Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Chloe Decker looked up from her desk at the commotion going on outside her glass office. She couldn’t quite make out what was happening, but it sounded like some of her officers were speaking in a happy tone.
She was the new lieutenant at the precinct after years of being a detective there. She was still getting used to her new role. It had only been a few weeks since she had returned to the precinct and ended her early retirement. It was one of the best decisions she had made, but she sometimes missed being outside her office in the “bullpen.”
Curiosity got the better of her, and she rose from her desk. As she moves around the desk, a familiar laugh cut through the cacophony of voices. Chloe smiled.
She walked to the office doorway and leaned against the frame, watching the love of her life bantering playfully with several officers and her forensics scientist, Ella Lopez. They were all smiling broadly at Lucifer Morningstar, who was clearly oozing charm at them.
She and Lucifer had been partners for years, and damn good ones. But Chloe knew something about Lucifer most of the rest of them didn’t — when he said he was the Devil, he was telling the truth. Lucifer Morningstar was the Devil himself.
He also was an angel, albeit a fallen one. He had come very close to becoming God. Chloe had retired to assist him in the role, but then he had helped his friend and her ex-husband, Daniel Espinoza, leave his purgatory in Hell and go to Heaven where he belonged. The move made Lucifer realize he could do that for others, and he decided his calling was to help lost souls in Hell.
Lucifer’s brother Amenadiel become the new God, and Lucifer returned to Hell. But both brothers decided to commute for their families — Amenadiel to see his son Charlie, and Lucifer to see his and Chloe's child-to-be.
They were both shocked to discover that Chloe was pregnant. As terrifying as it seems to be giving birth to an angel baby, their friend Dr. Linda Martin seemed to be doing a great job with Charlie, and Lucifer promised he would be the exact opposite of his own father and be as hands-on as possible.
Lucifer would be gone for days, sometimes weeks at a time, but he would always return to her and her daughter, Trixie. Now that he and Amenadiel had slowed time in Hell to be closer to Earth time, the few days away from Chloe wasn’t hundreds of years for him. It meant he could be away and get a lot of work done without it being devastatingly long for him, even as an immortal.
They had discussed moving into his penthouse, which was far larger than her small townhome on the water, but Chloe wasn’t sure she was ready for a permanent move yet — especially since the penthouse seemed so empty without him.
So they were still feeling out the situation and trying to decide how to address the future, including how to raise a baby who could potentially develop wings.
For now, Lucifer was getting a knack for saving lost souls, and when he got into it, he would stay away for a while. He had just left her place yesterday morning, so she didn’t expect to see him until the weekend. Yet here he was in her precinct, charming her officers.
Chloe crossed her arms and smirked as she watched Lucifer interacting with his former colleagues. He finally spotted her, and his face lit up in an even wider grin.
“Well, as much as I’ve enjoyed this brief reunion, I do have some business with that lovely lieutenant of yours, so I must say adieu, ladies and gentlemen,” Lucifer said. “Do come by Lux sometime. I still pop in on occasion, so I do hope to see you all there.” Lucifer winked and bowed before turning and heading toward Chloe.
Chloe smiled and rolled around the door frame back into her office. She took a few steps as Lucifer followed her and closed the door.
“Disturbing my officers, Mr. Morningstar?” Chloe asked in a teasing tone as she turned to face him.
“Merely catching up with the latest office gossip,” Lucifer said. He walked up and kissed her, then placed his hand on her swollen abdomen. “Miss me, honey?”
“Always,” Chloe said, embracing him and giving him a quick kiss. “But I’m surprised you’re back so soon. You said you’d be gone several days.”
“That was the plan,” Lucifer hinted as they broke apart. Chloe moved behind her desk and sat in her chair as Lucifer took the chair in front of her desk.
“But?” Chloe asked.
“But plans have changed,” Lucifer said. “I have a bit of a tough case, and I thought my favorite detective could help me solve it.”
“Oh?” Chloe asked. “What sort of case?”
“Young woman named Jade,” Lucifer said. “I’m trying to get her to face her guilt, but she won’t even get near the idea. She seems to think that whatever she’s done, she deserves everything she’s getting.”
“What is she getting?” Chloe asked.
“Several people bullying her, essentially,” Lucifer said.
“That’s it?” Chloe asked. “I mean, it sounds awful, but you have Hell loops that are way worse than that.” Lucifer nodded.
“That’s just it,” Lucifer said. “I think there is far more to it than even what her Hell loop is creating, but when I tried to get her to dig deeper, well…let’s just say I’ve never seen a Hell loop react like this.”
“Oh?” Chloe asked, intrigued. She leaned forward, clasping her hands in front of her. “How did it react?”
“It’s hard to explain,” Lucifer said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a metal rod. “It might be better if you come see for yourself.” Chloe’s eyes lit up at the sight of Amenadiel’s amulet.
“Really?” she asked excitedly. “I’m so glad you guys figured out how to get that thing to work without Azrael’s blade.”
“Yes, it has come in handy a couple of times now, hasn’t it?” Lucifer asked, smirking at Chloe’s clear excitement. “I take it this means you’re going to take the case, Detective?” Chloe grinned broadly.
“Well, it means ditching a bit of paperwork for a few hours,” Chloe teased, knowing Lucifer’s disdain for paperwork.
“And you’re welcome,” Lucifer said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. Chloe giggled. She turned and set an out-of-office message before logging out of her computer. She rose from her desk, and Lucifer stood up and held out the amulet.
“I’m taking the case,” Chloe said, taking the amulet from him. “Let’s go see what’s up with this Hell loop.”
“After you, Detective,” Lucifer smiled as Chloe led him out of the office.