A/N: Thank you all for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and alerting! Continuance of last chapter.
When Lucifer reentered the house Chloe was nowhere in sight and he looked around wondering where she could have gone off to. She wasn't in the living room, on the back porch, or the bedroom but he and Douche had been outside so there was no way she could have left. "Detective?" he called out.
"In here."
His brows drew together as he walked back to the bedroom where it seemed the muffled voice was coming from, looking around and not seeing her anywhere. The closet door cracked open and he jumped in surprise before leaning over and grabbing the handle. The laugh came out before he could stop it. "What are you doing on the floor in the closet?"
Chloe sniffled and wiped at the tears cascading down her cheeks. "I don't know! I don't know anything anymore!"
He sat down on the edge of the bed and rested his elbows on his knees, fingers intwined between them. "Detective come out of the closet." At his own words he swallowed a chuckle and repeated them again, a small giggle escaping this time. "Just come out of the closet. No one's judging you for being in there."
"You're not funny," she choked but did smile weakly. "And I'm not coming out. I'm staying in here forever."
Standing and moving to the doorway he leaned against it and looked to the corner where she was nestled in numerous blankets and pillows. "You've created a nest," he smirked, his smile vanishing only a second later. "It's not in an egg right? You're not going to lay an egg? Is the nest normal? Is this the nesting phase?"
A pillow to the face was her reply. "No Lucifer! I'm not a damn bird and it just felt safe and warm in here-"
"Like a nest," he shrugged.
"-so I decided to stay and now I don't want to leave. It's stressful out there and Dan was right and-"
"No," Lucifer immediately interrupted, voice firm. "There was nothing for him to be right about, or you wrong. He expressed his thoughts and feelings, not facts." Pushing himself off the frame he asked, "Would you like me to stay any longer or would you like me to leave you to your aerie as your ponder about your future eaglet?"
"I've been promoted from a dog then?" she laughed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
"You have, congratulations. I felt you've earned it." He waited patiently for Chloe to make up her mind about him staying or leaving and he didn't really mind because seeing her in the closet under the mounds of linens was the most humorous and cutest thing he had ever seen.
"Could you stay, please?" she asked quietly and pulled her blankets back a few inches off the ground.
His face fell, finger pointing to the other side of the closet in disbelief. "In there? You want me to sit in the closet with you?" She looked up and nodded and with a sigh he crammed himself into the opposite corner, knees around his elbows and shoulders hunched.
The blonde covered her mouth to hide her smile, he looked so uncomfortable and smashed between the walls, clothes in front of his face and behind his head. He was being so attentive and caring, far surpassing her expectations. Even now not once did he complain and after a small while she took pity on him. "Do you want to come over to my side?"
His hand flew to his chest, jaw dropping. "Am I worthy of entering such an exquisite display of cushioned construction?"
All thoughts about the stress of earlier were gone and she shifted and half climbed over him so he could stretch out his legs from the comfy and padded side of the small enclosed space. Once he was settled Chloe climbed back over and sat between his legs, back of her head resting on his chest and arms resting on his thighs.
Lucifer could see why she liked it in here, it was quite warm and comfy and with Chloe nestled so closely he felt quite content. In fact his eyes were starting to close and his breathing was slowing and if Chloe could just sit still he might be able to sleep. "Stop moving, you're going to give me a hard on."
She laughed and finally settled after he propped a knee up and she turned onto her side, knees tucking under his raised one. "Lucifer."
"Bloody hell," he whispered before asking normally, "Yes. Detective?" He winced when she moved again and her elbow stabbed him in the hip, wondering what she was doing now. His hand was grabbed from its spot on the floor and shoved to her stomach, not letting up.
"Don't freak out."
"Why would I-" Something under his hand moved. He tried to pull away but Chloe held his hand firmly against her stomach. "Is it trying to escape? I can't just hold it in there forever," he cried. "You lied didn't you, about the popping? Can we use some sort of tape?"
Chloe let her head fall back on his chest and laughed. "You're such a disaster." It took a minute to get herself under control and she grabbed his other hand and held both to her stomach. "He's not trying to escape, he's just moving." Her voice quieted and she removed her hands from his. "That's your baby boy."
It was still weird as fuck, regardless that it was his owl pellet baby. It took some doing to not jerk his hands away and force her and the thing away from the blanket nest but he got control of himself and tried to get what she wanted him to out of it. Whatever the hell that was. "All I'm picturing is that thing we saw at the physicians office. Is this a foot I'm feeling or some random extra appendage?"
"The baby doesn't have extra appendages Lucifer. Look, just close your eyes and relax, and focus." She gave him a minute to do as she asked before continuing. "That's you son. Your child. That's a life that you helped create that you can actually feel. That's proof that your little boy is alive and healthy."
It was quiet, Chloe knowing he needed time to think about everything she said and she knew it would click.
Or not.
"All that's proof of is that there's something in there, what has yet to be determined. Perhaps if you hadn't shook him all up he-"
Chloe stopped listening to him rant because Lucifer had just given away more than he realized. This was the first time he had referred to the baby by gender, meaning he was finally starting to view it as a human being. This was huge. Oddly comforted by his outlandish words she closed her eyes and snuggled closer, falling asleep in minutes.
When morning finally came it took Chloe a minute to figure out where she was. There were blankets and pillows everywhere, clothes above her, and a sleeping man as close as close can be. The closet, that's where she was. In the nest.
The room's other occupant mumbled something illegible and moved his leg, Chloe noticing it was between hers. In fact they seemed to be wrapped around each other as much as physics would allow. Her face was against his soft shirt, hand on his sharp hipbone and the other tucked between the buttons and touching his stomach, and legs straddling one of his. She couldn't have moved if she tried with his arm wrapped tightly around her, hand splayed over her stomach. Goodness did she just want to lay like this all day but she really needed to pee.
Lucifer awoke to Chloe shifting and pushing and climbing on top of him, which normally would have been a splendid way to wake up but she seemed desperate not horny and the knee to his ribs didn't exactly put him in the mood. "What are you doing?" he grumbled, almost getting kicked in the face.
"Trying to pee."
His eyes flew open, "Not in here you're not!"
1,2,3,4- "Not preferably, but if you don't help me get the hell out of here I may." She was shoved from the space, stumbling on her hands and knees and after using the bed to help her up hurriedly entered the bathroom.
Lucifer yawned and tried to stretch but it wasn't working. Fighting his way through the pillows and blankets he entered the bedroom and stood, arms lifting over his head and fingertips resting on the ceiling. Popping a piece of gum in his mouth to stave off the need for a morning cigarette he pulled open the blinds and looked out over the sand and water. An absolutely beautiful day, which was good because the top wasn't on the convertible.
"Trix will be here soon."
He turned with a smile but jerked and grimaced at the rat's nest on her head, schooling his features before she could notice. "Well then you should shower and brush your hair."
"Ok," she said slowly at his wide eyes. "I have the day off and I'll tell her about everything on my own so if you want to go you can."
"Are you throwing me out?" he scoffed.
She laughed and pushed him towards the door, "Go be you today and thanks for staying last night."
He straightened his shirt and stepped out into the hallway. "I hope you enjoyed my company because I'm never coming over again. You stuck me, your houseguest, in a closet and are sending me out into the world without nourishment after subjecting me to touching whatever the hell you're carrying. You're a horrid host."
Chloe grinned and shooed him away, "Yeah well this isn't the Ritz your highness."
"Obviously," he countered and was just about to leave before his eyes drifted to her breasts and he held up his hands, wiggling his fingers. "Can I just have a good squeeze before I set off?"
"Lucifer!"
With a smirk he trotted down the stairs only to have the door swing open and the spawn run in, him jumping back when she excitedly shouted, "Lucifer!" He tried to stop her, lifted his knee and turned away, but she still attached herself around his waist and smiled up at him. "Did you and mommy have a sleepover?"
"Yes, we did actually," he answered and managed to pry her off of him.
Chloe appeared and smiled happily at her daughter, "Hey Trix, how was the sleepover?"
"Fun. Lucifer said you two had a sleepover too." Chloe glared at him, he just stared back from his spot by the door having no idea what the problem was. Trixie moved over to her mom and pulled on her arm before whispering. "Does he know you're going to have a baby?"
Lucifer instantly began laughing, Chloe going white and looking down at her daughter. "Wh- Trix did somebody tell you that?"
"It's kind of hard not to notice mommy," she said sheepishly. "I thought I wanted a little sister but then I'd have to share all my stuff so I hope it's a little brother."
"Wish granted," Lucifer announced, still standing by the door but not leaving.
At her daughter's hopeful expression Chloe nodded. "Yeah baby, a little brother. It's going to be your half-brother because his daddy isn't your daddy."
Trixie's eyes widened before she smiled like she just found out the biggest secret, hands flying to her mouth. "Is Lucifer his daddy?" she whispered loudly.
Lucifer grinned, "She caught on much faster than the other one did."
A week later Chloe laid alone in her bed, eyes on the wall as she pulled the blankets tighter around herself. The bed was starting to feel very empty and cold and she was having a harder time ignoring it. She took pride in her independence but it was hard not to be needy during pregnancy, to want someone there to care for and protect her, to take the brunt of the stress and everyday things so she could rest.
Things with Lucifer were getting so muddled. He was her work partner but also her friend and he had been there for this entire pregnancy so far regardless that this was unplanned and he had multiple opportunities to run. They kept having sex, which was on her but then Mr. Love 'Em and Leave 'Em decided he wanted to actually be together and she had been too scared of getting hurt to even accept. She had rejected him yet every time she called on him he came running, even sleeping in the closet on the floor and dealing with her soon to be ex-husband. He was intelligent and witty, funny and handsome and had proven himself a good, though misguided and confused, caregiver.
Maybe they should give it a try. Maybe she should take a chance.
It felt right when Lucifer was with her. Yes he drove her crazy but that was half the fun, her life was too quiet and calm without him there. She had actually gotten used to him and his Lucifer-ness.