Lucifer Deux

Thirty Three

Sam was waiting several feet outside the library. He wanted to be there for Gabriel when he came out. He made sure he was far enough away that he wouldn't hear what was being said. He knew this was a very private thing.

Gabriel walked out a few moments later, looking extremely bewildered.

"Hey. How did it go?" Sam asked.

"Weirdly," was Gabriel's response.

Before Sam could comment, he watched as Amenadiel came out, followed by Lucifer and Michael. Michael was half in Lucifer's arms as he came out. He was muttering to himself as Lucifer whispered comforting words to him.

"It's alright, big brother. I'm going to help you through this," Lucifer said.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Michael kept muttering to himself.

"No, it's not your fault," Lucifer said softly as he led him out of the room.

Sam looked at Gabriel almost in shock. "Gabriel, is Lucifer possessed?"

Gabriel waved off the concern. "Of course not, Sammy. Archangels cant be possessed. And that's the only reason I know he's not possessed." He was slightly freaked out by his brother's change in attitude as well. He wondered if Michael had done something to him when he touched him, but he also wasn't sure Michael was capable of that in his condition. Plus, Michael had gone right back to a crazy mess right after it happened.

Before anyone could say anything else, Cas, Dean, and Jack entered the room. "What the hell's going on. Lucifer just walked by with Michael. He was comforting him. Did therapy break him? I don't think we can deal with another broken archangel," Dean said.

"We don't know what happened. One minute Lucifer was pissed. He just got set off. He refused to let Michael live in whatever fog he's in anymore. He wanted him to face the truth. He got so angry that his eyes turned red. Then Michael's turned white, and he touched Lucifer," Amenadiel explained.

"I thought he was going to smite him at first. He touched Lucifer's forehead, like he was going to kill him. But then it was over, and something in Lucifer changed. He actually hugged Michael," Gabriel said.

"Do you think he did something to my father?" Jack asked worriedly.

"I considered the possibility, but I really don't think he's capable of that right now," Gabriel said.

"Plus, the only thing he might have done was smite him. He was terrified of Lucifer moments before because Lucifer wouldn't answer to Samael anymore, so smiting him I could understand. I don't think he was capable of doing anything else," Amenadiel said.

Gabriel thought for a minute. "Lucifer demanded that Michael face the truth. Maybe he did, and maybe he decided he wanted Lucifer to see something too. I think he may have let Lucifer into his mind."

Silence filled the room. None of them knew what to say to that.

~

Lucifer stared down at his older brother. Michael was sitting on his bed hugging his knees and rocking back and forth, all the while muttering apology after apology.

Lucifer was in utter shock. He kept replaying it all in his head over and over. His father had been planning his demise while his mother and brother did their utmost to prevent it. His mother hadn't let him be sent to Hell because she agreed he deserved it, or because she couldn't stand up to her husband. She'd done it to save his life. And Michael...Michael had acted without their father's permission. He'd sent him away not as a punishment, but as a salvation. Michael had never betrayed him.

Lucifer could barely believe it. In fact, he was still expecting to wake up from some vivid dream or hallucination. This broke apart everything he'd known for eons. Michael had been loyal to him, perhaps the most loyal member of his family outside of Gabriel. He couldn't believe how wrong he'd been.