A/N: (Edit) Wow my computer messed up the formating for this chapter, heres an updated one.
Chapter 1: Side by Side
"Daddy can I go outside and play?" An eight year old Bella Swan looked at her father, eyes pleading for permission to enjoy the one sunny summer day in Forks, Washington. Charlie looked up from his newspaper to look at his daughter, one who he only gets to see over the summer and a few holidays before nodding. Giving his child a smile under his bushy mustache the man warns Bella not to wander off and stay in the backyard. Nodding Bella ran upstairs to grab her dolls and some action figures (courtesy of her friend Jake) and ran out the back door. Content with the warm rays of sun and dry day Bella enjoyed herself, creating a fairytale out of her toys.
"Having fun Izzy?"
Bella gasped happily at the familiar voice and turned around. "Lilith!" She scrambled to stand up and almost tackled the devil over by her hug. Feeling Lilith shake from her chuckles Bella ceased burying her face from her stomach and looked up at her friend. "Are you done with work today?" Bella asked.
Lilith hummed and shook her head, placing a hand on top of Bella's own head rubbing her fingers through her scalp in a loving gesture.
"I'm afraid not little one, you know I work everyday, no rest for the wicked." Lilith eyed her toy set up and looked back down, black eyes kind as she asked Bella. "But I always will have time for you Bella, would you have me for your play date?"
Bella stepped back and nodded but then frowned taking in what her best friend was wearing. As usual when Lilith "worked" she wore either a business suit or a fancy blouse with a pencil skirt and high heels. Bella stated when she was six that when she was older she wanted to dress like her, she always looked so pretty. Noting Bella's frowned face Lilith looked down at herself and chuckled. Waving an ebony hand her attire changed to something more suitable to wear on a play date. Gym shorts and a tank top with a pair of trainers now adorned her body and Bella grinned when she sat down on the ground and waited for Bella to explain the plot for her toy heroes.
Bella was eleven when she came home crying from school and no matter what Renee did she couldn't figure out what was the deal. That night it was Lilith who held her head in her lap and soothed the child's tears; and when Bella told how two girls named Taylor and Olivia have been bullying her ever since she moved to Phoenix it was Lilith who handled it.
The next day when Bella went to school Taylor and Olivia apologized profusely and once the apology was made ran away but not before Bella caught the fearful look in their eyes. The next time Lilith visited her she asked what she did and Lilith simply replied: "I gave them a taste of their own medicine."
It was when Bella was thirteen she got a dog, a hellhound to be specific. Christmas Eve was a special time, but it was even more special for Bella and Lilith it signified their bonded friendship and now that Bella was old enough to understand what she actually did when she pinky promised Lilith she was horrified and embarrassed for months.
"I practically made you my slave!"
"No, it's a mutual relationship, you get perks and benefits from being friends with Satan and I get the enjoyment of torturing anyone who causes you harm and seeing how you live your human life."
One of those benefits that Bella had was a dog from the pits of hell, it was all black and had three eyes on each side of it's head and a giant rack of teeth. When she asked how she was going to hide or take care of it the canine, named Anubis, blended into the surrounding shadows of the night.
"He can also take care of himself," Lilith stated "He'll go out and hunt and protect you if anything or anyone tried to hurt you if I'm not with you."
"What do you mean?" Bella asked.
"Not all demons are under my control Bells, and now that you're older you're more susceptible to spirits that wish to manipulate you. Especially now since we're bonded."
Bella gave Lilith a hug after that confession, she seemed angry at herself and so she promised to keep Anubis close by for Lilith's sake.
She was sixteen when she first went to hell.
"What do you want for your birthday Bella?" Lilith and Bella were sitting on a bench in a secluded park in Phoenix simply enjoying each other's company. Lilith was sipping on a root beer her friend generously offered when Bella responded.
"I want to go to hell."
Lilith sputtered and choked on her drink as she coughed out "What?!" Bella simply nodded and turned her body to look at Lilith.
"I want to see you work, see what you've been doing for the past millennial."
Seeing Bella's determined look and knowing her sister in all but blood for years, Lilith sighed and rubbed the back of her head. Feeling the buzz cut hairs with her hand she moved the appendage up to her curls and took a minute before giving Bella an answer.
"Fine."
"No Lilith I want to-wait really?"
Raising a brow at Bella she nodded and sighed. "It was only a matter of time before you asked. Honestly I'm surprised you didn't ask sooner. However, we're only going to Purgatory and the First Gate." Bella nodded at this, she learned last year that Dante's poem was accurate regarding the nine layers of hell. Lilith explained the place where damned souls resided as a corporate. She was at the top overseeing and making big decisions while there were other smaller bosses taking care of each layer.
The night of Bella's sixteenth, she took Lilith's hand and received a taste of what Lilith did on a day to day basis. When they returned Bella was incredulous and shocked to say the least.
"You're telling me that Purgatory is like the DMV for souls? How do you wait there every day?" To which Lilith simply shrugged and responded.
"Being the Devil has it's perks. Besides I've tried countless of times to speed the process up but the folks up above," she points her thumb towards the ceiling "want to be a pain in my ass."
Bella chuckles at this statement, she knew what Lilith meant, while waiting in Purgatory for what it seemed to be hours (Lilith assured her that time just worked differently in ethereal planes) she was able to see Lilith go off on an actual angel who dropped important papers and made waiting even longer. Lilith had sprouted ram horns and a tail going off on the angelic being while the angel himself apologized over and over again. When Lilith realized the angel was new she did a complete one eighty and started to help the guy giving him tips and pointers. Bella chuckled when they were done in Purgatory, reaching up and poking her horns. Lilith just rolled her eyes and complained that she was getting soft for being friends with a mere mortal.
Nevertheless Bella was thankful that Lilith even considered bringing her to her domain. Giving Bella a kiss on the top of her head, she said goodbye and wished a goodnight to the brunette. Once Lilith left, Anubis appeared from the corner of Bella's dark room and gave a low bark. Laying his head in his owner's lap Bella smiled as she pet his head, hand seeming to disappear in the pitch black tresses that was Anubis' fur. As she drifted off to sleep Bella thought about Renee, her and Phil were becoming pretty serious. Her mother was really more of a roommate than parent at this point.' I should talk about moving back to Forks with Charlie then she can focus more on Phil.'
Sinking into the covers Bella made a decision that would change her and Lilith's life forever.
Bella stepped back to look at her handy work. She was back in Forks with her father and finished the tedious trials of unpacking. With her father out at the station Anubis was visible and lying on her bed looking at his owner with a tilted head and a wagging tail. Sighing she walked over to sit on her bed and scratched the hellhound's head.
"I wonder where Lilith is Anu, it's not like her to be gone for months and not check in." Anubis seemed to whine in agreement and snuggled closer to Bella. Patting her companion's head one last time Bella stood up and walked downstairs preparing to make dinner for Charlie but not without a worried mind for her closest friend.
Later that night Bella was woken by a shake of her shoulder.
"Bella!" A familiar voice hissed. Shooting up quickly from her prone position Bella turned on her bedside lamp and stared wide eyed at Lilith. The devil herself looked like, well hell. Her eyes had dark bags under them and her body seemed to sag in exhaustion. Her usual work attire of business wear was gone and replaced were worn black military fatigue pants and a muscle shirt. Reaching forward to hug her friend Bella proceeded to whisper in Lilith's ear.
"Lilith! Are you alright? I haven't heard from you in months!" Pulling back from their embrace Lilith crawled over Bella and laid on the other side of the bed. An arm was placed over Lilith's eyes and with the moonlight mixed with the soft glow of the lamp in her room, Bella could make out the numerous scars on Lilith's arms and hands. Nudging Lilith from her trance Bella called her name again. "Lilith?" In response to Bella's inquiry Lilith simply groans softly before finally responding.
"I need a vacation."
Bella narrowed her eyes at this confession. "What?" Lilith turned her head, letting the arm covering her eyes drop to her side.
"I said I need a vacation Bella, the last few months have been, no pun intended, hell. There was a mix up in soul assignment and Purgatory was sending me INNOCENT souls committed wrongly to my domain." She suddenly sits up whispering furiously, conscious of the other breathing mortal, Bella's father, in the next room. "They sent me a virgin nun and placed her in the Second Gate Bells, you know the second gate is the circle of lust." She pinches the bridge of her nose continuing her rant. "But no it wasn't just a few souls that get mixed up once in awhile, no it was millions. That's why I was gone for so long, I had to resort millions of souls that were innocent and meant for the golden gates and not a eternity of suffering."
Bella patted Lilith's back giving her comfort and a open ear to listen.
"What's worse is that Yahweh, God, Allah, however you want to call Him wants to keep the mix up souls on His end. He has no idea how bad that is, I've spent the last few months getting some semblance of order back but when the other half of the ethereal plane doesn't agree it's all for nothing." Bella tilted her head at the last bit of information, bad souls in heaven was a bad thing? Apparently the seventeen year old asked that out loud because Lilith responded accordingly.
"Yes, its a bad thing Bells, when souls are committed wrongly it upsets a fragile balance. Bad souls in heaven become fallen angels while good souls in hell become a rather volatile demon or violent spirit. They are able to walk the earth shatter the veil between reality and the ethereal plane. It's a mess all around, so like I said; I need a vacation." Lilith finished her rant and laid back down, closing her eyes and letting loose a long breath.
A comfortable silence washed over the two unbeknownst to Lilith Bella was in deep thought thinking about Lilith's rant. Another few minutes went by and Bella spoke up.
"Do it."
Opening one eye, Lilith glanced at the brunette. "Do what?" She asked. Bella turned her head to look down at the devil.
"Do it, take a vacation, live a human life for a while." Bella states. "All the stuff you've been through and dealing with, you need it." She shrugs laying her head back on the head board. Another moment of silence passes through them.
"Last time I tried that I accidentally started a crusade war." Lilith snicker quietly before venting a soft breath through her nose. "I guess a vacation wouldn't hurt, I'll have Tamiel look after things…" Bella begins to drift back to sleep listening to Lilith's musings. Sensing her friend falling asleep Lilith wishes Bella goodnight and stands up. Patting Anubis on the head Lilith looks back at the sleeping mortal behind her before disappearing without a sound.