Chapter 26 – Shadows of the Night

Lucifer arrived by the stream but didn't see Chloe. A sad faced police officer directed him up the stream so he followed the path with the flashlight the officer had handed him. He could see lights up ahead and then got a glimpse of the detective kneeling down near some bushes.

"Detective, I'm here," he announced cheerfully his heart warming at the sight of her.

She glared at him and it was then he realized a young boy was lying at her feet. She swallowed heavily and took a deep breath. "He was found an hour ago by some hikers, cause of death is so far unknown but I suspect suffocation."

Not being one for the feels he studied her and realized she was upset. He remembered her comment that finding dead children was especially hard on her. He couldn't comprehend why she wouldn't just step away and wait for forensics.

"Detective, you should come away now. It's pointless to be hovering over…"

With a flash of fury in her eyes she cut him off. "I swear if you call this child a heap of rotting flesh I will slug you!" she said hoarsely.

He took a step back and closed his mouth. He hadn't been about to say that he was just going to call it a body. The spirit in it had long since moved on.

"I'm staying here until forensics comes. He needs someone to watch over him. I don't want him to be alone," she informed him quietly, her blue eyes were glassy.

He stepped closer then and knelt down beside her. "This is making you think of your spawn is it?'

She nodded without looking at him. Lucifer looked at the child; curly black hair, freckles on his nose. His eyes were closed; he appeared to be about Trixie's age.

"You must have looked a little like him as a child," Chloe mused.

"Except that I was never a child," he reminded her.

She frowned. "So you were created and looked exactly as you do now?"

He smiled wistfully. "More or less, I was a lot more innocent and not as worldly as I am now, plus I had my wings."

Just then forensics and the medical examiner showed up. Lucifer gently put his hand on Chloe's back. "Come on detective, he won't be alone now." She let him lead her away. "Are you alright, detective?"

She looked up at him and saw genuine concern in his dark eyes, along with something else that worried her. "I'll be okay, it's just hard when children are involved. They never had a chance to live." She took a shaky breath and blinked quickly.

"Come here," the devil whispered and put his arm around her shoulders and back pulling her towards his chest.

She let him for a moment. She tucked her head under his chin and wrapped her arms around his waist. She could hear the soothing beat of his heart as his arms closed around her. "I'm sure his spirit will be welcomed into heaven and he'll be safe and taken care of," his whisper sounded a little choked. Puzzled she stepped back and looked him over. His eyes held a haunted look.

She still had her arm around his back and rubbed the spot where it made contact. "What's wrong?"

"Well you are certainly looking a lot better than last time." A woman commented looking at Lucifer.

He looked at her frowning. "Have we met?"

She grinned. "Sort of. You were consciously and temperaturely challenged at the time." She laughed. "I just made up a word."

"Lucifer, this is Anita Rodriguez she was at the crime scene in the woods where the frat party had occurred. You know when you passed out and ended up at the hospital."

"Oh right, when I used hel…"

Chloe quickly cut him off and shushed him.

"Lets see what we have here. It's always heartbreaking when little ones are involved." Anita knelt down and began her examination.

A soft drizzle started falling as Lucifer groaned and mumbled something about his shoes.

Chloe pulled him aside.

"Yes?'

"Are you okay?'

"Aside from my shoes? Of course, you are the one that got all upset over a dead body," he responded annoyed.

"Seriously I thought we had gotten past that point. Lucifer, I can tell when you are upset. What is wrong?" she fired at him.

"Detective Decker," the medical examiner called her.

Chloe gave an annoyed huff and went over to the woman.

"I've never seen anything like this before, it appears a piano key was shoved down this child's throat leading to suffocation. Have there been any other cases like this?"

Horrified she shook her head. "Who would do something like that and why?" She got up and turned to Lucifer who had become quite pale as he stared at the child's body. Frowning she turned back to the examiner. "Please email me when you have the full report."

The rain started coming down harder. She grabbed the devil's arm. "Come on. Time to go. I have to make a stop and inform the family. Then we're going home."

"Finally – there was really no reason for me to be here on this dismal night," he complained.

Thinking of the moment when he hugged her she spoke up softly, "I'm grateful that you were."

They were soaked by the time they got to the cars. "I took Trixie to a sleep over at a friends house before I came here – I can make us dinner if you want to meet me at my house?" she offered.

His eyes widened with relief. "Mmm, I'd love to detective."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Just for dinner."

"Of course."

'You can let yourself in. I won't be too long," she said quietly, a knot of sadness forming in her gut.

Lucifer stopped as he got to his car getting even wetter in the process. Rain dripped from his hair down his face and neck.

"Detective, do you want me to go with you?" he quietly offered realizing she was upset over what she had to do.

She looked at him surprised, then smiled softly. "Thank you but I think I better do this alone. I'll see you soon."

Lucifer groaned, as he got into his car thankful he had put the roof on earlier in the week but even so his seats would get wet from his clothes.

He stopped at a grocery store on the way and picked up a few items he planned to cook her for dinner. He focused on Chloe, he refused to think about the events of the day and the child and the piano key. Linda would say he was in denial again but he didn't care. He wanted to shut out the world tonight and he suspected Chloe might want to as well.

He got to her house before her and let himself in. he set the groceries on the counter and went in search of a towel. He realized it was useless trying to use a towel he was soaked to the bone and dripping all over her floors. Finding the laundry room he stripped off all his clothes and threw a few essential items like his underwear into the dryer.

Chloe left the house of the little boy's parents. She made it as far as the car and then the tears started. She sat in the drivers seat staring out into the rain. No matter how many times she wiped away her tears more took their place. Her breath hitched and she closed her eyes trying to calm herself. The mom had broken down first collapsing to the ground and then the dad joined her. Bobby had been their only son. She couldn't imagine the pain and the horror they must be feeling. She had assured them they would do everything in their power to find the person who did it.

When she finally shed the last tear, she took a deep breath. wiped her eyes and headed home. She didn't want to be alone tonight and she had a feeling that Lucifer didn't either. Something had upset him and she hoped he'd trust her enough to talk about it.

She entered and saw no sign of him she was about to call out but then heard the dryer going. 'Lucifer?' she walked into the laundry room and groaned, "and he's naked again."

He looked startled and then gave her a mega watt smile. "Detective, you're home, I was just about to get dinner started."

She shook her head. "Not like that you're not."

He gave an exaggerated sigh. "Well of course not, I would have put on the towel."

She went into the bathroom and handed him the old robe.

He shook his head. "No that's much too warm – despite the rain it's a steamy night." He smirked.

What had she done? She sighed heavily. "Fine there's an old pair of pajama pants around here somewhere that you can wear."

He wrinkled his nose. "Eww detective pants the douche has gone commando in – not bloody likely."

"Well then we have a problem." She glared at him.

The dryer dinged. Lucifer smiled. "Not anymore we don't." he pulled out his underwear and proceeded to put them on as she went to her bedroom to change into something dry. She changed her mind almost immediately and decided to take a shower and wash off the horror of the day. "Lucifer, I'm going to take a quick shower" She didn't hear a response so she quickly washed trying to keep her mind off the almost naked devil in her kitchen. After drying off she put on an old pair of jeans and a turquoise cami.

She went down the stairs to find Lucifer in black shorts stirring a pot of something that made her stomach growl.

She moaned, "That smells divine."

Her moan made the devils eyes widen and he suddenly had an urge to take a cold shower. With tongue in cheek he informed her, "Detective, I wouldn't moan like that if you want me to continue to cook…dinner."

She huffed, "Do you ever think about anything other than sex?'

He frowned wrinkling his brow deep in concentration for a least 30 seconds then popped out "Nope." His eyes dropped the length of her body and he smiled appreciatively.

"Can I help?' she offered and quickly added, "with the cooking."

He chuckled. "Yes can you check on the parsley and garlic biscuits baking in the oven. I think they are almost done."

"What exactly are we having for dinner?" she asked inhaling deeply.

"Cucumber salad, seafood chowder and parsley and garlic biscuits."

"It's making my mouth water," she informed him then seeing his mouth open - quickly cut him off. "No – no inappropriate remarks tonight. We're friends having a nice dinner."

He pouted and threw her an annoyed look. She turned away suppressing the smile that threatened to burst out. If Dan walked in to an almost naked Lucifer – he would be so disappointed in her as he was fond of saying, and she realized she didn't care.

As she set the table she watched him closely as he stirred the pot and checked on the baking biscuits.

He seemed tense; with no shirt on she could see the tightness in his shoulders. His jaw was also ridged. She wondered if he had made up with Amenadiel. As she opened the drawer to pull out the utensils she casually asked, "did you talk to your brother today?"

His eyes snapped to hers. "Have you and Maze been talking?"

"No, should we be? Did something happen?"

"She wants me to talk to Amenadiel. According to her he's upset." He rolled his eyes.

She went over to him and put her hand on his arm. "He was very upset. Hearing what you went through caused him a lot of pain and guilt."

"It's not all about him, detective," he stated pulling away.

She had forgotten for a moment, in Lucifer's world everything was about himself, well at least most of the time.

"True, in this case it was about you and how he feels about you and how bad he feels about his part in all that has happened. So it is about both of you as brothers and how you feel about each other and support each other."

"I'll forgive him tomorrow okay detective, is that what you want to hear? Can we now have a nice dinner and not talk about distressing things?' he pleaded.

"Okay, I'm sorry but I saw how upset he was and wanted to make sure you knew it was genuine. That's all," she explained.

"Okay." He looked somewhat pacified.

He brought the chowder over to the table while she grabbed the salad and biscuits.

She was about to take her first bite when her phone rang. Throwing Lucifer an apologetic look she quickly answered it. "Okay, yes I know all about it, so she did it? She actually admitted that she really did it? That's horrible how could she…" she stopped mid sentence when Lucifer bolted to his feet. His eyes were furious he stared at the phone like he wanted to hurl it against the wall. He glowered at her - eyes wide and accusing, threw down his spoon and went out her side door into the rain. She quickly put her hand over the phone. "Lucifer!" she shouted after him wondering what set him off. Shaking her head she went back to the phone call. "Sorry Dan. So Marlene basically admitted she depleted him of all his bank accounts? So that really gives her motive for killing the housekeeper if she saw her? Okay, thanks for the update. I have to go - can we talk about it some more tomorrow? Thanks, have a good night." She hung up. A case she had been working on crossed over with one Dan was investigating so they kept each other appraised of new developments. She ran out the door after Lucifer wondering what had made him dash outside into the rain.

He was standing near the water when lightening flashed. She cursed grabbed his arm to pull him back inside but he resisted throwing her a dark look as rain dripped down his soaked hair onto his face.

"What the hell is the matter with you? Its pouring rain with lightening flashing and you feel a sudden need to stand in it?" she scolded him. "Get inside, now."

"It was Maze wasn't it? She had no right to tell you! I would have told you tomorrow but just one night – one bloody night I wanted a break from the hell my life has become!" He looked away from her then and stared up at the stormy sky. "But no – you ensured that I couldn't even have that!"

Chloe looked up and realized he was raging at his father with that last sentence not her. She had no clue what had rattled him so badly.

"Lucifer. I have no idea what's going on here but I'm wet, cold and hungry and I'd really like to go back inside and I'd really like it if you came with me," she informed him while tugging on his arm again.

"So I can talk about it right? Give you all the dirty details," he growled.

She huffed angrily. "And I still have no idea what you are referring to? Care to fill me in on what lunacy is going on inside your head?"

His dark eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Are you pissed off because I took the call from Dan? Well sorry but sometimes the cases I'm working on take priority over dinner. Fine - you don't want to come inside? Then stay out here and get hit by lightening, I'm going back inside to enjoy the wonderful meal you cooked. I too had hoped this would be a nice quiet evening so don't blame me – you and you alone are the one who has ruined it!" she stated calmly, releasing his arm and stalked back into the house slamming the door for good measure.

She grabbed a towel, dried her hair and changed her clothes again. What was she thinking? The man truly was insane. She sat down shoving mouthfuls of the seafood chowder into her mouth. She angrily ripped a piece of one of the biscuits and was about to chew on it when the door opened and a dripping Lucifer came in. Aside from dripping all over her floor she saw that he was shivering. She ignored him.

"The phone call you took was from Detective Douche? And it was about a case?" he asked softly as rivulets of water ran onto her floor.

She looked up at him with major annoyance and noticed the anger had fled his eyes and he looked chagrined.

"Yes Lucifer, the world doesn't always revolve around you! " she snipped. "Go get into the shower and warm up. You are wrecking my floors."

"Detective…" he started.

She interrupted. "Go!"

Something uncomfortable gnawed at his gut. He had jumped to an incorrect conclusion. The detective was royally pissed at him. He groaned and went upstairs. He stepped into the shower and turned it on hot staying in it until the shivered subsided. The old robe she had tried to get him to wear earlier hung on the hook behind the door.

She finished her soup, salad and biscuits - too hungry to wait for him assuming he'd even be in the mood to eat. She thought back to the conversation with Dan, she hadn't even mentioned his name until Lucifer was already out the door, so how did he know that's who she had been talking to? And even if he did know there was no reason to act as he did. She had been so shocked by his behaviour she couldn't remember exactly what he had said. Something about Maze. She remembered him saying she had no right to tell her, then something about dirty details. She tried to remember what she had said to Dan. She replayed the conversation then realized with horror she had said 'she did it – she really did it. Her mouth dropped open. Did he have a session with Linda and go through the hypnosis and did he find out his mom had really…she exhaled loudly. No wonder he freaked thinking someone had just called her over the phone to tell her.

He came down the stairs, his hair curling his; dark eyes troubled. Her heart did that skip again. She got up and went over to him. He looked at her with worry. "You are going to kick me out of your house again aren't you?"

"No." she said softly reaching up and wrapping her arms around him. He gave a little half laugh. "You're not mad at me anymore?"

She debated telling him she had figured it out but that would make him think about it again and if he wanted to escape from all the trauma of the last few days she would let him. "How could I stay mad when someone cooks me a dinner like that?" she responded warmly.

His arms came lightly around her. "Well detective, I think I need to cook for you more often."

She rubbed his shoulders lightly before pulling away. "I was too hungry too wait for you," she admitted.

He smirked with a gleam in his eye. "Did you leave me a few crumbs?"

She sighed heavily. "I'm afraid not."

His face fell as he looked at her in shock. She couldn't suppress the giggle that burst forth.

His eyes looked her up and down. "It's not nice to try and fool the devil, darling. There are consequences."

"Really, what did you have in mind for punishment?" she knew the words were a mistake the second they left her mouth.

He chuckled evilly, "I'll start out with a little bondage and…"

"Never mind I don't want to know," she stopped him.

"Mmm. So you'd rather be surprised?" he purred pursing his lips.

She turned away. Damn he was sexy. "Just eat your soup."

He sat down and helped himself to the food. Despite his words about wanting a relaxing evening she could still see the strain etched around his eyes and mouth. He looked up and caught her watching him. "What detective, do I have chowder on my chin? You're welcome to come and lick it off?"

She snorted. "Thanks but I'll pass."

"I could put it on other body parts if that would be more appealing to you?" he offered.

"It wouldn't be." She suddenly had a vision of licking chocolate sauce off his abs.

"Then why are you blushing?" he probed.

"I was thinking about dessert," she answered glibly. "I think I have some ice-cream in the fridge."

"Pass. Cold and icy doesn't appeal to me right now," he grinned seductively.

"Well forget about it. I just want to watch some mindless TV and go to bed," she hastily added on. "To sleep.'.

"Buzz Kill." He looked disappointed.

"If you behave yourself you are welcome to stay," she offered.

His face lit up. "Lovely."

Amenadiel went back to the penthouse. He couldn't sleep and needed to reach out to his brother again. He waved at Maze who was busy behind the bar. When the elevator opened a strange disturbing smell wafted through his nostrils. It immediately put him on guard as he could sense a shadowy presence and it wasn't one of the light. A chuckle rang out behind him, he inhaled sharply but just as he turned a dagger was trust into his shoulder causing him to fall to his knees he turned his head as his breath caught in his throat in horror. He gasped, "Asmodeus!" before losing consciousness.

Chloe changed into a nightie, and headed to her bed to find Lucifer already in it. He was propped up on pillows holding two wine glasses. "What? Just a little grape juice before we succumb to….slumber." he gave an innocent little grin.

Shaking her head she got into bed taking one of the glasses. Lucifer drank from his glass, a little wine still glistened on his lips. Chloe was possessed by a sudden urge to kiss it off, she licked her lips and leaned over then groaned when her phone rang. She debated letting it ring but what if it was something to do with Trixie? She answered it to hear Maze's frantic voice, "Is Lucifer with you? He needs to come home, Amenadiel's been injured badly.

A/N; I am not only humbled by your wonderful comments but also motivated. Thank you all! Things are heating up and getting darker. Hope you enjoy. For those of you curious about Asmodeus and Lilith check out angelsghostsdotcom/fallen_angel_names.