A/N: I got this idea while rewatching Lucifer and it wouldn't leave me alone. This one will be shorter than Better the Devil You Know but should end up being pretty substantial if I can get my thoughts down on paper. Let me know what you think and thanks for reading!

"Ok Beelzebub," Chloe laughed, her hand wrapped around a cool bottle of beer. "I'll play, why did you 'fall from heaven'?"

Lucifer shot her a flat look from the barstool next to her in Lux, taking a sip of his scotch before answering. "If you're going to start using pet names I much prefer Old Scratch."

"Sorry," she snorted, the detective in an uncharacteristically good mood after solving their recent case. "Old Scr- No. I can not call you that with a straight face. Lucifer, why did you 'fall'?" She took another sip and lifted her arm to the counter, her hand cradling her cheek as she waited for his answer.

"I can hear the quotation marks your insinuating," he began before shrugging and finishing his drink in one long swallow. "It's simple really, I didn't want to be told what to do anymore. I wanted to be the one bossing others about."

Chloe nodded in understanding as she finished her beer. "So you wanted to be in control. Basically you're a control freak."

"No!" he denied, his amusement growing the longer he stared at her. "I felt I could be a better leader, rule with a firmer hand and the bastard threw me out because of it. I was showing initiative!" he cried, pleading his case.

The blonde detective hid her smile behind her hand and smothered it with a cough, this man was ridiculous. Did he honestly believe all the nonsense he spewed or was he just this committed to jerking her chain? "The same thing could be said for Hitler."

He threw up his hands and pursed his lips, "Oh now you're just being rude."

Chloe threw her head back and laughed, her hand clutching his forearm involuntarily. The man had a way that was so obnoxious in one moment, and totally hilarious in the next. He actually looked offended at her comment but it quickly dissolved into an easy chuckle at her enjoyment of the conversation. The two were enjoying themselves, smiles adorning both their faces as they chatted, small touches and innocent flirtations filling the lulls in conversation, both blissfully unaware of the pair of eyes watching them.

An arm suddenly slid across Lucifer's shoulders and a body pressed against him in an oddly protective manner, the man not seeming surprised in the slightest. "Someone wants to talk to you by the entrance," Maze explained, her body relaxed and expression sincere, completely ignoring the other woman.

"No rest for the wicked, Maze keep the detective company," he ordered before disappearing into the crowd, smiling salaciously at a passing blonde and winking at a brunette.

The moment he disappeared Maze's expression transformed into something darker, her eyes narrowing and her smirk melting into a sneer. "Stay away from him."

Taken back at her tone and words Chloe jerked back and scoffed. "What? I mean I know you don't like me but its not like we're having sex. Plus I'm sure you two have some weird role play thing going on anyway."

Maze bent down so they were face to face, their noses almost touching. "I wouldn't care if it was just sex but he's drawn to you. He likes you and I'm telling you this right now, this will end badly."

"I'm not attracted to him so no need to worry," she bit out sarcastically, forcing herself to not react. Everything in her was screaming to push back but she refrained. "We only work together, is he not supposed to have friends?"

"I hope you're a better detective than a lair," Maze spat before pulling back with a glare. "Heed my words Decker."

Confused and more than a little uncomfortable at the change in atmosphere the detective grabbed her keys and turned to leave, only to find herself mere inches away from the man they had been discussing. He looked at the metal in her hand and disappointment flashed in his eyes, his eyebrows lifting in a wounded fashion. "Leaving so soon Detective?"

"It's late," she offered, noticing for the first time just how long and dark his lashes were. "I still need to get home to Trix."

"Ah yes, the offspring." He seemed to easily accept the answer, which was mostly true, and his stormy expression cleared. "Well then I suppose you'll be in touch, after all you can't solve crime without me apparently."

Chloe rolled her eyes but her small smile dimmed its effects. "You're right, I'm completely incompetent when not in your care."

"Don't be hard on yourself, it's only at work," he grinned. "I could fix that though."

She walked past him, ignoring the comment and moved towards the exit but spun at the last moment. "Are you and Maze together?"

"Sexually you mean?" he clarified, no shame present in his tone or face. "No, our relationship is more of a familial nature." Curiously he asked, "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," she said distractedly before turning and leaving.

"We got a case."

Lucifer rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up in bed, the dark sheets pooled on his lap as he held the phone to his ear squinting against the rising sun peeking through his windows. "Yes good morning to you too," he rumbled, his voice thick with sleep. He could practically hear the eye roll through the phone.

Chloe suppressed a shiver at the sound of his scratchy and unused voice and cleared her throat. "So sorry. Good morning Lucifer, how are you today? Would you like to join me in solving a homicide?"

He grinned; she was such a little firecracker and so adorably sarcastic. It was easy to get her riled up. "Now, was that so hard?"

"I'm hanging up now."

"Pick me up in twenty," he instructed before mulling it over. "Actually let's do thirty, you being polite isn't the only thing hard this morning."

"You're so gross. I'll be there in fifteen."

Exactly fifteen minutes later Chloe pulled up and honked, startling the man leaning against the building holding a cigarette only a few feet away. He wanted to aggravate her further but had a strong suspicion he would be left at the curb if he did so.

He tossed down the stick from between his fingers and slid in to the car, fixing his jacket as not to wrinkle it. "You're quite testy today, any particular reason?"

"No," she answered flatly. There was a reason though and it was sitting right next to her drumming its fingers on its knees in blissful ignorance. Last nights conversation with Maze had kept her up all night, tossing and turning. She didn't think she was actually attracted to Lucifer but once the idea was in her head she couldn't seem to get it out. He drove her crazy, was so obnoxious she wanted to punch him at least once daily, and was the worst womanizer she had ever met. He was inappropriate at the most inopportune times and had absolutely no filter. For some reason though, she kept going back to him, calling him, drinking with him.

"I have a way that's guaranteed to make you smile but I feel you're not going to like it so I won't offer. Instead, what's the case?"

This she could talk about. Safe ground. "A man was found dead in an apartment near downtown. No wallet, no identifying information, and the man who owns the apartment has never seen him before. They're running prints right now."

Lucifer nodded attentively, "Sounds boring."

She wanted to chide him for being so crass but why bother, he was just going to do it anyway. "Well I'm sure you can find something to entertain you, maybe next time I'll bring coloring books."

"Speaking of childish things how is the offspring? Has she learned any new tricks?" he asked nicely, as if this was a normal way to ask about someone's child.

Chloe really wanted to hit him today. "No Lucifer, she hasn't learned any new tricks because she's a person and not a dog. Unlike you."

"Would you like to see me beg?" he smirked.

Seeing the crime scene ahead Chloe slammed on the breaks, taking satisfaction in the way he barely caught himself before smashing into the windshield. Not waiting for him to recover she jumped from the car and quickly walked to the apartment entrance, ducking down a hallway and approaching the door to the murder scene. Lucifer of course was mere inches behind her, damn his long legs.

Lucifer looked down at the murdered man with a detached expression, his eyes scanning for any clue as to how he ended up here. "Doesn't look like he could afford living here, poor chap's worn through the soles of his shoes."

"You're right," she agreed and looked over to the medical examiner. "Found any tattoos or marking that we can use to help identify him?"

The man shook his head, "Nothing. I can tell you cause of death was a knife straight to the heart. Long, thin blade. I don't have a length yet." He reached behind him for a baggie and handed it over, "Here's what he had on him."

Lucifer peered over her shoulder when she slipped on gloves and emptied the bag to look at the contents. Her fingers gently sifted though miscellaneous items before pausing and staring at the heavens for strength. "Lucifer," she ground out. 'Could you please stop breathing down my neck? I can smell the liquor and nicotine you had for breakfast."

"Well then stop hogging the evidence!" he argued, stepping back only a hair. "There, what's that?" he asked, reaching around her to point at a small silver item.

She plucked the object he was pointing to out of the rest and held it up, "Looks like some sort of religious medal."

"St. Dymphna," Lucifer offered immediately, still standing unprofessionally close. "Patron saint of victims of incest, psychiatrists, and the mentally ill."

Chloe's brow furrowed, "And how do you know that?" At his raised eyebrows and expectant expression she sighed. "Right, you're the devil."

He thrust his hands into his pockets and smiled, "Exactly. So based off his less than tidy appearance we can assume he's not a doctor, and I'm no expert on humans but I wouldn't suspect that a victim of incest would want to carry around something reminding them of it on a daily basis. So- cuckoo it is."

"That," she started skeptically before quieting. "-actually makes sense. So now we need to see what nest our cuckoo flew away from."

"Maze," Lucifer barked into the empty club and waited impatiently for her to emerge from the shadows. She slithered out smoothly and crossed her arms waiting for him to continue. "Did you say something to the Detective the other night?"

Her lip curled and eyes narrowed, her good mood vanishing. "Why?"

"She asked me the nature of our relationship."

"So?" she asked in exasperation, walking behind the bar and pouring them both a drink.

"So," he mimicked, grabbing the offered drink. "The question came after you called me away to speak to a non-existent person. I'm not stupid Maze and I don't much like being treated like it."

The demon shrugged and took a gulp of the burning liquid, "We had a girl-to-girl chat. Nothing to worry about." When he didn't look convinced she walked around to him and grabbed him around the waist, looking up with a way too innocent expression. "I have a gift for you."

Despite his reservations his eyes brightened, boyish excitement covering his handsome face as he hurriedly finished his drink. "Go on."

"It's upstairs," she smirked and released him.

He happily set down his glass and trotted half way up the stairs before pausing, spinning around with a massive grin, "Does this gift involve sins of the flesh?"

She licked her lips. "Always."

As soon as he entered the elevator Maze let out a frustrated growl, gulping down the rest of her bourbon and throwing the glass down on the floor, glass shards flying everywhere. Everything had been going perfectly, Lucifer was living the high life, not forming any sort of attachments and Maze made sure that he never had to deal with anything that wasn't easy and pleasure filled. His life was a constant party, everything he could ever want at his fingertips, everybody he could ever want kneeling before him, which he deserved after-

She shook her head, not going there.

There was no way in hell she was going to allow Chloe Decker to destroy what they had built. The woman was too intelligent, to cunning, and constantly searched for the truth in everything. Why couldn't he have latched onto some dumb hooker who only wanted him for his money? How did he manage, with his total lack of finesse, to catch the eye of someone who actually liked him for his personality?

She stared unseeingly at the elevator he had entered, her mind wandering. The sad thing was that he deserved someone like Chloe, someone honest and kind, someone that could keep up with his overbearing personality, someone that could hold him at night and keep up with his exuberance during the day. But that could never happen. People were naturally curious and eventually something would slip, an offhand comment, a photograph she had forgotten to burn, something and when it did, it would bring down his entire world.