The Longest Line, Chapter III

By Lucifiel

Disclaimer: I don't own Angel Sanctuary or any of its characters. This we know. Get on with it.

Raphael didn't spend any more time gaping than his astonishment would allow him, and dove down into the battle, looking for Uriel or Rosiel, one or the other. Uriel, preferably.

After a few more moments of searching, Raphael found the General, slicing five higher class demons in half with a blow. Raphael landed ran to him, "Sir!! Lucifer is here! He...he has Michael, sir!"

"What?! How could you let this happen, Raphael!?" Uriel rounded on him, his eyes flashing. "This could spell disaster for all of us! You know we can't afford to lose an Archangel!"

"H-hai, Uriel-sama..." Raphael bowed his head, miserable, "It all happened so fast...I..I..." He trailed off, unable to say more for fear of appearing weak in front of his General.

"Never mind," Uriel said, placing a hand on Raphael's shoulder, "I am sure you tried your best. But...we must retreat. I will find Michael."

Raphael's head snapped up, "Sir, I request permission to come with you."

Uriel's face became stern, and his eyes glinted, "I cannot lose two Archangels, you need to st-"

"Sir!!" Raphael protested, "It was my fault that Mika got captured in the first place!! Please let me make it up to him!!" Uriel looked as he was going to say no again, but Raphael's blue eyes widened and he grabbed Uriel's sleeve, "Please!!"

Uriel made his descision and nodded, "All right, but stay behind me." Raphael nodded and followed Uriel into the air. The two were joined a moment later by Rosiel, who grinned and claimed he wanted a peice of Lucifer as well. Uriel couldn't tell Rosiel no, considering the Inorganic Angel outranked him, so they flew in silence.

The trio dodged flying debris, limbs, and various entrails before they saw Lucifer, still holding Michael, fighting off a group of angels with a hand, and winning. Michael was still unconscious, Raphael saw, cringing. What if he...no. Raphael shook his head. He couldn't think that; he wouldn't think that.

After Lucifer was finished with the angels, he looked up just in time to see Raphael, Uriel, and Rosiel land in front of him. Raphael's eyes narrowed at the Dark Prince, but Lucifer ignored Raphael, focusing his frightening black stare on Rosiel. The tension was so thick not even Michael's sword could have cut through it...until Rosiel broke the silence, wearing one of his smug grins. "Ah Lucifer...it has been a long time." Silence. "Well seeing as we've lost, and you are going to be deploying your main forces if we don't leave, might we have our little Archangel back?"

Lucifer's face, which had remained stony and impassive before Rosiel's speech, grew taut with anger, "So you can try and rape him again? I think not."

Rosiel's amber eyes narrowed and he fingered his shoulder, "That is none of your business, scum."

"Isn't it?" Lucifer asked, scoffing, "He is under my protection, I think it is my business if a deranged Inorganic Angel tries to rape him, ne?"

Raphael's eyes darted back and forth from Lucifer, to Michael, to Rosiel. Was that what had happened to his young friend when he had been gone? Had Rosiel tried to rape him, and Lucifer had intervened? Had Lucifer gone so far as to-

"Fool," Rosiel growled, "Would you deny me what is rightfully mine?!"

"Rightfully? How is Michael yours? Now I'm curious," Lucifer's thin lips turned up in a smirk, taunting Rosiel, who clenched his fists and said nothing. "Mm. That's what I thought. You claim that he is yours for the sole purpose of wanting to own him and his innocence. Perhaps I should resign, you make a better Satan then I ever could hope to be, Rosiel-sama."

Uriel, who, throughout the entire exchange had stood silent, now spoke up. "Lucifer, I understand your concerns, and I assure you," The General shot a glare at Rosiel, "I will take steps to make sure this will never happen again."

Lucifer sighed, "Of course, Uriel, you say this now, and you feel the conviction now, but when you return to your beautiful city of light, all of this will become a memory, and the promises you made will seem unimportant. I know how you Angel's minds work. I was one. No," He smirked, "I think I will keep my brother, thank you."

Raphael clenched and unclenched his fists, wanting to say something but knowing whatever he said wouldn't make the slightest dent of an impact. All he could of was that this was his fault. He had left Michael by himself on the mission, thus subjecting his young friend to Rosiel's lust and who knew what Lucifer had done, and he had distracted Michael, causing the demons to slam into him and deliver the boy straight into Lucifer's hands. The guilt was almost unbearable, and Raphael felt as if he would tear apart with grief. "Mika-chan..." He whispered, a tear slipping out of his eye, "I am so sorry..."

Lucifer's smirk turned into a grin, but at that moment Michael stirred, his blue eyes opening a fraction, then widening all the way when he saw Lucifer. "Lucifer-sama..." He murmured, bringing up a hand to his brother's chest and smiling.

Smiling...?

Raphael looked closer, and saw that Michael's smile was genuine. He was happy to see Lucifer! Just what had Lucifer done to Michael? As if to answer Raphael's unspoken question, Lucifer looked up and smiled, "He is staying with me," Then set Michael down, waving a hand and handing him his sword, conjured up from God knows where...

"What?!!" Rosiel's amber eyes shook and glared at Lucifer, "You...you've had him, haven't you?!!?"

Lucifer smiled, "Hai, Rosiel-sama," Then put a hand on Michael's shoulder, and to emphasise his point, kissed Michael ever-so-sweetly on the lips, then pulled away, wearing his ever-present smartass smirk. Rosiel was so angry he could have spit, and Raphael snickered, seeing the humor in it all in a second.

He turned to Michael and grinned, winking, "Well you certainly got a good deal, Mika-chan, Lucifer's well-endowed, ne? I don't suppose...you'd let me come?"

Michael grinned back, looking up at Lucifer and asking the question with his eyes. Lucifer looked from Raphael to Michael and nodded. Raphael crossed over to Michael and smiled at Uriel and Rosiel. "Gomen...but if Michael's going, so I am."

Lucifer smiled and waved, scooping up Michael and opening a portal, stepping into it, Raphael following. The portal remained for a moment, then closed, leaving Rosiel and Uriel alone with the battlefield of demons and angels.

The End.

Heh heh heh. That was fun...