Chapter 3-
The room exploded into movement, Amenadiel and Maze tripping forward towards Lucifer. The others around the edge of the room beginning to fully falling back into the floor and walls because they had been backing up when the room had frozen.
But it was Lucifer who fell forwards onto his knees, arms now empty that held the greatest shock. Chloe's body was gone, and his shock turned to rage in an instant.
He flew to his feet turning towards Amenadiel, "What have you done with her body." Lucifer screamed, spit flying out of his mouth. He began to stride forward ready to tear him apart, ready to kill his brother for an answer.
But once again the room froze as a light flashed, this time though, Lucifer and Amenadiel could turn towards the window. Both of them froze when they saw who graced the door way. And in the next instant one fell to his knees and the other turned with fists clenched.
"You." Screamed Lucifer.
"Lucifer, please." Amenadiel begged his brother from his knees.
Lucifer turned to Amenadiel and sneered, "I will not bow to him. He threw me away, he cast me to the most vile place in existence. Then he let her die. She was innocent!" Lucifer turned back to his father, "You took her body, didn't you?"
The brothers watched as their father came forward and gave a small nod. "I did."
Lucifer growled and stepped forward only to be grabbed by Amenadiel, "Brother." He whispered.
Lucifer wrenched his arm out of Amenadiel's hand, "What?" Lucifer spat. "He has already sent me to Hell and let Chloe DIE." He screamed, "What more can he do?"
Amenadiel looked towards his brother, "He can erase you from existence... brother." He whispered the last word. You could feel the distress and pain coming from him, "I would not want to lose you." He said softly to Lucifer.
And for one split second Lucifer sagged forward everything crashing down on him again. Then he stood tall again, "I will be sorry for your pain Amenadiel, but at least then my pain will be over." He turned back to his father, "What do you want? Why did you take her body?" Lucifer demanded.
His father went to the couch and sat, looking for the very first time that the brothers could remember ... old... worn … tired.
"I made a mistake that day Lucifer." He whispered.
Lucifer narrowed his eyes, "What day?"
His father looked up at him, "You know what day." He said softly.
Lucifer stumble back, never ... ever would have he imagined this day... those words coming out of his father's mouth. He turned and walked over to the bar that was in shambles. He dug around until he found a glass only half broken and poured it until it was over flowing with whiskey. And then he chugged until it was gone. He filled the broken glass again then looked up and began laughing, a hysterical manic laugh.
Amenadiel was on his knees still looking down, Maze was frown mid step and the rest were frozen in varied movements around the room, half sprawled out on the floor, half mid falling. And in the center of all of it sat his father, saying he made a mistake.
GOD …... was sitting on his leather couch ... saying he made a mistake.
GOD!
Amenadiel looked over at Lucifer, anxiety still on his face, "Lucifer, why are you laughing." He whispered.
Lucifer stopped laughing as abruptly as he started, he finished his second drink and poured a third. Then he began to walk back towards his brother, "Because Amenadiel, I waited millennium for him to admit he was wrong! I waited and waited and he never came. Now, when I have nothing left he comes to say it... just Bloody Fucking Fantastic!" He roared the chugged the third drink before throwing it across the room and watching it exploded against the wall.
He turned to his father, "Great fucking timing, when I am utterly alone you come!" He turned and began to walk to the elevator, "Well you can Sod off because I don't fucking care what you regret. And I want her body back, now!" He pushed the elevator button, "I want to be able to mourn her, her family will want to mourn her passing... or will you be too selfish to even allow that."
"Lucifer." His father said standing, "Her body is where it needs to be. She is where she asked to be right now. You do not need a body to mourn."
Lucifer turned back to fully face his father, "And like always you decide what we do and don't need, RIGHT?" He sneered.
"ENOUGH." His father bellowed, his voice lowered and gentled, "I have to give you the last gift she asked me to give you."
Lucifer immediately Froze, "You spoke with her? …. After?... Is she ok?" He paused for a moment before looking up at his father, "May I switch places with her? ..." Lucifer fell to his knees suddenly, all the anger leaving his body, "Will you let her come back, then let her go to heaven? If I swear to you I will go back to Hell. I will never leave it; I swear... just bring her back." His last words a brief whisper.
God looked down at his son and realized the pain he caused went on for far too long, "She told me that I was wrong." He smiled down at Lucifer who looked up at him with Chloe's blood still brushed against his cheek, eyes full of pain and hope. "... In fact, she called me a liar and I think in so many words a bad person... or being for what I did. And she said I was a bad father, and she was right." God shook his head, "She stood up for you fiercely, Lucifer. She gave no thought to herself, only you. It made me realize even more how right she was. I cannot change what has passed but I can honor what she asked for."
Lucifer looked up at his father, "What did she ask for." He whispered, his fear was that it was not for her, she never asked for herself.
His father looked down at him with a small smile, "She asked for you to go home... in fact she traded her spot for yours." God watched as Lucifer fell forward from the weight of his words, the hope in his eyes fading and being replace with terror.
"You told her No, right?" Lucifer whispered. "You told her that was not her choice to make, not her path."
God shook his head down at Lucifer, "I let them choose their own paths, Lucifer…. free will, you know this. She chose to die for you Lucifer, just like she is choosing to take your place so you can go back home."
Lucifer surged up ready to attack his father, "How could you." He screamed, "Why?! Do you hate me? Why would you hurt an innocent, sweet, pure soul for me? She does not deserve that place!"
His father flicked his wrist out and Lucifer froze in the air, mid leap. Amenadiel looked over in dread, in fear that he really was going to lose his brother forever now.
"You did not deserve that place either, Lucifer. But I cannot fully regret that I sent you. That path led you to this moment, to having Chloe love you. To having Chloe give you the peace I could not give you." God walked towards Lucifer to gently wipe the blood off of his cheek, "Your gift from Chloe, Lucifer, its time now for you to have it." As his Father whispered a light exploding out of his hand towards Lucifer. "This is going to hurt a little."
In the next instant Lucifer fell to his knees again, screaming in agony.
