I'm going to be very busy for the next few days, so I won't be able to write much. I'll update the story I'm working on as soon as I have some breathing time. The woes of a music major.

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural.

Hell is immersed in chaos. The roars and screams of terror and pain are deafening, even more so than usual. Demons are fiercely brutal in their torture of the damned souls brought to them, ripping them apart and breaking them with an unnatural fervor that shines in their black and soulless eyes. All of this is for one reason.

Lucifer is back in his cage.

Hell had lost. Lucifer was their only way out, and now he's back in the pit. Now there's less of a chance of Hell rising up again, because now Lucifer is...different. He's quiet, only keeping to one corner of his prison. That silent, powerful air that once surrounded him is gone, leaving him a shadow of his former self. He's weakened, especially now that his true vessel has been stripped from him.

All of Hell heard when Sam was raised.

The Devil's cries of pain and anger echoed throughout Hell's bowels as Sam's soul was stolen from him by a being so powerful it brought him to his knees. And if that wasn't enough, Lucifer was forced back into his former vessel. Nick. The difference was monumental. Sam was perfect in every way for Lucifer. He was strong and he fit so nicely. He just felt right. But now all Lucifer has is Nick, and he spends every second hating it. Hell moves on in its own chaotic way, but Lucifer sits in his corner, hating.

He never leaves that corner. And everyone in the pit knows why.

Michael.

The Devil's older brother resides on the opposite end of the cage. Lucifer wants nothing to do with him, and that feeling is multiplied ten fold at how Michael has chosen to spend his time in Hell. He prays. He prays for forgiveness from their Father, so that He may take him out of this wretched place. It's infuriating, but Lucifer finds some amusement in this. He knows God isn't listening.

"It's about time you felt what I've felt for centuries. To know what true abandonment feels like. No one will come for you, Michael. Pray all you want."

Michael lifts his head at Lucifer's cold words. His little brother is staring at him with glittering eyes, wedged into that damn corner of his. It makes him look smaller, when he's hunched over himself like that, and Michael can never remember a time when Lucifer has seemed so vulnerable. Even when Michael stood above him, ready to cast him down from Heaven, when Lucifer was stripped bare, he still had pride in his actions.

"You never regretted it, did you?"

Lucifer had been rocking himself slowly back and forth for a long time, lost in his own torments, but at Michael's question he stills. He cocks his head to one side and narrows his gaze at his brother. After a moment he sneers.

"No. I did the right thing."

Lucifer sounds so sure of himself, so proud, and it tears Michael up inside. How could he have turned out this way? And why did Michael never see it coming? Lucifer had always been prideful, but Michael never thought he would become so jealous of humans. What did humans have that could even compare to the glory of the Morning Star? Michael never could figure it out, but apparently Lucifer could, and he didn't like what he saw.

"You can never understand, Michael. Because of how He created you," Lucifer says flatly, and Michael wonders how his brother never lost that uncanny ability to know what he was thinking about.

Some things never change, he supposes. But Lucifer is right; Michael is just incapable of understanding certain things. It isn't his fault, it's just how he was made to be. He will never understand why Lucifer did what he did, and Lucifer came to terms with that a long time ago. But that doesn't mean Michael isn't curious.

"I want to know why."

Lucifer looks caught off guard at his brother's statement. His eyes narrow again, his body tense. The two brothers study each other, the never ending cacophony of Hell echoing around them. Finally Lucifer snorts derisively and turns his gaze away from Michael.

"You won't understand."

"Humor me."

Michael is determined, and Lucifer can tell that he won't drop it.

"Fine. I did it for you."

The words hang between the brothers. Michael is staring hard at Lucifer, who meets his gaze unblinkingly, seemingly disinterested in the entire conversation. But Michael knows better, and he chooses to remain quiet until Lucifer carries on. After a few moments, he does.

"I knew you didn't understand. But for some insane reason, I kept hoping that you would. It was stupid of me. But I don't regret it, and I never will." As Lucifer speaks his eyes glaze over, lost in the memories of a much happier point in his life. "You raised me, Michael. You always protected me. You protected everyone. I felt like I needed to do the same for you." At this Michael snorts. Lucifer's face hardens and his body stiffens as he glares at his brother. "What?" he snaps.

"Why would you think I needed protection from humans? What could they have possibly done to cause me harm?" Michael is obviously amused, though he becomes more serious once he realizes that Lucifer is actually pissed at him.

Not that he cares.

"You bowed before them. You were Heaven's finest warrior and yet you kneeled before their feet. I thought that was incentive enough." Lucifer's tone is clipped, and it's obvious that he doesn't want to continue this conversation. That's okay with Michael, because he has no desire to argue about the will of their Father with Lucifer. There shouldn't even be anything to argue about. God gives the orders. Therefore the orders need to be followed. What didn't Lucifer understand about that?

"You're hopeless," Lucifer spits suddenly, with so much spite and venom that Michael is momentarily startled. He stares at his brother, wide eyed. Lucifer is coiled like a snake, glaring hatefully at Michael. "I know what you're thinking, and it's not that simple. It's never that simple. It was never about disobedience. It was about the fact that He chose them over us. Over me." Lucifer's voice softens at the end, but his visage still has an edge of hostility. "And you. I expected so much from you, but I never expected betrayal."

Michael's mouth almost drops. Betrayal? Lucifer thinks Michael betrayed him? Michael is pretty sure Lucifer has the story backwards, because he was the one who assembled an army that tore Heaven apart. Michael never betrayed Lucifer; he did what he had to do. He did what was right. But as he looks at where that got both of them, the slightest hint of doubt embeds itself in his mind. Is this really what is right? Was any of it right? Trying to kill his brother, the same brother he spent his whole life protecting? Was it right to be stuck down here in Hell when all he was doing was what his Father asked of him? He's a good son, he is.

Then why am I suffering?

"Lucifer, I don't know where you have gotten this notion in your head, but you were the one who betrayed me. You betrayed all of Heaven when you disobeyed our Father's orders. You must know you were wrong."

The Devil's expression morphs into one of disbelief and he forces out a hollow laugh that causes an uneasy feeling inside of Michael. Lucifer never used to laugh like that.

"I'm the one who is wrong? You cast me into an eternity of suffering in the name of our Father, and you think that is right? Tell me, brother," he spits out the word like it's the foulest of substances coating his tongue, "What is so right about what you did to me?"

"Heaven, Lucifer!" Michael snaps with enough force that Lucifer's retort dies on his tongue. "It was right because it was to protect Heaven. And if that meant cutting down my own brother then that was something I was willing to do."

Lucifer stills at Michael's words, his expression blank.

"You were going to kill me," he says, his voice neutral. "Why didn't you?"

"I have my reasons," Michael replies, his voice just as neutral, because if Lucifer wants to act like none of this matters to both of them then he'll play along. But it looks as if Lucifer has lost interest in the conversation. He turns away from Michael to stare blankly out of his prison. Oh, what he would give to be free again. He knows that this is very unlikely, especially so soon, but a devil can dream, right? A devil can dream.

The two brothers sit in silence until a very shrill and annoying voice right outside Lucifer's cage grabs both of the archangel's attention. Lucifer sits a little more upright and cranes his head, spying an imp-like creature not ten feet from his cage.

"Master fell into the hole again, ha-ha!" The imp dances in place, pointing its green and clawed fingers at Lucifer. "Master has failed!"

Lucifer snarls in rage. He shoots to his feet and glares heatedly at the imp. How dare such a loathsome and tiny creature approach him, let alone mock him!

"Hold your tongue, you vile cretin! I do not have the patience for the likes of you. Get out of my sight." Lucifer wants nothing more than to smite the little bastard, but he knows he can't do much of anything as long as he's stuck this damned cage. It seems the little imp knows this too, otherwise it would be long gone by now. Instead it continues to stand there, a mocking leer in directed at Lucifer.

"Master is not Master anymore! There is a new Master, and he will not lose this time!" With one final gleeful laugh, the creature ambles off, leaving the Devil fuming in his wake.

Filthy demons, the lot of them!

From the other half of the cage, Michael watches his brother pace around in agitation, muttering angrily under his breath. The one thing that Lucifer cannot stand is disrespect, and it looks like this is the last straw for him. He whirls around suddenly, his icy gaze locking onto Michael, who is still sitting on the ground.

"This is your fault! I'm stuck down here because of you! If you just –" He cuts himself off suddenly, and instead he levels an acidic look at Michael, who simply raises one eyebrow, the faintest of smiles barely present.

"I'm impressed," Michael says lightly. "You actually restrained yourself from throwing another one of your temper tantrums. And it only took you a couple eons to do it."

"Shut up, Michael," Lucifer hisses, shooting a murderous glare at his brother. Michael smirks. Really, this is too easy.

"You could have saved me the trouble if you would have learned self-restraint earlier."

To Michael's dismay, Lucifer decides to remain silent this time, still pointedly glaring at his brother. Finally he gives an annoyed huff and sits back down in his corner. Michael stretches then, raising his arms high above his head and clasping his hands together. Lucifer stares at him suspiciously. Michael smiles in a benign sort of way, and Lucifer rolls his eyes and turns away. "You are a moron," he tells his brother. "A self righteous, stuck up, moron."

Michael lowers his arms. "And you're a brat. Really, I don't understand how Father put up with you. I guess He figured it out in the end."

And just like that, the mood changes. Lucifer's demeanor shifts into something colder, something harsher, and Michael suddenly remembers that this is the Devil he's talking to, not the little brother he spent the majority of his life with.

"Do not test me, Michael," Lucifer says, his voice low in warning. Michael bristles at the tone his brother uses with him, and he has the fleeting urge to simply put Lucifer in his place because devil or not, there's still some part of the brother he once knew in there and Michael will still respond the way he used to.

He'll kick Lucifer's ass.

"Watch your tone," Michael responds, his voice just as low, the underlying threat obvious. Both of them know that neither of them is in any condition to fight, but that has never mattered to them before. They've been pent up in this cage for who knows how long, with only each other to keep them company, and it's a miracle that they haven't come to blows yet. Surprising, since they were ready to fight to the death before they ended up here.

Being thrown in Hell makes you forget about things like that.

Michael hadn't even known what was happening for a while. He was just falling suddenly, and he heard Lucifer screaming and then there were other ghastly voices joining in, and then he just…stopped. He hit the ground, hard, and he laid there for what seemed like years, on his back, gasping for the breath that he shouldn't have needed.

Then there was the pain. That's when Michael knew he was in Hell. It hit him hard, and any other lesser angel would probably have been overwhelmed by it. Hell is no place for an angel, especially for prolonged periods of time. It's physically draining, being so far away fro Heaven and from the other angels. Hell acts as a sort of barrier to an angel's grace, and if an angel tries to contact a sibling in the pit it's damn near impossible. Sort of like getting a bad signal, Michael once heard…

Gabriel. Gabriel told him that. And now he's dead.

The archangel with the wings of gold, the prankster, the lover of every angel in every rank, his little brother, is dead. And it's Lucifer's fault.

A sudden rush of fury overcomes Michael, and he narrows his eyes at Lucifer, who sees the change in his brother and stiffens.

"You killed him." Michael stands up, focused entirely on the angel he once called his brother. "He adored you, and you killed him."

Once Gabriel died Michael felt a shock through his grace, a piercing agony that stopped him mid-flight. He had sat down where he landed for the longest time, trying to make sense of the gaping whole that was suddenly in his grace. He thought Gabriel was safe. He thought he would be okay. And Michael didn't have the luxury of properly grieving his brother's death. There was too much going on, and he refused to think about it because he knew it would only make matters worse. Still, he could never get rid of that empty feeling in his chest.

"You know, Lucifer, it's getting harder and harder to find a reason not to kill you."

Lucifer sneers. "I'd like to see you try. We're in Hell, remember, Michael?"

Michael's jaw tightens. "Did he really mean that little to you? He was devastated after what you did. He…wasn't the same. And one day...he was just gone."

Lucifer had stood up at some point, and now he just stands there with his arms at his side, an unfathomable expression on his face. Michael used to be able to read his brother like a book, but he supposes this is what Hell does. It twists and bends and breaks until nothing is recognizable anymore.

"Don't you dare insinuate that I did not care for Gabriel. I loved him and you know it."

The emotion in the Devil's voice comes as a shock to Michael, because by Lucifer's expression, it looks like he could just be talking about something as mundane as the weather. But this isn't the weather they're discussing, it's Gabriel, and even in death it seems that the messenger archangel is the only one who can still affect the Devil in this way.

"I loved him, but I…I had to do it. You don't understand." Lucifer's hands are shaking slightly and he balls them into fists, never taking his eyes off Michael. Killing Gabriel was the hardest thing he'd ever done. And it only got harder as he watched the light leave his brother and as he stared at the empty vessel sprawled on the ground. He felt the ashes flutter against his face and a part of him died inside because Gabriel was a great archangel and a loving little brother, no matter what side he chose. And for a fleeting moment, when Lucifer had the blade buried inside of his brother, he hesitated. Gabriel was staring up at him, his expression pained as he gripped Lucifer's wrist, and both of them could feel Gabriel's grace slipping. Lucifer almost didn't go through with it, he almost pulled the blade back out before the damage would become too great, because he didn't want his brother dead.

But he plunged the blade deeper and twisted, watched the hurt and betrayal and love flash across honey colored eyes as Gabriel's scream echoed in his ears because this was bigger than what Lucifer wanted for himself. He didn't want to kill his brother, but he had to. It was the only way. But Michael will never understand. Lucifer knows this, and he accepts it. And he will always love his little brother, because Gabriel had more heart than any angel God created, and he died doing what he did best, despite his affinity for pranks.

He died with love in his eyes, love for a brother he shouldn't have felt, but Lucifer will cherish that, because it's the only thing of his brother that he has left. He didn't deserve it, but he will never forget it.

"I don't want to understand. What you did, Lucifer, it's appalling. You had no right to end Gabriel's life. I don't know what kind of world you're trying to create, but you're willing to kill anyone who gets in your way. You're willing to kill me. And when you're through, you won't have anyone left. You'll be alone." Michael stares at Lucifer, and he feels genuine sadness at what Hell has done to the Morning Star. He used to be beautiful, but now he's been morphed into something that's been scarred and broken. All because he thought he was doing what was right.

Michael pauses. Wasn't he himself trying to do what was right? He was, and he was hell-bent on doing it, no matter what anyone else said. Maybe that was the problem. He was acting just like Lucifer. Maybe what he was doing…maybe it was wrong.

He doesn't want to end up like Lucifer.

And the more Michael thinks about it, the more he pities his brother, because he knows his Lucifer will never admit that he's wrong.

"I'm sorry, Lucifer, I really am. I see now that I was wrong in how I tried to handle things. I love you, but you're wrong also, and you'll never see that. Because of how He created you. It's taken me a long time, but I understand that now."

Lucifer's expression falls, but before he can respond a bright light engulfs his cage.

And then Hell is quiet.

Both Lucifer and Michael are wide eyed as the light moves to surround Michael.

It's their Father. And he's taking Michael back.

"No!" Lucifer shouts hoarsely, "Father, don't leave me here again! I can change, just don't leave me here!" The Devil's eyes are wide with the fear of abandoment, the fear of being alone again in this dreadful place. Lucifer shifts his desperate gaze to his brother. "Michael, you can't leave!"

Michael looks at Lucifer for the last time, knowing that his brother will never be able to leave Hell. He smiles sadly at his brother and dips his head.

"Goodbye, Lucifer."

The light blinks out of existence along with Michael, and Lucifer screams in anguish, the other cries of pain and rage of the pit joining his.

Hell moves on in its own chaotic way, but Lucifer still sits in his corner, hating.

:(

Poor Lucy. I'm not exactly sure how Lucifer's cage works, but I decided to go with it in a more literal sense. I hope that the show delves into what has happened to Lucifer and Michael, because I really want to know. I doubt it's anything like I've just written.

Now...review? :D