CHAPTER 31: Life and Loss.
Lucifer tilts his head to the side slightly and crosses his arms over his chest, "Hmm, no."
Sam and Dean are shocked, "What do you mean no?
Lucifer stares at Sam, "As in I won't take you as my vessel."
Sam looks at him in disbelief, "Why?"
"Because I promised Jean that I wouldn't." Jean is looking at her brothers with a large smile and an I-told- you-so expression on her face. Lucifer points at Sam, "But I will take those rings that are in your pocket."
Sam's entire body becomes tense, "I don't know what you're..."
Lucifer interrupts Sam, "I've never lied to you Sam, the least you can do is give me the same courtesy. I know that you have the Horseman's rings, and that you planned on jumping into the cage if you had managed to win our mental wrestling match. Which you wouldn't have won by the way."
Sam's jaw clenches, "I'm not giving you the rings."
Lucifer shrugs, "That's fine with me. If you want the world to end when I fight Michael then keep the rings."
Jean clears her throat to get their attention, "Actually, you really might want to give Luci the rings, Sam."
Sam throws up his hands in anger, "What a surprise! Jean is taking Lucifer's side! Dean and I are your family! We're your brothers...your blood...not him!"
Jean can feel her anger rising and her irises start to glow crimson. She takes a deep breath in order to calm down. "I'm going to ignore your attitude since you're high on demon blood right now. As I was saying, you'll be better off giving Lucifer the rings since Michael will now be looking for them."
All three males look at Jean in confusion. "I beg your pardon? Why would my brother be looking for the Horseman's rings?" Lucifer narrows his eyes at her.
She gives her husband her best innocent look, "I may have spoken with Michael in a dream and made a bet with him that you wouldn't take over Sam's body, even if Sam said yes to you."
"After I explicitly told you not to?!"
Jean releases a heavy breath from her nose, "I had to. I couldn't just sit around and not do anything to try and save the lives of as many members of my family that I can. And I've done that since I just won the bet. Michael is going to try and shove you back into the cage instead of trying to kill you. Which means, he's going to need the rings."
Dean groans in exasperation, "And that means the god squad is going to be looking for them and will soon discover that we have them. They'll be up our asses yet again!"
"Possibly. Unless you give Lucifer the rings."
Sam shakes his head, "Absolutely not! We're going to keep the rings as insurance that the cage will be there for sure when the fight goes down. You just tell us when and where and we'll be there."
Lucifer glances over at Jean and she gives him her best puppy dog eyes. He sighs, "It will be after our children are born. And, knowing my brother, will most likely take place in Lawrence, Kansas. Since Dad wrote that it all has to end where it started."
"When will that be?" Dean asks Jean.
"I'm due in five weeks."
Dean runs his right hand over his face, "That's not a whole lot of time left."
"It's more than a month than you would have had." Lucifer walks closer to Jean then helps her to stand. "I'm taking my wife home now so that she can rest. You can keep the rings and you can be there when Michael and I fight. But I'm warning you right now, if either of you try to push me into the cage...I will drag you down into Hell with me and not even Jean will be able to save you from the full extent of my wrath." He then places his hand on the small of Jean's back and the two vanish with the sound of fluttering wings.
Sam and Dean walk out of the abandoned apartment building together. They make their way over to where Castiel and Bobby are waiting by the Impala. Bobby looks between the two brothers before cautiously asking, "Sam? Is that you?"
Sam runs a hand through his hair, "Yeah, it's really me Bobby."
Castiel looks at Sam in confusion, "What happened?"
"I said yes, but Lucifer refused to take me as his vessel."
Castiel looks shocked as Dean says, "Lucifer made a promise to Jean, that he surprisingly kept." The fallen angel looks up at the night sky with his head tilted to the left. "Cass? You all right?"
Castiel looks at Dean, "I'm fine. The angels are in an uproar about Lucifer's refusal. Most are not sure what to make of it."
Bobby states, "That's understandable. I don't quite know what to make of it either." He looks from Sam to Dean, "So, what do we do now?"
Dean sighs, "I guess all we can do now is wait."
"We still have the rings, so we'll have to be there when Michael and Lucifer fight. This means we can still shove them both into the cage," Sam says and Bobby and Dean exchange looks.
Miles away in Kripke's Hollow, Ohio Chuck Shurley leans back in his chair at his computer. He's wearing his vertical striped blue and gray bathrobe and rectangular black glasses. He chuckles to himself, "You Winchesters never cease to amaze me." He picks up a glass of scotch, "Especially you, Jean. To not only change Lucifer's heart, but to change Michael's mind as well...it's astounding." He takes a sip before putting the glass back down and starting to type again.
The next three weeks seem to fly by. Jean spends the majority of this time resting in bed since she has been feeling extremely tired and drained as of lately. Lucifer insisted on her staying in bed.
Today, however, Jean and the babies are feeling restless. She gets out of bed then begins to waddle her way over to the bedroom door, a hand under her large belly for support. Ramsey whines, stands up, then moves to Jean's side before trying to herd the very pregnant woman back to bed. Jean reaches out and pets the hellhound's head, making sure to scratch behind her ears. "It's okay girl. I've got to stretch my legs a little. I'm just going to find Luci, get a snack, and then go back to bed." Ramsey whines again, but follows alongside Jean as she leaves the bedroom and walks down the hall, looking for her ugear. Jean finds it funny that the closer she gets to her due date, the more protective the hellhound seems to become. Lucifer told her that Ramsey is the only hellhound in existence that behaves like this. Perhaps it's because he saved her from being killed when she was pregnant and now she feels the need to protect Lucifer's pregnant mate in return.
"Luci?" Jean calls out and Lucifer suddenly appears in front of her, startling her a little. "Whoa! Don't do that!"
Lucifer's icy blue eyes meet Jean's emerald green orbs. "What are you doing out of bed? You should be resting, my dear."
"I needed to stretch my legs. The babies and I were feeling restless. What are you doing?"
Jean begins walking towards the kitchen and Lucifer falls into step beside her, petting Ramsey on the head. "I've been preparing. I've taken down all the wards that have been keeping Gabriel away. If something should go wrong during my fight with Michael, you can contact Gabriel and he will be able to get here."
Jean sighs as they reach the kitchen. "You still think that my brothers are going to try and shove you and Michael into the cage?"
They walk over to the refrigerator and Jean opens the door. "I'm positive that they will. Sam was going to sacrifice himself in order to toss me back into the cage and Dean was willingly going to let him. That should be enough proof that I'm right."
Jean closes the fridge door, now holding a small container of blueberries and another of blackberries. There is a strange look on her face and for the first time since he got out of the cage, Lucifer can see the doubt on her face in the faith that she has in her brothers.
A week later, Jean is forced awake from her midday nap by an intense pain in her abdomen followed by a wet sensation. A scream of pain is torn from her throat which causes Ramsey to leap to her feet and start howling for her master. Lucifer appears in the bedroom less than a second later, the hot pink feathers on his wings ruffling then laying flat. He has a worried look on his face, "Jean?"
The pain temporarily subsides and Jean looks at her husband in embarrassment. "I think I pissed myself."
Lucifer removes the red comforter to have a look while resting his right hand on her belly to check on the babies. "That's not urine, Jean, your water broke. You're in labor, my love."
Jean becomes worried, "But I'm not due for another week."
"It's not uncommon for a woman carrying twins to go into labor early," he tells her while helping her to sit up. He piles pillows up behind her to help make her more comfortable then helps her to lean back against them before taking off her now ruined panties.
Hour after hour pass by, but the babies still haven't been born. Jean has been in labor for 48 hours and Lucifer is incredibly worried about his team; her body is drenched in sweat, her skin is much too pale for the fallen Archangel's liking, and she's so exhausted that she's struggling to take in every breath. "Lucifer," she calls out to him in a horse whisperer, unable to talk any louder due to all of the screaming she's done. "I think that something's wrong." His blue eyes lock with her duller than normal green eyes. Lucifer can literally feel his wife's life slipping away and this terrifies him; shown by how tightly his six gigantic wings are folded up against his back. "You have to save our babies, no matter what."
Lucifer cups the right side of Jean's face with his left hand, "Jean, no. I can't lose you. Let me try using my grace to heal you again."
She shakes her head, "No. The last time you tried, you said it started to reverse the labor. Our babies' lives must come before my own, beloved. Please," tears fall from her eyes, "you have to do whatever you can to save them."
Lucifer stands up straight before aggressively walking away and pacing the room. Finally, he comes to an abrupt stop as he decides to do something that he hasn't done for many, many millennia.
Chuck is lying on his stomach on top of his couch, sleeping off a drunken haze, when he's jolted awake by a desperate plea in his head. It belongs to a voice that he hasn't heard since its owner was tossed out of Heaven. 'Please, father. Save her. I know that she's bound to me and that you hate me, but Jean Winchester doesn't deserve to die because of it. Neither do our fledglings.'
By now Chuck is sitting up on the couch with a scowl on his face. 'What's going on? Jean isn't supposed to be dying during childbirth,' he thinks to himself. He closes his eyes and focuses on the female Winchester and he can indeed feel her life slipping away. But that's not all that he can sense. He senses a dark presence...one that he hasn't felt in a very, very long time. It's faint but still there and she's slowly drawing Jean into her darkness. This is something that absolutely must not happen.
Lucifer's eyes snap open when he feels a surge of familiar power that he hasn't felt since before he fell. All of a sudden, Jean takes a deep breath and Lucifer can feel the life returning to her. He rushes back to her side, ushering a grateful 'thank you' to his Father. Jean is now breathing easier and her eyes have returned to their normal vivid emerald color. Lucifer lovingly strokes Jean's cheek, "Jean, my love."
Jean's face scrunches up in pain, "You better get your feathery ass down there, cuz I'm pushing and I'm pretty sure the first baby is going to come shooting out any minute now!" Lucifer chuckles, but goes to stand between her legs.
Ten minutes later, Lucifer is holding his first born child, a little boy that they decided to name Helel Jordan. Lucifer snaps his fingers and the newborn baby is instantly cleaned of blood. Helel is crying loudly so Lucifer begins to purr in order to calm him down. It works and Helel becomes quiet. Lucifer's wings wrap around him and his son, cocooning them in soft brilliant pink feathers. As Lucifer continues to stare down at his first born, Helel opens his eyes to look around. Lucifer is amazed by what he sees; Helel's left eye is an icy blue like Lucifer's vessel's eyes, but the right is the same emerald green as Jean's.
"Luci, let me hold him. I need to hold him," Jean says, sounding almost desperate.
Lucifer unfolds his wings while walking over to her. "He's perfect, my love," he carefully passes Helel over to Jean who immediately starts to ooh and ah over him.
"What beautiful eyes you have, my sweet little Hal," she coos at her son. Another contraction goes through her body causing her to cry out. "Here comes baby number two, Luci!"
Lucifer snaps his fingers and two wooden cribs appear in the room beside the bed. He lays Helel down in the crib before returning his attention to his etam.
Fifteen minutes later, Jean and Lucifer's daughter is brought into the world. "What should we name this beautiful little angel?" Lucifer asks Jean, while holding his newborn daughter who has just opened her eyes. She is staring up at her father with eyes that match his vessel's like she's mesmerized by him.
Jean, who is currently feeding Helel, thinks for a moment. "How about Luciel Yvaine?"
Lucifer smiles, "Luciel meaning bringer of light and Yvaine meaning evening star. A truly beautiful name."
"Wait, you mean Luciel is an actual name? I was just combining your and Castiel's names." Jean giggles at the look of distaste on Lucifer's face. "Can you please use your angel mojo to clean up this mess and heal me, beloved?"
Lucifer nods then lifts his hand and snaps his fingers causing the bed, sheets, and Jean to become clean of blood and other bodily fluids. Luciel let's out a giggle of amusement, watching every move that Lucifer makes. "Oh? You like that, huh?" He goes to gently boop his daughter's nose with the index finger of his right hand and she reaches up, grabs his finger with her tiny hand, and coos at him.
Jean chuckles, "Looks like someone is going to be a daddy's girl." Helel, or Hal as Jean is going to call him, has fallen asleep in her arms. "Looks like this little one is full. Lets switch, Luci. I bet Luciel's starving." The two new parents very carefully exchanged twins and as they do Lucifer kisses Jean's forehead using his angelic grace to heal her sore and slightly torn body, as well as to provide a boost for the exhausted grace already inside her. As soon as Jean has Luciel in the proper position the infant girl latches on and begins to nurse.
Lucifer cradles his son in his arms and can't believe just how small he is. How small both of his fledglings are. 'Brother,' Lucifer hears in his head, causing him to stiffen. 'The time has come for us to fight. I will meet you in Stull Cemetery at noon tomorrow.'
Jean notices Lucifer's odd behavior, "Luci, what is it? What's wrong?"
"The fight with Michael is happening tomorrow at noon in Stull Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas. Be sure to let your brothers know."
Jean's eyes fill with unshed tears as she nods her head to let him know that she understands. After both babies have eaten and are now sleeping peacefully, Jean texts Dean and tells him the time and place of the fight.
The next day, Lucifer holds his fledglings before leaving. "Take me with you," Jean begs her husband.
Lucifer shakes his head before placing a gentle kiss on Helel's forehead then gently laying him back in his crib. "No," Lucifer says while gently picking up Luciel. "You're still recovering and the twins need you." He places a light kiss on Luciel's forehead before placing her back in her crib. He then turns to his etam; his mate, the only human that he has ever loved; who is standing beside him
"Please return to us, Lucifer," Jean says, her eyes wet with tears.
He cups her neck with his hands, stroking along her jawline with both of his thumbs. "I will always be with you no matter what may happen today. A part of my grace will always be intertwined with your soul and a part of your soul will always reside within my grace. So we will never truly be separated from each other."
The tears are now flowing freely down Jean's face, "I love you Lucifer. I always will."
"And I love you, Jean Mary Winchester," Lucifer captures Jean's lips in a loving and passionate kiss. They break apart and Lucifer presses his forehead against hers, "I will return to you. If not today, then someday. I will find a way back to you." And with that said Lucifer disappears to face his older brother.
The sky is overcast and the atmosphere gloomy when Lucifer arrives at the cemetery. A few seconds later, Michael appears using the Winchester's half brother, Adam Millagan, as his vessel. Lucifer turns around to face his brother, "It's good to see you, Michael."
"You too. To be honest, I've never been happier to have lost the bet, little brother." Michael takes a few steps closer to Lucifer. "How is Jean?"
Lucifer eyes Michael a little warily at the mention of Jean. "She's alive and well. As well as our two fledglings; Helel Jordan and Luciel Yvaine."
"A male and a female?" Lucifer nods. "Luciel Yvaine, that's a lovely name."
"Yes, it is. But I have a feeling that Jean tricked me into naming our son after a comic book character, since she just calls him Hal."
Michael chuckles, "Yes, I believe that she has. Adam has memories of reading a series of superhero comics involving a character named Hal Jordan."
Lucifer becomes serious, "We don't have to do this, Michael. You can handle the affairs of Heaven and I Hell, there's no reason for us to fight."
"I wish that was so, Lucifer, but father has ordained us to fight. And as a good son, I must obey."
Lucifer sighs and opens his mouth to reply when he is interrupted by the sound of an engine revving and Def Leppard's 'Rock of Ages' blaring from the speakers of a car. Lucifer and Michael turn to watch as a sleek, black 1967 Chevy Impala pulls into the cemetery and begins driving along the dirt path to where the two Archangels are standing. The car stops and Dean gets out of the driver's side. "Howdy, boys."
The Impala's passenger side door opens and Sam gets out as a rusty green 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle pulls up alongside the Impala. Bobby and Castiel get out of the Chevelle. "Dean. Sam. I assume that the two of you still have the Horseman's rings and that you brought them with you?" Lucifer asks.
"Right here," Sam reaches into his right side jeans pocket and pulls out the rings that are magnetized together with Death's ring in the center. Sam throws the rings on onto the ground before reciting the words, "Bvtmon tabges babalon." The ground beneath the rings starts to sink until a deep pit forms. There's an inhuman shriek and anything around the pit begins to get sucked in. Including the ground itself.
Michael and Lucifer begin to circle each other, both sizing the other up and trying to predict what their opponent's first move will be. In the end, it's Michael that makes the first move, lashing out with a hard kick aimed at Lucifer's stomach. Lucifer quickly dodges it, positioning Michael between himself and the pit. Lucifer throws a vicious left handed uppercut at Michael's jaw, but Michael avoids it. Instead, he grabs Lucifer's arm and yanks on it roughly, throwing Lucifer off balance. Michael then reverses their position and Lucifer is now extremely close to the edge of the pit.
Dean looks at Sam who tells him, "Not yet. We need to wait until Lucifer's back is to us. If we don't, he'll see us coming and move out of the way."
After several minutes of the two Archangels fighting and trying to shove the other into the pit, Lucifer's back is finally towards Sam and Dean and the ground beneath the fighting Archangel's feet is starting to crumble into the pit. Seeing his chance, Sam rushes forward and slams his entire body weight against Lucifer's back, sending Lucifer into Michael and then sending both Archangels over the edge and into the pit. Before Sam can back away to safety, Lucifer whips around and grabs his forearm causing the youngest Winchester sibling to fall forward into the pit as well. "Sam!" Dean is running forward to try to save his brother, but he's too late. With new prisoners inside of the cage, the pit closes, restoring the ground to the way it was before the pit even formed. "No! Sam!"
Back in Colorado, Jean feels a severe pain originating from her heart and she knows immediately what has caused the pain. "Luci," she whispers then breaks down sobbing for the husband she is now separated from. Maybe for forever.
To be continued in book 2 Angel of Darkness.
Author's note: Thank you all for joining me on this grand adventure and for all of your patience. It took me a long time to finish this book and I'm truly sorry for that. Also thank you all for reading and thank you all for taking your the time to check out PurpleJam's video. I will begin working on the next book soon, but I want to get it all plotted out and the rough draft done before I start typing it up and posting it. This way you all won't have to wait so long for chapters to be posted. I will most likely go back through this story at some point and fix errors add more details, etc. Also, I used Speech to Text for this chapter. Thank you again for all your patience! I will see you all in the next book!
ALL MY LOVE- FamousWolf
