A/N: Okay, I've realized that because of this chapter, this story doesn't follow cannon. Cannon states that Gabriel left Heaven because Michael and Lucifer argued so much and went to Earth, taking up the role of a trickster. In this story, I have no idea when Gabriel leaves, but presumably after Balthazar is of age.
Chapter Three
Third Person POV
"Galteya?" Castiel asked as he sat on his bed while Galteya groomed his feathers. "Yes, little one." she answered, smiling down at the little fledgling. "Why am I so much smaller than the others?" he asked, fidgeting with his hands in the process. "Who said you were small?" Galteya asked, stopping in her grooming.
"Well, Michael came to flying lessons today and I heard him talking with Zachariah. He said it would be a miracle if I started flying." he explained, his voice filled with sadness.
Galteya sighed and stood up so she could walk around the bed and kneel in front of him. "Castiel, sweetie, you are not small. You are just the right size for your age." she told him, taking his small hands in hers. "Don't let anyone tell you any different and don't forget that you are an individual. You don't have to be the same as the others. You're perfect the way you are."
"You think so?" he asked, looking up at his progenitor with big, crystal blue eyes. "Absolutely." she said, chuckling when the fledgling threw his arms around her neck in a tight hug. "Alright, little one. Time for bed!" she announced, wrapping her arms around the fledgling, picking him up, and then dropping him back onto the bed.
Castiel giggled and made himself comfortable, wrapping his small wings around himself. "Goodnight, my little fledgling." she whispered, pulling the blanket up around him and kissing him on the forehead. "Goodnight, Galteya." he whispered, snuggling further into the bed. Galteya smiled and left the room, closing the door until there was a little crack left before heading down to her room.
Galteya's pocket of Heaven was a simple house from the twenty-first century. She'd chosen something so simple because it was nice to have someplace within her home to call home.
Galteya walked into her room and laid down on the bed, ready for sleep herself. Angels didn't need sleep while on Earth, but when they were in Heaven, they needed sleep regularly. She heard the flutter of wings and opened an eye to see who'd come to visit. "Hello, Gabriel." she greeted, closing her eyes again.
Gabriel didn't say anything and just fell onto the bed next to his little sister on his stomach. "Rough day?" she asked, maneuvering around so her head was resting on the small his back, below his pure white wings. "mhn nugh frm graf." was all she heard due to his face being buried in a pillow.
"What?" you chuckled. Gabriel rolled over, causing Galteya to go from resting on his back to resting on his stomach. "I need sleep." he half whined, half groaned. "So, you come to my pocket?" she asked, making herself comfortable. "Balthazar is insisting on practicing the guitar."
Galteya laughed and turned on her side to look at her brother. "Why did you tell him he could learn it in the first place?" she asked between breaths.
"I was letting him explore his interests and then this happened." Gabriel defended, smacking his sister in the face with a pillow. "Hey!" she protested, moving out of the way of another assault. "I'm sleeping here tonight. Get over it." he said, pulling his sister back down next to him. "Why didn't you go to Michael or Raphael?" she asked, maneuvering so she was laying on her side of the bed.
"I like you more. You're not as uptight." was the only answer she got as the older Archangel folded his wings around himself. Galteya rolled her eyes and did the same. Then something hit her. "Do you think Castiel will be able to learn to fly?" she asked.
Gabriel opened his eyes and looked at his sister. "Sure he will. From what I've heard, he's just have a difficult time with it. He's not like Uriel and being forced by his progenitor to be a perfectionist." he assured. Galteya sighed and stared at the ceiling. "I know. I just don't like that the others keep putting him down because he's the runt of this litter."
"You were the runt of ours." Gabriel offered, grinning. "Don't remind me." Galteya retorted flatly.
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"I just wish you wouldn't keep putting him down." Galteya scolded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Galteya, he's not showing much progress. If he doesn't start, we'll have to remove him." Michael said, looking up at his sister from his chair. "Michael, you can't do that! He's just having a hard time comprehending!" Galteya pleaded.
Michael was silent for a moment, looking over his sister with contemplative eyes. "Then you train him. Zachariah and Naomi aren't having success with him, but you might." Michael said, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Thank you, Michael." Galteya said before fluttering away.
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"Castiel?" Galteya called when she arrived back home. Moments later, the fledgling came into the study, Balthazar trailing behind him. "Hello, Balthazar. What're you doing here?" she asked, looking down at Gabriel's protégé. "Gabriel had to go down to Earth and had me come here to wait for him. He didn't want me staying by myself." the fledgling explained. Galteya nodded and smiled at the two.
"Well then, don't let me keep you two from your time together. Go on! Go play! I'll talk with Castiel later." she said, shooing them away. Castiel and Balthazar grinned and ran out of the room, Balthazar chasing after the other. Galteya laughed and followed after them at a distance, heading for the back yard.
Galteya sat on the patio and watched the two fledglings wrestle in the grass, laughing each time Balthazar tired to cheat and ended up loosing in the process.
"It's amazing how they can go from being enemies during lessons and then best friends when they're home." Gabriel commented, appearing in the chair next to his sister. "I know. I concerns me a little." Galteya said with a sigh. "I wouldn't worry about. I've realized Balthazar is extremely competitive." Gabriel explained as Balthazar tried disappearing as Castiel was about to pin the other to the ground and win twice in a row.
"Michael told me that you're taking over Castiel's lessons." Gabriel commented, turning to his sister. "I'm going to do everything in my power to show him that Castiel isn't just some runt. He has the potential for great things. I feel it, but...no one thinks he can do anything because he is the runt." Galteya sighed, her eyes softening when she looked to said fledgling. Gabriel smiled and turned back to watching the little ones.
"I don't think I've ever seen you take on such a responsibility with a fledgling before. Must be because he is the runt that you've taken such a liking to him." Gabriel commented, leaning back in his chair.
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Galteya kept her word to Michael and took over Castiel's lessons. To Galteya, he seemed to be doing better than he had than with Zachariah and Naomi. As he got older, he took a liking to spending time with Joshua in Heaven's Garden. Around his sixteen-hundredth year, he was already surpassing Balthazar, Anna, and Uriel.
A/N: I know I said in the summary that this would take place during season 6, but I've decide that it'll be a little bit of everywhere. Hope you all enjoy and please R&R!