"Maze?! What's going on?!"

Lucifer's question was curious and ever so slightly annoyed, finding the demon spread out on Chloe's couch with something inane on the television. His charge for the afternoon - Trixie - ducked past him, throwing her school bag down on the floor before she landed with an enthusiastic bump next to Maze.

"Hey small human, how was school?" the demon smiled, ignoring her master and addressing the child that had flopped down beside her; brought home after what had been a rather good chat about a certain mother and Detective even if Lucifer would say so himself.

"It was cool, as school goes", Trixie responded with a shrug, settling in.

"Maze?" Lucifer asked again, eyes flying around the room for Chloe or worst of all, his father if the demon was here and not at Lux. He stood behind the pair at the back of the couch, looming over them with a fury simmering under his skin that so easily could turn at Maze disobeying him; but not in front of the child no matter how casual she had been at seeing the Devil underneath.

"Chill" Maze replied simply, throwing a brief glance up at him before she turned back to the television. "Amenediel turned up at Lux and so I left him on guard duty".

Lucifer nodded. At least his Father was not let loose on Los Angeles and that was slightly better than him being here. In reality his brother and father probably had a lot to talk about. "Detective?!" he shouted, going to walk towards the stairs to find her, assuming she was probably taking a shower after work.

"You'll have to yell louder than that" Maze responded, still staring at the screen. "Your precious Detective isn't back from the precinct yet".

"Really?" Lucifer replied, looking at his watch as he turned back. It was gone six. Well past six in fact. She should be back by now and immediately that horrible feeling – that one that made him check the locks on the doors and windows so many times over - welled up in his stomach. Maze just nodded; the child sliding further under the demon's arm to cuddle up. Lucifer sighed, walking to the kitchen, and fished his phone out of his pocket, speed dialling Chloe but growling in frustration when heard the automated 'you have reached the voicemail of ..." He frowned and tried Ella, who answered in two rings. "Lucifer!" she squealed, the noise of the station clearly behind her. "Decker said you were back!"

"Miss Lopez" he breathed as he started to pace, hoping the child was not picking up on his anxiety. "One does not suppose you have seen the Detective?"

"Yeah" Ella replied breezily. "She left just after she came back from lunch as she got a call." She paused, quickly glancing at the clock on the lab wall. "Actually that was a long time ago...It was about half two she left..."

"Where was the body?" he asked urgently, tapping his pocket for the keys to the corvette even though he had only put them in there a minute ago.

"Bodies. Two..." Ella responded half distracted by the ping of an email on her laptop. "The golf course at up at Rancho Park". Lucifer replied with his thanks, quickly killing the call and going back to the demon and the urchin.

"Right you two, up you pop! Road trip time" he demanded, clapping his hands together urgently.

"What?" Maze scowled at him. She was not for getting up. Not for a wild goose chase for Decker who would be perfectly alright. This was getting pathetic! "Lucifer..." Maze continued hearing him rumbling in annoyance, the pair turning properly to face him. "She's gonna kill you acting like the clingy boyfriend". Trixie was just looking at him with a wide smile, ever so enthusiastic to have the Devil in her mother's life.

Lucifer huffed. "Right if I am getting no help from you two. Maze look after the urchin. Feed her and make sure she starts her homework", he ordered before he shot out.

"Whatever Lucifer!" She dismissed him with an almost regal wave of her hand. Dumbass is whipped. Make sure she starts her homework! Pft...!

He wandered up the path of the golf club. He hadn't driven in the end. Devil Air was far more efficient a mode of transport in evening Los Angeles traffic and it had only taken a minute or two to get to the golf club from the alley he had chosen for flight. A string of uniform officers were standing where a blue tent covered what he assumed was a body and thirty yards to the side another. He saw Chloe easily, a little further on chatting away and taking notes. He also found her car – he could not miss the huge SUV parked just inside the gates- and leant against it until some minutes later she spotted him and half walked-half ran down the concrete path. "Lucifer?" she asked very pleased to see him. After today she was ready to leave, finally go home and his presence was a very nice surprise.

"You didn't answer your phone" he offered. It could have been accusatory but Chloe heard nothing but concern in his voice as he continued to lean on the vehicle.

"I know. There's no signal where the body was". She turned the phone over to him, showing him there was barely one bar even now. "Why? What's happened?" Lucifer shook his head quickly. "Did you think something had happened to me?" she asked, keeping her voice low, but he just shrugged like a reluctant child who had been found out.

"Luce," she started, standing a step closer, gently sliding her hand up his arm and making sure nobody could see them. "I do understand why you the first thing you thought about was that something might have happened to me but I'm fine" she smiled. "This just took longer than we thought. Half the club needed interviewing. It was two employees; the bodies". She gestured behind herself as he sighed again, shoving his hands in his pockets. "So much has happened Luce. I get it why you feel twitchy. I really do". She took his hand out of his pocket and squeezed. "Come on. Do you have to stay at Lux tonight?"

"My Dad's there. I should", he replied, seeing her nod in acceptance. "But would you and the urchin consent to come over to Lux tomorrow and stay? We can dance our night away and we can so something nice on Sunday with the offspring?" Hopefully when he's buggered off.

"To meet him?" she asked, really rather it being at Lux than at her house as she had suggested before. A strange curiosity was getting the better of her but he nodded. "I suppose we best tell Trix then". He smiled and opened the driver's door for her. "Luce?" she asked as they settled down. "Are you going to tell your Dad how you are going to arrange Amenediel's punishment? You should, really..."

"I know I should Detective," he replied, "but..."

"No buts" she responded firmly. "Luce he has to know what you intend to do. Do you want him to just find some way to send you back down there?"

"That was harsh Detective" he responded, hearing the engine roar into life but she did not otherwise move.

"No not harsh" she said, shaking her head. "He's your Dad; he asked you do something that will in the long term keep us together. You want that don't you?" She put her hand on his arm, deliberately so he would look her in the eye. "I understand why you are, well, reluctant to do anything for him but this isn't about your Dad, this is about us".

"I do appreciate that my love" Lucifer noted. "It's just difficult". To let myself believe I can be good enough for you. Let the fear go.

"So tomorrow we tell him about the plan. The proper plan. Together", Chloe insisted before a thought struck her. "Where's your car?" she asked, realising he was sitting quite happily the passenger seat. Lucifer smiled, simply making a flapping gesture with his hands. "Oh" Chloe smiled, feeling a little embarrassed she didn't think of that. "Can I drop you back at Lux then?" she asked.

"You can do anything you like Detective", he replied, gently pulling her chin so he could kiss her; just a peck and once he was sure no-one was looking. "But for now, yes, Lux it is".

It felt strange with him not in her bed that night and as soon as Chloe was sure Trixie was asleep she called him. Instead, lying back on her pillows and bundled up to her neck in her duvet, she got his voicemail and her heart sunk. "Er...Hi" she started sweetly. "I...erm, just wanted to say goodnight and...well, I hope it's all okay with your Dad. Trix is fine. We talked. She apologised to me and I apologised to her. I deserved it to be honest, but thank you for speaking to her. You didn't have to. Anyway, no need to call me back. We'll be at Lux about half eleven tomorrow, unless you want us there earlier or later. Let me know. I love you. Sleep well..."

Lucifer smiled as he listened to her message. He had been accommodating his father in the guest room; the furthest guest room away from his own bedroom that he could think of and missed her call. That was over an hour ago but he did fire off a quick text to confirm that half past eleven was perfect. She would be well and truly asleep by now he hoped so instead he and Maze were working their way through a bottle of Chateau Lafite.

"So I can go if I want or stay if I want?" Maze asked. She was not entirely sure how to take this new development of being released by him to choose her fate and the prospect confused and exhilarated her in one breath.

"That's my offer, Mazikeen" he said, tipping the last of his glass down this throat before he leant forward, eyes shining. "Come on! What do you think? We can have all we want on earth and you can have a hit of Hell whenever you like. Satisfy your desires!"

Maze frowned. It would work; it could work, but did she want it? She was so unsettled. Eve was gone to Heaven again and she had wonderful friends here but she missed her home. Maybe it could. Have a hit of Hell, just like he said. "You really want this don't you? A proper life amongst these humans?" she asked although she knew the answer already. Lucifer nodded, leaning over and refilling her glass and his. "My whole purpose in existing is to serve you", she began with a loud sigh, slumping further down into the burnt orange couch. "That's all that demons are good for".

"Not you Mazey", he replied, trying to encourage her. "I will need my best bodyguard in Hell but up here? Your life is yours and above it all you are my friend, my one loyal friend and well, I am giving you the choice to do what you wish". He paused. "We have been through so much Mazey and I will miss you if you decide you want me to just take you back..."

"You are not the being you were Lucifer" Maze mused. One day long ago she wished for the flames in his eyes, but she had changed too. Maze nodded and tipped her glass towards him in a toast. "To safe trips and satisfying our desires!"

Chloe actually felt relatively calm on the drive to Lux with Trixie chattering beside her about meeting Lucifer's Dad at last and overnight bags packed for them both on the back seat. Lucifer had already told her that he would play at Lux tonight and she was looking forward to that. She had not heard him playing the piano for too long and as they crawled through the traffic her daughter's innocent enthusiasm was providing an accompaniment to the beeps of the impatient drivers as she tried to distract herself. Unlike her daughter, Chloe was not however looking forward to meeting his dad. She refused to refer to him as God. She had so much to say to him and most of it was uncomplimentary that she wondered if she might just muck this up for him if she let her mouth away with itself. "Baby will you stay downstairs with Maze while I see Lucifer and his Dad? Just for a while?" she asked as they moved through a green light. Her daughter just nodded.

So, leaving the child downstairs with Maze who did nothing but set Chloe on edge with the series of smirks she was giving her, the Detective started on her journey to the penthouse floor. As she stood in the lift as it slowly crept up, Chloe watched the numbers of the floors tick up and it felt as though each one was taking a lifetime to switch to the next. Carefully she rocked on her feet, wiggling her toes in the confines of her boots in some kind of attempt to root herself to the ground. She considered she had to be careful after all; the power this man seemed to have and she did not want to do anything that might affect Lucifer, even if it meant reeling in her planned interrogation. She could weed answers out of murderers after all and this was Lucifer's Dad. He was only a parent like her; or that's how she was making herself feel better about this whole thing before she tried to take a swing at him. Chloe was really not sure which road she might find herself on.

The lift door pinged open and she was greeted with an empty penthouse. Slightly confused Chloe stepped out, almost to the couches, when Lucifer appeared from the balcony. He was seeping that aura of confidence that she saw long ago every day in Lux, except it was not reflected in his eyes. "Hi" she squeaked, still wondering where his Dad was. The words 'where is he?' were mouthed at him and Lucifer gestured behind himself at the seemingly empty balcony.

He smiled and walked across to her, hands placed on her upper arms. "Okay?"

"Think so", she replied; kissing him just briefly and painting on a smile. Lucifer turned and she felt his hand go on the base of her spine.

"Dad?" Lucifer asked. Chloe swallowed as she heard feet walking across the stone floor and right in front of her eyes, God appeared looking, well like an older Amenediel. No! Not God! Lucifer's Dad! Lucifer's Dad! For a second she wondered why she should be overwhelmed by it all standing in front of a being she didn't believe in until she knew who Lucifer was. She supposed it was perfectly normal to be having a bit of a panic about it though.

The voice of the Devil beside her infiltrated her inner monologue as his palm flexed on her back. "Dad, this is the Detective. This is Chloe. Chloe, my Dad"

His father took several steps forward into the penthouse, as Lucifer gently rubbed her back, unsure himself about how she may react. He was ready, to be honest, to whisk her away from him if it became too much for her. "It is such a pleasure to meet you, my miracle". God stretched out a hand to her, but she did not take it.

Chloe swallowed, biting back was she was originally going to say as something she could not place came over her. All she could feel was Lucifer's hand pressed into the base of her spine, still trying to push her towards his father but her feet were stuck to the floor. "Detective?" he offered. "Chloe?"

She raised her chin finally finding her voice as at last the strange feeling that overcame her dissipated. "I don't know what to say to you. Where to start", she enunciated but her tone was hard. She actually had a thousand things to say but they were all josting for space so she did not know which one may come out first.

"Chloe..." She knew perfectly well Lucifer was trying to warn her; the timbre of his voice said it all, but right at that second she was utterly deaf to it.

"Have you seen the burns on his skin?" she pressed, jaw setting and a devil worthy fire starting to light in her chest. That was the one thing that she always returned to as it always churned in her mind, the pain he must have been in for fuck knows how long. The skin she had been so frightened of; it angered her the most as it was that which caused her eyes to divert from him when all he needed was her support.

His father shook his head; slightly taken aback by the steel he saw in her eyes but he really should have known better. She was his Miracle after all; he made her that way. "Chloe" he started, briefly glancing at Lucifer. "My son and I have spoken at length these past few days..."

"I don't care about the past few days" she started, stepping away from Lucifer. He let her get on with it, recognising now she had to get it out. "I care about all of those millennia he was exiled, lonely, vulnerable and feeling as though his own father treated him like shit because he wanted to be his own person; because he dared to want to be loved!" Chloe breathed in as she straightened her shoulders. "Your son, feeling as though he had to take responsibility and fix every evil that humanity spewed up!" She was a foot away from 'God' now and the apprehension she felt in the lift had been squashed down by a fierce anger.

"Samael?" His father raised his eyes to Lucifer, who was torn between stepping in or just letting her get on with it still. The latter won. This would be interesting to say the least and Lucifer could not deny he felt a stab of amusement at the scenario unfolding out in front of him. He was still there, under the surface, the devilish side and how he loved a furious, ranting Detective. Always had done and he pushed away a smile.

"You want me to stop her, father?" Lucifer asked, trying to keep the mischief out of his voice. "I can't influence her to do anything. You know that very well".

Chloe was on a roll now, vaguely hearing Lucifer's words. "I want you go away and leave us alone but, but... he is your son and I want...I want..." As she looked closer at his father, she was starting to flounder as she knew she was going to cry if she said what she planned to but she ploughed on. "I want Luce to be happy, settled and I don't want us to be spending the rest of our lives together waiting for it all to go to shit again because he continues to punish himself!" She swallowed, a brief thought interfering that she had sworn at God; lost her temper at meeting her lover's parent for the first time.

"You love my son" his father stated blandly.

"I do. Of my own free will. I do love him. All sides of him" she added carefully, feeling Lucifer stand directly behind her again, hands gently laid on her hips. He knew perfectly well why Chloe had mentioned it being of her 'own free will'. It reminded him of too many conversations and arguments in the past and he was silently pleased.

"That is good" God replied, carefully nodding. "Chloe, can we sit and speak?" She shrugged her shoulders but walked with Lucifer to sit down; his father opposite them. "I had Amenediel bless your mother for a purpose" God began, gently pressing his hands together.

"I know that part and the part about you putting me in his path" Chloe replied before a thought struck. "Wait...was Delilah's death planned?" Beside her she felt Lucifer tense up. They had never talked about this one true human friend he had before Chloe met him but she knew what she had meant to him.

"Delilah's soul had lessons to learn and will continue to do so. It had learned all it could on this plane and her life was only intended to be short", God responded but Chloe squinted at him. "Whilst I, yes, rather manufactured you meeting in Delilah's passing, I did not interfere to such a length that I take away from you any of the free will that my son fights so hard for. That dear girl's death was the last chess piece, but after that? No..."

"So why is she is immune to me?" Lucifer asked.

God ducked his head. "That son is my case in point. Your birth was touched by heavenly influence, Chloe" he began, his voice smooth and calm. "You my son are desire and divinity intertwined with each other. That was how Chloe was created. The influence I gave your conception through Amenediel and your parent's overwhelming desire for a child combined. I created you for a purpose Chloe - to bless your parents as I saw their immense pain and for my son to find his way through you if he chose it".

Lucifer shook his head. He was ready, at last, to let go of the pain and it had only been because of his feelings towards his Detective although perhaps more so, hers of him.

"I felt it was time" God continued. "You Samuel, you had to let down the walls you had created around you, work to gain Chloe's trust and faith in you and by doing that you can find the good path again and learn from her. Having you being able to just dig out her wants and needs by a look in the eyes would simply not do". Chloe tried not to laugh with the incredulity of it all; of how just important she seemed to be for him. "I cannot override your free will Chloe" God continued. "In you, I have taken away my sons ability to manipulate you or to feed your desires so he has to work for them".

"The mojo doesn't work..." Chloe muttered, staring at her and Lucifer's intertwined hands.

"It is twofold, my dear. My son allows himself to be vulnerable around you because he has learnt to trust you and you have learned to trust him. That was my plan; to make my son realise again his origins and strike down the walls he has built". The pair nodded as his words settled in. "Son, you know I wish to have you return to the fold".

Chloe's head shot around to Lucifer. He had not told her that part and she stared at his father. "Chloe, I wish my son happiness and I know you don't believe me but it is true. I created you to show him the right way but you cannot do that unless he wishes to do it himself and make that choice. Free will, freedom of choice, yes?" Chloe licked her lips, wondering what to say; if she should agree. "I was angry with you son and you needed to learn lessons. That anger has died because you have shown me what you can be again. The humanity you surround yourself with now has tempered you and yet other aspects of humanity have taken you as a scapegoat for all things evil and I did not intend that. The use of free will was not necessarily for good but you my son, were there, strong enough to punish it, not be it..."

Lucifer nodded and Chloe caught his eye. "Then why didn't you tell me that...?" he muttered, feeling anger rise in his middle. This could have been resolved long ago, but then again, he may never have met Chloe if he had.

"I..." God started before he hesitated to find the right words. "Call us too similar my son".

"So you are just a vulnerable a parent as the rest of us then?!" Chloe asked. Maybe he wasn't as arrogant as Lucifer tried to make out. Family relationships were complicated.

God laughed and shook his head. "Stubborn", he responded. "Look, son, Chloe is...I do not want to call her a gift but to put it bluntly her connection to you is the end of your path, the one you started on with Delilah". Chloe turned and smiled at Lucifer grabbing tight onto his hand again. The devil however, was still hesitant. "Samael, you could have stayed in Hell".

"But I am pulled back to earth. Freely. Every time" Lucifer responded starting to understand the connection and staring at Chloe. "Pulled back to where I wish to be every time".

"It was only here, amongst these humans that you could find your way Samael" God replied. "Have the influence of good upon you. Well, the good of one particular human". He nodded towards Chloe.

"What about Amenediel?" she asked.

"I know Samael will have found a way through the sentence I imposed, Chloe and Amenediel confirmed to me just his afternoon". So he knew already. "My son is exceptionally clever too and I could have predicted it as night runs into day". He took a breath as Lucifer just shrugged at her. Least he didn't have to explain himself. "I am willing to allow it because Amenediel did something particularly grave in freeing the soul from Hell. He needs to seek my forgiveness and yours too Chloe, but I understand why Lucifer wishes to see right by the doctor and Charlie. It is another step on his oath. For that I will allow it".

"I have not forgiven him father" Lucifer responded, his voice tense.

"I do not expect you to, but you will use your better judgment, am I correct? You have used it; looked at the bigger picture rather than not reaching beyond the end of your nose as you have done so many times before son". Chloe nodded as she heard Lucifer breath in and out. He was trying to hold his tongue, she could tell. Yes, here was another test, just worded a different way. Still though, this was more about Linda and Charlie than him. More about him and Chloe than his own pride and he had to let it go. "Son", God started. "I would like to hear you play the piano".

"With God's gift?!" he asked sarcastically.

"Luce..." Chloe replied, before she dug her nails into the flesh of his hand and it hurt. "I would like to hear you play too".

Lucifer nodded reluctantly. "So what happens now Father?" he asked but the question was interrupted by the lift dinging and a dark haired child thundered across the floor to her mother.

"Maze is flirting with the delivery man. It was pukey so I escaped!" Trixie announced flopping down at the Devil's side and leaning heavily on him. It still didn't feel right. Maybe he would get used to it in time given the chance. Chloe was about to scold her for using the word 'flirting' but the child had a question before her mother could open her mouth. "Is this Lucifer's Dad?" Trixie asked, looking the other man up and down as he continued to sit across from them, watching how his son interacted with the girl. He knew who she was already and she was certainly her mother's child.

"Yes child. I am his father", God replied, smiling at her.

"Oh" Trixie started, her face falling. "You hurt Lucifer. My dad says he would never throw me out of his house, whatever I did". Trixie felt Lucifer squeeze her shoulder. It was Mom's signal to shut up but it didn't stop her. "You didn't look after Lucifer like my Dad looks after me. You don't look after him like Lucifer looks after me either" Trixie carried on, leaning in even closer to the Devil.

"I am glad he looks after you Beatrice" God started, smiling at her. The child wore the same face as her mother too. "Tell me child would you let me come and visit you and your mother from time to time? My son, too?"

Trixie looked across to Chloe for her answer. She saw an imperceptible nod and she felt Lucifer's hand on her shoulder again. "Chloe", he started. "Would you allow Beatrice to come down to the bar this evening so she can hear me play too?"

"Of course I will". She was still looking at his Father, sitting between them as a physical barrier. "If Trix desires to she can". The girl was just grinning at him so she had her answer.

Some hours later, Chloe was sitting perched on a chair next to the bar; a soft clear drink in her hand keeping her promise to herself that she would stop, or at least cut back on the alcohol in her promise to the child she would never have. Her eyes were only on one place and he looked beautiful shrouded in the blue of the house lights and utterly lost in the music that was floating effortlessly around the floor. The crowd around him was quiet and just as mesmerised as her, allowing herself to relax with Trix now tucked up in one of the guest rooms for the night with Maze on guard. Chloe felt, rather than saw his father arrive beside her.

"Are you not afraid of me, Chloe?" God asked, sipping on a glass of rich red wine; the best the house could afford and that was saying something. He wanted to speak to her without his son's presence, just to see if there was any influence after all.

"Why should I be?" she replied, still dreamily watching Lucifer but as his father settled beside her she had another question. "Can Lucifer and I be happy?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" he asked. "I fear it may be".

Chloe smiled. "I am not going to throw your son away like you did, no matter if he makes mistakes" she replied, her tone still very much the same as it was in the penthouse. "He deserves better than to be cast out from my family". She was still not in a forgiving mood towards his father, whoever he was, and she doubted she ever would be. She was about to vent again when two more figures sidled up her. "Ella! Dan?!" The man just gave her an unenthusiastic smile as she looked curiously at him not expecting the presence of her ex-husband tonight.

"She wanted to come and see him" Dan replied, gesturing with a thumb over to the piano as he regarded the tall man beside her. He was really not amused to be dragged to Lux mid date to see his ex-wife's lover. He didn't even know Lucifer was back until Ella told him just a few hours before.

"Sorry" Chloe spluttered coming to her senses. "Ella this is Lucifer's Dad. Ella... Lucifer's Dad." She continued, wondering if he had a name. "I work with her. We work with her" Chloe concluded, before a tiny portion of her inner monologue decided to chip in. Shit! I have just introduced the one person with the deepest religious faith amongst us to God!

"Elohim. Call me Elohim" his father breathed, stretching out a hand to both Ella and Dan.

"Whoah" Ella started, eyes widening as she shook his hand. "You Morningstars are heavy on the references to religion aren't you?"

"We are Miss Lopez we are" God replied, nodding his head and taking another sip of wine. "We are somewhat".

In her sober state, Chloe hesitated. She actually hadn't mentioned Ella's surname but she could tell the forensic scientist was a little merry so maybe she had missed it. Quickly she introduced Dan properly. "Are you in town for long?" Dan asked, wondering about Lucifer's Dad and just what man had brought him up and turned out a kid like that.

"A day or so" God smiled. "Just to see my sons and then back to work for me!"

"Oh?" Dan responded, nodding his head as he leant against the bar. "So what do you do?"

"Let's just say I manage a large number of people...Isn't that right Chloe?" Could she actually see a sparkle in his eyes? If she could, it unnerved her so she just nodded clearing her throat in the anxiety that had reared itself again at these unexpected introductions. She slid off her seat and left them to it.

A few hours later, Lucifer wandered across the empty penthouse floor, switching off lights and locking the lift. A quick look into the guest room closest to his bedroom found the urchin fast asleep and it made him smile. He did not go near his father's room and as he walked up the steps, he found Chloe asleep too; or at least he thought she was, breathing steadily. He undressed, showered and returned to her side, sitting down on the bed, about to swing his legs in when he heard her move. "I'm sorry Detective. I woke you up" he noted mournfully.

"You didn't" she replied, as he slid into bed and pulled her into his arms. "I wasn't properly asleep". Lucifer nodded satisfied he hadn't disturbed her. "So..." she started. "Do you think this is it?" She had been dying to have a few minutes with him all night from the moment they stepped down into Lux some hours ago. "Do you think he will leave us alone to just get on like we planned?"

Lucifer breathed in and tightening his arm around her. "I hope so".

"So what are we doing tomorrow? Trix has been mithering me to go to hiking somewhere for weeks" Chloe offered but she felt him bristle. "I know it's not your thing. We don't have to. We could go to the beach. A bit further up to the coast or something". She could sense his reluctance but understood why so she decided to leave it. "I know it's been a long day. Let's wait until tomorrow". She planted a kiss on his cheek but her eyes were closing again. Even her touch tonight was not soothing him and whilst sleep took his bed partner quickly that night for most of it Lucifer lay awake. Uncertainty still bloomed in his chest at this mistrust he had of his Father. Lucifer sighed as he felt her shift in her sleep; her palm flexing on his chest.

This time it would be different; this time someone loved him for all he was, accepted him man and devil aside even if she had taken her time about it. He knew he had changed, deep down, or perhaps found what he used to be, more like. She had resurrected him; brought him back to life, a meaningful life and he had to hold tight.

Lucifer shifted his shoulders, trying to push away tense muscles when the black diamond ring, sitting on her left hand caught his eye in the moonlight. He smiled. Oh how he wanted this. Chloe, her urchin, all of these humans, Maze, Lux, the LAPD and a deal well done with his Dad. He could keep himself in line, let go of the past and look to the future and embrace these people around him; people that made him better. No, he could make himself better and free himself.

"Luce?" Her voice was heavy with sleep.

"So sorry my darling". Lucifer replied, snapped out of his melancholy. "I didn't mean to wake you up..."

"S'okay" Chloe replied, bleary eyes looking up at him as she leant on her elbows to face him; examining the pensive expression. "You look like you are thinking too much".

"I suppose I am" Lucifer responded with a sigh. He was tired but she was right. Too many thoughts were running around his head.

"Well don't" she replied, snuggling back down in the warmth, eyes shutting rapidly again. He let out a huff of a laugh but her brief awakening was not enough to calm him. His Father had asked him long ago to his visit to the Silver City if he wanted 'redemption'; if he wanted 'forgiveness'. He wanted Chloe and, well yes now he felt ready to be what she needed him to be. He wanted to be redeemed to be the best he could be; to be saved from the evil that was not his.

Sure, he was never going to suddenly become a monk, with or without the Detective in his life, and yes, there was no way he was giving up Lux or all her delights, or alcohol or music, but he could be satisfied with his lot now. There was no harm in a little irresponsibility every once in a while particularly whilst he had the woman in his arms to be irresponsible with. It could be good, he could commit, he could be sensible if he chose because this long road he had been on, well, he had finally found its end and he could release the darkness in his being that had polluted him. He looked down at the crown of dark hair on his shoulder.

"Detective?" Lucifer piped up eventually, his voice filtering through her half –asleep state.

"Hmmm?" Chloe responded, shifting around and the arm that had been laying on his chest, slipped across his middle and held on tight. Lucifer licked his lips. A little bit of irresponsibility with his Detective and he could take on this new test of his Father's with her by his side. Forever. Now that would be just...lovely. He must have been lingering in his thoughts again for too long and Chloe raised her head, resting her chin on his chest. "Luce?"

"Sorry" he muttered, blinking as she continued to look at him, eyes half closed and hair wild with sleep. He sighed. "I can't switch off Detective". It was so easy to be straightforward with her about these human feelings, knowing she would understand even if he didn't.

"Can I help with that?" she asked, sliding her palm down his chest, abdomen and underneath the black silk sheet that was bunched up around his waist. He still had a deep frown on his face and Chloe stopped just short of the band of his boxers. "Tell me. You can say what you like to me. Ask me what you like." She placed a kiss to his chest. "I thought you knew that by now".

"Okay..." he replied, but he retrieved her hand rubbing his thumb over the diamond she still wore now housed on the left just for today. "Are you sure?"

Chloe nodded quickly, feeling a little more awake but not much. His face was too grave but she was not dreading what he had to say. "Anything..."

"Okay...if you desire" Lucifer repeated, pressing his lips together, thinking over the consequences of what he was about to ask. He took a deep breath, swirling his thumb on her skin again before the question found its way to his lips.

"Marry me?"

FIN

Aannnnnnddd breathe...that's it, over! Can I just say 'thank you' again to everyone who has read and commented on this fic. I am so grateful for your thoughts and sticking with this long ass story! I hope you all enjoyed it.