Danika

✢ THREE ✢

 Estrella despised her new manager with a passion. The amount of work she did in this café was left unappreciated and if she didn't have to worry about Danika's wellbeing, she would quit in a heartbeat. Today had been a long day starting with the meeting with the principal, he suggested the parents talk to their children about what they saw in the cafeteria, and of course the parents had unanswered questions about what exactly happened. She ran late for work and got chewed out by her manager, and to make up time she was ordered to clean up then close the restaurant, which meant she would have to pay Ms.Flowers extra for babysitting Danika longer than normal. Estrella wiped down the tables with a wet washcloth, listening to the raindrops hit the roof over her head. She was alone which gave her an eerie feeling but didn't let it bother her. After wiping down the tables, she went to the janitors closet to grab a broom. She couldn't wait to pick up Danika and go home to do their nightly routine, she missed her a lot and obviously worried. She swept the floor tiredly when a shadow caught her attention. She glanced around the restaurant quickly, gripping the broomstick tight to use as a weapon. Estrella was almost positive she was alone, unless an employee came back for something. A glass shattering in the kitchen made her jump in fright, but she didn't run, instead she picked the broomstick upwards with both hands and slowly made her way to the kitchen's door, ready to strike. Estrella kicked the wooden door open with her feet and screamed when she spotted the hideous hound standing a foot away from her. She stepped back and bumped into something hard, but instead of screaming, she spun around ready to hit whatever it was. The dark silhouette gripped the broomstick, stopping the impact and her hazel eyes widened. She was staring into the most familiar black eyes, causing her whole body to tingle. He was as tall as she remembered, but seemed to have gained more muscle over the years. His hair was neatly trimmed and the clothes he wore were black as night. 

"Lucifer." 

His upper lip curled and that smirk he always gave her stabbed her in the heart, melting it. 

"Hello, sweetheart." 

Estrella didn't know what to say, she hadn't seen him in seven years and now here they stood holding a broomstick. Tears welled up in her eyes and Lucifer watched. 

"I don't understand," she stuttered. Lucifer gave the broomstick a little tug and she released it from her grip. He stepped back, laying it across the counter and his black cloak followed his movement. "you've been gone for seven years. I haven't seen you!" 

"I know how long it's been," he hissed through his teeth. Lucifer spun around to face her. "the Underworld was shut tight. No one could enter it and no one could escape, not even I could undo what had been done." 

Another shattering glass from the kitchen made Estrella step away from the door in hopes that the hellhound would be trapped in there. So many questions ran through her brain. 

"Did God do it?" 

"Of course he did," he spat. Estrella was as beautiful as he remembered, maybe even more beautiful than seven years ago and he still hated it. She was older with longer brown hair. "you can imagine the shock I went through when the gates hinges were blown off. That's why I'm here." 

"He let you go?" she asked in disbelief. 

"No, but someone did," he paused. "where is she? Danika." 

"She's with her babysitter. You don't think she opened the gates, do you? Danika is a child, Lucifer. She can't do that." 

"Can't she?" he challenged. He refused to believe his daughter didn't have any abilities, she was half Archangel for crying out loud. 

Estrella wanted to say no, opened her mouth to do so, but it slowly closed. Maybe Danika was the cause of her father's freedom, but Estrella knew she wouldn't know Danika had caused it, not with no acknowledge of where Lucifer has been all these years.

"She... she does things that I can't explain," said Estrella slowly. "she's been able to do unthinkable things since she was three years old, Lucifer... she asked about you last night but I didn't think she would or could set you free." 

"What did you tell her?" 

Lucifer knew he has missed so much in over seven years and that angered him, he wanted revenge against his Father for keeping him away from his daughter. 

"I told her you couldn't be around and that was all. She doesn't know your name, who you are or where you were. That's why it's not making sense to me if she did set you free." 

"Then I need to talk to her." 

"Wait a minute," Estrella said. "you're going to ask our daughter if she set you free from hell? She doesn't know anything about any of that, I've tried to protect her from that information. Besides that, she's never met you, she won't know who you are!" 

"Are you going to keep me from her?" asked Lucifer with a tint of flames in his eyes. Estrella was silent momentarily, staring at him before responding; 

"Absolutely not. But is it safe?" 

"Nothing will happen to her with me around," he stepped forward and raised his hand to her cheek. Her warmth, her softness, and her scent electrified him. He felt more powerful than he has in seven years just being near her every second. "take me to her."