"Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me!" Azazel's voice rang out as Kathrine Ann followed Lucifer into the hospital room. Her mind was still trying to process the altercation that had just taken place between Milril and Lucifer. "Is this some kind of sick joke?"
"Aww, that hurt my feelings." Lucifer pouted, "Here, I thought you would be thrilled to see me. It's been so long."
"What are you doing here? Where is Louie?" She demanded.
"There was an incident. Louie's unavailable at the moment." Lucifer answered as Kathrine Ann shimmied between him and Milril to get to Azazel's bedside, where she placed her hand on Azazel's arm. Her hair was messily tied back, and she wasn't wearing any makeup, but she didn't look bad, just different.
"What incident?" she demanded, her golden eyes flashing to Lucifer's wrapped arm and then to Kathrine Ann's bandaged wrist. "And why is it that every time I see you two, at least one of you is bandaged up?"
"It's not important," Lucifer replied.
"He was poisoned." Kathrine Ann informed, earning a scowl from her husband.
"Kashiea?" She questioned.
"No," Lucifer answered, still glaring at her, "Devil's Kiss."
"Oh, shit," She snapped, "That must have sucked."
"Yes, Azazel, it sucked." Lucifer rolled his eyes, turning his attention to where she sat propped up in her hospital bed, "The Point is Louie's indisposed, so you will deal with me."
"Then make him disposed. I will not talk to you." She snapped back.
"Then you talk to no one." He growled.
"Fine, now get out of my room!" She demanded.
"That's no way to talk to your Prince." He tsked, stepping closer to her bed, "I remember when you loved having me in your room, but I suppose that's only because I was balls deep,"
"Lucifer!" Kathrine Ann hissed.
"What? We're all adults here."
"Get out of my room," Azazel demanded again.
"You think I will let a weak little creature like you tell me what to do?" He growled, leaning over Azazel.
"Lucifer," Thron warned, "There is a reason we're all here. Back up."
"Finally, the truth, not that I didn't know." Lucifer laughed. In a flash, he was inches from Thron's face. The amusement was gone. "You think I'm going to hurt Azazel?" Then he was in front of Milril. "You think I'm going to hurt you?" Lastly, Viskiam. "And you," he paused. Who do you think I'm going to hurt, elf?"
"No one." Viskiam replied sternly, "I know you, Lucifer."
"Fuck off, no, you don't." Lucifer began walking backward, "And all of you think I will hurt her." He pointed to Kathrine Ann, "The only question left is who do I prove right?"
"Me!" Kathrine Ann walked forward and stood in front of him, "I don't think you'll hurt anyone. Look, just please come with me, and we'll talk,"
"Talk?" He laughed, "Right, so you can convince me to let Louie out? Don't bother. I give up." He shrugged, unsnapping the gold bracelet on his right wrist.
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"Once Luce is done, you can—"
"You really are nieve, aren't you? He won't let me back, and what's the point anyway? Nothings changed. They all hate me." He scoffed.
"I don't." She replied.
"Well, you should." He hissed, unsnapping the other bracelet, "Ask them. They know me so well, after all. I was bound to hurt you at some point."
"Lucifer,"
"Save it. I'm done with this bullshit." He mumbled, handing her the golden bracelets, "I just wanted one day, but I suppose monsters like me don't get that."
"No!" she snapped. "You two had a deal. Luce will talk to Azazel, and then you will come back."
"Sure," he laughed. "Goodbye, little Wife, and I will admit you weren’t terrible."
In an instant, Lucifer went from standing tall to slouched. His red eyes were now blue, and she could see pain in them. He grabbed her and pulled her into an embrace, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
"No, I'm fine." She reassured him as he pulled away and looked her over. "Are you okay? You don't look too good, Luce?" she asked, concerned.
It wasn't just his posture. He looked pale and worn, and his breathing seemed a bit labored.
"Just a bit weak. I'll be fine." He reassured, still looking her over.
"I'm fine, Luce, I promise." Kathrine Ann rolled her eyes.
"Good, give me the bracelets." He demanded.
"No." She snapped back, pulling her hand and holding the golden bands back.
"Baby Girl, I'm not strong enough to fight him,"
"Why would you need to?" she asked. "You're here to talk to Azazel, and then he gets the rest of the day. That was the deal."
"Deal?" Lucifer scoffed, "He voided the deal when he hurt you."
"He didn't hurt me." Kathrine Ann replied, "Upset me, sure,"
"Same thing!" He snapped, swaying a bit, "Please, Kathrine Ann, give me the bracelets."
"No, it's not the same thing, and you should sit. I'm a little worried." She replied, worried for her husband.
"I'm fine, and I know what he said hurt you,"
"What he said to me is no worse than what you've said in the past, yet I forgave you." She snapped, grabbing his arm and leading him to the chair beside Azazel's bed and forcing him into it,
"That's different." He mumbled, "You don't know what he's capable of,"
"Just because he's capable doesn't mean he will. You made a deal, and you need to keep it. If you can't keep your word to yourself, how am I supposed to trust you'll keep it with me."
"It's not just you that I have to worry about, and I will keep my word, just not today. I'm not strong enough to keep him under control if he decides to—"
"Look, I admit I don't know all the past details, but what I have pieced together is LouLou did some messed up shit as a kid, but it's not so black and white. Yeah, he seems a bit, rough, but he hasn't hurt me. He hasn't hurt anyone else,"
"Yet." Milril interrupted.
"I was speaking." Kathrine Ann snapped.
"My apologies," Milril replied earnestly, "I shouldn't have."
"All I'm trying to say is maybe he's changed. It's been thousands of years."
"You don't know him," Milril replied again.
"From what I heard, neither do you." She retorted, "Tell me the truth. How did you treat Lucifer?" There was a long pause. "Was what he said true? Have you always been cruel to him? Have you treated him like he didn't belong?"
"You weren't there." He replied.
"Kat. Look, I don't know the whole story, but as you said, it's not black and white. Lucifer did some fucked up shit, and he's paying the price for that." Azazel replied, "Also, he's a huge asshole."
"Thousands of years imprisoned by his own mind?" She scoffed, "And being an asshole isn't a justifiable reason, Azazel."
"And not liking someone isn't a justification to kill them," Viskiam mumbled, "Lucifer almost killed Milril Kathrine Ann, and there have to be consequences,"
"That's Lady Kathrine Ann to you, Viskiam, and consequences? Okay, yes, what he did was wrong, and yes, something needed to be done, but eternal imprisonment." Kathrine Ann protested, "That type of penalty for a child? Luce, how many children's souls are damned?"
"None." He mumbled, "The sins of children are never their own. They are caused by something or someone else."
"I believe I've proven my point."
"Let it go, little Wife. You won't change their mind." Lucifer scoffed, shocking everyone. "What? I'm not taking over. I'm just listening, or am I not allowed that luxury now?"
"You're both here?" Kathrine Ann asked.
"So it would seem. I told you I couldn't hold him back," her Luce answered, and she noticed that his blue eyes had a rim of red around the pupil.
"Don't worry I won't interrupt. I just can't help but enjoy listening to this tiny human putting a bunch of half-demons in their place," Lucifer chuckled.
"This is funny to you?" Milril snapped.
"Very," Lucifer replied, "What's wrong, Milril? Don't like the Princess sticking up for me?"
"That's only because she doesn't know the real you,"
"Enough!" Kathrine Ann interrupted, "Lucifer, if all you're going to do is cause problems, then I will give Luce the bracelets. Now hush, and Milril, stop arguing with him. All you're doing is egging him on. And this discussion as a whole is over. The decision on what happens after Luce talks to Azazel will be made by my husband and me only, now Azazel. How are you?"