The ambulances drive away slowly. No lights and no siren.
Chloe watches listlessly as the squad cars leave the scene with similar stealth.
Nobody was saved today. Especially not the small body wrapped in plastic on its way to the morgue. She never had a chance. Oh God...what if...
The detective hangs her head as tears streak down her face and she shivers in the late night breeze.
Dan approaches, his eyes a soft, water-color grey and mouth drawn down. The evidence of his devastation bleeds into his face as he reaches for her hand, "Chloe, I am..."
The detective nods, unable to provide comfort...unable to accept it, "Me, too, Dan," she cuts him off. A squeeze of his hand, "Why don't you pick Trixie up from my mom? Do you some good."
He searches her face, an unspoken Don't you need that, too?
But she doesn't bite. "I need..." Dan's eyes flick slightly behind her and he nods as he steps back, "Yeah. Let's talk, though, okay?"
She nods again, "Yeah." Another shiver as Dan walks away. She finds herself wondering what happened between them. Why his work took priority to begin with. The fighting was vicious. She was too intense for him. You're a woman, why aren't you...softer?
Why do you need the validation of a weak partner?
And that was just it. They were never partners.
A light wool blazer is draped over her shoulders and she instinctively leans into the warm body that was recently occupying the garment. His scent is a subconscious comfort.
Lucifer gently runs his hand down her back, then up again, as he watches the play of emotions cross her face. Anger, helplessness, concern, pain, passion. Wistfulness. He knows her well enough to let her speak when she's ready. Shy isn't her bag but self-control is critical and he can tell by the way she's shivering that self control is a bit lacking at the moment.
He draws her closer for a moment and bends to her ear, "Shall I take you home, Detective?" The Devil can be solicitous.
Chloe jumps, startled from her dark reverie. Home? No...Trixie everywhere. Maze is out. Empty. Dark... "Um...no...uh..." she stammers. "I..."
Lucifer gently presses her back to get her moving with him, "Let's get you a drink, shall we? It's late. Or...early. However you like to call it. No doubt this paperwork can wait, yeah?"
She complies with uncharacteristic silence and allows him to guide her to the passenger side of her cruiser. He opens the door and helps her in, ever the attentive gentleman. Realizing she's unlikely to think of it, he carefully reaches in to secure her safety belt.
They drive to Lux without speaking, even as he casts worried glances in her direction. She's staring out the window, oblivious to his concern.
Lucifer parks then guides her into the lift and into his apartment where he seats her on the sofa. Chloe sits, silently staring at her hands until he returns with two glasses and a bottle.
The detective takes a healthy pull from her glass before she looks directly into The Devil's eyes, "Why?" she demands to know.
Her tone is angry but he knows it's not personal. Still doesn't stop her from asking. "You say you're The Devil, so you should be able to explain when fucked-up shit like this happens, right?"
He huffs a sad breath, "I...Detective, I honestly don't know. My Father..."
Chloe growls and stands up to pace, "Not good enough. Let me guess. He works in mysterious ways. Or...He has A Plan."
Lucifer remains seated and, wisely, out of reach. "That's the rumor, at any rate," he mutters half to himself.
"That is such BULLSHIT!" she fairly screams at him.
Chloe tosses back the remains of her drink and he carefully leans forward to refill her glass, then steps back.
"There's nothing I can tell you that will make any of this easier, Detective," he says calmly. His own anger will have to wait. "Even those of us more in the know, so to speak, are baffled as to what in bloody Hell he has in mind. Does it help at all to know the wretch who did this will suffer terribly until the end of time?"
"She was a CHILD!" the Detective shouts as she dashes her glass to the floor. She advances on him, alight with righteous fury and jabs him hard in the chest as glass crunches beneath her shoes, "Innocent! Helpless!"
More jabbing pushes him backward, but he takes it. Willing to weather the storm of her ire not only because he agrees wholeheartedly but because it's what she needs right now. He is content with the honor of accepting her rage because she is the one being in creation who can calm his.
"He. Was. A. MONSTER." Every word thumps into his chest with her fist. Chloe's voice cracks at the same time that her legs give way, but he's there to catch her and hold her close as she sobs. "I couldn't save her, Lucifer," she hiccups into his chest. "I couldn't..."
He pulls her closer, "I'm sorry, Chloe," he murmurs as he strokes her back again. Knowing his continued "I don't understand all this either"s will be no help, he opts for more silence and hopes that simply holding her is the right course of action.
Lucifer looks to the ceiling, his eyes glowing with rage, A fair question, that. Why, indeed?
After a few minutes, he realizes her breath has evened out and she's sagging against him, practically asleep on her feet. Long, late-night stake-outs have taken their toll and his detective is worn to the bone.
His hand travels to stroke her hair as he bends to her ear again, "Let's get you tucked in, alright, darling? I've a guest room and you should be plenty comfortable."
Chloe nods and murmurs her assent, so Lucifer scoops her up and carries her down the hall. Lucifer's chest grows tight as she curls into his warmth and clutches his shirt. He lays her on the guest bed, removes her shoes then tucks the blankets around her. He turns to leave but then doesn't stop himself from laying a gentle kiss on her temple, "Sleep well, Chloe," he whispers.
After cleaning the broken glass, he pads to his own bedroom and changes into a pair of long, black silk pajamas, then walks to his piano where he plays quietly for a bit. Eventually, the strain of the past few days catches up to him as well and he shuffles off to bed with a yawn.
Chloe wakes up feeling like she's being strangled. The room is dark, the blankets are heavy and warm, and she feels as if she's suffocating. She quickly realizes she's been put to bed in Lucifer's guest room, fully clothed. Half-asleep, she stands up and strips down to her underwear before crawling back in. This is better, she hums to herself as she snuggles back in.
She closes her eyes in an attempt to go back to sleep but ends up growling in frustration. Thirsty. The detective climbs back out of bed and walks down the hall to the bar, where she pours herself a glass of water from the sink. She walks to the wall of windows and gazes at the full moon.
Too much this past few days. The initial horror when they discovered the first small body. The paralysis after finding the fourth then the wild hope when they thought they could save the fifth. Then that hope came crashing down when the monster they were chasing took himself and his last victim out at the same time.
Dan thought he understood why the whole thing affected her so much. And he tried. He really, really did, but the constant sad looks in her direction and assurances that their daughter was safe didn't quite address the problem.
Lucifer got it. And he did it without asking. He understood on a level that required no words. His grim silence was a marked contrast to the sadness and fear on her ex-husband's face. The firm line of her partner's jaw spoke of something dangerous and potent. Wrath. He felt her need for vengeance and quietly took up whatever task was required to get it.
It was all for naught. Two dozen uniformed officers, half a dozen detectives, several K9 units and The Devil Himself...and it didn't matter to one small life.
Chloe turns from the spectacular view and puts the glass on the counter. She stops herself as she begins to walk toward the guest room and a flood of warmth courses through her limbs. She smiles as her feet lead her to the open doorway to Lucifer's bedchamber.
I shouldn't do this, she thinks to herself as she leans against the wall to watch him sleep. The curtains don't do much to block the moonlight that bathe him as he slumbers and Chloe finds her breath growing short.
One arm is stretched over his head and his face is turned into the crook of his elbow. Face is completely relaxed and lips slightly parted. They look so soft...almost delicate when he's not smirking or saying something inappropriate.
She smiles softly at the wreck of curls atop his head. Should really muss his hair one day just to see his reaction.
Her gaze drifts to to his shoulders, then to his chest. Her brow furrows a moment while she drinks in the perfect musculature. The man clearly takes excellent care of himself but how is he so strong? Definitely not bulky enough for some of the things I've seen him do. Question for another day as her eyes, already bored of the question, continue their journey down his torso.
Her fingers twitch from the urge to touch him. Lightly stroke his abdomen to see if he's ticklish. She can already hear him laugh as she tries. Circle his navel and play with the dark trail of curls that begins just below it then disappears in the elastic of his bedclothes.
Black silk sheets wrap around his hips, bunching under his other hand as he shifts in his sleep with a soft, purring exhalation that seems to harpoon her in the chest. Suddenly, the thought of returning to the cold guest bed is more than she can take.
Lucifer wakes in his bed with sunlight filtering through the grey curtains. He stretches leisurely, enjoying the decadence of his expensive linens when his eyes pop open. Oh, heh-loh.
A warm body is pressed against him with a slender arm flung across his naked chest. His heart begins to race as he notices the long, feminine fingers stretched over it. I went to bed alone, I'm sure of it, he muses as he slowly turns his head into a mass of blonde hair.
Chloe.
He quickly takes stock and softly breathes a sigh of relief when he realizes he's still clothed. Oh, the irony, he thinks. Further examination of the situation tells him that the leg that's tangled with his is not clad in the jeans it had on when he put her in the guest bed. He raises his head and can barely make out a bra strap on her shoulder. Ah, likely in her smallclothes, then, he decides.
Just as Lucifer decides to relax and simply enjoy the moment before she no doubt wakes up and leaps from under the blankets, Chloe stirs. She stretches and his mouth goes dry as she pulls herself even closer, the heat against his hip is unmistakable. She's going to shoot me (again!) and I didn't do this! war with equal volume in his head until she opens her giant blue eyes and blinks at him with a soft smile.
"Hi," her voice is hoarse.
"Um...hello...Detective?" he responds. "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"
She leans back, blushing, "Oh, sorry. I...um...I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep..."
He smiles gently, "Say no more, darling." He turns on his side toward her, and her leg slides between his while his arm wraps around her shoulders. Lothario reputation notwithstanding, The Devil is an ace cuddler.
Lucifer strokes her hair, "Feeling better?"
Chloe's blush deepens as she snuggles closer and hums quietly, "Yeah." She looks up at him through her lashes, "I was...I lost it last night, and I'm sorry." She flashes a shy smile, "Thanks for taking care of me."
His smile broadens as he continues to pet her, "Think nothing of it, darling. It's been a rough several days and you were strung tight. It's what...friends...are for, yes?"
She looks away for a moment before returning his cautious gaze, "Is that what we are, Lucifer? Friends?"
He arches a brow, "I should hope so, if I'm to wake up with you here next to me without so much as an 'if you please'." His grin shifts ever so slightly, "And...speaking of "losing things," there's a small matter of your clothing, my dear. You seem to have lost yours. Again."
Chloe laughs and she looks down again, her hand lightly stroking his sternum, "About that..."
Lucifer scoots closer and purrs as he lowers his head to hers, "Hmmmm?"
She leans forward without looking up and nuzzles his collarbone, "Can we be...more than friends?"
This can't be happening, his brain screams. It's a dream. Wake up!
Bugger off, he tells his mutinous brain.
"I believe we already are, love, what with the whole partners who solve crime bit," he smiles.
She nips his collarbone, "Not what I mean and you know it."
This is fun, "You wish me to be a babysitter for your spawn, then. Or a coffee-bearing pack mule for the precinct?" he teases.
"Lucifer..." she growls softly.
"Well what is it, my dear? Out with it. Tell me what you wish us to be," he smirks.
Chloe looks up at him with a heated gleam in her eye, "Lovers, Lucifer."
He nods slowly as he runs a finger along her arm, enjoying her responding shiver, "Aaah, I see. Lovers, then. See, that wasn't so hard, now, was it?"
Yes, PLEASE! he fairly shouts to himself. But first...
"I will, of course, consider it my dear, but d'you mind telling me why you've had a change of heart?" he asks. "Pardon the query, but last I heard, Hell would freeze over first and here I've been a bit too busy of late to make that happen yet."
She sits up in the bed next to him and he makes an appreciative note of the peach bra and panty set she's still wearing. Chloe takes his hand before looking him in the eye again, "Life is short, Lucifer." She takes a deep breath and releases it slowly, "I've been denying myself something I want because of things I think matter to other people. And that's wrong."
Lucifer closes his eyes as he raises her hand to his lips and brushes a kiss across her knuckles, "Indeed." He smiles softly to himself before cocking his head and looking at her intently, "So, why, exactly, do you want this, Chloe?"
She huffs and looks at him, "If I knew this would lead to an interrogation, I never would have asked. Just forget it," she growls and makes to get off the bed.
He fairly tackles her to the mattress then pins her arms above her, "It's not an interrogation to want to know a bedmate's motives, my dear."
Chloe wiggles in an attempt to get out from under him but finds herself trapped, "Did you ask the Brittanies about their motives?"
Lucifer laughs and shakes his head, "I already knew what they wanted, my dear. You, however...are a different matter entirely." He stops and his gaze softens as he brings his face close to hers, "Why?"
She heaves a deep breath and looks him in the eye, "I...care...about you, Lucifer. And...I want to...see where that leads. If you want it too, that is."
His face cracks into a brilliant smile and a soft laugh bubbles up from his chest, "There is nothing, my dear detective, that I could possibly want more." Lucifer moves his mouth closer to hers until she can feel his warm breath on her lips. Dark eyes flick to hers, then to her lips and back again, "May I?" he inquires with a small smile.
"Please," she replies, her voice husky with want as he releases her wrists.
His kiss is surprisingly gentle and she parts her lips readily while her arms encircle his neck. She returns the kiss hungrily and Lucifer finds himself gasping for air. He draws back and raises his hand to ask for a moment. The smile he gives her is almost shy, "I've never...if you don't mind, darling, I'd like to try something. Rather...new to me, you see. Are you game?"
Chloe blinks at him in confusion. What on this earth has he not done? "Not much into, um, games, Lucifer," she replies with concern.
He actually blushes and looks away for a moment, "No games, I promise. May I...show you?"
She lays herself back on the mattress, caution and trust mingling in her eyes, "Okay."
Lucifer smiles brightly, "Marvelous. Now, close your eyes, please."
She hesitates but is helpless before the eager expression on his face, "Aaalllriiight..."
With the detective's eyes closed, Lucifer is free to allow his feelings to show on his face as he gazes at her. His breath catches and she turns her ear, "You okay?"
He huffs out the soft breath that was caught in his throat, "Never better, darling," he replies softly as he leans in.
His lips softly brush hers again and she gasps in surprise before she reaches for him hungrily. He draws away, "ah, ah, ah...slowly, love. We have plenty of time."
She nods, eyes still closed, "Okay."
Lucifer approaches again, lightly nibbling the corner of her mouth. This time, she pays attention to his cues and lightly strokes his shoulders. "Lovely," he purrs.
This is not what I expected, Chloe thinks to herself as he kisses her gently. One arm holds his weight while the other strokes her face. She parts her lips and feels his skilled tongue stroke hers but, still, his kiss doesn't quite meet up with her expectation. It's quite good, of course, but the tone is...almost chaste.
Chloe draws away and fixes him with a wide-eyed look. He sits up, "What's wrong?"
She raises her hand to stroke his cheek, "Lucifer..."
He flushes and looks nervous, "What? Did I do something wrong?"
She chuckles and relaxes into the mattress, her blue eyes fairly glowing, "You've never made love before, have you?"
He looks away and tries to play it off, "I've had loads of sex, my dear. You know that."
The detective smirks as she nods, "Yep. I know."
Lucifer can't hide the shy grin on his face, "How...?"
Chloe smiles, "It's how you kiss me. I've seen you kiss other women and there's nothing tentative about it. You know exactly what to do to when it comes to giving pleasure." He preens as she continues more gently, "You seem a little nervous."
His eyes flick to her, "I am."
She smirks. My turn to give the third degree, "And why is that?" she asks as her grin widens.
He allows his gaze to drift to her collarbone then strokes it with his finger, "Because, Detective..." he hesitates and licks his lips nervously. Nothing to do but spit it out, "I care about you as well. In a way I'm...unfamiliar with." He hesitates, searching for the right words, "I find myself wanting to do more than simply...bring you pleasure, if that makes sense." He stops, eyes wide as he looks at her.
Chloe sits up on the bed and runs her fingers through his hair, enjoying the way he presses his head against her hand and sighs. "It makes sense," she replies gently. She shifts again, onto her knees and leans forward to run her tongue along the outside of his ear, smiling again at his quiet groan.
Lucifer turns his head to capture her mouth and he's much less tentative this time as his hand reaches behind her head and pulls her forward.
She relocates her hands to his shoulders and pushes him down onto the mattress as their tongues begin to dance. She feels him growing hard against her hip as she makes love to his mouth and a respondent ache develops between her legs in anticipation.
His hands reach behind her to unclasp her bra and she wiggles free, sighing at the feel him against her breasts. She idly wonders if he can feel her heart pounding against his ribs as he rolls them onto their sides. Crimes of opportunity being what they are, she reaches for the waistband of his pajamas and pushes them down his hips. He chuckles against her mouth and spares a hand to help. They take the moment to manage her own clothing and they are suddenly, finally, bare to each other.
Lucifer groans as he thrusts himself against her. Delicious friction that he's uncertain he can endure for long. The ache between Chloe's legs grows almost painful as she claims his mouth again.
His large hands seem to be everywhere. Her hair, her back, her breasts, her...Oh my G... she gasps as he reaches to where she wants him the most.
Absolutely nothing tentative...oh...there...she bucks against the fingers he's plunged into her. "Lucif...oh G...uh...yea..." she cries out as he chuckles against her throat.
"You like that, do you?" he murmurs against her skin while she writhes.
Chloe wraps a leg around his hip as he plays her like an instrument. Every few strokes or so, his hot, wet fingers come out to play with her clit. Sometimes they find their way into his mouth. She decides she loves the way he closes his eyes and moans in pleasure, "Damn, you're delicious, darling."
Lucifer decides he needs more, so he rolls her onto her back then allows his mouth to navigate its way down her body while his hand remains busy. He can't stop the swell of pride as she serenades him with proof of her pleasure. He pauses a moment, on his knees, to watch her coming apart on his hand, surely the most beautiful thing I've ever witnessed, he muses.
Smiling, he lowers his mouth and allows his tongue to replace his fingers. If she was loud before... he can't resist the happy laugh and hum at her reaction. Giving is, itself, such a gift. Lucifer closes his eyes and inhales deeply, growing intoxicated from the scent of her.
Delicate fingers grip her hips and hold her still as he relocates his tongue. Time to find what sends her over. He very methodically kisses, suck, licks and nibbles every centimeter, paying close attention to which action gains the most reaction. He even turns his head to bite the inside of her thigh. She liked that quite a bit if her grip on his hair is any measure. He finally releases one hand from her hip and brings it around to gently stroke her while he plunges his tongue into her again.
"OOOOOOOH...SHIT...LUCIFER!" Her response was violent and instantaneous, and almost enough to bring about his own orgasm just listening to her. He raises himself up and pushes a knee against her while his mouth relocates to her neck to bite where it meets her shoulder. He grows even harder as she whimpers beneath him.
When the tremors finally begin to recede, he nuzzles her neck then kisses her. Her hands grip the sides of his head as she returns it ferociously. "Please," she whispers.
He smiles and nuzzles her ear, "With pleasure, my dear," he purrs.
Chloe raises her knees to the sides of his hips then reaches down to guide him in. He pants as he controls the urge to drive himself all the way in. Slowly...It's obviously been a while for her.
Once again, without her needing to say a word, Lucifer seems to know exactly what she needs. The realization of just how much he has come to mean to her slams into her just as he is fully sheathed, and a tear trickles from the corner of her eye.
Bloody Hell, she's crying! Lucifer goes still as he watches Chloe's face and sees the tear eke out. "Darling, what's wrong?" he asks desperately. "Have..have I hurt you?" No, please...no.
She gasps, partly from emotion and partly from the almost unbearable completeness of joining with him. This is Joy. She raises her head to kiss him, "You haven't hurt me, Lucifer." Chloe smiles softly as she runs her fingers through his hair again. "The opposite, actually."
Lucifer looks down and wipes the tear-streak, unconvinced, "You're sure? You...wish to continue? I'll stop if you like..."
Chloe chuckles as her heels dig into the back of his thighs to hold him where he is. She raises her hips and draws him farther in, shuddering with pleasure, "Oooh, yes. Continue."
He huffs a breath of relief and kisses her gently. He slowly moves his hips back and forth, enjoying the clench of her around him. Feeling the need to have her in his arms, he reaches under and pulls her to him while he sits up on his knees, while never missing a stroke.
Her arms wrap around his neck as her breasts press against his chest and she arches against him. He raises her up and down as she rolls her hips.
Lucifer feels an amazing, delicious tension coursing through his limbs and centering on his hips as he thrusts into Chloe with increasing speed. She smiles as he tells her how he feels inside her and how good she feels around him - she keens her agreement as she feels another orgasm building.
"CHLOE...I...Oh Father...Yesssss..." His fingers grip her shoulders more tightly and he suddenly bites down on her as he goes almost quite literally screaming and sobbing over the edge. She is right behind him with her nails clawing for purchase on his back to hold her upright.
Exhausted, she wraps her arms and legs around him while he remains kneeling on the bed. Lucifer's head rests in the crook of her shoulder as his arms wrap almost completely around her back to hold her close. She kisses his shoulder and smiles at the responding tremor that courses through his body. He pulls her closer and takes a shaky breath while he closes his eyes.
"I never want to be not right here, ever again," she murmurs as she plays with his hair.
Lucifer smiles without loosening his grip on her, "You never have to be, my love," he promises. "You never have to be."