"Well, hello again Azrael. ~" As stubborn as I was…As defiant as I'd been here…I was not prepared for him to address me, "How's this for a family reunion?"

"I'm not particularly fond of the circumstances."

Jake shot me a look, stepping forward with a business like smile, "Father this is all a misunderstanding. If you would grant me the opportunity to explain…"

"Oh, Arakiel, my dear boy…You have much to answer for." Lucifer tsked, speaking in a condescending tone as if to a small child.

It took me a moment, but I recognized Jake's real name. His angelic name. I vaguely remembered seeing him in the Kingdom…perhaps a conversation or two in my early years. All fear faded from me with that word. He was once one of 'us.' They all were. Fallen from grace and divinity. I was filled with only sadness and I wracked my brain for more memories of them. For more memories of him.

"You owe this court an explanation, Arakiel. This little escapade of yours has caused much dissension among our ranks. Some fear it may undermine all we have worked to achieve. We must, at all costs, preserve what is ours."

Jake…Arakiel winced, bowing his head, his hair falling into his face, "Father, I mean no disrespect, but it was you who sanctioned this assignment to begin with."

"Indeed, I applaud your boldness to bring an angel here, Azrael especially, but it seems your emotions have gotten the better of you. I fear this is no longer strictly business for you," Lucifer's eyes narrowed into a cold glare, "In fact, I suspect it never was."

"How foolish."

Every demon in the room turned their attention on me, some amused, other's appalled or intrigued. Arakiel's look was one of panic, a silent look telling me to shut up.

"Forgive her, she…"

"No." Lucifer cut him off, "I want to here what she has to say."

I stepped up beside Arakiel, crossing my arms. "I'm the archangel of death. Not only is my absence noticed, my presence is vital. Sure…my reapers will do their best but without me…Your increasing population is going to slowly flatline. No one. Is just going to sit by and let me stay trapped here."

"My dear, that is precisely the point. This whole process has become tedious." The devil rolled his eyes, sighing as if he were instantly bored, "As you know, Heaven has launched another one of it's 'save humanity' campaigns. We make a mess, they clean it up and the process starts again, over and over and over. You. Are the callus that will break the cycle. The message that we're done playing nice. We're on a one way trip to Armageddon and this is just the beginning."

"You…. You're crazy."

"Perhaps. But isn't the world much more fun that way? The dead will stop moving on. Mortals will start to notice. And your pathetic family won't be able to do a damned thing to stop it."

"Father will never allow this." My brow furrowed, my head aching at the thought of what would happen if this plan of yours succeeded. Forget worrying about what would happen if I couldn't do my job for a few months…If it worked out the way they wanted things too the reapers and I would have a pandemic on our hands.

"And yet here you are. Has there been anything done to free you? No… Just face it. Either your father doesn't care about you or he's not as powerful as you think he is." He smirked, his white teeth gleaming in the low light, reminding me of an animal.

"He has His reasons, I'm sure."

"So, will you leave us be? She's served her purpose and poses no threat. She can't leave. I ask that Azrael be entrusted to me. I promise I'll make sure there are no more problems." I could hear Arakiel bring the hearing back to its original purpose, but I felt numb. Earth was in serious trouble and there was nothing I could do. No way I could warn my family. I felt completely useless.

"Oh dear. I'm afraid I can't do that. Especially after that little show she put on for us yesterday." He pointed his cane at me, amusement gone from his face.

"She belongs to me!" Despite the outburst, I saw the instant regret on his face. This wasn't some lower class subordinate that he could bark orders to and have them cower before his temper. This was Lucifer himself and such displays were only going to make things worse. Lucifer sat up straighter, steely gaze now locked onto Arakiel.

"When I put you in charge, I wasn't aware that you were emotionally invested in the project." Lucifer spat the word out like venom.

"I…I'm not..."

"Don't lie to me boy!" gone was the crooning parental figure, in it's place the fierce, evil entity that mankind had always known to fear. The sudden shout had made even the most stoic of the assembly flinch but as soon as I came, it was gone. "I never would have trusted you with this if I'd known the extent of your obsession."

"It's just what you taught me to do. To reach out and take what I want."

Lucifer chuckled softly but the sound was mocking and cruel, "You wanted the German brat and the boy with the lame leg. No…This is different. You need Azrael and it's weakening you. Siphoning your strength. It disturbs me to see one of my most accomplished children fall so far…But don't worry Arakiel. Daddy will fix everything."

I could see him beginning to break so I stepped in front of him, "You're not his father. You're not any of their father. My Father created them, and you if you'll recall. You're just a child upset that you're not your parent's favorite."

"Why she's got fire! I can see the attraction." He sent a sneer towards the man behind me, "But I'm afraid you won't be allowed to keep her. Unfortunately for you, she upsets the balance here…giving life…. Hope in Hell…If I don't do something to remedy this everything, we've worked for goes up in smoke."

"You can't take her from me!" With new fire, Arakiel seemed to either forget who he was taking to or maybe he just didn't care. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep her!"

Lucifer struck his cane against the concrete floor, the sound sending waves through the air, commanding silence. He stood, walking from his chair and circling us, his movements predatory. "I'm sorry Arakiel but this plan of yours was very poorly executed. From the moment she descended into Hades you knew it would come to this. Never love that which you cannot keep. She was always condemned to die."

"Impossible. I am death. I can't reap myself. And even if I could there are rules. My faith is intact. Killing me would just send me Home."

"That's where you're wrong, Azrael. Your death on Earth would send you home, like your last encounter with Arakiel. Your death here…It's a whole different ballgame. Hellfire is strong enough to annihilate an angel for good. Frankly it's a gamble I'm willing to make."

"What if she were willing to convert? Becomes one of us? Imagine the gains of having Death herself on our side."

"Highly unlikely."

"Please, Father…give her a chance." Arakiel's face was filled with desperation.

"Did you not just hear her? She's shackled to the A-team…and yet here you are begging for her. Tell me boy…don't you wonder why she's not fighting this? Why she's not begging to stay with you? Why she…"

"Father…"

"Don't interrupt me!" Lucifer swung his cane, the sharp ivory topper cutting Arakiel's cheek, a few drops of dark blood rolling down his pale cheek before the wound healed, "It's because she doesn't want you! She doesn't want to be with you! Her death would free her of you!"

Jake was silent…just staring at him, eyes wide. I opened my mouth to say something though I didn't know what. What could I?

Lucifer turned to me, an amiable smile on his face, "I'm so sorry you had to see that. Children can be so defiant sometimes."

"Father." Sorath spoke up, the congregation's attention turning towards her, "I think we shoul make an example of her. If we're to undo her influence an restore the balance, we must show the people that we mean business. Punish her publicly."

"An interesting idea. What do you suggest?"

A sick grin crossed her face and she shared a look with the others as if sharing a telepathic thought. I wondered if they still could like the angels did. She turned to face me, her dark eyes filled with a sadistic mirth, as she purred "Burn her."