I wake up to someone shaking me.

“Andrew, wake up.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I think it's time.”

I jump out of bed, grabbing my medical bag.

“Alright, lay on the bed. Take off your underwear.”

“That’s no way to get into a girl’s pants, Andrew.”

Even through her joking, she obeys, setting herself up on the bed like we practiced. I check her progress.

“You’re right. The baby is coming.”

A bolt of lightning is visible through the curtain. Thunder and rain follows soon after. A knock at the door takes my attention away for a split second. I put my finger to my lips, signaling Luci to be quiet. She nods, biting her tongue.

“House keeping!”

I move to the door. An innocent maid is standing under the little canopy.

“We don’t need anything, thank you though.”

“It is my job to come and clean this room.”

“We are a little busy at the moment, please come back later.”

I shut the door in her face, locking it, and dragging a chair from the table, ramming it under the handle. I ignore the knocking and turn back to the situation. The storm outside kicks up, wind whipping against the windows.

“Andrew, I need to push.”

I get in position, giving her the okay. The persistent maid continues knocking.

“I see the head. You’re doing great.”

The knocking stops. The door flies off the hinges, slamming into the wall on the other side of the room. The drenched maid comes in, literal fire visible in her eyes.

“You’re making a huge mistake, Lucifer.”

The maid's voice comes out raspy, more masculine. Her face flickers before vanishing, revealing a man with short brown hair.

“Gabriel.”

A large staff appears in his hand. He doesn’t move from his spot in the doorway.

“You aren't going to live much longer.”

She tenses her muscles, every so discreetly pushing, causing the baby to slide out a little more. I stay quiet, noticing her plan.

“You need to stay away from me, Gabriel.”

“You are going to lose everything!”

“You just want to save yourself.”

The power goes off. Two other figures join Gabriel. By the reaction, I assume they are Raphael and Michael. Each of their shadows is accompanied by a unique staff similar in size to Gabriel’s. One of them lunges in our direction, but something flings the archangel back. Luci screams, from pain, fear, or distress, I’m unsure. Then all of them attack at once. The invisible force throws them back each time.

“Andy, the baby!”

“I can almost see the eyes.”

“ENOUGH!”

Lucifer’s brothers freeze and so does she. They all turn towards the door where Hailey stands. Her hair is longer and she is dressed in a white robe.

“You can’t mess with fate, fools.”

The three men drop their weapons.

“She is gonna destroy us all!”

“Then that is her choice!”

“She will erase everything and the world will never be the same again!”

Between her labored breathing, Luci speaks.

“What are you talking about?”

Hailey turns to face Luci.

“The birth of this child will bring an end to not only your brothers, but me too.”

“That sounds like a fair trade for everything you put me through. Why don't you drop the meat suit and show my husband who you really are?”

“How dare you speak to me like that!”

*The exterior look of Hailey crumbles, revealing an older man with silver hair and a matching beard. His eyes are dark blue with a light green crackling over them. Actually moving and shifting in the dark blue.

“If you do this, the gates of Heaven will slam shut forever, every angel trapped in those gates. Hell, same thing is going to happen. Every demon and damned soul trapped.”

“Like I care.”

“You don't understand! You will also strip your--”

The older man rushes at the bed, but Luci screams with one final push. The baby lands safely in my hands, protesting loudly about the cold.

“NO!”

Lucifer’s brothers turn to dust in front of me along with the other man. The storm outside instantly ceases. Lucifer looks around before her eyes land on me.

“It’s a boy.”

She smiles before flopping against the pile of pillows, clearly exhausted.