Paradise Found

Chapter Two

     Lucifer met the girl again. She was crying, her sobs quiet and full of grief. It was outside of one of the giant museums in Chicago. The Art Institute? Did it truly matter? He tasted her emotions on his tongue, bitter and dry. The weather was freezing; autumn was slowly turning to winter. Bare trees started to look like skeletons and mushy wet leaves scattered the ground. Chicago looked like a cemetery, and his skin felt restless. Trees disturbed him; he always felt they were listening to him. Watching him, with their long, bony fingers.

And here she was, crying in front of a museum, the trees covering her from view. Humans walked by, but they didn't stop. They keep moving, as if pulled by an invisible string.

She was whispering something. The words were scattered.

"The Sun, The sun," she swallowed, finishing her thought, "The sun is 4.603 billion years old. Biggest star in the sky. 92.96 million miles away from—"

"The Earth, right?"

The girl looked up, her brown eyes filled with surprise. Her eyes were red from crying, her tears falling rapidly down her face. He didn't remember the last time he cried.

When you fell. When Michael cut you open and you saw—

Lucifer blinked the thought away, "Was this part of the plan for today? Crying in public?"

She scowled, "No."

Her scowl was charming. It reminded him of someone he knew. He clenched his fists, keeping his emotions under lock and key. Now's not the time for a pity party.

"It's cold, Ms. Baker. You should be in your semi-freezing apartment and trying to keep warm."

The scowl deepened, "Is this how you cheer people up?"

A grin spread across his face, "It worked, didn't it?"

She frowned, "I don't like you."

Lucifer clapped his hands, "Ah, but it worked, didn't it?"

The girl giggled. It was airy and light. It was better than her scowl.

"What're you doing here, Mystery Man? Doing your good deed of the day?"

"Oh no. I'm here because I want another muffin. Purely selfish reasons, I can assure you."

"And here I thought you actually wanted to spend time with me."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Ms. Baker."

The girl locked eyes with him. Those coffee dark eyes watching him. There was a moment where he thought she knew. A subtle recognition in those dark eyes. Or maybe he wanted her to know.

Lucifer was always self-destructive, but now's not the time to flirt with danger.

Lucifer cleared his throat, "You should go home, Ms. Baker. It'll be a shame if you die from this cold."

"Because of the muffins?"

"Of course."

She looked at him again, her expression thoughtful. Her eyes were rimmed red from crying, "Why did you help me?"

Weakness. A purely impulsive need to destroy all of his plans. He shrugged his shoulders, "Bakers shouldn't cry. It's bad for business."

Lucifer left her, his eyes gleaming. He hasn't felt this energized for a long time. This was the best idea he had.