Blue and purple lights scanned the walls of Lux while a sea of heads bobbed on the dance floor. The lights spiraled over the banner above the DJ that read "The Devil's Back" in deep red. It was a weekend of celebration.
Friday evening, the precinct held a special happy hour to welcome back their favorite civilian consultant at the Irish pub, Flaherty's. Chloe knew it was very low-key compared to his version of a celebration, but he was completely in his element. She forgot how good he was at working a room. He had every female officer blushing, and every male officer turning red from laughing so hard. Officers came in waves and waited patiently for their turn with him, but she just watched from a distance with a bottle of beer curled into her chest. Dan kept her company, although his focus was really on the soccer game broadcasted above their heads. Lucifer would glance over at his partner every-so-often to ensure she was nearby or entertained, but he could never get a break. As the drinks continued to flow, the more adventurous the off-duty officers became with their singing. Lucifer found his way to the upright piano off in the corner of the bar and took request after request, singing along with his peers. It always felt like the group continued to grow and never dwindle. By the time the moon came out, Lucifer had done his own version of a final call by paying for everyone at the gyro food truck outside the pub.
But tonight was his night- his celebration. The line for Lux was practically wrapped around the entire building, but the people waited. Maze watched the drinks and money pour over her bar as she leaned on the back counter behind her bartenders. She told herself that it wouldn't happen tonight, but she continued to jerk her head in the direction of any black-haired beauty, hoping it was her. It never was. Maze thought she heard Eve's laugh from nearby, but it was just another girl. She cocked an eyebrow looking at the clientele tonight and knew her next distraction was somewhere close by.
Her eyes darted up to Amenadiel, who hid in the shadows on the balcony above. He was working tonight. Amenadiel gripped the railing as his shoulders hunched over the balcony scanning the crowd below him. He thought his brother was insane for hosting this night at first, but then his tune quickly changed as he pushed for the event to be the biggest spectacle it could be. Being in LA for as long as he had, he knew the value of word of mouth in this town. The bigger the spectacle, the higher the chance a certain brother would make himself known. Linda had chosen to stay home with Charlie, feeling safer now that Amenadiel installed cameras into each room of their home, covering every inch. If there was any new movement, Amenadiel was notified. They were both confident the more Lucifer played up his devil self to humanity, the more angered their brother would be and more likely to make an appearance in the nightclub.
As the bass dropped below, dancers dressed in red, lace lingerie, and glittered Devil horned headbands came out from the back corners of the club. Half the dancers took their place on the raised platforms, and the others joined the party in the middle performing a synchronized dance. Confetti slowly rained down from above, coating everyone in gold and red. Lucifer and Maze made sure this was a spectacle, and everyone was soaking it up. Lucifer sat in his reserved booth, taking a slow sip of his scotch. As the brown liquid crept closer to his lips, the smell of the top-shelf liquor made his nose sting in the best way. He missed all of this. He missed humans. He watched strangers grow closer on the dance floor, grinding their hips in wants of companionship, smelled the desperation off of everyone wanting to be a part of something bigger, and listened to each new and familiar face who visited him at his booth. They all wondered the same thing- could this man make your desires come true?
The confetti continued to slowly fall from above, making the scene around him look as if it were stuck in slow motion. His eyes focused on the dirty-blonde at the corner of the bar from across the club. Her loose curls fell deeper down her back as she looked up at the confetti and lights mixing beautifully above. The champagne flute met her dramatic red lip as she took her first sip in between her two friends. She had missed his grand entrance, and secretly wanted to be on his arm while he walked down those steps, but she had a duty. Her daughter was going to a birthday party sleepover being held at the Roosevelt hotel, and boys were going to be spending the night too. She couldn't help but use her years of interrogation on the parents, but the attention drew back to her and her outfit. They were used to seeing Chloe in work attire or an outfit that looked like she was preparing for a major house cleaning. Their eyes scanned up from her strappy heels to her black cocktail dress with a revealing slit in the thigh to her plump red lips. The interrogation turned on her as the parents wanted to know what event they were missing out on.
By the time she searched for him at his booth, he was already pulled into a new conversation with an older gentleman- someone that did not look like they belonged in Lux. By the view of the conversation, it was light and filled with laughter, and she made the strong assumption that it was one of the many people he had a deal with welcoming him back. Chloe soon felt eyes in her direction and the uncomfortableness that came with not wanting to meet eyes with the stranger. A bright blonde woman in the middle of the bar kept awkwardly glancing in her direction, and it was apparent she was equally uncomfortable. Chloe tracked the girl's gaze to Dan, who sat next to her. Dan crouched his body into a shell avoiding the interaction at all costs and continued to stare down at his jeans as he mumbled out an, "Oh no…"
"Do you know her?" Chloe took another sip of her champagne as her eyes darted back and forth, watching this awkward tennis match of avoidance.
Dan nervously spun his bottled beer in his hand as he released an annoyed sigh. "I know her… in a sense. We shared, what was supposed to be one night, together. I tried every excuse in the book, but she found a way around it. She stayed for the entire weekend. A very uncomfortable weekend. It's safe to say I didn't call her after that." The blonde grabbed her vodka soda and joined her friends on the second tier of the club, and soon all faces were pointing back to Dan as they gossiped.
"I didn't know you were dating again."
Dan threw back a few chugs of his Budweiser, and a small pop of suction sounded off as his lips released from the bottle. He glanced over his shoulder and watched some of the professional dancers move their hips in figure 8s to the beat. "I wouldn't necessarily call it dating."
Dan hadn't dated since Charlotte had passed, and he was now filling up his time of loneliness with strangers in his bed. She wanted to press him on about his choice to sleep around but knew it wasn't her place. There was still a sadness hidden behind his eyes that he wasn't ready to let go of. She was actually surprised to see him here tonight. Last night was understandable because he was around his coworkers and free drinks, but tonight he could have easily bailed, and Lucifer would not notice. He didn't even put that much effort into his look. While everyone was in button-downs and cocktail dresses, Dan showed off a pair of jeans and a simple black tee, almost blending in with security around the club.
Her friend Ella was dressed better for the occasion in her dark purple bodycon dress and dramatic eye makeup. Ella's eyes had yet to leave her phone as she texted away with a small smirk in her lips. Chloe watched her friend in amusement as she continued to move her thumbs in quick taps on her screen. Ella's cheeks grew a bright red while she sucked her lips into a tight, discreet smile. She didn't remember the last time she saw her friend this happy and flirty. Ella had decided to take the plunge and begin dating a couple of months ago, but she wasn't telling a lot of her friends. So far, they were all duds. Of the few good dates, by the second or third date, the chemistry began to fizzle out, or her work schedule created too big of an obstacle for some. "Who are you texting?"
Ella popped her head up, remembering where she was and placed her phone down, trying to look innocent. "I don't want to jinx it." She nervously sipped down her whiskey sour and looked around the bar.
Chloe leaned in, trying to read her friend deeper. "Are you dating, too? How have I missed this? Why didn't you tell me?"
Ella started to feel a bit guilty as she shrugged her shoulders and pulled her drink in closer. "Well, you know, you weren't your best self this past couple of weeks. And, it's not just you, I didn't tell a lot of people. I feel like whenever I tell someone about a guy, boom, they completely vanish and then I look like a joke. So, when I think I finally find someone serious enough, then I'll tell people."
Chloe couldn't help but slouch a little on her barstool, thinking of how bad a friend she had been. She was completely wrapped up in her own dilemma that she didn't take the time to check-in with the people around her. She thought back to the past six months and how her focus stayed on the case and not the personal lives of her two closest coworkers. She was so lost in her thoughts and was scared to be open to the two people who were the most clueless to Lucifer's world. When she shut herself away, they shut themselves away too. Chloe laid her right hand over Ella's left. "I'm sorry if I didn't seem like I was present. But you know you can tell me anything when you feel like it's right. I'm just happy you look happy right now."
Ella's worry and embarrassment quickly vanished as she looked back up to Chloe. Something was different about her. It wasn't that she put extra effort into her hair or the fact her black dress highlighted her best features, but there was a lightness to Chloe. It took time to adjust, but Ella had gotten used to a more reserved and distant version of her coworker. A version that was always hiding behind her thoughts and displaying darkness in her eyes. Ella knew there was a distance between them as Chloe continued to spend more alone time with Maze, and she did feel guilty, rubbing her love life in her face knowing Lucifer was gone. Although Chloe would deny it and say they were just partners, Ella always knew there was more. She had been a part of their wild ride from the beginning and watched the many attempts both put toward the relationship, both confiding in her separately and then right when she thought it was their time, something would happen, and they were no more. But the Chloe sitting in front of her now looked as if she was finally awake from her sleeping curse. There was more color to her and a smile in her eyes. She was genuinely happy.
A door that she thought was closed, reopened, and all Ella wanted was to tell Chloe everything. By the look on Dan's face, she knew right now was not the time for that. All she could think about was her date last night. "I am happy. We just had our real first date last night, and it was just so easy, you know?"
Dan pushed his empty beer bottle forward for the bartenders to take and swiveled his body toward Ella. "What do you mean, real?"
Ella began to grow uncomfortable again at the thought of speaking on her dating life and wasn't a fan of Dan listening in. Since their secretive time together, she has tried to pretend it never happened and avoid any personal talk. "Don't make fun- but we kind of met at this speed dating thing at my church. It's lame, I know, but we just clicked, and it's going really well."
Chloe shook her head, finishing off her glass of champagne. "No, it's not lame. Your church is important to you, and it makes sense to meet someone there. Why don't you invite him out tonight?"
It obvious she really liked this guy by how nervous she was acting. "I don't know. I think it's too soon for that—I kind of like having this for myself right now. As I said, I don't want to jinx it. I've already said too much." She peeked down at her phone to read his messages, and Chloe smirked, watching her blush again. She was happy for her friend.
Maze personally refilled Chloe's champagne glass, watching the bubbles touch the brim. She slid the glass forward and collected the empty bottle in front of Dan. He lifted his finger to ask for another beer, but Maze placed one hand on her hip, furrowing her brows at him. "I'm not bartending tonight."
Dan pointed to the glass in Chloe's hand, annoyed. "What do you mean? You just refilled her glass." Maze's deadpan stare did not waver.
"I'm just following orders." Maze cleared her throat and attempted her best version of a British accent. "Maze, the detective should never have an empty glass in her hand tonight." Chloe tried to hide her smile as she took a sip of the fresh glass of champagne with the bubbles tickling her upper lip. Dan sat back in his stool, rolling his eyes as he mustered up some energy to wave his arm at one of the bartenders. Chloe peeked over her shoulder once more to find a curly-haired girl giggling and chewing her straw as she flirted with Lucifer. He was leaning back, swirling the last drop of his scotch, listening intently to every word that left her mouth. His eyes looked amused, but his grin said he was growing bored. It helped to be the partner of such an emotive man. Chloe had learned through the years what all of his different smiles meant, and this one was easy to read. She signaled to Maze for a refresh on Lucifer's drink and excused herself away from her friends and into the crowded nightclub.
"And like that's when I knew being an influencer was my true passion. So far, I have sponsors from FabFitFun and HelloFresh. But I'm just, like, waiting for my big break and eyeing Adidas right now." She screamed over the music while playing with a piece of her hair in between her fingers. Her eyes scanned his body like a cat in heat as he swirled his scotch, watching her breath grow deeper by the time her eyes met his. Lucifer had met many women in his time on Earth, and many were like the one standing in front of him. Not too long ago would he take advantage of this situation, but watching this girl, all he could see was that she was young and lost. She was desperate to escape the stress of her unknown future and financial stability by using him as a distraction for the night.
"And is that what you truly want- a big label on your Instagram? What is it that you desire?"
Her face softened, her eyes went blank, and her head slowly swayed following his eyes. He waited in anticipation of her answer. It had been a while since he pulled out people's deepest, darkest desires, but it was just like riding a bike. "I- I- I just want to spend the night with you." Her hand slapped her mouth shut, not knowing how that could come out of her mouth.
"Oh, don't be embarrassed. I'm quite irresistible, but unfortunately, that's not on the table tonight. What I can do is…" Lucifer's eyes scanned around him, and they stopped on one man lightly swaying to the beat. He looked like the type of man who spent every morning getting a surf in and spending too much time and product on his hair to make it look like he rolled out of bed. It could be easily assumed he was an aspiring actor stuck waiting tables. Lucifer watched the man's eyes scaling up the influencer next to him, the girl he wanted to get rid of. He guided the curly-haired beauty deeper into the crowd until they reached a pack of men together.
"Have I introduced you to my friend…" Lucifer presented his hand out to the surfer waiting for him to fill in the blanks on his name.
"Chad."
Lucifer double looked to the man to his right in disgust. "Ch- Chad? Oh, I'm so sorry for you." Lucifer placed a hand on Chad's shoulder, pushing him closer to the influencer. "My friend, Chad, here would be a far better fit for you. I can already tell that you two will hit it off. You both obviously enjoy drinks with umbrellas in them; there's a start. Match made in, well, you know." Lucifer didn't even give time to listen to their ice break and turned his back on the two young lovebirds as he made his way back to his booth. He threw back the last drops of scotch and handed it off to a barback running through the dance floor with stacked glasses in his arms.
As the crowd became impenetrable around him, Lucifer stopped in the middle of the dance floor, confused by what he was feeling. He used to love being a part of these endless crowds every night, meeting new people, feeding off of their desires, fears, and heartbreak. But as he stood there, watching strangers celebrate his return, he couldn't help but feel like something was off. Two hours ago, when he walked down those stairs, and the crowd screamed in victory for him, he felt a high, but it was now losing its luster. Something was missing, and he couldn't place it.
Almost as if it were choreographed, a few bodies parted, creating a direct path back to his booth where a woman waited for him with two drinks in her hands. Their eyes locked and never parted as he made his way closer to her. He received his scotch from her and lifted his glass to cheer her champagne glass. His hungry eyes rolled from her legs to her breasts, to her red lips. "Detective, you look…" He couldn't find his words at that moment. She was always beautiful to him, but tonight he was speechless.
She smirked, watching him try to place his words, but she playfully shrugged her shoulders, finishing the challenge for him. "I know." Her response was so confident and flirty; it took him back a bit. Chloe invited herself to sit down and flung one leg over the other, revealing her smooth leg that reflected a single line of sheen down her thigh.
Lucifer took his place once more in the booth, sitting as close as he could to his detective. "I will say, you know how to make a man feel wanted, with all the avoiding you've been doing."
Chloe released a small chuckle as she exposed her tight jawline looking out into the crowd. "I'm not avoiding you, Lucifer. I just know that I have the luxury of seeing you every day. You're a popular man. I'm just giving the people what they want."
"And what about what I want? It is my night." She looked back to him and swore she could see her reflection in his teasing eyes, but their gaze broke from the visit of a new guest. By the shift in temperature and his tense body, Chloe knew it was an unwelcome guest, but Lucifer put on a facade acting happily surprised. He stood up with open arms and positioned himself in front of Chloe to block his guest's view.
"Rosario! I didn't expect to see you tonight?" Chloe leaned to her side to view the short man with his entourage. Rosario reached up to Lucifer's chest in height and made up for his stature in weight. His salt and pepper hair thinly curled in a low ring around his head and met his prominently white speckled beard. The burnt orange button-down he wore opened at his chest, revealing a thin gold chain hidden in his curled hair. Rosario had two bodyguards and a very young woman wrapping her arms around his bicep. He had a face that Chloe thought she knew but couldn't place.
"I couldn't miss the return of the Mr. Morningstar. When I heard the news of your departure, well, let's just say it was bittersweet." Chloe stood from her seat, taking her place at Lucifer's side. "Oh, what do we have here? Trading in black for blonde, I see." Rosario lifted Chloe's free hand, bringing it to his lips for a light kiss. "It's such a pleasure to meet a woman as beautiful as you." His eye contact made her cringe as his lips hovered for too long over her knuckles. Lucifer's arm wrapped around Chloe's back, and his hand guided her closer to him to break the uncomfortable introduction. "Its unfortunate things didn't pan out with Miss Eve, but I can now see why." Chloe felt her eyes naturally narrow in disgust, and her hard stare created more excitement in Rosario. "Oh, and she's got some heat to her. I approve."
Lucifer took a subtle step in front of Chloe and waved his hand to the bar. "What I don't approve of is how you don't have any drinks. Please, help yourself to the bar, on me."
Rosario's thick brows sprung up in surprise by his gracious host. "Oh, no. I couldn't possibly do that. You're the man of the hour. I should be treating you to drinks." Lucifer laid a firm hand on Rosario's shoulder.
"I insist." Lucifer's smile was wide and genuine, but his eyes were filled with resentment.
Rosario clapped his hands together, thrilled by the turn of events. "My contacts in Miami said it was advantageous for me that you were gone, but who knew to owe a man a favor could be so rewarding. Come." Rosario bowed his head in Chloe's direction and rallied up his men and friend to the bar. It was such a small interaction, but it was enough to shift the mood. Lucifer sat back down to take an aggressive sip from his scotch as he watched Rosario move his way through the club.
Chloe continued to stand, trying to piece the puzzle together in her head. "How do I know him?" She wasn't looking for a response as she whispered out into the deep sea of people and EDM beats that shook the ground, but Lucifer answered.
"Rosario Velasco." He watched the group reach the bar, and Maze push the bartenders aside to pay extra attention to Rosario and his entourage.
Chloe whipped her head around as she fell back down into her seat. The lightbulb finally came to life above her head. "Rosario Velasco? The arms dealer? What are you doing, making deals with him, Lucifer? He is seriously a dangerous man."
He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees as he swished his scotch back and forth in his mouth. He wasn't ready to look her in the eyes. With a hard swallow, he leaned back into the booth, crossing one leg over the other, closing his body off from his partner. "Some girls like a romantic dinner for two. Eve's view of date night was introducing her new friends to me and watching their desires play out." He paused for a moment. "The deal is done. It has been. He's indebted to me now. " His thumb traced the brim of his glass as he waited for her scolding, but it didn't come. Chloe could see the guilt written all over his face and let her feelings of frustration and fear disappear. He knew that his partnership with Rosario wasn't the wisest of choices, but it was created at a time when all he could see in the mirror was a monster. It was his job as the Devil to forge deals with men like Rosario, and Eve gave him that extra push.
She sunk deeper into the leather booth and placed a hand on his arm. "You're right. It doesn't matter anymore. It's in the past." Her reassurance wasn't enough for him, because deep down, he knew it did bother her- the way he worked as the Devil outside of their time together.
"It does matter." The heavy bass blasting through the speakers and dancers jumping up and down to the beat didn't match the scene at Lucifer's booth.
"Lucifer, I already told you, I'm not afraid anymore. I accept you. I know you." He finished off his drink and shook his head as the brown liquid ran down his throat. There was so much hope in her voice, and that scared him.
"It's not just about me; it's more than that." He looked around him and knew this wasn't the place for this type of conversation. He turned toward his partner, and she could see the seriousness in his eyes. "Will you come with me?" Lucifer stood once more and held his hand out for her to grab. She began to feel nervous but knew she had to trust him and listen to him at this moment. After she placed her hand in his, he navigated them through the dense crowd, up the stairs, and to the elevator that led to his penthouse suite. The ride was silent, but it wasn't uncomfortable.
Lucifer's first visit was to his bar once the elevator doors opened. He poured himself another glass of scotch and offered his partner a drink, but she refused. Chloe stood patiently, waiting watching how nervous he was becoming, but he was silent. "Lucifer, talk to me."
He took a deep sip and stared off distantly at his amber lit bar. "There is so much you don't know about this past couple of years."
"It doesn't matter. It won't change how I feel."
Lucifer looked over his shoulder with a disbelieving grin. "It matters. There is so much more than just accepting me. You don't know the world I'm a part of, and you have a right to know. All I want to do is move forward, but I know it's not fair for you to come into this blind. Haven't you wondered about all the times you thought I was muttering in metaphors about my family? Ever wonder about the truth behind it all?"
She watched him and knew it did matter, especially to him. When she saw his truth for the first time, she reacted in a way that made Lucifer lose trust in her. They rebuilt it, but it took a lot of time, and by seeing how nervous he was, she knew he didn't know how she was going to react to this new information. This was important to him, and it was now important to her. She admitted to herself that she did wonder about his odd behavior in the past, but it was never something as powerful as grasping the idea that the Devil was real, and your partner. Chloe walked to his leather chair and got comfortable knowing she was in for a long night.
"Okay. Tell me. I want to know everything." She scooped the hair that draped around her face in curls behind her ears as Lucifer made his way to the couch across from her.
"I should probably start from the beginning, then."
He watched her pace back and forth across his balcony from the bar. Lucifer had opened a bottle of red for her to help wash down the past, and when he poured her a small glass of wine, she took the bottle instead, and it had not left her hand. Chloe had kicked off her heels and traced around his home barefoot while he sat at his bar, watching and waiting. Her eyes were glossed over, and her free hand held up its pointer finger as if she were doing math in her head. He didn't know if she even could feel the temperature drop as the night grew darker with how lost she looked in her mind. Knowing her thin spaghetti-strapped dress was not the best source of warmth, Lucifer walked across his home, taking his black blazer off his back.
Like a pendulum swaying east and west, Lucifer waited for the right time to place his jacket over the pacing woman in front of him. She stopped to take a sip from the bottle of wine, and he draped her shoulders with as much warmth as he could muster. His hands lingered on her shoulders for just an extra second before they took their place in his pockets. It was obvious her mind was putting the pieces together still, so he gave her space. As he made his way back to the bar, he watched his elevator doors part and revealed his older brother.
Amenadiel joined his brother at the bar, but his eyes locked on Chloe as he moved further into the apartment. He studied the focused look on Chloe and the worried look on his brother and knew he was intruding on a serious situation. "Is everything okay?"
Both brothers turned their backs to the bar and watched Chloe move side to side, drowning in the warmth of Lucifer's oversized jacket. "She's processing," Lucifer said the words out loud slowly, but it wasn't to inform Amenadiel; Lucifer was trying to persuade himself. Lucifer had talked for over an hour about everything he thought was pertinent, and she just sat in silence, watching the words come out of his mouth. All the stories were connected, which caused little time to comprehend everything. Her poker face was strong and stone-cold. Even at the most climatic parts of his story, she looked indifferent. Once she grabbed the wine bottle for herself, he sighed with relief, knowing she was still alive in there. He was taking her silence much better than the average person as he saw it as an improvement from the last time she learned a large truth. She was in eyesight and not off running to Europe- he saw it as a win so far.
"Processing what?"
Lucifer took a long pause before answering his brother, not knowing how he was going to react. "I told her everything." He could see from his peripheral view Amenadiel jerking his head in surprise.
"Everything… as in?"
Lucifer turned around to face the tall stack of hard liquor behind his bar. "Malcolm, dying the first time around, Mummy as Charlotte, dying the second time around, Azrael's blade, Charlotte as Charlotte…" Lucifer's eyes went to a more distant and darker place. "... Uriel. Caine."
Amenadiel placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Luci, I'm proud of you. It takes a lot to let her in like that. You're doing the right thing."
Lucifer glanced over his shoulder to see if the human pendulum had stopped swinging, but he could see shadows of movement. "So, why does it feel like it was a mistake to tell her?" Lucifer impatiently tapped on the counter as Amenadiel made his way around the bar to pour two glasses of the closest shelved drink. He tore open a bottle and poured two fingers width of scotch into both glasses.
"She's already experienced parts of our world, the worst part of them actually. I think you forget she was with us in The Mayan, and Chloe is still standing; next to you, I might add. Maybe what you're feeling isn't fear that she won't accept the past, but that she will see past it. And if she accepts it, then you lose her as your excuse as to why you keep holding onto the past. I know you still haven't forgiven yourself for Uriel, for the things that happened with mom. You're still scared to forgive yourself and move on."
Lucifer took a long shot back and bit his bottom lip as the scotch burned down his throat. "I think you've been spending too much time with the Doctor." Amenadiel rolled his eyes as Lucifer brushed the theory away. "I'm assuming our brother was a no show?"
Amenadiel watched Chloe finally slow her steps and make her way to leaning over the balcony railing, looking over LA's night sky. "I didn't see him. But, we tried. At this point, I just want to go home and see my son." Amenadiel finished his drink as his eyes narrowed on Chloe. He went into deep thought, wondering what was going through her head. "Did you tell her about…"
Lucifer looked down at the translucent brown liquid, rippling along the bottom of his glass. "Not yet. I'm saving that for last." Amenadiel gave a faint smile in the distance and motioned for Lucifer to turn around. Chloe had come back inside and pulled Lucifer's jacket tighter around her body as she returned a small wave to Amenadiel. The bottle of wine was empty and on the floor as she took her place on the couch, bringing her feet under her bottom and curling up like a ball under the oversized blazer.
"I should leave you two." Amenadiel patted his brother on the side of the arm and returned Chloe's wave as he headed toward the elevator. Once the doors closed, Lucifer made his way back to his couch and waited for her to speak, but she didn't say anything. So many things were running through her head, and being watched by Lucifer wasn't helping.
She took a deep breath through her nose and sighed it silently out as she prepared to speak. "I don't know what to say." Her heart began to feel conflicted with the number of mixed feelings rushing through her veins. She saw how patient he watched her and the care in his eyes. She was scaring him more by not talking and knew she had to just say what she was thinking. "I'm sorry about your mom. I'm even more sorry about Uriel. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you and the way I acted. I know that even if you told me back then, I wouldn't have believed you, but I'm just sorry."
"I'm not looking for an apology, Detective. I know things would have been different if you knew."
She crossed arms under his jacket, pushing harder against her stomach. "I know. It's just how I feel. I also feel sick. I can't believe I gave myself to Caine. It's one thing that he was the sinnerman, but Caine. The things you did together." She looked over the couch to the bookcase covering her mouth in disbelief. "I don't know how I was so blind."
"You loved him."
Chloe slowly shook her head, thinking about the relationship she shared with Pierce. "No. I loved the relationship- the idea of it really. I wasn't alone anymore and was with someone reliable and stable. I loved the idea of what he could give me, but I wasn't in love with him. You can't love someone you don't know." She looked betrayed and stared off beyond Lucifer's shoulders and onto his grand piano. Chloe had spent the majority of her time in relationships where the men didn't show her their true colors. It always felt one-sided or off, like something was missing. But it never felt that way with Lucifer. He was always honest with her, since the beginning, even if she didn't believe him. Now she knew all of the things he did for her, to protect her and keep her safe. In the line of work, she would do whatever she could to protect him, but to know that he actually died for her- twice- she didn't know how to respond to that. A lot of information came at her fast, and she just needed time to process alone.
Before she could extend her goodnight, Lucifer spoke. "There's one more thing that you need to know."
She sat up more erect, preparing herself for the next blow. "Saving the best for last?"
Lucifer's laugh was dry, and from what she could see in his eyes, the topic was heavy. "Something like that. When we were working the case against Dr. Carlisle, something came to light. Over 30 years ago, Amenadiel was sent to Earth by my father to bless a couple who could not conceive. My mother believed my father planned to have this person cross paths with me." Lucifer couldn't look at her as he spoke. Chloe's eyes began to widen, and her lips trembled as she knew where this was going. "Someone immune to my powers. Someone who makes me vulnerable." He paused as she began to shake her head in disbelief. "Their names were Penelope and John Decker."
Her mother always said she was a miracle, but she just thought it was a thing moms said. Chloe stood from the couch, taking Lucifer's jacket off her shoulders. "I don't- I don't understand. What does that mean? Am I like the Eve to your Adam or something?" There was a mix of hurt, anger, and confusion mixing into one inside of her.
Lucifer leaned forward, clasping his hands as his elbows balanced on his thighs. "I think we're safe on that front. I've counted my ribs enough times. We don't know anything at this point."
Chloe took a deep breath as she felt her stomach turn. "We?" She held her stomach with her hand as the sick feeling crept back in.
"Amenadiel, Maze, Linda."
She shook her head again in disbelief, knowing all of her friends knew this crucial information about her own life, and she was entirely in the dark. Chloe already felt small as she accepted the ideas of heaven and hell, multi-universes, but now she felt even smaller. She looked down and maneuvered her feet back into her heels. Her body tensed as her breaths became shorter. A strong burning force swirled in her stomach and worked its way up to her face. "I need to go."
Lucifer watched as she struggled to put her heels back on and knew she was rattled with anxiety. He stood and held his hand out for her take to stabilize herself, but she refused. "Chloe, we need to talk about this."
With both feet secured in, Chloe made her way toward the elevator, but Lucifer stopped her by grabbing her hand and turning her around. She avoided his eyes that were filled with despair and regret, knowing they'd make her want to stay. "Lucifer, I can't think here. I can't breathe here. I- I just want to go home. Please let me go." That was the last thing he wanted, but he released his hands from hers and watched her leave.
Chloe's drive home was silent, and her mind was blank. The only comfort was the sound of her tires against the road, and the small high-pitch squeak her brakes made when she came to a stop. When she walked into her home, Chloe kicked off her heels and followed the trail of miscellaneous clothes thrown around her living room and up the stairs. From the sounds coming from Maze's room, Chloe knew she'd be bumping into a new house guest in the morning.
She lazily removed her makeup, threw her hair up into a messy bun, and found a comfortable oversized t-shirt to wear before slipping into her bed. She searched for any sense of feeling beyond numbness, but there was nothing. Where she laid in bed and what she felt stayed the same when her eyes opened to a new day. Chloe listened to the faint noises coming from the kitchen as Maze made herself a bowl of cereal.
She turned onto her other side in bed and tried to force herself back to sleep, but it was no use. Giving up, Chloe laid flat on her back and stared off into the ceiling remembering everything Lucifer had told her. She wished she could go back and see everything for what it was. Go back in time to tell her old self to open her eyes and see past the skepticism.
Chloe sat up in bed and started from the beginning again, thinking back to Graham. She closed her eyes, trying to imagine everything happening. It was difficult to see the big picture when she didn't have physical evidence in front of her. She began to piece the massive puzzle of his world with hers together. Retelling herself the stories sounded different the second time around. When Lucifer told the story, he simply glossed over the things he did as if it were a small, pointless detail, but it was just the opposite. The more Chloe progressed through the past, the more she noted all the things Lucifer did to protect her and put her best interest first, even if that meant sacrificing his life for it. Hours had passed by the time she felt like she was at peace with understanding everything from Lucifer's point of view and now hers. In the end, nothing from the past changed how she felt about her partner. If anything, it brought light to all of the times she thought Lucifer had really gone insane. The world he came from didn't sound as forgiving as people preached.
She still felt numb throughout her body as her mind began to focus on the word miracle. Had her whole life been carefully orchestrated to be where it was now? If that were true, she couldn't help be disgusted with the one holy man above. How could he throw her through a lost childhood, the death of a parent, and a loveless marriage? He crafted her to walk through life with walls and to see people as untrustworthy. But that changed when she met Lucifer. He was the first person she truly felt vulnerable with, but she was also made to make him vulnerable.
Chloe had worked her way around her bedroom through her journey of acceptance and found herself sitting on her bedroom floor, propped up against her bed. She ran the palms of her hands up her face and through her hair. She was supposedly created for him or to cross paths with him. Supposedly, being the main word she told herself. If that were, supposedly, true, then was their relationship crafted too? Did she grow to love him, or was that always engrained in her from the beginning? Were her feelings real? Like a movie reel rapidly flipping through scenes in her head, she thought of their story.
The numbness that had resided in her from the night prior finally washed away. There was a weightless feeling in her chest, and her heart began to beat with more passion. The heaviness her mind carried disappeared at the thought of them. It was not love at first sight, that was for sure, but it was real. It is real. Chloe smiled to herself, thinking of him. She was a woman of facts, and from what it sounded like, Lucifer was clueless as to why Chloe was chosen to be a miracle. The only person who really knew was God himself. She couldn't keep drowning herself in the what-ifs when the answers were out there, and she knew exactly who she wanted by her side when they learned the truth.
Lucifer stood on the beach in the same suit he wore the night before. He was in a place where he was beyond tired but couldn't sleep. This was the only place he could think to go to clear his mind. It was watching the horizon that made him feel calm and grounded.
"I dreamt of this place recently." Lucifer jerked his head around at the sound of Chloe's voice. He wasn't expecting to see her so soon, or ever if his fear could really speak. She stood shoulder to shoulder with her partner with the same content gaze out on the horizon. A small smile hid on her lips as she remembered the comfort and peace she felt at the end of that dream, very similar to what she was feeling now.
She could feel his eyes staring her down, waiting for her to say anything about last night. "When my dad passed away, I remembered thinking that was it. He was the only person to ever be in my corner, support me, and love me unconditionally. I wasn't going to find that again. I always said I never wanted someone to love me so much that they'd die for me. But the truth is, I never thought someone could love me that much. I never thought I could be that special to someone."
Chloe turned to Lucifer, stretching her neck up to meet his eyes. "Everything you did since we met, it doesn't change how I feel. I haven't lived in your world as long as you, but I'd like to think that I would have done the same. And it's not because we were destined to meet or whatever the speculation is. It's because I saw the good in you when you didn't see it yourself. I see who you are, and I'm going to continue to choose to see the best in you." She quickly glanced down at her boots in the sand feeling her cheeks grow red.
"I don't know what my purpose is. Why I was created or why I'm immune to you, but I have to believe that everything in my life was my own choosing. I created my own story, and I'm going to hold on to that. I know we'll figure it out- we always do."
Lucifer slowly cocked his head to the side as his eyes softened on her. "Detective, what are you saying?"
Chloe took a deep breath in and released it while she stepped closer to him. "What I'm trying to say is… I'm all in. I'm in this for the long haul."
The heavyweight placed on Lucifer's shoulders disappeared as they relaxed deeper down his back. He smiled a relieved and endearing smile once his hands left their pockets and found their home cupping her face. "We're really going to do this, aren't we?"
She smiled something small and sprung up onto her toes to close the gap between their lips. It was light and soft, but enough to answer his question. They parted for only a second to feel this moment as they stared at each other's lips. Lucifer pulled her in tighter, deepening their kiss. It was the first real kiss they shared since the night he left, and both found comfort knowing this wasn't going to be their last.
The beach was hazy and calm. A light breeze swept through them, bringing with it warmth, peace, and hope.