Lucifer's Other Half

TWENTY TWO

"My lord, you must return to the Underworld. You're overly exhausted, you're weak and they need you. I'll stay here with her and I won't leave her side, you have my word." Abaddon pleaded while down on his knees in front of Lucifer.

Lucifer sat in the only chair in this hospital room by Estrella's bedside. It was early Friday morning and she was fast asleep. Abaddon was right though, he was exhausted and his eyes said so. Instead of midnight black, they were an ashy gray.

"No, I told her I'll be here to protect her." he spat stubbornly.

"She will be protected, brother. This place is loaded with demons, no one will touch her while you're gone."

"I said no, I'm not leaving her!" Lucifer said, raising his voice angrily. Abaddon exhaled in defeat.

"What is your plan here? You haven't said a thing about your plan and this won't go away after some time of waiting," Abaddon paused, watching Lucifer glare at Estrella's sleeping silhouette. "you started a battle, brother."

Lucifer grinned devilishly, turning his head to look at his little brother who still sat on his knees.

"Not the first one I've started, huh?"

"This isn't the time for jokes, she's in terrible danger and you can't be here every second of every day."

Lucifer's facial expression turned dark and he leaned forward, squeezing his hands into fists.

"I know she's in terrible danger, Abaddon. I'm not blind to what is in front of me! In case you have not noticed, frankly I don't give two shits what I can and cannot do anymore. If I must stay here every second of every day then I will for her, do you comprehend that or should I dumb it down a little for you?"

Abaddon bowed his head in respect.

"I understand," he stood to his feet. "your stubbornness is a pain in my ass though."

A cry escaped Estrella's parted lips and both men's head turned towards her direction. She was clinching to the white pillow, twitching in her slumber and her chest rose and fell fleetingly. Lucifer exhaled.

"She's recently been having bad dreams."

"Must be about you."

"Hilarious," Lucifer snarled. "something tells me it's not about me."

"Maybe it's about everything going on right now, it is stressful for a human to handle," Abaddon looked at Lucifer. "think about what I said brother, the Underworld needs you."

Lucifer didn't respond so Abaddon left on good terms to give him some space to think. Leaving Estrella's side was not an option right now, Lucifer knew that, and he wasn't going to leave anytime soon.

"I'm sick of hospital food, I want to go home. Take me home!" Estrella complained like a child. Lucifer chuckled in amusement, for the last fifteen minutes she's been whining about everything and poking her breakfast with a plastic white fork. She glanced at him angrily. "do you think this is funny?"

"A little," he replied then stood from the chair and walked over to the window where he always stood it seemed like. His facial expression changed though, making Estrella feel anxious. "someone is coming."

"Who is?"

Before Lucifer could answer, the door opened and Estrella felt the world around her fall on her shoulders. It was her , a woman who came and went. Stephanie was forty-one years old and she was abundantly hateful, selfish, turbulent, and catatonic. She was addicted to cigarettes and classic wine so she always smelt like a bar, which was why Estrella's mother kept her away. Her mother would say that Stephanie was a bad influence, which indeed she was. Her mother and aunt never got along, Stephanie even ditched her own sister's funeral and Estrella has never forgiven her for that.