A/N – Thanks again everyone for reading and reviewing, those who I cannot respond to directly I thank you too 'Jean' being one of them.
Just a bit of housekeeping and if anyone cares, the order of this series of works should be read in the following order, well at least at the time of writing this;
1) Somebody misses her hug
2) The Return
3) Team Flash
4) A New Beginning
5) Training Day, or Week (Will be the next story to start being focused on once 'a new beginning' is done – so watch this space)
6) Capes & Horns – Well Kinda (On going as well)
Anyway, let's get back to it shall we hmmm?
This was more like it Ella thought to herself, our girl is still in there! She couldn't help it and smiled at her young angel sister, there was still hope, she and the rest of this funny little family could bring Cassiel back to the land of normal, well normal for a ten thousand year angel, who lived with the Devil and was friends with a Demon and some random humans who loved her and she loved back just as much, hopefully would remember that, but in Ella's mind that little sparkle of defiance she had heard in that last statement was all she needed to hear at this moment in time. The brain washing only went so deep, the crazy priests hadn't had enough time to break her mind completely (or so she hoped), the power of family this would bring her back from the edge and Ella had more than enough faith in this family!
Hours had passed while Linda tended to the broken angel. Both Chloe and Dan had left to spend some time with Trixie mostly to ensure the young girl that her friend was going to okay and she was safe now but needed some time to heal. All three of them would be back to Lux in an instant if called and promised to be on hand when and if required but for now they would give Lucifer & Cassiel some space.
Linda finally emerged from the bedroom and headed straight towards Lucifer and Ella who had remained in the penthouse to watch over her sister and Lucifer.
"How is she Doctor?" Lucifer nervously asked as if not wanting to fear the worst but was his nature to fear the worst,
"Physically? She seems okay, although I keep telling you people I am not that kind of doctor!" Linda huffed but continued, "Mentally? Well that is a different story! Normally I could not tell you what was discussed but this is so beyond my wheelhouse it is not even funny, I am not an anti-cult de-programmer but then again this is family matter and you need to know what you up against." Linda took a breath and hoped Lucifer would understand the seriousness of the situation, his sullen look confirmed that he did in fact grasp the meaning of her words and for once she was pleased that there would be no need to try and reign him in because he had taken the wrong piece of advice to heart and run with it,
"At the moment, there is a war going on inside Cassiel's mind, thankfully the one we know and then there is this forced identity, one which is very powerful and doesn't seem to be fading anytime soon! From what I can tell the drugs they made her ingest are starting to wear off, which is allowing our Cassiel to emerge but the brain washing is so strong, it second guesses everything she remembers or knows, twisting it into the same doctrine that from what I gather these priests were spouting. Normally I would class this as schizophrenia but we all know that this isn't the case here!"
"What can I do Doctor?" Lucifer almost pleaded,
"Honestly? I don't know but patience against the programed statements and the hatred they produce but I think time is going to be the only healer here, unless you know a proper de-programmer?" Linda asked hopefully,
"Not off hand but I can make some enquires, whatever you need Doctor, let me know and it shall be yours!" Linda had never seen Lucifer so serious in all their time together but they were interrupted by the sound of a scream and the sound of a large window breaking,
"Oh blood hell!"
The noise in her head became too much so she needed to escape, from this place and her own mind, with wings now outstretched she took to flight hard and fast.
Cassiel landed in a small clearing, where in the world she had no real idea, this place was beautiful and peaceful and exactly what she needed. Her mind had not stopped its war for control but she couldn't reconcile the contradictory voices, it was like she was right back at the beginning of her adventure to earth, with the brother she had been taught to Louth and fear and turned out to be none of the things, the voices claimed he was tricking her and meant her harm and he wanted to watch the world burn as well as the Silver City! She fought against that idea, Lucifer loved earth and its people, he had been selfless and kind and caring, her brain screamed back at the invading presence. All lies and deceit was all the voices came up with but she knew it wasn't a lie,"AAAAAAAAAAAArrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Cassiel screamed into the sky, she hurt so much.
On hearing the scream, Lucifer circled back and landed in the small clearing, keeping a safe distance from his sister so as not to scare here further.
As soon as Cassiel saw the Devil she lashed out at Lucifer, he easily caught her fist and directed it away from him, making Cassiel almost spin but he never responded with his own punch. A kick, another punch, both blocked with ease, again no response of violence directed at her. The noise in her head was deafening, one side demanding she stand and fight the Devil, to send him back to Hell, the other equally as loud demanding she stop, that her brother wasn't this evil being the other side kept insisting he was.
"Let it out sister!" Lucifer roared and again stood in front of her, daring her to attack him again as this was some sort of game, this incensed the one set of voices so she lunged at the Devil again and one again he simply stopped her, no reprisals of his own, he grabbed at her and pulled her close.
Instinctively she took this chance to strike the Devil again, this time Lucifer allowed to blow to land square in his chest, the second blow connected with his chin, the third again to his body but Lucifer didn't flinch, fall or respond, the Devil just stood there.