Disclaimer: Only the plot and any original characters belong to me!

"I can't believe you invited my brother to our little Christmas Party, Miss Lopez," Lucifer grouched. "Michael doesn't deserve to come and he's going to ruin everything!"

"No, he won't," Ella shook her head. "It'll be fine."

Lucifer turned to face Chloe, who was coming out of the kitchen with a cup of egg nog in each hand, handing one to him and one to Ella before going to pour another one for herself. After thanking her, he just shook his head, following her into the kitchen. "It appears my brother is still invited. You talk to her, because I'm not having any luck. Tell her how the person who kidnapped you shouldn't be invited to our Christmas party."

"First of all, it's not ours, it's hers," Chloe reminded him. "And if she wants to invite him, that's her choice. We won't ruin it for her. If we can't say anything nice, we won't say anything at all."

Lucifer scoffed, hands on hips. "It's going to be a quiet night then. You sound just like Linda."

Chloe put a hand on his. "Well, thank you for making an effort and listening to her then."

"He's bringing cake!" Ella informed them. "I asked him if he would since there was that five car pile up and the pair of murder-suicides and all. I've been so busy I didn't have time to bake. That's something, isn't it? Definitely puts him on the nice list rather than the naughty one, at least in my book."

"Yes," Lucifer sighed. "I suppose."

"Let's turn some music on," Ella decided and, and as 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' floated over all of them, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Lucifer said, since Chloe and Ella were busy checking on the roast. He opened the door and found himself face to face with his twin brother, who was holding a good sized cake. As Michael opened his mouth, Lucifer grabbed the cake from him, saying "Thank you, goodbye!" before slamming the door in his face.

"Hey," Ella said. "Who was that?" Then she looked down at the cake, her eyes narrowing. "Was that your brother?"

"Well, yes, it was," Lucifer sighed and put the cake on the table as Ella rolled her eyes and went to get the door.

"Sorry," she apologized and ushered Michael inside. "Thanks for bringing the cake. I'm glad you could make it!"

"Thank you, Miss Lopez," Michael told her. "You seem to be the only one."

"Oh, don't worry about him," Ella shook her head and ushered him into her comfiest chair. "And please, as I told you before, you can call me Ella." She paused. "Do you want tea or cocoa or something? I know your brother left you out in the snow and it is not warm outside."

"Would making coffee be difficult?" Michael asked. "With a little bit of cream?"

"Of course not!" Ella shook her head. "I have a pod machine. It'll take me two seconds."

She brought him his coffee and talked until all the food was ready, and sat down to eat, with Chloe and Lucifer sitting on one side of the table and them on the other.

Because of Chloe's 'Don't talk if you can't say anything nice' rule, it was a mostly silent meal on their side.

"I'm bored," Michael announced at last, looking at Ella. "Do you have somewhere else we could go?"

"I suppose we could go into the living room," Ella told him. "I don't have a lot of space."

Michael shrugged. "Doesn't matter. It just means we'll be sitting closer together."

Leaving Lucifer and Chloe alone, they shared the couch in the living room, eating lunch and then snacks until it was time for charades.

They drew straws to see who would be on whose team, against their better judgement. As luck would have it, Michael was paired with Lucifer and Ella with Chloe.

"Do we have to do this?" Lucifer asked. "Can't we draw again?"

"Two turns this round and then we'll switch teams," Ella proposed. "Can you two handle that?"

"Maybe with some alcohol," Michael told her. "What do you have in terms of that?"

Ella pointed to a cabinet. "There's some stuff in there if you really think you need it...like whiskey, and I have a bottle of red chilling."

"Oh, we really need it," Lucifer said.

Ella and Chloe looked at each other. At least they were finally in agreement about something.

Things went well until Lucifer took offense to Michael's charade choices regarding Paradise Lost. What started as a simple shouting match turned into a knock down drag out brawl, with Chloe managing to get Lucifer upright before he slammed into the table and knocked the cake onto the floor.

"Thanks for everything," she said. "We...we should probably go now. Merry Christmas, Ella."

"Thank you," Ella said, deciding that she was probably right. Perhaps letting them drink so much hadn't been the best idea. "Want to take some cake with you?"

"Sure," Chloe nodded. "Thanks. Why not?"

So she and Ella got it to the car and when Ella got back to the house, she found Michael putting his coat on. "Where are you going?" She asked.

"I...I thought you would want me to leave too," he said.

"Why? You didn't intentionally try to start a fight with your brother, did you?"

"No," Michael shook his head. "Not this time."

"And that's why you don't have to go home," Ella said. "I mean, do you even have one? A home, I mean? Where are you staying?"

"There's a hotel-"

"No, no, you can stay here, at least for the night. I'll make up the sofa."

"Are you serious?" Michael asked. "You know, most people are scared of me. Why aren't you?"

Ella scoffed. "I hang around dead people all day. I walk home through dark streets at night...I've been friends with your sister Azrael for ages. Not much scares me. Especially not lonely guys I see standing around twenty-four hour diners at midnight." She stopped and looked down at the floor, how they'd met coming washing over her. At first she'd thought he was Lucifer, then realized that Lucifer wouldn't be alone at diner at that time of night. She'd gone over to him, introduced herself, bought him a cup of coffee, then they'd just...talked. He didn't always have the happiest things to say, but neither had she. She reached out her free hand to take his, then right up at him. "Wait, there's one thing that freaks me out just a little: Can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course," Michael nodded as he followed her to the living room. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, and...I feel so stupid asking you, but...my family is coming tomorrow for Christmas, and if I have to hear "Ella, why don't you have a boyfriend one more time..." She began talking really fast before he had a chance to say anything. "It won't be long, I promise, cause I know you're not the lovey dovey type, but I know you can act, so...please? Just for a few hours?"

"Oh, all right," he said. "For you."

Ella smiled. "Thank you. Oh, and..." she plopped a box in his lap. "Just a little cheap thing I got at the gas station, but...I figure everyone should have a present. I'm glad you came."

He opened it, finding a small key chain with Santa's face on it. "Thank you," he got out. This...would you believe this is the first present I've ever gotten?"

"Well, you're welcome," Ella replied, not knowing what else to say. "So...how about I make up the couch for you, and then we have some hot chocolate and some cake and after that...well, you don't have to sleep, but...I suggest a reasonably early bedtime because facing my family...it's gonna take all the fortitude and alertness you have."

"All right," Michael nodded and helped her make up the couch, then the cocoa, pouring one cup for each of them.

"A toast?" Ella asked.

"Merry Christmas, Ella."

"Merry Christmas," Ella replied, clinking her cup against his. "And for tomorrow, good night and good luck!"

The End