Hey guys, sorry it took me so long to update this, I told you I wouldn't be able to update this readily. Anyway, enough of my excuses. I hope you enjoy the second chapter of "In Defiance of God." Just some notes before you get to reading, first off the chapter title is actually the second part of an age old saying, "curiosity killed the cat." Most people just leave it as that, but actually the full quote is: "Curiosity killed the cat and satisfaction brought it back." It's kind of like the whole "speak of the Devil..." thing where no one finishes the quote and just leaves the rest unsaid. The next thing I want to mention is the bit between Lucifer and Geraldine. OK, those of you who have watch Alleluia! (and you really should before reading this fanfic) will remember how God had to fix her cheeks because she didn't smile correctly. Which kind of made me think..."why?" What was it about Geraldine that made her only give a 80 watt smile when the others gave a 100 watt smile. Then I was thinking about how Lucifer's and June's Fall weren't far from each other...and one thing lead to another and now I have this fan-theory that Lucifer and Geraldine had this lovers tryst that went sour, and when they checked the girls' smiles she was still mourning the lose of her lover...anyway I'm talking to much so...

Disclaimer: I do not own TDC! It belongs to Terrance, Darren, and Saar. I am just a devoted fan...nothing to see here.

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I'm in love, truly, madly, deeply in love with perception."
― Glen Duncan, I, Lucifer

Chapter 2:

…And Satisfaction Brought it Back

Lucifer started to reach for the confiscated literature when there was a sharp rap on his office door. He jumped guiltily, deposited the Fables into a desk drawer, and locked it. "Come in!" Lucifer called. The Scribe entered the room and closed the door behind him. The Scribe was an older gentlemen, or at least in appearance, with long gray hair, balding at the top, and a worn weather-beaten face. "Sorry to disturb you, Lucifer," he said. "I just wanted to see if you got all of the paperwork. I realize that I left one in the Library, and I went to pick it up for you, but the Librarian said you'd already grabbed it."

Lucifer tried not to appear too annoyed at the interruption. "It's no problem, I've got everything I need, thank you old friend."

The Scribe nodded, "oh and the Lord said that He wanted to see you, now."

Lucifer pushed up from his desk and said, "very well. I will leave immediately, is that all Scribe?" He nodded, "then if you'll excuse me I have to attend to our Lord's wishes." The Scribe bowed his head and made his way for the door when the Morningstar called him back. "I-I have a question to ask you, but it is a…delicate matter."

"What do you need, Lucifer?" The Scribe asked curiously.

"You wrote all of God's work yes, I mean, you put all His words to paper, correct?"

The Scribe nodded, "I had such an honor, you know this Lucifer."

Lucifer nodded slowly, "even the work that is in the Restricted Section?"

The Scribe paled, "Why would you ask me that?!" Lucifer didn't respond, the Scribe continued, a little panicked now. "Are you worried about my loyalties, do you think that I'd SHARE what is in there? I wouldn't, I'd never! You know me better than that Lucifer! I am loyal to the Creator, I swear!"

Lucifer pursed his lips, he hadn't intended for the Scribe to think he was accusing him of treason, though he supposed he should have expected it. "No, no I don't think you would, relax friend." The Scribe sighed in relief and relaxed his posture. "No, I just wanted to know if you knew why a certain volume was restricted." Lucifer continued, "particularly…this one." He was hesitant to show it to the Scribe, worried that he'd go running to the Creator. However, he needed to know, if only to have a peace of mind. So he slowly withdrew the large text from his desk drawer and showed it to him. "What can you tell me about this?"

The Scribe paled, "where did you get that?"

"Where do you think?" Lucifer replied, a little impatiently.

"Lucifer," the Scribe shook his head, "I don't know what possessed you to grab that, it's forbidden! But please…please put it back!"

"Why?" Lucifer asked, turning the book over in his hands. "Why does He not want us to read it?" The Scribe flinched, that was the first time in Angelic history that anyone had asked the word why. Prior to this moment it simply wasn't done. No one questioned the Creator, it wasn't allowed. And here was the Morningstar, God's greatest angel, His favorite, casually committing the worst taboo in all of Heaven. It was momentous, it was a game changer, and the only one in Heaven to witness this occasion was the Caste #2 angel in the room, looking like he was going to have a heart-attack.

"WHY?! Because you're not supposed to have it!" The Scribe screeched. "And why He has forbidden it is inconsequential! All that should concern you is what the Creator has willed! You taught me that Luci, you taught all of us that. So what's gotten into you?" Lucifer frowned, but didn't reply. "Look I don't care why you grabbed it," The Scribe sighed, "just put it back Luci. For your sake, I'll pretend we never had this conversation. I won't tell anyone. Just do yourself a favor and put it back where you found it…without reading it!"

Without another word he turned around and left the office, leaving Lucifer alone with his curious thoughts. Sighing, Lucifer placed the book back into its drawer and walked towards the Creator's office. Before he reached his destination though he felt an arm wrap around his elbow and pull him away from the prying eyes of others. "Lucifer!" A chirpy female voice gasped in excitement, "I've missed you so much!" It was Geraldine.

Now, it would seem obvious that an explanation was in order. See, Lucifer and Geraldine had a romantic tryst at one point. Lucifer couldn't even tell you what it was about if you asked him direct, was he in love with her? Did he enjoy her company? Was it just about sex? He could not say. If you asked him then he wouldn't have been able to answer, if you asked him now he wouldn't be able to give you a concrete answer, and if you asked him after the Fall…anyway that's not the point, is it? The point is they got caught. And needless to say God was displeased.

See, angels were not allowed to have romantic relationships with each other. In fact, they were not allowed to love anything more than God. That was just a basic rule among the Host. You did not love something, you did not care for something, more than you cared for the Creator. After all, He was the reason you existed. He was the reason for your being. Henceforth, you owed Him your sole devotion, no one else could have it.

So, since Geraldine was Caste #4 she was punished with a Translation, and a bad one. Still to this day people watch her like a hawk to make sure she's following Heaven's policy, to the letter. Because Lucifer was Caste #1 he was able to get away with a warning and his wrists slapped, but he was also watched to make sure he didn't appear overly affectionate towards her. For Geraldine's sake, Lucifer made sure he avoided her all together. If he had to interact with the Ladies of Virtue, he didn't acknowledge her, and if there was something that involved dealing with her directly, he'd have the Agent deal with it. It wasn't that he suddenly loathed her, it was more he could not imagine what the punishment would be if they were caught twice, and he wanted to spare her that kind of pain. And here she was seeking him out…

"Geraldine," Lucifer gasped. "What are you doing?"

Geraldine smiled at him sweetly, "I just wanted to see you, just for a few minutes…" she leaned forward as if to kiss him, but Lucifer pulled away.

"We can't." Lucifer sighed, with just a hint of regret in his voice. "If we get caught…"

"Then we won't get caught," she murmured mischievously, leaning in one more time.

"Geraldine, stop!" Lucifer cried, pushing her away from him. "We can't keep doing this!" Geraldine frowned, "you know we can't" Lucifer continued, "so what's gotten into you?"

Geraldine sighed and moved a little away from him. "I've missed you Luci," she admitted. "We rarely see each other anymore, we never talk, and I-I just missed what we had that's all."

Lucifer moved to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she moved away from him. "It was never ours to have," he reminded her gently. "Our lives are God's, we live to serve him nothing more, we are not allowed to have emotional attachments." Though Lucifer couldn't help but notice that he didn't really feel what he was saying. They were words that an angel in his position were required to say, but…they felt almost wrong on his tongue, false somehow.

Geraldine sniffed, "You're right. I know you're right," she told him. "But I can't help but long for it all the same. I love you, Lucifer, and I think a part of me always will, no matter what." Before Lucifer could react she kissed him on the cheek and ran away.

Lucifer sighed, and made his way to God's office, both mind and heart heavy. When he arrived God made no comment on His son's dark mood. Even though He knew both that it was there, and the reasons for it, He pretended it wasn't there. In fact, He didn't even spare His favorite son a glance, too immersed in patching up an angel's hand. Lucifer couldn't tell which Caste the angel was in, but in the mood he was in he didn't care. "You summoned me, Father?" Lucifer asked.

"Yes," God replied without looking up from His work. "Do you have all the new edicts memorized?"

"Almost Father," Lucifer replied. "I have just Section 8G to go over, and then I will have everything memorized to your satisfaction, I believe."

God smiled, finally deeming to look at the Morningstar. "Good, that's very good. You know all the others will look to you to show them the correct protocol. You're the Morningstar after all!" God chuckled, "you have to remain a shining example of how things are done around here!"

"I will not fail you, my Lord." Lucifer reassured his Sovereign in a clipped tone of voice, surprised to find that he was losing patience with his Father.

God frowned, "no," he said slowly, "I suppose you won't." He stood up from where he was crouched on the floor, and made his way over to his desk. "So, how have things been with Geraldine?" God asked in a purposefully sly tone of voice.

"I have not openly communicated with Geraldine, nor have a sought her out. Just has you commanded, My Lord." Lucifer stated.

"So, you haven't considered approaching her?" God pressed, "You haven't considered pursuing this foolish relationship despite the fact that I have forbidden it?"

"No, my Lord" Lucifer was speaking through gritted teeth now, annoyed at the line of questioning. "She was a distraction from my duties to you, nothing more. I know that now."

"Good," God smiled fondly, "very good!" He stood and made his way towards the sad looking angel on the floor. "Now, go review that last Section and you can call it a night."

"Yes, Father." Seeing that he'd been dismissed, Lucifer turned to leave when God called him back. "Yes, Father?"

"Lucifer, I just want you to keep in mind…" God murmured, not taking his eyes away from His work. "…curiosity killed the cat." Lucifer was confused by this comment, but seeing that God wasn't going to elaborate he decided to simply leave at that point.

…

When Lucifer finally made it back to his office he did not immediately get to work on his Master's bidding. Instead he pulled the Aesop's Fables out of his desk drawer and with a tremor of trepidation and anticipation he flipped it open. He never mentioned this to anyone, of course, but he never understood the point of a Restricted Section in the Library. First off, why would God deliberately keep something from them? Secondly, if there was something that God did not feel they needed to know then why the fuck bother to write it down in the first place. It made no sense! He was an all-powerful, omniscient being, He didn't need to write it down to know something, or remember it. He did this so the angels could share a portion of His divine knowledge, so why write something you have no intention of letting anyone read?

Personally the word can't always bothered Lucifer as well. "Lucifer you can't do this, you can't do that! Angels can't do this, can't do that!" Why ever not? In Lucifer's opinion the word can't should only apply when you are physically impended from doing something. If it's a simple matter of not allowed to, then the words won't or shouldn't should be used, certainly not can't. If it's a simple matter of a laundry list of dos and don'ts then that's another matter entirely, and can't shouldn't be used. So as Lucifer stared at the open book in front of him he didn't focus on things like should he read this forbidden text, or would he read this illegal volume, but could he. Was he able to?

Nothing happened when he opened the Fables, but he wasn't 100% certain that God hadn't done something to make sure no one read this. Lucifer ran his fingers along the pages to see if any pain would come, or other forms of impediments or punishments for touching them. Nothing. With nothing to hold him back Lucifer began to read the Fables. And read, and read, and read, and…he tore through the pages, soaking up every last drop, absorbing each and every moral. And through this book binge he learned why God did not want them reading these Fables; this is what God didn't want them to discover. "Oh my God, we can live without Him!"

So there you have it folks! I hope you enjoyed it, if not well drats! Looks like I'll have to do better next time. I hope you guys like how I set up the relationship between God and Lucifer, that was very important to me. (Yes, I realize I've been rambling, but I'm very proud of this so sue me.) I wanted to really set up the dynamic between these two to sort of show what Lucifer's got to deal with every day. (In my minds eye, that's not the first time God's had a conversation with Lucifer without looking at him directly.) Kinda a way to logically show why Lucifer was willing to risk it all when there was no guaranty of success. Anyway, thanks for reading...till next time Sinners! Always Alleluia!