Thank you for all the reviews! They really do keep me motivated and keeps the juices flowing.
Continuing to work through 'Blue Ballz' here. Mostly Michael with a bit of Chloe at the end. For those wanting to see a bit more Lucifer – he comes up in the next chapter. Was going to finish the episode but it broke up better this way.
Enjoy!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
It did not take long for Michael to find Lucifer. What could have possessed Lucifer to come here? He could hear baby Charlie crying before he even reached the front door.
"The last place the Detective will expect to find me is with a baby." He heard Lucifer state as though it should be obvious.
"It is the last place any one would expect to find you." Michael called out over Charlie's crying shutting the door behind him.
"Oh, great." Amenadiel continued to bounce tiredly. "What are you doing here?"
Michael cringed stepping up beside Jed. "Looking for Lucifer and wishing I wasn't." How could something so little make such a racket? He was regretting doing this already.
"Why on Earth would you be looking for me?" Lucifer asked honestly confused.
Dan spoke before Michael could. "The sting at Lux. Shouldn't you be there?"
"I don't know anything about a sting."
"You would if you answered your phone." Michael bit out already annoyed.
No one noticed Jed slowly backing away.
"I am being mysterious." Lucifer responded as though it explained everything.
Michael stared him down. "What the hell does that mean?"
Amenadiel stood. "Look, before you two get really started…" He held up a crying Charlie who only wailed louder. Both twins flinched back. "Do either of you know how to stop this?"
Lucifer held out his flask. "Have you tried whiskey?"
Michael slapped his hand. "Are you insane?"
"Actually, they used to rub whiskey on their gums for teething." Dan shrugged.
Lucifer wore a 'there you are' expression. Michael rolled his eyes. "Have you tried milk? Formula? Water?" He motioned toward the crying baby. "Surely his throat is dry by now."
"Good idea." Amenadiel latched onto the one sane suggestion he had not tried in the last hour.
Amenadiel thrust Charlie into Michael's hands grabbing a grumbling Lucifer to help him in the kitchen. Michael held Charlie out from him with wide eyes. Why the hell? Amenadiel must really be getting desperate here. The baby just kept crying at the top of his lungs. Michael quickly turned to Dan handing Charlie over.
"Take him."
Dan chuckled at him, noting the fear on his face, and took Charlie. "Okay, grab his car seat."
"Car seat?"
Dan motioned to the dining table. "Yeah. Let's get him strapped in and try rocking him while they get a bottle for him."
Michael did as told watching intently as Dan strapped in baby Charlie with expert hands despite the baby's attempts to roll and escape.
"Got milk."
"Not that milk, Luci."
Michael rolled his eyes catching sight of his brothers in the kitchen. Why was he even here again?
"Here man." Dan put the car seat plus baby in his hand. Michael held it giving Dan a 'what am I supposed to do with this' look. Dan chuckled at him. "Swing him. Gently."
"Swing him?" Michael started swinging his nephew back and forth.
"Slower." Dan instructed. Michael slowed. "That's too fast." Michael slowed some more. "Yeah, still too fast."
Michael snapped. "You do it then." Why the hell had Dan even handed Charlie to him if all he was going to do was nitpick? Did he look like he knew what he was doing? Why was he even doing it?
Dan showed him how slow it was supposed to be done. Charlie quieted within a minute. Michael had to admit he was reluctantly impressed. The silence felt good on his ears and he hadn't been here all day.
"Look, man, Chloe is trusting you right now, so I'm going to as well until you give me a reason not to."
Michael stared at him a moment. "That's foolish."
Dan shrugged. "That's Chloe."
Charlie started crying again making them both sigh.
"Why is he crying so much?" Michael asked. He had only been here, what, fifteen minutes, and he was already tired. And humans elected to do this.
Dan shrugged continuing to slowly swing Charlie, despite the baby still crying, in a desperate attempt to get him to stop again. "Could be anything. Only thing you can do is just try everything you know to do. Feed him, change him, burp him, and sometimes even that won't work."
"Sounds tedious."
"It is." Dan agreed. "But worth it."
Michael grimaced. "If you say so." He was going to leave it to the humans and his brother. As long as it wasn't him.
Amenadiel came over triumphantly with bottle in hand and took Charlie to feed him. Michael was more than ready to grab Lucifer and drag him to Chloe if he had to; anything to get out of here before he got roped into doing anything else.
Lucifer's phone rang before he could. Michael watched with a glare as Lucifer tossed his phone out the window.
"What the hell man?" Dan questioned just as his own phone started ringing. At least he answered his.
"What are you doing?" Michael questioned a slight growl in his voice as Lucifer motioned to Dan that he wasn't there. He shouldn't care. He should leave and let them handle this on their own.
"I told you, being mysterious." Lucifer acted like it was the most obvious thing in the world and really they should stop asking him the same questions over and over.
Michael wanted to punch him.
Dan hung up his phone. "Do you know how crazy that sounds?"
Lucifer adjusted his suit jacket. "The Detective is a detective." When all they did was blink at him Lucifer continued with a huff. "Jed explains things so much better."
"Oh, he does, does he?" Michael sneered. He quickly looked around then raised his hands. "Where is he then?"
"He's right…" Lucifer looked around confused. Jed was nowhere to be seen.
The man had obviously snuck out while they had all been busy with Charlie. Michael gave him points for cunning.
Dan sighed. "You just got played, son. I told you to watch out for him."
Michael watched Lucifer with a small amount of glee as it sunk in for his brother exactly what happened. So the human actually convinced Lucifer into doing something so incredibly stupid. His brother was so far gone it was pathetic. Michael felt bitterness and resentment flood him. So when Lucifer stormed toward the stairs fussing about how he was manipulated, Michael met him head on at the top. Lucifer's devil eyes glared at him but Michael was seeing his own version of red.
"You let him manipulate you." His growl answered Lucifer's deep one. Lucifer did not get to try to take insult here. He was the idiot that fell for something so obvious. He crowded Lucifer back down the stairs. "Like always you were only thinking of yourself."
Lucifer snarled grabbing his shirt. How dare he?
"Not in my house." Amenadiel ordered harshly. Charlie was once again crying.
Michael jerked out of Lucifer's grip. "I'll get Jed. I know where he is going."
Lucifer barely waited for Michael to step out the door before he lost control of his devil face.
"Whoa, man, easy. Not in front of Charlie."
Dan stepped forward obviously nervous for the baby in question. Charlie certainly didn't deserve that, but a giggle had them all freezing and staring in shock at Charlie. Lucifer lost his devil face in his shock looking at Charlie like he had an extra head.
"Well, that is certainly unexpected." His anger was forgotten about for the moment.
Charlie started crying again. Amenadiel looked at Lucifer urgently.
"Do it again, Luci."
Dan looked like he was about to have a stroke. "Are you serious?"
"If it works." Amenadiel motioned at Lucifer who still looked unsure of the idea. "Come on, I'm desperate here." He pleaded as Charlie's cries rose in volume again.
Lucifer, still unsure, released his devil face making a quick face at the baby, before losing it again. Charlie giggled. Lucifer did it again, and again, being quick just in case it was all a fluke. Charlie giggled each time until Lucifer just kept the face. Amenadiel looked relieved that Charlie wasn't crying. Dan threw the toys he was holding onto the couch. He was so done.
"Where's the beer?"
Amenadiel sent him an understanding smile. "In the fridge."
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Lux was booming. Bodies were dancing so close that Michael could barely move through the crowd. He was jostled on more than one occasion. Where the hell was Chloe? Of course she would be good enough at being under cover that she would completely blend in. The lights and the music irritated him. If one more human bumped into him…Ah, there she was. Michael made his way directly up the stairs to sneak in behind her. Linda noticed him, going wide eyed, just before he leaned over Chloe's shoulder.
"Boo." He whispered in her ear close enough that she heard him over the music.
Chloe jumped turning to face him, fist raised as though to punch him. She probably intended to until she recognized him. "Michael."
He grinned at her before sending Linda a charming smile. "Hello, Doctor."
Linda glared. "I am not talking to you."
Michael shrugged. Didn't bother him. He looked over Chloe's blue spotted onesie outfit and raised an eyebrow. "What are you wearing?"
Chloe blatantly ignored him. "Where is Lucifer?"
He shrugged again. "No idea." He was still feeling a bit of resentment from earlier and if she wasn't going to answer his question then he wasn't going to answer hers.
Chloe smacked him. Hard. Michael narrowed his eyes at her as she looked sternly up at him. "Don't lie to me. Where is he?"
Michael gave her a searching look. How did she know? He caught movement out of the corner of his eye. "Honestly, Chloe, I'd be more worried about that."
Chloe turned to look where Michael pointed to find Jed stepping out onto the stage. The crowd of fans erupted in cheers.
"What is he doing here?" Chloe turned to him like it was his fault. "He is supposed to be with Lucifer."
"Well, he isn't." Clearly. It wasn't his fault his brother couldn't keep up with one tiny human. She had no right looking at him like it was.
"You said the killer wasn't here though, right?" Linda questioned. "He should be fine."
Chloe looked unsure but nodded.
"This first song is for a very special lady." Jed's voice rang over the crowd. "Cherry Jane, this is for you."
Chloe groaned. Michael smirked leaning over her again. "Yes, he is so over you." He said sarcastically.
Chloe turned to glare at him. Their noses touched. They blinked at one another. Michael swore he heard her breath catch. He knew he was holding his. She was so close. His pulse acted up again. The temptation was there. Dare he give into it?
A ruckus on the dance floor answered for him. Both turned quickly to take in the scene below them not noticing Linda giving them a searching look.
Michael scanned the crowd quickly. "Chloe." He nudged her pointing toward a man using the ruckus as a distraction to climb onto the stage. Even from where they were they could make out the hearing aid in his ear. Chloe quickly took out her gun as they made their way down the stairs. The man had already pulled his gun on Jed before they got there.
"LAPD. Put the gun down." Chloe called taking aim at their killer. The crowd quickly dispersed leaving them in the open. Michael moved past Chloe. "Michael, stand down." Michael had half a mind to ignore her. This whole stand-off was pointless. "Michael." She said sternly.
Chloe is trusting you right now.
Dan's voice came back to him. Why should he care? If she trusted him, that was her fault. Shouldn't she know better? Michael looked at her over his shoulder. Chloe's eyes were firmly fixed on their killer. She did not look at him once. Michael blinked. Did she truly trust that he would stand down just because she told him to? That didn't make sense. After all he had done, she had no logical reason to. Still, it did something to him to think she did trust him. Slowly, he stepped back, letting her take lead. He noticed her body relax significantly. Chloe had tested him; tested her trust in him. Apparently, he had passed. Why did that feel so good?
Behind them, Ella, Maze, and Linda watched confused.
"What just happened there?" Ella asked shock clear on her features.
"He stood down." Maze mumbled. She eyed them curiously swearing to keep a closer watch on them in the future.
Linda watched the scene with a critical eye. She watched Michael watch Chloe closely as puzzle pieces formed in her head that had no place yet. She wondered as much as she was concerned.
Michael listened intently as Chloe talked to Ron, lost in his own thoughts and memories that came unbid.
"I understand, Ron. She disappeared on you. Completely ghosted you."
"I love her more than anything…and she left me for the hot, charitable DJ."
Ron was shaking, clearly mad and out for revenge, but afraid. Michael could feel it. That same fear of being left behind, of not being good enough; loved enough.
"Doesn't mean you have to kill anyone."
Michael wanted to scoff. Of course it didn't, but it doesn't stop the feelings. It doesn't stop the desire to strangle everyone involved. It doesn't stop the hurt.
"My friends gave me a hard time, for letting her walk all over me. They were right!"
"Ron, listen, you let your friends get in your head." Chloe took a step closer lowering her gun slightly. "You should have just talked to her."
Sometimes talking did no good. Actions spoke louder than words after all.
"I get it. I've been there. You have to tell her how you feel."
Sometimes it wasn't that simple.
"That sometimes she drives you crazy, that she can be incredibly challenging and headstrong and frustrating."
Michael knew she was talking about Lucifer. Of course she was.
"But also incredible, and that despite everything, you just want to be with him." Chloe jerked the gun back up. "Her! Her."
Michael stared at her barely taking in his surroundings. Chloe was just as far gone on his brother as Lucifer was for her. It was…sickening really. He waited for the jealousy. Jealous of who? He waited for the anger. Who was he really angry at? They never came. In that moment Michael just felt…tired. This, this was what he was trying to break up? Oh, it could be done, of that he had no doubt. But would it really be worth it? Would it really make him feel better in the long run? Chloe was…special. He could admit that now. It would take a special type of human to love the Devil of all people.
He was snapped back to reality when Ron landed on the floor in front of him. Michael blinked down at the sore human as he groaned on the floor. He looked up as Chloe walked over to cuff him.
"Well done." His voice was flat, emotionless.
Chloe looked up at him as though she was trying to see into him. Confusion crossed her features like she just wasn't sure what to make of him. Michael said nothing else and left her to her job.
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Chloe found him later at the bar. She figured he hadn't retreated too far and she had been right.
When he had first shown up, he was closed off but playful. It was the normal she had come to expect out of him over the past couple days. There had been the smallest tingle of wrong this entire case but it wasn't an alarming amount. It was clear Michael had been hiding behind a mask.
She hadn't been paying attention to Michael during her standoff with Ron but the way he looked after. His eyes had been the coldest she had ever seen them. Wrong had danced up her spine tugging at her as though warning her something was very wrong with the angel in front of her. What had closed him off so completely? What was he hiding?
Michael was slouched over his drink looking into it like it held all the answers. He certainly had his aura held around him to prevent others from bothering him. Chloe was undeterred. She couldn't help but notice his drink was clear, most likely vodka of some sort, in comparison to the warm amber of the whiskey Lucifer favored. Chloe stepped up beside him keeping her voice low.
"Mind if I join you?"
Michael barely turned his head but she saw his eyes settle on her. He shifted and shrugged in answer bringing the glass up to drink. It was so very clear that something was bothering him. Chloe felt her heart clench for him without her permission.
She sat beside him waving off Patrick when he came close. Patrick shrugged and moved on his way. Chloe looked at the angel beside her intently.
"You okay?"
Michael snorted turning to look at her harshly. "And you care why?"
Yes, something was most definitely wrong. He eyed her; almost as though daring her to lie to him. That was rich coming from him.
Chloe returned his casual shrug back at him which apparently incensed him further if the soft growl was anything to go by. A small smirk settled on her lips. Michael rolled his eyes as he realized she was winding him up and turned back to his drink.
"What do you really want, Chloe?"
"I really am checking in, Michael." Chloe sighed softly. "I know something is bothering you. I want to help if I can."
"You can't help. There is no point in trying." Michael raised the glass again.
"You don't know that."
The glass slammed onto the bar making Chloe jump. Michael twisted to her with a scowl on his face. His eyes burned into her with an intensity that could only be rivaled by Lucifer's devil gaze.
"What is it with you humans and thinking you can help with every little thing? There is nothing to help."
"Michael…"
"You don't care, Chloe. You only think you do because of some misguided instinct placed there by Father eons ago."
Chloe suddenly felt just as heated. "Stop telling me I only feel things because of your Father."
"Well don't you?" Michael stood to tower over her. Chloe met his stare. Wrong washed over her so intensely she felt nauseous with it. Wrong. This was all wrong. "You were made special, Chloe, just as Father wanted. You're nothing but a little puppet…"
CRACK.
Chloe was breathing harshly through her nose. Her hand stung sharply where she had smacked him. Michael looked at her with wide eyes, obviously in shock. It may not have hurt him, but he felt it.
"I have no idea why you are being this way, but this is not you." He opened his mouth to speak, eyes glaring again, but she spoke over him. She was right. Everything in her screamed she was right. "Bantering with your brother – that is you." She stood. "Poking at people just to annoy them – that is you. Letting someone smack you with their shoe because they remind you of your sister – that is you." He stepped back from her. Something crossed his face. Confusion? Fear? Chloe wasn't sure. "But this…this is not. This is some twisted version you have created to keep yourself distanced from everyone else. This version will have no place at my crime scenes or on my cases. I know you enjoy them."
"I don't." He snapped firmly.
"Do not lie to me!" Her voice rose over his.
Michael sat back in his seat. He looked frightened, unsure, and completely out of his depth. She was seeing him. No mask. No filter. This was the true Michael; the Michael that was hidden behind all the anger, the lies, and deceit.
"How…how do you?" Michael was blinking up at her like she wasn't real.
Chloe took a deep breath to get her bearings back. "Look, maybe I shouldn't care, but I do, because that is my choice. It is my choice who I trust. I don't care if it is all some predestined plan but I am the only one that can decide if I care or not. Just because I can see through Lucifer's desire mojo, just because I can see through your lie, doesn't mean I have to care, but I do, because I choose to care."
Michael looked away from her. His eyes held a haunted look to them. Chloe watched as he built his wall back. Watched it in his expression how it slowly closed off, watched his eyes go empty, watched him sit just that little bit straighter to show he wasn't affected by her. Chloe wasn't fooled but he knew that now. He wasn't trying to fool her. He was trying to protect himself.
The archangel stood, grabbing his drink to finish it in one swallow. "Lucifer is with our brother helping with Charlie."
"What? Seriously?" How in the world did that happen?
Michael looked at her with something akin to a smirk but it didn't reach his brown eyes. "I know."
"Is that why he was ignoring my phone calls?"
Michael snorted turning away from her. "You only asked me to find him."
He started to walk away but she grabbed his arm. Michael looked back at her his expression blank.
"Look, you can come to cases, or just to, I don't know, hangout, but leave…" She waved her hand at him. "Whatever that was at home."
Michael watched her a minute. Chloe watched him back. A soft smile found its way to his face. The smile itself could have been explained as warm if it could just reach his eyes.
"We'll see."
Chloe watched him leave through the crowd.
Maze walked up beside her. "Well, you two seem to be hitting it off."
Chloe gave no physical indication she had heard the demon. "Can you find out where he is staying?"
"You want me to follow him?"
Chloe shook her head. "No, that would be too obvious." She looked at Maze who was not giving her own thoughts away. "Just find him. I'm sure he is somewhere on Earth in L.A. Don't engage. Just let me know and then leave him alone."
Maze eyed her. "You sure you know what you are doing?"
Chloe sighed. "I hope so. Will you do it?"
Maze heaved a put upon sigh. "I guess so. You'll owe me, Decker."
"Thank you, Maze." Chloe replied genuinely.
Chloe couldn't quite put her finger on what it was that was drawing her so much to Michael but she wanted to find out. She just had this crazy feeling that there was more to Michael's and Lucifer's backstory than they were willing to admit. She hadn't missed the way they had fallen into the barking banter without realizing. Yes, it drove her up the wall but that's what it was. She had witnessed many siblings do the same thing. Bark insults, fight like cats and dogs, but then let someone else threaten the other. Chloe couldn't help but wonder what they were like before. Surely they got along at some point, right?
She would need to get in touch with Amenadiel in the morning.
