It is what it is

“Somebody bet on the grey! One more time!”

That voice... I knew it! I knew I had heard him. Still uncertain of who would be around, not wanting to attempt a tussle with anyone- much less an angel, I crept carefully to the doorway and peeked around. The sight that awaited me made my heart twist. Lucifer, bound on his knees, held magically above a bowl with some kind of glowing essence flowing from his throat. What the hell were they doing to him?! 

I looked around the room for any other occupants to find one lonely woman at the table. A beautiful woman with sharp features and fiery hair. In another world, if she weren’t an obvious part of Lucifer’s capture, I might have found her to be quite stunning.

“Hey, come on, Red, I’m just trying to have a good time with you… Like last time.”

Fuck, that struck a bitter chord of jealousy in my heart. Taking a deep breath, I swallowed back the green-eyed monster and tried to think of a way to interfere without getting myself or Lucifer killed. Who knew what kind of powers that woman had. She could be an angel, a demon, or worse for all I knew. 

“You remember that? When I surprised you at your hotel room?” 

This conversation was definitely not meant for me and my heart recognized that with a  painful throb. While I couldn’t hold anything he did before we were together against him, it still hurt to hear. The redhead didn’t appear any happier to hear it, her face tightening and motions growing tense. There definitely wasn’t a happy ending there. 

“Oh, I mean, I even wanted you to put up a fight. I wanted a little bit of a tussle, but… you froze. You choked. So I choked ya.” 

For a moment, there was a sensation tight in my gut that felt like I was going to vomit, and it took all my strength not to let it out. 

“What was that like? Burning to death?”

Oh… OH. Realization struck hard and fast. This wasn’t a lover’s quarrel. This was something worse. I was seeing something I really didn’t want to see. 

“You know, I still can’t get that smell out of my nose. That… ashy reek of burnt-up ginger.” 

His laughter echoed across the room and I could feel my hands begin to tremble. While I trusted him to never turn that sadistic streak upon me, it was terrifying to hear. Logically, I knew what he had done but to hear it from him himself so graphically, to see the horror in that woman’s eyes… 

“Shut your mouth!”

She darted across the room, snarled her fingers tight in his hair, and yanked his head back as she leaned in close. 

It was almost too low to hear, but I managed to make out her words just barely as I crept closer. 

“You want to get inside MY head, twist the knife? Two can play that game. Do you know what your grace is making possible right now? The heartfelt family reunion of Sam, Dean, Cas, Mary, and your very own son, Jack. That’s right. Your wee boy is right there. He’ll be glad to see his three fathers. Because as for as he’s concerned, they are his father and you… you are nothing to him, or me, or anyone now.”

Her voice trailed off but I could see the damage her words had done. Lucifer was trembling and the look in his eyes was enough to make my heart skip a beat. As I watched his internal battle, I could barely sort through my own thoughts. Lucifer had a son. Why hadn’t he told me that? Hurt mixed with the feeling of helplessness as I watched her torment him, and it finally became all too much. 

“Why don’t you just shut up?!” 

The words came out before I could think them through, both heads snapping my way with shock written on their faces. Slowly, a sadistic smile crossed Lucifer’s mug, meanwhile, disbelief and disgust showed on the woman’s. 

“Princess!”

“You. What do you think you’re doing out here?!” she bit out.

“You think I’d just… sit there, after you all finally left me alone?” I shot back, putting on a much braver face than I felt, “Must be stupider than you look.” 

“Aww, satan’s little whore has bite to her,” she said with mock adoration, “How cute.” 

My eyes darted behind her as shocks of lightning begin to branch off of Lucifer. Before she could react, he suddenly snapped his bonds and levitated into the air, his hand instantly encircling her throat tight. It was like something out of a superhero movie and I was unable to do more than watch in awe.

“Aw, Red, you shouldn’t have made me mad,” he taunted, “Step into my office.” 

Faster than my eyes could keep up with, they were across the room, and he slammed her into the wall with a shuddering thud. A peak of lust lit in my belly at the raw show of power before disgust shamed it away. I must have been more fucked up than I realized if I was even thinking about that at a time like this. Lucifer’s growled words quickly drew me out of my inner turmoil. 

“You know, you and Gabe, you kicked me when I was down. I didn’t have any fight. I didn’t have anything to live for. But now, now,” he paused, eyes coming to catch mine, “You’ve given me something to fight for again, the two most important things to fight for; My boy, and my queen. So, for that, I’m going to be quick.”

“Defendatur!”

With a wild cry and a hand thrust out his way, the woman sent Lucifer flying back, right into the glowing slit in the air. I could only watch in horror as it immediately sucked him in, leaving not a trace of him in sight. 

“What- Wh- Where did he go?!” 

The redhead shot a glare my way, chest heaving and face red, before biting out, “Why don’t you go and find out, you sick little trollop?” 

I didn’t give myself a chance to second-guess my actions. Snagging one of the hunting knives off the big table, I sent her a scathing glare before readying myself to jump. Surely it’d just take me in like it had him, right? With a deep breath, I lunged forward, eyes shut tight and arms braced around myself for impact. Hopefully, this wouldn’t kill me. But I’d never be able to forgive myself if I didn’t at least try. 

A panicked screech fled my lips as I plummeted hard into the unforgiving ground seconds later. I barely managed to cover my face as I went tumbling down what seemed to be a steep decline for way too long, grimacing through groans and whimpers as the blade in my hand scratched across my flesh. When I finally came to a stop, it was from a pair of hands yanking me still. For a long moment, breathing through the fear and pain was all I could manage until a voice spoke.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?! Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

My eyes popped open and I hastily threw myself upright in search of Lucifer, a little noise of relief sounding when I found him directly behind me. 

“Lucifer!” 

He let out a little oomph as I tackled him to the ground and wrapped him in a tight bear hug, tucking my face into the hollow between his neck and shoulder with a shuddering sigh. Arms wrapped around my frame and pulled me in tight as my first sniffle came forth.

“Hey, princess.”

“I missed you so much,” I whispered, voice tight with tears, “I tried to call for you but that fucking seraphim put some crazy warding on my ribs! I- I thought I’d-” 

He released his hold on me only for his hands to resurface on either side of my face, managing to pull me away just enough for our eyes to meet. I could barely make out his features until I blinked away the tears flooding my gaze. I watched intently as his lips parted as if to speak, before closing again. This happened a few times before he finally jerked me into a tense kiss. 

“I thought I’d fucking lost you,” he breathed against my lips.

The raw pain in his voice brought another round of tears down my cheeks. I wasn’t given the chance to respond before his mouth was on mine once more. My lips parted eagerly as his tongue pressed for entrance and the lingering taste of whiskey overwhelmed my senses before the familiar sensation of contentment settled in my breast. 

When I finally drew away for a breath, he leaned me back just enough to sit up and regain his hold around my waist, his head resting over my heart. 

“I spent so long looking for you,” he murmured, “Every time it felt like I was close, you’d suddenly disappear again. Even with the soulmate bond, it was like you didn’t exist. Now I know why.” 

I rested my cheek atop his head as my fingers wove into his blonde hair, soothing the raging emotions within by toying with the strands. Time seemed to stand still around us as I soaked in his touch. I was unsure of how long we sat like that but I honestly would have done it for the rest of my existence if given the chance. Only the reminder of why he’d come through was enough to urge me into action.

“You have a son?” I asked softly. 

Lucifer tensed slightly before relaxing with a little laugh. 

“Yeah, I- uh- thought Jack was gone too. Those damn Winchesters have been hiding him from me. I was told time and time again that he was gone and I couldn’t NOT believe it. Where you were like a ghost to my sense, he was completely absent.” 

I swallowed hard and nodded as he pulled back. There was something bright in his enchanting blue irises as they ran over my face and it shone through the smile he gave just the same. 

“But now I know. He’s here! I can’t feel him, but I can track those flannel-wearing idiots directly to him, and then- then, we’re getting the hell outta dodge!” 

My lips quirked up fondly as he talked about the trips he was going to take the kid on, about family dinners, about the future in general. It warmed my heart in ways I’d never expected. 

“But the first step is finding him.”

“I’m coming with,” I replied firmly.

Something dark flashed through his eyes and, for a moment, I was worried I had made him mad, but then that light came back. 

“I don’t like the thought of you being here. This place is… well, let’s just say it’s worse than our world could ever be. I can’t just send you back to Red, though,” he muttered, almost as if to himself before his hand captured my jaw startlingly hard, “You HAVE to stay at my side, do you understand that, princess? No wandering off. No trusting ANYBODY except me. I can only protect you if you are within my reach.” 

“Of course,” I assured him. 

My cheeks flamed hot under the domineering grip overwhelming my senses as his eyes searched mine intently. 

“Good girl.” 

I nearly melted on the spot, my eyelashes fluttering shut in hopes of containing my reactions, and I managed a weak smile in response. 

“I can’t wait for you to meet him. I just know he’s going to love you as much as I do,” he breathed against my lips before gifting me a searing kiss and releasing my face, “Come on then, doll. We’re burning light.” 

…

In some roundabout ridiculous way, I couldn’t help but enjoy the situation we were in. Sure, this apocalypse world sucked, but I was allowed to traverse it with the love of my life, hand in hand as we searched for his kid. Him ripping apart rogue angels aside… Were this place more similar to our realm, I’d find the trek actually enjoyable. Well, that and if I were in better shape. I was silently cursing the ache in my legs and every clumsy footstep that set us back precious seconds. Thankfully, Lucifer made no ill comment about my missteps and simply pulled me closer to match his more stable footing. Who knew the devil could have such patience. 

As I daydreamed about future, more pleasant, walks with Lucifer and Jack, I was suddenly pulled to a stop. 

“We’re close,” he muttered, eyebrows pinching together in obvious thought, “Something’s wrong.” 

“What do you mean?” I questioned.

My answer came in the form of Lucifer suddenly marching forward into the dark tunnel placed strategically on the side of the mountain. Fear lit hot under my skin as the darkness enveloped us and I couldn’t help but wrap myself around his arm in search of safety. There were things in the darkness around us. I could hear them, feel them, around us. What they were, I had no clue, but part of my brain was thankful for the shadows concealing them.  

“Lu-Lucifer, are-”

“Don’t worry, they can’t touch us,” he responded simply. 

His fingers squeezed mine soothingly as he dutifully led us down the narrow twists and turns until we came to a dimly lit cove. A curse left his lips when he finally came to a stop. 

“Well, this is problematic, but… This actually might work out in our favor.”

It took my eyes a few moments to adjust but, when they did, I almost wished they hadn’t. A weak gasp left my lips as my brain finally processed the gruesome sight of Sam’s lifeless body framed almost strategically in the shafts of light. Next came the heavy scent of copper filling the air. 

While I didn’t like what Sam had done, that was far from wanting him dead. To see someone I’d known personally, torn apart like some kind of chew toy…

Before I realized what was happening, my knees collapsed beneath me and my face nearly met the ground as a terrible bought of nausea wracked through my being. Thankfully, nothing really came up, having not eaten anything since the night before, but the taste of acid was heavy on my tongue with each wretch. 

“Ah, shit, sorry, I didn’t- I didn’t think about it,” Lucifer sighed heavily. 

Tears dripped down my cheeks and I hastily wiped my mouth with the back of my arm, hoping to rid myself of any undesirable fluids, as he crouched next to me. A warm hand rested against my back and a welcomed sensation of complete peace followed, filling each and every nerve in my body until I no longer felt like passing out. 

“Just keep your eyes down for a second,” he instructed gently, “He’ll be fine in a minute.” 

Disbelief almost brought my gaze up to him but I quickly fought the urge and followed his instructions closely, not wanting to chance another round of nausea. I kept my lids clenched tight as I listened to his footsteps cross the dirt and rock until it was silent once more. I could hear him muttering something under his breath before he made his way back over. 

“You’re good to get up now.”

Another round of gratefulness blossomed through my chest as I found his hands reaching down for me and I accepted his help with a quiet ‘thank you’. Before he could even respond, there was a sharp rattling gasp through the silence. 

“Wh-”

A large hand covered my mouth instantly and he leaned into my ear, shushing me so quietly I could barely hear. 

“Give it a moment.”

His voice reverberated through my mind before going silent once more. Though he kept my lips covered, he finally allowed me to turn just enough to see Sam sitting upright, inhaling panicked breaths and searching for something in the darkness around us. It wasn’t until Sam got to his feet that Lucifer finally relinquished his hold, sliding slowly towards Sam through the shadows until he was behind him, a flashlight silhouetting his face almost comically. 

“Boo! Hey Sammy!”

“No,” Sam hissed darkly, taking a step back from the other man. 

“Yeah, I mean, you could do the whole pinch yourself, rub your eyes thing, or you could put on your big boy pants and just, you know, cut right to the realization that yup, it’s me.”

I watched on in silence, transfixed by the show before me, too afraid to interrupt the duo in what was obviously a tense moment.

“Y-You-You- You brought me back?” 

“I did, you’re welcome.”

Sam watched as Lucifer prowled through the area, stopping below the broken boards and right in the light. 

“Why?” Sam demanded.

“Oh well, I’m getting to that.”

Realization shot through Sam’s features as he looked back before addressing Lucifer once more.

“The rift? The rift! Rowena!”

“Oh, she’s okay. I mean I was going to kill her, but, she blasted me here before I had that chance to. It’s great, self-defense, but uh I was coming here anyway.”

“But we drained you!” 

“So… how did I have the juice to pull off my little Lazarus trick? That’s a long story but I was basically tracking you here and then I came across a handful of Michael’s angels and I uh- I ate them. I guess it’s not really that long of a story, is it?”

The disgust that Sam showed was palpable. Not that I could blame him. It had been hard to watch even despite knowing it was done out of self-preservation, a literal them or us situation. 

“What do you want?”

“What do I want? I want what everyone wants. I want a personal apology from Pop. I want rerun-free year-round episodes of drag-race.”

“Yeah, got it okay, right. We’re done here.” 

Sam grabbed up his bag, noticeably keeping a steady on Lucifer as he moved. 

“Are you going? Here. It’s dark out there.” 

He tried to hand the flashlight over to Sam but the other simply clicked on his own, tossing a glare in the archangel's direction.  As he turned away, there was a sudden deafening roar as his light passed over a massive group of… somethings. 

A terrified screech escaped my lips before I could stop it and Sam jumped back in turn, eyes landed on me in surprise. 

“Emery? What the- You brought her here?!” Sam snapped.

The tension around the two snapped even tighter as Lucifer slid over and pulled me under his arm. 

“It-”

“I didn’t really give him a choice,” I cut in quietly, hand resting on Lucifer’s abdomen to hopefully keep him calm, “I sure as hell wasn’t going to stay there with that woman and I wanted to help.”

Sam’s lips drew into a tight line, eyebrows furrowing and arching in thought before he tossed another look back at the mass of writhing bodies. 

“Oh, yeah they’re sorta- sorta all over there and I’m holding them back.”

Subconsciously, my nails tightened into his t-shirt as I pressed fully against him for comfort. 

“They’re just waiting for a little snap of the fingers,” Lucifer added rather smugly, fingers lifting symbolically, “But I didn’t want ‘em floodin’ in here and eatin’ you again. Not until after we finished our convo.”

Sam’s face read as clearly as day, frustration and anger marring his features as he swung back around to face us. 

“What do you want?!” 

My heart leaped into my throat as Lucifer’s hand tightened across my hip and his once lax form went rigid. 

“I want what you already have- A relationship with my son.”

Disbelief fled across the bigger man’s face as a scoff filled the air. 

“Okay, there was a time when I would just, you know, grab him, but… I’ve grown.”

“Yeah sure you have,” Sam snapped. 

“I have Samuel.” 

Eyes widening in shock, I flinched the tiniest bit as the giant of a man turned his narrowed gaze onto me. 

“How can you stand there and trust him when you see what he’s doing?” Sam bit out tersely, “You’re really buying into this ‘good father’ schtick? Come on, Emery, open your eyes!” 

“Talk to her like that one more time and it won’t be the vampires you have to worry about,” Lucifer snarled darkly, “Now, I want my son, and you’re going to help me.”

“How?”

“Well, I don’t feel like he’ll just accept me unless I come bearing gifts. Yep. Boop! You,” Lucifer sang lightly, poking the bigger man in the chest, “Listen, I’m not asking you to like it- or to like me! All I’m asking is that you acknowledge the truth; that I was the one who brought you back to life, that I was the one who lifted you from the darkness into the light. Okay?”

There was a heavy silence that stretched between the two before Lucifer sighed loudly.

“Apocolypse world, Michael’s armies? You really think you and your family can handle that stuff alone? You need me.” 

A war of emotions danced through the brunette’s face before it settled plainly on defeat. 

“And what if I say no?

When I woke, it was to the hushed whispers of voices arguing. I could tell they weren’t in the room with me, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. All I could tell was they sounded pissed. 

I laid there for a few more minutes, trying in vain to discern anything from them, but finally gave up with a huff. When I sat up, I was frustrated to find myself in a strange kind of bedroom; No chance of figuring out where I was thanks to the last of windows. It didn’t take long to get bored of waiting for the fighting to end, seemingly unending if nothing would interrupt it, so I took it upon myself to do just that. Slipping from the bed, I made my way over to the door and opened it without preamble, stopping short as I saw Dean, Sam, Castiel, and another man I’d not yet met. All four went silent as I stared awkwardly back at them. The fourth one had that same vibe I got from Lucifer and, almost instantly, I knew he had to be an angel of some kind. He seemed more laid back than Castiel, a little smile across his lips as he stared back my way. Though still taller than me, he was obviously the shortest of them all. His shaggy brown locks were swept back, exposing his slim face, sharp features, and inquisitive eyes that mixed somewhere between a hazel green and brown. Though it was stupid, I truly felt the least threatened by him of them all.

The tense silence went on for far too long but I was unwilling to be the one to break it. 

“So, you wanna do this or should I?” Dean asked suddenly, turning toward Sam.

The younger brother let out a breath but, before he could speak, the newest member stepped forward. 

“Let me. You three go have a group hug session or whatever it is you do,” he sighed. 

An awkward smile teased the edges of my lips at his sass but I quickly stowed it away when Dean shot me a look. 

“And Gabriel? Feel free to do whatever is necessary to get her to listen,” he shot back as he turned away.

Well, I’d obviously lost some favor with the eldest Winchester. Sam offered me a little forced smile before following his brother and Castiel down the seemingly endless hallway, leaving just me and Gabriel in the now-awkward silence. 

“Let’s get this out of the way. Nothing you can say will get me to give up anything on Nick, nor will you be able to turn me against him or-”

“Save it, sweet cheeks,” he cut me off quickly, gesturing me back into the room, “I’m not as naive as those two or my little brother.”

I was hesitant to follow his silent instruction but stepped back to let him in, nonetheless. Although I was definitely avoiding the bed at all costs. Nice vibes or not, a strange man was still a strange man. 

“Younger brother?” I asked after a moment, almost already certain he was talking about Castiel.

“Castiel.”

So my theory was right. He was an angel. He was related to Lucifer, then. I tried to hide my surprise as I sat on the lone chair against the wall, watching as he sat on the bed with a groan. 

“You don’t look much alike,” I quipped. 

He shot me a charming grin and a wink before retorting, “I’m better looking, I know.”

An unbidden blush crossed my cheeks at his flirtatious nature. This was certainly a change from the other three and I wasn’t sure how to handle it just yet.

“Though you might be surprised to find I don’t look like any of my brothers. Although I have been told Luci and I share a shocking resemblance.”

At that, I had to let out a laugh.

“You’re joking, right? You and Lucifer look nothing alike. I mean, maybe hair color, but if I didn’t know better…”

My words trailed off at the gleeful expression of victory that crossed his face and immediately I cursed myself. I’d just admitted to knowing Lucifer. Fuck! How stupid was I?

“So you did know,” he said with a little laugh, “I had a feeling. Luci is too full of himself not to peacock his archangel status about.”

I didn’t dare open my mouth at that, too afraid I’d just stick my foot back in. 

“What I want to know, is why you hid it. You have to know what he’s done. Why would you lie to Sam and Dean to protect Lucifer of all people?” he asked. 

Rather than reply, I simply stared him dead on, unsure of how to respond. It became clear that he wasn’t bothered by my silence when he let it trail on for what seemed like hours and I was quickly losing my bravado. Unfortunately, I was the first to break. 

“Fine, you want to know?! Lucifer saved my life. He’s done nothing but be good to me since I met him! He rescued me from that freak Asmodeus. He hasn’t lied to me or hurt me once. He makes me feel safe and happy and loved and... So what if he did bad things before? He’s not like that anymore!” 

He frowned at that and I felt my gut twist.  

“He’s got you so blinded, sugar. Sure, he’s not out massacring millions of humans at the moment, but he’s not good by any stretch of the imagination. Right now, those boys’ mom is stuck in another dimension where he left her to the mercy of rogue angels who are torturing her. He’s a self-serving, manipulative, assho-”

“Enough! I already told you, it’s not going to work,” I snapped brokenly. 

Sympathy wormed its way through his eyes as he let out a sigh and leaned his elbows onto his knees, resting his chin in his hands.

Crossing my arms across my chest to shield myself somewhat from his demanding stare, I asked softly, “What?”

“You love him,” he sighed after a second, a little chuckle of disbelief following quickly as his features softened, “Big bro managed to actually snag himself a woman. I can’t believe it. How? I know you said something about… Asmodeus.”

The way he flinched under that name spoke volumes and, for just a moment, I could see the powerful archangel as something much more human. 

“Uh, yeah. Apparently, a demon saw Lucifer at my shop one night and Asmodeus decided torturing me was the way to go about getting information on him. Unfortunately for us both, I didn’t know anything about him being an archangel. He was just… Nick, to me; Homeless, hot, very human, Nick,” I explained thickly, eyes clouding just at the memory, “Lucifer was the one to save me. While I was healing, he kept me in hell with him. He explained that apparently Nick and I were possible soulmates and that he felt drawn to me from being in Nick’s body and being mostly human around me. And before you try to say he’s manipulating me, I know a lot of what he’s done. I know he’s not a good person by any stretch of the imagination, but I also know for certain that he’s much better than before! For fucks sake, he’s helped me twice now by volunteering at the soup kitchen in town, and he’s the reason my charity has expanded in leaps and bounds! Even if that was somehow all a ruse, I’d still stick by his side because… because I owe him that, at the very least, and because I can’t just stop loving him…”

Before I could stop it, a sob hiccuped through my chest and I hastily buried my face in my hands to hide the tears spilling out. How embarrassing was it to cry in front of a total stranger?! 

“Hey, hey, come on now, sugar. Don’t cry.”

Suddenly Gabriel’s voice was much closer and I reeled back in the chair out of shock, just to find him on the floor before me, holding out what looked to be a lollipop in my direction. To say I was confused was an understatement. 

“Uh, thanks, but I don’t like candy,” I mumbled as I tried to wipe away the tears. 

“You don’t like candy at all?” he asked in obvious disbelief. 

“Just chocolate. I don’t like any ‘candy’ candy,” I explained. 

“Hmm, I gotta say, not liking candy? That’s major points off the sister-in-law chart.”

A snort of a laugh escaped at the little dance his eyebrows did as he suddenly produced what looked to be a small chocolate truffle out of nowhere. I was hesitant to take it at first but then I realized how ridiculous that was. They already had me captive. There was no reason to poison me now. The grumble of my empty stomach was all it took to finally push me into grabbing the chocolate and popping it into my mouth. As I savored the rich flavor, his words echoed in my head once more and I found my heart racing in both delight and surprise. 

“Sister-in-law huh?” I asked cautiously. 

Gabriel flashed a winning smile as he sat back and drew his knees up. 

“Well, Luci obviously cares about you, and you’ve made it clear you’re not leaving anytime soon,” he answered easily, “If he’s truly as reformed as you say, there may be a better path forward than we’ve all been expecting.” 

Swallowing hard, I nod once then muttered, “What about the Winchesters?”

With a little handwave, he got to his feet and said, “Let me handle them.”

… 

I knew it was childish but I couldn’t resist kicking over the pile of books that had been brought to me over the last couple of days. Creating some form of destruction was the only sort of release I had. I wasn’t strong enough to damage the solid wood furniture in the room, nor was I desperate enough to ruin the TV- the only minor link I had to the outside world. 

I wasn’t sure how long I could hold off that desperation though. Day by day, I grew more frustrated by the situation and the men who had put me in it. One month. It had been one entire, miserable, infuriating month of being “protected”. Sam and Dean tried to paint it as if I wasn’t a prisoner but we all knew that was a lie. There was no denying it. Trapped in this windowless bunker from hell with the two flannel-wearing giants and two powerful angels, never allowed to roam the halls without one of them by my side, not even allowed the privacy of a completely alone bathroom trip; It was maddening. I was only allowed to see those four; Sam, Dean, Castiel, and Gabriel. 

I wasn’t even allowed the luxury of calling my employees or my family so, for all I knew, they thought I was dead. Apparently, that was the picture they were painting for Lucifer as well if what Gabriel had hinted at was true. It was… more than worrying. When I got out of here- IF I got out of here- how was I going to be able to return to my life? Silly nightmares of my cafe being left in shambles or even worse, being taken and sold from underneath me, plagued me almost nightly, and yet those were the good ones. The most painful ones were the ones where I heard Lucifer calling out for me, crying for some kind of response, begging me not to have left him, and I could do nothing to reach out to him thanks to the fucking “angel warding” Castiel had apparently branded onto my ribs in my sleep the first night they took me. 

The only one who even attempted to understand my plight was Gabriel, which I considered ironic seeing as he was the one closest to Lucifer, although he also seemed to be the only one who was still holding some hope that his brother was actually different than before. Through this chaotic mess, he was the only one I was forming a budding friendship with. That alone wasn’t enough to keep my sanity intact though it seemed. 

A knock on the door caught my attention and I hastily jumped to my feet as it swung open, revealing the entire quartet. Immediately it was clear something was different. There was a light in Sam’s eyes that hadn’t been there before, and Dean looked nearly ready to bolt. 

“What’s going on?” I asked, the worry clear in my voice. 

“We- uh, we’re going to be gone for a bit,” Sam replied, eyes darting to the others before he stepped forward and extended a bag in my direction, “I’m not sure how long we’ll be gone, but we have safeguards in place should anything keep us longer than a few days.” 

The bag felt almost more than I could hold as my gaze dropped down to it and its contents. Food, clothes, toiletries… Just where the hell were they going?! 

I voiced my question aloud but was met with tense awkwardness and shifting glances. 

“Anyway, that should be good enough for now. We’re going to keep the door locked so don’t even think of trying to escape. There will be someone here keeping an eye on you and the place so don’t try any funny shit, got it?” 

I met Dean’s serious glance with a nod of understanding. Of course, it was a lie. I’d be doing everything in my power to get out the moment I felt safe doing so. As they turned to leave, I caught Gabriel’s glance and read the uncertainty clear in his eyes.

“Take care, sugar, we’ll see you soon,” he assured me.

The sound of the door shutting sent conflicting emotions through my chest and I dropped back into my spot on the bed, staring unseeing at the spot they’d just occupied. 

Freedom hadn’t felt so close in weeks. I hastily sorted through the items, throwing the clothes and sanitary things aside until I came across a toothbrush. As weak as I was, I knew I could easily break the plastic and use the sharpened edge to chip away around the door strike plate and face plate. It’d take a lot of time and work but it was my only option. 

A wave of guilt passed through my thoughts at the idea of possibly hurting Gabriel with my choice, but the hope of seeing Lucifer again was more than enough to push that aside. 

“Better start now,” I sighed to myself.

With the snap of plastic heavy in the air, I made my way to the door and planned my strategy. 

…

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!”

Fury rushed like fire through my belly as I slammed my fist against the door, effectively hurting my hand but achieving nothing else. The thrice-broken toothbrush sat uselessly at my crisscrossed legs and I couldn’t resist throwing a middle finger at it before swiping it up once more. 

“I’m so fucking close! If this would- just- fucking- work!”

Every word was punctuated with a heavy slam of the plastic on the now-whittled-down door frame. I could see the hallway between the door and frame, and it was more motivation than I’d had in a while, but the work seemed never-ending. It didn’t help that my stomach was aching and rounds of nausea kept plaguing my guts. Neither one was a new occurrence over the past few weeks, but it was more detrimental than ever because it meant I had to keep taking breaks in order not to puke all over myself. 

Shoving my frizzy curls back with a heavy curse, I slammed my hands to the ground and got to my feet as a new idea filled my mind. 

“When all else fails…” I muttered. 

My eyes squeezed shut tight and I took a deep breath in preparation before throwing myself hard at the door. Pain blossomed through my arm something fierce but it was quickly overtaken by adrenaline and shock as I felt the door splinter and give way under my weight. Taking a step back, I repeated the motion only to go crashing through with a booming crack and end up sprawled across the floor. 

Before I even took inventory of my wounds, my eyes darted in terror around the hallway and I caught my breath to listen for the sounds of any watchdogs approaching. After what felt like years, I let my body slide limp against the floor and stared up at the dim lights on the ceiling. 

I was out. It was only the first hurdle, as I still had to circumvent any possible guards and get through the main door, but it was a massive achievement.

As I lay there, catching my breath and thinking over my options, I was surprised to find the pain in my body slowly ebbing away. What was once a sharp agonizing pain there was barely a dull ache. I sure wasn’t about to question why, despite my mild concerns. It was something I could figure out once I was safe with Lucifer. 

“Have a good night!” 

I waved at Lucy as she backed out through the door and let out a happy sigh, nearly collapsing against the counter with a goofy smile. Today had gone better than expected. After two full weeks of the shop being closed so soon after my last break, I had no delusions of grandeur on what the first day back would be like, and yet still, it was nothing like the chaos I had pictured. I had expected angry customers, understocked sources, and cranky patrons of the coffee charity when in reality, it just seemed all my regulars had solely been concerned by my absence. It was heartwarming, to say the least.

“You good boss?” Amy asked cautiously. 

I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. She’d been a mother hen since I’d gotten back. In fact, most of the staff had been texting me regularly since I’d fed them all the first little lie about being in recovery from an accident. To be fair, it wasn’t much of a lie the first time around. This time, though, was filled with much more fun activities.

Turning to face her, I flashed her a bigger smile and said, “Yeah, I’m great, actually. Today’s been nice, right?” 

That earned a grin from the young woman as she nodded emphatically. 

“We’re really glad to have you back and to be back. You had us all scared, Emery.”

Empathy bled through her tone and warmth every bone in my body. I truly was lucky to have her, to have each one of them, in my life. 

“Yeah, yeah, I was scared too,” I admitted quietly, eyes unfocusing as I was pulled deep into the recesses of the memories I tried to keep blocked out. 

I cleared my throat abruptly and shifted back to my feet, lips quirking into a half-smile. 

“I’m just lucky Nick was there to help.”

Her pixie-like features twisted between emotions before settling on something like contentment and she gave a little smile and a nod. 

“Anyway, enough jabbering. I’m going to grab the deposit and drop it off at the bank, you want anything while I’m out?” I asked as I popped up off the counter. 

“A million dollars?” she quipped back cheekily.

I couldn’t stop the roll of my eyes that followed my heavy groan. 

“Sttoooppp, you’re too young to make jokes like that. At least wait til you’re my age.”

Her laugh was interrupted by the ring of the bell over the door. 

“Hi! Welcome in!” she quickly recited.

I turned to echo the greeting but the words fell silent on my lips as I spotted the supposed customers walking through the lobby. My heart began to race as the acrid taste of fear coated my tongue. Two of them I recognized as the “FBI agents” that entered my shop weeks ago, whom I now knew to be Sam and Dean Winchester, thanks to Lucifer’s entail. The other was someone I’d never seen before, but he was no less gorgeous or terrifying. If anything, there was something about him that was worse… better? My brain was very confused. 

“Uhm, actually, could you do the bank run for me, Amy?” I asked gently, shooting the men a “one moment” signal.

I did my best to keep my worries hidden as I didn’t bother waiting for her reply, ducking beneath the counter and opening the safe to grab the drop bag from beneath. 

“You sure?” she asked, confusion obvious in her voice.

While Amy was essentially my second in command, I usually didn’t bother her with managerial duties, but, at this moment, I needed her out of the shop as soon as possible. 

“I’m sure. I need to talk to these lovely gentlemen and this is a good chance for you to get some fresh air while it’s nice,” I replied, forcing on a smile as I rose back to my feet and handed her the bag, “I’ll see you when you get back, okay?”

There was an obvious distrust in her narrowed eyes as she looked between the trio of men and I before she relented with a small nod. 

“Okay, I’ll have my phone on me. Be back in ten,” she said, loudly enough for the men in the lobby to hear.

Oh sweet Amy. So tiny yet to protective. If only she knew these men could kill us both. Well, I knew two of them could. I still wasn’t certain who the last one was, though I was sure if he was with the Winchesters… he couldn’t be any safer. 

The instant she was out the door, I placed on my most professional smile and skirted around the counter toward the “agents”.

“Agents, welcome back. I hope nothing’s happened again if you’re here?”

I did my best to hide anything other than courtesy and kindness but it was hard when three larger-than-life men were staring me down. 

Sam, as sweet as before, offered me a smile before reaching out a hand my way. 

“Emery, right?” he asked.

“Yes! I’m sorry, agents, but I don’t remember your names. My memory isn’t great in my old age of thirty,” I joked easily. 

Dean snorted with a little smirk and commented, “Just wait til you get to our age.” 

I saw the way Sam rolled his eyes minutely before that same patient smile covered his face once more. Before he could speak, I turned toward the third man and offered out my hand, determined to figure out who he was. He was a little shorter than Dean but still quite tall, with perfectly coifed dark brown hair, intense blue eyes, and strong masculine features defined by a light layer of stubble around his lower face. His tan trench coat was a little odd for a supposed FBI agent but it did give off a nice aura of detective. All in all, he was certainly a dream boat.

“I don’t think we met last time. Emery Pike,” I said. 

There was an obvious hesitation before he reached out and limply shook my hand, retreating as soon as possible as he cleared his throat. 

“Agent Beyonce.”

Oh. Oh, that voice. Had I not had Lucifer in my life, I had no doubt I would have fallen for him in that instant. 

“Beyonce?” I had to ask, caught off guard. 

“Yeah, like- like the singer, she-”

“Listen, Emery, we’re sorry to drop in like this,” Sam cut off the other agent sharply, “But there was something we needed to talk to you about.” 

“Uh, okay, sure.”

It felt hard to swallow as I gestured toward the counter. 

“Would you guys like some coffee or pastries while we talk?” I offered. 

Dean’s eyebrows lifted instantly at the word pastries and he asked, “What kind you got?” 

Gone was the stern agent, instantly replaced by something much softer and more genuine. I couldn’t hide the smile that slid across my lips as I made my way to the counter. 

“Nothing too crazy but I hand make everything three times a week. I’ll check what I have left.”

As I went into the back store room, I could hear the men arguing in hushed voices even over the pounding of my heart in my ears. I quickly shuffled through what was left and came out with almost a dozen options. For a moment, I debated praying for Lucifer but I also didn’t want to drag him into something possibly dangerous for him if they didn’t know about our relationship yet. Hopefully, it was something I could handle on my own. If I put him in harm’s way of those three just to save my own skin, well, what kind of soulmate would I be? 

“Here we go. I’ve got some muffins, blueberry and chocolate chip, a couple of apple and cherry danishes, and some plain bagels. Please, help yourself to whatever you’d like. I also have some coffee, freshly brewed.”

While I was no actress, I’d played the part of perfect hostess for so long that I was almost certain they wouldn’t see through to the panic beneath the mask. 

“Thanks, uh, I’ll take a coffee, black,” Sam said as he sat, seemingly giving up fighting Dean’s sweets craving. 

“Sure, if you decide you want cream or sugar, there’s some at the end there,” I replied, gesturing to the little turn wheel with the keep-cold creamer pot and sugar packets. 

“I’ll take some too,” Agent Beyonce added as I poured Sam’s cup, “Please.” 

Flashing him a genuine smile, I nodded and poured one for him as well. It was obvious he was either new to this, or was genuinely uncomfortable around other people. I almost felt bad for him being stuck with the Winchesters. I had to wonder if he knew what their ruse was, what they really were, or if he was just dragged along. 

Of course, in the grand scheme of things, I could determine that the Winchesters weren’t bad people- though, to Lucifer of cour,se, they were. It didn’t mean I had to like them either way, considering they wanted to kill the love of my life despite the fact he was becoming less and less “evil” to their standards. 

“Here we go.”

It was impossible to hide the grin that blossomed across my face at the way Dean nearly lit up with a groan when he took a bite of the apple danish. 

“YOU make these?” he asked in obvious disbelief. 

Sam gave a huff of a laugh, shaking his head, as I agreed softly. 

“Almost as good as pie, almost,” Dean muttered, shoving the rest of the danish in his mouth before pulling the last two in his direction. 

“Thank you, but if we might…?”

Sam trailed off and I quickly gave a little nod. 

“Of course. What brings you guys in again?” I asked.

I reached out and snagged the little pot of creamer as Agent Beyonce put it down, mimicking his actions and pouring in a good slosh before snagging some sugar packets to add in as well. 

“We know about you and L- Nick.”

His words made the world slow down instantly. My mouth went dry and my fingers froze in their actions, but I quickly kicked myself into gear with a little curse in my head, hazel eyes catching his soft green ones as he stared me down. 

“Okay, and? I know he wasn’t the one who killed that guy, so what does it matter who I share my love life with?” I asked, trying to keep my voice level. 

The guys exchanged looks and, much to my surprise, Agent Beyonce was the one to speak next. 

“Nick isn’t who you think he is, Emery. He’s lying to you. He’s done horrible things-”

“What he means to say is that we don’t think Nick is being completely honest with you,” Sam cut in quickly.

Agent Beyonce cast Sam a hilarious bitch face before looking out the window and sipping his coffee, obviously off-put by being stepped on once again. Man, if Sam only knew how much I knew about “Nick” and how I knew Agent Beyonce was right. 

“Whatever he’s done in the past, I don’t care about,” I spoke truthfully as I took a drink of my own coffee, “He’s a good person now. That’s what matters. He literally saved my life after an accident. He kept me safe and healthy while I recovered. As far as I’m concerned, what he does now is what is important. We all have a past. What matters is how we grow and change from it.”

Sam’s eyebrows pinched together in frustration and thought, obviously trying to decide how to get through to me, but Agent Beyonce was quicker. 

“Lucifer is a murderer. He’s killed millions of people, Emery! He’d kill you too if it benefited him!”

His words were harsh, filled with such anger that I now had no doubt he had been affected by Lucifer in some way personally. Dean cursed softly as Sam tried to scramble for some kind of cover, but it was all useless. 

I knew I was in over my head at this point. Resting my face in my hands, I silently sent out a prayer to Lucifer for help and made sure to let him know it was the Winchesters who were here and why. 

“Listen, Emery, we just-”

“No, no, I think I’m done listening,” I cut him off coldly, lifting my head to look at the trio once more, “You’re not going to poison me against the one good man in my life. I don’t care what you have to say, whether you call him the devil or not. Nothing is going to change. Understood? Now, agents, I would appreciate it if you would get out of my shop before I have to call the cops. And believe me, when I say, this wouldn’t be the first time they’ve had to come to save me from rowdy men who have tried to hurt me so they’re going to believe me over even you suited jackasses!”

Their surprise would have been more satisfying if I weren’t shaking with the need to vomit and sob at the same time. 

“What’s it going to be? Gonna be another addition to the “tried to rape Emery” list, or you going to use your brains and get the hell out of here?” I snapped. 

Dean and Sam instantly raised their hands in submission, slowly backing away. 

“Okay, fine, we’ll leave,” Sam said carefully, “But please, think over what we said.” 

I looked over at the last one to move, Agent Beyonce, and instantly knew I was in trouble with the heat in his stare.

“You’re coming with us, whether you want to or not.” 

“Cas, don’t-!”

Cas. Castiel. The seraphim, younger brother to Lucifer, and most dangerous ally to the Winchesters. I should have known! God, I was fucking stupid. 

Before Dean could finish his sentence, the angel was by my side, one arm wrapped around my back and the other to my forehead.

“I’m sorry, but we can’t lose this chance. Jack and Mary’s life depend on it.” 

Jack? Mary? Who was-