The truth shall set you free

16. Up

The uncomfortable feeling of riding a rollercoaster was back. How could it feel like falling when they were heading up, she managed to think in the vortex as they rose from the underground. Chloe's arms were tightly wound around Lucifer's chest and his around her. It took some time but little by little, the humid heat, sound and foul smell of the underground disappeared and a slight bounce indicated that they had hit ground. There was solid ground under her feet. At first she carefully used her ears to identify where they were and then she opened the eyes that were tightly clamped together. All she saw was Lucifer's anxious face dimly lit.

"Are you okay?" No words came in use but she nodded.

"The coast is clear," they heard Maze announce and with a rustling sound Lucifer unfolded his wings that was covering them both. Chloe was once again stunned by their beauty. Even though she had seen them before, they were still absolutely mezmerising and a slight sadness washed over her as he folded them back in hiding. The setting sun gave everything a warm tone, even Lucifer's face.

"Thank you," she smiled as that was answer enough. They realized that they still held each other close and loosened their grip. Both took a deep breath to release the tension they had been under.

"Home sweet home," Maze said from the bar where she sat with a drink in her hand. Gradually she realized that she was glad to be there; not in the building, but in LA, on earth. Finally she could make sure that no harm had come to Linda. "I'm off," was all she said before the elevator doors closed after her.

"We're safe even if she... I mean you're safe?" The words had just left her mouth when she realized who she was talking to. "Of course, you're the Devil."

He smiled at her. "Yes, and when you're at safe distance I really am immortal."

She pressed her brows together as if that would help to process that statement but the shook it off. "Thank you for the get-out-of-Hell freecard." Chloe smiled relieved, making Lucifer chortle and smile.

"That is not a place for you and I much more enjoyed taking you out of there than the opposite."

She smiled at his comment, he always seemed to chose his words carefully. "Oh well, I better get home," Chloe said in an exhale. She honestly wasn't that eager to get home even if she had missed her own bed.

"I'll drive you." Lucifer stood immediately. "If you don't want me to fly you," he teased.

"Thank you but I don't want you to strain yourself. Do you get sore muscles in the wings," she suddenly needed to know and Lucifer laughed. "Well how would I know," she muttered, feeling scolded.

"I'll let you now my dear."

Silent, Chloe sat in the convertible, looking at the city that swished by. The scent of the city was one thing she had never reflected over, but now it smelled like home. Perhaps it was the ocean that was the base of everything, but as they passed through town Chloe noticed the Korean barbecue eventually blended with bacon wrapped hotdogs and beer changed into the fresh jasmin that bloomed in her own neighborhood.

Lucifer stopped his car and Chloe saw her own parked in its usual place. Even though she had been gone for a long time, she had only been gone a few days. She turned to the designated driver, thanked him and without any further procedure left and heard him drive away.

~ ~ ~

Meanwhile in town Maze hurried over to Linda's office to make sure that her friend was okay. As she stormed in without any thought of potential patients, Linda looked surprised up from her papers. "Maze!"

Maze noticed how Linda's expression brightened and very unlike of her hurried around the desk and engulfed Linda in a hard hug.

"Hey, it's good to see you, but are you okay," Linda needed to know.

"Hell yeah. Are you?" Maze's voice was thick with emotions. "Pierce threatened to harm you."

"Pierce? I thought he was dead." Linda felt confused.

"He said that-" Maze chuckled. "It is so good to see you." The protective instinct definitely covered her friend. "I was worried that-"

"It is good to see you as well Maze. I missed you." There was no need to play games with Maze, Linda thought. She could just be brutally honest, just like Maze was back towards Linda. "Life was a bit boring without you," Linda laughed and so did Maze.

"I know, I'm awesome!"

~ ~ ~

Everything felt unusually silent in Chloe's home and the need to talk to her daughter was overwhelming for the mother. She called Dan and was able to ask about how he was doing as well before she got Trixie on the line. "Hi monkey, is everything okay with you and Daddy?" Chloe sat silent with lashes wet from tears while Trixie gave a total referee of what Dan and she had been through. "Oh, that sounds so fun," she added now and again throughout the conversation. It was first after they had hung up that the emotions took over and tears flowed freely.

In the shower no one could see her tears. Wrapped in her own scent with her hair in a bundle she went to bed; her own soft familiar bed. She exhaled and first then noticed how her ears rang after everything that she had been through that day.

Chloe who had longed so much for her own bed tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Granted, she had been through quite a bit over the nearest few weeks and it wasn't easy to process on her own, but she needed her sleep. She threw the covers off and turned her other side. Moments later she covered herself again and turned the other way. Wasn't it a shame to tell someone that she had slept better in hell, she thought with a chortle.

She got out of bed, went to the bathroom, proceeded to her kitchen and took a glass of water while she looked out the window. The area was silent and still. Chloe sighed, poured the water in the sink and walked back to her bed. She pushed her pillow and lay down again.

Her head hurt from sleep deprivation and somehow she got irritated from hearing the puls beat. Annoyed she turned again with another heavy sigh. Why couldn't she sleep? Why had she slept when down under?

The answer was Lucifer.

She checked the time again and got out of bed. Without hesitation she dressed and left her house. Had the car been a horse, it had found its way to Lux by itself. Technology had a different kind of intelligence though.

Lux that always had a party going on was surprisingly enough silent and empty. For a horrifying moment Chloe feared that Lucifer had bailed on her again. With an audible pulse she took the elevator up to the penthouse. All that lit the home was the siluette of LA and the familiar flames in the fireplace.

As Chloe's eyes got used to the darkness she saw Lucifer standing out on the balcony with a cigarette in hand, looking out over the city.

"Luci?"

He looked surprised up as she walked out to him." Chloe, why aren't you at home, sleeping?"

In a bout of honesty she put her arms around him. "I missed you," she looked up at his dark enigmatic eyes. "I couldn't sleep without you."

Lucifer who had been fairly certain that the closeness between them had been temporary was baffled. His brows were knit tight together.

Chloe strained her neck and placed a kiss on the surprised man's mouth. Her hands found their way into his dark hair and his surprised resistance stopped abruptly as he pressed her against him and engaged in that ongoing kiss.

All those months of repressed passion and frustration merged into a feverish fire and they stumbled into Lucifer's bedroom while tearing their clothes off in the process.

"Are you sure about this, detec- Chloe?"

"Absolutely!"

After that none of them held back and there were no regrets.

.