To Kill The Devil

Melissa R. Mendelson

"Before you start, I want you to listen to my voice. I want you to understand that there is nothing to be afraid of. You are not alone. You are not crazy. Lucifer is the devil."

Chloe Decker's eyes snapped open. She found herself lying on a couch. Instinctively, she reached for her gun, but her holster was empty. Her cell phone was also gone. She struggled to sit up, but her head throbbed. It was like someone had hit her in the head, and she tried to remember who. Then, she did. Lucifer had knocked her out after she tried to shoot him. "Lucifer," she gasped. "He's the devil."

"Yes, Chloe. He is," Linda Martin replied as she sat in a chair nearby with a mixed look of concern and understanding on her face. "He brought you here. After you tried to kill him."

"I don't understand." Chloe finally managed to position herself upward on the couch. "Why is he saving me? He's supposed to be evil. He's the devil." She held Linda's stare for a moment. "How long have you known, Linda?"

"I didn't know in the beginning," she replied.

"And when you did?"

"It took me a long time to process, Chloe. I'm still processing, but no, Lucifer is not evil. You of all people should know that."

"But he's the devil," Chloe exclaimed, not meaning to yell so loudly. "He's the devil, and I saw his face. I saw his real face."

"So did I," Linda replied. "It scared me. I was petrified, and it took me a long time to come to terms with who he was and those around him."

"Those around him?"

"Amenadiel," Linda said, and a sadness echoed in her voice as if saying his name shook her heart.

"What is he," Chloe asked.

"An angel," she said.

"An angel," Chloe replied. "And Maze…. Oh my God. She's a demon. Isn't she?" She watched Linda slowly nod in response. "I let a demon into my life, Trixie's life. I can't deal with any of this, Linda. I can't!"

"Which is exactly why Lucifer brought you here," Linda said.

"How can you be so calm!"

"Because Chloe, I have been where you are now. I'm the only one that has, and I have seen frightening things, beautiful things. I have seen what no one else has, and it has changed me. I believe it has changed me for the better, and if you could just come to terms with what you saw, it could change you too."

"I have to kill him," Chloe said.

"Chloe, you're not listening to me."

"He's the devil, Linda, and I can hurt him. It's obvious now. I'm his weakness."

"So, you don't love him?"

"What?" Chloe stared at Linda. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Do. You. Love. Him? It's a simple question, Chloe."

"It's not so simple."

"Yes, it is."

"I have to get out of here. Why am I here? Am I your prisoner?"

"No, but you can't leave, Chloe. Not yet."

"I'm sorry, Linda. I can't do this," and Chloe hurried toward the office door, throwing it open and coming face to face with a bruised, beaten Mazikeen. "Maze?"

"You heard her, Chloe. You can't leave." Maze continued to block Chloe from leaving. "You have to listen."

"Pierce do that to you?"

"Yes, he did. He tried to kill Amenadiel, and he threatened Linda's life. Lucifer killed him, and I'm glad that he did. Now, sit down, Chloe, and listen to her."

"Stay away from me, Maze." Chloe backed away from her.

"Let me ask you something, Chloe. Since we lived together, did I ever try to kill you or Trixie?"

"No."

"So, what does that tell you?"

"You're still a demon, Maze."

"Yes, Chloe, I am, but I changed. I have emotions now."

"She saved my life, Chloe. She came to my rescue." Linda now stood behind Chloe. "She's changed, and so has Lucifer. And you mean more to him than you are willing to understand, and you never answered my question. But I already know the answer, and you need to talk to him not shoot him. Maze, give her back her cell phone and gun."

"Linda, you can't be serious. Look at her. She's going to kill him."

"Maze, you trust me. Right?"

"I do."

"Then, do it."

"Why would you do that," Chloe asked her.

"Because Chloe, I'm going to trust you. You know where he is. He's waiting for you, and when you find him, one of two things will happen."

"What? What will happen," Chloe asked.

"You will either kill him," and she watched Maze hand Chloe her gun. "Or you two will finally, finally admit to each other how you really feel."

"I can't love him, Linda. I can't, and I have to be the one to do it." Chloe looked at Maze. "I'm sorry, Maze."

"Whether or not, Chloe, you kill him, you don't have to worry about me. I'll stay away from you," Maze said.

"Thank you," and she watched Maze step aside, allowing her to leave. "Thank you," and she now looked at Linda, whose face was mixed with sadness and hope.

"Good luck," and Linda watched Chloe leave.

"She's going to kill him," Maze said to her.

"She might, but I think she was always the one to determine his fate."

"So, now what?"

"We wait, Maze. That's all that we can do. We just wait."

Chloe hurried away from Linda's office. The past events started to replay in her mind. When she met Lucifer. All his shenanigans. All the times that he came to her rescue. His kiss. No. She shook her head. "He's not human," she exclaimed, not meaning to yell out loud, and the people nearby looked at her as if she were crazy. "Almost there," she whispered to herself. "Almost there."

"Chloe."

It was like the world was put on pause. The people around her stopped moving. Even the cars nearby were frozen. Yet, she felt someone standing behind her.

"Chloe."

She slowly turned around and saw who it was. "Amenadiel," and she didn't know why. But she burst into tears, and he embraced her in his arms, holding her tightly.

"It's okay," he whispered into her ear. "You're okay."

"No, I'm not," and she moved away from him. "You're an angel."

"Yes, Chloe. I am, and you're special." He was quiet for a moment. "I need to tell you something."

"Are you doing this?" Chloe gestured to those nearby. "How are you doing that?"

"Chloe, I don't have a lot of time, and you have a choice to make."

"I don't love him. I don't."

"You could lie to yourself all you want, but I see the truth."

"What did you want to tell me?"

"Your parents couldn't get pregnant, so I was asked to bless your mother. And then she had you."

"What?"

"I'm trying to say that you are special, Chloe. You have this amazing effect on Lucifer that no one here, in heaven or even hell has on him. It's you, Chloe. It's always been you."

"You blessed my mother?"

"Chloe, what you do next is your choice, but you're at a crossroads. And only you can decide on which path you're going to take."

"You're not helping me here."

"I think I am, but we're out of time." Amenadiel opened his wings and stared at Chloe for another long moment. "He loves you, Chloe," and he flew away.

Chloe stared up at the sky as the world snapped back into motion around her. She then suddenly felt something buzzing against her leg. It was her cell phone. She had at least twenty missed calls from Dan. She quickly answered her phone.

"Chloe? Jesus, you had me worried. You weren't answering your phone, and no one has seen Lucifer. Are you two okay? Are you okay?"

"Is Trixie with you?"

"She is. Chloe, are you okay? Where are you? Pierce is dead."

"I know. Keep Trixie with you. Keep her safe and away from Maze."

"Maze? Why?"

"Just do it, Dan. I'll explain everything later. Right now, I have to find Lucifer."

"Chloe, what's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Dan. I have to go," and she closed her cell phone.

Lucifer's club was empty. Even the bar was closed. The lights were off, and Chloe slowly withdrew her gun as she stepped into the elevator. When the doors opened, she expected to see him standing there, but he wasn't. It would have better, if he was there, so that she could just shoot him. Instead, she found him waiting outside on his balcony, and she knew that he was waiting for her.

Chloe knew that Lucifer was aware of her, but he kept his back toward her. He nursed the drink in his hand, waiting, and she slowly aimed her gun at him. Her finger wrapped around the trigger. She edged closer, but no matter how hard she pushed herself, she couldn't pull the trigger.

"Would it be easier if I jumped, detective," Lucifer finally said as he downed the last of his drink. "Would that make it easier on you?" He still refused to look at her.

"Lucifer, you can't blame me." Chloe continued to aim her gun at him as she inched closer. "You're the devil."

"I know what I am," Lucifer said. "I've never lied to you, detective. Chloe."

"Lucifer, look at me. Please, look at me."

"I don't think I can, detective."

"Please, Lucifer."

Lucifer finally turned toward her. His face was human again, and it was soaked with tears. The tears were still flowing from his eyes, and he didn't bother to wipe them aside. He just looked at the empty glass in his hand. "Go ahead, detective. Kill me. Kill the devil, and make the world a better place."

"I know I can kill you." Chloe watched his tears fall down his skin and into the empty glass. She slowly lowered her gun, placing it back into her holster. "I can't do it. I love you."

"I love you too. Chloe, where does that leave us?"

"I don't know." Chloe drew closer, taking the empty glass from his hand and placing it on the ground near their feet. "You've saved me so many times. More times than I realized, and I know now that Malcolm Graham killed you. But you came back to save me, to save Trixie, and you must have made a deal to be able to come back."

"I did. I sacrificed so much, Chloe to keep you safe. I've done terrible things, things that I would pay for in hell, but it's worth it because I will always keep you safe as long as you let me." He gingerly touched the side of her face. "As long as you will have me."

"This is hard for me, Lucifer." She took his hand in hers. "You're supposed to be evil…" Lucifer turned away, but she pulled him closer to her. "But you're not. You're not evil, Lucifer."

"You've seen my devil face, detective. My real face."

"No, Lucifer. I see your real face," and she touched his face. "I see you, and I can't kill you. I can't. I won't."

Lucifer drew closer to her. "Please, forgive me."

Chloe stared up at him. "For what?"

"For everything that I have done."

"No. I don't need to because there's nothing to forgive, Lucifer." She continued to hold his gaze as he leaned down, and their lips met each other.

After a long moment, she pulled away from him. "What happens now?"

"I don't know," Lucifer looked up into the sky. He thought he saw Amenadiel looking back at him. "Brother?"

"What?"

"Amenadiel," but when Lucifer looked back into the sky, his brother was gone. "He's watching over me."

"I think he's watching over both of us."

"I think you're right, Chloe," and he pulled her closer to him. "So, detective," and he grinned as he said that. "Should we get back to work?"

"Yes, Lucifer. Let's get back to work," and they walked away from the balcony.

"You were right about them, Father," Amenadiel said as he hovered overhead. "Now, I just hope that Lucy doesn't screw it up," and he disappeared into the sky.