Another case had sprung up at work. Chloe was relieved for the distraction as the days began to tick by from the last time she had seen Lucifer. Despite their resolution, their togetherness, she couldn't help but feel a tightness in her chest every time she thought about him. She found her fingers absently typing out his name in the contact line of her text messages, only to remember there wasn't exactly cell service in Hell. Returning home to Trixie, who had been full of questions since hearing of Lucifer's return, made her feel less alone, but it remained the reminder that he was on a different plane of the universe entirely.
Therefore, when Friday finally rolled around, Chloe breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped into her empty home, her daughter spending the weekend at Dan's. It gave her time to clean, which was a thinly veiled lie to cover up her real agenda: sitting and waiting for Lucifer to return, as his hoped "weekends off" would prove attainable. Setting the kettle on to boil some water for tea, Chloe kicked her shoes off and shrugged off her denim jacket. It was time to go into complete relaxation mode.
While standing in the shower, letting steaming drops of water fall onto her hair and shoulders, she thought. The case this week had been particularly tough. Media had hounded the precinct all week, looking into the details of the murder of the deceased star quarterback of a local high school, Devante Gunn. The deceased had been found in the high school locker room, face up, eyes glassed over with one sharp stab wound into his chest. The knife had been removed (albeit crudely, Ella had noted with excited eyes – this meant particulates were more likely to be found in the wound, hopefully leading to the murder weapon), and the body had been cold for almost a day before it was discovered by a janitor. The night before the murder, Devante Gunn had thrown an impressive four interceptions in a particularly poor football game. Chloe didn't know much about football, but she knew enough to gather this may have made a few excited fans outraged.
She sighed and grabbed her shampoo bottle. The media certainly had not been much help in this case. It seemed the entire state of California was itching to catch the first scoop. Press conferences by the lieutenant had been necessary, and had even graduated to being given by the police captain along with the school superintendent. It meant Dan and Chloe's jobs had been even more difficult, and more security presence was necessary at the crime scene.
The coconut vanilla shampoo left a pleasant smell in her nose, but didn't distract her from her internal cataloging. Today had been the most difficult. Dan had thought he was onto a suspect – the offensive coach of the high school football team. The problem was, although his motive was sound, his alibi seemed too good to fit the bill. Still, Dan had showed her the log of text messages that were sent between the two – conversations had been heated, with Devante seeming to want to quit the team due to hazing issues, and the offensive coach, Kyle Williams, making no less than three threats towards Devante's career beyond high school. Supposedly there had been college scouts watching the game a week prior. Chloe's heart went for the poor quarterback, feeling his stress levels before his untimely demise.
As she was stepping out of the shower and tossing her hair up into a towel, Chloe heard her phone ring from her bedroom. She sighed and left the warmth of the bathroom, bath fan working overtime to disperse the humidity, for the cool, air-conditioned rest of the house. The air out here was just a bit too chilly on her skin, but she ignored this as she picked it up and read the caller. Dan.
"Hey Dan, is everything all right?" she asked after pushing the green 'talk' button. But the voice on the other end wasn't Dan's at all.
"Mommy?" came a whispered, crying Trixie.
"Trixie?" Chloe's heart sank. "What's going on, baby? Are you okay?"
There were soft sniffles coming from the other side.
"Mommy, there's a bad man," Trixie whimpered. "Daddy told me to hide. I think they were fighting. I don't know what's going on."
"Trixie, monkey? Where are you right now? Are you being very quiet?" Chloe's heart was pounding. Something was very wrong. She grabbed clothes absently, tucking her phone under her chin and shoulder as she dressed as quickly as she could.
"Yes," her daughter answered softly. "I haven't heard any noises for a couple minutes. Mommy, is daddy okay?"
"I don't know, monkey," she said honestly, grabbing her keys off her night stand. "I'm only a couple minutes away, okay? I want you to stay there until I get there. Be very quiet. You can stay on the phone with me, okay?"
"Okay," Trixie whispered. Chloe could hear the fear in her daughter's voice. All she could think about was what had happened to Dan. Was he okay? Was he chasing the intruder? Stuffing her feet into the nearest pair of shoes she could find, she hurried out the door and to her car.
"Mommy? I hear noises," Trixie's voice pitched up in fright.
"It's okay, baby. You need to be very quiet, okay? I'm almost there," Chloe said desperately, starting her car. "I'm almost there. I just need to make a radio call very quick."
She reached over to her CB and switched it on.
"This is Detective Decker, I am performing a 10-50 on Detective Espinoza at his address. I am requesting backup for a potential 10-00. There is a civilian hiding inside the home."
Crackling came over the radio.
"What's your 20, Detective Decker?" The dispatcher replied.
"2 minutes out," she rushed back. "It sounds like a potential break-in, and a fight ensued. The civilian – my daughter –" her voice broke "She has been advised to remain in her hiding location at this time. I will be entering the premises upon arrival."
"Be advised to wait for backup for safety purposes," the dispatcher warned, but Chloe was already switching her CB off. She didn't have time to wait for backup. She picked her phone back up quickly.
"Trixie, are you still there, baby?" she asked worriedly.
"Yes mommy," Trixie whispered back. "I think I hear daddy's voice."
"Oh thank God," Chloe breathed. "Stay there just in case though, okay?"
Before Trixie could reply, Chloe, too, heard Dan's voice – frantic and hoarse.
"Trixie? Monkey, are you here?" he shouted from the other end of the phone. Chloe took a right. Still a block out. At least there was no other traffic.
"You can't just show up to her like –"
What sounded very suspiciously like Lucifer's voice was cut off as Chloe heard a door open, a beat of silence, and a scream. Trixie's scream.
"Trixie?" Chloe asked frantically, speeding up even more. "Monkey? Are you there? Are you okay?"
Trixie didn't answer as a loud THUD came from the other line. Voices were still talking. She tried to catch everything being said.
"I warned you," the other voice – definitely Lucifer – said as Dan cut over him.
"Trixie, I'm sorry, monkey. It's okay. See? I'm okay. Just got some…ketchup on me. But it's me!"
"That's not ketchup," Trixie wailed. "Daddy, you're hurt."
Dan was hurt. That wasn't good news. She finally pulled a sharp left and whipped into the driveway of Dan's house. With the car still running, she left her phone on the seat and the door open as she bolted out and sprinted up the steps to the open front door. Hand on her Glock, Chloe entered and whipped the firearm around the main floor. She saw a large pool of blood on the floor, and sitting next to it was a bloody kitchen knife. Blood splatters led a trail over to the stairs and up them. She dashed over and aimed her gun at the top of the stairs. Standing there was Lucifer, who wasn't aware she was behind him. Dan was next to him, kneeling down. Chloe barely registered the drying blood caked on the back of his shirt as she darted up the stairs.
"What the hell is going on?" she yelled, finally coming to a rest at the top of the stairs. Lucifer and Dan looked back at her, surprised at her arrival. Trixie was in front of them in the closet, sitting on the floor with her knees pressed to her chest. She looked absolutely overwhelmed.
Maternal instinct kicking in, Chloe passed the two men and gathered her daughter into a hug.
"You're okay," she murmured. "You're okay, monkey." Not letting go, she stroked her daughter's hair and turned her head back to the other two. "What the hell is going on?" she repeated. "Lucifer, what the hell are you doing here?"
She assessed the pair, eyeing Lucifer first. He looked a bit frazzled, but otherwise pretty much exactly like the last time she saw him. He had a sheepish expression on his face. Dan, on the other hand…
"Daddy's hurt," Trixie whispered in her mom's ear. Chloe's heart sank for the second time today as her mind began to fill in the blanks. That pool of blood in the bedroom…the dark, large stain on Dan's gray t-shirt…Lucifer…
"Oh, no," she whispered back. "No, Dan. Did he – did you…?"
"Die," Lucifer finished lowly. "Yes, he did."
"To Hell?" Chloe squeaked. Dan nodded.
"I had to practically wrestle Lucifer to bring me back," he said. "He says this isn't permanent, but at least for now, I can tell you what I know."
Chloe let go of Trixie, who still had tear-stricken eyes as she stared solemnly at her dad. Dan smiled sadly back at her.
"Hey monkey," he said. "I'm here for now. That's what matters."
Chloe remembered the backup she had called in then.
"I need to go grab my phone and cancel the backup," she said.
"Why?" Lucifer finally spoke up. "Daniel is still dead. We'll need to solve the murder."
"I know who killed me," Dan said. "It was Coach Williams – I told you he was guilty."
Chloe shook her head, gesturing subtly to Trixie.
"You know, child, I've been told I make a great grilled cheese," Lucifer stepped forward, catching Trixie's eye. She sniffled again. "Why don't you come downstairs with me and we can get you some food."
"Can I ask you questions?" Trixie asked softly.
"Well yes, of course – I did receive your note, after all," the devil replied with a signature smile. Trixie started down the stairs with one last sad look at her parents. Lucifer nodded at them both, face all business, as he followed.
"You should put a jacket on to hide your wound," Chloe mentioned as she began to descend as well. "It may help from upsetting her."
Dan nodded and retreated to his bedroom.
Outside, Chloe radioed in the cancellation of backup. It had only been three minutes that all of this had passed, so there wasn't a concern for cops to begin showing up just yet. She shut off the car, which sounded happy to have a rest from the abuse she had just given it to get here in a timely fashion. Grabbing her cell phone, Chloe finally sent a text to Ella. If anybody was going to get a head start on the case, it would be her.
Back inside, Chloe snuck past the kitchen where Lucifer was answering questions, as it seemed, to the best of his ability.
"Not fangs, I'm not a vampire," he was complaining. The smell of cooking butter and melting cheese made her stomach growl. She did have to admit, Lucifer did indeed make a great grilled cheese. Sneaking back upstairs, she met Dan in his bedroom. Her ex-husband was sitting on the end of his bed, staring at the black denim jacket he had grabbed from his closet.
The room was a bit of a mess. Chloe wasn't surprised, though – he didn't have the best tendency to clean when he lived alone. When they had moved in together, it had taken quite some time for him to pick up on the fact that she preferred a bit more organization.
Chloe sat next to him, putting an arm on his shoulder.
"Hey," she said gently. Sitting here, touching his shoulder, almost made it seem as if everything was all right. But the skin under the t-shirt felt cooler than it should, normally. She supposed he wouldn't radiate heat much if his body wasn't working anymore.
"How long did you know about Lucifer?" Dan asked. His voice was still hoarse, but now it was soft and guarded. Final.
"Since right before Europe," she admitted. "I went to Rome for research. I didn't know what to think at first."
"Rome," he repeated, realization dawning in his voice and on his face. "That makes sense."
"Mmhm."
"Who else knows?"
"Ella found out last week, although it was more of a stumble. Linda has apparently known for awhile. Amenadiel of course is Lucifer's brother. He's known forever."
"Amenadiel," Dan said, eyes lighting up. "He's an angel!"
"Yup," Chloe answered. "And Lucifer has been the black sheep of his family for a long time."
"Wait, that means that he wasn't lying about Michael? Michael! Holy shit."
Chloe laughed a bit, despite the somber situation. She had had the same reaction when she made the connection.
"That means that God exists, too, then?" Dan asked.
"As much as I can tell. Although Lucifer doesn't have a lot of kind words to say about him," she pointed out.
"Makes sense." He shrugged.
"Dan." She dropped her hand and faced him head on. "Why did you go to Hell?"
Dan didn't answer, and Chloe watched as a series of conflicted expressions crossed his faced. He finally settled on, "I don't know. I guess I feel like it's partially my fault for…Charlotte's death," he admitted slowly. "And causing all that issue with you and Palmetto."
"Dan, that's ridiculous," Chloe admonished. "You didn't cause either of those. Those were horrible circumstances that happened to you. The choices you made were yours, yes, but you made them to the best of your knowledge. You have a good heart. You shouldn't be in Hell."
Dan swallowed.
"Can we go downstairs?" he requested then. "I want to spend more time with Trixie before…before I go."
"Of course," she said instantly, standing up. "Don't forget to put that on."
Dan glanced at the jacket in his hand, seemingly having forgotten about it. He shrugged it on and followed Chloe out of the bedroom.
Halfway down the stairs, Chloe paused, holding her hand up for Dan to do the same. She listened intently as the words of the conversation below floated up to them.
"There are no children in Hell," Lucifer said shortly.
"Why not?" Trixie asked. She sounded much calmer now, and her mouth was full of food.
"Another rule of my dad's, I suppose," he replied wearily.
"Your dad – like God?"
"The very same."
It was silent for a moment, except for the sound of another grilled cheese sizzling on the fryer.
"If you and my mommy get married, does that mean God is my grandpa?"
Chloe choked on air, spluttering and coughing a bit to try and catch her breath. The conversation below quieted, and she started quickly down the stairs again, composing herself. Dan behind her let out a chuckle.
The looks on Trixie and Lucifer's faces were straight out of a comedy. Trixie, hands full of buttery, cheesy goodness, was beaming at them. Lucifer looked like a cat caught doing an act it knew it wasn't supposed to. He busied himself with the spatula, flipping the remaining sandwich on the pan.
"How are you doing, monkey?" Dan asked cautiously, stepping out from behind her. Trixie didn't look the least bit fazed.
"Great!" she replied. "Lucifer is telling me all about Hell. It's pretty complicated."
"Well, try living it," Lucifer retorted back, but his face held no malcontent. He flipped the grilled cheese sandwich onto a waiting plate and used the spatula to slice it diagonally. He slid the plate across the counter at her.
"Well, we're glad you're feeling better," Chloe said cautiously as she picked up the food. It smelled heavenly.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Trixie asked, smiling right before she took another large bite of grilled cheese. Chloe looked back at Dan, who looked confused.
"Don't you remember what happened?" he asked gently.
"Of course, silly," she said in between mouthfuls. "But Lucifer is going to take you to Heaven, so it's all good."
They both whipped their heads around to face Lucifer, who looked just as shocked.
"I said nothing of the sort!" he said quickly, defensively putting his hands up. "I mean, I'm trying to get all the souls in Hell up to the Silver City, but I'm not physically taking them there myself."
Trixie just shrugged and kept on eating.
Chloe's phone buzzed in her pocket. She grabbed it and read the text message, still perplexed by Trixie's behavior.
Strange person outside the window, Ella had sent. She put two and two together. Dan sat next to Trixie, striking up a short conversation. Chloe did quick gestures to Lucifer to meet in the stairwell, out of sight of windows. He took notice and followed her.
"Somebody is outside listening," she said as soon as the coast seemed clear. "I'm going to go investigate. You keep an eye on Trixie."
"Detective, I'm the devil, remember? Perhaps I should be the one to go out."
Chloe glared at him, but realized he was probably right. Despite his vulnerability, he had a few more tricks up his sleeve. Still, she handed him her gun. He looked surprised, even awed.
"Detective," he said. "Are you sure?"
"Just be careful," she snapped, although she planted a quick kiss on his cheek before she returned downstairs, Lucifer following with his long-dreamed-of weapon in hand.
They rounded the corner of the kitchen just as Dan was standing up. Trixie kept on eating, ignoring the scene around them.
It was Michael.
