Chloe had considered not sleeping at all, what with it likely being her last day on earth and all, but in the end she found she'd rather sleep. Getting up, Chloe made her daughter breakfast and was just about to call Dan to ask him to take Trixie to school, when she saw a message on her phone from Lucifer.
'You are safe now,' Lucifer's text read. 'Uriel can't hurt you.'
What did that mean? Had Lucifer actually convinced his brother to leave her alone, or had he sent his mother back to hell? Either way it seemed like Chloe could go into work today which she was grateful for.
Rather than call Dan, Chloe drove Trixie to school herself then went to work. There was a new homicide case on her desk, a very halloween-y one. A bride had been murdered at her zombie themed wedding. Chloe felt sure Lucifer would want to be part of this. She tried calling him into work but got only voicemail, so she sent him a text and tried not to think about it. She failed quite miserably in this regard. Chloe couldn't help remembering what she'd said the last time she'd seen him. She'd been unfair and cruel, but she hadn't really meant it. Chloe had been so scared and frustrated at feeling helpless to do anything about it. Helpless was not a feeling she had to deal with often, and she hadn't handled it well.
Chloe began working the case to try and keep her mind off Lucifer. Dan was at the scene and filled her in on what was being done already. The wait staff had been questioned. No one had seen anything since they were all focused on the ceremony, and they were still waiting for results to see if anyone had any priors.
She turned her attention to the scene. The bride was shot dead center while the groom only got grazed in the arm. What kind of marksmen botches the first shot and aces the second? Dan suggested that the bride was the target and the groom just got in the way, which made a certain amount of sense. Chloe went to interview the groom next. He wasn't much help and was clearly still in shock about his bride's death. There were a few more people to interview after him, but that didn't get her any leads.
Chloe couldn't help but wonder if maybe she'd have found something else if Lucifer was here. Despite everything, the Devil did have a knack for finding things others missed.
When she interviewed the bridesmaids, Chloe got the sense that they were not all being totally honest. She couldn't help but think Lucifer could get the truth out of them with that desire trick of his.
The question was, where had the Devil gone?
She tried calling again, but just got voicemail again. By the time lunch came and went Chloe decided she needed to take more direct action.
"I'm going to go check on Lucifer," Chloe told Dan. "Can you hold down the fort for a bit?"
"Sure. Though I don't see why you bother with that guy," Dan shrugged.
"It just isn't like him to totally disappear like this. He's more the annoyingly present type," Chloe explained.
Collecting her jacket, Chloe went out to her car and drove to Lucifer's penthouse. She was starting to worry about him, but she also wanted to understand the meaning behind that vague text he'd sent her. What had he done to keep her safe this time?
Despite five o'clock being yet many hours away, Lux was in full party mode. The place was packed with people who were all drinking and dancing. Chloe expected to find Lucifer among them and started looking around for him, but the only face she recognized was Dr. Martin. Chloe called out to her and she turned and walked over.
"What are you doing here?" Chloe asked.
"I came to check on Lucifer," Linda answered. "He canceled his appointment this morning, which is something he's never done before."
"Did he tell you what was wrong?" Chloe asked.
"He said his brother died," Linda replied. "Not Amenadiel, but another one. It seems he has quite a few. He was rather blasé about the whole thing actually which concerns me."
"His brother died?" Chloe said slowly. She knew which brother Lucifer must have meant, but how was that possible? Uriel wasn't like Lucifer or even Amenadiel for that matter. He didn't bleed. How could an immortal die?
"He's hiding in metaphors again," Linda continued. "Saying there is no use talking to me because I don't believe him."
Chloe had to admit Lucifer had a point there, but despite that she'd always felt like Dr. Martin had helped him alot.
"He was even rude and Lucifer is never rude, at least not in a cruel way. I think something is really really wrong, but I can't help a patient that won't talk to me."
"I'll talk to him," Chloe said, which Linda took to be her cue to head for the exit.
Chloe continued her search for the Devil in this very loud and wild party setting. She felt like she needed to apologize to him for everything she'd said yesterday. She also needed him to come into work and she wanted to understand what had happened with Uriel.
It wasn't until she'd been around the party twice that Chloe admitted to herself that Lucifer wasn't here. She decided to try the penthouse, though she felt unsure of his being there if the party was down here. The moment the elevator doors opened her question was answered. The party, it seemed, had made it upstairs. Lucifer's penthouse was full of music, people and dancing. The furniture that usually filled the room was gone, and the room had been turned into a dance floor.
To Chloe's relief she finally spotted Lucifer. He was standing at the bar drinking from a bottle rather than a glass.
Making her way over past all the party goers Chloe got within shouting distance of the devil.
"Lucifer," she said loudly and he turned.
"Detective," Lucifer said, stunned. The look on his face was that of total shock. "This is the last place I'd expect to see you."
"You weren't answering your phone," Chloe told him.
"I'm not actually sure where my phone is," Lucifer said with a humorless chuckle. Then he held out his drink as if offering it to her. Chloe declined.
"Suit yourself," Lucifer said and then he took a huge drag from the bottle.
"We have a case," Chloe told him. All the other things she wanted to tell him felt almost impossible to say in this loud crowded environment.
"Don't you mean you have a case?" Lucifer replied, as he took yet another huge gulp of what was clearly hard liquor.
"No, I mean us," Chloe said firmly.
Lucifer looked at her then, as if trying to figure her out. He clearly failed as he gave up seconds later to continue drinking. She'd never seen him like this. His usually crisp suit was wrinkled and askew, the buttons undone. His white shirt was even untucked. If the pun wasn't so bad she'd have said he looked like hell. It was like he was lost, or at the very least completely miserable.
Lucifer finished the bottle he'd been drinking and went to get another. Opening it he started drinking again. If a human was drinking this much she'd have called poison control.
"Are you drunk?" Chloe asked.
"I wish," Lucifer huffed. "Pesky supernatural metabolism is making it difficult."
"Can we talk somewhere less loud?" Chloe asked, raising her voice to be heard over the music.
"What's there to talk about?" Lucifer asked. "You asked for the Devil to leave you alone and he obliged." Lucifer almost bowed here as if he were on stage then got back to doing his very best to get drunk.
Chloe was done putting up with this behaviour. Yes, she'd said something she shouldn't have but he was taking it way too much to heart. Looking around she found where the music was coming from and moved quickly to turn it off. Then she found a side table to stand on and announced to the room that the party was over.
"And by over she means continuing downstairs," Lucifer announced to the disappointed crowd.
Chloe didn't bother contradicting him. She just wanted some peace and quiet to talk to Lucifer. Slowly the room emptied out as the disgruntled party goers headed downstairs. When the elevator door closed on the last guest, Lucifer made to head to the elevator as well.
"Oh no, you don't," Chloe said.
"But you moved the party," Lucifer whined.
"So we could talk," Chloe stated firmly. "I've never seen you like this. Dr. Martin said you skipped a session. You look like a homeless magician and you are drinking like you wanna be in a coma."
"You don't know how lucky you are with your normal human liver," Lucifer grumbled. "When you wanna get drunk it actually works."
"Dr. Martin said your brother died," Chloe continued, ignoring his remark. "Does that mean I'm safe because Uriel is dead?"
"Oh, he isn't just dead," Lucifer said. "I killed him." And suddenly all his behaviour made sense. "So, as I said, everything's fine. You can just go back to the life you want without the devil getting in your way."
The pain in his voice made Chloe feel like a jerk. Though he hadn't said it outright, Chloe could put two and two together. He'd killed his own brother to protect her, and all she'd done in return was hurt him.
"That's not what I want, Lucifer," Chloe said. "I was scared and feeling helpless and I took it out on you, and for that I'm sorry."
Once again she saw genuine surprise on his face which told her he'd believed every word she'd said yesterday. Believed it more than she'd believed it herself.
"Still, you were right," Lucifer said. "You'd probably be safer if the Devil hadn't taken an interest in your life."
"Actually, I'd probably be dead," Chloe said with a smile. "That very first case we worked together, remember?"
"Nah you'd have figured it without me," Lucifer said. "After all, you only shot the guy because you thought he'd shot me, so technically I got you into that mess before I got you out of it. Doesn't count."
This guy was just determined to be miserable. Chloe was at a loss, so she decided to switch to a more fact based topic.
"Doesn't this mean Uriel was like you and Amenadiel then?" Chloe asked. "Able to bleed."
"No, he was one of God's angels," Lucifer said. "Immortal and impervious to every weapon forged save for one. The very one in fact that he brought to the fight to use on mom."
"Uriel wanted to kill his own mother?" Chloe asked, shocked.
Lucifer nodded. "And he was using you to manipulate me into giving her up. That's what happens when mortals get involved with my family. They get used and hurt and…" he stopped suddenly and then turned to look into Chloe's eyes.
He didn't finish his sentence but Chloe knew perfectly well what he wanted to say just from the look in his eyes. Lucifer didn't want her involvement in his family to mean she was hurt or used. Even now, even miserable and lonely, he still wanted to protect her. Chloe couldn't help but be touched.
"Get yourself cleaned up and come with me to work," Chloe said slowly. "There is a bridesmaid who isn't telling us everything. Your desire trick would be much appreciated." She smiled at him, trying to show that she still wanted to be his friend, to be his partner.
"You really want my help?" Lucifer asked. His voice was soft and unsure.
"Yeah I do," Chloe smiled at him. "Besides, you'll like this one. It's spooky."
"You win," Lucifer said. "Consider me intrigued. Spooky how?"
"A bride was shot point blank in the chest at her zombie themed wedding," Chloe said.
"Zombie themed wedding," Lucifer mocked. "Not a sentence you hear everyday."
He was already looking more like himself. Chloe could see that glint of excitement in his eyes. He even made to leave, but Chloe told him to change first.
"No one needs to see you looking like a homeless magician," Chloe explained.
"The phrase you look like hell didn't occur to you then?" Lucifer replied as he walked off towards his bedroom to change.
"I was trying not to be cliche!" Chloe called after him.
I feel like I should say sorry for the colossally long wait for this chapter... Life got busy and I got a bit lazy at the same time. ^_^ Promise I am still working on this story even if not as fast as I was before. I have never left a story hanging and I don't plan to start now.
Sneak Peek Chapter 33
"It's Jason right?" Chloe said as she sat down across from the suspect in the interrogation room. He nodded.
"What's this all about?" Jason asked. "I haven't done nothing wrong. You can't keep me here without charging me so get on with it."
"That's not why you are here," Chloe continued calmly. "There was an incident at the wedding you attended this morning. We just need to ask you a few questions."
Lucifer didn't like this guy. He was looking all together too smug and full of himself for the devil's liking. Lucifer didn't like the way this Jason guy looked at him.
"I got rights," Jason said. "I don't have to answer your questions." And with that he crossed his arms over his chest and slumped down in his chair as if determined to remain there.