October 21, 2016
"How'd you get in here?" Chloe looked up at her paperwork, seeing Lucifer's former bartender stride into her office.
Maze plunked down into the chair on the other side of Chloe's desk, casually resting her stiletto thigh-high boots on Chloe's desk, sending organized paperwork in several directions. "Let's just say Samantha at the front desk is no longer into men."
Chloe said nothing as she started resorting the scattered paperwork, but gave Maze a heavy scowl."
"What," Maze chuckled. "you still mad?"
"Mad? No, I'm not mad," Chloe snapped as he tapped the paper back into a neat pile out of reach of Maze's stripper boots. "You only lied to me and used me for your amusement because and you and Lucifer had a bet. What was all that stuff about being my tribe?"
"What?" Maze gave her a confused look. "You had fun, didn't you?"
"You didn't go out with me because you wanted to be my friend, Maze," Chloe sighed. "You went out with me for drinks because there was something in it for you."
"Yeah, we all got something out of it, so what's the problem, Decker?"
"You lied. Look, I don't have time for this. I have work to do. You can go." Chloe nodded in the direction of the door.
"I wasn't totally faking it." Maze leaned forward like a lost child trying to get her attention. Chloe didn't bother looking up from the papers she sorted and stuck into various folders, ignoring the woman who tried to get her attention. "Like when I strangled psycho chick for the win. That was genuine."
"Gee, thanks," Chloe concentrated alphabetizing the paperwork and sorting it by date. "And that's supposed to me feel better about you fucking lying to me?"
"You know, I wouldn't just kick ass for anyone," Maze crossed her arms.
"Bullshit," Chloe looked her dead in the eye.
"Okay, fine, I would. But this time it was... sweeter."
"How can hurting another human being for fun be sweet, Maze? This is some twisted version of an apology?"
"I don't do apologies, I don't want to kill you anymore."
"You're a very, very deranged person," Chloe shook her head in disbelief.
"Thanks. So, we're still good to be roomies, right?" Maze asked.
"What are you talking about, roomies?" Chloe started putting away the reorganized paperwork in the proper folders."
"We shook on it. Post-karaoke, pre-potbelly dude."
"Since when?"
"What, you don't remember?" I told you I was in between places. You said that you were liking for someone to share expenses."
Chloe searched her memory that night. The last thing she remember was finishing karaoke and then the remembered interrogating the potbellied Brad Pitt wannabe. "The missing half hour."
"Look... I've got money. I like your kid, and you dress like crap, so I won't be stealing any of your clothes."
"There is nothing wrong with my clothes," Chloe put the first set of files away in the file cabinet. Maze snatched Chloe's doughnut.
"Yeah, with the money you'll be saving each month, maybe you can get something that doesn't look like you ripped it off from the Goodwill."
"This isn't going to work and we're too different."
"What, you got a better plan? You said you wanted fun, Decker." Maze motioned up and down her scantily-clad frame hardly covered in tight leather, her mouth sporting pink icing from the doughnut. "Fun."
Chloe shook here head in disbelief, trying to make sense of what just happened in less than a minute. The only thing that made sense prompted an ironic laugh. "Damn bitch stole my doughnut."
October 24th, 2016
Chloe felt like her world had been upside down.
With the sudden change in her mother wanting the house back for herself, the divorce recently being finalized, the strange car accident that had occurred and trying to get people together at the last moment, Chloe felt her life had careened out of control. Somehow, between his endless imbibing of bourbon and his latest bimbo of the week, Lucifer had been at Chloe's side from beginning to end. While he refused to help with what he called the "tedious monotony" of packing, Lucifer hired the best movers in L.A. to finish Chloe's packing and get everything moved to her new house within a day of the car accident.
She let her fingers travel to the gash covered by butterfly tape. By the time, she'd arrived at the hospital, it had already started healing. Rather than needing stitches as she originally thought, the doctor said she only needed tape to cover the laceration until it healed.
What she hadn't expected when she told Lucifer about it was for him to drag his knuckles, proverbially beat his chest and go all he-man protector on her. It had happened, she came out of it no worse for wear and needed some semblance of normalcy and stability in her life. Chloe found her comfort in Trixie, in her work, Lucifer's posh presence and organizing her belongings where they belong. She was especially careful with her late-grandmother's turquoise Fiestaware.
"Lucifer, relax. It's done and over with. It was a random car crash."
"Detective, are you certain?" he asked urgently.
"Yes," she assured him for the forth time.
"Did you see anything strange or out of the ordinary?" Lucifer pressed.
She sighed in exasperation as she threw away the newspaper that held a turquoise gravel bowl. "Like I told you at the hospital and several times before that, no. What's going on with you?"
He drew his breath and exhaled slowly. "Detective, I don't want to admit this to you or alarm, you, but there is, well, there's a minuscule, albeit highly unlikely, chance that your car accident was a result of my father trying to send me a message."
"God send you messages through car wrecks?" Chloe scoffed, moving on to the rectangular bakeware that she'd found packed away in her mother's attic. "Lucifer, relax. It was a one-time thing and it's over. It was a freak accident, okay? A dog ran into the middle of the road. You had nothing to do with it. End of story."
"Detective," Lucifer said with that note in his voice that always made her breath catch. Only Lucifer could make her job title sound like a term of endearment. Chloe had to admit, she found it touching.
He paced for a bit, sipping his tea as he grudgingly agreed. "Right. Okay. Well, you're about to be in another disastrous wreck that is avoidable. I want you you to give serious thought of what you're about to do."
"What?"
"Living with Maze. Potential for sexy pillow fights notwithstanding, you and Maze are like snow pants and elephants."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Chloe looked at him as though he was a babbling idiot.
"You don't mix."
"Maze and I have become friends. Sort of. And I think it's gonna be fine."
"Oh, really?" Lucifer chuckled wryly, dangling a silicone balled anal plug in his hands to emphasize his point.
"Well, like most people," Chloe began slowly. "We'll need a short adjustment period."
Then chaos broke out in the Decker household with Chloe's work beckoning, Trixie's demanding outburst about having Chloe read her a story at that moment all while Chloe continued to unpack dishes. Lucifer decided that she was the only human organized enough to run Hell as well as he had. If anyone could bring Maze to heel, it would be his Detective.
Maze had proven her friendship and both had allowed her an opportunity to seen vengeance for her father's passing. Chloe considered it. As she flipped the grilled cheese sandwich, she didn't pretend to understand the world from which Lucifer and Maze came, their nefarious activities the she was certain would put both of them behind bars for a long time if she chose to further investigate either one's questionable business activities. She had a chance to put a bullet through the brain of Deputy Warden Perry Smith, the man that murdered John Decker. Oh, she remembered every ounce of pain, seventeen years of rage and grief rushing to the conscious mind in an emotion tsunami. What was becoming of the regular, tangible sane world that she once knew?
While Chloe didn't let on that she felt all that she knew as the universe was coming unraveled one fiber at a time, she smirked at the thought the Devil was her partner and if her research regarding Hell was true, then she was roommates with Lucifer's daughter, niece, lover? She didn't even want to go there. Her life was changing. She thought how this craziness affected Trixie. However, it hadn't. Trixie idolized Lucifer and adored Maze.
After their short "adjustment period," Maze had removed the sex swing from the living room and kept her adult toys discreetly secured away from the common areas of the house. Chloe smiled when she thought how she, Ella, Linda and Maze had went back to a crazy little karaoke bar called Caritas. Chloe hadn't quite moved past the fact that most of the clientele were into to heavy cosplay as aliens, demons and vampires. Linda seemed quite fine with it and Ella was fascinated by all of the details each of the players put into their costumes.
After they'd had a round and sang, "I will survive." Maze said, "Decker, you're pathetic right now, you know that?"
"Gee, thanks, Maze," she rolled her eyes at the tribe member that she occasionally wanted to scalp. "You're just a bastion of encouragement tonight, you know that?"
"You need a pick-me-up and I know a guy."
"I don't need laid, Maze."
"He isn't into your type. Or maybe," Maze dropped off. "He loves everybody, with him you never know. He can give you maybe something to look forward to, you know?"
"Well, Trixie and I have a roof over our heads and things have calmed down," Chloe admitted slowly.
"C'mon, Decker, lighten up. Have a few. I'm driving, so you don't have to worry about driving drunk.'
Three drinks later and a loud, off-key rendition of 'You Oughta Know," the Tribe (as they came to call themselves) sat at their table, discussing their latest problems and triumph, offering encouragement and support.
"Oh, Maze, how is my Hot Chocolate tonight?" A smooth, slight nasal voice cut through the cacophony of the noise around them. Chloe turned in the direction of the voice and found that a green man...or something was the one speaking. Cop instincts went into overdrive: 6'2", 170 pounds, slight to medium build. He had black spiky hair with bleached blond ends, green skin, red eyes and horns. He sang like an angel but just seemed odd in his impeccably tailored suit with the flashy satin shirt and the match cravat.
"Hey, Lorne, do a reading from my friend here, she's too uptight," Maze pointed a thumb in Chloe's direction. "Tell her when she's going to get laid."
"Oh, who is the scrumptious cupcake here, Maze?" Lorne stared appreciatively at Chloe while hid her urge to cringe. The heavy scent of cologne and hair product was more that what Chloe was accustomed to being around Lucifer. It made her appreciate his high-end tastes and subtle class to this bar owner's more flamboyant personality.
"So, you're a. . .demon?" Linda asked.
"Right on, Dumpling, oh! You are adorable," Lorne flirted, dropping his voice half an octave. "Sing for me."
"Oh, no," Linda looked down at her drink and shoving the black rims of her glasses up her nose. "This isn't about me."
"Just sing a few bars," he coaxed.
"Okay," Linda said, color rising in her cheeks. She sang a few bars of her favorite song and Lorne's eyes went wide.
"You know more than you let on. You've seen the worst of the worst and you came back from it. You're a confident to a Big Bad who is becoming part of the Greater Good and you're a huge part of that happening. You're trying to reconcile what you know with what you've learned and you're more curious that scared. You teach killers to have heart and help teach mercy to the ruthless. Where are you been hiding your halo all this time, Sweetheart?"
"Not hiding anything," Linda returned Lorne's complements with a smile. "I just want to help others help themselves."
"Are you accepting new clients?" Lorne asked, that slight Boston accent flavored his words.
"As a matter of fact, I am," she looked around the bar. "It seems there is an entire demographic that is dealing with issues of self-worth."
"Oh, Dumpling, if you only knew," Lorne looked around the bar. "You have a very special purpose in life, Linda, and this is part of your destiny. If you embrace it, you can change the world."
"No, I just want to make it better place," she said quietly, sipping her drink.
"Dumpling, look what you've done for Maze," he whispered quietly in her ear. "And for Luci. Trust me, you've already started."
"Hey, Green Jeans," Maze loudly interrupted their conversation. "Flirt with my friend on your own time. Read Decker."
"Damn, girl!" Lorne held up both green hands in surrender. "Give this demon a chance to catch his breath."
"Wow," Ella gushed looking around the bar decorated with marble pillars, cherubs, mirrored ceilings and red velvet. "These people never get out of character for a second. Is this where Lucifer got started?"
"He used to do open mike night here on Tuesdays before he bought Lux," Lorne beamed, then turned his attention to Chloe. He stared into those blue-green eyes, saw her stoic skepticism. "Oh, I see we have a disbeliever in the crowd."
"Hmm," Chloe gave one nod.
"Lorne," he offered his hand and she gave it a firm shake, never breaking contact with those gleaming red eyes. She wondered how he managed to make the prosthetic horns and the green mottling on his skin look so realistic. "Maze has said a lot about you."
"I'm Chloe,"
"No, your Angelfood, you definitely need to relax," he said, clicking his tongue in disapproval.
"So, what's his deal, Maze?" Ella whispered between loud sips of her Pina Colada.
"He's anagogic," she explained.
"So, he's like the Oracle of Delphi or Nostradamus: plugged into the psychic vibe."
"Yeah, something like that," Maze shrugged, removing the lid from her long neck with one bite and spitting it off to the side.
"Really, this is where Lucifer got his start?" Ella asked, fascinated by the baroque décor and the diversity "This is better than Carnival!"
"Yeah, for about a month. I tended bar."
"Now, I see why Lucifer never breaks character, I thought he was just another method actor, but these guys live it 24/7."
"Don't worry, Dumpling, you'll get your turn." Lorne promised Ella.
"I can't wait!" Sipping her drink, her face contorted into a painful expression. "Brain freeze!"
" So, Chloe, sing a few bars for me."
"I don't sing by myself in public," she shook her head. "Thanks, but no. I'm good."
"I can see you're truly humble, Angelfood, but Maze is right," Lorne signed, "You've got to let go a little. You're shields are so high right now that I can't see past them. You have show me a little soul so I can look at your spirit and read your aura.
"Singing, not really my area."
"Maze usually doesn't gave a damn about anyone. If she's brought you here and she has friends, that says something about you," Lorne patted Chloe's hand. "You don't like to be the center of attention, Angelfood, but I can't read you if you don't sing. I don't need an opera, just a few words of your favorite song."
"And you're going to tell me my fortune just from whatever I sing?"
"I'm going to tell you what is coming your way, Chloe," Lorne gently amended. "What you decide to do with what I tell you is up to you."
"C'mon, Chloe," Ella bubbled. "It'll be fun."
"Okay," Chloe nodded once, downed her shot of Tequila, coughed a bit as the drink burned her vocal chords and coughed a few times. Quietly the words flowed from her. "Why do birds suddenly appear Every time you are near? Just like me, they long to be close to you."
As Chloe sang slightly off-key, she wanted his crimson eyes grow wide; with amazement or alarm she wasn't sure. When she finished she watched him whisper something to Maze and she motioned Ella and Linda join her. "Come on, I'll beat your asses at pool."
"I've seen you beat someone's ass with a pool que," Ella held up her hands. "Not sure I'm up for that."
"Oh, you'll like it the way I do it, Honey, promise." Maze cooed. "Decker, you're on your own."
"Angelfood," Lorne said in a low, hushed voice and a grave expression on his face. "We've got to talk."
"What?" Chloe laughed. "Am I going to win the lottery or meet a tall, dark handsome stranger?"
"You already have, Sweetheart, and that is exactly what you have, a sweet heart," Lorne sipped on his Sea Breeze. Chloe wondered how he could stand the bitter taste of cranberry juice, tart grapefruit and vodka.
"Thanks, Lorne."
"You're a hot item in the Cosmos right now and you're in the center of it all."
"What does that mean?" she asked, wondering if all of this insanity might have some truth mixed in with it.
"Somebody isn't wanting to let me see everything, but I can tell you're by-the-book, follow-the-rules kind of cop."
"Okay..." Chloe replied slowly, not understanding where Lorne planned to go with this private fortune-telling session.
"Luci and you are connected and you're scared to death about that. You want to run and don't want to believe."
"What is going on with me?"
"You're the golden child of not just the Powers-that-be, but the Power-That-Is," Lorne took another sip of the ruby red drink. "You've been given gifts that weren't meant to be yours, but you have gifts that you were made to give, Chloe. You have to move beyond the logic and have faith. Lucifer needs your faith in the Powers and in him. That's what will save him. Be careful, though. There are those out there that will use you for their own ends."
"That's vague and doesn't make any sense," Chloe gave a shrug, feeling helpless. "I don't understanding what your telling me."
"It will in time, Angelfood," he raised his glass in toast to her. "Have faith in the Power-That-Is and believe the love your heart is feeling. It'll all come out in the wash."
"Hmm," she nodded once, taking a slow sip of her Pina Colada.
"I have to know, Chloe, and answer truthfully because I'll know if you're fibbing. Why 'Close To You?'""It was one of my grandmother's favorite songs," Chloe admitted, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"You sang it for the same reason as you love your Fiestaware," Lorne surmised. "You and your grandmother were very close."
Chloe nodded.
"Earth to Detective Decker," An English lilt broke into Chloe's momentary contemplation of the past several days, snapping her back to the present. She looked at the man who had just stolen Trixie's grilled cheese sandwich right off Trixie's plate. What was it with him and Maze always stealing everyone's food? Didn't these people know how to feed themselves Chloe considered slapping his hand with the back of her spatula, but didn't want to her Lucifer lament about the stains on his designer suit or the exorbitant cost of the cleaning bill that she'd end up paying just to shut him up.
Lucifer Morningstar was many things: rich, suave, charming, sexy, promiscuous and vain. He was also honest, compassionate, intuitive, smart and loyal. He made her a better detective, made her push harder and move faster, laugh, relax and look at life from another perspective. Both he and Maze had opened her eyes to things she hadn't seen before. They'd also made her realize that doing the right thing was important especially when no one was watching.
Just a few nights prior in her new residence, Chloe had a golden opportunity to put Deputy Warden Perry Smith, her father's killer, six feet underground with a bullet in his brain at point-blank range and Maze would be the one to gleefully bury the body.
Mouth duct taped shut and tied to a chair, Chloe remembered the muffled screams she'd heard just outside her front door. With a silent nod to Lucifer, he'd nodded in in understanding while she pointed her firearm in the dark. There, with those stiletto heels digging painfully into his crotch sat Deputy Warden Perry Smith, tied helplessly to a kitchen chair.
A large grin crossed Lucifer's features, " Well... Bravo, Maze. How did you get-?"
"I was bored. Had nothing to do. So, I tracked down the scumbag myself. It just... felt right" Mazikeen flashed him a perfect white smile.
Chloe reached for her cell. "It's gonna feel good to call this in."
Lucifer laid a stopping hand on her shoulder. "What? No, hold on, Detective. You have a choice to make here."
"Yes," Maze purred in agreement. "So much punishment. Yum!"
"Detective, Order off-menu for once. Maze and I certainly won't judge." Lucifer urged her. "You know you want to."
"Damn right I do," Chloe drew her 380, pointing it at Smith's head. "You son-of-a-bitch, you took my father away."
Deputy Warden Smith's wide eyes stared blankly at the gun.
Tears flowed from Chloe. "You tore apart my family."
Chloe ripped off the duct tape over his mouth in one swift motion. Smith groaned in pain and then gave a dark chuckle. "I tried to get him to drop it, but Decker couldn't leave it alone."
"That's it? After the pain and hell you've caused to innocent people?" Chloe teeth clenched and she carefully put the gun's muzzle right between his eyes. "That's all you've got to say?"
"No, no, no. No, no, no. I-I'm sorry. I'll give you all the players in my operation. I'll give you money."
Chloe knew how good it would feel to make him suffer, make him pay and make him burn for what he'd done to her father and to their family. Death was too good for the scumbag tied to her kitchen chair. Slowly, she lowered her firearm, replacing it in it's holster. "I'm gonna take a page from Lucifer's page book."
Lucifer looked at Maze, giving a confused shrug while she gave an approving nod and a grin. "
Here's Hell for you, asshole. We'll see how you do in the prison that you ran. I'll bet your inmates will treat you real nice."
"No. No, please, please, they'll kill me." Smith begged. "Whatever you want, I'll give it to you!"
"You can rot in your own personal Hell knowing it was John Decker's kid who got you. Go to Hell."
November 11, 2016
"Earth to Detective Decker," Lucifer ended her inner contemplation of the last several days. The emotional roller coaster ride left her drained and spent. She had no energy left to fight whatever came next. Trixie was going to Dan's for the weekend and she Chloe didn't want to spend the evening alone. She came up with the energy to invite Lucifer to dinner and he offered to order expensive sushi from a place he knew. She'd said, "Stay for dinner."
His dark brows rose on his face, a silent 'oh' formed on his lips which melted into a genuine, tender smile. How Chloe cherished those rare moment when smarmy, snarky, posh Lucifer failed to make an appearance and her dearest friend showed the man that she'd grown to lo- admire, she amended.
"Here you go, Monkey," Chloe slid the golden toasted gooey sandwich from the spatula to Trixie's plate, but Lucifer swept in and swiped it from the plate. Chloe snapped back to reality when she saw Lucifer lift the grilled cheese sandwich.
"What do you think your doing?" Chloe decided to slap his hand with the spatula and he drew it back in painful surprise.
Why should the child go first? I'm far larger. And hungrier." Lucifer said, his mouth full with a large bite of grilled cheese and toasted bread.
"It's okay, Mommy. He must've really wanted it," Trixie cheerfully smiled when Chloe slid a second sandwich onto her plate.
They ate in relative silence with Chloe trying to make sense of what she'd seen and learned over the past several months: the NDE, the bizarre theories of Dr. Leanne McCoy regarding her and Lucifer's blood, the crazy dreams about God, the strange experience of visiting Caritas with Maze and the tests results of her self-experimentation. What did it all mean? How did it all make sense in the larger scheme of things?
"Baby, it's time to get dressed."
"Love you, Mommy!" Trixie scampered off the stool and ran upstairs to get ready to go to Dan's for the weekend.
Lucifer stared at his Detective, a bastion of goodness and strength in a world where such things rarely existed. Yet, she looked so vulnerable and fragile as he'd watched various thoughts play across her face. He almost tangibly touched the pain and heartbreak she'd felt these past few weeks. He knew it was more than the divorce or the sudden changes in her life. If anyone knew about pain, it was him. She didn't deserve to be in that kind of pain. She was good.
"Er, Detective," Lucifer awkwardly cleared his throat and something painfully clenched his heart when Chloe looked at him with wide, vulnerable eyes. "Yes. I don't think much for my father, but, clearly… you do love yours which is why you followed in his footsteps, I suppose."
"Hmm," Chloe felt hot liquid sting her eyes.
"So, w-what I'm trying to say is... I think he would be proud of you."
A quite sob escaped Chloe and the tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Oh. My apologies, Detective. I didn't mean to hurt you!"
"No, Lucifer!" Chloe shook her head quickly. "It's not like that at all."
"I don't understand," he started, clearly baffled by her reaction. "Then, why are you... crying?"
Chloe felt her walls crumble as onyx eyes stared at her, confused and concerned, his kindness touching her soul in a way that went beyond words. Her partner, friend and confidante was the only one who understood, had her back and helped her heal. There were no words for what Lucifer meant to her and how his words affected her heart at that moment. She only knew that she needed his world with all of its craziness in her life because he was the one who brought her joy and love when there seemed none. Those were the things she loved about her partner and best friend. He was an ass one second and an angel the next, albeit a fallen one. Chloe didn't care.
"Just... Oh, just shut up!" She rushed into his arms, hugging him tightly and weeping into his Armani jacket. "Please, don't let me go, Lucifer."
"Never, Chloe, never," he whispered into her hair, gently stroking it, thinking how she smelled of daisies and sunshine. Her pain became his and Lucifer felt overwhelmed by her trust and her need...for him. No one had ever turned to him for strength before then.
It befuddled him, humbling him to a point of having no words. He felt hot pain behind his eyelids; not the rage of hellfire, but the anguish of tears knowing someone he adored hurt badly and she turned to him for solace. He tucked her in beneath his chin, wrapping his arms tightly around his Detective and held her close to him. Her tears wet his shirt, but he didn't give a bloody damn. He was the closest to heaven he'd been in eons when he felt her warmth and trust permeate her being, seeping into him.
"Please stay," she mumbled into his lapel.
"I couldn't leave you if I tried, Detective."
TO BE CONTINUED…..