Chapter Text
WARNING CHILD ABUSE
The first thing Chloe did after Lucifer's unceremonious arrival in Rome, was question him and Trixie about their deal. Of course, Trixie was afraid to talk about it but Lucifer couldn’t lie so the truth came out. They didn’t talk about it again after that, but Chloe seethed in silence all the way back to LA. She had trusted Dan, even after everything that happened between them, to be a good father to Trixie. And he was hurting her.
She still didn’t know what to do about it. Lying awake in Lucifer’s bed, having just returned from Rome a day ago, she keeps trying to think of a solution, but nothing comes to mind. Trixie claims that her father hasn’t touched her in over a year but Chloe knows better. Lucifer told her Trixie came to the penthouse only a few weeks before they went to Rome.
Sighing, Chloe turns over in bed and tries to sleep, forcing her eyes to close and her breathing to even. She is almost there when she hears the pitter patter of tiny feet on the penthouse floor.
Trixie appears in the doorway to Lucifer’s bedroom a moment later, Miss. Alien in hand. She tiptoes around the bed to where Lucifer is sleeping and nudges him until Chloe hears his soft, sleepy voice.
“Wha’ is it child?” He murmurs, blinking bleary eyes at the little girl.
“I had a bad dream about Daddy again.” Her voice but a whisper. Chloe wants to strangle Dan.
“Why don’t you stay here with me and your mother?” Lucifer offers, a bit more awake as he turns over to lay on his side where he can see the child better.
“I-is that okay?” She asks, tentative and quiet.
“Of course, child. Come on then.” Lucifer pats the bed between himself and Chloe, and she feels Trixie climb onto the bed and settle there. She feels Lucifer turn to face her and Trixie, his gentle voice asking the girl if she would like a story or a song.
“A story. I wanna know about how you fell.” Trixie asks.
Lucifer sounds tense when he answers, “That’s not a story for children.”
“Please Lucifer. I won't tell anyone. I promise.” The girl begs, and Chloe can imagine her giving Lucifer her puppy dog eyes.
Lucifer sighs but acquiesces, “Alright. I was probably about your age, mentally of course, Angels don’t age nor were we born, we simply popped into existence as we look now. Dear Old Dad has just created the first humans, Adam and Eve, when he told us something peculiar. Humans, he said, have Free Will. They can choose for themselves what path to take. Well, We, Angels, had never heard of such a thing. At the time I was the Will of God, Right Hand of the Father, His perfect Samael. When I heard of Free Will, I was perplexed, I wanted to know why angels didn’t have Free Will, and why humans did. So, I went to Father to ask. He wouldn’t answer, only saying it did not matter why. I didn’t like that answer. So, I started talking to my siblings, asking them if they thought we should have Free Will, and many agreed. We decided we would go to Father together, to ask him for it. We were halfway to Father when Michael and his legion met us. We fought, Michael and I, alone, so no other lives would be risked. And although I was always the better fighter, he was always more deadly while I did all I could never harm a sibling. So, I chose not to take the finishing blow when I could’ve. Michael didn't hesitate as I did, however. The next thing I know I am beaten, bound, and brought before Father. He declared if I wanted to be Free, so be it and cast me out of the Heavens. My wings were bound, so I fell, straight past the mortal plane, into Hell.”
Trixie is out cold by the time Lucifer finishes the story, but he can tell Chloe is awake, after all she’s not snoring like an Albanian field wench.
“Detective, are you awake?” He calls out softly, a hand reaching out to stroke her arm.
Chloe sighs, no hiding from the Devil, “I can’t sleep.” She whispers back, turning over so she can look Lucifer in the eyes.
Lucifer scoots closer, cradling Trixie to his chest, so all three of them are cuddled up together in the center of the king-sized bed. “What’s wrong, love?”
Chloe lays her arm over her daughter, stroking Lucifer’s bare arm. “I can’t stop thinking about Dan and what he’s put Trixie through. Trixie loves him, but I can’t bring myself to trust him with her again.”
“A perfectly normal response. I could speak with him if you like, put the fear of the Devil into him.” Lucifer offers, but Chloe shakes her head.
“I appreciate the thought, but it’s not your place. I think I’m going to have to sue Dan for full custody.” Chloe hates the idea but it’s all she can think of.
“Well, I know a number of a very powerful lawyers who owe me favors, darling, just say the word.” Chloe smiles at him, and leans over Trixie to press her mouth to his in a quick kiss.
“Thank you. I love you.”
“And I you, my love.”
Chloe doesn’t like it one bit but fakes a smile as she hands off Trixie to Dan for their week together. She made Trixie promise to call if he tried anything, but it doesn’t calm her racing heart or the red hot anger in her chest.
“Be good, Trixie.” She tells her daughter and Trixie just grins as she slips into the backseat of Dan’s cruiser.
Behind her, she can feel the Devil's presence, and while she’s excited to have some time alone together for first time since they admitted their true feelings for one another, Chloe can’t help but worry about Trixie. Dan waves at her and she waves back, then he pulls out and they’re gone.
She scowls as soon as they're out of sight.
Lucifer’s hands settle on her waist, pulling her back inside Lux as he kisses her temple. “She’ll be okay love. Afterall, if Daniel tries anything, one angry Devil and one even angrier Detective will be there as fast as angel wings can carry them.”
His words bring a small smile to her face, but no relief to her tense shoulders. “I shouldn’t be worried about my daughter’s safety when she’s with her Dad. I shouldn’t have to choose between her happiness, and her safety.”
The Devil pulls her into his chest, hugging her close, “I’m sorry, Love.”
Chloe lets herself go in the Devil’s embrace, a few tears escaping her eyes and rolling down her cheeks before she pulls away. They had talked in Rome, about him being the Devil, about Heaven, Hell, Angels, Demons, all of it. And Chloe felt about a thousand times better than she did only days earlier, it was like an invisible weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Not only that, but Lucifer had also offered himself to her, quietly asking if she would be willing try a monogamous relationship with him. Chloe had been surprised, not figuring Lucifer for monogamy, but he softly explained that he understood it was she would want and that if he had her, he didn’t want anyone else anyway.
Coming home from Rome, Chloe should’ve never felt better, but Dan was weighing on her like a ton of bricks. She’s just so conflicted. Trixie loves her father, despite his bad choices but her daughter’s safety matters most.
Taking a shuttering breath, Chloe lets Lucifer lead her to the elevator, then to the couch and distract her from her woes with his commentary on Bones, but her mind doesn’t leave Trixie for more than a minute.
WARNING CHILD ABUSE
Dan scowls as Trixie babbles about her trip to Europe. While he’s been trying to wrestle with his grief over Charlotte, Chloe and Trixie have been galivanting around Europe, with Lucifer of all people. He wants to punch Lucifer in the throat. Squeezing the steering wheel like it’s Lucifer’s throat, Dan punches the car into reverse and takes off toward his apartment.
It’s a small, two bedroom about half an hour from Lux, where he just picked up Trixie from. Why Chloe had their daughter at the nightclub, he doesn’t want to know.
Trixie keeps babbling about her trip and Dan is doing all he can to listen and not tell her shut up about it. He doesn’t want to hear about great Lucifer is, and how much fun Rome was any more than he wants to chew off his own arm.
White-knuckling the steering wheel, Dan grimaces as he drives through the city, every word of praise his daughter gives Lucifer pissing him off more and more. After what feels like an eternity, they arrive at his apartment. Trixie jumps out of the car, already knowing the way to the walkup and Dan follows behind her, not letting her see his scowling face as she continues to blab about Lucifer and her mother.
As soon as they’re inside Trixie runs off to her bedroom, and Dan sighs a sigh of relief. Crossing the open space to the kitchen, Dan plucks a beer from the fridge. He tried to quit drinking years ago, and for most part was successful with Charlotte’s help but now that she’s gone he really doesn’t see the point. Popping the cap with his bottle opener, Dan settles in front of the TV to watch some sporting event and relax. With a sigh, he slips off his belt, and sets it beside him on the couch as he leans back and lets the soothing sound of sports media wash over him.
A full six pack later and Dan is finally starting to feel relaxed. Trixie hasn’t interrupted his TV time once, the apartment is quiet and he is just on the edge of happiness when the girl comes out of her room.
“Daddy, I’m hungry.” She whines from the door to the short hallway where the bedrooms are located. Dan huffs a big sigh.
“What do you want to eat?” He asks, picking up his phone to order take out from wherever Trixie wants.
“I want Tacos.” The girl states so Dan orders a family taco package from local Mexican place then shoos Trixie away.
“I’m just gonna get a drink.” Trixie tells him as she sneaks in-between him and TV. He pays little attention to her as she grabs glass, fills it with water from the tap, then turns to walk back to her room. She drinks she as walks, paying little attention to the floor, when she trips on one of Dan’s discarded bottles. The glass goes flying, water going everywhere. There’s the sound of electrical shorting as water hits the old surge protector the TV is plugged into then the TV goes dark as the glass shatters on the floor.
“What did you just do?!” Dan roars, his anger getting the best of him. He grabs Trixie by the arm, yanking over his lap, and starts to spank her. She screams and cries and tries to wiggle away, but Dan is having none of it. TV was his escape and now it’s thoroughly ruined because she couldn’t be bothered to watch her step. Enraged, Dan grabs for the belt on the couch and brings it down on Trixie’s backside, making the girl scream but he doesn’t care. All he wanted to relax and watch some sports and now his whole night is ruined.
“I’m sorry, Daddy!” She cries, tears pour down her face, but he just brings the belt down again and again, wailing on the child until the only sounds are those of leather on flesh. He grabs her by her hair, lifting her up, ignoring her whimpers, and leans into her face. “Little shit. You can’t do anything right can you? Can’t even walk right.” He spits before slapping her across the face, splitting her lip.
Trixie is blubbering, and he can’t stand it. Dragging her by her arm, he takes her to her room and tosses her on the bed. Then he grabs her tablet, and phone and locks the door behind him.
Grunting, Dan walks back to the kitchen, grabs another beer, chugs it then heads to living to try and salvage his TV and his evening.
Trixie knew her Dad was not a good person. She was a smart kid after all. She knew he had temper and that he’d hurt her in the past but she never thought him capable of anything worse than a few bruises on her arms, or face.
She was wrong. Her whole body aches as she sobs, curling up on herself in the bed. She wants her mom, she wants Lucifer. Her sobs grow in intensity, her whole body shaking and every movement painful. Deciding she doesn’t care what happens to her Dad now, and wanting nothing more than the safety of her mother’s arms, Trixie grits her teeth and forces herself out of bed. Her back aches and stings with every movement, and it hurts to walk. She looks around for her phone only to realize in horror that her dad must’ve taken all her electronics.
Another sob tears free of her throat as she walks back to the bed and gingerly lays herself down again. She heard the click of the lock and knows there’s no escape. Her mom won’t be picking her up for a week and it’s summer so school is out. Terror washes over her.
That’s when she remembers Lucifer words, “You can even pray to me, just pray to the Angel Samael.”
Closing her eyes, she puts all her energy into praying, Samael. Samael. Samael. Samael. Lucifer. Samael. Lucifer. Samael. Lucifer. Please help. Please.
Across town, Lucifer is at the piano, playing a set at Lux when the thin, terrified voice of the Urchin fills his head, begging him for help.
A bolt of fear goes though him as he wraps up the set as quickly as he can then heads upstairs to Chloe. She was too worried to come to the club, choosing to read in his library instead. He beelines for her, stopping in front of her with a grim expression, mouth set in the thin line and eyes hard.
“What’s wrong?” Chloe asks, her own fear spiking at Lucifer’s expression.
“Trixie prayed to me. I think she’s in danger.” Chloe pales and jumps to her feet.
“Let’s go.” Lucifer lifts her effortlessly into his arms and takes off, flying them to the Urchin’s side in seconds. They emerge in her bedroom, the sound of her crying filling the room. Lucifer frowns at the state of the place, there’s single twin bed and a dresser, no other furniture. The walls are white with water stains near the ceiling, and the only color comes Trixie clothes, which are strewn around her backpack on the floor. Even her bed is dressed in plain white sheets with a grey blanket.
“Trixie, what’s wrong?” Chloe steps toward the sobbing child while Lucifer turns to find the light switch for the overhead light, the only light in the room. Trixie cries out, flinching away from her mother when Chloe sets a hand on her back and when the light comes on, Chloe can see why. Trixie’s pink t-shirt in is tatters, her back is a crisscross of bloody welts, the substance staining her shirt. A strangled gasp escapes Chloe, which catches Lucifer attention. He closes the gap between himself and the girls, only to freeze in place when he sees Trixie’s back.
Flashes of his own beatings cross his mind, and a low growl resonates from his chest, making the whole room tremble as the temperature spikes. Chloe scoops Trixie into her arms, the little girl whimpering in pain at the movement.
“Hush baby, mommy’s here now. Everything is going to be okay.” Chloe tells her daughter who nods against her chest, clinging to her mother with all that she has.
“Chloe,” Lucifer’s voice is rough, as though he’s just barely holding back the Devil, and when she turns to look at him, she can see his eyes glowing with molten flames. “I’m going to punish him.”
“Good.” Chloe answers. Lucifer turns to the door, and reaches for the knob, his rage only growing when he realizes the girl was locked into the bedroom. Chloe stays behind the Devil as they step into the narrow hallway and walk into the living room.
Dan is on all fours in front of the TV, grunting as he fiddles with the surge protector, surrounded by empty beer bottles.
“Hello Daniel.” Lucifer all but growls.
Dan spins around, stumbling over his own feet, reeking of alcohol. “The fuck are you doing here?”
Chloe steps out from behind Lucifer, hugging Trixie close, “We came for Trixie. What did you do Dan?”
Dan rolls his eyes, “She broke my TV.”
“So you beat her senseless?!” Chloe cries, trembling with anger.
“She deserved to be punished.” Dan states, which were the wrong words for him to choose. Faster than the human eye could follow, Lucifer is hoisting the smaller man off the ground by his throat, eyes blazing with Hellfire.
“No child deserves that kind of punishment, Daniel.” Lucifer roars, and Dan whispers, terrified, he struggles in Lucifer’s iron grip but he’s going nowhere.
Quietly from across the room, Chloe speaks, “I’m taking Trixie with me. Papers suing for full custody will be on your desk tomorrow. Lucifer, we’ll be outside.” Chloe turns walks away, leaving Dan alone with the Devil.
Lucifer steps out of the house five minutes later, fiddling with his cufflinks as he approaches Chloe and Trixie.
“Hold her tight.” He orders as he scoops them both into his arms, taking flight a moment later. They arrive at the penthouse a few minutes later, at which point Chloe turns to Lucifer.
“We need to treat Trixie. Do you have a first aid kit?”
Lucifer nods but asks, “Why don’t I just heal her with a feather?”
“You can do that? Wait, nevermind. We can’t. We need evidence of Dan’s abuse for the custody case.” Chloe explains, hating that her daughter has to be in pain.
“Very well. I know a doctor or two who owe me favors. Why don’t I call one?” He offers.
“That’s a good idea.” Chloe states she lays Trixie down on the couch, careful to lay her stomach down. The little girl has passed out, likely from the pain and Chloe is terribly worried. Realizing they’ll need photographic evidence, Chloe calls Ella and asks her to come over, quickly explaining the situation. Ella agrees and arrives half an hour later, just before the doctor gets there. With Chloe and Lucifer’s help Ella manages to photograph Trixie’s flayed back, and her bruised face without waking her up. Then the Doctor steps in, disinfecting, and bandaging the wounds. He informs them that Trixie likely passed out due to shock, as she has no head injuries he can find, and should come around soon, then Lucifer shows him out.
Trixie wakes about 15 minutes later, and immediately starts crying. Chloe calms her down enough to take some painkillers then lets her cry while she holds her. The little girl only stops to ask for Lucifer, who comes to sit beside them on the couch. Her sobs finally slow enough for her to talk, at which point she starts apologizing.
“I’m sorry, Mommy. I didn’t think Daddy would ever really hurt me. I’m sorry.” Chleo smooths the hair form her face, meeting her daughter’s teary eyes.
“It’s not your fault Trixie. None of it is your fault. No one is blaming you.” Trixie nods subtly then moves, pushing herself into Lucifer’s arms.
The Devil feels quite out of his league, but he holds the crying girl anyway, his arms settle tenderly around her so as to not hurt her poor back.
“Thank you for hearing my prayers, Lucifer.” Trixie whispers.
“Always, Child. Always.”
6 months later
Trixie fidgets nervously. Ever since the custody hearing ended a few months ago, she’s been happy as can be. Except for one thing. She still has her dad’s last name, and she hates it. She kind of hates him and she doesn’t want to be Trixie Espinosa anymore.
She wants to be Beatrice Morningstar, like her mom is Chloe Morningstar now. She and Lucifer got married when Dan tried to use Lucifer’s bachelor past against them during the custody hearings.
She’s been thinking of asking Lucifer to adopt her, but she can’t figure out how to do it without sounding pathetic and childlike.
Fidgeting more in the car seat, she looks over at Lucifer as he drives them toward home, which happens to be Lux now. Would he even want to adopt her, she wonders.
As he pulls the car into the garage, Lucifer feels himself growing more nervous by the second. He knows how much Trixie loved her father, though he’s certain that’s changed now. He wants to make her his own, to adopt her but he is terribly nervous about the whole thing. They have the paperwork all set, all they need to do is tell the child, something Chloe has tasked him with. But he can’t figure out how to tell her.
Both are quiet as they head upstairs to the living room, where Lucifer heads for the piano. He hopes playing will calm his mind enough that he’ll be able to speak to the girl. He’s just comfortable on the bench when she sits beside him, listening as he plays.
The silence between them is calm as he plays song after song, until she finally breaks it, her voice so quiet he almost misses it.
“Lucifer, I don’t like my name.”
He pauses his playing to look at her, but she doesn’t look at him, instead she plays with her fingers, a nervous trait she shares with her mother. “What do you mean, Beatrice is a lovely name.”
She looks away, “No, my last name. I don’t want to be Beatrice Espinosa.” She whispers, her cheeks turning pink.
Hope blooms bright in Lucifer's chest, “Ah.” He swallows past the lump in his throat, “Well then perhaps you’d like to be Beatrice Morningstar instead?”
Lucifer doesn’t look at the girl, too nervous in case she denies him, what he doesn’t expect is for her to throw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting the most abhorrent squeal of joy he’s ever had the displeasure of hearing.
“YES!” She screeches, excited and happy. Lucifer catches her, and holds her close, unbothered by her growing weight.
“Your mother and I have the paperwork all set. All we needed was your permission.” Lucifer tells her.
Trixie grins as she pulls away from Lucifer to look him in the eye, “You’re the best, Lucifer. I love you.”
Lucifer feels like he’s been punched in the gut. Earning the Detective’s love was one thing but the child’s too? She draws him into a tight hug and as she does, he finds himself responding to her without thinking about it at all, “And I you, Urchin. And I you.”