One Lesson

Emily finds herself on the roof of the Hotel once again, staring at the Angelic Sword.

"Hey, Emily!" Vaggie calls out as she walks out of the building. "You wanted to talk?"

The Seraphim's hand tightens around the sword's handle and under her breath, says, "Teach me."

"Uh… teach you what?"

Emily turns to her fellow Fallen Angel. "Teach me how to fight!" her eyes narrow, showing her determination.

"I'm sorry, Emily. But I can't. I can't teach someone else to fight," Vaggie looks down. "I once taught an entire town how to fight and none of them are with us now," she turns around and starts walking away. "I will not let the same thing happen to you."

"I was useless."

The former Exorcist stops and turns back to Emily seeing her looking down, now having a downcast covering her eyes.

"When the Primordial attacked, I was powerless," she looks back up, sadness evident in her eyes. "There was nothing I could do. I barely fought off a single Raythe and that eye blast thing," the young Seraphim places a hand over her chest. "I haven't done it since that last time and because I rejected Heaven entirely, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to."

Vaggie feels conflicted at first, but she's been there before. Seemingly losing everything she had, questioning everything she knew, and no longer having a sense of purpose.

"Show me your stance," Vaggie tells Emily while bringing out her spear.

"Uh?" the young seraphim held the sword out with both hands. "Like this-Ow!" the flat end of a spear tip smacks her hand.

"Your first lesson," the former Exorcist narrows her eyes. "Always keep a tight grip of your weapon. Letting it slip out of your hands like that will leave you defenseless. Next lesson," she then spins her spear where the bottom faces her fellow Fallen. Then forcefully pushes her down. "Your stance is weak. It needs to be firm and balanced. It be pointless to fight if you're always tripping with every step," Vaggie then offers to help her up and Emily accepts. "Are you sure that want this?"

Emily looks down, "No," but then looks back up. "But I need this. Promise me that you won't go easy on me."

With a smirk, Vaggie tells her. "Like I'd do anything less."

.oOo.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Vaggie put Emily through harsh training on top of the Hotel.

A clang is heard as Emily managed to block an oncoming attack. She then managed to force it away and points her blade at the former Exorcist's throat.

The action caused Vaggie's eye to widen but then she soon smiled. "That was pretty good."

"Thanks," Emily returns the smile while pulling the sword away. "I had a pretty good coach."

Another voice enters the conversation. "Then why had she been holding back?" walking up to them is Lilith herself.

Emily tilts her head. "What do you mean?"

"I've been watching for a couple days, and I know that Vaggie hasn't been giving it her all."

"But she told me…" the seraphim turn to her fellow Fallen but she refused me make eye contact. "Vaggie?"

"The Cannibals were one thing," Vaggie's grip tightens. "They loved the idea of killing for a fresh meal. The other Exorcists and I were practically bred to kill. Just about everyone else in Hell basks in violence. But you Emily?" she turns to the seraphim. "You are so innocent. Even for an Angel," noticing that her student is upset, the former Exorcist walks up to her and places a hand on her shoulder. "I'm very confident with what I taught you though. I know for a fact that you'd be able to hold your own."

"How do you know that for sure?" the Queen asks. "You cannot possibly know exactly what she is capable of if you're always holding back. Even if it's a mock battle there's no real test of strength unless the opponent gives you her all."

"No offense, but I will not be doing that," Vaggie glares at her soon-to-be mother-in-law. "I could end up hurting her."

"But she'll never truly learn otherwise," Lilith closes her eyes in thought. "You feel for Emily because she is now in the same situation that you were in. The difference is, you were already a capable fighter and given your former profession, you already expected the worst Hell has to offer," she then walks up to her future daughter-in-law. "Pretty soon, you'll be my family," and places a hand on her shoulder. "So, it pains me to do this, but Emily needs to know her full capabilities and there's only one way to do that. Attack Emily!" the Queen's voice is laced with magic during the command. "And no matter what, hold nothing back."

Vaggie finds herself gripping her weapon. "Emily!" she shouts as her wings sprout. "Run!" and rushes towards her fellow Fallen.

With wide eyes, Emily manages a duck and roll just as Vaggie taught her. But her opponent was coming at her again, but the seraphim was luckily able to deflect the attacks.

"Vaggie! Please stop!" Emily shouts trying to do her best to keep up as she realizes that her teacher has been going easy on her.

"I can't!" Vaggie can feel her body picking up its pace, gradually fighting harder and harder.

"Your Majesty!" the Seraphim pleads. "Stop this!"

"Isn't this what you wanted?" Lilith barely gives them a glance. "In a fight. A real fight there is only one lesson that is important to know. Holding back can and will get yourself killed. Or others," she then glares at the struggling Emily. "You were lucky to have survived the Primordial. At least then you had wings and could have flown away. But you're more useless than ever now. Next time, you will get yourself killed," she watches as Emily is forced to the ground and barely managed to use her sword to hold back the spear, but she appears to be struggling. "Or worse, you'll get someone else killed. You could get Celest Killed."

Something in Emily snapped as her eyes started glowing and for the first time since cutting off her wings, the eye on her chest opens as power starts building up. Just as the buildup was released, Vaggie is tackled out of the way by Lilith.

Emily stands back up with more eyes appearing around her and soon a beam was released from each one, heading straight for Vaggie and Lilith.

The Queen simply raises hand and a barrier forms around them, stopping the attack. Once the beams halted, she drops the barrier and sees Emily collapsing.

"I release you!" Lilith tells Vaggie, and the Fallen Angel drops her spear as she herself drops to the ground and starts backing away from it.

Emily groans as she lifts herself up. Looking up, she finds the Queen standing over her. "How did you know that I could do that?"

Lilith announces, "I didn't," surprising the seraphim. The Queen kneels down. "I only wanted you to understand that you have the strength within you. I knew that the only way to bring it out was if you truly willed it," she explains. "That feeling you had. That feeling of not wanting to defend yourself but protect others? Remember that feeling. As long as you hold onto it, then in time you should be able to bring it out on will," Lilith then offers her hand.

Emily blinks before giving a small smile. "Thank you, your majesty," and accepts the help.

"My husband gave you permission to call him by name and so I give you mine."

"Then, thank you, Lilith," the seraphim bows. She then looks past the Queen and notices the distress of her fellow Fallen.

Noticing this, Lilith turns to see a wide-eyed Vaggie. She walks up to the former Exorcist, "Vaggie?" she calls out while offering her hand.

At the sound of her name, Vaggie looks up to see the Queen standing over her and quickly backs away in shock as her breathing increases.

Lilith blinks at the action as she is very familiar with it. But this time it hit differently and knew she needed to be gentle. "Vaggie," she holds out her hand once again. "Please take my hand."

With hesitation, Vaggie reaches for the offered hand and the Queen slowly helps her up and is soon pulled into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Vaggie," Lilith speaks. "I thought that since you were stronger than most this would not happen to you. This feeling will pass eventually. I can't tell you how long. It's different for each person. If I had thought even for a second that you'd feel the side effects, I'd never done what I did. I swear, as Queen of Hell, on this Realm on mine, I'll never use my Command on you ever again. I am sorry."

Listening to this, Vaggie's breathing starts slowing down and finds herself wrapping her arms around the Queen. "I'm sorry, Mom. I should know by now that you'd never meant to do harm to me. I trust you."

The two remain there for a few moments with Emily smiling at the tender moment.

Then, the door to the roof opens. "Hey! There's a message…" Charlie stops as she sees her mother and fiancé hugging. "What's going on?"

Lilith breaks away from her soon-to-be daughter-in-law. "Just the usual in-laws working out their problems."

The Princess looks between everyone present and sees the soft smiles from them. "Okay," she then walks up to the seraphim. "Emmy. There's another message left for you. It's from your si… mo… it's Sera again. She wants to see you."

Emily's eyes wander to her feet.

"Emily," Lilith walks up to her. "She is still your family. You should talk to her."

"I will," she looks away. "Just not yet. I'm not ready to face Sera. As her sister nor her daughter," Emily then exits the roof.

.oOo.

Later That Night

"I've seen that look so many times before, Luci," Lilith tells her husband who is next to her in bed. "But seeing it from someone who is practically family? I rarely think about how my Command affects others," she turns to Lucifer. "Vaggie wasn't just afraid of me. She was terrified."

"We all make mistakes, Lily," the King tells her. "It happens to all of us. Look at me! Eden, the Fall, isolating myself from our daughter," he then takes his wife's hand. "Not trying hard enough with our marriage."

Lilith smiles at that last part. "We both could have tried harder, Luci," she pats his hand. "But this is different," she looks down. "You gave me the ability to Command so that if I ever need help, I can just get it. If there is one lesson I learned from this is that I over rely on this ability. How many times have I used it when it wasn't even necessary? How many times could I have something done by just asking for it?" the Queen looks back at the King. "I want you to take it back!"

That shocked Lucifer. "Lily…"

"I mean it, Luci! I'm obviously addicted to using the Command. You gave me this ability, so we know it won't work on you. But what about our daughter? What about Celest? I can't stand the thought that one of these days, I could snap and use it on either of them or anyone else I love without even thinking," she then caresses her husband's cheek. "Please!"

Lucifer grasped her hand and gave it a soft squeeze. "I was saving this for our anniversary," he reaches into the drawer on his side of bed and takes out a small rectangular box. The King then opens it to reveal a stunning gemmed necklace.

The Queen's eyes gleamed at the sight of the jewelry. "Oh, Luci?"

Lucifer then reaches a hand over his wife's heart and pulls out a ball of light. The light is then placed into one of the gems on the necklace, leaving it aglow. "There!" he closes the box. "The Power to Command is now here," and passes it over to his wife. "So, you'll have access to it whenever you need it. The temptation may always be there, but I feel better if you still had access to it. Happy Early Anniversary!"

The Queen smiles at the piece before closing the box and placing it on the stand on her side. "I won't lie. I'll miss being able to Command others to do my bidding."

"You can Command me to do anything you want," Lucifer raises his brow suggestively.

"In that case," Lilith smirks while leaning in. "For my early Anniversary gift to you, I have a very specific and very special Command for you."

"Oooh! I'm either going to love it or hate it. Either way," Lucifer's own grin grows as he leans in. "I'll love it!" he is suddenly forced down by his wife.