Devil's Advocate

In the dark of his office, Lucifer sat on his couch, sipping at a tumbler of whiskey. Standing off to his side was his brother Gabriel, who had his arms crossed across his chest as he glared at the wall. Across from the both, laid out on the other couch, was a woman with curly brown hair that fanned out around her head. A pale pink sundress clung to her curves, and her light skin was beginning to regain some of its color. A light dusting of freckles covered her nose, and dark lashes rested on her cheeks, her eyes closed. She didn’t draw breath, but then again she didn’t need to. Lucifer watched her intently, waiting for a sign of change. Gabriel broke their silence first, refusing to look at his brother.

“I must say, I was impressed.” He spoke smoothly, his voice even. “I didn’t think she’d have it in her.”

“I’m sure it burns you to see me win something, brother.” Lucifer answered, taking another sip of his whiskey. Gabriel shrugged.

“You know why we kept her there.”

“No.” Now he stood, whirling on his brother with the wrath of an archangel. “I do not. Enlighten me, since her only sin was caring for me when I was cast out due to jealousy.”

“That wasn’t the official report.” Gabriel defended.

“Damn the official report.” Lucifer hissed. “And damn you, too.”

“I’m sorry, Lucifer.” Gabriel said finally, turning to face the devil, who was glaring at him with all the power of his fire blue eyes. “I truly didn’t mean for this to happen to her.”

“This, meaning didn’t mean for her soul to be punished for thousands of years in purgatory.” Lucifer laughed, but his voice held no humor. “Then, to add insult to injury, they wrote stories with her name on Earth, making her out to be some sort of witch! What did she do to deserve that, Gabriel?”

“I cannot say. That’s not my doing.” He answered. Lucifer shook his head, moving to the bar to refill his glass, despite it not even being empty. It was almost as though his hands needed something to do so he didn’t strangle his brother.

“Nothing is your doing, is it brother? You just followed orders.” Lucifer filled his tumbler before swallowing down almost half the liquid inside the glass. It burned his eyes, and he took a deep but unnecessary breath. He glanced at the woman on the couch, who remained unchanged.

“Morgana did not deserve this.” He continued. “I will never forgive him for what he’s done.”

“He created us. We owe him our life.”

“And he damned me to a life below him, taking the woman I love and damning her to a life of torture, all for what?” Lucifer all but growled the words. Gabriel turned to face him, his tone solid but his eyes unsure.

“You were out of line.”

“I demanded fairness.”

“We. Do not. Make. Demands.” Gabriel had finally raised his voice. Lucifer, on a normal day, would tease him about his lack of control. But today he was not in the mood. He crossed the room and stood before him, squaring off as though they were going to go to war all over again.

“I know why I fell.” Lucifer told him, his voice soft. “And I know why you did nothing. Good little soldiers often do that. But what I cannot forgive, brother, is the way you treated her.” Now Gabriel faltered. He looked at the woman on the couch, his expression pained.

“As you said, brother.” Gabriel murmured. “Good little soldiers do nothing.”

“She loved you, too.” Lucifer did not accuse or blame with his words. Merely stated fact. Gabriel smiled softly.

“She did. But not as she loved you.”

“Is that why you did nothing?” Lucifer demanded with his tone now, draining another good solid gulp from his glass. Gabriel shook his head.

“No. I did nothing because I was a coward.” He took a breath. “I am glad to have lost the bet to you, Lucifer. Truly. I did not wish her to suffer.” Lucifer nodded, draining the glass.

“That is the only thing we can agree on, brother mine.” He took a breath. “Won’t he be mad, once he discovers Morgana is no longer in purgatory?” Gabriel now looked uncomfortable. He shifted his weight from foot to foot. Lucifer raised his eyebrows.

“Does he know now?”

“About that.” Gabriel cleared his throat. “Do you happen to have another one of those?” He gestured to the glass in Lucifer’s hand. Now the devil was truly intrigued. Walking back over to the bar, he filled a second tumbler with whiskey, refilling his own before taking it over to the nervous archangel. Gabriel took it without so much as a thank you, downing the entire glass in a long, steady drink. Now Lucifer allowed himself to laugh.

“You do not typically succumb to nerves, brother.” He teased him.

“He is gone.” Gabriel answered. Lucifer froze.

“He’s what?”

“Gone. We know not where.” He sighed. “He has been gone for about a century. Or rather, if not gone, he has at least gone radio silent.” Lucifer took his seat on the couch, shocked for the first time in a long time. How about that. He took a sip of his drink and glanced back up at Gabriel.

“So you’re in charge?”

“I share the responsibility.” Gabriel answered. He sighed almost in exasperation. “If you wanted to plan a revolt, now is the time.” Lucifer shook his head.

“Relax, dear brother. I have all I desire now.” He shot Morgana another glance. His gaze turned sorrowful. “Why wait so long to give me the opportunity to release her, if he has truly been gone so long?

“Honestly? This is the first opportunity that has presented itself. You know the rules as well as I do.” Gabriel shot a wistful glance at the empty glass in his hand before setting it on Lucifer’s glass coffee table. “I’m sure we shall see more of each other soon, brother.”

Lucifer didn’t respond, and Gabriel took his leave. Alone with his thoughts, Lucifer pondered briefly staging a revolt. Pushing his soldiers, the ones that fought with him at the fall, back to the world above. Back to paradise. He almost laughed. It would be considerably easy to regain foothold. But he didn’t lie. As long as Morgana awoke, he could care less if he ever saw any sign of heaven again.

As though she could read his thoughts, across from him on the couch, green eyes fluttered open. Morgana was awake.