Author's note: Hey guys, it's my birthday, so I decided to grace you with a chapter. It isn't much, but I still hope you like it.

"You are aware we are being watched, right?" Michael said as they walked back to where Lucifer dropped Jack's body in Castiel's arms.

"I know... The B... Witch is annoying, but... she will help out in the end." Lucifer said, fully aware they were being heard too, his play with words attentional.

"Oh? And what makes you so sure?" Michael asked genuinely curious, even if they were playing a game.

"She has a soft spot for the kid and for those two nincompoops. She'll help." Lucifer spoke sounding so sure. Michael half smiled, but then turned slightly worried.

"You are aware that it might not be enough?"

To that Lucifer halted his step and threw his brother a look. He took a deep shaking breath, opening the channel to communicate on a much higher scale then Rowena could see. Both he and Jack knew what Michael was talking about, the moment was closing up on them, the moment everything would have to begin, but will there be enough time to finish what they have started? Certain things needed to fall in place and Chuck will immediately appear as soon as he caught whiff of what they were doing. The question Michael raised is that... Will he and Rowena be enough to stall him until...

"We have to be... We have to be..." Lucifer said and felt Jack agree. If nothing else, Lucifer's loud mouth would aid their efforts, he certainly has a lot to say to his father. And who knows, maybe those two humans could help too?

"May I make a suggestion?" Michael offered and Lucifer glanced back at him, then nodded. "We have some time before the confrontation, and you and Castiel have your tasks. I could go and try to find more... Help."

Lucifer suddenly felt cold. Strange shivers washed over him and he swallowed hard. For a minute he didn't know what it was, the odd feeling he didn't experience before. Something in his chest felt tight, like darkness and despair were all around him and he felt like shouting "Don't leave me!" but it wasn't just a simple abandonment issue, no there was more to it, almost as if... As if Michael left, he could be gone for good. If he left, he might never come back.

He didn't understand (and frankly neither did Jack) why he would feel it so strongly. Sure there was always a chance they would run into dear old Dad, but they both knew he was more focused on his boy-toys then his own sons, so why... It hit him like a train, hard and fast, and Lucifer gulped loudly, watching his brother with wide eyes.

"You're... You're going to see Her, aren't you?" Lucifer asked, voice filled with worry. As it should be, last time he saw Her, she nearly killed him, and who could blame Her? They did help Dad entrap Her. So it was no wonder Lucifer was scared for his brother. I mean, it wasn't like there was anyone else left Michael could talk to. All the other big players that aren't already involved were off the board, dead or worse.

"I won't ask Her to help us, Amara wouldn't do that. But there are other things she might be willing to do..." Michael said and gave his brother a meaningful look before speaking up again. "And besides, there is another old friend I would like to see..." Michael smiled, but wouldn't elaborate more. Lucifer sighed, he knew they could use all the help they could get, at least of that 'in between' thing. So he just nodded and blinked, and Michael was gone.

Without even a goodbye.

Lucifer took a deep breath and continued to walk toward where he left Castiel, he was sure that the grace-depleted angel didn't get far on his own. He too had a old friend to visit, and she won't be happy to see him either. What else is knew, right?

Castiel stumbled forward, his foot tearing into grass as he struggled to keep Jack's body in his arms. He looked around, baffled for only a moment before he threw Lucifer a very angry look. It appeared that the archangel teleported them back on the same playground he originally found Castiel.

"A little warning next time would be nice." Castiel said with a grunt.

"Probably would. But I was never accused of being nice and I certainly won't start being nice now." Lucifer retorted as he walked closer. Castiel threw him another pissed off look and Lucifer huffed a laugh. "Oh, look, it is a perfect combination of a constipated-Dean and bitch-face-Sam, well done Castiel!"

For the umpteenth time, the angel rolled his eyes, deciding to drop it, because he knew Lucifer would just keep going and they had more important things to do then to argue. "Now what?" Castiel wanted to ask about Lucifer's little excursion into the depths of Hell, but figured he probably won't get a straight answer, so he didn't even bother.

Lucifer huffed, his expression turning annoyed. "Now... You gotta drive."

"What? Why?"

"Cuz we have someplace we need to be, and to get to point A to point B, you gotta..."

"Why can't you just fly us there?"

"Because! Someone popping in and out of Hell... Can be a demon. But to emit that much power by teleporting us around the country... Won't go unnoticed."

"Fine." Castiel said exasperated and carried Jack's body to his truck. He gently put it in the back seat and covered it up before getting into the drivers seat. "Where're we going?"

"Well... I feel a little low on faith, don't you? I think we need to go see a faith healer..."

"NO. NO! What ever it is, I don't want any part of it! I don't care what you're selling, I am not buying!" Anael yelled as soon as she laid her eyes on one slumped angel and one arms-wide, smile-wide archangel. Lucifer blinked back his surprise and drew an offended face.

"Oh, wow... Who ruffled your feathers?" He asked and Anael's eyes went wide. Point was, she didn't have any more feathers, not since the fall, and Lucifer knew that well. She bit her tongue, frowning deeply at him, then spat out.

"I don't know, who rattled your cage?"

"Ohoho... You're feistier then I remember... Enough to make a man's blood boil..."

"I swear you are driving me up the wall..." Anael shook her head.

"Making me see red..." Lucifer retorted with a grin.

"You always rubbed the wrong way..." She countered and Lucifer genuinely laughed.

"Careful there... Someone might thing you went from pissed off to pleased to see me."

"Fuck off! There."

"Ok, ok. Don't get your panties in a twist... That's if you're even wearing one..." Lucifer said and she gaped at him, mouth open, about to snarl back when he continued. "Look, we just need one small thing and we'll... Make like a banana and split." He said with a smile.

Anael's face morphed into a surprised one. Lucifer, and as much as she could sense, was definitely him, was different. Not a whiney, needy, pay-attention-to-me man child she remembered, and certainly not the incarnation of Evil she was taught he was.

He was... actually kind of charming. Nice charming, not the bad boy vibe he had before. It was enough to get her intrigued, at least.

"Ok. I'll bite." She said and licked her lips for a teasing emphasis. "What do you need?"

Lucifer's smile widened, but as much as she expected it to turn into an evil grin, it actually didn't. It was more genuine and joyous as he replied.

"The Ocultum."