Before Lucifer could question Belial, he was gone from the doorway. The clinking of his chains faded down the hall, and the medical bag that he held tightly in his right hand did not go unnoticed by the young Devil's perceptive eyes,

"I think we best hurry, Baby Girl. Something is very wrong." Lucifer sighed, quickly pushing himself up and heading into the closet.

Her worry and anxiety saturated the room as they both rushed to get dressed and ready. It was only a few moments before they exited their room and headed toward the throne room. Lucifer couldn't help but admire his precious wife despite the troubling situation. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head, leaving a few loose strands falling around her neck and shoulders. She didn't have a bit of makeup on, and her face was marred with worry but also determination. She looked enchanting and gorgeous. Her hands clenched the front of her pale purple floor-length gown, holding up the front so she wouldn't trip on the material as they navigated the hall. It was a simple dress with long sleeves. The material cinched around her wrists, waist, and neck. As they approached the throne room, Lucifer caught a whiff of something familiar, something he usually enjoyed, but this time was different. Blood, a lot of it, and not just any blood. He knew this blood all too well, and this realization caused him to pause as they neared. His movements slowed to a stop as he tried to prepare himself mentally, but his Baby Girl did not notice his hesitation. In fact, she picked up her pace, oblivious to what was waiting through that door. Before he could stop her, she vanished into the throne room,

"Azazel!" Her voice reverberated as fear wafted back into the hall, hitting Lucifer hard and causing him to sprint towards the open doors.

He rounded into the room and saw Kathrine Ann running to a gruesome sight. Extreme emotions filled the space and stunned Lucifer, it was too much, and his head began to spin as he tried to take in the scene and make sense of things. There was a bloody trail from one of the empty doorways behind his father's throne to where Azazel now lay on her back, shaking and cursing from pain as Belial fumbled with the bloody mess that was her left leg. His father stood out of the way. His arms crossed over his chest, a mixture of anger and confusion decorating his face. Viskiam stood next to him, looking paler than usual, his purple eyes darting around, his left arm crossed over his chest, the hand holding tightly to his right bicep as blood oozed through his fingers, staining his shirt. Still, Lucifer couldn't concern himself with that right now. Snapping out of his daze, Lucifer caught up to his Baby Girl, kneeling next to Belial. Her pretty purple dress was ruined as the skirt material soaked up Azazel's blood, but if Kathrine Ann even noticed, she didn't care,

"What are we dealing with?" She demanded, pulling up her sleeves past her elbows.

"Multiple lacerations. The severity and amount, I'm not sure. Too much bleeding. I don't have enough of the right salve to stop it—" Belial informed.

"We need a tourniquet." She mumbled.

"A what?" Belial questioned, obviously just as confused as Lucifer was.

"A band, strip of fabric, or," She suddenly turned her head up to him, "A belt!"

His Baby Girl grabbed him by the waist and began pulling up his shirt,

"Whoa, Baby Girl!" He snapped and clasped her hands, "What are you—this is not the time or place, Kathrine Ann," He fussed as she pulled free and seized the buckle of his belt, "What has gotten into you!" He growled, snatching her hands again.

"I need your belt!" She pleaded, staring up at him, "Luce, trust me! Please!"

He let go of her hands with a sigh and threw his arms up in surrender as she quickly yanked the belt from his pants. They all watched as Kathrine Ann proceeded to wrap it tightly around the upper thigh of Azazel's injured leg.

"What are you doing, my strange little doll," Lucifer murmured, primarily to himself.

"Stopping the main blood flow by cutting off the circulation! Genius." Belial answered instead. "But dangerous. If it's constricted too long, she'll lose her leg,"

"Better a leg than her life." His Baby Girl replied, securing the belt.

She and Belial got to work cleaning and assessing the damage.

"We have to get her to Central Medical. I can't handle this here." Belial informed as he wrapped up Azazel's leg in bandages.

Azazel was shaking, her face pale, and her hands clenched so tight her knuckles were white, "You're going to be fine. We'll fix you up." Lucifer reassured, squatting down and gently grabbing her shoulder.

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Her eyes snapped to him as if she had just noticed he was there, "Louie? Louie, they c-came out of, out of nowhere." She stuttered, looking into his eyes—anger and pain dripping from her entire being, but no fear. Azazel rarely ever showed any weakness and never fear.

"Who?"

"Hunters." She hissed.

"What!" He growled as his brows squinched together.

"Not now, Louie!" His father interrupted, "We need to move her."

~~~

Lucifer sat uncomfortably in a hard chair in a small private waiting room. His arms crossed, his eyes closed, and his head leaned back against the wall behind him, but his senses were as sharp as ever. Light but rhythmic steps endlessly circled the small room, and worried sighs reached his ears every few minutes or so, but nothing was more intense than the suffocating cocktail of emotions, and it was beginning to stress him out,

"Kathrine Ann." He called, causing the pacing to abruptly stop, "Come sit before you drive me insane."

"I'm sorry." She mumbled, moving over to where he was and sitting next to him, where she almost immediately began to pick at her nails.

Lucifer reached out and took her hands in his, "She'll be fine, Baby Girl." She nodded, but her mood didn't change, nor did she meet his gaze, so he reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him, "I trusted you earlier. Don't you trust me now?" He asked, staring into her glistening eyes. She blinked, causing a single tear to roll down her right cheek. With a sigh, he released her face and swiftly grabbed her waist before pulling her onto his lap, "My sweet, sensitive doll." He purred into her ear and rubbed his fingers soothingly up and down her spine, "You know when Azazel finds out you were this upset, she'll make fun of you."

A quick, unexpected laugh escaped her lips, "Yeah, I'll never live it down if she finds out I cried over her."

"Better hope I keep your secret then." He smirked, using his thumb to wipe away the escaped tear.

"Why are you acting so sweet, hum?" She asked, meeting his gaze with wide, doe-like eyes.

He hummed for a moment, trying to figure out the answer to her question, but before he could, the door leading into the operating room swung open, and Belial walked out.

Kathrine Ann lept from Lucifer's lap so quickly you would swear he had pinched her.

"Well?" Lucifer asked, rising from his chair and stretching his back.

"A couple of the gashes were quite deep and will take some time to heal, but no irreparable damage. The main threat was blood loss, but we got her here in time thanks to the Princess's quick actions." Belial informed, taking off the bloody surgeon's gown and handing it to one of the nurses exiting the room behind him.

"May I see her?" His Baby Girl asked anxiously, and Belial nodded.

"She's still out and will be for a while, but you may go in." And just like that, his wife vanished through the swinging doors, "Ten to one, she's going scrutinize my stitches." Belial guessed with a slight chuckle, but it disappeared as he looked around the room, "Where are Zadazious and Alrion?"

Lucifer looked down at his watch, "I imagine at the clock shop, maybe on a late lunch?"

"Lucifer." Belial groaned with annoyance, "Please tell me why you didn't notify Azazel's family of her situation?"

"Quite simple, Uncle, I had nothing of value to tell them." Lucifer shrugged, pulling out a small packet and taking a hand-rolled cigarette from it before returning it to his pocket, "What would I have told them, hum?" He asked, putting the cigarette to his lips before pulling out a match and lighting the end.

"I don't know. Hum, maybe Azazel was critically injured and rushed to the hospital?" Belial rolled his eyes, stepping forward and snatching the cigarette from Lucifer's lips, pinching it out, and tossing it into a nearby trash can.

Lucifer scowled at his uncle and crossed his arms over his chest with a huff, "Why? So I could worry Zadazious into an early grave? Or have Alrion breathing down your neck, punching holes in the walls, and yelling at me because it's 'my fault' even though I'm not the one who gave Azazel the order? I'll call them now that I have something to tell them."

"Good! Call your father too. Oh, and Kiam is fine. He's in a room a floor up if you wish to speak to him." Belial informed.

"Viskiam, right. I almost forgot he was here." Lucifer mumbled, "Is he okay?" He asked. However, Belial had vanished, and Lucifer rolled his eyes. His uncle hated leaving the castle and only did so if he absolutely had to.

Pulling out his phone, he looked up the number for 'The Out of Time Clock Shop' and waited as the phone rang about five times. He was about to hang up when finally the line was answered, "Outta Time Clocks, Alley speaking, watcha need?"

"It's me," Lucifer stated, "I need to speak to your father."

"Oh, well, he's a bit busy. Bogged down with customs, speaking of, when is Azazel getting back? She's supposed to be picking up some elven stone. We're running low and,"

"Put your father on the phone, Alrion." Lucifer snapped, annoyed by his blabbering.

There was a long pause, "Where is my sister Lucifer?" Came a cold and stern voice, almost the complete opposite of the carefree one he had been talking to just moments ago.

'Here we go.' Lucifer thought. Alrion had two settings. Typically, he was a happy, friendly, big, strong guy everyone loved. However, when he got upset or worried, especially about his family, he changed. Angry and compulsive, it was as if he had lost his mind until things were back to normal or resolved. This is why Lucifer did not call the moment they brought Azazel to the hospital.

"Central Medical," Lucifer sighed, "She's fine, Alrion, but her leg is pretty messed up."

Lucifer moaned and pulled the phone away from his ear as the yelling and cursing ensued. He gave Alrion a minute and some, "Enough!" He ordered, and like a mute button, the line went silent, "Get your father and come down here. Make sure to tell him she's fine. It's not the worst injury she's been through."

He growled, "One day, you'll be the death of her, young Lord."

"I'm not her boss any—" The line cut, "more." He sighed, letting his head drop back before composing himself and dialing his father.

After a brief conversation, Lucifer stepped onto the elevator. It was time to have a little chat with his trusted advisor and friend.