Author's Note: There is a shout out to a great TV show in this one!

Chapter 5:

"Hello Samael."

Despite having been solely focused on his breathing after his ribs began hurting again after Frank had left, and not really paying attention to his surroundings, Lucifer did not flinch at the voice. He slowly turned to look in the direction of the voice he had not heard in a millennia. "Hello Father," The man before him was not what one would consider old, nor was he young. A distinguished figure, complete with a pressed suit and shiny shoes, smirked a lighthearted smile in his once favourite son's direction. "You do know that I do not answer to that name any longer. Not since you sent me to Hell." The weariness of that statement coming out of his own mouth was not lost on Lucifer, he just chose not to acknowledge it.

The two celestials stared at each other for the span of a few dozen heartbeats before Lucifer's Father glanced away. "I suppose a thank you is in order."

"I suppose that it would be prudent, considering that I freed you from your mortal coil that Ares no doubt trapped you in," Lucifer huffed out, "How did he manage to do that by the way? I mean Ares' nowhere near powerful enough to take you on."

If God could blush, Lucifer was sure that His cheeks would be slightly tinted pink right that moment. "He took a strategic advantage of the fact that my body had been wounded in that freak storm, however I have my suspicions that he somehow orchestrated that storm too. I will have to check to see if Poseidon is still in possession of all of his tridents. As for how he kept me in that state, let's just say that it has been dealt with."

"And Ares?"

"Also dealt with. I would have been here when you woke up in Limbo, but I needed to handle him first."

"So you are here to handle me now too Dad, is that it?"

"No Sam… Lucifer. Being omnipotent as its perks. I have been able to see everything that has been going on with you before and since my absence from the world." Lucifer looked uncomfortable for a moment before his Father cracked a smile. "I know that you are not happy with me sending you on the task of finding your Mother after she escaped Hell, but I have to say it was very fitting punishment to sentence your Mother to be stuck in her human body."

Lucifer blinked, "So you're not angry?"

"No. Besides it isn't like I don't know where she will end up if her human host dies. But your Mother is not why you were seeking me out. You had a question?"

His son looked down and away, it took him a few moments to gather his thoughts. When Lucifer found is voice again it was edged in desperation, anger and a hint of fear. "Why did You put Chloe Decker in my path? Is it all part of some PLAN? Are you just doing this to punish me more? Is being banished from our home for millennia not enough?" Tears formed in the Devil's eyes. "I don't understand! I never did! I only asked some questions, You were so busy with your humans all the time. Why did you punish me the way you did?" Lucifer was outright sobbing at this point. His initial rage had turned to hurt and sorrow. Never having had the opportunity to confront his Father and actually get a response was cathartic. Linda would praise his apparent breakthrough saying that just being able to confront his father was a step in the right direction.

His Father rested a hand on his son's shoulder and allowed him to cry. He waited until Lucifer had gotten most of his tears out before leaning in as if He was going to tell him something of great importance, "I am going to let you in on a little secret… I had a plan. Once upon a time I had a Grand plan, it was so great that I marveled at its existence and the fact that ~I~ had created it." Lucifer looked up at his Father's face, the wry smile was something that he often saw in his own mirror and never expected it on his Father's face. "And then one day, the plan changed. In fact it changed so much that it became less of a plan and more about predicting all the possible outcomes of decisions being made."

"What do you mean?"

"That trait that I gave Humans that you were so adamant about demanding for yourself and your siblings… Free Will… that is what took the Plan back to the drawing board. By the time that I had figured it out however, humans had become so integral to the mortal plain that trying to go back or changing it was a futile endeavor. And so… I became VERY adept at predicting how things would play out depending on the choices they made and subsequently was able to set things in motion so that their lives would be better or that they would be punished for their actions."

"But what about me? Why couldn't you have just told me this?"

Lucifer's father just shook His head, "I couldn't. You were asking all these questions and your Mother…" God rolled His eyes, "Your Mother was trying to get my attention, and I was trying to figure out what to do about the humans and their disregard for what ~ I ~ had planned. Sam you are a favoured son. What would have happened if I gave you and your siblings free will?"

The thought alone after hearing the troubles that God was going through with the humans at that time gave Lucifer pause, God continued, "I can only imagine what would have become of the Silver City with a whole host of Angels with their abilities and no qualms about telling their Father to bugger off. I couldn't let that happen. So I chose the only option I could think of at the time. I made an example of you. That if my favourite son could be punished for questioning the plan, then what would happen if your siblings defied it?"

Lucifer looked at his Father with new eyes. The Silver City would have descended into chaos itself and the very fabric of existence torn asunder had he and his siblings had the right to choose. He still was upset with his Father but at least he understood His actions now. Lucifer sighed. "It still doesn't make it right Dad. Why couldn't we have had this conversation eons ago?"

God smiled ruefully at his boy, "Because, I was too scared to tell you. But I can tell you now. And answer your question about the young Chloe Decker." Lucifer perked up at this, this was the answer that he was looking for. "As I said, I have become rather good at predicting the outcomes and the actions after the choices that were made. You my dear boy, are too headstrong, inquisitive and impulsive not to try to defy My banishment of you. I knew that you would leave Hell one day. I wasn't sure when, but I knew that you would. And so to that end, I knew that you would need a companion. Not one of your own making, Mazikeen is too much like you too truly bring out the BEST in you. The Lightbringer I remember from your youth." God stood from his place on the bench and began to pace. "If your Mother hadn't attempted to use your growing feelings toward Chloe, you would never have known that Amenadiel blessed her parents by my order."

God turned to Lucifer and knelt before him grasping his hands. "Lucifer, son, Chloe is not a punishment. She is not sent to torment you or hurt you. She is mortal. She HAS free will. And she has chosen to be with you. I had predicted that she might be resistant to your natural charm and wit, I never expected her to be able to refuse your draw so spectacularly." Both God and Lucifer snorted at that fact. "But in the spirit of being honest Lucifer, you have free will too."

Lucifer's eyes grew wide at the thought, "You are having a lark Dad, and it isn't funny."

God shook his head and stood before resuming his pacing. "You had it the day that you asked your first question about it. I was afraid that if Free Will could develop, on its own, in my Lightbringer, then it could develop in the others. In fact it has. Look at Ares, Amenadiel, even Uriel." Lucifer felt the weight of Uriel's passing once more on his shoulders and on his hands even as he hunched forward. "They have all shown signs of choosing for themselves. I just hope that they choose wisely."

The Lord of Hell's jaw rippled with the way that this conversation had become uncomfortable. "Dad… about Uriel..."

God stopped his pacing and sat back down on the bench, "Oh Sam I know what happened, I…"

Lucifer's eyes darkened as he stood up and paced a few feet away and rounded on his father, the pain in his chest was more now than just a few cracked ribs, "That is NOT my name! I am no longer Your Samael! I am LUCIFER, Lord of HELL, the most VILE being on the planet, everyone of Your precious humans fear and loathe me just as You had hoped." Lucifer's vision began to get spotty as he got so worked up over something that had been bothering him for eons. All the hurt and sorrow coalesced once more into a pit of anger in Lucifer's stomach and once he started to vent, he couldn't stop it. "I am what You made me Father, there is no going back for me. And if you had told any of us any part of your plan, perhaps maybe Uriel wouldn't be gone from existence!" Lucifer's breath was coming out in sharp pants as his ribs protested his own anger. "Hell leaves it's mark Father, I have been there for millennia, look… look at what it has done to Your Samael." Lucifer let his former angelic visage melt away leaving the deep red scars, burn muscle and sinew visible to God's eyes.

Lucifer stared at his Father's face looking for a reaction. His anger began to burn hotter as it seemed as though there was no reaction but the longer he stared, the closer he looked, Lucifer saw the tell-tale welling of tears in His eyes. Lucifer's knees began to give out as his shortened breath caused what little strength he had to bleed away. God sprung from the bench and caught Lucifer as he collapsed. "Oh my son, I am so sorry. Sorry, so so sorry."

"I killed him Father, my own brother!" Lucifer wailed as his father held him.

"Shh my son, it is alright. It will be alright," God whispered into Lucifer's hair and rubbed soothing circles on his back. Lucifer could feel the healing touch of God spread from his back and to his heart. "Uriel," God sighed, "Uriel made his choices. And as much as he used is powers of seeing patterns to try to goad you into giving up your mother or Chloe, he forgot one thing."

Lucifer looked up from his father's shoulder and gave him a questioning glance, his tears still silently coursing down from his chocolate eyes. "He forgot that his actions upon those patterns change them. He made his choice Lucifer that is not your fault."

"But I -killed- him Father, blinked from existence completely with one thrust of Azrael's blade, surely there was another way," Lucifer rebutted.

"I will admit that there might have been, but you nor I could see it in that one moment. You made the only choice that you had at the time. I forgive you for your actions son."

Lucifer's eyes widened to saucers, "But… You… I… No. I am the one you made an example of, I killed an Angel. Me, Lord of Hell, killed my own brother."

God cupped Lucifer's jaw and held his chin in both hands, "Yes, you did. I forgive you Lucifer." Warmth seeped into Lucifer's face from his Father's hands. "I forgive you for your actions, and though you did kill your brother, you have been punishing yourself ever since. I suspect that you will continue to do so, there is nothing more that I could do to you that you haven't already done. The guilt that you feel for killing your brother tells me that you are still my Lightbringer, my Samael."

Lucifer shook his head, "No, no I'm not."

"Yes, you are," God smiled gently. "I believe in you Lucifer. Yes Hell has left a mark on you, and I am sorry for that. But there is still good in you. You have shown it by protecting your Detective and her child. Continue to work with her, continue to grow, prove to yourself that even though Hell as left its mark, you are not without Redemption."

Lucifer was silent for the longest time. His mind a whirl. "But Chloe doesn't know. She shouldn't be forced to be with me if she doesn't want to."

"Lucifer… she is not being forced. She chooses to be with you. She brings out the best in you."

"Even when my immortality falters when she is near?"

"A side effect of her being blessed and your deep feelings for her," God mused, "Her profession is dangerous, just be cautious."

Lucifer furrowed his brow, "What do you suggest Father? I get a bulletproof vest with 'Devil' emblazoned on the front?"

God laughed. It was a joyous sound that resonated all across Limbo and through Lucifer's entire being. "I am sure that you will figure something out my son. You and your Detective are resourceful… Perhaps try sparing while the detective is around? Perhaps that way you can gauge what strength you have when your Angelic powers fail you when she is near."

"Perhaps. If she will allow it. I have never asked her to spar with me before… well…" Lucifer's eyebrow twitched. "Not for work anyways."

God shook his head at his son, "I think it is time for you to go home…" At Lucifer's sharp look his father amended quickly, "To Lux of course. Hell was only a job Lucifer. It was never meant to be your permanent home. Come, up you get My Son." Lucifer stood unsteadily with God's assistance and even though his ribs were still hurting, he was able to stand upright on his own.

Lucifer looked at his Father, "I…" Lucifer sighed and looked away before whispering, "I'm glad we got to talk."

"As am I my son, as am I." Both men shared a smile, "Oh! One more thing… I believe your sister needs her blade back." Lucifer snorted lightly before reaching into his inner pocket for the blade. Holding the blade hilt first his Father gently took the blade, tucking it away into his own jacket pocket.

"Will you check for any other items that might be missing from the Silver City? I don't wish to expose more of humanity to these types of things." Lucifer asked, "And tell Az… tell her I said Hi."

God nodded, "She tries not to show it but she does miss you. Its time, be well my son. And not everything that I do is a punishment for you. Remember that."

"Father what...?" Lucifer started to question as a bright light began to envelop his Father's form.

Lucifer closed his eyes against the light. He felt the light and warmth of Limbo fading and the coolness of the evening envelope him in its place. He blinked open is eyes to find that he was in the alley beside Lux, the side door just steps away. Looking up he nodded his thanks as he slipped inside the building through a stairway not many knew about. Leaning against the back of the elevator door as it rose to is penthouse, Lucifer became aware of just how much his injuries were beginning to hurt all the more. The small ping of the elevator roused him from his pain filled stupor and the soft notes from his piano confirmed his suspicious as to why he was in more pain.

"Detective…" The playing stopped and the woman turned to look at him as he shuffled a few steps forward, seeing her as though for the first time.

"Lucifer…"

He sighed happily before the world tilted crazily, "Chloe…" He felt the floor coming up to meet him as he fell unconscious, he vaguely heard her call his name in alarm before everything went black.

Author's Note: I do have a partial chapter 6 but it isn't finished yet. More reviews needed please ^_^