AN: Oh man am I nervous with this one. Not gonna lie. A lot of planning has gone into this one to the point where I needed to make a note document to keep track of stuff. It's not completely done, but I'm far enough in it now that I'm willing to try and post it.

A quick thing to note with this is Adam's gonna be a bit OOC, mainly because I can't have him being a full gowned jerk towards a baby. Also it will take a while before Charlie is named in the story because while we know it's Charlie, Adam and the others don't.

And while I haven't fully decided it yet, I'm thinking of doing some parallel stories with this story and the 'Echoes of the Morningstar' series with some of the flashbacks, showing how what Lucifer experienced while in Heaven isn't the same as what his siblings remember.

A special thank you to MIO for allowing me to use her designs of some of the archangels for the story in this chapter, specifically Gabriel as I really like his design. Links are provided below so please give their art a look and like. They are a really amazing artist.

Chapter One

Kidnapped

When mortals on Earth often thought of Heaven, it was described as a paradise where there was no stress, wants, or needs. It was seen as an eternal rest with limitless freedom to go about and do as one pleased.

But that couldn't be farther from the truth.

The truth of the matter was, that everyone had a job in Heaven just as they did on Earth, it was just presented in a more favorable light. Be it providing services like cleaning, baking, and preening to the more vital training to be part of the Heaven army, every Winner that walked through the Golden Gates had a purpose that they were assigned from the get-go.

After all, idle hands are the devil's playground.

Of course, some jobs were more important than others, and with that came special privileges. For some, it was their wings, like the First Man Adam whose wings were golden. For others, it was the ability to venture to Earth and act as Guardian Angels or guides for the new souls. But for the few elite Winners who proved themselves a cut above the rest, Sainthood awaited them and with that access to the high levels of Heaven.

However, that also meant more responsibility.

One of these Winners for example Philomena, the Patron Saint of Infants, and Young Children. Appearing as a young teenage girl of thirteen with a flower crown in her chocolate brown hair and olive skin, Philomena had become the Saint of infants with her death at the hands of the Romans. Once a Greek princess of a king who converted to Christianity, she had sworn herself to celibacy during her mortal life until the cruel Emperor Diocletian demanded her hand in marriage and tortured her when she had given him a firm 'no'. Her death had been filled with suffering but she believed it was a worthy price to pay for her to be entrusted with such a vital job that she was given.

Which for Philomena, was assigning newly made souls to their new Earthly bodies and blessing them.

Supplied with an army of tiny cherubs to help her, Philomena's days were often filled with informing which cherubs to find which children on Earth to bless according to the orders she was given from the archangel Gabriel on a daily basis. She sometimes wondered how the process of deciding who received what blessings worked but after the first couple of dozen centuries, she had just accepted it wasn't for her to know or worry about. Besides, there was something much more important for her to focus on. And it was her favorite part of her job.

Philomena loved greeting newly created souls and sending them with guides down to Earth to be born. There was just something special about being able to be the first to greet the tiny balls of pure light, imagining the potential that they had and what they would experience and do, and what lives they would live.

They had their whole lives ahead of them and who knew, maybe she would see them again as Winners being welcomed back by Saint Peter as he'd sing his corny 'Welcome to Heaven' song as they walked through the golden gates.

But working with new souls wasn't easy to do. For starters, they were very fragile and had to be handled with more care than a fractured crystal. She had scolded more than a few times careless cherubs who either rushed their work or were too rough with the delicate little orbs of light. For another, the new souls absorbed influences all too easily so they easily picked up unfavorable habits.

This was probably the main reason why Philomena, patron saint of infants, babies, and youth, hated the First Man Adam.

She could still remember the first time she had met him as the High Seraphim Sera showed her around personally on the higher levels of Heaven. Sera had stressed to Philomena how great an honor and privilege it was for her, a mortal martyred soul to be blessed with sainthood to be able to go where other normal Winners weren't allowed and how the work she was about to be assigned so vital for the future of Earth and Heaven, when Adam had turned the corner of the hallways.

At first, Philomena had been awestruck at meeting the Father of Humanity, impressed by his radiant golden wings which easily outshined her own smaller white ones. She had had so many questions she had wanted to ask him about the scriptures and his time in Eden, to hear if he knew the archangels personally since he was the first of them all. He was after all one of the most important figures in the Bible, marking the beginning of it all.

And then he opened his mouth.

Sera had mentally groaned as Philomena stared in horror as the first man spoke in a loud and crass tone, dropping swears left and right with the indifference of a drunken sailor. He even commented on Philomena's lack of feminine appeal regarding her chest area even though she was just thirteen years old. Didn't he know that she was considered an exotic beauty? After all that had been why Diocletian had demanded her hand in marriage.

After that, Philomena had done all she could to ban the man from her work area, though it was proving itself about as fruitful as emptying the ocean with a broken thimble.

Except for a handful of days of the year, Adam always seemed to have free time to go about and annoy the hell out of anyone he pleased. And at least three times a week, Adam's favorite thing was stressing the forever young-looking teenager by messing with her work. Sometimes he would hide the messages she received from Gabriel by stealing or messing with the order of scrolls she was given. Other times he tricked newly hatched cherubs into believing they had to do all sorts of ridiculous favors and chores for him before Philomena could assign them proper stations.

There had even been a time when he had ordered a few of the cherubs to fetch him some of Heaven's flame, a dangerous endeavor even at the best of times. They thankfully failed at the task, getting caught by soldier angels who were on duty that day, but Philomena had had to endure a scathing lecture from Azrael alongside Adam about remembering their responsibilities. She was still positive that Adam only half listened to the Archangel and didn't regret anything.

The worst though was that Adam didn't care what he said around the new souls and Philomena had been horrified more times than she could count to find that he had taught the new souls some rather colorful words.

No, the patron saint did not like the First Man in the least and sometimes she wondered if it was because he knew that she would never share a bed with him much less sleep with him. And thanks to his constant harassment, Philomena associated any sightings of him as a bad omen that was leaving her slightly addicted to anti-acid pills.

So she should have known when she spotted Adam trying to sneak past them with something clearly hidden in his arms, nothing good would have come of getting involved.

The only blessing was that Gabriel had been 'visiting' to deliver a satchel of scrolls for her to go through. Oh, the joys of paperwork.

"It really must be wonderful to be surrounded by all these lights, Philomena," Gabriel mused as he held a hand out to touch the tiny orbs. "The warmth they give is unlike any other."

"I know. It's my favorite part of working with the new souls," the girl smiled, blushing slightly as the archangel smiled sweetly down at her. "They always remind me of fireflies from back on Earth."

Gabriel was a tall and almost unnaturally lean-looking man. Like all his siblings, he had impossibly pale skin that had been unblemished by the sun, rose-kissed cheeks, and golden blond hair which he kept cut short and slightly messy with his natural soft curls. Unlike his siblings, Gabriel didn't both to set his hair in some sort of neat manner, finding it a pointless endeavor when he often had to fly quickly from one end of Heaven to another. Because of this though he was known as the fastest of his siblings, and with his slightly silver-lined wings, he rarely had to announce his arrival anywhere.

Gabriel also knew he was handsome by mortal standards too. And who could blame them for swooning when he would look at them with his sky-blue eyes and brilliant gentle smile? After all, when Father had created them, he had made his angels to be loved by all. For a long time, it was difficult for the Winners to tell the archangels apart as they all wore the same white robes but as time passed on Earth and their father went to rest, Gabriel and his siblings each began to find their own sense of style and identity to help set them apart.

For Gabriel, it was his scarlet coat with gold trim. It reminded a few Winners of the British redcoats, which was only enforced with his white dress shirt, charcoal pants, and knee-high riding boots. It did it so that many expected him to speak with a posh British accent, using the Queen's language as he would hand over messages and instructions, which Gabriel thought was very amusing.

"Fireflies?" Gabriel mused as he allowed the new soul to drift away, floating up to a cherub to be passed onto a guide and then to an expecting mother on Earth. "Yes... I suppose they do."

It surprised him sometimes how limited a human's imagination could be. The new souls didn't remind him of the little glowing flies of Earth. Instead, they reminded him of the stars when they were new. Back when his baby brother had excitedly flown high into the sky despite Sera's warning and allowed his magic to burst from him.

Gabriel mentally sighed as he pushed aside the sorrow at the memory.

"Sir Gabriel?" Philomena noticed his sorrowful expression. "Are you alright?"

"Oh yes, just tired. God's messenger and all," Gabriel assured her, telling a half-truth. He was exhausted from having to carry the heavy messenger's satchel over his shoulder. Even if appeared light, the thing was never empty. "Now, before I forget. Regarding a few of these souls..."

Philomena stood prime and proper before him, giving the angel her undivided attention when something caught her attention from her provisional vision. It was something large and moving oddly, taking almost comically large steps as if trying to sneak past the open doors of her workspace. She would have dismissed it if she didn't see the flash of golden feathers glinting in the light of the hallway and an instant migraine started to make Philomena's head throb in irritation.

Holding up a hand to politely pause Gabriel in his speech, Philomena pointed behind him and glared as Adam tried to sneak past them. Why he was sneaking she wasn't sure but to Philomena, it could only mean the man was trying to sneak past them with something in tow he knew was prohibited on the high levels. Usually, it was one of his soldiers that he was trying to sweet talk into bed.

Except this time, whatever he was trying to sneak past them was clearly small enough for him to hold in his arms without his struggling to carry it.

Holding up a hand to silently ask Gabriel to wait a moment, Philomena slowly made her way to the doorway and watched as Adam started to hurry along his way. If she was to take a guess, he was trying to get to his private room on the level. She watched him shift whatever it was he was holding as he grumbled low for it to 'hold still' as if started to struggle.

"I swear if he'd taken another Cherub..." Philomena growled before she started to rush after him. The Cherubs were her responsibility after all and if one was found not doing their job then she would get blamed for not instructing it properly. And she would be damned if she had to listen to another lecture from the archangels or the seraphims! "Adam?"

Before he could turn the corner and head toward the private quarters, Adam jerked in surprise and he froze mid-step. He was a picture-perfect example of a mischievous child who had just been caught red-handed in the middle of misbehaving, a strained smile on his face as he looked nervously at the young saint and an archangel who now joined her out of curiosity. Adam mentally cursed his bad luck, thinking this was the last thing he needed before he could figure out a way of fixing his little fuck up. Maybe he would get lucky and something would demand their attention and he could scurry off like a fart in the wind and be forgotten in the hustle and bustle of the day's tasks?

Then again Philomena was like a fucking bulldog sometimes and wouldn't let go of something if she was pissed enough so that chances of that happening were about as likely as Adam acceding to Godhood.

"Heeeyy... Philly... How are ya?" Adam quickly moved what he was holding behind his back, wincing slightly in pain as he held onto it. "And Gab too! That's just fu... perfect. Just perfect. How's it hanging Little G?"

Gabriel chuckled a little at Adam's antics. He knew the first man liked to think he was pretty slick but he wore his guilt on his sleeve. It had been the same back in Eden though then he hadn't been as foul-mouthed and reckless as he was now. But he was the First Man and that gave him a fair bit of lead-way with them as he held a special place of endearment for him and his siblings.

"Hey Adam. What you got there?" Gabriel teased as the pair approached him. Whatever it was, it was starting to growl. Was he trying to sneak in an animal again? "You know Michael's going to be angry if you sneak in another pet, Adam. He still hasn't gotten over the ferret incident."

Philomena scowled darkly as she recalled the infamous 'ferret incident'. Adam had snuck about two dozen ferrets into his room with no idea how to care for or contain the furry balls of energy and kleptomaniac. He certainly hadn't thought about the fact that they were nocturnal so as he slept the first night, all of the little critters escaped and wrecked mayhem in any room they broke into. Philomena had awoken to three crawling into her bed and up her nightgown, making her wake with a start, screaming her head off. And as for Michael...

At least five or six of them had broken into his office and torn apart several important documents, knocked over books and nic nacs that he had decorated his office so that it looked like it had been ransacked.

To say Michael had nearly proven to Adam why he was known as God's Warrior.

Adam however seemed to struggle to hold onto whatever was behind his back as it struggled, its growl growing louder. Now that they both were closer to Adam, they could hear a slowly growling distressed whine coming from behind him.

"Adam?" Philomena growled, her wings puffing in anger behind her. It took a lot of Gabriel's self-control not to start laughing as she reminded him of a small owl trying to scare a bobcat. "What are you hiding behind your back?"

"... nothing," Why did it sound more like he was asking her rather than telling the truth? "Just heading to my room to get some sleep is all. Mind your fucking own business Filly."

A sudden loud whine suddenly escaped from whatever it was Adam was hiding behind his back, making all of them freeze in surprise. Adam looked like he was sweating bullets and Philomena had a look of enraged disbelief. Gabriel just looked baffled, unsure as to what creature could make such a sound.

"Well... I'll just get going now," Adam flashed a nervous smile and started to try and sidestep them, keeping his back firmly hidden from them when Philomena grabbed a fist full of his robes. For a girl as small as she was, she had a frightening amount of strength. "Wow, Filly. Watch the hands. If you wanted to undress me all yah had ta do was-"

"What are you hiding?" Philomena growled louder as she could hear the muffled "Ah!" of a baby coming from Adam's arms. The First Man started to squirm under her harsh glare, twisting and turning as he tried to keep his back out of her sight. "Adam, show me. What. Are. You. Hiding?"

"I suggest you just show her which cherub you shanghaied Adam," Gabriel chuckled with humor, the sight of them fighting always reminding him of his siblings in their younger forms. Philomena often reminded him of Uriel whenever he had chosen the tease his brother with a game of 'I've got something and I'm not going to tell you'. "That is unless you want her to complain to Sera again-"

"Look! How about you both mind your own-OW! Fuck!" Adam started to argue when he yelped in pain. "She fucking bite me!"

There was a sudden thud and 'umph!' that echoed in the hallway as Adam dropped whatever he was holding and clutched his hand that had a fine set of teeth marks in it. Peeking around him, Gabriel was surprised to see a tiny little girl of maybe a year or two old. She was a pretty little thing with long golden blond hair and pale porcelain skin with bright rosy cheeks and dressed in a yellow dress with a white pinafore that had a few stains on it. Philomena immediately noticed that the stains consisted of grass and dirt but there were several splotches of red which could only be one thing.

"Omega theƩ mou (Oh my goodness)! Adam, you can't just drop a cherub like-" Philomena yelled angrily as she moved to check on the poor create that had just been rudely manhandled when she froze mid-step. "Ti ston kosmo (What in the world)..."

Gabriel blinked as Philomena switched to her native language, sweeping in to pick the tiny being up when it turned and growled at her. Gabriel stared in surprise as a pair of red eyes with frightened golden irises glared at them. Tiny black claws just barely missed Philomena's hands as she jerked back in surprise when two little nobs grew on near the hairline before it cowered lightly before them, a thin devil's tail whipping about behind her in agitation. Just as quickly as it had swiped after them, the eyes slowly charged from golden to scarlet as tears started to fall down the round little cheeks.

"Adam, is that what I think it is?" Gabriel felt a sense of unease fill his stomach. There was something hauntingly familiar with the tiny form before them that now looked up at them in fear.

Philomena felt her mind screech to a halt instantly as she peered down at a disgruntled infant. Whatever this was, it wasn't a Cherub, nor was it a new soul. New souls had no real shape beyond a small or of light that could flout and zip about as it pleased. While Cherubs had a physical form that took after something innocent like baby animals and babies, they were born flying and already mature. They were also born with the knowledge of who the important members of Heaven were, so she shouldn't have been afraid of them, or at least not Gabriel.

And yet, the tiny girl looked between them with wide frightened eyes and finally started to wail.

"Adam? Is that... a Hellborn infant?" Gabriel asked, a look of absolute horror evident on his face.

"Errr... no?" Adam weakly lied, the shame evident on his face as he knew he had fucked up. "At least... I didn't think it was at first..."

"ADAM! What in the name of Father is this?! Have you lost your mind?" Gabriel yelled in outrage. What in Heaven's name had the first man been thinking, stealing and smuggling in a creature from Hell? "Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

"What? It's not that big of a fucking-" Adam gripped only to yelp when Philomena slapped him upside the head. "Ow! Fuck was that for, bitch!"

"Not in front of the baby!" Philomena was clearly seeing red now, the impulse to protect a baby from corruption and harm heightening to levels she never knew she had. Moving slowly, Philomena gently picked the toddler up and held her close. The baby didn't attack her again, just curled into her as she cried loudly. "And both of you stop yelling. I'm trying to calm her down."

"Okay, right. Alright, sorry Philomena," Gabriel pinch the spot where his nose would have been had he been human, a tension migraine starting to form. "But seriously Adam, why would you bring a demon child here of all places?"

"Whatever, just shut her up already," Adam growled. "Fucking little shit is bit me hard as-"

"What's going on out here?"

Everyone froze as a rather haggard-looking man stepped out of a nearby door and shot them an angry glare. Like Gabriel, the man was tall and thin though he was far more broad-shouldered and his blue eyes just a tiny bit closer to sapphire blue than sky with a pair of rosy red circles on his cheeks. His hair was also longer, reaching down to his shoulder blade and gathered in a ponytail that was held back with a pure white ribbon. He was dressed in a matching white suit with pale blue lining and waistcoat to match. By his side within reach rested a rapier harmlessly though Gabriel it was anything but. If his brother drew it, there wouldn't be a thin blade but a bright flame unlike any other.

After all, this was his second youngest brother, Michael God's Warrior.

"Adam, did you steal one of the Cherubs again?" Michael groaned as he rubbed his groggy eyes for a moment before noticing the baby that was crying in Philomena's arms. Or rather he was looking at the thin long tail that was peeking out from under the baby's dress. "You know that Philomena doesn't-"

Gabriel mentally groaned as Michael glared in anger at them. He was starting to wish he had waited with meeting Philomena just so he could have avoided being pulled into this absolute cloister fuck of a mess.

"Adam... what... is that?"

AN:

Regarding the Greek phrases, be warned. They are probably very badly translated as it's Google Translate.

The Patron Saint Philomena: . ?saint_id=98

Inspiration for some of the Angels.

The archangels Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, and Uriel are inspired by MIO ( MI00M10)'s The Princes of Heaven : /MI00M10/status/1438596152513925121/photo/1

(I will introduce the others as they enter the story)

So we are off to a start with a lot of questions and a responsibility avoiding Adam who's reluctant to admit it. Please tell me what you all think, I'd love to here it and by all means if you have some ideas for stuff to happen in this story, share them too. As I learned from 'One Hell of a Family' You guys are great at inspiring extra scenes to the story I didn't think about myself and it's always wonderful to have someone question something I didn't think about before hand.