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Vaggie couldn't believe she had to explain why the commercial was bad and why using Angel's talents was also bad. While redeeming sinners addicted to Lust would be fantastic, the point was for those sinners to come seeking a way to break that addiction, not make their wildest fantasy come true with Pride's most famous porn star. Seriously, it wasn't rocket science...
"Vaggieholyshit!" Charlie shouted from around the corner.
"Ah! What?!" Was there danger?
The barely restrained grin on Charlie's face as she frantically waved her girlfriend over put Vaggie's heart at ease. Nothing dangerous, just Charlie being excitable. Good. Shooting one more glare at the group to get them to behave, Vaggie made her way over. "What's going on?" she asked.
Charlie, fighting hyperventilation, said, "My dad just called. He said the leader of the angel army... wants to meet. He asked if I... could go... instead."
The leader of the angel army? As in Adam? What would that bloviating fuck want to meet about? "But the Extermination just happened," Vaggie muttered, working through some of her thoughts aloud. "What could they want this soon after-?"
Before she could get the question out, Charlie was already in song mode. Oh no. "I can do this. Somehow I know it. I'll get Heaven behind my plan."
Vaggie needed to stop her before she got ahead of herself. "Charlie, hold on."
Adept at using the music to avoid being stopped, Charlie practically skipped away from Vaggie's outstretched hand, excitement building in her chest. This was it! "There's just no way I could blow it. Not this once in a lifetime chance."
"It's just a meeting." They couldn't get ahead of themselves. Who knew why that disgusting pig wanted to meet with them?
"To change their minds, and touch their hearts, or whatever Angels have."
Okay, that one stung a little, but Vaggie let it go in favor of the more pressing issues. "This could be bad." Not could. This would. This would be very bad.
Charlie returned to her girlfriend's side, her smile softening momentarily as she took her girlfriend's hands in her own. "Cheer up, Vaggie. This could be swell. Something tells me that today will be a happy day in Hell!"
Vaggie couldn't argue with the optimism, at least. "Okay, just don't sing to them."
"I make no promises!" Charlie chirped, keeping one hand in Vaggie's as she tugged her toward the door. "Now come on, let's go!"
What? Fucking what? Vaggie dug her heels in immediately. "Wait, you want... me to... join you?" Oh no. No, no, no, please no.
"Well of course!" Charlie snorted, unaware of her girlfriend's panic. "We're partners, remember? We started this together, we have to pitch it together!"
"I-I dunno," Vaggie rubbed her neck anxiously, trying not to let on just how much she didn't want to go. "M-maybe this is a just you sorta thing?"
Charlie's smile fell and she properly looked at the smaller woman. Vaggie looked smaller than usual, in that way she did when she wasn't feeling certain of her abilities. Charlie had seen it a handful of times before, but that should have been in the past. If seeing a couple of snooty angels made her girlfriend upset, Charlie knew exactly what to do.
Taking her love's hand, Charlie said, in as serious a tone as she could, "Vaggie, I promise you, I won't let those angels lay a single hand on you while we're there, alright? I swear. You'll be safe with me."
Vaggie glanced at the others for assistance and all three of them simply gave her blank stares in return. Of course they were of no help. Dead weight, all of them. With a heavy sigh, Vaggie nodded. "Okay, yeah, alright. I'll go with you. Just so you have backup in case they try anything."
Spinning on the rest of the group, she growled, "I expect there to be a better commercial waiting for us when I get back or so help me, I'm skewering all of you."
Charlie squealed excitedly and practically bounded out the door, Vaggie's hand clutched tightly in her own as she sang about the wonders of Hell. Vaggie simply held on and tugged Charlie away from anything potentially dangerous, like peeping in windows, stepping on corpses, and cannibals.
As they neared the office building, Vaggie growled at anything and everyone who so much as looked in their direction. The second that disgusting slug opened his jacket, her spear was in hand and Charlie actively dragged her away from him before she could do any damage. Grumbling to herself, Vaggie accompanied Charlie up the steps and into the building.
Anxiety tore at her chest the second she stepped inside. She remembered hearing about this place from Lute and Adam whenever they returned from a meeting with Lucifer. Now that she was here, on the opposite side of the fence, there was nothing to keep the fear from chomping at her. She couldn't do this. She couldn't go in there. Even if her hair was longer, they would recognize her. They would remember what they did to her. They would blab the whole thing to Charlie without a second thought. She couldn't- Vaggie fought to breathe. She couldn't lose the one good thing to finally happen to her in her life.
Biting her lip as hard as she could without drawing blood, Vaggie reached out and stopped Charlie from moving beyond the front entrance. The building was lit with gold instead of Pride's usual red. It was basically just the two of them. Good.
"Charlie?"
Charlie paused and turned to look at her girlfriend in confusion. "Vaggie? Are you okay? You look clammy..." She cradled Vaggie's cheek in her hand, brows furrowing at the sweat that met her fingers.
"I'm fine, I-I just-." Vaggie fought to even her breathing. Hyperventilating was Charlie's thing, not hers. She couldn't pass out, not now. She was already here. "P-promise me you won't listen to anything they say about me?"
Red eyes blinked down at her, even more confused than before. "What?"
"The angels we meet," Vaggie clarified. "Promise me, you won't listen to anything they say about me. Please?"
"What are you talking about?" Charlie asked, pulling Vaggie closer, almost protectively. "I know they probably insult sinners up there, but I can keep my cool long enough to-."
"No, Charlie, that's not what I mean! I-!" Vaggie heaved a deep breath, shaking in her girlfriend's embrace. "There are some things I need to tell you, that I haven't told you, th-that I don't have time to tell you right now."
Charlie's eyes widened and Vaggie flinched at the inklings of hurt in her gaze. Secrets were things they didn't really do unless it was for surprises. Charlie was always so open, but Vaggie couldn't... she couldn't be that. Not before.
"Please, if you won't promise not to listen to them, at least- at least promise to hear me out after the meeting is over? Please?"
There was a heavy pause between them. Charlie surveyed her girlfriend, trying to figure out what could have Vaggie so upset at the prospect of Charlie meeting the angels. She was a sinner, after all. Maybe it had to do with how she was found? They might talk shit because she managed to fend off one of their oh-so-spectacular Exorcists long enough to get away. Well, if they were going to be petty, she was going to take the high road. Vaggie was practically begging for her support right now, so Charlie was going to give it.
"Alright," she said. "I promise. No matter what I hear in there, no matter what they say, I'll wait for you to talk to me about it before deciding how to react. Okay?"
She held up her hand and Vaggie took it with a soft breath of relief. "Okay. Thank you."
"Of course," Charlie cooed. "Now come on! We've got a meeting to get to!"
Reassured that Charlie wouldn't drop her the second her former coworkers recognized her, Vaggie followed the princess through the golden-lit atrium. She knew Extermination just happened, but where were all the bureaucrats? This was supposed to be Hell, where were the paper pushers? Weird.
"Hello?" Charlie called. The room echoed and there was, of course, no answer. "Creepy," she muttered. Vaggie's hand slipped into hers immediately. If it was gonna be creepy, they were gonna stick together.
Charlie shot her a smile and tapped the bell at the front desk. A golden sheet of paper flew down, asking for a sign-in. Vaggie checked it to make sure it wasn't a trap before nodding to Charlie. The princess signed her name with a flourish and the page disappeared.
Just as quickly, one of the meeting room doors opened. As soon as it did, Vaggie tensed. This was really going to happen. They were going in there together, and she was going to see two of the people indirectly responsible for her deepest fear and the greatest thing to ever happen to her. Charlie noticed her hesitation and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Whatever happens, we face it together, right?" she whispered.
"Right," Vaggie replied, returning the squeeze before letting their hands slip apart.
They took a moment to make sure they looked their best before Charlie stepped forward first and entered the room. "Why's it so dark in here?" she mumbled, glancing around.
"'Sup," a voice said as the lights suddenly flashed on.
"Whoa, shit!" Vaggie caught Charlie before she could fall. As much as she hated it, she used Charlie's body to shield her own from sight, not quite ready to face her former boss yet.
Charlie shot her a quick glance in thanks before straightening up. "Oh, uh, hi! My name's Charlie. My dad asked me to meet you!"
"Yeah, I know," the angel in the chair responded indifferently.
"Well, uh, it's nice to meet you!" Charlie held out her hand and Vaggie watched Adam from her shadow. If he so much as grazed her the wrong way, she would shove her spear up his-
Charlie's hand went right through his.
"Ha! I fucking got you!" Adam chortled. He turned to Lute with a massive grin. "Did you fuckin' see that shit?" She gave a curt nod and Vaggie rolled her eye. Just as juvenile as ever, and just as ass-kissy as ever.
"Wait, so you're not here?" Charlie asked, puzzled.
"No. You think I'd come down there?" Adam snorted. "I mean, I love the vibes and the tunes are hardcore, but everything down there's such a bummer." He laid his cheek on the table to emphasize before shaking his hands as if ridding them of dirt. "Ew."
"Right," Charlie murmured. She could let that slide. "So, I'm happy we got this opportunity to meet. There's a project I've been working on that I really wanna talk to you about-."
Before she could say anymore, a holographic finger was on her lips. Vaggie almost revealed herself right then and there. If he had really been present, she would've cut his fucking hand off! No one touched Charlie like that, especially without her permission.
"Whoa, hey, hey, slow down," Adam chuckled. "We've got time. How 'bout we get to know each other a little, mm? How 'bout some lunch?"
Charlie didn't get a chance to respond before a plate of ribs was held up before her. "Here's my personal favorite," Adam said with a proud grin. "You'll love it."
"Uh, thanks," Charlie said.
Vaggie reached out to tug her sleeve before she could reach for the plate. Charlie glanced back and Vaggie shook her head. "Hologram," she mouthed.
Charlie blinked and nodded. "Actually, you go ahead, I'm technically hosting you, after all."
"Damn," Adam muttered, sulking back. "Was so excited for that one." He sat back and sighed. "Well, guess I can tell ya about myself since we're gettin' acquainted and all. See, I do rock guitar up in Heaven on my off time, right?"
Vaggie immediately pulled up one of the chairs for Charlie to sit in. "This is gonna be a while," she whispered. "He seems the type to love hearing his own voice and talking about himself."
"It might give us an in, though," Charlie tried as she took the seat.
Vaggie smiled at her optimism and remained behind the chair. She wasn't interested in listening to Adam blow the usual hot air, but she also wasn't blowing her cover just yet. Charlie deserved to make her pitch before Vaggie got exposed.
Hell, she thought, leaning against the back of the chair instead of taking a seat of her own. With how much Adam loves talking about himself, maybe I won't even have to show myself at all.
Twenty minutes went by with Adam detailing his mediocre exploits as a rockstar and Vaggie felt like she was dying. Charlie could practically feel her brain oozing from her ears as he went on about some woman he desperately wanted to bang. They had literally just met and all he could talk about was his dick. Why could all this random angel talk about was his dick? She reached behind her and Vaggie's hand immediately slid into hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She wasn't suffering alone, at least.
"...and for some fuckin' reason, this virtue chick was diggin' on the drummer. And I was like, do you know who I am?"
Vaggie leaned her head back against the chair and mouthed the words along with him. She knew Lute would be too if she wasn't standing directly next to the man. "I'm fucking Adam. I'm the original dick. All dicks descend from me. You think you want drummer dick?"
And that's where Lute shakes her head as if she's listening to a single word out of his mouth, Vaggie grumbled, rolling her eye.
"I'm the dick fuckin' master," Adam huffed, grabbing up another rib. "So, anyway, and we fucked and it was awesome. How was your weekend?"
"Wait, your name is Adam?" Charlie asked. Her brain finally clued back in now that his irritating, incessant voice wasn't droning on. Rockstar, her ass. "As in 'the first man' Adam?" Her eyes widened. "That means you-! Ohhhh. That explains so much." Vaggie stifled a snicker and patted Charlie's thigh reassuringly.
"I know, I fuckin' rock." Adam continued his ribs and Charlie nearly rolled her eyes. Vaggie didn't bother stopping her own eye roll. No wonder humanity was so fucked up...
Charlie recovered from the brainrot first and said, "Well, Adam, sir, Mr. Adam, sir..."
"Call me, Dickmaster," Adam smirked.
"Adam," Charlie said firmly. Vaggie stifled another laugh. "You seem like a smart- well, stand up guy." Vaggie was struggling now. "And I know you are the leader of the angels, and you're a big thinker, a revolutionary, a- a..." Charlie was struggling but in a different way than her currently-wheezing girlfriend. "A genius!"
"I mean, your words, babe," Adam chortled.
"Who would really love to put his name on something?" Charlie pressed. She almost had him. She was almost there!
"Fuckin' love puttin' my name on shit!" Adam exclaimed, standing. He was on the edge of his seat. He thought this chick would be a stiff like her dad, but she was already speaking his language, let's fucking go! "Shit's the best!"
"It's a solution to our biggest problem!" Charlie chirped. A little more!
"Oh, herpes," Adam muttered, sinking back down. "Yeah, that's a bitch."
"No!"
Vaggie would roll around on the floor if she didn't have an image to uphold. Her laughter was near silent, but breathing was difficult. Holy shit, Adam was just as much of a dumbass as she remembered! Fuck!
As Adam listed multiple things that he considered issues, Vaggie could imagine the expression on Charlie's face. If she could, she would pick her girlfriend up and just leave the room. If not for this pitch being necessary for Charlie's dream, she'd do it without hesitation. She might even call Lucifer up himself and demand he never make Charlie sit through this asshole's nonsense again if the thought of talking to the literal King of Hell didn't scare her so much.
"...then when you take her out for the fifth time and she still expects you to pay the check-!" And there was another of his misogynistic rants about equality. Vaggie couldn't remember the number of times she told him to just split the damn check. The idiot thought it beneath him.
Finally, Charlie exploded. "No! Our shared problem of overpopulation in Hell!" Why was this guy the single most annoying person she'd ever met? No wonder her mom left this guy, fuck! She'd leave him, too. Every woman should leave this asshole, for fuck's sake!
"Ohhh!" Adam took a moment before snorting. "That's not a problem! We got that covered. Lute, how many demons did you kill this year?"
"Got a good 275 this year, sir," Lute responded.
Just hearing her voice sent a visceral reaction through Vaggie. She immediately stood, pressing closer to the chair. Even though Lute wasn't physically present, Charlie being anywhere near a holographic version of her was enough to make Vaggie's hair stand on end. She gripped her spear quickly, ready to use it to defend Charlie where she had failed to defend herself all those years ago.
"Whoa! 275! Awesome job, Danger Tits. Pound it." As Adam spoke, Vaggie vaguely wondered if the two had slept together yet. She doubted it. Adam saw Lute as one of the guys. Really, he looked at a lot of the Exorcists that way, but Lute was especially close with him. Always had been. Bloodthirsty asskissing bitch.
"No, not awesome," Charlie corrected, still trying to be polite. "Those are my people, you know that, right?"
Adam feigned empathy for about two seconds before his grin was back in place. Seriously, why couldn't this bitch take a hint. He was having a great time digging at her, though, he wouldn't lie. His future meetings would definitely have to involve her and her weird, shadow minion or whatever it was behind her chair.
"But these are souls," Charlie pointed out. Vaggie reached around to clasp her hand for comfort. "Human souls, just the same as you have in Heaven."
"They are not the same," Lute said curtly. "They had their chance and earned damnation."
"You're wrong," Charlie replied just as quickly. "Sinners made mistakes, sure, but everyone makes mistakes!"
"Angels don't make mistakes," Lute growled.
A sharp edge entered Charlie's voice as she huffed, "You really believe that?"
"I know that." Lute didn't like just how uppity this demon tart was getting.
Adam cut in once again. "Yeah, I've never made a mistake in my fucking life!"
Charlie cast a glance behind her and didn't even have to see through the chair to know Vaggie was looking right back at her with the exact same expression. This motherfucker really just told the daughter of Lucifer that he doesn't make mistakes. With a completely straight face. Literally, no wonder both of his wives left him as soon as they got the chance.
"The only reason you're still here is because Daddy gave you and your hellborn kind a pardon from an Exorcist blade." Lute's voice drew closer and Vaggie almost shrank down in fright. She wouldn't just lie down and die this time, though. Charlie was her top priority, always. "How does that feel? To know how little you matter?"
The spear tip poised at the Exorcist's throat. Vaggie didn't care if Lute wasn't really there. She didn't care that she just blew her cover. No one- Fucking no one spoke to Charlie that way.
"Watch your motherfucking tongue before I come up there and rip it from your filthy, disgusting lips," Vaggie snarled, glaring right into the mask of her greatest tormentor.
"What the fuck?" Lute hissed, stepping back at the sight of someone standing eye level with her and waving a weapon in her face.
Neither she nor Vaggie got the chance to say much more because Adam actually spat some of his ribs out in shock. "Whoa whoa whoa!" he shouted, leaning forward on the table. "Is that fuckin' Vagasaurus?!"
Vaggie didn't remove her blade from Lute's throat, but she did send a scathing glare at her former boss. "Adam."
"No. Fucking. Way!" Adam cheered as he sauntered closer. "I can't believe it's really you, bitch!"
"The disgusting filth still lives," Lute hummed, stepping away from the spearhead. She was a hologram, it couldn't hurt her anyway, but she didn't want to be near a failure.
Charlie tensed. This must have been what Vaggie was talking about. Whatever was about to go down, she took a calming breath and internally repeated her promise.
"How ya been, ya worthless piece'a shit?" Adam chirped, feigning clapping Vaggie on the back. "Ain't seen ya since ya fucked up, right?"
Fucked up? Charlie glanced at Vaggie. Fucked up how? Fighting an Exorcist? She couldn't help her curiosity as she asked, "What are you talking about?"
Adam and Lute laughed as Vaggie stared at the ground in shame. "Haha!" Adam howled. "Right, right! I bet ya wouldn't tell all these nasty wastes of space about your exploits before we grounded ya, huh?"
He spun toward Charlie, his grin absolutely massive. "Hey, Hottie, would you believe that this bitch here was one of the top Exorcists in Heaven?" Charlie tensed immediately, her eyes flicking to her silent girlfriend. "She slaughtered more sinners than even I did sometimes. It was a marvel, lemme tell ya, a real masterpiece." Vaggie's silence spoke volumes more than Adam's words ever could. "Her numbers were so big, we sometimes feasted in her honor, after me of course, but you get it."
The Exorcist General turned his attention back to Vaggie. "Sucks you had to slip up the way you did."
Vaggie's eye narrowed on him. "It wasn't a slip-up. That was a child, I let go."
"Uh, yeah? Which is against the rules." Adam leaned closer, invading Vaggie's space as he sneered at her. Without even thinking, Charlie stepped to her side, lips set in a growl as she glared at him.
Adam ignored her as he focused on Vaggie. "We don't care who they are, bitch. We see'em, we slaughter'em, you knew that. No matter what they are, if they ain't in Heaven, they don't deserve to live. Simple as."
"Well, I didn't break any fucking rules," Vaggie snapped. "I checked back with that kid after you assholes left me for dead. It was a hellborn. You know, the things we're not supposed to kill?"
Lute sniffed indifferently. "You wouldn't have known that if you had just done your job."
A soft growl built in Vaggie's chest. Just listening to Lute's voice and seeing her stupid fucking posture and suck up attitude triggered something violent. Vaggie wanted nothing more than to rip her mask off and beat her face in.
"What the fuck ever," she finally gritted out, lowering her spear completely. "This fucking meeting isn't about me. Charlie has something to discuss with you freakish assholes, so just fucking let her talk a sec."
Adam and Lute rolled their eyes and settled back down. Charlie looked to Vaggie for a brief moment, several different emotions swirling in her eyes as she tried to get back on track. It was so much information in such a little time, and she had exactly zero time to properly process.
"Don't worry, you've got this," Vaggie told her. "Even if they are dick-eating fuckheads."
"We can hear you," Lute growled.
Vaggie flipped her off. "Good."
Charlie took a calming breath and pressed her hand against Vaggie's shoulder before returning her attention to Adam. It was a sign of reassurance, but also a promise to talk once everything was finished.
"Well, that... isn't good," Vaggie muttered, staring at the closed door.
Standing, she brushed herself off and made her way over to Charlie. With the barest hesitation, she extended a hand to help the princess up. To her relief, Charlie took it with the same certainty she had shown throughout their relationship. The pair made their way from the building. Naturally, everything was still just as on fire as when they first arrived.
The trip home was quiet as Vaggie tried not to fidget and Charlie tried not to think. She didn't want to think about how Extermination Day was coming six months early. Or that Adam had refused to even hear her plan out. Or that her girlfriend, the person she trusted more than anyone else, the one who had encouraged her dream and stuck beside her through the entire process up to this point... was the very thing she was fighting against.
Charlie couldn't help it. She cast a quick sidelong glance to Vaggie and asked, in a small voice, "Is it... true...?"
Vaggie flinched. She knew this line of questioning was bound to come about after the meeting. She had made Charlie promise to hear her out, but talking about it was... It was so hard and she'd barely said anything on it. Before she could stop herself, Vaggie hurried to apologize in the hopes it would lighten whatever punishment Charlie deemed worthy.
"Charlie, I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I-."
Charlie shook her head. "Did you really get cast out for sparing the life of a child?"
Vaggie blinked up at her in surprise. "I, uh... Yeah. Exorcists... we're not like the others in Heaven. Sure there are dicks and assholes up there, but most people are sort of nice. But we couldn't be that. We were soldiers, murderers. We were trained to be bloodthirsty killing machines that took down anything in sight, no matter the age or affiliation."
"That's..." Charlie's heart broke. She couldn't imagine the woman beside her being anything other than soft and loving. Sure, Vaggie threatened anything that threatened Charlie's safety, and she tended to be on the rougher side with everyone else in Hell. But to Charlie herself, she had been nothing but kind and gentle. "When...?"
"The year you found me," Vaggie responded, staring down at the ground. "He was just a kid I cornered in an alleyway. I never killed children. I always went after adults during Exterminations. When I realized he was a kid, I told him to run and... Lute saw." Vaggie's arms wrapped around her torso as she recounted the best and worst night of her life. "She'd always hated me. She hated how high my numbers always were after an Extermination, and we never really saw eye-to-eye when it came to the mindless killing. Fitting that she took mine out, barbaric bitch."
"She's the one who took your eye?" Charlie gasped.
Vaggie nodded, fighting the flashbacks and the phantom pains that always arose when thinking about that night. "She cut it out and... ripped off my wings. Adam came by while I bled out and, after finding out what happened, he took my halo. They just... they left me for dead down here."
They were nearing the hotel by this point. It was coming up just down the street. Charlie stared at the ground as Vaggie fought not to fidget once more. "Why..." Charlie swallowed back tears. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
That was it. The question Vaggie was most scared of. She clasped her hands tightly as she rasped, "I was afraid... you would hate me. I was afraid I would... lose you. That you would see me and think I was just the same as the rest of those monsters... and never want to see me again..." She took a shaky breath. "Even when we started all this, I... I wanted to tell you, but... I couldn't shake the fear."
Charlie stopped them outside the hotel's gate, turning to clasp Vaggie's hands. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. Vaggie tensed, preparing for the worst. "I'm sorry I ever made you feel like you couldn't trust me. I never want you to feel that way, Vaggie, especially about who you are."
"No." Vaggie reached up, using one hand to cradle Charlie's cheek. "No, Charlie, it wasn't you. I've known since the day we met how kind and considerate and forgiving you are. It wasn't you. It was my own worries and fears. I... didn't want to admit how awful of a person I used to be." Her thumb stroked Charlie's cheekbone. "I didn't want to admit to how much pain I had caused you."
"You hurt me," Charlie whispered. She covered Vaggie's hand with her own. "But you're trying to do better, aren't you? You're not the same person you were before I found you." She nuzzled her girlfriend's hand and Vaggie felt hope fill her chest. "I won't pretend it's not upsetting to know you've killed so many of my people, but you aren't doing that now. You've changed and you're helping me get sinners to Heaven. You're helping the very people you used to slaughter." Her smile softened. "That's got to count for something, right?"
Tears coated Vaggie's eye and she leaned up to press her face into Charlie's shoulder. "I really am sorry," she whispered.
"I know," Charlie cooed back. "And I'm not leaving you. I promise."
They remained that way, letting the world melt away. Vaggie nuzzled against the shoulder of the best thing to ever happen in her life. Charlie stroked the hair of her very first success. For a few brief moments, there was no Adam, no Extermination, and no pushed up deadline. There were no sinners, or fires, or even Hell. There was just the two of them, reaffirming their love for one another and their resolve to make the hotel not only work, but work well enough to send Adam and all his bloodthirsty murder machines packing by next Extermination Day.
Maybe they thought Hell was forever. With Vaggie by her side, Charlie knew they could prove that wrong.