She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, savoring the scent of him, both moved and a little awestruck that one who had served so long as Lucifer's lieutenant still had it in him to be so gentle.

"Of course," she said, smiling slightly. "I've survived worse than Beelzebub." As had they all, all those cast forth from the Silver City so many eons before. Still capable of profound suffering--perhaps that was a part of their punishment--they would never have lasted so long, had they been easily broken. "But it's sweet of you to worry for me."