Paradox

Chapter 24: Running Up That Hill

Amenadiel's heart was heavy when he unlocked the door to his condo. Horror, sadness, and guilt whirled around in his head so much that he hadn't even sensed Maze sitting on his bed. He stared at her -- his body too weary to even utter a word.

Maze having gone looking for Lucifer in the penthouse and not finding him had headed to Amenadiel's home hoping he'd talked to him. Ever since Lucifer had released her from her vow she couldn't find him at will anymore. When the angel walked in her heart leaped into her throat. He looked devastated. She baked, "Where's Lucifer? What happened?"

She'd never seen his eyes look so haunted. He stood there all but frozen. She jumped up and grabbed his arms shaking him hard. "Talk to me -- is he okay?"

He finally nodded and responded hoarsely, "Physically yes."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Maze snapped.

The angel took a shuddering breath. "Maze -- I've completely failed him as a brother. He's my little brother, I should have protected him." His large brown eyes glistened.

She swallowed tightly. She hated tears, tears were weak and normally she would torment anyone succumbing to them but for some reason, Lucifer and now Amenadiel - the devil and the angel in her life -- could make her feel something. Calling it empathy would be ludicrous but a tightening in her chest signaled an instinctive action -- one any self-respecting demon would suppress. She grunted in annoyance and hauled the angel over to sit on the bed. "How did you fail him?" she asked more gently.

He closed his eyes and whispered, "On so many levels." The angel looked completely undone.

Growing impatient she asked, "Where is he?"

"At Dr. Martin's."

Maze breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. I like her. She helps him."

The angel blinked rapidly and his breath hitched.

"What is wrong with you? You look like you're about to...cry," she said the last word as if it tasted rotten on her tongue.

Amenadiel shook his head but a single tear worked its way down his cheek.

Maze swore loudly making the angel cringe slightly then reached over and licked the tear off.

The angel's eyes snapped open and looked at her in shock.

"What? I like the salty taste." She grinned trying to lighten his mood.

Another tear escaped. She rolled her eyes. "You have to stop doing this, I'm a demon not some fucking handkerchief."

"Mom, she..." he took a ragged breath. "Maze, when she was back in heaven I think she forced him to have sex with her."

Her stomach flipped. She had suspected that whatever Lucifer's issue with his mother was, it was huge and went beyond her murdering children. He practically panicked every time he saw her. In hell, he had assigned her to the section she was in, unable to deal with her pleas to release her.

Amenadiel looked at Maze surprised when she didn't respond with horror. "You knew?"

She shook her head. "I suspected it might have been something like this- how he reacted when she escaped. How he wouldn't go near her in hell had to be something major to make Lucifer afraid." She looked annoyed. "Why would he confide in you and not me?"

Guilt swept over his face and he broke eye contact with her.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What exactly happened?"

"He didn't tell me. We overheard his session with Linda," he admitted.

He didn't expect the jaw-numbing slap to the side of his face. He backed away slightly from the furious demon.