Chloe rolled off the bed with a thud. What a way to wake up. She looked around Lucifer's penthouse and saw that she was alone. Grabbing her phone from her bag, she checked the time. 3:30 pm. Shit, Trixie had been out of school for half an hour and she wasn't there to get her. Stupid, Decker, really stupid, she chided herself. She grabbed her heels from in front of Lucifer's sofa and slid them on before she scrambled to the elevator. Impatiently, she rode down to the ground floor. When the doors opened, the scene in front of her was almost too much to handle. Trixie was sitting on Lucifer's piano and he was singing to her. Lucifer, who hated kids and cringed at the sight of them, was singing to her daughter. And man, could he sing. But she couldn't help but wonder why he was singing Sugar by Maroon 5. He was an enigma, wrapped in bacon and deep fried,
"Mommy!", Trixie yelled as she jumped from the piano and ran to her mother, hugging her leg.
"Ah, detective, you've finally roused. As an act of mercy, I allowed you to rest and retrieved your spawn for you."
Chloe was touched, he was always doing little things like this for her. She stepped up to him, wrapped her arms around him and gave him a genuine hug, not the usual three pats on the back, "Thank-you, Lucifer, for being here for me today, for everything, even playing doctor with me."
Trixie's jaw dropped open, "Mommy, you and Lucifer played doctor? So, Mrs. Morgan was right. She said you and Lucifer must love roleplay."
"Tell her Mr. Morningstar likes roleplay very much, can't speak for your mother as of yet."
Chloe smacked his shoulder, "Don't tell her that, she WILL tell Mrs. Morgan and that woman is a total gossip."
"Perhaps we should give her something to talk about then", he said wiggling his eyebrows at Chloe.
"I think we already have, Lucifer. Anyway, thanks for today, I mean it. I need to get home and help her with her homework and start dinner. Tomorrow we are really going to have to work on that poodle case before Dan rushes me to close it. He thinks everything should be open and shut, no investigation."
"Well, I wouldn't worry about anything Detective Douche thinks",Lucifer said, remembering his guest downstairs.
"Do you think you could swing me by the station to get my car, I left it there?"
"Of course. Come along spawn, time for you to go home with Mother. Grab your bag."
He was a grab bag of surprises and even with all of his craziness, Chloe found herself asking herself the question he asked her earlier. Why not him? She shook her head. No, she wanted a real partnership, not a one night stand. She would never try that again.
"Mommy, why do you have boo boo bands on your head. Did you trip and fall, again?"
Lucifer ushered the child to the bench where her backpack was, "Something like that. But your mom is fine, Dr. Lucifer took care of it."
Trixie wrapped her arms around his hips and hugged his side, "I love you, Lucifer, you're the best."
"Yes, yes. You love, Luci. I see."
He didn't cringe or push her daughter away, Chloe noticed. He was trying, actually trying to be nice to the girl. Maybe, just maybe, she should give Lucifer a chance. What did she have to lose?
Her mind screamed at her then. You'll lose the best partner and friend you have ever had if it doesn't work out, Decker and given your history, it won't work out. He could never love someone like you.
Or could he? No, shake those thoughts out of your head Chloe, he has shoes that cost more than you make in a year.
"Coming Detective? Or would you like to have a sleep over with me? We can make s'mores and play spin the bottle."
Trixie's eyes grew as big as saucers, "Can we, mom?"
"No, honey, we don't need to be in Lucifer's way. let's go home, yeah?"
Both Lucifer and Trixie made puppy faces at her but she stood her ground and gave them both a firm no. it just wouldn't be proper.
"Detective, you could never be 'in my way' as you say."
She shook her head and followed him and Trixie up the stairs. As she took the third step a shooting pain cut through her ankle. She lifted her pant leg and looked down. Seems she had sprained her ankle last night and it was now pounding out it's anger at being forgotten about.
"Oh, dear, looks like we're having a sleep over, child, grab your mother's purse while I take her back upstairs."
"Lucifer, I'll be fine, just take me home. I'll ice it and it will be good as new tomorrow."
"No, absolutely not. You can't even move, let alone cook and care for your hell spawn. Indulge me just this once." There was no way in hell he was letting her go home like that. She needed his superior care and attention.
Chloe huffed and blew her bangs out of her face, "Fine, but just this once." Can I stay with you forever, Lucifer?
"Yay, sleep over with Lucifer. This is going to be so cool."
"We're closed tonight anyway, so you don't have to worry about the spawn here being exposed to any unsavory elements, well, I'll be here but I'll try to behave. Shall we?'
He picked her up and clutched her to his chest. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to hold this woman close. Subconsciously, he held her a little tighter than he should have. Mine As they silently rode the elevator back up to his pent house, he only had one thought on his mind. Why not me, detective?
Chloe laid her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It was a little fast and irregular. He was so warm, too. She wondered what it would be like to wake up every morning in those arms. Why not him?