Hello, brother.

Brother, Forgive Me.

Michael watched as the look on Lucifer's face went from confusion to horror to outright hatred.

"You..." Lucifer started, pointing at Michael. "You - you utter - you can't DO THAT!" He was snarling now, marching forwards and jabbing his finger at Michael's chest as his temper flared.

Michael held up his hands in a surrendering gesture as he backed away from his hurricane of a brother. "Lucifer, please!" He pleaded. "I don't want this, you know I don't! However, you did wrong, and I - "

"Don't you DARE talk to me about wrong!" Michael's back hit the wall and Lucifer grabbed his collar, keeping him in place. "Don't you DARE say that to me. You don't have the right."

"The right?" Michael felt anger bubble up inside him. "I have every right! You did wrong! Now I have to punish you. Father's orders."

"Orders? ORDERS? A good father shouldn't order his children to do anything, let alone banish a sibling into Hell! You're too soft Michael, you don't have to take this from him!"

"You're impossible, Lucifer."

The blonde's eyes narrowed. Michael realised that he had his fingers curled tightly into his brother's shirt, but he didn't let go. This was one fight that he wasn't going to lose.

"You really think that I could love those - those - abominations more than Father? More than you?" Lucifer's tone had softened slightly - however, had hadn't dropped the threatening stance. "You don't understand. You're not listening, Michael."

"I understand perfectly. You're being silly. There is nothing wrong with the humans - yes, they're nowhere near as powerful, they don't have wings and they are rather funny looking, but there's no reason to hate them as you do."

"I don't - you're still not listening!"

"No, you're not listening! Don't be so ridiculous, Lucifer!"

"How many times do we have to fight over this, Michael? We've been through this over and over - you still don't get it."

Michael was downright furious. Yes, they had fought over this many times - Gabriel had hated it - and yet, neither of them could see the other side of the argument. 

They were both so blinded by rage, both too stubborn to just let it go; neither one was going to back down now. That was why, when Lucifer whispered: "Stand with me, Micha." one last time, Michael could only raise his sword and respond with: "No. I love you, Lucifer - brother mine. Please, brother, forgive me."