Study Sessions

"... and philosophy as well, I see. God, I remember that class. Fascinating subject, boring professor. If only teaching could be taught."

Linda waved a hand in front of his eyes. "Did you hear what I just said?"

Lucifer blinked, tearing his gaze away from the photographs. "Beg your pardon, I didn't catch the end of that phrase."

She gave him a knowing look, then followed his line of sight. It landed on the framed pictures of Charlie on the wall.

"Lucifer, you've been distracted the entire evening. Is something on your mind?"

"Mmm? Such as?"

"I don't know, the fact that Chloe is less than two months away from her due date?" She lifted the textbook. "Or that you're starting college next week?"

"No. At least I don't think so." He took a sip of his red wine. Napa Valley. Not his favorite place to stock up from, but it sufficed. "Perhaps?"

"Care to talk about it?" Linda flipped the book shut, closing the chapter on Descartes and metaphysical dualism.

The dull thud of the pages was louder than expected, and she cast a hurried glance in the direction of Charlie's room. The boy had only fallen asleep a little after eight after crying for a full hour.

Thankfully, it remained quiet.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, this time in a hushed voice.

Lucifer eyed the large pile of textbooks and manuals on the table they'd yet to review.

They'd been going over the different subjects for about two hours now, Linda giving advice on how to study each matter the best. At first it had been clear and easy to follow, but after a while everything seemed to blur together.

What had he gotten himself into?

"I think I got it, thank you kindly."

"Lucifer."

He met her stern glare. "What? Shouldn't you applaud my self-knowledge? Appreciate this insight into my being?"

Linda raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Just because I'm not you're therapist anymore doesn't mean that you can't tell me what's bothering you. You can. I'm still your friend."

Lucifer took a cracker with olive tapenade from the plate on the table and delicately bit a piece off it to avoid answering.

How could he say this without making a fool of himself?

"Even if you think it's embarrassing," she added gently. "Especially if you think it's embarrassing. Because it's not, mostly."

He stopped chewing. Bloody Hell, she'd learned to read to damn well over the years. Her skill was almost as uncanny as Chloe's when it came to sensing his moods.

Lucifer swallowed slowly, then brushed the crumbs off his hands with a linen napkin. Should he say it now, or see if he could overcome it himself? But what if –

"I don't know how to do this."

There, he said it. Kudos to him. Three cheers for Lucifer.

A blink of surprise. "Do what? Philosophy?"

"Study. Lead Hell. Raise my daughter. Spend time with my family. How do I do that while studying? I've heard everyone say it takes up loads and loads of time."

A look of understanding crossed the Doctor's features. She pushed the stack of books away and grabbed the bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.

"I do appreciate this new method of therapeutic conversation," he remarked as she refilled his glass.

"Not therapy. A conversation between friends." She refilled her own and leaned back in her chair. "So, if I've understood you correctly, you fear that you won't be able to combine your studies with a job and a family."

He considered this for a moment. "I think that's fair."

"Why?"

"Why?" A laugh bubbled up before he had the chance to suppress it. "Because, my dear Doctor, I am rubbish at multi-tasking. Let alone if the tasks are of different nature."

It was the truth, plain and simple. There were examples aplenty.

Like when he'd been so focused on getting his revenge on Daniel for shooting him that he'd let Chloe get kidnapped by Michael.

Or when he was trying to save Eve's upcoming wedding and had forgotten about his appointment at the tailor's with Rory.

Not to mention the time he'd been away from Hell for so long that the demons had rioted and kidnapped his infant nephew.

Enough examples to choose from.

Linda adjusted her glasses. "Are you bad at multi-tasking, or do you simply lack the energy to do it?"

"What? Why would I lack the energy? I'm immortal, for Amenadiel's sake. Energy aplenty, I'd say."

"And you suffered from severe emotional exhaustion less than a month ago, Lucifer. It takes time to recover from such things."

"A month on Earth," he retorted, taking a swig of his wine and crossing his legs. "I've been to Hell and back a few times since then, so it's been more than a month for me by now."

"You mean you went to your work environment? Which still carries negative connotations from time to time?"

Where was she going with this?

"... Yes," he admitted begrudgingly. "It's my job. Which I like, by the way. I don't see the problem here."

"I don't think this is about your job. It's about Hell - about what Hell represents to you."

Lucifer put his glass down and picked at a cufflink. "I chose Hell. I chose not to become God and go to Heaven. I chose my family."

They'd dealt with this already. Old tales, no need to linger on it anymore. There were more pressing tasks at hand.

"Why don't we go back to my classes? I think that's more important than this."

He made to grab one of the books but Linda stopped him. "Lucifer, I taught you better than just repressing and avoiding everything."

Lucifer scoffed, trying to hide that she hit close to home. It didn't fool her. "I'm not repressing, I'm prioritizing."

But Linda didn't back down.

"And by doing so, you avoid facing what caused your emotional burn-out in the first place. You want to know how you can balance your degree with everything else? This is the solution. Or at least the first step in that direction."

Fine.

The Doctor had a point. Because of course she did, it was her damn job. This was important.

And as much as he had loved Chloe taking care of him that miserable morning, he didn't fancy feeling like that again anytime soon.

Or ever, for that matter.

Lucifer sighed deeply, admitting his defeat in their discussion. He rubbed a hand over the stubble on his jaw. "You know, you weren't this fierce back when you were my therapist."

"You're my friend, Lucifer. And that means I can hound you into listening to me. Something I couldn't do when our relationship was more professional and you just walked out of our session every time you thought you had found the solution to your problem."

"I wouldn't say our relationship was that professional," he retorted, letting out a wry chuckle. "I think you remember that as well as I do."

Linda shook her head and leveled a look at him. But he didn't miss the smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "You're changing the subject."

"Maybe," he admitted, and took another cracker. These things were surprisingly tasty. "By all means then, Doctor."

She folded her hands on her knees, taking her traditional stance she had during their sessions. Whether it was a conscious decision or simply out of habit, he couldn't tell.

"As I was saying, the key to avoiding another bout of emotional exhaustion lies in the relationship you have with Hell. The way you perceive it, and what emotions and memories it can bring about whenever you have to go back."

"It's work. Difficult, unpredictable, rewarding work. That's all it is to me. That's what I made it out to be for me."

Linda moved her head from one side to another, the gesture basically shouting, Not quite. "That is what you want it to be. And it is probably that at surface level. But your connection to that place runs much deeper."

Leaning her forearms on the table, she was quiet for a moment. Mulling everything over and thinking about her next move. Then she looked at him. "What, in your opinion, was the cause of your physical breakdown three weeks ago?"

Lovely. A typical shrink question. Takes one to know one.

"I believe the cause was all the emotions and memories that were released after the trip Chloe and I made to the past. On top of everything I was already feeling and progressing, it was too much at once. And that affected me physically and I became ill."

"Yes," she said slowly. "But that's not everything. At least what you told me over the phone when we spoke that day. And I think that's the reason you became ill. Not the emotions."

The minute she spoke those words, he knew what she was aiming at. Had known it for a while now.

He'd even talked to Chloe about it then. It sat lodged in his gut, like a fishhook. And each time he thought about it, it was like someone yanked on the line, sending ripples of unease through him.

"I didn't want to go back to Hell."

The Doctor's face lit up when he spoke. They'd finally arrived at the point she'd been trying to make. "Exactly. Because going to Hell, even temporarily or for work, represents a form of loss to you."

Hearing it said out loud by someone else hit different than when it slumbered in the back of your mind. It's like a sleeping dragon. Don't poke it, and you won't get burned by the fire.

Unfortunately, that technique had never worked for him before in the past. Why would it be any different now?

Old habits die hard, I suppose.

Finding this new direction in life had been world-altering. Discovering that Hell actually served a purpose other than sowing misery and despair had cast the entire place in a whole new light.

At first, it had been hard. Trying to steer demons in a completely different direction than what they'd done for eons on end was like trying to herd cats.

And that was putting it mildly.

He'd had to stay down there for long periods of time, only seeing Chloe for lunch or simply spending the night with her. They hadn't gotten that much time together those initial months.

But then his new system had started working.

The first batch of patients had mostly gone to Heaven, and to his surprise he was actually getting somewhere with the more troubled ones. So, he could stay entire evenings at home, sometimes even days on end.

Go on day trips and cook together and enjoy the holidays.

And that was what killed him.

Before Chloe had started showing, it was easy to imagine the birth as far away. Especially since time moved differently in Hell.

But after he'd seen the echo, after he'd seen his daughter? Suddenly, Rory's arrival wasn't so distant anymore.

And he was terrified.

"You're right," Lucifer admitted after a long silence. His voice was hoarser than expected. "I am terrified of missing out on something when I'm down there. What if she's born earlier, and I'm down there? Or Chloe gets complications and I'm not there? What if –"

Linda opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off with a gesture of his hand.

"I know that I would still have that fear even if I lived on Earth the entire time," he continued more slowly.

"But sometimes I cannot help but feel that the time I spend down there is time I lose here. Chloe's still mortal, Trixie's still mortal. And even though Rory's not, I want to be there for her."

"And I know that's not rational," he added. "It isn't rational at all, because when I'm down there only a few days have passed here at most. It doesn't make sense that I feel this way."

Now that he'd voiced his doubts out loud, it felt like a balloon had deflated in his chest. A weariness overtook him, but also a sense of relief.

"You know, feelings aren't supposed –"

"- to be rational," they finished in chorus.

Linda chuckled. "See? You did learn something from everything I said. But it's true. Just because you feel something that doesn't make sense to you does not mean that it isn't valid."

Gesturing wildly with her hands, she launched into her suggestions.

"Lucifer, Hell has represented loss and pain and isolation for you for almost your entire life. It was the place they cast you in after your Fall, where you spent ages in grief and confusion. Alone and shut off from your kin."

"It's the place you had to return to after Chloe finally confessed her love for you. After you finally had what you desired within arm's reach. And then it was ripped brutally away from you by your ties to Hell. By the sense of duty you felt in keeping her safe. In keeping all of us safe."

She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "It's only natural that you have the underlying feeling that it will separate you again from your loved ones. Which is where your reluctance to go back stems from. Especially now your daughter is almost here."

Bull's eye.

"I'm correct, aren't I?"

Lucifer leaned back in his chair, grateful for the nightly gloom in the Doctor's living room. He reached into his jacket to take out his flask, needing something a bit stronger than red wine. The scotch burned its way down his throat, the warmth both comforting and invigorating.

"Yes. You are."

A sideways tilt of her head. "But you knew that already, didn't you?"

His smile was sheepish, and he stared ahead to not meet her gaze. "I had my suspicions it could be something of that nature, but I wasn't entirely sure. Hearing it from you felt like the confirmation I needed."

"Don't you feel confident in your own ability to decipher your emotions?" Linda asked, tapping the pen she had between her fingers against her leg.

"No, I do. It's just – Hell has a way of confusing its denizens. Like the way time works or the everlasting gloomy weather. Combined with the patients I'm treating, it sometimes feels like my emotions and their emotions and the entire atmosphere sort of – blends together?"

Lucifer shook his, trying to clear his mind. That just sounded like a load of rubbish. And I call myself a shrink.

"I don't know. It's just doesn't add to the appeal of going back to work."

"I think it makes sense in a way, though. Not that I've been to Hell personally, but I can imagine what it must be like."

She grabbed a yellow notepad with scribbled philosophy studying tricks on it and tore a new page off. "What have you done so far to motivate yourself to go back after your breakdown?"

"Not much," he admitted. "I just tried to carry on as I normally do."

"Alright." Linda placed the piece of paper in between them on the table, handing him a pen as well. "Time for a brainstorm. I want you to write down everything that comes to mind that can improve your time in Hell."

A brainstorm? Why on Earth were they starting with that all of a sudden?

"We've never done one of these brainstorm things before," he protested. "Usually I complain, then you say something, then I complain again, gain insight and leave."

With a resigned sigh, she turned towards him. "Lucifer, just – just bear with me for a second, okay? I promise this will help."

"Fine," he said, and picked up the pen.

"So, Hell. Your work environment as a psychologist. What would make you feel better there? Take away that impending sense of loss?"

Guarantee that nothing bad will ever happen again to my loved ones.

As quickly as the thought had popped into his head, he dismissed it. Unrealistic, and even though he wished dearly for it to be true, it wouldn't be life anymore. He'd be there to protect them.

Except when he wasn't.

"Well, it would help if any of you Tribal members often checked up on Chloe when I'm gone. I know that she's strong – both literally and figuratively speaking – and that she can take care of herself and the girls just fine, but that doesn't mean she has to do it all by herself.

"And the company alone cheers her up considerably. She's often completely engrossed in her work, and I think she misses you more than you realize. More than she realizes."

The memory of holding Chloe in the shower was etched vividly in his mind. The steam, the warm water, the scent of vanilla and coconut wrapping around him. The droplets cascading down the tiles, the soft sighs echoing in the room.

And his beloved partner in his arms, trusting him to take care of her in a weak moment.

Trusting him with her entire being – and that of their daughter's.

They'd promised to look better after themselves, and to gently nudge each other in that direction as well from time to time. This, along with postponing the wedding, seemed like a good couple of first steps.

"We're the Tribe, not tribal," she corrected him with a laugh. Then she schooled her face into neutrality again. "It seems like a good point, but it's got nothing to do with your environment personally. More with Chloe's."

Lucifer downed the dregs of his red wine. How many glassed had he drunk already? Never mind, he couldn't feel the buzz of it anyway since he wasn't physically vulnerable at the moment.

"Well, if I know Chloe's safe, and your Tribe is checking up on her regularly, then I'll feel better in my environment," he concluded proudly. "More peace of mind and all that."

Linda seemed to be considering sidelining his proposal, then decided against it and wrote it down. "Fine. Checking up on Chloe. But I feel like our next idea should be focused on Hell. Like shorter work days?"

"So I can go home more often? Sure, I'd love to try that!"

The Doctor made a calming hand gesture. "But that's not all of it. You can use your extra time on Earth to spend time with your family, of course, but also to think on how to make work more fun."

Like a bolt of lightning in a clear sky, he suddenly saw where she was going with this. "You want to make Hell seem attractive to me in order to overcome my reluctance and slowly make my subconscious realize that it isn't going to harm me."

Pleasant surprise crossed her features, and she nodded. "Yes, exactly. I think that's the best, less drastic option at the moment. Do you have any ideas you want to share?"

Where the sudden wave of inspiration came from, Lucifer didn't know. But with each idea and possible project they wrote onto the brainstorm page, he felt his excitement growing.

About half an hour and another bottle of wine later, they'd scribbled five pages full of ideas. They ranged from 'team building' to 't-shirts' to 'group therapy with demons'.

Linda had added a lot of her own as well, and seemed to like this new yet different approach to therapy. Or reconciliation with the past, whatever you want to call it.

"I think we got carried away a little," Linda said, organizing the pages into a pile and handing it to him. She rubbed an ink-flecked hand over her brow.

Lucifer accepted the pages. "Nonsense, my dear Doctor. I believe we hardly scratched the surface of all the possibilities in Hell." Then his eyes landed on the pile of textbooks, and he felt his stomach sink a little.

Bugger.

He'd forgotten the true purpose of his visit to Linda tonight. How had they managed to get so carried away in all of this?

She followed his line of sight. "Don't feel guilty, Lucifer. What we did just now was much more important than browsing though some textbook about philosophy."

Nudging his arm with her elbow, she added, "And the insight and skill you demonstrated in understanding yourself and the workings of Hell are much more important than any preparatory class you could ever take."

"Thank you," he said with a grateful smile. "But I fear I have to pass these classes in order to actually study psychology. I'm doing well as a therapist, but I'm not there yet. I truly need that degree."

Pride shone in Linda's eyes, and she reached over to the pile to grab to next book.

Lucifer moved his chair closer to her so he could read along over her shoulder. "What's the next subject."

A hearty laugh. "It's your favorite." She held up the cover for him to see. "Physics!"

"Oh, bloody Hell, how in Amenadiel's name is that relevant for psychology? It's all just nonsense!"

'You said it yourself. Preparatory courses. Not yet the psychology degree itself."

With another muttered curse, he grabbed the notepad and his pen so he could down her studying advice. It was a good thing he loved his job so much.

"Fine," he sighed. "Where do we start?"

Linda flipped the book open. "Maybe the chapter on algebra and linear functions?"

The ciphers and symbols on the page made his eyes water, and even the explanatory text around it seemed to be written in another language.

And he knew every language.

"Do you have another bottle of that Sauvignon?"

"Why?"

Lucifer popped the cap off his pen. "Because this is going to be a long night."

"Red or blue?"

Chloe looked up from her laptop. She'd been scrolling through Netflix for the past ten minutes now, looking for a movie to watch.

"What?"

"Red or blue?" Ella called from the bathroom again. "Or black! But looks like it's a bit dried out, though."

"Red is fine, thanks."

She adjusted the pillow between her back and the headboard of her bed, careful not to knock the bowl of popcorn over. Rory had thankfully settled down for the moment, giving her some much-needed peace.

When was the last time they'd had a girl's night? A proper girl's night, not some junk food after work.

Too long ago. Way too long ago.

There was some more rummaging in the bathroom, followed by a triumphant shout. Ella appeared seconds later in the doorway.

"Look what I found." She shook the nail polish bottle to demonstrate. It was a glittery, neon pink, a color you'd be likely to find in a strip club.

"That was still in there?" Trix had bought it for her ages ago as a joke, because she knew her mom didn't like flashy nail polish. She'd completely forgotten she even had it.

"Yep. And it's called Bubblelicious Blast. Can't be bad, huh?" She waggled her eyebrows at Chloe. "Wanna give it a shot?"

The color was so bright it almost hurt to look at, but what the Hell? It's been ages since they'd had a fun evening together.

"Sure. I'm sure it goes great with my sweat pants."

Ella hooked a finger into the waistband of her yoga leggings and let it snap back against her skin. "Right there with you, girl. Scoot over, I'm going to steal your popcorn."

Chloe did as told, moving carefully to not disturb the pillows against her back. It had taken her ages before she'd finally found a comfortable spot to sit. Third trimester troubles.

"What? Do I have a zit or something?"

"No, why?"

"You're staring into the depths of my soul, Chlo."

"I just haven't seen you with loose hair in a while. I haven't seen you a lot, in general."

Ella sighed and grabbed a handful of popcorn. "I know. It's just - work can get crazy, you know? You know that, I know that. And you used to be in the crazy with me. Now you have Lieutenant crazy and I have forensics crazy. Different sorts of crazy, so it kind of sets us apart."

She chewed on some popcorn, a sly smile appearing. "I miss us gossiping at the crime scenes and in the lab."

Chloe put the laptop in between them on the bed. "We still gossip in the lab."

But she was right. It was different. Now that she was the Lieutenant, she didn't actively work on cases anymore. Supervising them, yes, but that's different from being out in the field with everyone.

And it's not that she doesn't love her job. She does, knowing that she can make a difference.

But sometimes it can get a bit lonely.

"Yeah, sure, but even that has been a while." Ella suddenly turned towards her and hugged one of the pillows to her chest. "So, spill the tea. What kind of juicy things have been going on in your life?"

Chloe snorted. The bright sparkle in her friend's eyes told her she wasn't even remotely interested in watching a crappy rom-com. "I'm pregnant and working full-time. I doubt there's anything juicy happening in my life right now."

"Aw, come on, Decker. Your life is filled with Biblical figures. There's got to be something interesting."

Strange, sure.

Interesting? Well…

"Oh, Lucifer and I ran into Adam at our birth class a couple of weeks ago. Was kind of an awkward evening, to be honest."

Ella straightened, a crease between her brows. "Adam? What the hell was he doing there?"

Chloe gave her the quick run-down of events, glossing over the fact that he was mad at Lucifer for being involved in his life. Especially after he'd found out Cain had died at her partner's hands.

The further she got into the story, the more she realized that while it could be told as a funny anecdote, it wasn't. It was about a traumatized man – albeit a jerk – that kept running into brutal reminders of his past while he was trying to find peace.

In other words, not the sort of tale they'd usually talk about during a girl's night. Mostly they'd complain about their parents or work, compare their outfits they'd chosen for a sting or a party at Lux.

Or science, nineties music and -

Boys.

Lots of talk about boys.

Trying the lift the heavy mood she'd created, Chloe changed the subject. "Speaking of, how is Carol doing? I haven't heard you talk about him a lot lately, so either things are going really well or not at all."

It was a pointless question, because she knew how they were doing. Had seen it with her own eyes.

The furtive glances they cast at each other when they though no one was looking. How Carol always seemed to linger longer at the lab than was necessary, claiming he'd forgotten a file or wanted some clarification on fiber results. The quick grazes or brushes of hands when they passed each other in the corridor.

They weren't exactly subtle, but ever since Dan passed away the precinct was more…somber. Careful and guarded.

So a little bit of love in the air worked wonders for everyone.

A goofy smile spread over Ella's features a she leaned in closer. "Well, you probably remember how nervous I was to meet his parents at Thanksgiving. After my breakdown in our group chat, I thought I was going to pass out. Like straight up, my soul leaving my body from all the anxiety."

"But you know what?" she continued.

Ella gave the duvet a slap for emphasis. "It didn't! Because they loved me, telling me how they thought it was interesting that I was a forensic scientist and such. They even didn't bring up our age difference, which is something I was worried sick about. I mean, I don't mind, but maybe they did, you know?"

I can talk about age difference, Chloe thought. What's a couple thousand years more or less, right?

A dreamy look spread over Ella's face. "And when we got back home we had amazing, hot sex."

She took such a big gulp of air that Chloe worried for a second that she might have a stroke.

Then Ella grabbed both her hands, tossing the pillow aside and sitting cross-legged next to her.

"Oh my God, I've never even told you about our first time! How could I have forgotten to tell you about that? Case in point that we need to have girl's night more often"

Chloe could sense that she was about to launch into the story, so she quickly retracted her hands and shut the laptop. She placed it on the ground next to the bed and turned towards her best friend.

"Okay, I'm all yours." She raised an eyebrow and gave Ella a conspiratorial grin. "Shoot."

"So," she giggled, "you know how after everything that happened with… Pete, I was kind of afraid of unknown guys for a while?"

A pang went through her heart, and Chloe nodded. The fact that he was now locked up for life didn't erase the scars he'd left on Ella.

The trauma he'd left behind.

"Yeah, so, it took me a while before I started to open up with Carol. I felt like I could trust him, but my gut had also said that about him, and you know how that ended."

"After a couple of dates, I became more and more relaxed around him. And one night, I even took him up on the offer of watching a movie at his place after we'd had dinner."

The corner of her mouth quirked upwards. "And I think you know that just as well as I do, Chlo, it's never just a movie."

Chloe propped her head up on a hand, a matching grin on her face. "Oh, I know, trust me. I know that really well."

"Uh-huh. So we watched The Karate Kid. A classic, everybody knows that. And after the movie ended we started kissing, which then turned into a whole make-out session. I was the one who tugged him along into the bedroom. I was the one who'd initiated it. But the second I sat down on the bed and he moved in front of me, I freaked out."

"I'd told Carol about my past, meaning he could probably guess where this was all coming from. And I wanted him. I wanted Carol. But the thought of surrendering myself to someone, of being vulnerable, at someone else's mercy – I panicked."

"And you know what he did?"

Chloe shook her head.

An affectionate smile spread over Ella's face. "He taught me how to take a man down in less than five seconds. Showed me all the weak spots in the human body. The places to hit your opponent. All the various techniques he'd used for his undercover operations."

"It cleared my head," she continued. "Made me calm again. Made me feel safe. And then we made love."

"Sounds like a great guy," Chloe said softly.

Ella dipped her head in agreement. "Yeah, he is. I like him. I like him a lot. I think – I think I might even love him."

A wave of happiness for her friend rushed over her. Of all the people she knew, Ella was the one who deserved love the most.

Especially after everything she'd been through.

After everything she'd done for them.

"That's amazing, Ella. I'm so happy for you."

"Me too."

She flopped on her back on the duvet with a content sigh. The bed bounced slightly with her movement, causing some of the popcorn to overflow from the bowl. Chloe quickly propped the pieces into her mouth.

Hey, she was still eating for two, right?

Ella wriggled, trying to get comfortable. Then a frown spread over her face.

"Something's poking my back. Feels like a needle or something?"

Reaching underneath her, she produced a long, white feather from beneath the covers. The color was so pure it almost seemed to glow in the dimly lit bedroom.

"Is that –"

"– one of Lucifer's? Yeah, sorry about that," Chloe admitted sheepishly.

But Ella didn't pay any heed to her low-key embarrassment. Instead, she gazed at the feather in her hand with a look of pure, scientific wonder.

"An actual angel feather," she breathed, studying it from all sides. "Of an archangel."

Chloe was relieved she found the thing so fascinating. To her, it was the same as finding a wad of hair down the shower drain by now.

Odd how you could get used to such things, but she was nothing if not the living proof of human adaptability.

"My bathroom isn't as big as the one at the penthouse," she explained. "Lucifer used to groom his wings in there, but now he has to do it in the bedroom because it's the only space big enough. Which can leave its…traces."

Ella's head snapped up. "Hold up a second. You're saying Lucifer grooms his wings? Like a bird?"

"Yep. That's exactly what I'm saying."

The first time she'd walked in on him grooming in the bathroom had been confusing, to say the least.

Lucifer had stood there with his wings out, all puffed up and shaking his feathers. According to him, fluffing up the feathers helps to 'rezip' feather barbules that had become unhooked

Then he drew several feathers through his hands from the base of the wing, which was apparently necessary to distribute some sort of oil across them.

It had seemed like a long and tedious process to her, so when she'd offered to help he'd been pleasantly surprised.

After a few seconds of hesitation, he'd spread out a huge wing for her, laying it on one of the marble countertops in the bathroom so she had better access.

They'd worked side by side in comfortable silence, the only sound the rustle of feathers. And from Lucifer's delighted shudders, she could tell she was doing a good job.

"The love of my life is basically a big bird," Chloe said as Ella processed that bit of information.

Chloe had once called him Tweety to tease him, and he had not appreciated that.

The insulted look on his face had been so comical it had sent her into a laughing fit.

She snorted, putting the feather down on the bed. "You don't say, girl. Just when I thought Lucifer couldn't surprise me anymore."

"Trust me, I'm right there with you."

Her eyes flitted to Chloe's belly. "Does that mean that Rory is kind of a baby bird in some way?"

"Yeah. She takes after her father in that regard. Hence the fifteen rolls of bubble wrap we have lying in the cupboard to angel-proof the house."

And that wasn't everything.

Ever since Charlie's wings had come out, the boy seemed to have trouble controlling them. Which made sense, since a normal two-year old couldn't even control his regular limbs.

So sometimes he had them out while eating, and then he got some chocolate pudding or spaghetti on them. And every time Linda tried to clean them, he'd quickly pull them in so his mother couldn't reach them.

Not even Amenadiel's patient reasoning could convince his son to let them clean his wings.

Things were definitely going to be…interesting once Rory was born.

Angels are God's own children, one of his first creations. But he certainly did not provide them with a manual. Or humanity, for that matter.

"Well, if you ever need help, her madrina is always willing to babysit her."

Chloe gave Ella's hand a squeeze. "Thanks. You have no idea how much I appreciate that."

"We're family." She shrugged. "It's what we do."

The simplicity with which she stated it warmed her heart. They'd all come from difficult families, each having their own sets of problems.

Yet they'd made one for themselves.

And even though they may fight or hurt each other, they always had each other's back.

"Now," Ella said, reaching behind her and grabbing the bottle of garish nail polish. "I believe we were about to do our nails, weren't we?"

She shook it to and fro, as if that would make the awful color more attractive. "Delicious Bubblicious Blast. Care to make your life more colorful, Decker?"

Chloe hesitated for a moment, then decided to go through with it anyway. This was just like old times, and a little bit of nostalgia couldn't hurt.

"Fine. But only my toe nails. I have a meeting with the captain Wednesday, and I'm sure he won't appreciate it."

Ella opened the bottle and stroked the little brush against the side to wipe of any excess. Then she took Chloe's foot in her lap.

"You won't regret this, I promise."

Chloe most sincerely hoped so.

The Devil was sitting in her bed.

Or – more correctly – the Devil was sitting in her bed staring at a book like his very life depended on it.

Every now and then he'd turn it upside down and squint at the pages, but the new angle didn't seem to help with whatever he was looking for.

Chloe had been watching him for a while now, leaning against the doorway in her pajamas.

Sometimes it still astonished her that this age-old being called her apartment his home. That he lived here with them in LA, despite his recent change in jobs.

That he was hers to love.

She crept towards the bed on silent feet, not wanting to disturb his concentration. Sliding under the covers, he gave no indication that he'd felt her movement.

It was only when she propped her chin up on his shoulder to read along that he stirred. A drowsy smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Well, hello. Aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

Chloe snorted, nestling into his side. "In my ratty old t-shirt? It used to be extra-large, but now it barely even fits."

Lucifer pressed a kiss against her hair, dropping the book in his lap. "It's just your belly, love. You look perfectly fine, all parts included."

"Mmm, if you say so. What are you reading? Did Linda fry your brains tonight?"

He flipped the cover shut so she could read the title. "An Introduction To The Fundamentals Of Physics."

"Wow, that's, uh, interesting? Do you really have to know that for a psychology degree?"

Lucifer sighed in agreement, abandoning the book and settling his arms around her instead. He was warm and smelled like a mix of wine and olives.

"I said the exact same thing. But as the Doctor pointed out, I'm starting the preparatory courses, not my actual degree yet. So it seems like I'll have to suffer for some time."

Chloe took a look at the pages. This stuff seemed pretty advanced for a beginner's class. Not that she was an expert on the matter, but she did remember a thing or two from high school.

"Seems like a lot of functions and integrals and stuff. Maybe you could ask Ella? I don't think forensics really covers this part, but with her science foundation I'm sure she's come across this once or twice."

"Perhaps."

He used one arm to enthusiastically throw the book on the bedside table, almost knocking the lamp over. Then he settled against her, pulling her closer so her head was now leaning on his chest.

"But I've done enough studying for tonight. It can wait. How was your evening, honey?"

"Ella found one of your feathers. She thought it was pretty fascinating."

"Oh," he replied sheepishly. He generally prided himself on being a tidy person. "I must have missed that one while I was cleaning up."

"Bird," Chloe mumbled affectionately.

"I am not a bird, Lieutenant. I pre-date their existence."

"Uh-huh."

She couldn't suppress her smile at his outrage of being called a bird, and quickly decided to change the subject altogether to avoid a discussion.

"I painted my nails tonight. Or, well, Ella painted mine and I painted hers."

Sliding her legs from beneath the covers, she propped her feet up on the comforter on the bed. Even in the soft glow of the lamp, the shade of the nail polish was an assault on her eyes.

"Wow, that is – that is certainly bright, isn't it?"

Chloe jabbed him in the side. "You can just admit that it's awful to look at."

A chuckle escaped him as she poked him. "It's not awful to look at. It's just not your usual style. But I do think it flatters your feet."

She wriggled her toes in answer. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all. She couldn't wear it in her elegant sandals, but it probably looked pretty nifty when she did her yoga exercises.

And Trixie would definitely approve.

"You think?"

"I know."

A wave of drowsiness was creeping up on her, and suddenly she wanted to do nothing more than sleep until dawn broke.

It was already well after midnight, and Ella had left moments before Lucifer had stumbled through the door with his arms full of textbooks.

Seems like receiving study advice could be quite exhausting.

"Do you want to go to sleep?"

"Yeah," he murmured against her, and turned off the lamp on the bedside table without further ado.

Even no small make-out session. He had to be really tired, then.

The sudden darkness was a relief. Lucifer slowly slid them down the bed until they were lying flat on their backs. The covers were cool against her skin, the scent of fabric softener still clinging to them.

Chloe was nestled against his side with her head above his heart, positioned in such a way that her round belly rested on his body.

She adjusted the sheets around them, tucking them in against the February chill that lingered in the room. Even Los Angeles could have cold nights from time to time..

The steady drum of his heartbeat brought her to the edge of sleep. The familiar warmth of his body next to her, the slow rise and fall of his chest.

A warm happiness glowed in her chest. Because she was warm and loved and being held by the person she loved most.

Their little slice of Heaven.

Everything was perfect.

Until –

"Babe?"

"Yes?" Lucifer replied, his voice groggy with sleep.

"I have to go to the bathroom."

"Noooo," he whined, hugging her closer. "You're so warm and soft. Do you really have to go?"

"Hey, don't blame me for this," she whispered, not wanting to dispel the comfortable atmosphere. "It's your daughter's fault I have the bladder of a squirrel."

Lucifer slowly peeled an eye open, hair mussed into unruly curls. "Can you stay for just a few minutes longer? Or is it urgent?"

Chloe considered this for a moment, then lowered her head again. "I can stay ten more minutes."

"Ten more minutes," he nodded in agreement, kissing her brow before lying down again.

"But only ten minutes" she mumbled.

It wasn't long before sleep overtook her, and Chloe ended up lying in his arms for far longer than ten minutes.