Disclaimer: Don't own Lucifer.
AN: Written in response to a popular fan theory that "Candy Morningstar" is a stage name Chloe uses on an undercover mission. I'm really hoping it's true.
"This isn't a good idea."
"I know what I'm doing, Dan." Chloe re-read the assignment once more and sighed. The Las Vegas Police Department needed someone to infiltrate a club which they suspected was the home base of a human trafficking ring; giving girls and women jobs as strippers for a few weeks before selling them to the highest bidder.
They couldn't use anyone on their own force since each face was known to the traffickers, so the chief had asked for someone from Los Angeles; a female cop to go undercover as a stripper and investigate. Under normal circumstances, Chloe wouldn't have volunteered.
But according to Maze, Lucifer was in Las Vegas. And since her roommate refused to go after him, Chloe decided to go, instead. She ignored the warnings from Maze and Amenadiel – saying that Lucifer was going through something, saying that trying to drag him back wouldn't help at all – because Lucifer was her friend, her partner, and he needed her. She needed him.
And she wasn't about to lose him over some stupid argument he'd had with his Dad.
Of course, Dan wasn't pleased with her decision. "You're taking a big risk, Chloe. You only got out of the hospital last week."
"I'm fine."
"And Lucifer's got your spun," he continued. "You're going on this mission just so you can find him – and he may not even want to come back."
"I have to find him, Dan," she insisted. "He'd do the same thing for me. Wait, he already has. He saved my life. I owe him."
Dan rolled his eyes. "My point is, you're not thinking straight. You haven't even considered what would happen if they recognize you. I know it doesn't happen often, but what if someone does? It won't take long for them to look up your IMDb page or your Wikipedia page and see that you quit acting to become a cop."
Chloe knew that was the risk. Of course she did. But it was a risk she had to take. "If that was me who had run off somewhere and was hurting, and needed someone to bring me home, would you come after me regardless of the risk?"
Her ex-husband averted his gaze to the floor. He knew she was right. "Point."
She sighed. "Besides, I'll be using a fake name and a wig. And men don't pay attention to a stripper's face. I'll be fine."
Four days later, Chloe wished she could eat her own words.
She was tied up in a dark room behind the club, was bruised and beaten, and the plans her captors had for her didn't sound comforting. There was a small part of her that was glad she wasn't going to be sold to the highest bidder; she was too well-known. But her actual fate – torture, rape, then death – really wasn't much better.
Lucifer… She'd seen him in the club. Had danced right in front of him. But he hadn't been happy to see her, instead confronting her in her dressing room and telling her, flat out, to leave him alone.
The things he'd said… She blinked away her tears.
He hadn't blown her cover. No, some Hot Tub High School fanboy had done that, recognizing her and announcing it loudly to everyone in the club, including the men in charge. And just like Dan said, it hadn't taken them long to look her up on the internet.
Lucifer… He hadn't been there when her cover was blown. He probably didn't even know she was in trouble. Her backup was a no show, and she was too hurt and tired to try and escape herself. I survive deadly poison, only to die at the hands of criminals because I was rash and impulsive. Why did I have to be so stupid?
Then she heard a scream. A few shots were fired, followed by more screaming. It sounded like something out of a horror movie.
Footsteps, running closer. Someone yelled, "It's the Devil! He's the Devil!"
Devil… Lucifer… Chloe was fading in and out of consciousness, but her brain managed to make the connection.
The door burst open and three men ran inside, before bolting it closed again. They didn't have guns, but took out knives and turned to face the doorway. Chloe noticed that they were sweating and shaking in fear.
Suddenly the door was thrown off its hinges, and in its place stood a man who looked burnt to a crisp; his face was red raw and had not a single strand of hair on his head. And his eyes… They were like burning flames, full of anger and power.
What was more, he was wearing a classy suit, in complete contrast to his skin. It was Armani, exactly like the ones Lucifer always wore…
Lucifer…Devil… She realized exactly what she was seeing despite her hazy thoughts brought on from pain and exhaustion.
The three men ran at the intruder, but were no match for the Devil; he simple tossed them aside one by one as if they were only a mild inconvenience, effortlessly knocking them out. His fiery eyes were only on her, and when the men were down and no longer a threat, the anger subsided and instead his gaze filled with terror and worry. He was worried about her.
He crossed the room and knelt before her, and he was Lucifer; his familiar features filled her vision. Still worried, still terrified. "Chloe…" His hand gently cupped her cheek. "What have they done to you?"
His voice was soft and filled with concern, and any fear she felt at seeing his true face – discovering that her partner hadn't lied to her and was the actual Devil – faded away. He had saved her, again. Despite wanting nothing more to do with her, despite leaving LA to get away from her and yelling at her when she came after him, he had still come to save her. If he was the Devil, then the Devil wasn't evil, because he wasn't.
Someone evil wouldn't save her life, multiple times.
He was releasing her from her bonds when she tried to speak. "Lucifer…" Her throat was dry and she could barely say a word, but she had to talk to him. "You're really… I saw…"
Lucifer returned to her field of vision, his eyes wide in realization. The worry and terror didn't leave, but it was there for an entirely different reason. "Detective, I…I won't hurt you."
"I know." She collapsed against him, letting his scent overwhelm her as he secured her safely in his arms. He picked her up, carrying her bridal style, as Chloe buried her face into his chest. "I'm not…afraid."
She heard a soft gasp, and then he said, "You truly are a miracle, Chloe Jane Decker." They were the last words she heard before passing out, feeling safe for the first time in a long while.
He should've known better.
Lucifer should have known that Chloe would find him; would follow him wherever he went, because she was stubborn and refused to back down without a fight. But no, he'd thought that if he left without saying goodbye, she'd be too angry with him to look.
He really should've known better.
The Devil shouldn't have been surprised to see her dancing in the club; the one he visited the most often since arriving in Las Vegas. She had teased him; danced before him in all her glory, like she was the bloody Devil with the apple and he was the innocent Eve. And her stage name… Candy Morningstar. It was oh, so obvious that she was trying to get his attention. Before it all went wrong, he would've enjoyed her performance and teased her about the name relentlessly.
But instead, he was angry that she had followed him; angry that his Father's miracle refused to leave him alone to live out his existence free of God's will. So, he had stormed to her dressing room, and they had fought. He truly regretted the harsh words said to her; hated how her face had filled with heartbreak and sorrow.
It was why he had gone back two nights later. She had an assignment, she'd informed him. Was undercover on a case. He wasn't about to blow her cover, but he needed her to understand that he wasn't returning home with her. He was the only reason she had taken the assignment; she was there for him. But it was all for naught, because LA could never be home again, not after his discovery.
Only things took a turn for the worst when he overheard a conversation from another customer.
"Chloe Decker, man! She was right here! Don't know why she's not out tonight. Maybe last night was a 'one night only' thing."
It didn't take him long to connect the dots. Chloe's cover had been blown by an idiot fanboy, and no doubt the men in charge had discovered her status as a cop. And in that moment, Lucifer didn't care that she was created by his Father for reasons unknown; that she'd been purposely put in his path to manipulate him.
She was in danger, and he had to save her.
So, he slipped backstage and figured out where they were holding her. He was soon spotted by a guard who tried to contain him.
That was when the carnage started.
He had to be careful, of course; Chloe was nearby, so he was vulnerable. But even with that risk, it was ridiculously easy to take out the idiot mooks, and he always wondered why henchmen were incapable idiots. Wouldn't it make more sense to hire men who actually knew what they were doing and didn't fall flat at the first sign of danger?
And then at last, at last, he found Chloe. She was tied to a chair, bruised and beaten, and still wearing her costume from the club. Lucifer could think of nothing but what the men most likely had planned for her, and the rage born from those thoughts was unleashed upon the three remaining guards. They lasted all of three seconds against him. It was rather anticlimactic, really.
Lucifer hurried towards her, terrified that he was too late, and only at the last second did he realize that his true face was still on show. He quickly restored his glamour and hoped she hadn't seen. "Chloe…" His hand gently cupped her cheek, and relief flooded his entire system when he saw that she was still breathing. But she was clearly still in pain. "What have they done to you?"
Only true evil could ever think to damage the beautiful creature before him. And those souls would rot in Hell for ever daring to hurt her.
He quickly began to untie her, desperate to get her out of the horrible place. As the rope fell to the floor, Chloe spoke with a rough voice that told him she hadn't had anything to drink in a while. "Lucifer… You're really… I saw…"
In a heartbeat, he froze. She saw me. It would be just his luck for her to see him after everything that had happened; for her to be terrified right after he'd saved her life. He couldn't stop his eyes from widening in fear as he moved back around to her front. "Detective, I…I won't hurt you," he assured her, desperate for her to see the real him instead of the monster humanity thought him to be.
But she didn't look frightened at all. She just looked up at him with a trusting gaze. "I know." And then, to drive it home, she collapsed into his arms and her scent overwhelmed him. His arms tightened around her, refusing to let her go as the shock of her reaction – or rather, lack of reaction – registered. She didn't speak again until he picked her up, carrying her bridal style. "I'm not…afraid."
He couldn't stop the gasp that passed through his lips. "You truly are a miracle, Chloe Jane Decker." It was very likely that her lack of reaction was due to her condition; she was in pain and delirious as a result. When she woke, either she would pass off what she saw as a hallucination, or she would come to her senses and run from him.
Lucifer didn't know which would be the better option. On the one hand, if she ran then he wouldn't have to worry about her bothering him again. He could live out the rest of his existence without his Father's influence. But on the other hand, the thought of Chloe being afraid of him shattered his already broken heart.
With Chloe safe and secure in his arms, Lucifer carried her out of the building and made for the hotel where he was staying. He stopped only once to take off his jacket and wrap it around her body – because there was far too much skin on show and he was growing tied of sending the men around him deadly death glares. He used the same method to silence the receptionist at the desk as he walked into the hotel.
The elevator ride up to the penthouse suite was short. Once he arrived, he placed a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door and locked it tight, ensuring that no one would interrupt. He really didn't want a repeat of the 'stewardess interruptus' incident that had sent Chloe running the first time.
Not that there would be anything to interrupt…
He gently placed Chloe on the bed, and while it pained him to do so, he left her momentarily to start running the bath. She needed to be cleaned and her cuts disinfected. When he arrived back at her side, he hesitated; he didn't want to strip her without her permission.
Chloe thankfully chose that moment to wake up, and she blinked up at him. "Lucifer…?" She still sounded tired and in pain.
Lucifer smiled gently down at her and stroked her hair. "It's alright, darling. You're safe now. I need to clean you up a bit. Is it OK if I…?" He gestured to her clothes and hoped she caught his meaning.
It wasn't vital for the clothes to be removed; it would just make things easier for him. He expected her to reject his request, but instead she slowly nodded, her eyes filling with such trust that he almost wept. He was the Devil, she had seen that, but she still trusted him not to take advantage. Of course, he'd seen her naked before, and he hadn't taken advantage that time when she'd shown up drunk at his place, but still…
With loving care, Lucifer removed the skimpy clothing and tossed it into the bin. Beholding her naked, Lucifer felt… Well, there was a small amount of arousal, but that was natural. But that arousal was drowned out by tenderness and worry and love, and it caught him off guard, just how powerful the emotion was. The complete trust she was placing in him… It was overwhelming.
He once again gathered her into his arms and gently carried her into the on-suite bathroom. The warm water had reached the right height, and he lowered her into the bath before turning the tap off. Her eyes were closed, but she could tell that she was still conscious. With great care, Lucifer began to clean the dirt from her using a sponge. Her hisses and winces told him where it hurt the most.
After he was done, Lucifer had diagnosed that Chloe wasn't seriously hurt. At least, her injuries didn't warrant a trip to the hospital; just bruises, cuts and a number of other things that was causing her pain and exhaustion. The suite had a first aid kit on hand, and once he lifted her from the bath and dried her off, he used the disinfectant from the kit to clean up some of her nastier cuts.
The cuts clean, Lucifer pulled out one of his shirts for her to wear, and helped her into it. She was still responding, so was still awake. When she was finally resting on the bed, the Devil took a step back and watched her, contemplating his next move.
Undoubtedly, she had back-up, who would most likely be searching for her. He wouldn't be surprised if Dan was among them. It would be easy to ring them and tell them where she was; let them come and take her back to LA, far away from him. He would be out of the suite long before they arrived, leaving Vegas behind and moving on to the next city, running from the life he had built and the woman who had changed him.
But even as the thoughts raced through his mind, he couldn't bring himself to go through with it. The very thought of leaving Chloe a second time, especially when she was weak, was too much.
And who was to say she wouldn't follow him again? Wouldn't track him down? If she truly was OK with who and what he was, what was going to stop her from chasing after him?
Her hand reached out towards him, and her eyes opened only a slit. "Lucifer…"
As always, he couldn't refuse her.
He crossed the room, and after kicking off his shoes, he laid down on the bed beside her. She immediately curled into him, burying her face into his shirt and clinging to him like he was her lifeline. His arms cradled her gently and he pressed a soft kiss into her hair. "I'm here."
"Please don't leave."
How could he refuse her request when she sounded so…vulnerable? When she knew what he was and accepted him anyway? Found safety with him?
It was clear that she wasn't delirious and truly wasn't afraid of him. That made it even harder for him to leave.
Realization struck, and Lucifer wanted to laugh up at the Heavens where his Father was undoubtedly watching. You cruel, manipulative bastard. You allowed her to get hurt. So, you went back on your word… It occurred to him suddenly that his Father had already gone back on his word, in allowing the Detective to be poisoned, and that made him angrier. You're doing everything in your power to keep me by her side.
He wanted to run. He wanted to escape whatever his Father had planned.
But he couldn't. Not if it meant that Chloe would be hurt. If his Father was putting her in danger because of his disobedience…
He hated God for his manipulations. And he hated that the latest was going to work.
"I won't leave you again, Chloe," he vowed to her. It hurt, knowing that he was being forced to stay; forced to follow his Father's will.
But as he beheld the woman in his arms, safe and content, he decided that perhaps it wouldn't be so bad, after all.