my_own_advocate | Haven, Monday (Reply)

Lucifer	If Duke - and recent events - were to be believed, this town had an overabundance of mysterious murders related to irritatingly ironic superpowers. If recent experience held, what this town did not have was a half-decent Chloe Decker knockoff. Clearly, steps had to be taken, or they might never get back to their real boat. And so Lucifer got dressed in his nicest investigation suit, picked up an extra helping of scotch for his flask at the Gull, and-- "Hello, Haven police officers!" --strode right into Haven PD. "Help has arrived!" Beat. "And doughnuts," he added, holding up a large pink container. "Anyone?"
Dwight (& Stan)	"Ooo, donuts!" said Stan, a rather unremarkable beanpole of a man. "Ah, Mr. Morningstar," Dwight said, looking up from where he was skimming the notes on the latest case so far. "What, uh. What're you doing here?"
Lucifer	"Helping," Lucifer said matter-of-factly, sweeping past Stan (and pausing there briefly for donut-collection, as was only right) on the way towards Dwight. "Detective Amiable Lumberjack! What terrible murder have we got today?"
Dwight	Dwight was just going to stare at him nonplussed for a moment. ". . . Right. Suppose if anyone knows about spontaneous combustion, it'd be the Devil."
Lucifer	"Oooh, spontaneous combustion? Can't say I've seen many of those," Lucifer said, dropping the box of donuts on Dwight's desk. "Got any boring files handy?"
Dwight	"Does Duke understand you when you talk?" Dwight asked, rolling his eyes. He shuffled his papers around and laid out a couple of pictures -- the first appearing to be a work of art in a sculpture garden, the second more clearly a body in a cab. In both cases, nothing around the bodies had burnt, save for the surface of the car seat the cab driver had been sitting on. "It's obviously a trouble," Dwight said. "We just need to figure out whose, and how, so we can find them and, uh. Defuse them."
Lucifer	Lucifer leaned over, squinting at the pictures. "Well, someone had a grudge. Or a rather macabre artistic disposition. Do we know who they were?"
Dwight	"One in the park is Sally Marigold, age 26. Marigold family are firefighters; her father's the captain, and her brother Bill died in the meteor storm after your boyfriend and the Barn disappeared. Bill actually looked a lot like she did when we found him. Nathan just talked to Captain Marigold, in case it's the family's trouble, but the cabbie's Jacob Harcher. No relation to the Marigolds at all. We're back to square one." He leaned back, folding his arms over his chest. "And to cap it all off . . . it's Founder's Day. Local holiday. We've got crowds all over town celebrating, and a killer trouble on the loose."
Lucifer	"I mean the cabbie is a cabbie, he doesn't need to be linked to anyone to wind up in close proximity to them, does he?" Lucifer asked, eyeing Dwight. He reached for the picture with the cab. "All that tells us is that our troubled person is on the move and possibly doesn't have their own car, which out here in middle-of-nowhere Maine leaves children, college drop-outs, and visitors."
Dwight	"Which there are plenty of around here, since it's Founder's Day," Dwight pointed out. "Sally had just gotten back into town this morning, but the cabbie definitely died after she did. Probably only seconds before the woman who found him got into his cab. She says she saw it pull up to the curb, and no one got out. I hate to say it, but . . . we might not get another lead until we get another victim." Was the fact that Dwight was not a trained cop showing? Because he was not. He was a soldier who got thrown into the position of cop by virtue of being tight with the men who owned half the town. Which was why he, for one, was perfectly happy to have Nathan -- and someone who at least seemed as fluent in "cop" as Lucifer did -- back in town.
Lucifer	"Right, well, we need a board," Lucifer said, grabbing the other photo as well. Ah, there. He yanked it out of the corner. "And something to stick-- yes, there we go. All right, so what exactly did Nathan get out of these Marigold people? No trouble history, I take it? Do they have any other relatives? Friends coming in from out of town?"
Dwight	"Uh." Dwight said intelligently. "I think he mostly just got yelled at. People aren't the most pleased he's back. Especially the ones who lost people during the meteor storm."
Lucifer	"Yes, well, perhaps sending Frowny McNumbface out to do the talking wasn't your brightest idea, Axeman," Lucifer sighed. He grabbed a marker and began writing details about time, place and person by each photo.
Dwight	"You and Duke are perfect for each other," Dwight muttered. "Nathan has experience. He's the one who helped Audrey solve troubles before everything with the Barn went down. He's a vital resource around here."
Lucifer	"Who's also a single-minded arsehole who steamrolls over everyone in his path and," Lucifer said, raising his marker, as if to subconsciously ward off anyone who might want to claim they had anything in common, "as you pointed out, everyone in this city currently hates him. Does that sound like someone who should be talking to a bereaved parent?"
Dwight (& Rebecca)	Dwight sighed. “We don’t have a ton of options. Now, are you here to criticize, or are you here to help?” A uniformed officer with a blonde ponytail rushed over. “Chief, four more bodies were just reported at Blackhouse Coffee.” Dwight swallowed a curse. “I’m on it. Thanks, Rafferty.”
Lucifer	Lucifer looked from Dwight to the officer and back again. "See," he said, gesturing with the marker, "You could have just sent her, she seems competent." Helpful, Lucifer.
Dwight	"Rafferty's a uniformed officer, not a detective," Dwight said. He leaned in closer. "And we don't assign anyone trouble cases unless we know they know about the troubles." He collected some papers together, adjusted his bullet proof vest, and started for the door. "Now, you going to follow me to the scene, or would you rather stay here doing arts and crafts?"
Lucifer	"And yet she seems better-equipped for interviews," Lucifer said, undaunted. He put down his marker and hurried after Dwight. "You really haven't been doing this long, or you'd have come to respect a good murderboard."
Dwight	"About six months," Dwight agreed. "Used to just clean up after troubles, not hunt them down." He led the way to his truck, a hulking black behemoth of a thing, and climbed in, leaving Lucifer to either get in as well or follow as he would.
Lucifer	Lucifer shot his truck one glance, and said, "I'll follow right behind." He strolled further along the pavement until he found the Rolls Royce, and hopped over the door into the driver's seat.
Dwight & Lucassi	Dwight watched him in the rearview and rolled his eyes, then headed off. The coffee shop looked a lot like the photos on Lucifer's murder board: four people, entirely carbonized save for any metal and their teeth. Still standing or sitting just as they'd been when they'd died, like the victims of Pompeii. There was still smoke in the air, and the paramedics were looking Jennifer over in the back of their ambulance. Dwight climbed out of the cab and met with Lucassi, the local coroner, outside the shop doors. "Remind me to start making my coffee at home," Lucassi muttered. Dwight heaved a sigh. "No kidding."
Lucifer	Lucifer sauntered into the crime scene, pushing open the doors. He came to a stop, taking in the bodies with no small amount of curiosity. Only after a few moments did he return to the lumberjack and his coroner friend. "Someone has a combustible temper," he said.
Lucassi & Dwight	Lucassi blinked at Lucifer, then looked at Dwight. "New recruit?" "Literal Devil," Dwight said. "He's, uh. Consulting." ". . . Helpful."
Lucifer	"Very," Lucifer agreed, without looking at him at all as he turned more firmly towards Dwight. "Didn't you say the first victim's brother looked a bit like this when he died?"
Dwight	Dwight nodded. "He was firefighter. Killed when a gas main blew while he was working a fire. You got a theory?" Nathan's blue Bronco pulled up as they spoke. He jumped out, gave Lucifer the fish-eye, then followed Lucassi into the shop to get a lay of the land.
Lucifer	"Considering how oddly literal these troubles can be, I'd say there's a genuine possibility that and our spate of burny murders might be related," Lucifer offered. "Likely the relatives, but they won't talk to us because of," he raised his voice as Nathan walked past, "some bloody unfeeling arsehole," and back to regular volume, "...but perhaps it might be helpful to talk to his friends and coworkers? See if any of them are newly back in town?"
Nathan	Nathan paused, head turning slightly at Lucifer's comment, even as Dwight shrugged and sighed his agreement. Then Nathan turned on his heel, his expression set into a moue of determination. "Or talk to the witness," he called to Lucifer, and stalked towards where Jennifer sat in the back of the ambulance.
Lucifer	"How did he not get punched in the face daily before now?" Lucifer asked Dwight, clearly not expecting a response as he took off after Nathan. Before Nathan tried to have a conversation with anybody again.
Dwight & Nathan & Jennifer	. . . Yeah, Dwight was just going to let that ride. He didn't have any problem with Nathan. But also he wasn't romantically involved with anyone Nathan had anything to do with, so. Nathan was firmly ignoring Lucifer. "Hey," he called. "She's pretty shaken up," the paramedic said, stepping away. "So go easy." Nathan nodded to her, but kept his eyes on Jennifer. "I just wanted a mocha," Jennifer said softly. "I mean, how do people stay in business in this town?" She tilted her head, looking past Nathan to Lucifer. "Where's Duke?"
Lucifer	"I don't know, I thought he was... running around with you and Octavia," Lucifer said, stepping up beside Nathan. Well, a bit in front of Nathan. He wasn't playing shield because he felt anywhere near Duke and Octavia's protective vibes about Jennifer, mind you. He just didn't think Nathan should be allowed to talk to people.
Nathan & Jennifer	"I called him," Nathan said, smirking faintly. "He's on his way." Jennifer looked back at the coffee shop again. "All those people, they're dead?" Nathan's smirk vanished again. "Yeah. But you can help us find out who did it. So please, just tell me what you saw."
Lucifer	"Especially if you saw any people," Lucifer added. "By which I mean people who are not currently charcoal."
Jennifer & Nathan	"How am I supposed to know who's charcoal now?" Jennifer asked, her tone rising in pitch. "They're charcoal!" Nathan shot Lucifer a look. "Take your time," he said. "Just tell me anything you saw." Jennifer swallowed and nodded. "Um. There was a kid at the counter with a nose ring, a woman doing some charity drive, and there was a girl at a computer."
Lucifer	Lucifer rolled his eyes and maturely resisted the urge to just muscle Nathan away from the girl. "That's three," he said. "Anyone else?"
Jennifer & Nathan	"Hey, my meds make my memory fuzzy, okay?" Jennifer said defensively. "And oh yeah, I'm kind of freaked out right now!" Nathan nodded, wrinkling his brows faintly. "I understand. Just . . . anyone else?" Jennifer set her jaw and closed her eyes, trying to picture the shop. "There was a guy holding a blue coat with brass buttons . . . um . . . and a guy that ordered an americano." She opened her eyes again, looking between the two of them. "That's it."
Lucifer	"Five," Lucifer muttered. "Suppose that gives us something to root around in the ashes for." Beat. "I mean, thank you very much."
Nathan & Jennifer	"We figure out who our fifth person is, we likely have our troubled person," Nathan agreed. "Yayyyy," Jennifer said, huddling in on herself. She really wanted Duke to show up and be human at her already. Nathan was already striding back to where Dwight and Lucassi were collecting the unburnt bits of the victims remains. "What have we got?"
Lucifer	Lucifer half-turned to join him. Then paused. And reached into his inner pocket. "Drink?" he asked, offering Jennifer his flask.
Jennifer & Nathan & Dwight	"I shouldn't," Jennifer said. "Meds." She gave Lucifer a tight smile. "But -- thanks." Over at the table, Nathan was already categorizing the victims. "Barista with a nose ring," he said, tapping the bag with the nose ring in it. "Fundraiser." A repurposed coffee can filled with loose change. "And . . . 75 cents." "That's the exact change you get here when you pay for an americano with a five dollar bill," Dwight said. When Nathan and Lucassi shot him looks, he shrugged. "I like coffee."
Lucifer	"As you wish," Lucifer said, pulled his flask back towards himself, and... took a big swig. "Give my love to Duke when he gets here, I have some detectives to save." He turned and wandered back towards the group. "How many of them have we got so far?"
Nathan	"Is there a woman with a laptop still inside?" Nathan asked. Lucassi nodded. "All four," Nathan told Lucifer. "We're missing the man with the coat with brass buttons."
Lucifer	"Brass buttons," Lucifer echoed. His brow creased in a frown. "Not exactly a hip detail in everyday fashion." He looked at Dwight. "That's more a dress uniform thing."
Nathan	"Good point," Nathan said, somewhat grudgingly. He picked up the repurposed coffee can, wiping some soot from the label. "I think our troubled person is in the fire department."
Lucifer	"Agreed," Lucifer said, also grudgingly. "Likely someone who knew our first victim's brother well enough to be aware of the exact circumstances of his death."
Dwight & Duke	Dwight shook his head. "That's half the town. The Herald covered all the lurid details. I think they were excited that there was a clear and obvious cover story for all the deaths the meteor storm caused." As he spoke, Duke came jogging up, making a beeline for Jennifer, Octavia in tow. "Hey," he said, "you okay?"
Octavia	Octavia had another question. Hers was directed at -- well, anyone, really. "What happened?"
Lucifer	"There's a troubled murderer on the loose incinerating people, and our new elfin friend missed going up in flames by a hair," Lucifer said helpfully. He waved at the universe at large with his flask as he took a few steps towards her. "It's likely a former fireman. Or firewoman. Or fire-enby. We're looking into it."
Duke & Jennifer & Nathan	"And you found yourself in the middle of it," Duke observed dryly. He looked at Jennifer. "Come on, let's get you out of here." Jennifer nodded and stood up -- just in time for Nathan to shoulder his way over. "You think you can identify the man in the blue suit?" Nathan asked. "Hang on a second." Duke held up his hands. "You spent all night interrogating her and now you want to take her trouble-hunting?!"
Octavia	Octavia's gaze had darted to Jennifer as soon as Lucifer had said the bit about her almost going up in flames, but the woman thankfully looked like she was in one piece. And then there was Nathan again, because of course there was. "If she doesn't, what happens?" ... That actually came out a lot more neutral than what Duke had just said.
Lucifer	"It becomes harder for us to narrow down the arsonist and more people die," Lucifer said brightly. He brought up his flask for another swig, but-- paused. "And I didn't find myself here. I'm consulting." Important difference! ... and now he took the swig.
Duke & Jennifer & Nathan	"You know what, I'm okay with harder," Duke said. "Especially when that?" He pointed to where Lucassi was directing some assistants through carefully removing a seated, humanoid charcoal briquette from the coffee shop. "Is what happens when you mess with a troubled guy's latte. I would prefer that the nice girl who tagged along to try and find our missing friend not get killed because you screwed up, Nathan." "Um," Jennifer said, raising a hand. "I think I want to help. I mean . . . you just said that you can handle Haven because you help, right? Instead of freak out? I want to -- I want to be like that. The helper." "And I'm done screwing up," Nathan said. "No one else is getting killed by this guy. Not if I can help it."
Octavia	Octavia eyed Lucifer for a second, wondering whether this was something they should talk about later, this... consulting. But definitely not right now. So she looked to Duke. "It's her choice, jaka," she said, mild. "And if she wants to, she won't have to do it without backup."
Lucifer	"I will throw him again if he tries to do anything that might actually get her killed," Lucifer said helpfully. "Really. I promise."
Duke & Firefighters	"That's comforting," Duke grumbled. It kind of was, though. They all piled into various cars and headed for the fire station, where the crew were all now dressed in their dress uniforms, blue suits covered in brass buttons, and getting ready to head out. Jennifer scanned the crowd, biting her lower lip. "I don't see him." "Everyone on the trucks," Marigold called, waving his crew on and then storming over to Nathan. "Now what do you want?!"
Octavia	"Maybe he's not here," Octavia muttered, mostly to Jennifer, eyeing the firefighters. "We don't know if this is everyone."
Lucifer	"It's most likely someone who doesn't work at the fire station any longer," Lucifer added. "He used a cab. Perhaps he's taking his own transportation now, as well."
Havenites	"The hell are they muttering about?" The Chief asked. "First you come try to blame my family, now you're after my crew? They're being honorred today for the work they did. I'm going downtown to pin medals on their chests." Nathan shook his head. "That's a bad idea. I'm going to need a roster —" "I don't give a damn if you're still a cop!" The Chief hollered. "You've got no authority in this town!" He stormed off climbing into the truck after his crew. Nathan stood where he was, looking faintly wounded. Well, looking that way to Duke. To the others he probably looked like he might, maybe, be constipated. Duke patted Nathan on the shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, I — I never thought you had any authority."
Octavia	Octavia was already ignoring Nathan again. "Maybe whoever we're looking for is gonna be at... whatever thing they're going to," she pointed out. "Seems like the obvious lead."
Lucifer	"I could just go mojo the chief about the guest list," Lucifer pointed out. "Seems easiest."
Duke & Jennifer	"That could --" Duke started, but the truck was already pulling away. "-- Be plan B, I guess." "Uh, guys?" Jennifer called. She was standing by a wall of photos. "Guys, I think that's him." She pointed to a young man wearing a visibility jacket, in the center of a crowd of other firefighters. Duke jogged over and took a look, then flashed her a smile. "Nice work." Jennifer smiled back, pleased to have actually helped.
Octavia	"Does it has his name?" Octavia called. Because if not... They would definitely still have to go to the thing.
Lucifer	"If not, the mojo plan is still on the table," Lucifer said helpfully.
Nathan & Fireman	Nathan didn't know what the "mojo" was and decided he didn't care. He didn't need "mojo", he had cop instincts. "You," he said, spotting the crewman left behind on call. "Come here." He pointed to the photo. "This fireman? What's his name?" The fire fighter came over to take a look. "Don Keaton. He was a volunteer here, but he moved away after what happened to Bill." Nathan nodded, adding the pieces up. "He worked with Bill Marigold?" The fire fighter frowned seriously. "They went into that building together. Only Don came out."
Lucifer	Lucifer's eyebrows shot up. "He saw Marigold turned to charcoal," he said. "Being here is making him relive the man's death in a rather gruelingly literal way." So just like a trouble.
Havenites	"What?" the fire fighter asked. "Don't back in town?" Nathan confirmed. The fire fighter nodded. "Yeah, he's getting a medal today." Nathan thanked him and started towards the cars again. "Think about the victims. The, uh, the cabbie, the cab was decked out in honor of Haven firemen." Duke nodded, frowning. "The coffee shop, you said the woman was having a fundraiser for families of firefighters, right Jennifer?" Jennifer nodded, jogging a little to keep up with them. Nathan was in full trouble-hunting mode, not even looking to see who was following. "I think that when people congratulate him, thank him for his service, I think it makes him think about his partner's death. And his trouble recreates it."
Octavia	Now, Octavia couldn't quite follow all of that - or was refusing to think about it too hard out of self-preservation - but one thing was clear enough: they would have to go to the ceremony after all. She swore in annoyed Trig under her breath as she headed for the cars.
Lucifer	"Which means him being near this bloody ceremony is absolutely certain to end in a massacre," Lucifer agreed. He was already hopping over the door into his Rolls Royce.
Havenites	"Wait," Jennifer said. "So . . . does that mean that Don killed Bill too?" "Not necessarily," Duke said. "Sounds more like a case of survivor's guilt." "But -- that's not his fault." "Guilt doesn't have to be rational," Nathan said, opening the door to the Bronco. "Don lived, his partner didn't. That's probably all he can see." "Tunnel vision," Duke muttered, going to join Lucifer in the Rolls Royce. "Nathan's definitely a professional on that front."
Octavia	Octavia followed Jennifer, her face set in a grim expression again. Always had to come back to guilt, didn't it?
Lucifer	"Much as I hate to admit it," Lucifer said, tossing his arm idly over Duke's shoulders as soon as he was seated. "He has a point about guilt." He pulled out of his parking spot.

Havenites	Dwight was already instructing his staff to subtly work the crowds when they got there, Nathan having radioed in the situation on the way. Traffic into downtown was blocked by a parade route leading right by the police station -- to the park and gazebo that sat right next door. "You know," Duke said, heading over to meet Nathan as he started scanning the crowd. "If we actually do find this guy and explain to him what he's doing he could very well have a meltdown." "I know," Nathan said shortly. "I mean, I know." Duke grimaced, gesturing towards his ear. "I — I heard it before I said it, but, like, literally." "But if he feels guilty and we're nice to him, that's bad too, right?" "That's why I'm going to arrest him when I find him." Duke rolled his eyes. "Or maybe let my immortal boyfriend take point? He literally doesn't burn."
Octavia	"I'm with Duke on this one." Not that Octavia really cared how much danger Nathan put himself in, but she did care about strategy.
Lucifer	"I did burn the once," Lucifer felt the need to correct them. "But that was fire of a rather more divine nature and, quite possibly, my own making. I'm not quite sure. Either way, of course you're not going to arrest him, you bloody suicidal moron."
Nathan & Duke	"Yeah, well." Nathan shrugged. "Hopefully he won't feel guilty if he's pissed off." "So your plan is to act like a jerk," Duke said dryly. Nathan didn't dignify that with a response, just started off into the crowd. "Call me if you see him."
Octavia	"That's gonna go well," Octavia muttered, dryly, scanning the crowd with a look.
Lucifer	"Yes, we're not going to call you!" Lucifer called after Nathan, helpfully. He looked back at Duke. "Right, so we need to find this one before he does."
Jennifer & Duke	"Are you like an auxiliary police officer up here?" Jennifer asked, giving Duke a head tilt. Duke choked faintly. ". . . You must still be in shock." Jennifer shrugged. "Yeah, probably." "Alright." Duke clapped his hands. "Should we split up? Cover more ground?"
Octavia	"Makes sense," Octavia said, as much as she wasn't feeling very comfortable being away from -- any of them, actually. "It's faster." (It wasn't like going against what she was comfortable with for the greater good was a new thing for her, anyway.) "Should try to stay within each other's line of sight, though."
Lucifer	"If we must," Lucifer sighed. "But let's move quickly, before that idiot gets himself spontaneously combusted." He was already taking off into the crowd.
Don	Don Keaton sat on a bench at the top of the hill that made up the little park next to the police station. He was all but folded over his knees, hands clenched on the band of his dress uniform cap, and staring pensively at the grass, thankfully oblivious so far to the crowd gathering around him, or the noise of the parade as it approached the gazebo at the bottom of the hill. That wouldn't last. He was clearly working himself into quite a frenzy of pensive emotion.
Octavia	Octavia cast one last look at Duke and Jennifer, then took off after Lucifer. Or in the same general direction, anyway. Because, splitting up.
Lucifer	Lucifer's gaze swept over the crowd. Honestly, part of him wanted to take to the sky and look at things from there, but even he wasn't quite so brazen. So he kept walking. Fast. No, too social a huddle. Too active. Too-- "I see someone brooding," he said, hopefully loud enough to hear, and took for the man on the bench.
Don	The man on the bench continued to brood, slowly warping the band of his cap with his fingers.
Octavia	Octavia had been following the same logic. (Maybe finally tapping a little bit into where she would have gone with her guilt in charge.) So it didn't take her long at all after hearing Lucifer to spot the guy in question. She followed Lucifer, but slower, looking back for the others, and already taking note of what the crowd was like, close to the hill. Where to send them, if this was the guy.
Lucifer	"You there," Lucifer called, as he approached the man sitting up ahead. "Doing your best 00s emo impression."
Don	Don flinched, then spotted the man coming towards him. He looked around, trying to see if there was anyone else he could talk to. "Please don't," he said softly, more to his hat than to the man. He couldn't take anyone else telling him what a 'great man' he was.
Octavia	Octavia let Lucifer approach, hanging back. Just long enough to get a good enough look at the guy's face, anyway. Because with that confirmation, she turned around and started herding people away. Quietly, for now.
Nathan	Nathan spotted Don not long after Octavia and Lucifer had, and frowned when he saw Lucifer had approached him. "He's going to get people killed," he muttered, and started up the hill.
Octavia	On top of doing her best to move the civilians, Octavia had been keeping an eye out for the rest of what she had to begrudgingly think of as their... team, here. And she was not surprised to see Nathan go barreling for Lucifer and the guy. Just as he should not have been surprised that she cut him off before he got too far. "Nathan, don't."
Nathan	"He has no idea what he's doing," Nathan told her, trying to dodge aroundher.
Octavia	Yeah, not so fast. "Neither do you."
Nathan	"I've lived here all my life," Nathan told her. "I know what Don's goingthrough."
Octavia	Octavia planted herself just a little more squarely in front of him. "And you think you're the only one who understands guilt?"
Nathan	"I'm the one who understands this guilt," Nathan said, trying to step around her the other way. (He remembered her punch, even if he hadn't felt it. He wasn't going to lay hands on her if he could help it.) "I'm the reason the meteors fell on Haven. The reason Bill's dead."
Octavia	Octavia moved with him. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that, right there, puts you too close to this," she rasped. "Look, I get that you don't trust Lucifer, but I do. And so does Duke." Not that she was expecting that to matter to Nathan. "So I'm not about to let you turn youself into ash when we have someone fireproof on our side." Their side, yes. "Now make yourself useful and help me get everyone else out of here."
Nathan	"I'm not going to let your crazy boyfriend replace me," Nathan muttered. But turned to start shooing people away. He wasn't completelyunreasonable.
Octavia	Octavia allowed herself a whole second of staring at his back once he had. About the length of time it took to say, "He's not trying to, branwoda." She glanced back towards Lucifer. And then went back to crowd control.
Lucifer	"Please don't what?" Lucifer inquired. "Stop you from incinerating someone else out of misplaced guilt?" He could be subtle when he wanted to be. Right now, that didn't seem useful.
Don	Well. Surprise wasn't guilt, at least. Don looked up at Lucifer and stared at him. ". . . What?"
Lucifer	"Your guilt that you're so happy to bottle up until it boils over," Lucifer said helpfully, as he came to a full stop in front of Don. "It's causing problems."
Don	Don shook his head. "That's -- that's ridiculous." Before he could say anything further, an announcement echoed up the hill from the gazebo below. "Ladies and Gentlemen, in ten minutes we will celebrate Haven's heroes with a medal ceremony for our brave Haven firefighters." Don started to tremble. "A medal? I shouldn't get a medal."
Lucifer	"Yes, that's what I mean," Lucifer said, with an idle gesture. "Guilt, creeping up all over you. This is about your colleague who died, isn't it?"
Don	"What?" Don said again. "Who even are you?" Nathan did have one advantage over Lucifer. At least Haven citizens generally recognized him.
Lucifer	Lucifer was not now, nor had he ever been, the kind of man who'd let that remain a disadvantage. "Lucifer Morningstar," he said briskly, "Boyfriend to Duke Crocker, who's ex to a surly iceman of a police offer named Nathan Wuornos, either of which might be names you've heard before. I'm here to stop you killing people before the aforementioned iceman does something stupid."
Don	Don scoffed and looked away. "Then you're six months too late."
Lucifer	"Is that when it happened?" Lucifer had an inkling Don wouldn't agree to let him sit with him. He sat down regardless.
Don	"That's when Bill --" Don choked off, covering his mouth with his hands, his entire face crumbling. "I should've gotten him out. We both went in there." Don's trouble did its best as guilt overcame him, trying to set Lucifer smoldering.
Lucifer	The Devil who set the temperature in Hell to a few degrees above 100 Fahrenheit noticed nothing. The Devil's suit, though, started smoking ever-so-subtly at the wrists. "Why didn't you?" he asked.
Don	"It --" Don started. He was crying in earnest now, even as his trouble continued to crank up the heat on Lucifer. "I -- it was so fast. They said -- they said the gas main blew. That I was blown clear."
Lucifer	Lucifer's cuff caught flame. He flicked his wrist quickly, trying to get it to go out. "Does that sound like you had much of a choice in the matter?" he said.
Don	Lucifer wasn't actively feeding into Don's guilt just now, so it went out just fine, even as Don wailed "You don't understand! No one understands. Firefighters work as a team. You never work alone, and you never d-die that way, either."
Lucifer	"I'm afraid that's not true," Lucifer said lightly. "I've seen enough come through my doors over the years." He looked at Don, racking his brain for something he could say. "But I understand the feeling," he said. "I'm responsible for my brother's death, and the circumstances were much more damning than yours."
Don	Don frowned, and his trouble's effects faded even more. "Wh-what did you do?" He had not at all processed the fact that he was talking to the actual Devil here, no.
Lucifer	"My mother had escaped from her prison, and he feared she might try to harm our father. So he decided to harm her, first," Lucifer said. "When I wouldn't let him, he instead threatened-- someone very dear to me." He sighed. "I didn't know what to do," he said. "He had the metaphorical gun to her head, it... happened in an instant."
Don	Yep, Done was now just full on confused. And drawn into the drama that was Lucifer's life. "What, uh. What happened then?"
Lucifer	"In my effort to stop him from killing anyone, I killed him instead," Lucifer said, glancing towards Don. "Looking back at it now, I realize it was spur of the moment, an incredibly terrible set of circumstances the universe had lined up for us. That it happened because he didn't stop. That there was no way that situation would end well." He shrugged casually. "It didn't stop me from hating myself," he said. "The guilt was so overpowering I found myself ignoring everyone who cared about me as I chased anything that could put an end to it. That could punish me properly for what I had done."
Don	Don nodded slowly, looking down at his knees again. "It feels --" he said, and choked faintly. "It feels like it could eat me alive. Like it'll just -- burst out and swallow me and everyone around me whole." Well. If you looked at what fire did as a form of "eating", then yes. It kind of did.
Lucifer	"I remember that feeling," Lucifer said quietly. "Gnawing away at your insults. Guilt is an ugly little thing, draws us in, obscures our thinking." He considered Don. "But ask yourself, logically, was there anything you could have done but die?"
Don	Don swallowed thickly, looking down at his hat again. "I should have died," he said, very quietly. "I should have but -- I'm glad I didn't." Which only made him feel worse.
Lucifer	"Not something you should be feeling guilty about," Lucifer said idly. "Your dying would have caused much more pain than your living ever will." Well. Bar the whole 'trouble' thing, but he wasn't about to wind the man up by bringing that into it again.
Don	Don nodded, his whole face slowly crumpling, then let out a sob and curled in on himself. Further words would not be happening for a bit.
Lucifer	Lucifer stretched out his arm... awkwardly. And patted him on the back. "We both did the best we could under frankly insane circumstances," he said. "That's all."
Don	That arm may have been awkward, but Don took it as an invitation. He pressed his face into Lucifer's jacket and bawled.
Lucifer	Well. That was awkward. But... likely necessary? Lucifer just kept patting him. Until he eventually stopped, and just left that hand where it was. A little bit confused, but still.
Don & Dwight	As Don continued to cry, Dwight waved his hand, trying to get Lucifer's attention. Was it clear? Could they clear Don out yet?
Lucifer	Lucifer motioned for him pointedly with the hand that wasn't currently awkwardly consoling a grown man he didn't know.
Dwight & Nathan	"Right, let's move in," he said, and waved his people over. Nathan lead the way up the hill towards Don, the fire captain close behind. "Hey Don," he said, voice low and gentle. "Let's find somewhere you can relax, huh?"
Lucifer	"There you go," Lucifer said, patting Don one last time. "Just don't expect a facial expression out of that one, you'll just find yourself disappointed."
Nathan & Don	Nathan fixed Lucifer with a very bland stare, but otherwise didn't dignify that with a response. Don gave Lucifer a watery smile. "I'm sorry about your brother."
Lucifer	Lucifer returned a small smile of his own. "And I'm sorry about your partner."
Don & Duke & Jordan	Don swallowed and nodded back, then turned to the fire chief. He and Nathan led him back down the hill. Duke made his way over once they were clear. "Nice work. You're not careful, you'll get a rep as the new Audrey." Jordan, who'd stalked up behind him, scoffed. "Does that mean him killing you will make this shit stop? Because I could settle for that."
Lucifer	Lucifer rolled his eyes. "You are beginning to become annoyingly one-note," he said, eyes on Jordan-- and then to Duke. "And how dare you."
Jordan & Duke	Jordan rolled her eyes. "Just keep keeping Nathan alive until Audrey can kill him," she said. "And we'll get along fine." She stalked off. Duke watched her with a little shake of his head. "Charming woman. She really does this town proud."
Lucifer	"Does no one here have any hobbies beyond fixating on something Audrey-related?" Lucifer asked him, looking up. "Crochet? Skiing? Paint-by-numbers? Does anyone even fuck in Haven? None of these people seem like they fuck." Thank you, Lucifer, and your grasp on 21st century slang.
Duke	Duke shrugged. He wasn't about to defend this town, even if he had slept with several of its residents over the years. "I heard Nathan does decoupage. And sometimes golfs." Audrey had told him that, early on in their friendship. She'd thought it was hilarious. Duke had been holding those facts tight to his chest, waiting for the right opportunity to use them against Nathan.
Lucifer	Lucifer's gaze lifted up slowly until it settled on Duke. "Decoupage?" he said, a splutter of laughter spilling out. "How is your ex both an 80-year-old grandmother and a 65-year-old man all at once?"
Duke	"Quiet waters run deep?" Duke asked, shrugging. "Also, he's a Mainer. You basically either have to turn into a weird old person up here or run for your life." Guess which one Duke did! . . . Without thinking too hard about his sweaters!
Lucifer	"Glad you ran before the transformation was complete," Lucifer said, patting his arm on the sweater.
Duke	“Ohhhhh you’re lucky you’re pretty,” Duke said cheerfully. “I think we deserve a drink.”
Lucifer	"We absolutely do," Lucifer said, pushing himself up to his feet. "I'll feel better after three scotch." A pause. He looked down. "... Bastard scorched my sleeve."
Duke	“Bastard incinerates people,” Duke said, tone darkening. (The troubles always got him riled up.) “You’re lucky he didn’t burn your whole suit off.”
Lucifer	"Yes, well, let's hope he doesn't go on an extra-thorough incinerating spree once he realizes he killed a lot of people," Lucifer muttered, trying to wipe the ashes from his suit.
Duke	Duke grimaced. And tried not to think about how he could make sure neither Don nor any of his relatives killed anyone that way again. “So much scotch,” he muttered. “Shit, I still have to deal with Wade, too. . . .”
Octavia	But first, there was Octavia, finally jogging up the hill to them. Now that Nathan and the fire chief had escorted Don away and off the street, there was no longer need for crowd control. Which left Octavia free to just worry about her own people. "Is everyone okay?"
Lucifer	"Almost fine," Lucifer said, holding up his arm. Affronted, he said, "But the bastard got my suit."
Duke	“It’s tragic,” Duke said. “But I think once I get Wade to leave we’ll be okay.”
Octavia	Octavia gave Lucifer's sleeve a half-hearted onceover that honestly focused more on his wrist than anything. Then she looked up at Duke. "Sounds like a good idea to me." (Sorry your partners didn't care more about the state of your suit, Luce.)