Chapter 6

They're all hanging out around the war room, now complete with couches courtesy of Gabriel's laziness, that night. Dean and Castiel are sharing a new love seat, the former with his arm around the angel, who is snuggling with him and loving every second.

Bobby and Ellen, whom Castiel has come to assume are together as well, are leaning against a wall not far from them. There's no physical contact as there is with Dean and Castiel, but the hunter has warned him about the personal space bubble, and they are clearly violating it.

Sam is standing as far away from Gabriel as he physical can while still being inconspicuous about it, even though everyone with the possible exception of Crowley and Rowena knows about the events of the morning. Lucifer sits on the floor in front of Crowley, though not by choice. Rowena stands nearby, still drooling over the archangel.

"We got your brother," Dean says,  his gaze on the younger archangel. "Now what?"

Gabriel shrugs. "No clue."

"Then why'd you tell us to get him out?" Dean asks, annoyed.

"Why not?" Gabriel counters with a smirk.

"Because he's Lucifer!" Dean practically yells. "You just made us free Satan, and you didn't have a plan for once we did?"

"My plan was to let him out so he wasn't caged helplessly while the world ends," Gabriel replies.

"Right, because this is so much better," Dean says sarcastically.

Everyone looks down at Lucifer. His back is against the bottom of the couch, his knees pulled up to his chest. His gaze is on the floor in front of him, not seeming interested by the conversation at all, but Castiel saw him glance at Gabriel upon hearing whose idea it was to free him. He had looked away quickly, but not before Castiel registered the mild surprise on his face.

"At least now he has a chance to save himself," Gabriel replies. "I stand by my decision."

"Should've left me in the cage," Lucifer drawls, not looking up.

For a moment, Gabriel looks hurt by this, but he covers up his emotion quickly. "Would you rather just lie down and die?"

"What do you think I'm doing now, moron?" Lucifer snaps. "You and I both know there's no stopping Amara; not without Michael, Raphael, and the big man himself. The whole idea that anyone in this room could stop her is ridiculous. The ineptitude of these filthy, hairless apes is hurting my head."

It's possible Crowley gets his ideas from what Lucifer says, because almost immediately after he finishes speaking, he lets out a groan and clutches his head. No one really reacts this time; Crowley has done this to him enough in the last couple hours that it doesn't really phase anyone, with the exception of Rowena, who looks peeved every time.

"I can't believe this is all you're doing to him," Dean says randomly. "I mean, power like yours, you could dress him up like a furry and he couldn't complain."

"Don't you dare," Rowena growls.

Lucifer, recovering from Crowley's unseen attack, rolls his eyes not at Dean's proposal but Rowena's defense. "A furry? Really, Dean? I'll pass, thanks." In a jokingly excited tone, he adds, "Ooh, what about a princess? I bet I'd look beautiful in a wig, and honey, you should see me in a crown."

Sam chuckles at that almost involuntarily, earning a confused look from everyone else. Lucifer smiles slightly, covering it with his hand in a casual motion.

"Sorry," Sam mutters. "Sherlock."

"Seriously, Sammy, not the time for the geek stuff," Dean tells him.

"Yes, Dad forgive the geek act like a geek," Lucifer says, rolling his eyes.

"Apparently, he's not the only geek in the room," Balthazar observes with a mocking smile.

Lucifer turns to the angel, who suddenly doubles over in pain, which ends when Crowley strikes back twice as hard. Lucifer shoots a hand out to support himself as he waits in silent agony for Crowley to stop.

"Hey, he was antagonizing me!" Lucifer says defensively once Crowley evidently decides that Lucifer's had enough.

"And that's fine," Crowley replies. "But you can't fight back."

"That's so stupid, I don't know where to begin," Lucifer mutters.

Crowley apparently decides this is another teachable moment, because though Lucifer is silent, his muscles are tensed suddenly and he squeezes his eyes shut.

"Dammit, Crowley, what did I even do that time?"

"You sassed me," Crowley replies simply. "And when you sass me, I hurt you." To demonstrate, he sends another invisible attack at him.

"Sorry, Mom," Lucifer says through clenched teeth, which doesn't censor his sarcasm.

Again, the overly trigger happy Crowley decides to hurt him.

"Leave him alone, Fergus," Rowena scolds him.

Boom, Crowley hurts Lucifer again.

"What the hell was that for?" Lucifer demands.

"That was for my mother," Crowley replies, and he and Rowena have a bitch face contest.

Lucifer rolls his eyes and looks up at Gabriel. "Yeah, this is great," he says sarcastically, prompting another invisible attack. Once it's over, Lucifer stands up, walking away. "I quit," he announces, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"You can't," Crowley replies. "Come back here."

Lucifer ignores him, which, unsurprisingly, results in another invisible attack. Lucifer collapses like jello, landing in what resembles a puddle on the ground. He lets out an anguished cry, but quickly bites his lip to stop himself.

Rowena runs over to him, her heels clicking with every step against the war room floor. She crouches next to him, which would probably look indecent in a dress shorter than hers. She puts a hand on his back, and he flinches. She removes her hand from him immediately.

"Sorry about my son," she says with a seemingly sympathetic and caring expression that no one is buying. "He can be a bit of a hot head."

"I've noticed," Lucifer replies, his voice strained.

He squeezes his eyes shut and presses his lips together tightly to keep from crying out as Crowley strikes him again.

"That's enough, Fergus," Rowena snaps, prompting Crowley to hurt Lucifer again.

Rowena reaches out to Lucifer again protectively, and she's suddenly flung into a wall on the other side of the room. There's a crack from where she hit it before falling to the floor. Lucifer doesn't even acknowledge her, though it's unlikely he doesn't realize he did it. After a moment, he looks up at Crowley, seeming confused.

"Hurt the witch all you want," Crowley tells him. "I don't care."

"Crowley..." Dean says in a warning tone.

Crowley rolls his eyes. "Fine. Leave the bitch alone."

Lucifer cries out again, squeezing his eyes shut and curling up into a ball on the floor. Suddenly, everyone is flung away, startling Crowley so much that he accidentally leaves Lucifer alone. Lucifer opens his eyes, which glow red. It only lasts a moment before he collapses, his panting audible from anywhere in the room.

"Crowley, that's enough," Gabriel says, his voice firm. "Leave him alone."

"But —"

"He wasn't hurting anyone," Gabriel reminds him. "Not 'til you started hurting him. If he wants to be a smart ass, that's not your problem."

Crowley glares at him, clearly not thrilled with having to let Lucifer continue being... him. Unfortunately for him, Gabriel is an archangel, and even the King of Hell doesn't mess with an archangel at full power.

"Fine," Crowley huffs.

Gabriel walks over to Lucifer and crouches next to him, a sympathetic expression on his face. Who would have thought the Trickster would be capable of sympathy?

"Hey," Gabriel says softly. "You okay?"

"Back off," Lucifer growls.

Gabriel sighs and walks away, leaning against the wall with a frown. Everyone else just sort of stands or sits around in an awkward silence, finally broken by Dean clearing his throat.

"So... Any new ideas on stopping the Darkness?"