Shattered: The Sequel to Mirrors

Photos and Elevators

Lucifer walked into the quiet townhouse in the small town of Cairo, Georgia. They had been living there for about two months, and all had been good so far. Well, as good as it could be, considering. He pulled off his muddy work boots and tossed them into a corner. The floors were clean. They were always clean. Michael made sure of that. He barely spoke nowadays, and it was a battle to try to force him out of the house. He made sure everything was clean though.

Lucifer pokes his head into the kitchen. Sam was sitting at the wooden table, laptop and papers spread around him. He was typing furiously. He had been complaining about the essay that was due that night at midnight, so that was no doubt what he was working on now.

"How goes it Sam?" Lucifer asked. Sam looked up. He had dark circles under his eyes. But then again, so did all of them.

"Good. I'm almost done," Sam said. He hadn't complained when they insisted on switching him over to online school. He didn't complain about much, actually. Not the constant moving, not the confinement to the house.

"Nice. What do you want for dinner? I'm thinking of picking something up. Unless you want something home cooked," Lucifer asked. He almost laughed at himself. He sounded like such a mother. If someone had told him two years ago where he would be...he would have laughed at them. Two years ago, Lucifer hadn't cared about anyone or anything. Until Gabriel showed up at his door with their awkward younger brother....Lucifer pushed the thought away. He didn't want to think of Cas.

"I'm good with whatever," Sam said. He looked up at Lucifer. "Do you know when Gabe's gonna be home?" Lucifer sighed. When they had first moved to Georgia, they had decided one of them should work two jobs and the other should work one and look for Castiel. He was the one who was supposed to be looking for Castiel. He had figured finding a murderous angel wouldn't be as difficult as it was.

"Okay, kid. And I think his shift ends at midnight. He should be back then. Where's Michael?" He asked. Sam pointed up the stairs, and Lucifer climbed them slowly. He was always hesitant to talk to Michael nowadays. He was never sure how the older Winchester was going to be. Sometimes he seems like he was almost his old self, the Michael Lucifer had fallen in love with. And other times he was so completely broken he was unrecognizable.

"Mica? You okay?" Lucifer asked, knocking softly on the door. There was silence, so he opened the door. Michael was sitting on the floor, surrounded by pictures. Lucifer took in a sharp breath. He had done his best to hide the pictures from Michael. Apparently his best was not enough. "Hey, maybe you shouldn't..." he trailed off when he saw that Michael was smiling. It was by no means a happy smile, but it was bitter sweet. And that was better than the sad expression his face usually held.

Michael held up one of the pictures to Lucifer who took it. It was them on the night they had played truth or dare, a photo Dean must have snapped without his uncle and the archangel noticing. They were cuddling on the couch, both happy and blissfully unaware of what was coming. Lucifer smiled and sat down next to Michael.

"He was a damn good photographer, wasn't he?" he asked, resting his chin on Michael's shoulder and looking at the pictures spread out in front of them. Michael nodded and leaned back against the archangel. That was new. The hunter was usual hesitant to get close to Lucifer. He wasn't going to mention that then though. He wrapped his arms around the eldest Winchester and kissed his check lightly.

"I was thinking maybe this weekend we should go somewhere. Sam needs to get out of the house every once in a while. If we go far away enough..." Lucifer said, but Michael was already nodding his agreement. "You'll come, right Mica?"

"Of course," Michael said, cuddling closer to the archangel. Lucifer was glad he had caught the hunter in such a good mood. Sometimes he would go weeks without saying a word. Sometimes he woke up from nightmares screaming. And there was nothing Lucifer could do to help. "I'm sorry," Michael numbed, as if reading his thoughts. Lucifer leaned down and kissed him softly. Michael reciprocated hungrily.