At some point Sam fell asleep again. They had sat in silence for some time, before Sam's eyes grew heavy and his head fell against Lucifer's knee.

Lucifer smiled fondly and gently stroked the chestnut locks of hair. Sam still perceived himself as having a body, so his soul had imitated it to best of Sam's memory. Lucifer could see through the illusion, however, to the true colors and energy pulses that composed his vessel's soul.

At least Sam perceived himself as having a body that was whole. When Lucifer first retrieved Sam, there had been actual damage to Sam's soul. His very core had been fractured by the torture. But Lucifer had healed him, repairing the damage and putting Sam back together. However, Sam's mind still believed he was injured, so his soul had taken the appearance of a broken, damaged body. It was a form Lucifer knew would cause Sam immense discomfort when he awoke. It had taken a lot of coxing to persuade Sam he was well again. That his injuries had been healed and there was nothing to be scared of. Mostly it had taken time. Time for Sam to repair himself. To believe he could be well. The human mind was both a great and terrible thing. Lucifer had kept Sam unconscious for most of it, only allowing Sam to awaken once his soul believed it was whole.

A crease appeared between Sam's eyes and Lucifer frowned in puzzlement. Then Sam's eyebrow knit and he winced.

Could it be that Sam was having…nightmares?

A flare of anger shot through Lucifer.

No. After everything Sam had gone through, he would not allow the boy to be tortured by the caverns of his own mind.

Lucifer placed two fingers against Sam's forehead. A shot of grace pushed the dreams away and Sam's face relaxed. Lucifer sighed in relief.

"See Sam? I won't let anything hurt you." Lucifer whispered to the sleeping human, "Not even your own mind…"

"Hello brother."

Lucifer whipped around, his arms instinctively coiling around Sam, "Michael." Lucifer stated, "What are you doing here?"

"He's here to apologize." Replied another voice. Adam appeared behind Michael, crossing his arms.

"Apologize? You?" Lucifer eyed his brother skeptically.

"I told you, Adam, there was nothing I could do. This is Lucifer's Hell. Nothing I did would have changed anything." Michael said.

Adam rolled his eyes, "Fine. We're here to check on Sam."

"Sam is sleeping. I would prefer it if you didn't disturb him." Lucifer replied, placing a hand over Sam's ear and shielding it with his grace.

"Is he ok?" Adam asked.

"Yes." Lucifer answered.

"He didn't come back and I was wondering if…"

"Sam is fine." Lucifer repeated. His gaze flitted to Michael, "I didn't think Sam's health concerned you…"

"It doesn't." Michael replied, "Not really."

"Then why are you here?" a threatening growl appeared in the back of Lucifer's throat and his arms tightened around Sam.

"Relax, brother. I'm not going to touch Sam." Michael replied.

"You'd better not." Lucifer snarled.

"But I am curious. Why does that concern you?" Michael asked.

"What do mean?" Lucifer asked.

"I mean, why do you protect him? And more importantly why did the Cage attack him? This is your Hell, but your Vessel…is no longer needed. He is not a part of you. So why would the Cage harm him? Unless…" Michael took a step forward, "Unless he matters to you. Have you changed your perception of humanity?"

"No." Lucifer replied, "My perception of humanity is what it always was: they are less than God. They always were."

"Then why are you protecting Sam?" Michael persisted.

"Sam does not deserve this place." Lucifer answered, eyes trailing on the peaceful human.

"Why not? He pulled us in here. Your own savior has jailed you."

"Sam did it to protect what he loves. To protect Father's creation –a creation that we were going to destroy by fighting each other. He saved the very humanity God told us to bow before. Surely even you can appreciate that."

"He denied us our destinies."

"Did you really want that Michael?" Lucifer snarled blue eyes alight as he glared at his brother, "Do you really want to destroy me that badly?" the last sentence came out more painfully than Lucifer wanted it to.

"No." Michael answered quietly, "I don't. But I still want to know…why Sam? Why would you care so much for a single human? Why would you, who declared humanity vile and murderous before our Father –"

"You shared my sentiment." Lucifer breathed, "You didn't dare voice your opinion, but you shared my sentiment. You knew I was right –"

"That's not important." Michael interrupted, "You declared humanity vile and sinful and unworthy of love. You ripped our family in half –"

"They picked their sides. They made their own choices –" Lucifer insisted.

"Made our family fight in Heaven. You made our Father leave –"

"Noone makes Dad do anything." Lucifer snarled.

"You forced me to throw you in here. Made me lock you in this Cage –"

"You didn't have to…" Lucifer whispered.

"And yet here you are." Michael shook his head, disbelieving eyes studying Lucifer, "With your wings wrapped around Sam like he's the very last thing worth protecting –"

"Wings? What wings?" Adam interrupted.

Michael sighed, "Your eyes can't see into different planes like an angel's. But I can see Lucifer's wings. And they're wrapped around Sam. It's a very protective stance."

"Oh..." Adam said.

Lucifer swallowed and didn't reply. Sam stirred in his sleep and Lucifer adjusted him so the human would lay more comfortably against his shoulder.

"So I am puzzled." Michael continued, "As to why, after all your defiance of Father's Will and everything you did to prove humans were the vile cockroaches you claimed them to be…why are you protecting one of the creatures you so detest?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you." Lucifer answered, "You don't listen, Michael. You never did. You know what you are? A solider without any orders. Nothing but a blind puppet without anyone to pull the strings, so you're sitting around limp with nothing to do. Nothing but cling to old grievances and search for a puppeteer who left the stage a long time ago."

A muscle twitched in Michael's jaw, "This isn't about me, brother..."

"Do you think I deserve this, Michael?" Lucifer snarled, finally facing the older angel and glaring, "To be Caged here, all alone, with nobody? Nothing? Centuries of isolation, just for loving God more than humanity?"

"If you truly loved God you would have done as he asked." Michael replied.

"He asked the impossible!" Lucifer roared.

"And that is why you deserve this place." Michael stated.

"God made me the way I am!" Lucifer shouted, rising to his feet, "He created me. He gave me the ability to make my own decisions, the ability to think. Something you apparently lack!God. Wanted. The devil."

Michael narrowed his eyes, shaking his head, "And still you cannot take responsibility for what you've done." He growled, "Blaming everyone but yourself…"

"You know what's so terrible about you, Michael? You're a hypocrite. You know what I'm saying. You agree with me. But you deny yourself in order to please someone who left a long time ago…"

"Yes. And see where your free thinking got you?"

"And see where following orders landed you? In the same place as me." Lucifer countered.

"Neither of us would be here if it weren't for Sam. Why are you protecting him?" Michael demanded.

"It's not his fault." Lucifer answered softly.

"You say that, and yet here we are."

"I was willing to walk off the chessboard with you, Michael, but you had to fight. I was willing to walk away but you had to destroy me, forcing Sam and Dean to cage us here…" Lucifer scoffed and shook his head, "Perhaps we should be grateful. At least this way we don't have to kill each other."

Michael swallowed, Adam's apple bobbing, "You're right." He answered quietly, "This way I don't have to destroy you…"

A moment of silence passed between them.

"Suppose Sam hadn't interfered," Lucifer asked, "Suppose you had been successful in killing me. What would you have done after?"

"Wait for Father to return." Michael replied.

"And if He didn't?"

Michael took a deep breath. His eyes were sad as he replied, "I guess we'll never know, will we?"

He turned and walked away.

Adam remained, watching Michael disappear in the distance. Lucifer returned to his spot on the ground.

"Can I speak to Sam?" Adam asked.

Lucifer eyed Sam's half-brother. The light brown hair, the blue eyes, looking both small and determined. He gently brushed his grace from Sam's ears.

"Sam, you have a visitor." Lucifer whispered.

Sam stirred and sighed.

"It's ok, kiddo." Lucifer breathed, "I won't let him hurt you."

Hazel eyes drew open and blinked slowly, "What….?" Sam murmured. He stiffened, eyes widening when realized he was being held against Lucifer's shoulder. With a gasp he pushed himself away.

"You have a visitor, Sam." Lucifer reminded him.

Sam turned around.

"Adam!" Sam exclaimed, hurrying to his half-brother and embracing him.

"Heya Sam! You ok?" Adam asked.

"Yeah…" Sam rubbed the back of his head, "Me and Lucifer just needed to talk about…stuff…"

"So he didn't hurt you then?" Adam asked.

"No." Sam replied, casting a wary glance at Lucifer. The Angel watched them quietly.

"Walk with me." Sam said to Adam. The two the them turned away, and Sam noted Lucifer made no attempt to follow them.

"Well, if he does try to hurt you, just scream or something. I'll make Michael come for you." Adam added in hushed voice as they crossed the endless terrain.

Sam smiled, "Thanks, Adam."

Adam sighed in relief, "Good. Look, I tried to get Michael to talk to Lucifer, but that didn't go over so well…"

"It usually doesn't." Sam agreed.

"I don't understand it." Adam sighed in frustration, "We're all stuck down here, may as well try to get along..."

"One thing I've learned about angels –once they get fixated on their feuds and problems, they really don't think about how it affects anybody else." Sam told Adam.

"It ended with Michael stomping off again. Are angels usually so broody?"

Sam laughed, "I'm really not sure to be honest…"

Adam groaned, "I can see him now, all moody and sulky in his corner, throwing a pity party like he's the only one who's stuck down here…" Adam rolled his eyes.

"Angels can be a little conceited." Sam agreed.

Adam sighed, "I think I'd better go check on him anyway. See you around. Come back soon, would ya? And I'm really glad you're ok."

Sam smiled, "See you, Adam."

Sam returned to Lucifer. The angel was absently drawing pictures in the red dirt. Sam watched him curiously as he doodled a pitchfork in the soil.

"Hey Lucifer…?" Sam asked.

"Yes, Sam?" Lucifer drew points on the ends of his pitchfork.

"I want to ask you something…" Sam began nervously.

"Ask me anything." the angel replied. The patience in his voice gave Sam the boldness to continue.

"Ok. I want to know about God."

thanks for putting up with this, guys.