He dabbed at her slick temple with a cool cloth for what was probably the tenth time in the same twenty minutes, not wanting her to suffer anymore heat than she already was, frowning when she mumbled listlessly in her sleep. He was no Healer, and with his older brother out tending to the rest of the fledglings in the Garden, he was the one left to take care of their own unwell little one.

The fledgling had started shivering some few minutes ago, and he was growing increasingly worried when it didn't seem as though it was going to stop any time soon, and he curled the blanket on the Morningstar's bed around her small shivering frame a bit more snuggly.

She grimaced in her half asleep state and fought him on it weakly "No Gabe. Hot. Hot."

"I know, little nugget, I know you are." He grabbed the little hand that reached out to push at the blankets, and pressed a kiss into her palm, "Just be brave for me."

Little Akeelah was pretty grown for her age, undoubtedly from what she had been forced to live through while growing through most of those formative years, but one of the endearing qualities of when she fell ill with human illnesses was how she seemed to regress to her natural age. She wants lots of cuddles, attention, belly rubs, to be held everywhere and anywhere, and never ever wanted to be alone. It was one of the true times they got to treat her like the fledgling she was, not that they didn't every other day, but it was one of the few times that she actually allowed it without some form of protest.

Her little eyes cracked open, dulled from fever raging through her, and he felt his heart drop at the little tears that gathered in her blue eyes, "Gabe, hurts."

"What hurts, little one?"

The Messenger leaned forward, stroking her cheeks with the cool cloth, feeling her warm forehead with the back of his hand tenderly. She sniffled and reached for his hand with her free one, the other still curled in his fingers, and he happily obliged her and curled his fingers around that one too, pressing a kiss to that little palm in similar fashion.

"Ever'thin' Gabe. Hurts."

"Oh, little one." He pulled the blanket he had just curled around her away and lifted her up into his arms. Little Akeelah curled around him miserably, her legs wrapping around his waist and her little arms around his neck as a warm little temple pressed into his shoulder. "I wish I could make you feel better again." He rubbed at her back and stood, swaying to an unheard tune, trying to sooth her upset away. Gabriel kissed the side of her warm little heard, pressing his nose to the soft braids, "Do you wanna go take a cool bath?"

The fledgling seemed to think on it, taking a moment, before nodding miserably into the crook of his neck. Her wish being his command, the Messenger rocked his arms with her in them, as he stepped out of his brother's room and down the hall to the washroom. She sniffled softly in his ear, a little tear dropping onto his shoulder as he stepped further into the cool room, toes curling over the warm stone under him.

Sitting them on a stone bench, he gingerly pulled his brothers tunic up over her heated little body, until she was in nothing but her undergarment, and he pulled his tunic up over his own head in quick succession.

The Messenger sat them in the shallows, where the water could roll gently into her chubby little belly, leaning the sickly little fledgling back against his chest. She sighed in relief, the water being just right, as it always was, and he cupped a few handfuls up to pour over her head. Letting the cool water drip down her braids and over her face, over her shoulders, and he did this a few times before curling his wet hand around her warm forehead. Akeelah's little hands rested under the water, on his knees, and she sighed softly against him.

"Is this better?" she nodded to his question.

They sat there for some time, not seeing the sun setting over them from within the cavern they sat in, and he hummed absently under his breath before a hand settled on his head, tilting it back to meet the concerned gaze of the Healer as he stood over them.

"How is she faring?" he let go of his head and knelt beside him instead, reaching to feel her forehead with his hand, frowning at the heat that hit his hand when he did, "Did she sleep at all?"

"Most of the day actually. How are the others doing?"

"Resting. They should be good as new in a few days. Has she eaten anything?"

Gabriel shook his head, "She says everything looks 'yucky' right now. Even peaches. Trust me when I say I truly tried."

"We'll have to see if we can get some broth into her when she wakes again." He stroked a few fingers over her temple, brushing one down the bridge of her nose, smiling when she sighed in her sleep at the soft touches, "I will get you both a towel." And stood to do as he said.

The Messenger passed his precious passenger up to his brother when he beckoned him to, watching for a moment as he straightened her and brought her in close to him, adjusting his grip as she curled around him. He stood from the water then, drying himself as best he could with soaked trousers, and his brother nodded towards the bench they had taken previously.

"I saw you in here a bit ago and got you new trousers before I came in."

He thanked his brother as he stepped passed to change. The Healer nodded in kind to his thanks and stepped out of the washroom, heading back for his older brothers room, when the fledgling stirred against his shoulder, "Hiya….Rapha….."

"Hello, little bear, how are you?"

"Cold. Big brother."

He carefully slipped one of his brothers clean tunics over her head, guiding her arms through the sleeves, and sat on the edge of the bed as he reached for a blanket to wrap around her. She sighed at the warmth it gave and cuddled closer to him.

"Better?"

"Mhm…Story?"

Raphael smiled, turning to lean against the headboard, looking up as his little brother sat at the end of the bed with them.

"Yes, I'll tell you a story."