A Flame That Never Dies

Chapter 19: What Happens In Hell, Stays In Hell

Lucifer led them to a specific room that was quiet and safe. He sat down on the bed, putting his head down in frustration, like a disappointed parent about to scold their children. Klaus, Jack, and Hope stayed standing silently.

"Whose smart ass idea was it to come to Hell," Lucifer asked calmly.

Jack stepped forward.

"It was mine, dad," Jack confessed, "It was my idea to come down here to look for you since I know this is where you go to calm down or blow off steam."

"Jack, do you know how dangerous that was," Lucifer snapped, "There's a reason no one comes down here. There's a reason Castiel doesn't even come down here. That reason is down here angelic powers have no effect except mine, nor does any other supernatural power. Making you all vulnerable to being attacked and tortured."

"I'm sorry," Jack apologized softly.

"I know you are," Lucifer sighed, holding out his arms, "Come here."

Jack walked to him and accepted Lucifer's embrace.

"I'm just glad, you're all okay," Lucifer said.

"How'd you even find us? Or know that we were here," Hope asked, breaking her silence, "I mean this place does seem quite... Large."

"You," Lucifer said, looking at her, "I heard you scream. Which is how I found you. A re you doing alright, though?"

Hope nodded before putting her head down in shame.

"Just a bit shook up," Hope said, smiling away her nerves.

"Bet you are," Lucifer said, "Hell isn't a joyride to be in. It's traumatizing to even the toughest of people."

He looked at Klaus, who had been completely silent since he's been healed. Klaus didn't even make any eye contact. He stood up and walked over to him slowly, as if trying not to scare him. When he was right in front of him, Lucifer finally decided to speak to him directly.

"Klaus."

He didn't look up or speak back. He was zoned out. In his own head, at the moment. Suddenly he felt something soft tickling his arms. He looked to the side to see large wings wrap around him protectively. That's when he finally made eye contact with Lucifer.

"Lucifer," Klaus whispered.

He smiled at him.

"So he does talk," Lucifer teased, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Klaus replied, brushing it off like nothing, "In my own head, but I'm fine."

He reached out and touched Klaus on the forehead with his finger. Lucifer saw what had his attention. He didn't like that he lost. He didn't like that he was so easily beaten by just two regular demons. He didn't like that he was close to death with barely a fight put against them.

"Even minor demons are known to be quite powerful and strong," Lucifer reasoned, "Mainly because they have no direct sense of pain. They've been tortured and twisted for hours on end to make them strong in battle and hard to defeat for the most part."

Lucifer pulled his finger away from his forehead.

"The ones you fought were specifically trained by Azazel," Lucifer continued, "Making them that much more difficult to beat in a fight. Demons are ruthless and evil. Hurting them would basically be nothing more than hitting a wasp nest with a stick. It'll just piss them off. You fought really well. The fact that you still stood up and kept trying as you did was something unusual for them."

He sighed.

"Thank you for showing up when you did," Klaus said.

"Don't mention it," Lucifer said, "What brings you guys down here, anyway? If you wanted a grand tour, you could've just said so."

"Looking for you," Hope replied, "To bring you back home. You don't have to be down here for that long if you don't need to be."

"And if I do need to be," Lucifer asked.

"Then we can come up with a different way to go about this," Jack suggested, "But Dad, you really do have a family. Everyone cares about you. Even Cas, Dean, and Sam. They may claim that they don't but they truly do. They've seen the progress you've made over the years."

"Plus, you also have my father too," Hope continued, "He truly loves you and I can tell you feel the same about him. I know that if you were to just walk away from it all, he would be torn inside. I've seen what heartbreak could do to people. I don't want it to happen to him again. And if you need to get away from Sam and the others, I can talk to my family and see what they think about letting you stay with us to cool off."

"That's really sweet, kid," Lucifer started, "But you don't know what you're getting yourself involved with by having me around..."

"Don't I," Hope said, crossing her arms, "I know who you are Lucifer. I know about the reputation you have and more. I could care less about any of that honestly..."

Hope walked over to him and stopped in front of him.

"When you came to the rescue you called me your daughter," Hope said gently, "To be honest, I don't know you on a personal level that well, but I feel like I could trust you more than anyone else when it comes to taking care of my father. And I would love to have Jack as my little brother."

Hope smiled at Jack, who grinned back happily.

"So please Luci," Hope said, turning back to him, "Come back with us?"

Lucifer was still hesitant, but crumbling slowly. Klaus was impatient and didn't have enough time to wait for him to crumble at the rate he was going. He walked over to him as well since Lucifer moved by the time the kids started reasoning with him.

"They're not wrong, you know," Klaus sighed, "Everyone does truly care about you. It may not seem like it, but that's only because they're also scared. But Lucifer you have a family up there. You don't have to face these kinds of things alone..."

Lucifer turned around and covered his eyes with his hand from being told that phrase. Most of time, all he's ever known is being alone. He's grown used to being alone. It never crossed his mind that could change. Klaus grabbed his shoulder and turned him with a small sincere smile.

"In fact, you never have to face it alone ever again," Klaus promised, "I promise you that from the bottom of my heart..."

Lucifer hugged him tightly and kept his face buried in his shoulder.

"You're not alone anymore, Lucifer," Klaus repeated, softly while rubbing his back.

"I... I... I need you, Klaus," Lucifer stuttered.

"I know, you idiot," Klaus teased, "I love you too."

Jack and Hope were so excited from hearing them finally in a way confess that they love each other that they ran in to join the hug. Lucifer laughed as Klaus exhaled sharply from almost being tackled by the two teenagers.

"Ready to go now," Hope asked, "I don't particularly enjoy the smell of rotting flesh."

"Yeah," Lucifer chuckled, "I am."

He then teleported them back to the surface.