When she comes to in one of her rare of late moments of lucidly, Chloe finds it oddly fitting that Lucifer is the first one she thinks of and the first name on her lips before she's even capable of opening her eyes properly. When it becomes obvious however she may be waiting in vain for the returning volley of his usually inappropriate and flirty comments she's suddenly wide awake and in a state of semi-panic only to find herself quite alone in the relative darkness of her hospital room with only the steady beeping of her own heart on the monitor beside her as company.
"Lucifer?"
No response.
"Lucifer answer me, this isn't funny-"
"He isn't here."
She stills, eyes wide at the voice that responds from the ether until they set eagerly upon her coat and gun slung over the chair just out of reach. A distance she laments keenly under the current circumstances.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"Uh, a friend, and nothing." Chloe startles at the sudden rustle of feathers that heralds the arrival of an unfamiliar form sat at the end of her hospital bed. The young woman's raven black hair floating about her delicate features as she sits awkwardly fiddling with her skirt and wearing a decidedly put out expression she can't help but find oddly familiar.
Chloe frowned, "Do I know you?"
"You and I haven't officially met yet, no," She offers with a small shrug as they regard each other, "But hey, Decker."
"You know me?"
"What are you kidding, me?" The woman enthused almost comically, "You're like the stuff of legend where I'm from."
"Oh really?" Chloe drawled.
"Totally," She agreed, "I mean what a combo, you and Lu- oh and speaking of which I'm so calling bullshit."
"Excuse me?"
"I know you know just who and what he is, Decker. You can't fool me."
Chloe felt her mouth go suddenly dry, awkwardly attempting to swallow over the lump in her throat as the stranger cocked her head in intrigue.
"So which one are you then?"
"You've been poisoned with no possible means of obtaining a cure," Her visitor snorted in apparent amusement, "Duh, which one do you think I am?"
Her whispered response was oddly resigned. "Azrael."
"See now that wasn't so hard," She mused decidedly pleased, "You've done your research."
"The majority of which no doubt entirely inaccurate." Chloe sighed, her head flopping back against the pillows. "You'll have to forgive my inability to keep up with you all."
"No kidding talk about tedium," Azrael agreed, "Though you seem to be taking it all far better than Lu might think to give you credit for. Well, if he knew that is. Why is that do you think?"
Chloe shrugged. "Your guess would be as good as mine."
"You know he blames Dad for your being here? Another device of his promised eternity of punishment," Azrael watched her for a time, a genuine smile turning her lip as she spoke, "But I don't buy it."
The Detective scoffed at the absurdity of it all, "Yea well that makes two of us."
"I know right," Azrael chuckled in agreement, "Regardless though, I'm glad he found you. I like you, Decker."
"You barely know me."
"Not true," Azrael disagreed, "Cause I've been watching over your time with my brother and seriously? The two of you dolling out punishments to the unworthy? It's like totally adorable!"
"Oh my god." Chloe groaned, her head hurting at how very Ella the angel of death suddenly appeared to her.
"Look all I'm saying is if you ask me Lucifer couldn't have chosen a more fitting Consort."
"We're partners," Chloe objected weakly. "Friends, nothing more-"
"Whatever you say, Princess." Azrael teased as Chloe glared.
"I still can't believe you shot him though," Azrael snorted, "Good for you girlfriend, good for you."
"I thought he was actually immortal!" Chloe objected with a groan.
"And he is for the most part," She agreed, "What he hasn't realized yet though is that in those moments when held back your passing to me, he extended his immortality, indefinitely."
Chloe shook her head in confusion, "So where did it go?"
"To you of course," Azrael hummed in amusement.
Chloe raised a rather skeptical eyebrow, "I'm immortal?"
"Well, uh no," Azrael frowned as she passed over a box of tissues, "You might wanna- you've got a little something-"
"Oh?" Chloe covered her nose as a rivulet of blood trickled down her lip, "Oh shit-"
"Yea," She agreed with an almost disgusted curl of her lip as the Detective laid her head back against the pillows to stem the bleeding, "But it shouldn't be long now though."
There was a long silence before Chloe spoke again, the woman at her feet flicking idly through the closest magazine.
"Do I get to say goodbye first?"
"Hmmm?" Came a somewhat distracted response from the angel of Death, "Sorry, what?"
"To my daughter, her father," A silent tear rolled down her cheek, "To Lucif-"
"Hold up," Azrael frowned, "You wanna what?"
"Is it really so much to ask to say goodbye before I go?" She growled.
"Go?! Oh hell no, are you crazy?" Azrael held up her hands in surrender, "Lu would literally tear down the very walls of the Silver City itself just to get you back if dared lay a single finger on any part of you, Decker."
"But- but I don't understand," Her brow furrowed absurdly in confusion, "If not to take me, why are you here?"
"Uh, stalling for time, duh." She smirked as she slipped from the bed and stood to cock a hip against the mattress, "And it's been great and all Decker but, the Devil's coming for you now and I gotta scram."
"Lucifer's here?"
"He's real close now," She whispered with an excited giggle, "Can't you feel it?"
"I feel-" Chloe grit her teeth about to unleash a tirade about how her body felt like it'd been hit by a bus before her eyes glazing over, a familiar weight settling upon her chest at the sound of his voice.
"Detective?"
"Lucifer?"
"You really should tell him you know," Azrael offered a pointed look as she stepped back into the shadows with a weary sigh, "And for all our sakes would ya hurry up and just jump the man already. I mean talk about an angst fest, ye gods."
"Hey!" Chloe glared as the shadows turned to mist before her eyes before swirling from existence.
"Smell ya later, Decker," Azrael bid from the ether, "Oh, before I go though tell Lu I'll need my blade back like asap."
"Yea, sure, why not," Chloe agreed somewhat unbelievably, "I'll get right on that."
"Naw thanks, sis," The darkness chuckled, "You're the best."
Chloe's eyes drooped as exhaustion suddenly took hold. She was so tired, so very tired all the wanted to do was sleep but someone was calling to her. A voice that pulled her back from the brink as it warmed her heart.
"Come on Detective Decker don't you dare give up on me now."
Oh she knew that voice. Would follow it anywhere. To Hell and back if that's what it asked of her.
"Lucifer?" Her voice cracked and broke.
"You're damned right."
She felt his breath huff against her forehead, his hands gently cradling her face as she tried to open her eyes.
"Now I'll have you know I went to a lot of bloody trouble for this Detective. Now try harder."
"I can't- Lucifer I'm so tired, I-"
"Open your eyes, Detective, please!"
She finds she can no more deny him than he might her. His face swimming into view not a moment later and she smiles weakly up at the relief she instantly feels in his presence.
"Hello," He beams in return, his trembling palm against her cheek, "Welcome back."
Two weeks later.
Lux is full of movement and sound by the time she's finished her backlog of paperwork at the precinct. Yet another perp behind bars where they belong. Her partner in crime once again noticeably absent for the most part though she takes comfort in the fact he'd promised not to just disappear again. The whole Candy incident had still left her feeling a little odd about their partnership obviously, but Lucifer was here somewhere she knew. Could feel it like she'd not been able to before she'd gotten sick.
She wondered idly if he can feel her now too.
She sighs in relief as the noise of the club disappears into the background as the lift ascends. The doors opening to the mellow tones of whatever happened to have taken his most recent fancy and the man himself glancing up from the keys with a smile.
"Detective."
"Hey." She returns his smile as she takes a seat at his side. A decanter and two glasses of bourbon already set out atop the piano as the smoke from his half lit cigarette coils like a serpent through the air.
"Rough day?"
She sighs yet again, lifting a glass to her lips and appreciating the burn of the amber liquid as it slides down her throat and pools in her belly.
"Paperwork." She offers with a nod, "Not that you stick around for that part mind."
"I'll admit it's never been a particular talent of mine."
His smirk is as unrepentant as always. His long lashes ghosting his cheeks as he closes his eyes and looses himself in the meandering dance of of his fingers upon ebony and ivory.
"True." She agrees with a smile, still gazing up at his profile in the dim light as she sets her glass down.
"But honestly, Lucifer, If you're going to keep exposing suspects to Hellfire you really should do me courtesy of filling out the damn psych referrals yourself."
His fingers still abruptly against the keys. His eyes wide, fathomless and ultimately terrified as he turns to her.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I said I'm not doing your damn paperwork anymore."
She felt giddy as his sharp exhalations broke across her cheek. His breath the perfect mix of sweet, smoky and so very him.
"Oh and your sister says hi and wants her knife back. Whatever that means..."
"Azrael?" He gasps, brow raised in disbelief, "Then you know? You know everything?"
"Not everything, no," She chortles with a shake of her head, "But enough to know you've never lied to me."
"And you're- okay with this?"
"We're partners, Lucifer," She shrugs as if it were obvious, because to her it is, "And horns or no, I've seen enough that I-"
"Urgh, you know I'll never understand you humans and your absurd obsessions," He suddenly groans, "Horns indeed. Now, I've half a mind to show you once and-"
"Then do it," She lifts her gaze to his eyes now searching her face for any flicker of insincerity, "If that's what you want, that is."
"Do you want to see it?"
"I think the real question is, Lucifer, do you want me to see."
"Do I want you to see me for who I truly am?" His voice was soft in reply, "I'll be honest, Detective, it's all I've ever wanted."
"I know."
"That being said mind, I quite like you sane." He adds just as softly and she feels for him she really does because she can't ever fathom how truly hard this must be for him, "I'll also admit the prospect of you taking young Beatrice and running as far away from me as you possibly can a scenario I'd rather avoid if at all possible."
"I think you're seriously underestimating us both," She replies equally as quietly before she snorts rather indelicately, "Besides, Trixie would never allow it. She's become much too fond of you. And don't ever get me started on Mazikeen."
"Trust your spawn to be the first human to befriend a millennia old demon."
"Well, her mother rides shotgun with the Devil," She smirked up at him, "What did you expect?"
He chuckled at that before he sighs somewhat in resignation.
"Very well then Detective. But first I have a question I need you to answer as truthfully as possible."
"Okay." She nods, shifting a leg over the back of the chair so she can face him properly.
"Did my Father send you?" He queries seriously.
"Your Father?" She frowns somewhat in confusion before Azreal's words come to mind, "Oh, oh as in," she cringes, pointing awkwardly skyward, "Him."
"Yes Him." Lucifer drawls with a roll of his eyes, "Your very birth as I only recently discovered was a miracle facilitated by my own brother no less. So what I need to know is do you work for him? Was us ever meeting a mere coincidence or some predestined bloody divine interference-"
"Alright firstly," She stops his tirade with a hand to his chest, "We met because your friend was murdered in cold blood. You came after me remember, like some kind of creepy, deranged stalker and refused take no for an answer."
"I'm sure you mean less creepy and deranged and more devastatingly attractive-"
"And secondly," She silences his quip with a glare, "Up until Perry's trial I'll have you know I was quite happily, Atheist. Until I decided to- well- until I decided to believe in you."
Whatever response he'd been planning died on his lips at her admission.
"And honestly one deity in my life is more than enough for me, Lucifer," She sighed, "Besides I wouldn't even know where to start processing the rest of it so, no. No, I don't work for your Father."
"I'm just a cop and Trixie's Mom, nothing more, nothing less."
"Oh but you are so much more than that, Detective," He whispers. Chloe watching his face as he carefully processes her words, a somewhat helplessly resolved expression marring his handsome features as he nods and they shift. His eyes burning with Hellfire as he sits before her in all his gruesome glory.
"There now," She raises a brow in response, her fingers gently reaching out to smooth down his cheek, "That wasn't so bad, was it?"
His head tilts, his expression a mixture of awe, intrigue and confusion.
"You're still here?"
"You're still you," She offers pointedly, "Though you're right, I was totally wrong about the love handles."
He balks at that, his face shifting back with an indignant scowl, "The what?"
"You know, the horns." She elaborates with a shrug of her shoulders as she drains the rest of her drink and reaches out to take a drag on his cigarette still burning in the ashtray.
He snorts, "I beg your pardon?"
"I had this dream once..." She smirks unrepentant, using his momentarily distracted state to take his hand and press the lit embers into his skin.
"Oh real-Ow!" He complains loudly, sucking on the burn she'd inflicted, "What the Hell was that for?"
"Azreal had a theory." She offered by means of explanation, his eyes widening as she turned the remainder on herself.
"No, Detective don't-"
He hisses as she extinguishes the butt in the palm of her hand only to stare in disbelief as she tips the remnants into the ashtray before him. Her skin just as unblemished as it had been moments earlier.
"Well," She mused with a nod of her head as he cradled her hand, "Would you look at that."
"How did you do that?"
"Not me," She shook her head, suppressing a shiver as his long fingers stroked her palm, "You."
"Me?" He chortles absurdly, "How the bloody hell-"
"Of the two of us I think you're far more qualified to answer that particular question," She snorted softly, "Your sister did mention something about projection or something of the like though."
She watched as her partner's gaze lifted to the lights of the city in the distance, eyes glazing over in thought for a time.
"Oh, oh she may be onto something there," He murmurs in agreement, "Though I didn't realize it, not till now at least."
"Can you stop it?" She asked curiously.
"Well I could certainly try," He mused with a nod of his head, "But that would rather defeat the purpose now wouldn't it, Detective?"
"Really, Lucifer," She scoffed, appalled, "I thought you'd gotten over the whole death wish thing-"
"Oh of course, but that's not why," His reply was so unexpectedly soft she barely caught it, "You see at the time, I'd wanted you safe. Nothing's changed."
"But that's not right," She objected vehemently, "You're supposed to be immortal Lucifer, I make you vulnerable-"
"Then the exchange is entirely equivalent is it not?"
Impossibly dark eyes dared her claim otherwise.
I can let my guard down with you. I don't do that with anyone else…
She shook her head with a sigh, "That's not the same…"
"Isn't it?" He raised a knowing brow.
"I don't want you to die because of me," She hissed, not willing to trust her own voice, "I can't lose you."
"Finally we understand each other then, Detective." His tone is clipped, final. His eyes flashing just a hint of Hellfire as he holds her gaze. And there it was, in those few tense few moments of silence that she realizes he was in just as deep as she.
"Yea," She can't help but agree, "Yea, I guess we do."
And just as soon as the moment had arrived it was gone. Another one tucked away between them as Lucifer returned his attention to his drink. The Detective obligingly refilling their glasses before resting her head against his shoulder with a contented little sigh.
"Play me something?"
"Anything you desire, Detective."
"Know any Bowie?"
He smirked down at her as he began to play.
"See I knew it. You've got a thing for star men, don't you?"
"Dream on Lucifer."
"Speaking of which….tell me more of these Love Handles? I'm positively enthralled..."
"Urgh…don't make me shoot you again."