Akeela was left to her own devices upon their return to Heaven, her four big friends disappearing with the others in quick succession; Michael escorted Nisroc to the Barracks, Lucifer had walked with Jeremiah back to the Pantheon, Raphael disappeared with Oren, and Gabriel dragged Zaveriel away by the arm. She heaved a sigh, sitting by herself on the steps to the house she stayed in most nights, and hunched over on herself resting her elbows on her knees.
They were going to be gone for a while, that much she could tell, and it left her to sigh heavily in her lonesome.
If she couldn't play with them then she'd find someone else to play with. She hopped down the steps and walked down the path quietly, pushing the gate open with little hands, and turned down the Axis. There was no one available to play with at the moment and so she walked down the street looking for something to distract herself with.
The Guards were standing in the same position they always did, waving in return when she waved to them in greeting, stepping up between them to knock on the grand doors to the Throne Room. A soft echo granted her entrance and she heaved the great doors open, slipping inside.
"Hello My little fledgling."
She stepped up to the tallest person she'd ever seen, "Hi Daddy."
He lifted her to sit on His knee when she raised her hands to Him in that universal sign of wanting to be picked up. She heaved a sigh and latched onto the front of His robe.
"What is on your mind little one?"
"The others are busy now Daddy."
He sat back in His throne, wrapping a hand around her middle to keep her from falling off, and waited for her to continue on.
"What are they up to?"
"Zaves got mad at Gabe for being ordered to protect Castiel and told him that they broke everyone and now theyre all gone.",She looked up at her Father with wide eyes, "I wish they'd all come back."
"Your friends are all upset, they need your older brothers to help them get better again, do you remember how you felt?"
Akeela nodded, looking down to her lap, and curled her fingers around His.
"But I don't get why they don't just stop."
"Some are not as strong as you are fledgling, though I do believe the war still has its toll on everyone despite their attempts to claim otherwise, including you My little one."
She was loath to admit it, she wanted to be strong, perhaps she wanted to be strong so she couldn't get hurt again. He rubbed a hand down the back of her head, humming lowly in His throat, and the fledgling looked back up to Him.
"I see how strong you are, little one, but I can also see the shadows that hide just out of sight in those sparkling eyes of yours. Unfortunately it is not so easy to get over for others. You just have to be strong for them until they can learn to be strong for themselves. And they will return the action in favor."
"But Daddy I just don't get it. The war was scary but why can't they just forget it."
"Have you forgotten it?"
She wanted to say yes but that would be lying and she knew that there was much that Daddy allowed them to do but lying was never going to be one of them. Sometimes it still haunted her, in the night time, especially when there was storms. He knew how the others felt and she wished that she didn't, or that she could help her friends feel better.
"Will they ever be okay again Daddy?"
"With time My little one. Only with time."