Chapter 5 THE CONFRONTATION.

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden light through the windows of Kamala's modest home. Kamala stood by the kitchen counter, hands trembling slightly as she wiped it down. Her heart raced with anticipation, and her thoughts swirled as she prepared herself for what was about to happen. Today was the day. After years of secrecy, of shielding Kaidan from the painful truth, it was finally time for him to meet his father. It was time for him to know the truth about who he was.

Lucifer and Kamala had met one final time the night before. Sitting beneath the same oak tree where they had shared so many of their memories, they had discussed the best way to break the news to Kaidan. Kamala had been hesitant, fearful of how her son would react. Would he hate her for hiding the truth all these years? Would he hate his father for abandoning them? But Lucifer had assured her that their son was strong, capable of handling the truth.

"After all," Lucifer had said, his voice soft and full of pride, "He's my son. He'll be fine."

Now, as she stood in her kitchen, Kamala took a deep breath. It was time.

She called up the stairs, her voice steady despite her nerves, "Kaidan, can you come down for a moment? I have something important to tell you."

Upstairs, Kaidan had been lounging on his bed, lost in thought. The past few weeks had been strange for him. He had begun experiencing vivid dreams-visions of fire, of darkness, and of a man who looked just like him, standing at the edge of a vast, fiery landscape. He hadn't told his mother about the dreams, not wanting to worry her. But they had left him feeling unsettled, like something was shifting in his life, something he couldn't quite understand.

He heard his mother's call and rose from his bed, stretching lazily. As he made his way down the stairs, Kaidan was immediately struck by the presence of someone standing in their living room. His steps slowed, and his breath caught in his throat.

There, standing beside his mother, was a man. A tall, strikingly handsome man with long dark hair and piercing emerald green eyes-the exact same eyes that stared back at Kaidan every time he looked in the mirror. The resemblance was uncanny, almost unnerving. It was as if he were staring at an older version of himself.

Kaidan blinked, his mind racing to process what he was seeing. His gaze flicked to his mother, who was watching him nervously, her hands clasped together. And then, without even thinking, the word slipped from his lips.

"Father."

The room fell into a stunned silence. Kamala's eyes widened in surprise, and she exchanged a quick glance with Lucifer, who stood motionless, his expression unreadable. But Kaidan wasn't done. His heart pounded in his chest as the flood of emotions he had been bottling up for years suddenly rushed to the surface.

"Why do you both look so shocked?" Kaidan asked, his voice rising. "It's obvious, isn't it? I mean, just look at us. We're practically identical. You don't need to tell me-I already know. You're my father."

Lucifer remained silent, his gaze fixed on his son. He didn't try to interrupt or explain. He simply stood there, waiting, as if he knew that this moment was about Kaidan's emotions, about everything his son had been carrying for the past 18 years.

Kaidan's frustration, the questions he had been holding in for years, finally broke free. His voice trembled with anger as he continued.

"So, what? You just decided to show up now? After eighteen years? Eighteen years of my mother raising me alone? Eighteen years of wondering why I didn't have a father like everyone else? Do you even care? Or do you just think you can walk back into our lives and everything will be fine?"

Lucifer's face remained calm, but his eyes softened. He could see the pain and hurt in his son's expression, and it tore at him. He had known this confrontation would come. He had prepared for it, yet hearing Kaidan's words made him realize just how much his absence had hurt them both.

Kaidan took a step closer, his voice dropping to a low, bitter tone. "Do you really think you deserve my forgiveness? Do you even think you're worthy of being called my father?"

Lucifer finally spoke, his voice quiet but firm. "You're just like me, Kaidan," he said, a small, sad smile playing on his lips. "I see so much of myself in you. Your strength, your anger, even your pride. I've never been more proud of anything in my entire existence than I am of you."

Kaidan scoffed, disbelief written all over his face. "Proud? You weren't even here."

Before things could spiral further, Kamala stepped forward, her voice trembling with emotion. "Kaidan, please," she pleaded, her eyes filling with tears. "I know you're angry, and you have every right to be. But... this is our chance. Our chance to be a family again. Please, don't let your anger destroy that."

Kaidan's gaze shifted to his mother, his heart aching at the sight of her tear-filled eyes. He could see the hope in her expression, the desperation for this fractured family to be whole again. His resolve wavered. He had been angry for so long, but seeing the way his mother was looking at him now, he couldn't hold onto that anger any longer.

Kaidan sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll forgive him. But only because of you, Mom."

Kamala's face lit up with relief, and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Tears of gratitude slipped down her cheeks, and she quickly wiped them away. "Thank you, Kaidan," she whispered.

Lucifer, who had been watching the exchange silently, stepped forward. His eyes shone with a rare emotion-gratitude. He looked at Kaidan, his voice soft but sincere. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."

Before Kaidan could respond, Lucifer wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. For a moment, Kaidan stood rigid, unsure how to react. But then, slowly, he relaxed, letting himself be held by the man he had never known but had always longed to meet.

They stood like that for a long moment, father and son, their connection finally beginning to heal the wounds of the past. When they pulled apart, Lucifer smiled, his eyes filled with pride and love. "I'm staying," he said. "For the entire day. Let's spend some time together, the three of us."

Kaidan nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. Despite everything, there was a part of him that wanted to believe in the possibility of having a real family.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of laughter and conversation. The small family of three spent hours catching up on the years they had missed. They talked about Kaidan's childhood, the strange dreams he had been having, and even some of Lucifer's stories from his time away.

Kamala watched them with a sparkle in her eyes, her heart full of hope and joy. For the first time in eighteen years, she felt whole. Lucifer, Kaidan, and her-together at last.

As the day wore on, Kamala couldn't help but smile. The pain of the past hadn't vanished completely, but it had lessened, replaced by the promise of a future where they could finally be a family.