Chloe is in the shower when Gabriel appears early the next morning, calling loudly for his brother.
"Please tell me you are not going to try to drag us to the Silver City this early," comes a muffled voice from the bedroom as Gabriel pokes his head inside the glass doors from the balcony.
"The Announcement is not ready to start yet," Gabriel replies as he moves through the flat toward his brother's voice, climbing the stairs to the bedroom. "But I had some things to address, and… brother?"
He stops short in the doorway as the bed comes into view. The sheets are rumpled and in the center is a long, groaning lump that he can only assume is his brother, with a pillow firmly mashed over his head. A long-fingered hand lifts the pillow and flings it at the Messenger, who easily catches it, regarding it curiously. "Is this a bad time?"
"It's early, Gabriel. What do you want?" Lucifer lifts his head to glare at his brother, his hair sticking up in several directions. Gabriel lifts his hand to his mouth to stifle a snicker and Lucifer's eyes narrow. "Out with it, brother."
"I, ah, brought you some vestments—"
"I won't be wearing those," he snorts. "I haven't since my Fall and I've no intention of starting up again now. My suit will do quite well. Next?"
"Father asked me to pass the message that He had also extended an invitation to Ms. Decker's father, so that you can prepare her."
"I'll let her know," he says absently as he sits up, brushing his hand through his hair in a failing attempt to tame his curls. "Anything else?"
"I thought you might want to arrive a bit before the Announcement, to give yourself some time to adjust again? Your last visit wasn't much longer than your first, and your second adjustment didn't seem any easier than the first…"
"Hmm," he considers for a moment. "That… is actually quite thoughtful of you, Gabriel. It's true that I'd rather not appear weak in front of the Host. Could we perhaps arrange it so that we come early so Chloe can greet her father straightaway?"
"I can manage that now. Are you certain you don't want to wear the vestments?" He offers the robes hopefully, and Lucifer glowers at them.
"I will never don the robes of Heaven again, brother. I much prefer my wardrobe here on Earth."
Gabriel's face falls a little, but he gathers the robes back into his arms without further argument. "I'll be back once I've arranged the meeting with Ms. Decker's father."
Lucifer waves him off lazily, swinging his legs off the side of the bed and making his way into the kitchen to start the coffee. By the time Chloe emerges from the bathroom, Lucifer is standing in front of the stovetop in his black robe and boxer briefs sliding an omelet onto a plate and sipping his coffee-laced whiskey. She wanders into the kitchen and pounces on her own steaming mug of (unspiked) coffee before settling onto one of the stools to watch him work. He starts a second omelet before bringing the plated one to her and brushing a kiss against her temple. She murmurs a thank you, still focusing on her coffee.
Once he's settled next to her at the bar and they both dig in, he breaks his news.
"Gabriel paid a visit while you were in the shower," he begins, starting to cut his omelet into bite-size pieces. "He says that God has a surprise for you."
"I don't like surprises," Chloe's response is immediate, and Lucifer smiles at her.
"Which is likely why He sent Gabriel to tell us about it," he reaches out and takes her hand. "I rather think you'll like this one, though—He invited your father to the Announcement and celebration. Gabriel's going to come get us early so you can have some time to speak with him before the big to-do."
"He—what?" Chloe's eyes widen and start to brim with tears. She's glad she's not holding her coffee mug, because it would have dropped from her nerveless fingers. "My father will be there? I'll… I'll get to see my dad today?"
"Chloe?" Lucifer asks worriedly, "I… I thought you'd be happy with the idea, but I can call Gabriel back if—"
"No! Oh my—Lucifer, no, this is… this is amazing! I never once thought—I don't… Oh my… there's so much I've got to tell him!"
"Hadn't thought quite that far ahead, eh?" He relaxes a bit as he realizes she's merely overwhelmed, not upset as he'd first feared.
"He doesn't know I'm a cop! Or about Trixie, or you, or… oh… Wow, I get to tell my dad that I'm soulmates with you." She rocks back on the stool, and he reaches a worried hand behind her to support her. "Oh my gosh Lucifer, today just got a lot more real."
"Maybe it's okay to leave the whole 'the devil is my soulmate' talk until your second meeting?" he suggests tentatively, trying to ease her mind. "You don't have to tell him anything you don't want to, Detective, I don't even have to meet him today if you're not comfortable—"
"Of course I want you to meet him!" she cries, bringing her hand up to brush her thumb along his scruffy cheek. "Of course I want you there with me, I wouldn't even be able to speak with him if not for you, and I want you two to get to know each other."
"Are you certain that's a good idea, darling?" Lucifer shifts on his stool, and if it were any other man, Chloe would think he was nervous at meeting her father. "I don't want to put you in an awkward position, but I've heard that fathers tend to not like men that date their daughters, and the last he remembers of you, you were only 19."
"Yeah, but dad was never like that with the guys I dated—"
"And how many of the fellows you brought home were the actual devil?" he presses, and she finally sees what's causing his hesitation.
"Lucifer, my family has never been religious—that's part of the reason I… reacted… the way I did when I realized you'd been telling me the truth; the world that I knew got so much bigger." She leans forward, resting her forehead against his and cupping the back of his head with the palm of her hand. "Dad's been in Heaven for a while now, so he'll already have that knowledge, right?" Lucifer nods, the slightest movement of his forehead against her own. "Then he should know that if you're in Heaven, then you can't be anything like what the church tries to make you out to be."
"And if he doesn't?" the question shivers in the tiny space between them, barely louder than a breath yet nearly deafening with despair.
"Then I will educate him," she assures him, her blue-green eyes locked onto his brown ones, and she reads the relief there alongside his concern for her. She slides off her stool and closes the small distance between them. With him seated on the opposite stool, he's nearly her height, so she doesn't have to tip up on her toes to press her lips to his. He tastes of warm whiskey and coffee, and her hands travel eagerly over the broad expanse of his chest and shoulders on their way to tangle in his hair and pull him closer. He leans into her embrace, his hands sliding over her hips and up her back in a languid caress as she deepens the kiss. Heat blooms slowly in her chest and spreads licking flames underneath her skin everywhere they touch one another, until their breathing is shallow and ragged. He pulls away entirely too soon with a reluctant sound, and she moves to chase after him but his hand on her cheek stops her.
"Gabriel said he would be back soon for us. You still need to finish breakfast and I need to get dressed or he's going to try to shove me into the vestments he tried to foist on me earlier… and I certainly won't have that."
"He brought you clothes?" Chloe's eyes sparkle with mirth as she tries to picture Lucifer in the type of clothing she's seen Gabriel, Arael and Phanuel wearing. "Really?"
"He did, and no I will not put them on," he smirks, but his tone brooks no argument. "I haven't worn them since my Fall, and I have no intention of ever donning them again. I look much better in Prada… or nada." He winks and she groans at the pun, resting her forehead against his bare chest as he chuckles at her reaction.
"If I get to see Dad today, I might change," she muses. "If I bring a photo—an actual photo, not on my phone—will it make the trip? I'd love for him to be able to see Trixie…"
"A photo will travel just fine, but you're correct in thinking that your phone will not work there. They're not built for interdimensional use… they pass through okay, but they won't even power up in the other planes."
"Oh, jeez… do I even have a printed photo?" Chloe suddenly realizes she might not… the days of keeping actual pictures in one's wallet are sadly coming to an end. "Where's my wallet?"
"If not, I'm sure we can print some from the office. Just e-mail them to yourself and we'll make it work," he grins at the rare sight of a flustered Chloe and finishes his breakfast quickly before going to make himself presentable.
She breezes in and out of the bathroom several times as he's getting ready, fluttering anxiously here and there as she double and triple checks things in her eagerness to go. He's putting the finishing touches on his hair when she appears in the doorway with a thick sheaf of papers clutched in her hands.
"I may have gone a little overboard with the photos…" she admits, embarrassed.
"You'll have plenty of time to go through them, darling, remember time goes faster there." He adjusts his cuffs and lightly applies his cologne before turning to face her with a fond smile. "So, once we get there, Gabriel will take you to your father while I reacclimate again. I'll give you two some time alone together before I make a brief appearance, and then I'll leave you to your visit? Does that work for you, Detective?"
"Reacclimate?" Her eyes sweep over him, as though checking for a problem. "I thought you did that the first visit?"
"Oh, I did," he assures her readily. "But a short visit after an absence of billions of years isn't enough to build a tolerance, I'm afraid. The last visit was nearly as bad an adjustment as the first, and that visit wasn't very long either. I'm afraid it's just going to take time and exposure before I can build my tolerance back up."
"Lucifer… that seemed really painful?"
"Well, it's certainly no picnic on the beach," he allows cheerfully, "but there's nothing for it if we're to be able to visit. You can enjoy some uninterrupted time with your father, and I'll spend some quality time with my Star of the Morning, rebuilding my divinity endurance."
"I'd rather stay with you while you do that. I… don't want to be away from you while we're up there. I want you with me." She pulls in a deep breath, and he suddenly notices how tightly she's clutching the papers in her hands.
"Easy, Detective, we'll be all right," he tugs her into a loose embrace, and feels the rigidity of her muscles loosen as she leans into him. "This is no elaborate trap, and we'll both be perfectly safe—together or apart."
"I'm going to be worried about you if you're not with me," she whispers into his shoulder, "and it would be embarrassing to have a panic attack in front of my dad because I'm worried about the devil's safety."
He huffs a laugh into her hair and pulls her closer to him. "Detective, you haven't seen your father in nearly 20 years, surely you—"
"Then another few hours while I wait with you won't hurt, will it?" she interrupts stubbornly. He feels her tensing, and he can't bear to add to her stress any further.
"Very well, Detective, we'll do it your way," he sighs as she relaxes in his arms. "I'll try to pull myself together quickly so we don't keep John waiting. Are you certain you want me there the entire time?"
"Afraid you're gonna get bored?" she smirks up at him and he lifts an eyebrow back at her.
"Darling, I could listen to every detail of your life and never once even approach the vicinity of boredom… but if he decides he doesn't approve of me, I don't want you to be stuck in the middle."
"If that happens—and that's a really big if—you don't have to worry about me choosing you," she reminds him staunchly. "I'm a grown woman, and I love you. While having you two get along would be great, I don't need his approval to be with you. You're mine, Lucifer… just like I'm yours. We're a set, and he's just going to have to accept that."
"Detective…" his voice sounds a little choked and he clears his throat lightly, "I'll do my very best to assure a smooth introduction."
"I know you will," she laughs, "I'm not worried."
"Lucifer?" The Messenger's voice from the balcony drowns out whatever Lucifer mutters in response to her statement, and they pull apart. "Brother?"
"Here, Gabriel," Lucifer calls back. "Ready to go, are we?"
"John Decker is eagerly awaiting you in his Loop, Ms. Decker," Gabriel's smile is tight, but genuine.
"Ah yes, about that… slight change in plans," Lucifer interjects. "The Detective prefers not to be parted from me, so she'll be waiting with us while I adjust, and she wishes me to be present for her meeting with her father."
"But what about—"
"I should still be able to adjust to the atmosphere even while inside a Loop," Lucifer speculates. "It may not happen as quickly, but since the Detective is likely going to be busy catching up with her father, I should be able to focus on reacclimating."
"Wouldn't it be easier directly under the light of the Star?"
"It would be faster, yes, but it's probably best for their reunion to take place out of the public eye. No sense drawing attention to the fact that a live human has access to Heaven for the first time in history. Are you ready, Detective? Got your photos?"
"Yep, all set." She's practically vibrating with eagerness, and Lucifer hides his grin in her hair as they unfurl their wings and he folds her into his arms for transport. Seeing her so excited has made this entire farce worth it to him.
He manages not to crumple to the ground upon arrival, but Chloe feels him sag against her and she braces herself under his arm to help support his weight. He folds in on himself, ragged gasps wracking his frame as the wave of divinity crashes down on him once more. Gabriel wedges himself under the arm that Chloe isn't occupying to help support his bulk. He clenches his jaw and manages to stifle his weighted groan into a low whine instead.
He spreads his wings to help his balance and lifts his face toward the silver starlight falling from above, pulling in a deep breath and holding it as he Wills the adjustment to speed up. Chloe folds her wings away and watches him intently, his expression intensely focused on controlling his reaction as well as he can.
"Why doesn't it affect me?" she wonders aloud, and Gabriel's gaze snaps to her, curious. "My divinity was his… shouldn't I be in just as much pain as he is right now?"
"I don't think it has anything to do with his divinity, but with his length of time in Hell," Gabriel muses. "There is some ambient divinity—light—on your plane, but there is virtually none in Hell. It would be like…" he pauses, searching for a comparison she would understand.
"Imagine spending months in a cave with no light, Detective," Lucifer grunts, "then emerging from the opening on a night with a full moon. That would be coming from Hell to Earth. Now, imagine emerging from the complete darkness of the cave suddenly into a cloudless summer afternoon. You'd be blinded, paralyzed. You'd need some time for your eyes to adjust to the overwhelming light after so long in the dark. It's discomfiting, and overwhelming, but not truly painful."
"Lucifer, no offense, but I think your pain meter might be a little bit warped from your experiences," Chloe squeezes him tightly around his waist. "Because that definitely sounds painful."
"You may have a point there, darling," he huffs a dire laugh as he attempts to straighten up, stretching his wings wide to catch the divine light of the star above. Chloe has a sudden mental image of an enormous vulture sunning himself, and she frantically stifles her slightly hysterical laughter into a light cough. She doesn't think her partner would appreciate the comparison, so she's grateful that he's distracted enough for her moment to go unnoticed.
After a time, he's able to stand to his full height, fold his wings away, and take a few steps without staggering or leaning on them too heavily. Gabriel cautiously pulls away, hovering nearby in case of relapse, but Chloe keeps her arm wrapped securely around his waist.
"Alright, Gabriel, lead the way to Papa Decker's Loop, if you please, I think the Detective has waited long enough." Gabriel walks slowly, walking in line with the guests of honor rather than leading them, the better to lend a hand if needed. Lucifer glances over at Chloe, whose eyes are scanning the landscape. She has one arm wrapped around his waist and the other pressed to his chest for further support. "Where are your photos Detective?"
"I tucked them in my waistband so I wouldn't lose them," she grins up at him. "If you're good, I'll let you get them out before we go into Dad's Loop."
"Ooooh, bribery," he coos, batting his eyes playfully. "I like it."
Gabriel's cheeks flush a pale pink, and Lucifer is turning to tease him when a wall of cream feathers with red barring suddenly appear before them.
"Lucifer! You're here early!" The deep, joyful voice of Raguel rings out across the Heavenly plane, and Lucifer glances around nervously. Raguel notices the look, and that his brother is being supported on both sides, and a bit of the joy bleeds from his demeanor. "Are you still wounded, brother? Are you going to Raphael for treatment?"
"Ah, hello, Raguel," Lucifer stammers, taken aback by the sudden appearance of a jubilant sibling. "No, I'm not going to Raphael, we, ah, we came early to meet with someone. May I introduce Detective Chloe Decker? Chloe, this is Raguel, angel of justice. You two may find you have a common outlook."
"Ms. Decker," Raguel inclines his head politely, folding his wings tightly behind his back. His medium-length strawberry blond hair bobs with the movement, and his stubby fingers restlessly brush it back from his expressive grey eyes. He's the shortest angel Chloe's met so far, only an inch or two taller than she is but he's broad-chested and well-muscled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my brother Arael has told us wonderful things about your work on the Earthly plane."
"He… really?" Chloe blinks at him, then looks to Lucifer, whose beaming smile is full of pride.
"You work to bring to justice those who use their free will to harm others," Raguel prattles on, unaware of her surprise. "It is a worthy occupation."
"Well, Lucifer helps a lot," she prevaricates, smiling up at her partner. "Our solve rate is the highest in the county."
"Your talents mesh well together, I'm sure," Raguel praises them. "I worked closely with Lucifer when he lived among us here, and I know his integrity is unfailing."
Then where were you when Michael was breaking his wings and flinging him into Hell like a rotten egg? Chloe bites her lip so that doesn't slip through her filter. A surge of rage pulses through her, and the hand resting on Lucifer's chest unconsciously clenches in the fabric of his jacket. Where were you when he was burning alive in a crater all alone? Or the millennia afterward?
Lucifer seems to glean something of her line of thought, because his arm tightens around her shoulder, guiding her to keep moving. "It's good to see you again, Raguel, but we do have an appointment to keep. I'm sure we'll be able to catch up some at the celebration after His announcement."
"It is good to see you back home," his brother agrees jovially. "Will you be taking back your name, or will you keep using your title?"
"I have no interest in reclaiming my old name. It never suited me anyway," Lucifer replies lightly, brushing it aside though Chloe can feel him tensing beside her. "Lucifer is my name now, I answer to nothing else."
Raguel nods solemnly, expression tinged with some sadness that Chloe doesn't quite understand. "Welcome home, brother, it will be good to have you back again, we have sorely missed your light."
Lucifer nods wearily, and they watch as Raguel springs into the air and glides away.
"Is the entire host unaware that I do not intend to make this my home, Gabriel?" Lucifer hisses in frustration. "I thought I'd been very clear about that detail?"
"I know Phanuel has related your tale and intentions faithfully, and Arael, Azrael, and Amenadiel as well," the Messenger shrugs. "I think our siblings cannot envision one of us wanting to live anywhere but the Silver City, as most of them rarely—if ever—leave it."
"Bloody fantastic," he mutters to himself, "I may have to make an announcement of my own after all, if they're all going to be banging on about it."
"Maybe you can ask God to mention it?" Chloe suggests quietly, "They'll probably listen if He says it, right?"
"Maybe. If we see Him before the announcement, I'll bring it up."
They walk on in companionable silence until Gabriel stops at one of the towers. "Here we are. Ms. Decker, press your palm against the pad and the door you need will appear in the entrance. I'll come to retrieve you when the gathering begins."
"Thank you Gabriel," Lucifer murmurs as his brother turns away. He pulls himself away from her and stands to his full height, taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders. Chloe is frozen, staring at the pad on the wall with her hands clasped tightly in front of her. He waits patiently next to her, trying to think of the best way to help. "Ready when you are, Detective—though the offer for me to await you out here is still open to you."
Before he can finish the offer, her left hand snakes out and grasps his, tightly threading her fingers through his. "You've got this, darling. He's your father, and if he's half as amazing as you seem to think he is, he's going to be deliriously proud of the woman you've become."
"Will he?" her wide eyes meet his, swirling with doubts. Shallow breaths ring in her ears. "What if he's horrified that I became a cop? He was always talking about how dangerous it is."
"Well, then perhaps he'll be glad that you can choose to be effectively immortal so you don't have to share his fate?" Lucifer proposes hopefully. "I'm sorry darling, I'm perfectly willing to support you however I can; but I am really not going to be any help here, you know what my relationship was like with mine…"
Her breathing hitches, and her eyes dilate as she stares up at him. He grips her hand tightly and steps toward her, his lips capturing hers as he pulls her close with his free hand. She remains frozen for another moment before she melts into the kiss, returning it with fervor until they're both short of breath. He pulls away, resting his forehead against hers with their noses bumping gently against one another.
"Better?" he whispers with a smile.
"Best grounding method ever," she sighs. "You've definitely earned retrieving the photo printouts now."
His smile turns to a mischievous grin as his hands slide around her waist and purposely grab her ass with a firm squeeze before he murmurs a laughing "Oops" in her ear. He pulls the sheaf of neatly-folded papers from her waistband and presses another kiss to her lips before stepping back and presenting them to her with a courtly bow.
"Are you ready now, darling?"
She reaches up and strokes his cheek with her hand before she takes the photos from him, pressing the palm of her right hand against the pad and grabbing his hand again with her left. The doorway slowly fills in from blank whiteness to an open sitting room in warm tones—burnished wood floors strewn with rag rugs with comfortable well-worn furniture and photographs covering the walls and shelves. A tall, lean man with neat brown hair and an angular jaw enters, carrying a tray with glasses of iced tea arranged upon it, stopping short when he sees them. His hazel eyes light with excitement and he hurries to set the tray on the coffee table.
"Chloe!" His voice is light but masculine, and the love that saturates it makes Chloe's throat close at the memory of the last time she'd heard it, nearly 20 years ago. "Monkey, it's so good to see you! My goodness, look at you, you're all grown up!"
"Hi, Dad," she manages to choke out, "I missed you so much!" Lucifer deftly slips his hand from hers and nudges her toward the other man. She takes a step forward and John closes the distance, wrapping his daughter in an embrace that has them both crying joyful tears.
The Devil watches his Detective fold herself into her father's embrace, a warm light dancing in his eyes and flaring in his chest at her incandescent happiness. He steps away slowly, trying not to draw any attention from their reunion as he moves to the walls and starts perusing the photographs. Unsurprisingly, they're family photos, a younger John and Penelope, then photos of a spawn that he has to assume is Chloe, judging by the blue eyes and wide smile. He can see hints of Beatrice in that smile, the shape of the immature nose, and the crinkles around the eyes when the smile is especially wide. He hums quietly to himself in amusement as he spies several photographs of Spawn Chloe in embarrassing poses or outfits, perhaps for holidays or some acting photo shoots that Penelope had likely dragged her to. Many more photographs reflect outdoor activities; shots of John and young Chloe camping, fishing, or hiking, even one of Chloe apparently trying to start a fire with a striker… the photograph shows a panicked look on her face as the tips of her long hair burst into flame, John laughing in the background with a canteen of water tipped toward her, about to put out the tiny conflagration. He has to work very hard not to laugh out loud at that one, not wanting to interrupt their moment with his irreverent entertainment. He's made his leisurely way three-quarters around the room before Chloe sniffles and pulls back from the embrace, abruptly returning to herself.
"Dad, I can't believe you made this your Heaven!" she looses a watery laugh, looking around disbelievingly.
"What, I love it here!" He protests, chuckling. "Loads of good memories at this cabin, and the lake has just as many fish as I could ever hope to catch."
"Do they still steal your bait?"
"If they do, I always have more." His eyes crinkle with his smile. "Please, sit."
Chloe turns and catches Lucifer's eye, holding out a hand to him in a request. He hesitantly abandons his perusal of the photographs and crosses the room, and she pulls him in close.
"Lucifer, this is my dad, John Decker," Chloe announces calmly, her arm tightening around his waist in a message he can't interpret. "Dad, this is Lucifer Morningstar, my soulmate."
"Well you certainly don't pull any punches, do you, Detective?" he murmurs to her, as John's eyes flicker between the two of them, trying to decide if his daughter is joking or not. He extends his hand and greets the man at a more normal volume. "Lovely to meet you, John, Chloe's told me wonderful things about you."
John shakes the devil's hand warily, and doesn't try to turn it into a test of masculinity by squeezing—something that always amuses Lucifer when men try it on him. "Lucifer Morningstar? Parents had an odd sense of humor, hm?"
"Oh, I assure you they do not. They're much more… literal-minded." At Chloe's stifled giggle, a slow grin spreads across his face. "This name is the least of my misfortunes at my family's hand, I'm afraid. But… I digress. We're here so you and the Detective can catch up, so don't mind me, I'm perfectly capable of amusing myself—"
"Detective?" John's eyes widen in surprise as he sinks into the wing-backed chair behind him. "Chloe, honey—did you join the force? How long have I been gone?"
Chloe tugs Lucifer over to sit on the couch with her, not willing to let him go, and starts to fill her father in on the past twenty years.
"I joined the LAPD a couple years after you were shot, Dad…" she sniffs again, and Lucifer nudges her gently in support. "Acting was never really my thing, and… I wanted to make a difference like you."
"Monkey, that job got me an early death—I didn't want that for you—" he protests weakly, but Lucifer cuts in.
"Chloe is the best homicide detective on the force," he proclaims quietly, and the pride in his voice is so heavy that John blinks in surprise. "Her instincts are uncannily accurate, and her morals are incorruptible—trust me on that. She sets a shining example of policework for the entire precinct."
"You sound like you've seen her in action."
"Every day," his eyes gleam as he grins, "we're partners. But you should let her tell the rest of her tale now, she has quite a lot to fill you in on."
And she does. She tells him about Penelope, meeting Dan, getting married, and Trixie— proudly showing the photos she's printed, and it's obvious from his rapt expression that John is already wrapped around his granddaughter's finger without ever even meeting her.
"Is she yours?" John asks hesitantly, "The two of you, I mean—She's… she has his coloring, a bit."
"No," Chloe blurts before Lucifer can implode in horror at the implication of being a father. "Trixie is Dan's, I didn't meet Lucifer until she was 7. She made him one of her best friends right away."
"Bit of a charmer, huh?" John narrows his eyes at the devil, who smiles back blandly.
"For everyone but your daughter, it seems," Lucifer nods regally, then smiles fondly at Chloe, picking up her hand and kissing the back of it tenderly. "I'm working to be worthy of her regard every day."
"How did you two meet, then?" John's gaze fixes on Lucifer. "You don't really look much like a cop."
"Oh, dearie me, no," Lucifer recoils at the idea and Chloe laughs softly.
"We met when a friend of his was shot in a drive-by," Chloe supplies easily, "I got assigned the case, but Lucifer didn't trust the police to find the killer, so he investigated on his own, and I kept tripping over him on my investigation until we decided to work together. Now he's a civilian consultant, and the best partner I could ever ask for. Do you think Delilah be there today?" She turns to Lucifer with the question.
"I don't know if she was invited or not," he muses thoughtfully. "It would be lovely to see her again."
"Yeah, what is this thing today?" John glances between the two of them curiously. "It's not really normal for the living to gain access to Heaven, but the angel that stopped in assured me that you weren't dead."
"Well… Dad, here's where it starts to get a little odd," Chloe reaches blindly for Lucifer's hand again, and he allows her fingers to thread through his despite his concern at the new topic. "Lucifer's name isn't an affectation. He is Lucifer, the archangel. And the gathering today is God's announcement to welcome him back to Heaven."
"Lucifer," John repeats blankly, his eyes growing wider as the devil blinks benevolently back at him. "Lucifer the fallen angel. Satan. The Devil. That Lucifer?"
"Oh, please don't leave out Old Scratch, that one is a particular favorite of mine," Lucifer adds playfully. "But yes, I'd spent the past few billion years ruling Hell until I retired and wound up in LA."
"Could I have a moment with my daughter, please?" he manages to choke out, and Lucifer's heart sinks.
"Of course," he murmurs, but Chloe refuses to let him disentangle his hand from hers. "Detective, it's all right, I can just go down to the lake, and—"
"No," she cuts him off gently but implacably. "I told you Lucifer, I don't want you out of my sight while we're here. Please, stay." His deep brown eyes gaze at her imploringly, but she doesn't relent. "Lucifer and I come as a set, Dad. His family has a terrible track record with him, and I don't trust them. We watch each other's backs, always, especially here."
"You introduced him as your soulmate," John recalls suddenly.
"Please don't ask if she sold her soul to me," Lucifer groans, rubbing a palm over his face in exasperation as John startles at his sudden movement. "I really do get so tired of debunking that myth, and I swear if Michael were in front of me now, I'd kill him myself for just that bit of misinformation alone."
"Okay Dad, here's the short version. If you want to know more later we can talk about it, but for now, here we go; Lucifer's an archangel, he was tossed into Hell by his insane, jealous brother because his dad had a job for him to do there. Everything you might think you know about the Devil is absolutely wrong. I was born as a result of a nearly-direct intervention from God, who gave me the ability to not be affected by Lucifer's particular talents, and a little immunity to divinity in general—so you and Mom weren't wrong when you called me a miracle. We met, we became partners, then friends. When I realized he'd been telling me the absolute truth all that time about who he is, I didn't react well and I did some horrible things—"
"Detective—" Lucifer starts to interrupt softly, but quiets when she gently strokes his cheek and continues.
"But we've managed to work through it all, and we're finally together now. In the past few months we've literally been through Hell and back. I wound up with some of his divinity along the way, and we're linked together, so I'm basically immortal now. And since Lucifer is now allowed to visit Heaven, I am too."
The silence rings when she finishes speaking. Her father's eyes had gotten so large during her vastly abridged tale that Lucifer had become moderately worried they might actually roll out onto the floor of the cabin. John swallows and starts to speak several times before apparently thinking better of whatever he was about to say. Finally, he picks up his glass of iced tea and takes a deep drink. Lucifer pulls his flask from his jacket pocket and does the same, earning a smirk from Chloe and a lifted eyebrow from John, both of which he ignores.
"So the, ah, event today?" John ventures after a while.
Chloe looks to Lucifer, who takes the hint and answers. "Today is the official announcement of the reinstatement of my visiting privileges. Followed by the celebration. The entire angelic Host will be in attendance, as well as a few of my human friends that have already passed into Heaven."
"How did I score an invite, then?"
"Your invitation was extended on behalf of the Detective, of course," Chloe's hand tightens on his, and John's sharp eyes don't miss that tiny motion. "God thought it would be a nice gesture."
"Okay then," John drawls slowly, "It might take a little time to wrap my brain around the fact that I've somehow managed to come to God's personal attention, even briefly."
"I can certainly understand that," Lucifer commiserates, "His regard can be quite overwhelming, but you needn't worry about him dropping in for tea… he generally prefers to keep his distance, really."
"Good to know."
"I wondered…" Lucifer begins tentatively, when the silence around them starts to become oppressive, "there's a photo on the wall over there of the Detective with her hair on fire… I would love to know the story behind it."
"Dad!" Chloe covers her face with her free hand, "You did not put that photo up here!"
"Oh, I assure you darling, he did, and it was quite entertaining, even without knowing the story." Lucifer grins at her teasingly, and John's observant eyes can see from the way they look at each other, the way they move with one another that their bond is a real one, forged with time and effort and honed by conflicts weathered together. That information settles his mind, and the rest of their visit is spent sharing stories.
John watches the pair closely, and every observation eases his concerns a bit more. He takes in Lucifer's genuine interest in Chloe's life, his pride in her accomplishments, his gentle teasing coupled with genuine affection, and their deep connection evident in the way one never loses track of the other. He notices that while the devil never calls his granddaughter by her given name, when he speaks about her his tone is warm and his words are affectionate. He's only called Chloe by name once, when he'd boasted about her being the best detective on the force, but Chloe glows when he calls her 'Detective' or 'darling', which is often.
Chloe in turn is nearly always touching him, his hand, arm, shoulder… even teasingly in less-appropriate places when she thinks John isn't looking, which always results in a wicked grin from Lucifer and a stifled smile and quick aversion of eyes from John. Chloe always calls him by name, never an affectation, and he wonders how that habit developed. She refers to Trixie as Trix, Monkey, Weasel… but Lucifer is always 'Lucifer'.
He's chuckling at Lucifer's story of exactly how hard he'd had to work to master making Chloe's favorite Hawai'ian bread sandwich when the soft sound of a throat clearing comes from the doorway. The sandy-haired angel that had introduced himself as Gabriel stands there diffidently, hands clasped before him.
"Father requests your presence before the announcement, Lucifer," Gabriel announces, "Will you come?"
"I did have a couple of things I wanted to be sure were addressed during the announcement, so yes I'll go." Chloe is on her feet before he finishes the sentence, and Lucifer glances up at her, amused. "We'll go."
He rises gracefully from the couch, extending his hand to John in a friendly manner. "It was truly a pleasure, John, we'll be back to visit again… and at some point we may even convince the Detective that I'm safe to leave unattended while she visits with you."
Chloe's father takes the Devil's hand and shakes it firmly. "You take care of one another, that's what's important."
"We're working on it, Dad." Chloe's eyes flicker between the two men with a warm smile. "We'll see you later, yeah?"
"I'll be there."
.
Chloe senses Lucifer growing tense and wary beside her as Gabriel guides them through the shining streets of the City. She glances up at him surreptitiously, but his face is set in a mask of nonchalance.
"This isn't the way to the Audience Chamber, Gabriel," Lucifer accuses, and Gabriel turns to him with a cautious expression.
"Father isn't at the Audience Chamber yet, it's already starting to fill with the Host. They're eager to welcome you back."
"If we're not meeting Him at the Audience Chamber, where are we going?"
"Brother…"
"You can't be serious," Lucifer stops walking, planting his feet. "Even He can't be that obtuse, Gabriel."
"You know it's the only other place here with any privacy, Lucifer…"
"I have no desire to set foot there ever again," Lucifer grits through his clenched jaw. Chloe feels his hand trembling as it clutches hers. "I certainly don't need to speak to Him that badly."
Chloe's gaze travels from her partner to his brother and back again, working to piece together what's happening. When she does, a wave of fury washes over her.
"You're taking us there?" she shouts, her voice echoing angrily from the glinting towers surrounding them. Her stomach lurches at the thought of Lucifer having the memories of his Fall re-opened and shoved in his face again… was God trying to break him? "No way."
"We're nearly there already," Gabriel pleads, turning to face them with open palms stretched out.
"You don't know what you're asking of him," Chloe argues vehemently, stepping in front of her partner, who shows no indication that he's willing to move from his current position. His lips are compressed, eyes locked in the middle distance, and Chloe has no doubt that he's already seeing the dreaded location in his mind's eye. "We're not going to—"
"We'll go," Lucifer cuts in abruptly, and Chloe whirls to face him, ready to argue further. He bows his head and raises his hand, palm out in a 'wait' gesture. "Dr. Linda is right. I can't… let myself be mired in the past anymore. I need to see it, Chloe, to… to put my metaphorical ghosts to rest."
"Lucifer, are you sure?" She steps close, ducking her head and twisting until she can meet his downcast eyes. He gives her a tight smile and holds out his hand for her to take.
"Not even a little, Detective," he admits candidly, and his voice hitches in his throat. "But if I'm to really move forward, I need to let go of my past. And as much as I don't want to go back there—it feels like exactly the right thing to do."
Her hand moves to caress his cheek, and he nuzzles into her palm with a sigh as she considers. "All right," she concedes after a long moment. "I've got your back when you're ready, then."
"I know you do, darling," he murmurs against her palm, covering her hand with his and pressing a kiss there before pulling it away to cover his heart instead. His gaze fixes on Gabriel, who is watching the pair abashedly. "The sooner we go, the sooner we can leave."
He doesn't wait for Gabriel to lead, but strides off briskly, shoulders squared and head high as though he's facing a firing squad. Chloe stretches her legs to keep up, but he manages to keep ahead of her by sheer length of stride alone. She slows her steps when he does, watching him carefully but knowing somehow that he needs to face this without her hovering too closely.
The tension in his shoulders is wound so tightly that the fabric of his Prada jacket strains across them as he approaches the courtyard in front of a nondescript domed building. His footsteps slow, then stop entirely as his head tilts one direction, then the other. Gabriel approaches and halts at her side, watching his brother anxiously. Lucifer takes a few more steps forward before circling around a nondescript area until his back is to her, then carefully steps into the invisible circle as though afraid the stone beneath him will swallow him whole.
.
Lucifer gingerly moves to stand on the innocuous bit of stone where Michael had held him to the ground at swordpoint, where his siblings had beat him and shattered his wings, where his beloved father had turned away and his mother watched in silence… and he feels nothing. Perhaps a faint sense of loss, of grief long since rotted away to the bones of apathy. The agonizing tsunami of painful memories he'd been expecting—dreading—doesn't come. The corner of his mouth twitches as a relieved smile lights his countenance and it's as though the crushing burden of his past existence is suddenly lifted from him. He pulls in what feels like his first real breath in millennia, and the tension bleeds from him in a rush, taking his strength with it. He sinks to his knees but remains otherwise upright, his face upturned to catch the starlight beaming gently down from his heavenly creation. He feels… at peace. The gaping wound that he had feared uncovering when he pulled this particular scab has managed to heal at last, and the anxiety that had been building since he'd discovered where they were heading dissipates into nothingness. He's surprised when a chuckle burbles from his lips, softly at first but gaining in volume as his rising joy bursts forth until the courtyard rings with the rich tones of his unfettered mirth.
He comes to himself when a small hand tentatively brushes his face, fingers tracing gently along the skin under his eyes. He opens his eyes to find Chloe crouched in front of him, her concerned face inches from his own. He grins up at her, eyes alight with exhilaration and he sees the relief in hers. He closes the space between them, pulling her to him and pressing his lips to hers in a jubilant kiss until a hard cough from Gabriel makes him aware he's been trying to get their attention for some time. Their breathing is ragged when he pulls away, and her cheeks are wet.
"Detective, you're crying," he murmurs and she shakes her head, looking up at him worriedly.
"I'm not, Lucifer," she corrects him gently, "you are."
"What?" he brushes his fingers disbelievingly over his face, and sure enough, his fingers come away wet. "Well, I'll be damned."
"I've never seen you cry, Lucifer," she presses her forehead to his, ignoring Gabriel's attempts to get their attention, "talk to me."
"I haven't, not since before my Fall," he confesses reluctantly. "I couldn't afford the weakness, Detective, the demons… I couldn't betray any type of weakness, physical or emotional. The Doctor was right, I was stuck, trapped, but… Chloe… I think maybe I'm not anymore."
"I don't understand," she bites her lip, and his hands lift up to frame her face. He lifts his chin to brush his lips to her forehead.
"I think… I thought…" he sighs, grasping for words and she waits patiently as his warm breath suffuses her hair. "I was terrified to come back here, Detective. I thought it would crush me, maybe even break whatever bits of me that may have been mended. But… I don't feel anything. None of the fear, or the pain… only a kind of faded loss. This… what happened here… it's part of who I am, but I think I've managed to choose not to let it define me anymore. Perhaps I've grieved for my past for so long now that the button has finally stopped working." She pulls back, searching his face for any hints that he's trying to convince himself of something, but all she can see is relief and a lightness in his eyes that borders on glee. "I'll need to speak to Linda of course, to know for sure, but… for the first time I feel free. Like I can finally look toward a future without looking over my shoulder for my past."
"Lucifer…" she breathes, her eyes widen as she processes what he's telling her. "You're really okay?"
"I'd much rather be at home with you rather than kneeling here in this bloody courtyard, but yes, I'm okay," he assures her truthfully. "Now, shall we see what the old bastard needs so we can get this charade over with?" She nods, laughing as he springs eagerly to his feet, holding out a hand to help her onto hers. "Alright Gabriel, do you need a cough drop? Let's get a wriggle on, we've got places to be."
.
The workshop door clicks open at their approach and Lucifer doesn't hesitate, striding forward with a bounce in his step that reflects the new lightness in his heart. He stops short inside the threshold, his eyes drawn to the open space where the ceiling would be in a normal room but here a grouping of tiny, strategically placed stars illuminate the room.
"You still have them," he murmurs, surprised. Chloe stops beside him and takes in the revolving chaos around them. Oddly shaped implements that she can only assume are some kind of tools circulate around the edges of the occupied portion of the room, out of the way, but seemingly ready for use at a moments' notice. God lifts his gaze from the glowing surface of his worktable and smiles at Lucifer's astonishment.
"Of course I still have them, Lucifer," he gestures at the surrounding room. "They're a masterpiece, and I remember how proud you were when you created them for Me."
Chloe takes Lucifer's hand, relieved to find that the trembling tension she expects to find there isn't present. He squeezes her fingers gently, and she threads them between his. He clears his throat. "What did You need to talk about? Gabriel says the Audience Chamber is already filling, so we should be going soon."
"I know you had items you wanted Me to address with the Host, and I wanted to assure you that they will be," God stands from his stool and approaches them carefully. "I understand that you have no intention of making the Silver City your home, but I wanted to verify that you're not closing out any siblings that may wish to reconnect with you by visiting you on Earth?"
"I'll not turn away anyone that comes to visit in peace," Lucifer confirms. "If they threaten to break the peace, though, I will act. I will not allow anyone to jeopardize my friends—my family— maliciously again." God nods solemnly and Lucifer continues, "Arael has expressed interest in staying on Earth for the time being, and I would ask that he be allowed to stay as long as he wishes."
"Arael has always been more independent than many of his siblings," God smiles fondly. "He is, of course, free to make his own decisions, including his choice of residence. Was there anything else you wanted to be sure of?"
"Are we expected to speak at the announcement?" Chloe asks bluntly, and God chuckles.
"It is not required, though if you'd like to speak of course you can," he allows, "I know you've had plenty of thoughts you'd like for Me and My children to hear."
"And I know You've already heard them, so I won't waste my breath," Chloe scoffs, and Lucifer tugs her closer to him. "You already know my low opinion on Your 'parenting' methods."
"I do," God bows his head briefly, "My son Amenadiel was correct, when he told Michael that Celestials could learn many things about emotions from humanity—Myself included. I am pleased that Lucifer and Amenadiel have had such excellent instruction from their friends."
"Easy, Detective," Lucifer murmurs in her ear as he feels her indignance rising, "I'm free now, remember? The past is done, and we can move forward now. I neither need nor expect anything from Him."
"You may not need it, or expect it Lucifer," Chloe hisses, still glaring daggers at an unperturbed God, "but you deserve an apology at the very least."
"Yes, well," he purposely brushes off the idea airily, placing a hand on her shoulder, gently turning her back toward the workshop door, "We've had the discussion about apologies in my family, have we not? Shall we go, then?"
"Lucifer," God calls from behind them and he turns to face his Creator squarely, eyebrows lifted in polite disinterest. "She is right."
"I find that she often is," Lucifer comments, glancing at Chloe fondly, "but would you care to elaborate?"
"I… have been less than a loving parent to you," God begins, and Lucifer is unwillingly intrigued by the uncharacteristic hesitation in his demeanor. "And Chloe is correct, you are deserving of far more love and support than you have been shown. I regret that this visit was necessary."
"You knew," Lucifer lifts his chin, mahogany eyes boring into his Creator's chocolate ones. "You knew I didn't want to come back here. What I thought would happen if I did."
"And I also knew it was something that needed to happen, for you to thrive," God bows his head for a moment, and Lucifer feels Chloe start to vibrate with rage beside him. He rests his hand on her elbow, turning them both back toward the door dismissively.
"It's not worth it, Detective. He's not wrong, I did need to confront the past in order to let it go," he murmurs into her ear. "And now I don't have to look back anymore. I'm free of Him, of all of them."
"Lucifer," God's voice is soft, not his usual commanding tone, and Lucifer pauses briefly but does not turn again. "For what it's worth, I do apologize for what you've been put through… for what I have put you through. I'd like the chance to make amends."
Chloe feels a slight tremor course through Lucifer's body close beside her at the words he'd never thought to hear, but it lasts only a heartbeat and he still doesn't turn back.
"I don't know that You can, but I think Dr. Linda would say an apology is a start," Lucifer acknowledges mildly. "Perhaps You should consider how You would like to move forward."
The door opens for them, and closes gently behind them as they see their way out.
.
Gabriel doesn't appear to guide them, but Lucifer knows the way and they stroll through the silver-limned streets in companionable silence, arm in arm. Chloe can just make out the buzz of a large gathering growing closer when a familiar voice echoes down the empty street.
"Lucifer? Is that you?" Hurried footsteps ring out from behind them and Lucifer turns, his eyes lighting up with his wide smile.
"Charlotte!" he intones joyously, "I was hoping to—oof!" Chloe grins as Charlotte hits him with the velocity of a cannonball, wrapping him in a tight embrace, her blue eyes shining with tears.
"I knew it was you!" she's laughing, "I'd recognize those suits anywhere, no one dresses like that up here. I was wondering if I'd get to see you before the Big Announcement."
"How are you settling in, darling?" he asks, patting her shoulders awkwardly until she releases him. "I'm so very proud of you, you know—you did a marvelous job getting yourself turned around."
"I owe that mostly to you and Amenadiel… and Ella," Charlotte chuckles, wiping her eyes and smoothing the lapels of her deep blue jacket. "Without you… I never would have made it here."
"And you're happy?" Chloe asks curiously as Charlotte descends on her for a hug as well. Charlotte wasn't one to sit idly around and fish, and Chloe finds herself wondering what she does to fill her endless amounts of time.
"Happiness is easy here," Charlotte confirms, pulling away from Chloe and joining them as they start to move toward the Audience Chamber again. "if I get bored in my quarters, I can venture out into the city and find something to occupy me without even needing to look too hard. Compared to the other option, this place wins no contest."
Lucifer snorts softly, but his eyes are full of affection for the indomitable woman before him. "You more than earned your happiness, my dear."
"How are you?" She inspects him closely, shooting Chloe a slightly suspicious glance. "Amenadiel's been giving me updates on what's been going on when he visits, and you've been having a rough time of it. I've been worried."
"Worrying for the Devil, Charlotte?" he teases lightly, "Surely anyone up here could tell you that's a waste of time."
"Oh, I've had a few choice words for the angels that have crossed my path and had the gall to look sideways at me for being your friend—"
"Charlotte!" Lucifer rests a hand on his chest in an over-the-top pantomime of shock. "Have you been defending the Devil in Heaven?" She snorts, and he can't keep himself from laughing with her. "That wasn't necessary, darling, but I do wish I could have seen their faces. Hopefully you won't have to deal with that anymore once the announcement is made."
"Oh, it's been different for quite a while already," she informs him smugly. "I've had a few of them approach me wanting to talk about you, and they've been nearly friendly."
Lucifer hums quietly, "I suppose that means Phanuel has been making progress."
They're approaching the square now, and the drone of conversation from the gathered crowd is loud enough that they can't really converse anymore. Gabriel materializes beside them suddenly, but Chloe is the only one that jumps in startlement.
"This way, Lucifer," the Messenger's voice carries effortlessly over the buzz of the gathered masses as he gestures toward the entrance of the tower.
It starts slowly, the nearest angels hearing his name and turning eagerly to look for him. As those turn, the next wave does as well, and silence falls in a rippling wave as the entire gathered host turns to acknowledge the guests of honor. Lucifer's face locks into his supercilious mask that Chloe used to loathe before she had discovered it was a thin veneer for the tumultuous emotions he tried not to show at times.
"Go on," Charlotte murmurs encouragingly, "we'll catch up later."
The crowd before them parts, silent but for the faint rustle of footsteps and fabric as they move aside to let them pass. Lucifer pulls Chloe close against him protectively, but she doesn't feel any malice from the gathering—only the faint hum of restrained excitement. Gabriel leads them through the throng toward the entrance, and Lucifer tries not to twitch nervously. His newfound peace still rests lightly on his heart, but the last time he was surrounded by this many of his siblings was not pleasant to say the least. He sets his expression into one of mild disinterest and debates unfurling his wings… just in case he needs to grab Chloe and run…
Don't overreact, He won't let anything happen here today, you're both perfectly safe. He manages to keep his wings contained, and his eyes forward, steadfastly ignoring the gathered Host. Their Link flares under his ribs, and he glances at Chloe as a glimmer catches in the corner of his eye. An awed murmur washes through the bodies surrounding them and he casts a glance over his shoulder, finding her lucent wings on display, reflecting the argent starlight brightly so they appear nearly opalescent. She looks up at him and shrugs in response to his lifted eyebrow.
"Just in case?"
"Darling, you read my mind," he shrugs to loosely unfurls his own wings and another susurration rolls through the amassed crowd. "You look stunning, by the way."
"I hope it doesn't freak Dad out too much," she smiles up at him shyly, tucking her crystalline appendages close to her back.
"He's your father, I'm sure he's made of tough enough stuff to handle a couple of paltry wings," he chuckles, and some of his anxiety falls away as he focuses on her. They reach the door and pull in a deep breath in tandem. "All right, Detective, here we go."
Chloe blinks as they enter the chamber, her eyes widening in shock. What had been a large room before is now larger than the biggest stadium she's ever set foot in, and her footsteps falter a bit as they make their way toward the center stage. Lucifer steadies her automatically, adjusting his gait so she doesn't fall behind.
"It's God's tower, my love, the size always reflects the audience contained," he murmurs to her. "I've mentioned how very many useless siblings I have, yes?"
"Once or twice," she acknowledges weakly. "How many of these do you think are going to be visiting regularly?"
"None, until they need my services," He snorts derisively. "I highly doubt we'll see more than the ones we've already encountered with any sort of regularity. Except Michael, of course."
"Of course," she agrees faintly, squeezing his waist supportively. They reach center stage after what feels like days of walking through the congregation of angels filing into their seats and glance around. Chloe nudges him with a gentle elbow and nods to their right, where her father is beaming up at her. She waves at him shyly, and Lucifer notices little waves of muted rainbows rippling across the surface of her feathers. Lucifer's appreciative smile turns into a real grin when he notices the humble man sitting next to John, though.
"Padre!" he crows delightedly, bounding across the stage, hand extended in greeting. "I wasn't sure you'd come!"
"Lucifer," Frank greets him with a warm handclasp and a friendly smile. "I wouldn't miss this for the world! What do you think of your Father's plan for you now?"
"Still not a fan, I'm afraid," Lucifer replies with a grin, "and I've let him know that I don't consider Him my father anymore, so I'm prepared to enjoy my freedom."
Frank's eyes widen in surprise. "You may find Him harder to leave behind than you think, my friend."
Charlotte arrives then followed closely by Delilah, who is greeted warmly by Lucifer. A middle-aged man that Lucifer introduces as 'Will' looks vaguely familiar to Chloe, but she can't figure out why. Another gentleman appears, smiling shyly and embracing Lucifer before sitting next to Will and striking up a lively conversation as Lucifer watches them fondly.
"Who's that?" Chloe asks curiously.
"Oscar," Lucifer replies absently. "If he and Will haven't met before, I've no doubt they'll be fast friends after this. They have a lot in common—"
The audience chamber had filled while Lucifer was greeting his arriving friends, and a profound silence sweeps the room as God abruptly appears on the stage beside Lucifer and Chloe.
"Show off," Lucifer mumbles, and Chloe stifles a giggle. God casts an amused glance over His shoulder at her partner, then turns back to the Host.
"My children," He begins, lifting his arms as though to embrace them all, and Chloe strangely does feel as though she's being enfolded in the loving arms of her father again. "I have gathered you all here to acknowledge, and hopefully begin to repair, an injustice that I have allowed to perpetuate for far too long. But before I can address that, I must share a truth that has been withheld from the majority of you." Lucifer's face pales subtly, and Chloe moves closer—ready to support him if he needs it. "I know you have all now heard the truth behind the supposed 'Fall' of our Lightbringer, formerly Samael but now far more fittingly named Lucifer." God spares a glance at the pair on the stage with him, and his eyes are dark with love and sorrow. "I have maintained My silence on this matter since that event, but I can do so no more."
"The story you created amongst yourselves was that our Lightbringer was cast from Heaven because he dared to question Me, to demand that Free Will be gifted to all My children, not only humanity. My Sword took that fairy tale further and managed to spin a myth that persisted not only among My children for eons, but among humanity for thousands of years on Earth. Of the Beast, the Serpent, the Prince of Lies, the Adversary, the Fallen One. The Devil." God's voice has gotten progressively colder as He has spoken, until He is nearly hissing with anger when He reaches the litany of titles that have been flung at His erstwhile son. His children fidget uncomfortably in their seats before Him.
"He forgot 'Old Scratch'," Lucifer grumbles in Chloe's ear, and she elbows him lightly, trying not to laugh as he whines, "But Detective, I actually like that one!"
"I tell you now what I should have told you then, rather than hold My silence. Lucifer has never fallen from My grace." God continues, and Lucifer falls silent again to listen, "He had vital duties to perform in Hell that could no longer be postponed. The Free Will that he had dared to ask for—for all of you—I could not grant, because it is already a part of you, merely waiting to be activated by your choices. Very few of my children have chosen to use this gift thus far. I sincerely hope more of you do."
A stunned whisper rolls through the gathered crowd, but settles again as God continues to speak. "I realize now that by maintaining My distance, by withdrawing Myself from you all, that I have allowed this deliberate misinformation to persist. I allowed the grief of sending My Lightbringer away—however temporarily—to affect my judgment, and you are all now well aware that he has paid a very steep price for My negligence."
Chloe feels Lucifer sway against her, and carefully braces him, trying not to make it obvious to the watching crowd. She remembers what he'd told her— "Heaven answers to whims and wishes."—and she desperately wishes for a comfortable piece of furniture for them to sit on. She's surprised when the blue squashy loveseat that had been present during their first visit to this tower appears behind them, and she casually seats herself on it as though merely making herself comfortable, tugging him down beside her to listen to the remainder of God's speech as though they're relaxing and watching TV at home. He doesn't resist, allowing himself to settle on the couch against her.
"As a result of that price, however, your brother the Lightbringer has fully embraced his own free will, and he has used it well—not only to improve himself—but to enhance and defend the lives of those he cares about as best he could, and in making his chosen home on Earth a better place." A louder rustle passes through the gathering of angels, and this time it doesn't quiet immediately. "Yes, you've understood Me correctly. Lucifer will not be returning to the Silver City to live permanently—he has chosen to make his home on Earth, but he will have free reign to visit any plane he chooses for any length of time. There are a few other angels who have made similar choices as well, and they will have the same visitation rights." God flickers an amused glance to his left, where Chloe spies a solemn Amenadiel, a cheerfully grinning Arael, and an unfamiliar, uncomfortable looking angel. He's a little chubby, with short, curly, white-blonde hair, a pink complexion, and light-colored eyes, and Chloe has never seen an angel that looks so… soft. He shifts in his seat under God's regard, and Chloe sends him a reassuring smile that he returns shyly as he straightens his tartan bowtie.
"While Lucifer is choosing not to dwell among us here in the Silver City, he has asked that it be made known that he will not turn away any of you who wish to make amends or renew friendly ties with him. He has also requested that it be made known that if any of you choose to use your free will to threaten harm to him—or to his friends and family that have loved and supported him so well during his time on Earth—he will not be tolerant." God levels a piercing glare at His attentive children. "Nor will I. Let me be clear—if you abuse your gift of free will to offer harm to others, or with malicious intent, I will not save you from the consequences. And those are never pleasant—you need only look to the fates of Uriel and Michael for proof, should you so choose." The silence in the chamber rings in Chloe's ears, and she feels Lucifer tense beside her again, gripping her hand. God bows his head, his posture sorrowful. "They chose their own dark paths. If you choose Light, you won't be led astray. If you have doubts, turn to your siblings or Myself for guidance. I cannot interfere with free will, but I promise that I will always listen."
God lets the thoughtful silence around him marinate for a long moment before turning to acknowledge his Lightbringer and his Miracle.
"My children, I also have an introduction to make to you. This human woman you see before you is Detective Chloe Decker of Los Angeles. Through her relationship with and support of your brother the Lightbringer, she has come into possession of divinity in her own right, as you can witness by these breathtaking wings upon her back. In light of this, she also is granted the right of visitation to the Silver City and any of its provinces—for as often and as long as she wishes. I trust you will make her feel welcome when she does." He turns to Lucifer now and his voice, while carrying, is gentle and full of affection, "Lucifer, I regret that I could not smooth the path to bring you back to us for you. I am truly sorry for the anguish, solitude, and mental and physical tortures you have undergone. I am proud of the strength you have developed along your journey, and even more so of the being you have become—though I readily acknowledge that I played no part in that growth."
Lucifer had drawn himself up when God had turned to them, his face a study of masked puzzlement. He nods, acknowledging God's words, but doesn't respond further.
"I will take your words to heart, and consider how I might go about making my amends to you," he continues, and Lucifer's mask crumbles a bit, his jaw dropping open in surprise. Fortunately, God chooses that moment to transfer his attention back to the Host at large, allowing Lucifer some time to scrape his scattered thoughts back together.
"Now! Do any of you have any questions or objections to welcoming your brother back among you?"
"What of the new Celestial presence on Earth?" comes a voice near the middle. Chloe squints, and can just make out a leather-clad shape with long black hair and dark eyes.
"I am aware of the development, Remiel," Chloe catches a sparkle in God's eyes as he replies. "I'm sure your brother Amenadiel can manage to raise his family without further interference. Though you may need to ask him about his willingness to receive future visitations."
"Will there be more?" Remiel presses bluntly, "If Lucifer is truly living with humans now, and Arael and Aziraphale are electing to stay on Earth as well—will we need to prepare for an army of Nephilim?"
"As you well know, Remiel," and God's voice takes on a stern edge, "The myths of the Nephilim have no basis in fact. There is no precedent for what is occurring on Earth at this moment, and I highly doubt any of your siblings has an interest in raising an army—especially not made up of their precious children."
"So there will be more?"
"There are many paths moving forward from here, including the possibility of more. Where there is a Will, there is a Way, so the humans say," God smirks, eyeing the pair on the stage with him, much to their consternation. Chloe makes an immediate mental note to corner God later and ask him about that little comment. "But that is neither here nor there, nor is it really any of our business, Remiel. I'm sure your brothers will thank you to stay out of their private lives." Lucifer snorts beside her, finally coming back to life a little after his Creator's unexpected revelations… and apology. "Now… anyone else?"
No one else speaks, and God grins benevolently at them all as he turns to Lucifer and Chloe, holding out his hands and inviting them to stand. They do, and he ushers them to center stage.
"Then, by My decree, we cordially welcome Detective Chloe Decker and Lucifer the Morning Star to the Silver City!"
Chloe is watching Lucifer's face as the Host explodes around them in a resounding cheer of acceptance. It echoes and crests around them, ringing in their ears. Slowly he turns to face her and a light kindles in the depths of his deep brown eyes. She wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him into an enthusiastic embrace.
"The path was long and winding, Detective," he speaks loudly enough so she can hear over the roar of the celebrating angels, "but it led me to you, and now I can follow you no matter where you may go. It's all been worth it for that, Chloe."
She shivers as he murmurs her name in her ear and pulls him closer. "I wouldn't want it any other way."
She wraps her crystalline wings around him as he laughs joyously into her hair, and the applause of their audience fades into the background of their blissful exchange.
Author's note:
Here we are, my friends, the very end! I've left it a bit open because something further has been sniffing around, but I've no idea if it will ever actually approach to be written.
I can't begin to articulate how astonished I have been at the amazing comments and kind feedback you all have left- Every single one has just blown me away with the sheer time and emotion you've all invested in reading this monstrosity. Thank you for sticking with it, and I hope you'll let me know if you decide to read in future, I'd love to hear opinions on a second intake!
I don't know if I'll be possessed by another story now that this one is cleared out or not, but if I do, I'm sure I'll be forced to write it down as well, and I hope it's received half as well as this series has been.
I don't think I'll be continuing to post on this site after this series, the uploading process is entirely too time-consuming versus Archive of Our Own where I can simply copy/paste from my word document and all my formatting transfers automatically. If you read there, my ScreenName is the same, SnowLynx40.