10 Chapter 9

13 Years Ago

"Kiddos!" A young man went up to the kindergartners.

"Jack!" Little Luca hung onto him like a koala.

5-year-old Scarlett hugged him leg that was covered by his graduation gown. "Jack!"

Jack bent down to hug the little girl on his leg as the other kids went up to him and hugged him as well. They had all been watching him graduate with proud smiles.

"Does this mean you're grown up now?" Caroline asked.

Jack nodded, "Yeah." He kneeled on the ground, showing them his cap, "This means that I'm not going to go to school anymore."

Little Isaac smiled brightly at him before asking, "But...where are you gonna go now?"

Jack smiled proudly at them, "I'm gonna be living in the City Of Angels."

"Woah, where's that?" Scarlett asked eagerly, jumping up and down making Natasha almost fall if Jack didn't catch her.

"It's in America," He said, holding Natasha so that she didn't fall.

Lucifer eyes widened, "But that's so far away!"

Scarlett instantly hugged him, as tight as her little arms could, "Good luck, Jack. We'll miss you."

Jack's face dropped, "Scar. Why're you saying it like that? I'll always be there for you. So there's no reason for any of you to miss me, alright?"

"Alright."

Jack hugged them once more, as tight as he could but making sure to not hurt them. He stood up and walked over to his car.

"Bye, Jack!" The kids called from a distance as their little hands waved as high as they could.

Jack looked back and waved at them before getting in the car. Instantly, the car started moving as he waved at them from the window, his cap went flying and Lucifer caught it, waving at him.

"Bye, kiddos," He whispered as he looked back at them. "I'll always be there for you."

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Present

"Questioning will begin right after breakfast," Detective Bassi announced, standing in front of the table. After she turned and left, the students of Charis Institute erupted in a conversation.

"I'll take the blame," Lucifer stated, breaking the silence.

Scarlett looked at him in disbelief, she couldn't believe that he would throw it all away after all they had been through.

"You're out of your mind," She said with a bitter laugh and left the table.

Isaac looked at Lucifer with worry and curiosity. "Why?" He asked.

Lucifer shrugged an answer.

Caroline's voice seemed stuck in her throat but she knew she wanted to ask or say something, anything.

Lucifer glanced at Caroline and knew that she was waiting for an explanation, so he explained. "Look, you all have bright futures in front of you. That's why you were sent here. I, on the other hand, was sent here because my father can't stand my presence. He said that I have no future. But you guys...I want you guys to be the person that your parents want you to be."

Caroline smiled softly at him, "But if you take the blame, your father would be right."

Lucifer raised an eyebrow, thinking it through.

"You're right. But I've made up my mind," He stated strongly.

"You don't have to do this, Luca," Natasha whispered, her voice so quaint that Lucifer almost couldn't hear it. They rarely communicated, but they knew that they cared for each other deeply.

He knew that this would hurt them, but he wouldn't have it any other way. Once all of this was done, they would get the perfect ending. For them, because they deserved it, for even caring for someone like Lucifer.

"I'm sorry, but it's the best for everyone," He said softly, standing up and leaving.

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"Detective?" Lucifer tapped her shoulder.

"Yes, Mr. Williams?" She answered, turning around.

Lucifer smiled sadly, "Lucifer is fine. Mr. Williams makes me sound like my father. Can I talk to you?"

Detective Bassi nodded and gestured into one of the classrooms for them to talk. They both took a seat, face to face, and Lucifer was going to begin speaking when someone barged into the room, preventing him from saying anything.

"Detective! We found another body!" One of the officers shouted.

"Another body?" Lucifer asked, mostly to himself.

Detective Bassi stood up straight away and followed the cop to the other crime scene as Lucifer hurriedly followed behind.

"What've we got?" She asked the forensic scientist.

"Jackie Clevona, 26 years old. Broken bones, as if she fell from a building and dumped here. Much like Alexandra Collins, except this body was not buried, just dumped here."

"Any relations to Alexandra Collins?" Detective Bassi asked, standing over the body.

"Just one. They're both reporters, sent here by the same reporting company."

Thoughts raked Lucifer mind as he looked at the unrecognizable dead person before him.

"I'm sorry, Lucifer, but what you have to say will have to wait," The Detective said, acknowledging Lucifer.

Lucifer nodded, "Yes, that's probably for the best."

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"Scar, I'm sorry. Please let me in," Lucifer knocked on Scarlett's door once more. He had been standing in front of her door for about 15 minutes, begging her to talk to him.

Lucifer sighed, knowing that she's not going to let him inside. So he began talking instead, sliding down the door and sitting down.

"You know..." He trailed off, "I was going to confess to the Detective half an hour ago. I got everything prepared, what lies I would tell to get them off your back. Then someone barged in, telling her that they found another body," He said with a bitter laugh.

"And the worst part? I was ready to give it all up, Scar. I guess it's like fate has something else planned."

Scarlett looked at the door behind her, she had previously been sitting down against it, listening to Lucifer talk.

"You can't just decide something that will change everyone's lives, that will change my life. I don't want you to take the blame for us. And yes, I want this to be over more than anyone else, but this is not the way to do it. Not when you have to suffer the consequences of the things we all did," She said as tears slipped out her eyes, but her voice was steady.

Scarlett then stood up and reached for the door handle, twisting it and letting Lucifer in.

He quickly hugged his best friend, and whispered to her, "I'm sorry."

Scarlett nodded, "I forgive you. But don't you dare do something like that ever again."

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"Jackie Clevona, 26 years old, Alexandra Collins' colleague. Similar deaths, found in the same spot, as if someone dumped her body last night," Ms. Jones shouted at them, Detective Bassi standing quietly beside her. "Do you have any idea what this would do to your reputations?"

They kept quiet, looking at their teacher with worry, Lucifer more than the rest. Ever since he came to this school for the first time, she had been like a parent to him.

The stress had gotten to her, that they could see from the greying hair on her head.

"Detective, please explain the situation to them," Ms. Jones said, stepping back.

Detective Bassi nodded, "So...there has been another body found in the woods. Our victim's name is Jackie Clevona. She worked for the same reporting company as Alexandra Collins. We think that their deaths may be connected."

"Do you have any leads?" Isaac asked, raising his hand.

Detective Bassi shook her head, "Not yet. Our team is still doing an autopsy on both of their bodies, but we will keep you informed. For now, let's start the questioning. Ms. Arrington, please follow me."

Caroline stood up and followed Detective Bassi to a classroom, leaving the other students with Ms. Jones.

The students quickly diverted their attention to a stressed-out Ms. Jones, her hand caressing her forehead. Lucifer jumped up to his feet and went over to Ms. Jones, worried.

"Ms. Jones, I think you need rest," He said, bringing her up to her feet and walking her to her office.

Ms. Jones complied, sitting down on her chair. "Luca, do you remember what I told you when you were little?"

"About what, Ms. Jones?" He asked, getting her water.

Ms. Jones accepted it and drank before answering, "About how we know that everything happens for a reason."

Lucifer smiled fondly at the memory. "Yes, I remember."

"You should know that this also happens for a reason, you just have to find where you stand in all of this, alright?

He nodded, "Alright." Lucifer walked to the door. "Ms. Jones?"

Ms. Jones hummed in response, her eyes are getting droopy and tired.

"Don't stress yourself out. We'll be fine, all of us will," He assured before leaving.

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10 Years Ago

"Mrs. Smith?" 9-year-old Lucifer knocked on the headmaster's door.

"Come in, Luca."

He sat on the chair in front of her, looking at her with worry.

"What's going on?" Mrs. Smith asked, looking at him and that's when he noticed that she had been crying.

"What's wrong, Mrs. Smith? Why were you crying?"

Mrs. Smith smiled fondly at him, someone she would consider to be her son, "I'm alright, Luca."

Lucifer furrowed his eyebrows, "No, you're not. You've been crying, Ma'am. Tell me what's wrong. I can help, I promise," He said with worry.

Mrs. Smith looked at him with tears in her eyes and opened her arms to get him in a hug, he complied and comforted her with a hug so tight that it made her worries gone for a while.

"I know you can. But this is out of your control."

"Tell me, Mrs. Smith."

Mrs. Smith put on a smile on her face, being strong in front of the 9-year-old, "I'm not Mrs. Smith anymore, Luca. You can call me Ms. Jones now."

"What do you mean, Mrs- Ms. Jones?"

"My husband and I divorced, sweetie. But I'm alright, it was for the best."

Lucifer sat there, looking confused, "Then why were you crying?"

"Because it still hurts. But you should know that everything happens for a reason. Every bad thing, every good thing in your life, will lead to the perfect ending, you just have to find where you stand above it all."

"Alright, I hope you get better, Ms. Jones," He hugged her once more, a sad smile playing on his lips.

"Me too, Luca."

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