seaoftroubles | The New Girl preplay

Directly off the end of last episode! Jordan decides to murder Nathan since Audrey isn't Audrey. There's a fight and lots of running and shouting. Eventually Lexi fires into the air to get everyone to stop. Duke says he can maybe clear things up if he talks to Vince, and gets Vince to agree to not kill Nathan right away so they can make Lexi fall in love with him and kill him instead.

So basically, DUKE STALLS LIKE WOAH

Vince decides the best way to get Lexi in love with Nathan is to have her tag along on a trouble investigation like Audrey did. They head out to a case where a kid flipped his lid and tried to kill his girlfriend on a date, only to end up locked in a freezer. Nathan, Lexi, and Duke go to face him down, and see him end up slitting his own throat.

Duke ends up leading the questioning of the kid's girlfriend, because Nathan is being all strong silent type. Signs point to a hospitalized kid named Tyler being involved, he's in the hospital because he was paralyzed in a big car accident both the victim and his girlfriend were also in. Lexi just wants food. Duke is all "Nathan, come on, I know you have no game BUT THIS IS THE WOMAN YOU LOVE. SORT OF."

Duke and Nathan question Tyler while Lexi goes to get a CT scan. Tyler says that he felt like he was out of control when Katie looked at him, like she's troubled. Nathan gives the kid his card, and then Duke gives him a little "prescription" for free drinks at the Gull.

Meanwhile, Katie throws herself in front of a car. Fun!

Duke gets Jennifer to go home for awhile. If anyone goes with her, they may get to see Jordan hit on Wade. If not . . . that'll just happen off screen. I'm guessing Luce and Tavi will be stuck to Duke for most of this?

Lexi says maybe it's Tyler because Josh and Katie were clearly getting it on behind his back. They all go back to the hospital, but find a dead orderly instead of Tyler. Duke goes to find a nurse -- this is where he gets possessed, and possibly where we start to go our own way because he has actual loved ones around who worry about him in our version.

Tyler-in-Duke sidetracks Lexi and Nathan and locks them in a walk in cooler. He tries to dodge Luce and Tavi too. I'm guessing it doesn't work well.

Perhaps they take him back to the Gull? He manages to get a minute alone with Wade to get the idea to kill his own body so he can stay in Duke's. He manages to get away from Luce and Tavi somehow and heads for the hospital, possibly with a very confused Jennifer in tow.

Lexi (and probably immune Lucifer?) heads in to deal with Tyler and keep him from murdering anyone, only to at the last minute "chicken out" and let Tyler try to kill his own body. This sets off Duke's trouble, which override's Tyler's trouble, saving Duke from the possession. Hurray!

Duke manages to pull Lexi aside at the Gull to point out that Audrey totally would have known what would have happened, and she admits to only pretending to be Lexi. Show ends here. Pretty sure Duke will want to stick around to try to clear things up/get rid of Wade, and this is where Lucifer and Octavia DRAG HIM BODILY HOME IF NECESSARY.

And then it's all over but the moody moody aftermath, mmmmmm

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

seaoftroubles

"Forget Crocker!" Jordan roared. "Get Wuornos!"

Nathan had followed Duke's orders and bolted down the hill, back towards the road. The Guardsmen poured after him, shouting the whole way. Duke started after them, determined to put himself between the guns and ex.

"Where am I?" Lexie asked.

"Maine," Jennifer said, flicking her a little smile. "Don't worry, after awhile you kind of get used to it!"

From:

okteiviakom

It was kind of sad how fast she'd gotten to the point where she could say that.

Octavia left dealing with Duke to Lucifer because she didn't really have any other choice while his trouble was active. So instead, she went with her second instinct of shielding Jennifer, although none of the Guardsmen seemed interested in her at all.

Or Audrey-who-wasn't-Audrey, which Octavia supposed showed just how single-minded they were being.

From:

my_own_advocate

Dealing with Duke who was running after multiple armed people he had no hopes of stopping even with his magical trouble powers? Sure. Lucifer could handle that.

If by 'handling' you meant his heart leaped up into his bloody throat, and he rushed forward with unnatural speed to grab Duke by his shirt. "Don't be a bloody idiot," he hissed.

It took less than the fwump of his unfurling wings to drag Duke upwards, into the sky.

From:

betterthanaplan

"Am I hallucinating or does that guy have wings?" Lexie hissed at Jennifer.

"You get used to that too," Jennifer assured her.

"Luce -- dammit, put me down!" Duke yelled. His trouble had worn off already, but he could see Nathan down below, tripping over his own numb damned feet. "They're going to kill him!"

From:

my_own_advocate

"And what, pray tell, do you think you'll be able to do to stop multiple people with guns?!" Lucifer snarled. "If you want to save him, come up with a saner plan!"

From:

betterthanaplan

He had a point. And Duke absolutely hated it.

Nathan was determined to get himself killed. If he couldn't do it by talking the woman he loved into sacrificing him. . . .

"Shit," he muttered. "Okay, I have another plan."

If it was saner or not was debatable.

From:

my_own_advocate

"Talk to me," Lucifer urged him, his gaze flicking back towards the others.

Well. Primarily Octavia, if he was honest.

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia was staring up at them.

... Right up until she realized there was movement behind her, and she turned, only to see Lexie heading for the trees, with Jennifer in tow.

She took off after them. "You don't want to go there!"

From:

seaoftroubles

"I'm sorry Nathan," Vince was saying -- and then Lexie fired Nathan's gun into the air.

"Jesus fuck!" Duke said, pulling his legs up to his chest, though thankfully the bullet didn't come anywhere near them. "Not while we're flying up here!"

"Okay, listen up, you lunatics!" she was shouting. "Move a muscle, lose your head. I know it doesn't seem like I know how to use this thing, but I do!"

Duke looked up at Lucifer. "No time. Trust me?"

From:

my_own_advocate

Oh for--

Lucifer pulled a face. "If I see you bolting towards them again I'm taking you back up," he snapped. But he did trust Duke. Mostly.

Maybe.

When Audrey wasn't involved.

He set Duke down on the ground gently regardless.

From:

betterthanaplan

Duke edged over carefully, watching the crowd, his hands up to show he was unarmed. And un . . . bloodied.

"What do you want, Lexie?" Vince asked.

"Ideally?" Lexie asked, aiming her gun at him. "A stiff drink and a reason why y'all are trying to blow away 'cheekbones' here."

"I'll take care of her," Jordan growled.

Lexie turned on her. "Listen, I know you're angry, honey, but I'm hoping you're not stupid too."

"Excuse me, Lexie!" Duke called, putting his hands up a bit higher as he got close. "Hi. My name is Duke. And, uh, I would actually prefer that they didn't shoot 'cheekbones' here either. Now, I think I can clear this whole thing up if I could just talk to this gentleman right over here." He gestured to Vince. "The, uh the big one."

Lexie looked from him to Vince with a frown, then nodded. "Okay."

"There's nothing more to say, Duke," Vince said. Duke gave him a sharp look, keeping his hands up. Well aware that Lucifer was ready to swoop in again if he looked at all like he might be throwing himself into danger.

"Really, Vince?" he asked. "Because everybody here still wants the troubles to end. And I think I know how."

From:

okteiviakom

This better be a good idea, Crocker. And by 'good', Octavia meant something that wouldn't put him at direct risk of anything.

She was watching this just as sharply as Lucifer was.

From:

my_own_advocate

"Well, get on with it," Lucifer said, as his feet touched the ground.

From:

betterthanaplan

"Forgive me for making sure no one starts shooting first," Duke grumbled. He'd made his way across to Vince. "Look. Okay. So we know that Audrey killing Nathan would end the troubles, because she loves him, right?"

"Yes?" Vince said, sounding impatient.

Duke gestured to Lexie with his head and lowered his voice. "So. We get her to fall in love with him and. . . ?"

Vince's expression cleared. "Of course. Do you think she will, though?"

Duke was not at all sure. He was stalling as hard as he possibly could while he figured out some other way out of all of this. "Nathan's a lovable guy."

Nathan, still on the ground where he'd fallen, glared around at everyone. Duke resisted the urge to kick him. Couldn't the man just play along for a hot minute?

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia was doing that thing where she was squinting towards Duke and Vince, as if that would help her hear better. It was to no avail - but she was standing right by Lexie, so maybe that was for the best.

Her eyes darted to Lucifer, with a question. He was closer and could probably hear them better, so, did he think it was something dumb and dangerous?

Edited Date: 2022-03-28 05:13 pm (UTC)

From:

my_own_advocate

The expression that made its way across Lucifer's face likely wouldn't be much help; 'peculiar' was the word for it. "Excuse me," he hissed, stepping closer. "Are you saying we should-- orchestrate some kind of love connection for the greater good?"

From:

betterthanaplan

And the look Duke gave him in return was wide, begging for Lucifer to just roll with it right now.

"To end the troubles," he said, "yes."

"Everyone stand down," Vince ordered. "You had best be right about this, Duke. Or the Guard won't just be here for Nathan."

"Oh trust me, Vince, I am well aware."

Edited Date: 2022-03-28 05:27 pm (UTC)

From:

okteiviakom

None of the expressions Octavia was catching were particularly encouraging.

So all of this was boding well.

From:

my_own_advocate

Lucifer said nothing else.

His eye, on the other hand, had developed a familiar, tell-tale twitch.

From:

betterthanaplan

"Get Wuornos and the girl secured," Vince ordered. "Duke, come with me. We have business to discuss."

"Goody," Duke said with a sigh. He flicked his partners a faint, apologetic smile. "This all just. Keeps getting better, doesn't it."

Maybe, if they were very lucky, some meteors would fall again and wipe them all out.

From:

my_own_advocate

"Duke," Lucifer said, and paused, and then added, "And Octavia, a moment, please?"

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia gave Lexie a sideways glance as she stepped past her, to go join Lucifer and Duke.

She was done waving the gun around, right?

From:

betterthanaplan

Lexie was happy to stop waving the gun around, so long as no one else was going to wave theirs around, either. She shot the brunette a little smirk and waved her off.

Duke nodded and started towards him. Vince grabbed his arm.

"Duke," he hissed.

"Relax, big guy," Duke assured him. "If I try to run, shoot me."

Vince harrumphed and let go. Duke headed for Lucifer again.

From:

my_own_advocate

Lucifer waited exactly as long as Duke needed to get within hissing earshot.

"Are you bloody mad?" he-- hissed, yes. "You're going to manipulate that poor empty-headed vessel into falling in love with that charisma-void of a man? What, do you think she comes pre-programmed to fall for his unique combination of bricklike face with a complete lack of a personality?"