If there was one thing God prided himself on, it was that he was never dictated others' lives.

He respected all of his creations, and when he made them, he made them with the right to their own free will. Their decisions were theirs to make, and though he would advise them on the morally correct course, he would not prevent them from going astray. He did not control them. He did not desire for mindless minions.

He respected those who chose to serve him as equally as those who did not.

As he stared out over the wide expanse of Earth, a particular instance popped into his mind.

Lucifer. His brightest angel.

The stories had been brutally warped, disgusting him, but he felt it was necessary to prevent anarchy among Heaven.

Unlike the stories, God created Lucifer with the intent of putting him in charge of Hell. He needed his most trusted and bright to control the darkness of his less desirable creations, and he considered Lucifer to be the perfect fit. However, God didn't want to take away Lucifer's free will. So, when the time came, he presented the angel with a choice. The rule of Hell was no easy task, and if his angel chose to stay in Heaven and live an easier life, he would allow it. But Lucifer was God's most beloved for a reason. He accepted the great burden and sacrifice, and fell to Hell to rule in the chaos and darkness.

The other angels, Michael especially, were jealous of Lucifer's close bond with God, and he feared the angels would revolt if they knew of Lucifer's special assignment. So, he gave no explanation, and let the angels draw their own conclusions on what had taken place. He regretted that choice now. No matter what people said about him, God did make mistakes. This was among his biggest.

Michael decided that Lucifer had spurned God, turned his back on Heaven, and that God had cast him out. He spread the word that the almighty Lucifer had been punished, that he was no longer Heaven's perfect angel.

The stories the angels spread sickened God, but he could not correct them. He let Michael have his victory, though he felt awful about the newfound disrespect Lucifer was paid in return for his sacrifice to Heaven.

Eventually, the only story of Lucifer was one of sin and betrayal, and as time went on, the rumors got darker and darker. Michael claimed that Lucifer had been punished in an unspeakable way.

Rumor had it, God had not allowed Lucifer his mate.

The way that God rewarded his immortal creations, especially his angels, was through Mates. For each and every one of his angels, he crafted a perfect Mate, someone they could love fiercely and protect at all costs. God did not withhold this gift from any angel or immortal creature in his service.

The very idea was abhorrent, and yet God watched as angels went down to taunt Lucifer, telling him an angel in Hell didn't deserve a Mate. God looked on helplessly as Lucifer began to believe them, began to believe that he had been punished and cast out of grace by the being he had served so selflessly.

That would soon change, God knew. He had been working tirelessly, and soon, Lucifer would understand how misguided the other angels had been.

God comforted himself with the fact that Lucifer would soon find his mate, and prove the other angels wrong.