One Gunshot

by Jordie14

Summary:

What if Lucifer was still vulnerable when Dan shot him in season five? Would change the entire plot? Would it lead to manipulations being revealed and Lucifer finally getting the retribution he deserves?

What if the answer to all of those were yes?

Notes:

Lucifer does not belong to me and all of the characters and most places belong to whoever wrote the series.

Chapter 1: The Longest Elevator Ride

Dan’s heart hammered in his chest as he pressed the elevator button designed to take him up to Lucifer’s penthouse. He kept a firm hand on his gun as he contemplated his decisions. It felt as if the cool metal was the only thing keeping him rooted to reality. This was the right thing to do, he reminded himself. Lucifer is the literal devil…

The elevator dinged as the doors opened, allowing Dan – and the rest of the world – entrance. It was honestly laughable, the devil was so unconcerned about his safety that he didn’t even have a door to lock.

The ride up felt like an eternity; Dan didn’t feel like he was getting enough air and his vision was blurring slightly. It’s okay, he told himself. All I’m going to do is kill the devil.

The doors opened and Dan let out a shaky breath as he saw Lucifer looking out from his balcony. How had he not realized earlier? There were so many signs.

“Well that was fast.” The words that left Lucifer’s mouth were distorted and it was a miracle that Dan understood at all what the man was trying to say as he turned around.

Dan didn’t say anything in return, he was worried that he would vomit if he even opened his mouth. The devil was right there… standing in front of Dan as if he didn’t have a core in the world.

“Oh, Dearie me,” Lucifer said with a laugh as he realised who had really just entered. “Still suffering from a bout of the old trotskies, are we?”

Dan’s breathing accelerated as he felt around his person anxiously, his fingers eventually gripping the cool surface of his gun. He pulled it out, finding the trigger with more difficulty than usual. The pistol was surprisingly steady as the detective pointed it at Lucifer.

“I was only joking, Daniel,” Lucifer said with a slight eye roll, raising his hands slightly. Dan didn’t lower the gun. He would not play a part in this puppet show any longer.

Lucifer’s smile faded as he finally realized that Dan wasn’t playing. The liquor in the devil’s hand wavers a bit, the only outward sign of worry that Lucifer portrays. 

While the detective is deciding if he really wants to go through with this plan, Chloe walks in. “Dan, what are you doing?” she asked a bit hysterically.

Dan looks over at her, looking for some sort of sign. Did Chloe know that she was dating Satan? Had she any idea of the atrocities that the… thing before them had committed?

Chloe shakes head, and that single motion makes Dan hesitate, causing him to lower gun slightly before the sensible part of his brain returns. “I’m sorry, I have to”

He looks back at Lucifer. The man that had seemingly devoted his life to making Dan’s a living hell. That was his specialty, after all.

With a final inhalation, Dan tightens his finger around the trigger slowly, still unsure about the plan. The gun fires, but the loud boom that usually accompanies it is nothing but a dull ringing to the man’s ears.

Dan re-focuses his eyes, watching as the devil is propelled backwards by the pure force of the bullet. Dan’s bullet.

Dan is unsure as to if his heart stopped or if it's going too fast for him to realise. He just shot the devil. He just saved the world, so why did he feel as if it just ended? 

Chloe’s shriek brings him out of his musings and he looks over to see her sprinting through the penthouse, focused completely on her fallen boyfriend.

The body hit the floor with a dull thud, but it brought Dan no satisfaction. He just shot a man. For Lucifer is a man, not some evil entity sent to make him miserable.

Dan pulls himself out of his thoughts and forces himself to look over at his ex, who was crying hysterically, trying to slow the bleeding.

And that’s when the full result of his actions caught up with him. Dan dropped his gun and ran over to where the duo was on the floor. Unsure of what else to do, he pulls off his jacket and pushes it to Lucifer’s chest, hoping to slow the bleeding.

“Call 9-1-1!” Chloe says as she grabs the coat, her brain still working rationally despite the body of her boyfriend under her.

Dan nods dumbly, searching desperately for his phone. He was beginning to regret his actions. What if he was wrong and Lucifer just really enjoyed cosplay? Was he even the devil?

“Damn it, Dan!” Chloe exclaimed, letting go of Lucifer’s blood-soaked chest in favour of grabbing her phone and dialing the number. “We need an ambulance at the penthouse of Lux, located at 8358 Sunset Boulevard. Gunshot wound to the chest.”

Chloe remains on the phone for a bit, but Dan has no idea how long it really was. It felt like days, but no phone call really took that long. Right?

Dan was beginning to panic, his vision was darkening along the edges and he was struggling to find air.

“Dan!” Chloe yelled, although there was no warmth in her tone. “Calm down, damn it!” His ex-wife had eyes for no one but Lucifer, which grounded Dan for some odd reason. 

The edges of his vision started receding slightly and he let out a few more shaky breaths. “I’m an idiot.”

“What the hell were you thinking?” Chloe asked, her tears obstructing her words a bit as she focused on keeping her partner alive.

The man started laughing maniacally despite the fact that the situation was not funny in the slightest. “I was thinking about that exactly, actually!”

“You found out,” Chloe said simply.

“What? That my friend is Satan?”

“He’s not,” Chloe said quietly. “He’s not really the devil. He’s… a fallen angel.”

Dan let out a grunt, but he knew that Chloe was right. Lucifer stole pudding for God’s sake! Pudding!

Just then, the paramedics streamed in, pushing Chloe and Dan away from Lucifer’s pale and bloody form.

Dan attempted to pull Chloe towards the elevators, intent on getting the two out of there before they started asking questions, but she resisted. “I’m going with them,” she said firmly.

Dan nodded as he backed into the open elevator. Now was the decision: should he run and leave his daughter behind in order to escape what he had done or should stay here and spend the rest of his life in either prison or a mental asylum?

As much as he wanted to, Daniel resisted the urge to run. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he left his daughter alone. If Lucifer did indeed die, then his Monkey would be heartbroken.

The elevator dinged once more and Dan exited, torn between crying and smashing something.

“What the hell happened?!” the bartender demanded as soon as the doors opened. “There are paramedics everywhere and I heard a gunshot.”

Dan shook his head, trying to get rid of the fluff. “Lucifer was shot.”

The man looked up sharply, clearly surprised despite the fact that he heard the shot ring out. The man just always seemed to be so invincible. “Is he okay?”

“What do you think?!” Dan almost yelled. “He was shot!”

“Fair,” the man muttered. “I told him to install some security, but noooooo…”

Dan let out a watery laugh, but he was not amused in the slightest. He just shot Lucifer.. His co-worker. His ex-wife’s boyfriend. His best friend’s brother. His friend.

Dan kicked the bar with so much fury that he was surprised it didn’t crack. “I’m a moron,” he muttered.

“It’s not like you are the one who shot him,” the bartender said with a shrug. “Who was it, anyway? I didn’t see anyone come up besides you and the chick and it’s not like either of you would do it.”

Dan let out a sob. He hadn’t shot the devil. He’d shot his friend.

Chapter 2: Even Angels Bleed

Chloe smiled at her boyfriend as she excused herself to the bathroom. This was really happening! She was with Lucifer – the hot, handsome, caring, and loving devil that most girls couldn’t even envision themselves with. He had chosen her. Not some hooker or hot genius, but Chloe Decker, a nobody. 

The elevator dinged, signaling that someone entered, but Chloe ignored that. This was Lucifer’s and Chloe’s night, not anyone else’s. 

“Well that was fast,” Chloe heard Lucifer say from the common area, obviously thinking that it was Chloe returning from the bathroom.

“Oh, Dearie me,” Lucifer said with a laugh, obviously realizing that Chloe was not indeed back. "Still suffering from a bout of the old trotskies, are we?”

It was Dan then. After all, no one had a rivalry quite like Dan and Lucifer. Sometimes they were friends, but other times it was obvious that Dan was contemplating murder.

“I was only joking, Daniel,” Lucifer said. 

Chloe walked briskly into the room, something was clearly wrong. The sight that greeted her was not what she expected at all. Dan was pointing a gun at Lucifer, who was standing in the middle of the room, defenceless. “Dan, what are you doing?” she asked, her voice wavering.

Dan looked over at her, a crazed look in his eye. She shakes her head minutely, not sure why her ex was pointing a gun. Had he found out the truth about Lucifer or was this simply to prove a point? 

Dan hesitated, lowering the gun slightly as he surveyed her. “I’m sorry, I have to.”

He looks back at Lucifer, raising the gun again. Chloe’s heart beat in her chest. Every instinct was telling her that this wasn’t going to end well, but this was Dan. The same man that made her breakfast in bed and played games with Trixie. There was no way he was about to shoot a co-worker.

Dan’s finger pushed down on the trigger and a loud boom sounded, but Chloe barely registered it. Lucifer was flying backwards and Chloe screamed and took off after him before he hit the ground, forgetting Dan and his murderous gun.

The body hit the floor with a dull thud and Chloe dropped to her knees beside the body. This wasn’t happening. It wasn’t possible.

Chloe pushes her hands to Lucifer’s chest, the place that the bullet hit. Dan’s bullet!

The blood soaked through Lucifer’s dress shirt and it seemed that it didn’t matter how much Chloe pressed on the wound, the blood continued seeping through. The bullet was lodged dangerously close to Lucifer’s heart and Chloe was crying hysterically, praying for some sign, something to point at what she should do.

Before she knew it, Dan was beside her. He pushed his discarded jacket into her arms and she pressed it to Lucifer’s wound, begging for him to live. He had to live. “Call 9-1-1!” she choked out.

Dan nodded dumbly and looked around for a phone. Chloe’s hands shook as she pressed the jacket down. 

“‘Tective?” Lucifer asks weakly, his eyes shutting despite his obvious attempts at keeping them open.

“Damn it, Dan!” Chloe exclaimed, letting go of Lucifer’s blood-soaked chest in favour of grabbing her phone from where it lay beside them on the floor. While her hands shook as she dialed the number, her voice remained strong. “We need an ambulance at the penthouse of Lux, located at 8358 Sunset Boulevard. Gunshot wound to the chest.”

“Okay, miss. What is your name?” the operator on the other end of the line asks.

“Chloe,” she snaps. “Damn it, hurry up!”

“Where was this person shot? Have they lost consciousness?"

“Close to the heart and yes.”

“How did this happen?”

Chloe hangs up impatiently. And looks over at her ex. “Dan!” she yelled as she noticed that her ex-husband was starting to panic. As mad as she was, Dan needed to help her if Lucifer was going to stay alive. “Calm down, damn it!” 

“I’m an idiot,” he said after a moment.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Chloe asked, her tears obstructing her words a bit as she focused on keeping her partner alive. If Lucifer died, she was going to kill him, damn the consequences.

The man started laughing, making Chloe want to kill him even more. This was not the time for jokes. “I was thinking about that exactly, actually!”

“You found out,” Chloe said, the pieces all clicking into place. She pressed the jacket harder into Lucifer’s chest as she said that, wanting to protect him from humanity’s tinted perspective.

“What? That my friend is Satan?”

“He’s not,” Chloe said quietly, trying not to let her anger and worry affect her tone. “He’s not really the devil. He’s… a fallen angel.”

Dan let out a grunt, but Chloe knew that he understood. He was trying to help after all.

Just then, the paramedics streamed in, pushing Chloe and Dan away from Lucifer’s pale and bloody form. Chloe fought them with all of her might, but she was already exhausted both emotionally and physically from trying to keep Lucifer alive.

Dan grabbed Chloe’s arm and half-heartedly tried to pull her back towards the elevators, but she resisted. “I’m going with them,” she said firmly. She wasn’t going anywhere with Dan. Not after he just shot her best friend.

Dan nodded as he backed into the open elevator. Chloe didn’t care that he was escaping justice right now. All that she cared about was her partner.

The woman turned around just in time to see two paramedics lifting Lucifer’s unconscious form onto the gurney. 

The gurney was pushed onto the now open elevator and Chloe followed, not caring what anyone had to say about it. She didn’t want to leave him, consequences be damned.

The elevator was suffocating, the scent of blood hanging heavily in the air. “Will he be okay?”

Chloe didn’t realize she had spoken aloud until the man closest to her responded, “We’ll do all we can to save him.”

Chloe let out a sob, knowing full well that that wasn’t a yes.

The doors opened and the paramedics and Chloe rushed out, passing a shell-shocked bartender and one of the Brittnies, who clearly didn’t take too well to the fact that Lucifer was no longer fair game.

Chloe pulled out her phone as she jogged along, needing something to do. She could think of at least two people who would skin her alive if she didn’t tell them of Lucifer’s condition.

“Maze,” Chloe said. Her voice had a sheen of tears underneath them.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“N-no,” Chloe said, not even trying to hold back the sob that escaped her. “It’s Lucifer. He got s-shot.”

“Where is he now?” Maze asked. “Who shot him? Is he alright?”

“We’re in the ambulance now. Meet us at the hospital.”

“You didn’t answer my other questions,” Maze said in response.

“I-I don’t know, he just walked in a-and shot him.”

“Who?” Maze demanded.

“Dan,” Chloe whispered.

There was silence for a moment before Chloe looked at her phone just to realise that Maze had hung up. She shut her eyes, desperately hoping that the demon wasn’t about to do something stupid. 

All of a sudden, monitors started beeping loudly and Chloe found herself pressed against the wall as the paramedics surrounded Lucifer. “Clear!”

Chloe shut her eyes to block out the scene in front of her. Lucifer’s heartbeat had stopped and the paramedics were trying to re-start it. 

What felt like an eternity later, Chloe re-opened her eyes to see the paramedics going back to their previous posts as the monitors stopped beeping. “He’s back.”

Chloe let out another sob and took out her phone again, dialing Linda’s number. She needed a therapist to tell her it would all be okay.

“Chloe?” Linda’s voice came through clearly. “Are you there?”

Chloe just sobbed, hoping that Linda would be able to guess what her problem was. She couldn't get the words out.

“Are you hurt?” Linda asked, her worry showing in her tone.

“Lucifer,” was all Chloe managed before she broke out into sobs again.

“Is he hurt?” Linda asked, undeterred by Chloe’s lack of an answer.

“H-he was shot. Come to the hospital.”

“Okay,” Linda said nervously. “Does Amenadiel know? What about Maze?”

“Just M-Maze.”

“I’ll be there soon,” Linda promised as she hung up. Chloe looked back out of the glass window before her. She didn’t remember leaving the ambulance. One moment she was leaning against the wall, the next she was surveying the surgeons as they fought to save her partner’s life.

Chapter 3: Hell's Rules

Notes:

I might go edit these chapters more at a later date, but I'm tired now and don't feel like it. If anyone has any ideas for future chapters, please let me know! I really don't have a plan for this story, so all suggestions help. Also, if anyone notices any grammatical errors, inaccuracies, or inconsistencies, please tell me about them! My grammar is horrible, and for that, I apologise!

Maze let out a snarl as she hung up the phone. Consequences be damned, no one was allowed to harm Lucifer as long as she had anything to fight about it. He may no longer be her king, but eternity-long habits die hard.

Maze kicked the door to Espinoza’s down with no more force than it takes a human to open one. The man wasn’t going to get away with this.

“M-Maze?” Espinoza asked as the demon took her first step inside, intent on killing the vermin who dared to harm her king. However, the sight of Espinoza made her falter.

The man was sitting at his desk, his eyes red-rimmed and haunted. His clothes and hands were stained with Lucifer’s blood.

Maze faltered—an unfamiliar, ugly hesitation clawing through her chest. She hated it immediately. “Are you alright?”

Espinoza shook his head. “N-no. You- you’re a demon. Lucifer is the devil. I almost killed the god damned devil.” The human buried his head in his hands and let out a mangled sob. Pathetic.

“You tried to kill Lucifer,” Maze said blankly. She really didn’t know what to do in this situation. Should she leave? Comfort him? Kill him?

“I-I know.”

“Why?” Maze asked. Linda and Chloe had similar reactions to seeing Lucifer’s face – but Maze didn’t get it. They were the same beings that they always were. Nothing changed.

“What do you mean why?” Espinoza asked as he peered up at her through his red eyes. “My best friend is an angel, my co-worker is the devil, my ex-wife’s roommate is a demon, my ex-girlfriend is god’s ex-wife, and my ex-boss is the world’s first murderer. Since when has this become my life?”

Maze sighed as she took a seat across from him. “I was going to kill you, you know.”

Espinoza let out a small chuckle. “I think I would deserve it.”

“You would,” Maze agreed. “But I’m trying to understand human emotions and you’re a human. Explain.”

Espinoza let out another pitiful sob and Maze sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought. “Do you want to come see Lucifer with me?”

The detective looked at her as if she had grown a second head. “I just shot him,” he deadpanned.

“You’re shaking,” Maze said. “Why?”

Espinoza reached for another tissue. “I might have killed the man…”

“Well, there’s only one way that you can find out.”

Espinoza looked at her curiously. “Are you trying to teach me the d-demon way?”

Maze cocked her head to the side as she considered the question. “Yeah, I suppose I am.”

“Then teach me how to not give a damn.”

Maze let out a chuckle – this was going to be fun. “First, we’re going to go to the hospital to check on Lucifer.”

Espinoza opened his mouth to protest, but Maze cut him off before he could. “You’re going to go and you’re going to pretend as if you did nothing. Don’t apologise, don’t act guilty, just follow my lead.”

The detective stood up and Maze rolled her eyes. “Go clean up. You look like you just spent an eternity as a tortured soul in Hell.”

Espinoza shrugged as he trooped towards the bathroom. Maze headed to the bedroom – those clothes would never work for a Maze 2.0.

Ten minutes later, Espinoza was dressed in a respectable outfit – blue jeans, leather jacket, and a red shirt that reminded Maze of the home she missed.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Espinoza asked Maze for what felt like the hundredth time.

“Yes,” she grit out. “Rule one – never question your teacher. Doing that just shows weakness. It makes you look as if you don’t have control of your own situation.”

Espinoza nodded in understanding. “I thought it was murder first, ask questions later.”

“That’s number three.”

“Then why didn’t you kill me when you walked in?”

“Linda told me that I need to be ‘more understanding.’”

Espinoza nodded. “So, you’re becoming human and I’m becoming a demon.”

“I suppose,” Maze admitted as she parked the car in the hospital’s parking lot, tossing the keys carelessly into the backseat. “Remember to look cool.”

The duo walked inside the hospital the only way that Maze knew how – like an absolute queen. “We’re looking for Lucifer Morningstar,” she told the front desk attendant. She was fairly certain he was still alive; Chloe would have told her if not.

“He’s still in surgery – OR three.”

Maze nodded cooly and left the room in search of “OR three.” 

“Do you know where that is?” Espinoza asked, looking around nervously.

“No idea. Rule number five of being a demon – never admit that you don’t know. Figure everything out yourself because you never know who’s trustworthy.”

Espinoza nodded, but it was obvious that he wasn’t sure about this. Maze took pride in the fact that he didn’t oppose. It was progress.

After a bit of searching, the duo finally found everyone else overlooking a “surgery” in what was apparently an “operating room.”

Maze opened the door, one hand on one of her trusty Hell-forged blades. 

“Maze!” Chloe exclaimed, her voice cracking slightly as she surveyed the demon. “What took you…” she trailed off at the sight of Espinoza.

Maze ignored the human in favour of looking through the glass overlooking the operating room, allowing her to see the bright lights glaring down on Lucifer’s unmoving body.

The demon looked around the crowded room, taking in all the people. Chloe, Linda, Ellen, and Amenadiel were present. 

“Dan,” Chloe said coldly. “Why are you here?”

To Espinoza’s credit, the man was unflappable. He simply sat in a chair facing all the commotion behind them and ignored all present. Maze nodded at him approvingly.

“Why did you do it?” Linda asked the human in a controlled voice.

“He’s the devil,” Daniel said as if that were some huge revelation. “I-I thought that was the only way to stop him.”

“So what?” Amenadiel snapped. “That doesn’t give you the right to shoot him!”

Ellen was looking around, a bemused expression on her face. “You guys don’t really think he’s the devil, do you?”

Maze rolled her eyes. “Lucifer’s not lying. I’m a demon, Amenadiel’s an angel, and Lucifer’s the devil.”

Seized by an idea, Maze looked Ellen straight in the eye and flashed her true face – that of a demon. The girl jumped about a foot in the air, causing Maze to cackle. “Rule number ten, Espinoza – if you can scare the hell out of someone, do it.”

Espinoza nodded a bit, but his heart was clearly not in it. Looking around the room, Maze thought she knew why. Everyone – save a shell-shocked Ellen – was glaring at him with tear-filled eyes.

“Wait – you guys weren’t acting?!” Ellen asked eventually, clearly still startled.

“They weren't," Chloe agreed, finally pulling her accusing gaze away from Espinoza. “I know it’s a shock, but–”

Chloe was cut off from a yell from Ellen. “How could you keep this from me?!” she exclaimed angrily. “I lost my faith when Charlotte died and no one did anything!” 

Maze crossed her arms, watching like this was a fight she couldn’t jump into—and that bothered her more than she liked.

“We’re sorry,” Amenadiel said. “But the truth is, we never actually told anyone; they all just… found out.”

Linda shuttered. “Not true. Lucifer willingly showed me his face.”

“And Lucifer tried to show me his face twice. It didn’t work out either of them,” Chloe said, her eyes returning to the “surgery” going on under them.

“¿Qué demonios les pasa a ustedes?” Ellen exclaimed angrily. Maze ignored her, eyes fixed on the still form beneath the surgical lights—because if Lucifer didn’t survive this, she was going to make sure someone else didn’t either.

 

Chapter 4: The Man Behind the Devil's Face

Trixie’s stomach felt as if it were twisting around itself. Her dad had been acting oddly the last few days and now she was at Linda’s house for seemingly no reason.

“Would you like something to eat?” the therapist asked as she bounced Charlie up and down in her arms.

Trixie shook her head. “Why am I here?”

“Your dad’s dealing with something and your mom is busy.”

Trixie shook her head. Linda knew something. She just wasn’t saying it.. “Can we play Monopoly?” The game made her feel closer to Lucifer, whom she hadn’t seen for quite a bit.

Linda agreed and Trixie set the board up, grabbing Linda’s shoe piece. The same piece that Lucifer had stolen from her game.

“Are you alright?”

The girl shook her head as her stomach coiled once more. “Where is Lucifer?”

“At Lux, probably.”

“I want to go see him,” she said a bit hysterically. “Take me there.”

Linda opened her mouth to respond, but her phone rang before she could. With an apologetic smile, she answered. “Chloe? Are you there?”

There was a pause and Linda frowned a bit worriedly. Is Mommy with Lucifer? 

“Are you hurt?” Linda asked nervously.

Trixie wanted to scream at Linda. It was Lucifer! Something was wrong with Lucifer!

“Is he hurt?” Linda asked, looking at Trixie as if she were magical.

Linda’s face went white. Trixie’s chest hurt, like she’d forgotten how to breathe.

“Okay,” Linda said as she motioned for Trixie to pack up her things. “Does Amenadiel know? What about Maze?”

Trixie stood up and grabbed the small bag that she had brought with her. Her daddy didn’t tell her how long she would be at Linda’s for, so she had grabbed her pajamas and toothbrush just in case.

“I’ll be there soon,” Linda promised as she hung up.

“What happened?” Trixie demanded as Linda picked her son back up and rushed out the door, Trixie in toe.

“Lucifer is hurt.”

“How?” Trixie asked, already knowing the answer.

Linda hesitated, fingers tightening on the keys. “I’m going to drop you off at your friend’s house.”

“No,” Trixie said vehemently. “I’m coming with you.”

Linda opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her hands shook as she reached for her keys.

“What happened?” she asked again.

“He was shot.”

“Who shot him?” As little as Trixie wanted to admit it, she thought that she knew. Her daddy had been acting oddly for the past few days – similar to how her Mommy had before she started meeting with the mean priest.

“I don’t know.” Linda’s hands shook as she buckled Charlie into his car seat.

“Where is my daddy?”

Linda shook her head as she turned the key to the ignition. “I don’t know.”

Trixie buckled her seatbelt. “I think my daddy shot him.”

“I don’t think so,” Linda said with a watery chuckle. “He and Lucifer weren't that at odds.”

“Well, he’s been acting weird lately.”

Linda nodded and passed her phone to Trixie. “Call Ella, Amenadiel, and your dad please. Tell them what happened.”

Trixie’s hands shook a bit as she called her dad. “How could you?”

Her dad answered with a small cry. “I-I don’t know.”

Trixie let out a sob. “You shot him, Daddy!”

Her daddy’s breath hitched. “I know!” he exclaimed. “I-I know. I found out something about Lucifer and I was worried that he would hurt you…”

“That’s not a good enough reason!” Trixie yelled, unshed tears obstructing the view of the seat in front of her. “Lucifer is a good person and you tried to kill him!”

Daddy let out another sob.

Trixie ended the call. “I told you he did it.”

Linda shook her head. “W-why?”

“Because he’s the devil,” the little girl said bitterly. Everyone thought “devil” meant bad. Grown-ups liked labels. They stuck them on things and didn’t take them off again.

“I know, sweetie,” Linda said sadly as she parked the car. “This is Ms. Katie’s house. Do you know her daughter, Sarah?”

Trixie nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

“You and Charlie are going to stay here for the night,” Linda said as she walked Trixie up to Sarah’s door. She knocked and Ms. Katie answered with a smile. “Hi, Trixie. Linda.”

Trixie didn’t respond and Ms. Katie looked at her, concerned. “Are you alright?”

Linda sighed. “Could you watch Trixie and Charlie? Amenadiel’s brother is in the hospital.”

“Sure,” Sarah’s mom agreed. “I can drop them off later if needed.”

Linda looked at her in relief. “Thank you so much. It’ll be okay, Trixie.”

Trixie glared at the therapist. She wanted to go see Lucifer.

“Trixie!” Sarah yelled from behind her mom. “I got a new doll, you wanna see?”

The girl followed Sarah inside reluctantly. “Fine.”

“Are you okay?” Sarah asked as she opened the door to her room. “Your eyes are red.”

“My daddy shot Lucifer."

Ms. Katie looked up, alarmed. “Your dad?”

Trixie nodded. “Yeah. He was mad because he found out that Lucifer was the devil.” It just wasn’t fair. Why was everyone so mad at Lucifer when he told them? It’s not like he shot people for no reason.

“He’s the devil?” Ms. Katie questioned in the same tone that most other adults used when Lucifer told them who he was.

“Yeah. No one ever believes him, though.”

Sarah giggled. “Is he the one that scared away that bully?”

Trixie smiled at the memory. “Yeah. His eyes turned red and she screamed.”

Sarah laughed but Ms. Katie looked really concerned. Trixie hoped that she wasn’t about to shoot Lucifer too.

“This is Alfred, he’s my new doll!” Sarah said, brandishing a doll in the air.

Trixie nodded, even though her head was still full of dozens of images of Lucifer’s bloody form – which she wasn’t even allowed to see.

Ms. Katie gave Trixie a sad smile. “I’m sure Lucifer will be okay. Do you have a pair of PJs or do you want to borrow some?”

Trixie looked at the time and was surprised to see that it was almost ten. “I have some.”

“Why don’t you two go to bed, then? Maybe you can visit Lucifer in the morning?”

Hours later, Trixie stared at the ceiling, wondering if Lucifer was alone or if someone was sitting with him like she used to.

Chapter 5: Patient Crisis Mode

Notes:

Sorry this took me so long to update; I was busy. I finally got a laptop, though, so I should be able to update pretty quickly now.

This chapter is pretty useless in terms of new information; it's really just the Trixie chapter with a different ending and POV. However, it does give you a look inside Linda's head.

Linda opened the door to see a shadow of the man that she used to know – Dan looked hollow, like someone had scooped him out and forgotten to put him back together, immediately sending Linda into what she called “Patient Crisis Mode” despite the fact that the man was not her patient.

“Could you watch Trixie for a little while? I have to get something done.” The man avoided eye contact, and Linda felt that something was really wrong. “Are you okay, Dan?”

Dan nodded, but his eyes were glazed over. “I just need to go… talk… to Lucifer.”

“Are you sure you should be driving like this?”

Dan ignores her in favour of walking back to his car, leaving behind a worried Linda and an irate Trixie.

“Would you like something to eat?” Linda asked as she moved Charlie to a more comfortable position in her arms. 

Trixie declined, looking irritated. “Why am I here?”

“Your dad’s dealing with something and your mom is busy.” Linda hoped that the short answer would get Trixie to drop it, although that wasn’t likely.

Trixie shook her head again. “Can we play Monopoly?” 

“Sure,” Linda agreed as she placed a cooing Charlie in his carrier. “Why don’t you grab 

The clatter of Monopoly suddenly ceased and Linda looked over to see Trixie staring at one of the pieces with tear-filled eyes.

“Are you alright?”

The girl shook her head and Linda was starting to get worried. This was unlike Trixie. The pre-teen was usually so full of life.

“Where is Lucifer?” she asked in a small voice.

“At Lux, probably.”

“I want to go see him,” she said a bit hysterically. “Take me there.”

Linda opened her mouth to disagree –  What if Chloe and Lucifer were having sex? – When she was saved by the phone. “Chloe? Are you there?”

Linda couldn’t hear anything from the other side of the line but sobbing.  “Are you hurt?” 

“Lucifer,” was all Chloe said before she broke out into sobs again.

“Is he hurt?” Linda asked, her stomach twisting unpleasantly. She looked over at Trixie, who looked sick to her stomach.

“H-he was shot. Come to the hospital.”

“Okay,” Linda said as she stood up. Was Chloe with Lucifer or was he still bleeding out when not with her? “Does Amenadiel know? What about Maze?”

“Just M-Maze.”

“I’ll be there soon,” Linda promised as she hung up. She motioned for Trixie to pack her things as she grabbed Charlie.

“What happened?” Trixie demanded.

“Lucifer is hurt,” is all Linda said. She didn’t want to console Trixie on top of getting to the hospital.

“How?” Trixie asked.

Linda hesitated, fingers tightening on the keys. “I’m going to drop you off at your friend’s house,” she finally responded.

“No,” Trixie said vehemently. “I’m coming with you.”

Linda’s hands shook as she opened her son’s car door. She opened her mouth before shutting it again.

“What happened?” she asked again.

“He was shot.”

“Who shot him?”

“I don’t know,” Linda repeated. She did, though. She just didn’t want it to be true.

“I think my daddy shot him.”

“I don’t think so,” Linda said with a watery chuckle, hoping to stay in her blissful state of denial a little while longer. “He and Lucifer weren't that at odds.”

“Well, he’s been acting weird lately.”

Linda nodded and passed her phone to Trixie. “Call Ella, Amenadiel, and your dad please. Tell them what happened.”

“How could you?”

Linda was about to ask what she had done when she realized that Trixie was speaking to someone else – presumably her father.

Trixie let out a sob. “You shot him, Daddy!”

Linda shut her eyes, not even caring that the road was in front of her.

“That’s not a good enough reason!” the girl yelled after another pause, “Lucifer is a good person and you tried to kill him!”

Linda shut her eyes minutely and Trixie muttered, “I told you he did it.”

“W-why?” 

“Because he’s the devil,” the little girl said bitterly. 

“I know, sweetie,” Linda said sadly as she parked the car. “This is Ms. Katie’s house. Do you know her daughter, Sarah?”

Trixie nodded and Linda opened the door, praying that her legs would hold her up.

“You and Charlie are going to stay here for the night.” Linda knocked on the ornate door and Katie answered with a smile. “Hi, Trixie. Linda.”

Neither one responded and Katie looked at Trixie, concerned. “Are you alright?”

Linda sighed, not wanting to admit in front of Trixie how much trouble her favourite devil was really in. “Could you watch Trixie and Charlie tonight? Amenadiel’s brother is in the hospital.”

“Sure,” Katie agreed. “I can drop them off later if needed.”

“Thank you so much. It’ll be okay, Trixie.” Linda turned and walked back to the car briskly, resisting the urge to look back.

She opened the door and drove towards the hospital quickly, intent on finding out if her favourite patient was going to be okay.

She remembered her initial reaction to seeing Lucifer’s face – she had locked herself in her office for a month and refused all contact to the outside world. She had ignored Lucifer, Maze, and Amenadiel for a month, worried about what would happen if she made contact.

In the end, it was Maze who had reminded Linda that the trio were the same as they always were. Linda had gone back to her normal life after that, allowing herself to re-connect with the celestials and demon.

Chloe had reacted – in Linda’s opinion – much worse than she had. The woman had fled to Europe for a month, succeeding in meeting an evil priest and trying to kill Lucifer. Her partner. Her friend. Her crush.

Dan had apparently taken a similar position to Chloe – try to kill the man. Except, from the look of it, Dan got much closer to killing the man than Chloe ever had. Linda vaguely wondered if he was regretful.

The woman parked the car and walked into the hospital nervously, unsure as to where she was supposed to be going. As she constantly told Maze and Lucifer, she wasn’t that type of doctor.

Sitting down in one of the waiting room chairs, Linda grabbed her phone and dialed Amenadeil’s number. If anyone knew what to do, it would be him.

What’s up?” The angel picked up quickly, sounding very upbeat.

“I think that you should come to the hospital,” Linda said nervously.

“Why?” he asked suspiciously.

“It-it’s Lucifer.”

“What about him?”

Linda jumped as the angel appeared beside her. “Jesus – Amenadiel.”

“What’s wrong with him?” the angel repeated, looking incredibly nervous and not at all apologetic for his straddling appearance.

“He was shot,” Linda said as soon as she was sure that her heartbeat had returned to a regular level. “It was Dan,” she added quietly.

Amenadiel’s eyes flashed and Linda took an involuntary step back. “Where is he?” the man growled at the woman at the front desk.

The lady looked at him with compassion. “Who?”

“Lucifer Morningstar.”

“OR three; to the left and up the stairs.”

Amenadiel nodded and took off, leaving Linda behind to call Ella Lopez – the upbeat girl whose heart Linda did not want to break.

“You good, Linda?” the cheery tech asked as she answered the phone.

“No, actually,” she admitted. “Lucifer got shot and is in pretty bad condition.”

There was a sharp inhalation from the other end of the line. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

Linda hung up the phone and finally let herself cry for the fallen angel who had spent so long convincing everyone he wasn’t worth saving.

Chapter 6: Four Years of Silence

Ella smiled at the picture hanging on her fridge – Lucifer, Chloe, Dan, and Ella at the precinct, hands around each other as if they were childhood friends. Each of the people had their own pasts, which were illustrated quite vividly by the photo.

Lucifer’s bright smile and mischievous smirk contrasted with his dark and mysterious past. His position – stiff and nervous – is the only proof of his abusive and traumatising childhood, which shapes much of his current life. His devil persona showing how he really sees himself: as the evil scapegoat, blamed for everything.

Chloe is the exact opposite – the embodiment of light. The detail-oriented and precise one. The one who remains firmly planted to the ground, even in times of crisis. Her light touch on Lucifer’s arm really shows how connected the two are. If Lucifer were the devil, Chloe would be his past: Samael the Lightbringer.

Dan’s haunted eyes and forced smile show him as the one who was barely holding it together. Charlotte’s death had been heartbreaking for all of them, but Dan clearly took it the hardest. He pushed himself into work and spirituality, focusing on “cleansing his chachra” almost as much as his cases. However, the man still held onto hope, as shown by the matching bracelets on his and Lucifer’s wrists.

Ella’s jaunty ponytail was likely the most misleading, however. The happy shirts that she always wore were just a smokescreen set to conceal the darkness she felt in her soul – the millions of secrets that she just wanted to be able to share. The voices; Rae-Rae; the darkness; the loss of her faith.

As she surveyed the photo, however; Ella realised that maybe she wasn’t as lost as she first believed. After all, her best friends were the so-called devil, Satan’s girlfriend, and the shell of a man who was just trying to get back to his prior self.

Ella’s musings were broken by the chirp of her cell phone. “You good, Linda?” 

“No, actually,” the therapist responded. “Lucifer got shot and is in pretty bad condition.”

Ella inhaled, a million thoughts racing through her head.

How badly was he hurt? 

Would he be okay? 

Was Chloe okay?

Where was he shot?

“I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” she heard herself respond before mechanically hanging up and walking outside.

She tried to open the car door before realising that she left her keys inside. Maybe I shouldn’t be driving… 

The static that fills the scientist’s brain is broken by another chirp. Ella’s hands shake as she accepts Pete’s call. 

“Hey, Ella; do you want to come over?”

“No,” she responds shakily. “I-I need to get to the hospital. Can you come over?”

“Are you alright?” the man asks before Ella can explain further.

“Lucifer’s hurt and I-I need to go check on him.”

“Okay,” Pete agrees. “I’ll be there soon.”

Ella nods and slides to the floor, wondering if Lucifer was going to be okay. The man always seemed so invincible, but, despite his constant claim to be otherwise, he was still human.

Ella knew that the invulnerability was just a front, likely derived from his lack of a childhood, but many others seemed to forget that Lucifer had feelings too. People often took the devil thing too seriously and forgot that the man was just that – a man.

Pete pulled up in front of Ella’s house and she stood and was halfway to the car before her boyfriend reached her. “Are you alright?” he asked nervously.

Ella nodded as she stepped into the car, thanking Pete for opening it for her. The girl’s hands were far too shaky to open it herself. 

“So, what happened?”

“Lucifer got shot,” Ella whispered back.

“Will he be okay?”

Ella rolled down her window, needing air. “I know it’s serious.”

“How?” Pete asked.

“Becuase Linda was scared.” Linda was never scared. Just that fact alone was enough to worry Ella. 

“Has he survived this sort of thing before?”

Ella let out a laugh, though there was no humour in it. “He got shot thrice. At least.”

“Then I’m sure he’ll be okay.”

Ella nodded, but her heart wasn’t in it. Lucifer was the most reckless and self-destructive person she knew. She didn’t know if her brother-by-all-but-blood would allow himself to survive.

He begged a sniper to shoot him. 

Followed Chloe into dozens of dangerous situations unarmed. 

Attacked anyone who was a threat to Chloe.

Walked alone into drug dens and gang headquarters.

Consumed sa magnitude of drugs.

Caused killers to run away and cower in fear.

The car stopped and Ella got out, still dazed. “Go home, Pete. I’ll call you later.”

Her boyfriend smiled at her and drove away, leaving Ella to walk into the hospital alone.

Who had shot Lucifer? Had she done it himself? Was it an accident? A disgruntled person at LUX?

Linda didn’t go into specifics, which was quite worrying. Chloe had told Ella that they were going to spend some time together earlier that night. Was she there when he got hurt?

“Ella!” Linda called from across the room.

The scientist walked over, taking precise steps as not to fall over. “What happened?”

“Gunshot wound to the chest. He’s still in surgery.”

Ella nodded, her head full of fluff. “Will he be alright?”

“No idea.” Linda’s hands shook slightly and she tucked them away. “I was waiting for you – he’s in OR three.”

Ella nodded and followed Linda into an observation room overlooking the third OR. Chloe and Amenadiel were already there, looking worried.

“I don’t know where Maze is,” Chloe said as a greeting.

Ella ignored her and looked out the glass at Lucifer. The artificial lights were beating down upon his still form, illuminating all the blood. “Who shot him?”

There was an uneasy silence and Ella got the impression that she didn’t want to know. 

“Dan,” Chloe eventually responded after a minute.

Ella was shocked. Dan – Lucifer’s bracelet bro? “What?!”

Linda cringed. “He got some… troubling news.”

Ella shook her head in denial. What sort of news could be that troubling?

“Maze!” Chloe exclaimed, causing Ella to look over. “What took you…” she trailed off at the sight of Dan.

Maze ignored her roommate, instead looking down at Lucifer.

“Dan,” Chloe said coldly. “Why are you here?”

Dan ignored his ex-wife, instead just sinking into a chair. Maze nodded at him approvingly, but Ella wanted to slap him. This is his response to attempted murder?

“Why did you do it?” Linda asked coldly.

“He’s the devil,” Dan responded. “I-I thought that was the only way to stop him.”

Ella rolled her eyes a bit. Did Dan really think that Lucifer was the devil? The man was nothing but a method actor.

“So what?” Amenadiel snapped. “That doesn’t give you the right to shoot him!”

Ella was slightly surprised to see that no one was contradicting Dan. “You guys don’t really think he’s the devil, do you?”

Maze rolled her eyes. “Lucifer’s not lying. I’m a demon, Amenadiel’s an angel, and Lucifer’s the devil.”

Maze looked over at Ella and her usually stunning face flashed, showing a black and white one resembling Deadpool. Ella jumped.

 “Rule number ten, Espinoza – if you can scare the hell out of someone, do it.” Maze said to Dan.

Dan nodded, but he looked guilty too. 

“Wait – you guys weren’t acting?!” Ella asked after a moment. No one looked surprised, not even Chloe and Linda, who were both humans in Lucifer’s mind.

“They weren't," Chloe agreed, looking at Ella with compassion. “I know it’s a shock, but–”

Ella wasn’t listening any more. “How could you keep this from me?!” she exclaimed angrily. “I lost my faith when Charlotte died and no one did anything!” 

“We’re sorry,” Amenadiel said. “But the truth is, we never actually told anyone; they all just… found out.”

Linda shuttered. “Not true. Lucifer willingly showed me his face.”

“And Lucifer tried to show me his face twice. It didn’t work out either of them,” Chloe said with disinterest.

“¿Qué demonios les pasa a ustedes?” Ella angrily screamed. Four years she had known Lucifer and he had never done anything to prove to her that he was the real devil. Was he scared of not being accepted? Worried that she would hate him if she knew the truth?

Whatever the reason, Ella was going to ensure that he never felt that way again.