Chloe gets Ella involved in a plan. Michael is forced into discovering some revelations.

Song is 'Love Again' by Dua Lipa.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLll

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

"Ella, I need to talk to you."

Chloe quickly shut the door to the forensics lab behind her before she noticed Ella was not alone. She and Michael were bent over the table going over lab reports for a case, but Chloe honestly didn't care at the moment. At her interruption, Michael stood straight, looking at her intently. Shit; her fear. Chloe quickly tried to dampen it, push it down, but knew it was too late by the worried expression that crossed his face.

"Chloe, are you alright? What's happened?" he asked, quickly striding towards her.

Okay, so he wasn't reading into her fear just as she had asked of him previously, but he could still feel it. Good… maybe. Was that good?

"I'm okay, Michael. Just need some girl talk with Ella," she tried to soothe him as he gently cupped her face in his hands. Michael took a half step back, suddenly going pale. Chloe held her breath until she noticed him look down at her stomach. Her eyes went ridiculously wide she knew, even as she heard Ella's intake of breath. "No! No, oh my God, no!" She grabbed Michael's hands tightly in hers in an attempt to calm him down.

"Do you need a test, Chloe?" Ella asked urgently. "I can…"

Chloe quickly shook her head. "No, Ella, I can for sure, one hundred percent say that that is not the issue."

"Um, Chloe." Michael still looked terrified. "I do have a nephew that says it is possible and…"

"I have literally just finished my period guys. Do you really want to continue this conversation?" Chloe snapped. Not to mention her birth control had better be doing its damn job. A pregnancy was the absolute last thing they needed to add to their already overflowing plates right now.

There was a moment of tense silence before Michael released a relieved sigh. He almost literally fell over, only barely catching himself by gripping the nearby table. Ella placed a hand over her heart in relief.

Chloe sighed, going to Michael. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that."

"It's okay." Michael wrapped an arm around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder, his breathing still slightly ragged. "I just felt your fear and then you said 'girl talk' and my mind went rogue. Ella didn't help." He whispered the last part in her ear before leaning back up and giving her a relieved look. "I'm trying really hard not to dive into your fear, Chloe, but you are making that a really hard endeavor."

"Maybe that was the reason your mind went there in the first place," Ella mumbled. Michael turned to her with a mock glare to which she giggled and winked. "Just saying."

Chloe chuckled as Michael rolled his eyes. "I really am sorry. I'm probably just overthinking things and sometimes we girls just need to vent to other girls, you know?"

Michael inhaled deeply once more, then released it. "I understand." He leaned forward like he was going to kiss her, but instead nuzzled against her cheek in a way that Chloe was starting to think really was scent marking before leaving the girls to themselves.

"Okay, chica, what's up?" Ella asked after a few minutes of allowing themselves to recover from that stressful little interlude.

Chloe huffed, waving a hand in exasperation. "Where do I even start?"

Ella listened intently as Chloe quickly filled her in on everything; from the twins' grooming session, to the oil glands, the scenting, and even the growing, complex tangle of emotions. When Chloe got to God being on Earth, Ella stared at her wide eyed for many long moments.

"Um, Ella? You doing okay?"

"Wait. You are saying God," Ella pointed upwards, still gaping at Chloe in shock. "The Big Guy, is down here?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, unfortunately."

"Chloe, this is big." Ella was a sudden bundle of energy. "Do you not realize how big this is?"

"I might have a better appreciation for it if His presence wasn't causing Lucifer and Michael all sorts of grief." Chloe knew she was sounding a bit bitter, but she just couldn't help it. The stress and tension were driving them all crazy at this point.

Ella paused as her meaning registered and her brow furrowed in concern. "That's right. How are they doing?"

"Well, considering He admitted to them not being part of His plan during dinner and basically suggested they were mistakes; it's going really well."

"He did what now?" Ella looked a mixture of devastated and shocked. "He didn't."

Chloe nodded, feeling all that fierce anger building in her again. "And that's not even all of it, Ella. I just have this feeling that He has been keeping things from them or at least lying to them their whole lives."

"What do you mean?"

"It's just something He told me this morning," Chloe mumbled. Could she really be over thinking this; or was there actual substance here? Her gut was telling her to look further; and her gut was almost never wrong.

Ella gasped. "He was at the football field?! Why did no one tell me?!"

"He didn't exactly stick around Ella. He annoyed the twins and then talked to me before vanishing to wherever it is He stays when not here." She was really beginning to think He was playing with all of them.

"Fine." Ella was disappointed. Chloe knew she was an avid believer and wasn't sure she wanted to burst her bubble. "What did He say?"

Chloe leaned against the table, wrapping her arms around herself. "That they looked like twins."

Ella was confused. "Okay, but Chloe, they are twins."

"I know. But He said they looked like twins." Chloe shook her head. "Not that they are twins. It's the wording that has me confused and overthinking all of this. Why word it that way?"

Ella shifted nervously before moving to stand in front of Chloe. "Well, there is one way to find out for sure. We can always test their DNA."

Chloe looked up. "Seriously? How in the world are we even supposed to do that?"

Ella moved around the room, excitedly gathering supplies. "Simple mouth swabs will do."

"I would much rather not tell them about this." Chloe twisted her fingers anxiously, watching Ella. "At least until we have something concrete to even bother mentioning it to them. They are already dealing with enough as it is."

"So we don't tell them." It was such a simple statement. Chloe really wished it was that simple.

"Ella," Chloe said slowly. "How are we supposed to get mouth swabs without them knowing?"

Ella raised an eyebrow. "You can't stand there and tell me you haven't been playing tonsil hockey with the both of them. Michael's freak out pretty much confirmed that, chica."

Chloe tried not to blush, she really did. "I still can't exactly go at them with a cotton swab on a stick. They are going to ask questions, especially Michael."

It wasn't that she wanted to keep this secret from them; she would be telling them the minute she had something concrete to tell them if anything even came from it. She just didn't want this to be something else that they stressed and worried about in the meantime. Michael was still concerned about any punishment from his little rebellious moment, not to mention probably anxious as Hell; he'd kept a calm exterior after his confession, but she and Lucifer knew better. Lucifer was trying his best to keep Michael calm while fending off their Dad; all while dealing with his own newfound feelings and issues. Not to mention the new scenting thing the two of them had been partaking in. Everything was just a jumbled mess and if she could do some sleuth work without worrying them needlessly, then she would.

"Not if we do it right." Ella smirked while holding up two packets of sterile swabs handing one to Chloe. "Michael has gotten pretty used to me running small experiments on him."

"You've been doing what now?"

"Don't worry, Chloe. They are simple things; like how well he can hear or see. Michael has given full consent every time."

Chloe was going to have to have a serious talk about boundaries between all of them at some point. "And Lucifer?"

"I'm sure the Devil will open his mouth, providing the price is right." Ella shrugged nonchalantly, but the suggestive look she sent Chloe said everything she wasn't. "But you could tell him it's for a test I'm running. Not a lie, just not the whole truth. Something he should be able to appreciate."

Chloe sadly didn't doubt the smaller woman's words. Frankly, all she would have to do would be to ask and Lucifer would probably do it without much thought. After all, he had told her to run his blood through the system before, hadn't he? To prove he wasn't human. Wait…

"Ella, they aren't human. Would you even be able to run a DNA test on them?"

Ella looked thoughtful for a moment. "Um, forgot about that; but they aren't so different from us, right? Sure, they may come up as unknown, but surely the chromosomes can't be all that different. I mean, Amenadiel did have baby Charlie with Linda, so there has to be some overlap."

She did have a point. Chloe wasn't all that knowledgeable about the chromosome aspect of it. That was why she was the Detective and Ella was the actual scientist, but she did know enough to know that dogs and cats couldn't cross to have…puttens? Kippies? Anyway. There had to be enough similarities on a chemical level for the cross to be made.

"Speaking of overlaps…" Ella raised her brow, gaze locking with Chloe's intently. "There are preventative measures being taken to prevent any of those little miracles, right?"

Oh geez. She was never going to be allowed to forget about earlier, was she? She could only hope that Lucifer didn't hear about it. "Yes, Ella; I get the shot."

Ella hummed suspiciously. "Okay. No more panic attacks, Decker. That one about broke poor Michael; could you imagine Lucifer?"

Chloe, in all honesty, didn't want to. He had made it clear to everyone how he felt about kids.

And if she ignored the small blip of pain from that thought, then who else would know?

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLlllll

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Michael leaned against the railing, overlooking the lower floor of the precinct. He was currently in a slump with nothing to do. Daniel had gone out for lunch, Lucifer had hurried off in a huff, mumbling something about ringing Father's neck after the interview with the school kid and his mom; and Chloe was still chatting with Ella. Michael sighed. He hadn't been cleared to process evidence by himself yet or he'd help Ella get caught up. What was an Archangel to do?

"Yo, what's up, angel?"

Michael turned at the sound of Mazikeen's voice to find her roughly escorting her most recent bounty. The man wore leather and was covered in tattoos. "Mazikeen," he acknowledged with a sly look her way. "New boy toy?"

The demon smirked, looking the well-muscled criminal over thoroughly before running her tongue over her top lip. "Hmmm, maybe." Maze turned back to Michael, motioning to the man beside her with her eyes. "You game?"

Michael snorted. "Not even a little bit." Completely not his type and not his style.

She leered at him. "And here I thought you liked a bit of three-way action."

She was baiting him for reasons he could not decipher right now and really was not interested enough to do so. It wasn't going to work. When he simply raised a brow, Maze shrugged. "Suit yourself," she mumbled before corralling her bounty away.

He, Lucifer, and Chloe had been exploring each other in a more carnal sense, but he couldn't say there was much 'three-way' happening. Michael and Lucifer would team up on Chloe, sure, but it usually ended up with one of them pairing off with her while the other one watched. They, or rather Michael, had been very careful not to get overly physical with Lucifer. Kisses, absolutely, but other than their romp in the sheets the morning Father came down from the Silver City, it had not evolved more than that.

Not that Michael didn't want it to. He found himself imagining all sorts of things that he and Lucifer could get up to. He watched Chloe go down on Lucifer and had found himself wondering what Lucifer tasted like; how would Chloe's mouth taste as they worked the Devil over together. He would wonder what it would feel like to have Lucifer's full attention. He wondered what it would feel like to take Chloe's spot and have them focused on him.

"Oh," Maze called back, breaking his thought process with a wink in his direction. "Like the look."

Michael huffed, blushing, before smiling softly in amusement. He had been getting a lot of good reviews on his new wardrobe choice today and it actually felt pretty good. None of the compliments could compare to the ones Chloe and Lucifer had paid him though. Sure, neither of them had said much, but their reactions were compliment enough. He adjusted the leather jacket that he had unzipped just to enjoy Lucifer's pout when he wouldn't let him zip it back up. Perhaps he would keep the jacket and wear it on special occasions; or randomly when he needed a confidence boost. It had certainly supplied that.

Maybe next time, Lucifer would prefer to unzip it instead. Michael had to stop that train of thought before it got away with him.

He had just turned around to lean on the railing again, waiting for Chloe to finish with Ella so they could get back to going over lab results, when he heard it. It started softly, just loud enough for him to hear it; the sound of music starting. Oh no. Michael straightened, looking for his Father; but he couldn't see Him. What was He up to now?

The beat was just starting to pick up when Michael felt the pull; the desire to form words from a song he had never heard before. Unfortunately, his Father made sure he knew them now. No. He forcibly clenched his mouth shut. No, he was not doing this. He didn't sing. He didn't dance. Not anymore. Not since… Michael saw Chloe walk out of the lab and look up at him. She curled her fingers at him in a 'come hither' motion. Michael swallowed thickly as the sight tugged on him. She was a siren call. He gave in and the words came forth right on cue.

"I never thought that I would find a way out.

I never thought I'd hear my heart beat so loud.

I can't believe there's something left in my chest anymore,

but goddamn, you got me in love again."

Michael started down the stairs as Chloe moved toward him. His heart was racing in his chest. Anger singed his veins, even as he continued to sing the words.

"I used to think that I was made out of stone.

I used to spend so many nights on my own.

I never knew I had it in me to dance anymore,

but goddamn, you got me in love again."

The words did hold truth for him. How many nights had he spent alone? Hadn't he made himself believe he had to be a stone unfeeling and cold, to live?

Michael met Chloe at the bottom of the stairs, encircling her waist with his right arm. She smiled up at him as he tugged her close.

"Show me that heaven's right here, baby.

Touch me, so I know I'm not crazy."

Chloe ran her hands over his shoulders, clasping them together behind his neck. He cupped her face in his left hand looking intently into her blue eyes.

"Never have I ever met somebody like you.

Used to be afraid of love and what it might do,

but goddamn, you got me in love again."

It was true. He had never met anyone like Chloe. Michael had said as much to Lucifer; Chloe was special. He twirled her as they sang the chorus together. Uniforms and other detectives joined in around them, but he barely paid them any mind. He hated this. Yes, he wanted to dance with Chloe. He wanted to dance with Lucifer too; but not like this. Michael wanted to do it on his own time; not be forced into some dance number that Chloe wouldn't even remember.

"So many nights, my tears fell harder than rain.

Scared I would take my broken heart to the grave.

I'd rather die than have to live in a storm like before,

but goddamn, you got me in love again."

Michael had hidden away for so long after the Fall. How many times had he cried? How much had he grieved losing his brother? Michael had just wanted to love him. Michael had just wanted to be loved. Seeing Lucifer with Eve had broken him. Lucifer had been his, he had thought, and to see differently, to see that Lucifer had been playing with him… but no, that was a manipulation. They had both been manipulated and were too hurt, too angry, to see it for what it was. Chloe had helped them figure that out. Chloe had helped them come back together.

"I finally found someone.

I'll sink my teeth in disbelief

'cause you're the one that I want."

He did want Chloe. Would he have been able to reconcile with Lucifer again without her? Would Lucifer have been able to start to trust him again without her? It didn't feel like it. Honestly, Michael didn't ever want to find out. Chloe was all warmth and love. She had shown it to him again and again, even when he didn't deserve it. Even though he had pretended to be Lucifer; even though he had fully intended to hurt her; she still showed him compassion and understanding. Chloe accepted his love for Lucifer; had accepted him…

"I never thought that I would find a way out.

I never thought I'd hear my heart beat so loud.

I can't believe I'm not afraid anymore.

Oh! Goddamn, you got me in love again."

It hit him then, out of nowhere. Could he…did he? His heart was pounding in his chest, echoing in his ears. Michael knew then that he couldn't lose Chloe. He had thought going into this that she would be the safe one. That she would be the one that couldn't hurt him; but he was wrong. Oh, he was so wrong. He waited for the fear, the need to run, to hide from this revelation, but it was mysteriously absent. Michael no longer felt like running.

Yes, he loved Lucifer. Yes, he may even love Chloe. These were true statements. He had tried to deny his love for Lucifer and it hadn't worked. Michael had decided to stay with them, hadn't he? Despite the fact that they may never love him in return and despite the fact that they may even one day decide to leave him behind. Michael had made the conscious choice to take what he could get. The fear of them leaving was there, but he was no longer scared of himself. He was no longer scared of loving them. If only he could be left alone to do so, on his own terms.

Michael suddenly felt the compulsion to sing and dance lift like strings being cut. He sagged under the relief of it as he came back to his full consciousness, with his free will intact. Chloe was blinking up at him, confused and dazed. They stood in the middle of the precinct, bodies moving around them, fulfilling their duties as they had been before the impromptu and forced musical number; and yet, Chloe was still with him. She had not been placed back in her original position in the lab.

"Michael? What…I was…?" Chloe looked around, trying to piece together what had happened, but wasn't quite able to manage it. She looked back to him. "Michael, are you okay?"

Michael had no idea how to answer her. He felt light headed, angry, sad, abused, and… violated. Chloe's smaller hand reached up to cradle his face. He closed his eyes with a sigh, leaning into her gentle touch.

"Michael?" Her voice was so soft with concern. He wanted to pull her close and never let her go.

"Chloe?" Ella appeared from the lab, looking around hurriedly. "Where did you…" She trailed off, finally finding Chloe standing with Michael. "Hey, what's happened?"

Michael looked down at Ella when she rested her own hand on his arm. They were both so warm compared to the betrayed and cold feeling that was starting to nestle in his chest. How could Father make him do that? Michael suddenly felt like he needed to sit down. He must have swayed or something to clue the girls in because the next thing he knew, he was being escorted and sat down in Chloe's desk chair.

"Do you need anything? Water?" Ella. Sweet, adorable Ella.

Michael shook his head. He just needed to sit here and process. He had not wanted to do any of that, yet Father had pushed and pushed. He had forced Michael into it; even if Father would never see it that way. Why? Why was Father doing all of this? What was He trying to achieve?

"Michael? What happened?" Chloe asked softly, gently running a hand up and down his arm while Ella kept a hand firmly on his shoulder, both of them grounding him.

"Father happened," Michael mumbled, leaning back in the chair. "Another musical number."

"What are you talking about?" Ella asked. "Musical number?"

"Apparently their Dad has been making up musical numbers for us to sing and dance to," Chloe explained, looking cross. "First this morning, then again during our interview. It really upset Lucifer, which is why he disappeared. I guess it just happened again, but I wouldn't know. Humans don't remember them."

No wonder Lucifer had wanted to strangle their Father. Michael kind of half-hoped he managed it, especially after the last few minutes. He was so tired of having his choice taken away. First, his choice to join Lucifer hadn't mattered; then he hadn't been allowed to make the choice to see Lucifer, having been banned from setting foot in Hell; and whenever Lucifer was on Earth, he had always been tasked with some kind of missive he'd never managed to get done before Lucifer had been forced back down.

He used to be angry with Lucifer for so much; for hurting him, for breaking his heart, for getting a miracle. But he was beginning to see that maybe Lucifer didn't have much choice either; and how could he be upset about Chloe? She was the light for both of them.

"Wait, seriously?" Ella did not look happy. "Why would He be doing that?"

Michael scoffed. "Multimillion dollar question, Ella. He's been getting Lucifer to join in because it's Lucifer. He's never been able to resist a song and dance, it's just who he is, but I've never been one to enjoy it much. I mean, I would sing occasionally with Lucifer before the Fall, but I just haven't been able to since." He paused, lost in the painful memories. "Father knows this and yet He still pushed me into singing. I hated it. Every minute of it." Even if it did help him discover certain revelations, Michael still felt nauseous.

Michael closed his eyes, breathing deeply through his nose and missing Ella's glance behind him. He missed Ella confirming something with Chloe, who looked suddenly nervous when Ella stormed off. He did not miss the yelling in quickly strung together Spanish. Michael blinked his eyes open to confusedly look at Chloe.

"Who pissed off Ella?"

Chloe stood rubbing her hands on her pants. She looked nervous and fear tickled along his senses. "Your Dad." She nodded behind him.

Michael paled. His Father? Was that who Ella was currently yelling at? He quickly turned around to find Ella was very much indeed yelling at his Father around Lucifer, who was trying adamantly to hush the small Latina, to no avail. Lucifer looked just as pale as Michael felt, probably understanding more of the words than he currently did. His Father simply stood there silently, but looking low-key amused.

Michael jumped to his feet, hurling himself around Chloe and the desk in a bid to get to Ella before Father decided to take insult. Ella had decided that their Father was not responding the way He should be, apparently, for she suddenly took a dive around Lucifer. In his shock at the sudden move was, he unable to grab her. Michael did, though, throwing his arm out to catch her around the waist and lifting her small frame up easily so he could spin her away and back behind Lucifer. Ella struggled like a rabid dog, but Michael held her snugly against his front, letting her kick him while she still spewed angry Spanish. Man, she was pissed.

"Ella, come on; rein it in, okay?" Michael practically begged in her ear. If Father did decide to take insult, there was only so much he would be able to do to protect her. He couldn't let her get hurt.

"What in the world is Miss Lopez going on about?" Lucifer asked, adjusting his suit and looking perplexed. He had only been able to understand maybe a quarter of what she had said.

It was Chloe who answered. "Your Dad did another dance number and dragged Michael into it." She was also glaring at their Father, but was keeping her emotions in check; barely. "Making him sing."

Lucifer flipped back around to glare at God. "You did what?" he growled.

"I did not force him," God responded calmly.

"Pushing people until they give in is forcing!" Ella yelled furiously. "Pushing them to do something that hurts them, that they hate, is wrong! It's violating! Why would you do that? And to your own son!"

"Diminuta, please." Michael held her just a little tighter, closing his eyes and hiding in her hair.

Were they really defending him? Were all three of them really that mad on his behalf? He couldn't remember the last time someone had defended him, or so much as took his side. No one had… not since before Lucifer's rebellion. He was suddenly overwhelmed and took a deep breath willing the scent of strawberries to fill his senses. They were fighting with him, for him. Michael would not cry, damn it.

"I was merely trying to get a point across." God rested His eyes on Michael solemnly. "It was not my intention to make him feel coerced."

Lucifer snarled threateningly, moving in front of Michael. "Leave Michael alone, Father." Michael looked at Lucifer's back. How many times had his brother stood up for him? Too many.

God sighed. "Falling into old habits, I see." He fixed Lucifer with a stern look. "Michael has spent millions of years alone and can fight his own battles, Lucifer. He is stronger than you give him credit for; stronger even than he believes to be himself."

Lucifer stepped closer to their Father in a threatening move. Michael could feel the anger radiating from his twin. He knew from the growl that was emitting from Lucifer's chest that his eyes had flashed red. "He shouldn't have been alone in the first place."

God remained silent, never removing His eyes from his second eldest son. He had seen Lucifer's eyes flash and they were white, not red. "You're right." Michael balked as Lucifer stepped back in surprise. "But he was. The two of you had to learn to be your own people and have only become stronger for it." God then smiled almost sadly. "But you have always been stronger together."

And just like that, God was gone again. It was only at the point where life returned to the precinct that Michael realized everything had been still around them. How long had their surroundings been frozen?

Lucifer turned around as Michael gently set Ella back on her feet and let her go. All four of them traded looks of shock, concern, and worry. Chloe moved to press against Michael's side in a show of support. He leaned over to nuzzle into her hair, taking in her coconut shampoo as it mixed with her natural honey dew. Michael leaned further down to mark her with a hum, pleasantly warmed when she returned it.

"Um, you still want to go over those reports with me, Michael?" Ella asked semi-hesitantly.

Lucifer tried to speak, reaching for his twin, but Michael stepped out of reach, nodding. "Yeah, let's go." Penthouse tonight? Just us? He thought at Lucifer a little desperately, trying to mitigate any sting from his physical withdrawal. Michael needed the bonding time, just not right now; not here. Right now, he needed to talk with Ella.

Michael followed Ella, glancing back to watch Chloe hug Lucifer who returned it, leaving his own mark on her skin. She repeated the same motion as she had with Michael. Chloe was learning. Instead of pain, Michael felt warm.

Of course. Cuddles? The voice in his head was hopeful. Michael secretly smiled.

Of course.

Promise?

Promise.