For the first time in all that had been spent in the cage, it was Lucifer who broke the companionable silence, to initiate conversation.

"How did you leave them without being noticed?"

And gentle laughter, indulgent, answered him. He did not question God's ability, of course, but was simply curious as to the literal how.

His ability to question was, ironically, something that had distanced him from the Host and made him more alike humanity that he would ever admit.

"I love you Lucifer, so I Fell with you."

Silence beyond shock. It flew through to alarm.

"Michael cast You out of Heaven?"

Agony, horror, outrage, awe, hatred.

For any Angel would be filled with Holy Wrath at that confession. Lucifer loved Michael beyond the fate they were entrapped in, beyond eternity, but for a moment there was no love, just an intense numbness of rage, rage that made his consciousness waver and slip.

He returned to himself, and even then his senses were confused.

Then, an even greater horror rose up - on Michael's behalf. Michael would not be able to conceive of it. It would break him a thousand times more than it did Lucifer as a witness. Just the thought of God being Felled was terrible enough. But from Heaven? By an Angel? In God's name? It multiplied until Lucifer felt sick in his grace, nauseated and confused and dying.

To discover that he had driven their Father away would destroy Michael. Michael, who had placed their Father above everything, including Lucifer. Michael, who had expelled Lucifer, whom he had loved since The Beginning, from Heaven at God's command. And, Lucifer adds silently, God, as well.

He had placed humanity above God at God's orders by bowing. But this was almost morbidly wrong, it asked so much more of Michael. Too much.

"Michael…", Lucifer tried to begin.

"- Will be freed. I put too much of Myself in him as well, and so he knows only of My Absolution, and cannot bring himself to question it. To know he threw me out would release him from his belief in My complete power. He would be disillusioned from My omnipotence, be forced to see himself before Me." It was spoken softly, but not without grief, too, for the pain it would cause.

Lucifer said flatly, "He will never forgive himself."

"You underestimate My ability to forgive - and therefore his." And somewhere, it was a soft way to tell Lucifer that he could be redeemed. Except he did not want for redemption just yet - at least, not if he was expected to give up his love for God to humanity.

"It seems to me more akin a punishment then a forgiveness." He says warily.

"I punished you not for your disobedience, Lucifer, but for failing to love humans above Me. I wanted you to disobey, to use free will. It is only right that while Michael followed orders, I punish him for failing to love you above Me. I wanted him to disobey as well, that you might both use free will. But there is a long time yet for that to change."

Lucifer just regarded Him blankly.

"Fate is now what they make of it. Of course, they will use the prophecies as their bases - to my chagrin - but I hope that one day they will decide to do something outside of what they presume I Will to be."