Aziraphale spent the few weeks after Crowley's departure in a bit of a stupor. He missed Crowley more than he thought possible and wondered if this was what humans described as being heartbroken.

He carried on with his usual routine hoping that one day his bell would ring and Crowley would saunter through the door.

He ached, seemingly all over, but the worst was in his throat and chest.

Why would Crowley leave him? Had he changed his mind? Surely he wouldn't go to Hell just to avoid him?

It took every ounce of self control not to scream at the customers to get out, lock the door and hide away. He'd never sold any books to any of them, he'd always chased them off with a well timed glare.

The days dragged, the nights even more so. He hadn't had Crowley long, not properly, but it had felt so right; like he belonged there.

Now there was just a hole and Aziraphale didn't know how to fill it.

XxXxX

The next morning a hammering on the bookshop door broke Aziraphale's silence.

"Who on Earth can this be? It's not even 8am!" he complained as he hurried to open the blind. "Lucifer?" Unlocking the door he allowed the demon in. "What on Earth are you doing here?"

"I've seen Crowley."

A heavy silence fell before the angel replied with "oh."

"Oh? That's it?"

"I think that covers it. Look. He left. I've got used to him leaving, running away. It's what he does."

"Ok, but tell me; if he was really running from you, from this situation, would he have chosen to go back to Hell? The whole world to disappear into and he goes to the one place he hates more than anything."

"You think there's more to it?"

Lucifer raised his eyebrows and pulled out his phone. "You tell me." He pressed play on the video he took, letting it sink in.

"He looks sad," Aziraphale noted.

"How can you tell?"

"He lost his swagger as he left."

"Look, I actually like my job. I like knowing those that deserve it are punished and punished properly. I'd hate for Crowley to fuck it up."

XxXxX

Crowley had lost track of how long he'd been in Hell, literally and metaphorically. He'd taken over Lucifer's office and was living up to his new reputation. Most demons were terrified of him, doing exactly what they were told for fear of being extinguished like Ligur and Hastur.

He was the king who'd survived a Holy water bath, a blessing, a blow from a celestial sword and burnt up a Holy spear in his bare hand. He was also the king with the worst temper right now and someone help whoever pissed him off today.

He missed his angel but he'd seen the look on that angelic face. Disappointment and a bit of fear. He needed to give Aziraphale room. So here he was. In one of the 9 circles of Hell keeping tabs on Gabriel's Fall. He wanted to make sure that bastard never even thought of Aziraphale again. On his second day he'd heard that Gabriel tried to escape his pit of sulphur. They'd had to tie him in to prevent a break out. Gabriel had seen Crowley and hurled abuse at him between screams, vowing to kill him the torture Aziraphale and not necessarily in that order. Crowley couldn't allow that.

So here he was hiding in his office. Avoiding everyone as much as possible.

He looked at his watch and surmised he must've been down there a few weeks by now in Earth time. Time moved so slowly down there it almost seemed to go backwards.

He sighed and leant back in his chair, resting an elbow on the chair's arm, he threw his glasses onto the desk, propped his head on his hand and closed his eyes.

A knock on the door had him hissing. "What?!" he yelled and waited for someone to enter.

"Sorry Sire. He's asking for you again," the little demon told him nervously. "And you said to come and get you if he did."

"Oh for someone's sake!" Crowley shoved himself to his feet, snatched up his glasses again and stalked out of the office.

XxXxX

"Crowley!" an all too cheery voice called as he stormed the corridor.

He stopped dead in his tracks and turned. "Lucifer. Took you long enough. Thought you'd have been down sooner."

"Well. I was quite enjoying a bit of a holiday. Your apartment is rather nice. A little dark and austere maybe. Could do with a bit of softening."

"Do what you like. I've got no use for it," Crowley told him, turning back to continue on his way.

"Mind if I tag along?"

The redhead just grunted as he slammed his way through the doors and into the chamber that housed the sulphur pits, Lucifer hot on his heels.

"Oh look, it's our lord and master!" Gabriel mocked. He was suspended above a vat of burning sulphur, sneering at the demon.

"You called me fuck wit. What do you want?"

"You know what I want."

"Not going to happen."

"So why do you come back each time? Have you got a thing for me?"

"I'm just making sure you stay put."

"What does your boyfriend think of your new job?"

Lucifer saw Crowley tense up even more than he already was, his body almost vibrating.

"Are you done? This is getting old. Say what you want to say now; I'm not coming back again."

"I will get back up to Earth. And when I do? Your boyfriend is mine!" He laughed at Crowley's obvious anger.

"Dunk him. And make it hotter!" Crowley snapped watching with satisfaction as the former angel screamed in pain, he didn't notice Lucifer wince and lookaway. "What do you want Lucifer?" He called as he stalked back to the office, the prince hot on his heels.

"I was just coming to check on you brother after I lost you the other night. That's all."

"You've never checked on me before."

"You never acknowledged you were a King before."

"I didn't know."

"No, you didn't want to know. There's a difference."

Crowley snapped his head round to look at him. "Well I'm fine so you can go."

"Crowley. Do you really want to be here? This isn't you."

"Leave it alone."

"Why do you insist on staying here? When I was running things just fine!"

"Because I need to know!" Crowley roared. "I need to know that he is never leaving. That he can't hurt the A..anyone else again."

A strange look crossed Lucifer's face. "You don't want to be here," he told him, his voice soft and pleading. "Come home."

"You just want your job back." Crowley threw his glasses onto the desk and flopped down in the chair. "Look. Once that arsehole gives in you can take over again. But I have to know he's submitted."

"You don't trust them to do it? You think he's going to break out?"

"I think he'll work out how to get back to Earth and come after…. us."

"You really think he'd come for you?"

"I know he'd come after Aziraphale. You heard him. He needs to be broken to stop him taking any opportunity to get out of that pit and back to Earth."

"So leave him in the pit!"

"That's not how it works. You know that. Demons need to lose all hope of having anything of their former selves otherwise they go rogue."

"Like you?"

"Except I wasn't intent on hurting anyone, I didn't have a personal score to settle. Gabriel….. you don't know him Lucifer. You haven't seen inside his head. He's evil, properly evil. The things he's done….not just to the angel. But he's got this…...fixation on Aziraphale and not just because of Armageddon. He enjoyed hurting him all those years ago and the angel never told me! Aziraphale….. he stood there beside me, face to face with Gabriel, he went to see him for Satan's sake! He had the strength to face him. He shouldn't have to look over his shoulder. No. If I have to stay here for the rest of my existence making sure Gabriel never gets promoted to walk Earth again then I will." Crowley lunges at Lucifer, pinning him to the wall by his lapels. "And I swear if you tell anyone about this I will end you, Prince of Hell or not!"

Lucifer gulped and Crowley noticed the strange look in his eye. He looked almost sad, eyes shining, breathing laboured.

"What the Hell is wrong with you?" Crowley shoved away. "Look, if you're that desperate to come back then fine, but Gabriel is mine!" he hissed.

"Is all this really necessary? Can't you just come home?" Lucifer asked, trying to keep his voice steady. "Your unhappiness is coming off you in waves."

"It's Hell, we're not meant to be happy!" Crowley frowned at him.

"Well yes I realise that, but this is…. different. At the bar last night….. why do you go back up there?"

"Told you, was just visiting."

"Yes, but why?"

"Why do you care?"

"Indulge me. How long have you been back down here?"

"I dunno. A few weeks, months, years, who the fuck knows," he sighed, leaning on the back of the chair, scrubbing his fingers through the hair at the back of his neck.

"And how many times have you been back to Earth?"

Crowley shrugged. "A few."

"What do you do when you're there?"

"Drink mostly, play the piano, check up on friends."

"Friends?"

"Rob, he owns the bar."

Lucifer huffed. "Why do you always have to make things so difficult?" he snapped.

Crowley froze, slowly rounding back to face him. "What did you say?"

"What?" the prince squeaked.

Narrowing his eyes the demon dismissed the question.

"So you only go to the bar? You don't go anywhere else?" Lucifer pressed on.

"Like where?"

"You don't stop by the bookshop?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Well, you're staying down here to protect…., and you don't want to see him?"

"I didn't say that."

"So you do want to see him?"

"Sssstop it."

"It's a simple enough question."

"I mean it. Ssstop," his jaw muscle was pulsing, his fingers twitching as he turned back towards the desk.

"Do you want to see him or not?"

"I already have!" Crowley yelled. "Every time I go up. He's fine. Carrying on with his life, just as he should. Happy now? I sssswear to…." He looked back at Lucifer, the threat dying in his throat as a feeling of dread iced his blood. The Prince's eyes were misty and a soft smile was tugging at his mouth.

"Angel," Crowley groaned in despair, realising the truth in front of him.

"Why didn't you come and talk to me? Do you know how hard it's been worrying about you? About how you were coping down here, knowing how much you hate it? You don't have to protect me my dear." The disguised angel stepped towards Crowley, a hand reaching out to cup his face.

"I went too far. I went wrong. I scared you." Crowley's voice cracked.

"Maybe. But that doesn't change how I feel about you. Doesn't mean I wanted you to leave."

Crowley took a deep, shuddering breath and closed his eyes trying to block out everything but the words. Hearing Lucifer's voice and seeing his face made the words feel like a lie but could feel the angel standing so closely now, feel his breath on his face then they're lips met. The air seemed to crackle around them as hands roamed, gasps mingled.

Crowley pressed him back into the wall, chests touching, groins grinding, trying to relieve the ache that had already started.

A hoarse voice groaned "Crowley," in his ear as he felt nipping at his jaw, and it was like a bucket of cold water. The redhead wrenched away and threw himself backwards. "No, I can't. It's not right," he panted, moving as far away as he could.

"Crowley…"

"No! I can't. Not now."

"But.." Aziraphale was cut off from speaking by a knock at the door.

A young demon poked his head in.

"What do you want?" Crowley snarled.

"Crowley!" Aziraphale admonished.

"I'll deal with you in a minute," the demon warned him before looking back at the subordinate. "Speak!" he demanded storming forward.

"I…. erm….. well…"

"Oh piss off and come back when you can string a sentence together!" Shoving the demon out of the door he slammed it shut and locked it with a click of his fingers.

"Well I hardly think that was necessary," Aziraphale huffed.

"He's lucky he didn't combust. You need to leave. Now. I don't know how you got Lucifer to agree to this but it needs to end. The longer you're here the more dangerous it becomes. You need to go home as Lucifer and change back."

"Dearest," Aziraphale stepped forward, reaching out to the demon.

"No. I told you I can't."

"Has something changed? Don't you want me anymore?" A knot tightened in his stomach as his chest constricted.

"I can't….. not with you looking like that."

"You don't find Lucifer attractive?"

"He's part of the reason I was thrown down here in the first place! I just can't, not if it's not you."

"But it is me."

"Let me put it this way; could you do it if I looked like Gabriel?"

"But Lucifer didn't…." he couldn't finish the sentence.

"No. Not personally. But he's the reason others did what they did, they did it in his name."

Aziraphale stared at him dumbfound. They'd never really spoken properly about what happens after the sulphur, the torture Crowley had endured. He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat. "Lucifer said that you had it worse than them."

"I'm not talking about this. You are going home. Now."

XxXxX

A/n: only 2 chapters to go! Anyone still reading?