Lucifer's expression was so reserved; Chloe knew he was telling the truth, as he always did. She would not like his plan at all.
It was rare that she couldn't identify his emotions; unlike most men, he made no attempt to keep them hidden. If he was happy, everyone knew it, if he was unhappy, he made sure everyone knew it.
But there – right there in his eyes – something alien swirled.
Was that…fear?
No wonder she hadn't recognised it. Lucifer feared nothing. Point a gun in his face and he offered you a drink, set a dozen men on him and he straightened his cufflinks with a smirk, threaten to kill him and he double dog dared you to do it; He laughed when he should run, and he cavorted in the thrill of it all, utterly shameless.
But he was afraid now.
Chloe made an instant and irreversible decision. She was not going to ask.
It was a shockingly easy choice to make, the deliberate ignorance.
She should be more suspicious. Lucifer told her everything – especially when she'd rather not hear all the sordid details. If he was restraining himself now… God knew Lucifer had given her enough cause for doubt. Malcolm's death weighed heavily upon her, and she knew it would for a long time yet. Even if she didn't feel as guilty as she thought she should. Honestly, she cared more about Lucifer's part in it than the actual death.
Assassination.
Lucifer had assassins on call. That was the bit she couldn't swallow. Lilith called him 'My Lord,' knelt at his feet and laughed whilst she murdered a stranger because Lucifer had told her to. Actually, this was Lucifer – he probably just texted and Malcolm's string was snipped.
He made it look so easy, he was so blasé about the whole thing. One whiskey and one murder please. It had been too easy for him. The only explanation was that he'd done it before, many times, and gotten away with it so frequently that he'd had plenty of time to build up that sort of nonchalance. It was just awful to think about. He was her friend, not a criminal.
This time murder had been done for her. Vengeance, even. Swift and brutal – a message to anyone watching that a line had been drawn, and it had been crossed. She did not doubt that more would die before the end. Lucifer had to show the world the consequences of crossing him. It was pure macho bullshit – territory and my woman and yet…She was horrified, but she was so grateful for that protection if it meant no one could ever harm Trixie again (and dear god, there could be no again she would not survive again).
Lucifer was her friend; he was helping her but his methods.
For god's sake he'd told her to her face that Lilith was out hunting. It was practically a confession! To her! An officer of the law and he'd just come out and said it.
Was it arrogance? Or did he just not care, or think she'd care for that matter, and what about the –
Everything stopped.
She'd called Lucifer a hundred things, but she'd never said he was an idiot. He was frighteningly intelligent, and seemed to know something about any and every subject that she brought up (and there had been an awful lot of hours to fill on stakeouts). He was perhaps the most well-read man she'd ever known. Nobody else had opinions on Mesopotamian art or the strategems of Genghis Khan.
Lucifer had not forgotten her job or her calling. He didn't think revenge would matter more to her than the law. He trusted her; that was why he'd told her.
Lucifer – a man who was as near as allergic to emotions as science could support and then some.
A man whose actions showed without doubt that he trusted her nonetheless.
Chloe knew nearly everything, because Lucifer hadn't lied. She had names of prominent members of his organisation, she knew the ranks, the titles and she had the boss, Lucifer himself- as well as his mysterious shadow figure of a father.
Of course, if she said anything she'd have to arrest herself she thought cynically. But even knowing that she couldn't ascribe some sort of evil machination to Lucifer's honesty.
He'd shown her his true face – and so help her god but she really had made her choice with that phone call, just as he had made his. She'd called, and he had come, knowing the consequences he would have to endure, he had come.
Knowing that her faith in him was returned… it changed nothing, but it changed everything.
She squeezed Lucifer's hand, smiled gently and said "OK."
"OK?" He echoed, blinking once – the most surprised she'd ever seen him except for that very first time she'd refused to go to bed with him. (That memory always brought a smile to her lips. His face.)
She reclaimed her hand gently, perceiving how Lucifer's twitched slightly as if he wanted to grab it back, and pressed both of her hands to either side of Lucifer's unfairly symmetrical face, tugging him down until he was looking at her properly.
"It's alright," she said as earnestly as she knew how, willing him to believe her. "I. Trust. You."
His bewilderment saddened her. Here he was, her friend, the man who'd once carried her out of a burning building, kicking doors down like an action hero – and he still couldn't comprehend her faith in him.
She tried her best to explain, feeling angry that something so fundamental had been shattered inside of him. "I don't need to know all the details if you're uncomfortable sharing them, if you think it's better I don't know. I understand that your people have their codes and the importance of secrecy. If you say it'll work, that's enough for me. Alright? We're in this together."
He stared down at her, searching for something. She didn't know what it was, but she tried to give it to him, willing him to see her honesty.
To whatever end, there could be no going back now.
"Very well, Detective," he murmured. "Thank you."
The moment was broken when something beeped over at Connor's den of mysterious technology. In fact, Chloe could have sworn that the wires and monitors had spawned offspring since she'd last glanced over. Why did he need five screens anyway?
"Boss!" Connor chirped, spinning around in his chair oversized headphones about his neck and eyes wide with too much caffeine and something else that looked like soul-wrenching relief.
"Yes?" Lucifer asked, arching an eyebrow at the display.
"Plan B is a go," Connor beamed, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Your guy came through." He grinned widely, and he looked like a completely different man.
"He owed me a favour," Lucifer said a statement, not an explanation.
"Lucifer-" Chloe asked, feeling nauseous with hope.
"Hush, Detective," Lucifer replied, bringing her in for a hug which told Chloe all she needed to know about this plan B. She clung to him anyway, tightly enough she'd have cracked another man's rib – not that Lucifer seemed to notice it. "Plan B is…unpleasant. You will not be happy with me, but I keep my word once given."
He thought he was going to lose her.
Eugh. No wonder he was acting so strange. Lucifer could barely tolerate the idea of having a real friend and not a friend with benefits. If he thought she'd go if he stepped over some ethical line… well, he might have been right once. But not now and never again.
"Lucifer," she struggled to find the words, to find a compromise she could live with, "Trixie is everything. I'm a mother. I will always put her first. There are no means that will not justify an end which has her back in my arms."
"So you say now," Lucifer brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "So you say now."
Chloe groaned aloud and banged her head against his chest. She could barely deal with her own emotions let alone dealing with Lucifer's current crisis. Maybe she ought to talk to Linda after this was over – a joint session of some sort. She hoped Linda dealt with children. Trixie was going to need so much therapy and she was not thinking about why.
Right now, it was down to her though, and never let it be said that Chloe passed the buck.
"Lucifer," she said calmly, looking back up at him. "I give you my word this time, there are no means that will not justify the end which has Trixie returned to me."
Lucifer smiled – but it was a small sad smile. He kissed her once on the forehead without even trying to cop a feel so she knew that he really wasn't himself.
"As you say, Detective."
He stepped back and clapped his hands together. "Right, so I hear you ordered my brother turned over to the FBI's tender mercies."
When Lucifer wanted to sidestep an emotional conversation, he was not subtle.
She crossed her arms and considered Lucifer.
It was hard to tell what with that obnoxiously cheery tone, whether or not Lucifer was angry. Despite being a detective, she couldn't believe it had taken her up until now to realise that it must be a creepily effective mask for a Don. Instead of the traditional stone-faced grimness, Lucifer practiced a more off-putting façade.
It was an odd thought, but it would not be ignored; Lucifer must have been a really good Don.
"Yes," Chloe said. "I did."
Lucifer kept smiling.
"I understand that he is your 'brother,'" she mimed quotation marks, "and no doubt your 'family' have their own… internal complaint procedures," her mind skimmed over those pesky details, "but my priority is Trixie. Letting the FBI have Amenadiel was more efficient. They're good trackers." She held his gaze evenly. "I'm not sorry, but I do hope it won't cause you any problems later on when he is arrested?" The last word held a slight lilt so he knew it was a question and not a statement. She did feel a mite uncomfortable about it, Lucifer's family was complicated enough without her causing problems, but neither Mazikeen nor Connor had hesitated after she'd given the go ahead and she felt sure Mazikeen would have, had it been contrary to any of Lucifer's orders.
"No." Lucifer put a hand on her lower back and guided her over to the long leather sofa in front of the open fireplace. It was the sort of gesture that had annoyed her whenever Dan or her other boyfriends tried it, but Lucifer's touch lacked that irritating edge of control.
The fireplace was black marble – what else – and Chloe remembered thinking it was overly ostentatious when she'd first seen it, the same day she'd first seen Lucifer naked come to think of it and what was her life coming to when the word 'first' could be attached to seeing Lucifer naked. Eugh. Still, the warmth and the sound of crackling and the image of the flickering tongues of orange and red was comforting to her now.
The light played over Lucifer's features, placing strange shadows that did not belong there and giving a cruel glint to his eyes.
"Let him know what it's like to be reviled by the masses for once," Lucifer continued. "What it feels like to be universally hated and hunted."
He wasn't talking to her anymore. She felt her mouth twist, but let it go. She was never going to really understand Lucifer's past unless he told her – and now was not the time.
Now was the time for Trixie.
Her heart clenched. Eighteen hours. Well, less than that now. Minus eight for sleep, another one to get ready and get to the station and that left only nine for working the case.
Ha! As if she was getting any sleep tonight.
"You should rest."
Chloe grunted.
"You'll do her no good if you're too tired to think."
Chloe shrugged, kicking her shoes off and curling her feet under her, staring numbly at the fire, suddenly feeling cold. She was done. She was excluded from the official investigation. She'd chased down every lead she could. There was nothing left for her to do but wait and torture herself with thinking.
It was down to Lucifer now.
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A/N - Show time!