betterthanaplan | Haven, Maine, Friday Fandom time

Havenites	A call came in from Dwight as the group got themselves together, and Vince led Nathan, Lexie, Duke, and Octavia downtown to where a young man had apparently lost his mind in the middle of a lunch date with his girlfriend. Nathan was taking to the current plan about as well as Lucifer and Octavia had. "This is your plan?" "How many times do I have to have this conversation?" Duke asked the sky. "No, Nathan. This is your plan, remember? Just with a different girl this time."
Octavia	The times Octavia found herself agreeing with Nathan were very rare, but this was definitely one of them. Not that she said so, beyond something of a dry look. (She wasn't here to talk, anyway.)
Duke & Nathan	Duke caught that look and dutifully ignored it. It was easy, since while she was giving it, Nathan was insisting "I'm in love with Audrey." "Yes, we are all very aware of that," Duke said, rolling his eyes. "But good news, you don't have to love her ba --" He cut off as a scream came from inside the restaurant, and both he and Nathan broke into a run.
Octavia	And so did Octavia. Was it bad the screaming was preferable to having to keep listening to this plan again?
Duke & Lexie	Duke was appreciating not having to explain it again? Why did everyone think he approved of this? He was stalling! Lexie was in the restuarant, staring at the face of a deranged-looking young man leering at her through the window in the locked door to the kitchen. He had a knife, which he was jamming at the lock, trying to break back out. "I just wanted to go to the bathroom," Lexie said, looking disgusted. "What the hell kind of town is this?"
Octavia	"Haven," Octavia drawled.
Lexie & Nathan & Josh	"You say that like it means something," Lexie grumbled. Nathan went right into cop mode. "Josh? Hey, we just want to help." The kid sneered. "Stop calling me Josh!" "Josh," Nathan repeated, showing off his stellar listening skills. "You're surrounded. Put the knife down. This is over." Josh stood upright, grinning suddenly. "You're damn right it's over. I trusted her. And look where that got me!" And before anyone could properly react, he raised the knife to his neck and slit his own throat.
Octavia	Blood splattered across the little window. Octavia wondered faintly whether it should have felt shocking to see that. "That's not gonna be the end of it," she rasped, "is it?"
Duke & Lexie	"Is it ever?" Duke asked, looking resigned. "Oh. My god," Lexie said. "I think I'm going to be sick." She looked at Duke. "Don't you dare tell me you get used to this, too." "No," Duke said softly. "No, you do not."
Octavia	Octavia said nothing to that. The expression on her face had maybe gone a little... bland, though. (Guess that was her answer.)
Havenites	After ~~handwavily~~ interviewing Katie, the girl Josh had been having lunch with, the trouble team du jour headed to the hospital to talk to Tyler, her boyfriend and Josh's best friend. Octavia was ~~lovingly modded to be~~ hanging back and letting the others take point, mostly making sure that Duke didn't get into too much trouble (and maybe that no one tried to force anyone else into anything too lovey-dovey). They didn't. Mostly, Duke took the lead on the interviews, occasionally giving Nathan meaningful looks to be less of a depressed asshole and actually try talking to Lexie, even just, like, as a person if not as a prospective future love interest. Tyler, unsurprisingly, was also depressed. He was in his early 20s and paralyzed thanks to an accident in which, he claimed, his girlfriend had given him suspicious looks. Nathan thanked the kid, and Duke offered him a quickly scrawled coupon for a free drink at the Gull when he got out of the hospital, and they stepped back into the hallway to discuss things -- and reconnect with Lexie, who'd gone to get her head examined. "What did the doctor say?" Nathan asked her. Hey, he was speaking to her directly. Progress! "Right as rain," Lexie said, shrugging. "Healthy. But I don't really trust doctors." She gave Duke and Octavia a meaningful look, expecting them to agree with her.
Octavia	Octavia had no response to that - but the wary looks she was occasionally casting at her surroundings right now said enough, really. It wasn't that she didn't trust doctors. She just didn't like hospitals very much.
Lexie & Nathan & Duke	"Yeah, she gets me," Lexie said, giving Octavia a quick but obvious once over. That was . . . interesting but not really what they were going for here. Duke clapped his hands. "Well, you know, you should have seen Detective Wuornos questioning Tyler in there. It was -- it was -- good." Oh, that was pathetic. Lexie raised an eyebrow, smirking a little. "Really?" Nathan was all business again. "Sounds like he was affected by the same thing Josh was, and in both cases, Katie was right there, so she could have some sort of 'black widow' trouble. Uh, brainwashing guys to try and kill themselves." Lexie lost her smirk about halfway through that. "And . . . Troubled people in this town. They can do that stuff?"
Octavia	"They can do just about anything," Octavia rasped. (Very much ignoring the once-over from a moment ago, because that was too much to unpack right now.) "As far as I can tell."
Lexie & the boys	Lexie made a face and shook her head. "Why the hell does anyone still live here?" That seemed rhetorical to the boys, so neither bothered to try to answer. Nathan just led the way back out of the hospital, intent on going to find Katie again.

Lucifer	Lucifer wasn't actually gone long - in human Earth terms. In his own estimation, he'd spent at least a month with Dan, fruitlessly trying to dig at the core of his guilt. It was about as long as he was comfortable leaving Duke alone. It had also been necessary, to settle some of the dust that bizarre plan had kicked up in his mind. "Right," he said, opening the door into the Gull. "So where's the owner?"
Wade	"Oh good, it's my brother's asshole boyfriend," Wade said with a sigh. "I figured he was off somewhere with you."
Lucifer	"Oh good, it's my boyfriend's asshole brother," Lucifer retorted, rolling his eyes as he stepped up to the bar. "Still here, for some dad-forsaken reason."
Wade	"'Dad-forsaken'." Wade rolled his eyes. "Sure, yeah, that's cute. Really playing up the whole Devil thing. Good for you."
Lucifer	"Being that I am the Devil, it's only accuracy," Lucifer said. He reached into his pocket. "Right. So how much do I pay you to make you disappear from this Hellhole?" Might as well make the most of catching Wade alone.
Wade	Wade snorted, clearly thinking this was a joke. "Let's see. How much would it cost to have my cheating wife killed?"
Lucifer	Lucifer rolled his eyes. "I don't pay to put hits out on people," he said, withdrawing his wallet from his pocket. "And even if I did, I imagine the going rate is much lower up here than in Los Angeles."
Wade	"New York," Wade said, shaking his head. "She wouldn't be caught dead up here." Then he laughed at his own joke. "I don't want the Devil's money. I like it up here."
Lucifer	"Because you're a poor naive moron who can't read the increasingly loud 'you don't belong here, please go away' signals being sent to him by literally everyone who matters," Lucifer said, picking through the bills in his wallet. There were a lot of them.
Wade	"'Everyone who matters', huh?" Wade folded his arms over his chest, eying those bills. "And that's, what, you? What exactly do you want with my brother, anyway?" He was definitely starting to build himself into a white knight rescuing his poor, deluded brother manipulated by a weird Satanic poly cult, yes.
Lucifer	"No, all the various people around here who know this town's seedy underbelly and don't want you near it," Lucifer said, rolling his eyes. He put a heavy stack of bills down on the counter. "As for what I want, I want for him to be able to come home safely so we can all go back to our lives and not deal with a hamlet that has done nothing but scar him for as long as he's been alive."
Wade	"Yeah, that's funny, I've actually known Duke as long as he's been alive. He's been fine. Made a damn decent life for himself, actually. And he invited me to stay, so you can save your money."
Lucifer	"He's not been fine," Lucifer said, staring at Wade. "What, do you think he's been in long-term therapy just because he felt a little blue all of a sudden?"
Wade	"Therapy?" Wade shook his head. "You think that's a sign of anything? Everyone's in therapy. Is that what you tell him, that's he's fucked up so he needs to stay with you two?"
Lucifer	Lucifer stared at him. "What."
Wade	"I know my brother," Wade said again, leaning against the bar. "He's not the type to settle down. Let alone with two people. Or is he with you for your money? Are you his sugar daddy?"
Lucifer	"Your brother saved my life and hers," Lucifer snapped. "He didn't settle down for years because he's still dealing with the emotional fallout of your father neglecting him, then dying on him and leaving him homeless in a town that hated him when he was eight bloody years old. So I suggest you recind your insane accusations regarding a brother you clearly barely know, before I get genuinely angry."
Wade	"Did he tell you that?" Wade asked, shaking his head. "Man, that kid could never recognize a good thing when it happened to him. Our dad doted on him. Like Duke was the only one of his kids who counted."
Lucifer	"To summarize," Lucifer said flatly, "You don't actually know your brother. Or how he grew up. Didn't hear a great deal of tales about you coming to visit, now that I recall."
Wade	Wade shrugged. "We stopped coming when I was a kid, after Dad died. Duke and I reconnected when he started sailing, though, so yeah. I know him well enough. Helped him out a time or two when he got his ass in trouble, so now he's helping me out. That's what brothers do."
Lucifer	"Really, because most of mine spent most of my life spitting on me or actively trying to get me back in line with what Dad wanted," Lucifer drawled. "So excuse me if I don't buy the 'I'm a good brother' routine."
Wade	"Huh. Well. Sorry your brothers sucked. That's not going to change the fact that I'm going to stick with mine up here as long as possible."
Lucifer	"He's leaving as soon as possible, and so should you," Lucifer said flatly. "Haven isn't safe."
Wade	"Right. Because of these . . . 'troubles'. Which no one wants to actually tell me anything about." Wade shook his head. "Very spooky."
Lucifer	"Yes, well, it is a bit of a 'if they told you, the troubles would probably feel like they have to kill you' sort of catch-22," Lucifer retorted. "You'd think that multiple people pointing this out to you might be a signal it is a genuine problem."
Wade	"I've lived here for six months," Wade pointed out. "And everything has been fine. All I know is you and my brother go running off every day looking like you're riding into some kind of battle."
Lucifer	"Yes, into the part of this town's troubled underbelly Duke is working very hard to keep you away from before you get hurt," Lucifer returned. "And you're not making it easy."
Wade	"Well. You tell Duke that I'm a big boy, then. And that maybe I can even help."
Lucifer	"Doubtful, considering you can't even tell the difference between a man who's doing fine and had a great childhood and someone just trying to stay alive, and you appear to have the survival instincts of a drunk lemming."
Wade	"Says the man who thinks he's the literal Devil," Wade said, rolling his eyes. "Look, buddy, you want to drink, that's fine. You want to hang out and berate me? I'm going to have to ask you to go wait for my brother somewhere else."
Lucifer	"In case this past conversation hasn't made it clear," Lucifer said sweetly, "What I want is for you to leave so Duke can stop worrying about you."
Wade	"Then Duke can tell me that himself. He's a big boy too."
Lucifer	Lucifer rolled his eyes. He picked up his money. "You're an idiot," he told Wade, and then turned around and headed for the outside. He needed to call Duke and find out where he was.
Wade	Wade rolled his eyes and turned back to the bar, muttering "dick" as Lucifer left. "Hope for Duke's sake he's at least well hung. . . ."

FRIDAY — HOSPITAL ACTION TIMES!

Havenites	Katie, as it turned out, had been busy throwing herself in front of a speeding car when Nathan had decided she might be the center of this trouble. Which seemed like a pretty good indicator that she, you know, wasn't. Shortly after checking out the scene, Lexie announced her theory: that Tyler had lied, and possessed his friends because they were seeing each other behind his back. "Bartender, remember?" She smiled. "I know things." And so they were back at the hospital. "Tyler," Nathan said, knocking on the door to the kid's room. "It's Haven Police again. We need to talk." He reached for hte shoulder of the man lying on his side, facing away from them, and rolled him over. "Tyler. Hey." "Oh," Lexie said, when she got a look at the dead man in glasses lying there. "Tyler is dead." Duke shook his head. "That's not him." "I thought you said he was a paraplegic." Lexie looked between Nathan and Duke with a frown. "Where could he have gone?" Duke backed out of the room, reaching for Octavia's hand. "We'll try to find his nurse."
Lucifer	"Duke?" Lucifer called, stalking through the hallway. "Octavia? Are you there?" He wasn't about to admit to how fast he'd flown here. That would be ridiculous.
Octavia	Octavia let Duke have her hand, right as she heard Lucifer call for them, and she called back, "We're here!" Could Lucifer tell by the tight note in her voice that shit was maybe going down? Probably.
Duke	"Luce," Duke called, leading Octavia down the hall in the direction Lucifer's voice had come from. "You seen a kid come through here? Early 20s, kinda stocky, probably in a wheelchair or something?" He trailed off, feeling . . . odd. Like something was creeping up the back of his skull.
Lucifer	"No, I just got here," Lucifer said. He slowed somewhat, though as soon as he was close he was reaching for Octavia before he even thought about it. "Why? Is he our suspect?"
Octavia	There was maybe a little more 'reaching for Octavia' happening here than Octavia herself was entirely comfortable with in a high-adrenaline situation, but she was allowing it. "Yeah," she said. "There was another dead guy on his bed."
~~Duke~~Tyler	Duke shivered faintly. Or thought he did. Felt like he should? He opened his mouth to fill Lucifer in on the other deaths -- except he didn't. Or, well, his mouth opened, but what came out of it was "He might be another victim. We're not sure yet." Duke went cold. Or should have gone cold. He tried to move, tried to speak, tried to do literally anything, but his body was moving without his direction. Letting go of Octavia's hand and stepping past Lucifer to look around. Flexing his hands and smirking in approval once his back was two Octavia and Lucifer, like he was enjoying this. . . . No. No no no no nonononononono Oh calm down. That was not his thought. There's nothing you can do, buddy, so might as well enjoy the ride!
Lucifer	It had been a month since Lucifer had seen her. There was going to be a bit of reaching - a bit of taking her hand, after Duke had dropped it. "You think our troubled person might have gone walkabout in that one?" he asked, looking up at Duke's back.
Octavia	"Maybe?" Octavia said, with a quick glance towards Duke...'s back, yes. She wasn't sure it was all that likely that the kid was another victim, but it also made sense that he might be. "Trying to find him seems like the best bet, either way."
Tyler	"Totally," Duke agreed, still scanning the hallways. Or, his body agreed and scanned the hallways, anyway. Duke was screaming internally and trying to figure out how one resisted another consciousness invading your own. You don't. Moron. Another consciousness who was a dick. "I'll check down this way. You two take the next hallway." And Duke's body headed off, without looking back or waiting for an answer.
Lucifer	Well. That was odd. "Right," Lucifer said, frowning, and shook his head. He glanced at Octavia. "Did something happen or something?"
Octavia	Octavia shook her head, also frowning towards Duke, rapidly getting further and further from them. "No." A pause. "We saw someone slit his own throat, earlier, but..." This wasn't about that, was it? (That thing that should have shaken everyone.)
Tyler	The throat slitting had definitely shaken Duke, yes. But not to the point of ignoring his partners like this. And anyway, he was now way more focussed on trying to get his body to stop and turn around and stop going upstairs, what the fuck? His body ignored him. It glanced around into rooms, and pulled out his cellphone, calling Nathan. "Duke?" Nathan answered. "Where are you?" "Upstairs," his body answered. "There's some psychopath in scrubs following me. He's acting all twitchy like that kid Josh was. What the hell's going on here?" Fuck you fuck you you liar, fuck you Duke's body smirked. "Tyler must know we're onto him," Nathan said. "He's possessed someone else." TYLER? Duke asked. What the fuck, dude, I felt sorry for you! And now you're helping me out. Way more than a free drink ever would. So thanks! "Duke," Nathan was saying. "That person's an innocent victim, so don't engage." "Got it," Tyler said. He hung up on Nathan as he spotted a walk in vault in one of the rooms he was walking past. Perfect.
Lucifer	"...But?" Lucifer prompted, blinking at her. "I believe that is something that would shake a human..."
Octavia	"Didn't shake me," Octavia said, more absent than she actually felt about it. (A lot more, in fact.) She was still looking down the hall -- Until her gaze darted up to him, and she shook her head. "I'm gonna go after him." They couldn't let him go alone, could they? With all this going on. "And you'll take the other one?"
Lucifer	Lucifer made a faintly strangled noise. He wanted to go after Duke, as well. But if Duke was fine, they could be letting an important lead go, and-- "Okay," he said. "Call me if you need me."
Octavia	Octavia felt that noise in her chest, he could rest assured. She gave him a nod with something of a fervent quality to it, and gave his hand a little squeeze. And then she let go, and took off down the hallway. He couldn't have gotten that far, right?
Lucifer	Lucifer watched her go. Too long, really. Then turned for the other hallway, and started off that way.
Tyler	Upstairs, Tyler, wearing Duke like a cheap suit, paced back and forth in front of the vault while he waited for Nathan and Lexie to appear. Stupid meddling cops. He just needed to get rid of them and dodge the other couple -- who the hell were they, anyway? That chick was not a cop -- and then maybe hit up this guy's bar for some cash. Then he could leave town, free and clear. Fuck you. Octavia is going to kick your entire ass. Don't think my face will stop her. Tyler smirked faintly. If he could work out how to get this Duke guy to shut up while he did all that, that'd be great too.
Octavia	Octavia's approach was signaled by the sound of her boots against the floor. She almost rushed right past the room he was in, but caught sight of him just in time. "There you are," she said, on a little huff of relief. "What's going on?"
Tyler	Tyler looked up, shoving the errant lock of hair out of his face. He was going to need to get that cut soon, too, jesus. What was this guy, some kind of hippie? Don't you dare. "Hey," he said, giving Octavia a tight smile. "I think I've got him. Just waiting for, uh --" Shit, what was that detective's name? I am not helping. "-- Uh, the others to catch up with us."
Octavia	Octavia might've wondered about that hesitation, but her attention was already drawn to the closed door. "He's in there?" A beat. "You put him there?" This was why she hadn't wanted to let Duke go off by himself.
Tyler	"Yeah, I --" "Duke?" Came Nathan's voice from the hall. Tyler looked past her. "In here!" Nathan and Lexie appeared in the door. Tyler shrugged. "I may have engaged a little." He gestured back to the door behind him. "He's fine." Nathan pulled out his gun and nodded to Octavia and Lexie. "Stay back." He slowly approached the door, gun up and ready.
Octavia	This was one of those moments where Octavia found absolutely no reason to argue with Nathan. She stayed back, her eyes trained on the door.
Tyler	Tyler opened it, keeping the door between himself and the interior -- and as soon as Nathan looked in, he slammed it into Nathan's side, knocking him off balance and snatching up his gun. He brandished it at Lexie and Octavia, gesturing for them to follow Nathan into the vault. "Move!" Oh, big mistake, Duke thought gleefully. Shut up!
Octavia	Octavia's eyes had gone wide at the initial move with the door, but now they were narrowed as she looked at -- Not Duke. "Nomonjoka," she spat, because anger was always the easiest to reach for. Especially when she needed it to take over all the space that would otherwise have filled with terror.
Tyler	The fuck did she call me? Yes take him down take him down Tavi you promised. . . . "This is a trap," Nathan said, because someone always had to state the obvious. "You're Tyler." "Surprise," Tyler said. He circled Lexie and Octavia, hand out. "Give me your cellphones. Now!"
Octavia	Octavia was slow to relinquish her phone, but she did. The guy wearing Duke like a suit seemed a little jittery. She was trying to calculate how to best use that to her advantage.
Tyler	Tyler was so jittery. The angry ranting voice in his head describing the many ways that this woman could dismantle him slow and bloody wasn't helping. "I just got that," Lexie muttered as she handed her own phone over. Tyler jammed them into Duke's pockets and started aggressively gesturing them into the vault again. "Move. And don't try anything or I start shooting!"
Octavia	What Octavia - who was still not moving, by the way - needed right now was a distraction. She was counting on Nathan beginning to talk any second now.
Tyler	Nathan was just working with her perfectly today! "Your trouble kicked in after the car crash, didn't it, Tyler?" he asked, voice even. De-escalating, even. "Then you figured out how you could use it to kill Josh." Tyler scowled, the gun wavering between Octavia and Lexie. "Josh was an accident. I was lying there in that bed, paralyzed, and then suddenly I was in Josh when he was out with my girlfriend, and I found out what they were doing. . . ."
Octavia	Octavia tuned out most of what he was saying. (He sounded like Duke. He didn't sound like Duke.) She was watching the gun. And watching his face, hoping Nathan kept drawing the kid's focus to himself.
Tyler	"So you killed them both on purpose?" Lexie asked, drawing Tyler's attention back in her and Octavia's direction. "My life was ruined!" he cried. "And they they were supposed to be my friends." That came out so young even Duke, tucked back in the corner of his own brain, couldn't help but pity the kid. Until his voice turned dark again. "But then I realized what I could do. It was my chance. They got what they had coming." Fuck you, kid.
Octavia	Goddammit, Lexie. Octavia shifted away from her as much as she dared - which was definitely not a lot. Just a subtle, slow shifting of her weight onto her other foot.
Tyler	"You need things, don't you," Nathan said. Tyler listened, but kept focused on the girls this time. "Objects? The real you holds on to something, and that lets you control whoever gave it to you. When you possessed the orderly, you were holding a remote he gave it to you." "And Josh and Katie They gave you get-well cards," Lexie said, easing slowly towards Tyler -- and away from Octavia. "Duke gave you that drink ticket," Nathan said. Tyler looked back at him. "Right after you gave me your business card, so don't try anything."
Octavia	This would have been a great time for a one-liner, but Octavia wasn't really that kind of person. So she just acted, abruptly. Trying to play to the element of surprise, surging forward and grabbing at the arm holding the gun to wrench it to the side. (A risky move, yes, but so were all moves when someone was waving a gun at you.)
Tyler	If it had actually been Duke in control -- or anyone else with actual gun handling training -- it might have gone a little better for her. They would haven't known better than to try to tighten their grip when she grabbed him, and wouldn't have just fired the damn thing wildly. Lexie shrieked at the gunshot. Nathan shouted, and Tyler flinched hard. In the back of his mind, Duke went very very still. The running commentary he'd been providing cut off in to the dull, stressed static of helpless terror.
Octavia	Octavia's ears were ringing. She gave a muted gasp, staggering backwards a step, grabbing at her upper arm. It didn't hurt yet. It would in a second. Blood seeped between her fingers.
Lucifer	There had been no sign of anyone like the man Duke had described - at least, not anyone Lucifer could place as present in the room where they'd found the body. And so he had started to make his way back slowly, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary, and... ... That was a gunshot. He broke off into a run, blind panic striking him deep inside the heart.
Tyler	Octavia might just be the calmest one around right this moment. Tyler stared at the blood in panic -- and . . . hunger? -- his body swaying towards it, then jerked upright and aimed the gun at Lexie. "That's right, I will shoot! So don't fuck with me and get in the vault!" "Shit, okay, okay," Lexie said, hands up. She came over to guide Octavia inside, where Nathan was frowning and tugging his jacket off to staunch the wound. "Move, move!" "Tyler, you can't keep this up," Nathan said, voice low but full of urgency. "It was on your charts. Your real body is falling apart the more you possess people. You're gonna die." Tyler smirked, urging Lexie and Octavia in with both the gun and the door. "Which is why I'm trading my body in for this one. Permanently."
Octavia	There was, for the first time, fear in Octavia's eyes. And that feeling overpowered anything else. She didn't feel her feet move at Lexie's urging, although they did. Didn't feel the pain begin to burn her arm, even though it did. That she was standing in the vault, now, didn't even register. She stared at -- Tyler. (At Duke's face.)
Tyler	Duke hadn't recovered yet, either. Which only made Tyler smile as he shoved at the door, using it to force Octavia and Lexie the rest of the way in. That's right, bitch. Hot pieces of ass like her fawn all over you, don't they. I mean. Over me, now. Duke simmered in his corner, wishing there was something, anything he could do to wipe that look off of Octavia's face.
Octavia	The door closed with a thunk. Octavia's head whipped around as she looked at -- Four walls, far too close together. No other door, no windows. Now the reality of the small, closed space was beginning to rapidly sink in. A wave of panic threatened to surge up, over where she was, over what was about to happen to Duke, and that feeling was hopeless. But there was still something else, and she clung to that thought with all she had when she gasped in a breath, and screamed at the top of her lungs, "Lucifer!"
Lucifer	Lucifer would hate himself for not getting here sooner, later. But he was here, now. Rounding the corner, eyes big and panicked. "Duke!" he yelled, his eyes falling on his boyfriend first, and then the closed door-- "Octavia!"
Tyler	Tyler rolled his eyes and waggled the gun at Lucifer. He'd had enough of playing pretend; he just wanted to skip town already. "I fucking shot her. Now get out of my way, fancy pants, or I'll shoot you too." idiot, Duke managed. Fuck off, answered Tyler.
Octavia	Octavia could hear something, but couldn't really make out what was being said. But she banged her fists against the door. Well. One of them, anyway. Her other arm wasn't doing great, not that that kept her from trying.
Lucifer	That was a fantastic way to make yourself, rather than Octavia, Lucifer's first priority. Gold star, Tyler. Lucifer's eyes flared red. "You get out of him," he snarled, taking a step closer. "Right. Now." It was more of a hellish growl, really.
Tyler	Tyler let out a disgusted, frustrated noise, and shot at Lucifer. Look, it had worked on the scary goth chick, okay?
Lucifer	There were some real disadvantages to being physically vulnerable to your partners, even if their bodies were currently hijacked by an absolute moron who deserved punishment. The bullet buried itself in Lucifer's chest, tearing through a muscle that held his shoulder in place. He made a raw, unearthly noise, his body rocking back-- --and then lunged forward at him. He was still a bloody celestial.
Tyler	And Tyler had no idea about that, so he'd started running the minute he shot, assuming that the guy would be down and out, but that the hospital would be coming to investigate the gunshots at any moment. He made use of Duke's long legs and agility to bolt around Lucifer and out the door while he was still reeling. Duke had moved from static to screaming obscenities in a multitude of languages, which only made the adrenaline in his body pump harder and drive him faster. Get used to this, bitch. We're never seeing those two again.
Octavia	Octavia had heard another gunshot. The banging on the door was extra frantic, now.
Lucifer	Lucifer twisted around, eyes still red. He was going to get this bloody body snatcher and his wrath would not-- Octavia. --and then the noise penetrated his mind. He hissed a curse and ran towards the door. There was no need to yank it off its hinges. No need at all. But he did.
Octavia	Octavia gave a gasp when the door shifted - and then there was no door. And she was standing there, with Nathan's jacket haphazardly wrapped around her arm, a part of it drenched a deep red. Lexie was standing beside her, Nathan behind them. Octavia's eyes were wide, and wild. And the first hoarse thing out of her mouth was, "Where is he?"
Lucifer	"I don't know. He ran," Lucifer said tersely, rushing towards her. "Your arm!"
Octavia	Octavia could not have cared less about her arm. Didn't even look down at it. "You have to find him."
Lucifer	"After we get you a proper bandage," Lucifer snapped. "Octavia, you're practically gushing blood."
Octavia	"He wants to take Duke over for good!" Octavia wailed, turning towards Lexie. "Tell him!"
Lucifer	"Then we don't have time to waste on standing around arguing." There was enough terror in Lucifer right now and he didn't want to waste time on it. "Let's get your arm patched up quickly and we'll fly after him, come on, Octavia."
Nathan	"Get her to a doctor," Nathan said, nodding to Octavia's shoulder. "We'll start looking." He flicked a glance at Lexie -- he really missed Audrey right about now -- who shrugged and nodded back. "We'll find him. I won't let Tyler keep him." He didn't say it -- basically ever -- but he still cared about Duke, too.
Octavia	Octavia was having to count on that. Just this once. She didn't agree in any verbal way, but she stopped arguing, at least. And took a step forward, to get out of the room with no door. It was wobbly.
Lucifer	"Good," Lucifer said, watching her move. His eyes darted up towards Nathan's face, and for once, there was no snark to be found in it. "Thank you," he said. Then he turned, and crowded behind Octavia.
Nathan	Nathan nodded back, and he and Lexie started off towards the door to the hospital. If Tyler was going to keep Duke, he'd need funds. And the one place Tyler knew for sure Duke could access them would be the Gull.

Tyler & Wade

Everyone in town knew about the Grey Gull, so Tyler knew just where to go after fleeing the hospital. This Duke guy was loaded -- it was the best bar in town. Tyler would swing by there, rob the place blind, and then head for Canada.

Or maybe Atlantic City?

No. Mexico.

"Back so soon, little brother?" a voice asked as he searched the bar -- the stupid guy was being no help in finding the safe. "What's the, uh, trouble du jour?"

Fuck. Why did this body have to be so popular? Tyler ignored the guy.

"You gonna fill me in, huh?" the man asked, then sighed. "Figures. Why would you let me help?"

Wade! Duke cried, desperately trying to wrench control of his body back. Wade!! He was giving Tyler a headache. There had to be something he could do to make the guy shut up.

"Actually, maybe you can help," Tyler decided, turning to the older man. "See, t-there's this, um." What words were those cops using? "This Troubled guy. Who can possess people."

Wade looked impressed. "Really? Wow. That can happen?"

"Weird, right?" Tyler asked. "Yeah. Yeah, he he can jump into another person's body and and control them for a while, but then whoosh." Tyler spread his hands. "He ends up back in his old body. He's trying to figure out how to keep that from Happening, how to stay in the other person's body."

Wade nodded slowly, then shrugged. "Well, maybe if he, uh I don't know kills the old body, he can stay in the new one."

Wade you fucking idiot, Duke said. Tyler smiled.

"That'd be a really good idea." He nodded. Maybe having a big brother wasn't so bad. "Thank you. You've actually been very helpful." He turned back to trying to open the register.

"Duke?" Wade said, suspicious now. "It's not you, is it?"

Tyler sighed and straightened. He turned, tilting his head. "No, it's not."

He slammed his fist into Wade's face, knocking him to the floor. Damn, but this body was powerful. He could get used to this.

fucking idiot fuck get away from my brother you fucking psycho

"Now," Tyler said, ignoring Duke's ranting. "Tell me, do you have a safe here?"

Wade scowled up at him. "You son of a bitch. What happened to Duke?"

Tyler shrugged. "He's still in here. He's just . . . riding in the backseat."

I'll backseat you you fucking

"Thanks to you," Tyler said, overtop Duke's rant, "I think we know how to fix that now. First, the safe." He knelt down next to Wade. "Now, do you want to tell me where it is, or do I have to beat it out of you?"

Tires rolled across the gravel parking lot outside and Tyler looked up out the door with a frown. A woman was climbing out of an SUV.

"And now we're out of time," he hissed. And slammed his fist into Wade's head, knocking him out.

Jennifer & Tyler

Jennifer strode into the Gull, jaw set. "Duke, I have made up my mind and and don't try to talk me out of it!"

Huh. Duke had a lot of hot lady friends, didn't he. "Okay."

Jennifer nodded. "I'm going back to Baltimore!"

Tyler glanced to the side, waiting to see if the little voice in his head had any hints about how to react to that. ". . . Have fun."

Jennifer wilted. "Okay, well, you could try to talk me out of it just a little."

Not the right take then. Tyler looked her over, thought of the goth chick and the fancy man and how they'd both been so desperate to get Duke back. Guy got around. He dipped his chin, looking up at her through Duke's absurdly long lashes. "I'm sorry. I must have misunderstood. Actually, um, I'm leaving town too." He offered her a shy smile. "What do you think about coming with me?"

In his corner, Duke silently despaired. Jennifer did not deserve this shit. None of them did.

Jennifer frowned, blinking, and bit her lip. "Okay, I think, um. . . ." She hesitated, glancing around for Lucifer and Octavia, but didn't see anyone else. "But, uh, what -- or where --"

And then Tyler kissed her.

"Um!" she said. "Oh! I -- I mean, not that I haven't thought about -- with the -- and the other two -- but -- kinda fast?"

"Fast can be good, though," Tyler said, as Duke's cursing built in intensity. "Right?"

Jennifer studied his face. Noticed again that neither Lucifer nor Octavia were around, which seldom happened. Had they had a fight? Things had seemed tense between them after the blood stuff, but then during the yoga and all they'd been fine. . . .

Stall. She should stall.

"Okay! I just need to get my things." She turned to go and Tyler reached for her hand.

". . . We can get new things."

Okay, she couldn't stall. But she was sure as hell going to stick to him like glue until she figured out what the hell was going on with him. "Okay," she said, a little breathless. "Yeah, I can be spontaneous! Let's go."

Tyler gave her a slow, sweet smile. "I just need to make a quick stop. I need to pay an old friend a final visit."

Jennifer nodded and followed him out to the SUV. Any chance she got when he didn't seem to be paying her attention, though, she started typing out a text to Octavia.

sumthin up w Duke
maybe a trouble????

She was not up to dealing with one of those on her own, thanks.

Jennifer & Tyler	"Uhhh," Jennifer said, looking up as Tyler pulled her rented SUV into the hospital parking lot. "What are we doing at the hospital? Do you need a distraction? Should I flash my boobs?" Duke should have had a similarly silly one-liner to throw back at her, she knew him well enough to know that by now. This person -- not-Duke -- looked at her like she'd said something insane. ". . . Okay." He looked away, tugging something from his pocket. Jennifer realized with a start that he was armed. Which, okay, the time for stalling and playing along was over. She really hoped that someone -- Octavia, preferably -- showed up as the cavalry soon, but in the meantime, it was Jennifer Mason, cub reporter to the rescue! "What's wrong, babe?" The not-Duke guy asked. "Babe," Jennifer echoed. "You know, I knew you were acting off. I thought maybe you were still a little drunk or something. But now . . . I'd swear you were hit by a trouble." The man started to turn on her and she snatched her pen out of the SUV's center console and slammed it full force into his leg. He dropped his gun with a wail -- ha! Take that, dickbag! -- and she snatched it up even as she threw herself out of the car. "I don't know who you really are, but I will shoot you, and I'll probably accidentally hit you in the face, so don't come near me!" Tyler stared at the crazy lady -- why was it always the hot ones? because she's right, you're a bag of dicks -- and shook his head, throwing himself into a limping run towards the basement entrance, where he'd stashed his body. Forget her. Forget those other jackasses in the vault. Forget fancy pants and his creepy eyes. Tyler was going to off his body, and then they could just get to mourning this Duke asshole and he could move on with his life.
Lucifer	Octavia had sent Lucifer off to go find Duke the second she was in the capable hands of a medic. Then there had been texts, and now-- (nonono) And now Lucifer was heading outside of the hospital as fast as he possibly could, barely biting down the urge to call for Duke (what point would there be to that?) or anyone else. This might be their last chance to find him, for all he knew. (Nononononononononono.)
Jennifer & Nathan & Lexie	"Oh thank god!" Jennifer cried, as Lucifer made it outside. "Duke just went inside, but it wasn't Duke!" As she spoke, a distinctive blue Bronco pulled into the lot, and Nathan and Lexie hopped out. "Wade just called," Nathan said, with the low intensity that only Duke and Audrey recognized as his upset voice. "He said Tyler thinks if he kills his actual body, he can stay in Duke's permanently."
Lucifer	"That little weasely bastard is certainly not going to commit Grand Theft Duke for good," Lucifer snarled as his gaze skipped from Jennifer to Nathan. Oh, good. There was his anger. Anger was easier to deal with than terror. "So let's get in there and get him out, shall we?" He adjusted his jacket sleeve, his eye twitching as he turned back towards the hospital.
Nathan & Jennifer	"You didn't give Duke anything, did you?" Nathan asked Jennifer. "Something he could take in to Tyler's body?" Jennifer shook her head. "I, uh. Left my pen in his leg?" Nathan took a deep breath, clearly not liking that answer. "So he could take control of you, too. Of any of us."
Lucifer	"Speak for yourself," Lucifer said flatly. And then he took off. He was no longer in the mood to stand around and strategize, and-- "Which way did he go?!" That would probably be relevant.
Lexie & Jennifer & Nathan	Lexie sucked on her teeth with a smirk. "Points for effort there, though." "Wait, isn't Lexie immune, though?" Jennifer asked. "Like Audrey?" "Okay." Lexie nodded. "I getcha. That's why I'm so important around here, huh? Alright, I'll go with Wings here, then." "No," Nathan said quickly. "Not alone." "Relax. I'm immune and he wants his boy back. We go in there, I grab the ticket out of this Tyler kid's hand, we get Duke back." Her smile grew. "And I get a free drink." She headed for Lucifer. "Come on, flyboy, I was listening to the police scanner in that ugly truck. I know where we'll probably find them."
Lucifer	"I hope you're more certain than maybe," Lucifer huffed, because again-- it was better than simmering in his terror instead.
Lexie & Tyler	"Relax, this place isn't that big. We'll find 'em." Lexie led the way into the hospital and immediately found a stairwell heading down. Like she knew this hospital pretty well. It didn't take long for them to find a dark hallway filled with the plastic sheeting that indicated construction and renovation. And in that hallway, a gurney, on which an unconscious, heavy set young man lay, clutching a piece of paper. Lexie started for him -- and froze when a voice came out of the dark. "You'll be dead before you ever get that thing out of my hand."
Lucifer	"Big words for someone who couldn't kill Octavia or me the only chance he'll ever get," Lucifer growled.
Tyler & Lexie	"You again," Tyler muttered. "What, this guy Duke your favorite rent boy or something?" "You really think by killing yourself, you'll be left in control of Duke's body?" Lexie asked. "Well, what if it doesn't work?" "What choice do I have?!" Tyler asked. "My body is ruined!" He pressed the ax head against his cheek. "There's no going back for me now. Maybe not for you two, either. How well do you know this guy? Is he worth dying for?" Lexie swallowed, eyes flicking from the ax to Tyler's face, to the body on the gurney. Then to Lucifer. They stayed on Lucifer just a beat longer than they probably should have for someone who didn't really know anything about him. Or for someone who didn't know anything about his boyfriend. Long enough to -- maybe -- be asking him to trust her.
Lucifer	He didn't know her. Why on Earth would he trust her? "That's my boyfriend you're trying to make off with, you reckless little dullard," Lucifer said, a fire back in his eyes, even if they hadn't quite turned red. "You really think I'm going to let you do anything that might endanger his life and ownership of that body?"
Tyler & Lexie	Dammit, Lucifer. Tyler blinked at that, frowning faintly. Duke had been quiet for ages now, since around when the chick had stabbed him in the leg. Why the hell was he piping up now? He smirked, though. "You know . . . Duke's in here with me," he said, rubbing his cheek on the ax head again, his eyes wide. "Listening, occasionally adding color commentary. . . . And even he thinks this is a good plan." Lexie made a faint gagging noise. "I -- I can't -- I'm sorry." She shrank back towards the doorway.
Lucifer	"Well, then perhaps he can also tell you I don't take kindly to people lying to me," Lucifer retorted. He took a step back, towards the fool's body, his eyes still on not-Duke, and not on the woman who allegedly looked like Audrey Parker. If she wanted to go, so be it.
Tyler	he doesn't like liars. It's part of why I love him. Duke's voice had grown small. Dull. Resigned. "Aww," Tyler said. "Aren't you two sweet." Then he lunged forward, plunging the ax into his original body's chest.
Lucifer	"No!" Tyler lunged. Lucifer lunged. For the axe? For the paper? Either? It was equally fruitless. Nonononononononononononono--
as;oe95r76yq23948h	Blood splattered across Tyler's face. Duke's face. It sat only for a moment before soaking in. Duke had learned to control this reaction, to the point where little more than his hands shook. Tyler was entirely unprepared. He reared back up, arms and hands cramping and contracting, as his eyes turned bright silver. His whole body shook as though in the grip of some sort of standing grand mal seizure. "Wh-what's happening to m-me?!"
Lucifer	"Duke's trouble," Lucifer said. Quiet. Would it erase Tyler? Or trap Duke inside his own body forever? The terror finally took hold over the anger, and he stared at Duke's body with wide, scared eyes. Please be okay.
aepo9a92qw3	"Duke's what." Lexie said. She was still huddled in the corner. "I-I can't control it," Tyler cried. He tried to yank away from his dying body, and stumbled into the wall, back arching. His throat spasmed, forcing out a few more strangled cries, and then he collapsed to the floor. ". . . Tyler?" Lexie asked in a small voice.
Lucifer	"Duke?" Lucifer asked simultaneously, louder, as he scrambled to get to the man's body. "Duke! Nononononono Duke..."
Duke & Lexie	"Relax, babe," Duke said, soft and rough. He reached for Lucifer in return. "It's me." "Oh god," Lexie said, moving back to give the two of them space.
Lucifer	In a minute, Lucifer would have a sly, punny retort for that particular phrase, but right now he had none. Just a loud, unsteady gasp, and his hand on Duke's cheek, leaning into him. Searching his face to make sure.
Duke & Lexie	"It's me," Duke said again. "It's me, it's me. Skaifaya, I'm okay." Well, there was still a pen in his leg, and he hadn't even come close to even realizing all the things he was going to need to process after all this. But other than that. "Was it true?" Lexie asked. "Were you really -- were you there, the whole time?" Duke looked up at her, swallowing, and nodded. "It was like I was a fly on my own wall."
Lucifer	Torture, was what that sounded like. "I'm sorry," Lucifer said, because-- because maybe if he hadn't run off over a dumb stalling plan then Duke wouldn't have-- He lifted Duke up off the floor, just because he could.
Duke & Lexie	Duke let out a soft noise, half-laugh, half-protest. "Not in front of her," he said, shifting to try to get his feet back under him. "Please, babe." Lexie politely looked away, pretending to examine the dead kid with the fucked up ax wound in his chest instead.
Lucifer	"You need medical attention," Lucifer said. He sounded barely on the right side of frantic, even as he let Duke slip out of his hands. "And Octavia's attention." Lexie really didn't matter in the slightest. She might as well have been a mop, or another stray gurney.
Duke & Lexie	Not to Lucifer, maybe. But she mattered a lot to Duke. Especially if what he was thinking about her turned out to be true. Though . . . not at this precise moment, not remembering when he'd last seen his natshana. "Tavi. Is she -- fuck, Tyler shot her." "Your boyfriend got her to a doctor," Lexie said, smirking faintly. It was her default mask. "If you're gonna get shot, might as well do it in a hospital."
Lucifer	"She'll be fine, she just needs to know you're back," Lucifer said. Focusing on that goal at least got the wild, competing feelings of-- leftover panic, relief, guilt, horror at nearly losing both of them in one day-- to settle down somewhere he could repress them. Fiercely.
Duke & Lexie	"Yeah," Duke said, his voice shaking a little. He started down the hall, then hissed, reaching back for Lucifer to use as a crutch. "Okay, but -- What actually just happened?" Lexie asked. "And what was going on with your eyes?" Duke sighed. "My family's trouble. When I kill a Troubled person, I kill their trouble too. When he died, Tyler couldn't control me anymore. He accidentally ended his own curse."
Lucifer	"And we're all bloody lucky it worked out that way." Lucifer didn't sound nearly as steady as his arm was when he reached out to help Duke. He rubbed absent-mindedly at the bullet hole Tyler had left with the other hand. "Now if you're done playing twenty questions, please excuse us."
Lexie & Duke	Lexie snorted. "Alright, whatever. Glad you're not dead, Duke." "Thanks, Lexie," Duke called back, glancing over his shoulder to flash her a tiny smile. "See you around." He leaned heavier against Lucifer, taking more weight off his stabbed leg, and let his boyfriend take him away to go find their Tavi.