AN: a bit of filler progress to hold you over for the actual next chapter

As they walked down the Axis together towards their surprise destination, Michael takes the opportunity to look around at all the damage that has been wrought under his hand, as indirect as it may be while under the influence of a cruel deceiver, this is all to blame on him.

Buildings are destroyed, carts lay as fragments under their feet as they walk over the stone path, there's an emptiness along the Axis that should have never been allowed to grow and flower into something so deceivingly beautiful.

"Brother," the Healer speaks up from the older archangels right side, his staff thumping against the stone as they walk down the street, looking up to him in confusion. "I don't understand why you had me join you. I have patients I should be tending to. I don't have time for adventures."

"Believe me, little brother," Michael spares him a glance. "You will want to be present."

"But, for what?" Raphael is beginning to sound rather annoyed. "You haven't even told me where we are heading."

Truth be told, he wasn't exactly sure how his brother would react to what he was sure they would encounter, that being the reason he hadn't told him of what their destination was. There were few beings who knew the herbs needed to create a poison strong enough to incapacitate an archangel, and they had all been taught that fine knowledge by the Healer himself, and they ones he taught that knowledge to was limited in quantity. Semyaza had been raised by the Healer, until he chose the Choir at his Choosing, and was one of the few who had been taught that fine art. It was his specialty, having taken the teachings he was provided and expanding on them that even the Healer hadn't thought, and he used it with great care and great caution. Though, both were also taken in hand by a great stubbornness, it was not against his craft, it was just in his character. Just as the Healer could be stubborn himself. The other was his own Virtue, Zed, and he himself excelled in the craft he had been chosen to be taught, very much not as stubborn as his brother had been. Though the Virtue had the knowledge to create poisons untraceable, he preferred to use his specialty for healing, providing most of the tonics and concoctions that the Infirmary used on a daily basis.

And, there was one other who knew what was needed to create such a drought, one that was taught the fine art of an apothecary because of his place in tending to the herbs. He knew the ingredients that were needed because he knew all the plants of which he watched over and tended to.

Michael knew who had made the poison that had rendered him incapacitated, he knew it was not Zed, for he would never go against his commanders teachings in such a way. Semyaza hadn't been willing to make the poison needed to wake him up from his influenced state, not without urging from another source, and he hated those that thought they could order him about too much to be swayed by much of anyone else, and not even he would dare abuse the Healer's teachings. Raphael did not respond kindly to those who abuse his teachings. He was a Healer, he taught others how to heal, he did not teach for one to harm another.

So that left only one, whom he knew would not go against his former guardian in such a manner willingly, none of his pupils, former or current, never wanted to disappoint their old teacher and guardian.

It was process by elimination on his part, if not Zed of Semyaza, there was only one other.

"The Garden?" Michael looked over to his younger brother, Raphael stared at the great building in wonder, before turning to look at his older brother. "Why are we going here?"

"You taught only three the fine arts of an apothecary, yes?"

"Yes." The Healer nodded in confusion, understanding hadn't dawned on him yet, and he tilted his head slightly. "Semyaza, Zed, and Joshua."

Michael nodded, falling silent, and sighed when it still didn't seem to dawn on him why they were there. Gesturing for him to follow, he stepped forward onto the cobble stone path that winded through the vast lush Garden, following the path until they ran into the faint echo of voices, and continued drawing closer and closer to where they originated from.

There were two beings standing in the clearing they approached.

One stood with their head bowed slightly, but wise eyes staring up at their companion, bruises littering their face, not uttering a single word. The other was screaming, raging, thrusting fingers into the others face.

"You had one job! One! You said it would debilitate him!"

"And, it did." The calm one nodded softly. "You never said for me to make it irreparable, Zachariah."

"You should have already known, you dimwit! Have you any idea what's going to happen to me because of your incompetence!"

"Perhaps, you will be more clearly spoken in the future."

And then it happened, what he had been sure would come to pass, being which was the reason he brought the Healer with him on this adventure. Zachariah pulled his hand back, ring and all, and backhanded him so hard across the face that it caused him to whip around. Bruised green eyes peered over at them, as he touched a hand to his cheek, and looked down as he pulled it away to see blood staining his fingers.

Thunder rumbled overhead.

"How dare you!"

He had thought he would deal with Zachariah on his own, but it was his brothers grown fledgling that had been used and undoubtedly abused, thus he thought it appropriate to let the Healer be the one to deal with these transgressions. Thunder rumbles, and his brothers eyes blaze with a heated rage, as he steps forward. It's more of a stalking really. His younger brother is stalking forward.

"How dare you harm what's mine!"

The seraph is shocked at the notion of having been caught, holding his hands up placatingly towards the Healer, as he stalks close and closer. "Now, Healer, it's not what it looks like." He points a shaking finger at the Gardener. "He created a potion strong enough to incapacitate an archangel. He abused your teachings."

"Joshua would never abuse my teachings!" Only two sets of eyes see the way his fingers tighten around his staff as he quickly approach's the seraph, the only forewarning that's given, before he swings his staff around and whips it into the stomach of his grown fledgling's abuser. "Not unless he was coerced!"

Zachariah wheezes at the impact, folding over on himself as he wraps his arms around his stomach. "Joshua would never willingly harm anyone!" The Healer swings his staff around and cracks harshly over the abusers head. "How dare you intimidate one of my fledgling's into abusing my teachings!" Zachariah falls forward, collapsing harshly to the ground under him, hands whipping up to curl around his head. He jabbed the butt of his staff between the younger angels shoulders. "You stay there." Zachariah nods miserably, not daring to say a word, lest he direct the Healer's violent temper back on himself again.

Raphael leaves him there, stepping over Zachariah's prone form, and comes to stand before his Gardener. "Let me see, my little willow." Joshua straightens, pulling his hand away from his smarting cheek, to allow the Healer to examine the extent of the damage. God's Healer took hold of his chin carefully, tilting his head from one side to the other, examining the bruises with practiced eyes. "Nothing to bad, now." He touches a finger to the glistening cut under his eye. "A bit of bruising and a small laceration."

Joshua smiles at him. "I did not want to make such a thing."

"I know you would never. Not willingly." The archangel stroked his fingers lightly over his cheek. "You're coming with me. You're brothers will help tend to you."

"They can be so smothering." The Gardener smiles with an ounce of cheekiness. "Do they have to?"

"They would force their way in, and you know it."

"Come." He curls his arm around the Gardeners shoulders. "We will get you taken care of." He hums as they step over Zachariah's prone form. "Do not think I don't see those bags under your eyes hidden underneath all those bruises. We will patch up that cut on your cheek and then you will get some rest."

"Yes, big brother."

Michael smiles at them in amusement, his brother did and does take good care of his charges, past or present, no matter how old then may get. He steps forward, bending to lift the beaten seraph off the ground. "On your feet, Zachariah." He stumbles as he settles him on his feet, blood dripping down from his hairline and wheezing still. "Michael! Michael you understand—"

"I would understand why you tried to permanently incapacitated me?"

"I—I—"

He heaves a sigh. "Be silent, Zachariah."

…

True to his word, the Virtues all come to a stand still at the sight of the Gardener, turning to look at his appearance with concern and curiosity. He catches their gazes every time, and gives them a smile in greeting when their eyes meet, they raise an eyebrow in return before returning to their business once more.

"This way," Joshua allows the Healer to guide him to an empty bed. "We'll get you situated here."

He's guided down to sit on the edge of the bed, fingers curling around his chin again as the Healer guides his head around once more, taking in the damage with a better view within his well lit Infirmary. "The nerve of him." He smiles to himself in amusement as the Healer mumbles to himself in disbelief. "Striking one of my fledglings."

"I haven't been a fledgling for some time, though."

A finger pokes him on the nose. "You will always be one of my fledglings."

"Brother," Michael smiles at the relationship his brother maintains very closely with those that he raises. "Do you think you can watch over things here for me?" Raphael nods absently. "I'm going to borrow Nisroc and Haniel for a while, do you mind if the others stay here with their fledglings?"

The Healer turns to him in confusion. "Why only those two?"

"They know my savior the best."

…

He had not been prepared for them to return to his doorstep once again, and he glared at them when he pulled his door open to reveal them standing there shoulder to shoulder and smiling in greeting.

"What do you want?"

Haniel grins at him. "Can't two older brothers want to come see their younger?"

"How long have I been down here, and you only come when you need something from me?"

"We are trying to make amends now." Nisroc tilts his head slightly, giving him a wink as a playful gesture. "And we come to thank you."

The Grigori looked between the two of them rather closely. "It worked?"

"It did, little 'Yaza, rather splendidly."

His face fell into something more frightful, paler in color, as the two Power's separate and he finally lays witness to the third in their party hiding behind them. Michael smiles at him, and he stares in shock, before turning accusatory eyes to his two older brothers. "I told you not to tell!"

"It was an accidently slip of the tongue." The archangel steps up between his two Powers and Semyaza debates on whether or not he could possibly get away with slamming the door shut on them and having them actually leave. "One that I would never wish was taken back."

"Michael."

"Hello, baby brother." He smiles, pulling him forward into an embrace. "I wanted to thank you personally, for bringing me back to myself, so, I thank you."

"Michael."

"I am here, little one." Fingers stroke down the back of his head. "I am here to bring you home."