Gabriel hacked at a demon that was stumbling after him, despite having only one arm and a massive gut wound that should have slowed anyone else down. The walkie at his waist crackled to life, "Gabriel! Where is Devery?"

Uriel had been pestering him for the past ten minutes trying to raise him and get an answer on their location and why Devery wasn't answering her. If he hadn't been busy fighting Hellhounds and demons he would have snapped irritably at his angelic sister to leave him alone.

As it was he and Michael were struggling against a seemingly never-ending wave of hell beasts, fighting in a narrow circle that allowed them to move back to back, keeping their enemies at bay as they slayed the minions of hell.

"GABRIEL! WHERE IS DEVERY?!"

His sister's voice screeched through the walkie, setting his teeth on edge. Michael laughed sharply, "Answer her before she does something unpredictable," he urged, stepping in front of Gabriel to allow him time to respond to their sister.

Gabriel exhaled sharply and snatched the walkie off his waistband, "Devery is in Mallory. She hasn't said anything in nearly 20 minutes, we think she's being held captive Uriel," he snapped.

There was a long moment of silence before his sister responded. "Where are you?"

"Two miles out from the town."

A Hellhound lunged toward him and he only just managed to get his sword up to slam into its chest, baring his teeth in a wild grin as it howled and slid off the blade, dying quickly. A demon followed after it and he turned his attention away from the walkie, grappling with the nearly ten foot tall monster as it shrieked with unholy joy, its jaws snapping towards his throat.

The demon laughed and swung a mace towards his head in a terrifyingly large blow that he could hear whistling through the air before it ever reached him. His eyes widened at the sheer reach the demon had and he swiftly ducked and rolled, slashing at the creature's knees as he popped back up.

Blood spurted out onto the sand and the demon shrieked in agonized anger, lashing out with its mace again, but it had fallen to its knees and its reach fell short this time. Gabriel darted forward and swung with all his might, a great shout of effort leaving him as he beheaded the creature.

A hot spurt of blood splashed across his chest and he heard the sizzle as it seared into the plating. He stumbled back from the corpse, panting with effort and watched as yet more fiendish creatures came running towards him.

A low hum filled the air and he shook his head, trying to clear it from his ear. He slashed and hacked at Hellhounds, trying to determine where the humming noise was coming from.

He stumbled back to offer protection to Michael, trying to catch his breath. There were just so many of the hell spawn…he hadn't seen this many since Lucifer had first fallen and attempted an uprising.

Fun times.

He and Michael lunged and parried, stabbed and retreated, their swords dripping with blood. Unearthly howls and shrieks filled the air, and Gabriel couldn't shake the hum from his hearing, nor could he identify its source.

Something white and large suddenly broke low out of the sky, the humming noise increasing tenfold. The combatants on the field of sand turned to look up as a drone swept over them and then circled round, sweeping in a wide arc.

"You should retreat now!" Uriel ordered over the walkie.

Gabriel and Michael shared a short, worried glance and then began retreating, hacking at the monsters that pursued them, unaware of the danger that circled overhead. They spread their wings and flew away as rapidly as possibly, trying to escape the wrath that was about to rain down.

As the drone came back around it unleashed a missile and both angels watched as it streaked towards the mass of demons and Hellhounds. A breath later a white light exploded and a wave of heat and sand blasted towards them, carrying disintegrated blood and bone matter.

Gabriel and Michael spread their wings nearly too late and were buffeted back as they struggled against the power of the bomb. When the wind had died down they struggled to their feet and looked around in amazement; with the exception of a few dazed Hellhounds and a demon or two, all their foes had been slain.

"Now would be the time for you to get to Mallory boys," Uriel ordered.

Gabriel didn't need to be told twice.

Devery stared in confusion at the man standing before her. She couldn't tell if it was because of the torture or the blows to the head, but she was seeing her dead father standing before her. Glancing slowly over his face she sighed and turned to Alex and Noma, "Is this…some sort of joke?" she asked softly.

The man who looked like Miles smiled sweetly at her, "Why would I joke with you Devery?" he asked gently, his voice kind.

A shard of pain entered her heart at the sound of his voice and his familiar smile. It was like going back in time. Her eyes slid shut and she swallowed hard, fighting the painful urge within herself to cry.

She wouldn't give any of them that satisfaction.

"Why?" she whispered.

"Why, what?" not-Miles replied softly, his tone almost humorous.

"Why would you use Miles as your vessel Lucifer?" she sighed, opening her eyes to find that Alex and Noma had stepped into the kitchen, leaving them alone.

Lucifer smiled at her, the expression familiar and warm on Mile's face, but this time it made her stomach turn—she could see the wicked glint in his eye that had never been in Miles's when he had been alive.

He studied her for a moment before reaching behind him and wrapping a hand around the frame of a chair, dragging it forward until he was just a few feet from her. He sat gracefully, crossing one leg over the other, giving her a friendly smile.

"Miles is the perfect vessel because he was a Knight of Heaven. He was intelligent, strong, skilled, and above all, had power. No other human could withstand holding an angel within their form," he informed her.

"Good for you," Devery sighed tiredly. She desperately wanted to use her powers to heal herself, but she didn't know what would happen if she did. In the past weeks when she had Lucifer had sent minions after her and Gabriel, seemingly able to track her power usage.

If she used her powers now he might be able to tell, and she didn't want him to have any advantage at all.

Lucifer smirked softly and nodded, "Indeed. If I intend to tear down the walls of Heaven and Earth and make my justice upon this world, I'll need his power," he informed her.

Devery sighed and shook her head, "And what happens to Alex after you're done?" she asked, hoping that her one time friend would be able to hear his response from where he was in the other room.

"Alex will sit at my right hand. He is the Chosen One after all," Lucifer murmured. He smirked at her with a self satisfied look, "What were you expecting?" he asked.

Devery smiled faintly, sadly, "That you'll kill him."

Lucifer lifted a brow and chuckled softly, "Hardly," he murmured.

"And what will you do with me?" she asked, despite knowing he was going to lie.

"That depends entirely on if you decide to continue fighting me. I'd like very much to have you at my side. Imagine what we could do together," he replied softly, urgently. "You could have an entire continent of people to rule, you could shape the future, you could even have Miles back," he offered.

"And how would that work? You need a vessel," she replied tiredly.

"There are other Knights that can be resurrected. This one was just the most…fresh," he told her with a wry grin.

Rage shivered through her at his flippant tone and she struggled against a torrent of angry words, biting them back. After a moment she nodded, "What about Michael and Gabriel?"

"I am sorry, but they cannot be allowed to live. It is their fault that the entire world has suffered, that your family died, that the hosts of Heaven were very nearly destroyed, that our Father abandoned us and grew to hate me."

Devery's eyes narrowed into slits and she stared at him for a long moment before sighing heavily. "Well, that's certainly a lot to think about. Do you think I could get a sip of water in the meantime?" she asked politely.

Lucifer studied her for a moment before nodding and rising to his feet, striding confidently into the kitchen where she could hear him murmuring softly to Alex and Noma. A moment later she heard water being poured into a glass and then the heavy tread of his feet on the wood.

Lucifer reappeared and crouched before her, holding the glass to her lips. She stared at him over the rim for a moment before sighing and drinking slowly, savoring the cool water that slid down her throat.

When the glass had been drained dry she slumped back in her chair, giving the illusion she was drained when in fact the cool water had sent new energy flowing through her veins. She murmured her thanks and closed her eyes, meditating for a few moments in the silence.

She might not be able to use her powers to heal herself, but she could meditate and speed things along as best she could.

"Are we to be allies then, Devery?"

She sighed and opened her eyes, studying Lucifer. He had to know she wouldn't agree to ally with him, but he seemed warily hopeful. She smiled weakly, "Do something for me first," she murmured.

He nodded thoughtfully, "Very well, what would you like?"

"Let me speak to Miles."

His brow rose and an incredulous look passed over his face for a moment before he nodded, smiling dryly. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, his face settling into a meditative expression.

Long minutes passed in a silence during which the only sounds that could be heard were their soft breathing. Devery watched as his eyes flickered behind his lids, his hands resting gently on his thighs, a posture she had seen Miles adopt more times than she could count when they had practiced meditation together.

When his eyes flickered open and rested on her she saw the kindness and warmth that had been so familiar to her for so many years. She remained wary though, Lucifer was a trickster and liar and she wasn't about to trust the man before her simply because he looked like her father.

He leaned forward, smiling softly at her. "Hey kid," he whispered.

Her gut twisted at the familiar turn of phrase and her throat tightened with emotion, her eyes burning with unshed tears. She shook her head, blinking away the few tears that managed to blind her.

"Kid, it's me," he murmured, his voice urgent and thick with emotion.

A strangled sob wrenched from her chest and she turned her face away, trying to hide her agony. In an instant he was across the room, wrapping his arms around her, hushing her gently and she could no longer hold back. She slumped into his embrace and wept, her tears soaking into his shirt collar.

She desperately wished she was unbound from the chair so she could touch his face and hug him once more, but a rational part of her brain told her that it wasn't really Miles. As her tears slowed and her breathing steadied she lifted her head and blinked back the tears clinging to her lashes, trying to study his face.

Miles lifted a hand and smiled at her softly, wiping at the tears that had run down her cheeks. "I'm so proud of you Devery. You've come so far," he told her softly. She smiled weakly at him, her heart fluttering at his encouragement.

"I've missed you," she admitted, her voice hoarse.

He smiled sadly, "I've missed seeing you as well my dear girl," he replied, "What has happened to you?" he asked, stroking the bruises on her jaw.

"Torture." She stared at him for a long moment, her brow furrowing, "Why didn't you tell me I'm a Child of Lazarus?" she asked.

He inhaled and seemed to fish for words before he exhaled and shook his head, "I wasn't sure. I didn't know who your father was, and your mother was dead. The world had changed forever and records were scarce…" he sighed heavily, shaking his head, "I had no way to confirm my suspicions," he told her.

Devery lifted a brow, "Short of killing me and waiting for me to come back, huh?" she replied sarcastically.

Miles laughed dryly and nodded.

Her stomach sank; Miles hadn't known that development, only those closest to her. Which meant that the man before her was not in fact her father, but Lucifer, disguising himself as her father. Rage rippled through her slowly and she struggled to breathe slowly, training her mouth in a pleasant smile.

"I don't understand why you can't stay," she murmured softly, giving him a pleading look. She felt a flash of success when a look of annoyance passed over his face only to disappear a breath later.

"Because my soul is not kept here. If I linger too long my memories and personality will be lost," he told her sadly, but she could see through the sadness and tell the lie for what it was this time. She swallowed hard and nodded, smiling tightly.

"Will you-will you do me a favor?" she asked softly, a pleading note to her voice.

"Of course kid, what is it?" he replied, giving her an earnest look.

False. He was so false. She gritted her teeth and resisted the urge to scream at him.

Instead she smiled, looking at him as she used to. "Can you untie my hands? I only want to hug you once before you disappear again," she whispered hoarsely. Her heart raced as she watched the emotions racing over his face; suspicion, annoyance, anger. He tried to hide them from her, schooling his face into a neutral expression, but she had known Miles far longer than Lucifer had inhabited his body—there was no hiding from her.

After a long few moments he nodded slowly, "Of course kid," he murmured. He stood and leaned down behind her, cutting the bindings of her hands, allowing the blood flow to return to normal to her fingers.

She exhaled sharply and clenched her fingers, bring her arms around to her chest slowly, feeling the blood pound through her veins painfully.

"Are you alright?" Miles asked gently, curiously.

She nodded and flexed her fingers again, curling them into her chest, wincing dramatically. "Are you in pain?" he asked worriedly.

"It's not so bad," she replied, giving him a weak smile. She glanced towards the kitchen and frowned, "Where are Alex and Noma?" she asked.

Miles frowned, "Outside I think," he replied, "Why?"

She gave him a tight smile and shook her head, "I was just hoping I could get something to eat, that's all," she murmured, "My head hurts," she confided.

He made a soft soothing sound and stood, "I'll get you something," he assured her, heading into the kitchen. Devery waited a few moments before reaching to her belt, pulling at the leather until it peeled away, revealing a slim blade.

She slid the blade from its hiding place and listened hard for any sound of Alex or Noma. The silence felt peaceful for a moment and she breathed easily before leaning down swiftly and slicing through the bindings at her feet.

She rose from the chair, as silent as death and crept towards the kitchen, the blade clutched tightly in her hand. She leaned against the wall by the kitchen doorway and inhaled slowly, counting down the seconds as she listened to Lucifer moving around the kitchen.

Her heart broke for what felt like the millionth time. This time when her father died, it would be at her hand and it absolutely gutted her to think it. Lucifer's footsteps approached and her eyes slid closed in dread, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead.

"It's only crackers with cheese and jerkey, I hope that's all right," he called out as he stepped through the doorway, his expression falling when he saw her empty chair. His eyes widened a moment later when she came whirling towards him, her foot connecting with his knee and her knife slamming into his chest.

Blood bubbled out of the wound as Lucifer exhaled sharply in surprise, a gasp struggling from his lips. Devery twisted the knife as she yanked it free and he yelped in surprised agony, slumping back against the wall, the tray in his hands slipping to the floor.

Devery went to run past him but was caught round the waist by a strong arm, both of them struggling against each other, grunting and swearing, blood smearing on limbs and faces.

"Why?!" Lucifer hissed, "Why would you do this?" he demanded.

She slammed her elbow into his throat and grinned ferally at the pained sound he let out, "Because, you aren't Miles," she gasped, struggling out of his gasp.

An explosion concussed through the air, shaking the panes of glass in the windows faintly. Devery glanced back and saw a burst of orange in the distance. Her heart thudded impossibly faster and she punched Lucifer hard in the jaw before running to the kitchen for her weapons.

Her fingers trembled with adrenaline as she strapped on her weapons, making sure she was facing the doorway where Lucifer was slumped over. One of her straps stuck and she frowned, glancing down to focus on it.

As she struggled to straighten the strap she heard heavy footsteps and looked up with wide eyes to see Lucifer stumbling towards her, rage in his eyes.

"You stupid, filthy, human!" he roared, lifting a gun and aiming it squarely at her chest.

Devery threw herself violently to the side and listened to the bullets smack into the wood as she rolled, coming to her feet a few breaths later. She snatched the walkie off the table and scrolled through the dial as she shoved the table over, taking refuge behind it as Lucifer continued firing.

Wood shards sliced into her face and arms as she searched for the right channel, her heart slamming against her ribs. She pulled her gun from her holster and fired it over the edge of the table, keeping Lucifer at bay for the moment.

The walkie crackled and she grinned wildly. "Uriel?!" she shouted over the sound of bullets.

"Devery! Where are you?!"

A searing pain bit into her shoulder just above her clavicle, and when she glanced down she saw an ugly, messy bullet hole. "Fuck!" she hissed, leaning back against the wall.

"Devery?!"

Another searing pain slammed into her gut and she cried out, crumpling over in agony. She struggled with the walkie as she lifted her gun and fired back at Lucifer, the pain nearly overwhelming her.

"Uriel…I'm in Mallory. I've got Lucifer here. Do it now," she groaned.

The walkie crackled, "Not if you're there!" the angel replied sharply.

Devery gritted her teeth against the pain and annoyance, peering over the edge of the table to fire at Lucifer, winging him in the arm and leg before she slumped back down. "Just fucking do it!" she ordered Uriel.

"Do what? What are you doing Devery?"

The sound of Gabriel's voice pierced her, hurting her worse than any bullet wound. Her eyes slid shut and she shook her head, fighting tears. "No, no, no, no," she whispered, rubbing the back of her hand against her forehead.

"Devery! What are you doing?" Gabriel demanded.

She hear Lucifer's footsteps and rose to her knees, firing at him once more, feeling blood gush from her gut wound. He stumbled back as her bullets slammed into his chest and gut, sending him reeling to the floor.

Her fingers fumbled on the walkie and she felt her extremities starting to go cold.

She was dying.

Slowly she stumbled over to where Lucifer was lying, keeping her gun trained on him.

He remained unmoving; his eyes wide open on her, rage filling them. Lifting the walkie to her lips she exhaled, "Uriel. Do it now," she breathed, agony behind every word.

"Devery, Devery please, what are you doing?" Gabriel pled.

She lifted the sword they had gone to the North Pole for from its scabbard, every movement excruciating, and pointed it straight at Lucifer's heart. Every inch of her was becoming cold now.

She didn't have long.

Lucifer's fingers curled around the gun in his hand and she stepped on his wrist as she pushed the blade into his chest slowly, taking her time. She pressed the button on the walkie and let those on the other end hear his agonized screams.

"I'm killing Lucifer," she murmured, her head light.

"What are you and Uriel doing dammit?" Gabriel demanded.

She sighed and smiled, "Have you heard of a drone? They used to be used by modern military before all of this. They could be equipped with bombs of different magnitude and dropped anywhere around the world," she told him.

Her gut pulsated with anguish and she looked down to see blood gushing from between her fingers. She didn't have long.

"What are you talking about Devery?" Gabriel asked worriedly.

"Hellfire missiles," she said with a bitter smile, "rather an on the nose name, huh," she breathed. "I asked Uriel to find out if Helena had any, considering their massive air force, and lo and behold, they had more than a few."

"No. NO!" Gabriel shouted, his voice raw with terror.

"Just one will level an entire block," she sighed, black spots appearing before her eyes for a moment. She could hear a humming in the air and a faint smile crept across her face. "Or to destroy an archangel," she said with a soft laugh.

"Devery, please don't! Please! I'm coming to you, I'll get you out of there, just please don't!" Gabriel pled, and she could hear the tears in his voice.

She felt tears of her own on her cheeks, but she couldn't feel them. She shook her head and closed her eyes, listening to the drone approach. "I'm sorry Gabriel…I…" she smiled and felt herself slipping…slipping into darkness.

Shaking herself she opened her eyes and looked into Lucifer's eyes, "I love you," she whispered.

She could hear the missile roaring overhead and she leaned into the sword, sliding it into Lucifer's heart, watching as he thrashed and cried out in distress before he stilled, a pool of blood spreading quickly under him.

She slumped to the ground and held the walkie against her chest, feeling her heart thump a little slower in her chest.

"No, Devery, no!"

"It's too late Gabriel…the missile…it's almost here."

"I love you Dev-"