Hi everyone! First time posting in this fandom. I LOVE Lucifer, and I just had to get my feelings out after binging all of season 4. SPOILERS AHEAD!

I don't own anything.

He was gone. He was gone and this time, she knew, he would not be coming back. That certainty was worse than anything. Even more than the time she had entered his penthouse to find the furniture covered with those awful white sheets, or when he had run off to Las Vegas on her birthday. She had never had those two instances fully explained to her, but she knew now that they had been a result of his fear and insecurity. And she could not hold that against him.

She could not hold this against him either. He had left to protect her; protect all humanity. But that had not stopped the massive, gaping hole she felt at his loss.

He was gone.

She could no longer hold back the wracking sobs.

It took months before he knew he was strong enough to return. He would not go see her, he was certainly not strong enough for that, but he could go see his brother and his nephew, and Maze. Just a quick trip, to check in, and then back, before the demons realised. They were still restless, but so was he. He didn't think he could stay here much longer.

Linda jumped when she turned around to find her old patient suddenly materialise in her house. "God! Lucifer!"

"Two very different people, I assure you," he grinned.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "Chloe said you…you went back…"

"Uh, yes, I did. I, um, just wanted to check in. See how you were doing."

"Luci?" Amenadiel entered with a broad smile, carrying five-month-old Charlie. He embraced Lucifer.

Linda looked between the two of them, sensing the words she knew Lucifer was holding back. She took her son and said, "I'm just going to put Charlie down for his nap."

Amenadiel handed him off and turned to Lucifer. "How are you, brother?"

"Back to ruling Hell," said Lucifer blandly. "It's Hell."

Amenadiel nodded, waiting.

"I wanted to see how you were getting on with your life here, brother."

Amenadiel smiled now, practically glowing with contentment. "I love being a father, Luci. It's so fulfilling. I know I've finally found my task. And Maze has finally given her blessing for me and Linda to marry, so we're engaged!"

"Well, be sure to invite me to the wedding," replied Lucifer, "though I'm not sure everything will be settled by then so I might not make it."

There was a brief pause. Then Amenadiel said, "Maze is doing well too. She took over Lux, you know, with Eve. Apparently they're together now."

Lucifer nodded. "I'm glad for them."

Another pause. Amenadiel knew what his brother wanted to ask, and thought he ought to put him out of his misery. "Chloe's doing okay," he said quietly.

Lucifer hung his head, which was all the signs Amenadiel needed to know that this was what Lucifer both wanted and dreaded to hear.

"She misses you, Luci. We all do."

"Yes, well…" Lucifer trailed off, gazing back towards the door, longing for escape.

Amenadiel understood. "It was good to see you, Luci."

"And you, brother." Lucifer just managed a strained smile, which disappeared almost at once.

Sensing the end of the conversation, Amenadiel turned to go back to his fiancé and son.

"Amenadiel?"

He turned back. "Yes?"

"Would you…would you give the detective a message from me?"

Amenadiel nodded. "Of course, Luci."

Trixie was Chloe's refuge, but she still had to go to work. Her usual tactic of throwing herself onto every new case helped somewhat, but it wasn't the same without her devilish partner at her side. Lucifer had managed to so completely dominate her life that it was hard just getting through a single day without him. But the alternative of going home to stew on her couch was worse.

Ella and Dan both took it hard. Neither knowing the truth, Chloe was forced to lie and say Lucifer had died saving Charlie from his kidnappers. After she broke it to them, the forensic scientist became almost fanatical with her re-found faith, while Dan, only just starting to heal from Charlotte's death, became a zealot in his desire to catch criminals. Chloe hated doing that to him, knowing he still harboured guilt over how he had treated Lucifer, but she could now fully sympathise with him in his loss.

Amenadiel visited the precinct one day.

"Hey, Chloe, can I speak with you?"

Chloe looked up from her paperwork and felt a familiar pang at the sight of Lucifer's brother. "Um, sure, Amenadiel. What's up?"

The angel glanced around and lowered his voice. "Luci wanted me to give you a message."

Chloe felt her stomach take a dive and the blood drain from her face. She stood up abruptly. "He's here? Lucifer's here?" She tried to dart past Amenadiel to run out and greet him, but she was caught and held in an impenetrable grasp.

"No, Chloe, he's not."

"…Oh." Hopelessness came crashing back in, sinking her again.

"I'm sorry, Chloe. He said it would be too hard, seeing you."

She bobbed her head rapidly, trying to quell her fresh tears. "Of course. Yeah. What was the message?"

"He said…" Chloe couldn't stand the look of pity on his face, so she fixed her eyes on the floor some ten feet back and to the left of him. "He said he'll always watch over you and that…he'll be waiting for you."

Chloe took several moments to process this. She had no doubt they were true. After all, her partner never lied. Even ruling over Hell, he would find a way to protect her, no matter what. And he would wait for her. That meant she would see him again. She didn't know if that meant she was headed to Hell when she died, but at the moment she didn't care. That was where Lucifer was.

She looked back up at Amenadiel, unshed tears shining in her eyes, but a smile on her face for the first time in five months when she was thinking of her partner. "Thank you."

He nodded and gave her a brief smile, then turned and left.

Chloe went back to her desk and pulled up a picture. She had taken to staring at this photo in every spare moment. It showed Trixie, herself and Lucifer right after he had won a teddy bear at a carnival game. It had been a good day, and was one of her favourite pictures.

She wished she could have taken a picture of him in full Devil mode. Truth be told, most of the times she had seen it she was focussed on not hurling her guts out, but after she had seen it a few times…

She closed her eyes and pictured him facing down a horde of demons to protect her, skin red and raw, with huge, batlike wings spread out on either side.

He had been glorious.

R&R, let me know what you think. I'd love some constructive criticism.