Giving Thanks

[Lucifer]

He stood silently upon her doorstep, awaiting a response from his knock upon his former beloved's door. Yes, he could have simply transported himself through either shadow of flame into her home, perhaps use a window to manifest himself within her domicile, but even though she scarred him for eternity by bearing another man's child, Lucifer still held a deep respect for Cecilia. He'd honor the memory of what they had for the time being, requesting permission to enter her home instead of forcing his presence. He only hoped that she realized that he wasn't there to cause trouble, but in fact, to thank her.

He needed to thank her for opening his eyes and reminding him of his position and his place within the darkness. Lucifer needed to thank the young mother for reminding him that love was only a tool to be utilized in his ruthless business, used to bend men's will to his desire. Love, he found, was an emotion that made one vulnerable, desperate and therefore, that much more willing to do what it takes to find such foolish sentiment. He chuckled at the thought. Lucifer chuckled at the irony of love, how love was His teachings and that it has been and will be his most powerful tool to turn His followers away.

Yes, he would have to thank Cecilia for reminding him why he had forsaken the emotion, ridding himself of such vulnerabilities. The devil paused for a moment, gazing upon the floor as he pondered another facet of his past relationship with this former slayer. Elizabeth. He had grown fond of the child during his tenure as her stand-in father, though, due to the circumstances of her resurrection, was practically immune to evil. She, unfortunately, would grow up to be like that damned Cian's former lover, Lorana... a demon slayer. Lucifer grimaced at the thought. His own daughter fighting against him. It was fitting he supposed.

The other child, however, had been stained with darkness. Cecilia's soul, already bound to the underworld by her past associations with himself, and the father, Sohma's soul, stained by the use of a demonic blade, had practically condemned the new babe to darkness. The maelstrom that had led to the child's conception, the taint of the bride of Satan's soul, and the sins of lust, pride, and wrath has all led to the child's fate. Lucifer smirked at the realization. Balance dwelled within Cecilia's children... Elizabeth, a beacon of light and purity, and Lexi.. dear Lexi, had all she needed to become the harbinger of darkness and destruction. She only needed... a mentor...

[Cecilia]

The soft splatter of rain drops against the window helped lull the babe in her arms to sleep. Lexi had been fussy lately, always fighting off sleep or wanting another bottle. Only two weeks old, and Cecilia knew that she was a little hellion. It showed within the babe’s eyes, and the affects, well they were quite evident upon the young woman as well. Emerald eyes were almost bloodshot, her face was pallid, and her movements were far more sluggish than normal. Between Lexi and Elizabeth, she was slowly being overcome by exhaustion.

During the day, Elizabeth was eager to learn every little facet of the world. Curiosity lingered in the wide, hazel eyes, and her tiny feet were fast in spanning the entire house. The precious angel didn’t understand why her mother was so busy, and why her baby sister needed so much attention. To Liz, it seemed silly that Lexi cried so much. Sometimes, she too would sit with her mother and try to coo the babe into peace. Others, the toddler would simply ignore the obnoxious sound and chase Ginger about the house.

At night, like it was now, Elizabeth was winding down, yet Lexi seemed more lively than ever. No matter how many lullabies she sang, how long she rocked back and forth in the nursery, Lexi was determined to stay awake. So when Cecilia heard a knock at the door, she cringed. Thankfully, it hadn’t disturbed the newborn, so the brunette carefully placed her in the crib and made her way quietly down the stairs. Before she had even reached the bottom, his aura became apparent, causing her to freeze in place. Why was he here again?

Shaking the feelings of resentment off, she warily opened the door. There he was in all his glory, while she seemed a mere fragment of her own. “I thought you weren’t supposed to be a part of our lives… or has the Man upstairs changed His mind?” Hidden within her soft words was a note of bitterness. She didn’t want him here, that much was obvious, but she hadn’t closed the door in his face either. Standing aside was the only gesture of invitation she would give to the demon lord.

[Lucifer]

Cecilia's condition surprised the dark lord, her eyes dark and slightly sunken in, probably due to a lack of sleep from the young ones, and yet still... she remained beautiful. In earnest, he had come to cause trouble, to rile her up with yet another of his prophetic warnings, but seeing her in this state, feeling the children within the home, his weakness revealed itself once again.

His resolve faltered and he shook his head to answer her question, "On the contrary, it is not said that I have been forbidden to be a part of your lives, I have only been forbidden to partake in what belongs to him. Though I still feel it within, I cannot share or benefit from what He has given unto his children. I cannot assume the role of a husband, lest I be interjecting upon one of his sacred rites. I can visit, converse, and even partake of a dinner and time with the child, but I can not partake in actions that would bind you to my side. At least.. not until your passing."

He now had mixed feelings about such a time. He would have her soul, that much was evident, but did he really wish to see her perish just so he could have her again, and if she did live and remarried, would he be able to bear witness to such torment? Lucifer cursed himself. Such matters of the mortals... such trouble.

Accepting her invitation, he stepped into the home and glanced around. Besides the new toddler belongings and new items for the babe, it hadn't changed too much. At least he didn't feel the presence of the slayer, Sohma. Not that he was afraid of a mere man; he just didn't feel up to putting up with such nonsense at the time. "How is she?" he finally asked, though he already knew the answer. It was simply a way to start a conversation.

[Cecilia]

Cecilia wasn’t sure what to say, not after he had said that. She had half expected him to come here and gloat about his wondrous life without her, or even ask to tuck Liz into bed. His words, however, were nothing of the sort. They made her fingers clench tightly at her side, as though for a moment she was fighting with her instincts to lash out at him. She couldn’t take his words at face value like that. He might have missed her companionship. That much was possible. To believe that he still loved her after having another’s child, though, would be foolish indeed.

The once proud woman bit her bottom lip as she turned away from him, wariness lingering in a sideways glance. It would do her little good to argue about things that rested in the past. So she figured a witty remark would suffice. “Well, let us both hope that my dying day is no time soon. It’d be a shame to cause a riot so soon after my departure.” The corner of her lip barely turned up, resembling an attempt at a smirk.

A fairly loud rumbling noise brought her out of any despairing notions. She hadn’t paid much attention to the dinner part of what he had said, but apparently her stomach had. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t really eaten anything since breakfast with Liz. There was hardly time to actually cook since Lexi’s birth. She had been amazed that she had actually gotten a small pile of pancakes done. The day before that, she had just managed to pop a casserole in the oven before the children called for her. She supposed she could warm some of that up while she talked to Lu, assuming he was actually here to talk. His question seemed to indicate such, but she couldn’t be sure.

“Liz is dealing. She’s not quite sure what to think of her baby sister, but she’s trying to make the best of it. I think she’s most fond of the idea that one day she’ll be able to play dress up and play tea party with her. Thankfully, she’s got Ginger to torture for now.” There was some level of cordialness within her voice as she walked into the kitchen and removed the leftovers from the fridge. From the looks of it, Sohma had been in it, but there was plenty left for her own supper.

While the microwave worked its magic, Cecilia leaned back against the counter and took in a deep, tired breath. “She’s probably in her little tent with the kitten at this moment, though she’s supposed to be asleep. You can tuck her in, if you’d like…” Her shoulders lifted in a shrug as her eyes rose to meet Lu’s gaze.

[Lucifer]

Lucifer had to smile. Despite the fact that she was worn down from the children in the home, and she seemed a bit perturbed by his presence at her home, she still managed to keep the fire within her burning. "I wouldn't worry too much about Death's embrace. I'm sure he's as afraid of you as any vampire or vermin that would attempt to harass you." He shrugged and followed her into the kitchen, simply watching and listening as she explained the happenings within her home. It seemed Liz was happy, though she always seemed to have a good demeanor. It was as he thought with the new child, however, quite the little devil. He smirked.

Lucifer watched as she heated up the leftovers, feeling through her mind, exploring her thoughts. It was actually a bit disturbing, how open her mind was to him. She usually had it locked up so tightly, that even he would have trouble digging through her guarded secrets. Today, such was not the case. Sohma had indeed been spending his days at Cecilia's home, hunting during the night, but apparently, he hadn't assisting with the development of his own child.

He had been silent too long. The Demon Lord knew that if he continued delving without so much a word, she'd get suspicious and discover what he was doing, though he was sure she probably felt him probing around anyways. It wasn't as if he was necessarily hiding it. "Oh, you know how children can be. Bitter rivals one minute, the best of friends the next. It's all a part of growing up I suppose. It's how it's always been. As far as torturing the cat, I'm sure you mean with those death grip hugs that she loves to give."

He paused momentarily, tilting his head. "You'd allow that?" He inquired, an eyebrow quirked. "When I first arrived, the expression on your face looked as if though you were ready to douse me with a Super Soaker full of holy water."

[Cecilia]

Though Cecilia could indeed feel him searching within her mind, she made no attempt to shut him out. There was nothing to hide from him. She knew he couldn’t do much with the information she held, and the most troubling of her thoughts were locked away so tightly even she didn’t access to them most of the time. So she merely perked a brow and spoke in an almost amused voice, “Find anything interesting in there?”

The beep of the kitchen appliance brought her gaze away from him, her attentions turning to the food before her. She nodded briefly at his statement about the girls, allowing the food to slide down her throat shortly after. It wasn’t too bad, but she could definitely tell she hadn’t really put the time and care into the dish that she normally did. “That and I’m sure she’s trying to dress the cat, too. I’ve already seen her trying to make Ginger drink out of a sippy cup.” Another smile appeared at the corner of her lips before she returned to her meal.

At the mention of a super soaker, the brunette actually laughed. “Lu, I’m tired and stressed. Plus, due to our previous engagements… you can’t exactly blame me for thinking the worst. If you had come here simply to tuck Liz in, you could have simply snuck in and hidden your presence from me.” Standing to her feet, she put her now empty plate into the sink and rinsed it off. “Not to mention… I wouldn’t even have our little angel if it wasn’t for you. You have the right to see her whenever you want, so long as you don’t carry her back to your world.”

When she turned back to face him, she even gave a small smile. “As far as Liz is concerned, you’re her father. The fact that we’re no longer together doesn’t change that fact.” Slowly, she made her way past the demon lord and headed for the stairs. Just because she was tired didn’t mean she was going to shirk her duties to her oldest daughter.

[Lucifer]

The Father of Lies wasn't surprised in the least by her question, finding it actually a bit amusing, but her laughter... was a double-edged sword to the Prince of Darkness. It drew him back to nearly a year ago now, to their last camping trip and Elizabeth attempting to get the stickiness of a melted marshmallow from a smore off her fingers. The little girl had thought it funny at first as well, laughing along with her parents, until the stickiness got worse and she started to have trouble pulling her fingers apart.

Her whimpers started low, licking at the marshmallow in an attempt to remove it from her fingers, but unsuccessful, she broke out into a full cry. Both he and Cecilia chuckled at their daughter's predicament, but her mother, taking pity, used a baby wipe to clean the mess from Elizabeth's fingers. The sentimental thoughts were too much for him, a small smile creeping over his face, though oddly, at the same time, he could feel past regrets tearing at him from the inside. Lucifer closed his eyes for a brief moment.

The reflection's hold upon him was dangerous. She had said something and he had almost missed it. "Yes, easily enough, but I decided to show your home a bit of respect. Besides, if I had done that, you would have detected my presence and possibly thought the worst. Just as you said, our interactions during troubled times hadn't always been normal." He rose an eyebrow at the young woman, knowing what he had done to get the child from Death's icy touch, but that didn't mean he necessarily had a right to the girl. The offer was appreciated though.

He snapped his fingers, "And I was so hoping to see her petting Cerberus." The demon lord was of course joking, but there was nothing to joke about her next comment. In fact, it had taken him completely off guard, her generosity completely unexpected. "I... don't... thank you.." he muttered, feeling like a complete idiot. He was suppose to be the most feared thing on and below the face of the planet and yet here he was, blabbering like a moron. Watching her swaying hips as she moved to the stairs, Lucifer frowned, not liking the effect this visit was having on him. He said nothing more, simply following her up the stairs and to his little girl's room.

[Cecilia]

Cecilia turned her head, shaking it lightly in response to his words. “Now Lu, if you knew anything about our daughter, you would know she hates big dogs. Puppies and kitties are quite another matter, however.” Her words were far from serious, indicated by her tone, but she smiled nonetheless to reassure him. Though she was in desperate need of rest and relaxation, she wanted to keep a positive attitude about her children. They, after all, were about the only people she could rely on to stick around, atleast for another eighteen years or so.

Quietly, she slipped into Elizabeth’s bright room, one that glittered in pink and yellow. There, within the corner of her room was a makeshift tent, held up by chairs, sheets, and strings that were attached to other sturdy objects. Yes, Cecilia could have actually bought her a real, collapsible tent, but she had found it a lot more fun to make the tent with her little angel. Elizabeth was thrilled by it too, as was easily observed from the giggles sounding within the structure. The lights were off, but she could see the shine of a Dora the Explorer flashlight within.

She shook her head again, not at all surprised with her daughter’s behavior. It took little time for the young woman to crawl into the tent, though her legs stuck out and into the room. “Liz, honey, there’s someone here to see you.” Cecilia’s voice was soft and loving, her eyes full of happiness for the moment. ”Who is it, mommy?” A small smile preceded her reply, “You’ll just have to look and see, now won’t you?” Delightful giggles filled the room, the toddler eager to be visited by anyone. The moment they emerged from the tent, Elizabeth’s eyes lit up. The toddler instantly ran towards Lu, her arms stretched out wide as she did so. “Lu Lu! Yay!”

Emerald eyes took in the scene with no malice or hidden intent. Truly, it made her happy to see Elizabeth so enthused. She only wished that she could see these moments more often. Quietly, the young woman slipped out of the room, only lingering to whisper, “I’ll let you two have a moment to yourselves. I think Lexi is calling.” Indeed, she had heard a stir within Lexi’s room, a whine in fact. It wasn’t hard to differentiate between the baby’s upset and just annoyed moods. The volume of her screams made it a little easy. She could only assume that Lexi was just upset that she wasn’t in her mother’s arms.

Thus, she made it into the room as quickly as possible and scooped her daughter up. Her nose clued her into the real reason for Lexi’s fussiness. "Someone's got a stinky little diaper, don't they?" A single finger rose to tap the child on the nose. "As soon as your daddy gets in he's going to change you and clean up your poo. Yes he is... cause if he doesn't mommy’s gonna kick his scrawny little ass." Cecilia made quick work the ordeal, knowing that if she didn’t, Lexi was only going to bawl. Fortunately, no infant screams were heard in the building, the babe being quietly rocked in her grasp. “Oh Lexi… mommy needs sleep… Mommy really needs sleep.”

[Lucifer]

Lucifer smirked at the teasing reply, that being more like his former beloved. He followed the young woman, frowning at the utter brightness and color of the room, though he supposed it was necessary to keep it bright and cheery for the young girl hiding within the sheets and furniture. He had to chuckle at the scene, a light making the sheets glow just slightly, silhouettes of the chairs and the little girl shifting around, something held tightly within her clutches. No doubt it was the kitten that Cecilia had mentioned earlier.

The Demon Lord rose an eyebrow at the young woman, watching as she lowered to her hands and knees, crawling into the little darling's fortress. His eyes wandered, peering upon her perfectly shaped apple-bottom. Surprisingly however, the lustful thoughts that would have normally struck him remained at bay as he listened to his daughter's voice. It was... for a lack of a better word... heavenly. Interest interrupted the child's play time and Lucifer chuckled as a cat dressed in a tiny doll skirt and a sun bonnet scampered away from the tent, complete with a bow tied about her tail.

Lucifer knelt as the toddler rushed toward him, opening his own arms to welcome the child into his embrace. Though he knew that her heart was as pure as winter's first snow, he held her tightly against him, reveling in the affection she bestowed upon him. "Hey there.." he whispered, tucking an arm under her rear end so that she didn't fall when he stood. "There's my little princess.." Lucifer smiled and nodded as Elizabeth nuzzled against his neck, making herself comfortable in his arms.

He knew Cecilia was tired, knew that she was exhausted from raising the two children -- three children if he counted Sohma -- on her own and now that he witnessed her sacrifice and love for her daughters, he actually started to feel a bit guilty about coming to gloat about her misfortunes and the darkness tainting Lexi's soul. Liz's arms had ensnared themselves about his neck and so, he felt it safe enough to remove the arm from behind her back. "I have something for you.." he whispered to his daughter. Spreading his fingers open, a small pendant dangled from his fingers, the golden chain wrapped about two of his fingers.

He smiled as the girl squealed in delight and took the charm from his hands. "If you ever want to see me, all you have to do, is open the locket and speak my name. No matter where I am, what I am doing.. I will come." Leaning forward, he kissed her lightly upon the forehead. Though she was all that he stood against, he couldn't help but feel compassion and more for this young girl. She placed the charm about her neck, the grooves within the heart pendant, glowing with an unnatural blue light. "Now, come. Let's find your mother."

Making his way through the house, Elizabeth firmly within his grasp and nuzzled against his shoulder, Lucifer proceeded to the other child's room. He chuckled at her comments though, inwardly, he wished that she was his own. He saw a way to spend time with both children, though.. did he really wish to tend to the needs of another man's daughter? Even if she was tainted with the evil of Cecilia and Sohma... he shook his head. Something... was making him dizzy. Something in the room. He ignored the feeling for now, soft snores and a light blue glow coming from his shoulder. "You have your work cut out for you, don't you?"

[Cecilia]

Cecilia’s head turned, eyes almost showing unbelief at his choice of words. Did he actually care, or was he simply trying to make small talk at this point? “I do… far more so than I had even dared to imagine. I thought it would be just like raising Liz, but I suppose Liz was a bit older when I found her.” Cecilia’s voice was soft, trying to keep her tone as soothing as possible for the babe within her arms. Little did she know that Lexi’s gaze had met with the Prince of Darkness, holding it with something akin to knowledge of who and what he was. Cecilia only knew that a certain vibe was being produced within the room, and that she didn’t like it.

Moving the baby so that her head rested on Cecilia’s shoulder, the young mother sighed softly. “What’s wrong Lexi? You can’t possibly want another bottle.” Her hand gently patted the young one’s back as she paced around the room. With reluctance, she looked up to Lu, and in that second that she saw her other child in his arms, she felt a certain hatred rise up in her heart. It wasn’t that she hated her former husband. No, she hated that she still wanted him. There was no chance that they would again share the bond they once held.

The pain she felt seemed to resonate with the child as well, fussy whines coming from the babe’s mouth. “Shhh, it’s okay,” she cooed to the babe, fighting back tears of weakness. “You should probably take Liz back to her room. She doesn’t need to lose sleep, too.” Her gaze momentarily met Lu’s again before she slipped out of the room and headed downstairs to make a bottle for the fussy child. She wasn’t sure what to make of it, really. Dimitri had examined Lexi several times, and found that there was nothing wrong. Lexi was a strong, healthy infant, as Cecilia had learned too well during the birthing process.

Another weary sigh left the woman’s lips as she laid the child within the downstairs, rolling crib. “Little Lexi… You’re not going to be a little angel like your sister, are you? I suppose I’ll just have to call you my little abomination then, won’t I?” Her voice was still a coo, though there was teasing behind it. As oddly as it sounded, however, Cecilia felt truth ringing through her words. She loved Lexi as dearly as she did Elizabeth, but it seemed her time as the Mistress of Evil had its own repercussions.

[Lucifer]

Lucifer felt it as well, the odd aura that seemed to radiate between himself and the babe within her arms, though he figured it was just the darkness that dwelled within the child's heart. It wasn't natural for someone so young to be consumed with such evil. Then Lexi's eyes met his own and he simply watched the child, raising an eyebrow as there almost seemed to be a twinkle of knowledge in her eyes. It was impossible, Lexi couldn't possibly know whom he was and what he represented. She was simply too young to understand such things. "Yes, perhaps," Lucifer muttered, unsure what to say that would console her.

Instead, he simply watched as she tried to comfort the child, patting her back and paced back and forth, perhaps in an attempt to put the child to sleep. Nothing seemed to work. Cecilia glanced at him and he could feel the hatred and admiration welling from within her. Her emotions were conflicted, another cause for her stress levels to elevate dramatically. Lucifer frowned inwardly, the expression on his face blank. He still loved Cecilia, no matter what the angels and He had dictated and he hated seeing her in this state. Upon her suggestion however, he nodded and vacated the room, Liz resting peacefully on his shoulder.

In the child's room, he shook his head at the little tent and the cat in one of the corners trying to get the little bonnet off its head. Laying the little one in her bed, he draped the covers over her, tucking the fabric under her chin. Lucifer smiled as the little one rolled over onto her side and sighed in contentment, her fingers firmly grasping the small locket. In normal situations, it would have been advisable to take the locket from the child, put it up on a dresser so she wouldn't be strangled, but no such thing would happen to Elizabeth. She had the protection of the Demon King.

Returning to the room he had left Cecilia within, he returned to find the woman gone. Letting out a brief sigh, he shook his head and followed the dark aura of her soul. He paused for a moment. The child's soul... it was far darker than even Cecilia's, which he had previously thought impossible. Cecilia had been the very mistress of Hell, the Bride of Lucifer, and yet, her child had a soul so dark it nearly rivaled his own. "Odd.." he muttered before continuing downstairs. Arriving in the room, he smiled slightly at the scene. Though she was exhausted, there was just something beautiful about a mother and her child, even if the child had been stained with the darkness of her sins. He frowned at the thought.

The child wasn't his own, so why should he care if it was exhausting Cecilia, draining her of every bit of energy that she had. Hell, her weariness would actually probably be better for himself. If she passed out or worse, then there was that much more of a chance that he could have her back again, in his arms and in the pits of Hades. It would be magnificent to have her back again, though... he paused and watched the two. She would be miserable without the children. Letting out a sigh, he approached the two and slowly, withdrew Lexi from Cecilia's arms. "No, I doubt she will. She seems a little more headstrong than her little sister." The dizziness magnified. "Go lie down, Cecilia. Take a nap. I'll watch over the munchkins."

He wasn't really going to give Cecilia much of a choice in the matter, cradling the babe within his arms and pushing his former wife's shoulder toward her bedroom. "I know you're a powerful woman, strong in your own right, but even you need sleep." The child, though fussy at first, seemed to have quieted in his arms, simply staring up at the Father of Lies.

[Cecilia]

At Lucifer’s actions, Cecilia rose a brow. She knew more than anyone the pride of the great fallen angel, and holding another man’s child in his arms seemed to go against every egotistical fiber of being within him. “Lu you’re not-,” her words were cut off by his own, and within moments she knew that no good would come from fighting him in this. Truly, she didn’t have the strength to fight such a battle, nor did she even have the desire. A nap would do her well. When she awoke she would be refreshed and ready to take on anything the two children could throw at her.

Thus, she slowly made her way up the stairs, only stopping to check in on her dearest Elizabeth. Though she saw the charm hanging from the child’s neck, she was sure that it would be of no harm. Lu would never do anything to bring injury to his little angel. Lexi on the other hand… she had no clue of why he would even touch her. It made no sense to her that he would put himself through such an ordeal, not unless he had something in mind.

Too tired to think of such things for long, Cecilia finally dragged herself into her room and onto her bed. She didn’t change out of the sweatpants and t-shirt. Instead, she simply closed her eyes and let sleep wash over her. It was something she hadn’t truly experienced since she had come out of the anesthesia given to her after Lexi’s birth. Nor did she realize how valuable it was until her waking moment, nearly seven hours later.

Eyes flickering, the young woman searched for her alarm clock. “Five o’ clock,” she whispered, not quite believing it. She had expected to be awoken the moment Lexi needed a bottle or a clean diaper, since that was what Sohma usually did. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Cecilia rose to her feet and searched around the house. Liz was still sleeping soundly, and Lexi was atop Lu’s chest on the living room sofa. It brought a smile to her face, and for a moment she forgot the circumstances they were both under.

Knowing that alone time was precious, she eventually made her way back up the stairs to take a shower and get on a pair of clean clothes. God, how long had it been since she could enjoy such silence? It seemed centuries ago. Her mind got to thinking about what else she could use this time for, and then she made her way into the kitchen to make eggs, bacon, and biscuits for the three of them. A real breakfast seemed a nice way to start the day.

[Lucifer]

Lucifer shook his head at the woman, not wanting to hear any excuse that she may give him for not allowing him to assist her in her time of need. He thought he knew what she was going to say, that he wasn't the girl's father, but he really wasn't doing it for Lexi's well-being, even if there seemed to be some sort of odd connection between himself and the little girl. He was doing it for his lost beloved, Cecilia Lunsford. Even though the angels had ordered him to dissolve the marriage and that he would never be able to bring her back into the depths of his domain, they didn't necessarily say that he needed to stay completely away from her. That wasn't in their power, no matter what their master said.

The Father of Lies could feel the sudden drop of his beloved's vital signs, the slowing of her breath, the decline of her heart rate, and he smiled. She was finally asleep, getting some much needed rest. He turned his attentions back to the little girl within his arms, wondering about the dizziness he had felt. It had all but faded now, but there was still an odd connective feeling with this child's aura. He supposed he could peer deeper into the situation, find out exactly what was going on, but something distracted him, a scent that he hadn't experience with. Holding the child out at arm's length, he frowned, "You didn't?" Lexi, of course didn't say anything, but there were some soft 'ah' sounds that escaped her lips. "You are a little abomination, aren't you?" Lucifer grumbled as he carried the girl to Cecilia's changing table.

Laying the girl on the table, he peeled the adhesive strips from the diaper and instantly regretted it, the smell washing over him. "Oh man, that's rank..." he commented, holding his nose and turning away from the little girl. "And I thought the river Styx smelled bad," he teased. Peering around, the devil found the box of wet wipes and proceeded to cleaning the noxious mess. Carefully positioning the girl's bottom in the middle of a clean diaper after cleansing the girl, he closed the diaper and lifted the child back against his shoulder. It was then that he felt something else trickling onto his shoulder after a tiny belch. "Nice, first poo, and now vomit. The hell with it," he muttered before snapping his fingers and the mess disappeared. The baby seemed to watch in amusement and awe.

Eventually, after another hour and another bottle, the little girl fell asleep and he collapsed onto the couch with the girl on his chest. "You certainly are a handful," he whispered before falling asleep himself. The scent of frying bacon, eggs, and some sort of bread baking awoke the Prince of Darkness. Since the little girl was still asleep and he didn't want to lay her on the couch, afraid she might roll off, he brought her to the kitchen with him. Lucifer smiled at the scent of the breakfast. The devil slid closer to his former beloved, and leaning just over her shoulder, kissed her lightly upon the cheek, "Smells delicious..."