Notes: Yey! I was finally able to add another chapter to this story. I hope my muse gets inspired in the coming days/weeks/months (who knows!) so that I could continue and maybe give this a proper ending. Not sure how many chapters though.
This other universe is different. The sky is clear, the sun is shining, and everything seems to be at peace. Lucifer is impressed at how his Mum created this whole other world.
"Ugh. This is far more boring. Can we go back now?"
"Patience, Maze. We just got here. How about we explore first, huh?"
The demon sighs miserably. Still, it's a new experience. Not that she's thrilled to find anything.
Except for the centaurs.
"Hey, Detective. Have you heard from Mazikeen Smith?" Officer Cacuzza asks, with a few folders in hand for the blonde to sign.
"No, why?"
"Narcotics Division is looking for her. She hasn't responded to them for a few days now."
"I'll see what I can do. But, maybe she's busy tracking someone else."
"Okay. Thanks, Detective."
Chloe fires a text to Linda to ask for the demon's whereabouts, and the therapist answers right away.
Linda: Maze went with Lucifer.
The blonde does a double-take and rereads the message. This time the panic sets in. If Maze went with Lucifer and Lucifer is out indefinitely, then... they went back to Hell.
Chloe: Did she mention where they were going?
Linda: Nope.
Chloe: Thanks, Linda.
Linda: Did something happen?
Chloe: I'll drop by later at your office.
Linda: Okay.
Her eyes water as she reads the text one more time, goes back to her conversation with Lux's manager, then to the last conversation she had with Lucifer. It all adds up. She won't be able to apologize. She won't see him again. Even Amenadiel is gone.
Fuck!
Chloe screams internally at how screwed everything is.
And angry at the same time, too. It's not like she lied about not knowing if she could accept him or not, but God knows she's trying. Now he ran away, again to who knows where, as if that would fix things. Because apparently, that's what he's good at.
The Metropolis looks very much like Los Angeles, but not quite. And to their surprise, there's a building called the Light Tower.
"Hmm. It's not too bad after all," Maze comments.
"Mum must have enjoyed her stay somehow, so she decided to make an almost replica."
"I wonder if there's a version of you in here."
"There can't be."
"We'll see."
Of course, they don't find her there, or rather, Lucifer didn't feel Mum's presence. But one particular blonde catches his eye that he holds his breath as he approaches her.
The Devil locks eyes with the lady with golden hair and green eyes, and she smiles at him, and he won't admit it openly, but he felt his heart skip a beat.
"Hey," She greets, and he's still slack-jawed, "Haven't seen you around here. You must be new in town," She offers her hand and continues, "I'm Lauren James, the manager of this place."
Maze elbows Lucifer to shake him out of his seemingly drunken stupor, and he answers, "Lucifer. Morningstar."
"Lucifer Morningstar, what a strange name."
"Mazikeen Smith. You look a lot like someone we know. Forgive him if he's drooling; he's been on a dry spell for thousands of years,"
Lucifer glares at Maze, but all the latter does is shrug and helps herself at the bar.
"Hmm."
"I'll pay for it. Apologies for my subordinate's behavior."
"That's fine. So, what brings you to Light?"
"I'm actually looking for someone. I'm not sure if she owns this place, though. Who owns this place, by the way?" But before Lauren could answer, a familiar voice called upon his name.
"Lucifer?"
He turns around to see Charlotte...or rather, someone who looks like her.
"Is that really you?" 'Charlotte' continues, and Lucifer gives her a frown until he realizes who it is.
"Mum?"
"Yes! Oh my goodness! I really thought I'd never see you again!" She gushes and envelops him in a tight embrace. When she finally lets go, she acknowledges Maze's presence and then completely ignores the demon.
"How'd you like this new universe I've created?"
"For one, I wasn't expecting it to be so similar yet different."
"I've taken a liking to humans, so here we are."
"I can see that," Lucifer comments and gives his mom another once over.
"Oh, of course, you'd recognize this face. This image is perfect, so I retained it."
"But why is the Detective here?"
"I had to start somewhere, right? So I created people I've interacted with first and then added random ones in the mix. And she is not your Detective."
"And free will?"
"Of course, they have free will. Otherwise, they'd be robots. I don't want that."
"Hmm."
"So, why are you here?"
"Chloe knows," Mazikeen interjects to Lucifer's dismay.
"Oh. Well, she didn't take it well? I thought that human had potential, but as it turns out, she's just like everyone else."
"Yeah, and tried to poison him, too." Maze adds, and the Devil wants to staple her mouth shut. It's not something that he wants to share with the Goddess of creation.
"What?!"
"Calm down, Mum. She didn't go through with it. She was manipulated."
"But the fact that she tried, oh, I have to…."
"No, better to just let her be."
"Well, it doesn't matter. You're here; she's there. Are you going to stay?" It sounded like a plea rather than a request.
Mum didn't expect Lucifer to take a moment. Perhaps that Detective has finally broken his heart to the point that he's contemplating whether he'll remain in this new universe or go back and set himself up for another heartache.
"I don't know yet."
"You're always welcome here. Maybe, it is time for a fresh start for you as well."
Maybe.
"Anyway, you can stay in the penthouse and explore as much as you want."
Lucifer nods, and the Goddess disappears in the crowd.
Chloe gets to Linda's office, upset.
"Maze and Lucifer went back." She says simply, and the therapist comes to a realization.
"Oh." Is all Linda could utter at the moment, a little lost in this development. "This is... unexpected."
"It's my fault. I couldn't — why is it so hard for me to just say that I accept ALL of him? I could have just said that and, and," She stutters, "But I couldn't! Because I didn't want to lie to him. But I'm trying, Linda. I really am. I just wish he'd given me enough time, you know?"
Chloe couldn't hold back the tears anymore, so she let it all out.
"He's not coming back, is he? I want Lucifer to come back. What can I do? Please, Linda, you must know what to do."
Linda sighs, "Amenadiel might be able to help. But I haven't seen him since Charlotte… well, since Charlotte. When I do, I'll let you know. My advice? Don't lose hope. If there's one thing that Lucifer couldn't just leave behind, it's you."
"But I hurt him,"
"And he's hurt you as well. I know he'll come back. I know it."
But even as the therapist is saying this, she doubts a little, too, if she's completely honest.
TBC...