"How does everyone fair?"

After a long month of taking so many under their wings, they were finally able to congregate and discuss their progress and patients, something that had been delayed with their latest addition. Not that they would turn her away, she needed help, definitely needed another friend, no, they would never have thought to turn her away when she clearly needed cared for.

Oren rubbed at his cheek. "Andrew and Daniel are progressing. Though their insomnia remains in place. I requested a stronger sleeping drought for them." Zed nodded in affirmation, his Captain had requested such a thing, and it was stewing for use later. They all peered over to where the two guards lay sleeping, it took some time for their current sleeping droughts to take effect, but their peace was enough to lighten anyone's heart.

"We're making progress as well." Akriel strokes his fingers down the side of his latest charges head, tucked against his side, Gzel stares ahead into a void only she can see. "Aren't we, little friend?" She looks up at him, and he smiles, giving a nod of encouragement. They were still working on using their words, still working on talking over attacking, well, trying to attack. They were a work in progress. "Yes." Akriel's helping. He's so nice. Gzel likes Akriel. Gzel likes being with Akriel. Gzel likes talking to Akriel. She nods slightly. "Yes." They all smile at her, they're still learning to use their words, but it's getting better every day.

Ephraim looks over his shoulder to his sleeping charge. "We're still working on a few things too." Smiling at the peaceful expression that has taken over in sleeps gentle clutch. "Zaves still has a hard time sleeping on his own. He's started falling asleep on his own. But I still have to check on him every thirty minutes or so." Their little messenger mumbled in his sleep, curling his hand up under his nose, turning against the pillow silently.

"The two fledglings are doing surprisingly well." Constantine peered over at the two little ones, sleepy blissfully unaware that they were being talked about, and he smiled fondly at them. "They've found a friend in Nisroc." They slept in his bed with him. One spread out on top of him and the other curled around one of his arms. The Healer smiles at the sight they make together. "He is a good friend to have. He keeps them preoccupied from the thoughts of their missing flock. He keeps them entertained, and though it would go without blame, out from under our feet while we work."

"Speaking of Nisroc," The Healer looks between them all with a seriousness that has them on guard. "He cares immensely for his fellow Powers, they are all brothers, keep a close eye on them all." Raphael looks to one in particular, the one who had walked in on back in the washroom in the midst of a rather violent panic attack and bows his chin. "It was only the other day that I walked in on Haniel in the midst of a rather wrathful panic attack."

"A panic attack?"

"Indeed." He gives a slight nod. "It was a rather nasty one. It took some time to calm him down once more. Keep a close eye on them. I fear they are all rather fearful that Michael will find a way to take them from us. Give them reassurance that they are more then safe under our care."

"Akriel?" She sounded nervous. "Can we talk?"

He looked up from what he was doing, stilling the motion of suturing the gash on their newest patients leg, one of the guards had caught him in his pursuit to get within the Infirmary. The Healer had caught him when his leg gave out, declaring him as one of his own immediately, slamming the doors shut behind him as he guided his newest patient to his bed. "Of course, we can." The Virtue smiles at her. "Give me a minute?"

Gzel nods, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, clutching to the sleeves of her upper arms tightly.

Akriel smiles at her again, nodding in appreciation, and returns to his task at hand. There's only four more stitches that need completed and then she can have his undivided attention, just as he knows she needs when they talk, and he focuses on the gash before him with a certain amount of intensity so that he can complete his task and complete it correctly.

He cuts the thread and ties it off securely. The trauma specialist pat his foot lightly. "You're good to go, Maniel, try to take it easy for a while. I'll check on it a bit later."

Maniel nods, thanking him softly, and stands tenderly on his leg to limp back to his bed.

Washing his hands in the basin of water beside the work bench and turns to his personal patient as he dries his hands with a drying cloth, giving her a gentle calming smile. "What are we talking about, today?"

She looks around cautiously. Gzel is always cautious. You always had to be on your guard. Gzel was always on her guard. She'd be ready when the attack came, and she'd fight back, she wouldn't be easily taken down. "Can we talk somewhere else?"

Akriel nods at the request, concern bubbling up in his chest, and he sets the cloth down beside the basin of water. "Of course, we can." He raises his hand to her, an invitation for Gzel to curl into his side, and she steps forward with bare feet timidly. It's only when she curls her fingers into his own sleeve that he feels her hand trembling. "Hey," he rubs his hand over her arm. "It's okay." She looks up at him with deeply emotional eyes. "Let's go talk."

They walk passed the Healer, and he watches them from over his shoulder as they head for his office, humming under his breath as they disappear within the private room, and turns back to watching his patients move about for the day. He trusts Akriel to handle her with care, he knows what he's doing, he'll treat her wounded heart with great care.

Gzel turns from his side when they enter the office, pulling away from his arm curled around her back, and curls her arms back around herself.

He watches her closely for a moment, resting his hands on his hips lightly. "What are we talking about, Gzel?"

She huffs a deep breath, eyes swiveling around the Healer's office, ensuring she knew the ways out if she needed them. Gzel was trapped. She wasn't. She was. Gzel wasn't safe. She was safe. She wasn't. Akriel knew immediately that they were in the midst of an episode, her confused mind was clouding over everything, and she wasn't truly with him at the moment.

"Gzel." She doesn't respond. Gzel knows she should. It's Akriel. Nice, good, understanding Akriel. He's helping her use her words. Akriel doesn't get mad when she forgets to. And she forgets to a lot.

Akriel clears his throat and calls her name a bit louder, one couldn't touch the violently volatile angel when she was having an episode, she was more in tune to lash out. "Gzel. Can you hear me?"

He takes it as progress when she nods in response to his question. "Gzel, you needed to talk, remember?" Gzel nods fiercely and breaks her silence to suck in a deep shaky breath, uncurling from around herself to tangle her fingers in her hair. "Use your words, Gzel, let's talk."

"It's—I—It's happening again! I—I—Akriel!"

The Virtue nods calmly. "What's happening, Gzel, remember your words."

"I—I—the thoughts! I'm having those thoughts again!"

"You're getting that feeling someone's going to attack you again?" He sighs in concern, but nods in determination, Gzel was his responsibility now, he had laid claim over her. "You feel all that pent up energy, all that pent up emotion, all at once?"

Gzel nods fiercely once again, her fingers curled tightly against her head, and breathes in deep bursts.

"You need a way to get all that pent up energy out." Akriel points a finger at her as it dawns on him. An idea has come to him, an idea that could help them both, in so many different ways. "You stay here, alright, I'll be right back." He thrusts his finger at her. "Stay right here."

Gzel nods, watching him with wide eyes as he turns and leaves the office for a moment, listening intently to his footsteps as he walks away from the office. She sucks in a breath, silencing her breathing, she can hear him talking to someone, hears a deep voice respond in kind, and then his boots start hitting the stone flooring again as he turns back for her. Someone follows after him.

Her friend returns first, holding his hand out to stay the other out in the hall, and Akriel smiles at her as he stands just before the doorway. "I have a friend who can help you spend up that built up energy." He bows his head slightly. "Is it okay if he comes in?" Gzel nods again, she trusts Akriel, she knows Akriel wouldn't let anything bad happen, if Akriel says that they're friends then they have to be good. If Akriel trusts them then Gzel should too.

Akriel nods encouragingly. "Okay, Nis you can come in."

Another man steps around the corner. He's got bright eyes and a smile. His hair is wrapped up in a bun on his head. He's tall and looks strong. Like a fighter. Gzel's a fighter. They can be fighters together.

"Gzel, this is Nisroc." Akriel gestures to the man. "Nisroc, this is Gzel."

He's heard about her already, of course, and he smiles in greeting. "Hello, little one." She stares at him with cautious eyes.

Akriel handles the introductions. They're still working on using their words.

"Nisroc, Gzel here is a fighter too."

"I've heard impressive things." Nisroc looks at her carefully and she shifts in her stance lightly. "I believe she broke Oren's nose rather badly. That's quite a powerful blow."

The Virtue turns back to his chosen charge. "Gzel, Nisroc here is the Captain of the Powers. He knows fighters rather well. He's going to help you spend that pent up energy."

Gzel tilts her head to the side. "How?"

Akriel gestures to his friend, and she follows his gesture, Nisroc has adjusted his stance as well. He stares at her intently, his hand held up to his shoulders, palm forward and fingers spread. "Raise your fists." His order is stern, but it's gentle, and she immediately falls into position, raising her fists as she's commanded. He shakes his right hand. "Left." And then his left. "Right." Gzel nods in understanding. She knows orders. Gzel can follow commands. Nisroc doesn't yell his commands. He's firm. But not too firm. Gzel readies herself for his commands. "When I say go, you're going to hook with your right hand, right hand only, and then the left. Right, left, right, left. Do you understand?"

Gzel nods sharply, breaths evening out, blood pounding in her ears, she waits for the command to begin.

Akriel smiles, leans against the edge of the doorframe, and crosses his arms over his chest. He had told her that they'd make new friends.

"Go."

"Where, oh where, could my little friends be?"

He heard the giggling from under the bed of course, you would have to be deaf in order for you to miss is, but he continues searching if just for show. He lifts the blankets, looks under the pillows, and leans forward on his elbows.

"They've just vanished!"

A smile comes to his lips, and he has to curl his hand around his mouth in order to hide it and makes a show of looking down to his feet with great sadness. "Whatever shall I do?" He sighs an exaggerated deep sigh. "I'm going to be so lonely now."

Another giggle, and the sound of little hands and feet patting against the stone flooring comes from the bed to his right.

"Nu-uh!"

"No!"

Two little bodies curl around his knees and he looks up with exaggerated happiness, holding his hands up in surprise, and they giggle in excitement.

"My little friends!" He looks between them with surprise. "Where did you come from!"

"We were under the bed!"

"We were hidin'!"

He chuckles at their excitement. "You two are very good hiders. I couldn't find you anywhere I looked!"

"We're sneaky!"

"We're the best at hiding!"

The older angel chuckles again, pulling them up to sit in his lap, and they squirm around to get comfortable. "Do you want to play again?"

"Nis wants to play again!"

"You count!"

Nisroc smiles, chuckling softly as he nods his head. "I'll count." Little Akeelah pokes his cheek and her little friend Jezaniah giggles softly. "Close your eyes!"

He closes his eyes, curling his fingers over them, and begins to count. The little fledglings giggle brightly and jump off his lap to hide again, they'd end up under the bed again, they always chose to hide under the bed, and he'd put on the same show every time, much to their delight.