A couple of days later, Inarius and Telanya were inspecting the new structure that would safely house them both. Greed had his goblins provide mild furnishings, but only by what Tyrael felt was needed. Angels never truly needed furnishings. As the new structure neared completion, Anaurael was left alone in her chamber with her brothers. When she began to feel lonely, Tyrael was called for.

"I'm here," he said when he walked in. She took one look at him and sighed. "I know. I haven't been sleeping. Or eating..."

"I thought you would know better by now," she smiled.

"I need a bath, too," he muttered. "Izarius, can you help me? Izual would, but he's overseeing construction right about now."

"Of course," Izarius nodded. Azarius and Mithus were quick to start setting up a bath. Darius got a table ready for a meal. The moment Tyrael was free of his armor, he helped Anaurael undress. He examined the Horadric necklace at her throat and chuckled when it winked at him. Once in the tub with her, he began to scrub her clean, and she did the same for him.

"Hey!" Tyrael said when he got a healthy kick. He chuckled and reclined in the tub with her after the scrubbing was done. She only sighed with exhaustion. "How are you feeling?"

"Very tired of late," she said with a yawn. "I can only guess that Mother is the same."

"I'm sure of it," he nodded. He had begun to get drowsy, but she reached up to lightly trace over his jaw. His golden-eyed gaze now moved to look at her, and he pulled her close to kiss her softly. Then the kiss got deeper and far more intense. Ten minutes later, they were resting against each other with soft pants from how passionate it all was. "I suppose we both needed that?"

"You could say that," she chuckled softly. She nuzzled under his jaw and got kissed again.

"I love you," he whispered and squeezed her. "Don't say anything."

"I know," she smiled and pressed her forehead into his neck. He ran a hand over her belly now and was forced to help move her from the tub. Izarius had left to clean Tyrael's armor and had just returned with it. She yawned and was able to be helped into a soft, golden gown. Then she blinked at the damp spots that appeared soon after.

"Here," Izarius chuckled and helped set in the specialized padding to catch it. "You should eat."

"I know. I'm starved!" she said. Tyrael was now dressed in soft breeches and had her sit next to him, as they got served up something. "I can't tell if it's day or night anymore."

"I know it," Tyrael agreed, as he ate with her. "But, it is daylight on Sanctuary now."

"Okay," she nodded. "Not much good it will do me, but it does help."

"True. But, it's still good for you to know," he said and gave her a tender slice of meat. "And you need these pieces more than I do."

"I know it," she said and ate what he gave her. She was given some sweetened water to drink after that, and was helped to the basin afterwards. Then she was reclining in the bed next to Tyrael. When he fell asleep, she felt restless. She was tired, but she wasn't tired. Such a thing was happening to her quite a bit. "Izarius?"

"I'm here," he said and moved to her side. She reached for him, and he managed to carefully pull her from the bed. "Malthael is talking to Tyrael. So, he's preoccupied for now. Are you feeling well?"

"I am. Just restless. You know how it is now," she whispered and rested against him. He moved to rock her in the rocking chair.

"You should sleep," he said gently. She could only nod and sigh. Then she looked at him and moved to rest her hand on his cheek. He paused with surprise at this. Then she began to feel up into his hood. "Oh. Um, what can you feel?"

"Hair on top," she said with amusement. "and it ends just at your ears. Your jaw is very well-formed. Much like Imperius's, but it's softer at the edges around the chin. I think I even feel a chin cleft! And your nose isn't too large or small, either. It's the same with your eyes. Evenly spaced with rather slender eyebrows. And your lips feel..."

"My lips?" he muttered softly. The odd feeling was back. He remembered what Malthael told him. Now he moved and pressed a kiss to her mouth. But, unlike the others, this one was far from chaste. When he finally pulled back, he couldn't believe what he did. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..."

"Hush," she said and pulled his head back down to kiss him back. When this kiss ended, she whispered, "This was likely building up between us."

"But, I'm supposed to be your true brother!" he growled out softly to keep from waking Tyrael. His other brothers had already left the room to let her rest. As a response, she simply kissed him again. When she shifted her body a certain way in his lap, he gave out a muffled cry of surprise. All he could do was cling to her as his body trembled from the sudden pleasure that left him. "This...shouldn't have...!"

"It's okay," she whispered and pressed her body into him. "It's fine."

"Imperius...will..."

"Not know if we say nothing. Right? And this may never happen again."

"True," he sighed with defeat. She was going to forget about this when others came in. He knew that much. "I feel like I'm going to regret this."

"Then why did you kiss me?" she asked with a small smile. He couldn't answer that. All he could do was sigh and shake his head. He didn't stop her from kissing him again, though.

"Just...don't tell me that you love me when we are like this," he said. "When we aren't like this, it should be fine. But...like this..."

"I know," she smiled and rested against him now. "I always thought...deep down...that you were a bit more than just my brother. As much as you should be, I just...felt that there was something more to you. Yes, Imperius will always have my heart. That's a given. I just know that you're...very special. To me, you are. It's why I had you touch my mark when I did. I really can't bear the thought of you being lost to me, Izarius. You're my best friend. I just can't stand thinking that..."

"Trust me. I know," he said with a light chuckle. "And I was always there for you."

"And you still are," she said wearily. He was able to shift her body carefully to let her rest innocently on him again. It was a good thing that he did. The others began to return, and she slowly lost the memory of what happened. When Imperius came in for her, she was eagerly set into his arms to let him rock her in the chair. She snuggled into his chest and sighed with relief. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," Imperius said and squeezed her. "The troops are training well."

"Good," she murmured. He was trying to get her to sleep, but she was too restless. She muttered to herself and moved to plant a kiss on him. He kissed her back heavily, and now he moved to carry her into his sanctum. He undressed her and pulled her close to his core when his sanctum sealed over. When he heard her gasp, he saw the white droplets forming. He held her easily with one fiery arm, as he thought about this new situation. Then he surprised her when he bent down to move his mouth over a drop to see what happened. "What...are you...?!"

"Something I have been wanting to try," he muttered and clamped his mouth down fully, as his Song enveloped her senses. In his core form, he still couldn't eat or drink, but this was a completely different sensation. This was acceptable to my body. He didn't know how or why, but he wasn't going to complain. When one side was drained, he moved to the other. By the time he finished, he realized that her back seemed a bit relieved from the extra weight being removed.

"It doesn't harm you?" she was able to ask.

"No. And I'll want more of it," he chuckled and cradled her. "It's...different, though. Very different. Not unpleasant at all. Do you feel better, though?"

"I actually do," she admitted. "As though there is less strain on me."

"They do appear to have shrunk slightly," he muttered, as he studied her chest. "I'll have to make sure to do this a bit more for you. Have you eaten?"

"Yes. With Tyrael. I bathed with him, too," she said and yawned.

"That's fine. Rest with me now," he said and kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you," she smiled and snuggled against him. When she gave him her weight, he chuckled and thought over what he just did. He actually felt rather calmed after doing it. If it helped calm me, I will have no issues on doing such a thing again. He pressed a kiss to her mark and continued to cradle her close. As he guarded over her sleeping form, Malthael was talking to Izarius.

"So...how did it go?" Malthael asked him.

"Not here," Izarius muttered. He had others in the room. Malthael gestured for him to meditate, but Izarius shook his head. Instead, he teleported to walk along the Silver Spire. He knew that Anaurael was sleeping right now. She would find me. Now that they were somewhat alone, he regarded Malthael again. "As much as I regret everything, I know she doesn't remember now. It's easier to bear."

"And the pleasure?" he mused.

"What do you think?" Izarius muttered and gazed out over the Silver City. "I know that I'll want it again. Who wouldn't? As long as it isn't constant."

"And you can only do such things when she is carrying physical offspring. Anu forbids you at any other time. Just remember that," Malthael nodded and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why was I allowed to do this again?" Izarius muttered and trembled.

"Go to the Arch. Now," Malthael said to him. Izarius glanced at him, but did just that. When he got there, he found himself pulled into Anaurael's mind. Anu's glowing ball of Light shone brilliantly to show that there was going to be a private discussion. The crushing sensation of love and trust was the only thing that the Archangel could feel when he refocused.

:IZARIUS...TELL ME...: Anu said gently. :HOW MUCH...DO YOU LOVE...MY CHOSEN...ONE? HOW FAR...WOULD YOU GO...TO SEE HER...HAPPY?:

"I..." Izarius faltered and fell to his knees. "I would do anything. My love for her could even endanger my own life, but I would not care. She is both my sister and my best friend. But...I could not see her as my sister just a bit ago. I apologize."

:THERE IS...NO NEED TO...APOLOGIZE...: Anu chuckled. :YOU ARE...WORTHY...OF HER. BUT...OFFSPRING...SIMPLY CANNOT...HAPPEN. IT WOULD BE...TOO DANGEROUS. NOTHING BAD...TO YOU...OR TO HER...BUT IMPERIUS...WOULD FIND OUT...ALL...:

"Well, we can't let him find out various things, can we?" he sighed. "All her life, I guarded her as her older brother. I ingrained myself to be just that. The last thing I wanted was this. But, at the same time, she said that this was building up between us. That she...felt it, too. I know that she loves me as she does Imperius. She knows that she cannot tell me so. As her brother, to share that form of love is fine. As family. Not as any other. It wouldn't be right."

:NO. IT WILL NOT...: Anu agreed. :SHE DOES...CARE...VERY DEEPLY...FOR YOU. I KNOW THIS...AS WELL. YOUR LOVE FOR HER...IS STRONG. QUITE STRONG. IT IS WHY...I GAVE YOU...YOUR HALO. TO PROTECT HER...EVEN MORE. TO GUARD HER...EVEN BETTER. DANGERS NOW...LURK...EVERYWHERE. SHE MUST BE...PROTECTED...AT ALL TIMES...:

"That much I always know. But, can you tell me? Can you sense anything in the Burning Hells? Or is that something you cannot sense?"

:THE FILTH...IS NOT SEEN...BY ME. SO...YOU MUST SEEK...OUR ALLIES. THE DEMON FILTH...GREED...IS...MOST SURPRISINGLY...OUR STRONGEST ONE. ONLY HE...CAN TELL US...WHAT THE DEMON FILTH...IN THE BURNING HELLS...IS PLOTTING. USE HIS RESOURCES...AT ANY ADVANTAGE. TRADES...ARE ALSO HIS...DOWNFALL.:

"As it was proven with the teleport gems," Izarius agreed. "He always does something when Anaurael Sings. He can't get enough of her voice."

:THIS IS...QUITE TRUE!: Anu mused. :HAVE GREED...SCOUT...THE BURNING HELLS...FOR YOU. YOU KNOW THIS.:

"I know I do. Oh, do we have him scout and see if Lilith returns?" Izarius asked seriously.

:YES. HAVE HIM...LEAVE...NO PART...OF THE...BURNING HELLS...UNTURNED. AH! HAVE MY...CHOSEN ONE...SING...TO GREED...FOR HIS...AID. TELL HER...WHEN SHE IS...ABLE TO DO SO.:

"I can do that," he agreed. When he came to at the Arch, he was standing up in front of the crystal spires of Light. Malthael nodded to him and vanished away. Izarius pulled out the mirror he held and called for Greed. When Gurzick appeared, the goblin paused at where he was.

"What wrong?" Gurzick asked.

"Anu will have Anaurael Sing for Greed if scouts are sent to see if Lilith was reborn," Izarius said carefully. Now Greed's attention was caught in full.

"If she Sings, it's a trade. Where is the girl now?" Greed asked from the crown.

"She is with Imperius. She desperately needs rest. Her pregnancy is taking its toll. She has two more months before she gives birth. We need to protect her at all costs," he stressed. "We don't know what will try to interfere. Her health is critical."

"I can understand that," Greed nodded.

"And, as much as I hate to say this, her going to your lair being this pregnant may harm her. We may need to set up another area for her here, in the High Heavens, to ensure her safety," Izarius said.

"We can use the treasure vault here," he said. That had Izarius completely agree.

"That can work. Can you start searching the Burning Hells now, and I'll have Anaurael Sing for you the moment she is able to? This is really important. We may also need Pandemonium searched."

"Hmm. I can do that. Give me some time to report. The moment the girl can share her voice, do call me. I will be waiting to hear it."

"Agreed," Izarius nodded. Greed had Gurzick move to rally the minions up, and to start searching. Izarius moved back to Anaurael's room and sighed to himself. Then he turned to see Itherael, and the powerful, elusive Archangel rested a knowing hand on his shoulder.

"You have done well, Izarius. As well as can be expected," Itherael said softly. "I knew of what was to happen with you. Don't worry. As long as you heed Anu's warnings, you will be safe."

"Good to know. For what it's worth, anyways," Izarius muttered. "I never expected for this to get so far out of hand. I never wanted to..."

"I know how it is, too," he admitted. "It was the last thing on my mind when it happened. I know all too well of what you are thinking of."

"What am I to do then?"

"Stay hopeful. Act like nothing is out of the ordinary. Be her brother when all are around you. There is not much else I can tell you. Imperael will be much the same as you when his time comes to help with the mortal Council. We still have time before such a thing happens. So, until such a time arrives, continue as you always were."

"Easier to say than done," Izarius said. "But...I know this, too."

"Of course," Itherael nodded and retreated back to his Library. Izarius didn't know how long he stood gazing out a pane of colored diamond glass before he felt someone touch his arm. He turned to find Anaurael standing with him, and he placed a protective arm around her waist.

"He had to see to the troops again," she frowned.

"Did you rest well, at least?" he asked.

"I did. But...I miss him terribly now," she swallowed. "Even Tyrael seems to have left."

"Hmm. No. He's still sleeping," Izarius chuckled. She blushed at this, and he called for Tyrael's angelic persona. When he appeared, he nodded to them.

"I was talking to Izual about new rooms for the Horadrim. The mortal angels down below are finally starting to produce offspring. One of them even found a mate in a human, oddly enough. So, we'll see how that goes. Anyways, are you doing well, Anaurael?" Tyrael asked and walked over to stand with them. "Why are you so upset?"

"I just..." she winced.

"Set her back down in the bed with my body," he said quickly. This was done quickly.

"What is wrong with her?" Imperael asked when he appeared. He was slowly moving about the High Heavens to absorb small sections of essence for his halo. The sooner he started to build up on it now, the faster he could react to different things. If he had Valor, he was stronger. With Hope, he flew faster and was able to think better under stress. When he exposed himself to Justice, he was far more dexterous. When he was around Fate, his sight was sharper than ever. Even with Wisdom, he was able to hear things in a wider range. It was something he had discovered by complete accident, and Imperius had ordered him to explore as needed.

"She misses me," Tyrael said and let his body pull her close. "Anaurael, close your eyes for me."

"Okay," she nodded. When she did, she quickly found herself pulled against his angelic form. At her sigh of intense relief, he sat down on a mossy rock to hold her in his lap.

"I'm here now," he soothed gently and rocked her. She only nodded and found herself getting kissed in a loving way. Now that she was resting against his armored chest, Izarius and Imperael were discussing softly while her body slept with Tyrael.

"What all did I miss?" Imperael asked.

"Anu wants Greed to search for Lilith," Izarius whispered softly. "We need to increase the watch over her greatly. Her health is at a critical time."

"I can believe that. Very well," the massive Archangel nodded. Now with discussions of how to increase angelic watch over her being done, they were able to let her get some much needed rest.