Love You to Hell and Back | Lucifer | Deckerstar |

Chapter 9: Sanctuary

"Chloe, there's been a murder in Vermont Harbor, they're requesting detectives!" None other than Daniel Espinoza exclaimed, barging into the conference room. Chloe snapped out of her thoughts and nodded, but she couldn't get her eyes off Lucifer's face. She tried to read his emotions like she usually did, but it was like he had his walls up again, and realizing that almost tore her heart into minuscule shards. When would he learn that he didn't have to hide his feelings, especially not from her?

"Lucifer, are you coming?" She asked quietly, as if she was afraid to scare him off by talking louder. "What? Oh, no, I think I'll sit this one out." He stated blankly and started heading for the door. He was pushing her away. Again. And Chloe knew she had to do something about it. She had to pull him back in.

"Dan, could you give us a minute?" She almost commanded without ever turning her head to look at her ex-husband. "Um, sure, but make it quick." He sighed, and Chloe could almost feel him rolling his eyes with irritation. But she couldn't care less, really. She had a new murder to solve, and she couldn't do it without her partner.

When Dan closed the door behind him, leaving the two alone once again, it almost looked like Lucifer's eyes flashed with fear. But why was he afraid of her now? He was his own annoying, playful self just minutes ago, and one strange revelation that might not even be true in the first place caused him to close himself off in an instant. Whatever the Devil's problem was, Chloe knew they had to work through it together. Otherwise he'd just run off again, and God knows what he'd do or where he'd go this time.

"Lucifer, look..." Chloe started, walking towards him and taking one of his hands in hers, which earned her a rather confused look from him. "I know what you're doing, and I won't let you go through with it. You're closing yourself off and maybe even mentally buying a ticket to Vegas or somewhere even further from me. You want to push me away again, but I'm holding on to you this time." At that, she intertwined her fingers with his and squeezed lightly, as if to confirm her words.

Lucifer seemed lost for a moment, looking down at their locked hands. "I told I wouldn't leave, remember?" He finally exhaled as his free hand moved up to tuck a lost strand of hair behind Chloe's ear in an affectionate gesture. "I suppose I've formed a reflex to these sorts of things. It's like I shut down, dwell on my own insecurities and then go talk to the Doctor about it. It's ridiculous, really, but I guess it's my own screwed up coping mechanism."

In that moment, Chloe's heart truly ached for him. Most people never get to know this side of the Devil, the side that he tried to hide behind his obnoxious, outrageously confident demeanor so desperately. The truth was - he was actually broken. His insecurities ate at him from the inside, tearing his soul into pieces. The tortured soul that Chloe fell for and desperately wanted to mend.

"I just want you to know that you can talk to me too, because I will always be here for you. We'll figure this out, but right now, we're at work, and we have a case which I can't solve without my partner." She finally admitted, never breaking the eye contact no matter how many times she wanted to look down at her feet because of the fact that she felt utterly vulnerable all of a sudden. She always was around him, though, and most of the time her vulnerability ruined her, broke her and shattered her heart, yet she kept opening up to him over and over, hoping it would be different this time. And recently, it really was different.

Lucifer's facial expression gave away the battle within him perfectly, until his gaze softened at last as his uncertainty turned into resolve. "Alright then, let's punish the bad guy, partner." He smiled, forming a fist in the air in front of him. Yes, he really was suggesting a fist bump, and who was Chloe to say no? She laughed in a sharp exhale and shook her head at his adolescent behavior, but obliged soon enough, bumping his fist with her own. When their knuckles collided, Lucifer opened his palm and spread his fingers, comically imitating the sound of an explosion. He was back, playful as ever, and Chloe realized she actually adored this version of him, even though she always forced herself to think of it as irritating.