Hello everyone! So, what was suppose to be a OS became a little series! I have posted those on AO3 but completely forgotten to published them here! ^^'' I hope you'll enjoy them!
I own nothing, as Good Omens is the propriety of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett and Amazon Prime!
Enjoy! o/
Ps: I'm not an English writer, so please forgive my mistakes!
In the Begining, it was just Her.
Nothing existed at this time, a concept that didn't exist yet. It was simply Her, alone, floating in the void, and because she became aware of her loneliness, She created something.
A little being just like Her, but not quite.
And once she was done, She Kissed its forehead, breathing Her love into it and the little being stirred and woke up. The little being's blue eyes blinked twice at her, brown hair floating around its head, and She smiled while hugging the little being closer to Her chest.
Welcome to life, My Child. Your name is Michael.
And thus was created the very first Archangel.
In the Beginning, it was just the two of them. Michael and God. God and Michael.
She taught the little Archangel of what she knew, of what was their little world, which consisted mostly of nothingness. But they had each other to keep themselves company, so it was enough.
Michael was aware of a third being lurking at the edge of their little world. When she asked Her, God simply shook her head.
As far as I am concerned, he was always here, maybe he was the first one to exist, even before me. And he will be the last one to disappear. He doesn't have my power, though, so maybe I should him something in which he could incarnate. I suppose it's not very nice to be a simple shadow of Creation.
"What is he?" asked Michael in a little-young voice.
DEATH said the being, AND AS YOUR MOTHER SAID, I AM SIMPLY A SHADOW OF THE CREATION and the little Archangel simply nodded before turning back to Her*.
Once God and herself were done to live in a vast void of nothingness, both decided that maybe it was the moment to create something in which they could be.
And, as the two worked together, Heaven was created.
*It was a concept that she couldn't understand, not yet. But after that, a long time after, but still too soon to her own taste, she'll painfully learn the meaning behind his very existence, and it hurts.
In the Beginning, it was just the two of them. Or three, if you counted him.
God kept her promise, and once both She and Her Archangel were done with creating Heaven, She made a vessel for him. In a way, it was similar to Michael's, but at the same time, it lacked something that the angel couldn't point out.
THANK YOU said Death, and God simply nodded.
Would you like to have a name?
The being in front of them made a movement, and the shrug was invented.
IF YOU LIKE TO GIVE ME ONE, THEN I DON'T MIND
Fine. From now on, your name is Azrael. Said God, and Azrael bowed his head.
AS YOU WISH, then he disappeared.
Michael gazed for a long time at the place where Azrael had been a few moments ago, her hand slipped into Hers.
"Do you think we'll see him again?" she asked, "He seemed nice."
And God, at those words, smiled sadly at her.
For your sake, I hope that the day you'll cross path with him will never happen.
Michael didn't understand and tilted her head at Her, but She simply patted her head with one warm hand, and both of them never talk about it again.
In the Beginning, it was just the two of them. And maybe Azrael, but mostly Michael and God.
And even if God was omnipotent, and Michael of good company, in the end, spending a long amount of time with the same person could be such a bore.
Heaven, under their careful work, had expended more and more, and God informed Michael that She planned to fill the place with more creations.
And so, She began to work, creating other beings like Michael, but different at the same time.
They seemed less… Powerful than her, more carefree, and soon enough, the Archangel found herself in charge of younger angels, teaching them some of the things that God had taught her. But she couldn't teach them certain things, things that made her different from the rest of the angel, and it hurt.
Because she was still alone.
The other angels, even if they turned toward for word of guidance, seemed to perfectly enjoy being between themselves and not with the one who had been around for almost as long as God.
But she never complained. Her Mother seemed content with the angels She had created, and She seemed to not plan to create more of them.
Maybe She thought they were enough, now? It certainly must be the case, and Michael still loved all the other angels…
But they were so different…
What the Archangel didn't know was that God didn't want for Her first child to be alone. She could feel the loneliness pouring out from Michael, and it made Her heart ached as She remembered a time when she was all alone too.
So, one day, God went in the middle of Heaven, a few elements floating around her, sat down at her usual place and began to work.
Michael, even from afar, could tell this one was going to be different.
She flew as fast as she could from where she was to arrive just in time to watch Her Mother kissed her newest creation forehead.
The little being blink, green eyes looking up at Her, love shining in their depths, and God smiled back at him.
Welcome to life, My Child. Your name is Samael.
At those words, Samael's smile widened even more that one could see light emanating from his aura, warming Michael in the inside.
He shines like a morning star…
Michael, could you come here?
The Archangel looked up at Her Mother, nodding a little before stepping carefully toward the pair.
Once she was at their level, She took her hand and put it in Samael smaller one.
Michael, this is Samael. He is an Archangel, just like you. From now, you have the responsibility of taking care of him, just like I did to you when I created you.
Michael gaze went from Her face to the little one, who watched her with big green eyes in which one could see all the beauty of the world. The older Archangel felt something melt inside her chest as they gaze into each other eyes, and Michael smiled fondly at him.
"Hello, Samael. I am happy to make your acquaintance. I hope we will get along." She said, and the younger one beamed at her before circling her waist with his arms, burying his face in her chest.
The Archangel blinked once, then twice, her arms hovering the little being's form, not knowing what to do, before she decided to put them on his head, patting it, while letting warm and soft feeling going out of her hand to Samael's body.
She could feel the smile he was giving her without seeing it, and it warmed Michael in the inside.
And next to them, God smiled softly at the two siblings*.
*Neither of them will think of their relationship as something akin to have siblings until much later, until after a certain purple-eyed archangel came into their life. And even then, they wouldn't admit out loud to themselves, until it was too late.
Since that moment, Michael had someone. Someone who looked up at her with so much trust and love in their eyes that she almost burst with happiness.
Samael is like a shining light in Heavens, so much that sometimes it almost blinded all those who are around them.
But the brightest smile he gave was the one he reserved exclusively to Their Mother and her.
And everything felt right, from the secret smiles the two Archangels shared after playing a little prank to Samael's hand into her's.
And oh! Oh, Michael would like to show Samael how much she loved him!
But she was God first creation, and for a long time, she was the only one living being with Her. So it wasn't a surprise if she took a lot after Her.
Her Mother was someone loving and caring, but She rarely gave marks of Her affection, and the older Archangel was the same.
Samael never held it against her, and Michael couldn't be more grateful to have him as an alter ego.
They were in the void surrounding Heavens, and Michael told Samael about before, when it was only her and Their Mother.
The older angel laughed a little at her sibling.
"I'm sorry, little one, but I don't have the answer to this question"
Samael pouted, "But you told me that She taught you everything!" and Michael smiled at him.
"I told you that She taught me everything I know. There's a lot of things that I'm not aware of. But then again, only She can know everything."
Samael frowned a little, and Michael knew that it wouldn't be the end of it. But the other Archangel was still young and had a lot to learn. Time will soothe his worry and wonderings about God and knowledge.
Michael was certain of that.
Instead, she asked
"I saw that Our Mother asked you to do something, didn't she?"
The pouting on the younger angel face faded away to allow a big, bright smile enlighted his face.
"Oh yes! I haven't told you! She came to me and ask my opinion about something. I didn't understand it all, but She told me it is a part of a Big Project, even if I really don't know a lot about it! She told me to think a little by myself and then going back to Her to told Her what I thought about! She said that you could help me too!" exclaimed Samael while grabbing her hand, "Come on! I have written down some of my ideas back at home, I have to show them to you! And maybe after that, we could…"
Michael simply laughed at the younger Archangel enthusiasm.
"Fine, fine, I'm following you, Lucifer*."
*Seeing that Samael smile was as bright as the light, Michael quickly found herself giving him a little surname, and only she was allowed to use it (as decreed by Samael. Once, much later, Raphael would try to use this surname, and saying that Lucifer was not quite pleased by the fact was an understatement.). The name, far later, in the language of the human, would mean 'light-bringer', which weren't so far from the meaning that Michael had given to the surname.
In the Beginning, it was the two of them. Michael and Samael. Both were Her creations, like all the others She had created, but special in their own way.
Thus, the two Archangels went on with their life in the Heavens. And as the time passed, Samael learned more and more about his place Up There, under Michael stern but kind tutelage.
Time passed, and more angels were added in the Heaven, but there were still only two.
Until the day they became three.
Michael and Samael weren't there when the little was brought to life, and God was the one to present Gabriel to them.
The older Archangel couldn't believe that someone eyes could be so big. Or maybe it was because it had been a long time since she had been in contact with a little one?
Nevertheless, she looked down at him and held a smile in her eyes. She still wasn't one for a display of affection, but she would do everything in her power to make him feel loved.
Samael, as always, brightly welcomed the little Gabriel in their life, and unknowingly blinded him with his inner light. Michael had to bite her cheek to not laugh when she saw the younger one rubbed his eyes at Lucifer smile.
It was strange though Michael later when both she and Samael were in the void surrounding Heavens, teaching Gabriel how to use his wings, This feeling in my chest. This feeling of me, and Samael, and Gabriel…It warm, and soft.
Samael and Gabriel were laughing and grinning from ears to ears, and Michael felt one appeared on her lips too and she let herself fly on the feeling that was swirling in her chest and bursting out of her, blending with the other Archangels happiness.
I hope this will never end.
In the Beginning, it was just God, then God and her.
Then She created more of them, and she was alone.
Then they were two, then three.
Now they were four.
And Michael knew that she was whole for the first time.
It was four Archangels, it was two pair, but it was one unity.
And Michael couldn't have been happier than now. True, she wasn't as close to Gabriel and Raphael that she was with her Lucifer. True that Gabriel and Raphael shared a special bond, but the connexion she had with Samael was special too.
But it was only when the four of them were working together that they could produce something truly wonderful.
And the first thing they created together, unknowingly, was their little family. Gabriel was the first one to thought about it, but too shy to express the idea to the others, kept it to himself.
Samael and she heard him ask Their Mother about it, and before they knew it, it was a tacit agreement that they'll do anything for their little Gabriel.
Their little brother.
Sometimes, when no one was around, Michael prayed. Her Mother rarely answered her calls nowadays, but the Archangel prayed anyway.
Thank you was all she said, Thank you for giving me a family, she prayed, not knowing that Up Above, She was watching the four of them with fondness.
She had heard the rumour.
She had seen how more and more angels seemed to question Her authority.
She was prepared for something bad, so bad that she'll have to fight.
But she never had thought that she'll have to raise her sword against her little brother.
"You went to far this time, Samael." Hissed coldly Michael, her sword meeting the steel of Lucifer's, and she raised one of her wings to protect Raphael behind her, "And I won't let you hurt one of us like this!"
She locked eyes with her first brother, and all she could see was a twisted soul, so hurt, so hating, so lost that she couldn't recognize her little Lucifer anymore.
And by their fight, the fight between God first creation and Her brightest one, that the War in Heavens began.
They fought against one another, then others angels came, trying to stab her in the back, and she lost Lucifer from her sight, only to find him once more, this crazy look in his green eyes as he thrust his blade into an angel's chest, and she cried and fought him once more.
There was blood on her sword, on her clothes, on her face, and maybe she was crying and yelling at the same time and still carried on.
She couldn't, she wouldn't believe that her brother, her little Lucifer had become this twisted monster with this wild look in his eyes…
And so, she fought without thinking, trying to push aside all the hurt emotions twirling in her chest, trying to forget the fact that… That…!
The ground shook under their feet, and all the fightings around them stopped. Both Archangels kept their swords crossed in front of them, not knowing what to do as Her judgement crashed upon them.
By my words, all those who had wronged me, doubt me and cursed My name shall be punished and burn for all the rest of eternity!
The ground under them disappeared the next moment, and Michael felt the dark ropes before they materialized, catching all the rebellious angels by the ankles, dragging them down.
Samael is the first one to Fall, and he tried desperately to grab something as Michael watched him in a frozen state, horror drew on her features.
Samael fought against the pull dragging him downward, but it was pointless.
The next moment, he fell through the ground, shooting star across the sky, his Grace ripped out of him and he hollowed from the pain of his burning wings.
Michael couldn't stop herself.
When she saw that her brother had lost his grip, she reached forward, trying foolishly to grab Samael hand, and her blue eyes caught his green one…
And she saw Lucifer. Her Lucifer, her little brother, and not the twisted monster he had become in the end.
She saw the terror, the pain and the regret, and Michael couldn't ease his pain.
She kept watching until he disappeared under the surface of Earth, and even after that, she couldn't detach her gaze from the ground.
Then, there was a second wave of Her presence, enveloping all the universe, Heaven, Earth and Under it, and the next moment, Michael felt herself slip into oblivion.
There was a crashing sound as if something was breaking, then nothing.
It was a time at the Begining, a little after Samael creation, and Michael was flying with him in the void surrounding their Home.
A lot of things needed to be invented at this period and both Archangels had a lot of free time, even if the younger one had still a lot of things to learn.
They were simply flying, circling each other, giggling and enjoying each other presence. No word was needed as they knew each other like the back of their hand.
And just before they returned to Heaven, Michael allowed herself to show Lucifer one of the rare, but so precious, mark of affection she could give.
Reaching out for him, she enveloped the younger Archangel in her arms, folding her wings around the pair, letting her Grace flowing through Lucifer's body.
He sighed with pleasure, nuzzling closer to her, and both stayed this way for a long time.
When she opened her eyes, nothing was the same in Heaven.
God had done something to them, to their memories. Michael knew it.
The problem was that she couldn't point out what.
For the rest of the angels, it was as if they were more once upon a time, then a group of rogue angels decided to rebel, then the war, then the Fall. Who they were was nothing of importance.
And it bothered Michael.
Because she knew there was something more, something that she could remember, but if the broken pieces in her heart were any kind of indication, then something was truly missing.
She knew that the Archangels were supposed to be four, and after the war, they eventually returned to this number.
Uriel and Sandalphon, that was their name. The name of the new Archangels who never knew what it was to fight in a war between angels.
Between brothers and sisters…
She knew that they were new pieces supposed to fill the vacant places left behind the two fallen, but no matter what, no matter how Michael try to make them fitted, she couldn't.
They were too sharp, or too soft on the edges, and they couldn't complete the puzzle of Michael broken world.
The only one that still fit in it was Gabriel, but it hurt too much to let him stay too close to her heart that she pushed him away.
And sometimes, she wondered, if by acting this way she didn't make the younger Archangel feel as if he had lost three siblings instead of two…
But Michael couldn't fix the harm she had done to her little brother.
Because how could she?
She was far too broken to be any kind of help to anyone.
A serpent came to Eden, tempted Eve to bite in the apple, the Adam.
It was the Fall of the Man.
Michael was there when Gabriel proposed to place a certain Aziraphale as their representative in Heaven. The older Archangel knew had heard of the young Principality, an angel from the second generation, like Uriel or Sandalphon, agreeing with the decision as her brother pointed out how it could be the appropriate punishment for a being not able to protect the Humans from the demon.
And maybe if she hadn't been so lost in her thought, Michael could have seen the strange, mischevious gleam in Gabriel's eyes.
But she didn't.
And Aziraphale was placed on Earth to guide humanity to do good things.
But Michael hardly cared.
Metatron had come to her, the leader of the Archangel, to tell her about 'The Great Plan'. And since, she could only think about it.
The human fell from grace because of the temptation of a demon.
The demons were the rebellious angels who had Fall after the War.
Those angels were the reason for the War.
They were the reason Michael whole world was broken.
And the Archangel felt rage born in her chest.
I'm going to make them pay… she thought When the time will come and Heaven and Hell will fight to end the other once and for all… I'll do everything in my power to destroy them…
And maybe I'll be able to be whole again.
Time came and passed, Michael stayed Up in her office in Heaven, working with Gabriel, Uriel and Sandalphon, watching how the human race was developing, and nurturing her desire of revenge against the demon.
Six thousand years passed, the Antichrist was brought to Earth.
And the Archangel knew that her time had finally come.
She had seen all the imagery human had created about Heaven, Hell and their people, and she particularly liked those were they represented her slaying the Demon with her sword*.
She could imagine herself doing the same with Satan, and this simple thought brought her some kind of twisted joy.
Maybe she shouldn't feel such negatives emotions, but then again, she was broken for a too long time to really care.
As the Apocalypse came closer, more Michael worked hard on training her troops and training herself back into shape.
And she realized that maybe she was overdoing herself the day Gabriel asked her if she was fine.
"Yes, yes, I am, it's just… With all the preparation for the Armageddon, training the army and getting back into shape… I've hardly time for myself lately."
Or more exactly, she didn't allow herself to have time to take care of her.
Gabriel smiled sadly at her, "Same here…"
Michael looked silently at her younger brother, and she couldn't help but noticed how much he had aged during the last centuries. Something she hadn't noticed until now.
And not simply because of the time that had passed**, but it was something different than getting old, something deeper, hidden in the depth of his gaze, a wound that could never be healed.
When her little brother came forward to envelop her in his arm, Michael felt the stinging taste of guilt in the back of her throat.
What a bad sister she had been. She thought as she returned the hug, caressing Gabriel's head with one hand.
"It's going to be okay…" she found herself murmuring, "I'm going to protect you, little brother, and I promise I won't fail you, not as I have failed them…"
And that was true. It was a promise she had made to herself six thousand years ago when she had learn about The Great Plan.
She had failed her little brothers once, during the First War, and she had lost them in the end. And even she couldn't remember their name or their face, she couldn't forget the pain.
She couldn't, wouldn't fail Gabriel this time.
She couldn't lose him too, or she'll be finally completely broken with no chance of fixing her ever again.
"Once… Once everything is over… Would you like to go for a fly Out There? Like we used to?" Michael eventually asked, and she felt Gabriel hugging her a little harder.
"Yes… Yes, of course."
*Even if she had to admit that she couldn't understand why humans kept representing her as a male. Maybe Angels didn't have gender, but she always considered herself as a 'she', just like Gabriel as a 'he' or Uriel a 'them'.
**They were angels, thus technically immortal, Time didn't have any kind of hold upon them.
She felt it.
She felt the disappearance of the Horsemen, and with them, all her plans of getting her revenge over the demons who had taken everything from her vanished in less than a second.
The Great Plan wouldn't happen. The War was cancelled, and it was as if her entire world shattered under her feet.
"What… What happened?" she murmured, looking at Gabriel, completely lost, "The Armaggedon… It… It didn't…"
Her little brother put one hand on her shoulder, "I don't know, but I'm planning to get the answer to that question."
And before Michael could stop him, Gabriel walked away, and the older Archangel almost wanted to beg him to stay because I thought that the War would help me to heal my broken world, but now it will not happen, and if you're not with me, I fear that I'm going to lose myself into oblivion.
Uriel and Sandalphon looked revolted, trying to keep their troops in order, and they didn't seem to notice the Archangel distress. But then again, they weren't truly a part of her whole.
How could they help her?
Finally, Gabriel returned to Heaven, and he announced them that two 'meddling angel and demon' had found a way to brainwash the Antichrist to not start Armageddon and that it wouldn't happen.
It was chaos for a few hours in Heaven, as angels protested, and it took them a long time to bring back to order.
Once it was done, Michael went to the Archangels meeting room to discuss Aziraphale treason.
And later, when each Archangel returned to their own device, the first of them all couldn't help but wonder.
Why does Gabriel look so pleased with how the turn of events, deep down in his eyes?
"I came to bring back the… Oh, Lord."
"Michael! Dude, can you use a miracle to give me bath towel?" said the demon known as Crowley, and Michael, too shocked, did as she was asked, giving the demon who had survived Holy fucking water the towel he had asked.
Okay, this… This was too much for her. First the War in Heaven, then her broken world, the failed Armaggedon and now this?
She needed a vacation.
In a sort of a daze, she returned to Heaven. She vaguely heard about the 'angel who survived Hellfire', and it didn't surprise her, as she had seen the equivalent for a demon Down There.
She was bone-tired, and all she wanted was to lay down and reflect on her life for the next few days.
When her path crossed Gabriel's, she excused herself, telling him that she needed a little time to think, but after that, they'll go to do the flight she had promised him a few days before.
Once back in her quarters, she miracled herself a bed (that she never needed before), fall into it, and let all her thoughts flew through her head.
And it was quite a mess.
She knocked at her brother office's door.
"Gabriel?" she called, popping her head inside, "Are you busy?"
Looking up from a piece of paper on his desk, he smiled a little at her.
"Not really. Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, I am." Nodded Michael, stepping into the room. "Do you remember about the flight I promise you?"
The smile on Gabriel face reached his purple eyes, and he stood up.
"Of course." He said, extending one hand at her, "Shall we?"
Michael smiled in return, grabbed the offered hand, and both Archangels spread their wings and flew straight into space.
It had been such a long time since the last time they did this… Maybe even before the Fall of the Man, and the older Archangel realized how much she missed this feeling of flying purely for leisure with her brother.
Maybe there was a lot of missing or broken pieces in her world, but Gabriel always had been the one to always fit exactly where he belonged in her heart.
Gabriel who was still in Heaven after the War.
Gabriel the one who she didn't fail back then.
Gabriel, the little brother she taught how to fly with someone else.
Gabriel, the one who helped her to run Heaven for six thousand years after the Fall of the Man.
Gabriel, the one she had abandoned because she was to hurt.
Gabriel, the one she had neglected for a desire for revenge against Hell.
Gabriel, the one to who she should have been a true sister and not the shadow of an angel she had become with the time.
Gabriel, the one who had shadows in his eyes and who looked so much older than he should.
Gabriel, haunted by their past, and she hadn't noticed it until now.
And Michael realized how much wrong she had done to him.
They were flying somewhere between Saturn and Neptun when she broke into tears.
Gabriel, at first, didn't seem to understand what was happening. When he caught up with the fact that Michael was actually crying, he didn't hesitate to reach for her and enveloping her in his arms.
And all she did was sobbing.
"I'm sorry, so sorry Gabriel…!" she said between her tears, "All this time, I… I didn't… I wasn't there for you, and you were all alone!" she cried, "You were alone when I should have been there for you! Protecting you! I shouldn't have let my broken feelings prevent me being there for you! I should have been there all along! Prevent those shadows to haunt your eyes! I should have realized sooner that there were so many things more important than my desires for revenge! I should have known better! I should have been a better angel, a better sister for you-!"
"Michael, please…" said Gabriel in a broken voice, and the next moment, the two Archangels were a sobbing mess in the middle of the universe.
There was so many broken feelings laying at their feet, years, centuries, millenniums of unsaid thought, of well-kept and gathered emotions until they were drowning in them. And still, they found a way to accumulate more.
Gripping at her brother suit, she murmured in a soft voice.
"Could you ever forgive me…?" and God, her hand was shaking.
Gabriel nodded in her neck.
"Of course I could. I already did, years ago…" he wept, stroking her back with one hand, "But… I'm so glad to have you back, big sister…"
It was enough to send Michae back into another round of tears, and the two of them stayed a long, so very long time up in the universe, crying, apologizing and fixing all that was broken between the two.
And later, when Michael considered her little world, she could see that even if there was still a lot of missing pieces to it, the part where Gabriel had always been there seemed brand new, and it warmed the older Archangel in the inside.
And there was this little flicker of hope in the back of her mind…
Maybe if she worked hard enough… Maybe if she tried hard enough…
Then maybe she'll remember what happened to her missing parts.
And she'd be finally whole again.