The crisp, warm air caressed Raven's face as a gentle breeze pushed her slightly while she ran against the wind, leaping over obstacles and vents on the hospital's roof. Reaching the edge, Raven peered down and spotted a metal pipe secured to the wall with reinforcements. Gripping the pipe tightly with her right hand, she began her descent, favoring her uninjured shoulder and arm as she carefully climbed down. She ensured she couldn't pop the stitches in her left arm and shoulder. Lucifer watched intently, fascinated by Raven's remarkable mobility and discipline despite her major injury.
Raven glanced down and noticed the tall grass and bushes below as she approached the ground. She then jumped down, landing in the foliage beneath her. Lucifer tried to follow Raven's lead, but slipped halfway down and tumbled straight into the bushes.
Raven emerged from the plants, hearing a louder thud than expected. "Lucifer?" she said with an amused chuckle. "Don't tell me you need a hospital visit." Raven teased as she brushed the leaves and dust off her clothes.
Lucifer crawled out of the bushes, grunting in annoyance at his soiled suit. He stood and patted down his tuxedo, ensuring no stray twigs or foliage clung to the fabric. "Irish wool, I see," Raven noted, eyeing the material. "Indeed, Westwood," Lucifer replied bluntly, continuing to clean his disheveled attire.
Raven rolled her eyes and chuckled dismissively. "Crybaby, let's go," she said. Lucifer approached Raven with confidence, but his bright smile belied his genuine curiosity. "You fascinate me, Detective," he said. As Lucifer spoke, Raven noticed his words held an underlying twist - there was more truth to them than he let on.
"You're not too bad," Raven shrugged, then tilted her head and placed her hands on her hips. "Did you take my car? Or your car?" The cast she had worn earlier lay on the ground, discarded as it had become an annoyance with the bandages covering her body.
"I took the ambulance here, actually," Lucifer said bluntly, not having thought that far ahead. Raven chuckled and pulled Lucifer's phone from his inner coat pocket. To his curiosity, she didn't need to ask for the password, as the phone had none. Raven quickly typed a few numbers and placed the phone against her ear, then began walking down the street away from the hospital. "Hi! Yeah, so a funny thing happened, and I need you to pick me and a friend up," she said cheerfully, as if she hadn't just been shot the day before.
"Where are you, Raven?" Dom asked over the phone, sounding slightly concerned and annoyed. Dominique knew that when Raven's greetings started with "Hi!" or "Yeahhh," it usually meant she was in some kind of trouble.
"I'm walking to Main Street, away from the hospital," Raven replied calmly. "And don't worry, I have a semi-intelligent man who calls himself Lucifer with me, so I'll be okay until you get here. I'll wait at the bakery you always get me, since it's just down the street." Raven's voice had a happy lilt.
Dom let out a soft sigh. "Okay, I'll be there in about 30 minutes to an hour. If you don't have your wallet-"
Raven interrupted gently. "No, no, don't worry about money, dear. I have a man with me. Besides, money is the least of my concern, bestie. Just get here safely."
As Raven hung up the phone, Dom could hear the smile in her voice.
Throughout the conversation, Lucifer had closely observed Raven, contemplating the apparent connection between her and the person on the phone. As they walked to the nearby Roasters Cafe, Raven handed Lucifer's phone back with a subtle nod of gratitude. Noticing Raven's bandaged and lightly-clad state, Lucifer removed his tuxedo jacket and draped it over her shoulders, shielding her from the curious onlookers they passed. Within minutes, they reached the cozy coffee shop, where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods seemed to ease Raven's demeanor, eliciting a gentle smile. "Thank you," Raven said softly, her voice carrying a hint of the fresh amber and faint traces of alcohol and weed that clung to her. Despite her disheveled appearance, Lucifer's chivalrous gesture did not go unnoticed, and Raven appeared to appreciate his gentlemanly conduct.
Lucifer greeted Raven with a small smile as he held the door open for her. They entered the calming, relaxing coffee shop, both wearing contented expressions. In silence, Lucifer led Raven to a booth and she sat down, pulling his black Irish wool coat close around her, finding comfort in its warmth.
Raven looked up at Lucifer, who tilted his head slightly. "You can talk if you have a conversation starter. I don't do well keeping a discussion going," she said bluntly, her gaze curious.
Lucifer chuckled lightly. "What do you truly desire? Don't worry, there are no tricks - not that they would work on someone as complex as you anyway, my dear."
Raven considered his question. "My desire? Well, that depends. I desire many things, but I suppose revenge is my main goal," she admitted, her eyes downcast.
Lucifer asked curiously, "Revenge? What for?" as he sat across from her. Raven explained, her voice laced with anger, "Well, it's clear I didn't come from a caring family. But it's because of that family that I believe they deserve to burn for what they did - not just to me, but to others as well." The idea of her family embodied her rage entirely.
Lucifer could see the disgust and fury in her, mirroring his own feelings towards his father. "I follow your metaphor," she said. "Look at yourself - you rebelled against the Almighty's will and were cast down to Hell. This so-called faith proves that even when you do the 'right' thing, or simply follow orders, you're never rewarded. And if you do the 'wrong' thing, you still lose. The only answer, then, is to overthrow what created your Hell - through rebellion."
Raven held Lucifer's gaze. "Going against your father's wishes will only anger him, or make him expose you to the world to stop you. That's what I plan to do - a vengeful rebellion against the people who've cast me into Hell with no hope of rescue."
Lucifer's expression shifted to one of astonishment, as if he had finally been understood. "Humans are fascinating creatures," he said with a smile. Raven sensed an unreadable emotion stirring within him, a hint of kindness and intent listening, yet an undercurrent of unspoken pain flickered in his eyes. "You're not so bad yourself," Raven replied, her words accompanied by a casual eye roll.