Chapter 16

Lucifer's POV

3 Hours Later

I walked outside to the backyard that had become our training arena of sorts. Gabriel and Catalina were already there.

It's just three hours, you can do this.

"Shall we start with our usual warm-up practice fight?" Catalina asked as I finally caught up to them.

"Sure," Gabriel said as his gaze locked on me,

"How about Lucifer and I go first?" Gabriel slowly approached, A deadly glare in his eyes that I had not seen in eons.

"Or we could just do what we always do?" Catalina glanced at Gabriel,

"You know, I'll try and take both of you down like we've been doing for weeks now."

"I agree." I nodded towards Gabriel. That fight would come but I had no intention of having it today. Not in front of her.

Gabriel scoffed,

"Of course you do."

Do not test my patience brother.

"Pick your first opponent, Catalina," I said to her without taking my eyes off Gabriel. I might not want to have this fight here and now but I had no doubt Gabriel would love the opportunity. Within seconds Catalina rounded on Gabriel, taking advantage of the distraction as she grabbed his arm and twisted it back. Gabriel shrieked in agony. My eyes locked on Catalina as a smile danced across her face.

That's My Girl.

* * *

"Here, you're gonna want to curl your fingers so that the tips of your fingers touch your palm," I said as I wrapped my hand around Catalina's, pressing her fingers into her palm helping her make a proper fist.

"Make sure your thumb is tucked below your fingers so that it's out of the way of impact."

Catalina lifted her face, those green eyes filled with curiosity as she looked upon me.

"I thought you were supposed to keep your thumb on the inside?" I shook my head at her,

"If you kept your thumb on the inside, if you made contact then you would likely break your thumb."

"Oh," She whispered as a slight pink brushed her cheeks,

"It is a common misconception," I said as my thumb brushed across her knuckles. That little bit of contact seemed to calm her a bit as she released whatever tension she had been harboring in her shoulders.

"I think she gets it Lucifer," Gabriel said as he tossed his water bottle to the ground, the metal bottle hit the ground with enough force that it dented the side of it.

"He was just showing me-"

"I know what he was doing." Gabriel raised his voice just a bit as he pried my hand off Catalina's. His eyes remained cold as he briefly glared at me. A warning to stay away.

"Why don't you two practice for a bit while I refill everyone's water." I bent down to pick up her hot pink bottle and my matte black one as Gabriel spoke,

"Yeah, you do that." He turned his back to me as I caught Catalina's eyes for just a second. There was so much hesitation in that one look as if she was unsure of what to do. I nodded my head to her before she focused her gaze back on Gabriel, positioning herself in the correct stance. She tilted her lips into a decadent smile that was anything but sweet. Her eyes darkened as her fist collided with Gabriel's face causing him to stumble back.

Perfect.

* * *

"You're getting better, soon you won't have to resort to going for the low blows," Gabriel said to Catalina. He seemed to have calmed down a bit but he could've just gotten his aggression out during training. Then again Gabriel was different when he was with her.

Catalina laughed as she and Gabriel wiped down their daggers.

"Low blows are still fair game."

He was right though. She was improving and it was fascinating to watch. The way she wielded her dagger, every turn, every thrust, it had meaning now. She wasn't just aiming to hurt. Each move had a purpose. It was beautiful yet I couldn't shake the memory of what happened yesterday. The way Gabriel just picked her up like she was nothing but air. She was going to have to be trained to disarm others.

"I think we should work on self-defense and disarming techniques today as well."

I watched as Gabriel turned his head and glared at me,

"I have a better idea." Catalina stood up, taking Gabriel's keys from the ground.

"Neither one of you is getting back in the house until you sort this issue out."

"There is no issue-" She placed her finger on my lips, cutting me off.

"Don't insult me by lying. You know me well enough to know I don't like liars."

Gabriel chuckled as she tossed the keys in her bag and removed her finger from my lips.

"Try not to kill each other."

Gabriel sighed as he pulled out a spare set of keys from his pocket. Dangling it in front of her.

"Very well, then until you two sort out your shit then I'm leaving."

Leaving?

"Catalina I don't think-" Gabriel began to say but Catalina cut him off,

"Look something is going on between you two and now my training is suffering for it. So until things get better I'm leaving."

She was right. Gabriel and I had been hostile to each other all morning and afternoon. Sure we didn't say much to each other but the heated glares and sly comments were pretty obvious.

"Call me when you two sort your shit out." She called out as she turned away from us and began to walk towards the house.

"CATALINA!" Gabriel yelled out. She ignored him and continued to strut towards the house. Slamming the door shut behind her.

Gabriel turned towards me, a heated anger resting in his gaze,

"Are you happy now?" Gabriel asked

"How is this my fault?!"

"If you had just kept your damn distance none of this would be happening."

Is he being serious right now?

"I'm sorry brother but you were the one constantly leaving us alone together,"

During those first few weeks, Gabriel had been occupied with whatever he was doing and had left Catalina and me alone. We couldn't stand each other back then but being forced to interact day after day, drew us closer together.

"I promised you that I would help her and that is what I was doing and still am!"

"You were supposed to help her find an outlet and then leave! That was your task!"

"And now my task has changed!"

In the beginning, I wanted nothing more than to find her an outlet and leave. I thought I would be here for maybe a month at most and then I'd be free. Then I learned about her, what she had been through, and why she was so angry. She intrigued me. My task before was simple, find the girl an outlet for her problems. But now, my task was to make sure she was happy and to make sure no one and nothing would harm her ever again.

"Is that all she is to you? Just some task you can accomplish! another notch in your belt?"

"You have no idea what she is to me brother," I leaned closer to him,

"And I would be very careful about what you say next."

I loved my brother. I really did but he was already on thin ice from last night, and if he even said one remotely demeaning thing, I would gladly enjoy ripping each feather off his fucking wings.

"What is she to you exactly then brother?"

"SHE IS MY-" I stopped myself,

What was she to me?

Gabriel chuckled,

"Can't answer me can you?"

"Watch your mouth brother."

"Watch your back Lucifer."

"Are you threatening me?" I took a single step towards Gabriel, and he did not back down nor did he respond as he stretched out his wings and took off.

* * *

Catalina's POV

3 Days Later

I know it's been said before and will probably be said until the end of time but, boys are weird. Three days had passed and Lucifer and Gabriel still had not spoken to each other. Even Gabriel had begun to ignore my texts and calls. I didn't know what had happened but it was thoroughly starting to annoy me. I headed out into the city to clear my head about the whole situation. I kept replaying everything that had happened that night. How Gabriel had picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder, then slightly burning his back and him dropping me on the floor and Lucifer stepping in.

Lucifer.

I missed him. I missed Gabriel too but Lucifer was different. He and I had gotten closer over the past few months. It was easier to talk to him. It was easier to open up to him and for some reason talking to him and being around him put me at ease. It was like Lucifer understood everything.

Because he did.

Lucifer knew what it had felt like to be the odd sibling. He knew what it felt like to have people judge you for one thing and to have people only see you for that one action. He understood what it felt like to lose a family.

For so long I had only had Gabriel and I loved Gabriel but there were just things he would never understand. Lucifer was my friend and it felt good to have another friend. It felt good to have someone understand why I was always so angry. It felt good to have another person in my corner.

"You would be the one to bring a book with you to a bar."

As if my mind had summoned him, I turned and saw Lucifer standing behind me. I couldn't stop the smile that emerged from my face.

"How did you know I was here?"

Lucifer smirked,

"Despite your best efforts, you can be wildly predictable sometimes." I rolled my eyes, he wasn't wrong. Besides, Diablos was one of my favorite places to go. A small family-owned bar that had a gorgeous outdoor seating area which I loved. The place was always so dark but the large circular wooden tables and cozy atmosphere had made it feel like home but outside was different. I loved being outside, especially at night, under the stars.

Lucifer came around and took the seat in front of me,

"Actually I was just out for a walk and saw you and just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"How's Gabriel been?" I couldn't stop myself from asking but Lucifer shrugged his shoulders,

"I haven't seen him since you left. After you walked out he disappeared and I haven't seen him since."

Seriously Gabriel.

"Lucifer what's going on?"

"It is just a complicated family matter."

Bullshit.

But before I could even ask him another question, he interjected,

"So what are your plans this evening?" Lucifer leaned back in his chair as his fingers drummed against the table,

"Just some reading and maybe I'll practice later." My Tbr list had gotten pretty long over the past couple of weeks so I planned to get through a few books while Gabriel and Lucifer sorted through their issue. Considering that I had only gotten one book done, I would say I failed at that task.

Lucifer chuckled as his lips tilted up into a smile, a slight spark radiating in his eyes as he looked at me.

"I should've known."

"Known what?"I could feel my lips tilting up into a slight smile,

"That your plans would consist of you and some book and some kind of weapon." I laughed as I looked at him and the incredibly bright smile on his face.

"What's wrong with reading?"

"There's nothing wrong with reading, actually I enjoy the occasional book now and then."

"Oh please, when was the last time you read a book?"

These past few months Lucifer had joined me in the library but he never picked up a book he would just sit with me and be on his phone. Sometimes I would catch him looking either at me or the bookshelf but I never saw him with a book in his hand.

"A few days ago actually. It was a wonderful story about the Fae."

The Fae!

"So you're a fantasy reader as well?"

"I read whatever peaks my interest." He said as his eyes, which had never left mine, softened.

We remained silent for a few moments and usually I hated awkward silences but with Lucifer, nothing was ever awkward or weird. It was peaceful. Calming.

"What about you?" His question drew me back,

"What about me?"

He smiled,

"Why do you prefer fantasy books?" His question surprised me. No one ever asked it, usually when people learned I read fantasy books they would say I was weird or call me a nerd or some other nonsense and then tell me to read real literature.

"I needed a place to escape to. I needed a place to feel safe. I wanted to go on adventures so when I found these books with characters that had such amazing quests and adventures, I connected with them. I guess you could say reading fantasy was my escape from reality."

"Do you picture yourself in the stories?"

I nodded my head. I had always done that. Not just with the main character but with other characters that I had grown fond of.

"I liked being able to put myself in the adventures they had."

Lucifer smiled,

"People like you are unique."

"What do you mean?"

"People like you, who can look at a book and see more than just words on a page. You see what the author intended, a world you could have adventures In and be safe."

"You know I used to get picked on a lot for reading when I was younger."

"Why did you read so much as a child?" I looked up and saw just pure curiosity in his eyes as he leaned forward, resting his arms on the table between us.

"It was an escape. Books could take me far away from where I was." And maybe that's what I wanted all this time. To go somewhere far away. To start over.

"Why?" he asked. His voice was low and gentle as if he was afraid of what I would say.

"Why what?"

"Why did you need an escape?"

"My mother was not the nicest person in the world. There would be times when she would be yelling or screaming either at me or my father. Sometimes she would say things that were so hurtful they would plague my mind all day. Sometimes If I needed to take my mind off the way a particular beating stung, reading was a way to escape all that."

That's what I did. Anytime I needed to shut down and forget, I would just grab a book.

I glanced over at Lucifer, A look of restraint was dominant on his face,

What does that look mean?

"Did your mother ever leave bruises or marks on you? Besides the ones on your back?"

"Yes, but my mother unfortunately was very smart. She'd hit where clothes could hide the marks and if she happened to hit a part that clothes couldn't cover, I'd just try my best not to be seen that day. I learned to become invisible."

"And no one saw anything? or even said anything?"

"No. I didn't want them to see."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want people to see me as a battered abused little girl. I wanted them to see me. To see who I was."

Plus I had my brothers to think about. As much as I wanted to tell someone what was happening, to report what was going on, I couldn't. Mother always said if we told anyone that she hit us they would take us away, separate us all from each other and we wouldn't be able to see each other. I couldn't do that to them. I couldn't break my so-called family apart. I wouldn't be the reason our "family" was ruined.

"Gabriel saw you."

I shook my head,

"Gabriel saw a little girl that needed saving but he never saw me."

Lucifer leaned over and gently grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers together. His dark tan tattooed hand was such a vast difference then my much smaller, olive-toned one. Centuries old cuts and tattoos decorated his hands and fingers yet mine were decorated with tiny little freckles. The veins in his hands were proudly on display and honestly, it was kind of hot.

Why does this feel so right?

"I see you. I understand what it is like to be the odd man out and be the one to take the brunt of punishments from another and to be the one people blame when things in their life go wrong."

"What do you see when you look at me Lucifer?"

His soft dark brown eyes caught mine,

"I see someone who knew nothing but evil in this world, I see someone who despite everything, has a heart of pure gold. I see a person who can be a bit stubborn but ultimately cares with all her heart,"

Dammit.

"I-I see a person worth fighting for."

We stayed like that for a few moments. Just us together, hand in hand under the dark blanket of stars just gazing at each other.

I see a person worth fighting for.

Would he though? If he had to, would he fight for me? And why? Why would he?

"I should probably get back," I said breathlessly as I untangled our hands and stood up from my chair.

"I'll walk you home."

Lucifer stood and walked over to me, gently grabbing my hand again and locking our fingers together.

I see a person worth fighting for.