House of the Damned

The Request

Twenty-Two

The Request

Ian and I clean the library together. Michael is downstairs, working in the kitchen. Emily watches Lucifer for us. I’ve always said that she should have been a mother and Lucifer has proven me right. She’s great with him, better than Michael or me.

“You’re oddly perky today,” Ian comments.

I grin at him, genuinely smiling for the first time in who knows how long. “In the four and a half” (or so) “months that I’ve had Lucifer, last night was my first full night’s sleep. He didn’t wake up at all, didn’t cry once. It was great.”

“Cause for celebration, then.” He frowns. “I have no idea how to celebrate without a drink.”

“And you know that I don’t drink. Besides, there’s no alcohol here.”

“Not quite none, but this is beside the point. Like you said, you don’t drink. So how would you like to celebrate?”

“What do you mean, ‘not quite none’?” I demand, ignoring his question.

He shrugs. “Let’s just say the pills weren’t all that I had on me when I arrived. How do you want to celebrate?” he attempts to change the subject.

I sigh and let it go. “Let’s just get the work done.”

He nods. “I think we can do that.”

We go back to work and the time goes by quickly. Pretty soon, we’re done and I’m picking up Lucifer from Emily.

“Hey there. How’s my baby boy?” I coo, bouncing him on my knee as I sit on my bed. He smiles at me and giggles. “You’re such a cutie pie.” He giggles some more and I smile. He always sounds so happy when he laughs. It’s these moments that make it hard to believe he’s a demon.

“You would have been a good mom, under different circumstances,” Michael says. I glance over at the doorway, where he leans casually.

“How long have you been standing there?” I wonder.

“Long enough to hear you use the phrase, ‘cutie pie,’” he answers with a smirk.

I roll my eyes. “Go ahead. Mock me. But I refuse to take it back. Luke here is a cutie pie.”

He smiles and walks across the room, taking the baby from me. “You’re getting so big. Growing up so fast, aren’t you?” He looks over at me. “Is Emily busy?”

“I don’t think so. Maybe sleeping. Her shift doesn’t start for about an hour, hour and a half. Why?”

“I’ll be right back,” he says, ducking out of the room and taking the kid. After a few minutes, he returns, shutting the door behind him. He doesn’t have Lucifer. “Emily wasn’t busy. And it’s been a long time since we’ve had some alone time.”

I grin at him. “I like where this is going.”

He smiles back. “I thought you might.”

Suddenly, the distance between us doesn’t exist. His lips are on mine and I realize just how much I missed this.

We’ve got an hour. Which is better than nothing, but it’s not enough.

Eternity wouldn’t be enough.

…

The moment has to come to an end. Michael works, Lucifer naps, and I sleep.

I sleep, and for the first time in a long time, I dream.