around in alarm, then cocked his head at the sight of the Fledgling standing just beyond the waterline. He looked incredibly small and vulnerable, his silver eyes nearly as big as saucers and his wings were flared.

Eliyon gave him a pleading look. "It tried to get me," he said in a small voice.

Gabriel laughed and shook his head. "Come here, Eliyon."

Eliyon shook his head slowly and emphatically. Suddenly, Gabriel was there and he felt the Archangel's hands on his arms. Then, just as suddenly, he was in the middle of the noisy surf. He yelped in fear and jumped, flapping his wings desperately but unable to fly because of Gabriel's grip.

"Eliyon, calm down!" Gabriel told him as he was buffeted by the Fledgling's panicked flapping. The wings stilled but he still felt Eliyon's weight and saw the Fledgling was holding his feet up, his knees pressed to his chest.

"I don't want it to get me!" Eliyon cried and he sounded close to tears.

"It's not going to get you," Gabriel told him reasonably. "It's not alive."

"It's moving and making noise—"

"That's because it's so big," Gabriel explained. "These waves are like huge ripples. The beach goes all the way out into the water, and it's constantly getting deeper. So, when ripples start coming into the shallows, they get taller and taller until they fall over. See? Watch."

Eliyon watched apprehensively and yes, he had to admit that everything seemed to happen just like Gabriel described.

"Look down," Gabriel told him and Eliyon's dark head tilted to see the surf swirling around Gabriel's ankles. "It's not hurting me."

"You're an Archangel," Eliyon pointed out with a frown.

Gabriel burst out laughing at that. "Eliyon," he began once he could speak again, "would I put you in danger?"

The question took Eliyon aback and his wings drooped a little. "No," he said sheepishly.

"No," Gabriel confirmed. "Put your feet down."

Eliyon slowly unfolded himself, refusing to curl up again when the water hit his feet. Gabriel released his arms and Eliyon stood very still as the surf swirled around them both.

"Well?' Gabriel asked.

"It's cold," Eliyon remarked.

Gabriel grinned and walked farther out until he was at the point where the waves were the tallest. One came surging up the beach, towering over the Archangel and crashing down on top of him. Eliyon chimed in terror as Gabriel disappeared under the water.

The ocean ate him!

A chill washed over him and an instant later, he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

"He's alright, little one," Lucifer promised him.

Gabriel came up a second later with a whoop, flapping his wings and slinging water in every direction.

"There," Lucifer said confidently. "You see?"

Eliyon nodded and his panic slowly subsided.

Gabriel turned around and his eyes widened with surprise at the sight of his brother. "What brings you down here?" he asked, coming up the beach.

Lucifer patted Eliyon's shoulder. "You frightened him, Gabriel," he said, his tone mildly scolding.

Gabriel's mouth fell open. "That badly?!" he asked Eliyon.

Eliyon dropped his eyes.

"Ah, kiddo, I'm sorry," he said. "The water feels good. You want to give it a try?"

Eliyon peeked up at him and Gabriel could see the cautious curiosity in his eyes.

"Not here," Gabriel told him. "I'll take you someplace else where the waves aren't so big. Yeah?"

Eliyon nodded.

"Sorry about that, Lucifer," Gabriel said.

"No apology needed," the Morningstar replied easily. "I didn't mind coming down to check."

Gabriel grinned and flapped more water from his wings. Eliyon shrieked with startled laughter and Lucifer reared away from him.

"Gabriel!" he snapped. "For the love of Father!"

"Heh, there's some for you too," Gabriel laughed. His laughter turned into a gasp when Lucifer heaved him out into the ocean past the waves with a mighty splash. He came up sputtering and with a few flaps, landed back on the beach. "What was that?" he demanded, drying himself off.

"You are not Heaven's first prankster," Lucifer smirked. "Don't forget, little brother, I taught you your tricks. Don't. Even. Try it."

With a sheepish grin, Gabriel dissipated the orb of seawater that had been hovering over Lucifer's head.

"When you have finished your play, I trust you'll come home," Lucifer said dryly.

"Of course," Gabriel replied with a dismissive wave and Lucifer left. "Come on, Eliyon. Let's find some Fledgling sized waves."

They found a small cove where the sea was calm and Eliyon could play. He splashed through the water, soaking his wings and flinging drops everywhere. He studied the brightly colored fish and corals and looked for more shells with crabs in them.

"You want to go somewhere different?" Gabriel asked after about an hour.

"There's more?" Eliyon asked in wonder.

Gabriel grinned. "Come on." He took Eliyon's hand and soon, they were standing in a forest.

"Oh, I like this place," Eliyon said, turning in a circle. "There are so many smells. What are those?"

Gabriel looked where Eliyon was pointing and saw several gray shapes moving through the underbrush. "Those are called wolves. There's the pack leader—"

"I like the little ones," Eliyon said.

"The pups? Yeah, I guess that makes sense," Gabriel grinned. "They're small like you."

Eliyon wandered closer to them and the wolves looked up at him. "They can see me," he said in wonder.

"They can, but humans can't," Gabriel said. "I'm not sure why that is."

He only looked away for a moment and suddenly, he felt something shift in the air around him. Eliyon had stepped through to the physical plane.

"Eliyon!" he called in alarm. The Fledgling didn't have a vessel, didn't know the first thing about getting one or how to move between the planes. "ELIYON!"

He could still feel him nearby but he couldn't see him. The wolves were still there and Gabriel let his gaze sweep over them, studying the woods around him. Then, a movement among wolves caught his attention again and he studied the pack. Where there had been five pups before, now there were six.

Gabriel huffed in frustration, his Grace coiled with worry and he was on the verge of calling Lucifer down himself. "Eliyon? Where are you?" he called again and the air pulsed slightly as he pushed his Grace into his words, almost turning them into a command.

The ferns on his right rustled suddenly and his missing Fledgling appeared, standing in the middle of the wolf pack. The Archangel stared, speechless. Eliyon had no vessel, but his form was solid, physical. He turned and saw Gabriel and his happy expression faltered.

"What is it, Gabriel?" he asked worriedly.

"What are you doing?" Gabriel asked in shock. He hesitated to tell the Fledgling what he had done. If Eliyon was unaware that he had crossed into the physical plane and he panicked, he might not be able to cross back over.

"I wanted to see the pups," Eliyon said simply.

"Alright, well, can you come back to me, now?" Gabriel requested, trying to keep his voice steady.

Eliyon nodded and Gabriel held his breath. The Fledgling crossed back over with terrifying ease and he sighed with relief.

"What's wrong?" Eliyon asked.

"Eliyon, do you know where you were? Do you know what you did?" Gabriel asked. "You crossed into the physical plane." He looked back at the wolves, seeing the mother gather up five pups.

That sixth pup must wander like my Fledgling does.

Eliyon gaped at him. "I didn't mean to," he said quietly. When he had approached the wolf pups, the environment had suddenly shifted and he felt…different. "But, there aren't any human's around to carry me," he added in confusion.

"I know," Gabriel told him. "That's why I was worried. Let's head back, alright? I think we've had enough fun for one day."