Chapter Text
Ella took a moment to look over the scene before approaching.
The medical examiner had already confirmed the death. No resuscitation efforts had been made. The naked body lay face down on the sand and had not been disturbed beyond the initial exam. No rigor mortis, but livor mortis had set in, turning the skin a light purplish color.
Ella documented and photographed the scene, carefully tracking the footprints of the jogger who discovered the body. More footprints, these belonged to the EMS. The medical examiner had approached from the south, in the direction of the closest parking lot. There were no signs of drag marks, and no footprints deep enough to indicate the body had been carried. It was a busy beach. If she didn’t get these pictures taken soon, bystanders were bound to contaminate the scene.
Techs set up a barrier to block the view of the scene from the road.
Ella approached the decedent and crouched to conduct her examination. It seemed redundant but she checked for a pulse. Nothing. She documented the time, the outdoor temperature. Noted the temperature of the decedent felt cold. Tardieu spots were present on the underside of the legs and torso.
“Sorry, dude,” she said softly. "Doesn't look like a fun way to go. Cool tat though.” She took a photo of the black circle tattooed around the dead guys’ shoulder blades. It looked like a mix of geometric lines blended together with stylized zodiac symbols. Cool. She wondered if he’d been a fantasy or science fiction fan, or maybe just really into horoscopes.
She took the photos.
The decedent died here. He had crawled out of the water and up onto the beach. Blood had seeped into the sand. No entry wound on the back, but she’d see more as soon as she got him rolled over.
The techs had already done a sweep of the area. They needed to collect as much as possible before moving the body. When the tide came in everything would be swept away with the water.
She lifted his arm. Cuts on his forearm, defensive wounds? Bruising and abrasions around the knuckles. “Looks like you put up a good fight.” She looked for fragile evidence that might get lost in transport. A more thorough examination would be conducted once she had him back in the lab.
“Okay, let’s get him rolled over,” she called over to a tech. He helped her find a grip on the torso, count to three, and roll.
Ella froze. “Oh no.” Why hadn't she seen it before? The tall frame, black hair?
Lucifer.
She hadn’t remembered him having a tattoo.
He lay still as stone on his back, mouth and eyes open. His eyes had already clouded over, grains of sand clung to the pupils. His skin was pale and his lips bluish purple.
With a determined breath, Ella gripped her camera again, she needed to focus on the work.
He’d been her friend. She’d to do right by him. A puncture wound marred his left side just below his ribs. Bruising on his face. She documented it all according to procedure.
She needed to secure his hands and feet in the paper evidence bags to preserve evidence. She needed to…
Ella had to turn away, needing a moment. She instead concentrated on the area around her again. More photos.
As she turned she spotted the detectives making their way down. Oh shit. How could she have forgotten— Chloe walked beside Dan. Ella ran up to meet them.
“Chloe,” she put herself between the detective and the body. “Don’t go down there.”
“Why?”
“Just, don’t. It’s…” her throat constricted before she could say his name.
“You aren't making any sense. This is my job Ella, I don't need—”
“When was the last time you saw Lucifer?” Ella blurted out.
Chloe blinked. “Over a year ago. Ella?” Chloe stepped to the side, leaning to look around.
Dan saw. Ella saw the set of his jaw as he recognized the former consultant. He placed a hand on her shoulder. “She’s right. Sit this one out.”
For an excruciatingly long moment, Ella met Chloe’s eyes.
Chloe’s gaze flicked toward the body. “No. It can’t be. He’s gone. He left.”
“Chloe-”
But Chloe had already pushed passed, determined to see for herself. Ella jogged to catch up. “Chloe, I’m sorry.” There was no stopping her. Ella stood at her side as Chloe stared down at the body. Fuck. Why hadn’t she at least closed his eyes? Ella took a deep breath. “I'm going to do everything I can to find out what happened to him. I promise.”
“Chloe you should-” Dan started but Chloe cut him off.
“Don’t even try and take me off this case, Dan.”
“I won’t.” Dan placed a hand on Chloe’s shoulder, Chloe shook him off.
Ella wanted to hug her. But she had her gloves on. She needed to do her job. They all needed to do their jobs. Hugs would come later. Lots of hugs.
“He’s not supposed to be here,” Chloe whispered and crouched down. The detective didn’t have her gloves on yet, but Ella didn’t stop her. She knew she should, but…
Chloe reached out and placed a hand on the body. On Lucifer’s chest.
A movement caught Ella’s eye, something by Lucifer’s hand.
No. His finger twitched. Gasses in the body did weird things, ATP and…
But this was different.
The hand moved. The fingers digging into the sand as though searching for a grip.
“Oh my God.” Ella reached out, placed her hand on Lucifer’s arm. The skin felt warmer than before. She wrapped her fingers around his wrist.
It couldn't be.
A pulse.
But she’d checked. She always checked. The medical examiner had signed off on it.
Ella shoved Chloe aside and turned Lucifer onto his side. He convulsed and started coughing, liquid expelling from his lungs as he gasped for breath.
Dan fell backward and stumbled to his feet. “I’m getting the paramedics,” he said and ran up the beach.
Chloe stared.
Ella offered a prayer. He was alive.
Chloe grabbed her arm, roughly pulling her away as Ella struggled.
“What are you doing? Chloe?”
“We don’t know if it’s him,” Chloe warned her.
“What do you mean? Of course, it is. We need to-”
“Just wait, please, we need to be sure.” She said, hand already resting on the firearm on her hip.
“Why?” Everything in Ella screamed to go back to him, he was hurt, couldn’t Chloe see that?
Lucifer reached out and his hand grasped a fistful of sand, trying to find something solid to hold onto. His mouth opened, trying to form words, but turned into another fit of coughing.
Ella finally managed to push Chloe off her and returned to his side. “Lucifer,” she said, brushing the hair off his forehead. “We’re here, okay? It’s Ella, and Chloe is here too. Dan is getting help. You’re going to be okay.”
He turned his head, trying to look up at her, squinting against the sun and blinking sand out of his eyes. “Detective?”
That was what it took to draw Chloe back in. “I’m here. Is it you? Really you?” She placed her hand on his cheek.
He found her hand, holding onto her with a weak grip. “Mon-” he started and then coughed again.
“What?” Chloe leaned in closer.
“Monkey-bottoms.”
Ella frowned. Looking from one to the other. Had the world gone completely insane today?
But Chloe let out a relieved breath, her other hand going to her mouth trying to suppress a laugh. “Okay. Okay.” She said, tears forming in her eyes.
“What is monkey bottoms?” Ella whispered.
“A code word. From years ago. It’s him. It’s really him.” She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. “You’re back. It’s really you.”
Ella looked back when she heard sirens, and the paramedics arrived, pushing her and Chloe away, strapping Lucifer to a backboard to transport him to the hospital. Chloe stayed as close as she could to him the entire time.