61A/N: Super grateful and pleased to see you guys enjoying this story. I do hope you all continue to read and enjoy. It's been a few days and I got a little bit of free time after work today, so... here comes chapter 5!
Chapter 5
Chloe blinked her eyes open slowly as the morning's rays entered her room. She turned to her side and reached out to the empty side of her bed. Why'd she do that? She shot up when she saw the time on her clock on her dresser.
Shit.
She was late for work. She was late to take Trixie to school. She quickly got out of bed and almost tripped over her own slippers. She stopped in her tracks when she stepped out of her bedroom. This was not her mother's house. Right… it wasn't 2016 anymore. The events of the previous day flooded her mind. At least she was making new memories unlike Drew Barrymore in that Adam Sandler movie that Ella had her watch.
Ella.
Huh… well, there was another recovered memory – a movie night with her favorite forensic scientist. Her doctor was right. Her memories were returning slowly but surely. Too bad it wasn't more of a major event, but she would take what she could get. Chloe made her way into the kitchen. An omelet rested on a plate, still steaming. How did the aroma not wake her up? At least this time, Lucifer didn't break into her house to make her breakfast. She smiled at the memory from so long ago and yet only seemed to her as the other day. Next to it was a folded note with her name written on it in a beautiful script. Lucifer had gorgeous handwriting. She picked up the note and began to read.
Good morning, Darling. I hope you're well-rested. After you fell asleep last night, I took the liberty of taking you to bed. I slept on the sofa last night – I didn't wish to make you uncomfortable by sharing your bed, though every fibre of my being wished to be by your side. Your comfort comes first. Your news last night has taken me by surprise. I have to admit that I am absolutely bloody terrified of becoming a father. I don't have the best example in my own. But with you as our spawn's mother, well, I trust that we can make it through this new stage in our relationship as we've always done – together.
Dr. Linda would be proud of me.
You probably don't remember, but she's my therapist and one of your good friends. I thought it best to see her for an impromptu session after your news – I was going to serve you breakfast in bed, but thought better of it. You looked so beautiful and peaceful asleep. I didn't wish to disturb you and I went to go see Linda – hence this note instead of waking up to my glorious presence this morning.
He drew a little devil smiley face. Chloe rolled her eyes at that with a smile. She continued reading.
Don't worry. Your spawn is safe and sound at school. I called in a few favors and the burst water tank and leak at her school was fixed promptly. I know how important it is to you for the little urchin to attend that Small Humans Prison.
Chloe looked up from that as a memory flashed across her mind's eye.
Lucifer was in Trixie's bedroom's doorway, "Hold on. Why don't you go and deal with the donation thingy? And I can take the little sh-sugar plum fairy to school."
"Are you sure?"
"For my partner, yes, I can sacrifice."
The scene in her mind's eye flashed to Trixie. Chloe was kneeling at her level in front of Starford Academy.
"I'd like to ride with Lucifer," Trixie looked a little sheepish. "I promise I'll make him take me to my actual school this time."
Chloe smiled at the memory. She remembered Lucifer tossing his keys to his Corvette Trixie's way before Chloe shot that down immediately. He was trying to bond with Trixie in his own Lucifer way. Once again, her attention returned to Lucifer's note.
I also took the liberty of calling you off of work under the circumstances. Take some much needed time today to relax and get better. I called your doctor from the hospital to let her know that all was well with you last night. She seemed pleased. I'll come around after my session with Linda if you so desire.
I love y-
I'll see you later, Chloe.
Yours,
Lucifer Morningstar
Even though it was scratched out, Chloe could see Lucifer had started to write 'I love you' to her. She let out a long sigh before she gently placed Lucifer's note back down on the counter and turned to her breakfast.
"Good to see you spawn-free today, Doctor," Lucifer followed Linda into her office.
"Yes, Amenadiel is watching Charlie today," Linda put her purse down on her desk and took off her coat before turning back to Lucifer.
"So what brings you here this morning?" Linda asked, "Maze told me that Chloe was in the hospital. I figured you wouldn't be leaving her side any time soon."
"The Detective is physically fine," Lucifer replied.
"Yes. Maze also told me that Chloe's suffering from some memory loss? I was going to stop by to visit, but too much stimulus wouldn't be good for her. How are you two dealing with it? Especially given how you recently decided to propose?" Linda sat in her usual seat but Lucifer remained standing.
"Yes, well, my proposal unfortunately has been put on the back burner. We're slowly dealing with her memory loss," Lucifer replied, "She's slowly remembering little things throughout the years, but no major events so far unfortunately."
Linda just nodded and let Lucifer continue.
"We were finally at a place in our relationship where the Detective accepted that I'm the Devil… where she accepted all of me… and where I was even accepting me. What if when Chloe gets her memory back she doesn't want to be with me anymore?"
"Lucifer, do you really think that will happen?" Linda looked up at him.
"No," Lucifer sighed, "No, old worrying habits die hard, I suppose, but there's something else that's happened that might affect her judgment as well."
"What happened?" Linda's eyes followed Lucifer as he sat across from her.
Lucifer sat on the edge of the couch and clasped his hands nervously. He let out a long sigh and licked his lips before replying.
"Let's just say that young Charlie will have a cousin to play with not too long from now."
"Chloe's pregnant?!" Linda grinned, "I'm so happy for you!"
"Yes, well, that's why I'm here actually," Lucifer confessed, "The Devil is not a father… I know I'm going to be rubbish. Chloe will be marvelous, of course. I know we'll get through it together at first, but as time goes on, I don't know if she'll want me to stick around and mess up the child's life."
"You won't mess up your child's life," Linda shook her head.
"How do you know? You have a line to Dad I don't know about? If that's the case, I might have a message for him," Lucifer snarked back.
"I know you won't mess up your child's life, Lucifer because you'll be there," Linda replied.
"I'm not following. My being there would mess up its life," Lucifer leaned over a little further, his elbows resting on his thighs.
"Lucifer," Linda's "therapist voice" was in full-effect, "Yesterday you were in here with Trixie having picked her up from school. I've heard about your game nights. Chloe's told me on some of our Tribe nights that every once and awhile you help Trixie with her science homework… have you messed up her life?"
"No," Lucifer started but before he could go on another tangent, Linda continued.
"And don't say that you just do those things because you think it's what Chloe wants. You care, Lucifer. That's why you won't mess up your child's life."
"Yes, well, the Detective's offspring is already a bit older, but starting fresh. Raising a child from a baby…" Lucifer tried to argue.
"I've seen you with Charlie when you think no one is watching," Linda cut him off, "The Devil is a softie when it comes down to those he loves, isn't he?"
Lucifer didn't answer.
"You'll be an amazing father, Lucifer," Linda assured him, "I promise you."
Linda let that statement sink in for a second before something else occurred to her, "Wait, with Chloe's memory loss, does she know that you're even the father?"
"Yes, I told her last night when she told me the news," Lucifer sat further back on the couch.
"And you didn't call me right away?"
Lucifer opened his mouth to defend himself but the smile on Linda's face stopped him.
"That's amazing progress, Lucifer! I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you," Lucifer replied, "Do you truly believe I won't destroy my child's life?"
"You'll be fine, Lucifer," Linda said, "And you know, if Chloe has any questions about carrying a Celestial's baby, I'm here."
"That's a whole other can of Celestial worms, Doctor," Lucifer said, "Chloe doesn't remember that I'm really the Devil, remember?"
"Oh, right," Linda couldn't mask the little worry in her expression.
"At least I can take solace in the prospect that once she does remember, she can't react any worse than she did the first time, right?" Lucifer tried to look on the bright side.
Linda just sighed.
Chloe booted up her laptop at the dining room table. After taking a few moments making an appointment with her doctor for an ultrasound for later in the day (she was still in disbelief about her pregnancy and the paternity, but now was not the time to dwell), she thought she'd do a little work. Lucifer may have called her off of work, but that wasn't going to stop her from doing any. There were so many blank spaces in her memory that she needed to fill. One of the blanks that started nagging at her after she finished her delicious breakfast (thank you, Lucifer) was everything that went down at Palmetto. Surely she had closed that case by now. She was determined to find out what happened.
After a few moments to find the right files, she quickly read over her own report of what had gone down. She couldn't help the mental fist pump at being right about Malcolm Graham being a corrupt cop. Then she read about another cop involved in Palmetto.
Daniel Espinoza.
Dan was there. He had known that what she had witnessed, what she had thought she had witnessed with Malcolm was real and hadn't said anything? How could he make her think she was crazy? How could he do that to her? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was the past. Clearly, she and Dan had gotten past that and were amicable with one another.
Her attention turned back to the report. Lucifer was with her at the showdown. The monster known as Detective Malcolm Graham had kidnapped Trixie and Lucifer apparently had followed her to help. He was a lot more loyal than she had given him credit for from her week or so of knowing him.
She kept reading.
He had been shot? Wow. Could that be one of the events that had led them to becoming closer with each other? Wait a minute. Lucifer was shot, but there was no attached file about any medical attention. She looked for more details in her report, but couldn't find anything too specific about where Lucifer was shot and why he didn't go to the hospital. It wasn't like her to leave details out of a report.
This whole memory loss thing was extremely frustrating. She closed her laptop and rubbed her face with both her hands. Her memories would return. She just had to be patient. A gurgle rumbled in her lower belly and her hand flew to her mouth.
Morning sickness.
Great… that was something she wished she might be lucky enough to not have this pregnancy, but alas. Well, there went Lucifer's delicious breakfast. After emptying her stomach contents, Chloe made her way back into the living room. Clearly, she wasn't great at sitting still. She had to do something. She might've been off today, but no one said anything about not being able to go to the station to check on Ella or Dan.
Mind set, she scribbled a note for Lucifer for when he came back from his therapy session. Then she grabbed her keys and headed to the precinct.
Chloe entered the station and breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she reached her desk. Apparently being a detective was something in her hard wiring. She couldn't stay away. Her eyes roamed over her fellow detectives and officers. No one even batted an eye at her presence. She looked for Dan's desk. After reading he (rightfully) was demoted after his involvement in Palmetto, she still figured his desk wouldn't be far from hers. Surprisingly, his seemed to be below the stairs. And he was currently away from his desk.
She scanned the station. There were a few things that were different than what she remembered. Hell, it even seemed like a completely different layout than what she remembered, but still familiar. Her eyes landed on a bobbing ponytail swinging to music in the lab across the room. Chloe smiled. It was nice to (finally) have a friend at work. She made her way over to the lab to check on one Ella Lopez.
"Hi," Chloe knocked on the lab's door frame.
Ella pulled her earphone out of her ear and looked up.
"Decker!" Ella lit up and immediately went in for a hug, "What are you doing here? I figured you'd be halfway through a major Netflix binge right now."
"I couldn't stay away," Chloe patted Ella on the back before they both pulled out of the hug.
"Plus, my doctor said it's best for me to stick to familiar things and I know that one thing that hopefully hasn't changed over the years is my work," Chloe continued, "Any new cases?"
"Well, there was a call that just came in," Ella replied, "Dan should be here any second. But we can totes take care of it. You should take it easy."
"Chloe," Dan was surprised to see her as he appeared in the lab's entrance.
"What are you doing here?"
"Couldn't stay away," Chloe shrugged, "I know that I'm supposed to be off today and rest, but I can't… a couple of painkillers and I'm good to go."
"Does Lucifer know you came into work?" Dan asked.
"I left him a note," Chloe replied with a shrug.
Dan and Ella exchanged a look. Once Chloe Decker had her mind set on something, there would be no stopping her. It would be best to keep an eye on her anyway.
"Okay," Dan nodded, "Just clear it with the new lieutenant and we'll head there together."
Chloe gave him a triumphant grin before leaving the lab with a pep in her step. Dan got out his phone and texted Lucifer.
TBC
Anybody else proud of our Devil? He's come so far... :) Chloe just couldn't resist a case. She needs to work. ;) We've reached the half-way mark on this story. 5 more chapters to go. Let me know what you all thought! Thanks for reading! :)
PS: If you want to read/see the format of the letter that I wrote with the 'ILY' crossed out, you can see it better over on AO3 (as I am cross-posting this baby).
