Chapter 13

Oliver ran down the road trying to escape Mammon, who was running after him, along with a few shark beings. The boy quickly slipped by tight spaces, gaining some ground on his pursuers, who growled as they tried to find another way to get to the boy, who now vanished around the side of a building.

The boy continued to run before he ran into someone and panicked at first before two familiar hands lifted him up. "Oliver?" Came his dad's voice in concern.

Oliver looked up to see Ozzy and he instantly hugged him, tears running down his face. Just then, the sharks came around the corner and stopped in shock, Mammon nearly running them over as he came around the corner too. He stopped when he saw Ozzy and the rooster being glared at them.

Before everyone's eyes, Ozzy grew to full size and roared angrily as he gently set Oliver down and faced the ones who had been chasing the boy. Oliver stood still in shock, but stuck by his dad. Suddenly, he felt someone gently pick him up and the person ran inside a building, handing him to someone else. "Get inside, Charlie," he heard an unfamiliar voice say. "I'll watch over the boy."

"Keep him safe, Dad," a woman's voice said. "I'll keep an eye on Uncle Ozzy."

Moments later, Oliver found himself in an unfamiliar home and he felt the person holding him lift him up so that he was sitting comfortably in their arms. "Goodness, that was a bit close, wasn't it?" The person now holding him said.

Oliver's eyes widened as he recognized Lucifer, his jaw dropped that he was meeting him. Lucifer gently chuckled. "Just like the jester," he said in amusement. "Speaking of which, best give him a call to tell him you're safe."

Oliver watched as Lucifer called up Fizz, who was surprised to hear from him. "Lucifer? Didn't expect to have a call from you," the jester said.

"Do forgive the unexpectedness of the call, my good friend, but I felt it best to inform you that your son is safe with me," Lucifer said. "Apparently, Mammon and some of the sharks decided to go after your son and ran into Ozzy."

Fizz felt a cold shiver run through him. "They were after Noodle?" He asked before panic set in. "Is he okay? Is he hurt? Can I talk to him?"

"Slow down, Fizz," Lucifer said gently. "He's not hurt and of course you can talk to him. Let me swap to video chat."

The white-suited being swapped to video chat and held the phone up for the little boy. "There we go," he said.

When Fizz saw Oliver was okay, he felt relieved. "Noodle, are you okay?" He asked, signing the words as well.

The boy nodded and began signing. "I'm okay, Papa. I ran away and slipped into places they couldn't get to me, like how you taught me," he said.

The jester sighed in relief. "Never though that game would come in handy in real life," he admitted as he had been teaching Oliver some tricks from the circus and one had been squeezing into small spaces. He then had a thought. "Wait, are you at Lucifer's home, Noodle?"

The boy looked at his host in confusion, to which he nodded. "Yes, we're at my mansion," Lucifer replied. "Charlie was in the area and she called me when she saw Ozzy go into his full-size form. When she saw Oliver, she went out to get him to safety so that Ozzy wouldn't have to worry about the boy being in danger while he dealt with the ones chasing him."

Fizz made a note to get his niece something very nice the next time he and Ozzy visited. "Okay," he said with a nod.

Lucifer smiled gently. "Fizz, why don't you wait for Ozzy to come back?" He suggested, his tone gentle. "I'll watch over Oliver and drop him off later on."

"You sure, Lucifer? You've already done so much by keeping him safe," the jester said.

"I'm sure," the white-suited being said.

"Okay," Fizz said before looking at Oliver. "Remember your manners, Noodle," he told the boy gently. "Your dad and I will see you later, okay?"

"Yes, Papa," the boy signed.

As Lucifer put away the phone, he stood up and gently set Oliver on his shoulders, which surprised the boy as he instinctively tucked his hands under Lucifer's chin. "Now then," his host said. "Let Uncle Lucifer get your mind off of that horrible ordeal earlier. I can hear a little tummy growling and I'm feeling a bit peckish myself."

He rang for the chef, who at once agreed to make some comfort food for the boy and while they were waiting for the food, Lucifer gave the boy a tour of the mansion, making the boy's eyes widen in surprise. "Oh, I must show you my pride and joy," Lucifer said. "Well, second pride and joy, the first one being my daughter. She's the one that grabbed you and got you to me so that those uncouth beings couldn't grab you again."

He opened the doors to the garden and Oliver's eyes widened at seeing the apple trees. Lucifer lifted him up off his shoulders and held him as if he was his own child, smiling as he saw the boy's eyes wide with wonder. "I take it you've never seen apple trees before?" He asked gently.

The boy shook his head in answer and saw a golden apple that was within reach as Lucifer walked past the tree. He went to reach for it, but then paused, not wanting to upset his host. The white-suited being noticed and laughed gently. "Go ahead, my boy, you may pick any apple you'd like," he said. "There's plenty."

Making sure to sign 'thank you', the boy picked the golden apple nearby and then got another one, handing the second one to Lucifer, who gave him a curious look before seeing the boy look up at him. Oliver giggled and began signing. "It didn't feel right only picking an apple for myself," he explained.

"Ah, I see," Lucifer said, gently poking the boy's stomach, which made the boy giggle before fingers wiggled into his ribs, making the young boy laugh. "Ticklish ribs just like your papa," the white-suited being said in amusement before he and Oliver ate the apples and then went inside for a delicious meal.

Back in town, Ozzy had just finished berating the shark beings, who all ran off and he glared at Mammon, who didn't look too confident now. "I'm warning you, Mammon," Ozzy growled. "Try to kidnap Fizz or Oliver again and you will regret it." He flared up with his fire, making the spider shrink back. "Leave. Now."

Mammon didn't have to be told twice, scampering off before Ozzy looked around, but didn't see Oliver. "Oliver?" He asked, looking around. He quickly teleported home, finding Fizz there. "Fizz? Is Oliver here?" He asked the jester.

Fizz shook his head. "Oliver is with Lucifer," he said. "Apparently, Charlie saw what happened and got Oliver to her dad so that you could teach those creeps a lesson without the worry of Oliver getting kidnapped."

Ozzy was still in his protective form, but the fires calmed down a little at hearing his son was safe. Fizz put in a call to Lucifer and the man came with the child at once, teleporting into Ozzy's home. Oliver looked to see his dad was still in his larger form, but Lucifer approached Ozzy without worry. "It's alright, Oliver," the white-suited being said. "Your dad goes into this form when he is protecting you and your papa because he cares about you two."

Oliver looked up at his dad again, who smiled gently at him and the boy smiled too, seeing that despite his dad being in his full form, it was still his dad. He reached for him and Lucifer gently placed the boy into Ozzy's large hands, the rooster being hugging his son gently. "I'm here, son," he said soothingly.

Fizz jumped up to join in the hug. "See? Your dad's fire will never hurt me or you, Noodle," he said to the boy.

Lucifer smiled at that before frowning. "I'm going to have a word with Mammon, Ozzy," he said. "I know he's been antsy to talk to you and he's not too happy with Fizz, but going after my nephew is something I won't tolerate."

"Lucifer?" Ozzy asked, seeing the other was serious.

"I'm serious, Ozzy," he said, placing a hand on the larger hand. "I know you would do the same if someone went after Charlie."

"You know we would," Fizz said immediately with a nod. "Thanks again for keeping our safe son."

"Glad to do so," Lucifer said. "I only ask one thing in return."

"Yes?" Ozzy asked.

"I get to spoil him to pieces."

Ozzy and Fizz laughed in amusement, but nodded. "You got it," the jester said.

Oliver reached for Lucifer and Ozzy gently handed the boy to him. The small boy hugged the white-suited being before singing. "Thanks, Uncle Lucifer," he said.

Smiling, Lucifer playfully booped the boy's nose and then handed the boy back to Ozzy and Fizz, waving goodbye before vanishing. Charlie greeted him and hugged him tightly. "Aunty Bee called and she wasn't happy to hear that Oliver was in danger," she said.

"I have no doubt she was," her father said. "Just as she is protective of you, my sweet apple, she is protective of your cousin. I am too."

Charlie smiled. "I'm protective of him too," she said. "I hope Uncle Ozzy taught those creeps a lesson."

"Oh, he did," Lucifer said. "Which reminds me, I have some business to attend to, my sweet apple. Would you be a dear and ask the chef to make our favorite tonight?"

She went off to do that while the white-suited being went to his office, getting things ready for when he would put a call into Mammon and tell him off for going after his nephew.

Had a guest suggest this one. :)

I figured Lucifer would be protective of his nephew once he learned that Ozzy and Fizz adopted a child.

Please leave a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418