note: I own nothing.

Set sometime after season 4. My first Lucifer fic so please be kind; its been a while! Loosely based on Dantes Inferno and written while listening to depressing Lewis Capaldi songs. I hope you enjoy!

The first thing she became aware of was a feint noise. Almost like crying, heartfelt, broken crying from somewhere far, far away. This was quickly replaced by a solid beeping noise that got louder and louder until she felt like it might burst right through her brain She landed with a bump in a dark non-descript space. It jolted her awake even though she wasn't sure she had ever been asleep.

There was no way to tell what had happened to her, it was akin to waking up from a dream confused about where you were. This place was grey as slate with no discernible shape to speak of, just nothingness that appeared to stretch for days. Then the smell drifted in, the kind of putrid smell that doesn't just offend your nostrils but enters your very soul and replaces your bloodstream. She stepped forward, the sound echoing eerily around the space. There was something about this place that seemed familiar to her somehow and yet it felt very empty and alone at the same time.

"Hello?"

Nothing.

That was possibly what she expected and yet it seemed like the silence was swallowing her whole. The nothing settled around her like a fog, slowly at first but then all at once till it filled her lungs. It chocked and it strangled her until she was bent over, hands on her knees retching. Trying to rid her body of whatever it was infecting her soul.

Finally heaving herself upright she blinked in the darkness and began to recognise shapes on the horizon. A building perhaps? Or a piece of furniture?

She wanted to move towards it, but it seemed she was anchored in place somehow. Her steps taking her nowhere despite the sound flying at her from all angles.

She began to panic. She was a logical person, none of this made sense. Her mind desperately searched for some kind of clarity on what had happened to her, how she had ended up in this place and where exactly this place was.

Her mind was suddenly as empty as this space.

She couldn't remember where she had been that day or even what day it was. Had she actively taken herself here? Was she a prisoner? Who even was she?

It hit her, all at once.

She had no idea who she was.

Did she have a name?

a family?

A home?

Nothing rang a bell. How could she figure out where she was if she had no idea who she was?

A shadow formed in the distance before her. Just a wisp of a shape at first before it formed into the shape of something more familiar. A silhouette stood proud against a background of grey. A man. Standing there like a solitary lighthouse which should have been comforting but was actually incredibly unnerving. He should be moving surely, breathing at least but the stillness of this horrible place continued as he stood there watching her unravel.

She stepped towards him but again, made no progress. She began to step faster, and faster until she was running and running towards this promise of companionship and clarity.

She stopped, her heart beating like a train, her breath making clouds in the air as she struggled to calm her rising panic. The shadow was no closer and no further away. Her efforts had gone unrewarded and she didn't know what else she could try. She pressed her eyes closed tightly trying to redeem some of her senses and when she opened them again the shadow was gone. Vanished like it had never existed.

Her eyes desperately searched out a sense of it. A trail of smoke or a fading sound in the abyss but there was nothing at all until it seemed the air was sucked out of the space. Her heart felt like it stopped beating in her chest, her breath was stolen away, and her eyes shot wide open as the shadow materialised inches in front of her. Red eyes peered deep into hers like they were searching for something. Reaching deep down into the locked away areas of her subconscious.

She may have been frozen, but the shadow was clearly not and as quickly as it had materialised it pulled back with a start standing tall in front of her. The shape became more defined;

Tall, broad shoulders, well defined jaw, a smart suit?

He stood, staring with a look of sheer horror as though she was the one to be feared. She didn't understand it, but it was comforting to her to know she was not the only one afraid.

He took a step forward and she inadvertently flinched away from him, her body reacting before she knew what it was doing. He looked genuinely hurt but he didn't step forward again. He began to step backwards, shaking his head and running both hands through his hair. He turned as though he was about to march away before stopping himself to stare at her again.

"Detective?" He muttered in disbelief, His eyes burning into her "What are you doing here!?"