Let's Make a Deal

Set in Motion

   "What do you mean you had a contract with my Mom!?"

   Why was there shouting? It was far too early for shouting. Lucifer still felt exhausted and like there was a heavy weight settled over his body. Groaning softly he sluggishly moved his right arm and draped it over his eyes, trying to wake his mind enough to get a grasp on his surroundings. "Why are we yelling?" His throat was quite dry and his words came out scratchier than he intended. He wanted so badly to go back to sleep.

   "Dad!"

   The bed shook as his daughter tossed herself onto it and Lucifer forced his arm from his eyes so he could look up at Charlie. There was an incredible amount of worry on her face and from the sight of her it looked as if she had been crying. He doesn't think that was Lilith's fault this time given what he woke up to hearing. "Hey Charlie, what's with the greeting?"

   Despite how much his body does not want to move right now, concern for his daughter outweighs exhaustion. Lucifer forced himself to sit up and the moment he was vertical he suddenly found his lap full of daughter and her arms tossed around his neck. Confusion settled in him quite heavily at that and Lucifer snapped his head to the side, throwing a bewildered look at the Radio Demon. In clarification, as much as Alastor can, he held up two fingers.

   Lucifer understood instantly. Breaking Lilith's soul contract with Alastor apparently knocked him out for two days. Fighting off the vultures must have been rather difficult, especially when one of those was his own daughter. Shaking his head Lucifer moved his hand to gently push his clawed fingers through Charlie's hair. "Hey, I'm fine, you know how breaking contracts go."

   "Why didn't you just ask Mom for Al's contract?"

   "Honey, you know your Mom, would she have given it to me?" The answer is no. Especially with the way things were between him and Lilith. Add in the fact that having the Radio Demon of all people on a leash was incredibly valuable? Lilith would have laughed in his face. There was no easy solution to this, other than what he did and passing out for a couple of days was hardly a large price to pay.

   Charlie sniffled into his shoulder and Lucifer pushed his fingers through her hair again, trying to help her relax. "I don't understand, why did she even have a contract with him?"

   "Don't think too badly of her, Lilith has owned Alastor's soul for a long time. It was just a contract she made, one of many she does." Truthfully, he doesn't believe there was any malicious reason to her making it. Was she using it that way now? Absolutely. But in the beginning she just made a contract at random, like many demons do. She saw someone that might be useful later and made a deal. Many deals in Hell are made that way and for that purpose. Quite a few contracts Alastor owned were probably made the same way. A soul that can be used. He doesn't want Charlie to think her mother was going around making contracts with the Hotel Residents, because she wasn't. Someone would tell him that, he's certain.

   He feels Charlie nod against his shoulder and she finally picks her face up, wiping away the tears that had fallen. "Okay, just... don't do anything like that again."

   "Break a powerful contract?" Lucifer gave his daughter an amused smile and motioned toward himself. "King of Hell. I can't make that promise, Charlie, but I can promise to consider which ones I do it with. Alright?" She doesn't look happy with that but at least she nods in understanding. "Now, how mad is your mother? I'm probably going to have to deal with that soon."

   Which was not a conversation or fight he was looking forward to having. Lilith was undoubtedly not going to be pleased over what he'd done. He doesn't even know if he has the energy for that argument, all he really wants to do is roll over and go right back to sleep. Especially since he's in Alastor's bed and it smells pleasantly of the Radio Demon.