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Chapter Text

The first thing that Vaggie felt was pain.

Pain, and a deep sense of panic upon noticing how dark it was. She couldn't see, she felt something covering her remaining eye.

Only, she couldn't really feel that eye. Even through the intense waves of pain she could feel how the right side of her face felt just as hollow as the left.

She was laying on something soft, a bed, she was assuming. Her head was pounding in agony, her good eye stinging with a familiar, hollow pain. Her shoulders were sore, probably insanely bruised. Her left arm was wrapped in a sling, her right being bandaged from the hand to the elbow. She could feel that her wings were bound and that her torso was also wrapped tightly in bandages. Her right leg was being suspended by the ceiling, her left knee wrapped in thick padding.

What happened? Was it numbing medicine? Was this a dream? How did she get so injured? Where was Charlie? Was she hurt? Had Adam taken her? Had Lute gone after her as well? Were they winning the fight? She began shifting, well, shifting as much as she could in her bedridden state, panic swirling in her chest. She needed to know what was happening.

Her scuffle seemed to notify a nearby presence. She heard light footsteps walk quickly over to her. Vaggie tensed, not being able to see the potential attacker. The tension melted when she felt a familiar hand slip into hers.

“Easy, Vaggie. It's me, Charlie. You're okay. Everything's okay.” Vaggie turned to where the voice was coming from her right. Charlie gently squeezed her bandaged hand.

“Charlie…” her voice cracked from lack of use. How long has she been stuck like this? “W-what’s going on? Are…are you okay? Did we win?” Charlie gently rubbed her thumb over the back of Vaggie’s hand, caressing the stinging area.

“I'm okay, just some cuts and bruises. But you…you got hurt, Vaggie. Really, really, hurt.” Charlie had to fight back the sob that was bubbling in her throat. She dreaded the question she knew she needed to ask next. “How…h-how much do you remember…from the fight, I mean?”

Vaggie contemplated. She remembered Dazzle being struck down. She remembered fighting Lute, getting thrown around a bit, before eventually getting pinned. A stabbing pain in her hand, the hand being held by Charlie, was her most recent memory of the fight.

“I…I remember Dazzle…and fighting Lute. She stabbed my hand before…before she…” Like a switch, the memories seemed to flood back in quick succession, overwhelming her. “She…”

Vaggie screamed as Lute shoved her spear clean through her hand. She barely registered Lute’s taunt, flashing back to the first time the exorcist had attacked her.

“So, I'll spare you the pain of seeing your demon bitch die.” Vaggie opened her eye, looking for a way out. She couldn't let Lute get to Charlie, she had to disarm her, somehow…wait.

With a new spike of adrenaline, she grabbed her spear with her remaining hand, plucked it from her trapped one, and shifted her weight to flip over and thrust the spear forward, straight through Lute’s left arm.

Lute screamed in agony and backed off as the severed limb fell from its place. Vaggie used this opportunity to stand back up, using her spear to rip the back of her outfit, allowing her wings to pop out. She flew up for the height and speed advantage, before shooting rapidly towards the dazed exorcist, hoping to finish this fight once and for all.

But Lute was ready. Despite the pure agony emanating from her shoulder, she was able to see the traitors' next attack. She quickly dodged to the side with her own wings before grabbing the spear with her remaining hand and kicking Vaggie in the stomach. Vaggie, her grip already being weakened due to the wound in her hand, slipped and fell back down to the ground.

Lute stomped on top of her before she could get up again, breaking a couple ribs in the process. Vaggie wheezed as her breath was taken from her. Lute sneered behind her mask.

“I never understood what Adam saw in you. You were always a pathetic little mole. And now, I'll make sure that you'll be as blind as one, too.” Vaggie couldn't even open her mouth before a familiar white hot pain ran through her remaining eye. She suddenly couldn't see, blackness encasing her vision. She screamed in agony as she felt gold ichor run down her face, mixing with the cuts on her face she sustained and her bloody nose. Lute stabbed her again, this time through the stomach, before leaving her to die.

The last thing Vaggie heard before passing out was Charlie's agonized scream, and Lute's sinister laugh.

“She…oh God, she…oh my God…I…my…she-” words failed her as her hand slipped from Charlie's to feel the bandage on her remaining eye…or…the gaping hole that once was her eye.

Lute cut her eye out. Again. She was blind. She had no eyes to see. She would never be able to see again. She would never see Charlie again. She wouldn't be able to look at her loving eyes, her adorable little nose, her beautifully contagious smile, her wonderful rosy cheeks, her lovely blonde hair, her perfect figure, her enchanting demon form…never again.

Her breathing began to quicken, only causing more pain as she aggravated her broken ribs. What was she going to do? How could she possibly live like this? She was essentially worthless now. How could Charlie still love her? She could feel a sob clawing at her throat, and yet no tears threatened to fall. They couldn't fall. It was impossible. She was so pathetic that she couldn't even cry properly now.

“Vaggie, breathe. You need to breathe sweetie, you're going to hurt yourself. Breathe with me. Follow my lead.” Charlie wasn't sure how to get her to match her breathing, since Vaggie couldn't see the movement of her chest. She settled for placing her hands on Vaggie's elbows, slowly moving them up to her shoulders with each inhale, and then back down on the exhale. She continued until Vaggie could breathe without wincing. “I know this is a lot to take in, and I'm so, so sorry that I wasn't there to protect you, but I promise that I'll do everything to help you. We'll work through this together, okay?” She squeezed Vaggie's damaged hand once again.

Vaggie nodded before taking a few more deep breaths, well, as deep as she could. “Okay…what happened after? How did I…” She gestured to her bandaged body, wincing as she felt a spike of pain in her back.

Charlie grimaced, not that Vaggie could see. “Well, first, my dad showed up…”

The entire group watched in utter shock as Adam fell, revealing Nifty as his killer. Charlie then noticed the absence of one member. Where was Vaggie? She has been fighting Lute, but Lute was here, grieving over Adam's body.

“Vaggie?” As the angles retreated, Charlie rushed to the rubble of the hotel. Had Vaggie been crushed? How bad had the fight been if Lute was missing an arm and yet she was the one who escaped? Panic quickly seized Charlie, and soon she was running through the wreckage, looking for any sign of her beloved. “VAGGIE?”

She stopped when she saw an eyeball. Not just any eyeball, it was the same eye she gazed into every morning, every night, every time she needed comfort, every instance she wasn't busy, she was looking into that beautiful eye. Oh God no…

“VAGGIE? ARE YOU THERE? PLEASE ANSWER!” She followed the trail of blood the eye left behind to a large pile of rubble, a familiar hand sticking out. God please no…

“NO!” Charlie wailed as she dug through the pile, hoping it wasn't too late to save her love. She had already lost Pentious and Dazzle; she refused to lose Vaggie too. “Please, please be okay, please.” She finished uncovering the pile and sobbed at the heart wrenching sight.

Her girlfriend, her angel, her Vaggie, laid there, broken beyond belief. Her bones jutted out at odd angles, her wings damn near unrecognizable, large gashes and cuts littering her perfect body, her own spear sticking out of her like another limb. The handle had been broken in the destruction. And her face, dear God her face...

Her cheek and forehead were littered with gashes. Her nose was broken and leaking blood. Her bangs had fallen to the side revealing that her eye patch had slipped off slightly, barely exposing the void that was her missing eye. Her right eye was leaking golden ichor, and Charlie was flashing back to the first day she had met Vaggie, the same situation, only now both of her eyes were gone.

She nearly threw up at the sight of her mangled partner, moving to cradle her in her lap and feel for a pulse. At this point, everyone else had gathered around, horrified at the sight of what happened to their commander.

“Vaggie, please.” Charlie was openly sobbing. “Please come back to me…I need you…I can't do this without you…please.” Then, she heard it, a very faint thump from Vaggie's chest. A heart beat. Charlie sobbed with relief, before turning back to the crowd. “She's alive, but she needs help. Now.” Lucifer quickly rushed over.

“I can't do much, but hopefully this'll hold her over till we can get proper medical supplies.” He waved his hand, angelic sparkles wrapping around his wrist, and Vaggie began to glow ever so slightly. Charlie noticed how the hole in Vaggie's stomach had closed, preventing more blood from leaking out, and some of the minor wounds, like the cuts on her face, were healed.

Charlie sighed in mild relief. “Thanks dad, but we need to rebuild. Quickly, or she won't last long enough.” Lucifer managed a grin before KeeKee transformed into a much larger key.

“Well, you heard the lady, let's get to work!”

“We managed to rebuild in a day, you've been unconscious for 3. I was really worried that you would fall into a deep coma…but luckily you pulled through.” Charlie wished Vaggie could see the smile on her face, her smile always reassured Vaggie, always alleviated the tension in her shoulders, always made her feel safe.

Vaggie sat in silence, taking the time to process this new information. Charlie sat patiently, her thumb still stroking her injured hand. She noticed how Vaggie was shaking, and brought the hand up to her lips, kissing it.

Vaggie was terrified. She couldn't see for God's sake. She had no idea if Charlie was downplaying her own injuries or not. What if Lute came back, and she was powerless to help? What if she couldn't adjust? What if she began to forget what things looked like? What Charlie looked like? She couldn't bear that thought. Overwhelmed with physical and emotional pain, began to sob without tears.

Charlie immediately moved to hug her. She stroked her hair and rocked her gently as Vaggie sobbed into her chest. She whispered sweet nothings and silent promises, saying that things would be okay, that they'll figure this out together, that she loves her more than anything.

Vaggie eventually exhausted herself and cried herself to sleep while cuddled in Charlie's arms. Charlie refused to let go, afraid that if she did, her love would slip away yet again.

That's how they rested that night. Both on Vaggie's side of the bed, Vaggie curled up as best as she could in Charlie's arms, Charlie supporting her body in a vice grip.

It was a long road to recovery ahead, but Charlie was ready. She only hoped that Vaggie would be, too.

Chapter Text

Angel Dust was worried, not that he'd ever admit that.

Charlie had barely left her and Vaggie's shared room in days, refusing to leave for more than a minute out of worry that something would happen in her absence. He could understand, Vaggie was in a critical state, but that didn't mean he couldn't worry, which he definitely wasn't.

He had taken to bringing her meals, making sure she was somewhat caring for herself. Sometimes she let him brush her hair, other times she wanted nothing to do with him. It hurt, but again, he could understand.

He also always checked to see if she was asleep by midnight, they all knew what could happen if Charlie became sleep deprived; they had seen it a month prior. What he saw when he opened the door this time, threw him for a loop.

Instead of sitting in the large chair, or kneeling by the bed, Charlie was actually in the bed, holding Vaggie close. Angel debated what this could mean.

Was she feeling extra sentimental tonight? Possibly.

Had Vaggie flatlined? No, he was sure they would have heard Charlie's anguished screams if that was the case.

Maybe she woke up? He could only hope so.

Satisfied with the situation, he went back to his own room, but not before blowing Husk a goodnight kiss. The cat in question rolled his eyes, but did well to hide his smile.

Vaggie woke once again, hoping that last night had been a sick, twisted dream. The immediate pain flooding her senses begged to differ.

Vaggie could only sigh. This was really happening. She would really have to spend the rest of her life unable to see anything. She groaned as the phantom pain already began to start. Ok, she wouldn't think about that right now.

But what else could she think about? How she was essentially a mummy now? Well, it actually wouldn't be a bad idea to get a good understanding of the seriousness of her injuries.

Her nose, ribs, left arm, left knee, right leg, and wings were definitely broken. She couldn't move them if she tried, and she wasn't going to. Her shoulders were sore, maybe from the fight, maybe from the rubble, she wasn't sure. The only thing that confused her was her right arm. Her hand, she understood, she could feel that the wound extended all the way through her palm. But why was her forearm bandaged? She couldn't see, and she couldn't use her other hand to feel it either. The only thing she felt were two little pricks. She decided to ask Charlie about it later.

It was just then that Vaggie realized Charlie was gone. Or at least, not cuddled up next to her.

“Charlie?” Her voice cracked again, only a whisper. After a minute of no response, she tried again. “Charlie?” It was barely any louder, but it was all she could manage right now.

She began to panic. Had Charlie left her? Of course, why would she want anything to do with her now? She knew this would happen, she just didn't expect it to be so soon. She was so stupid to think that Charlie would stick around, she knew she could do better now.

The door opened, disrupting her spiral. It wasn't the main door, no. From her position the sound was coming from a different part of the room, from where their linked bathroom was. “Charlie?”

“Vaggie!” Vaggie heard the soft footsteps of Charlie's bare hooves on the carpet make her way towards her. “I'm so sorry, I was in the bathroom, I didn't mean to leave you. How long have you been up?” She gently took Vaggie's hand, rubbing it to reassure her partner that she was in fact there.

“Just a few minutes. It's okay Hun, really.” She didn't want to make Charlie feel any worse than she probably already was. This situation was no doubt very stressful for her as well.

Charlie, meanwhile, was already chastising herself for leaving Vaggie at crucial times twice. Last night she had left her bedside to stare out the window, her thoughts had become too overwhelming. This morning, she desperately needed the bathroom, so she reluctantly untangled herself, hoping she could be back in a minute and Vaggie would remain none the wiser. Luck would have it that Vaggie woke up both those times.

“Are you hungry? You should eat, or at least drink something. The IV can only do so much.” Ah, so that's what that was. That didn't explain the other prick, though. She cleared her throat, noticing just how dry her mouth was.

“Just water for now, please.” Charlie kissed her temple before heading back to the bathroom. They always kept a cup by the sink to rinse their mouths after brushing their teeth.

Charlie returned with the cup before briefly debating on the best way to do this. “Can you grip it well enough?” Vaggie tried, but her hand wound was still healing, weakening her grip and causing her hand to shake. As Vaggie shook her head, Charlie cautiously sat next to her before placing the cup on the edge of the injured girl's lips.

“Just drink, and tap my wrist when you want me to stop.” Vaggie nodded and that was Charlie's cue to tilt the cup. Vaggie drank about half of it before gently grabbing Charlie's wrist. She was thirsty, but her head was beginning to spin.

Charlie set the half empty cup on the night stand before turning back to her partner. Vaggie may not be able to see, but she still knew their exact size difference. So, she perfectly calculated where Charlie's chest was, and buried her face in it.

Charlie chuckled lightly at the affection and began stroking Vaggie's hair again. “How are you feeling?” Charlie immediately cringed at her own question. How was she feeling? In pain, Charlie, that's how your girlfriend was feeling!

Vaggie got the hint though. “A little better, a little dizzy, though.” Her voice was much clearer now, thanks to the water.

“That's probably the concussion. Or the blood loss. My dad gave you a transfusion but…you did lose a lot…” She trailed off, clearly not wanting to remember the sight of her girlfriend on death's door. Vaggie found one of her hands, stroking it with her thumb. That explained the second prick in her arm. She made a mental note to thank Lucifer when she could.

They stayed cuddled for a bit, happy to be in each other's arms again, before a light knock and the sound of the door cracking open caused them to turn towards it.

“Hey, Char? You awake? I brought soup.” Angel’s head appeared from the crack. Charlie didn't miss the way he briefly lit up at seeing Vaggie awake and moving. “Vags! Bout time you woke up! Was beginning to think you were gonna leave us all without sayin’ goodbye.” He fully walked into the room, revealing 2 bowls of soup on a metal tray. “Lucky for you I brought 2 bowls.”

While Vaggie couldn't see his face, she could hear the mild relief in his voice. She looked in his direction, gaze pointing just to the left of him. She smiled at the teasing, glad that nothing had changed despite the situation. “I'm glad you're ok, too, Angel.”

Angel smiled back, before realizing she couldn't see that so he settled for lightly ruffling her hair as he handed the tray to Charlie. “Yeah, yeah, whateva. Enjoy, lovebirds.” He took his leave, shooting Charlie one more grin before closing the door.

“Do you want to eat now?” Vaggie wasn't hungry, but she wanted to regain her strength as quickly as possible. Her angelic nature allowed her body to heal at twice the rate of a human, so theoretically she would be fully healed in 3 months tops, but she'd do anything to speed up that process further.

“Sure.” Her hand was still shaking, so she allowed Charlie to feed her, albeit with a blush of embarrassment. This was so humiliating. She was one of the strongest soldiers in Heaven, the hotel's sworn protector, and now she was reduced to the mobility of a toddler. It was infuriating.

Charlie seemed to notice her stiffness, as she briefly put her free hand on Vaggie's good arm, the reassuring touch slightly draining her tension. “I know this is hard, and incredibly frustrating for you. I know you'd rather be doing this yourself, but…just…please let me help you until you can.” The tension alleviated fully. Charlie kissed Vaggie on the cheek before feeding her more spoonfuls of the delicious liquid.

Vaggie finished about half before she asked Charlie to stop, dizziness and nausea taking over. Charlie helped her lean back against the pillows before having her own bowl of soup. It was barely noon and she already wanted to sleep the rest of the day away. She hadn't been this weak since the first time Lute attacked her. When Charlie found her and nursed her back to health, like she was doing now. She was putting her dreams aside to take care of her. Again.

You always were weak.

Vaggie internally flinched as the pain in her hand spiked. This couldn't go on. She needed Charlie to know that she shouldn't feel obligated to do this. The hotel was her dream, not her. And the longer she worried about her the longer she postponed that lifelong dream.

“Charlie?” She reached her hand out, looking for comfort. Charlie, having finished her soup, took it in both of hers instantly.

“What's wrong, baby?” Vaggie lightly flushed at the pet name, not expecting it. Normally she was the one using pet names, Charlie typically settled for just her name, or recently, ‘My angel’.

“Do you…I don't want…you shouldn't be…I uh…are you…” she huffed. She took another moment to collect her thoughts, she really needed to get the point across clearly. Charlie sat patiently. “Are…are you sure that…this is what you want?” She couldn't see but she just knew that Charlie tilted her head at that.

“What do you mean? Of course I want to take care of you.” Vaggie shook her head.

“No…I mean…you've been here the whole time haven't you?” Charlie nodded, before remembering that Vaggie couldn't see that.

“Yes, I have. You were in a critical state, Vaggie. I couldn't just leave you.”

“Yeah, but I'm fine now. I'm stable and awake. You don't need to hang around anymore. You have more important things to worry about.” Charlie squeezed her hand, so much to the point that it almost hurt, but Charlie would never hurt her.

“Vaggie, what could be more important than you? You're hurt. You need care. But I'm not staying here because I need to. I'm staying here because I want to. I want to be the one to give you the care you need.” Vaggie could hear that her voice was edging on tears. What she couldn't see, however, was the tips of Charlie's horns popping out. The princess was simply appalled and a little enraged that her girlfriend thought so little of herself.

“You have a dream, Charlie. We just canceled an extermination. You just rebuilt and improved the hotel. People are going to want to come here knowing that we can defend them from the deadliest threat to Hell. The hotel has always come first, why change it now?” She didn't realize she was raising her voice until she finished, panting. Her ribs were aching from the effort.

Charlie sat there, heartbroken. Vaggie really thought that she didn't matter as much as her stupid dream? A dream that didn't even have proof of working?

Vaggie hissed in pain and Charlie realized that she had her injured hand in a vice grip. She eased up, shifting to butterfly caresses.

“Sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! I just…I don't…how can you think like that?" Vaggie didn't respond. “Vaggie, listen to me. You are the most important person in my life. You've always encouraged me, you keep me grounded, you showed me what true loyalty looks like, and you always want what's best for me. But doing what's best for me shouldn't mean you have to sacrifice your needs. The hotel is my dream, yes, but you are my life, Vaggie. I'm so sorry that I ever made you feel otherwise.” Vaggie's lip trembled. Charlie knew there would be tears in her eyes if she still had them. She closed the distance and kissed her on her healing nose. “I love you, more than anything, and that includes my dream, okay?”

Vaggie nodded, and pulled Charlie to close the distance once more. Their lips connected in a tender kiss. Vaggie's hand moved up to tangle in Charlie's hair, desperate to feel what she couldn't see. Charlie's hands moved to Vaggie's cheeks, the only place she felt safe to touch without hurting her.

They separated, both panting slightly. Vaggie smiled lovingly, succeeding in looking directly at Charlie. Charlie gently caressed her cheeks, her thumbs barely brushing the bandage and eye patch.

Charlie kissed her on her nose again, then her forehead, and then pecked her lips once more. Vaggie wanted to say more but was cut off by a yawn. Charlie chuckled before cradling Vaggie against her chest again.

Vaggie settled into her nap, exhaustion taking over her broken form. She muttered her own affirmation before sleep overtook her.

“I love you too, more than anything.” And that included herself, too.

Chapter Text

Vaggie had night terrors ever since she fell from grace.

She could never remember what they were, they would always fade away just seconds after waking up, but they always had her jolting awake in a disoriented panic, sometimes taking minutes before she could fully grasp where she was and what was happening.

Her thrashing would always wake Charlie, and in turn, Charlie would be there to guide her back to the present when she inevitably woke up. Their room was relatively sound proof, so if she screamed, she never woke any of the other residents.

They had become less frequent over the past few years, having a stable and healthy relationship helped with that, but the recent threats of the extermination and going to Heaven had brought her a lot of stress and unwanted memories, bringing them back full force.

Suffice to say, Vaggie considered herself very lucky that she had slept soundly the first night after waking up, despite the new trauma.

She wasn't so fortunate the second night.

Vaggie screamed as Lute shoved her spear clean through her hand. She barely registered Lute’s taunt, flashing back to the first time the exorcist had attacked her.

“So, I'll spare you the pain of seeing your demon bitch die.” Vaggie opened her eye, looking for a way out. She couldn't let Lute get to Charlie, she had to disarm her, somehow…

She suddenly had a perfect view of Charlie being strangled by Adam, helplessly crying as air was being taken from her. Vaggie screamed, trying to break free to help her, but some invisible force was weighing her down. It wasn't Lute. Lute was already in front of Charlie, sword brandished, ready for Adam's cue.

Adam slammed Charlie's weakened form into the ground, and Lute immediately plunged her sword straight through Charlie's stomach. The princess’ agonized screams rang through Vaggie's ears.

Charlie was dying, and it was all her fault.

Charlie's screams mixed with Adam and Lute's cruel laughter. She felt her own air supply drain as Lute was suddenly on top of her, choking her into the ground.

Lute's sword, coated in Charlie's red blood, struck straight through her remaining eye, gold blood now mixing in. Vaggie screamed, yet no sound came out.

She laid in agony. Helpless and weak as the desperate screams and taunting laughter refused to cease.

Charlie felt movement in her arms and was instantly awake, knowing what that meant. Vaggie was usually a stiff sleeper, perfectly still, unless, of course, she was having a night terror.

She couldn't even get a word in before she was pushed off the bed. She fell to the floor with a yelp, her concern only growing. Vaggie thrashed around, no doubt aggravating her injuries in the process. She knew what she needed to do, and it hurt every single time.

She avoided touching Vaggie in any way before keeping her voice at a gentle whisper. She told Vaggie that things were ok, that she loved her, that she was sorry, anything to alleviate the pain she was experiencing in her dream.

She stopped when Vaggie began screaming, the sound cutting straight through her core. She absolutely hated not being able to help more, but this was the safest way for both of them. The first few times this happened, she had tried to manually wake Vaggie, only to receive multiple kicks and punches. Sometimes Vaggie would scratch at her own arms if she was being touched. They adapted, though. At least the screaming meant that the night terror was nearly over, Charlie had come to learn.

Charlie was able to pinpoint the exact moment that Vaggie woke up. Her eyebrows went from being pinched in pain, to arched in fear. She took a small breath, almost like a gasp, before beginning to hyperventilate. Her body jerked in a way that was different from her typical thrashing. As soon as Charlie realized that Vaggie was awake, she went straight back to whispering sweet nothings, guiding her back to the present.

Vaggie's hyperventilating only became worse when she realized that she couldn't see where she was and what was happening. Lute could very well be right next to her, taunting her. The screams had faded, the only sound she heard was that of own panicked breathing, and a small voice coming from her right.

“You're okay, sweetie. You're in our room, with me. I'm right here. You're safe. I'm going to touch you now.” She placed butterfly light touches on Vaggie's elbows, doubling down on her words when the other girl flinched and nearly socked her in the jaw. “You're okay. I'm okay. Everything is okay. We're safe. Breathe with me.” She repeated the motion of slowly moving her hands up and down Vaggie's arms, trying to help regulate her breathing.

After a few minutes, Vaggie was calm enough to respond. She grabbed one of Charlie's hands with her own, whimpering at the sharp pain in her ribs. Charlie gently guided her back down onto the pillows and climbed back onto the bed, something Vaggie noticed.

“Did…d-did I push you off?” Her voice was small and shaky, afraid that Charlie actually was hurt, and that it was her fault. Charlie hugged her as best as she could.

“It's not your fault. You were dreaming. Besides, it didn't even hurt.” While Vaggie had accidently kicked and hit Charlie in her sleep, she had never actually managed to push her off the bed before. Their bed was big, plenty of room for both of them. But instead of sleeping on her own side, lately Charlie had been sleeping on Vaggie's right, essentially cutting her bed space in half.

“I'm so sorry.” Charlie kissed her eye patch, showing that all was forgiven. “Why don't you sleep on your side? Then it won't happen again.” Charlie stroked her hair as she held her.

“I want to be as physically close to you as possible, at least until you're able to move around on your own.” The unspoken ‘I don't want to lose you again’ hung in the air. Call her clingy, but Charlie refused to let Vaggie go unless she needed to. She had woken up scared in the two times she had left, and she knew that Vaggie would never sit and heal unless she felt safe. She was doing this for both of them.

“Okay…as long as you're sure.” She was. She snuggled Vaggie even closer to her, relishing in the fact that she was alive. She had consistently checked Vaggie's pulse in the 3 days she had been unconscious, terrified that she would slip away. That possibility still haunted her, even if Vaggie was stable now.

“I am.” And that was the end of that.

“Are ya sure ya don't want guests, toots? Da people downstairs kinda miss ya.” Angel had arrived at noon, bringing another tray of soup for them. He had told everyone that she was awake to quell their worries, and some had asked to see her, Lucifer, Husk, and Cherri notably.

“Not yet. I want to regain a bit more strength before anyone else sees me like this.” Charlie was in the bathroom, trusting Angel to watch her beloved for a few minutes.

“Damn, are you sayin ya don't care 'bout my opinion? I'm hurt, Vags.” The mock hurt in his voice didn't fool her. Vaggie did her best to look him in the eyes, her covered gaze ended up resting on his fluffy chest.

“That's exactly what I'm saying.” They both laughed. Charlie exited the bathroom, her heart swelling at the sight of them getting along. She walked over to them and gave Angel a hug.

“I'm so happy you two are getting along! You've really come a long way, Angel.” Angel hid his bashful grin, secretly thankful for the praise.

“Yeah, well, anythin’s betta than livin’ with Val. Might as well make tha most of what I got.” Charlie didn't miss the gratitude in his voice, and squeezed him tighter before letting him go.

Vaggie's hand was still a little shaky, but better. So they settled for having Charlie just guide her hand as opposed to directly feeding her.

She was able to eat a little more than half before the nausea came back, followed by something else.

“Charlie?”

“Hm?”

“I uh…have to use the bathroom.” Charlie set down her own soup. It just hit her that Vaggie hadn't used the bathroom in the two days she had been awake. Had she been holding it? Was she too embarrassed until now? Maybe she simply hadn't digested enough for it to be necessary.

“Oh! Uhm…ok, give me a second.” She left to grab an ottoman that was sitting in their room and took it to the bathroom. She approached the bed again and moved to take Vaggie's broken leg out of its ceiling suspender. Even while being cautious as possible, Vaggie still masked a couple winces. She quickly pulled the wheelchair that had been sitting near the balcony towards the side of the bed.

“This is probably going to hurt, but only for a second.” Vaggie nodded before yelping as Charlie picked her up bridal style, her wings and ribs being agitated at the movement. Her knee twinged as well. “Sorry! Sorry, almost done.” She carefully set Vaggie down in the chair, both girls breathing a sigh of relief.

Vaggie sat there, confused. “Is this a wheelchair?” Charlie rolled a stick into her hand, the one holding her IV and blood bag, and made her way behind the chair and started pushing, giving her answer.

“Yeah, my dad conjured it on the first night after we rebuilt. There's also a pair of crutches on the floor for when you're healed enough to start walking.” Vaggie made another mental note to thank Lucifer. Charlie pushed the wheelchair to rest by the toilet and Vaggie winced in anticipation upon realizing what came next. “I know it hurts, but it'll only be for a second.”

Charlie picked her up again, heart clenching as Vaggie clenched her jaw, managing to suppress another yelp into a whimper. She placed her on the open toilet, letting her damaged legs rest on the ottoman.

Vaggie pulled down her…skirt? No, it wasn't her skirt. She hadn't noticed that she was wearing a pair of comfy shorts, along with one of Charlie's old T-shirts that was a size too big. Chalk it up to the head trauma, she supposed.

Charlie looked away, offering some semblance of privacy, letting Vaggie do her business. Then she was struck with a realization. She hadn't changed Vaggie's bandages since before she woke up. She needed fresh ones to lower the risk of infection. Vaggie finished and Charlie turned back to her, a few fresh rolls in her hands.

“I should change your bandages while we're in here. You're due.” Vaggie nodded and Charlie noticed that she somehow managed to close the toilet seat and was now sitting on top of it. She smiled, glad that her object permanence was still sharp.

Vaggie tensed as Charlie hesitantly began to undo the bandages around her eye. They both got a weird sense of déjá vu, but it made sense. This had literally happened before.

Vaggie was silently hoping that maybe her eye had survived. It was still there and just being covered by the bandage. That's why she couldn't see, that had to be it, right?

Wrong. She felt part of the used bandage get peeled from her face, and yet everything still looked the same. Total blackness. She sighed and slumped slightly, she was truly stuck like this.

Charlie noticed and leaned in to kiss her nose before removing the bandage entirely. She sucked in a breath at the sight of the empty void that was Vaggie's bare eye socket.

“How does it look? Be honest, please.” She pried, sensing Charlie's hesitation. Charlie moved her eye patch aside, trying to get a fair comparison. Her left eyelid opened slightly, now that it was free. Her eye was empty, the scar underneath and above it long healed, tear duct permanently damaged, preventing any tears from ever falling.

The right eye mirrored it perfectly, only the scars on that one were still scabbed over. But other than that, they were exactly the same, even her tear duct was damaged.

“It looks just like the other one, minus some scabbing.” Vaggie didn't know what she expected. Try as she might, she would never forget the sight of her missing eye. It haunted her, reminded her of that day, her punishment for betraying who she used to be. She always told herself that she would gladly face that punishment again before ever returning to that life, and it looked like she had.

She had always considered losing her limbs as some sort of justice for all the lives she had taken. All of Charlie's people that she had killed. She hated being reminded of the things she had done, and her missing eye always marked the end of that life, but not without reminding her of what that life was.

Vaggie tilted her head slightly, letting her bangs cover half of her face. Charlie immediately moved to push them behind her ear and cupped her cheek. Vaggie leaned into the touch.

“Hey, none of that. Please don't be ashamed of it. This is proof that you survived, that you are better than them. It shows how strong you really are. You're beautiful, Vaggie. You always have been and you always will be. No amount of missing eyes will ever change that, okay?” Vaggie kissed Charlie's palm resting on her face. If Charlie loved her, than that was enough. Charlie giggled and booped her aching nose, before rewrapping the bandages and placing her eye patch in its rightful place.

She lifted up Vaggie's shirt to check on her ribs and wings. They were still tightly binded and nothing seemed out of place. The bruising on her shoulders was healing nicely as well. Her heart stuttered at the deep scar in Vaggie's stomach, and she quickly pulled the shirt back down.

Her legs were fine. They were going to take the longest to heal out of everything. Even with accelerated healing, it would take about 3 months before both of her legs were well enough for her to return to regular activities as manager.

Vaggie was surprised to learn that it was only her left wrist that was broken, and her shoulder was merely dislocated. She was happy to hear that. Give it a week or two and she would have full range in both of her arms.

All that was left was her right hand. The cut, despite being extremely deep, was healing nicely. It was already scabbed over. She'd probably be able to grip without issue this time tomorrow. Charlie finished with changing the bandages, glad that nothing was infected or misplaced.

After 2 more painful lifts, Vaggie was back in bed. She turned to Charlie, sleep beckoning her. “I think…I want people to visit, tomorrow.” Charlie smiled, glad that their talk had actually somewhat sunk in.

“If you're sure, I can tell Angel when he comes in tomorrow morning. I'm sure they're excited to see you.” She tucked Vaggie in, before pulling out a book and snuggling next to her.

“What the hell do you mean she doesn't want visitors?!” Lucifer, despite being one of the shortest men Angel had ever known, could be extremely intimidating when he chose to be.

“I mean she's tired! She wants ta rest a bit more before dealin’ with otha people!” Lucifer growled, clearly not happy with that answer.

“Bullshit! She's talked to you multiple times now. I was there to patch her up, I gave her my blood! I'm her future father in law for God's sake! What makes you so special?!”

“HEY! Lay off! He's just the messenger, not to mention he's been bringin’ them food, Your Majesty.” Husk made sure to squeeze as much sarcasm as possible into those last two words. “He's been helpin’ just as much as you, if not more. What have you done since that night besides bitch and moan?” Angel shot a grateful look at Husk, the cat returning a smile, before they both turned back to the King.

Lucifer halted. Wow, way to go, asshole. “I-I’m sorry, Angel. Husk is right, I have no right to complain. I…I'm just so…”

“Stressed?” Lucifer looked up into Angel's eyes, seeing the same exhaustion he was feeling reflected in them. “Yeah, we all are. But we've already waited dis long. Let Vags heal at her own pace, it's only fair.” Lucifer nodded. Yeah, Vaggie deserved at least that much.

“You're right, I'm sorry I lost control. And…thank you…for being there for them these past few days, Angel.” He stuck his hand out, offering an apologetic handshake.

Angel studied the hand before grinning and shaking it. “S’all good, Short King. I get where ya comin’ from.”

Lucifer took his leave, promising to be back tomorrow. Despite having his own room in the hotel, he needed to take some time to himself in his mansion. Maybe making some new ducks would take his mind off of things.

“I'm proud of you.” Angel turned to see Husk giving him a charming smile. “A month ago, you would've exploded at him, you easily could've just now. You chose to be the bigger person, the better man. Not bad.” Angel sauntered over to the bar and sat down, Husk already having his favorite drink prepared.

“Yeah, well, couldn't have done it without cha’. Ya really put him in his place, Whiskas. Thanks for that.” Angel downed his drink, satisfied, and Husk have him a pass for the nickname.

He could tolerate it if it meant Angel stayed content.

Chapter Text

“Damn, you two were hungry, huh?” Angel chuckled as Vaggie and Charlie practically inhaled the cereal he brought them for breakfast.

“I'm just happy to be able to eat on my own, no offense, babe.” Charlie paused from her own cereal devouring to give a quick ‘You’re good’ before returning to her own breakfast. “Plus, it's the first thing we've eaten in 3 days that isn't soup.”

“True, true.” He wanted to bring up the subject of visitors, but refrained. He himself had declared that Vaggie deserved to heal at her own pace. She would allow visitors when she was ready. “Well, I'm off ta work. I'll see you two lata.”

“Hey, Angel?” Angel paused and turned from his spot at the door.

“Yeah, toots?” Vaggie lightly fidgeted.

“Could you uh…tell the others that they can come up when they feel like it.” Angel smiled, not that she could see it.

“Sure thing, Vags.”

Vaggie heard the sound of rapid pitter patters approaching before the door even opened. She couldn't even get a word in before Niffty had excitedly jumped on top of her, aggravating her injuries.

“Niffty, be careful!” Charlie picked her up and set her down to Vaggie's left. She then gently prodded Vaggie's ribs and arm, making sure nothing had been damaged any further. Satisfied in finding nothing wrong, she turned back to the tiny cyclops.

“Sorry! I just wanted to give Miss Vaggie a gift now that she's feeling better.” Niffty dropped what felt like a long piece of cloth in Vaggie's hand. The material was very similar to her eye patch. It was thick, probably big enough to cover half her face, and thinned out at the edges.

“Is this a blindfold, Niffty?” Niffty enthusiastically nodded.

“Uh huh! That way your face can still look pretty even though you have no eyes!” Charlie and Vaggie both lightly cringed at the phrasing. But then again, they knew Niffty meant well.

“Uhm…thanks, Niffty. I'll try it on when my eye gets better.” The severed nerve had healed, but the scars themselves were still a little scabbed over.

Charlie took the cloth to look at it herself. It was incredibly soft, a large felt patch being stitched onto one side. The other side had the same color scheme as her eye patch, with one giant red x decorating the center. It was surprisingly well made.

“Feel better Miss Vaggie!” And Niffty left just as quickly as she came.

Cherri had burst in enthusiastically around midday, eager to finally get a few things off of her chest.

“There's tha baddest bitch in the hotel!” She sauntered in, swirling a drink in her hand.

“I'm surprised you're here, Cherri. I would've thought you'd be out partying since Angel isn't here.” Cherri playfully rolled her eye, taking a sip of her drink.

“Oh, I'm 'bouta go, that's what I'm pregamin' for.” She gestured the drink towards Charlie, who rolled her own eyes with a smile. “I jus’ wanted ta check up on ya. ‘Specially since I saw Niffty come down here a while ago.” They all chuckled at that.

“Well, thanks. I'm doing…as well as I can.” Charlie took her hand at that. Vaggie had taken a short nap shortly after Niffty had left. Short, because she was plagued with another night terror. The pain was still a little bit fresh.

Recognition flashed in Cherri’s eye. She knew what a broken soul looked like, having been Angel's number 1 for a long time.

“Yeah, well, for what it's worth…you're a lot stronger than ya know. Never forget that, ‘kay?” Vaggie's brows raised, clearly not expecting her to be so sincere.

“Yeah…thanks.”

“Afternoon, ladies. Care for a sandwich?”

“Who's manning the bar, Husk?” Vaggie accepted the sandwich Charlie had passed to her, brow raised in a questioning glance.

Husk scoffed. “I'm on break; not my problem.” He took a bite from his own sandwich and sipped from a bottle of something that was no doubt alcoholic.

They say in silence for a while, enjoying the sandwich platter. Husk wouldn't ever admit it, but he had a soft spot for the hotel founders. They were two damaged girls trying to make a difference in a world that refused to change. A world with so little love, and yet they had endless amounts for each other. It was something he secretly admired, something he wished he could achieve one day.

“How you doin’, kid?” The air around the three of them settled. It was only four words, and yet such a loaded question. Vaggie fidgeted with Charlie's fingers. Charlie took her hand in both of hers and squeezed gently.

“I…I'm doing alright…as good as I can be right now…” She tried her best to look Husk in the eyes, her gaze pointing a few feet to the right of him. Husk hummed.

“Look at ya. Ya know how many people would let somethin’ like this break them? How many people would let their grief consume them? You haven't, Princess over here can confirm.” Charlie did confirm by kissing her cheek. “All things considered, I say you're doin’ just fine.”

Vaggie tried to hide the blush on her face, reaching for another sandwich and missing the platter completely. Husk handed her one with a small chuckle.

“You'll get there eventually kid, just keep workin’.”

“Yeah, eventually.”

Vaggie heard the light crackle of static long before the door even opened.

“Ugh, Alastor.” The door opened after a light knock, the radio demon appearing in the room. Charlie turned to her partner in mild surprise.

“How did you-”

“Angelic hearing, babe.” Vaggie whispered back before turning to the overlord. “If you're here to mock me, Alastor, just walk out right now. I'm tired, in pain, and not in the mood for any of your bullshit.”

Alastor briefly halted, though his smile never wavered. In truth, he regretfully sympathized with her. The pain, the rage, the utter embarrassment and humiliation that came from nearly being killed at the hand of an angel. His own wound was close to being fully healed, and yet the negativity still burned deeply in his core.

“Contrary to what you may believe my dear, I know when to hold my breath.” His smile widened at Vaggie's scoff. He couldn't help some harmless teasing.

“Uh huh, why are you here?” Alastor’s eyes narrowed. Charlie encased Vaggie's hand in her own, not wanting her to get too riled up, for both of their sakes. Arguing would only make things worse.

“I'm simply paying a visit. I'm…admittedly pleased to see you alive and thriving, my dear. You gave everyone quite the scare, you know…” Vaggie turned her blind gaze to where she knew Charlie was. Charlie turned to her. They seemed to have an understanding, despite no words being spoken and only one of them being able to see. They both turned back to Alastor, Charlie smiling.

“Thank you, Alastor. That's very nice of you to say.” For him, it was. Alastor's ears pinned back just slightly as he turned to leave, having said his peace.

“Yes, yes, of course. I shall leave you two to your own devices.” He exited and shut the door with his magic, leaving the couple stunned.

“Well that happened.”

“Hey babe?” Vaggie interrupted the story that Charlie was reading aloud.

“What's up? Are you thirsty? Do you need the bathroom?” Vaggie put her finger on Charlie's lips, shushing her with a smile.

“Thank you, but no. I was just wondering something. Have you…talked to Carmilla Carmine lately?” Vaggie had formed quite a bond with the overlord, having trained with her for the entire last month leading up to the extermination. She had Carmilla to thank for their arsenal of angelic weapons, their advantage against the angels, her wings, though they hadn't really mattered in the battle.

“No, why?”

“I've been meaning to thank her, for the weapons and for training me. We were so busy preparing for the extermination that I never properly expressed gratitude.” They let the reason for being unable to do so post extermination stay unspoken.

“Oh, well…I could schedule a meeting with her, and thank her on both our behalf.” Vaggie kissed her cheek, clearly happy with that option. Charlie turned to have their lips connect instead when the door burst open.

Lucifer was in the doorway, panting. “There's…there's my…my girls!”

“Hey, dad. I was wondering when you were going to visit.” It was dark out, the sun having gone down hours ago. Lucifer caught his breath before making his way further into the room.

“Yes, yes, I'm…sorry about not visiting sooner. I needed time to clear my head. I came as soon as I heard you were well enough for visitors.”

“It's okay, sir. I'm glad you're here now.” Lucifer scoffed.

“Please, none of that ‘sir’ business. You're family, Vaggie. Lucifer will do just fine.” He flashed his signature grin, which faltered upon realizing that it really served no purpose.

“Okay…I'm glad you're here, Lucifer.” It felt weird, but she didn't want to disrespect the King, and her girlfriend’s dad. Lucifer turned to his daughter.

“Charlie, sweetie, would it be alright if I spoke to Vaggie for a few minutes, alone?” They both paused at that. Charlie leaned in to whisper in Vaggie's ear.

“Will you be okay?” Vaggie turned to whisper as well.

“I should be, I'll yell if I need you.” Satisfied with that, Charlie began to untangle herself from Vaggie's side, setting the book on the nightstand.

“Sure, I have a meeting I need to schedule anyway.” She smiled at Vaggie's smile before pulling out her phone and making her way out the door.

And then there were two.

Vaggie tensed at the pure angelic presence in the room, but quickly brushed it off. This was Lucifer. Lucifer would never hurt her. He was like her. He wasn't like them. He took off his hat and sat on Charlie's side of the bed.

“Sooo…uh…how've you been, kiddo?” She knew there was an awkward grin on his face just from his tone. It seemed like he was just as uncomfortable. At least they had that in common.

“I'm fine s-Lucifer. It's been refreshing to ‘see’ everyone today.” She accompanied the word with air quotes. Lucifer chuckled as her attempt at humor.

“Yeah, you've got some good people here…some better than others.” She laughed, knowing he was talking about Alastor. “And I see you've been putting the wheelchair to good use.” She nodded.

“Yeah…I…uhm…actually wanted to thank you for that, and the blood. Without that…I…” Lucifer quickly shushed her before she could head down that train of thought.

“Anytime, kiddo. Us fallen angels have to stick together, huh?” She smiled, turning to him, her eyes pointing right above him.

“Yeah…I guess we do…” Lucifer's light grin dropped, becoming more serious.

“Listen, Vaggie, I know you're doing well right now, but…things are only gonna get harder…and you need to be ready for that. Recovery isn't linear, as I'm sure you know.” She did know, if her phantom pains and night terrors that were still present after 3 years were to go by, then yeah, recovery definitely wasn't linear.

“I know…I'll be ready. I have Charlie, and you guys too, to support me.” She reached towards the nightstand and tapped around for a bit before securing the blindfold that Niffty had made for her. “I'll be okay…”

“I'm sure you will be…but…please, whatever you do…don't shut out the people who love you. I know it sounds crazy…but being burned by Heaven leaves you with a lot of unresolved grief, anger, and pain…I would know better than anyone...just…don't end up like me, depressed and alone.” Vaggie didn't have the heart to tell him that she already was depressed, she had been since long before she fell, but she could fulfill his wish on the ‘alone' part.

“I'll try my best.” That was all he could hope for. His dreams may have been shattered, but he prayed that she held onto hers, for her sake. He turned to leave just as Charlie came back in.

“Goodnight, ladies.”

“Goodnight dad!” The door closed and Charlie turned to Vaggie. “Good news! Carmilla is pretty busy right now, but I was able to schedule a quick meeting 3 days from now.” Vaggie smiled, satisfied with that outcome.

“Thanks babe.” Charlie settled back into her side and Vaggie moved to kiss her for her efforts but missed and ended up kissing her nose instead. Charlie giggled.

“Of course. What were you and dad talking about? I heard you were laughing for a little bit.” Charlie kissed her back on her own healing nose.

“Just bonding. Being fallen angels, how much we both hate Alastor…” Charlie playfully, but gently, shoved her.

“He's not that bad when you get to know him.” If Vaggie had eyes, she would've rolled them high to the sky.

“Whatever.” She hit her mark this time, kissing Charlie square on the lips. They relaxed, basking in the pure bliss that was each other.

Vaggie went to bed the happiest she had been all week.

Chapter Text

The days went by quickly, and soon enough it was time for Charlie's meeting with Carmilla Carmine. She had woken up early, as Carmilla was busy during the day. She was currently in the lobby, debriefing everyone. She wrung her hands together. Vaggie was asleep, and probably wouldn't wake up for another 15 minutes, but she still felt intense anxiety about leaving her alone.

“Okay, I want someone by her bedside at all times. If you need to leave to use the bathroom or something, make sure someone else is there to take your place. I'll be back in an hour max, so she probably won't need the bathroom, but if she does-”

“Charlie.” Angel put four hands on Charlie's shoulders, grounding her and effectively shutting her up. “S’fine. We'll be fine. It's just an hour, right? We can manage that long, trust us.” Charlie still looked hesitant. “Ya need ta get out, toots. You've been cooped up in here when ya don't need ta be. We'll call ya if anythin’ happens, ‘kay?” Charlie nodded.

“Okay…” And just like that, her strained smile was back. “I'll see you guys later!” And she was gone.

Angel's phone buzzed and he sighed, turning to the rest of the residents. “I gotta go ta work. Can someone else head up?”

“Don't you worry, Angel. I've got it covered.” Lucifer replied, already making his way up the stairs.

Vaggie woke up the second she heard the door to the room close. Charlie had left. She was alone.

This was fine. She could handle being alone for a little while. There was nothing to worry about. She laid there, trying to alleviate boredom by envisioning the room.

Only...was it the same room as before? They had rebuilt, how much had changed? She tried to picture their old room, with the large bed and couch, and the wonderful balcony, but it didn't feel right. Was it all still even there?

She tried to envision other things. Charlie's face for one. Her cute little nose, her radiant red eyes, the most charming smile she's ever seen…or used to see.

She could never see that wonderful face again, and it killed her. All that was left were the memories, but how long before they faded? How long before she forgot Charlie's beautiful face? The first friendly face she ever saw, the face that healed her own, the face that still loved her despite everything they had gone through.

The face she would never see again.

She remembered Lute's face too. Or rather, the mask that the face hid behind. The mask that had taken her eyes and wings, the mask that had watched gleefully as Adam revealed her secret to Charlie, the mask that haunted her in her dreams.

The mask that was waiting to strike again.

Panic seized her, anxiety swimming in her chest and dread pooling in her gut. How long before Lute came to finish the job? How long before they would have to fight back once again, and she sat on the sidelines, not even being able to watch?

When would the others finally realize just how useless she was now? Were they just waiting for her to recover before kicking her to the curb? How long before they realized just how pathetic she really was?

You were always a pathetic little mole.

She couldn't breathe, the thoughts becoming too much. She couldn't cry. She was so pathetic that she couldn't even fucking cry.

She deserved this. This was retribution for the lives she'd taken. Some people had lost their families because of her; who was she to be crying while stuck in a comfy bed and a wonderful girlfriend? A girlfriend that she didn't deserve.

Charlie would get impatient eventually. She'd grow tired of her and put her on the street. She'd fight for her life out there just like a normal sinner, the sinners that she once enjoyed killing.

Her ribs hurt, but she couldn't stop hyperventilating. This wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to the people in Hell that suffered daily, while she lived in luxury. She didn't deserve pampering, she deserved to boil and rot.

Charlie should've just left her buried. One less thing to worry about…

She buried her palms into her eyes, her new blindfold preventing her from scratching the empty sockets. Her arm was now out of the sling, as long as she didn't overexert her shoulder and iced it regularly.

She sat there, ribs aching, face buried in her hands, body wracked with panicked breaths and self pitying sobs.

And that was how Lucifer found her.

Charlie bounced her leg as Razzle drove through the city. This was the longest she had been away from Vaggie since the extermination. What if she hurt herself? What if someone attacked the hotel in her absence, and Vaggie couldn't defend herself?

She tried not to let the anxiety consume her. This meeting was for Vaggie. She glanced out the window, admiring her city. Maybe Angel was right about getting out more.

They arrived outside the Carmine complex. Charlie was in awe at the size; it could rival the hotel's. She gave Razzle a treat before cautiously approaching the main door and knocking.

“Uhh…Miss Carmine? Are you there?” The camera to the right stared blankly. “It's uhh…Charlie Morningstar. We have a meeting…” The garage opened, Carmilla Carmine stepping out from behind.

“Greetings, Your Highness, it's a pleasure to have you.” She extended a large hand for the princess to shake, and Charlie briefly hesitated. Living with Alastor had made her and the rest of the residents wary of handshakes. She reminded herself that despite being an overlord, Vaggie trusted Carmilla Carmine wholeheartedly. If Vaggie of all people could trust her, then she could do the same. She shook the outstretched hand.

“Please, just Charlie is fine. It's good to be here. Your facility is…huge.” Carmilla beckoned her inside, past the large foyer, and Charlie followed behind, looking around in awe.

“Shit.”

Lucifer rushed over, suddenly feeling powerless. Charlie hadn't told him how to handle this. He tried to think back to what Lilith had done for him during his own attacks back in the day.

“Vaggie…Vaggie, sweetie, look at me.” Goddamn it, Lucifer. “I-I mean…listen to me…follow my breathing.” She can't see you, dipshit. “Fuck…uh…take deep breaths, can you do that for me? Breathe in…breathe out…listen to me. Breathe in…and out…” She tried to listen, she tried to breathe, but the thoughts and the pain in her torso was too much. She just wanted it to end.

“Please…please…end it…let…let it end…please…” Lucifer’s heart broke. He felt a tear come to his eye, the helplessness beginning to overwhelm him.

“I…I know it hurts…I know that it hurts…I can't even imagine how much it must hurt…but it'll go away if you breathe. Breathe with me, sweetie…in…and out…in…out…” He was considering just calling Charlie if he couldn't calm her down. He was afraid she was going to pass out if this continued for too much longer.

He continued the mantra for another 10 minutes before Vaggie was able to calm down. Her ribs were burning, her panicked breaths became pained whimpers. Lucifer tried to put a hand on her shoulder, only for her to flinch away.

“It's okay, sweetie. I'm not gonna hurt you. You're safe. Please…let me help.” Vaggie reached her hand out, desperate for comfort but too jumpy for extreme contact. Lucifer took it and rubbed his thumb over the scar.

“That's it, kiddo…you're okay…everything's okay.”

“To what do I owe this meeting, Charlie?” Carmilla had taken them to the meeting room. She sat at the head, Charlie to her right. Charlie drummed her fingers on the cup of tea that was given to her.

“I…uhm…” She cleared her throat and took a sip. The tea was perfect, and she allowed the tension to melt from her shoulders. “Vaggie and I wanted to thank you personally for your help during the extermination. Without your weapons and training, we would've never stood the chance that we did. So…thank you.” Carmilla smiled and took her own sip.

“I heard about your accomplishments on the news. I'm glad I could be of assistance.” She paused, eyes glancing around before turning back to the only other person in the room. “If I may ask, is there a reason that Vaggie could not be here as well?” It wasn't accusatory, just mainly curious. Regardless, Charlie deflated, tension back full force.

She thought back to the conversation she and Vaggie had the night prior.

“Look, I want you to be honest with Carmilla. If she asks about me, and she probably will, I want you to tell her the whole truth.”

“Are you sure you're comfortable with two overlords knowing about your condition?” Vaggie paused.

“When you put it like that…no. But I trust Carmilla. She has a right to know; she's the reason we're still here.” Charlie took her hand and snuggled her, ready to go to sleep.

“Okay…if you're really sure.” Vaggie rested her head on Charlie's chest, the drowsiness overtaking her as well.

“I am.”

Charlie sighed, not wanting to talk about it, but willing to fulfill her girlfriend's wishes.

“Vaggie was…severely injured during the attack. She's back at the hotel, resting.” Carmilla’s eyes widened, a new urgency filling the air.

“It's been over a week since then. How severe?” It had to be serious if someone like Vaggie was still resting from an injury if that much time had passed. Charlie looked into her eyes, seeing the genuine concern she had for her apprentice. She took a deep breath before reciting her partner's injuries almost robotically.

“The hotel collapsed on her, it broke her leg, knee, wrist, and wings. It also dislocated her shoulder. And…before that…” Charlie choked back the tears, this part was the hardest but the most important. Carmilla placed her large hand over hers.

“Take your time.” Charlie gave a grateful watery smile before taking a few more deep breaths.

“Before that…she was fighting Adam's number one, Lute. Lute stabbed her hand and stomach, both of which have healed already. But…she also…” Another deep breath. Saying it would only make it more real. “She took her other eye…Vaggie's blind, now.”

Carmilla was stunned, shock written over her usually stoic face. She had taken quite a liking to Vaggie over the past month. The young woman was strong, resilient, and had a fighting spirit to rival her own. Vaggie reminded her of her younger self. She'd go as far as to consider Vaggie as another daughter. To hear that the girl has been crippled in such a way…was like hearing it had happened to Clara or Odette; her reason for fighting, her reason to live.

She took a few breaths of her own, the news seeming to knock the wind out of her. She squeezed Charlie's hand that was still in hers.

“I'm…so terribly sorry to hear that. I can't imagine how stressful this must be for the both of you.” She wiped the tear that fell from Charlie's eye. “If there is anything, and I mean anything, that I can do to assist, please don't hesitate to ask. I care for Vaggie like would my own daughters.” Charlie nodded gratefully, wiping her tears on her sleeve.

Carmilla left for a moment and returned with a box of tissues. Charlie accepted the box with a small smile. When she was done, Carmilla guided her to the door. Charlie was suddenly struck with a thought.

“Can you…make another angelic spear for her? Her original one was damaged…” She pushed the memory of Vaggie's own spear stabbing her through the stomach out of her mind. Carmilla nodded.

“Of course, anything for my apprentice. And please, keep me updated on her progress?” Charlie smiled and nodded gratefully before heading back to the parked limo.

Carmilla watched her go, downtrodden at the new revelation. Whether they asked for help or not, she was going to provide it. She walked back into the warehouse, on a new mission.

Odette was helping with inventory, before she was approached by her mother.

“Mija, I have a job for you.”

Charlie walked into her room to find Lucifer talking to Vaggie in a hushed tone, phone in hand. They both turned when they heard the door. Lucifer spoke first.

“Charlie! Glad you're back; how'd the meeting go?” Vaggie stayed silent.

“It went well…I guess. Carmilla said she's willing to help if we ever need it.” Vaggie slightly perked up, and Charlie smiled. Lucifer was quickly in front of Charlie.

“Cool, cool, awesome!” He lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper. “I walked in on her having a panic attack. I managed to calm her down, but…now she won't speak to me. I was just about to call you.” Charlie's eyes widened, she was at Vaggie's side in an instant and took her hand in both of hers.

“Hey baby, are you nonverbal right now?” Vaggie's nod only made Charlie more concerned. Vaggie was rarely nonverbal after an attack. It mainly happened in her first year in Hell, when the trauma was fresh and overwhelming. Those instances, like the night terrors, were beginning to lessen over time, but now she was experiencing both again. Charlie's heart cracked at the lost progress. This was all her fault. She should've never left Vaggie alone, and now Vaggie was paying the price for her mistake.

Vaggie winced as Charlie pulled her closer to her. Each breath felt like a fiery stab to her sides. She really aggravated her ribs earlier, and now she was paying the price. It's what she deserved for making Charlie worry.

Charlie turned to the nightstand, grabbing a bottle of painkillers. Vaggie didn't need, or want, them often, just when the pain, phantom or not, got to be a bit too much. This was clearly one of those times. She popped the cap and poured two fingernail sized pills into her palm.

“Open up.” Vaggie stubbornly shook her head with a whine when she realized what was going on. She didn't deserve pampering. She didn't deserve to have her pain alleviated, not when she had already caused so much. “Vaggie, please. It hurts to see you in so much pain. Please take them, for me?” Vaggie sighed, but nodded. She'd do anything for Charlie.

Charlie passed her the pills and she swallowed them without water. Charlie helped her lean back before taking off her jacket and shoes and climbing in with her, stroking her hair.

Lucifer watched from the side, heart aching at seeing his two girls suffer so much. But he'd done what he could do. They knew how to care for each other better than he did for either of them.

He walked out the door, leaving the two alone. He took a stressed breath.

What a Hellish morning it was.

Chapter Text

It had been two weeks since the extermination.

14 days. 13 days since the hotel was fully rebuilt. 11 days since Vaggie woke up.

She had a lot of time to reflect in the past 11 days. A lot of things were still very uncertain. How long before she fully healed? How was she going to navigate the world? Would she ever reach the capability she had before this whole mess?

She didn't know, but there was one thing she was absolutely sure of.

She was bored out of her fucking mind.

Even with the plethora of books that Charlie read aloud, even with her daily physical therapy for her shoulder, even with everyone visiting and Angel's playful jabs, she was growing incredibly restless.

She was going to suffocate if she stayed in this room for another day.

She turned to her right, where Charlie, who still refused to move to her side of the bed despite being pushed off in her sleep 5 times now, was sleeping. She sighed, not being able to do anything until Charlie woke up.

She lightly groaned as her eyes spiked with phantom pain. It seemed the Gods had decided that they wanted to torture her today. She pressed her palms into her covered sockets, trying to alleviate the ache.

The contact only made it worse. Her groan turned into a pained whimper, the sharp pain through her skull only increasing by the second. She felt Charlie shift next to her, starting to wake up. The pain spiked again and she bit back a scream. The last thing she wanted was to wake Charlie up.

Her breathing became ragged, the pain making her want to pass out. She needed to get out of here, before she woke Charlie, before she lost her goddamn mind.

“Vaggie?” Charlie shifted again, voice thick with sleep. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking the sleep away. “You ok?” Vaggie muttered a quick ‘mhm’ before taking her hands away from her face and turning on her side so that Charlie was spooning her.

Charlie sleepily kissed her good shoulder and snuggled her face into her back, careful not to jostle her wings. Vaggie tried to ease into the embrace, but the pain was too much. She flinched as it spiked again.

“You're shaking, Hun. What's wrong?” Vaggie didn't want to tell her. Not because she didn't trust her, but because she already woke Charlie up. Dealing with the phantom pains by herself was the least she could do to make it up to her. Charlie seemed to follow the same train of thought. “I don't care that you woke me up. Please, just tell me what hurts so I can make it better.” Vaggie sighed, knowing there was no way out of it now.

“My eyes…they-” She cut herself off with a pained gasp as the pain spiked yet again. Charlie instantly got to work. She summoned a bag of ice to put over her blindfold, and grabbed the painkillers from the nightstand. Vaggie took them without resistance. “Wh-what time is it?” Charlie turned to the clock on the nightstand.

“7:12. Go back to sleep, sweetie.” Charlie kissed her temple and wrapped herself around her torso again. Vaggie obliged, just wanting the pain to end.

“Are you absolutely sure?”

“Charlie-”

“And I mean 100% no doubt sure you want to-”

“Charlotte.” That made Charlie pause. “I'm sure.”

“Okay…I'm just…worried.” Vaggie managed to look her in the eyes.

“About what?”

“I don't know, I just am!" Vaggie heard the soft sound of hooves on carpet; Charlie was pacing. "What if something happens and I can't protect you? I don't…” She blinked back the tears that were forming. No matter what she did she was always brought back to the scarring image of Vaggie's mangled body, inches away from death. She refused to let that become a possibility ever again.

“Babe, it's okay. Nothing will happen, I just need a little change of environment. Plus, it'll just feel nice to move around the hotel.” Charlie was still skeptical.

“Yeah, but the hotel is different now. It's not as familiar…”

“Doesn't matter; I can't fucking see regardless…” She couldn't help the frustration that was seeping into her voice. She was never a patient person. Charlie's silence was enough to tell her that the statement had hurt.

“Vaggie…”

“I know…I'm sorry. I just…I can't stand being in this room any longer. It's driving me crazy. I need to get out and move around. I'm well enough to handle being rolled around in the wheelchair for a bit.”

Ya need ta get out, toots. You've been cooped up in here when ya don't need ta be.

Charlie sighed, finally understanding the problem.

“Okay…yeah, you're right. Hold still.”

“Well I'll be damned. Is that Vagina, in da flesh?”

“Y'know Angel? I'm kinda glad I can't see your face, it wouldn't be a pretty sight to begin with.” Angel playfully scoffed.

“Please. This face? This is da face of a star. You're just jealous.” His eyes widened as he realized the implication of the taunt. Luckily, Vaggie played it off. She smirked.

“Me? Jealous of you? That's the funniest thing you've said all week.” They both chuckled, putting the potential awkwardness aside.

Charlie looked around, taking in the room. Angel was sitting at the bar, Husk behind it, cleaning a glass. Niffty was in the corner, dusting a cobweb. Alastor and Lucifer weren't present, but it wasn't like she expected the Radio Demon and the King of Hell to be lounging in the lobby.

“Where's Cherri?” Charlie wondered. Vaggie furrowed her brows. Cherri was still staying here? That was interesting.

“Ah, she's out fightin’. Some randos are tryin’ ta take her turf. I doubt they can compete with Pentious, though.” The three glanced at the portrait of Pentious on the wall, clad in his commander outfit. They all fell silent, reminiscing about their time with the snake.

“Well, since most of us are here, how about we do an activity?” Husk and Niffty both paused from their cleaning.

“Haven't done one of those in a while; what did ya have in mind?” Husk questioned. Charlie paused, not expecting to get this far.

“Uhh…we could…wait no…uhm…” Vaggie suddenly perked up.

“I've got an idea: What if we go outside, and see who can push me one lap around the hotel the fastest?” Charlie looked down at her, alarmed.

“What? No! That's far too dangerous! Someone could get hurt, you especially.” Vaggie looked over her shoulder, trying to make some semblance of eye contact.

“Lucifer specially made this chair so that nothing could knock it over if they tried. He said so himself. I'll be fine, hun. Plus, these guys could use the cardio.” Angel scoffed in mock offense and Husk rolled his eyes.

“But…I can't…how do you guys feel about this?” Angel and Husk shared a glance, the former forming a smirk.

“Honestly, it doesn't sound like a bad idea. I think Vags could use the air for one.” Vaggie nodded in appreciation. “Plus, I think I could beat ol’ Whiskas any day of da week. I'm in.”

“Oh, ya think it's that easy, huh? I may be old, but I've still got some game. You're on.”

Niffty ran up and jumped, trajectory set for Vaggie's lap, before Charlie grabbed her in midair.

“Niffty! What have we said about being careful?” Niffty didn't even seem phased at the scolding. She squirmed in Charlie's arms.

“I wanna get pushed around too! Maybe I could even catch some flies in my mouth!” Everyone stared for a moment before Charlie sighed and settled for gently placing Niffty in Vaggie's lap.

“I don't agree with this, but I won't argue with the consensus.” The other 4 cheered, excited for this new game.

“Alright, I've got the timer ready. Just…please be careful.” Angel turned from his spot behind Vaggie wheelchair. 2 arms were placed on the handles, the other 2 on the armrests, for ‘ultimate steering’. He smirked.

“Ya worry too much, dollface. I've got 4 arms holdin’ her steady, and 2 more at the ready. She'll be fine. Now start da timer so I can kick Husk's ass!” Charlie sighed, there was no way out of it now.

“Alright, here we go. One lap, starting…now!” She hit the timer on her phone, and Angel took off, using his long stride to his advantage. Niffty and Vaggie's cheers slowly faded as they circled the large hotel. Charlie sighed, watching them go. Husk put a paw on her shoulder.

“Ya need to take it easy, kid. They'll be fine.”

“I know, I just…I’d never forgive myself if something happened to her. She's already so hurt…I just want things to go smoothly.” Husk hummed as he pondered her predicament.

“I get why you're fussin’, and I'm not saying you don't have a right to…but she's never gonna rest easy if ya’ cripple her more than she already is. Let her do what she can. Let her spread her wings, and if she flies too close to the sun, you'll be there to catch her.” His ears perked up as he heard cheers coming around the corner. He patted her shoulder. “Here they come.”

Angel whipped around the corner, Vaggie and Niffty screaming with delight. He pulled his last pair of arms out, putting all his strength into one last final push. They crossed the finish line in a flash and Charlie hit stop on the timer.

0:52:43

Angel caught his breath as Vaggie laughed; genuinely laughed. This was the most alive she felt in weeks. Her ribs slightly ached, but she didn't care. It was so worth it if it meant she could feel the rush; the wind in her hair and ears, the absolute thrill she had been missing since the extermination. It reminded her of flying. Angel laughed, too.

“That was fuckin’ awesome!”

“Hell yeah, it was! You're a surprisingly good driver.” He ruffled her hair.

“I'll take whateva compliment I can get. Yo, Husk, your turn! Let's see what ya got!” Husk chuckled and walked over, lightly stretching his limbs. He rolled the wheelchair back to behind the starting line.

“Ya ready, kid?” Vaggie leaned back to whisper.

“Do you really expect to beat him?” Husk nearly cackled.

“Hell no! But like ya said, I could use the cardio.” Vaggie laughed in turn.

“Ready…” Charlie began. Husk put a foot back. Angel chortled. “Set…” Husk smirked and spread his wings. Angel's eyes widened.

“Oh, fuck.”

“Go!”

Husk took off at flashing speeds, turning the corner just as quickly as Angel, Vaggie and Niffty screaming the whole way. Charlie smugly turned to Angel.

“Scared he may beat you now?” Despite the initial shock of seeing Husk fly again, Angel was still confident.

“Nah, he may be fast, but he's older. He'll tire himself out fasta than me. ‘Sides, I think he's just in it for the thrill anyways. They both are.” Charlie hummed.

Maybe Husk was right about letting Vaggie take her own risks, as scary as it was. She could tell that her partner was growing increasingly frustrated with her bedridden state. Maybe she could take her down to the lobby more often.

Niffty and Vaggie's laughs were heard around the corner. She decided that she could handle it, for Vaggie's sake, and maybe her own, too.

Husk was wheezing as he crossed the finish line, immediately folding his wings and putting a hand on his aching back.

1:03:74

“Yes! Eat shit!” Angel cheered. Husk rolled his eyes, focused on catching his breath.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'd have beat your ass if I was in my prime.” Angel laughed.

“Sure, ya keep tellin’ yourself that, Whiskas.” They all shared a laugh. Charlie watched from the side, a genuine smile coming to her face.

Yeah, she could definitely handle it if this was the result.

Chapter Text

“I'm gonna go slow, okay?” Charlie grabbed Vaggie's uninjured ankle. Vaggie nodded.

“Wouldn't expect anything less.” She smiled and Charlie briefly smiled back before returning to the task at hand.

She hesitantly pushed Vaggie's ankle away from her, forcing Vaggie to bend her knee. Vaggie winced but didn't make any motion to stop. This was necessary.

Charlie cringed at her pain, but kept going, pulling her ankle back towards her. Vaggie bit the inside of her cheek. Only 9 more times to go.

Vaggie would rather do physical therapy herself, but her leg was weak from lack of use and she couldn't quite lift it for as long as she wanted just yet. And if she were to do it herself, the pain might make her stop, and she couldn't have that. Besides, she always loved when Charlie touched her.

Charlie finished and her busted knee was throbbing from the effort. Vaggie took deep breaths, willing the pain to fade. Charlie placed a bag of ice on it.

“Painkillers?” Vaggie shook her head. She was getting better, but she'd never get back to how she used to be if she relied on painkillers to heal every single ache. She could handle it, she had to.

“Don't need ‘em.” Charlie slumped at that. She knew Vaggie was hurting, and wished she didn't feel so prideful to ignore the offer of medication, but she set the bottle back down regardless. She trusted Vaggie. If Vaggie said that she didn't need painkillers, she'd believe her.

“I…have a meeting with my dad later today. Will you be alright?” If Vaggie had eyes, she would've rolled them to the sky. She settled for lightly rolling her head instead.

“Charlie, it's been a month. I can handle being away from you for a few hours. Just drop me off in the lobby when you head out.”

“I know you can handle yourself, I just worry.” The last time she left Vaggie alone to go to a meeting she came back to her being nonverbal. Of course she was afraid of it happening again.

“I know, but you don't need to.” I don't need you to. Silence fell over the two. Charlie wanted to respond but couldn't think of anything to say.

She got off the bed and went to change into her suit, letting Vaggie's words hang in the air.

“THE MEETING'S WITH HEAVEN?” Lucifer winced at his daughter's volume. He covered his ears with a sheepish grin.

“Yeah…did I forget to mention that?” Charlie willed her horns back into her head and took a deep breath. She did not need to murder her only present parental figure.

“Yes. Yes, you did.” Vaggie rolled herself over and took Charlie's hands, squeezing them gently. Charlie melted at the touch.

“I'm sorry, honey. Do you know how many of these meetings I've had over the years? They're all the same. Sometimes the significance slips my mind.” Charlie pondered it. 10,000 years of ruling Hell, God knows how many meetings, she supposed it became regular.

“I'm sorry for yelling, dad. Just…please try to tell me who we're meeting with before we're about to leave from now on.” She smiled regardless, showing that she forgave him. He smiled back.

“I'll try my best. You know how your old man is.” He nudged her and she giggled.

“Ah, so he admits that he's old.” Lucifer reeled to glare at Alastor, who had just appeared from the shadows.

“Was I talking to you? No. I was talking to my daughter. My daughter, who is perfectly content with a singular father figure.” The taller man wasn't phased.

“Dad…”

“Oh, I have no doubt that you love dear Charlie. It's just that simply, I, personally, would never use my age as an excuse to withhold valuable information.” Lucifer's horns peeped out from his temples.

“Guys…”

“Really, as if you have any right to talk about withholding info. Wasn't it you that made a deal with my daughter to give her information?” Alastor's eyes narrowed.

“Oh my fucking god, do you have to do this now?” Everyone turned to Vaggie. “You have a goddamn meeting with Heaven, and you still give this bastard the time of day?” Lucifer's horns receded. Alastor's smile widened.

“You're absolutely right, my dear. Why let me stand in your way, Your Majesty?” Vaggie turned to him.

“And you. Do you really have to antagonize your King at every single chance you get? What has he even done to you?” Alastor's eyes narrowed and his ears pinned back, but he would never disclose his true reason for his hatred for Lucifer. Not in front of his daughter at least.

Lucifer was about to shout in triumph before Charlie grabbed his shoulders and pushed him to the door.

“We're gonna be late. See you all later!” She opened the door, but the walkway was obscured by a tall figure.

Standing there, with one hand raised, prepared to knock, and a long package in the other, was Carmilla Carmine.

“Greetings, Charlie, and Your Majesty.” Vaggie was immediately rolling herself towards the door when she heard the voice. Cherri took over and pushed her when she accidentally bumped into the couch.

“C-Carmilla? Is that you?” Carmilla gave a sad smile, happy to see her apprentice but saddened by her bound state.

“It seems like my voice isn't easy to forget.” Vaggie laughed, she'd have cried happy tears if she could. She reached her arms out for a hug. Carmilla let herself in and hugged the fallen angel, relieved to see that she was healing.

“W-What are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy, but…what the hell?” Carmilla held up the package.

“I have something for you, and I preferred to wait until I was available to come see you in person to deliver it. Can we move to another…” She glanced around the room. Cherri was standing behind Vaggie's chair, stunned at the overlord that had just entered the building. Husk was behind the bar, surprised at the visit, but gave a passive wave. Alastor was standing near the bar, ears perked all the way up and one eyebrow raised in a questioning glance. “...more private room?”

Charlie and Lucifer could only stand in silence as Vaggie beckoned Carmilla further into the hotel, managing to avoid the couch this time.

“Welp, we don't have time to unpack any of that. C'mon Charlie, we're gonna be late.” Lucifer pushed Charlie into the limo, the princess still processing the events that just occurred.

“I still can't believe you're here.” Vaggie was uncharacteristically giddy as she rolled into a random guest room. Carmilla closed the door behind them.

“Like I told the princess, anything for my apprentice.” Vaggie's heart swelled. She had no idea how much she was missing Carmilla's warmth until now. It was like another missing piece of her new life had been put into place.

Carmilla rolled Vaggie to rest next to the bed, and she moved to sit on the edge. She passed the package to Vaggie, who tore through the wrapping like a kid on Christmas morning.

She felt a long stick, with a small button on each end. She pushed one and heard the familiar shing of angelic steel.

“Is this…?”

“A new spear? Yes, but there's more.”

Vaggie eagerly pressed the button on the other end. The handle extended, nearly doubling in length, and a small sphere popped out on the edge. Vaggie felt the sphere, it seemed to have a piece inside that allowed it to roll on the ground. Vaggie's brows raised in recognition of the tool.

“No way…”

“Yes. A new spear that also functions as a cane for when your recovery is complete.” Carmilla let Vaggie process the gift. The small girl moved her hands around the entire weapon, careful not to graze her hands on the angelic steel. She sniffed.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.” Her voice was thick. If she could cry, tears would be cascading in happy and thankful waterfalls. She was kind of glad she couldn't though, not wanting to appear weak in front of her mentor.

“You're very welcome.” Vaggie smiled wide and beckoned Carmilla in for another hug. She loved Charlie, but something about Carmilla hit differently. This wasn't the warmth of a partner, or a friend.

This was the warmth of a mother.

“So…what's the meeting even about?” Charlie had finally come to her senses 5 minutes into the drive. Lucifer shrugged.

“I'm not sure. They didn't specify. It's probably a check in since one of their highest angels is dead. All they told me was that they wanted you to be there.” That gave Charlie pause.

“Me? What could they say to me that they can't already say to you?” Lucifer shrugged again, just as confused.

“I don't know, sweetie. But hey, maybe they'll listen to your plan this time around, now that you've got a bit of credibility. Canceling an extermination is no easy feat.” Charlie glanced down at the papers in her hand. Vaggie had convinced her to try to pitch the idea again, as long as she didn't sing.

“I hope so…”

“So, how has the healing process been?”

“It's been good. My shoulder is completely healed, even though it twinges from time to time, and I just started therapy for my knee. I should be able to move to crutches in a few weeks, if my wrist heals properly. My wings and ribs are feeling better, too.” Carmilla nodded, hesitating to ask her next question.

“And...your eye?” Vaggie deflated.

“It's as good as it's gonna get. My eyes aren't like my wings; they won't just regrow through the power of love.” She chuckled, still in disbelief that she managed to get her wings back after 3 years.

“I assume you've attempted to restore your vision in the past?” Vaggie nodded.

“Charlie tried everything. She couldn't find any safe spells to regenerate limbs that weren't voodoo. We never trusted it, now more than ever since Alastor showed up.” Carmilla nodded, waiting for her to continue. “She looked into the possibility of bionics, and we thought it could work at first…but my eye was…severed from the nerve. Both were. Even the most experienced tech surgeons haven't found a way to restore vision through a severed optic nerve.” She gripped the spear like a lifeline, memories of having her hopes crushed coming back full force. “So, as of now, it's basically impossible.”

Carmilla sat and processed. She completely understood not consulting voodoo, it was a very frowned upon practice among sinners. It was wild, dark, unstable, and above all, dangerous. Only the likes of Alastor and Zestial had managed to harness its true power for themselves. Using it to restore a limb was already beyond risky. Using it to restore an eye could lead to disastrous consequences.

Vaggie's knuckles turned white from how hard she was gripping the spear. She never liked to directly talk about her newfound blindness. Thinking about it in depth only strengthened her depression and made her spiral. It made her feel powerless and weak, every single time, without fail.

You always were weak.

Well, more so than before, at least.

Carmilla put a large hand on her shoulder, rubbing away the tension.

“I'm sorry that this has happened to you, mija. This is an incredibly big change, and it'll take a long time to adjust.” Vaggie only sulked more. “But…” Carmilla raised the younger girl's chin with a finger. “You're strong beyond belief. I've seen your spirit, Vaggie. I know that you can adapt, and be just as capable as you were before.” Vaggie seemed skeptical.

“How could I possibly fight like I could before?”

“Maybe not exactly like before. But I'll teach you. You'll learn how to use your disability to your advantage, and that will only make you a stronger fighter than before.” Vaggie was still skeptical, but brushed it aside. It would be a long time before that even became a possibility. Right now, she needs to heal.

“I'll take you up on that offer, when the time comes.”

Charlie and Lucifer walked into the embassy, bright white lights contrasting with the natural dark red of Hell. Lucifer sighed as he signed his name on the magic parchment.

“Ready, kiddo?” The large doors opened, golden light peeking through into the hallway. Charlie took a deep breath.

“Ready as I'll ever be.” She cautiously walked into the meeting room, praying that this would go better than the last time she was here. She stopped when she saw a familiar face.

Not just any face. The face of a snake. The ghost of a friend.

“Hello, my dear!”

Chapter Text

Charlie couldn't believe her eyes. Standing in front of her was Sir Pentious. The snake demon she saw die a month ago. He looked different now. His skin was a softer shade of blue. His tail, hair, suit, and hat were now white, instead of black and muted gray.

He looked like an angel.

“P-Pentious?” Tears came to her eyes.

“Charlie!” He spread his arms wide.

“PENTIOUS!” She ran towards him.

“CHARLIE!” He quickly slithered towards her.

Charlie half expected to phase right through him, either because he was a ghost or because he was a hologram like Adam was. She was pleasantly surprised when Pentious scooped her up in a warm hug, both laughing and crying tears of joy. They separated and wiped their tears, in awe of the situation.

“Have you been in Heaven this whole time?” She couldn't believe this. Has he been redeemed? Had she actually done it?

“He has. It seems that redemption is, in fact, possible.” Charlie just noticed the presence of 2 other angles. Or rather, Seraphs. Sera and Emily were sitting at the meeting table, the former having answered her question, the latter wearing a smile that could rival her own.

“You did it, Charlie. You redeemed a wayward soul. I owe you my highest gratitude. Thank you, for letting me see the light.” Pentious took off his hat and bowed, honored to be in Charlie's presence once again. Charlie simply squeezed him in another hug.

“I can't believe it! After all this time, it's finally happened! I did it! Dad, did you hear that? I helped redeem a soul!” Lucifer was starstruck. This whole time, he had seen the worst in the sinners that fell into his pot. He always thought that they deserved to be down here, they had their chance. Maybe Heaven's old ideologies stuck with him more than he thought.

“I-I…can't believe it…”

“I didn't believe it at first, either. But this past month has proven that Sir Pentious has atoned for his sins.” Sera avoided eye contact as she spoke, not ready to confront the King and Princess. Emily rushed over to Charlie and gave her a quick hug.

“I knew you could do it! I'm so proud, Charlie. Now, your dream has a chance to work!” Charlie separated and looked at the 3 angles in the room.

“So that's why you wanted me here. Oh God, I have so much to do. Once the people of Hell know that redemption is possible, they'll actually want to come to the hotel! I've gotta set up a meeting with Katie Killjoy.” Lucifer grabbed her shoulders.

“Easy there. Why don't we sit and talk for a minute. Let everything process.” He pushed Charlie down into a chair and sat next to her, across from the Seraphs and Pentious.

“What exactly is there to talk about? This should be great for both sides. Hell's overpopulation can be solved within time, and you guys don't have to come to exterminate us anymore. It's a win-win.” Sera still wasn't looking her in the eyes. “What do you know that I don't?” Sera sighed.

“It's not that simple. We've been keeping Sir Pentious a secret from the rest of Heaven because we're unsure of how the citizens will react.” Sera explained. Lucifer scoffed.

“If Heaven's as good as they say it is, then everyone up there should be willing and accepting of change. Or are you telling me that there are some corrupt souls up there that'll disagree with the idea of accepting a clearly purified soul?” Sera narrowed her eyes.

“People, holy or not, are stubborn, Lucifer. Knowing that a former sinner made their way into Heaven could scare or anger them.” Lucifer's eyes briefly flashed red. He chuckled darkly.

“You higher ups were always so scared of change. God forbid an angel have dreams, or go against their training, or else they'll be cast out. When are you gonna quit being such a pussies and take a goddamn risk?” Everyone was taken back as the flames began to burn in his eyes.

“Dad!”

“What? Heaven's corrupt, Charlie. They're pompous cowards that refuse to accept change because they're too washed up in the old ways. I was still washed up, before you showed me the light. They're no different. They don't see the struggles, the pain, the work people put into making the most of their afterlife, because it's fucking Heaven. They don't care! If things are good for them, then that's all that fucking matters!” He shot a blast of fire at the wall in his tirade, scorching the ornate pattern. He stormed out, having said his piece.

“Dad, wait!”

“Do what you want, Charlie. This is your dream. Not mine, not Heaven's, yours. Don't let them make you forget that.” The big doors to the meeting room shut, leaving Charlie alone with 3 angles.

Carmilla was about to take her leave, getting everything she had wanted from the visit, before she felt a familiar presence in the shadows.

“Alastor.”

“Carmilla.” Alastor fully appeared, eyes narrowed.

“Is there something you wish to speak with me about?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. I'm sure you're aware that you barged and welcomed yourself into my territory.”

“I was under the impression that the princess owned this establishment.”

“Oh, she does, but you may remember the contract we all signed; Any place of residence is also marked as territory, and as I'm sure you saw when you walked here, my radio tower is part of this building.”

Carmilla sighed, not willing to argue. Alastor was right, after all. All overlords were required to sign a contract of basic construction. The rules were simple. No stealing a soul that was already owned by another overlord. All overlords must mark their territory, including home residence, business buildings, and other locations, in some way. And finally, no trespassing on another overlord's territory unless invited.

“I apologize for breaking the contract, Alastor. But I'm sure you can understand. Vaggie is in need of help, and I'm here to provide it. This meeting isn't professional, but personal.”

“Yes, yes, I'm well aware. I'm sure you're aware that I could easily stop you should you try this again.”

“I am aware, yes. I'm also aware that neither Vaggie nor Charlie would appreciate that. For their sake, Alastor, I request access to this hotel, until Vaggie is well enough to travel to my place. After that, the rules will go back to normal.” She didn't extend her hand, not willing to make a deal with the Radio Demon.

Alastor's ears twitched as he quickly pondered the agreement. If he banished her, she'd most likely still come anyway. If he tried to stop her, Vaggie wouldn't be pleased, which meant Charlie would throw a fit. He couldn't have that.

“Fine. I grant you free access to this hotel for as long as Vaggie's recovery period permits it.” Carmilla nodded, grateful.

"I appreciate the compromise, Alastor. I shall take my leave." She walked to the large doors, angelic shoes leaving small indents in the carpet.

Alastor watched her go, trying to determine when he became so lenient with his deals.

“You need to tell Heaven, Sera, or else no progress can be made. Even if Heaven reacts negatively, they'll eventually see. Two steps forward, one step back.” Sera still didn't look convinced.

“The souls up there don't know pain and difficulty like your people do. A change like this could disrupt the entire sanctity of Heaven as we know it.” Charlie tried not to growl at the Seraph’s stubbornness.

“Sera, we can't keep this secret forever. Pentious worked hard to redeem himself and he did it, why let him suffer any longer? Why let any of them suffer?” Emily spoke up.

“Emily's right, Sera. I may have guided Pentious, but he did the redeeming part all on his own. He atoned for his sins, he died a heroic death to protect his friends, he is worthy of being an angel just as much as you are.” Pentious gave Charlie a watery smile, ever touched at the praise. Charlie gave him one in return.

“Sera, please.”

“Give them a chance Sera. Heaven is meant to see the best in all people. It saw the best in Pentious. Let your people see the best in him too. Spread your wings and take the risk. And if you fly too close to the sun, there are people who will be there to catch you.” Charlie quoted Husk. The more she heard it, the more she believed it. Maybe she could be a little more lenient with Vaggie going forward.

“Sera, you always preach about the right thing. This is the right thing, and you know it. Please, Sera.” Sera looked into her sister's eyes, baby blue windows pleading for change. She sighed, knowing they were right.

“Alright, here's what's going to be done…” Charlie and Emily perked up. “We bring Sir Pentious back with us, and we present him to Heaven. We wait until the citizens are comfortable with a former sinner living in their community. When that time comes, then the residents of Hell can be informed as well.”

“Wait, you mean nobody can know until then? Not even the people at the hotel?” Sera nodded.

“Especially the people at the hotel. We can't risk letting this secret out prematurely, not if both sides aren't willing to agree to redemption.”

Charlie sighed, thinking it over. Vaggie could keep secrets, so could Alastor. Husk, she was certain could to. Angel and Cherri she was more hesitant, what if they went out partying and let it slip while drunk? Would people take them seriously? That was a risk she couldn't take. Not to mention Niffty. She sighed again.

“Fine, we'll wait until Heaven agrees, however long it takes.” Emily got up from her seat and hugged her, knowing the meeting was over now.

“The hard part is over now, things will get better, I promise.” Charlie smiled.

“Thanks Emily, and…thank you Sera.” The latter nodded before she and Emily flashed and vanished, leaving Charlie alone with Pentious. The snake took off his hat and lightly fidgeted with it.

“I suppose…this is goodbye until further notice?” Charlie nodded. “In that casssse, I'd like to ask a few questions, if that'ssss alright?” Charlie got up and hugged him, still in awe that he was alive.

“Anything.”

“How are the others doing? I hope they aren't missing me too much.” Charlie smirked.

“Cherri misses you, though she doesn't like to admit it. She's still staying at the hotel, I'm guessing because if you believed in it, then it wouldn't hurt to stay.” Pentious blushed. “Angel and Husk are doing fine, they miss you too. Vaggie…” Pentious picked up on the obvious hesitation.

“What'ssss wrong with Vagatha?” His yellow eyes were full of concern. Vaggie was their strongest fighter, something big must have happened if Charlie was hesitant to talk about it.

“She…was hurt in the attack. Lute…blinded her and…the hotel fell on her as well…” Pentious wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks. Talking about it never made it easier. It only made her remember the pain that Vaggie was going through, and the fact that she almost didn't live to feel that pain.

“I'm so sorry…Vagatha is one of the strongest fighters I know. If anybody can bounce back, I'm cccertain it's her.” Charlie gave a watery smile and squeezed him tighter, thankful.

“Thank you, Pentious. Have a good time in Heaven. We'll see you soon.” Pentious saluted, before disappearing in a flash. Charlie was alone.

Charlie hesitantly pushed the doors to the hotel open, incredibly nervous about keeping a secret.

“Yo, princess! How'd it go?” Welp there it was. Time to lie. Charlie took a deep breath.

“It wasn't too important, actually. They just wanted to debrief us on how Heaven's adjusting to Adam's death. They're pretty shocked, which was expected.”

“Anythin' on redemption?” Husk spoke up from the bar. Charlie bit her tongue and pretended to deflate.

“No, nothing. They're still stubborn, but I still think we can do it.” She put on a faux hopeful smile, trying to portray her normal behavior. They seemed satisfied with the answer. Charlie noticed the absence of a certain angel.

“Where's Vaggie?”

“Upstairs in ya room. She wanted ta be alone for a bit.” Cherri nonchalantly took a sip from her drink. Charlie refrained from shouting at all of them. If Vaggie wanted to be alone, then she could be alone.

Regardless, Charlie left to go check on her. She wanted to change out of her suit anyway.

“Hey, babe.” Charlie paused in the doorway.

“How did you know it was me?” Vaggie smiled.

“I can tell by your footsteps.” As if that was all the explanation required. “Angel had longer strides in between, Husk practically stomps everywhere, Niffty essentially pitter patters, Cherri walks with a purpose, Alastor comes with static, Lucifer as angelic presence, and you're more hesitant, usually.” Charlie was stunned. She smiled, proud of Vaggie for making progress with her senses.

“Well, I'm glad you're learning to adapt. What's that in your hands?” Vaggie's smile widened as she held up the spear and Charlie walked over, trying to get a better look.

“Carmilla made me a new spear! It's just like my old one, and it doubles as a cane!” Charlie smiled lovingly at Vaggie's enthusiasm. Vaggie rarely got so excited, so she wanted to cherish this moment.

“I'll be sure to thank her the next time I see her.”

“...How'd it go with Heaven?” Charlie sighed before retelling the same lie she told the residents downstairs. Vaggie slumped but didn't seem surprised. She set the spear down and succeeded in putting a hand on Charlie's shoulder. “Don't worry, Hun. I'm sure we'll find a way to make this work.”

Vaggie was honestly thankful to be the one offering comfort. For the past month, she had needed constant care and attention to the point where it made her suffocate. She wasn't used to it. She was used to offering comfort. That was her job, to comfort Charlie and support her. Having the tables flipped made her rather uncomfortable, the last time she needed care like this was 3 years ago, and even then, it was only for a week or so. She couldn't wait to be back on her feet.

Charlie removed her jacket and shoes, desperate to get much needed cuddles.

“If you believe in me, then that's all I need.” And for a minute, it was like everything was back to normal.

Chapter Text

“Ready?”

“Not really.”

“You can do this, Vaggie. I'll be guiding you the whole way.”

Today was a big milestone. Vaggie was moving to crutches instead of the wheelchair. She technically could've done this weeks ago, but when parts of both of your legs are broken, crutches aren't really an option.

Her knee was still healing, as was her wrist. Gripping the crutches properly was already difficult. Using her “good” leg for stability was already difficult. Being unable to see where she was going was really fucking difficult.

Vaggie wasn't ready, but this was a necessary step to recovery. She needed to relearn to walk eventually.

“Okay, let's just get it over with.” She had the crutches in her hands, and Charlie gently lifted her out of the chair, careful not to jostle her leg and wings. Her ribs didn't hurt anymore unless she was hyperventilating, which happened more than she liked to admit due to the night terrors.

For the first time in 6 weeks, Vaggie was standing.

Her “good” leg was already shaking, as was her left arm. Her healing limbs were still too fragile. She winced and Charlie was immediately steadying her.

“Easy. We can try again tomorrow if it hurts too much.” Vaggie shook her head. She was already doing this. She needed to get stronger.

She pushed the crutches forward with a grunt, knee nearly buckling from the pressure. Charlie had a firm grip on her arms in case it did. Now came the hard part: putting full pressure on her wrists and propelling her legs.

Even with the physical therapy, even though it was close to being healed, her wrist still wasn't strong enough to support her entire body weight.

She managed to push forward, leg hitting the ground again, only for the pressure on her injured limbs to be too much. She promptly collapsed, and would've face planted if Charlie wasn't there to catch her.

Charlie guided her down to sit on the floor, gently rubbing her arms to distract her from the burning pain in her wrist and kneecap.

“It's okay, it's okay. We can try again tomorrow.”

It wasn't okay. She wanted to try again now.

“No, it's fine. Help me up. I can do this.” Charlie paused in her movements. Her protectiveness was coming back, but Vaggie knew her body best. If she was good to try again, she'd help.

Charlie held her up again. The shaking was worse this time around, but it wasn't gonna stop her.

“Vaggie, are you sure-”

“Yes. I want to at least make it to the bathroom.” The bathroom in question was about 10 more paces away, not that she could see. She couldn't even handle one pace, did she really expect to get that far?

She tried again, nearly getting the same result, but she favored her right wrist, keeping her a little more stable. For a moment she thought she could do it, until her knee spiked upon landing, making her collapse once more.

Charlie held her as she tried to control her ragged breathing.

“Okay, that's enough for today. You're only going to hurt yourself more. Come on, let's get some ice and painkillers.”

Charlie didn't understand. She couldn't even make it to the damn bathroom on her own. How was she supposed to do anything? She's not meant for care, she's meant to be the caregiver. That was her purpose. How was she supposed to fulfill her purpose of she was stuck on the fucking floor?

“I can do it.”

“You can't. Not yet. You need to be patient.”

“I've been patient, Charlie! I've been so fucking patient and waited so fucking long for this. When is it gonna pay off?” Charlie fought the tears in her eyes. She needed to comfort Vaggie right now, not the other way around.

“It'll pay off soon, trust me. You've been doing so well, Vaggie. Please don't ruin your progress by trying to rush it.” Vaggie didn't protest as Charlie lifted her back onto the bed. She leaned back dramatically, ignoring the way it made her wings throb.

She was so tired. Tired of the pain, tired of recovering. Tired of not being able to see Charlie's face. She just wanted to be there.

Hadn't she suffered enough?

I guess I'll just tell Little Miss Butterflies and Rainbows that she's been fucking someone who's killed thousands of her people.

No. The answer was always no, and it was stupid to think otherwise. She deserved this, she needed to remind herself.

She felt the chill of the ice on her injured limbs and shook her head, knowing that Charlie was about to offer painkillers.

Charlie's brows furrowed in concern. Vaggie was normally content with taking the pills if the pain was too much, which it definitely was right now. Why was she refusing now?

“Please? For me?” Vaggie hesitated at that. She considered just taking it before she shook her head again. She deserved this pain.

“I'm sorry. I just…I think I'm gonna take a nap.” She hadn't napped in weeks, but this sudden failure seemed to knock the life out of her. “You don't have to stay.”

“What if I want to?” Vaggie heard the teasing smile in Charlie's voice. It brought out a tiny smile of her own.

“Then, I guess I can't stop you, can I? Charlie giggled and pulled a book out as she snuggled next to Vaggie and kissed her cheek.

Vaggie laid and pondered for a few moments. The pain was still throbbing. Even then, she always had trouble falling asleep. Even before falling.

The screams of the sinners never stopped ringing in her ears. The blood on her hands could never be washed off. The lives she had taken could never be brought back. The suffering she caused could never be atoned for.

She would never deserve Charlie.

Their love is vile and blasphemous.

Sometimes the memories were all she could see. With no eyes to open or close to change the image, the painful images would get stuck and she could do nothing to shake them.

Right now all she could see were Lute and Adam, laughing and taunting her. She could see Charlie's betrayed face at the reveal that she was an angel. She could see the look of utter coldness Charlie gave her in the aftermath. That look hurt the most, but it was earned.

Charlie seemed to notice her stress, as she began to absently stroke her hair with one hand and continued to hold the book in the other. She began to hum a random tune. Her singing always helped Vaggie sleep. Vaggie smiled lovingly and snuggled further into Charlie's shoulder.

“Thanks Hun.”

“Extermination Day is here, bitches! Let's go fuck shit up!”

The cheers rang in her ears as she flew down to Hell, spear in hand, ready to skewer any sinner that dared look in her direction. She wore a gleeful smile; she had been itching for this day for the entire year. She was going to make the most of it.

She flew into an alley, cornering a cowardly sinner that tried to run away. The sinner was tall, had long blonde hair that was tied up. She was wearing a red suit jacket and black pants. What really gave her away though was the red spots on her cheeks. This wasn't a sinner.

This was the princess of Hell.

This was Charlie.

Lute cackled madly in her head, and she pushed forward and skewered the girl without a second thought. Charlie's screams were haunting.

She tried to move, tried to stop Lute. Her body was stuck. She gripped her spear, the spear that was stuck through Charlie's torso. Then it hit her.

She was Lute.

“NO!”

She felt a pull on her back, wings in someone's vice grip. Her eyes burned, and began to melt from her sockets. Her and Charlie's anguished screams were drowned out by the sinister laughter and cheers of her sisters.

She fell to the ground, the pull on her wings never relenting. A sharp, stinging pain ran across her entire body. Her muscles were pulled tight until the limbs were severed once again. She expected to hear Lute’s voice again, but instead, Charlie spoke.

“Sinful filth like you has no place in Heaven.”

Vaggie sat up, shaking and breathing in panicked gasps. Where was she? She could very well be back in Heaven, but then why was it dark? Heaven was normally very bright. What was happening? Why did everything hurt?

Her hyperventilating got worse. Her practically healed ribs were aching from the effort. She was getting lightheaded from the lack of air. Her entire back and eye sockets were on fire. Her wings spiked with each tiny movement.

Charlie, from her new place on the floor, did her best to guide Vaggie back to the present. This terror was worse than the last few. Her wings had managed to break out of the bindings, extending and lightly flapping in panic. Vaggie wasn't meant to start therapy for them for another few weeks. They weren't ready to be exercised yet.

“It's okay, Vaggie. I'm okay, you're okay. You're in the hotel, in the room, with me. I know it hurts, but it'll stop if you breathe with me, okay?”

Vaggie didn't respond, sobs now mixing in with the gasps. Charlie touched her, having no other choice. Vaggie jumped and would've punched the unseen threat if the movement didn't make her feel like her spine was being crushed.

Charlie did the breathing motion on her arms that they'd become accustomed to. She continued patiently for 10 minutes until Vaggie was lucid and coherent enough to communicate, or so she thought. She climbed back into bed, now that it was safe.

Vaggie startled with the realization that she knocked Charlie off the bed once again. How many more times before she got hurt? How many more times before she got sick of it and wanted to leave?

She was a terrible girlfriend. Charlie had supported her and comforted her all morning, and this was how she repaid her? By pushing her off the bed and making her worry? By forcing her to take care of her when she had this short period of relaxation?

You were always a pathetic little mole.

Not just a mole. A snake, a rat, a leech, a parasite. She was sucking time and energy from Charlie's day, getting pampered and showered in affection even after lying to her for 3 years. She happily murdered thousands of souls that Charlie mourned annually. She couldn't properly appreciate her anymore because she couldn't fucking see. Even after everything, Charlie still loved her all the same. It made her sick.

Physically sick.

She covered her mouth, the hatred swirling in her mind and agonizing pain in her limbs making bile rise to her throat.

Charlie quickly rushed to grab a trash can, putting it under Vaggie's chin as she hurled her breakfast. The sobs came back. She was so fucking pathetic.

Charlie rubbed her aching spine, careful not to touch her wings. She needed to bind those again ASAP before the injured bones broke any further.

“I need to bind your wings again. They can't stay out like this, they're not ready yet.” Vaggie only hummed in acknowledgement. That made Charlie worry even more. Was she nonverbal? She'd been doing so well with that, this was a really bad setback.

Vaggie grunted as she folded her wings back into place, bones cracking from premature effort.

She hated her wings, they only reminded her of who she used to be, what she used to do with them. She was glad to put them away again. That didn't stop the pain, though.

Her wrist and knee were still aching from her failure before, but now her eyes and back were burning with phantom pain. Her ribs were sensitive, too.

Charlie summoned more ice and grabbed the meds, not expecting Vaggie to fight again. Vaggie shook her head again, and Charlie nearly cried in anguish.

Why was she fighting it? She was in clear agony, why not alleviate it?

The physical pain would fade, but if she kept pushing Charlie off the bed, the emotional baggage of accidentally hurting her would stay forever. She decided to compromise.

She patted the empty bed space to the left of her. The space that Charlie usually slept in but hadn't for 6 weeks now. Charlie sat there, confused at the request.

“Do you…want me to sit there instead?” Vaggie nodded. Charlie sighed when she realized what Vaggie's goal was. “Will you take the pills if I do?” Another nod. Charlie sighed again as she climbed into the cold side of the bed and laid on Vaggie's left, just like she used to. “Open up.” Vaggie didn't fight this time.

Vaggie hugged herself, feeling utterly worthless. This was supposed to be a productive day, and it felt like she took 5 steps back. She was beginning to think that recovery was pointless. Even if her limbs healed properly, which was already taking a long ass time, even for an angel, she still had to relearn to do everything with a blindfold on.

Why couldn't Lute ever finish the job properly?

Charlie hugged her and stroked her hair. She could only ever assume what the night terrors were really about, since Vaggie could never remember them. It's not like she could tell her now, anyways. She read somewhere that they can be a result of trauma. Whether this one in particular was from old or new trauma, she didn't know. All she knew was that she needed advice.

Vaggie's trauma was caused by the angels. It was caused by being an angel herself, by being cast out.

She couldn't relate to the pain of falling. Only one other person in Hell could. The only problem was, she hadn't seen him since the meeting with Heaven.

Charlie needed to find Lucifer immediately.

Chapter Text

Vaggie woke up to an empty bed.

She didn't know when she fell asleep. Charlie's warmth must have lulled her to sleep after her breakdown.

“Charlie?”

Her voice cracked from both screaming and lack of use. Despite the weakness in her throat, her whisper grabbed the attention of someone in the room.

For a second she thought someone had broken in, their footsteps weren't too familiar and Charlie hadn't responded yet. Did Lute finally come to finish the job? Had she already gotten to Charlie?

“Charlie?” She called again, panic setting in.

“It's okay, I'm here.”

Charlie assured her by crawling on the bed to her left and resting a hand on her arm. Hearing her voice was one thing, and feeling her touch was another, but Vaggie could never be sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her unless she had both reassuring her at the same time.

“Why are you up? Is something happening?” Charlie seemed to hesitate.

“I…need to go find my dad. He's been missing since the meeting with Heaven and he won't answer his phone. I'm worried about him. About both of you.”

Vaggie's brows furrowed. “I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me. This morning was just a setback, it won't happen again.”

Charlie stared incredulously. “What? No, Vaggie, I'm not worried about your recovery. Well, I mean, I am, but…this morning doesn't mean anything. It's okay that you're not ready yet. You've been healing so well, it's okay to take a little longer before taking the next step.”

Vaggie fought a scowl. It wasn't okay. In Heaven, if you weren't ready, or you fell behind, you had to work your ass off to make up that ground, or else you'd face punishment. If you weren't at the top of your game, then you were worthless, because there were plenty of other people more deserving of your place. 

Charlie simply didn't get that. But she wasn't going to get mad at Charlie. It wasn't her fault she didn't understand.

“Then what are you worried about?” As if it wasn't obvious.

“Vaggie, you've been relapsing. You've been going nonverbal when you haven't done that in years. Your night terrors are happening more frequently. You've had panic attacks from just being alone. You're not okay.” Vaggie flinched away, not needing this right now. “Vaggie…”

“What's your point?” Charlie flinched at her cold tone.

“My point is that you're traumatized, Vaggie. You're a fallen angel that's been burned by Heaven, and I can't help you with that baggage because I simply can't relate. But someone can, and I'm going to go get him. You both need it.” Charlie got off the bed, leaving no room for argument. “Will you be okay being alone?”

She was tired of people asking her that. Okay? The fuck does “okay” even mean? Physically, no, she wouldn't be okay. She couldn't walk or see. Mentally…she was fine. She wasn't traumatized. She was perfectly fine. She had to be...

“I'm fine, you don't need to worry.”

Charlie left the room, worrying anyway.

The Morningstar mansion was truly a sight to behold. It's size rivalled the hotel's, even after the renovation. Nobody ever dared to venture to this part of town, fearing the wrath of the King of Hell.

Charlie knocked on the large wooden doors to her childhood home. She raised an eyebrow when they opened on their own.

“Dad?”

With no response, she had no choice but to venture inside. She wandered the hallways, gazing at the old family photos. Her heart panged when she saw her mom in each of them. Where was she? Was she really busy, or had something happened to her?

She brushed those thoughts aside when she saw the old pictures of her emo phase, deciding to cringe at that rather than worry about her estranged parent.

She knocked on the one door that made sense to check. Lucifer's office. The office she would wander into as a child and her father would show her visions of the spectacles he once dreamed of. She was always enthralled, before Lilith took her away for bed anyways.

She opened the door, appalled at the insane plethora of rubber ducks littered everywhere. Oh boy…

Lucifer was at his desk, slumped over, soft snores coming from his form. Charlie walked over, careful not to step on any rogue duckies. She gently shook his shoulder.

“Dad? Wake up.”

“I'mnotafraud!” Lucifer jolted awake, bags under his eyes. His hat was on the desk, revealing his tangled mess of hair.

“Dad? Are you okay?” Lucifer looked around and noticed his daughter gazing at him with worried eyes. He put on a faux smile, the smile he always wore when she was younger.

“I'm fine, kiddo. Thanks for checking on me. Why didn't you just call?”

“I did. You didn't answer.” She held up her phone for emphasis.

Lucifer glanced at his own phone, perplexed. He tried to turn it on only for the screen to stay black. Then he realized he hadn't even attempted to charge it since he got back.

“Oh. My bad, sweetie.” He chuckled before standing up out of his chair, stretching his sore limbs. “What's up?”

“I'm worried about you. Both you and Vaggie. She's not okay and…I know you're not either.” Lucifer hunched in on himself.

“It's fine…just seeing the other Seraphim…arguing in favor of an unsupported dream…it just got to me is all. Perks of being a fallen angel…” Charlie placed a hand on the shorter man's shoulder.

“That's why I'm here. I know Vaggie's struggling with her past, a past I can't relate to. But you can. You two are the only people in Hell to go through this. Maybe talking to someone who can relate will help both of you.”

Lucifer pondered the proposition. His daughter had a point. He and Vaggie were the only fallen angels in history. Despite boiling for 10,000 years, the pain of being cast out by those he trusted most still burned fresh sometimes. If it was still this bad for him after this long, he couldn't even image the anguish that Vaggie was going through, having only been down here for not even 4 years.

He promised himself that he would work to improve and support his daughter. Vaggie was his future daughter, as much as the couple pressed that they wanted to take their time with proposals.

His parental instincts won over as he slicked back his unkempt hair and donned his hat, deciding to leave his coat resting on the back of the chair.

“You make a good argument, kiddo.” He summoned a portal to the hotel, beckoning Charlie to follow him. “Come on, let's go home.”

Charlie watched Lucifer climb the stairs, ready to have a talk between fallen angels. She sighed as she took a seat at the bar, waving Husk off when he offered her a drink.

“What's eatin’ ya, toots?”

Charlie sighed again as she dragged her hands down her face in exhaustion, the stress finally getting to her. She turned to Angel.

“Vaggie's not doing okay…neither is my dad. I convinced them to talk to each other about their pasts in Heaven.”

“‘Kay, so what's the problem?”

“I just feel so…powerless. I feel like I'm doing everything I can, and it's not enough. Vaggie's getting distant, and I don't know if I should push or just back off until she's ready to talk. The latter normally works, but I don't know anymore.”

Angel and Husk both hummed, thinking of the best advice they could give.

“Whaddya mean, 'distant'?” Angel questioned.

“She's getting more impatient, not that I blame her though. She had a setback this morning, and it really got to her. She's been getting more aggressive and cold with each bump in the road.”

“You said she isn't okay…has she told you that herself?” Husk asked, idly cleaning a glass.

“Well…no.” Angel slapped a hand on the table, startling her.

“There's ya problem. Right there. If she won't admit that she's hurtin’, then she'll neva get anywhere.”

“Exactly. Ya can't find a solution to a problem you refuse to acknowledge. It'll only frustrate ya. I guess that's what's been happenin’.” The two men shared a fist bump, proud to have figured out the situation.

“Okay…so she won't admit that she's not okay…what do I do?”

“Tell her as much. If it's true, then she'll eventually let her walls down and admit it. It may take a while though.” He pointed a glance at Angel, the latter chuckling at the subtle reference to their first breakthrough. “Just be there to catch her, and things will turn out just fine.”

Charlie let the new advice swim in her mind. She'd already told Vaggie as much, now it was on Vaggie to acknowledge that fact as well.

She hoped talking to Lucifer would help with that.

“Hey there, kiddo.”

Vaggie looked up from her spot in bed. She shouldn't have been surprised, Charlie had said that she was getting Lucifer, but it still felt strange to hear him after being absent for 2 weeks.

“Hey.”

Lucifer walked in and set his hat on Charlie's nightstand before sitting on the edge of the bed.

“How are you doing? And be honest, because I know you're not fine.” Vaggie bit her lip. “Honestly I'd be shocked if you were fine. I know I'm not. Seeing the Seraphim again didn't sit well with me, as I'm sure you understand.” Vaggie sat in silence before sighing, knowing he'd just keep going if she didn't say something.

“I'm not used to this, being taken care of. I'm normally the one caring for Charlie, and I just feel weird now that the tables are flipped.” Lucifer leaned in, knowing there was more. “Adam wasn't the gentle type. Neither is Lute.” Well that was the understatement of the century. “When we trained, we couldn't afford to be hurt, or fall behind. If we did, we had to work to improve, or else we'd be punished and replaced. I've taken care of myself for the longest time, and I hate that I can't right now. I hate being so dependent. I hate that I'm falling behind, and that there's nothing I can do about it.”

“And yet you keep telling yourself that you're fine.”

She glared at him, well her new version of a glare. It was hard when you had no eyes to narrow.

“Because I am. Maybe I'm not physically, but that's obvious. I don't need people to keep telling me that. Nothing is wrong.” Lucifer stayed silent. Vaggie could feel the sympathetic look on his face. It was the same look she knew Charlie always gave her, now more than ever. “Stop pitying me! Heaven fucked me, I know, but it's fine. I'm fine. I've moved past it.”

“I'm not pitying you. You need to stop lying to yourself. I know what you're going through, Vaggie. You've been burned and scorned by those who you trusted the most. The ones that you spent your entire life believing were pure and holy, but they cast you out because you wanted change. I know what that feels like, because it happened to me.”

Vaggie hated how right he was. She hated that he could reach into her core and find the root of her problems. He knew the exact things that haunted her, because they haunted him, too.

“...it's been almost 4 years. It's fine.”

It took everything in him not to scream at her stubbornness. How was she so in denial of her problems? Why couldn't she swallow her pride?

“It's not fine, and you know it. Heaven's hurt you, just like they hurt me. It's still haunting you, you know it is. How can you not see the problem?”

“I can't see shit! That's the fucking problem! They can take my wings, and they can take one eye, but they took both of my eyes. I'm blind, Lucifer. H-heaven blinded me, in so many goddamn ways. For the longest time, I was blind to the suffering I caused other sinners. The suffering I caused Charlie. I can never undo the shit that I did. And now I'm blind for real. I can't see any aspect of Charlie, period. I was blind to her suffering, and now I'm forever blind to her happiness. Is that what you wanted to hear?” She took quick breaths, the rant taking a lot out of her.

Lucifer hugged her. Heaven made him blind, too. Not in the literal sense, but he was never able to see the good in sinners, the possibility of his daughter's dream. He was blind to who his daughter was for a long time. Never again.

“I'm sorry, kiddo. I'm so sorry. You're right, you can't undo what you've done. But you can redeem yourself. I say you're one step ahead, if the guilt is eating at you this much.”

Redemption was Charlie's dream, not hers. She never believed that she deserved it. She deserved to boil and rot for all eternity. It was the only way to atone. Atone, not redeem.

“You deserve love, kiddo, whether you want to believe it or not. I think the fact that you don't is the true problem. Everyone deserves a second chance, even people who approved of the exterminations way back when.”

She realized with a start that he had permitted the exterminations in the first place. Once upon a time, he too, condoned genocide. She hugged him back with a sob, finally understanding just how alike they really were.

Lucifer rubbed her back as she let out the baggage. The everlasting guilt from killing, the ever present pain of falling, the obvious scars that the angels left behind. Could you really blame him for resenting Heaven?

“Let it out, kiddo, it'll be okay.”

Chapter Text

"Fuck!”

The 3rd day of trying crutches was barely easier than the first. She managed to make a full pace on her own before collapsing once again. It was progress, but it wasn't enough.

“Hey, it's okay, you're making great progress. I'm proud of you, sweetie.”

Charlie's warmth and patience was the only thing preventing her from losing her mind. She wanted to scream, cry, anything to rid her of this increasing frustration.

“How are you so patient? I feel like I'm going insane.” Charlie hugged her and stroked her hair. It wasn't a direct admission, but it was a step closer.

“I know how hard this is for you, and I want to be a constant source of support, no matter how hard it gets.”

“How many times have you wanted to yell at me?” Vaggie asked, fearing the answer. Charlie only squeezed her tighter.

“Never. Never, Vaggie. I get that you're stubborn and frustrated, but who wouldn't be in your situation? I'd never blame you for reacting the way you are. You're not okay, but that's perfectly fine.”

There it was again. You're not okay. She fucking knew that. She couldn't see and couldn't walk on her own. And, okay, maybe Heaven did a number on her mentally, but it was fine now. She recognized the problems that killing and falling brought upon her psyche. So what was the problem?

“If it's fine, then why do you keep reminding me?” It wasn't accusatory, just curious.

“Because…it's something you need to recognize. Something you need to admit.”

Admit weakness? This felt like a trap, but Charlie would never do that to her. This was a genuine request to admit something that she could barely even grasp. How was she supposed to admit that she wasn't okay if Charlie didn't specify the problem she wasn't okay about?

“Alright…I'm not okay with how things are. I'm not okay with my slow progression, or the constant anxiety, or the pain.” Charlie stayed silent, almost like she was expecting her to continue. “I said it. Isn't that what you wanted?”

“I know you want to say more than that.”

“I don't.”

“Vaggie.”

“I don't. What else do you want me to say? I feel like shit, but I thought that was obvious. You keep telling me I'm not okay, and yeah, physically, I'm not. Sure, Heaven fucked me up, but I'm recovering, right?”

Charlie sighed, dropping the subject for now. This wasn't getting anywhere. Maybe she just needed a little more time to come to terms with everything.

“Right. Just…I'm here if you want to talk…okay? We're partners, Vaggie. I love you.” Charlie kissed her on the nose. Vaggie grabbed her collar and pulled her into a gentle kiss, savoring each other's love.

“Thank you. I love you, too.”

She hates you, you worthless piece of shit.

Angel Dust opened the hotel door to a tall overlord, white hair done up to look like horns, red eyes piercing through his very soul, well it would've if he hadn't sold it.

“Sup, Carmine. Here to see Vags?

Carmilla could ignore the less than formal greeting. It's not like she expected much from Angel Dust of all people. Besides, it was refreshing, albeit a bit strange, to be treated as if she wasn't on a pedestal.

“Yes, I am. I assume she's in her room?”

She had visited a couple times in the past few weeks, just to check in. She was always busy in the few months following the exterminations. She managed to squeeze in an hour once a week to see her apprentice and check up on her progress. Today was no different.

“Yup.”

With that taken care of, Angel went back to making love eyes at Husk, who had managed to fall asleep and was softly snoring at his post.

Vaggie didn't know why she did it. She didn't know what possessed her to do it. Looking back, it was incredibly stupid. She could've seriously hurt herself. But hindsight, let alone regular sight, wasn't her priority at the moment.

It was getting back into bed before Charlie found her on the floor, crutches strewn about.

The negative thoughts were becoming too much. Thoughts of failure, of helplessness, of death.

Why was she still here? Why did Charlie still love her if she couldn't provide anything but frustration and pain? Was it really worth keeping her around anymore? She could tell Charlie was getting frustrated with her, even if she wouldn't admit it. How long before she couldn't stand her anymore? How long before Charlie agreed with the thoughts that were plaguing her mind?

It was the plethora of thoughts like those that spurred her to get up on her own, desperate to improve with those damn crutches.

She wanted to get better. Get stronger. She thought that if she really worked, she could do it. Charlie would be surprised, maybe even proud of her, and everything would feel right again.

And now she was face first on the floor after barely making a singular pace. Honestly, what had she expected? Failures don't vanish within a few hours, she of all people should know that.

She couldn't even get up. Her knee twinged with every attempt at bending it. Her leg was still wrapped straight and tight. She only had one good arm. No way was she gonna be able to crawl around, put the crutches back, get in the chair, and then get back into bed without hurting herself.

Maybe she deserved a little punishment for being so stupid. She's had worse.

She didn't even get a chance to try before she heard a knock on the door followed by it opening, and then light as air footsteps on the carpet.

“Vaggie? Ay, mija, what did you do?”

Shit. Why was Carmilla here? She was already worried about Charlie seeing her, but Carmilla? She admitted that she was weak, but she didn't want Carmilla to know that. She'd never train her if she saw how pathetic she really was.

“N-nothing. I-I just…”

She winced as Carmilla lifted her up and sat her in the wheelchair. She moved to grab the crutches, realizing with a start what Vaggie was trying to do.

“Did you…try to use these by yourself?” She could tell by the braces on her wrist and knee that such a task wasn't advisable. Vaggie didn't respond. “Vaggie.” Vaggie cringed at her tone. It was the same tone that Charlie had used earlier this morning when she was trying to get her to talk. It made her feel small.

“I-I…I just wanted to get better…I can't…” Getting caught was making her anxiety flare. If things got any worse, she might just shut down, but she couldn't do that. She'd only get scolded even more than she was about to.

Carmilla placed her large hands on Vaggie's small shoulders. Vaggie flinched, not seeing it coming. She stiffened, expecting a scolding for showing such extreme weakness.

“Where's the princess?” Vaggie froze, not expecting such a gentle tone.

“Out.” It was the reason she was brave enough to try this in the first place. Charlie would've shut down the idea immediately, and honestly, she couldn't blame her. Just look at how it turned out.

Carmilla hummed. Alright, so Vaggie's main source of comfort was currently unavailable. She wanted to help, but she didn't know Vaggie's triggers. She could accidentally make things worse. She could take her down to where her friends were, they've been constants in her recovery as well.

Vaggie sniffed, and maternal instincts won over. Vaggie needed someone now.

Charlie was walking the streets. Vaggie had managed to convince her to try and recruit sinners for the first time since the extermination. She said she didn't want to get in the way.

She relented, just to give Vaggie the peace of mind. But when would she realize that she'd never get in the way? She was much more important than a dream. She loved her more than anything.

It felt like Vaggie was beginning to drift away. Like her walls were even more closed and solid than before. It broke Charlie's heart to see her shutting down more frequently. Vaggie had just began to have a breakthrough in healing from her trauma, and the extermination had set her back on so many fronts.

Maybe the trauma itself wasn't the main issue. Maybe the scars weren't the true problem with Vaggie's psyche. They were an obvious glaring issue, yes, but maybe it extended further beyond that. Maybe it was something deeper. Something Vaggie herself didn't even realize. Why else would she be so stubborn?

Charlie sighed, continuing her slow pace through crowded and bloody streets. She hoped that whatever it was, she could figure it out, for both of their sakes.

Carmilla held Vaggie in her lap, stroking her hair. Vaggie cried dry tears into her shoulder, the self doubt becoming just as crippling as her injuries. One wrong step and she would most likely slip into a panic attack.

“Talk to me, mija. What's troubling you? Tell me your deepest emotions. Tell me everything going on in your agitated mind.”

Vaggie sniffed, relishing in this foreign type of affection. She couldn't remember life on Earth, or if she was ever alive to begin with. Her early years in Heaven were faded memories as well. If she was Heaven born, she had no recollection of parents or even having a childhood. Her first memory that she could recollect was joining the exorcist ranks.

Charlie gave her the warmth of a partner. Someone she would spend eternity with. Someone she would give her life to. Someone who was her reason to live. Despite the status imbalance, their relationship was purely equal. They both supported each other through trying times, no matter the cause.

But Carmilla was different. She felt like a strong wall that she could lean on and wouldn't begin to crumble from the weight of her baggage. She would always dismiss her pain in front of Charlie, because Charlie was an empath. Any negativity she ever felt, Charlie would feel it with her, and she hated herself for ever bringing a frown to Charlie's face.

She hated herself for a lot of things. The life she used to live, the fact that she kept it a secret from the love of her life, the fact that she could no longer provide adequate service to said lover.

You don't deserve her. You deserve to rot.

The voice in her head was slowly shifting from memories of Lute to Lute's voice overlaying any negative thoughts.

“I…I f-feel like shit.”

Carmilla didn't halt in her movements. “And why is that?” Vaggie took a deep breath.

“I'm in constant pain. I'm falling behind on my recovery. I can't walk on my own. I can't see. I used to enjoy killing Charlie's people. I lied to Charlie about who I was for years. My wings only remind me of who I used to be. I feel useless, worthless, purposeless, and pathetic. I'm ridden with guilt. I suffer from trauma. I have night terrors and phantom pains. I feel like I don't deserve any of the kindness I'm given. I feel like I don't deserve love. I don't deserve Charlie. I don't deserve to live in luxury. I deserve to suffer. Sometimes I wish that Lute actually killed me. Sometimes I wish Charlie hadn't found me. I want to die but that would be taking the coward's way out. I'm paranoid. I'm scared that Lute will come back and take everything I love. I'm worried that Charlie is giving too much of herself to me. I feel like a burden and a nuisance. I feel defenseless and powerless. I feel like a waste of valuable space and that Charlie should stop wasting her time on me and focus on shit that actually has value.”

She took deep breaths, the rant draining her of air. She was shaking from years of pent up emotions finally making its way out. She's never said that aloud to anyone before. Not even to Charlie. It felt…rejuvenating.

Carmilla was silent, but ever persistent in providing comfort. She pulled Vaggie closer and continued to stroke her hair as she processed the ramble. This was incredibly sensitive stuff that couldn't be resolved with a singular talk, but she would do her best.

“You say you feel worthless and purposeless. Why is that?”

Vaggie took shaky breaths as she began to cycle through her memories as an exterminator. A conversation with Adam, the first she ever had with him, came to mind.

Agatha had been following this big man and his assistant for 5 minutes. They were walking down a bright hallway, getting further and further away from where the council typically resided. She still had no idea what the meaning of this was. Curiosity winning over, she decided to ask.

“Excuse me, sir?”

“Wassup, bitch?”

Agatha cringed at the casual use of the insult. His lieutenant was standing next to him, and didn't seem phased at all. Was this normal behavior? She shuddered.

“Why exactly am I here? You said you would explain why you wanted me, but why?”

Adam ushered her into a room and locked the door to keep prying ears away. He looked down at her with a cocky grin.

“The name's Adam. That's right, the Adam. The original dick. My job is to handle Hell's overpopulation problem by training an elite group of girls to slaughter them once a year. I've decided to pick you as a recruit. Now, this job is pretty hush hush, so I want you to zip your lips, got it?”

Lute's sword flashed dangerously. She gulped and nodded.

“Great, awesome! Any questions?”

So many, but she focused on the biggest one.

“Why do we have to kill them?”

Adam groaned and rolled his eyes, probably tired of hearing the question.

“They're overpopulated and could start an uprising and blah blah blah. The reason doesn't matter.” He leaned in, narrowing his eyes. “You are here for one reason, and one reason only. This is your one true purpose in Heaven. Your body count is what you're worth. This is your one singular job. You fail this job, you can say goodbye to everything you know and love, got it?” The question was much more threatening this time around. Adam was really intimidating when he wanted to be.

“Y-yes s-sir.”

And just like that, the grin was back. He slapped her on the back, irritating her wings.

“That's the spirit. Lute here will show you to the barracks. Training begins tomorrow!”

Agatha nervously trailed behind Lute, whose evil smirk under the mask would haunt her for the rest of her days.

That was how her life was for as long as she could remember. Lute mercilessly trained her to be a killing machine, because that was her purpose, the reason she was even here.

If she couldn't keep up, she was worthless. If she failed, she would have no purpose. That sentiment had been endlessly drilled into her mind until it became the norm for her. She had no worth unless she could fulfill her purpose.

“It's been that way for as long as I can remember. I had a purpose in Heaven. A sick, twisted, fucked up purpose. If I couldn't fulfill that purpose, then I meant nothing. I would be worthless. When I fell, everything I knew was taken away. I was left for dead, because that's all was good for. You're only worth what you can give, and I couldn't give enough.”

Carmilla squeezed her tighter, rage bubbling at the angels that brought Vaggie this anguish.

“What happened after?” That brought Vaggie a smile.

“I met Charlie, and found a new purpose. At first, it was to repay her for saving my life, but then it became so much more. When I learned who she was, and how much she despised the exorcists, I wanted to dedicate my life to making it up to her for all the lives I took. I want her to be happy, I want to fulfill her dreams, because she's the only true angel I've ever met. I'll never deserve her.”

It unnerved Carmilla how Vaggie was able to talk about talked about how little she mattered so casually, with a smile at that. She tried to think of the best way to phrase it where Vaggie could understand that this wasn't healthy.

“You do realize you're not there anymore. You don't have to think that way about yourself.” Vaggie only tilted her head up, confused.

“But it's fine. I'm used to it. How else am I supposed to think?” Carmilla settled for just being blunt. It was how both she and Vaggie normally spoke anyways.

“Vaggie, I want you to listen closely. This mentality, in which you don't value yourself for the person you are, and rather what you can provide, is unhealthy. You are so much more than that. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you can truly heal from Heaven's damage.”

Apparently, her way of thinking, the way she had thought about things for her entire existence, was flawed. Apparently, these feelings weren't normal. Apparently, something was seriously wrong.

Charlie has told her that she wasn't okay. Lucifer had told her that as well, and helped her realize just how damaging Heaven could be. Now Carmilla was telling her that Heaven's influence had fucked her up so bad that she didn't even realize there was a problem.

“I…I don't understand. Why should I have as much worth as someone like Charlie? I'm a soldier, a killer, a liar; I've always been inferior.”

Her body and voice were trembling. Maybe Charlie and Lucifer had a point. She had never thought highly of herself, she simply wasn't taught to. Was that what they were talking about when they said she wasn't okay?

“You and your girlfriend are always working to make change in a world that wants to stay the same. That can be applied to yourself, as well. The first step to change, to recovery, is to admit when you are struggling. Then, the healing can really begin.”

Vaggie was trying not to cry. This whole time, her way of thinking was destroying her from the inside out. She had been denying that something was wrong because she didn't even know it was wrong to begin with. The fact that she was content with how things were, only for the three people she admired most to tell her that none of it was okay, that she wasn't okay, was like a slap in the face.

If she wasn't okay, then what was she supposed to do? In Heaven, you had to be more than okay; you had to be a perfect weapon. How was she supposed to erase a life's worth of negative tendencies?

“W-what do I do…?”

“You take the next step. Talk to your partner. She'll understand if you tell her what you've told me.”

Vaggie shook as the new information hit her like a tidal wave. She wasn't okay. She was brainwashed, traumatized, scarred, and broken. She was not okay.

She hugged Carmilla tighter, overwhelmed with the revelation. Carmilla hushed her and stroked her hair, telling her that everything would be alright now that she realized the true problem.

Vaggie fell asleep in her mother's arms.

She woke up to feel a familiar warmth surrounding her. She didn't need to see to know it was Charlie.

“Hey, Hun.”

“Hey, you've been napping for about an hour. I passed by Carmilla on my way home…she didn't seem too happy. Did something happen? Are you okay?”

Vaggie sighed, hoping this conversation could've waited just a little bit longer. But, Charlie needed to know. She deserved to know.

“No…no I'm not okay.”

Chapter Text

Charlie shook with anticipation. This was it. This was the breakthrough. This was a huge step in Vaggie's healing process, she had to handle it with utmost care.

“Thank you for telling me. I'm so proud of you, Vaggie; I know saying that wasn't easy. Do you want to talk about it?”

Vaggie nodded and Charlie helped her sit up. Vaggie didn't speak for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. She really didn't want to talk just yet, but Charlie needed to know everything while it was still fresh. Bottling it up would only result in another Icarus moment, and she didn't want to put Charlie through that.

She opened and closed her mouth a couple times, not exactly sure how to start this. Charlie sat patiently, knowing that this was going to be difficult.

“I'm not…I don't feel…I can't…” she sighed, ever hesitant to throw her baggage at Charlie. Charlie held her hand in both of hers, kissing it encouragingly. She smiled despite herself. It faded as she brought herself to form a full sentence. “I'm fucked up.”

Charlie stroked her hand with her thumbs. She didn't interrupt, allowing Vaggie to articulate her thoughts however she wanted.

“...I don't even know where to start…”

“Start from the beginning. Tell me everything, please.”

You are here for one reason, and one reason only.

“My first memories are meeting Adam and joining the exorcists. I don't know if I ever lived on Earth, or if I had a childhood to begin with. He told me what my job was, and that it was my one true purpose. The more I fulfilled my purpose, the more I was worth. If I failed…well…I was nothing…I am nothing. I've felt that way for as long as I can remember.”

Charlie was heartbroken. This whole time, Vaggie had felt so incredibly inferior to the point she considered herself worthless. This whole time, and she had no idea. It explained so much.

The reason Vaggie never talked about her feelings, the reason she put Charlie on such a pedestal compared to her, the reason she always neglected to take care of herself, the reason she refused painkillers so often, the reason she was so pressed to get better.

It was all because Day 1 she was told that she didn't matter unless she could provide something.

She felt a growl bubbling in her chest. Her horns were beginning to peek out of her forehead, her eyes flashed dangerously. Her tail curled possessively around Vaggie's leg. She liked to see the best in everyone, but right now, she was glad Adam was dead, and hoped Lute would follow him shortly.

“I never thought it was a problem because I thought it was normal. But…now I know it's not…and I-I don't…”

“Oh, sweetie…”

Charlie pulled her into a hug. Vaggie rested her head on her shoulder, shaking with quiet sobs. Charlie squeezed her tight and rocked her gently.

“How am I supposed to just…think differently? I'm so used to thinking like I don't matter; I can't just unlearn that.”

“You can. You can do anything you put your mind to, Vaggie. You can change, you can recover, you can adapt, and you can grow. That's what redemption’s all about.”

Vaggie shook her head and pulled away just enough to pretend to look Charlie in the eyes.

“We’ve talked about this, hun. I don't want to redeem myself. I just want to atone for the things I've done. I…I don't deserve-”

Charlie put a finger to her lips. “You deserve everything. You deserve love, kindness, health, redemption, everything. I know you were taught to believe that love is conditional, but it's not. It won't be ever again, I'll make sure of it.”

You deserve love, kiddo, whether you want to believe it or not.

She didn't believe it. Even if she could look past her worth, there was still the matter of her past actions. She actively, willingly, happily, participated in genocide. Sure, she saw the error of her ways, but that didn't erase the carnage she had caused, the anguish she had brought to her princesa.

Atonement was different from redemption. Redemption required forgiveness and believing in a change for the better. Atonement was simply punishment for past actions. She didn't deserve forgiveness; who would forgive their murderer?

She saw them, the souls, sometimes in the late hours of the night when she couldn't sleep. Floating eyes, forever judging. Hovering lips, forever screaming. They surrounded her, always reminding her of her past, always damning her for the pain she caused for countless years. With no vision, she couldn't blink them away like she used to. She could only pull her blindfold tight, scrunch up her empty eyes, cover her ears, and wait until they vanished on their own, which normally took hours.

“Why did you forgive me?”

Charlie immediately knew what she meant. They barely had a chance to talk, really talk about what happened in Heaven. Charlie had forgiven her, Vaggie had bottled up her self hatred, and that was that.

“Y'know how I met Rosie, the cannibal overlord?” Vaggie nodded. Of course she knew. She hoped Charlie had thanked her for rallying her cannibals for the fight. Knowing Charlie, she most likely had. “I talked to her about us. About how upset I was that you kept a secret like that from me.” Vaggie lowered her head in shame. Charlie lifted her chin with her finger. “She told me that words are cheap, and actions are what matters. You've always believed in me and my dream. You supported me even when I was mad at you. You never made me doubt that you love me as much as I love you. You deserve forgiveness, and I'm going to keep telling you until you believe it.”

Vaggie fought the lump in her throat. She really didn't deserve Charlie. Even if she could excuse the omitted lie, it didn't change the things she had done to her people. She could never forgive herself for that, not when she was constantly reminded of it.

“Okay…fine. You forgive me for keeping the secret. But what about what I did? You…you can't just forgive that…”

Charlie hushed her again. “I can, and I already have. It hurts, but not as much as the lie, which I've already forgiven. I don't care who you were, Vaggie, do you know why?” Vaggie shook her head. “Because you've changed. You stopped. You saw that what you were doing was wrong, and did the right thing, even if it was so much harder.”

Vaggie shook her head again. This wasn't right. If she had changed, then why was she constantly reminded of her past life, almost like it was calling back to her? Why did the memories never go away? Why did she wish she had rather been killed than live this new life?

She knew why. It was the trauma, the guilt, and the shame. The trauma made her relive her worst moments constantly, and it only brought more hatred upon herself, because there was nothing she could do to erase those damn memories. She did those things, killed those people, lost those limbs, and none of it was ever coming back.

“I can never take back the lives I took…I-I have so much shame…so much guilt…a-and…and the…t-the trauma won't let me forget. I…I just want to forget.”

Charlie rubbed her back and stroked her hair, unsure of what to say. How do you comfort someone who is so haunted by their actions? How do you make it better? She had an idea, but she needed to guide Vaggie into the right headspace.

“Do you want to forget me?”

Vaggie jerked back, almost offended at such a question. “No! God, Charlie, never! You are the best thing that's ever happened to me, you're the reason I'm still here.” Okay, they'd have to unpack that later. “I just want to forget Heaven, forget everything until I meet you.”

“Vaggie…as painful as they are…those memories are part of you. They made you who you are. You wouldn't be the Vaggie I love, the Vaggie who's protective, dependable, strong willed, devoted, and oh so loving, without those experiences to shape you. They made you stronger, stronger than you know.”

Yeah, well, for what it's worth…you're a lot stronger than ya know. Never forget that, ‘kay?

“And what if I hate who I am?”

Charlie's heart ached. She let a couple tears roll down her cheeks as she pulled her close again, letting Vaggie rest her head in her chest. “Then I'll love enough for both of us, until you can love yourself just as much as I do.”

Vaggie squeezed Charlie tight, absently running her fingers through her blonde hair. She was beginning to forget exactly how long it was, and that scared her. How long before she forgot something important?

Speaking of important…

She didn't want to tell her, but she refused to keep any more secrets. “...I have to tell you something.”

“Anything.”

“When you left earlier…before Carmilla came…I…I tried to use the crutches on my own.”

Charlie jumped in shock. “You what? Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself? Vaggie, why would you do that?”

Vaggie lightly winced as Charlie patted the casts on her legs and wrist, checking that nothing was damaged. She took Charlie's hands in her own and kissed them reassuringly.

“I'm fine, promise. I just thought you deserved to know. I'm trying to be more honest with you, Hun."

Charlie's heart briefly swarmed with guilt as she thought about the secret she was keeping from everyone. Pentious was alive, redemption is possible, and Heaven's currently deciding whether they agree. She shook her head. Now wasn't the time for that.

“But why would you do that? No offense Vaggie, but you can barely handle the crutches when I'm helping you. What made you think you could do it on your own?”

Vaggie looked down shamefully. Great, you've really done it now. Charlie was mad now, but she didn't want a fight, so she spoke as calmly and softly as possible.

“I have these…thoughts. I hear voices. I hear Lute and Adam. I hear the souls that I've killed. They tell me I'm not good enough, that I deserve pain, that I'm worthless, that I'm a failure, that I'm hopeless, that things would be better if I was gone.” Charlie squeezed her tighter. “They got to me, and I guess I wanted to prove them wrong…and I thought you'd be proud if you came back and saw that I improved…”

“Vaggie, I'm proud of you no matter what. Please never forget that. My love for you is never ever conditional in any way, okay?”

Vaggie believed that, if only the voices would let her. She squeezed Charlie back. “I know…gracias, mi amor.”

Charlie pecked her on the lips. “You're welcome. Is there anything else you'd like to talk about? You don't have to if you don't want to. I know today was a lot.”

Vaggie pondered the question. There was still a lot more to unpack. Even more to work through. Hours upon hours of unlearning the way she used to think, over a month left of physical recovery, even more to readjust to life without sight. There was so much to talk about.

But right now, she was content with her progress for the first time in weeks.

“No, I just want you.”

She pulled Charlie by the collar, their lips locking in a passionate kiss. Charlie grabbed her by her slim waist, claw like fingernails gently scratching her scalp. Vaggie buried both her hands in Charlie's hair, making it come undone from its neat style. Their intimate life would never be the same, even after she was out of these damn casts. They'd have to have a long talk about it later, but right now, they decided to make the most of what they had.

Vaggie leaned back and pulled Charlie with her, hungry for love, for affection, for comfort, for her princesa. Their hands traveled everywhere, bodies desperate for much needed contact after 6 weeks of near neglect.

They separated after a few blissful moments, both needing to catch their breath. Vaggie gave Charlie a smile for her and for her only, and she knew Charlie was too. She ached to see Charlie's smile, her memory simply wasn't enough. She yearned to make more memories, but she couldn't, not like she used to.

She pulled Charlie close to her, the demon's head resting on her chest, allowing her to hear her heartbeat. It was something Charlie did a lot recently. Sometimes she would simply lay on Vaggie's chest to hear her heartbeat, needing reassurance that she was still alive and well.

Charlie hummed a random tune, content, and wrapped her tail around Vaggie's waist.

They laid there for the better part of the afternoon, basking in each other's warmth, glad to have taken another step forward in the long winding road to full recovery.

Everything felt right, if just for a moment.

Chapter Text

Charlie was up early. She quietly worked around the room on the tips of her hooves to get ready without waking Vaggie, who was actually peacefully sleeping for once.

Today was a big day; a follow up meeting with Heaven.

This could mean a lot of things. Heaven could have accepted Sir Pentious and the idea of redemption. They could still be waiting to deliver the verdict. Or worst case scenario, they had rejected her idea all together.

Anxiety swirled in her gut at the thought of the last one. All this time waiting, all this work, for nothing. Her dream would amount to nothing, just like her father. It was devastating to think about.

She turned and looked at Vaggie, who was snoring softly under the large blanket. Her leg was out of its suspender now, both of her ankles resting on pillows. It gave her a little more wiggle room, which she was incredibly thankful for. She also refused to take her blindfold off under any circumstances besides showering, and right now it looked like a cute sleep mask. She was adorable, snuggled up in a bed much too big for her.

Charlie happily sighed, God she loved her angel.

She finished getting ready and closed the bathroom door, causing Vaggie to stir. Charlie walked over and kissed her temple, eliciting a tiny smile from the sleeping angel.

Charlie spared her one more loving glance as she walked out the door, ready to head across town.

Vaggie woke up 30 minutes later, her internal clock never fully let her sleep in. Thanks, military training.

She stretched her arms, and quickly noticed the absence of her partner. The bed felt empty, but she patted Charlie's side just in case. Yep, definitely empty.

“Charlie?” she called, just in case Charlie was up and still in the room.

“Ha! You wish, babe.”

Vaggie sighed. “Good morning to you too, Angel. What are you doing here?”

“Hey, can't a man just visit his good pal Vags ‘fore he heads off ta work?”

“Wouldn't you rather have a drink, maybe share saliva with the local bartender?”

Angel squawked in offense. He was lucky Vaggie couldn't see the growing blush on his face. He scoffed, attempting to put on some form of mask. “Please, whadda you even know? Ya can't even see us, no body language ta read or anythin’.”

Vaggie smirked. “I can hear it in the way you talk to each other.” She herself was guilty of using a much softer tone for Charlie only; she knew it when she heard it. She shrugged and left it at that.

Angel scoffed again. “Whateva. I'm here cuz her highness is off to meet with da halo whores and wanted me ta check up on ya.” He left out the part where she asked everyone in the lobby and he was the first to volunteer.

“Charlie's meeting with Heaven again? Why?” What could they possibly want? The extermination was canceled 7 weeks ago. They met to discuss Adam only 3 weeks ago. What else could there be? Did Charlie know? Was she hiding something?

“I dunno. She didn't say.” What was Heaven planning?

“Whatever.” The silence that followed wasn't tense, but it was certainly awkward. The two had never really had a chance to actually talk, just the two of them. Any bonding experience they had usually involved a 3rd party. Angel cleared his throat to break the silence.

“So…got any plans? Wanna head down? Maybe Husk or Cherri will be up for anotha chair race.”

Chair racing had become one of the favorite hotel activities. Husk had only raced a couple times, satisfied with his times and only really using it as an excuse to stretch his wings and see Angel smile.

Angel and Cherri however, treated it like an Olympic sport. The completed restlessly for the best time, which Vaggie and Niffty never complained about; more thrill for them. Angel was currently holding the record at 0:45:31 and he knew Cherri was itching to beat it.

Vaggie pondered the idea. It sounded fun, maybe she would go down after a small physical therapy session.

“Maybe later…do you think you could help with something first?”

Angel raised a brow, curious. “Sure, what's up?”

Charlie hated how she was getting so familiar with the embassy. It was such a stark contrast from the rest of Hell. White and yellow instead of red and black. The patterns were pretty, she would admit, but it still made her uneasy. None of her meetings with Heaven had ever gone particularly well.

She signed the floating paper and walked to the big meeting room, alone. Lucifer had opted out, stating he wanted nothing to do with those “pompous feather dusters”, and Charlie couldn't blame him.

She knocked before pushing the heavy doors open, greeted by 3 familiar faces.

“Hello there, Charlie!”

Charlie smiled, elated to see her snake friend once again. “Pentious!” She squeezed him in a tight hug, one that he happily returned. “It's so good to see you again, how are things going?”

“That's what we wanted to discuss today.”

Charlie let Pentious go and gave a friendly smile to the two Seraphim. Emily was quick to return a matching smile while Sera simply nodded in greeting.

“Good morning Your Highness, I'm glad you could join us. We have-”

“We have some very exciting news!” Emily bounced excitedly as she interrupted her sister. The younger seraph ignored the deadpan look her sister gave her, focusing her full attention on Charlie. “Heaven has accepted Sir Pentious!”

Charlie absolutely beamed. “Really? S-so what does this mean?” Could the hotel truly begin? Was her dream about to take flight?

Sera cleared her throat. “It means…” she sighed. “...That the major consensus of Heaven's public is open to the idea of letting sinful souls redeem themselves, much like Sir Pentious. Redemption shall be achieved through your hotel, provided it continues to work, seeing as there is no other method.”

Charlie couldn't believe it. Her dream was actually coming true! There was a chance she could make a real difference in this broken world. She could save her people, providing they want to be saved.

“Oh my God. Oh my fucking god yes! Yes yes yes!” She pumped her fists and began twirling around the room, overjoyed and overwhelmed with satisfaction and fulfillment.

“It may take a while, but soon Heaven will be just as populated as Hell! You did it, Charlie. I'm so proud!” Emily encouraged, smile never wavering.

Charlie smiled in gratitude. “Thank you Emily, and you too Sera. I couldn't have done this without you. Thank you especially, Pentious. You're the reason this is possible in the first place.” Pentious flushed, choking back tears of gratitude. Charlie widened her eyes with a realization. “Oh gosh, I've got so much to do! I've got to set up a news meeting, I have to show them the undeniable proof-” she gasped. “Pentious! Everyone's been missing you! Now that Heaven's accepted you, they can see you, right? This doesn't need to be a secret anymore?”

Pentious nodded in agreement. “Yes, please! I miss my friends, and my eggies! Most of them were scrambled along with me, but I know a few must have survived, right Charlie?” Charlie nodded, thinking of Frank, the lone egg boi who had taken to taking care of the pets, wanting to serve in some way.

“Yes, now that the experiment is over, Sir Pentious is allowed to visit once a week. The council normally wouldn't allow this, but they agreed under those terms because Sir Pentious once resided here. It has become his home as much as Heaven has.”

“That's amazing! Thank you. Thank you guys so much!” Charlie rushed to hug Emily, who gladly returned it. She grabbed Pentious by the hand, dragging him out the door.

“Keep working, Charlie! You're almost there!” Emily called as the large doors shut, leaving the two Seraphim to their own devices. Emily turned to her sister. “Why aren't you more excited about this? We've finally solved the problem.”

Sera sighed. “Yes, but it won't be solved soon enough. More exterminations will have to happen if this doesn't work well enough in the next few months."

Emily huffed. “Well…we'll worry about that when the time comes. Be optimistic for once, please.” She disappeared back to Heaven, leaving Sera alone.

Sera sighed, wondering when her little sister had gotten so bold.

“Shit!”

“You're really bad at this, huh?”

“Fuck off!”

Vaggie was sitting on the floor, having just failed at the crutches yet again. She was getting better. She could do it fine enough with help, but on her own was a different story. She barely managed two paces before she stumbled, and fell on her ass.

“You're makin’ progress, ain't ya? What's there to be so snippy about?”

It's not enough. It was never enough. She was never enough. She'd never be enough, unless she could figure out these goddamn crutches.

She shook her head, reminding herself that these were bad thoughts. Charlie didn't think that way, so she shouldn't either. It still didn't stop them from coming, though.

“...Do you ever feel like you've hit a wall? Mentally and physically?”

Angel paused, not expecting that kind of question. He thought about putting on a facade, but…Vaggie was being open. She was being vulnerable and genuine. He'd be a complete dick if he just brushed off this opportunity for a real conversation.

Play your card, be who you are.

“All the time.” She looked up at him, surprised by the softness in his voice. “It sucks, I know. Life puts ya in a rut, and it feels like ya can't do anythin' about it.” He didn't miss how Vaggie hunched in on herself at that. “But sometimes, all you gotta do ta break down that wall…” He lifted her up, two arms supporting her armpits while the other two handed her the crutches. “...Is ta charge through it.”

“Charge…through it?”

“I think I see your problem, Vags. Yer goin’ too slow. You're spendin’ so much extra time puttin’ pressure on those hurt limbs, and it's only hurtin' ya. Ya need to go fasta. Blaze through it. Charge through that fuckin’ wall. Break it down, bitch!”

She let him motivate her. Maybe he had a point. She and Charlie had been trying to take things slow to prevent further injury, but maybe the opposite was needed instead. The faster she went, the less time she'd spend hurting herself. She smirked in determination.

She made a pace, and another one right after.

“Yes, that's it! Keep goin’! I know you have it in ya ta do 5 more. Don't stop, toots!”

She made another quick pace, the pressure was still there, but the pain faded away much quicker. Another pace. Another.

“Come on! Work it, bitch!”

Another pace. Another. Another. Another-

Vaggie yelped in surprise as she bumped into the wall, misjudging just how far away she was from the bathroom door. Angel caught her before she could fall.

“Yeah, you did it! That was all you! Good shit, Vags!”

Vaggie couldn't believe it. She had done it. She'd finally made good headway with the crutches. Sure, her knee and wrist were throbbing from the insane effort, but she did it. She made it to the bathroom on her own after a whole week of repeated flops. She laughed, euphoria taking over for a brief moment.

“I did it!”

Angel wrapped her in a four armed hug, twirling her once before gently setting her down. “I'm proud of ya, Vags. I know Charlie will be too when she sees.” Vaggie motioned for the wheelchair, having had enough for the day. Angel happily plopped her in it. “Wanna head down? I think a breakthrough like this deserves a drink or two, eh? Whaddya say?”

Vaggie chuckled, still high on satisfaction and utter joy.

“Yeah, let's go. Thanks, Angel.”

Angel smiled in return and ruffled her hair. "Anytime, toots."

Charlie bounced her leg as the limo pulled up to the hotel. Pentious would be doing the same if he had legs to begin with. He settled for wringing his hands instead.

“I'm...really nervous, Charlie. It wassss stressful to wait all that time for Heaven's judgment. What if the residentssss don't like the new me?” He gestured to his white suit and body, a stark contrast from the gray and black they used to be.

Charlie put a reassuring hand on his arm. “You're still you, Pentious. You just look a little different. It won't matter to them. I'm sure they'll just be happy to know that you're alive and well.”

“Issss…Is Miss Cherri Bomb still doing alright?”

Charlie smiled, seeing as the limo was now parked in front of the hotel. “Why don't you ask her yourself?”

Pentious noticed their location and took a few deep breaths. His return meant so much. It meant that he was alive, that redemption was possible, that they didn't have to mourn him anymore. They could look forward now, their progress wasn't for nothing anymore.

Charlie held his hand and guided him out the limo to the big doors. “Just wait outside for a second…I want to make sure everyone’s here.”

Charlie opened the doors to see the lobby was completely, surprisingly, full. Angel, Cherri, and Vaggie were at the bar, Husk passing them a couple drinks. Niffty was sweeping cobwebs and crushing spiders in the corner, while Lucifer and Alastor were exchanging glares before Alastor's ears perked and he looked towards the source of the noise, noticing Charlie.

“Charlie, good to see you my dear! How was the meeting that your father refused to attend?” His smirk widened as Lucifer practically vibrated with rage.

“Hello Alastor, everyone. I have some really really big news! Like, the biggest possible news you could ever imagine!”

"Bigga than this dick?" Angel piped before both Husk and Vaggie smacked him upside the head while Cherri laughed.

Charlie's smile didn't waver, though. "Yes, Angel. Even bigger than that."

The other residents looked at each other, confused and intrigued.

Husk poured himself a drink before deciding to bite, curiosity getting the better of him. Damn cat instincts. “Well, don't keep us waitin’. What's the deal?”

Charlie bounced with excitement, walking back to push the doors open once again. “Say hello to an old friend…”

Sir Pentious walked through the door, in all his angelic glory. The residents, sans Lucifer, were stunned, a few tilting their heads, not quite believing or recognizing him. “Uh…hello, everyone.”

Vaggie, who had been looking around in confusion up until this point, finally perked up at the sound of his voice. It couldn't be…were her senses playing tricks on her again?

More silence. It was like seeing and hearing a ghost. The ghost of a friend they thought was long dead for 7 weeks now. The ghost of someone who died right in front of their eyes. This couldn't be real. This was a collective fever dream of some kind.

Cherri was the first to speak, voicing what everyone was thinking.

“No fuckin’ way…”

Chapter Text

Sir Pentious felt anxiety swirling in his chest. He was finally seeing all of his friends again. He was overjoyed, and yet none of them seemed to reciprocate. He slightly deflated, suddenly feeling stupid for thinking that everything would be right again.

Charlie took his hand, noticing the tension. “Guys…he's real. This is real.”

As if someone had pressed play on a show, the residents were suddenly sprinting from their spots to welcome him back.

Angel and Husk wrapped him in a bear hug. “Where’ve ya been, ya son of a bitch?” The three amigos laughed, living in the surreal moment. Angel got a better look at his getup. “We thought you died!”

Pentious deflated slightly, the memory of perishing in a burning light wasn't one of his greatest. “I did…but I was reborn…in Heaven.”

Everyone stepped back, confused and overwhelmed. “So what are you sayin'? What does this mean?” Husk questioned.

Charlie beamed, looking at the sinners before her. “It means that redemption is possible. The hotel works, and you all have a chance to atone for your sins. We did it.”

Everyone was stunned. Everyone…except Lucifer.

“Yeah…we knew that…wait did you not tell them?”

Vaggie turned to where his voice was coming from. “Wait, you already knew about this? For how long?” Lucifer shut his mouth, sensing that he fucked up. Everyone turned to Charlie, who wore the same shameful expression as her father. “Charlie?”

“Charlie, you knew about dis? And didn't tell us? What the actual fuck?”

“My snakeman’s been alive this whole time; we've been mournin’ him this whole time, and you didn't say shit? Angie's right, what the actual fuck?”

“Guys guys, please! I can explain!”

“Why the fuck should we listen? He's been livin’ and you kept that from us! What else have you been hidin’ huh?” Cherri jabbed her finger into Charlie's chest relentlessly.

“Hey!” Vaggie wheeled over to the group at the door. “Let her explain. There could be a very valid reason why she didn't tell us, but she won't be able to explain if you don't let her talk, so shut up and listen!” Everyone straightened as Vaggie used her military tone. They nodded, not wanting to argue with the pissed off angel.

Charlie smiled gratefully. “Thank you Vaggie. I wanted to tell everyone. I really really did. But Heaven forced me to keep it a secret, while the citizens decided whether they were okay with redemption or not. If all of Hell knew, and Heaven rejected it, then it would only bring more chaos and bloodshed. I'm so, so sorry for keeping this from you guys. I promise that I have nothing else to share. This was the only thing. I'm so sorry.”

Angel, somewhat satisfied, also admittedly couldn't stay mad at Charlie for long, and turned to the King instead. “And what's your excuse? Charlie, I understand, forgive, even.” Charlie smiled hopefully and he briefly grinned back before turning back to Lucifer.

Husk seems to catch on. “Yeah, Princess had no choice, but you didn't know it was a secret, did ya? Why didn't you say shit?”

Lucifer's eyes widened as the attention was suddenly flipped on him. He also didn't miss the way static cracked as Alastor's grin widened. He sighed. “I'm sorry I-I thought she told you. I didn't know it was a secret, so I assumed Charlie had already said something. I'm..sorry for jumping to conclusions.”

The air was tense and awkward, the residents wanted to be angry but had no reasonable outlet. Charlie and Lucifer both had valid reasons for keeping the secret.

Pentious piped up, wanting to change the subject before things had the chance to get ugly. "It's good to see you again, Vagatha. How is your recovery going?" He would admit that it was slightly...off putting...to see someone like Vaggie wearing a blindfold and bound to a wheelchair.

Vaggie paused, not expecting the attention to fall on her. She thought back to her session with Angel this morning and smiled. "It's going really well actually."

Angel and Pentious both smiled and Angel ruffled her hair. "How 'bout we all get drinks?”

Everyone agreed.

Vaggie retired after a few shots and a round of chair racing, Angel still managing to keep the record. Her mind was endlessly spinning.

She was upset, but she didn't want to be. She didn't have a right to be.

Charlie had lied, but it wasn't her fault. She was forced for the greater good of both Heaven and Hell. She had no reason to be upset.

This was good, great even. Redemption was possible. Charlie could fulfill her dream, and she'd be right there by her side the entire time. Charlie would be happy, meaning she would be happy. There was no reason to be upset.

So why was she?

She tried to organize her thoughts, trying to come up with any valid reason for her mind to suddenly become so dreary.

Redemption was possible, it had been this whole time.

This whole time, Heaven was resorting to genocide when there was in fact an alternative.

The exterminations now held no meaning.

Her purpose had no meaning.

She had killed thousands of souls for nothing.

And Charlie had kept that from her.

Did she not trust her?

Of course not, you fucking hypocrite.

Why do you care?

She doesn't trust you, why would she?

You're a pathetic, cowardly liar.

You don't deserve redemption.

You don't deserve her trust.

You don't deserve her.

Shut up.

Useless. Purposeless. Worthless. Murderer.

I've changed.

And for what?

What use do you have now? You're blind and weak.

I'll get better.

It won't get better. It's never gotten better.

You shouldn't even exist.

Worthless useless pathetic failure liar killer murderer hypocrite broken coward blind weak rat snake mole leech parasite waste better off dead

She covered her ears and shook her head, the voices blending together in a cacophony of unrelenting negativity and hatred aimed directly at her psyche.

She tried to envision something pleasant, only for the memory of Charlie's cold gaze and look of utter betrayal to override any possible relief. The faces she caused and were her fault.

Her brain filled with static as she tried to fight the voices and visions, but to no avail.

The three amigos and Cherri sat at the bar, catching up on the last couple months.

“So…you're in Heaven. You got redeemed. How exactly does it work?” Angel questioned as he swirled his drink. He wanted to better himself, after all, might as well ask for some advice.

“I'm not quite ssssure myself, but Heaven's council came up with a few theoriesss. On Earth, I was an engineer, but I was also a conman. I would lie and sssscam others into giving me money for my inventions…like a sssssnake.” He grinned sheepishly as he gestured to his reptilian form. “While I lived here, I made an effort to be honesssst and true. I made genuine friendsss becasue of it, friends that I gave my life to protect…I sssssupose Heaven thought I had atoned for my previous sinssss.”

“So, what I'm hearin’ is, Angie has to be the opposite of who he was on Earth to become a betta man?” Cherri narrowed her eye, not quite understanding.

Husk chimed in. “He's sayin' that whatever Angel did to get down here, he just has to make up for it.”

Angel huffed. “I'm in Hell cuz my family was in da mob and I'm a professional slut. How do I make up for that?”

“Well, you haven't been in a turf war for a while, I say that's a start.”

“Yeah ya bitch, it's kinda lonely out there without yer guns ta back me up.” Cherri playfully nudged him.

“Yeah, uh huh, what about da slut part? I fuckin' work for Val, it's kinda my job. I literally sold my soul for this.” He wasn't angry, far from it, but he didn't want to come across as hopeful in case he turned out to be a lost cause.

Husk covered his face, fighting a blush. He cleaned his throat. “Well…maybe you'll find a relationship…a real one…somewhere. That's the opposite of pure lust ain't it? A healthy commitment?”

Now it was Angel’s turn to blush. Cherri raised her brow. “Uh, yeah…maybe. I dunno.”

“Speaking of relationshipssss…” Everyone turned to Pentious, who suddenly looked very bold and in control. “Missss Cherri Bomb, I'd like a word with you, please.”

“Uh…okay, sure.” The two walked and slithered into the hallway, leaving the spider and cat alone at the bar.

Pentious steeled himself and took a large breath, needing to get this out before his courage dwindled.

“Miss Cherri Bomb… I meant what I said to you the day that I perished. I love you. I admire your skillsss, I adored our time as enemies, and I wish to spend my afterlife with you…because you are fierce, challenging, beautiful, wonderful, and give me a new purposssse that I never had on Earth. I would like to be with you…if you would let me.” His entire face was practically red, but he had said what he needed to say.

Cherri stood, stunned that he was being so blunt. This man was stuttering and fumbling with his words to her nearly two months ago. He loved her, he had kissed her, he had given his life to protect her and the rest of his friends.

“I'll be real with ya…I'm kinda pissed at you for dyin’ afta kissin’ me.” He deflated. “But…it was also one of the most badass things I've eva seen.” He perked up once again. “That took some serious balls, and I admire it.” She blushed, hating how she was becoming so vulnerable for this man. “The whole reason I even stayed here was to support Angie…and also cuz it meant a lot to you. Ya gave your damn life for these people…so I figured they couldn't be all bad…and they're not. You're not.”

“Ssssoooo…what does this mean…for us?”

She grabbed him by the collar and dipped him, contrasting the first time they had kissed.

“I'm willin’ ta try if you are.”

She kissed him, and they both relived the very brief euphoria they had during the battle.

Charlie had let the boys and Cherri talk, having talked to Pentious twice already. She'd have plenty of time to talk about redemption later. Right now, she was okay with taking things slow, before they inevitably picked up speed.

She walked into her bedroom, confused that it was empty. Didn't Vaggie come up a little bit ago?

She checked the bathroom, the door was open, so she couldn't be in there. She was about to worry before she saw a form outside, sitting on the balcony. She sighed in relief, Vaggie must have wanted to feel the breeze and the warmth of Hell's atmosphere.

She opened the door. “Hey sweetie.” Upon closer inspection, she noticed Vaggie had her hands over her ears, and was lightly pulling on her hair. She walked in from of the wheelchair, concerned. “Vaggie?”

“I shouldn't exist…”

Charlie paused. She knew what this was.

Dissociation.

Sometimes the trauma caused Vaggie to get stuck in the past. It didn't happen as often as the panic attack or night terrors, or even going nonverbal, but it had happened enough in the beginning where Charlie was still prepared to handle it.

She grabbed Vaggie's hands, untangling them from her silver hair, and squeezed them gently. “Vaggie? It's me…are you okay?”

The touch mixed with Charlie's voice seemed to bring Vaggie back to the present. “Charlie?”

Charlie smiled instinctively. “Hey, I kinda lost you there.” She didn't miss Vaggie's earlier statement. She shouldn't exist? Why would she think that? “Are you alright? What were you saying before...about not existing?"

Vaggie paused, and fumbled with her words. "I...I don't...i-it's nothing. Just the voices getting a bit too loud."

"Vaggie..."

"I don't want to talk about it...not yet..."

Charlie sighed. "Okay...if you don't want to talk about it...then we won't. Besides that, is anything else bothering you?"

Vaggie hesitated before nodding, and paused a moment before explaining. “I…I wish you would've told me. I'm not upset with you…I understand why you didn't…but…I don't know.”

“It's okay if you're upset. I kept something important from you, and I'm so sorry for that…but you should know you would've been the first person to know if I could've told you. I trust you the most out of everyone.” She squeezed her hands again.

That did help, actually. Charlie did trust her. She would've told her first thing if she was permitted. That did make her feel better.

You worry over nothing, dumbass.

She growled, annoyed that these stupid voices could never pick a side. No matter what she did, good or bad, they would always find a way to torment her.

“Are you sure you're alright?” Charlie's yellow eyes watched her carefully. It was hard to tell if someone slipped when they had no eyes to unfocus and stare into space.

Vaggie took a deep breath, giving Charlie a smile she hoped was convincing enough. “Yeah, I'm okay. I'm great, really. Your dream can finally come true. You did it babe, I'm so proud.” She squeezed her hands, Charlie squeezed back. “I'll be with you the whole way, alright? I wouldn't miss this for all of Heaven and Hell.”

Charlie kissed her cheek. “I know. You've always believed in me, it's one of the many reasons I love you so much.”

Vaggie blushed before suddenly perking up, remembering something. "Oh! Guess what? I made a breakthrough with the crutches!"

"Really?" Charlie beamed.

Vaggie nodded, more enthusiastic than before. "Yeah, Angel helped me. He gave me the push that I needed. I made it all the way to the bathroom!" she exclaimed, reliving the euphoric moment.

Charlie pulled her into a side hug. "That's awesome Vaggie! I'm so proud of you! I knew you could do it! You're so persistent and strong, another thing I love about you." She finished in a slightly teasing tone.

Vaggie playfully raised a brow. “Anything else?” She gave Charlie a teasing smile, but the hidden meaning didn't go unnoticed.

Charlie smiled softly and squeezed her hands again. “Well, where do I even start?” She chuckled as Vaggie poked her playfully. “I guess you're really beautiful.” The poke became a shove.

“You guess?” Vaggie laughed.

Charlie laughed in turn. “Okay! You're undeniably the most gorgeous being I've ever laid eyes on. You truly look like an angel. My angel. Does that answer satisfy you?”

Vaggie flushed but tried to keep the banter going. “It does actually. And may I say you're also one of the most divine beings I've ever seen. You're the only true angel I've ever met.” Her playful grin became softer.

Charlie flushed beet red, not that Vaggie could see. “Is that so?” She replied, trying and failing to keep the ball rolling.

Vaggie moved to place a hand on her chest and ended up resting it on her shoulder instead. She shifted it to find the collar of Charlie's jacket.

“Yes…it is.”

Their lips met in a passionate kiss, intrusive thoughts long forgotten.

Chapter Text

2 months since the extermination, and things were chaotic as ever.

Charlie had set up an interview with 666 News a few days ago, having to wait for Pentious’s weekly visit. He was the key to getting all of Hell to believe that redemption was possible.

She was sitting in the embassy lobby, bouncing her leg. Pentious could only teleport to the embassy since he was only a winner that had been given special access, and not a high angel like the Seraphim.

Pentious slithered into the lobby, excited to see his friends again, but also nervous to be revealed to all of Hell. He steeled himself, knowing this would change everything.

Charlie noticed him and immediately stood up with newfound enthusiasm. “Hey! Are you ready?”

Pentious nodded, though his top hat looked around anxiously. “Well…as ready as I can be. It's quite the sssshift, isn't it?”

Charlie locked her arm with his, patting it reassuringly. “I know. Thank you for agreeing to this. It'll just be a quick interview, maybe some people will have questions, but then we can spend the rest of the day at the hotel, okay? I'm sure Frank will be waiting for you.”

Pentious formed a melancholic smile at the thought of his last remaining egg. Frank was unable to come and reside with him in Heaven, since he was manifested by dead souls, much like the pets. There was nothing to redeem or atone for because he was simply born there, much like Charlie and the rest of the hellborn souls. It was a strict Heaven principle.

The two scurried into the limo, not wanting Pentious to be seen yet. Pentious pat Razzle on the head, and the goat happily baaed in return.

They took the back way into the news studio, making sure Pentious was hidden in the curtains.

“I'm gonna go out there, and you come out at my signal, okay?” Pentious gave a thumbs up and wrapped himself in the curtains. Charlie turned and waited for Katie Killjoy to finish her current segment.

Vaggie was in the bedroom, attempting to stretch her wings for the first time in months. She knew Charlie would be appearing on the news very soon, and was heading downstairs any minute.

Charlie had insisted that she rest at home, especially because she was starting wing therapy today.

She agreed, just to give Charlie the peace of mind, promising to be listening to the TV in the lobby with the others, she just needed to finish her physical therapy first.

The thing was…she really didn't want wing therapy. She despised her wings and everything they stood for. They weighed painfully on her back, pulling on the old scars, throwing her off balance when she was on crutches.

She needed to fully extend and flap them 10 times to exercise them properly…but…

She folded her wings tightly, deciding that she could wait a little longer before exercising them again.

Katie Killjoy walked off camera, lighting a cigarette. Charlie hesitantly walked over.

“Hello, Miss Killjoy. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview. I promise that what I have to say will not disappoint-”

Katie snapped the cigar, already annoyed. “Yeah, I honestly don't give a shit about what you have to say. The only reason I said yes was because the last time you came on here we got hella good ratings. I'm cashing in for when you inevitably fuck up.” She got in Charlie's face, neck cracking as she mockingly tilted her head with a wide smile.

Charlie huffed and glared. “Oh, I'll be sure to give you ratings. It's gonna be so big that your neck is gonna snap right off your head when you see.”

Katie laughed. “Sure, honey.”

“And we're back!”

“Welcome back, bitches! Today we have a not so special guest; give it up for Princess Charlotte Morningstar!”

Charlie pulled up a side chair, receiving a mix of genuine applause, pity claps, and jeers from the live audience.

“Hello, everyone. I'm so glad to be here today, because I have incredible news that could benefit every sinner in Hell!” The crowd murmured, highly skeptical.

“Uh huh, didn't you already pitch this stupid hotel? The one that doesn't even work?” Katie sneered, getting in Charlie's face.

Charlie shoved Katie away. “Actually, it does work, and I have proof. Ladies, gentlemen, and those in between, let me present to you the first sinful soul to truly redeem himself and land a spot in Heaven. Sir Pentious!”

Pentious slithered out from the curtains on cue, removing his hat and bowing dramatically for the viewing world. “Hello, fellow sinners! It is I, the ever ingenious Sir Pentioussss! Your eyes do not deceive you, for I am the real deal, the one and only. I perished during the most recent extermination, and Heaven granted me a second chance at afterlife.” He patted Charlie on the shoulder to prove that he wasn't simply an illusion. “Redemption, and the princess’ hotel, workssss!”

The crowd’s murders grew louder, morphing into shouts. Pentious wasn't overlord levels of famous, but he still had a bit of a status in Hell due to residing there for so long and owning a fair bit of territory due to the many turf wars he had participated in over those years.

“Ain't no fuckin' way that's him.”

“It looks just like him…kinda.”

“Holy shit is this actually real?”

“Wait, this bitch wasn't joking ‘bout redemption?”

“This is obviously a scam!”

“The Sir Pentious I know has more dignity than this!”

“Why is he white?”

“Oh my God you can't just ask someone why they're white.”

“He's glowing like an angel!”

“I'm too high for this shit!”

The screams continued, trying to one up each other. Charlie smugly turned to Katie, obviously fulfilling her promise for high ratings. Katie sat in shock, eye twitching and mouth agape. For once, the news reporter was actually speechless. Tom took note of this and chuckled.

“Well I'll be…”

Charlie opened her mouth to calm the crowd, planning to explain and rid the skeptical sinners of their doubts.

And then the screens went black.

The hotel residents raged and groaned in annoyance as the TV randomly shut off.

Angel shoved the thing, trying to get it back on but to no avail. “Are you shittin’ me? Come on!”

Vaggie looked around, confused about what exactly was happening. She could only hear that Katie, Pentious, and Charlie's voices were no longer present, and that the other residents were mad about something.

“What? What's going on?”

Angel banged on the top of the TV again, failing to accomplish anything besides making his hands ache. “The damn TV shut off! Outta nowhere!”

Husk checked the plugs. Everything was plugged in properly. “The fuck happened?”

Alastor chuckled. “And this is why television is so much more inferior to that of a radio broadcast. No fancy Interwebs or cables to worry about.” The angry glares suddenly narrowed on him.

“Alastor, did you do this?” Vaggie accused, ready to summon her new spear at any moment.

“No, no, of course not! I would never interrupt Dear Charlie's news interview. Especially about something that's so important to her.” Vaggie kept her covered gaze narrowed but relented, half believing him.

“Well, wise guy, who did it then, hmm?” Lucifer jeered. Alastor narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

“It doesn't take extreme intelligence to figure out who has the power to suddenly shut off the televisions in Hell.” He left it at that and vanished into the shadows, having had enough.

Angel perked up with a realization. There was only one demon he knew of that even resembled a TV. He only knew because the man was so close to Val.

"Goddamn it..."

Vox smirked from his chair, electricity buzzing around him as his hypnotic eye whirled and the cable in his neck sparked with power.

He had made a mad dash to his cave the second he realized what was happening in the news studio. With the news cameras being owned and made by his company, he didn't hesitate to take control.

It was simple, really. If people saw that redemption was possible, they'd want to try, and possibly succeed. He didn't really have faith but it was still a possibility nonetheless. More redemption meant less clients, less power, and he couldn't have that.

“Sorry, princess, but redemption’s just bad for business.”

Chaos erupted at the news studio. Everyone was screaming, camera crew and other workers cursing up a storm. The audience rioted, complaining about the sudden lack of power.

Charlie whirled her head around looking for an explanation. “What's going on? Why'd everything shut off?”

“The fuck if I know!” Katie snarled.

Tom, who had somehow managed to catch on fire, was currently running in circles in pain and panic, knocking over equipment in his wake.

“Jesus fucking Christ Tom take a fucking chill pill!”

Charlie looked around again. The crew and audience were shouting up a storm, kicking their now useless equipment and joining in mosh pits for the hell of it. One anxious cameraman managed to escape the fray and inform the reporters of what was going on.

“M-Miss Killjoy? Uh…all of the cameras and TVs have shut off, and we can't get them back on. What should we do?”

“Why the fuck are you asking me?” She grabbed the poor boy by the neck. “Go ask someone who cares, twink!” She promptly threw him into the midst of the crowd, where he would no doubt get trampled.

“Hey! You can't just throw fellow employees into danger!” Charlie scolded but Katie whirled on her instead.

“I don't give a flying fuck. The news, and by extension, my day, is ruined, and I'm gonna make it everyone else's problem.” Her neck cracked immensely as she rolled her head, not giving a shit.

Charlie huffed, this was getting nowhere. The studio was currently in shambles and gave no indication of starting back up anytime soon. She should leave before things get ugly…well even more ugly.

She grabbed Pentious by the arm. “Come on…let's get out of here.”

Pentious nodded and the duo made their way out, dodging any lone sinners or equipment that got launched from the fight.

Pentious opened the hotel doors, dragging a downtrodden Charlie behind him.

The gang perked up from the broken TV. Angel was the first to speak. “There ya guys are! Did somethin’ happen at da studio?”

Charlie sighed, fighting tears. Everything had gone wrong. The crowd didn't fully believe that Pentious was real, and the studio shut down before she could even try to convince them otherwise.

Vaggie hobbled over on her crutches, noticing her dreary state. “Are you okay, sweetie?”

Charlie put on a faux smile for the sake of the other residents. “Yeah…I think I'm just gonna relax for a bit. Come with me, please?”

Vaggie nodded and followed Charlie's footsteps as she slowly walked towards the elevator. After a week of success on the crutches, she was able to move slowly without much pain. Her knee occasionally throbbed with chronic pain, but it was nothing she couldn't handle.

The rest of the group watched them go, and turned to Pentious for an explanation.

Cherri walked over to him, patting him for any injuries. She nodded in satisfaction when she found none. “What happened, Penny?”

Pentious briefly flushed at the nickname before explaining what had happened. The screens and cameras suddenly shut off, and the studio erupted into chaos. He and Charlie got out without any trouble, but Charlie was still upset about the interview failing so miserably.

“Do ya think the crowd bought it?” Angel asked him.

“I think ssssome were convinced, but others were highly sssskeptical.”

Husk piped up. “With the way it shut down, I wouldn't be surprised if people began to think it's a conspiracy.”

Silence fell upon the residents, realizing just how much of a disaster this was for the hotel and its future. If someone had shut off the TVs in Hell, then someone was actively trying to stop Charlie's dream and redemption all together.

And that someone was most likely Vox, one of the most influential overlords Hell has ever seen.

Pentious, the most optimistic besides Charlie, offered his piece. “Well…a conspiracy issss better than nothing I suppose.”

Everyone else nodded, not having anything else to offer.

Charlie had tearfully finished recounting the morning’s events to Vaggie, who held her arms and rubbed her back in comfort.

“Everything went wrong! Now nobody's gonna believe me because I didn't even get a chance to explain anything. It'll turn into a conspiracy and eventually die out.”

“That's not true, Hun. Sure, the cameras shut off, but Pentious is still here. If people see him walking the streets on a regular basis, then eventually they'll begin to believe.”

The tension in Charlie's shoulders alleviated slightly at that. Vaggie was right, of course. “That's true. Still…I just…it's the principle, y'know?”

Vaggie couldn't help it. She smiled. It was absurd, really. How unlucky could the two of them get?

“I know, but we'll be okay. We've had bigger setbacks than this. Remember the first interview?” She nudged Charlie with a chuckle as they recounted the incident 8 months ago where Angel had tanked their reputation on Day 1.

“Yeah. If we can bounce back from that, we can bounce back from anything.”

Anything. That was certainly a stretch, considering her extreme lack of eyes. “Yeah…”

Charlie was struck with another thought. “How was wing therapy? I'm sorry I couldn't be there.”

Vaggie pecked her on the cheek in forgiveness, trying to hide her hesitation. “It went…fine. They're still really sore; I couldn't move them that much.” It wasn't a lie, it was really hard to move them, but that was the point of the therapy. The therapy she didn't even do.

Charlie placed a hand on her back, resting right between the two jagged scars. Vaggie was wearing a halter top Charlie had bought to prevent ripping any shirts, now that her wings would be out frequently. “May I?”

Vaggie hesitated before nodding and summoning and unfolding her aching wings with a wince. She couldn't say no to her princesa. Charlie gazed in awe at the beautiful appendages.

While Vaggie may have hated her wings, Charlie absolutely loved them. They were gorgeous, and perfectly complimented her beautiful girlfriend. The feathers were so incredibly soft, and Charlie would often get distracted by their fluffiness when she had preened them for her.

Said feathers were beginning to gather in clumps, sticking together and some sticking out of place. 2 months of strict binding would do that.

Charlie lightly grazed her hand over the feathers, admiring the stripe towards the bottom. “You need preening.”

Vaggie nodded with a shaky breath. “I know…but…not right now…can we do it tonight instead?” She folded her wings with a grimace, not leaving room for debate.

Charlie took one hand in both of hers, concerned by the sudden hastiness. “What’s wrong, baby? Did something happen?”

“No…I just…they're really…sensitive to touch right now. I'll be better by tonight.”

Charlie squeezed her hand. “Are you sure?”

Vaggie squeezed back with a smile she hoped was convincing. “Yeah, I'm fine…don't worry.”

Charlie did worry, but she trusted Vaggie to open up if something got to be too much. “Okay, I believe you.” She brought Vaggie’s hand to her mouth, kissing the scar on the back and on her palm.

Vaggie smiled, genuinely this time, and wrapped Charlie in the best hug she could manage, her thanks for being so understanding.

Chapter Text

To say that Vaggie was nervous was an understatement.

Charlie had kept her promise and waited until they were getting ready for bed to preen her wings, so she had time to mentally prepare.

The only thing she had managed to do was come to the realization that she was not ready for this.

Her wings had always been incredibly sensitive. She hated them, but let Charlie preen them because Charlie liked how beautiful they looked and she wasn't going to deny her that.

She would always, without fail, tense up and flinch whenever Charlie initially touched them before easing into it.

If her anxiety got bad enough, or if the phantom pain happened to attack in those moments, she would look around the room, at Razzle and Dazzle, or at KeeKee, or even over her shoulder at Charlie, just to ground herself and remind herself that she was in the present, and not back in the alleyway.

But now…she couldn't.

Her anxiety was already through the roof, and she worried that she wouldn't be able to stop herself from flashing back to the past this time around.

“You ready?”

Charlie’s voice snapped Vaggie from her thoughts. The angel’s shirt was off, and she was currently laying on her stomach, Charlie to her right and having all the materials that were needed.

Vaggie slowly unfolded her wings, wincing as she fully extended and stretched them. Her neck was turned, her head positioned in a way where, before the attack, she would be able to see the exact moment that Charlie touched her and it would help with the nerves slightly…but now…

She prematurely tensed, wings slightly fluttering and muscles tightening before Charlie even lifted a finger. Charlie noticed, brows furrowed in deep concern.

“Are you sure you're okay?” Silence. “Are they still sensitive?” A nod. “Okay…would you like me to count down before I touch them?” Another nod. “Alright. 3…2…1…”

Vaggie flinched regardless, but Charlie's gentle touch could never be mistaken. She eased into the touch like she always did.

Charlie started from the very tip and worked her way inward, starting with the larger feathers moving to the smaller ones closer to her spine the longer she went on.

She gently yet effectively straightened any clumped up feathers while brushing any dirt or grime from between them, using a special comb and angelic oil from Lucifer.

Charlie got about halfway done with her right wing before Vaggie's back spiked with a familiar pain.

Goddamn it, not now!

Even with her wings back, they weren't the exact same wings. They had regrown, sure, but they were different from the originals. The originals were ripped from the bone, muscles and nerves torn to shreds. They would never come back, but the pain always would.

Her new wings tore through the old scar tissue, physically and metaphorically reopening those wounds. She didn't bleed, but sometimes the phantom pain would strike, making the scars burn and her new wings ache and tremble.

Charlie noticed the way Vaggie hissed and how her wings twitched after a particularly nasty feather clump had been untangled. Thinking it was her fault, she was quick to apologize.

“Sorry! I didn't mean to pull so hard but they were really stuck and I want to make sure your wings are as healthy as possible and-”

“Babe. It…i-it's okay…it's not…you.” Vaggie cracked a small smile through the pain, always enamored by Charlie's rambling. She decided to keep the ball rolling, needing a distraction. “How was…recruiting?”

Charlie had left that afternoon to try and recruit new sinners while there was still hype about the news incident, and was pleasantly surprised by the results.

“It went well actually! Only three people flipped me off and some actually took a flyer I handed to them. They're actually considering the hotel!”

They could have all taken them as crack straws or fire wood but she wasn't going to dampen Charlie's mood by being a pessimistic asshole.

“That's really great, Hun.” She grit through her teeth as the pain spiked again, more intense than before. Charlie was almost at the base of her wing, the most sensitive part. It was where feathers met skin, where Lute had painfully dislodged them from her back nearly 4 years ago.

Charlie made light touches on her scapulars, doing her best to avoid any triggers, knowing that one wrong move could cause Vaggie to spiral.

What Charlie didn't realize was that Vaggie was already in serious pain, struggling not to flash back because she couldn't look around to distract herself.

Vaggie flinched away with a gasp as Charlie's hand accidentally brushed the old scar tissue.

“Sorry! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?” Charlie dropped the tools and moved to look at Vaggie's face, hoping to see if she could read her but it was so damn hard when she was wearing a blindfold.

Vaggie didn't respond, suddenly remembering everything that led her to this moment. She wouldn't be struggling so much if she didn't regrow her wings to begin with. She could handle the pain, but she couldn't handle the pain and having her wings touched.

Stupid goddamn wings were nothing but a nuisance. They were so tedious to take care of, weighed massively on her back making it incredibly sore, threw her off balance when crutches were already hard enough on their own, only made the phantom pain worse, were essentially useless now that she couldn't even see where she'd be flying, and did nothing but remind her of who she used to be before she got them taken in the first place.

She fucking hated them. She wanted them gone.

She tried to flap them to fly off the bed and rip them to shreds, but could barely even hover before she fell back down on the bed, pain nearly making her pass out.

“Vaggie!”

Charlie had enough and placed a firm hand on her shoulder and took Vaggie's blindfold off, getting a proper look at the angel's full face.

Vaggie's eyelids were screwed shut, eyebrows deeply furrowed in pain. Her teeth were clenched as she took shallow breaths and sweat was beginning to form on her forehead. Her body and wings were slightly trembling. Preening had never been this triggering to the point where she tried to flap out of it. Something was seriously wrong.

She rubbed Vaggie's shoulder and held her hand to try and help calm her down, whispering sweet nothings as she didn't know what the actual problem was.

Vaggie's breathing evened out after a few minutes and her eyelids opened slightly, despite there being nothing behind them. Vaggie probably didn't even notice since she lost a lot of feeling in them due to her nerves being severed.

“Vaggie, I'm so, so sorry. I know your back and the scars are really sensitive but I didn't realize how badly-” Charlie's ramble was cut off when Vaggie booped her nose, clearly missing her attempt to try and put a finger to her lips and shut her up.

“It…wasn't you…i-it's phantom pain…and…and memories…”

Charlie inaudibly gasped at the realization before rushing off the bed to grab the bottle of painkillers on the nightstand. She popped three pills instead of the regular two and placed them in Vaggie's hand. “Take these, and please don't fight.”

She should have recognized the signs. The way Vaggie tensed and spoke through her teeth should have been dead giveaways. She cursed herself for letting it get this bad.

Thankfully, Vaggie took the pills without argument. Of course, they did nothing now, but hopefully they would kick in before she went to bed. “Thank you.”

Charlie kissed her damp forehead, now kneeling next to the bed and looking Vaggie straight in her hollow sockets. Her eyes absently traced the scars. “How long have you been in pain? Why didn't you tell me earlier?”

“It started a few minutes ago. I didn't want to interrupt ‘cause I thought I could handle it…”

“Vaggie, we talked about this. You don't have to put up with the pain just because you can. It's okay to hurt, but you have to tell me. You're not a burden. You deserve to be treated when you're in pain.”

It was so…opposite of what she was used to. But what she was used to wasn't healthy or normal. She needed to keep reminding herself that.

“I know…I'm sorry. It's just…” She hesitated. Charlie leaned forward, attentive, ignoring their close proximity. It was so close that Vaggie could probably feel the heat radiating off of her. Vaggie sighed, defeated. “I don't like my wings, at all.”

As someone who loved Vaggie's wings wholeheartedly, Charlie couldn't help but be confused. “Why?”

Vaggie sighed again, pain clouding her mind and draining her of energy. “They remind me of who I was. Who I used to be. What I did when I had them. How I used them to do horrible things.” She didn't go further into it. She was already overwhelmed and that was essentially the gist of it.

“Oh, Vaggie…” Charlie cupped her face. If she had eyes she had no doubt that Charlie's gaze would pierce right through her heart and make her crumble.

She didn't lean into the touch but didn't pull away. “They only add to everything else that's wrong with me. They make me feel more fucked up than I already am. I don't want them.”

“Vaggie…there's nothing…wrong with you. There's nothing wrong about being traumatized or damaged…at least on your part. What's wrong is the people who caused it. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

Vaggie pulled away in shame. “But I do! Before I fell, I was the one hurting people. I caused irreversible damage to God knows how many sinners by killing them, their friends, and their families. I was part of the problem, and my wings only remind me of that.”

She tried to get up, pushing off her hands but Charlie wasn't having it. She grabbed her arms and dragged her back down. She gripped her face again, much firmer this time. Vaggie flushed and subconsciously widened her eyelids in surprise.

“Vaggie, listen to me. You were part of the problem. You're not anymore. You've changed, you've grown, and you've been hurt. Yes, you hurt others, but you're still as much of a victim of Heaven's cruelty as they are. Your wings coming back means you've healed, at least partially. They represent how strong and resilient you really are. I love them, because they're a part of you, and I love all of you, more than anything.”

Vaggie finally leaned into the touch, and Charlie began stroking her thumb on her cheeks, lightly tracing the scars under her eyelids. If it bothered Vaggie, she didn't say anything, or maybe she just didn't feel it.

Charlie pressed their foreheads together. “You said they came back out of love, right? They're a testament to how much you love me and how dedicated you are, right?”

Yeah, you just might rise above long as you're out for love.

Charlie was right, of course. After meeting with Heaven, seeing Adam and Lute again, it brought out something in her. Something almost animalistic that made her want to go back up there and slice apart every single exorcist in Heaven, starting with those two. She had been so pissed that they had revealed her secret to Charlie before she had the chance to tell her privately. For a brief moment, aside from being devoted to Charlie, she was driven by revenge and hate, not that she had let anyone see it.

Carmilla steered her back on course, reminding her exactly who she was fighting for. She remembered that she wasn't fighting for herself, or for revenge. She was fighting for Charlie and her dream, her savior, her reason to live.

Her wings were a symbol to represent that no matter how badly Heaven fucked her, she'd bounce back, stronger than ever.

It was a perspective she'd never considered before, but so was everything else, recently. What was one more?

“...Right…thank you…I love you too…” Vaggie gave a ghost of a smile before wincing as the pain spiked yet again.

Charlie kissed her nose, tears in her eyes. It hurt so much to see her love in so much agony, both physical and mental. But she was glad that her words were impacting her positively. She was doing everything she could to offer comfort and reassurance, now it was on Vaggie to listen and believe her, which she seemed to do tonight.

“I still need to preen your other wing. Will you be okay?” Charlie's voice was laced in so much concern that Vaggie felt guilty all over again. She put that worry there.

“...I don't know…”

Charlie's heart broke for her. She let more tears fall as she kissed Vaggie again, this time on the lips. Vaggie melted into the gentle kiss, tension draining from her sore back. Charlie pulled away after a minute.

“I'll be right here the whole time okay? I'll try to be as gentle as possible. If it's too much, then tell me to stop. Please don't try to power through it.” Vaggie nodded before Charlie kissed her on the forehead one more time and climbed back onto the bed to preen Vaggie's left wing.

The painkillers were beginning to take effect now, making her slightly drowsy and causing the pain to fade ever slightly.

She tried her best to picture happy memories. Charlie gifting her her bow and eye patch, Charlie confessing that she loved her, the first time she and Charlie shared a bed together, her and Charlie's first date and nearly every date after, their first time having sex and every time after that, buying the hotel, Charlie forgiving her, their night of intimacy before the battle, chair racing, getting her new spear, having a breakthrough with the crutches…

She zoned out with a light smile before reality came crashing back as Charlie got to the scapulars again, the feathers closest to her spine and the most sensitive.

She flinched and tensed, half expecting them to be pulled, before Charlie rubbed her shoulder and patted her arm.

“It's okay…I'm right here…you're doing amazing sweetie…I'm almost done.”

She had no choice but to trust Charlie and go against her instincts. Everything in her was screaming to get away, to fight the attacker, that history was going to repeat itself…

She laid still, and Charlie got back to work.

It was only a few seconds of tension, before Charlie put everything away. “All done, you did so good, Hun!”

Vaggie sighed in relief before folding the large appendages and rolling over onto her back, careful not to jostle her leg. She rotated and scooted back to her spot on the bed before grabbing her nightgown from its spot on her nightstand and slipping it over her head, being topless up until this point.

“Aw, man…”

Charlie's comment caught her so off guard that she started laughing, snorting even. “W-What?” She barely suppressed her giggles. “This view not good enough? Was the other one so much better?” She bounced her eyebrows teasingly and she knew that Charlie was most likely flushing in embarrassment.

“...Maybe…”

Vaggie laughed again, and Charlie crawled over to her spot and began tickling her mercilessly, making her shriek with even more laughter. Another secret that Charlie had to learn for herself, was that Vaggie was incredibly ticklish.

“Ch-Charlie! St-sto-stoooop!” Vaggie cried, still laughing. Charlie didn't relent.

“Maybe I like seeing my beautiful girlfriend topless, sue me! I can't help that she's so incredibly gorgeous!” Charlie was also laughing, still refusing to let up.

Vaggie was laughing so hard that she didn't even notice the fluffy limbs that had sprouted from her back yet again, perfectly preened.

Charlie halted her relentless attack to gaze at them in awe. They were so elegant and beautiful, how could she not love them?

Vaggie noticed how her wings had unconsciously sprouted and it was her turn to flush in embarrassment. She flinched when Charlie initially touched one but eased into it. The phantom pain was only a manageable light throb.

Charlie gently stroked the top, in the places where they had been broken and were still healing. Vaggie tensed but didn't flinch. She trusted Charlie.

“They're beautiful, Vaggie.” Vaggie opened her mouth to protest but Charlie put a finger to her lip. “I mean it. I'm gonna keep telling you until you believe it.”

Vaggie hesitated before relenting and laying down, beckoning Charlie to come with her. She grabbed Charlie by the waist and pulled her down so that Charlie was facing away from her.

“Vaggie?” It wasn't like Vaggie wasn't ever the big spoon, but lately she had taken to laying on her back for the sake of her bandaged leg.

Vaggie shushed her, wanting to try something. “It's okay, just trust me." She wrapped her wings around the both of them, acting as a fluffy makeshift blanket. Charlie gasped in joy. “You like it?”

“I love it!” Charlie squealed in response. She hugged Vaggie's arms that were wrapped around her torso. “Goodnight, Vaggie. I love you.”

Vaggie snuggled her bare face into Charlie's back. Her wings tightened around them, wrapping them in a comfy cocoon. “I love you too, cariño.”

Chapter Text

To say that Lucifer was pissed would be an understatement.

Some asshole named Vox, who apparently was some big deal overlord, ruined his daughter's interview.

He was edging just storming straight into the Vee Tower and demolishing that flat fuck right where he stood.

But…Charlie had stopped him.

She had said that destroying an overlord would only bring more chaos, and would teach nothing. She wanted to forgive and redeem souls, regardless of their crimes. It would also look especially worse if it turned out to be a freak accident and Vox wasn't even involved, even though the evidence only pointed to him.

If the Morningstars attacked one of the most influential overlords in all of Hell, that would no doubt make the news, and tank the hotel even further.

I'll support your dream whatever lies in store.

He could feel the flames burning in his chest, his horns had stubbornly refused to recede back into his temples. Everything in his body was itching to let his demonic instincts take over and just kill the son of a bitch.

But he refrained…for Charlie.

Didn't stop him from being pissed off, though.

To say that Alastor was pissed would be an understatement.

Vox of all people was using his power to humiliate Charlie now, when it had previously just been him.

The TV demon had posted the video of Alastor getting beat by Adam all over Hell, and mildly succeeded in tanking the radio demon's reputation.

He had been fairly absent from the hotel these past few months. Why? He simply wandered the streets, looking for opportunities to prove that he was just as terrifying as he used to be.

Any soul that had the gall to taunt him, start rumors, or even look at him the wrong way soon found themselves either in his possession, or in his stomach.

Soon enough the negative attention on him faded once he began broadcasting their screams. Vox would have to do better than that to attack his ego when he was still able to back it up.

But now the bastard was going after Charlie for whatever reason.

Was this a ploy to come after him? Did he honestly think that he actually cared enough for the hotel residents for this to hurt him? Knowing Vox, it was probably just money.

But that didn't stop Alastor from wanting to waltz over to the Vee Tower to give the flat screen a piece of his mind.

Alastor, however, was honorable when it came to deals, including the overlord contract. He could not trespass unless he was invited, vendettas be damned.

Intruding and breaking the contract would only cause more drama for Charlie and the hotel, and he heavily considered it before deciding that it wasn't worth it…for now.

Didn't stop him from being pissed off, though...

“Hey, Al! Where are you headed?”

Alastor quit his inner monologue and turned to see the princess seated at the bar who had previously been conversing with Angel and Husk.

“Actually, I was headed over to Cannibal Town. Care to join me, Charlie?”

Charlie bolted from her seat, previous conversation forgotten. “Of course! It'll be nice to see Rosie again and I haven't probably thanked all the cannibals for helping us.” She rubbed the back of her neck, feeling slightly ashamed for taking this long. Vaggie would probably give her a scolding later.

The two approached the main doors before they were opened themselves by another overlord. Alastor narrowed his eyes.

“Carmilla.”

“Hi, Carmilla! Vaggie's upstairs.”

Carmilla nodded in greeting. “Thank you, Charlie.” She turned to the radio demon. “Alastor, pleasure as always.”

The static in the room increased for a brief second. “Indeed, Carmilla. Come Charlie, we mustn't dally.”

Charlie raised an eyebrow at Alastor's sudden haste, but followed him regardless, but not before giving Carmilla a smile in parting.

Alastor silently stewed in anger. Carmilla constantly reappearing did nothing to ease his wounded pride. First Vox, and now her. He should have never made that compromise with the weapons dealer.

If Charlie noticed his bitter mood, she didn't say anything, letting him think to himself. For that, he was grateful.

Vaggie had slept in for once. Last night was a lot, after all. She had just grabbed her crutches and was ready to head downstairs when she heard a knock on the door, followed by light footsteps.

She could easily deduce it was Carmilla without hearing her voice. She and the Morningstars were the only ones who ever bothered to knock. She would've sensed the angelic aura if it were Lucifer, and Charlie's footsteps were heavier due to her hooves.

“Hey, Carmilla.”

Carmilla smiled, proud that Vaggie could utilize her other senses so well. She also noticed how Vaggie easily maneuvered on the crutches, a stark contrast to the last time she visited.

“Hello, Vaggie. I see you've greatly improved since the last time I was here.”

Vaggie hid a blush behind her bangs, not used to receiving such praise from a mentor figure. It was certainly a far cry from how Adam and Lute used to treat her. “I have, thank you.” She hobbled towards the door. “Can we walk while we talk? I want to build my stamina with these.”

“Of course, but be sure to tell me if you need a break.” Carmilla gently guided her to the door, making sure she didn't accidentally run into the wall.

The walk to Cannibal Town was much quieter this time around, since Charlie didn't need to vent about her romantic problems. At least, not to Alastor.

Seeing Rosie again seemed to brighten both of their moods. Alastor's constant smile became genuine, and Charlie lit up to see that the cannibals were doing well.

As they walked closer, they could begin to pick up bits of the conversation Rosie was having with her current client.

“Trust me, honey. A woman like that simply isn't worth the trouble. I can tell ya, I've wanted ta eat a husband for less. I'm sure you could find someone betta, someone more delicious.” She handed her card to the woman. “Think about it, and call me if ya have any more questions, ‘kay?”

With the client gone, Alastor and Charlie appeared in her view. Alastor remained still while Charlie gave a silent but enthusiastic wave. Rosie gasped and walked over.

“Oh my stars, isn't this a pleasant surprise! Alastor, Charlie, good to see ya!” She wrapped them both in a brief hug. Charlie noticed how Alastor's calm expression didn't waver, and how the static seems to decrease rather than increase. Huh.

“Good to see you too, Rosie.” Charlie managed.

Rosie beckoned them inside. “Come in, come in! You two hungry? I've got some fresh fingas and toes ta nibble on.” She held up a platter of exactly that. Charlie bit back a gag but kept her smile and politely shook her head.

Alastor took a few and munched before speaking. “Mmm, delectable as always. I'm actually here on business matters. Any desperate clients that are in need of a deal?” Charlie cringed, not liking this but she wasn't going to stop Alastor from being himself.

“Oh, you sly dog! Trying to take my clients. You know the rules about souls, Alastor.” Her tone was scolding but she didn't drop the playful smile on her face. “None of my clients, no. But a neighborhood a few blocks down had a nasty fire after the power outage yesterday. Lots of buildings burnt, lots of people hurt. Prime pickings for a deal my friend."

Alastor hummed before perking up, the static in the room increasing tenfold. “Brilliant! I knew I could depend on you, my dear. Well, I must be off. Take care, you two.” He disappeared into the shadows, and he was gone.

Rosie shook her head with a smile before turning to the princess. “And what can I do for you, Your Highness?” She beckoned Charlie to sit and offered her a cup of tea. Charlie hesitantly took it.

“Well…it's about Vaggie, my girlfriend.” Charlie anxiously took a sip. “Mmm, this is really good. What kind of tea is this?” She asked before taking another sip.

“Oh that's not tea, it's blood.”

Charlie promptly spit the drink out.

Carmilla and Vaggie walked in silence for a few minutes, Vaggie somehow succeeding in turning the corners of the hallway perfectly. She kept her head down, and Carmilla decided to break the silence after a particularly hefty sigh from the angel.

“I can sense that something is troubling you, mija.” Carmilla didn't continue, letting the unspoken question of wanting to talk about it remain in the air. Vaggie could brush it off or she could be honest, and Carmilla was fine with either as long as someone like Charlie still knew what was wrong.

Vaggie slowed but didn't stop. “It's nothing…big. Well, it kinda is.” Carmilla remained silent, letting her gather her thoughts. “I'm having a hard time accepting my wings. They're healing, so I have them out a lot for therapy and preening. I already talked to Charlie about it and she gave me really good advice but…I don't know…”

“Do you remember why you got them back to begin with?”

“Of course, for love. I got them back because I love Charlie, but that still doesn't mean I need them. I can accept that they are part of me again, but I can't understand what use I have for them now. Wings are meant for angels, for people who can fly and see where they're going. I'm neither of those.” She stopped when her knee throbbed in chronic pain, taking deep breaths to relax her body and calm herself.

Carmilla hummed. This wasn't new, just a previous issue given a new coat of paint. Deep down, Vaggie always struggled with worth and purpose. If she didn't have use, then she was nothing. It ran so deep into her psyche that she extended it to parts of her body. Vaggie was clearly trying to think better about herself, but it was still obvious that the toxic mentality was nowhere near from being gone.

“Answer me this, do you feel your broken leg is useless?”

“Right now, yes.”

“Do you feel as if you don't need it?”

“No.”

“Are you going to have to adjust to being blind when it's fully healed and you can walk again?”

“...yes.”

“Is your leg not a part of your body?”

“It is…”

“So are your wings.”

“But-”

Carmilla shushed her by placing a large finger on her lips.

“No buts. Your wings, much like your leg, are an essential part of your body that is still healing. Much like walking, you'll have to learn to fly again with your disability.” Vaggie cringed at that particular word. She didn't like when her blindness was brought up, especially when it was framed as such a hindrance. “If you want to be healthy, truly healthy, then you need to treat your wings like you treat your leg. Treat flying like walking. They are equally important and equally essential to your recovery.”

Vaggie hated that she was right. It was simply better for her body to have her wings out rather than tightly folded 24/7. Despite the fact that the bones were still healing, it felt good to stretch the old muscles on her back that had been pointless to have for over 3 years. She needed to take care and exercise them just like the rest of her body, or she'd never really be healthy.

Her wings didn't feel good right now, but once she got used to them again, they would.

She had a lot to get used to.

After recovering from her coughing fit, Charlie was ready to talk again.

“So, about that girlfriend of yours. She seems like quite the handful of ya keep comin’ to me about your problems.” It was meant to be a joke, but when Charlie didn't budge, she tried a more gentle approach. “What's eatin’ ya, kid?”

“I'm just so…worried about her. She got hurt in the battle 2 months ago…and now she's blind. She's really struggling physically and mentally. I feel like I'm doing everything I can, but I don't think it's enough.”

Rosie placed her hand on Charlie's. “I'm so sorry that's happened. What makes ya think that?”

“I'm helping her work through her issues, but the issues are still so prominent. It feels like there's no progress being made on my part if she keeps relapsing.”

“Recovery ain't linear kid. What kinda issues are we talkin’ about?” Charlie hesitated to respond. “Don't worry, this will stay between you and me, alright? I may be the Cannibal Overlord but I have standards.” Charlie nodded.

“She struggles with self worth. She thinks so little of herself and everything about her to the point where it's really unhealthy and it's gotten in the way of her recovery a few times.” The time Vaggie tried the crutches on her own and the time she caught her dissociating came to mind. Not to mention how she hurt herself trying to fly last night. “I've talked to her about it, but sometimes I feel like it doesn't mean anything because there's just so many problems and some aren't even close to being solved.”

Rosie hummed. “Am I the only person you've asked for advice?” It wasn't a question pertaining to pride, but curiosity.

Charlie shook her head. “No. I've asked Angel Dust, Husk, even my dad for help, since they're both angels.”

“That's good! It helps to have multiple people help you. Now, are you the only person helping her?”

Nope. Charlie had specifically asked Lucifer to talk to Vaggie about their shared trauma. Carmilla was a constant source of maternal comfort that Vaggie never experienced before. Angel helped with her crutches, and the other residents were constant sources of support, even Niffty, who had given her the blindfold she refused to take off.

Charlie smiled. “Not even close.”

“Exactly. You need multiple sources of advice, she needs multiple sources of comfort. Everyone does, and that's all perfectly normal, especially considering the circumstances. As long as you're helpin' her with the stuff ya know how to, you're doin' just fine. The rest will handle itself, just give it time.”

2 months was already a lot of time, but beggars couldn't be choosers, she supposed. Vaggie had made a lot of progress, now that she thought about it. 2 steps forward, 1 step back.

She got up and hugged the Cannibal Overlord. “Thank you, Rosie, I needed that. And thank you for helping me rally your people for the extermination. Without them, our chances would've been so much worse.”

Rosie hugged her back and pat her head. “Anytime, kid. By the way, I'm very proud of you. Not just for admitting when ya need advice, but also for the extermination. Ya made history, Charlie. People might actually consider that hotel of yours.”

Rosie had seen the interview, and how it was cut short. She knew the people at home had comforted her, but she decided to add her two cents anyway. Perhaps Charlie needed multiple comfort sources as well.

As Charlie thanked her again and made her way through the crowd of cannibals, Rosie couldn't help but wonder where Charlie's mother was during all of this. Surely she would've spoken to her instead, or maybe she wasn't available.

Regardless, she was happy to fill that role if that were the case.

Charlie returned to her bedroom to see Vaggie hugging Carmilla goodbye and thanking her. She smiled at the display of affection.

The two separated and Carmilla took note of the princess. She pat Vaggie on the head before walking out, giving a silent wave to Charlie. Charlie returned it with a grateful smile.

The door closed, and the lovers were alone.

“...How was your day?”

Vaggie chuckled at Charlie's attempt at small talk. “Really, that's all you got?”

Charlie sighed with a smile. “Come on, I can't ask about my girlfriends’ day?”

“It's only been a few hours. The day is only half over.” Vaggie retorted with a teasing smile.

Charlie walked over to sit next to her on the bed and briefly tickled her, making the angel squirm and suppress giggles. “You know what I mean!”

Vaggie swatted her hands away, conceding. “Alright, fine. My half day was great, Carmilla helped me with some stuff.” With what stuff, she didn't specify. Charlie remained silent, expecting her to elaborate. Vaggie sighed. “I learned to accept my wings for what they are rather than their use.” Charlie side hugged her.

“That's amazing, Vaggie. I'm so proud, you've come so far.”

“I've still got a long way to go…”

“That may be true, but look at you now. Vaggie, you've grown so much over the past 2 months. You couldn't grip anything when you first woke up, but now you're wandering the hotel on crutches, and soon you'll start walking in a boot. That's incredible progress!”

Vaggie flushed at the praise. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Come on, don't be like that. You know it's true. You've done so well physically, and mentally, too.” Vaggie opened her mouth to protest but Charlie put a finger to her lips. “You may think you haven't, but you have. You're working so hard to erase Heaven's old mentality. You're being honest with me and with yourself. You're starting to accept yourself regardless of your flaws. I know you're still struggling with a lot, and I know it'll take a lot of time to work through everything, but I want you to be proud of the progress you've made so far. I'm so fucking proud of you, Vaggie.”

Vaggie's lip trembled and she buried her head in Charlie's chest. If Charlie was proud of her, then that was all she needed. Charlie’s approval and love was everything to her, it was what kept her going in her years in Hell, what was keeping her going now.

There was still so much to learn and relearn. So much more progress to be made. So many more issues to tackle. She wasn't even close to making a full recovery in terms of her mentality and her disability.

But…she was content with how far she'd come. She was slowly growing and adapting to this big change. She had so many sources of support in and out of the hotel. She hugged Charlie tight, thanking her for the comfort.

She could do this, somehow. She knew it.

Chapter Text

Sleep often eluded Vaggie.

Usually when someone wanted to sleep, they'd shut off the lights, creating a contrast from the typically bright world they always saw. Darkness to counter the light.

But Vaggie couldn't see any light. Switching it off did nothing.

Then people would resort to simply closing their eyes, relaxing their body, and clearing their mind. Rid the soul of stress.

How the hell was she supposed to do that?

She had no eyes to close, her body constantly throbbed with phantom and chronic pain, and her anxiety was more often than not through the roof.

Her knee was a pain in the ass. Sometimes, it would throb without any prompt. Why did it do this? She didn't know, and it pissed her off.

But more importantly, she was starting the boot in the morning. She was going to try walking for the first time in 10 weeks. 10. Weeks.

Weak.

Failure.

Not to mention that the voices were being a bitch.

All this to say, Vaggie wasn't sleeping tonight.

Which is why she was able to hear Charlie shifting uncomfortably in her sleep.

Vaggie wasn't the only one who was haunted by the events of the battle. Sometimes Charlie would have nightmares of her own. Said nightmares usually involved Lute or Adam killing Vaggie on the spot, her failing to get Vaggie proper medical attention and her dying in her arms, Vaggie falling into a coma…

If only she had moved faster, fought harder on that day…she wouldn't be stuck like this…and Charlie wouldn't have to suffer for her mistakes.

Or if Lute was a better killer…

No. Clearly, that would only upset Charlie even more.

Charlie squirmed again and she took action. She felt around Charlie's form and concluded that Charlie was facing away from her. She found her hair and began stroking it gently, fingernails slightly digging into the demon's scalp. She hugged Charlie's waist and spooned her, nestling her face into her back. Charlie exhaled and her body relaxed, but Vaggie kept her position, needing the comfort as well.

Charlie was always so warm. When they cuddled, it was like Vaggie had her own personal heated blanket. She needed her blanket, but Charlie was top priority.

She unfolded her wings. They were mostly healed now, only occasionally twitching. She wrapped them around herself and Charlie, creating a warm feathered cocoon.

Judging by the way that Charlie gripped the edges of them and pulled them closer, it was safe to say that the wings were helping.

Vaggie smiled as sleep finally took her.

It turns out that walking for the first time in 10 weeks was really fucking difficult.

She had no crutches to support her. She was putting all of her weight on her injured foot, which would no doubt agitate the broken bones in her leg. A leg that was so fucking sore. She hadn't used it in 10 weeks, of course it was sore!

Charlie held her, supporting her as best as she could. Vaggie took baby steps, not just because of pain but also because she hadn't done this in forever. She was stumbling awkwardly, tripping even. Had she forgotten how to walk?

No, she just couldn't see her surroundings well enough…or at all.

“How far are we?” She asked.

Charlie tried her best to judge the distance between the bathroom door and their current position. “Uhm…about 12 paces.”

Vaggie grumbled under her breath. She was already exhausted after 3 paces, and yet there were still so many to go.

Pathetic.

“Hey. You're doing great. This is a big step, Vaggie. Any amount of progress is incredible.” Charlie soothed.

Vaggie took another step and yelped as the pain in her leg became too much. She collapsed in Charlie's arms and caught her breath.

Useless.

Charlie lifted her and sat on the edge of the bed, holding Vaggie in her lap. “You did so good, Vaggie. I'm so proud of you.”

Vaggie didn't like this. This praise felt so unearned. There was a time where she'd have to go undefeated in sparring matches to even warrant a glance from Lute and Adam. Adam was only ever happy with her after she became a prominent killer. If it weren't for the fact that Charlie was holding her, she'd begin to think this was some fucked up illusion.

“I want to believe you, but it's hard.” She confessed. She wanted to be honest, even if it brought pain. She knew keeping quiet only caused even more pain. “I'm not used to this…it feels unearned.”

Charlie kissed the top of her head. “It's not. You deserve all the praise I give you, my angel. Remember what we talked about? My love is never conditional. You're not up there anymore; they can't hurt you.”

Maybe not physically…

Shut the fuck up.

Make me.

Vaggie buried her face in Charlie's chest with a grimace. She suppressed the growl that was bubbling in her throat. The voices were beginning to piss her off; they could never just leave her the fuck alone.

Charlie stroked her hair as she noticed the shift in her partner. “What's wrong? Do you need painkillers?”

Vaggie shook her head and took a deep breath. Honesty. “Just…voices.” Charlie gripped her tighter.

“What are they saying? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.” Vaggie was yet to specify what the voices directly said aside from when she first told Charlie about them nearly a month ago. She had gotten close when she caught Vaggie dissociating 3 weeks ago, but Vaggie had shut the conversation down, not ready.

She was ready now, though. “Right now, they're basically saying no matter how much I progress physically, they'll still haunt me and hurt me mentally. Which, honestly, is pretty accurate.”

“Vaggie…”

“What? It is. You say I've been doing well, but I haven't. Just because I'm learning doesn't mean I've healed from all the stuff that's fucked me up. I can't have a single peaceful moment without hearing those bastards in my head. I'm so…tired…of hearing them.”

Charlie sighed. This was becoming a pattern. Vaggie would progress and be content with herself, before moving to another step and practically resetting her mentality. It was frustrating, to say the least. It wasn't even Vaggie's fault; she really was doing well…but the cruelty from training as an exorcist made her strive for absolute perfection, something Charlie sometimes tended to do as well.

“I try to make them go away…but I can't. I can only listen…”

“Do you believe other things they say to you?”

Oh God, when didn't she believe them? They would always tell her how much of a failure she was, how worthless and pathetic she was in her condition…how she was better off dead…

It was scary how convincing they could be sometimes.

“...Usually…”

Charlie didn't know what to think. Vaggie had told her that the voices called her a worthless failure that was better off gone. And she often believed that? She squeezed her partner closer to her.

“Vaggie…I know it's hard, but…you can't listen to them. Whatever they're saying to you is wrong, okay? You are so much more than they say you are.”

“I know they're wrong. But it doesn't make it any less painful and frustrating when they're constantly ringing in my head. Sometimes I just want to believe them cause then…”

“Then…what?”

Whiny bitch.

Vaggie scurried away from on top of Charlie's lap in an attempt to self isolate. She hugged herself and turned away. “...nothing. It doesn't matter…”

Coward.

Charlie placed a hand on her arm. Her horns were beginning to peek out and her eyes flashed red. “No, Vaggie. It does matter. What-”

She was interrupted by Angel Dust hastily barging in.

“Hey Char? There's a gang at the door that wanna talk to you!” he exclaimed, eyes wide and slightly nervous.

“What?” The couple responded in panic.

“How hostile?” Vaggie was up on her crutches in seconds, rushing to the door. Angel put his top hand on her shoulders.

“Hold up, Vags. They're not here for a fight, but they want somethin’. Somethin’ from Charlie.”

Charlie put a cautious hand on Vaggie's arm. “Besides, even if they did want a fight, I don't want you getting hurt. You're still recovering.”

“But I-”

“Please. Stay. At least until we know it's safe. Please, Vaggie.” Charlie begged. Vaggie just knew she was giving her puppy dog eyes. She sighed, full of reluctance.

“Fine, but I'm coming down in 10 minutes.” She left no room for debate. Charlie nodded and kissed her temple before following Angel out the door.

“Deal. See you soon!” And she was gone.

Vaggie was alone, leaning heavily on her crutches. The boot wasn't as restricting as the cast, but it still felt like an unbearable weight of burden.

Burden…that's all she was.

That's all you'll ever be.

Charlie and Angel rushed down the hotel stairs and Charlie's mind raced faster than her legs could carry. Why was this gang here? If they didn't want a fight, what did they want? Money? Drugs? Money to buy drugs? Drugs to sell for money? Redemption? She really hoped the latter was the case, but didn't want to jump to conclusions.

They reached the bottom and were approached by Husk. “There y'all are! Settle this, will ya princess?” There was a loud banging on the door, followed by incomprehensible shouts. They sounded angry.

Charlie steeled herself and took a deep breath. These were regular sinners just like everyone else, and she would greet them as so.

She opened the door to a group of 10 sinners. They ranged from dog to bird to reptilian. They seemed to be arguing with each other, before noticing her presence.

Charlie smiled her usual smile. “Hello everyone! What can I do to help you?”

The smallest sinner, a rat man, the leader, Charlie was assuming, stepped forward. “Is it true that Sir Pentious is redeemed?” his tone was hushed, almost as of this was a secret trade of information.

Charlie beamed and nodded. “Yes! He's not here right now, but he will be tomorrow if you're trying to see him. If you want, you can all stay here overnight to save you the trouble of walking home and back.”

The leader put his hand up and turned to his gang. “What does everyone think? One at a time. Clay?”

“I think it's a scam!” A crocodile demon snapped.

The leader nodded. “Zero?”

“I think it's worth the risk.” A jackal demon calmly answered.

“Sandra?”

“I don't believe her.” Said a swan demon as she crossed her arms.

“Jason?”

“Well I do believe her.” A short cyclops leveled a challenging glare at Sandra, who flipped him off.

“Sam?”

“Let's stay. Anywhere’s better than our tacky shack.” A dog demon responded. Charlie noted that she was not a hellhound, just a sinner that looked like one.

“Bryce?”

“I keep tellin’ y'all that it's a conspiracy. Let's just go home.” A bioluminescent jellyfish demon pleaded.

“Carter?”

“We won't know unless we stay to find out.” A simple demon with wings rolled his eyes, clearly tired of Bryce's antics.

“Avery?”

“Angel Dust is here, right? I wonder what other famous delectables they're hiding. Let's stay.” A cannibal answered.

“Alice?”

A taller, paler rat demon fidgeted. She looked just like the leader, like they were related. “I just wanna go home.”

The leader turned back to Charlie. “The vote is 5-4 in favor of staying the night. Show us inside, princess.” The naysayers groaned while those in favor gave small cheers.

Charlie grinned at the display of democracy. These guys were closer to redemption than they thought. “Of course. Mister…”

“Ace.”

“Mister Ace. Welcome everyone to the Hazbin Hotel!” Charlie pushed the doors back open and beckoned everyone inside. The new guests marveled at the size, and a couple rushed over to the bar the second they saw it.

Angel watched them with a raised eyebrow. “Sooo, what's the deal?”

“They seem interested in redemption, but I think they want to make sure Pentious’s story is true before actually considering it. They're waiting to meet him tomorrow. Regardless, still treat them as regular guests.”

Husk grumbled and walked over to the bar to serve the new patrons. Angel shrugged and followed him.

Charlie looked around the lobby. Niffty was trying to swoon Jason. Cherri was on the couch talking with Sandra, Sam, and Avery. Bryce, Carter, Zero, and Clay were at the bar getting their drinks. Ace and Alice were talking in the corner. Vaggie was coming out the elevator…wait Vaggie?

The fallen angel halted at the abundance of chatter filling the room. Her head swiveled around, trying to make sense of all the noise. Charlie approached her and put a hand on her shoulder. Vaggie unsurprisingly jumped, startled.

“Hey. Everything's okay. It's great, even! We've got 10 new residents that are possibly considering redemption! Granted, they want to meet Pentious first, but that means they're really considering it!” Charlie bounced on her hooves.

Vaggie couldn't help but smile at her partner's enthusiasm. “That is great! So, what do we do?”

“Nothing right now. Let's wait for Pentious tomorrow and see what they want to do from there. For now, I'll hand them their room keys and let them mingle.”

“Sooo, you're good? You don't need me?”

“Oh, Vaggie, I'll always need you, but I can do this task on my own. That's all.” Charlie responded softly.

Vaggie nodded in understanding. “Okay. I'll be here if you need any help.”

Help how? What was she gonna do, listen for the stuff they needed?

Charlie kissed her temple. “That's all I need. Thank you, sweetie.” Vaggie pulled her blindfold down just slightly to hide a blush and Charlie giggled at her antics before heading over to the main desk to grab room keys.

It took a while, but eventually everyone had a room they were satisfied with.

“Remember, quiet hours start at 10:00, so please be mindful of that.” Charlie called from the elevator. After multiple grumbles of agreement she was satisfied enough to head back upstairs.

It was 9:00 now. Some of the new guests had retired while some were still at the bar. A lot was up in the air. The gray area of being interested but also skeptical made it so they couldn't really start any activities until Pentious came and the gang made their decision. Charlie left them to their own devices in the meantime.

Vaggie was already in the room, since she couldn't really do much to help besides give her own two cents on redemption when asked.

She loathed how pointless her presence was. She was the manager. She should be giving tours, giving people their rooms, offering the best advice possible.

But…she couldn't. Even if she's used to the new hallways, she doesn't know the exact location of every single room like she did with the old hotel. The one they had for years. This upgraded hotel wasn't even 3 months old and was so much bigger.

She couldn't even do her job anymore. Why was she even here?

For Charlie.

You can't even help her.

That doesn't matter.

It always mattered. It always will.

“Fuck off.”

It was just her luck that Charlie happened to walk in at that exact moment. The demon stood in the doorway, baffled and hurt.

“Oh. Sorry. I didn't realize you wanted to be alone…” Vaggie could hear the sadness in her voice. Stupid brain and stupid voices causing a misunderstanding.

“No Charlie wait! I wasn't talking to you. Please come in.”

Charlie walked in, relieved but also confused. “Who were you talking to?”

Vaggie froze. Shit. Charlie was already dealing with new guests. Her dream was finally taking effect. She didn't need this. “Nobody…”

“Vaggie.”

“Fine. Just…voices.”

Charlie walked closer, concerned. They were pestering her again? No wonder she was so frustrated and inclined to listen. They really refused to leave her alone. “I'm sorry.”

Vaggie's eyebrows raised in silent shock. “Wait what? Why are you sorry? It's not your fault.”

“Maybe not, but I was wrong when I told you to just 'not listen to them'. It's clearly deeper than that. I'm sorry for being insensitive. I think my dad could give you a better input on how to deal with it.”

“You weren't insensitive, babe. You were saying what you thought was the right thing to say. I'm sorry for trying to push you away. I said I'd be more honest and then I go and shut the conversation down.”

Charlie closed the distance completely and wrapped her partner in a hug. “The point is that you're trying. We almost had a breakthrough today. It's still progressing. You don't have to talk about something if you're not ready.”

Vaggie stayed silent. Should she tell Charlie? This was the perfect opportunity. She was so open and vulnerable right now. How long before she felt this willing to share again? She took a deep breath and gave a heavy sigh.

“Charlie?”

“Yes?”

“You're my reason to live. You know that?”

Charlie pulled back stunned. Sure, they were dependent on each other, but Charlie had no idea it ran that deep.

“Wow, that's…that's really sweet of you, Vaggie…but…you can live for yourself, too.”

“That's the problem, Charlie. I get that, but…I've dedicated myself to helping you ever since you saved me. And now…” she gestured to her face and foot. “I can't do that. I can't do anything. Helping you, seeing you so happy is what's been keeping me going all these years.” Charlie felt tears begin to pool in her eyes. “I know I'm worth more than what I can give…but…I still can't help but feel like I don't belong unless I have a job to do. There's no point to me if I'm unable to do something.”

If I can't help you, what's the point of me?

“And that's why you're so inclined to listen to the voices, right? They agree with that old mentality.” Charlie deduced.

Vaggie nodded and continued. “So when I feel like that, and they tell me I'm better off gone, or that I should've died at some point, sometimes…I believe them…because it's just easier…” her voice cracked with raw emotion. She's no doubt be crying if she could. “They'd finally just go away.” She sniffed, voice barely above a whisper, but Charlie heard every word.

Charlie held her tight, tail curling around her midsection. She was crying waterfalls, hot tears falling into Vaggie's hair. Her sweet angel didn't deserve this. She was going through so much, and these damn voices were driving her over the edge.

“I…I-I’m sure we can find s-something to help. You can talk to my dad, or-or Carmilla. I'm s-sure they'll have something…please talk to them.”

Vaggie sniffed again. “...okay. For you.”

“No. For you.”

"Okay..."

Vaggie got up and grabbed her crutches. She was doing a walking motion while still using them to support her. She hobbled to the door, setting course for Lucifer’s office.

“For me...”

Chapter Text

It was a good thing Charlie gave her a hotel tour during the wheelchair days, otherwise Vaggie would have no idea where Lucifer's office was.

She leaned on the wall that she knew the door was on and slowly moved forward. The second she felt a door along with angelic presence she knew she had found the right door.

She put her weight on her good leg and knocked on the door. “Lucifer? Sir? Are you awake?” She stood awkwardly as she heard a scuffle from behind the door. Lucifer must have been asleep and his angelic hearing picked up her voice.

She suddenly felt extreme dread. What the hell was she doing? Why was she disturbing the King at 9:30?

Because Charlie wanted her to. Charlie wanted her to talk to him, for the sake of her own health, so she would.

Lucifer opened the door and stretched with a yawn. Upon noticing Vaggie he brightened, any tiredness forgotten. “Vaggie! What can I do for ya, kiddo?”

Vaggie shifted. She wasn't ready to have this conversation all over again. Talking to Charlie about it nearly had her breaking down into sobs. Now she was with Lucifer, and the anxiety was coming back.

“...Can we talk?”

She hated how shaky her voice was. She had broken down in front of him multiple times; why was she so nervous about this?

“Uh, sure.” Lucifer raised an eyebrow but let her inside regardless. He could tell from her tone that this was something serious. He pulled up a chair for her and sat across from her, trying to read her blind gaze. “What's on your mind?”

“...do you ever hear voices?” She meekly asked.

That threw him for a loop. “Well, yeah. Everyone does…but I get the feeling you mean something else. I assume the voices you hear…aren't very kind.” Well that was certainly an understatement.

Vaggie fidgeted. “Yeah. They're awful.”

Lucifer leaned forward. “What do they say?”

Vaggie sighed, having already recounted this a few times now. “They tell me that I'm worthless, useless, and a failure because of my condition. I can't do anything, so I can't fulfill my purpose. They tell me it'd be better if I was gone, or if Lute killed me when she had the chance. I know it's all bullshit…but…it's hard...not to listen when they're ringing in your head 24/7.”

“Do you…believe that you'd be better off gone?”

“Sometimes it's just easier to listen…and they could finally leave me alone…”

Lucifer sat in shock. His chest ached with sorrow. He was beginning to consider Vaggie as his own daughter. If Charlie had come to him with something like this, he'd be destroyed.

“And what's kept you going all this time? It's Charlie, right?”

Vaggie nodded. “I've dedicated my afterlife to helping her. Everything I do is for her. But now I can't do anything to help her so…y'know.” she gestured lamely to the air around her.

Lucifer took a few moments to process. He had dealt with intrusive thoughts for thousands of years. First, it was Lilith that kept him in the right headspace, and after Charlie was born, it was her. Over the years as Charlie grew, he'd come to learn that working for himself also did wonders for his mental health. It's why he made so many duckies. After Lilith and Charlie left, it was all he had, and that somehow destroyed him. His solitude had gone from helpful to hurtful. He was in a good place now though, having a balance of alone time but also having his family as support.

Vaggie didn't have that quality alone time to herself. She always spent it with Charlie. She didn't have hobbies of her own or desires beyond helping her partner.

There was nothing wrong with being content in that lifestyle, but for Vaggie, her past made that kind of mentality extremely detrimental. He concluded that tackling the issue at its core would take ages, and that he needed to gradually ease into it, or else Vaggie would get nowhere.

Lucifer nodded to himself, finally understanding how to address the issue.

“It seems to me that you've got a lot to work on in terms of your mentality, and the voices are an added obstacle that's making it nearly impossible to achieve that. Do I have that right?”

“Yeah. It'd be so much easier to fix my brain without all of these voices telling me how much I suck. If they were gone, I could finally focus on fixing myself so Charlie wouldn't have to worry anymore.”

Lucifer hesitated. “...you know you can better yourself just because, right?” No response. Lucifer sighed. “Look Vaggie, I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life, but it seems to me that you should learn to live for yourself, instead of Charlie. I feel like that would also help you."

“I'll work on that when these damn voices are gone.” Vaggie impatiently retorted. “Do you know a way to get rid of them?”

“I do, but it's not easy. It requires a very complicated spell, one that I've only used once for me and Lilith a long time ago.” Vaggie leaned in, attentive. “I used to hear voices as well, and she would help me fight them through my dreams. I can interlock your and Charlie's dream states, and she can help you deal with them then.”

“Wait, what? That doesn't make any sense. I hear them when I'm awake. Why would fighting them when I'm asleep accomplish anything?”

“Those voices aren't normal, Vaggie. They come from a place of deep hurt and pain. The same place that nightmares come from.” Lucifer watched the cogs in Vaggie's brain turn as she tried to make sense of what he was telling her. She suddenly lifted her head with a small gasp.

“...Trauma.”

“Bingo! If you can fight off your nightmares in your sleep, then dealing with the voices when you're awake won't seem as much of a chore. That's the best way I know to deal with them.”

It wasn't a complete erasure, but she'd take what she could get. “How does this spell work?”

Lucifer snapped his fingers and the scroll for the spell was suddenly in his hand. He opened the parchment and coughed as dust flew into his nose. He scanned the paper, making sure he didn't miss a single detail.

“It's a little complicated. Basically I need to interlock your brain waves. When you dream, your brain emits theta waves. If I can connect the theta waves between you and Charlie, you should be able to have a shared dreamstate of your own that's different from both of your typical dreams.”

“And how do you do that?”

Lucifer sucked in a breath. “That's where things get complicated. 3 things need to happen. The people being interlocked need to have an extremely tight bond, one that Heaven's council can't even separate. Now, I don't doubt that you and Charlie have that kind of bond, but I need you to know that it's required for the spell.”

“Okay, extremely tight bond, got it.”

“Second, the spell needs to be casted when the waves are at their strongest, otherwise the spell might not connect them properly. So that would be when you're both sleeping, preferably dreaming, or when extremely relaxed.”

“Cast when we're sleeping, got it.”

“And third…” He hesitated.

“Third?” Vaggie prompted.

“This is where it gets complicated. In order for the spell to take effect, you and Charlie need to go three nights, starting the night after it's cast, without having nightmares of any kind. On the fourth night, the spell will be active.”

“Why does that matter?”

“The spell will only latch if the theta waves are quote unquote ‘stable’. If there's too much activity that's suddenly interrupted by being woken up, the spell can and will fail and it'll have to be cast again.”

3 whole nights without night terrors? It wasn't impossible by any means, but it seemed daunting. She had them randomly, after good or bad days, regardless of how much sleep she got the past night. They were wildly unpredictable, not to mention that Charlie could have nightmares as well. Hell, she had one last night.

“What if I just don't sleep?” She asked. It didn't seem unreasonable, she was a master of not sleeping after all.

Lucifer chuckled. “Nice try, but you have to sleep. The spell needs to latch onto those waves. It needs to get used to the different frequencies before connecting them. If one of the frequencies is missing, i.e. you staying awake, it can't be completed. Understand?”

Vaggie sighed, having no way out of it. “No nightmares for 3 nights…got it.”

Lucifer placed the dirty scroll in Vaggie's hand. “Take this to Charlie, and see what she thinks. If she agrees, then both of you will come to me tomorrow night, okay kiddo?”

Vaggie gently gripped the scroll and gave her fellow angel a grateful smile. “Thanks Lucifer.”

"Anytime, sweetie."

Charlie anxiously paced around the bedroom. It was 10:30, Vaggie had been gone for an hour. The tears had stopped falling, but the anxiety was still through the roof.

What could they possibly be talking about for so long? Was the solution really that complicated? What if there wasn't one? What if Vaggie was stuck suffering forever?

She ran her fingers through her hair as fire began to encircle her ankles, lightly charring the carpet with each step.

The door opened, and Vaggie slowly stumbled in, holding a scroll. Charlie immediately rushed over and squeezed her in a tight hug. Vaggie was startled but didn't protest. It was understandable after all.

“Vaggie! Thank goodness! Are you okay? How did it go? What's that scroll for? Do you need anything? Can I-” Charlie was shushed as Vaggie put a finger to her lips.

“I'm fine. It went great. This scroll has a possible solution that can help. We can talk about it while we preen my wings.”

Charlie's eyes widened. Vaggie's wings needed preening twice a week in order to keep them healthy, and they had agreed on Tuesday and Friday nights. She had completely forgotten that it was Friday. Today had been a lot.

“Shit. I totally forgot. Yeah…yeah we can do that.”

Soon enough Vaggie was laying topless on the bed, wings spread out to their full length, and Charlie was ready to begin.

“Ready?”

“Mhm.”

“Okay. Three…two…one.” Charlie began and as usual, Vaggie tensed before immediately relaxing. She didn't flinch, at least. Now that preening had become a proper routine, and nobody besides Charlie was touching her wings, she was able to relax easier.

“How are you feeling?” Well that was a loaded question.

Vaggie turned her head so her ear was fully exposed. “Right now or in general?”

Charlie was halfway done with the right wing. “Whatever you want.”

Vaggie hummed. “Right now, I'm feeling good. You're doing a great job.”

Charlie hummed and formed a light smile. “That's good. I'm glad.” she continued, moving closer to the scapulars. Vaggie tensed as Charlie reached the sensitive feathers but relaxed once Charlie was finished. Charlie kept one hand on Vaggie's back and dragged it across the top of the left wing until it reached the end, saving them both the trouble and anxiety of counting down.

“In general…I'm nervous…but also a little hopeful. Mostly nervous, though.” Vaggie admitted. “The scroll is a spell that can help. It involves linking our dreams together so that you can help me chase the nightmares, and then it'll be easier to fight the voices when I'm awake.”

Charlie hummed. This was certainly interesting. “How do we cast it?”

“Lucifer has to cast it when we're asleep. It only works if we have a really strong bond, which, I don't doubt.” They both chuckled. “And…after it's cast, we can't have nightmares for three nights straight after it's cast, or else it won't work."

Vaggie could feel Charlie slightly deflate. “Oh…”

“Yeah…it's a bit more complex than that, so you can read the scroll if you want all the details.”

Charlie glanced at the old scroll resting on the nightstand. It's presence was intimidating, despite being a small piece of ancient paper. So much uncertainty laid in the air. They were both prone to nightmares, so it was unlikely that they'd succeed the first time. Not to mention that when they succeeded, what exactly would happen. What did interlocking dreams even mean? How dangerous could it truly be?

Vaggie flinched underneath her and Charlie noticed that she accidentally touched the scar tissue. “Sorry! Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

“No. No, you're ok. I just...wasn't expecting it.” Vaggie released a breath and flashed a smile, showing she was genuine.

“Okay, well…I'm done. I'm gonna read the scroll now.”

Vaggie nodded and moved to put her nightgown on as Charlie read in silence. She had no idea how long it actually was, since Lucifer had read off of it and she never felt it's full length. She suppressed a yawn as Charlie soaked up every detail written, no doubt having an adorable look of concentration on her face.

“This is…incredible. I've never even heard of anything like this being achieved before.”

“Lucifer told me he only did it once for himself and your mom. Apparently he went through a similar problem a long time ago. It didn't make everything go away, but it'll make things easier.”

Charlie was downtrodden at the mention of her estranged mother, but scooted closer and rested her head on top of Vaggie's. “How are you doing right now? Are they bothering you at all?”

Come to think of it, she hadn't heard anything since she left to talk to Lucifer, which was an hour and a half ago. Not a record by any means, but a decent time nonetheless.

“Nope. I'm good now, thanks.”

Charlie moved her arms to hold Vaggie close. “I'm so sorry that you're going through this. You're already dealing with so much already…it's unfair.”

“Life isn't fair, babe. It cheats you.” It was a lesson they all had learned at some point, but it never failed to sting. “But…if you play your hand well enough, you can still end up with a good pot.” She nuzzled into Charlie's shoulder. It was obvious what her pot was.

“Did you get that from Husk?” Charlie chuckled.

Vaggie's content smile morphed into a playful grin. “Maybe…”

Charlie buried her face in Vaggie's hair and lightly tickled her, eliciting small giggles from the fallen angel. She spoke again once they settled down.

“We'll do the spell." Charlie yawned. "Tomorrow. Whatever it takes to help you get better.”

Vaggie thought about the promise she made on her pirate ship months ago. The promise to make Charlie's dreams come true. To protect her and be there for her at whatever the cost, no matter how many mistakes she made.

If Charlie was willing to make the same promise to her, to do anything to better her health, then maybe she was worth it after all. Maybe she did deserve to be here.

“Yeah…whatever it takes.”

Chapter Text

The following day was quite eventful.

Charlie had already left to pick up Pentious, meaning the rest of them had to entertain the new guests until they arrived. They mostly mingled amongst each other, but one sinner in particular’s interest was peaked.

“Hello.”

Vaggie turned to her right, where a feminine voice was speaking to her. She hadn't memorized how all of them had sounded yet, so she was unsure exactly who it was.

“Hi…uhm…”

“Alice. You're Vaggie, right?”

“That's me. Do you need anything?”

Alice instinctively shook her head before speaking. “No…no I was just…I was wondering…I wanted to know if…no. Forget it. It's so insensitive of me.”

It wasn't hard to figure out what she wanted to ask. She could tell that Alice was shy and soft spoken, that her question came from pure curiosity and not malice. “I was in an accident. I'm fully blind.”

“I'm sorry…” Alice sympathized. Vaggie shrugged it off. “Are…are accidents common here?”

Vaggie couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her. “No. It was during the extermination. The hotel is usually pretty safe. You'll be safe here, if you choose to try redemption.”

“Thank you.” Alice muttered.

Huh.

It's not that Vaggie saw the worst in sinners, it was just expected that they wouldn't have such nice manners. Alice seemed…different. She sounded so young compared to the others.

“How old are you, Alice?”

“Oh! I...I died when I was 18, but I've been in Hell for I think 5 years now. So technically I'm 23, but I never really feel like it…”

Vaggie could somewhat understand. If she lived on Earth, then she likely died in her early 20s. But then she spent 7 years in Heaven, and nearly 4 in Hell. By logic, she'd technically be in her 30s, but she refused to consider herself to be that old.

Alice seemed to be the same way, only a bit younger. It hurt Vaggie to think about all the young souls that ended up down here, and how she had killed so many of them. Legality be damned, 18 was too young of an age to end up in Hell. Just barely scraping adulthood, just barely being able to truly make decisions for yourself, and then subjected to the divine decider's cruelty and sent to a literal hell hole. It made Vaggie sick, to think about the injustice of it all.

“I'm sorry you fell at such a young age. It must've been scary.” she sympathized. God knows how hard it was for her. The culture shock had her head spinning for months.

“Yeah, it was. It still is…but I have my brother to guide me.”

“Your brother?”

“Yes. Ace. I know that he'll do what he thinks is right for us. If he wants us to redeem ourselves, if it's possible, then I'll try.”

…Huh.

The doors to the building opened and in stepped Charlie and Sir Pentious, the former looking ecstatic, and the latter endlessly fidgeting. The 10 new guests marveled at him, there was no mistaking his angelic nature.

“Ain't no way!”

“I can't believe it…”

“He is real…”

“He's glorious!”

Avery rushed over to get a close up look at him, eyeing every single detail of the reformed sinner. She licked her lips, pointed teeth showing.

Cherri stormed over. “Hey! Hands off ma man, bitch!” She possessively hugged Pentious and narrowed her eye at the cannibal.

Avery backed off in mild surprise. “Wait, you two are dating?”

The couple both blushed, but ignored it. “Yes.” Pentious hugged Cherri back.

Charlie quickly intervened to avoid hostility. “Okay everyone! Now that Sir Pentious is here, he can explain to you exactly how redemption worked for him, and how it can apply to you, if you wish to try it. Does everyone agree?”

The new group gathered in a huddle and shared whispers, but Vaggie could still pick it up thanks to her angelic hearing.

“We have proof that it works. As leader, I vote we stay and at least try. Anyone opposed?”

Many mumbles in agreement were heard, though a few still opposed.

“I still don't think it's true. This could be one big scam by the royals.”

“I don't think the princess would go this far to trick us Bryce. She may be foolish but she's never been malicious.”

Vaggie silently growled at that remark. She hated how people often mistook Charlie's optimism and kindness for foolishness. Sure, she thought that too for the first week after she had been rescued, but she quickly saw past her old stigmas and recognized Charlie for who she really was: a strong and hopeful leader trying to make change in a broken, stubborn world. She realized with time that she was the same from the moment she spared that child.

“The majority rules we stay.”

“Fuck the majority! I wanna go home!”

“We have luxury here, Clay. If not for redemption, we can at least stay for a better life than our shitty motel.”

Vaggie heard a huff followed by a grumble. “...fine.”

The guests separated and Ace stepped forward. “We'll try, princess.”

Charlie bounced with excitement. “Alright! That brings us to our first ever activity with this new group. So to start, everyone is going to sit in a circle.” The group moved and sat between the couches, while Vaggie sat in a chair.

“Okay, so. The key to redeeming yourself is to know how you ended up in Hell in the first place. It's a common belief that your appearance in Hell is directly related to how you were on earth, and how you died. Pentious is going to start, and then the older residents will go, so the new guests can get an understanding of how it works. This exercise is about honesty, with others and with yourself. You can share as much as you want as long as you feel comfortable. And remember, this is a judgement free zone. Pentious?”

“Yesssss. My name is Sir Pentious. As you can ssssssee, I am a snake demon. This is because on Earth, I was a conman and a sssscammer. I would lie and cheat to get money for my inventionssss. Here, I worked on my honesty and making genuine friendsss that I eventually gave my afterlife to protect. That was enough to get me into Heaven.”

“Thank you for sharing Pentious. Angel?”

“The name’s Angel Dust. You've probably heard a me. My family was part of da Mafia, in a ‘web of crime' if ya will. I died from an overdose, so I'm tryin' to do less drugs and fight in less turf wars.”

“Thank you Angel. Husk?”

They kept going around, and surprisingly, everyone shared something. Ace and Alice confessed that their family constantly ran from the law, Clay admitted to having extreme anger issues, Zero explained how he was a loner, Sandra described her life as a stripper, Jason told how he was blind in one eye before dying, Sam proudly proclaimed that she was a bitch on Earth, Bryce rambled on about conspiracies, Carter shared that he died from jumping off a building, and Avery flashed her teeth as she recalled her favorite unethical meals.

The only person left was Vaggie, since she was on Pentious’s other side. She could feel everyone's eyes on her.

“Uhm…I'm Vaggie, and I uh…killed…a lot of people. I'm not proud of it, and I'm working every day to make up for it.” Charlie squeezed her shoulder from behind the chair.

“Meh! Who hasn't? It's Hell, afta all.” Cherri piped up.

“We've all killed a few sinnas here and there, toots. You're alright, Vags.” Angel chimed in.

“Unless you're an overlord, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who really gives a shit about a few murders.” Sam offered. Many hums of agreement followed.

While Vaggie appreciated the support, the guilt and shame still ate at her. They didn't get it. The new guests would never understand that it was her sole purpose to murder them once a year unless…she told them. Or they figured it out.

But what would that entail? She was lucky that the group reacted almost nonchalantly after the visit to Heaven. What would these new sinners think? They hadn't been here as long as the others, would they really understand the idea of atonement and redemption if it was put to the test?

“Thanks guys.” she mumbled.

Charlie was beyond satisfied. She never expected such a big group to be so open. Granted, they didn't share a lot, and it was probably things they had already shared with each other, but they were trying, and that was enough.

“Great job everyone! Thank you all for being honest and sharing with the group. That'll be it for today, so feel free to mingle or go out or whatever you want, but be back by quiet hours please.”

Everyone got up from the circle. Some retired to their rooms while most congregated around the bar. Charlie moved to the side of Vaggie's chair to whisper.

“I'm proud of you. I know that wasn't easy.”

“Do you think they'll figure it out? It's not that hard.” Vaggie fidgeted. Charlie took her scarred hand in both of hers.

“Even if they do, it'll be fine. You're not the person you used to be. I see it, the older guests see it, I'm sure the new guests will see it too, with time. They seem accepting so far, that's a start.” Charlie squeezed Vaggie's hand.

“I hope so.” Vaggie deflated.

Charlie brushed her bangs behind her ear. “What's wrong, sweetie?”

Vaggie sighed. “Nothing, really. There's just a lot going on is all. 10 new guests is a big change, a lot more work to be done.” She meant to continue but suddenly yawned.

Charlie lifted her blindfold just slightly, noticing the circles under her eye sockets. Even with the scars and stress lines, they were unmistakable.

“Have you not been sleeping well, besides the night terrors, I mean?” She whispered in hushed tones, not needing the other guests to hear something so personal.

“I've been trying. You know how I barely slept when I first fell. There's just a lot to think about.”

Charlie put the blindfold back down and cupped her cheek to look her squarely in the face. “Will you be okay for tonight? We can tell my dad to push it back-”

“No. We can try tonight. The sooner the better, right?” Vaggie insisted. Charlie could hear the uncertainty in her voice and kissed her nose.

“Right. But…just know that it's okay to take your time, too. This is your journey, Vaggie. You can go as slow as you like.”

Vaggie thought about how her recovery had been progressing. The more she thought about it, going slow had gotten her nowhere. She tried to go slow on the crutches, but it turned out that going fast was the better option. She was beginning to think that the same thing was going to apply to the boot as well, since it's been 2 days and going slow only brought more pain. The quicker she took these steps, the better.

“I know Hun, but I'm fine with going fast.”

“Then we'll go as fast as you like.”

“Whaddya think about all dis, Husky?”

It was late. 11:00. The rest of the guests had left the lobby, leaving just Angel Dust and Husk.

Husk raised a red brow. “It's good, ain't it? More guests, more redemption, more success.”

“Sure…but, I know Al forced ya to be here, but what do you want outta dis?”

Husk paused from his glass cleaning. What did he want? He wanted freedom, first and foremost, but that was a long shot. What else would satisfy his tired, old, withered heart? He held eye contact with Angel for a few moments before breaking and going back to the glass.

“For a long time, I wanted nothin’ more but for someone to understand what I've been through. And I have that, now…”

Angel didn't press, but he did offer a warm smile. Husk wasn't an open person, but when he did share, he preferred to have silence so he could collect his thoughts properly.

“You know why they call me Husk?”

“The same reason they call me Angel Dust?”

Husk chuckled. “Nah, it's not a stage name. When I came down here a long time ago, I went by my real name: Keith.”

Now Angel chuckled. “Keith? Really?”

Husk smirked to hide his offense. “Yeah! You know how we have titles. Alastor the Radio Demon, Zestial the Voodoo King, Carmilla Carmine the Weapons Dealer, Keith David the Gambling Master.”

“Uh huh.”

“My gambling addiction fed my alcoholism on Earth, and eventually it killed me. I kept my name so I could have another chance. Make it better for myself.”

“Redeem yourself?” Angel put his chin in his hand with a teasing smirk, though his eyes practically glowed with adoration.

“In a fucked up way…I guess so. Didn't work though. They call me Husk nowadays cause, I mean, look at me, the husk of my former self.” He gestured to the body he despised. He hated cats, and his wings were nothing but a nuisance. Maybe Vaggie had tips on taking care of them, since he knew his were probably fucked up in some way or another.

“If ya ask me…Keith David might've lost his chance, but…Husker is perfectly appealin’ ta me.”

Husk hid a blush under his fur. He hadn't felt this way in a long time. It was all so refreshing and new…but surprisingly, he didn't hate it.

“You're not so bad yourself, Angel.”

Angel borderline swooned at the way his name rolled off Husk's tongue. It sounded so…right. It felt good, unlike how it felt with Valentino.

“...Anthony.”

Husk's ears perked up. “Hm?”

“My real name is Anthony. Though, I never really used it down here. Angel Dust was a nickname on Earth, and it became a stage name. Anthony lost his chance long ago.” Angel let his gaze drop to the drink he was absently stirring.

“...nah.”

That caused him to perk up. “The fuck you mean, ‘nah’?”

“The guy I'm talkin' to right now, the guy that I've seen progress more and more into a better man, that's not Angel Dust. That's Anthony. That's the man seeking redemption right now, the man I lo-” Husk suddenly stopped and cleared his throat. The man I…loathe to see doubting himself.”

“What are ya tryin' to say, Whiskas?”

“I'm sayin', yeah, you're Angel, but you're not Val’s Angel. You're Anthony, and I think Anthony deserves a second chance, because he's earned it, unlike Keith, who blew his.”

Angel paused before smiling, and eventually chuckling. Husk started chuckling too, Angel's laughter was contagious. The chuckles turned into full blown guffaws.

Angel wiped tears from his eyes when he finally calmed down. “Ya know..." One last chuckle escaped him. "If ya wanted ta say you think I deserve redemption ya coulda just said so. No need for deep metaphors and shit.”

“Fine then. You deserve redemption, Anthony.”

Angel turned red before downing his drink so he could blame it on the alcohol. He cleared his throat. “Uhm…thanks, Husky.”

“You're welcome.”

They didn't speak for the rest of the night, enjoying the silence and the comforting company the other brought.

“Are we ready, ladies?”

Charlie and Vaggie were already in bed, ready to sleep and activate the spell. Lucifer was standing by the bedside in ducky pajamas, holding the scroll.

“Yeah, but don't we need to be sleeping first?” Vaggie questioned.

“Yes, but I could cast a sleeping spell to make it easier. Though I'm not sure if a magically induced sleep will interfere with the spell or not. And it wouldn't stop any potential nightmares.”

Vaggie grumbled and Charlie stroked her hair. “I think we'll manage on our own, dad.”

Lucifer rolled up the scroll. “Alright then, I'll be back in a few hours then. Goodnight girls, sleep well.”

“Goodnight, dad.”

“Goodnight, Lucifer.”

The door shut and the two were alone. Vaggie deeply exhaled, trying to relax.

“Hey, it's okay. It's just a normal night. We'll sleep like always and wake up like nothing happened. Don't stress.” Charlie squeezed Vaggie's scarred hand.

Vaggie barely slept on a regular night. Either anxiety, trauma, voices, or a combination of the three always managed to keep her up to ungodly hours of the night. A peaceful night's sleep was so rare when she first fell, and was becoming even more of a rarity nowadays.

“...Sing to me…please?”

Charlie happily obliged.

There is no upper hand

I'm giving you mine

It doesn't have to end up wasting your time

There's things that I could say

But hear it my way

I want to let you know that it's all okay

I like your smile

But even introductions need to last a while

Sometimes I don't know if I'm right or wrong

And in the end it seems like

Everything is worse when you're gone

Vaggie relaxed but Charlie repeated the chorus one more time to be sure.

There is no upper hand

I'm giving you mine

It doesn't have to end up wasting your time

There's things that I could say

But hear it my way

I want to let you know that it's all okay

Vaggie lightly snored in Charlie's arms. The demon smiled and lovingly placed a kiss to the angel's forehead.

“Goodnight, my angel.”

Chapter Text

She was flying. High up in Heaven's bright beautiful sky, not a care in the world. Every so often, Adam would give them an off day to simply enjoy themselves. Her favorite pastime was flying around and enjoying the gorgeous view that Heaven provided.

She flew into the main town, fingertips brushing the perfectly pristine streets. Saint Peter was currently giving a tour to a group of new winners that appeared to be a family. She absently wondered if she ever had that on Earth, she couldn't quite remember.

She flew into the side of a building, having gotten distracted and lost in her thoughts. Suddenly the bright yellow and white of Heaven became a sharp red and black. The wall she was touching was old and dirty. The cheers from the civilians turned into screams.

She looked down at her body. When had she changed into her uniform? Why was she suddenly in Hell? Had she forgotten the most important day of the year? Certainly not.

Spear in hand, when had she gotten it? She turned around and looked for any sinners to kill, only to see a plethora of corpses. The sight horrified her, for some reason. Had she done this? There were no runners, just corpses, yet no other exorcists in sight. What?

She walked the streets, the stench invading her nostrils and making her want to hurl. She dipped into an alleyway, one she somehow recognized despite never being in this area of Hell.

Near immediately, her eye began to burn, almost as if someone suddenly stabbed it. There was a pressure on her back and wings, like they were being pulled.

Without warning, they were ripped straight off by an unseen force, and she fell to the ground, pain clouding her senses. What was happening? Why was this so familiar?

Sinful filth like you has no place in Heaven.

Her good eye widened as she remembered. She spared a child. Lute had maimed her, taken her eye and wings. Adam had taken her halo. She was bleeding out. She was going to die. How did she survive last time?

Charlie. Charlie had found her and nursed her back to health. She needed to find her.

“Charlie.”

Only she couldn't move. She was paralyzed on the filthy ground of the abandoned alleyway, forgotten.

After what felt like hours, though it was probably only a few minutes, a tall figure approached, one with glowing red eyes, piercing horns protruding from her forehead, and a long tail that was swishing angrily.

“Charlie?”

“You did this.”

It was Charlie's face, but Lute's voice. Charlie grabbed her by the throat and choked her, hard. The blood from her eye spilled onto the demon's wrist. Her wing wounds stained the ground beneath her yellow.

“You'll never be anything. You'll never deserve anything. You did this. You will pay the price.”

“I-I'm sorry!” Vaggie managed to croak.

“You did this.” the pressure increased.

“N-no…” tears fell from her remaining eye.

“You did this.”

Vaggie.

“I…I-I…”

“You did this.”

Vaggie.

Charlie didn't relent. Vaggie desperately tried to claw her hands off, but she couldn't move her hands. It was as if they were locked, frozen in place.

Her vision blurred as she saw spots. She couldn't breath, only managing strangled gasps that became smaller and smaller. She was going to die.

“VAGGIE!”

Vaggie jolted awake and choked on her breath. Some unseen force was still strangling her, and it wasn't letting up.

“Vaggie, please let go! Please!” Someone pleaded.

She couldn't let go. She needed to pry the hands away, but she was still stuck. Something else was pulling on her wrists as well. She couldn't see the supposed attacker either. Her legs kicked helplessly and wings flapped desperately in panic.

“Vaggie, please!”

Lack of oxygen be damned, that was Charlie. The real Charlie. She was screaming. She sounded really desperate, and like she was…crying. Why was she crying? What was happening? Was she in pain? Who was hurting them?

“Please, Vaggie. Please let go!” Charlie was straight up sobbing. If letting go would make it stop, then fine, she'd let go.

Her grip released and suddenly she could breathe again. She took a huge gasp, followed by a hacking cough.

Vaggie wheezed as she desperately tried to get air back into her lungs. She felt something touch her back and bolted, not trusting anything at the moment. She flapped her wings and flew off the bed, heading for the door but only managing to crash straight into the wall, still panting heavily.

“N-no…” she rasped, voice incredibly hoarse. She laid on her back as she tried to regain her breath. Her neck and throat were aching, no doubt from being choked.

As the oxygen came back to her lungs and brain, she was able to think more clearly. Charlie told her to let go. She let go, and she could breathe again. Had she been…choking herself?

Charlie hovered a few feet away, tears relentlessly cascading in waterfalls. This had never happened before. Vaggie never really harmed herself unless Charlie touched her during a night terror. What had caused her to start choking herself unprompted?

“Vaggie…”

Vaggie, still catching her breath, finally pieced together what was happening. They had been doing so well with sleeping since the spell was cast. The first night had no issue. The second, Charlie stirred in her sleep, but Vaggie had calmed her down before peacefully sleeping herself. They had been so close.

Of course she had a night terror on the third and final night.

You did this.

Charlie was crying, sobbing even, because of her. She did that. She scared her, made her worry. She ruined their progress. They were so close.

You did this.

Her wings curled around her as she hugged herself and buried her face in her knees. Her eyes and back were beginning to throb. Of course, more punishment. It's what she deserved.

You did this.

What progress she made on catching her breath vanished as she began hyperventilating again. She ruined everything. She made Charlie cry.

You did this.

“I-I did this…”

Give up.

“N-No…”

Charlie had enough. She kneeled in front of Vaggie and tried to find an opening, but her wings were wrapped like a cocoon. “Vaggie, it's me.”

The wings tightened. Vaggie couldn't bear to face Charlie, not when she was undoubtedly pissed at her for making her worry and ruining their progress.

“Vaggie, please. It's okay. I'm okay, you're okay. We're safe. I'm not mad, okay? I just want to see you. Please. Please, let me in.”

The wings held for a few moments before slowly unfolding and lazily drooping onto the floor. Vaggie's head was still buried in her knees. Charlie shifted closer, careful not to touch her just yet. Not when she was still so shaken.

“Can I touch you?” Charlie gently pressed. Vaggie shook her head in response as she tried to once again get her breathing back under control. Her wings and face twitched as her back and eyes spiked with phantom pain, earning a small whimper. She sniffled as she wrapped her arms tighter around herself. Sweat trickled down her forehead and seeped into the top of her blindfold. She tore the cloth off her face, feeling too suffocated.

Charlie sat as patiently as she could, all things considered. She could already see the dark bruises forming around Vaggie's neck from the sheer force she was strangling herself.

You did this.

It's all your fault.

Waste.

Failure.

She doesn't need you. She never will.

Give.

Up.

Vaggie covered her ears and began pulling her hair, something she tended to do when she was highly overwhelmed. It was a bad habit she grew into once her hair grew past her shoulders, and Charlie could never prevent her from pulling, but she was usually able to to stop her before she ripped the hair out.

She instinctively grabbed Vaggie's wrists and pulled, causing Vaggie to flinch. Charlie didn't let go, but did move her hands so that they were holding Vaggie's. Vaggie tried to pull away, but Charlie didn't let her. “It's okay.”

It wasn't okay.

“You're okay. I'm okay. We're safe.” It was an old phrase, one she always repeated in times like these, and it always managed to work to some degree, this time included.

“...Ch-Charlie…” Vaggie spoke in a choked whisper.

“Shhhh.” Charlie hushed, stroking her trembling hands, tracing the scar on her right. “I'm here, baby. It's okay.”

Vaggie stumbled forward and fell into Charlie's lap, the need for comfort stronger than any shame or guilt. “M’sorry…”

“Hush, you have nothing to be sorry for. It wasn't your fault, you just scared me, that's all.” Charlie assured. Vaggie's grip around her tightened, and Charlie stroked her tangled hair. “Do you know why you…did that?”

Vaggie could never remember her night terrors, and this time was no different. She only recalled a pressure on her neck, though that could very well just be the bruises. Pressure, and a deep sense of fear and panic. That's all it ever was. Even if she could remember, talking seemed so strenuous right now. Her throat was killing her, and she was so overwhelmed and exhausted.

Vaggie shook her head, and that was enough for Charlie to understand.

“Do you want to go back to sleep?” A shake. “Do you want to cuddle?” A nod accompanied with a squeeze, Vaggie's way of saying ‘please’ when she couldn't speak. “Okay, do you want your blindfold?” Hesitation followed by a shake. “Okay.”

Charlie grabbed the cloth before picking Vaggie up bridal style and gently placing her on the large bed. She folded the blindfold and put it on her nightstand before climbing in and holding her girlfriend close. Vaggie's eyelids shut with a content sigh as she relaxed in her love's arms.

Charlie could clearly see the dark circles and stress lines underneath her eyes. It made sense; this was an extremely taxing recovery, both physically and mentally. Still, she couldn't help but worry. Hopefully, Vaggie would better soon, right?

She kissed Vaggie's forehead before closing her eyes and resting her own there. Hopefully, once they succeeded with the spell, things would get better.

Things had to get better…right?

“YOU COCK SUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!”

“It was an accident! Calm the fuck down!"

“THAT'S MY FUCKING FOOD, AND YOU JUST-”

“HEY!”

Angel and Clay paused their argument as Vaggie interrupted.

Vaggie could easily recognize Angel, and Clay wasn't that much harder to determine. He was a loud guy that constantly blew up, obviously his voice wasn't that hard to forget.

“I don't care what the fuck you two are arguing about. I'm tired, have a headache, and don't have time for this shit. You two are gonna stop giving everyone here a migraine and talk it out like goddamn adults, or I will run you through with my spear! Got it?”

“Yes ma'am.” The two responded in unison. Even in a boot, Vaggie never failed to be intimidating when she asserted authority.

She had been right about moving fast in the boot. The morning after the spell had been cast she had tried walking quickly, and she felt less pain. Now since 3 days had passed since then, she was able to stand and walk properly on her own.

“Good. Clay, please calmly tell me what happened and why you're yelling at Angel.”

“This fucker stole my toast! I had it on a plate and left to get some jam and I came back to see this spindly bitch chomping down on my food!” The crocodile snapped.

“And I keep tellin' ya it was an accident! If I'd known it was yours, I woulda left it alone. I even said sorry once ya said somethin'!” the spider countered.

“Enough!” Vaggie pinched the bridge of her nose. Her voice was already getting sore. Anymore screaming and she might just lose it for real. She cleared her throat before addressing them again. “Clay, if Angel offered a sincere apology, then you have no right to be getting this angry at him. We all make mistakes, and the important part is to forgive and move on. There's plenty of toast left, so grab another slice and keep it with you. Apologize to Angel for overreacting.”

“Yes, ma'am…” Clay angrily grumbled, but obliged. He turned to Angel Dust. “M’sorry for snappin’. Food’s hard to come by sometimes. I get a little possessive, you gotta understand.” he confessed.

“I get it. Sorry again for takin’ your food.” Angel calmly replied. He was getting better with his own temper, Vaggie noticed.

Clay walked off and Vaggie addressed the actor. “Just make sure to ask if it's somebody's food before just taking it, okay?”

“Understood, toots.” Angel ruffled her hair before walking off in a separate direction.

Charlie watched the entire interaction from afar, beaming with pride. Vaggie handled that spectacularly, probably better than she would have. She'd never have it in her to snap at guests like that, it simply wasn't her way of dealing with conflict. But Vaggie made it work, it was only one of the many reasons she was so crucial to the hotel.

“Quite a catch ya got there.”

Charlie turned and looked down to see Ace. The small rat barely made it up to her waist. It didn't surprise her, Niffty was even shorter.

“Yeah, she's incredible isn't she?” Charlie gushed. She watched as Vaggie ate her own breakfast, taking adorable tiny bites out of her own toast.

“How'd you two meet, if ya don't mind me asking?”

Charlie beamed, she loved this story. “I found her after an extermination. She had a run in with one of the exorcists and barely made it out alive; only one eye to show for it. I saw her and took her back to my home, where I nursed her and helped her get back on her feet. We grew really close during that time and…well, the rest is history.” Charlie made sure to exclude any parts about Vaggie being an angel, since she wasn't comfortable with sharing that yet.

Ace hummed. He couldn't help but notice that Charlie's love struck gaze also appeared to be…tired. His theory was confirmed when Charlie covered a yawn. “Sleep well, princess?”

In truth, no. After last night's incident at around 2 am, neither of them had properly fallen back asleep. Sure, they had rested, but neither of them entered REM sleep. Suffice to say, they were both tired today, which was the last thing Vaggie needed for her recovery. Charlie sighed as she watched Vaggie hide a yawn and rub her eyes.

“Yeah, I'm fine. Just one of those nights, y'know? No need to worry.” She assured. She hated lying, but there really was no need for the new guests to worry about their managers when they should be focusing on redemption and bettering themselves. It wasn't as important. She and Vaggie could work though it themselves, with help from their friends when they needed it.

Ace raised an eyebrow but didn't press. It wasn't his business what the Princess of Hell and her girlfriend got up to at night.

The rest of the day progressed as usual. Finish breakfast, activity, lunch, activity, dinner, mingle, sleep. It was quickly becoming a routine that everyone was mostly content with. Some had gripes about being forced to do two activities a day, but that was quickly remedied when Charlie proposed to have weekends off.

Everyone was currently mingling when Charlie approached Vaggie, who was sitting in a lone chair, resting her leg.

“Hey, do you want to recast the spell tonight, or do you want to wait?”

“Let's go tonight. The sooner the better, remember?” she snipped. She tried to keep her tone neutral, but she was just so tired, more tired than usual. She rubbed an eye that had been aching since 2 am. The pain certainly didn't help with her irritability. Patience was a virtue, one that Vaggie rarely had.

If Charlie noticed her attitude, she didn't press. Instead, she kissed her temple. “Okay. I'll go tell my dad what happened. Come up whenever you're ready.” And just like that, the familiar warmth disappeared as soon as it arrived.

Vaggie sighed. She wasn't nervous per say, just worried she'd fuck up again. What would Charlie think then? Surely she'd get fed up and cancel this experiment altogether.

She shook her head; maybe she just needed to loosen up before heading to bed. She trained her ears towards the bar, and heard nothing but Husk cleaning a few glasses. Angel must have had a late shift.

“Hey, Husk?” She called.

“Yeah?” He called back.

“What time is it?”

He checked the clock on the nearby wall. “‘Bout 10. Why?”

10. She had time. Last time they didn't go to bed until around 11. She stumbled over to the bar and took a seat with a heavy sigh.

“Pour me a drink.”

Chapter Text

Husk was curious, but ultimately not surprised that Vaggie was trying to drink the pain away. His alcoholism killed him for his gambling addiction to cope with all of his lost money. It wasn't a wonder that someone who lost their eyes would be struggling to cope as well.

“Pressure finally got to ya?” He prodded.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Vaggie glowered.

Husk began pouring a drink. Vaggie didn't drink often, far from it, but he could still remember what she liked the most. “I mean that you're goin' through a lot. Not surprised to find you here eventually.” He finished pouring and slid the glass right next to Vaggie's hand so she didn't have to fumble around to find it. “Can't blame ya.”

Vaggie took the drink but didn't down it yet. She absently swirled it with a heavy sigh as her mind took her other places.

Husk didn't press. He himself often refused to open up when someone was prodding him to. He'd let Vaggie talk on her own accord; she'd spill eventually. That's how every patron was. Everyone vents to the bartender eventually.

Vaggie sighed again. “I fucked up, Husk.”

Obviously, whatever she did, Charlie clearly didn't care because he saw her give Vaggie a kiss before she left. Regardless, he'd play along. “How so?”

“Charlie and I are trying to do something, and I…I ruined it. We made so much progress and…now it's all gone…because of me. No matter what I do, I just keep hurting her and letting her down. I'm not worth it, so why does she keep me around?” she downed the drink, finally having enough. Husk poured her another one. She downed that one too.

“Has she forgiven you every time you've fucked up?”

“Well…yes…but-”

“No buts. If the person that matters most to you forgives you and wants you around, then why complain?” Husk raised a brow, like the answer was obvious.

“Because she deserves so much better!” Vaggie suddenly snapped. “Charlie deserves better than someone who's so high maintenance that they can't even fucking see! She's been stressed and worried about me. She's been having nightmares and she even stayed up all night last night because of me. She's needlessly suffering and it's all because of ME!” She grabbed the empty glass and chucked it at the wall to her side. She heard it shatter on impact and she panted from her rant.

Years of self loathing were finally coming out in a tirade of anger. Sure, she'd tearfully ranted to Charlie, Carmilla, and even Lucifer, but she'd never outright exploded in anger like that. Maybe it was the exhaustion, or the alcohol, she was a lightweight after all.

Husk was surprised to see this from Vaggie, but wasn't shocked by this kind of general behavior. Being a bartender for so long, he'd seen all kinds of reactions from all different kinds of people. Vaggie was the type to bottle things up so much that it ate her from the inside out. Even if she had talked about it, it didn't make it go away. It pissed her off, rightfully so.

Whatever had happened must've really fucked with her mentally.

Vaggie calmed down, sat back down, and put her face in her hands. “...fuck.”

You did this.

“...answer me this, kid. Has Charlie ever once complained about anything? Has she herself told you any of this, given you a reason to believe it?”

Need you to know I love you more than anything.

Vaggie, what could be more important than you?

I'm not staying here because I need to. I'm staying here because I want to.

You're beautiful, Vaggie. You always have been and you always will be.

You can do anything you put your mind to, Vaggie.

You deserve everything. You deserve love, kindness, health, redemption, everything.

Then I'll love enough for both of us, until you can love yourself just as much as I do.

My love for you is never ever conditional in any way, okay?

I trust you the most out of anyone.

You're not a burden.

Vaggie…there's nothing…wrong with you.

I love them, because they're a part of you, and I love all of you, more than anything.

You are so much more than they say you are.

No. For you.

Whatever it takes to help you get better.

“No. Never.”

“She's an honest gal. I'm sure that if she was mad at ya, or had a problem, she'd tell ya, right?” He softened his tone, now that he knew what the problem was.

“Yeah, you're right…I just…fuck me, Husk! I keep going in circles. I'll be fine one day and then the next I want to disappear. It's fucking annoying!”

“Recovery ain't linear, kid. You know that. You just gotta remember the stuff that this process has taught you. Ya can't tell me ya haven't improved even the slightest bit, right? What have ya learned over the past few months?”

Vaggie reflected on the near 3 months since she learned of her new disability. When she first woke up, she wholeheartedly expected Charlie to leave her for the burden she was. She was bedridden and could barely lift a cup without help. She glanced in the direction of the shattered glass she threw against the wall. She did that.

“I've learned that I'm stronger than I believe. That Charlie will always support me no matter what. That it's okay to hurt as long as I tell someone. That love works differently compared to what I've been taught. That I'm struggling to better myself but it's important that I'm trying. That even if I feel worthless, Charlie still believes that I deserve everything. That…maybe I should believe her.”

Husk smiled. “There ya go. Feel better now?”

Vaggie took another deep breath. “Sorta. But…” she turned again to where she threw the glass. “That…wasn't me, exploding like that. That's not who I am. I can't be like that…I'll only hurt people that don't deserve it…”

Only problem was she was made to fight. Her body was itching to train, to fight, to destroy, an instinct she always had, but…she couldn't. Not yet. Not when she was still healing, not when her body was so tired.

Her booted foot hung limply from her seat, being too short to reach the ground. Her new spear cane was leaning against the bar. It was strange to navigate with a stick, but she was slowly getting the hang of it. At least she wasn't bumping into everything now.

“Just hang tight a little longer. Once you're fully healed you'll be free to smash all the shit ya want. Ya won't have to worry ‘bout explodin’ when you can freely exercise.” He poured her a final celebratory breakthrough shot, which she drank a little more slowly this time around.

“Thanks, Husk.”

“Anytime.”

“There you are! You've been downstairs for an hour, I was about to check up on you.”

Vaggie paused in the door. Had she really been at the bar for an hour? Time flies when you're venting, she supposed. “Yeah. Sorry, I just had to clear my head.” she yawned and headed into the room, stopping when she felt the cane hit the bed.

Charlie handed her her nightgown. “That's totally fine. Are you…doing alright, after last night?”

Vaggie changed her clothes with another yawn. “Sorta…I don't know if ‘alright’ is the right word. I’m really tired and…I kinda blew up earlier. This whole…” she vaguely gestured to the air around her “thing…is starting to piss me off. So I took a few shots…if that's okay.”

“Vaggie, I'm not in charge of what you do. You don't need my permission to drink. Just…please don't make it a bad habit.”

“I won't. Promise.”

Charlie kissed her cheek before climbing into bed. “Thank you. Are you ready?”

Vaggie froze. Was she ready? She had said she was but…thinking about it now, she was terrified, especially after last night. She stood by the edge of her side of the bed, hesitant to climb in. “What if I fuck it up again?”

Charlie's gaze softened as she crawled across the bed to hold Vaggie's hands. “You didn't fuck anything up. It wasn't your fault, it never has been.” She gently traced the dark bruises on Vaggie's neck, causing her to shudder. “We're doing this to help you, however long it'll take.”

Vaggie pulled away, suddenly irritated. “How can you just be okay with this? How can you tolerate me taking so much from you? Why haven't you gotten sick of me? I keep getting better and then I keep ruining it!” She pulled her hair, self hatred boiling over and the conversation with Husk forgotten. It was like actually talking to Charlie made her forget any positive thoughts up until now.

Charlie was immediately up and pulling on her wrists, and the two quickly felt a sense of déjá vu. Only this time, Vaggie was lucid enough to be in control. “Let go, Charlie.”

“Only when you do. I'm not just going to stand by and watch you hurt yourself. Please, let go.” She let a couple tears slip, the situation being too similar to last night's scary incident.

Vaggie seemed to realize too, as she let go of her hair and let Charlie hold her hands with a shaky breath.

“Vaggie, I love you more than words can describe. I don't know where I would be in life if I hadn't found you that day. I'll never stop loving you just because you're hurting. Remember what I said? Whatever it takes. So what if I lose a little sleep? I'm happy to be there for you.”

“You shouldn't be…” Vaggie sniffed.

“But I can, and I will be.” Charlie firmly retorted. “I'm here for you, just like you're here for me. I know it's frustrating, I can't even begin to imagine how hard it is for you right now, but we will complete this spell, and things will get better, okay?”

Vaggie couldn't understand how Charlie had so much confidence, but she trusted her. So she let Charlie guide her into bed and snuggle. Husk was right, she just had to hang on a little longer, and things would get better.

“Thanks, Charlie.”

Charlie kissed her forehead. “Of course.”

She hummed a sweet lullaby, and they quickly dozed off.

Lucifer eventually came in to see the two peacefully asleep. He sadly smiled as he quickly analyzed the scroll and cast the spell once again, hoping this time would go better.

“Sleep well, girls.”

He exited and began making his way back to his own room before his angelic hearing picked up a crackle of static. He narrowed his gaze; Alastor was nearby.

“What do you want?”

Alastor appeared from the shadows with a chuckle. “Oh, nothing. I simply find it to be rather curious that you're breaking into your daughter's room in the middle of the night.” He sneered, clearly just attempting to get on his nerves.

Lucifer scowled but fought to keep his tone even. “Frankly, it's none of your business, but they gave me permission to enter because I'm casting a spell for them.”

Alastor clicked his tongue. “Ah, angelic magic. So…uninspired and basic. I much prefer voodoo, it requires immense skill and practice, not to mention the extreme capabilities that an angel could only dream of.”

“Voodoo is nothing but trouble if it's being used by the likes of you!” Lucifer growled.

“And yet, who here has the power to restore young Vaggie's eyes?” Alastor boasted.

Lucifer's own eyes widened with a silent gasp. “You can do that?” Not even he, who was once a high Seraphim, had that capability without extreme danger. He remembered scrounging through restoration spells with Charlie years ago, and none of them were satisfactory. How much had Alastor been holding back?

“But of course!” Alastor chuckled, reveling in leaving the king flabbergasted. “Voodoo is capable of almost anything, though no form of magic is without risk. Alas, it's simply ‘nothing but trouble' as you would put it. Dear Charlie surely would have approached me by now if she thought otherwise.”

Lucifer shoved his astonishment aside. “Why are you even telling me this? To flex? Wow, congrats! You're sooooo powerful; get a life!” He rolled his eyes to the sky.

The dimmed hallway lights briefly flashed before Alastor rapidly closed the distance between them and leaned down, getting in Lucifer's face. “Exactly. I want you to know that no matter what you do, I can do more than you ever could. So when the time comes, we'll see just who they come crawling to to lend a hand. Your time is finished, old man. You're not needed anymore.” His voice had a demonic undertone, with a glowing red X appearing on his forehead. He separated and headed further down the hallway. “Have a good night, your Majesty!” His sarcastically sweet final message before disappearing into the shadows.

Lucifer stood there, stunned and speechless. He ignored his rapid heart rate and the trickle of sweat running down his forehead. Alastor was only trying to intimidate him, and he loathed that it actually worked to some extent.

What in the ever loving fuck was that about?

Chapter Text

It wasn't long before Friday rolled around, a night of preening and the second night since the spell was cast a second time on Wednesday.

After the newer residents hesitantly had a talk about phobias, with some coming out honest and some clearly brushing it off with a lie, everyone had eventually retired to bed.

Vaggie was shirtless on the bed, stomach down, ready to have her wings preened once again. She was more tense than usual, but she couldn't place why. She let Charlie ramble to distract her from her anxiety.

“I'm honestly surprised that Clay shared his fear of drowning. He was so against redemption at first but he's becoming so open lately! Isn't that great?” Charlie ranted.

“Yeah.”

“And then poor Alice shares her fear of abandonment; I hope she can start to feel at home here. And then Sam's deep fear of loneliness caught me by surprise! I didn't expect that from her, she seems so overly confident y'know?”

“Mhm.”

Charlie paused from her recounting, picking up on Vaggie's barely audible responses. “Hey, are you okay? You're not in pain, are you?”

“No, I'm fine…I'm just…really on edge. I don't know why.” She fidgeted with her bow that she already unclipped from her hair. “I'm really nervous that something's gonna happen, but I have no idea what.”

It wasn't uncommon that Vaggie's anxiety would drive her over the edge and shift into paranoia, now more than ever since she couldn't even watch her own back. Normally, it only got really bad come time for the exterminations, but they hadn't even heard of one since the battle nearly 3 months prior. Nowadays, she was constantly shifting and turning in fear that someone would sneak up on her and attack. It was reasonable, but she never felt that way with just Charlie in their bedroom.

So why was she so anxious? She tried to wrack her brain for any possible reason. Was the talk of phobias earlier amplifying her own? Maybe she was just anticipating the voices. Was it because they were preening? Surely not. She hadn't felt this uncomfortable during a preening session since the first few after getting her wings back, and the first few after the accident. The last time they preened a few days ago, nothing had gone wrong. So why-?

Vaggie jolted as she made a connection. They had taken to preening her wings on Tuesdays and Fridays. Today was Friday. The last time they preened was on Tuesday. Tuesday night was also the final night for the spell to take effect prior. Tuesday night was the night she nearly choked herself to death.

The last time they had preened, she had nearly killed herself.

Should've finished the job.

Wings stretched straight, survival instincts taking over, Vaggie arched her back with a panicked breath, startling Charlie.

“Woah! Vaggie? Did I hurt you?”

“No…” Vaggie wheezed. “No more.”

Charlie, confused and concerned, could only ask. “No more what?”

“N-no more.” Vaggie's wings curled around her small frame, forming a protective cocoon. “I-it'll ruin it…it'll…n-no more…I can't-” she heaved as she felt the air getting drained with each shaky breath.

“Vaggie, what's going on?” Charlie desperately called.

“You c-can’t!...The last time…l-last time wings were…I…I c-can't…!” She clutched at her neck, where bruises still were from that frightening night. She couldn't have her wings preened again, not when things went so wrong the last time. It was too much of a coincidence, and it wasn't a chance she was going to take.

“Vaggie, breathe. You're going to pass out. Please breathe with me.” Charlie pleaded. She commenced the breathing motion they'd become accustomed to. Hands start at the elbows, inhale as they move to the shoulders, exhale as they move back down. It was tough getting her hands through the feathered fortress, but she managed to squeeze them in there.

Vaggie calmed back down after 20 minutes of refusing touch and care. She folded her half combed wings and was suddenly adamant that no more contact was best, and Charlie was completely lost why.

“What's going on? You don't just randomly panic like that, even if you are on edge. Did I hurt you at all?” Charlie questioned. Vaggie shook her head in response.

“We…w-we preened on Tuesday. That night…I…y'know…”

Silence followed. Vaggie let the gears in Charlie's head turn, hoping she would understand because she really didn't want to explain that incident further.

“Oh!” Charlie eventually sparked with realization, before the gravity of what happened that night set in. “Oh…you're worried that it'll happen again.” At the angel's nod, the demon drummed her fingers on her thighs, trying to think of the best thing to say. “I’m sorry, Vaggie. I don't know what more I can say besides, it's okay. It's just a coincidence. We'll be just fine tonight.” She took Vaggie's scarred hand in both of hers, squeezing gently.

Vaggie shook her head, but didn't pull her hand away. “It's too much of a coincidence. We can't risk it. We can't-'' she moved to pull her hair but Charlie stopped her.

“Hey. None of that. Listen Vaggie, I know you're worried, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't too, but I promise you that things will be okay. We're gonna sleep well tonight, and tomorrow night, and then we'll finally be able to kickstart this process to help you get better, okay?”

Liar.

“H-how can you be so sure?”

Charlie squeezed her hand again. “I just am. Trust me, okay? I believe in this, I believe in you. We'll be okay.”

She's lying.

She doesn't believe it. Why would she?

Why would anyone believe in you?

The failure.

The waste.

Vaggie simply grumbled and buried her face in the blanket under her, too tired for this. She detached her hand from Charlie's so she could rub both her temples; the voices always brought headaches with them.

Her voice was muffled when she spoke again. “Can we please just go to bed?”

Charlie somehow managed to hear every word, and wordlessly handed the angel her nightgown with a kiss on her hair. She put the preening supplies away and huddled under her side of the covers, patiently waiting for Vaggie to join her so they could snuggle. She was going to make sure that these next 2 nights were going to be the most comfortable they'd ever had.

Vaggie crawled in, and practically laid on top of Charlie, not that the blonde was complaining. She wrapped her arms around Vaggie's midsection and held her close, stroking her hair and breathing in her wonderful scent.

Vaggie, feeling much more at ease now that Charlie's warmth was completely surrounding her, unfolded her wings once again to form a fluffy, feathered cocoon. Charlie giddily smiled before smothering Vaggie's cheek in a long lasting smooch. It elicited a crooked smile from the fallen angel.

Charlie hummed a lullaby from her youth, hoping they'd both be able to drift off into a long, peaceful sleep.

Heaven knew they both needed it.

Sunday morning rolled around, and Vaggie was surprised to find herself waking from a peaceful, dreamless sleep. She was tempted to cuddle and sleep in longer, the blankets and pillows being so soft and comfortable, accompanied by Charlie's warmth made it Heaven.

She felt Charlie's side of the bed and realized it was empty. As familiar as it was, it never failed to make her worry. “Charlie?” she called, voice still thick with sleep.

“Morning Vaggie! It's a wonderful morning, isn't it? It's nice and bright out, the streets are lively. Did you sleep well? I know I did!”

Vaggie groaned and buried her head back into the pillow, too tired for Charlie's relentless enthusiasm. Charlie skipped over to her and shook her awake, energy not wavering in the slightest.

“Come on! You slept well, right? You know what this means?” Charlie didn't let up in the shaking.

Vaggie swatted Charlie away, sitting up on her own with a yawn. “What?” She mumbled, still too drowsy to think properly.

“The spell worked! We can share dreams starting tonight! I'll finally be able to really help you! We did it!” she cheered.

Vaggie took a moment to process what that really meant. They did it. They completed the spell. They'd be able to share dreams. She could start fighting her nightmares and by extension, the voices. They did it.

“We did it.” She let a smile form on her lips, followed by an elated chuckle. “We actually did it!”

Charlie scooped her up and spun her around, both of them laughing in utter glee. They held each other, basking in bliss. Vaggie happily sighed as she rested her head against Charlie's chest. “I can't believe it.”

Charlie squeezed her tight. “Believe it, baby. This is it. Starting tonight, things are gonna get so much better, I promise.”

She lies.

“I'll hold you to that.” Vaggie retorted with a smirk. Charlie formed a sarcastic smirk of her own before glancing down to notice that Vaggie was favoring her left foot. They had taken the boot off last night to be more comfortable, but also because it was about time to start walking without it.

“How's your leg?”

Vaggie rocked on her feet, testing the waters. “It feels a little awkward, but not bad. I think I could start walking without the boot.”

Charlie nodded. “Okay, but I still want you to take it easy for a bit, just in case.”

Vaggie raised a brow in question. “How long is ‘a bit’?”

“I don't know, maybe a week? Long enough for your body to adjust to being somewhat active again.” she pressed.

Vaggie grumbled but didn't protest. Charlie had a point after all. She still had chronic pain in her knee, and she was still more noticeably tired than usual. Maybe it was best to rest for a bit longer before jumping into any kind of intense training.

“Fine…you're right. It wouldn't hurt.”

Vaggie blinked her eyes open, shutting them when she saw nothing but a bright white light. It was a stark contrast to the utter darkness she had become accustomed to.

She hesitantly opened them again, slowly adjusting to the light. She looked down, and realized something.

She could see.

She could see her hands, the callouses, the scar that ran through her right hand. Her arms, sporting old scratches and marks of their own. Her legs, bruised with awkward scars from having so many broken bones, but still strong. She unfolded her wings, eyeing the slightly tangled feathers, the scars from when they were broken, the faint stripe at the bottom reminiscent of her old wings, yet adding a new flare that wasn't there before. She cautiously felt her face and eyes. The scars were still there, so her tears ducts were still damaged, but the eyes were fully intact. Both were.

She stood in shock, hands still tracing around her restored eyes. Suddenly, almost as if she willed it, a full body mirror appeared, allowing Vaggie to truly see herself for the first time in 3 months.

She didn't even question that a mirror conjured itself in this strange, bright and empty void with no visible exit, she was too enamored with how she looked. The bags under her eyes were dark, stress lines accompanying them to make her look so much older than she really was. Her bangs were noticeably longer as well, and her hair almost touched the pristine floor.

Vaggie studied the mirror, still not quite understanding what was happening. Sure, she could see in her dreams, but never this thoroughly. It never felt like she had time to sit and reflect, nobody does during intense nightmares. This felt real, and yet, it was impossible.

This shouldn't be happening. This wasn't how things were anymore. Why was she suddenly granted this clarity, with the talent to somehow lucid dream, no less? Could angelic magic really have pulled this off? If it could do this, how dangerous was restoring an eye truly?

She never really cared for her own eyes, but Charlie did. The demon adored gazing into her pale orange sclera and even paler yellow iris. It was a unique color, she had said, even by Hell's standards. Chalk it up to another thing that should've been suspicious about her past.

Looking into the mirror now, she could see what Charlie saw, what she still saw even if her eyes were gone now. Her gaze was fierce, cold at times, but so incredibly soft when deserved. She put so much love and adoration into every expression directed at Charlie, and she missed being able to so easily convey that raw emotion of love through a single glance, a glance that Charlie was always happy to return. It wasn't the same anymore. Nothing was.

Thinking about her lost eyes and the new tightness in her throat from choking back tears naturally brought her to the reason any of this was even happening. Lute. It was always Lute, wasn't it? Took her left eye and wings and left her bleeding out to die, then took her right eye and nearly killed her by-

She froze, hand idly hovering over her shirt, right where the scar on her stomach was, right where Lute had punctured her with her own spear. She had felt it plenty of times, but that would always only do so much. This was her chance to finally see.

Gripping her shirt tight to quell her shaking hands, she lifted it up and borderline recoiled at the sight. On her stomach was a horizontal jagged line, probably 3 inches in length, though she knew it ran an entire spear head deep. The edges were yellowish in color, but not just because that was the color of her blood. That was the telltale sign of angelic magic, angelic healing specifically. She hesitantly traced it, afraid that one wrong movement would reopen it despite being healed for months now. This wound would have killed her if Lucifer hadn't shown up.

And you would've deserved it.

She finally broke her gaze from the mirror, looking around for the source of the voice. It was echoing, coming from all over the place, which was different than how they usually were. Anxiety swirled in her chest. Was she truly safe in this strange lucid dream?

One would think that someone who's already come close to death multiple times would have learned something by now. But no. She never learned. If anything, they made her fear death more than ever before despite her willingness to embrace it. Yes, she was willing to die for Charlie and everything she stood for, but that never tapered the pure unadulterated fear she had felt in those near death moments in her afterlife. The fear that constantly stuck with her, now that she was much more defenseless and vulnerable than before. She could be mere seconds from reliving those experiences and that fear and have no idea, and yet, she'd do it all again if it meant keeping Charlie safe.

She knew it didn't have to be that way, but what other way was there? Charlie deserved everything, a full life and a fulfilled dream that would finally earn her the respect of her people. If the time came where she would have to die to make that possible, then she would do it, for Charlie.

But, this was exactly what they'd been working on. These were bad and extremely unhealthy thoughts. This was why they were even doing these fever dreams to begin with. 

A lost cause.

She ran her hands down her face. Why couldn't she just have a working, regular brain that didn't wish ill upon her at every turn? It was pissing her off, not being able to just think and exist and be a regular person. But…she wasn't a regular person. She was a goddamn fallen angel. She was dating the Princess of Hell: Lucifer's daughter. Her afterlife was never meant to be regular.

This whole situation was unique, as was her entire existence. An existence that had brought nothing but pain and suffering, up until she was granted small rays of joy in recent times. These strange dreams were meant to help grow that joy, and minimize the pain.

She steeled herself and gave a final glance to the mirror before pushing past it, on a mission to find her girlfriend and finally get this business started.

After walking into the void for a few minutes, she spotted another figure in the distance. The new depth perception was beginning to give her a headache, but that red suit was unmistakable.

“Charlie?”

Charlie walked closer, in awe of Vaggie's newly appeared eyes. Tears began to form in her own eyes. How she missed gazing into Vaggie's beautiful eyes.

“Hello, my angel.”

Chapter Text

Vaggie didn't waste a second. In a flash, she was wrapped in Charlie's arms, body shaking with a mix of sobs and euphoric laughter. Charlie was the same, a few tears leaking out and falling into Vaggie's hair.

Vaggie pulled back, and they simply gazed into each other's eyes for an undetermined amount of time, relishing in this new phenomena.

Vaggie spoke first, voice thick. “I can't believe this is happening. I-I just…” she paused, enamored by Charlie's smile, “look at you.”

“Look at you…” Charlie placed her hands on Vaggie's cheeks, thumbs lightly tracing the scars under her eyes. “You're so beautiful.” she gushed, more happy tears coming to her eyes.

Vaggie copied the gesture and began tracing the iconic red spots on Charlie's cheeks, wiping any stray tears away. She took the time to just look at Charlie in her entirety. She was glad to see that she was able to perfectly remember every aspect of the demon's face, from her bubbly round eyes, to her charming smile and cute little nose. Everything was the same. She noticed that Charlie's hair was longer than she remembered, or maybe she was misremembering, but she hadn't cut it, at least to Vaggie's knowledge, so she was remembering right and it just grew longer, right?

Whatever. Analyzing Charlie's face again let her pick up on a small detail. It wasn't a prominent one, most of the guests probably didn't even have the eyesight to see it, but Vaggie did. Angels had perfect vision, and standing barely a few inches from Charlie's face, they were unmistakable. Charlie too, had eye bags and stress lines.

They obviously weren't as prominent as her own, but it was hidden by her makeup and naturally darker eyelids. Anyone else in the hotel would stare Charlie in the eyes and say she looked the same, but Vaggie could see it. Charlie was just as tired as she was.

Vaggie's smile slowly shifted into a concerned and slightly melancholic frown. She knew that taking care of her on top of dealing with the new guests was a lot, but Charlie had said she was fine, that she didn't need to worry. Clearly, she did. “Why didn't you tell me how hard this has been on you?”

Charlie paused, not expecting a heavy prompt. She sighed, knowing that she was caught and not wanting to lie. “I just…didn't want you to worry. You're dealing with a lot. Recovery, healing, adapting…just everything. I can see how stressed and tired you are, Vaggie. I don't want to stress you even more by having to worry about me. You need to focus on yourself, and that's fine.”

Vaggie pulled back, an arms length from Charlie. “No. It's not fine. It's not fair. Just because I'm hurting doesn't mean you still can't come to me when you need it. We're partners, Charlie. We look out for each other.”

“It's really not a big deal…” Charlie deflected.

“Yes it is! You've been just as stressed as I am, because of me, and you're not getting any comfort cause you didn't fucking tell me! Why? Do you not think I can handle it?” she had forgotten what glaring was like, and she would've been hung up on the fact that her first proper glare in 3 months was directed at Charlie, if not for the whirlwind of emotions running through her core.

“Of course I think you can handle it! But I don't want you to, because I can handle it! None of what's happening is your fault, you don't have to bear every single burden that comes from it like you think you do!” Charlie felt her horns poking out from her temples. She couldn't believe that after all this time, the first thing they do after seeing each other is fight. But she pushed aside due to the abundance of emotions swirling in her mind.

“And who says you should? These are my problems! You're having problems with my problems, and you didn't fucking tell me…because…because I'm the problem! I should bear the burden, because I am one! That's the truth right? That's why you don't want to tell me? Because I have so much baggage and you know that adding more on will just make me break, is that it?” Her voice was becoming raw. She hadn't yelled like this in a long time. There was military mode, and then there was this; raw emotion pouring out in a cascading waterfall of repressed feelings.

Charlie was still pissed, but tried to calm down. She didn't want this to escalate into something nasty, especially considering that Vaggie's stance was beginning to shape into a defensive one. “That's not true! Are you listening to yourself? I've told you time and time again that I'm here for you, that I love you no matter what, that I'll do whatever it takes to support you, but do you ever listen? No! You think so little of yourself that you can't grasp the fact that I genuinely love you! That's why I didn't tell you! Because I knew that if I did, you wouldn't have let it go and gotten down on yourself, and that's the last thing your mental health needs right now!” her booming voice echoed across the blank void, ringing in Vaggie's ears.

Vaggie paused. Oh, she had really done it now. Charlie was livid. Her horns were at their full length, her tail was slashing behind her, and her hair was in the air, blowing every which way. She had done that.

You did this.

Both girls looked up into the “sky” where the taunting, echoing voice was seemingly coming from. Vaggie in slight dread, and Charlie in confusion.

Vaggie took another step back. The voices were here, and Charlie was pissed at her. She was gonna have to deal with them alone, like she was always meant to.

Like you deserve.

She sadly glanced at Charlie, who's demonic features were slowly retracting as the weight of their situation finally hit her. These were what Vaggie dealt with on a daily basis, ringing in her head, bringing out the worst of her insecurities, plaguing her at night with visions she couldn't escape.

And she'd done nothing but enable them.

She looked Vaggie in her new eyes, who didn't even seem mad anymore. She looked…accepting. Almost as if she was expecting an outcome like this. But there was also regret in that gaze.

“Charlie, I-”

The white void began to crack around them. The ground shook as their surroundings began to take shape, pure white backgrounds fading into deep red and black, forming a perfect vision of Hell. Charlie and Vaggie were helpless as the environment rapidly changed, until an unknown force began to pull them further away from each other.

“Vaggie!”

“Charlie!”

A building erupted between them, and they were separated.

Vaggie jolted awake, expecting that to be the end of it, but no.

She was still lucid dreaming, still in this makeshift version of Hell, still able to see.

Charlie was still mad at her.

She got up from the grimy pavement, noticing how she was now dressed in her exorcist uniform. Her hair was back to its short bob, perfect for fitting in the helmets they were provided. Speaking of which…

She immediately removed the accessory from her head and threw it in the nearest trash can. She always hated those damn helmets, even back when she used to enjoy her job. They were nothing but suffocating, sorry excuses for protection. The masks were the worst part. Digital screens plastered on to intimidate every sinner that dared look them in the eyes. They always gave her the chills, they still did, because their image was burned into her mind, all thanks to one individual.

“Hello, traitor.”

Vaggie's hands clenched tight around her newly materialized spear. She didn't question where it came from and simply turned, facing Lute head on.

“You don't scare me; I know you're not real.”

Lute scoffed. “Since when has that mattered? My mere existence has been enough to torture you for years.” she sauntered closer, sword gleaming dangerously in the light. “What makes this any different?”

Vaggie leaned into a fighting stance, refusing to let her guard down. “I know this is a dream, I have full vision, and I'm not taken by surprise. I can fight and take you down this time.” Her grip tightened even further.

Lute barked a laugh. A haunting, ruthless laugh that chilled her to her core. “That's rich, Vaggie.” Vaggie growled at the mispronunciation. “Did you forget the last time we fought?” She pushed the tip her blade under Vaggie's chin for emphasis. Vaggie's right eye subconsciously twitched. “Shall I remind you?”

Vaggie had enough. She pushed the sword away with her spear. Lute growled in response, and the fight was on. Lute charged, sword only aiming for Vaggie's face. Vaggie blocked and darted past Lute, hoping to get into the street, rather than the claustrophobic alleyway. Lute quickly followed behind, using her wings to get an extra boost, and tackled Vaggie to the ground just on the sidewalk. Vaggie unfolded her own wings to push Lute away, successfully making it out on the street.

What now? She could run, but Lute was faster. Same went for hiding. She could find Charlie, but that would risk putting her in danger. She had to fight.

“What's the matter, Vaggie? Scared?” Lute taunted. She walked out of the alley, getting in a stance. Vaggie formed her own stance, waiting for Lute to charge. Instead, Lute spread her wings and took flight, before rocketing down for an aerial attack. Vaggie parried with ease, and yanked to Lute's arm to drag her back down to the ground.

“You bitch!” Lute swept Vaggie's legs, who rolled to the side upon impact to dodge another sword swing. Vaggie quickly got up and they were at it again. Trading blow after blow, parry after parry. There were certainly bruises and small cuts on both angels, but neither had landed a major blow yet. The streets were still red, and they refused to let their blood paint it yellow.

Vaggie quickly noticed the fatigue that was slowly overcoming her body. Despite the rush of adrenaline, her body wouldn't be able to keep up for much longer. She was beginning to run on pure instinct, rather than strategy. Her primary focus was shifting from fighting, to just surviving. She hadn't trained for 3 whole months, and it was starting to show.

Lute threw a kick and struck Vaggie's left side, causing her to shift her weight and drop her guard on the right. Lute aimed straight for the eye, but Vaggie brought her arm up to block, too slow to get her spear in place for a parry. The sword stabbed deep into her forearm, and Vaggie bit her tongue hard enough to taste blood, refusing to scream, instead letting out a pained grunt.

Vaggie's golden blood dripped onto the grimy street, and Lute chuckled. “First blood. How much longer do you really think you'll last?”

Vaggie panted, a droplet of sweat running down her face. The exhaustion was coming quickly, and the pain wasn't doing her any favors. She'd have to end this now, or she wasn't making it much further. “Long enough to kick your ass.”

Lute snarled and charged rapidly, intermixing sword swings with kicks in quick succession. Vaggie refused to let her guard down again, so she let the kicks come and focused strictly on parrying the more lethal attacks. The kicks were taking their toll though. Since she wasn't blocking them, Lute continued to do it, until a particularly strong one hit her square in the ribs.

Vaggie swore she heard something crack. She felt something crack. With a yelp, she dropped her spear and immediately held her side, trying to get her breathing back under control without it hurting.

Lute was merciless though. She yanked on one of Vaggie's arms with one hand, and prepared to slash an eye out with the other. Time slowed as Vaggie processed what was about to happen. This was it, she was gonna lose an eye all over again. She closed her eyes and braced for impact, knowing how much this was about to hurt.

The grip on her arm suddenly released as she felt something fly past her. She heard the sound of two bodies wrestling on the floor, one being Lute, the other she didn't recognize yet.

“YOU'LL PAY FOR HURTING MY GIRLFRIEND YOU BITCH!”

Wait…Charlie?

Vaggie opened her eyes to see Charlie on top of Lute, relentlessly throwing fiery punches to the exorcist’s face. The demon's hands were enlarged, covered in a strange red and black substance. Lute's mask was cracked, and yet Charlie wasn't letting up. Vaggie watched in awe, and then horror, as Lute stopped fighting back, eventually lying still, and yet Charlie was still going.

“Charlie.” Charlie still didn't stop, fiery red eyes laser focused on her target. “Charlie, stop!” The punches kept coming. Vaggie took matters into her own hands. She approached, despite the stabbing pain in her ribs, and grabbed one of Charlie's enlarged forearms. “CHARLIE!”

Charlie snapped out of her rage, finally taking notice of her other surroundings. She looked beneath her to see a bloodied and battered Lute, unconscious and barely breathing. She would've felt bad, should've felt bad, but this was Lute. Even if she wasn't real, it felt incredibly cathartic to maim the angel that had mutilated Vaggie twice, and would've a third time if she hadn't gotten there.

Charlie glared at the exorcist a final time before standing up and focusing on Vaggie, who winced in anticipation. Charlie's demon qualities immediately faded as she embraced Vaggie in a gentle hug. “I'm so sorry.”

Vaggie simply stood there, still holding her side, flabbergasted. “W-what? Why are you…what?” Charlie was supposed to be mad at her, supposed to leave her to fend for herself.

“I got spun around when we separated. I didn't know where you were and was looking everywhere; if I got here sooner…” Charlie pulled back and held Vaggie's arm, analyzing the bloody wound. “I'm so sorry…” she repeated.

Vaggie held Charlie's hands. “No, I'm sorry. I-I got so defensive and I yelled when I shouldn't have and-” she winced. The agonizing pain in her ribs was getting to be too much. Charlie noticed and entered protective mode.

“Oh…you're really hurt. Okay, don't move too much. I'm sure we can find some bandages somewhere, wait this is a dream, we can just manifest it right? Or maybe waking up would be best…how would we…?”

Vaggie let Charlie ramble. She could survive some rib pain for a bit. But the adrenaline was beginning to wear off. Her right leg was starting to feel stiff, her left knee was throbbing, and she felt just downright sluggish and tired. The lack of proper exercise during her recovery was leaving her feeling extremely weak after something so strenuous.

She glanced towards where Lute was still unconscious. She knew Charlie could be a badass when she wanted to, but she never expected her to relentlessly beat someone to a pulp like she just did. That rampage was almost animalistic and…so not Charlie.

“Are you okay?”

Charlie paused from her worried ramble, and looked downright offended. “How can you ask me that? You just fought Lute! Why are you so concerned about me when you're wounded and probably have internal bleeding?” She wiped the blood trailing from Vaggie's mouth in alarm.

Vaggie pushed the hand away. “So we're not gonna talk about what the Hell that was?” she gestured to where Lute was still completely motionless.

“She was attacking you! Would you rather I don't save you?” Charlie cried indignantly.

Vaggie narrowed her eyes. “Thank you for saving me, but did you have to go that far?” She swore she could see smoke emanating from Lute's body. “That isn't like you, to lose it like that. What's going on, Charlie?” she softened her tone, trying to convey that she didn't want to argue again.

Charlie simply huffed. “Why do you care? It's Lute. After everything she's done to you, why is it such a big deal that I don't show mercy to the one person that doesn't deserve it?” Her horns were coming back, all the stress was starting to culminate all over again.

Vaggie tried to take a deep breath, only to wince at the sharp pain in her ribs. She fell to her knees with a hiss. Charlie's horns immediately receded as she kneeled down to match her level. Vaggie avoided her eyes, refusing to see the anger she knew would be reflected in them. Charlie gently lifted her head up with a finger.

“We'll talk when we wake up, okay? Just relax.” Charlie's eyes held no animosity or anger, just concern, love, and understanding. God, she missed being reassured by a simple look, she didn't want to go back.

“Okay…”

Charlie carefully pulled her into her lap and held her, a silent reassurance that she still loved her and that things would be okay. Charlie ran her fingers through Vaggie's short hair, enjoying the contrast.

"I forgot how pretty your short hair was." She gushed. Vaggie bit back a chuckle to avoid pain, and instead smiled and snuggled further into the crook of Charlie's neck. Yeah, they'd be okay.

They felt a strange pull, and the Hellish landscape began to fade as they were pulled from the realm of dreams.

Chapter Text

Vaggie woke first with a jolt. She came to her senses and sighed as she saw nothing but darkness. It was just a dream, and now she was back to reality. Cold, hard, shitty reality.

She rarely ever had a regular dream, let alone one that she remembered, and yet she could immediately remember last night in full detail. Seeing herself, her and Charlie's argument, Lute, her and Charlie's second argument, it was all there.

She took a deep breath, noticing how her ribs felt good as new. She traced her forearm, no blood or lasting marks to be felt. It really was just a dream, huh? Everything had felt so incredibly real, and she supposed it was, in the moment, but it was so easy to forget they were in the dream world when the pain felt so unbelievably real.

Charlie stirred and sat up with a big yawn. She stretched a bit before glancing at Vaggie, who also sat up. She took Vaggie's previously injured forearm and examined it, relieved to see that it was just fine, meaning everything else was fine too.

Vaggie offered a light smile as a thanks for caring. She absently wondered how long they slept, if it was a good night's rest despite everything that happened. She felt rejuvenated enough, but she wanted to check. “What time is it?”

Charlie unplugged her phone from its charger and turned it on. “7:00.” Their alarm to wake up would go off in 30 minutes. There wouldn't have been enough time for them to talk, really talk.

Vaggie nodded. “We can talk after work, then. If that's alright.” she anxiously added.

Charlie kissed her cheek. “Of course it is. Whatever you want.” Vaggie didn't know why, but something about that sentence irritated her. Maybe it had to do with Charlie just going with what she wanted and not giving her own input. It was a very small and insignificant decision in the grand scheme of things, but it perfectly replicated their dynamic over the past few months.

“What about what you want?” she impulsively asked in frustration. She just said they'd talk later, and yet the issues were becoming so prominent that they were somehow impossible to ignore. Or so she thought.

Charlie simply huffed and got out of bed. “Like you said, we'll talk later. Let's just get ready and go to work, okay?” Her tone left no room for argument.

Vaggie sighed and got out of bed, reaching for her cane. “Fine.”

If any of the residents noticed the couple's sour mood, they didn't say a word. At least, not at first. It wasn't until the afternoon, during the second activity, that the tension became apparent.

Charlie had suggested playing ‘Never Have I Ever’ which had some mixed reactions, until Angel suggested downing shots instead of putting fingers down, which more people were eager for. What a wonderful Monday activity…

Husk passed 16 full shot glasses around; 15 with alcohol, and one with apple juice, per Alice's request, and the game had begun. Angel had volunteered to go first, since the shots were his idea.

“Alright. I'm gonna keep it nice an’ simple. Neva have I eva…” he glanced around the room, trying to think of something that would get a majority of people. He formed a wicked smirk as an evil idea suddenly crossed his mind. “... had two or less eyes since I died.” His freckles flashed, and small slitted pupils made their appearance in them. He cackled as everyone else took a shot.

“Pendejo.” Vaggie grumbled. She knew the “or less” was thrown in to get the cyclopes in the room, but being the only one with none stung a little more than it should have, especially since she did have two at some point.

Angel chuckled and relished in his small victory. He turned to the person to his left. “Your turn, Husky. Betta refill the shots first, though.”

Husk smirked. “No need. I'm gonna be petty. Never have I ever…” he looked Angel straight in the eyes. “...had more than two eyes.”

Angel took his shot without breaking eye contact. “Dirty stuff, Whiskas.”

Husk simply shrugged as he refilled all the glasses. Niffty popped up from her spot next to him and loudly proclaimed “Never have I ever been scared of Alastor!”

All of the older residents, including Charlie, took a shot. Clay, Ace, Alice, Carter, Sandra, Sam, and Zero took a shot as well, while Jason and Bryce looked confused, and Avery simply smiled.

“Alastor…the Radio Demon? The guy that disappeared and then got beat up by that big yellow angel? Kinda a wimp, honestly.” Jason reasoned.

“Never heard of ‘im.” Bryce stated.

“I'm a cannibal! I've been to Rosie's place while he's been there so many times. He's a real big softie in person.” Avery gushed. Husk bristled at that, but relaxed as Angel put a hand on his shoulder. Husk simply grumbled and refilled the glasses once more.

Carter was next. His usually stoic face had a small, mischievous smile. “Never have I ever had sex.” This resulted in a cacophany of “fuck yous” and “goddamn its” which made the demon laugh. Alice also giggled as she watched everyone else bitterly take another shot.

Jason went. “Never have I ever had wings.” Vaggie, Husk, Carter, and Charlie took a shot. Everyone turned to Charlie in shock, which she expected and quickly addressed.

“I have wings, but I can't really use them because they're still underdeveloped. They're there, though.” She explained while scratching the back of her neck. Vaggie backed it up with a nod, remembering seeing those small black wings a couple times.

It was Sam's turn. “Never have I ever done crack.” Angel and Cherri were the only ones to take a shot. “Damn, I thought I'd get more.”

Sandra went. “This'll be a fun one. Never have I ever fucked a guy.” Angel, Husk, Cherri, Charlie, Clay, Avery, Niffty, Sam, and Zero took a shot. She glanced at Vaggie, the only other woman besides Alice to not drink. “Cheers, Vaggie.” Vaggie picked up on the hidden meaning and lightly chuckled.

Clay, ever bitter, took his turn. “Never have I ever fucked a woman.” Charlie and Vaggie numbly clinked their glasses and downed their shots, while Husk, Cherri, Bryce, Jason, Ace, and Sandra drank as well.

“You fucks just hate bisexuals, huh?” Cherri teasingly grumbled.

The game continued for quite a bit, getting more and more intense as people got more drunk as the night went on. It got to the point where those who were smaller, like Niffty, Jason, and Ace, were borderline wasted and forced to bow out of the game. Carter, Zero, and Alice willingly quit due to the ramping intensity, and to also make sure the hammered ones got to bed without issue.

Clay, a little bit tipsy, took his turn once more. He hesitated a bit, since they were running out of good prompts. “Uhhhh…fuck I don't know…never have I ever…lied to my partner or some shit.”

Charlie and Vaggie, both far beyond the point of sobriety, tensed up as they took another shot. Vaggie simply cleared her throat, while Charlie anxiously defended. “I mean, who hasn't told a little white lie?”

Vaggie was shit at holding her alcohol. It made her impulsive and temperamental, and this time was no different. “Right, cause keeping your true feelings hidden is a ‘little white lie’.”

Charlie, made extra sensitive by the alcohol, turned to her, offended. She offered a glare. “Yeah, like you're one to talk about keeping secrets.” She bitterly retorted.

Vaggie leveled a glare of her own. “We're past that. I'm talking about now.” she retorted.

Charlie scoffed. “Right, because you hic sure would know about expressing feelings nowadays.” she bit back.

“And what the Hell…is that s’posed to mean?” Vaggie slurred, defiant.

“I think…I think you hic know exactly what it means.” Charlie countered. The two held their drunk glares with flushed faces, tension skyrocketing by the second.

Angel and Husk were bewildered. The couple never acted like this, at least, not in front of them. Sure, they had playful banter every now and then, but they were being straight up nasty to each other out of the blue. Not even alcohol made them like this, especially towards each other. Something else was going on, but that didn't matter right now. They needed to stop this.

“Hey, break it up!” Angel interrupted. “We're tryna play a game here!” He got up and stood between their seats, trying to do some sort of damage control.

“Yeah, what the Hell are you even talking about?” Sam slurred. “Take your couple's therapy somewhere else; it's giving me a damn headache.” Silence. All eyes were on the princess and the angel, both of whom were absolutely hammered and infuriated.

Vaggie got up without a word and grabbed her cane before storming off, heading for the elevator. Charlie, meanwhile, stomped away deeper into the first floor. Angel and Husk exchanged a look. Cherri glanced their way as well.

“Go ahead. I'll clean up here.” Cherri offered. She had done some bartending in the past, Husk knew. The bar would be fine if he left it in her hands for the rest of the night.

The cat and the spider shared a nod. Angel headed for the elevator and Husk ventured down the first floor hallway. They were both pretty tipsy themselves, but definitely not as bad as Charlie and Vaggie. They'd have to do what they could.

Cherri watched them go, and turned back to the rest of the group. She, Clay, Sam, Sandra, Bryce, and Avery remained silent as they all simultaneously took another shot.

The elevator dinged as it opened to the 2nd floor, where Charlie and Vaggie's room was. Angel didn't actually know where Vaggie was headed, but he figured her room would be the best place to check first.

He took a right out of the elevator and trekked to the end of the hallway before turning right again, revealing more doors, and a sight that caught Angel off guard.

Vaggie was standing in front of her bedroom door. She made no effort to open it or go in, she just stood there with slumped shoulders resting her forehead against the wood. Angel, perplexed, was unsure how to approach. “Vags?”

Vaggie slightly turned her head in his direction, showing she heard him, but didn't offer any response. It was right then and there Angel realized just how hard it was to read someone who was wearing a blindfold. Even if Val wore those dumb sunglasses sometimes, it was never hard to tell what he was thinking. With Vaggie now though, Angel had no idea what to think.

He walked closer, still unsure how to approach. “You okay?” Vaggie simply sighed, and didn't give much more of a response. “Are ya doin' that thing where ya don't speak?”

Vaggie swallowed. “...No…” her voice was thick, like she was holding back tears. Only, she couldn't cry actual tears, so she could very well just be-a light sob broke him from his thoughts. Oh…

She didn't want to speak because she knew that any attempt at a sentence would end up as an incomprehensible blithering mess of sobs and sniffles. Angel concluded right then that he was absolutely not cut out for this, but he'd do his best. He vaguely remembered consoling Charlie during the first few days, while Vaggie was still in a coma, he'd manage.

“Do ya wanna talk about it?” he pressed as gently as he could. He'd never normally allow himself to be this soft, especially around Vaggie, who would no doubt tease him for it, but they were both intoxicated, so maybe this time was the exception.

Vaggie sniffed. “I-I fucked up…didn't I?”

“I mean…kinda.” He was never one to sugarcoat things. “Yous was bein’ real mean to each other…what was that all about anyways? You're neva like that.”

Vaggie lifted her head enough to rest it back against the door with an audible thunk. “She hates meeeee…” another light sob and a couple more thunks. Angel patted her shoulder, which would normally warrant some kind of movement, being a tense up or a flinch, but there was nothing.

“Alright, here's what's gonna happen. I'm gonna take ya back to my room, and you're gonna sleep on my nice and fluffy couch, and then tomorrow, you're gonna talk to Charlie about whateva the fuck you've got goin' on, and realize she doesn't hate ya, got it?”

Vaggie simply stood, forehead still resting against the door. Angel nearly shook her before hearing a small snore. Ain't no way this girl just fell asleep standing up.

Regardless, he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder before trekking back to the elevator, heading for the third floor to his room.

His entrance to his room woke Fat Nuggets, who had been lightly sleeping on a small plush bed Angel had bought just for him. Angel placed a snoring Vaggie on the couch and draped a spare blanket over her. Hopefully, if he was lucky, that would be good enough until morning. Fat Nuggets noticed the newcomer, and went over to sniff her in concern.

“S’alright Nuggsy.” Angel chuckled. “She’s just a little drunk. You're fine with a guest for the night, right?” Nuggets moved his head under Angel's hand, much like a cat would, to show that he was perfectly fine with it. “I knew ya would.”

He performed his own bedtime routine, making sure to insert earbuds since Vaggie's snoring was raising to an annoying decibel level, and gave Nuggets a goodnight smooch on the forehead before placing the pig in his plush bed.

“Night Nuggsy, night Vags.”

A floor below, Husk ventured through the first floor halls in search of the princess. He took the same path as Angel, turning right at the end of the main hallway when there was no Charlie in sight. At the end of the corner, on the red velvet stairs, was Charlie.

Face buried in her hands, body shaking with sobs and hiccups, she sat, defeated and upset. Husk, far too much out of his element, was hesitant how to approach. Normally, Vaggie would be able to comfort a crying Charlie in seconds, but that obviously wasn't an option right now, so he'd have to do what he could.

“Princess?” He approached. Charlie shot up, mascara running, lip quivering, nose twitching, eyes leaking with fat tears. Her normally pale white face was a light shade of pink. Husk cringed but still approached regardless. “You alright?” He cringed again. Obviously not, dumbass. “Uh…you wanna talk?”

Charlie crossed her arms over her knees and put her face in them. “Go away Husk!” Husk deflated a bit, but pressed on. He was getting the princess to bed safely whether she liked it or not.

“At least let me help take ya to your room.”

Charlie squirmed and shook her head. “No! What if she's there? I-I was so… hic mean…and she probably hates meeeee!” More tears. Husk took a deep breath. He could handle this. He'd dealt with worse.

“I'm sure she doesn't hate ya. How ‘bout we go upstairs and get ya to bed, and if she's there…we'll uh…I'll take ya to my room, okay? C'mon princess.” He left no room for argument as he took Charlie's hand in his paw and practically dragged her up the stairs as she tried her best to collect herself. He mentally declared that they were never playing ‘Never Have I Ever’ ever again.

Eventually, after a few trips on the stairs, and a couple stumbles in the hallway, they made it to Charlie and Vaggie's shared room. Charlie was whimpering like a child during a thunderstorm, dreading any potential conflict. Husk turned the knob and opened the door to an empty room.

Slightly baffled, he ventured in further, noticing the bathroom and balcony were both empty. Strange, maybe Vaggie had gone elsewhere. He could only hope she was safe, but he trusted Angel to take care of her.

“C'mon princess, there's no one here. Let's get some rest.” He coaxed. Charlie slumped and laboriously made her way to the bed, flopped down, and was out in mere seconds. She didn't even take her shoes off.

Husk grabbed a spare blanket from a drawer and laid it on top of her, just so she could have a little warmth. Charlie snored, a little too loudly for Husk's liking. He made his way out, knowing Charlie was in a safe place.

“G'night, Charlie.” he chuckled, thinking about how God awful her hangover was gonna be in the morning.

Both girls were surprised to wake up to a familiar white void.

Chapter Text

Charlie and Vaggie were bewildered to say the least. Neither could remember the previous night, let alone that they fell asleep at all. Charlie glanced right next to her at Vaggie, who was in awe of having eyes once again.

The angel felt her face, extremely relieved that this wasn't a one time thing. She could see in dreams, see Charlie. Maybe she'd improve her sleep schedule if it meant she could do this on a daily basis.

She finally looked Charlie in the eyes, and her giddy smile faded. They had a lot to talk about.

Before they could say a word though, the ground began to violently shake. They both lost their balance and fell over. This was worse than any Hellquake they'd ever experienced. As they tried to get their bearings, a large crack in the ground formed right between them, getting wider and deeper by the second. A chasm was soon splitting them apart as they laid on opposite sides in panic.

The quaking stopped, and they sat up to assess the damage. Between them, was a canyon far too wide for them to jump across, probably 20 feet. Vaggie looked down into the canyon, seeing nothing but a void. She gulped and called for Charlie. “You okay, Hun?”

Charlie sat up and gave a thumbs up. “I'm good!” She gazed into the canyon, void staring back. “How did this happen? Is this a test or something?”

“I don't know, but…stay there. I'm gonna fly over to you.” She spread her wings and took flight, despite barely flapping her wings for months now. The muscle memory was still there, even if she was a little shaky. Halfway across, it suddenly hit her that she'd never be able to fly like this again. Not in the real world. She'd have to learn all over again with a blindfold, with no proper sense of direction, and only her hearing to navigate. Sure it had been that way with walking, but that had been gradual and she had a tool to help her out. This was something else entirely. It was a scary thought that nearly made her fall, but she closed the distance and landed on the other side of the gap.

Charlie wrapped her in a hug upon landing. The demon was shaking, and Vaggie was confused why. It was just a little flight. Sure, it was a deep chasm, and she was a little rusty, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. “Charlie?”

Charlie couldn't help but think of that day, the day where she nearly lost Vaggie for good, the day she herself nearly fell to her own death after the hotel had been destroyed. She would've joined Vaggie in the rubble had it not been for Lucifer. Maybe it would've been better, that way they would have suffered together.

She shook her head. Those were bad thoughts. Those were the kinds of things Vaggie thought, the things she was adamant to help her erase because they were unhealthy. Maybe this was a bigger deal than she thought. She sighed as she held Vaggie at arms length.

“How much do you remember from last night?” she asked. Her memory was fuzzy, but she had a feeling that things didn't end well if she couldn't even remember falling asleep.

Vaggie wracked her brain. “Not much. We were drinking…playing that game…I think I got angry at something. Oh God, I probably said something really shitty, didn't I?”

“I think we both did…” Charlie sighed. “Where do you wanna start?”

Vaggie grimaced as she sat down, back facing the massive hole in the ground. Charlie followed. “We’ll go through it again, and keep our cool.” Charlie nodded. Vaggie sighed, anxious to talk again, afraid that they'd end up arguing regardless. “Why didn't you tell me how stressed you've been? I would've done something to make things easier for you."

Charlie sighed and avoided eye contact. “I thought about it, but I didn't want to worry you. You've been stressed enough as it is. It didn't feel fair to have you fawn over me on top of your taxing recovery. I want things to be easy for you.” Vaggie raised a brow. “Well, as easy as they can be.” She cupped Vaggie's chin and gazed into her tired eyes. “I know that you know that you're not doing well mentally, and that things are really hard right now. I didn't want to make it even harder. I'm sorry I made you feel like I couldn't rely on you.” She finished her piece, and Vaggie took her hand from under her chin and held it.

“I forgive you. I'm sorry for getting so defensive last time. I get really insecure about you not needing me and…I don't know, I guess that's something I have to work on.” Charlie stayed silent, knowing there was more to it. “To me, it doesn't feel fair that you have to take on double the stress because you're worried about me. I know that taking care of me has been difficult, and I'm sorry that I have so many issues-” Charlie put a finger to her mouth and raised a brow with a deadpan expression. “Right, right, not my fault, I know.” Charlie nodded with a small smile. “I understand why you didn't come to me, but even then, I don't want to be treated any differently just because I'm…y'know…” Charlie placed a hand on her shoulder. “If you don't want to tell me, then at least talk to someone about it. Please, for your own sake.”

It helps to have multiple people help you.

Rosie was right. Maybe it would hurt to visit again when she had the chance. “You're right. It's not good to keep it all in. I'll talk to someone, promise.” She kissed Vaggie's scarred hand, and that finally got Vaggie to smile. Vaggie may not have realized, but she was improving more than she thought. She was relaying the advice given to her to help others. Maybe it was finally starting to sink in how beneficial it all was.

“Thank you.” Vaggie finished, thinking that was the end of it. Charlie, however, knew better.

“Now it's your turn.” she declared.

Vaggie widened her eyes, baffled. “Me? I'm fine. I-I don't need…a turn…” Charlie's deadpan glance caused her to trail off and eventually sigh in defeat. “Okay, yeah. What do you want to know?”

“Why are you so adamant on dealing with everything yourself? We've talked about talking to other people, why don't you take your own advice?”

Vaggie fidgeted. “It's not so much that I want to do everything by myself. I haven't. It's more just the fact that I know that I'm struggling, and that you're watching me struggle and stressing out about it. I know you say that I'm not a burden, but I can't help but feel like I'm dragging you down with me, especially because you're already stressed about the new guests.” She sighed. “I just hate to think that no matter what I do, I'm only stressing you out more. It's my fault. It's-” another finger to her lips. She playfully poked it with her tongue, and Charlie wiped it on her pants in playful disgust.

“I'll keep saying it until you believe it. None of this is your fault. You're doing everything you can to heal from your past. This is hard. It's supposed to be hard. But one day, you're gonna look back at all this and be proud of how far you've come. I know I am.” Charlie gushed. Vaggie hid a blush behind her bangs.

“Charlie…”

“I mean it. I forgive you by the way.”

“Okay.”

They settled into a comfortable silence, thankful that they were able to talk through their issues and come up with ways to minimize and manage them. Well, for their first argument at least. The second one was a different story.

“Why were you so weird about me defending you?” Charlie prodded. It had been bothering her all day, and she tried to think of any possible logical reason for why Vaggie seemed downright ungrateful, but nothing came to mind. Nothing made sense, and it had agitated her for the entire day.

Vaggie tugged on one of the long strands of her bow, a habit she was trying to build instead of pulling her hair when she felt the need to stim. “I'm sorry I was such a bitch about it. Thank you for saving me, Charlie. If you hadn't shown up when you did…” she traced one of her scars near her eyes. “Not to mention it was sexy as Hell.” She grinned. Charlie hid a blush. The red dots on her cheeks made it easier, but Vaggie knew her too well.

“Continue, please.” Charlie flustered.

Vaggie's mood became somber once again. “I didn't have a problem with you hurting Lute. The opposite, really. It was just…the way you were attacking…and when you didn't stop…it was…” she clutched Charlie's hand. “I know what it's like…to lose control of yourself in all of the killing.” Her voice became immensely softer, finding it hard to keep her cool. “I've seen it so many times. In them, in her, in myself. And to see it happen to you…” she squeezed Charlie's hand like a lifeline. “It scared me. It worried me. Because I know that you know, no matter how angry you are or how much they deserve it…you're not a killer, Charlie.” Charlie's gaze noticeably shifted into a regretful one. Vaggie was right after all, she had even stopped Lucifer from doing the same thing to Adam. “Sure, maybe Lute's the exception but…it was so unlike you that I…I didn't care. I was just worried about you.”

Charlie gently squeezed back. “Its okay. I'm sorry for worrying you. I think the stress and the fact that we had just argued just…drove me over the edge. That and…she was hurting you. I couldn't stand to see it happen, not again, not after everything.” She squeezed her hand as her eyes traced the scars of Vaggie's face. “You're right that I should've stopped…but it felt so good to hurt the person that's hurt you for years. I don't care that it wasn't even real.”

"It's okay." Vaggie's gaze held nothing but concern and understanding. She wasn't going to deny that she wouldn't have held back had she been in Charlie's shoes.

“What worried me though, was how you ignored your injuries and asked me if I was okay.” Charlie continued.

Vaggie was silent for a minute. “...I've had worse. And I don't mean the accident, either.” She rolled down her arm sleeve, exposing many more scars and scratches. Charlie had seen them so many times, but now, they suddenly held so much weight. “Training was always intense. A few broken ribs was like a stubbed toe. I was used to just toughing it out. So in the moment, I was more worried about your outburst, because I knew something was wrong. And I was right, wasn't I?” Charlie broke eye contact and guiltily fidgeted with her hands. She was right after all.

Stress had taken its toll on the both of them throughout the past few months. Vaggie was pressed about recovering on time, dealing with setbacks, processing her trauma, adjusting to her new life, fighting inner demons that wanted her dead. She barely slept as a result, though she didn't sleep much before the battle anyway.

Charlie on the other hand, had to help Vaggie with all of this. She'd calm her after a panic attack or a night terror, reassure her when the intrusive thoughts got to be too much, support her as she recovered, and deal with new guests on top of it all. Her sleep schedule wasn't as bad as it was leading up to the battle, but there was a lot of room for improvement.

They had refused to talk to the other about how much pressure they felt, because they didn't want to put more pressure on the other. Rather, they wanted to shed some burden from their shoulders and carry it on their own, only they couldn't do that, because they refused to truly open up and share.

“Well, look at us, being so humble to the point where it's a problem.” Vaggie chuckled in twisted mirth. She kept chuckling, eventually straight up laughing. Charlie always found Vaggie's laughter to be precious, and borderline contagious. It wasn't long before she was laughing too. The two laughed to the point where Vaggie was wheezing and Charlie was crying tears of laughter.

Eventually they calmed down, with Charlie still wiping tears from her face. “What are we doing?” That was a damn good question.

“Our best.” Vaggie offered. Charlie pulled her into her lap and began smothering her in kisses. “Charlie!” Charlie didn't relent. She continued until the ground shook again, almost as violently as before. They held each other as the quacking got too intense for them to safely move.

The shaking ceased after a minute or two, and they turned around to where the chasm was. They were surprised to see that it wasn't there anymore. The ground was as perfectly pristine as the rest of the white void, as if there was never a crack at all.

They would chalk it up to weird dream magic, and leave it at that to cuddle for the rest of the night.

Vaggie woke up in an unfamiliar bed, with an unfamiliar blanket draped over her. She tried to roll over, only to fall onto the ground with a surprised yelp. “What the-”

“Mornin’ sunshine.” Huh?

“Angel? What? Where am I? Where are you?” She called, disoriented and confused. It was comforting that Angel was there, but it didn't make waking up in an unfamiliar place any less panic inducing. Not to mention the killer headache she was starting to feel.

Angel picked her up from under her armpits and stood her on her feet. “Relax, toots. You're in my room. I took ya here afta you an’ Charlie had a drunk meltdown last night. You should probably go talk ta her, work things out.”

Drunk meltdown? What had they said last night? Clearly, it was too much for their drunk selves to handle if they didn't end up sleeping in the same room. God, what did we do?

What Angel didn't know was that they'd already talked it out through their dreams, but they weren't disclosing that. They had no need to. “R-right. Yeah. I'll go…go do that. Thanks, Angel.”

Angel handed her her cane, which he had propped against the wall overnight. “Anytime, Vags.”

Vaggie couldn't help but smile. She and Angel had gotten closer than she expected during the past couple months. Between being a constant visitor when she was bedridden, helping her with her crutches, and now taking care of her when she was wasted, he had grown much softer than he would ever care to admit.

Vaggie closed the door, and Angel exhaled. He could only hope that they could work things out. He'd come to realize that there were few certain things in Hell. The sky was red, life was unfair, and Charlie and Vaggie loved each other. He would never admit it, but their dedication to each other inspired him. He hoped to have a relationship that was at least half as healthy as theirs one day. He didn't have faith in many things, but he had faith in them.

The door opened again, and he turned around, confused. Vaggie stood in the doorway, seemingly embarrassed. “Vags?”

“...which way is the elevator?”

Charlie woke up in her large bed that felt far too empty. She instinctively reached over to Vaggie's side, feeling nothing but barren sheets. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around the room. The bathroom and balcony were empty, so where was Vaggie? How drunk had they been to end up in different rooms?

Charlie got up and was about to leave, ignoring the pounding headache, when the door opened on its own, revealing Lucifer. “Dad?”

“Morning, sweetie! Sleep well?” Charlie winced at the volume. It was far too early and she was far too hungover.

“Mhm. Did'ya need something?” she mumbled.

“Ah, sorry, I know you probably just woke up. I went downstairs to find you and I only saw that crocodile guy asleep on the couch. Is today an off day or something?” He pondered.

Charlie rubbed a temple. “No, dad, we uh…got too carried away with a drinking game. I'm pretty sure everyone’s just sleeping in because of a hangover.”

“Ah…well I hope you're not too hungover, cause we got an important meeting later today. Heaven just scheduled an emergency meeting and wants us both there in…” he checked his duckie watch. “3 hours.”

“3…hours…wait, why? What's going on up there? Pentious said everything was fine when he was here a few days ago.” In fact, he had gushed about his favorite games to play with the other winners and recommended some of them.

Lucifer shifted uncomfortably. “I don't know sweetheart, I'm just the messenger boy.” Something then bumped into him from behind, something about his size, and with a force hard enough to cause him to stumble. “Hey, what gives-”

“Sorry! I didn't…Lucifer? What are you doing here?” The unknown force was revealed to be Vaggie, whose cane had wandered past his feet by chance, explaining why she didn't know he was standing there.

“Ah, Vaggie! Hey! I was just telling Charlie that we have a meeting with Heaven in a few hours.” Charlie guided Vaggie past Lucifer so she could actually come into the room. “Oh! How are the dreams, girls? Are they working alright?”

Charlie and Vaggie shared a glance, well half a glance, before small smiles overcame their features. The dreams were a mixed bag for sure, but they could tell that they'd get miles out of it.

“Yeah, I think they're really gonna help, right Charlie?”

“Absolutely.”

“Great! Glad I could help. I'll see you girls soon.” Lucifer took his leave, a chipper smile never leaving his face. The door closed, leaving the two alone once again.

“Where'd you end up? You were safe, right?” Charlie prodded Vaggie in concern, checking for any bruises of any kind.

Vaggie waved her off. “I'm fine. Angel found me and took me to his room. You've really softened him up, y'know that?” She snickered. Charlie giggled as well, before her headache pounded again.

“Vaggie?”

“Yeah?”

“We’re never drinking on a weekday again.”

“Definitely.”

Chapter Text

To say that Charlie was reluctant was an understatement. Her hangover induced headache was making her extremely irritable, and she was about to meet with Heaven of all things. Heaven; the most entitled, pretentious, corrupt, and unjust places she'd ever seen, and she was born and raised in Hell.

That's how she felt about their council at least. She knew the winners had no control over the sinner's unfortunate circumstances. The council, though, permitted the exterminations to continue despite Adam's egregious attitude, and that one extermination that took place a month later had ended with her girlfriend permanently crippled.

Even if they had accepted her dream and the idea of redemption, it didn't change what could've been prevented if they had declared their choice sooner. She didn't know if she could ever truly forgive that.

Or maybe that was just the hangover talking.

Vaggie sat at the bar, not drinking, just chatting with some of the residents. With Charlie headed out to meet with Heaven, she had time to think on her own, about her progress as a whole.

Looking back at the first month, she had greatly improved on a lot of fronts since then. Her sense of direction was better, she had completely recovered physically, and she was…working on improving mentally. That was something.

So what was next? Obviously, she'd have to start training again soon enough. Not because of any impending threat, though she never ruled the possibility out, but to just improve and adapt to her blindness. If she could competently fight while blind, then she could do just about anything else.

Not to mention how out of practice she was. If she was rusty before the battle, then call her the Statue of Liberty now. Physically weaker, blind, mentally unstable, she was really out of touch.

She couldn't even beat Lute in her dreams while fully sighted. How the hell was she supposed to defend herself, let alone fight, in the chance of another battle? She couldn't fall behind, not again.

“Damn, Vags. What the table eva do ta you?” Cherri piped up. Despite drinking for even longer than Vaggie last night, the cyclops seemed like her regular self, if only a little more irritable. Vaggie lifted her head. She must've accidentally glanced too far down while she zoned out.

“N-nothing. I'm just thinking.”

“‘Bout what?” Angel prodded.

“Just…I don't know. Training. I need to get back into shape, but I don't really know where to start ‘cause, y'know…” she trailed off. Angel responded with a hum while Cherri drummed her fingers on the table, gears turning. She snapped her fingers as she got a spark of inspiration.

“I've got some trainin’ dummies in my old shack that I use for target practice every once in a while. I could bring some o’ them ova here for ya.” Cherri proposed.

Vaggie was stunned. “Really? You'd do that?”

Cherri shrugged nonchalantly in response. “Meh. Consider it a really late get well soon present.”

“And I thought I was goin’ soft!” Angel guffawed. “Ol’ Penny's really rubbin’ off on ya, huh?” He nudged Cherri with two arms, to which the cyclops shoved away and flipped him off.

“Fuck off. At least I gotta man. Whadda you got ‘sides an embarrassin’ crush on ya local bartender?” Cherri countered.

Angel squawked in offense. “Oh you wanna play that card, do ya? Well listen here, bitch-”

Vaggie took that as her cue to slip away from the conversation. Not only was it aggravating her headache, which in turn was making her eyes painfully twitch, but this wasn't the first time that Angel and Cherri got into playful arguments that seemed to escalate, but never really amounted to anything. It was just how their friendship worked. Thick as thieves when they needed each other, but also incredibly effective at pissing each other off when they wanted to. They'd be fine.

She made her way back to her room after fumbling with the doorknob a couple times. Try as she might, she could never memorize its exact spot on the door. She walked out onto the balcony, feeling the warm breeze of Hell's atmosphere on her half covered face. It was a comforting feeling. It was real, it made her hair flow ever slightly, and it was a good supplement to calm her nerves when Charlie wasn't around. It was why she loved her pirate ship so much, though she hadn't been up there in months for obvious reasons.

She knew Charlie was down in town somewhere, probably already in the embassy, having to deal with Heaven's snooty uppercrusts. She hoped that whatever was happening in this emergency meeting, it wouldn't be as disastrous as the first. Someday, she'd be back out on the streets to help, but that day was not today.

She stretched her tired limbs, still feeling strangely energized despite the hangover and the relentless twitching in her eyes. Having nothing substantial to do, maybe she could finally work on getting back to the physicality she had before the battle.

Yeah, a light workout wouldn't hurt.

Charlie bounced her leg as the limo pulled up to the embassy. This familiar drive wasn't providing any comfort in the slightest. What could they possibly want now? Why did they have to schedule an emergency, and not a simple regular meeting like they did the past few times?

The waiting room wasn't any less large and intimidating, and neither was the ominous floating golden contract they had to sign. The bright lights made her squint as they aggravated her already pounding headache. She wanted nothing more than to just cuddle up with Vaggie and sleep the rest of the day away.

“You ready, sweetie?”

“Mhm…”

Lucifer picked up on her obvious tension. “Hey, don't worry too much. This is probably just another check in and they're being overly dramatic about it cause that's what they do. Everything’s fine!” His weirdly chipper smile from this morning was back, even wider than before. Charlie thought she saw his eye twitch, though it could've just been a trick of the light.

“Are you alright, dad?”

“Me? Yeah! Of course! Why wouldn't I be?” His voice shifted higher in pitch with each denial. Charlie sighed. He was acting just like Vaggie did when she deflected and dismissed her problems, only instead of being cold and reserved, he was being overly positive and borderline hysterical. Lucifer was never good at keeping his true feelings hidden, and Charlie could see right through him.

“We're not going in that meeting room until you tell me why you're being so weird.” she held him by the shoulders, putting herself between the meeting doors and him. She easily towered over him, offering just the right amount of intimidation without seeming threatening. Her eyes softened ever so slightly. “Talk to me dad, please.”

Lucifer sighed, defeated. “I’m sorry. I'm trying to do that thing you do where you're positive and inspirational all the time in bad situations and…it's not working is it?”

“Nope.” Charlie grew more concerned. “What do you mean…bad situations? How bad is this meeting?”

Lucifer took off his hat and wrung it in his hands. “Look, Charlie. Meetings with Heaven never really go too well in my experience, as I'm sure you know.” Charlie recalled her meeting with Adam, and the trial. “An emergency one…can never mean anything good. I'm sorry, I didn't wanna bring your hopes down in case I was being paranoid. But…I got a feeling this won't end well at all."

Charlie deflated. Sure, she had been dreading this meeting all morning, but never really voiced it aloud. She sighed and tried her best to give a reassuring smile. “Well, only one way to find out, right?”

Lucifer squished his hat back on and pointed forward indignantly. “There! That! How are you so good at that?”

Charlie's smile became more genuine, albeit melancholic. “Lots of practice, I guess.”

Lots of practice putting on a mask for the sake of everyone's feelings. Practice ignoring her own problems because she so desperately wanted to fix everyone else's. Practice being a support system and refusing any in return. Practice acting like everything was okay when it definitely wasn't.

Because if she practiced, maybe she'd eventually be perfect.

She pushed the heavy doors open, bright white light blinding the both of them. The light cleared, revealing their visitors. In one chair sat Sera, the main overseer ever since Adam died, since she was the true director behind the exterminations and his superior. Emily was notably absent, and instead in her place, sat the one person whose mere presence was enough to drive Charlie into a ballistic frenzy.

Rage suddenly bubbled in her gut. Hatred swirled in her chest. Violence and revenge fueled her, causing her to vibrate in fury. There was nothing else in the room that mattered besides a familiar sword wielding exorcist.

“YOU!”

Everything was red. The room faded as the corners of her vision grew blurry. She charged without thought, ready to claw that stupid mask right off Lute's face. Her nails extended, shifting into razor sharp needles. Her hand grew in size and the ivory black of her nails bled into her palm and down to her wrist, encasing her entire hand in the dark substance. Fiery red began to glow in her veins and eyes as her horns and tail protruded at lightning fast speed. Her hair billowed behind her, unable to catch up. She swung, aiming to kill…

Only for her hand to faze through the exorcist in a green glitchy haze. Her attack rather hit the back of the chair Lute was “sitting” in, smashing it to pieces.

Lute, unfazed by the attempt on her life, turned to Sera, almost annoyed. “And this is why I was adamant on using the projection. I told you that demons have no self control.” she sneered.

Charlie snarled, tail lashing like a whip. She addressed Sera in a blind rage. “What is she doing here? Where is Emily?”

Sera was also unfazed. “Emily will not be present as she is wrapped up in entertaining the winners for the day. Please sit down, Your Highness. We will explain everything in a calm and dignified manner. There is no need to be hostile.”

Charlie's rage didn't fade. No need? They really had no clue how horrible these past few months had been, all because of Lute's savagery. “She mutilated and blinded my girlfriend! I have every right to-”

Lute barked a laugh. “Please, you're still hung up about losing your vile little toy? It's been 3 months; she's too pathetic to warrant any grief. Get over yourself.”

Charlie's eyes faded back to their usual yellow, mainly due to confusion. “What? What are you-”

“One less sinful soul in the afterlife. That's what you wanted right; what we all want?” Lute taunted, trying to twist Charlie's ideal to match with their own genocidal tendencies. But Charlie wasn't focused on that.

It made sense actually, why there seemed to be confusion. Vaggie had lost a lot of blood that day, 43% to be exact, on top of being crushed by a broken building as well. If they hadn't found her in time, if Lucifer hadn't given his blood, if she never woke from her coma, she wouldn't be here.

It was no wonder Lute thought Vaggie was dead.

Lucifer decided to chime in. “Listen, how about we all take a deep breath, and calm down? We can...deal with personal issues after the meeting, okay?” Charlie turned to her dad, indignant, only to see the red fighting it's way into the corners of his eyes. He was trying so desperately to hold it together.

Charlie scowled and sat, horns and tail refusing to fade. “Why have you called this meeting, Sera?”

Sera cleared her throat and began the meeting. “We're here as an order of business from the council. There is controversy beginning to stew regarding their faith in your hotel, princess. They're beginning to believe that Sir Pentious was merely a fluke, as no other sinner had been redeemed since his arrival. They are suggesting an ultimatum.”

“Ultimatum? Y-you don't mean…” Charlie felt dread beginning to pool in her gut, replacing any rage. There was no way, after everything, they'd continue tradition.

“Fear is still running deep within the community, especially after Adam’s death. It has been ruled that demonic overpopulation still poses a threat to Heaven’s sanctity. Shall there not be another redeemed sinner in the next 3 months, another extermination will have to take place to minimize the risk of a revolution.” Sera’s tone held no morsel of regret or hesitation, just cold, numb, apathy.

Dread became panic. And panic shifted back into anger. She stood on her hooves with such force that her chair hit the wall. The red in her eyes returned. “Hold on! You can't do that! Redemption works. You've seen it in Sir Pentious. He's good. Everyone down here has a chance to be good just like him. They can't have that chance if you kill them! 2 months ago, you were okay with exposing all of Heaven to this new change that we've worked so hard for, and they agreed. Why are you throwing this peaceful solution away? Why?”

Lute rolled her eyes while Sera simply huffed. “After revisiting the subject and some deep consideration, the council has made up their mind. Your kind murdered the first man, and hundreds of other angels. That alone is enough grounds to warrant caution. The threat of more death is still prominent if the population cannot be balanced within a reasonable time. If there aren't any more souls arriving in Heaven in the next 3 months, then Lute will lead another extermination. There is no more room for discussion.”

“And I'll be coming to your shitty little hotel to destroy it. All. Over. Again.” Lute jeered.

Charlie and Lucifer were pissed beyond words. Flames were dancing in their eyes as heat built in their chests and throats. Lucifer's horns were out now, wings sprouted to their full length.

“You hypocritical pieces of shi-”

A flash, and they were back on the streets of Hell. The piercing red sky and glowing neon buildings filled their vision. They turned around, and saw the outside of the embassy towering over them, the numbers far above yet to change from zero.

“What. The. FUUUUUUUCK!”

Lucifer somehow had it in him to teleport them to the hotel, albeit with an unceremonious crash into the lobby. Everyone was startled by the abrupt appearance, and froze in anticipation.

Charlie bolted from her spot and ran up the stairs, unable to hide the tears of frustration and devastation that fell. Everyone turned to Lucifer, who’s demonic features were still bitterly burning.

“Yo, what the fuck is goin' on?” Angel approached.

Lucifer glanced around the lobby, noting all of the sinners present. He was too tired and pissed to sugar coat anything.

“You're all fucked. Unless one of you manages to redeem yourselves in the next 3 months, the angels will come to the hotel again.” Bombshell dropped, he teleported to his mansion to wallow in his ducks and let off the abundance of steam in his short body.

The residents were stunned. The 10 newer guests all shared a glance, bewildered and suddenly terrified. Their place of sanctity would be attacked in 3 months unless one of them could follow in Sir Pentious's shoes. Angel, Husk, Cherri, and even Niffty suddenly felt the weight of what this could entail. They all remembered what had happened the last time the angels attacked the hotel. They had lost a close friend, and nearly lost another, who was still recovering from the events of the battle. Not to mention the hotel itself was fucking destroyed.

Clay, ever skeptical, demanded proof. “Turn on the fuckin’ news. I'm seein’ this shit for myself.”

Charlie's legs burned as the hallways began to blur together in a haze of muted red and brown. Her chest heaved with each desperate attempt at a singular coherent breath. Her lungs were tightening, causing sharp, suffocating pinpricks to clench around her heart. She couldn't take this. Everything was going to shit. All of the progress they had made was suddenly gone. They'd have to fight for their lives all over again and there was nothing they could do about it besides fumble their way into redemption.

The room swirled as her legs finally gave out. She stumbled to the floor and rested her back against the wall as air became harder and harder to intake. Her throat and chest were burning, but not with fire. Her flame had long depleted and all that was left was a broken song as she heard far away wails of the people she knew would end up being killed in 3 months if she couldn't get her shit together. The entire hotel shook as the screams relentlessly invaded.

She put her hands over her ears and pulled on her hair, and yet the screaming and shaking didn't cease. The tears wouldn't stop either. Her vision swam and black dots began to form in the corners of her eyes. Her nails dug into her temples, subconsciously drawing blood.

“Charlie!”

Among the screams, she heard one familiar voice. The shaking suddenly stopped as she opened her eyes to see a blurry Vaggie standing halfway down the hallway. Despite the blindfold, the panic and concern was clearly written over her face.

“Charlie, where are you?” her voice cracked. Charlie could hear through her own gasps that Vaggie's breathing was bordering hysterical. She'd have called out if she could manage to get any semblance of oxygen in her lungs. “Answer me, please!”

Charlie continued to hyperventilate, seeing Vaggie getting so panicked only making her own panic worse. At least the screaming had stopped…

“Charlie, please! What's going on? Where are you? Why are you screaming?” Vaggie desperately called. It sounded like she was on the brink of tears herself.

Despite the tears, despite the agony in her lungs, Charlie managed a weak and strangled “H-here.” Thank God for Vaggie's angelic hearing. She may not know Charlie's exact spot but at least she was going in the right direction. She held her hands out in front in case she ran into a wall, having forgotten her cane in her frenzy. “V-Vaggie…” she gasped again when Vaggie was only a couple feet away, and that was enough.

Vaggie traced the wall until she was right next to Charlie. She kneeled down and tried to find the demon's face, and pulled on her wrists when she felt them clamped near her forehead. She noted in alarm the warm liquid on Charlie's fingers and nails. “Are you alright? Are you hurt? What's happening?”

Charlie shook her head out of instinct, before groaning and thumping her head against the wall behind her. “N-no…”

“Breathe for me baby, you can do it. Follow my lead, okay?” It may not have been necessary, but she traced her hands up and down Charlie's arms in a pattern as she guided her, much like Charlie had done for her so many times these past few months. Charlie caught a bit of her breath and each desperate intake of air ended in a sob. “Just breathe.” Vaggie fought to keep her voice even. Charlie needed her, and she was not about to break. She had never wanted to see Charlie more than in this instance, at least to see if there was a threat and why Charlie was bleeding. Charlie continued to weep as she slowly got more air. “Shhhh, I've got you. I don't know what's happening, but I'm here now, okay? I'm here.” Charlie responded by lurching forward and burying her face in the crook of Vaggie's neck, hot tears soaking the angel's skin. Vaggie held her and stroked her hair and back. “I've got you.”

Eventually, after 10 whole minutes, Charlie was lucid enough to speak. “Oh, Vaggie…” she sniffed.

“Talk to me, Hun. What's going on? Did someone hurt you? What happened at the meeting?” Vaggie felt for Charlie's forehead, grimacing when she still felt a bit of blood leaking from her temples. “Oh, honey…”

Charlie held onto Vaggie like a lifeline. “They…they ruined everything. It's all been undone…it's…” another sob. “The council’s getting impatient and feeling threatened. They said that if I can't redeem another soul in th-three months they'll…th-they'll come back.” She couldn't hold it anymore. She broke into sobs once again, soaking more tears into Vaggie's shirt, but the angel didn't care.

“Wha…what do you mean…come back? Like, for another meeting…or…?” Vaggie felt her heart sink as she felt Charlie shake her head against her shoulder. “They're c-coming here? Again?” A nod.

Vaggie's hands gripped Charlie's shirt in tight fistfulls. She knew it was only a matter of time before Lute came to kill her once and for all. As much as she was willing to throw herself on death's doorstep to protect Charlie, it still terrified her all the same. Suddenly, she was the one with shortened breaths, until she felt Charlie rub her back. “Breathe, baby.” And so she did.

Vaggie ran her fingers through Charlie's hair in an attempt to calm both of them. Vaggie oh so desperately felt the urge to cry herself, the tightness in her throat was becoming unbearable, but she held strong, for Charlie. “I'm so sorry, Charlie.”

“S’not your fault.”

“It is. Lute's in charge, right? She wants revenge for Adam's death, and to probably finish me off while she's at it. If I had just fought better…”

“Stop it. You know better than to blame yourself for that bitch’s actions.” Charlie snarled. Vaggie couldn't help her amusement. She always thought that Charlie was hot when she swore. “Also, she's not coming to kill you. She thinks you're already dead. You can…take her by surprise if the time comes to fight.” 

Fight. What fighting could she even do? She was useless right now. Sure, she could hear well and was slowly improving her sense of direction around the hotel, but fighting? Against Lute? While blind?

She had barely made it to 20 push ups this morning without feeling drained. How in the ever loving fuck was she gonna get into shape and relearn everything there is to fighting on time for this probable extermination in 3 months?

Charlie eventually decided to migrate to the bed, since their backs were beginning to ache. Vaggie had forgotten where she was on the hallway, so startled and panicked by Charlie's screams to pay attention to her path. Charlie promised to take care of her small fingernails wounds, and apologized for hurting herself and making Vaggie worry, to which Vaggie would respond with a tender kiss, just glad to know she was safe.

Charlie had exhausted herself and decided to take a nap, to which Vaggie desperately wanted to entertain if paranoia would let her. Regardless, she was spooning Charlie with a wing blanket in an instant.

She eventually heard soft snores, which allowed her to relax a little bit. She hoped Charlie would be able to sleep peacefully. She knew how much of a struggle it could be to keep your sanity when you were plagued with nightmares almost daily.

Tomorrow was gonna be a new day. Plans would be set, discussions would be made, and Vaggie declared that she was gonna have to leave the hotel for the first time in three months. Small workouts at home weren't enough. She needed to train.

She needed to venture to a certain weaponry warehouse.

Chapter Text

Charlie woke up the next morning, eyes groggy and throat sore. She reached over to Vaggie's side, peeping her eyes open when she felt nothing there. She lazily sat up and tried to rub the tiredness from her eyes, to no avail. She groaned. It was gonna be one of those days, wasn't it?

“Mornin' Hun.” Vaggie called from across the room. Charlie finally managed to wrench her eyes open to see Vaggie standing by the dresser, making sure her clothes weren't on backwards. The angel pushed her hair back into an almost ponytail, before letting it down again, having no idea if what she had was satisfactory. “Do you think you could help me with my hair?”

Charlie stretched her limbs, accidentally letting out a high pitched squeal as they reached their full length. “Mhm.” she mumbled, voice cracking. Frankly, she was too tired to care, and yawned as Vaggie passed her the brush and sat on the edge of the bed next to her, facing away. Charlie cleared her throat before getting to work. “Why are you up so early? Did you even sleep?” She tried to show she was concerned, but the grogginess in her voice was making her tone numb and almost apathetic sounding. Vaggie didn't seem to care though.

“I need to train, really train, if I want to have a chance. I'm headed over to Carmilla’s. She'll be able to help me…hopefully. I'll…I'll need Razzle to drive me over…” She trailed off. The thought of being outside, out in the real world, in the public again, was enough to make her palms sweat, though it was weirdly exciting at the same time.

Charlie slowed in her brushing. “Alright…if you're sure. But you don't sound sure.” She continued to brush, seeing how much hair she still had to go through. “Your hair's getting really long.”

“I am sure, I'm just nervous. I haven't been into town since…” a beat of silence, a somber undertone hanging around the room. “Do you think I should cut it?”

Back to the subject of hair, Charlie felt it in her hands. It was heavy and thick, and was a lot to manage on its own. She took the time to admire the dark stripes towards the bottom. She had no idea how Vaggie's hair did that, but it was beautiful, especially because the pattern was also reflected in her wings. “Depends. How much?”

Vaggie bit her lip in thought. Did she really want to cut it? Would she go back to the short bob? Should she go for more mid back as a compromise? Or maybe just trim it a bit so it didn't drag on the floor when she looked up? She had grown out her hair to deviate, to feel detached from her life of having to cut it to perfect length to fit in that goddamn helmet. Not to mention the weight on her back at the time, although a poor supplement for the feeling of having wings, was all she had. “...I'm not sure…”

“You don't have to decide right now, just think about it.” Charlie continued to brush, now starting from Vaggie's scalp and going all the way down. It always felt satisfying to do a full brush without any tangles interrupting. She took Vaggie's bow and used it as a makeshift hair tie to tie it in a ponytail. “Alright, turn around.” Vaggie, one step ahead, handed Charlie a comb as she spun around, sitting cross legged next to Charlie. Charlie ran the comb through Vaggie's long bangs, the latter calmly exhaling.

“You need a haircut too.”

Charlie hummed in consideration. It was true that she hadn't cut it since before the battle, and it was a bit longer than she liked, but her hair grew slowly. Both of theirs did. “Maybe. You need it more, though.”

Vaggie stuck her tongue out. “Maybe.” She mimicked as she donned her blindfold. Charlie lightly bonked the comb on her head in retaliation. “Hey!” She chuckled.

“It's what you get for being stubborn.” Charlie playfully chastised. Vaggie rose a challenging brow as a devious smirk crossed her face. “Wait, Vaggie-” she shrieked as Vaggie threw herself on top of her, pinning her with her bodyweight. “Vaggie!” She giggled. “Get off!”

Vaggie pretended to consider it. “Hmm, nope. I'm just too stubborn. You're trapped, princesa.” Charlie flushed at the use of Spanish, before bursting into uncontrollable giggles. Vaggie chuckled in turn, and soon enough, they were sharing another laugh together, despite everything. They relished in the little moments they got to have, before they opened the door and reality came crashing back down on them. Right now, it was just them, and nothing else.

“I…really should get going though.” Vaggie slowly removed herself from their position, accidentally kicking her cane to the ground. “Goddamn it.” She fumbled around on the floor for a bit trying to find it, before Charlie got out of bed and handed it to her. The demon gave her a tender parting kiss.

“Good luck. Don't stress, okay?”

“You too.”

Vaggie bounced her leg as the limo pulled to a full stop. This was it, huh? She tried to remember the layout of the place, where she needed to go to get to the main door. The images were fuzzy; either there was some unresolved head trauma or her memory was worse than she thought. It was a simple walk forward, right?

Razzle baaed, nudging her as she stepped out of the limo. He gently pushed her towards the large garage door.

Razzle stopped, causing Vaggie to stop as well. She felt the wall, feeling where the steel met concrete. “Thanks Razzle. Come back at sunset, ‘kay?” She pet him on the head and fished a treat out of her pocket for his reward. The little goat chirped happily, took the treat, and snuggled his head under her chin as a goodbye hug, before flying away and back into the car.

Vaggie sighed with melancholy. Poor Razzle had struggled to cope with losing his twin brother in the early days, or so Charlie had told her. The little goat had taken to driving everyone to wherever destination they wanted at any chance he had, just to distract himself. The guilt of Dazzle’s death weighed heavily on her. She had been riding him after all; and Lute had slit his throat just to strike her down. Indirectly or not, it was her fault that Dazzle was dead, and that Razzle was a little quieter these days.

She numbly turned to where she assumed the camera was to the right of the door. “Carmilla? It's Vaggie…I'm here for training, like you promised.” A minute of silence followed, and Vaggie was beginning to doubt if she was even in the right place. She placed a hand on the metal door, and trained her ears to the sounds around her. Mechanical whirring, heavyweight vehicles operating, crates of materials being thrown and stacked; It certainly sounded like the right area... “Hello…?” More silence. Vaggie gulped as she suddenly felt incredibly out of place. “C-Carmilla?”

She started and jerked her hand away as the door suddenly rose with a loud rumbling clang. Vaggie tensed in on herself and gripped her spear, half expecting some dark force to attack from the shadows.

“Apologies, Vaggie. There's been a major increase in demand since yesterday’s news.” Carmilla explained, sounding slightly out of breath.

Shit, of course. She should have known better than to think that Carmilla would have the time to train someone like her. Someone who was gonna be so difficult to manage and make any progress with. “R-right, yeah. I should've expected that. Sorry to bother you…” she turned to walk away down the sidewalk before she felt a strong hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks.

“I never said you couldn't come in.” 

Vaggie wanted to believe she heard a smile in Carmilla's voice, but she didn't want to jump to any conclusions. “R-really?”

“Venga.” The hand left her shoulder as Carmilla tiptoed her way back inside the warehouse. A small, genuine smile crossed Vaggie's lips as she quickly followed.

Charlie took each step as slow as she could, trying to brace herself for the rowdiness and chaos that was surely happening in the lobby. This was all her fault. She should have done more, tried harder to convince them to reconsider. Now they were all in danger all over again.

She only hoped that they wanted to stay, to beat the clock and take the chance to stop this before it started. But she also wouldn't blame them if they chose to flee and save themselves.

She peeked into the lobby, seeing everyone gathered around and having their own panicked conversations. She began to wonder if they had even slept at all. The older guests were noticeably panicked but were attempting to calm the newer ones, who were reasonably frightened out of their minds.

Ace, who had been trying to tame a raving Clay, noticed her presence. “Princess.”

All chatter ceased as they turned to her, looking for something, anything to guide them. She stepped forward and addressed them in the calmest way she possibly could.

“Good morning, everyone-”

“GOOD MORNING MY FUCKING ASS!”

“Shut the fuck up, Clay!”

Clay wheeled on the offender, Sam. “Make me, bitch!”

“Enough!” The once again turned to Charlie, who's eyes were now flashing red, but she managed to keep her other demonic traits under control. “This is not the time to be fighting. This is the time to weigh our options, and think things through like mature adults. Now, you're all going to listen to me as I explain the next course of action, and then give your opinion. Understand?” she had never shouted at the guests to exert authority, that was more Vaggie's thing. She squashed the small pang of guilt as she focused on the bigger picture.

“The exorcists are coming to the hotel in 3 months, unless another soul gets redeemed. You all have 3 options.” She began to pace, eyes still a blazing red. “Either you stay, try to redeem yourself, and fight with us should it come to that. Stay, try to redeem yourself, and then leave if the fight comes to us. Or, you can leave right now. I won't stop you, regardless of what you choose, but just know that there's a chance to stop this before it starts. All we need is one soul, and it could be any of you, should you choose to continue trying.” Her eyes returned to their natural yellow as the adrenaline faded and remorse set in. “I'm sorry to place this sudden pressure on you guys…you didn't ask for it and don't deserve it…”

Silence fell over the lobby as the sinners considered the options. Angel seemed almost annoyed, as if this meant nothing to him.

“I don't know ‘bout the rest of ya, but I've already fought for this place once.” He trotted over to Charlie, who tensed when he put a firm hand on her shoulder. He let a grin split his face. “I'd be a fuckin' idiot ta leave afta everythin’, wouldn't I?”

Charlie glanced into his eyes to see a certain warmth that she had only really ever seen in Lucifer and Vaggie. The warmth of a loved one that would stand by your side and lift you up no matter what. She smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Angel.”

“I'm with Angie. I'm gonna blow those fuckers up all over again.” Cherri proclaimed.

Husk turned to the only other soul in the room owned by Alastor. “Whaddya say, Niff?”

“Stab more angels! Stab more angels!” The tiny cyclops began chanting.

“Y'all are fuckin' insane! I'm gettin’ the fuck outta here!”

“We can't just leave them!”

“Speak for yourself, dickwad!”

“Vaggie said we'd be safe here…”

Ace could only watch in dismay as his group fought amongst themselves. They didn't always get along, but they were a tight knit group that found solidarity in each other a while back. They were the closest thing to family in this Hellhole, besides his sister. Charlie kneeled down and put a hand on his small shoulder.

“I'm sorry. You guys can take all the time you need.” Charlie offered.

“We always resort to democracy and vote but…I get the feeling it won't be enough this time…” Ace lamented. “We’ll…we'll work it out…”

Charlie sympathetically gazed at the group that had devolved into a cacophony of unintelligible shouts. They weren't getting physical, but she could tell some of them were getting close. She cringed at the abundance of hostility. “Yeah…I hope so…”

“I've been looking forward to this, Vaggie. I've been brainstorming new ways to train you to accommodate your disability. Come time for the extermination, if successful, I believe you'll be even more capable than you were before.” Carmilla explained as she led them into the large and open ballroom that they used for training purposes.

“Cool, but…how? How can I possibly relearn everything there is to fighting?” Vaggie shuddered at the echo the room provided. Was it always this loud, or were her ears simply more sensitive now?

“There are many things that you already know, and just need to apply to your situation, through the use of your senses.” Vaggie could only raise a brow, not sure how to respond to that. “Let's start with something simple. Are you able to whistle?”

Vaggie dropped her stiff posture, not expecting that at all. “Uhhhh…yeah…why?”

“Do you know what room you're in?” Carmilla tested.

“Yeah…I'm assuming it's the ballroom.” Vaggie answered, still confused where this was going.

“Ah, you assume. But are you certain?” the overlord prodded.

“Well this is the only room in the building with a loud ass echo so yeah, I'm certain.” The angel retorted.

“Yes, good. Use your prior knowledge and senses. Do you know exactly where in the room you are?”

“Uhh…somewhere in the middle I'm assuming…but I'm guessing you want me to be precise, so…no.”

“Whistle.”

Vaggie would've blinked rapidly with the blankest expression if she could. “Huh?”

“Whistle. Short, sharp, and high pitched. Pay attention to the echo.” Carmilla instructed, as if it didn't sound completely ludicrous. Regardless, Vaggie obliged.

A quick, almost bird-like whistle rang through the entire room, echoes bouncing back from every direction. It was a little haunting; a chill ran up Vaggie's spine.

“What does the echo tell you?”

“It was coming from all over so…that means I'm in the middle of the room, right?” Vaggie guessed.

Carmilla nodded, not that Vaggie could see. “That is correct.”

“Wait, so what if I…” she walked to her left, stopping when she felt her cane hit the wall. She whistled again, taking note of the difference. The echo bounced right back in her face, almost non-existent as she faced the wall, and the rest trailed far behind her. “Whoa…”

“Certain animals that lack proper sight use this technique called echolocation, which is the process of emitting sound waves to determine where their surroundings are. I believe, with much practice, this skill could be very beneficial to you.”

Vaggie whistled again, this time in the direction of Carmilla's voice. The echos bounced around the reverberating walls throughout the entire room, except for one specific area. She heard echoes from all around her, except from behind, and somewhere in front. She ventured forward, taking the same amount of paces she did to reach the wall, and slowly swung her cane on the ground in front of her, feeling for a pair of pointed slippers.

“You're a little off.” Carmilla called a few feet from her left. She tiptoed to Vaggie and placed a hand on her shoulder. “But you have the right idea.”

Vaggie, though thankful for the praise, was still skeptical. “Do you really expect me to master such a precise technique in only 3 months?”

Carmilla gave a low, raspy chuckle. “Of course not.” Vaggie deflated, but Carmilla lifted her chin up. “But I'll do my best to prepare you in the short time we have, as long as you're willing to learn.”

Vaggie steeled her resolve and straightened her posture, at attention. “Of course I am.”

Carmilla smiled at her dedication. “Then let us practice some more.”

The time? Just after sunset. The day? Spent. The issue at hand? Not at all resolved.

Ace’s group had been infighting all day.

They had good reason to, Charlie wouldn't deny that, but it was getting exhausting. Some tried for a democratic approach. Some of them even moved to storm out the front door, only to pussy out at the last second. Some had been screaming since this morning. Some, namely the older residents, were fed up and had gone to their rooms after a quick drink.

The front door opened, and in stepped Vaggie, who recoiled at the abundance of noise. Her head darted around, lost, before Charlie held her by the elbow and dragged her down the hall to a more quiet part of the hotel.

“I uh…take it they're divided on what to do?” She guessed, massaging a sensitive ear.

“They've been fighting allllll dayyyy.” Charlie groaned in exasperation. She slumped so her head was resting in the crook of Vaggie's neck. “I said they can take their time…I didn't mean like this.”

“Aw, babe.” Vaggie chuckled as she patted Charlie's back. “Have you tried being a little more firm?”

“Yes! That's how I got them to listen in the first place. I was strict and to the point, just like you.” Charlie complained.

“Hmm…maybe you're going about it the wrong way. You've set them up, but now you really gotta bring the hammer down. If their fighting is only making things worse, put a time limit on them.”

“But…I said they could take their time. This is a lot to take in…they deserve the time to digest everything.”

“Hun, I agree that it's a lot, but everyone else has had to adapt. They need to too. They've had over 24 hours to process now, they need to come to some sort of agreement, or at least calm the fuck down and talk like adults.” Vaggie covered her ear as the shouting grew louder. “I'm pretty sure the whole Pride Ring can hear them.” She snarked.

Charlie sighed. “You're right…I just don't want to yell at them again. It doesn't feel right.”

Vaggie separated and kissed her on the cheek. “I'll take care of it, Hun. Take a break, you sound exhausted.”

“What would I do without you?”

“Probably work yourself to death.”

“Yeah…”

Vaggie chuckled and made her way towards the lobby. “Watch and learn, babe.” The shouts were still raging, indecipherable. “HEY!” The guests froze and turned to the angel.

“What the fuck do you want?”

“Can you shut up for like 2 seconds, Clay?”

“YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU WHORE!”

“BOTH OF YOU, QUIET!” Vaggie interjected. “What the actual fuck is wrong with all of you? How hard is it to sit and have a mature discussion? Ever think that arguing all fucking day does nothing? What have you accomplished besides driving everyone crazy?” No response. “I don't care what you decide. But you better come to some sort of consensus by this time tomorrow, or someone is getting stabbed, understood?”

Murmurs of compliance were heard from all around the room, from all except one.

“Who are you to threaten us for taking too long to choose?” Clay instigated. “The fucking angels are coming here! Do you even know what that means? Probably not. You can't even fucking see what we're up against.” He shut up as soon as he said it, knowing he crossed a line.

Vaggie simply glared through her blindfold. While she hadn't shared the full story, they all knew that she had lost her eyes during exterminations, at the hands of exorcists. That, and the fact that her disability was an extremely sore subject for her.

Pathetic.

“I know exactly what it means, believe it or not, and yet despite everything those angels have put me through, I'm still willing to fight for this cause until the bitter end. The question is, are you?” She poked him in the chest with her finger. “You have 24 hours to decide.” With that, she turned and left down the hall, leaving the group with their thoughts, and Sam to smack Clay upside the head.

Charlie followed Vaggie to the staircase. “Hey!”

Vaggie stopped and hunched in on herself, back facing Charlie. “Hey…”

“That was…so hot.” Charlie gushed. “And I'm sorry about Clay. I'm sure he didn't-”

“Don’t you dare defend him!” Vaggie coldly interrupted. She wheeled to face Charlie, her form trembling. She hated having to live with her irreversible condition, and Clay had done nothing but rub salt in the very sensitive, and still very fresh, wounds. “He knew exactly what he was saying. He knows how much I hate talking about it. They all do!” She clawed at the blindfold. “I fucking hate this! I hate how right he is. I hate that I can't see you. I hate that I can't even fight and have to fucking whistle like a goddamn animal to even have an idea of where my opponent is!”

You'll never amount. You'll never recover.

“Wait, wha-”

Vaggie tore her blindfold off and threw it on the floor, burying her empty sockets in her palms. “I can't take this! ¡Odio esto carajo!”

Charlie gently gripped Vaggie's wrists and pulled them away from her exposed face. “Hey, hey! Where's all this coming from? Did things not go well at Carmilla's?”

“They went fine. She's teaching me to use echolocation so I can judge my surroundings without bumping into shit. If I whistle high enough I can hear the echoes and tell where everything is.”

“Oh, whoa, that's really cool. So what's wrong?”

Vaggie tried to free her arms from Charlie's grip, but Charlie held firm, knowing she was itching to do something destructive. “The problem is that it's hard, complicated, and there's no way in Hell I'll be able to master it in time. Carmilla said so herself. What's the point of trying to adapt if I won't even be able to nail the basics in time? How am I supposed to fight at all, let alone at the same level as Lute? How am I supposed to do anything?” She broke into small sobs. “I'm so fucked.”

Charlie shushed her and held her in a warm embrace. “Don't stress. You're not fucked. You'll keep training, and keep improving little by little. Just take it one day at a time, okay? Can you do that for me?”

“...I'll try…”

“Thank you.” They stood for a few minutes, Charlie gently rocking them and stroking Vaggie's hair. “Do you know the one thing I dislike about you?”

Vaggie started, fearing the answer. “W-what?”

“You're so hard on yourself despite everything you've been through. You don't see what I see that makes you so incredible. You refuse to love yourself as much as I love you.”

“That's 3 things...” Vaggie mumbled into her shoulder.

“My point is that I have faith in you. The residents have faith in you. Carmilla has faith in you. Have faith in yourself.”

That faith will run out when you fail to measure up.

“...can we please just go to bed? I want to see you. I don't want…” she buried her face deeper. “...this…”

This burden. Disgrace.

Charlie's heart ached badly for her. How could someone so small fit so much self hatred in their body? She wanted nothing more than to extinguish all that negativity with a snap of her fingers, but she'd do what she could. She scooped Vaggie up bridal style and picked up her blindfold, making way to their bedroom.

It was crazy how a day that started out relatively all right, went to shit so quickly. Tensions were high, emotions were running wild. Charlie didn't know what she expected, but she didn't think things would get as ballistic as this.

She could only hope that they'd get better soon.

Chapter Text

"How are you feeling?”

Vaggie sat in Charlie's lap, back pressed to Charlie's chest, head resting in the crook of Charlie's neck. She let Charlie's warmth encompass her as she numbly gazed into the empty white void surrounding them.

“Still like shit.” She deadpanned. She tilted her head up to kiss Charlie's jaw, to which the demon chuckled. “But a little better, now that I can see your beautiful face.”

Charlie kissed Vaggie's temple in retaliation. “You're such a flirt, you know that?”

“You're one to talk.” Vaggie playfully scoffed. Charlie smirked and started peppering kisses on Vaggie's neck and jaw, making the angel squirm. “Charlie, that tickles!”

“I know.” Charlie teased in between kisses. She started tickling Vaggie's sides, making her shriek with laughter. Vaggie swatted her hands away, still laughing uncontrollably. Charlie's heart fluttered. Vaggie's laugh was a rarity, something to be treasured whenever it came. It was deep, husky, enchanting. It never failed to make her blush. “God, I love you.”

Vaggie calmed down and met Charlie's lovestruck gaze. “You're so cheesy.”

“You love it.” Charlie retorted, tone husky.

“I do.” Vaggie affirmed, light blush dusting her cheeks.

Their lips locked in a passionate kiss, tongues swirling in a dance. Vaggie hungrily ran her fingers through Charlie's hair, pulling her closer to deepen the kiss. Charlie held her close and leaned back, pulling Vaggie on top of her. Vaggie ran her hands under Charlie's shirt, and Charlie did the same on Vaggie's back. The separated for air, faces millimeters apart.

They hadn't had the chance to really let loose in bed since the battle, with Vaggie's injuries and declining mental health holding much more importance. Now they were busy more than ever; they simply didn't have the time, and they were okay with that. They always considered sex as an added bonus to their relationship, rather than a necessity. But by God if they didn't miss it…

“I've been dying to touch you.” Vaggie hotly whispered. “I want to see all of you.” She sat up a few inches, effectively straddling Charlie below her.

“Then what are you waiting for?” Charlie growled, eyes hot and fiery. Vaggie began to lean down, accepting the invitation to do as she pleased.

The void went dark, like a switch had been flipped. The couple separated, startled by the sudden change. Vaggie in particular, was beginning to panic. “What the fuck? Did…did we wake up?”

Charlie's eyes glowed radiantly in the dark. Vaggie leaned back as she sat up, confused. “No…no we would've felt it.” Vaggie was notably tense, something she picked up on. “Hey, you're okay. I'm right here. You can see me, right?”

Vaggie didn't know why but seeing nothing but a pair of glowing yellow eyes in the darkness far too close to her face put her even more on edge. It felt like déjá vu, of what, she couldn't remember. “Y-yeah.”

“Disgusting.”

That voice. The voice of her nightmares. A voice that meant nothing but danger. Vaggie stood all the way up, on guard, hopefully putting herself between Charlie and the unseen threat.

“Charlie, ru-” She screamed as a searing white hot pain lanced through her right eye. She fell to the ground and held her hand over the now empty socket, trying to slow the blood flow.

“Vaggie!” Charlie shot up from her spot on the floor and lunged at Lute. “Get away from her!” she clawed at the mask, causing it to crack. The exorcist recoiled with a yelp before glaring at her attacker.

“You're next, demon filth.” Lute snarled as her glowing mask glitched. Charlie froze. It was just like when Adam was trying to choke her to death. Before she…

Lute dashed through the dark and tackled her before shooting up into the sky, Charlie still locked in her lethal embrace. Charlie's hands lit on fire as she tried to break free, but to no avail. The wind rang in her ears as Lute flew fast as a missile, miles above the ground.

“Hope you enjoyed your flight. Time to fall.” Lute taunted as she released Charlie with a firm kick, who screamed as she began to helplessly plummet. Vaggie could only watch through a blurry haze as a glowing streak of fire fell, with no way of stopping.

Charlie braced for impact, knowing it was over.

Charlie sat up, gasping. She looked around the room, confused and disoriented. The room was dark, but not dark enough to be indistinguishable. She fumbled for the lamp on the nightstand, switching it on to confirm that she was, in fact, home.

She held herself and took deep breaths, reminding herself that she wasn't falling, the hotel wasn't crumbling, Adam wasn't choking her, Adam was dead. She was safe, Vaggie was safe, it was just a dream, it wasn't real.

Though, her shaking limbs said otherwise.

Vaggie jerked next to her, sitting up with a panicked gasp. She felt her face before groaning and burying it in her knees, still trying to regulate her breathing. She didn't know where she was, or what was happening, just that the pain in her sockets was unbearable.

Charlie pulled her into a tight hug, still shaken, but relieved. Vaggie flinched and tried to squirm away, before recognizing Charlie's warmth. She hugged back, just as tight.

They held each other close, trying their best to comfort one another. They stroked each other's hair and slowly rocked. Vaggie bit back sobs, while Charlie let loose, tears cascading down her face and falling into Vaggie's hair.

Vaggie spoke, voice thick and quivering. “I-I'm sorry. I-I wasn't strong enough, I…I couldn't…couldn't save you…I-”

“N-no. I'm sorry. She…s-she hurt you again a-and…and I couldn't stop her, and-”

“Don't. D-Don’t blame yourself…don't…”

“Only if you don't…”

Silence. They continued to breathe in a rhythm, calming each other as they slowly began to relax. Vaggie buried her face deep into Charlie's shoulder and bit back a groan. The nightmare had left her eye sockets burning, throbbing, like they had been sliced out all over again. It left her skull throbbing, a migraine spread all throughout her head. She gripped the back of Charlie's shirt, trying to will the pain away. She tried to keep quiet, not wanting to make it all about herself.

“What's wrong?” Damn Charlie for knowing her so well.

“My…my eyes…” she grumbled as the pain continued to throb. Charlie pulled away from the hug to look at her face, noticing how her eyelids were violently twitching. Vaggie swayed, and Charlie held her firm by the shoulders in alarm.

“Easy…is it that bad?” Vaggie could only slowly nod. The phantom pain reaching an intensity of being debilitating wasn't uncommon, especially with her back. On rare occasions, it had been enough to bring her to tears. Those days were the hardest, spending it in bed all day, writhing in pain, while Charlie took care of business. It made her feel pathetic. “Shit.”

Charlie's swear snapped her from her thoughts. “What?”

“We're out of pain meds…I-I forgot to buy more. I'm so sorry, I-”

“Charlie.” Vaggie gently interrupted. She grit her teeth, trying to keep her tone even. “It's…it's okay. I'm not mad…just…lay with me…please.” Charlie obliged and they laid down and held each other close, still slightly reeling from their shared nightmare. “How are you feeling?”

“I should be asking you that.” Charlie deflected.

“I asked first.” Vaggie countered.

Charlie sighed, defeated. “I’m still a little on edge. First you got hurt and then…” she held Vaggie tighter. “Falling is scary…it reminds me of the battle…if my dad hadn't been there I would've…” she choked up, burying her face in Vaggie's chest.

Vaggie held her tighter. She of course had an abundance of difficulty with her own trauma, and it hurt to know that Charlie was going through even a fraction of her pain. She tried her best to offer comfort, taking deep breaths between her words in an attempt to relax and distract from the pain. “You're okay…we're both…both okay. We're safe…I…I'm so sorry…”

“It wasn't your fault. I know it wasn't real…even if it felt real.” Charlie snuggled, feeling sleep beckoning once again. “It was just a nightmare.”

“Yeah…a nightmare…”

“You seem rather agitated, Vaggie.”

Turns out driving to a loud ass weapons complex to train while having the worst migraine of your life wasn't the brightest idea, as Carmilla seemed to notice.

“It's nothing.” Vaggie deflected as she rubbed an aching eye through the blindfold. “Just a headache, is all.” she followed Carmilla into the ballroom, eager to train. “What are we doing today?”

“Nothing much different from yesterday. You understand the basics of echolocation, but it will be a long time before you can master it.” Vaggie simply mumbled in response. “We’re going to practice some more.” She walked away, leaving Vaggie in the middle of the room. “Whistle.”

Vaggie whistled in the direction of Carmilla's voice. The echoes rattled through her ears, aggravating her headache. They were confusing as well. The ones in front of her were infrequent, some reaching her ears sooner than others, but inconsistently, like Carmilla wasn't the only thing interfering with them.

“Is there something else in front of me?” Vaggie questioned as she massaged her temples.

“Is that what the echoes tell you?” Carmilla's voice rang.

“Well…yes? They're bouncing back from something that's not you or the wall…at least I think?” she walked forward, before her cane bumped into something hollow and wooden. “I knew it.” She moved around the obstacle, noting its cubic shape. “Is this a crate?”

Carmilla smiled, proud. “Yes, it is. How different is it when there are multiple things in front of you?”

Vaggie whistled again towards Carmilla, as the weapons dealer was still a fair distance away from the crate. The echoes reverberated through her skull, making her eyes twitch and throb. She hunched in on herself, rubbing her eyes with a groan. “Fuck…”

“Vaggie…” she felt a hand in her shoulder. She tensed, expecting to be scolded for letting pain distract her. “Are you sure you're alright?”

No, she wasn't. The pain in her sockets was excruciating. But she could deal with it. She had to. She refused to give in to something she experienced so frequently. She could handle it. She had to…

She stood in perfect posture; back straight, hands at her sides. Her fingers twitched as she refrained from saluting. “Yes. I'm fine. I-it’s just a small headache.” Her eyes continued to twitch and burn. “I'm fine. Let's just keep…keep going…” she swayed, and Carmilla held her steady by the shoulders.

“You are not fine. This is clearly more than a small headache. If you're in no condition to continue today, then we won't continue.”

“But…but I have to train. I have to get better, stronger…I-I have to protect them-”

“And how can you protect them if you are incapacitated?” Carmilla gently interrupted.

“...huh?”

“Right now, you're in too much pain to keep going, and yet you refuse to acknowledge that fact and only hurt yourself further. You need to recognize when it's best to take care of yourself. You can't expect to protect others when you can't even handle yourself.”

“It's just phantom pain. That shouldn't be enough to stop me. I'm supposed to be stronger than that. How can I protect them if I let a little pain stop me?”

No pain, no gain, bitch.

“This isn't ‘a little pain.’ This is phantom pain, yes?” Vaggie nodded, slightly swaying. “This pain is debilitating enough to make you sway on your feet, and it's not just from some injury, it's from what you've lost.” Vaggie simply grumbled in response. “Think about it this way. You need to be healthy to train, yes?” Vaggie nodded, confused where this was going. “You can't be healthy if you don't prioritize yourself. You can't train to protect them, if you don't take care of yourself first. That's why we've waited so long isn't it? Because you were healing. You still are.”

“No…I-I’m…” she sighed. “I'm sorry. I'm not used to…this. It's hard to just give in when I've been taught to power through it. I always think I can handle it…” She was forced to handle any injuries that may have sprung up during sparring sessions back in Heaven. She thought she could handle crutches on her own when she clearly couldn't at the time. She thought she could handle the phantom pain during the first preening session after the battle. She thought she could get by without painkillers on so many occasions. She always tried to push herself to the limit, ignoring the potential consequences, and then suffering when it all became too much. Talk about an Icarus complex…

“Mija, you're not the indestructible perfect weapon that Heaven made you to be. You may not be human, but you do have limits. Limits that are important to recognize, and stop once you reach them, for the sake of your health.” Vaggie could hear the warmth and sincerity in her voice. It was very akin to how Charlie spoke to her. Kind, gentle, understanding.

“Okay…”

“Come, let's get you some pain medicine. You can rest in one of the guest rooms.”

Vaggie followed, finally giving in.

Charlie walked down to the lobby, where the vibe was noticeably sour. Many patrons were at the bar, using alcohol as a consultant in their decision. Some were on the plush couches trying their best to have serious, calm discussions about their next course of action. All of the newer guests were present…all except one.

She made her way into the kitchen and dining area, where breakfast had been cleaned. At the table, with his back to her, sat one, scaly individual. “Hello, Clay.”

Clay jumped in his seat, startled. He turned, saw Charlie, and slumped and turned back around with a sigh. “Princess.”

Charlie walked over and sat in the chair next to him, noting the can of beer in his hand. “How are you doing?”

Clay scoffed. “Fuckin' awful, ain't that obvious?” Charlie narrowed her gaze, not appreciating his attitude but not willing to chew him out either. Clay glared back, defensive, before dropping it and taking a sip from his can. “...sorry. I know you're tryin’ to help. M’surprised you're talkin’ to me at all, Hell knows the others won't, after last night.”

Charlie couldn't deny that she was upset with Clay. What he had said to Vaggie was incredibly insensitive, in more ways than he knew. He was by far one of the most temperamental people she'd ever met, and it made her curious, because he was clearly hiding something behind that mask of rage.

“I will admit I'm not happy with you, but that's why we're here right? Second chances?” She smiled trying to alleviate the tension, but Clay barely even budged. She let it drop. “Did you mean what you said?”

Clay chugged the rest of the can and crushed it against his forehead. “Look…I know she hates talkin’ about it…I know how it happened, and…it was stupid, what I said. Of course she knows what we're up against. I was just so pissed at that moment that I didn't care.”

“Do you care now?”

Clay sat in silence, almost as if he was truly analyzing the situation for the first time. He wasn't close to Vaggie at all. The only times they really interacted was when she had to break up whatever argument had spurred between him and whatever person his temper was unleashed on. It always ended in him giving somewhat regretful apologies that he only half meant. He thought it was stupid, but he knew that Vaggie and Charlie had their best interests at heart, trying to help them become better people. Vaggie didn't deserve his intense animosity at the time, she never did, and frankly…he was beginning to realize none of the other residents really did either. He got so worked up over the littlest things, and directed his temper at people who didn't warrant it, and this wasn't the first time people ignored him for it either. He was a ticking time bomb that was bound to explode, not caring who got burned in the aftermath. It was initially a coping mechanism for when things got shitty, that had slowly shifted to minor inconveniences, and a really unhealthy one at that.

“She didn't deserve what I said. I get angry all the time, and when I calm down…it doesn't feel…great. I just pretend it never happened, excuse it, ‘cause we all say shit we don't mean.” Charlie remained silent. He met her gaze. “But…shit here doesn't work like that…does it?”

“No. Here, we try to better ourselves. We hold each other accountable for the bad things we do. We apologize, sincerely, and we forgive with time. We learn, and we grow, and it takes time. But it all starts with a simple ‘sorry’.”

Clay broke his gaze, focused on the table below him. “I know I'm a piece of shit, I'm down here after all, and everyone here knows it too.” Charlie placed a hand on his shoulder, and he surprisingly let her. “Do you think they’ll forgive me?”

“Well, as long as you're sincere, Vaggie will understand where you're coming from. She has a bit of a temper, too. So do the older guests. As for the others…” she bit her lip. “You know them better than I do. They know you better than I do. If you're that close with them…I'm sure they'll understand in time, too. Everyone has their share of problems, and the point of this is to work through them and be better. The fact that you're willing to apologize in the first place is a big step.”

Clay patted the hand on his shoulder. “...thank you, Charlie.” Charlie smiled. He couldn't help the smallest grin, her smile was pretty contagious. “If ya don't mind, I'd like to be alone for a bit, get my thoughts together.”

Charlie removed her hand, and stood up, understanding. “Of course, take your time.”

Vaggie laid in an unfamiliar bed, pain meds in her system, and an ice pack over her blindfold. She hated it. She hated being reminded of her bedridden days, of when she was entirely helpless, useless, and a burden. She felt pathetic, hating that a little pain in her empty eyes had brought her to this state.

They still burned, even with the ice. She was still in heaps of pain, despite the medication she took a few hours ago. It was agony. She wanted it to end.

So end it then.

“Fuck off.”

It'd be so much easier. You've said so yourself.

No more pain. No more dealing with us.

“Charlie would be devastated.”

Would she, though? Over someone as pathetic as you?

“She loves me. I know she does.”

Please, who could love a weakling like you?

You crumbled in one hit last night.

You couldn't save her.

You failed her.

You did this.

“No…no it was just a nightmare…”

More like a night terror. They both had woken up panting and disoriented, like Vaggie always did after a night terror. Charlie had never had a nightmare that intense, not that Vaggie could remember. She knew that sharing dreams held the implications of sharing everything, but she never expected it would be so tantalizing in reaching their goal of bettering her mental health.

If anything, it felt like it was getting worse. She didn't feel any better about herself than she did when she first confessed to having these problems. She hated herself more. It seemed like whatever she did, she was bound to suffer, not that she didn't deserve it, but what point was there? Especially now that because of her, Charlie was feeling some extent of the suffering she went through. Why did everything have to be so complicated? It would be so easy to just…

Give up.

“Never.”

You're worthless.

You can't even fight in your dreams.

“I'll get better. I'll train.”

Yeah, that went so well today, didn't it?

Vaggie sighed, having no response. Why was she even responding to the voices in her head? She must've looked crazy from an outside perspective.

You are crazy.

Only a crazy woman like you could think you'd ever be capable.

She hated this. The voices were relentless, they often were when she was alone, and she was still in too much pain to really move around. She was just gonna have to deal with it, no matter how much they tried to bring her down. She could just ignore them, deny them, anything to prevent her from spiraling into dangerous thoughts.

She refused to reach her limit.

Ace paced around the lobby, Alice trailing behind him. His tail lashed as he tried to make sense of everything.

“I just don't want anyone to get hurt. We can't split up. How would we know they're safe?”

“Ace…”

“A lot of them are thinkin’ of leaving. I don't wanna…but…maybe goin’ back to the streets won't be so bad…”

“Ace.”

“We’ve only been here about 3 weeks…that's not that long, but…they've made it home for us in that short time, haven't they? But what's even the point? Can we really-”

“Ace!”

Ace turned to face his little sister, effectively snapped from his spiral. Alice put her hands on the shorter rat’s shoulders.

“We came here to be safe. How many times are we gonna run and hide when things get tough? These people care about us. You heard Vaggie; she's willing to fight and protect us to the bitter end.” Ace simply sighed. “We…we don't even have to fight. We can just stay until…until the time comes.”

“But what if some of us don't want to? What if some of us want to leave now? We've been a pack for years now. We stay together.”

“People come and go. You know that. Remember…remember what happened to Andrew?” Ace grimaced. Their brother Andrew had strayed away from their family on Earth, and met an untimely death as a result. Even after 5 years in Hell, they hadn't found him. It wouldn't be surprising if an exorcist had gotten to him.

“I don't want a repeat of Andrew. He left us, and it killed him.”

“You pushed him away.”

“You know that's not what happened!”

The front doors opened, interrupting their argument. In the doorway stood Vaggie, with the closest thing Hell's sky could get to resembling a sunset behind her. Silence fell across the entire lobby, to which she looked around confused. “Uh…hello?”

“Ah, fuck. It's time.”

All 10 of the newer residents sat on the couches, with the older residents standing in front of them.

“Now, remember, guys.” Charlie began. “I don't want you to be pressured to stay. Whatever you choose…” she sighed. “I'll accept it.”

“Just know,” Vaggie continued. “The possible consequences each action could bring. If you stay, you'll be at risk after 3 months. If you leave now, you'll be back on the streets.”

“Ace…” Charlie addressed the leader. “You've had 48 hours to decide. What's the verdict?”

Ace’s ears anxiously twitched as he turned to his group. “Shall we put it to a vote?” Noises of agreement. “Alright, we'll go down the line. Alice?”

The rat next to him fidgeted but remained firm. “I think…I think we should stay, at least for a bit.”

“Zero?”

“I said it was worth the risk before, I still think it is now.” The jackal reasoned.

“Sam?”

The demon dog sighed. “I'll stay…only because this place is so much better than the streets.”

“Bryce?”

“Fuck this! I wanna go home! Haven't you heard that the angels can read your mind and predict your every move?”

Vaggie sighed and Angel ruffled her hair.

“Avery?”

“Don't get me wrong, this place is great and all, but I'd be safer in Cannibal Town. At least until you come and rally us again.” the cannibal dug.

Charlie rubbed the back of her neck.

“Sandra?”

“...I'll stay, just to keep these idiots in line.” The swan huffed.

“Jason?”

“I'll be honest, I think I like the street better.” Everyone wheeled and raised a brow at the tiny cyclops. “I just prefer the ruggedness and thrill of a daily life on the street, sorry.”

“Well then…Carter?”

“I don't fear death. I'll stay.” The demon declared. Everyone glanced at him wearily.

“...Clay?”

Everyone glanced at the crocodile, already anticipating his decision. What he did though, surprised them all. He stood up and cleared his throat.

“I just wanna say…that I've been a shit friend, and a shit guest.” He looked at everyone in his group, before looking at the older guests in front of him. “I know my temper gets out of control, and I take it out on people that don't deserve it.” He directly looked at the only angel in the room. “Especially to you, Vaggie. What I said yesterday was fucked, and I'm sorry that I took my anger out on you when you were tryin' to help. I'm sorry, everyone. I want to stay, cause I know I can be better.”

Silence. He sat down, having said his piece. Charlie absolutely beamed. Vaggie cleared her throat.

“Uh…thank you, Clay. I accept your apology.” Angel and Husk murmured their own acceptance. Ace’s group said nothing, though it didn't seem like they were outright shunning him anymore.

“Well, the vote favors we stay-”

“Y'know what? Fuck this.” Bryce stood up. “I'm sick of this majority bullshit. I’m leavin’ and y'all can't stop me!”

Jason and Avery also stood up. “See you guys around."

The three made their way to the door. Ace started and jumped from his seat after them. “Wait! You can't leave, we're a pack! We voted! You can't-”

“Ace.” He turned to see Alice standing a few feet behind him. “You always say you want what's best for us…if…if they think that leaving is best…then…let them.”

“But…”

The door closed, and the three were gone.

Alice consoled Ace, as did some of the other members of his group. The ones who didn't, talked to Clay about his apology, confused where this sudden change of character came from, to which he did his best to explain.

With the loose ends taken care of, Charlie could now pace in the privacy of her own room.

“Okay, not a big deal. Only three people left. Only three! That's fine. We'll be fine! We're totally fi-”

“Charlie…”

“Oh God, Vaggie, what am I gonna do?” She paced over to Vaggie's position on the bed and squeezed the angel's hands, trying to relieve some stress. “What if I can't do this?”

“Charlie…” Vaggie squeezed back. Her right eye twitched but she ignored it. “We, will figure it out. I have faith in you. We know this isn't for everyone, but the fact that most of them stayed means that they have faith too. You got this. We'll take it a day at a time, right?”

Charlie let a small smile grace her face. Leave it to Vaggie to cheer her up when her own relentless optimism wavered. “Right.” She kissed Vaggie's cheek in appreciation. “Thank you.” Vaggie faintly smiled as well, before her eye twitched again and she rubbed it with a grimace. Charlie frowned. “Have they been bothering you all day?”

“Mhm. It's not as bad as it was this morning, though.”

“Carmilla didn't push you too hard, did she?”

“No, actually. They were bothering me too much, so she made me stop, gave me some pain meds, and an ice pack.” She recounted.

“Oh, that's…really nice of her. Ugh, I knew I should've made you stay home. I know you said you were fine but…”

“I thought I was fine. I thought I could handle it, but…” she grimaced. “Lately I've realized that I tend to overestimate myself with things like that. I'm not…” she sighed and Charlie put a hand on her shoulder. “I was raised to be a perfect weapon, an unstoppable force…but…I'm not. I never was…”

You're a fraud.

“But even so, you're still so strong. The things you go through on a daily basis…” she lightly fiddled with Vaggie's blindfold. “Satan knows I could never…”

“Yeah, well…” the angel flushed at the praise. “I could never do what you do; run a hotel, have so much compassion for everyone around you; put up with me every day…” she hid the self depreciation behind a teasing smirk, in an attempt to lighten the mood. Charlie followed up.

“Hey now.” Charlie poked her in the stomach, making her squirm. “That last one's a privilege.”

“You flirt.” Vaggie playfully scoffed.

“You love it.” Charlie repeated.

“I do.” She pulled Charlie closer for a soft kiss. “I love you, mi princesa.” she gushed.

“I love you, too, my angel.”

Chapter Text

Saturday rolled around, and spirits were not particularly high.

After having a whole day to process the spectacle that was Thursday night, Saturday morning held a certain gloominess and dread. Most of the residents were ready to get into the grind, do their best with the 3 short months they had, but some were still a little broken up.

Ace hadn't left his room since Thursday night, and Alice spent most of Friday sitting outside his room, slipping food under the door and tearfully begging him to come out.

Sam and Sandra spent their time talking to Clay about his sudden change of heart, since they were the two that tiffed with him the most, to which he tried his best to calmly explain.

Zero and Carter were rather unaffected. Zero claimed to be used to this, having had friends come and go for most of his life, hence being alone for a long time. Carter advocated the fact that the 3 that had left had only recently joined the pack for less than a year, so he ultimately wasn't surprised that they abandoned everything when things got dire. “People come and go, it's a way of life.”

Alastor was yet to disclose his opinion on the matter. He was rarely around anymore as it was, choosing to either be out on the streets wreaking terror, or in his radio tower scheming on the best ways to wreak said terror. He was yet to properly even show his face to the newer residents.

No one had heard a singular peep from Lucifer since the meeting on Tuesday, though a spontaneous heat wave did seem to spring over the Pride Ring.

Niffty was bummed that Jason left, since he was a lot like her in terms of being a physically small cyclops, but quickly got over it, focusing on exterminating any bugs for “practice”. “There'll be other bad boys.”

Cherri went out Friday morning, to “take care o’ some business'' as she put it. The rest of them chalked it up to some sort of turf war and didn't think much of it.

Angel came back from work Friday night more tired than usual, not caring how much alcohol he poisoned his liver with, just wanting to numb the pain.

Husk kept him under wraps, though not without guzzling some bottles himself, getting increasingly pissed off with Angel's work conditions.

Vaggie went back to Carmilla's on Friday, resuming the lesson that she hadn't been able to finish on Thursday on account of phantom pain. She came back with a migraine, a result of having to listen to loud, high pitched noises all day.

Charlie sat in the embassy waiting for Pentious, stressing over it all. Nobody was having a particularly good time right now. 3 residents had left. How long before everyone else followed? How long before they all lost faith, before they realized she had no idea what the fuck to do? Maybe this stupid dream of hers would crash—just like her father—and she and Vaggie would go back to the manor, or her apartment, that is if Vaggie wanted to stay…she couldn't blame her if she didn't.

She ran her hands down her face. When did everything get so complicated?

A flash, and a small sheet of golden paper appeared in the middle of the room. It floated ominously, almost taunting her. She hesitantly approached, noting it was different from the typical parchment she normally signed for meetings. It was…a letter…scrawled out in neat and curvy handwriting.

Dearest Charlie,

I regret to inform you that I am unable to come down to Hell for my visit today. I recently started working a job as an engineer, and right now, there are many demands to be made.

The Seraphim are looking to construct a new district of buildings, as Heaven is slowly increasing in population, and believe that the current districts may become overcrowded in the next few months.

They needed somebody to design the new district, with precise plans for each and every building that is going to be made, so they can conjure them to perfection. I volunteered, because who else could offer perfection but me, Sir Pentious!

I apologize for any inconvenience. Please let everyone know that I miss them, and tell my dear Cherri Bomb that I intend to take her on the most incredible date when I see her again!

Warmest Regards,

Sir Pentious

Charlie sighed as she finished reading. Well, at least he was happy and doing something that he loved. She folded the letter and put it in her pocket, keeping it to show the others when she came back to the hotel with no Pentious in tow. She sulked out the double doors and plopped into the limo where Razzle was waiting.

“C'mon, Razzle. Let's head to the Harmacy.” They drove off, with the countdown reading 85 days looming over them.

The Harmacy itself was rather misleading—well, the name was. It was what was expected of a pharmacy built and run by patrons of Hell. It was full of amenities, bizarre decorations, food, pills, and even a corner in the back to get a Hell Flu, rabies or tetanus shot—though Charlie would rather stick to Belphegor’s healthcare, thank you very much.

Whatever, she was here for medicine, since they were still out of painkillers. The brand they typically went with was cheap, yet efficient for them. Lucky her, all the cheaper stuff was in the back. She ventured through the shelves, passing by all sorts of other meds: anxiety, depression, sleeping pills, and a bunch of other things she didn't even know were for.

She grabbed a few boxes of their preferred pain meds, and couldn't help but eye the others as she made her way towards the counter to pay. She stopped, curiosity overcoming her, grabbing a bottle and reading the labels on it.

Cymbalta (Duloxetine Hydrochloride) - Capsules for oral use

Usage

• Major Depressive Disorder

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

• Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

• Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain

• Fibromyalgia

Dosage

• MMD - 40mg/day to 60mg/day

• GAD - 60mg/day

• DPNP - 60mg/day

• CMP - 60mg/day

• FM - 60mg/day

Recommended to take half dosage during the first week.

WARNING: Suicidality and Antidepressant Drugs

Increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults taking antidepressants for major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Cymbalta is not approved for use in pediatric patients.

“Oh…jeez.”

She had no idea there were even medications like this—at least, never really considered them. Sure, when Vaggie first fell and she was taking care of her, she gave her pain meds she already had in the apartment, but that was about it. But then the night terrors, panic attacks, and insomnia came around…but they'd learnt to deal with it. She thought they'd fade over time—and they did!—but now it was all back in full force, worse than ever before.

And Vaggie had recently confessed something so deep that had been buried for over 3 and a half years: suicidal thoughts. It was scary to know that Vaggie's will to live was teetering, and entirely dependent on her.

A looming thought of her own hung over her head. It wasn't that she didn't trust Vaggie—the opposite, of course—but she couldn't shake the aching feeling in her gut that something would go wrong. That if she was away for too long…Vaggie wouldn't be there when she got back.

That was silly, of course. Vaggie would never leave without at least saying goodbye…Vaggie wouldn't leave at all! At least…that's what she hoped…

Whatever. The point of the matter was…the use of prescription drugs never crossed their minds back then but…maybe it wouldn't hurt to try them now. Well, not now, obviously, but…maybe when this all blew over, and they finally had some peace, they could really, really work on this together.

What they were doing now with the shared lucid dreams was only the first step to helping Vaggie improve mentally. Making it easier to deal with her inner demons would allow her to be more at ease, and make it easier for her to learn proper self esteem, self worth, etc.

Medicine could help, she was sure. This specific brand seemed to cover most of what Vaggie was struggling with—what she had been struggling with for a long time, actually. Anxiety, depressive mood, and…she really didn't know if the rest truly applied. She didn't know what fibromyalgia even meant. The only thing that this didn't seem to cover was Vaggie's terrible sleeping problems, but she knew she could probably find a sleeping pill for that, though Vaggie never did like the idea of being drugged to sleep…

All of this was still so new. They'd become so much more open with each other since the battle—and even the trial—to some extent. She'd have to have a long talk with Vaggie about this another time, and this was something that just 3 months ago Vaggie wouldn't dare be talking about…she'd have probably insisted that she was fine, didn't need to rely on meds, that there was nothing wrong and she could handle it, but now…

She kept the idea on the back burner, putting the box back and leaving to pay for the pain meds.

While Charlie was out, Vaggie slept in.

Well, she tried to, at least. In reality she had no energy to get out of bed, and since Carmilla had told her to take Saturdays of since she needed to catch up with work at some point—which really only amplified her everlasting guilt—and the hotel technically had off on the weekends—though she suspected that wouldn't last very long—she had nothing substantial to do today.

So she simply laid in bed, pondering life, as one did on a Saturday morning.

You're slacking off, Vaggie.

She sighed, dragging her hands down her face. “I'm not slacking.”

You could be training.

But no.

You're wallowing in bed.

Thought you were tired of that.

Or is that another lie you've told yourself?

“What the fuck do you want from me? Don't you have anything better to do?”

Don't you?

She growled. She could never just have a peaceful morning to herself, could she? Images of Adam's mask were fading in and out. He never hesitated to call her out for being slow, being weak, a slacker, a worthless failure…

“I don't fuckin' care that you're tired, Vaggie. Everyone here is training just as hard, if not, harder than you. You don't wanna fall behind, do ya?”

She'd been pulling all-nighters—she had lost track of how many—working herself to her limits, training to be the best she could be. Every sacrificed hour of sleep meant an hour well spent on self improvement and dedicated vigor.

Adam was fading in and out, the negligence finally catching up to her. “No…no, Sir...”

Adam wasn't pleased with that lackluster response. He leaned down to her level, glowing yellow eyes piercing through her pupils. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “What are you, Vagina?”

Her heavy, amber eyes widened at the use of her proper name, the name he only ever used if he meant serious business. “I’m…I-I’m one of your top girls…Sir.”

“That's right. You're one of my top girls. You have a body count that even fuckin’ Lute would be jealous of, which, is so kickass! I fuckin’ love that about you. But right now, you're slacking, and it's kinda pissin’ me off. I've seen what you can do, and it's fuckin’ awesome! You're one of my best girls, Vaggie…” the grip on her shoulder tightened ever so slightly, wrinkling her uniform, clawing at her skin. He shifted to a much more menacing tone. “So get back out there, and start fucking acting like it.”

She felt a chill crawl up her spine. She was lucky that he hadn't punished her and was simply letting her off with a warning. She saluted, fighting the haziness in her brain and the lead feeling in her limbs. “Y-yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir.”

She jolted, having gotten lost in the memory.

“Fuck…”

She didn't want to remember. She rubbed her temple, trying to alleviate the migraine that had been plaguing her since yesterday afternoon. She huddled further under the covers, large and thick blankets failing to rid her of the chill creeping across her limbs. She buried her face deeper into her pillow, hoping to fall back asleep and chase the memories away…

And then there was a loud knock on the door.

“Fuck off,” she tried to yell. Instead it came out as an unintelligible muffle through the cotton of her pillow. The knocking persisted, pounding in sync with her migraine. “Go the fuck away!” she called, louder this time. The pounding on the door didn't cease. Vaggie groaned and tumbled out of bed, laboriously trekking to the door. She opened it with a yawn, before getting blasted in the face by a familiar aura that made her angelic senses tingle. “What do you want, Lucifer?”

“Hey, uhh…mornin’. Is Charlie with you?” He tried to peek past her, trying to see for himself.

“No. Why?”

“Good.”

He pushed past her and invited himself in. He shut the door with his magic, startling her. “Ah! What the fuck, Lucifer?”

“I've been biding my time, trying to make sense of all this bullshit.” She could hear him pacing, tiny feet trotting across the carpet. She heard the crinkle of paper in his hands, seemingly shifting through a bunch of notes he had. “The more I think about it, the more it doesn't make any sense at all!”

Vaggie pinched her nose, not in the mood for this. She could see where Charlie got her overwhelming amount of energy from. She didn't know what time it was, but she knew she was far too tired for this lightning fast rambling. “Back up. The fuck are you talking about?”

He wheeled, seemingly not caring that Vaggie was on the brink of falling asleep standing up. “I'm talking about the meeting! How they just changed their minds out of nowhere, it doesn't make any damn sense!”

Vaggie stared blankly through the blindfold. She hadn't really had time to think thoroughly about the logistics of Heaven's spontaneous decision. Sure, it was stupid and made no sense, but it seemed Lucifer had really run himself through trying to figure out why. “Where are you going with this?”

More crinkling of papers. It sounded like he was slapping him down on something. He was probably organizing all his thoughts on the bed. He finished, satisfied, and turned back to her, gesturing wildly to his notes. “Look.”

Vaggie simply cocked her head with a raised brow, waiting for him to realize. Lucifer's manic grin slowly faded out of confusion, before he understood his error.

“Oh…right…” he awkwardly cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck. “I'll just read through them and explain.” He cleared his throat again, this time with the purpose of precursing his speech. “Heaven's council consisting of Archangels and Seraphim make decisions for the sake of Heaven through means of a trial or a meeting if more than one party is affected. Case in point: The trial you and Charlie went to 4 months ago.” He recounted. Vaggie nodded to show she was following along.

“They don't do this just because, they do it for the sake of protocol and quote unquote fairness.” He sneered. “Redemption and extermination involves 2 parties: Heaven and Hell. Looking back, they shouldn't have been allowed to change the exterminations to 6 months instead of a year without someone from down here agreeing. They still shouldn't be allowed to do that.” He ran his hand through his hair. That fact pissed him off the most. The fact that they could break any rules they wanted without consequences, and yet they casted the two of them out for daring to bend them a little. He quelled the fire forming in his chest, getting back to the point.

“But that's not the point. The point is, after they make a decision, they let it execute for at least 3 months, before making any changes. That's the way it's been for over 10,000 years.”

Vaggie felt the gears in her head turning. “3 months…it hasn't been that long…wait a minute…Pentious was accepted not even 2 months ago. They cheated the deadline.”

“Exactly! Furthermore, they didn't mention Adam at all before. Not until this meeting. If they were really that pissed about the sinners rebelling and killing him, then they would've brought it up before. And they certainly wouldn't have allowed redemption.”

“So where are you going with this?”

“I think there's something fishy going on up there. As stuck up as they are, they almost always respect the grace period. I think something, or someone, is interfering.”

“Wait wait wait. You're implying that someone in Heaven managed to convince the entire council to change their mind prematurely? That's insane.”

“I know. It doesn't make sense. None of this does. Do you know anyone up there that's really conniving, someone with a silver tongue that good?”

Vaggie hummed. She didn't know most of the winners. But then again, they were just that: winners. Only the likes of Pentious would probably be that close to the higher ups anyway. Heaven born like cherubs could also be a factor, but they were dutiful to the Archangels will. That only left a few other types of angels. The Archangels themselves, the Seraphim, and…the exorcists.

“It might be a stretch, but…Lute always had a strong, commanding energy. She's actually very well respected up there, unfortunately—at least, amongst the exorcists and winners. She's the head of the exorcists now, meaning she talks with Sera, meaning she's in with the higher ups. Maybe…she used her charisma to change their minds. Who else would be trying to sabotage Charlie from up there?”

“Exactly. And that's why I don't want Charlie to know about this. Vox is already sabotaging her from down here, she'd get so upset if she knew someone up there is, too.” He reasoned. Vaggie paused. She was all too familiar with lying by omission for the sake of Charlie's feelings.

“I'm through with lying to her. She deserves to know if someone is hurting her.”

He shook his head. “I don't want her to doubt herself. If she knew that people on both sides were trying to stop her, imagine how crushed she would be. I know her. She might even lose faith all together, and end up like me.”

Vaggie glared and straightened her posture. “With all due respect, Sir, you don't know her as well as you think you do.” Lucifer went silent, shocked at the accusation. She tensed, half expecting a punishment for talking back, but kept going regardless. “Charlie’s will is strong beyond belief. Her devotion to the things she loves and believes in is unmatched. Look at me—Hell, look at us.” Lucifer bristled. “I know she can handle it.”

“I just don't want her to get hurt…” he pleaded.

“Lying will only hurt her more.”

“You don't know that.”

“I do.”

He paused, getting a sense of déjá vu. He was always stubborn and stuck in his ways, only recently learning to be more open and accepting to others ideals. He deeply struggled to let things go, let someone else take the reigns. To take someone else's word…

Always so self righteous…

Always so prideful…

“...Fine. We'll tell her when she gets back.”

“We could talk to Pentious, too. See if he knows anything suspicious.”

“Yeah…”

A heavy silence fell over the two fallen angels. The air was thick, tense. Vaggie felt exhaustion creep back into her bones, headache pounding something fierce. She subconsciously brought her wings out as she stretched the rest of her tired limbs, something Lucifer took notice of.

“How are your wings, by the way?”

Vaggie paused from her stretching. “Fine…I guess.”

“I assume Charlie's been helping you preen regularly?”

“Yeah.” Last night had been a silent, uneventful session, aside from the migraine that had stubbornly refused to fade even now.

“Have you gotten any practice with them?”

Vaggie thought back to the very brief practice she had in the dreamscape, while crossing the bottomless chasm to get to Charlie. She hadn't put much thought into flying after that, since she could see during that time anyways. “Yeah, but barely.”

Lucifer fell silent, rocking on his heels, seemingly internally debating his next move. “Would you…like to try now?”

Vaggie perked, not expecting that. “Right now? Like…now, now?”

Lucifer spread his own six wings. “Sure! Come on, let's getcha up in the air!”

“H-Hold on. I…I don't think…I can't…” Suddenly everything felt like it was moving too fast. Her wings curled protectively around her. “This isn't…I can't just…” she could feel that he was getting closer, about to whip her into shape just like Adam did.

Slacker.

“Hey.” She tensed at the gentle hand on her shoulder. “We don't have to. I just…I figured since you could use the practice and we both have angel wings and all that…” he trailed off. He wouldn't admit it, but a deep part inside of him longed to be a mentor, a guide, a shoulder to lean on. He hadn't had that clarity since Charlie was little, and part of him dearly missed it.

Lucifer wasn't Adam. He wasn't aggressive, or sexist, or cruel. He had an ego, sure, but at least he was trying to be better about it. She could trust him. She was in good hands. “...I'll try.”

Lucifer flashed a toothy grin, showing his sharp teeth. He held his hands out, palms up, in invitation as he spread his wings behind him. “Take my hands, Fledgeling.”

Charlie sulked into the hotel, a small paper bag in her hands and a golden note glowing in her pocket.

Not many people were present. Ace and Alice were still yet to come down, Angel was at work, and Cherri hadn't come back from her excursion yet. That left Husk, Niffty, Carter, Zero, Clay, Sam, and Sandra, who all turned upon her arrival.

“Hey Charlie.”

“Hey…”

Husk raised a long brow. “What's up? And where's Pentious?”

Charlie fidgeted with the note in her pocket. “Well…uh…he can't make it today.” Their eyes widened, mouths opening to question. Charlie pulled the golden note from her pocket. “He got a job up in Heaven, and he's pretty busy. He explains everything in this note he left.” She walked over to the bar, dropping it front and center for all of them to read.

Husk blew a low whistle. “Cherri ain't gonna be happy about that.”

Charlie cringed at the thought of the arsonist's wrath. “No, but he did promise her a date. Maybe that will-”

BOOM!

All heads turned to the now destroyed wall, alarmed. The smoke cleared, and through it stepped a slim cyclops with wild strawberry blonde hair tied back in a large ponytail. “I'm back, bitches!”

“Goddamn it Cherri, use the door!” Charlie cried, running her hands down her face.

Cherri stepped in the building, sauntering over to the bar where everyone was gathered. “Ah, c'mon. Ya know I can't help it with the dramatic entrances. Get Al or Dear ol’ Dad ta fix it.” She glanced at everyone, noting the absence of a tall angelic snake. “Where's Penny? He's s’posed ta come today ain't he?”

Charlie awkwardly cleared her throat. Husk slid the note across the bar for her to read. “Yeah, about that…”

Cherri skeptically picked up the note, bewildered by its golden glow. She grumbled as she skimmed through it, crinkling the paper more as she read further down the page. Everyone waited with baited breath, afraid she was about to explode—or at least, explode something. Her eye slightly widened at the final message, before crumpling the paper into a ball with a huff. “Well, he betta make that date worth the wait.”

A collective exhale rang across the room. Husk passed Cherri a drink, to which she happily took.

“Where've ya been, anyways?” Sam inquired. “You kinda left with no explanation. Was it a turf war?”

Cherri smirked and chuckled. “Yea, but that only lasted like half the day. The rest was cuz I had ta get my old trainin’ dummies in order and lug ‘em over for Vags ta use. They're out back, if anyone else wants to use ‘em.”

Clay shrugged and downed the rest of his drink. “Sure. Been dyin’ to let out some steam.”

“Me too.” Sam followed. The two ventured deeper into the first floor, headed for the back door.

With them gone, Cherri turned to Charlie, eyeing the contents of the bag in her hands. “What's in the bag, Charles?”

Charlie ignored the nickname and addressed the brown paper bag. “It's just pain meds. We ran out on Thursday.”

Husk's ears twitched. “Wait. So Vaggie just had to sit through her migraine yesterday? Damn.” He sipped from his bottle.

Sandra winced in sympathy. “Oof. Been there, and it ain't pretty. I've had some that lasted for like, days. She probably still feels like shit if the day's about half spent and she hasn't come down yet.”

Charlie winced. “Jeez, I should probably go check on her, then.” She grabbed the paper back and made her way to the stairs, but not before turning and inquiring about another resident who was yet to come down. “Have…any of you seen Ace at all today?”

A series of head shakes and negative responses had her slumping slightly, but she didn't really know what she expected. Ace needed time, Vaggie had told her. And he had Alice. He'd come around…hopefully.

She sulked up the stairs and made her way to her bedroom. She quietly opened the door, half expecting Vaggie to be asleep.

What she didn't expect, was to see two fallen angels, hand in hand, flying high in the middle of the room.

“I really think we should stop.” Vaggie pressed. Despite her large wings propelling her, she still looked so small, hunching in on herself.

“Oh c'mon, it's only been a couple minutes. Besides, you're doing great!” Lucifer chirped. His six wings flapped separately in three pairs, giving him the illusion of floating.

“I still feel weird. I don't know where I am. I don't know how far the floor is, or the walls, or the ceiling. I don't like it.” Vaggie shifted, still keeping their hands locked, but twisted her torso and swiveled her head around, as if that would suddenly give her the clarity she was looking for.

Charlie watched from afar, amazed, as the two people she loved most hovered radiantly with each flap of their mighty, feathered appendages. She bit back a squeal, wanting to savor the moment.

Lucifer rubbed his thumbs across the back of Vaggie's hands, his left one tracing the scar on Vaggie's right. “You're okay. You don't have to stress. We're just hovering in your bedroom, nothing more to it.”

Her back was beginning to ache. She hadn't flown for this long in years. She used to be able to go for ages, and now just a few minutes left her tense, stiff. The scars were beginning to prickle and burn, muscles tight and sore from lack of use. Not to mention her migraine had still refused to fade, and was pounding heavily with each flap of her wings. Nausea was starting to swirl in her gut. “...I'd really like to get down now. Please.”

Lucifer heard the slight tremble in her voice. He nodded, not that it mattered. “Alright, I'll set us down slowly. Just keep matching my tempo, okay?” They slowly descended, their wings producing a light wind. They were about 5 feet above the ground when Vaggie stiffened, still not knowing where the floor was. “We're gonna touch down in 3…2…1.” Their feet reached the floor, Vaggie stumbling slightly, still caught off guard despite the countdown. “Ya did it!”

Vaggie had no time to process the praise as Charlie zipped over and wrapped them both in a tight hug. “That was so awesome you guys! You looked so pretty and elegant like…like angels!”

Vaggie couldn't help the tired smile that pulled her lips. “We are angels, babe.”

“I know but it's easy to forget when you don't have any halos. And you barely use your wings, both of you. You should have them out more often; you guys look so pretty when you fly!” Charlie gushed. She relinquished the angels from the bone crushing hug, and they both put their wings away.

“Yeah, um…maybe another time. I'm really tired. And I still have a headache.” She wanted nothing more than to just go back to bed, not in the mood for any more company.

Charlie cupped Vaggie's cheeks in her hands, clicking her tongue in sympathy. “Still? Poor thing. Here, I just got some more pain meds.” She rummaged through the bag and opened a brand new bottle, popping 2 pills, and placing them in Vaggie's ready hand. “That should do it.”

“Thanks, hun.”

With that taken care of, Charlie turned her attention to the abundance of papers scattered across the bed, detailing things from Heaven's inner workings, to straight up chicken scratch. One paper in particular had just one word written in bold, frantically underlined, taking up the entire sheet.

INJUSTICE

“What's all this?” She inquired.

Lucifer dashed over and stood between Charlie and the bedside, trying to block her view from his conspiratorial papers. “Nothing! It's nothing to worry about…”

“Lucifer.”

Lucifer turned to Vaggie, who was somehow looking directly at him. Covered gaze baring straight into his soul. She wasn't going to let him lie through his teeth, not to his daughter, not to her girlfriend. He sighed and wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.

“Fine. Charlie, sweetie, we uh…” Charlie tilted her head, gesturing for him to continue. He sighed again. “I really didn't wanna tell you this, but…uhm…” Vaggie walked over and nudged him.

“Out with it. If you won't tell her, I will.”

“Tell me what? What are you two talking about?”

Lucifer still refused to open his trap, still hesitant about letting this damaging conspiracy reach his daughter’s ears. Despite Vaggie's reassurance, there was still the chance that Charlie would be heartbroken, and start feeling down about herself. He refused to let that happen.

“Charlie, we think there's someone up in Heaven trying to interfere with redemption.” Vaggie finally spoke for him. “Heaven always waits for 3 months after making a decision before changing their minds. It's protocol. Pentious and redemption as a whole was accepted not even 2 months ago, and yet they scheduled a new extermination without our consent. It's fucked, and we think someone up there is pulling the strings.”

Charlie blinked, not fully processing. “Wait…what do you mean? Why would they do that? W-why would they…?”

Vaggie reached out, trying to find her shoulders, instead she ended up flailing aimlessly. Charlie took her hands and held them, squeezing for comfort. “We don't know. We think that Lute's weaseled her way into the higher ups and is trying to halt any progress.”

Lucifer stepped closer and put a hand on her shoulder. “Of course, it's all speculation. But it makes the most sense, even if it doesn't make much sense on its own.”

Charlie stood, shell shocked. Not only was there going to be an extermination in 3 months permitted nobody got redeemed, not only were some of her residents in disarray and yet to come out of their rooms, not only was Vox still prohibiting any sort of advertisement regarding the hotel, but now the people in Heaven, who were her only chances of making this dream possible, were halting any sort of progress she had made. The one soul that she did redeem, couldn't even visit them right now because he was busy.

She fell to her knees, overwhelmed. Tears leaked from her eyes as her lip trembled. Tiny sobs escaped her. She buried her face in her hands as her horns made themselves known, trying to block the oncoming wave of sadness.

Vaggie knelt down with her and wrapped her in a tight hug, trying to offer as much comfort as possible. She could feel Lucifer’s glare burning into her. Guilt was creeping up her spine, but she pushed it down. She wasn't going to feel bad for telling Charlie what she needed to know, though she wished it didn't have to hurt as much as it did.

“I'm sorry, sweetie. I didn't wanna tell you cause I know you're dealing with so much.” Lucifer consoled.

“No…” Charlie hiccuped. “No, I-I'm glad you told me.” Lucifer and Vaggie both started, surprised.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Charlie sniffed and wiped her tears. She leaned deeper into Vaggie's hug, she was always cool to the touch and it provided a wonderful contrast to her natural heat. “As much as it fucking sucks…it's good to know everything we're up against.”

Vaggie rubbed her back, and Lucifer kept a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I'm sorry, Hun. Like Lucifer said, it's just a theory we have. It might not even be true. We were hoping to talk to Pentious to see if he knows anything about this.”

At that, Charlie deflated again. “He's not here. He got a job up in Heaven, and he's really busy, designing new buildings for the Archangels to conjure for new winners.”

Lucifer tapped his chin with his other hand, pondering this new information. “Does he know about the extermination?”

Charlie shook her head against Vaggie's shoulder, golden hair tickling the angel's chin. “I feel like he would have said something in his letter. He only felt bad that he couldn't come and said he misses us.”

Vaggie had a creeping thought in the back of her mind that maybe the letter was fabricated, and they were forcefully preventing Pentious from coming down to Hell. She wouldn't put it past them, but she pushed it aside. That was straight up assuming the worst, and Charlie didn't need her needless pessimism right now. She suppressed a yawn, still dog tired, and Charlie's warmth wasn't helping with the unending desire to go back to bed.

“At least he's doing what he loves.” Charlie slowly nodded in agreement. “What time is it, by the way?”

Lucifer pulled his phone from his pocket. “11:23.”

Shit. Had she really slept in for that long? Or had she gotten so wrapped up in her thoughts that she simply laid in bed for hours? Either way, she couldn't have that. She needed to be in top shape, peak condition, in order to survive the potential war that was to fall upon them in 3 short months. She should work out, or at least maybe take a walk. Something, anything, to get the blood pumping and get her ass moving.

And yet…the call of her warm bed was so hard to ignore.

Slacker.

She sat there, Charlie still in her arms, suspended, frozen, unsure of how to proceed. A yawn finally made itself known. Charlie noticed and separated, horns having retreated. She hummed. “You think a nap would help?”

A nap? She couldn't afford to be napping. She already spent a day of training stuck in bed with an ice pack on her face. She should really get changed and get moving, before this becomes a bad habit.

The will was all there...but the motivation was lacking.

“...Sure.”

Pathetic.

"So, is this what you've been up to since you left after the meeting?"

With Vaggie asleep, the Morningstars stood outside, trekking the hall. Lucifer fiddled with the papers in his hands. "Yeah, pretty much."

"I don't like when you disappear like that. I know nothing can really hurt you...but...I don't know...it makes me worry. It would be nice to know that you were at least 100% safe." She confessed.

Lucifer paused, never really having considered that. "I'm just in my office in the mansion. You know where to find me. You found me before, remember?"

"Yeah, I know. Just, if you have to lock yourself in your office, at least maybe try the one upstairs. This is your home too, Dad. You don't have to go back to that giant mansion all by yourself..."

"It's really not that big of a deal—"

"Please? For me?"

Lucifer looked into his daughter's eyes, the eyes she got from him. They were full, full of despair and desperation. A look that was always present when he never quite measured up as a parent. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't unfamiliar. It was a look he often got when she was a child, and a teenager...it never really stopped, did it?

She wanted him here, was all she was trying to say.

"...okay. If it'll make you feel better."

She hugged him, a silent thank you. "Oh!" She perked, enthusiasm back front and center, as if she wasn't about to start crying a few seconds ago. "While I have you, the wall got blown up again. Do you think you could fix it, please?" A sheepish grin split her lips.

Lucifer stood, wide eyed, brows arched, mouth agape. "Again?! You've gotta be shitting me!"

Chapter Text

Earth was a dark, dreary, empty void. For miles and miles, not a single cheery soul could be found. The skies filled with depression, the air ripe with sorrow. Happiness as a concept felt ludicrous and foreign.

Well, that's how it felt for Ace as he paced around the creaky wood floorboards of the rundown shack he and his siblings managed to take refuge in. It was midday, yet the sun was hidden behind a dark wall of leaking clouds. Lightning flashed, and thunder roared a few beats behind.

“Ya can't do this Andy.”

“And why the hell not?” Andrew bellowed. He had a pistol in hand, and a dagger holstered at his side. He stood by the oakwood door, poised and ready to leave. “Give me one good reason-”

“I'll give you a million good reasons!” Ace countered as the thunder roared again. “We're not dealing with ordinary thugs, Andy. These guys are serious trouble. We can't afford to be on the offensive, we'll only get ourselves killed.”

“Well we're no better bein’ sittin’ ducks! We're as good as dead if we keep on runnin’ away!”

“If we keep running, we have a chance of shakin’ them-”

“Even if it means leaving everything behind?” Andy narrowed his gaze, shoulders square with his older brother, fiddling with the pistol in his fingers. Lightning flashed and brightened the dim room ever so slightly, letting Ace see his face twisted with rage and contempt.

“Especially if it means leaving everything behind!” Ace leveled with him as he raved frantically. Despite being younger by 2 years, Andrew towered over him, and was noticeably bulkier, too. “We're on our own. We have ta stick together, or else what's the point?”

“The point, Ace,” Andy stepped closer, inches away from his brother's face. “Is that I'm not a pussy, like you. You're part of why we're even this damn mess ta begin with! And yet all you wanna do is run, run, run, until then what? What happens when we've got nowhere else to go, and they're still on our asses? What then?”

Ace’s eye twitched as Andy's spit settled on his face. Andrew just didn't understand. This web they were caught in couldn't be solved by mere violence. Violence would only make things worse. These foes were calculated and vicious. They couldn't be taken down in one measly fight, and one fight would only lead to a war, a war they'd be incapable of winning. Running was the only option they had, lest they throw their lives away.

Lightning flickered, thunder rumbled.

“We don't have a choice. You've gotta understand-”

“Oh, I understand plenty!” Andy bellowed. “I understand that you can't handle fucking up, and when you do, you can't even face your mistakes like a man!” He jabbed the gun into Ace's chest. Ace didn't flinch. “You wanna stick together? Then let's stick together and fight, dammit! Alice is old enough now, we can-”

“NO!” Ace shoved Andy away. “You won't dare drag her inta this!” Thunder crashed. “Not on my life, Andrew!”

“Yeah? What's it any better that you dragged her here wit’ us, away from home, cold and starvin’? Ya fucking hypocrite!” Lightning blinded them, before fading once more, leaving their vision a muted green.

“It's betta’ than havin’ you drag ‘er to a fight where she'll get herself killed!”

“She'll be killed anyway, if we keep. Fucking. RUNNIN’!” Andy launched at his older brother and socked him in the jaw, growing ever impatient. “You took her safely away when you caused this whole mess!”

Ace retaliated, kicking Andy's shin. Andy broke Ace's nose with the butt of his gun, before kneeing him in the gut. Ace followed by serving a jab to Andy's stomach, before delivering a powerful right hook to his face. “I'd rather she be with us, then out fightin’ in a war we can't win!”

Andy kicked Ace down and he fell against the wall. Alice appeared at the bottom of the stairs, having heard the commotion. Her heart leapt to her throat as she saw Andy level his gun. “STOP!”

Both boys turned to their little sister. They heaved as the adrenaline from their fight was beginning to fade. Ace could feel the blood pouring from his nose and the bruises forming on his jaw. Andy held his stomach and licked his busted lip.

“STOP FIGHTING!” She ran over and helped Ace up, eyes wide and glassy as she took in all the blood smeared on his face. Andy stepped forward. “Stop! Put the gun down!”

“Alice, I wasn't-”

“P-put it down! Please…” she couldn't stop the sobs. Tears and snot dribbled down her face as she cried. Andy put the gun down on a nearby table. “Th-thank you…” she sniffled.

“Alice, sweetie, listen.” Ace began, wiping the blood from his upper lip. “We're in some deep shit right now, and-”

“And I'm gonna fight, to put an end to it all.” Andy interrupted.

“You are going nowhere, Andrew!” Ace bellowed.

“Shut the fuck up, Ace! We're not kids anymore. We can make decisions for ourselves. And I'm choosin’ to put an end to this madness so we don't have to live in fear anymore. Alice,” He stuck a hand out. Alice shivered at the blood on his knuckles. “We're stronger together. Come with me.”

Alice trembled. Why was this happening? Why were they fighting? Why did Andy want to go on a suicide mission? Why did he want her to come with him? “I…I-I…”

“She’s not going.” Ace spoke for her. “And neither are you.”

“W-why can't you stay with us, Andy? Wh-why?” Alice continued to sob, overwhelmed.

Andrew huffed, leveling a challenging gaze at Ace, and a soft one at Alice. He walked away, grabbing the gun on the table and making sure the dagger at his waist was secure. “...because big brother ain't so big anymore.”

He hooked a backpack he had by the door over his shoulder, and walked out, straight into the downpouring rain. He boarded a motorcycle, revving it.

“ANDREW!” Andrew knew his brother was running after him. He looked back, and saw a look of pure desperation. He almost thought it was Alice, as such an expression was foreign on the eldest sibling's face. “Andy, please!” Andrew was tempted to stop and just go back inside…

Key word, ‘almost.’

He sped away, spurring mud and rocks before getting onto the road. Ace chased until his legs gave out, screeching, sobbing for him to stop. He fell to his knees, digging at the pavement as he screamed.

Ace blinked his eyes open, heavy and red. His ears twitched endlessly as his door resounded with a relentless knocking.