Chapter 6

A/N: Big thanks for the followers and reviews, Emrysa Morningstar, SPCLjmm, JayeMaru and kimberlychytil.

Since other authors here always mention AO3, I wanted to register there, but I'll need to wait for almost two freaking weeks to get an invitation-email to be able to register there… wtf

Well, back to the story.

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The next day went by, yet he wasn't coming any closer to uproot the reason for Trixie's guilt. They had talked about so much emotional stuff the past three days, that both of them had been exhausted, yet none of the mostly eye-opening topics for both of them had worked to make her let go of her guilt. In this aspect, she was so much like her father.

They sat over breakfast at the dining table inside the apartment. Tones of blueberry pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs and toast were surrounding them like a little buffet, the pictures of little angel Rory and freshly promoted Chloe were turned, so both occupants of the table could see them. Pretending the rest of their family was sitting with them.

Lucifer was uncharacteristically silent most of the meal. He had learned the past few days that the girl had lost most of her never ending chattiness about one topic or another when she had grown into a teenager. Which his old self would have declared her more bearable, while his current self felt a pang to the obvious contrast and that he had missed her transition into young adulthood. This gave him more time to dwell himself, yet he came to no solution other than to keep talking with her – other than his last resort to put her into her Hell Loop. But he didn't want to do that. Not when she was only a short timed resident of his kingdom. He didn't want to imagine the damage knowing her Hell Loop might do to her further decisions in life on Earth. "You don't deserve to be here." He eventually said while moving the eggs on his plate from one end to the other absent-minded.

Trixie swallowed her bite of bacon, fully aware the entire time, that he had tried the past few days to free her from her guilt. And that he was at the end of his rope now. She didn't blame him and she loved him all the more for trying and giving her a special treatment although he was just hurting so much himself. For so very long. And knowing that it would be only so much longer. All by himself, only with occasional visits. "Neither do you." Her heart ached for him.

Their eyes met and an idea unfolded as he looked into her chocolate orbs. "Trixie, what do you truly desire, child?" But to his surprise, she didn't look dazed and could even look away from his usually hypnotizing gaze, resuming her breakfast with a shrug. "Huh? Remarkable! You really are your mother's daughter." He was gapping at her flabbergasted. Usually his mojo even worked on souls. Less effective, especially with the lost ones, yet he would capture them into his ban and would usually uncover at least one of their desires, not necessarily their biggest desire, which might give them in some cases some hint to the origin of the problem and guilt.

A frustrated huff left his lips as he saw his last straw at success vanish thanks to her inhering her mother's miracle immunity to him. Thank you very much, Dad!

Then again, a warmth spread in his chest at the realization, that her affection for him had always been genuine and not influenced by his angelic grace or mojo.

Trixie shrugged again. Her eyes fell onto the picture of Rory arriving home for the first time after her birth. "I want us four to be a family." She met his large soulful eyes, which shared this desire.

With a heavy heart he gave up, not wanting to spend their last few hours together to dig in wounds which will only turn up useless. "Promise me, to talk to Dr. Linda. Next time I'll see you at this realm, then only as a visitor and only after a natural death after a long and fulfilling life, you hear, Urchin?"

Trixie had to smile about the caring words. "I'll try to work through my guilt." She saw his pointed glare and amended. "Yes, I promise, I'll talk to Dr. Linda."

"Very well, Trixie."

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In a comfortable silence they were stacking the used dishes in the sink and placing the pancake ingredients back into the cupboards. Lucifer had a special surprise, or rather two, in mind, but until then, they still had more than half the day. He faced her expectantly. "What do you desire to do, Urchin?"

She smiled up at him with her dark eyes huge and begging like she had done so many times before and every time she had him firmly wrapped around her little finger. "Will you give me a tour?" This time no difference.

His features were bewildered at her request. "A tour?" He hadn't expected this. More something like the teenage torture to accompany her to the mall and let her plow through the clothes from the rack – an awful influence by her mother.

"Of your kingdom, of course." Until now she had merely seen two corridors of black stone walls and ash rain. And a lot of different doors with chains. "I wanna see the Lake of Fire, where the Demon Blades are forged, the Hellhounds and your Throne."

Lucifer chuckled while straitening his jacket, he had shrugged in. "Maze taught you well."

Half an hour later they had walked past the maze of dark corridors while he had kept tabs on her so she wouldn't accidently be drawn to a door and end up in her Hell Loop. The ash rain had intensified when the high stone walls gave way to small chasms on both sides of the broad road as they arrived at their first sightseeing stop and to his dismay, the girl didn't hold her usual beaming smile and her enthusiasm seemed subdued.

"I had imagined the Lake of Fire to be… bigger." Trixie looked rather unimpressed, her nose wrinkled up, at the orange reddish flames blazing in the lavaish pond. Well it was a really big pond, yet not big enough to be called 'lake' in her book.

The Devil stared indignant at the girl. "I beg your pardon, if Mazikeen exaggerated your expectations! This is the largest and hottest reservoir of Hellfire in this entire realm! Feel free to have a first-hand try."

"I didn't mean it like that, Lucifer." Trixie had to suppress the roll of her eyes at his childish pout. "So? Are there still Demon Blades forged?"

After witnessing the creation of a blade in the hellish fires by one of Hell's best smiths, unfortunately she couldn't keep it and even less would be able to take it with her back to Earth, they walked past the chasms filled with orange reddish fervency to a row of smaller stone walls, the path beneath their feet narrowing. Instead of a new intersection a broad circular area loomed before them, holding small cave openings in regular intervals in the walls.

As the Lord of Hell entered one of the Hellhound housings the handlers immediately scrambled to their feet and stopped tending to the hellish beasts, standing at attention to their ruler. The demons tried to keep their surprise about the unannounced visit from their faces. Their King's next inspection shouldn't be due for about another year

Lucifer had noted with only slight surprise, that Trixie hadn't been startled or even scared about the smith's true face. And neither gave the girl off any negative or uncomfortable vibe when they were now face to face with several demon grimaces. The guards of the Gates to Hell and also the demons escorting his patients to and from their Hell Loops to his office always wore their human appearance as on his order, so the human souls weren't to be scared.

Serosus, a tall and lean male, who should not be underestimated, stepped closer as the one in charge. "Lord Lucifer, do you require the service of one of our hounds?" Last time three of his dogs had been needed, had been a few million years ago when three of his siblings were stupid enough to leave the plane without permission and took over the bodies of recently deceased in the mortal realm. Afterwards their Lord had seen it necessary to forbid the possession of humans by law. Too bad.

Lucifer smirked predatory at the few demons, who saw their master rather seldom. "No, Serosus. I merely bringing a visitor to meet the Hellhounds." He watched the demons eye Trixie next to him curiously before turning to the dens in the wall, calling for their charges.

"Of course, Lord Lucifer." The tall demon said with a slight bow. The rumor that the soul of their Lord's mortal step-daughter had crossed over to their plane had even travelled to their aloof place. He, nor one of the others, hadn't expected to see the girl themselves. Taking one of their best dogs by the collar, he walked the obedient beast towards their two guests.

Trixie's eyes widened in awe as the gigantic dog, its head reaching easily to Lucifer's ribcage, jogged towards her, scenting the air all the while with its long snout. The smut colored animal looked like a prehistoric wolf with fangs of a sabertooth and large pointed ears similar to a bat. His red-brown eyes held intelligence as it scrutinized her. Not like its next meal – lucky her. More like curiosity why one of the inmates of Hell was allowed to run loose and visit him.

Serosus gestured the loyal hound to sit on its haunches, which he obeyed immediately. "This is Gelmr." Then he pointed to the second dog being led over by one of his underlings. "And this is Sirisa." Curious he watched the human soul look up at their Lord's face for permission, who granted it with a nod and a smile, which didn't look as predatory anymore.

Cautiously Trixie reached out and neared Gelmr's head, hovering her hand close and awaiting the beast's reaction. But the dog sat completely still and looked rather proud to be the one chosen for inspection. When the teenager buried her fingertips tentatively in the incredible soft fur next to his ear, a bright smile started to form on her lips. When Gelmr leaned his head slightly to one side to give her better access, he pulled his flew back like in a satisfied smile thanks to her ministrations.

After spending an hour with the Hellhounds and Trixie had to reluctantly leave the majestic animals – that's what the little minx called them - they were now on their way towards the center of Hell and the high pillar harboring his Throne. Even from afar Trixie was awed by its sheer high. This was more the reaction Lucifer was looking for, yet he didn't miss her frown as she realized that everything was dark, especially the sky, with the only exception being the light grey-whitish spot in the firmament directly above his Throne. Seemingly the only source of light in this realm.

When he had returned to Hell to start his new purpose, he had toyed with the idea to pull down his Throne. He was still the Lord of Hell, yet his job wasn't to rule over the demons and doomed souls, but to heal the lost ones. Luckily he didn't gave in to that whim to have his Throne removed. In the beginning only a handful demons were open minded enough to accept the change, especially in their daily doings. No more additional torture – at least not for the majority of Hell's patients. After the first century had passed by, most demons had successfully made the shift from warden and torturer to something akin orderly.

Then there were those like Dromos, who required a very firm hand to keep in line. Their change in their habits was slow and taxing. Most of those demons were still torturing the few souls, which were indeed guilty of unbelievable atrocities during their time of Earth and still unable to see their wrongdoings.

Too much change at once would have caused more displeasure among his residences. And now, sitting on his Throne, it made him feel closer to the mortal realm. Closer to Chloe. Closer to his family.

Yet before they had reached the base of the pillar, they walked past another intersection and Trixie frowned perplexed. There kneeing on the floor was a man scrubbing the black tiles. Leaving Lucifer's side, Trixie approached the sad figure and gasped at his back and the two scars there. The healed wounds resulted without a doubt from severed wings. This man was no demon or doomed soul. He was an angel. A fallen one as it seemed.

When the prisoner – that's what he looked like to Trixie – heard her gasp, he turned his face in her direction, surprised to see a soul walk these corridors. But the disbelief on her features was hard to top as she took in his features. "Who are you?" She looked into the scarred face of her devilish friend.

"That's Michael. Obviously my twin brother." Lucifer answered tensed, his right hand moving to fidget with his cufflinks. He hadn't meant for her to see his brother.

Slowly she remembered his words a few days ago about his twin. "Twin brother…" Trixie whirled around with a frown and stared confused at the Devil. "Saint Michael?"

"Yes, but he isn't as saintly as the Bible makes him out to be, Urchin." He placed his hand onto her arm, keeping her from turning back around to his conniving twin. "You should know by now that hardly anything in that book is on par with the truth."

"What did he do?" Trixie knew, that Lucifer was a very kind and forgiving man. What meant that his brother had done something unforgiving if he was punished like this.

Lucifer's jaw hardened as his furious stare dug into his brother, who immediately averted his gaze and resumed his work. "Among other things, he murdered our sister Remiel with Azrael's blade, so her soul was wiped from existence." He saw Trixie's eyes widen in shock. "He tried to take over my life and kill me. And he broke our Father's rule to not kill a human being." Going by the teenager's expression, he didn't need to mention his direct and indirect involvement in her parents' deaths. Better she didn't know this. Especially not her mother's short timed demise.

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A/N: I hope you liked it.