Chapter Text
It had to be lie. The Doctor must be lying.
“You’re lying to me!”
“I’m not! I swear!”
“Don’t make me do something, you’ll regret. I burned Chet with my Light. I will have no problem
killing you as well.”
Linda cowered in fear as she tried to find somewhere to hide in her destroyed office. The Goddess had barged into her office, demanding answers.
This was all her fault. She had accidently let it slip this morning that Lucifer might not be on her side. And now, she was going to pay for it, dearly.
“Please!” Linda begged.
Charlotte picked Linda up from the ground by shirt with her right hand. Then with her left, she started to pull back the ducktape concealing her torn stomach.
“I promise!”
The Goddess just continued to peel back the tape. Linda closed her eyes. This was it , she thought. However, before she could get her prayers in order. Charlotte dropped her to floor. Linda backed herself up against the wall. Charlotte stalked forward, until her right foot stomped on ground. Linda looked down. Her phone, now smashed, was underneath Charlotte’s boot.
“Thank you, Doctor .” Charlotte split out. “As always, you have been ever so helpful.” Linda shivered. Although her words were kind, the tone she used was anything but. And just as fast, as she had appeared, she was gone. All Linda could do was curl up in a ball, and cry.
She’s not sure how long, she sat there. She knew had to get up, to warn Lucifer. But she didn’t have any control over her limbs. And frankly she was too scared. She wanted Maze, or Lucifer, maybe even Amenadiel. While they made her feel small in comparison, they also made her feel safe. That even though, the universe had become a much scarier place, she didn’t have to worry because, well because they had her back. They would protect her. She felt it deep within her bones.
What had she done.
They would always protect her, but when they needed her. She couldn’t help them. A fresh wave of guilt replaced her fear. She had one job. One. And she had crumbled under the pressure.
She took a shuddering breath in. She had to calm herself down. In, two, three, out two three, she told herself. She was going to fix this. In, two, three, out, two, three. In two thre--
There was a knock at the door.
Her heart dropped.
Then there was another.
“Linda? Linda, you here? It’s Maze.”
Whatever had clogged her throat before, had disappeared with the sound of Maze’s voice.
“Maze? Maze!”
The door opened. “I’m tracking Lucifer’s mom… What happened. ” Maze’s eyes were wide, as she slowly walked in, taking in all the damage. When they landed on Linda, Maze ran over and began searching her for injuries.
“Maze. Maze!”
The demon stopped. “She did this to you, didn’t she?” Maze growled.
“It doesn’t matter, what’s...what’s important is that she knows!”
“Knows what?”
“That Lucifer’s planning to lock her in Heaven.”
“He can handle himself. Right now, we need-”
“No, Maze. This my awful. I let it slip! We have to stop her now!”
Maze stared at Linda, in the middle of a heated internal debate.
“Maze, please.”
“Fine. But you’re staying here.”
“No, I’m going to help.” Linda grabbed Maze’s shoulders as she lifted herself up.
“Linda, look around. She’s dangerous.”
“I know, but I have to do something !”
Maze continued to stare. “Alright, let’s go.”
The Goddess’ mind was spinning. Why. Why. Why. Why! Why were they planning against her? She was their mother. She’d had done all she could to raise them.Everything she did was for their family, but they still chose their Father! What had he ever done for them? Ignored them. Built this stupid world, just to get away from them. It didn’t make any sense. They doctor must be lying, or her puny little human brain misunderstood her children.
Before she knew it, she was at Lux. She took a breath in. If she was going to get the truth, she had to confront her boys. Opening the doors, she saw Lucifer and Amenadiel at the bar. Her stomach filled with dread. As she got closer, she overheard Lucifer talking on his phone. Steeling her nerves, she made her face blank, and proceeded down the steps.
“Yes, Detective believe me when I say, I want to find the killer just as much as you do--”
“Hello, boys.” She said with a smile.
“Mum!” Lucifer called out with surprise as he turned to her. Charlotte continued forward towards the bar, stepping between Lucifer and Amenadiel, and the bar. The atmosphere grew tense.
“I’m so sorry, my Mum’s here. I got to rush. Good luck with Kathleen, ciao.” Lucifer said, as he hung up his phone.
Charlotte grabbed herself of drink, and leaned against bar inspecting her sons. Lucifer’s posture was surprised, but open, welcoming even. But Lucifer had always been a master manipulator. Amenadiel, on the other hand, was not much of a poker player. His muscles were tense, arms hung against his hips, as he gave her a stern look.
“What have you been doing?” Amenadiel asked.
Charlotte wanted laugh, ‘what had she been doing?’
“Oh you know, this and that.” She gestured with her hand as she moved her drink back and forth.
“This being, firing up the celestial barbecue so that you can grill up another head?” Lucifer accused.
“No, just needed to get cleaned up. Get some air, I was feeling a little claustrophobic. Don’t you
just hate, being kept in the dark.” Amenadiel and Lucifer share a guilty look. “The good news is you found Amenadiel so, we have the piece.” She’s knows a guilty look when she sees one. She’s been a mother too long. Their mother. Swallowing down her hurt feelings, she crosses her arms.
Lucifer spoke up first. “Yes, well interesting story actually. Why don’t you tell her, brother?”
“No, no, no, no, this one’s all you, brother. I insist.” Amenadiel replied, an octave to high.
Charlotte continues to watch her boys fumble. Amenadiel has stopped looking her, choosing instead to stare at Lucifer, then the floor, and lastly settled on the far wall. Not once did he look at her. Lucifer had decided that he found the ceiling particularly interesting, before begins talking, and looks at her.
“Thank you. Right well, uh upon careful consideration, we’ve decided this whole flaming sword
plan, it’s a crap idea.” Lucifer states as he gestures wildly with his left hand.
“Yes, crap.” Amenadiel adds, his voice flat.
Well, at least her boys decided to look at her again.
Lucifer hummed in agreement, “You ever considered finding, well I don’t know, a place of your own?” Lucifer spoke with fake enthusiasm.
“Yeah, somewhere away from Dad, maybe?” Amenadiel matched his brother’s tone and he fidged.
With a smile Lucifer continued, “Yes, somewhere familiar? Warmer, perhaps?”
Her mind went blank.
“...You want...You want me back in Hell ?” Charlotte spoke, disbelief in voice.
“Well not in Hell per se, but in charge of Hell! I mean, after all it is a kingdom without a ruler.”
“He’s right! I mean, there’s a great opportunity for upward mobility!”
Her heart was breaking.
“With a paint here or there? The columns will look great in white.” Still, Lucifer continued to smile, while Charlotte felt like she, she going to cry.
“Beige?”
Charlotte blows out a breath. She looked down. “So, it’s true. You are working against me. You never... planned on going... with me to Heaven.” She slowly walked forward, and looked into their eyes, hoping that they would tell her a different story.
“Wait, how did you find out?” Lucifer urgently asked. He’s eyes now locked on hers. Is that all he care about? Humans?
“Well, I persuaded your litter Doctor, over a bottle of wine, and a broken desk.”
“What did you do?” Lucifer turned around, as he began to run to the exit. She grabbed him by his lapel with right hand. “Mum!” Lucifer cried out.
“Mom. Listen, I understand, you’re angry-” She grabbed Amenadiel with her left.
With desperation and defeat in her voice, Charlotte corrected Amenadiel. “I’m not angry, just disappointed.”
She felt like she couldn’t breath. They were too close, she need space to breath. She threw them both cross the room, on top of Lucifer’s piano.
Lucifer and Amenadiel grunted, as they moved around in the debris.
She was done playing the good mother. Done trying to give her children everything, when they only punished her for it. She was done playing nice. The Goddess in all her wrath marched up to her first son.
“Give me the piece!” The Goddess roared as she stretched out her hand.
“No mom, you’re going to have to kill me.” Amenadiel calmly spoke, with determination in her eyes.
Looking away from, her eyes settled on Lucifer. His eyes held the tiniest bit of terror. For a moment she considered the fact that she just might have to find another way. But she had come to far to back out now.
“ I said, give me the piece! ” She spoke again. She could felt her rage building and building.
“No.” Amenadiel spoke defiantly.
The Goddess snapped.
“ I said, give me the- ” Suddenly, a sharp pain erupted from her stomach. She collapsed forward in pain, clutching at her stomach, as the room was bathed in Light.
Look down, she found the source of her pain. The tape holding her together had peeled off. Forcing the tape back into place, the Goddess made her back to the bar to retrieve the duck tape she had left there this morning. Lifting her shirt, patched herself up. As did however, she noticed the boys weren’t getting. The were breathing, she could, but not moving.
“Amenadiel? Lucifer?”
To her shock, they spoke. But she could make out a word they said, it was gibberish.
Fearing she may have thrown them too hard, she raced over to her children. When she was close enough to see their faces, she knew had done something terrible. Their eyes open, staring at the ceiling. Except...except their once warm brown iris were covered by a dim white light.
Her light.
What had she done.