It's time to forget about the past

[servingfather]

Who: Michael and Anna
When: Tonight
Where: Anna's apartment
Summary: Two angels need to have a chat but things are never that simple with this family.
Warnings: Family drama

[There was no pomp and circumstance when he arrives in Anna's apartment, there wasn't a need for it as she'd sense his presence. Michael moves closer to his sister.

Maybe it's the urge to make sure all of his siblings were alright with his borrowed eyes, or maybe it was because what he had to say was better in a face-to-face conversation. This wasn't something Michael just did, after all.]

Good evening, Anna. I need to have a few words with you. Are you busy?

[If she wasn't then it would best not to send him away because this conversation was going to happen.]

Comments

[servingfather]

[Two steps and then Michael is taking a seat on the edge of the bed. Telling her straight-out that he spoke to God might not be the best approach considering her encounter with the Shadow version. It's presence had him physically ill because he could remember what it was like being near Him, but to a sibling like Anna - who had never even seen His Face - it must have been worse. She could think that it's what He was really like.]

I've come to realize just how distance this family is with each other even though we're all stuck on the same island. While I'd like to change that there are some things that we need to talk about first.

[There's a long pause where he just looks her over. It's the first time he's seen her in person since she came back from home.]

When He left Heaven all those years ago I lied to all of you. I let you believe that He was still with us because I thought it would be easier - because I thought He'd come back soon.

[His forehead furrows.] It hurt so much. Lucifer, Gabriel and then Father. The hall where we used to gather was so empty, so lonely and filled with all of the painful memories when we were together. I pushed all of that aside because I had to take care of all of you, I had to do my job.

[socius]

[When he sits, joins her at her level... she puts the book down. Maybe she'd grown lax in her time as a human, her time here. She didn't think Michael commanded respect anymore- not like he had up above, at least. But if he was joining her here... She'd give him her attention.

She knew he was unsettled with the lack of ... anything between them. Between all the angels. Sure, Gabriel and her got on well, and she assumed he got on with Lucifer, if they hadn't blown the place to smithereens yet.

It was weird now. A little suffocating, being in the same room as him, now that she could feel him, sense his overbearing presence. It wasn't even that he was trying, it was just.. how Grace worked. So now with him here, sitting and talking and ... sharing. But it was funny; God had left. He'd fucked off, ignored everything falling to Hell in a hand basket. So Michael had taken up the torch, taken care of them. She hadn't hated him before her fall, and it wasn't strictly that she disliked him now. He just ... scared her. All the archangels did. Even Gabriel, to a degree.]

So he's gone. Has been. [...] Uriel was right.

[servingfather]

[Here in Port Michael doesn't have the armies of Heaven following his every order, he's not even the big fish in the pond anymore. All he has is Lucifer at his side and Zachariah to do his bidding.

It's better though. There's none of the responsibilities of home, no duties to perform. For Michael it's a bit terrifying but very freeing. And it helps him to take a step back and see everything that's happened up until now. Michael knows what's important now, he knows where he went wrong.

Which is one of the reasons he was here now, to try to repair the bridges that he'd burned. This family was so broken and Michael wanted to fix it - to be the big brother he'd stopped being. Siblings weren't supposed to be scared of each other, not in a good family.]

Yes, he was right. Father's been gone a long while. So everything that's happened since then rests squarely on my shoulders.

[A pause because there's only one time he's uttered these words to someone he's actually wronged and not in sympathy.]

I'm sorry, for everything I've done to our family, for everything I've done to you. [Everything he was going to do.] When it became clear that He wasn't coming home I tried to make you all into what I wanted to be - cold, emotionless warriors who couldn't get hurt by a betrayal or by Father and Gabriel leaving us. I stopped being the big brother that you all deserved.

[socius]

[The apology is what catches her off guard. Makes her nearly shift in agitated startlement. Michael never apologized. But ... he was right, about what happened at east. He'd done a hell of a job turning them into cold, emotionless soldiers and nothing more.]

I took matters into my own hands. I don't deserve any apologies from you. [Or ... maybe she does, a little. Maybe she just doesn't want to hear them.]

[servingfather]

[Normally the only time those words came out of his mouth was with sympathy towards someone else's issues. Never before could he see that he had so much to apologize for. He shakes his head.]

If I had been a better brother rather than a leader you wouldn't have had to take matters into your own hands. I can't go back and fix everything and I wouldn't blame you if you never forgave me but I wanted you to know that I am sorry.

[socius]

[There's a long moment of silence.]

Apology accepted. ... But I can't forgive you, yet. [And wow is it weird and terrifying and such a rush to say such a thing.]

[servingfather]

[It's more than he was expecting, the possibility of being forgiven.]

If you let me, I'd like to be the brother you should have had.

[socius]

[...More long pausing.]

That might be a little weird. [--Wait.] Not in a bad way.

[servingfather]

[There's a slight smile, not one of the ones he puts on for show either.]

It'll be different, maybe even a little hard at times but I truly do want us all to have a better relationship.

[socius]

[Yeah, still weirding her out here, bro.]

..I'm not actually trying to cut the moment short, but you seemed like you wanted to talk about more than just an- that, when you came here. Unless... [She was reading too much into it? But come on, she knows when any of her siblings have something on their mind. Right now, she just feels .. ballsy enough to maybe ask about it.]

[servingfather]

[Anna's right when she brought up the subject of what he had wanted to say before.]

Father spoke to me. It wasn't the thing that you saw, it was Him. There weren't any orders - we talked and he gave me advice. I think... [He pauses then.] I think if you spoke to Father that He'd answer.