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Chapter 3

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A Rookie Mistake

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Summary: After his first punishment Lucifer falls back to being clingy and needy. When Chloe gets hurt Dan has to take care of the devil.
No big punishment in this chapter, just family feelings and bonding.

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"Where are you going?" Lucifer asked worried as soon as Chloe got up from her desk. He had been going through some of her unsolved case files to see if he knew someone who might owe him a favour. She patted his shoulder reassuringly to keep him seated.

"Just the bathroom, I'll be back in a moment."

"Oh, okay," he said frowning and went back to his files, looking up twice to follow her way over to the lady's room.

Chloe sighed as soon as the door was closed behind her. She had hoped that they were past the phase were he constantly needed her close, but his first real punishment had apparently thrown him right back to being needy and clingy. She would feel smothered by now if she didn't find it so sweet and innocently adorable.

The morning had started happy enough with Lucifer making an opulent breakfast with pancakes, omelette, bacon and a mountain of fresh fruit, that had not only Dan drooling with delight, but she knew there was something wrong when he wouldn't leave her sight and nearly followed her into the bathroom.

Linda had helped them through that phase weeks ago. He would get over it again soon enough, or so she hoped.

"I brought you coffee," Lucifer said smiling, standing in front of her as soon as she left the restroom.

"Thank you," she said taking a sip. He always made the best coffee.

"Did you find anything in the files?"

"Not yet, sorry." And there he was, again looking like he had done something wrong and tremendously sorry about disappointing her.

"Don't worry," she consoled him, leading him back over with her hand on his back, "It was a wide shot, anyway."

He sat down next to her, their legs touching slightly, but Chloe wouldn't let that bother her. If he needed to be close than she would make damn sure she was right there.

"Would you like to ask Dan, if he needs help with anything?"

He shook his head. "I'll check those files again, maybe I missed something."

She squeezed his hand under the table for a second. They both knew, even if he hated paperwork, when he decided to do it, he was more than thorough. He hadn't missed anything.

Before he could start though the Lieutenant came over and handed Chloe a new file. Lucifer looked up interested but refrained from snatching it out of her hand immediately. She wouldn't like that.

He got to read through the few notes as they drove to the crime scene.

Two young police officers were waiting for them outside of the house behind yellow barrier tape. One was talking to a witness while the other lifted the tape for them.

"Thank god you're here, Detectives. We called it in as soon as we got here," he said nervously. He looked a bit green around the nose.

"The lady there found him. Said she wanted to visit him."

"Thank you, Officer...?"

"Collins, Ma'am." Chloe nodded and they entered the house. She pulled two pair of gloves from her jacket as she got to the body. Chloe handed him a pair and he looked at her surprised.

"I never wear gloves," he stated affronted that she didn't know that already.

"And you always touch something at a crime scene you're not supposed to," she countered patiently. "You either wear the gloves or you wait in the car."

He took the gloves grudgingly and stepped to the other side of the body.

"He got hit on the head with that stone. The killer might have brought that. Victim probably knew his killer. No signs of struggle or forced entry," Chloe listed off her clues. He stepped away from the body and walked around the room.

"Here's another stone like that," Lucifer pointed out, standing in front of a bookshelf.

"So probably not planned."

Chloe stepped into the next room.

"No signs of struggle here. The backdoor is unlocked. Ahhh," she screamed surprised as a man suddenly pushed her forcefully to the side and ran outside.

"Detective!" Lucifer yelled following the man outside at twice his speed and throwing him into the iron gate where he crumbled. Lucifer picked him up single-handedly and pushed him to the gates. He grabbed hold of the pikes on top and bend them down to the killer's neck, trapping him in position before rushing right back to Chloe.

"Detective?" he asked again worried as he found her still on the floor at the door. She had a big bruise on her forehead.

"What happened, we heard a scream?" one of the officers asked gun drawn and surprised to find the detective on the floor.

"Call an ambulance," Lucifer yelled panicking slightly sitting down next to her and cradling her close to him. Chloe groaned softly at being moved so suddenly.

"Call Dan," she said, her head getting clearer again. Lucifer fished for his phone, pressing speed dial on Dan and putting it on speaker to have both hands to hold Chloe tight.

"Yes?" Dan answered the phone.

"Get here immediately. Chloe was hurt," Lucifer yelled distraught.

"I'm on my way. What happened?"

"I got a hit to the head. I'll be fine," Chloe said trying to calm everyone down. The last thing they needed now was Dan getting in an accident because he couldn't concentrate on traffic. They could hear feet running and then Dan's siren over the phone before it disconnected.

"Ambulance is on it's way," the officer informed them from the door. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Well, the killer is at the gate. You could arrest him," Lucifer said dismissingly.

"I'm fine Lucifer," Chloe tried again to calm him, sitting up a bit more.

"I'll be fine. It's all right." She caressed his cheek. "Come on, let's get out of here." He helped her get up and she stood on wobbly knees before she found her footing. He kept hovering around her, holding one hand and the other ready to catch her should she stumble.

He helped her sit down outside on the steps squatting in front of her and checking her for any signs of unwell-being.

"It's fine," she said again stroking his hair.

"It's not fine. That bastard hurt you and where the hell is the ambulance?"

"It's been two minutes give them time, they'll be here soon."

They waited together.

"Excuse me, sir?" the young officer tried to get his attention.

"What," he snapped and Chloe put a calming hand on his arm. He cleared his throat.

"What is it?" he said less gruff this time.

"Sir, we can't get the suspect from the fence, sir."

Chloe lifted an eyebrow at that.

"Yes, I'll get him for you as soon as the ambulance is here." They could already hear the siren and they watched as the paramedics got out less than a minute later and checked Chloe's eyes and head for any signs of trauma. Lucifer didn't like how they pushed him aside to get to her but allowed it anyway.

They asked her all kind of questions, from today's date or if she had been unconscious.

"Sir?" the officer disturbed him again and he actually growled this time before reminding himself of the audience. He marched over to the gate with long strides, removed the pikes from their suspect's neck with ease and threw him to the ground in front of the officers who gaped at the display of raw strength.

He came back just as they put Chloe on the stretcher and secured her there with a neck brace and straps.

"Wait here for Dan," she told him as he went to hold her hand. She squeezed his hand reassuringly and he nodded, releasing her into the care of the paramedics.

"We'll take her to the Good Samaritan Hospital," one of the paramedics told him as he closed the doors in the back. Lucifer remained standing lost on the pavement as they drove away, unaware of the officers behind him as they dragged the suspect to their patrol car in handcuffs.

"What happened?" Dan asked, jumping out of the car and running over to Lucifer. He grabbed both his arms, snapping him out of his lethargy to look him in the eyes.

"The killer was still in the house. He ran out as soon as the Detective opened the back door and pushed her. She hit her head. Ambulance is taking her to the Good Samaritan Hospital."

"All right, let's go. YOU," he yelled at the officer, "Wait for reinforcement, they're on the way. Do not leave the house or suspect unattended. No one goes in there who's not wearing a badge. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir," the officer saluted, closing the car door on the suspect with shaking hands.

Waiting in the hospital took forever and Lucifer was close to a mental breakdown. Chloe was taken for CT scans and they didn't get any news until she was already brought into a room for the night.

Dan was on his fourth cup of coffee, still worried about his wife but used to the slow workings of a hospital. A nurse finally found them and they were allowed to see her again. Lucifer rushed straight to her bed, taking her hand in his.

Dan went to the other side of the bed, stroking a strand of hair out of her face and kissing her forehead.

"There you are," Dan said as Chloe opened her eyes.

"Hey, you two. Did you have to wait long?" She squeezed Lucifer's hand again and he looked up.

"How are you feeling?"

"I've got a headache and the doctors said I have a concussion. They're going to keep me here for 24 hours and then I can go home. Do you want a statement?" she asked but Dan shook his head.

"That has time until later. We've got the suspect in custody."

A knock on the door broke the moment and Lucifer huffed as he saw the young officer from earlier.

"I'm sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to apologise, Detective. We should have searched the house more thoroughly before you got there."

Lucifer growled at that, eyes close to flashing red, but Chloe stopped him with a strong hand on his arm.

"Apology accepted, Officer Collins." She actually had to yank Lucifer back sharply to snap him out off his rage and Collins flinched.

"I'm sure that was a mistake you only made once," she added still calmly and he nodded affirmative.

"Thank you, Detective. I'm really sorry. Please, get well soon."

He nodded at Dan and left in a rush.

"He is the reason you got hurt, Detective," Lucifer snapped.

"No he is not," she said tiredly, "It was a rookie mistake, and I'm sure he has learned his lesson."

"But he..."

"He made a mistake, yes, but he stood up for it and apologised," Dan interrupted him. "Police officers get six month of training and are expected to learn the rest on the job. It was just bad luck that there was no experienced officer at the scene with him."

Chloe released his arm and took his hand again in a soft grip. She closed her eyes as a new wave of headache washed over her.

Dan caressed her face once again and she gave him a tiny smile.

"We should go and let you rest," Dan said much to Lucifer's displeasure.

Chloe could feel his grip tighten and opened her eyes to look at him again.

"Go with Dan, you can come pick me up tomorrow and we will have a nice dinner then, okay?"

They could see his reluctance to let go until Dan put his hand on his shoulder and gently guided him from the room.

"Come on, bud. Let her sleep."

Lucifer let himself be led through the corridors and back to Dan's car in silence. It was late afternoon by now, if they drove back to the station he could have a long one-sided talk with the killer, but Daniel must have had other plans as he turned left and drove them home instead of to the precinct.

"Why are we stopping?" Lucifer asked as Dan parked the car.

"To get ice cream, of course. Come on."

Lucifer stared a moment at the ice cream parlour in front of him.

"And do you like to go hiking?" he asked as they got out, but Dan only looked at him blankly and he sighed. "The name? Wanderlust. It's German."

"I never thought about that. Do you speak German?" Dan asked.

"Ich spreche alle Sprachen. I speak all languages."

"I took Chloe here when we were dating. She only ever tried one sort, fell in love with it on the first taste and never ordered anything else."

"I'm going to try everything at some point," Lucifer said pondering his options.

"So, which one will it be?" Dan asked as they were at the front of the line.

"Smokey Road, please," Lucifer ordered and Dan added his own cup of, "Abuelita Melted Crunch."

"Where did you two meet?" Lucifer asked as they sat down with their cups.

"At work, where else? I had just made detective when she was still an officer," Dan said lost in the memory, "I had seen her around of course. Always there, always eager to help everyone. Then one day she was at a crime scene of mine and started to point out evidence left and right that went against my partner's theories and that's when I knew it was her. My partner blew up in her face and left in a huff and two minutes later I asked her on a date."

"Where did you take her?" He looked up from his ice cream.

"Nowhere. She said 'No'." Lucifer snorted surprised and Dan grinned.

"She thought I was an idiot for asking at a crime scene."

They sat a minute in comfortable silence, each in thought of earlier days.

"She was the first woman ever who didn't want to have sex with me," Lucifer confessed. "I guess she thought I was an idiot, too. She thought Lucifer Morningstar was a stage name."

"Yes well, who would have thought..." Dan gestured at his sitting form with his spoon. He finished his ice cream and got back to the counter.

"One family sized cup for take away, Violet Marshmallow, please," he ordered as Lucifer came to stand beside him.

"It's not her first concussion. She liked it the last time," Dan explained counting out some cash.

"I want to go back to the hospital," Lucifer stated sorrowful and Dan looked at him sympathetic.

"There is nothing we can do. They would kick us out anyway."

"I can be very persuasive," Lucifer tried again.

"Yes, you probably can," Dan sighed, "But that wouldn't help her now, would it? Come on."

He had paid for his ice cream and led Lucifer back to the car.

"We have her back by tomorrow and you can cook her favourite meal if you want to. Buckle up."

It was nearly one o'clock in the morning when Dan was woken up by a strange sound. Not that strange by day, but who would start to hoover in the middle of the night? Probably not some burglar. He left his gun and went downstairs to investigate.

"Lucifer?" He blinked at the already spotless sitting area. Was he wearing a lace apron over his pyjamas?

"What are you doing?"

"Cleaning." He looked up from the hoovering for a second.

"Yeah, I get that. Why?"

"I read up on concussions and Chloe is probably going to stay home for a few days doing nothing. I didn't want her to sit in this mess," he said hoovering down the drapes.

Dan sighed, walking over sleepily and turning off the vacuum. He took the hose from his unresisting hands and put it on the floor.

"Come to bed," he said as Lucifer didn't protest further than a resigned look.

"I can't sleep," he mumbled, but followed obediently as Dan turned off the lights.

"You can sleep on Chloe's side of the bed, if you come quietly now."

That sounded like an acceptable deal. Dan crawled in on his side and waited just long enough for Lucifer to get rid of his shoes and apron to switch off his lamp. There was some rustling behind him as Lucifer tried to get comfortable and then some more as he turned around again.

"Have you ever considered hanging a sex swing from that beam?"

"Good night, Lucifer."

The next morning Dan was woken by Lucifer shaking his shoulder urgently.

"Come on Dan, wake up. It's morning, we have to get Chloe from the hospital."

Dan turned around tiredly and pushed the arm away. He looked at his clock on the bedside table.

"It's not even six o'clock. We can't get her before afternoon. Go back to sleep for an hour."

"But I want to see her," Lucifer whined, shaking him again as Dan didn't get up immediately.

"Stop that, Lucifer." That actually sounded kind of stern and Lucifer froze.

He pulled his hand back and grabbed a pillow, holding it quietly in front of himself. It still smelled like Chloe. Dan opened one eye at the sudden silence and saw Lucifer sitting on the bed next to him clutching the pillow and staring into nothing. He sighed opening his other eye and sitting up as well.

"I guess we can visit her before work for five minutes."

Lucifer looked up at that hopeful.

"Just five minutes," Dan emphasised, "And you're not going to make a scene, when we have to leave." Lucifer nodded once.

"Then lay back down for half an hour and I'll make you waffles for breakfast, and we can take some for Chloe."

"We can bring some fruit as well."

"Yes we can bring some fruit. Lay back down now," Dan ordered softly and did the same, snuggling back into his pillow and closing his eyes.

Chloe smiled amused as her men came sneaking through the door to her dimly lit room long before visiting hours started. She could guess that Lucifer once again got his will, but she was still happy to see them.

"We got you waffles and fruit," Lucifer announced smiling in a hushed whisper, pulling a chair right next to her bed and crossing his arms over the side. Dan gave his wife a kiss and then pulled two boxes from a backpack putting them on the side table.

"And I packed fresh clothes and a toothbrush as well. How are you feeling today?" he asked.

"A bit better, I guess. No longer dizzy, but the light still hurts my eyes."

"Will you be released today then?" Lucifer asked worried and Chloe took his hand in hers.

"I'll be coming home with you later. I just have to take it slow for a couple days, all right?"

"We need to be going," Dan said checking his watch and leaning down for another kiss. Lucifer looked up troubled but didn't protest and got up quietly.

"The charger for your phone is in there as well," Dan said, pointing to the backpack, "Give us a call when you're getting discharged and we'll pick you up, okay?" She nodded waving with the hand that wasn't tied to the drip.

"Go give her a kiss," Dan sent Lucifer back and she squeezed his arm reassuringly as he kissed her forehead carefully.

"Please get well soon."

Dan waited with the door open until Lucifer passed him and winked at Chloe as he closed the door behind them.

The morning went gruelling slow for them. Dan had hoped to be able to sic Lucifer on the suspect that had pushed Chloe, but he had started confessing to everything when he was still in the car on the way back to the precinct and was already behind bars awaiting trial. For once he wanted to see Lucifer at work in full Lucifer-mode and the bastard took the easy way out.

Keeping Lucifer busy and out of trouble came with the price of getting hardly any work done himself and there were only so many coffee and doughnut runs he could send him to. At least Ella was happy with her sugary rainbow sprinkle frappucino and took Lucifer off his hands for over half an hour. Dan didn't question how she managed that but counted his blessings at getting any work done today.

He walked with Lucifer to the pizza place near the station for lunch and hoped that coming out of the building for some time would give him the patience to endure the afternoon until Chloe called for pick up.

When some time later another detective had brought in a suspect for some other case Lucifer strolled over to the interrogation room and was let in. They knew he was some kind of genius to get the suspects to talk sometimes but Lucifer hardly ever offered to work with them. He must be really bored to do it now. Dan sighed hoping for the best and concentrated back on his work.

It was about an hour later when he looked up suspiciously. It was too quiet for the busy station. The detectives were still in the interrogation room but as he got up he didn't see Lucifer anywhere with them.

"Hey, have you seen Lucifer?" he asked Ella, popping his head through her lab door.

"Not since after lunch," she said still fiddling with her equipment and he let her be. He checked he interrogation rooms again and the toilets next. No Lucifer.

He texted him but got no reply and the following call went straight to voicemail.

At least he knew exactly where he was, or where he was going to be soon. Dan swore, saving his progress on the computer he went straight to his car, only to find it gone. He felt his pocket, the keys where still there.

Not wanting to get Lucifer in very real trouble for stealing a police car and become the laughing stock of the whole station himself he ordered himself an uber for a couple blocks away and walked there quickly.

He grumbled as he arrived at the hospital half an hour later and found his car parked illegally in front with a ticket already on the windscreen. He left it, hoping it wouldn't get towed, to give a certain devil a piece of his mind. Dan opened the door carefully to Chloe's room to not startle her. Lucifer was half sitting on the chair next to her bed his upper body sprawled over her legs and she was petting his hair. He didn't look up but his back got rigid and his hold stronger as Dan got nearer.

"We two are going to have a talk about stealing cars Mister," he hissed, tapping Lucifer's back with a finger.

"Lucifer!" Chloe scolded and stopped her petting.

"I wanted to see you," he said raising just the head from her blanket looking up at her and ignoring Dan for the moment.

"Stealing is not an option." She tapped his head and he lowered it apologetic.

"How did you get here," she asked looking at Dan and he huffed.

"I took an uber. Are you ready to get out of here?"

"Just waiting for the papers. The nurse said they should be about ready in half an hour."

"Do you need help getting dressed?"

"I think I'm fine. I'm no longer dizzy. I call you when I need help, okay?"

"All right. Lucifer, let's get out of here."

He waited until the devil passed him to deliver a smack to his unsuspecting bottom. Lucifer jumped surprised, shielding his bum from further harm.

"Consider that your warning for stealing," Dan scolded and grabbed his arm to march him out of the room.

When they exited the hospital some time later Dan opened the passenger door for Chloe while Lucifer took her bag to the back seat without arguing for once. Dan pulled the ticket from the windscreen and handed it to Lucifer, who took it sheepishly.

Chloe closed her eyes against the bright sun but had to peek out to avoid getting dizzy while driving, it was a vicious circle.

She sat down on the sofa as soon as they arrived home and closed her eyes. Dan closed the blinds on the west facing windows and Lucifer started on a light dinner.

Chloe went to bed early after dinner feeling unable to watch television or read a book. She just wanted to enjoy some quiet time in a semi dark room.

She woke up briefly when Dan came to bed and Lucifer went to his room but fell asleep again as soon as Dan had kissed her good night.

She was woken again a couple hours later by an unusual weight across her legs. Tapping on her phone to get a minimal amount of light she found Lucifer kneeling on the floor next to her bed, upper body draped over her legs and fast asleep. She had forgotten his clingy behaviour before her injury. Poor sweet angel.

She shook Dan gently to wake him up and showed him the sleepy devil in her meagre light cone. He sighed wiping his eyes and taking a second look.

"Do you want me to kick him out or carry him to bed?" he whispered.

"Just lift him up, I'll budge into the middle," she whispered back, glad that Dan had spent enough time in the gym.

It must have been a miracle or Lucifer was just dead tired, but Dan managed to get him into bed without waking him fully. He whined as he was lifted but fell right back to sleep as his head touched the pillow. Dan gently manoeuvred the long legs under the blanket and went back to his side.

"Have I told you that you are the best husband, ever?" Chloe whispered giving him a kiss as she snuggled close to him.

"Not since Saturday," he said pulling her closer.

"I love you."

"I love you, too. Even if you come with a pet devil."

"We're going to call Linda in the morning, hmm?"

"Oh yes, most definitely."