Chapter Text
Here they were. Sitting in his penthouse, drinking wine, making silly jokes just to have an excuse for the constant need to giggle. Lucifer couldn't believe it. Chloe had chosen him over her own father. Albeit dead. She had chosen to tell the truth in the courtroom and thus killing the last chance to send the murderer of her father to jail. Yet all she had had to do was to say that Lucifer was a liar. Or delusional. Just to confirm one of the options Charlotte had served her on a golden plate. But she hadn't. And Lucifer felt like he had to apologize for it. For the justice Chloe had decided to give him and not to her father. And maybe to find out if she felt any remorse...
He stopped laughing for a moment and leaned forward. “Detective... what you said today in the courtroom...”
“...was the truth,” Chloe finished without any hesitation, laying her own hand over his reassuring him she meant it.
Lucifer felt like a bolt of lightning went through his body with her touch. He glimpsed at their joined hands – it felt so natural, so right – and then he looked back at Chloe. She smiled at him. It was a small smile, barely there, but it was real. And for him only. He couldn't help it but smile back and caress her fingers with his thumb. Oh, this felt too good. And he was suddenly afraid, again, because good things didn't happen to him. Because he could lose so much when she found out the truth about him. He felt like jumping out of his skin and running for the door, not stopping until he reached Patagonia. But Chloe's eyes kept him rooted to the spot, the trust in them making him fight his fears and pushing them back in a closet in the furthest corner of his mind.
He could do that, just enjoy the moment. No chickening out this time. Not after he had processed so painfully what Linda had said yesterday and (almost) come to terms with the truth. So when the detective started to lean closer, he followed her lead and did the same. He knew she would taste of wine and smile and something very unique. He could already smell it in the air. He could taste it on his tongue although they were still about a half foot apart. Just a little closer and...
“Ding.”
They both turned to the elevator and blinked. A slim, tall brunette in a stewardess uniform stepped in, pulling a suitcase behind her. “Oh, I interrupted something, didn't I?” she asked politely and when she got to a spot of light, they saw her make up was smudged indicating she had been crying. There was also a bruise on her left cheek.
Lucifer saw Chloe give him a glimpse, silently asking if he knew the woman... Well, no need to pretend otherwise: “Candy!”
“I... will come another time,” the woman stammered and started to turn.
Lucifer stood up, torn between helping his old friend who was obviously in a need of help and getting back to the best moment of his life. But the moment had passed, Lucifer discovered when he looked back at Chloe. “Wait,” he said.
Candy stopped and turned back to them.
“Detective, this is Cassandra Ried, Cassandra, this is Chloe Decker,” he introduced them swiftly.
Cassandra offered her hand. “You can call me Candy.”
Chloe shook the woman's hand and nodded, looking at Lucifer with expectation. It was obvious to him that the detective thought Candy was one of his lovers. Well, she wasn't wrong. Except Candy was special. In a way. Not that special as the detective, but still special. God, it was good he wasn't talking right now. Although he probably should say something given the way the women were staring at him.
“Candy used to sing here. Before she became a stewardess.”
Chloe nodded, looking a little insecure.
“Now she travels the world,” Lucifer continued, “and when she is in L.A. she stays here. Sometimes.”
Chloe nodded again and Lucifer felt what she was thinking. Because staying with Lucifer overnight meant to have sex. For all women. Well, Chloe excepted.
Candy must have sensed the weird atmosphere. “I can go to hotel, I don't want to ruin your evening,” she offered.
“No,” Chloe answered quickly with a slightly higher pitched voice. “I have to go back to Trixie anyway.”
“But detective,” Lucifer tried to stop her but the truth be told he didn't have a clue what to say.
“It's OK, Lucifer. Just... help your friend,” she told him, avoiding looking him straight in the eyes and getting to the elevator.
That wasn't good, Lucifer mused. Now Chloe probably thought he would sleep with Candy and then she would be angry with him and then she wouldn't probably wanted to continue their... whatever it was.
He moved quickly to block the door of the elevator with his hands. “Detective. I'm not going have sex with her. Promise,” he whispered.
Now Chloe looked him in the eye and smiled despite an obvious effort not to. “OK. Can't say the same though.”
“What?!” Lucifer frowned.
“I'm going to sleep with Trixie,” she whispered conspiratorially and made Lucifer snort.
“Enjoy your night then,” he said and if it weren't for the necessity of his hands to hold the damn door he would have come in and kissed her. But Chloe obviously wasn't thinking the same thing, or maybe she was but didn't act on it. She put her fingers on his chest briefly and said “see you tomorrow,” giving Lucifer a signal to let go of the door. And of her.
And he did. He stepped back, staring at Chloe until the door closed.
“That was intense,” he heard behind his back a few seconds later. He turned back and smiled.
“Nonsense.”
“Who is she?”
“Have you gotten yourself a new man? Named Alzheimer, perhaps? I introduced you, remember? She's Chloe Decker.”
“Yes, I remember,” Candy breathed while rolling her eyes. She sat on the couch, grabbed one of the glasses with wine and drank hungrily. She laid her hand with the empty glass on her thigh and blinked at Lucifer. “I mean what is she to you?”
Lucifer took a deep breath to have more time to think. But it didn't help. “She's a... I don't bloody know.”
Candy smiled sadly. “Ooooh, that's bad. Really bad. Because I know exactly what you mean.”
Lucifer indicated her bruised face. “Is that what's happened?”
“I have got a new man. But his name's not Alzheimer. His name is Paul Nemec and he's a pilot.”
Lucifer nodded. “And what does this not-German do in his free time? Boxing?”
“Can I get some more?” Candy asked and extended her hand with the empty glass. Lucifer filled it and watched Candy to swig almost all of it.
“Yes,” she breathed, a string of the red wine flowing down her chin. “He has an inclination to get violent from time to time.”
“Do you want me to do you a favor?” Lucifer asked imagining what he would do to the wretched coward.
Candy laughed. “It's tempting but no. I've ended it. Tonight. I only need a place to crush. Just for two nights. I'm off to Paris then.”
“Alright. But if you change your mind just let me know.”
“Am I to finally discover what the guest room look like?” Candy asked with a smirk on her face. Then a thought occurred to her and she turned her head around. “Is there even a guest room?”
Lucifer smiled. “Yes, actually, there is. The architect designed one. Or two. Even though I didn't ask. Never been there myself, though.”
Candy laughed and got to her feet, swaying slightly. “Oh, too much wine.” She extended her hand to grab Lucifer for support. He took her luggage and helped her to one of the guest rooms. It was clean and filled with all the necessary furniture. He left Candy there to rest and went back to finish the bottle of the wine.
Alone.
-----
It wasn't very often Maze got a message from the bitch that called herself the Goddess of all creation. She certainly wasn't HER Goddess, the manipulative egoist. But when she asked Maze to meet her at a bar, first thing in the morning, no less, she agreed despite the desire to send her a picture of her middle finger. Or her bared ass. Because when a Goddess asked a demon out, she must be truly desperate.
“Double martini,” Maze ordered just before she sat on a bar stool. “She pays,” she added and pointed at the beautiful tall blond sitting next to her and hiding a divine being in her body.
“Mazikeen,” Charlotte drawled with barely contained disgust. Well, Maze didn't complain, she felt exactly the same...
“Your plan didn't work,” Maze said baring her teeth to remind the bitch she had no qualms tearing her to pieces like a lame animal she was. “And I strongly suggest you don't try anything like that again. Or I will cut your limbs off. Slowly. My roommate is mine to play with.”
Charlotte scoffed. “Please, spare the threats for someone who cares. And you don't have to worry. Chloe is perfectly safe from me.”
Maze laughed. What a joke! “And I am the first president on Mars.”
“I mean it. You know that all I want is to go home. To get my children AND my husband back. So it wouldn't be very wise to anger him.”
Now the bitch didn't make any sense. “Huh. Sorry, it must be my small demon brain, but how exactly is your fucking ex connected to Chloe?”
“Closely. God made Chloe. She's a miracle.”
Maze watched Charlotte shudder slightly. Oh, she was convincing... “You must think me a complete idiot if you think I would buy this.”
“Why would I make this up?”
Why indeed... “Maybe to convince me Chloe is safe from you to let my guard down so you could kill her?”
“Good point,” Charlotte admitted. “But no. It's the truth. Amenadiel told me. Ask him if you want.”
“Yeah, funny... I didn't know he was on speaking terms with his daddy again.”
“He's not. But 35 years ago God asked him to bless a childless couple. And just yesterday he met the mother again.”
No, no, no. Maze still wasn't about to believe her. “Even if it was true why are you telling me this?”
Charlotte leaned closer which made Maze want to smash her face with her fist. “Because I need your help.”
Maze barked with laughter. Another joke... and a good one. “You must be really drunk if you think just for a second that I would help you.”
“Hear me out,” Charlotte said with the most pleading voice she had mustered. There was still more command in it than pleading.
“Fine, make me laugh again.” Maze agreed because any information she could get might get handy.
“Chloe is a miracle. Blessed by an angel, made by God himself. It means she can have powers. And we don't know what kind of powers. Knowing my husband and his animosity towards Lucifer I wouldn't be surprised if he put Chloe in his path to take control over him. Or worse, to destroy him.”
“Chloe would NEVER harm Lucifer.” Of that Maze was pretty sure.
“Maybe not intently. But we don't know what strings my husband is pulling here. You know he loves to control everything. Everyone.”
Once again the bitch didn't make any sense. “So you're saying Chloe is a danger to Lucifer.”
“Might be.”
“But you're not going to destroy her.”
Charlotte scoffed. “You think God would let me? Destroy his precious miracle? Even if I managed to do that somehow he would never forgive me. No, I'm not going to hurt her.”
“Fine, at least we have something to agree upon,” Maze spat. She wondered how much of that was the old cow making up. Probably all... “Can we now get back to the reason I'm here?”
Charlotte smiled sweetly. At least she tried. But Maze didn't buy it. “Yes. I need you to help me to look after Lucifer. To make sure he won't fall for her.”
Too late for that, Maze thought. “Why? Because she might be a danger to him or because you are afraid he might care for her more than he cares for you?”
Now Charlotte frowned. “I'm his mother. I will always be first-”
Maze burst with laughter so strong she almost fell from her stool.
“Are you done?” Charlotte spat, irritated. When Maze's laugh turned into a hiccup, she continued: “I'm simply afraid of the impact their relationship might have on my son. And I know he would never listen to me. So I simply ask you to help me to keep Chloe away from Lucifer until we find out her true purpose.”
“And I would help you, because...?”
“Because you care about Lucifer. As do I. I'm not asking you to help me, I'm asking you to help him.”
“Sure.” Maze drank the rest of her drink and shrugged her shoulders. “Thanks for the update. I think I'll pass.” Oh, the look on the bitch's face was priceless. Maze hopped down from the stool and left. She should have taken a picture of that face... yes, she should have. How could that swine think Maze would do anything she asked? Except... maybe she didn't. She must have known Maze wouldn't do that... What if she had played all that so Maze would do the exact opposite of what she had asked of her? Or did she anticipate that Maze would realize that? In that case Charlotte counted on Maze to realize she was being played and not to do the opposite of what she had asked of her... in other words to do exactly what she had asked her to do. In which case Maze should do the opposite. OK, this was becoming ridiculously complicated.
But from another point of view this was all pretty simple. Chloe was her friend. Lucifer was her friend. And they were safe together. No, she wouldn't interfere at all. Unless there was a danger to any of them. She would only keep an eye on Charlotte just to be sure. Yeah, the bitch hadn't thought of that, had she?
-----
Charlotte smiled. The stupid demon was so easily led it was almost boring to play with her. Almost...
She paid for the drinks and left for her another, more difficult target.
She loved the way Lucifer had built his apartment. There was a style in it. One that suited him very well. He might not be aware of it but it mirrored his personality quite well. Wide, open, with lots of light coming in but still with several dark corners one could hide in if need be.
She found her son still in his night gown with his back to her, pouring himself a drink. What was this obsession of his with alcohol, anyway? It wasn't like he could get himself drunk...
Charlotte checked herself and put on her 'it's urgent' face, striding to Lucifer, ready to fight the battle... “There is something important we need to discuss.”
“What have you done this time?” he asked with irritation, turning to her.
“I haven't done anything,” Charlotte snapped before she checked herself. But it did hurt to know how low Lucifer thought of her. “Can't I simply visit my son just because I want to?”
“Cut the crap mom, I'm in no mood for your games today.”
“Fine. But you should probably sit before I tell you this.”
She watched him to grit his teeth and thrust his chin forward a bit as he glared at her down his long nose. Not a good sign.
“Just spit it out!” Lucifer yelled.
“Fine. No need to get angry. Amenadiel met Chloe's mother yesterday.” She watched as confusion appeared on her son's face. “And he remembered he met her before.”
“So?”
“It wasn't a random meeting. God sent him to meet the mother and bless her because apparently she was unable to have a child on her own.” Charlotte watched as the information slowly sank in. The confusion on Lucifer's face deepened just for a few seconds and then it was replaced by something far more stronger.
“You're lying!” he spat, his eyes turning red... exactly the reaction Charlotte was anticipating.
“I am not,” she said quietly, almost whispered, yet it felt like a thunder following a lightning in a short space of time. “I would never lie to you about something like this. Ask Amenadiel if you don't believe me. She is a miracle, Lucifer. Now, I don't know why your father put her in your path, but-”
“Put her in my path?” Lucifer repeated with a shaking voice.
“You don't think it's a coincidence, do you?” Charlotte scoffed. It seemed Lucifer wasn't thinking straight right now. But he was probably never thinking straight when it came to Chloe... Charlotte watched him grab an edge of a table, his knuckles turning white.
“But why...?” Lucifer stammered. “Why would he do that?”
Charlotte hated the pleading in his eyes. It was so unbecoming on her son. On her strong, beautiful light bringer. “I don't know. But she affects you. Strongly. There's no need to deny it, son.”
Lucifer was now breathing hard, his color rising. “He sent her here to control me.”
Charlotte knew Lucifer would come to this conclusion. “No! He wouldn't have come to such a length just to control you. Trust me, there are easier ways to do that.”
Lucifer shot her a dirty look but Charlotte wasn't swayed by it.
“Don't you see, son? Your father gave her to you. Not to humans or someone else but you. Maybe she is supposed to be your guide or a friend or... something more...” She let the idea sink. And it did, eliciting a snort from her son.
“Yesterday you said Chloe and I weren't meant to be. Now you're saying we are?” Lucifer yelled, clearly irritated.
“Well, that was before... when I thought she was just a plain silly human. And before she proved she cared for you.”
“What are you trying to accomplish here?”
Ah, he didn't believe her, did he? In that case she just needed to be more persuasive. She risked a step closer and put her palm on Lucifer's cheek. “If you're to stay on Earth,” she took a deep breath to indicate how hard that thought was for her, “then I want you to have someone to love you as I do. Even if that someone is a gift from your father.”
Lucifer narrowed his eyes in suspicion but there was a bit of doubt in them too. Good, Charlotte congratulated herself.
“So you finally accepted that I'm not going back to Heaven?” Lucifer asked, his eyes still doubtful.
“Yes. What I've always wanted for you is to be happy. I thought that it could be done only when you're with your family. But I was wrong. I finally see that this place is what makes you happy. That the detective makes you happy. So I just wanted you to know that Chloe is perfectly safe from me.”
There was a silence in which Charlotte sensed Lucifer's unease and doubt. He probably doubted everything right now. Her, his father, Chloe... But it would all settle down, she was sure. Once Lucifer accepted the thought God wanted him to be with Chloe. Because Lucifer was still trying to please his father... Charlotte knew that even though Lucifer didn't. She only had to make sure it would settle down the way she needed it to. With Chloe restoring Lucifer's powers. And then Lucifer restoring hers and Amenadiel's powers.
The silence was interrupted by a beep of Lucifer's phone.
“Is it her?”
“It seems we have a case,” Lucifer replied and glimpsed at Charlotte trying hard to act calmly, Charlotte saw. “You can go now, mother, we'll discuss this later.”
Charlotte nodded slightly and headed to the elevator. She smiled on her way down. Now the last player...