I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, Vertigo, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

Chapter Four

Song(s): The Wanderer (Dion), Bad At Love (Halsey)

St. Vincent Medical Center, 2131 W. 3rd St, Los Angeles, California…

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, Miriam held the crash bar door open by the tips of her fingers as Pierce followed behind in silence. Spying the bagels and yogurt cups once more, she felt her lips pulling into a smirk as she reached down and picked up one of the plastic containers of chocolate cake and a single black plastic fork.

"Can I have a large coffee with cream as well?"

"Make that two large with cream."

Hearing Pierce's voice at her side, she sat the piece of cake down and stepped aside before sweeping out a hand.

"The gentleman's treat."

Walking back to the table she had recently sat at with Trixie, she watched as the Lieutenant pulled out his chair before she did the same. Spying the closed plastic container, he watched as she flipped it open and picked up the fork.

"Bite?"

Pausing the cup against his lips, he shook his head and watched as she licked at the icing that had touched at the corner of her mouth.

"Cake is not my thing" he replied, taking a deep sip of the scalding hot liquid.

"Shame. A piece won't kill you."

Or destroy your intense body building regime

Reaching into his jean pocket, Pierce took out his Blackberry and glanced quickly at the seventeen new emails before darkening the screen and placing it face down.

"If it's any consolation, the sexual assault of your client may have a connection to earlier events that involved my officer getting shot. Which means, her case will be given to my best Detective."

"Let's hope your Detective is the best" Miriam muttered as she stabbed her fork into the cake, letting it stand up as she reached for her coffee.

Feeling the buzz of his phone against the tabletop, she moved her eyes to the device just as a female uniformed Officer entered the cafeteria. Recognizing the Officer as the one that had shot her a dirty look earlier in the morning hours, she nodded her head slightly as Pierce glanced over his shoulder.

"I'll be upstairs in a minute" he barked, watching the woman nod before marching back out.

So, you are an asshole to everyone. Even to your subordinates

I'm not just the lucky one

Spying the fork, he reached out and grasped it lightly between his thumb and forefinger before sectioning off a small piece. Popping the chocolate into his mouth, he licked the lingering crumbs off the side of his hand before nodding his head.

"Not the best I've tasted." Holding the fork out, he watched as she purposely avoided his fingers before taking it back.

"I'm curious Lieutenant; Are you always so miserable to absolutely everyone you meet?"

Hearing the words pouring out of her mouth, she straightened her back against the chair as she laid down the fork.

Scoffing as he felt his ears starting to burn, Pierce clenched his jaw slightly as he angled his head. "To those that deserve it, and to those that piss me off" he growled as his Blackberry vibrated once more.

"So, to everyone."

Squinting his eyes quickly, he grabbed the device and tucked it inside the pocket of his rain jacket before folding his hands together.

"You are still sore about the ride along, aren't you" he noted as Miriam clenched her jaw.

"You…"

"No, YOU didn't think! Officer safety is number one and you had no protection. I was not there at the car, you had no gun, no vest, no training, no backup…nothing!" he spat. "Your life is precious. You can die at any minute, any time of the day" he added as Miriam felt her mouth falling open.

We are all vulnerable to death

Even you Lieutenant

"So, if you are looking for an apology, you are not going to get one from me."

That's it

"You are just an asshole Marcus Pierce."

Feeling the corners of his lips twitching as he felt his anger building, he watched as the young woman seated across from him rose to her feet.

"No one has ever dared to stand up to me more than once, and this makes three Ms. Tyler" he muttered as he remembered his run in the week previous with Charlotte Richards, chastising him over Ella Lopez…

"How do you like your coffee Lieutenant? Cream? Sugar? Or dark and bitter like your soul…"

Taking her keys out of her pocket, Miriam stared hard into the Officer's eyes as she wanted nothing more than to leave his sight before she lost her cool and slugged him in public view.

God, I hate you

"Let's hope more people grow a set of balls. Thanks for the coffee" she spat, rounding the table. Feeling the near overwhelming tension growing lighter as she got closer to the double doors of the hospital, she quickly unfolded her sunglasses and refused to the give the building another glance as she focused on her car.

Staring down from the fifth-floor window, Lucifer Morningstar trained his dark eyes on the retreating back of the young girl that he recognized from earlier in the stairwell.

"And in the police prescient" he purred, squinting against the sunlight through the glass as she roughly pulled open her car door and slammed it with equal force.

"She appears to have quite the bone to pick with you Pierce" he whispered, shoving his hands into his dress pant pockets.

Is this one starting to get to you for some reason Cain?

…

Los Angeles Police Department, North Hollywood Division, 11640 Burbank Boulevard North Hollywood, CA…

12:12pm

Sleep

That's all he wanted to do was sleep.

Kicking out the stand to his Harley, he felt the heaviness in his legs as he slid off his helmet, tucking it under his arm as he stood on his Blundstone booted feet. Letting his bag hang from one shoulder, Marcus Pierce strode through the above ground parking lot as he slapped his identification badge against the door. Ignoring everyone as he navigated his way towards the central bull pen that surrounded his office, he descended the staircase and shook his head as Gage abruptly halted his footsteps, nearly dropping a large bunch of envelopes.

Not this afternoon Gage

Hearing low beats of music as he neared his office, Pierce shot a quick look over to Decker's empty desk and hummed as he reached his own.

Oh yeah, I'm the type of guy that likes to roam around
I'm never in one place, I roam from town to town
And when I find myself a-fallin' for some girl
I hop right into that car of mine and drive around the world

Yeah, 'cause I'm a wanderer
Yeah, a wanderer
I roam around, around, around…

Wrenching open his door as the beats of the 60's song played out over his office, he clenched his jaw tightly as he watched Lucifer Morningstar prop his dress shoed feet up on the metal desk, sitting relaxed in the chair.

His chair.

Throwing his eyes over onto the record player as the vinyl LP played, he roughly tossed his bag and helmet onto the black sofa before pulling the needle, letting the office lapse into silence.

"Oh, come now Lieutenant, I think I may have found your theme song!"

Catching Lucifer's wide smile as he threw his hands onto his hips, Pierce wondered if anyone would blame him if Lucifer walked around with a split lip and a black eye just as the Devil interlaced his fingers behind his head.

"Get the hell out of my office."

"So, just how long has it been since you've had a good solid romp in the sack?"

"Not answering that question" Pierce growled as Lucifer held out his hands.

"I fully intend on keeping our deal Cain, and I was telling the truth when I said I needed to know everything about you. Even the slightest detail might give way to hope."

Hope

There is no hope for me

"You'd be amazed at just how much sexual frustration one can mask" Lucifer added as Pierce rolled his eyes, rounding the corner of his desk as he took up the remote for the flat screen. Flipping CNN over to TSN, he scanned his eyes over the scores of the hockey game from the night previous when he had been held up at the hospital, just as Lucifer sat up straight.

"There is no sexual frustration Lucifer."

Hearing the Lieutenant's growl as he kept his eyes firmly fixed on the television, Lucifer smirked as he couldn't help himself.

"Two years? Six years? Ten years?" he questioned, watching Pierce tucking his chin into his chest as he continued to stare at the screen.

"Right then! Ten years my friend gets you the keys to LUX for an entire weekend to make up for lost time. I'll even start the guest list. Perhaps we can start with that young girl" the Devil smiled as Pierce turned to face him with an ache in his jaw.

"What young girl?"

"Now now…you don't need to confess to the Devil himself that your little ride along from last week has peaked your interest."

Crossing his arms over his broad chest, Pierce narrowed his eyes as he walked slowly towards his desk.

"There is nothing with that girl" he growled, hearing a knock on the glass of the door as he turned around.

"What is it Lopez!"

Holding up a single piece of paper, Ella Lopez glanced at Lucifer as she blinked her dark eyes quickly.

"I…have to submit the requirements for the Student Summer Forensic Internship Position, we have one, well we use to have two positions but because of cutbacks…"

"Spit it out Lopez, what do you need from me?"

Wincing at his curt words, Ella held the paper out as she stared at his crossed arms.

"It's all filled out actually, it just needs to be signed."

Taking the paper from her hand, he scanned his eyes over the page, taking in the bold headings as he sighed.

"Do I need to read it?"

Shaking her head as she watched the Lieutenant reach for a pen, Ella stepped aside and avoided Lucifer's prying eyes as she started to speak.

"It's just a general overview of Forensics. Opened to any Forensic student in the state of California. Requires a successful background check, a GPA of 3.5 or above, a driver's license" she began as Pierce cut her off.

"Easy enough."

Scribbling his name, he held the paper out and didn't give Ella a second look as she scurried out of the office.

"Lucifer, we have a deal and I am committed to honoring it because I want to die. But, you inserting yourself into my life is not helping anything. And with that, I want you to get the fuck out of my office."

Hearing the office door close as Lucifer sauntered towards Decker's desk, Pierce turned towards the record player in the corner and as he stared down at the word Wanderer on the LP, he roughly took the disc up and easily snapped it in half before tossing the pieces into the waste basket.

...

345 E 1st Street, Apt 3, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California…

Dropping her hoodie on the floor of her bedroom, Miriam took her mobile out of her pocket and checked the message she had felt vibrate over an hour ago.

Did you already leave for class?

"No classes for me today. I need a shower and sleep" she muttered to herself as she powered down her phone. Stabbing the end of the charger into the bottom, she placed it face down as she pulled down the blind on her window.

Stripping off her jeans and shirt, she kicked them aside before striding naked down the hallway and into the bathroom. Leaving the door open, she turned on the faucets to the shower before tying her hair up. Staring into the vanity mirror, Miriam leaned her hands against the counter as she looked at her neck, picturing Claudia's bruises.

"Maybe I will go home for the weekend…" she spoke out loud before pushing the shower curtain aside.

Six hours later…

Watching the pages of the printer settle in the tray, Miriam downed the last of her coffee before grabbing her pen.

"Right, fill this out, scan, and send off to the Department."

"When you got your internship last summer, where did you go?" she asked, hearing Dakota flipping through the pages of her Human Osteology textbook.

"LA County Medical Examiner-Coroner Department. One of the smaller detachments about an hour outside the city" she spoke, flipping back and forth between her pages.

"Well, this is my last chance to apply for an internship before graduation. I just really hope I get something, I don't care what or where. Just the experience" she spoke, signing her name on the bottom of the fourth page.

"When is that due?"

"Wednesday, but I'm going to send it off Sunday when I get back."

"Did you not apply in first and second year?"

"First year, I worked my ass off at the library to cover what my scholarship and student loan didn't, and second year, I didn't get a spot anywhere. Too many applicants."

Closing her book as she laid it on Miriam's bed, Dakota swung her legs off the edge as she glanced at the alarm clock.

"What do you think of ordering pizza for dinner?"

7:34pm

"I'm going home this weekend."

Swallowing her mouthful of pizza, Dakota shook her head as she took up her wine glass.

"I thought you were fed up with your folks and their overbearing religion?" she questioned, taking a sip from her glass as Miriam tucked her feet beneath her legs.

"I thought so too" she muttered, tossing down her crust as Dakota narrowed her eyes.

"Was it that bad at the hospital that you feel the need to go home to the farm with no electricity?"

Perking her ears up at the mentioning of the word hospital, Miriam reached for another slice as she debated whether or not to mention her encounter with Marcus Pierce.

"It wasn't the call to the hospital, rather, it was a certain police Lieutenant that I ran into on the fifth floor."

Narrowing her eyes at her friend's words, Dakota felt her lips parting into a wide smile as she closed the empty box.

"Oh…come on now, this is fate" she smiled as Miriam tossed her crust forward.

"What, Running into a police officer at a hospital? Not such a far stretch Dakota."

"No, running into the police Lieutenant at one of the many Los Angeles hospitals in the middle of the night. You, going to the hospital in the place of the other worker because her kid is sick? Come on…"

Shaking her head as she pushed her plate away, Miriam rose to her feet and strode into the kitchen, reaching for the last bottle of red wine.

"I don't believe in fate."

"Your family is devotedly religious, your brother is wanting to become a Priest, and you don't believe that supernatural powers could be bringing you and this guy together?" Dakota questioned, holding out her hand for the bottle as Miriam slumped back down on the floor, pressing her back against the side of the futon.

"No."

Hearing her friend's firm word, Dakota raised her full glass of dark merlot above her head and closed her eyes.

"Well, I'm gonna say this. If you run into him again in this city of four million people within the next two weeks, then damn, something is going on and you need to get his phone number and or jump him" she smiled, narrowly avoiding the pillow that was thrown at her face.

...

Friday

1:13pm

Taking a quick sip of her Starbucks dark roast before setting it back in the cupholder, Miriam wheeled a hard right as she picked up speed on the US- 101 North.

"Seven hours" she breathed, hearing the beats from the KIIS FM radio station as she cranked the volume.

I know that you're afraid
I'm gonna walk away
Each time the feeling fades

You know I'm bad at love (ooh-ooh)
But you can't blame me for tryin'
You know I'd be lyin' sayin'
You were the one (ooh-ooh)
That could finally fix me
Lookin' at my history
I'm bad at love (ooh-ooh)
Oh, you know, you know, you know (ooh-ooh)
I'm bad at love (ooh-ooh)

"I'll agree with you Dakota on the issue of fate if I run into the Lieutenant in fucking Fairfield California of all places" she whispered, breathing deeply as she felt the warmth of the afternoon sun.

She hadn't bothered to tell her family that she had changed her mind and was coming home, and she hoped that the "surprise" of her appearing on their doorstep just after dinner would not be welcomed with fanfare or too many questions.

Keeping left on the I-580 West, she heard the ringtone of her mobile from her bag on the passenger seat and decided she would pull into the next truck stop when one came up. Singing along to Halsey, she flipped on her blinker and pulled into the gas station before parking alongside the tire air pump. Grabbing her phone, she instantly felt her mood darkening as she read the text from Paul.

So, you weren't even going to tell me you were taking off for Fairfield? I had to find out from Dakota?

"You're right Dakota. I need to end it with him."

Dialing Paul's number as she watched the traffic on the Interstate speeding past, she heard the line picking up as she moistened her lips.

"If you're asking me to come with you and meet your folks, the answer is no."

Resisting the urge to tell her boyfriend off, Miriam sighed as she took off her sunglasses, tossing them onto the car seat beside her.

"Paul, I want to break up."

Hearing his nervous laughter on the other end, Miriam pulled the phone away from her ear and hit speaker phone before tossing the Blackberry on the dash, just as Pierce had done one week previous.

"Well, I figured this was coming seeing how you don't want to sleep with me anymore" he spat, just as Miriam gave a bored sigh.

"Well this has been fun. Good luck with film school" she barked, ending the call before burying her phone into the bottom of her bag.

"Fuck you Paul Mckenzie. You know what? Fuck all men for the time being" she added, reaching for her mobile once more before thumbing in a quick message to Dakota.

I broke up with Paul. See you Sunday

Powering down her phone, she buried it back in her bag, shoving it under her laptop before throwing the Civic into gear.

"Watch out Fairfield, Miriam Tyler is coming back to fucking town" she swore, turning back onto the Interstate.

…

Tyler Acre Farms, 7241 Williams Road, Fairfield, California…

7:41pm

Driving slowly up the twilight lite gravel road, she felt her stomach sink as her eyes fell on the white siding of the large farmhouse that had been her home from birth to just a few years ago. Parking beside the farm truck, she sat in silence listening to the cooling of the engine as her ears picked up the cries of sheep. Thanks to her father, she knew everything there was to know about keeping sheep, though when it came to helping her mother tend the veggie garden, she was a lost cause.

"Not a green thumb in my entire body" she whispered, opening her door and smelling the sheep manure immediately.

Swallowing hard as she started breathing through her mouth, she grabbed her backpack and slammed the door hard as she heard the barking of a dog. Spying a black shape running towards her from the front porch, she smiled as she held out a hand.

"Hey Moses!"

Letting the dog lick her hand before his muddy paws stepped all over her boots, she simply smiled as the black lab happily walked along beside her as she climbed the stairs to the front porch. Setting a hand on the door handle, she breathed in deeply as she twisted to knob.

"Here we go…"

Stepping into the foyer, the smell of freshly baked bread straight from the wood stove made her mouth water as Moses ran into the house ahead of her.

"Hello?"

Hearing a throat clear from the living room, Miriam let her bag fall down her leg and onto the wooden floorboard as her brother stuck his head around the corner.

"Well I'll be…"

Feeling his arms enveloping her in a tight hug, she watched over his shoulder as the shadow of her Mother appeared.

"I prayed to the Lord after our horrible phone call that you would change your mind and come home."

Here we go

Eyeing her Mother as Yulia Tyler folded her hands together, she lightly touched her daughter's cheeks as she stared up into her face.

"And you are just in time for dinner."

Shit

Rounding the corner of the kitchen, she left her bag in the hallway as she spied the same old wooden table that had been handcrafted by her Father when she was six years old. Dressed with beeswax candles and cast-iron cookware containing the fruits of their harvested fields, she tossed her coffee cup into the trash can and caught her Mother's judgmental eye.

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Rolling her eyes as she glanced at her discarded Starbucks cup, Miriam sucked in a deep breath as she moved to stand behind her usual chair.

"It's just a coffee cup Mom" she breathed as the older woman shook her head.

"It's a corporate piece of consumerism. A business that overstimulates the mind to continue working for the Devil, bringing in more money to those that already have more than enough" Yulia spat as Miriam watched her brother pull out his chair.

"Aaron, you've had Starbucks before right?" she questioned, hearing her Father's chuckle as Allan Tyler entered the kitchen.

"Miriam, you wouldn't be annoying your Mother, would you?" he winked, taking a seat at the head of the table as Miriam smiled. Staring into the old tired blue eyes of her Father, Miriam felt the warmth and non -judgement radiating as she watched her family join hands.

Ah yes, prayer for the harvest

Pray to God

Joining hands with her brother and mother, she kept her eyes open as Aaron led the prayer.

"Almighty Father, we thank you for this bounty you have allowed for us this evening. We thank you for joining us all here together, and for the gift of another beautiful sunset. Amen."

Remaining silent as she reached out for a piece of homemade bread, she spied the hand churned butter and ignored it as she thought of her hips.

Tastes good on the lips, but lasts on the hips

Scooping a few carrots and boiled potatoes onto her plate, she would have killed for a bottle of hot sauce as she took the plate of lamb from her brother.

"Mir, can you help out at Sunday School?"

I knew it

"You really think I am the best person to be advocating the Gospels?" she challenged, hearing her Mother's hum as her Father tapped his fingers against the table top.

"It was just an innocent question Miriam. The choice is yours or course. Always yours."

Sighing as she caught her Father's soft eyes, she knew deep down that she would always help her brother out whenever he asked. Even if meant having to step inside God's House. Nodding her head as she pushed her dinner plate away, she watched as her Father rested his hands on either side of his plate and knew the questioning was about to begin.

"How is school going?"

"Fine. Busy. Classes every day while working and volunteering. I've submitted an application for a summer internship and I should hear back in a few weeks" she began as her Mother set her fork down.

"You haven't given any thought to coming here for the summer to help with the crops?"

"Mom, I can't."

"I see. The City life is more important than helping out the family" she spoke as Allan reached out and took his wife's hand.

"Enough dear."

"I've been driving for almost eight hours, I'll see you all tomorrow" Miriam gruffed as she stood up and left the table. Hearing Moses padding along beside her as she grabbed her bag, she slowly climbed the creaky wooden stairs and rounded the banister towards her old bedroom. Pushing open the door, she stood in the darkness as the light of the moon shown across the wooden floorboards. Closing the door behind her, she dropped her bag on the writing desk before lighting the large beeswax candle on the bedside table. Spying the small wooden cross nailed above her bed, she felt her lips curling into a snarl as she wrapped her fingers around the bottom point. Unhooking it from the nail, she opened the drawer to her bedside table and tossed it inside, freezing as her eyes fell onto the cover of her childhood Bible.

I thought I tossed this?

Pulling it out, she started to thumb through the yellowish dogeared pages just as a light knock sounded on her door. Stuffing the small hardcover book under her pillow, she took a seat on the edge of her bed as her Father pushed open the creaky door.

"I am happy that you have decided to come home, even if it is just for a few days" he spoke softly as she nodded her head. Shifting over as he took a light seat on the bed, she felt him take her hand with a gentle squeeze as she smiled.

He was the only family she had as far as she was concerned. Her Mother was too much of a Bible Thumper to even have an intelligent conversation with, and her brother was quickly following her footsteps to leave the state with his announcement to enter Theology School in Kansas.

He was the only man that had never failed her, never disappointed her, never judged her for not believing or living the way God had intended in his book.

And she greatly appreciated it.

Squeezing her Father's hand, she heard the rasp with the draw of his breath as he spied her open bedside table and the discarded wooden cross.

"Do you know why I named you Miriam?"

Perking her ears up as her Father spoke, she listened in silence before shaking her head.

She had never questioned her name unlike some of her friends who had moaned after being named after long dead relatives in honor of tradition.

"Miriam was the daughter of Amram and Yocheved, and the elder sister of Aaron and Moses" he began as she recalled the Sunday School lessons from her childhood. "She was a strong-willed, wise girl who watched out and protected her brothers along with thousands of others that faced the oppression of slavery and cruelty. She stood up for what was right, and she led many especially women to freedom, while instructing the Torah and the Word of the Lord."

"You had the feeling that I was going to grow up wanting to help woman?" she questioned as Allan patted her knee.

"Call it a feeling if you will. Miriam also means rebellion, which I am well pleased to see you living up to" he added with a wink as he squeezed his daughter's hand.

Oh Dad…

Watching him moving towards the bedroom door, she felt her lips parting as she cleared her throat.

"Dad, do you believe that fate would put someone directly in your path numerous times to try and make you see…something?" she questioned as he turned around and thought for a minute.

"I believe in faith."

It was all he said as he closed the door firmly behind him.

Hearing his footsteps disappearing down the hallway, she rose to her feet and began to empty her bag, taking out a black tank top and sleeping shorts. Changing quickly, she pushed open the only window in the room as a rumble of thunder echoed off in the distant dark countryside.

Leaning up against the wall, she pulled out the small Bible and flipped through the pages as she scanned her eyes over her childish scribbles. Flipping to the beginning of the book, she read through The Temptation and Fall of Man from Genesis, scowling as she cursed Eve for fucking over every woman that would ever be born after Her and as she was about to close the book for good, her eyes fell over Cain Murders Abel as a flash of lightening close to the house sent the entire dwelling into darkness.

Hearing the barking of Moses from downstairs, she listened to her parents walking about, no doubt relying on the beeswax candles that were a staple in the Tyler family household.

"Guess God doesn't want me to read His book" she teased, letting it fall into the drawer before sliding it closed. Settling down into the cool sheets, she closed her eyes and breathed out deeply, trying to adjust to the unaccustomed quiet and stillness of zero traffic as tiny droplets of rain began to fall against the glass window pane.

...

Please read, review, and enjoy!