This fic was written as a gift for mourning-night on tumblr for The Deckerstar Network Secret Santa Gift Exchange. I have no idea how I came up with this anymore. I need to thank my marvelous beta editor Valificent, for helping me fix errors and showing me my plot inconsistencies. And I need to thank pencap on tumblr for giving me permission to use her poems as epitaphs for this fic!

This takes place somewhere in season 3A before episode 3x09. So Lucifer doesn't know Marcus is Cain and the sinnerman has not yet been apprehended.

Darling, what can I say?

I loved you. I did.

But, darling, what can I say?

I loved you first, but perhaps he loved you better — deeper, purer, sweeter, softer.

And you loved me, and you loved him. And we all prayed to everything in the sky, for a forgiving end, for a tender conclusion.

But, darling, what can I say?

The sky is just a bruised heart full of sighing breaths and clouded memories. And the sun only has eyes for the love she lost to the depths of the sea. And the stars are too busy shooting themselves out of the night, seeking their own gentle close in some promised land of stardust and supernovas.

And a thousand lovers are begging for a forgiving end, for a tender conclusion.

So, darling, what can I say?

Like every other soulmate in every other love story — I loved you.

I did.

But in the end, we're just another goddamned tragedy. ~ j.p.

Lucifer stared down at the twinkling city lights as he blew out a long puff of smoke. Back before his partnership with the Detective, he'd never understood what humans meant when they said that the holiday season was the most depressing, but now he felt the effects of it with piercing clarity. This last year hadn't been kind on the devil, he'd killed his younger brother, he'd been forced to send his mother to a different plane of existence, and recent events involving the Detective turned out to be the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. And now here he was, holed up in the penthouse as he tried his hardest to drown his sorrows by drinking his way through the well-stocked bar in his living room. Unfortunately, it turned out that no amount of alcohol could persuade the invisible hands that were wringing his heart to have mercy. He let out a bitter chuckle at the thought; he was the devil, he didn't deserve mercy.

What had he expected? Of course Chloe wasn't going to take well to the revelation that he was Satan incarnate. He could still hear the tremor in her voice as she backed away from him, still see the way she kept her hand closer to her gun as though she thought that he would actually do something to harm her, still feel the icy tingle running through his veins as he realized that everything they ever had with each other was over. There was no way that the Detective would want to continue their partnership; that much was clear by the way she practically fled the crime scene the second all of the proprieties were taken care of and everything had been properly handed off. At least she was still alive though, even her avoiding him at all costs was preferable to witnessing her being lowered into the ground in a wooden box. He shivered slightly at the thought of what might have happened if he hadn't reacted to the gunshots quickly enough, and he knew that regardless of the consequences, he'd do it all over again just to know that Chloe was safe.

But the reassurance that his favorite little miracle was still alive and in one piece did nothing to quell the pain he was currently in. No wonder why humans called it a broken heart, it was bloody awful, like he was being ripped apart from the inside by a feral hellhound. He tipped back the remaining dredges in the bottom of the bottle he held before letting it slip from his fingers; it clattered against the cold marble floor loudly, the sound reverberating through the empty penthouse sounded eerily similar to the bells in the silver city used to signal the arrival of new souls. Lucifer stood there in silence for a long moment, reliving the moment of truth over in his mind just like he had been for the last two days. It seemed to play slower in his head, drawing out his torture as he was forced to re-watch as she recoiled from his touch when he tried to pull her out of her shock, as she backed away from him like he was some sort of rabid animal, as her eyes glazed over with pity when he finally admitted…Lucifer shook his head as he pulled himself out of the daze he'd been in.

He couldn't stay up here. He couldn't force himself to pretend that everything was alright. He couldn't act like none of it ever mattered when it had been the only thing that he ever gave a damn about. There was no way he could force himself to stay away from her, and it was clear that she didn't want him in her life anymore. Lucifer wasn't going to deny it, he wasn't going to try and tell himself that she'd come around. Chloe wasn't Linda. The Detective hardly tolerated him when he was just a simple civilian consultant, and it was impossible to hope that she would accept his partnership now that she knew exactly who and what he was. Lucifer ground his teeth and drew in a long breath as he squeezed his eyes shut, flicking his half-burnt cigarette over the balcony railing. He knew what he had to do, but first, he had a few loose ends to tie up.

Lucifer tried to ignore the haunting voices of the Christmas carolers down the way as he patiently waited for someone to open the door; thankfully, it didn't take long before the sound of the deadbolt disengaging filled the quiet just before the door swung open. For the briefest second it felt like everything was going to be alright; Chloe was standing right there before him, an expectant smile gracing her features as the twinkling lights adorning the Christmas tree in her living room made her golden hair sparkle. But the illusion disappeared just as quickly as it arrived; Chloe stepped back from the entryway, her smile dying as confusion overwhelmed her features. She shook her head slightly before her voice finally broke the silence, "Oh! Lucifer, wha—".

"My apologies, Detective. I didn't mean to bother you." He cut her off as he took a step back, it was more than obvious to him that she was already uncomfortable with his proximity. He tried to ignore the stabbing pain in his chest and the way his heart was definitely beating faster than it should be as he averted his eyes, unable to bear seeing the almost fearful expression on Chloe's face a moment longer. "I'm here to speak with Mazikeen." He added a moment later, still refusing to look up at her.

"Lucifer!" The distinctly male voice cut through the lingering silence with ease, and the devil quickly jerked his head up to see Marcus walking towards the door with a wide smile plastered on his face. The Lieutenant finished closing the gap between them, wrapping an arm around Chloe's shoulders and drawing her into his side as he came to a stop. The blatant display of affection sent a fiery wave of jealousy through him at the same time that his heart spasmed painfully once more, his veins suddenly feeling as though his blood had turned to ice. He clenched his jaw as the two unwanted emotions battled for dominance within him, but before a winner could be determined Marcus was speaking up once more, "Come on in!". The Lieutenant stepped aside, pulling Chloe with him as he gestured towards the living room. Lucifer offered Marcus a tight-lipped smile as he stepped inside, immediately looking around in search of Maze. He spotted her curled up on the couch under a blanket as she stared at the TV with rapt attention. Before he could even take a step towards his demon, Marcus's voice was droning over the soft noises escaping the television,"I thought that you would've been spending Christmas eve with your family.".

Lucifer turned at the statement, gritting his teeth once more as he noticed the way Chloe was nervously nibbling on her lower lip as she pressed herself as tightly into Marcus's side as she could manage. "My family and I aren't exactly on gracious terms." He replied, his voice coming out much more venomous than he meant for it to. He quickly took a step away from the two of them as he noticed that the sound of his voice made Chloe manage to somehow press herself even tighter against Marcus's side.

"Lucifer!" The screech of his name came out of nowhere mere seconds before the Detective's spawn descended upon him. He didn't even have time to protest before the little miscreant had wrapped her arms around his waist as she stared up at him with large eyes and a wide, gappy smile. He flinched away from the child's sticky touch at first, but he relaxed a moment later, even daring to reach down and pat her head. It was the last time he was going to see the child, after all, he might as well show a modicum of affection.

After a few excess seconds began to drag on Lucifer shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat before speaking up, "Would you kindly release me, small human?".

"Are you going to spend Christmas eve with us too?" Trixie questioned as she finally let go of the devil, stepping back as she continued to smile up at him.

"No," Lucifer replied immediately, smoothing his hands over his suit as he set his sights on Maze once again. "I came to collect my demon." He continued, his voice growing softer as he started walking over to the couch that Mazikeen was currently nestled on.

"Luci! Do you want some spiked cocoa?" Maze asked loudly as she waved her mug around in the air above her head, not bothering to tear her gaze from the movie.

Lucifer ignored her question as he stopped in his tracks and spoke up, "Maze.". The demon turned around at that, her eyes searching his face quickly before she huffed loudly and rolled her eyes.

"Seriously? I'm kinda busy here," Mazikeen explained, annoyance lacing her voice as she gestured wildly to the TV sitting before her.

Lucifer scowled at her words, his teeth grinding together as he silently cursed his archdemon for always choosing the worst possible moments to start showing him sass. "Mazikeen," Lucifer repeated dangerously. His patience had been worn thin a while ago, he just needed to get this over with and get out of here; the sooner the better. Maze dared to question him a second time, looking over her shoulder with a sharp glare and a petulant pout. Lucifer growled quietly at the insubordination, the lights flickering slightly just before the devil quickly reigned in his temper. Lucifer barely heard Marcus muttering something about a power surge to Chloe as he watched Maze place her mug on the coffee table before standing up.

"This better be damn important." She grumbled as she made her way over to him. Lucifer simply wrapped his hand around her arm before dragging her towards the door as he did his best to avoid the three gazes currently resting on the two of them. He released his hold on her as soon as the two of them stepped out into the cold night air, the front door drifting shut a moment later as Lucifer drew in a long breath and tried to prepare himself for the conversation to come.

"I'm going back. Do you want to come with me? Or are you staying here?" He questioned as he stared down at the demon standing before him.

"You're going back to hell?" Mazikeen questioned, her eyes growing slightly larger as her voice took on an almost offended tone.

Lucifer nodded once before simply replying, "I am.".

Mazikeen shook her head, her eyebrows creasing together as she crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Why?"

Lucifer rolled his eyes as he huffed out a breath. "There's nothing left for me up here, Maze."

"You're leaving because you're upset about how Chloe took the whole Devil thing," Maze confronted him as she took a step forward, closing the distance between herself and the fallen angel as she purposely invaded his personal space. It took a few seconds for Lucifer's steely demeanor to crumble, and Maze let out a soft sigh and shook her head in response. "Lucifer, she just needs some time, she's starting to come around. She's fine with me!" The demon explained as she gestured wildly to the apartment behind her, dragging Lucifer's gaze to the window where he could perfectly see Marcus whispering something in Chloe's ear just before she laughed at him and playfully slapped his chest. The sight made his throat tighten uncomfortably, and he quickly looked away as he tried to ignore the icy tingle that was currently radiating through his body. "I mean, she did ask me some weird questions, but everything's still the same," Maze continued, clearly not noticing the internal battle that Lucifer was currently suffering through. He glanced up sharply as soon as she finished, his eyes narrowing as he drew in a long breath and attempted to quell the rush of emotions that her words brought on.

"Nothing is the same Mazikeen," Lucifer growled as he stepped forward menacingly, which, of course, only made the demon glare up at him with an expression that dared him to lash out. "Nothing will ever be the same," Lucifer's voice cracked over the simple words as his grief managed to win out over the temporary surge of anger. Why couldn't his demon understand that sticking around wasn't going to make the pain fade? He had to move on, regardless of how much it hurt.

"Stop being such a drama king," Maze remarked as she rolled her eyes, and if Lucifer wasn't already in so much pain he certainly would have lashed out for that last comment; but he just didn't have it in him to keep fighting, let alone with the people he cared about.

"She knows, Maze." He growled as he tried to focus on keeping his voice from cracking under the weight that was currently pressing on his chest.

"Obviously, now do yo—"

"She knows that I love her!" Lucifer shouted, unable to keep himself civil when Maze just kept telling him that his emotions about the situation didn't matter when the pain coursing through his being was comparable to how it felt when he fell from heaven. Thick silence brewed between the devil and his demon for a moment as he caught his breath, and as soon as Lucifer's simmering emotions died down a little he glanced over at the Detective's window once more; he wasn't surprised to see that both Chloe and Marcus were staring outside at the two of them with almost concerned expressions; but he knew that their concern wasn't directed towards him, no, they were worried he would hurt his favorite demon. Something dark and cold grew inside of him as he realized that Chloe was only worried about how he could hurt the people she cared about, she'd likely never show him concern for his wellbeing again.

"I just…" Lucifer trailed off as he turned his gaze to the concrete under him. He shook his head and drew in a deep breath, silently willing away the unwanted wetness beginning to pool in his eyes at the reminder that she'd never actually cared about him, that it had all just been some elaborate prank from his father. "The pity in her eyes when I told her." He muttered softly as he finally drew his gaze back up to meet Mazikeen's. He was surprised to find something almost understanding or mournful written across Mazikeen's features, at least one of the women in his life still cared for him in some small fashion. "I can't stay, Maze," Lucifer explained, and Mazikeen's expression immediately fell, her mouth falling open as she shook her head. "I can't." He reaffirmed before she could protest his decision. Mazikeen needed to understand that he couldn't withstand this…this torture any longer. Even hell was kinder that this twisted reality. "She's with Marcus now, he makes her happy. She'll live a good life." He stated; but he knew that he was saying those words for his own benefit, that he wouldn't be able to leave if he thought that her future wouldn't be any better with him gone. "A better one than I could ever give her."

"Lucif—"

"I'm leaving, Mazikeen," Lucifer growled as he cut her off before she could speak. He knew that she was only going to try and convince him to stay, and he couldn't, it would only kill whatever tattered shreds were left of his blackened soul. "That's final." He added, his voice holding a steely note of authority that dared her to question him yet again. "I simply came here to extend the invitation to you." He explained, before immediately continuing, "Do you want to go back home, or do you want to stay up here with your human family?".

Maze clearly struggled for words as she stared up at Lucifer for a long moment, worry written across her forehead. "I don't…" She struggled to continue as she clenched her hands into fists so she wouldn't have to recognize the way that her fingers were beginning to tremble. "I don't want to leave, Lucifer." She muttered, her voice small and unsure. Lucifer swore that he'd never heard hell's most fearsome torturer sound so conflicted, so pained.

"Alright then," Lucifer replied with a curt nod as he tried to ignore the small stab of pain that Maze's decision sent through his core. He hadn't expected her to come, but some small part of him had hoped that she would; that he would have some sort of proof that he mattered enough to someone, to anyone, that they would choose to stay by his side through thick and thin.

"But…I also promised you that we'd always be a team, until the end of time. I…" Maze stopped speaking when her voice cracked, clearly taking a moment to attempt to piece her crumbling composure back together. How could he act like this was so easy for him? Like none of them mattered enough to stick around for? How could he possibly expect her to choose between him and everyone she had up here? Did any of them actually mean anything to him? Linda, Dan, Trixie, Chloe; how could he turn his back on all of them with such ease? "Please," Maze pleaded, reaching out and taking Lucifer's hand in hers as she tried to ignore the way her vision was blurring. Her fingers dug into his skin as she clung to him, desperate for some sort of reassurance that he was still here, that he hadn't abandoned her…not yet, at least. "Don't make me choose."

"Maze," Lucifer breathed, knowing that if he actually spoke his voice would fail him. "I'm sorry, but I can't." He explained, his voice a hushed whisper as he squeezed her hand gently, knowing that this would be the last time he'd be able to relish in the touch of someone he cared about for the next few millennia. "I wish I could but…" He trailed off, shaking his head as he stared blankly at the tiny apartment standing before him. "I can't take the pain any longer."

"I…I promised Linda that I'd go to her birthday party in a month, and the kid's taking me to show and tell next Monday…I…" Maze explained, her voice hardly more than a mumble as Lucifer carefully extricated his hand from her grip.

"Times change, Mazikeen. I released you from your promises a while ago," Lucifer replied, forcing the disappointment in his voice away. Maze had served him faithfully for eons, and although he knew that he would miss her presence in hell, she deserved to have her wishes respected; regardless of how much they hurt. "If they matter that much to you then you belong with them." He added as he rested his hands on her shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze before pulling away.

"Please…" Mazikeen's broken voice made him stop before he could even turn away. "Don't go." Part of Lucifer's resolve crumbled at those weakly muttered words, he didn't want to hurt her, but he knew that this had to be done for his own good. He managed a wobbly smile despite the cold stab of pain radiating through his being, but it was Maze's expression; the hurt and unshed tears swimming in her eyes, the way the tips of her fingers were trembling despite the temperate weather outside, the steely clench of her jaw that would have alluded to rage if not for the bob of her throat when she swallowed just a little too thickly; that finally weakened his defenses enough for him to open his arms, inviting her in for something the two of them had never shared before.

Mazikeen stepped forward tentatively, almost as though she was expecting some sort of trickery; but when Lucifer didn't sway she finally seemed to let her guard down enough to finish closing the distance between them, burying her face in his chest as she wrapped her arms tightly around him. She'd never expected to willingly accept a hug, especially one from Lucifer, let alone to return it just as freely as it was given, but Mazikeen had accepted a while ago that this place had changed her just as much as it had changed her former master. "You'll always be my favorite little demon," Lucifer murmured, swallowing heavily when he heard the muted, choked breath that escaped the demon at his quiet admission. "I'll come visit in a century or two. Maybe you'll want to come back then." He explained as he began to loosen his grip and pull away from Maze; after all, he knew that she wouldn't want to stay up here after she watched every human she ever cared about wither away and die.

"Lucifer…" Maze hated sounding so weak, and she hated that his name was the only word her mouth seemed to be able to form at the moment, but this storm of alien emotions tumbling inside of her was threatening to make her body shut down. Is this what Lucifer felt like? No wonder why he said that he couldn't take the pain any longer, if she didn't know better she'd think that God himself was attempting to destroy the very fiber of her being.

Lucifer forced himself to ignore the tugging feeling in his chest that was trying so hard to anchor him to this place that he was almost certain when he left something inside of him would rip in two. Before he even fully comprehended what he was doing he was leaning down slightly, his hands cradling Mazikeen's face as he brushed a kiss against her forehead. "Goodbye, Mazikeen," Lucifer spoke as he pulled away, a hint of finality in his tone as he quickly turned away from the demon and walked off before she could try and stop him again. His resolve to leave was slowly being chipped away bit by bit, and he had to go before anyone convinced him otherwise. This wasn't where he belonged. Not anymore.

Mazikeen stood there in shocked silence as she watched Lucifer disappear around the corner of the building and out of sight. Slowly the haze that was surrounding her began to thin like fog being blown away by the wind, and then the full reality of it hit her with full force.

Lucifer was gone.

Lucifer was gone and he wasn't coming back anytime soon. Something hot slipped down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away; she was a demon, this display of weakness was pathetic, she needed to get it together. Apparently 'getting it together' involved dooming one of the Detective's potted plants to a premature death as she kicked it violently, sending it clattering against the concrete where it finally broke into a pile of dirt and ceramic. The show of anger helped soothe over her raw nerves, she knew how to manage anger, but that other shit was just too much. She wasn't expecting the door to open suddenly as Chloe poked her head out, glancing around quickly before her eyes settled on her currently pathetic looking sago palm before immediately focusing on her roommate.

"What was that all about?" Chloe questioned curiously after a long beat of silence. Maze huffed as she pushed the door open further, stomping past her roommate and towards the kitchen as she decided that attempting to get drunk would definitely improve the night.

"Nothing," Mazikeen growled as she opened the cupboard that housed her plentiful supply of liquor.

"Maze, are you alright?" Chloe asked, concern lacing her voice as she closed and locked the front door. Maze tried to ignore the question, but when she pulled her favorite bottle of vodka from the cupboard her eyes fell on the old bottle of brandy that Lucifer had gifted to her when she'd first moved in with Chloe, and suddenly all of the unwanted emotions that she'd just barely managed to force away came rushing back with more force than Maze was prepared for. She swallowed heavily as her vision began to annoying blur once again.

Mazikeen flinched slightly when she felt Chloe's hand gently touch her forearm, and she slammed the cupboard shut as she turned to face the Detective. "I'm fine." She growled as she stormed past Chloe, making her way back over to her abandoned spot on the couch as she pried the lid off of her bottle.

"Everything's fine," Maze added, her voice harsh as she lifted the bottle to her lips before taking a long swig of the fiery liquid. The demon knew that Chloe wasn't buying it, but thankfully her roommate knew when to let things rest and didn't press her for any more answers. It didn't take long for the little Decker to help herself onto the couch and curl into Maze's side happily, but even the child could sense the sour mood rolling off of Mazikeen; and when Trixie looked up at the demon with wide, concerned eyes she simply smoothed a hand over the little one's hair before murmuring under her breath, "Everything's fine.".

Lucifer flicked the ash from the tip of his cigarette as he stared up at the night sky, he knew that this would be the last time for a few eons that he'd have the chance to stare at the beauty of the world that he'd once helped create. There were plenty of things he was going to miss about Earth; fresh air, sunshine, the women, the stars, and of course, he was going to miss her. He shook his head grumpily as he forced the thoughts of one particular golden-haired Detective from his mind. It was over. There was no going back. He flicked his cigarette out of his hand, watching as it fell into the sand under his feet, glowing red for a few moments before the life flickered out of it, leaving nothing but a thin trail of smoke that whispered it's way up towards the heavens.

The devil let out a lofty sigh as he summoned his wings, the darkness around him dissipating slightly as the ocean breeze ruffled his feathers. He wanted to turn around and look at the twinkling lights of LA, he wanted to know if they'd still be just as strikingly beautiful as when he'd first arrived here only a few mere years ago; but he pushed the desire away. He'd made up his mind, looking back would only make it harder to follow through with the path he'd already chosen for himself. It was harder than he'd like to admit to spread his wings, part of him didn't want to say goodbye to this planet and all of its beauty; but he didn't belong here, he never belonged here. And in the end, it was the memory of Chloe's broken trust in the warehouse on that fateful day that encouraged him to take flight. The ground shrank away at an alarming speed as he gained height, soaring out over the Pacific before he tucked his wings against his body and plummeted towards the inky depths of the ocean.

The wind swept past his face as he neared the surface of the water, and just before he could touch the waves everything changed; the world blurring away as the air turned from salty and crisp to stale and acrid, and instead of watery depths the throne room of hell came into his sight. He'd nearly forgotten how little wing room there was in hell as he plummeted towards the rapidly approaching ground, just barely managing to slow himself down enough to manage a somewhat sloppy, if not fearsome looking landing. Several lesser demons that were mulling around mindlessly turned to face him immediately, letting out sharp hisses before quickly scampering off into the dark crevices lingering at the edges of the clearing. Lucifer righted himself with ease, glancing around before his gaze fell onto stony grey throne that awaited his return, and the bulky form currently occupying his rightful seat. Finally, a fitting distraction to get his mind off of these damn human emotions.

"Astaroth," Lucifer greeted the demon coldly as he pressed his wings against his back and stepped towards his throne.

"Well, well, well." The demon chuckled as he tapped his wickedly curved claws against the armrest of the throne, sending little staccato taps echoing through the empty room. "Look who finally returned to Hell." His voice held a mocking tone that Lucifer ignored as he continued to close the distance resting between himself and the demon that had apparently only grown more insubordinate in his absence.

"I see you've taken an affinity towards my throne," Lucifer stated as he stopped at the lowest step that led up to the stony seat. His eyes quickly glancing over the demon as he assessed the level of threat Astaroth posed, but when his eyes caught on a dark, glinting bit of metal a wicked grin tilted the corners of his lips up. "And my sword."

A smirk filled the demon's face, revealing too many jagged teeth as he reached down, stroking his clawed hand against the hilt of the weapon and sending a small shower of sparks from the metal as it screeched under his touch. "What can I say?" Astaroth chuckled darkly as all six of his eyes suddenly focused on the fallen angel. "You left and the lesser demons needed guidance from someone with my talents." The massive demon continued as Lucifer began ascending the steps leading up to his rightful throne.

"As you can see, I'm back now," Lucifer explained, his voice taking on a harsh tone as he stopped in front of the demon that rivaled his height even though he was seated. "You're dismissed." The words held an authority that dared to be disobeyed, and even Astaroth seemed conflicted for a moment before he sat up just a little straighter, using his lumbering height to lean over the angel slightly.

"Hell is mine now," Astaroth growled as he clenched his hand around the armrest of the throne, his claws digging deep marks into the stone. Lucifer simply laughed at the demons claim, the sound reverberating off of the towering stone outcroppings as Astaroth growled in warning.

"You really think you're strong enough to rule over my dominion?" Lucifer questioned darkly, gesturing to the expanse of ash and jagged stone that lay before the demon, his gaze lingering on a few sets of red eyes that were peering curiously at them. Onlookers hoping for a fight undoubtedly, and at the rate things were going, Lucifer was quite certain that they were going to get exactly what they wanted.

"I'm stronger than you are little angel," Astaroth answered as he finally stood, dwarfing Lucifer with his lumbering height.

It was Lucifer's turn to smirk at the demon's words, a smile that was clearly poisonous filling his face as he stepped forward, challenging the demon as he spoke, "Perhaps you should put that statement to the test.".

Astaroth made it a point to let out a dramatic sigh, acting as though Lucifer was seriously inconveniencing him before he agreed, "Very well, if it's a fight you want I suppose I can take a few minutes out of my day to kick your feathered ass." The demon tried to grab the blade resting beside the throne quickly, but it was hard to move with great speed when one's strength lied in their bulky build; and when Astaroth turned towards the devil with sword in hand Lucifer was fully prepared for the onslaught, his wing coming up to shield him from the sword quickly descending towards him. A sound that rivaled the crackling of thunder filled the quiet as a bright burst of light exploded through the room. Lucifer lowered his wing a second later, looking down at his feet to see half of the sword laying on the stony ground.

"Impossible," Astaroth muttered, drawing Lucifer's attention over to the demon as it picked itself up off the ground, the hilt of the broken sword in his hand before he dropped it onto the ground with a loud clatter.

"You clearly forgot, that weapon was forged in heaven. It was never meant to be wielded by the likes of a demon," Lucifer explained as he reached out, for a second nothing happened, but then the hilt of the blade came soaring towards him and he caught it in his outstretched hand. The fallen angel picked up the other half of the broken blade, pressing the two halves of the weapon together just before it suddenly glowed a rich golden color, the metal mending together as it reacted to the touch of its rightful owner. The light ebbed a moment later, the black stone laid into the handle of the blade glowing a deep red for a second as the stone resting in the ring on the fallen angel's hand did the same. "It's impossible to harm an angel with their own feathers." The devil stated condescendingly as he twirled the blade in his hand, muscle memory flooding back despite the fact that it had been years since he'd had to fight with such a weapon.

"You haloed bastard," Astaroth growled before launching himself forward. Lucifer ducked under a wildly thrown arm, avoiding the deadly claws with ease before slicing deep into the demons furry thigh, a snarl of pain escaping the beast as it's leg gave under its weight before it tumbled town the throne room stairs. Lucifer shook his head at his opponent, it was obvious the years had made Astaroth soft; he'd undoubtedly spent so long at the top unchallenged that he'd forgotten how to fight a worthy opponent. "Put the sword down and we'll see how you do in a fair fight," Astaroth challenged as he forced himself to stand up, his wounded leg trembling under the stress as black blood trickled from the cut.

"You were willing to take a blade up against an unarmed man. I don't see why I should show you the mercy you were unwilling to show me," Lucifer replied as he slowly descended the stairs. His words only served to enrage the wounded demon further, and as soon as the fallen angel was within fighting distance the demon was swiping a clawed hand towards the devil. Lucifer evaded the attack with ease, rage making Astaroth sloppy. Several more attempted blows came from the lumbering giant, each of them avoided with calculated ease before Lucifer finally tired of toying with the quickly tiring demon; another calculated sword move resulted in the blade being driven deep between the demons third and fourth rib. The giant stumbled slightly before falling onto the ground with a heavy thud; labored, gurgling breaths escaping the demons twisted lips as it struggled to stand.

Lucifer was stepping on the creature's chest a second later, forcing it back against the cold ground. Before Astaroth could claw his way out from under the fallen angels boot Lucifer was pinning the demon's arms against the stony floor, his dagger-like feathers piercing the creatures thick hide with ease as his wings held him in place. A lofty sigh escaped the fallen angel as he leaned down slightly, his blade pressing against the demons thick neck as the beast let out a feral snarl. "I'd let you live, but we both know you need to serve as an example." A sickeningly wet thud followed the quiet words, the body of the fallen giant twitching for a moment before it slowly crumbled into a mass of ashes and glowing red embers.

Lucifer righted himself, dusting the ash from his suit as he stalked towards his throne. He ran his hand slowly over the stone that had been worn smooth over the eons, only bothering to glance behind himself when he heard the soft scuffling of demons slowly departing from the shadows; more than two dozen hellish figures crept their way towards the smoldering ashes that had once been their former lord. A small murmur passed through the crowd of creatures before one bowed deeply, the words 'my lord' muttered reverently before the rest followed suit, a small chorus of hellish voices filling the air. Lucifer smiled at the simple pledge of allegiance, he'd almost forgot what it felt like, the rush that came from knowing that he'd single-handedly conquered this hellish world. He settled into his rightful seat gracefully, the whole time telling himself that this was it, this was where he truly belonged.

Time passed quickly in hell, and Lucifer was properly occupied repairing the crumbling state of things. It wasn't long before the days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into years. And although he never forgot about Chloe, and the lingering pain never truly left; both the memories and the unwanted feelings eventually began to become muted and then fade just enough to release him from the hell that was his own self-inflicted torment.

"Hey Maze," Chloe's voice broke the silence that was filling the small apartment as Maze mindlessly stirred her vodka soaked lucky charms.

"Yeah?" She asked as she spooned up a few soggy marshmallows before letting them tumble back into the bowl. She glanced over at her roommate as the woman leaned against the counter across from her, a concerned expression plastered on the Detectives face.

"Do you have any idea where Lucifer is?" She asked, the nonchalance in her voice obviously forced. Maze let her spoon clatter against the ceramic bowl loudly as she clenched her jaw at the unwanted feelings of loss that stirred in her at the mention of his name. "He hasn't shown up at the precinct lately and my calls keep getting sent straight to voicemail," Chloe explained the faked nonchalance wearing off as worry began to seep into her voice.

Mazikeen swallowed, forcing the annoying feelings back into some dark crevice where she wouldn't have to face them as her eyes bored into her roommates for a long moment. "He's gone." She answered simply, dragging her gaze back to the bowl of lucky charms in front of her as she picked her spoon back up.

"What?" Chloe's voice held a hint of laughter as she spoke, and Maze looked up to see a small smile on the Detective's face. That smile died quickly when Maze didn't confirm that she'd been making a joke. "What do you mean he's gone?" Her voice was serious this time, her piercing aqua eyes making the demon shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"He went back," Maze answered with a shrug, but her voice still broke on the last word. She cleared her throat purposely as she returned her eyes back to the bowl before her, unable to hold Chloe's gaze any longer. "That's why he dropped by here on Christmas eve…" She muttered, her voice growing quieter as her vision began to blur. "To ask me if I wanted to go with him," Maze whispered, shaking the tears pricking her eyes away, she was a demon, she was above crying.

"Wait…you mean," Chloe stopped talking for a moment as she stepped around the counter, coming to stand beside the demon as she spoke up once more, "You mean he went back to hell?".

Maze swallowed at the tone of Chloe's voice, the hurt, the denial; damn Lucifer for doing this to both of them. Did he even remember them anymore? At this point he'd been down there for centuries already. The thought of being abandoned and forgotten about made tears prick at the back of Mazikeen's eyes once more, but this time she found that she couldn't will them away. "I tried to convince him not to, but he wouldn't hear me out," Maze murmured as she pushed the bowl of cereal away from herself. A choked breath escaped the Detective as she sat down on the stool next to Maze, and the demon turned towards the blonde woman, taking in the lost look etched into her features. "Chloe, you have to believe me, I begged him to stay." The demon explained, shaking her head as Chloe's watery blue eyes flicked up to meet her own. "But he just…" Maze trailed off as she returned her gaze to the countertop. "He thought you hated him, or pitied him, or something." She continued, the words falling from her lips without thought as she relieved the scene through her head. "He said he couldn't take the pain any longer."

"Lucifer left because of me?" The surprise in Chloe's voice was unmistakable, and Maze dared to look up at her friend only to find tears forming in the woman's eyes. "Can we…" She trailed off as she shook her head, wringing her hands together before she continued, "Is there any way to contact him? To tell him to come back?".

Maze snorted at the hopeful tone in Chloe's voice. Humans, so naive. "Not unless you want to die." She answered, her voice harsh and cutting. She let up on the woman a little bit a moment later as she continued, "Only angels can transverse planes. Amenadiel fell from grace and lost his wings a while ago.". Silence dragged on between the two women for a long moment, and eventually Maze looked up into her roommate's eyes so she could reaffirm; "He's gone, Chloe.". "He said he'd come back to check on me in a few centuries." Maze mumbled, shrugging as she tried to act like Lucifer's promise hadn't meant anything to her, even though as each day passed she found herself hoping more and more that he wouldn't forget her.

"But…I'll be dead by then," Chloe protested weakly, her voice breaking on the words.

Maze found herself scoffing and shaking her head even though part of her wanted to comfort her friend. But she was just so full of pent-up hurt, and if anyone deserved to suffer with her it was the person who ran Lucifer off to begin with. "Yeah. I think that was kinda the point," Mazikeen bit out as she shot the Detective a harsh look.

"But…I…" Chloe stammered over the words, seemingly taken aback by the demons sudden mood change. "I didn't want him to leave, Maze." She whispered as a tear finally managed to escape and roll down her cheek. The brunette clenched her jaw at the sight of Chloe crying, her emotions getting the better of her logic; Chloe didn't have the right to pity herself over this, it was her fault that he was gone, it was her fault that Mazikeen had been forced to say goodbye.

"Then you should have fucking talked to him instead of running away!" Mazikeen shouted as she stood up, the stool she was sitting on clattering loudly to the ground as Chloe flinched away from the angry demon. "Do you think you can just avoid him after he saved your life like that? After he told you that he loved you?" Maze continued, her voice growing louder as Chloe shakily slid off of the stool she'd been perched on before backing away from her pissed-off roommate. "You are the first creature that he's actually loved like that! The first, Decker! Do you have any idea how many times he's died to keep you alive?" Maze continued her rage-fueled rant, stepping forward as Chloe obviously tried to put some space between the two of them.

"I mean, he killed his own fucking brother to save your life! He would have done anything for you!" The demon snarled as Chloe bumped into a wall behind herself, the words making her flinch as the demon continued prowling towards her. This was all too much, she couldn't even begin to take in everything Maze was throwing at her, especially not when the woman was descending upon her like she'd like nothing more than to rip her apart piece by piece. "And then the second you find out that he really is what he's been saying all this time you don't say a damn word to him, you act like you can't get far enough away." Mazikeen's voice grew quieter yet somehow more fearsome as the woman closed the last few feet of distance separating them.

"Of course he's going to leave. If I were him, I'd have done the same damn thing." The demon growled, and Chloe found herself struggling for words as she shook her head. This couldn't be true. It was some cruel, twisted joke, it had to be. "You were the one who ran him off, now you get to live with the consequences." Maze choked out, her voice breaking as her rage began to ebb. The demon drew in a rough breath as she stared at her roommate's tear-streaked face, and as much as she knew she should apologize for everything that happened she found that she couldn't right now. Instead, she found herself stalking towards the front door before letting herself outside, a certain blonde therapist in her mind as she set off.

Chloe slowly let herself slide down the wall until she was sitting on the cold floor, tears streaming down her face as she shook her head. This was all too much. Everything Maze had just told her, the obvious loathing her friend felt towards her now, the knowledge that Lucifer was gone; and not just to Vegas, but gone from the earth. She'd never get to see him again; no more inappropriate quips, no more playful propositions, no more stupid stakeout chats. He was gone. Forever. The feeling ripping through her chest was comparable to how she'd felt when her father died, like her world had just been ripped apart. She sat there in her kitchen until her legs went numb, tears streaming down her face as her heart broke at the realization of it all. Lucifer was gone, and he was never coming back, and it was all her fault.

Lucifer examined his fingernails boredly as the demon before him spluttered out some half-assed excuse for missing deadlines. He'd hardly paid the little creature any mind from the second it stepped before him to speak; he wasn't in the mood to listen to excuses, he wanted results. "So you see, my lord, we're terribly understaffed." The demon explained, and Lucifer let out a long-suffering sigh as he pulled his gaze away from his hand. His sights settled on the short demons twisted horns for the briefest of seconds before a glint of gold that was too familiar drew his gaze to the line of shackled souls being led deeper into hell. "We'd like to request another squad of workers." The demons words fell on deaf ears as Lucifer's jaw dropped and he continued to stare at the procession before him. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be…but it was, and he'd never felt so terrified in his whole existence.

"No," Lucifer whispered as he stood up, talking to nobody in particular as he stepped forward.

"No, my lord?" The demon questioned, surprise lacing its voice just before Lucifer started walking forward, pushing the demon out of his way blindly and paying the creature no mind when it fell over with a rough grunt.

"No, no, no, no, no." Lucifer's voice grew louder with each incantation of the word. This was wrong. This was all wrong. But the nearer he drew, the more certainty he felt; this was happening, this was real, it wasn't some twisted nightmare. "Iosepheus, halt," Lucifer ordered, his voice echoing through the clearing as the procession of souls came to a stuttering stop before him.

"My lord?" The demon leading them questioned as it abandoned its spot at the front of the procession and made its way over to the devil as he continued to close the distance resting between him and the one person he never expected to see in hell. She didn't belong here, and he wished that little jolt he felt when his heart stuttered in his chest could be attributed to fear, but he knew better; no, that was something selfish, something that was grateful for the chance to see her once again.

"No." Lucifer growled as he came to a stop, his voice seemingly drawing her confused and dazed gaze from the shackles binding her wrists as her bright aqua eyes met his own. Lucifer swallowed heavily, a sea of emotion that he hadn't felt for millennia flooding back like no time had passed at all. He lifted his hand, nearly tucking a stray lock of golden hair back behind her ear before he caught himself, forcing his hand back down to his side. "What are you doing down here? You don't belong here," Lucifer murmured softly as he quickly lost himself in those deep blue pools. He watched as she extricated herself from the haze consuming her, a flicker of recognition filling her face just before her expression contorted and her mouth fell open.

"Of course it does, my lord. Any guilty soul belongs down here," Isoepheus spoke, and Lucifer bristled with barely contained fury as Chloe's eyes fixed on the horrendously long-limbed creature looming over her, the fear in her gaze obvious as she stepped back slightly. An angry snarl escaped his lips as he whirled around on the demon, his feathers bristling as the creature shrunk back, unwilling to press the angel's temper any further.

"It hasn't been long enough yet, you're too young to be dead," Lucifer's voice took on the soft tones that it only ever held for Chloe as he turned back to face her, drawing her almost frantic gaze from the demon behind him. "What happened? Why are you down here?" Lucifer questioned, his voice beginning to shake a bit as anger towards his father filled him to the brim. Why would he ever create a creature as good and pure as Chloe Decker just to know that she would eventually end up in hell? Chloe Jane Decker in hell, the idea would be laughable if it wasn't for the dire situation she was currently in; even heaven didn't deserve this woman, that's how good she was.

"I…" Chloe's voice broke as she clearly struggled for words, and Lucifer almost swore that his heart stopped beating at the mere sound of it. Oh, how he'd missed hearing her perfectly bell-like laugh, the dark tone of annoyance when she scolded him, the thickness of it when she came into the precinct before eight am without having her morning coffee first. "There was an active shooter." She managed a moment later, her eyes flicking wildly around her surroundings before finally settling on him once again, looking him up and down briefly before she nibbled on her lower lip nervously. "I guess I wasn't fast enough…" Chloe's voice tapered off as her gaze suddenly filled with unshed tears. Lucifer swallowed heavily at the sight, he hated seeing Chloe so full of hurt and being completely helpless to do anything about it. He silently vowed to himself that when the bastard who shot her found their way here he'd make no small affair out of ripping them apart piece by piece.

"How long has it been?" Lucifer asked, but Chloe's gaze was now focused on the ashy ground beneath her feet, and his question had certainly fallen upon deaf ears. He had to admit that underneath all the horror he was feeling, he was quite impressed; she was holding it together so well, she always had. "How long has it been since I left?" He pressed once again, the desperation he felt seeping into his voice slightly.

Chloe drew in a deep breath before whispering two little words in response, "Four years.". Lucifer swallowed at her answer, a trickle of guilt beginning to tug at him. Surely if he'd just stayed topside, if he'd been more of a man and tolerated the pain, then he would have been able to save her from the crazed gunman who took her life. But he left, and now she was stuck in hell for eternity.

"With all due respect, my lord, I must get these souls to where they belong," Isopheus dared to break the tense silence brewing between his master and this soul that he seemed so oddly attached to. Certainly the fallen angel could see that she belonged down here? Her guilt weighed her down just as heavily as it weighed the other souls down.

"Then take the others," Lucifer growled, glancing over at the demon as he reached out and grabbed the shackles binding Chloe. "This one is mine." He stated, practically daring the demon to question him when the creature's expression turned almost defiant.

"Very well, my lord." The demon murmured as he stepped forward, reaching towards Chloe with his long claws as she shrunk back instinctively. She wasn't able to recoil far enough to avoid the creatures touch though, and before she knew it the demons hands were wrapping around her wrists just before it tugged her away from the other people standing at her sides, the metal links connecting them crumbling away like they were made out of porcelain and not metal. The demon released her a second later, walking off with the people she'd been led into hell with until she was left standing with Lucifer. She glanced back up at him, drawing in a deep breath as she silently wondered if him singling her out was a good thing or a bad thing.

"What do you feel guilty about?" Lucifer questioned a few seconds after Isopheus had taken his leave, allowing Chloe a moment to get her bearings about her. Perhaps if he could just figure out where everything had gone wrong; if he could convince her that whatever it was dragging her down wasn't her fault, that it was something she had no control over, then maybe he could save her. He knew it was a long shot, something he'd never witnessed a soul do in hell. But if anyone could do it, it was Chloe.

"I…" Chloe trailed off, her eyes drifting to the ground as she found herself unable to hold Lucifer's gaze any longer. "I feel guilty about not stopping you before you left," She admitted quietly. It was something that had haunted her every day for the last four years, the single thing in her life that she truly regretted. "I never meant to push you away!" She explained, her voice growing almost earnest as she forced herself to look at him; she wanted him to see that she meant every word she said, for all she knew this would be the only chance she ever had to apologize. "I wasn't scared of you," Chloe explained, but Lucifer simply raised a brow at her statement, a look of blatant disbelief plastered across his features. "Well, I was at first, but after a week I got over it." Chloe added a second later, quickly clarifying her prior statement. "I should have realized that you were still you sooner." Her voice broke on the words, and she swallowed thickly before continuing, "But I didn't. And you left, and I lost my best friend.". Chloe drew in a ragged breath as she stared at the ground for a long moment, trying to get a hold of her bearings even though she was currently in hell speaking with the devil himself. "You meant a lot to me, Lucifer. More than I ever let you know," Chloe admitted, her voice quiet as she dared to look back up only to see myriad of emotions that she couldn't even begin to decipher spread across his face.

"My departure was not your fault. It's not something you should feel guilt over," Lucifer stated, his voice holding some note of authority, like he expected her to believe him simply because he was the one in charge down here.

"Yes, it was!" Chloe shouted, stepping forward before immediately adding, "I was the reason you left!".

"It was my fault Chloe!" Lucifer roared, his voice echoing against the stone walls as he stepped towards her. Without thinking Chloe scrambled backwards, but Lucifer ignored her reaction as he continued, "Think about it, could you have really stopped me?". Lucifer continued to close the space resting between himself and Chloe, slowly shortening the gap with each step he took. "Me?" He sneered, spreading his wings slightly in hopes that she might realize that a human simply didn't possess the power to stop an archangel, even a fallen one. "Give me one good reason why that was truly your fault," Lucifer demanded when Chloe finally stopped retreating, the sound of her shaky breathing filling the silence for a few lingering seconds.

"I…" Chloe trailed off before she even began, her eyes drifting to the ground as she tried to come up with something, anything. But wasn't Lucifer right? If he really wanted to leave she couldn't have stopped him, and it's not like she had even considered that he could go back to hell, how was she supposed to know that he had a way to actually get to the underworld? "How could you leave, Lucifer?" She asked as her eyes flicked back up to meet his. Had she really meant so little to him? Was it all just some game he played? Toying with her emotions over and over again like some sadistic asshole. "How could you just abandon everything after three days? Three days!" She continued, stepping closer to the devil as her fury made her bolder, all of the anguish and torment morphing into something that made her dangerously unhinged. "Seriously?" Her question was more of a growl as she stepped forward until their chests were practically touching."That's all the time you're willing to wait after springing the fact that God is real on an atheist?" Her question rang against the looming stone walls for a brief moment before she added, "I mean, I know you're an impulsive asshole, but three days is low even for you!".

"And?" Lucifer questioned, a single brow lifting on his forehead as he tried to get more out of her.

"And you always assume the worst in people!" Chloe added the second after Lucifer finished speaking. "Just because I didn't say I love you back while we were being shot at doesn't mean that I didn't love you!" She shouted, her tone raising as she tried to ignore the wave of hurt rushing back as she remembered that day, the pain she felt when she realized that he never trusted her enough to tell her the truth. "Because I did!" Chloe spat the words without even realizing what they might do to Lucifer; and a brief look of shock danced across his face slightly just before his expression lost its sharpness. Chloe didn't even recognize the noticeable change in his demeanor, too caught up in her own fiery emotions to care. "Even after you came back from Vegas with a wife I still loved you!" She shouted, her voice ringing in her ears as she paused to draw in a breath. Lucifer's mouth fell open as he clearly struggled to find words, and Chloe quickly realized the gravity of everything she'd just admitted.

"Chloe." Her name broke on his lips as Lucifer tried to come up with something to say, anything that might help soothe over the pain his departure must have caused, but nothing came.

If anything, Lucifer's lack of a response only set her that much more on edge. The worry that he was going to reject what she just said mingling with the anger brewing inside of her. "I was in a relationship!" Chloe hissed, as she continued, unable to stop the flow of words now that the dam had finally broken and her emotions were helping push everything out. "And yeah, maybe I used Marcus as a bit of a shield!" She growled, a weight lifting off of her chest as she finally explained everything. "But my world had just been turned inside out, and I was coming to terms with a ton of shit! " She added a moment later, hoping that he might realize how difficult it was for a human to accept proof of heaven and hell, and God and the devil. "And Marcus was there for me; and he was familiar, and he was safe, and he was human. And I needed that right then, alright? I needed someone to keep me together while I tried to figure out where I fit into all this." Chloe explained, her vision beginning to blur as she stared up at Lucifer's stunned expression before she added, "I would have left him for you eventually.".

Chloe tried to blink back the tears she could feel forming as she attempted to swallow back the anger and pain that was so desperate to escape. "But no! Lucifer has to have it right now or never!" She shouted, all of her frustration unleashing itself on the man standing before her. "God, are you three?" She snarled, as she felt the first of what would undoubtedly be countless tears start to stream down her cheek. "Losing you ruined me Lucifer!" Chloe admitted, the tears starting to really flow as she finally admitted it not only to him, but to herself as well. She'd never been the same after he left, her life was always lacking that extra brightness he'd somehow managed to bring into her day. "It's all your fault!" Chloe shouted, her hands balling into fists as the tears continued to slip down her cheeks hot and wet. "You big, dumb, idiot!" Each insult was punctuated with the sound of Chloe's fists hitting Lucifer's chest just before a metallic clicking sound echoed off the stone, and the shackles that had bound Chloe's wrists mere moments ago fell onto the floor in a heap.

Lucifer let out a breath of relief despite the sound of Chloe's sobs filling the room, reaching out and wrapping an arm around her as he pulled her into his chest. He was slightly surprised with how easily she complied, her arms coming up to wrap around his back. He'd forgotten how right it felt to touch her, how perfectly her body slotted against his. Almost as though it had a mind of it's own, his hand started rubbing tiny circles against the small of her back, and he rested his chin on top of her head as he quietly murmured, "That's it. Just let it out.". How was any of this possible? How could someone like Chloe care about him so much? "I'm sorry, Chloe," Lucifer whispered as she clung to him like he was some sort of lifeline. How had he managed to hurt this precious human so much? A spasm of pain rang through his chest as he realized that if he'd never mettled in her life to begin with then she wouldn't be in hell right now; because despite the fact that she was no longer damned by guilt, he knew quite well that hell was still hell regardless of whether or not you were shoved into some cell. "I'm so sorry."

He wasn't sure how long the two of them stood there, arms wrapped around each other as the front of his shirt slowly became damp with tears. But he was aware that they had amassed a small crowd of onlookers, not that he cared what demons witnessed this unusual show of affection, he'd hold her until the end of time if it would just help soothe the wounds he'd left on her soul. It wasn't long after Chloe's sniffling died down before she was pulling away from him slightly, a pang of hurt shooting through him as he released his hold on her, letting go even though he was so unwilling to. "Am I…" Chloe choked on the words before her red-rimmed eyes flicked up to meet his own, something almost apprehensive in her gaze as she took another step away from him. "Am I going to be tortured now?" The question hurt him more than he thought was possible. She couldn't believe that he would ever harm her, could she?

"I would never hurt you, nor would I ever allow others to hurt you," Lucifer breathed with a soft shake of his head, his heart still stuttering in his chest from the damning question.

"But, this is hell," Chloe stated, confusion wisping over her features as her brows drew together.

"And hell exists to punish the truly guilty," Lucifer explained, his voice earnest as he practically begged Chloe to believe him. He didn't want to live in a world where Chloe feared him, that was the exact reason he'd left earth in the first place. "And you, my dear, aren't guilty at all." He explained as his gaze drifted down to the pile of metal links laying on the ground beside the two of them. "You don't belong in some cell," Lucifer muttered quietly to himself before drawing his gaze back up to Chloe's aqua orbs. "Come on." He offered a smile as he held out his hand towards her, hoping that she would accept his invitation. She certainly wouldn't be safe left all alone out here where several demons were already eyeing her quite hungrily, the least he could do for her was provide a safe refuge.

When Chloe reached out and rested her hand in his he practically swore that his smile split his face. How long had it been since he'd smiled like that? Certainly not since he'd left earth, that much was for certain. He pulled her along for a moment as he started towards the fortress he'd built when he first fell, but it wasn't long before he was interrupted. "My lord, you never gave me an answer." The small, twisted demon protested as it started walking beside Chloe, drawing a grimace from her as she pressed herself tighter against his side.

"Do whatever you want Heirmol," Lucifer growled in annoyance as he tugged Chloe over to his other side.

"Is this some sort of test, my lord?" Heirmol questioned, confusion lacing his voice as he struggled to keep up with the angel's long strides.

Lucifer growled low in his throat as he spun around on the short creature, making it flinch away as he spoke, "The only thing you're testing at the moment is my patience.". Heirmol simply nodded at the devil's words before quickly taking his leave. Lucifer was more than aware of Chloe's gaze burning into him as he continued towards the stony fortress looming before them, but he forced himself to ignore it for now, he'd entertain whatever burning questions she had for him once they were alone.

He glanced over at Chloe for a second as they neared the looming building, but his attention was pulled away from the almost awe-filled look on her face when both of the demons standing guard at the main door greeted him, "My lord.". He simply nodded in return, he wasn't in the mood to put up with demons at the moment, not that he ever was. "If I may speak out of turn, may I ask why you're taking a damned soul to your quarters?" Izah questioned as the wide double doors opened with a shuddering groan.

"It's not damned you fool. It's just a soul." Valac hissed before turning its full attention on Chloe. "It shouldn't even be down here." The creature remarked as it reached out towards her, and Lucifer quickly wrapped a wing around her before the demon could touch her; she'd already been traumatized enough for the day she didn't need more hellions poking at her.

"That's enough," Lucifer growled, and immediately Valac shrank back slightly, unwilling to press his temper. "This soul is mine and if you value your life then you will not lay a claw on her."

"Understood, my lord." The Izah murmured at the same time Valac responded, "Yes, my lord.". Lucifer stepped past the two creatures a moment later, pulling Chloe along with him as he stepped inside the ancient building, winding his way through the narrow hallways with ease.

"Why don't all the demons look like Maze?" Chloe questioned curiously, her voice breaking the almost eerie silence with ease.

Lucifer smiled at the question, surely she had to know that Mazikeen had her own wicked looks about her. "Have you ever seen Mazikeen's real face, my dear?" He asked as he glanced down at the Detective.

"Yeah." She answered with a nonchalant shrug, and Lucifer immediately gave her a dubious look. "I mean, it's scary, but it's not as bad as these guys," Chloe muttered as she gestured towards one of the giant hoofed beasts meandering through the hallway towards them.

"Mazikeen is a Lilium," Lucifer explained simply as he pulled her tighter against his side as they passed the massive demon.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" Chloe asked, her voice hushed as she looked over her shoulder at the beast that kept lumbering down the corridor.

"The Lilium are a special type of demon, the direct descents of Lilith," Lucifer explained, but when Chloe gave him a pointed look he clarified further, "Adam's first wife.". Chloe let out an understanding hum even though the look on her face was blatant confusion. He chuckled softly at the sight before deciding to try and clear it up a bit more for her, "Mazikeen looks human because her mother was once human. The other demons don't have any human blood in them.". Lucifer paused when he reached the large double doors that led to his chambers, resting his hand on the doorknob before he suddenly realized that he'd never asked Chloe what she wanted. "Would you like your own room? I can have one prepared for you if you wish."

"Like…to live in?" Chloe questioned, surprise washing through her at the offer. This was hell, wasn't she supposed to be locked up somewhere to wallow in misery for the rest of eternity?

"Yes," Lucifer answered simply before immediately continuing, "Just a forewarning though, if you do have your own room I will have to assign you a hellhound. I wouldn't trust the demons to keep their hands off of you if you were left entirely unguarded.". His gaze turned oddly calculating for a moment before he added, "Perhaps I should assign you a hellhound regardless.". Chloe practically shuddered at the thought of what a hellhound could possibly look like, she'd seen enough demons for the day, she could do without running into any more.

"I'd like to stay with you, if that's alright," Chloe requested, drawing Lucifer from whatever thoughts were running through his mind as he offered her a beaming smile.

"Of course it's alright. I told you, my door is always open for you." He replied gently before pulling one of the large doors open and gesturing her inside. He followed directly behind her, stepping inside of the spacious room that merely housed two pieces of furniture; a bed and an armchair. The walls were lined with old leather-bound books, but his favorite thing about the place was the faux night sky he'd managed to summon into existence that offered enough twinkling starlight to light the room.

Chloe looked around for a long moment, her gaze finally settling on the twinkling ceiling before her voice broke the silence, "It's a lot like Lux.".

Lucifer smiled at the statement. He definitely preferred to Lux to hell, but she was right, the semblances were there. "I suppose it is."

"So…" Chloe trailed off as she dragged her gaze back over to Lucifer. "This is where you live down here?" She questioned, trying to focus on something to help pull her thoughts away from all of the dark questions that she had swarming in her mind.

"Well, I'm typically working. But this is where I sleep," Lucifer answered playfully as he gestured to the large bed that occupied most of the room. Chloe glanced over at it almost as though she'd just noticed it for the first time, stepping towards it and brushing a hand over the blankets before perching on the edge of the mattress.

Silence began to drag on between the two of them as she stared at the floor for a long moment. She wanted to act like everything was alright, but she was in hell, how could anything be alright? "Am I a bad person?" Chloe questioned simply as she glanced over at Lucifer, watching his expression shift from almost nonchalant to concerned in the blink of an eye.

"Absolutely not," Lucifer answered as he approached her before sitting down a few inches away from her. "Why would you even think that?" He questioned, concern lacing through his voice as he returned her unwavering gaze.

Chloe scoffed at his question, rolling her eyes before sarcastically answering, "Oh, I don't know, maybe because I died and went to hell.".

Lucifer reached out, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder before he gently explained, "You sent yourself to hell, Chloe.".

"What?" Chloe questioned as she stood, watching Lucifer with almost frantic eyes as she started to pace back and forth before the bed.

"No higher power decides whether you go to heaven or hell. I don't decide, my father doesn't decide. If your heart is weighed down by guilt, you go to hell." Lucifer stated, hoping that she wouldn't overthink this, she could make herself damned with guilt again, nobody was ever truly free from the threat of their very own cell.

"How does anyone go to heaven?" Chloe asked, anger rising in her voice as she momentarily stopped pacing.

"Hardly anyone does," Lucifer admitted softly, it was an unfortunate truth that most humans couldn't live a guilt-free life.

Chloe resumed her pacing for a few minutes before she stopped suddenly, turning to face him with fear in her eyes. "My dad?"

Lucifer stood at her question, before immediately answering, "He's not here. I've checked.". It was one of the first things he did once he finally got hell back under control; and as much as he would have like to see the man who raised his favorite little miracle, he was glad that John had gone to a better place. Chloe nodded at his words, relief flowing across her face as she walked over to the books lining the walls, plucking one from its spot before leafing through it and putting it back.

"Lucifer," Chloe began as she turned to face him. "Where were they going to take me before you stopped them?" She questioned as she stared up into his dark eyes.

"They were going to take you to your cell." He answered simply as he stepped past her, running a finger along the spines of the books before him as though he was searching for something in particular. "You see, every damned soul has a cell. And for most offenses, it's the only hell they ever know. You go inside, and then you relive your guilt over and over again, for eternity." He continued as he settled on one book in particular, plucking it from the shelf and brushing the dust off of it with his hand. "I only get involved when the crime committed was egregious, like Hitler, for example," Lucifer explained as he approached her before holding out the thick brown book in his hand."He's a screamer by the way," Lucifer stated as he offered her a playful smile that Chloe couldn't find the will to return as she took the leather volume from him. His playful smile dulled a moment later before he continued, "Demons handle most violent crimes, like rape and premeditated murder.". Chloe nodded at his words, it made sense, much like the levels of hell she'd read about in the Divine Comedy back in high school. "But you, you wouldn't have been physically tortured by anyone. It just would have been you and your guilt." Lucifer finished, his voice taking on a sad tone as he stepped past her.

She swallowed thickly at the thought of being forced to relive her worst memories over and over again like some never-ending nightmare. She opened the book Lucifer handed her a moment later, hoping that it would be able to distract her from the thoughts flying through her mind. She smiled when she read the title that was clearly handwritten on what had to be ancient parchment, of course Lucifer would keep a copy of Paradise Lost in his room, what else had she expected. But even as the book made her smile it also made more dread churn in her stomach; because Lucifer, despite the mannerisms and overall Luciferness she'd adapted to, was still the devil, he would always be the devil. "Do you enjoy it? Torturing people?" Chloe's question was practically whispered as she forced herself to face him, she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer, but part of her felt that she needed to know.

"I'm good at it," Lucifer offered as he avoided her gaze for a long moment. "I enjoy getting vengeance." He added as his dark eyes flicked up to meet hers. "And, well, nobody wants to be a torturer, but I certainly don't mind it." He admitted quietly and Chloe found that all she could do was nod. She was pleasantly surprised with the answer, it's not like she could have hoped for anything better.

It was only a matter of time before the conversation lightened slightly and Lucifer found himself sitting on the bed with Chloe, her legs tucked underneath herself as they discussed several things about his dominion. She asked why she felt like she was still alive, to which Lucifer explained that it was how hell worked, you couldn't torture a person who didn't have a physical form after all. He'd laughed when she'd asked him how he was the one in charge down here when he was so small compared to some of the demons. And she'd went on forever when he'd asked her how her spawn had been doing in his absence, that was before she grew quiet and remarked that at least she knew Dan would take good care of Trixie now. At one point she'd mentioned the glinting weapon leaning against one of the walls and he'd quickly explained how at the end of angels training it was a sort of 'right of passage' to have one's wings quite literally plucked so a weapon could be made out of the feathers; but when he'd agreed that it was indeed painful and that it took a few years for everything to grow back in correctly she'd simply said that it sounded like a barbaric tradition. He'd been slightly surprised when he found that he agreed with her, perhaps his brethren could use to learn a thing or two from the humans they supposedly protected.

Once the topic of wings and feathers had been brought up Chloe found that she was having a harder and harder time prying her eyes from the glossy white ones laying limply at Lucifer's sides. It was an irrefutable fact that they were absolutely gorgeous, and from what she remembered of that day back in that warehouse all those years ago, they were apparently quite bulletproof as well. "Can I…Can I touch your wings?" She stammered her way through the question that had been lingering in the back of her mind for the last few minutes, hoping that Lucifer wouldn't find it too forward, or insulting, or something.

The devil simply gave her a devious grin as he lifted one of his wings, staring at it for a long moment before he focused on Chloe's bright aqua eyes. "Getting handsy already?" He questioned, and his smile grew when an almost abashed expression graced her features. "I think you at least owe me a drink first," Lucifer added playfully, drawing a genuine peal of laughter from the detective that filled him to the brim with happiness. He'd missed this, their delightful banter, how completely at ease he was in her presence, he wished he'd never given it up.

A mere moment passed before he laid one of his wings out on top of her legs, ignoring the way it made his back spasm slightly from the unorthodox stretch. Chloe stared down at the glittering white feathers for a long moment before reaching down and gently burying her fingers deep into their fluffy depths. She drew in a shocked breath as she reveled in the perfectly smooth texture, the sudden warmth engulfing her whole hand, the way she could practically swear that they glowed just a little brighter right around her hand. "They're so soft." She breathed quietly as she slowly pulled her hand down, gently combing through the layers of down.

Lucifer held back a groan at the feeling of her warm hands trailing through his feathers. It was absolutely sinful, the little shiver of pleasure that he held back as her fingers continued their curious journey. He drew in a slightly shaky breath before speaking up, his soft voice barely breaking the quiet, "The tips tend to be sharp. Be careful.". Chloe's eyes flicked up to meet his for a brief second as she nodded, her lower lip caught in between her teeth, and he'd never wanted so desperately to reach out and tug it free. Chloe pulled her hands from his feathers a second later, and he wanted to protest the loss, but he didn't have a chance to before she was burying her fingers in the down feathers at the base of his wing once more.

Chloe gently combed through his feathers over and over again, losing herself in the repetitiveness of the simple task, the silken feeling of his feathers brushing against her skin. Eventually she drew her gaze back up to Lucifer's face, but the sight that greeted her made her smile; Lucifer looked so relaxed, his eyes closed and his lips parted slightly as a small smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "Lucifer," Chloe whispered, the soft noise filling the silence as he slowly blinked, a soft smile gracing his features as his wing shifted slightly in her grasp. She drew in a long breath, summoning the courage to speak before she began; "Do you…", she trailed off softly, part of her terrified that she already knew the answer, and that it wasn't the one she wanted. "…still love me?" She finished quietly, her fingers stilling as her heart pounded in her chest, each second dragging on for what felt like an eternity.

Lucifer's smile faded slightly at the question, he knew that she'd ask eventually, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon. He swallowed thickly as he remembered how poorly she'd taken it the last time he told her, he'd be lying if he told himself that he wasn't dreading a repeat performance. He drew in a long breath, before he finally answered, his voice soft as he admitted, "I do.". He watched a smile grow on Chloe's face, and he couldn't help it when he felt one of his own begin to mirror hers. "It's been countless eons and I still do," Lucifer murmured. It was amazing how his feelings had never truly fled, faded for a moment, yes, but they never actually left.

Chloe chuckled at his choice of words as she hoped that he wouldn't notice the blush she could feel burning her cheeks "It's only been four years." She smiled as she spoke, pulling her fingers through his feathers in hopes that it would distract him; and judging by the sudden tick in his jaw, it certainly accomplished her goal.

"Time passes differently down here." Lucifer's voice was rougher than normal as he spoke, and it sent a flutter through her stomach that she tried to ignore. "Every minute on earth is roughly half a decade down here." He continued, and suddenly it was easy for her to forget about the feelings fluttering through her as she realized the full gravity of his words. She'd only had to live four years without him, and she could barely begin to fathom the length of time that had passed for him. As if he could hear her thoughts and wanted to assure her that he was correct he added, "I've been down here for millions of years.".

"I'm sorry abou—"

"It's my fault," Lucifer cut her off, his voice growing almost desperate as he reached out, resting one of his hands on top of hers. "Don't you dare go making yourself guilty again. I couldn't bear to see you in a cell." He explained, his voice growing gentler as he slowly brushed his thumb against the back of her hand. Chloe swallowed at the words, all this time had passed and Lucifer was still doing his best to make sure that she was safe, it was…touching beyond words.

Chloe smiled as she pulled her hands from his feathers, intertwining their fingers as she tried to ignore the hot prickling sensation she could feel building behind her eyes. "I never stopped loving you either," Chloe admitted, her quiet voice practically ringing through the silent room. The second the words left her lips she felt his fingers tighten around hers, she could hear the way his breath caught in his throat, and the sudden softness in his expression made a searing heat crawl it's way up her neck. She noticed the shift in tension when Lucifer leaned forward slightly, and she followed his example almost instinctually. Her breath came shallower when she could smell him in the air lingering between him, when she could feel the heat radiating off of his body soaking into her clothes.

She'd almost forgotten how utterly tempting he'd always been, but unlike those old days, she was now more than willing to let herself get swept up in him. He seemed to understand what she wanted, his free hand coming up as his fingers carded through the hair at the back of her head as the gap between them grew infinitesimally smaller. Chloe parted her lips in anticipation, drawing Lucifer's dark eyes down to her mouth as his tongue darted out to wet his lips. A long moment dragged out between them and Chloe wondered what was wrong for a brief second before she realized that Lucifer was waiting for her to make the first move, that he was unwilling to do something that he wasn't entirely sure she wanted.

She leaned forward, closing the last few centimeters separating them as she pressed her lips against his. She relished in the softness of his mouth against hers, the little moan that barely escaped the back of his throat, the rough scratch of stubble against her chin and upper lip. She lifted her free hand, tracing the edge of his cheekbone with trembling fingers as she pulled away slightly, resting her forehead against his as she tried to catch her breath. "Chloe," Lucifer whispered her name reverently, like it was some sort of prayer that belonged in a holy chapel. She smiled at the sound before returning her lips to his, the only thought fluttering through her mind was that there was no way that this was hell; because this, this wasn't torture, this was bliss.

Chloe sighed as she nuzzled deeper into Lucifer's side, relishing in the way it felt as he slowly dragged his fingers through her hair. It had only taken her three days to decide that hell wasn't as bad as everyone made it out to be in movies and books, at least not for her. How long could this last though? It had to be only a matter of time before something happened, and if nothing did happen then what was going to happen in the future? Lucifer seemed more than pleased to have her around, but he would certainly tire of her eventually, right? She shivered at the thought, immediately making Lucifer shift slightly as he lifted one of his massive wings to drape it over her. She smiled at the gesture glancing up at him only to find him staring down at her with an expression that made her heart stutter in her chest. Her smile only grew as she leaned up, closing the distance separating them. Lucifer smirked as he followed her lead, but just before she could press her lips against his the sound of wood shattering sent both of them scrambling away from each other.

"Brother." The chilling voice broke the silence just before a tall, stocky, blonde angel stepped through the remains of the door. "You have something that doesn't belong to you." He added a moment later his piercing blue gaze settling on her, her stomach churned as he slowly lifted his hand clearly holding it out towards her. "Come, my child. You do not belong in Hell."

Chloe stared at him in mute silence for a long moment before glancing over at Lucifer. He wasn't much help, staring at the intruding angel with an expression that alluded to an imminent potential for violence. "I want to stay with Lucifer." She replied as she shook her head, scooting further back on the bed until her spine was pressed against the headboard.

"This is not a matter of what you want, human." The angel growled, spite obvious in his voice as his hand slowly drifted back down to his side. "I was sent here to collect you and I shall not fail my mission." Chloe swallowed thickly at the chill his voice held when it grew darker. How was it possible that an angel was far more fearsome than the devil?

"You will heed the ladies wishes, Mikey." Lucifer's voice cut through the silence with ease as he stood, slowly making his way over to the intruder in the same lithe manner that a predatory cat might stalk its prey.

"I don't take my orders from you. Not anymore." The angel spat as he focused his intense gaze on his brother.

"Any soul that winds up in hell is mine," Lucifer growled as he pointed at Chloe, his feathers ruffling as he prepared for Michael to lash out. "She is mine." He knew it was wrong of him to claim her so, but she said that she wanted to stay with him, and he would rather fall from heaven again than have her taken from him against her will.

"You can't own a soul, Lucifer," Michael drawled mockingly as he glared up at his brother. "You know she shouldn't be down here." He added a moment later, his voice softening considerably. "Let me take her to heaven, where she truly belongs." He stated softly, hoping that maybe he could get his brother to concede.

Lucifer stared down at Michael for a long moment, his words repeating in his mind a few times. He was well aware that Chloe didn't belong down here; but now that she was here, now that they had grown so close yet again, he couldn't just let her go. "Father doesn't give two shits about an untainted soul lost in hell. This is about me, this is about him constantly trying to get rid of the people I love. He can't have her. I'd sooner wage a war than let her go," Lucifer growled, and Michael nodded softly before his gaze drifted down to the floor, a lofty sigh escaping his lips.

"Then you leave me no choice," Michael stated simply, and in one sudden movement he'd unsheathed one of the knives on his belt and driven it deep into his brothers gut.

"Lucifer!" His name was torn from Chloe's throat the second she watched it all unravel before her. She quickly untangled herself from the blankets covering herself as Lucifer drew in a strangled breath, his hands shakily finding the hilt of the knife just before Michael pushed him over with ease, the thud of his body hitting the floor filling her ears.

"Leave him, my child." The angel ordered as he wrapped an arm around her waist before she could reach Lucifer, holding her back from him with ease as he started to drag her away.

"Let go of me!" Chloe snarled as she struggled in the angels strong grip, but regardless of how fiercely she tried to free herself from his arms he continued to drag her away. "Lucifer!" She shouted as the angel pulled her around the corner of the wall, dragging her line of sight away from the fallen angel who was clearly struggling to recover from the severe wound.

Her voice rang in his ears as he finally managed to summon the strength to pull the blade from his stomach. His breath came in choked gasps as he struggled to right himself despite the numbness that was beginning to settle in his limbs. "Chloe…" Lucifer groaned as he finally managed to stand, pressing one of his palms to the gaping wound in a lame attempt to keep some of his blood in his body as he sloppily stumbled in the direction that he foggily recalled Michael running of in. "Chloe!" He'd only managed to make it halfway down the hallway before he stumbled and fell onto his knees, his ears were ringing, his vision was beginning to darken at the corners, and his limbs were only growing colder by the second. He glanced behind himself at the jarring trail of his blood before forcing himself back to his feet. He made it to the end of the hallway by bracing himself against the wall, and the second he turned he ran into yet another one of his siblings. The tall bronze haired angel quickly glanced down at his bloodstained hand before a grimace crossed his face. Lucifer drew in a shaky breath as his brothers green eyes met his own a moment before his weak voice broke the silence. "Gabriel?"

"Hello brother," Gabriel's gravelly voice filled the narrow hallway, ringing in his ears as his brother reached out towards him. The warmth of Gabriel's hand on his forehead was the last thing he felt before the darkness lingering in the corners of his vision overtook everything, all of his other senses falling into the darkness that was steadily engulfing him.

"Chloe!" Her name tore it's way from his throat as Lucifer bolted upright, his hands fisting in soft silk sheets as he gasped for air. A sense of panic sent him scrambling onto his feet as he glanced wildly around the room; the tall windows that opened to a beautiful view of the cityscape sprawled beneath him, the black king size bed sitting in the middle of the room, the cream-colored Assyrian walls. "What?" Lucifer breathed as he stepped towards the doorway that led to his bar and piano. He winced at the sudden stab of pain that radiated through his core before pressing his hand against his abdomen. He drew in a deep breath as he lifted the hem of his white button-up; but instead of finding stitches, or even any proof of Michael stabbing him, he found nothing but smooth, unblemished skin. Lucifer pressed two fingers against the spot where he should have been injured, hissing at the sudden pain that exploded out from under his fingertips. So he wasn't crazy, it had happened.

But how had he wound up here in Lux? Michael left him for dead, so it had to be Gabriel. But why would his older brother bother to help him? Unless…

"You fucking bastard," Lucifer growled as he glared at the heavens. What game was his father playing at now? Sending him back to earth the second that he stole Chloe from him. He froze at the thought. How was he going to get Chloe back? He knew that his father certainly wasn't going to give her back, not without a fight. Well, if a war was what his father wanted he'd provide one. He'd need his demons, of course, and since he was already topside it would certainly be convenient to pick up his archdemon before heading back to hell.

A steely determination began to build inside the devil as he stepped out of the bedroom, making his way towards his balcony before unfurling his wings. One moment he was standing several stories above the ground, the morning breeze ruffling his hair, and the next moment he was standing in the middle of the small apartment that had once been Chloe's home. One of his wings tangled in the branches, lights, and garland adorning a Christmas tree that looked oddly similar to the one he'd seen the last time he visited this place several years ago; and before he could fully disentangle himself from the hellish mess trapping him, a bright, juvenile voice rang through the quiet house.

"See! I told you! Santa's here!" The sound of footsteps pattering down the stairs immediately followed the joyous outburst, and the devil froze as he watched two pairs of legs descend the stairs. Young Beatrice came into sight first; a wide, gappy smile filling her face as she saw him, and the fallen angel couldn't help but notice that she looked almost too young. "Lucifer!" She squealed as she ran down the stairs in record time before throwing herself at his legs with enough force to make him sway from the impact. But Lucifer hardly paid the child any mind at all as the person descending the stairs with her came into view, his breath catching in his throat as his heart stuttered painfully in his chest.

"Chloe." He breathed as some potent mixture of disbelief and hope flowed through him at the mere sight of her confused expression. He stepped toward her automatically, driven by the need to know that this was real, that she was real. The spawn released him from her clutches as he quickly closed the distance resting between himself and her mother, and his tangled wing nearly toppled over the Christmas tree before it finally broke free; but he didn't pay either occurrence any mind, because Chloe was standing right in front of him, and he needed to know that she was alright, that this wasn't some twisted nightmare his father was putting him through. "You're…" He whispered as he reached out, oblivious to the way she tried to step back just before his hands wrapped around her upper arms, pulling her closer to him. A shaky breath escaped him at the feeling of her supple, strong body under his hands as he slowly mapped a path down her pajama-clad arms. He swallowed heavily as he lifted his hands, one of his palms sliding across the curve of her cheekbone as the other nestled against the side of her neck. He could feel the strong, steady thump of her pulse under his hands, and relief flowed through him as he wrapped his arms around her slight frame, pulling her tightly against him. "You're alive," Lucifer choked out as he buried his nose in her sleep-ruffled hair, the smell of her coconut shampoo filling his lungs as he drew his wings around her, using them to press her even tighter against himself.

"Of course I'm alive," Chloe's muted voice reached his ears, and something that was almost a sob escaped him at the sound of it. "Am I supposed to be dead?" The question was clearly confused, almost panicked, and Lucifer loosened his grip on her just enough to stare down into the endless aqua depths of her eyes.

"What year is it?" He questioned, his voice barely more than a whisper as Chloe stared up at him, confusion and worry laced across her flawless features.

"Uh, twenty-seventeen." She answered quietly, lifting one of her hands to rest on his forearm as she took a small step back, forcing him to release her from the cage of his wings. "Is everything okay?" Chloe questioned, her voice growing quieter as Lucifer pulled his hands from her body. If it really was twenty seventeen then no time at all had passed, but that was impossible; he was there, he'd lived through it all, and there was no way in heaven or hell that it had all just been some elaborate dream.

"When was the last time you saw me?" Lucifer questioned, worry seeping into his voice as he tried to figure out what exactly his father had done now. He knew that time was a fickle thing, his father had rewound the past before, but never such a long span of time.

"Last night, you and Maze were talking," Chloe explained, her grip on his forearm growing tighter as she quickly recognized that something was very wrong. She didn't know what could scare an angel, and frankly, the knowledge that there was something bigger than Lucifer out there was more than just a little terrifying. "Lucifer, what's going on?" She asked, her voice pleading for answers as she pulled him slightly closer, drawn by the need to know why he'd seemed so surprised that she was alive.

Lucifer's mouth dropped open, and she could tell he was struggling for words, but before he could get anything out Marcus's almost concerned voice was breaking the quiet. "Everything alright down there?" A small gust of wind quickly filled the area around Lucifer and Chloe as his wings suddenly disappeared, the displaced air rushing in to fill the sudden gaps. Chloe jumped slightly at the noise of ruffling feathers before Marcus came bounding down the steps, stopping in his tracks as he caught sight of the two of them. "Lucifer?" He questioned, his voice holding a note of surprise as he glanced around the living room.

"Marcus," Lucifer greeted the other man cooly as he watched the Lieutenant descend the last few stairs. Marcus's gaze quickly caught on Chloe's hand wrapped around Lucifer's arm, and the Lieutenant's lips pursed into a thin line and his eyes narrowed slightly, obviously unwelcoming towards the man who'd dropped by uninvited on Christmas morning.

"I didn't realize that you lived here," Marcus remarked bitterly, and Lucifer felt a small surge of anger wash through him at the words as his mouth turned down in the beginnings of a snarl. But before Lucifer could return his own retort a familiar, almost disbelieving voice broke the tense silence.

"Lucifer?" The fallen angel turned at his name, pulling his arm from Chloe's grip as his gaze settled on Mazikeen's hopeful expression. The demon stepped forward slowly, each step calculated and almost suspicious. As the space between the too dwindled Mazikeen reached out, almost touching Lucifer's arm before drawing back slightly, almost as though she was scared that if she touched him she'd break the illusion and he'd vanish from sight in a puff of smoke. It was Lucifer who finally closed the remaining distance separating the two of them, stepping forward as he rested a hand against the small of her back and ushered her away from the small crowd of humans that had congregated in the living room. "You stayed?" Mazikeen questioned quietly as the two of them neared the front door, but Lucifer gave her no reply as he pulled open the door and stepped outside with her in tow. "What made you change your mind?" Maze asked as Lucifer quickly closed the door behind them.

"I didn't." The devil sighed as he turned to face his demon.

"What's wrong?" Mazikeen questioned, immediately picking up on the dread that made her former master's shoulders curl in slightly and the almost haunted look in his eyes as he stared down at her.

"I…" Lucifer trailed off with another sigh as he ran a hand through his unruly hair. He wasn't sure how much he should tell Mazikeen, he knew that she would believe him if he told her about the very likely possibility of his father using his power to reset the timeline, but she wouldn't take kindly to the thought of her roommate winding up in hell. He could already hear her continuously trying to convince him to go after his father himself and force answers out of the God, and he knew that wouldn't help him right now, not when he already wanted to do just that. "It's nothing." He deflected poorly a moment later, quickly deciding that he didn't need Mazikeen goading him into doing exactly what he wanted.

"Lucifer," Maze growled, her voice quickly taking on a defiant tone. She knew that he was trying to keep something from her, and she wasn't about to let that shit slide, not after everything he'd put her through this last night. She deserved to know what the hell was going on, she deserved to know the truth.

"I went back, Maze," Lucifer explained, giving her a snippet of the truth, just enough to keep her satisfied. "I did." He added a half-second later, watching as Mazikeen's mouth fell open slightly as her eyebrows drew together and she shook her head softly. "But then I woke up in Lux this morning, and now I'm just trying to figure out what father's brewing," Lucifer muttered as he shot another sharp glare at the morning sky above them. This had to be some sort of manipulation on his father's part, just like the return of his wings. It practically wrenched his heart in two to know that Chloe would always be a piece that his father would try to use to manipulate him; and it would be so easy to let him do so, it would be so easy to surrender himself to her. It certainly didn't help that he wanted her, manipulation or not; because she was so mortal, and fragile, and fleeting, and he didn't want to lose out on a single second that his dark, damned existence could be brightened by the brief spark of her life.

"You think your dad sent you back to earth?" Maze's disbelieving and sarcastic voice pulled him from his bleak thoughts as he focused on her sharp gaze.

"I don't know anymore," Lucifer bit back grumpily, only making more anger spark in the demon's eyes as she stared up at him defiantly. "I just…" Lucifer trailed off as he tried to figure out what he was going to do from this point, he wanted answers, but some naive part of him felt like this was a gift. Chloe was alive, and she had told him that he was the reason she went to hell; he couldn't leave knowing that he could possibly be sending her to hell once again, she shouldn't bear the consequences of his own selfish actions. "I'm beginning wish I'd never gotten rid of Azrael's blade," Lucifer muttered. In order to force answers out of his father he'd have to be able to get into the Silver City to begin with, and now that the flaming sword no longer resided in this universe that option was gone. But maybe that was for the best, maybe his father would have just used Chloe as a dispensable pawn, throwing her in harm's way in an attempt to control his unruly son.

"Lucifer," Mazikeen spoke up, her voice almost concerned as she reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Promise me you're going to stay." She breathed quietly as her fingers dug into his shoulder hard enough to make him wince slightly. Lucifer nodded at her request, he didn't have it in him to leave again; it had been hard enough the first time, but now, he was certain that it would be impossible. He knew that the Chloe he'd been with in hell wasn't the same woman he'd held this morning, she had no idea of what had conspired between the two of them down there; and perhaps that was for the best, she had a fresh slate, another clean ticket to heaven. Even if Chloe wanted him out of her life for good he couldn't just go back to hell, not this time around.

"I promise," Lucifer swore, giving Maze a curt nod. He knew how hard it had been on the both of them the last time he left, he wouldn't put either of them through that again, at this point it wasn't even an option for him.

Silence dragged on for a long moment before Mazikeen finally drew her hand away from him, one of those rare, genuine smiles filling her face. "Decker will come around," Maze offered when she noticed the melancholic look on Lucifer's face. She knew that he wasn't taking Decker's reaction to him all that well, but the demon knew that Chloe wouldn't be able to stay away from him forever; that much was apparent by how many questions the detective had been bombarding her with about the fallen angel, most of which Maze could only answer with a 'That shit's personal Decker, ask him yourself'. Maze immediately noticed the way Lucifer's shoulders slumped just a little bit more at the mention of her roommate and she could tell that he'd already accepted the worst case scenario, and a half-moment later she quickly added, "You'll see.".

Lucifer offered her the poor excuse for a smile that he managed to summon before speaking up, "You should probably get back inside.". He nodded towards the window as he spoke, and Maze turned to see Chloe attempting to keep Trixie from ripping into her presents, she was barely managing to distract the child with brightly decorated Christmas cookies. "I think your humans want to share the Christmas experience with you." He added, but before Maze could turn back to face him she heard the tell-tell rustle of feathers behind her just before a gust of wind blew into her. The demon let out a long sigh as she quickly glanced at the empty space that Lucifer had occupied only seconds before, at least she knew that he was going to stay; and for once in her existence, she found herself not really giving a shit if God had gotten involved in Lucifer's life. He belonged up here, they both did.

Maze quickly let herself back inside, grateful to escape the morning chill. But the demon couldn't help but break into laughter when she heard the brazen question Trixie threw at her mother the moment she stepped inside; "Mommy, next year can Lucifer be our tree topper? He's prettier than the angel we have up there right now.".

Lucifer let out a long sigh as he stared out at the Los Angeles sunset. The mottled reds and oranges glinting off the glass buildings as he lifted a lowball glass to his lips, relishing in the burn of whiskey slipping down his throat. His eyes slowly drifted up to the sky as he clenched his teeth together, it'd been a week since he'd found himself suddenly returned to his old life. Except that it wasn't his old life; he hadn't heard from Chloe at all in that time, and he was beginning to accept that everything was finally over. But at least he still had something to drive him, he was close to finding a break in his search for the 'sinnerman'; he knew that there was something bigger at play there, he could feel it in the very marrow of his bones.

Lucifer jumped slightly when his phone rang, the shrill tone catching him from surprise. The devil let out a long-suffering sigh as he set his drink aside before pulling the small plastic device from his pocket. But the second he saw the name lighting up his screen he froze, his heart stuttering in his chest for a second as he stared at the simple words 'The Detective' scrawled across his screen. Surely it had just been a misdial, an accident, but hope bloomed in his chest despite his doubt. He drew in a deep, shaking breath as he tapped on the green phone symbol before lifting the device to his ear. He didn't dare speak for fear that he would break the illusion that everything would be alright, and a few seconds passed before Chloe's concerned voice came through the receiver. "Lucifer?"

"Detective?" He replied softly as he anxiously waited for her to apologize for accidentally dialing him. There was no way that she would actually call him on purpose, was there?

"Hey, so um…" Chloe trailed off for a moment, and Lucifer found himself holding his breath as he waited for her to say the inevitable. "Where's my partner?" She questioned a second later, and a wave of surprise washed through the devil at her words.

"I'm sorry…What?" He stammered. Certainly he'd heard her wrong, or misinterpreted her words, or something.

"Where are you? I just caught a new case and I really need you." Her voice responded immediately, and Lucifer found himself swallowing thickly as he tried to control the sudden surge of warmth her words sent coursing through him. But he knew better than to let himself get his hopes up.

"You…" He trailed off as he found himself unwilling to ask the question resting on the tip of his tongue, but he knew that he needed to ask; that he needed to know she meant she wanted him back, that this wasn't going to a temporary arrangement that left him missing her more than he already did right now. "You actually…" He swallowed as he tried to gather together the courage to finish, part of him terrified that his worries were about to be confirmed. "You still want to work with me? After…everything?"

"Of course I do. You'll always be my partner," Chloe replied almost instantaneously, and Lucifer couldn't help but smile at the simple words, a wave of happiness crashing over him that was almost enough to wash away the memories that had been tormenting him for the last week. "Horns or no horns." She added playfully a moment later, and an almost skeptical chuckle escaped him at her words.

Silence filled the line for a few seconds before Lucifer's soft voice finally broke the quiet, "Where do you want me to meet you?".

"At the precinct, we can carpool to the scene together." She answered as though it was the simplest thing in the world. But yet again, Lucifer was caught off guard by her words; by the way she seemed so entirely nonchalant with the thought of letting him carpool with her, by the proof that she was actually beginning to accept what he was.

"I'll be there momentarily," Lucifer breathed, not trusting his voice to work when the emotions swirling inside of him were threatening to tear him open at the seams.

"See you soon," Chloe replied just before his phone beeped, notifying him that she'd hung up. He pulled the small plastic device from his ear slowly, part of him still trying to accept that what had just happened was real. He tucked his phone back into his pocket as his smile slowly grew, reaching out and grabbing his whiskey glass before tipping back the remaining contents in one fluid motion. He summoned his wings as he set the glass back down, his feathers gently illuminating the slowly darkening sky as he drew in a deep breath, trying to prepare himself to see Chloe for the first time since he'd barged in on her so unceremoniously on Christmas day. One second he was standing on the balcony of Lux, wings spread by his sides as the wind gently ruffled his feathers, and the next second he was gone.

Lucifer drummed his fingers against the dash as he impatiently waited for their suspect to show up at the abandoned warehouse. His attention was dragged away from the peeling paint on the side of the building when he heard Chloe fidget in her own seat beside him. He quickly glanced over at her, his fingers stilling as he watched her twist to grab something in the back seat; one of her hands bracing against his shoulder to steady herself, and he practically stopped breathing at the simple touch as he tried to ignore the smell of her perfume lingering in the air. He was still amazed that she'd decided to continue their partnership, even now after two weeks of resumed normalcy he was still waiting for the hammer to fall, for her to realize that she really didn't want the devil sitting shotgun with her. Chloe righted herself a moment later, and Lucifer felt a small surge of disappointment as her hand left his shoulder, he already missed the warmth of her touch as it bled through his jacket.

The Detective placed a small duffel bag in her lap before quickly opening it, the sound of the zipper filling the otherwise silent patrol car. Lucifer watched with rapt attention as she simply pulled a bottle of water and an orange from the bag, the whole time wondering how long this could go on for, how long he had until she called off their working relationship once and for all. Those thoughts quickly fled when she glanced over at him, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth just before she worried her lower lip between her teeth and returned her attention to the duffel bag. Lucifer swallowed thickly when she looked away, suddenly remembering that he actually needed to breathe when she was around as he forced himself to stare at the building before sitting before them.

"I grabbed you some of those cool ranch puffs you love so much," Chloe's voice broke the silence with ease, immediately drawing Lucifer's attention back over to her as she pulled a familiar blue and white package from the duffel bag. His eyes quickly flicked from the dark blue packaging up to the lighter blue of her eyes, the soft smile gracing her features effectively rendering him speechless for a few lingering seconds. Chloe lifted a single eyebrow as her smile grew slightly just before she thrust the bag even further in his direction, the crinkle of cellophane filling the car as she clearly waited for him to accept her offering. It took another second for Lucifer to restart his mental faculties before he reached out to accept the gift, his breath catching in his throat when his fingers brushed against hers for the briefest of moments.

He swallowed thickly as he lifted the small package, his throat tightening uncomfortably at the kind gesture. He silently resigned himself to keep it preserved forever, perhaps he'd find a spot for it among the nooks and crannies of his library; a small token of remembrance, proof that Chloe Decker, a literal miracle, thought about him when doing something as menial as grabbing a snack from the precinct vending machine. "Thank you," Lucifer murmured as he looked over at the Detective, her golden hair shimmering in the dim light of the streetlamp as she shook her head softly.

"It's nothing, really," Chloe replied nonchalantly as she quickly zipped the duffel bag back up before turning so she could toss it in the backseat. Lucifer pursed his lips at how easily she downplayed his gratitude, that certainly wouldn't do. He reached out, resting a hand on her shoulder and immediately drawing her gaze to him; his heart stuttered in his chest as he forced himself to pull his hand away only a second later for fear that he might damage their recently re-established relationship if he accidentally made her uncomfortable.

"Well, perhaps to you it's no big deal, but it's certainly something to me." He explained quietly, his voice hardly more than a whisper as he easily lost himself in the aqua depths of her eyes. "Thank you," Lucifer offered as he gave her a small, genuine smile.

"You're welcome," Chloe breathed, her eyes drifting down to his lips as she silently wondered if it would be alright to press her mouth against his, but she quickly quelled the thought; reminding herself that they were currently on a stakeout. It seemed Lucifer made the decision for her a moment later, clearing his throat loudly before focusing his attention on the warehouse sitting before them. She tried to ignore the slight blush she could feel burning her cheeks as she did the same, quickly distracting herself with the task of peeling her orange. She watched out of the corner of her eye as he placed his unopened snack on the dashboard, and as silence grew between them she silently summoned the courage to break the quiet. "So…um," Chloe trailed off to clear her throat as she paid extra attention to the orange in her hands, not that it mattered, Lucifer's attention seemed to be firmly fixated on the ugly building sitting in front of the car. "Are you busy this weekend?" She forced the words out faster than she should have, silently cursing herself for the slip up; part of her certain that Lucifer would jump right in with the teasing quips that were so him, but so damn flustering, especially given her current situation.

"There's always room in my schedule for you," Lucifer replied seriously as he glanced out of his window, observing their surroundings for a moment before he looked over at Chloe with a smile. "Why? Do we have another case to attend to after this one?" He questioned, part of him already perking up at the thought of getting to spend more of his time with her. Ever since she'd asked him back as her partner he'd tried to give her space, and that included no more surprise visits at her house, he had to admit he missed spending the extra time with her.

"Not exactly," Chloe answered almost hesitantly, and he quickly glanced over at her with an almost concerned expression. "I was just…" Chloe trailed off as she caught herself staring into her partner's dark eyes, her nerves suddenly getting the best of her as she quickly turned her gaze to the carpet under her feet. "Nevermind," She muttered as she shook her head, ready to let it be forgotten lest she wind up making a complete idiot out of herself. Besides, hadn't Maze told her that she'd hurt Lucifer really bad when she pushed him away? Why would he want to bother letting her in again after that?

"No, no, no," Lucifer protested, his smile growing wider as he just barely pushed into the Detective's personal space. She quickly glanced back up at him as he continued, "There's clearly something on your mind, Detective.". "If you won't tell me I'll just have to force it out of you," Lucifer cut her off when she shook her head and began to open her mouth. He watched her expression quickly morph to one of curiosity as she leaned in just a little closer to him.

"Can you actually do that?" She whispered conspiratorially, and Lucifer had to hold back a laugh at the fact that she was trying to act so secretive when there wasn't a soul within half a mile.

"No," Lucifer chuckled as he shook his head. "Not with you at least." He added, hoping that she wouldn't press the statement. He had yet to tell her exactly how much she affected him, and it wasn't a conversation he wanted to have in a cramped patrol car when their suspect could show up at any moment. "But, still, do tell," Lucifer continued simply as he gave her an expectant look.

"Well, I was just wondering," Chloe trailed off, her eyes flicking towards the warehouse as she drew in an audible breath. "Maybe if you had the time we could go grab some dinner or something?" She finished as she looked over at Lucifer, her stomach coiling inside of her as silence brewed between the two of them for a long moment.

Lucifer couldn't help but stare, part of him was sure that he'd heard wrong, and the other part was sure that he'd interpreted the question incorrectly. "Are you asking me on a date?" He questioned quietly, trying to keep his disbelief from tainting his voice. He watched as Chloe blushed furiously from the simple question, worrying her lower lip in between her teeth as she quickly glanced away once again. Lucifer felt a smile grow on his face at the realization that he had been right, Chloe had actually propositioned him. "You're already moving on from Marcus? It hasn't even been a week since the two of you split up." He remarked curiously, he'd thought that relationship had meant more to her than it apparently did, but perhaps he'd just read it wrong.

"Well, I never really liked Marcus," Chloe mumbled as she forced herself to look back over at Lucifer even though the nerves racing through her made her feel like she might be sick. What was she thinking? Asking an angel out on a date? Why had she ever listened to Maze when the woman told her to get it over with already. "Not the same way I like you, at least." She added, some small part of her holding out on the hope that maybe he would accept and she wouldn't wind up making a fool of herself. The second she watched Lucifer's expression fall slightly, his mouth dropping open as his eyebrows drew together a fraction of an inch she knew better than to keep hoping. "It was stupid of me to ask, I should have known bett—"

"I'd be honored to go on a date with you, Chloe," Lucifer cut her off as he reached out and rested a hand on her knee. It was obvious now that she had free-will, the ability to choose another romantic partner over him if she wanted too; and even though he knew that his father was still probably using her to get to him in some way, he didn't want to let this opportunity go. She was only human, and she would be gone far too soon; the least he could do was give her what she wanted, give them both what they wanted.

"Really?" Chloe asked, her voice small and hopeful and Lucifer smiled at the sound as he stared into her aqua eyes.

"Really." He replied, and something warm and increasingly familiar bloomed in his chest at the sight of the wide smile that quickly filled her features. Before either of them could figure out where to take the conversation from there the sound of glass shattering immediately pulled their attention to the building before them, the sight of someone in a black hoodie unlocking the warehouse door and stepping inside greeting the two of them.

"Finally," Chloe breathed as she opened her door and stepped out, and Lucifer simply smiled as he followed suit; the whole time thinking exactly what she had just said, but for an entirely different reason.

FOUR YEARS LATER

Two angels stood side by side atop the sandy dune, staring down at the scene before them. The chairs filled with people, the ocean waves lapping delicately against the shore, the wooden trellises covered in bright tropical flowers. But they were primarily focused on the two people standing in front of each other holding hands. One of them, the woman, dressed in a billowing white dress that caught the gentle ocean breeze; the other, the man, dressed in a crisp black and white tuxedo. Only a tall, dark-skinned figure clad in silvery grey robes, and the endless ocean behind them. "I've never understood these elaborate ceremonies," The taller angel spoke, his grey hair glinting in the sunlight as he stared down at the scene before him with a scrutinizing amount of attention.

"I, Lucifer Morningstar, take you, Chloe Decker, to be my wife."

"They make humans happy, Raziel." The shorter bronze haired angel spoke as their fallen brother's voice drifted in the wind. "What more is there to understand?" Gabriel questioned simply as he watched the ceremony continue before them.

"Knowing deep in my heart that you will be my constant friend, my faithful partner, and my one true love."

"He does look happy," Raziel replied quietly, and Gabriel smiled at the statement. Both the fallen angel and his human bride were wearing smiles so large the angels could see them with ease even from the distance.

"On this special day, I give you my pledge to remain by your side in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in times of peace and in times of trial."

"He deserves it, after everything he's been through," Gabriel murmured, his mind unwillingly returning him to memories of harsher times. Being forced to watch as his father cast his brother from heaven, the first time he ran into Lucifer in hell only to realize that his little brother wasn't the same person anymore, the way he woke up sweating after seeing the fall of heaven at the fallen angel's hands.

"I promise to love you without reservation. To honor and respect you. To protect you from all harm. To always be honest and open with you. And, to cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

"We got lucky you know," Raziel muttered, turning his gaze upon the shorter angel. Gabriel swallowed thickly at the words, nodding once as his brother returned his gaze to the scene unfolding before them.

"I thank you for always showing me patience, when I least deserve it. For always showing me kindness, in the moments that I've been anything but. For always showing me grace, when others would certainly show cruelty. And for always guiding me away from the path of darkness, and towards the path of light."

"I'm well aware," Gabriel answered quietly. Neither angel spoke for a moment as they listened to their brother's vows, both of them fully aware of the gravity of the scene unfolding before them; never before had a son of God entered into a holy union with a daughter of men, it would forever be a particularly historic moment for all celestial beings. "Are you feeling better yet?" The bronze haired angel questioned as he focused his gaze on his brother before immediately continuing, "I know how difficult it was for you to rewind such a long span of time.".

"You gave my life meaning, when I thought I'd lost all purpose. You proved that redemption is within anyone's grasp, regardless of their former crimes. You showed me how to let go of my grudges, and how to forgive others for the wrongs they committed against me. And I know, without a doubt, that in the years to come, you will continue to be my greatest teacher."

"Give it a few more months," Raziel replied, his voice quiet as he spoke. When he'd first pulled it all off he'd been surprised that it even worked; and then after that, when the entirety of his powers had been depleted and everything began to wear on him heavily, he'd been surprised that he'd survived the ordeal. Now he was grateful to see that it had all been worth it, nothing he had sacrificed had been in vain.

"In your moments of weakness, I promise to be your strength. In your moments of worry, I promise to be your reassurance. And in your moments of need, I promise to always have your back; because we will always be stronger together, than we will ever be apart."

"I'm sorry, for asking so much of you," Gabriel apologized, every word laced with remorse. He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel guilty; for causing his brother so much suffering, for the way Raphael glared at him when he dragged Raziel's limp body into the infirmary, for the fact that he'd made heaven's defenses weak by causing his brother to temporarily lose his powers.

"I love you, Chloe Jane Decker, with all of my mind, body, and soul. And I swear, that I shall always endeavor to be a man who is worthy of your love and mercy. To be a man who is worthy of the title of being your husband."

"It's alright. I'd rather be weakened for a few years than have to live to see the day Lucifer waged war on the heavens," Raziel replied, hoping that he could help lessen the grief his brother was obviously feeling. From the moment Gabriel came to him and told him about the future he foresaw Raziel knew that he couldn't allow what his brother spoke of to come to fruition. What would happen to everything their father had created if Lucifer upset the natural balance of the world? Abandoning hell to live on earth was one thing, something that could be easily overlooked, but razing heaven and every angel that stood in his path to the ground was the stuff of apocalypses.

A long beat of silence filled the air as the woman pulled one of her hands from Lucifer's, wiping something from under her eyes before muttering a few words that were too quiet for the angels to hear; but they did hear the muffled awwing noise that came from the crowd at whatever she'd said a moment before her voice cut through the silence with ease.

"I, Chloe Decker, take you, Lucifer Morningstar, to be my husband,"

"He would've won," Gabriel breathed, his voice just loud enough to be overheard by his brother. It had been ages since he'd seen a future that shook him to the core like the one Lucifer was going to bring about. Lucifer would have survived Michaels blade regardless of whether or not Gabriel came to his aid. He certainly could have brought Lucifer back to earth and finished the job Michael started, but how could he possibly kill his brother? But now, now that everything had been put back on course, the future was right once again.

"Knowing deep in my heart that you will be my constant friend, my faithful partner, and my one true love."

"It gives a whole new meaning to the word love," Raziel mused quietly. "Waging a celestial war to get a single soul back into your arms."

"On this special day, I give you my pledge to remain by your side in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in times of peace and in times of trial."

"Well," Gabriel sighed softly before immediately continuing, "We both know Lucifer was always the most passionate of us all.". Raziel hummed in agreement, nodding softly at his brother's words. He knew that Lucifer had always been the one with too much heart, the one who put feelings over orders, the one who cared just a little too deeply.

"I promise to love you without reservation. To unfailingly offer you forgiveness for your sins. To be the shoulder you can lean on, when you're too weak to continue fighting your demons. To always be honest and open with you. And, to cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

"What's going to happen when she dies, brother?" Raziel questioned, pulling his attention from the ceremony as he looked over at his brother. She was human, she would eventually die. And then wouldn't they just be back to square one? It seemed as though they were simply prolonging the inevitable; Lucifer would lose her, and if anything, he'd just fight that much harder to get her back after growing attached to her over the years.

"I thank you for always showing me support, when I need it the most. For always showing me gentleness, in the moments that I've lashed out. For always showing me to have faith in my abilities, when others would certainly allow me to continue doubting myself. And for always doing everything in your power to keep us together, even when I'm incapable of realizing that your intentions are pure."

"She makes Lucifer mortal, he'll age with her and they'll die together," Gabriel answered simply as he watched the woman reach up and brush her thumb across Lucifer's cheekbone, the thin layer of wetness left on his face glistening in the sunlight. Gabriel looked over at his brother, the curious expression on the taller angels face prompting him to elaborate, "A car crash, thirty-two years from now when they're driving home from their grandson's fourth birthday.".

"You helped me rebuild my self-confidence, when I was at a low point in both my personal life and my career. You proved that the walls I built up around my heart weren't necessary, that real love will always win out against finely honed defenses. You showed me how to live in the moment, and how to treat every new day like the gift it is. And I know, without a doubt, that in the years to come, I will always be thankful for your presence by my side."

"But when he dies he will go to hell," Raziel stated plainly. The woman would go to heaven and Lucifer would always be damned to hell, fate was guaranteed to separate them eventually. Even without a corporeal form, Lucifer would still be able to wreak havoc on the heavens, you didn't need to be alive to wage war on the spiritual plane.

"In your moments of wrath, I promise to be your peace. In your moments of doubt, I promise to be your certainty. And in your moments of surrender, I promise to be your defiance; because we will always be stronger together, than we will ever be apart."

"No, he won't," Gabriel answered simply, unwilling to tear his gaze from the scene unfolding before him even as he felt his brother stare at him, silently asking for answers.

"I love you, Lucifer Samael Morningstar, with all of my mind, body, and soul. And I swear, that I shall always endeavor to be a woman who is worthy of the compassion you've managed to maintain despite the wrongs that you've survived. To be a woman who is worthy of the title of being your wife."

"She's his redemption," Gabriel breathed quietly as he watched his younger brother slide a glinting metal band onto one of the woman's fingers just before she did the same to him. "Father has big plans, Raziel." He continued quietly, swallowing thickly as he tried to ignore the swell of emotion he felt at the sight before him. "Bigger than even I can grasp at times," Gabriel stated mere seconds before the deep, familiar voice of his older brother cut through the quiet.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife…You may kiss your bride."

"But this," Gabriel whispered as his little brother easily closed the small span of distance separating him and his new wife. "This is a new beginning." Both angels fell silent as a chorus of cheers filled the air, a few seconds dragging on before a couple of light chuckles drifted through the wind; and even Gabriel couldn't help but crack a smile when Amenadiel stepped forward slightly, resting a hand on each person's shoulder before gently prying them apart when the kiss dragged on for longer than was publicly appropriate. Gabriel cleared his throat as he tried to ignore the way it was suddenly a little to tight before his voice broke the quiet.

"A good one."