"Alright, children! Line up at the table!" Mary clapped her hands to rally her little troops, as the tunnel children clamored in a circle around the large wooden table in the kitchen. Kipper and Jamie did their best to keep some order as they helped small ones climb onto stepstools and moved bowls of flour and sugar out of the reach of eager little hands.
"Listen up, little ones. I talked William into allowing us the pleasure of making some Christmas cookies. I need all hands held out to be washed and no sneezing or coughing over the food. Has anyone seen Arthur?"
Kipper raised his hand. "Mouse and he have gone to the lower tunnels to collect some crystals for the centerpiece."
The older woman nodded approvingly. "Good, we will continue in peace then. Jamie, please get the water and soap for our little elves."
"Alright," quiet Jamie patted Kipper's shoulder and retreated to the warm kitchen area usually frequented by William. He was below, setting up tables in the Great Hall, and she laughed outright at the thought of him finding out that his beloved place of creativity had been overtaken by a bunch of little ones. He would hide every dish he could find lest it be carelessly shattered on the stone floor by a distracted toddler.
"Nice to see a happy face."
Jamie shrieked at the sudden voice and dropped the bowl she held in her fright. It shattered into a million fragments as she gasped in surprise.
"Easy, easy!" A steady male voice spoke, and she looked up from the destroyed dish to see a tall, dark haired man standing there. His angular jaw was drawn back in a wide smile, and his flashing eyes made her heart flutter in a way she hadn't experienced before. "Who, who are you?"
"Lucifer," he spoke cheerfully, reaching out a hand. "I own a care facility that Jason used to live at. Just checked in on the poor chap. Quite a strange man he is. Harmless, but strange. Take my hand and I will help you there, don't step on the glass."
A questioning voice nagged at the back of her sharp mind, but her breath caught in her throat as she looked into the deep eyes of the stranger. He took her fingers in his palm and moved her away from the ruined glass. "Here let me get a broom, and you step back there and let me handle it."
Jamie knew she should be offended at being treated so patronizingly, but she was so enthralled with the idea of a dark, quite handsome stranger just happening to come to their world, that she didn't think to ask much. "How long will you be here?" She managed to speak, watching him expertly cleaning up the mess.
He stood and dumped the glass into the trash can, smiling brightly at her. "I was only to remain here for today to ensure that dear Jason is doing well, but for you, I can make quite a willing exception."
Her face flamed at the bold, flirty comment, and she turned away to fill up another bowl with warm water. "Really, Lucifer, I have to get busy. We have cookies to make with the kids, and the Christmas party is only a day away."
"No worries, none at all. I am quite disappointed that I can not get better acquainted with some one so interesting and with such - trusting - honest eyes. You are quite busy then?"
His angled jaw was tilted in a disappointed frown, and she thought quickly. "Well, after we finish, I have to take the cookies down to the Great Hall."
"The Great Hall?" The man asked, eyebrow raising quizzically. "What kind of place is that? Sounds massive and grand."
"Oh it is!" Jamie spoke excitedly, clutching the bowl to her chest in a dreamy display of affection. "There's just no place like it in our entire tunnels. You could walk down there with me if you want and I can show you."
The tall man bowed politely and took her hand in his. "I would be honored to accompany such a brave lady, miss?"
"Jamie," Jamie spoke quickly, blushing again. "It's not miss. Just - Just Jamie."
Lucifer smiled crookedly and laid his other hand over hers. "Well then, just Jamie, I shall meet you here when you are ready. Just, maybe don't mention it to anyone else. I am looking forward to having a wonderful chat, and with someone so bright as you, that should be quite the honor. Would be a shame if someone else came along too, then I couldn't pay attention quite as well, you know, people chattering and whatnot. It will be just you and me, as a secret?"
Jamie, having been quite taken by the dark stranger, nodded willingly. "Promise."
The dark angel watched her take the bowl of water out to where Mary and the children waited. A glittering darkness spread through him as he chuckled evilly, spreading dark shadowed wings and disappearing into the air.
"Okay good, okay fine!" Mouse dropped another crystal into his pouch and smiled at the beauty that surrounded him. "Table look pretty, more than pretty." He chattered to himself as he gathered, not seeming to be bothered by the dark caves around him. His battered headlamp shone a beam wherever he looked, and he only needed it's companionship in his task.
"Mouse."
The young man frowned and looked around. He could have sworn he heard someone speak. "Hello? Anyone there? Vincent?"
"Mouse."
He sat back on his heels and his brow furrowed. "William? Winslow?"
"Mouse, I am here."
The deep voice echoed around the crystal cave, creating a three-dimensional sound that Mouse could not quite decipher. "Pascal?"
"Mouse!"
The voice spoke right at his ear and he jumped, painfully slamming his elbow into the side of the cave. He felt skin scraping on the jagged crystal, but the pain did not register as he was too frightened to think about it.
"Go! Go away, leave Mouse!" He looked everywhere, his headlamp darting around the sparkling cave. What had once been a place of beauty now was a place of terror. He was alone, but someone was calling to him from the darkness. It didn't make any sense. Mouse wasn't sure if he believed in ghosts, but he was sure now wasn't the time to decide.
"Mouse, I saw you. When people hurt you, I saw you. When they said you were stupid, I saw you. When you cried because you were alone, I saw you. When you were hungry, I saw you. When you stole, I saw you. When you ran like a coward, I saw you. When you hid like a mouse, I saw you. That's what you are. A mouse. A rat. Vermin of the tunnels. No one loves rate, little Mouse. People trap mice. Haven't they done that to you? 'Mouse, do not go Above.' 'Mouse, stay here where it's safe!' 'Mouse, listen to us or we will ignore you.' Do I not speak the truth, Mouse?"
"Yes, truth." The young man was so frightened that he stepped back until his back landed against the crystal wall, and he sank to a crouching position, wrapping his arms around his knees. It had been years since his last nightmare, and suddenly he could feel it all. He was back in the world, scrounging for his very food. The hunger, the cold, the people chasing him. Darkness wrapped cold hands around his frightened brain, and he rocked back and forth chanting under his breath, "Stay quite, like a Mouse, make no noise, bad man come, quiet, like a mouse."
"How does the knees feel today, my dear boy?"
Father examined the bandaged limbs with careful hands and cast a kind smile toward the young angel that was watching him.
"A few twinges," Jason admitted honestly, the grimace that crossed his face unhindered revealing that the pain was perhaps a bit greater than he wanted to admit.
The physician nodded agreeably, pulling the blanket over the injured legs and patted the cloth very carefully. "The swelling has gone down quite a bit. You need to stay off of it a little longer, alright?"
Jason nodded tiredly. "As you wish, Mr. Wells."
"Please, call me Jacob." The older man sat down in a chair at the bedside and smiled. "I have to admit, son, I was quite disturbed when you arrived. It was such an unusual thing, for our world."
Jason tilted his head a bit to the side, his questioning expression mild. "In a world of cars and skyscrapers, you think I am strange?"
Father laughed shortly. "Well said, my boy. That is quite fair. It's just not something we hear of often."
At that moment, Catherine wildly charged into the quiet hospital room. Father started from his chair and was at her side in an instant.
"Catherine! Catherine, what is the matter, child? You look as if you've seen a ghost."
The terrible sadness in Catherine's face stabbed his kind heart and he took her hand and guided her to a chair. "Catherine, dear tell me."
"He's gone." She finally spoke, in a lost tone. "My Vincent, he's gone."
Author's note: Notice that Lucifer is using each person's weakness as his strength?
The big showdown will be next, as Father gets fed up with the destruction in his tunnels!
Will be up in time for Christmas.
Stay safe!