scared, but when his meeting with Ricardo Lopez was cut short by a text message from Izzy, an anvil of terror dropped onto his heart and he could almost hear the cracks as his chest tightened and his soul ignited with a feeling he wasn't quite used to. With Dan and Ella staying behind to take care of the rest before they'd return to the hospital as well, Benji was already hopping into his Camaro and speeding back to the building with his fingers nervously tapping against the leather wheel and his head buzzing with the potential explanations behind the mysterious message that Ben hadn't bothered to solve.

You need to come here ASAP. Luci-mergency.

And indeed, that was his goal — to get there as quickly as only possible, and when his car had barely touched the parking lot, he had rushed out and slammed the door shut with his fingers nervously playing with the keys. Wasn't that a surefire way to tell how much he cared about Lucifer — the willingness to sacrifice his car for the man? However, he had no time to analyze his actions, instead, the worry was driving him up the stairs and to the right floor, to the right room, where the door was sealed shut to avoid any unwanted attention.

As Benjamin finally stepped in, panic washed over him like a tidal wave, bound to drown him when he came face to face with the sight of Linda desperately trying to revive Lucifer, to no avail. Behind the blonde, stood Izzy and Mazikeen, with the taller woman's arm draped over the demon's shoulders comfortingly — a rare, and therefore alarming sight, causing the lump in Benjamin's throat to grow. On the floor was an unconscious Goddess, most likely taking a trip to Hell as well. "Come on", Linda's voice was barely above a whisper, her eyes glossy with tears as she placed the defibrillator pads against Lucifer's bare chest, downright praying for him to jolt back to life.

Without even realizing that a stray tear had slipped down his cheek, Benji rushed to Lucifer's side, his hand cradling his gently while his eyes remained on the blank, emotionless ones staring at the ceiling without their usual spark in them. He didn't even have to ask to know what was going on — something had gone wrong with the plan that was supposed to be fireproof, and here they were, all preparing for the possibility that Lucifer was a goner and his days of making snarky comments and giving other people a reason to smile were over. But Benjamin — he wasn't ready to let go, and quite honestly, the feeling of needing someone so desperately was gripping his heart in the most uncomfortable of ways.

"Don't give up", Benjamin pleaded quietly, a tear falling from his eye to Lucifer's slender fingers as he clutched them tightly, and as if on cue, Linda's one last attempt earned a sharp gasp from the Devil as he hauled air into his lungs, his eyes flying wide open and his body lifting from the squeaky bed — he was alive. The relieving sight earned laughter from Benji, who shook his head and thanked whatever divine powers had granted his return, only to realize that it wasn't God's doing. Lucifer did this on his own, there was no doubt of it, and that caused the hint of pride behind Ben's smile as he leaned closer to press a chaste kiss on his temple.

Before any words could be exchanged, Lucifer was rushing up to both feet, his frame unsteady but determined to save Chloe — only then air continued to flow through Benjamin's system and he remembered that things were far from over, that the detective was still suffering and needed a cure. Luckily, as Lucifer stumbled out the door, Dan met him in the hallway with the mixed ingredients in hand, Ella by his side and a grateful smile on his lips.

"Hey, Benny, you okay?", Mazikeen's voice startled Ben out of his thoughts, and wiping away the frown he hadn't realized to take place on his face, he turned to face the demon whilst a reassuring smile appeared on his lips.

"I am. Thank you, Maze, for everything. You too, Linda", the Espinoza gestured towards the bed and the defibrillator, and nodding approvingly at the two of them, the man then let the surge of bravery guide her to Mazikeen — clearly, she was unwilling to let him hug her, but for once, he defied the soul torturer and wrapped his arms around her tightly, forcing her into a warm embrace, but no matter how much she'd try to deny it, Ben felt her melt into the gesture in the end.

"What, no hugs for me?", Izzy intervened with an adorable pout on her lips, and unable to stop a chuckle, Benjamin let go of Maze simply to pull the redhead into a loving hug. "I thought so too", the deputy mumbled into his shoulder while he held her tightly in his strong arms, proud to call her his best friend. The two had bonded quickly, although they had not known one another for too long, but their friendship, pure and affectionate, was proof that time defined nothing. They had liked each other since they first met, and Benjamin was certain that no matter what, that would never change.

Although a lot of things would.

—————

too, Benjamin proceeded to hang with Trixie, not only to keep her preoccupied but to shield himself from all the bad thoughts. He wanted to have hope that everything would turn out alright, and luckily, the little girl's faith and optimism was allowing him to do that, even if it was downright painful to wait for the news about Chloe's state. Lucifer had gone to Lux for a change of clothes, and Benjamin was already missing him, but at least Ella had dropped by to bring some food for him and his niece — truthfully, he couldn't even remember the last time he ate something properly.

Eventually, though, Dan arrived in the waiting room with his hands in the pockets of his jeans as always, a smile on his lips. "You can go see her now. She's doing good. The cure worked. Chloe's going to be alright", he promised, and in an instant, both Trixie and Benji were up on their feet, rushing towards Dan to give him a tight hug. As the girl munched on some gummy bears, Benjamin made sure to pat Daniel's back supportively, a sigh slipping from between his lips as he pursed them together in a faint smile.

"You know, all... this, really made me appreciate you more. Our bond. I know I've been a little difficult, but you mean the world to me, bro. You're my family. I don't say it enough, but you're the best brother anyone could ask for, okay? Just know that", he spoke quietly, so lowly that Trixie could not hear the deep words he wasn't used to letting out, but they felt right now. The moment was perfect.

Nodding, Dan hugged his brother back. "I know, Benji. And as for your flaws... Okay, yeah, you can be a pain in the ass but I'm really glad you came back home. You're my brother too", he stood on the verge of tears, but before any could break free, the two men had let go of each other and cleared their throats as if they weren't getting all emotional. Trixie noticed this, and her curious comment if they were going to cry now earned a playful nudge from Benjamin, who absolutely refused to admit anything — but yeah, maybe he was.

"Come on, nugget. Let's go see your mom", the younger Espinoza took the girl in his arms, twirling her in the air which made her laugh as they approached the room, both eager and happy to see Chloe still kicking.

And needless to say, Benjamin's heart melted when they walked in only to find the blonde smiling, as if she hadn't just gone through Hell — not as literally as Lucifer, though. Her skin was still pale and she seemed profoundly exhausted, but last time, she had been clearly struggling to stay strong, whereas now she was regaining her bravery and grit, determined to see another day. And words could not describe the happiness that it made Benjamin feel.

"I'm so glad you're okay", he breathed out in relief, leaning down just enough to leave a soft kiss on Chloe's forehead, and in return, the woman took his hand to give it a slight squeeze.

"Thank you, Ben. I heard that you helped Dan and Ella, so thank you, really. You're a truly good person, you know that, right?", she radiated as she looked up at him, and all he could do in response was chuckle sheepishly and shrug. He had no time to argue, though, when Trixie had already climbed in the bed to hug her mother, and the man let their little family reunite with him simply standing there and watching from aside.

When he looked around and his eyes ventured to the window separating the room from the hallway, he found a certain handsome, suited man standing there with a fond smile on his lips, hands deep in his pockets, hair in perfect formation again, eyeliner reapplied. As if he hadn't just died and gone to actual Hell, interrogated a dead guy and come back with a cure for a deadly poison. Lucifer Morningstar was a lot of things, and an enigma was certainly one of them, which made Benjamin chuckle softly as his eyes met the Devil's and his heart picked up its pace like it tended to do around him. With a simple nod, Benji encouraged Lucifer to step into the room, and although hesitantly, he ended up opening the door and entering the small space with slow steps.

"Lucifer!", Trixie gushed immediately, but in the knowledge that the disgust that appeared on his face was genuine, Chloe held her daughter back and settled for chuckling as the little girl curiously eyed the tall man.

"Children", Lucifer shuddered, the word tainted with a hint of hatred, but when he turned to Benjamin, the look on his face developed into a soft smile. "Benjamin, I am so truly glad to see you", he whispered quietly, but his attempt to lean in for a kiss was cut short with Trixie's desperate shouts for the two to get a room, earning yet another growl from the Devil. "Children", he repeated in annoyance, and all Benji could do was break into genuine, happy laughter.

Nodding, the man offered Lucifer's shoulder a gentle squeeze along with a teasing smirk. "I'll let you have your moment. When you're done, I'm gonna be waiting right outside", he whispered in reassurance, and the look in Lucifer's eyes was enough to confirm that he deemed it a lovely plan. With that, Ben shot one last smile at Chloe before he stepped out of the room and shut the door behind him, granting the partners a moment to catch up and revel in the joy of one another's well-being.

However, Benjamin didn't have to be alone, because as soon as he had set foot into the hallway, Linda Martin had jumped up from one of the chairs and clasped her hands together whilst her lips pressed into a soft smile. "Ben, hi", she greeted him casually, but there was something about her tone that made him wonder her true intentions — luckily, he didn't need to inquire when the blonde had already continued. "I was wondering if there was something you wanted to talk about. I'm a therapist, I read people, and I can tell there is something on your mind", she played with her fingers nervously, before nodding towards the room and letting her smile widen just slightly, "or someone."

With a chuckle, Benjamin turned around so they were both staring through the window, allowing them to follow the situation from the hallway and how Chloe was explaining her gratitude to Lucifer, who gladly accepted the praise and thanks. "I love him", Benjamin breathed out, "but I don't know how to. I'm not good at that. I've never been. I don't—I don't do relationships. Commitment. I don't stay. I don't fall in love. And for a second there, I thought I was going to lose him and— it hurt a lot. I don't want to be... So dependent on someone", the man inhaled deeply, his arms crossing over his chest as his gaze wandered from Lucifer to Linda. "Any wise advice?", he lifted an eyebrow, and in return, the therapist snorted.

"Sometimes I wonder if my advice is ever wise. But I get it, Benji. It's scary and new, and that's okay. And if you want my opinion, not as your therapist, but as your friend... You should do what your heart tells you to. Sometimes, we have to step out of our comfort-zone, but there's a difference between uncomfortable and unhappy. Now, I don't believe you're truly unhappy with your situation, but if you needed a break, a moment to put yourself together... I wouldn't really blame you. You've been through a lot", she explained in response, making Benjamin shake his head — how could she ever doubt herself? She was always helpful, always had the right words, always gave a push in the right direction. Frankly, Ben was lost and unsure how to proceed, but she gave him clarity even in the darkest of moments.

It became silent between the two of them for a while, until Linda added on. "I think you know what you want to do. Or what you need to do", she turned to Benjamin, giving him an encouraging smile, and in response, the man nodded with a grateful look deep in his light eyes.

As he looked back over to Lucifer, his lips twitched instinctively, his heart leaping in his chest. "Yeah", he whispered, "I do know", a sigh slipping from between his lips as he adored the man, knowing precisely what was going to be the right move for him.

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