A/N1: Thanks to everyone for reading, subscribing, favouring, bookmarking and commenting! Your enthusiasm has overwhelmed me – and there are still three weeks to go!

I'm having so much fun writing.

Thank you!

-F.

Disclaimer: Still don't own Lucifer. This unique combination of words is mine again, though. (Somehow I'd rather own Lucifer... ^^)

Characters: Lucifer, Chloe

A/N2:I do watch too much Lucifer – this feels like something actually happening in the series.

The last one-shot following 'Glimpses' and 'Pretend'.

Because I know You

It was a late night stake-out, and a very uneventful one at that. No one had tried to enter the suspect's house so far, and nobody had left it. It was, as Chloe had silently admitted only to herself, more a shot in the dark than a certainty the man was guilty – but she had a gut feeling, and usually those were right.

By now, Chloe had been on many stake-outs with Lucifer and so far she had never been bored. Irritated, yes, but never bored.

But Lucifer had been withdrawn for the last couple of days, and even more infuriating than usually and Chloe had no idea what had happened or when it had started.

Now that Lucifer wasn't talking his usual amount of nonsense and metaphors, the atmosphere in the car was tense, like they were strangers who had been forced to spent the whole night together in confined space.

Chloe realised that if she had said this out loud, and things were like they used to be, Lucifer would surely have made a comment with this wolfish grin of his. I do have a few ideas about confined space and strangers, Detective, he'd say and look her up and down with one eyebrow raised suggestively.

She sighed unhappily: It was a good half-hour since her last attempt at small-talk, and the silence really was worrying. She glanced sideways at her companion and was surprised to see Lucifer was asleep, his head propped against the car window. His usually so guarded face (guarded with too many smiles and too much talk) was relaxed and peaceful. His eyes moved rapidly behind his lids: Apparently he was dreaming and, judging by the smile on his lips, about something good.

Chloe felt the corners of her mouth tugging up. Sleeping Lucifer looked so different from Playboy Lucifer or Cop Lucifer or –

Chloe caught movement in the corner of her eye and averted her eyes from Lucifer's face with a certain reluctance.

A figure wearing a hood, clutching a rather suspicious looking bag, approached the suspect's house. Grinning, Chloe unbuckled her seat belt and turned to Lucifer again, only to jump out of her skin when he suddenly winced and roared something at the top of his lungs. It sounded like it had a meaning, but if it had, Lucifer was talking in no language Chloe had ever heard.

He lashed out and hit her across the cheek, so hard her head flew back against the headrest. For a moment the only thing she saw were black spots dancing before her eyes. While things slowly swam back into focus, Lucifer stopped yelling and instead froze, his face a mask of terror. His eyes only half-closed, he said: "Chloe."

Chloe felt a shiver run down her spine – Lucifer sounded like he had been beaten, the way he whispered her name declared submission and surrender. Whatever he had been fighting in his dream, he had lost, and somehow all this had to do with her.

Her cheek burned and she tasted blood in her mouth from where she had bit her tongue. Slowly, deliberately, she reached over and gently touched Lucifer's shoulder: "Lucifer. Wake up."

His eyes opened wide, and he flinched before he recognised her: "Detective."
Lucifer's voice sounded small.

"I'm here."

She moved, and the light of a street lamp must've hit her face which obviously showed the mark of his hand, because he asked: "I – What happened?"

He didn't wait for an answer. His face darkening, he pulled back again with a horrifiedexpression, opened the door and hurried away from the car as fast as possible.

Chloe forgot about the suspicious guy making his way to the suspect's house (if Lucifer's screaming hadn't warned him off) and followed her partner: "Lucifer – damn, wait up!"

He turned around so suddenly she ran into him and stumbled back a few steps before looking up at Lucifer's face.

"Don't you understand? I can't protect you any other way then by staying away from you", he hissed through clenched teeth.

Chloe forced herself to smile and say in a soothing voice: "That's nothing. I've had worse."

She caught the hand he rose in denial of her words and gave it a violent squeeze: "I'm a big girl, Lucifer. I can look out for myself. Why would you think you need to protect me?"

After a heartbeat of hesitation, he answered: "The people getting close to me get hurt, Detective. Mostly by me."

"You would never hurt me."

"Just look at your face!"

"Okay, granted. But you would never intentionally hurt me, I know that."

"How do you know that?", he asked, staring at their clasped hands.

She gave his hand another squeeze she hoped he understood to be reassuring and answered: "Because I know you."

He shook his head silently, but she felt his grip on her hand tightening slightly.

"Have you ever considered", she said quietly and consciously, "that I might not stay away from you?"

Finally he looked up and said: "Chloe, I – "

His eyes widened: "Hey! You! Stop!"

He let go of Chloe's hand abruptly and started running away from her at high speed. It took her a moment so realise he must have seen someone behind her.

Closing her eyes momentarily, she whispered: "Seriously?!" before running after him again, this time with her gun in hand: "LAPD! Stop!"

Their talk would have to wait.