"Father?" Lucifer asks as he glances around the Heaven. But this is not Heaven. This is Eden. The Garden.

"He's, uh, not here?" A small, mousey man grins at him. Lucifer glares and he flinches away, clutching at his bottle. "H-hey- Lucifer, right?"

"You are my father's vessel." Lucifer comments flatly. Looks like even in death his father will find further ways to punish him. He would rather just disappear, or go back to Sam.

"Well, yeah. It's, uh, Chuck, actually." Chuck runs his fingers through his hair nervously. "Nick's back in Heaven with his wife and kids- you know who Nick is, right?"

"He is my vessel. I tend to remember my vessels." Lucifer moves away from the man.

"Of course, of course-" The vessel- Chuck- takes a swig. "Yeah- at least he's happy now-"

"Hey Chuck. Hey Luce." Lucifer spins around, faced with Gabriel's grinning face. Chuck scuttles off, leaving the two brothers facing each other.

"Gabriel." Lucifer nods. Of course Gabriel will be here.

"Hiya, Luce." Gabriel pats his back. "All is forgiven, of course. Thank my merciful nature?" He winks.

"I don't need forgiveness. Not from you, or anyone else." Lucifer says stiffly.

"Sure you don't. I've got time. I had time. Loads of time." Gabriel drags Lucifer off.

"You should not have joined in the Apocalypse. You should have stayed out of it." Lucifer growls. What is Gabriel playing at?!

"Ah-ah, Luce- Patience. Have faith in the messenger, eh?" Lucifer did not speak. "So, I hear you and Samsquatch got it on-"

"What is it that you want, Gabriel?" Lucifer growls, growing impatient. The skies of Eden is lined with golden clouds, much like it had been last time he was here. But now, Lucifer just want to get back. Back to his mate.

"I got a message for ya." Gabriel pats his arm again.

"A message." "From big daddy himself. Chucky was pretty shaken when he came. But he is always shaken." Gabriel snickers, conjuring up a candy bar. "So I-" He takes a bite, talking while he chews, ignoring Lucifer's disgruntled look. "I have to play messenger, again."

"You were always the messenger, Gabriel." Lucifer sits down.

"Eh. Dad says that you have to get your feathers plucked if you wanna see your boyfriend." Gabriel finishes the candy bar, snaps the wrapper away and snaps up a lollipop, handing it over to Lucifer.

"And what exactly does that mean?" Gabriel sighs.

"It means, brother, you have to go native. Choose to be human, and you get to see loverboy again. My words, not daddy's. But the meaning's basically the same."

"Father- he wants me to be human?" Lucifer felt a rush of panic. Giving up his wings, giving up his grace- it's unthinkable, for someone who valued his angelic abilities above all else. And now he is offered an ultimatum. To become human and be with Sam, or to stay an Angel and remain, for all eternity, in this forsaken garden. An age ago, Lucifer would not even think of giving up his grace. But now, he thought. He is torn. Between his pride in being one of the most powerful beings in this universe and the vast, eternal love he has for Sam.

Being an Angel is not just about having wings and grace. It involves knowing everything from beginning to end. An Angel's love and knowledge is vast and great and cannot be put into human words. And Lucifer- will he give up all this, to be with Sam? An eternity ago, he would have said no. Now, Lucifer, for the first time in his incredibly long life- and- Even Lucifer does not know if he could give up his grace willingly, with his own full consent. He just does not. Sam is human. Humans do not love as Angels do. It will hurt. He realizes from Sam's memories. It will hurt but they can move on. And it disturbs him, knowing that Sam's love for him is not as eternal as Lucifer's love for Sam.

"If you wanna, you can go and talk to Moosey before you choose." Gabriel pats Lucifer's shoulder, sending him spiraling into Sam's dreams.

Sam opens his eyes, to find himself standing in the motel room when he first met Lucifer. This is a dream, then, Sam thought. God, he is pathetic. Lucifer is like a giant, gaping wound in his chest. It festers in the dark and Sam does all he could to not poke at it. Hell, even Dean avoids the topic.

"Lucifer would not want you to be unhappy." Castiel says gruffly, and the words sound alien in his mouth. Michael shakes his head and avoids Sam. Adam bites his lips and looks away from Sam. He can hear them, whispering about the creatures that took over Michael. The Leviathans. They are out on Earth, and no one knew what their game plan was. Even Bobby called, pensive about hunters encountering those things.

No one talked to Sam about them. It hits too close, and every single person around him is walking on eggshells. He is dreaming of the first time they met. Even then, Sam knew it was Lucifer, that strange connection frightening him to no end. Now he would do anything to get it back.

"Losing a mate." Michael says, guilt in his eyes and Sam could not blame him, because Michael was hit just as hard. "Losing a mate can be hard, even if you are human."

"Why." Sam asks Michael. "We just got out- why?" Michael shakes his head, looking at Sam with pity and Sam regrets asking him anything at all. Sam glances around the room, small details that escaped him the first time round.

If he could go back- then- Sam would have no idea what to do. So much has changed, so damn much. A flutter of wings. Sam turns around.

"Lucifer?"

"Sam."

"This isn't just a dream, is it?" Sam asks, reaching out. Lucifer is solid under his fingers, skin just as cool as it was in Purgatory.

"No. I- I was given a choice." Lucifer looks at Sam. The only human he understands. The only human that could understand him.

"A choice." Sam says numbly. Of course. There has to be a catch.

"My father-" Lucifer ignores Sam's shocked look. "My father gave me a choice. To be human and be with you or be an Angel for all eternity, but not be able to see you again."

Sam bites his bottom lip, not knowing what to say. Ask Lucifer to give up his wings(his bright, larger than life, damn beautiful wings) for him? That is too much to ask for and Sam cannot ask that of anyone. Lucifer joining them, the humans-

"I choose you." Lucifer looks at Sam and decides, at once. Perhaps on an impulse. But he chooses because Lucifer has waited thousands of years for Sam. And he cannot fathom being separated from him any longer. "I choose you."