"Every Breath You Take (I'll Be Watching You)" - The Police
I'm furiously typing away at three different stories I have going on. I hope this one satisfies everyone. If you are new to my stories, you'll notice I have a favorite character I like to throw around in my writings. His name is Brian. Brian likes to pop up every now and then. If you are not new, well it's a happy little easter egg you've now discovered.
Uh… wow it's been awhile since I last edited this story. *blows raspberries* I don't think much has happened, sorry for that. I've been working on Devil In Your Soul. Totally forgot to upload this yesterday. Better late than never! An Elaine chapter is on its way. I know I didn't get around to Lucifer and Chloe's talk. It will most likely be added in the next chapter.
Well that's all I really have to say, hope you enjoy this chapter!
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A hour.
A grueling sixty minutes had gone by and not a single word was exchanged between Michael and another person. He felt like he was purposely being ignored. Every time he lifted his hand to signal an officer, they would turn around and go the other direction. He had long given up after the half hour mark. Everyone had cleared out leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Chloe is going to murder me…
I can already hear the authoritarian mother voice calling out.
Michael let out a groan. He leaned back into his chair and let his head hang off the back. The light vibrations from his pocket gave him no drive whatsoever to look at his phone. He was sure Chloe was leaving multiple voicemails on his phone. Michael had thought about just getting up and leaving, but the consistent glare from the Captain kept him in his seat. The old man would stalk the outside of his office every fifteen minutes, just to check on Michael. The Captain was the only reason Michael had stayed in his seat.
Michael lifted his head off the back of the chair and caught the Captain leaving his room for his fourth cup of coffee. Instead of looking over at Michael, he simply lifted his glass signaling he was watching him. Michael rolled his eyes. He watched the man fill his cup, add his milk, and then retreat back to his office. This time the Captain closed his door, leaving Michael to look around.
As Michael's eyes scanned the bullpen, he found a scrawny man over in the corner, at a desk, typing away. Michael decided to give it another go. He scooted to the edge of his chair and whistled the officer down. The man lifted his eyes from his computer, looking for the source. Michael waved his hand, flagging the man down.
"Psst! Yes you. Come here."
"I…" The officer looked around the room unaware if he should get up. When no one seemed to speak up, the officer pushed himself away from his desk and stood up. With hesitation the officer made his way over to Michael. "Yes?"
"I've been sitting here for over an hour now... By any chance, do you know if anyone called Detective Decker? She was my phone call when I first arrived."
"Oh! I uh…" He looked around the room, not at all sure if he was the right person to be talking to. "I'm not sure. I could check for you if you'd like."
"I would greatly appreciate it, Officer?"
"Brian," the officer smiled.
"Brian? That's an interesting last name."
"It's actually my first name," he chuckled. "I'm not a huge fan of my last name. So Brian is fine."
"Oh… Well, officer Brian it is then."
"Mr. Morningstar?"
"Yes?" Michael slipped into character. He crossed one leg over the other, placing his cuffed hands on the top of his knee.
"We met for a brief moment back at a crime scene not too long ago…"
Michael crocked his head off to the side. He was relatively good at remembering faces, but for some reason he couldn't place the officer in front of him. Officer Brian seemed to understand.
"It was… the car accident over by Echo Park. A… a uh… woman was reported to have dragged a man out of his car."
"Ah, yes. You were one of the officers at the scene."
"I was... I heard you and your partner found the man in your murder case. I was happy to hear your name had been cleared. That was some pretty impressive work you and Detective Decker did. I'm a huge fan of her work. Yours as well!" He added.
"Oh!" Michael dropped his leg and smiled up at the young man. "Why thank you. The Detective is rather impressive when you see her in action. I'll make sure to let her know she has a fan."
"Oh…" He was blushing. "I wouldn't… Thank you." Office Brian shook his head. "I should uh…" He pointed his thumb over to his desk. "Get that phone call checked out for you. It was nice talking to you, Mr. Morningstar."
"The pleasure was all mine, officer Brian."
Brian nodded his head and took off back to his desk. Michael looked over towards the Captain's office. He could vaguely see the man staring back at him through the window. Instead of sharing a staring match, Michael looked away. His eyes fell down to his right pocket where his phone was vibrating once again.
Michael reached into his pocket and looked over the caller I.D. He rolled his eyes as he noticed the five unread messages along with the two missed calls from his brother. A text popped up when he failed to take the last call.
Answer your damn phone!
Instead of messaging him back, Michael waited patiently for the next call to come through. It took another minute for Lucifer to ring him up again. Michael gave it a few rings before sliding his finger over the green button. He lifted his cuffed hands up to his ear.
"Hello?" He sang out.
"Don't hello me! What in the blazes happened?! The Detective just got a call from a different precinct instructing her to come pick you up. What the Hell did you do?"
"Nothing," Michael whispered. He turned away so the Captain couldn't see he was taking a call. "Well something… but it wasn't my fault. The idiot driver crashed the car."
"We heard over the radio that the car flipped, Michael!"
"Flipped, crashed. It's the same thing."
Lucifer could be heard grumbling on the other end of the line. Chloe was the one to speak next.
"Have they talked to you? Have they told you why you're being detained?"
"No and no… They just cuffed me and put me in the back of a police car. No one talked to me since the Captain and I had a chat."
"Captain Urias is a hard-ass." Chloe whispered to Lucifer. "He's been on my tail since Pierce was killed." Her voice got louder as she directed her attention back to Michael. "I wouldn't worry too much, Michael. We're on our way."
"I'm not worried."
"We're about five minutes from the precinct." Lucifer instructed.
"Alright… Uh, brother?"
"Yes?"
"I'd stay in the car if I was you… It seems the Captain has it out for you as well. I'd try sitting out on this one."
"Like I'd listen to you. You're probably scared I'll kick you ass."
"Piss off! I can take you any day."
"As if!"
"I swear!" Chloe called out from the other end. "Children the both of you!"
"Sorry, Darling… We'll see you in a little, Michael. Try to stay out of trouble until then."
"I'm literally handcuffed, sitting on a chair in the middle of the precinct. I can't do anything."
"Either way, stay out of trouble."
"Sit tight." Chloe added.
Michael let out a sigh, "fine."
"We'll see you soon."
The call ended and Michael pulled the phone away from his ear. He turned his head to the side and found the Captain standing at the window looking at Michael through the blinds. His eyes were squinted as he watched Michael pull the phone away from his ear. Just as Michael was about to call him over, the Captain closed his blinds.
It was another few minutes before a pair of footsteps could be heard entering the bullpen. Chloe looked calm and collected as she moved into the foreign bullpen. His brother on the other hand looked pissed off. His body strutting into the room like a man on a mission. His eyes scanned the room for any sign of Michael. As his eyes locked onto him, he marched right over to Michael.
"There he is!" Lucifer called out.
"Here I am," Michael mocked. He lifted his hands, waving them to his brother.
"This isn't a time for jokes, Michael," Chloe said.
"I'm not joking."
"Then get that stupid smile off your face." Lucifer added.
"Make me."
Before the brothers could start arguing, the Captain opened the door to his office drawing the attention of Michael and everyone over to him. Chloe turned in her spot. She took a deep breath before placing a hand on Michael's shoulder.
"Sit tight... The both of you." She looked between the twins. "No fighting. This isn't my precinct. We need to be on our best behaviors."
"I'll make sure my brother stays on a short leash, Chloe," Michael replied. Lucifer looked down at Michael with anger.
"Oh, you're so lucky the Detective is here…"
"Detective Decker," the Captain called out. "My office."
"Please," she begged. "I can't have you two acting up right now. You need to be civil with one another."
"Fine," they replied together. Each crossed their arms over their chest, looking away from the other.
"Wish me luck," she whispered.
Chloe held her head up high as she walked over to the Captain's office. Instead of shaking the man's hand, Chloe entered the room getting down to business. Captain Urias looked over at the twins with narrowed eyes. It was almost as if he didn't want to leave them alone.
"Captain?"
"Yes." The man turned his head and closed the door to his office. As the door closed behind the Captain, Lucifer smacked Michael in the back of the head.
"Ow!"
"The Detective and I were on our way to a possible lead in the case. You just screwed up my day."
"It's not like I meant to alright."
"Is that so? The Detective tells me you make a habit of getting into trouble."
"I don't get into trouble… trouble finds me."
"Ha! I've heard that one before."
"What from you?" Michael mocked. Lucifer raised his hand ready to hit Michael again, but stopped when he remembered Chloe's words.
"You're so lucky we're in a police station."
"I'll count my blessings," Michael replied with an eye roll.
Lucifer shook his head. "Dad give me strength…" He pulled up a chair and sat down with Michael. He took a second to calm his nerves. When he was ready he turned in his seat. "Right… Now tell me, how did you get here?" He asked.
"I'm not entirely sure… Mazikeen asked me to meet her on the outskirts of Skid Row."
"Skid Row?" Lucifer asked in disbelief. "What could possibly be in Skid Row for you?"
"I thought I was meeting a social worker…"
"Social workers aren't in Skid Row, Michael."
"I know that now!"
Lucifer crossed his arms over his chest. "Why did she drag you all the way out to the slums of South L.A?"
"Like I told everyone back at the precinct before I left, I thought Mazikeen had a lead on my kids. Turns out she didn't… But she did have a lead on my missing cherub."
"Okay… So then, how did you get from Skid Row to a car accident on the I10?"
"Shady deals with shady people…" Michael murmured.
"What was that?"
"Liam Harrison…"
"Who's Liam Harrison?" Lucifer asked.
"Apparently someone on the police's watchlist." He looked from side to side before choosing his next words. "I had the guy kicked out of your club not too long ago. He wanted me to help erase any evidence pertaining to trafficking."
"Human trafficking? Are you serious."
"I think it was illegal human labor when he came in, but when we were in the car…" Michael lowered his voice, "it pointed at human trafficking."
"And you took the deal?" Lucifer looked at his brother with disgust. "How badly are you willing to find these kids?"
"I didn't take the deal," Michael snapped. "I'm not at that point where I'd stoop that low."
"Then why were you in the car. The Detective said the precinct arrested you because they think you're a part of some insider ring."
"I'm not!" Michael yelled. The pair looked around and noticed eyes were on them. "I'm not," he whispered.
"Obviously. So why were you in the car with him?"
"Mazikeen was doing business with him. He supposedly had information on my missing cherub. When he saw me, he refused the cash and asked for a favor instead."
"You didn't bother to deny him? Possibly kicking his ass to the ground."
"I didn't have a choice," Michael seethed. "I've racked up quite a folder with assault charges. I promised Chloe I wouldn't use my fists anymore... And it wasn't like I was actually going to help him."
"Is that how the car accident happened?"
"Sort of…" Michael looked down at his ripped pants. They were torn up pretty bad. Burn patches could be pointed out from the car catching fire. He let out a sigh. "I didn't plan on hurting anyone. I just showed Liam his fears. One thing led to the next and he panicked. He jumped into the passenger seat and startled the driver. The rest is history. We smacked right into the divider and flipped."
"We saw the damage on the news. It was a bad accident, Michael. The driver is in intensive care. What were you even thinking?"
"I was thinking about all the people he's hurt. All the information he has on these people in hiding. I wanted him to see what he'd done."
Lucifer let out a sigh. He leaned back into his chair, not at all sure what else he wanted to say to Michael. Lucifer knew he wasn't one to talk. In the past, he put his own feelings in front of the consequences. Instead of giving his brother an ear full, Lucifer crossed his arms back over his chest and stared at Michael.
"Don't tell Ella about this please. I can't bare the information getting out to her."
"I'm afraid she might already know. The call came directly from Daniel. He pushed the call through so the Detective could know what had happened. They called her desk. Daniel was the one that picked up."
Michael buried his head into his hands. His elbows rested on his thighs as his hands held his head up. He let out a groan.
.
.
Captain Urias closed the door behind him. He pushed his way into his office trying not to look at the Detective as she watched him with squinted eyes. Chloe was already sitting in one of the available chairs across from his desk. Her arms were folded across her chest already dreading the conversation she was about to have with the man.
"Detective Decker," he addressed. He found himself behind his desk, standing.
"Captain Urias."
"Pleasant surprise seeing you in my precinct."
"Trust me. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't necessary."
"Mhmm…"
The Captain pulled his chair back so he could have himself a seat. As he plopped his rather large ass into his chair, Chloe dropped her arms and turned on her detective skills.
"Why did you arrest Michael? We both know he hasn't done anything wrong."
"I haven't arrested him," he replied. "Is Mr. Prince currently inside our jail cells? No. He's sitting comfortably with Mr. Morningstar out in the bullpen."
"Handcuffed," Chloe stressed.
"Detective Decker…"
"Respectfully Captain, I don't need to hear the excuses. What I need is for you to drop the accusations you have on Michael and let him go. If you have questions to ask him, he'll be more than happy to cooperate, but since you've failed to question him since he arrived, I feel there is no other need for him to be in your care." She lifted herself from her seat. The Captain narrowed his eyes on her knowing she was right.
"I admire your tenacity, Detective."
"Thank you."
The Captain stood from his desk. His large hands laid flat on the top, angling his shoulders forward. He looked down at the papers on his desk before opening his mouth once more.
"You know your name has been floating around for a promotion?"
"Is that so?" Chloe kept her composure. She was well aware that her name was being tossed around, but she didn't want him to know. She kept her head held high, all emotion absent on her face.
"It has… You know you could rise to a higher station much faster if you only surrounded yourself with better company." His eyes moved towards the window. Chloe already knew who he was referring to.
"The company I surround myself with makes me a better Detective. If Lucifer is holding me back, I'd rather stay at my current level."
"Interesting…" He mumbled. "Very well, Detective…" He stood up straight, closing the folder in front of him. Chloe walked over to the front door, placing her hand on the door knob. Before she could leave, the Captain spoke up, "Detective?"
"Yes, Captain?" She turned around showing the man respect.
"Keep Mr. Prince out of trouble for the foreseeable future. I understand he's developed somewhat of a history of violence since he's taken up residence in Los Angeles. I'd like for you to keep a leash on him. Can you do that?" Chloe nodded her head. "Good… That will be all, Decker."
Chloe took a deep breath and opened the door. She stepped out of the office with her heart pounding out of her chest. Before she could reunite with Lucifer and Michael, an officer pulled her over to the side.
"Detective Decker?" He asked.
"Yes?"
"We have forms we need you to sign for Mr. Prince."
"Forms?" She took the papers from the officer. She gave them a once over looking at the information on the pages. "What is this?"
"The Captain wants to make sure Mr. Prince is not in danger. He was reported as kidnapped not too long before the accident. These are forms ensuring we can release him into your care. He is to have a police escort on him for the next twenty-four hours to ensure his safety. We believe Mr. Prince will be fine, but the Captain wanted to make sure he was being well looked after."
Chloe turned her head over towards the Captain's office and narrowed her eyes. She dropped the papers and shook her head in disbelief. The escorts weren't for Michael's protection, they were spies. She wasn't sure why he had taken a sudden interest in Michael, but she was sure she could deal with it. Chloe nodded her head and asked for a pen. The officer scrambled to find a pen on his person. As he was distracted searching for a pen, Chloe took the time to look over the details of the forms she was given.
"Here you go," the office said.
"Thank you…" She took the pen and walked over to a nearby desk. From the corner of her eye she could see Lucifer looking at her. She ignored him and placed her signature on all the forms. When she was done, she handed the pen over to the officer. "I'll need copies of these forms before I leave."
"Of course. I'll go ahead and copy them right now."
"May I have the keys to Mr. Prince's cuffs?"
"Of course!" He reached into his belt and pulled out a pair of keys for Chloe. He handed them over without hesitation.
"Thank you," she said exhausted.
"I'll be right back with your forms, Detective."
He walked off, leaving Chloe behind. With annoyance, Chloe walked over to the twins. The two were mumbling something to themselves when she found herself in front of them. Michael looked exhausted as he picked his head up from his lap.
"I'm sorry…" Michael said.
"It's fine. Are you okay? I didn't even bother to ask when I arrived." She motioned to his ripped clothing.
"Yeah… Not so much as a scratch." He flashed her a fake smile.
"I'm sure Lucifer has chewed your ear off. I'll assume you don't need to hear another round of scolding."
"No, he's already given me an ear full…" He looked down at his wrists.
"Let me see your hands," she asked.
"Huh?" He looked up.
She showed him the key to his cuffs. Once he saw them, Michael lifted his hands, eager to have them removed. With a quick turn of the key, the cuffs came loose. Michael hissed as the metal unclasped his wrists. He ran his hands around his wrist trying to heal the chafe.
"Thank you."
"I got word from one of the officers that someone reported you as kidnapped. How did that happen?"
Michael looked up confused. He turned his head to his brother and then back to Chloe.
"I was reported kidnapped?"
"That's what I was told. You'll need to have police escorts on you for the next twenty-four hours."
"What?" Michael whined.
"Just be glad it's twenty-four hours, Michael."
"Fine…"
"What did the Captain say, Detective?" Lucifer asked.
"Nothing much. Which was odd…" She turned around and looked over at the Captain's office. The door was closed, along with the blinds to the window. "I think he was shocked when I entered his office alone. He had his eyes on you while we were talking."
"Me?" Lucifer questioned.
"He was one of the higher ups that took Lieutenant Pierce's death pretty hard. Once he heard we were a part of his take down, he made it his mission to keep an eye on me. He's been in the shadows quietly observing me." She shook her head, not at all worried. "It's not something to worry about. Our Lieutenant assured me he's harmless."
"He didn't sound harmless," Michael voiced. "He seemed annoyed with me and my brother. He seems to think we work outside the law."
"Don't worry about him. As long as the both of you stay out of trouble, we have nothing to worry about."
Lucifer let out a huff. "Well, I'm perfectly capable of staying out of trouble."
"As if," Michael spoke up. "You're just as reckless as me."
Lucifer narrowed his eyes. Chloe stepped in between the pair, not at all ready for them to bunt heads.
"Enough. You and I," she turned to Lucifer, "still need to run that lead over at the florist shop. I don't need to go the rest of the day with a headache... So if we can keep the sibling fighting on hold, I'd greatly appreciate it."
"Very well," they replied together.
Michael picked himself off of his chair. Before he could start walking out, Chloe stopped him.
"I still need to collect the copies of your release forms. We can't go anywhere just yet."
Michael rolled his eyes. He had a seat on the top of the desk. His back was pressed against his brother's shoulder. Lucifer shook his head, inching away from Michael.
"Detective Decker?" An officer called out.
"Yes?" She turned around and found the officer with her copies. "Thank you."
"The Captain has stressed the importance of Mr. Prince having a police escort for the remainder of the day. He wants to make sure you understand that. That won't be a problem, will it?"
Lucifer threw his hands up in the air. It was yet another wrench thrown in his plans. Chloe waved her hand trying to dismiss Lucifer's actions.
"That's fine. I'll make sure to report everything over to my Lieutenant so he can have it sent over to Captain Urias."
"Can I ask what is being done about Liam Harrison?" Michael asked.
"He's being detained for the meantime. We've been watching him closely for the past month. He's keeping quiet for the meantime, but we hope to get him talking soon. You are advised to stay in town until an officer can come to ask you more information on the accident. Until then, you are free to go, Mr. Prince."
"Excellent! Thank you." Michael stood up from his seat and began walking towards the exit. He left Chloe and Lucifer behind to deal with the rest. Chloe quickly moved after him, worried he'd take off without her. Lucifer soon followed after her.
"Michael! Hold on!" Chloe called out.
"I have business to attend to. And as my brother has pointed out, you have work to do as well." He clicked the elevator button.
"You can't leave the precinct without me just yet."
"Just let him go, Detective. The precinct is on the other side of town. This way we can still hit the shop before it closes."
"I can't," Chloe whispered. "He's in my care. If I let him walk out without me it'll look suspicious. The Captain did this for a reason."
"But we brought my car, Detective… we won't all fit."
"I know…" She ran her hand up Lucifer's bicep. She shot him a sympathetic look before reaching into her pocket to grab her phone.
"What's going on?" Michael asked.
"You've ruined my day, that's what you've done," Lucifer answered.
"Stop it, Lucifer. He hasn't… Just give me a second."
As the doors opened to the elevator, Lucifer pushed Michael forward so they could all get into it. The Devil grumbled under his breath as he knew the day he had planned wasn't going to happen. He crossed his arms over his chest and began his pouting. Michael stood tall not at all phased at what was happening. Chloe on the other hand, finished her work and placed her phone into her pocket.
"I got a police escort to drive you back to the precinct. It should be outside by the time we walk outside."
"Just me? Where are you two going?" Michael asked.
"You're going to the precinct. Lucifer and I are going to check on our lead."
"The precinct? Can't I just go back to the penthouse? Place me on house arrest. Is it really necessary that I go back to the station?" He wasn't looking forward to Ella seeing him. He just knew she wasn't going to be too happy about the turn of events.
"Yes, because they have found you unfit to be left alone. Your incident wasn't something minor Michael. My hands are tied. Lucifer and I need to follow up on this lead and I can't have you tagging along. This way you're being watched over by Dan." The elevator doors opened. She stepped out, Lucifer and Michael followed behind. "Maybe you'll think twice before getting yourself into trouble again."
Lucifer smirked from behind his brother. He enjoyed the sound of the Detective scolding Michael. He had assumed she was nice to him, but he was wrong. It was a happy moment for him. He grinned from ear to ear as she continued to drill his recklessness into him. As they made their way out of the building, all three of them piled into the parking lot.
"Right, well this is your ride," Chloe spoke up. The car pulled up, the driver lowered his window.
"Detective Decker?" The officer asked.
"Yes, but you'll be taking my friend instead of me. He is to be taken to precinct 111 and escorted into Detective Espinoza's care. He will be waiting outside for Mr. Prince's arrival."
"You were serious… you're seriously sending me away like some delinquent!" Michael wasn't happy.
"No, not some delinquent." She walked right up to Michael and pointed her index finger into his chest. "Like a child, because you can't seem to stay out of trouble for more than a week."
Lucifer stood behind Chloe with the biggest smile on his face. Michael looked between the two. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing.
"Don't look at your brother, look at me." Michael immediately looked down at Chloe. "I am serious, Michael. You are to stay at the precinct until Lucifer and I return. If I so much as hear that you left, I will have Captain Urias arrest you himself and I will not come to your aid."
"That's a bit harsh don't you think?" Michael asked.
"No, it isn't. It's perfectly acceptable seeing as you got very lucky that Captain Urias didn't press on the subject of your involvement with Liam Harrsion."
"You know about Liam Harrison?" His voice became weak as Chloe showed recollection to the name.
"Of course I know about Liam Harrison. He's been on the officer's watch list for the past year."
"I… I wasn't doing anything illegal, I promise."
"I know you weren't…" She took a deep breath to get her anger under control. Lucifer slipped his hands onto her shoulder to help. "But the fact that the Captain has found you interesting just shows that you need to be on your best behavior. You need to stop getting yourself into trouble."
"I understand… I promise."
"I've already informed Miss Lopez of Michael's mishaps. She'll keep an eye on him," Lucifer addressed.
"You what!?" Michael pushed Chloe's hand away trying to get to Lucifer. Lucifer dropped his hand off of Chloe's shoulder and backed away.
"Enough!" She raised her voice. The two stood tall, backing away from each other. "Get in the damn car and stay out of trouble. Lucifer and I will be back after two."
"That's in three hours!" Michael whined.
"I will make it longer, Michael!" Chloe warned.
"Fine…" He tossed his hands in the air.
"I'm sorry," Chloe told the officer.
"No no, it's fine…"
"Just please take him to the precinct. If you have to handcuff him to get him inside, feel free."
"I'd handcuff him now," Lucifer butted in.
"You're not helping, Lucifer."
Michael narrowed his eyes on his brother. Before he could open his mouth as well, Chloe shoved Michael toward the vehicle.
"Get in the car."
"Alright, alright. I'm going."
Michael opened the door to the police car and got inside. Chloe walked over and closed the door for him. The angel looked like a criminal sitting in the backseat. Lucifer stood beside Chloe with a smile on his face.
"You're good to go," she told the officer.
The car pulled forward, leaving the parking lot. Lucifer wrapped his arm over the Detective. Chloe leaned into Lucifer's side, already exhausted with the events of the day.
"He's going to drive me crazy," she murmured.
"Try growing up with him."
Chloe let out a groan. She turned into Lucifer's side and buried her head into his chest. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in closer. A chuckle fell from his lips as Chloe continued to groan about Michael.
"Stop laughing at me," she mumbled.
"I'm sorry, Darling."
"He's seriously worse than a child."
"Oh I know. You don't have to tell me."
"You sure you can't stay permanently after this visit? I don't think I can handle him alone for another week."
"Oooh." He pulled her close. His hand came to rest behind her head. A smile pulled at the corners of his lips. "We'll see where the day leads us, Detective."
"Mmkay…"
Lucifer kissed the top of her head. His free hand came up her back to give it a soft rub. The two stayed in each other's arms for a few more seconds. When officers started to pull up and exited their cars, Lucifer dropped his arms and pulled Chloe at arms length.
"Should we get going?"
"I guess…"
Lucifer let out a chuckle. He handed her his keys so he could cheer her up. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from smiling too hard. She took the keys into her hand and practically skipped over to the Corvette.
.
.
Michael went to open the door to the car, but found he wasn't able to even get it open. He looked over at the office, annoyed.
"A little help, please."
The officer slipped out of the car and opened the door for him. Dan was already standing outside with his hands in his pocket. Once Michael stepped out, the two officers began going over the restriction for Michael. He could vaguely hear the release of custody being discussed two the two. When they were done talking, Michael was off to the side with his hands in his pockets. Dan wished the officer a good day and made his way over to Michael.
"I thought you said you were working on keeping out of trouble?"
"I am... I was…" He let out a sigh. "I'm working on it."
Dan placed his hand on Michael's back, ushering him into the building. As they walked past the entrance, Michael made sure to keep his head down. He knew he was in trouble. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention. As they entered the elevator, Dan turned to him.
"You okay? The news covered the accident. You're not hurt or anything are you?"
"Huh?" Michael lifted his head. He looked over his body and shook his head. "I'm fine."
"You sure? I can get someone to check you out."
"I'm fine. I was wearing a seatbelt."
The elevator doors opened and Michael was immediately hit with someone wrapping their arms around him. He barely had a second to register his attacker when Ella pulled away and whacked him with her hand.
"Hey… hey, ow!" He cried out.
"Me tenias preocupada!" She whacked him across the chest once more. Ella let a growl escape her lips as she tried not to hurt him too much. "What in the world happened? You said you had a meeting."
"I thought so as well!"
"¿Qué es esto?" She motioned to his clothing.
"I…" He didn't know what to tell her. He knew it was a rhetorical question. Michael ushered his friends into a room so they could talk. He didn't wish for people to gawk at him more than they already were. When the door was closed behind them Dan started speaking.
"Chloe told me you were reported as kidnapped. Is it true?"
"Yes and no," Michael replied.
"What does that even mean?" Ella asked. She wasn't too happy with Michael not answering her.
"Mazikeen told me we were meeting with someone who would help me with finding my kids. When I arrived it was a back alley deal. One look at me and the guy demanded a favor I longed forgoed in return for the information. I struck the deal, but didn't plan on actually falling through with it. My guess is that Mazikeen reported the incident so it'd be dropped."
"What did he give you in return?" Dan asked.
"Information on someone I've been looking for. Since Mazikeen has been having a hard time tracking my kids, I've been looking for someone who could help. He's been in hiding for some time. Supposedly, Liam Harrison had the location of my friend."
"Liam Harrsion?" Ella scrunched up her face, having heard the name before, but not entirely sure where.
"Person of interest involving illegal labor laws. They think he's trafficking people for his sweat shops," Dan pointed out. He crossed his arms over his chest. He looked at Michael with disappointment. "Why are you doing business with this guy?"
"I'm not!" He turned to Ella so she'd know he was telling the truth. "I turned him away a month ago. On our first date, you saw me talking to a man. I had him escorted out of the club? You asked about him."
"Yeah… you were pretty upset with his encounter. You told me something, but I can't remember what you said."
"I said something didn't sit well with me when I talked with him. You thought I was lying, but I wasn't…" He turned to Dan, "he wanted the deal he came to me with a month ago, in exchange for the information. I was never going to make the deal, I swear."
"I believe you," Dan responded. "But how did the accident happen? Why were you arrested?"
"I…" Michael wasn't sure how to explain the minutes leading to the crash. He shifted his jaw side to side thinking of a cover up. "I don't know how the accident happened. Liam got freaked out and jumped into the passenger seat. From there the driver got spooked and hit the divider, the car flipped I guess."
"Michael the car was totalled." Ella pulled Michael in front of her so she could get a better look of his body. She ran her hands along his arms checking for scratches. She then began to lift his shirt so she could check for bruises. Michael quickly stopped her before she could question his absence of wounds.
"I'm fine, Ells. Really," he stressed.
"What did the paramedics say? They did check you out, right?"
"I didn't meet with them. They were too busy worrying about the driver."
"We heard he's in intensive care," Dan spoke up.
"I didn't mean for him to get hurt."
"Hey, hey. It's not your fault," Ella said. "Weird stuff happens all the time. I'm just glad you're okay. You are okay, right? You don't feel funny." She reached up so she could check his head. He quickly pulled away. "Michael…"
"I'm fine."
"I don't care. I still want to check for any injuries."
"I'm…" He stopped talking when Ella gave him a look. He let out a sigh and had himself a seat in a chair. As soon as he sat down, Ella got to work looking over his supposed injuries. "There's nothing wrong," he said.
"Let me be the judge of that," she replied.
Michael let out a groan and let Ella do her thing. She parted his hair to check for cuts. All she could see was dried blood. As she moved down his neck, he watched her from the corner of his eyes.
"Find anything?"
"I'm still checking…"
"Alright."
Her hands moved down his neck, her soft hands felt nice running down his neck. He smiled down at her when she looked up. Ella shook her head.
"Can I check your chest and torso?"
"You may, but I don't think Daniel wants to watch you fondle me," Michael quipped.
"Michael," Ella warned.
"What?" He ran his hands up her arm, they rested on top of her hands. He shot her a smile when he found her seriousness offsetting.
"This is serious."
"I know, Ells… and I'm just trying to lighten the mood. I'm fine, see." He dropped his hands and started lifting his shirt. There was a small red patch by his ribs. Ella immediately moved his hands so she could get a better look. When her hands touched him, he winced.
"See I told you!" She pushed him back so she could test the area. Her fingers lightly moved across the bone to check if it was broken. "Does it hurt when I do this?" She pressed down on his rib.
Michael made a face, but didn't yelp like she expected.
"It's a little sore, but it doesn't hurt," he replied.
"Well that's good."
"Just a bruise?" Dan asked.
"Yeah, most likely from the seatbelt. You're lucky," she told Michael.
"I know I am." Michael pulled his shirt down. His hand found Ella's and placed a kiss on top. "And I thank my father every day that I get to spend my days on Earth."
"Smooth talker." Ella pulled her hands out of his grasp. She slapped a hand across Michael's chest.
"Can I have a kiss?" He asked.
"I'm at work…"
"I'll give you two some… I'll be outside." Dan turned in his spot and made his way out of the room. When the door closed, Michael pulled Ella close to him. His arms were around her waist.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to worry you."
"Mhmm…"
"I didn't…"
He lifted his hand and ran it along her cheek. He gently guided her lips up to his. When their lips met, Michael pulled her close to him. She immediately folded, deepening their kiss. He smiled against her lips as she ran her hands up his chest.
"Idiot," she mumbled.
"I know I am." He gave her a quick peck on the lips. "But I'm your idiot."
"You are." She brought his head down so she could kiss him once more.
"Forgiven?"
"I'll think about it…"
"Can I persuade you into forgiving me?" He leaned his head down, placing a kiss on her neck.
"Nah uh…" she pushed him away. "I'm working."
"I know you are…"
"Then you know to keep those hands to yourself," she warned.
"Of course," he smiled. He took his hands off her waist, holding them up where she could see them. "But before we step out of the room and you go back to working… Can I have one last kiss to get me through the day?"
Michael watched Ella wrestle with the question. Before she could give an answer, he scooped her up from under her butt and placed a kiss on her lips. Her hands fell on the sides of his face, enjoying his persistence. Just as quickly as he picked her up, he sat her back down.
"I hope you haven't changed your mind about our date tomorrow…" Michael asked.
"No, I haven't changed my mind." She ran her fingers along his jaw. Lazily thinking of kissing him one more time. She looked up at him and smiled. "Five o'clock, don't forget."
"Five o'clock," he repeated. He smiled down at her.
"... We should be getting back to Dan, I don't want to keep him waiting."
"Of course."
He pulled his hands off of her so she could step back. She motioned for him to follow and the pair exited the room. Dan was waiting patiently outside, standing guard.
"At ease, Daniel," Michael said. He gave Dan a pat on the back as he came to stand beside him.
"I got a call from Chloe," he addressed Ella. "Turns out the flower shop was a dead end. Chloe wants to run through the evidence you collected at both crime scenes when she comes back, one more time."
"There wasn't enough evidence at the crime scene to begin with…" Ella let out a groan. She quickly corrected her attitude and nodded her head. "Fine… I'll get it set up for her. Maybe her and I can find something with Lucifer's help."
"Happy to help if either of you need it," Michael spoke up. "Looks like I'll be here all day, might as well take advantage of my usefulness."
Dan looked at Ella. He needed someone to help him with some paperwork. When Ella didn't claim him, Dan motioned for him to follow. As Michael turned to go help Dan, he blew Ella a kiss. She graciously caught it and retreated off to her work space. Dan was already laying out forms for Michael to look over with him.
"Right… So what do we got here?" He asked.