Chloe sighed, stepping into her house. Looking around the house, she noticed an uncomfortable silence. "Trixie," she called, and her daughter materialized in her bedroom doorway. "Where's the babysitter?"

"Well, I remembered I'm practically fifteen, so I paid her a couple of allowances to go home."

Chloe nodded, trying not to have a total meltdown. Demons roaming the earth, entire universes collapsing, and her teenage daughter wandering around without a clue like everyone else. If this reality had been an invasion, with the option of joining or fighting; she basically would have handed her over.

"Hey. Um, I think we should talk, Monkey."

Trixie walked into the kitchen, looking at her mother in obvious discomfort. "Did something happen at work?"

"No, Monkey, work is fine. I just, um..." Chloe bit her lip. "I've been keeping secrets from you, thinking it was for your own good. But I think it's doing more harm."

"Yeah. I've got secrets, too."

"Yeah, like what?"

"Well, I went out with some classmates today, and I saw one of them shoplift. I also really, really hate being called Monkey."

"Huh. Really?"

"Yeah, I know you only say it because of Grandpa, but it makes me feel like you think I'm less evolved."

"Oh. I'll try to stop saying it."

"Thanks," Trixie said, with her lopsided grin.

"Sure. Um, but you know, there are bigger things in life than shoplifting. I'm not condoning it, no, and I think what I'm about to tell you should probably stay between us."

"Because...it's okay to harm other people?"

"No, no. Of course not." Chloe paused, staring at her daughter and feeling an emotion to which she was unaccustomed; hopelessness. She didn't know the right thing to do, and she could still feel Maze's fingers on her cheek. "You know what, that is a really good point. I need to think. And you need to finish your homework."

"I already did."

"Good. Great. You're a good kid."

Trixie frowned, watching as Chloe awkwardly left the house and sat on the patio furniture, staring off into the night.

Trixie went back into her room, consumed with guilt. "You need to leave."

"But I thought we were having fun."

"I'm not breaking up with you, okay? We'll have fun again. Movies this weekend?" She threw him his shirt. "Oh, and go around the back."

He got dressed and went to her window, pulling it open...loudly. Closing his eyes, he stepped behind the wall as Trixie hurried to the window, so her mother would only see her. But she must have been too distracted. She nodded at him and helped him climb out of the window. He dropped to the grass and ran.

It wasn't her secret to share...but how could she keep a dangerous secret from her daughter? Poor Trixie, she didn't even know Chloe was pregnant yet. Of course, neither would Chloe, if her home hadn't been broken into by an angel from the future. Her life had gotten so complicated. Dating the devil, pregnant with an angel. Rory never even told her if Lucifer would propose. She used to like secrets, and surprises...but that had been slowly changing since the day she and Lucifer met.

She was leaning forward and her hands were entwined under her chin when she heard a snap. Her eyes flicked up just in time to see a rock go skittering over the gravel. Then Amenadiel came around the corner, his face set in stone. Trying not to show her relief (he obviously knew she had been close to peeing anyway), Chloe continued to lean in her seat and scowl.

He was quiet as he continued to advance, walking up the steps and sitting heavily beside her. The patio furniture creaked; then all was quiet. All they could hear was the chatter of a robin.

"Tell me the truth," she finally requested.

"Always, Chloe," as usual his voice was much warmer than the expression he wore.

"Can Maze be trusted?"

"Oh. It depends on what you want to trust her with. If you need backup..."

"No." She paused, trying to get her voice under control. It just wouldn't do if she yelled at God, and she had a bevy of examples to choose from. "What I mean is, is, um..."

Amenadiel's face cleared. "You're scared that you and Trixie will go to hell. I don't think you have anything to worry about, Chloe."

She smiled hesitantly at him. "And, Maze... I mean, if you're wrong, not that I think you will be. I'm not even sure you can be. But if you are, I mean, does she torture her friends, too?"

"Actually, Chloe, Maze didn't have any friends before following Luci to Los Angeles."

Her smile widened. "You...call him Luci?"

"Yeah. I always have."

"Even when he was a little defenseless kid?"

Amenadiel looked away as he confessed, "Well, no, see, we were never kids."

"Of course not. That-that would be weird."

"Maze doesn't torture people anymore. She controls who does it. She...supervises hell, if you will. At least she should," he continued, as he omnisciently checked in with the demon. "But she's having trouble communicating with the demons. They don't believe Lucifer's blessing made her superior."

"Did it?"

Amenadiel thought for a moment, witnessing past events of Maze's inability to control hell.

"No," he muttered, and his frown deepened as he witnessed something else, something worse. "And now that she has a soul...she's damned. Despite his efforts...Luci couldn't help her."

"But you can."

He quickly stood up, looking awkwardly down at her. "Excuse me, Chloe."

She nodded and looked down for the briefest moment; then, when she glanced up, she saw she was all alone. She sat back in her chair and fidgeted nervously, trying to accept things she could barely comprehend. "Yep," she said all to herself. "Better get used to this."

She leaned back, staring dismally into the scenery. So Maze had never liked anyone in hell. She probably wouldn't know what to do the first time a friend died. So maybe she would torture a friend. But how could she torture a plaything deliberately brought into Lucifer's path? And was it possible to sacrifice a kind fate to save Trixie?

Oh, God. They were going to suffer beside one another forever. She was pretty confident her father was in hell; every time she reflected upon the stadium war, she could swear she had felt his presence. She didn't think he belonged down there...but neither had Dan. Maybe her father had kept guilty secrets. But what? Loving Penelope too much? Locking away the wrong bad guy? She couldn't think of anything that would send her dad to hell, and she didn't think she was biased. A good detective was impartial.

If Lucifer couldn't help Maze, how could Trixie? She wasn't following a trail, after all; this wasn't a case. Telling Trixie wouldn't solve anything. Besides, a teenage girl probably had enough on her plate. Avoiding sweets for picture day, anticipating being asked to the prom. Ah, youth. What Chloe wouldn't do for a petty problem, a minor inconvenience that she could be overly dramatic about. Those were the good days.

She resolutely got to her feet and reentered the house.

"Do we need to talk?" Trixie asked.

"No, Mon―no. Everything's fine."

Trixie screwed up her face, then said, "I don't believe you."

Chloe nodded, and the lights caught the glimmer of her tears.

"So lying and secret-keeping is okay. I'll remember that for the future," Trixie said, with a lopsided grin that let her mother know she was kidding.

Chloe gave a humorless chuckle, staring at her. "Do you want to know? Yeah?" she added, when her daughter nodded. "It's pretty big, Trix. I'm...I'm in my forties and I'm freaking out."

Trixie considered, and then shrugged. "You could tell me when I'm forty."

"Yeah?" she repeated. "Okay."

"Goodnight, Mom."

"Goodnight, baby."

Trixie went to her room and Chloe went to the fridge. Pulling it open she saw the most unusual thing; the chocolate cake was still sealed. She lifted it out, opened it as quietly as possible and helping herself to a generous slice, and grabbed a bottle of wine; then started walking to the couch. Changing course, she went into her room, shut the door quietly, and sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the floor.

It felt like she had been shattered into a million pieces. God playing with her mind, and Maze, hacking away at her heart. Or was it the other way around?

If only Lucifer would show up to play with her organs. But no, she was alone. Two gods in one world and she was alone, just like Linda. Just like everyone. She uncorked the wine and took a few gulps before gobbling up her cake. Then she proceeded to drink like a fish and cry herself to sleep.

She was still drunk when she woke hours later, with the inevitable urge to pee. Upon returning to her room, she saw Trixie standing in the kitchen with a glass of water. They looked at each other; then Chloe moved closer. "You know something, Monkey, that classmate of yours who stole...she'll get caught. It's justice, man. The-there's not just one god, mm-mm. There's two."

"You realize you have work in the morning?"

"Mmm... Maybe I do. I think I might quit! I mean, I know now that the bad guys are going to hell. You know? Even Maze. And what did I expect from a demon?" she laughed.

"Uh, maybe she's nicer to me."

"No. No, Trix, I mean she's a demon. And Lucifer's the devil. I've seen his wings. Amenadiel's God, I mean, he is now. Me, I was just a plaything. Now I'm pregnant with this...angel baby from the future." Another demented laugh.

Trixie quirked a brow and brandished her glass of water. "Never going to start drinking."

"God, you know, I so want to know how your dad would handle all this. I want him to meet her. But at least he's not in hell now. And, God, that visit... I so needed that."

Trixie's face crumpled. "Why are you doing this to me? I thought we were moving on," she whimpered, and set her glass down on the nearest surface. Ignoring her mother's drunken, senseless babble, she swooped down, grabbed her shoes and opened the door, grabbing her purse before stepping out onto the patio in socks.

"Trix! Where are you going?"

A sob was her only response before the door slammed shut.

"Trixie!" Chloe yelled, and started stumbling to the door. She dropped to her knees, and using the island edge to clamber to her feet, she saw her daughter sit on the furniture long enough to put on her shoes, then Trixie stood up and hurried away into the dark. "Damn it. Damn it, God, no," Chloe muttered, as she noisily fumbled the knob. Pulling the door open she stared into the dark―wondering what reason she had for going to the door.

She was sure it was important...