We are stepping away from the series and going completely AU for the rest of this story. We will pick back up with the series in Part 2.

Lucifer has a chat with Linda. Michael finds Chloe but things go downhill.

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Instead of haunting the station, Lucifer and Ella decided to visit Linda and Amenadiel. Even with little Charlie not feeling well it was still a neutral and safe space. Even Maze joined them. Dan had to get Trixie but would notify them if he heard anything before they did.

Ella occupied herself by helping with Charlie which was a big relief for his parents.

Lucifer paced continuously. He couldn't sit still if he tried but he said he would wait and give Michael time so that was what he was going to do. He was a Devil of his word after all. Maze watched him with a critical eye quickly growing annoyed.

"You know he can't be trusted, right?" Maze asked.

Lucifer acted as though he hadn't heard her. That thought had not left his mind even though he tried hard not to think it. He didn't want to think it and yet old memories reminded him that this wouldn't be the first time he had put hope in his brother only to be let down.

"I'll bet he probably even planned all this, manipulator that he is." Maze continued.

"Shut up, Maze." Ella snapped. Everyone looked to her surprised. She was always so happy and cheerful it was odd seeing her glare at someone truly mad. "Michael is trying. I don't know what he has done in the past but he is trying right now. That's what matters."

Maze leaned forward in her chair. "Or maybe he wants all of you to think he is."

Ella stood firm. "You're wrong."

Lucifer turned away to hide a soft smile. Seems Michael has earned himself a friend. For Miss Lopez's sake, he hoped she was right.

"Lucifer." He turned at the sound of Linda's soft voice. "Can I speak with you a moment?"

Lucifer nodded and followed her to one of the spare rooms. She shut the door behind them and motioned for him to sit on the bed. The fact that Lucifer made no comment or innuendo made Linda worry for her friend.

"It's not the office, but I thought you might like to talk." She suggested softly choosing to sit beside him instead of in the chair in the corner.

Lucifer was silent as he stared down at his hands and Linda let him be. Waiting patiently had become a skill for her. Often it took time for her patients to find words and she has learnt that sometimes waiting was better than asking questions. Her patience paid off.

"I'm frightened." Lucifer began hesitantly as though tasting the words on his tongue trying to determine if they were actually true.

"Of?" She asked softly.

"I thought just of losing the Detective but I'm not sure that's entirely the whole truth."

Linda hummed. Lucifer remained quiet. "What is the whole truth then?"

Lucifer sighed frustrated with his thoughts. "Michael. I…I want to trust him. I want to believe in him but there is this small voice that reminds me that Maze may be right. He's already turned on me once before with absolutely no warning and he's let me down when I've needed him most."

"It sounds like there is a lot of troublesome history for you two."

Lucifer barked a short laugh. He hung his head holding it up with his hands. "We were so close, Linda." Oh, he was getting serious. Linda sat a little straighter to pay closer attention. "He was always there. It was us against everyone else, or at least, it felt that way sometimes. I was the more curious out of the two of us and frequently dragged him along on little adventures that completely took us from our duties. Oh, he'd fuss at me and grumble, acting like he was bothered, but he would come along anyway."

Lucifer paused and lowered his hands allowing the memories to flow. He remembered the pranks they pulled on their siblings as pay back for their teasing. He remembered the ones they played on each other. The flying up as high as they could go so they could free fall and see who chickened out first. The races, which Michael always won, the exploring, the games; almost every happy memory Lucifer had included Michael in some shape or form but was tainted by their later fighting and betrayal.

"We had this special place. It was all ours; no one else knew it existed. We hid there so often, just the two of us."

That place was where they made all their plans. It was where they fussed and complained to each other. They had even fallen asleep there multiple times curled up in their feathers sharing their warmth between them. It was the same place that held their biggest secret.

Linda smiled softly. She could hear the love in Lucifer's voice. "Sounds like you were happy."

Lucifer had a ghost of a smile flicker across his face before it disappeared. "We had a secret. Have a secret. We've never told anyone. Sometimes I wonder, if it wasn't the secret that caused everything."

Linda looked at the floor for moment in thought. "Sometimes secrets can weigh heavily, especially if they are big or complicated." She looked back at Lucifer who had not moved. "Was this secret a one-time thing?"

Slowly, Lucifer shook his head. "No. It was meant to be, just a small simple test, an experiment if you want, but it kept happening. Eventually we just gave in and went with it. We couldn't stop anyway, we didn't want to stop."

"In that case, sometimes, guilt can begin to set in, especially if it was something you weren't supposed to be doing."

Lucifer growled. "I know that." He snapped before running his hands through his hair and flopping back on the bed.

Linda wasn't sure how much more she could help. Without knowing for sure what the secret was she had no idea how to help Lucifer work things through. She had a hunch, but acting on a hunch could make things worse. Lucifer was torn though, clearly fighting with himself in concerns to Michael. Instead she settled on the more immediate problem.

"Do you believe Michael?"

A sigh. "Yes."

"Do you trust Michael, right now, in this moment?"

It took him a little longer to respond. "Yes."

Linda smiled resting a hand on Lucifer's knee. "Then believe and trust him. Don't listen to anyone else. Listen to yourself."

Lucifer stared at the ceiling. "You're right, of course. Thank you, Doctor." He felt a little lighter now at least.

Samael!

Lucifer sat up quickly.

Linda jumped. "Lucifer! What's wrong?"

"Did you hear that?" He asked hurriedly only for Linda to shake her head in a negative. Was he hearing things?

Samael!

Lucifer stood this time. He wasn't dreaming it.

Linda blinked at him. "I'm sorry. Lucifer, what's going on?"

Samael, I have Chloe but I'm injured and outnumbered. Please hear me. Sam, please!

Lucifer dashed out of the room. He ignored everyone as they called to him his only thought was of getting to Michael and the Detective. No sooner had he got the front door open was he gone with a flap of his wings.

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Michael landed with a stumble just barely catching himself on a nearby rock. He fought off the nausea that was currently plaguing him closing his eyes against the dizziness. His wings hung limply. He was pushing too far he knew but he had to find Chloe. Damn his head hurt.

Michael straightened slowly and furled his wings away. He last felt Chloe near here he was sure. Breaking the city up into sections had helped and he had finally got a trace of her and moved in her direction to search again. Chloe had been moved out of the city and he was sure was hid somewhere near. Of course she had been moved to the freaking desert. The sun beat down on him making the pounding in his skull even worse. Once he was sure he could walk without the world spinning he started searching manually. There was no way he could use his powers right now.

He walked around looking for any small caves or caverns that Chloe may have been placed. Finally, he found a large rock that looked like it had been moved recently. The ground around it was scuffed where it had been scooted across the dirt. It was large enough that Chloe wouldn't be able to move it but one of his siblings could with minimal effort. Michael easily moved it out of the way. Behind it was small cave system. He quickly felt for any celestial signals but felt none. His head pounded in protest making him groan. At least there was a small lantern that lit the place.

"Chloe." He called into the cave. Please don't let him be wrong. He couldn't continue like this.

A blonde head poked out from behind one of the cave walls. "Michael?" Chloe stepped out hesitantly. Michael felt relief fill him. He wanted to drop but needed to get her out of here first.

"How do I know it's you?" She held a large piece of wood in her hand like a bat.

Michael tilted his head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Chloe took a few steps closer but raised the wood threateningly when he tried to go to her. "Don't."

Michael would have laughed at her had the situation not been so weird. Did she really think that piece of wood would help with an angel? But she was standing tall and brave just like he figured she would be. Chloe would be going down fighting. He held his hands up in surrender and to hopefully show her he meant no harm. It hurt to see that she thought he did.

"What would you like me to do?"

"The night I figured out the truth, that you weren't Lucifer, how many times did I shoot you?"

Michael grumbled under his breath. "Four. Once in the leg to prove I wasn't Lucifer and three times in the chest just because it made you feel better."

Chloe dropped the wood and rushed him. Her arms flung around his neck and held tightly. He stumbled just managing to not fall over and returned the hug just as tightly breathing her in, rubbing his cheek against her hair. Her scent was tainted with fear and the stench of other angel and it needed to be fixed.

"I don't know how you found me, I don't care." Chloe said stepping back just a step to be able to look at him. Her arms stayed around him even as she looked around. "Where's Lucifer?"

Michael kept her close. "Waiting." He ran his fingers through her long strands rough from dirt. "Are you hurt?"

"Sore but manageable."

Chloe traced his cheek looking at him as though she wanted to kiss him. Michael closed his eyes with a sigh. He really hoped they could in the future. He stepped away keeping one of her hands in his.

"Come on. We need to get you home before Lucifer raises Hell looking for you. Literally."

Chloe chuckled nervously knowing Michael was right. She blinked harshly a few times as her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight after being in the cave for so long. Michael unfolded his wings and shook them out.

"Hope you don't mind flying." They would get them home but Michael didn't think he had the energy to go much further.

"Never been." Chloe smiled. "First time for everything, right?"

Michael smiled back. Chloe had just put her hands on his shoulders before she went wide eyed.

"Michael!" She pushed him down with her hands.

Michael allowed it and covered her head with a wing just in time for one to go over their heads. Michael twisted around using the back of his left wing to knock his sibling out of the air. He had to quickly bring his right one around and up to block an attack from another of his siblings. Two siblings? Chloe screamed behind him. Michael flipped around to see another of his siblings had grabbed Chloe and was restraining her by her hair. Three siblings? The hell? Michael growled in frustration. A rush of dizziness made him sway but it thankfully only lasted a few seconds. It still sent his stomach rolling like it was on a bad roller coaster. Fuck, this was not going to be good.

The angel that held Chloe was dark haired with green eyes, leather jacket and jeans; the same one to have grabbed Chloe originally. Two more angels landed just behind Michael on either side. Michael glanced back to find two blondes, one blue eyed, the other green eyed. Both were dressed in simple clothes; shirts and pants, like they had simply thrown something on to attempt to blend in. All three of them had brittle looking wings. The feathers were ill kept and damaged. Forsaken.

Michael focused on the obvious leader. He had not seen or interacted with this particular sibling since the rebellion. "Arkiel." He growled out. "Long time no see."

The smile that formed on Arkiel's face sent chills down Michael's spine. "Michael?" Arkiel laughed. "Well, you aren't the twin I was expecting but you will do."

Michael narrowed his eyes. "You had the human try to kill Lucifer didn't you? Why? You followed Lucifer." Arkiel had been Lucifer's number one follower; the one that had convinced the others to follow as well.

"I did yes, and we paid for it, didn't we. Father made sure of that." Arkiel raised his wings in a display. "Look at them. It's shameful. And yet precious Lucifer, who led the rebellion, got to keep his pretty white wings."

"Lucifer never forced you. It was your choice."

Arkiel laughed again. Chloe shifted a bit on her feet to which he tugged her hair making her wince. Michael growled under his breath. Arkiel heard him. "No worries, Michael, I still need her. I won't hurt her as long as she cooperates."

"You don't need her. Let her go." If anything happened to Chloe with him present, Lucifer would go berserk. Any progress between them would be null and void.

Another laugh. "Are you actually concerned with this humans well-being? And here I thought you were just playing with her to get to Lucifer the other day."

Michael narrowed his eyes. "You were spying on us?" The thought infuriated him.

"Only recently." Arkiel shrugged. "I was interested in seeing what was happening."

"Chloe and Lucifer have been a common topic for years now. You could have just sat around the campfire and learned all you wanted."

"I did." Arkiel admitted. "But the news of you spending more time down here peaked my interest. I do wonder what you did to get Father to lock you out." Arkiel smirked. "Then I find out that this little human was catching your interest as well and that you and Lucifer were actually talking again."

"What does all that matter to you?"

"Don't tell me that you two are actually going to try to rekindle your…relationship, are you?"

The way Arkiel said relationship, his nose curling in contempt, made Michael pause. "My previous question still stands." He was suddenly very nervous but he hid it behind his glare.

Arkiel stared at him a moment before his eyes narrowed. "Change of plans."

He pushed Chloe before releasing her. She stumbled across the space between them to Michael who caught and steadied her in his arms.

"You okay?" He asked doing a quick sweep of her face feeling the back of her head for any injuries.

Chloe nodded quickly. "I'm fine." She turned around to face Arkiel but stayed within Michael's arms.

"I don't need her to break you." Arkiel sneered. "And if it is true, well, Lucifer will come running either way."

Michael shook his head. He hid a wince as the motion increased the pounding in his skull and his stomach rolled in response. His wings twitched tiredly behind him. "If your target is Lucifer, why don't you just go face him?"

Maybe if he kept Arkiel talking he could recover some from overusing his powers. It wouldn't be enough to win a three on one fight but it hopefully would be enough he could at least protect Chloe until he could get her back to Lucifer. Get them both back to Lucifer.

"I'm Forsaken, not dumb, Michael. There is no way I could win against Lucifer in a fight." Arkiel shrugged. "Not a fair one anyway."

"Explains why you had a human try to shoot him while he was vulnerable." Michael responded dryly.

"I overestimated his vulnerability." Arkiel smirked evilly taking two steps closer.

Michael pulled Chloe back a step with a quick glance at the two angels behind him. They were silent and had not moved obviously waiting on some kind of signal from Arkiel. Michael could not remember their names. They were lower level angels that much was for sure.

"I will not make that same mistake with your vulnerability." Arkiel continued.

Michael turned back to him with a scoff. "I'm not vulnerable."

"Maybe not physically." Arkiel taunted. "But I do know of a little secret that can be exploited."

Michael froze. Did he? No, there was no way. His wings pulled in closer to his body as he tensed. He and Lucifer had been too careful. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Arkiel laughed sarcastically if even a bit evilly. "So it wasn't you and Lucifer, that day in the Meadows, with your tongues down each other's throats."

Michael swayed on his feet his wings stretching out instinctively to help balance him. Chloe gasped and shifted back against Michael as though she was trying to brace him. His vision narrowed and his breathing increased. Arkiel knew? Someone knew? Chloe twisted around in his arms to place her hands on his chest over his now racing heart.

"Michael!"

Her voice brought him out if it; slightly. His nausea had increased and he felt dizzy again. He was going to be sick.

Arkiel laughed full of triumph at affecting Michael so much so quickly. "I have my own secret as well. Would you like to know what it is?" He goaded.

Michael took a deep breath shook himself out of his panic. He had to be aware to protect Chloe. A quick nod to Chloe to let her know he was okay and he turned a glare to Arkiel. "What?"

Arkiel grinned; his eyes glowed with malice. Michael swallowed feeling Chloe turn to look at Arkiel as well. She was tense in his arms. Michael blinked not understanding what his eyes were showing him. The air around Arkiel appeared to shift and change until it was Lucifer he was seeing standing in front of him. Even his wings had changed to match Lucifer's pristine white.

Chloe gasped and pressed against him tighter. "That's what happened." Chloe breathed.

Michael looked at her then back to the Lucifer image. What was happening? How? That wasn't possible.

Image Lucifer laughed. "Seems the human has put it all together." He took another step toward them. "You are a disgrace."

Michael held Chloe closer. His voice just changed. It was a perfect replica of Lucifer's down to the correct British lilt. Michael felt like he couldn't breathe. It even moved like Lucifer.

"You follow me around like a lost puppy. The experiment is over Michael. I'm finished toying with you. It's time I moved on to better things instead of playing with a simple shadow like you."

Pain lanced through Michael as those words rang through his head. Those words had played on repeat; over and over for countless years. He had gotten used to the taunts and harsh words from the others; shadow, pathetic, weak, disgraceful. Samael had always defended him, taking his side no matter what, so to have those words hurled at him from his twin had almost torn out his very soul. He tried to breathe but his lungs wouldn't work. No, he couldn't hear this again. Michael stumbled back a step his wings shaking. Chloe whipped around her hands cupping his face and forcing his eyes to meet hers.

"It's not Lucifer." Chloe said urgently. "It's just an image. Focus on me, Michael. I'm real. That Lucifer is not. Focus on me, right here."

Slowly her words calmed him. Her voice felt like a balm on his heart. Michael could breathe better with her eyes locked on his. She was right. That Lucifer wasn't real. He had watched Arkiel change. It made no sense but he had.

Chloe turned back around to glare at Arkiel who was once again himself. "Why are you doing this? How are you doing this?"

Arkiel smirked. "I'm the Angel of Distortion, Chloe." He watched Michael with triumph in his eyes. "Your eyes use reflected light to see and your ears use sound waves to hear. Both are easy to distort and change once you know how. Childs play really." Arkiel shrugged. "As to why, I'm sure you can put that together. They are brothers, twins, it was disgraceful."

Chloe shook her head. "They were not hurting you."

Michael kept watch on his siblings while Chloe spoke. How could she defend them? Arkiel was right. Brothers had no business doing what he and Lucifer had been doing but it had felt perfect and so normal at the time. Michael had never felt safer than when he had been wrapped in Samael's wings. Cheesy, he knew, but it was true. Maybe he really was pathetic.

"No, but they could not have been allowed to continue. Father sure wasn't stopping it by the looks of things, so I stepped in."

"So, you went after them separately. You are too much of a coward to face them together." Chloe spat. Oh, she was mad.

Arkiel laughed again. "Everyone knows you don't face the twins together. It's a suicide mission." Arkiel held his hands out looking proud of himself. "But I figured it out. You break one and it's easy to get the other to follow. Michael was always the weakest between the two honestly."

Michael growled. Chloe glared. "He's not weak."

Arkiel smirked amused at her defense of the angel standing behind her. "His brain does make up for it in all honesty. I had to trick Lucifer as well to get the result I wanted. Michael just wouldn't take the bait fully until he saw firsthand that Lucifer had moved on with the little human in The Garden. A quick little conversation with Lucifer, as Michael of course, and I had them both right where I wanted them."

"Eve." Chloe whispered.

Michael tensed again. Arkiel had tricked Lucifer too? He clenched his eyes shut. How much had they been played against each other?

"Poor little Michael." Arkiel mock cooed. "I knew it would hurt but imagine my surprise when it basically destroyed him. How does it feel, Michael, to be so in love with your brother?"

Michael flinched like he had been struck. Chloe turned back to him rubbing her hands along his arms trying to calm him with soft words.. He was trembling and shaking his head. No one was ever supposed to know. He hadn't meant to. He knew it was a mistake but he hadn't been able to stop it.

"Do it." Arkiel spat.

Chloe looked around then back just as a loud crack filled the small canyon they were in. It echoed and was followed immediately by Michael's yell as he fell forward. Chloe caught him to keep him from falling on his face and helped guide him to his knees. She was shaking now taking in the extreme pain on Michael's face as he breathed harshly through his teeth trying not to be sick. He wouldn't give Arkiel the satisfaction of seeing him that weak.

"Michael, what happened?" Chloe asked shakily.

Chloe looked him over quickly but saw no bleeding. A flash of white caught her attention on his left wing. She turned to look and gasped. Her hands flew to her mouth as her stomach churned. Michael's wing was trembling. The bone just before the wrist joint protruded morbidly from the skin and feathers. It fell to the ground beside him twitching in pain from damaged nerves. The other flapped, hitting the ground with loud thumps as Michael clung to her. Chloe tried to soothe him as best she could.

Michael had just got his breath back when another loud crack rang out. The blonde angel that had broken the wing the first time had finished it off with his foot.

"Stop it!" Chloe screamed just as Michael cried out again. What else could she do?

This time; however, Michael retaliated. He forcibly pushed Chloe down as his right wing passed over her head. A sickening crunch met Chloe's ears as the bony part of the wrist met the angels face between the eyes. The angel flew back into a large rock with another couple cracks. He hit the ground and did not move even though Chloe could pick out shallow breaths. That same wing swooshed back over her head as Michael growled in her ear. She had just enough time to turn to see the other blonde angel go flying back away from them.

Chloe quickly moved to the injured wing. Michael kept an arm around her waist but allowed her to gently pull the wing toward her. He hissed through clenched teeth but Chloe had to get the wing close. There was no way she was going to leave it out there for them to injure it again. Michael helped pull it in what he could but it was wasn't much. He was swaying dangerously and Chloe had to give him something to brace on to stay upright.

Arkiel walked over to them clapping. One blonde angel landed just behind him holding the unconscious one up. "Impressive wing work, Michael." Arkiel turned back to his goon. "Take him home and get him cared for." The blonde nodded before flapping his wings and disappearing. "Well, it's been fun." Arkiel turned back stalking toward them now. "I'll take the human back if you don't mind."

Michael growled and tightened his grip around Chloe. No way in hell was Arkiel getting his hands on her again. He tried to stand but sharp pain from his broken wing kept him on his knees with a cry curling around Chloe in a better attempt at protecting her.

Samael! Michael cried out in prayer desperately. He really, really hoped this worked. Samael!

Arkiel had gotten close enough that Michael had no choice but to use his remaining wing as defense. He sharpened the primaries and swung his wing around in front of Arkiel and back. The primary edges caught Arkiel across the chest, twice, cutting through the leather and to his skin. Arkiel hissed falling back a couple steps. The blonde angel returned and landed beside Arkiel.

Samael, I have Chloe but I'm injured and outnumbered. Please hear me.

Arkiel was coming again. Michael swung again but the blonde angel grabbed his wing in both hands. He winced as the sharpened feathers cut into his palms but didn't let go. Arkiel smirked motioning to the blonde who started to slowly twist his hands around Michael's wing for better purchase around the bone. Michael tried to tug the wing out of his grip but the blonde angel held firm fulling intending to break it as well. It was already damaged so it wouldn't take much. Pain was already beginning to flare through it.

Sam, please!

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So, Arkiel, one of many spellings for Arakiel, is an angel listed as one of many fallen angels. His name generally translates as "earth of God" but he has also been called Aretstikapha (however one would pronounce that) meaning "world of distortion". I got the info from Wikipedia, so who knows how accurate it is, but it sounded good for my story and gave me an antagonist that worked. For my story, he is considered Forsaken instead of Fallen the terms referring to two different categories of angel which will be later distinguished.