Paradox

Chapter 14: The calm before the storm

The following Monday Chloe got a call about a missing carousel and decided to see if Lucifer wanted to come along. Mr. Short-attention-span might consider it to be too boring but it didn't hurt to ask. She had thought about him a lot on the weekend. It bothered her that she couldn't get him out of her head when her focus should be on her marriage. Dan had been remarkably attentive lately to her and Trixie and it almost felt like old times. They had had a lovely dinner last night after she and Trixie got home but as soon as he had left after one lingering kiss, her mind had defaulted back to the devil. It wasn't good that she thought about him and worried about him as much as she did. Yet as much as she knew she shouldn't she couldn't seem to stop herself. Even when she tried her best to focus on Dan and it had been working last night - he had to go and bring up Lucifer and the scars on his back. In a surprising turn of events even Dan worried about him and whatever trauma he might have suffered. He admitted he still didn't like Lucifer but was concerned about whatever happened to him and how he somehow identified himself with the devil to cope.

Chloe had nodded along and bit her lip over Dan's assumptions as to why Lucifer identified with the devil. If only she knew.

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Maze watched her boss suddenly inflate with excitement after receiving a call from Chloe. He had sulked around the bar all weekend -- she couldn't even get him to play the piano which usually soothed him when he got that nervous restlessness. He had even turned down the Brittanie's. She had sat down with him and discussed business relating to Lux. He had been attentive to some degree until she smoothly changed the conversation to the topic of Lilith and how exactly she could have escaped the chains and tomb she had been condemned to. He focused his intense gaze on her -- with narrowed eyes he asked if she had set her loose. She had snarled at him asking how she could possibly have done that since she was trapped on earth and why would she do that knowing that whatever happened before the fall had lingering bad effects on him. She reminded him of the nightmares he used to have in hell. For a moment his eyes went red his breathing heavy but then he calmed himself and while he didn't apologize his hand brushed her hand as he said. "I had no right to accuse you."

"I may not have cared about what she did to human children back then but I wouldn't want her loose in the world now," she informed him.

He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Does that mean that you care about human children now?"

She shrugged indifferently. "I happen to have one that considers me her friend."

He snorted out a laugh. "It wouldn't happen to be Trixie by any chance?"

Maze shook her head. "Seriously what were Dan and Chloe thinking giving her a hooker's name?"

"Chloe named her after someone she cared about who died. Someone she couldn't get to in time to save. Beatrice was her name and apparently Trixie is a nickname for Beatrice and I suppose they think it's cute."

"The little girl is cute. I like her," Maze admitted.

"Since you went shopping with her mum, do you like the Detective any better?"

Maze gave a sly cat like grin. "You just want me to like your pet Detective."

Lucifer shot her a dark glare.

She laughed. "Let's just say that I don't despise her as much as I used to."

She noted the soft smile playing on his lips and was glad she had admitted to it. "Have you given any more thought as to telling her about Lilith and at least warning her about the potential danger to her and Trixie?"