Cassie and Azazeal were a great team and it wasn't long before Elizabeth requested their services for a little project of her own. She cared for the environment and was concerned about global warming. She had asked Lucifer about it, who had convenient knowledge of the earth's entire history, and he confirmed that humans were indeed having some effect on the planet. He told her that there were many things he could do to directly effect the problem but if people didn't change it would start all over again. When she asked him if it was worthwhile to do something about it or if the world would end before the earth became uninhabitable, he laughed at her, and said that she shouldn't let that stop her.

"Cassie, I have a favor to ask. I would like the four of us to go to the United States and get the government to do something about the environment."

"Like what?" Cassie asked.

"I'm still working on that part but the government definitely needs to get involved."

"Alright, we've neglected that part of the world so far. Let's give it a go!"

So after some discussion and the development of a game plan, the four of them took up residence at Elizabeth's ranch and started making forays in to the political world of the U.S. Cassie and Elizabeth did research on key individuals and groups that should be manipulated and were helpful when a woman's touch was more effective even than angelic persuasion.

Lucifer loved the activity and was integral in overall influence over large groups and systems. He was also the self-appointed entertainment director. He kept himself occupied in his down time by never allowing their lives to become boring and took great joy in surprising them, although it was mostly for Elizabeth. When there were more than just the four of them around, however, he tended to retreat back and become intimately absorbed with her, which seemed to help him keep out of trouble, so it was fine as far as she was concerned. He still occasionally ignored Cassie and Azazeal too, but that was generally just to annoy them and embarrass Elizabeth, they discovered.

Azazeal was, as usual, completely involved in this endeavor and took it all very seriously, which amused Cassie on occasion, even though she regularly showed her appreciation for his efforts. For Azazeal doing only things at his own whim had always felt hollow and without meaning, which is probably why he had been so easily lead by Lucifer, who had at least had a plan. It made perfect and reassuring sense to him to help Cassie fulfill her altruistic goals and also some of her wildest dreams, so why wouldn't he be serious about it. The fact that they got to spend more and more time together was obviously a welcome bonus and now one was rarely without the other to the delight of both of them.

Although he relied on her for direction in order to feel needed and linked to her, he did not need the control that Lucifer found so appealing. His arrogant confidence had not gone anywhere, so while Cassie came up with the objective, Azazeal developed the plan and directed the players.

"But why does it have to be so convoluted?" Cassie asked.

"We're dealing with people who are very set in their ways and who don't understand what we're saying," he said smoothly.

"I know, but you're playing all these people off of each other and I just don't see how this is going to get us anywhere."

"Trust me," he said snatching her hand and pulling her against him, "I've been doing this for a very…long…time," he said while giving her a little kiss between each word. Cassie melted immediately and forgot all about her concerns.

It hadn't taken Luke long to decide what he wanted to give Sara but it did take quite a while for him to make it. He didn't really mind because he always had some project or other he was working on, sometimes several at a time, to keep himself amused.

There was a knock at his door and he hurriedly put his project away before opening the door to find exactly who he expected: Sara.

"Bored again?"

"No, I was…well yes, what are you doing?"

"Nothing," he said letting her in and she immediately flopped on his bed.

"What are you doing later?" She asked rising up on both of her elbows to look at him.

"Well, I have Soccer game later and then Malachi and I are…uh."

"What! Why am I never invited out with you two?!"

"You'll have to ask your brother."

She glared at him, "So what are you two doing tonight then?"

"High stakes poker," he said with a grin.

"He just gets a kick out of cheating," she said dismissively.

"I'll see if you can tag-a-long," he said helpfully.

"Don't bother," she said and stormed out.

He shook his head at her after she left and pulled out his project to begin working on it again.

Luke hadn't expected to see her again so soon but Sara and her friend Joan were there at his Soccer game intently watching him play. If this was meant to intimidate or bother him it didn't work, but it did make him wonder what she was thinking. After the game, she walked over to him with her friend and introduced them. Joan had been in love with Luke from afar for quite a while but was too shy to ever do anything about it. Sara, of course, noticed this right away, even though Joan hadn't said much, and immediately tried to show off how well she knew him.

"You're not as disgusting as I would have thought when you're sweaty. But maybe that's because you played so impressively."

"The only way to know for sure," he offered, "would be to test out your theory in various ways." He was just not able resist the opening.

"Ha ha, I'm sure there are plenty of girls waiting to perform a exhaustive study," she smirked.

"Not really," he said, "I've got to go wash up. I'll see you around." He smiled at Joan and ran off after the team to the showers.

Sara was unhappy that she didn't get more of an opportunity to talk to him and she was irritated at the smile he'd graced Joan with, but then she started to wonder why it was so important to her to flirt with him for Joan's benefit. Poor Joan! She deserved a little attention, but Sara knew that she would do anything in her power to keep them apart.

Lucifer stood invisibly at the front of the room where the House of Representatives was about to vote, finally, on a key piece of legislation that they wanted passed. Elizabeth observed, invisible also, from the visitor's balcony as he closed his eyes and his breathing slowed as he focused on the task at hand. Instead of trying to bring out the worst in people, which had been his former pastime, he was going to coax out their conscience and their sense of what was right. She smiled as she watched him and she started to feel very proud of him. She saw a knowing grin spread across his face and when he opened his eyes, it was only a split second later before he stood in front of her up on the balcony.

"You're easy to please," he said still smiling.

"Sometimes," she teased.

"Well, today anyway," he agreed.

"Yeah, well it's easier when you do what I ask you to do," she smiled suppressing a laugh as she remembered the last time they'd been here a few weeks ago and he'd caused the whole House to break into a rendition of "We Are the World" that made Elizabeth laugh hysterically, before she regrouped and got him to do what they were there for.

She moved forward now and hugged him and when she pulled back they were under one of the trees in the fields at her ranch. He smirked when she noticed the location change and pulled her down in the grass. He sat against the tree and had her lean her back against him as he looped his arms around her. She rested her head back against his shoulder for a few quiet minutes before they returned to Azazeal for their next assignment.

When Elizabeth and Lucifer popped back into the house to look for Azazeal, Elizabeth went to walk into the living room, HQ for their project, but Lucifer gripped her hand tightly and pulled her back.

"Let's not interrupt them," he said.

"Oh, come on, that's my living room," she with a playfully discusted face, knowing what they were doing in there.

"You should know that no place is off limits. Let's go back. I have some ideas of my own," he suggested in a sexy tone.

Cassie was floating in a particularly delicious exhaustion and could no longer remember how many times she'd climaxed or if she was on the couch or the floor or the desk or wherever. She still couldn't figure out how he created half of the sensations that he did but she couldn't be bothered to worry about it too much.

Azazeal welcomed the feeling of wildness that came when he was overtaken by the urge to worship her because he was always in such control of his surroundings. It was definitely a release and the pleasure of it was undeniable. It had become more seldom when they had grown troubled but it was now back with a vengeance. Although he spoke words of submission as well as love, there was always strength in him made it more akin to a joining of himself with her, rather than Lucifer's style of giving everything.

Azazeal gave a final cry and collapsed weakly on top of her. Cassie ran her hand down his back and after a minute said, "Azazeal…I'm ready. When we get done here…I want you to make me immortal so we can do this forever."

He lifted his head and smiled at her but said nothing.

"There's something I have to tell you though. When Michael came to Elizabeth and I…he told us that if we do this…our fates, after this world ends, I guess, will be tied to yours. I want you to know that I want this because it will ensure that we will be together forever." Cassie was happy and slightly teary eyed, but this news did not sit well with Azazeal, who could not help but let this idea trump the good news that she wanted to be with him forever.