183A/N:I'm adding in a short little epilogue to tidy up the Palmetto case mystery and hint at their future together/the devil reveal, based around how their relationship might alter the season 1 finale. Apologies it took seven years to cap this off.
Lucifer healed quickly, more quickly than Chloe could truly understand. She once again chalked it up to the idea that she might have overreacted to his initial burns - that they had been more superficial than she had originally thought and that the hospital had just shown an overabundance of caution with his treatment - but there were doubts that still lingered.
At least one of her doubts was quickly put to rest. That little niggling fear that Lucifer would revert to form the moment she had finally let herself be seduced by him - and in truth, she knows she had been an equal participant in taking this step - starts to dissipate when she wakes up to find him still happily curled around her. She smiles at finding him ready to rise to her previous challenge, as he shows her just exactly what he can do to her without ever needing his hands. Every moment together feels like he still wants to win her heart and her trust.
Chloe finds herself less reluctant to admit he already has it. Especially when he jumps at every chance to tell people he's happily taken. Mazikeen is first to hear the news, and she meets it with both the expected eye roll and somewhat less expected real smile that she tries to hide from both of them with demands that Lucifer return to his real job now that he's apparently fine. He convinces Chloe to come out with him to check on the club, an arm around her waist or his hand in hers every moment they're among the crowd, and he seems to delight in turning down any overtures made towards him by Lux's patrons. He practically growls when any insinuations are made towards Chloe herself, but she's happy to find that he's willing to let her turn anyone down herself and doesn't go full caveman as most of the men in her acquaintance would have. It's enough to know he would if she wanted him to.
At the precinct she asks that they be a little more circumspect at first, at least until she can talk to her boss, and of course Dan. The fact that he doesn't fight her on being able to rub Dan's nose in it assures her that all he really wants is her above all else. There's still a lot she doesn't fully understand about Lucifer, parts of his life that she's waiting to be let in on. But she's learning to trust his feelings for her, and hers for him.
Unlike with Dan, this new thing between them doesn't seem to hurt their work. In fact, from the moment Lucifer returns to consulting they're working more seamlessly than ever before. Though the innuendos and little comments only seem to increase, even though he's now in her bed every chance he gets. But things were finally approaching something like normal again.
And then everything goes to hell.
They're investigating the deaths of several known Satanists - this of course being Lucifer's ironic area of expertise - when Lucifer becomes their number one suspect. She half expects him to run, especially when the street preacher who blamed him is discovered in a pool of his own blood on the floor of Lux.
"Come on Ch..Detective, you can't seriously believe I killed that pathetic malcontent." Several guns are pointed at him by her fellow agents and he's looking a little like a caged beast, wild-eyed and disbelieving.
"It doesn't matter what I believe."
"That's all that matters, Detective," he tells her honestly.
She wishes it was enough. "I need you to surrender yourself to the LAPD so I have a chance to prove your innocence."
"Does this mean you believe I'm innocent?" He looks up at her with a look of wonder, of hope, that belies his usual cynicism.
Chloe hates that he sounds so surprised by this, and tells him honestly "there's not a doubt in my mind."
She knows he's not responsible for this, even though he hadn't been with her at the time. She's also certain that someone is trying to frame him, in a way that feels strangely familiar to her. Was it just because Lucifer was an obvious target? Or was it because of his connection to the case, to her?
The truth of their relationship comes out as soon as they're back at the precinct. Chloe doesn't relish telling her boss that Lucifer had been in her bed the entire night for one of the Satanist murders - if not that of the preacher - but it's better than the alternative. He's not charged just yet but he's still held for questioning, leaving Lucifer in a holding cell and Chloe to face Dan's reaction to the news all on her own.
"I figured this talk was coming," he placidly admits.
And he's far less upset than she expects at this change in status, which probably has less to do with the fact that he already suspected what was going on, and more to do with Lucifer so recently saving her life.
But it seems she's not the only one who had something to confess.
"I'm so sorry Chloe," he tells her honestly, as he explains that it was him who revealed she was looking into Paolucci's suicide note - that it was his fault that she had been endangered in the first place. That Lucifer had nearly died. That he was now wanted for murder. "I never meant for you or for anyone else to get hurt. I thought this wouldstopMalcolm from going after you."
It takes longer than it should have to connect the dots. For once, there was no particular satisfaction in her being right. Not when she's missed what was right in front of her - her own husband turning a blind eye to his partner's corruption over the years. Dan being the one to take the shot at Malcolm on Palmetto street. The evidence was all there but she couldn't believe it before now. She can't stop herself from slapping him.
"I probably deserved that."
His admission does nothing to soothe her anger. "You lied to me, you shot a man in cold blood!"
"I shot Malcolm to protect you," he tries to explain.
She accepts that Dan had probably saved her life. But he had also lied to her, and nearly ruined her career. For years he made her think she couldn't trust her instincts. The fact that he did it to try to save their family does little to dispel the bitterness she feels at his deceit. Unfortunately, there's no real time for anger, not with Malcolm still on the loose endangering others.
"I wish I could take things back," he tries.
"You can't take this back, but you can make it right."
"I swear I'll tell the Sergeant everything once we bring Malcolm in," he pleads with her. "But Chloe, we can't just leave him out there."
"I'm well aware of this - which is why you're going to tell her everything right now."
Dan pleads with her. "You're going to need a partner on this one, you can't go after him on your own."
"I already have a partner," she reminds him.
It's Lucifer she wants by her side as they go after Malcolm Graham, and it's Lucifer she turns to when Trixie is kidnapped by that madman. Even when Malcolm threatens to hurt her daughter if she brings Lucifer into this, she doesn't hesitate to tell him what's going on - nor is she entirely surprised when he offers to help her recover Malcolm's cash from evidence to pay Trixie's ransom. The cop who retrieves it looks a little dazed after his conversation with Lucifer.
It's a little harder, however, to get Lucifer to promise to let her go alone - not wanting to spook Malcolm into hurting Trixie.
"I'm sorry - I can't risk it, her life's at stake," she quietly begs him to understand. They're standing in the precinct lot, and it will only add to her troubles if they're overheard.
Lucifer apparently has no such concern. "Right, so you're just going to get both of you killed then, are you?"
"If I give him this money, he can leave town, and she'll be safe."
"And what about your safety?" He demands, reaching out to grasp at her arms.
"Trixie is all that matters!" She nearly shouts, forgetting where they are.
"You both matter a great deal to me," he whispers, and she drops her head to his chest at the words, not caring if someone sees them.
"Please, I can't risk it - I know how badly this can go but I need you to promise you will let me go alone."
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
"I know," she sighs, and leans up to kiss him.
Chloe has anticipated his refusal, and uses the distraction of their kiss to handcuff him to the nearest police cruiser before he can realize what she planned. His look of confusion and disbelief gives her another few moments in which to steal his keys from his pocket and grab the bag of cash as she runs to her car. She knows Lucifer will be able to get out of the cuffs quickly enough, she just needs a few minutes head start.
The relief she feels when she sees Trixie alive and unharmed in the plane hanger makes her deception worth it, even though she suspects it will be the last kiss they will ever share. She tries to make what might be her last moments with Trixie better, holding her close and telling her how much she loves her. She tells her to hide while she gives Malcolm the cash, promising to come find her after, holding back the hot prickle of tears behind her eyes. Another lie, but she needs to know her daughter will be safe no matter what happens.
Chloe slides over the cash to where she had already slid over both her weapons, Malcolm's own gun still trained on her.
"It's all there, you can take it and start a new life. You don't need to hurt anyone else, Malcolm."
But he just laughs, and keeps the gun pointed at her.
"Yeah, but I had planned to kill you at Palmetto, and now it feels like I have a second chance."
Chloe braces herself for the shot - only it doesn't come. A police cruiser rams through the hanger door. She's not surprised to spot Lucifer in the driver's seat, though she can't understand how he got here so quickly.
Lucifer steps out of the vehicle to stand in front of her, looking as composed as ever even though this now puts him directly in front of Malcolm's gun. He doesn't even so much as hold up his arms in surrender.
Malcolm laughs madly again, "hey buddy, long time no frame. Guess I need to find a more permanent solution."
"Give me the gun, Malcolm," he reaches out.
"Why? I've got more than enough bullets for both of you."
Chloe desperately wants to intercede but Lucifer waves her off with a hand behind his back.
"Tell me, Malcolm, what is it you desire? You've been given a second chance here. It's not death you want, is it? It's life. You want to live, don't you?"
"I do," he confesses, in that weird daze Lucifer seems to inspire in other people, "almost more than anything."
And then the gun is going off and Lucifer hits the ground. Chloe automatically tries to rush towards his side to help, but Malcom keeps the gun steadily on her, even as he drops to kneel beside Lucifer's twitching side.
"The thing I want most is for you to experience the hell you put me through. But don't worry, I'll be sending Decker right behind you."
Chloe runs, not knowing what else to do without her weapons and with no way to help Lucifer. She ducks behind a tower of shipping crates, and hears as Malcolm abandons Lucifer's side to follow her. And then she hears something she never expected - Lucifer praying.
But not for himself. He's begging God to protect her, and Trixie.
And then she hears nothing, and the tears that have been threatening to spill come back full force.
She can't see any way out of this, until she spots her guns still laying by the cash. She makes another run for it.
Malcolm fires at her, but she's faster, and a much better shot. He goes down quickly, not even bothering to return fire. Instead, he searches his pockets, eyes wide with horror as the life drains out of them.
The second she's certain the threat is neutralized, she rushes to Lucifer's side. She drops to her knees and barely avoids the blood pooling at his side to shake at his stilled form.
"Please," she begs, tears filling her eyes. "Please don't leave me."
"Mommy, is Lucifer going to be okay?" she hears Trixie's plaintive voice as she slips from her hiding spot.
She holds one hand out to her daughter, and holds her tight. "I don't know, baby."
Her other arm is still reaching out toward Lucifer, desperately seeking even the barest thread of a pulse, panicking when she finds none. She can't stop the flow of tears that blur the sight of him in front of her.
"Mommy, look!"
It's Trixie that first spots his eyes opening, the return of his breath. He sits up as if nothing had happened and Chloe automatically pulls him into his arms.
"I thought you died!" She clutches him more tightly than she means to.
"I did," he smiles. "I came back for you."
And Chloe doesn't fully understand, but she thinks she's beginning to.