Hello my reading friends! Just fyi, this is the last chapter that I currently have written for this story. I have more ideas spinning in my head, but it will probably be at least a week or so before I can get them in order. I won't call this story complete until I can at least get an epilogue added. After that there may be some fluffy outtakes. ;)

I can't thank you enough for reading and all of your kind and encouraging comments and thoughts! I love them all! Thank you!
-adcg3

Wrap Me in Your Wings – Chapter 24

It was another hour before they were able to leave the apartment to head to the Canyon. Between Chloe wanting to shower and change…Chloe asking Lucifer to help her shower and change…Lucifer nearly giving in to Chloe's wanting him to help her shower and change…and Lucifer being reminded of his plan by the poke of a certain ring box in his pants pocket as his detective unbuckled his belt…

Yes, it was a solid 60 minute test of his will power. It was especially tough as he laughed at Chloe, standing in front of him in the bedroom in only her bra and panties. He pointed one long finger at her and raised his eyebrows, forcing her hand away from his again-tight groin and declared, "You are the devil's mistress!"

Chloe pouted. "Maybe I don't want to go to the house after all."

To which Lucifer gave her a quite mothering look. "That is where Beatrix gets it. I knew it! Don't use that face on me young lady. Go take your shower, change into something more comfortable but keep in mind we'll be having dinner at the house so no pajama party for the drive."

He proceeded to get his discarded shirt off the floor and scoffed at the wrinkles the two of them had put all over it.

Chloe walked into her closet to choose clothes, although she was still frustrated with him. Since when did Lucifer turn down sex, with her? Of course she had turned him down for four years and potentially left him dangling a few times so perhaps this was a bit of payback…

"I'm not young you know," she called from inside the closet.

"I know exactly how old you are, Detective. And believe me, compared to me you are quite the youngster," he expressed as he again buttoned his shirt and tucked it back into his also-wrinkled pants.

"How old are you, anyway?" Chloe found a beige shirt that she pulled off the hanger and a pair of well-fitting jeans to wear up to the Canyon.

"Age is but a pesky measuring tool, Detective. I am but as old as you think me to be," Lucifer smiled with his answer and showed her that smile as she came out of the closet with clothes in hand.

"Well sometimes I think you're about 12. Right now though, I'm thinking you might be 80-something although your sex drive makes you about –"

"Ah, ah, ah, now Detective. Let's not mix thoughts of my current fatherly attitude with that of my sexiness. I'm certainly not turning you down, my little minx, but merely postponing our desires until after dinner…in order to enjoy our dessert for the remainder of the night," Lucifer explained.

Chloe was slightly torn between frustration, the heat she was still feeling from his eyes staring at her nearly naked body, and the truth behind his words – did he just call her a minx?

While she clearly wanted to tease him more, she chose to stand there for another moment before turning her thoughts in a different direction. "Besides this," she pointed a finger between the two of them, "what are we having for dessert?"

Lucifer laughed at her gently, shook his head and stepped toward her because he couldn't resist having his hands on her. He somehow resisted the urge to pull her body against him but opted to again put his hands on her cheeks, tilted her head backwards and placed a simple kiss against her lips.

"You'll never know if you don't…go…shower…and change!" he said softly and then grinned as her face contorted into that of a teenager who wasn't getting her way.

Chloe huffed as she backed away from him and kept her eyes on his when she decided to walk backwards into the bathroom. And, just before she went all the way in, she removed her bra giving him a wonderful look at her bare chest before throwing the breast restraint at him and closing the door between them.

"Love you!" Lucifer called after her as he bit on his bottom lip.

"Mmm-hmm" was the response he got but it made him smile.

The chocolate covered strawberries were chilling in the fridge. Several cans of whipped cream were stashed in the door of that same fridge. While he was working to turn down his desire for sexual promiscuity he so-very-hoped his detective would indulge him a little sweet fun.

And that thought kept his nerves at bay, slightly, as he pulled the ring box from his pocket and rolled it around in his hand.

*****WMiYW*****

The first few moments with Chloe at the Canyon were somewhat similar to those with Beatrix, Lucifer decided.

The detective admired the neighborhood, awed at the gated entrance and then gave the front façade a thoughtful once over. When they were inside she quickly asked him how many bedrooms there were and wanted a tour.

The sparkle in her eyes was refreshing.

Yes, Lucifer wanted to impress her. No, this time it wasn't about possessions or proving himself better than Pierce or Dan. This time he simply wanted to give her everything he possibly could because she deserved it. But with all of his devilishness Lucifer was at a loss on how to convey that to her.

Perhaps the idea of proposing was weighing slightly on his mind.

He pulled both of their suitcases to the edge of the kitchen and looked back where Chloe was running her hands over the material of the couch in the living room and admiring the big screen tv that Trixie had completely overlooked.

"Come, have a glass of wine with me while I get dinner in the oven," he requested and tilted his head toward the kitchen. "It won't take long and then I'll give you the grand tour," he offered.

Chloe looked at him and smiled.

Both of them had decided individually to try and temper the need to make up for lost time – at least until after dinner – knowing that they had the entire weekend together and hopefully longer. So the drive up consisted of them holding hands, chatting about Lucifer's first chicken nugget with Trixie and a couple of the case files that Chloe had sitting on her desk at the precinct.

"How can I help?" Chloe asked easily after Lucifer poured them each a glass of red wine and donned his 'Kiss the Cook' apron as he had promised.

The detective giggled at the message and did give him a quick peck to the lips before she was told to simply sit at the counter to keep him company while he preheated the oven, got the meat from the fridge and made sure it was ready for cooking.

"So, you'll see the game room downstairs…" he mentioned while washing his hands after putting their dinner into the oven. "Like I told you before, it's for the Air-BnB rentals more than anything. Especially if they are here with kids, they seem to like the gaming system, the pool table and air hockey. Beatrix was quite taken with them as well. But you could easily get rid of the games – at least part of them – and turn that area into its own mini apartment."

He removed the apron, took Chloe by the hand and told her to leave their suitcases where they were as he began showing her the rooms of the house.

"As I said the other night, I thought you and Beatrix would like this house. It's close to the canyon, for hiking or camping if you'd like. There's this bedroom here on the main floor," he opened the door to an oversized bedroom complete with its own bathroom, a small sitting area and a queen sized bed placed near windows that looked out the front of the house and one to the side yard.

"Penelope could stay here whenever she likes – or whenever you like," he laughed slightly nervously. "Or like I was saying, the game room could be converted if there came a time that you might want her to move in."

He closed the door to the bedroom then took Chloe around a corner and opened a door that gave them the stairway to get into the basement of the home.

Chloe was soaking it all in, but noticed that Lucifer was talking a bit quickly, as though he was trying to make some point before she could interrupt him. That caused her to wonder, but she kept looking and listening and following him.

"The door over there," Lucifer pointed as soon as they got to the bottom of the steps, "leads out back, of course, and there's a sidewalk going from the back porch around to the front of the house. So if you were to make this its own living space, Penelope could come and go as she pleases without disturbing you. Or," he emphasized, "it's more likely that Maze will wear out her welcome with Linda-diel and move back in with you and the urchin, so this could become her space."

He let that idea drop somewhat quickly but wanted to make sure it was out there as a possibility.

Lucifer gave Chloe a minute or so to wander around the spacious area. She nodded as she picked up one of the air hockey paddles and swung it in the air lightly. He watched the detective move her hand over the leather gaming chairs that looked practically new and she lifted up one of the beanbag seats as thought she was fluffing the stuffing.

"Now if Eve were to come visit," Lucifer started again when she seemed to pause, "you might want to keep her away from this room. She's quite intense at the video games. I learned that the hard way," Lucifer commented as he again took Chloe's hand and led her back toward the stairs.

He grabbed their suitcases as they made their way back through the kitchen and toward the other side of the house. Lucifer, the gentleman, allowed Chloe to go up the stairs before he picked up their bags and followed her, carrying them up the carpeted steps, around the small landing and on up to the second floor.

Chloe smiled as she got to the top. She was quite glad she had taken her shoes off at the front door. The carpet was soft under her toes and felt very welcoming.

"Now Beatrix decided she liked this room," Lucifer sat down the bags in the hallway and opened another bedroom door to a good-sized area with two twin beds on opposite walls.

Chloe laughed slightly to herself, "Oh, I bet she did," she imagined her daughter enjoying the spaciousness of this room.

"The wallpaper is a bit childish," Lucifer repeated words that the urchin had said earlier, "but she could paint it however she likes. She said the short wall, over there would be great for chalkboard paint?" he questioned and Chloe chuckled.

"She's been asking for chalkboard paint for two years now. I can't do that in the apartment," Chloe noted which made Lucifer smile.

"Good! Well not good at the apartment I mean… But see, you could do that here without any qualms whatsoever," he commented.

"Now," he continued, "there is a smaller bedroom on the main floor that we missed. It's under the master bedroom. There's this other smaller bedroom up here," he proceeded to open the next door down the hall to give her a quick peek inside, "and then this is the master bedroom and bathroom."

Lucifer opened the door widely to reveal the expansive room where he had stayed the previous night. Chloe's eyes were wide immediately as she took in the amount of space, the beautiful king sized bed, the table and chairs near the sliding glass doors and then she noticed the picture of herself and Trixie on one of the bedside tables.

And she recognized the dark creature that appeared to be sleeping on that very picture frame.

"Yes, I borrowed that from your dresser," Lucifer noted where her eyes had focused. "The photo, that is, not Diablo. He came up here when I told him I was bringing Beatrix up here…but he was a little late arriving. I hope you don't mind, about the picture, I mean," he was obviously nervous. "We'll take it back to the apartment with us if you want."

Chloe looked at him wondering what had him on edge. Questions formed in her mind. He hadn't given her much of a chance to say anything, yet. She was just trying to take it all in and listen to him at the same time.

"I – I just needed a little reminder here with me when I stayed last night," he explained hurriedly. "I didn't think you would mind…"

She smiled and shook her head, "Of course not. But Lucifer?"

Before she could ask what was on her mind, he settled the suitcases at the foot of the bed then beckoned her toward the outside doors.

"Come look," he smiled as he pointed and then looked back to make sure she was joining him to see the view. "The back yard is wonderful. Quite private, between the fence and the tree line. There's a gate, there, at the back," he slid the glass doors open, pointed toward the back of the yard, then tugged on Chloe's fingers to follow him out onto the small deck to get a better view. "The gate opens up to a trail that leads from the neighborhood directly to the canyon. It's right there for you to enjoy!" he seemed more than pleased and excited at the notion.

"Now just so you know, the urchin fell in love with the pool as soon as she saw it. She was talking about a pool party for her birthday, having friends over, but I told her you'd likely only let her have girlfriends, especially if it was a sleepover. No reason to have any boys at this point…especially that one, Ben, is that his name? Boys and girls in a pool together…probably not a great idea at their age. But with girlfriends, they could camp here in the back yard, or in the basement. There's the grill and the firepit…don't girls her age like those s'more concoctions? I've never had one myself, but I suppose it's marshmallow and chocolate, right?"

Chloe listened to every word he was saying, but at the same time she had more and more thoughts and questions forming in her mind. She looked out over the yard, and then headed down the steps from the deck to the back patio, near the basement doors.

Lucifer watched her for a second, stopped his spiel and followed her down onto the stamped pavement where she was staring at the design.

"Detective?" he tried to get her attention. "Chloe?" he tried again and then chanced asking, "So what do you think?"

"What do I think?" She still didn't look toward Lucifer or even turn toward him.

She moved a bare toe over the textured concrete and watched the design she was outlining. "What do I think? I think…I'm not sure what to think. The house is amazing. It's beautiful, it's perfect. I'm sure Trixie loves it. But Lucifer," she shook her head, "I told you, I'm not going to move – I mean, I can't accept this house…"

"But," Lucifer tried to interject.

Chloe shook her head. "I know, we've kind of had this conversation and I don't want to mess up what we've just started, but Lucifer, I'm not going to bring my daughter and move into a house – your house – unless… I mean…"

Lucifer creased his eyebrows, listening to her. Had he not just laid out perfect plans? Plenty of room for Penelope or Maze – or both – to join them here? Trixie could paint her room any way she pleased and he wouldn't mind. They could make any changes to the house and he wouldn't care as long as they were there together.

Chloe crossed her arms across her chest but still kept her back to him. "You're talking about all these plans, Lucifer…how I can make room for Mom or Maze…how Trixie and I can paint her room. You're telling me how wonderful this house would be for me…"

It took another moment of silence for Lucifer to realize what she was saying and what she was hearing. He thought for a moment about the words he had used and in all of his rambling he had left out one important word: we.

"Detective," he felt his heart begin to pound with his next thought. This was his opportunity. With her back still turned he reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring box. He looked down at the cube in his hand and rolled it around a few times.

"Chloe, you're right, we talked a little bit about this the other night. And I don't want to overwhelm you or rush you into anything. But in all my rambling about this house, wanting to show it to you, hoping that you'd like it. I just want you to be happy," he began.

With a deep breath, Lucifer opened the ring box and found himself down on one knee, behind his detective.

"But that's just the point – or you're missing the point, Lucifer," Chloe turned around to talk to him and was a little surprised that she wasn't looking up into his face. Instead he was down on his knees.

She cocked her head to the side, not realizing what was happening. "Lucifer, what are you doing down there, get up, this discussion isn't over with."

Lucifer held out the ring box a little further for her to see clearly.

"You're right," he nodded. "Our discussion about the house is really just beginning." He took a breath in and quickly let it shake out from his lungs as he nibbled on his bottom lip. "I'm not asking you and Beatrix to just move in here and accept this house, Chloe. I'm wanting you to move in here, with me."

He found himself swallowing to try and moisten his mouth that had suddenly gone dry. "More than that, I want… Detective," his voice softened. "Chloe, marry me, please?"

She froze. This was certainly not what she expected. But there he was, on one knee, with a ring – one of the most beautiful, brilliant rings she had ever seen – asking her to marry him?

"Lucifer," she finally whispered without giving away any of her thoughts because she absolutely couldn't think of anything in that moment.

"I know," he stuttered slightly. "You think this is too quick, even moving in together, this is really fast, but is it? Really?" Lucifer tried to rush his thoughts, to find words to convince her as his detective stood there dumbfounded.

"You've read it in my journals, I've read it in your letter, we've both expressed it…Chloe we fell in love years ago. We both chose each other and I don't want to just live together. I want to make a life together… with you. So please, Chloe Jane Decker, will you marry me?"

Chloe looked into his eyes and knew every word he was saying was the truth. Still she couldn't quite wrap her mind around it. "I-" she started and then stopped.

"Lucifer, I…" the indescribable look on her face nearly broke his heart.

He closed his eyes to just try and breathe, trying to imagine what was going through her mind and how he had likely done exactly what he didn't want to do. She was overwhelmed. The last thing he wanted was for her to be confused.

"Chloe, I'm sorry…" he looked back down at the ring in the box and started to close the lid as he apologized.

"Yes," she pressed her lips together, reached down to stop him from closing the box and then nodded when he looked back into her face with the beginnings of a smile forming along with tears in her eyes.

"Yes?" Lucifer asked as she helped him stand up and they locked their eyes on each other.

Chloe ran her thumb across his with both of their hands now touching the small box. Her eyes glanced down at the ring before looking back at his face. "Yes," she smiled more widely, her lips twitching nervously yet the assurance in her voice told him this was her decision.

"Yes," Lucifer repeated with a light chuckle and yet he kept staring at her. "You're saying 'yes' to my proposal so that means…" he looked at their hands together and the sparkling ring in the box, "I need to put this on your finger… wait, which…which finger, which hand… an engagement ring goes on…"

Chloe laughed at him as she held out her left hand. "Ring finger, left hand…" she instructed him as he pulled the ring from the box and gently slid it onto her finger."

"Right…no, I mean…left…of course… there's a vein in that finger that runs directly to the heart, of course it's the left ring finger," he rambled a bit more.

Chloe held up her hand and admired the ring. "It fits perfectly, Lucifer…"

"Father knows best," Lucifer chuckled slightly as he said the words and then looked up toward Heaven.

"What?" Chloe wondered and Lucifer shook his head, not ready to delve into his Father's role in this entire scenario.

He thought about that for just another moment. Yes, she would ask about that quite soon. Yes, he would admit that perhaps his Father pushed him to take this step more quickly than expected. But, rest assured, this was a step that Lucifer wanted in his heart. And perhaps Lucifer needed that bit of prodding.

Right now, he simply wanted to hold his fiancée and was determined to let her know how much he loved her.

"So," Lucifer smiled, held her hands in his tightly and bent to kiss her lips.

They again felt like children, giggling as they hugged and kissed, wrapping arms around each other, hugging and holding each other as though they simply couldn't get enough of the simplicity.

"Would you like to tour our house again?" Lucifer wondered after about their 50th kiss while Chloe was admiring her engagement ring.

"Now see," she looked up at him with a smile, "you could've just led with that…" she expressed in the detective'ish fashion that he had grown to love. "Do you think we should check on dinner?" she wondered and Lucifer's eyes widened.

"Damn it," he looked quickly between the basement door and the bedroom door. The sliding door to the kitchen was off a more expansive deck, to their right, on the level in between, connected by a few steps from the bedroom landing but, of course that door would still be locked.

Chloe laughed and then was distracted by a certain black butterfly which fluttered down from the bedroom and landed on the back of her left hand.

"Well of course you show up now!" Lucifer chastised the creature, making Chloe laugh even more. "Where were you while I was making a fool of myself giving her the house tour? Weren't you supposed to help me with this whole proposal?"

Diablo seemingly ignored Lucifer as his antennae stretched out to touch the gems on Chloe's ring. "I take it he approves?" Chloe wondered.

Lucifer looked at the creature. "He stayed on that ring box in front of your and the urchin's picture all night long."

"Maybe he just likes the glittering ring," Chloe moved her hand slightly and marveled at the sparkling in the waning daylight.

"He probably likes it so much because Beatrix likes it as well," Lucifer commented.

"What?" Chloe stopped and looked between Diablo and Lucifer. "Trixie knows about this?"

"I needed her blessing," Lucifer smiled as he admitted why he had actually borrowed Chloe's daughter.

"That's why you brought her here?" Chloe blinked and felt a few tears forming in her eyes.

"It is," Lucifer nodded. "She and I get on quite well, apparently. I still don't understand why she's so taken with me."

Chloe laughed, "I don't understand that either," she raised her eyebrows, "I think she sees something in you – she has since the first time you met. Whatever it is, she really does like you…obviously…she's been running to you for years now."

Lucifer thought about what she was saying. "I know that your life revolves around her, Detective. I wanted to make sure it would be alright with her if I became a bigger part of your lives," he spoke somewhat shyly.

"So that's why you mojo'd my child?" Chloe asked with a motherly tilt of her head.

"The child stared into my eyes. I didn't ask what she desired until she was already well into her confession," Lucifer offered.

"What did she say?" Chloe wondered

Lucifer looked into her eyes and smiled gently. "She said we needed to be together, I had to ask you to marry me because we make each other happy – and that makes her happy."

Chloe sighed, "That's pretty much what she told me last night," she shared. "Although she conveniently left out the part about a marriage proposal and a beautiful engagement ring!"

Lucifer smiled and stole a kiss as he thought about his Beatrix keeping her word – even after he had accidentally vexed her.

Diablo fluttered to Chloe's right hand, which Lucifer was holding. The insect moved between Chloe and Lucifer's fingers until they wove those fingers together into a tight grip. They each smiled when they looked at their connected hands, especially when the butterfly seemed to be more settled with the connectivity.

They shared another lengthy kiss before Lucifer gave dinner yet another thought.

"Yes?" he asked again and watched Chloe suck in a long breath, coupled with a huge smile on her face.

"Yes," she whispered as she breathed out.

They kept their hands cinched together as they made their way back up the stairs to the bedroom. Diablo flew behind them and made himself at home on the picture of Chloe and Trixie still sitting on Lucifer's bedside table.

Chloe took in the décor more easily as they wandered through and headed back toward the kitchen. The smell of the meat met their noses and luckily the aroma was quite inviting. No hint of smoke which made Lucifer relieved.

He still wouldn't let Chloe help with the dinner. He donned his apron again, they both grabbed their glasses of wine and toasted to, well, their engagement.

Lucifer then served her a lovely tossed salad, chateaubriand with asparagus tips, and for dessert… chocolate dipped strawberries with whipped cream served to each other, by each other… from the kitchen, all the way up to the bedroom… with remnants of all three ingredients left on various parts of each naked body as they fell asleep for the first time together in their bed.

*****WrapMeInYourWings-Chapter24*****