Gabriel walked into the kitchen in late that night. He was craving for sweets, per usual. He raided the fridge and pulled out a piece of cherry pie Dean had had in there from before they left the world to deal with alternate Michael. He grinned. He would be killing two birds with one stone. Satisfying his sugar craving and annoying Dean.

Gabriel was about to dig in when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see Mary Winchester in the doorway.

"Sam told me you had a giant sweet tooth," Mary said from her place in the doorway.

Gabriel winced. So far, he'd avoided being alone with Sam's mother. That had apparently ended, not that Gabriel thought he could keep it up forever. "Posed as a Trickster for centuries. It was natural that I'd pick up a few things from that life."

"Dean will be pissed you're eating his pie," Mary commented.

"Yeah," Gabriel said with a grin.

"I see you're as big a fan of my son as he is of you," she said.

"Oh, I'm a huge fan of your son, just not that one," Gabriel said before taking a bite of his pie.

"I'm glad I came across you down here. I thought we should talk without anyone else around," Mary said.

Knowing there was no way for him to get out of this, Gabriel reluctantly nodded and went over to the table to sit down.

Mary sat across from him. "I know very little about you aside from that you're Sam's boyfriend, and that Dean doesn't like you."

"Well, Dean doesn't like a lot of people," he said.

"True. He's not very trusting, but from what I've heard, he has his reasons for not liking you. He says you've hurt my son," Mary said with a slight edge to her voice.

"Well, he's one to talk, but I can't deny that that's true. I was trying to save Sam from pain that would be even worse than what I was inflicting on him. I was also trying to protect my brother. I took extreme measures. It was a mistake that didn't even work. Believe me, there's nothing regret more," Gabriel said honestly. For as long as he lived, and that could end up being a very long time, it would always be the biggest mistake he'd ever made.

Mary could tell he meant that. She could see the regret and pain in his eyes. Plus, she'd seen how he was with Sam now. There was no doubt that he loved her son. "I don't know what you did. I think it's probably better that I don't. I don't think I'd be able to stop myself from hating you and wanting to hurt you over it, and that would upset Sam. He's had enough drama lately. Besides, I wasn't here for it, so I probably shouldn't judge you for it."

"Thank you. For what it's worth, I have paid for it in many ways, mostly through knowing what I put Sam through," Gabriel said.

"But if you ever do anything in the future that causes my son pain, I don't care if you're an archangel, I will make you suffer for it," Mary warned.

"Yes, Ma'am," Gabriel said. He got the feeling that she would succeed. She would find a way to kick his ass if he hurt Sam again.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Lucifer sat on his bed with the latter Jack wrote to him before he was changed in his hand. Jack was in a playpen, which he assumed was courtesy of his father, at the foot of the bed.

Lucifer stared at the letter for several moments. He knew he needed to read it, but these were the last words his son would ever say. Well, as he was before anyway. While the baby feet away from him was proof that his son was still with him, he wouldn't be the same as the boy he'd been looking after for the past several months. This child would have a life that was much different than his. The young man he once was would pretty much cease to exist

Lucifer took a deep breath and unfolded the letter. He immediately began to read.

Father,

I know you're angry, maybe at me, and definitely at your father. I'm sorry if you're mad at me. Well, sort of. I'm not sorry for what I've done, but I'm sorry you're mad, and probably hurt. I didn't want to hurt you or make you mad, but I needed to do this.

Before I go on, I want you to know that this was my decision. Your father may have told you that, but I know you might not believe him. It was my choice. He offered me anything I wanted. Other than knowing my mother, which he told me I couldn't have, this was the thing that came into my mind.

I didn't make this decision lightly. I thought about it. I'd thought about it even before God showed up and offered me a gift. Of course, before then, it was a dream. I wondered what it would be like to grow up the right way. I never thought it could actually happen.

I can't deny that I'm scared to do this. It's like giving up my whole life. But I believe this is the right decision. I'm not supposed to be this way. I don't fit in the way I am. You and everyone else keeps telling me I'm a child, and I know that I am, but I don't feel that way. It's too hard to live as a child when physically, I'm not.

I believe this is the best choice I can make for both of us. I can grow up the way every other kid does. I can be the child I know I am, and I know you'll give me a good life. You already do. Meeting and getting to know you was the best thing that ever happened to me, even though, I admit, there wasn't much to compare it to before. Before I knew you, I thought I was the son of a terrible being that wanted to hurt everyone I cared about. I was afraid of being like that being. When I found out you were my father, I started to believe that maybe I could be good.

You've given me so much, Father, and I know you still will. I believe this can be a gift for both of us. You can be my father the way you're supposed to. I hope you'll understand why I did this after reading this letter.

Love Jack,

There were tears coming down Lucifer's face by the time he was finished. It was hard for him to read those words. It was hard to hear how his son had been feeling. He knew Jack had some trouble accepting his age, given how grown up he looked, but he didn't know it was so much that he wanted to become an actual baby, nor did he know Jack had been thinking about it even before the offer was presented it to him. Lucifer wished Jack had told him. He'd wished he'd known how much his child was actually struggling.

Lucifer couldn't deny that he himself had thought about Jack being the age he was supposed to be. Many times, he felt it was best that he didn't raise Jack, frightful that he would mess the boy up, as he knew nothing about raising human children. However, there were also many times when he found himself wistful. He yearned to watch his child grow.

Just then, Jack began to fuss from the playpen.

Lucifer winced a bit, unsure of what to do. He was still very anxious around the baby, not knowing what his child needed, since he couldn't actually tell him.

Lucifer went over to the playpen and picked the baby up. "What is it, child? You can't be hungry. I just fed you a little while ago. You should really be sleeping. I'm certain it's past your bedtime. Though I suppose deciding that is my call."

Jack stopped crying as soon as he was in his father's arms and smiled.

"Oh, you just wanted to be picked up, didn't you? Aren't you a sly little one? You just wanted Father's attention," Lucifer said as he carried him back to the bed and sat down. "I suppose I should actually start teaching you to call me Daddy. It will be much easier for you to learn to say. And if I'm being honest, I'd prefer you call me Daddy anyway. 'Father' reminds me too much of my old man."

Jack let out a squeal of delight.

Lucifer smiled and stared at the boy. He had such a big smile on his tiny face. He'd never seen his son smile like that. Jack smiled from time to time, but not like this. This was the smile of pure innocence, which unfortunately, he'd lost in his teenage body just after birth.

Lucifer settled the child on his lap and held him close. "Alright. Perhaps this is for the best."