A/N: Attention! This story is not dead yet! So sorry for the long delay, I've been in the worst case of writer's block. Not only that, my mom required me to 'do stuff', which includes helping her at work and other related stuff.

I've been working in this one-shot longer than I expected. Took a whole week actually…I kept changing and editing stuff, and then stop several times in between because I had difficulty in working out the dialogues. Then I have to return to school, as our break just ended. Enrollment is still going on, so at least I found the time to finish this up. It turned out pretty long, and guess what: It's a GabrielxLucilla ficcie! But don't worry, there's still some SebbyxEssie in there.

I don't have an idea how much randomness I instilled in this one-shot, but it turned out pretty good after re-reading it several times, though I don't know if I caught all the mistakes in here. I'm pretty exhausted actually…too tired to review this again.

Special mention to those who reviewed the last one-shot: Araiae4u, Your Guardian Demon, Imitation Paranoid Marionette, Serah, and THE NERD KID ON THE BLOCK. Thanks guys! *showers you with cookie dough*

The specific year in this one-shot is actually 1991, just to let you know. And I've never been to Ireland, or anywhere out of the country where my empire of shit resides.

Warning: Angsty Lucilla is angsty. Do not judge her wrong based on this chapter. She is as melodramatic as I made everyone else in DFF, though slightly bipolar. Title is apparently crappy and random. Also, Gabriel's sweetness will rot your teeth. Prepare toothpaste.

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(4)

Taming Ghosts

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It was during breakfast when Viessa announced that she would be changing her last name to 'Michaelis'.

It took her many years before she actually agreed with her mate, who had been constantly persuading her to have it changed since he recovered. Only the Lion Demon knew the reason for the blonde's hesitation: His younger brother, for some strange coincidence, carried the name of Viessa's former master and husband.

Before becoming a Fallen Demon, Viessa Heatherworth was Lady Viessa Michaelis for a period of three months. After her master died, she reverted back to her previous name. It was understandable that carrying that surname would provoke unwanted memories to rise. Gabriel could tell that she considered this long and hard, and is pleased to know that she at last agreed. It was a sign that she finally accepted her past, and is ready to move on completely. With that in mind, he can finally stop worrying too much over her, and avert his attention to the other female in their small group.

Along with the day Viessa Heatherworth is dubbed Viessa Michaelis, is also the 600th death anniversary of Dmitry Malchiv.

It was only during this particular time of the year when Lucilla was less like herself. The normally loud, rude and impulsive brunette was reduced to a silent and gloomy widow, trying to drown herself in despair and solitude. Well…just until the sun rises by morning.

Gabriel was impressed though that she managed to keep up a façade of cheerfulness in front of Viessa and Sebastian as she congratulated them. But still, the heaviness in her aura was still very much obvious that it made the pale-blonde's face contort in the slightest hint of worry. Even Sebastian, who was never much in well terms with Lucilla, had quirked a suspicious brow at the green-eyed female's strange behavior. Strange because he had expected her to babble about proper care and conduct, or tease his sexual behavior, towards Viessa instead of a wide smile and a pat on the shoulder.

Of course, the two never knew the story behind Lucilla's fall, other than very small bits and pieces. Out of all of them, Lucilla was the most discrete when the past is involved, but each of them had a great deal of respect for each other and thus never press the issue further if one of them didn't want to talk about it. So whether the couple noticed her gloom or not, or observed that it only occurs constantly in a specific day, they did not talk to her about it. Melancholy only befalls the brunette once a year, and then after that she was back to her annoying and bitchy self. They need not to worry about it any further.

But Gabriel was too protective to just let such a matter be thrown to the back of his mind. Being Lucilla's sentry before she became a Fallen Demon, he had witness firsthand the Deadly Nightshade break down after the death of her mate, of which she caused, and of which, in Gabriel's opinion, the weak little bastard deserved. And it is that opinion that the red-head wanted to instill into Lucilla's troubled mind while she stood in front of the large glass window of his study, looking out at the garden with a distant and poignant gaze.

"You are, once again, being difficult." Gabriel mumbled, watching the back of Lucilla's unmoving figure with stern, calculating eyes that would have surely bore holes at the back of her skull. He shifted in his seat, crossing his legs and leaning his head on the ball of his hand, the elbow propped on the surface of his desk. When the brunette didn't reply, he lets out a long sigh and shook his head. "I had thought you learned a thing or two from Viessa. This day proved she succeeded the task of leaving her past behind her. Why can't you do the same?"

Lucilla tensed slightly at his words, but kept her gaze solemnly out the window, not at all bothered by the strong light of day warming her face. "It's not easy." She would have spat her response, accompanying it with a glare and maybe a tantrum, if she had been in her normal state of mind, but it came out like a small whimper similar to that of a wounded animal.

"It's never easy," he replied matter-of-factly, suddenly standing with a quick push on the cushioned arms of his seat. He rounded his desk and made his way towards her. "That's why we try our damndest to move forward…To stop it getting in the way of our lives." He halted next to her, leaning slightly on the drapes of the window, arms crossed over his chest, topaz eyes looking down at her. He saw the slight furrowing of her eyebrows, a good sign that she was actually putting to heart the things he was saying, and that she was definitely getting irritated at him for being able to do so.

"But you kept bottling up all your grief and covering it up with all your jokes and smiles and that annoying, laid-back attitude of yours, only to let it burst every time this date shows on the calendar. Honestly, your yearly mourning is getting on my nerves, and I'm sure the others have noticed it as well." He said rather coldly, hoping his cold demeanor would aggravate Lucilla enough to bring her back to her normally rude self.

Lucilla's right hand was holding on to the curtains, and the fingers tightened around it as he continued to speak. "600 years, and still, the death of that scum…" he said the word with much emphasis, the syllable slithering on his tongue as if he was spitting out something vile, "…continues to haunt you. That demon did not deserve you and you know it Lucilla. I know you've always known it…"

"Stop."

Gabriel paused, mouth still open, at Lucilla's soft plead. She had snapped her head to him, the sorrow obvious in her features. Her emerald eyes, usually bright and beaming with mischief and play, was now dull green, like leaves that begged to be watered and given life. "Just stop. Let's not talk about this." She added, and then continued in a much softer tone, grass-green eyes cast low, a hazy film on the orbs, "Let's not talk about him."

The male's eyes soften, and his mouth shut slowly. When Lucilla turned back to view out the window, Gabriel followed her gaze, and saw two figures walking the grassy path around the fountain of their garden. Viessa was taking a walk with Sebastian, her hand on his arm, their shoulder's pressed together. They paused by the fountain, and he saw Sebastian dip his head to level with Viessa's height. The male whispered something in her ear, which made the pale-blonde giggle, before she lightly pecks him on the lips.

His topaz eyes glanced to the brunette and saw her face sadden further upon watching the lovely scene below. She then suddenly stepped back, slipping pass his shoulder as she made a move towards the door. She halted momentarily and turned to the left to snatch the unopened bottle of scotch Gabriel had in his study. She gripped the neck of the bottle swiftly, and then leaving the room in a faster pace, probably so she would be out the door before the male could protest. She left without another word, the air of grief and frustration still weighing heavily on her shoulders.

Gabriel's his eyes soften when he heard the lock click. A look of worry replaced his strict expression the very moment she left, and he peered at the close door behind his shoulder. He sighs heavily after a few silent moments and plopped down the nearest chair, sitting in an uncharacteristically lazy position, an arm hanging limply on the backrest, a brooding look on his weary face.

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"Gabriel!" Viessa called in a cheerful tone, her head peeping out the open door. Said fallen demon looked up from the book he was reading to find her smiling brightly at him. With a swift finger he tucked the long maroon bangs that covered the scarred half of his face behind his ear before shutting his book, not even bothering to bookmark the page. He had been reading – no, staring – at the same page for the last thirty minutes. He was no doubt getting distracted with his own concern for the brunette.

Though, he had to admit to himself, he was never this bothered by Lucilla's annual depressions before. Usually, he'd leave her to mop on her own, but it did not necessarily mean he never tried to at least talk to her about the issue. Lucilla was always a stubborn one. She believed that avoiding the topic of her past would make her look stronger, when in fact; she was slowly falling apart deep inside, and now, it frustrated him that she did not want to be consoled from her problems.

"Gabriel?"

The red-head blinked, snapping out from his inner musings. "Ah…yes?" He said right after clearing his throat. He had not realized that he suddenly went still and quite for several seconds. He shifted in his seat, leaning back against his chair and then looked up at Viessa, who had now stepped inside the room. Gabriel noted the casual but elegant cream, knee high dress the female wore tonight, as well as a pair of brown, ankle-high heeled boots. She was also clutching a purse on her gloved hands, and her pale-gold mane was neatly styled and draped on one shoulder. She wore light makeup, and simple jewelry including the white-gold band ring on her finger. The male's brows furrowed slightly, wondering why she was dressed rather fancy for the evening.

Viessa tilted her head, one blond brow raised in question at the older demon's strange behavior, before shrugging it to the back of her mind. "We're going." She announced, her head nudging out the door.

That was when Gabriel remembered. Sebastian and Viessa had planned to go out this evening as a sort of celebration. Strange that he had forgotten something that was announced to him just two hours ago. It seems Lucilla had gotten into his head too much. 'That's absurd.' He mentally argued.

The amethyst-eyed female suddenly noticed that her superior was once again in a daze, and she took a step closer with a worried expression. "Gabriel, we're going." She repeated with more emphasis.

The clicking of her heel against the tiles rang louder in his ears and Gabriel snapped out from his reverie. "Oh…oh yes." He gave the worried female a small smile. "Of course. I'm sorry, I seem to have forgotten about your plans. You look lovely, Viessa."

The female's brow was still raised, but she smiled back sweetly and bowed her head. "Thank you."

"Where's Sebastian?"

"He's waiting downstairs," she clasped her hands together around her purse. "I just came up here to inform you that we're leaving."

Gabriel looked a bit surprised as he leaned forward. "You didn't have to, you know." He smiled in amusement. "I don't want to waste your evening together, even if it's just brief."

Viessa looked a bit embarrassed as she smiled back sheepishly, scratching her cheek with a finger. "I just thought I'd let you know."

The male stood up from his seat, willing himself to concentrate on reality. The older demon let out one of his rare genuine smiles. Leave it to Viessa to act like the respectful lady who acknowledges her elders. Gabriel inwardly chuckles, suddenly feeling old. "Well then, let's not keep my dear brother waiting." He offered her his hand upon reaching her side, and Viessa gently place her one gloved hand over his palm, a girlish giggle leaving her lips at the gesture, before he led her out of his study and escorted her down the dark wooden staircase.

At the bottom of the stairs, sporting a black trench coat over a casual suit, Sebastian was standing in his ever perfect posture by the front door. Viessa's white coat was draped on his folded arm as he waited for her to arrive. At the sound of their footsteps, the raven-haired fallen demon looked up and smiled upon seeing his mate, though a bit surprise to find his brother tagging along.

"Pray tell where you're planning to take her, Sebastian." The topaz-eyed male asked with much interest when they made it to the front door after Viessa seemed to have bolted from his side.

Sebastian helped her into her coat as he spoke, looking a little disappointed but smiling nonetheless. "I had planned to take her to Venice, but she suddenly wanted to go to County Kilkenny."

This took Gabriel by surprise. "Ireland?"

Viessa nodded to him, gracing a wide smile, as she buttoned up her coat. "Yes, Lucy mentioned the place to me a while ago. She said that the woodlands there are beautiful." She turned to Sebastian, "I thought that visiting the countryside would be a nice change of pace." Her mate only shrugged a shoulder, deciding to coincide with her.

The smile on Gabriel's face diminished and his gaze lowered. He wondered whether Viessa even knew the significance of that place to Lucilla. Kilkenny was the location of her last contract, which ended approximately 600 years ago, along with the life of an ivory haired demon.

"She has not mentioned anything else about that place, has she?" Viessa and Lucilla were quite close, closer than usual for demonesses. Gabriel mused that maybe the brunette had confided with the younger female some time after he had attempted to do the same. He couldn't deny feeling a little upset that Lucilla could say these things to Viessa, when he had been trying to make her talk to her about it for almost six centuries.

"Just the bridges there and some romantic spots, as well as several good restaurants we could go to." She shrugged.

"I see."

Viessa tilted her head, and Gabriel noticed the hints of worry in her features as she eyed him, a small frown replacing her bright smile. "Hey Gabriel…"

"Yes?"

"Will Lucilla be all right?"

He looked up. Viessa still had that look on her face, while Sebastian was standing nonchalantly and silently behind her, but his firm gaze hint that he was listening. "So they really have noticed all this time." He realized, and thus sighs. "Her distress is temporary, I can assure you. She'll be fine by the time you come back, though I do find her state of melancholy bothersome. I've talked to her…tried to make her pull herself back together, but apparently Lucilla's not the listening type." He ended this with a weary chuckle.

"Then maybe you should start listening to her,"

Once again, the pale-blonde caught the older demon by surprise. Viessa no longer wore a look of concern and was now beaming him a close-eyed smile. "Like you said, Lucy's not the listening type. No matter how much you reproach her, nothing you can say can change whatever's on her mind. She stays true to what she believes in even if it hurts her." The purple-eyed fallen demon said, her words spoken in all honesty. "I have no idea of what she went through, but I can tell that it was painful and it's affecting her deeply. You know about her past more than me or Sebastian. You've seen her live through that pain longer than anyone else, and you know it's not good for her to keep this up. But you can't keep pressing her about it, even if everything you tell her is the truth. Have you ever even tried to consider her feelings? Have you ever wondered what she might truly want or need to feel better?"

A moment of silence hung in the air and Gabriel's eyebrows furrowed in contemplation. Viessa was right. Lucilla had always blamed everything on herself, and for 600 years, he had been stating that fact to her, stressing her by constantly saying that Dmitry Malchiv deserved his fate, that it was the right thing that she killed him. But that was what he believes in. He never did try to know what Lucilla feels.

"A painful past is a ghost that seeks something that has been neglected," Viessa added while flicking invisible lint from the cuffs of her coat, "And it will continue to haunt until we receive something that satisfies that ghost's wishes and tame them."

The troubled and pensive look on his brother's normally stoic face, along with his mate's amazing skills in perception and witty piece of advice, amused Sebastian so much that he had to stifle his laughter with the back of his hand. It broke the brooding silence and the older demon turned his attention to the former butler, topaz eyes throwing him a sharp glare but it was unable to pierce the russet-eyed male.

Gabriel eventually turned his attention back to the pale-blonde as his younger brother continued to muffle his amusement, shoving aside all feelings of humiliation by scowling at the unperturbed female. "Are you sure she only mentioned about bridges and restaurants?"

Her mauve eyes glimmered playfully before she turned to grasp on Sebastian's arm. "And romantic spots." She added, giggling, making the onyx-haired demon shake his head with a chuckle, before picking a small luggage carrying a few belongings and a change of clothes.

"We will return tomorrow before lunch." He informed Gabriel, peering at him behind his shoulder while Viessa was leading him out the door, seemingly excited for their 'honeymoon'. The door shut before the older demon could say anything…not like he had anything else to say.

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He sighs silently before raising his hand, flicking the wrist to lower his cuffs. An elegant, copper colored Rolex glittered under the yellow wall lamps that illuminate the corridors. Viessa and Sebastian had left just a mere hour ago, but it was still early in the evening, just a few minutes passed seven. He eventually decided to take heed with Viessa's words, and soon found himself standing outside the door to the music room. Behind the oak door, his perked ears could hear random notes playing so softly on the piano, a sure sign that she was inside. He opened the door as silently as possible, but then a clattering of glass was heard. Gabriel looked down in time when the door lightly collided with an empty bottle, which rolled away upon contact.

The music room was dark, save for the moonlight seeping in from the windows, giving the room an eerie blue hue. The light reflected on not just one empty bottle but three, scattered about on the carpet. Two more sat atop the grand piano, one of the bottle half-empty, and a glass filled with the same light brown liquid sat next to it. All the bottles bore the same label.

He cast his eyes down. The empty bottle he knocked over with the door ceased its rolling and stilled by his feet. He bent down to pick it up, frowning upon reading the label.

"Looks like you found my stash," Gabriel said out loud, clearly disgruntled that Lucilla raided his collection of liquor which he had kept tucked inside one of the lower cabinets in his study.

The key of G echoed in the room, Lucilla's finger pressing the key for a long while, the midnight tinted nail of her left index finger a stark contract against the ivory key. Her right elbow was propped on the narrow end of the piano, her hand supporting her head as her green eyes focused on the pattern of black and white. She sensed Gabriel coming towards her, but did not fidget, protest, or step away. She remained on her current position, finger still on G, even though the tune already vanished in the air.

"You drank this much huh?" He said in a softer tone, fingers wrapped around the neck of the half-empty bottle on top of the piano, inspecting what was left of his favorite scotch whisky. He suddenly smirked, emitting a deep 'hmp'. Alcohol do not necessarily affect demons, however, demons are capable of absorbing the alcohol in their blood by will. Thus, they are still able to experience the state of intoxication if the individual so wishes. Looking down at Lucilla, he could tell that she had chosen the latter. She was probably past beyond the point of tipsiness, but still seemed to be attentive enough to notice him, even if she wasn't acknowledging him at the moment.

Without consent, he sat on the unoccupied space of the piano bench. Only a small gap separated them, but he was still quite close, their shoulders almost touching. He lowered his head a little to peek beyond the strands of auburn that cascaded down her face. Her bangs were never messy, always combed away from her unblemished face, and he raised a hand to smoothly tuck the loose strands behind her ear. It was a gentle gesture, done slowly so he wouldn't startle her, but it did not appear to matter to Lucilla, as her now visible eyes were still locked on a spot on the piano keys, dazed and sorrowful behind long lashes.

He stared at her for a few more seconds, as if waiting for her to turn to him, but she remains unmoving, her finger still pressing on that single white key. His gaze lowered to settle on that finger, noticing that a trail of scarred flesh actually extended on that finger from the larger 'x'-like mark that marred her left hand. His focus eventually turned to the rest of the piano keys, sharp topaz eyes taking note of the pattern of black and white, getting lost in their repetitive colors.

Lucilla was a master of music…she practically devotes all the free time of her immortal life learning every aspect of it. Her world seemingly revolves around two things: Music and magic, and she eventually allowed her two passions to mingle and become one. Her voice box had become a deadly weapon. The musical instruments that are suppose to fill souls with a vibrate light became instruments that suck the light out of souls when played by her hands. She mastered a skill that was rare, strange even, but rendered even powerful demons in fear and even death.

The brunette demoness was a brute, and is at her deadliest when she plays her compositions, but not all of them were meant for manipulation and bloodshed. It is only in music that Lucilla shows her gentler side – the human side that demons never knew they possess.

She had one particular song that Gabriel thought was the most beautiful out of all the rest of her milder compositions. It was short and simple, which was strange because she usually played long and complicated pieces. It has a sweet and soothing tune, with a dreamy vibe that seemed to wash away all worries, like some sort of lullaby. Lucilla rarely played it, usually once or twice in a year or two, using different instruments, but more so in the piano. He heard her sing it only twice, completely in Irish. The first time after she killed Dmitry, and the second occurred after Nicholas was buried.

He rummaged through his head, trying to recall the song. She had played it so rarely that even Gabriel's excellent memory had difficulty remembering the tune. He eventually recalled the first two bars, and he hummed the first note, before lifting his right hand, ungloved, to hover over a set of keys, deciding to pass the time with the piano until Lucilla could find it in herself to talk. His index finger touched the note that match the sound he hummed, and then his smaller finger hit the next note. The next key followed, and then the next, the notes matching the ones playing in his head, his left hand joining suite to play on the lower octaves. Each progression of the notes were played slowly and with slight hesitation, like he was experimenting with it, making sure that the notes played out right, and his brows furrowed slightly in concentration. In respect, Gabriel was as an expert in the piano and other instruments as the rest of the demons that resided this house, but somehow this simple lullaby proved to be difficult. He continued on playing the song based only by memory, slow but focused, the sound weighing down the silence in the room.

But then his finger struck a wrong key, which actually indicated the part in which his memory of the song turned fuzzy. He halted, frowning at his mistake while trying his best to recall the continuation, when a slender finger from a smaller hand touched down on the black key next to the white key he had struck wrong. That was the correct note.

That same finger moved to the next key, and then another, following Gabriel's slow and hesitant tempo. The maroon-haired demon watched as Lucilla's fingers continue to move, playing the rest of the song, clearing out the haze in his memory until he remembered every note of the song. His right hand began to move again, playing out the deeper keys while Lucilla played the melody with a single left hand. Playing in unison, the lullaby came out the way it should be played, and the air in the music hall lifted with its soothing sound.

Lucilla struck the last key, which happened to be the key of G that she had been pressing on when he entered (giving Gabriel the impression that she had actually played the lullaby before he came to see her). Like earlier, the sound of the note hung in the air, which was now once again filling up with a gloom aura.

Gabriel lowered his hands, settling them on his lap, still looking down at that final note, waiting before the sound faded from the room and returned the silence.

"How did you know that song?" He shot his head to the side upon hearing the soft-spoken voice. Lucilla had finally turned to look at him and her expression was weary, but it did not hide her wonder.

Gabriel did not speak for a while, taking a moment to look at her face, seeing the misery behind her hazed emerald eyes. Strands of her bangs that Gabriel was not able to tuck behind her ear clung on one side of her face. "I heard you played it a few times," he finally said, his voice whisper-like, his eyes diverting back to the keys as he felt a strange awkwardness at looking at the sorrow in her face. "It's a very peaceful and beautiful song."

Lucilla lowered his gaze to the piano keys as well. "It ought to be," she said softly and sadly, "I wrote it for my baby."

The male's lips tightened to a line. He had always known about her brief pregnancy, it was the reason why she had a short fit of depression during Viessa's own failed pregnancy.

"I sang it once for Dmitry too." And at last, his name finally escaped her lips, though Gabriel was surprise that she said it casually and with a cynical snort as she reached up for the glass of scotch, the ice clanking within the glass as Lucilla downed the liquor down quickly. Her next words were said in a still casual tone, yet it did not betray the unhappiness in her voice, while she jiggled the empty glass, watching the melting ice swirl inside. "He didn't find it that beautiful though, so I guess I should thank you for giving it a positive review for the first time."

Gabriel continued to listen, refraining himself from rebuking her as Viessa had told him to do. The opportunity to do so seemed well, since Lucilla, despite depressed, was apparently more talkative and more like herself when drunk.

She continued to observe the slow melting of the ice cubes in her glass while speaking, a slight slur in her voice, "I find it strange that he never like that song, when he had been praising me and my compositions while he was courting me…always saying that they were amazing and…admirable and…marvelous and all the like…said why it's the reason…why he…wanted me as his mate...he caught my attention with those few, silly words, and I…gave him my…everything..." She chuckled darkly, "I guess…demonesses are not immune to the lies of men."

"I, the infamous Deadly Nightshade, loved a lowly son of a bitch…" she hung her head low to shadow her eyes, her whispered voice said with a spat behind clench teeth, as her fingers curled around the empty glass tightly, "…played and…deceived…by a bloody son of a bitch!"

A crash and clattering of glass was heard following that outburst when she suddenly shoved the glass to the side. It hit the floor, shards spreading out, and the carpet darkened from the melted ice. It was obvious that Lucilla was well aware and very much upset of her former mate's infidelity, Gabriel realized, yet he can also see that she seemed to be wavering, as if she was confused of the fate that have befallen her and Dmitry. The older male remained still, eyes narrowed but focus as he watch Lucilla tremble a little.

"He never even said he loved me…" her voice had lowered back to that distressed whisper, "…and I killed him…" she suddenly looked up, turning to him, and Gabriel was a little started at the pleading look on her widened eyes. "I killed him before he even had the chance to say he loved me…"

"But he never loved you, Lucilla." Gabriel was surprised that he said his thoughts out loud suddenly.

The brunette hung her head again, shaking them slowly. "No…no…no…no…h-he…loved me…he l-loved me…he loved me…" she repeated, her voice cracking, her head shaking more quickly, almost hysterically as her mantra grew louder, and Gabriel decided that he should interfere.

"Lucilla, that's enough. You're drunk. You're not thinking straight. You should get some sleep." He placed his hands on her shoulders, his fingers grasping her firmly. Lucilla immediately stilled but stiffened, and Gabriel can feel her trembling a little, as if she feared his touch. Her face was still cast down, avoiding his gaze.

"I…love him…so much…" she whispered, trembling some more, "I just…want him to…love me back…"

The red-head looked irritated but was more worried that his forehead creased slightly. "Look at me." He said after a few seconds of silence.

She was still stiff, but she slowly raised her head until her pleading green eyes met his dazzling cat-like orange orbs beneath her fallen bangs. Not satisfied with the mere peeking, Gabriel lets go of her shoulders so he could plant his hands on both her cheeks and gently raised her face. Lucilla's eyes were slightly wide at his gesture, her mouth slightly agape. Her eyes were starting to prickle as she continued to hold back the tears. She was not one to show weakness no matter how much the trouble she was going through.

As she looked up, his expression had changed into something unexpected of him. It would have shocked Lucilla if she hadn't been drunk, as the alcohol had finally taken control of her senses. Her eyelid began to turn heavy, fluttering over her eyes and her vision turned hazy. The last thing she saw before succumbing to sleep was Gabriel looking at her with a sad smile and defeated eyes

Her body slackened and she fell forward. Gabriel caught her, slipping his hands from her cheeks to her shoulders. He allowed her head to lie on his shoulder as he settled her in a more comfortable position. He slowly stood up from the piano bench, carrying her in a bridal style. The sad smile had diminished into a straight line of resignation as he gazed down at her.

Willing enough of his demonic energy, he teleported them out of the music room, and when the shadowy fog of his aura dispersed he was in Lucilla's bedroom. Lighting the bedside lampshade by a simple flick of a finger, he looked around for a moment. Lucilla's room was probably the smallest than the rest of the Fallen Demons, but it was comfortable, with sea-green colored wallpapers and a deep blue carpet.

He gently settled her on her bed, and the moment she hit the mattress she rolled to lie on her side. Gabriel helped her out of her shoes and then placed them properly on the shoe rack. He returned to the side of the bed shortly to look down at her sleeping form. He leaned down again to lift the covers over her body, and after tucking her, her hand shot out from beneath the sheets to grab his wrist.

"Stay…" He heard her mumble, "Don't…go…" Her hand slackened and slipped from his wrist. Gabriel paused, looking down at her. Her eyes were moving behind her close eyelids. It seems that she was dreaming about something and was talking in her sleep. She didn't really mean for him to stay.

Still...

The mattress dipped at his weight as he settled himself on the space beside her, his head lying on her pillow as he turned in his side facing her.

That defeated gaze returned on his face. "I cannot comprehend why a demon like Malchiv would let go of a mate who continued to love him despite all his deceit and lies." He whispered, taking the opportunity to speak his mind, even if she wouldn't be able to hear it. He placed a hand on her cheek, his thumb rubbing circles under her eye, slowly and soothingly. "You deserve better, Lucilla. A demoness of your caliber…of your strong devotion…deserves someone better."

He slowly slipped his arm under the crook of her neck and his long fingers played with the soft strands of her auburn hair. He heard her sigh in content and seemed to snuggle closer to him.

"Dmitry…" she mumbled in her sleep again, her hand laying on his chest, fingers curling to clutch on his shirt tightly "…I…love you…"

Something stung in the pit of Gabriel's stomach. His lips tightened into a straight line and his eyebrows furrowed. Suddenly, Viessa's words rang in his bothered mind.

'A dreadful past is a ghost that seeks something that has been neglected, and it will continue to haunt until we receive something that satisfies that ghost's wishes and tame them.'

A ghost…the ghost of Dmitry Malchiv's love that never did reach Lucilla. She knows that he had done her wrong, but for 600 years she yearned for that peace of mind…to know that she had at least been loved by him, even if it was a lie or a dream.

The strange and uncomfortable sensation in his chest continued to throb, even as he leaned in, his forehead pressing against hers, as he whispered back, noticing his voice cracking just the tiniest bit. "I love you too, Lucilla."

And then he leaned to gently place a kiss on her slightly open lips, taking a while to savor her taste – a mixture of vanilla and his favorite whisky.

He slowly pulled back when that sweet taste was suddenly joined by the saltiness of tears. He was surprise to find Lucilla was crying, tears streaming down the corners of her closed eyes, and soon enough weeps audibly. He didn't know if those were tears of joy or of grief.

He pulled back a little, but kept his arm around the brunette. He looked up at the ceiling, topaz eyes distant, and a look of resignation on his face. Soon enough, his eyelids fluttered to a close. After what seemed like many years, he falls asleep with heaviness in his beating black heart, listening to Lucilla's soft cries and whimpers.

She will be fine tomorrow, and, Gabriel hopes, for many years to come.

''''''''''''''''''''

"You know," Sebastian muttered as they halted upon nearing the stone railings of one of the arched medieval bridges in Kilkenny. His playful gaze settled at the pale blonde that leaned against him. "I can't help but wonder if the advice you gave him was spoken from experience."

Viessa merely shrugged with a smile, her attention locked on the reflection of the stars against the marsh waters that flowed under the bridge. The cool breeze of Ireland swayed tendrils of her hair.

The dark-haired demon looked up with a thoughtful expression, the light from the lamp post illuminating his fair face. "A painful past is a ghost, hmm…" he then looked down at his mate, twirling a lock of her golden hair that got caught in his fingers. "So have I managed to tame all your ghosts then, Mrs. Michaelis?" He asked, smiling mischievously, pulling her closer so he could coil his arms around her waist.

"Of course," she said proudly as she faced him. She raised her arms and settled them on his shoulders, her amethyst eyes gazing at his pair of blood-reds lovingly. "If you cannot tame the ghosts, then what kind of husband would you be?"

Sebastian hummed delightfully, leaning down slowly. "Exactly." He mumbled before claiming her lips and pulling her body to him tightly, his very being repelling away anything that would even dare try and haunt her.

''''''''''''''''''''

The ending is SO random. But I love the couple too much to leave them out of the limelight. In any case, I hope you all liked this one-shot. This is just the first of many more GabrielxLucilla one-shots, so stay tuned guys!

Don't forget to review, fav, and follow! Your never-ending support is the cure to my writer's block! Until then, have a pleasant something!

- SafireLupe, 6-6-2013