Extraordinary (Part 1)
Week 8 (A Lucifer Earth Week)
~o~
Chloe hides a smile in her coffee cup as she watches Lucifer and her daughter. The pair are seated behind Lucifer's grand piano in the penthouse, a beginners piano book propped up on the stand. Trixie's vocalization, during one of their game nights, of how 'cool' it would be to learn piano has somehow evolved into piano lessons at Lucifer's every second Wednesday night, and Chloe's impressed at how the pair have taken to the task. It's no secret the situation is tough when it comes to her daughter, what with Dan's death and Lucifer's new role in their lives. Chloe's extremely aware of just how extraordinary it is that her preteen daughter who just lost her father not only harbors zero resentment for Lucifer but has also freely embraced him into their lives.
Still, as is to be expected, with grief so fresh, there are good days and bad days where her daughter is concerned, and Chloe has an underlining fear, though yet unwarranted, that her daughter's full acceptance of Lucifer might be tenuous, particularly given the elusiveness surrounding Lucifer's alternating weeks. The explanation of Lucifer's 'family business' is feeble at best, and Chloe knows her daughter isn't stupid, that she senses there's a lot more to Lucifer and his complete no-contact disappearances. For his part, Lucifer wants to reveal the truth—the one he continuously tells Trixie of already but knows she doesn't take seriously. Chloe's convinced him to hold off for now. She fully intends to tell her daughter the truth about Lucifer eventually. She just feels it too soon after Dan's death to drop another bomb on her daughter's fragile state of mind.
At the end of the day, Trixie is still hurting. She misses her farther so much that at times Chloe feels sick with her daughter's grief. There's nothing more heartbreaking than holding your daughter in your arms day after day while she sobs—a soul-crushing kind of crying that rips chunks from your heart.
Chloe pulls herself back to the present. Trixie is rolling her eyes and then grinning at something Lucifer said, and Chloe's heart tugs. Right from day one, Lucifer and Trixie sparked an unexpected connection, and the unconventional bond between the pair has only grown over the years. One would have expected her daughter's inquisitive exuberance to clash with Lucifer's own exuberance. Not so. They make quite the pair. Chloe often has trouble keeping up with their boundless energy. And Chloe should perhaps toss her fears where the two are concerned, because it seems in a time where such instances are somewhat more a rarity, Lucifer still maintains his uncanny knack for making her daughter smile.
There's further lecturing about notes and time signatures and keys, and then Lucifer's escaping to join Chloe where she stands observing silently, coffee cup still in hand. His arms come around her, and Chloe marvels at how her heart still skips beats whenever he touches her. He wrinkles his noise at her coffee. "You feeling all right, love? You sure you don't want a real drink?"
She lifts one hand from the mug to slip her arm around him and leans her head against his chest. "I'm good thanks."
"You sure? You're looking a little pale."
"I'm sure."
"All right."
He leans down to kiss her, but they both draw back when they realize the background tinkling of piano notes has ceased.
Trixie is grinning at them. "Don't stop on my account. You two are adorable."
Chloe stifles a choked laugh, wincing a little at the flare in her ribs.
"Right," Lucifer says, making a pointed gesture at the piano. "Carry on, child. Practice makes perfect."
Still grinning, Trixie turns back to her task.
Chloe sighs a little as she leans her head back against him, absorbing his warmth.
Lucifer's hand rubs her back.
It's only been a few days since her brief hospital stay due to her concussion and rib fracture and she's supposed to be taking it easy (sex with Lucifer notwithstanding). The Lieutenant ordered her to stay home, and she's meant to be laying low after her cover was blown during the sting and one of her perps is still at large. Laying low at Lucifer's seemed the safest option.
Or so she thought.
No sooner has the thought passed Chloe's mind than there's the bone-chilling sound of Trixie's scream.