/ / /
Chloe vaguely felt Lucifer shuffle beside her, but her mind was too focused on keeping her breathing even to think much about it.
Her partner was the Devil. The actual Devil. And he had wings. Huge, unbelievable, insanely gorgeous wings. And her roommate was a demon, who used to date an angel. And Charlotte Richards is Lucifer's Mom? That part didn't seem right but then none of it really seemed right. It also didn't seem to be right just sitting there, hanging out in the Devil's apartment with the half-naked Devil lounging next to her.
But then what else should she be doing?
Maybe having an existential crisis, she considered idly as she continued to stare blankly into space.
She should go back to Trixie. And Maze - the demon currently watching her only child. No, the demon she had begged to watch her child. Wow, hindsight was a bitch.
Besides. Leaving now wasn't going to fix anything. They had so many problems - even more problems than Chloe thought they had half an hour ago - and pretending those problems didn't exist like they'd done before hadn't helped them at all.
There was no lying about it. No matter how much Lucifer had prepared her - telling her over and over that he was the Devil, the signs, seeing him throw people across rooms, people driven insane when he'd never touched them - she was still...overwhelmed. She wasn't terrified, she'd known Lucifer too long to feel like that. But she was far from feeling safe.
She knew he could hurt her, emotionally at least. And while she knew if they were on a case she could trust him to have her back, she didn't trust him completely. Not anymore.
"I don't suppose I can offer you any paella?" Lucifer asked, his voice intruding.
Chloe turned to look at him blankly. She had half a mind to start yelling again that paella wasn't enough to solve their problems, but her mind was too muddled to even think of what to say. In fact she wouldn't have said anything and just resumed looking at nothing again if it hadn't been for the expression that she'd briefly seen cross Lucifer's face.
"Are you okay?" She heard herself ask weakly before she could consider it.
"Me?" Lucifer asked sharply, leaning forward slightly. "I'm not the one who's just figured out that Heaven and Hell exist, Detective." He shook his head. "I should have prepared you more, like in the station. Maybe I should have poured some scotch first."
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Okay, getting drunk would not have helped me."
"I wasn't talking about you." Lucifer replied, looking rather longingly over at his bar. Nevertheless he remained by her side.
His proximity suddenly dawned on her, she could feel the heat radiating off of him, warming her side. He always did run hot - was that a Devil thing?
"See something you like, Detective?" Lucifer asked as Chloe looked him over, waggling his eyebrows.
Ignoring him, Chloe brushed a stray bit of hair from her eyes as she resisted the urge to roll them again.
She resumed looking blankly at the wall ahead of her again for a few minutes, Lucifer remaining quiet and, this time, still.
"What do we even do now!" Chloe suddenly exclaimed, making Lucifer jump slightly at the sudden outburst.
"Excuse me?"
Turning to look at him again, Chloe waved her arms helplessly. "What do we do? Am I just meant to stay sitting here forever? You've obviously been planning to tell me for a while now - you must have a plan!"
Lucifer blinked slowly. "Erm...well. When I told Linda that's pretty much what she did - just sat and stared. And then I just...let Maze bring her around."
Chloe's eyes narrowed. "Linda knows you're the Devil?"
"Yes."
"Linda knew before me? Your partner?"
He had the decency to look a little sheepish. "I had to. She's my therapist - she thought I was crazy!"
"Have you looked around lately? We all think you're crazy!" Chloe said, huffing at the thought of her two friends knowing about this - and leaving her in the dark.
Lucifer sat quietly, looking somewhat dumbfounded so Chloe continued.
"And how could you not have some sort of plan if you've already gone through telling someone that you're the Devil?"
He scowled. "Well to be honest, Detective, I had rather imagined after telling you all I would be left with was a Chloe shaped hole in the wall."
"You thought I was going to run away?" Chloe asked, her irritation continuing to grow. It was good in a way. Being angry felt better than being completely lost. "I'm not the one with the MIA record as long as my arm, Lucifer."
"Because," Lucifer started defensively, "you already made it clear that you didn't believe in a God. Whereas Linda did - does. I figured it must make it additionally shocking for you. Coupled with the fact that you now know that a demon is babysitting your offspring, I thought you'd be running off to ensure your daughter's safety."
"Maze would never hurt Trixie." Chloe said confidently. Their bond - especially now that they all lived together - had grown impressively strong. Trixie adored Maze, and Chloe was aware that the feeling was mutual. Even if her roommate wouldn't voice that sentiment aloud.
"And then what little I had prepared was based on you seeing my Devil form - not wings. Trust me," Lucifer grumbled, "seeing hellfire burn before you is a lot more intimidating than fluffy wings. If I went back to Hell now I'd be a laughing stock."
Chloe was starting to lose her anger now, slowly slipping back into disbelief, which wouldn't do. The pair of them needed to talk. There was just too much hurt for Chloe to sit there saying nothing. "Why aren't you?"
"Why aren't I what?" Lucifer asked, his eyebrow raising as Chloe slipped off the couch. She had the feeling pacing would soon need to factor in.
"Why aren't you in Hell? I mean - what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be...I don't know - punishing the guilty, keeping all the evil people in order - whatever it is the Devil does? Why are you in LA solving crimes and, and running a nightclub?"
Thinking about the whole thing, Lucifer's life seemed even more ridiculous to her now. She used to think of him as her partner, splitting his time between crusading against crime and committing nightly debauchery, all the while hiding behind a ridiculous persona of being the Devil. But now?
The Devil ups and leaves Hell to open a nightclub - okay, maybe makes sense that that's what he'd do - but then becomes a police consultant? How could he sit around catching a couple of criminals when his actual job was to punish the - hundreds, thousands, millions - of souls in Hell who had committed the purest acts of evil?
Not to mention that he then tries to have a relationship with a, a - what was she in the scheme of Heaven and Hell - an insignificant mortal? No wonder he ran away. She was almost glad of it now. How insane - not only to be in a relationship with a supernatural being, but also one that she thought was human? How had Lucifer thought that they could have any sort of romantic relationship with a lie that big sitting under them?
"Hell's not exactly a nice place to spend eternity, Detective."
"But it's your job - your responsibility." Chloe reasoned, things slowly clicking into place. "That's why Amenadiel came here - to make you go back?"
"Yes," he said slowly, "although he's had a slight change of heart since. I can't seem to shake him now."
"But Maze wants to go back?"
"She did - I'm not so sure anymore." Lucifer frowned. If he wasn't sure of the answer, Chloe couldn't be sure either. Especially after her time with Rivers. It seemed to Chloe that the longer the pair stayed on Earth the more human they seemed to be getting. Chloe couldn't imagine the bartender she'd first met doing half the things she'd done this year. Babysitting included.
"And you want to stay?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Lucifer blinked. "I would have thought why would be fairly obvious. I know you're not exactly a church going, God fearing, Jesus loving Christian but you must know something about Hell."
"I mean why here?" Chloe clarified. She knew what Hell was supposed to be like - suffering, torment, punishment, demons, hellfire, yada yada - but what was keeping him in LA? "If you've been trapped in one place for," she waved her hand.
"Eons."
"Right, eons." Not at all a weird thing to consider, Chloe thought finally coming to stand still. "Well, why are you still in LA after five years? Shouldn't you be travelling all over the place?"
"Lux is here."
"You're loaded - you could open hundreds of Lux's all over the world."
"I like LA. It's...freedom. You can do anything here. The climate is good - warm but not stifling like down there - there's lots of people to make deals with. I like it here."
"And becoming a police consultant?" Chloe pressed on, genuinely curious how Lucifer could find her line of work - her life - of any interest in the schemes of what he must know.
Lucifer shrugged. "It was interesting, it allowed me to enjoy my freedom while still doing what I enjoy. Punishing the guilty." He explained unnecessarily. Like Chloe hadn't listened to any of his many rants about his desire to punish evil. "And you certainly proved to be a fascinating little mystery. How could I resist." Lucifer finished happily. "Well, I must say Detective you are taking things much better than I had originally hoped for. Why don't we celebrate by eating our cold lunch."
Lucifer started to stand but Chloe's hand flew out to stop him, landing on his bare shoulder before quickly jumping back. "Wait."
"Honestly, Detective. I went to all that trouble of cooking, you don't honestly mean for us to waste it?"
"How was I a mystery?" Chloe frowned, crossing her arms. "You mean because your whole 'what do you desire' bit doesn't work on me?"
"Not to mention your refusal to have sex with me." Lucifer added glumly, looking resigned to staying on the couch as he leaned back again.
Refusing to go down that topic of conversation just yet, a still very sore point for her, Chloe focused on his weird mind voodoo. Because all of a sudden it occurred to her that it didn't work on her. It never had, not even when they'd kissed. And now she knew that he was the Devil and it wasn't a trick and it was actually, well she still wasn't one hundred percent sure what it was but it seemed like, some sort of power. Which didn't work on her. And only her, because Chloe had seen it work effectively on every other person that they'd met.
"Why doesn't it work on me?"
"That is the question." Lucifer answered, but something shifted in his eyes.
"I thought you were promising to tell me the truth now." Chloe said evenly.
"I don't know why my powers don't work on you." He answered. It still wasn't the whole truth, Chloe knew Lucifer too well to know that he'd willingly entrust her with that. It was that knowledge, along with a mountain of hurt, that had sent her for the door.
She repeated what she said when she'd first tried to leave his apartment. It broke her a little to have to say it again, just when she had started to believe she would finally be getting some answers. "You know for someone who once told me he never lies, you sure do have a problem with telling the truth."
Lucifer's blanched. "I don't know the whole truth yet - I only have guesses. I didn't want to...I didn't want any speculation to cause you pain, only for what I thought to be wrong. I said I don't want to hurt you anymore and I mean it - and I want you to know the truth. The truth about Charlotte, and Candy, and why you keep nearly dying - all of it." He said solemnly.
His statement was about the only thing keeping her there and not flying off toward the elevator again.
"I still want to know." She said quietly. "Even if it is just a guess."
"Amenadiel," Lucifer began, his hand reaching out to pull her down on the couch beside him before hastily letting go. Chloe could tell he didn't want to tell her, which only served to make her more anxious. "Well, I found out from my Mother actually."
"Charlotte Richards?"
"Well, no. My Mother escaped Hell and took over Charlotte's corpse - she'd very recently been murdered."
Chloe looked him over. "Did you..."
"No," he grinned, though not as widely as usual, "this is God given. Anyway, my Mother's spirit inhabited Charlotte's body. Obviously I couldn't tell anyone she was my Mother, so Charlotte told you the lie about being my step-Mom."
"Wait, I saw Charlotte the other week..."
"I sent my Mother to another dimension - when we were on the beach." The beach, Chloe thought dumbly. It was both amazing and infuriating how much had apparently gone on right under her nose. "Enough energy was left to bring Charlotte Richards back to life. That's why she doesn't remember anything."
Chloe spared enough thought to feel a bit of sympathy for Dan who just thought Charlotte was pretending not to know him, before the bigger picture pressed at her. "So your Mother told you what about me?"
Lucifer sighed. "Well it seemed that a few decades ago Amenadiel was sent by my Father to Earth to perform a miracle." He paused as if waiting for her to make some sort of connection.
"Okay."
"To bless a couple who were having trouble conceiving..." He prompted.
"Oh." Chloe blinked, her hand slowly moving to touch her chest. "Me?"
"Yes."
"So, I'm a..."
"Miracle."
"Huh."
"Yep." Lucifer nodded as Chloe's attention started to waver again. That was certainly something to wrap her head around. "And that's why your powers don't work on me?"
"Perhaps. And why I become mortal around you."
"Mortal?"
"Yes. Why I can get shot, bleed, die..."
That was why he was so convinced he couldn't be hurt around her at first, Chloe realised. He really was bulletproof. Just not around her. Which of course raised a whole new question.
"So why would you stay with me?"
It wasn't a lie or sadness in his eyes this time. It looked more like fear.
"You know, I think we've had enough truth bombs for one day. Don't want to overdo it - you might be taking things well so far, but if we do this much longer you might have a heart attack. And I think I've already used up all my favours to keep you alive." Lucifer chuckled half-heartedly.
Chloe frowned again - she was going to get wrinkles at this rate. She frowned, not just because he was trying to dodge another question, but also because of the new piece of information he'd just inadvertently dropped. It would be amusing if she wasn't starting to comprehend just how much Lucifer had been keeping from her. Chloe knew she had been in the dark - she just hadn't realised how deep in the dark she'd been. How many things was he keeping from her? How many things would he continue to keep from her unless she could think to ask the right questions?
"To keep me alive? When?" She started thinking. He'd certainly protected her during their cases.
"Oh. Well, you know how you like to get in scrapes. Remember when I carried you out of that burning building. Very heroic, don't you think?"
"That's not what you meant. Tell me now or I walk out of here." She said firmly, levelling a stern glare at Lucifer.
She still wasn't sure if she'd leave once she got all of her answers. Now she was getting the truth things seemed...repairable. Yet at the same time, some of those truths were starting to convince her that it might be best to leave.
"When you were poisoned, I may have...gone to Hell for the antidote. Enlisting the help of Linda and Mazikeen to bring me back, of course."
That's how he...but he never wanted to return.
The idea of leaving just got a little harder as Chloe thought over what had happened after she was poisoned, considering it in a new light. His frantic terror. His promise to help her. He would literally die to save her life.
"Lucifer..." Chloe said softly. "You did that?"
"Of course, Detective."
If she didn't remember so keenly what he'd done right after saving her life, she might have been tempted to lean in and kiss him.
"Is that...is what you saw down there what made you leave L.A.? Or was it because you found out that I was a 'miracle'?"
Lucifer hesitated before looking down at the jacket still held loosely in one of Chloe's hands. Evidently the threat of her leaving was still an effective one to use, Chloe thought idly as he hesitated to answer.
"A mixture of the two."
"When you came to my apartment, you said something about playing games. Is that, is that because you found out I was a miracle? And you thought that I knew?"
Lucifer looked a little taken aback. Chloe took a small bit of pride in piecing these things together. She was a Detective for a reason.
"Yes I did."
"And that's why you once checked my back for wings. You thought I was something...not a human." Chloe finished, not really sure what to characterise Lucifer and his family as.
"Yes."
Not exactly the forthcoming responses she'd been hoping for. "And that worried you because..."
"It occurred to me that you may have been put in my path by my Father. If you were purposefully created by him it suggests he has a plan for me, and that you play some part in that."
"And that made you angry?"
Lucifer's brow deepened, darkening his eyes. "My Father always has a plan. My wings growing back is obviously another part of it, and this Sinnerman must be working for him in some capacity. And now I know that you play into it. Somehow."
"So that's why you left? To get away from me - before your Father could use me and I could hurt you." Chloe reasoned, saddened by the thought. She wouldn't want to hurt Lucifer, but maybe how she felt now was part of this plan. Honestly the thought of this omnipotent, omniscient being controlling her entire life was kinda creepy - and overwhelming - to consider. Was any action her own? Had she ever made a decision or was it a larger hand at play?
"No." Lucifer said, cutting through her existentialism. "I left to protect you, Detective. My Father has already made it plain that he intends to use you to get me to bend to his will. He's done it before when he sent my brother."
"Amenadiel?"
"No, my younger brother. Uriel."
"I've never met him, right?"
For a brief second Chloe could almost imagine what Lucifer looked like in his Devil form, as a wave of anger crossed his face before it was hastily replaced with self-loathing. His quick changes in mood were starting to give her whiplash. "Actually you have."
"When?"
"When he made your car crash."
Chloe sighed, remembering this conversation. "Lucifer, I've told you before. That was an accident."
Lucifer levelled her a look. "Accidents are what Uriel specialises in. He could drop a piece of gum on the floor and cause a building to collapse. I assure you, he caused your crash. He told me himself."
"Your brother tried to kill me?"
"And continued to threaten to do so in order to get me to return Mum to Hell."
"So that's why you sent her back?"
"No, I did that of my own accord." Lucifer said stiffly. "Uriel died before she returned."
"Died? But I thought..."
Lucifer moved past her on the couch and crossed over to his bar. He poured himself a healthy measure of scotch before holding up the bottle to her. She shook her head at the offer, deciding to let this one topic drop.
"So you left to protect me, and to stop your Father from manipulating you?"
"Which obviously didn't work." Lucifer said unhappily, taking a light sip of his drink.
"So why did you come back?" Chloe asked hesitantly, knowing the next part of the story involved a perky, bubbly, blonde 'exotic dancer'.
"I knew my Mother needed to go back to Hell." His face cleared a little, almost like he was happy. "She'd lied, manipulated. Killed. And I found the answer to my problems in Vegas."
Please don't say it, Chloe silently willed.
"Candy." Lucifer beamed.
He must have seen her shoulders drop slightly because he suddenly sobered. "No, it's quite alright. You see, I can explain now that you know. She was part of my plan."
"Plan?"
"To find out why my Mother had come to Earth. Escaping Hell isn't easy you know. And I didn't buy her whole 'I want to reunite my family' spiel. Well, it wasn't the only reason anyway."
"And, Candy, played into this how?" Chloe asked reluctantly.
"When we first met I saved her life - not important to the story," Lucifer said as Chloe opened her mouth, waving on, "and as a favour she married me and posed as my 'ditzy bimbo' wife in order to learn my Mother's plan. She was rather invaluable. And after she got into my Mother's head we got the marriage annulled."
Chloe blinked, torn between happiness and pure outrage. "And you couldn't tell me the marriage wasn't real..."
"Because that would involve you knowing about Charlotte's true identity."
"Right." Chloe thought dully.
"Anyway - I think that's you just about caught up with everything. Now, Detective. How about some food. I'm worried about you taking all of this in on an empty stomach. I don't need you passing out on me again." Lucifer said, tossing back the rest of his drink while Chloe started staring off into space again.
He unexpectedly took hold of her wrist, gently pulling her up and towards the kitchen.
"Why didn't you really tell me about Candy?" Chloe said softly as they walked through the penthouse. She had half a mind to tell him that she didn't need dragging to the kitchen but she found his touch somewhat calming. It made the whole insane conversation seem a little more real.
"I couldn't risk anyone knowing it wasn't real."
"You didn't want your family to know. But why couldn't I?"
Lucifer pulled her over to a chair before moving to sit opposite her, his head down. "I still had no idea if my Father was...if you were part of a plan. It wasn't wise."
"And because you knew it would make me not want to - be with you, anymore. You were pushing me away." Chloe said sadly, sitting in her chair numbly. "It makes sense. I mean - it would be a stupid thing to do. Us. Especially if I still thought you were...human. No, I'm glad it didn't work out."
She pulled her plate forward and piled it up with food she didn't want. Chloe didn't chance looking at Lucifer's face, she didn't want to see any pity. He knew that he'd hurt her and now she understood why. Understanding took some of the sting away, and knowing the truth about who he was showed her how impractical a relationship with him was.
She could only ever put him in danger. If she were really being sensible she should live up to her previous threat and never see him again. Her presence made him mortal - and from what he had told her it seemed like there were plenty of people ready to take advantage of that. Including this new threat of the 'sinner man'. Pierce could work with Lucifer, she'd work with Dan. They could see each other on occasion, she told herself.
Chloe didn't even realise Lucifer was trying to say something until he suddenly raised his voice.
"You're glad I left?"
Trying to push away the knot in her stomach, Chloe hummed in agreement around a mouthful of cold food. Swallowing she reached for the glass of wine Lucifer had poured out earlier and took a grateful sip. "I mean, could you imagine how much of a disaster it would have been? Having a relationship with this big of a lie?"
Lucifer looked at her guardedly, not touching anything in front of him despite it being at his insistence that they eat.
She continued uncomfortably, unsettled by his silence. "I still can't understand why you're even here. If I make you mortal shouldn't you be staying away from me?"
"I can't quite seem to manage it." He said softly as Chloe took another bite. She was vaguely aware of what she was tasting but couldn't quite concentrate on it enough to focus on what dish she'd selected. Her fingers twitched to go for her wine glass again but she was right earlier, getting drunk really wouldn't help them with this.
Chloe couldn't think of how to respond to him. They couldn't have a relationship, she wasn't even sure they could still be partners. Everything that had passed between them in the few hours she'd been at Lux didn't feel real. It was almost like they were wrapped in some sort of limbo.
Decisions would have to be made once she left, they'd have to choose how to proceed with each other.
The idea of him being the Devil was starting to settle with her. Maybe it was because she hadn't seen him in his hell form, but she still felt like she was sat with Lucifer. And her frustration had cleared now that she knew there had been a reason for his lies.
At the same time, however, Chloe knew they couldn't go back to how things had been. She should leave, but she couldn't deny the fact that she didn't want to.
"My family will keep trying to hurt you." Lucifer spoke up. "I know you thought I was being paranoid about it, but I hope you realise now that they see you as my Achilles' heel, so to speak."
Chloe nodded. Whatever it was about her was making him weak - she just couldn't understand why he would stay. "I do. It's not safe for you to be mortal."
She didn't see Lucifer frown, instead staring down at her food. "You do make me mortal. But that's not the only way they can use you against me. Uriel could hurt me, he had a blade that kills immortals. What he used was you - he threatened to kill you in order to make me work against Mum. I killed him to protect you."
There may have been a few minutes where Chloe's brain completely shut down at the revelation. She'd taken in so much information, learned so much, but the idea of Lucifer - her Lucifer - killing someone, his brother at that - it was the first thing he'd told her since showing Chloe his wings that she struggled to accept as reality.
"You killed someone." Chloe said quietly.
"Relax, Detective. I don't think I can be charged for killing a supernatural being." Lucifer said, trying to make his voice light. Chloe didn't buy it - she could hear the guilt.
"How could you - I mean...Heaven?"
Lucifer quickly answered her. "The blade he had, I used it against him. It obliterates. There is no afterlife."
"And you killed him, to protect me?"
A weight bloomed in her chest. She was torn between condemnation, fear, and a surge of guilt. While she wrestled with the idea that Lucifer had actually killed someone, something she had never thought he was capable of, she also had to live with the notion that he'd been driven to do it because of her.
"I'd do a lot to protect you, Detective." Lucifer said thickly. "Although I'd understand if you chose to leave."
"I don't want to." Chloe said, the words out of her mouth before she even fully thought it. "But, I worry. How we can - what we should do now?"
Her words echoed what she'd complained about before, and Lucifer gave her a wry grin.
Dropping her fork on the plate, Chloe stood up from her chair. Lucifer's grin faded quickly and he stood up, obviously expecting her to walk out.
Hesitantly, Chloe moved over to his side of the table.
"I'm still not done, you know. Processing. Especially about your brother." She said honestly. Chloe wasn't sure she'd ever be done. And she certainly wasn't letting Uriel drop - as a cop she knew about killing to protect others. But he'd killed his own brother. That had to be something they talked about.
"That's to be expected." Lucifer said, his eyes worrying over her. "It took Linda a while too. Our first few sessions - after - she talked more than I did."
Chloe gave him a hesitant smile. "Well, if Linda can handle it. I think I can too. After all...you have saved my life quite a few times now."
Lucifer exhaled, shoulders drooping and his eyes shutting. "You would seem to owe me."
He jolted as she unexpectedly and swiftly moved into his arms, cheek pressing against his bare chest. It wasn't romantic, not like the one they had shared before everything went to ruin. But it was the only thing Chloe could think of to show him that she was still going to be there. And to give them both hope that things would be alright.
Slowly his arms came down to rest on her shoulders, pulling her slightly closer.
Chloe's eyes closed, relaxing for the first time since she arrived at Lux. Actually this might be the calmest she'd been since she'd walked into the penthouse and saw Lucifer was gone.
Something suddenly brushed against her hands and she jerked back to find Lucifer's wings fully extended again.
"Still haven't quite got that under control."
/ / /
Couldn't resist that ending - I found it so funny in the show when Lucifer's wings accidentally pop out :D I hope you enjoyed the chapter and the whole story! I'm starting the NaNoWriMo tomorrow so I'll be leaving fanfiction for the next month. Please feel free to check out my other fanfics or my original works (under the same profile name on Inkitt). Happy Halloween folks, and thank you for all your lovely comments and kudos! 3