[ WP ] The pope comes back to the Vatican and finds God and Satan sitting on his bed waiting for him . Both are there for unexpected reasons .

She was the most beautiful woman the Pope had ever seen. She sat at the edge of his bed, her legs crossed casually and covered by a blue sun dress. Her golden strands of hair seemed to light the room around her. When she spoke her voice was soft, and sweet, but the Pope could sense the wickedness behind the words of Satan. `` Your eyes are more open than your brothers,'' she said softly, seductively. `` You see the horrors of this world like no one else. Come to your bed, let us change the world together as one.'' 
 
 The Pope took a step back and shook his head. He had long struggled with his own faith, even as he rose through the ranks of the Vatican the monstrosities committed by man had shaken him to his very core. Even those he had come to trust, respect, and rely on had proven to be nothing more than predators. He despised mankind, yet still longed to be a force for good and change. `` Why has the Devil come calling?'' He asked with a voice more confident than his frail body looked. 
 
 `` I'm sick of Hell. Sick of being the one blamed for everything. It's not my fault, you know?'' Satan stood up and walked toward the small desk in front of the window that overlooked the city. She lit a cigarette and took a long, slow drag. `` It's not fair. All a girl ever wanted was the love of her Father. But no, Michael was his favorite. Michael got all the attention, all the good jobs. I throw one little tantrum and here comes Michael to save the day. It was n't my fault so many people agreed with me. Was my punishment really worthy? Did it really fit the crime?'' She looked at the cigarette, flicked the long, dead ash out the window, and watched the nights breeze carry it away. Relighting the cigarette she took another long drag, half waiting for the Pope to answer. `` You people are lucky,'' she said sadly, `` he gives you forgiveness for the worst things imaginable, yet his own daughter is stuck in Hell.'' 
 
 `` Perhaps it is pride that your Father wishes you to give up. There are many things that he considers sinful.'' The Pope was n't sure what to say, or how to act. He had spent years reading scripture, studying it like a science, striving to keep as open a mind as possible while maintaining his faith, but this... this was something else. ``... You do show signs of many of the seven sins.'' 
 
 `` Of course I do,'' she snapped. `` Have you ever met Michael? Huh,'' she snorted, `` to put it into terms that maybe you can understand to their fullest: He was quarterback of the football team, had all the nerds doing his homework, and all the girls fawning over him. Do not lecture me on sins.'' 
 
 The Pope had no answer. He pulled an extra chair from the corner of his modest room and slouched into it. `` I do n't know what to tell you,'' he said defeated. Before Satan could reply the room burst into light, and a man, dressed in a finely made suite, with his black hair slicked back and a neatly trimmed beard stepped from the light. His green eyes glanced around the room and he let out a long, disappointed sigh. 
 
 `` Alright, alright, I'm here, Luci,'' his voice was like a song. 
 
 `` It's about time. I set up this meeting and, per usual, you show up late.'' 
 
 `` Sorry, sorry. Anyway,'' the man turned his attention to the Pope, who had grown wide eyed and stared in disbelief. `` Your Holiness, I apologize for the intrusion. As I'm sure you have guessed, I'm God. You have met my ever fitful daughter Luci.'' 
 
 `` I-I have,'' the Pope stammered. `` Wh-why have you come? I-I-I do n't mean to question you, God...'' The Pope dropped to his knees. 
 
 `` Oh please, sit down, sit down. You have given your life to me, remained faithful all these years, you should be treating me as an old friend who has n't called in a very, very long time.'' God laughed. It was a glorious, magnificent sound that nearly brought the Pope to tears. It was music, beautiful sweet music, from a beautiful, sweet man. 
 
 `` Oh please, cut the act,'' Luci said, annoyed. 
 
 The Pope returned to his seat and did his best to shake the shock out of his old bones. `` Why have you come tonight?'' 
 
 `` Lucy, again, has begged forgiveness and wants to return home. I said no, but this time she said we should meet with a'family councilor.' Who better than the pope?'' 
 
 `` It's been long enough. I just want to go home. I even miss Michael... sometimes,'' sadness crept into her voice as she spoke. 
 
 `` You led a rebellion against me. I could have been killed! What would the world look like if God was dead? Could you imagine the afterlife if I died? Do you know who is 2nd in line for my job? The Grim freakin' Reaper... that guy is crazy. I get drunk one night and boom, I have a'word of God' document freshly made up. He's sneaky.'' Lucy and the Pope both stared at him with blank expressions. He smiled, `` it's been a long day. Let us make this decision quickly.'' 
 
 `` So, Pope, please tell God why I should get to return home.'' 
 
 `` Your words and actions have led us to believe in forgiveness, Father.'' The Pope spoke slowly, trying to understand what he was doing. Does the creature, the woman, the beast, that has been down talked for so very long deserve to be forgiven? In the eyes of mankind nothing would change, but in the eyes of her peers... 
 
 `` My actions and words have killed millions of people, and forgiven few. Remember? I'm mean and spiteful... bring that guy back.'' 
 
 `` Job still has n't forgiven you... I do n't care what he says,'' Lucy interjected. 
 
 `` Job and I are good, okay? Stop holding a grudge - he does n't! Pope, you see what I will have to deal with. You see how she is!'' 
 
 The Pope sighed. He had often wondered how a conversation with God would go, and it had never, ever, played out like this. `` Every day men and women come to me to confess their sins. I smile, and forgive them. Every day men and women come to me and ask me to pray for their loved ones. I smile, and pray for their loved ones. Every day men and women beg me for help. I smile, and I do whatever I can in my power to help them.'' 
 
 `` One day my brother, my own flesh and blood, came to me and said,'Forgive me Adam, for I have sinned.' My brother was not a man of faith, he had never partaken in church as we grew up, but now he has come to me and asked for my forgiveness.'For what, brother, what is it you have done?' I will always remember his eyes, his lively hazel eyes, and how they filled with tears as he told me of the women he had raped and murdered,'' the Pope paused and took a deep breath, a bout of exhaustion washing over him. ``'I can not forgive you, brother,' I told him,'I will pray to God for you, beg him for mercy, but I am your brother and I can not forgive you.' So, I prayed and I prayed, and all the time I was asking myself why. Why would God test me like this? Why would God force me to turn my back on my own brother? Why would God force such terrible fates on three people? So many questions...'' 
 
 `` Becau-'' Luci tried to jump in, but was met with a stiff glare from the Pope that quickly closed her mouth. He took another deep breath. 
 
 `` I went to my brother, now in jail awaiting trial for his crimes. He was upset with me for turning him away in both faith and family, and to be honest I was surprised he listened.'What brings you here?' his voice was horse, and his eye swollen with a bandage over it.'I forgive you, and God forgives you.' His face told me it was not what he had expected to hear.'Why now?' he was, of course, suspicious.'God has chosen to test our forgiveness,' I said to him.'He has caused pain and suffering, and inflicted terrible fates upon people who do not deserve them, and so we must also forgive him for the crimes that he has committed against us.''' 
 
 The Pope stood, arched his back and let out a long, tired yawn. `` I have a very busy day tomorrow. I never thought the moment would come in my life that I would be asking God, and, uh, Luci, to leave my bedroom... but here we are. I wish I could say stranger things have happened, but I do not believe that would be entirely true. I do apologize if I have n't been any help.'' 
 
 God smiled and nodded politely toward the Pope. `` Luci,'' he said quietly and held out his hand. Luci smiled wickedly in return and took it. For a brief moment the Pope watched as God and Lucifer, Satan, the Devil, his daughter, stood hand in hand smiling at each other. And then they were gone. 
 
 NOTES: First post in this sub. Hope it's alright. Not great with formatting on reddit. Sorry for any grammar/misspellings, tried to do a couple quick edits. Hope the formatting works and I did n't break teh rulez: o
