Just a little 'what-if' thing about God's actions before the Fall. What if He had given Lucifer a choice in his punishment; Fall from His Grace or a punishment worthy of a childish tantrum of His choice.

Lucifer picks the obvious choice in this situation, and everything changes.

...

He struggled against the hold of the guards dragging him towards the throne room of what he was sure would be his downfall. Perhaps he had finally gone too far. Not that he cared, finally showing them how right he'd been.

One of the guards yanked him a bit too harshly to a halt and he sent a glare in their direction, if his hands were not bound and his grace under lock and key, he would have struck back twice as hard.

He was not the one with the upper hand though and knew not to pick this battle.

They reached forward to knock on the grand door, and they waited.

A voice rumbled out to them, and he shivered, "Enter."

Now, he put on a brave front, but he was shaking in his boots. Or he would be, if he was wearing boots.

He wasn't.

Sitting upon His throne, harsh eyes looked down at him making him feel like he was a fledgling again.

"Lucifer, you have been brought before Me, charged with Treason against Heaven."

...

"What have you to say for yourself, my son?"

"I did it!", Lucifer looked spiteful, "And I was right!"

"What you've done is mess with the plan I set in motion for a reason."

"You just can't stand the fact that you were wrong! That your stupid little mistakes aren't as perfect as you thought they were!"

"If I were you, I would tread carefully son, you have created yourself a pool of thin ice."

"I am not your son!"

The Lord stared at him for a moment, He had already had a suitable punishment thought out for this act of indescribale proportions. But this called for a different sort of approach, something that would remind this wayward little one where his place was.

He raised a single hand and all attention turned to Him at once.

"Leave us."

Lucifer watched in dread as the others left. The Guards that had dragged him here, the Seraphim floating around the Throne, all of them left.

All but him and his Father.

Bravado was leaving his chest quickly.

"I'm going to go-"

"Be silent."

The Lord stood from His throne, fixing His robe as He stepped forward, Lucifer took a step back.

"You have stepped out of line this time Lucifer, perhaps it is partially My fault, I did not punish you enough as a small child. But no more, I now see I must take a firmer hand with you."

"Wh-what?"

"I have coddled you much too often, allowing you to get away with more than I should have, but no more."

Lucifer stumbled back and shook his head. Michael used that tone before he took a firm hand to him, to any of them, and it was becoming ever clearer as to where his dearest big brother had gotten such a tone from.

It also made him briefly wonder how many times Michael had been taken in hand like he did to the younger ones.

"It does you no good to run from this Lucifer, you have had it coming for some time now, up you get."

The Archangel's eyes widened at the sight of that dreaded thing, the strap, it was only ever used when the misdeed commited was one of huge repercussions.

"Dad, no, you can't! Not that! It hurts!"

"I most certainly can, and intend to as you have more than earned it. Of course it hurts son, its used for punishment, which is supposed to teach you to avoid such misdeeds in the future."

...

The strap came down hard across his burning rear and Lucifer bucked upwards, a harsh scream of pain being torn from him.

From all the reactions he'd prepared himself for in regards to his Father's reaction to his actions in the Garden-this had not been one of them.

Again the strap came down, just as hard, to the back of his thighs. Lucifer broke into a sob as he jumped slightly, running in place and stamping his feet on the ground. It hurt, it hurt so bad, but a spanking once a day for an entire month was nothing compared to the other option Dad had given him though the painful sensation disagree with him now. Lucifer knew he'd made the right choice though.

He cried out at a particular hard one, thrusting his hands back for protection despite the prior warning agaisnt it.

And the wallops stopped if only for the moment.

"Lucifer, My child, I had warned you what would happen if you attempted to inhibit my throws, now remove your hands."

Lucifer shook his head, not caring at the moment that he was sobbing like a baby.

"Dad please! It hurts! It really hurts!"

There was a sigh from behind him. Now, despite what the naughty angel may believe, He truly got no enjoyment in having to do this to the poor boy-he wasn't going to sit righ for the next decade and it was sure to leave a lasting impression for the future should he try to do this again. And God was happy that at the end of the day, when the punishment was over for the day He had the opportunity to comfort the extremely well chastised angel-over having to lock him away and banish him from Heaven.

They just had to get through the entire punishment and now the extra bit because he'd done what he'd explicitly warned him against it.

"So I am your Father again, am I?"

Lucifer nodded, sniveling miserably, still refusing to remove his hands as instructed. His Father's patience was not as everlasting as His love.

"Child, do not have me move them for you."

"Daaaad-"

"Lucifer."

He whined at the calm but firm order, but his hands slowly and surely moved out of the way. The strap came down again extra hard and Lucifer squealed in pain. He hated that thing with a burning passion! Dad was mad, beyond mad, and his rump was the victim of such intense anger. The angel was well beyond sobbing by the time he was relieved from the abuse to his fiery rear.

"Stand Lucifer."

Lucifer did as he was told knowing it was in his best interest to do as he was told.

"We shall reinstate your memory concerning what is right and what is wrong, My Child, and you will learn your lesson well."

He sniffled and wiped at his nose with his sleeve, looking put out when large hands tapped at his Father's lap, encouraging him over. And Lucifer whined at the motion, God raised a perfect eyebrow and smacked His hands down on His lap again.

"Come child, the sooner we begin the sooner we get it over with."

"Noooooo! Daddy!"

"Son, come now, come over here."

Hands reached up for him encouragingly and Lucifer rubbed at his stinging rear as he crossed as directed looking absolutely pitiful. He was led over to his Father by the Absolute Love in His eyes. After everything he had done his Dad still loved him. He was guided over his Father's lap and a large warm hand rubbed at his back in comfort.

"I love you, My little star, never doubt this. I do not enjoy having to do this but nothing else worked with you."

The back of his robes was pulled up and he wiggled at the sudden chill of air on his red hot butt.

"Daaaady please!"

He got a gentle hushing from above him and Lucifer knew he had no luck in getting out of this half of the punishment and that knowledge in mind only served to make him whine again. A hand was raised, he heard it, and it came down fast landing harshly against the already sore skin.

Again and again and again.

Tears had formed in his eyes by the time His lecture started.

"Why are you being punished Lucifer?"

"I-I-I snuck into the Garden after You told me to stay out."

Another spank and another.

"And? You have done more than just that."

"And-And-And I told Eve to eat the fruit You told her not to."

The hand aimed a well placed spank to a sit spot and it was enough to get Lucifer to finally sob in misery.

"What else son?"

"And I planned to start a war! Daddy I'm sorry! Please stop, please!"

He gained himself ten more spanks and it was over. His robe was pulled back down and he was guided back up to his feet. Lucifer was still crying his heart out and he immediately reached a hand back to rub at his tender rear.

"You didn't have to be so harsh about it!"

His Dad raised an eyebrow, "Watch your tone child you are already in deep trouble, and you know what you recieved was well deserved."

Lucifer whined pitifully as his rubbing was not helping to quench the burn. His Father smiled at him with that genuine gentle smile that filled him with a sense of comfort and calmness. He opened His arms invitingly.

"Come to Me, My little one, am I your Father enough to have privilage to comfort you?"

His child gave Him a miserable look as he jumped into those opened arms, clutching his Dad's robes as tight as he could, burying his tear-ridden face into the strong warm chest. Those arms closed, encircling around him, and a large hand rubbed up and down his back and the other pressed into the back of his head softly, scratching at his scalp.

"Why did you have to go and do such wrong? It pains me to see you so upset."

Lucifer sniffled and wiped his nose agaisnt his Father's chest, rubbing childishly at his nose with his robe sleeve, he nuzzled closer.

"Wh-Why do You love them more!"

"Who, Child of My Heart, who?"

"The Huuumans!"

God stroked fingers through his hair and hummed deep in His chest, a rumbling chuckle filled in around him and Lucifer bristled slightly.

"Now now, none of that nonsense. Is that what this is all about? My affection for the humans?"

Lucifer nodded pitifully.

"Oh My sweet shining Star, no no, never shall I love anything more then you, My Angels. My first. My children. The fear of such is absolutely ludicrus."

The blonde, well chastised, Archangel sniffled again and looked up to meet his Father's gaze. Amazing Rainbow like eyes shined down at him with unending love and forgiveness. Warm lips pressed up against his nose teasingly and kissed the tip playfully.

"Really?"

"Above everything, you need not have fear of replacement, My second, My Shining Star. I will always love you, for all eternity, no matter what you shall ever do or attempt."

Lucifer smiled, moving away from the playful lips kissing a trail along his ear and tickling at his neck in loving paternal fashion, snuggling into his Father's chest again. God tucked him in, resting His chin upon his soft blonde head.

"I'm sorry I did such wrong."

"Hush now, all is forgiven, as it always would be and always will be. You will give penance for your misdeeds but you will always be forgiven. And so dearly loved."

A warm kiss pressed to his head and a large hand pet his hair down fondly.

"Rest now My child, sleep peaceful now, Father will hold you and Father will love you."

...

'Above all, love each other deepl, because love covers over a multitude of sin.'

1 Peter 4:8