"Dean," I called as I saw him, "What's going on?"
"It's Sam - he doesn't know what he's doing, he's going to open the Cage, he's going to free Lucifer."
I froze, fear, panic and a sudden loneliness came over me. How? How could it be possible? He's really going to come back? I couldn't let that happen, I couldn't allow him to ruin everything here - I couldn't let him make Earth like the Cage. I couldn't let him control me again. I wouldn't let him control me again. I had learned now, I had been taught the difference between my life in the Cage and how I should have been able to live. This world was right, the Cage had been wrong; Lucifer had been wrong. Despite being kidnapped from the Cage, I was granted freedom on Earth.
I couldn't let Lucifer take that away.
~x~x~
When we got to Sam it was too late. The building trembled and the ground shook. "Sam," I yelled. I begged him, "Get over here!"
He ran round the body of Lilith, to Dean and I. Light erupted from the blood sigil on the floor, instinctively I pushed the boys behind me - they didn't know, they couldn't understand fully exactly what this meant. They had no idea of the danger.
The light filled the hall, and a loud ringing rose in our ears, louder and louder until I could have screamed. Then it all faded.
XXX
I was lying down, on a bed? No, a bench? Or the floor? My body felt stiff, my head was sore. Nothing felt real, but everything was too solid to be a dream. I opened my eyes to see depthless white. I shut my eyes again, preferring the darkness to the confusing white.
"Mavriel" I was imagining it. I had to be. He couldn't be... "Mavriel, I'm here" his voice was soft, comforting. It washed over me like fog. My muscles relaxed, the pain in my head left me - I felt peaceful, but it was only so deep - I was still aware of the panic in my heart. The fear that had been rising within me was remaining strong, but something was forcing it down again, Lucifer was forcing it down... so he could control me again.
"You can't..." I muttered, my voice weak, "You can't be here, you can't..."
"Look at me Mavriel, I'm here" a hand gently brushed my hair back from my face. I felt any will power I once had had, leave me. My subconsciousness was screaming at me to run, but he wasn't allowing it.
I caught his hand as I opened my eyes. He smiled. Lucifer sat by my side, on the wide platform I was lying on. He leant slightly over me, clothed in white. He was beautiful, he looked so pure; how could he look so pure?
"L-Lucifer" his name caught in my throat. Everything I knew about him flooded my mind - everything from the Cage, everything I'd learned since. He was dangerous, unpredictable, overbearing. He created me. He loved me. He controlled me.
"I told you I was here, Lamb. I'm with you"
A wave of adoration came over me, it made me sick to my soul. I began to sit up, hesitantly, silently asking for his permission, but he sat back to allow me. "I... I m- I missed you" I whispered. I felt like I was in a trance. "I missed you, Lucifer, I- I missed you" words tumbled off my tongue. I knew that was all he wanted to hear. I wanted to bite off my tongue to make the words stop.
Calmly Lucifer ran a hand through my hair, a soft smile on his face, "My beautiful Lamb. They stole you from me, but we're together now, we're together and we're strong. I have missed you so very much Mavriel, it was maddening being apart, but you're here now, we're together now" His fingers traced over my arms, down to my wrists, my palms, my fingertips. My skin tingled under his touch - it made my skin crawl.
"You... you're not... You don't have- you're not in a vessel?" my mind struggled to get out the questions I needed answered. I needed to know who his vessel was, so I could stop him.
"No, Lamb, we're seeing each other as our graces, our souls - we can see each other as purity, not as physical beings."
I nodded, not following entirely. I was buzzed, like I was bordering on the edge of drunkenness. But then the world began to spin, I faltered, blinking, my head spinning "Wh- what's...?"
"You have to go back now, Lamb."
"Lucifer" In my panic I called out for him.
"It isn't your fault, what's going to happen. It's not your fault"
Everything was dimming, I fell backwards, lying staring up at him with tunnel vision, "What's not my fault?"
"The Winchesters, Mavriel - they are the vessels, Sam is mine, Dean is Michael's. It's not your fault." Suddenly there was darkness.