Author's Note: Okay for my regular readers I have sort of restarted my own AU. It still involves Persephone but it's an alternate version. I hit a wall with the others. Eventually I will go back and continue the other stories. But for now I will work on this. This starts out five years ago when Lucifer and Maze left Hell. After having her sever his wings they seek help with the one person Lucifer can trust.
Five Years Ago.
The waves crashed upon the beach as a storm formed overhead. A lone man lies in the sand looking up at the clouds. He wore ragged clothes and greasy hair. His hands were folded atop his chest. For a moment he only heard the lifting breeze and the crash of the waves. Then he heard the sinister laugh of a man nearby.
Sitting up his eyes widened at the sight of a tall thin man with large white wings upon his back standing next to a woman with a disfigured face. He quickly got to his feet. The tall man looked at him and his eyes turned orange with fire. He let out a scream and tore off down the beach.
"We did it Maze." The tall man said to the woman. "We really did it." He cheered and danced around. He looked up at the sky and sneered. "You hear that old man. I did it." He threw up middle fingers on both hands and laughed loudly. Thunder shook the beach. The winged man flopped onto the sand and laughed some more. He threw it up and laughed as it rained down.
The disfigured woman watched him. Her face morphed into that of a beautiful woman. Tanned skin and a black hair. She smiled at her master as he relished in his freedom. She stood quietly looking around as he whooped and cheered. Sand raining down as he threw it in the air.
He then turned to her. His dark eyes peered into hers. He pulled out a curved knife. "I need you to cut them off." An accented voice quietly commanded. He held the knife out to her.
"Excuse me?" The woman asked.
"My wings. Maze, I need you to cut them off." He pleaded.
"Lucifer, are you crazy?"
"No, I don't need them. Please I beg of you." Lucifer said to her. He thrust the knife towards her hands.
Reluctantly she took the knife from his hands. Thousands of years she had served him. Done his bidding. Been his lover and confidant. She had always done everything that was asked of her. But this. This was madness. She watched as he took off his shirt and turned his back to her. His beautiful wings spread out before her. They glowed with a light not of this earth.
"I'm ready Maze." He said with an air of irritation.
She held up the knife. Her hands trembled as she stared at the point of connection. She closed her eyes for a moment.
"Hurry up Maze. Do it so we can get on with our lives." He commanded.
Maze took a deep breath. She watched as he took one too. She raised the curved knife and then brought it down onto the flesh of his back. It sliced easily through his flesh and bone. A cry of pain emitted from his lips as blood poured out of the wound. His left wing fell to the sand. He panted for a moment. "Get on with it." He said weakly.
Raising her hand again she brought the knife down on the flesh and it sliced through his skin and muscle. His cries roared across the beach as blood poured from both wounds. Then his right wing fell to the ground as he collapsed to the sand. Panting loudly.
Rain began to fall from the sky as she knelt beside him. Tears ran down his cheeks as he looked at her. "Thank you." He whispered to her.
The rain helped wash the blood from his back. "We need to get you someplace to recover." Maze said softly at his side.
"I know a place we can go." He tried standing up and fell. Blood still poured from his wounds as his wings twitched on the sand.
"The actress?" Maze asked with mild disgust in her tone.
"I know she will help." Lucifer responded. "Now help me up."
Maze rolled her eyes and helped Lucifer to his feet. He leaned against her. His wounds were slow to close as blood poured from his back. She needed to something to stem the flow or he wouldn't make it to the actress's house. She looked around and found a pile of raggedy blankets from the homeless man they had scared off. She scoffed at them but she had no choice. Picking up on though it was wet from the rain she pressed it to Lucifer's back. He winced and nearly fell to the sand again.
Wrapping another blanket around him she then placed her arm around him. "Come on." She whispered.
Together they trekked through Los Angeles looking for the actress's home. They found their way to Beverly Hills and in front of a stately home on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The sun was beginning to come up. The rain had stopped as had the bleeding on Lucifer's back. They walked through the open gate and up to the front door.
"I really wish she would keep her home more secure." Lucifer remarked as he rang the doorbell. "She complains people follow her and then leaves the front gate unlocked."
Maze rolled her eyes. Why he cared for this woman at all was beyond her. She remembered him pining for her. Helping her. Getting her the break she needed to become a big star. Then she broke his heart. But still he came back to her. They stood at the front door waiting. He rang the bell again.
Then they heard cursing as the locks were disengaged and the door swung open to reveal the face of a disheveled woman in a pink robe. Stringy blonde hair hung in her face. Blue eyes squinted at the two people on her porch. "Lucifer?" she asked.
"Hello Joanie." He responded. "I hate to drop in like this." He stumbled forward.
Joanie then noticed the bloody blanket he was wrapped in. And how he was leaning against the woman at his side. She recognized his demon. But she turned her blue eyes to Lucifer. "My god. Lucifer what happened?"
He smiled. "I have left Hell forever."
Joanie opened the door wider and beckoned him inside. She glanced again at the bloody blanket wrapped around him. She looked at Maze. "What happened?"
The demon sighed as she helped Lucifer into the stately home. It was dark inside. She turned to the blonde woman. "I cut off his wings."
"What?" Joanie asked loudly then covered her mouth. She looked at Lucifer. "Why would you do that?"
"Why for freedom, my dear." He grinned. "I left Hell and I never wish to return."
Joanie shook her head. She was well aware of who Lucifer was. The Devil himself. She didn't care. She loved him. They had known each other for many years. He had helped her get into show business. They had even been engaged to be married at one time. She leads him towards her bedroom. "Let's not wake her." She whispered.
"Probably a good idea. I would hate for the child to see me like this." He sat on her bed. "I am going to make a mess of your sheets." He smirked as Maze stood at the doorway.
Maze leaned against the doorframe. Her arms folded against her chest as she glared at the blonde woman standing in front of him.
Joanie shrugged her shoulders. "They are just sheets. I can buy more." She helped him unwrap the blanket. She winced at the jagged bloody wounds on his back. "What do I do?" she looked at Maze.
The demon shrugged. "Do you have bandages?"
Joanie nodded and walked into her bathroom. Maze walked over to Lucifer. He was staring out the large bay window at the brightening sky. She placed her hands on his chin. "I am going to go retrieve your wings from the beach before some hapless mortal happens upon them."
Lucifer nodded. "That is probably a good idea." He sighed. The pain was still searing through his body. It was not something the Devil was used to. Normally he was impervious to pain.
Maze leaned down and kissed him on the lips. Her black eyes looking into his. She then stood up and walked out of the room. He watched her leave. Then Joanie walked into the room and turned on the lights. He smiled at her. "Thank you for doing this."
Joanie sat beside him on the bed and unraveled the bandages. She also had something that looked like alcohol. "Will this stuff even work for you?" she asked. She looked at the wounds. Blood was seeping out and dripping down to the sheets. Sighing. "Come on let's go into the bathroom." She helped him to his feet. Her robe fell open slightly revealing her bare chest. Lucifer took notice.
"Nice." He remarked through the pain.
"Perv." Joanie snickered. They walked into the bathroom and she helped him sit on the edge of the large tub. She then walked over with a wet wash cloth. Tenderly she touched it to his back. He howled at the touch. "I'm sorry."
He panted. "No, it's alright." He gripped the sides of the tub. "Proceed"
Joanie continued to clean his wounds. Softly she sang as she worked. Her hands gentle as she then wrapped at bandage around him.
"Mom?" A young voice called from the bedroom. "Mom. Is everything alright?"
"Don't let her in here, Joanie." Lucifer said to Joanie. "Please. I don't want her to see me like this."
Joanie sighed and stood up looking at the wounded Devil. "She's your daughter Lucifer. She'll understand."
Lucifer shook his head. "Please, Joanie." He pleaded softly placing a hand on her arm.
Joanie nodded and headed to the door. "Everything is fine, Persephone. Go back to bed." She said to someone right outside the door.
"I thought I heard Daddy's voice." The young voice said to her mother.
Joanie shrugged. "You did. He isn't dressed. Okay. Go back to bed sweetie. We'll see you at breakfast."
"Okay Mom."
Joanie then closed the door and turned to Lucifer. She picked up the bloody wash rag and threw it in the trash. She then washed her hands. Sighing she put her hands on her back. "You are here to stay."
Lucifer nodded. "Yes. I'll look for my own place in the morning." He stood up slowly. He towered over Joanie as he looked down at her.
"Nonsense. You are hurt. You need to recover first. You can stay here as long as you need to. Persephone will be happy to see you and have you around." Joanie smiled up at him. Their eyes met. "Maze is welcome too. I know she isn't my biggest fan but she can stay."
The Devil placed his hand under Joanie's chin. Slowly he lowered his face to hers till their lips were touching. Joanie wrapped her arms around his waist mindful of his back. The held each other in a hot kiss before pulling back. "That's very generous of you." He said to her.
Joanie smiled and then placed her hand on his and lead him out of the bathroom. "I'll take you to the guest bedroom. I have to change the sheets now." She leads him down the hall quietly past their daughter's room. They entered the bedroom and Joanie helped him sit on the bed. She started to walk out only to have him pull her towards him. She stood over him. "What Lucifer?"
He only grinned up at her with those dark seductive eyes. How he wasn't doubled over in pain was beyond her. He pulled her closer to him. "Kiss me Joanie."
Joanie looked at him. "You are hopeless." She chuckled.
"Oh come now. I feel fine. I feel reborn. I wish to celebrate." He held her close. The warmth from her body was too much for him. Her breasts were right at eye level. He leaned forward and kissed her chest. One of his hands traced up her back and the other held her. His lips worked up her chest to her neck. She leaned down to allow him to kiss her lips.
"I don't want to hurt you." Joanie whispered.
"I'm immortal." He chuckled. "Please help me celebrate my freedom." He kissed her again. Deeper and more sensual. "The wounds don't even hurt." He looked up at her. "There is no one else I would rather celebrate with." He smiled at her. His dark eyes looking into her blue ones.
Joanie shook her head. "Okay Lucifer." She yelped as he pulled her down onto the bed. Their lips meeting as arms and legs wrapped around each other. He seemed unfazed by the wounds on his back as they turned up the heat and celebrated his freedom.