Jon and Elise sat with Liz in his new conference room in the Deflin house, at the small conference table waiting for their guests. The Angels and Demons had already arrived. The children, including Davy who was well on his feet again thanks to Raffa. David and Sarah who had come along earlier along with some of the Angels walked around the dining room from Angel to Demon and vice versa. Casiel had joined the children and was feeling extremely well in their company. Especially the company of Samantha and Jules. It seemed like they now had two triplets in the house. Davy and Brandon were also drawn to each other, and it was magical to see the two reacting to each other like brothers. He wondered if that would make those two some kind of twins, too. And got a peaceful smile on his face at the thought. The Angels under strict instructions from the Gods to avoid being hostile to the Demons present at all costs. His father had done the same with his Demons. He felt that both groups were neatly adhering to their orders. They had been extremely nervous upon arrival and kept a keen eye on each other. He could sense that the Demons had exactly the same mindset as his group of Angels. When both groups saw that Raphael, Jophiel, and Azrael stood talking with the two generals from Hell without any fear or restraint they began to relax a bit. They saw that Belios and Bearus were completely relaxed drinking a glass with a smile on their faces. Jon was perfectly but very pleasantly surprised that Muriel and Zelo were in deep conversation and seemed to have eyes only for each other. Something special was growing there and he couldn't be happier about it. Argo and Domino, how could it be otherwise, were not one second away from each other. They pretty much clung to each other like teenagers in love, and Elise and himself couldn't be happier with that image. The fear and uncertainty of the other Angels and Demons quickly gave way to curiosity. It wasn't long before it became one big get-together. Everyone from the two groups wanted to meet their new Princesses and Prince. When they noticed that the children treated Angels and Demons perfectly equally, the last vestige of doubt vanished like snow in the sun. Maximus with his short legs seemed to be on a mission. He walked from Angel to Angel and had a good sniff before moving on to the next one. No doubt he was fulfilling Jonathan's order to bite three well-defined Angels should he run into them. Everything Jon suspected was confirmed one by one. His grandparents had to have been in contact with his father for a long time. There were 26 Angels and there were exactly 26 Demons present. If he could have had the entire group, all 47 of them, then his father would surely have brought 47 Demons with him. He was still half and half seething at his father, his grandparents, and his aunt and uncle for forcing him into this position. For the fact that he had to strike gigantic blows in the recent week, had to push so much under so much pressure in such a short time. The other half was grateful for getting Elise and the children into his life. The first to enter was his father and now it was the Devil who spoke first:
"Shut the fuck up, Jon! Not a word until your grandparents get here along with J and M!"
For once, Jon did not let his temper speak. Something that was only possible because of the presence of Elise holding his hand, so he did as his father had said. He waited in silence for the other four conspirators to enter. A few minutes later, his grandparents, uncle, and aunt stepped inside. The five greeted each other affectionately. If he had needed more proof at all, this was it. Now even Elise's presence could not prevent his outburst:
"So that's what I am? That's what I exist for? I'm nothing but your backup plan to clean up everything you screwed up!"
His aunt looked him sternly in the eyes and she had a similar look that his grandmother sometimes had. A look that made him cave in very quickly. With his father and his grandfather, he could have heated discussions but when his grandmother or aunt looked at him like that he changed into a toddler and kept his mouth shut. She spoke resolutely but at the same time in a soft warm voice:
"No Jonathan dear you are not an instrument that serves a purpose! You were created out of love between your father and your mother. Exactly the same as David and Sarah. Normally, J should not have been able to conceive children either. See what happened, we are blessed, yes truly blessed, with your nephew and niece. Yes, this coup as you call it has been almost two thousand years in the making. We just didn't know if it would ever be executable. Until your dad met his Francesca with you as a result."
His grandma said:
"Before you were born Jon, we very briefly considered another scenario but discarded it very quickly. Your grandfather would bless a woman like Mary. Result, a new son of God like your Uncle J. We had sent J to teach humanity a better way to peace, love, humanity, and mercy. We saw even then that humanity had a tendency toward self-destruction. We hoped his coming would set them on a different path. Instead, they killed him because there were a few priests who were greedy for money and power. And now humanity is about to destroy itself. But even if we had done it, it would not have succeeded. The Demons would never accept his authority because he would have no connection to the throne in Hell. This would have condemned your father to remain on his throne in that Godforsaken place. The reaction of the Angels could not be predicted because he would only be connected to the thrones in Heaven through mine and not through your grandfather's, just like J. Michael could immediately question his authority and cause a rebellion to break out in Heaven and then simply go to war against Hell."
His father said:
"Jon, we just couldn't say anything because your only problem is your temperament, even since childhood. No, correction since your mom died. We feared for a moment that war would still be unavoidable. And it has looked very much like that these past few weeks. If we told you to go left, you would immediately go right. This is too big to take risks."
Jon looked at them sharply one by one as Elise sat quietly watching and analyzing everything. Finally, Jon asked snidely:
"My first and utmost important question and believe me others will follow! Because I am more than tired of this whole mess with you lot! So, the answer better be the damn truth! Are the children, is Elise, am I, at any time even the slightest bit deprived of our free will? Is this what we have even for the slightest bit staged?"
Now Jesus replied:
"Oh, sweet me! Do you really think that your grandfather would do that? That your father would allow that?"
He replied angrily:
"As Dad said J, this is way too big, so I want an unequivocal answer to that damn it!"
God replied:
"Of course, not boy. You know us better than that. What you feel for Elise, what you feel for the children, what they feel for you is all real. We have nothing to do with that. That you were born against all odds, that Elise was born a few years later, it created the perfect storm against everyone's expectations. We had nothing to do with that; it was nature and love that made this possible."
This answer cooled Jon considerably but not quite yet. He wanted answers to the questions he himself had not found the answers to but at the same time, he needed to get rid of the Demons that had come to dwell in his soul over the years. Therefore, now at this table, the hard truth would be spoken. He turned to his grandfather:
"How could you get it into your fucking head to let Casiel stay with the rest of Michael's tugs who would rather participate in that fucking war? Why didn't you order her to follow Raffa and Muriel? I should take a fucking baseball bat and bash you on the skull until you wake up in the next millennium!"
God replied:
"Jon, we all know you better than that. We knew from the moment you heard from Raffa that she wanted to stay in Heaven you would immediately send Rae Rae to drag her out of Heaven if needed. Something that became very clear the moment that you demanded I relinquish all authority over your little group. I did so without a second thought because your little group and you are the natural evolution. You are the new normal all others including your grandmother, me and your father are the past, obsolete. Everyone knows what Casiel means to you even if you did not want or dared to express it yourself and everyone knows that Cas feels exactly the same way about you even if she doesn't dare to express it. Yet. There was no way you were going to leave her there. Your grandmother and I know that Cas is your daughter and we are her grandparents and we could not be happier for the two of you and cannot wait to take on that role for her and of course the rest of Elise and your children."
"Da fuck! You were lucky that's the cold truth. You knew Michael was using her as bait so I would storm Heaven and he could start the war. If for once they hadn't been such fucking gigantic morons that piece of your plan would have fallen apart. If, for once, they had used their brains and did what Gabriel whispered in their ear without putting a plan into action of their own that Gabriel knew nothing about, it would have made for a giant clusterfuck. If they hadn't given me an excuse to come up there to burn Uriel you and I couldn't hide behind bringing justice! None of my group would have gotten her out of Heaven and I would have been forced to fall into his trap. And with all the fucking risk involved! This whole thing could have collapsed like a house of cards. Don't fucking hide behind the fact that you know me better. YOU PLAYED A FUCKING HIGH-STAKES GAME WITH MY DAUGHTER! Believe me, if you do anything like this again in your eternal existence that even comes close to this stupidity you will pay the price. My grandfather or not! I hope I've been fucking clear!"
One could hear God audibly swallow for the first time in his endless existence because the Antichrist in this state scared even the hell out of the Lord himself! Elise asked the Goddess:
"My Lady, why the secrecy? Why not tell Jon what needed to be done and leave him the choice?"
"Child, you need not address me by that title as I said before. I am simply grandma. Soon enough we are all going to address you with that title because you are going to take my place."
With the smirk she knew so well from Jon the Goddess said:
"Part of the why I already told you that morning when our Jon here stuck his foot in his mouth yet again. The why is simple. Jon, as his father already said, has a stunner of a temperament. One that you are already tempering very well. Had we provided him with all the information he would have turned his back on it. We couldn't have known this then of course but if he had then you two would never have met at the exact right moment, and you would never have had your beautiful family. All of this would have been impossible. As your grandfather said, the perfect storm. That last meeting where he spitefully rejected everyone and said he would never start the apocalypse was the first domino, then he met you and Jules, which led you to Maggie, to the twins and Samantha, to Liz and Brandon, to Pamela, to the coven, to Davy, to the rescue of Danny and Kathy. The cascade set in after the end of that meeting and once the first domino fell there was no stopping the rest. None of us had anything to do with that, it was all free will. Until the moment he met you, he had never thought of saving humanity. Let alone preventing a war between Heaven and Hell. He was so busy giving his middle finger to his father and Michael and his disgust at having to destroy humanity as the Antichrist that he did not see the further implications. You Elise, the children, and the coven made him find real peace for the first time and made him look at the whole board. We just put some pointers in Jon's life. Like I said before, what else are grandparents good for? Today thanks to you and the children, we are in the house that will be the birthplace for the continued existence of humanity. In the great hall, there are now gathered Demons and Angels who until recently would have been at each other's throats. Who are now socializing with each other. Who carry your children upon their shoulders and see them as their joint Princesses and Prince. You were born for each other without interference from anyone and were drawn to each other."
Jon let a cigarette appear and Elise knew he was thinking deeply. He may not have been seething anymore but there was still plenty of anger in his body. He first looked his grandparents tightly in the eye and then dropped his gaze to his father. Finally, he said:
"Okay, enough secrets. Would any of you perhaps like to tell me the full truth as to why all this is necessary? I am obviously still missing one or two pieces of the puzzle and you are the only ones who can give them to me. So fucking fess up! Do it slowly and in small words as if I would be very stupid! Remember I can still decide not to care about that fucking war and start concentrating entirely on Eden! Why am I needed?"
God replied:
"Because we have failed on all counts with the Angels and the Demons. My greatest mistake is not the creation of man that is my greatest success. My greatest mistake is the creation of the Angels and Demons in their present form. The only exceptions are your father and the Angels and the Demons that came into existence after the so-called fall of your father."
Jon snapped at him and held out a finger to his father:
"Just a moment, back to that so-called fall! Explain!"
God nodded:
"This whole misery between Heaven and Hell arose because of a contradictory view that prevailed in Heaven about humanity. On one side your father who saw their potential to grow. On the other hand, Michael and his saw humanity as something barely different from insects. At one point, emotions were so high that your grandmother and I had to get our Lightbringer, our firstborn son, our heir, out of Heaven or it would undoubtedly come to war in Heaven. Our first son, first Angel was not to be lost. Your dad is the source of all life, without light no life it's that simple. So, therefore, he had to be saved at all costs. Michael and his own wanted his blood at all costs. He was very much aware of the power in your father because he is the Lightbringer. And as you know very well, unleashing that power is disastrous and would cause great destruction. You know, in your anger you have thought a few times to unleash that power on Heaven and Hell. The only thing that stopped you was the knowledge of the destruction that would bring. Yet Michael was more than willing to get a massacre and destroy half of Heaven as long as your father fell on the battlefield. To avoid that, your grandmother, your father, and myself together decided to supposedly punish your father for his so-called disobedience in which he gave man free will and sent him to Hell. Your father was not a disobedient son. Your dad is the first Angel with powers the others cannot even begin to conceive. Your dad gave man free will with our absolute blessing. I think you have long since figured out that Hell does not in fact need a throne or king. I created the third throne to make your father king so he, as an Angel, did not become a target of the Demons. Unfortunately, I had to pour some of my power into that throne to do so. The Angels may think I still have all my powers because that is the only thing that has prevented a revolution so far."
His father took over:
"Unfortunately, at the time of my fall, Michael and his were already far too far gone. His hostility and his hatred for me continued to grow day after day to the point where it became clear that they wanted a war with me at all costs."
Jon interrupted his father for a moment:
"Let me guess, all the instigators of this misery are warriors like Michael. And you in Hell with your Demons provided the perfect target to wage a full-scale war."
his father nodded:
"Indeed, and his reaction of wanting a war made the Demons feel threatened in their existence so they also demanded a war. Before your grandfather and I knew it we had lost control of both sides. If Michael had known that my fall was fake and there was no ban on entering Heaven, he would have immediately gone on the attack which your grandfather could not just stop. If he tried, then Michael would immediately notice that he was no longer as powerful as before. Consequently a revolution in Heaven, a war against Hell with humanity in the middle, and afterward your grandfather who had to dance to Michael's tune. If he didn't then everything simply ceased to exist. Something Michael in his madness would accept without hesitation if it meant that I was destroyed. The Demons in turn naturally would react without any possibility of stopping them. I would have explained the whole situation to you, piece by piece when you were still a child, maybe from the age of ten or twelve. Were it not for the fact that a new problem surfaced when you were just a baby. Your group of Angels, one by one Angels assisting humanity. Since your birth, that group has simply been drawn to you like a moth to the light and you conversely to them. Since you were about five years old and came to Hell with me from time to time, your group of Demons came on top of that. Jon, everywhere you go you radiate so much light that everything and everyone is simply drawn to it. Look at your family and your new friends. All were falling into darkness until you appeared and pulled them back into the bright light. Your bond with your Angels and Demons is so good and so strong that we simply could not take the risk anymore. A simple slip of the tongue against our very sensitive Jo or our naive Muriel, when you were still a child or as a teenager, let alone against little Casiel, would have been fatal to anyone."
Suddenly, two tears rolled down the Devil's cheeks, and one could hear the emotion thick in his voice at what he had to say next:
"As a result, I had to become the Devil for you too. Every fiber in my body screamed not to do it but I had no choice. I had to do it and make it appear that I was after your grandfather and he and Michael wanted my head."
Jon pondered for a moment all the information he had just received and said:
"Don't think that keeping this secret is comfortable for me. However, I can see the reason why you did it. Why didn't Michael start the war then?"
Now it was the Goddess who answered:
"That war was very very close for the first time when your Uncle J was born. The only thing we could think of at that time was to make up the little story that an Antichrist would come as the antithesis of Christ, and he would usher in the apocalypse after which the war could break out. We thought we were foolproof because we assumed this was impossible. Lucifer should not normally be able to have children with a human being. In retrospect, this was quite stupid of us. As M already said, J should not normally have been able to conceive children with a human either. If only we had kept David and Sarah in mind when coming up with that little story. All we wanted to achieve was for everyone to stay in their corner. When you were born, the clock automatically began to count down. All we could hope for was that you Jon would find a way to prevent that massacre."
Jon looked at them all intently, and Elise asked:
"But if you didn't know it was possible and you had nothing to do with it, how is it that Jon exists?"
The Magdala replied with a brilliant smile:
"Love Elise, true love between Lucifer and Francesca. Nothing more and nothing less. Apparently, true love has much more power than anyone thought. Both love each other immensely and from that grew the desire for a child so Jon also came into existence."
Jon looked at his grandfather:
"Grandpa, is Mom still under your special protection?"
"Of course, boy, from the moment she arrived. Michael and his may have shown no interest in the fields so far, yet we have taken no chances. She is treated there like the princess she is."