While Maze and Amenadiel faced Aruniel in Hell, Dereen moved to intercept Lucifer. She slowly worked her way toward him across the crowded club, wondering about his serious conversation with Mazikeen and Amenadiel. Perhaps they found Michael's body. If so, time was running out. She had to kill Lucifer now.

She made her way directly behind him on the dance floor. The moment he turned around, she turned too, keeping her back to him and grinding her butt against his body to the rhythm of the music. He took her for a customer. "Darling, I would normally love to dirty dance with you…"

She ignored his words and grabbed both his hands drawing them up her thighs under her dress as she continued to gyrate to the music. When his fingers reached the band holding the knife to her leg, he paused, once again trying to get out of her grasp. In one smooth move, Dereen pulled the knife from its sheath and turned in Lucifer's arms to press the blade against his groin. She smiled up at him, "Hello, Lucifer."

He grimaced, "Hello, Dereen. I don't suppose you would care to move that knife a bit."

She laughed lightly, "It doesn't really matter does it? You'll be just as dead."

"Yes, there is that…" He looked down at her considering his next move, "What is it you want, Dereen?"

Too late, she felt the pull of his power, "I want to be the Ruler of Hell."

He smiled, "Is that all?" He acted relieved, "Well I don't want to rule Hell. As far as I'm concerned, you can have it!"

She shook herself and brought the knife up to his throat, "Good. Well, that was easier than I thought." She gave him a careful smile, "So, if you will fly me back and tell the counsel that I have your support as the new Queen, then I will happily stay in Hell and leave the earthly plain alone." She held her knife steadily and kept the look of glee off her face. She wanted to shout. She didn't need his support. All she needed was for him to make the dimension jump. As soon as they reached Hell, she would gut him and dump him into the abyss of fire.

He brought his hands up to her waist, putting some of his sexual magnetism into play. He leaned into her, bringing his lips so close to her ear that she shivered, "Of course, little demon. I'll fly you through the barrier."

He moved to guide her off the dance floor and out of the club.

Lucifer led her to the back alley and allowed his wings to appear. He gestured for her to come to him. "Jump up and place your legs around my waist."

She snickered, "I know I need you to give me a ride, but I wasn't expecting sex.

Lucifer forced himself to smile seductively, "Sex is my default setting, my dear. But in this instance no, it's simply the easiest way for me to get you through the barrier. Your threat to un-man me with your blade has managed to turn off any desire I might have felt for you."

She laughed again as she jumped up to latch her legs around his waist. She wiggling against him, just to annoy him. He ignored her, immediately taking flight. He made the jump almost instantly. Dereen watched as the city sky and buildings disappeared. They moved through barrier slowly, Lucifer fighting his way into the 'between'. Dereen counted to five, expecting to find herself above the flames of the abyss. She felt the shift and pop of coming through the barrier, but instead of appearing above the balcony, she found herself in pitch darkness.

She screamed. They weren't in Hell. There was nothing but blackness and a howling wind that tore at her hair and clothes. She instinctively lifted her knife to slash at Lucifer. He grabbed her wrist and wrenched the knife out of her hand. She tightened the grip of her legs around his waist as the voices of all the souls she had tortured for her own pleasure filled her ears. Judgment day was upon her. She felt, more than heard Lucifer's angry voice cut through it all, "I kept my word. I took you through the barrier. But I never agreed to take you to Hell." She jerked in fear as he flew straight up and began to twirl, pushing her back and out of his arms. Dereen felt her legs lose their grip on his waist. She fell into the endless void. Her screams were swallowed up by the noise of the bitter wind. He waited until he no longer heard her in the darkness, feeling a scream rise up in his own throat. He forced the fear away, then closed his eyes against the dark and flew. He expected his inner light to guide him out, but after long minutes of searching, he began to panic. The in-between of limbo was a place he had never dared explore before. It was forbidden in the Silver City, but vague shared-knowledge indicated that a divine beacon was necessary to guide anyone out. Lucifer berated himself, "Think fool." Suddenly it hit him. His own light within the void wasn't enough. He required a second angel outside of limbo to get him out. He reached for Amenadiel, then Michael, but nothing happened. He was trapped.

The wind howled, and began to sound like the screams of the damned. Louder and louder it wailed, until he covered his ears with his hands. Suddenly all noise stopped. It was dead silent. He listened to his wings in the total darkness. He cried out as he realized they sounded exactly as they had when he was forced out of Heaven. Pain hit him hard. His wings were burning. He was falling, spiraling endlessly. He fought back the desire to seek shelter in unconsciousness. Instead, he thought of Chloe and instinctively sought out the part of himself that now resided in her. His light. He found it almost instantly, but to his amazement, he also felt her. She was like a pure beacon of love powered by his light. The core of her spirit was so brilliant to his inner eye that he was forced to look away. He focused on her, reached for her with all his will and let her draw him home. In that instant, he knew he would always be able to find her. As he came through the barrier, he folded away his wings.

He was back in his penthouse, but his mind was still fighting the emptiness of the void. Negative emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He dropped Dereen's blade, barely registering the clatter as it hit the floor. He was hollow. Drained of all positive thoughts, he felt a gapping hole in his soul. He didn't belong here. He was meant to rule in Hell. Alone and forever lonely. Happiness wasn't for a monster like him and Chloe would realize that and leave him. She would grow to hate him. Or worse yet, hate herself for accepting him. He grabbed his head with both hands trying to stop the insidious thoughts. Suddenly his arms were full of warm woman. Chloe wrapped herself against his waist and hugged him tight. She pulled back just enough to look up into his eyes, "Are you all right?"

He shook his head, to clear away the pain and focus on his connection with her, "I'll be fine, darling," he said with a strained smile. He pulled her back into his arms, and tapped into the dazzling core of her spirit. The hole in his gut began to fill as he held her tightly and buried his face in her hair. Finally he took a deep breath and relaxed. "I am fine. Thanks to you."

He kissed her, seeking to take and give comfort. But his mouth had barely touched hers, when he was wrenched away. He was tossed backward into the wall with enough force to crack through the surface layers. He stood up, shaking the plaster from his hair, to stare at his sibling, "So Aruniel, you finally decided to face me?"

His brother bowed his head slightly, "Yes. Playtime is over. Let's finish this."

Lucifer stepped forward moving gracefully as he punched his brother in the face. "That's for trying to hurt Trixie." He punched him again, "That's for Chloe." He swung a third time, but Aruniel caught his fist, forcing him down to his knees. He gripped his brother's fist hard, enjoying the pain he inflicted. A sadistic laugh punctuated his question, "Do you know what happens when you force the Devil to feel all his regrets?"

Lucifer tried to stand, shaking his head.

Aruniel pushed power through his fingers where he gripped his brother, "He loses his mind."

Already weakened from his time in limbo, Lucifer's emotions tore through him, breaking down the walls of his will. Tears began to stream down his face as he fought the emotional storm.

Chloe rushed in and jammed her palm upward against Aruniel's nose, hoping to break his hold on Lucifer. It didn't work. The angel staggered but managed to knock Chloe across the room. She fell to her knees sobbing as sadness overwhelmed her.

Aruniel laughed cruelly, "Too easy, brother."

Lucifer roared in anger and launched himself at his brother. Blinded by his own tears, he still managed to get one final punch in, knocking his brother backward onto the floor, while gesturing at Chloe. He dropped to his knees and placed one hand on his heart, trying to fight another wave of regret. He whispered, "Beloved," willing her to understand as he dropped his head in sorrow.

Chloe placed her own hand on her heart and closed her tear-drenched eyes. She focused on the warm connection she shared with Lucifer and felt the heat rise up in her as she slowly climbed to her feet.

Meanwhile Aruniel clambered up from the floor. He grabbed Dereen's discarded blade as he stood. He lifted the knife and ran straight at Lucifer.

Chloe screamed 'No' as she lifted her palm toward Aruniel. Light shot from her hand, catching him in the chest and knocking him off his feet. He spun and dropped face first to the floor.

Lucifer ran toward him and pulled him onto his back. Aruniel coughed and squirmed, clutching at the demon blade buried deep in his heart.

Chloe watched helplessly as blood pumped from the wound, "There's nothing we can do."

Aruniel gave them both a terrible smile, "No worries. I'll just pop back up to the Silver City."

Lucifer shook his head, "I'm afraid not. I can feel your guilt. You're headed for Hell, brother."

Aruniel's eyes became frantic, "No. No. This can't happen to me. Please brother, save me." His grip on the knife loosened as he relaxed into death.

Lucifer looked at the empty shell, his mouth a grim line of determination, "Not even if I could."

He stood and wrapped his arms around Chloe. He raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed her palm where his power and hers, had flowed through her.

She raised her eyes to his, silently questioning. He met her gaze with absolute honesty. Letting her see all the love he felt through the ageless eternity in his eyes.

Ella with Michael braced against her shoulder, came slowly into the room. She looked around warily, "Is everything all right?"

Lucifer gave them a slight smile, "It will be Ms. Lopez. It will be."