Maybe Angels

Author's Notes:

Disclaimers: So, I don't own Jack. Or Jill. Or Will. Or Grace... *snickers* Sorry, moment of temporary insanity. No money is made, because that would make life nice, ne? Don't own the transliterated words for GLAY's 'Be With You'. They were done by Meg-chan, and I shamelessly stole them from www.animelyrics.com
A/N: Yeah, I know, no real Wufei-Duo interaction last chapter, but I decided that I needed a little break with that. Time to introduce some of the people you would come to later hate. *snickers* Um, by the end of chapter 4, Wufei and Meiran would be close to twenty months. Only eleven more years until Duo gets his greedy little wings on Fei-chan, but he will still be good, because otherwise... You understand?
Dedication: To Yuki-chan, for loving this, and giving me much needed encouragement to continue with the story. To Duo-chan, for beta'ing all four of the first chapters in one night and still able to be cute about what she says. To Tara-sissy, because she's the bestest. And to Enna, for your lovely comments as well, and instant taking to my oddness.

Symbols: *~*~* change in scene, POV, or time
*~~~* minor change in scene or flashback
~ blah ~ remembered quotes

*~~~~~~~*
When I was nearly buried in the throng
'Cause some dreams got blurred
And I could not convey my timid heart-pounding
That I could meet you...
Things we can believe
Touched by each of them
On the unobstructed way leading to you
Now I hope to send you my love in bundles
How far should we go?
Just in the forest of illusion...
Just keep running there
Still I have things that I can't budge
On those who hate the never-healed times
Without saying a word, ah....
Beyond the sinking sun
I wanna guard you forever
'Cause the blue of memories
I can't hold back my tears
That I could meet you...
The mixed-up happiness
From now on, only you and me
With heart to heart each other
On the unobstructed way leading to you
Bundling the loves now...
And I wanna be your love
~ Be With You, GLAY
*~~~~~~~*

Be With You

After the rather unpleasant episode with Dorothy, and the subsequent 'grilling' by my friends, I was rather tired. And yet, I received no peace. When they were done with their run of 5,000 questions, we played 'Spy on the Humans' for a long time, and I noticed that for some reason we avoided the Chang twins. After the fifth hour of watching some pointless human, one that would never have a real impact on Earth's history and were charges to some other poor saps, I found myself looking more at my friends than at the humans in the glass pool.

I was staring particularly hard at Giselle when her dark head flew up, green eyes blazing. I felt an oddly cold breeze grace my face and body at the sight of those shining eyes.

"I have an idea," she proclaimed, jumping up from her spot across from me and knocking Jean Paul over.

"What?" Hilde asked, sounding as confused as I felt.

Giselle shot a look to me, and then motioned for everyone to follow her. Everyone but me, that is. I sat there, wondering what in Heaven that muse had in mind, while my eyes strayed to the swirling pool in front of me. The silvery surface was clearing up, slowly showing me the form of a sleeping girl with tight blonde curls. I leaned closer to the pool.

I *knew* that girl. It was Zechs' charge, Relena, and a better inspection told me that she wasn't the only child in the room. Two identical dark heads were situated on the other bed in the room. I felt my heart pound in my chest as I recognized the soft golden skin and sweet face of *my* Wufei.

He wasn't as pudgy as he had been before. Already, at about two years old, he was losing most of his baby fat, and becoming a thing of utter beauty. I watched as he and his sister slept next to one another, and realized that his sister had the same lean look to her as well. A small hand reached out, sleepily, and hit Wufei in the nose. He reacted by swatting a hand out and turning over, away from any more offending appendages.

In sleep, my charge was a pleasant creature to stare at. Awake, he was irresistible. I felt a hand snake out to touch him, but quickly snatched it back, God's words coming back to me.

~ This boy is special, which is why you were given him, but you mustn't touch him. ~

~ My precious ones, the Chang children, who will be named Wufei and Meiran, are very important. ~

~ Do what, Duo? Go on without Solo? Deal with Heero and Quatre's obvious attraction to you? Or your obvious obsession with Chang Wufei? ~

Obsession was right. I could not get the boy's face out of my mind, and even the very thought of his name was enough to bring the memory of his eyes to the surface.

But a few things really irked me then. Why were the Chang twins special? Why were they important? What made them so much different from the rest of our charges? True, this was our first encounter with twins, but it had been done before, by other angels, with no problems. As far as I knew, there was no special reason for the twins to be gathering this much attention. What was it about the small Chinese children that would warrant all of this? And why did it feel as if I *had* to be around Wufei every time his eyes opened?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

So, I stood lost in my thoughts over the attraction I felt for Wufei, and I never even heard the others as they returned. Which, in and of itself, was an amazing thing. One moment, I was sitting there, absentmindedly watching the viewing pool's silver surface swirl, and the next, I was glomped by everyone and dragged away, kicking and screaming like a little human girl.

"LET ME GO!" I raged, trying to kick at one of the bodies holding onto my legs.

"Now, Deux, if we do that, then you will see your surprise. We can't have that," Jean-Paul said, giving me what he must have assumed was a reassuring smile, but only fanned the flames of my anger.

"Jean-Paul! Let ME GO! Or I tell Giselle what happened when that one French-MPHFFFFFFFF!"

Suddenly, a strong hand was clamped over my mouth, and the grips on my legs and arms tightened as a blindfold was placed over my eyes. I was vaguely aware of movement between worlds. It could have only meant that we were on Earth, seeing as how we, angels and muses of God, weren't allowed to travel to Hell. Actually, visitation to Earth was limited only to Personal Angels with mature charges. They had to have pulled some major strings to get this 'mission' of theirs accomplished.

Finally, I was allowed to stand up on my own two legs, but my arms were gripped tighter and the blindfold stayed on. A familiar slight form caressed against my right side, and Hilde's small voice spoke calmly into my ear.

"Don't worry, Duo. You'll like this surprise, I hope... Just relax."

"You know, Hilde, I would be more inclined to believe you if I wasn't dragged here by force, blindfolded, and still being held by Jean-Paul and Noin," I whispered forcefully, and was rewarded by a sharp gasp. "Yes, Noin, I know it's you, so there!" I stuck my tongue out, and Giselle's tinkling laughter followed.

"Oh, Deux, always assuming things that aren't true, but lightening the mood up with silly gestures," she said. The female muse's voice was strong and full of mirth, at my plight I had no doubt.

"This had better be good," a new voice said, and I stopped playing and trying to struggle. I *knew* that voice. I had longed many millennia to hear it, but it wasn't as I remembered it. It was colder, more angry, and dangerous. "I have business to conduct. Not that you goodie-goodies care about that, do you?"

"I liked you better before the fall, Solo," Noin said. "You were nicer then."

"Well, you know, a few million years in *Hell* tends to make one not a little happy, Noinikins. Now, tell me why you got me out here, before I find a way to kill you all," Solo spat out. Quickly, the blindfold was ripped from my eyes and I got my first look at my soul-companion since the Holiest of Wars.

His originally dirty-blond hair was now black. His hazel eyes were a sooty colour that matched his new hair all too closely. His face, which I remembered as always smiling, was twisted into a nasty snarl. His wings were no longer pure snow white, but a deep sinister black, and resembled those of a bat. He wasn't the same soul as before, and as his cold eyes fell upon me, a chill went up my spine.

"Ah, Duo... *My* little protégé... How are you coping with all the nauseating cuteness that God has surrounded Herself with?" the cold voice asked, sounding as if from far away.

"Solo?" I whispered, feeling lightheaded all of a sudden.

"Oh, so you *do* still remember who the hell I am! That's good." He shot a dark look at the four who still held me. "Let *my* soul companion go. I want to speak to him alone."

"Duo, I don't think that's a good idea," Hilde said, fear showing in her voice and causing Solo to laugh a disturbingly bitter laugh.

I shook my head as I locked eyes with the only being I had ever been *truly* close to and felt a part of me break forever. "No, it's ok, Hill. Just give us a minute. I promise he won't take me with him," I said, trying to be humourous about the situation.

"No, we wouldn't want for God to miss Her Playful One, now would we?"

"Be strong," Giselle whispered before dropping away from my side.

"Remember where your home is," Jean-Paul added.

"We love you, Duo, and Wufei will need you," Noin remarked, joining the muses a few meters away.

"Don't let him fool you. The Fallen One and his minions are always after Our kind. He is no longer Solo, Duo. Remember that," Hilde said, letting her arm linger before joining my other three friends, and it was at that moment that I realized what good friends every last one had been to me up until that moment, even Trowa and Heero.

"Yes, Duo, don't be persuaded by my forked tongue," Solo mimicked in a high falsetto, walking until he was mere centimeters from me. "You have no idea how much I longed for you, my Duo." His voice as he said that softened, until he was almost purring as he spoke. "Too long. Too much. Too often."

Somehow, I found the courage to finally speak to the one being who could have made most of my existence easier. "Yes, I do, Solo. I longed for you in every waking moment since the Fall. Every time I wasn't with a charge, I was thinking of you - even when I was with the rest of my friends. *WE* chose to stay with God because what She fought for was right. You chose the Morning Star..." I had to stop. Talking hurt, but I wanted to ask him the one thing that had been eating at me for three million Earth years. "Why?"

"Man was a MISTAKE, Duo! God should never have dabbled with them. Look at what they have done to this planet! To themselves! They CHOOSE to do this to themselves, and they are God's little pets! I could see it when She," he spat the word out, "created them that they were going to be nothing but trouble. And when that goodie-goodie Jehovah starting mouthing off about Free Will for the little bastards, I couldn't stand it. I BELIEVED in what Lucifer said, and I STILL DO!"

"Not all humans are like that, Solo," I said, trying to reason with the fuming demon that *used* to be my soul companion. "Some are gentle and fight for the righteous cause. They inspire others in the ways of good. Humans have the ability to be both good and evil, gentle and harsh, righteous and sacrilegious. It's they who decide where their souls end up when they die."

"DON'T YOU DARE FEED ME THAT BULLSHIT, DIACHRIEL! Humans are nothing but DESTROYERS and fodder for Lucifer's army." His strongly handsome face was contorted into a mask of rage. "I can't believe you buy that crap, Duo. I thought that you would *know* better."

"You, of all people, are trying to tell me that the choice I made was *bad*? HOW DARE YOU, SOLIRIEL! I did *not* spend over 3 million years mourning for you to see you like this. You are *not* my soul companion, and I dissolve you from our bond," I spat at him, turning on my heel to walk away, but I was stopped by a strong arm that grabbed my arm and pulled my body to Solo's.

"Diachriel, you don't mean that," he whispered, folding his large bat-like wings around us. "You can't... I've needed you so long, my one."

"Ah, but I do. You aren't the same angel I made the bond with. Hell, you aren't even an *angel* any longer. You are..." The rest of what I was going to say was cut off as hot lips set upon my own and Soliriel's arms wrapped around my waist. I didn't fight him, which surprised me later, and I vaguely registered the cries of outrage from the other four Heavenly creatures in the vicinity. My blazing white wings came to cover Solo and myself while we kissed, and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

A hand slid down to where my behind was located, not that it was more than glorified flesh. A strangled yell alerted me to the insult that the action caused the others, and I pulled back from my former soul companion. I knew then that what lay before me was more important than anything with Solo would be.

"Soliriel, I release you from our soul-bond. You are now free to bond with anyone else you wish," I said, and the words of the ceremony didn't hurt me as they would have just days ago. "We are no longer tied, and I wish you peace, my friend. May you find someone else who is more suited to your disposition than I."

I walked away, ignoring the cry of anguish and pain that issued from my once 'love'. So much as an angel can love another, Solo and I would have been lovers. I had just made it over to the stunned Noin, Hilde, Giselle, and Jean-Paul when Solo's cold and distressed voice spoke out. "Is this because of the Chang rodent?"

I turned back around, hot hatred burning in my soul from those words. "What. Did. You. Just. Call. Him?" I bit out.

"You think I don't know about that little Chinese bastard that is your new charge? I have kept watch on your charges from the first day you received one, Diachriel. I've watched you with him. I know *all* about him."

"If you *dare* harm him, I will find a way to KILL you, Soliriel. I promise you that," I whispered dangerously, but the paleness on his face told me that he had heard my words. I turned my back on him, yet again, and floated back to Heaven, feeling lighter and heavier at the same time.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When I arrived back in Heaven, I found myself not five meters from God's Throne area, and I just collapsed, wishing for more strength to stand and walk away from there. I got none, but a soft hand touched my shoulder and I found myself staring into the deep orbs of God Herself. I could see sympathy and a mirror of my own hurt into those brown depths, and I let loose the hot, bitter, and too-long pent up tears into Her shoulder. All She did was hold me as I cried, running Her hand across my back in a soothing manner.

I don't know how long I sat there is God's lap crying my soul out, but eventually, I felt like I could continue to exist. I looked up, ashamed at my weakness, into Her face. "I am sorry, my Lord," I whispered.

"Don't be. It is what makes you, you, Diachriel," She said, smiling and lifting my spirits. Whenever She mentioned my real name I felt all the pain in my heart and mind disappear. Quatre and Hilde once told me that this was happened when she referred to them by their real names. "Now, my Playful One, let us talk of many things, with Jean-Paul, Giselle, Hilde and Noin, of course."

She gently took my hand and led me to Her Throne area, where it was empty except for the two other Personal Angels and the two muses. Not a Seraphim was in sight, which made me shiver. I had never seen this area of Heaven so... bare. God strolled right up to Her throne, sat down, and drew me into Her lap. With a wave of one hand, four cloud ottomans appeared.

"Please, sit," She softly commanded, and I was shocked to see the others comply so promptly. Not like any angel, muse, or human soul in Heaven would have fought, but those four didn't waste a second thought about it, if they had even given it *any* thought at all. "Now, my children, I *did* allow your meeting with the former angel, Solo, but I also told you to use discretion. What happened that may have endangered the life of a small human?"

The other four exchanged glances and then looked at me before Giselle, the mastermind of this scheme, spoke. "My Lord, we never expected the demon to be so... volatile to the appearance of Duo."

"It was all my fault. I broke the soul bond with him and he just... blew," I said, trying to keep my friends from getting into trouble for any of what happened with Soliriel.

"How did you do that, Duo?" Jean-Paul asked, amazement all over his face.

I shrugged, confused myself at how I accomplished the action. "I... I don't know..."

For the first time since I was brought into existence, God laughed. And Her laughter was the tinkling of bells, the rushing of waterfalls, and the rumble of an earthquake. My friends looked just as stunned as I felt. "Ah, I needed that," She said, regaining Her composure before I fell from Her lap. "The words came to you, Duo, because your soul companion was no longer compatible. I designed the soul-bonding like that, whether you knew or not. I knew that there would be trouble with the Morning Star running around. He was malcontent from the beginning, and very persuasive to add. It was only a matter of time before he tried something.

"This is not to say that I could have stopped him before hand. I did what I could, when I could. What has happened is past, and now we are talking about the present and the future. Especially the future of Chang Wufei." She took a deep breath and then looked at the four in front of her. "Noin, why did you agree to this plan?"

Noin looked floored. "I... I don't know. I knew that his behaviour as of late had been erratic, and that he missed Solo immensely. Hilde told me about the conversation you had about old companions, and I though that if he saw Solo again that it would help his grief and allow him to do his 'job' better from now on," Noin said, finishing with an apologetic smile.

I flashed her a small smile to let her know that I didn't blame her at all. In fact, I was flattered that she thought so highly of me to do that. I had never been close to Noin, because of Zechs, but I felt the need to talk to her privately after the talk with God.

"Thank you, Gerindial. Hilde?" God turned to the smaller black-haired angel, who jumped when her name was called.

"Yes, My Lord?" she squeaked.

"Hildariel, do you really think that I would punish you for what happened?" There was a look of affronted disbelief on God's face.

"No..."

"Then explain to me your reasoning for this?"

"Well, as Noin said, I talked to Duo about charges, old companions and wishes... And I felt that his soul was in turmoil. I wanted to help him. Quatre and I are rather fond of Duo, so we wanted him to be happy. I thought that this would do so. I just wished for his essence to return to what it once was. I'm sorry that it ended so horribly," Hilde said, tears streaming down her pretty face.

"I know your reasoning, Giselle, and while noble, it was ill-conceived and not thoroughly planned out. I regret that your 'brother' got dragged into this mess as well, but the fact that he was around kept the three of you in check, and you, Giselle, from causing any irreversible damage. Thank you, Jean-Paul, for hiding your auras when out in a public place on Earth. You all are dismissed with my love. Go see to your charges and your other companions." The daises they were sitting upon vanished as they retreated, and I made a move to leave, but was stopped by God.

"Diachriel, I am rather proud of the maturity that you showed today. I knew that you had it within you to grow from a child angel to a responsible creature of light. Now, tell me why you felt the need to break your soul-bond with Soliriel," She said, trying to hide the wince at the long unused name.

"He... He is not as he once was, as Hilde said of me, but he was too changed for our bond to continue... Something within myself screamed when I saw his cold smile and vicious eyes. He wasn't Solo anymore... He was... *is* a daemon now."

"Ah, so he is. Now, you *do* realize that this whole stunt of theirs could have me reassign you, for Wufei's safety, and yours as well." I started to protest, but a hand silenced me. "I won't, but I will also be watching the Chang twins, Hilde, and yourself a *little* more closely than I had previously expected. Oh, Duo," She muttered, wrapping me into a warm embrace that ease me fully. "I love you. You truly *are* my Playful One, and I wish you no ill. Go and play with the others. I have need of my Seraphim at the moment."

She released me from Her hug, and allowed me to climb out of Her lap, but not before She placed a kiss on my forehead. Smiling, truly smiling, for the first time since I had returned to Heaven, I headed off to find my other companions.

TBC...