Caught in the Fire

Chapter XIII: Waiting in the Wings

Chloe was on the penthouse balcony, watching the rain against the backdrop of the night sky, waiting for Michael to return from taking Mazikeen to Hell. Today had been a long day for her. No, scratch that, today had been one of the worst days of her life. She'd gotten the news that she never imagined hearing: her partner had been killed, and his soul was trapped in Hell. Michael and Mazikeen had joined forces to save him, and she was left waiting in the wings for their return, unable to do anything else.

The heavy rain was letting up, leaving only a light rain in its wake. She was alone, without her partner. She knew that, as a cop, losing a partner was always a possibility. She just never imagined that she would be the one to lose him, and what a big hole his absence would leave in her life. She never imagined that she would feel this way after learning that Lucifer was the actual Devil, and she ran away from him. She almost went to Rome to research him at The Vatican. But upon hearing of his death, she packed up her bags, grabbed Trixie, and took the first flight back to Los Angeles. She wondered why she even ran away in the first place.

She was devastated, and full of guilt at running away. Michael told her that Lucifer wouldn't want her to feel guilty, but she couldn't help it. Lucifer could've been happy for one more day if only she hadn't run away from him in terror. She could've given him one more day before his brother showed up to take him away. After everything Lucifer had done for her, he deserved that much. She hadn't even let him say goodbye to her in person, and he'd spent his last day on Earth tormented by how he was going to lose it all.

She pulled out the bullet necklace from under her shirt, brought it up to her lips and kissed it, glancing down over the edge of the balcony, wishing that her prayers could carry to him. Feeling utterly helpless to do anything but wait for the news that may never come, she went back to Lucifer's bedroom and sat next to him. She took his hand in hers, kneading his knuckles, looking down at his still form. She could still smell his expensive cologne and that brand of cigarette that he loved so much. What surprised her was that he was still warm. He didn't look like he'd died. Instead, he looked like he was sleeping, waiting for a kiss or a tearful love confession that would awaken him.

She heard someone landing on the balcony and then approaching her. She looked over her shoulder and saw Michael there, wings hidden, covered in ash from head to toe. "Rough flight?"

"I have taken Mazikeen to Hell." Michael tried to brush the ash off his jacket, and then out of his long hair, but that was not coming out. "She will send word when she has found Lucifer's soul."

"You don't know how much I appreciate you working with her to save Lucifer." She stroked Lucifer's untamed curls and remembered fondly how he never bothered to tame those curls when they first met.

"I can set aside my disdain for demons long enough to save my brother's soul from the horrors of Hell," he answered as he removed his hair tie and allowed his long hair to cascade down his shoulders.

"And what about your... Dad?"

Michael hesitated for a moment, and she wondered if the question made him nervous. "I imagine that Father will let His will be known sooner or later. For now, all we can do is wait."

"How long can we wait?" she asked, looking upon Lucifer's still face, "How long until it's too late? He still feels warm, but..."

"His divinity preserves his body."

"So, it shouldn't be any trouble reuniting him with his body?"

"I imagine he will need some time to recover physically and emotionally, but he should be fine once I reunite his soul with his body." He brushed more ash off his person, then he pulled the jacket off. "I wish I could do more, Miss Decker."