Chapter 4

Gabriel's POV

He looked the same as he always had. His dark brown almond eyes and short wavy black hair. He was a bit tanner than me so he stuck out more with his golden bronzed skin and the dark tattoos that decorated his hands, chest, and arms stood out and enhanced the aura that commanded attention. Lucifer was right. He was naturally terrifying.

"Look, I asked you to meet me because I need your help with something." Lucifer easily began to tense up.

"I have this friend who is slowly killing herself. Drinking, partying, hanging out with the wrong kind of people and I need you to help me help them."

Lucifer looked at me and I could see the questions in his eyes.

"Does your friend not want your help?"

"I don't think I can help them myself. They are acting a little how you did when you-"

"When I fell, Yes I remember. And you believe I can help your friend?"

"Brother you were in a very dark place when you fell and I fear my friend is headed down that same path only this time It will kill them and I cannot watch my friend die."

We remained silent for a few brief moments and I thought back to how he acted when he first fell.

He was destroying everything in sight, bedding multiple females and fighting anyone who got in his way. He had destroyed himself and it had taken nearly 400 years to clean up his act but Catalina didn't have 400 years and I feared if she repeated the cycle, it would be the last thing she ever did.

"You lost everything when you fell and it turned your life upside down. This friend has lost everything and now they can't trust anyone and I can't pretend to know what that is like." As much as I wanted to help Catalina I couldn't pretend to even begin to understand what was going on inside her head. But he could. He would know exactly how she was feeling.

Lucifer glanced down at his folded hands and I could see his hands getting red from how hard he was crushing them together. Lucifer was not a fan of anyone. He always preferred to be alone even before he fell. His fall didn't change that and I had a feeling he intended to be alone forevermore.

"Please, brother. I would not ask if it wasn't serious."

It was a risk. I knew that when I asked him to meet me here but he was the only one who could talk some kind of sense into her and may be able to help her.

"You are the only one of our brothers that has visited me in the eons that I have been gone. Why?"

"You are my brother and I was worried about you. I still worry about you. I worry about all of you." Even though what he did was unacceptable, Lucifer was still my brother. He was still my family and I couldn't just leave him with no one. Lucifer looked up at the evening sky for a moment and closed his eyes.

"Please just meet them and then make your decision."

Maybe if he saw how she was it would convince him to help. Lucifer looked back at me and I could tell he was already annoyed,

"I am not the helping type Gabriel." He said as he proceeded to get off the bench

"Brother please!" I reached over and grabbed his wrist, pulling him back down,

"They have no one else and I cannot lose them."

I said as I began to feel the tears gathering in my eyes. I had already lost my brother. I would not lose my friend as well.

"You care about this person don't you?" Lucifer asked, taking his seat back on the bench, nodding my head.

Lucifer sighed,

"Fine, I will help as repayment to you for visiting me all these years."

Relief filled my chest as I hugged my brother.

"Gabriel let go of me before I snap you in half."

I chuckled as I released him and patted him on the back. Lucifer hated showing affection of any kind but I didn't care. He was going to help and that was worthy of a hug.

"Thank you, brother, I appreciate this."

I said as we both stood and made my way to my car.

"How bad can it be?" Lucifer said sarcastically as he opened the passenger side door and headed inside.

Oh brother you have no idea.

* * *

"You've got a nice place here Gabriel," Lucifer said as he stepped out of the car and took a look around.

"Thanks, I built it myself."

It took forever to get it right but it was everything I had ever wanted in a house. I glanced up at the magnificent pearl-white two-story home with exactly eight marble steps leading up to the frosted glass door.

"You've gotten handy over the years it seems." I shrugged my shoulders following Lucifer up the stairs and unlocking the door.

"Yeah well, I had to do something while waiting for you to calm down. Those first few years after you fell were rough."

Walking in everything seemed to be the way I left it. I watched as Lucifer slowly took in the surroundings of my home. From the dark gray floors that complemented the wide floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the living room filled with the matching gray furniture set I had purchased, the mounted 75-inch flat-screen TV, and the all-white marble fireplace, To the beautiful patio that has lots of different plants and seating options. Lucifer's gaze wandered to the kitchen as he took in the white marble island big enough to fit six people the all-white cabinetry with frosted glass, and all stainless steel appliances throughout.

"Still have an eye for the basics I see," Lucifer smirked,

"You say basic, I say neutral." I shrugged and placed my keys back on the hook.

"Neutral, basic, it means the same."

Glad to see you're still the same brother

"So what time will your friend be arriving?" Lucifer asked as he finally turned to me.

"Yeah about that, they already-"

"Well, it's about damn time." Catalina cut me off as she emerged from the hallway where all the bedrooms were. I watched as her eyes shifted over to me, then to Lucifer then back to me.

"Who the hell is this?"

"Catalina, this is my brother. Lucifer." Her eyes widened just a touch,

"Lucifer, this is Catalina. My friend."

I watched as they both stared at each other. Anger and Caution were both elaborately painted on their faces.

"Lucifer? Do you mean like the-"

"Like The Devil, yes," Lucifer answered her.

"Well damn would you look at that, I forgot the pizza. I'll be right back, you two relax and I'll be back soon." I grabbed my keys quickly and headed out the door before either one of them could say anything.

This is a bad idea.

* * *

Lucifer's POV

She is a tiny, angry little thing.

Catalina. That's what Gabriel said her name was. Interesting choice for a name. The small woman was quite pretty I will admit. Her hair was as black as my wings, which complimented her rich golden olive skin tone and her forest green eyes that had a slight orange hue as small delicate freckles lined her cheeks and nose.

Pretty.

"Does Gabriel think I'm that stupid?" She asked, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I'm sure my brother has his reasons for leaving us alone." I already knew he wanted us to try and talk but yet I had a feeling she was not interested in talking. Yet.

"So what are you-"

"Don't even start."

Did she just cut me off?

"Excuse me?"

"Just sit down, shut up, and wait for Gabriel to come back."

She said as she wandered over to the couch in the living room.

Oh, she has quite the attitude. But so do I.

"Sounds great, I don't have the energy to even pretend to try and like you."

She snapped her little head around to me

"You don't like me? That's a shame, give me a few minutes to recover from such a devastating tragedy."

She wiped a non-existent tear from her face and flipped me off.

Oh, she is despicable!

I took a single step forward,

"Do that again, and I'll throw you out the damn window you- What the fuck are you doing?"

She stood up and made her way to the floor-to-ceiling glass door, opened the door, and stepped outside, glancing over the balcony,

"Checking to see how high the drop is, to see if it's worth it." I walked up behind her, slamming the door shut behind me,

"Look I am only here as a favor to Gabriel. Trust me when I say I would rather pluck each feather off of my wings than be out here with someone like you."

She pointed to the front door, her eyes never leaving mine.

"Then go. There's the door."

How could Gabriel possibly be friends with someone like this?

"I will go when Gabriel tells me to go."

Catalina crossed her arms, her eyes filled with every ounce of defiance she could conjure up.

"Look, we don't need you here so you can go," She smirked at me,

"You're dismissed."

I'd like to dismiss you off the top of this balcony!

"My brother is trying to help you! For some odd reason that I cannot fathom he sees you as a friend. I'll have to insist he gets his eyes checked because anyone with two working eyes and half a brain cell can see that you are a selfish, spiteful, malicious, Ill-natured poison."

She said nothing but I could see her tiny fists balled up at her side.

"You are just another girl who cares about no one but herself and you do not deserve my brother's friendship."

"You know nothing about me." Her voice strained as if she was holding back,

"I know enough from what Gabriel has told me. Drinking and fucking your way into oblivion. You may do as you please but you will not take my brother down with you."

She would. Gabriel was fiercely loyal and I knew my brother. He would follow this girl anywhere and try his best to keep her safe and she would just put herself in harm's way over and over again. Not caring how she's hurting Gabriel. Not to mention the amount of people Gabriel would hurt to keep her safe. I knew my brother. I knew he hated hurting people and it ate him alive every time he did. Gabriel was never meant for killing fields like my brothers and I. Gabriel would always mourn the loss of those he hurt or killed. Eventually, he stopped fighting. Claiming he would not be responsible for taking someone away from another.

"Now are you going to listen and accept our help or not?" I asked her.

"Fuck off," she smirked as she made her way to the door,

"Bastard." She whispered under her breath

"Bitch." I whispered back to her.

She spun back to face me, the orange in her eyes slightly taking over.

Don't like that word so much do you?

I gestured to the door,

"Get inside or the cold will kill you before I have the chance to."

Reluctantly she made her way back into the living room and sat down on the couch.

Gabriel, what have you gotten me into?

* * *

Twenty Minutes later Gabriel finally decided to return. Catalina had remained deathly quiet. I suppose it's a good thing. As long as she was quiet the chances of her saying something rather stupid are slim.

"Did something happen while I was gone?" Gabriel asked as he glanced toward Catalina. I shook my head,

"Nothing but slight awkward conversation," I said as Catalina abruptly stood up,

"I'm tired, I'll see you in the morning, Gabriel."

She began to walk away as Gabriel looked towards me. Only when we heard the slam of a door did he speak.

"Awkward conversation my ass," Gabriel said as he began to stand up, I grabbed his wrist, pulling him back down to his seat.

"Leave the girl for the night brother."

Gabriel stared at me for a moment and I could tell he was angry with me but he listened anyway.

We finished the rest of our meal in silence but every so often I caught Gabriel glancing at the hallway where she wandered off. He knew she was angry and I knew he wanted to help but right now he can't. Not while she was in this destructive mindset. The girl was a danger to herself and Gabriel. If he went and followed her to her room right now, she would lash out in anger. I could see it in her eyes. There was so much anger there. Or maybe it was hatred. Either way, both of those emotions were deadly. The girl was practically a ticking time bomb. She was bound to explode sooner or later.

* * *

Eventually, Gabriel made his way outside on his balcony. I followed, softly shutting the door behind me.

"Some friend you have there brother," I said before taking a long drink from my glass. I truly didn't understand how Gabriel could call this girl a friend. Just from the few brief moments I was in her presence, I could tell what she was like. Where there was kindness within Gabriel, there was anger within her. Where Gabriel was selfless, she was selfish.

"She is just going through a difficult time right now." Gabriel sighed,

"She is self-absorbed and reckless, rude and quite frankly a piece of work. Truly Gabriel I don't understand how you even consider her a friend."

Gabriel's chest puffed and his voice slightly deepened,

"You would do well to remember that not everyone is as they seem."

You're not wrong.

"Has she always had that orange in her eyes?"

Gabriel looked at me with curiosity in his eyes as he answered,

"Yeah, her family has a history of Iron deficiency. It's weird though everyone else in her family has low iron but she has higher levels of Iron. Why do you ask?"

I shrugged it off

"I was simply curious." Short, simple, and to the point. It was the truth after all. I hadn't encountered anyone with orange hues in their eyes so seeing her eyes naturally left me a little on the curious side.

"You know she might be past saving Gabriel," I told him. Some people couldn't come back if they were too far gone and I feared his friend just might be.

"She is not too far gone. Help me save her Lucifer."

I could see the pain and longing in his eyes. He so badly wanted to help the girl who was somehow important to him. He truly did care for her and he would do anything to help her.

"Why should I?"

I just needed one good reason from him.

"The things that girl has survived," Gabriel chuckled as tears clouded his eyes yet he continued,

"She should've died a long time ago. The things she has been through are damning enough. Yet, she is still here. A part of her is still fighting,"

Gabriel turned to face me, his posture stiffening and voice tight with restrain,

"She deserves a chance to be happy, a chance to finally be able to live and I fully intend to make sure she gets it."

Not everyone gets a happy ending Gabriel.

"If I agree to this, we do it my way. You may not agree with my methods but it's what has to be done."

Gabriel looked me in the eyes,

"Swear you won't do anything to harm her."

Does throwing her off the balcony count as harming her?

"I swear I will not harm her."

"Thank you brother and just know you are more than welcome to stay here."

I haven't shared a space with Gabriel in eons but if I was being honest, I did miss it but I'd never admit it to him.

"Very well I shall have my stuff brought over tomorrow morning."

Gabriel smiled and raised his glass to mine.

"Well then, cheers brother-" I cut him off

"Don't ruin the moment Gabriel."

He laughed and for a moment everything seemed peaceful. I didn't know how I was going to help the girl. She certainly needed help judging from her little outburst earlier. But I had to tread carefully. Everybody was different, where one thing could motivate one person, it could be another's breaking point. I knew what the first part would be, the most boring truth to be told but research. Watching and seeing how she reacts to certain things, and what she did on a daily basis. Getting every bit of information I could on her. Only then could I even begin to think of a way to help this girl. Then again, despite what Gabriel said, she just might be past saving.