"They're doing it again!"
"Of course they are, they're in love," Cassie said glancing up from the book she was reading.
"But do they have to kiss like that all over the house?" Azazeal asked in annoyance.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. Young people are like that…actually you're like that, so it's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black."
"What?"
"Nevermind. Just let them be."
Azazeal sat next to her on the couch in the alter area where they were alone for the time being.
"Since when had you and Lucifer been hoping to get them together?" Cassie asked.
He smiled mischievously, "Since she came back from spending those few months with them in California. I saw them together and at first I didn't like it but I started to watch him. I eventually decided that there was no one who would understand her better or be as dedicated to her as he would. He's like his father that way."
"So, you both have been plotting this for that long, huh?" She twisted and put her head in his lap and looked up at him.
"Not plotting, just hoping, it had to be their choice, which is why our little trick was in place, to be sure how they really felt about each other. Lucifer was supposed to keep his mouth shut but apparently he let something slip when he stole them away. But I don't think that effected anything."
"You two working together is dangerous, I think."
"It always had been," he agreed.
After a pause she asked, "You're happy aren't you?" In a tone that was half way between a question and a statement.
"Deliriously!" he responded genuinely and moved some hair out of her face with a delicate finger.
She smiled and enjoyed the fact that this type of question did not immediately offend him or worry him. Most of the time he seemed to know 'how' she meant the things she said, so little misunderstandings were rare.
"Me too," she said.
"I don't know what would have become of me if you hadn't captured my heart," he said reflectively, "I was so filled with anger and confusion and then there you were. So beautiful and strong and just different enough to be wonderfully special. You were scared of me," he laughed, "but more annoyed than anything else and that was fascinating."
"And you were very mysterious and creepy, pushy too."
"I had a job to do, but you completely distracted me."
"Well, I am far more attractive than Lucifer."
"That's true!" he agreed, "I don't know exactly what it was about you but somehow I knew, like Lucifer must have known with Elizabeth, that…we could be like this, like we are now, if I could just figure out how."
Cassie lifted herself up, kissing him as he put a supporting hand against her back.
"What kind of example are we going to set if we carry on like this?" he said in between kisses.
"You've got to be kidding?" Cassie laughed, "You have to be the most lusty angel of them all and Sara gets it from you."
"It's not entirely from me," he rumbled and Cassie responded with a kiss that proved his point perfectly. Cassie maneuvered herself astride his lap and settled in for the long haul.
"MOM! DAD! Gross!," Sara whined and Cassie and Azazeal paused only for a second and a quick look in each other's eyes, before Cassie waved her away without turning.
Sara and Luke smiled at each other. They had heard Cassie and Azazeal's voices and had come over to ask if Sara could spend the summer with Luke in California when they had found them kissing. Sara had grinned and effected disgust at their display for Luke's benefit.
"We'll come back when you're less…uh, occupied," Luke piped up to let them know that he was there too, but this did not stop them either, so he shrugged at Sara and they left them alone.
After Elizabeth had, finally, gotten Lucifer to stop gloating and take her already, they had some of the most desperately passionate sex of all time, which was closely followed the next morning by more of the same but with a bit more control.
Lucifer rolled onto his back and stretched luxuriously, letting the afterglow of the sex and the adoration envelop him, thinking that there was only one more thing that he needed to be completely in heaven.
"Mmmmm, honey, send me to the ends of the earth!"
Elizabeth just smiled to herself.
"Ah, there must be some stupid thing I can fetch for you or…anything. Just command me," he said sincerly.
"You're so weird."
"No, I'm not," he rolled back over to look at her seriously, "I'm your angel and if you don't let me do something for you right now, I…" he thought for a second, "I'm going to tickle you until you can't breathe. And I know how you hate that."
"Oh, no not that!" She protested playfully as he started to creep fingers around her mid-section.
"Fine!," she giggled, "French croissants for breakfast and a bottle of that wine I like from that place with the pretty house…for later," she said knowing that he'd know which wine she meant.
"Predictable," he grumbled happily.
"Are you complaining?"
"Never!" and he insisted and left shortly to do as she asked.
After breakfast and an attempt at a simple shower, which failed miserably but enjoyably, they lounged around the house and talked.
"So you were basically fine and all you needed was to…you know…do that thing," Elizabeth said.
"Mostly, yes," he pursed his lips and considered chiding her for this shyness that seeped out on occasion, but decided against it, "I cheated though, if you want to know the truth, but only technically."
"How?" Elizabeth asked, amused.
"You were still here every day, every night. You were still watching and I knew what you expected of me. So, I wasn't really doing it on my own. You see, when I was a real angel, His presence was enough and you've been inhabiting that same place in my life and growing in strength since we fell in love. It just took a while for everything to unwind itself for you. It had been a very long time since anyone had paid me, the real me, the slightest bit of attention."
"When did you figure this out?"
"When I kidnapped the kids that time, I was restless but I found myself not at all interested in doing things that I knew you wouldn't like. I just missed you, so I came home."
Elizabeth smiled, "I missed you too."
"But I'm not perfect," he warned but looked sad at the same time as if he could be perfect but not yet, "so I will still need your help. Like Azazeal. He had Cassie for a long time and they were happy, had two children, but he could never relax until she knew him and treated him as the angel that he is." He added this last bit with a guarded hopfulness that didn't register with Elizabeth until later.
"I'm still proud of you and I won't doubt you again...But is my bad boy gone?" she pouted playfully.
"Not a chance, darling. You're just so sexy when you're angry. I plan on pissing you off on a regular basis just for the make-up sex."
She smiled at this but didn't put it past him to purposely do something to provoke her or even lie about having done something for the fireworks that followed.
The next day she rewarded him further by taking away all of the annoying choices and decisions and letting him exist as an extension of her will. Despite his assertion that in their normal life her presence alone could go along way towards keeping him good, he didn't bother to deny that he preferred this state of undeniable control because it was closer to perfection.
About a week later, Elizabeth and Lucifer visited the church again.
"Elizabeth, it's not fair!" Cassie said, approaching Elizabeth when she was alone.
"What's not?"
"I had planned on yelling at Lucifer, since no one else has scolded him yet. And I know you haven't, 'cause I can see it in your dreamy eyes. I had a whole speech prepared."
"Go ahead," Elizabeth laughed.
"I can't yell at him when he's like that. You spoiled it. He's all sweet and nice…"
"Sorry, dear! How's Ramiel?"
"Oh, he's fine…doesn't care one jot about what happened."
" Good! And how are you?"
"Great, wonderful in fact. You were right, you know! As soon as I figured out the angel that was Azazeal and dealt with him that way, we've been getting closer ever since."
"I'm glad!"
"And before I forget, Luke and Sara are planning to spend the summer in California with you."
"Alright!"
"And they're cooking up a scheme to get back at Azazeal and Lucifer so don't be surprised if you're roped into it."
"Oh, goodie! I love a good hoodwink!"
"Me too!