"Now you know."
Maybe she wasn't all aware that she had moved a considerable distance after he showed his wings. Truth be told, Chloe was terrified but she can't freak out right now.
"It's alright, Detective. You don't have to force yourself to stay." Lucifer slid back down and made himself comfortable. It's only a matter of time now. He briefly closed his eyes and waited for her to walk away, but the mattress dipped at her weight. "Why are you still here?" He asked in disbelief.
"We're partners, Lucifer." She said simply.
"Thank you."
"Do me a favor?"
"Ooh, whatever you desire, Detective." There's that lecherous grin again despite his condition. The guy never lets up.
"Could you not die, please?"
"Ah," Before he could respond, Maze made an appearance and interrupted their conversation.
"You shouldn't be here, Decker. You're making it worst." The demon stated as if it was a known fact.
"What do you mean?"
Lucifer glared at his former general while Chloe waited for an explanation. Maze had clammed up at the moment so she turned her attention back to her partner for answers.
"What does she mean?"
"Ugh," The devil groaned but proceeded to explain anyway. "You make me vulnerable in the literal sense."
The blonde shifted uncomfortably by his bedside and tried to process his exact words.
"So you mean, I caused this? You got wounded because I was there?"
"No," Lucifer immediately responded. "This wound was caused by a weapon, not of this earth. It's fatal for celestial beings and demons alike, except for a certain immortal. But yes, technically, if you were in range, I'd be susceptible to human weapons. Anyway, Detective, could you give us a minute?"
Chloe hesitated for a bit but nonetheless complied. Amenadiel led her to the elevator and asked her to wait at the club instead. Once she was out of sight, Lucifer addressed his demon.
"Perfect timing, Mazikeen." The words of the former Lord of Hell dripped with sarcasm. "way to ruin the moment."
Maze scoffed at this, crossed her arms and replied, "Why are you more concerned about 'ruining the moment'? You're dying."
"Yes, I'm aware, thank you." The devil hissed when he moved up slightly, causing some pressure on his wound.
"What's your plan?"
"I certainly wasn't planning on getting killed."
The bounty hunter rolled her eyes at the club owner. A raised brow was it all it took for Lucifer to answer seriously.
"I was gonna pop back down to Hell and heal myself," His right-hand demon interrupted yet again before he could finish.
"Heal yourself how?"
"Well, I've kept something in my chambers, but I'm too weak to get there."
"That, and you might get attacked. You've been gone for too long, Lucifer."
"Which leaves me no choice but to 'die'"
"Okay. And how, exactly, are you going to get your ass back to the mortal plane?"
"I don't know. Revive me or something."
"Not with that wound though. How about option C? Get Amenadiel to beg one of your siblings to heal you. He owes you anyway."
"Whatever do you mean?"
"I gave him one of your feathers that time when he was wounded..."
"How'd you even get a hand on my," He briefly paused and puts it together "Of course. When you cleaned up the mess from the beach."
"I thought we could use it to go home."
"Well. Wasn't it paid in full already? He stopped time to save Linda and gave me an opportunity to whisk Mom away to another universe. A favor for a favor."
Maze nodded in agreement, she almost forgot about that little fact.
"So you're just gonna die then?"
"I'm not exactly doing a happy dance, am I?"
Downstairs at the club...
Chloe helped herself with a glass of scotch because what else can she do? It was a lot to take in, having found out that Lucifer is really the devil, but it felt like she knew all along. She just wasn't ready before, or it could be that she was waiting for him to tell her everything. Or wait, he did tell her, except she required proof.
Chloe felt a slight chill when a gust of wind blew in her direction. What the heck though?
She turned and saw a figure standing in the middle of the staircase that led to the private elevator. Out of habit, her hands landed on her sidearm but she quickly straightened when she saw said figure turned and showed his face.
"Lucifer?"
'Lucifer' merely reacted to the namesake and instead gave her an inquisitive look.
"You're okay," Chloe inched closer to her partner who still looked like he hasn't seen her in ages. Then she stopped. This 'Lucifer' sported some kind of greyish robe and not the usual three-piece suit. His hair was different too.
"Who are you?" She finally asked as she took a step back.
"I'm not Lucifer."
"Yeah, figured that one out," She retorted. "Not gonna ask again"
"Michael." His accent was a bit different than Lucifer's, but essentially both men sounded the same. Michael could have easily fooled her.
"How did you...nevermind. Are you here to help him?"
"Yes," The archangel answered begrudgingly. If anything, helping his twin was the last thing he wanted to do. However, a direct order from God was one he cannot defy. For him, the Almighty's word was absolute. "I'm only here to heal his body. He has to get out of Hell by himself."
"You mean he…?"
"Yes, he just crossed the threshold."
"You couldn't have come by sooner? Like, before he died?"
Michael smirked at the human who dared to speak to an archangel with such a tone.
"Loopholes, Miss Decker. I'd much prefer if he stayed downstairs anyway."
Asshole.
Chloe muttered under her breath and the archangel just lifted his brow, unperturbed. He looked up briefly and breathed out.
"Done," Michael told her and he left almost as soon as he arrived.
If it was up to her, she'd come up with plans of giving him a proper funeral because that's one of the things a grieving person does to a recently deceased loved one. But, due to circumstances, all she could do is wait.
Maze shows up just when the detective was about to go back upstairs.
Why is it raining? It's summer in Los Angeles with zero probability of precipitation, but it's quite a downpour outside. It would seem that the sky is also mourning Lucifer. He really is the son of God who was exiled and made to rule Hell.
And as the Lord of Hell, he should be able to come back whenever he pleases. That's right. Or maybe I'm going insane.
"Tell me the truth, Maze. Is he ever coming back?"
The demon crinkled her brows, wondering how her roommate knew Lucifer passed on.
"He should've done so by now. He's probably trapped. I'd get him but I can't. Now you seem more inclined to believe he's the real deal, why?"
"Other than him showing his wings? I don't know. I don't know what's real anymore. It...I'm overwhelmed by all this, honestly. What can I do?"
"Let me torture that son of a bitch. He can take it, you know. Cain is immortal but human. The bastard would feel everything but he won't die, I promise."
"Will that bring Lucifer back?"
"No, it won't."
"Then it's useless."
"To me, it isn't. Not after what he did."
It's not like Maze needed Decker's permission to do what she pleases. Unbeknownst to the Detective, Marcus Pierce was already chained in one of the hidden rooms inside Lux. The demon had snatched him when he left the precinct.
"I saw Michael."
Chloe said out of the blue as she walked back towards the bar and the information greatly concerned the demon.
"What did you say?"
"Lucifer's twin brother, Michael. He was just here. Told me he was 'tasked' to help Lucifer."
"Right. As if I'd believe that bullshit. Although, if it was God's command," Maze had managed to grab the shot glass from Decker's hand and gulped down its contents.
"It is. At least that's what he told me."
"Hmmm. Good. One less problem." The bounty hunter placed the now empty glass on the bar and pulled her phone. She fired off a quick text to Linda to which the latter replied almost instantly.
The blonde meanwhile couldn't bring herself to ask the question or even entertain the idea of her consultant's untimely demise.
"Don't worry, Chloe. I'm sure he's doing everything he can. I think you should head home for a bit, you look really exhausted."
"I'll stay until he wakes up."
"Suit yourself," Mazikeen raised both her hands up at Decker's stubbornness, although she's grateful that her roommate's brain stayed intact...for now. Anyway, so much punishment to be delivered. "Linda should be here in a few minutes. Assuming that stinking archangel Michael already did his thing, we need the doctor's medical experience to revive Lucifer."
For the first time, Chloe cracked a smile.
"Okay. Good. Is there anything else I can do?"
"Nah. Stay put and we'll all be dandy. Anyway, I have got to go. I have a few important things to take care of now that this," She gestured with her hands "has been sorted out. Who knew the Almighty actually cared if His son lived or die? " Or Lucifer may have made another deal. The demon doesn't say out loud.
Chloe's phone started vibrating and this distracted her. Maze just up and left her on her own.
"Hey, Chloe," Dan started. "How's Lucifer?"
And the blonde had to pause. She can't tell her ex-husband that her partner is dead, let alone the actual devil.
"He's out for the count," She explained, not exactly a lie. "But he's going to be fine," She added, although it's still debatable. Who knows what's happening with him in Hell. Chloe felt a headache coming on just trying to grasp every bit of truth she's now beginning to accept. "I'll stay here until he regains consciousness. What about the lieutenant?"
"Spoke with him earlier, he's not gonna press charges or anything."
"Where's he now?"
"I think he went home. That was some brutal beating from Maze, remind me to never get on her bad side."
Chloe chuckled. "Kiss Trixie for me, okay?"
"Don't worry, I got your back."
"Thanks, Dan."
In Hell, Lucifer was led to the door where Uriel is. Somewhere deep down, the devil still felt guilty for taking his younger brother's life, rather, existence, but he's more focused on getting back so he bid the fake Uriel farewell and opened the door.
Now that he's not drawn to any of the cells, all he had to do was go back to the mortal plane. And that was the tricky part. His link to his corporeal form had been severed, probably due to its weakened state. The devil sighed, and for some reason, he looked up as if asking for a hand.
"A little help here?" He addressed the statement to no one in particular but he hoped someone will bloody answer.
At the torture chamber…
Marcus woke up with a headache, found out his wrists were bound by shackles. He groaned when he realized his arm was twisted at an odd angle and his best guess was that his captor dragged him mercilessly.
"Ah, it's you again."
"Of course. I told you, we weren't done. You and I are going to have so much fun."
"Go right ahead. It's not like I have anything better to do."
"Well, if you insist."
Maze cupped Cain's chin as blood steadily flowed beneath his feet, having been whipped several times over.
"What did you want with Lucifer?"
"I just wanted to die, alright? I've been trying since the bronze age. Torture me all you want, kill me even. The wounds will just heal and I'd still be here."
"Too bad Azrael's blade is no longer in this universe. It would've done the trick. But where's the fun in that? You deserve to suffer. You got exactly what you deserve."
"Haven't I suffered enough?"
"Frankly, I don't really care. All I know is that you had it coming." The demon grinned maniacally and proceeded to stab him.
Lucifer gasped as Linda lifted the portable defibrillator pads off his chest. His color finally returned but his eyes were still unfocused. The therapist advised to let him rest for a little while reminding everyone again that she wasn't that kind of doctor.
"Look who's back." Chloe teased, hand over his. Lucifer wasn't expecting to see her again but whatever works, right?
"How long was I out?"
"A few hours."
"It felt like a thousand years. While I think that it has been riveting, let's not do it again."
"Great idea."
A few days later and he's up and about again, with fewer appearances in the LAPD precinct to give Chloe some space, even though she didn't really ask.
Lucifer took note of every movement she does, how she flinched or how her eyes went wide every time she saw him. He surmised she's still trying to get used to all the information and proof she'd been presented with, and that's alright with him. Chloe fared better than Linda at the revelation, but it was probably due to him showing his wings instead of the devil face. Either way, proof of the divine would have driven anyone mad.
With no request from the detective for a case, he puts his palms together and called his brother.
Michael arrived at the penthouse and was quickly offered a drink by Lucifer to which the former refused.
"I know you were just following orders like the tool you are," The devil started. Michael kept his face stoic. "Nevertheless, thank you, brother. You know I never want to owe anybody,"
Michael interjected, "And you know what I will ask of you, brother."
Lucifer nodded, "You know my response won't be favorable to you. I'm not going back to that damned place."
"I know. Too bad I can't really forge a deal with you."
"What do you mean?"
"I was only an emissary. I did it because Father asked me to. If you owe anyone, it would be Him." Michael unfurled his wings. "If there's nothing else, I have more important things to do."
Lucifer shook his head in annoyance. Michael was a man of few words, always direct to the point, and that was one of the Lightbringer's favorite thing about his brother; except said older brother followed orders down to the letter.
A week later after the devil's ordeal, almost everything was back to normal. The Detective was still a little off but it was to be expected, so he maintained a safe distance, didn't show up unannounced unless she asked.
Usual activity at the early hours in the club and he spotted Maze lurking in the corner. It wasn't unusual per se, but wasn't she preoccupied with her bounty hunting stint?
"Maze!" He called on the ex-bartender. "You've been hanging out a lot in Lux, not that I mind but don't you have any bounties to catch?"
"I handed the perp to the cops a few days early."
The demon looked suspicious enough that he knew something was definitely up.
"Out with it, Mazikeen."
The demon simply rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Come with me."
Lucifer knew where they were headed and he wasn't a surprise to see Cain chained to the wall, blood splatters everywhere. More than splatters actually. The amount of accumulated blood in there could literally paint the town red.
"Ugh, Maze! Look at this mess!" He wasn't really referring to the chamber but the mess it made on his expensive attire. "Let him go at once!"
"But I'm not done with him!" Maze glared at her former master.
"You will never get done with him, Mazikeen. He's immortal."
"It's a lot of fun though!"
"Let him go, Maze. And clean up this mess."
"After what he did to you?"
"I haven't forgotten. But this method won't work."
"Then you release him."
"Ugh!" Lucifer groaned as his right-hand demon made her way past him.
The devil unclasped the chains and let the first murderer drop to the floor.
"Good, you're alive," Marcus stated as he rested his back against the wall, unable to stand up due to his legs being broken.
"I am. Now, go up the penthouse and fix yourself. You're atrocious. And then we'll talk about how we can help each other."
Lucifer said as he wiped his hands to get the bloodstains off.
"You want to help me?" Cain sighed, coughed up more blood, one eye swollen shut. This was nothing compared to everything else he has tried. The devil's proposition was incredulous at best, but he'll take his chances.
"Why not? I'm a giver, damn it!"
"Right. Give me a few hours to shake all this off and then we'll talk."
"Lovely. Wait, what about the precinct? Won't they look for you?"
"Your demon had that covered, had me call up my superiors; I was supposed to be in a month-long conference in Vancouver."
"Ah, love that Maze. Well, take all the time you need."
A/N: The End! Sorry it took a while, been busy :(