"Lucifer?"

Castiel put his hand on the Devil's shoulder, willing him to just turn around and face them. No one should be alone in a moment like that, and wouldn't Cas know that the best? After all death and destruction he had brought upon Heaven and angels?

What he didn't expect, though, was to be grabbed by aforementioned hand and thrown across the room.

"What the hell, dude?!" Dean's fingers clenched around the angel blade tucked into his waistband by his hip. Great, so now Lucifer went and got crazy as well. That's what they needed right now, didn't they? Another unhinged archangel. Oh, and with fire powers as well, because why not burn everything down while they're at it, sure, of course. "He wasn't attacking you!"

Cas grunted as he pushed himself up, but he didn't say anything. If Lucifer was really mad, he'd be better off not provoking him even more.

Meanwhile Lucifer held up a finger. It was clear that he was trying to stay calm really, really hard.

"No. Touching," he said slowly. "You," he turned to Cas, "called me an evil monster. Even if you didn't mean it, like you said, you still tried to manipulate me. And you," now Lucifer glared at Dean, mouth twisting into a forced smile. "You used me in the worst way possible." When it came to Sam, Lucifer opened his mouth and… frowned. "No, actually, you I like."

Sam let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "I, uh, same."

"Thank you." Lucifer's smile became a little more natural. "Detective!" he exclaimed, loudly, startling Chloe. She decided that she had enough jump scares for the rest of her lifetime, seriously. "Come on now, chop, chop, we're leaving."

"Leaving where?" Chloe asked carefully. "Lucifer, are you… okay? Your hands are shaking," she added, voice just a bit quieter. Lucifer didn't even look at them – just moved them behind his back, and widened his smile. It looked downright maniacal now.

"To our world, obviously! Also, there's someone in our City of Angels that I really need to see."

Chloe was this ready to say Amenadiel's name, but one look at Lucifer told her that he was barely keeping his composure. Maybe she… should avoid mentioning any of his brothers right now.

"Maze?" she tried instead, then.

"Detective. No." The look Lucifer gave her clearly meant that he thought she was being silly right now. "Linda."

"Oh." Chloe blinked. "Oh." That was… Lucifer admitting that he needed to see his therapist, just broke her heart again. Sure, she had her fair share of trauma – facing God and one of the archangels wasn't pleasant – but it was nothing compared to what Lucifer had been through. Getting his wings ripped out, breaking his spine, being forced to kneel and thank his Father for not killing him – before being actually killed, being possessed, improved without his consent, almost killed again, thrown into the Cage for seven years of imprisonment and torture, and now what, being forced to kill his brother to protect the same people that lied to him and used him?

"No. No oh's." Lucifer clenched his jaw. He didn't want to be pitied. "Oh is overrated. It has two letters too many."

"I mean it, Lucifer." Chloe took a step forward, getting closer to her partner. She looked him in the eyes, serious. "If you want to talk, I'm here."

"Yes, but also no." Lucifer smiled at her in that weird way of him – it was sweet and cheerful on the surface, but there was sadness underneath. "Let's just go, Detective. Please?"

Chloe nodded. It would be better if they left now. She would see Trixie again, and Lucifer could start dealing with his trauma, instead of bottling up his emotions. It also helped that Lucifer visibly relaxed when she nodded.

"Lucifer."

Then, well, he tensed anew.

"And here we go again."

"Can we talk?" The other angel stood behind him with a sympathetic expression on his face. It was actually for the better that Lucifer didn't turn around to look at him. "I want to apologize. I had no right to call you a monster, Lucifer. You are everything but."

"Yesss, I know. I've already had my epiphany when I was in the Cage." Lucifer still didn't look at his brother. "Thank you for that, by the way. Such a nice vacation destination. I'll be sure to give it a wonderful rating. Ten out of ten."

"I didn't—"

"I don't care."

This time, Lucifer didn't wait for Chloe – he started walking towards the door, determined to leave, only to be stopped in his tracks by a certain redhead stepping out of the shadows.

"Bloody hell!"

Of course, because what he needed the most right now, was a wicked heart attack.

"Hello to you, too, my lord." Rowena made sure to bow slightly. After all, it was always recommended to be on a powerful being's good side. "I see you're looking quite well now, thanks to my wee spell."

"Right. Right. And what would you like as your reward, now, hmm?" Lucifer forced himself to grace her with a charming smile that lit up his whole handsome face. "Me? I'm all for it if you find a bed." His fingers went to undo the first button of his shirt, but Chloe caught his wrist before he could actually touch it.

"Nobody expects this from you," she said softly. Honestly, Chloe didn't have a problem with Lucifer offering to have sex with someone – it wasn't like they had time to set any rules yet – but she had a problem with Lucifer treating himself like a payment. Like with Linda, at the beginning. It hadn't been her place to say anything back then, but it was her place now.

"Everybody expects something from me." Lucifer's voice became strained. It was clear that he wasn't in the best mental state right now. "Sex. Favors. World-saving. I am - what did you call me, Kidnapper Douche, when you kept me tied to that uncomfortable chair? – oh, I know! Just – a – tool."

Chloe's eyes softened even more, although all she really wanted right now was to shoot Dean once again. Just for good measure.

"No, you're not, Lucifer. Not to me."

"If I may add something?" Rowena cleared her throat and smiled sweetly. "Not to me, either. That little behavior of yours? Certainly not healthy."

Lucifer's smile became more and more of a grimace until it was just that.

"Certainly. If you'll excuse me, ladies."

And with that, he was gone.

XXX

It was the common consensus that it would be better to just leave the Devil alone for the time being. Everybody agreed.

It didn't mean everybody listened, though.

"My liege?" Rowena tried the handle. To her pleasant surprise, Lucifer had left the door unlocked, so she entered the room without further ado. To her much less pleasant surprise, Lucifer also wasn't there.

When she finally found him, he was outside, looking at the stars. Rowena hesitated, not sure if she should disturb such a moment, but it was already too late. Lucifer heard her footsteps.

"Detective?" His voice carried so much hope. It was… strange, at least. Their 'old' Lucifer had been immature, impulsive, murderous, treacherous. Certainly not a relationship material. This one seemed… kind. Just – kind, maybe a little broken, maybe a little tired. But of course, Rowena had been living for too long to just fall for someone's act.

"Your pretty detective is having words with Dean." Rowena sat down next to the Devil himself, noticing how he inched away from her. "Aye, my lord, I don't bite."

"Not even if I ask nicely? Shame. And no need to call me that." Lucifer looked up again, his face expressionless. All those stars, shining with his own light… "You're not a demon, after all."

"No." Rowena smiled. "Just a very old, very fabulous witch. And you're…" She stopped to choose her next words carefully. The memory of Lucifer snapping her neck was still, well, maybe not fresh, but pretty vivid.

Lucifer smiled automatically, but it wasn't even a real smile.

"I know. I'm ancient and evil, and flawed, and petty, and I do things because I can, even though I shouldn't," he recited, voice empty. "My, oh my, what has become of me."

"Bless your precious heart, you just described my entire life." Rowena clasped her hands together with amusement. "No, darling, I wasn't going to say that, though. You're not evil. Not like your counterpart."

"I'm not going to disagree." This time, the smile was a bit more real. "Going backwards isn't good for anyone. I just…"

Ah, marvelous. She was so out of her element now that she actually regretted coming here. Bollocks, she wanted to make sure the Devil understood he was indebted to her, not to be a shoulder to cry on. Still, it was hard not to feel for him, when he just kept staring into space with his dark, dark eyes.

Luckily for Rowena's sanity and proclaimed lack of heart, they were interrupted.

"Oh, you're here. Both of you are here. Hi." This time, it was the soft voice of the Detective and Lucifer's face lit up in a way it hadn't before. A real way.

"Detective! Hiii."

"Ah, I think I heard Samuel calling me, I should better check on him." Rowena got up quickly and winked at Chloe who rolled her eyes, amused. The witch didn't miss the involuntary flinch Lucifer gave when he heard Sam's full name, though. Interesting. "He is just the sweetest thing, I can't let him wait."

With that, Chloe and Lucifer were left alone. She sat next to him, just like Rowena before, but this time Lucifer didn't move away.

"Are you okay?" Only now Chloe realized that they had… won. They had actually won, but it didn't feel like that. Especially with Lucifer sitting alone outside, grieving the loss of his brother and Father. How much had he lost already?

"You don't want to know the answer to that. But maybe we should move to the couch." Lucifer smiled playfully as he glanced at his Detective. It was… easier, being here with someone he trusted, not someone he barely knew. Or rather, didn't know at all. "Since we're role-playing." His grin widened. "Ooh, Detective! Does it mean we're going to play doctor? Just promise you'll be gentle. Or don't, actually."

"Really, Lucifer?" Chloe smiled despite her better judgment. "You're back to using humor as a defense mechanism?"

He shrugged, still grinning. When Lucifer ducked his head like that, he looked like a mischievous boy. It was heartwarming, to see him behaving normally after… after everything. He was stronger than she gave him credit for.

"So somebody said I stopped doing that?"

"You're right, my bad." Chloe fell silent for a moment. "You did what you had to do."

"I know."

"But you feel guilty anyway."

"Yes." Lucifer squinted at one of the stars. "Not just for killing him, but for putting you in danger, as well. Detective… if I may have one small request?"

"Yes?"

"Let's not talk about it. Not now."

Chloe sighed, yet she had no choice but to nod and agree. It didn't mean she couldn't offer him comfort in another way, though. By touching him and pulling him down a little. Lucifer made an adorably confused face before he understood her intentions, and, with a shrug, he laid down and placed his head in Chloe's lap.

Lucifer relaxed when Chloe's fingers sank into the back of his hair. She was raking her fingertips across his head and scratching his scalp lightly. He felt safe, again, and he hadn't felt safe for the past seven years. It was a long, long time. Too long.

"How was it? In the Cage?" Chloe asked quietly as if she read his thoughts.

"It was a nightmare with a few good moments," Lucifer answered honestly, but his eyes were half closed already. "He healed me every time, don't worry, Detective. Can we… go to bed now? Just to bed. To sleep. Not to make a Rosemary's baby. Unless you… want?" Lucifer's speech was getting more and more slurred, and Chloe couldn't help but chuckle and kiss his temple. Even if her heart had stopped mere seconds ago after hearing those loaded words - 'he healed me every time'. How many times Lucifer had been healed? How many was too many, even for him?

"I think we can, yes." Chloe didn't get up, though, and Lucifer didn't move either. He didn't even answer – only his evened out breathing told her that he fell asleep with his arms tight around her legs.

"Is he asleep?"

It was Castiel, standing above them and holding two mugs in his hands, one green, and the other yellow. Judging from the smell, he brought them hot chocolate. Poor Lucifer, he was always missing out on the best things, she thought.

"Yes. So let's keep our voices down." Chloe took the mug and thanked the angel. Ha. She just thanked an angel for a mug of hot chocolate, and the literal Devil was sleeping in her lap. Her life certainly couldn't get any stranger at this point. "I think we'll be getting back home tomorrow."

"Oh." Castiel looked at the sleeping Devil with something akin to regret. He had messed up things between them, and now he wouldn't even get a chance to repair their relationship. "At least he'll be away from Dean." Castiel hid his small smile behind the mug. Chloe shook her head, amused.

"To be honest, I think Dean will be very nice to Lucifer from now on," she said with confidence. "And… I also think you should talk to Lucifer before we leave. He won't talk to me, but maybe he'll open up to another angel? I just really think he needs his family right now."

"If he even still considers me that. He's right. I tried to manipulate him."

"And I tried to poison him and send him back to Hell." Chloe shrugged. "I guess we all make mistakes. The real question is, what are we ready to do to fix them?"

Castiel smiled at the detective. His brother was lucky to have her on his side. He needed more people like Chloe, truth to be told.

Both Cas and Chloe were too busy with their quiet conversation to notice that Lucifer's control over his powers slipped when he started dreaming. Chloe would feel the heat from his hands soon – especially since they were gripping her jeans – but for now, neither one of them noticed a portal opening itself next to the porch.

Until it was too late and they already had company.