Chapter One: Not Done Yet

Most days, Chloe really believed that she would never see him again.

Outside of those first few months when she saw his face in every crowd, looked for him at every crime scene, listened for his voice every time she was at Lux. Outside of those first few months, when everyone at the precinct asked when he was coming back constantly, when Dan made awkward jokes about how much easier their job would be while Lucifer was on vacation, when Ella and her endless optimism told her how sure she was that Lucifer was just 'doing his thing' and would be back any day now as often as she could. Outside of those first few months when Amenadiel and Maze searched endlessly for ways to bring him back from Hell and it always ended with Maze throwing something across the room and cursing while Amenadiel closed his eyes with a sigh. Outside of those first few months when Linda met each of Charlie's milestones with a bright smile and then a soft sigh as she imagines what faux mockery Lucifer would have met the accomplishment with. Outside of those first few months, when Trixie asked where Lucifer was all the time, asked if Chloe thought he was okay or if she knew when he was coming back, when 'do you think he'll be back for my birthday?' and 'do you think Lucifer will come with us to the movie next week?' were common refrains in the Decker house.

Once those first few months melted away and everyone started to come to terms with Lucifer's absence the best they could, Chole convinced herself that she would never see him again. It was the only way she could function, they only way she could move forward from the loss of him. To have no hope was better than to have false hope. But, in quiet moments, when she allowed herself to live in the fantasy of his return, it was always the same dramatic reunion. It was always them falling immediately, easily, together, usually in the lush of his bed at the penthouse, love and longing surrounding them. It always ended with them in the easy lockstep of a relationship – the happily ever after of a childish fantasy. But, it is what she allowed herself, when she needed something.

Interestingly, now that he is home, she still indulges in the fantasy from time to time. Because, he is back, but the reunion was nothing like she dreamed of.

He'd just shown up one day, Amenadiel found him sleeping at the penthouse, laid out face down on the couch like he hadn't even been able to make it to the bed, his devil form a mismatch of new burns and scars. When Amenadiel shook him awake, he'd slipped back into the flawless form they were all used to. Amenadiel had called them all to the penthouse – Maze getting there first since she had been just downstairs at Lux, and by the time Chloe arrived the three of them were standing at Lucifer's bar, chatting as if no time had passed.

When Chloe stepped off the elevator and turned to meet Lucifer's eye, she felt like she was living in a moment of suspended animation, caught between one breath and the next, not sure if what she was seeing was real. "Detective," Lucifer had whispered, hardly loud enough for her to hear over the blood rushing in her ears.

"Lucifer" she breathed out his name and for some reason that broke the spell and she rushed forward, flinging himself into his arms (she thought they would be waiting for her, but instead it throws him off balance and they both sway a little until Lucifer rights them, holding them steady). His arms come around her, slowing folding until she is surrounded by him – his face in her hair and his unsteady breath against her neck. For a moment, his hand fists in her hair, the other hand pressing against the small of her back to keep her close while she stands on her tip toes to press as close to him as she can.

Then, Maze sets her glass down on the bar and for some reason Chloe still can't decipher, that breaks the spell. Lucifer clears his throat lightly and she feels his hand tighten in her hair for just a second before he drops his grip on her and takes a shuffle step back from her. She fights the instinct to hold on tighter and forces herself to let go of him as well, rocking back down to the flat of her feet and taking a half step back into her own space. She doesn't realize that she's got tears on her cheeks until she reaches up to push her hair back and she wipes at her eyes a little. She's trying to think of something to say when the elevator dings and all of their attention is drawn to it, so Linda steps into the penthouse with all eyes on her.

Linda mumbled something about having to find a sitter, and sorry for being late all while looking at Lucifer like she is trying to decide if she is seeing a ghost. She must decide something after a moment, because she pushes forward, towards Lucifer, and Chloe steps around the bar so that Linda go to him. "Hello, Dr. Linda" Lucifer mumbles, bending down so that Linda can hug him.

Chloe had no idea what her face was doing, but it must have been bad because Maze reached over and covered Chloe's hand with hers and squeezing gently. After Linda steps away from Lucifer, he pours them all drinks and they settle in to the sofas in the sitting area and Lucifer explains how he sealed the gates of hell and would be back, for at least the length of their lifetimes. Maze seems to be the only one keeping up with the intricacies of the explanation, but they get the gist – Lucifer is back, at least for now. Hours later, they are all leaving and Chloe hangs back a little, thinking Lucifer might want to talk, but he'd just smiled gently at her and wished her a good night so she left, more confused than she'd ever felt in her life.

He'd shown up at the precinct with a cup of coffee for her and a box of pastries for the rest of the precinct a week after that night at his penthouse as if nothing had happened, as if he'd never been gone at all. He'd set the coffee down on the edge of her desk and when her eyes raised to meet his, he'd looked at her with barely disguised mix of hope and trepidation until she'd gestured to the chair across from her and he'd broken into a cocky grin as he slid into the seat. It was a testament to Lucifer that the precinct accepted him back so easily, no one asking too many questions, and everyone thrilled to see him. Ella basically tackled him when she caught sight of him from her lab.

"Is this strictly necessary?" he'd said with annoyance that everyone could tell was fringed and after a moment of indulging in the hug, he started to lean away but Ella held on tighter.

"Not done yet" Ella mumbled, not letting go. Braver than Chloe had been in her own reunion with Lucifer. Finally, she lets him go and he pats the top of her head like she is an errant puppy, but there is no disguising the affection in his eyes.

Later that day, Dan had walked up to Chloe's desk with a file in is hand, reading stats off the file before he caught sight of Lucifer sitting at the edge of her desk and trailed off. His eyes shifted between Chole and Lucifer rapidly for a comically long time before he settled on Lucifer and raised an eyebrow, "You're back?" he asked, inflection unreadable.

Lucifer glanced down at himself, like he was making sure, "It would appear" he answered.

Dan just nodded a few times, reached his hand out and waited the long moment it took for Lucifer to reach his hand out as well, before he shook Lucifer's hand awkwardly and mumbled a "Welcome back, man." Before dropping the file on Chloe's desk and walking away.

Trixie has had so much instability in her life that Chloe debated whether telling her Lucifer was back is a good idea or not, but ultimately, she knew that if Lucifer stayed (as he seemed to intend to do) her daughter would find out one way or another, and Chole knew it was better if it came from her and was intentional. So, three weeks after the night at the penthouse, she'd told Trixie that Lucifer was back over dinner, trying to make it as casual as possible.

And since Trixie is, at heart, her mother's daughter, she had a million questions – where was is, is he staying, is he okay, the list was long, but mostly Trixie wondered if Lucifer was okay. Chloe was honest, or as honest as she could be ('I don't know, baby, I hope so').

The next day, Maze picked Trixie up from school for a 'friend date' as Trixie had taken to calling them, and they dropped by the precinct so that she could see Lucifer. He had agreed to this, but when Trixie's voice filled the room ('Lucifer!') he still looked surprised. Trixie ran towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist, her cheek pressed against his hip until he pulled her back from her (long enough for her to visibly worry that he didn't want her near him) so that he could sink down to his knees and properly hug Trixie. "It's nice to see you too, Urchin" he says as they detach and he rises back to his full height.

Trixie had a growth spurt while Lucifer was gone – she and Charlie are probably the most obvious, visual, representations of the time he has missed and Chole can see him processing that as Trixie talks a mile a minute about some school project she is doing and Lucifer nods along.

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