Lucifer's usual friendly smile was illuminated by moonlight. I stared blankly. What was going on? Wasn't I just in the car lot?

"Don't worry, I promise he won't find you here." He said suddenly.

Right, I was running from Mal. I gasped as the realization struck me.

"Tommy!"

"If you're talking about your little homeless friend, then he's fine. Worried about you, but otherwise fine. You asked me to keep him safe. I put a protective barrier around him, no demon can come near him, not even Mal."

I felt a bit of relief at this, but it barely helped to sway the panic that still filled me. I felt tears roll down my cheeks, I started to tremble. It was if my body knew it was finally safe enough to break down. Lucifer held me close and stroked my hair.

"There, there," he muttered in a reassuring tone, "no tears. It's alright."

"How can it be alright?" I asked angrily. "Why won't Mal leave me alone? Why do I keep running into all these demons? When will you all leave me alone so I can have a normal life?"

Lucifer looked at me with eyes full of pity. He gently tucked a loose piece of hair behind my ear. He stared at me a moment before letting out a deep sigh.

"Venus, I'm afraid you will never have that normal life you dream of. Your destiny is one that won't allow it."

"What do you mean 'my destiny?'"

"I told you before didn't I? You are far more important than you realize."

"Is this 'destiny' why Mal won't leave me alone?"

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes and no. It's part of the reason he can't let you go, but the truth is he doesn't know about your destiny either."

"What is this destiny exactly?" I asked, exasperated. "Why can't I just have a normal life?"

"There's a reason I'm so fond of you, Venus. You remind me very much of that woman I loved. Well," he said, placing his fingertips to my temples, "it would be easier to show you."

I felt a small sharp pain run through my skull, then the world went black. Slowly, fuzzy shapes formed in the darkness. They became clearer. Tubes and monitors, a frail-looking older woman staring blankly from a hospital bed. The sounds of beeping heart monitors and the squeak of shoes against tile filled the silence.

A woman was next to the frail lady's bed. She held her hand gently. Her back was to us, but she looked about my age. All I could see was her long dark hair and the bottom of her floral print dress.

"Mama," her gentle voice trembled as she spoke, "Mama, please, don't leave me. You're all I have. I'd give anything, anything, to make you well again."

"Cancer." I jumped a little at the sound of Lucifer's voice. I turned. He was next to me, staring sadly at the girl. "Poverty can make people sacrifice a lot, but grief will make them sacrifice everything. Her mother had terminal cancer. She was going to die any day. The poor girl couldn't accept it. She was desperate."

As Lucifer spoke another figure entered the room. It was Lucifer. I gave him a confused look.

"This is a memory." He said simply.

The other Lucifer approached the girl slowly, she didn't seem to notice him. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe, I could help?" He said.

The girl turned around. As she did I felt my heart skip a beat. My voice caught in my throat. I couldn't ask a question even if I knew what to say. The girl was me.

As I looked more closely at the girl I realized the truth. No, not me. This girl looked very much like me, but she wasn't me. So who was she?

"Are you a doctor or another grief counselor?" She said flatly.

"Neither," Lucifer said, smiling, "I'm just a friend, here to help."

"Unless you can cure cancer, you can't help me." She said coldly.

His smile grew bigger as he leaned over and touched the sick woman on her shoulder. "I can."

The girl smacked his hand away. "Don't you touch her! Who do you think you are?"

He looked shocked at her boldness, but chuckled slightly. "One month. Let's call this a 'trial period.' I'll cure her cancer for one month, and if you like my work I'll continue your subscription for a small fee."

With that Lucifer walked off. The girl gave him an annoyed look. She turned back to her mother and stroked her wrinkled face.

"Some people are sick, Mama." She said, eyes glazed over with tears.

The image slowly faded away to blackness, once again fuzzy shapes began to fill the dark void. I was in a house. Specifically, a living room. From when I didn't know, but it had to be old. Brown carpet covered every inch of the floors, a sofa and armchair of about the same color sat against one of the walls, plants in colorful pots hung from beaded ropes attached to the popcorn ceiling, an old  boxy television sat opposite the sofa.

The girl entered the room backwards. A huge smile filled her face. As she backed in I saw she was dragging a wheelchair. The once frail-looking old woman sat in it, looking much better than before.

"I kept the place nice and clean, Mama." The girl said cheerfully.

"That's nice, Dear." The woman said gently.

The girl rolled her in front of the TV and turned it on. She fiddled with the remote a moment before handing it to her mother.

"Here, your shows should be on soon, Mama. You watch them while I prepare lunch."

The girl wandered off. The old woman stared at the TV blankly.

"I won't let you have her." The woman said suddenly. It was silent. "I saw you with her in that hospital room. I know what you are. I know you're watching."

I heard a familiar chuckle from the blackness. Lucifer stepped into the room. He sat himself in the armchair, next to the woman.

"You don't really have a choice." He said, amused. "She seems quite willing to do anything that will save her dear 'Mama.'"

"I'll die the most agonizing death from cancer you've ever seen, I'll take all my meds in one sitting, I'll get my Harry's old revolver and blow my brains out if I have to, but it'll be a cold day at your place before I let you take my daughter. My Nancy is too good to be stuck with the likes of you for eternity." She said sternly.

"People are only as good as we want them to be." Lucifer said, rolling his eyes. "No one is truly 'good,' you humans are flawed, selfish creatures. She doesn't want to save your life, she just wants to save her way of life. She can't imagine life without you, that's all."

The woman shook her head. "You devils like to make deals don't you? Wagers?"

"I'll admit I have a habit of gambling," he said, shrugging. "What did you have in mind?"

"My Nancy is good. Far better than any of your kind or ours. If I can prove that, then you can never lay a hand on her soul."

Lucifer looked amused. "And how will you do that exactly?"

"She's always been a kind and loving girl. To everyone. Let me die, you'll see. She'll still be sweet, even to you."

"And when you lose?"

"Then you can drag me to Hell with you. That's what you guys usually bet, right?"

Lucifer laughed and clapped his hands together. "I really can't turn away a good bet. You have a deal. I'll be watching."

The room faded away again. A new room appeared. It was a bedroom this time. The woman laid on the bed looking sickly again. The girl paced back and forth while on the phone. Tears stained her cheeks, she twisted the cord around her fingers nervously.

"What do you mean it came back?" She asked desperately. "I thought she was in remission?... Well, you tell me how cancer can go from remission to terminal again in one fucking month! Hello? Hello!"

She slammed the phone down angrily. It bounced off the receiver and fell to the floor. The faint beeping sound of the empty line filled the room. The girl covered her face and sank to the floor sobbing. The woman turned her head weakly.

"Nancy," her voice was faint, "come here."

The girl crawled into the bed, sniffling as she laid next to her mother. The old woman seemed to use all her strength to pet the girl's hair.

"Mama, no," the girl said through sobs. "What am I gonna do without you?"

Lucifer appeared in the doorway of the bedroom silently. The girl's back was to him, she didn't see, but the woman did. Her eyes met his vaguely. She gave him a slight nod. Lucifer nodded in return and left. The woman closed her eyes and held her daughter's hand. She let out a deep sigh.

They stayed like this a while. The sound of an old clock ticking was the only noise in the room. Suddenly, the girl sat up.

"Mama?"

The woman didn't respond.

"Mama!" The girl said louder. She shook the woman vigorously. Her body fell to the side effortlessly. She was dead. "Mama, no!"

The girl cried desperately, shaking her mother and calling out to her. It didn't help. The vision and sounds of the girl's crying faded to black.

Then she was in the living room again. She sat in silence. Flower arrangements, stacks of sympathy cards, and tables full of casserole dishes surrounded her. She was wearing a long, black dress. Her eyes looked red and puffy.

"How many people had given their condolences that day?" Lucifer said from next to me. "How many empty words had she been offered? How many fruitless comforts? How many tuna cassaroles? I waited on purpose."

The doorbell suddenly rang. The girl sighed, exhausted, but stood to answer it anyway.

"I waited until the people had all left. Until she was alone, angry, sick of the world. Until she was at her very lowest point and most likely to snap."

The girl opened the door. Lucifer stood there. He handed her a bouquet of black roses.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save your mother." He said, shaking his head. "She wouldn't let me."

"I said the worst thing I could say, and I said it on purpose." My Lucifer said. "I wanted to give her a place to direct her rage. I wanted her to scream, curse at me, beat me with the flowers. I picked the wrong time, the wrong words, and, somehow, the wrong girl."

The girl looked at the flowers then looked at Lucifer. I could see him tense slightly, expecting her outburst. Instead she let out a shaky sigh. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she forced a smile.

"Mama always was stubborn," she said quietly, "God rest her soul. You... did help me though. Whatever you did, you gave me one more month with her, and she got to die at home like she always wanted.

I'm sure you did all you could to help. So, thank you." She wiped her tears with her sleeve. "You look hungry, would you like some cassarole? There's plenty."

Lucifer stared at her in shock, but nodded vaguely. She stepped aside and gestured for him to enter. He stepped inside timidly. She smiled at him. They walked toward the living room together. The image faded away again, but nothing took its place. We stayed in darkness for a while. It was silent.

Lucifer sighed heavily. "That was the only time I ever lost a bet. It's also the only one I ever regretted taking."