Chapter Text
Heaven finally wanted something from Hell, which mean Lucifer and Lilith could finally negotiate from a position of strength. Lucifer managed to rip himself from his self loathing and isolation long enough to prepare. To finally fix things. To put an end to the Exterminations that had taken Alastor from them. (The Exterminations he'd agreed to in the first place... not knowing what they would ultimately steal from them.) If this could have happened just seven years ago, Alastor wouldn't be... gone.
Lilith held herself frigidly. They had something Heaven wanted and Lilith wanted to hurt them by withholding it, by denying Heaven. They both knew that ending the Exterminations was more important... Barely.
Charlie had stayed behind to handle her parents' responsibilities in their absence. It was an excellent learning opportunity and between Rosie, Angel, and even Husk, she could handle anything that came her way. (She... hadn't been talking with Lucifer since the confrontation with Mimzy, when she'd learned that her father had agreed to the Exterminations that killed many of her friends and their Alastor.)
"So," Sera began, flipping through the pages in front of her. "We have your list of demands... Not very reasonable, are they."
"We are open to negotiation." Lilith said, her voice a professional mask over her hatred for the seraphim that had started it all.
"Except for the Exterminations." Lucifer almost snarled. "Those end. Now."
Sera looked at them far too placidly. "We have a counter offer." Lucifer despised her and the false calm she exuded. "Seven years ago, a winner appeared in my office. He completely bypassed the Pearly Gates and was quite furious to be here." Lucifer scowled. What did this have to do with anything? Sera smiled. "Our counter offer is that you take this winner and the Exterminations continue."
Lucifer stood up furiously, but before he could argue with this nonsense offer, this- insult to what the two of them had put his people through, an image appeared on the orb above the center of the table. He froze. Lilith stopped breathing beside him.
Pacing with the energy of a trapped animal, pastel purple and grey in color but unmistakable, was Alastor. Enraged smile plastered across his face, hand fidgeting for a cane they had found splintered where Adam had vaporized him.
It was all Lucifer could do not to agree on the spot.
"We've had to contain him, for his own safety." Sera's words were slimy, smug, with just the veneer of kindness. "He's been behaving in a most irrational manner and the years have done nothing to mellow him." Lucifer's hands curled into fists, tight enough he could feel blood dripping from his palms as his nails sharpened to claws. "He kept attempting to fall by jumping from the edge of heaven. And he was giving all sorts of dangerous ideas to other winners. Then there were those confrontations with the Exorcists and Adam." She tutted. Lucifer couldn't tear his eyes from Alastor. He should at least get some kind of protection for the kids. He should- Lucifer clutched the last vestiges of self control helplessly. Already aware that he would give up anything to walk out of here with the impossible sinner turned winner, but knowing Alastor would be furious with them if they let this chance slip through their fingers. "It was best to keep him secluded, for his own safety."
Lucifer clawed for his self control. But ultimately it wasn't Lucifer's control that broke.
It was Lilith's.
The Queen of Hell launched herself across the table. Pulling from her husband's power. She tackled the shocked seraphim and pinned her against the far wall. A song building in her throat.
Adam and his second in command were startled, but Lucifer was on them before they could attack his wife. He knocked the second in command out before pummeling Adam with every ounce of fury, grief, and hatred he'd lived with for the past seven years. He faintly registered Lilith singing but didn't stop until he felt her hand on his shoulder. He looked back, suddenly realizing that he'd entered his demonic form to keep destroying the first man.
"I found out where he is." Lilith said. Sera was slumped behind her, halo still glowing, alive, but wide eyes all over her body open and staring at nothing. He felt the power Lilith had pulled from him to put her in that state and pushed more towards his wife.
"You know this means war." Lucifer said.
"Everything they've done... and now they made it personal." She hissed. "They kept him from us. From Charlie. From Hell." Lucifer nodded. It was answer enough.
Lucifer forced himself back into his less threatening form so they could move through the palatial building without drawing as much attention. Lilith led them to a door with a heavy, angelic steel lock and layers and layers of wards directed inwards, not outward. (Enough wards to prove that the occupant had given them plenty of trouble with escapes, Lucifer noticed with a burst of pride.) He took a breath and broke through the door.
The winner inside spun to face them, posture becoming defensive, ready to fight.
Alastor froze, his smile edging towards disbelieving. "Your Majesty? Sire?" He choked in his radio filtered voice.
Lucifer and Lilith flew across the room as one, embracing the radio host tightly, desperately.
Alastor was trembling, tense. Then he did something he'd only ever done with Charlie before.
He hugged them back.
Alastor would not be crying here. He would not be showing any form of relief or exhaustion... and he also would not be giving Lucifer a reason to cry because he was quite certain that if he started crying Lucifer would start crying too and they couldn't leave Lilith as the only one unencumbered by tears during this escape. He pulled himself together, refusing to relax into the monarchs and the smell of brimstone and sulfur and home that still clung to their skin. He disentangled himself from them, and though they were reluctant they still let him, so he allowed Lilith's hand tightly clutching his shoulder and Lucifer's death grip on his sleeve.
"Let's go home." Lucifer said horsely.
But Alastor shook his head. His presence here had thrown one key thing out of balance and he had to rectify it. Now.
"Holding cell first." He said. Lucifer and Lilith tightened their grips. "We need to pick someone up."
With Lilith and Lucifer's liberal use of their own abilities, the trip to the holding cell was much faster than it was when Alastor managed to sneak to it himself. The prisoner looked up as Lucifer leaned the now sleeping guard against the wall.
"Alastor? What's happening?" She asked nervously.
"Our ride has arrived, Vaggie." Alastor answered, offering her his hand. "Ready to go to Hell?" She looked from him to his outstretched hand.
"Never thought I'd say this." Vaggie grabbed his hand and clambered to her feet. "But HELL YES."