"...a sequence will begin two days from now, your cute little human will finally die. So, Lucifer, you can either let that happen, or you can give me Mom."

A gruesome fight ensued. Even with Maze's help, they were no match to the angel.

"Because you've made it so difficult, now I"m gonna take out Mom and the detective. You can't stop me brother."

Lucifer heard this but he was still dazed and were too slow to react. Uriel had already pressed the key.

Having fulfilled his mission, the angel retrieved Azrael's blade and flew upwards, left Lucifer fuming. The Devil was disappointed with the outcome and somehow he wished he hadn't burned his damn wings. With them, he was stronger. And if he were stronger, he could've prevented this from happening.

True, the easiest solution was to let Uriel kill their Mother, but that's just absurd.

He will save the Detective, whatever it takes.

Several raps on the door and Chloe finally opened up, revealing a disheveled Lucifer and a semi-conscious Maze whose fingers were twisted in a nasty way.

"What the hell happened?" She draped Maze's arms over her shoulders and assisted Lucifer in dropping the demon to the couch.

"Ah you know, got in a fight with my little brother. Got our asses handed down to us rather splendidly." The devil huffed while he wiped the blood off the cut from his right brow.

He completely forgot about the forty-eight hour timeline Uriel had set before the sequence begins until he was at her door. But he wasn't going to take any chances and leave his Detective by herself, even for a second.

"But why are you here ? Both of you should've gone to the hospital!" Chloe scolded. Wasn't that the most logical thing to do when you're badly injured?

"No, Detective. Maze and I are going to be fine. But if you would be so kind to let me at least stay for the night? I think I'm already suffering from mild concussion that I'm actually seeing double. Unless you have a twin?"

The blonde sighed and examined the cut. It looked like it needed stitches, although Lucifer insisted it'll get better in the morning.

"No, there's only one of me." She answered after grabbing her emergency kit from the bathroom. The devil hissed when Chloe damped a gauze with antiseptic on his head wound. Contemplating whether to take him seriously or not, she finally decided it was best to keep an eye on him at least for the night.

"Alright, stay here and I'll grab some ice packs. And don't fall asleep!" She warned Lucifer and made her way to the kitchen.

The Prince of Darkness meanwhile reset Maze's broken finger back in place which earned him a glare from the slightly buzzed demon.

The bounty hunter quickly recovered and left her former master by himself in the living room, and also ignored Chloe's protests of staying put.

Lucifer never left Chloe's side day in and day out. He hovered over her protectively, which annoyed her to the point she wanted to kick the civilian consultant out of her car.

But he was persistent. For as long as he's able, Chloe would stay earthbound. Amenadiel on the other hand is on mom duty. Maze is on Trixie duty. Lucifer had to impose his will on his little sex thug to prevent her from apparent suicide by repeated assassination attempts on the Goddess of Creation. Lucifer hated doing that but needs must.

It would take a miracle to get out of this predicament caused by Uriel, unless the devil begs or try to strike another deal with the Almighty. But He's not even listening.

Prick!

The devil cursed inwardly.

The second day arrived and the devil was on the edge of his seat in anticipation of what his dear insolent brother had planned. Will she be killed in a car accident? Poisoning? Or any other means? The devil vowed he'd do everything he can to prevent all that. And worse comes to worst, he'll give up his life for her. She didn't deserve any of this.

The time of reckoning came and Lucifer gave all he could to keep her out of harm's way. An explosion here from which he suffered 2nd degree burns, to a backstabbing prick who drove an icepick to his gut after he used his body to shield Chloe, to a broken arm after he pushed her away from an oncoming vehicle, to a gunshot wound to the shoulder, the list went on and on. And he was in extreme agony but he didn't care.

There is just no way in Hell he'd allow for his detective to die.

"All in a day's work!" The civilian consultant exclaimed at Chloe after the medics finished patching him up from his latest injury. The man seriously couldn't catch a break.

"Lucifer, this is no laughing matter."

"I told you, I wouldn't let anything happen to you. That's a promise."

"But…"

"No but-s! I am your guardian devil, I will not leave your side."

On their way home, with Chloe on the wheels, the car screeched as it came upon an oil slick from a broken tanker. The cruiser careened, had hit the guardrail and flipped on its roof. The detective was rendered unconscious by the impact. Lucifer on the other hand, ripped his seatbelt after having recovered from his slight daze and quickly made his way out of the crashed car, ignoring the searing pain, to help Chloe.

Driven by adrenaline and possible rage, he checked for her pulse and smiled as he felt it. He pulled her out of the car and dragged her to the side of the road.

You are indeed a tough cookie, Detective . That makes one of us.

Lucifer shook his head at that and finally sat right next to her, legs sprawled. He'd started bleeding out after pulling the shrapnel from the guardrail that impaled him on his right side. Mind over matter, he told himself, when he extricated the protruding object with all the strength he could muster.

"Sorry, looks like this is the end of the line for me, Detective. But I will make sure that the attempts on your life will stop."

Curse this bloody mortality!

Barely awake, he managed to utter a prayer to the angel of healing - Raphael. The civilian consultant wasn't expecting his younger brother to answer, and the devil is bummed out on why he thought of him in the first place - but he showed up.

"Luci, what a mess you are." Raphael bent down to level with his older brother. His pallor was an indication that he was on the verge of death.

Lucifer chuckled painstakingly.

"It's a pleasure to see you too, Raphael. I have a favor to ask you," Feeling his consciousness slipping away, he had to get the words out as quickly as possible.

Should've avoided the small talks.

"Ask Uriel to call it off. I'll do anything." He pleaded.

"You need not worry, brother. Father was displeased with Uriel and ordered him to negate the flow of his patterns. I was just about to deliver the message to you."

"Heh. Better late than never. Will you just tell her I'm sorry?" The devil managed to placed an arm over his younger brother's shoulder before it went limp.

The angel of healing laid Lucifer down next to the detective as he began to heal the latter's injuries.

"You're something, Miss Decker. My brother gave up his life for you. I don't get it but, I think what you and Lucifer have, is interesting." He paused, pondered for a quick second and continued. "And also, orders from Upper management."

Raphael then healed Lucifer's injuries and basically brought his soul back to his body. The angel laughed at the thought that a quick trip down in Hell for the devil should give the latter some perspective.

"Be well, brother."

The angel left the scene as two ambulances arrived. He left a few scratches on both, for the humans to tend to.

The devil groaned in pain when he woke up at the hospital.

"Look who's back." Chloe smiled at him while she held his hand.

"I believe that's my line, Detective." He quirked a brow as he stared at her face. She had a few cuts left, but otherwise okay.

"I am so sorry, Lucifer."

"Stop right there, Detective. There's nothing to forgive or to apologize for. I told you, I'm your guardian devil. It's my job."

"Then, you're relieved from duty."

"You wound me, darling. Are you saying you don't want to work with me anymore?" Lucifer pouted, although he knew her enough to know what she meant.

"I meant the guardian devil thing."

"Ah. It doesn't make any difference though. If I can help it, for as long as I'm around, no harm will ever come to you."

"Say I believe you for a second, that there will be several attempts to end my life for God knows how long…"

"Well, it's been sorted out actually."

"Huh?"

"A little birdie told me someone is being punished for their manipulation." Lucifer smirked. He could just imagine Uriel standing in a corner, having been given an actual timeout.

"Again, I don't get it."

"What I mean is, the threats had already passed. There will be no further attempts from any celestial beings."

Chloe shook her head. She didn't understand.

"Oh, for the love of," Lucifer threw his hands up. "What I'm trying to say is that everything's back to normal. I won't have to throw myself under the bus literally, to protect you."

"You should never throw yourself under the bus to protect me."

"But I most probably would, Detective."

"Why?"

Because you're too important.

Because you don't deserve to die.

Because it's my fault anyway.

Because you mean so much to me.

Because I couldn't live without you.

Because I love you.

I am in love with you.

Come on old scratch! Choose one.

"Because I'm your partner. For my partner, I could sacrifice."

The blonde groaned. She knew the civilian consultant was telling the truth but there was something about him that was so unsettling. Maybe it was her nerves finally getting to her after another close call. Chloe's well aware of the perils of her job but the occurrences for the past days were utterly ridiculous.

Suffice to say, an expression of gratitude is in order.

"Thank you." The detective stated simply.

"You're welcome." He dipped his head just a bit and acknowledged her thanks. "And now I think you could go back to your boring paperwork, Detective. Wouldn't you say the past couple of days were exciting?"

"Shut up, Lucifer. I'll see you at the precinct when you're cleared. And no using your weird eye mojo on the Doctors. I mean it." She warned and saw him squirm for a little bit.

"My word is my bond." He grinned.

I will never let you fall,
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to Heaven
Coz you're my true love
My whole heart

A/N: And… Thanks for reading! For Devil's Family, I have the outlines but writer's block is a beyotch. So to make up for this week's supposed update, which I don't have...yet, presenting another one from my drafts! Hope this would suffice.