"So… Amenadiel?"

"Really my brother, and really an Angel, yes."

"Charlotte?"

"Is no relation to me whatsoever… but my Mother's spirit possessed her for a while. Pretty much as long as you've known her, in fact."

"..."

"Perhaps a story for another time."

"And Maze?"

"A demon. My bodyguard, originally."

The moment had broken after Lucifer's confession. Despite the fact that she'd taken his word at that point, Chloe was still struggling to accept it. She needed time to think about it all. So all she had was Lucifer's confirmation of a few statements he'd made long before. Then they'd both agreed she'd better go home and ask questions later.

Maze's car was in the driveway. Right. She was roomies with a demon.

Okay, Chloe Jane Decker. Stop. It. It didn't matter. Maze could be a demon or a person with an inclination to violence and trouble interpreting emotions. In the end, it came to the same thing. Maze channelling her violent tendencies into more or less helpful actions was her way of showing friendship, Chloe knew.

Yes, Chloe was roomies with a demon. A friendly one. Remember that, too.

There was another car in the driveway, too. Linda was still here.

When she entered, Maze and Linda were both on the couch in the living room, deep in conversation. Maze looked up when Chloe closed the door.

"Do I need to go hit someone, Decker?" she asked.

"Maze!" Linda's protest came pretty much at the same time.

Chloe shook her head. "No hitting necessary, Maze. I just… it's a lot to take in at once."

"He told you."

"He told me."

"About time." Maze held up the wine bottle that had been on the table. The bottle was empty, two glasses testament to where its contents had gone. "I think we need another one of these."

Chloe couldn't help a slight flinch when Maze passed right by her on her way to the fridge. Maze noticed. "On second thought, I need to do some research. Be in my room. Goodnight." She nodded at Linda and left.

Chloe took a few seconds to collect herself. Formalities first. "Thank you for coming by at no notice, Linda. You didn't need to stay this long."

Linda shook her head resolutely. "Not a problem." She sat up a little straighter, looking up at Chloe. "And I wanted to stay. I thought maybe you'd like someone to talk to. When Lucifer decides to open up, it can be… overwhelming."

Chloe stopped herself from snorting. She might be Lucifer's therapist, but poor Linda had no idea. "I guess you've heard some crazy things from him, too, right?" She took a seat in one of the chairs opposite the couch. "Tonight goes way beyond crazy, though."

Linda sat up straight, planting both her feet neatly together on the floor. She speared Chloe with a look over the rim of her glasses. "You misunderstand me, Chloe. I know." She sat back again, settling into the couch. "For what it's worth, you seem to be taking it a lot better than I did."

"Wh..." For a second, Chloe was lost for words. "He told you? And you believed it?" After all, Lucifer had been telling her from the beginning as well. And she hadn't believed a word of it.

"Well..." Linda half-shrugged. "Obviously not at first. But there was one time where I… pushed a bit too hard. He was very upset, and I asked him to drop the metaphor. Show me who he really was. And he did."

I think I broke my therapist. "I know when that was," Chloe said, only half her mind with the current conversation. Of course. She'd been pushing Lucifer to talk to Linda herself… so long as he talked to someone. He'd actually listened. "What made him so upset back then? I never found out."

Linda pursed her lips. "You'd better ask him that yourself." She took a deep breath. "We discussed all this during his sessions, you understand. Most of it falls under doctor-patient privilege. So I can't tell you much. But I can listen, if you'd like me to."

Oh, this was getting ridiculous. Chloe couldn't suppress a smile "Patient privilege. For..."

"For the Devil, yes." Linda's smile echoed her own. "As I was advised, he's no different from any other patient. If the personalities involved are a little... larger…" She shrugged once more. "The need for a confidante is that much greater." She straightened her glasses. "I've found that advice to be sound."

"Good point." Looking back, Lucifer had been telling the literal truth a lot of the time. But everyone around him had interpreted it as either sarcasm or delusion. It was the perspective shift that was proving difficult. "Who came up with that one?"

"Maze, as it happens." Linda's eyes went in the direction of Maze's bedroom door. "I'm glad I pushed, Chloe. It wasn't easy to get my head around, but at least now I understand the world I'm in a little better."

And Chloe was also in that world. Had been, for a long time now, and she wouldn't want to do without Lucifer, anyway. Lucifer had shown his willingness to explain it. She'd allowed herself to believe in it. Now it was time to also accept it.

"Yes, we should talk."