AN: In this chapter, we get a glimpse of Lilith's everyday life. This particular day includes a surprise.

Lilith stood in her kitchen, brewing some invigorating orange pekoe tea as she mulled over the last few weeks of her life. She'd left L.A. shortly after lunch the previous day, after closing on her new apartment. She couldn't wait to start picking out furniture for it. Maybe, she should've been an interior designer, instead of a guidance counselor. She giggled as she put her mug aside for the tea to steep, before turning around and dipping slices of bread into an egg-and-milk mixture. She breathed in deep the smell of cinnamon as her French toast cooked, sighing over how delicious it was. She multi-tasked once breakfast was done, moving her laptop and log book into her bag with one hand, while brushing her teeth with the other. It was a delicate dance, but she didn't mind. These moments helped her forget that she wasn't totally human. She was clipping a bracelet on, the last touch of that day's wardrobe, when her cell went off.

"Morning, Rapunzel", said a familiar voice.

Erica Whitfield was one of Lilith's closest friends. She worked at the school, too, as a third-grade teacher. The woman was her polar opposite in terms of looks, with flame-red hair and dark emerald eyes. Her face was also covered with freckles. She liked the outdoors, just as Lilith did, but she stayed away from the more dangerous aspects. The nickname "Rapunzel" came from the difference in their hair lengths. The color was the reason for the nickname Lilith gave in return:

"Morning, Ariel. What's up?"

"Nothing new. Just grabbing a muffin on my way out the door."

An eye-roll was followed by, "Tell me that's not all you're eating."

"Of course not. I'll be getting another cup of coffee and an orange in the teacher's lounge."

She giggled at the groan her friend made.

"Just kidding. I made a Denver omelet, but I was still a little hungry after."

"Much better. You know, my brother's actually pretty good at cooking omelets."

"Mm. I bet he's good at other things, too."

Lilith cringed. She knew she'd made a mistake, sending a picture of Lucifer from the Halloween party. It was that same picture she was thinking about a couple of hours later, while sitting at her desk. She sighed, returning her attention to her log book. They had two new students coming in, and she had appointments scheduled with both. She did this for each child, who entered the school mid-year. She felt it would help them transition better. Once the task was finished, she pushed out two white tables and began laying out the plastic snack bowls. There was a movie planned for the first-graders that day. The kids' adoration of her never failed to raise her spirits, even on her darkest days. When they arrived, one girl seemed to become her shadow, much like Trixie. That same girl started to doze off part-way through the movie, leaning on Lilith's shoulder.

She shook her gently and asked, "Are you alright, sweetheart? Did you have a good sleep last night?"

"Mm-hm."

"Then what's wrong?"

"I don't know. I want to move, but I'm tired."

An imporant fact crossed her mind right then, and she nearly smacked herself in the forehead over it. This girl was diabetic, and she was still coming to terms with what that meant. She didn't yet know how to describe her symptoms to other people. Lilith carefully eased herself off the couch, saying she'd be right back. She grabbed two bite-sized Hershey bars from one of the snack bowls, before motioning over an aide and asking if he had any peanut-butter crackers.

"No, but I can get some from the cafeteria."

"Good. And hurry. Catherine's sugar is low."

"On it."

Popping a strip of spearmint gum into her mouth to calm her nerves, she turned around and tried to focus on the image on the television screen. The movie was "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", specifically the scene where Mr. Tumnus reveales to Lucy that he was kidnapping her. She'd once admitted to Erica to having a slight crush on James McAvoy, and her friend hadn't let her hear the end of it. Even now, it still earned some giggles. She sat back down next to Catherine, handing over the candy.

"This will help, sweetie. I promise."

"Okay."

It wasn't long, before the aide reappeared with the crackers and some orange juice. The girl was soon back to normal. Her mother was notified anyway, just for the safety. Thankfully, that was the only serious hiccup over the course of Lilith's day. She was saying good-bye to Erica in the office, when she accidentally knocked over her purse. Most of its contents spilled out over the floor. Rolling her eyes and crouching down, she grumbled profanities under her breath as she picked everything up. Suddenly, she realized that one item was missing.

Looking back over her shoulder, she said, "My car keys aren't here, Ric."

Erica replied, "Maybe, they got pushed out into the hallway."

The hope that idea gave was quickly dashed, as she ventured out into the hall. She mumbled a frustrated "Bloody hell" as her eyes scanned the area. A student must've run off with them, thinking it'd be a nice prank. A loud tapping sound drew her attention.

A muffled, familiar voice asked, "Looking for these?"

She shot her brother a glare as he held up her keys, twirling them in a teasing manner. The grin he sported wasn't helping matters.

Once outside, Lilith asked, "What are you doing here, Sam?"

"Well, hello to you, too. I didn't know it was a crime, to visit one's sister at her place of employment."

"You stole my car keys."

"It's not my fault, if you weren't careful."

She tried to grab the keys from him, but he pulled back. This happened a couple of times.

He smirked and told her, "I need them to drive, don't I?"

"You could've waited for me, or at least texted me."

"Where's the fun in that? You know how much I like to make an entrance. Now, come along."

He gestured at her car, not giving her a chance to verbally respond as he began walking towards it.

When they reached the car, Lilith leaned against the passenger side door and said, "You know, you can't boss me around, like you do Maze."

"You still followed me."

As they started the car, adjusted the radio and heat, and buckled their seatbelts, Lucifer kept glancing out at the increasing amount of children around them.

"What is it?"

He replied, "I don't know how you deal with all these little gremlins this every day."

"I love it. Losing my wings didn't change my purpose. This is where I'm happiest. It's where I belong."

Something in his eyes spoke of a need he'd likely never admit to. Lilith reached over and squeezed his hand, rubbing her thumb over his knuckles. The corner of his mouth twitched. This reaction that proved all too brief, when he pulled that hand away and put the keys in the ignition.

As they drove along, she asked, "How did you get here, without your own car?"

"I called in a favor. Hopped a private plane and called a cab from the second airport."

"Guess that means I'll be driving you back, when we're done."

The drive started becoming more and more scenic. It felt good for Lilith to relax and let the wind blow through her hair, not worrying about keeping her hands on the wheel. Her house was at the end of a private driveway, isolated from the rest of civilization. It was made of white sandstone, seeming to have sprung up directly from the beachy ground beneath. He breathed in deep the salty sea air, surprised that it felt better than his beloved cigarettes.

Hearing his sigh, she glanced over her shoulder and asked, "You okay, Sam?"

"I'm fine. Carry on."

"Again", she pointed at him, "-not my boss."

He smirked, which earned a giggle from her as she turned the key. He didn't have time to appreciate his new surroundings, because his attention was immediately drawn by several loud barks. He shouted a profanity, as he was suddenly knocked to the ground.

"Lils, get...get this beast off me!"

Lilith kept her laughter well-contained as she grabbed her dog's collar, pulling it away from her brother.

"It's no big deal, Sam."

Standing up, he replied, "That's not the type of licking I usually enjoy."

She rolled her eyes at his innuendo, patting the head of the long-haired dalmatian beside her.

Taking a breath, she said, "This is Annie. She's just curious about you."

"Most women are."

"Most", and she crossed her arms, before continuing, "Who could possibly resist you, brother dearest?"

It was on the tip of Lucifer's tongue, to spill every bit of confusion he'd felt since first meeting Chloe, but something unnameable held him back. Clearing his throat, he silently walked past his twin, finally able to observe the inside of her home. It definitely wasn't what he'd expected. Everything was so open. The scent of hibiscus was thick around them. The walls weren't painted, matching the sandstone outside, and there were several pictures hung up. The floor was made of terracotta tiles. There were two chairs and a small end-table next to the front door. There was a reading nook under the stairs. It had a small cream-colored loveseat, a four-level tan wicker bookcase full to bursting with music records, a record player that looked like a jukebox, and a five-feet-tall waterfall that plugged into the wall. When Lilith turned it on, he fought the urge to sigh at how soothing it was. She giggled each time he pushed aside one of the many decorative palms or ferns. The stairs themselves, which were made of a dark-colored wood, appeared to be floating in mid-air. They led up to a loft, the contents of which were hidden by a foldable rattan screen. He turned to her and raised an eyebrow, smirking naughtily.

She smirked back and said, "I don't kiss and tell."

"Pity."

She gave him a light shove, and he continued his exploration of her house. Ducking slightly under an archway, he walked into the living room. There were three dark wicker couches, gathered around a coffee table. The flatscreen sat about seven feet away. The in-wall fireplace was even further back, two beanbags sitting at its base. The kitchen was attached to the living room, with a high countertop and three stools separating them. The tile in there was slightly different: larger and cream-colored. Through another nearby archway, Lucifer could see two doors. One was labeled "laundry", while the other was "B2". Assuming the "b" stood for "bathroom", he asked where the other one was. She replied that it was upstairs.

Turning to his left, he noticed that a large curtain hung over a certain section of the wall, between one of the couches and the counter. Not bothering to ask for permission, he walked over and pulled the curtain back. A glass sliding door was revealed, which led out onto the patio. It had a table and four chairs, plus a pool in case one didn't feel like walking all the way down to the beach. The amazing view gave his flat a run for its money. He watched the rolling of each wave, as it crashed into the shore. It carried him back to another beach, another time not nearly as pleasant as this. He'd never forget how the sand, which the moonlight had turned a faint shade of blue, was stained as the blood from his severed wings dripped down. Only by focusing on the nearby lights of the L.A. skyline, could he force himself to block out the pain. His scars pinched at the memory. Feeling something cold and wet against his hand, he looked down and realized it was the dog. He cringed and yanked his hand back, turning around when he heard Lilith giggle.

"It's not funny."

"Yes, it is."

Even the slight narrowing of his eyes couldn't wipe her grin away.

She asked, "Where'd you go off to?"

He sighed and told her, "The night Maze and I first came here."

She was surprised. She didn't think he'd go the bluntness route so soon. A bit of awkward silence set in, which Lucifer was the first one to break.

He rubbed his arms and said, "It feels a tad chilly in here, don't you think?"

"I could make some cocoa, if you'd like."

He didn't respond verbally, simply nodding his head before walking into the living room. As she entered the kitchen, she heard behind her the creak of wicker that signaled he'd just sat down. What happened there? They'd gone from somewhat warm and fuzzy, to anxious and confusing in two seconds. Maybe, a warm drink would help fix things. The television turned on, right as she finished mixing the hot chocolate. When she placed their mugs on the coffee table, Lucifer was staring at a certain picture. It'd been taken at a recent birthday party.

Finally noticing her presence, he asked, "Who is that stunning creature?"

Lilith knew that look in his eyes all too well by now.

She told him, "Paws off. Erica's my best friend."

"Well, can't she be my friend, too?"

She rolled her eyes, as she took her first sip of cocoa. Her brother seemed to like his, judging by the look on his face. Their eyes met.

She said, "It's amaretto-flavored. Seemed appropriate."

"You know me so well."

"Do I?"

He wondered what that meant, but he didn't feel like asking. He began flipping through channels, eventually landing on CNN. This section was supposed to be about political commentary. From Lucifer's point of view, though, it seemed closer to a more elaborate version of "I know you are, but what am I?" He kept rolling his eyes, chuckling softly with each sip of his cocoa.

"What's got you so tickled?"

"This", he gestured at the television, "And you say I'm immature."

"You are."

He huffed, the corner of his mouth just barely twitching up. He watched Annie jump up onto the other couch, resting her head on Lilith's lap. Apparently, she didn't notice his eyes still on her, observing the relaxed way she petted her dog. So, this was the life she'd made for herself. Both siblings seemed to have everything they wanted. Why, then, did he feel this strange tugging sensation in his chest? He took another sip of cocoa to force it back, pretending there was actual amaretto in the drink. A few minutes later, Lilith changed the channel, and she came upon a re-run of what she claimed was one of her favorite sitcoms.

Lucifer commented on it by saying, "So few inhibitions back then. It was magical."

"If you truly believe that, why didn't you leave hell sooner?"

"I've been wondered that, myself, lately."

Giving a slight sigh, he broke their eye-contact and refocused on the television. Lilith slumped against the back of the couch. She didn't know what was more awkward: the silence, or the small talk. How did a few days apart make such a difference? Instead of watching the program, she observed her brother's reactions to it. A break in the silence came, when the father on the show interfered in the spat between his two children.

He asked, "Eric, what did I tell you, about calling your sister the devil?"

The teenager replied, "That it's...insulting to the devil?"

Hearing Lucifer's warm, soft chuckle made her smile.

She asked, "So, while we're on the subject...do you have a favorite portrayal of yourself by human pop culture?"

After a brief pause, he responded, "I rather enjoyed Al Pacino's version. He had great fashion sense", and he glanced sideways at her, before continuing, "Why do you think I own a silk dressing gown?"

Though Lilith smiled at his comment, that flash of good spirits faded almost instantly. She knew her twin would never say the truth out loud, at least not yet. He missed her, and she felt a little bad for continuing to doubt him. Effort was effort. It shouldn't be one-sided. She reached over, lightly tapping his arm to get his attention.

"Sam?"

Once they remade full eye-contact, she continued, "I'm really glad you're here."

"Well, of course, you are. Who wouldn't be?"

His tone was joking, but the glimpse of warm sentimentality in his eyes was genuine. A soft giggle escaped her, as Lucifer returned his focus to the television. He didn't say anything more, but he didn't have to. He reached over and grabbed her hand, where it still rested against the side of the couch. He squeezed it briefly, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. The action only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough. Every journey had to start somewhere, no matter how small that first step was. Forget the expensive presents and the Halloween party. This was their real fresh start.

AN: Was this a good balance of emotions? I was thinking of doing a slight time-jump soon. Most of the time, we don't know how much time passes between each episode's setting, so I figured that was okay. Maybe another chapter or two, before going into "Pops". Any fresh ideas? Let me know. Thanks for being so patient with my updating.