Author's Note: This could theoretically be a continuation of my first Fallen fic, "Prelude to Paradise," but it works just fine as a stand-alone. Part two will be coming soon. By writing this fic, I suppose I'm breaking one of my own rules that I know anyone who knows me in real life will chastise me for, but I had this idea in my head for a long time so it's good to get it out on paper. I'll explain which rule I broke in the author's end note at the end of the second part.
We are not Separate
By: Silver Spider
"Damn it," Taylor cursed under her breath as she tried to reach in vain for the tennis ball that managed to land in the gutter. Cody, the ten-year-old whose family lived in a house next to hers, had asked if he could play with Brandy, her golden retriever, while his parents were at work. Usually she didn't mind watching the boy, but after a summer at baseball camp he developed quite a throwing arm, and Taylor's trips up the ladder to retrieve lost balls from the roof became more and more frequent. She supposed she should have been grateful no windows were broken yet.
"Sorry, Ms. Corbet," Cody called from the ground. Taylor managed to glance down to where the boy stood with Brandy by his side, watching her anxiously.
"It's okay, little man," she assured him, trying to sound as confident as possible. The truth was that she wasn't at all comfortable on the less then stable ladder, not to mention that Taylor never had been very comfortable with heights. She stretched her hand as far as possible but couldn't seem to reach the ball. The ladder wobbled again under her, and she heard Brandy bark from bellow.
"You're fine, you're fine," she muttered to herself, her hand clutching to the edge of the gutter. "Just a little scare, that's all."
Without warning, the ladder went out from under her completely. Taylor gasped and tried desperately to hold on to the roof, but her hands were too slippery from sweat and she began to fall. She didn't have the time to contemplate how much damage a two story fall could do before she was caught by a pair of strong and secure arms. She opened her eyes, heart still racing, to look up and the smiling face of the man she'd shared her life with for several months now.
"Really, Taylor," he chastised in a teasing voice. "I've always known you were a woman of many talents, but I never knew you could fly."
"Lucien," she was having trouble catching her breath. "Thank God. How did you get out here so quickly?"
"Brandy told me you were in trouble," dark eyes glittered with amusement, and Taylor glared at him. Her lover relented, slowly lowering her to the ground but she wouldn't let go of his arm. "It's okay," he gently stroked her hair, voice turning soft and soothing. "I'd never let you fall."
20 years later,
"I think we're going to need that spell after all," Lucifer Morningstar mused thoughtfully, more to himself then Kraus. The formally blind healer looked up from the bottom of a spiral staircases and gave the first of the fallen a questioning gaze. They were standing in a split-level room that was literally filled with books from floor to ceiling. There was no possible way way to safely move around without knocking over a pile or three. The two men were trying their best to organize them, but it was no easy task.
"Oh, there's this spell," Lucifer explained, "that makes the inside of a room or building bigger then the outside. That's how Tumael – Scholar – was able to keep all of this back in old Aerie. Looks like we might have to pull the same trick."
"Do you know it?" Kraus asked.
"No," Lucifer admitted. "Maybe Lorelei does. If not, I'll have to look it up." He had a mental image of Tumael coming back down from heaven and lecturing him about how the precious books were to be treated. The Morningstar chuckled.
Moving Scholar's library was one of the most difficult parts of relocating Aerie, but Lucifer knew that the books would come in handy. Many were on either angelic history or magick. Magick that the Nephilim would need if they were to take the place of the Powers as the new protectors of the world. The historical records were also of great interest to Lucifer himself, who had spend his millennia on Earth in self-imposed exile, even from his fallen brethren. Already there was a pile of books on the nearest chair that he had marked for himself to look through later.
He looked up when there was a knock on the door, and a second later Lorelei entered, looking a little perplexed. "Hey, Luce. Someone's here to see you."
"Me?" the confusion on his face mirrored her own. Lucifer couldn't imagine anyone aside from Aerie's current residents who knew that he was here. It wasn't everyday that a visitor strode up to the front door and asked to see the devil.
Lorelei simply shrugged. "Yeah, he's waiting for you down in the main hall."
"Alright," Lucifer descended the spiral staircase, placing the books in his hands on the nearest table. "Please excuse me, Kraus."
He followed Lorelei out of the library and past the rows of columns that lined both sides of the main gathering area of the church. Lucifer could just make out a figure standing by the rather large wooden gates. The man stood with his arms clasped behind his back, seemingly studying the architecture of the church with mild interest. He was about Lucifer's hight, with curls the color of dark chocolate tumbling to his broad shoulders, and though the Morningstar couldn't see his face, a certain apprehension filled him and his approach slowed.
"That's far enough, Lorelei," he told the Nephilim sorceress without moving his gaze from their visitor. "You can go now. Thank you."
"If you say so," Lorelei gave both him and the stranger a dubious look. "You'll fill me in later, right?"
Lucifer didn't say anything, so she turned on her heel to walk back in the direction they came from, giving the first of the fallen one last dubious look. Lorelei almost reached the end of the hall when Aaron appeared from a perpendicular doorway, thoughtfully chewing on the apple in his hand. He opened his mouth with a greeting ready to go, but Lorelei grabbed his wrist, dragging him behind one of the pillars. Aaron's eyes widened in surprise, but Lorelei's hand quickly flew up to cover his mouth.
"Shh," she whispered. "Look over there."
Aaron slowly turned his head and peaked a look back to the front door where he saw his father standing next to a strange man he didn't recognize. He looked back at Lorelei with a questioning gaze. "Who's that?"
"I have no clue. He just showed up here a few minutes ago asking to see your dad."
"What? As in by name?" if it was possible, Aaron's eyebrows raised even higher.
"He said 'I wish for an audience with Lucifer Morningstar' and just stood there until I got him," the other Nephilim told him.
"Think he's an angel?" Aaron asked, though he was fairly certain he knew the answer to that. He chanced a second look at the stranger.
"Probably someone big, too," Lorelei nodded. "Your dad looked pretty shaken, and for him, that's saying something."
Both Nephilim peaked from behind the pillar again, but this time they were greeted with twin hard looks.
Lucifer had no idea who to expect when Lorelei lead him to the main hall. The few fallen angels that remained on earth were no where near Aerie, and he couldn't think of a single one that was now in Heaven who would bother to return just to see him. He expected that some of the former fallen, like Lehash, may eventually come back for a short time to see their children, but he knew none would return for his sake.
Yet as he neared the figure, Lucifer felt an undeniably strong sense of familiarity. For a split second, he wondered if he was not yet again in the presence of the Almighty, but he quickly realized that that was not the case. Before him stood an angel, and though technically all angels tended to think of one another as brothers, this one was more like a brother to him than any other. A brother he hadn't seen since the Fall.
Emerald green eyes turned to him, and Lucifer bowed his head in a sign of respect. What he really wanted to do was embrace the man before him, but he dared not move until he felt the feather-light touch of the man's fingers lifting his chin so their eyes once again met.
"You bow to me, Morningstar?" there was a note of skepticism in his voice. "When last we met, your pride would have never allowed it."
"I bow to a servant of God," Lucifer replied. "And a most beloved brother."
"So the millennia has taught you humility," the man nodded thoughtfully. "That is indeed a good sign." His gaze shifted past Lucifer. "I do believe we have company."
The first of the fallen glanced over his shoulder and sighed. "If you two insist on eavesdropping, have the courtesy to come here and show a little respect." He called out to Aaron and Lorelei, and the two Nephilim slowly emerged from behind the column looking somewhat embraced at having been discovered so easily and also caught off guard but Lucifer's slightly harsher then usual tone.
Aaron could feel the stranger's eyes studying him as he approached and he stopped a step behind his father. Both he and Lorelei bowed their heads, though Aaron still had no clue who it was exactly they were bowing to, but he could almost feel the enormous amount of power and respect that the angel before him represented. He stood straight and took a deep breath, finally allowing himself to look the man in the eyes.
"Come closer, Aaron of the Nephilim," the man bade. "Let me have a look at you."
Still feeling like an animal in a zoo, Aaron took a few more steps forward until he was less then a foot away from the stranger, who studied him carefully, as if trying to read something in his eyes. After an entirely too long moment, he finally looked back at Lucifer.
"Our brothers spoke the truth," he said to the first of the fallen. "He is strong, has a good heart. You did well, Morningstar."
"I wish I could take the credit," Lucifer smiled at his son, his eyes shining with pride.
"I thank you for returning my brethren home," the stranger told Aaron. "And I would speak to you again but at a later time. Now I must have a word with your father. Alone." The last part was emphasized.
"Sure," Aaron nodded. "But who...?"
All this time Lorelei remained silent, carefully watching the stranger. Whoever he was, Lucifer clearly knew him very well. Her eyes scanned the man from head to toe until they came to rest on a strange symbol that looked almost like a tattoo made of fire. Searching her memory, she realized that it was similar to the symbols that appeared on Aaron's flesh when his angelic nature asserted itself. She only wished she could recognize the stranger's mark.
"Come on," she pulled a bewildered Aaron away. "I need your help in the library."
"Why don't you just ask him when he returns?" Kraus watched as Lorelei and Aaron somehow managed to go through half the books in the library within an hour.
"Because it bothers us now," the female Nephilim replied. "He had this... tattoo or something on his wrist," she held out her own hand for emphasis. "Looked kind of like the symbols that appear on Aaron."
"Maybe he's one of my father's generals," Aaron offered a theory. He was tiered of looking through endless books and was starting to think that waiting to ask Lucifer was not such a bad idea after all.
"No, I don't think so," Lorelei shook her head. "I don't remember that symbol anywhere on you. Plus, I don't think he's a fallen angel to begin with. You know, it looked something like... like a very fancy letter 'M'."
Kraus put down the book he was holding and slowly turned on his heel, giving the Nephilim a hard look from his position on the second level of the room. "Please don't tell me you two managed to not recognize – or worse, offend – the leader of the entire angelic host." Seeing that blank looks on their faces, the healer sighed, focusing his attention on Aaron. "I believe that it is the Archangel Michael who came to see your father."
Lorelei's face paled instantly, but Aaron still looked confused. "Who...?"
"St. Michael," Lorelei told him, her voice quite. "Remember when you met the Archangel Gabriel?" Aaron nodded, recalling the battle with the Leviathan. "He's bigger. Actually, he's about as big as it gets when it comes to angels. Michael's your dad's brother. He's also the guy who threw him down after the whole rebellion stunt."
"Then should we really leave them alone?" the Nephilim asked, concerned. It was no secret that his father was far from the most popular person among the angels.
"I think that's exactly what you need to do," Kraus replied. "From what I understand, this talk is several thousand years overdue. No matter what strife passed between them, they are still brothers, and brothers have a way of working things out."
"I hope you're right," Aaron's eyes lingered on the doorway, wondering what was going on between his father and the leader of the heavenly host.
They walked in step around the church grounds that had just begun to accumulate a fresh coating of snow. Michael was silently observing everything around him, noting every detail. After all, he hadn't set foot on earth in quite sometime. Lucifer also said nothing, being quite content to be in his brother's company after so long. He wished they could speak like before, not as two great angels but simply as brothers, but it seemed that Michael was here on business.
"Is all well?" he finally broke the silence. "Back home?"
"Very much so," Michael nodded.
"How are our brothers?" Lucifer asked.
"Better, now that they are together," the archangel replied. "Our Father is glad to have his sons home, and we are all eagerly awaiting your own return, Morningstar."
They rounded the corner of the church and came to a bench that had been saved from the snow fall by it's position under a small tree. The brothers stopped by it simply watching the falling clusters. A moment later Aaron emerged from the back door, dressed only in deans and a lights sweater. Nephilim were just as immune to the sensation of cold as angels, but unfortunately not nearly as impervious to illness. One of these days, it was bound to catch up with him. Following close behind the teen was a very excited Gabriel, who immediately dived for the nearest bush and snatched a small pile of snow. Aaron laughed, calling for the dog to come back and tossed him a tennis ball which the Labrador eagerly pressured. Lucifer chuckled at the scene.
"I long to be among my brothers once more as well," he admitted. "And nothing would make me happier than to finally be able to tell our Father how sorry I am for everything that happened because of me. But for now, my place is here with my own son."
"Ah yes, the Nephilim. Many have spoken very highly of him. Especially Camael and Gabriel."
Lucifer couldn't help but smile at the name of God's messenger. "How is my little brother?"
"I believe he would still be rather cross at being called that," Michael commented.
"He'll always be my little brother," Lucifer shook his head, remembering days long ago when he and the golden-haired Gabriel raced across the fields of Paradise as if they didn't have a care in the world. "I do miss our brotherhood."
"As does he," the archangel nodded, then his voice dropped to but a whisper. "As do I." He stared out into space for a moment, before clearing his throat. "Since the renegade Powers has been dealt with, everything has been relatively quiet."
"What will become of them?" Lucifer asked. One didn't just decommission an entire angelic host. He was more curious about Verchiel's fate but didn't feel like it was his place to enquirer.
"They have been reprimanded for their crimes," the archangel replied. "Leadership of the host has been returned to Camael where it has always belonged."
"That's good to hear," the first of the fallen couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Camael will straighten them out, he thought confidently. "But somehow I don't think that's what you came down here to talk about."
"Ever the suspicious one," Michael chastised him.
"Suspicious?" Lucifer laughed. "Hardly. I just know you too well, brother, and you're not one for subtlety."
"If you insist," Michael obliged. "I shall get to the point. For what your son has done for us, we are forever grateful. Heaven would thank you both."
"No thanks is necessary," Lucifer protested but Michael raised his hand to silence his brother.
"I insist," he said. "And I must admit my own lack of creativity in this department, but our Father has looked into your – and Aaron's – heart and shall grant you both a most precious gift." The angel paused, watching the Nephilim for a moment. "Just make sure that when it comes, you'll remember a promise you made two decades ago."
Lucifer was about to ask what he meant, but Michael suddenly grabbed him in a tight embrace. Lucifer's eyes widened for a split second at the warrior angel's unusual display of affection. Michael pulled back just enough so that Lucifer could feel his warm breath hovering over his right ear.
"Allow me a word of brotherly advice," he whispered. "Live now. Do not dwell on past mistakes, and you will find happiness."
Then he pulled back and searched his brother's eyes for some sign that Lucifer understood his words. Satisfied, Michael turned. "I will see you again soon, brother," he called over his shoulder, and without another word walked off into the west until his form was swallowed up entirely by the light of the setting sun. Lucifer watched, his heart longing to follow his brother, but he knew that was not yet possible. The Morningstar blinked when he felt something role to his feet. He picked up the snow covered tennis ball and looked at Gabriel, who padded in the snow with his nose low to the ground.
"Loose something?" Lucifer asked, amused.
"No," the dog replied a bit indignantly. "I knew you had it all along."
"I think snow confuses him," Aaron smiled at his father as he approached the fallen angel. He took the tennis ball and tossed it into the bushes. "Go play, Gabe."
The dog eagerly took after the ball, and the two were finally alone. "So," Aaron folded his arms over his chest. "Was that really..."
"Yes," his father nodded. "That was my brother Michael."
"You two okay? I mean, I don't think I'd be to thrilled with the guy who threw me down from Heaven," Lucifer raised an inquisitive eyebrow, and Aaron just shrugged. "Lorelei told me."
"We're fine," the first of the fallen nodded. "It was good to see him again and admittedly nice to know I've been missed. By the way, you're quite famous among the hosts, you know."
"So what's the word from the great beyond?"
They sat down on the bench, and Lucifer recounted the tidings brought by the warrior archangel. When Aaron heard that Camael was to once again assume leadership of the Powers, he laughed. "He'll straighten them out."
"Funny, I thought the same thing," Lucifer chuckled.
"Ah, nice to know where I get my sense of humor from," he smiled, but this time Lucifer did not. The comment made him stop and really look at Aaron. Yes, they were a lot alike, as anyone would note just by looking in their eyes. The angelic part of Aaron's Nephilim nature of course came from him, and Lucifer could see many similarities in the boy's temperament to his own in his youth. So very eager to make his father proud of him. But amidst his own likeness, Lucifer could see featured that belonged to Aaron's mother, to Taylor. His smile was a mirror image of her own, his determination, his love... Lucifer cast his eyes to the ground, as if the memories became too painful.
"Dad?" Aaron asked, taken aback by the change in his father's demeanor. "You okay?"
"Sorry," the fallen angel released a deep breath. "I was... thinking about your mother."
Aaron grew quiet. "I never heard you talk about her before."
"The memories," Lucifer said slowly. "They're rather... bitter sweet."
"Hey, I'll trade you," the teen offered a smile, but it quickly faded. "Honestly, though, if there's one thing I envy you about is that you have memories of her. I'd give anything to just... just be able to picture her face."
Lucifer nodded sympathetically. "I know, and I wish I had words of comfort for you, Aaron."
"Tell me you loved her."
"With all my being," there was nothing but brute honesty in his voice. "She was second to none in my heart, but perhaps the Almighty. I still love her."
Feather-light white cloth flowed over her skin in long shallow waves, and she was hard-pressed to describe the translucent material. It felt like silk and lace all in one, but there was some unearthly quality to it that she couldn't name. It seemed to be made of light itself but shifted along her skin with the lightest breeze.
"Are you absolutely certain about this?" asked the dark-haired angel to her left. "It is not too late to change your mind."
"I won't change my mind," the woman shook her head. "I love him, Michael."
"He is my brother. I love him, too," the archangel paused, "but..."
" 'but you don't see me diving from Heaven in after him' is that what you were going to say?" she smirked.
"Not quite in those words, but essentially, yes."
"Well, that's us humans for you. Stubborn and emotional. You don't like it, take it up with the Creator," her expression grew serious. "I was given a choice, Michael. Yes, I like it here. How could I not? It's Paradise. But I want to be with my family. I want to finish the life that was cut short. I was given a choice and I choose this. In the end it's all about choice."
He could hardly argue with that. Both Heaven and the Creation were nothing if not based on the concept of free will. The offer was on the table, whether he liked it or not. "It will not be like it was," he mused. "All family and friends that new you in your past life will think you dead. You cannot approach them."
"I know the rules, Michael," the mist that swirled on the floor under hear feet began to dissipate, revealing the vast emptiness of space. "Tell the Him thanks for me."
Then she fell.
She wasn't quite sure how long the fall was. Time felt irrelevant. As the last of the Heavenly garments fell away, bone and muscle and flesh began to form around the astral body that she guessed was her very soul. The process was unbelievably painful, and she would scream, but no vocal cords had had time to appear yet. Even after her physical body was once again whole, powerful gusts of wind slammed against her still-raw skin. But even amidst the agony, there was a sense of hope. Somehow, falling felt almost like flying.
There was a shift in the current, and she dared a look at the quickly approaching earth bellow her. At first she couldn't see anything, but soon a pair of broad sleek black wings came into view, shinning as the rays of the sun hit them. Her chilled body was bathed in the warmest light, and at that moment, she knew why he was called the Morningstar.
"I told you I'd never let you fall."
Author's End Note: And the golden rule of writing that I broke is drum role bringing a character back from the dead. doges rotten tomatoes I know, I know. I hate it when anyone else does it because it makes death meaningless, but I guess I'm just a romantic at heart, (that was Taylor, btw) and I feel that Lucifer and Aaron really deserved something nice for all of this, and if I had to break a rule for it, well that's what rules are for.
I wish I had spent more time on Michael and Lucifer's brotherhood. It's one thing that in any literature about angels that's always interested me. By the way, I get this feeling that I wrote Michael somehow... wrong. He's supposed to be this righteous almost all-powerful angel. I always thought of him as being very passionate in both his love and hatred, but I could never decide which of those emotions he felt stronger for Lucifer. Different books I read describe different things and somehow it also had to fit in with the way Lucifer is presented in "The Fallen". I think part of the reason why Michael came of as a bit... bland here was because in the second book, "Leviathan" that was how Gabriel (the angel, not the dog) seemed to be. Like, the higher you go on the angelic food chain, the colder and more holier-than-thou the angels become. But maybe I'll have another chance to explore their relationship later on.
After this, I really want to write a pre-"Fallen" fic, probably something about Lucifer's wanderings around the world. And where is Camael! How come after 2 fics my favorite character only gets brief mention! This will be amended! See ya!