Chloe was in the kitchen cleaning up from Dinner when she heard her front door open and close. She put herself on alert, but she doubted there was any danger. Both Lucifer and Maze would come in without knocking, and since Maze was moving back in, it was most likely her.
"Detective," Lucifer's voice called out.
"In the kitchen," Chloe said. In the past, she'd get irritated when Lucifer came in without knocking, but now she barely batted an eyelash. She accepted it as just how Lucifer was. Plus, she always considered him welcome in her home at this point.
Lucifer arrived in the kitchen seconds later.
"Hey. I tried to call you earlier," Chloe said. She'd wanted to let him know what went down with her and his father now that it was done.
"Yes, I know. I was preoccupied. And since we're on the subject, I have to ask you a question. Do you have a bloody death wish, Detective?" Lucifer asked.
"You spoke to your dad, I take it. Or Amenadiel," Chloe guessed.
"Amenadiel about this reckless idea of yours?! I'll kill him!" Lucifer fumed. He couldn't believe his brother had been involved in this asinine plan. Did he not realize the detective could have been killed?
"Don't blame him. I told him not to tell you, and I told him I was going to what I did with or without his help. If he didn't arrange a meeting with your father, I would have prayed to him myself. Believe me, Amenadiel did not want to help me. He tried to talk me out of it," Chloe explained.
"You should have listened then. Detective, you could have been killed. My father doesn't take too kindly to those who have tried to hurt me these days," Lucifer said.
"No parent does, and I knew that when I asked for the meeting, but it was necessary. Your father needed to hear the truth from me," Chloe said.
"He didn't need to hear it at all. I told you, I didn't want him to know," Lucifer said.
"I know, but that was never going to happen, especially with Kinley back on the loose," Chloe said.
"Yes, about that. Why didn't you tell me when you found out he'd been released?" Lucifer asked.
Chloe sighed. She knew he was going to be upset about that, she doubted he would like her explanation much. "Because that wasn't something you should have to deal with."
"I can handle it just fine, Detective. I'm not broken!" Lucifer said forcefully. He hated the idea of being treated like he'd fall apart over the smallest thing because of what happened to him. He could handle someone like Kinley.
"I know that, Lucifer. I never said you couldn't handle it. I said you shouldn't have to. You're going through enough right now. Besides, Kinley is my problem. I brought him here. It's my fault he was ever even a problem for you," Chloe said.
"That's not true, Detective. Kinley knew who I was before you met him. He would've come after me eventually either way," Lucifer said.
"Maybe, but I helped the situation along. I gave him an opportunity to come after you. It was my problem to solve, or to involve someone who could solve it," Chloe said.
"So the person you involved was my father? The one being who can decide to end humanity whenever he wants, and who is already on the verge of destroying it?" Lucifer asked.
"The fate of the rest of humanity wasn't my main concern at the time, and it shouldn't be yours at all. What happens to humanity is not your problem," Chloe said.
Lucifer huffed in frustration. "I wish people would stop saying that. Of course, it's my problem. I am the reason your race in danger."
"And I wish you would stop saying things like that. Humans are in danger because of humans, because of the way many of us have behaved. People like Adam, Eve, Pierce, Kinley, and even myself are responsible for the way God sees the human race," Chloe said.
"Don't lump yourself up with those people, Detective. You were manipulated, and even with that fact, you didn't go through with it," Lucifer said.
"It doesn't change the fact that I betrayed you and tried to hurt you. I need to be held accountable for that. That's why I went to your dad. I wanted him to hear it from me. I also went to him to deal with Kinley, but I spoke to him personally because of my own actions," Chloe told him.
"After this, I don't know how I'm going to convince my father to spare humans," Lucifer said. He was still going to do his best to try, but his father was really angry at humanity, especially after what happened with Kinley. Lucifer didn't have much hope for convincing his father they were worth saving.
Chloe sighed. "With what Adam and Eve did, I don't think there was much chance of that anyway. And it was never your responsibility. We made our own bed, and while I don't agree that all humans should have to pay for the actions of others, I can see where your father's coming from. He sees people like Kinley as a threat and he wants to eliminate that threat."
"Well, Kinley's certainly not a threat anymore," Lucifer said.
"Your father took care of the situation already, I'm assuming," Chloe said.
"Yes, definitely. It was quite funny actually. Kinley showed up as my father and I were speaking," Lucifer told her.
"And I'm guessing Kinley ran his mouth without realizing he was in the presence of God," Chloe said. She could only imagine the things Kinley had to say about Lucifer, and she guessed God didn't take too kindly to it. She had tried to warn Kinley that as Lucifer's father, God wouldn't be pleased with him.
Lucifer laughed loudly. "Yes, but the hilarious part was it didn't change even after he realized who my father was. Kinley tried to claim I was tricking him. He tried to claim that God was being duped."
Chloe chuckled. "I can only imagine how your dad responded to that. I almost wish I was there to see it."
"No, Detective, that's not a sight I'd want you to see," Lucifer said. Sure, he'd found it gratifying, but he was an archangel, who had witnessed such things many times. No human would appreciate the sight of a smiting. "Anyway, Kinley is not a problem anymore. Listen, Detective, I understand why you did it, but please don't hide things like this from me again. I could've handled the situation with Kinley. I don't need you to shield me from it."
"Okay. I was honestly just trying not to put one more thing on your plate, but I can see now that I shouldn't have hidden it from you. I'm sorry," Chloe said.
Lucifer waved the apology away. He wasn't that upset about it. He just didn't want things kept from him.
"On that note, in case you didn't already know, Maze is back in town."
"Alright," Lucifer said a bit slowly. He appreciated the detective being candid, but he didn't need to know every time Maze returned. She came and went quite often with her bounty work.
"I mention it because she doesn't know what happened to you yet," Chloe said.
Lucifer stiffened at the very idea of telling Maze what Adam and Eve did to him.
"Look, I don't want to pressure you into doing anything. If you don't want her to know, that's your choice. I won't tell her, but I think she will eventually realize something is going on. She already does to an extent. She knows about the storms a while back, and she attributed them to your father. She will also really know something is going on if your father destroys humanity," Chloe explained to him.
"She… she wouldn't understand," Lucifer said.
"You thought that about everyone who now knows at one point," Chloe pointed out.
"No, it's different with Maze. She's a demon. She doesn't understand things like that the way humans, or even angels, do. I'm not she'll even see it as being wrong," Lucifer said.
"You might be right. I don't pretend to know how demons understand certain elements of trauma or pain, or concepts like rape, but I do believe she'll understand that what happened to you caused you unimaginable pain, and I don't think she'll be even a little bit okay with that," Chloe said. She knew that Lucifer and Maze's relationship was far from normal. She knew they'd done things to hurt each other, but she didn't think Maze would ever abide by someone inflicting the kind of pain on Lucifer that Adam and Eve had. She believed that if someone truly harmed Lucifer, Maze would want blood.
Lucifer was still hesitant. He didn't know that he could trust Maze to understand and not laugh at his expense.
"Think about it for a little while. You don't have to decide tonight," Chloe said.
"Very well. I should go home now," Lucifer said.
"You don't have to. Dan picked Trixie up a little while ago for the weekend. You could stay for a couple of drinks and we could watch a movie or something."
Lucifer smiled. "Very well, Detective. I'll never say no to drinks."
Chloe smiled back and went to grab them some drinks.