"Soo... not a ghost then."
The words left Ella's mouth before she even realised she'd spoken. Exactly how much time had passed since Ray-Ray's confession she had no idea, but the shock had basically rendered her mute until now.
Which was almost as shocking as the confession itself really.
"Nope."
Her friend had yet to look her in the eye, gaze fixed firmly on the floor as she shuffled her feet from side to side nervously. She was ashamed, as well she should be.
Ella however, was trying her best not to let her brain explode. To say this was a lot to take in would be the understatement of the century. Possibly the millennia. With just a few words, her entire view of the world had changed forever. There was no room left for doubt anymore. Everything she'd ever believed in was true. All of it. Well, all of it with the exception of ghosts.
Maybe.
Adding that one to the never ending list of questions to ask later...
She wasn't crazy. She'd never been crazy. Then again, "My imaginary friend who turned out to be a ghost is now telling me she's an angel," didn't exactly sound any less insane, did it?
But somehow, it all seemed to make sense. Like an upside down jigsaw puzzle that had finally come together. The problem was, it happened to be the most complicated jigsaw puzzle in existence, depicting something she couldn't evenhope to understand, not yet. Understanding things, though? That was what she did. And eventually, she would do that with this, too.
Until then though, she was left here, standing in her lab with an angel, while her head continued to reel. Passages of the bible fought for her attention, a book full of stories regarded anew as she recategorised them as a work of non-fiction. Heaven, Hell, they actually existed. Angels were real. God was real. Which made him, what, Ray-Ray's dad?
Dear old dad.
Her eyebrows narrowed at the intruding thought. Where had she heard that before?
A cough distracted her from thinking on it further, bringing her focus back to the room. It dawned on her that she'd been silent again for several minutes, and her angelic companion was now looking at her worriedly.
"Are you okay?" Ray-Ray asked anxiously. "Well, as okay as you can be, I guess. Which probably isn't very okay at all, is it?" Her friend started to pace back and forth across the floor. "I messed this up, didn't I. I should go. Do you want me to go? I will go, if you want me to. It's just-"
"Can I see them?" Ella blurted out. "Your wings, that is."
It was the first thing that came to mind, a random pick from the endless stream of words waiting to escape her. With a herculean effort she managed to stop herself from miming what she wanted to see, but only just. Her arms itched by her sides, desperate to start flapping.
"Er, not a good idea," her friend said with a grimace. "They tend to make humans go a bit…" She made circular motions either side of her head with her fingers. "...Wiggy."
"Riiiiight. Because it's not like you let me think I was 'wiggy' since I was eight years old or anything," Ella replied, slightly more bitterly than she intended.
It was the first time she had truly felt the sting of the betrayal. Years of psychologists, medications, trying anything and everything just to feel normal for a while. All because the angel who claimed to be her friend refused to tell her what really she was.
That's not fair.
Eight year old Ella protested inside her head. The little girl who had been so very scared of dying, made to feel safe by the lady who appeared to comfort her every time a nightmare left her shaking and screaming.
Fourteen year old Ella joined in, reminding her that when the girls at school branded her weird, it was Ray-Ray who had assured her that it was cool not to be like everybody else, who gave her the confidence to be herself.
Eighteen year old Ella was resolute too, the student still so grateful for the encouragement to pursue a career in science, by a friend who always knew she was destined for more than racing cars and cheating casinos.
She was always there for her. Granted, she may have been the cause of plenty of her troubles too, but that didn't mean she hadn't had the best of intentions. Somehow she, Ella Lopez, had ended up with an angel in her life, and she didn't want to lose that, no matter how annoyed she might be with her right now.
"Ray-Ray, that was-"
"Totally deserved." Her friend looked at her sadly, glancing down at the floor again before slowly nodding her head. "My bad."
The angel hesitated for a second, then finally, she met Ella's eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Ella smiled kindly at her oldest friend, the urge to hug her overwhelming.
"I know."
Ray-Ray returned her smile, albeit somewhat abashedly, before shrugging awkwardly.
"I kind of prefer you without your brain all smushy though? So…"
"No wings. Gotcha."
Ella would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed. The scientist in her was already trying to figure out how exactly angels worked. Was their DNA different to that of a human? Did they even have DNA?
And then there were the wings. Wings! The thought of them alone was fascinating. She'd already started picturing the kind of skeletal structure that would be required to support such a thing. If Ray-Ray couldn't let her see them, would she let her take an x-ray? Could angels be x-rayed?
She had so much she wanted to ask her. Were all the other angels invisible too? She supposed they must be. Los Angeles might be known as the city of angels, but it's not like they were spending every day just strolling around down here.
Speaking of which…
"So the last time I saw you, was I right? Are you like my guardian angel or something?"
Ray-Ray winced.
"No, not exactly. Don't get me wrong, I want what's best for you and all, but we don't… we don't really do that sort of thing. And even if we did, I'd be way too busy for it anyway."
Ella took a moment to let that sink in.
"Well… I guess that means I should be pleased you come to see me because you want to, not because you have to, right?"
Her friend brightened a little at that.
"Exactly. Besides, my big brother looks out for you too, you know."
Well, that was exciting. Or creepy. Or both.
"Wait a minute… he doesn't spy on me in the shower does he?"
The angel laughed, shaking her head, before pulling up a stool and plonking herself done on it. Ella did the same, all the while thinking of the many times over the years she'd wondered how a spirit could be corporeal enough to sit, but not enough to actually touch anything. She'd asked, of course, but her 'ghost' had always refused to enlighten her.
Now though, it seemed entirely possible she'd kept up the charade of being incorporeal solely to help sell the story of her otherworldly origins. As it turned out, the otherworldliness was true, just not the other stuff so much. It was yet another thing she would have to ask her about.
Of course, there was always the possibility she just didn't like hugs. Was that even really a thing? Even Lucifer let her hug him now. Well, let might be too strong a word for it, but he still didn't object as much as he used to.
Why did she keep thinking of Lucifer?
Shaking herself out of it, she tried to focus on the conversation she was having right now, rather than whatever her distracted brain kept trying to wander to.
"So… busy huh?" she asked. "Busy doing what?
Aaand somehow she'd managed to make Ray-Ray feel uneasy again. The angel shifted uncomfortably on her seat, casting a glance of out the window into the precinct.
"I'm not really supposed to say."
"Let me guess," she replied, rolling her eyes, "angel rules? "
Her friend shot her a look almost as deadpan as Ella's question had been. Ella shrugged back at her. She started it.
"Something like that, yeah."
Perhaps it was time for a different tactic. Ray-Ray knew all about the Lopez family, maybe it was time she learned a little about hers.
"What about your brother then, what does he do?"
Her friend grinned at that, her gaze flickering back to the window once more.
"Anything he's not supposed to."
They shared a knowing look; two sisters who understood perfectly what brothers could be like.
Ella wondered if their siblings would get along if they met. Somehow she couldn't imagine that an angel would be particularly interested in stealing cars.
A thought suddenly occurred to her. It hadn't been all that long since the last visit from her 'ghost', so if she didn't say anything then…
"Why now?"
Ray-Ray looked at her questioningly.
"Why tell me now?" Ella elaborated, "After all these years?"
"Ah. That'll be my brother again actually. I saw him recently for the first time in… a while. It reminded me of a few things."
"Like what exactly?" she asked, intrigued to learn more about this mysterious brother of Ray-Ray's.
In the back of her mind, she started running the names of the angels she could remember, wondering who it could be. Gabriel? Michael? Raphael perhaps? He was always her favourite as a child. Which probably had more to do with his ninja turtle counterpart than anything else, if she was honest.
"Like the fact he doesn't lie," Ray-Ray answered. "Ever. Made me think that I shouldn't either."
Ella slid off her stool and moved closer to her friend, wondering if now was the time to try for a hug. Ray-Ray looked at her warily though, and she decided against it. Definitely not a hugger. Not yet anyway. Just like Lucifer.
"Well I'm glad you decided to tell me the truth. Your brother sounds a little like someone else I know actually," she said jestingly, still thinking of her other angelically named friend.
And then it hit her.
Her eyes widened, and it felt like everything froze around her, with the exception of Ray-Ray who was now desperately trying to get her attention.
No, Ella. Stop it. Don't go there. Don't even think about it. Please don't. Ella?
...He's totally going to kill me.
She wasn't listening. The lab, the station, Ray-Ray, they all faded into the background, her brain consumed by only one thought.
Holy shit.
Lucifer… was Lucifer.
Not a method actor.
Not delusional.
The Devil.
Unholy shit?
Her gaze drifted to the window, out into the station where the handsome man in the three piece suit was currently bounding down the stairs, his usual cry of "Detective!" upon his lips.
He was the Devil.
The King of Hell. Torturer of the damned. Tempter of Adam and Eve. Leader of a rebellion against God. Her God. His father.
She thought she knew him.
Unable to tear her eyes away, she watched as he hovered over his partner's desk, a paper bag in hand that she just knew would be filled with lemon bars. His face lit up when they were received with a grateful smile, as though he'd offered Chloe the stars themselves and she'd accepted.
She did know him.
He was the man who never lied. A fallen angel who chose to spend his time on Earth solving crimes and catching bad guys. Who came to church with her, more than once, even though it was probably the last place he wanted to be. Who always remembered how she took her coffee and what her favourite snack from the vending machine was. Who listened to her, really listened to her, not just pretended to like everyone else did when she started rambling about her interests. Who was completely, ridiculously, head over heels in love with her best friend, even if for some stupid reason neither of them could see it.
The Devil, who hated hugs. Who thought of her as his friend.
Because she was his friend.
She let out a breath she wasn't even aware she'd been holding. It was at that point she realised three things. One, that the lab was now deathly quiet. Two, that Ray-Ray was looking at something behind her with something akin to dread. And three, that Lucifer was no longer at Chloe's desk.
"She knows?"
The soft British accent she knew so well filled the room, and she turned towards its source automatically. She could only assume Ray-Ray had nodded, for the next thing she knew Lucifer was looking down at her, his face concerned, those big brown eyes of his filled with something she would have never thought she would see there.
Fear. The Devil was scared. Of her. Scared of what she would think of him now.
"Miss Lopez?" he asked quietly.
Maybe the Devil needed hugs more than anyone.
She didn't hesitate, flinging her arms around his waist and holding him tight. He stiffened, just as he always did, and she tilted her head up towards him, smiling brightly.
"Hey, buddy!"
He looked surprised, shocked even. But slowly, something in his face softened, and his body relaxed. Then for the first time she could remember, when he wrapped his arms around her, he hugged her properly, pulling her close to him as if she were something precious he didn't want to let go of.
She held on until she could sense him beginning to feel uncomfortable again, which is when she took a step back. Ray-Ray drifted closer, her face betraying her apprehension.
"Hi, Lu."
He nodded vaguely in his sister's direction, not looking away from Ella for a second as he stared at her curiously.
"Azrael."
Azrael. Ella frowned slightly as she tried to recall the rest of her angels. The overload of information she'd received today hadn't exactly left her brain in fine working order.
Lucifer tentatively placed a hand upon her shoulder, almost as if he were reassuring himself that she was still there, that she hadn't run away yet.
"You seem to be coping remarkably well with all of this, Miss Lopez, considering your… predilections."
His eyes flickered down to the cross hung around her neck.
"Are you kidding me?" she exclaimed excitedly, "I'm friends with two angels!"
He flinched at the word angel and she instantly felt guilty.
"Okay, well, an angel and the retired King of Hell," she amended, making sure to stress the word retired and noting the small smile that appeared on Lucifer's face as a result. "I have so many questions to ask you both! You do realise this is the kind of thing us Catholic girls dream of?"
The hand resting on her shoulder squeezed softly, as he regarded her fondly.
"I doubt that many Catholic girls wish to be acquainted with Satan and the Angel of Death, darling, but I do appreciate the sentiment. I- Ow."
Ray-Ray, now stood by her brother's side, had just swiftly elbowed him in the ribs.
"Dude. Shut. Up."
"I should shut up? Apologies, little sister, I was under the impression today was national give away your angelic sibling's secrets day. Besides, is it my fault you haven't told her yet?"
"Well, excuse me for thinking she might need a little time to deal with the whole Dad is real thing first."
"Oh, of course. Which is why you decided that by the way, your good ol' pal Lucifer really is the Devil, was the next logical step to take..."
Ella shook her head, smiling at them both as they bickered. If she hadn't known they were brother and sister before, she certainly would now. Apparently, angels weren't all that different to humans after all.
She still couldn't quite believe it. They were angels. Her angels. Her friends. Her-
The smile slid off her face as Lucifer's words finally sank in.
She felt her eyebrows lift into the stratosphere as her mouth dropped open in shock. Focused solely on each other, neither angel noticed as she stared, wide-eyed, at Ray-Ray. At her friend who had always reminded her so much of herself. Tiny, geeky, and at first glance, totally unintimidating.
But appearances can be deceiving.
"Uh, guys?"
They either hadn't heard her or didn't care, continuing their argument as if she wasn't even there.
"GUYS?!"
Immediately the pair fell silent, both looking slightly ashamed as they directed their attention back to the human in the room.
"Are you quite alright, Miss Lopez?" Lucifer asked.
She swallowed, blinking a couple of times before answering.
"Me? Oh yeah. I'm fine."
Ray-Ray in particular appeared to be relieved at that.
"One question though…" she said, focusing on her oldest friend.
"You're the angel of freaking what now?"