The Aftermath
"That will be all for now," Lucifer stated, his relief audible.
Several angels looked at each other warily, still uneasy in this new environment. Others displayed zero to no reaction, their feathers puffed up, all bruised and bloody, with thousand-yard stares not unlike those found those in war veterans. But all of them wore that dazed expression that was caused by events taking place faster than the mind could possibly hope to process them. Chloe knew the feeling all too well.
Most of them haven't seen or spoken to him in millennia, she thought. And now he's taken on the role of their father.
A stocky female hesitatingly raised her hand. "Any further questions shall be answered later, Belial. I'll be at your complete and utter disposal." Lucifer had lowered the sword during his instructions. It had stopped flaming and was now roughly the size of large dagger.
Pride went through her as she watched him. They made it, they'd won. He had made it. We did it, Dan, she thought. We did it.
But her joy was dimmed when she saw some angels twisting their wings at odd angles, only to realize they were shielding the bodies of their deceased siblings.
A couple of angels near the front of the field were craning their necks, trying to gauge Amenadiel's reaction to all of this, without any luck. A tall, fair-skinned male who'd fought for the other side was staring at her with an intensity that made the back of her neck prickle. Whether it was in curiosity or disdain, Chloe couldn't tell. But she'd be damned if she looked away first.
Michael was still kneeling beside Lucifer - his head bent, wings laying grotesquely on the ground behind him. The armour on him seemed almost barbaric now. Good. Let him suffer.
It was unlike her to think like that, but after everything he'd done to those she loved, after everything he'd done to her, there wasn't an ounce of guilt she could muster. She may not have killed him, but she still relished the memory of beating the crap out of him. For a moment, she hadn't felt so mortal anymore.
"For now," Lucifer continued, "please remove yourselves from the stadium and wait outside. I'll be along shortly. And no wings! We're on earth, so behave!"
Some groans went up in protest, but they were soon drowned out by the overwhelming sound of rustling, like a storm blowing through the trees. Chloe brought an arm up to shield her eyes from the whipping gusts of wind. By the time she lowered it they all looked like regular human beings. Well, mostly. Their odd, medieval-looking clothes and overall strange demeanour would make them stick out a bit, but that would at worst raise a few eyebrows in LA. At least Lucifer had never exaggerated about their (lack of) fashion sense.
And I thought he was the weird one in the family.
"I just need a moment," he said, still looking at the crowd, but softly enough that besides her only Maze, Eve and Amenadiel could hear him. The coil in her gut loosened a bit when Chloe saw their wounds were superficial.
Chloe almost face-palmed herself for forgetting. Linda. Her nerves had to be fraying by now, knowing exactly what was going to take place today. Sitting at home with Charlie, waiting to hear if the father of her child had survived. If any of them had survived.
She subtly fished her phone out of her back pocket. The screen was cracked, almost to the point of shattering, but miraculously it still worked. She fired off a quick text to the therapist.
To: Linda
From: Chloe
We won. Everyone's fine. I'll let you know more as soon as we're more organized.
Lucifer's gaze flicked to Michael. "And keep an eye on him." There was such venom in the way he spat the word. "Don't let him out of your sight, not even for a single second. If he tries to run, get him back. I don't care how, even less about the state he's in."
Maze grinned as if begging him to just try and make a run for it. Eve was subtly inching towards her, never taking her gaze off the newly fallen angel. If it was to protect her or hold her back if she exploded, Chloe couldn't tell. Knowing Maze, it was probably the latter.
She'd expected those reactions, but it was Amenadiel's that struck her the most. Where she'd thought to see at least some form of emotion, his face was blank, betraying nothing. It was so unlike his usual composed, pleasant expression – something that made people trust him instantly. Now there was only a yawning emptiness behind his eyes, stretching away into nothing.
He's the eldest, Chloe thought. Does he feel responsible for all of this? How many of his little brothers and sisters did he lose today? A chill slithered down her spine, and she fought down her rising horror.
How many did he have to kill?
She was pulled out of her thoughts when he stepped forward and hauled Michael to his feet, who was wise enough not to make eye contact with anyone. His limp was more pronounced, though this time certainly not caused by a bruised ego. He staggered like drunk, trying to adjust to the loss of weight on his back. Maze trailed right behind him with a silent snarl on her face, like a bloodhound on a scent. Her hand never left the hilt of her knife.
I hope it hurts.
Rage boiled inside her at the sight of him, along with the repulsion she felt at the memories of when he had touched her. As the four of them filed past her, Chloe inched away instinctively, the agony that had seared through her moments ago still fresh in her mind. She cursed herself soundly for it, wanting nothing more to put as much distance between them as she could. She'd been brave enough for now, hadn't she? Just a few more moments.
The gesture wasn't lost on Lucifer, who was staring at her over the exodus of angels. He looked like he wanted to forcefully make his way through the crowd, but had to keep up the appearance of a proper deity until they were alone. It was unlike him to care about that, but the situation was delicate as it was, and there was no place for even more bruised egos or reasons for a fight.
They broke eye contact when Eve hesitated for a moment, the angel behind her bumping into her. With an apology thrown over her shoulder, she squeezed his arm before moving along. He gave her a brief nod to reassure her.
Chloe noticed the tilt of his neck, how he squared his shoulders back just a little too far, the dull glaze in his eyes. He was exhausted.
She turned her attention back towards the procession, waiting impatiently until the last of them were out of earshot. Some were carrying the corpses of their fallen brethren, their rust-stained wings dragging behind them. Still, there were so many. Were these all the angels, or just a fraction of the full host of Heaven?
She just wanted to be alone with him now, just for a little while. See if he was still hurt or concealing an injury he wouldn't want her to know about. She needed to hold him, to feel that it was real. That this wasn't all just a dream.
Some had started talking to each other in a hushed tone, in a lilting tongue Chloe didn't recognize. They all inclined their head when they passed Lucifer - who stood there perfectly still, often acknowledging them by name. The last ones were starting to make their way down the steps. Come on, pick up the pace. Just a little bit further –
A clang sounded, like metal hitting the floor, and Chloe turned just in time to see Lucifer rushing towards her. He slowed his pace last-minute to avoid crashing into her entirely, but they still collided with an oof. He gripped her arms to steady her.
"Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
His tone was frantic, no trace left of the cool level-headedness he'd addressed his family with. He didn't wait for a response, starting to search her instead for the smallest scratch.
"I'm fine, I'm okay," Chloe said as he lifted an arm in order to inspect her side, then moved around to check her backside (Not his usual checking out, mind you). She thought of moving away but decided against it. She'd do anything to soothe his mind, and with each touch she felt herself uncoiling a bit more. He was here. He was alive and well. He was here, with her.
When he came back around, he slid a hand across her abdomen, pressing lightly before checking his palm. But there wasn't any blood to be seen. Chloe had half-expected it to be sore, but it felt the same as any other part of her body.
"Lucifer, it's fine."
He looked dazed, like her words didn't register, and made no attempt to stop his efforts. Slowly, he peeled the torn shirt away, dried blood sticking to her skin.
Curiosity mingled with fear. She had no idea exactly how large the wound had been, or what it even looked like right now. Not that it really mattered, she was glad to be still alive. She found she wasn't focusing anymore on his movements, instead mentally tracing the familiar lines of his face.
Lucifer peeled the last scrap of cloth away, his hands trembling. His breathing was ragged and uneven, as if the very sight pained him. Chloe heard his sharp breath of intake and looked down despite her nerves. She'd have to face it at some point. How bad could it be, right?
Guess everything beats death.
A long, thin scar ran diagonally across her lower abdomen, passing right under her belly button. It was hard to imagine that such a lethal wound could have left so slight (Well, relatively speaking) a mark. She'd seen retired officers from the force with much uglier ones.
Lucifer hesitantly brushed a thumb along the length of the scar. Her breath hitched, and his head shot up. "Does it hurt?"
She shook her head. "No, it's already healed, like it happened a long time ago. It's fine." She made to cover his hand with hers, but he took a step back, as if something had burned him.
"It's not fine! It's not, he…" he trailed off hoarsely, his jaw a quivering line. He couldn't stop himself from glancing at her abdomen again, and swallowed around the lump in his throat. "The bastard! He killed you, the bloody bastard. I should've – "
"Lucifer…"
The way she said his name, soft and full of love, was the thing that broke him. Lucifer pressed his lips into a thin line, eye shining.
"I'm sorry." He sank to his knees in front of her. "I am so, deeply sorry. For everything that happened, for all the pain that I've caused you."
Tears ran down his cheeks, and Chloe couldn't ever recall seeing him so distressed in her presence. She knelt, their knees pressed together, and took his hands in hers. They were covered in cuts and bruises.
"Lucifer," she said, this time more insistently.
The stream of apologies halted, and this time he looked at her. Truly looked at her.
Chloe squeezed his hands. "This wasn't your fault," she said, painfully aware she was repeating her dying words to him. She smiled at him, feeling a rush of affection. "You don't have anything to apologize for. You're the reason I'm still alive."
She felt the press of tears at the back of her throat, her voice turning ragged. Oh Go- him, she was going to cry as well. "I wouldn't be here without you. You came for me, knowing it would be the death of you. You came for me."
Chloe cupped his face as gently as she could. "Do you know what that means?"
"What?"
He looked so lost it made something catch in her chest.
"It means that you literally moved heaven and earth for me. Defied heaven and hell, despite all the odds."
"Chloe, you were dying in my arms – you died in my arms, and I still hadn't told you. Even then, you never got to hear it."
"I knew. I knew you did, even if you didn't say anything. There are other ways to express love, and you did." Chloe felt her own cheeks dampen. Not knowing what else to say, she leant in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, feeling his breath hitch for a second. When she pulled away, he had a pure look of wonder on his face, as if she were the god instead of him.
"I love you," Lucifer breathed, drawing her against his chest and burying his face in the crook of her neck. "My God, I love you."
He's even too upset to make puns.
Hearing those words sent light all throughout her being, nothing short of fireworks going off in her heart. Chloe returned the embrace, feeling all the tension seep out of him. His steady heartbeat grounded her, drowning out all other concerns of what was going to happen next.
"I love you, too," she murmured. "I love you so much."
Those words opened a dam in both of their minds. All the heartache, all the fear and pain came spilling out, and they held each other as they both fell apart. Whispering 'I love you' to each other over and over again, until the restless parts of their minds had finally been soothed.
By the time her tears had stopped coming, Chloe almost felt drowsy. The sun was beating down mercilessly upon them, stinging her exposed skin. Lucifer had fallen silent against her, his only movement the soft strokes on her back. Her body had felt fine right after she came back, but the adrenaline was starting to wear off and the inevitable exhaustion and pain were ready to pounce.
Chloe lifted her head, cheek sticking to his now-damp jacket. "I've got to stand, my back is killing me."
Lucifer opened his eyes, as red and swollen as hers. He looked as awake as she felt. God could use a coffee too, probably. Or could he just make out of thin air now? "Alright." He drew back to give her some space.
Chloe got up with an undignified groan, several joints popping in the process. The soreness and stiffness had already started to set in. Tomorrow was going to be a really crappy morning, if she even managed to get up at all. She wiped her eyes dry with her sleeve and brushed the dust off her pants.
"I don't think God should be kneeling, you know," she said half-jokingly in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Lucifer looked up at her with a reverence that made her legs weak. "Only for you. Always for you."
He drew himself up in one swift motion. "For you," he continued, as solemn as she's ever seen him. "My partner. My equal, in everything, through everything." He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. "You don't kneel before anyone. Least of all me."
Chloe was speechless. Equal. His equal. She was equal to him. A god. The God. As in, ruler-of-the -universe God. And then, My partner. Five years ago, she could have never imagined that word to be so dear to her heart, to shift so much in meaning. How did he always know how to strike a chord within her? How did he find the right words, and manage to say them in such a way that her heart starts and stops over and over again in the span of a second? Did he know what he did to her? Is this what she did to him?
Still not knowing how to respond but feeling like she should at least try, Chloe went with, "Okay." She cursed herself inwardly for not giving a better answer, but the words would come in time. If there were words for this sort of thing (Declaration? Promise? Oath?).
Before she could come up with a better idea, a loud crash sounded outside, followed by the blaring of a car alarm.
"Can't leave them alone for one bloody second, can I?" Lucifer craned his neck in an unsuccessful attempt to see what caused the noise. "I think I understand why dad went grey."
He adjusted his cuffs, then tried to straighten his jacket, but to no avail. It was hopelessly crumpled from the battle. There was a large, dried bloodstain on the bottom of his shirt from when he'd held her.
She must have looked horrible. Dying was never pretty, and she'd be the one to know. Ella once told her the human body contained between 1,2 and 1,5 gallons of blood. At least she knew where most of it went. The sight of it brought images back from when Malcolm shot him and he lay bleeding on the floor. Died, as he'd told her years later.
Suddenly self-conscious about her appearance, Chloe buttoned the lower half of her jacket, hiding the mess there. She patted her hair. It was plastered against her neck and temples, bits and pieces sticking out at all other sides. She let her hair down, sighing at the relief from the tension in her scalp. She started to comb out the bigger knots with her fingers when the white stone in the ring caught her eye.
Chloe held her hand up. "Do you want this back? I doubt it'll fit though, it seems to have shrunk for some reason." The ring had always fit perfectly on his finger, and he'd had it for as long as she knew him. What exactly had it contained that it had brought her back from the dead? The stone had lightened, going from jet black to a pure white that glowed faintly from within.
Lightbringer, it rang in her head.
A smile played over his lips. "It's yours to keep, if you want it." Then he added softly, the quiver in his voice betraying his uncertainty, "As am I."
Chloe closed the little distance between them, then rose on her tiptoes to kiss him with all the love she had in her. His arms wrapped around her, one hand cradling the base of her head to tilt her into another dizzying kiss. Could they not stay here for a little longer? Even just a little? She broke away first, needing to breathe. Her hand lingered on his cheek.
"You already are."
The way his entire face lit up made her melt.
A second car alarm sounded, blaring in sync with the first one. Maze's voice rang out in the distance. "Hey, get off that! What don't you get about 'low profile', huh? That's not how you use a car, you shit pigeon!"
And there goes the moment. Honestly, I should have expected it by now.
Several raised voices joined her, unclear to Chloe whether in protest or agreement, but their tones quicky shifted from concerned to fearful.
"Maze, honey, let's not use a knife for this," Eve pleaded. "I think it's best if we – "The tail end of the sentence was drowned in the murmur of the crowd, which soon died down when Amenadiel's voice joined in the mix. She had no idea what he'd said, but at least it had worked. For now.
"What the hell are they doing?"
"I haven't the faintest, love, though I must admit that Mazikeen has a talent for addressing my siblings. The City of Angels is really going to start living up to its name." Lucifer bent to pick up the sword (dagger?) he'd so carelessly tossed aside in favour of her. He held it like you would hold a snake, warily and as far away from his body as possible.
Chloe snorted. "God help us, then." It was a corny joke, but working with him has really made her appreciate the immense comfort that stupid puns can bring. Also helps to keep one relatively sane during world-shocking revelations or the literal shifting of the hierarchy of Heaven itself. It's the little things.
"To my best effort," Lucifer said, though she could see his shoulders sag, as if his responsibilities had come crushing down upon them again. She could see he was trying to appear at ease, but could sense the underlying current of nervousness. Casting a sideways glance at her, he held out his hand. "Care to make a fabulous second expression?"
Chloe slid her hand in his. "Always."
They started walking down to the steps to the crowd gathered outside. Maze had started shouting again, and this time Eve had joined in, too. "-show you what? Oh, I'll show you something!" And then Maze, "Stop leering at my girlfriend or I will carve your eyes out!" Ah, young love.
A flutter of fear stirred in her stomach as she braced herself for what was waiting outside, but it was gone almost as fast as it'd appeared. She'd survived everything life had thrown at her so far, and holy crap had it thrown stuff. She glanced at Lucifer. But not everything she'd encountered had been horrible. No, some things were far, far from horrible. They were heavenly. Quite literally so.
Whatever came next, she could handle it.
They could handle it.
And that was all that mattered.