On Broken Wings of Love and Deceit (Samifer, FemSam)

Chapter Five

With Heaven above you, There's hell over me.

He heard soft footfalls outside. Tentatively edging closer to where he was collapsed on the dirty kitchen floor. He didn't even have the energy to call out , let alone scare the visitor off. Floating in a world of pain, a soft gasp pieced his delirium. Looking up slowly, his head hammering, vision doubled and cloudy- he could make out a figure, silhouetted against the bright morning light streaming through the empty door frame.

"Lucifer?" the figure asked, voice laced with fear, shock, and, to Lucifer's surprise...sympathy.

Lucifer opened his mouth to say something, the words sticking in his burning throat, coming out as a garbled croak. The figure came nearer, crouching a few meters away, staring at him. Still unable to identify the woman, Lucifer flinched back violently at the movement, shivering in the cold breeze billowing through the yellow stained net curtains.

"Its...its okay..." The girl stuttered, clearly taken aback by Lucifer's fear. "i won't come any closer" she said, moving back slightly. "Its Sam, Sam Winchester" She whispered across to him.

Lucifer had never heard of something so ridiculous. Of course it was a Winchester. Of course. He never had had any luck, it wasn't a demon or spawn of purgatory come to aid him, not that he wanted help. . It was a Winchester. Come to destroy him once and for all. All of this flooded Lucifer's mind like a lightning strike, and before he could stop himself, he let out a long, hacking laugh. It echoed eerily through the abandoned house, bouncing off wet plaster and damaged furniture.

"W...Why are you laughing?" Sam asked slowly, afraid Lucifer would lash out. He was the devil after all.

"Because you're here to kill me, aren't you." Lucifer rasped bluntly. "Don't pretend. Just get it over with."

Sam didn't know what to do. Crouching in a drafty kitchen, the shallow floodwater creeping into her shoes and soaking her socks, giving her a chill. She knew what she must do. What was right. What Dean would want her to do.  Casually, she drew the archangel blade from her jacket pocket. Long, thin and wickedly sharp, it glinted in the sunlight- itching to do what it was made for. Staring at the weapon she held in her hand, Sam briefly re-lived what she had gone though to possess it. The people she had killed, the friends she had left behind. Steeling herself, she moved closer to the fallen angel.

The nearer she got, the more appalled she became. This was not the Lucifer she had known. She crindged as she stared at him, taking in his wounds. Blisters and leaking scabs erupted from his face, crawling up to his hair which was clumped with the aftermath of a deep gash across his scalp. Lucifer barley stirred as Sam shuffled to a better postiion, right beside him, poised like a snake to strike. A white gleam caught her eye, the devils dark wings, matted with scarlet were snapped jaggedly, the bone exposed and bent at an unnatural angle.  Trying to ignore the evidence of Lucifer's torment and trying to focus on all the evil he had done. She moved the blade upwards. Ready.

"Do it" Lucifer whispered, the veins in his neck standing out at the strain of speaking. "End it!" He rasped softly, voice tight and whiny.

Sam closed her eyes, and ajusted her grip on the blade, breathing out of her nose hard. She paused, knife high, ready to kill Satan himself.

And she couldn't do it.

Instead, against all her instincts, she moved the blade away, tucking it back into her pocket and reaching out quickly to grasp Lucifer's freezing hand. Feeling his body jerk in shock, she held it gently.

"Come with me"

Lucifer peered at her through half lidded eyes. He looked half dead. In spite of herself, Sam felt overwhelmingly sorry for him. "What?" he said, more awake.

"I said come with me." she commanded, not betraying her feelings, voice hard and unforgiving. Gripping his hand tighter, she pulled him upwards onto his feet, leaving ripples in the dark water covering the floor. Lucifer stood for a moment, before staggering and falling heavily onto Sam. She caught him, holding his shoulders and keeping him from falling. Surprised and relieved at Lucifer's lack of resistance, Sam half carried him back to the Impala, trying not to pay too much attention to what she was doing.

She opened the passenger door, gesturing for Lucifer to enter. He looked up at her, eyes wide, encircled with darkness. "How..do i know" he struggled out, wracked by a violent coughing fit. "its not a trap"

"You don't" Sam replied, face flat. "Either you get in now, and you risk it being a trap- but i might actually help you. Or, i get in, drive off and leave you right here in the street"  Lucifer looked at her tiredly "I don't care if its a trap." he said slowly "but i would rather be killed honestly, not by some little trick of yours" he continued, staring at Sam with half lidded eyes. She stared at him for a moment, looking  into his eyes, so empty of hope and life...it was almost as if..."Um..so, you want to die?" she approached the subject gingerly her voice soft and empathetic, having been in that darkness before. In reply he nodded stiffly, looking down in embarrassment. Sam moved closer to the broken angel, almost nose to nose with his dirt encrusted skin, prompting a violent flinch from him. Pushing all her doubts and instincts behind her, she gradually started to convince him to come with her.

Eventually, after careful coaxing in a low voice, Lucifer was convinced to enter the car. Sam was worried, but her need to save the angels pitiful life over-ruled all her hunters instincts. Lucifer limped into the Impala, embarrassed at his weakness. His fingers shook violently as he tried to buckle his seat belt. Sighing, Sam leaned over him, hair drooping into her face as she did it for him. Standing back to check it wasn't twisted. Noticing that Lucifer's wings were crumpled behind him, she gently folded them around him into a more comfortable position. That is, as comfortable a position as broken wings can be in. He mumbled slightly, closing his eyes and laying back against the headrest.

Sam disappeared for a while, then returned with a large, fuzzy tartan blanket. Laying it across Lucifer's lap, Sam grunted in satisfaction and ran round to the drivers seat. Slipping behind the wheel, she turned the key- smiling at the familiar yet bittersweet purr of the engine. "There" she said happily, however her voice was uneven, showing that underneath- she wasn't quiet at ease with having the devil sitting in her car.

Lucifer shifted slightly in the seat. Eyes still closed, he mumbled weakly. "Why are you doing this? I'm your enemy! Why didn't you kill me? His eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"Honestly" Sam sighed "I don't know. I guess its because my weakness is being kind" She spluttered opening up slightly, not intimidated by Lucifer in his current state. "But, if you try anything. I will kill you. No second chances. No hesitation." Sam tapped her fingers on the plastic of the steering wheel. "Got it?"  Lucifer made a muffled grumble. Sam took it for a yes.

They drove in silence for a few minutes, the only sound the rumble of wheels on concrete.

Sam looked over to Lucifer, taking his eyes of the road as he gazed at the unconscious archangel.

"What am i doing?" She asked herself.