Three months after the big reveal…
Chloe and Lucifer walked into the police department, talking easily as they passed through the crowded lobby and made their way to Chloe's desk.
"Well, that makes another successful case closed," Lucifer said cheerfully. "Now let's get the paperwork out of the way, so you can go home, Detective."
Chloe sat down, still shocked at how dependable he had become over the last several months. "Lucifer, you don't have to stay, you've done plenty."
"Nonsense, I'm here, so hand me those forms," he insisted. He stripped off his jacket and sat down in the guest chair on the other side of her desk.
She handed him half the stack and got to work on her own papers. As she finished the last one, she glanced at him from under her lashes, "So, what do you have planned for this evening?"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing much," he said vaguely as he handed her his completed papers. "Well, that's it." He stood up quickly, and grabbed his suit jacket from the back of the chair. With a polite, "Good evening, Detective," he was gone.
Ella appeared next to Chloe, her eyes following Lucifer. "Has he been working out? That dude really knows how to wear a suit. The blue vest looks great on him and those long, lean legs in slacks. God!"
Chloe sighed and nodded in agreement.
Ella took a good look at Chloe's face and frowned, "Hey, what's wrong? I thought you and Lucifer had gotten past all the weirdness since the Pierce situation."
Chloe nodded at her friend, "Yeah, we're pretty much back to normal, except…"
Ella's eyes crinkled with merriment as she smiled in understanding, "Oh, you want to jump his bones, don't you?"
Chloe turned pink, "Ella, hush! It's not like that!"
Ella gave her a look of total disbelief, as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Chloe gave up and whispered irritably, "Okay, it is like that, and he hasn't tried anything since the night Pierce died. No passes, no offers of 'partners with benefits', nothing. For three years, I couldn't turn him off and now when I want something to happen, he's not cooperating. I think he may have stopped caring."
"No way," Ella insisted. "That guy is crazy about you. Maybe he's waiting for you to give him a sign?"
Chloe cocked her head, looking unconvinced, "Maybe…"
"Well good luck with that, girlfriend. I'm out of here."
"Me too. Thanks, Ella." Chloe grabbed her jacket and keys; maybe Lucifer did need her to take the lead. She shut down her computer, but instead of going home, she drove to Lux.
She found Lucifer on the balcony of his penthouse. Thankfully, he was alone. She walked through the living room to join him.
"You left quickly," she said with a smile.
"Well. The work was done. I don't want to be under foot, when I'm not needed," he said calmly.
"There are different kinds of need," she said trying for the light banter Lucifer used to supply.
He stared at her in confusion. "What do you mean, Detective?"
"Well, I know you have given me lots of time to adjust to the truth after, you know, seeing all of you… but I'm doing much better now."
She stared out at the view, "I want you to trust that I've come to terms with a lot of what you told me. I've set aside some of the big concepts for the sake of my sanity. But what you've shared about yourself has really helped me to figure you out. I know you aren't what books, movies, and fear portray. To me, you are a good person who had a really big fight with his Dad. I don't have any idea of how to process the fact that you are immortal or what that means to my relationship with you. I just have to treat you like the man I've come to know and trust. When I look at it like that, I can move forward.
She glanced at his face hoping to find some indication of how he felt, but he looked at her blankly, not understanding.
She forced herself to continue, "Lucifer, I would like a personal relationship with you again." She nervously avoided his gaze as she made her blunt request.
He gave her a look of astonishment. It had taken months to get her to relax around him. And despite being on his best behavior, her level of discomfort after learning the truth meant months of unhappiness for both of them. And during that time, he had once again come to believe that it was too dangerous for her to be special to him. His life on earth was complicated, with new enemies popping up at the most inconvenient times. He decided friendship was all he could allow between them.
Now she was saying she wanted him. His emotions clashed. Was this his Dad digging the pit a bit deeper for his second fall, or should he believe Linda, and go for what he wanted.
His mouth fell open and his heart thundered in his chest. He raised his eyebrows, "Well, I must say, you've taken me completely by surprise, Detective. I really thought you would be relieved that I no longer pester you for more than a working relationship."
He turned away from the view and walked back into the living room.
Chloe followed him, her stomach knotting at his unexpected response.
He guided her to the couch to sit next to her. He took her hand gently in his, surprised that she didn't jerk away from his touch, despite her words. "Chloe, I… care about you more that I can say, but you and I? It would be a mistake. I've told you I'm not worth it and after what happened with Pierce, you must agree."
Chloe shook her head, ready to argue.
Lucifer saw the look on her face and understood her boundless goodness would bind her to him even at the expense of her own peace. Apparently friendship wasn't working for her, and he couldn't bring himself to put her in danger by offering more.
He steeled himself to do something truly monstrous. If they couldn't stay in the friend zone, he had to get her out of his life. To do that, he had to hurt her and skirt the truth about his own feelings. This time it would be final. No going back like after Candy. No love for the Devil…
"Lucifer, it's not a mistake. I'm already committed to you. I can't turn my heart off. It doesn't work that way for humans."
He laughed; an amused, condescending sound. "You humans… so full of optimism." He shook his head, grinning, "Well I tried to be tactful, but you aren't getting it. It's just not going to work."
When she gave him a hurt look, he rolled his eyes dramatically, "Darling, I can't be a boyfriend."
She cocked her head to the side, eyes narrowed in confusion.
He almost reached for her, wanting to bring the light back into her eyes.
Instead, he gave her a look of total disbelief, "Did you really think that chaste kisses and hugs could be enough for me?" He laughed again, watching her carefully, "I take four or five people to bed every single night, and what I do to them to grant their desires would truly shock and disgust a repressed woman like you."
Lucifer kept his expression pleasant as he struck a final blow, "So scamper back to your daughter and your cold bed. I find I'm in the mood for an orgy tonight."
Chloe's whole body felt hot with disgrace. She was an idiot. The whole thing was a game to him. No wonder he hadn't ever slept with her. He found her pathetic and naïve; a novelty he no longer cared to explore.
She looked him in the eye, ready to tell him to go back to Hell, and that's when she knew. His own eyes were flooded with such pain and longing that Chloe flinched.
She let anger make her brave. "You jackass! You love me every bit as much as I love you. But you'll throw it all away because you don't think I'm strong enough to be with you."
Lucifer scooted back from her, secretly thrilled by her admission, but unwilling to put them back on a dangerous path, "No Detective. The Devil doesn't love."
He assured himself that he was technically telling the truth. He didn't love or care about anyone or anything while in Hell. But as Lucifer Morningstar, recent citizen of L.A., and partner to Chloe, he had discovered more feelings than he could handle.
He continued earnestly, "You were a puzzle to be solved."
Chloe stuck out her chin, frustrated by his attitude. "All right. Prove it. I think this is one of those moments when you're bluffing. I want one kiss to prove you feel nothing special for me."
Lucifer clenched his jaw and frowned, "Fine. If that's what it takes to get you out of here."
He shifted until his hip and leg were right next to hers on the couch and wrapped an arm around her waist. With his 'bad boy' persona firmly in mind, he gave her a sexy smile and kissed her as if she was nothing more than one of his many lovers. No reservation, no doubt, no feeling – just sex. He took her mouth, and then changed the angle of his head to use his tongue.
Chloe sighed and kissed him back, her arms going around him.
Nothing but Lucifer existed. The feel of his mouth opening to hers, his tongue tasting her, sent shockwaves through her body. Distantly, she became aware that she was being lifted onto his lap.
Lucifer cradled her, focusing on her mouth. He used every bit of skill he possessed, knowing it would overwhelm her. For long minutes it worked, but something inside him shifted as his own feelings began to take over.
He quickly realized his strategy was a mistake. Sex, for him, was exercise and release; fun yet somehow no longer fulfilling. Truth be told, his endless series of lovers was becoming rather taxing. He often felt empty and lonely after a night of lust.
Chloe was nothing like his sex partners. He never felt lonely when he was with Chloe. He forgot his original intent and gave in to the moment. He kissed her with all the emotions only she inspired. He shifted the tilt of his head to the opposite side and deepened the kiss, losing himself in her. Without conscious thought, one hand moved up into her hair and the other wrapped around her ribs to tease the edge of her breast. He began to ease her down onto the couch, intent on feeling more of her.
Her low moan jolted him back to reality; his own desires must not come before her safety. Disgusted with himself, he ordered his body to stop enjoying the situation.
He knew that his ridiculous plan could still work. All he had to do was stand up, appear totally unaffected, and make some kind of snarky comment. She would go. She would be safe. He almost made it.
As he moved to dump her off his lap, his long fingers caught in her braid. Chloe yelped in pain. Lucifer stilled immediately. "Chloe, I'm so sorry. Hold still while I get your hair free."
She watched his face as he concentrated on patiently and gently removing his hand from the tangled strands. He stroked her hair back into place and trailed his fingers across her cheek. "Better?" he asked softly.
Chloe gave him a smug smile. "See. You love me."
Lucifer sighed and ran a hand through his own hair. "I'm the Devil. You should be running away. But, you, Chloe Jane Decker are incredibly good which just makes this whole thing more difficult."
He gave her a sad smile, "I've tried to change, so perhaps I'm not what I was, but I'm certainly no angel either. My life is dangerous and seems to be getting more so. You need to take more time to know me as I really am and understand what it would mean to be involved. Will you continue to work cases with me and be content with that?"
She blinked, and pushed down her growing frustration with a sigh, "Yes, I want to keep working with you. And I understand that you are trying to protect me, or maybe yourself. But I can't promise I'll be content." She blushed bright red as she admitted, "After that kiss, I'll probably dream about you tonight."
Lucifer's body reacted, and for the first time, he found that to be a problem. He closed his eyes and rubbed his fingers across his forehead, willing the desire away.
It only took a second to school his features and open his eyes again, but Chloe noticed. She felt her heart thud against her chest as she waited to see what he would do.
When he continued to stare at her silently, she knew he was set on keeping his distance. Resigned to his stubborn protectiveness, she added grumpily, "Fine. We can work together, and take the time you are asking for, but I fell in love with you and that won't change."
She stood up feeling confident that given time, he would come around. And maybe she would try pursuing him, if she could find an instruction book for that sort of thing. With a slight wave of her hand, she turned to go, "See you tomorrow, partner."
Lucifer waited until she was out of the penthouse before he dared to breathe. He rubbed his eyes, rested his chin on his hand in thought and then looked upward.
"Dad, I don't know what your plan is, but I love her, so congratulations if that's what you wanted. But I can't be good enough for her. Any suggestions?"
He waited a moment, but when the silence of the penthouse became too much, he grimaced and shook his head in disgust, "I didn't think so."
He stood and walked to the bar to get a drink, unaware that a shooting star blazed across the night sky directly in view of his balcony. Oddly, this star seemed to be rising.