Hi! Thanks for the comments, to those who left them! :) Was lovely to hear your thoughts, which of course were mostly along the lines of 'Oh noes, Maze!'.

We're getting close to where I'm writing this story still, so there are going to be longer gaps between when I post these chapters. You might want to fav the story, if you want alerts when they're posted.

As always, thanks for reading. Leave a comment if you can. They never fail to make my day.

PS: Lucifer is not lost. That's all I'll say about that. :D


Chloe lay on her bed at home, staring up at the ceiling. The light was dancing across the surface above her in beautiful patterns, refracted through the crystal hummingbird on her dresser.

She screamed, then abruptly stopped, and found herself looking at the ceiling again.

Something had hurt so terribly at that moment... but now it was gone?

She raised a hand to her forehead, hoping to soothe the dull headache she had.

Her forehead was drenched with sweat.

When she lowered her hand the room exploded in activity - nurses, doctors bustling about her, Dan squeezing her hand. Her legs were bent and open and oh God it hurt!

Chloe screamed again as her insides twisted and everything down there broke-

-but then it was gone, and she was lying on her bed, taking a midday nap and the light was playing on the ceiling.

It was really pretty.

Beads of sweat fell into her ears at that moment - gritting her teeth she shook her head against the bed as another agonizing wave of pain washed over her.

She needed to push! Groaning, she doubled over with the effort of it, releasing another agonized cry.

And then everything was calm. She was lying on her bed at home.

And the ceiling was dancing in light.

Your will is immense, mother. Please stop fighting me, I'm trying to save you pain.

"GET OUT OF ME!" she roared on the cusp of another scream as the real room snapped back - Dan was all teeth in a panicked grin, the doctors and nurses were yelling at each other, covered in bright splotches of blood -

- but the light shimmered on the ceiling at home and everything was okay.

I'm trying, but human bodies are so fragile and in my impatience I got a little bigger than I'd meant to.

Something tore horribly and she gasped, arching against someone down there that she couldn't see, feeling the ever constant rushing and panicked cries even as the room around her stayed mellow and lazy and oh God, this felt very bad, something was wrong, please... help...

Perhaps this might work.

The door opened and in walked Lucifer, dressed impeccably, smiling warmly.

"Lucifer?" she moaned.

"That's a lot of blood!" Dan's voice tore through the space.

But she ignored him and watched Lucifer as he walked, without stuttering, with absolute solidity, to her side.

"Lucifer?" she asked, her mouth pulling into a hesitant smile.

That's working well. Good. Enjoy mother.

He grasped her hand, and she almost cried. He was solid - beautifully solid and warm.

He sat on the bed beside her, still smiling, and his other hand moved to cradle the side of her head, warmly stroking there as she cried.

"I.. I thought you died," she whispered, crying openly.

"Oh God, what is that?!"

Lucifer shook his head and smiled, gently brushing her tears away.

"Stop that bleeding!"

"I can't stitch this! She needs surgery!"

"What the fuck is that?!"

Chloe's gaze drifted in fear as the voices rose in volume.

But Lucifer drew her back, his eyes softening, and his mouth lowered to hers.

Everything was okay if he was here, wasn't it?

She didn't hurt anymore either.

Yes, the worst is done, mother. I am in awe of your strength. I will remember you fondly.

Lucifer's lips pressed against hers, soft and warm...

...but it wasn't Lucifer's mouth...

Chloe's eyes snapped open.

Dan was above her, crying, pulling back from their kiss.

"We're going to lose her!" someone shouted.

"Chloe, hold on for me, okay? I don't want to lose you too!"

She swallowed. Her heart was struggling in her chest as people moved about her, attaching bags of blood to multiple lines now, as someone worked down there...

...and something stood watching from the corner, surrounded by swirling tendrils of shadow.

A boy, covered in blood, his mouth stretched in a smile beneath blazing red eyes.

"Hi, mom."

Chloe started shaking, her mind locking on the sight as a part of her started screaming inside.

"Shit! Open those lines! We are LOSING HER!"

"They don't see me quite like you do, at least, not now," the boy said. He pointed where the man worked. "I'm sorry I made such a mess. I got a little... overexcited." He smiled again. "Please say hello to the Second for me when you see him in his little Heaven. Tell him I'll be by soon."

Chloe's shaking grew worse, and her eyes drifted from the boy, to the window and the growing light there.

It was glorious and warm. Something about that light tugged at some deep part of her. A part that wanted to be free of a body in ruin.

The light grew brighter still.

A shadow fell across the glass.

To a chorus of screams, the window exploded inward.

Before them all stood a figure wreathed in light and fire, flanked by arching white wings.

And eyes of golden flame settled on her own.