The air was still, and the sound of crickets chirping in the distance reminded Lucifer that he was not alone that night. Small droplets of water began to slap down against the recently disturbed Earth, and the fresh mound of dirt began to darken as the rain rested within the ground. He stood beneath an old, overgrown oak tree using the branches and leaves as a natural umbrella from the sprinkle of rain that began to pick up its pace. Lampposts were scattered across the lush land, spreading its amber light across headstones and dying flower arrangements left behind by loved ones.

Fat raindrops pelted down onto a newly marked headstone, and Lucifer watched the droplets race down the granite stone, sinking deep into the engraved letters. Chloe Jane Decker. He wanted to expand the umbrella at his side and hold it over her grave to keep her dry, but he knew it didn't matter.

Sensing movement through the desolate cemetery, Lucifer looked down at the ground, watching the toes of his Italian leather shoes meet the line of fresh dirt.

Amenadiel appeared at his brother's side, looking up to the shaking leaves above protecting them from the falling water. "We missed you today."

The grass around her grave was still matted down from the procession of friends, family, and colleagues coming together to say goodbye. Ella Lopez silently sobbed beside her imaginary friend, finding comfort in Rae-Rae, knowing she needed the shoulder to cry on. Little did Ella know, her friend was visible to the rest of the angels standing in the back row with heads lowered in reverence. Amenadiel spoke on behalf of Dan, who couldn't find the words to complete his eulogy, and Trixie ended the service by placing a single, white calla lily secured in a black, silk ribbon on top of the casket. As Chloe's body lowered into the Earth, Maze turned her back to the traumatic experience, knowing the souls that cried around Chloe's grave would one-day see her again. She did not have the same fate.

While his family and friends paid their respects, Lucifer sat on the floor of his new, empty home in Venice Beach. A bottle of 18-year-old Macallan stayed close to his lips, and the rich smelling malt scotch whiskey dribbled down onto his all-black velvet suit. He leaned his head back against the exposed brick wall, looking up the tall glass windows displaying the scattered clouds above. Lucifer wanted to be there, but everything inside him held him down to the ground, his body refusing to move. It wasn't until he saw the moon's light fight through incoming rain clouds that he felt his feet take control of his night.

The sound of rain pelting down, smacking against the leaves was a comforting noise, but his brother's presence made Lucifer recoil behind a cold wall of emotions.

"Luci, please." Amenadiel turned toward his brother, studying his face. "Talk to me."

Since their return from the desert, Lucifer remained silent, paralyzed with grief. He continued through the next week in a colorless, numb state. The angels collected their siblings, burying their bodies beside Uriel in the forest, and once Gabriel completed his tribute to each sibling, Lucifer disappeared. It had been two days since the group saw him, hoping they'd see his face again at Chloe's funeral.

Lucifer opened his mouth to speak, but he struggled to put what he was feeling into words. Closing his lips into a subtle frown, he took in a sharp breath through his nose. He cleared his throat, suppressing the heavy sob waiting to be released in the base of his throat. "I should have never come back. None of this would have happened if I had just stayed down there."

With eyes softening on his brother, Amenadiel rested a comforting hand on Lucifer's shoulder. "You're right. None of this would have happened. We wouldn't be standing here if you stayed down there. I would have had no idea what Michael was planning. Charlie could have been taken from me, from Linda. Ella could have met a darker fate. Maze would have never found closure with her mother. Chloe would have never discovered her power and potential. She would have continued life without you, and I think we can both agree she didn't want that." Amenadiel looked down at her grave, producing a weak smile at the thought of her. "Michael would have continued his plan, and this world would be obsolete."

A thin veil of tears covered Lucifer's eyes as he remembered the ending of Michael's plan; as he remembered holding her lifeless body in his arms.

"Lucifer, she did everything she could to protect this world, Trixie, you. She saved us all."

Everything his brother said was right, but it wasn't what Lucifer wanted to hear at this moment. This type of grief was something he was not prepared to experience, and it was easier to hide behind his anger and self-blame. The two brothers stood in silence as the rainfall tapered off into a drizzle.

"We're all getting together tonight in Lux to remember the ones we lost. To celebrate their lives. Come back with me, Luci. Let us be there for you."

Lucifer widened his eyes, quickly blinking away the stinging sensation. "I just want to be alone with-" He wanted to say her name as if she were standing in front of him, but he didn't need another reminder from his brother that she was gone. "I just want to be alone tonight."

Amenadiel released his consoling hand from his brother's shoulder, taking a few steps back into the shadows. "I'm here when you're ready not to be alone anymore."

The rain turned into a mist as Lucifer felt alone once more.

Her eyes scanned the empty bookcases, the stack of moving trunks, and the cold, bare walls. Linda nervously twisted her fingers, not knowing what version of Lucifer she would find as she stepped deeper into the penthouse suite. His back was to his home as he looked over his balcony, nursing a glass of whiskey. Linda squinted her eyes, meeting him in the bright, blaring sun. She gripped the railing, staring up at her patient, but he did not acknowledge her arrival.

"Your place looks so much bigger. I didn't think that was possible." She tried setting a light tone to their conversation, but he continued to stare blankly over the LA skyline. "You haven't unpacked your things. Are you still planning to move?"

His drink hovered close to his lips as he thought. "I don't know." Lucifer's voice was quiet, and monotone, but Linda accepted it as it was the most he spoke to her in over a week.

"It's okay not to know." She looked back over to the rolling hills of LA, having a deeper appreciation for her city and the Earth around her. Today was the first day in a long time that Linda left her son with a nanny, and her mind was at ease. "Amenadiel told me you visited Chloe last night. How was that?"

Lucifer slowly backed away from the balcony, and he took a seat in one of his leather chairs, pouring himself another three fingers of whiskey from the bottle on his coffee table. His therapist followed behind him, placing herself directly across from him on his leather couch. She waited for his response, but his eyes were more preoccupied with the glass in his hands. He balanced his whiskey on the edge of his knee, twisting the crystal glass to play with the light's reflection.

"I can imagine you're feeling very hurt and sad and feeling a mix of emotions you don't understand. You may feel like you can't talk to anyone. But, Lucifer, you know you can talk to me." She sat with a patient smile and soft eyes, waiting, but nothing came.

As the sunlight continued to expand its beam of light across the penthouse floor, Linda drew her eyes to the piano in the middle of the home. A thin line of dust coated the keyboard cover and the top of the grand piano. "It doesn't look like you've played the piano in a while."

"I haven't been in the mood."

"Maybe playing something will help." Linda clasped her hands together, trying to suppress the hope building up inside of her as Lucifer began to speak more.

"I can't." Lucifer stopped twisting his glass as he looked back to his favorite instrument with a look of resentment.

"Humour me."

"I know what you're trying to do, Doctor." His voice grew in anger, and his nostrils flared, causing Linda to sit more upright in her seat, interested in what he had to say.

"What am I trying to do?"

Lucifer stood up from his chair, and his feet began to pace with a mind of their own. "You're hoping a few little melodies will force me to come to terms with what's happening. How about I play a little Moonlight Sonata to allow my fingers to reflect the turmoil and sorrow you know I'm feeling. Or how about I just throw you off with a Bach Cantata. You won't even know what to do with a song like that one. Or we can just cut to the chase, and I can play some Sarah McLachlan, clear my schedule, and spend my afternoon crying on your shoulder. Are you that desperate to know what I'm feeling?"

"Yes!" Linda raised her voice as she felt the tight, tense ball growing inside of her release. She threw her arms forward, widening her eyes. "Yes. Tell me what you're feeling. Say something. Say anything!"

The tense, bitter air continued to rise between the two forces, driving Lucifer's voice to belt out in outrage. "I'm frustrated, staring at that thing." He threw out his erect thumb, listing the first emotion that came to mind as he looked over to his piano. "When I say I can't play, I can't play. I sit there and just stare at the keys with nothing coming to mind. It's as if all of my mental records have been wiped clean, so no, Doctor, I will not play you a damn song."

Lucifer flicked his pointer finger up alongside his thumb. "I'm angry at my father for ever giving the Detective the ability to be anything but human. I'm angry at Michael for starting all of this. I'm angry that I have to stare at these all day long, reminding me of a home that's not a home anymore, and that's- well, it's unfortunate, isn't it?" Lucifer's voice calmed as he stared at a stack of leather moving trunks. "And of course I'm sad. I'm sad she's not here. I'm sad I can't see her again. She can't see her daughter grow up, and now Trixie has to be raised by Daniel. I don't know what's sadder than that."

He finished the last of his drink, moving back to his leather chair for another refill. "I'm tired." The deep brown liquid ran out of the bottle and into his crystal glass. "I've gotten so used to sleeping next to her, and now my bed is much larger than I remember." He watched his reflection in the whiskey as he brought it up to his lips. "I'm waking every hour, hoping all of this was some elaborate nightmare. I'm double-checking behind every door, not knowing If I died, and this is my hell. It can drive a man crazy." Lucifer took a long sip before resting the glass in his lap, and he spoke with a soft voice. "I miss her."

"I know." Linda bit her tongue as she watched Lucifer shrink smaller before her. She was wearing her therapist hat, but it took everything in her not to rush to his side and wrap her arms around him.

"And through all of this numbing pain and self-hatred, I-"

"Why do you hate yourself, Lucifer?" Linda's fingers gripped into her legs harder, wanting to make his pain disappear.

"Everything that she went through was because of me. I brought her into this part of my world. I ignited her. I'm the one who told her not to give up when she wanted to choose to be just human. And I-" His lips began to tremble as he watched a teardrop into his cup.

"And you think you killed her?" Tilting her head to the side, she watched Lucifer jerk his head up, surprised by her words. The same words that loomed in the back of his mind. "Chloe chose to be with you, and she knew what she would be sacrificing to have that life with you. She chose to embrace her powers. She chose to protect everyone. She sacrificed her one life for everyone else." A few minutes of silence passed as Linda watched her words sink deeper, but Lucifer's face was hard to read.

Lucifer quickly brushed away a tear, refusing to move down his cheek with his sleeve. He lifted his last fifth finger on his right hand, releasing a small, whisper into the silent void. "A part of me is happy, how sick is that?"

Linda inched her body toward the edge of her seat as she leaned forward, urging him to continue.

His eyes rolled up, looking beyond the high-vaulted ceilings to the Silver City. "I know where she is now. I know she's with her dad." Lucifer's lips grew into a tense, tight smile as he felt his eyes sting again. "I know she's safe, and that's more than I could ask for, isn't it?" His lips trembled back a sob as he waited for Linda to agree, but she just stared back tenderly.

"Lucifer, your father is still here." She watched him shake his head in refusal. "You can still ask him-"

"I'm done with my father, once and for all. You were there, weren't you, Doctor? You watched me beg like some desperate sap at his feet. He refused to bring her back." Lucifer could feel the wrath grow inside of him, and his eyes turned a fiery red at the memory of returning after the war. "He didn't create Chloe out of the goodness of his heart. Not for me. She was his plan B. She was just another pawn in his game- to save his precious project. So, forgive me if I'm not too keen on asking my father for favors at this moment."

Linda nodded her head while listening to his pride take over, waiting for the flames in his eyes to disappear. She watched his chest drop from intense heaves to a gentle rise and fall with his calming breath. Feeling her phone buzz beside her, Linda scanned her new message, and a small smile crept on her face. "Your siblings are leaving soon. I think they would appreciate seeing you before they go."

Exposing his tight jawline, Lucifer looked back to his balcony, avoiding his therapist's gaze. "I think I'd rather finish the bottle."

Linda slowly closed her eyes, having it hurt to watch Lucifer revert to the closed-off Devil she met so many years ago. Standing up, Linda slid her hands down her pants to release the wrinkles, and she made her way toward the elevator. "We will be downstairs if you happen to change your mind." She stopped at the piano, running her long, pointer finger along the dusty surface. Looking back over her shoulder, Linda popped the keyboard cover up and watched Lucifer force himself not to look back in her direction.

He waited for the elevator doors to close before creeping his eyes over to the black and white keys. Removing himself from his chair, Lucifer paced around the piano's stool, inhaling vexed sips of his whiskey, trying to understand why this was so difficult. He slammed his drink down on the edge of the piano, and he kicked the stool out, waiting for something to come to mind. His hands rested on his lap as he stared off at portions of his reflection through the dust-filled surface.

Lucifer closed his eyes, and his single pointer finger played one key at a time, hoping something would jog his memory, and the musical notes would naturally come flowing to him. His finger landed on B, and Chloe's face flashed before him in the darkness. Quickly opening his eyes, Lucifer stared down at his piano keys, remembering a familiar tune.

He closed his eyes, seeing her face staring back at him in a crowded bar. Her bright, blue eyes shined a smile back at him while she cupped her face in disbelief. Like a child learning to play for the first time, Lucifer's staccato pointer finger pressed down on each key individually, creating a short melody. His voice cracked into a whisper as he spoke the lyrics- a subtle tune forming in his words.

"I believe it's meant to be, darling." He swallowed hard, continuing the song on the piano with a single finger. "I watch you when you are sleeping. You belong with me." Lucifer closed his eyes, seeing her face once more. "Do you feel the same? Am I only dreaming…" He exhaled a long breath, feeling a tear balance on the edge of his eyelid. "... or is this burning an eternal flame?" His finger stopped the melody as it felt weighted down, dragging off the keyboard into his lap. Lucifer dropped his head, sitting in the deafening silence, feeling his heart and chest ache in indescribable pain.

"Are you sure he's not coming?" Raphael's voice was low as he cranked his neck back to speak to Linda, who sat in the booth behind him.

Linda simply shrugged in response as she looked back to the main entrance of Lux. The nightclub had become a meeting space to the celestials outside of its usual hours, but today was the last time they would all convene together.

God had taken center stage, pacing the dance floor as the group sat, spread out in the booths. Ananiel, Camael, and Remiel sat on their knees at the base of the bar with heads bowing down to their father, waiting for their sentence. The angels had been under Gabriel's watch, digging the graves for the brothers and sister they lost. They found their powers to be limited on Earth by their father's doing.

"Ananiel and Camael will return to the City." God's voice resonated above the group's heads.

Gabriel sat up outraged. "Father, you can't be serious."

"I am. They admitted defeat quickly, and I believe their acts were not genuine. They have not acted out before this, and I trust that providing a second chance to my children will not be in vain." God produced cold, warning eyes toward his two children, who remained focused on the floor beneath them, accepting their fate. "I will have new jobs assigned for each when we return."

"And her?" Raphael stared down in disgust at Remiel, hoping she would not receive the same forgiveness as his other siblings.

God stepped forward, holding out a hand for his daughter to take. He lifted her to her feet, and she stared back at him with timid eyes. "Remiel, you took the life of another angel. You took the life of a fellow sister. A sister who protected life on this Earth until her very last breath."

"Father, I-" Remiel's quick pleading came to an end as her father raised his palm, forcing her to stop talking.

"Your apologies will not be accepted here. You are to not return home with your siblings. Rather, you will spend your remaining years here on Earth, living among the humans you seem to despise." He clasped his hands behind his back, watching his daughter come to terms with her punishment.

"Yes, Father."

"I am not finished. You will have no angelic powers here, nor eternal life. You will learn to appreciate the world around you, every change in weather, every human you interact with, every breath you take. You will adapt to humanity running through your veins, and you will feel every emotion, as uncomfortable as it can be. You will think of your sister, you will remember the feeling of your lance piercing through her body, and you will be riddled with guilt. What you do with your life will shape where you end up upon your last breath, but I can say with certainty, at this moment, you are not fated to return home. What is waiting for you in the afterlife is much darker. Are we understood?"

It was difficult for Remiel to swallow back the fear and anxiety that came with her sentence as she nodded in agreement. She could feel her siblings' eyes narrow on her, agreeing with her rightful punishment.

"And what's to prevent her from creating chaos anyways? I mean, if she knows she's going to end up in Hell, why not go out with a big bang?" Maze was the only one who refused to take a seat. She leaned her body against the booth beside Amenadiel, her eyes growing hungry with desire at the thought of making Remiel's human life a living hell on Earth.

God patiently turned around, and he directed his stare toward his eldest son. "Amenadiel will stay here on Earth as it is his rightful home."

Linda squeezed Amenadiel's forearm in an excited, relieving way as he perked up in his seat.

"Charlie deserves to grow up with his father and mother beside him. I trust Amenadiel will not only teach his son the beauty and appreciation for humanity, but he will watch over this world as a protector." God bowed his head toward his son, and his eyes smiled in Linda's direction.

The main door to Lux creaked open and slow footsteps brought everyone's attention to the stairwell. Lucifer appeared with bloodshot eyes and an empty bottle in his hand as he made his way down the steps. "Don't stop on my account. Just here for a quick refill." He shook the bottle in his hand for emphasis and made his way around the bar. Throwing the bottle into a bin, Lucifer began to rummage on the shelves for a fresh whiskey bottle.

His brothers and sister sat up, their eyes tracking his every movement. They didn't know what to say to him or how to console him as it was out of their comfort zone. Each angel looked to one another, waiting for someone to say something, but their father continued.

"The rest of you will return home or continue your rightful duties."

Cassiel apprehensively raised his hand before his father continued down his list of agenda items. "All of us?" He grew nervous as he felt his siblings turn around to stare at him with teasing, all-knowing smiles.

"Do you have an alternative in mind, son?"

"Well, I-" He looked around the Lux nightclub, appreciating the memories he already gained in such a short time. "- I thought I could stick around a little longer." His eyes kept unintentionally falling back on Maze. "Amenadiel, probably wouldn't mind the company, I could help out with Lux, and it would give me some more time to appreciate the land you created, father."

Gabriel leaned over to his brother, keeping his voice low. "Kiss ass."

Cassiel jabbed his older brother in the ribcage, feeling his cheeks turn red in embarrassment. He watched as his father furrowed his brows in deep thought.

"I suppose I do not have an issue with you being here for a short time, as long as it would not interfere with your duties at home, but this is not your establishment. Your help is only warranted here if it is welcomed. Mazikeen?" God politely smiled in Maze's direction, and he watched her jerk her head up in surprise.

It was the first time he had spoken her name. Maze had gotten used to him ignoring her, calling upon her by her race and making rather than dignify her with a name. Maze looked over to Cassiel, and she hoped the burning sensation in her cheeks remained hidden behind her light cocoa skin. Clearing her throat, Maze shrugged as if she didn't have a care in the world. "It's whatever." She forced her hard exterior shell to suppress a smile from forming on her lips.

"Then, it is settled. Cassiel will stay here with Amenadiel until it is his time to return."

Linda watched Lucifer look at an empty cup in one hand and a bottle in the other. Placing the cup back down, Lucifer sucked on the bottle's rim, and bubbles surfaced as he chugged down the brown liquid, whipping his mouth with the back of his hand. He leaned forward, watching his father's back with distant eyes, and Linda sat up at a new, alarming thought. "What about the demons? Hell? Someone needs to make sure they can't get out again, right?" Linda quickly looked around, hoping someone would raise their hand as a tribute.

God slowly nodded his head to the involuted question. "Lucifer is to return to-"

Outrage cried from one booth as Amenadiel, Linda, and Maze refused to let God finish his sentence.

"That's bull shit." Maze stood taller, pulling one of her daggers out in an aggressive style.

"No, no, no." Linda shook her head, not wanting her friend to leave them once more and quickly regretting her question.

"This isn't right, father. You know he does not belong down there. He doesn't deserve this." Amenadiel felt his chest naturally puff out in anger as he slammed a finger down onto the table.

God held up a hand to silence the group and continue his ruling, but a small chuckle silenced everyone in the room. Lucifer's chuckle turned into a hearty laugh as he took another swig from the bottle.

"I wish- I really wish I could say I'm surprised." Lucifer licked a remaining drop of whiskey off of his bottom lip.

God turned back to his audience, ignoring Lucifer's laughter. "There has only been one ruler assigned to the underworld, and that is Lucifer. No one sat on that throne before him, and no one should after. He is the only one who can truly reign over the demons, to properly punish his guilty siblings stuck below, and he is the one that I trust to ensure a war like this would never happen again."

Lucifer rolled his eyes as he laughed to himself, thinking of all the good deeds he had done and how none of them pleased his father to this day.

"I did not assign Samael to rule Hell as punishment, but because it was his rightful duty. He is a leader; he is the light in the darkness; he is the rightful king."

Amenadiel looked to his brothers and sister sitting opposite the dance floor, his eyes pleading with his words. "How can you let this happen?"

Gabriel held a finger up to his eldest brother to make him wait, and he pointed back to their father, waiting for him to continue.

"But it will be different now." God turned around to face Lucifer, who looked sarcastically surprised.

"Oh, let me guess, you're going to pitch in a flat-screen? Perhaps a new memory foam mattress?"

"Samael, Hell may be your duty, but it is not your home, not anymore. You are not doomed to rule for eternity. Not alone, at least. You are to serve two Earth years in which you may travel to Earth and visit for no longer than a day's time. In return, you will receive one year off to do whatever you please. Your siblings will volunteer their time to step in for you until you are called back to work. Gabriel has graciously volunteered his time first."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes on his father, looking over to his siblings, smiling eagerly back at him, happy to find the best situation possible for him. "No. I don't buy it."

"I'm giving you the best alternative, son." God stepped forward with open palms, hoping his stubborn angel would let him finish.

"Are you? Because it sounds like to me, I'll be spending most of my time in Hell. I'm curious, where is it that you'd think this home is for me?"

God's eyes scanned the Lux nightclub before rolling his eyes up to the ceiling, his head following his gaze up. As he opened his mouth, Lucifer interrupted with a harsh voice.

"Here? In Lux? In my penthouse? Now, you've come to terms with Earth being my home?" Lucifer shook his head in disbelief, scoffing as he took another sip from his bottle. He turned to Raphael as he heard his brother speak up from one of the booths.

"Just hear him out, Lucifer."

"Right now, this is the last place I want to be." Lucifer's face was hardened with the pain and agony sweeping through his body. Everywhere he went, everywhere he looked, he saw a memory of Chloe. It was too painful living alongside a ghost of her, and he knew of only one place to rest his soul. "I rescind your offer. I'll save my siblings from a year that I know they're really not looking forward to, and I accept the original terms I was so deserving of, father. Send me to Hell once and for all."

"Lucifer, you don't mean that," Linda spoke out, her voice urgently calling after him. She knew he was acting impulsively, trying to run away from everything he was feeling. She knew he would regret this decision once he was alone.

"I do. It's the only place I can get away from him." Lucifer pointed a finger at his father as he made his way from around the bar. He stood a few inches away from his father, staring at him with such loathing in his eyes. "No more being a pawn in your plans, no more hurting the people around me- manipulating them. That's all this was, right? To keep me at bay? Well, here's your chance to get what you always wanted. The Lightbringer, the son you trust most, will finally be a devil of his word and stay away from here for good. My retirement's over, send me back."

Amenadiel knew this was because his brother continued to blame himself for the recent events. Lucifer believed he needed to be punished for what happened to Chloe. He watched Lucifer's pain speak for him, and he quickly shook his head, hoping his father wouldn't change his mind.

Lucifer's fists were shaking at this side while tears sat above his cheeks. "Michael took all the glory in sending me before. Now's your chance, father. Send me back."

God watched his son's eyes slowly turn from hate to heartbreak to desperation. "Is that what you truly want?"

Lucifer quickly looked over to his family and friends, giving them one final glance. He graced Linda with a small smile and a nod to Amenadiel. A tear fell from his cheek as his eyes rested on Maze, who tried to hold back her own tears as she shook her head, not wanting him to leave. Looking over to his siblings on the other side, he released a short laugh. "Until the next apocalypse." Lucifer turned back to his father, nodding his head. "Send me to where I belong."

Holding his son's cheek in his hand, God smiled down on his son. "As you wish."

A flash of blinding, white light threw Lucifer off balance, and he felt for stability as his feet continued to move. His hands clung to a wall in front of him as his feet found a firm landing on the ground. Opening his eyes, he looked around and found himself in an enclosed elevator lit in amber light. The floor continued to move, dropping his stomach with every level reached, and a small ding made him quickly turn around to watch the doors part.

Lucifer's eyes wildly scanned the home around him as he stepped out of the elevator. A bar with glass shelves staggering up the two-story-high walls was lit in a deep blue, and the bottles of top-shelf whiskey and scotch were filled to the brim. The large, wooden dining room table was staged for, what looked like, a romantic dinner for two. A navy blue, velvet runner, ran down the middle of the table with white china plates and empty wine glasses waiting to be filled.

He looked to his left to find floating bookshelves filled with an array of books, scaling up the exposed brick wall and a ladder to reach the highest shelf. Overgrown tropical greens hung at different lengths from the second-story balcony that led to two bedrooms. His nose brought him deeper into the home, and Lucifer found himself in the kitchen, looking down at the oversized marble island. Red pots and pans were simmering food on the stovetop, and he could see the steam file out of the glass lids. The smell made Lucifer naturally relax as he took in the garlic, butter, and rosemary.

Just as he placed a hand on the lid to see what was cooking, ocean waves pulled his attention toward the living room. A large leather sectional sat in the middle of the room, focusing on the double-sided stone fireplace. Lucifer scanned the vinyl records sorted beside a vintage record player, and he made his way over to the grand piano, glimmering in the sun's light. Confused, Lucifer rubbed a hand along the smooth surface while looking around. The patio's folding doors were wide open, and he could feel a breeze sweep through the room.

Lucifer stepped out onto the balcony, looking over the ocean. The sun hung low as if it were stuck in a sunset that lasted forever, and the world was stained in a blush orange. He gripped the railing, wrapping his fingers around the black metal balcony as anger began to turn inside of him. This was his hell loop. Lucifer looked up toward the sky, shaking his head, knowing it was the perfect punishment. He was destined to be stuck in the home he could never have with her, with constant reminders that he was meant to be alone. His body suddenly froze in offputting fear as he sensed movement from behind.

"And look who's back."

He slowly turned around, recognizing her voice. Lucifer took a step back at the sight of her, and he tilted his head to the side, studying her face.

Chloe reached her arm out with a scotch in hand, waiting for him to accept it. "It's about time you got here."

He naturally took the glass from her, stepping forward to look at her more closely. Chloe looked different to him. She no longer had lines from frowning or furrowing her brows. Her hair was in soft, looser curls are her face, and there was almost a radiating light shining off of her. There was no more doubt or worry in her eyes. Chloe had her guard down entirely, and the soft, natural smile she wore made Lucifer quickly blink as he thought he was imagining her.

Her blue eyes searched his, waiting for him to speak, but he stood there speechless. Lucifer waited for her to speak cruel things, reminding him he was truly in Hell. He waited for her to tell him that she never loved him, that she blamed him for her death, that it was his fault she couldn't be with her daughter. Instead, Chloe just smiled with loving eyes, and he felt an overwhelming sense of peace run through him, hushing the negative voices in his mind. She began to blur before him as he teared up.

She watched his eyes pool with water, and his lips began to tremble. "Lucifer." Chloe's voice was soft as she took the drink out his hand. She held her hands around his jawline, her fingers sliding down to the base of his neck. He closed his eyes, feeling a touch he thought he lost forever. Chloe rubbed away a tear rolling down his cheek, finding her eyes water at the sight of him in pain. "Hey, hey, look at me. Talk to me."

"I'm not in Hell, am I?"

Chloe found herself laughing through a soft sob. "No. No, Lucifer." She shook her head softly, washing away another tear on his cheek. "You're back home. Your dad welcomed you back home."

He opened his eyes in surprise as he looked around him, and Chloe began to laugh as she watched him try to find his words. "I don't understand. He was going to send me back down there. I'm not supposed to be here."

Her teeth shined a bright smile as she watched his darkness fade away into awestruck eyes. "I think Gabriel is letting you start your vacation early."

Lucifer sniffled back whatever sadness lingered in the back of his throat as he cupped her face in his hands. "You know?"

"I do. It's an amazing feeling- knowing. Like, I know Trixie's going to be okay." She looked off with a smile on her face feeling her heart grow warm over the thought of her daughter. "I knew you'd come back here. I knew you'd come home."

Lucifer smiled at how peaceful and happy she looked. His thumb caressed her smooth cheek as she looked back to him. He felt his body go through a whirlwind of emotions as he came to terms with being back to the place he was banned from eons ago, but his heart slowed its pace as he focused on her. "Detective, I-"

"I missed you, too." Chloe pulled his neck down to close the gap between their lips into a soft and tender kiss. Their lips grew tight as they continued to smile between their kisses, laughing in disbelief that they were together once again. Pulling away, Chloe and Lucifer kept their eyes closed as their foreheads touched, reveling in their embrace.

Taking a long sigh, Chloe stepped back, drawing her hands down his arms, over his palms, and back to her sides. The frozen golden hour shined on her playful smile. "I thought that now that I have all of eternity in this place." She widened her arms out to show off their decorated home, and her smile shined brighter. "I can finally take the time to learn a song or two."

She took a few steps back, enjoying the view of Lucifer on the balcony, experiencing the relief of seeing him home with her. Sitting herself down on the piano's bench, Chloe sucked in her lips in deep concentration as her middle finger played out the keys of "Heart and Soul." She looked back up at Lucifer, who stood frozen, watching her in the orange light. "Are you going to play with me or just stare at me like some perv?"

An ocean's breeze swept past Lucifer's wet cheeks- cheeks that began to feel stiff and stale from the smile he wore. He looked up at his home, furnished perfectly to his and her taste, and his smile grew wider as Chloe repeated her keys once more. All of the pain and doubt that he experienced since she left just disappeared. His shoulders relaxed, feeling the same peace Chloe wore so proudly. Lucifer walked over to the piano, taking a seat beside Chloe. His fingers naturally found their positioning between the black keys, and the songs he was so desperate to remember suddenly came back to him.

Shoulder to shoulder, they looked at one another and back down to the piano. Lucifer cleared his throat as his fingers found their home on the proper keys. "From the top."