Like clockwork, Charlie would scream out his cries of hunger at 5:58 am every morning. Nothing earlier, nothing later. Linda laid in her bed, waiting for the cries, but this morning they did not come. She propped herself up on her elbows, staring hard at the crack in her bedroom door that led out to her hallway. A small stream of sunrise began to creep in between her curtains, leaving shadows of the tree branches and leaves enlarged on her wall. The shadows started to sway heavily back and forth as a small rumbling from her floorboards shook her bed. Linda reached over for her glasses on her nightstand just before they fell off from the intense vibrations.
A heavy thump pounded down from outside her door. By sensing the direction, she assumed it was her living room. The rumbling came to a stop as Linda jumped out of her bed, tip-toeing to her door. She couldn't see much from the angle of her bedroom, only the small glimpse of Charlie sleeping in his crib across the hall. If only she could get to him and enclose themselves in there. Amenadiel should have woken by the chaos by now from his bedroom, she assumed. Linda and Amenadiel had agreed to co-parent Charlie and focus on his needs before exploring anything in their relationship. He gladly moved his things into the third spare bedroom after Charlie had been born. At this moment alone, she was slightly regretting that choice.
She popped her head out to see if any movement came from his room, but she heard nothing. Her head drove to the left as she heard footsteps walking around her living room. Linda looked around her bedroom for anything to grab. "Weapon. Weapon. Weapon." The nearest thing to her door was a long spool of floral wrapping paper for Ella's recent birthday. As she crept into her hallway, the culprit found himself in a trap of baby toys. The alphabet song started playing loudly as his next step hit a crinkle mat with bells. Balls with beads were rolling onto the kitchen floor, and a loud squeak came from a stuffed animal being suffocated under the weight of black oxfords.
Linda stepped out into her kitchen and dropped her wrapping paper roll at the sight of Lucifer, staring disgustedly at a pink rubber piggy oinking at him. "This is what my nephew's learning? Really?" He felt a new presence near him, staring agape. Linda was wearing a pajama set with glasses of wine mixed with the words It's time to whine scattered in pink and purple cursive. Her hair was pulled up into a loose ponytail with frizz and strays flying around her face from a restless night of sleep.
"Lucifer?" She was completely stunned.
He tossed the pig onto the couch in front of him and turned to Linda with a bright smile as he opened his arms. "Doctor!"
The wrapping paper that fell to the ground slowly unraveled itself toward the Devil, and a single cardboard roll stopped at his feet. "What were you planning to do? Wrap me to death? You really need to be more resourceful. I could have been an intruder." He watched Linda carefully waiting for a response. "Doctor?" She continued to stand frozen, watching Lucifer wave his hand in front of her face to get more emotion out of her. "Right. Big Brother!" Lucifer's voice carried to the back hallway, "Your favorite brother is home!"
His booming voice and the sound of Amenadiel fumbling around his bedroom set Charlie off into a crying fit, snapping Linda out of her trance. Linda looked up at her old friend, still in shock, "Charlie." Lucifer turned Linda around by her shoulders and pointed her to the first bedroom on the left side of the back hallway. By the time Amenadiel found his way into the kitchen, Lucifer was reading the instructions on the Keurig machine in the corner.
"Luci? What- what are you doing here?"
Lucifer popped a Kcup into the holder and watched with fascination as it began to brew with a simple pull of a lever. "Making coffee. Do you want some?" He began to open different cupboards above, looking for the right mug.
Linda joined Amendial's side with Charlie in her arms. "You see him too, right?" They both stared at Lucifer as he wafted the smell of the brewing coffee up into his nose, and he shined a smile as if he were getting high off the scent.
"Lucifer!" Amenadiel's voice roared enough to make Linda flinch and cup Charlie's ears.
"No need to yell brother, I'm right here."
"How are you here? We thought-" Amenadiel's frustration disappeared as he thought of the loss that everyone had been experiencing, including himself. He had been trying to get Lucifer to go back to hell for years and finally gave up as he doubted his own mission and gave in to his brother's stubbornness. When he learned Lucifer made the choice to leave to protect his son, he had never been more proud of his little brother. It wasn't an easy choice, but Lucifer made it. He furrowed his brow looking back to his brother with heat in his eyes. With how much Lucifer had grown as a person and matured, he wouldn't have just come back on his accord unless something was happening. He left to protect Charlie, so wouldn't his return put his son in danger again?
"Luci, why are you here?" Lucifer's charming smile disappeared as his eyes met Charlie. The baby had grown a lot since he last saw him. Charlie's big eyes stayed focused on the unfamiliar face in the kitchen as he squeezed his mom with his tiny hands.
"Michael. He's on his way to take Charlie home." Lucifer emphasized home in air quotes as he leaned back onto the kitchen counter.
Amenadiel looked at his son, scared, causing Linda to hold Charlie tighter to her chest. "I can reason with Michael. He's listened to me before." He shook his head, not understanding how any of this could be true. "How do you even know this is happening?" Charlie began to fuss in Linda's arms, and she let him down in his nearby playpen.
"Cas stopped by for a quick visit."
"Cassiel? How? He's forbidden from visiting you."
Lucifer took his coffee from the Keruig and watched the steam linger above the brim of his mug. "Looks like dear old Dad had a change of heart. There's more." Lucifer couldn't look his brother in the eyes. He would never admit it, but seeing his brother this worried hurt him. "A couple of months ago, Michael was talking about how it's time to cleanse the land of Nephilims once more."
Amenadiel leaned forward onto the kitchen island as his heart began to race. "Father would never allow that. He learned his lesson the first time."
"Yeah, sounds like Michael isn't taking dad into consideration lately. Lilly said he's been acting out and-"
Amenadiel darted his eyes up to Lucifer confused. "Lilith? You've been talking to Lilith?"
Linda took a seat at the island as a small headache formed behind her eyes. She loved that her friend was back, but she did not miss the confusing celestial drama that this family carried. "I'm sorry I have to intervene here. Lillith as in the Lillith? Maze's mom? And what's neph- nephiliand…"
Lucifer took his first sip of coffee as Amenadiel took charge answering. "Nephilim. Children of heaven and earth. The last known Nephilims were wiped out with the floods a long time ago. They were seen as a threat, but in reality, they were the warriors who brought balance to the people of the land." Linda looked back to her son in the playpen, who shook the base of a stuffed rattle with a zebra's head on top. Amenadiel looked back to Lucifer, waiting for an explanation on Linda's first question, "I can't believe you would leave hell to her. A demon?"
"Oh, I'm not that stupid. I left it, Cas… and Lilly. It seems like there's a lot more happening behind those closed doors up in the Silver City. But who am I to judge?"
Linda watched the exchange of glances between Amenadiel and Lucifer. "How would Maze feel about this, Lucifer?"
"I can deal with my Mazikeen when the time comes. But I think right now the focus should be finding a certain archangel, don't you, brother?"
Amenadiel shared a long and concerning look with Linda. "Yes, I presume you're right. Where should we start?"
Lucifer chugged the rest of his coffee back and straightened his blazer with a little more excitement in his step. "Well, I thought I'd start with a nice hot shower, get a croissant at that one place- what's the name? Run some quick errands, you know Devil things. Be back around noonish." Lucifer's angelic white wings sprung out from behind him, knocking over a bowl of apples and bananas from the kitchen counter.
"Luci, you can't see her." He lost his footing and stumbled forward a bit as his wings flared out in anger.
"See who?" As much as he thought he could play dumb, Amenadiel and Linda both knew that this was a man who could not lie or get away with it. The look on his face was unmistakable.
"We don't know what we're up against just yet. If what you're saying is true, it's not going to be pretty. We both know our brother- his strength, his persistence, his views on you in particular. Until we know what we're dealing with, I think it's wise that you remain out of sight. And that means the people in this room now are the only ones that know you're back." Amenadiel looked over to Linda for confirmation, but she looked down at the counter biting her lip, conflicted.
She slowly nodded her head in agreement but continued to avoid both of their eyes. Amenadiel watched as Lucifer's eyes raced back and forth, thinking of some sort of rebuttal, but he stopped his brother before he could speak. "This is for everyone's good. Everyone's safety. And your safety, Lucifer." Lucifer retracted his wings, not wanting to admit that his brother was right.
Linda watched her son stack blocks in his playpen as she finished her 11:00 am session with Gabby, a woman who struggles with a narcissistic mother. She couldn't risk leaving her son with the nanny and changed all of her sessions to be virtual to keep a watchful eye. Sitting at the kitchen island, she kept clicking the side of her smartphone to see a background photo of Charlie and no new notifications. She kept anxiously waiting for a text or phone call from Amenadiel saying everything was going to be okay and that it was just a misunderstanding between celestial brothers. But she hadn't heard from him since he left with Lucifer earlier that morning and she was growing more anxious.
Her heart jolted at the sound of the front door unlocking, hoping it was anything but bad news. Maze busted through with headphones in her ears as she kicked the door behind her shut. She grooved her head to the right and left, feeling the beats streaming through her ears. As their eyes met, Maze popped an earbud out and gave a nonchalant nod to her friend as she made her way to the kitchen, opening the fridge. "I stopped by your office, but you weren't there. Are you sick or something?"
Linda quickly looked around her home as if she needed to hide something, but everything was perfectly in its place. Even the mug Lucifer sipped out of that morning was put away into the dishwasher. She didn't want to carry this secret, especially from hell's number one demon. Maze took out a cardboard container of leftovers from a new Italian restaurant Linda visited earlier that week. She opened the container a crack to give it a sniff. "I'm starving." Linda slowly closed her laptop as Maze continued to look around the fridge. She couldn't ignore the massive wave of guilt passing through her. Maze should know.
Maze cracked open a lime flavored soda water as she turned to her friend. "Want to order a pizza? I want extra pineapple this time. I know you don't like that on your pizza, but I can get it on half." Linda prepared herself and stood slowly, watching Maze take a few sips from the can.
"Maze…" Maze's eyes squinted as Linda took a deep breath in. There was a noticeable shift in the air. Linda had her therapist hat on, and Maze felt a lecture coming her way.
"Okay, fine, we don't need the pineapple."
"... Lucifer's back." Maze froze as she watched Linda's face. Her brown eyes were wide and surprised almost, but she stood too still for Linda's liking. Linda quickly moved her glass vase in the middle of the kitchen island off to the side to save it from shattering, just in case. "Maze, did you hear me?" Maze's lips trembled a little as they broke out slowly into a laugh. She held her stomach laughing so hard at the idea of Lucifer being back, but Linda stood her ground, watching the denial take over. Lucifer was a sore topic with Maze since he had left. Linda was known to be patient with clients as they experienced the seven stages of grief, but Maze never left anger.
Maze calmed her laughter to take a sip of her drink. "No, if Lucifer were back, I'd know. Trust me." She kept shaking her head as small bouts of laughter faded, and she placed her hands on her hips, ignoring the all-knowing look Linda continued to give her. "No… no. No?" Linda slowly nodded her head as she saw Maze finally find acceptance. "No." Maze looked down at her boots, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes. He abandoned her when he left. He didn't even ask if she wanted to go back with him, even though she knew it was a hard no, but it was the thought of asking at least. He didn't even leave a note. She wasn't willing to deal with those emotions with him just yet. She wasn't ready. "When did he get here?"
"Just this morning."
Maze cleared her throat, looking back up with the coldest look she could muster. "How is he back? I thought…"
Linda looked around her kitchen once more for anything fragile. "Yeah, about that. He kind of found some interim rulers, but it was all for a good reason."
"Who, Linda." Maze slowly made her way around the island, closing in on the therapist. Linda picked up her laptop and cradled it in her arms as she took some steps backward.
"Remember, this is all for a really really good reason, and it's probably a short term thing." Maze cocked her head to the side in the most intimidating of ways. Linda squeaked out as quickly as she could the names Cassiel and Lilith. The can in Maze's hands crumbled into a ball as quickly as a piece of paper. Carbonated water soaked the edge of the island and floor around Maze's boots.
"I'm… going… to kill him. How could he do that? How could he do that to me? Where is he?"
Linda placed her laptop down on the patterned chair in the living room and placed her hands up defensively. "Again, this is all for a good cause. He did the best he could with the news he received." Maze dropped the crumpled can to the floor, raising an eyebrow waiting for a good explanation.
"The only reasonable excuse for my mom being a leader down there is that an apocalypse is coming. No, scratch that. Not even worth that."
"Michael has plans for Charlie, and it doesn't sound like a happy family reunion." Maze immediately softened her eyes, and her shoulders relaxed as she looked over to Charlie playing with his reflection in one of his toys. "Maze, I'm really scared." This was the first time Linda felt like she was able to speak her mind. Instead of falling apart and crying, Linda pushed it down and picked up her son instead. "Amenadiel and Lucifer are checking out the local churches today for any sign of him. According to Amenadiel, Michael has only come to Earth a few times before, and he stayed close to a congregation." Linda shifted her weight back and forth, watching her son, avoiding Maze's eyes. "They don't know that you know, and they don't want more people knowing until we find Michael. I don't know when they'll be back, but you shouldn't be here when they do."
"So, what am I supposed to do now that I know? I can't just leave you here."
Linda fixed her glasses with one hand. "Yes, you can. I'll be okay, I promise. But, there is one thing that you can do. Lucifer was trying to see Chloe this morning, and as much as Amenadiel can keep an eye on him, we both know Lucifer will find a way to distract him. Chloe can't know." Maze leaned against the counter, not knowing how she felt about this. All their time together these past six months, their friendship grew to be something better than it was before, even if very little words were spoken. They understood each other. "If this situation takes a turn for the worse, Lucifer can't risk being vulnerable. As of now, we don't know anything, and we're hoping Michael doesn't know everything down here too. Until we know more, Lucifer and Chloe need to stay away from each other, for both of their safety… according to Amenadiel."
Chloe's eyes stayed focused on the next empty field in her report as the text line blinked, waiting for the victim's last name to be finished. The case in front of her had been open for 38 minutes, now going on 39. She looked back down at the file in front of her keyboard, and her eyes drew to the yellow piece of paper below the manila folder.
Interim Lieutenant Wilcox had dropped off the expired contract papers of a Lucifer Morningstar, Civilian Consultant, on Chloe's desk before lunch. Her eyes skimmed the document trying to make sense of it, but when she realized what it was, she sat down and read the text in detail over and over again. Her mind was racing, and her heart continued to beat slowly and powerfully in her chest. All she had to do was keep busy and deal with this later, but she continued to stare with emptiness at the next empty field in the report.
"Yo, Decker." Maze strutted through the LAPD precinct until she reached Chloe's desk. Chloe pushed the yellow paper under the file more before Maze could look down at her station, but Maze's eyes were more focused on the bullpen. Her eyes were darting to every person walking around the precinct, over her shoulder, and quick scan up to the balcony above.
"Maze…"
Her eyes continued to look around suspiciously as she followed Chloe's voice. "What's up?"
Chloe couldn't help but look where Maze's eyes wandered. "Maze, why are you acting so weird?" There was no visible sign of Lucifer around, but now Maze was starting to feel stupid. If Amenadiel was babysitting his brother today, there was no chance they were even close to the police station.
"I'm not being weird; you're being weird."
"Oh- Oh, okay. Maze are you alright? Why are you here?"
She shoved her hands in her back pockets, puckering her lips as she looked down on the detective. Maze didn't really think through how she was going to distract Chloe for the day as she drove over. "Why am I here…"
Chloe clasped her hands into one another as she patiently waited for a response. "Do you need help with something?"
"Yes! Help. I need your help…" Maze casually scanned the precinct and watched as an officer walked side by side with a man covered in tattoos in handcuffs. "... I need your help with a bounty." Maze delivered with a little too much excitement, but she was proud of herself for thinking of something productive.
Chloe was surprised by this. Maze was not someone to ask for help, especially when it came to her bounties. "Yeah, I can definitely help. What did they do?"
Maze rolled her eyes so hard; they practically rolled behind her head. She wasn't prepared at all for this. She looked to one of the officers behind Chloe, giving change for a $20 bill to another. "They owe a good amount of money…" Maze's eyes looked down at Chloe's desk at a picture of Trixie smiling from a hike they did over the summer. "... for kids?"
"They owe money for kids? You mean alimony?"
Maze snapped her fingers and pointed to Chloe. "That's the one." This was hurting Maze's pride. She typically wasn't this off or dumb, but she wasn't in the right headspace after she visited with Linda. What Maze was missing to see was how eager Chloe was to do anything to get her mind to stop racing.
Her fingers were at the ready as Chloe pulled up the database on her desktop. "What's their name?"
Maze looked to her right at a new presence in the precinct. Dan walked in with a fast food bag in one hand and a milkshake in the other. As his lips released from the large straw, some of the vanilla milkshake poured out onto his chin and down to his chest. Maze watched in disgust as he tried to scrub the milk stain out of his top with some dribbles of milkshake still left on his chin. "Dan… Smith." It was her job to take Chloe out for a good part of the day, and she had to think of the last name that would cost them all of their free time.
"Okay… well, it looks like there's about 1,264 Dan Smiths in LA. Not the best start. Four hundred thirty-six are reported as being legally divorced. Two hundred sixty are qualified for alimony. It's not the best list, but it's a start." Maze picked the papers off from the printer, grinding her teeth as she read the long list of repetitive names and addresses, and her rage grew stronger against Lucifer. This is not how she wanted to spend her day.
"So, are you going to do this with me or not?"
Maze kept surprising Chloe today. "You want me to help you find your bounty?"
Maze picked up a few of her files on the desk. "You got something better going on here?" Chloe looked down at the paperwork that needed to be filed and the corner of the yellow piece of paper below it all.
Chloe eagerly stood up and smiled. "Let's do this."
Linda slowly closed Charlie's door behind her, leaving the smallest of cracks as she set him down for a nap. It had been four, five hours since she had heard from Maze, Amenadiel, or Lucifer. The loneliness and silence of her home were beginning to be too much for her and her anxiety. As if a secret prayer was answered, everyone came in at once, fast, and quickly all were gone.
Amenadiel and Lucifer were the first to arrive back. Amenadiel studied his notepad with all of the LA churches written in his scripture for pages. "Ugh, Luci, we missed three. How did we miss three?" Linda joined Amenadiel on the couch, looking at his list. "I should have never let you stop at the food truck. You completely distracted me."
Lucifer squatted down to his knees, looking through the cabinets below the kitchen island. "I've always been a sucker for supporting small businesses, and you know that. And you can blame me all you want, but I think we can both agree that the carne asada tacos with that side of mole sauce were the real culprit. Doctor, you truly missed out."
"We need to go back up to finish those three before we hit the south." As Amenadiel flipped through his notepad, Linda got a real look at the number of churches in LA.
Lucifer slammed one cabinet door and moved onto the next. "You two have a very poorly stocked pub." After a ruthless search through the bottom island cabinets, Lucifer moved to the cabinets above. "I mean, really Doctor, do you have nothing here?"
Linda popped her head over Amenadiel's shoulders to pay attention to the Devil in her kitchen. "No, scotch? Whiskey? Brandy? Gin? Rum? Vodka? Tequila, even?" Linda shook her, knowing she never really had hard liquor in her home, ever. Some nights she would pick up a bottle of wine, especially after some sessions with Lucifer himself, but that bottle would be finished that night. Lucifer threw his arms up, defeated.
All heads turned toward the front door when Maze busted through. She stopped at the top of the small step up and took in the sight of Lucifer in the kitchen. Lucifer froze as Maze's eyes changed from shock to joy, to anger. Linda raised her hand to draw the room's attention to her. "I kind of told Maze." Maze walked with so much determination to Lucifer that both Linda and Amenadiel leaned back deeper into the couch to remove themselves from her path.
Lucifer shined a bright smile and opened his arms wide to welcome her in. "Maze, you don't know how much I missed-"
Maze forced a powerful uppercut into Lucifer's stomach, causing him to fold over in pain. "My mom, Lucifer? Are you serious?"
Lucifer tried to catch his breath by putting his words together after getting the wind knocked out of him. "Is no one happy I'm back?"
"How could you do that?"
Lucifer slowly straightened his torso to tower over Maze. "It's not left to her; it's left to Cas. She just happened to be his one carry on for that trip. I would never leave that place to her. I would never do that to you." His eyes softened on her, but she stood her ground, hiding behind her walls. She couldn't forgive him that easily, but he also knew that.
As annoyed he wanted to be with Linda, Amenadiel was grateful for Maze knowing. She could be the extra arm they needed in this. "Maze, what are you doing here?"
She didn't take her eyes off of Lucifer as she folded her arms tightly to her chest. "I came to check-in on Linda and the little dude. I'm more than happy to take care of Michael myself."
"Good, because we may need your help." Amenadiel stood up, looking defeated. "Do you think you can spare some of your time?"
Lucifer rubbed his abdomen uncomfortably as he chimed in, "or some of your weapons?"
Maze rubbed her face, not wanting to stretch herself thinner. "Help yourself to the weapons, but give it an hour. Chloe's back changing for the night."
"You moved back in with her?" Lucifer's voice was soft as he stared in awe of his lifelong friend. It annoyed Maze how touched he looked. He didn't deserve it.
"I didn't do that for you if that's what you're thinking. Trixie is persistent."
Amenadiel walked into the kitchen, trying to focus on the problem at hand. "That would be very helpful. I know it's a lot to ask, but do you think you can keep Chloe distracted while I handle Luci."
Lucifer waved his hand between the two. "I'm right here."
"I'm already ahead of it. Turns out the bounty I made-up is turning out to be true. We're doing a stakeout tonight, so we'll be out." Maze turned to point a finger to Lucifer's face. "I don't know how you worked with her for so long. She yells at me for everything. I kick a door down, that's a home invasion. I choked a guy, that's assault. Whatever." Lucifer's tight, reminiscent grin said it all, and for the first time that day, he didn't have a quick response. His hands found their way into his pockets, and his eyes met his feet. He had obviously missed Chloe while he was away, but it was more painful to be this close and still to be so far.
Maze fixed her leather jacket and checked the time. "I'll text you when we're out of there. Keep me updated." Maze made her way to the front door, giving a small wink to Linda on her way out.
Lucifer lifted his head to stop her before she left. "Maze, could be a good demon and bring me back a bottle of scotch?"
Maze didn't give her old friend a second look as she threw him the middle finger. "Screw you."
Chloe's eyes had not left the window on the Spanish-style apartment. The curtains were open a crack, and a blue light emitted from somewhere within the room. The blue reflection moved in small waves on the apartment's ceiling, and the detective assumed there was a fish tank somewhere in there. The Dan Smith Maze had been looking for was kicked out of his home and marriage for his addiction to gambling. He had cost his family more than they had bargained for. Now, being single and a man about the town, he not only continued his gambling addiction but add recreational drugs and sex to the mix. Neighbors had reported him leaving for the night to go to a local poker match, but he was known for coming home loudly with guests anywhere between three and six am.
Maze wanted to take her motorcycle, but Chloe had to point out the obvious and threw her car keys to the bounty hunter. It was a cold night for LA, and the perimeter of the car's windows began to fog slightly. Chloe unscrewed the top to her thermos and freshened her tired eyes with more hot coffee. Maze released a small moan in her sleep as her forehead pressed hard against the window, and her breath created a circle of fog in the middle. She jerked her head quickly with a snort, slowly opening her eyes and her mouth for a yawn. "What time is it?"
"Quarter to five."
Maze squinted her eyes, looking at the radio to confirm the time. She stretched her arms wide and up above her head. "How are you still awake?"
Chloe took a deep sip of her coffee and offered her thermos to Maze. "I think you forget what I do for a living."
Maze took a sniff of the coffee looking up to the same window Chloe couldn't look away from. "I'm assuming he's not home yet?" Maze poured some of the coffee into a spare Styrofoam cup, watching the steam rise into the cool car air.
They sat in silence for a little until Maze turned the ignition on to get the radio to play. A DJ's smooth voice came over the radio. "This request was tweeted in by Katie M. from Pomona. 'Nothing is better than staying up with my 101.2. I love you guys.' Thanks, Katie, we love you too. This one's for you. Here's the Counting Crows, Friend of the Devil."
Chloe immediately leaned forward, turning the radio off. "I'd rather sit in silence if that's okay."
Maze watched tentatively as Chloe sat back with her arms crossed, shaking her head in frustration. "You okay, Decker?"
Her face was stone, and her eyes stayed focused on the window. "I'm fine."
Maze took a sip of her coffee and scrunched her nose at the flavor. Bending over in her seat, Maze reached for her flask strapped to her calf. She poured in about two shots worth of whiskey into her coffee before offering the flask to Chloe. "Pick me up?"
"I don't drink on the job. I don't get how you can get away with doing that. Both you and…" Chloe stopped herself from saying his name, but Maze waited.
"You know, now that I think of it, in all the time we've spent together these past six months, I don't think I've heard you mention him once. You can't even say his name. What's up with that?"
Maze could see half of Chloe's profile from the street lamp above. The light created a single stream of light highlighting her left eye, part of her nose, and her tight jawline. Chloe pulled her army jacket closer around her as she stayed silent, staying focused on the window. Her heart felt as if it were fluttering in the base of her neck. "I can say his name." Maze cocked an eyebrow and leaned in closer, waiting for the name she has heard too many times for her liking, but Chloe stayed silent. By the strain in her neck and the dramatic bursts of deep breaths in her chest, Maze could see how uncomfortable Chloe was. Her eyes were the hardest to read. They never left the window across the street, but Maze was starting to think it was for a reason.
She leaned back in the driver's chair, joining Chloe in the endless stare of this side street in silence. A cat with a mix of brown and white coloring pranced across the street from one garbage can to another. Maybe keeping Chloe away wasn't going to be that hard because maybe she didn't really want to see him. Maze rolled her head to the right to look at Chloe. "I mean, you have to admit, just a little. Some things have gotten easier since he's been gone." Even saying those words, Maze felt a tension in her chest. As much as she kept telling herself she was mad at him; she did miss her friend. Chloe stayed silent.
Lucifer was a sensitive topic for both of them, that was for sure, but all Maze could understand was the hurt she felt. If Chloe couldn't even bring him up or acknowledge him, her pain must be worse. "I get it, you know. He was my partner, too, my friend, and he just left. No goodbyes, no direction on what to do, no consideration for when he planned to come back. Gone. You know, he didn't even ask for my help down there. A year ago, I was willing to do anything to go back down there; he knew that. And now he goes and doesn't even give me a second thought. He's always looking out for himself, never thinking about how it impacts me or how I feel. I thought I was his partner, but maybe he only saw me as one of his demons. So I get it. I'm pissed too. If I could, I'd want to forget him too."
The look Maze had on her face was similar to the way she looked at Trixie- innocent. Chloe had never heard Maze open up and be this vulnerable before. It was refreshing to see this side of her, but it was uncomfortable too. The last time Chloe was truly vulnerable and open was the night he had left her on his balcony alone, and she didn't feel like reliving that kind of hurt again. It was easy to put walls up and to push down the pain and act as if everything was okay, but it was also lonely. She couldn't think of who to talk to that could relate or understand. Her close network of friends either had a lot of history and insight to Lucifer, or they didn't know the truth behind him. No one was neutral. As much as she would like to think Linda could be a safe space for her, she knew Linda had a different relationship with him that would make her insecure in sharing such a vulnerable moment. But being in this car and hearing the hurt in Maze's voice for the first time, she started to feel safe.
Chloe slowly shook her head as her eyes began to soften at the thought of him. "I'm not mad at him, Maze. He's done some things that have annoyed me or made me want to pull my hair out of my head, but I could never be mad at him."
Maze's thumb traced around the brim of her Styrofoam cup as her eyes settled on a small bubble floating at the surface of her coffee. "Then what is it?"
Chloe kept her focus steady on the apartment window and her neck proud as she took in a deep breath through her nose. She felt the ice walls within herself slowly melt as a heat built in her cheeks and around her eyes. "I loved him." She let her voice settle into the silence of the car before continuing. "I really- I loved him." Chloe threw a hand to her chest to show how much her heart hurt and to protect its rapid beat. "I know we didn't have the easiest relationship, but it was everything to me. He was my partner. I never felt judged or insecure around him. He accepted me; he validated me. And when he wanted me to accept him, I couldn't at first. I broke his trust, and that is something I will not forgive myself for. But I remembered the good in him, the things he's done for me, the way I felt when I was with him. He was never the devil or a monster to me. He was just Lucifer."
She quickly wiped away a tear from her right cheek in the shadows and felt her body tense at the memory from that night. "The night he left, I begged him not to leave. I told him that I loved him." Maze had continued to look down at her coffee as a form of privacy to Chloe's vulnerability, but this was the first time she looked up. Chloe was the only one to know what happened before he left, and no one had heard otherwise. When she had come down from the penthouse with swollen, red eyes, the group learned at the bar in Lux that he was gone. There was more than just, "he left," but no one wanted to approach the topic. Everyone had their own grief and acceptance to deal with. Maze saw from the stream of light, a mixture of tears sitting on her bottom eyelid, barely balancing.
"You told him you loved him, and he just left?"
Chloe rolled her eyes up as if to recollect the tears around her eyes. "He told me that we were wrong to think the prophecy was talking about Eve."
"It was you." Maze closed her eyes, finally understanding the pain Chloe felt. It was the same pain she had when she watched Eve walk away from her or the pain she felt when she lay awake, thinking of what Eve could be doing at that moment. She opened her eyes slightly, thinking about Chloe's experience that night and sat up more in her chair.
"Just to recap. You tell the man that's been pining for you since he met you that you love him. That you accept him and all of his faces, and he still leaves?"
Chloe leaned her head back onto the seat with a proud smile on her lips. "He did what was right."
If the roles were different, Maze knew she would just stay. If Eve were the one begging her not to leave and finally confessing a love that she's always wanted, she wouldn't even think about leaving her side. He had everything he'd ever wanted in front of him, and he still spared himself to protect her and everyone else. He made the ultimate sacrifice. Maze gripped the steering wheel, conflicted thinking of her day. It was the right thing to do to keep them separated. Lucifer wouldn't be vulnerable and destroyed by Michael, and Chloe couldn't get hurt and be used as a pawn against him, but they were partners in a way Maze knew she could never understand. She closed her eyes, gritting her teeth.
She only had one question for herself: would Lucifer do this for her if this were Eve?
"Screw this." Maze jolted the car into action and threw her seat belt around her body.
Chloe wiped away any existing tears sitting on her cheeks, taken back by the bright headlights. "What are you doing?"
"This is all fake. I mean, this Dan guy is a total sleaze, but it's all made up. Chloe, Lucifer's back."
The sky was turning to a light pink and orange on the horizon as the time grew closer to six am. Maze explained everything that was happening that day as she drove 30 over the speed limit throughout LA. A lot of it caused her to repeat as Chloe heard a distant muffled voice being drowned out over the thumping heartbeat in her ears. "Chloe!" Maze snapped her fingers in front of Chloe's face to get her attention. "Were here."
Chloe kept clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, trying to force some moisture. Her mouth had gone dry from nerves, and she felt the need to clear her throat every couple of breaths. She stopped herself on the front porch as Maze unlocked the door. "What if they're asleep."
With a hefty shove of the door with her arm and assistance from her foot, Maze walked over the threshold and peaked a look across the open concept home to the kitchen. "They're not. They're standing right there."
Amenadiel's voice could be heard from inside the home. "Maze, what are you doing?" Chloe couldn't move her legs; they felt as if they were grounded by cement. This is not what she pictured as a reunion with Lucifer, with such an audience. Maze leaned over the door and yanked Chloe's arm into the home, stumbling with her. When Chloe looked inside, she just found a disappointed, and tired, Amenadiel in the living room and Linda rubbing her temples at the kitchen island. The deep bags under their eyes and the weathered look of their clothes proved Maze's story to be true.
"Where is he?" Maze took off her leather jacket and tossed it to the closest chair in the living room.
Linda dramatically shrugged and looked around, confused. "Where is who?" Chloe knew Linda was terrible at keeping a secret, but this was just bad. She didn't get the best rap for her acting as a teen, but she could do much better than this.
"Lucifer." Maze positioned herself in front of Amenadiel with her hands on her hips.
He shook his head at Maze with an intense irritation in his eyes. "I can't believe you told her." Chloe didn't know what to do with herself. She felt like she was experiencing every emotion a human could handle, and her body was on overload. But right now, she felt like a child sitting between a pair of divorced parents that hated one another.
Maze peaked over Amenadiel's shoulder, raising her voice, "Lucifer," waiting for him to appear from the back hallway.
Linda joined the group motioning her hand at Maze to quiet her voice. "He's gone, Maze."
"What do you mean, he's gone?"
Amenadiel began to pace the living room scratching his five o'clock shadow. "This isn't his fight. I'm grateful he came back to alert us, but this is my doing. Charlie is my son; this is my battle."
Linda joined Chloe's side, lightly touching her arm with apologetic eyes. Mazed pressed on. "Did you find Michael?" Amenadiel shook his head in defeat as a shimmer of sunrise shined through the window and onto his face. "He wouldn't have just left you."
Amenadiel's eyes glossed over the hardwoods below him as he kicked the edge of the accent rug. "I asked him to leave." An eerie silence filled the room as all eyes stayed on the angel. "When we decided to keep Charlie on this earth, I took on that responsibility that some in the Silver City would disagree. I am his father. I am his protector. This is my battle, not Lucifer. He would just be a casualty. We both know the power Michael has over him."
Maze's head dropped, knowing the dark history and the years of resentment built around him. "He's different now."
Amenadiel turned to Maze as his voice rose in volume. "If something happened to him, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. This is my doing, and if he-" He had to stop himself from getting emotional. "He is the safest down there."
Chloe spoke for the first time, clearing her throat. "So, he's really gone?" Linda slowly nodded her head, avoiding her eyes and a guilty conscience by grabbing hold of Chloe tighter.
Amenadiel couldn't look her in the eyes either. "I'm sorry, Chloe."
Maze cocked her head to the side in deep thought, pursing her lips forward. "I'm sorry, why did he leave again?"
Amenadiel stood a little prouder, elongating his neck and puffing his chest out. "Because I told him to."
Maze's skeptical eyes narrowed on Amenadiel and then to Chloe. "Right… well, I think if Michael is still out there, then I'm staying here. I won't let anybody touch a hair on Charlie. Chloe, I think you should go home. I got it from here."
Amenadiel reached out, touching Maze's arm in thanks. He was exhausted, but now felt he could get at least a few minutes of shut-eye with Maze around, but Chloe protested. "No, I want to help."
"No, you should go home." Maze subtly jolted her head to the front door hoping Chloe could read her mind.
"I want to help. How can I help?" Maze threw her head back and crossed the home, yanking Chloe's elbow up to the front door. She looked over her shoulder to gauge Amenadiel's distance.
"Here's a question. When has Lucifer ever listened to his brother?" Chloe's eyes watched Maze's mouth as she pitched an aggressive whisper. She felt stupid for even taking the second to think about it, and her eyes began to fill with hope once more. Maze opened the front door and shoved the detective out onto the front porch, slamming the door behind her.
There was a heavyweight in her legs, but they still moved toward her front door. She imagined this is what it felt like to walk on the ocean floor. Her hand trembled as she placed her key in the lock and opened her door. The sunrise filled her home, streaming a mix of pink, orange, and yellow in from the windows in her living room, leaving Chloe to feel like she was in a dream state.
As Chloe took a step forward, her body felt intense chills work their way down her arms and spine. The cooling sensation caused her to close her eyes, and her lips parted into a small smile as she knew. She released a small, steady voice into the quiet void. "Lucifer?"
The sound of black oxfords against her hardwoods approached from the side door in her kitchen. Lucifer turned the corner in his three-piece suit with his hands in his pockets and an endearing smile. "Hello, Detective."