it comes with a price, tag wesley

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so if you meet me, have some courtesy, have some sympathy, and some taste
JUST CALL ME LUCIFER, ‘CAUSE I’M IN NEED OF SOME RESTRAINT
use all your well-learned politesse, or I’ll lay your soul to waste
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If nothing else, he supposed he was a brave ghost with his open contradictions. Oh, humans and their certainty. Now, Lucifer could speak volumes of pride and certainty, but at the end of the day, his knowledge was expansive in comparison to humans. He had pride because he deserved it. To his response, a smile cracked on the corners of his lips and he acknowledged him almost as one would a sick, but adorable puppy. “No?” He inquired, although rhetorical. He supposed that Wesley could call himself in between. He wasn’t a soul in Heaven or Hell, but a ghost on Earth. And too much time in Hell and the humanity could be twisted and tortured away, strip by strip. That was what created a demon, after all. They had been human once. Some twisted and cruel in life, while others were completely innocent; some even charitable and self-sacrificing. Good people sacrificing their souls to save a loved one and the like. Others were just greedy, who would have probably had a much more pleasant afterlife if they had simply not sold their soul for it. Of course, most demons couldn’t remember humanity or what it had been like before they turned to demons, but they started out human and that really was the point of it. “Yet you sound just as pathetic as one.” As if it was some kind of irony to his statement of not being human. He was mocking him, at the same time reminding him that he didn’t value his opinion or contradictions.

It seemed very human to consider themselves something so different when they felt lower than they once were. To Lucifer they had never been high, hence, hard to get lower than that. Once an ape, generally, always an ape. Lucifer, himself, may not have been welcomed him Heaven, but he still was an angel. And more than his own consideration, but in all physical aspects, he was an archangel. All of his strengths and weaknesses adhered to the same rules he had been created with. He hadn’t lost his grace in the fall, nor did he lose what made him an angel. He was outcasted and damned to Hell, yes, but he was still an angel. A lot of humans seemed to get it wrong when it came down to it. The same way they seemed to understand little through the bible. There was some truth to it, some pieces that would draw on understanding. Angels as soldiers, paradise on Earth following the great war—Those were God’s plans. However, God had been derailed already and as far as Lucifer was concerned he could stay that way. “Of course, because God has a reason for everything, doesn’t he?” There was bitterness there, almost a disgruntled tone. Though, he was supposed to have been God’s most beautiful creation and to be favoured, but with the plan in mind to sentence him to Hell, to put lesser beings above him and to force his brother to kill him, well, he had every right to be disgruntled. As far as Lucifer was concerned, he had a true, justified anger. He had reason to be at odds with his Father, to loathe humanity and to want the power that belonged to him. He was not God and never would be anything close, but he was positive that he could run Heaven better.

“So you blame your position on someone else too? I don’t suppose anyone forced your hand in it?” He imagined that if he knew what he was sacrificing, he may not have complied. It was precisely why Lucifer refused to say what it was that he wanted from Sam Winchester. He wouldn’t lie to Wesley, because as Lucifer he had too much pride for that. Deception and manipulation were what he excelled at, but that didn’t mean that he lied either. He didn’t. And never had. “Good.” Lucifer replied, glad that he was satisfied with the amount of information he gave. It would work out well for both of them if he had his way. Of course, he supposed Wesley might not like knowing what he caused, but he was giving him something in return. He couldn’t think that a deal made with the Devil was going to be something that wasn’t without its price. It just so happened that Sam would pay more of a price—as he should. There was nothing that Lucifer needed to do to seal the deal. They weren’t dealing in souls, hence he didn’t need to put his mark on him; his soul wasn’t free for that to begin with. And Lucifer didn’t need any blood or sacrifice to make a deal permanent. He would come around to collect and when he did, Wesley had better deliver. It was as simple as that. Or he wouldn’t get what he asked for and then some. As the ghost outstretched his hand, Lucifer reached for it, able to make contact with the ghost if he wanted to, and shook on it.



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\\WORD COUNT: 846!?\\STATUS: done!?
\\TAG: wesley!?\\WEARING: ---!?\\LYRICS: sympathy for the devil—rolling stones!?
\\NOTES: <333!?\\CREDIT: xosunflower@caution2.0?&&blank pages!?
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“No? Yet you sound just as pathetic as one.”

The insult caused a frown to appear on Wesley's face, his jaws clenching, his fists balling a little at his sides. He couldn't really deny the fact that he had been a pathetic excuse of a human being, what with his way of reacting to Fred's death, or simply with the way in which he acted during his entire life, commencing with his childhood and teenage years, when he allowed his father to stomp onto his dignity and crush it to pieces and continuing with his failure at being a Watcher and his repeated failures in his love life. Virginia had been the first woman he had been very serious about and he lost her because his lifestyle was just a little too dangerous for her own taste, even if she was familiar with the world of magic. Then came along Fred, whom he adored from the first moment when he laid his eyes on her, practically worshiping her as the ideal woman even as he lost her to Charles. After their moment finally came, they had too little time for themselves before he lost her and he became a more pathetic man than he had ever been. Lilah – another proof of how pathetic he had been, refusing to admit to his feelings because he was too obsessed with Fred, accepting them only after he lost her. From a professional point of view, as a friend – they could go hand in hand when this particular topic was concerned - he had been pathetic even during his time spent with Angel Investigations, his attempt of helping having had disastrous consequences.

Yes, he had been pathetic and Wesley was aware that being a ghost whose chains were pulled by the ones who used to be his greatest enemies meant that he had not surpassed that condition. Knowing something was different than being told and, because of his condition and how long it had lasted, Wesley was particularly touchy about being ridiculed about it. It took plenty of effort to hold his tongue and not give Lucifer an equally stinging reply. Wesley could have thought of things to say to him but he couldn't afford the luxury of upsetting the Devil right when he was trying to strike the deal which was going to earn him his much yearned for freedom. He swallowed the insult and kept his head down, forcing himself to avoid the second opportunity that presented itself to mutter an insult as well. ”At least so they say”, he replied. There was another thought on his mind, an itch to say that he was fairly certain that God had a plan and that Lucifer having been created the way he had been created was just part of the plan; that he might have been destined to fall all along and there was nothing he could have done to stop it and stay in Heaven, by his father's side. He wanted to poke at Lucifer's wounds just like Lucifer poked at his. ”I imagine that, of course, you know better but that such knowledge is not to be shared with someone as inferior as I am”, Wesley added, pretending to have accepted how little he valued in the Devil's eyes.

“So you blame your position on someone else too? I don’t suppose anyone forced your hand in it?”

”It depends on your definition of one's hand being forced into something”, Wesley replied. ”As far as I am concerned, I would say that my hand was forced when someone tampered with my memories just enough so I wouldn't realize the risks I submitted myself by signing the contract with Wolfram and Hart.” It was peculiar how he had been so willing to sign, after having just seen what had happened to Lilah because of the perpetuity clause in her contract, after having seen that it was completely impossible to destroy such a contract. There was something completely strange in the middle and Wesley was certain that Angel had plenty to do with it. Forced his hand, as Lucifer was putting it. And, thinking of his hand, he was rather surprised when Lucifer managed to make contact with him and shake his outstretched hand, a proof of the fact that his powers could break right through the magic that Wolfram and Hart had put around him. This was one contact which Wesley didn't want to relish in for too long, because of the one with whom he was shaking his hand. ”I don't suppose you could arrange for me to remain corporeal until I find Sam, could you?” Part of him told him that it was too much to ask for but he could see no harm in asking.

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so if you meet me, have some courtesy, have some sympathy, and some taste
JUST CALL ME LUCIFER, ‘CAUSE I’M IN NEED OF SOME RESTRAINT
use all your well-learned politesse, or I’ll lay your soul to waste
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Lucifer wasn’t blind to the adverse reaction that Wesley had quietly over the insult. To be honest, it sent a spark of amusement from him, one that reached his mouth in the small upturn of a smirk before it faded. Of course humanity was pathetic as a whole, but he could pick apart Wesley’s life if he so wanted to. To have a battle of words with the Devil wasn’t often a smart one. He saw nothing to be proud of in being a ghost, especially a ghost who hardly had free will. Not that he suspected Wesley to have great pride; after all, he tried to summon Satan himself for a deal. That had to be a level of desperation and he wondered if he didn’t think that his hands were tied in this too; that this might be his last option. Lucifer didn’t dig deeply into Wesley, but he had seen enough hear to have gauged him rather well. Of course, there could be digs made at Lucifer, though it wouldn’t have been a wise move. He didn’t appreciate insults, as no one did. The only difference was that Lucifer had more power than the average offended person, given that he wasn’t really a person at all. He was an archangel and one that would have no trouble making sure that someone knew the mistakes they made. Wesley being touchy about any of this didn’t bother him. He was well aware of who had the control in this little interaction. It was Lucifer that decided to give him his time and was willing to make a deal with him. He thought that he should be at least grateful that he showed himself. He didn’t owe him anything, nor did he have respect for humans. But, this could serve him too, especially knowing that he knew how to stay in contact with Sam Winchester.

Again, amusement flickered in his expression at how he belittled himself. He was smart, at least, not to fight with Lucifer’s pride. However, he gave a careless shrug about the information. “Whether he does or doesn’t isn’t what matters so much as whether or not it’s breakable.” Lucifer replied, because he didn’t know better than that. It was a debate that could start a war, clearly. Many of his brothers and sisters would have claimed that God did have a plan and that there was absolutely no breaking it. But, that was until the plan was disrupted. Lucifer loathed the idea of the master plan and the idea that he was created to fall. It was a cruel plan to create something that had been so loved and that had loved his Father as much as Lucifer did, only to plan all along to cast him out. His anger with God came from the idea that it had been planned, where others could argue that the plan only started when Lucifer disobeyed. Lucifer couldn’t know what his Father planned or what he wanted, not after he left. He knew that he would have his brother kill him and as long as Lucifer had a say, he wouldn’t allow it to happen. “Memories tampered with or not, are you saying you were that naïve about Wolfram & Hart?” He asked, almost taunting him. Oh, he was certain Wesley could argue his case with that. But, at the same time, Wolfram & Hart was renowned and anyone who had been involved with it in the slightest should be wary of signing contracts that would bind them to it. You hardly had to know the specifics to be careful. Just because the risks couldn’t be as imagined or tangible didn’t make it any smarter to sign. “I’m going to suggest that when I’ve given you an inch, you don’t take the extra mile.” He replied to the request. What did he expect of him? As far as he was concerned, he was lucky that he would do any of this for him at all. Of course he was capable of doing a lot for Wesley, or to, if he really felt the need to. But, so far, he didn’t see a good reason to give him what he wanted except for what was already agreed upon. “If you want to be corporeal, I’m sure you can find other ways.”




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\\WORD COUNT: 727!?\\STATUS: done!?
\\TAG: wesley!?\\WEARING: ---!?\\LYRICS: sympathy for the devil—rolling stones!?
\\NOTES: <333!?\\CREDIT: xosunflower@caution2.0?&&blank pages!?
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“Whether he does or doesn’t isn’t what matters so much as whether or not it’s breakable.”

Wesley narrowed his eyes down in a quizzical manner at the Devil's words. ”Oh? Should I understand that there is truth in what is said, that the Devil's goal is to ruin God's plans for humanity?” Another question to which he imagined that might be left unanswered but there was no harm in trying to find out whether the eternal stereotype had some grain of truth behind it. Lucifer walked the face of the Earth and Wesley somehow doubted the fact that he always did it, ever since the fateful day when he was cast away from Heaven. The ghost imagined that there was a solid reason for the Devil to be among the creatures which he loathed and that this reason foretold some kind of disaster. No one could possibly believe the fact that the Devil might be up to anything good but Wesley was slightly more pessimistic than average. That treat, in addition to the fact that he dealt with too many evil creatures that wanted to end the world, made him a little more suspicious about Lucifer.

A little, faint, voice on the back of his mind warned Wesley about the fact that he was probably doing a very big mistake. What if there was a small chance that he was going to be a part of whatever plan Lucifer had for humanity? All he needed to do was getting close to Sam Winchester so that the Devil would find him at the right time and ask him a question. It looked so ridiculously easy, so harmless that, given Wesley's past experience with harmless plans he was involved in, he knew that something bad was bound to happen and make things worse than they already were. The ghost of a man silenced the voice, reminding himself that it was not his business to worry what Lucifer needed Sam Winchester for, if there was or wasn't some greater plan in which this little detail was fit. It sufficed to know that it was the key to his salvation. If he went to Hell to find some relative peace after the torture the Senior Partners submitted him to on a daily basis, then why should he care about what happened to humanity and to a world which he should have left long ago.

”I never said that I was naïve about the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart”, he replied to Lucifer. ”I have known who they were and what they were capable of doing almost since I first moved in Los Angeles. I also had the displeasure of seeing their standard perpetuity clause in action over someone whom I...” Wesley allowed his voice to trail off, his brows furrowing slightly. ”Someone that mattered to me”, he eventually finished that sentence. It felt weirder than ever to admit to the fact that he had feelings for Lilah, since his real memories blend in with the memories Cyvus Vail made for him, making the details of their not-quite-relationship extremely confusing. ”However, when it came down to signing the contract, everything I knew seemed to have been blurred just enough to stop me from having second thoughts about what I was doing. I don't believe that it happened without outside intervention”, Wesley explained. As for his request, Wesley couldn't say that he was particularly surprised about the fact that it did not receive a positive answer. He was dealing with Lucifer so it was fortunate enough that he sought him and listened to what he had to say. ”Fair enough”, he admitted, not planning to press matters. It would have been foolish to risk what he already had because he insisted to get more. ”I have tried all the ways I could think of and most of the ways others could think of for me and, yet, I still am like this. It comes with the chains that hold be bound here and I suppose its only fix will be me going away for good.”

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so if you meet me, have some courtesy, have some sympathy, and some taste
JUST CALL ME LUCIFER, ‘CAUSE I’M IN NEED OF SOME RESTRAINT
use all your well-learned politesse, or I’ll lay your soul to waste
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More than ruin. He wanted their inevitable destruction. He imagined with a few more thousand years, they could probably tackle the problem themselves and self-destruct, although he wasn’t going to wait that long to see. He was finished waiting. After millions of years, Lucifer was ready to see them burn. At the question, he gave a sly smirk, because, wasn’t it obvious that his plans would not be in their or God’s favor? “If my plan was to follow God’s plan for humanity, I wouldn’t be here right now.” Lucifer replied, because had his goal been something else, then he would have had no reason to disobey. He wouldn’t have gone against God to be cast out. His plans went against Heaven, hence they were against him. To him, knowing his own past, it was an easy knowledge to have. “You do know the story,” it was a comment, and yet there was a hint of a question in it. Surely he knew his story if he was bold enough to summon him. Though, given the amount of alteration that it seemed to see, he wouldn’t have been surprised if he wasn’t fully aware of it. But, it was his hatred for humanity that fuelled it. They needed to be taken out of the world, to restore it to the way it should have been. Lucifer had no intention of destroying the world; simply humanity. There was life before humans and there could be life again after. The world itself was nothing he wanted to destroy. It was a beautiful piece of complexity that deserved to live and breathe. Humans, on the other hand, could breathe as long as it took them to scream in agony. Beyond that they were worthless apes, beneath him in one hundred different ways.

Lucifer would never tell him what part he now played in all of that. He would help him with humanity’s destruction, simply by giving him that key player that could say yes. With his vessel, he was nearly unstoppable. His plans could be shoved back into motion. He couldn’t remain in Nick forever, after all. Eventually, he would have to find himself another vessel and if he continued on this way, it would be tiring to say the least. But, he would have Sam Winchester again. There was no doubt about that. And if Wesley could help him get his hands on the Winchester a little faster and with less of a problem, then why not give him the help he needed? Of course, it would do little good in the end, when he planned to wipe all of it out anyway. Still, he could use this to his advantage and he wondered how proud of himself he would really be when it was over. To know that he put himself above the world and himself above Sam’s remaining one hundred percent Sam. But, Lucifer honestly didn’t care at all about that. He cared about one thing in this instant and it wasn’t whether or not Wesley liked the outcome of the deal, but that he had his vessel back. And this time, he didn’t plan to let go of him. Sam had been punished extensively in Hell, but this time, he would make sure that he watched each loved one suffer and die in front of his eyes, by his hands. He started out with an attempt to be nice to him, to understand the only human worth his time. Lucifer didn’t loathe his vessels the way that he did the rest of humanity, but Sam had beaten him once and he wasn’t ready to let him get away with that even after what he had done to him in Hell.

No sympathy was offered for Wesley’s story. In fact, he looked at the man, unimpressed with what he said. He couldn’t understand why there was no second thought if he knew these things, except for foolishness and to him, it sounded as if he was seeking out a scapegoat because his decisions had gone against better judgment. Sympathy for humanity wasn’t something that he grasped easily as it was, but not in this case, not at all. He would help him if he aided him too, but that didn’t mean he thought his condition was any less than his own fault. “It must be comforting, to think that all that happened was an outside influence and not the hand of your own foolishness.” Lucifer commented, with a nonchalant shrug as he dug at the ghost. “I can’t break your chains. And I’m not the only one who can make you corporeal.” From what he imagined, he was bound because of Wolfram & Hart and that wouldn’t be a simple fix that he could just snap apart. And he knew full well he wasn’t the only one with the power to do something about his state.




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\\WORD COUNT: 819!?\\STATUS: done!?
\\TAG: wesley!?\\WEARING: ---!?\\LYRICS: sympathy for the devil—rolling stones!?
\\NOTES: <333!?\\CREDIT: xosunflower@caution2.0?&&blank pages!?
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“If my plan was to follow God’s plan for humanity, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

”That makes sense”, Wesley replied to Lucifer's comment, suppressing the urge to take one extra step and ask what was his plan then. Nothing good, without a doubt; something that must have reflected Lucifer's hatred for the human race and his wish to have vengeance against it for having lead to his fall from Heaven. What was the plan or when Lucifer would put it into practice were questions which Wesley was convinced that would remain unanswered, even if he should chose to voice them. For all he knew, Lucifer might have already begun putting his plan into practice a long time ago and everything that happened during the past years were small signs that the wheels had been set into motion. Perhaps Los Angeles having been sent to Hell was not only the Senior Partners' doing but also Lucifer's, in some indirect way. What if the Devil pulled the strings of the Senior Partners without them having the slightest idea of the fact that they were only pawns on the chessboard, just like everyone else they manipulated? Nothing would have surprised Wesley any longer.

”Yes, I know the story”, Wesley replied to the comment that bordered on being a question. ”Well, I know a couple of variations thereof. I maintain my skepticism as to which of them holds the most truth”, the ghost of a man clarified. When it came down to biblical myths, Wesley had always maintained his skepticism. Well, to be honest, up until recently he had been so skeptical about it that he had not even believed in the existence of the beings which were referred in the myths – God, Lucifer or the other angels. In the world Wesley grew up in, the ultimate concept of good were the Powers That Be and the ultimate concept of evil was the First Evil and the explanations behind those always seemed more reasonable and easy to accept to the former Watcher, perhaps because they were somewhat more tangible than the beings described in the Bible. The First Evil could take the forms of passed ones and taunt the living, it had its own agenda that it followed, while the Powers had messengers and chosen warriors to help them lean the balance towards the good side. God or the Devil – too abstract until this day, when Wesley found himself face to face with the fallen angel. An occurrence such as this one might have been enough to shake someone from the core and make them reassess their entire life and their whole system of beliefs. Not in Wesley's case. What with already being dead and the Senior Partners' puppet for so long, facing the Devil was not all that troubling.

What bothered Wesley was the way in which Lucifer made fun of him and his inability to retaliate. There were many soft spots which the ghost of a man could have prodded at in order to truly get to Lucifer, the whole problem was that he could not afford saying something that might make the Devil reconsider the whole deal. He needed to play his last card right and if that meant that he had to be humiliated, then he supposed that he would have to put up with a hurt ego. ”I like to think that outside influence was predominant in this particular case”, was the reply which Wesley settled on. Perfectly neutral and impossible to offend Lucifer with it. The Devil's next words made the ghost frown. ”You cannot break my chains? I'm sorry, did we not just agree that you would release me from my contract if I bring you Sam Winchester?” Surely he was not planning to go back on the pact. ”Perhaps you have misunderstood me: being corporeal is just a temporary fix. I want to be released and move on.”

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so if you meet me, have some courtesy, have some sympathy, and some taste
JUST CALL ME LUCIFER, ‘CAUSE I’M IN NEED OF SOME RESTRAINT
use all your well-learned politesse, or I’ll lay your soul to waste
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Lucifer was no longer on the side of God. And he hadn’t been for a long, long time. Nor would he ever be there again. He loathed his Father and his Father’s plan, as much as he still loved him and his brothers, he hated with the same intensity, because betrayal like the one that he suffered didn’t deteriorate. It didn’t fade, but instead grew stronger, more malevolent and more ready to take the plans and burn them up. Humanity, if he could help it, wouldn’t live long. He would watch them die and it wouldn’t be one clean sweep. It would be slow, but they would eventually all fall and leave the planet clean of them. Lucifer’s qualms weren’t with the planet. If anything, he loved that creation. It was perfect and brilliant, in ways that humanity never was. And humans, in their clumsy stupidity had just near destroyed it. It was nothing compared to what it was created to be. Humanity would continue to destroy it bit by bit and he was positive that if given the time, they would probably destroy one another too. Only, he wasn’t going to give them that amount of time to kill themselves off. Lucifer was a patient archangel, but he wasn’t so patient that he even considered that an option. No, it was his plans that would unravel and finish them off. He would be the one to have the final say and final laugh. And Heaven, well, Heaven could either side with or against him. Frankly, he thought that they should have been on his side all along. Only, angels didn’t think for themselves, they followed the plan without question and in that, he couldn’t understand. But, they weren’t the only angels anymore, there were those that questioned and those that stood up and struck back. That, he understood. Even if they would even pose themselves as his enemy. If only they’d realize how alike they were to him. It was just that silly care for humanity that got in the way.

And Lucifer knew that the stories of his fall held several variations. The story of the Devil himself held more myths than truths. Lucifer had turned into a scapegoat. For all of the pain that humans brought on themselves, for all of the problems that the world faced, so many would pin it back on him. But, he had done nothing. He had created demons and he could corrupt and slyly pin humans against one another, but it was their own base nature that ruined them. He only exploited what was already there. Lucifer had never created anything from nothing. The first demon came from a human and each one since had once been human, with the exception for angels who fell and transitioned from human to demon. And many angels had fallen when he had; he wasn’t alone. Lucifer hadn’t been without supporters. “Very few, possibly.” Lucifer replied with a bit of a shrug. “When humanity surfaced, God prized you. He considered you perfect, above the angels. And he asked us to love you, these hairless apes, to bow to you. But, look at all of you; the wars you wage, the planet you ruin, and how quick you are to kill each other for sin. I couldn’t bow to that. I refused. And God had me cast out. So, our plans for you, they’ve never been one in the same.” And even now, he had no intention of letting the plan be followed through. God’s plan would have paradise on Earth, at the expense of half of the planet, but paradise. It would cost his own life, however, to bring it forth and Lucifer wouldn’t have it. If Michael ever returned, he doubted he would be able to escape the fight, because Michael would never back down. He’d never get it through his thick, fanatical skull that he was wrong and that he didn’t have to follow their Father’s plan. So, they would fight and he would kill his brother. And in the meantime, he would let his plans roll forth, because who really knew what Michael was doing now?

“Of course, because otherwise you wouldn’t have your scapegoat. Blame is easier than accountability, and I can tell which you favor.” At his next question, Lucifer raised a brow momentarily at him. “The metaphorical chains that bind you as a ghost, here and now.” He replied, sounding almost bored with the question. He had taken too far of a leap in his assumption and he didn’t want to clarify further. “If you bring me the Winchester, I’ll break your contract. I keep my word.” And he never lied. That was the key to the Devil, he wasn’t a liar and he didn’t break promises. Lying was something for smaller, pettier creatures. He didn’t need to tell a lie. The truth, at the end of the day, was more powerful than a lie. “No, I didn’t misunderstand you. I simply refuse to give you your temporary fix before I give you what you actually want.” And he didn’t think that it was so bad to do so. He was lucky that he so much as agreed to break it to begin with, much less to give him anything extra for nothing. If he wanted to be corporeal, he would have to find other ways. Whether Lucifer had the power or not was irrelevant, he planned not to use it.





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\\WORD COUNT: 917!?\\STATUS: done!?
\\TAG: wesley!?\\WEARING: ---!?\\LYRICS: sympathy for the devil—rolling stones!?
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Lucifer's explanations concerning the conditions in which he was banished from Heaven caused Wesley to tap his chin thoughtfully, taking a few moments to consider the Devil's words and their potential implications. As far as Wesley had gathered from the Bible passages he had read as part of his Academy curricula or throughout the years, as part of research done on certain punctual aspects, he had been under the impression that there had been a time when humanity was... well, as inaccurate as it was to put it like this, “more perfect” than it was during the present time. According to the Bible, the decay started when Adam and Eve didn't follow the most important rule they were supposed to obey and yet, even so, things did not seem to have changed too rapidly. Wars, destruction – Wesley thought that they had been amplified in time, when the stake became much higher than it used to be in the distant past. Lucifer's words were intriguing and the ghost of a man found himself musing out loud: ”I was under the impression that mankind was close to perfection when it was first created. Adam and Eve?” His voice trailed off for a couple of moments, to give Lucifer a chance to answer, if so he wished. ”In that context, it would make sense to me that God would have expected angels to bow to his new creation. It it is like you make it sound, though, and mankind has always been corrupted and destructive, then I can honestly imagine why a being rumored to be the embodiment of beauty and perfection would object to consider them superior and worthy of respect. Wesley did not intend to be sarcastic but he was conscious of the fact that it did not require an extensive interpretation to reach the conclusion that he was anything other than sincere.

The ghost could only hope that Lucifer would not feel in the mood to start interpreting his words because he didn't want to lose the last card towards his much wanted freedom. Idly, Wesley wondered how unusual it might have been, even for the devil, to strike a deal with someone that wanted their soul to be free, in spit of being acutely aware of the fact that the only things awaiting them after recovering their freedom would be fire, brimstone and torture at the hands of demons that might not even remember that a word such as “mercy” existed. It might have been more usual for individuals to beg for salvation from Hell or a life as long as possible. Oh well... Wesley was not planning to start a survey and find out how exceptional his situation was. It was hardly the time for something like this. As fascinating as it might have been to carry out a conversation with the Devil after having bargained for his freedom, Wesley could not afford spending more time in his company. He had told the Senior Partners that he would be approaching Lucifer to make a specific offer and, whatever effects the glamour had on the all seeing eyes of the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart, Wesley didn't wish to take unnecessary chances and be delayed more than necessary. The more they carried on, the more difficult it would likely get to explain everything to the three demons and to find a very convincing scenario to fill in the gap for all the conversation. It was impossible for Wesley not to shoot the Devil a glare at the comment about his preference between assuming responsibility and placing guilt on someone else. As far as Wesley was concerned, Lucifer was judging him wrong and what happened with Connor was a good example to prove that. It would have been easy to pretend that he was one hundred percent innocent and that the only responsibles for what happened were Holtz and Justine. It would have been a lie, though. They didn't twist his hand behind his back to make him do what he had done. That had been his own personal decision and Wesley assumed responsibility for it from the first moment. In this case of the deal struck with Wolfram and Hart, deal that cost him the freedom of his immortal soul, Wesley did not consider himself responsible in the slightest. Fascinated as he might have been by the technical opportunities that presented themselves to him if they said yes and took the job at Wolfram and Hart, he had not been the one to take the execution decision and sign the name on a dotted line that twisted and erased the memory of an entire group of individuals. That had been Angel – it was his fault alone for everything that happened to the group after they started working for the law firm from Hell.

“If you bring me the Winchester, I’ll break your contract. I keep my word.”

Wesley nodded, feeling slightly reassured by the Devil's words and the way in which they were muttered – without a trace of hesitation in his tone. ”I will bring you Sam Winchester when you consider the time is right for it”, the ghost of a man reassured the Devil. Come morning, he would think of a way to approach the younger Winchester and earn his confidence, to lay the foundations for his deal with Lucifer to crystallize itself. The words spoken by the Devil, however, caused him to frown. He clenched his jaw, slightly angry and disappointed, and gave a nod of his head. ”I understand. All the more motivation for me to hurry up and make contact with the one that interests you so much.” Lucifer knew how to play his cards, that much went without questioning. ”I suppose this is it, then? I go back and pretend I negotiated heavily with you on account of my bosses, then I find Sam and an excuse to keep in touch with him. How will I contact you in case I need to tell you something about him?” He had already seen that Lucifer wasn't too keen on allowing himself to be drawn in by summoning rituals.