AN: One of the things I hated the most about season 6 was Trixie's absence. I get that there's a reason for it, but since we haven't been seeing her enough in seasons 4 and 5, it felt like a slap in the face. Especially since Lucifer never got to say goodbye to her. And she wasn't there when Chloe died. And… a million other complaints. So while we're in the process of fixing this horrible season…

Chapter 2 - Ultrasound and Game Night

October 22, 2021 (Earth Time) / Day 23,980 (Hell Time)

"I'll see you in our next session," Lucifer said as he got up to escort his patient outside. "We've made good progress today."

"Thank you, Lucifer," She said with a sniff.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "It'll be alright, Laura. You'll be alright. I promise."

She managed to smile back at him before opening the door and leaving. Lucifer looked after her for a long moment, even after she disappeared, thinking. Getting justice for people was great, but helping people like that… it was a whole new wonderful feeling. And I thought I wouldn't be able to care about other people. The thought itself seemed ridiculous now.

After a long moment, he closed the door and turned to his desk. He still needed to write his notes and sort out his calendar. He hasn't scheduled anything after Laura's session — he wasn't sure where he'd be — but it was time to sort that out, too. He had to do it while he was still there.

He glanced at the clock. There's still some time to go.

He still wasn't thrilled about being in Hell with its considerably slower time, but at the very least, there was an advantage to it. He managed to do a lot more than he would've done on Earth at the same time. Though that's going to be a disadvantage, too, as soon as I go back. Even knowing he's going back for no more than a few hours made him feel guilty for leaving his patients. An hour there is over twelve days here. I wonder if I'll ever stop being conscious of it.

Somehow, he doubted it.

One of his Demons opened the door and peeked in. "Who's next, boss?" She asked. They've gotten used to having a clear timetable, too.

"No one for now," Lucifer replied, still busy writing his notes, though he glanced up to see her reaction. If the Demon in front of him was surprised, she didn't show it. He turned back to his writing. "I'll have the schedule ready in half an hour."

The Demon nodded in acceptance and closed the door. Lucifer let out a long breath and closed his notepad. He still had a lot more work to do.

"Where is he?" Chloe muttered to herself, glancing at her watch again. Time seemed to be going significantly more quickly than it normally did. It's just because I'm waiting, She reminded herself, trying to calm down. He didn't forget, did he?

No. He couldn't have. Lucifer promised her he'd be here. She gave him all the details he needed. He promised he'd be here, so he'll be here.

But there was still something unnerving about waiting, even when she knew for a fact he would come.

A rustle of wings made her whirl around, but she was disappointed to see it was only Amenadiel. He seemed to know how she felt, though; he smiled and asked, "Do you want me to get Maze?"

She shook her head. This one I won't go through alone, even without Maze. "He promised he'll be here," She replied. She hesitated before adding, "What should I expect?"

He took a moment to think about it. "Before Charlie was born, I thought he might have wings when he's born," He replied, "But he didn't. Our situation was slightly different, though."

Chloe nodded. "You thought you were human, right?"

Amenadiel nodded. "It should still be the same for you," He added. "She'll be a human baby. At least when she's born."

Another rustle of wings, this time from another direction. As she turned to look at him — it can only be Lucifer, right? — she heard the familiar British-accented voice.

"Sorry I'm late, there was something I had to deal with." Lucifer brushed his suit, clearing out whatever nonexistent dirt he thought he had on, and then smiled at her. "Hello," He said softly.

"Hi." She smiled back at him. Even though it's been roughly four days since she last saw him, she was still as thrilled to see him as if they haven't met in a month. "You're right on time."

Lucifer nodded at Amenadiel. "Thank you for keeping Chloe company, brother," He said, still smiling.

Chloe turned to look at Amenadiel in surprise, but he merely smiled and placed his hand on Lucifer's shoulder. "Always happy to help."

With that he was gone. Lucifer turned back to her. "Shall we?" He asked, gesturing towards the doctor's office.

Chloe nodded. "Let's do this."

"And you're sure she's alright?" Lucifer asked for what felt like the fifth time in a row.

The doctor smiled. "I'm absolutely certain, Mr Morningstar," She said reassuringly. "Her blood work came back clean, and the previous ultrasound was just as expected. And unless Chloe has any unusual symptoms…" Chloe shook her head, "Then everything is fine."

Lucifer was still on edge — how can anyone be calm under these circumstances? He wondered. It's probably for the best Mum was never pregnant — but he nodded reluctantly. Chloe gently stroked his thigh to calm him down. He took her hand, grateful for the attempt. He didn't feel any less worried, but at least he wasn't alone in it.

Not that there's anything to be stressed about. We know Chloe is going to be fine; Rory told us as much. It's not her time yet.

But then, the timeline could be changed. Rory did that when she came back the first time around. If something happens to Chloe… he couldn't bear that thought. He'd rather die again than see something happening to her. Or to Rory, for that matter.

The doctor, of course, had no idea what he was thinking. She smiled again and got up. "Let's have a look, then," She said, gesturing toward the door. Lucifer and Chloe both got up and turned in that direction.

As they followed her outside, Chloe said softly, "There's nothing to worry about, Lucifer. So far it's the same as the first time."

"Except Trixie is completely human," Lucifer reminded her quietly, "And Rory isn't. Based on last year and what Dad told Amenadiel, Charlie is human, too. This is brand new."

"I'm not sure he is," She replied thoughtfully. He glanced at her in surprise, raising an eyebrow. Her expression felt awfully familiar after so many cases they've worked together. "Amenadiel told me that Rory said they've been competing most of her life. She didn't say she and Trixie competed. I think Charlie may not be entirely human, too."

Lucifer opened his mouth to argue but shut it again as soon as he realised he didn't have a good argument. Chloe did have a point. There seemed to be a special sort of competition between Rory and Charlie — the kind that didn't entirely make sense unless they were both of the same special type. Half human and half Angel. He briefly wondered whether his brother knows, but then, Amenadiel was God now; of course he knew. Would've been nice if he told me, though.

"True." He held the door open for Chloe and then followed her into the examination room. The guy inside nodded at their direction as they arrived and then turned to talk to the doctor. Once she was seated, he sat down next to her and took her hand again. "We'll see when she's born. Or when Charlie grows up."

She nodded. "There was nothing unusual in the scans, though, so I'm sure it'll be fine."

Lucifer still didn't feel any calmer about the whole thing, but he nodded. "I hope so."

Seeing that other guy bringing and setting up the ultrasound machine, Lucifer frowned. But before he could say anything, the doctor said, "Since we're not doing a regular scan today, Jamie will be the one performing it. Once he's done, we'll take some blood, and then you'll be free to go."

Chloe nodded in understanding but Lucifer kept frowning. "Not a regular scan?" He asked Chloe quietly, slightly confused. It never seemed like it on telly.

"It's part of the first trimester screening tests," She explained just as quietly. "They check for some genetic defects." Lucifer opened his mouth to ask whether they really need it, because they know Rory will turn out fine, but guessing his thoughts, Chloe added, "It's always better to make sure nothing happens."

He nodded reluctantly. The timeline can still change, He reminded himself.

The doctor, of course, was completely oblivious to their mostly-silent conversation. "Mr Morningstar, you haven't seen the baby yet, have you?" She asked as Jamie rubbed some gel from a tube on Chloe's stomach.

Lucifer shook his head. "I saw the photo from the last ultrasound," He replied. Chloe showed it to him right before he went back to Hell four days earlier. "But nothing more, no."

The doctor nodded. "Let's have a look, then," She said, addressing both the couple and the guy who Lucifer thought must've been the sonographer. Jamie nodded and started scanning Chloe's abdomen, looking for the baby. It didn't take long for him to find her; as soon as he did, he turned the screen towards them. "Here's your baby," the doctor said, smiling.

Lucifer leaned forward, fascinated. "She's beautiful," He whispered, studying the slightly blurry form in front of him. He could see her limbs and her head and her little chest and stomach and… she was perfect. In every single way. "Look at her. She's perfect."

"She is," Chloe agreed softly, her voice slightly choked. He looked at his daughter for another moment and then made the effort to tear his gaze from the screen and look at Chloe again. She was looking at him, tears shining in her eyes.

"Hey," He said, softly and slightly worriedly. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head and smiled. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just so happy that you're here," She whispered, her voice still choked. "She's lucky to have you as a father, Lucifer. We're both lucky to have you."

Tears filled his eyes at that. How do you always find the way to make me feel less guilty? You're going through this almost alone, and yet… you find the way to support me. How do you do that?

"I love you, Chloe," He managed. There was no way he could put his emotions into words, no way he could describe to her just how much he loves her or how lucky he is that she's in his life, but somehow, she seemed to know. All it took was these three words that still felt inadequate but would have to do.

"I love you too," She whispered in response, cupping his cheek with her free hand. He turned his head slightly and pressed a kiss to her palm, deeply grateful to have her around. "And I meant it. We're both lucky to have you."

He shook his head slightly but didn't argue. Instead, he turned back to the doctor and the sonographer, who were taking photos in the machine and talking quietly. "Is she okay?" He asked worriedly.

"She's quite alright, Mr Morningstar," The doctor smiled at him reassuringly. "It's just part of the test. There's nothing to worry about."

"Call me Lucifer," Lucifer said with a smile, now slightly calmer. She wouldn't lie to us, would she? Not about our daughter's health. "What happens next?"

"We'll take some blood to complete this test, and then you're free to go," She replied. "We're nearly done."

Lucifer nodded briefly in understanding and turned back to Chloe. "You don't have to do any of this on your own. I'm here," He said softly. "We're in this together."

"Partners, right?" She smiled.

He returned her a smile. "Til the end of time."

"How much longer do you have before you need to go back?" Chloe asked as they left the clinic.

Lucifer checked his watch quickly. "I can stay a while longer," He replied vaguely. "When are you going back to work today?"

"I'm not." He looked at her in surprise. "It's getting late. I want to pick Trixie up after school and I thought we might be able to start preparing for Rory's birth."

Don't we have six months to go? He shook his head slightly and let the thought go. "When do you need to pick her up?" He asked instead.

"Soon."

"Do we have time to stop by LUX?" He continued as he pulled his phone out of his suit's inner pocket. I've missed having signal. "I can get my car and we'll pick her up."

She hesitated. "How about I meet you at home after I pick her up?"

He frowned. "Why don't you…?" He trailed off at the sight of her expression.

I know that expression. Is she…?

It took him a moment, but when he realised the answer to his question, he let out a long breath. "She's mad at me, isn't she?"

Chloe's expression was sympathetic. "You've disappeared for over three months," She reminded him gently. "And she knows the baby—"

"Is mine," Lucifer completed before sighing. I can't blame her for being angry. "Alright. How about game night?" He asked as another idea came to his mind.

She considered it for a moment. "It might help," She said thoughtfully. "But give her time, Lucifer. Three months are a long time to disappear without a word."

He nodded. "I will," He promised quietly before bringing her palm up to his lips and pressing a kiss to it.

"How was your day?" Chloe asked her daughter as she sat down in her car.

"Okay," Trixie replied, placing her bag on the seat next to her. "As usual."

Did something happen? Chloe wondered, glancing at Trixie through the front mirror. She usually told her everything about what happened in school. She looked somewhat down, too.

"What's wrong?" She asked softly.

"Nothing." Trixie hesitated briefly before saying quietly, "I just miss dad."

Chloe wished she could hug her. "I know, monkey. I do, too." Especially now that we're about to have Rory. He would've been happy for us. "He would've loved to be here. He was so proud of you." Not that that'll make it any easier or less painful that he's not here.

"Yeah."

Chloe hesitated. She was going to tell her daughter about Lucifer and the ultrasound they had, but now she wondered if it might be too soon. I don't want her to feel like I'm trying to replace Dan.

But Trixie knew her too well for her to be able to hide that something is happening. "What's going on, mum?" She asked, looking straight back at her through the mirror. Her expression told her quite clearly that she won't be able to dodge that question.

"I have a surprise for you," She said, still unsure about said surprise. Maybe I should tell Lucifer to give her some more time.

Trixie's face lit up instantly. "Are there new pictures?" She asked excitedly.

Chloe smiled. Trixie's been so excited from the moment she found out she's about to have a sibling. Chloe didn't tell her it'll be a sister yet, but she knew her daughter would be even more excited to hear that. "I'll show you when we're home," She promised. "But there's another thing."

Her daughter frowned. "What is it, mum?"

Chloe took a deep breath. This is going to be hard. "Well," She said slowly and somewhat cautiously, "Lucifer's here."

Trixie thought for a long moment that felt like forever. Chloe knew she was still angry that Lucifer left without saying goodbye, but at the same time, she didn't seem as angry as she was the last time he disappeared without a trace. Maybe because the last time he disappeared, I was heartbroken.

Eventually, though, her daughter asked quietly, "Is he here for the baby?"

It was hardly the first time Trixie had shown just how perceptive she is, but it still amazed Chloe to see it. "For her too. But he also asked to see you."

Trixie nodded slightly in understanding. Chloe could practically read her struggle on her face. On the one hand, she was still angry; on the other, the facts he came back for Rory and he asked to see her showed exactly where he's coming from. And she knew well enough that Chloe wanted her to try to patch things up with the man she loved. Not to mention she loves him, too.

Trixie let out a long breath. "Okay."

Chloe could barely hold back her own relieved sigh. Now it's up to Lucifer.

Lucifer checked everything for the hundredth time as he waited for Chloe and Trixie. The chocolate cake was in the oven, the monopoly was set on the table in the living room, and he even had Trixie's beloved Unstable Unicorns game waiting nearby, just in case she wanted to play something else. Though she probably doesn't want to play it with anyone else now, He thought sadly.

He shook his head slightly and sighed. He'd do almost anything to bring Dan back. But at least Dan was in Heaven now — with Charlotte and all the chocolate pudding he could possibly want. And Trixie will see him again when she dies. Which wasn't much of a comfort, but… it was all he had. If only he could deliver messages from her dad. Except she won't believe me, not until she learns the truth about us. There's a conversation to have with Chloe at some point soon.

The door opening brought him back to reality, and he hurried to turn towards Chloe and Trixie with a smile. "Game night?"

Trixie looked at him for a moment and then walked to her room. Lucifer started in surprise but before he could do anything, Chloe said quietly, "Give her time, Lucifer."

Right. He took a deep breath and turned to the kitchen to check the oven. The cake was almost ready. He tried to time it perfectly for their game, but clearly, he'd missed by a few minutes.

When he turned back around, he found himself facing Trixie. She was standing there with her arms crossed, looking at him with her eyes narrowed and a very unamused expression on her face. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Lucifer couldn't help but smile.

"You look just like your mother," He said softly, without even realising he's going completely off the script he'd prepared.

Surprise broke through Trixie's anger. She certainly wasn't expecting him to say that. From the corner of his eye he could see Chloe rolling her eyes at that. For what it's worth, He wanted to tell her, That's not what I planned to say. Not even remotely close.

But then, since he went down that road, he might continue in it. "I've lost track of the amount of times Chloe gave me that look while we worked together," He said, still slightly amazed at the similarity between them. "Usually after I did something unexpected or went against the protocol-"

"Or did something dumb and unhelpful," Chloe muttered.

Lucifer chuckled, and even Trixie smiled. "Or did something dumb and sometimes unhelpful," He corrected. "Those were usually the times I was happy looks can't kill." Thanks for that, Dad.

The oven beeped, and he immediately turned around to get the cake out of the oven. The last thing he wanted was to burn his apology cake. Once he'd set it on the counter, though, he turned back to Trixie, now completely serious.

"I'm sorry I left without saying goodbye," He said quietly and earnestly. "I should've said goodbye."

"You shouldn't have left," She retorted quietly.

Lucifer hesitated before nodding. "I had a… family thing to deal with." It felt like a more-or-less accurate definition of the situation. Certainly makes more sense than "I had to leave because I promised my future daughter that I'd let her live her life the way she remembers it". "But I wanted you to know that I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to leave Chloe, or the baby, or you." Trixie's expression softened slightly. "And I certainly didn't want to leave without saying goodbye. And I'm sorry that I did."

The girl in front of him remained silent. He couldn't quite tell what she was thinking, and it worried him. Maybe I should say what I should've said before I left.

"You're like family to me, Trixie," He said quietly. When they first met, he couldn't have imagined a scenario in which he'd care about her, but it didn't take long before she found her way into his heart. "Better than most of mine, actually." Trixie smiled again despite her lingering hurt. "I would do anything for your mum and you, and I hope you know it. And even if I have to leave… it doesn't change any of it."

He gave her a moment to process everything he'd said. Did I say everything I should've said? What is she thinking? Is she still angry?

After another long moment of silence — Time passes faster than this in Hell, he thought with growing unease — Trixie let out a long breath. "We all make mistakes, right?" She asked, smiling.

He returned her a smile and then pulled her to him for a hug. She was surprised at first — she was usually the one initiating hugs with him — but then hugged him back. "We all make mistakes," He agreed quietly.

When they broke apart, they found that Chloe had already started cutting the cake. Trixie grinned and picked up a slice before her mother could stop her. When Chloe glared at him — he could practically hear her silent "Now you're encouraging her not to eat properly" — he shrugged and picked up a slice, too. She shook her head slightly in disbelief and rolled her eyes.

He turned to Trixie, who was already in front of the table. "So what do you want to play?" He asked before taking a bite of the cake.

She studied the table. She smiled at the sight of the monopoly table, but her expression changed when she saw the Unstable Unicorns game. He could instantly tell it was a mistake to bring it. She misses Dan, and I just reminded her of it. Well done, Lucifer.

"How about monopoly?" He asked, swiftly moving the other game away. He then cut what was left of his cake into two and handed her the part he hadn't touched.

She smiled. "Sounds good."

When Trixie went to bed, Lucifer helped Chloe clear the table. As soon as they were done, he turned to the kitchen to get another slice of cake. She shook her head in disbelief looking at him. He's just Lucifer, isn't he? She thought affectionately.

To her surprise, though, once he cut that slice, he turned back to her, looking thoughtful. "There's something we should think about," He said quietly.

She frowned. "What is it?"

He hesitated but then spoke anyway. "I think we should tell Trixie the truth."

Chloe let out a long breath. She'd been thinking about it from the moment she found out she was pregnant. She knew they would have to tell Trixie the truth eventually — especially since they know Rory would have wings — but she wasn't sure it was the right time yet. But is there any right time? She wondered.

"I think so, too," She replied quietly. "But Trixie's been through a lot this year. It hasn't even been a year since Dan died. I think she needs time."

Lucifer considered her words. "True. But I don't think it'll be as hard for her to accept as it was for anyone else," He added thoughtfully. "She's grown up around Celestials. And I think to an extent, she already knows it's all true."

"I think I did, too." He looked at her in surprise. "Deep down, I think I knew it's all real, at least for a while. I just didn't want to admit it. But it still changed everything, seeing…" Your Devil face, the thought remained unsaid. "I'm not sure it'll be a good time for her to go through all this."

"Okay." Lucifer looked away for a moment, thinking. His gaze met Chloe's once again as he added, "We both want to do the right thing for Trixie, right?" She nodded. "I'm not sure what that right thing is. We can't wait too long to tell her, because of Rory, but like you said, she's been through a lot. I think we should talk to Linda before we decide on anything."

Chloe hesitated. They didn't really need Linda to decide on what's best for her daughter. But looking at him, it was clear to her how worried Lucifer was about doing something that could hurt Trixie. He didn't want to make a mistake. And it's never a bad idea to get advice from a professional.

So she nodded. "And Maze, too," She added. He nodded in agreement. "When do you think you'll be back?"

Lucifer thought for a moment. "I might be able to come back for a few hours on Sunday," He said eventually. "But I'm not sure. I'll see how the next few days go and ask Amenadiel to tell you."

"Okay." She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He hugged her back, holding her as close to him as he possibly could. He must've missed this as much as I did. "I love you," She whispered.

"I love you too," He whispered back, "And I'll see you soon. I promise."

"Soon," She repeated in a choked whisper. Saying goodbye over and over again wasn't getting any easier.

When Lucifer made it back to his office, he found one of the Demons inside, waiting for him.

"What's going on?" He asked as he walked to his desk.

The Demon bowed his head. "We've been waiting for you, boss. You said you'd be back days ago."

Lucifer couldn't help the guilt flooding him at that. It's been so long for them, He thought regretfully. I should've said something. I should've estimated the time I'd need better.

He didn't let any of his thoughts show, though. Instead, he said, "I had a lot to do. We'll pick up from where we left off, according to the schedule."

The Demon nodded and walked to the door. As he opened it, he turned around and asked, "What was your trip on Earth like?"

Lucifer smiled. "Ultrasound and game night," He replied with a hint of amusement. Sounds about right. The Demon in front of him looked confused. Lucifer chuckled. "Maybe one day you'll see," He said, still smiling. "But for now, we need to get to work."

The Demon bowed his head again and left, closing the door behind him. Lucifer turned to check his schedule and then got his notes for his next patient. The Devil is in.