Thank you all so much for your comments, follows, and favorite-ing this story! I hope you enjoy this next chapter! I did some research, I'm sure you'll figure out where, so if my forensic equipment knowledge isn't totally up to par, I tried my best haha! -Jen

Chapter Three: A Vortex of Emotions

It was surprising how fast Chloe managed to fall asleep the moment she planted herself in the passenger seat. Maybe it was the fact that after much arguing, mostly on Maze's part, Linda was given the task to drive over the literal speed demon. It was comforting to know that she didn't have to concern herself with running red lights and fighting the speedometer to see how truly fast the car could be pushed.

"She's really not herself," Linda murmured, looking in the rear view mirror to catch Maze's gaze. "How long has this been going on?"

"You mean this whole thing?" Maze frowned as she fiddled with her seat belt. "It started when Lucifer left. I just thought she was depressed or whatever. But she insisted that I keep you out of it. So I did." She paused and for the briefest of moments, a look of guilt flickered across her features before disappearing. "But then she started to get sick. Like actually sick. She tries to hide it, especially when Trixie's around. It's just now…"

"You're worried," Linda finished, giving the demon a small, sympathetic smile. "And that's not a bad thing. That's being a good friend." The therapist glanced over at Chloe, the corners of her mouth twitching into a small frown. "I'm worried too."

Despite the station being a mere fifteen minute car ride from Chloe's house, time seemed to move much slower. By the time they pulled into the parking lot, Ella was waiting with folded arms, face locked into a mixed look of curiosity and confusion. It wasn't until the detective stepped sluggishly out of the vehicle and into view that her brows knitted into concern.

"Hey," she said, her tone hesitant as if she were desperately trying to make a mental conclusion of it all. "I got your call. Chloe, are you-"

"We can talk more inside," the detective cut her off, sounding surprisingly firm. "In the lab. I'll explain everything." Mostly everything, what with Lucifer not around to get into the whole "supernatural" discussion. "Please."

"Sure," Ella nodded slowly. "Yeah, okay. Let's go inside."

The building was mostly empty seeing as it was the end of a switch change. Most people she cared about knowing that she was here, well Dan, were thankfully not. He had Trixie. Unlike her, she hoped that they were at least having a good time. Her head spun, stomach twisting with nausea as the all too familiar pain deep within her pelvic area began to flare. It was almost distracting enough to make her forget the fact that she was pregnant. Almost.

"So," Ella said slowly as she flipped on the lights in the lab. The brightness of it all causing Chloe to slightly wince. "Mind letting me in on the secret?"

"I need you to give me an ultrasound," the detective answered abruptly. "I'm pregnant."

The forensic scientist stumbled back little, her hands raised forward as if seemingly pushing back an invisible force. "Wait, wait," she exclaimed. "You're pregnant? Is it Lucifer's? I didn't realize…" She shook her head in befuddlement. "I don't know whether to say congratulations and hug you or say sorry because Lucifer bailed to hell knows where…" She inhaled, eyes fixated intensely on Chloe. "Also, an ultrasound? I'm not even a doctor! And besides," she hesitated. "My skills are more equipped for the dead, not the living."

"I know it sounds bizarre. Even more so than you probably realize," Chloe breathed, desperation present in her words. "But there has to be something you can do. Please, Ella, I really need your help with this." Looking from Maze to Linda, she swallowed. "I have no one else to turn to right now."

For the usually talkative woman, Ella remained dead silent. Then, seemingly trapped in her own world, she began to pace around the lab mumbling something to herself. At one point Maze opened her mouth to say something, but promptly shut it when Linda elbowed her in the side. Chloe could only watch with bated breath, fear encapsulating what little hope she currently mustered.

"PMUS," the forensic scientist unexpectedly proclaimed.

"PMUS?" Linda inquired. "What does that exactly stand for?"

"Postmortem Ultrasound Imaging," Ella explained, beginning to move quickly about the room in an attempt to locate her devices. "Again, it's objected is for, well, dead things, but it basically uses the same principles of your average ultrasound." She smiled proudly, clearly pleased with her solution. "If there's a baby in there, it'll find it. Heart beat too. While I can't really tell you much, I can at least show you." She motioned towards the metal slab in the center of the room. "It'd work best if you'd laid down on that, Chloe. Sorry it's, well, you know what it's used for, but I cleaned it."

Maze was by her side before Chloe could even attempt to hoist herself up onto the table. When she opened her mouth in protest, Maze shot her a glare that could only be read as "you can fight me all you want, but I'm still helping your ass up there". At this point, too tired to argue, she consented to the demon's demands and climbed onto the table with some "minor" assistance.

"Thankfully I have a transducer probe," Ella stated, pulling out the all too familiar wand Chloe remembered being used during her sonogram appointments with Trixie. "I'm trying to remember what I last used this for," she began before stopping herself. "Not that that's important right now."

Chloe tried to drown out the sounds of Ella's almost nervous humming as the woman set about getting the parts in order. Attempted her damnedest to think of something less anxiety inducing. Of course, like always, she was drawn back to Lucifer. It was a different kind of ache than she had been feeling physically. This one was deeper. What she wouldn't give to have just a few more moments with him. Just to hear his voice, to feel his touch. To know he was there. Have him know all about this.

"Okay," Ella's voice pulled Chloe roughly back to reality. "I think I set this up right for what we're looking for."

The forensic scientist adjusted the monitor so it was just enough in Chloe's line of vision. The detective could feel her heart pounding against her chest as Ella moved about making final alterations. By this point, Linda had moved closer to Chloe, reaching out to grab the other woman's hand. The detective turned to look at her, the therapist offering a small smile before giving her a gentle squeeze. Maze too had moved to her side, a hand resting almost protectively on her friend's knee as she stared hard at the screen.

"This is gonna be cold," Ella apologized as squeezed some gel onto Chloe's abdomen. "I'm not used to living patients."

"It's fine," Chloe replied shakily. "I just need to know."

The other woman nodded, still as uncertain as she had been from the beginning. Unlike the others, she had no idea of Lucifer nor the true reason Chloe had come. Even if they tried to explain, the whole situation with him being the true Devil was more seeing than believing. Chloe closed her eyes the moment she felt the wand pressed against her lower stomach. She felt sick, but it wasn't from the baby. It was pure nervous.

"I can't say I know exactly what I'm looking for, but-Oh!"

Ella's voice was suddenly cut off by the very distinct lub dub sound of a heartbeat. It was so recognizable that Chloe felt as if she were back in the examination bed years before when she was carrying Trixie. A lump formed in her throat, warm emotions flooding over her as she meticulously studied the screen. A tiny body, two even smaller arms, two legs, and a perfectly round head. No horns. No visible protrusions. Just a little, bitty, perfect baby that just floated casually inside of her womb. She hadn't even realized that she was crying until the taste of salt running down her cheeks brushed her lips.

"Are they supposed to look like that," the forensic scientist finally asked, breaking the silence between the four women. "I mean, I have a rough idea…"

"Yeah," Chloe nodded, letting out a shaky exhale. "Yeah, that's what they look like."

"No Lucifer resemblance whatsoever," Maze added, squinting her eyes as she studied the screen more. "It looks just like Linda's did. Boring."

"Ignore her," Linda smiled, her eyes flickering between Chloe and the screen. "They look perfect."

The detective's eyes remained locked on the ultrasound as if she were in a trance. Within a day she had learned not only that she was pregnant, but saw her child for the first time. It felt surreal in a both terrifying and wonderful way. Even a little sorrowful. Lucifer's view on children had always been up in the air, but she knew if he could be here at this very moment. To experience what she was. He too would be smitten by their creation.

With so many feelings, Chloe began to feel overwhelmed. At least, that was what she attributed her headache too. She tried to focus on her child as her vision grew blurry, lungs seeming to struggle for air. Then, without any warning, the detective's body began to seize uncontrollably. The wand catching the baby's now irregular heartbeats one last time before it fell to the floor.

"Chloe?!" Maze called out, true fear seeping into the name. "What the hell is happening?!"

"I don't know," Linda said, rushing to grab the other woman before she could roll off the table. "Quick, turn her onto her left side. Ella, call 911! She needs real medical attention now! And you," she looked to the demon. "Call Amenadiel. The nanny can watch Charlie. Have him meet us at the hospital."

Linda's eyes flashed down to her friend who was still writhing before her. She wasn't really set on her religious beliefs based on both Amenadiel's and Lucifer's accounts on God, but in that moment she prayed. Prayed for Chloe. Prayed for the baby. And mostly, she prayed that somehow Lucifer would return from Hell.

But until one, if any at all, of her prayers were answered, she could only stand there and watch in complete helplessness as Chloe's life dangled haphazardly on a thread. A string that whipped about in the heavy winds of an incoming storm of uncertainty. If miracles were as true as they say, then one was needed now more than ever. Chloe's survival depended on it.

It was surprising how untouched his penthouse was the moment Lucifer resurfaced onto its floor. He had anticipated on Maze using it for her own pleasure, but clearly that hadn't been the case. Even the liquor on all of the shelves seemed to be at the same levels as he'd left them. The empty vibe of it all was almost depressing, invoking a feeling of lonesomeness. Not that the emotion wasn't something he'd been dealing with the past several weeks.

Moving around the room, he headed towards one of his shelves, eyes scanning for the cell phone he was pretty sure he'd left there before his departure. Alas, much to his displeasure, it was not in its place. But the keys to the corvette on the other hand laid neatly on the mahogany shelf. Maybe he didn't have a means of communication, but at least he had transportation.

"Thank Fa-" he caught himself before he uttered the name. "Thank goodness I don't have to bloody Uber myself out."

Maybe it was slightly reckless, but he had a bad habit of not memorizing phone numbers. That was the purpose of the contact icon on a phone-or so he thought. He knew where Chloe's house was. It'd be easy to go there. Briefly, he considered just flying over, a task that would be far faster than driving. But something in the back of his mind told him not to. That if he did so, something good wouldn't come of relying solely on his powers. While the usual risk taker, he decided to play it safe and go by car.

The air was uncomfortably humid as Lucifer drove down the many streets of Los Angeles. Despite having the top down, the mix of it along with the temperature was edging on unbearable. Thankfully, after eons of being the Devil, he could handle much more disagreeable conditions. Right now, his focus was completely on Chloe, the thought of her causing him to almost miss the turn to her home.

"Shit," he hissed out loud, a horn blaring as he nearly swerved into a Honda Civic. "Get your bloody self together, Lucifer. Before you cause even more trouble."

Nearly stumbling up the steps to her front door, Lucifer knocked rapidly. His mind was racing, too many thoughts slamming together as he continued to bang his fist against the door. It wasn't until the wood nearly began to splinter that it swung open, the Devil's fist in mid air just centimeters away from Dan's face.

"What the hell-" Dan blinked, clearly taken aback by Lucifer's presence. He too, like Ella, had no idea of the other man's true form. Which was, perhaps, unfortunately so as the detective was under the impression Lucifer had bailed on Chloe once again. "Where did you come-"

"Daniel. I don't really know why you're here, nor care, but Detective?" He called out, trying to slide past Dan as the man blocked in entrance way. "Chloe, it's me! Lucifer! We really have much to discuss and-"

"You need to leave," Dan cut in, attempting to close the door. "You've caused enough problems. Should've stayed away the first time you disappeared."

"Well plans bloody change, Daniel. You of all people should know that." Lucifer began to peer over the man's shoulder, desperately trying to locate some evidence that Chloe was present in the house. "Where's the Detective?"

"Chloe isn't here," Dan growled. "She's in the hospital, not that you deserve to know that."

Lucifer could feel the color drain from his face as his blood turned cold. He felt sick, almost nauseous enough to vomit. Behind Dan's glare, there was a brief glimmer of confusion before it was replaced with even more repulsion. He struggled to find his voice as the detective continued.

"Trixie is with Penelope. She doesn't know what's going on." He paused, but not long enough for Lucifer to reply. "I'm bringing a few things over to the hospital. Chloe's always preferred her own pajamas over those plastic gowns. If she is even well enough to get into them…"

"I'll go with you," Lucifer interjected. "I'll drive you!"

"Not a chance in Hell," the other man answered coldly. "This is your fault after all. This is YOUR baby!" He threw his hands up in the air. "I don't even understand what's going on. I don't think the doctors even know. But what I do know is that you left her. That for the past several weeks she's been a shell of herself. And now she's apparently pregnant with your kid and in the hospital. You see where I'm coming from?" Dan snorted, shaking his head. "Or you don't because you are Lucifer Fucking Morningstar who doesn't give a shit about anyone else!"

"OF COURSE I GIVE A DAMN!" Lucifer roared, his fist slamming against the door frame sending little splinters flying. Dan stumbled back in shock as the other man breathed ragged, trying to recollect himself. "Of course I bloody care."

Dan, still somewhat startled by Lucifer's brute strength, exhaled as his shoulders slumped. "Fine," he said in defeat. "I don't know why, but fine. But if we go and Chloe doesn't want to see-"

"She will," Lucifer countered.

"But if she doesn't-"

"She will." He insisted. "Trust me, Daniel, there's a lot more to this than you."

"I'll never trust you," Dan stated. "But a corvette is faster than my car. Let me grab the duffel bag and we'll go." He took a step before pausing. "And Lucifer? If you screw up this badly again…"

"I know," the Devil answered as if anticipating the remark. "You have my full permission to kill me. Wouldn't be the first time."

Dan muttered something under his breath that the Devil couldn't make out as he went to collect Chloe's things. Lucifer just stood there, leaning against the door frame. Dan was right. He had been the cause of all this mess. He was the reason behind why the Detective and their child was endangered. Within the tangles of fear and anger and worry, a new one surfaced with such weight it physically hurt. Guilt.

"Oh Chloe," he whispered. "What have I done?"

This was a nice lengthy chapter I think! I'm so pleased with myself that I got it done. I hope it was to your liking. Comments are highly appreciative! It helps boost the creative juices! Until next chapter! -Jen