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Chapter Text

It had been years since Charlie had visited her childhood home. It used to be a source of some of her best memories. But now, as she stood at its front door, it held only dangerous lies and deep secrets. A dark cloud had come over this once happy place, shrouding any previous light that once filled it. 

She was trying to keep the storm brewing inside her from pouring out. But she was obviously doing a bad job at it if Adam turned to her and said, "Kid, you're shaking like a fucking chihuahua. I told you we should've gotten a drink before coming here." 

Charlie let out a nervous laugh. It was still so strange to her that this man, who just a few hours ago was trying to kill her and her friends, was now trying to comfort her. In his own way. And just a few hours earlier, she thought her parents were the greatest things to ever exist. They were her heroes. When she grew up, she wanted nothing more than to be like them and make them proud.

Now, she wanted nothing to do with them. 

"I'm fine," she tried to reassure him. But he didn't look convinced. 

"You know how they say you can't bullshit a bullshitter?" Adam raised an eyebrow. "You didn't want me to lie to you, so don't try to lie to me." 

"Ughhh!" Charlie pulled at the ends of her ponytail. "I want to scream, cry, throw up, punch something, and spontaneously combust all at the same time! I don't even know where to begin when I see my dad! Like hi, Dad! You know that man we just finished fighting? You failed to mention you ruined his fucking life!" 

"Yeah! Just like that!" Adam pointed at her with a toothy grin. "And then you turn into a fucking giant and step on him like the roach he is! Great plan! This is going to be so fucking legit!" 

Adam was about to run through the entrance until Charlie placed a hand on his shoulder and held him back. "That's another thing. I've never turned into a giant before. What if it happens again? What if I lose control and actually do try and step on him?"

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing." 

She ran a hand over her face and exhaled. "I can do this. I just need to remain calm and level-headed."

In situations like these, Charlie would often ask herself what would her mom do? But seeing as her mom was just as guilty, doing the complete opposite of Lilith was probably the wisest thing to do. 

Gritting her teeth, Charlie stormed into her house with Adam in tow. She tried to ignore the ever-watching eyes of her parents that hung in the many portraits on the walls. It felt like their lingering, judgmental stares were trying to weaken her resolve. 

They both marched into the throne room, which was a far cry now from Adam's memory. It wasn't as gloomy and barebones as before. Colorful tapestries decorated the walls, as did many more portraits of her parents. Glowing green lanterns lined the edges, basking the room in an eerie light. 

And in the center of the room, sat her father, polishing his cane atop his throne.

"Hey, Char-Char!" He paused his work to greet Charlie with a bright smile. "Did you– YOU!" 

His face contorted with rage the second his eyes landed on the man next to her. 

"Hey, Luci!" Adam waved back at him with a devious smirk. "Surprised to see me?"

Lucifer let out a loud cackle, nearly falling off his throne. "I'm only surprised it took you this long to get cast down here! I thought I heard you screaming like a little bitch on the flight down!" 

His face darkened as he sat up straight in his seat. "So are you here for round two? Or are you going to run away with your tail tucked between your legs again?"

Adam wrapped his arm around Charlie, pulling her into a side hug. "Actually, me and your Char-Char had a little chat. We've become really close! She even calls me–"

"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF MY DAUGHTER!" Lucifer's voice roared from all directions as he lunged off his throne at Adam. But the man didn't so much as flinch. Instead, he held up his forearm in the air and pointed to the mark on his skin.

"VIP, bitch." 

Lucifer shrank back in clear horror at the sight and stared at Charlie. "Charlie... What did you do?"

By this time, Charlie had seen enough to get over any apprehension she felt about confronting her father. Even after everything, he still had the nerve to taunt Adam. 

It absolutely sickened her.

"Adam showed me what you and Mom either failed or conveniently forgot to mention." Charlie shook off Adam's arm and clenched her fists at her sides, stomping up to her dad. "How could you?! He was your friend! And you ruined his life!"

Lucifer raised his hands in front of him as if in surrender. "Charlie, I can explain–"

"NO!" she growled. "Because if I have to hear one more time how you did what you did for humanity, I will fucking snap!"

From behind, Adam watched the scene unfold with an impossibly wide grin. "Woo! This is better than sex!" 

"Charlie, whatever lies he's tried to tell you–" Lucifer started to say before Adam cut him off with a scoff.

"Ha! You'd know a lot about lies, wouldn't you, asshole?"

"Honey, I think we should talk about this in private." It was obvious her dad was trying to find a way to escape, but Charlie was not going to let him try and weasel his way out of this. 

"No! We're going to talk about this now!" Charlie stamped her foot on the ground. "You owe it to me and Adam!"

"I'm your dad! You would trust him over me?" Lucifer pleaded. 

"That's what makes this so disappointing. That a stranger–no, someone I considered an enemy–can be more honest and vulnerable with me than my own dad." Charlie's voice softened. "I just want to know why. And you can't even trust me enough to tell me that?"

Her dad averted his head and looked off to the side. "What exactly did he show you?"

"Everything! She knows what kind of wife-stealing, backstabbing, sack of shit her dad is now!" Adam leered at Lucifer, who started shaking more and more at every word that came out of his mouth.

"He showed me everything like I asked him to. He loved you!" Charlie's voice cracked at the memory. "Which is how I know he was telling me the truth because the Adam I knew would never admit to that."

"Yeah!" Adam nodded his head before a sudden look of realization came over his face. "Wait! Hold up!" 

But Charlie and Lucifer had already moved on with the argument to notice.

"I... We didn't know how to tell you. Your mom created that book. It was the easiest way to explain what happened." Her dad finally glanced up and met her unblinking glare. "If he really did show you the truth, then you saw how many children we lost. How the last time I tried to be honest, it ended with the beginning of the exterminations."

Charlie bit the bottom of her trembling lip. "Yeah. I saw all that. And I also saw that I might have an uncle. Is Michael your brother?"

Lucifer winced. "He was... I doubt he considers me that anymore."

"And you kept this from me too?!" Charlie placed her fingertips against her temple, feeling another migraine coming on. "This whole time, I had family I never knew about!"

"I was trying to protect you, my apple slice!" Lucifer stretched out his arms to her as if wanting to envelop her in a hug. "As your dad, everything I've done was to protect you! I didn't want you to hurt the way I've hurt for the past thousands of years! It's a pain no one should have to go through."

Whatever last shred of doubt Charlie had about her father's crimes had been erased in that moment. He just kept making it all about him and his feelings, and had the audacity to try to spin it as if it was for Charlie's own good. She empathized with how Emily must've felt back in Heaven when she realized Sera had been lying to her about the exterminations. It was like a punch to the gut, one she could feel slowly making its way up her throat.

"If you're hurting, how do you think this poor man feels? Oh, gosh. I think I'm going to be sick." Charlie had to take a step back and turn away to avoid vomiting all over herself and her dad. 

"Hey! Don't aim my way!" Adam leaped out of Charlie's line of sight. "I'm covered in enough shit as it is!" 

"Protect me from what?!" Charlie shouted once she forced the bile back down her esophagus. "I'm over two hundred years old! I'm not a child anymore!" 

"Charlie–" Lucifer's eyes welled with tears.

"You just wanted to protect yourselves! It's always been about you two!" Charlie seethed. "Even now, I'm giving you one last chance! But not once throughout this conversation have you admitted why you betrayed your friend! Why you rebelled against Heaven! Why you tricked Eve and got her and Adam kicked out of Eden!" 

The surrounding lanterns burned hotter and brighter, matching the uncontrollable rage inside Charlie. She was trying to prevent herself from growing into a giant, but she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep her fury from taking control. 

"You weren't a misunderstood dreamer, Dad! You were a schemer!" Her voice deepened into a low snarl. "And now it makes sense why you hadn't supported my dream about redeeming sinners! Because that would require taking responsibility for your actions!"

With nothing else to say, Lucifer remained silent, his head hung and tears rolling down his rosy cheeks. When he looked up again, he was practically foaming at the mouth as he locked eyes with Adam.

"I see what you're trying to do! You will not turn my daughter against me!"

"You're doing that on your own, idiot." Adam rolled his eyes. 

Charlie shook her head, agreeing with him. "No, Dad. He's not the one."

The expression that came over her dad's face was indescribable. She had never seen him look so wounded before. Well, not in this life. The last time she had seen like this was back in Eden when the angels were about to send him down to Hell. 

"I'm so, so sorry. There isn't a day where I don't think about what's happened," Lucifer said, his once smiling face now looking as if he were in unbearable agony.

The fire burning inside her started to cool. "Don't apologize to me. Apologize to him."

Lucifer glanced up at Adam, who shot him a predatory smirk. "Get on your knees, bitch. Just like your daughter did for me–"

"I'M GOING TO RIP OUT THAT TONGUE OF YOURS AND FEED IT TO YOU!" Flames shot out of Lucifer's eyes as he took a swing at Adam. If Charlie hadn't been there to intervene, he would've succeeded and caught Adam in his claws. 

"Dad!" Charlie restrained him while frowning at Adam. "What did I just say?!"

"I'm sorry, apple slice! But I can't keep quiet while he insults you!" Lucifer grimaced. "But you should know the last time I tried to apologize, he didn't accept it."

"Hey, you're the one who brought up banging my wife first!" Adam reminded. "I always knew you could dish it out but couldn't take it!" 

Charlie directed her frown at her dad. Amid all the chaos, she had almost forgotten about that little joke her dad made back during the battle. "Yeah, Dad. I can defend myself. But that poor woman you threw into the Gates of Hell can't. And the purpose of an apology isn't to expect immediate forgiveness. If that's why you're saying sorry, I see why he didn't accept it!" 

She slapped her hand over her face and groaned. It was obvious she wasn't going to get anywhere with her dad. Even though he wasn't making excuses anymore, he still wasn't admitting to exactly what he did. He was downplaying his involvement and minimizing the harm he caused.

It was time to change tactics. 

"If you can't tell me why you did what you did," Charlie said. "Then you at least owe me this. Where is my mom?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Adam straighten up at the question and regard Lucifer with interest. 

Lucifer shut his eyes for a second as if he were thinking carefully about his next sentence. 

"Dad, I swear, if you tell me another lie–" 

"She's on Earth," he finally answered. 

The rage that had been building back up in Charlie came to a halt. Even Adam looked surprised at the news. 

"What– What is she doing there?" Charlie recoiled as if physically hurt, completely taken aback by this revelation. Of all the places, that was the last one she expected her mom to be.

"Probably shacking up with a new loser." Adam circled Lucifer like how a shark circles its prey right before it strikes. "Don't you know the old saying, Luci? If they're willing to cheat with you, they're willing to cheat on you."

"She didn't cheat!" Lucifer glared at the man. "She... She needed some time to find herself. We had been married for thousands of years and she lost so much during that time. She needed a change of scenery, a place where she could be alone and think things over. And granting her access to Earth was the closest way I could give that to her."

"Did you push her through the Gates of Hell too?" Adam sneered. 

"Of course not!" Lucifer snapped. "I cut a deal with Heaven. There was a time when I could go into the Earth. It wasn't for long periods, but I could still walk around. In exchange for me never stepping foot on the Earth again, Lily could. For as long as she wanted."

"And do you know exactly where she is?" Charlie's voice quivered like a child's. 

"No." A solemn look crossed his face. "I could locate her, but I love and respect her too much to do that. When she left, it was clear she didn't want me to follow her." 

"The bar is literally in Hell, and you two still find a way to sink even lower," Adam deadpanned. 

Lucifer's bared his teeth into a wicked smile. "There were times when it even crossed my mind if she had lowered her standards and went back with you."

Adam tilted his head back and let out a sharp laugh. "Aw, I didn't know you thought of me so often! But no, that bitch isn't with me. I'm not a fucking simp like you! The only way I'd take her back is if she came crawling on all fours just so I could dump her this time!"

While Lucifer and Adam continued to argue, Charlie could no longer hold back the dam containing her emotions. With a howl, a firestorm overtook her body and the sounds of her bones cracking echoed through the room.

"Oh shit! Here we go!" Adam jumped up in the air and pumped his fists.

"What– What's going on?!" Lucifer took a few steps backward in an effort to steady himself, his eyes bulging out of his sockets as Charlie doubled in size. The tips of her horns almost touched the ceiling and her tail curled around her feet. 

"Eve was right about you!" Even though her voice was raspy, it was still loud enough to fill the room. "You two can only destroy and bring others down with you! And when you're done, you discard them and run away from the problems you created!" 

Her mom had abandoned her. For a new setting. A new life.

So much for doing important work. 

The pedestal she had placed her parents on hadn't just been broken. It was completely smashed into tiny pieces with no hope of repair.

"All my life, I felt like I was never the daughter you wanted! I wasn't confident like Mom or clever like you!" She stared down at her father, steam coming out of her flaring nostrils. "I always felt so different from you two! And now I see why!"

"Charlie, that isn't true!" Wings sprouted from behind Lucifer's back, and he flew up to meet her at eye level. "Your mother and I love you so much!"

"I don't even know if that's true anymore. I don't know what is anymore." Bloody tears had clouded her vision, so she quite literally only could see red. "This whole time, you could've gone back to Earth to fix the problem you created! And you didn't!"

"I knew I couldn't! What I released onto the Earth can't be put back!" Lucifer put his hand to Charlie's face and caressed her cheek. "And I really am sorry about that."

"They have names." Charlie scowled. "Eve and Abel. They're not whats. And did you even try to bring them back here?" 

A weary sigh left Lucifer's lips. "No."

Her body started to shrink back to her normal height, and her tears had returned to their translucent color. She thought after witnessing Adam's memories, that would be the single worst feeling she'd ever experienced in her life. But somehow, this was worse. 

Maybe Adam's memories had prepared her for this. Because now she not only sympathized with him, but empathized as well. She now knew how it felt to be abandoned, lied to, and betrayed. 

"I don't even know what to say to you." Charlie buried her face in her hands. 

"Honey, I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you." Lucifer tried to wrap his arms around his daughter, but Charlie turned her back on him and moved out of his reach. 

Meanwhile, Adam had plopped down to his feet and drew closer to Charlie. "Let's go, kid. I'm sure we can find a place to get drunk out of our fucking minds."

She looked up at him and saw that he wasn't wearing a smirk anymore. In fact, he looked pretty upset himself. Charlie thought he would be delighted by the sight of her chewing her dad out. Isn't that what he had wanted to see in the first place?

"If you want to make this up to me." Charlie spun around to face Lucifer. "Then start by showing me the Gates of Hell."

Lucifer flinched. "Why– Why in Hell would you want to see that?"

"Because I'm going to find Mom and clean up this mess you two made," Charlie said. "Starting with Adam."

"Char-Char, you know I can't let you do that," he wheezed and tugged at his collar.

Charlie's gaze hardened. "That wasn't a suggestion. And you don't get to tell me what to do anymore. If you ever want my forgiveness, you're going to help me make this right."

She paused before landing the final blow, the ultimatum that proved how serious she was about this. "Because if you don't... Then I think this will be last time we see each other."

From beside her, Adam snickered. "Now I see the resemblance between you and your mom." 

Furrowing his brows, Lucifer seemed to think this through before sighing and nodding his head. "Alright."

As soon as he snapped his fingers, all three of them were transported out of the throne room and back to a familiar place. The structure remained the same from Adam's memories, even though thousands of years had passed. His memories hadn't done the Gates of Hell justice. It was far more unsettling and imposing up close, taking Charlie's breath away. 

What would happen if she passed through the gate? Would she turn into something like Eve and Abel?

But her mom was on the other side. For all his faults, Charlie didn't think he'd let her go through the gate if something bad could potentially happen to her.

Charlie continued to stare up in awe at the gate, approaching it slowly. An ominous low hum reverberated through the atmosphere, and the gate started to glow even brighter. 

"How could this have existed all this time, and I never knew about it?" she muttered to herself. 

"Kid, get your ass back here!" Adam's voice snapped her out of her trance. 

"For once, I agree with him," Lucifer said. 

Charlie whirled around to glance at the pair standing a few feet behind her. Concern was written all over their faces, plain as day. 

"Adam, aren't you coming with me?" Charlie asked. 

"Are you fucking crazy?!" Adam jolted upright and shook his head. "Of course not!" 

"But you could see your family again!" she protested. 

"And what exactly would I say to the embodiments of death and chaos?! Hey, remember me? I was your husband and dad before you started killing off humanity!" He threw his hands in the air to emphasize his point. "Like I said, they can't be redeemed!"

Charlie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, have you ever tried talking to them?" 

Adam's hands fell to his sides, and he scratched the back of his neck. "Uh... No."

She mentally face-palmed. What was it with the previous generations who just accepted things as they were and did not try to make things better?

"You two have experienced a lot of failures and setbacks, but that doesn't mean you have to stay there." Charlie took a moment to look back at the gate before continuing. "You're the author of your own story. The beginning might have been bad, but the end doesn't have to be. You can still have the life you want. But you'll never know if you don't at least try."

Adam and Lucifer stayed silent during her speech, both with the same unreadable expressions. She couldn't tell if she had gotten through to them or not, and when the silence continued, she accepted she hadn't. 

Heaving a defeated sigh, Charlie turned back around to the gate and decided that if she had to walk down this path alone, she would. She was used to people not believing in her by now. 

"Well, it beats spending an eternity down here with this fucker," Adam suddenly said from behind. 

Upon hearing him speak, Charlie's face instantly split into a bright grin. "That means you'll come with me?"

Adam shrugged. "Sure, why not? It's been a while since I've been on Earth." 

Charlie let out an elated squeal. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" 

As Adam crossed in front of Lucifer, his hand shot out and latched onto Adam's shoulder, giving it a hard squeeze. A forked tongue hissed between his fangs as he said, "Don't think I'm agreeing to this out of any pity for you. If my daughter even gets a scratch, I already have a mount above my fireplace reserved for your head."

Adam jerked his body away from Lucifer and glared at him. "Fucking creep." 

"I'll be right back," Charlie assured. 

"Yeah, have more faith in your daughter," Adam said. "She's a tough bitch." 

"It's not that I don't have faith in you. It's him I don't have any faith in." Lucifer gestured towards Adam with his head, a dark shadow coming over his face. 

Charlie frowned. "I know you've been cursed to only see the worst in humanity. But after everything I've seen with Adam's memories, that's the beauty of it. They aren't rooted in place like plants nor act on instinct like animals. Humans can grow and change. They can choose to be better."

Her dad looked as if he had a million things to say, but could only get choked up at her words. Lucifer reached out to hug her but then withdrew his arms back, as if deciding at the last second it was a bad idea. "I know you're probably still upset with me. And rightfully so. But I did mean what I said that I wanted to make this up to you. I can't lose you too."

She didn't want to say everything was okay or that she forgave him. Because the truth was that everything was far from okay and she couldn't forgive him right now. So Charlie decided to give him the closest thing to forgiveness she could, which was the possibility of it. "Okay. Then this is the first step."

A gentle smile spread over Lucifer's face. "I can't let you go looking like that. You're going to need to blend in."

He finally grabbed her hand, and as he did, her pale skin changed color. She resembled Adam's flesh tone, but a few shades lighter. 

"Whoa!" Charlie examined her hands and arms. 

"At least now you don't look like that clown bastard!" Adam grinned slyly at Lucifer, who narrowed his eyes and hissed again.

"Dad, before I forget." Charlie's tone grew serious. "Tell Vaggie and the others where I'm at. I don't want them thinking Adam kidnapped me or is holding me hostage or something." 

"Is that not what's happening?" Lucifer attempted to joke, but neither Charlie nor Adam even cracked a smile. 

"Don't worry, I will," he agreed. "I always told Lily you might resemble me on the outside, but on the inside, you have her heart and spirit. Go do what I never could, apple slice."

Though his words should've comforted her, she couldn't help but feel an aching pain within her soul at the mention of Lilith. She wasn't sure she wanted to be compared to her mom right now. Or ever. 

Inhaling another breath, Charlie figured it was time and headed towards the gate. It creaked open, and a burst of red light radiated through, nearly blinding her. 

The sudden death grip on her hand made her freeze. She looked to the side and saw Adam squeezing it. 

"You know, just in case you're scared," he said, his teeth practically chattering. 

For the first time since confronting her dad, Charlie let out a genuine laugh and squeezed his hand back. "Thank you."

With one last wave goodbye to her father, Charlie and Adam walked hand in hand out of Hell and into the gate. 

Chapter Text

Flames burned from all around her. In fact, it was the only thing she could see. Adam had since disappeared and was no longer by her side. She couldn't feel his grip on her hand anymore, either.

Her body felt weightless, and it was caught in a free fall. It was as if she was doing a backflip while up in space, with no gravity or outside force to stabilize her.

Charlie blinked, and the sensation was gone. The flames had disappeared, now replaced by a clear blue sky. She found herself lying on her back, and when she rolled to her side, she stared straight into the smoldering mouth of a volcano.

On instinct, she crabbed-danced backward with a shriek. Black smoke was emitting out of the crater, and for a moment, Charlie wondered if it was going to erupt. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Adam lying face-up on his back a few feet ahead.

And he wasn't moving.

"Adam!" Charlie ran to him and shook his body. "Wake up! Please don't tell me you've become the embodiment of Night or Sin!"

With a groan, his eyelids fluttered open, and he rubbed his temple. "Lilith?"

"Oh, thank goodness." Charlie let out a sigh of relief. "No. It's her daughter. Charlie."

Adam slowly sat up and continued to blink. "Stupid sun is blinding my eyes. I didn't realize how fucking dark it was down in Hell."

"Yeah..." Charlie trailed off as she gazed up at the sky. She had never seen a sky so blue. Well, she had in Adam's memories but not with her actual eyes.

It was so beautiful.

"Look! There's a town down there!" Charlie pointed to the bustling city way at the bottom of the volcano.

"Forget the town. Do you even know where the hell we are?! Where the hell your mother is?!" Adam demanded.

"Um... No..." Charlie admitted before looking down at the town again. "But I'm sure if we go into that town and–"

"What about Eve and Abel?! Do you even have a game plan?!" Adam continued lashing out. "No! You don't! We're just stuck here in the middle of fucking nowhere! At the top of a fucking volcano! I knew this was a bad idea! I don't know why the fuck I even listened to you!"

Adam started to storm off, but Charlie stopped him and turned him back to face her. "Adam! Please calm down! It's true that I don't know where any of them are. But look, we're one step closer to finding them than if we just stayed in Hell! We're one step closer to reuniting you with your family!"

He crossed his arms and frowned. When he didn't argue back, she kept talking.

"You know, there is someone who might know where to find them." Charlie's mouth widened into a hopeful grin.

Adam raised his eyebrows. "Who?"

"Cain!" Charlie threw her hands in the air like she had just revealed a magic trick.

"Oh, fuck no." Adam spun around, his wings beginning to flap behind him.

"Wait! Come back here!" Charlie sprinted in front of him to prevent him from beginning the long descent down. "Who better than to show us around the Earth than the oldest living human? He might even know where Eve and Abel are!"

Adam was trying to push past her, but her long limbs kept blocking him. "You remember when I said I had a long list of people I hate? Well, Cain is number four!"

"Yeah... Wait, then who is number three?" Charlie asked.

"Your little girlfriend for obvious reasons," Adam sneered.

Charlie frowned, and she opened her mouth to defend Vaggie. She had told her Lute had come looking for her and attacked her first. Vaggie had just been defending herself. But she knew that was probably the last thing Adam wanted to hear right now.

"Well, I was able to move down on that list, and I was at the top too," she reminded. "So Cain could always move down too."

He simply rolled his eyes at her comment. "I know my son. He's not going to change. He's had thousands of years to."

Seeing as Adam was not going to relent, it was time for some reverse psychology again. "Yeah, you're probably right. I mean, after all, he's your son." Charlie shrugged.

As expected, he glared at her as he asked, "Wait, what the fuck is that supposed to mean, princess?"

"I just mean that if you think of yourself as a mistake and a failure, then why wouldn't he be too? I wonder who's a bigger mess. You or him?" Charlie gave another innocent shrug, keeping a close eye on Adam's reaction. Sure enough, his irritation was clear on his face. He had taken the bait.

"Oh, definitely him! And I'll fucking show you!" Adam grabbed Charlie's wrist, and with a snap of his fingers, they were transported off the volcano and in front of a large ranch.

"Huh?" Charlie glanced around at her new surroundings. "You could teleport this whole time too?"

"Duh!" Adam slapped his hand over his forehead. "You thought angels and spirits just walked all the way across the Earth?"

"Well, no. I thought maybe you all could travel faster than light with your wings," Charlie said. "Anyway, for someone who stopped keeping up with that fucker years ago, you sure did remember where he lived."

She gestured to the sign hanging above them with a smirk. Attached to two wooden posts were the words: Eden's Edge Ranch.

"Shut up," Adam hissed before flying off up ahead.

Unable to contain her laughter, Charlie followed after him. The dirt trail led up to a sprawling mansion surrounded by trees and a crystal-clear lake. Even though it wasn't the Garden of Eden, Charlie thought it was as close as she would ever get to it. The grass was just as green and the air just as fresh.

Is that why Cain had named this place Eden's Edge Ranch? Did it remind him of the stories his parents told him during his childhood? Was this some attempt to rekindle the broken bonds between him and his family?

There was a deep ache in Charlie's heart at the thought. Though she had never personally met the man, she felt a connection to him. Her parents had also told her a whitewashed story growing up, albeit for more nefarious reasons.

Adam had already entered the house, not even bothering to open the door and instead just floating through the wall. Since Charlie still had a physical presence, she had to yank the door open. Luckily, it was unlocked, and she was able to step inside with ease.

When she entered, her eyes were immediately drawn to what covered the walls. In the hallway and the spacious living room were several photos and portraits of Cain throughout human history. In one portrait, he was dressed in medieval garb. In another, he was wearing colonial clothing. When it came to the photographs, Cain posed with different celebrities and historical figures. He had also been involved in every major war that occurred in the past century, starting from World War I and ending with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. In fact, when Charlie took a closer look, there wasn't a period of human history she didn't recognize he was a part of.

Throughout the years, not much had changed about the man since Adam's memories. Sometimes, his auburn hair was longer and he sported a matching beard. Other times, his hair was cut almost to the root, and he was clean-shaven. But overall, he was still the same Cain Charlie last saw him as. He was still youthful and muscular. He still resembled his mother.

The testament to his long life could also be found in the artifacts decorating the house. Weapons like swords and shields, statues made of gold, ancient pottery, and other things that would cost millions of dollars now had been collected and displayed throughout.

While Charlie was fascinated with every item she saw, Adam seemed to have no interest. He went straight to the oversized kitchen and started raiding the pantry. Since he was still a spirit, the Doritos he was eating would just pass through him, ending up as a dusty mess on the wooden floor.

Charlie opened her mouth to say something, but the sound of a door opening from somewhere upstairs made her pause.

Out of the corner of her eye, the coffeemaker turned on and started brewing a fresh cup of coffee.

"Oh my gosh! He's up!" Charlie whispered-screamed at Adam, who continued to munch on the chips. "What should I say?"

Adam shrugged his shoulders. "Don't look at me. You're the one who wanted to come here."

She mentally face-palmed. While what he said was true, she still expected him to offer some sort of help.

The sounds of Cain's footsteps echoed from the staircase, drawing closer with each second that passed. Charlie was in full panic mode and she had only a few minutes to gather her thoughts. Meanwhile, Adam looked as laid-back as ever, and Charlie wondered how he could be so unfazed.

With only moments left to spare, Charlie leaned back against the wall and tried to strike her most nonchalant pose. Cain entered into the kitchen, wearing a black robe and slippers to match. It was obvious he had just rolled out of bed with his scruffy hair and five o'clock shadow. He gave a loud yawn as he trudged over to the coffeemaker, still not noticing Charlie. 

As he prepared his coffee, Charlie could feel herself beginning to sweat. And she knew it wasn't because of the summer heat. Would Cain react to her like how Adam did when they first met? There was a strong possibility.

Cain turned back around, but his eyes landed on the pile of chips littering the floor.

"Fucking mice," he grumbled in a twangy accent unlike when she last heard him speak.

Well, it was now or never. Charlie cleared her throat, attracting his attention at last.

"Um... Hi! My name's Charlie Morningstar." She moved off of the wall and stuck out her hand for him to shake.

But he didn't take it and instead regarded her with clear suspicion. "I don't remember inviting you over."

She let out an awkward laugh. "No. I'm here because I'm friends with your dad."

Now, he looked even more suspicious of her. "I think you have me confused, sweetheart. My dad has been dead for a long time. There's no way in hell you'd know him."

Charlie laughed again, but this time it was at the irony of his last statement. "Funny, you should say that..."

"Well, since you're already here." He took another sip of his coffee before taking another step closer to her. "Why don't we lock the door and turn the lights down low?"

Before Charlie could politely turn him down, a loud cackle from behind made both of them freeze.

"That's your pick-up line?!" Adam wheezed, finally manifesting himself to Cain, albeit minus his wings. "Oh, man! I don't know how the fuck humanity continued on with bullshit like that! And what the fuck is up with that redneck accent?"

A stream of hot coffee splashed across Charlie's face as Cain spat it out. The sound that came out of him was something between a squawk and a scream, and for a moment, he lost his accent. "DAD?!"

Cain spun around, his face as white as a sheet. All the while, Adam was doubled over in laughter, wiping tears from his eyes. And if Charlie wasn't dripping in coffee, she would've found the scene comical as well.

"NO! There's no fucking way!" Cain's amber eyes bulged out of his sockets as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I must have died. Yeah, I've finally died."

Adam stared at his son with a bored expression. "You're not dead, dumbass."

A hysterical laugh left Cain's lips. "Then what the fuck is going on?!"

Charlie decided it was time to intervene before Adam could say anything more and make things worse. Wiping her face with her sleeve, she forced a smile to her face. "So like I said, my name's Charlie and I'm friends with your dad. I'm the Princess of Hell and your dad was kicked out of Heaven into Hell. I found him and he told me so much about you–"

"Do you know where your mother and brother are?" Adam interrupted.

Cain blinked, his skin the same pale color. "My mom and brother?"

"Did I fucking stutter?" Adam scoffed. "Yes! Your mom and brother! Or did you somehow forget what you did to Abel?"

Color started to return to Cain's face, an angry shade of red dusting his cheeks. "No," he replied through gritted teeth. "And no, I don't know where they are. I thought they'd be with you."

Adam shook his head and looked at Charlie. "See? What did I tell you? Fucking useless as always. Some things never change."

"Wait a damn minute!" Cain glared at Adam. "You don't contact me for thousands of years, and suddenly, you just show up here! Eating my food! Just to fucking insult me?!"

Adam narrowed his eyes as he marched right up to his son. "If I had it my way, I wouldn't have even shown up here in the first place! But now that Charlie's seen what a fucking mess you are, maybe she'll stop this stupid idea of hers that you and your mother and your brother can be redeemed!"

"What the actual fuck are you talking about?!" Cain shouted back in Adam's face.

"Okay! That's enough!" Charlie placed herself between the two men before they actually started going to blows. "If I could just explain what we're doing here and what's going on, I'm sure it'll all make sense."

"Honestly, I don't give a shit what you're doing here." Cain never took his eyes off his dad, who returned his scowl. "You two need to get the fuck outta my house."

Charlie sighed. "I know we got off to a bad start, but if you just listen to me, it's really important. Your mom and brother aren't in Heaven. They're here on Earth and they're literally causing chaos and death."

Her words finally made Cain break his stare, and he turned his head to her. "They're on Earth?"

"It's a long story. And it might take a while to explain." Charlie glanced at Adam as if mentally asking him for permission to tell Cain what he showed her. Whether he tapped into some new power and could read her mind or he saw the concern in her eyes, he seemed to give her the go-ahead.

"Ugh. Fuck this," Adam said as he backed off from Cain and headed towards the door. "Call me when you losers are done chit-chatting."

Once Adam left the house, Charlie let out another deep breath. "I think you're going to want to sit down for this."

Cain folded his arms against his chest. "Well, if you say this is going to take a while, might as well get comfortable. You want something to drink?"

Charlie nodded her head and gave a weak smile. "Please give me the strongest liquor you have. We're both going to need it."

Chapter Text

The sun reached its peak in the sky by the time Charlie had recounted everything Adam had shown her plus everything leading up to this point. They had sat down on the front porch, Charlie on a rocking chair, and Cain on a hanging egg chair. While Charlie told her story, they both watched as dozens of caterers and workers arrived at the ranch and started to set up for a party Cain was hosting tonight. 

When Charlie finished her story, she could tell Cain had been traumatized. The glass in his hand was shaking and when he reached out to pour some vodka in it, he couldn't keep it steady. 

"I've seen everything," he muttered. "I didn't think anything could faze me at this point. But that was one of the top ten worst things I've ever heard."

Charlie gave a weak groan. "Yeah. That's what I said."

Cain looked towards the horizon with a deep frown. "I never knew my dad went through all that shit. Despite my problems with him, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

She reached for the bottle of vodka and poured it into her own glass. This whole time, Cain had served her some sweet tea but after all this, she needed something stronger. When she took a sip of the vodka, her mouth felt as if it had caught on fire and she started choking.

"Oh, fuck," she said in between coughs. "That– That was a lot stronger than I thought."

"I take it you're not a drinker," Cain snorted. 

Charlie wiped the corners of her mouth and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Was it that obvious?"

When Cain laughed, she noticed how similar it was to his dad's. They both had the same loud, slightly obnoxious laugh. "It's honestly hard to believe you're the daughter of the devil. I expected you to be a little more... devilish?"

"I get that a lot." Charlie fiddled her fingers against the rim of the glass. "But I also expected you to be..." 

The words bloodthirsty, immature, and annoying immediately came to mind. After all, those were the characteristics he displayed back in Adam's memories. 

"Homicidal?" Cain suggested. "Sadistic? Hostile?" 

Charlie slowly nodded her head. "Yeah... I'm sorry! That wasn't very nice of me! I should never assume! Especially after seeing your dad's memories, that taught me never to judge people again."

Cain simply shrugged his shoulders. "I'm used to it. When people would see this tattoo, they'd think the same."

He rolled up the corners of his sleeve and showed Charlie his forearm. Even though centuries had passed, the tattoo looked just as fresh as when it was first branded on his skin. 

"Hey! Are you two done or not?" Adam called from off in the distance. 

Cain and Charlie both looked to the side and saw him riding atop a pinto horse, still without his wings.

"I see you've met Buttons!" Cain exclaimed with a frown. 

"Buttons?!" A bewildered look crossed Adam's face. "What kind of lame-ass name is that?! He needs a badass name! Like Seth!"

Cain pinched the space between his brows. "How the fuck has he become an even bigger pain in the ass since I last saw him?"

Charlie couldn't contain her laughter. "When I first met him, he literally threw me out the door! But despite all his rough edges, he grows on you."

"You make him sound like a fungus," Cain deadpanned. 

"Hey, I like fungi!" Charlie giggled again. "Especially mushrooms! They're so cute with their little caps!"

"I think the strangest thing out of all this is that two of the worst fucking people could create something as innocent as you," Cain said. "I'm surprised they didn't disown you."

Charlie suddenly ceased her laughter as she felt a familiar ache tug at her heart. She tried to keep her face neutral, but she must've done a poor job at it since Cain quickly apologized.

"Shit. I'm sorry. That's none of my business." Cain set aside his glass and leaned forward, but she waved him off.

"No, it's okay. I've been thinking about that a lot too." Charlie scratched the back of her neck before deciding to change the topic. She didn't want to talk about this. Not right now. Who knew how she might react? And the last thing she wanted to do was turn into a giant and scare Cain off right when they were just beginning to get along.

"Anyway," she said. "I know you don't know where your mom and brother are, but you can still help me find them and redeem them. Please, will you help me?"

Charlie already had a speech and musical number planned in case he turned her down. But to her complete shock, he agreed.

"Why wouldn't I help you? They're my family." He said this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Plus, they're killing off my descendants! That's beyond fucked up!" 

It was around this time that Adam rode up to the both of them and heard everything Cain had to say. "Oh, so you have a problem with killing your descendants but not your own fucking brother?!" 

"Adam–" Charlie tried to warn him to stop, but Cain already flew into a rage. 

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Cain rose up from out of his chair and stormed up to his dad. "You were fine killing my– your– our descendants! For what?! Petty revenge?! They had nothing to do with your feud with Charlie's parents!"

"You blame me for this?! Blame her parents for causing this whole shitshow!" Adam pointed at Charlie, who could only brace herself for what she knew was coming. 

"I do!" Cain fired back. "But I blame you too for making things worse!" 

"You know, it's a shame the angels made you immortal when they should've made you impotent!" Adam screamed at the top of his lungs. "Then maybe you wouldn't give a fuck about your descendants! Just like how you didn't when you killed my son!"

Cain's nostrils flared. "Oooh, big words coming from a man who never went to kindergarten!"

"The last time I checked, you didn't either!" Adam returned his son's glare. 

"I'll have you know that I have earned several degrees, including several PhDs." Cain's glower turned into a knowing smirk. "I can speak several languages when I bet you can barely speak one!"

"Okay, okay!" Charlie shot to her feet and ran to the pair before things really got ugly. "I think we've all done a good job releasing all this anger. But now, we should all step away and take a few minutes to cool off."

Clenching his fists, Cain backed off and marched toward the house. "Whatever. I have a party I've spent way too much money on to get ready for anyway."

As he made his way up the porch, he suddenly paused and turned to look at them. "You're free to come if you want. Since you're already here. But you're not showing up looking like you crawled out of a shithole."

Charlie glanced down at her clothes, which smelled of coffee and vodka mixed with smoke and sulfur. "Yeah. I think it would be a good idea to change."

"Follow me then. I'll show you where you can shower." Cain gestured with a tilt of his head. 

She began to follow him up the porch but then realized Adam wasn't behind her. He was still on the horse.

"Adam? Aren't you coming?" she asked. 

"You think I'm going to go to a hillbilly party and listen to hillbilly music? Fuck that!" Adam scoffed. 

"Well, you should at least get some new clothes," Charlie said, seeing he was still wearing the ripped and burned robe that he was cast down in. "I'm sure Cain could loan you some clothes. You're about the same size."

From in front of her, Cain let out a sharp laugh. "His fatass won't fit into anything."

With a huff, Adam jumped off of the horse and landed on his feet. "Oh, I'll fucking show you I can pull off any two-stepping, yee-hawing outfit better than you ever could, bruh!"

Cain rolled his eyes as his dad walked past him into the house. Even though they still argued, Charlie considered it a win they hadn't ripped each other's throats out. Well, they couldn't technically do that because of the marks that protected them. But it was still a win they didn't try to.

As Charlie was led into an upstairs bedroom, she noticed even more artifacts and pictures, and paintings. She imagined Cain must've had some interesting stories to tell about his life on Earth and she was eager to hear them all. 

"When you're done, just bring me your clothes and I'll wash them," Cain said as he opened the bedroom door and pointed to the bathroom. "I'm sure I can find some old clothes that'll fit you since you're pretty tall for a woman."

Charlie couldn't help but smile at his generosity. This was such a different experience than what she expected. Not at all like what had happened with her and Adam. "Thank you. I really appreciate your hospitality."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Just because your parents fucked over my family doesn't mean I have to take it out on you. Sins of the father and all that. Plus, I see you're trying to make it right."

Her smile grew even wider. "Thank you. I really needed to hear that."

After Cain left, Charlie undressed and hopped into the shower. Alone with her thoughts, she contemplated the whereabouts of her mother. Had she found someone new? Started a new family? Lilith had replaced one husband for another. Would she do the same to Charlie?

Her mom could be anywhere on Earth. She could even be where Eve and Abel were...

At the thought, a deep pit formed inside Charlie's stomach. Whether it was some sort of sixth sense or other supernatural instinct, something told her that might likely be the case. 

Deciding not to dwell on it anymore before she actually started vomiting, Charlie finished washing herself and got out of the shower. 

When she stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her body, she noticed Cain had laid a pair of jeans and a black and red checkered shirt on the bed. The shirt fit big against her thin frame, so she grabbed the ends of it and tied it against her back to make it fit better. 

She made her way down the stairs back to the living room, and Adam was already there, waiting for her. 

"Don't you fucking dare," he warned when she opened her mouth to comment on his new attire. 

Charlie threw her hands up in surrender. "I was just going to say plaid looks good on you!"

Adam grunted and crossed his arms over his chest. "I look ridiculous as fuck. Before you know it, I'll be talking like damn hick too."

"I don't know what your fucking problem is, old man. We were literally the first farmers and ranchers." At that moment, Cain appeared on the staircase, wearing jeans and a fancy embroidered black shirt with a matching cowboy hat.

As soon as Adam laid his eyes on him, he burst out laughing. "Just when I thought you couldn't be any more of a goofy ass bitch, you come out wearing that shit!"

Charlie saw the clear irritation on his face and knew she had to step in. "Well, I think Cain looks really nice too!"

"Thank you." He scowled down at Adam. "Sad how the daughter of the devil himself has more respect for me than my own fucking dad!"

"Oh, no! Don't lecture me about respect!" Adam trailed behind Cain after he descended the staircase. He kept stealing his hat and ruffling his son's hair. And since Adam could turn his physical form off and on, Cain was powerless to stop him. "This is payback for all the times I had to deal with your piss-poor attitude!"

"Adam," Charlie said sternly.

At the mention of his name, Adam froze and turned to look at her, allowing Cain to grab his hat back and leave.

"I'm not going to say you don't have a right to be upset with Cain. But he is trying to be better. And you keep antagonizing him!"

"This is literally nothing compared to what I'd like to do to him!" Adam protested.

Charlie sighed. "Just try to be nice, please? He is willing to help us find Eve and Abel. And we're going to need all the help we can get."

Adam whined and said something under his breath. But at least he didn't argue any further, which was good enough for Charlie.

While they had been talking, Cain had exited into the backyard to finish setting up for the party. Dozens of tables and chairs were set up under a large canopy, strings of bulbs twinkling over them. Right at the front, a stage and dance floor were illuminated by many different colors of light. Cain stood in front of a steel smoker where slabs of meat were currently being cooked.

"Something smells good!" Charlie grinned as she and Adam approached. 

"It wouldn't be a party without some barbecue." Cain returned her smile. "After years, I've managed to cook a brisket to perfection. We've also got some ribs cooking and some sausages." 

Charlie pointed to Adam and gasped. "You love ribs! What is going oooooon? You two have so much in common! It's like you're sharing the same brain!"

Cain and Adam visibly cringed as Charlie gestured between the both of them. "Fuck no," they answered at the same time.

"Cain!" a voice called from off to the side. They all turned and saw a bunch of people had already arrived for the party, all dressed in similar styles of clothing to the ones the three of them wore.

"Hey, y'all!" Cain strode up to them with a big grin on his face. 

"Ugh! Just send me back to Hell already!" Adam stalked off, but not before grabbing a plate and piling on a heap of ribs and brisket and sausage onto it. 

Charlie could only shake her head. It was crazy that these two had more in common than they wanted to admit. But maybe that's why they butted heads so hard. 

"Let's get this party started!" Cain shouted, much to the cheers of everyone. Almost immediately, music started blasting and people made their way to the dance floor. Taking in the scene, Charlie watched in excitement as the humans all started to dance in sync with the beat, copying each other's movements. It was amazing to see actual living people enjoying their lives without a worry in the world. 

It was a completely different experience than what she usually saw in Hell. 

Everything about Earth was so different. Charlie wanted to burn the image of the setting sun and fireflies gleaming in the twilight into her brain. She wanted to inhale as much of the cool summer air into her nostrils and press it against her skin. Because she knew this was only temporary and she would soon have to return back to Hell. 

"Don't tell me being around my dad has made you a buzzkill too!" Cain ran up to her and grabbed her hand, tugging her to the dance floor. 

"I don't know how to dance to this!" Charlie admitted with a sheepish grin. 

"Well, lucky for you, you have a great teacher!" Cain laughed before beginning to lead her. 

Charlie matched his movements, struggling at first to two-step but then quickly getting the hang of it. 

"Hey! Look at you! You learn fast!" Cain spun her around. 

"It's like you said! I have a great teacher!" Charlie giggled. She was so caught up in the dizzying movements and exhilarating feeling that came along with it that she didn't notice Adam glaring at the two of them off in the distance. It wasn't until the song came to an end did she finally notice him sulking alone at a table. 

"Adam?" Charlie's smile faded into a frown as she approached him. "What's wrong?" 

"What do you think?!" Adam snapped. "I'm supposed to play pretend with him?! I'm supposed to act like everything's fine and dandy when we all know what he did?!"

Glancing at the stage where Cain now stood, Charlie saw he had pulled out a guitar. 

"Yeah, they call me Mr. Saturday Night," he began to croon and strummed his guitar. "Mr. Always In. Mr. Never Missed a Good Time."

His voice was deeper than his usual speaking voice. But it was smooth and pleasant to the ear. 

"He's never apologized for the shit he's done!" Adam's scowl deepened. "I doubt he even cares!"

"Adam, you don't know that," Charlie tried to reason. "But if he really is anything like you, he's hurting badly. He needs his father."

"He doesn't need me," he muttered. "He has them."

She followed Adam's resentful gaze and watched as Cain serenaded different women in the audience. A bright smile would appear on their blushing faces. Even the men would clap and sing along when he would pass by them. 

"Look at them. They love him." A forlorn look had come over Adam's face. "They never loved me."

Charlie furrowed her brows. "What do you mean? Who didn't love you?"

He remained silent just as the violins and steel guitars kicked into the song. It had gotten so loud now that Charlie could barely hear herself speak. She had to practically scream when she talked to Adam, even though he sat right next to her. 

"Adam! I think you two need to talk! Like actually talk! Not just hurl insults at each other!"

"Yeah, I smoke and drink. Smile and wink," Cain continued to sing. "And make them think I'm fine." 

Adam shook his head and curled his lips in disgust. "There's nothing I have to say to him that I haven't said already."

Wanting to argue how this wasn't true at all because she had seen first-hand the empathy he felt towards his son, Charlie opened her mouth to remind him of this. But Adam had already risen from his seat and disappeared into the darkness. 

Right as Cain finished the last lyrics of his song and the violins and steel guitars came to a crashing crescendo. 

"Yeah, I turn it on. But all along, I'm going outta my mind. They don't know how much I miss her Saturday night."

The crowd erupted into applause, but Charlie could only stare off into the darkness, hoping Adam would return. 

But he never did.

Chapter Text

When Charlie woke up the next morning, the house was eerily silent. The last thing she remembered was heading upstairs to the guest bedroom and going to sleep, listening to the sounds of the party still going on until the early hours.

With a tired yawn, she exited the bedroom and headed downstairs to an empty house. Adam and Cain were nowhere to be found. Had they left? Like for good? 

Charlie began to panic at the thought of Adam actually leaving her. After what happened last night, it wouldn't be out of character for him to do so.

A sudden movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. A shadow was walking back and forth from outside one of the windows, and Charlie immediately ran out to meet it.

"Adam!" Charlie exclaimed as she burst through the back door. 

But it wasn't Adam. It was his son and he was currently knelt down beside the rows of wilted vegetable patches, tending to them. Or at least trying to since they were all brown and dried out. 

"Cain, do you know where your dad is?" Charlie approached the garden with an uneasy expression on her face. 

He turned to look at her from under his sun hat and shrugged. "Probably still asleep. And he'd get onto me for sleeping til noon," he muttered that last sentence under his breath. 

Charlie nodded before heading back into the house, looking for Adam. Since the house was so big, he could be anywhere. She tried calling for him, but there was no response. 

"Darn it," she said to herself as she began opening every door and entering every room in search of Adam. Worry mingled with her panic and she had to swallow down those desperate thoughts that he might really be gone. 

When she exhausted all her options, she realized there was still one last place she hadn't checked yet. 

The basement.

Charlie rushed down the stairs into the basement below and let out a huge sigh of relief when she spotted Adam on his knees, rummaging through several boxes filled with documents and pictures. Papers were scattered all around the floor beneath him, as if a tornado had hit the basement and left a mess behind in its wake.

"Adam! I've been looking all over for you!" Charlie started to approach him and when he didn't turn to face her, she knew immediately something was wrong. 

"Adam... What's going on?" She tilted her head and frowned. "What are you looking for?"

"I thought he was bullshitting me when he said he had several degrees," Adam scoffed. "So I wanted to see for myself. And that's when I found all this."

He handed her the piece of paper he was holding. She took it and examined it closely, reading its contents. At the top, a foundation dedicated to researching and curing childhood cancer was listed. And at the bottom, a large figure of money that had been raised was also printed. 

"And there's more papers like these with different years dated. For all types of cancers and diseases," Adam muttered. "And it's not just for medical research. There's some for saving and preserving wildlife. For taking care of orphans. For ending world hunger. The list goes on and on."

Charlie gaped back down at the paper in her hands, finally understanding what this was. "You mean... Cain set up these foundations?"

Adam gave a short nod and bit his bottom lip. "Mmm hmm."

"Wow... That's incredible!" Charlie beamed. She glanced around at all the scattered pictures and saw Cain throughout the years getting awarded for different causes as well as awarding others for their efforts to better humanity.

"No, it fucking isn't!" Adam snatched the paper from her and crumbled it into a ball and threw it across the basement. 

This was the last thing Charlie had been expecting. "I don't understand. Aren't you proud of him?"

"I'm fucking irritated is what I am!" Adam ran his fingers through his hair and started pacing back and forth. "It's narcissism disguised as altruism! If he thinks he's Mr. Philanthropist now, Mr. I Can Just Throw Money At My Problems And That Suddenly Makes Everything Right, then he's in for a rude fucking awakening!"

Rendered speechless, Charlie could only stare back at him in shock. She couldn't understand why Adam was still so upset with Cain despite learning he was trying to do good in the world. Would he have rather him remained the same or gotten worse? 

"Adam," Charlie said softly. "I know this is about something deeper. What's really going on?"

He snapped his head to glare at her. "What the fuck do you think this is about, princess? I told you that I know my son and he will not–he can not–change! And this little heroic act he's trying to put on isn't fooling anyone!"

The frown returned to Charlie's face. "What if it's not an act? What if this is really him now?"

A harsh, bitter laugh left Adam's mouth. "No fucking way! Because if that means he really spent all this time improving–"

The smirk on his face suddenly fell and was replaced with a look of despair. "Then what the fuck does he need me for?"

And there it was. The truth of why Adam couldn't accept that Cain might've improved as a person. Because it would mean he would have to accept that Cain did it in spite of his dad's help. That instead of growing as a person and improving humanity or his surroundings like Cain did, Adam wasted it. 

On revenge. 

And look where that got him. 

Of course, Charlie didn't speak these thoughts out loud. She was not going to kick a man when he was already down. So she reached out to embrace him and said, "This is the first step. Acknowledging your mistakes and being honest with yourself."

When Adam made no attempt to hug her, she went in for one anyway. "But in spite of what you think, Cain still needs you. Your family needs you. That's why I'm here with you and why I was willing to fight against my dad to get you here."

Adam grumbled and pushed her aside. "I don't know how."

"You just need to be vulnerable with him. Like how you were with me–"

"No, I mean like I literally don't know how to be his father again. Like I don't know how to be fatherly! Ugh! Stupid brain!" He clenched his fists in obvious frustration as he struggled to find the words.

"It's okay, Adam. Take your time," Charlie encouraged with a gentle smile.

"Like I've spent so much of our relationship disliking him that I don't know how to..." he trailed off, gritting his teeth. "It's just been easier disliking him and I don't know how to change that!"

Charlie nodded her head in understanding. She had heard something similar before with people who battled depression. It was easier to stay in that blanket of depression because it was familiar. Getting out of a depression meant change. And change was scary and hard.

"I won't lie and say it will be easy," she answered. "But if you keep trying, eventually it will get easier. Like exercising."

"I hate exercising," Adam groaned. 

She couldn't help but laugh. "I do too. But it's good for you."

With a hum, Charlie started to gather all the loose papers and pictures. "We should get back to him. He's trying to garden and um, it's not going so well."

Adam's eyebrow quirked up. "Did he somehow forget how to grow plants? He only spent over two hundred years doing it when I last saw him. It's not fucking rocket science."

Charlie continued to place the documents back in the boxes. "I'm not sure. But the garden is completely dead. And I don't think all the holy water in the world can save it."

Another loud laugh rang out from Adam. But this one wasn't filled with the same bitterness or scorn like the previous one. This one sounded more genuine, more hearty. 

"That's a good one, kid." 

Adam knelt down and started to help her put back the mess he created. When they finished, they went back outside where Cain was hard at work, ripping out the plants. 

"Geez, Cain. What the fuck did you do?" Adam regarded the withered-up plants with a grimace. When he reached out and touched one of their brown leaves, it disintegrated into pieces immediately before blowing away in the wind.

Cain sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Since I last saw you, I haven't been able to grow even a weed. Everything I plant dries up and dies."

Charlie let out a low whine. "Aw, and I saw how you used to love gardening."

"Yeah," Cain said glumly. "After that, I had to resort to hunting just to get by. Something I didn't like but became pretty good at..." He gestured toward his ranch. "I guess this tattoo wasn't the only curse I've had to bear."

After a moment of unusual silence from Adam, he cleared his throat and exclaimed, "Well, lucky for you, I'm the best motherfucking gardener around!"

Both Charlie and Cain glanced at him with a look of surprise on their faces. But before either of them could say anything, Adam had already started pulling out the remaining plants. 

"Watch this!" 

Adam raised his hand and pointed at the garden. Charlie and Cain watched and waited for something to happen, but nothing ever did. 

"Uh, Adam?" Charlie scratched the top of her head. "What was supposed to happen?"

"Hm?" Adam pointed his finger again. And again. But the garden remained the same bare patch of dirt as before. 

"Fuck! Stupid fucking angels took even my power to grow plants!?" Adam stamped his foot into the ground. "What the fuck!"

Cain shook his head and huffed. "I literally just said the exact same thing happened to me. I know you have an ego the size of Texas, but even I thought you'd recognize that!"

Before Adam could retort and potentially escalate this into an argument, Charlie chimed in. "Well, back when you were alive, you didn't have any heavenly powers either. We're just going to have to do it the old-fashioned way."

"Not a problem, sweetie. But for Cain here it might be. He's allergic to hard work." Adam eyed his son with a knowing smirk. 

Cain returned his smirk with one of his own. "The only thing I'm allergic to is your bullshit, old man. Let's see what you got."

At that moment, Charlie couldn't stop the grin spreading across her face. Even though Adam was basically going to turn this into a dick-measuring contest, it still mattered that he was willing to help his son out. And that his son was willing to listen. 

"Charlie, you should go put on a cap or a hat. I have some extras in my bedroom. These Texas summers are brutal," Cain warned. "It gets hotter than hell out here."

"I'm used to the heat by now, but thank you." Charlie chuckled. "I appreciate the offer."

Meanwhile, Adam was already dripping in sweat and kept having to fan himself. "What the fuck is this?! The forgotten tenth circle of Hell?!"

"You good, Dad?" Cain snickered. "Finally going through menopause?"

"I swear to fuck, if you don't shut the fuck up right now, I will kick your ass!" Adam's face had turned red. But whether that was from his anger or the morning sun beating down on him, Charlie didn't know. She figured it might be a little bit of both. 

"Adam, just turn off your physical form, and then you won't be hot," she suggested. 

"It doesn't matter what form I'm in, I'll always be hot, princess." He pointed at her, his fingers mimicking that of a gun.

Cain let out an exasperated groan at Adam's comment. "You're so fucking cringe."

"Anyway," Charlie interrupted before things got even more heated. "I'm curious to learn more about gardening, too. I bet it's a totally different experience than it is in Hell. Where practically all the plants are either blackened, bare, or dried out."

So the three of them spent the rest of the morning in the garden, watching and listening as Adam explained how to grow the best crops. Cain even allowed Adam to plant the seeds and water them, which pleasantly surprised Charlie. 

"I just want to see him fail," Cain tried to defend, but Charlie wasn't buying it. She knew that this was an important bonding moment between father and son. 

"Even if I somehow did fail, which I won't! It couldn't be any worse than the shit you pulled!" Adam shot back. "You can't even get a plant wet, I wonder how you did a woman!"

A wicked gleam appeared in Cain's eye. "With my tongue! Not like you would know anything about that!"

"Oh ho ho! I know plenty! In fact, your mom–"

"Who wants lemonade?" Charlie interjected before this turned graphic. She certainly did not want to hear about Adam's sex life. She had already seen more than enough when it came to that. And she figured Cain didn't want to hear about his parents either. 

"I'm good. But I'll take a beer," Cain said. 

"I should've figured you'd be a drunk as well," Adam sneered.

"Well, I figured with that gut of yours, you had a couple of beers yourself." Cain raised an eyebrow.

"FUCK YOU!" Adam screamed before hurling the remaining seeds at him, causing Cain to just laugh at him. "I don't even know what beer tastes like! Because in Heaven, there aren't any plastered fucks like you!"

"Adam!" Charlie shot him a glare. "What did we talk about?"

"But Charlie!" Adam whined. "He started it!"

"No buts, Adam." Charlie crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm going to go get the drinks and when I return, I don't want to hear any more insults. Unless it's friendly teasing."

Charlie left the two of them to finish planting the rest of the seeds. It seemed that for every step forward, she would take two steps back when it came to these two. But she was not going to give up! She was determined to help repair their relationship. 

Just because she and her dad had a rocky relationship didn't mean Cain and Adam had to have one, too. 

As Charlie opened the fridge, her mind drifted to her dad. What was he doing? Was he watching her and Adam? She wouldn't be surprised if he was. 

What about Vaggie? How did she react when Lucifer told her about Charlie and Adam? 

Her hands started to shake involuntarily, almost dropping the pitcher of lemonade. Vaggie would understand, right? She would understand why she couldn't take her with her. 

Vaggie always understood.

After pouring the lemonade into two glasses and grabbing a beer, Charlie headed back outside. Cain and Adam were standing there in silence so thick and tense she could cut it with a knife.

"Sooooo, how's it going?" Charlie tried to lighten the mood. 

"I'd have more fun getting my left nut chopped off," Adam deadpanned. 

"Same here." Cain took the beer from her hand and twisted the cap open before taking a sip. 

"Can I leave now?" Adam asked. "My job here is done. If he fucks up again and the plants die, that's not on me."

Charlie gave a weary sigh. "Yes, Adam. You can leave. Thank you for helping."

"Sweet!" Adam grabbed the glass of lemonade from Charlie before reverting back to his spiritual form, his wings now attached. "See ya, don't wanna be ya!" 

At that moment, the wind suddenly shifted. A high-pitched whistle shrieked through the air, making the hairs on the back of Charlie's neck stand up. Wind chimes that sounded more like the tolls of church bells rang out as the sky above darkened. From all around, the trees and grass blew in the direction of the wind along with any remaining lemonade still left in Charlie's glass. 

"Aw shit," Cain said right as the most earsplitting wail resonated from what seemed like all directions. His eyes had shifted to the side, partially shrouded by his auburn strands.

"What– What's going on?" Charlie gulped, trying to move wisps of blonde hair out of her face. But it was no use. She followed his stare, her eyes watering with how hard the wind was blowing now. 

Out in the distance, but ever approaching, was a large black funnel swirling amongst a haze of ominous storm clouds. 

Aw shit, indeed.

Chapter Text

"This is probably a bad time to say this, but welcome to Earth!" Cain shouted to Charlie. "Where tornadoes occur pretty often in this part of the world! But hey, I'd rather deal with a tornado than a wildfire! That shit fucking sucks!"

"Okay, so what do we do?" Charlie had to raise her voice over the sound of the boisterous wind and blaring sirens.

"We need to go down into the basement and wait it out!" Cain answered. 

Charlie and Cain both started to stalk off until she realized Adam wasn't following them. From behind her, Adam had plopped back down to the ground in his physical form, his skin turning deathly pale and his mouth hanging open. His eyes were locked in a bulging stare towards the darkening horizon. 

"Adam!" Charlie cried. "Come on! We need to go to the basement!" 

When she tried tugging at his limp arm, he didn't budge. He remained rooted to the ground, still gaping at the approaching tornado. 

"Dad!" Cain ran back to his side. "I know you think you can probably take this thing on but let me tell you, now is not the time to be a fucking idiot!"

"Cain's right!" Charlie tried again to get him to move. "I don't think a tornado will hurt you since you're a spirit, but I don't know for sure! And I don't want to find out!"

"She's over there." The words out of Adam's mouth were so soft that Charlie nearly missed them. 

"Wha– Who?!" Charlie followed Adam's unblinking stare and realized just what he meant. 

She went by many names. 

Adam's second wife and the second woman. The Mother of Humanity. The Bringer of Chaos and the Maker of Destruction. 

Eve. 

"Oookay," Charlie wheezed. "This moment came a lot sooner than I expected, but no worries! We can do this!" 

Adam did not answer her with his usual sarcasm or cursing. In fact, he didn't answer her at all. He was still stuck in his stupor. 

"Charlie! What the hell is going on?" Cain glanced between his dad and her, probably realizing the gravity of the situation if it could render Adam speechless.

"Soooooo," she started to say while pulling at her loose strands of hair. "Remember how I told you your mom became the personification of chaos and destruction? Well, she's the one causing that tornado."

Cain blinked. "My mom... Is... Over... There." 

He said the words as if he had never spoken them before. As if they were part of a new language he was trying to understand. 

Charlie nodded her head desperately. "Yes! And we need to go over there–"

Adam seized Charlie by her shoulders and pulled her in close, his face only inches from hers. "How do I look? Is there anything stuck between my teeth? Do the circles under my eyes make me look like a bad boy rocker or like some creep who stays up all night jerking off?" 

"Uhhhh." Now it was Charlie's turn to be left speechless. Not only had Adam not swore once during those questions, but for a moment, he sounded like the old Adam she saw him as back in Eden. 

"Hold the fuck up! You want to go into the tornado?!" Cain exclaimed. "I get I might not die, but I'm not fucking made of steel either! The angels didn't include that as part of their punishment!"

The wind was picking up even more, meaning the tornado was getting ever closer. Charlie knew they didn't have much time and they needed to make a decision quickly. "Cain, please just trust me! Your mom is over there and your dad hasn't seen her since she died! And look at him! His brain short-circuited! If we can just talk to her, maybe we can get her to stop all this!"

"Ugh!" Cain shut his eyes and slapped a hand over his forehead, apparently thinking this over. "You two are damn lucky I was a storm chaser at one point!"

The three of them headed for Cain's pickup truck. Well, more like Cain and Charlie headed for the truck with Charlie having to practically carry Adam with her. 

"I just don't understand why my mom never contacted me if she was here the whole time," Cain muttered as he ignited the truck's engine. "Does she hate me too?"

"She doesn't hate you at all! She wanted to see you when she was in Hell!" Charlie reminded as she climbed into the backseat with a still shell-shocked Adam. "And when you last saw her, she told you she loved you and you were her son!"

Cain didn't respond and just drove toward the menacing storm. As they drew closer and closer, the windows started to rattle and the truck began to shake. Charlie could even feel the truck's tires lift off the ground even if it was just barely. She was sure they were going to be lifted into the air and spun around. 

"Hey, it's going to be okay." Charlie reached for Adam's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "We got this."

That seemed to snap Adam out of his trance. "I have no fucking idea what to say to her... Does she even remember me? And if she does, does she hate my guts for never coming to look for her?"

Charlie pursed her lips. "I don't have an answer to that. But you're here for her now. And that's what matters." 

"Okay, this is as far as I can go without having the truck turn into a tumbleweed," Cain announced. "Can you even see her up there?"

Both Charlie and Adam pressed their faces up against the window. Sure enough, she did spot a figure hovering up above amongst the swirling clouds and roaring wind. But it was too far away to make out any details or even tell who it was.

Without realizing it, Charlie had opened the door, the truck beeping incessantly as she stepped outside. Immediately, dirt, rain and warm air blew into Charlie's eyes and she had to shield her face just to keep from being blinded. 

"Oh, fuck. I think I'm going to hurl," Adam groaned from behind, clutching his stomach. 

And Charlie could see why. The figure had moved closer and its features had become more clear. Her hair was blowing straight up in the air, and her eyes gleamed in the darkness. She had her claws upturned and a wicked smile spread across her face, baring a pair of sharp fangs. Most importantly, she didn't have a pair of legs, but a serpent's tail attached to her lower half. 

There was no doubt who this was. 

"Oh my gosh! It is her!" Charlie turned to Adam, who was also covered in rainwater. "Adam, you need to say something!" 

"What the fuck am I supposed to say?!" Adam was now trembling and his eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets. 

"Introduce yourself! Call her by her name!" 

"What the hell are you two looking at?" Cain had finally gotten out of the truck and approached them, soaking in water. "It's just a tornado! I've seen plenty of those!" 

"Wait? You can't see her?" Charlie furrowed her brows. "She's literally right above us!" 

Cain followed her index finger where she pointed and shook his head. 

"Hold on!" Charlie went up to Cain and tapped her chin, mulling over how she could get him to see Eve. He could see Adam since he had manifested himself as a physical being. But could the personification of Chaos do that? Something told Charlie that even if she could, she obviously didn't want to since Cain didn't know his mom had been on Earth this whole time. 

Charlie pressed her finger against Cain's forehead to give him the ability to see the spiritual world. "There, that should do it!"

A look of bewilderment came across Cain's face. "You gave me X-ray vision!"

With a squeak, Charlie instantly covered herself with her arms as Cain followed his last sentence with, "And not the good kind!"

"Oh thank goodness!" Charlie dropped her arms and tried again. This time it seemed to work since when Cain looked up, he jerked back with a horrified expression. 

"HOLY SHIT! THAT'S HER?!" He glanced between Charlie and Eve. "What the fuck happened to her?! She looks hideous!"

"Hey! Don't talk about your mother that way!" Adam glared, finally returning back to his usual self. "And Charlie's shitty parents fucking happened! Or were you not paying attention to her long-winded story?!"

"You know I can hear you all!" a feminine voice called from above, making all three of them freeze.

"Eve?!" Adam winced before spinning around to fully face her. "You– You can fucking talk?!" 

She let out a high-pitched laugh as she floated down closer to the trio, leaving the tornado behind. "Of course, I can talk, silly! Why wouldn't I be able to talk? I still have my tongue!" 

At the words, she stuck out her forked tongue in and out. 

"Then... Do you know who I am? Do you remember me?" Adam's eyes resembled that of a puppy's. Charlie had never seen him look so innocent since back in Eden. 

Eve gave him a once-over. "Hmmm. Nope!" 

Not since being cast down from Heaven had Adam looked so utterly defeated and despondent. 

Eve giggled again. "I'm just kidding! Of course, I remember you, Addykins! We only spent the worst half of eight hundred years together!" 

Cain and Charlie both chuckled at the nickname, which Adam clearly did not appreciate since his cheeks flushed red. "Addykins?!" 

But Eve didn't stop to explain it and just kept talking, all while continuing to lazily spin the tornado with her finger. "It took you long enough to find me! I was beginning to think you'd never come!"

"Babe, I always come! And what the fuck did you mean by the worst half?!" Adam demanded. 

"Wait, hold on!" Cain threw his hands in the air. "Mom, you knew I was here this whole time and you never once stopped by to visit?! Not even a birthday or Christmas card?!"

"Oh, sweet pea, I wanted to reveal myself to you, but I couldn't!" Eve stretched out an arm to her son as if to caress him. "But don't worry, your brother and I were always close by. All those wars you fought in, we were there too!"

A look of realization and horror crossed Cain's face. "Shit... You mean–"

"But what matters is that we're together now!" Eve's eyes sparkled with delight. "Do you know how long I've waited for this?! I haven't been this excited since I saw that archduke take a bullet to the face!"

Charlie, who had been silent this entire time, decided to speak up. "Mrs. Eve, ma'am. You don't know how relieved I am to hear you've been waiting for this moment! We came all this way from Hell just to bring you back–"

"Who the fuck is this?" Eve's playful tone turned into a deep growl that echoed in every direction. "Adam, you better not have replaced me with this blonde bimbo!" 

"What?! Fuck no!" Adam raised his hands in front of him. "That's just Charlie! She's Lucifer and Lilith's kid!"

Eve's glare softened and she laughed again. "Oh! Now I see the resemblance to that ugly bitch! So I guess she was finally able to spawn something after all!"

Charlie tried to ignore the insult, telling herself that it was more than fair after what Eve had gone through. "Eve–"

"Shut up, I wasn't done." Eve cut her off with a hiss. "What was I saying? Oh yeah, the angels sure went easy on that slut. And they're going to regret it. Sorry, Carly or whatever your name is. There's been a misunderstanding. I'm not going back to Hell. I'm bringing Hell with me!"

As soon as Eve said those last words, lightning flashed all around them, making her look even more frightening than she already did. 

"Eve, babe, honey." Adam reverted to his spiritual form and used his wings to fly up next to her. "I know we didn't end things on good terms, but I'm in Hell now, too. The angels kicked me out of Heaven."

Eve gasped and then shook her head. "Those bastards. I shouldn't even be surprised. But you see, Addykins, this is why I need to do this!"

"Do what exactly?" The laugh Adam gave was a nervous one. There was no sincerity or mirth or even mockery behind it.

"Destroy the world and all of humanity." Eve said this so nonchalantly as if she were merely describing a book or what she ate today. 

"WHAT?!" Adam, Charlie and Cain all squawked at the same time. They started protesting, each one speaking over the other.

"But you're the mother of humanity!" Charlie clenched her fists at her sides. "Those are innocent people!"

"Mom! They are our descendants! They don't deserve that!" Cain sounded breathless as if the air within him had been stolen.

"Babe, that's too fucked up even for me. After what happened to our son, I thought you of all people would hate killing!" Adam shouted over the turbulent storm. 

"Stay out of this, hellspawn," Eve sneered at Charlie before turning to gaze at her family. "Cain, you've killed before. Why the sudden change of heart? You've seen how fucked up humanity is! You know that better than anyone!"

Even though she still looked monstrous, when Eve looked at Adam, Charlie could see a glimpse of the beautiful, innocent woman she used to be. "And Adam, I know we ended things horribly, but this could be our second chance! Don't you want to see the angels suffer for what they've done? Or more accurately, what they didn't do? Out of everyone, you've suffered the most! Now it's their turn! Not only will they see their precious creation destroyed, but they'll have to get involved. And when they do, we can take them on!"

Adam gulped and remained quiet for a few seconds, as if thinking this over. 

"Dad... Please, don't," Cain pleaded, tears welling in his eyes before being whisked away with the wind and rain. "I know what you're thinking and I know you have no problem killing human souls, but take it from someone who committed the first murder and has regretted it every single day of his life!"

"Adam, please listen to your son!" Charlie tried to reach out to him, but the wind was blowing too hard for her to grab him. "This isn't the answer! I know you still care somewhat for living humans!" 

"I said, shut up, you evil brat!" Eve came down and screamed right in Charlie's face. "This doesn't concern you!"

"I'm sorry, babe. Modern humans are annoying as fuck and they're a bunch of ungrateful, spoiled snowflakes. But there's a huge fucking difference between killing what's already dead and killing something that's still alive. Even as much as I can't fucking stand them." Adam crossed his arms over his chest and in that moment, Charlie couldn't have been prouder of him. 

"Is that your final answer?" Eve's voice hardened and her eyes narrowed into slits. "I had hoped this reunion would go differently, but I should've known better. After all, you two are the kings of making bad choices."

And with that, Eve disappeared back into the tornado. It started moving at a breakneck speed towards Cain's ranch, which all three of them realized at the same time.

"Fuck!" Cain dashed off toward his truck.

"Cain! Wait!" Charlie wanted to hurry off after him, but he was already getting in the truck. "Why didn't he just teleport with us?"

"Because he's just a useless human! He can't teleport!" Adam had returned back to the ground, his tone laced with an emotion Charlie couldn't place. "The only reason I can teleport with you is because of that limp-dick bastard's blood running through your veins!"

"Oh! That makes sense!" Charlie intertwined her hand with Adam's. "Okay, we need to stop Eve! Can you take us back–"

She didn't even get to complete her sentence before they suddenly appeared back in front of Cain's ranch. 

"To the ranch," she finished, releasing Adam's hand. 

"I was already fucking on it, princess!" Adam snapped. 

They had arrived just seconds before Eve and her tornado had. With not much time to spare, Charlie tried turning back into her giant form. But no matter how hard she willed herself to, she couldn't.

"Crap! Why isn't this working?!" She bit her bottom lip in frustration. Without her wings, there wasn't much she could do. 

"Looks like I'm going to have to save everyone's asses once again. You all can thank me later!" Adam rose up above Charlie as his wings fluttered in the wind. At the same time, Cain's truck was pulling up over the hill. Charlie could tell he was flooring it with how the tires were sending up dust and mud everywhere. 

Adam flew into the tornado and vanished from her eyesight. Feeling useless and a little hopeless, Charlie could only pray Adam had reached her in time and was able to talk her down from her rage. 

But it was too late. Whether Adam hadn't reached her in time or said the wrong thing, the tornado had blown through the ranch, destroying everything in sight in a matter of minutes. The once-beautiful house was reduced to a heap of splintered wood, and Cain's prized possessions and artifacts were shattered to pieces. 

Even the animals hadn't been spared. They were all taken up in the tornado and smashed back into the Earth, their bloodied and bruised bodies littering the ground. 

It was as if Eden's Edge had never existed at all. 

Charlie had been so caught up in the destruction that she failed to notice Cain standing beside her. It wasn't until she saw him collapse to his knees out of the corner of her eye that she realized he had been there to witness all his hard work razed to the ground.

"Oh my gosh." Charlie felt as if the tornado had sucked all the oxygen out of her lungs. "Cain, I'm so sorry–"

He marched off before she could finish, looking through the ruins, evidently trying to find anything that could be salvaged. 

"I couldn't convince her," Adam said from behind. His expression was grim, one Charlie rarely had ever seen him wear. 

"There's nothing we can do about that now." Charlie hung her head and frowned. "But what you can do is go to him."

Before Adam could answer, the tornado suddenly dissipated, and Eve appeared in front of them with a smirk on her face. 

"I'm sorry Abel couldn't be here to see this, but he should be close by." She leered at Cain, who had stopped his search to seethe at her. His nostrils fumed and his knuckles had turned white from how hard he clenched his fists. 

"Unlike you two, he knows we're a family. And families stick together," Eve continued, her tone dripping with venom. "Until then, I hope you two reconsider. It's been lovely seeing my husband and son again, but I have to go catch some waves down south."

What happened next was something Charlie never saw coming. Eve flipped herself upside down and cackled at the younger woman. "And I'll make sure to tell your mom you said hi." 

"Wait, what?!" Charlie's body lurched forward without thinking. But with the snap of her finger, Eve departed with a flash.

Has Charlie heard right? Had Eve really just said she'd see Lilith? 

Looking for confirmation she wasn't hallucinating, Charlie glanced at Adam, who had the same shocked expression on his face. 

So then it was true. Eve knew where Lilith was. 

"HEAVEN FUCKING DAMN IT!" Cain's howl pulled Charlie from her thoughts as he tossed a piece of metal back into the pile. 

"Cain." Adam slowly floated over to him, his hand outstretched as if he wanted to pat him on the back. "I'm sorry, man. This fucking sucks. Shame about Buttons though, but most of that other stuff was lame anyways. And the good thing is that you have insurance... Right?"

The look in Cain's eyes sent a chill down Charlie's spine. She had been so used to the friendly man she'd come to know that she almost forgot he was the First Murderer. And in that moment, as he spun around and faced his dad, she knew why he earned that title. 

"Get the fuck away from me!" 

Even Adam looked caught off guard by this. He flinched and withdrew his hand before taking a half-step back. 

"Why the fuck did you have to come back here?!" Cain continued to scream at his dad. "I was doing just fine without you! But you just had to come here and ruin everything as usual!"

Charlie screwed her eyes shut, knowing just what this moment meant for Adam. He had told Eve almost the same thing back in Eden when they ate the apple. And now he was on the receiving end from the son who looked exactly like her. 

"Cain, it's not his fault," Charlie spoke up. "I brought him here. I convinced him to come."

Cain glowered at her. "I was a fucking idiot to ever think this would work. I guess my dad is right about one thing. We can't be redeemed."

"No, you sure as fuck can't!" Adam's body shook with rage. "The moment you murdered your brother, it was game over for you! You want to fucking lecture me about ruining everything?! What about you?! I was the first human soul in Heaven for centuries! Everyone else went straight down to Hell! And it's no surprise as to why!"

"I'll admit, I wasn't the best person at first! I didn't get it right the first few tries being a dad or a husband or a friend! But I have done everything I could to try to better humanity! To try to make up for what I did!" Cain's voice cracked at that last sentence, but he quickly recovered. "What you told me when you last me, I knew I deserved worse! But I still hoped one day you would see that I really am sorry!"

An evil sneer found its way onto Adam's lips as he said, "The only thing I see is that you should've been the one who died that day."

Charlie let out a loud gasp. "Adam! You don't mean that!"

Cain's upper lip trembled and for a moment, Charlie thought he would cry. But he shook his head and muttered, "No, Charlie. He does."

In the tense silence that followed, Adam held his unflinching glare while Cain sighed and started to trudge off toward the truck. It was the only thing of his still left intact. 

"And he always has."

The truck roared back to life and rolled away. Charlie watched until it was a speck in the distant sunset. Even Adam had faded away, disappearing to Heaven knew where. 

And Charlie was left cold and wet and all alone. 

Chapter Text

Twilight arrived along with dozens of fireflies twinkling in the cool evening air. Charlie wasn't sure how long she had been standing in the grass. All she knew was that the sun had set minutes ago and her clothes had finally fried thanks to the summer heat.

This wasn't how she had expected the reunion between Adam, Eve, and Cain to go. But maybe she should've.

No! She refused to give into despair! Because if she did, that would mean this battle had been lost. And she was not going to lose!

But she wasn't going to lie to herself that this wasn't challenging. And what made it even more difficult was that she had no one in her corner. She couldn't vent or cry to anyone. Because the people she did trust were either not here, broke said trust, or both.

Charlie had to be her own anchor, her own rock.

With a sigh, she decided she should go looking for Cain and Adam. Where they could be, she had no idea.

So she began the long trek down the dirt road in the direction Cain's truck headed. It didn't take as long as she expected to start seeing city lights in the distance, and for the dirt road to turn into a paved one.

She came upon a saloon with a flashing neon sign and several cars and trucks parked outside. Charlie almost kept shambling along, but when she recognized Cain's truck, which was hard not to with its oversized wheels, she felt a surge of hope shoot through her.

When she walked inside, she felt everyone's eyes on her, and she wondered if it was because of her height. Humans had grown shorter over time, and she towered over most of the men in the bar.

Trying to ignore their stares, Charlie scanned the room for any sign of Cain. She spotted him in the corner playing pool with a couple of other cowboys. It didn't take long for him to take notice of her either, and he gestured for her to follow him back to one of the barstools.

"You want anything?" he asked as they sat down.

"I'm good. Thanks." She shook her head and tried her best to smile at him. "How are you doing?"

Cain gave a dark chuckle before placing his order for two shots. "How do you think?"

"Right... Sorry." Charlie glanced down at her hands. "This is my fault. I brought Adam here and I thought I could reunite you guys. You were right when you asked if my parents disowned me. I mean, they didn't officially. But I was never the daughter they wanted. And I guess I projected my relationship with them onto you and your dad."

The bartender gave Cain the glasses, and he handed Charlie one of them before clinking it with his own. "To being complete failures."

Despite herself, she mustered a smile and toasted him. "To being complete failures."

He tilted the glass back and downed it within seconds. "That's another thing that sucks about being the oldest man alive. When you have the hardest-working liver in the world, not even a gallon of the strongest liquor gets you even a little tipsy."

Charlie nodded her head, but remained silent. When she didn't drink from her glass, he took it and swallowed it down, too.

"I've tried every substance, pill, plant, powder, any fucked up thing the human race has thought of, and they all stop working eventually," he continued. "I've even tried drinking bleach and it didn't do anything except make my throat burn like a motherfucker."

"Wait..." Charlie gazed at him with teary eyes. "You mean you tried to kill yourself?"

He simply shrugged. "Tried and never succeeded."

"Oh, Cain." She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him. "I'm so, so sorry."

At that moment, Charlie realized just how alike father and son were. When she had told Cain about Adam's story, she hadn't mentioned all the details like his suicidal ideations and depression. She had mostly stuck to the facts about what happened and left out his innermost feelings.

"It's fine." He wiggled out of her embrace. "I've accepted it for the most part."

"No, it's not fine!" Charlie protested. "And this is exactly why I was trying to reunite you with your dad. You two are more alike than you realize. I still believe your relationship can be repaired! What you did to your brother was horrible, but that doesn't mean everything else has to be!"

"I appreciate the sentimentality, from one disappointment to another, but your dad didn't tell you that he basically wished you were dead," Cain muttered. "He'll never forgive me."

Charlie was at a loss for words again. Because what Adam said was equally as horrible. So she decided to ask, "Then why did you even agree to help me if you said you always knew he wished you had died instead?"

The grip on his glass tightened. "Because I've had many children, many lovers, many friends since I've been alive. But I've only had one dad, and one mom and one brother."

A new wave of grief hit Charlie so hard that she nearly started bawling. It all made so much sense and she couldn't believe she didn't see it sooner.

"I've been wanting to ask you something." Charlie tried to keep her voice from choking up. "What happened that day with Abel? In Adam's memories, I only saw the aftermath. But what led up to it?"

Cain stilled, and the lights cast a dark shadow across his face, making it unreadable. "I've never told anyone the full story in a long time."

"Shoot, I'm sorry. It's okay. You don't need to–"

"It's been misunderstood that we were offering sacrifices to the angels," he said, and Charlie immediately grew quiet. "Are you familiar with that show where humans present different ideas and inventions to rich entrepreneurs in hopes of getting investments?"

"Um... I think my girlfriend told me about it once." Charlie scratched the back of her neck, not sure where this was going.

"Okay, so it was similar to that. Except we didn't want money because that didn't exist yet, but we were trying to present our 'inventions' to the angels." Cain removed his hat and ran a hand through his auburn locks.

"Got it." She nodded, understanding everything so far.

"It was clear the angels preferred his ideas over mine. They'd always make a big deal and shower him with praise about how creative and clever he was." Cain's tone had grown sharper. "And you saw how my dad did the same thing."

"Yeah, I did." Charlie frowned.

"So that day, we presented our inventions or gifts or whatever you want to call them. Abel created a new breed of livestock. I was trying to grow the best fruits and vegetables after hearing the stories my parents told me about Eden." His voice had grown hoarse but he quickly cleared his throat and it returned back to normal. "When they saw mine, it was obvious they weren't impressed. They just accepted it without so much as a thank you and moved on to Abel's."

"I think I can already guess where this is going to go," Charlie whispered.

He nodded. "They had never seemed more excited. They thought it was so neat he created a new animal basically and they wanted him to create more. They said he really was my father's son."

Both of them did not say a word, letting the music drown out the silence. This was one of the last missing puzzle pieces in Adam's story and Charlie finally got the answer she had been waiting for.

"Anyway," Cain spoke after a few minutes of long, painful silence. "The angels left me and Abel in the field. He was so happy too and he turned to me and asked if I would help him breed the new animals. But I didn't want to be his keeper. I wanted to be him. So I told him to fuck off. That the only reason Dad and the angels liked him so much was because he looked like Dad. But he'd always be the second-rate son."

Charlie bit her lip and tensed up as she awaited for the inevitable. She could feel her eyes starting to water again but she blinked back her tears.

"The look on his face, I'll never forget it. He was shocked, heartbroken I would say something like that." A glaze had come over Cain's eyes and he looked as if he was far away, off in some distant time. "He started to walk away but I was still pissed off. It was like after years of feeling like an outcast, like I was the one ruining our perfect little family, I wanted him to hurt like I did. I wanted to hurt him. There was a rock nearby. I picked it up and ran after him... He fell and he didn't get back up."

Charlie released the breath she had been holding along with a single tear that rolled down her cheek. She was about to finally say something, but Cain wasn't yet done.

"At that point, I didn't know what death looked like for a human. I didn't even know we could die. But when I kept calling his name and touched him, and felt his skin grow colder, I knew I had fucked up."

The mist in his eyes made their amber color gleam under the neon lights. "And now I'll never be able to tell him I'm sorry or even ask for his forgiveness. Not that I deserve it."

"Cain." Charlie wiped away her tears with her sleeve. "Thank you for sharing that. I know you needed to release it. And like I told your dad, what you did wasn't right. But I'm not here to lecture you about that. I can tell you truly do regret it and would've done things differently. And I'm proud of you for realizing that because most people don't... But you've shown me some people do."

Cain let out a strangled laugh, like he was trying to keep himself from crying. "It's fucking weird that the daughter of the devil would tell me that. Because for a long time, I thought I was the devil's spawn."

"If you were, you'd be a great brother." Charlie leaned her head in closer to him, nudging him with it.

At those words, tears started rolling down his face, but he hurriedly wiped them away. "Look at me. Crying like a little girl. If my dad saw me right now, he'd call me a pussy."

She slung her arm around his shoulder. "And if no one has ever told you this before, you really are your father's son. He practically said the same thing to me when I told him I understood why he did what he did."

Charlie suddenly glanced around. "Wait, where is your dad? We need to go find him!"

But Cain didn't look concerned. He rolled his eyes and pointed over to the back of the bar. "He's been here this entire time. I'm not sure why he followed me. Probably just to run up my fucking credit card!" He screamed that last part towards where Adam sat.

She slapped a hand over her face. "Okay, since he's never drank before, I'm going to go check on him."

As she started to get out of her seat, the bartender stopped her and handed her another drink.

"Oh no, I didn't order this," she tried to explain.

But the bartender gestured to the side and said, "He wanted to buy you a drink."

Charlie's eyes trailed over to where the bartender pointed and she saw an older man grinning at her. Just as she was about to say no thank you, Cain put his hand on her shoulder and winked at the guy before taking the glass for himself and gulping it down.

The man visibly cringed and hurried off without another word, causing Cain to bark with laughter. 

In the meantime, Charlie walked towards the corner and saw Adam sitting there, sobbing. Beside him was an empty beer bottle.

"Adam... You okay, buddy?" Charlie slid in next to him and patted his back.

"No!" He had his head buried in his arms on the table and cried even harder. "Eve said those were the worst eight hundred years of her fucking life!"

"I'm sure she was just surprised to see you and didn't know what to say," Charlie tried to reason. "Plus, she's not herself. She's not exactly the Eve you knew. You said so yourself she's been corrupted."

Adam's body continued to shake with sobs. "I just miss her so much! But now I'll never see her again! And now I'm stuck here with this moron of a son, listening to this stupid fucking music! Why are all these fucking songs the same?! Why are they so fucking sad, Charlie?!"

Charlie paused and listened to the song that was playing. Sure enough, the singer was talking about a breakup and how he would never get the girl back.

For Adam, this must be the deepest pit of Hell.

"So I was talking to Cain." Charlie tried to speak over the song. "And he told me he wanted to help because he only has one dad and one mom and one brother. I thought that was very touching."

Adam finally glanced up and wiped his runny nose with his sleeve, narrowing his puffy eyes. "I don't want to hear about that fucker again."

"Adam, he's had the exact same struggles you had! All that depression and self-loathing. He's even wanted to end his life." Charlie sighed before leaning in closer to him. "You two are not so different. And it's time you stopped thinking that way."

"I never murdered my own brother," Adam snapped.

"No, but I've lost a child too." Cain suddenly appeared in front of them, startling them both. "Some of them were murdered. Some of them died in accidents. And some got sick and died. But all of them, I outlived."

Charlie started to take her leave to give them space to talk, but Cain shook his head and told her to stay. All the while, even Adam looked like he was in deep thought. As if he had never considered Cain knew grief and loss as well as he did.

"I've been in your boots too many times than I can count." Cain slid into the empty booth opposite of them. "I've had women cheat on me with my friends. I've had men–Aaaanyway!"

The sudden glare on Adam's face made Cain change where he was going to go with that sentence. "My point is that why do you think humanity created bars and country music? Heartbreak has always been part of our species, and no one knows that better than us."

Adam snorted but for once, didn't insult Cain. "Look at this. My own son lecturing me. Fucking pathetic."

Cain raised his eyebrow. "What's fucking pathetic is getting drunk off one bottle of beer. Fucking lightweight."

"I told you Heaven doesn't have any fucking alcohol!" Adam slammed his fist on the table.

"Okay, that's enough." The bartender appeared alongside a security guard and addressed Adam. "You need to leave. You're freaking everyone out with your constant blubbering and yelling."

Before Adam could open his mouth and potentially cuss them out, Cain said, "It's alright, Frankie. We were just leaving anyway. You can just put his drink on my tab."

"You got it, Cain." The bartender walked off along with the security guard.

"Come on, Adam. I got you." Charlie tried to help Adam to his feet, but he was so wobbly that she had to support him. She had her arm around his back, steadying him with her own weight.

They all headed out of the bar. Adam had started wailing again, which caused everyone to stare in their direction.

"As if this couldn't get even more fucking embarrassing." Cain slapped his hand over his face.

"I can't believe she said I was the king of bad choices!" Adam sobbed unto Charlie's shoulder. "Cain yes! But not me!"

"Shh. It's okay." Charlie gently patted his hair.

As they left the building and walked towards Cain's truck, Charlie noticed someone standing nearby. The figure was more than a head shorter than the rest of them, and they were pacing back and forth, muttering something under their breath.

When they drew closer, the person came to a halt and looked up.

"Charlie?" The figure breathed a sigh of relief.

Charlie felt her head spin. Though she now had olive skin and black hair, Charlie instantly recognized this figure because of the side-swept bang covering her missing eye.

"Vaggie?"

Chapter Text

"OH FUCK NO!" Adam lurched at Vaggie and if Charlie hadn't been holding him upright, he would have grabbed her. "Get the fuck out of here, you fucking bitch!"

"Adam! Stop!" Charlie wrapped her arms around his waist in an effort to hold him back. It seemed that the sight of her girlfriend had sobered him up instantly. Meanwhile, Vaggie didn't seem fazed in the slightest. In fact, she marched straight up to him, unstrapped the angelic spear attached to her back, and pointed it right in his face. 

"I'm prepared to send you straight to double Hell, cabrón!" Vaggie spat. "Just give me a fucking reason!"

"Vaggie!" Charlie wanted nothing more than to embrace her. But with Adam still struggling in her grasp, she was unable to. 

"Go ahead and try, bitch!" Adam held up his wrist and revealed his tattoo. "I'm under your girlfriend's protection now! So suck it!"

"What the hell is going on?!" Cain had rushed to his dad's side and was also restraining him. "Why is this angry child trying to attack you?!"

"I'm not a child, dumbass!" Vaggie huffed before lowering her spear. 

"Could've fooled me with that flat chest of yours!" Even though it was obvious Adam was still furious, he had finally stopped wriggling around. "You're fucking lucky I don't rip out your other eye and let you smell your way around!" 

"What's stopping you?" Vaggie's mouth widened into a sadistic smirk. "Scared you'll get your ass kicked like your precious Lute did?"

Letting out an inhuman roar, Adam lunged at her and tried to take a swing, which she easily dodged. 

"Vaggie, please stop trying to antagonize him!" Charlie had to hold Adam back again. Of course, this would happen right now. Just when she was finally making a breakthrough with Cain and Adam, Vaggie had to show up. 

"I still don't know who this is or what the fuck is going on!" Cain crossed his arms over his chest. 

"Remember how I told you my girlfriend used to work under Adam as an exterminator and then she spared a child sinner during the extermination, and as a result, another exterminator named Lute who used to be Adam's second in command attacked her and mutilated her? And your dad saw but he and Lute left her behind in Hell and because her wings were stolen, she was stuck?" Charlie said all this all at once and had to take a deep breath afterwards. "Yeah, that's her. Vaggie, this is Cain. Cain, this is Vaggie."

"Cain as in Adam's bastard?" Vaggie narrowed her eye at the man. "It's a good thing you look like your mother."

"EAT A DICK, VAGGIE!" Adam pronounced her name with the soft 'g' sound instead of the hard 'g.'

"Hey, I like her already." Cain grinned. "And it's nice to know my dad is still abandoning people he supposedly cares about. Some things never change."

"Bitch, who said I care about you?" Adam snapped at his son. 

"ADAM!" Charlie finally lost her patience. "If you didn't care, you wouldn't be reacting like this! And I know you're upset because Lute is dead, but think of it this way, it'd be like if Cain had attacked Abel and Abel killed him in self-defense."

"Wooooooow. Thanks a lot, Charlie," Cain deadpanned. "And I thought we were friends."

Charlie cringed and tried to offer him her best smile. She hadn't meant to throw him under the bus. "Sorry."

This seemed to quell Adam's bloodlust since he ceased his thrashing. "But what if Vaggie's lying? She's known to be a liar, or did you somehow forget that?" 

"Idiot, it's Lute." Vaggie rolled her eye. "Or did you somehow forget what a homicidal, bloodthirsty bitch she was?"

"And you aren't?" Adam scoffed. 

Charlie frowned, just now realizing how Cain, Lute, Vaggie, and Abel were all bloodthirsty and homicidal. Or at least had been at one point in their lives. 

And the common denominator in all four of their lives was Adam. 

Before Charlie could ponder this thought further, the argument had already moved on. 

"I'm just shocked the angels didn't kick your ass down sooner," Cain remarked. 

Adam turned his rage on his son and once again, Charlie had to hold him back. "That's it! I'm going to fucking kill him! What are the angels going to do?! They can't kill me twice!" 

Cain shrugged but there was an amusing twinkle in his eye. "Go ahead and try, old man. But let me warn you that any fucker who tried died a sudden and gruesome death."

A hushed silence fell over the group as his words echoed through the night. 

"Wait, what?" Charlie released Adam and they all glanced at Cain. He just shrugged again. 

"Anyway." Charlie turned to her girlfriend and embraced her. "Vaggie, I'm so happy to see you! But what are you doing here?"

Vaggie hugged her back tightly. "I'm happy to see you too. And isn't it obvious? I'm here for you, hon. Why didn't you tell me you were going to Earth with Adam?"

Charlie grimaced. "I... I knew what happened between you two– It was still too raw! I wanted to tell you, Vaggie. I did! But I couldn't and I knew you wouldn't understand."

Vaggie let go of Charlie and took a step back. "You mean... You don't trust me?"

"No! That's not it!" Charlie's voice cracked, something she was not expecting or wanting to happen. "It's just that what Adam did to you was really bad, and I knew having the two of you together would be like fire and gasoline!  This was something I needed to do! On my own!" 

But the damage was already done. Vaggie wrapped her arms around herself and cast her gaze to the ground. "I can understand not telling me what exactly happened with Adam. But what I can't understand is that you just left. Without even telling me or your friends where you were going!"

"Vaggie–" Charlie tried to say, but Vaggie shook her head and kept talking. 

"I had to learn from your dad where you were. We were all worried about you!" Vaggie's face was scrunched up like she wanted to cry, which was something Charlie rarely saw her girlfriend do. "Yes, I know I can be violent and hot-headed. I still hate Adam's guts and would like nothing more than to see him suffer. But if this is important to you, I can put aside that anger. I've done it before."

Charlie blinked back the tears that had gathered in her eyes. She had done the exact same thing her parents had done to her! She had omitted the truth from Vaggie because she thought she wouldn't be able to understand why Charlie was deciding to help Adam. 

But whether Vaggie understood it or not was up to her. 

Charlie had robbed her of that choice and made it for her.

It seemed like she was no better than her parents after all. 

"Vaggie, I'm so, so sorry. You're right." She squeezed her into a giant hug. "I should have at least told you where I was going. And I promise, I won't do something like that again. I still can't tell you everything about what's happened, because they aren't my secrets to tell, but I will tell you everything else!"

Vaggie let out a sigh before embracing her back. "It's okay, hon, I forgive you. I can't be too mad at you anyway since I lied to you too. And you forgave me."

"Always." Charlie smiled at her girlfriend, who returned it with one of her own. 

"Your dad told me a little bit about what's happened." Vaggie released her arms from around Charlie. "He said you decided to help that son of a bitch because you felt sorry for him and because you wanted to find his family and your mom. And that Adam's wife and son were now the personification of Chaos and Death thanks to your dad... Even though it was an accident."

"Even when he tries to take responsibility, the prick still finds a way to fuck it up," Adam barked from behind. Charlie had forgotten all about him and Cain since they had been unusually silent during their whole conversation. 

Well, that made sense why Vaggie had seemed to be more accepting of this situation than Charlie anticipated. If the semi-truth had come straight from Lucifer's mouth, then she would be more willing to accept it. 

"Yeah, I guess that's the short version of it. I also just learned Eve knows where my mom is!"

Vaggie's jaw dropped. "Whoa, what? Are they working together?" 

"I– I don't know." Charlie frowned. Just the thought of that made her head hurt. It was either that or Eve had imprisoned Lilith. And she wasn't sure which option was worse. 

"How is my dad doing, by the way?" She quickly changed the subject. "I hope he's still holding it together somewhat." 

"Oh no, he's a complete basket case," Vaggie said, which caused Adam to laugh sharply and call him a little bitch. "He's inconsolable. But that's also why I came here." 

Vaggie's already stern voice turned even graver as she said, "Heaven is in shambles. It's chaos up there, Charlie. The Council was prepared to come to Earth and wipe you and Adam both out when they found out you were here."

"Seriously?!" Adam exclaimed. "What the actual fuck?!" 

"I'm not even surprised at this point." Cain rubbed his temple. "That's the angels for you."

Charlie swallowed hard. "What?! They wanted to wipe us out?!"

"Yeah." Vaggie glanced to the side behind Adam and Cain. "Uh, can we go talk about this somewhere private? There's a crowd of humans here watching."

Sure enough, when Charlie turned around, there was a group of people watching with confused and uncomfortable expressions on their faces. They had probably been drawn by the sound of them all screaming and insulting each other. 

"Yeah, let's hop inside my truck." Cain made a beeline for the driver's side, but Adam beat him to it.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Cain's eyebrow shot up. 

"The driver is always in charge of the music. And there's no way in Hell am I letting you play any more of that fucking trash." Adam started to rattle the door in a vain attempt to get it to open. 

"And there's no way in Hell I'm letting you drive my truck!" Cain shoved him aside. "I wouldn't even trust you to drive a tricycle down the block!"

Vaggie snickered from beside Charlie, earning her a glare from Adam. 

"Well, I don't want to sit in the back next to Vaggie!" Adam kept pronouncing her name incorrectly, much to her obvious dismay. "The back is for losers!"

"The feeling's mutual, dickhead." Vaggie rolled her eye.

"Well, I don't want you next to me!" Cain shouted at his dad. "I know you're going to put your nasty-ass feet up on the dashboard!" 

Another argument broke out between the three of them and it lasted five minutes just because no one could agree on where to sit. Meanwhile, all Charlie could think was that it was going to take a literal miracle for her to somehow pull this off. 

"Okay!" Charlie quite literally put her foot down. "Vaggie, you can ride shotgun, and I'll go in the back with Adam."

"Sure, I guess," Vaggie muttered. "At least I can stomach the sight of Cain."

"Bitch, what's that supposed to mean?" the aforementioned man demanded. 

"I mean, being related to Adam is guilty by association." Vaggie had her arms crossed over her chest again and scowled at Adam, who stuck his tongue out at her.

"That's just a nice way of saying, 'I'm a sexist bitch.'"

"Who do you think made me a sexist when the only pig I interacted with up in Heaven was you?!" Vaggie pointed her finger at him.  

"You're welcome." Adam mirrored Vaggie's stance. 

"What– For what?!" Vaggie threw her hands up in the air, her one good eye growing comically wide. 

"If I hadn't been tough on you, you wouldn't have become a carpet-muncher. And if I hadn't left you down in Hell, then you wouldn't have met your little girlfriend." Adam explained all this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "So you're welcome. I saved you from becoming a femcel because, sweetie, you were on that fucking path and you weren't slowing down."

Everyone gaped at Adam in stunned silence. Even the crowd of humans glanced at one another, clearly bewildered by what they were hearing.

After what felt like an eternity, Cain face-palmed and unlocked his truck, but not before saying, "I think I need to drink some bleach again."

"You need some help climbing up, Vaggie?" Adam leered at her as she struggled to get inside the truck. "I don't think your little feet can reach!"

Vaggie flipped him off before climbing in. "I'd fall on my spear first before I ever accepted help from a douchebag like you."

"Cool. Go do us all a fucking favor then!" Adam settled into the back of the truck along with Charlie. 

"Okay, so what's going on up in Heaven?" Charlie asked after she buckled her seatbelt. 

Vaggie turned to the side so she could see Charlie, but all she saw was Adam making obscene hand gestures at her. She groaned before turning the other way. "So all the human souls are asking where Adam went and when the Council tried to say he died in the battle against Lucifer, this freaked them out. They started demanding why Adam would be fighting against Lucifer and if he could die, was Heaven safe?"

"You see!" Charlie nudged Adam with her elbow. "The human souls do like you!"

Vaggie scoffed. "It's more like he's hard not to notice gone. Since I've known him, he was always bitching and moaning."

"Like I said, some things never change." Cain cracked a smile as he drove out of the parking lot and down the long stretch of road into the darkness.

"Watch out, Charlie. Or Cain might try to rizz up your girlfriend, too." Adam smacked their heads from behind, which caused Vaggie to take out her spear and threaten him with it. 

"The only one who should watch out is you, prick!"

"Getting back to Heaven." Charlie gently lowered the spear away from Adam's face. "What happened next?"

"So when the Council found out you two journeyed to the Earth, they wanted answers," Vaggie continued. "They demanded a meeting with Lucifer and he took me with him. They were scared Lucifer had sent you two to Earth and were planning some sort of rebellion against Heaven and were trying to get Lilith, Eve, and Abel to join in."

Vaggie heaved a tired sigh. "And that's when your dad made a new deal with them. He said that you were trying to actually redeem Eve and Abel, but the Council didn't believe it. So Lucifer gave them an ultimatum. You bring Lilith, Eve, and Abel back to Hell or..." 

"Or what?" Charlie gulped when she saw Vaggie trail off. 

"Or your dad will be killed." Vaggie winced, her face scrunched up like it physically hurt her to say those words out loud. 

Charlie wasn't sure she had heard her correctly. Her dad, the King of Hell, had bet his life. 

For her?

"And the angels agreed to this?" Charlie's voice was barely above a whisper. 

"They were reluctant at first. Michael thought it was a ploy or a distraction," Vaggie said. "But your dad was serious and convinced him that this would pacify the rest of Heaven. And that's all it took. I knew I needed to come tell you as soon as possible."

"Damn... This just got real." Cain glanced back at Charlie in the rearview mirror, who was currently staring off into space. 

She just couldn't understand why her dad would do this. Did he actually have faith in her plan? Did he believe she could really accomplish her mission? 

"Well, that just means we have to fail now." Adam's sharp laughter broke the tension in the air. 

"ADAM!" Vaggie shouted at the same time Cain had cried out, "DAD!"

"How did you get here? Through the Gates of Hell?" Charlie assumed that Vaggie came to Earth the same way her and Adam did. 

"No, I came down straight from Heaven. It was a lot faster." Vaggie lifted a clump of her black hair. "Courtesy of your dad, by the way."

"I think I need to lie down." Charlie placed a hand over her forehead as if she were about to swoon. Today felt like it was never-ending, and she wasn't sure how many more surprises she could take. 

"Already on it." Cain had pulled the truck into a parking lot of a hotel. "I haven't been this exhausted since The Battle of Verdun."

"WEAAAAAAK!" Adam booed. 

Everyone ignored him as they clambered out of the truck and into the hotel, too drained both physically and mentally to deal with his antics. While Cain went to the front desk to rent some rooms, Charlie, Vaggie, and Adam all stood huddled in the lobby. Charlie had caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror, and she was sure her dark circles were larger than Adam's permanent ones. 

"Okay, so I rented three rooms." Cain handed Charlie a key. "Because there's no fucking way I'm sharing a room with you. I still remember your snoring would keep everyone awake because it was loud as fuck." he told his dad as he gave him his own key. 

"Your mom sure didn't seem to mind!" Adam snatched the key from him and took off to the elevator. "And that wasn't the only thing keeping her up!"

Cain gave an irritated groan before following after him. The three of them headed into the elevator, still too tired to really speak, so they let the jazz music fill the silence. When Cain arrived at his floor, he waved them goodnight and stepped out of the elevator. By the time Charlie and Vaggie arrived at their floor, Charlie honestly didn't even remember how she got from the elevator to her bed. The next thing she knew she had collapsed face-first into the soft bed and could feel Vaggie lying beside her. 

"Are you okay, hon?" Vaggie petted her hair. 

"I thought that day after the extermination was the most exhausting day ever," Charlie mumbled into the pillow. "But then today happened."

"I'm sorry." Vaggie kept running her fingers through Charlie's hair. "What else happened?"

"Eve caused a tornado to wreck Cain's ranch, essentially leaving him homeless. Cain yelled at his dad and told him he ruined everything, which then led to Adam telling him he should've been the one who died instead of Abel. And then we ended up in a bar, and Adam got drunk for the first time, and I found out why Cain killed Abel," Charlie finished with a sigh. 

"Wow." Even though Charlie couldn't see her face, she could tell Vaggie was surprised by this. "I had wondered what Adam had said that made you take pity on him. I figured it must've been the saddest sob story ever."

Charlie nodded into the pillow. "Even Cain said it was one of the top ten worse things he's heard. And he's seen everything!"

"Speaking of Cain." Charlie could feel Vaggie shift her weight on the bed. "Was it true he was trying to rizz you up?"

She chuckled, noticing the change in her girlfriend's tone. "Yeah, but that was just that first time I met him. He's like the brother slash cousin I never had! Or at least I could've had..."

Charlie suddenly sat up and looked over at Vaggie, who had a contemplative expression on her face. "That's something I can tell you about. Sera cursed my mom back in the Garden of Eden. The angels had caught her with my dad, and when she refused, any child they had was to die for the next one hundred generations."

Vaggie placed her hand atop Charlie's shoulder. "Charlie, that's terrible. I never knew your parents had to suffer like that. I'm so sorry."

"They weren't the only ones who suffered." Charlie snuggled closer to Vaggie and intertwined their fingers together, always liking how her girlfriend's were so much smaller in comparison. "One day, I promise I'll tell you everything that happened. But for now, I hope you can still trust me. And trust I know what I'm doing."

"I trust you," Vaggie said with no hesitation. 

With a soft smile, Charlie closed her eyes and finally found the sleep she had sought after. 

Chapter Text

Two voices were heard arguing, one more shrill than the other. Their words were garbled like they were underwater, so Charlie was unable to make out exactly what they were saying. But what she did recognize was that the pair of voices belonged to her parents.

"You're not the man I fell in love with!" Charlie finally discerned her mother's lament. "The man I gave up paradise for wouldn't have given up this easily!"

"Maybe you just never knew that man as well as you thought you did," Lucifer muttered. "Did you ever think if I could've deceived Eve and Adam, I could've done the same to you?"

"No!" Lilith immediately denied this, but there was still a slight waver in her tone. "I– I refuse to believe that!"

Even though she could hear them, Charlie was not able to see their figures. They were nothing more than blurry silhouettes in front of her. And she wasn't sure if this was a long-lost memory or something her mind had conjured and told her it was.

"I know you love me and Charlie," Lilith said. "And I'll do whatever it takes to save our family. If you won't fight for this marriage, then I will."

The sudden sound of someone munching on something loudly startled Charlie awake. At first, she didn't recognize it and assumed it was part of her dream. But then she felt Vaggie leap off the bed and scream, 

"YOU PERVERTED FUCK!" 

Charlie jolted upright and saw Vaggie grab her angelic spear from underneath the bed before rushing towards Adam, who was sitting in the corner eating a bowl of cereal.

"Whoa! Hey!" His cereal fell out of his hand and onto the floor as he jumped back. "Bitch! You made me drop my Frosted Flakes!"

"That's not the only thing you'll lose!" Vaggie aimed her spear at Adam's groin. 

"Vaggie! Don't!" Charlie scrambled off the bed. "What's going on?!"

"This disgusting pig was watching us sleep!" Vaggie didn't take her eye or her spear off of Adam.

Charlie wiped the sleep clinging to her lashes. "What– Adam, is that true?"

"Yeah, but only because I was bored as fuck! Do you know what time it is?! It's almost going to be ten!" Adam's hand remained held out in front of him as if in surrender. 

"So?" Vaggie growled. "Why don't you go bother your bastard instead of us?"

Adam roared with laughter. "I already did! It was fucking hilarious! I literally threw him off the bed! He didn't see it coming!"

Charlie pursed her lips and sighed. "Well, I guess it's time to get ready and get some breakfast."

Vaggie finally lowered her spear but remained glaring at Adam. "That's the cue for you to leave!" 

"Alright, alright. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed!" Adam huffed before manifesting into his spiritual form and vanishing through the wall. 

As Charlie turned on a lamp, she realized there wasn't much to get ready. Yes, they needed to shower, but they only had the clothes on their backs. 

That was something they needed to discuss once they were downstairs. 

After they both quickly showered, Charlie and Vaggie headed downstairs where breakfast was being served. Cain was already down there along with Adam. 

"Morning." Cain waved as he munched on a bagel. 

"Good morning!" Charlie exclaimed in a sing-song voice. "So I was thinking, we need to buy some new clothes."

"I'll go get us some food," Vaggie said as Charlie took a seat beside Cain and Adam, who was back to eating a bowl of cereal.

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," Cain agreed.

"Fucking finally!" Adam rolled his eyes and scoffed. "I can't wait to get out of these lame-ass clothes!" 

"Okay, great!" Charlie felt much better now that everyone was on the same page. As Vaggie handed her a muffin and a glass of orange juice, Charlie hummed to herself and pondered her dream. Had it simply been a dream? Or was there more to it?

"So we need a game plan," Vaggie said after taking a bite of her yogurt. "What the fuck are we doing?"

The four of them exchanged uncertain glances with each other. That was a good question. What was their plan after shopping? It wasn't like they could go back to the ranch. 

"Well, Eve did say she would be heading down south..." Charlie trailed off right as the TV playing above them showed a weather forecast. 

"Millions are under a severe storm warning in several states." The meteorologist pointed to a map of a land mass affected by heavy rain and floods. 

"Hurricane season has officially started, and in the Gulf, Hurricane Azura is already shaping up to be a category five with wind speeds reaching over two hundred miles per hour," the meteorologist continued. "There are even some estimates the storm will reach wind speeds of over three hundred miles per hour when it makes landfall next week."

It was like a light bulb went off in all their heads. Well, everyone except for Adam, who demanded the channel be changed because the weather channel was boring.

"That's it!" Charlie couldn't contain her glee. "We need to go down south where the hurricane is supposed to hit and we'll not only find Eve, but Abel and my mom as well! I'm sure of it!"

Cain grimaced. "I don't know if hurricanes exist in Hell. Probably not because of the lack of water. But when there are hurricanes on Earth, people evacuate. And we're going to be the dumbasses going straight into it?!" His eyes widened to a comical degree. "You saw what that fucking tornado did!"

"Yeah..." Charlie fiddled with her fingers. "But we're practically invulnerable! We got the daughter of the devil, two angels, one fallen and one not, and an immortal! What could go wrong?"

"Everything," Adam deadpanned, now eating a piece of bacon. 

Vaggie rolled her eye almost to the back of her head. "I believe in you, hon." She gave a small smile to Charlie.

"Thank you, sweetie." She pecked her on the cheek, which caused Vaggie to blush. Which then caused Adam to gag and for Vaggie to taunt him again.

"Just because you're a sad, lonely old fuck doesn't mean the rest of us have to be."

A splash of hot coffee flew past Vaggie's face, barely missing her by a hair's breadth. If it hadn't been her lightning-fast reflexes, she would have been scalded. 

"ADAM!" Charlie gasped. 

"Dad!" Cain glowered at him. "What the fuck is wrong with you?! Go clean that up!"

"No." Adam crossed his arms and leered at his son. 

"You're so damn annoying." Cain rubbed the space between his eyebrows. "You're thousands of years old and act like a fucking child. I've literally had babies less immature than you!" 

Meanwhile, Charlie had gotten several napkins and started cleaning up the coffee off the floor. But Vaggie stopped her and told her, "No, Charlie. Let Adam clean it up. It's his mess."

Cain nodded his head. "Exactly."

Adam tilted his head back and let out a loud whine. "That was fucking nothing! I could've punched her and trust me, I wanted to!"

Charlie's shoulders heaved with a weary sigh. "Okay, in order for this team to work, we can't be hitting, punching, kicking, stabbing, slapping, spitting, elbowing, biting, or any other physical forms of violence. We have bigger fish to fry and if we keep threatening to hurt each other, we won't get anywhere!"

The three of them grumbled before they reluctantly agreed. Satisfied enough, Charlie began to clean up the mess along with Vaggie. She should've known her girlfriend would help her even though she hated Adam and probably wanted nothing more than to make him lick the spilled coffee off the floor.

They all went back to eating their breakfast in silence, but Charlie could feel the tension in the air just like the rising temperature outside.

But it was preferable to the constant arguing and insults. 

While Cain checked out of the hotel, Charlie, Vaggie, and Adam were back inside the truck, waiting for him. They were seated in the same spots as last night. 

"I don't know why we just don't fly," Adam complained. 

"Charlie and Cain don't have wings, pendejo!" Vaggie slammed her fists against the side of her seat. 

"Not fly with wings, stupid bitch! Fly as in using a plane!" Adam snapped. "And I guess you don't know your girlfriend as well as you think because she absolutely does have wings!"

A puzzled expression came over Vaggie's face, but before she could say anything, Cain had returned. 

"Because the last time I checked, y'all don't have IDs." He raised an eyebrow at his dad. 

"I swear, I'm surrounded by fucking morons!" Adam threw his hands up in the air in obvious frustration. "You're like a gazillionaire! We could use your private jet to fly!"

"I don't have a private jet. That would be bad for the environment." Cain climbed into the truck and strapped in. As he started up the truck and pulled out of the hotel, Adam started begging for some music to be put on. 

"I don't want to hear Vaggie's constant bitching! But don't you fucking dare put any more of that garbage you call music!" Adam pointed at his son as he whipped out his phone, one of the few remaining items that had survived the tornado since it had been on him. 

"Alright, alright. Take a chill pill, old man." Cain snickered, which led to Adam going off on another rant. 

"Oh no, no, no. Don't be trying to steal my lingo! Get your own material, bitch!" 

"What if we all take turns suggesting a song?" Charlie piped up after seeing another argument brewing on the horizon. 

"I think that's a great idea, hon," Vaggie said. 

Cain nodded his head. "I'm good with anything as long as it's not death metal."

"I'll show you what real fucking music is!" Adam snatched his son's phone and started scrolling for a song. 

"How the fuck do you know how to use a phone?" Cain gave him a quizzical look in the rearview mirror. 

"Because I'm not lame like you." Adam tossed the phone back after he selected a song, which Cain failed to catch because he was driving. But luckily, Vaggie's reflexes kicked in, and she caught it with one hand. 

Both Vaggie and Cain exchanged looks of surprise. As if neither of them had expected that. 

"Thanks," Cain said as Vaggie handed him the phone.

"No problem." She averted her gaze out towards the window. 

From the back, Charlie could only grin at the sight. Vaggie had done a nice thing for the son of the man she despised. And she considered that an absolute win.

They arrived at a mall a few minutes later, and before they went inside, Cain instructed them to go buy a few changes of clothes and a bag to store them in. 

"I feel like a dad with his two teenage daughters and a toddler." Cain gave Charlie a few twenty dollar bills from his wallet, another thing of his that hadn't been lost to the tornado. 

"More like a sugar daddy!" The smirk on Adam's face was short-lived, instantly faltering as everyone else stared back at him in disgust. "Wait, no."

"See, that's what happens when you make everything perverted." Vaggie scowled at him. "You end up making a bigger ass of yourself than you already are."

"Yeah, why you gotta make everything sexual?" Cain cringed. 

"Anyway." Charlie grabbed a hold of her girlfriend's hand. "We'll meet you back here in a few hours. I can't wait to see what type of stores humans shop at! And to buy actual human clothes!"

While Cain had been facing the two women, Adam had turned into his spiritual form and stolen his wallet before taking off. It wasn't until he heard Adam laughing in the distance that he chased after him.

"You asshole! Give that back!"

Charlie couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, Vaggie. Let's go!" 

So they spent the next few hours going to different shops and trying on several outfits, giggling and smiling as they sought the best fashion. And for a few hours, Charlie forgot the weight of the world was quite literally resting on her shoulders. It felt like as if they were on a real date, something they hadn't been on in what felt like forever. 

By the time they finished, they were both starting to get hungry. They each had a new outfit on along with a change of clothes in their bags. Vaggie wore something similar to what she usually wore while Charlie was dressed in a flowery top and a pair of shorts. 

When they returned back to the truck, Cain and Adam were already there waiting. Cain was also wearing his usual Western attire, but Adam was a completely different story. His style could best be described as emo punk/goth since he was dressed in all black with studs lining his belt and vest.

Vaggie burst out laughing as soon as she saw him. "You look even more ridiculous than you usually do!"

"And you look like the same unfashionable cunt as usual!" Adam shot back with a glare.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Charlie asked before this situation could spiral into another argument. 

"I'm ready to go eat lunch!" Adam exclaimed impatiently. "I'm fucking starving!"

"Is food all you think about?" Cain deadpanned as he opened the driver's side door. 

"Nope! I also think of eating your mom's–"

"Enough!" Vaggie silenced him before he could finish that sentence, sparing everyone the graphic details. 

"Hey! Don't interrupt me, bitch!" Adam sneered, climbing into the backseat. 

"Where are we going to go eat?" Charlie buckled her seatbelt. 

"Raising Cain's, of course." Cain said this as if she had asked him whether the sky was blue or if he liked country music. "It's free food."

From behind, Adam let out a dramatic groan. "I don't care if it's free! I only eat chicken from my holy restaurant, Chick-fil-A!"

Cain locked eyes with his dad before flipping him off. "First of all, it's Sunday. And second of all, fuck you too, old man."

Chapter Text

After eating lunch, they were back on the road. It was going to be a long journey, but Charlie couldn't be more excited. 

Even though this was probably Hell for Adam, Cain, and Vaggie, being trapped in a tiny space with the people they hate the most, Charlie saw this as an opportunity to talk through their problems and bond. 

But so far, no one was doing it. And no matter how many times she had tried to play games like 'I Spy' or get them to sing along to different songs, they all refused to. Well, Vaggie would humor her for a little bit, but when no one else participated, the silence would return.

"You know," Charlie broke the uncomfortable silence. "Talking will make the time go by faster!"

"Nah, sleeping does," Adam said. "Which is what I was trying to do until you ruined it!"

"Sorry." But Charlie wasn't sorry. They could all sleep later. Right now, they needed to grow closer as a team. 

"What do you want to talk about, hon?" Vaggie asked. 

"Hmm." Charlie tapped her chin. "I've been thinking about what my mom is up to. What is she doing right now?" 

"Probably sipping a margarita by the beach while ordering a bunch of simps around." Adam yawned. "Or getting plowed by said simps."

Charlie scrunched her face up in disgust. That was the last image she wanted in her mind. Maybe talking wasn't such a great idea. 

"Adam," Vaggie growled at him, but he just shrugged. 

"I know the bitch. I was married to her, and nothing ever satisfies her." Adam turned over to look out the window. "Nothing or no one is ever good enough for her."

Vaggie's eye twitched while Charlie could only grimace at the thought. She had long felt that she was never good enough for her mom, but to hear the words spoken out loud, made a lump rise in her throat. 

"I was thinking about your dad, actually." Vaggie changed the subject, and Adam let out an audible groan. 

"What's so special about that fucker anyway? Why is he on everyone's minds?" he huffed and folded his arms over his chest. Charlie couldn't help but think how her dad had been on Adam's mind a lot too when she saw his memories, but kept that fact to herself.

Vaggie must've found that comment strange too since she narrowed her eye at him. "I don't know why you're being so pissy about it. But anyway, I was going to say I think I know why he made the deal with the Council and why they agreed to it."

"Why?" Charlie and Cain asked in unison. 

"From what you and Lucifer told me, Eve and Abel are empowered by him. He gave them their powers when they came into the Earth, even if it was by accident," Vaggie explained. "So if he dies, wouldn't they die too? Or at least be weakened enough to either trap back in Hell or even kill?"

Silence fell over them again, but this time, it was not like before. The air was filled with unease and dread now. 

"Fuck," Cain swore. "You're right."

"Yeah, that would make sense." Charlie scratched the back of her neck. "Which is why it's super important we don't fail! At least now, we just have to bring them back to Hell. Once we get them there, we can figure out how to redeem them later."

Her girlfriend gave a short nod. "This will be more doable."

An involuntary frown made its way to Charlie's mouth. "What do you mean, Vaggie?"

"Shit. I'm sorry that came out wrong. I just meant getting them to Hell will be easier than having to redeem them. Since we don't even know what gets people into Heaven," she sputtered, which made Adam bark with laughter. "Shut up!"

"Wait, what do you mean you don't even know what gets people into Heaven?" Cain glanced at Vaggie. "Aren't you an angel?"

"Yes, but I was an exterminator. We're not in charge of that." Vaggie furrowed her brows. 

"But what about you?" Cain looked back at his dad. "You were the first human soul in Heaven! You should fucking know!"

"Bitch, why the fuck would I know?" Adam rolled his eyes. "The Council hasn't shared shit with us, so I doubt they even know!"

Cain's grip on the steering wheel tightened, and his voice dropped to a dangerously low pitch. "Are you telling me not even the angels know who the fuck gets sent to Heaven?" 

"You know, it was really unclear." Adam's arms remained crossed over himself. "But why do you think I was pissed your mom was sent to Hell?!" 

It was at that moment a car honked from behind them, and it was enough to set Cain off. 

"FUCKING PASS ME, BITCH! SERIOUSLY, STOP RIDING MY ASS AND FUCKING GO AROUND!" he screamed while also blasting his horn, startling everyone in the truck. "YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, ASSHOLE!"

The car shifted into the other lane before getting in front of Cain, which set him off again because they had to brake because it had slowed down.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! THIS MOTHERFUCKER!" Cain started slamming the horn again. "WHO TAUGHT YOU TO DRIVE, BITCH?!" 

Charlie exchanged a worried glance with Adam, both of them too stunned to speak. Meanwhile, Vaggie's hands were clutched into the leather seat, nearly ripping it with her nails. 

"Unbelievable! I swear, no one knows how to drive anymore!" Cain's nostrils flared like a raging bull. "Fucking morons everywhere!"

"I think we should stop and take five." Charlie tasted blood on her tongue. She hadn't realized she had been biting her lip from the stress. 

"Yeah, I need to fuel up anyway." Cain exited off the highway, returning back to his usual self as if nothing had happened. So while Cain fueled up his truck at a nearby gas station, the three of them waited. Charlie and Vaggie both shot Adam a knowing look.

"What?" He frowned at them. 

"Oh, yeah. He's your son alright," Vaggie snickered. 

Adam balled his fists. "You don't need to fucking remind me! I'm aware of that sad fact!"

"It makes me wonder how Abel will be like..." Charlie trailed off at the thought. If Eve was now insane, would Abel be too? 

"I can barely handle one loudmouth douchebag. Much less two at the same time." Vaggie screwed her eyes shut and rubbed her forehead. "So for everyone's sake, I hope Abel actually knows how to shut the fuck up." 

"That's probably the smartest thing you've said, Vaggie." Adam continued to pronounce her name wrong. "Because if I have to hear one more time how badly I fucked up as a dad and a husband, I will literally start the apocalypse."

"Then I guess you better start getting to it." Vaggie regarded him with a blank look. 

"Bitch!" Adam screamed in her face but she didn't so much as blink. Charlie had to gently push the man back into his seat right as Cain returned to the truck.

"So are we almost there?" Charlie perked up at the prospect of nearly reaching their final destination. 

"Uh... We're still in Texas." Cain started to drive off from the gas station. 

Charlie's jaw dropped. "But we've been driving for over five hours!"

"Exactly," was all Cain said. 

"Well, I'm going back to sleep." Adam turned his body away in the opposite direction from Charlie. "Wake me up when we finally get there." 

Charlie nodded and shut her own eyes. She didn't realize she had dozed off or for how long, but the next thing she knew, the sun was setting on the horizon. From beside her, Adam snored softly. 

She was about to open her mouth and ask again if they were nearly there, but then Cain spoke and she was glad she stayed quiet. 

"Hey... Uh, Vaggie," he actually pronounced her name correctly. "I never thought I would be apologizing on behalf of my dad. But I'm sorry for what he did to you."

Vaggie didn't immediately answer and Charlie thought she might be asleep. But then she saw Vaggie shift in her seat and turn to look at Cain, her bangs obscuring most of her face. 

"You don't need to apologize. It is what it is."

Cain kept his gaze straight ahead on the road. "Fuck that. He might not have torn your eye out or your wings. But he left you there. And that was just as bad."

Charlie wished she could see Vaggie's expression. But she had an idea what kind of expression she was wearing. 

"I– Why are you telling me this?" Vaggie's voice grew defensive. 

"Because I never thought I'd see my dad or my family again. But I had hoped wherever they were, they were doing much better than I was," Cain sighed. "So much for that."

"For as long as I knew your dad, he was always annoying and crude. But I never imagined he would abandon one of his girls." Vaggie's words made Charlie grow still. Her girlfriend had not really opened up to her about her time with Adam. Charlie figured it was too traumatic for her and she didn't want to push her. But here she was, trusting a practical stranger. That was also a man. 

As much as Charlie wanted to be upset by this development, she couldn't. Vaggie opening up meant progress in her eyes. Not only for being more vulnerable and trusting, but also for being less prejudiced towards men. 

"I actually looked up to him at one point. Can you believe that?" Vaggie let out a strangled laugh. "I wanted him to be proud of me and that's why I worked as hard as I did." 

Cain gave a slow nod. "Yeah, I actually can believe it. I thought wherever he was, he was watching me and he'd finally be proud of me. That's partially why I wanted to change."

He suddenly snorted. "So imagine my surprise when I saw him for the first time in over ten thousand years. It was disappointing. Even more so, to find out how he had been exterminating human souls for revenge and entertainment. It was like I saw the man I used to be and so desperately never wanted to be again."

"I know I compared you to your dad, but it's hard to believe Cain, the First Murderer, could say something so... So mature," Vaggie muttered. "It almost makes me wish I had served under you." 

"Well, I probably would've hit on you like I did with Charlie. So it's probably a good thing that didn't happen." Cain momentarily took his eyes off the road and flashed her a toothy grin. 

"Yeah, because I would've told you to go fuck yourself." Vaggie tried to keep her voice steady but it was obvious she wanted to laugh. "You're still a dude."

He chuckled. "Don't knock it till you try it. That's what I used to say with men, too."

Vaggie finally burst out laughing. "Oh, man. Does your dad know?" 

"Uhhh... I think he has his suspicions." Cain tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear as if he were embarrassed. 

"Oh shit, dude. I would love to see the supposed Dickmaster finding out his son is the master of taking dick." Vaggie covered her mouth with her hands as she continued to giggle. Even Charlie had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing and giving herself away. 

It was a struggle. 

"That's a good one!" Cain's grin had grown impossibly wide. "Wait, Dickmaster? He actually called himself that? Noooooo! Tell me you're joking." 

"I'm dead serious." Vaggie confirmed with a nod.

"Just when I thought he couldn't get any lamer, he pulls this shit." Cain was doubled over the wheel in laughter. "I'm never letting him live that down."

Their laughter petered down and gave way back to silence. And just when Charlie thought about going back to sleep, Cain spoke up again.

"Can I ask you something? Who was this Lute person?" 

Charlie saw Vaggie wince and she was certain she would avoid the question. But to her pleasant surprise, she answered. "Lute was older than me. When I was created, she was already working under Adam. I'm pretty sure she was one of the first-ever exterminators."

"Oh," was all Cain said. And Charlie was positive that was the end of the discussion. But it looked like the day was just full of surprises because Vaggie kept talking. 

"Lute was like a sister to me. I mean, we technically were all sisters. But Lute personally trained and mentored me. The older exterminators were in charge of the younger ones. Once the younger ones became more experienced, they, too, would take on the next batch of newly-created exterminators."

Vaggie's voice cracked as she let out another humorless laugh. "I sure know how to pick my heroes, huh?" 

Cain didn't join in her laughter this time. "Damn. Vaggie, I'm so sorry. That is one of the worst betrayals." 

"Your bastard of a father always talked about loyalty, but where was that loyalty when Lute ripped out my eye and left me behind?" Vaggie snarled before ripping off her eye patch to reveal the hollow socket beneath. 

She raised a fist in the air as if she wanted to punch something, and it hovered there for a few seconds. "At least with Lute, I knew why she did what she did. She was a fanatic. And over time, our relationship had soured. She began to view me as competition. She saw me as a threat to her position as Adam's second in command just because I was racking up the highest kill counts."

"I think I've heard this story before," Cain mumbled under his breath.

"Of course, it was all in her head." Vaggie seemed to ignore Cain's response as she continued her story without missing a beat. "I was never trying to be Adam's second in command. I just wanted to do my best. And if my best meant Lute would be second place, so be it. I wasn't going to lower myself just to spare her delusions."

Vaggie heaved a deep sigh and finally lowered her fist. "So with Lute, I knew she was looking for any little reason to take me out. But Adam? He praised me. He told me I was one of his baddest bitches and that I had an aim that could rival the archangel Michael. That's what felt like a kick in the fucking teeth. I thought we were solid. But he look on his face as he watched me there bleeding out... It was blank. He couldn't even bother to say fuck off before literally fucking off."

Cain lowered his head slightly. "Yeah..."

"In the end, it meant nothing. I meant nothing. You weren't far off when you said he abandons the people he supposedly cares about." She scoffed. "And even though I still can't understand why Charlie would agree to help him."

Vaggie tied her eye patch back over her socket before finishing her sentence. "I love her and will do anything for her. Even if it means resisting every waking urge to permanently end that fucker. But if he even tries that shit with Charlie, I will send him wherever the hell Lute went."

"I don't think he will." Cain glanced at her. "But I've grown to care a lot about Charlie, so if he does try to pull that shit with her, I won't stop you. He might be my dad, but he needs to learn that he was given a second chance. A chance he didn't afford any of those human souls he killed in Hell."

The discussion died out again, and this time, no one revived it. Charlie slowly exhaled the breath she had been holding in fear of being caught eavesdropping. Even though she knew what she did was wrong, she was grateful for the new information it provided. 

It was another missing piece of the puzzle she had sought after. 

No longer sleepy, Charlie peeked over at Adam, expecting him to still be snoring. He was still turned around in the opposite direction she last saw him in. 

But when she saw his body trembling with silent sobs, she knew he had been wide awake, listening to everything.

Chapter Text

"You've been driving for like twelve hours straight. Are you going to pull over and sleep somewhere?" Vaggie's words rang out through the darkness. The sun had set several hours ago, and the only source of light besides the headlights was the faint glow of the screen on the truck's dashboard. 

"Nah, I can survive off four hours of sleep. Been doing that for a while now," he answered. "And I want to get there as soon as possible. The hurricane is supposed to hit land in two days, and we can't waste any time."

"I know what you mean that you can function with only a few hours of sleep. I do the same. But you're still a human." Vaggie looked at him for several seconds. "You need to sleep. Sleep deprivation leads to carelessness. And carelessness leads to mistakes."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you sound worried about me." Charlie could hear the smirk edging Cain's lips. 

Vaggie scoffed. "Like I said, sleep deprivation leads to carelessness. And carelessness leads to mistakes. I just don't want to get in an accident because you can't swallow your pride."

"Alright. When we get to the next town, I'll stop at a motel. Happy?" He glanced at her, the light from the screen revealing the irritated look on his face.

Vaggie didn't say anything and just nodded her head. 

Unable to keep from grinning, Charlie was proud of her girlfriend for putting aside her disdain for the male species to help one. Even if she hid her concern behind a guise of rationale. 

Charlie leaned her head against the cool window pane and looked out into the night. There was nothing but trees and empty fields on either side of the road. She kept watching, looking for any sign on civilization like a distant town or even a building. 

The last thing she expected was to see the figure of a man standing on the side of the road staring back at her. 

With a gasp, she jolted back and drew everyone's attention to her. Even Adam, who had been facing the opposite direction this entire time, gaped at her.

"Charlie! What's wrong?" Vaggie looked back at her from over the passenger's seat. 

"You guys didn't see that?" Charlie pointed to the window. "There was a man just standing there! Looking back at me!"

"Um, no. We didn't see anything," Vaggie said, a frown appearing on her face. 

"If there had been someone standing on the side of the road, I would've seen him." Cain glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "Maybe you were just dreaming and thought you saw him."

Charlie knew she must've sounded crazy. But she knew what she saw. It was a man. A man who closely resembled Adam. 

"I know it sounds silly, but I promise you, there was a man." 

"Okay, if he was there, then he was probably just a hitchhiker or homeless guy." Cain shrugged. "It's weird but not unusual." 

"Yeah... Maybe." Charlie still wasn't reassured. Not because that couldn't be the case, but because the man looked almost identical to the one sitting beside her. The only difference was that the one outside had curls framing his face instead of wavy hair. 

"Geez, kid. You look paler than usual." Adam peered at her. "You must've really been spooked."

"I guess you could say that." Charlie gave a nervous chuckle. "Have you ever felt like you've seen someone before, but you're not sure where?"

"Hmm. Can't say I have." Adam rubbed the back of his head. "Why?"

"Are you talking about deja vu?" Cain suggested. "Because that shit is real."

"No, not really. I don't know. Maybe?" Charlie groaned into her hands. "All I know is I saw a man that looked a lot like Adam."

"Aww, I must be on your mind a lot then if you're dreaming about me," Adam mocked with a sickening-sweet smile. "I hope they're not naughty dreams. Or else your little girlfriend will have an aneurism."

"Motherfucker!" Vaggie whipped around and seethed at Adam. 

All he did was snicker and say, "See what I mean? She's a possessive bitch."

"Crap. I know I've seen him before." Charlie slapped her hand over her forehead in a last-ditch effort to try and remember. 

"Well, it doesn't matter now. We've long left that weirdo behind." Cain turned the dial on the radio, and the slow, rhythmic sound of the guitar reverberated throughout the truck. 

"Finally some real fucking music!" Adam cheered before singing along to the lyrics. "All our times have come. Here but now they're gone. Seasons don't fear the reaper."

A sudden chill ran down Charlie's spine and goosebumps dotted her arms. It was a feeling she had never experienced before and she wasn't sure where it came from. 

"Cain, can you turn down the air?" She wrapped her arms around her chest in an attempt to warm herself. 

"It's already on the lowest setting," he responded. 

Charlie shuddered as the air around her grew colder to an unnatural degree. But before she could ask why it had gotten so cold, the truck jerked to the side as Cain almost lost control of the steering wheel. 

"Did you all see that?!" His voice sounded as if he were gasping for air.

"The only thing I saw was your shitty, fucking driving! You could've killed me!" Adam shouted. "And you said I was a bad driver?! What the hell was that?!" 

Cain continued panting, slowing the truck to a halt in the middle of the empty road. "I– I saw–"

"I didn't see anything." Vaggie's eye narrowed. "This is why I said you needed to rest. Your mind is making you see things."

A shaky laugh emitted from Cain but he didn't sound convinced. "Yeah. You're right. I'm just sleep-deprived. We should be coming to the next town soon anyway."

As Cain started driving again, Charlie bit her bottom lip in concern. Something wasn't right. These hallucinations or visions couldn't be a coincidence. 

"What did you see, Cain?"

Cain swallowed hard before he answered. "I saw someone I knew. But they died years ago."

An eerie silence fell over everyone. Even the radio had turned off somehow. 

And the air had grown impossibly cold. 

Cain shivered. "It's over eighty degrees outside and it feels like fucking Antarctica!"

Creases formed between Adam's brows as he squinted at his son. "What the fuck are you on? It feels stuffy in here!" 

"I hate to agree with Adam, but it's not cold at all." Vaggie regarded both Cain and Charlie with obvious confusion. 

Cain opened his mouth to respond, but as soon as he did, a shriek erupted from him. Everyone else startled and followed his line of sight, their eyes bulging out of their sockets at what they saw. 

Standing in front of them a few feet up on the desolate road was the figure of Abel, his hood over his head and a large scythe now in his hand.

A hidden darkness brimmed within his eyes as they locked onto Charlie's. 

With a jerk, Cain steered the truck off the road to avoid hitting him, and they bounded into the thick woods, screaming at the top of their lungs. Branches snapped over and under the vehicle until Cain finally released the gas pedal and pressed on the brakes. 

Trying to steady her breathing, Charlie placed her hand over her heart, feeling as if it were about to leap out of her ribcage. "Oh my gosh! What just happened?!"

"Charlie! Are you okay?" Vaggie never looked so frightened before. Or at least never since Charlie knew her.

"Yeah, I–" Charlie started to answer right as the glass shattered from the front and a huge branch shot forward, nearly impaling Cain. It missed him by only an inch, and it was because he had shifted his head just in the nick of time. 

Cain exchanged a petrified look with Vaggie before he stepped on the gas pedal and started to reverse out of the woods. With all her might, Vaggie shoved the branch back out of the window, leaving a gaping hole in the glass. 

Charlie felt as if she were trapped in a bad dream, unable to comprehend just exactly what was happening. Even Adam was rendered speechless and had buckled his seatbelt, something he had never done before. 

Just as Cain was about to pull back onto the main road, he suddenly stopped and a cold sweat collected over his hairline, casting a shine over his ashen face. 

"Dude! What the fuck are you stopping for..." The words died on Adam's tongue once he saw what everyone else was staring at. 

Abel had returned, or more likely he had never left, and was dragging his scythe along the pavement. It rattled with every step he took as steel met tar.

The red glow of the tail lights made him look even more intimidating than he already was. They made the fire raging in his eyes almost demonic. There was no hint of friendliness or mirth on his face. His eyes were boring into Cain's, and his mouth was pressed into a firm, thin line. 

Charlie knew there was only one thing on his mind because it was the same thing on hers.

Determination. 

"This is our chance!" Charlie opened the car door. "We have to go talk to him, Adam!" 

"We?!" Adam sputtered. 

"Wait, Charlie! That isn't a good idea!" Vaggie exclaimed, but Charlie had already jumped out of the backseat. The summer air was humid and sticky even in the middle of the night, but Charlie's skin was like ice to the touch. 

She approached Abel carefully, her hands in the air as if to say she meant no harm. "Abel. My name is Charlie Morningstar. I am not here to fight you. I just need you to listen to me."

"Stupid kid! Get back here!" Adam called out to her as he leaned halfway out of the truck. 

Ever so loyal, Vaggie had followed behind her girlfriend, clutching her angelic spear close to her. "Charlie..."

Charlie shook her head. She knew what everyone was thinking. That this was a stupid idea. And she could understand why, seeing as how well this plan went the last time with Eve. But if there was one person who could reason with Abel, it would be his dad.

"I know who you are," Abel answered after a long pause, his voice a cross between a whisper and a murmur. 

"Shit! Abel?! You can talk too?!" Adam nearly lost his balance and tumbled out of the truck.

Abel glanced at his dad and a small smile appeared on his lips, but did not quite reach his eyes. "Hello, Dad."

Now in his spiritual form, Adam practically flew over to meet him. Tears welled up in his eyes and he used the hem of his shirt to wipe them away. He took a deep breath and for a moment, all the bitterness and suffering that seemed to be a permanent feature on his face was erased. "My son. I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner. I just never thought I'd be able to see you again."

"It's okay, Dad," Abel said. "I saw you. You didn't know it at the time, but I was there when you took your last breath. I made sure it was a peaceful death."

The smile on Adam's face fell in an instant. "Wait... You– You–"

Abel nodded his head in confirmation and his smile vanished. "It was nothing personal, Dad. Everyone has to die."

A sudden glare took over Abel's face and the skin on his body melted off and was replaced by the skeleton Charlie remembered him as. 

"Everyone except for him." He pointed his scythe and the embers in his hollow sockets gleamed brighter than ever.

They all turned around to where he was pointing and saw Cain rooted to the ground, his mouth parted in a silent scream. 

"Abel!" Adam closed in on his son and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Listen! What's done is done! We're here to take you back to Hell!"

To everyone's surprise, he said, "Sure, I'll go back."

"Wait, you will?!" Adam did a double-take. "Huh. That was easier than I thought."

Abel nodded again. "After I kill Cain, I'll go back with you to Hell."

Of course that would be his condition. Charlie was a naive fool to ever believe this would be an easy task. 

"Abel." Adam ran his hand down his face and heaved a dramatic sigh. "No one is going to be killing anyone. Got it?"

It was hard to read the emotions on Abel's face since he no longer had one. But Charlie could tell that that answer didn't please him. 

"And if I refuse, what are you going to do about it?" Abel's voice turned to ice and he pushed Adam's hand off of him. "Ground me? Make me do extra chores?"

Adam's mouth twisted into a frown. "Listen here, smart-ass! I'm still your dad and you will do as I say!" 

"You know, it's interesting that all of a sudden, you're against killing." Abel regarded his scythe, running a bony finger across the sharp edge. "Mom told me what you'd been up to in the afterlife."

The color on Adam's skin vanished in an instant. "That– That was different! You wouldn't understand!" 

"No, but I do understand." Abel's soft voice dropped down an octave. "To watch as the life drains from someone's eyes, it's an indescribable feeling."

"Fuck, Abel. Knock it off! You're freaking me out!" For one of the few times Charlie had ever seen him, he looked uncomfortable. He had withdrawn into himself and was actually trembling. 

During this entire conversation, Vaggie had slowly started to creep back towards Cain, nudging Charlie along with her. Charlie hadn't understood why she did that, nor why she turned to Cain and whispered, "On the count of three, run."

Abel sighed before returning back to his human form. "I'm sorry in advance. That's more of a warning than he ever gave you."

"One."

Adam's eyebrow quirked up and he put his hands on his hips. "Sorry? Sorry for what? What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Two."

Narrowing his eyes, Abel grasped his scythe closer to him and hissed. "This."

"Three!"

As soon as Vaggie shouted those words, wings sprouted from behind Abel. He dove straight for his brother with the look of murder burning in his eyes. 

Chapter Text

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Cain ran full speed ahead through the forest, ducking and dodging every branch in his way. He stumbled a few times, but never lost his balance completely. If he had, his brother would have caught him. 

Abel was hot on his heels, swinging his scythe with so much force it was leaving a wake of fallen trees behind. But no matter how hard or how much he swung it, he kept missing his true target: 

Cain. 

Branches and pinecones would rain down on him, but the trunks of the trees would never land on him. Even when Abel tried a new tactic and flew up ahead and cut down a tree that would block his path, Cain would simply jump over the hurdle. 

"Two-time one hundred and ten-meter hurdle Olympic Gold winner!" Cain called out after he cleared the fallen tree.

Abel continued the chase, the rage in his eyes burning even brighter in obvious frustration. 

But he remained undeterred. 

They approached a gushing river with rapids that would intimidate even the most experienced swimmer. Cain came to an abrupt stop at the bank of the river, his breathing uneven and ragged. From behind, Abel paused and readied his scythe, lifting it high above him in the air.

Before he could bring it down, Cain inhaled a deep breath and smirked. "And three-time four hundred individual medley Olympic Gold winner!"

He dived into the river right as Abel took another swing at him. The tip of the scythe caught the tip of Cain's hair, slicing a lock of his auburn hair off. 

Water splashed right in Abel's face causing his  hood to fall back. He let out a low growl before he flew over the river and hovered close to the surface, trying to catch a glimpse of his brother. 

In the meantime, Charlie and Vaggie had watched all of this go down from a few feet behind as they chased after the pair. But no matter how fast she sprinted, Charlie couldn't keep up. Maybe she really did need to start exercising more often.

"I got you, hon." Vaggie had reverted back to her angelic form and lifted Charlie into her arms. If this didn't quite literally involve life and death, Charlie would've found this moment exhilarating and even romantic. But right now, all she could focus on was Cain and Abel.

"I can fight off Abel," Vaggie assured as she set Charlie down on the bank of the river. "And you can escape with Cain."

Charlie gave her a thumbs up. "Roger that!"

As Vaggie unsheathed her spear, Charlie paused and said, "Oh, and Vaggie? Please don't kill him. Um, I'm trying to reunite Adam and his family and that'll be kinda difficult if you permanently kill Abel."

Vaggie frowned before giving a weary sigh. "Okay, hon. I won't kill him. But I don't even know if it's possible to kill Death. It's Death... Speaking of Adam, where is that bastard anyway?"

"You would think, but if an angelic weapon can kill my dad..." Charlie still didn't understand how these angelic weapons worked and their limits. "But please, Vaggie. Just distract him while I protect Cain."

Steadying her spear by her side, Vaggie pursed her lips and nodded. "Be careful, Charlie."

Charlie couldn't help but let a playful smile cross her face. "You know I never am."

The two women took off in different directions, Vaggie levitating towards Abel and Charlie remaining on the ground.

"Come at me and I'll give you a real challenge!" Vaggie taunted.

Abel simply narrowed his eyes at her but continued searching the river for when Cain would inevitably pop up, gasping for air. Vaggie hovered closer to him and took a swipe at him, which he easily avoided. 

Frustration was becoming increasingly clear on Vaggie's face. She took another swing at him, and angelic steel met obsidian with a loud clang that sent the both of them reeling back through the air. 

"Oh, shit." Vaggie glanced at her angelic weapon. 

"You're an angel, aren't you?" Abel asked her. "But you don't look like the ones I'm used to."

"I am," she replied through gritted teeth. "What of it?"

"I remember I used to enjoy the angels' company. But that was a long time ago. Before I became this, and they did nothing to help." Bone replaced the skin on his body and face and he was back to his corrupted appearance. "Was my brother finally able to capture their attention? Is that why you're here?"

"No. I'm here for my girlfriend. Charlie," she said. "Look, I'm sorry you got turned into... That. But if you just listen to your dad, we can get you and your mom back to Hell. Don't you want to be reunited with your family?" 

"I do," he whispered. "But not before collecting what is owed to me."

Meanwhile, Charlie had followed the curve of the river through the woods until she saw Cain's head bobbing up and down. Climbing onto a fallen tree that was lodged in the water, Charlie squeaked at the thought that she could easily tumble into the water below. Thankfully, her parents had given her swimming lessons despite living in Hell.

"Cain! Grab my hand!" She stretched out her arm.

Cain swam towards her and gripped onto her hand, and she used all her strength to help him up. He collapsed beside her, wet and shaking. They didn't even have a chance to say anything before Charlie heard her girlfriend call out her name from above.

They both glanced up and saw Abel making a beeline straight for them, his scythe ready to chop off both their heads.

But before he could strike, Vaggie appeared in front of them, her spear taking the brunt of his scythe. Sparks flew in the air along with several more clanks as their weapons hit each other in a rhythmic dance. 

"I will not be able to kill you even if I wanted to," Abel observed. 

A smirk tugged at Vaggie's lips. "Nope. You can only kill humans. Or am I wrong?"

The embers in his eyes burned hotter. "You are not wrong. But I do wonder, am I still able to harm you?" 

Vaggie's smile immediately dropped. "What?"

In the blink of an eye, Abel took another stab at her, but this time, he was not trying to kill her like before. This time, he was just wanting to injure her. And he nearly did slice her wing, missing it by a hairbreadth.

"Vaggie!" Charlie cried out from the ground. She and Cain had gotten off the tree and were running back through the forest. But she kept glancing back to see how her girlfriend was faring. It was at that moment she saw Vaggie almost get her wing pierced. 

"Fuck," Vaggie swore under her breath. "I'm okay, Charlie! Just keep going!"

Charlie didn't even know where to go now. They couldn't just keep running through the woods. 

Cain seemed to recognize this, too, since he pulled her hand and said, "Let's go back to the truck. Maybe my dad is waiting there."

They dashed through the darkness, using only the glow of the pale moonlight as their guide. All the while, Charlie could only pray Vaggie would be okay. She knew her girlfriend was a tough and experienced warrior. But she was going up against the personification of Death. Who knew what could happen? 

As they ran through a clearing, Charlie was suddenly struck with a paralyzing shiver. She lost her footing and fell to her knees, causing Cain to yell out her name. 

"Charlie!" He tried yanking her back to her feet but she was not moving. Her blood had turned to ice, and her body shuddered uncontrollably. 

She was frozen with fear. 

Cain and the surrounding forest had disappeared and were replaced by images of her friends back in Hell. But they weren't as she knew them. No, this was when they were still alive.

When they were human. 

They all met violent, gruesome ends. She watched as Angel Dust overdosed on drugs, his body twitching and mouth foaming.

As Husk got drunk and threw himself off a high-rise building, landing on the cement with a sickening splat that he no longer resembled a human.

As Alastor was shot by a hunter squarely in the forehead, his brains and blood coating the ground a reddish-pink.

As Nifty was strangled by a man she had been in love with, trying to claw her way out of his grasp to no avail. 

As Cherri was impaled through the chest by a piece of shrapnel launched from her own bomb, blood rushing out of the wound and even her mouth until she collapsed. 

As Sir Pentious was electrocuted by his own machine, frying him to a blackened crisp. 

All she could do was watch as each death replayed before her. Tears streamed down her face, and bile rose in her throat. Her fists clenched and unclenched, making herself bleed from how hard she was digging her nails into her skin.

From above her, Abel held a skeletal hand out and let out a dark chuckle. "I was there for all of your little friends' untimely ends. Of course, the way they lived, they would have met me sooner rather than later."

"Charlie!" Cain tried to shake her out of her stupor. "What the fuck did you do to her?!"

Abel's bony teeth were pulled back in a grin. "Why don't I just show you?"

Cain had barely taken a step back before he was greeted by similar visions of gore and death. He let out a horrified scream and sank to the grass, his body shaking with every breath.

"You might have not realized it, but I was always there, brother." Abel started to drag the scythe along the grass as he approached Cain. "In each war you fought in. When your fellow comrades took their last breaths. When their intestines were hanging out of their stomachs. When they clutched their severed limbs and tried to keep from bleeding out."

Cain continued to cry and scream as the visions played out. His tears mixed with the snot running out of his nose and the saliva trailing out of his mouth.

"I've waited centuries for this day." Abel's normally cool and collected voice rose up an octave. "You've literally never been closer to death than now. You always managed to slip away, but not this time. Not when I can finally grasp you. And you get to witness as I drain your worthless life away. It couldn't be more perfect."

He hissed into his brother's ear. "Did you ever question why those who tried to put an end to your miserable existence suddenly died? Because your death belonged to me and me alone. No one was going to rob me of this moment."

Abel drew back and tilted his head, his appearance changing to various men. "Should I take the form of one of the men you killed on the battlefield? You try to act like a pacifist, but we both know the truth. You can't escape who you are. What you'll always be known as."

"Nononono," Cain whimpered. 

"Or what about one of your many lovers? Would you even remember any of them? When you're used to the loving touch of another person, of their lips against yours, you take it for granted." Even though Abel sighed, it was clear he was very much enjoying this. His tone fluctuated between a murmur and a quiet shout.

Cain was practically ripping out his hair at this point. The color of his knuckles were a sickly shade of white just like the rest of him. 

"Or maybe I should take on the form of one of your many children." The fire in Abel's eyes never gleamed brighter than it did at this moment. "How did it feel to outlive all of your children? Did their blood cry out to you like mine did?"

"Please, Abel! Stop!" Cain had his eyes screwed shut and his head pressed into his knees. 

"I could never get to you, so I settled for the next best thing. Taking the lives of those you loved and spawned just as you took from me." Abel leaned in and grabbed a fistful of Cain's hair, forcing him to make eye contact. "You robbed me of a wife, of a family, of a future!"

"Little brother... I'm sorry," Cain sobbed.

In response, Abel trailed his scythe up to the tattoo on Cain's forearm and pressed down. Blood started to seep through the open scratch. "And that's why I did my job so well. Exterminating those maggots you called your family was hard, tiresome work. But if it meant seeing your crying face like it is right now, it was so worth it."

Cain remained limp while Abel brought the blade against his neck. Abel's appearance had morphed into his usual human one, but this time, there was blood smeared on the side of his head.

Just like when he was killed.

"It's more poetic, don't you think? Yours was the last face I saw when I was alive and now, mine will be yours." A sadistic smile appeared on Abel's face. "But don't worry. You'll wake up in Hell soon. And when you do, tell the devil he's getting an influx of new residents."

Hoisting his scythe with both hands, Abel had barely taken his stance before Adam came flying out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground with a loud grunt.

Immediately, the trance he had Charlie and Cain in was broken, and the light returned to their eyes.

The scythe fell out of Abel's grasp and to the grass beside him. A look of confusion and surprise came over his face as he gaped at his dad, who was standing tall above him. 

"Why?" Abel furrowed his brows. "You know he wouldn't have been completely gone. He would've just ended up in Hell where he belongs."

"Like I said, no one is killing anyone." Adam's chest heaved, and his hands were balled into fists. "And if you want to tell Lucifraud that, tell him yourself. You're going back to Hell with me."

Abel glared at his dad. "Mom said you had changed, but I didn't believe her. I wanted to see for myself. And I come to find you protecting my murderer?"

Adam bristled and returned the glare. But for a moment, he broke eye contact with his son, who continued to chastise him. 

"I guess I made the right choice following Mom to Hell rather than remaining in Heaven with you. Heaven has made you weak. The dad I knew wouldn't have stood by. The dad I knew believed in an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth."

Flaring his nostrils, Adam snarled, "And Earth has made you a sadistic fuck! The son I knew was gentle and kind! He wouldn't be doing this!"

"That son you speak of was weak too. And that's why he was killed. But things have changed." With a low hum, Abel retrieved his scythe just as Vaggie arrived at the scene. She instantly went to Charlie, who was still lying on the grass, and embraced her in a hug. 

"Charlie, I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you! Abel ripped a hole through my wing and I couldn't fly." The hole in Vaggie's wings had healed, but she still looked so distraught. Tears lined her eye and her hair was unkempt and matted. "I couldn't get to you in time."

Charlie wiped away her girlfriend's tears. "There's nothing to be sorry for, Vaggie. What matters is you're okay now."

Off to the side, Cain was curled into a fetal position but no longer sobbing. He was staring off into space, the blood on his arm finally coagulated. 

"Cain!" Charlie ran out of Vaggie's arms and cradled him into her own. "Are you okay?"

Without uttering a word, he merely shuddered in response and shook his head. 

Watching all this, Abel let out a soft chuckle. "Unfortunately, I have to leave now. But we'll see each other real soon. After all, you can run. You can hide. But you can't escape me."

Wisps of black smoke curled around Abel as he pulled his hood over his head. His eyes bored into Charlie's and he pointed his scythe at her.

"Your mother is looking forward to seeing you, Morningstar."

For the first time since back in Hell, Charlie felt a hot surge of anger boil inside her. She could feel the oncoming change within and prepared herself to be swept up in firestorm. But before her bones could begin to crack, Abel vanished into the shadows.

Charlie let out a defeated breath, but was relieved he was gone now. This had turned really bad and if it hadn't been for Adam... Well, she didn't want to imagine what the outcome would've been.

She spun back around and saw Cain slowly rising to his feet. Vaggie was beside him, holding him steady. 

"Adam." Charlie inched toward the man. He had his head hung down so low that his expression was unreadable. "I'm sorry–"

"FUCK!" he roared, startling everyone. In a swift motion, he punched a nearby tree, hitting it so hard it shook all the birds inside out of it. They flew up into the night, their squawks and cries briefly filling the unnatural silence left behind.

Chapter Text

The journey back on the road was uncomfortably quiet. Cain had not bothered to turn on the radio again. It was as if a dark storm cloud was hanging over the truck, following them as they drove toward the motel in tense silence. 

To the side of her, Adam looked as if he had not slept in days and somehow aged years in the span of a few hours. The bags under his eyes were even more pronounced and made them look sunken in. 

She was sure she didn't look much better. 

Vaggie had her arms crossed over her chest and was staring out into the distance. She had returned to her human form, her black hair disheveled, and clothes wrinkled. 

But the one who looked worse for wear was Cain. His eyes were still bloodshot and puffy, and there was a haunted look in them that Charlie had never seen before. His skin was still slick with sweat and drained of its usual color. 

"Cain," Charlie started to say when she saw his hands twitch on the steering wheel. 

"I don't want to talk about it," he replied tersely. 

"Hey, there's no need to snap at her." Vaggie scowled at the man.

"Bitch, that is not snapping!" He bared his teeth at her. "I'll show you fucking snapping!"

"Go ahead and try me, cabrón!" Vaggie returned his glare and raised a clenched fist.

"Hey, hey!" Charlie waved her hands in the air. "Let's all take a deep breath." She inhaled one to demonstrate. "We've had a rough night. We just need some rest, and we'll feel better in the morning." 

Cain snorted. "Yeah, sure. And then we can all sing Kumbayah together."

No one said anything more, but Charlie could practically see the steam rising out of Vaggie's ears. Charlie caught a glimpse of Adam, who had been unusually silent this entire time. No sarcasm. No crude remarks. 

He just huddled closer into himself, a dark shadow across his face. 

When Cain pulled into a roadside motel minutes later, the rest of them remained in the truck as he went to the front desk. 

"What exactly happened back there?" Vaggie peeked over the seat at her girlfriend. "Cain is acting like an even bigger asshole than Adam."

Charlie pursed her lips and stole another glance at the man beside her. He did not attempt to respond and averted his gaze to the side instead. 

Vaggie's brows creased together in obvious concern. Charlie didn't need to read her thoughts to know what she was thinking. Whatever happened must've been bad to affect Adam this much.

"Abel showed me everyone's deaths back on Earth. Angel Dust, Nifty, Husk, Alastor, all of them," Charlie finally answered after taking a shaky breath. "They were so graphic. And they just kept replaying over and over."

Vaggie's jaw dropped. "Charlie, that's fucked up! I'm so sorry you had to witness that. I swear, when we see that fucker again, I'll take that scythe of his and shove it up his ass."

Her lip quivered, and she had to force the growing lump in her throat back down. "Vaggie, I appreciate the sentiment, but that won't help anyone. I should've known he would have that ability."

Charlie's voice suddenly dropped to a whisper. "I should've known all this would happen."

Before they could continue this discussion, Cain had returned back to the truck, and whatever response Charlie had on her tongue died out. He drove the truck closer to their rooms and handed Charlie and Adam their keys without another word. He entered into his own room and slammed the door behind him, making Charlie wince.

"Come on, Charlie." Vaggie gestured to their room. "We'll regroup tomorrow after we get some sleep."

Charlie gave a wordless nod. She took a few steps before turning back to Adam, who hadn't moved a muscle. 

"Adam, are you going to be okay?"

He looked up at her as if he barely saw her for the first time. "I don't know."

She didn't want to leave him alone. But with Vaggie practically burning a hole into her head with her unwavering stare, she reluctantly turned her back to him and followed after her. 

"It's weird seeing Adam like that," Vaggie said after she closed the bedroom door. "Whatever he saw must've really fucked him up."

Charlie flicked on the lamp next to the bed before sitting down and heaving a heavy sigh. The mattress sank from her weight. "Yeah."

"Charlie, I know what you're thinking but what happened wasn't your fault." Vaggie stood right in front of her, taking one of Charlie's hands into her own. "You didn't know Abel would be so ruthless."

"I know." Though Charlie said the words, she hardly believed them. And Vaggie must not have either since she knelt beside her and cupped her face.

"Hon, you tried your best. And that's what matters."

Charlie's lip trembled again. "And my best got you injured even if it was temporarily! My best left Adam and Cain in even worse shape than before! Maybe my parents were right about me..."

"No, Charlie–"

"Maybe I am just a naive, sheltered princess with a stupid dream." Charlie turned away from Vaggie, retracting her hand and burying her face into her palms. "Maybe I just cause more problems than I solve them."

"Charlie, that's not true!" Vaggie tugged Charlie's hands off her face and forced her to look at her again. But Charlie couldn't take it anymore. Just being in this room felt suffocating.

The bed creaked as Charlie sprung to her feet and stormed off. "I'm sorry, Vaggie. But I need some time to myself right now. I'll be back."

Vaggie faltered, and it was clear she didn't want to let Charlie go alone. But she lowered her head before giving a short nod. "Alright. I'll be here if you need anything."

Without another word, Charlie left the room, knowing how she reacted was unfair to Vaggie. Vaggie had always been there for her even when Charlie had been upset with her. And this time, she wasn't upset at her. It wasn't Vaggie's fault what had happened. 

This was all on Charlie.

The outside air was much fresher despite the humidity. She walked through the empty parking lot, her feet hitting the slick pavement underneath. It didn't take long before she saw a familiar figure sitting alone, staring up at the night sky. 

"Adam?" Charlie wasn't even sure why she approached him. He was probably out here for the same reasons she was. To be alone. 

And now she had probably ruined that too.

"Hey, kid," he greeted, never once taking his eyes off the stars twinkling above.

"I was worried about you. I was worried you– Well, I thought you'd might try to hurt yourself again." She stood beside him, trying her hardest not to let any tears spill out of her. "I'm sorry about Abel. If I would've known all that–"

"You need to quit fucking apologizing for things that aren't your fault." He cut her off with a glare. "Shit gets annoying. If your parents had even a fraction of your bleeding heart, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess."

Charlie blinked and clasped her hands together. "But I messed up! I bit off more than I could chew! Vaggie got hurt. Cain is traumatized, and so are you!"

"Bitch, I've been traumatized for centuries now. Ain't nothing new." He put a hand on his hip and raised a nonchalant eyebrow at her.

"But Abel said some really mean things!" Charlie could feel herself start to ramble again, but she couldn't stop. "Your favorite son said you were weak and– And that he's glad he didn't remain in Heaven with you!"

Adam pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, I know what he fucking said. And you know what? He's not wrong."

This instantly made Charlie cease her protesting. "Wh– What?!"

Letting out an irritated sigh, Adam motioned for her to sit down next to him. Not sure where this was going, Charlie hesitated for a moment before doing so. 

"Kid, do you know why I showed you my memories back in Hell?" he asked after Charlie sat crisscrossed on the pavement. 

"Um, because you wanted my help?" Charlie gave an innocent shrug. 

Adam slapped his hand over his face. "Yes, that too! But there was another reason!" 

Charlie must have looked completely lost because Adam kept talking. "I did it because I wanted one final shot at revenge."

"Revenge?" Charlie repeated. 

Did I fucking stu–" He stopped himself from finishing that sentence before changing the topic completely. "I thought if I showed you what actually happened in Eden between me and your parents, you'd turn on them."

Charlie watched as Adam tapped the side of his head. "Think about it. The daughter of my sworn enemies now on my side! The prick and his bitch would burst a blood vessel! When he saw you next to me down in his castle, he was practically having a stroke!"

He let his hands fall to his sides as he snickered to himself. "The wheels of justice might turn slowly, but they do fucking turn!"

"And now?" Charlie's question made Adam's face grow serious and his entire body stiffen. 

"And now, I realized it's much more than that," he muttered. "I heard everything Abel told Cain back in the forest. The reason he does his job so well–why he targets Cain's friends and family–it was like looking in a fucking mirror. I couldn't hurt Lucifer and Lilith because of the deal I made. But I could hurt the things closest to them, their people."

The gears in Charlie's head whirled at a dizzying speed as the horrible truth dawned on her. "Wait, you mean?"

"Cain robbed Abel of a family and a future. And Abel wanted to pay that back tenfold." Adam broke his eye contact with Charlie and stared back up at the stars. "He told Cain he exterminated all those maggots he calls family because he wanted to see him in pain. Who does that sound like?"

It was a question they both knew the answer to. Charlie didn't even need to say it. Adam had thought the same thing about Lucifer and Lilith. Her parents had robbed Adam of a wife, of a family, and a future, too.

And this whole time, Abel had killed off Cain's descendants for the very reason they were his descendants. Just as Adam had done to the sinners down in Hell. It didn't matter that humanity was still a part of Abel just as the sinners were a part of Adam. It what was what they represented that fueled their bloodlust. 

Charlie couldn't help but gasp at this revelation. "Oh my gosh."

"The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, huh?" He finished with a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck."

"Adam, I don't care that you started with selfish reasons. I would have still helped you regardless. I'd never turn my back on people who are in need." Charlie placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "But it takes a lot of courage to admit your mistakes."

Tears brimmed in Adam's eyes and his voice was hoarse when he spoke. "What kind of father would I be if I let my children destroy each other? I already went through that once. I'm sure as fuck not going through that again. I've got too many motherfuckers to prove wrong, including those cunts in Heaven."

Charlie's heart swelled with hope at his words. "Does that mean–"

He nodded his head and the former glaze of sorrow in his eyes was replaced with one of steely determination. "Let's go bring Eve and Abel back to Hell. Lucifer and Lilith can go fuck themselves with a cactus. I don't give a fuck. I was willing to give my fucking life to destroy them, but if it means my sons hurting each other, that's a price I'm not willing to pay."

The hope flowing through Charlie's heart burst and without thinking, she wrapped Adam into a tight hug. "I knew what Eve said was true! Love would redeem us! Your love for your family outweighs your hatred for my parents. And I'm so, so proud of you for realizing that!"

Adam squirmed in her embrace. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Can you just let go of me?!"

"I told you to get used to it!" Charlie beamed at him, suddenly feeling so much better. "This is like a huge breakthrough! Do you realize that?"

"Ugh!" Adam groaned. "Fuck me for opening up to you. Remind me never to do that again."

"Noooooo!" Charlie only held him tighter. "If you keep talking like this, you'll be back in Heaven in no time!"

The man stopped wriggling around and let out another sigh. "We still don't know what gets people into Heaven, princess. Much less if redemption is even possible."

"Well, I'm going to prove to everyone it is!" The smile on Charlie's face only grew wider. "The best revenge is to prove everyone who criticized you wrong."

What Adam did next was the last thing she ever expected. Not only did he relax into her arms, but he slowly wrapped his own arms around her and returned her hug.

She wasn't sure how long they stayed like this, but she wasn't going to dare pull away first. Whether it was seconds, minutes or even hours, it didn't feel like long enough before Adam released her and the warmth that came with him disappeared. 

"I should go now." He scratched the back of his neck. 

"Okay. I'll see you in the morning then." Charlie waved him goodnight. As she started to head back to her room, she turned back around and called out to him.

"Hey, Adam!" 

He came to a halt at the sound of his name. Thanks to the glow of the moon, Charlie could see the look of confusion he wore on his face. 

"You might've come to me seeking revenge, but I think there was more to it." She drew closer to him so she wouldn't have to shout. "Like I said, you've been through some of the worst things that could ever happen to someone, and you're still here."

Charlie suddenly laughed at the thought that popped into her head. "In language you'd understand, you've got balls of steel! I've never met someone with a stronger will to live than you! And if I were the Council, I'd be shaking in my boots. You're a fighter, Adam."

The look of confusion on his face morphed into a genuine smile, one Charlie hadn't seen since back in his memories. There was no hint of malice in this smile, just pure wholesomeness and relief. It even reached his green eyes, making them glint in the moonlight. Any traces of bitterness and weariness that had come to define his features were erased.

He looked like a brand new man, one with a newfound purpose and hope.

Charlie questioned why Adam was ever jealous or resentful of her dad back in Eden. Because in this brief moment, she had never seen a more perfect sight.

He didn't say anything else, but he didn't need to. Charlie knew he would be alright. 

And so would she.

When she returned to her own room, Vaggie was already asleep on the bed. Trying to not make a sound, Charlie gently covered her girlfriend with a blanket and smiled down at her. Vaggie shifted a little, but her eye remained shut, and she went back to her peaceful slumber. 

Charlie sunk into the bed beside her and hoped none of what she saw today would haunt her nightmares. 

And much to her surprise, it didn't. The only dreams that filled her mind were sweet and pure like a sunrise on a summer's day. 

Chapter Text

When Charlie woke up the next morning, her eyes landed instantly on her girlfriend sitting across from her in a nearby chair. Vaggie had already been awake and had gotten the both of them breakfast from a nearby convenience store. 

"How did you sleep?" Vaggie asked as she took a bite from her burrito. 

"I actually slept good." Charlie smiled at her girlfriend and rubbed her eyes. "What about you, sweetie?"

"I was more exhausted than I thought. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I knocked out." Vaggie let out a soft chuckle. The both of them remained silent as Vaggie continued to eat her burrito, and Charlie debated whether she should get off the bed or not.

"Vaggie." Charlie finally broke the silence, climbing out of the bed. "I'm sorry about last night. I shouldn't have just left like that."

Vaggie immediately stopped chewing. She swallowed before opening her mouth and saying, "You don't need to apologize, Charlie. I understand you needed your space."

They both studied each other's faces, Vaggie's permanently hardened stare softening. Even though there was a dark circle under her eye and her hair wasn't perfectly combed like usual, Charlie thought her girlfriend was the most beautiful creature to ever exist. She didn't deserve someone as understanding and caring as Vaggie. And it wasn't fair to her to keep any more secrets from her. Not after all she had done for her.

"Vaggie, there is something I need to tell you." Charlie's tone grew serious, which made Vaggie straighten up in her chair. 

"It's about Adam," Charlie continued. "I think it's time you finally know everything about him. It won't excuse what he's done to you, but I hope you can–"

The sudden pounding on the front door interrupted her. Vaggie let out a loud groan before jumping out of her chair and opening the door.

"Speak of the devil!" Vaggie glared at the man standing in front of her. 

Adam looked over his shoulders from side to side. "I don't see that prick anywhere."

"I meant you, pendejo!" Vaggie gritted her teeth, her grip on the doorknob tightening. "What the fuck do you want?"

"Good morning to you too, bitch!" Adam pushed past her and waltzed into the room. "I came to say we're leaving already, so hurry the fuck up. Or we're leaving your asses behind."

Charlie nodded her head. "Okay, we'll be ready in a few minutes!" 

"Now get the fuck outta here!" Vaggie practically shoved him out the door before slamming it on his face. "Annoying bastard."

"Sweetie, I'm sorry, but I'll tell you everything later tonight." Charlie gobbled her breakfast burrito before going to the bathroom to freshen up. She didn't see Vaggie's shoulders slump forward or the sigh she muttered under her breath as she hurriedly got ready. In a few minutes, she was ready and they both left the hotel room. When they arrived at the truck, Cain and Adam were already there waiting for them. The truck's windshield had somehow been repaired after the events of last night, and Charlie wondered if Adam had helped. Before she could ask, he turned to her, impatiently tapping his foot.

"What the fuck took you so long?" 

Charlie and Vaggie didn't get the chance to answer as Cain beat them to it. With a roll of his eyes, he stepped into his truck. "Whatever. They're here now. Let's just get going."

As Vaggie approached the passenger's side, Adam cut in front of her and nudged her aside. "Move, bitch! I'm riding shotgun!"

Vaggie clenched her fists at her sides. "You fucking–"

"Wait, Vaggie." Charlie placed a gentle hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "Let him."

A look of confusion shot across Vaggie's face. "What?"

"Please just trust me," Charlie assured as she gazed at Adam. She knew their talk last night had affected him, and this was living proof of that. Adam was sitting next to his son, trying to engage him in a conversation. But Cain clearly wasn't buying this newfound attitude from his father. 

"What the fuck do you want, old man?" Cain narrowed his eyes, looking slightly disturbed. "Did Abel spook you that badly?" 

"Geez! Why the fuck is everyone so grumpy today?" Adam crossed his arms over his chest. "Can't even have one fucking conversation without someone being pissy with me!"

"Ugh. Whatever. I don't have the energy to deal with this right now." Cain's gaze shifted to Charlie in the backseat. "So where do we go next?"

"I–" Charlie started to answer, but Adam cut her off.

"We need to go find your mom and brother. So wherever the hurricane is hitting first, that's where we drive." 

Everyone gaped at Adam, who had somehow managed to go two sentences without cussing. 

"What?" He shrugged. "Do I have something stuck between my teeth?" 

"Charlie," Vaggie whispered from the side. "What the fuck is going on?"

Charlie turned to her girlfriend and beamed. "Something wonderful."

Meanwhile, Cain looked even more unnerved as he started up the truck. "Uh, okay."

Snatching Cain's phone out of the holster, Adam started tapping on it furiously, causing Cain to scowl at him. "I fucking swear, Dad, if you're looking up porn–"

"Chillax." Adam rolled his eyes as he continued typing. "No one wants to see any dudes getting deep-throated or dicked down except you."

Cain started choking on his saliva. "WHAT?! What the fuck are you talking about?!"

"I'm looking up where the hurricane is hitting first and putting it on the navigation," Adam said before placing the phone back on the holster. "We don't need you getting lost."

Whether it was from embarrassment or anger or something else, Cain's face had flushed a bright red. "I know where I'm going, old man."

"Yeah, yeah." Adam waved him off, reclining back in the seat and stretching out his arms.

"Wow, I'm impressed." Vaggie smirked. "Looks like there is more than one brain cell still left in you."

"Bitch, I was the leader of the exterminators for a reason." Adam snapped his fingers in the air. 

Charlie couldn't stop the grin on her face from growing even wider. This was the progress she had been hoping for! Adam made an effort to bond with his son. Cain listened to his dad. Vaggie actually paid Adam a compliment. 

Incredible things were taking place. And maybe there was hope for her plan after all. 

So while they drove onward, Cain allowed Adam to use his phone to play music. Well, not that he could've stopped him anyway. Adam always did whatever he wanted without permission. 

As Adam sang along to the lyrics, Cain glanced at him and said, "I noticed you like eighties rock a lot."

"Fuck yeah!" Adam exclaimed. "That was real music. Not like today's garbage with their mumble rap and their auto-tunes. And no, that hillbilly trash you invented isn't real music either."

"You prick, who do you think taught Eddie Van Halen to play guitar? Carlos Santana? David Gilmour?" Cain furrowed his eyebrows. 

"Bitch, that was you?!" Adam shouted in his son's ear. 

"Ugh!" Cain rubbed his ear. "Vaggie, how the hell did you not go deaf with this bastard always screaming?"

A visible grimace crossed Vaggie's mouth. "I wonder about that, too."

"This whole time, you taught fucking legends, and you settled on making the most boring, repetitive genre of music?!" Adam's eye twitched as he glared at Cain. "The genre filled with a bunch of talentless hacks!"

Cain bristled and inhaled a deep breath in, as if trying to keep himself calm. Meanwhile, Adam muttered under his own breath, "You should see the concerts Eddie puts on in Heaven. They're even better than mine."

"What? You know Eddie?" Cain did a double-take, his eyes widening. 

"Of course I fucking know Eddie!" Adam waved his hands in the air wildly.

"What about Robin?" Cain asked before clarifying when he saw his dad staring at him blankly. "Robin Williams?"

"Who the fuck do you think runs the comedy club up in Heaven?" Adam clicked his tongue against his teeth, but it was obvious he was trying not to smile.

Cain let out a loud gasp and started squealing like a teenage girl at her favorite boy band concert. "Seriously?! What about Steve?! Steve Irwin?!"

"He runs Heaven's Zoo." Adam could no longer try to hide his grin or maybe he didn't bother trying to. "And he also watches over everyone's pets until they get to Heaven."

Charlie had never seen Cain look so excited before. He was practically fangirling in his seat as he asked about different names Charlie wasn't familiar with, and Adam confirmed they were in fact, in Heaven. 

Cain wiped a tear from his eyes, which resembled that of a puppy's with how soft and large they had become. "That's great to hear. I'm so happy for them."

Adam nodded his head and mumbled a soft yeah.

For a moment, Charlie felt like everything would be alright. If Cain and Adam could change for the better after centuries and potentially repair their relationship, then getting Eve, Abel, and Lilith back to Hell would be the easy part. 

But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. After a few hours, they came into the outskirts where lines of cars, bumper to bumper, moved at a snail's pace out of the city. 

And like Cain had said, they were the only idiots heading into the city. The very city with dark storm clouds swirling above and wind gusts hitting at over a hundred miles an hour. 

Charlie pressed her face against the window, gazing at the sight before her. Trees bent at an unnatural angle, their leaves and branches shaking furiously in the wind. It didn't matter how tall the trees were. Even the tallest ones like palm trees looked as if they were about to be ripped out of the ground at any second.

Rain pounded the truck relentlessly and Cain had to put on the windshield wipers to the highest setting just to see. And even then, they still weren't working fast enough with how torrential the downpour was.

"So where exactly do we go?" Cain squinted through the windshield, slowing the truck down to almost a crawl.

"I don't know why you're asking us," Vaggie said from the backseat. "We've never been to Earth before."

"Listen, you sarcastic–" Cain started to raise his voice, but Adam stopped him. 

"The beach," he answered. "That's where the hurricane will be coming in from. And that's where your mother will be."

Vaggie shot Charlie a puzzled look. If she could read minds, she would guess Vaggie was thinking, 'Who is this man?' 

And now it was Charlie's turn to be the one fangirling on the inside. After days of Adam dragging his feet, he was finally starting to act like the man when he was alive. 

The man he had always been behind all the sarcasm, rudeness, and vulgarity. 

"And Abel won't be far behind." Cain gripped the steering wheel tighter. 

"And my mom will be there too," Charlie piped up. "I'm sure of it."

She still wasn't sure why she was so certain. But if she had run into Eve first, then Abel, it only made sense Lilith would be next. Her mom couldn't hide forever. No matter how hard she tried. 

What would she say to her when she finally saw her? It was a moment Charlie had been anticipating. One she thought she had prepared herself for. But the more she thought about it, the more she started to dread it. Even her hands were getting clammy at the idea of meeting Lilith again. 

If she had reacted like that with her dad, then how would she react with her mom?

They soon found themselves on the shoreline where waves rose as high as the seawall and slammed into it. The sky was all dark now, no trace of sun anywhere in sight. The palm trees dotting the beach were tilted backward from the ferocity of the approaching storm. 

"I don't see anyone!" Cain parked the truck and glanced around. The beach was completely empty. 

"She'll be here." Adam pressed his mouth into a firm line. He sounded so certain, so confident that Eve would be coming that Charlie couldn't help but believe him. 

"So what do we do in the meantime?" Vaggie frowned. "Just wait here and let Charlie and Cain get swept up in the hurricane?"

"Fuck that!" Cain yanked the keys out of the ignition and opened the driver's side door. "Abel thinks I can't cheat him but he forgets he's playing against the ace!" 

Despite their loud protests, Cain ignored them and marched onto the beach. His boots sank into the sand as he trudged along and the pouring rain blinded him, but he still kept going. 

"This dumbass!" Adam groaned before chasing after him. 

"Come on!" Charlie tugged at Vaggie's sleeve. Her girlfriend attached her angelic spear behind her back and they both followed Adam.

"Cain! What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Adam shouted at the top of his lungs as he ran down the beach.

He turned around and cupped his hands over his mouth, before wading into the ocean. "Putting my life in danger!"

"You fucking moron!" Adam caught up to him, continuing to yell over the claps of thunder. "Just get back to the truck and we'll figure it out from there!"

"Yeah. This is completely stupid." Vaggie came up beside Adam, their bodies drenched in rain. "I don't know what you thought you'd accomplish besides getting us all wet and cold."

"Abel has to be here!" Cain bobbed in the water. "And when he is, I'll be ready for him! Unlike last time!"

"Is that what this about?!" Vaggie demanded. "Because you freaked the fuck out last time, you want a rematch?!"

"No! Yes! I don't know!" Cain swam closer to the shoreline. "I just know that I won't let him fuck with me like that again!"

While Cain, Adam, and Vaggie all argued, Charlie had noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. A group of bedraggled humans had surrounded Cain's truck and were trying to get it to start.

"Uh... Guys?" Charlie's question ceased their arguing and they all looked in her direction. She pointed to the truck. "Should that be happening?"

"What– FUCK!" Cain immediately came sprinting out of the ocean, splashing water everywhere. Meanwhile, Adam returned to his spiritual form while Vaggie did to her angelic one, grabbing Charlie and teleporting her over to where the truck was.

Their sudden appearance startled the group of carjackers. Now that Charlie had a closer look at them, she saw they were covered in grime and looked as if they hadn't showered in days before this storm. Their clothes were filled with holes and tearing at the seams. Some of them weren't even wearing shoes.

"You have one last chance to get the fuck away from my truck!" Cain came running to the scene. "Before I throw you to the sharks!"

The thieves seemed to have recovered from their initial shock because they all started snickering. 

"You think we're scared of you, cowboy?" The tallest one mocked in a faux Southern accent. "That we're scared of any of you? You all aren't just a bunch of clowns. You're the whole circus!"

Cain bared his teeth into a wicked grin as if he just realized something. "It's not me you should be scared of."

"Oh?" The same man leered at the rest of them. "Who then? That Barbie bitch? Or that snot-nosed brat? Oh, don't tell me! You mean that edgy, punk rock loser!" 

"I'll show you exactly what you should be afraid of, asshole!" Adam lunged forward, but Cain blocked him with his arm. 

"You want this truck or not?" There was a gleam in Cain's eyes and Charlie couldn't tell what he was thinking. Or if he was even thinking. Just what was he up to? 

"Or did you lose your balls somewhere along the way when you lost your dignity and your housing?" Cain continued to taunt, now swinging his keyring around his index finger. 

"You fucker!" The man whipped out a gun that had been stashed around his waistband. Vaggie and Adam had already gotten into their fighting stance, their fists balled in the air. Even Charlie was telling herself to grow into her giant form, shuddering as a sudden chill came over her. But Cain remained rooted to the ground in his same position, his body barely even shivering in the wind and rain.

It was as if he had been expecting this. 

So while the man aimed the gun straight at Cain's forehead and pulled the trigger, everyone else jerked forward. Everything happened in a blur. Charlie heard the bang. Saw the flash. But it wasn't Cain who fell backward, a mist of blood spraying through the air out of his skull. 

The man keeled over, blood trailing out of the bullet hole in his forehead and mingling with the rainwater. 

Before everyone could process what just happened, a gravelly voice hissed from behind Cain. 

"That fucker is mine."

Charlie didn't even need to turn around to know who was behind them. But her instincts took over and as she turned, she saw Abel slowly rise out of the ocean in his skeletal form. It was an eerie sight to behold. Droplets rolled off of him but his robe wasn't even damp as he hovered above the water, his scythe in hand. 

Of course, the other humans didn't see him because if they did, they wouldn't have charged forward yelling. They had broken bottles and blades clutched in their hands, but as soon as they took a few steps, a giant lightning bolt ripped across the sky.

And straight into their hearts. 

Charlie could only screech as their bodies crumpled to the ground.

"What the..." Adam trailed off as he stared slack-jawed at their still-steaming bodies. 

"Fuck," Vaggie finished for him. 

"You finally come here to finish the job?" Cain grimaced up at his brother. "I think you need to retire! You've been slacking, little brother!"

The rage on his face was evident despite possessing no flesh to emote. "I'll retire once I reap your miserable soul from this Earth!"

A sudden high-pitched coo rang out from the side of them. "Pumpkin, what did I say about trying to kill your brother?" 

"Moooooom," Abel whined before changing into his human form. "Like I told Dad, he wouldn't die die. He'd just end up in Hell."

"No, we need him here. With us." Eve's voice dropped an octave as if to warn him. She slithered over the open water and held her face in her hands, continuing to coo. "Look at my precious boys! Together at last!" 

"I'm only here to bring you two and that cunt of an ex-wife back where she belongs!" Adam suddenly stepped forward, standing tall and confident. Lightning flashed from behind him, and the rain kept pouring, but he didn't seem fazed in the slightest as he addressed Eve and Abel.

"You were right, Abel. I know what it feels like better than anyone to kill. To destroy." His voice broke at the last word, but he continued on despite the looks of obvious disinterest and frustration his wife and son were giving him. "But destroying the world and humanity won't heal that gaping wound inside you! I've tried it with the sinners down in Hell for the past millennia! And look where the fuck it's gotten me!"

Everyone turned to Adam, wearing near identical expressions of shock and bewilderment at his words. Well, everyone except for Charlie. She thought she couldn't have been prouder of him before, but he somehow kept managing to surprise her. 

But this temporary moment of awe was shattered when they heard a feminine chuckle in the distance followed by slow, methodical applause.

"My, my, Adam. I'm impressed. I never thought I'd see the day you could be so... Profound."

Chapter Text

Charlie's heart did summersaults inside her chest upon hearing that voice. Part of it was from anticipation and excitement, but the other part was because of her growing anxiety. It was a voice she had been waiting to hear from for so long, and now that she finally could, she didn't know how to react. 

Everyone turned around towards the direction the voice came from. A statuesque figure stood a few feet ahead on the shore, wearing a bathing suit and a pair of sunglasses on her face. Her blonde hair was tied up with a purple scarf framing her face.

"Mom!" Charlie let out a breathless cry. 

Lilith's mouth upturned into a painted smile. "Hello, my little firecracker."

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Whore of Babylon herself." Cain regarded Lilith with obvious contempt. "I've heard a lot about you. But from the way my mom described you, I have to say, she didn't do you justice. You're a lot uglier in person."

"Cain, I swear, I will kick your ass down to Hell if you don't stay the fuck out of this!" Adam pointed at his son before turning his anger on his ex-wife. "As for you, you scheming bitch, you have no room to talk about depth! You're about as deep as a fucking kiddie pool!"

Striding closer, Lilith merely chuckled behind her pale hand. "You're slipping with your insults, Adam. Did your fall from Heaven mess you up that badly?" 

Adam sputtered, his face growing red with rage. "You! How do you know about that, bitch?!"

Lilith came to a halt in front of her daughter and she removed her sunglasses to examine her closely. "You look well, Charlie. I hope Earth hasn't been too much for you."

Charlie gulped, feeling that familiar rage starting to bubble in her. It might've sounded like a compliment, but she knew what her mother meant. She knew Lilith thought of her as delicate and weak and she expected Earth to have been uncomfortable for someone like her. "No. It's been fun. I've met Cain, and he's been really nice," she said quietly. 

Lilith frowned at Cain, who returned her unflinching stare. "I see that. I see you've also had the misfortune of meeting my ex-husband."

"That's right, cunt! Charlie and I are best friends now!" Adam pushed Charlie behind him and leered in Lilith's face. "That little storybook you showed her? She knows it's all a fucking lie! She got a firsthand view of seeing her mom fucking an angel while still married to me!" 

Lilith rolled her violet eyes. "And then I'm sure she saw how you desecrated her siblings' graves? Or did you leave that part out?"

"Charlie, what the fuck," Vaggie muttered from beside her. "Is all this true?" 

Charlie could only give a slight nod in response. She didn't understand why she had suddenly lost her voice. Maybe it was her fear of lashing out or fear of saying the wrong thing, but her mom always made her feel so small in comparison. Lilith was always confident and charismatic, something Charlie had never been. Her mom could inspire that same confidence in others and snuff out those who lacked it.

Vaggie seemed to notice this change since she wrapped her arm around her back and drew her in for a side hug. 

"Oh?" Lilith raised a curious eyebrow. "And who is this?"

"Mom." Charlie cleared her throat. "This is Vaggie. She's my girlfriend."

Lilith looked anything but impressed as she gave Vaggie a once-over. "An angel? Hm. You really did take after me."

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am." Vaggie extended her hand for Lilith to shake, but she didn't bother to take it, and Vaggie was left awkwardly standing there. 

"I hope she's better than the last one you brought home." Lilith smirked at her daughter, who could only grimace at the memory of her ex-boyfriend. 

"She is," Charlie began to protest, but Adam quite literally cut into the conversation. 

"Don't fucking ignore me, Lilith!" Adam's shouting drew her attention back to him. "I asked you a question! How did you know I got thrown down from Heaven?"

"Your wife– Oh, I'm sorry. Your ex-wife told me." Lilith sauntered over to where Eve and Abel hovered. "She also told me my daughter had tagged along with you. She always had a soft spot for sad, broken creatures, so I shouldn't be surprised she took pity on you."

Adam looked about one second away from losing complete control. His face was contorted with unbridled rage, and his fists were clenching and unclenching at his sides. "The only reason I'm broken is because of you and that bastard you call a husband! And why the fuck is Eve talking to you?!"

He locked eyes with the aforementioned woman. "Why the fuck are you talking to her?! I thought you hated her fucking guts!"

Eve looked as if to say something, but Lilith beat her to it. "It's true that she despises me. It took many years for her to even hear what I had to say, but as the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Adam waved his hands in exasperation. 

"I see I still have to spell things out for you." Lilith pursed her lips together. "Despite our history, we can all agree on something. The angels failed us. And it's time they were held accountable for their neglect and abuse."

It was at that moment that Charlie finally found her inner voice to speak out against her mom. Her worst fear had been true all along. "You mean, you were the one who came up with the idea to end the world and start a war with Heaven?!"

Lilith smiled at her daughter and playfully shrugged her shoulders. "Of course. Who else would've?" 

"I thought it was my mom's idea to destroy the world," Cain hissed. "But I should've known it would come from a coldhearted, calculating bitch like you!"

"Humanity means shit to the would-be Mother of Humanity," Adam interjected with a sneer.

"Oh no, I'm the one who planted that seed in that docile head of hers. She could've never thought of it on her own." There was a humorous glint in Lilith's eyes. "And I suppose I have you to thank for that, Adam. After I saw you leading the exterminations against my people, I thought I'd return the favor."

Adam and Cain both growled like beasts about to pounce on their prey, and Charlie wasn't sure if it was because Lilith had insulted Eve or because of her master plan. Regardless, Charlie could feel her own wrath starting to seep out of her. She had tried to be strong and hold off her rage as long as she could, but with every word her mom spoke, made it harder. 

"I can't believe this," Vaggie said. "The First Man and First Woman committing genocide. It'd be funny if it wasn't so fucking twisted."

"It is fucking twisted!" Charlie agreed, her voice dropping to a snarl. "All this time, I've been looking for you, trying to give you the benefit of the doubt! And I find out you're going to end the world!"

The smile on Lilith's face fell. "Charlotte, I don't expect you to understand but–"

"No! I don't understand! And I don't need to!" Charlie's chest heaved, and she could feel her head begin to swirl. "Do you know what Dad did?! He put his life on the line to bring you and Eve and Abel back to Hell!"

A rare glimpse of panic came over Lilith's face. "He what? No, why would he do that?"

"Because the Council was prepared to wipe me and Adam out of existence! They thought we were coming to get you and start another rebellion against Heaven!" Charlie knew her mom would reprimand her for raising her voice, but she didn't care. "Which, by the way, you failed to mention the first one Dad had started! So the Council had every reason to think he'd try again!"

Lilith pinched the bridge of her nose and muttered something under her breath. "Charlie, there is a lot I need to explain to you. We need to talk about this. Alone."

She was about to refuse, but Lilith had gestured to Eve and Abel with a tilt of her head and the next thing she knew they were attacking Cain, Adam, and Vaggie.

"No!" Charlie started to rush to their aid, but Lilith stopped her. 

"Charlotte." Lilith's grip on her shoulder tightened. Not so much that it would hurt, but Charlie could still feel the pressure. "Let's go for a walk." 

Charlie remained firmly in place, refusing to just abandon her friends like this. Eve was currently targeting Vaggie, who was trying her best not to use her angelic spear against her. Meanwhile, Abel had dove straight for Cain, taking wild slashes at him. 

"Why! Won't! You! Die!" Abel seethed.

"You gotta be quicker than that, baby brother!" Cain laughed, evading each attack with ease.

Abel raised his hand and crackles of blue and white light started to charge up in the clouds. But before he could bring down the bolt of lightning, Adam came up from behind and pinned him to the ground.

"You might be the bringer of death, but I'm still your dad!" Adam wrestled with his son over the sand. "And you're grounded!"

"See? They'll be fine." Lilith's smile returned to her face. "But if you want to know everything and for me to call off the attack, then you'll need to follow me."

Seeing as though she had no other choice, Charlie reluctantly agreed. It seemed that being married to her father for so long had rubbed off on her, and she had learned to bargain a deal that worked out in her favor.

With one last glance over her shoulder, she trudged after her mother.

"I've always loved the beach," Lilith sighed, gazing at the ocean.

Charlie's eyelid twitched at the comment. How dare her mother try to downplay the severity of this? "Well, I'm waiting. Dad might not have admitted to everything he did, but he didn't exactly deny it either! So what else is there you can possibly say?"

"Well, what is it you want to know?"  Lilith paused and turned to her. "I have many abilities, Charlie. But unfortunately, mind reading isn't one of them."

Several questions went through Charlie's head that she didn't even know where to begin. What happened after Lilith left Adam but before he and the angels caught her and Lucifer together? Why had Lilith convinced Lucifer to trick Eve? What had Lilith said to Lucifer to get Eve to eat the apple? Why did her parents never tell her these things? Why did they make up that story about Hell?

Some of these questions she knew the answer to. But she still wanted to hear it from her mother's lips. So in the end, she settled with, "Why did you abandon me and Dad?" 

For a split second, Lilith looked caught off guard, as if she hadn't been expecting this question. "Charlie, I would never abandon you! Why would you think that?"

Charlie had to bite back a sarcastic laugh. "I don't know, maybe you being gone for seven years! Dad said you came to Earth because you needed time to yourself! That you needed to think things over!"

Lilith opened her mouth to respond, but Charlie didn't give her the chance. "When you get tired of something or something isn't how you like, you leave! Just like you left Adam! Just like you left Dad! And just like you left me!" 

It took a few moments before Lilith spoke again. But when she did, she did something Charlie wasn't expecting. 

She laughed. 

"I didn't think what I said was so funny." Charlie scrunched up her face. 

"I'm sorry, I'm not laughing at you, firecracker." Lilith reached out to stroke her daughter's face, and Charlie couldn't help but recoil. "It's just that I always hoped you would gain that fiery spirit I knew you always had in you. I'm so proud of you."

Charlie blinked, unable to comprehend what her mom had just told her. Five simple words she had longed to hear from her parents finally uttered. 

But in the worst circumstances. 

"You should have seen me back in Hell with Dad– Wait! I'm getting distracted!" Charlie huffed. "Why did you leave us if not for a better life?" 

"Charlie, I was telling the truth when I said I was going to do important work." Lilith observed her daughter intently. "I know you might not believe me, but I came to Earth to find Eve and Abel and get them to join our cause."

"Our cause?" Charlie's lip curled in disgust. 

"Yes," Lilith let out an exasperated sigh. "You might not see it right now, but this is for us. Heaven was coming into our kingdom and killing our people thanks to that imbecile of an ex. But now, with him out of the way, they've never been more vulnerable."

Charlie groaned and rubbed her throbbing forehead. This was all too much to take in. "I don't understand. Dad said you were here for a completely different reason. So that means one of you is lying."

And if it wasn't clear by now, Charlie absolutely hated when people lied to her. Especially her own parents.

"I told your father I needed a change of scenery and time to think our marriage over because I knew he'd never agree to the true reason." Her mother fiddled with a necklace around her neck, something Charlie hadn't noticed before. It was a simple necklace except for what looked to be a purple diamond at the center of it. 

"The angels' punishment broke your father's spirit," Lilith continued. "After his failed rebellion, I knew he was too scared to try again. And then, when you were born, there was no way he'd risk your safety."

There were tears in Charlie's eyes now, and she had to use her sleeve to wipe them away. "Then what's this about our cause? It just sounds like your cause."

"The only way to guarantee your safety–All our safety–is to get rid of the angels." Lilith started to circle around her daughter, taking careful, methodical footsteps. "Tell me, Charlie. Why is it Adam got himself kicked out of Heaven? I bet I can think of a few guesses. Did he attack you and Luci? Because I doubt the Council finally got tired of his obnoxious attitude."

"Y–Yes but that wasn't the only reason." Charlie wasn't sure why she was stammering. But she figured her mom's sharp, unwavering stare was the main cause. "He lied to the Council about why the exterminations needed to be moved biannually. He's partially responsible for why Vaggie's here instead of Heaven."

Lilith tucked a loose strand of blonde hair into her scarf. "I never thought I'd see the day the angels cast out their little golden boy. You would think he'd realize by now who the real enemy is. But of course, he's as stupid as he is loyal."

"He's not stupid!" Charlie exclaimed over the clashes of thunder. "But you're right. He is loyal even when he shouldn't be. Just like when he pleaded for mercy when the angels expelled you and Dad out of Eden! Anyone else would have let you die!"

"Careful, Charlotte." Lilith bristled. "Don't speak of things you don't know about."

Charlie wasn't sure what compelled her to push back against her mom. Arguing with someone like Lilith was fighting a losing battle. She was someone who could cut you down in four different ways before you even had a chance to formulate an argument. 

But maybe she had finally reached the end of her rope with her parents. She had given them chance after chance to explain themselves, and they either evaded her or told her half-truths. 

Enough was enough. 

"I know everything now, thanks to Adam." Charlie held her mother's glare. "I know you cheated on him with Dad. I know you and Dad tricked Eve into eating the apple out of vengeance and spite."

With every word she spoke, she could see her mom getting more and more agitated. But she didn't stop now. Not when she needed to deliver the final blow. 

"I finally see you and Dad for what you truly are," Charlie said. "But I will say at least Dad is trying. You? You haven't changed, Mom. You're still hellbent on revenge."

The scowl on Lilith's face had deepened to a frightening degree. "You're so quick to hear Adam's side of things, but not your own mother's?" 

"I've heard more than enough from you." Charlie matched her mother's scowl. "Whatever you try to say, it won't change things. You and Eve and Abel are all coming back to Hell with me and Adam."

The wind and rain hadn't relented in the time they had been talking. They were both soaked, but at least Lilith was dressed for the occasion in her swimsuit. 

Lilith remained silent for a moment, as if considering whether she would follow Charlie back to Hell.

"I can't." She broke the silence with a sigh. "I can't turn back now. Even if I wanted to."

Chapter Text

The sounds of violent grunts and groans echoed in the distance behind Charlie. Adam and Cain were still fighting off Abel while Vaggie battled Eve. The downpour hadn't relented in the slightest, and thunder raged above them. The wind whipped grains of sand across Charlie's skin, stinging it. Even the waves crashed along the seawall at a frightening height.

But all Charlie could focus on were the words coming out of her mother's lips. 

"That night, I ran away from Adam," Lilith sighed. "I didn't intentionally seek out your father. I just wanted time to myself. I had never cried before that night, so when I felt water coming out of my eyes, I wasn't sure what was happening. But my eyes wouldn't stop leaking."

Charlie listened with intense focus to every syllable Lilith uttered. This was one of the final lost pieces to the puzzle. There was no doubt Lilith was only saying this to sway her over to her side, but Charlie didn't care. She needed this.

"Your father appeared in front of me, asking why I was crying. I told him I didn't know what that was, but I wanted it to stop." There was no hint of regret or pain in Lilith's tone. She seemed calm and collected. Like she always was. "He asked where Adam was, and he even offered to go get him. But I told him he was the last person I wanted to see right now."

A small smile pulled at the corners of Lilith's mouth. "Luci seemed even more confused and asked if we had fought. I didn't know what that was either. I started rambling about how I felt like Adam always wanted to do things his way and didn't value my thoughts or efforts."

Charlie wanted to so badly counter this. She wanted to tell her mom that this wasn't true at all. That Adam loved her more than anything. But she knew if she argued, her mom would not finish telling her the story. 

So she quite literally bit her tongue and remained silent.

"I told Luci how sometimes I wished he was my husband instead. Because with him, I always felt loved." Lilith finally broke eye contact with Charlie and looked towards the ocean. "I can still remember everything so clearly. He was speechless. His face flushed yellow. He started to stutter so I pressed my lips against his to silence him. He froze for a few seconds but then he slowly returned the kiss. I told him I wanted to show him what I tried with Adam. And if Adam did show you his memories, then you know what happened next."

"Yeah..." Charlie pursed her lips into a frown. 

"With Lucifer, it was a feeling I had never experienced before." The violet hues in Lilith's eyes glimmered with awe. "More than just sexual pleasure, which Adam knew nothing about by the way. They were feelings I didn't even know were possible. It was like my eyes had been opened. And I realized I couldn't go back with Adam. This knowledge that he and I weren't compatible dawned on me. We clashed too much to ever be satisfied."

"But... You were made for each other." Charlie hadn't realized she spoke until it was too late and she braced herself for her mother's ire.

"Yes. And?" Lilith raised a disapproving eyebrow. "Do I not have a say in who I get to marry and love? Every other human gets to."

"Yes, that's a fair question. But then if that's the path you chose, you should have expected the consequences that came afterward." Charlie crossed her arms over her chest in defiance. She knew what her mother was trying to do. But just like with her father, she was not going to let her try to weasel her way out either. 

"I expected to be left alone with Luci. Not to suffer and lose every child I had for the next hundred generations." With each word Lilith said, her voice went up an octave. "Like I said before, every other human in a similar situation would be able to just carry on. They aren't cursed or expelled out of their home."

"Mom–" Charlie started to say, but Lilith cut her off sharply. 

"I told you that little story because I knew the truth would be too painful for you to hear," Lilith said. "No child needs to hear how her siblings were dead by the time they were born into this world."

"I understand–"

"No, I don't think you do." Lilith's glare was practically burning holes into Charlie's skull. "You will never understand feeling your stomach grow and know what's inside will soon be dead. You will never understand having to birth a child that was never even alive by the time it entered the world. I prayed with each baby I buried, it would be the last. With each generation that passed on the Earth, I tallied a mark because I knew this curse couldn't last forever."

Charlie swallowed the growing lump in her throat and shook her head. "Mom, I really am sorry you had to go through that. And I understand why you'd want to keep something like that from me. But you can't keep lying to me anymore. You can't keep lying to yourself! This fight against the angels, it isn't for me or Dad. It's for you! It's always been about you!"

Lilith's expression softened. "Charlie. Why would you say that? I have done nothing but support you and your idealistic dream." 

"And why did you support that dream?" Charlie's vision went blurry again, but she wasn't sure if it was because of the rain or her tears. "Because if what you're saying is true, you wouldn't want to send our people to Heaven. To the very place you're trying to wage war against."

"Because I knew Adam would get involved. You were right that we were technically made for each other, so I know him better than anyone." Lilith didn't look pleased about that fact. "I knew when Luci showed him what happened to Eve and Abel down in Hell, only disaster would follow. And I was right. It led to the exterminations."

"What– What do you mean?" Charlie's voice wavered. She wasn't sure she liked what her mother was implying. 

Lilith let out a low chuckle. "Adam lets his anger against us control him. I knew he would never allow the hotel to operate. He would do anything to sabotage it, even if it meant going against the Council. Even if it meant breaking the agreement. I knew his pride would get the better of him and he'd get himself either killed or kicked out of Heaven. I didn't care either way as long as he was out of the picture."

Charlie couldn't believe what she was hearing. But she should've expected this. 

She and her hotel had been nothing more than a means to an end for her mother. Lilith never cared about her vision for redeeming sinners. And why would she? 

"With Adam and his lackeys out of the way, Heaven would be vulnerable," Lilith continued, seemingly ignorant of the rage simmering off of her daughter. Or maybe she just didn't care again. "That was the easy part. The hard part was convincing Eve and Abel to join me and bring the end of the world. But when you have eternity, what's a mere seven years?"

"How were you able to convince them?" Charlie asked through gritted teeth. "Mind control? Brainwashing?"

Lilith looked offended at the suggestion even though they both knew she had those abilities. "Charlie! You know me better than that! I'm a very charismatic person. How do you think I was able to have so many followers in Hell?"

Followers. Not family. Not even friends. The sinners were another means to an end for her mother.

"Like I said earlier, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Eve and Abel finally saw it that way too. Luci might've turned them into that but the angels could've intervened. But they abandoned them like they always have..." Lilith paused and scrunched up her face. "Why that look, Charlotte?"

Charlie couldn't help but let out a loud scoff. "Because now looking back, I realized something. You and Dad never had any friends while I was growing up. You had acquaintances. Followers. But never friends. Well, you did back in Eden with Adam and the angels. But we know how that turned out."

Between flashes of lightning, Charlie saw the glower on her mom's face grow. "I didn't have time for friends. With all the work I was doing, plus raising you, friends were not a priority. And your father, he had friends in Heaven. Who do you think rules the other rings in Hell? Where do you think the noble families came from?"

"I–" Charlie croaked out a response, but Lilith silenced her immediately. 

"Friends turn on you just like the other fallen angels did on your father." Lilith shook her head, beginning to pace around in the sand. "They wanted him to try again and defeat Michael and the rest of the Council. He was the reason they ended up here, they said. So it was only fair that he saved them."

"I don't blame them for turning on him," Charlie muttered under her breath, causing her mom to come to a sudden halt. 

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that because you're just upset with me." Lilith's tone grew venomous and cold. 

"Oh, I'm more than upset with you!" Charlie roared before storming up to her mom. Their towering frames were nearly identical, with Lilith only beating her by a few inches due to the horns attached to her head. "All this time, I thought you were doing something important! I thought you actually believed in me! Then I found out from Dad that you abandoned us because you gave up on your marriage! But no! You're actually trying to cause the apocalypse!"

"You know me better than that, firecracker." Lilith seemed nonplussed at Charlie's outburst. "When have I ever given up on something? As a matter of fact, why should I give up like your father did? After all I've sacrificed! After everything I've lost! Why should I be the one to give up and let those tyrants win?! I refuse to be a loser! I refuse to be a failure like– No, because if I give up, then what was it all for?! All that loss, all that suffering, it would have been for nothing!"

This was not how Charlie expected the conversation to go. She had never seen her mom lose control like she did now. She was always poised, always perfect. But Lilith's cool and collected facade, along with her mind, was breaking right in front of her.

"For years, it was just me and your father. The other fallen angels wanted nothing to do with us." Strands of blonde hair had come undone from Lilith's scarf and stuck out in different directions. "And then when the first sinners came to Hell, Luci wouldn't help them. But I could. And it was through them, that I found a purpose again. They were my reason to keep going."

Charlie could only listen to her mother's drivel in stunned silence. She had wondered if her mom felt any guilt or regret for what happened with Adam and Eve and everything that came afterward. Did she feel even a twinge of remorse that she helped doom the human race? Charlie doubted she did. 

Until now. 

All those years of lying to themselves. Of lying to her. Lucifer might be the Father of Lies, the Ultimate Deceiver, but even he couldn't lie to himself about what he had done.

As for Lilith, with her endless charisma and craftiness, even she couldn't convince herself she was blameless. She was looking for a scapegoat, and with Adam no longer in Heaven, the Council were the only ones she could grasp at.

It was at that moment, as Lilith spoke about her work, that Charlie realized her father's depression wasn't because of his crushed dreams or even getting thrown down into Hell. It was the crushing weight of knowing you had no one to blame but yourself. 

They could run off to Earth. They could hide themselves inside their castle. They could even distract themselves with their work. But no matter what they did, Lucifer and Lilith couldn't escape the truth of who they were and what they had done.

"Enough," Charlie said firmly. "It's time to go home, Mom."

Lilith blinked and tucked her loose strands of hair back under her scarf. But it didn't matter that she tried to compose herself. Charlie had seen the cracks in her mask already. 

"Charlie, you're my reason to keep going now. That's why I'm doing all this." Lilith forced a smile to her face. "I won't let anything happen to you or your father. But the only way I can guarantee that is by eliminating the angels."

Charlie opened her mouth to argue, but before she could even utter a word, Lilith's eyes rolled to the back of her head. Her entire body turned to black, like a silhouette, with only the whites of her eye sockets having any color. A pair of horns grew out of her head and long, dark tendrils sprouted out of her back like tentacles. One of them grabbed Charlie, lifting her in the air.

"Mom!" Charlie thrashed in the tendril's tight grip. "Put me down! This isn't the way!"

"I didn't want to have to do this. But you've left me no choice." Lilith appeared to float through the sand, using her tendrils to maneuver toward where Eve and Abel were.

By now, the sky had grown totally pitch black, as if it was nighttime. The fight between Eve and Abel and Adam, Cain, and Vaggie had been over for several minutes. Eve and Abel had them down on their knees in the sand; the scythe in Abel's hand pointed right at Cain's throat and Vaggie's angelic spear looming over her good eye in Eve's. Charlie couldn't make sense of this at first. But when she saw the nubs where Adam and Vaggie's wings used to be, she understood.

Vaggie had said Abel tore a hole in her wings before. It seemed he could do more than just that.

"Charlie!" Vaggie cried out before snarling at the person who held her. "Hurt her, Lilith, and I swear, what Adam did to your hellspawn's graves will be nothing compared to what I'll do to you!"

"That's my girl." Adam chuckled from beside her, which caused Eve to narrow her eyes and hiss at him. He instantly fell silent. 

"It seems like being in Hell hasn't gotten rid of that self-righteous nature of yours." Although Lilith's eyes were all violet, Charlie could tell she was rolling them. "I'm not going to hurt my own daughter. But she will listen to me. After all, a mother knows best."

"You don't know shit, Lilith!" Adam shouted. "If you keep this up, Michael is going to go down to Hell and shove his sword so hard up Lucifer's bitch ass, it comes out through his fucking throat!"

"Please, Mom!" Charlie continued to struggle in her mom's clutches. "You say you care about Dad, but if you do this, it'll only hurt him!"

"Typical Lilith!" Adam sneered. "Always fucking her husbands over to get what she wants!"

This seemed to bother Lilith since she bristled and used a free tendril of hers to pinch Adam's face roughly, dragging him closer to her. "The only typical thing I see here is you. Discarded by every wife, friend, and child he's ever had."

She released him with a flick of her tendril, and he fell back like a rag doll. "And we still don't need you, Adam. We have Cain." 

Lilith used that same tendril to gently brush Cain's hair out of his eyes. He shuddered at her touch, but the tendril kept slithering down the side of his face and down to his shoulder. 

"GET AWAY FROM MY SON, YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Adam's outburst took everyone by surprise. But it was what came next that made Charlie's jaw drop.

His eyes rolled to the back of his head like Lilith's and his appearance also turned into a black silhouette. But instead of tendrils growing out of him, elongated horns and sharp teeth emerged. 

This new form resembled what Charlie originally knew him as back when she met him in the embassy in Hell. Down to the glowing yellow holes where his eyes were. 

In the chaos, Lilith had released Charlie as she braced herself for Adam's sudden ambush. Since Eve and Abel had been momentarily distracted, Vaggie used that time to snatch her spear back from Eve while Cain rose to his feet and took a swipe at Abel's scythe. It seemed that Charlie had not only granted him the power to see spirits, but to touch them as well since he grabbed the scythe and nearly yanked it out of his brother's hands.

As Lilith and Adam clashed, all Charlie could do was watch, her eyes beginning to bleed.

Chapter Text

"Charlie!" Vaggie's eye widened in horror at her girlfriend. She had paused her fight with Eve momentarily and that gave the woman enough time to gain the upper hand. 

"Vaggie! Behind you!" Charlie reached out to her girlfriend in a feeble attempt to warn her. Thankfully, Vaggie turned around just in time to dodge Eve's impending attack. 

Charlie could hear the bones in her body begin to crunch and she doubled over as the firestorm swept her up in its flames. Her horns and tail grew out of her as well as a pair of red wings. 

She promised she would protect Adam. She needed to stop her mother. And this was the only way. 

"MOM!" Charlie roared through the boisterous wind and rain, her voice booming as loud as the thunder. 

Lilith and Adam had been so caught up in their fight–hitting, clawing, and grabbing each other–they failed to notice Charlie's sudden change. She flinched at the sound of her name and glanced up at her daughter. 

"Charlotte?!" The glare on Lilith's face softened. Though it was hard to discern what emotions now filled her eyes, Charlie could best describe them as shock and wonder.

"Enough is enough!" Charlie took several menacing steps towards Lilith. "This little scheme of yours is over! Call off Eve and Abel!"

But Lilith didn't seem to hear her. Or maybe she didn't want to. She simply used her tendrils to climb up Charlie and gaze at her in complete awe. "I always knew you had so much untapped potential in you! But I never expected this!"

"Mom!" Charlie repeated through her sharpened fangs. "I said to call off Eve and Abel! NOW!"

Strands of Lilith's blonde hair fluttered as she shook her head. "No, this is good. With Eve, Abel, Cain, you, and your girlfriend, we'll be a force to rival Heaven! And then with your father–"

A low snarl emitted from Charlie as her claw shot out and tried to snatch Lilith off of her. But in the blink of an eye, Lilith hopped down and evaded Charlie's grasp. 

"I see you still have a long way to go, but no matter. Your father and I will be able to help you!" Lilith continued to beam at her daughter. "Once we finish with the Earth, Hell will have a legion of new souls. That will be enough to lead an army against Heaven's forces."

"You psychotic slut!" Adam came flying up from behind, swinging his fist at her. But she managed to block his punch with one of her tendrils. 

"Why, Adam! You only have yourself to blame for this!" Lilith smirked and revealed a wide set of razor-sharp teeth. "You wanted a rebellion? Then I'll show you a fucking rebellion!"

Before Lilith could fling a tendril at him, Charlie clenched her mom in her fist and lifted her up. She was practically seething as their eyes locked onto one another's. "You've lost your mind!"

Lilith writhed in Charlie's grip. "No! What I've lost is time! For too long, I've delayed the inevitable! But the chains and doubts that held me back are gone!"

Charlie didn't even get a chance to answer her when Lilith turned her head to the side and called for Abel, who was still in a tug-o-war with Cain over the scythe. "Abel! Come and teach this insolent daughter of mine to listen to her mother!"

Almost immediately, the same visions from the other night took over her. Charlie was forced to watch as her friends died over and over. Even though she already knew what was coming, it didn't make their deaths any less harrowing or traumatic for her. As she tried to block her mind from Abel's psychological attack, Charlie was unable to hold her mom in her grasp any longer. She was brought to her knees due to the terrifying visions and held her head in her hands, moaning softly. 

"Charlie!" Vaggie's scream echoed through the night. Her stubs were starting to grow back out into wings, but were still not at their full length yet. She had to use her legs to carry her as she rushed forward. 

Before Vaggie could reach her girlfriend, Abel appeared in front of her and used his powers on her too. She instantly fell backward, losing her weapon and accidentally biting her tongue in the process so hard it started to bleed. 

While this had been going on, Cain had run to his dad's side. But he was scooped up by Eve and thrown to the ground. He fell to the sand face-first with a groan. Shaking, he rose back up and scowled at his mom. "You have to snap out of this! Whatever spell she has you under, you're stronger than she is!"

"Oh, you forget I'm the Queen of Hell." Lilith crossed in front of him and smiled. "She only wishes she was as strong as me."

"Fuck you!" Cain lunged at her but Abel raised his hand and he was hit with even more gruesome images of his descendants' deaths.

"The day the bombs fell was one I'll never forget." Abel bent down and leered at his brother. "Mankind never ceases to surprise me with how many different ways they come up with to destroy each other."

Cain could only gnash his teeth together in response, too preoccupied with the sights and sounds of his people's agonizing screams as their flesh melted right off their bones and their eyeballs burst in their sockets. 

Now as the last man still standing, Adam's own mouth split to display his own set of fangs as he gritted them. His wings were also starting to grow back, but he was unable to use them to fly. He stared at Lilith, Eve, and Abel, who were seemingly waiting for his next movie. 

"Let my wife and son go, you traitorous fucking bitch!" Adam balled his fists at his sides. "This is between you and me! They have nothing to do with this!" 

"On the contrary. They have everything to do with this." Lilith paced around Adam, her tendrils wriggling eagerly. "Charlie asked how I was able to convince them, and it wasn't mind control or brainwashing like she suspected. They still have some semblance of sentience, and they realized all of this is on the angels. Who kicked you out of Eden and left you to survive on your own in the wild? Who failed to bring Abel back to life? Who sent Cain away? Who sent Eve to Hell? Who failed to bring her and Abel back to Hell and turn them back to normal? Either the angels are all-powerful and not all good. Or they're all good and not all-powerful."

A hiss erupted from Adam's mouth. "Shut the fuck up! Use those flapping lips of yours and go back to sucking Lucifer's dick!"

Lilith chuckled at the insult. "Even after the angels kick you out a second time, you still don't see it. It's almost pathetic. Oh well. Like I said, we don't need you." 

She picked up Vaggie's angelic spear that had fallen to the ground and examined it for a second. "A bit of cruel irony. The very weapon used to kill so many of my people will now be used against you. You really are a failure of creation, Adam."

Raising the spear, Lilith aimed it at Adam, who braced himself to attack her head-on. But as she charged forward across the beach, she came to a sudden pause. She blinked and looked down and saw the tip of a blade sticking out of her stomach. The blackness obscuring her form instantly dissipated and her usual, humanoid self returned. 

At a clear loss for words, Lilith could only touch the gaping wound in her abdomen, blood staining her pale fingertips. Even Adam had come to a halt in his tracks, his appearance changing back to his normal, human form. 

"I thought this bitch would never stop yapping." Eve rolled her eyes. "Good fucking riddance."

"Wha– What?" Lilith started to turn her head around to face the woman hovering behind her, but as she did, Abel stuck his heel on the small of her back and ripped his scythe out of her. A sickening cough erupted from Lilith's mouth along with a spew of blood. 

"You thought I would ever listen to you, you stupid bitch? You always thought yourself so much smarter than me! And that's exactly what I played into! Letting you think you could control the sweet and submissive knockoff who's only too eager to do what she's told!" Eve cackled before leaning in closer to her. "But I will say this, Lilith. Thank you for the wonderful idea you planted in this docile brain of mine. So how does it feel to be outsmarted by someone you thought was always so inferior to you?"

Doubled over in pain, Lilith clutched the gash, blood continuing to seep out. Through gritted teeth, she said, "You are a knockoff. I'm still the Queen of Hell. I could still end you."

"And yet, we never made a soul-binding deal. There's no chains attached to me." A knowing smirk came over Eve's lips. "Abel, pumpkin, do mommy a favor and remind this bitch who's in charge now."

At her words, Abel manifested behind Lilith and sliced his scythe along her spine, paralyzing her. Lilith could only let out a short gasp as she jerked forward and fell to the sand.

It was at this moment that Charlie, Vaggie, and Cain were released from their trance. The first thing Charlie's eyes landed on was her mother slashed in the back by Abel. 

"MOM!" The words barely left Charlie's mouth before an angelic trident appeared in her claws and she was soaring through the sky, straight towards Abel.

"Wait! Charlie!" Vaggie picked up her fallen spear and ran after her.

But Charlie couldn't hear her over the sound of her own beating heart. Through the torrential rain, all she could focus on was Abel. She hadn't wanted to injure or kill him. But that was before he hurt her mom. 

Now, all she could think about was using her trident against him and seeing if the Grim Reaper was really indestructible. 

Just as she aimed her trident at Abel's face, he vanished into the air and Eve took his place, wrapping her serpent body around Charlie. She thrashed around, trying to free herself. But Eve only clung tighter and bit down on Charlie's collarbone. Charlie let out a sharp cry as she felt Eve's fangs dig deep into her skin. 

Down below, Vaggie had picked up enough momentum to use her spear as a spring pole and launch herself several feet up. She had her spear trained on Eve's smirking face, but she disappeared before Vaggie could strike her. 

"Fuck." At the last second, Vaggie quickly shifted her spear to avoid hitting her girlfriend. Charlie caught her in her arms and she guided the both of them to the ground gently. 

"I got you." Charlie gave her a faint smile.

"Charlie, you're hurt!" Vaggie pointed to the blood trickling out of her collarbone where the bite was.

"I'll be fine. Right now, we need to focus on helping my mom and taking down Eve and Abel." Charlie gazed towards where her mom still laid on the sand. She was telling Cain something, who was kneeling beside her while Adam spoke to his wife and other son. 

"Luci gave me this before I left Hell." Lilith's voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke. "He said if I ever wanted to come home, I could. But it would be a one-way trip back."

Her delicate fingers tugged at the crystal around her neck, ripping it free. Immediately, it began to glow as it floated through the air and broke into a thousand shards to create a radiant portal made of flames and smoke.

"I– What?" Cain took a step back and glanced between Lilith and the portal, its light casting a bright red shine over him. "Is that Hell?!"

"Now's our chance!" Charlie stormed forward with Vaggie in tow. "Quick! Get Eve and Abel into it!"

Meanwhile, Adam tried talking some sense into Eve and Abel but to no avail. 

"Why the fuck would you even pretend to go along with Lilith's plan?!" Adam demanded. "I don't fucking get it!"

"I only did it because I thought it was my only chance to see you again." Eve smiled sweetly. "That lying whore told me you were in Heaven this whole time. She said the angels were keeping you from coming to Earth out of fear that they might lose you too. They didn't want what happened last time with me and Abel to happen again. I didn't believe her at first but then I realized it was either that or you actually just didn't want to see us."

Adam paled at her words. "Eve–"

"But then I felt your presence on Earth and when you told me you had been kicked out of Heaven, I knew she had deceived me yet again." Eve's face darkened with anger. "I decided to take a page out of her playbook and teach her the deceiver could be deceived. I always planned to betray her eventually. You and Cain coming here just sped up that timeline. There was no way I'd let her harm you two."

It was at this moment, the portal to Hell had opened and Adam's attention was drawn to it. It was the only light amidst a sea of darkness.

"Eve! Listen to me, babe!" Adam reached for her hand. "We need to go back to Hell! Forget Lilith's plan! Forget all that! What matters now is being together! All of us!"

Eve tilted her head to the side, her hair falling over her eyes. "That's all I've ever wanted, Adam. But you know Cain won't be able to come back with us."

"Not unless we kill him first," Abel interjected, raising his scythe closer to him. 

Adam's eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance. "Like I said the first fucking time! No one is killing anyone! We'll figure that out later! There has to be some way to break the curse–"

"If there's one thing that whore was right about, it's that you can't see what's clearly in front of you," Eve murmured, her lip trembling. "I did not wait this long to be separated again."

"Adam!" Charlie called to him from beside the portal. She held Lilith in her arms, whose eyelids kept fluttering open every so often. 

"Please, Adam." There were tears brimming in Eve's eyes now. "It could be the four of us again. We'll be unstoppable. We'll show the angels they should have never fucked with us."

"Adam!" It was Vaggie shouting this time, gesturing him over. "Hurry the fuck up!"

"I– I'm sorry, Eve." Adam lowered his head and it was his turn to tremble. "I'm sorry that I didn't come sooner. I'm sorry for failing as a husband and as a father. And most of all, I'm sorry I left you alone back in Eden. Because maybe if I hadn't, we wouldn't be standing here right now."

Eve shut her eyes and took a deep breath in, withdrawing her hand. "If you were truly sorry, then you would do this for me. If I had been Lilith and you Lucifer, you would've."

Adam sputtered but didn't have a chance to respond before Eve's eyes were open again, and whatever sadness that once filled them was gone. They were now hardened in steely resolution. 

Charlie wiped her wet hair out of her face and saw as Eve suddenly grabbed Cain and hoisted him in the air. He screamed and writhed in her grasp like a wild animal, but Eve just held him tighter. 

"EVE! Fuck!" Adam's wings flapped helplessly behind him. They were over fifty percent regrown now, but still not enough to lift his body and carry him.

"NO!" Charlie didn't even process her actions as she handed Lilith off to Vaggie and sprinted across the beach. Despite Vaggie's protests, Charlie did not stop. She couldn't. No one else but her could fly. 

"GIVE HIM BACK!"

Gripping her trident so tight her palm began to hurt, Charlie prepared herself to lunge the tip into Eve's side. Cain continued to yell, even when his mom laid her claw over his mouth, stifling him. Eve soared higher and higher, her eyes gleaming wickedly at Charlie. They had flown so high that Charlie could no longer see the ground below through the clouds. And the blood once blurring her vision had been wiped clean from the gusts of wind whipping across her face.

Just as Charlie raised her trident back to strike, a bolt of lightning shot through the clouds and she saw the immense fear in Cain's eyes. She had never seen his eyes grow that big. Not even when he first encountered Abel.

And if she had looked closer, she would have seen the hooded figure reflected in them, his scythe looming over her.

Charlie felt the burst of cold air creeping across her skin and she thought nothing of it. She figured it was due to the altitude since they were so high up. But then she felt the coolness of the blade against her throat.

The pain that followed was an unimaginable, searing one. Like being strangled but so much worse.

Blood poured down the front of her blouse like a river and it would not stop. Not even when the trident slipped from her hands and she brought them over her neck, staining them in red.

Cain let out a muffled scream as Charlie's eyes rolled to the back of her head and her body grew limp. She began to descend back towards the Earth, her giant form slowly starting to shrink. 

"CHARLIE!" Vaggie nearly threw out her voice from how hard she yelled. Forgetting about Lilith, she sheathed her spear behind her back and charged to the spot where Charlie was about to collide into along with Adam. 

"Does your child's blood cry out to you from the Earth like mine did, Lilith?!" Eve exclaimed with a demented grin. From the ground where Vaggie had discarded her, Lilith tried to claw her way towards Charlie, her expression contorted with rage and anguish.

Sand and water shot up into the air when Charlie hit the shoreline, her body now back to its normal size. The pain hadn't subsided, only growing more intense by the second. Her blonde hair was matted and sticky with blood, which had mixed with the water beneath her, darkening it. And her fingers were slick with the substance, but she continued to clutch her aching neck.

For a moment, she was sure she would die. Whether it was due to the loss of blood or from choking on it, she didn't know. By the time Vaggie and Adam finally reached her, she was seeing stars.

"Charlie, look at me." Vaggie had ripped part of her shirt and pressed it against the tear in Charlie's throat. "You need to stay with me, hon. Whatever you do, don't go to sleep." 

She wanted to tell her she was sorry that she had failed so miserably. But Charlie could only muster a wet, gurgling noise in response. 

"Fuck!" Vaggie carefully wrapped her arm around Charlie while using her free one to continue staunching the blood. "Adam! We need to go!"

At the sound of his name, Adam winced. "But Cain–"

"What will you do, Addykins?" Eve taunted. "Stay with us or go back to Hell with the bitch and her brat? The answer seems pretty simple to me!"

"Heaven fucking damn it!" Adam ran a shaky hand through his scalp as he glanced between his wife and Vaggie. 

"Dad!" Cain had somehow managed to wrestle an arm and his mouth free of Eve's grasp. He reached out to Adam and it only made him hesitate even more.

"ADAM!" The sound of his name broke Adam's stare off of his son. 

"Please! I– I need your help. I can't carry both Charlie and Lilith!" The desperation in Vaggie's voice was clear in how it cracked upon saying her girlfriend's name.

This seemed to snap Adam out of whatever second thoughts he was having. 

"All those pull ups and for what?!" Adam stomped over to where Lilith was and hoisted her over his back. "And it looks like your fatass has put on a couple of pounds!" He glared at Lilith, who only replied with an irritated groan.

"Traitor." Eve's tongue hissed through her fangs. "I should have known you would do this, Adam! It only took you ten thousand years to find us! I should've known you would replace us with a new family!"

By now, Charlie was drifting in and out of consciousness. It was taking all her energy to follow Vaggie's advice and keep her eyes open when all she wanted to do was close them. One of the final images she saw was Eve and Abel hovering in the sky with Cain still in his mother's arms. She floated closer to the ground and released Cain from her grasp. As soon as his feet hit the sand, he started sprinting towards the group, his movements erratic and frantic. But before he could reach them, a bolt of lightning crackled through the air and struck him. His body was racked with violent spasms, and he let out a painful cry.

"Finally." A satisfied grin ghosted Abel's lips. 

"NO!" Adam jerked forward, nearly dropping Lilith. If it hadn't been for Vaggie blocking his path, he would have run off. 

"Adam, wait," Vaggie said. "Look, he's moving. He'll be fine."

Adam followed her line of sight and saw Cain slowly sit up, clutching his head. He let out a soft moan, much to Abel's evident frustration. He threw his scythe to the dirt and screamed while punching the air. 

"I told you not to kill him!" Eve scolded her son. "We need him!"

Both Adam and Vaggie let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Cain was indeed okay, albeit dazed and groggy. They trudged towards the portal and were about to step inside when Adam suddenly stopped and turned around. 

"Cain!" His shouting immediately drew Cain's confused stare. "I'll do whatever it takes, but I will come back for you!"

To the side of him, Vaggie's breath hitched in her throat. Even Cain looked stunned and just stared back in silence.

Unfortunately, Eve interrupted the moment with a bitter laugh. 

"It's time to begin. You Morningstars are going to wish you stayed gone." Eve started to grow in size as did Abel. They grew much bigger than Charlie had, their forms appearing over the beach like titans.

"There's going to be a new status quo. Humans might have evacuated now, but there's no place on Earth I can't conquer." Eve opened her mouth and let out a blood-curdling, barbaric shriek. The sky behind her turned a dazzling purple and the dark clouds morphed into the shape of a grinning skull. A dense fog started to roll in from across the sea, each wisp curling like a bony finger over the water. All the while, Cain could only gape in abject terror as Adam, Vaggie, Lilith, and Charlie left him to an uncertain fate.

The portal closed behind them once they entered it. And that was the last Charlie saw of Eve, Abel, and Cain. In fact, it was the last thing Charlie ever saw since her vision finally blackened. 

"Charlie! Fuck! She's fading!" Vaggie cried. Even though Charlie could no longer see her girlfriend, she could feel her clutching her tighter. "Charlie, can you still hear me?!"

"What is going on?!" A familiar voice called out in the distance. "Oh my gosh! Charlie?!"

Charlie recognized that voice. But she couldn't utter his name. She could only think of it as it repeated in her mind.

Dad.

The swift sound of footsteps scampering over the floorboards could be heard accompanied by his voice morphing into a guttural, demonic growl. "What happened?! WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"Wait, no, Mr. Morningstar!" Vaggie's voice was hoarse and strained. "Adam– He saved them!"

There was a pause. Followed by an uncharacteristic whisper from Lucifer. "He what?"

And then there was nothing but silence. 

End of Part I.

Chapter Text

Darkness. 

Nothingness. 

An empty, black void. 

It was rare Charlie had dreamless nights like this. But this night seemed to stretch on for an eternity. There was no beginning to it nor an end. 

What came before and what came after were irrelevant. And even if they weren't, it wasn't like Charlie could remember what happened last. 

All she knew now was that she belonged to the void. And there seemed to be no escape. 

But then, one day, out of nowhere, a voice appeared in the void. It was garbled and indistinguishable, but it meant she wasn't alone anymore. 

What followed was another voice. And then another. More voices filled the deafening silence, and they became clearer with each day that passed. She could tell some belonged to women, and some belonged to men. Some were high-pitched with youthfulness, and others were hoarser with age. 

But one thing they all had in common was the tinge of sadness in them.

Charlie couldn't understand why they were so sad. But she had a feeling it was because of her. 

What had she done?

She would soon find her answer when a glowing light like that of a TV screen shined across the darkness, and the chasm between her and the living world shrunk. A moving image started to play in front of her, and as she watched, it grew larger in size. 

It was Vaggie, back in her angel form. She had her eye closed and was beside a bed on her knees. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and her mouth was trembling as it moved. 

"I know it's been a while since I've talked to you like this. I don't even know if you're listening. But if you or another angel are, I need your help." Vaggie's voice cracked. "Please save Charlie. She doesn't deserve to die. She was just trying to make things right."

Vaggie suddenly buried her face in the palm of her hands, and her body shook with sobs. "I'll do anything if it means I won't lose her. When I prayed for someone to come save me back when I was left in Hell, Charlie showed up. I knew then you had answered my prayer. I know you can save her too. So please, I'll do whatever it takes. Just let her live."

At that moment, a door creaked open, and Vaggie whipped around, hurriedly wiping her face. 

Adam, now with a beard and long brown hair, stood in the doorway for a split second before turning around and starting to leave. 

"Adam, wait!" Vaggie shot up to her feet and drew the curtains around Charlie's bed. 

He froze at the sound of his name, but did not turn back to face her. "What?" he asked tersely. 

"I–" Vaggie chewed on her lip as if she struggled to find the words.

"Well? Spit it out!" Adam looked to be growing impatient by the second.

"Thank you."

Adam must have not been expecting this since he spun around and exclaimed, "Huh?!"

"For helping save Charlie." Vaggie averted her gaze to the floor. "You didn't have to do that. And uh, not many people would have left their son behind to save the daughter of their enemies. I know I wouldn't have. So yeah. Thank you."

He blinked and scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, you're welcome?"

The two of them stayed there, staring at each other for a few seconds in uncomfortable silence. 

"Well, if that's all you had to say, I'm just going to go now... Peace." Adam turned on his heel, but Vaggie called his name again. 

"Ugh!" Adam groaned. "What now, bitch?"

Vaggie slapped a hand over her face. "I can't believe I'm even saying this, but what you did for Charlie meant more to me than any half-assed apology you could ever come up with. As long as you treat Charlie well and protect her, then that's all I can really ask for. I can accept not ever getting an apology or hearing what happened in your past that turned you into the biggest asshole this side of Heaven."

Adam looked stunned by her speech. He didn't answer her right away, which caused a golden hue to dust her cheeks. 

"Say something, damn it!" Vaggie bristled. "The one time you need to run your mouth and you don't!" 

As Vaggie continued to chastise him, Adam's hand shot out and gripped her own. She gasped and tried to retract her hand, but then she suddenly went still and stared into oblivion. 

Minutes ticked by. How many exactly? Charlie wasn't sure. All she knew was that Vaggie remained rooted to the ground, her body motionless save for the tears rolling down her cheek. 

After what felt like hours, Adam finally released Vaggie's hand and backed away into the wall. He waited as Vaggie came back to the present, watching her reaction closely just like he watched Charlie's. 

Vaggie's mouth was agape, and she had an appalled look on her face. Tears continued to well in her eye no matter how many times she tried to blink them away. 

"Adam," she finally said.

"Look, bitch." Adam snapped his fingers. "If you're going to call me a pussy or say that shit wasn't half-bad, then you can just kiss my–"

"There was one scene out of all those memories missing." Vaggie turned to look at him with a hardened expression. "And I know you know which one."

Adam swallowed thickly. "Yeah... I thought it would be better if I just explained how I felt instead of making you relive that again."

Vaggie remained silent, only gesturing with a nod for him to go on.

"That day, Lute told me you were trying to desert your post with a sinner," Adam said. "She said she took care of it. I was pissed at first that she acted without my permission, but I knew there wasn't anything we could do for you. You were as good as dead. A flightless, one-eyed exterminator was useless to me."

Vaggie's arms were crossed tightly over her chest, and she had scrunched up her face. But she was still not saying anything.

"I– Fuck. This is harder than I thought." He rubbed his hand over his face. "When I saw you lying there, any shred of sympathy I felt for you was gone. All I saw was Lilith. I imagined she looked so similar to you when she and Lucifer were cast down to Hell. Or at least I hoped she did."

She didn't seem to have been expecting this answer since her defensive stance loosened. Her crossed arms fell to her sides, and her expression changed to one of curiosity.

"In words your therapist girlfriend would use, I was 'projecting' on to you." Adam made air quotes with his fingers. "You said it yourself. I always talked about loyalty. And all I could see was another person who was trying to leave me. Another fucking traitor who was abandoning me."

Adam's voice dropped to a sneer. "So when I found out you and Lucifer's spawn were banging, it felt like a kick in the fucking teeth. Because of course that would happen. It was just another reminder of what those fuckers did to me."

Vaggie shut her eye and took a deep breath in as if she was taking this all in. And when she opened it again, she said, "I always hated you. I hated how you'd make us run laps around the track when we could just fly. I hated how you'd wake us up at four in the fucking morning before even the sun rose. I hated how you would make us do push-ups until we couldn't get off the floor or pull-ups until our arms felt like they'd fall off. I hated how you'd criticize us for even the smallest things and how rude you were."

Adam looked as if he was fighting every urge to hit Vaggie and tell her off. But he gritted his teeth and took every insult she hurled at him in silence. 

"But when you left me behind in Hell, I thought I couldn't hate you any more than I did." Vaggie's stony resolve started to crumble and her voice began to crack. "I hated how for the longest time, I still hoped you would come find me one day. I hated that I looked for glimpses of you in the corner of my eye, thinking you would come back to apologize. I hated how worthless you made me feel and how stupid I was for ever thinking you cared about me. But then I heard you were with Charlie, and I hated how you convinced her to help you. And now, you tell me this?!"

Adam's shoulders had slumped forward, and he didn't look as aggravated as before. 

Vaggie broke down into a complete sob. "And that's what I hate most of all. That I can't hate you. Not anymore."

The contempt in Adam's eyes completely vanished. All that was left in its place was remorse.

"I know what I did was fucked up. And no amount of I'm sorry could ever make that right." Adam slowly approached her. "But I am sorry, Vaggie."

Vaggie let out a noise that sounded like a cross between a scoff and a snort. "You just called me Vaggie," she pronounced the hard 'g' sound. 

Adam blinked as if realizing what he had just said. "Slip of the tongue. You're still Vaggie to me." He went back to mispronouncing her name. 

But instead of this earning her usual ire, Vaggie broke out into laughter. "And you'll still be the same dickhead to me."

"That's Dickmaster to you, bitch." Adam smirked.

Their laughter soon died down, and awkward silence came between them again. It seemed like neither of them knew what to say next. 

Vaggie cleared her throat. "Well, I should go check on the hotel. Heaven knows it's probably in shambles by now." 

She started to walk past Adam, but his wing shot up like a wall and stopped her in her tracks. 

"There's something you need to do for me first," he said.

Vaggie's expression darkened and she resumed that same defensive stance from earlier. "What?" 

He let out a shaky breath before asking, "How did she die?" 

Raising a quizzical brow, Vaggie put her hands on her hips and frowned. "She?"

"Lute." Adam glanced at the wall, away from Vaggie's unflinching stare. "I want to know if it was a quick death."

Vaggie's scowl softened. "Adam–"

"You at least owe me that!" He turned to glare at her, his fists balled at his sides. 

It was Vaggie's turn to exhale. A rare glimpse of sadness came over her as she said, "She was winning the fight. We were on the ground, both bloody and bruised. She had her hands around my throat and was strangling me. My vision was going black. And all I could think was that I couldn't fail Charlie, so with my last bit of strength, I headbutted her. She fell back, her nose broken and bleeding. But she wouldn't quit."

A wistful smile appeared on Adam's face. "That sounds like Lute."

"She picked up her sword and came at me again. I picked up my spear, jumped into the air and swung. The blade had gone through her eye socket and out the back of her skull. She died instantly." Vaggie finished her account. She had backed up into the corner of the wall again, her arms crossed over her chest like before. But unlike the last time, she did not look defiant or defensive. Her head was lowered as she stared at the floor. 

Meanwhile, Adam looked as if he was processing everything. Anger, mourning, acceptance, and then sometimes back to the first two crossed his features. 

"I'm glad she didn't suffer at least," Adam said. "I hope none of my girls did."

Vaggie lowered her head even further as Adam started to tear into her. 

"I wondered if you felt anything that your sisters died because of you!" Adam stood in front of her, his large figure towering over her. "You think I'm a heartless bastard? Well, take a look in the mirror, sweetie!"

"Of course I felt bad! But I bottled it up! Took a shovel and buried it!" Vaggie exclaimed. "Just like you did with all that shit that happened to you! But it was either them or Charlie, and I chose Charlie!"

Vaggie suddenly sunk to her knees and buried her face in the crook of her elbow. "Fuck, Adam! I guess that's another thing I should add to the list of things I hate! How we both deal with fucked up things in the same, violent way!"

She uncovered her face and hit her head back against the red-painted wall with a soft thud. "Maybe people can't change. Maybe I'll always be a ruthless, bloodthirsty murderer no matter where I go."

Unbeknownst to both of them, Charlie had been observing all of this from behind the slit in her curtains. She didn't want to get involved since it wasn't her place and this conversation didn't involve her. But seeing Vaggie sound so defeated–so tired she knew she couldn't stand by again. It had been one of her biggest regrets when she saw Adam crying in Cain's truck, and she didn't do anything about it. But Vaggie was her girlfriend and it was her duty to comfort her. 

Just as Charlie started to pull back the curtain, she heard Adam's voice reverberate through the bedroom.

"I used to think the exact same thing about Cain."

Charlie watched as Adam slid onto the carpet beside Vaggie, who gawked at him as if he had grown another head. Whatever had possessed him to rage at her earlier seemed to have disappeared and he looked more calm than ever. 

"I thought my fuck-up of a son would never grow a pair," he said. "I couldn't stand the prick! You saw it firsthand. He was at the top of my shit list beneath you and the original fuck-ups that are Charlie's parents. I legit told him he should've been the one who died instead of Abel."

"And now?" Vaggie inquired under her breath.

"And now." Adam paused, his gaze misty, and a thousand miles away in another life, another world. "I would do anything just to see him again."

The light returned to Vaggie's eye as if she had just realized something important. The next thing she did was something Charlie never expected her girlfriend to do in a million years. She placed a gentle hand on Adam's shoulder and said, "Then let's go see your son."

Before Adam could even react, Charlie pulled back the curtain and leaped out of the bed. 

"Oh my gosh!" she tried to shout, but as soon as the words escaped her mouth, her throat ached with a sharp pain and she doubled over. 

"Charlie!" Both Vaggie and Adam sprung up to their feet and rushed over to Charlie's side. They helped her back up, wrapping an arm around her from each side. 

"Why the fuck are you yelling when your vocal cords were cut?" Adam guided her over to the bed. 

"I–" Charlie began to say, but Vaggie shushed her.

"No, don't try to speak." Vaggie sat beside her on the bed. "Adam, go get her a pen and some paper."

He crossed his arms out in front of him. "Whatever happened to the word, 'please,' bitch–"

"ADAM!" Vaggie glared at him. 

"Alright, alright." Adam huffed, rolling his eyes. "I swear, no one has any fucking manners anymore!"

As he headed for the door, Lucifer and Lilith burst in and shoved him aside, which only caused him to lash out even more. 

"What the fuck?!" Adam growled. "Ever heard of 'excuse me?!'"

But Lucifer and Lilith ignored him, too preoccupied with their daughter.

"Oh, my poor little girl," Lucifer cooed as he fretted over her, caressing her cheeks. "How are you feeling?"

"It hurts," Charlie rasped, pointing to her throat. 

"Don't try to speak. It'll only make it worse." Lilith petted Charlie's tangled blonde hair.

"What if I whisper?" Charlie found that when she whispered, her throat wasn't as sore. Her parents exchanged a skeptical glance. 

"Adam is going to bring you a pen and paper, sweetie." Vaggie appeared from behind Lucifer and Lilith, having been pushed out of the way by them. But Charlie shook her head. Writing would take too long. As long as she whispered, she felt she would be okay.

"Besides your throat, how else are you feeling, Char-Char?" Lucifer asked. 

At the mention of her throat, Charlie brought her hand mindlessly up to her neck. Instead of the touch of her skin, she felt the softness of a bandage around it. "What happened?"

All the color drained from her parents' and girlfriend's faces at her question. 

"You don't remember?" Vaggie looked as if she was about to throw up.

"Yes, I do," Charlie continued to whisper. She remembered the fight at the beach. Abel's blade stabbed her mother. The portal to Hell had been opened. Eve had taken Cain into the air. Charlie had tried to rescue him, and then there was an unfathomable pain. 

And that's where her memories ended.

"What happened after..." She gestured to her bandage, not wanting to finish her sentence. Charlie figured they'd understand what she meant.

"Adam and I carried you and your mom through the portal." Vaggie shifted her weight onto her other foot.

"And Cain?" That familiar sinking feeling was back. It seemed to come whenever she asked a question she already had the unfortunate answer to.

Unable to hold Charlie's gaze, Vaggie hung her head. "I'm sorry, Charlie. We had to leave him behind."

Although she knew this already, it still didn't stop the tears from falling. "It's over. I failed. I should've known I can't save anyone."

Her parents moved in closer to her, but she pushed them aside. They were the last people she wanted comfort from right now. And it sucked because they were her mom and dad. She always thought she could turn to them when she was down. But when she looked at them, all she saw reflected back was her failure.

"No, Charlie. Don't say that." Vaggie took her seat beside Charlie again and held her in her arms. "We will get Cain back. Or at least, away from Eve and Abel."

"But– But–" Charlie sniffled. "He's on Earth. We're in Hell."

"And that's why we're going back to Earth," a gruff voice spoke from behind. Everyone turned and saw Adam standing there with a pen and a piece of paper in his hands. 

Though Charlie had seen him earlier and acknowledged his new look, she hadn't processed it until now. "How long was I out for?"

Adam gave himself a once-over as if taking in his changed appearance for the first time. "Oh, it's only been two weeks. But I wanted to prank you when you woke up and tell you it's been years so that you would freak out. It was going to be fucking hilarious!"

Charlie couldn't help but wheeze at this. However, she failed to notice the lingering stare her mother was giving Adam until Lucifer cleared his throat and nudged her.

"Uh, Lily?" 

"Hm?" Lilith broke her stare and turned to her husband. "Did you say something, Luci?"

A low snarl erupted out of Lucifer as he ground his sharp teeth at Adam, who looked completely lost about what was happening. 

"You look like a homeless bum," Lucifer snarked. "You might be squatting at my house, but you don't have to look the part. Change yourself back!"

Adam returned Lucifer's glare and raised his middle finger inches from the fallen angel's face. "Fuck you! You can't tell me what to do!"

Despite the noticeable height difference, Lucifer squared up against Adam and looked him straight in the eye, unflinching. "The angels might've let you do whatever you wanted in Heaven, but we have standards here! This isn't primordial Earth!"

Adam threw his head back and barked with laughter. "Standards?! In Hell?! Oh you've got to be fucking kidding–"

"Enough!" Vaggie fumed at the pair. "Charlie needs to rest, and you two are here squabbling like a couple of fucking toddlers! Unbelievable!"

Both Adam and Lucifer grumbled before backing away from each other. 

"Vaggie is correct. My daughter's welfare comes first," Lilith spoke up. She had been leaning against Lucifer's cane, observing the scene with an amused glint in her eye. "Vaggie, can you be a dear and bring Charlie something to eat?"

Vaggie didn't look like she wanted to leave Charlie's side. But she relented and hopped off the bed, a forced smile etched across her lips. "I'll be back, hon."

Casting a sideways glower over at Lilith, Vaggie tugged Adam by the back of his shirt on the way out. "Vamonos! Unless you want to stay here with them."

"Fuck no!" Adam replied without a moment of hesitation. 

The way with how Vaggie said 'them' was dripping with venom. Lucifer and Lilith both tensed at the word, which Charlie took notice of.

"I'm glad you're okay." Charlie's eyes darted to her mom. 

Lilith strode over to her still carrying the cane, and that was when Charlie noticed the limp with which she walked. "For the most part, yes. We arrived in Hell just in time. Otherwise, it could've been much worse."

"But you know your mother, Charlie." A strained, unnatural smile came over Lucifer's face. "She's a fighter."

Her mother matched Lucifer's awkward grin with one of her own. "Thank you, darling. But it was you and your angelic power that healed us."

Lucifer chuckled and wrung his hands but said nothing. 

Something was off here. Her parents were acting like total strangers with each other. 

Although Charlie would have very much liked to confront them about their strange attitudes and about Lilith's involvement with Eve and Abel, her growling stomach told her she needed to eat first. If she turned into a giant when she was angry, who knew what could happen if she got hangry.

"I brought your favorite soup, hon." Vaggie returned, holding a large bowl and a spoon. 

Charlie beamed at her girlfriend. "Thank you, sweetie."

As Charlie laid back in her bed, Vaggie came to her side and started to spoon-feed her. Charlie giggled and told her she could do it herself, even though she appreciated the effort. 

"I hope I'll get to see everyone soon," Charlie said after blowing on her spoon. "We have so much to tell them."

"Charlie, do you think that's such a good idea right now?" her father asked, a nervous waver evident in his tone.

She had completely forgotten her parents were both there, having been too caught up in her girlfriend and the delicious soup. "I–"

"I agree with your father," Lilith interrupted. "Your little friends should be the last thing on your mind. You need to heal."

"With all due respect, Mr. and Mrs. Morningstar." Vaggie's scathing tone did not display any respect in the slightest. "If Charlie wants to see our friends, she can. They've been dying to see her, unlike some people."

Charlie placed her hand on Vaggie's shoulder as a sign to tell her it would be alright. Vaggie glanced at her, and she relaxed instantly. 

Lilith, on the other hand, looked outraged. She opened her mouth to retort, but Lucifer intervened.

"We'll come back later, Charlie." He gestured for Lilith to leave with him. "We have so much to talk about, and we don't want to spoil your meal."

Lilith narrowed her eyes at him and seemed reluctant to leave. But she ended up pushing past him and storming off. "Indeed," she hissed on the way out.

Vaggie let out a deep sigh as soon as they left, causing Charlie to quietly laugh again. "I'm impressed. Standing up to the King and Queen of Hell like that."

"After what I saw they did to Adam and Eve, and to you, I honestly don't give a fuck who they are." Vaggie stirred Charlie's soup before giving her another spoonful. "Here, eat up before it gets cold." 

Charlie swallowed a large gulp, all the while never taking her eyes off Vaggie. She was still the same woman she first met almost three years ago in that alleyway in Hell, only now with longer hair. But something in her had changed since the last time she saw her on the beach. There was a newfound peace that had washed over her, and it made her look like a different person.

It made her glow.

For if she looked as she did now when Charlie first found her, there would be no doubt she had been an angel. 

Chapter Text

A few days passed by, and Charlie was slowly getting her strength and voice back. If it had been up to her, she would have stayed in bed, rotting away. But to her surprise, Adam, Vaggie, and her parents all agreed she needed to get out of bed and back on her feet. This was probably the first and only thing they agreed on in the history of their existence. 

And as much as she didn't want to, she knew they were right. Staying in bed would just make her even more depressed than she already was.

For instance, Vaggie had brought over the rest of their friends from the hotel to cheer her up. And it did. Seeing her friends after what felt like an eternity was great and just the pick-me-up she needed. They spent the entire day together outside in the backyard. Charlie told them everything she had been up to, which caught everyone by surprise. They actually wanted to help, but Charlie knew they couldn't do anything against the personification of Chaos and Death. Fuck, she could barely do anything, and she was the Princess of Hell.

"What you can do to help me is stay in the hotel and keep things running as smoothly as possible," she told them. Especially after finding out the other overlords were involved in turf wars against the Vees, who were now trying to take over Hell. 

Everything was a mess. Hell was somehow even worse than she had left it. 

And this just caused her to sink further into a depression. 

Just how was she going to fix this? She didn't even know where to begin. It was like walking through a field of landmines where any wrong step could be the last. 

When she started this venture, she never imagined it would get this out of hand. Maybe Adam had been right from the beginning. There was no way to get this band back together. Just like there was no path to redemption. 

It was all fucked up beyond any repair.

These were the thoughts swirling in Charlie's brain as she huddled underneath a blanket in her bed. 

"Rise and shine, Charlotte!" Lilith suddenly swept into her room and pulled the blanket off of her daughter. Charlie groaned, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the abrupt change in light.

"What is it?" Her voice was still not back where it used to be. Angel Dust had told her she sounded like she just smoked ten packs of cigarettes and he was right. "What do you want?"

Truth be told, she was still upset with her parents, especially her mom, after everything that transpired. Charlie hadn't been given any time to process her anger and hurt since it had been non-stop, back-to-back action on Earth. But now with nothing but time, it was all she could think about. 

"Watch that tone, young lady," Lilith warned. "But I thought today would be a good day for you to practice with your powers. You need to get better control of them."

Charlie blew a stray hair out of her face. "What's the point? I probably won't ever need to use them again."

"With how things are going in Hell, you probably will." Lilith was still using Lucifer's cane to get around. Her limp wasn't as conspicuous, but it wasn't completely gone either. "The overlords are out of control. I don't know what your father has been doing since I left, but it's clear I came back at the right time."

This caused Charlie to let out an irritated scoff, one she didn't even bother to hide. "Isn't this what you wanted, Mom? Without the exterminations or Adam, the overlords feel indestructible. And now with angelic weapons, they practically are!" she whispered as loud as she could without breaking into a coughing fit.

Lilith's face scrunched up like she just tasted something bitter. "Your father and I are still the King and Queen of Hell. And now with your power, which is something unlike anything we've ever seen–"

"Oh my gosh! Just stop!" As soon as the words left her mouth, she immediately regretted yelling. She started choking and her mom rushed to her aid and handed her a glass of water on her nightstand. After she finished drinking it and calmed down, Charlie jumped out of the bed and stormed off. 

"Even after everything that's happened, you still don't get it." Charlie rasped from the doorway, her heart beating furiously in her chest. "Is power all you crave? Look where it's gotten you. Us. Do you just see me as a tool for power?"

Her mother must've not been expecting this outburst from her since she took a half-step back. "Of course not! I love you, Charlie! I love you more than anything!"

Charlie couldn't help but scoff again. Her heart ached on the inside upon hearing those words. She wanted to believe her mom so badly. But everything she did and said so far proved otherwise. 

"If you loved me, you would stop this quest for power and revenge. And you would help me fix this."

Heaving a weary sigh, Lilith sat down on the bed and hung her head. Her shoulders were slumped forward instead of being perfectly straight like usual. She had never seen her mother look so despondent and tired before. Not even that fateful day at the beach. "I don't know how," she admitted. 

Seeing her mom so vulnerable stirred something in Charlie. She could no longer just walk away and was compelled to return to her bed and sit beside her. "I get what you mean. I'm in the same boat."

Lilith glanced at her daughter with a deep frown. "How can I even begin to fix something like this when I can't even fix my marriage? Your father won't talk to me. And it's no question as to why. But isn't it strange that I would prefer him to lash out at me instead of giving me the silent treatment?"

Charlie shook her head. "No. It's not. But one way you can fix what's happened between you and Dad is to apologize. Tell him you were wrong."

Her mother wilted at the suggestion. "I don't even think he'll listen to what I have to say. I've tried and he just walks away. He isn't around me longer than a few minutes, and that's only when we're around you."

"Mom." Charlie placed a gentle hand over her mother's. "Dad still loves you even though he's upset. I know he does. If he didn't love you, he wouldn't be feeling like this. He's just super angry and hurt."

Even though Charlie was referring to her dad, she also felt the same way about her own parents. While she left her inner thoughts unsaid, Lilith seemed to catch on to these hidden feelings. 

"Hurting you and your father was the last thing I ever intended." Lilith hung her head and screwed her eyes shut. "But it seems like that's what I do best." 

A cheesy grin spread across Charlie's face. "You know who also said that about himself? Adam."

Lilith's burning gaze made Charlie burst out in laughter. "Don't ever say something like that again, Charlotte."

Charlie continued to giggle as her mom rose off the bed and strode across the room towards the door. "It's still time to get up. Lying in bed all day isn't good for you."

Grabbing a bathrobe, Charlie headed for the kitchen with her mom, who was struggling to climb down the stairs with her limp. One hand was leaning against the railing, and the other held her purple gown and cane tightly. 

"I got you." Charlie roped her arm around Lilith's, and used her weight to support the both of them.

"Ugh. This is so humiliating." A red hue bloomed across Lilith's cheeks, and she averted her eyes away from Charlie's curious ones. The look on her face must've betrayed her inner confusion since Lilith elaborated. "Being treated like a child. Having to be helped with everything because of this injury."

"It's okay to ask for help," she reassured. "We all need it sometimes. We can't always be strong."

Lilith pursed her pink lips into a pout. "But I've always been the strong one. I've always been independent. If I can't even climb down the stairs on my own, then who am I?"

Charlie didn't have an answer to that. Because the truth was, she didn't really know who her mom was either. Not anymore. Everything had been flipped, turned upside down after the last extermination.

So Charlie just led her mom into the kitchen, where Lucifer was currently cooking breakfast. He wasn't wearing his usual white suit or top hat, and was dressed more casual. 

"Hey apple slice!" Lucifer had just spun around when his eyes met Lilith's, and he froze. The smile on his face had been wiped clean. 

"Hello, darling," Lilith said hesitantly. 

"Hello, Lily." Lucifer's gaze hardened, and he turned his back on her. "So Charlie, I'm making some pancakes! Your favorite!"

"Thanks, Dad." Charlie took her seat at the dining table across from her mother. As she sat there, she realized it had been years since they had last sat here together as a family. 

That same stirring within her heart started up again.

But unlike before, there was no laughter or joy taking place. After Lucifer served them pancakes–without so much as glancing in Lilith's direction–they ate in awkward silence. Charlie could only watch as her mom pushed around her food with her fork, taking uneager bites while her dad practically stabbed into the poor pancake with his knife and fork. 

The tension in the air was palatable to say the least. 

"Okay, enough is enough." Charlie pushed aside her pancakes. "What is going on between you two?"

"Nothing, honey," Lucifer said. "Why would you say that?"

Charlie crossed her arms over her chest. "Dad... You're not out of the hell-hound house yet. I'm still mad at you for what you did and for lying to me. Don't start again."

Her dad sighed at this. "This is between me and your mother, Charlie. You don't need to get involved."

"Well, too late. I'm already involved." Her eyes flickered over to her mom. "Mom says you won't talk to her unless I'm around. Soooo I'm here now."

Lucifer stared at Lilith as if he couldn't believe she told Charlie that. "What is there to talk about? She knows what she did."

Lilith, who had been uncharacteristically quiet up until now, spoke. "I did it for you, Luci! It was all for you! I thought if we succeeded this time against the angels, you'd get that spark back! You'd finally be the man I fell in love with!"

"Don't try to say this was for me, Lilith!" He pointed his fork at her. "This was for you! I never wanted something like this! You know that!"

"You did at one time!" Lilith rose so fast to her feet, her chair was knocked backward. It fell back with a loud crash, startling Charlie. 

"Yes! I did!" Lucifer was now on his feet, too. "But then I saw what it cost me! I still have the scar to remind me every day of what I did!" 

Charlie gasped when her dad rolled up the hem of his shirt, revealing a large scar on the side of his stomach. Its darkness stood in contrast to the cream color of the rest of his skin. 

"I never felt a pain like I did that day we were cast into Hell!" he continued. "I saw you... Bleeding and bruised from the fall. And I swore I would never allow that to happen to you again."

Lilith remained still, her fists clenched at her sides. "Luci..."

"And then Adam, my worst enemy, brings you here and Charlie, nearly dead! And I think he did something to you!" Lucifer's voice cracked. "But then Vaggie tells me what actually happened, and I find out you almost got our daughter killed!"

Tears started falling out of Lilith's violet eyes, but her tone did not waver as she yelled, "Don't you dare raise your voice at me!"

Lucifer's chest heaved, and his eyes were starting to burn with fire. But in spite of that, he did not raise his voice again. "You of all people should know what it feels like to lose a child. But then I see the type of games you're playing. Trying to make me jealous by ogling Adam? You think I don't notice that?"

"Of course you notice that but not me trying to talk to you!" Lilith's horns had grown out of her head, and her fangs were bared. "I will not be ignored, Lucifer! I am not going to sleep in a separate room any longer! I refuse to!"

A shrill ringing sound interrupted the discussion. With a deep breath, Lucifer pulled out a cell phone from his pocket and showed the display screen to Lilith. "Michael keeps calling me. And I'm sure you know why."

"Don't answer it!" Lilith never looked closer to a panic attack than she did right now. Not even when she was so close to death. 

"I can only put him off for so long, Lily," he deadpanned. With the slide of his thumb, he answered it, and he didn't even get a chance to speak before the angel on the other end could be heard shouting.

"Hey, Michael." Lucifer forced a smile to his lips. "I know, I know. I'm not ignoring you. I've just been busy here with Lilith and Charlie. You've called me fifty-two times? I hadn't noticed!"

Meanwhile, Lilith had slapped a hand over her face and groaned. "I can't believe this."

Lucifer hung up the phone and he somehow looked more pale than usual. "Heaven wants me there immediately. I can't keep using you or Charlie as an excuse. Michael agreed to see me tomorrow. That's as long as I was able to delay him."

Like an overflowing dam, Charlie suddenly burst into tears. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed. 

Her parents both flinched at her breakdown and immediately rushed to her side. 

"Char-Char, what are you apologizing for?" Her dad rubbed her back. "This isn't your fault."

"Yes, it is." Charlie buried her face into her arms over the table and continued to cry. "Everyone knew I couldn't do this. I thought I could and I just ignored them. You, Adam, Heaven, Vaggie, you were all right. And now the Vees are taking over Hell. And the world is going to end. And Dad's going to die."

"Your father isn't going to die." Lilith brushed the tangles out of Charlie's hair. 

"Yes. He. Is," Charlie said in between shaky breaths. "And it's all my fault. I didn't want this to happen. I really am a failure. I try to make things right, and I end up making them worse!"

She started coughing again, and her throat burned from overexertion. Lucifer handed her a glass of juice, and she gratefully took it, gulping it down. 

"I just don't even know what to do anymore." Charlie placed the glass back down and sighed. "Why even try when everything you do, you just make it worse?"

"Nuh-uh, princess. We don't need another cynical asshole here."

Everyone whipped around at the sudden sound of Adam's voice calling out from the opposite side of the dining room. They gaped at him, but he didn't look the least bit fazed as he munched on a bowl of cereal. He still had his beard and long hair, which Charlie thought he would've gotten rid of by now. 

"Adam! Were you standing here this whole time?" Charlie asked.

Adam nodded, taking another bite of his cereal. "Oh yeah. I heard everything. Which by the way." He glared at Lucifer and Lilith. "You two fucking suck at pep talks."

This jab seemed to snap Lucifer and Lilith out of their stunned silence. Their faces contorted with irritation, and they bared their canines at him. 

"What are you even doing here?" Lucifer demanded. "Shouldn't you be with Vaggie at the hotel?"

Adam let out a loud snort. "Why the fuck would I go to that lame hotel? That place is for losers!"

"This is a private discussion between my family." Lilith folded her arms over her chest and tapped her heel impatiently. "You're not needed or wanted here."

"Yeah, I guess that's why all of Hell could hear you two yelling," Adam said with a mouthful of cereal. 

"Leave! NOW!" Lucifer finally lost his temper and marched up to Adam.

"Nah. I don't think I will." He wore a knowing smirk on his face. "Plus, is that any way to treat the man who saved your daughter and wife, Luci?"

Lucifer bristled, but did not reach out and hit Adam like Charlie expected. "What is it you want?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"I'm just watching. This is more entertaining than any of the shit you broadcast in Hell," Adam admitted with a shrug. 

"Oh, I bet you're just getting off on this, aren't you?" Lilith sneered. 

Adam cringed. "Ew, Lilith. Why are you thinking about my dick with your husband and daughter right here? That's fucking gross."

Both Lucifer and Lilith burst into incoherent shouts and were practically foaming at the mouth. It was clear they wanted to throw him out, but since Adam was still under Charlie's protection, in addition to saving her and Lilith, they couldn't. 

So they were forced to take every insult and snide remark he hurled at them.

"Do you have anything of value to add, Adam? Or are you just wasting our time?" Lucifer regarded him skeptically. 

"Well, since you ask." Adam cleared his throat and locked gazes with Charlie. "Kid, you better not give up on me now. You were the one who told me all that sentimental crap about just because the beginning of your story is bad doesn't mean the end has to be. But you wouldn't know if you didn't at least try."

Charlie nodded her head, remembering that speech. "Yeah. But how do we even try here?"

"Yeah, Adam." Lucifer's voice went up in pitch as he mocked him. "What brilliant idea do you have to get us out of this mess?" 

"Hm." Adam tapped his chin in thought. "The deal was to bring Lilith, Eve, and Abel back to Hell, right?"

"Yes." Lucifer drew out the 's' so that it sounded like a hiss.

"Well, we got her back." Adam pointed at Lilith with obvious disdain. "You could probably argue for more time to get my family back."

Keeping his eyes narrowed into slits, Lucifer said, "Okay. Let's say the Council somehow agrees to that. How will we get Eve and Abel back to Hell?"

"Exactly." Lilith rolled her eyes. "That's the whole issue. They're never going to agree to come back here."

A sudden idea came to Charlie. 

"What if we can use something as leverage to bring them back here?" 

Everyone stared at her in anticipation, so she took it as a sign to continue. "The Mark of Cain. If we can get the angels to remove the curse, that means Cain can die, and he'll end up in Hell. Which means Eve will be reunited with her family, and Abel already agreed to come back to Hell once Cain is dead."

"That's a great idea, princess!" Adam's tone went up several octaves before it deepened into a growl. "Except for the fact I'm not letting my son kill my other son again! I fucking told you this already!" 

"Well, I don't see you suggesting anything better." Lilith examined her long nails with a bored expression. 

"Adam," Charlie whispered. "It's all we have unless we force them back into Hell. And we're in no shape to fight them again. From how Cain spoke, he's ready to die. No human should be forced to live forever. That sounds like Hell itself."

Adam turned away from her pleading eyes and shook his head. "I just can't agree to it."

"It's not up to you to agree." Lucifer's words made Adam snap his head around so fast it looked like he had broken his neck. "I mean, that if Cain wants the curse to be removed, then it should be his choice."

"Enough with the flowery language, prick!" Adam scowled. "You mean if Cain wants to die!"

"Yes." Lucifer let out an exasperated sigh. "In a peaceful, non-violent way, of course." 

"Fuck you, guys! You always think you know what's best for everyone!" Adam threw his bowl of cereal to the floor. It splashed all over the immaculate tile, milk and corn flakes landing everywhere. "The only one I want to see die is you, motherfucker! In fact, I can't wait! I hope Michael's sharpening his sword as we speak!"

Flashing a wicked grin, Adam began to walk away. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, Luci!"

Adam left, and the Morningstars were plunged into silence once again. Charlie wished it was awkward like before instead of the uneasiness that permeated it now. 

"Here." The stillness was shattered when Lucifer handed Lilith a piece of paper. "I already signed it. But with the way things are going, you probably won't even need to. You'll be a widow by tomorrow afternoon."

Lilith glimpsed at the paper and both her and Charlie gasped at the same time upon reading it. In her gloved hand, she crumpled it and cried out, "Luci!"

But he had already vanished. And Charlie and her mother were left alone with nothing but a wrinkled decree for a divorce between them. 

Chapter Text

It was late afternoon by the time Vaggie had returned from the hotel. And when she did, she found Charlie standing in front of the Morningstar Castle, waiting for her. 

"Charlie!" Vaggie rushed up to greet her. "What's wrong? You look upset. Is everything okay?"

Charlie instantly collapsed into Vaggie's arms and started to cry. "No. My dad is going to die tomorrow. All because of the deal he made with the angels."

Vaggie soothed her girlfriend, gently petting her hair. "Shh. He's not going to die."

This only made Charlie weep harder. "Even if he doesn't, there's no way we can fix this. My parents are going to get a divorce. The Vees are taking over Hell. Adam is still stuck here without his family. The world is going to end–"

"Charlie." Vaggie's firm tone made Charlie pause her blubbering. "I know things seem bad right now, but as long as we're all here, we can still fix this. Adam said that we only live once, but that's not true. You live every day. So every day is a new chance."

"But how?" Charlie asked, wringing her hands. "How do we even begin to fix this?"

She knew this was a repetitive question, but it was because she desperately needed the answer. And she hoped Vaggie would finally give it to her.

"If you would've asked me just a week ago if this could be fixed, I would have agreed with you that we were fucked," Vaggie said. "But then I prayed for you to wake up when everything seemed like you wouldn't. And you did."

Vaggie's hand moved to Charlie's cheek as she continued to speak. "I never imagined Adam would ever apologize to me. Hell, I never thought I'd be able to look at him without wanting to sucker-punch him. But if I've learned anything these past few days, it's that miracles can and do happen."

Charlie nodded her head in agreement. "Well, it's going to take a miracle here."

Interlocking her hand with Charlie's, Vaggie smiled up at her. "If Adam and me can actually get along, anything is possible. Fuck, Charlie, I mean you got Adam and your parents all living under the same roof! A month ago, that wouldn't have even been a suggestion!"

She couldn't help but giggle at that. "Yeah, that's true."

But Vaggie wasn't going to stop there. She kept pointing out everything Charlie had accomplished so far. "And Adam and Cain were starting to get along! Thousands of years of anger and hurt, and they were actually starting to act like father and son again! Not even the angels could do that! None of this!"

The despair weighing on Charlie started to fade the more she thought about what Vaggie said. It was true that she had accomplished more in a little over a month than Heaven had in ten thousand years. Never would Adam and her parents be able to stay in the same room without killing one another first. Much less live in the same house. And yes, Adam might still be under Charlie's protection, and Adam saved her and Lilith but the point still stood. The Adam Charlie first met would have never done that. He would have let her and Lilith die on that beach. 

And if Lucifer or Lilith had wanted to hurt Adam, they could have while Charlie had been in a coma. She couldn't have done anything about it.

"Adam did bring up a similar point about how me, him, and my mom are back in Hell, so that might be able to buy us some more time to get Eve and Abel back," Charlie mused out loud. "But the problem is how we can get them back here without using any force."

Vaggie sighed. "Charlie, sometimes it's okay to use force. I know you don't like being mean but–"

"It's not about being mean," Charlie clarified. "It's just that I don't even know if we can force them. The Council told Adam they couldn't do anything. My dad said he couldn't either. But then again, they didn't even try..."

"So if not with force, then how?" Vaggie frowned and put her hands on her hips. 

It was Charlie's turn to exhale a heavy sigh. "I suggested we ask the angels to remove Cain's curse in exchange for Eve and Abel coming back to Hell. That's the only way they'd agree to come back here. Of course, Adam wasn't for that, which I understand."

Vaggie grew silent as if in deep thought. After a few seconds, she spoke up again. "Wow, that idiot has really changed, huh?" 

Charlie hummed in response. If there was one good thing that had come out of this fiasco, it was Vaggie and Adam burying the hatchet between them. "Yeah. I think we all have." 

A soft, knowing smile spread across Charlie's mouth as she gazed lovingly at Vaggie. 

"It's all because of you, hon." Vaggie returned her smile and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Without you and your determination, we'd still be at each other's throats."

"You're giving me way too much credit, sweetie. You all put in the work too," Charlie said. 

"Again, if it wouldn't have been for you, we wouldn't have needed to." Vaggie wrapped her arm behind Charlie's back and started guiding her back toward the castle.

"Wait." Charlie came to a sudden halt. "I don't want to go back inside yet. If I do, I'll just lay in bed again."

Vaggie tilted her head to the side. "Okay, what do you want to do, hon?"

"I want to punch something." Charlie's answer made Vaggie blink as if she hadn't been expecting that. So she went on to clarify. "I've never felt like this before. It's like a raging storm within me. And I need to do something about it besides sleeping or eating my feelings."

Her girlfriend nodded in understanding. "What you're feeling is turmoil. And the best way I've found to release it is through aggression. Why do you think I was always so ready to hit something or someone?" 

Charlie chuckled again. "That does make a lot of sense."

"Okay, so I can think of a few exercises we can do to release all that anger. Jump rope, boxing, circuit training." Vaggie straightened her back and paced around the porch like that of a soldier. She suddenly paused and glanced at Charlie, her eye bulging. "Which reminds me, were you ever going to tell me you could turn into a giant?"

"I swear, I was going to." Charlie tried to raise her voice as much as she could without choking. "It was something I didn't even know I could do until I ran into Adam in Hell."

"Wow, hon. You never cease to impress me." Vaggie's lips upturned into a smirk. "It's a good thing Adam hadn't encountered you like that when he fought us. He would've been double dead."

"Adam actually said the same thing. You two really are cut from the same cloth," Charlie teased. And to her pleasant surprise, Vaggie's face perked up into a grin. The old Vaggie would have bristled and tried to argue this wasn't true. 

"Alright, then. I hope you don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're my girlfriend," Vaggie teased back. 

Charlie slung her arm around Vaggie and brought her body closer to hers. "Never."

Hours passed by, and Charlie was subjected to the toughest training she had ever experienced in her life. Not even when she fought Adam and his exterminators did she train like this. 

But she would have been lying if she said she wasn't having fun. 

When they finished, it was early evening, although it was hard to tell just by looking at the sky. In Hell, the sky was always the same shade of red, so the difference between night and day was impossible to tell. Charlie didn't want to go back inside her parents' house, so Vaggie suggested they go back to the hotel and have dinner there. She agreed, wanting a change of scenery for once. But before they headed over there, Charlie needed to use the bathroom.

While in the bathroom, as she was washing her hands, Charlie's gaze landed on the image of her reflected in the mirror. She no longer looked like Lilith. Her skin had returned to its chalk-white color along with her rosy cheeks. And her eyes were not the shade of the sky back on Earth–a beautiful baby blue. They were back to being crimson like the sky down in Hell.

Charlie pressed her fingers against the bandage around her neck. She wasn't sure if she would like what was beneath it, but she knew she needed to see it, no matter how ugly it was.

Gently, she lifted the bandage up, and when she saw the angry wound underneath, she was horrified. It was deep and red, but no longer bleeding since it had begun to scar. It almost stretched from ear to ear and looked just as painful as it had felt. 

With a blade like that, it was a wonder Abel hadn't taken her head clean off.

She wondered if this cut would ever heal completely. Or if there would forever be a physical scar just like a mental one.

After bandaging the wound back up, Charlie exited the bathroom, her once brightened mood now dour. As she trudged through the hall, she heard a bitter voice that stopped her in her tracks. 

"What the fuck do you want?"

Charlie assumed they were talking to her and peered into the nearest room, which happened to be the living room. 

But to her shock, they weren't talking to her at all. They were talking to her mom.

And it was none other than Adam who the voice belonged to.

"I want to talk," Lilith murmured. "May I have a seat?"

Adam snorted. "It's your castle. Since when have you ever asked for my permission?"

Lilith crossed her arms over her chest and took a seat on the sofa with Adam. There was enough space between them, so they weren't next to each other. Since their backs were turned to the door, Charlie could listen in without being observed. 

And that is exactly what she did. 

"So what the fuck do you want?" Adam repeated, his tone growing even more impatient. 

Her mom took a deep breath in. "I'm sorry."

Adam doubled over on the sofa, nearly falling off. "Excuse me?! What the fuck did you say?!"

"I'm sorry," she said louder this time. 

"Hold up! Hold up!" Adam jumped to his feet and ran to a window and looked out. 

"What are you doing?" Lilith furrowed her brows. 

"Seeing if Hell actually froze over." He turned back around and Charlie dodged out of sight just in the nick of time before he could see her. "Okay, where are the cameras? You fuckers can come out now!"

A laugh poorly disguised as a scoff came from Lilith. "I know it's probably centuries too late, and I know you won't forgive me, but I am serious."

Adam narrowed his eyes at her. "Who are you, and what did you do with my ex-wife?"

"Ugh, Adam." Lilith clicked her tongue and pressed her arms tighter to her chest. "This is why we couldn't have been together. You don't take anything seriously."

"Ah, there she is!" Adam leered at her and pointed his finger right in her face. "There's the cunt who would turn an apology into victim-blaming!"

A low growl emitted from Lilith's throat. "I'm not victim-blaming you! I'm being honest that we would have never worked together!"

"Yeah, I'm out of here. You had me in the first half, not gonna lie. But I should've expected this apology to end up just being another fucking excuse." Just as Adam started to walk away, Lilith sprung up from the sofa. 

"I'm not sorry that we broke up," she said. "I will not apologize for falling in love with someone else. But I am sorry how I hurt you. I'm sorry that I didn't handle our break up better... I'm sorry I ruined your life."

Adam paused mid-step, his foot hanging in the air. Even Charlie had to cover her mouth to keep from letting out a gasp and giving herself away.

"Why the fuck are you telling me this?" Adam asked tersely. 

"Because I've come to realize– No, I've always known what I did hurt you. That's why I did it. But I've come to realize just how many people I've hurt along the way." Lilith stared into the fireplace, the flames casting dark shadows over her face. "Both intentional and not."

Adam shuffled back over to the sofa and sat down. "So what? Is this your come to Heaven moment? Damn, Eve and Abel must've really humbled you."

"You could say that." To Charlie's surprise, Lilith didn't deny this like she thought she would. In fact, she looked rather ashamed. Her gaze was averted to the floor and she had shrunk into herself as if she wanted to disappear. 

A thick silence settled between them and Charlie wasn't sure if this was the end of the conversation or not. She expected either her mom or Adam to take their leave, but then Lilith spoke up again. 

"I just thought of something funny. Well, I guess it's not that funny. But I apologized to you before I did Lucifer."

Adam peered over at her. "Let me guess. Charlie told you it starts with sorry or some shit like that?"

Lilith's blonde hair swayed from side to side as she shook her head. "She actually told me that when it came to apologizing to Luci."

The conversation lulled again, and more silence followed. The crackling of the fire was the only sound that filled the room.

"It still baffles me how someone like her could come from someone as heartless as you and Lucifer." A half-smile rested on Adam's face. "If there's one thing you two did right, it was creating her."

"I know. And I nearly got her killed." Her voice broke at that last word. She cleared her throat and any previous trace of sadness in her voice was gone. "That's why I came to you to apologize. And to say thank you for saving my daughter."

"Uhhh." Adam was clearly at a loss for words. "No problem."

"I know you don't care about me or what happens to Lucifer, but I know you at least care somewhat for Charlie." Lilith glanced over at him. "I can't let my husband or daughter die tomorrow."

"You mean ex-husband." He snickered, which earned him a severe glare from Lilith. "What? I'm empathizing with you, something you never thought I could do."

Lilith's glare softened, and she huddled into herself further. "I said you would never know what it feels like to lose a child. But the truth was, you knew that better than anyone. Even better than me."

He frowned and opened his mouth to utter a reply, but Lilith stopped him. "I know what I lost. And it hurt. So much. But it was nothing compared to watching Charlie almost die in front of me."

"So what do you want me to do?" Adam shrugged. "I'm just one guy."

"I think Charlie's idea is right. The only leverage we have to bring Eve and Abel back to Hell willingly is by having the angels remove Cain's curse." Lilith leaned in slightly closer to Adam. 

"Fuck no!" Adam's wings flapped behind him and he stood back up, far away from her. "I should've known you'd try this, you conniving bitch! You went on and on about how painful it is to lose a child and you want to sacrifice mine?!"

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm not trying to manipulate you. I'm trying to get you to see that it's not only Cain's life at stake. It's yours, Eve's, Abel's, Charlie's–"

"Charlie isn't going to die," he snapped. "It's only Lucifer's head who will be on the spike."

Lilith rolled her eyes. "Do you really think the angels will just stop at him? That's one thing I won't apologize for. You're either in denial or too stupid to see that the angels don't care about us. They never have."

"And I guess you either have dementia or you're too fucking stupid to remember the angels kicked me out of Heaven." He threw himself back on the sofa. "They don't give a fuck about what I have to say."

"Oh, but I think they will." Lilith reclined back and rested her head against the palm of her hand. "If they see us working together, the worst of enemies, they're going to have to listen."

When Adam didn't say anything for several minutes, Lilith straightened back up. "I know you think it's the same thing when Cain killed Abel. But it's not. Especially if one of the angels is the one to do it."

"You don't know anything about me," Adam hissed. 

But Lilith merely chuckled. "Don't I? The First Man and the First Woman both stuck in Hell. Both with two failures of a marriage."

The scowl on his face twisted into a smirk. "Fate sure has a fucked up sense of humor."

"And I bet you think it's hilarious Luci might die tomorrow." The divorce papers Lucifer had given Lilith materiaized in her hands and she smoothed out the wrinkles. "Just like when I almost died."

Adam stared at the decree. "Surprisingly, no."

Lilith whipped her head around. "But you said–"

"Yeah, there was a time that would've been true." His shoulders shrugged up again, and there was an unreadable expression on his face. "When I saw you and Charlie dying, I thought it would feel better than any orgasm I ever had. I got everything I wanted... But I didn't feel any of that."

This whole time, Charlie had watched this scene unfold from the same spot in the doorway. But right now, she dared to crane her neck further to see her mom's reaction. 

It was her turn to be rendered speechless. She blinked at him, her mouth slightly agape. 

"The ducks are his most valuable treasures." Lilith's voice was so hushed that Charlie had to strain her ears to hear her. "After our daughter, of course."

The tension in Adam's body had visibly disappeared. He regarded her with widened eyes that seemed to be gleaming with tears. But he blinked, and the tears were gone. And Charlie wondered if they were ever there in the first place.

"If I agree to this." His voice hardened as he spoke. "I want you to do something for me first."

"What?" The suspicion in Lilith's tone was evident. 

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Lilith." Adam's eyes nearly rolled to the back of his skull. "We're waaaaay past that."

The fire continued to pop between them. Both their gazes were drawn to its dancing flames, the light glinting in their pupils. 

After a pregnant pause, he leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. "Did you ever love me?"

This was the last question Charlie had ever been expecting, and Lilith must've felt the same way since she sat up straighter in her seat. Even from where Charlie stood, her mother looked as old as she ever saw her. Though she didn't have any wrinkles or imperfections on her skin, there was a weariness tainting her eyes and aura. 

"I did."

Adam remained hunched over, so Charlie couldn't see his expression. But she imagined it similar to her mother's. "But you loved him more."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. So unremarkable like as if he had said they were in Hell or that his name was Adam. Just a simple fact of life.

Lilith did not respond. She didn't need to. Charlie knew what the answer was without her having to utter it. 

"Are you going to sign it?" Adam gestured with a tilt of his head to the divorce papers. 

"If it's what he wants, I'm not going to cause him any more suffering." She brushed a gloved finger over her eye. "As long as he's alive, that's what matters."

Charlie wished she could read Adam's mind right now because she could just imagine the thoughts buzzing through it. They were probably the same thoughts she had. 

"There was another reason I came to speak with you." Lilith stood up to her full height, holding onto her cane as she did so. "You brought my daughter back. So I will help you bring your sons back."

"Huh." Adam laughed lightly to himself. "Under that frigid, bitchy exterior, you actually have a heart. Who would've thought."

"No, I still don't." The divorce papers vanished in a puff of smoke and Charlie could practically hear the smirk in her mom's voice. "It's more like I don't like having to owe someone something. Especially an ex. Think of this as a debt paid."

Her mother started to turn towards the door, and Charlie jerked back so she wouldn't be spotted. She hurried down the hall and out the front door, straight into Vaggie's arms. 

"Charlie!" Vaggie sounded alarmed. "Are you okay? I've been looking for you! But this castle is more confusing than I thought."

"Vaggie! I just witnessed a miracle!" Charlie squealed. "My mom actually apologized to Adam!" 

"Whoa, really?" Her eyebrows practically touched the edge of her hairline from how high they were raised. "That– That's great, Charlie!"

Charlie opened her mouth to squeal again, but another coughing fit took over. "Fuck," she rasped. 

Patting her back gently, Vaggie wiped a bit of saliva off Charlie's chin with her sleeve. "I can't wait to hear about it over dinner. It's Italian night, so Angel is cooking." 

"Mmm. Sounds delicious." Charlie leaned into Vaggie and allowed herself to be hoisted up in her embrace. From behind, Vaggie's wings fanned out, and in a matter of seconds, they were in the air. 

As they soared through the blood-red sky, the weight of whatever problems Charlie had been carrying had been left back on the ground. She felt as light as a feather and that not even gravity could bring her down.

It seemed even the smallest of miracles could still be found in places like Hell. 

Chapter Text

In the early hours of the morning, Charlie crept out of bed and stood alone in her room. Usually, Vaggie would have slept with her, but since Charlie was still healing, she had been worried she might accidentally injure her since Vaggie was known to kick and thrash in her sleep. 

Amidst the darkness, she dressed herself in her most professional attire for the big meeting that day. Unlike the previous two times she met with someone from Heaven, she was going to treat this as if it were a life-or-death situation. 

And for her father, it was.

There would not be any crayon drawings or Webster's dictionary definitions this time. She was the Princess of Hell, and she was going to act like it. 

And if she was going to be the Princess of Hell, she had to look the part. With her long scarlet dress that reached all the way down to her heels and her fingerless maroon gloves, Charlie never looked more regal. 

Hiding her bandaged neck behind a lace choker, Charlie glimpsed at herself in the mirror, satisfied with her appearance. 

Her heels clicked against the floorboards as she headed downstairs, only to find she was the only one awake. She sighed to herself and waited for someone–anyone–to come downstairs. 

After what felt like hours, another person emerged at the top of the stairs, and she recognized the figure as her father. 

"Charlie?" Though Lucifer had tried to dress up, the dark circles lining his bloodshot eyes gave away his inner turmoil. He resembled the Lucifer of Adam's memory when Adam led the first extermination. 

"What are you doing up so early?" he asked as he came down to meet her.

"Going with you to Heaven, of course!" Charlie brushed a strand of her flowing hair behind her ear. For once, she decided to leave it down instead of tied up. "You didn't think I would let you go alone, right?"

"Uh, Char-Char–" Lucifer began to answer, but the sound of several pairs of footsteps caught his attention. Lilith, Vaggie, and Adam all appeared, all looking sharp. Even with his beard and long hair, he still knew how to clean up. And that was good enough for Charlie.

But apparently not for Lucifer. 

He didn't miss the opportunity to point this out. "I see you're still looking like a Neanderthal."

"And I see you're still looking like a bitch-ass clown! You think I'd miss today? I had to bring out my Sunday best!" Adam leered at him. "I almost broke down and ordered a tux!"

"Yeah. You're not coming." Lucifer narrowed his eyes at him. 

Adam scoffed. "And miss the main event?! Fuck that!"

"It'll be better if we all go together," Lilith interjected. "It'll show we're all united instead of divided like they'd expect."

"Regardless of what the angels think, there's no way I'm letting you go alone, hon." Vaggie stepped forward and stood beside her girlfriend. Charlie smiled down at her gratefully, reminded of how the last time they went to Heaven, Vaggie was practically dragging her feet.

"While this display of unity is sweet, I know how the angels are." Lucifer's tone was cold and stoic, so unlike his usual animated self. "Once they make up their mind, they're not going to change it."

"I know this too," Lilith said. "And even though I haven't signed the papers yet, I am still the Queen of Hell. I have as much of a right to be there alongside you."

Her mother reached her hand out to Lucifer as if she wanted to touch him. But at the last second, it seemed she decided against it and withdrew her arm. This action did not go unnoticed by Charlie.

"Lily, you should know better than anyone not to trust an angel!" Lucifer exclaimed. "If you go to Heaven with me, who knows what they'll do! Staying here with Charlie is the only way to keep you all safe!"

"Whatever happens, we're in this together." Charlie moved in between her parents and drew them into a hug. "We're still a family."

Her parents didn't resist despite being so close together. In fact, they returned her embrace. 

From behind them, Adam crossed his arms and averted his gaze, which did not escape Vaggie's watchful eye.

"You'll see your family again, too," she assured. 

Before Adam could answer, Lucifer released his wife and daughter, a newfound light gleaming in his eyes. "Alright. Let's go to Heaven and show these angels they messed with the wrong family."

He held out his hand, and sparkles of bright yellow light illuminated the darkness around them before taking the shape of a circular portal. No sooner had they all stepped inside it and exited on the other side, two angelic figures appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Lucifer by the arms.

"Wait–" he tried to say but was cut off by a punch to the gut. He groaned and fell to his knees all while the two angels kept hitting him. 

"Dad!" Charlie let out a horrified cry.

"Stop this!" Lilith demanded, her horns beginning to grow out and her pupils rolling to the back of her head. 

"Oh, I'm so hard right now," Adam snickered, which caused Vaggie to scoot a few inches away from him, her shocked expression morphing into one of disgust.

"Uriel! Raphael!" A masculine voice called out, and the two angels immediately ceased their beatdown. Everyone turned to where the voice came from and saw Michael floating beside Sera, Gabriel, and Emily. 

Charlie's heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, and whatever horror and outrage she had been feeling instantly vanished. This angel was her dad's brother, her long-lost uncle. After growing up thinking she had no other family, there was someone who always existed but was kept a secret from her. 

"Michael, sir," Charlie addressed him with all the reverence she could muster. "My name is Charlie Morningstar, and I'm your niece."

Michael glanced down at her, an almost pitiful expression on his face. "Hello, Charlie. I know who you are. I apologize we had to meet like this. I had hoped it would be under... different circumstances."

"I'm just glad I'm finally able to meet my uncle." Charlie's answer came out as a whisper, and she wasn't sure if it was because of her injury or the emotions raging inside her. She turned her attention to Sera and Emily, who both looked pretty much the same since the last time she saw them. But there was a deep sorrow in the younger angel's blue eyes despite the forced smile she wore.

"Charlie! Charlie!" Emily waved at her frantically. "I'm so happy to see you again!"

Charlie returned her smile, wishing she could run up and hug her. "Emily! How have you been?" 

"I've been better." Emily turned her head towards something behind Charlie, and her eyes filled with tears. "Hi, Adam."

Taking a step to the side, Charlie glimpsed back and saw Adam trying to hide behind her. 

"Hey," he said glumly. Gone was the bravado he usually presented. He looked like he wanted to sink into the floor. It hadn't occurred to Charlie that the last time Adam was in Heaven standing in front of the angels, they had cast him down. This wasn't only an uncomfortable reunion between her dad and the angels, but for Adam as well.

It was at that moment Charlie realized they weren't standing outside the gates of Heaven like she assumed they would be. They were actually back in the courtroom, where she first presented her case for redemption. 

How ironic. 

"Sera. You look well." Lucifer struggled up to his knees, wiping a bit of golden blood from his lip. Sera frowned at him, and Charlie could only guess as to why. It must be hard seeing someone you fell in love with, only for them to reject your advances for something you helped create. 

"Michael." Lucifer greeted the archangel. "It's been a long time."

Michael glared daggers at the fallen angel, his appearance beginning to change into something terrifying. Dozens of eyes covered his glowing body, and all six of his wings sprouted out of his back. He looked exactly like that time back in Adam's memory. 

Back during Lucifer's rebellion. 

"I was a fool to ever let you live!" Fire erupted from Michael's mouth and eyes. "I should have killed you back in Eden! I should have known you would never learn your lesson!"

With every word he uttered, which seemed to echo all around them, the flames burned hotter. "Curse my soft heart that ever showed you mercy! That won't happen again! Maybe now with you gone, everything you sought to destroy will finally begin to heal!"

Lucifer opened his mouth to respond, but the sound of a blade being swung through the air stopped him. His eyes went wide as Michael held his flaming sword right at his throat, pressing it into his skin.

"NO!" Lilith shrieked, her demonic form on full display. Vaggie had to hold her back with both hands. Even Adam looked stunned by the turn of events. He no longer wore a bright grin on his face and kept glancing between Michael and the other Council members.

"Michael, before you kill him, I want to make one last offer." Charlie's hushed tone made the angel calm down. He returned to his usual form but still kept the sword at Lucifer's neck. 

"What could you possibly offer?" He eyed her with obvious suspicion. 

Charlie approached him with caution, not wanting him to suddenly turn his blade on her. "We brought my mother back to Hell like you asked. We can bring Eve and Abel back too. We just need more time."

Sera, who had been watching in silence, finally spoke. She came forward and brought up different windows to Earth. "We don't have more time. Do you know what's happened recently? Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires of massive proportions. Dormant volcanoes suddenly becoming active. Droughts in rainforests. Floods in the middle of deserts. Snow in the hottest of places. Towns and cities starting to be submerged in water. Global pandemics breaking out. Countries on the brink of war."

With each disaster she named, an image of said disaster was playing out on one of the windows. Despite living in Hell, it was jarring for Charlie to see such violence on a widespread scale. Screams of agony filled her ears as crowds ran like a wild stampede, trying to escape the inescapable. Body bags lined the streets along with those unlucky enough not given the cover of one. Explosions went off in cities and soldiers were gathered in an attempt to quell the anarchy. More often than not, they'd only add to the bloodshed with their guns.

It truly was Hell on Earth.

"This looks like something out of a fucking horror movie." Vaggie shuddered. "Don't tell me the dead are also rising up."

"No. Thankfully," Sera sighed. "But don't give them any ideas."

"And that's not to mention the recent famines," Gabriel pointed out. 

"Wait, what the fuck?!" Adam darted out from the background and gaped at the window that showed a tall silhouette standing in the middle of a field. Though he looked skinnier and weary, there was no mistaking who it was.

"Cain," Adam said under his breath. 

Charlie had wondered what happened to Cain. It never crossed her mind that he would be the one to cause famines, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. After all, he did say he couldn't grow crops anymore without killing them.

"Looks like you got your wish, Lilith," Adam sneered at her. "Using my son for your little plan to destroy the world."

Lilith scowled back at him, but she did not respond with any of her typical snark. Maybe it was because her husband was still at Michael's mercy, or maybe it was because Michael asked, "So what is it you want to offer, Charlie?"

After taking a long look at Adam, Charlie inhaled a deep breath. If she was supposed to be the Princess of Hell, she needed to act like it. She couldn't just ask others to put their lives on the line for her. She needed to do the same in return.

"We can bring Eve and Abel back if you agree to remove Cain's curse. And if we fail to do that..." She gave her parents and Vaggie a sympathetic smile. "Then you can kill me."

Immediately, everyone burst out in protest, which Charlie expected. What she didn't expect was Adam to. At least, not so vehemently. 

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Adam exclaimed over everyone's shouting. 

"I– I thought it was only fair I put my life on the line if I'm asking you to put Cain's!" Charlie stammered.

"No, please, Michael! Take my life instead!" Lucifer begged, which seemed to catch the archangel off guard. 

"Charlie, no!" Lilith had shed her demonic form, and Charlie could see the sheer terror in her mom's eyes. "This is ridiculous!"

"I have to agree." Michael finally lowered his sword and turned his focus away from Lucifer. " I mean no offense, Charlie, but what does your life matter to us when it's your father's we want?"

"Well, with my life at stake, it forces everyone to work together?" Charlie offered a sheepish shrug. Yes, it was emotional blackmail but with the end of the world near, that wasn't really important. She remembered her mom's words from last night. Shouldn't the Council be glad they were putting aside their differences for the greater good?

Charlie brought this fact up. "I've gotten my dad, my mom, and Adam to work together. Something you all could never do! That has to count for something!"

"And that is exactly why we're concerned," Sera said. "How can we know you're not planning something? Lucifer already staged a rebellion. Then he started planning another with Lilith while in Hell. And again, Lilith tried with Eve and Abel on Earth. That's already three strikes."

"The rebellion in Hell was a lie."

Everyone turned towards the man who spoke. There, in the center of the courtroom, stood Adam with his head held high and fists clenched at his sides. 

"I fucking lied about Lucifer and Lilith planning another rebellion." His voice shook with every word he spoke. "I had made a soul-binding deal that I couldn't touch Lucifer or his family. After he showed me what he did to mine, I wanted to hurt him and Lilith like they hurt me. And killing the sinners in Hell was the closest I could get."

"Adam," Sera gasped.

"Eve and Abel turning into what they did was an accident. There was never any plan to gather more souls in Hell and create an army." Adam had never sounded so confident before. He had never looked so confident before.

And that was exactly what spurred Charlie to plead her case, even though her throat was aching like a motherfucker. 

"We can't win with you, can we?" she rasped. "We're damned if we do. Damned if we don't. But you know what? At least we're trying! You angels have just stood back and done nothing for centuries. You claim to care and love humanity, but if you did, you would let us try and help. I understand you didn't give a fuck about the souls in Hell, but these are still human lives!"

And that was it for Charlie. She started coughing and couldn't speak anymore. 

Emily disappeared into thin air before returning with a glass of water in hand. "Here, Charlie. Please drink this."

"Thank you." Charlie swallowed the water and instantly felt relief. 

Vaggie, who had been observing all this in the background, suddenly stepped up between Charlie and Adam. "I was one of the exterminators. Lute ripped out my eye and wings during an extermination because I spared a sinner. Adam saw this, and he left me behind in Hell. I never thought I could forgive him. I hated him and wanted him to die, actually."

She glanced over at Adam, who was looking at her intensely. "But I have forgiven him. He's part of the reason I'm disabled for life. And why I still have nightmares. But I don't want him to die anymore. I want to help him get his family back."

It was like the air had been sucked out of the room. No one moved a muscle. 

"So my point is, if you all are angels, there's no excuse why you can't forgive him or Lucifer or Lilith either," Vaggie finished before returning to the background. 

Charlie shot her girlfriend a proud grin, reassuring her she did the right thing. She knew that hadn't been an easy task for Vaggie–speaking in front of your old superiors on behalf of your old boss, who you once hated.

Meanwhile, the Council remained motionless as if they were mulling over what Vaggie had said. 

"We have noticed Adam is different." Uriel eventually broke the silence. "In more ways than one."

"He doesn't curse as much either," Raphael added. 

"We will need to discuss this privately between us." Michael had sheathed his sword and gestured for the other angels to follow him. As they gathered around into a circle, only Emily remained frozen in place. Tears continued to stream down her cheeks, and she had been chewing her bottom lip throughout this whole debate. 

"No. There is nothing further to discuss," she said. "We need to help them."

"Emily!" Sera exclaimed. 

Emily turned her anger on the older seraphim. "I can't stand back anymore, Sera! I can't just grin and bear it and pretend everything is okay when it's not! After we cast Adam out of Heaven, it's been all I can think about!"

She flew over to Charlie and stood beside her, much like that day they were first in this courtroom. "I can't keep lying to Heaven's souls anymore! They asked where Adam was, and we told them he had been killed by Lucifer! But the truth is, we nearly killed him! We sent him to his death when we kicked him down!"

"Emily, I know you're upset, but if the rest of Heaven knows we're listening to Lucifer and his family–" Sera tried to explain, but Emily silenced her. 

"If the rest of Heaven knew the world was about to end, they would want us to do everything to prevent it! We're supposed to protect and love human souls!" Emily cried, the eyes covering her body all beginning to open much like Michael's had. "I know you're scared that Lucifer and his family aren't being sincere. But Adam has shown us he's changed. If he's willing to work with his enemies, then we have no excuse like Charlie and Vaggie said."

"Enough, Emily," Michael ordered. His voice was somehow more intimidating than Lucifer's, and he wasn't even yelling.

But Emily just shook her head, clearly not intimidated. "I refuse to lie to Heaven any longer! They deserve to know the truth! I don't care if you cast me out with Adam! I regret not speaking up last time, even though I knew deep down it was wrong! But I won't stay silent anymore!"

The young seraphim turned to Adam and clutched both his hands in hers. "Adam, I know this is coming much too late, but I am so, so sorry. Ever since I last saw you, I haven't been the same. I don't sleep. I don't sing or play music. I'm just relieved to know you're okay. If there was a way to bring you back here, I would. But the closest I can do is help you reunite with your family."

Adam stared at their interlocked hands for a moment. "It's okay, kid. These angels can be fucking intense."

She blinked before wrapping Adam into a tight hug and sobbing. He tensed up for a second and returned her embrace, patting her back awkwardly. As Charlie watched them, she looked around and saw the astonished expressions all the angels–including her father–wore. And she couldn't help but grin. 

"Hey, there's no time for tears." Adam tilted her chin up and smiled. "We can cry after we save the world." 

"Yes, the death count is rising with every minute." Gabriel raised what looked like an electronic tablet in his hands, and there was a series of numbers displayed. The tally was already in the high thousands. "We don't have much time to spare."

"Shit," Charlie swore to herself. "Okay, so is it a deal?"

Michael and the other angels exchanged wordless glances with one another. They seemed to be communicating telepathically, and Charlie could only hold her breath as she awaited their answer. 

"I really hope for your sake, Charlie, you know what you're doing," the archangel sighed. "If this doesn't work, I have all of Heaven's Army ready–"

"It will," Adam cut in. "Charlie is the toughest bitch I know. She got her fucking throat slit and she's still standing!"

Charlie felt the corners of her mouth tug upward. "Thank you, Adam. But before I agree to this deal, I need your approval first."

"Mine?" He knitted his brows together. "For what?"

"Are you okay with Cain's curse being removed and him dying?" Charlie didn't want to sugarcoat the gravity of the situation. "I won't blame you if you say no. We'll just find another way–"

"Do it. If Cain's okay with it, and it's done without a bunch of blood and suffering, then I can't say shit," Adam said. "Besides, I know my son. He'd choose the rest of humanity over his life any day."

Charlie could hear everyone hitch their breath in unison. This was not the answer anyone expected. 

"What?" Adam asked as all eyes remained on him. "Has anyone ever told you guys it's fucking rude to stare?!"

"Nothing." Michael cleared his throat. "That was just a very surprising but mature answer. Alright. We can remove Cain's curse if it means stopping him, Eve, and Abel."

"Fuck yes!" Charlie and Adam pumped their fists in the air. Even Emily cheered along with them and replaced 'fuck' with 'heck.'

"Language," Sera warned with a disapproving look. 

"Oops. Sorry." Charlie gave a sheepish shrug. But Adam just waved her off.

"You're not the boss of me, Sera. Not anymore!" He smirked at her, which caused her frown to only deepen.

"I hate to ruin this sentimental moment," Lucifer's voice dripped with sarcasm and doubt. "But even if we bring Eve and Abel, and that's a huge if, chaos and death are still part of the Earth. And their victims will be my companions and all that jazz. Michael made sure of that with his curse!"

"You mean you did, fucker!" Adam jabbed a finger in his direction. "Just like you ruin everything with your bad vibes, including this moment! Such a fucking Debbie Downer!"

"Adam is right." Michael narrowed his eyes at Lucifer and curled his lip. "Though I share your same skepticism, it's only because of your history of causing so much destruction. I don't trust you not to further mess things up."

"I understand that," Charlie addressed the Council. "I don't even know if I trust him either. After learning what had happened to Adam, my trust in my parents was broken. But what I also learned is that miracles still exist in the darkest of places. Nothing is impossible as long as we have hope."

"You're so unlike your parents." A faint smile came over Michael's face. "They could stand to learn a thing or two from you."

A small giggle escaped Charlie's lips. "Yeah. I get that a lot. I think we can all stand to learn something from one another."

Her fingers grazed over her throat unconsciously, something she tended to do a lot now. Michael noticed this and asked, "What are you going to do when you see Abel?"

"Hm?" Charlie let her hand drop. "What– What do you mean?"

"I mean, he hurt you and your mother. Are you going to be able to put that aside and forgive him?" Despite the question potentially being one meant to point out her hypocrisy, Charlie didn't take it that way. It sounded like he genuinely wanted to know what she would do. 

"That's a good question," she admitted. "I honestly hadn't thought about it until now."

Everyone watched and waited as the gears turned in her head. There was a chance she might forever wear this scar he gave her. There was a chance her vocal cords might never heal permanently. And there was a chance she might never get an apology from Abel.

But when she peered at Vaggie and remembered how she was able to forgive Adam, Charlie knew what she was going to do.

She wasn't a fighter. Even with her newfound powers, she still didn't have proper control over them how she would've liked. 

So Charlie was going to do what she did best.

"I'm going to do what I did with Adam," she said. "I'm going to listen."

Chapter Text

The Council all exchanged silent glances again, but this time, there seemed to be a glimmer of reassurance in their expressions. 

"As I said before, you're so unlike your parents." Michael smiled knowingly at Charlie. 

"Wait, wait," Lucifer interrupted, causing Adam to let out a dramatic groan. "Charlie can't go down there and face those three in her condition! She's still injured! And she doesn't even know how to fight!"

"That's why I'm not going to fight them, Dad," Charlie tried to explain. "I know I'm in no condition to fight. We're going to have to resolve this with our words. Not our fists."

"Okay, but if they attack you?" Lucifer crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you remember what happened last time?"

"Yes." She tried to maintain her composure, but her patience was growing thin. After everything they had been through, was her dad still doubting her? 

"Then how do you plan to defend yourself?" Lucifer continued to question her. 

"That's why we're all going down there." Adam approached Lucifer, his eyebrow twitching in anger. "There's no fucking way I'm letting you hurt my family after you caused them to turn into this! You made this shit show, so it's about fucking time you clean it up!"

"Adam's right," Vaggie said. "This shouldn't all fall on Charlie to fix. Her parents caused most of this to happen, and it's only fair they help, too."

"Of course I'm going down there to support my daughter." Lilith glowered at Vaggie, who narrowed her eyes in return. 

"I couldn't be sure." Vaggie tilted her chin up in defiance. "After all you've abandoned Charlie before."

Lilith bared her fangs, a low growl emitting from her throat. Before she could potentially snap back, Lucifer took control of the conversation. 

"You all never answered my question. Death and chaos are still part of the world. Who will take their places if Eve and Abel come back to Hell?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Adam rolled his eyes and slapped his hand over his forehead. "It's like you want us to fail!"

Charlie chuckled nervously. Shit. She really didn't have an answer for that. But they would cross that bridge when they got to it. "One thing at a time. For now, let's just get them back to Hell."

Gabriel nodded his head. "Then you must go now. There's no time left to waste."

A portal opened up right in the middle of the courtroom, one so large and dark that it almost looked like a black hole. 

"Wait, right now, right now?" Charlie's eyes widened at the portal. If she had known they'd be going back to Earth, she wouldn't have worn a dress. 

Gabriel looked as if she had just asked if two plus two made four. Or if she was talking to an angel right now. "Yes... Did you not hear when I said every minute that passes, the death toll rises?"

"Yeah... Okay." Charlie took a deep breath in and glanced at her family and friend and girlfriend. "Ready?"

She expected her parents to bail at the last second. If there was a time as any, it would be now. But to her surprise, they didn't run away. They stepped up beside her.

"Like you said, whatever happens, we're in this together." Lucifer gave his daughter a soft smile. "And now that Lilith is back, it'll be nice to see the Earth again. Even if it is about to end."

"And we need to show Eve and Abel their mission failed," Lilith added. "They're going to need to try harder to bring down the Queen and Princess of Hell."

Of course, her mom would say something like this, and Charlie was about to scold her for this. But when she opened her mouth to do so, Charlie saw a glint of amusement twinkling in her eyes. 

Charlie should have known her mom would not outright admit she wanted to help for any altruistic reason. She had done the same with Adam. Regardless of whether her parents were doing this for her sake or to actually be better, Charlie was just glad they were coming with her.

"I'm right behind you, kid." Adam placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

"Me too, hon." Vaggie laced her fingers around Charlie's. 

"If anyone can do this, it's you!" Emily beamed. 

As she looked around at the courtroom, Charlie felt a newfound sense of hope and confidence surge through her. It ran through her nerves, awakening every sense in her body. Her heartbeat quickened and adrenaline rushed through her veins. If the King and Queen of Hell, the First Man, a former exterminator, and a seraphim were for her, then who could be against her?

"Then let's fucking do this." A bright grin developed on Charlie's face. 

"Fuck yeah! If we're going to get this band back together, then let's start with the one who broke it up first. Take us to go see Cain," Adam ordered the Council. 

Michael seemed caught off guard by being ordered like this. "Why him?"

"Because he'll be the easiest to get through to," Adam said this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

"Alright..." Michael didn't look convinced. "If you go through the portal, you'll find Cain on the other side."

"Good luck!" Emily cheered them on. "I have faith you'll all succeed!"

Adam moved to the front with Charlie right behind him. This was their last chance to turn back. Once they crossed into the portal, they could not return. 

Saying a silent prayer, Charlie hoped that if there was a higher power than the Council, it was listening. As Adam passed into the portal, Charlie's beating heart pounded in her ears until it was all she could hear. Her mouth had gone dry, and her hands trembled. She wasn't sure how this was scarier than when she entered the Gates of Hell, but it was.

Her feet trudged forward and before she knew it, she was falling through the portal. The wind howled all around her, much like the time with the tornado and hurricane. It was eerie and chilled her to the bone. The world spun in front of her and she realized it was because she was rapidly descending to the ground. A gasp caught in her throat as she tried to brace herself, but then she felt a sudden grip around her waist.

Charlie glanced up and all the tension left her body. Of course. 

"We really need to train you how to use your wings when we get back." Vaggie smirked down at her. 

"I can't wait." Charlie giggled. 

"Hey!" Adam snapped his fingers to the side of them as they soared through the sky. "No flirting!"

Vaggie rolled her eye. "Whatever, Dad."

Both Charlie and Adam whipped their heads around to stare at Vaggie, both speechless. She already caught her mistake and started sputtering. 

"I– It was just a joke!" A golden hue dusted her cheeks. "You're obviously not my dad! I was being sarcastic!"

Adam burst out laughing. "What? Are you going to call me Daddy next?"

"You fucking wished, cabrón!" Vaggie growled. "Anyway, what's the plan?! What are we even doing?!"

"I was just about to ask the same thing!" Lucifer had appeared on the other side of Charlie and Vaggie, carrying Lilith. She had a blush similar to Vaggie's, only hers was red. "So tell us, Adam! You seem to know what you're doing! What's the plan?"

Adam shot Lucifer a glare. "You two fuckers are going to stand guard! I don't trust you enough not to fuck things up even more!"

"Stand guard for what?" Lilith knitted her eyebrows. 

Everyone followed Adam's finger as he pointed at something in the distance. A lone figure stood in the middle of a wheat field. It was so still that Charlie would have assumed it was a statue if it wasn't for its brittle auburn hair fluttering in the wind.

"Cain," Charlie said.

He had remained in the same place she had last seen him on the screen in Heaven. 

"I don't know where Eve and Abel are!" Adam continued to yell. "But they can't be too far!" 

"So you want us to watch for them in case they come?" Lucifer deadpanned. 

"Good job, Luci! Maybe you're not as retarded as I thought!" Adam snickered while everyone else let out a collective gasp. 

"Whoa! Adam!" Charlie wheezed. "You can't be saying stuff like that!"

"What the fuck, Adam?" Vaggie shook her head. "It's twenty, twenty-four. Not two thousand and four."

"Ugh. This generation's so fucking soft. I swear!" Adam cursed under his breath. "Bunch of pussies!"

"Can we just get back to the matter at hand?" Lilith was growing visibly annoyed. "If we can't hurt Eve and Abel, how do you want us to defend ourselves when they attack?"

"Distract them! Bore them with your constant yapping!" Adam clicked his tongue in exasperation. "I don't fucking care as long as you don't touch them!"

He flew further ahead to where Cain stood, leaving the rest of them behind.

"Vaggie, after you drop me off, go with my parents." Charlie brushed her hair out of her eyes as she peered up at Vaggie. She felt Vaggie's fingers clench around her. 

"Are you sure, Charlie?" 

Charlie gave a short nod. "More than anything."

After Vaggie gently placed Charlie on the ground, she ran through the field. The dead crops were crushed easily beneath her feet, and it was at that moment that Charlie realized just how different the Earth looked now. The sky wasn't a beautiful blue like before, nor did the sunshine. There was a permanent grey haze in the air and thick storm clouds that obscured any ray of sunshine. 

But that wasn't the only thing that drastically changed.

Charlie came to a sudden halt beside Adam as they locked eyes with the man standing just a few feet away from them. They were sunken into his sockets, their once amber hue now dulled. His tan skin was now sallow and sickly. Even his muscles had been replaced by a gaunt, slender frame. Charlie could see his cheekbones jutting out of his face underneath the dark circles around his eyes. 

The valiant cowboy she had come to know as her friend was now dressed in a long, black robe that was much too large for him. 

"Charlie?" He tilted his head and gave her a once-over. "I thought you had died."

It seemed Cain wasn't the only one with a startling new appearance. Charlie had forgotten he had only known her in her human disguise, which she wasn't wearing anymore.

"Cain? What happened?" Charlie found the courage to ask. 

"You look like a sack of bones!" Even though Adam joked, Charlie could hear the concern lining his voice. 

Cain narrowed his eyes. "Of course that's the first thing out of your fucking mouth. Always fucking criticizing me. But you don't look much better yourself, old man."

Both Adam and Charlie scrunched up their faces at his attitude. What was going on?

"Bitch, I look hot as fuck! Where's your mom and brother?" Adam asked. 

"They should be close by." Cain glimpsed at the air as if expecting them to appear. "But why the fuck do you even care? You ditched us. For a new family. I'm even surprised you're here."

"I fucking told you I was coming back!" Adam shook Cain by his shoulders. "We had this bullshit meeting with Heaven and– It doesn't matter! I'm here now!"

He scoffed, removing his dad's grasp off of him. "It only took you ten thousand fucking years! All this time, while Mom, Abel, and I walked the Earth, you were partying it up in Heaven! You abandoned me back then with the angels and you did it again. And again. And again."

With every 'again' he spoke, Cain ripped out a stalk of dried wheat from the soil. He held out his hand, and the wheat blew away in the wind. 

"Cain," Adam was sounding desperate now. "Look, the angels agreed to remove your curse if Eve and Abel come back to Hell. We can all be together like a family. Isn't that what you want?"

"Of course I do!" Cain snarled, baring a longer and sharper set of canines. "But do you really believe the angels will hold up their end of the deal? Did you somehow fucking forget Lucifer was one of those same angels?!"

Adam couldn't utter a response and this caused Cain to let out a bitter laugh. 

"Wow, you're even stupider than I thought, Dad. You must've been hanging around Charlie too long."

Charlie could only watch this unfold in silent horror. "What happened to you, Cain? This isn't you."

He turned his disdain on her. "I was naive, Charlie. Much like you. I tried to be better, but it doesn't matter where I go, who I'm with, what I'm doing, I'm still the same murderer who killed his brother."

"No!" she cried out and had to clutch her throat at the sudden ache within it. "You're not. I saw– I saw you change. You're not who you were back then. The Cain I know would not want the world to end. He valued human lives!"

"Then you never knew me." He scowled at her. "I'm the oldest fucking human alive and I have seen literally everything our species is capable of. They're awful. They only destroy each other and everything around them. If it had been up to me, I would've ended the world a long fucking time ago."

Hot tears welled in Charlie's eyes as she listened to him. This was not the Cain she had befriended. This was not the man who wanted to reunite his family and saw humanity as something worth saving.

This person who stood before her was a stranger. A stranger wearing Cain's face.

A stranger who sounded an awful lot like her father. 

"Cut the edge lord bullshit!" Adam demanded. "If you don't help us, not only will humanity be destroyed, but so will you, your mom, and your brother!"

Cain raised an eyebrow. "You think I don't know that? Why do you think we're doing this?"

This was the last answer Charlie ever expected. And from how Adam winced, he didn't either. 

"You mean– You want to die?" Charlie knew he had these types of thoughts before, but she thought he had gotten past them. Had he always felt like this?

"I know it's hard for you to imagine, Charlie." The sarcasm in his tone couldn't have been clearer. "But being alive for so long sucks. I've had to watch everyone I know and love die. With no way to ever see them again."

"That's why we got the angels to agree to remove your curse, dumbass!" Adam looked as if he wanted to tear his hair out. 

"Again, why the hell would you trust them?!" Cain waved his hands in the air. "The only way we can make sure they end us is by ending the world. With no humanity left, there would be no point in keeping me alive."

At that last sentence, Charlie wanted nothing more than to pull him into a hug. She understood why Cain would want to die after having lived so long. And she understood why he thought that by ending the world, he would finally achieve that.

"Humanity is a damn plague. They couldn't even go a generation without a murder happening." Cain gazed out to the field surrounding them. As far as the eye could see, there was not a surviving stalk of wheat anywhere. They had all shriveled up and turned black.

"I always knew this. But I denied it. Just like I denied how I would never be a good person who could atone for his sins." Cain rubbed at the scruff now covering his jawline. "But Mom and Abel helped me realize how I could finally be at peace. How I could help them find that same peace."

"What the hell did they do to you?" Adam asked through gritted teeth. 

"At first, they tried talking to me. It didn't work much." He shrugged as he paced around the field. "But then they started possessing me. Any other human would've been killed instantly. But you know I'm not just any other human."

Charlie grimaced at his words. That suddenly made sense as to why Cain looked so ghoulish. The embodiments of Chaos and Death possessing his body would alter it. 

"When they were in my body, combined with my ability to kill any plant I try growing..." Cain sighed and gestured to the blackened field. "Well, it doesn't take a fucking genius to figure out." 

"Cain..." Charlie had to bite her lip to keep from sobbing. This wasn't right. This wasn't fair.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go, damn it!

"I wished things would've been different, Charlie." The closest thing to pity reflected in Cain's eyes since they'd been here. "But with Dad and me as the forefathers of this miserable species, it never stood a chance. There is no redemption. Not in this life or the next."

Even Adam looked as if he wanted to cry. His fists trembled at his sides, and he kept shaking his head. 

"You were right, Dad," Cain said, his hair falling over his eyes and partially obscuring them. "I have and always will be a complete failure. Hopefully, if the angels try again with humanity, they'll have a fresh start without a murderer as its ancestor."

Charlie buried her face in her hands and started to sob. She couldn't hold the tears back any longer. Whatever prior hope and confidence she had was gone. Vanished with the wind like the wheat Cain had pulled out. 

What remained in their places was an unbearable, crushing weight known as despair. It was almost as painful as Abel's blade against her throat, almost as suffocating as drowning in her own blood.

Adam said Cain would've been the easiest to get through to. If they couldn't even get Cain to agree to the terms, then there was no way they'd get Eve and Abel to. 

The battle was already over before it began. 

They had lost. 

"Mom and Abel will be back soon. If they're not here already." Cain started to walk away from them. "They're going to find you both. And they're going to be pissed."

"Don't– Don't you dare fucking walk away from me!" A bellowing roar from beside her made her flinch and uncover her face. Charlie raised her head just in time to see Adam charge forward at his son. Not with his wings but with his legs. 

"Adam!" Charlie rushed after him, fully aware she would not catch him in time.

Cain spun around, his expression finally showing something other than anger or annoyance. He lifted a fist up, preparing for an attack.

But the attack never came.

Chapter Text

What happened next Charlie had to see to believe. 

And she was glad she did. 

Adam enveloped Cain in the tightest and biggest bear hug. Even Cain looked startled by this turn of events and dropped his fist. He tried writhing out of his dad's grasp, but Adam did not let him. 

"I don't care what the angels or anyone has to say," Adam whispered into Cain's ear. "I'm not abandoning you again." 

Cain immediately ceased his squirming. 

"I know what I said back then, and I'm sorry for how I handled it. I was so angry and hurt. I lost my son. But you were still my son, too," Adam continued. "You'll always be my first son."

Tears started flowing down Cain's pale cheeks, and he swallowed the visible lump in his throat. 

"I'm sorry for not coming to see you sooner. I was scared. I was scared that I would no longer be upset with you." Now Adam was getting choked up and could barely get the words out of his mouth. "Because for thousands of years, I only knew how to be upset with you and what you did. I was scared I would see you were doing so much better without me. And that would mean you never needed me."

Adam pulled himself away from Cain and looked at him through his tears. "You've done so much for humanity. More than I ever could. They're damn lucky to have you as their ancestor. I might be the First Man, but if there's one title I couldn't be prouder of, it's that I got to be your dad."

It was like a dam burst at that moment. Cain let out a wail, one that sounded like from somewhere deep within his soul. One that carried so much weight from all the years of pain and hurt. He wrapped his arms around Adam and cried into his shoulder. 

"You don't know how long I've been waiting to hear that."

In the span of a few minutes and a few words, Cain had been reduced from the tough, strong cowboy Charlie knew him as to a sniveling, feeble child who missed his dad. They stood there for a few moments longer; Cain releasing all his years of built-up anguish and pain while Adam comforted him. 

"I– I'm sorry, Dad." Cain squeezed his dad even tighter. "I'm sorry for killing Abel! I'm sorry for tearing our family apart!"

Adam patted his back. "I know. And I forgive you. What matters now is that we get our family back together again."

Charlie, who had been watching all of this, had to keep wiping her eyes just to see. Her tears, which were once filled with sorrow, now fell because of the immense joy overflowing her spirit. She looked up at the sky and saw that the clouds and haze had cleared up. The sun was shining on them again. She could feel its warmth on her skin. And if she listened closely, she would have heard a soft sigh from somewhere on Earth.

Cain's body trembled. "Okay. Okay." He released his dad and gazed up at him with a tender smile. "What do I have to do?"

"We need to convince your mom and brother to come back to Hell." Adam ran his fingers through Cain's hair. "Eve will agree if Abel does, but the only way he'll agree is if–"

"If I die," Cain finished for him. 

Adam sucked in a breath. "I'm only agreeing to this if you agree to this. And it's done in a clean, painless way."

Cain went silent, and Charlie held her breath as she waited for his answer. It was a big ask. A big sacrifice. She told herself that she shouldn't expect him to agree. Not many people would.

"My life is not worth billions of people's," Cain muttered. "I've lived my life. Several times. No one else's should be cut short because of me."

Charlie gave a huge sigh of relief before pulling Cain into a hug. "I had hoped you'd say that."

He returned her hug, and all three of them stood there for a few seconds, just taking in the moment. But of course, the moment had to be cut short when Charlie felt the familiar chill across her spine. Goosebumps were raised along her skin, and every hair on her body stood up. 

"They're here," she said right as the entire ground began to shake. Nearly losing her balance, Cain reached out and steadied her against his body. Charlie turned in time just to see a mountaintop erupt in the distance. Dense, black ash spewed into the sky like a geyser, and glowing red lava flowed down the side of the mountain. She had seen a volcano in person before back when she first arrived on Earth. But nothing like this. If it had been at any other time, Charlie would've found the eruption neat.

"Oh shit." Cain pointed to the creeping fog seeping out of the trees in the nearby forest. Much like last time, they resembled fingers inching their way towards their victim. 

"You still think you can listen to them, kid?" Adam raised a skeptical brow.

Charlie nodded her head, undeterred. "I listened to you, didn't I? And you listened to Cain. That's what caused everything to fall apart in the first place. No one listened and thought they knew better."

Adam didn't respond, and Charlie knew he knew she was right. But she didn't have time to dwell on this any further since she heard her dad calling her name.

"Charlie!" 

Lucifer, Lilith, and Vaggie all appeared next to her. They looked out of breath, and Charlie wasn't sure if it was from fear or exhaustion. 

"Dad!" She glanced them over, ensuring they weren't injured. Thankfully, they weren't. 

Cain's enraged stare focused on Lucifer and practically burned holes into his skull. "Wait, is that–"

"Yes, that's Lucifuck alright." Adam dismissed his son, but Cain was not letting this go.

"You're fucking kidding me," he deadpanned. "Him?! That pint-sized, pasty faced twink?! That's the Devil?! That's the fucker who ruined everything?!"

"It's nice to finally meet you too–" Lucifer tried to speak, but Cain's outraged tone overpowered him.

"Where's the horns?! The pitchfork?!" Cain pointed at Lucifer, who was becoming more and more visibly agitated. "Hell, where's the intimidation? The charisma?"

"If I could speak–" Lucifer said through clenched teeth, but Cain silenced him again.

"No. Shut up." Cain held out a finger as if to shush him. "Wasn't he supposed to be the most beautiful angel? Bitch, where?! All this time, I pictured Leonardo Dicaprio circa nineteen ninety-seven! But all I see is this fucking clown!"

Steam came out of Lucifer's nostrils and Charlie was sure he was about to snap. Meanwhile, the grin on Adam's face grew wider and wider. 

"I know I already said this before, but you really are my son." He pretended to wipe a long dried tear from his eye.

"Well, yeah," Cain remarked. "I might've lost some weight, but I ain't no runt. No wonder the angels kicked his skinny ass down to Hell!"

Adam threw his head back and laughed. "When we get back to Hell, the first thing we're doing is roasting his clown ass to a new ring!" 

He suddenly grew serious and barked out an order. "Everyone huddle together in a circle with your backs to each other!"

They did so, without any protest from her parents, which surprised Charlie. Maybe they were finally looking at the bigger picture for once instead of their own self-interests. 

With their backs pressed against each other's, they all watched and waited for Eve and Abel. Every minute that passed was excruciating. They could pop out from anywhere at any time. And the dense fog obscuring their surroundings only heightened this feeling. Every rustle in the trees, every sway in the field, made Charlie pause. She could hear the sound of her heart thumping in her chest along with everyone else's labored breathing. They were the only sounds in the otherwise eerie silence.

Just when Charlie thought they'd never appear, a voice hissed from behind them.

"You all just don't know when to quit."

They all spun around just in time to see Abel flying straight toward them, his scythe ready to take a swing at them. But before he could, Adam jumped into the air and collided with him head-on.

"Sorry, son! But quitting isn't part of my vocabulary!" Adam slammed Abel to the ground. Panting, Adam stared down at where he had thrown him, a large, man-sized hole now carved into the dirt. Suddenly, Adam let out a startled yelp as he was tossed into the air by the flick of Eve's tail. 

"It's too late, Adam–" she started to shout when Lucifer snatched her from behind and restrained her into a full nelson.

"Get the fuck off me!" Eve attempted to pry herself free from his clutches. 

"It's been a long time, Eve!" His lips were pulled into a sinister grin. "So we can do this the easy way or the hard way. You decide!"

"She said get off of her!" Abel climbed out of the ground, and lunged at Lucifer. But Lilith stepped forward and opened her mouth and started singing a shrill, haunting melody.

Both Eve and Abel froze for a moment before resuming their current movements. Abel had his scythe raised again and was about to strike Lucifer, but Vaggie blocked the hit with her angelic spear. Like last time, sparks shot out and continued to rain down as Vaggie and Abel kept taking swings at the other.

Lilith's violet eyes went wide. "That should've worked!" She started to sing another melody, this one slower than the last but just as beautiful. 

Nothing happened.

"You overestimated yourself again, bitch!" Eve cackled as she finally got the upper hand and wrapped her body around Lucifer's. He tried to pull her off, but she clung to him tightly, using his own arm to punch himself. 

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" Lucifer growled through each self-inflicted punch.

His question only seemed to make Eve angrier. The smile on her face fell and she bared her fangs into a sneer. "You are not my friend!"

Charlie's gaze flickered to her girlfriend, who was using her spear as a shield from Abel's scythe. He pressed his weight against his blade while Vaggie went on the defensive and used her strength to keep from getting stabbed. The tip was just a few inches from her face. 

But it turned out that was just a distraction. He wasn't actually trying to stab her. While she was focused on his scythe, Abel suddenly backed away. Vaggie obviously hadn't been expecting this, and in her confusion, Abel grabbed her arm and bent it to an unnatural degree. What followed was a loud snap.

She let out a blood-curdling scream as her right arm went limp at her side. Her spear fell from her grip and onto the field, the blade jabbed into the ground.

"VAGGIE!" As soon as Charlie cried out her name, that same pain ripped through her wound. It was so agonizing that Charlie collapsed to her knees and wheezed. Forget transforming into a giant. As long as her throat throbbed, it was all she could think about.

Lucifer broke free and latched onto Eve's tail with his claws and swung her around. Right as he was about to throw her, Abel manifested from behind and slammed into him, forcing him to let go of her.

Everything had happened so fast. Charlie barely had any time to process anything she witnessed. This was proving to be a stalemate. Eve and Abel were almost as strong as Lucifer.

As Charlie and Cain watched the battle in silent horror, she could only think how this confirmed what she had said before. There was no way they could physically beat Eve and Abel. If her father, a former seraphim, was having trouble, then the best they could hope for was to tire them out. Then, they could try reasoning with them.

Right now, Lucifer was choking Abel while Eve desperately tried to tear him off her son. Charlie glanced over at where her mom and girlfriend stood. They seemed to have realized the same thing as they watched with grim expressions on their faces. 

"I said, not to touch my family, you dumb fuck!" Adam returned, covered in scrapes and twigs sticking out of his hair. 

"Yeah, I know!" Lucifer did not take his claws off of Abel's throat. "But what am I supposed to do when they're trying to hurt me and my family?!"

"Now you know how I felt during the last extermination, bitch!" Adam shouted back. 

The familiar fire ignited in Abel's eyes. "You think you've been hurt, Lucifer? Oh, you haven't seen anything yet."

With a hard kick to the shin, Abel shoved Lucifer off of him and headed right for Charlie and Cain. Balling her fists, Charlie prepared for a fight. But Cain stepped in front of her and pushed her behind him. 

"Not you!" Abel tossed his brother to the side with a swipe of his hand. He tumbled in the wheat just a few feet away, but quickly sat back up.

"You!" Abel leered at Charlie and snatched her by the collar of her dress. She tried to tug his fingers off as she felt herself get lifted into the air. In the process, her choker was yanked off of her and it fluttered into the wind before disappearing.

"Abel! Please!" Charlie cried, kicking her feet wildly. "I– I don't want to fight you! We can still resolve this without any violence!"

Abel just ignored her and kept his eyes trained on Lucifer. "Do you remember when you grabbed me by my collar? And dragged me and my mom into the Gates of Hell?"

Lucifer winced. "I do."

"Abel, don't do this!" Adam had his hands up in front of him. "Don't do something stupid that you're going to regret!"

He responded with a low chuckle. "Dad, I've only been dreaming of this moment for thousands of years."

Abel's grip on Charlie loosened, and she fell back to the ground. Before her feet could hit the dirt, he grabbed a fistful of her blonde hair. It was so painful Charlie thought he was going to rip a clump of it out of her scalp.

"NO!" Lucifer's full demonic form came out as he chased after Abel. Adam and Vaggie weren't far behind, zooming through the sky. 

Charlie's face was lowered closer and closer to the ground, and she prepared to taste a mouthful of dirt. 

But to her surprise, she didn't. 

Cain had grabbed onto her dangling legs and rooted himself to the ground, digging in his heels. Lilith emerged behind him and used her strength–along with her tentacles–to rip Abel's death grip off of her daughter. All three of them fell backward into a heap with a groan.

The fire in Abel's eyes burned even hotter. "You think I'm going to give up so easily? After waiting so many centuries? I never leave a job unfinished."

Adam, Lucifer, and Vaggie placed themselves in front of Charlie, who scrambled up to her feet. She helped her mom and Cain up as well, and they all formed a shield around her. 

"You need all four of us to destroy the world," Adam said. "Now, I might hate math, but even I know you're missing a complete set."

"Hm, that's true." Eve slithered over to her son and tapped her chin. "But maybe there's someone worth both you and Cain. Bird in the hand worth two in the bush type of thing."

Before anyone could ask what she meant, Eve and Abel launched another attack. But this one wasn't meant to hurt any of them like previously. Growing to a larger size, Eve started clawing at everyone but Charlie. While everyone else was distracted, this allowed Abel the opportunity to slip in between the wall and dive straight for Charlie.

She shrieked and fell back, trying to evade him. This only seemed to thrill him even more since his flesh melted off his body and that horrible, grinning skull of his returned. 

His pearly white teeth were all she could focus on as Abel entered her body and took possession of it. 

"Charlie!" Lucifer's voice cracked with fear.

Charlie could scarcely hear her dad calling her name as her body shook uncontrollably, and blood started to pour out of her eyes. Whatever coldness she felt when Abel was near was nothing compared to this. This was like a bucket of ice had been injected into her veins and was coursing throughout her bloodstream. The cold was so intense it actually began to burn, and she let out a strangled cry.

Give in. 

"He's going to kill her!" Lilith hobbled over to her daughter and took her hand. "Charlie! Please, you need to resist!"

"Fuck!" Adam swore. "Abel! I know you're a virgin, but that is not how you enter a girl's body!"

If Charlie could use a camera to see what her insides looked like, she imagined tiny icicles forming in her circulation system. She was biting down so hard she could taste blood from the inside of her mouth. It was a wonder she hadn't bitten off her tongue.

Everyone gathered around Charlie, who continued to convulse. She was not going to let him take her over like this. He had already violated her mind. He was not going to do it with the rest of her body. 

Give in. 

"That's it! I'm going to force him out!" Lucifer snarled, his horns sprouting out of his head again. 

"Good luck," Eve taunted in a sing-song tone. "One wrong move, and you might get him stuck in her forever."

Adam's hand shot out and wrapped around Lucifer's pale wrist, holding it firmly. "She's right. You don't know what the fuck you're doing. You'll only make things worse like last time."

GIVE IN.

Lucifer glanced at Charlie and returned to his usual state. "Then... What do I do?"

"Let her fight him off," Adam said. "If there's anyone who can, it's her. She has an iron will."

Lilith and Lucifer exchanged a skeptical look. But when Charlie's back arched up and she screamed, they pinned her arms down. Cain and Vaggie held her legs down, which had been kicking in the air. From the sides of her, her fingers clenched and dug into the soil, getting dirt underneath her fingernails. All the while, Eve continued to laugh as she watched from above.

GIVE UP.

"Come on, hon," Vaggie whispered. "Kick that fucker out."

"You can do this, Charlie," Cain said. "Don't listen to anything he has to say, no matter how much it makes sense!"

GET OUT.

With one final gasp, Charlie's pupils dilated and her eyelids fluttered shut.

Chapter Text

When Charlie opened her eyes again, she wasn't standing in the field like she last remembered. She was in a dark abyss, similar to when she was in a coma. 

But she wasn't alone like before. 

A few feet away, with his back turned, stood Abel. His hood was pulled over his head, so she couldn't see if he was in his skeletal form or human one. 

"I've never encountered someone like you before," he said, still not meeting her curious gaze. "Most people would've given up already. My own brother nearly did." 

With slow, cautious steps, Charlie approached him. "Yeah... Well, I nearly did. But it was your dad who convinced me not to."

Abel turned his head slightly, and she could make out the tan flesh of his profile. "I don't understand. I slit your throat. I stabbed your mom. I nearly killed you both. Don't you hate me?"

Charlie's fingers grazed her throat. "I don't hate you. I don't hate anyone. Even if I wanted to, I can't."

Finally turning around, Abel faced her and focused his attention on where her hand rested. "I just don't understand. I hurt you. Probably permanently. That scar might not ever heal, and you'll have to wear it for the rest of your life. How could you ever want to help someone who did that to you?"

"Because I understand that you're only doing this because you're hurting," she answered. "Your brother murdered you. He stole your future–your life. And that's why you kill off his descendants. But you weren't meant to do that, Abel. Your life... Your purpose isn't to be the bringer of death."

His eyes widened and for a moment, his mouth just hung open in silence. "I don't know what else to do. When I returned back to Earth like this, all I saw was what was stolen from me. People growing old, finding love, and having families. Feelings I had never felt before came to the surface. Hatred for my brother and anyone close to him. Rage that my life ended so short because of him. Envy that he got to live a fulfilled life with love and happiness while I didn't. Grief that our family was destroyed because of him."

At his sides, his hands were clutched into fists, trembling slightly. "Destroying those damned creatures known as Cain's spawn was all I could think about. And with the way they were acting, it just made the job easier."

As Abel spoke, images filled the darkness, like that of a movie screen. Charlie watched and realized these were scenes from different points in human history. Ancient cities lost to the annals of time. Extinct cultures forgotten by human memory. And the ones that had been recorded and studied, they all lived and breathed in front of her as if no time had passed at all.

Charlie gaped in awe at the display surrounding her. She had only read about some of these societies. And here they were, archived in Abel's mind. But with every image that played, they soon turned frightening and graphic as war, disease, famine, and other natural disasters broke out. Sometimes, they were man-made. No random fire or flood had started. Just a group of people who wanted to enact violence on someone else.

"As the population grew, so did my work," Abel continued. "Humans weren't living as long as before. I'm guessing the further away they moved from my parents' perfect genes, diseases and disorders polluted the gene pool. It explains why humans are so much shorter now. But like I said before, humanity made my job easier. In the sense that they were doing my work for me. It's like they were eager to fill themselves with chemicals and other garbage. In the air, in their foods, even in things they knew weren't good for them. And then there were those who willingly sought me."

He suddenly shook his head. "But at the same time, that just meant more work for me to clean up. It was endless. Grueling. Maybe that's why a Grim Reaper needed to exist in the first place just to handle all these dead souls. It was only the fire burning within me–for my brother–that kept me going."

"And you think ending the world is going to lessen that load?" Charlie asked, tearing her gaze away from the violent images that kept playing.

"Yes. That's why we're doing this." The images around them vanished and the vast darkness returned. "Your mother might've wanted a war with the angels to conquer Heaven, but that's not our endgame. While your mom deluded herself into thinking she'd win, we want to lose."

Charlie stumbled backward and held out a hand to steady herself. "Wha– What?"

"We both know we'd never win a fight against the angels. Even if we somehow had your mom, you, your girlfriend, or whoever." Abel paused and gave a weary sigh. "If your dad couldn't even win with his army, what chance do we have?"

Running a hand through her scalp, Charlie had to take a seat just to process everything she had heard. This whole time, Eve and Abel only wanted a war with Heaven to lose? That didn't make any sense. 

Abel must've sensed her confusion since he said, "You might've been right that I wasn't meant to do this. But as long as my brother still lives, so will my pain. So maybe, if we're both gone, I'll finally find peace."

She was starting to understand now. If the world ended and humanity with it, then there wouldn't be a need for Abel or Eve to exist anymore. The Council could start over. A new Earth without chaos and death to plague it.

Charlie saw how they were able to convince Cain to join their side, even if it was temporary. Because if humanity ceased to exist, Cain could finally die with it.

This was just another twist in a long, uneven road filled with them. Right when Charlie thought she knew everything, a curveball had to come in and prove she actually knew nothing. 

Inhaling a deep breath, Charlie said, "I'm so sorry Cain did that to you. I'm sorry my father did this to you. But that's why I'm trying to help you. Why I'm helping your dad. I thought I knew who the heroes and villains of this story were. But Adam showed me people aren't just black and white like I thought. Despite what you've done, I still want you to find peace. This isn't a story with heroes and villains. Just with victims. And you're one of them."

Abel threw back his hood, his intense gaze almost softening. "I had forgotten what it was like to interact with someone other than my mom. Lilith wasn't very nice to talk to."

She couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I completely get that. Probably more than you'd ever know."

They remained quiet for a few seconds until Charlie said, "I bet you have some amazing stories to tell."

He tilted his head at her and gave a faint smile. "Yeah. But no one to share them with."

"I'm here." Charlie's grin widened. "Was there anyone's soul you regretted taking? Or someone you didn't want to, and let them live?" 

A pregnant pause came between them as Abel stayed quiet and cast his eyes to the side. "Yes," he replied. "I might have enjoyed seeing my brother and his descendants suffer. And humanity and yourself think of me as some unfeeling monster, but there was one group I could never get any satisfaction from when I collected their souls."

Charlie's mind whirled with guesses. She figured he would say babies or even young children. But to her surprise, he said,

"Victims of murder."

The initial shock wore off the more she thought about it. Of course. That made so much sense. 

What replaced her surprise was a new wave of grief, similar to the one when she saw Adam's memories. She buried her face in her hands, forcing herself not to cry. 

Her parents really had fucked up. An entire species made to suffer. So many people lost. And for what? Charlie still didn't have an exact answer for why her parents did what they did. At least not one that was satisfying. She had a few guesses, but she wanted a clear answer.

"Charlie?" Abel's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Are you alright?"

She uncovered her face and wiped a stray tear from her eye. "Yeah. I'm fine. I want to know what you'd do– What you felt when you'd have to collect their souls."

"It didn't matter if they were young or old, men or women," Abel spoke barely above a whisper, and Charlie had to strain her ears to hear him. "I couldn't stand to see that happen to anyone. I almost forgot there were other emotions besides hatred and rage and envy, but seeing those tortured and murdered for such a senseless reason, it made me want to cry."

Charlie was so still that it looked like she wasn't even breathing. She held onto his every word in fear of missing any detail. Abel had a gentle, soothing voice, unlike the rest of his family. He would be a great narrator, and if this were some other time, she might've fallen asleep.

"Whenever I'd come across them, I tried to collect their souls as quickly as possible." Abel's former burning stare had simmered to a faint glow. Like that of a dying ember. "They didn't need to suffer anymore. When I finally came for them, they didn't resist like so many others did. In fact, they wanted to find me."

The glint in Abel's eyes told Charlie he was not presently there. He was somewhere else, in some other time and place. 

"But besides collecting the souls of Cain's immediate friends and family, finally being able to collect those who have spilled innocent blood." Abel let out another sigh, and the fire in his eyes returned. "They might've escaped Lady Justice, but they couldn't escape me. And when they saw the faces of those they murdered now standing in front of them, I could practically taste the fear sweating off of them. If I could've, I would have gotten drunk off it."

This was all fascinating to hear, even if it was a little sadistic. But Charlie couldn't deny that such people deserved that at the very least. They shouldn't forget the pain and anguish they caused for their own sadism and cruelty. 

There was a name scratching at the back of her brain while she listened to Abel.

Alastor. 

Yes, he might have had some sort of code when it came to selecting his victims. But he was still a killer. Who also ate his victims. As much as she wanted to ignore those facts, she couldn't. The guilt gnawing at her for associating with someone like him wouldn't let her.

"Whoever said death was the great equalizer was right." Abel smiled to himself. "It didn't matter how much money or power or influence someone had, none of that would save them. It was ironic, really. Those who lusted after death feared me the most. Maybe they knew deep down I would not make it a pleasant experience."

When Abel didn't say anything more, Charlie let her shoulders slump forward and processed everything. Once again, she had been wrong about the man in front of her. 

Charlie's lips upturned into a genuine smile at the thought. "Maybe you're also the patron saint of murder victims."

Abel hummed in agreement. "That sounds much nicer than being the Grim Reaper."

"You know." Charlie rose up to her feet from her crisscrossed position. "There is still one thing I do want to see."

He raised a curious eyebrow at her. "What?"

"I want to see when you died," Charlie said before quickly adding, "Only if you're okay with that, of course."

"Why?" Abel narrowed his eyes and frowned.

"The whole reason I'm here is because my parents lied to me growing up. They told me they were innocent dreamers who accidentally unleashed evil into the world by giving Eve 'free will.' Of course, I found out that wasn't true thanks to your dad." Charlie started pacing around in a circle as she explained herself. "I saw the aftermath when your parents found you. Cain told me why he did it. But I still want to see everything. I need to see everything."

It was one of the last two remaining puzzle pieces for her. The picture was almost complete. But she wouldn't be happy until there wasn't a trace of doubt or an unanswered question left.

Abel looked as if he was considering her words. Eventually, he nodded his head, and a memory of that afternoon played out above her. There was no sound, but Charlie didn't need to hear anything to figure out what was happening. 

A more fresh-faced Cain, one who didn't wear jeans and boots, but animal skins, held out a basket of large, colorful fruits and vegetables to the circle of angels hovering in a field. They exchanged wordless, unimpressed glances with one another before accepting the gift. But when Abel stepped forward and presented a baby lamb, their faces broke out in large smiles. They gathered closer to Abel and marveled at the lamb in his arms. Off to the side, Cain watched, a deep scowl on his face and his arms folded over his chest.

The angels eventually vanished, taking the fruits and vegetables and lamb with them. Abel turned to his brother and waved his hands in excitement as he spoke, his green eyes twinkling. The glare on Cain's face only darkened, and he cut off whatever Abel was saying. He shouted and shook his fist at him, causing Abel to flinch and take a step back. Tears welled in his eyes, and he looked crestfallen. With his back turned, Abel began to walk away, his head hung and a visible lump in his throat. 

Charlie knew what was coming next. When Cain picked up a rock at his feet and chased after his brother, she knew how this ended. 

It didn't make it any less hard to watch. 

At the last second, Abel caught a glimpse of his brother with the rock raised above him before it smashed into the side of his skull.

And that's where the memory finished.

It was like Cain had told her at the bar. Charlie was relieved that at least he didn't lie about that. 

"Cain told me what happened." Charlie's voice wavered with emotion. "He didn't make any excuses for what he did. He knows he messed up. I know you might not believe it, but he's not the same person he used to be."

Abel scoffed and rolled his eyes. "He can keep telling himself that, but I've watched him for thousands of years. I've seen him squander his life so many times. Waste so many opportunities. Hurt so many people."

"I don't doubt that." She was standing as close to him as ever. He could easily grab her if he wanted to, and there wouldn't be much she could do about it. But that was a risk she was willing to take. "I know he's probably done more terrible things since then. He's told me some of them. But right now, he's willing to give up his life if it means saving the rest of humanity."

"I'm sorry, what?" Abel craned his neck to study her closely.

"Yeah, he's agreed to die and go to Hell if you and your mom agree not to end the world," Charlie said. "We worked out a deal with the angels."

"I– How? That isn't possible." It was Abel's turn to start pacing around. "I know my brother! He only thinks of himself and what he could gain from it! He would never sacrifice his life..." he trailed off.

Daring to reach out to him, Charlie placed her hand on his shoulder, and she heard his breath hitch. "I never could understand how my parents could do something so evil and selfish. How could they have loved me and at the same time, destroyed someone's life? How could someone be both good and bad, ugly and beautiful? But then I came on this journey with your dad, and it showed me how both those things could be true. I see that when I look at you."

Abel did not remove her hand like she thought he would. Instead, he leaned in to her touch.

"Abel." Her voice was the strongest it had ever been since getting injured. "I know you don't need me to tell you this. You already know the depravity humanity is capable of. And you also know their compassion and kindness as well. They're fascinating creatures. I'm constantly surprised by them. And despite what you are now, you're still a human. You'll always be."

He broke her stare and glanced off into the abyss. "I understand what you meant earlier. About people being both good and bad, beautiful and ugly. I constantly overestimate them and underestimate them. Even after all this time, do I rarely estimate humanity. And maybe that's why I am so haunted by them. Just as they are by me."

"Then maybe this is your chance to finally be at peace." As Charlie stood next to him, she realized he had shrunk down to the height he was when he was alive. He didn't look as imposing as before. Or maybe it was because she now knew he wasn't anyone to be scared of. "Because let's face it. This job fucking sucks."

"You're just like your mother." His soft tone had turned bitter and the flames in his eyes flickered. "Deluding yourself into thinking the impossible will happen. I'll never be free of this job."

Charlie shrugged, not offended by this. "Maybe. But I've seen a lot of impossible things happen lately. I've seen my mom apologize to Adam. I've seen my parents work together with Adam... I've seen Adam forgive Cain for what he did and tell him he's still his son. And most of all, I've seen Death himself still has a heart."

Abel blinked, and his body went slack. For a second, the green in his eyes returned, and Charlie thought she might've hallucinated it.

"Maybe you'll find the impossible on the other side." Charlie's fingers brushed against his but did not intertwine. "Maybe you'll find a brother ready to apologize and ask for your forgiveness."

A single tear rolled down Abel's cheek. "Okay," was all he said.

His hand grabbed hers, and Charlie was returned to the land of the living. 

Chapter Text

The cold immediately left her body, and with a sputter, Charlie jerked back up. The world in front of her was spinning, but after a few seconds, it stopped and she felt like herself again. Warmth spread throughout her, starting from her chest and reaching the tips of her toes and the top of her head.

"Charlie!" Everyone but Eve exclaimed before drawing closer.

"I'm good. I'm good." She held up her hands to show she was, in fact, okay. 

"What happened?!" Lucifer growled through gritted teeth. "Did he hurt you?! I swear, if that skeletal son of a–"

"Dad, I'm fine!" Charlie interrupted with a poor attempt at a smile. "He didn't do anything to me. We actually had a good conversation."

Everyone blinked and glanced at each other as if they hadn't expected that response. But Charlie didn't pay any attention to their confused looks. All she cared about was the man hovering above next to his mother. Even Eve looked perplexed by this turn of events. She had her head tilted as she stared at him with a deep frown.

"Abel– Whoa!" Charlie nearly lost her balance as she rose to her feet. If Vaggie hadn't been there to steady her, she probably would've slipped.

"I got you, Charlie," Vaggie said.

"Thank you, sweetie." She glimpsed at her girlfriend's arm, and to her surprise, it was no longer hanging limply at her side. "Wait, how–"

Vaggie peered down at her arm and moved it. "Oh, uh, Adam healed it while you were out."

Charlie grinned over at the aforementioned man, who was not so subtly avoiding eye contact. 

Typical Adam.

"As I was saying." She turned to Abel, still keeping the smile on her face. "I believe your brother would like to tell you something."

All eyes landed on Cain, who did a double-take and pointed at himself. "I do?" 

Charlie nodded her head eagerly and gestured for him to step forward. "Go on. You've only been waiting to do this for the past millennia."

"Oh, right. I do." Scratching the back of his head much like his dad did, Cain approached Abel and took a deep breath in. Meanwhile, Abel regarded his brother with obvious skepticism. His glowing eyes were narrowed, and he had his scythe tucked in his arms.

"Abel... little brother," Cain said. "I know this apology is a little too late. And I know it won't make up for what I've done to you."

Abel didn't even blink as he listened to Cain's apology. His stance and expression remained exactly the same, and Charlie feared this might not end like she wanted. 

"But there isn't a day I don't think of what I did. Of how I hurt you. All of you." Cain turned to his parents, his amber eyes gleaming with tears. "I put you through so much pain. It's my fault our family was destroyed. It wasn't supposed to be like this, and I wish I could take it back. I was selfish and angry and stupid. And I... I'm willing to do anything to make things right."

He turned his attention back to his brother, his voice starting to tremble. "I know you'll probably never forgive me. Hell, most people wouldn't. I'm not standing here, expecting that or for you to say it's okay. I'm saying this because no one else needs to get hurt because of me. But if my death can wash away that pain... If it means we can one day be brothers again, then I'll gladly die a thousand times over."

"Cain!" Adam exclaimed, but Cain shook his head and continued to speak even though it was barely above a whisper. 

"And I'll take whatever bullet or blade you throw my way. Heaven knows I deserve it." The tears flowing down his cheeks were never-ending, but he did not lose his composure. "I'm sorry I couldn't have been a better brother in life. But I promise, I will be one in death."

Charlie could hardly breathe as she listened to Cain's apology. It seemed like everyone had become motionless, even the Earth itself. Not even a breeze blew by.

Her gaze flickered over to Abel, who had dropped his arms and shut his eyes. But even with his eyes closed, she could still see the tears gathered along his eyelashes and the visible lump in his throat.

"Even after all this time, I still can't estimate you." Abel chuckled to himself beneath his breath. His eyes fluttered open, and he lowered his scythe.

Cain used the back of his hand to wipe his tears. "What?"

Using his wings, Abel flew closer to Cain with a newfound smile on his face. "I was wrong about you. The brother I once knew wouldn't have agreed to sacrifice his life for others. Much less his comfort for someone else. You are different now."

"Abel, I– I–" Cain stammered and tried to take a step back, but Abel didn't let him. He reached for his hand and held it.

"Cain." This was the first time Abel had spoken his name, at least that Charlie knew of. This caused the redhead to freeze in place and gape at his brother, who was at eye level with him. 

"I would very much like to be brothers again. Whether that's in life or death."

Everyone watching inhaled a sharp breath, Adam's the sharpest of them all. Even Eve, who had been unusually silent, had tears streaming down her face as she looked on. If there was any time Charlie wished she could read minds, it was right now. She would've loved to hear what Adam and Eve were both thinking. 

As for her, she could scarcely believe her ears. Had she understood correctly? Did Abel mean that he didn't want to kill his brother anymore? Did he forgive him?

Any lingering doubt was erased when Abel pulled Cain into a tight embrace. Cain started to weep again, more loudly and uncontrollably now. "Thank you," he said in between sobs.

This time, Charlie didn't miss the sigh from the Earth. She glanced around, trying to figure out where the sound came from. No one else seemed to notice, and she wondered if she had imagined it.

"Wow," Vaggie muttered. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"I don't think any of us did," Lilith agreed. 

Charlie shifted her attention to her parents, not sure what she was expecting. But whatever it was, it wasn't this. Their eyes were the widest she had ever seen them and their mouths were agape. Her dad, who was known to always say what was on his mind, was left speechless. 

"You are such a pansy now." Abel patted his brother's back and snickered. "But I guess that's better than being an edge lord."

"How the hell do you know what that word means?" Cain laughed as he finally let go of Abel. 

Abel shrugged. "After watching humanity for so long, you do pick up a few things. Although I'll never understand why the Greek alphabet became so popular recently. Why is everyone calling each other 'alpha' and 'sigma'?"

"Boys." Adam stepped between the brothers with the biggest grin on his face, resting a hand on each of their shoulders. "I think it's time we wrap this up and go home. What do ya say?"

Cain glimpsed at his brother. "So have the people stopped dying? At least from all these disasters we caused?"

"Yes, the death toll has been paused," Abel said. "And I would very much like to go home, even if it is Hell. At least we can fuck Lucifer while there. We can fuck him so hard he won't get up from the ground!"

Everyone cringed and stared at Abel in horror and dismay, none more so than Lucifer himself. In fact, he was practically shaking.

Adam smacked his forehead with his palm. "Damn it, Abel! It's fuck him up! I swear to Heaven, PLEASE don't ever try to be hip again!"

"No, no, no," a voice suddenly cried out above them. "NO! NO! NO!"

It was Eve and she was digging her nails into the sides of her arms. Her red curls swung furiously in the air as she shook her head. 

"Abel, this isn't part of the plan! You can't do this!" she screeched. "You can't just abandon me!"

"Mom–" Abel tried to say, but she refused to hear him. She just kept on shouting.

"Don't you remember why we're doing this?!" Eve tugged at the ends of her hair. "This is our last chance! We're so close! We can finally get our peace! Our souls can finally rest!"

"Eve," Adam said firmly. "Throwing a tantrum like how Cain used to is loser behavior. And I didn't marry no loser! We're not going back to Hell without our favorite vocalist. It's already been decided. So quit your crying and let's go!"

"Yeah, Mom." Cain stood beside his dad and brother and smiled. "We're waiting for you."

"No! I– I–" Eve held her hands against her head and gnashed her fangs. "You're traitors! How can you work with the Morningstars?! How can you trust them?! After what they did?!"

"I don't trust the Morningstars." Abel frowned and floated closer to his mom. "But I trust Dad. And that's good enough for me."

Adam exchanged a tender glance with his youngest son and the tears that had been collecting in his eyes finally fell. "Thank you, son."

She threw her head back and let out a shrill, maniacal laugh. "I can still do this! Even without you all! I'm still the Bringer of Chaos! I don't need you!" 

All around them, the wind picked up to a dangerous degree. Eve's hair rose with it and her eyes gleamed impossibly bright. The red veins running along her skin also glowed, making them look like ancient marks tattooed on her face. 

"Did you forget I could still possess you, sweet pea?!" Eve cackled as she dove for Cain. But before she could reach him, Adam swooped in front of him and used his wing to shield him. 

"No, the fuck you're not!" Adam shot her a severe, imposing glower.

Eve took several gasping breaths as if she were on the verge of a panic attack. "Well, there's always the Morningstar brat! And this time, I'll be sure she doesn't wake up!"

She turned her rage on Charlie, who raised her hands in surrender and stumbled back. But to Charlie's relief and surprise, Abel placed himself between her and Eve. 

"You won't be able to possess her," he stated. "I tried, but she's unlike any soul I've ever encountered."

The wind abruptly stopped, and the ground began to quake. "Then there's always that bitch!" Eve pointed a talon at Lilith. Large cracks formed into the dirt, snaking their way towards the Queen of Hell. "I could make her bleed out from every deflowered hole in her body! I could make her puke out her guts!"

"The only one allowed inside Lilith's body is me." Lucifer appeared next to Lilith with a smirk and lifted her into his arms, much to Charlie's embarrassment. 

"Dad..." she groaned into her hands. "I know you're trying to help, but you really didn't need to say that."

If Eve's eyes could spin in every direction, Charlie was sure that would be happening right now. She clutched at her throat and kept whispering to herself. "Nononono. This can't be happening."

"Eve." Lucifer's stern voice made her flinch. "It's over. You need to go back to Hell where you belong."

He raised his fingers and began to draw out a portal, but Eve took a swipe at his hand with her claw and hissed. "Don't tell me what to do! Everything that comes out of your mouth is a fucking lie! You and your spawn might've tricked my family, but you won't trick me again! You won't make me lose out on this one last chance of happiness!"

While Eve had been trying to possess each human or human-like being, she failed to notice how everyone else had enclosed her in a circle. Wherever she turned, she was faced with a steely glare in return. 

The Earth had stopped its tremors, and now a thunderstorm had materialized in the sky above. Thunder crashed like cymbals, and lightning crackled through the dark clouds. But before even a drop of rain could fall, the storm disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. The volcano in the distance started to spew lava and ash out again. 

"What is happening?" Vaggie furrowed her brows. 

As if to answer her, Eve opened her mouth and shrieked. Her cry was so powerful, so intense that it made everyone else cover their eardrums. 

"Fuck! That was right in my ear!" Adam clutched the side of his head. "She never screamed like that with me! And thank the angels because I would've gone fucking deaf!"

"Ugh! Adam! Now's not the time!" Lilith rolled her eyes. "Luci! Draw the portal, and we can get her inside!"

"Right!" As Lucifer held up his hand again, flames shot out of his fingertips and spiraled into a portal much like the one back on the beach. 

At the sight of this, Eve let out one last hiss before pushing past Cain and slithering into the surrounding forest where she disappeared. 

Chapter Text

Charlie didn't even hesitate to start running towards the forest. Her long legs were already sprinting across the field, trampling the wheat beneath her feet like paper. All she could focus on was reaching Eve, wherever she went.

"Charlie!" her dad cried from behind. The portal he created was still open and still emitting smoke. "Where are you going?!"

"I have to find her!" she replied without missing a beat. There was more she wanted to say, but it was between saving her energy for her sprint or wasting it on words, and she chose the former. 

"Not without me, you're not, princess!" Adam soared above her, his hands outstretched like a superhero.

"It'll be dangerous to go alone." Abel twirled and twisted through the air next to his dad.

"We didn't make it this far to just abandon you!" Cain caught up to her, matching her speed with the ease and grace she lacked. He made this run look like an afternoon jog compared to her, who looked like a newborn giraffe learning to trot.

Charlie could only stare back in awe and gratitude at her allies. But when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her from behind and lift her, a lovestruck smile spread over her face. She didn't need to turn her head to know who they belonged to.

"Vaggie!" Charlie beamed up at her girlfriend. 

"We can't have you tired out and gasping for breath, hon." Vaggie raised a playful eyebrow. "Not before you redeem the Bringer of Chaos."

The smile on Charlie's face widened, and warmth bloomed across her cheeks. Although she knew Vaggie completely supported her idea for redemption now, it still felt good to hear it from her lips. 

She could do this. 

The five of them entered the opening of the woods, but Eve was nowhere in sight. There was nothing but the large, thick trunks of the trees, which seemed to grow up into eternity. No sounds echoed through the forest. No birds chirping. No creek running. Not even an insect buzzing could be heard.

It was eerie, to say the least. 

"Adam, can you sense her?" Charlie asked once Vaggie set her down. 

He shook his head. "No."

"I can," Abel spoke up. "She's northeast of here. Just a few yards away."

"Okay." Charlie took a deep breath in. "I'm going to go talk to her. You guys stay here–"

"What?!" Adam's loud squawk disrupted the stillness of the forest. "No fucking way! I'm part of this too, Charlie!"

"Adam's right," Vaggie said.

"Fucking thank you!" he exclaimed, throwing his hand in the air. 

Vaggie shook her head at his outburst. "Not only are we part of this, but what if she tries to hurt you? She's clearly not stable."

Abel narrowed his eyes at her. "Don't talk about my mom that way, you ugly, one-eyed hag."

"Ha!" Adam burst out laughing. "Good one, son! Stability is overrated anyway."

"Nah, it's true." Cain glanced at his dad and brother. "Stable is the last word I'd use to describe us. We're fucking insane."

"My point is," Vaggie continued through gritted teeth, her patience clearly wearing thin. "Charlie going to face the Bringer of Chaos alone is a bad idea. We don't know how Eve will react."

"That's why I want you all to stay behind," Charlie explained. "When I encountered Adam back in Hell, when he was cast down, if everyone would've come with me, it would've scared him off!"

"But what if she doesn't want you to listen?" Adam argued. "I know you think you can solve this by talking things out and sharing your feelings, but like Vaggie said, she's unstable as fuck!"

Charlie didn't miss how Adam pronounced Vaggie's name correctly, but chose not to comment on it. "If she's truly a part of you, she's going to want someone to listen. Just like you did."

Adam faltered and had no sarcastic comeback, and Charlie knew he knew she was right.

"Just trust me on this. I know what I'm doing. Kinda... Hopefully." She wasn't sure if the grin on her face was convincing or not. Based on their frowns, she guessed her words didn't inspire much confidence. 

Vaggie suddenly placed a gentle hand on Charlie's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. "If anyone does, it's you. But if you need us, we'll be right here, waiting."

With one last glimpse at the group, Charlie trudged through the woods, her arms wrapped around herself protectively. Despite what she told them, there was still that nagging voice that doubted whether she could do this. Yes, she had gotten through to Adam, Cain, and Abel. But there was still that chance this wouldn't work with Eve. 

Pushing down that doubt, Charlie reminded herself that she hadn't come this far just to give up. She would at least try to help Eve see reason. 

The sound of someone crying interrupted her thoughts. It was soft, and Charlie could tell it belonged to a woman. She followed the sobs for a few seconds until she came across their source.

Up ahead, sitting beneath a tall redwood tree on a log, was Eve. She had her back turned to Charlie, and her head was lowered. Charlie tried to be as quiet as possible as she approached her, but she stepped on a fallen branch, and it snapped in two. The noise startled Eve, and she immediately turned around. 

"Wait!" Charlie held a hand out when she saw Eve prepared to slither off again. "Please, don't leave. I just want to talk." 

"What is there to talk about?" Eve sniffled. "There's nothing you have to say that I want to hear."

"That's fair," Charlie replied. "But you have a lot to say that I want to hear."

Eve must had not been expecting that answer since she shifted her gaze and swallowed the visible lump in her throat. When she didn't respond, Charlie took a few more cautious steps and pointed to the log beside Eve.

"May I sit here?"

She nodded silently and wrung her hands together. Charlie took a seat and stared up at the tree in front of them. It was so tall she couldn't even see the top of it, even when she tilted her head back. 

"Why are you doing this?" Eve asked after a few minutes of silence. 

Charlie hadn't planned on saying anything and was content with just sitting there in blissful quietness. She had forgotten what it was like to just be still with all the non-stop chaos that had been going on. But now that Eve had decided to talk, she figured it was only polite she responded. 

"Because I know what my parents did to you and Adam." Charlie's shoulders slumped forward as she sighed. "And someone needs to make it right."

The rage in Eve's eyes reignited. "That's what I was trying to do... Until you had to ruin it! You and your parents ruined my life! My family's lives! You all made me lose out on paradise! You will not let me lose out on this!" Her voice cracked. "At least let me have this."

"This... Being ending the world?" Charlie frowned. 

Eve nodded her head again, this time much more sadly. "I'm so, so tired. And I just want it to end. All of this. When your mom first came to me on Earth, I didn't want to hear anything she had to say. But your mom wouldn't take no for an answer, the persistent bitch. And while she kept yapping, I realized this might be our only way out. My only way to see my family again and reunite them even if it was in nothingness."

She paused and wrapped her arms around her chest, huddling into herself. "I thought there wasn't anyone I couldn't hate more than your parents or the angels, or even the rest of humanity. But the truth is, there's no one I hate more than myself."

"Eve..." Charlie wanted to reach out and touch her, but knew it wouldn't be a smart idea. But this woman deserved a hug. 

"Yeah, your parents might've offered me the apple. But it was me who decided to eat the apple. Who gave it to Adam, knowing he would eat it too." Eve stared off into the distance as if she was in deep thought. "Cain would've never killed Abel if I hadn't listened to Lucifer and Lilith. I wouldn't have lost two sons on the same day!"

Her voice wavered, and she started to cry again. "When Lucifer pushed me out through the Gates of Hell, I saw the depravity humanity had fallen into. It was disgusting. But I couldn't blame them. Not fully. Destroying humanity is my cross to bear. It always has been. And the rest of humanity knows it, too. I'm the one who's been blamed for centuries for why they're not living in paradise. Not Adam. Not even Lucifer... And they're not wrong. Despite what I try to tell myself, how much I try to convince myself that humans are awful, miserable creatures, I'm just as human as the rest of them."

Eve regained her composure and shook her head. "You said you want to make this right, Charlie? This is my way of making things right. With no humanity left to torment, there won't be a purpose for us. Cain will finally get to die. Abel won't have to do this sorry excuse for a job anymore. And I'll finally be able to rest. No more pain. No more misery. Nothing but sweet, eternal darkness. It's no wonder why humans hurt and torture and kill each other. Why they're so damaged. Because if the Mother of Humanity is too..."

She didn't finish her train of thought. But Charlie didn't need to hear it to guess what the end of that sentence was. Cain had said something similar. Hell, even Adam had. 

"I used to wonder why I ended up in Hell," Eve muttered to herself. "But I knew the answer. I just didn't want to admit it. It's why no matter where I go, no matter what I look like, this will always be my punishment. Whether in Hell or on Earth, I'll never escape what I've done."

A gentle breeze blew by and the leaves in the trees shifted. It was the only sound between them for a few minutes until Charlie said, 

"When Adam got kicked out of Heaven, I was the first one to find him. I saw his memories and why he became the way he was. I thought he was the biggest victim in all this, but I see I was wrong."

Eve tilted her head at her, her long curls blowing with the wind. Charlie met her sorrowful gaze and grazed the wound on her throat with her fingers out of habit. 

"You're the one who's suffered the most, Eve. From day one, you were made as a replacement for my mother. Then my parents got you kicked out of Eden for their own revenge. You and Adam had to struggle in a hostile environment you weren't made for. And then you had to watch as Cain murdered his brother and got banished for it. Your marriage to Adam fell apart because whose marriage would survive something like that? And then when you died, you were sent to live with the very people who caused all this in the first place."

The woman beside her trembled and blinked the last remaining tears out of her eyes. Yet, she didn't say anything. Though it looked like she very much wanted to. 

"You weren't made to torment humanity for eternity. You made a mistake, something humans do. But that doesn't mean you should be punished for it for the rest of your life," Charlie said. "I am sorry you were dealt such an unfair hand. I can only ask that one day you can forgive. Not just me or my parents, but everyone. The angels, Adam, your children, and the rest of mankind. Hell might not be the place you belong, but I promise I will grant you the same protection I did for Adam. You and your family can live there in peace and away from everyone."

Eve inhaled a deep breath and started clenching and unclenching her fists in front of her. "It's not just that, though... Being in Hell would just remind me of everything I've done. All those people I helped kill, not just once. But twice! Hell is forever, and if it's like I remember, it sucks!"

Charlie could tell Eve was on the verge of a panic attack as she started breathing heavily. She reached out to calm her down, but right as her hand brushed against her back, another voice spoke from behind them.

"You're not wrong there, babe."

Both Charlie and Eve spun around and saw Adam approaching them from out of the tree line. He wore a tender smile on his face, and there was a misty glint in his eyes. 

"Adam?!" Eve brought her hands up to her mouth and gasped. "How– How much of that did you hear?"

"I heard enough." He walked past Charlie as if she wasn't even there, keeping his gaze locked on his wife.

"So that means you heard I deliberately gave you the apple so you could eat it..." Eve looked as if she was about to burst into tears again. "I should've told you sooner. I'm sorry–"

"Shh." He placed his hand against her wet cheek and caressed it. "I've known for a while. Lucifer showed me what happened in Hell with you and Abel."

"All this time... You knew?" Eve blinked. 

Adam nodded his head and the soft look in his eyes only grew.

"Then." Eve pushed his hand away. "Why are you here? Why would you even want to be with me?"

"Because I love you," he said simply. "I've always loved you. And you'd have to stop the world to stop that feeling. And even then, I think somewhere out in the universe, a part of me would remain still loving you."

The bottom of Eve's lip quivered, and tears welled in her eyes again. "Adam, you don't deserve someone like me as your wife. You're just saying this because that's who you are, but if you saw what happened in the garden with Lucifer, you wouldn't want me."

Adam's smile quirked up into a smirk. "Oh yeah? Try me."

Charlie, who had been observing the conversation in silence, finally decided to speak. "I've been wanting to know what happened with my dad and you in Eden. So if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to see it too. Please."

Eve wiped the tears from her lashes. "It's something I've never shared with anyone. I've kept it buried inside me all these years, hoping time would heal it. It never did."

"I was the same way with my own pain." Adam glanced at Charlie and gave her a knowing look. "Until someone took the time to listen."

He seized Eve's hand between his own, one on top of the other. "And that's what I should've done when we were still alive. I'm sorry I shut down and retreated into my own grief. Eve, I'm sorry I wasn't the husband you needed at the time. I'm sorry I made our loss all about me. But I promise, this time, I will do better if you let me."

The smile on Charlie's face had never been wider than at this moment. Once a person who never would've listened to anyone but himself, Adam was now someone who grew into someone worthy of the title as First Man, First Husband, and First Father. 

He truly was the Father of Humanity. 

It looked as if it was taking all Eve's effort not to burst out crying again. Her wrath had all but disappeared, as did her grief. Even despite all the physical changes, she looked almost human again.

"Give me your hand." Eve outstretched her palm towards Charlie. Thinking she had had misheard, Charlie hesitated. But when she saw Adam and Eve both looking at her expectantly, she realized Eve really did want to hold her hand.

Slowly, Charlie lifted her hand, her fingers intertwining with Eve's as the final piece of this long, complicated puzzle was revealed.

Chapter Text

The sun was at its highest point in the sky, warming Eve's skin as she basked in its light. In the distance, doves cooed, their lovely melodies filling the silence. She had been collecting the fruits and vegetables that fallen to the ground, and was almost finished. 

The whole time, all she could think about was Adam. He had just shown her something amazing! Music! She never knew her or Adam could produce such beautiful sounds. Not just with the instruments, but with their own mouths!

She couldn't wait to hear Adam sing. She imagined that when he sang, all of Eden would stop and listen. The animals would probably gather around him and stare at him in awe.

Like she often did.

Adam was so talented and smart. He knew so much about everything, and he constantly taught her something new. She loved how he was always so patient and caring with her. When she was with him–which was often–those were her favorite moments. Not even the sun's warmth or the sweetest fruit in all of Eden could compare to the way Adam made her feel. When she wasn't with him like right now, she would eagerly await for when they'd be together again.

"Eve," a soft voice whispered from nearby.

Eve paused and wondered who had said her name. It didn't sound like one of the angels, and she knew it wasn't Adam. 

"Eve," it repeated. 

"Who's there?" She glanced around but saw no one. 

"Over here, sweet Eve," the voice hissed. 

She followed it, curious who it could be. Their voice was gentle and pleasing to the ear much like the music her and Adam had created. But when she came upon the large tree, she came to a halt. 

"Do not be frightened, precious Eve," the voice said. "I have only something wonderful to share with you."

Eve noticed a pale white serpent slithering around one of the branches, staring straight at her. Was this who had been speaking to her? But that couldn't be...

"Yes, it was me." The serpent crept closer to her and dangled its head from the branch. Its eyes were a deep red like the apples that grew from this tree. 

Taking a half step back, Eve gaped at the creature in amazement. This was the first time she had ever encountered a talking animal. She didn't even know they existed. "How are you able to speak?" 

"I ate from this tree and gained the ability to speak," it answered. "Isn't that incredible?" 

"It is!" Eve exclaimed. "I must show Adam–"

"Wait." The serpent silenced her. "You can show him, but not yet. I want to speak to you first. I have been watching you for some time, and I felt sad for you. But I had no way to tell you. But then I tasted the apples that grew on this tree, and suddenly, I could speak! I knew I could tell you now everything I had been wanting to say."

Unable to understand what the serpent was saying, Eve tilted her head. "Sad for me? What do you mean? What is sad?"

"It means the opposite of happy. Or the absence of happiness." The serpent was now only inches away from Eve's face as it hovered over her from the branch. "It is what Adam was after Lucifer and Lilith left."

"Oh," was all Eve said. She knew Adam never talked about what happened with Lucifer and Lilith, and she never pushed him to. But he did finally mention Lucifer's name today, and she thought he might finally talk about them. But he quickly moved on with the subject. "But is that not why I was created? So he would no longer be sad?" 

The serpent nodded its head. "You were, and that is why I feel sad for you. Because you will never erase that sadness within him. I have been here from the beginning, and I saw everything that happened with him and Lucifer and Lilith."

With a flick of its tail, the serpent pointed to a nearby pool and Eve peered into it. As she did, images suddenly appeared in front of her in the crystal clear water. 

"They were the most beautiful creatures to have ever existed, and Adam loved them deeply. Lilith had hair the color of gold and skin so fair like the sand on the beach. Her eyes were as blue as the sky's in the morning. She was made of the same dust as Adam, and when he saw her, it was love at first sight. She equaled him in height, making her the perfect partner, " the serpent described in vivid detail. And as he did, Eve watched in astonishment as the images reflected that of which he said. She had never seen what Lilith looked like, but now that she did, she understood why Adam had been sad. Lilith had been beautiful and looked so much unlike Eve in every way. 

"As for Lucifer, he was Heaven's brightest and most exquisite angel. Wherever he went, he spread happiness. He taught everything Adam knows today. He taught him the gift of music. While Lilith had been Adam's wife, Lucifer was his best friend," the serpent said, and Eve saw a new image manifest before her. It was of an angel, a magnificent angel that Eve had never seen before. He had six wings like some of the other angels and was smaller compared to them. But what he lacked in height, he made up for in appearance. It was like the serpent had described. Wherever Lucifer went, he made people laugh and smile with his joy. 

And that included Adam.

The pool swirled, and images of Adam singing and playing with Lucifer and Lilith materialized. His smile was the biggest Eve had ever seen, and his eyes gleamed like emeralds in the sunlight. 

He looked so happy.

The images faded, and Eve was left with nothing but her own reflection staring back at her. She brought her hand up to the curls framing her face and examined them in the water. Why wasn't her hair straight and silky like Lilith's? Why was it red like the apples instead of golden like the sunrise? 

She dropped her locks of hair and moved her fingers over her face, pressing down on her cheeks. Why wasn't her skin as light as Lilith's had been? Why were Lilith's features more angular and hers more round?

The serpent seemed to read her thoughts as it pointed out her many traits. 

"It is not your fault you have skin the color of the dirt. Or eyes the color of the sap that oozes out of the trees," it said with a sigh. "You were created to be the replacement for Lilith. The angels could not replicate perfection twice. But that is why I am here. If you eat from this tree, you'll be everything Adam loved about Lucifer and Lilith."

Eve shuffled away from the pool and looked at the serpent. It was still coiled around the same branch, and had its head lifted toward one of the closest apples hanging above as if it was reaching for it.

"I was told we are not allowed to eat from this tree," she said, huddling into herself. "The angels told us we could eat from any tree except this one."

"Why do you think they told you not to eat from this tree?" The serpent turned its attention to Eve and held her gaze. "They do not want you to overcome your limitations. They know if you were to eat, you would become like them. You would be as beautiful and perfect as Lucifer a himself. Not even Adam can say that. He would adore you. He would worship you."

She shifted her weight on her feet. Was this true? Was that the reason the angels told her and Adam not to eat from the tree? It would make sense. Everything the serpent was saying was starting to overwhelm her. She wasn't sure what to believe anymore.

"I should go back with Adam... He's waiting for me." She began to back away from the tree but the serpent suddenly dropped from the tree. It landed on the grass with a soft thud before slithering up to her. 

"Eve, you love Adam, do you not? Do you not want to be your best self for him? Is that not what he deserves?"

"Yes, he does." Eve fiddled with her hair. "But Adam loves me for who I am already. I was made to be his equal. The angels said so."

But the serpent did not back down, asinstead twisted itself around Eve's feet. "Then why were you created much shorter than him?" 

"I–"

"Why were you created from his rib instead of the Earth like Lilith was?" The serpent now brushed along her ankles, its scaly body surprisingly warm. "Why do you not look like him if you were made from him?"

Eve did not know how to respond to that. It had never crossed her mind why she wasn't Adam's height or made from the dust like him until today.

"You poor creature," the serpent hissed again. "If Adam loved you as you say, why did he not sing for you when you asked? Just as he sang for Lilith."

The serpent crawled over to where the pool was, and Eve followed. She looked into the water again and observed Adam and Lilith sitting together, both of them playing an instrument and singing along. Up until now, the images had been silent. But she could hear Adam's voice carry through the air as if he was right beside her. It was breathtakingly beautiful and beyond any other sound she had heard. 

Eve felt her shoulders slump as she continued to watch. It was true he had never sung for her. And she wondered if he'd ever sing for her like he did with Lilith. 

In a blink of an eye, a ripple came over the pool and the image changed to one of Adam alone. He sat on the beach, watching the waves crash onto the shore. All the previous joy that had been on his face was gone. There was no smile on his lips or twinkle in his eyes like before. He looked... sad.

"I am only trying to help you, Eve." The serpent glided away from the pool and back toward the tree. "You never had a chance. Being Adam's second wife, it was unfair of the angels to think you could ever replace what he lost on your own."

Climbing up the trunk, the serpent reached for an apple and plucked it into its mouth. It lowered itself toward Eve as it handed her the fruit. Reluctantly, she took it into her palms and stared at it.

Seemingly sensing her hesitation, the serpent sighed again. "Fill the void that Lucifer and Lilith left in Adam's heart. Become everything they ever were and Adam will never be sad again."

Eve didn't want Adam to be sad ever again. He didn't deserve that. After everything he had gone through, he only deserved the best like the serpent said.

And if tasting the apple meant Adam would always be happy, then Eve would gladly take a bite.

As she pressed the fruit to her lips, Eve didn't miss how the serpent's red eyes glowed and its tongue flickered in anticipation. With a loud crunch, she bit into the fruit and chewed it. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it tasted like a regular apple. There was nothing unique or different about its flavor.

After she swallowed it, a deep pit started to form in her stomach. She clutched her throat as she struggled to breathe. Oh no, what had she done? This was a mistake! She shouldn't have eaten from this tree! What was she thinking?

The serpent chuckled from above her. "Looks like you'll have to convince Adam to eat it as well. Otherwise, you might be joining Lilith out there in the wilderness. But Adam might not want to have your life spared. After all, you'd be the second wife to leave him."

Eve felt like all the contents in her stomach were going to rise up and spill out of her. "But that would be wrong!"

The creature seemed to shrug despite not having shoulders. "Then I suppose Adam will soon be getting a third wife..."

The apple in her hand nearly fell to the ground as she trembled. Tears welled in her eyes, making her vision blurry. She needed to leave. Get away from this serpent. But her legs refused to move. She was completely frozen.

"Poor Eve." The serpent began to slither down the tree. "You want to know if Adam truly loves you? If he does, then he won't hesitate to eat what you offer him. You promised to be by his side for all time. Will he do the same for you? Maybe. But then again, he didn't follow Lilith into the wilderness."

She glanced down at the bitten apple in her grasp. Of course, Adam loved her. The irony was not lost on her that it took eating this apple to finally realize this. 

But what if he didn't follow her? What if he refused to eat and left her to the wilderness? 

To die?

What if he wanted a third wife? 

No. She refused to think like this. She would convince him to eat the fruit. Of course, she wouldn't tell him everything that happened. She'd have to bend the truth a little, but she was sure she could get him to eat. 

The serpent had already disappeared behind a growth of shrubs. She hadn't realized it until now, but the world had gone silent when she had been with the serpent. All the sounds of Eden returned, and Eve was alone again with nothing but her thoughts. 

With one final glance at the tree, Eve gripped the apple in her clammy palm before she went in search of her husband.

Chapter Text

Much like before with Adam's memories, Charlie and Adam returned to the present and remained motionless for several seconds. Eve had let go of their hands and turned her back on them, her eyes downcast. 

Adam was the first to break his stupor. "Eve–"

"I'll understand if you take back what you said earlier," she muttered. "I won't blame you if you do."

"Why the fuck would I do that?" he demanded. 

Eve instantly spun around and gasped. "I– I made you fall! I knew it was wrong and I still did it! Were you not paying attention?!"

"Yeah!" Adam flew directly in her face and gripped her by the shoulders. "And were you not paying attention to what I said?! I love you! And I'm not going to stop loving you over something like that! Me and you were made for each other! If I didn't leave you after what happened with Cain and Abel, I'm not leaving you now!"

She sputtered in response. "But– But I've done so many bad things since! I nearly ended the world!"

Adam just shrugged his shoulders. "I led the exterminations against human souls for millennia. Heaven knows I ain't no fucking saint."

"You still don't deserve to be in Hell! If anyone should be in Heaven, it's you!" Eve tried to argue, shaking her head.

"Well too fucking bad! I'm in Hell whether we like it or not!" Adam reached out and caressed Eve's cheek. "Some fucker once said, 'the mind can make a Heaven of Hell, and a Hell of Heaven.' Usually, I wouldn't listen to this asshole, but I think he got this one right. I might've been in Heaven, but without you or our boys, it was Hell. You and our family are my Heaven, and it doesn't matter where I am. As long as you're with me, I'll always have a piece of paradise."

Even from where she stood, Charlie could see the tears in Eve's eyes. She immediately slithered into Adam's arms and wrapped him in a tight hug. 

"I never thought you'd forgive me," she whispered into his ear. "You were always the husband I needed and I'm sorry I couldn't be the wife you needed back on Earth. You deserved so much better."

Adam returned her embrace. "We both made mistakes. But you were always the wife I needed and wanted. If anything, it should be you who doesn't want me."

Eve released him from her hug and looked at him curiously. "Why would you say that?"

He rubbed the back of his head with his hand and averted his gaze. "Look, it's only fair I tell you since you were honest with me... But I may have had relationships with other women while in Heaven...."

At that moment, Charlie mentally face-palmed. Yes, she was proud of Adam for being honest and not lying to Eve when he could've easily done so. But at the same time, they had just reconciled! He couldn't have picked a worse time to say this!

A flash of anger briefly crossed Eve's face before she settled back to her usual self. "Did you love any of these women?" 

"NO! Of course not! They were just flings!" He seized her by the shoulders again. "You thought I would never fill that void inside me? Well, you were right! But it wasn't because of Lucifer and Lilith leaving me! It was because of you, Eve! Even after all this time, I don't want no third wife. I only want you!"

Adam shut his eyes and crashed his lips against Eve's. She remained frozen for a few seconds, as if she hadn't been expecting him to do this. But then she slowly moved her arms behind his neck, deepening the kiss. 

Another sigh was heard by Charlie, but she brushed it off, too preoccupied with the touching display in front of her.

"Wow, Dad," a voice with a familiar twang said from behind them. "I never knew you could be this eloquent. Where was this side of you when we first reunited?"

Adam, Eve, and Charlie all turned around and saw Cain and Abel approaching them with big smiles on their faces. 

"Bitch, I've always had this side to me!" Adam put his hand on his hip and glared at Cain. 

"Ah, there's the old man I know." Cain grinned at his father. "Was beginning to get worried there for a second."

"When we get back to Hell, I'm grounding your ass!" Adam pointed a finger at him. "Don't think just because you're thousands of years old, I won't fucking do it!"

"Adam." Eve's tone became serious. 

"What?!" He crossed his arms over his chest, growing defensive. "I'm still his dad! That won't ever change no matter where we're at!"

"It's not that." She grabbed a hold of his hand and interlocked it into her smaller one. "I'm not upset with you for having relationships with other women. I can't be. I understand how lonely it gets. I've had no one but our son to talk to for thousands of years! So how do you think I feel?"

"Well, then I guess we're going to have to make up for lost time." A sly look came over Adam's face as he pulled Eve close and linked his arm around her. A bright red blush spread across her cheeks and she let out a small squeak. 

"Adam, look at me. I look hideous! I'm practically a monster." She gestured to herself sadly. "I'm not the woman I used to be."

Adam shrugged again. "And? You're still the hottest sinner I've seen, babe. You should see some of the souls down there. Some look like fucking TVs! Fucking bugs! I even saw one that looked like a cactus! A cactus, Eve!" 

She parted her mouth to say something, but Adam suddenly leaned in, only inches from her face. "Plus, I want to see what that tongue can do."

Eve's face lit up before she started kissing Adam again, this time more intensely and with more tongue. 

"Ugh," Cain groaned loudly over the sounds of his parents. "Can you just kill me already, bro? So I don't have to see this!"

Abel covered his eyes. "Give me that rock and I'll end myself too!" 

"Holy shit," Vaggie said as she came up from behind Charlie. "You did it, Charlie! You actually got the First Family to forgive and reconcile with each other! Now, there's no way the Council can refuse to remove Cain's mark and spare your dad's life!"

Charlie beamed at her girlfriend before wrapping an arm around her waist. "We all did it! This was a team effort! Everyone had their part to play!"

"Stop being so modest, kid." Adam turned to her with a playful smirk on his face and ruffled her hair. "Where's that infamous Morningstar pride? If there was any time to be a little cocky, it's right fucking now!" 

She giggled at that before turning serious. "Wait, where are my parents?"

Charlie realized she hadn't seen them since back in the field when they all chased after Eve.  

"If he has any fucking brains, he knows not to show his freaky-ass, sewer-clown face!" Adam seethed, beginning to transform into his demon form. "Or the ass-kicking Michael gave him will be nothing compared to what I fucking do to that scaly motherfucker!"

Eve placed a hand on Adam's shoulder to calm him down. "Adam, I was gullible enough to listen to him. I should've known better."

"Hey, he's a slippery bitch," Adam tried to reassure her. "When I came to Hell the first time to get you and Abel, I fell for his tricks too. And it resulted in a soul-binding deal that I couldn't touch him or his family. At least you were smart enough not to make one with Lilith."

"Oh fuck no." Eve let out a deep breath. "I knew that bloodsucking bitch needed me more than I needed her. Why else would she have left her trash heap of a kingdom to come to Earth? But she wouldn't take no for an answer! I don't know how you were able to live with her! Was it always her way or the highway?"

"You have no idea, babe." Adam rolled his eyes. "It was like dragging my nuts through broken glass living with her. But you know what's fucking hilarious? When we took Charlie back to Hell after Abel cut her throat, I gave those cunts a taste of their own fucking medicine! I lived with the Morningstars for two weeks and nearly drove them crazy! You should've seen it!"

All four members of Adam's family burst out laughing. And as Charlie watched them smile and laugh with each other, she couldn't find it in herself to be upset. Even if it came at the expense of her parents. Not just because they deserved it after what they put Adam and Eve through but because this was the first time in almost ten thousand years, they were all united as a family.

"Wait." Cain ceased his laughter. "Please don't tell me we're going to be living with the Morningstars when we go to Hell..."

"Fuck no!" Adam exclaimed. "I'd rather live in that shitty hotel!"

Charlie emerged from the background, finally stepping into the conversation. "I thought you said that hotel was for losers?"

"Uh– Well, yeah," he stammered. "But that was before I found out how Lucifer called Eve ugly! The only ugly fucker around here is him!"

"Mmm-hmm." The playful smirk on Charlie's face didn't drop even though she did decide to drop the topic.

"When we get to Hell, can we play this new game I discovered?" Abel asked. "It's called Dungeons and Dragons."

Cain raised an eyebrow. "Abel, that's not a new game. Like at all."

Abel blinked as if this was news to him. "Okay... What about Mario Kart?"

"Still not new." Cain shook his head.

"Uno? Monopoly?" Abel kept listing names and Cain continued to shake his head. 

"Wow, for spending so much time watching humanity, you're really out of touch, little brother." Cain rubbed the side of his head. "And there's also no way in Hell I'm playing a game like Monopoly with Dad. Unless you want to be picking up a flipped-over table afterward."

"Excuuuuuuse me?!" Adam flew in his son's face, and squinted his eyes. "You think I have anger issues?! Did you fucking forget what happened the last time you flipped out?!"

Cain glared at his dad, not backing down. "That was thousands of years ago! You threw hot coffee at Vaggie just a few weeks ago!"

A sudden rustling in the bushes made Adam and Cain stop their arguing, drawing everyone's attention. Out stepped Lucifer and Lilith and they looked anxious, which was an emotion Charlie rarely saw in them. 

"Oh, ho ho ho!" Adam glowered at the two. "You all have a lot of fucking nerve showing your faces right now! But no one ever said you two were smart!"

"Look, I know you're upset, and I don't blame you," Lucifer said. "But I wanted to say–"

"Nah, you listen to me, bitch." Adam marched right up to him and held a finger under his chin. "If you ever talk about fucking my wife again, I'll rip that limp dick of yours clean off!" 

"WHAT?!" Eve, Lilith, Cain, and Abel all shouted in unison.

Adam glanced over at Eve, who was practically shaking. "Yeah, he said he fucked you. And I was scared that's what you were going to show me when you went on and on about how I wouldn't want you after I saw what happened with you and that lying piece of shit."

Eve, Cain, Abel, and Lilith each mechanically turned their heads toward Lucifer, who could only give a nervous laugh in response. 

"It was just a joke." Lucifer began to back away, but the four of them clearly weren't buying it since they immediately charged at him. With a yelp, Lucifer transformed into a bird and flew off.

"Get back here, you disgusting son of a bitch!" Cain chased after him. 

"As if I'd ever fuck a twink like you!" Eve snarled. 

"I might not be able to kill you, but that doesn't mean I can't hurt you!" Abel held his scythe in the air, ready to swing it.

Even Lilith had transformed into her silhouette form, complete with her tentacles. "And you were upset with me looking at Adam?!"

"Lily! I was just kidding!" he cried as they all chased him back and forth like something out of a Scooby-Doo cartoon. 

"Uh... Shouldn't we do something?" Vaggie glanced over at Charlie with a frown. Charlie just shook her head. She knew they wouldn't be able to seriously hurt him, and after everything, he did kinda have it coming. 

"Nah, he'll be fine." Adam waved her off before turning his attention to Charlie. "Kid... Charlie... Thank you. I thought you were stupid or insane or maybe a bit of both when you first suggested getting my family back together. I didn't think any of this would work, and it would be a big waste of time. But you ended up proving me wrong. Maybe we aren't as hopeless as I thought."

Charlie felt a watery smile spread across her cheeks. She remembered vividly what Adam told her back in Hell after he shared his memories. "You're welcome. And don't worry. You don't have to stay at the hotel if you don't want to. I'll make sure you and your family get your own little corner of Hell where no one can bother you."

Adam smiled back at her. "Thanks, kid. Well, I guess we should get going now. Hey, Michael! We're ready!"

Several beacons of light appeared in front of them and manifested into members of the Council. Lucifer came to an abrupt halt as soon as they arrived, as did Eve, Cain, Abel, and Lilith. They all wore worried looks on their faces, which Charlie couldn't understand why. She would've thought they'd be grinning ear-to-ear with the fortunate turn of events.

"Cain, get over here so they can remove that damn tattoo of yours." Adam gestured for his son to come closer with a tilt of his head.

"While we will honor that end of the deal," Michael began to say. "Death and chaos are a part of this world and cannot be permanently removed. Someone needs to carry out the burden of collecting human souls and making sure there is balance."

This time, Charlie actually did face-palm. Fuck, how could she have forgotten about that? She was too wrapped up in getting Eve and Abel off their warpath that she neglected to think of who would take their places. She had said they would cross that bridge when they got to it, and that bridge was now fucking here! 

No one said anything. Even Adam looked as if he had been punched in the gut. All the color in his face drained, and his jaw hung open. Eve and Abel exchanged looks of evident despair with one another before reaching for the other's hand.

Someone cleared their throat from behind them. "That's what I was going to say before I was rudely interrupted!"

Everyone glanced back and saw Lucifer step forward, holding his head up high.

"I volunteer to take over Eve and Abel's responsibilities."

Chapter Text

Everyone let out a collective gasp, none louder than Michael. In fact, Charlie had never seen him look so unnerved before. Not even in Adam's memories. 

"Wait, can he do that?" Gabriel whispered to Michael. "Is that allowed?"

"I– Um, yes? I suppose it is?" Michael frowned. "But Lucifer, you do realize what you're agreeing to, right?"

Lucifer nodded. "Yes. I caused death and destruction to enter the world. They were literally forged by my hand. It's only right that I'm the one to carry that burden."

Charlie watched in awe as her dad stood with his back straight and fists clenched at his sides. He was still the shortest out of everyone, but at that moment, he was the tallest she had ever seen him. 

"I know you'll never believe me when I say I didn't mean for you two to become like this, but it was an accident," he addressed Eve and Abel. "You were never supposed to be the bringers of death and chaos. That was solely on me like Michael said."

His gaze shifted over to Adam, and a knowing grin spread over his face. "And plus, it beats spending an eternity with this fucker."

Adam blinked several times before he returned Lucifer's smirk as his previous words were used against him. "Lucifer actually taking responsibility for once? The world really has gone to Hell!"

"But Dad," Charlie protested, still in shock by this sudden suggestion. "You'll be known as the enemy of humanity!"

Lucifer's smile softened as he gazed at his daughter. "I always have been, apple slice. Whether I liked it or not. But it's time I learn to live with it instead of hiding away."

Adam tried to suppress a smile with a scowl, but was currently failing at it. "I hope you don't think this suddenly makes you a good guy. Because like I said, there's nothing you can do or say that will make you the good guy."

Lucifer morphed into his demon form, trying to hide his own smile. "I'm the Devil, Adam. And don't you forget that."

"Wait!" Lilith stepped forward and reached for her husband's hand. "You can't do this by yourself, Luci."

"Lily..." Lucifer gaped at her. "What are you saying?"

"If you still want a divorce, then I'll sign the papers," she said. "You're safe now, and that's all I care about. But I want to give our marriage another chance. We've both lost so much to just let it end like this."

"Of course I don't want a divorce!" He gripped her hand tightly. "That's the last thing I want! But I was hurt and upset with you! You were only thinking of yourself and put all of us in danger!"

"I know... And I'm sorry for what I did." Lilith turned to Eve and Abel. "Eve, as much as I hate to admit it, you were right about me. I hurt you and Adam because I wanted to. There was no reason other than I wanted Adam to suffer like I did. And when I saw you, essentially my replacement, I wanted you to hurt too. I didn't want you to have what I gave up. I didn't want you and Adam to be happy. Of course, I didn't intend for it to go as far as it did, and it's too late for forgiveness. But that's not what I'm asking for."

Eve's eyes went wide at this, but she said nothing. From beside her, Adam studied his ex-wife with a curious expression on his face. 

"Luci." Lilith directed her attention back to her husband. "I was trying to protect our daughter and return that spark of yours I fell in love with. Since the beginning, I've tried to fight against the path that was set for me. But it took almost losing you both to finally realize just how much I can't control. Sometimes, you just have to accept what's happened and make the best of it."

Lilith went up to Abel and took his scythe from him without any resistance. "So I think it's only fitting I keep hurting the human race. It's what I do best, after all."

Adam crossed his arms over his chest and snorted. "Sounds about right."

Lilith shared a knowing glance with him. "What? You thought I was doing this for you and your family? It's like I told you before, Adam. I don't have a heart."

He just shook his head and chuckled. "Oh, I know. But think of it this way, Lilith. You'll be taking your revenge on my descendants. And no one will be able to defeat you now. Because you can't defeat death."

She smiled, but it wasn't filled with any hostility or arrogance like when she usually smiled at him. It was like a joke only the two of them were in on. "Exactly."

In a bright flash of purple light, Lilith held Abel's scythe and fused it with Lucifer's cane, creating a whole new weapon. 

"Lily, you do realize if you become the Bringer of Death, you'll have to follow Chaos around?" Lucifer raised an eyebrow. "Because Death always follows Chaos. Not the other way around."

"Yes, I know." Her lips quirked up into a confident smile. "I've followed you out of paradise, so if you're going to be on Earth, then I'll go there too."

"Lilith actually submitting to a man?" Adam scoffed. "Never thought I'd see that day." 

Lucifer seemed to think so, too, as his eyes bulged out of his head before a lovestruck smile spread over his face. "Lily..."

"Luci." Hearts practically pulsated in Lilith's eyes. "But we can also switch our positions from time to time, right?"

"Of course, my love." Lucifer continued to grin up at her. 

Charlie, who had been watching this all in silence, stepped in with a disgusted look. "You guys are still talking about being the Bringers of Chaos and Death, right?"

They ignored her and held each other's hands, beginning to bring their mouths together when Charlie suddenly interrupted them with another loud gasp.

"Wait! But if you'll both be on Earth, then who will run Hell?"

Both Lucifer and Lilith exchanged a suggestive smile with each other. It took a few seconds for Charlie to catch on to what they were thinking. No fucking way. They couldn't mean...

"You are the Princess of Hell, after all," Lilith said. "If the King and Queen are indisposed, then it's the Princess who takes over."

Another coughing fit or possibly even a panic attack was about to come over Charlie. "But– But– Me?! I don't think I'm ready for that! That's a huge responsibility!"

"I know." Lucifer placed a hand on her shoulder. "But you just saved the world, Char-Char! And I think we can all agree I didn't do the best job running Hell. It's time for some new blood to be in charge."

"That might be the smartest thing you've said in your entire life, Lucifraud." Adam approached Charlie with a smirk. "Think of it this way, kid. You can't do worse than your fuck up of a father. At least you won't have any yearly exterminations to deal with."

Her jaw dropped. "Is that true?! Will there no longer be any exterminations?!" 

She looked over at Michael for confirmation. He still appeared unsettled by everything that transpired, which was unlike the archangel. 

"Well, they have been indefinitely postponed. But I don't see a reason to continue them. There's no active threat against Heaven."

"But what about overpopulation?" Vaggie asked. "That's still an issue."

Charlie tapped her chin before a sudden idea struck her. "What about if we expanded Hell? Added another two circles to it?"

All eyes fell on her, and Charlie began to feel her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. Had she said the wrong thing? "Nevermind! That was stupid–"

"That's a wonderful idea, Charlie!" Emily soared toward her with a toothy grin. "I know you'll be an amazing queen, and that idea just proves it!"

Charlie grew even more flustered at the title. She had always been known as a princess and had never imagined the day when her parents wouldn't be Hell's rulers. And now, she was going to be its queen?

"Can we actually do that?" Charlie glanced at her uncle again, this time with a much softer expression. 

"The logistics of that... I don't think..." Michael's steely resolve cracked the longer Charlie stared at him with her puppy dog eyes. He heaved a huge sigh. "If anyone deserves to rearrange Hell, it's you, the savior of Earth and Hell's future queen."

Charlie couldn't help but beam at the compliment. "I still can't believe it."

"Well, believe it, Charlie!" Lucifer exclaimed. "I know we always expected you to be like us. Ruthless, cunning, and assertive. But you're not. You're too soft-hearted and docile and kind."

A lump formed in Charlie's throat as she nodded her head in agreement. It was true that she could never live up to her parents' expectations of her, but it still hurt to hear.

"And we couldn't be more proud," Lilith finished with a tender smile. 

Tears spilled out of Charlie's eyes, and she ran into her parents arms and enveloped them into a big hug. These were the words she never thought she'd hear, but sought for so long. Her parents were finally proud of her, and it was for being her. Naive and gullible Charlie. Who also did the impossible and brought everyone together and saved the world.

A surge of pride rushed through her as she looked up at her parents with a newfound respect. At that moment, though they hadn't changed much physically, Charlie thought they had never looked more different. She always admired them and considered them her heroes until she found out the truth about what they did to Adam and his family. But now...

"I just realized something." Charlie wiped her eyes and sniffled. "I forgive you both."

Now it was Lucifer and Lilith's turn to grow teary-eyed. They wrapped her up into an even tighter embrace and for the first time in a long time, they were a family again. 

Charlie hadn't just said those words because she would soon be the Queen of Hell or because of what her parents told her. She said them because her parents had done the right thing today. After their countless selfish and reckless actions, they finally did one that wouldn't benefit them in any way at all.

And as Charlie searched her heart, she found no trace of anger or disappointment inside like before.

Everyone smiled at the Morningstar reunion, even Adam. Of course, he couldn't stay quiet for long and had to throw in a sarcastic remark. 

"Well, the best thing to come out of this is I don't have to call Lucifer, 'my king.' Because I sure as hell didn't vote for him!"

Lucifer pulled himself away from his family and playfully glared over at Adam. "Hmm. Is it too late to take it back?"

"Yeah! No take backsies!" Adam stuck his tongue out. "Now go fuck off to Timbuktu or wherever!"

To Charlie's surprise, even her parents cracked a smile as everyone else chuckled around them. 

"Never thought I'd see you guys again. Never thought I'd ever want to. But it looks like we've both changed since we last parted." Cain approached the Council with his arm outstretched. "Can y'all remove this now? I might be able to semi-tolerate that scaly bastard now, but that doesn't mean I want a permanent reminder of him on my body."

"Of course," Michael said. "I never thought this day would come, but as you said, we've both changed since we last saw each other. You especially."

As Michael reached out to remove the mark, Cain suddenly jerked his arm back.

"Hold up." He looked over at Abel. "I want him to be the one to kill me."

There was another collective gasp from everyone. Adam and Eve lurched forward with concerned looks on their faces. It looked like they wanted to protest, but were too startled to say anything.

"What?!" Abel flew next to his brother. "Cain, it's okay! I've forgiven you! I don't need–"

Cain shook his head. "I know. But it's only fair. I've been on the run all this time, and my time has come to an end. It's like you said, no one has escaped you yet. And we can't have you breaking that streak with my worthless life."

Abel seemed to consider this as he said nothing for a moment. "It would be poetic that the final life I put to an end is the one who took mine in the first place. The one I've been after all this time."

"Damn straight." Cain gave a lopsided grin. 

"Alright," he agreed. "I'm ready when you are, brother."

Chapter Text

Cain stretched out his arm again toward Michael, who held out his own above Cain's mark.

In a matter of seconds, the serpent tattoo faded away until there was nothing left but Cain's unmarked skin. It was as if it was never even there to begin with. 

"I never thought I'd be free of this damn tattoo," Cain breathed out and rubbed his now tattoo-free forearm. He glanced behind at his parents, who both had tears in their eyes again. 

"We didn't think so either," Eve said before letting out a strangled laugh.

A bright grin appeared on Cain's face the longer he stared at his forearm. "Holy shit! It's actually gone! Do you guys see that?! It's fucking gone!"

He pointed to his arm like a child showing off something ordinary that he thought was extraordinary. Some of the onlookers, like Charlie, Eve, and Emily, chuckled at his reaction. 

Charlie looked over at her parents. She half expected them to have a frown or glower, but there was none of that on their faces. Their eyebrows weren't creased, and their lips weren't pursed together. In reality, their expressions were soft as if they were happy for the cowboy. 

Cain suddenly grew serious as he locked eyes with Abel. "Holy shit. This is actually happening. I'm going to die. I'm going to die! I'm going to die?!"

He started pacing around the grass, practically burning holes into it as he rambled to himself. "Fuck! I mean, I've only ever wanted this for centuries! But now that it's here, I don't know! What if it's not what I expected? Fuck! I sound like a damn wuss!"

Vaggie exchanged a worried glance with her girlfriend as if silently asking if they should intervene. Sensing an oncoming panic attack from the man, Charlie was about to respond when Adam stepped forward and stopped Cain in his tracks.

"Whoa, there, son." Adam gripped Cain by the shoulders. "It'll be okay. Your mom and I will be here throughout the whole thing. We're not going anywhere."

This seemed to calm him down since he took a deep breath in and said, "Okay. I'm ready."

He smiled at both his parents before gently removing Adam's fingers from his shoulders. "I thought I was destined to walk this Earth forever, never to reunite with my original family again. And here I am, about to leave it. And I can't think of a better way to die than with my family at my side."

Adam and Eve nodded their heads, a watery smile on both their faces. 

Taking in a shuddering breath, Cain gestured to his brother, who had retrieved his scythe from Lilith. "You know, it's funny. I used to question why I was given this curse of immortality. I thought the angels were being sadistic fucks, and maybe they were. But I see the reason for this painful lesson. I had to know just what Mom and Dad felt as I outlived every child I had. After causing the first death, I had to learn the value of life."

A half-smile crossed Abel's lips as he hovered over to Cain. "I know you've wondered what death would feel like. You'll see that it's not the end, but the beginning."

Abel reached out a hand to Cain, but he didn't immediately take it, and this made Charlie wonder if he was having doubts.

Cain stared at his brother's outstretched palm. "A new beginning."

He took his brother's hand, but instead of shaking it, he pulled Abel into a tight embrace. It was evident that Abel hadn't been expecting this motion, and it took a few seconds before he returned the hug. Wrapping his arms around his brother, Abel held him close.

And as they embraced, something incredible happened.

Cain's body began to change. He began to age.

Charlie could only watch in awe as the once ageless man lost his youthfulness. Wrinkles and blemishes replaced clear skin and sag appeared where his muscles were. His auburn hair lost its color before falling out completely when he reached his elder years. It didn't take long for Cain to be nothing but skin and bones, but he never looked more at peace. There was a relaxed smile on his face despite the changes he was undergoing. 

When Cain's body faded into dust, there wasn't a dry eye or a gaping mouth in the crowd. Eve had her head leaning against Adam's shoulder, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. Abel's grip tightened around his brother's robe as if not wanting to let him go. Meanwhile, Adam looked as if he had never seen something more incredible, his eyes wide with amazement.

For Charlie, this was the first time she had ever seen a human she cared about die. She had always heard about death and was surrounded by its victims, but to actually see it happen with her own eyes was a totally different experience. 

It was tragic. It was overwhelming. Most importantly, it was beautiful. 

Even Vaggie looked stunned by what she had just witnessed. Tears were lining her eye, and she was sniffling.

"Aw, Vaggie! Come here!" Charlie pulled her close, laughing through her own tears.

"I'm not crying!" Vaggie quickly scrubbed her tears. "I'm just not used to Earth! It's got my allergies acting up!"

"Yeah, and that's why you were always sobbing on our road trip!" Adam exclaimed. "Real women shed tears, Vaggie! Damn it! Didn't I teach you anything as your boss?!"

Vaggie let out a soft chuckle before going up to Adam and punching him on the arm. "The only thing you taught me was to tune out your loud fucking voice, asshole."

Adam rubbed his arm. "Ow. Even after all this time, you still know how to pack a punch, bitch."

"It's like you said." Vaggie smiled up at him with a shrug. "You may have taught me something else, too."

Eve looked up at her husband and giggled. "I like this one, Adam."

"Yeah, well, don't get too close," Adam warned. "Not only does she bite, she judges."

"He's actually gone..." Abel observed the black robe Cain had been wearing. It was all that was left of him. 

"Yeah, but we'll go see him right now." Adam approached his son and patted his back. "He's probably freaking the fuck out, seeing all those creepy fuckers for the first time. I can just imagine the look on his face!"

Adam let out a sharp laugh, but Eve quickly silenced him with a glare.

"I was so scared when I first entered Hell! Now imagine our poor baby surrounded by everything you described?" 

"He'll be fiiiine, babe," Adam reassured her before looking at Michael and pointing at him. "Michael, take us home."

Michael frowned at the demand. "Adam, you know I'm not your taxi driver or whatever mode of transportation you humans are using these days. I'm still an archangel. I'm still your superior."

"Like I told Sera." Adam smirked. "You're not the boss of me anymore! At least, not in Hell, you're not!"

The archangel rolled his eyes, clearly irritated, but didn't say anything else. He held out his hand and drew out a portal, similar to what Lucifer had done back in Hell. A flash of flames erupted before taking the shape of a circle. 

Adam and his remaining family all stared into the portal; the three of them each taking the other's hand.

"Alright..." Adam took a deep breath in. "Let's fucking do this." 

Just as he was about to lead his family into the portal, a loud jingle rang out and made them all pause.

"Excuse me." Michael pulled out his cell phone and answered it. "Peter, Peter, slow down. I don't understand– What?! What do you mean?! But that can't be– Alright, just send him down here then."

Michael hung up the phone and turned to everyone, his eyes wider than Charlie had ever seen them and skin paler than usual. "It looks like there's been an unforeseen problem."

"Uh... Guys?" 

Everyone spun around and saw Cain floating above them, looking as confused as the rest of them. But he wasn't in a demon form like Charlie–and probably everyone else–expected. No, he looked pretty much the same as the last time Charlie saw him. 

Except now, he was clothed in a white robe and had a halo above his head.

"Oh, Heaven fucking dammit!" Adam smacked his hand over his face. 

"I see Heaven's just letting in anyone these days." Lucifer looked Cain up and down, unimpressed. 

"And they still won't let your clown-ass in!" Adam stormed up to Lucifer and snarled. 

"YAY!" Emily let out the biggest scream, startling everyone. "Heaven just got a new soul!"

Cain flinched as Emily flew up beside him and continued shouting. "And not just any soul! It's the First Murderer! That's incredible! I can't wait to show you all of Heaven! What do you want to see first? The zoo? The Galleria? Oh, I know! What about the observatory?"

"I, uh..." Cain forced a strained smile to his face. "I don't think we've met. Trust me, I'd remember an angel like you. But you remind me an awful lot of Charlie... Are we sure all of Lucifer's kids didn't die?"

Emily gasped, and she slapped her cheeks with both hands. "Oh, I'm sorry! How rude of me! My name's Emily. I'm one of the members of the Council, but more importantly, I bring joy to Heaven's souls!"

She suddenly took his hand in hers and said, "I have so much I want to ask you! You and I are going to be the best of friends!"

He drew back his hand and flew down beside his family. "But... What about my family? I'm going to be separated from them again?"

Eve shook her head, and her tears fell from her lashes like rain. "No, of course not, sweet pea. We'll find a way to visit you. What matters is you're in Heaven, and you're making friends!"

Cain didn't look convinced. In fact, his frown just deepened. "But like Dad said, it's not Heaven without you guys. What if... What if I just gave up my spot in Heaven like Abe did and came down to Hell?"

"NOOOOO!" Adam, Eve, and Abel all shouted in unison, which made Cain raise his hands in defense.

"Alright, alright! Geez," he said. "No need to yell!"

"I'm sorry, sweetie." Eve ruffled his hair. "It's just... The last time someone gave up their place in Heaven to be in Hell, it didn't turn out so well."

"Well, what if we reopen the embassy?" Sera suggested, cupping her hand around her chin. "It's been defunct all this time after the last extermination. We didn't think we'd need it anymore. But Cain could go visit his family there as often as he likes."

"That's a brilliant idea, Sera," Michael said. "We'll be putting a decommissioned building to use."

"Yeah!" Emily cheered. "It'll show the rest of Hell that anyone can make it to Heaven! Even the First Murderer! And I'll be finally able to visit Hell for the first time ever!"

"Emily." Sera's gentle tone turned firm. "I don't think that's such a good idea. Hell is nothing like Heaven. It'll be a completely different experience. One we won't be able to shield you from."

"Chillax, Sera." Adam stepped forward and wrapped a protective arm around Emily. "We got this. If any of those cunts tries to mess with her, they're gonna have to go through me."

"And me." Eve slithered over to Adam's side. "I might not be the official Bringer of Chaos, but I'm sure I can still raise some."

"Same here." Abel raised his hand. "I did reap all those miserable souls. I don't think they'll be too happy to see me again."

Cain chuckled and put his hands on his hips. "My name was always used as a bad example, and it'll be strange as fuck to see it used as a good example for once. But if anyone fucks with Emily, we'll show those bastards why I'm the inventor of murder. And of some of the most painful torture methods to ever exist."

Emily grew flustered, a golden hue dusting her cheeks. "That's so sweet of you all to come together like this! But I promise! I'll be fine! I'm a seraph, remember?"

"Yeah, who could forget?" Charlie beamed at her friend. "Since Adam and his family are under my protection, you are too. No one gets to lay a finger on my friends unless they want to answer to me! The new Queen of Hell. Oh my gosh, I can't believe I get to say that!"

"You know I'll rip open any fucker who tries to hurt Charlie." Vaggie raised her angelic spear. 

"And don't forget about us!" Lucifer pointed to himself and Lilith. 

"Well." Michael glanced at everyone. "Heaven help anyone who thinks they can trifle with the Devil, the Mother of Demons, The First Man, The First Murderer, the former Bringers of Chaos and Death, the Queen of Hell, a former exterminator, and a seraph. They'd have to be as stupid as Lucifer to try. And would probably end up getting an even harder beat down."

Everyone let out a collective chuckle when Lucifer suddenly ceased his laughter and frowned. 

"Wait, what?"

Adam rested his arm on the top of Lucifer's head. "He's calling you retarded, Luci. Like I did!"

Lucifer roughly pushed Adam off of him and glared. "The only retarded people are the Vees for thinking they can take over my kingdom! Which by the way, we should go deal with as soon as possible!"

Charlie agreed. "Yeah, Dad's right. Since everything's been fixed up here, it's time we go back to Hell."

"Alright." Lucifer clapped his hands together before approaching Eve and Abel, who immediately tensed up. "Oh, lighten up a bit! I'm not going to touch you."

"You better fucking not if you want to keep that skinny-ass arm of yours," Adam warned. 

Lucifer scoffed and rolled his crimson eyes before turning his attention back to Eve and Abel. Straightening his back, he addressed them in his most authoritative voice.

"Eve, Abel. Well done, destructive, and wicked servants. You two were probably a little too good at your jobs, but I now hereby release you from your chains. So be free!"

He waved his hands around in the air, causing Eve and Abel to exchange a confused glance with each other.

"Was something supposed to happen?" Eve asked. "Because I don't feel any different..."

"Oh no," Lucifer answered. "I was just doing that for dramatic effect."

"For fuck's sake!" Both Adam and Cain roared from the sides. 

"Here." Abel went up to Lilith and handed her his scythe for the last time. "Be careful with her."

Lilith furrowed her brows as she took the blade with ease. "Her?"

"Yeah, her name's Olivia," he said. 

There was an awkward silence that followed, only to be interrupted by a loud snort from Cain. 

"I'm glad I died earlier because that honestly would've killed me!" He held his stomach as he cackled. "What a nerd."

"Like you didn't name your last truck, Sabrina," Abel deadpanned, instantly causing Cain to sputter and try to deny it. 

Lilith wiped the palms of her hands on her dress, cringing. "I'll be sure to disinfect this... Preferably with hellfire."

Adam growled and nudged his sons toward the portal. "Let's go before you two dumbasses embarrass me any further."

With another deep breath, Adam faced the portal, a nervous expression on his face. All eyes were on him, and Charlie wondered what he must be thinking right now as he gazed into the other side.

He didn't notice Eve had interlocked her hand with his until she said, "I said I would remain by your side back when we were cast out of Eden. I followed you into the world, not knowing what hardships and tragedies would come next. And I don't claim to know what will happen next, but I'm not going to leave you now."

Cain and Abel both went on either side of their parents and took a hold of their free hands.

"We've been through worse," Cain reminded.

"A helluva lot worse." Abel smiled. "Did I say that right?"

Adam snickered. "You said it perfectly, son."

His wings started to flutter, and Adam lurched forward. But before he could enter the portal, he abruptly plopped back down to the ground.

"Hold up." He whipped his head around toward the Council. "Shouldn't someone do something about all the destruction left on Earth? Humanity is way up shit's creek right now!"

"Ah, yes." Michael sighed. "We've come to realize we've been a little negligent when it comes to humanity."

Eve huffed and crossed her arms. "That's an understatement."

Michael ignored her remark and continued speaking. "So we're going to help them get back on their feet. Help them clean up and set things back in order."

The archangel paused, and his usual stoic features softened into a rare smile. "But if they're anything like their forefather, I think they'll be okay."

Adam's lip started to quiver, and tears welled up in his eyes. But he quickly wiped them away. "Fuck! You were right, Vaggie. These allergies are no joke!"

Vaggie chuckled. "Sure, Adam. We'll go with that."

The First Family linked their hands together again and looked toward the portal.

"Ready?" Adam asked his family.

They all gave a determined nod. "Ready," they said. 

All at once, they stepped inside the portal, and in the blink of an eye, they were gone.

Chapter Text

Now alone with her parents, girlfriend, and the Council, Charlie realized her time on Earth was coming to an end. It had been an experience like no other. It had been insane, fun, emotional, and most of all, unpredictable. 

But it was one she wouldn't trade anything for. 

"Charlie." Lilith turned to her with a solemn look on her face. "I'm sorry your dream of redemption didn't come true."

"Mom, you don't need to apologize." Charlie smiled up at her mother. "I know it didn't come true, but look at what else we accomplished! We reunited Adam's family! Earth was saved! The First Murderer was let into Heaven! You and Dad aren't getting a divorce! I'd say that's just as good!"

A contemplative look came over Lilith's face. "I suppose you're right, firecracker." She smiled at her daughter.

"Well." Charlie took a deep breath of the fresh, summer air. It was probably the last scent of Earth she'd inhale for a while, and she wanted to savor it. "I guess it's time to go home now."

Linking her arm around Vaggie's, Charlie was the one to lead everyone through the portal. 

The sensation was not like before when she crossed through the Gates of Hell. This was like stepping through a door and into another room. It was that ordinary. 

But what wasn't ordinary were the earsplitting screams coming to the side of her. Even for Hell, the screaming wasn't usually this loud or constant.

Charlie turned and saw the sounds were coming from none other than Cain. His eyes were the size of dinner plates as he gaped at the flocks of sinners walking past him on the corner of the main street. A lot of them returned their stares, not just because of his unending screaming but also because of the halo above his head.

"Uh, is he okay?" Vaggie frowned.

"Does he fucking look okay?!" Adam exclaimed. "He's been like this for the past five minutes!"

"Shh, shh." Eve was trying her best to comfort him. "It's okay, sweet pea. Don't look at those ugly creeps. Just focus on me."

Just when it looked like Cain had finally stopped screaming, he'd start back up again. "Why the fuck does everyone look like this?! Why is everyone so fucking tall?! I thought Mom and Abe looked scary, but these things look like pure nightmare fuel! Even my sleep paralysis demon looks less frightening than whatever the fuck this is!"

"Sleep paralysis demon?" Emily questioned with an innocent tilt of her head. "What's that?"

"Oh, it's just this shadow guy with a hat that watches me when I sleep sometimes." Cain had calmed down enough to answer her. "One time I overdosed on Benadryl, and he appeared during the day, so after that, no more Benadryl. Wait... He's not here, right? Cause I might also owe him some money..."

Adam snickered. "I tried to warn you, sport! But nooooo. You didn't listen as usual! Because you're always on that damn phone!"

Cain glared at his dad. "That doesn't even make any fucking sense! And since when did you start calling me 'sport'?"

"Hmm. About five minutes ago!" Adam ruffled Cain's hair, much to his visible irritation. "Unless you want a different nickname? How about 'jackass'? Or 'buckaroo'? Or–"

"Alright, alright." Cain waved his dad off with a roll of his eyes. "I'll stick with 'sport.'"

"Wow..." Emily gasped at the scene in front of her where a sinner was getting stabbed by a group of cannibal children before being torn to pieces and devoured. "Hell sure is different from Heaven... Not in a bad way, of course!"

Charlie just smiled at her angelic friend, not taking any offense. "It sure is! And I wouldn't have it any other way!"

"Well, I would. I think Emily's seen enough of Hell to get the idea." With a flick of her hand, Sera transported them all to the inside of Heaven's embassy. 

"Huh, so that's what teleportation feels like," Cain remarked. "Neat."

Meanwhile, Charlie gazed up at the darkened building. It looked so different from the last time she had been here. Not just because it was dark and decrepit, but because she was different too. When she had last stood here, she was a naive, sheltered princess who didn't know what it meant to suffer like a human. 

But now, she had witnessed life through the eyes of the First Man. 

She had experienced what it meant to live, what it meant to lose, what it meant to die.

But most importantly, what it meant to love and forgive.

All qualities that made up the species known as humanity.

Fluttering beside her, Adam nudged her shoulder playfully with his own. "We've sure come a long way, eh, kid?"

Charlie chuckled. "We sure have. And we still gotta long way to go."

She turned around to face the rest of her friends and family, her smile growing even brighter. "But as long as I have you all, I know I'll make it through."

As her gaze met each person's, they returned her smile. Here was a group of people who, only a few weeks ago, would've torn each other to shreds, now standing stronger and more united than ever before.

A sudden noise made everyone spin around and raise their guard. In the darkened corner of the room, a figure moved, cursing under their breath. 

"Who goes there?" Sera demanded, raising her hand and creating a glowing orb.

The figure slowly crept closer to the light. "Your Highness? Is that really you?"

When they finally came into view, everyone let out a collected gasp. It was the last person Charlie thought she'd ever see.

"Lute?!" Adam cried. 

The former exterminator blinked, her arm extended out in front of her as if to shield herself from the blinding light. "Sir?!"

"Wait! The fuck!" Adam glanced between her and Vaggie, who had grown a few shades paler. "I thought you said you fucking killed her?!"

"I– I did!" Vaggie stammered. "I don't understand–"

"Vaggie," Lute interrupted, looking so unlike the tough, polished angel Charlie last saw her as. Her short hair was slightly longer now, but it was disheveled and looked like it hadn't been washed in weeks. Her uniform had various stains and tears in it, and there were dark circles under her eyes as if she hadn't been sleeping. But most noticeable was the large scar that ran across her right eyelid. It started from the front of her brow and ended at the edge of her eye.

"I don't know how you did it down here," Lute continued. But her voice wasn't commanding and confident like before. It trembled just like the rest of her body did. "When I woke up, I was lost and confused. I tried looking for Adam, but then I realized everyone was gone. I tried the embassy, only to find it shut down. There was no way to contact Heaven! If it hadn't been for my sisters–"

"Sisters?!" Adam and Vaggie exclaimed.

At the word, dozens of figures emerged from the shadows, looking just as traumatized and scarred as Lute. They were all former exterminators who had died in battle. 

"I found them wandering around Hell like me." Lute glanced at them. "We tried to retrieve as many weapons as we could, but there's so many Sinners... No matter how many we cut down, more would come. The embassy was our only hope! Our only refuge away from those twisted fuckers! Do you know what they tried to do to us, sir?! The things they wanted to do to us?!"

"I can just imagine," Adam said grimly. "But what I don't understand is how the fuck you're still alive! Vaggie said she stabbed you right through the skull! Fuck, she even showed me your eyeball!"

"I think I can answer that." Michael stepped forward. "An angel cannot be permanently killed with an angelic weapon unless the user is of a higher rank. So, since Vaggie is of equal rank with Lute, that's why she was able to 'respawn' for lack of a better word. And why the other exterminators were able to return too. They were killed by Sinners wielding angelic weapons, so obviously not by someone of higher rank."

"That makes so much sense!" Lucifer ran his hand through his hair. "Wait... So that means you really could've killed me back in Eden if you wanted to..."

A smirk tugged at Michael's usually serious face. "And I still could."

Both of them burst out laughing before the smile fell from Lucifer's face, and he muttered a soft "fuck."

"Hold the fuck up!" Adam held his hands out in a timeout position and glared up at Michael. "So you're telling me you knew this all along?! So then why the fuck did you get on my ass about the last extermination?!"

"No. I came to this conclusion just a few minutes ago," Michael answered. "When I saw all the exterminators and their scars where they had been killed in battle. It reminded me of Lucifer and his scar."

Adam growled. "Speaking of that fucker! How the fuck did you not know exterminators were wandering around in your fucking kingdom?!"

Lucifer let out a nervous laugh and shrugged. "Well..."

"Nevermind." Adam shook his head. "I forgot who the fuck I was talking to. You wouldn't know your left nut from your right."

"So if Lute would've just killed me, I would've just respawned and still had my eye," Vaggie deadpanned before slapping her hand over her face. 

"It's okay, Vaggie." Charlie placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. "You're still beautiful to me."

Uncovering her face, Vaggie smiled at her girlfriend before turning her attention back to her former nemesis. "Lute, I–"

Seemingly at a loss for words, she took a deep breath and enveloped Lute in a tight hug. 

"I'm glad you're okay," she said softly. 

Lute tensed up at the abrupt contact but didn't push her away. In fact, she appeared more conflicted than anything.

"I don't understand, sir." Lute looked around at Charlie, Vaggie, Lucifer, and Lilith. "Why are you with these people?"

Adam gave a dramatic sigh and rolled his eyes. "It's a long fucking story. I'll tell you about it one day."

"But sir," Lute protested, her voice growing more firm. "Don't you remember what they did? Who they are?!"

"Yeah, I do," Adam answered simply. "And they ain't that bad. Vaggie isn't that much of a bitch. Lilith isn't that much of a cunt. Lucifer, well, he is still a limp-dick fuck. But Charlie, she's the best. She helped me reunite with my family even when I was a pain in the ass to deal with. And that's gotta count for something."

Charlie felt tears well in her eyes at this, and she gurgled out a laugh. "And I'd do it all again."

"Your family?" Lute's jaw dropped.

"Oh! Right! Yeah! Lute, meet my wife, Eve. And these two idiots I call my sons, Cain and Abel!" Adam gestured to his family, who had been standing behind him, observing everything.

"It's nice to meet you." Eve slithered closer. "I don't know who you are, but I can tell you're very important to my husband. I hope he didn't cause you too much trouble while I was away."

Lute resembled a fish out of water with how she kept opening and closing her mouth. "I– I–"

Cain raised an eyebrow. "I know it's hard to believe you're meeting someone as cool and important as us, but I expected more bite from my dad's favorite soldier."

"The Cain and Abel?" Lute managed to squeak out. "The Eve?!"

"The one and only." Cain winked.

Lute immediately fell to her knees in front of Eve and took her hand. "Ma'am, it's an honor to finally meet you."

Eve giggled. "Adam, what is she doing?"

"How the fuck should I know! Lute, quit groveling and get the fuck up off your knees!" Adam ordered.

Instantly rising to her feet, Lute brushed herself off. But as she did, she met Abel's lingering gaze. He quickly looked away and scratched the back of his bony neck.

This did not go unnoticed by the rest of his family. Eve started to squeal and paw at Adam, who wore a knowing smirk.

"Go on and talk to her!" Cain nudged his brother. 

"Uh..." Abel stepped forward, changing his appearance back to his human form. His face was uncharacteristically red. 

"For fuck's sake, say something!" Cain whispered. "Compliment her appearance!"

"Your skin is as white as the bones of those left to rot on a battlefield," he choked out. "And the dark circles under your eyes remind me of soldiers suffering from shellshock."

Everyone just let out a loud groan at this.

Everyone except for Lute. 

Her cheeks blushed a golden hue, and she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "That's the hottest thing a guy's ever said to me. Hotter than the literal fires burning outside."

Adam rubbed his forehead. "All I ask is for one day where you dipshits don't embarrass me! One fucking day!"

"Hey, now." Lucifer grinned at Adam. "I remember a certain someone asking Lilith if they wanted to do an activity together when they first met. Looks like the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."

"Yeah but that was fucking different!" Adam tried to argue.

"Rizz is rizz. Or in your family's case, lack thereof." Lucifer turned to Charlie. "Did I say that right, apple slice?"

Charlie smiled. "Yeah, Dad. You did."

"Well, I think it's about time we leave now." Sera clasped her hands together, and all the lights inside in the embassy turned on. "All the exterminators will return back to Heaven. Cain can visit his family here in the embassy–"

"Wait!" Lute shouted. "Your Highness, what do you mean Cain can visit his family in the embassy? Aren't they all returning with us to Heaven?"

"Sorry, Lute," Adam sighed and pointed at his halo-less head. "But I've been handed the pink slip from the Council. I won't be coming back. I'm a Sinner now."

Lute's face fell as she gaped at him, Eve, and Abel. "But sir..."

"Hey, no crying!" Adam punched her arm playfully. "I raised you better than that, Danger Tits! Crying's for pussies. Plus, you can always visit us here with Cain. Someone needs to watch after his dumbass if we can't! And that's an order."

She didn't look convinced, but she grumbled out a "yes, sir." 

Meanwhile, Michael began to gather the rest of the exterminators and counted them.

"I'm missing someone." He turned his head toward Vaggie. 

"Me?" Vaggie flinched. 

"We did say all the exterminators." Michael frowned. "It's about time you returned where you belong, Vaggie."

"But I can't leave Charlie!" She squeezed her girlfriend's hand. "I can't leave my friends. This is where I belong now."

"Please!" Charlie placed herself between Vaggie and Michael. "There has to be something you can do, Uncle Michael! Vaggie won't be any trouble at all! Even though she's an angel, she fits here so well!"

Michael shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry but she needs to come home now. We don't want to leave anyone–"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Adam interrupted. "Now that Charlie is the Queen of Hell, what makes you think she might not try to pull a little stunt like her parents did, hm? You know, like another fucking rebellion?"

Charlie took offense to this, and was about to say something when she noticed the smirk on Adam's face. 

Just what was he planning?

"It'd be good to have someone in her inner circle. Reporting back any suspicious activities," he continued. "You know how slippery these Morningstars can be."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Charlie caught his eye and returned his smirk. Looked like Lucifer and Lilith weren't the only ones who could be slippery. 

Michael seemed to catch his drift. "You do raise a good point, Adam. I suppose we could allow her to stay. For intel purposes, of course."

By the way Michael had said that, Charlie knew it was for much more than intel purposes. 

"Of course." Adam grinned.

Vaggie let out a huge sigh before embracing Adam. "Thank you, Adam." 

Much like Lute before, he froze. "Don't mention it," he said, patting her back awkwardly.

"Alright, did everyone say their goodbyes?" Michael drew a portal back to Heaven with his hand. 

"I think so." Charlie glanced around.

Michael hovered closer to the portal with the other Council members and ex-exterminators. "Then this is goodbye for now. I will return to discuss your transition to the throne–"

"Wait!" 

Lucifer's unexpected outburst made everyone turn around. 

"What are you–" Michael began to say before Lucifer flew closer to the archangel and said,

"What I should've done a long time ago. Offer you an apology."

The silence that followed was deafening. It was clear no one expected this from the former seraphim.

Heaving a deep sigh, Lucifer turned to the rest of the Council. "I owe you all an apology. I'm sorry for what I did. For disobeying. For thinking I knew better and could do what I want. I hurt you all deeply. Especially you, Michael. You are my brother, and I betrayed you."

Before they had the chance to answer, he flew over to his wife and daughter. 

"Lily, I'm sorry for not being the husband I should've been. I'm sorry for letting you shoulder the burden of ruling Hell. I'm sorry for thinking my pain was the only pain that mattered and let you grieve our children alone." He took her gloved hand into his own. "And... I'm sorry for interfering in your relationship with Adam. You might not think I did, but I did. You were Adam's wife, and I didn't respect that."

He turned to Charlie, and cupped her cheek. "Charlie, I'm sorry for not being the father you deserved. I'm sorry for being absent most of your life. I'm sorry for holding you to a standard that even I couldn't reach. And I'm sorry for lying to you about who I really am."

Blinking back tears, Charlie watched as her father glided over to where Cain and Abel stood.

"Even though I didn't physically kill you, we all know if it hadn't been for me, your brother wouldn't have picked up that rock," Lucifer told Abel. "I'm sorry that you and your family's lives were torn apart because of me."

"Eve." Lucifer turned to the redhead. "I'm sorry I deceived you. I'm sorry I ruined you and Adam's paradise. I'm sorry I'm the biggest reason you lost both sons in one day."

"And Adam..." Lucifer locked eyes with the First Man. "I think I owe you the biggest apology of all."

Adam took a step back as the fallen angel dropped down in front of him. He opened his mouth to speak, but Lucifer stopped him. 

"The day you were created, I couldn't have been prouder. With you, I felt like I finally had something I never had with the other angels. A best friend."

Adam's jaw remained hanging wide open, and his eyebrows were practically touching his hairline. "Huh?!"

Lucifer gave him a sad sort of smile. "Since then, I've never had a friend like you again. And it's my fault. I hurt you because... Because I was jealous."

Adam glanced behind him as if Lucifer was addressing someone else. "Of me?!"

Nodding his head, Lucifer looked like he was trying to muster the courage to continue. "You were the newest creation, and everything on Earth was made for you. I hated how there was no other creation like you. You were unique."

The fallen angel inched closer to Adam. "You had the perfect partner created just for you. Something I lacked. And I hated that, too. So I took her away from you. When we were together, I told her she deserved someone better. Someone more like me."

By now, Adam looked like he was about to keel over. He swallowed hard, and his fists kept opening and closing at his sides.

"But what I hated most of all was how you were so beautiful and innocent and perfect. Even without any powers or wings. I hated how even though I knew I was a superior being and had no reason to feel this way, I still did," Lucifer said. "And that's why I brought you down to my level. So you could be a little less beautiful. A little less innocent. A little less perfect. I just didn't realize how far down you would go. And that was part of my punishment, seeing the worst in humanity reflected in you."

If Charlie didn't know any better, Adam appeared like he was having an internal meltdown. His brain probably couldn't process the words out of Lucifer's mouth because she could barely do so herself. 

"Well, it's a little fucking late to say all this!" Adam snapped, but his voice shook and lacked any real fury.

"I know. I know it's stupid to expect forgiveness at this point. But I want you to know the truth." Lucifer's eyes twinkled with a newfound confidence. "After what you've gone through and still managed to keep going, I could never do that. No one could. I thought being made from the dirt meant you were less than me, but I see that wasn't true at all. You get knocked down and get right back up."

Lucifer paused for a moment and let out a shaky sigh. "I tried lying to myself all these years that I was the better creation. But the truth is it's you."

"Me?" Adam whispered. 

"Always Hazbin." Lucifer's somber expression broke out into a toothy grin.

Adam made a choking sound, and Charlie couldn't tell if it was a laugh that got stuck in his throat. Everyone was speechless, unable to comprehend what just happened. 

All eyes remained on Adam, waiting for his inevitable response.

Finally, Eve came up beside her husband and said, "Adam?"

This seemed to break Adam out of whatever daze he had been in. He narrowed his eyes at Lucifer and gritted his teeth. 

"I don't think I can forgive you. Not right now. Not even in the next hundred years! What you did was beyond fucked up!"

Lucifer nodded solemnly at this and he lowered his head. "I understand."

But then Adam's features suddenly softened. "But... Like someone much wiser and much cooler than you said, there's no rush. We've got the rest of eternity."

At the sound of those words, Charlie let out an elated gasp. Those were her words! She had said that to Adam after he showed her his memories! 

And now...

Even Lucifer seemed to understand the weight of those words since there was a smile tugging at his lips. 

Adam might not forgive him today. Or tomorrow. Or anytime soon. But the door hadn't been shut completely. It was still open.

Even just a crack.

It was at that moment, an overwhelming, blinding light cascaded down from above, and shone over Adam.