There is no rest for the wicked, as the old saying goes. Well— the full saying is a biblical quote and it renders an Old Testament verse in the book of Isaiah that says 'the lord god said, peace is not to wicked men'. Which is something I wouldn't have guessed to be true if it weren't for myself being in accords with the devil himself. True wickedness is all but in the brunt work of being in the police force where I see and hear true evil almost daily.

My only concern today is to get through another day of solving a case and not have to worry about dealing with my entire life situation. The start of that would be to interview Athena burns, River's attorney, who is waiting in interrogation for me. I didn't want to waste her time, though technically it's police business and she is under oath to help.

Lucifer followed suit, quick to open the door for me to which I am thankful he did because I was in my own head distracted by a thought I hadn't brushed off, and I nodded thanking him.

" Hello. Sorry to have kept you waiting, I'm officer decker and this here is my partner. Your Athena burns? Ben rivers' attorney? Am I correct?"

I offer her a hand, taking in Athena's looks. She is a stunning woman, her hair went down to her breasts with a side part and waves. She is stern, approachable. I go to pull out my seat but only to have Lucifer go ahead with pulling it out for me. I manage to give a faint smile sitting down while he placed the seat in.

" I was, but I haven't heard from him in two years since he disappeared, so, I'm not quite sure how much help I'll be."

Athena lied, naturally. I could sense there were some trust issues I had a feeling will be causing more trouble for us. This is going to be harder than I would like it to be. My senses were telling me to figure out a way to get Athena to come clean. I click the pen button, repeating the action. My legs cross over another. " Which is interesting considering we are aware, and know, you have come into contact with rivers' in the last several.. months. Quite a lot actually. Mind telling me why it is you are choosing the lie to us?" I questioned, a minuscule raise of my brow, to her lying face.

" I don't know what you're talking about, and if you have been illegally wiretapping me, this will be a fun lawsuit."

" No, nope. No wiretapping. We just simply been watching burns through a friend of his, simple as it can be." I countered, flipping through the files. The lucifer had to open his mouth and say 'Well. It's more like stalking, if you ask me, darling.' He cannot read the room. I roll my eyes cleaning my throat, as I briefly looked at him. He grinned and I shook my head. " I couldn't help but notice that everywhere Ben rivers has been there's always a corresponding phone straight to your office. It's.. almost like he's getting professional help from an old friend." I pointed at the notes and images off of CCTV cameras. " Mind expanding on that? We both want him to be brought in safely. But I can't do that unless you help me and I help you here."

" This conversation is over."

Athena states, with a sickly sweet smile. I narrow my eyes slapping the folder shut. " Oh, good." Oh good? What does Lucifer mean by oh good? " The longer this takes the angrier maze is going to get. Yes, this is perfect. Maze has always loved a good hunt." He slides in the seat beside me, a little too close for my own comfort and especially because of the professional setting we're in, nudging me. I got to hint he wants me to play along which I do.

" Who, and what is, maze?"

Athena asked with a tense clear of the throat. She had her bag, up on her lap, her hands tight on the leather bounds. A sign of a tense nature. I lean back, naturally, with my eyes set on her. She had her breathing steady but I could hear her heart's beat skip. She's nervous. " Maze is a good bounty hunter, and friend of mine. She is quite close, if we are being open here, to catching rivers. Up in Canada." I admit, merely showing my hands, and crossing them. " isn't that right, Lucifer..?"

" Yes, and when she finally catches up with the poor fellow, she is going to tear him limb from bloody limb. It'll be fantastic."

" She can't do that."

" She definitely has the strength." Lucifer hums. I let Lucifer take over for a little while, finding the entertainment of Athena's exterior chipping away at the reality her client is close to being caught. I rested my hands on the cold, steel, table. " Am I right in that assessment, Darling?" Lucifer turns back to me waiting for my reaction. " Darling..?"

" Oh, yeah, maze is definitely having the time of her life up north with this bounty." I say, adding on to the charade. " You can trust maze to bring a bounty in like she has done in the last few days." I hide what little thing of amusement I've got at the back and forth banter lucifer and I are doing. Lucifer nodded. " What limb do you think maze will bring back? Legs? An arm?" I pretend to ask.

" Oh, definitely his head because you can get far if it's just his arm. I think that would suffice don't you think.."

" You can't hurt him."

Athena finally spoke up. I act surprised with an 'oh'. She cleared her throat. " Oh? Why not? You care for him, quite a bit, don't you?" I pressed her for a more specific reaction out of her. I crane my head a little to the side, listening to the change of her heart tuning in to her heart beats. She cares for him more than a client it seems to me. She is not being very truthful with us. Let's see if she's actually going to be honest.

" Of course. He is my client." Lie

Lucifer and I turn heads at the exact moment we heard her lie. I nod my head, giving him the first sign of permission to use his persuasion on her. I mouth 'Go ahead'. He's like an excited puppy that sought out approval from its master as he got up. I watch him play around with his suit. " So, tell me, Miss burns, why is his safety so important to you?" Lucifer prods at her tough persona, she has made, sitting on the table before her. Athena had her troubles of keeping her guard up but even the toughest of fronts is no match for Lucifer. " You are as formidable as your power suit suggests, aren't you..? But don't worry, you can tell me and my partner here. I know you want to."

" I love him. I helped him elude the police and I have been sending him money ever since."

'Well then. Conspiracy, and assisting in the help of a criminal, is against her rules as a law abiding attorney. She can get in major trouble.' I gave a light tap on lucifer's back, a signal for him to back up off of Athena, and he pouted childishly at my quiet command. " He's a cold blooded murderer, Miss burns. How is it you're a woman of the law and you break your oath for a killer? I get it. Love can make you... make you do stupid things. But Ben rivers is a murderer. Explain that to me like I am a child."

" You, obviously, haven't met him."

Athena said, her defensive walls up higher. She looked bashful at how she was caught.

" He's not what you.. what you'd expect. He's charming and handsome.. and when he looks you in the eyes, I don't care who you are. You are defenceless against him."

'I have a good understanding. With the whole being defenceless against a handsome man.'

I widen my eyes, at the inner voice in my mind saying that, as I feel a tang of plastic on the tip of my tongue realising I am chewing on my pen and openly staring at Lucifer. Lucky for me he hadn't seen me stare at him. I would be embarrassed, for all eternity, if he caught me. I shook my head.

'Get yourself together, Liz.'

—•—

Athena remained in the interrogation room while I made myself scarce to my desk, the thought that crosses my mind is to call and check in on maze. I promised her I would make daily phone calls and I know how much that would annoy her but I did not care. She found take care of anything except for herself. I pick up my phone, entering the call history to find her contact information displayed.

I dialled her number, the ring tone playing for at least two seconds before she answered sounding appeased I am calling her again. I laughed at the sound.

" Yes, what is it you want, from me, sweet little angel decker?" She, sarcastically, spoke into the phone. Her tone dials down in sarcasm and I can hear the smile in her voice. " I have been waiting for this call to come. Half expected it to be a little more sooner but that would make it seem like I'm actually waiting for you to call." She brushed off my scoff, pretending she is annoyed by me but I know she loved when I called.

" I miss you too, Maze." I joked, checking to find a space on my desk which is free so I wouldn't be sitting on crucial case files. " I was just.. seeing if you are alright. And how your search for rivers is coming along?" I tell her, honestly. I did actually miss her. She is one of the few people I have met I feel comfortable around and can call a friend. I will admit it's been rough without her here but I understood she had to find her own way around. Her own identity. " I miss having you here, maze. It's kinda lonely. Lucifer is getting on my nerves."

She laughed. Like genuinely a loud belly laugh I haven't heard before. It's a nice sound. " So, you do miss me. I know my awesome presence would be missed." I rolled my eyes, at her teasing, but it shortly changed to a chagrin smile once I see who is in my line of sight. Pierce. " I'm good. To be honest. This rivers prick is a hard one to catch, Liz. I will tell you that much. I did have him, before, but the weasel escaped. The asshole even handcuffed me! Used my own trick back on me."

" What is that? The mazikeen was outsmarted?" I fake a gasp. " How could you let him get away? I am talking to the best torturer of hell aren't I?" I hear her stifle a groan on the other end of the line of the phone. Got her. She huffed, the sound of it crackled in the cheap speaker of my old phone, as she moved around from what I could hear on the other end. Marcus excused himself out of a talk with an off duty officer to come over to me. I am positive my face is visibly stoic. " Don't tell me you are going to let him get off easy, for evading you, Maze?"

" Oh have ye old little faith, in me, Lizzie. I most definitely will have him back in these cuffs before the end of the day. And soon enough I'll be back, so we can do that girly shit I promise to do, with you, after I return." She stated, sealing her words of promising to do a day of what choice of things I wanted to participate in, the jingle of her cuffs a reminder of her mission. " I anticipate your call later on. Talk soon, decker." She said, softer. We hang up at the same time, in parlay with Pierce's steps treading their way to me.

" Decker. I hope that call wasn't personal. 'Cause I'd hate to write you up for talking calls while you are on the job."

Marcus spoke, he had his usual calculated way of staring straight into your soul, coming to stand quite close to me. I felt like I am boxed in and being interviewed in the same way criminals are treated. I saw dad, talking to one of his co workers he chatted with on and off, spare a minute to look my way mouthing if I am alright. Nothing unusual about my lieutenant evading my personal space. Not at all.

" I was simply talking to a friend of mine. She is.. well, she is in Canada. Visiting a friend. That's all I was doing. Calling to check in on her." I stated, standing to my feet off of the desk since I cannot get the feeling of being perceived off of me thanks to pierces eyes trained on me while I stand, and I looked around hoping to find Rebecca or Ella so I can make my escape.

" It won't happen again. I'm aware I can't make personal calls but I was just a worried friend looking out for another woman who is travelling alone."

" While I admire loyalty, and solidarity, Decker I do have to remind you that you are on active duty as an officer under my station." Marcus points to me, singling me out of the station. I sighed when he said those words. A laden, loaded, reminder of his position and how easy he could fire me for the way I respond next. " I came over here to give you these." He handed two vip concert tickets to the next Coldplay concert, my jaw dropped at those prices I saw on the website which went for almost thousands of dollars. " Heard it's almost the day of your birthday, and it's on your file. I wanted to give you these. Thought you and I can go, if you wanted to." He dismissively shrugs, calmly. " Or you and a friend. Though I prefer the first option more than the latter. It's your choice."

" This.. this is too much, lieutenant. I can't accept these." I pass the laminated vip tickets back and I shake my head. " I don't think that is professional to hand me those tickets. I don't want there to be misconstrued signals between us, Marcus." I say, swallowing. I don't wanna seem like I've accepted offers and bribes off of my boss. He sighed but he showed me the tickets, stepping forward to leave little room for the imagination to interpret, and I backed into my desk as he loomed over me. He's silent as he watched my face for any changes.

" I will keep these in my office if you reconsider."

Then you'll be keeping them in there for a long time, Marcus.

I wanted to say, opening my mouth to say it, before a body gets between us I recognise easily as Lucifer. Thanks to his familiar cigarette, wood scented, suit I am faced with as I moved around lucifer to see him tensely grinning at Marcus. His fist is clenched, as he changes his stance, seen in how he pulls on his suit.

" Thank you for keeping an eye on my partner. I just had to pop off to the loo for a bit, do what all men and humans have to do while relieving their bowels, but I'm back." Lucifer turned to me, his hand found my arm gentle is his touch as he was keeping an eye on Marcus, moving me out of his way. " Darling. I forgot to mention, your aunt is wanting to talk to you. The detective doesn't like to wait, we both are painfully aware of, so I think we shouldn't keep her waiting for too long now."

" Sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

Comes a voice behind Marcus and I take notice of senior detective Herrera. I push through the two men, i am caught in the middle of, offering my hand as I openly glare at the two males who avoided their gazes on one another. I shake lieutenant Herrera by his hand.

" You are the detective-in-training I have heard stories about, Ellie? Right? I've been meaning to come around and introduce myself."

" Yes, that is me. I haven't gotten the job, not yet! But I am aiming to get a place on the exam pretty soon. When it does happen I have nothing but a positive outlook on getting it." I humoured, with a dismissive laugh, even if I am confident I will get the chance of being a detective I can't seem to shake the feeling something is going to happen. " How can I help you, sir? Is this about the fact I had helped on a case I wasn't suppose to.."

" What? No! If anything I wanted to personally come over and say thank you. With your help you got me a new lead! Excuse me, gentleman. I want to talk to Miss decker alone. Follow me!" Herrera lended me an arm, being a gentlemen, and I blink uncertain of how to act. I take his arm, it is a little weird he wanted to talk to me alone. He does out rank me so I can't question him. Lucifer tried to follow behind, I shake my head ensuring it's fine.

" You know, now that you cracked it open, if you don't mind, I want to carry this one across the finish line."

" I'm not sure I follow, Sir." I asked, questioning him and what he meant. " How do you intend on finishing this case?" He tightens his grip, even if it didn't seem like it is a sinister move I couldn't help the feeling he is hiding something from me. He faked a charming smile.

" Did you come to me for my help? Is that why you wanted to talk?"

" Ah I am perfectly capable of finishing this case. Don't you worry, Sweetheart. You will get all the credit. Hell, I'll even give you a good referral on your behalf for your exam as a thank you for this. That is another reason I came to you." He said, a pause settled in for a second to really liberate the situation and topic of our discussion. I began to feel unsettled by the second. He used his eyes to suggest that he meant his words then pointed at the files, I must have picked up on instinct while he pulled me away from Marcus and Lucifer. He nodded, thankful, as I handed over the papers.

" I'll definitely put in a good word for you! See you later."

'I gotta follow my instincts on this. I've got a bad feeling about Herrera and I'm usually right with those things. Thanks to my trusty angel instinct.'

I try to get into contact with maze, again, to see if I could an answer of her whereabouts in terms of Ben rivers capture. No answer. Straight to voice mail. I resorted to calling uncle Dan, he is on a layover at the airport a mile from maze and since I couldn't get a hold of her I asked him if he could do me a favour. See maze and check in on her.

I did it an hour ago. Nothing in return.

I began to feel my concern grow more with the strangeness of this situation with rivers, Herrera acting off.

I was in my own world, pouring the flat stale coffee the station provided, Rebecca is talking about the air conditioning faltering again.

I nodded, as I am pretending to listen to her talk about the air con.

" There you are, Ellie! If you don't mind Rebecca I'd like to have a chat with our dear Ellie here!"

Lucifer came prancing over, his strides with the purpose of gossiping, and he takes the coffee out of my grasp discarding it in the trash can waving a hand to Rebecca. Lucifer takes my hand and he led me back to the direction of the desks.

" it may seem our at large murderer has, indeed, hoodwinked maze! I saw her fluff a pillow for him! It's simply egregious to think maze, demon torturer of hell, actually cares about something! None the wiser than a less than average man of rivers structure! You should have seen her!"

I frowned. He seemed puzzled maze is capable of making changes. " Is that such a bad thing maze is finding herself and coming to terms with how to be more in tune with her feelings?" I asked, in maze's defence. " I would have thought you were pleased to hear she is trying to find her own feet."

" That's the thing, Darling! Maze is a demon. She can't feel. It was how she was made and that's the reason demons exist. To be soulless followers! I haven't seen maze act so... human. I don't get why she is like this. I've never seen it in the eons I've known her."

" Lucifer." I say, sharply. " Did you stop to think that, maybe, maze isn't that demon anymore? I don't like how you are talking about her as if she is an object of your disappointment." I crossed my arms, staring at lucifer judgmental are my eyes as I couldn't believe I am hearing him talk of maze like he is doing. " She isn't someone to boss around, no more, and quite frankly she's her own woman. She doesn't need to listen or take orders from you."

" You aren't listening to me, Darling..."

" But I am." I cut him off. " I am listening to you. Loud and clear." I put my hand up, putting all of but one finger down.

" Don't dismantle, and kill, the courage she has to branch out into her own. I think this is hurting your ego more than anything else since she has spent literally thousands, and if not millions, of years as your servant. You owe it to her to let her be her own person."

I roll my eyes at his dumbfound but amazed stare on me. " What? Surprised I defended one of my best friends..? Cause that is what I just did." My eyes shifted to the left of us as aunt Chloe waved me over, to of the interrogation rooms, and I left a stunned lucifer to his own as I marched over to the chamber to find she had set up the interview with Pete. A security guard involved in the case.

Lucifer caught up to me, I knew he'd follow me in like always even after disagreements we'd have, I sat in the exact same spot I did while talking with Athena. " Hi, Pete. Let's skip the formalities. In officer decker, he's Lucifer. I bought you back in, today, in hopes to get a clearer understanding of the time line for this case you are involved in and your testimony."

I clarify, skipping the process of telling Pete why he is here when it's clear to him and I. " I.E. tell us what we all already know." Lucifer says, as he circled the jittery guard like a caged lion ready to pounce, sliding his body down right next to me. I looked over the notes. " Guilty."

" Anything I can do."

" Is it the truth that, you said, you saw rivers shoot those two kids at point blank range?" I get straight to the point, dead pan staring at Pete as he twitched his body in the discomfort of being in a lie, moving to face his body to face away on an angle. A clear indication of lying. " Be honest."

" Yes, Sadly."

" See. I don't believe that." I stated, sighing.

" It's just not adding up. The details. The whole thing. How many times, was it said, you had seen him river's fire the weapon he had? Humour me."

" It was a few years ago. I can't exactly remember it all that well." Pete lied, through his teeth. I got him. I just need to push it a little more further. I looked to Lucifer, who wanted to speak up, and I give him the all clear to get Pete to come clean.

" Oh, come now, Peter. Think about it. A rotten apple like rivers would shoot every billet he had, wouldn't he? How many is in a clip? Twelve, fifteen, twenty? Am I getting close to the number or was it less bullets? Tell me, Petey boy."

" That sounds about right."

Pete said and I pause to stare quizzically at him. Got him. Caught him in the lie.

" That isn't what your testimony said." He looked like a deer in the headlights. " You know lying under the oath you make, in court, is a federal crime. Right? Is that what you are admitting to? And your statement's not true?"

" I thought... that is what you wanted to hear? I'm confused. You are working with... Herrera.. right? You two are working together?"

It's all connecting now. I felt my face paling the longer I stayed in the room. Maze is right. What uncle Dan said about rivers, before, how maze told him to tell me he is innocent.

I got out of my seat, fast, and sped out interrogation faster than i should have ran. Lucifer takes half a second in catching up at the same speed as my own body is quick to go in the way of my desk. I had to make a call to the Canadian department and embassy.

All of this is coming to an end. Herrera will be locked up and Rivers will be free. And maze can come home.

—•—

Maze came back from Canada, unharmed which I knew she would have been in the beginning but it didn't mean it kept me from stopping my worry I had, and I am super grateful she did.

I brought home the most bold, sweetest, cake you can think to bring a nice welcome back atmosphere to our house. I used a hand to make sure the flame didn't go out, putting the cake down and maze, ludicrously, stared at the dessert. " You didn't.."

" Oh, but I did! Welcome home, maze!" I giggled. Setting the cake down before her. " I missed you. We all did, some a little more than others." I say, pointing to myself as one of the people who did in fact miss her a lot, smiling widely. Pleased she did return home safe. Dad, beer in hand, nodded.

" She never stopped talking about how much she missed having you around. Even if you tell her how hideous her choice of fashion is."

" Dad." I joked, a blush finding itself growing on my cheeks. " I have so changed.. a little.." I show off my leather boots I was gifted by maze and she grinned, satisfied. " We are matching." I showed the boots off to Linda, who is on my couch beside me, and she complimented the choice of leather.

" Oh!" Linda almost spat out her wine. " I almost forgot. Here." Linda reached into her bag and she passed over a form for me to read. I place my drink I poured earlier, on the floorboards, to read what the parchment said.

" This is for your exam. It's a letter of recommendation, and clearance, for you to give to whoever is in charge deciding on if you are fit to be a detective, Ellie. I called in and I gave my verbal advice to consider you for a place. Earlier today."

I smiled, thankful for doctor Linda. " I appreciate that. Thank you, Linda. Really." I leaned in and I gave her a light hug, feeling her familiar warmth. She patted my back with her hand and rubbed it in circles, chuckling.

I sensed Lucifer put a hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him as he motioned to the side of us. He wanted to talk and he had an abashed smile. I guess that this will be about earlier in the station. I followed him out to the back of the house where we'd have privacy and out of ear range of others.

" I wanted to apologise for my outburst earlier, I didn't mean to come across as disrespectful, Ellie darling." Lucifer started, as he pushed the coat of his suit back to rest a hand in his pants.

" Maze's sudden interest in Rivers disturbed me, quite an odd amount, and I took it out on you. For it I am sorry." He, sincerely, said. I cleared my throat. I was not able to fully understand why he chose to apologise, to me, but I appreciated the response.

" What you said about maze was pretty hurtful. I think it's her you should be apologising to. It isn't my place to accept the apology..."

" But that is where you are wrong, Darling." Said Lucifer, clearing his throat. " I am sorry to you as well." I'm left confused by his sudden embrace. I had an automatic response to melt in his arms as my hands found his arms. The simple smell of his coat and him in general is what made me weak. " I am sorry about everything. For hurting you.."

" Don't." I muttered. " Don't do that." Hurt in my eyes. I pushed myself out of his arms, pain in the way I pushed him back. " You say you are sorry."

I shook my head, as memories came back of him apologising in the last few months then he went back to hurting me.

" Then you go back to those same patterns of pain you promised you wouldn't do. It's a cycle I'm tired of, Lucifer." My arms are folded over my chest and I avoid his pleads with his eyes.

" I don't do this on purpose, Darling. You gotta.. believe me." He promised, desperately trying to get me to hear him, prying my hands out of the warm embrace of my armpits. " I make all these promises to you, and myself, to not hurt you and I know I do it anyway. But I need you to see that I care about you, Darling. I... I..."

" Stop, just stop."

I can't stand to listen to this. I needed to get out of this conversation before it's too late and things are said. " I have tried to.. I've tried to see from your side, in all of this Lucifer. I really did."

I breathed an inhale of air intensely. Hurt in how I gaze at him. I looked at the people in the house, I left to talk among themselves, and back at Lucifer heart shattering.

" I can't... do this. Anymore. Whatever is going on with us. I'm sorry." I whispered, shedding a tear.

" I know you aren't doing on purpose but I can't.. deal with the constant pain and disappointment."

" Betty.. please, don't..."

" I'm sorry, Luc."

I backed slowly into the house, feeling my heart breaking at the distraught sight of lucifer's face falling.

I walked past dad, maze, and Linda going to the bathroom hearing their distant laughter at a memory of maze's bounty mission in Canada. I locked the bathroom door, treading up to my sink basin, leaning my hands on the porcelain. Falling tears dropped on the white tiles of my bathroom.

'I'm so tired.'

JASMINE SPEAKS;

Guess who is back with a new update for Ellie's story? Me. I apologise for the long waited update! I lost inspiration for a lot of my stories but it has recently come back little by little and I hate how I lost the motivation to write. So here it is.

How did you like this new chapter? How Ellie & Lucifer had that last interaction..?

What do you think of Marcus with Ellie..? He is quite possibly the most interesting but unsettling man ive written for. Ive made a few changes to fit my plot and Ellie's story.