Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lucifer had been summoned more times than he cared to keep up with. Lilith and the Sins had been too. At first, he had kept track of their Summons; writing diligently in journals for centuries. 

Some mortals wanted favors, others skills, while even more wanted riches and someone to warm their bed. It was tiresome and often painful for Lucifer to handle such things. Lilith would hold him and assure him he wasn’t horrible for facing those deals. 

He refused more often than not. Quickly learning to find the loopholes in such deals so that he could get away from the Summoner. But like anything else that came into being. Someone made a mistake. 

He often wondered if it had been on purpose though. Around the 1000-year mark, his summons changed. Some mortal managed to get a Holy Mark. The summoning done with that had put a chain around his neck that he could still feel the burn of. 

Two centuries of fighting. Of feeding into an egotistical state of nightmare that slaughtered so many. It’d taken him centuries to move past his guilt and accept he had been a prisoner and victim just like the Sinners. 

That’s not to say he didn’t still feel that twist of darkness. He did. And there were many times he couldn’t move beneath its weight. But with his Chosen Family, he could manage. 

… … … … 

It had been a long time since he had been summoned. Not so long as to be forgotten but long enough he couldn’t remember the finer details. 

He stood outside, beneath a brilliant blue sky with a beating sun that burned him through his thin clothes. The grass was greener than he remembered, tickling against his bare feet with the persistence of an itch. There were trees a short distance away, dark green and almost brown bark casting short shadows. The air was clean. Not like Eden, but far superior to Hell’s noxious fumes. He could hear birds and something distinctively metal creating a strange sort of peace. All in all. It was nice. Possibly one of the nicer areas to be summoned, if he was honest. 

“Hello Heylel,” the soft voice and call to a name he hadn’t heard in centuries had him turning away from his surroundings. A woman sat cross-legged off to his right, wearing a vibrant red shirt that reminded him of the candied cherries Beelzebub liked. There was a bundle on her lap that drew his eye. 

“You call me by a name older than your line. What do you want?” Lucifer felt a mix of anger and sick pull at him as he connected what sacrifice was being offered. “Riches, power, lust?” 

“None.” The brunette told him firmly. He scoffed but lifted his gaze away from the bundle to look into blue eyes that reminded him of his brother’s own. “I’m returning something instead.” The woman went on and adjusted her body to lift up the bundle for him to see. 

The baby made his chest hurt. Why were mortals willing to sacrifice their own? He couldn’t imagine doing something close to that with his own child.  The little one slept, oblivious to its fate. Messy black hair stuck out around their face, resembling wisps of smoke against the impossibly white skin and red cheeks.  Lucifer blinked. The baby’s cheeks and skin were more akin to his own. He couldn’t see their eyes or much else but he did wonder. 

“Unlike your son, it looks like you.” The brunette told him, pushing the babe closer to him. Habit from years before rose up as he carefully took the swaddled creature and adjusted to let them rest against him. 

“My…son?” He would admit that there had been children aside from Charlie. But none he’d claim or Named. He wouldn’t do that. No matter what a Summoner did or threatened. 

“It’s what I could figure out.” The brunette shrugged, eyes on the babe but posture unworried. “You gave a son to a woman and I had that son’s child.” 

“And you’re giving…What’s their name?” He wasn't going to agree or disagree with the mortal. A part of him knew she wasn’t lying. Or she was at least telling him what she believed to be the truth. He could see from appearance that the child resembled him slightly but he had given mortals a bit of his seed in the past and appearances can reappear in generations. 

“I haven’t named it. I won’t. That’s your job. Your son is dead and I don’t want it.” The blunt answer had him rocking in place. “It’s simple. In exchange for your grandchild, I can move on with my life without the repercussions of having just abandoned it somewhere.” 

He felt sick. She would give up a child for her reputation? He could deny the deal, but knowing what he did now made him hesitate. Technically, a child with a bit of his essence could survive Hell. If he Named them, they would become his and his responsibility. They would be stuck to Hell though. He had done that to his daughter and hated himself for it at times. 

“If you don’t want it. If you won’t take it, I’ll leave it here anyway.” The mortal was lying, but not completely. They’d leave the baby somewhere, Lucifer knew, but he didn’t know if he could let that happen now. 

“I’ll take them. But you won’t ever be truly happy. You’ll be haunted by what you’ve done.” He warned, letting a bit of his energy out to push against the borders of his summons. 

The mortal smiled at him. Smiled! As if what she was doing wasn’t disgusting or rage-inducing. “God will forgive me.” 

“Do we have a deal?” He fought the loathing building ash and fire in his throat. Pulling the swaddle to one side, he freed a hand to shake. The mortal’s hand was in his for the span of a heartbeat, long enough for the deal to be sealed and for him to emblazon a mark into the palm. 

“You will suffer as you walk this realm. And I’ll see you in mine soon.” He growled as the mortal yelled in pain and waved her burned hand. 

Without another word, he disappeared. He let the comfort of his Angelic Power flood over him and wrap him and the babe in comfort as they returned to his palace. He needed to do a lot. Suddenly having a child was going to put a strain on him. 

He’d keep them. For now. Perhaps he could return them to Earth. Give them a mortal life and family. Fuck, what had he done with taking them? Even a few hours in Hell could hurt them. 

Sniffling drew him from his spiral. Looking down at the babe showed big baby blue eyes watching him. They seemed to frown at him, licking their lips before turning their head to the side.  Their weight seemed to grow as they wiggled until a small four-digit hand came loose and swiped across their face. 

Oh. 

Lucifer moved to a table. Magic cleared it as he set the babe down and carefully unwrapped them. They wore a tiny shirt with a prism on the front, resembling a nightie on them more than a shirt. Lifting the shirt showed the stub of an umbilical cord and a wet diaper. They really were a newborn. Fuck what was he going to do?  “Ok, Little Duck. Let’s start with a new diaper. That’ll help, won’t it?” He spoke softly, trying to smile at the baby while using a knuckle to gently brush their face. The baby turned to the contact, mouth open to latch and he winced. “No, no Little Duck, I’ll get you a bottle. My hands are bad.” He assured and tried to rack his brain for anything else he could think they would need. 

“Fuck me.” He muttered and flinched when the baby began to cry.

Chapter Text

Lucifer collapsed in his office, ignoring the multitude of rubber ducks that fell when he did. The baby, a little girl, was asleep again but this time dressed in a soft white duck onesie with a clean diaper. He had taken too long trying to decide on what kind of outfit to create and from what, resulting in the little one having a bit of a rash now. She seemed appeased when he gave her a bottle of formula though.  He would need to send someone to get some from Earth. Hell’s baby supplies weren’t the same as Earth’s; even if they worked in a pinch. At first glance, yeah they were the same, but if you viewed the fine print, Hell had a few extras in it that weren’t safe for a mortal baby. 

“I can’t keep her. She needs a Mortal life.” He told himself, looking up at the ceiling and trying to think. She had very obvious traits from him, so if he searched for a family they’d need to be accepting. Maybe a descendant of Cain’s? That would mean tracking the man down first. The last they had spoken, or really Cain had seen him and Lucifer had tried to speak, had been around some major war almost a century ago. He’d need to do things quickly before he got attached and Hell’s atmosphere did any more damage to the newborn. 

Turning his head to check on the baby, he felt a smile grow at the sight of her sucking on a rubber duck in her sleep. He didn’t remember giving her a duck, but it was absolutely adorable. If he ignored her hair, he could almost pretend it was Charlie asleep in his workshop. She’d been such a cheerful baby, always smiling and making some kind of noise. He missed holding her. Telling her stories, showing her magic. He missed his baby girl. 

When was the last time he’d spoken to her? Crows and shadows, when was the last time he’d seen her? Shaking his head, he forced himself to get up. He needed to start looking for Cain or a descendant of his. The faster he did, the faster he could make sure the Little Duck was safe. 

… … … … 

It had been a few days, he thinks, since he got the Little Duck. He’d figured out he needed to sleep when she did, or he’d be up or distracted or worse. The first day wasn’t a disaster, but the second? He’d nearly had a heart attack when he realized he’d set her down somewhere and forgotten where. The amount of magic he’d used teleporting around until he found her asleep in the bathroom had nearly made him fall asleep in an empty tub. He’d taken to making extra sure he kept her with him by creating a basket with a spiritual chain tied to him. 

“She’s doing better. Still having trouble with her taking a bottle?” The demoness pulled on the pacifier in Little Duck’s mouth, humming when she didn’t let go. Belphegor resembled a cross between a troll and a sand spirit. When solid, her skin was a dark twilight with brushes of muted pastels -mostly orange, purple, and pink. Currently a trail of what he would consider fine sand moved around the two, lazily wrapping around Little Duck’s stomach and legs. “The umbilical area is healing, no irritation. She needs more formula, something stronger.” She mumbled, gently setting the baby down to turn into a stream of colorful dust. 

“What do you mean? Is she not okay?” Lucifer felt like his heart was in his throat as he darted forward to look over the baby while Belphegor reformed near her bag and hummed at him. “She eats a bottle and a half a day. Should I try for more? What about the bottle? Is it the reason she won’t eat?” 

“Here,” a medium glass jar was shoved into his view. “Higher calorie. She needs to gain weight.” Belphegor told him, putting the jar to the side before reaching a claw over him to tap the baby’s nose. “She’s got good reflexes. Make sure you let her stretch.” She continued when Little Duck sneezed. 

“Won’t I need more than one jar?” He asked, not moving from his spot. Lucifer felt like a new parent all over again. 

“I’ll send more. Have you Named her yet?” Lucifer scowled at the question. He knew what Bel thought, knew she was probably right, but he…

“She’s going back to Earth.” He argued, letting his eyes follow the demoness’s face as she grabbed the pink-footed onesie to redress Little Duck. “I mean it.” He added for good measure. 

“She’s already adapted to Hell. You and she both have imprinted.” Belphegor’s dry matter-of-fact tone made his throat close up. He knew she was right. Knew it all the way to his core. 

“I can’t. She can’t. Not me,” He whispered brokenly, dropping his gaze to look at the baby squirming and whimpering at the rough handling. 

“Name her,” Bel ordered, her sand-colored eyes pinning him in place. “She is yours just as Charlotte is.” Lucifer wanted to cry at the injustice. Wanted to yell and scream that the mortal baby wasn’t his to keep. She deserved to be on Earth where she was born. Away from the disgusting and cruel world of Hell, he’d brought her to. 

A whimper drew his attention as Bel’s form shifted and pooled around the baby. Small baby blues scrunched up as Belphegor swiftly scooped Little Duck up and held her out to him. The way she held the baby made him give a choked laugh as he took her. Little Duck seemed to sigh once she realized who held her, waving a tiny fist before settling against his chest. “I don’t even know what would be a good Name. Lilith was better at them.” He admitted, keeping his eyes on the smaller blues as she seemed to watch him. 

“Find one. I’ll be back in a week.” Bel told him and he felt out of his depth once again. “Mix the jar with her normal formula.” She added before leaving him. He thought about calling her back and asking for ideas, but the sleepy way the Little Duck moved told him he’d be trapped in a nap spot shortly. 

“What am I going to do? I can’t keep you,” he mumbled. “I can’t be a Dad. I barely managed with Charlie.” He added and gently pushed a finger into a tiny fist. The Little Duck easily grasped his finger and held tight as she slowly blinked. “I’m gonna be horrible. I get distracted and forget things all the time. The only reason I’ve been so good lately is because of you. I’m terrified of what will happen. And something will happen, Little Duck. You’ll hate me for it.” He explained as he carefully moved to settle into a chair. The baby didn’t seem to care, perking up for a minute before settling more against his chest as he sat down. “In my Father’s name, I’ll try to find you someone.” He whispered, hoping he’d find them soon. He knew the longer he waited and let himself grow attached, the worse he’d feel when it came time to let go. 

… … … … 

It’d been a while since he’d been summoned. The Little Duck recognized him and made sure he knew she was around, kicking and cooing whenever she saw him. She also learned that if she cried loud enough, he’d appear. Sleeping was still a problem, but if he held her against his chest she’d at least settle. 

“Today’s project is the ‘Fantastical! Back-flipping! Rubber duck!” He told her in a singsong tone, smiling when she kicked her legs and caused the bouncer to move. That was one of the newest additions to his workspace. Belphegor hadn’t seemed happy with the basket he usually kept on his desk and had given him a cream and blue bouncy seat. It faced him and Little Duck seemed to enjoy it. Bel had reprimanded him about carrying her around so much, telling him she needed something called ‘Tummy Time’ to build her muscles. He vaguely remembered Lilith mentioning something like it with Charlie. 

“Should it make bubbles? I think it should, don’t you?” He baby talked, gently grabbing a tiny foot as it kicked out and Little Duck gave him a wide smile. “Yes, yes we do~” he cooed and began to work. He made sure that after each step of making the toy, he looked up and checked on his baby. 

That was another thing, after talking with Bel and discussing a lot of his own issues, he’d finally settled with the fact that he was going to be a parent again. Little Duck was his. After discussing the distant relation they’d already had, and that had been a weird feeling for him. He really had been a grandfather! Bel and he had set up an adoption where he was a full parent to the little one. It meant her black curls had lightened with a red tint, while her baby blues had started to darken with a tint that made them look purple currently. Bel said with time, her eyes would match his. He wondered how much she’d resemble him. Charlie was practically his copy, having only inherited a few more demonic traits from Lilith to go with her height, hair, and lips. Would Little Duck be short like him? Would her skin stay pale like his? What about her hair? Would it lighten more or stay dark? 

“Now presenting... the magic-tastical back-flipping rubber duck!” He cheered, using a bit of magic to make a small light and curtain reveal. “That spits bubbles!” He added, balancing the toy on his palm as it flipped and let out a stream of bubbles that made Little Duck squeal, kick, and wave her tiny arms around. “Hoo hoo hoo! Hold the applause please, okay? Oh, thank you, thank you.” He laughed as he carefully set the streaming duck to the side and grabbed the small soft duck he’d made for his baby. 

“Pretty awesome, huh?” He relaxed as she held onto the toy and watched the bubbles gently floating around her. He let his chin rest on his hand as he leaned over the table to just watch her. He remembered Charlie being the same way, though not with bubbles but more with fire. He’d often wondered why fire, but each child was different. Satan’s own child had a weird fascination with slime. 

He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of a ringtone. He didn’t think it was time for a bottle or nap. Had he lost track of time? A quick check of Little Duck’s diaper before reaching for his phone didn’t bring any clarity either.  “Daughter? Daughter! Daughter calling?! OH! Uhm uh, uh hello, Charlie. He-ey, hey, hey Char-Char.” He rambled in a panic, pushing away from the table and scrambling. “No, no! That's not good. Oh, this is the first time she's called you in years. This has to be perfect.” He forced himself to take a deep breath to try and calm down. Bel had told him Little Duck would react to whatever he was doing. He didn’t need to have her crying while on the phone. “Hey~ bitch!” He answered, wincing at himself and slapping his forehead. Midway through the greeting he’d made a very bad realization.  

“Hi, Dad.” Oh, Charlie didn’t sound happy. Had he forgotten something else? Had someone told her about Little Duck? He really, really messed up. 

“Hey! How are you? Oh ho. Where-where are you these days?” He tried, mentally scrambling to figure out what could be the problem. Or what else could be a problem? Shit, he really put his foot in it. 

“You know where I am Dad. I've told you before.” Shit, she sounded so upset with him! 

“You have? Oh, yeah uh, well, you know, I um uh-” Looking over at Little Duck, he straightened from the near crawl he had been doing. 

“I told you when you called me five months ago, or did you not listen?” Charlie’s tone still hurt but keeping his eyes on Little Duck helped him. She was cooing at her bubbles, waving a hand, and smiling when she managed to pop one. 

“No, no, no, no. Just, you know, just forgot. You know, I've just been really busy, yeah, with, um, important things.” He struggled to explain. “Actually! I, have something to tell you. Are you busy?” He mentally patted himself on the back. He could handle this! 

“Well, I'm actually running a hotel to rehabilitate sinners. Maybe you saw our commercial?” Her hopeful tone made him wince. He didn’t watch TV, especially now that he had Little Duck. He didn’t have time either. Between Little Duck, paperwork, and trying to keep a schedule Bel set up he didn’t have a lot of time for anything. 

“Oh, sadly, I missed it. heh heh. You know, I haven't been watching much TV lately. Scrambles the brain. But hey! A hotel, fun!” He told her, kicking a few spit rags and a bottle into a pile of ducks. He should clean. 

Charlie’s sigh made him freeze. “Listen, Dad, I've got kind of a big ask.”

“Yeah, of course! Anything in my power is yours for the asking. You just name it!” He coughed, gagging quietly when he lifted a soiled rag and caught a whiff. 

“I need to speak to Heaven. Well, whoever's in charge up there, above Adam, above anybody. I need to go to the top.” Lucifer’s heart jumped into his throat as he turned to see Little Duck somehow holding the bubble duck and trying to taste it. 

“Oh, no. No~ No, no, no, no! Duckie, no, no, no. That's, uh hah, no.” He scrambled, falling over a bottle as he tried to get to his baby to take away her toy and still listen to his oldest. 

“Look Dad,” Charlie snapped, and he winced from both her tone and the whine Little Duck let out. “I don't ask you for much, I never have, but this, this is really important to me. It's the most important thing I've ever done. And I...need you. I need your help.” Oh, and didn’t that push at both his parental side and pride? 

“I don't know, Charlie. Heaven-” 

“Please! Just come see what I'm trying to do. You'll see why it's a really good idea. And Heaven is bound to agree if I get the chance to talk to them. Please, Dad.” He took a minute to think. He didn’t think Heaven would care if he tried to reach out, in all honesty, Sera would probably just ignore him. Like she always did. But this was also a chance to see his Char-Char! He could introduce Little Duck!

“Alright,” He gave a weak smile when he heard Charlie whisper-yell a ‘yes’. “But, we need to talk. About more than just…your hotel. I,” 

“Don’t worry, Dad! I’ll have everything ready! I’ll see you in an hour!” She hung up before he could say more. Looking down at the phone he wondered if he should call Bel. She’d told him to talk to Charlie, and he was going to do just that, but it felt like he was going to shake apart. 

A coo drew his eyes away from the dark screen. Little Duck looked at him in confusion, a little fist in her mouth as he stood there. “Well. Guess we’re going to see Charlie!” He tried to put some excitement in his tone as he reached over and waved a tiny foot. 

Chapter Text

Little Duck let out an ‘ooo’ sound as Lucifer took a dramatic deep breath. He had teleported close enough to the hotel to see it in full standing, but still a bit away that he could walk comfortably. 

“Ok, Little Duck! It’s time to meet your big sister. Who doesn’t know about you.” He winced, but tried to smile as his baby patted his collar with a tiny hand. “You’re right, nothing to worry about. Just…meeting Charlie. After months. With a baby.” Dark purple eyes met his with wide innocence as his body tried to shake. 

“Maybe, we can go back home. No! We are Proud Morningstars and we,” Little Duck let out a warble sound, not unlike a small bird. It was a newer sound, which according to Bel, meant she had possibly inherited a bit more of his Angelic nature than expected. He noticed she only made it when he had her on his chest and was spiraling. The sound made his wings want to pop out and fluff up, something he had only recently gotten under control. 

Charlie had made baby goat sounds as a baby and then toddler. Lilith had found it both adorable and highly amusing. He had had more than one jump scare from his Char-Char bleating in the middle of the night for one of them.  He shook his head and gave Little Duck a firm hug through her sling. No time for memory lane. He had children to introduce. 

… … … … 

Lucifer pushed through his anxiety as he stepped into the hotel and pulled Charlie into a one-armed hug.  “Charlie! How are you? You’re so tall! Have you grown? Are you eating enough? You’re almost as tall as your Mom!” He rambled while spinning them around. “Razzle! Dazzle! How are my little demons? Taking care of my Princess?” He greeted, giving the two Baphomets a quick scratch before they stopped him from moving. 

“Dad. What is that?” Charlie’s concern and the way her eyes were stuck to him made him want to cover Little Duck and hold her out at the same time. “Is that a baby!?” 

“Uh, yes,” 

“They’re so tiny! Vaggie look!” Charlie squealed, pulling a woman over to him and practically bouncing in place. “She has your cheeks! Oh, look at her eyes! They’re so pretty!” Lucifer felt a part of him relax. This wasn’t so bad. In fact, Charlie seemed just as enamored with Little Duck as him. 

“Charlie, meet your sister! Dowan, meet your big sister!” Lucifer introduced, shifting until his littlest Ducky could fully see his Best Ducky. “She’s uh, part of…well she’s the whole, I mean not the whole but a big part,” 

“It would seem Hell’s ‘Biggest’ King has a consort’s child.” A static overlayed voice made his hackles rise. Who dares!?

“Dad?” Charlie’s questioning gaze made his anger fizzle down even as he was vaguely aware of other voices and of Little Duck squirming in his tightened hold. 

“No.” The firm and direct way he countered the moronic accusation made Charlie relax. The droop of her shoulders and the shift in her eyes as she returned her attention to her new sibling also assured Lucifer. “Here, why don’t you hold her for a moment? Introduce me to your…umm?” 

“Oh! Yes! Right!” She jumped and practically vibrated as he pulled off the sling to dismiss and gently fixed Charlie’s arms. Little Duck looked impossibly small in her arms, barely stretching Charlie’s forearm. “Hi~!” Little Duck looked confused, dark purple eyes scrunched at Charlie before turning to Lucifer and waving a fist. 

“Oh! What in the unholy Hell is that?” He winced as he spoke, wishing he hadn’t opened his mouth as he caught sight of the mixed greens and decay of a bar. Was Charlie really letting something that…That around others? Maybe he should fix that for her. Who knows how many germs or viruses or worse were passing around them! 

“Just some of the renovations we had done. Adds a bit of color, don’t you think” A Sinner cheerfully spoke up, the static in his voice making Lucifer want to scratch his ears off. 

“And you are?” He asked irritably, eyes going over the well-dressed but eldritch air carrying male. Something about the twisted thinness, sharp discolored fangs, and predatory gaze made him want to grab Charlie and Little Duck and hide them. 

“Alastor! Pleasure to be meeting you. Quite the pleasure.” The Sinner reached out to shake and Lucifer quickly put his cane up in response. No way was he letting this being touch him. Touch any of them. “It’s nice to finally put a face to a name.” Lucifer didn’t miss the sharp flash of emotion as Ally Boy shook his cane and then wiped his hand off. Good be mad. “Though you are much shorter in real life.” He added with a motion between Charlie and him. He was normal size! He was just shorter than all the beings here! Except the other Angel and the tiny Cyclops female being running around. 

“Who is this, Charlie, who is this now? The bellhop, valet?” He questioned, turning with indifference as he motioned with his cane to all of Ally Boy’s being. 

“Aha! No! I am the host of this hotel! You might have heard of me from my radio broadcast.” The Sinner laughed and spun his own cane. It looked quite nice, blending a closed tulip and a microphone. Wait, no. He did NOT like anything about this Sinner! 

“Hmm, nope! Guess that’s why it’s called the Has-Been Hotel !” He laughed with a sway as he said the words. They danced nicely over his tongue, he’d probably repeat them for a while. 

“Ha ha ha! Actually, it was my idea!” The Sinner retorted. 

“AHA! Well, it’s not very clever!” He argued with narrowed eyes as he stepped forward to the challenge. 

“ Ha! Ha! Fuck you .” The sharp loss of static paired with the underlay of an accent made Lucifer want to summon his wings. How dare this Sinner think he could argue and win with him! Him! The literal Devil. 

“Okay! Okay!” Charlie stepped between them, one hand out to rest against the Sinner while holding Little Duck in the other. “Dad, why don’t we move to the parlor? Alastor made it! It’s got couches, reading nooks, and soft lighting!” 

“Charlie has a very unique vision. I am happy to fulfill her bizarre requests.” A-last-resort spoke up as Charlie led them to a surprisingly nice parlor. “Quite an impressive young lady. We’re all very proud of her.” He went on with a hand resting on Charlie’s shoulder. The look he gave Lucifer as Charlie thanked him made his feathers fluff up as he scowled. How dare this Sinner try and integrate himself into Charlie’s life! 

“Ahem! Charlie! Dear, why don’t you introduce us to your other friends?” He tried not to growl, fighting not to let his eyes glow as sharp claws grabbed at Little Duck’s foot. If not for the smirk on the Sinner’s face, he’d almost think it had been an attempt to grab and steady Charlie’s arm. 

“Oh, yes! Oh course!” His eldest lit up, thankfully unaware of the real reason he wanted Charlie and Little Duck away from Creepy Mannequin. “This is Vaggie, my~ girlfriend.” Lucifer’s brain froze. Girlfriend!? Charlie’s girlfriend!?

“Oh my golly! You like girls? So do I!” He rambled, trying not to panic more as he realized not only was he being introduced to a girlfriend but to another Angel too! Charlie was just like him! “We have so much in common! Put her there, Maggie!” He cheered and gave the woman a firm hug/handshake. “We’ll talk later.” He warned in his lowest voice before pulling away. 

“L-lovely to meet you, uh sir.” The now paler Angel said as Lucifer gave her a big grin. Had he hugged too hard? Whatever. Hopefully, she wouldn’t mind talking to him about Heaven. He never got any news or gossip unless Adam went on some kind of rant. Which was often but rarely about anything good. And Lucifer hated meeting with Sera. She was such a bore! 

“And this is Sir Pentious and Angel Dust! Our guests!!” Charlie moved on, lifting Little Duck a bit so she rested with her back to Charlie’s front. 

“Oh, don’t do that. It hurts her neck. Try this,” Lucifer jumped, reaching out to help Charlie lower her arms so Little Duck wasn’t curled into a ball with her neck bent. “One arm under, one arm over. Perfect!” He cheered when Charlie fixed her hold and laughed when both girls blinked at him and smiled. 

Little Duck bounced in Charlie’s arms, fluffy hair tickling under Charlie’s chin and making the woman giggle. “She’s very energetic.” 

“So were you,” Lucifer laughed. “Charlie used to bounce all over the place once she figured out how to move.” He told the surrounding group as he turned. “Was doing it before she could really crawl!” 

“Dad~!” Charlie whined as the others laughed or raised a glass with a smile. “This is Husk our bartender, and Niffty our housekeeper.” She went on to introduce. 

“Nice to meet you,” Husk greeted. The sphinx/winged cat was eyeing Little Duck but not the same way Ally Boy had been. If anything, Lucifer guessed this sinner was more curious but polite enough not to say anything. 

“Hello. I clean.” The feel of sharp claws climbing up his front was his only warning before his gaze was obscured by a manic-looking cyclops.  Before he could throw the intruder away from him, he heard something groan. Instinct had his wings out to cover Charlie and Little Duck (and the others) just as a chandelier fell. 

“Alright then,” Lucifer said with a smirk, eyes catching sight of the smug bastard that had almost hurt his daughters. 

...

*cue the musical number!*

...

Lucifer knew getting Charlie her meeting with Heaven was going to be a pain. Knew it the same way he knew he needed to change Little Duck’s diaper. At least that was easier to fix than the call would be. 

Setting her down, he made quick work of changing her and swapped out her soft yellow duck outfit for a soft pink footed one that Bel had gifted him. That reminded him, he needed to introduce her to the other Sins. But who to go with first? 

“Would you like to meet your Uncles and Aunts?” He asked in a soft tone, feeling as if all his stress melted for a moment when Little Duck gave a big yawn. “Yeah, me too. I think we both need an early bedtime.” He agreed with a nod. Scooping the infant up, he settled her against him before wandering to his rocking chair. Or rather, Lilith’s rocking chair. 

Charlie had been a delight as a baby. She’d been energetic, always smiling, and making noise whenever there seemed a hint of silence. Lucifer could remember so many nights where he’d attempt to get Charlie to sleep before Lilith came home. Be it, using his wings to glide around, singing softly, pacing, or anything. She would fuss and fuss, sometimes tiring herself out or glaring at him till Lilith appeared. His beautiful, deadly, magnificent wife Lilith. She would appear like a shadow and easily fold over them, swaying with Lucifer and Charlie pressed against her, or she would softly pull Charlie into her arms and into the rocking chair. 

Their baby girl would settle almost instantly. Cuddling with Mama being a sure fire way to succeed at bedtime. Nap time was a different battle. But bedtime? Mama won every time. Lucifer would lean against the wall or doorway to watch as Lilith slowly rocked back and forth, folding a blanket around Charlie and doing small motions to soothe her into sleep. It was magical. 

Not to say it worked every time. There were a few times Lucifer can remember neither of them getting sleep as Charlie teethed, got sick, or simply refused to sleep. But Lilith succeeded far more than she failed. 

He settled to lean more to the side, using an armrest for a bit of neck support as he threw his legs over the other side. With Little Duck nestled on his chest with her hair tickling his chin, he let himself relax. The room was lit by the late shine of Hell, not quite sunset but not far off. And judging from the deeper breathing of his youngest, they were definitely staying there for the night. So! With a snap of his fingers, he let a downy purple blanket fall over them and closed his eyes. 

He’d face everything tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Lucifer wasn’t sure what caused Little Duck to wake up crying, but the sniffles and whimpers in his ear worried him. He ruled out the easy problems, then the harder ones, but nothing he did seemed to help. Aside from holding her, that only made her cry less. She seemed miserable, rubbing her face and pulling on his collar. “What is it, Little Duck? You don’t want a bottle, you’re in your favorite nightie, and I even have Mrs. Feather.” Lucifer was exhausted, but not in the lack of sleep sense. 

Little Duck whined, smooshing her face into his collar and gumming at the skin. He sighed and gently rubbed her back, letting his nails scratch in a soothing manner. “Let’s try a bath. Huh? We can have the purple bubbles!” He tried to cheer, faltering when Little Duck bit him. “Woah, no, no no no no. Little Duck, we can’t do that.” With a wince, he set her down. “I’ll call Auntie Bel,” He mumbled when she began to bawl. 

… … … 

When Bel first took over the Ring of Sloth and became its Patron -of a sort- she had been naive, young, and full of energy. She’d built her first house with a clinic and a bathhouse. She hated sickness. The feeling made her feel like she had diluted blood between her skin and made her feel slow and bloated. Her second house had been more of a house and had two rooms that had been commandeered by her siblings after moving out from Lucifer’s. When she had to move again, she had created a split area in the quietest part of her Ring. On one side was what she imagined Eden had looked like, minus the golden glow. The other was what Leviathan called quaint and homely. She didn’t care. She kept her place clean. With a lock on her lab and then more locks on the cabinets that housed medicine that was known to work and experiments she hoped to test. 

Belphagor huffed in irritation. Normally, she was left in peace and didn’t interact with her family unless dire circumstances. Such as her brother gaining a new child, another brother begging for help with his amputee lover, or her sister breaking in and getting a surprise dose of something. 

“Beeellllll, stop bein’ mad.” The very drunk and drugged voice of her younger sibling Beelzebub made her roll her eyes. “Ooh fuck.” Ingrained habit had her shoving the other onto her side away from Bel as she began to vomit. 

“I told you to stay out of the cabinets.” She repeated while taking note of the muted colors of Bee as she continued to be ill. “Vortex,” 

“On it,” the gentleman her sister somehow snagged was also used to helping. “Uh, do, your,” 

“Bel!” A panicked voice had the Hellhound jumping a second before a swirl of energy manifested the King of Hell in Bel’s home. She wanted to groan and smash her head, but that would mean more work for her. 

Bel took in his filthy appearance along with Princess Dowan clinging and crying on him. Where Lucifer usually kept his appearance absurdly neat and pressed, he was the complete opposite now. Sweatpants that hung on him, a single sock, and a faded red undershirt with questionable stains. Paired with the mess he called hair and the smears of drool, Bel was reminded forcibly of when Charlie had been a baby and none of them knew what to do. 

“Your Majesty!” Vortex greeted, attempting to bow before Bee began to throw up again. Not that Lucifer noticed as he tried to soothe his baby and beg for Bel’s help with his eyes. 

“She was fine yesterday!” He explained, darting around her when she carefully lifted Dowan out of his arms. Even she winced when Dowan screamed and latched onto his shirt. “It’s okay, shh Little Duck. It is okay, right? She’s been like this all morning. She keeps trying to bite me too but gets angry when I try to put her down. Is it something I’m doing? Charlie wasn’t like this. I did something, I know it.” 

“Yes. Shut up.” Bel ordered using her tail to hold Dowan while sending a small Dust Devil to push Lucifer into a chair. “Tea. Drink.” Bel’s voice barely rose but it was enough for Lucifer to summon a set she kept in her kitchen. She trailed her sand over the infant, brow furrowed as she tried to find something that could be the problem. 

“Lulu, baaabe! Lil Lollie sura ain’t feel,” Bee slurred before groaning. 

“Bee?” Lucifer’s confused and concerned tone drew Bel’s attention for a moment. “Uh, hi?” 

“Vortex, your Majesty.” Yes, Bel liked this one. Her sister wasn’t known for her skill in romance but this one had manners and had yet to make ugly comments under his breath. 

“Oh, hi, I said that. I mean. Hi, I’m Lucifer, which you know. Shit, I,” Bel ignored the others as Lucifer tried to introduce himself. She needed to focus, there wasn’t anything physical wrong with Dowan, but Bee’s comment had sparked an idea. 

Stripping Dowan down to her diaper, Bel carefully traced a claw from the baby’s chin to her navel. At first, nothing aside from a red line appeared, and then it darkened to a maroon color. Bel hummed, curious as the color quickly disappeared and Dowan whined. 

“Lucifer,” the call of his name was barely out of her mouth before the blonde was at her side. Slowly she repeated the process, noting how this time the maroon appeared faster as it was drawn to the surface. “You have more Angelic than Demonic. You saw Charlotte?” 

“Uh, yeah, we…I mean, she called and we went to see her.” Lucifer admitted with a confused lilt. “Oh shit, I didn’t even! Fuck!” Bel didn’t respond verbally, already exhausted from having to talk so much. Gently she grabbed one of his wrists and laid it with her own on Dowan’s stomach. Slowly, so she wouldn’t shock the baby’s system, she drew a portion of her Demonic Energy and eased it through Lucifer’s palm. It was difficult, his Angelic Energy fighting her own before settling when it deemed her not a threat. 

“Wow,” the rough whisper almost distracted her as Dowan glowed softly and finally settled. 

“Now that her body has been exposed to the heavier energy, she’ll need to be around it.” Bel told Lucifer with a sigh, using her tail to keep hold of the slowly settling baby while returning to where Bee had passed out. “Charlotte and whomever she is with will need to learn to hold their Energy but Dowan will be fine in a few days.” 

“So Little Duck is okay?” Lucifer asked in a breathless whisper and sagged when Bel moved her tail to give him the baby. “Don’t scare me like that,” he tried to joke as the baby yawned.  

“I wasn’t.” Bel said in the silence as she checked Bee’s eyes and slowly returning color. “Beelzebub will be fine; a headache and sore throat.” She told the large male, summoning a vial of green sludge. “She needs more calories and proteins. Mix this with her smoothies.” She ordered and tossed a blanket over her. 

“Now sleep.” 

… … … 

Lucifer sorely debated going to see Charlie again before making the call to Sera. Just the thought of contact with her made his insides twist nauseatingly. He knew she’d say no and spout about the safety of Heaven. She’d spin it as her protecting them from the Angelic Council and in turn his siblings. 

“It’s so stupid!” He grumbled in frustration. “They’ll say no, I know it! And then I’ll have to tell Char Char, and have you seen her sad eyes? Wait, no, you haven’t. Maybe if you stayed in her arms? I can put you in my favorite outfit! You’ll be adorable! Wait! No, Lucifer. Don’t get distracted.” He rambled, forcing himself to take a deep breath. 

Dowan seemed content to watch him, a half finished bottle crammed into her side while she held her soft duck toy. Since coming back from Bel’s she’d returned to her easy self, which Lucifer was grateful for. Currently though he almost wished she’d be a distraction away from making the call. 

“Want to help your old man?” He asked with a bit of desperation and groaned when Little Duck warbled and waved her plushie. “Right, yeah,” he mumbled and reached for his phone. “But first, ack!” Lucifer groaned, starting up at his ceiling while his back and tailbone smarted. 

“Shades take me,” he mumbled. Slinging one arm over his eyes, he blindly tapped his phone and brought it to his ear. 

He really didn’t want an answer. He could come up with something. Charlie would be disappointed and upset and possibly hate him but, 

“Morningstar,” the vaguely disdainful tone made him flinch. “What is your reason for calling?” Sera demanded and Lucifer could picture her impatient stare. 

“I need a meeting.” Good! Short and to the point. He could handle that. He could hear Sera moving, papers being shuffled, before he spoke more. “Technically for Charlie.” 

“What would this meeting entail?” She wasn’t saying no yet. He could count that as progress. Lifting his arm, he checked on Little Duck, smiling a bit when he saw the edge of one foot and heard her coo. 

“Well,” he rolled over and got to his feet. “Charlie wants to speak to you about a project she has. A, no no Little Duck we chew Mrs Feathers, not toes.” He admonished, gently pulling on Little Duck’s foot and chuckling when she warbled and pouted. 

“What are you doing?” He blinked, he forgot for a second that he needed to focus on Sera. “If this meeting is not urgent,” 

“It is!” He quickly shouted, wincing when Little Duck jumped at his tone. “It is.” He corrected more softly. “The Exterminators can no longer be a solution. Charlie has an alternative solution and you need to hear it.” 

“A meeting involving the contract Heaven and Hell have agreed on will involve all parties or no parties at all. I have priorities that overrule a child’s whims and so do Michael and the others.” Sera’s stern tone made him sigh in frustration. “If that is all.” 

“Sera!” He heard her pause. “Look. Charlie’s solution is a good one. One I think…one I think we could try. If you meet with her, just you, and talk. I know,” 

“Lucifer,” he froze. “It is not fair,” 

“It’s not fair to my daughter that Heaven ignores her!” He interrupted with a snap. “Look, I’m sorry. I know…I know I’m the problem. But my children are innocent. Give Charlie a chance. You don’t have to talk about the contract or even make a deal.” 

He waited with his nails digging into the wood of his work table for Sera to respond. He could feel his tail swaying behind him, responding to the emotions he was trying to keep a leash on. “What is her project?” 

“Redemption.” He breathed, feeling relief shake his knees as he spun around and smiled at Little Duck. “Charlie wants to try to redeem a Sinner and get them into Heaven.” He could feel Sera’s disbelief from Heaven. “And isn’t that what Father was all about after he talked with Joshua? He literally died so that humans could get redeemed.” 

“Lord Father has not been awake since Joshua’s…ascension. But you are not wrong.” Sera sounded less disdainful and more intrigued as she spoke. “I will meet with the Daughter of the Morningstar and one companion in a week. Send details for her location within a day so that we can open a portal for her.” 

“Thank you Sera,” he wasn’t sure she heard him but he didn’t care either. He got Charlie a meeting. Now he needed to pass out or drink. “That was exhausting.” He said to Little Duck, playfully tugging on her chewed plushie. “And we still have to tell Charlie.” 

Chapter Text

Sera stared out the windows of her office. The phone call with Morningstar had been interesting. A child of his seeking Redemption for failed human souls. It was a noteworthy idea. But her mind was stuck on something Morningstar had said. 

“My children are innocent.” She knew of his daughter due to him bringing her to a meeting decades ago. She recalled him asking about her placement in Heaven, and sending a young deer cherub for information. 

“Sins of the Father,” she mumbled aloud. It did hurt her. Knowing that an innocent babe had already been sentenced to Hell. Regardless of parentage, she recalled Charlie had been a ball of warmth and innocence. But she had been Named by both Morningstar and Lilith.

She wondered what any other children of the Morningstar and his paramour would be like. The childish tone and words he had used implied a young child in his care. Could it be his? 

“No no Little Duck we chew Mrs Feathers, not toes.”

“Hmm,” it was unlikely. Regardless of what Adam said, she knew Lilith would not have left a young child behind to protect another. No, any children they had would be a few decades old and soaked in sin. Blocked from their Angelic heritage. “A grandchild!” She whispered in shock. 

That would explain the request for a meeting and a stop to the Exterminations. Standing to stretch out her wings and think, Sera moved around her office. 

Michael would need to be told. A council would need to be called. She had no memory of a Nephalem ever siring offspring. They already were impossibly strong, being born of Angelic and Demonic seed and with a spiritual soul. Many of them had existed to fight in the War. 

Many of them had died and many more were executed at the hands of Nephilim ordered by Michael. 

A faded memory of a small red cheeked infant came to mind. Quickly followed by the harsh screaming on execution. 

“No,” she muttered. She would not let a child be killed. She would call a council, but she would not let Charlie or her descendants stay in Heaven. Seeing what they could not have would breed resentment and anger. They would turn on Heaven, and then she would have a monster on the inside of the Gates. 

She needed to plan. She needed to ensure that Michael and his family remained unaware of what would be happening. So that meant she couldn’t call on many higher Angels to hear the case. 

Shaking out her wings, she returned to her desk to plan and write. It would be a long day, and made only longer with her existing work. 

Chapter Text

Lucifer debated packing a bag or a suitcase. If he was going to stay at the Hazbin Hotel it would be temporary. Charlie didn’t need him around all the time, and who knows what those Sinners would do to his Little Duck! 

Dowan was pouting at him from her spot in the playpen. It had belonged to Charlie and was made of red wood and decorated with moving beads and thin crystals that worked as a rattle. It had been a gift from Satan that he was glad he still had. He had a soft blanket across the bottom, with a few toys scattered around her. 

“Should I pack myself a suitcase?” He asked Little Duck, turning to watch her chew on a purple duck before fisting the blanket to her face. “Little Duck, where did you go?” He called dramatically, smiling when the baby wiggled. 

“Oh, Little Duck! Did you fly away?” Lucifer sang as he leaned over the playpen and watched her. She was so much bigger than when he got her, kicking her legs and stretching to grab things. She still struggled with ‘Tummy Time’ but she could lift her head and look around. “Where’s Daddy’s baby?” He asked and made his voice sound sad. Dowan immediately lifted her head and looked around, her expression was so concerned Lucifer immediately scooped her up and lifted her above his head. “There she is!” Both laughed as she waved all limbs in the air and he spun her around. 

“Look at Little Duck fly!” He continued to sing, taking dramatic steps and swinging his arms in an imitation of flight. Dowan loved it, smiling and squealing. 

It was moments like this that made him feel whole. Call him selfish, but knowing he was her whole world and he made her happy? He wanted to wrap it in a blanket and hoard it away. No Sinners, demons, angels, or his Father could ever deserve to see the toothless smile and crinkled eyes or hear the enchanting laughter and coos. Only him. 

“When you’re a bit bigger, we’ll fly through all the Rings. And you can see Uncle Ozzie’s and Auntie Levi’s blues.” He pulled her down to his chest, chuckling when she perked up at the word blue. That seemed to be her new favorite thing. Of all the colors Bel insisted he surround her with, she seemed to gravitate to blues, greens, and the occasional purple. “Did I say bluuuueeee,” Little Duck cooed and patted at his neck. 

While he nuzzled her face, he used his magic to summon her plushie and change the soft yellow to have blue dots. Little Duck looked amazed, latching on with hands and mouth as she looked up at Lucifer with violet eyes. “Now, let’s call Char Char and get packed, yeah?” 

… … …

By the time Lucifer made it to the hotel, Little Duck was starting to fuss like she had that morning. According to Bel, even though Little Duck had been exposed to a higher concentration of Demonic Energy, she still needed a mix of Angelic and Demonic to stay comfortable. He naturally leaned more into his Angelic nature and his Demonic Energy when he needed to protect or fight something. He lived mostly in isolation, meaning his Demonic Energy wasn’t as potent as his Angelic. Little Duck hadn’t had much, if any, until meeting Charlie and the others. Charlie naturally balanced both energies, and while she had held Little Duck, had instinctively let the baby latch onto them. If Lucifer hadn’t let Charlie hold her, she probably wouldn’t be in pain. 

Lucifer forced his thoughts to stop. He wanted Charlie to hold Little Duck. He wanted them to be close and to have a connection with each other. It was a good thing for Little Duck to be exposed. An especially good thing it had been Charlie who had exposed her. What if an Imp had picked her up one day? Or a Sinner attempted something? The sudden new energy would have hurt Little Duck worse than just some discomfort! Charlie was-is the best solution to helping him with Little Duck. If she wanted to that is. 

“Don’t worry, we’re almost there.” He reassured, taking a deep breath to focus his two energies into a small stream for her. She settled a bit as he tried again, quietly sucking on her pacifier even as she gave off a dim glow. It felt exhausting trying to keep the two energies balanced, and he worried about how Charlie felt on a regular basis because of it. 

“Dad! You’re here!” The loud greeting made him jump. Little Duck let out her own sound of surprise and spit out her pacifier to pout at him. “With Dowan!” Charlie added with a wide smile. 

“Hi Apple,” he greeted back softly. “Of course,” he added while patting Little Duck’s bottom with one hand. “I wasn’t sure how long,” 

Before he could explain -again- why they would be staying at the hotel his phone went off. “Bang, bang, bangity bang! I said bang bangity bang bang!”

“Ozzie?” Lucifer answered in confusion. The last he had spoken with the Sin of Lust, was when he asked him about some contract Mammon owned. “Slow down! Wait,” he could barely understand the growls the other was making through the phone. “Char, can you? I, Ozzie! Shut up for a minute!” He snapped into his phone while adjusting his arm for Charlie to grab onto Little Duck. He hated the look of concern and confusion on Charlie’s face as she lifted Little Duck from her sling and settled her against her chest. If not for Ozzie’s voice in his ear, Lucifer would take a few dozen pictures of the two. But, being King and the defacto middle child, meant he had duties. 

“Give me a few minutes, Duckies. I, I’ll be right back.” He tried to reassure Charlie, eyes flicking from her concerned expression to Little Duck’s own confused one. With a nod, he watched Charlie return inside, feeling guilt well up in him when he heard Little Duck warble for him. 

He wasn’t doing anything wrong. He really didn’t want his daughters to see or hear whatever was going on. It wasn’t their problem. Having to step away for a phone call wasn’t a bad thing. It just showed he was protecting them. Right? What if he was starting to slip again? First, it would be this call, then a meeting, then it would be a week before he saw them again! 

“Lucifer?” He shook his head. He was fine, this was fine. He would handle whatever Ozzie was mad about and then go inside. 

… … … 

As soon as Charlie had passed out of her Dad’s sight, she felt her mood drop. She didn’t want to think the worst or assume anything bad, but she knew firsthand how absent he could be. Even if he was trying to be otherwise. 

“Hey Toots, how’s the womb nugget?” Angel’s easy tone made her roll her eyes even as she laughed. 

“Dowan is perfect. Aren’t you?” Charlie baby talked while lifting her baby sister up enough to meet her eyes. The reddish eyes blinked at her for a beat before she began to squirm and chew on a fist. “Oh, no you shouldn’t do that.” She’d done a lot of speed reading while waiting on her Dad. Babies were prone to putting everything in their mouths and it was a bad idea to let them do that in case it made them sick. She was pretty sure Razzle and Dazzle would be back soon with some of the baby items she’d sent them after. Had she gotten enough teethers? Was Dowan old enough to have teeth come in?

“What? Squirm? Hate to say it, Toots, but that’s what babies do.” Angel huffed as Charlie pinned the baby to her chest and made her whine. “Fix ya arms, she’s gonna puke like that.” Charlie was surprised as Angel moved her arms so that they cupped under Dowan’s legs and across her back. 

“I, you know about babies?” Charlie asked, choosing not to tell him she was actually going to try and stop Dowan from chewing on herself. 

“Hun, I grew up in a big family. Babies happen.” He deadpanned even as he reached out to gently brush through Dowan’s dark hair. “Feels like she’s got tangles, might wanna brush it.” He added before retrieving his favorite sunglasses. “I gotta shift, see ya.” 

Charlie gave an absent farewell while walking over to the Welcome Desk. Vaggie was working on a stack of papers, her pen making a comforting scratch sound before she looked up at Charlie. 

“What happened?” She asked with a narrowed eye towards the door. “Where’s Lucifer?” She questioned with a hard edge to her words. 

“It’s fine! I mean, he had a call. He said he’ll be right back.” Charlie explained while carefully shifting her hold on Dowan. She wished she’d thought to get the sling from him, Dowan didn’t look it, but her arms were getting tired. 

Vaggie hummed, looking from the door to Charlie before setting her pen down to stand. “Come on, let’s go sit down. When he comes back, we’ll show him his room.” Charlie breathed a sigh of relief and skipped after her wonderful girlfriend. 

The two settled down on a throw blanket Vaggie retrieved from the couch. Charlie sat cross-legged in front of her baby sister. Dowan was holding her head up and kicking the air behind her while fussing. “You need Tummy Time,” The baby gave a sharp cry at that, her small glare making Charlie giggle. 

“I don’t think she likes it.” Vaggie joked as Dowan gripped the blanket under them and let out a grunt. “I know you read a bunch of baby notes, but maybe let her roll over?” Carefully, Vaggie pushed a finger into Dowan’s fist. The baby turned to look at her hand in confusion before Vaggie slowly pulled until Dowan rolled over. 

“Surprise!” The blond cheered at her baby sister’s expression. It took Dowan a beat before she kicked her feet up and then grabbed a bare foot. 

“You don’t think it’s strange?” Vaggie questioned, an eye trained on the baby with a softness that betrayed her tense posture. 

“What’s so strange?” Charlie asked in a babying tone as she continued to play with Dowan. The girl gave her a wide gummy smile as she let go of her foot to grab at Charlie’s waving fingers. 

“Your Dad and Dowan,” Vaggie admitted with a shrug. “He never really said where she came from.” Vaggie saw Charlie’s eyes frown but her smile remained as she let Dowan grab her hand. “I’m not saying anything bad or wrong. I just,” she trailed off. 

Charlie sat back, eyes on Dowan as she thought over Vaggie’s words. It was strange for her Dad to pop up with a baby. She’d been so excited to see a literal baby she’d kind of just ignored the rest. Vaggie was right to question the situation and she should have as well. 

“Dad said there wasn’t anyone else. So Dowan just has him. And us now,” she mumbled softly. “I can’t think of anyone who’d…” and then she could. She remembered when she was younger how her Dad or Mom would vanish in the middle of things. 

“Charlie? You have an idea.” Vaggie spoke up, moving to sit next to Charlie on the floor. Dowan let out a sound like a dove, making both smile as she tried to chew on Charlie’s hand. “Talk to me?” 

“I think Dowan’s from Earth.” Saying the words out loud made Charlie wince. “I mean! There’s this thing, not a bad thing, sometimes. Hold on, I can explain this.” Charlie rambled, nearly slapping Vaggie and making Dowan coo again. 

“Deep breathe mi Reina,” Vaggie’s easy tone and exaggerated breathing made Charlie relax. “Now, one thing at a time. Dowan’s from Earth?” 

“Maybe?” Charlie let out a whine. “Mom and Dad can be Summoned. It’s…weird. And people make really gross deals.” She started to explain, pouting when Vaggie swapped her hug to just holding Charlie’s hands. “Dad usually had people wanting some kind of power but sometimes they’d ask him for…babies.” 

“Wait, you have siblings?” Vaggie’s surprise made Charlie quickly shake her head. “You don’t, have siblings?” 

“Dad and Mom usually just helped the mortal be able to conceive but they never Named or Claimed any kid that happened.” Charlie explained, feeling the familiar tug of guilt and wave of jealousy. “I’m the only one they Named and Claimed.” She added and pushed away the old and familiar negative feelings. 

“The way you’re saying named and claimed implies capital letters.” Charlie nodded and looked back at Dowan. Focusing on the baby made the topic easier. 

“To be Named is to have a full name that has a direct connection to Dad. It means he gave his name and a piece of his soul to them. Being Claimed means he acknowledges and accepts that he shares blood with someone.” Charlie took note of the red dimples, the shape and changing color of her eyes, and the pale white skin. “Any of the Sins, Ars Goetia, or really strong Overlords can do it. But it’s really rare because it paints a target on both sides and can mean death if it’s not done carefully.” 

“What?” The disbelief from Vaggie made Charlie nod. She’d grown up hearing stories of adopted family members being killed, hurt, or worse because of their connections. 

“Dad Naming and Claiming anyone is almost unbelievable. But…” 

“But you think he did with Dowan?” Both women looked down at the happy baby. She was completely innocent and didn’t even know what danger she was in. “So long as she’s with us or your Dad, she’s safe then.” 

“Really?” Charlie asked, neck nearly popping as she turned to face her wonderful beautiful girlfriend. 

“Yeah, she’s family.” Vaggie’s easy acceptance made Charlie tear up as she launched herself into Vaggie’s lap. “Char, can’t. Breathe!” 

Chapter Text

Little Duck had been fine for a full ten minutes before she began crying. Charlie had nearly kicked her at the sudden crying before Vaggie picked her up. 

“¿Qué pasa? Cálmate bebe.” Vaggie’s soft words did nothing to stop Little Duck from screaming. If anything, Charlie thought, they made it worse. “Do you need a change?” 

“Do you think she hurt herself?” Charlie spoke up, leaning close to try and help with the screaming baby. “What’s wrong?” She asked while Vaggie shifted her around. 

“She’s a little wet but I don’t think it’s that.” Vaggie admitted as she tried to bounce her arms. “Did your Dad say anything?” 

“Just that they needed to stay with us for a while but nothing else.” Charlie shrugged and winced when Little Duck somehow became louder. “Is she hungry?” 

“What is that torturous screaming?” Both women twisted to look up at the Radio Demon standing nearby. If not for his narrowed gaze and how he clenched his cane, neither would have known he had an issue with the sound. “My, my! You would think you’ve been cut through!” His attempt at a joke made Charlie cringe. There were moments -like this one- where she really wasn’t sure about the male’s awareness of his surroundings. 

“Knock it off,” Vaggie growled. “She’s just a baby.” She explained while climbing to her feet and pacing. Charlie tried to help, holding out her hands in case Vaggie needed her. 

“A baby, yes. One without our dearest King.” Alastor observed as he moved to stand just to the side of where Vaggie paced. “I didn’t think he would be so far away.” 

“I’m not.” The rough tone made Charlie jump and a chill run down her back. The door behind him was still open, and there was a crushed phone in his hand, but what surprised Charlie was how all six wings were flared out behind him. “Thanks girls.” Lucifer said in a softer tone as he easily pulled Little Duck away from Vaggie. 

“Of course!” Vaggie said with a half bow. Charlie watched with a mix of emotions as her Dad made coos and warble noises while folding a pair of wings under his arms to cup Dowan. She had a vague memory of him doing that with her, a half impression of music and rocking paired with it. 

“There you are,” he praised when Little Duck’s crying tapered off and she opened her eyes. “Was I gone too long?” Charlie could hear the gentle worry in his tone and she felt her heart twist. 

“Least he knows what he’s doing.” Vaggie’s hand sliding into her’s helped pull her away from her spiral. Looking over at her, Charlie smiled and gave her a side hug. 

“We’ll learn,” Charlie told her. “Dowan’s going to around for a long time.” She added and tried not to bounce as ideas for new bonding activities formed in her mind. “Hey, Dad?” 

“Huh? Oh, yes Apple?” Her Dad’s focus was still on Little Duck, but his wings were gone and he didn’t seem as upset. 

“Could you teach us? About how to take care of Dowan?” She felt Vaggie shift beside her, and could see Alastor lift his ears in interest. “That way if she cries, or needs something we can help! And it would be a great trust exercise! And bonding experience!” She added and tried not to give too much puppy eyes as he looked up at her. 

“Taking care of babies, is more of a…family responsibility.” His slow tone and the way he held Little Duck made a curl of worry enter her thoughts. 

“Ah! But what is the Hotel but one big family? Hmm?” Alastor’s interjection felt like a lift as he appeared on her other side. “We should all be happy to care for the little doe.” He added and Charlie mentally made a note to make sure he got something in thanks. 

“It’s a parent's job to take care of their children.” The stiff way he spoke and glared at Alastor made Charlie want to shrink. 

“It is, but oftentimes they aren’t around to do so.” Alastor argued back. “Besides, what is family for if not to share responsibilities?” Charlie needed to nip this in the bud. Even if she agreed with Alastor, her Dad was trying and she didn’t want him to leave. 

“Anyway! I think it’d be great if I got to bond with my sister.” She exclaimed and smiled when her Dad looked at her. “I mean, it’s why you’re here. At the hotel. Right?” 

…

Lucifer wanted to groan and flare his wings. The stupid Music Box had trapped him into letting him around Little Duck AND Charlie. Charlie could defend herself, somewhat. In a very distant conceptual way. 

Satan had gifted Charlie the Baphomet dolls when she was a toddler, but he was the one to make them animated. He had given them a bit of a spark with his Angelic energy, bringing them to life with the sole purpose of protecting and helping his little girl. Maybe he should do the same for Little Duck? She would need something to keep sinners and demons away. 

“Babies are so smelly,” Niffty spoke up as she poked at where Husk had set Little Duck down. “I guess she’s cute though.” She added and Lucifer bit back the demand to snatch his baby away from the Cyclops’s poking. 

“Watch it Niff,” Husk grumbled as he reappeared and scooped Little Duck away from her reach. “Uh, sire?” 

“Just Lucifer.” The blonde devil grit out. He was trying his best to let everyone hold and/or get close but he did NOT feel safe. 

“Here,” the sphinx demon pushed Little Duck into his arms. “She’s what three, four months?” He asked while stepping away to sit on the couch while Spiffy ran away. 

“What? Oh, I, uh don’t know. Time flies, right?” He curled around Little Duck, petting her hair with one hand while she nuzzled his collar. The look on the other male’s face wasn’t reassuring. Honestly, it made him feel like he had done something stupid and was about to get in trouble. 

“Yeah,” the other agreed instead. “You’re doin’ good with her. Single Dad, baby, it’s tough.” Lucifer looked up at him in surprise. He hadn’t expected the friendly comment. Had honestly expected something along the lines of not being good enough. “You ever need a drink? I know a few dry ones.” 

“Thanks?” The two settled into silence after that. Lucifer could feel Little Duck starting to cozy into his shirt. Her little nails needed to be clipped, and she probably needed another round of mixed energy. But he could wait a bit, let her go to sleep before doing anything. 

He let out a low hum and let his thoughts flow. Ozzie wanted him to mediate a visit between him and Mammon. Bee wanted to meet up and see Little Duck without being drugged. He needed to talk to Bel about Little Duck’s vaccines and possibly get Charlie updated too. There was so much more he knew had to be done, but was drawing a blank. He needed to call a meeting for all of them. 

Shades. He would have to set it up. He would have to notify all of them and explain why he’d been absent for the past seven years. If he was lucky Satan wouldn’t trample him. Maybe he could get Bel to hide him? Then there was the fighting going on between Mammon and Ozzie. 

He wanted to return to his home and cuddle with Little Duck. Maybe he could pretend and continue to ignore everyone? 

A small sneeze snapped him out of his thoughts. Little Duck let out a wide yawn as he brushed her thick curls. No, going back to bad habits would end up hurting both his daughters. The last thing he wanted. 

He had at least till the end of the week. He would wait for Charlie to have her meeting and then he’d schedule his. She could join him too. Satan’s son wasn’t much older than her when he joined a meeting. Or was he younger? Lucifer could vaguely recall Satan talking about him joining for the experience. 

Regardless, he’d invite everyone after Charlie’s meeting. If they were lucky, and by some miracle Sera agreed, he could propose Hellborns attempting to earn a way to Heaven. Charlie could help him flesh out the details. In fact, she probably already had ideas. 

“Where is Charlie?” The sphinx demon shrugged, turning his head and ears. 

“Sounds like the kitchen.” He gave a quick thanks and climbed to his feet. “Have a good night, si- Lucifer.” He waved absently, but his mind was elsewhere. Maybe Charlie could make another Hotel, strictly for Hellborns? He’d need to invest in specific security for it. Maybe offer to sponsor some of Bee’s Hellhound pups? 

“Dad!” Charlie greeted with a chippy smile, an apron over her blouse and slacks. “Vaggie and I made lost chore zos.” He didn’t miss the fond look on the Angel’s face as she corrected her. The two reminded him a bit of Satan and his late wife Aurora. It helped ease his fears about Charlie being alone without him. 

“Smells wonderful.” He told them while walking around the kitchen island to look at the meal. “Is that poblano? Gosh, I haven’t had that in ages!” He laughed and carefully bounced out of the way of Maggie? He was pretty sure she was named Maggie. He wondered what it was short for? 

“Sir Pentious has been helping with our gardens! It’s thanks to him we have most of our ingredients.” Charlie told him as he caught sight of a few other vegetables. “We also have an idea for how to improve the electricity too.” She added with a spark in her eye that Lucifer recognized. 

“Well, with two Angels at your disposal it’ll be easy as pie!” He told her with matched energy. He flinched when several dishes fell with a crash at his words though. Little Duck also jumped at the sound, whimpering and scratching at his neck. “Y-you okay, Maggie?” 

“I,” the poor Angel looked petrified. Her hair was flared out in a similar way to his wings, while her pupil was blown and darting between him and Charlie. “Vaggie?” Lucifer didn’t know what was happening, and he wasn’t sure he could fix it. “Dad didn’t mean anything by it.” What was Charlie talking about? 

“I’m fine! It’s fine.” Vaggie snapped, stepping away from Charlie’s open stance. “It’s, it’s nothing.” 

“Sorry,” Lucifer spoke up. It would be best if he apologized, even if he wasn’t sure what he had done. He knew it was his fault. It usually was. “I didn’t mean to…to bring up bad memories.” He went with. Maybe her Fall had been more recent than he thought? If she was reacting to him calling her an Angel, she must think she really deserved it. “You know, after my Fall. It took a long time before I could think about it. My sister, Belphegor, she can be annoying, but she has a lot of experience with Angelic medicine and therapy. If you ever…” He attempted to explain and hoped she’d accept his rather pitiful attempt at helping. 

“Th-thank you, sir.” Vaggie dismissed, her body now seeming to fold into itself even as she leaned into Charlie’s arms. “But, I…it wouldn’t be right. There are other, more important people who need her.” 

“None of that! Your family,” he assured. “And one Angel to another, she has the best recipe for Nectar Brownies. Our sister Bee still hasn’t gotten her to give up the recipe.” 

“Vaggie, are, is there” Charlie was holding Vaggie tightly, but he could feel something had changed. “Vaggie, are you an Angel?” Lucifer recognized the tone of Charlie’s voice and swore he saw a mirage of Lilith standing in her place. She knew something, but was waiting for the answer anyway. 

“Charlie, I can explain.” Vaggie whispered, her body visibly shaking while her voice strained. “It’s not what you think, I swear.” Lucifer felt like he was intruding on something private as Charlie pushed her girlfriend away. 

“Not what I think?! You! You lied to me!” Charlie snapped and Lucifer knew he needed to leave. Not only was he witnessing a conversation that his daughter hadn’t had with her girlfriend, but he was also the one to start it. 

He hadn’t meant for this to happen. He hadn’t known his offer to help would blow up in front of him. Again. Shades! This happened every time! He couldn’t do anything right! Fuck! What had he done? He just ruined his daughter’s relationship! Just like he did with Eve and Adam. He couldn’t breathe. He…he needed to get out of there. Get some air. Something was ringing in his ears. He couldn’t, fuck, he was holding Little Duck. He was panicking. He needed…What did he need? 

“-fer, understand?” What? Understand? “Room, calm. Adults.” The words sounded as if they were coming through an old metal can, grating against his ears. The ringing along with the static made him want to vomit. No, he couldn’t do that, he still had Little Duck. Little Duck who was moving out of his arms. 

“Fear, she, safe. Breathe,” the words weren’t static sounding. Instead, they now held the notes of a cello and without fight, he released Little Duck. “Good man,” he heard. When had he closed his eyes? Opening them felt like too monstrous a task. Shades, he was exhausted. It felt like he’d flown through all the Rings. “Rest, sire. You are both safe.” The cello voice ordered as he was pushed onto a bed just as he opened his eyes. 

Little Duck was set on his chest, her soft cries tapering off as music filtered into his head. A soothing piano with flutes of some kind. The room was dim, though it could be the canopy of the bed blocking out the light. The dark maroon and browns were calming. Fuck, he’d messed up. 

Chapter Text

Once Alastor was sure Lucifer wasn’t a danger to the Little Doe or himself, he left. Oh, he didn’t leave with no precautions in place. His Shadow stayed behind, waiting and watching to see when he would inevitably be needed. 

‘Oh! Preparation for tomorrow was hard work for today!’ As his Mother would fondly tell him. At the moment he needed to check on both Charlie and Vaggie. With this reveal putting strife between them he could see a few avenues of interest. Depending on how each were handling their rather abrupt interruption, he could gain quite a bit. 

Separating them further could lend him the position of Charlie’s most trusted, but a wrong move there could create trouble with the Damned King. Then again, the opportunity to have the ear of the Princess was appealing. 

Having them return to each other would be more challenging. Especially with the information that Vaggie was a Fallen Angel. He had had his suspicions. Suspicions of her at least having an Angelic heritage or something similar. But not this. No. And this breach of trust was a jagged break in Charlie’s foundation. Vaggie, whether she knew it or not, was a pillar for the Princess and by hiding something so important to her own identity, it was now fracturing both of them. 

He would need to evaluate both of the girls. If they handled their argument as adults, then he would attempt to get them to return to one another. Perhaps even curry a favor or two for doing so. If not, he could easily dispose of the problem. He had never hunted Angels but he now knew it was possible thanks to Ms. Carmine. 

As he stopped at the edge of the stairs he took in the view of the lounge. Niffty was climbing Vaggie while Angel Dust laughed. Nothing too unusual. Until his eyes found Husk, the man was standing close enough to be part of the conversation but in a stance that hid the predatory sway of his tail. Anyone who knew him could see he was ready to jump and defend against a threat, but to others, he appeared nonchalant and drunk. 

Alastor narrowed his eyes. What had Husker seen that would put him on edge? Had he missed more after removing the King from the kitchen? 

“Is Charlie coming back down for dinner?” Angel spoke up, tilting his head back while sprawling further across the couch. “Fight or not, I’m not saving her anything if she ain’t comin’.” 

Vaggie curled in on herself, crossing her arms with her head bowed. A good look, but one Alastor was not sure he cared to see on the usually fiery woman. “I’ll save her a plate. She, she wants to be alone right now.” 

He hummed at the words, content with not being seen as he moved back into the shadows to check on Charlie. 

Stepping out of the shadows, he winced at the gloomy atmosphere and soft crying he could now see. “Oh, Charlie! You look an absolute mess!” The two bodyguards were hovering over the young woman, one holding tissues while the other held a cup. It was sickeningly endearing. 

“Go away, Alastor.” The lump on the bed groaned. He focused on the radio in the corner, using his magic to play soothing violins as he moved to sit on the bed. 

“Now, now. Is that any way to act after fighting with your paramour, making your sister cry, and sending your Father into a panic attack?” He gave a closed-lip smile when Charlie shot upright and glared at him with red eyes. 

“I have enough on my mind without hearing how shitty you think I am, asshole.” Even under the glowing glare, Alastor did not feel fear or cowed. If anything he was reminded how young Charlie was. Perhaps that’s why he played a laugh track when the girl pouted and curled back into her blankets. 

“Who said that?” He asked before dramatically laying across her and letting out a whistle. “Well! I never expected to see such a miserable display of emotion from you, dear Princess.” 

“How am I supposed to trust her?” Charlie asked in a broken tone. “She knows everything about me! Everything! My hopes, my dreams, my fears! And the more I think about it, the more I realize I know nothing about her.” Charlie blurted out, twisting out of the blanket to throw a pillow across the room. “Three years! Three years of our lives and she never thought to tell me?! What about me says un-understanding? Dis-under, URGH!” Alastor watched with amusement as Charlie jumped out of the bed and began throwing whatever was within reach. 

He let her have the moment, kicking his legs back and forth as he watched the ‘bubbly’ princess finally lose her temper. It was as surprising as it was interesting because from what he could see, she very clearly threw things that seemed to belong to her. An easel, a shelf of childish toys, various small items, and a soft gray lounge settee. 

As Charlie stopped and heaved for breath, he stood up and spun his cane. It seemed he would need the help of someone who knew relationships far better than he. “Are you done?”

“Fuck you Alastor!” She yelled before spinning around to point at him. “All you do is stand there, smiling as you watch us struggle and fail. I don’t know how you enjoy all this, this, this misery!” 

Alastor felt a bit of anger at her assumption, but then again. What had he said when he first decided to ‘help’ with her little venture? Regardless, he did not like her tone. “Just because you see a smile, don’t think you know what’s going on underneath.” He told her, moving to cup her face, forcing a smile as he pulled her closer to him. “A smile is a tool. It inspires, keeps one guessing, and ensures that no matter what comes your way, you are the one in control.” 

“But, I’m not. And it doesn’t.” She argued through pinched cheeks, pushing Alastor a few steps back. “People see me and think I’m some kind of idiot with a dumb dream. They think I’m just some airheaded royal that doesn’t matter.” 

“Then make them realize otherwise.” Alastor countered, leaning a bit on his cane. “Fetch your coat, I have somewhere you need to be.” He decided, spinning around to disappear in his shadows once more. 

… … 

It was like being numb, but not the tingly numbness that came from no blood in her limbs. It was more akin to if she was floating in her own body. She could still feel the hard boards under her legs, the itching weight of clothes on her body, and the hot wind against her face. But it was as if she were disembodied from her emotions and thoughts. 

“You lied to me. Was all of this fake too?” She pulled herself into a ball. “How much of us is actually real?” Charlie was the only good thing she’d let herself have in Hell. At first that had been all she could let herself. Charlie was so bright. So beautiful and innocent and pure. She was a moth to her fire. 

She knew after that first month of healing, that she needed to tell Charlie the truth. Knew after that first month turned into their first date six months later. Knew when their first kiss led to even more. But she was weak. 

She couldn’t bear the thought of the beautiful smile turning away forever. 

“Filth like you doesn’t deserve Heaven.” Lute words danced in her mind because hadn’t that been exactly what Charlie had become for her? A small precious piece of Heaven in her own Hell? With Charlie, who could dream of so much because she refused to see the worst of a situation as an end. She saw it as a challenge to keep trying. 

But not this time. Vaggie had messed up too much for Charlie not to see what a horribly shitty person she was. She didn’t deserve another chance. Lute should have finished her. Or she should have sought her out to let her. 

“Fuck Vagina,” the out-of-breath Italian spider made her freeze. “Do you have to hide in the worst place possible?” Angel Dust groaned as he half fell into the crow’s nest. Vaggie didn’t know what to do as she watched him lay there panting. 

“What are you doing?” Vaggie demanded, trying to wipe away tears and glare at the male. 

“Losing my fucking lungs, bitch,” he responded. She felt her lips try to smile even as she bit them. “Answer the question.” 

“What?” Angel rolled onto his stomach and gave her his best Husk impression while using a set of arms to flip her off while the other helped keep him half upright. 

“I just climbed the worst pole in Hell.” 

“No one forced you.” Vaggie argued but let herself relax and look away from him. “And this is my spot. I don’t have to answer anything.” 

“Tough shit. Now talk.” He demanded and Vaggie debated throwing him out of the nest. Would it really kill him? Would the silence be worth the inevitable lecture from Charlie? “Those thoughts are pretty loud, Vagina. Mind lowering the volume?” His sarcastic tone somehow wasn’t as annoying as usual as Vaggie tried to hide the fresh tears she could feel building up. 

“It doesn’t matter,” she muttered. She flinched when Angel smacked his hands together. 

“Look Chars’ whole thing is feelings and talking. So. Consider this another ‘activity’ or whatevah.” Vaggie looked over the other in surprise. Maybe Charlie really had been right about Angel Dust. “I mean, if ya rather, we could talk about the wart-“ 

“No! We are not talking about that.” Vaggie interrupted the grinning male and wished she had thought to get her spear. She tried to glare him down, hoping he’d leave but all he did was continue to smirk. “I…I fucked up. And this time, I don’t think Charlie’s going to be able to forgive me.” 

She looked down at her crossed legs while Angel sat up fully and watched her. “I told you guys I’m an Angel, but…I’m worse than that. I,” she couldn’t look at Angel as nausea pushed up her throat. “I was an exorcist. One of them. I, I did so many horrible things.” 

“Yeah, so?” Angel’s blunt interruption made her neck pop with how fast she looked at him. “Look. None of us are exactly, decent. It’s Hell. No one is. But,” he stopped and seemed to think. “This place? Charlie’s whole schtick? It starts with sorry. So maybe try that.” Vaggie let out a sob and tried to cover her mouth to keep from crying. “Hey! That didn’t mean to start cryin’!” He exclaimed, waving a set of arms at Vaggie while pulling himself away from her with the other. 

“Thanks,” she was finally able to say. She tried to give him a smile while crying but the weirded-out look he had told her she hadn’t managed. “You’re right.” 

“Wow, Haggy Vaggie admitted I’m right? Where’s the rainbow?” Angel joked but seemed to relax when Vaggie laughed. “Now how do we get down?” Vaggie gave him a half smile before pointing at the set of ropes she kept for that purpose. “Oh fuck you.” 

Chapter Text

Lucifer wished he could sleep. Let his eyes close and let himself drift away from the gross emotions pulling at him. He hadn’t moved since Little Duck had been put on his chest, aside from adjusting his arms to hold her. She had gotten to where she liked to wiggle in her sleep and more than once he had jolted up from her sliding off his chest. 

The deep maroon canopy was surprisingly nice, it was high enough to not feel claustrophobic yet low enough to give the feel of a closed in space. The blanket under him was also soft in a way that meant it was well used and cared for. The pillow was the same, and smelled like trees and fresh water. The music outside the bubble he was in, helped his thoughts stay blank. The rise and fall of violins and piano flowed from piece to piece. It was calming. 

Yet he couldn’t sleep. His eyes were heavy and his body felt like it was melted into the bedding. It was a blend of comfort and uncomfortable. 

He took a deep breath and carefully sat up. He couldn’t stay there. Dowan gave a huff at his movements, but thankfully didn’t wake up as he summoned her sling and settled her inside. Her face did the little squish that usually meant a grumpy cry, but he laid his hand over her chest and smiled when she latched her own hands onto his fingers. A fresh view of the room had him pausing in a mix of excitement and awe as he looked out over a green garden of tall elegant trees, feathered reed plants, and still water that reflected small bobbing lights. 

Without effort, he found his boots getting sucked into sponge like moss and mud. He was so mesmerized that he didn’t care, in fact he dismissed his shoes so that he could feel the cool water pool over his feet. He let out a sound between a sob and a laugh as he walked through the small garden. How long had it been since he saw something that felt so real and beautiful? 

The further in he walked, the more he saw. Flowers ranging in shades of pink and white poked at random among feathers of gold and green. Grass and moss dotted the shallow water like stepping stones between tall sentry like trees. The trees! Some had swollen bottoms and sat in the water like frogs. Others had long flowing trains of plant life that created curtained areas of shadow. Then there were the dark brown/red that had branches that stretched like fingers into different vines. 

It was beautiful. It was so different from Eden but so similar. The only thing missing. “Life,” he whispered. There were no sounds of animals, no creak of the wind pushing through, even the slosh of him walking through water was muted. It was incomplete because it wasn’t real. 

Little Duck let out a warble, yawning and reaching her arms up as she woke up. Lucifer wiped away his tears, sniffling and trying not to cry. Even if it wasn’t real. It was close enough to the real thing that he could show Little Duck. She needed to know all there was to know about where she came from. 

“Look at this Little Ducky. This is a tree. They grow big and strong, and there are lots of different types.” He explained, pulling her out of the sling and gently placing her hand against the rough bark. She let out a cry of confusion at the action, making him chuckle when she twisted to burrow into his neck. “It’s ok, look. See? What about the moss?” He turned around to try and find a solid piece of ground. “It’s very soft,” he added. 

Little Duck did not agree, stretching  away from the new surface and looking around in confusion. “Look, it’s like Ms. Feathers.” He tried and adjusted his hold to free one hand to lay on the moss. Somehow, whether from his precarious balance or from the spelled mud, he felt the ground slide from beneath his feet. 

He flared his wings and lifted his arms out to keep Little Duck safe. He’d deny the sound he made as he fell and felt mud, water, and something slippery coat his backside and lower wings. His baby burst into tears that scared him and nearly had him shaking her with how fast he pulled her to his chest. 

“You’re okay, it’s alright. Daddy just fell. See, it’s just a little mess.” He soothed his baby, brushing her thick hair back and peppering her with kisses as she cried. She wasn’t hurt, just scared. He hated that, but it wasn’t something he could just make go away.

He did feel lost again though. Charlie had loved the garden Lilith made. From her first time crawling among the belladonnas and ripping up grass, Lucifer had always found at least a smudge of dirt on her. Lilith had bemoaned that he had carried a Dirt Devil instead of a little girl and they had laughed when Charlie had loudly claimed otherwise. 

“Hey, did you know, your sister tried to make her first bed into a garden?” He reminisced, “Charlie said she wanted a ‘garden bed’ since we wouldn’t let her stay outside.” He laughed over the memory. Lilith had been laughing too much to help him explain to Charlie that she couldn’t sleep in a garden bed. His argument being countered by the four year old logic of ‘it’s a bed’. 

“Yeah, Lilith ended up making the biggest blanket covered in bright flowers.” Lucifer continued, “it had orange and yellow and red and pink squares with little flowers.” Charlie had loved that blanket and taken it everywhere for a straight month before it started to fall apart. The first time Lilith had to repair it, Lucifer had walked into her study to see her holding Charlie and singing softly as she stitched it back together. 

Lilith had needed to replace the original blanket over time. He could vaguely remember her placing the threadbare and falling apart fabric in a chest before enlisting a tween Charlie into making a new one. Levi had complained how much fabric Lilith would order from her at times for their various projects. 

He wondered if Charlie could make Little Duck a blanket? It could be something the two could share. Charlie teaching Little Duck when she got older, like Lilith had taught her, could be a way for them to share Lilith. 

“Do you want to splash more mud on Daddy?” He tried to joke, using one hand to dig up a bit of the mud for Little Duck to inspect. “We’ll both need a bath later.” He mumbled as Little Duck grabbed at the mud and lit up. He relaxed, he hadn’t let Little Duck outside or set her on the actual ground but this was as good a place as any. 

Carefully he situated them till his legs were crossed and she was sitting/leaning against his thighs. She looked prepared to cry before Lucifer dropped some mud on her little legs. “Splat splat, muddy mud goes splat,” he chuckled as pouting lips and unhappy eyes looked at him. 

“Oh yeah, I’m so mean,” he admitted with an eye roll. “Look at these,” he told her while gently plucking some moss free. Little Duck was amazed, turning her head to look at him and giggling when he playfully brushed her cheek with the plant. 

As he tilted back to rest with his back in the water he felt something appear at the edge of his awareness. Instinct took over in a blink. 

His demon side bled to his front as he stood, scooping Little Duck to his chest and covered her with a wing. The glow of Holy Fire between his horns gave the area a bright glow that cast a shadow over his face and hid all but his glowing eyes. 

“Show yourself.” He demanded, looking over the area that was suddenly too exposed and unknown. Little Duck babbled and pulled on a few feathers, but he ignored the pinpricks with ease as he caught movement. 

“Your Majesty, I see you found my Bayou.” The static voice made him scowl as the Radio Demon stepped out of a shadow with a smile. “Feeling better, I presume.” 

Lucifer didn’t speak for a minute. He was in the Sinner’s area and King or not he knew that was not a good thing. Entering an area that was considered ‘owned’ by a Power was seen as impolite at the least and a direct threat at worst. 

As King of Hell, Lucifer ‘owned’ all of Hell but he and Lilith hadn’t wanted that and had split it into Rings that each of the Sins controlled. From them came the Ars Goetia, Overlords, Sinners and Hellborn, and then Imps and Hell Hounds. It had been based on Satan’s layout of his army when they had first taken on Heaven. 

“Forgive my…intrusion.” Lucifer bit out as he forced himself to stand straight and pull in his energy. The Radio Yobbo did nothing at first and Lucifer felt a curl of anger start to form before he finally bowed his head. 

“No need, consider this an apology for our earlier…disagreement.” He conceded and Lucifer hummed before letting his attention drift to Little Duck. He couldn’t help the half smile at the sight of her happily gumming at her fist full of his feathers. “It would seem the Little Doe quite liked the Bayou as well. A good eye,” Radio Yobbo laughed. 

“Yeah, I’ll need to set up one of her own. Invite Charlie to join us,” Lucifer shrugged. He didn’t want or need to have this Sinner thinking he liked his garden. Besides, he could make one leagues better than this. Without the risk of drowning in it and with ducks and other small animals.

“Ha! Ha! Perhaps I can offer my assistance to such a project? Young Charlie would enjoy a space here at the Hotel.” The Sinner laughed and Lucifer tried not to glare as he shifted his arms to hold Little Duck closer to his shoulder and more comfortably. 

“I think my daughters will be fine without your help.” He shot back and rolled his shoulders to dismiss his wings. He would need to shower and deep clean the mud from between his feathers later. “Later Radio.” He let his Angelic Energy wrap around Little Duck before wrapping it around himself and disappearing to the Lobby. 

… … … 

The Lobby was empty when he appeared. It was odd but also a bit of relief as he didn’t think he could handle dealing with anyone. 

“Disgusting,” he mumbled when his eyes got caught on the bright green bar. Now that he was forced to pay attention to it, he could feel magic holding it all together. It was as if someone had painted it as a target. Who used ‘holding’ magic on construction? That was like asking for it to fall apart. He could fix that. 

In fact he could make it better. He could Create the supplies to replace the wall and carve protections into it to strengthen the supports. Of course carving the protections would mean having to enforce the surrounding supports so the wall wouldn’t fold. He could use teak wood since this was a bar. Maybe use it as paneling instead and white oak for the wall itself? 

Lucifer summoned Little Duck’s bouncer along with a blanket and her plushie. He’d need to free his hands to at least draw up a plan. The surrounding wallpaper would need to be replaced to match the new print he’d put up. Maybe he should look into enforcing the other walls as well. Charlie needed all the protection he could give her, and he’d already failed previously. This would be a good start to fixing things. 

“Ooo,” the soft call drew him away from his thoughts for a moment and he quickly shook his head. He needed to make sure he reset those alarms for Little Duck. 

“Hold on, Little Duck.” A quick check over and a wave of his magic summoned a bottle and wipes. He still needed to give her a bath, but after he drew up the plans. Then he’d start on fixing things. “What do you think? Should we try some gold, brown, and cream colors?” He asked with a hum as he wiped her down, laughing when she squealed from his ticklish touch. 

“Nah I think we should try a muted green, umber, and maybe brown. Yeah?” He continued and quickly jotted the idea down along the margin. “Let’s grab that bath.” He didn’t have any idea where his room was, but he could sanitize the bar sink and use it as an emergency. The wipes only did so much, and he could summon Little Duck’s soaps. 

He almost wished he could summon a clone to help, but Bel had nearly tied him to a pole while lecturing him on it. The clones could help with other duties but it was important that he took care of Little Duck himself. They only had limited Energy and she would take from them like she did with him which could lead to them suddenly disappearing while caring for her. 

The idea that one would vanish while holding her was one of many fears he had. They could help him with rebuilding though. It wouldn’t take but a cup full of Energy to have one start working on carving protection and enforcement sigils into the wood. 

“Yeah, I think we have a plan.” He told Little Duck as he waved a tiny foot and made her grin. 

Chapter Text

Husk couldn’t sleep. He’d run out of his own whiskey while trying to force himself to sleep and was now making his way downstairs. He couldn’t get Al’s actions out of his head. 

Al was powerful, not as powerful as Husk had been in his prime, but that was where he compensated with intelligence. It was why he had lost his soul to the Radio. Husk wasn’t jealous or upset about it. It was just a fact. His level of Demonic Energy exceeded Al’s, but his skill and thirst for the next gamble were his downfall. It went to show that power and skill only worked in your favor when the cards for each were even.

So when Al had picked a fight with the literal King of Hell, he’d seen how uneven the cards suddenly were. Al was playing with a hand that would only lose. Husk wouldn’t deny he had hoped the guy would get what trouble he deserved. But then he noticed something off. He couldn’t be sure, wouldn’t be sure, until he found evidence but everything Al now did, Husk questioned. 

Why was Al so insistent on helping the Princess? Why was he picking fights he couldn’t win? Why was he aiming so much of his attention on the Royal Family in general? 

Alastor wasn’t the type to enter a situation without some kind of gain for himself and Husk couldn’t figure out what. Husk was growing attached to the Princess and the ragtag group in the Hotel. Even Vaggie, who turned out to be a wild card. If Al did something. Husk wasn’t sure what he could do. 

“Fucking tricked dice,” he mumbled as he finally entered the lobby. He’d be up all night with his thoughts if this kept up. 

“Wha,” scratch that. He was going to be up all night because of the mess in front of him. Multiple Lucifers were moving around the space where the bar had been. Two were holding a length of wood as another carved into it. A fourth and fifth were working in the wall with hammers and a bucket of something between them. A sixth was balanced on a ladder above them, with only his boots visible. And not a single sound could be heard. 

“Oh! Tusk, was it? Sorry, I got distracted and then started working. Little Duck needed a change so I, actually, hold on. The array needs to spiral, not wrap!” Lucifer snapped as he walked towards the construction and then went silent. Husk blinked a few times trying to check if he was in a dream. What was happening? Did he get roofied? 

That was when his eye caught a line of golden sand a few steps ahead of him. It glittered in a way that was similar to Al’s spells but didn’t seem to do much else. His eyes looked back up at the construction before returning to the line. He took back his assessment. The sand blocked the sounds. But how? 

His hands itched to learn the trick. Logic told him he wouldn’t learn anything but the King seemed friendly enough. No. Right now, he needed to focus on finding alcohol and then going back to his room. The last thing he needed was a discussion on magic and why the King thought changing his bar was necessary. 

“-vertical! It’s supporting not balancing! I know this, so you know this!” The King was ranting, pointing at something another version of himself had done while the three that had been messing with the wood stood around him. The baby, Dylan? He thinks it’s named Dylan. The baby was waving her hands at a copy of the King, smiling and unaffected by the sounds around them. 

“Pass the twenty pennies and another stud.” A Lucifer inside the wall called out, waving a hand towards Husk as he opened a box of random baubles. “And a C7,” Husk starred for a moment, before handing a box of screws to the hand and walking away. This wasn’t his problem. This was not something he wanted to get involved in. 

If he were honest with himself, he just wanted his space and a drink. The bar was just a bar. He didn’t need to worry about what the King wanted with it, so long as he was able to get alcohol. A quick check of another space didn’t reveal any alcohol and he could feel his frustration grow. 

“I meant nails, ninny!” A Lucifer yelled followed by a crash. Husk flinched at the ensuing argument. 

“Look, your Majesty. Where’s the alcohol?” Husk tried to ask a Lucifer as insults were traded behind him. The argument wasn’t particularly loud, staying at a neutral level that never rose above a sharp word, but he was growing irritable. Adding to the analyzer side of him, a portion of his mind was fascinated at the King’s self hatred. The way all his copies were now speaking insults spoke of many times of use. 

“Dismissed.” The archaic voice was more sound than a word, but Husk felt the urge to leave. “Maybe, a break. For a little while.” The tired tone drew Husk’s attention much like a good bottle would. Turning around, he spotted the original King placing his baby into a seat with a look he was intimately familiar with. “Alcohol’s in the kitchen, I didn’t want to break anything.” Husk grunted in reply, unsure what to think. 

“Scotch?”

… … … …

It wasn’t unusual for Charlie to sometimes lose time and accidentally hurt herself. Having the sudden sharpness bother her into the present, had become a twisted comfort on her harder days. It reassured that she was still present and not floating away in her mind. 

Prior to meeting Vaggie, she would spend days at a time lost in her own mind. Half formed plans flitting alongside memories, vague images of people walking beside her and whispering in her ears. The times when she would be talking with her Mother about things, only to blink and find herself alone or somewhere on the edge of the city. 

Razzle and Dazzle would be nearby, watching and waiting for her to ‘return’. She never asked them to try and stop her, fearing what she would do if they did. Her own research on what could be wrong had only given her more worries. 

“Hey Razz,” she mumbled to the small being she could feel climbing next to her. She hadn’t returned to their room, wanting to give Vaggie space and to think over her own actions. Dazzle had seemed upset, his sadness pulling at the bond he shared with Charlie, before she had told him to go. 

The small lick he had given her hand before flitting away, hadn’t been enough to pull her out of her thoughts. She knew that Dazzle loved Vaggie, had even formed a rudimentary bond with her, but she couldn’t help but blame herself for pulling him away from her. 

If Vaggie pulled away, she wouldn’t blame or stop Dazzle from going with her. Vaggie didn’t deserve to have someone doubting her intentions when she had proven repeatedly that she wasn’t her past. 

“Isn’t that silly little hotel of yours all about redemption? Perhaps this girl was trying to redeem herself too.” 

Charlie had spent her return to the hotel chasing shadows in her mind. Had she ever given Vaggie a reason to doubt her? Had Charlie been holding Vaggie accountable for something she never chose? She had never been quiet on how she felt about the ‘Angels’ that came down. In fact, she had probably terrified Vaggie with the hatred she felt for them. She had terrified Vaggie. 

“Did you ever know?” She asked her silent companion. Razzle nuzzled into her chest, propping his head under her chin as he purred. “I should have known,” she admitted. 

She knew about Angels. Knew about betrayal. Knew about how choices sometimes led to a myriad of new experiences and problems that no one could foresee. She grew up the child of the First Woman and the Fallen Son. 

Her parents never hid that it was their fault that Heaven had cast them down. It was their fault that evil had been able to enter Humans. They taught her to think before she acted, to look at the possibilities and make a decision. That skill was one of her bigger faults. Thinking of every thing that could happen, that could change a situation. It led her to thinking of everything that could turn badly and often would. 

When Vaggie had been healing, Charlie had a reason to not fall into that mindset. She had a focus that needed her attention at all hours. So when she had had a ‘bad day’ and felt sand beneath her skin and guilt in her throat. She had panicked. What ifs peaked around the corners, Shades chased her from any corner she could hide. Anxiety, guilt, fear, and anger warred in her frozen form as she struggled to stay present. 

Then she heard someone singing. The words were unfamiliar, the voice a bit harsh, but they drew her away from the trap in her mind. 

“Rex tremandae Majestatis, qui salvandos salvas gratis. Salve me, Fons Pietatis.” The words sounded a bit like the ones she’d here her Uncle Satty or Uncle Ozzie speak but less in a way. They were still nice though. “Welcome back, your Highness.” 

Vaggie had helped her establish a routine to handle her mind. Vaggie had been the one to help her build something healthy for herself. She had listened to Charlie ramble and plot out ideas. She had been the first one to look at her ideas and suggest things to help them. Vaggie, who had been hurt even more by Heaven than Charlie ever knew, helped the very beings she had been taught to fight against. 

“It can be difficult to admit to things you're not proud of, especially if those things hurt the ones you love. She fucked up, sure. She's flawed. But, hey, who down here isn't? If there's anything I've learned, it's that words are cheap, but actions, they speak the truth. So, what have her actions said?” 

Alastor’s friend, Mrs. Rosie had helped far more than she possibly knew. Charlie had been struggling and on the edge of a meltdown that would’ve taken her days to escape from. 

Charlie carefully sat up in her chair, wrapping her arms around Razzle as he perked up. She needed to find Vaggie and apologize. Vaggie was nothing like the Exorcists or Angels. She was patient and kind and hardworking and the love of Charlie’s life. 

“Hey Char? Ya in there?” Angel’s voice on the other side of the door made her jump. How long had she been back? It was probably dinner time! She and Vaggie were supposed to cook for everyone. 

“Ah dammit!” She hissed to herself before attempting to stand and falling. 

“Charlie?” Angel’s concern made her wince before rearming to stand. Her hooves felt numb and, now that she was aware of it, her ankles hurt from her boots. She really needed to decompress properly later. 

“I’m fine! I, uh, just a sec!” She called out, accepting Razzle’s support while moving to the door. “Sorry about dinner. I’ll order,” 

“Char, it’s 8 in the morning. How long ya been,” he motioned behind her. “Look, you need to come downstairs. I’ll grab ya some food.” He told her and she felt anxiety well up inside her. 

“Is everyone okay?” She asked, moving to follow him. “Has something happened to Vaggie?” 

“Vagina’s fine. Everyone’s fine. I think, Strawberry is still missin’ but I’m not complaining.” Angel explained, his tone and easy pace helping ease her own worry. “Y’er Old Man is actually the one ya need to see. Don’t think he knows what he’s doin,” he admitted. Charlie groaned. She had completely forgot about her Dad! Had he gone back to the palace? She hadn’t seen him when she got back. So it was possible. 

“Angel, I’m so sorry if he did,” 

“It ain’t like that.” The other laughed, “I think he did good. Husk might not when he wakes up, but the guy’s got taste.” 

Charlie gave him a confused look over her shoulder as they reached the stairs. “So you need me downstairs because my Dad did something that may or may not be a good thing?” 

“Just go see, I’ll grab ya breakfast.” Angel told her before somehow gracefully sliding down the stairs and disappearing. 

Chapter Text

Lucifer was in the process of changing Little Duck when he heard the familiar tapping steps of his eldest. He had just finished the bar an hour before, summoning the liquors he had put in the kitchen to fill the shelves before adding from his own collection. Little Duck had slept off and on through the night, not truly sleeping due to Lucifer working. He wasn’t proud of that. 

She was already fussy, kicking and throwing whatever she could grab. If not for her throwing an empty bottle, he probably would have started on putting new wallpaper up in the lobby. 

“Look, I have Mrs. Feathers!” He tried, holding up the dotted duck with a grin. Little Duck gave him a tired whine before rolling over. “Little Duck, you can’t. Hold on,” Little Duck seemed determined to ignore him, grabbing the blanket he had been using and trying to wiggle away. 

“Dad?” He tried lifting her, wincing when she screamed and he felt little nails grab his hands. 

“Just a second,” Little Duck curled against him when he pulled her close. “Ow!” He thought she was about to settle into sleep until she bit him and let out an angry cry. “What is with the biting?” His rhetorical tone was met with a surprising glare. 

“Dad, maybe you should take a break?” He blinked, when had Charlie appeared? Shaking his head, he shifted Little Duck to one arm and gave his eldest a smile. 

“Charlie! Good morning! Or evening? I, huh, guess it is morning.” He mumbled as he caught sight of the bright glow of morning outside. “Guess that’s why you’re fussy.” 

“Dad?” Lucifer looked up at Charlie, taking note of her own tired posture and the ways her eyes were tinted with sleep. Had he woken her? “How long have you been down here,” she motioned to the new bar behind him. “Working?” 

“Oh! This? I just, you see, the spells holding it were horrible! Painted a big target on it! I just thought, well, I know you’re dealing with a lot,” he rambled. Little Duck was squirming in his arm, drool-covered fingers pulling at his face as he tried to explain what he had done. “I’m sorry, for all of it. I didn’t mean to…Maggie should have had the chance to tell you. It wasn’t my place.” He explained and felt pain hollow out his chest when Charlie sighed. 

“Dad, look. I reacted badly.” Charlie interrupted with a tired tone. “We all should have done things differently.” She said after a moment, opening her eyes to meet his own before giving a half smile when Dowan gave a loud whine and tried to lean out of his arms. 

“Maybe we could try a do-over? I think I can make breakfast?” Lucifer felt a pang of hunger at the suggestion. When was the last time he had a proper meal? Much less one with Charlie? He had snacks with Little Duck, grabbing them while he made her bottle. “And her name is Vaggie, not Maggie.” She added with a smile. 

… …

Charlie needed to talk to him about the new bar. She needed to establish a healthy boundary and explain that the Hotel was her place. Just like his workshop was Lucifer’s safe space, the hotel was hers. Him changing things, necessary or not, wasn’t his responsibility or right. 

“I was thinking of adding a better fence outside. Just to help keep the property in line. I’m not like you or your Mom with gardening, but I think the rosary peas look a bit overgrown.” He rambled, attempting to soothe Dowan and write down his ideas. “Maybe move the cassava lower down the hill? What do you think, Little Duck?” 

“Dad? Maybe don’t, ask the baby for opinions on my garden?” Charlie spoke up from the stove, trying to keep her voice even and her hands steady. Breakfast was going to be simple, scrambled eggs with fruit salad. If she could keep from flipping eggs outside the pan. 

“Oh! Right, sorry Duckie. Do you want to use fruit trees for the fence? I think I have some plum and apple trees that could work.” Charlie sighed again, a fence around the Hotel could be a good idea, but it reminded her too much of her childhood. The Morningstar Estate wasn’t overly large when compared to the von Eldritch’s, but it had felt too large. 

She had grown up there. She had good memories of there. But. She could still remember how the tall trees that bordered the property had felt like guards keeping her entrapped. The trees had been planted when her Aunt Bee and Uncle Mam had been teens, nearly 8,000 years ago. The massive overlap of their branches had given the property line a shadowed and haunted appearance. The few times she had been brave enough to venture into them, she had gotten nightmares. 

“Dad, do you think,” she tried. She didn’t want to upset him. She felt if she said something about him renovating then he would vanish. She didn’t want that, but her space, her home was hers. “The bar looks nice.” She could start with something easy like she was doing with breakfast. 

“Really? I was going to use different colors, but the red and bronze fit better with your lobby.” He lit up, giving her a wide smile as she plated their eggs. Dowan was dozing in his arm, one fist wrapped in his undershirt with the other in her mouth. 

“It’s nice,” she repeated. “But, I think you should keep your ideas to paper! The Hotel is, that is, I appreciate your willingness to help. I just don’t want you to, feel obligated to do something. You’re not here to work,” she stumbled through her words. The fall of her Dad’s expression made her stomach twist and she quickly turned away to grab fruit for them. “What I’m trying to say, and failing spectacularly.” Vaggie was so much better at saying what she needed. Charlie hated the confused and hurt emotions she could feel from her Dad. 

“I overdid it, again.” He spoke up with a neutral tone that made her wince. She heard him mumble something before his chair was shoved back with a screech. “Duckie, I’m so sorry. I, I just, I want to help. I,” the room fell silent. 

Charlie slowly closed the fridge, trying to come up with some kind of solution that would ease the tension. She could apologize? Tell him that he was fine, and it was alright? But that would mean her space would fall apart. She could tell him she didn’t need him to tear apart and rebuild the hotel. Explain that it wasn’t his home and that it was hers. She could push him away. She could send him back to the Estate and forget what he’d done and visit him on occasion. 

“Maybe, you both should sit.” The familiar tone that was rough but warm made Charlie want to jump. Vaggie stood in the doorway, a few of the others looking around her, dressed in her usual outfit and looking at Charlie with concern and silent questions in her eye. “If it’s okay?” 

“Vaggie! Yes! I, I mean, good morning! A-are you?” She wanted to run to Vaggie, pull her into her arms and kiss her until she was laughing. She wanted to spin them around and tell her how sorry she was that she lashed out. That she made her think Charlie hated her. She wanted to say and do a hundred different things to Vaggie. 

“I’m fine,” something bumped into Vaggie and pushed her into the kitchen. “I am! But, I think we should all sit and talk.” She gave the others a glare as the door swung back and forth, and Charlie heard Husk dragging Angel away. Vaggie moved around Charlie like a beautiful breeze, grabbing things from the fridge and easing Charlie into a chair. 

The smell of coffee mixed with the air, followed by the click of the stove heating up. “Your Majesty, do you prefer sausage or bacon?” Charlie gave a soft laugh as she felt some of her worries ease. Her Dad looked past her shoulders, brow furrowed as he slowly retook his seat. 

“Lucifer Ma-uh, Vaggie.” He corrected with a head shake. “Whichever, is fine,” he added with a bewildered look as a glass of juice was slid to him. Charlie tried not to fidget to much as Vaggie put a bowl of yogurt and fruit in front of her. 

The silence wasn’t as uncomfortable with Vaggie present. Charlie still wanted to get up and explain how sorry she was, but she also didn’t want to crowd her. Her Dad was focused on Dowan, trying to keep her from grabbing his glass. 

“Little Duck,” his soft pleas made Charlie smile a bit as he struggled. Her sister giggled, the sound adding to the humor of the scene. “You were just like this, you know,” Her Dad spoke up. 

“Really?” Charlie didn’t know alot about her infancy or toddler time. There weren’t cameras, and she had only seen a few old paintings. She knew she had been a difficult pregnancy, but her Mom hadn’t spoken more than that on it. She hadn’t asked her Dad because the few times she had, he would get distracted or busy. 

“Yeah, once you saw something you wanted? It was a game of getting it,” he laughed. “The first time you wanted mashed potatoes you flipped your Mom’s plate on yourself.” He recounted with a soft look as he finally got Dowan to at least sit in the sling facing Charlie. Vaggie chose that moment to serve him a plate of jam toast and sausage. “Uh, thank you.”

“Of course, your Majesty,” Charlie frowned at Vaggie. Even her Dad winced. “Would you feel more comfortable talking before or after you’ve eaten?” 

“I think later,” he mumbled. Vaggie turned to her, already knowing from older conversations that Charlie’s stomach would twist into impossible knots at the idea of a bad conversation. 

“Right. Your Majesty,” 

“Lucifer.” Her Dad’s stern tone made Charlie jump. “Just, Lucifer, please. You,” his eyes met Charlie’s with a bit of uncertainty before he straightened in his chair and rested a hand on Dowan’s head. “You’re family. Using titles is a bit pompous among us.” He said with a slight smile. Charlie could feel Vaggie relax even if she couldn’t see it. 

“Okay,” she nodded. “Charlie and I have a, system. For how we talk things out,” Vaggie started to explain. “It’s not always perfect. But if you want we can try it.” Her Dad nodded an agreement and Charlie felt herself smile when Vaggie looked at her. 

“Right, umm, Dad. I want to start with that, I really appreciate what you did.” Vaggie coughed and gave her a pointed look. “But the Hotel is mine. And you can’t change it. I mean, you could but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t. Because it’s my space. Not that, you’re unwelcome. It’s a Hotel! You’re super welcome, I just don’t want you to take over. Not that you are! You’re just fixing things. That I can fix, that I will fix,” 

“Charlie,” she looked down where Vaggie’s hands met hers. “Breathe,” the command made her take a stuttering gasp of air that made her eyes burn. She didn’t want to hurt her Dad. He was being so quiet. 

“You’re right,” he finally spoke. “And I’m sorry for, taking over,” He said slowly. “I just, I thought if I could fix something. Make it better so you’d be safer. Maybe you wouldn’t be mad, and would talk to me.” He shook his head and looked down at Dowan, silent for a minute. “It was, my mistake. It’s not the child’s job to take care of the parent.” 

Charlie felt a mix of negative emotions pull at her stomach and chest. She hadn’t wanted to hurt her Dad, but it looked like that’s exactly what she had done. “Dad.” 

“Charlie,” they both spoke and she was relieved when he let out a small chuckle. “Duckie, I’m glad you said something. Don’t think I’m upset or offended. What I did was intruding and wrong. Like you said this is your space and I,” he gave her a smile that didn’t meet his eyes. “I’ll try not to step into anything else. Unless you ask for my help.” 

“Thank you,” she breathed. “And I’ll try to, um, talk with you. About stuff. Not just the Hotel, but about anything.” 

“Alright, now that you’ve both said what you need.” Vaggie broke the air around them, pushing their plates closer to each person while lifting up her own coffee thimble. Her Dad gave her a confused look, drawing a laugh from Charlie. 

“Vaggie makes a really strong coffee. If she makes a mug, she’ll be jittery all day.” Charlie told him, feeling herself relax further when her girlfriend hummed and silently pointed at her bowl of yogurt. 

“And if you don’t eat, you’ll whine during activities later.” Charlie took a big spoonful of yogurt, knowing she was right but not wanting to admit it while her Dad laughed. 

She still needed to talk to Vaggie. To explain things, but the talk with her Dad was done. One less thing for her to stress over. 

“What’s that smell?” She spoke up, wrinkling her nose as something awful started to overpower Vaggie’s coffee. Her Dad winced, looking down at Dowan. 

“Maybe you should show me our room?” 

Chapter Text

Charlie’s opinion on babies was now tainted. Forever. No longer were they tiny cute things. Now they were biting, smelly, creatures of manipulation. Her Dad had laughed when Charlie gagged and tried not to throw up when he revealed the mess Dowan had created. He had summoned several items to give her a bath. 

“Does this happen every time?” Charlie asked as she attempted to ring the water out of her hair. Her Dad was soaked as well, though he didn’t seem to mind nearly as much as she did. Dowan was cooing and laying against him wrapped in a bright yellow towel. Her hair was sticking up in a way that reminded Charlie of dust bunnies. 

“Sometimes,” he shrugged and smiled at her as he snapped his fingers, using his magic to dry her off. She gave a sigh of relief at the feeling and followed him back into the main room. “I think it’s because she was happy to see you.” He told her and Charlie felt a mix of happiness and surprise. “Little Duck likes her big sister, yeah?” He spoke to Dowan, gently setting her on the bed while summoning a diaper and other items. 

“I, she really likes me?” Charlie asked. She already loved her little sister, she was adorable -even if she could create the worst smells- but she was also just a baby. The few articles she was able to find about babies said they didn’t care for people outside of their parents. 

“Well yeah, Duckie! I mean, you both haven’t really known each other long, but babies just know when people are good.” His voice was reassuring and she felt a bit of her nerves ease as he stood up with a diapered but undressed baby. “Speaking of, a very good indicator of whether a baby likes you.” She had just a moment before he was setting Dowan against her chest. Instinct or fear, whatever it was had her raising her arms to hold Dowan in place as she rubbed her face against her coat. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed how tired you are. Little Duck needs a nap just as much as you do.” He snapped his fingers again, changing her suit into a set of faded pajamas she’d worn in high school. 

“Dad! I have work to do, I can’t just-” He hushed her while pushing her towards the bed. “No, this is, I mean. Dad!” 

“No argument. I’ll wake you in a bit, but just…rest. If you don’t fall asleep after ten minutes, I’ll take Little Duck. Fair?” Charlie wanted to insist she was fine even as her body betrayed her and forced a yawn. “I’ll stay here. I have some papers I need to check anyway.” She heard her Dad say. She hummed at him, not wanting to speak in case she woke Dowan. She forced her eyes open so she could check on her sister, smiling at the slightly opened mouth and the small fist holding onto her shirt. She smelled better now too, apples with a hint of baby powder and something else. 

“One hour,” she mumbled while using her limited skill to create a small clock. She’d stay there for a bit, but she needed to make sure everyone was doing okay in the Hotel. 

… … … 

Sera sighed, whether in relief or resignation, she wasn’t sure. With the meeting coming up with the Daughter of the Morningstar, she was trying to formulate a plan. A lot of her current plan relied on the First Man. He would need to either act as a convincing force to whatever Council she could summon, or find a way to stop the meeting altogether. 

The problem with either option though had yet to appear to her summons. It wasn’t unusual for Adam to disappear among the many spaces occupied by Heaven. Frequently he would vanish for weeks at a time with no one able to find him. It was infuriating, but it also worked in Sera’s favor by keeping their interactions at a minimum. 

“High Seraphim, a messenger has arrived from Archangel Michael.” Sera closed her eyes for a moment, wishing for a moment where she wasn’t needed. 

“Send them in,” she called out. Immediately a small owl flitted into the room, landing on a stand on the left side of her desk after dropping a roll of paper on her desk. Sera eyed the avian for a moment, it was unusual for one of Archangel Gabriel’s Messengers to be used by his brother. The owl gave a cry before taking off, flying through the glass windows of her office and disappearing. 

Another reason she disliked the bird messengers. They could choose to use doors and open windows, or simply pass through obstacles as if made of light. 

Before she could read past the first line, she heard a commotion outside her office. The loud brash tones of the First Man mixed with the young Cherub who worked as her assistant. She placed the message to the side and watched her door. 

“Sera! Heard ya been looking for me! Can’t a guy get some rest?” Adam yelled as he slammed her door open. Sera waited for him to settle, waving to her assistant to close the door before soundlessly activating a set of noise-canceling spells. “What happened to the wine? You always have wine!” Adam grumbled from her drink case. She bit her tongue to keep from snapping at him. As infuriating as he was, she needed him to be willing to listen. 

“Adam. We need to speak.” She ordered, folding her hands in front of her as Adam let out a groan and moved to sit in a chair across her. “There are new, complications because of your activities.” She started and narrowed her eyes when Adam shrugged and moved to rest his feet on a stack of papers. 

“So? I fixed that, like, months ago.” She scowled while using a pen to push his feet away. “I’m the Man, it’s handled!” He laughed and Sera wondered if The All Mighty had given the First Man a special virtue of testing patience. 

“You have failed to control the demons' unrest, and now Lucifer is involved, setting up an audience for his misguided daughter.” She snapped and felt a curl of satisfaction when Adam froze. “As you put it. You are ‘the Man’. Keeping Heaven safe is our main priority. Your main priority. I would not have allowed you such freedom if I had known what trouble it would bring to Heaven’s Gate.” 

“So? What do you want from me? I’m awesome, but I’m still just one guy.” He grumbled, but Sera was pleased to see he looked to be thinking. “I could get Lute and a few others. Ask them to patrol around the Gate.” 

“And what of when she arrives? Will you attack her outright? In front of Winners?” Sera countered. “We need to request an audience with the Lower Angels. A simple hearing will allow us to speak and explain things without revealing everything.” She handed Adam a sheet of paper. 

“Ugh, paperwork,” she bit back the smirk at his open disgust. “Fine, whatever. I’ll get Lute up to speed. We’ll make sure no one else hears about the brat's arrival.” Adam told her with a dramatic air. 

“See to it that you do. We do not need this getting out of hand.” Sera warned him and waited till he left to cover her face with her hands. “All Mighty Lord on High, what am I to do?” She prayed softly. 

Whether by design or due to Sera’s own exhaustion, no one noticed a small orange cat slipping out of her office and then the building. It made its way through the streets, stopping to sniff a greeting to other cats or animals before continuing on. Eventually, it came across a tall crystalline building and entered through a cracked window. 

Carpeted hallways filled with shades of white, silver, and blue, and decorated with grand tapestries. Doors hiding untold rooms, windows letting in cool crisp light. The palace was as grand as it was hollow. Filled with treasures from ages of history, but with not a soul to see them. 

The cat ignored it all, lightly bouncing it’s way through the space until it came across a rather plain white door that matched the hundred others. It let out a meow and gently pawed at the door until it opened. A male of average height with soft gold hair and brilliant blue eyes opened the door with a sigh, stepping to the side to allow the orange feline passage. 

“Welcome back Billi,” the Angel said with an eye roll as the cat gracefully jumped onto his desk. “What did we learn?” He asked while petting the cat. To anyone else, it would appear the male was simply petting his companion with his eyes closed. If one were to look closely, they would see a light glow beneath his eyelids. 

After a time his eyes slowly opened. Unfocused, the male leaned back and stared out at nothing while his cat left. “I have a niece,” he mumbled. 

Chapter Text

Lucifer watched his two daughters sleep. Charlie had finally relaxed and slipped off sometime after he summoned his paperwork. He’d finished a while ago.  Bel’s schedule had kept his work down, thankfully. He should send her a gift basket for everything she’d done for him. 

Both girls were sound asleep, drooling, and seemed completely at ease. Charlie was holding Little Duck with one arm, squishing her a bit but neither seemed uncomfortable. Little Duck was glowing faintly and letting out soft huffs to counter Charlie’s purr sounding snores. It was absolutely perfect and Lucifer had plans to create a new photo album for them. 

He hadn’t been there for Charlie as much as he should have been. He had tried, and in the beginning, he had managed, but by the time she had started tutoring, he had gotten trapped in his duties. She had gone from his little Duckling to a young lady. Lilith had encouraged him to spend time with her. She’d set up ‘dates’ for them and take over his duties so he could take Charlie to places like Lulu World, Stages of Love, and World Eats. The Sins had been a huge help when Charlie went through puberty. He and Lilith had been so lost. 

He huffed a laugh and shook his head. Charlie was the light of his Eden but she had been an absolute nightmare as a young teen. He and Lilith had been torn, fighting and blaming each other for Charlie’s rebellion. Had it not been for Satan, they might have ended up worse. Instead, he had suggested Charlie spend some time as his Ward. 

Lilith had been enraged at the idea. Lucifer -even now- didn’t blame her. The Wrath Ring wasn’t a safe place. Filled with backstabbing imps, desolate fields that refused to grow much, and massive mountains of brimstone, Lucifer had worried what Satan wanted. 

But, eventually, they agreed to let Satan keep Charlie as his Ward for one decade. The first year had been rough. Any time they visited had led to Charlie screaming at them. Lilith had tried dozens of different ways to argue Charlie’s return. Then during a visit, Satan’s son had returned. The older teenager had taken Charlie under his literal wing and that was it. 

Looking at her now, Lucifer let his mind wander back to that time. Charlie had learned how to fight with a shield and trident from Devland. He wondered if she still owned the weapons. Would she be willing to teach Little Duck when she was bigger? He hadn’t picked up a weapon since their battle against Heaven. Actually, now that he thought about it. Where was his sword? 

“Another thing for the list,” he sighed. It seemed the ‘list’ of things he needed to do just kept growing. A noise from the bed drew his attention and he had to fight the urge to coo. Little Duck had managed to wiggle from beneath Charlie’s arm and had slid to her side. He could see she was close to waking up as she let out another warble and waved an arm. 

Pushing himself to his feet he tiptoed to the bed to retuck the two in. His Father knew Bel would kill him if he didn’t let the two sleep for longer. A lazy wave of his hand pulled the blanket from beneath the two and allowed him to smooth it over them. Little Duck let out a yawn before settling. Charlie hummed and opened her eyes for a second before turning to rest on her side and using Little Duck as a plushie. 

“You both are too cute!” He whispered, “I’ll be right back.” Neither seemed aware of his words, both trading sleepy sounds as he opened a portal to the lobby downstairs. 

“Ya Majesty! Where ya been?” The loud voice of Angel Something made him wince. “Oh shit, sorry,” he mumbled to Lucifer’s actions. He quickly closed the portal and pulled on his coat, realizing then he didn’t have it on. 

“Hm, right. Is Vaggie around?” He coughed while patting his pockets for his phone. “Oh, Charlie’s asleep with Little Duck. If there’s some kind of, uh,” he paused. The small cyclops was at his feet and not blinking. “Yes?”

“Bad boy~,” she swooned. “I like Bad Boys.” Before Lucifer could nudge the Sinner away or try to awkwardly speak, the sound of static entered the room. 

“Ah, his Highness has appeared.” Lucifer could feel his good mood dropping. “Niffty, dear, there appears to be a mess in the kitchen. Would you mind terribly?” 

“A mess!?” Lucifer almost felt grateful the Cyclops ran off without him speaking. Almost. The group was silent for a moment as the maid took off. 

Lucifer debated just reopening the portal, and returning to his room, but he needed to talk with Vaggie. “Our esteemed co-manager is currently shopping for groceries.” The posh American accent still grated on his nerves, but Lucifer could admit the static overlay was reduced. A look over at the Radio Demon showed he was inspecting his claws and humming softly. 

“Oh, is there,” he started only to bite his tongue. Charlie didn’t want him to work on the Hotel while he was there. This was her space. He’d need to remind himself of that. “I need to make some phone calls, I was going to ask Vaggie,” a shadowed limb poked his boot. 

“I took the liberty of retrieving a repaired telephone. It isn’t VoxTech, therefore vastly superior!” The shadow limb held out a strange folded phone. He vaguely recognized it as something Charlie had once used. A simple dark red with black accents and a small screen. “Your previous…thing, wasn’t salvageable so I do apologize for the lack of contacts.” 

“It’s, fine,” Lucifer settled on as he took the item. He long ago memorized his family’s contact numbers from staring at them. That wasn’t a problem. “You’re being, horribly nice.” He spoke up while eyeing the male carefully. He had been antagonistic and overly friendly at the same time. Between their first meeting, his panic attack, and Lucifer ending up in his Space; the Radio Sinner’s actions were disconcerting. 

“Ha! Ha! Well, we can’t have the King disappearing again and leaving two children behind!” Lucifer scowled at the jab. “Though Charlotte,” 

“Charlie.” Lucifer interrupted. “She prefers Charlie,” he restated. It had been one of the things from her earlier adolescence that seemed to stick. The Sins -minus Bel- had even picked up on it. Lilith had thought it was adorable, an idea Charlie had vehemently fought against. 

“Hmm, does she? Yes then, Charlie is still far too young to be a substitute parent.” Alastor continued with a look in his eyes that Lucifer felt like an annoying needle point. 

“She is. Which is why I’m here,” he countered. “Charlie doesn’t need to lose sleep worrying about Sinners. Which is why she’s asleep now. Upstairs.” He added and was appeased to see the Red Jukebox close his lips. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have calls to make.” 

… … … 

Charlie felt like she had slept for too long. Her mouth was both dry and gummy, she could feel sweat making her clothes stick, and one of her Baphomets was being a plushie. It wasn’t the worst way to wake up but it also wasn’t comfortable. 

“Ugh,” she groaned and tried to roll over. The feel of a small hand plopping against her cheek stopped her. “Oh,” brilliant red met soft violet. “Good morning,” she greeted Little Duck as her sister released her cheek. Dowan gave a soft sound, squirming in her spot before rolling over. Charlie let out a small laugh at the sight of soft dark hair sticking out at random directions. The baby turned to her at the noise, little face scrunched in offense before she grabbed Charlie’s lips. 

“Ah! No,” Charlie tried to pull her lip free as Dowan smiled. “‘Ery cu’e,” she mumbled. She didn’t want to accidentally bite the tiny fingers. “Le’ go, Do’n,”

Whether she understood or just lost interest, Dowan did let go. Charlie carefully nursed her sore lip as her sister stretched and lifted herself up on her hands. Charlie had to smile at the sight of Dowan looking around the room, hair a mess and her skin showing little crease marks from where she’d slept. 

“Hey, Dad?” She called out, sitting up with care. She didn’t know how durable Dowan would be compared to Imp babies, but she didn’t want to find out from knocking her over. “Dad?” The room was empty save for them. She could see he had been there, a stack of papers next to a familiar teapot on the table nearby. 

“Ooo,” Little Duck called out. She sounded confused and started to repeat the sound with increased speed. When she started to fuss and cry, Charlie felt a bit of panic hit her. What was she supposed to do? Her Dad usually appeared whenever Dowan started to cry! 

“It’s okay? Dowan, Little Duck, hey, it’s okay,” she tried to soothe, lifting the baby into her arms and wincing at the unhappy cry. “You’re okay,” she promised. “Let’s go find Dad, yeah?” 

Dowan’s stomach gave a loud growl and Charlie winced. She probably should feed them both too. Maybe her Dad put some milk in the fridge? Dowan’s cries tapered off a bit, a blessing to Charlie’s ears, as she wiggled off the bed and stood up. 

Charlie gave the room and en-suite bath a quick check before deciding her Dad wasn’t present. She wasn’t sure if going to the kitchen with Dowan was a good idea but her sister was hungry and chewing on her hand. What if she started eating herself? 

“Let’s go find Vaggie,” she suggested. “And some clothes,” she laughed. Dowan babbled at her as she walked, turning to look at everything with wide eyes. It made her curious how her Dad usually moved around. Did he open portals everywhere? 

Maybe she should ask him about teaching her more Creation Magic. It would definitely help her with the Hotel if she could fix problems. With a little sorcery she could fix lights, plumbing, and maybe even put up a ward scheme to keep out bugs! But first, she needed to start small. 

“I should have something you can wear in my room.” She shifted to hold Dowan with her other arm. “Razzle and Dazzle picked it up. I made sure to get you all kinds of toys!” She explained with excitement. Her sister seemed interested and smiled brightly as Charlie talked. “Vaggie helped too!” A feeling of guilt pulled at her as she spoke. Vaggie deserved an apology after everything that had happened. Sooner rather than later. 

But Vaggie wasn’t in their room when she arrived. She didn’t want to do it with her sister or Dad around, because of Vaggie’s discomfort at being the center of attention, but she knew if she got the chance she’d take it. 

“Oh Vaggie,” she mumbled. She could tell from looking around that she hadn’t been in the room. Had she slept at all? Her squishy pillow hadn’t even been moved from the window seat. Dowan gave a coo sound, meeting Charlie’s gaze with a soft but sad expression. 

“It’s, I’ll be okay.” She settled on. “Let’s see about getting dressed. I asked Razzle and Dazzle to get a lot.” She carefully set Dowan down, watching her roll onto her stomach before rolling again to look up at the ceiling. 

Charlie made sure to bunch pillows and blankets around her sister before going to her closet. Long made habits had her pulling on black slacks and a white blouse. She needed a shower but was too nervous to leave Dowan alone. If Vaggie were with her. 

“Don’t. Don’t think about it right now.” She ordered herself. Her life was a mess. Her relationship was either done or facing a hurdle. Vaggie was still Vaggie, helping her without speaking. Doing things Charlie needed. But was she doing it out of obligation? Was she trying to make herself seem useful and not a burden? Did she feel if she wasn’t helping then Charlie would leave her? 

Charlie had seen how far Vaggie would go if she felt like she was useless. Their first few months together had been filled with Charlie insisting Vaggie rest, recover, and relax. Vaggie had been livid at being forced to stay in bed and had blown up a lot too. She’d yell insults, try to physically push Charlie away, and hurt herself trying to do tasks. All because she didn’t want to seem weak. Charlie wondered now how much of it was a trauma response to her treatment as an Exorcist. 

“Oo, oo, oo!” An excited babble interrupted her thoughts. Charlie spun on her hooves, fear making an image of Dowan rolling off the bed appear in her mind. “Dazzle! What are you doing?” She laughed. 

The bodyguard did a lazy barrel roll, baaing when Dowan squealed and waved all four limbs. “Is Dazzle being silly?” Her friend flew to his and Razzle’s tunnel, diving into the dark entrance with a chime sound. 

Charlie was confused for a moment, as was her sister, but then she was laughing. Out of the tunnel, Dazzle proudly held up a bright red outfit. Vaggie had seen it while Charlie was making her order and commented how cute it was. A full ‘sleeper’ that was based on a jackalope. Decorated with red fur and a hood with black horns, even Charlie thought it was adorable. It also had the bonus of coming with a harness that Charlie could easily wear. 

“We can match!” She squealed, rushing back to her closet to replace her blouse with a red one. Dowan seemed content to chew on her hands, kicking her feet and squeaking when Dazzle flew over and around her. “Now! Let’s get you dressed and then lunch!” 

Chapter Text

Charlie double checked her phone, her Dad wasn’t answering her texts. Should she go searching for him? No, if something was wrong he would have woken her. Right? Besides, he wouldn’t just leave. Not without saying something, or taking Dowan. She ignored the prickling in her chest and blew her loose hair out of her face. Staring at her phone, waiting for a reply wasn’t helping her emotions. She needed to focus on her sister and the Hotel. Her dad was fine, the thought helped slightly. “Ooo,” Dowan warbled, tilting her head back to look up at Charlie with big eyes. 

“You look just like Dad,” she laughed before letting out a shocked sound as Dowan reached up and grabbed a lock of her hair. 

“Toots, not sure that’s a good idea.” Angel laughed while Charlie attempted to pull her hair free. Dowan whined and pulled harder, creating a tug of war that Charlie was sure was pulling her hair out. “Here,” Angel spoke up. “Look Womb Nugget, Auncle Angie has a popsicle. Way better than some hair.” Dowan turned to his voice though kept a tight hold on Charlie’s hair. “Yeah, see?” 

“Uh, Angel, I’m not sure,” Charlie started just as Dowan leaned forward to grab the treat. Angel laughed when she quickly released the ice and looked at him in surprise. “Can she have popsicles? This article,” 

“Char, she likes it! Look, she’s big enough to start some purées. Besides, can you deny that face?” Angel reassured and tilted Dowan’s head to look up at Charlie. “C’mon Womb Nugget, give her those baby reds.” Angel ordered while Dowan attempted to chew her sticky purple hands. 

“Kid’s not supposed to eat till they cut teeth.” Husk grumbled from the stove. “And sugar ‘ll give ‘em black teeth.” He added with an absent wave of his spatula. 

“Black teeth?” Charlie squeaked, pulling away from Angel and rushing to grab a paper towel. “What can I give her? Dad,” 

“Milk’s in the fridge,” Husk interrupted. “Vaggie said she’d get baby milk while she was out.” 

“Oh, you spoke to Vaggie?” Charlie asked softly, staring at Husk’s back and temporarily forgetting her need to clean Dowan. 

“Well. I know babies. And this one’s big enough to get mashed food.” Angel spoke up with his usual flair. “Take a seat and let Dear Ole Angel work some magic.” He pushed Charlie towards the table, grabbing a plate with his spare hands before dropping the popsicle onto it. “Let Womb Nugget play. If she eats it, she’s fine.” 

“Angel! I can’t let you do that, she’s my sister. And her name is Dowan. Doe-an, not womb nugget.” Charlie argued but stayed in her chair when said baby tried to squirm free. Angel laughed as he moved around Husk and retrieved Vaggie’s granola mix from a shelf above him. 

“Yeah, yeah. Listen, who you gonna believe? A guy who actually took care of babies or some whack job on a hell site?” Charlie bit her lip. Angel had admitted to knowing plenty about babies when Dowan had first arrived. Who better to ask for help than someone with experience?

“I just don’t want you to feel like you have too.” Charlie admitted as Husk grumbled something and gave her a side eye. “Either of you. You don’t,” 

“Charlie, if we got a problem, we’ll say somethin’,” Angel interrupted. “Now, ya might want to let it chill a bit, but here’s one Baby Special!” Angel explained with a flourish as he slid the bowl to rest in front of the siblings. 

“Thanks,” Charlie said with a choked feeling as Husk also slid a plate to her. “You guys are so so appreciated!” 

“Just eat,” Husk grumbled. Charlie quickly snatched her grilled cheese off the plate, taking a bite as Husk nodded. Charlie tried not to laugh when he shoved a folded napkin at Angel. 

“Awe, for me?” He said with a baby tone. Charlie caught a blush on Husk’s face before he could fully turn away and coughed around her bite. 

“Ah!” Looking down showed Dowan playing with the soft mush instead of eating. Not that she was to surprised, she didn’t think the little one was big enough for real food. 

“You’re going to regret the messy food.” Husk spoke up as he joined them with a plate of his own. “Watch,” he added with a soft smile. Charlie was confused, she knew Dowan would make a mess. She was uncoordinated and, 

“Ah!” Dowan squealed. Charlie let out her own ‘squeal’ as warm mush was flung into her face and mouth. Both Angel and Husk let out a laugh as Charlie attempted to wipe her face while more mush was thrown. She tried to look at the bright side. She really did, but the gritty feel of warm granola in her hair was making it difficult. 

“Doe,” Charlie groaned.

“Give her over,” Angel laughed. “Come to Auncle!” He joked while freeing her sister from the harness Charlie had kept on. Taking the chance, Charlie wiped her cheeks and gave a mock glare to her sister. 

“Messy baby,” she said to a squirming Dowan. “I was going to wait for Dad, but I guess we should take a bath.” She mumbled while inspecting her hair, regret pulling at her expression at the sticky clump it now was. 

“Go shower, we got her. Kid still needs to eat.” Husk shrugged while turning to watch Angel hand feed Dowan small pieces of food. 

Charlie debated with herself. Dowan was her responsibility. Her Dad was nowhere to be found and Dowan didn’t have anyone. What if something happened? What if she started to choke on the food? What if she was allergic!? 

“Charlie, we got this.” Angel spoke up, looking her in the eye while Dowan sucked on his fingers. “Sides, what are friends for?” 

“I’ll be really fast. Like so fast!” Charlie made up her mind. She would forgo an extensive shower. She’d need to wash her hair, and quickly. It would definitely frizz so she’d need to take an actual shower later. “If anything happens, come get me. I’ll be back in 15,” she assured. 

… … 

Alastor took pride in many things. His ability to read others, his skill with words, his knowledge of manipulation. Those things had served him well throughout life, even more in his afterlife. He was powerful, and held the contracts of thousands. He was feared, respected, and envied. He was more akin to a king than that bumbling featherbrain that currently wore the crown. 

And yet here he was. Returned to his suite with a crying child because of his infuriating pride. Husker’s own ability to push Alastor was one he enjoyed and loathed in equal measure. The feline male mocking his ability to make anyone smile had done him no favor. 

“Silent night, holy night. All is gone, in the fright. Villains will rise until. Darkness calls, kingdom falls. Hark the herald, Fallen sing,” he whispered. Alastor looked at the baby with his head tilted to the side. Tearful tyrian purple eyes gazed back from where the baby rested in his arms. 

Dowan, or ‘Little Duck’ as Lucifer called her, had begun her screaming shortly after Charlie had vanished upstairs and Angel out the front doors. Husker had unintentionally summoned him due to the pain he felt from the Little Doe’s screaming. 

“Fallen angels are calling. Sleep in heavenly peace. Night is here, start the fear. Darkness comes to steal what's bright. Shepherds quake at the sight. Sleep in heavenly peace,” he softly sang. 

His Shadow made itself appear, wrapping around them both until its face could peer down over his shoulder. The baby seemed curious about the tendril that stretched over her stomach, trying to look and grab at the incorporeal thing. 

“Her name is Dowan, named for the dawn.” He muttered softly to his curious shadow. Mindful of his claws, he carefully reached to brush an irate lock of hair and hummed when Dowan focused on him. “Calm enough now?” He asked the sniffling babe. 

Of course the Little Doe didn’t answer. Instead letting out a sound akin to a dove before grabbing at his tie. “Oh?” He was surprised into stillness when her small hand began to glow a soft rose gold. His own Energy responded, pushing to the spot their skin connected and giving off a soft green glow. 

The Little Doe gave him a smile, pushing her small Energy against his own as if playing a game. 

“What a strange little creature you are.” 

Chapter Text

By the time Charlie had gotten dressed, again, and returned to the lobby, Alastor had managed to settle Dowan. Her tiny sister was playing with his Shadow, batting at his (it’s?) fingers with a wide smile from her spot in Alastor’s arms. 

“Sorry! I hope she was okay?” She looked over at Husk, noting how some of his fur seemed to be standing. “Everything alright?” 

“Peachy, my dear!” Alastor cheered, gently batting his Shadow away while Husk grumbled. “Why, the little doe seems quite enchanted by my Shadow,” He added.  Charlie felt a burst of relief. She had felt like claws were around her throat while she was in the shower. Thoughts and worries about Dowan having her rush through her routine and skip a few things. 

“Thank you, again, for watching her.” Dowan let out a squeal when she noticed Charlie. “Hi Little Duck! Did you have fun with everyone?” 

“Of course, my dear!” Charlie happily took Dowan, feeling her smile widen when she nuzzled against her and let out a little sigh. “Now, our lovely hotel won’t make its own repairs.” 

“Oh, yeah, thanks again Al,” Charlie spoke up as the man turned with his ever present smile and left. “He seems, happier, today,” she observed. 

“If that’s what it’s called,” Husk grumbled. “If you don’t need anything, I got a game to meet with.” Charlie gave him a cheerful farewell, eyes following him as he made his way to his own room. 

“Guess it’s just us,” Charlie mumbled. “Oh! I know!” Dowan gave a small confused chirp as Charlie shifted her arms before walking over to a door. “How would you like to hear the story of our home? The baby friendly version of course,” she added. 

Dowan didn’t answer, but Charlie knew if she was against it she’d make noise. At least she hoped so. “Mom used to read to me all the time,” she explained. “When she wasn’t writing new songs, she was just writing whatever came to mind. I think she wrote all my story books.” Charlie missed her, missed the quiet days in their library and the excited conversations they’d have over different stories. The Hotel library wasn’t nearly as expansive as the one at their Manor, but that was mostly due to it once being an office. Vaggie had renovated it into a library as an anniversary gift when they started dating. They’d both filled the shelves with a wide range of books. With both their favorites being tucked into the vertical shelves by the windows. 

“Mom loves arts and crafts. She taught me all I know about art and crafting,” Charlie rambled. “When she had time, we’d get plants from Sloth and make all kinds of paints.” Charlie traced her hand over the titles, lingering on the few she had brought from the Manor. “She made this one when I was born. She wanted to make sure I knew our story. Well, I guess now it’s ‘we’ know our story.” Charlie laughed and carefully bounced Dowan against her. “Let’s read in the lobby.” In case their Dad or Vaggie returned, remained in her throat. 

… …

“Once upon a time, there was a glowing city protected by golden gates known as Heaven. It was ruled by beings of pure light called Angels that worshiped good and shielded all from evil.” Charlie recited mostly from memory, letting Dowan stare at the large pages her Mom had made. “Our Dad was one of those angels. He was a dreamer with fantastical ideas for all of creation.” She continued, smiling and gently rocking Dowan as she turned the page. “But he was seen as a troublemaker by the elders of Heaven. Because they felt his way of thinking was dangerous to the order of their world. So, he watched as the angels expanded the universe. From the dust of Earth, they created Adam and Lilith, equals as the first of Mankind.” 

Dowan cooed at the new page. Charlie tilted her own head to watch Dowan pat the page before looking up with big eyes. Her tiny hand rested on the silhouette of Adam. “Adam is, different,” She explained. “Mom once told me he was a brother to her. They shared the Garden and named so many things.” 

“Ah,” she doubted Dowan actually understood what she was saying. But Charlie liked imagining her sounds as words. 

“Right, story time! Let’s see,” Charlie scanned over the bright yellow page. “Despite being equals, Adam demanded control, and Mom refused to submit to him. So, she fled the Garden!” Charlie read and threw out her hands for effect, laughing when Dowan let out a cry of surprise. 

“Drawn in by her fierce independence, Dad found her, and the two rebellious dreamers fell deeply in love.” She gave a slightly defeated sigh. Her parents had the perfect love story. Sort of. She wished it were that easy with Vaggie. “Together, they wished to share the magic of free will with humanity, offering the Fruit of Knowledge to Adam's wife, Eve, who gladly accepted.” Charlie lingered on the page, letting Dowan pat the greyscale scene while her own eyes lingered on her Mom’s outline. 

“But this gift came with a curse. For with this single act of disobedience, evil finally found its way onto Earth. And the order Heaven worked to maintain was shattered. As punishment for their act, Heaven cast Dad and his love into the pit of darkness and sin they had created.” Charlie let her voice trail off. Her parents had made one mistake. A choice that sooner or later, Charlie was certain Adam would have made regardless of them. 

Everyone made mistakes. It was how they learned and grew. Without mistakes, the world and its people would never have created all the amazing things they had today. Was it really worth permanently banishing and hurting their parents? Or anyone, from their only home?

“When you get bigger, no matter what, I’ll always forgive you.” Charlie explained, placing a gentle kiss on her sister’s fluffy hair. “You’ll never get kicked out of our home. Or be sent away.” 

“I second that,” a familiar voice spoke up. Charlie jerked in place, sending her book sliding off her lap as she snatched Dowan to her chest. “Sorry,” 

“Vaggie! You’re back! Do you need help? I, we! We can totally help!” Charlie rambled while getting up. Dowan clung to her, small fists pulling on her blouse while she mouthed at Charlie’s collar. 

Vaggie gave her a soft look, but shook her head. “No, I got it.” Charlie eyed the many bags Vaggie held and tried not to show her emotions. “Unless, you want, to help I mean.” 

“Yes!” Charlie exclaimed and coughed, “I mean, yes.” Charlie bit her lip to keep from letting out a cry when she felt Dowan bite her shoulder. “No biting! Please!” She hissed instead, trying to dislodge her sister with no success as they entered the kitchen. 

“She’s probably hungry,” Vaggie spoke over her shoulder. “I bought some formula, but, I’m not, I mean. The enby said it was a good one to have.” She added with uncertainty. Charlie wasn’t sure she cared, the fact Vaggie had gone out and gotten formula at all was a relief. 

“Vaggie, you are the most awesome and wonderful person ever!” Charlie blurted out, “I don’t say it enough. That I appreciate you and that you’re amazing, I mean. Not that I don’t mean it, because I do! I just need you to know, that I love you. Wait! That sounds like love bombing. Shit, I mean shoot!” 

“Charlie,” the way Vaggie said, made her throat tight and her heart race. She didn’t even feel Dowan biting her. “I know…I know that me being an angel is…a lot. I messed up, I know.” 

“Actually, hold that thought.” Charlie didn’t want Vaggie to try and blame herself. Were they both at fault? Yes. But Charlie needed Vaggie to hear her first. “Dad said that babies always know when someone’s a good person. And I think you’re the best person. Not because you're my, I mean, not because of my own biases. But because you chose to leave Heaven and the exorcists. You chose to leave a bad past and take a chance in Hell. Here, with m- all of this.” Charlie tried to explain, pushing Dowan into Vaggie and forcing her to hold her. Both of them looked adorably confused but Dowan seemed okay with the choice. 

“Wait, I can explain this better.” Charlie held out a hand. “Vaggie, you did a wrong. You, um, you’re holding my hand.” 

“Yeah, I am,” Vaggie mumbled with a blush. “And I don’t agree with you. That I’m ’the best’ or whatever. But if you’d be okay with it. I’d like a second chance? Please? We don’t have to,” Vaggie trailed off. Both were now staring at where their hands joined. “Dios mio this is hard.” 

“Yeah,” Charlie huffed. “Hi, I’m Charlie! I run a hotel with, someone I care a lot about. She’s amazing, and working on her own second chance. Would, would you, like to b-be her?” Charlie felt like she could melt into the floor when Vaggie’s shoulders dropped and she let out a laugh. 

“You’re something else. But yes, I’d like that.” Dowan let out a grunt as the two relaxed and touched forheads. 

“Fucking finally!” Both heard a gruff growl as they shared a soft kiss. 

“I hold the right to,” Vaggie started with a look over Charlie’s shoulder. 

“No,” Charlie interrupted out of habit. The two shared another laugh before Vaggie shifted her arms to properly hold Dowan. 

“Let’s get her a bottle before she turns me into dinner.” Vaggie suggested while dislodging a grouchy Dowan from her shirt. 

Chapter Text

Lucifer should have known better. Correction. He did know better. He’d just ignored the looming consequences and now they were about to bury him. He’d walked around the edge of the Hotel, attempting to boost his confidence for the calls he needed to make. But it was around the fifth or so lap that he finally sat on a bench near a neat garden of herbs to dial the first number. 

He called Bel first, to update her on Little Duck and Charlie. That had evolved into them talking about his schedule, and he had written notes to add to it. Satan had sent him to voicemail, or ignored him. Lucifer wasn’t entirely sure since he was calling from a new phone and Satan rarely answered anyway. 

After he had called Bee, wincing when his youngest sister answered with the roar of a party. He was pretty sure she’d said something about meeting with him before cutting the call. After, he’d made a quick call to both Mam and Levi. Neither had seemed to care much. Not that Lucifer minded. He wasn’t sure how he’d deal with either of them if they reacted differently. 

But now. Now he was dealing with the brother that had taught him what flowers to give to Lilith. The one who had taught him and Michael how to sing and dance. “A new baby and I had to hear about it from Bee? What happened to sending a message? I’m hurt,” Ozzie moaned. Because there was no other way to describe his whine as anything but a moan. The Fallen was the Sin of Lust but Lucifer sometimes wondered if he wasn’t actually the Sin of Drama instead. 

“Lu Doll, you know I’d have been there in a heartbeat! But what about you? Who’s the other parent? Is there another? Are they good to you? I can make a trip to Pride. I’ll even be there by tonight.” Ozzie had been his most dreaded phone call. He had honestly thought the other Fallen would be angry. Considering how the day prior, he had called and yelled about Mammon. It was a valid concern!

“Ozzie, I’m, well, I’m not great. But I’m okay? Bel’s been helping. We, uh, she set up a schedule for me. Said I should take a bunch of drugs but, you know me! I get so crazy with, uh, that.” Lucifer trailed, “I'm doing the single Dad thing. Since, there’s not another parent. Little Duck doesn’t need another stupid, silly dad.” He huffed, trying to laugh through the discomfort in his chest. 

“Lu, just because Bel’s helping doesn’t mean I can’t. Are you okay? Like I said, I can be,” Lucifer coughed to interrupt. 

“It’s fine!” Jerking to his feet he tried to bounce in place. “We’re fine! We’re at the Hotel, and Charlie’s getting along with Dowan, and, Ozzie, Charlie has a girlfriend!” 

“That’s great! I’m proud of my Little Hoofer! She knows she can call me, right? Oh! I should call her! Get her a few gifts for her new partner.” Ozzie mumbled, successfully distracted. “But that’s for later. When did you have Dowan? How big is she? I also need pictures!” He sang as Lucifer began walking between rows of vegetables. 

“I, uh, didn’t? Have her, I mean. She was a sacrifice,” Lucifer trailed off. He bit his lip, feeling Ozzie’s sudden silence like a weight. “I wasn’t going to keep her.” He admitted for the first time to someone besides Bel. 

His brother’s silence made his stomach twist. He wasn’t entirely sure what he’d do if Ozzie got upset with him. He could handle his siblings fighting with each other, but it hurt something in his Soul when they fought with him. “She’s half human. Or I think she still is? She’s latched onto Charlie’s Demonic Energy and Bel thinks with enough exposure she could become like her. Half Angel, half demon. Maybe even lose her human side completely. But we don’t know. She’s mostly been around me and my energy, so she’s mostly Angelic. Or, umm, what’s it called, pseudo Angel?” Lucifer needed to move, use his hands, do something to fight through the explanation. 

“What would you even call her? She’s just a little baby. Or well, an angelic baby with a human side and now demonic energy. Heaven’s going to love it. Now they’ll start bitching about that Bad Joshua Bull they tried with Charlie.” He let out a shaky laugh while balancing the phone between his head and shoulder. There were plenty of weeds between plants. He could work on those while he talked. Was he still talking? Did it matter? The realizations that he’d pushed away so he could focus on Dowan were now looming over him. 

“Lucifer, are you saying you adopted a Nephilim?” Ozzie’s serious tone made Lucifer’s stomach lurch. If he’d had more for breakfast he’d probably be sick. 

“Yes? No?” He ripped out some grass, “I, she’s a descendant. Like many many generations grandkid. To me. And a human bitch” he spat. “I took her so she wouldn’t die. She’s just a little baby.” He repeated while strangling a plant. 

“Let me get this right.” Ozzie’s smooth voice did little to help Lucifer’s nerves. “You adopted a human descendant. Not just adopted to protect them. But fully adopted, Named, and Claimed?” Lucifer hummed in reply. “So that made them half Angel. And because you didn’t expose your Demonic side, she stayed a mix of Angel and human. Until you introduced her to Charlie, who is a mix of both.” 

“Insane, right? And now I have to stay around a bunch of Sinners so Little Duck can learn to handle the Energies while she makes her own.” Lucifer laughed, smashing a handful of dirt into his hair. “I’m exposing my infant daughter to the filth of Hell because I couldn’t,” 

“Woah! Lu Doll,” Ozzie commanded, “You didn’t know that would happen. It’s literally never happened before. All this came from a place of Love. You never planned to hurt her, right?” Lucifer let out a squeaky cough at his words. “That’s what I thought. So look, you made a small mistake. One that, by the sounds of it, got you and Charlie talking again. Is it the best idea having Sinners around? No. But you’re doing this to help both of them. And if that doesn’t help, you’ll be able to protect Charlie and the Little Duck if you’re under one roof.” 

Lucifer had to agree. Mostly because he was terrified that if he didn’t. That if he thought too long. He’d trap himself in his mind, finding paths in his horrific imagination. 

“Deep breath in, you can’t love them if you’re panicking.” Ozzie told him, making a coo sound not dissimilar to Dowan’s own. 

“Thanks Oz,” Lucifer breathed out. Dealing with his siblings was exhausting. But they did care. Even if he did some very concerning things.

“It’s what I’m here for.” Lucifer hummed, “Now, I want you to give me a call tomorrow. I need Charlie’s partner’s details. I can’t have my favorite older niece dating just anyone! And I want those pictures too! Give my nieces a big hug and kiss from Uncle Ozzie. I’ve got a shopping trip to plan!” Lucifer didn’t have a chance to say anything else before the call ended. 

He’d need to warn Charlie to expect something from Lust. He’d also need to bring up setting up a meeting for the Sins and them so he could properly introduce Little Duck. But right now, he had to replant a few herbs and weed another plot. 

“Oh fucking me,” he groaned. He’d completely forgot to tell any of the others about Charlie’s meeting!

… … 

By the time Lucifer fixed the garden, he felt a bit more real. His anxiety still held his chest tight, but returning to the Hotel helped it loose. 

“Ah ha! How thoughtful of you to rejoin us!” Lucifer felt his mood twist. The grating static, the smell of overturned dirt and blood, and the eerie way the Music Box stood at the edge of a shadow. It made him want to fight. “One does wonder what destroying our garden has to do with ‘making calls’.” 

“Shut it, you overgrown songbird,” Lucifer grumbled. The other male gave a brief burst of static, his posture somehow becoming straighter and his eyes flashing. Lucifer felt a swell of pride as he walked past. It seemed that particular insult actually bothered the man. 

“Your Majesty,” Husk greeted him. “Girls are in the kitchen. I can fix ya a drink here.” Lucifer raised a brow at the invitation, even as he changed directions. 

“Any reason I shouldn’t go in the kitchen?” He questioned. “Are, are they,” he let the question trail. If Charlie and her girlfriend were still upset with each other, he didn’t want to step in. But if they were, he didn’t want Little Duck to see that. 

He’d failed to keep Charlie from seeing him having the occasional fight with Lilith and the others. Satan had told him, repeatedly, that no family was without fighting. “We flock together because we are alike. But if we stayed in constant agreement, we would never do anything.” Lucifer was decently sure Mortals had picked up his words. He could remember something about birds and feathers being paired with fools. 

Besides the point. 

“Being smitten and adorable,” Husk answered. “Just think you’d enjoy a drink. Dinner’s gonna be late.” He added, his attention changing to look up at Radio Box as he joined them. 

“A minor inconvenience.” Lucifer tried not to stare as the gangly figure folded a bit to sit on the barstool. It reminded him of how Ozzie sometimes struggled to sit comfortably because of his form. Most chairs were molded for front facing knees and shorter builds. Perhaps he could shorten the stool and add a low sweeping back rest. 

Lucifer blinked, shaking his head and staring into his drink. A vibrant green martini of some kind with a cute snake gummy around the rim. If it tasted as good as it looked, he’d order it frequently. 

Lucifer’s mind and eyes drifted back to the barstool. Alastor’s knees were tucked against the bar wall with the stool itself being pushed back nearly a foot. His metallic posture seemed more to keep him in place on the seat than out of comfort. He hummed, tasting a burst of electric sugar as he pictured a lounge seat style. 

Yes, the extension of the seat would work better for the other’s odd height while also adding a bit of comfort for his back to rest on. He could keep it sized for the bar. Changing the fabric to the smooth leather of the current stools would keep it from looking out of place. He could even make more than one. Wasn’t the Spider Boy, Lucifer couldn’t remember his name. Regardless, wasn’t he also similarly tall. He wanted to say his legs were possibly longer. 

“Would there be a reason you’re staring, your highness?” The gristle like feeling of the vocal static didn’t bother him. No, it was the snap of red claws in his face. 

“Duck shit, you bastard!” He snapped, jerking away and nearly throwing his drink. He’d had a perfect visualization in his mind and thanks to the Chatterbox, it was gone! 

“What language!” The laugh that played with his voice made Lucifer feel lesser. As if he truly was the butt of a joke. “Do hesitate to speak such language around the children.” 

That made Lucifer want to swing a fist at the other. He could tell Husk was aware of his emotions by the way he slid their glasses away. “Shut up, you lanky Cardinal or I swear,” 

“Dad!” The sudden burst of wailing mixed with Charlie’s relieved tone had Lucifer falling from his seat. “I’m so glad you’re back. I don’t know what I did!” Charlie explained, “I, we made her a bottle. And she was okay! She drank all of it! But then she started crying, and I tried holding her.” Lucifer let her rant. 

Little Duck was such a bright red, her cheeks blended with her usually pale skin. She waved her fists, attempting to rub her face while trying to grab something. The ease of years, allowed Lucifer to drag her along his arm facedown easing her loud wails to softer cries. 

“I swear,” Charlie assured, “ I don’t know what happened. And I am so so so sorry!” 

“Don’t worry Duckie, I think she’s just gassy.” He explained while gently patting Little Duck’s back. He almost laughed when he looked up from his youngest to find his oldest looking a bit ill. “Don’t worry, she just needs to burp.” 

“We thought it was the formula.” Vaggie explained, appearing from behind Charlie with concern radiating from her. Lucifer didn’t respond, focusing on Summoning a rag before moving Dowan to rest over his shoulder. “Will she be okay?” 

“Oh yeah, she’s just so small” -he winced when he heard the hiccup of spit up- “that she needs help.” Both girls looked ill as he moved Little Duck to his other side. The spit rag was dropped into a portal without much thought. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you woke up. I,” 

“It’s okay! I mean, I was worried, but it’s fine! Doe and I bonded!” Charlie interrupted with a glowing expression. 

“Doe?” That was an unusual name. Was it a new word for something? He barely managed when Charlie was spouting words like ‘bum rap’ and ‘glitterati’. 

Charlie blushed, lifting a hand to scratch at her cheek while her eyes looked past him. “Y-yeah, short for Dowan. Kinda like Charlie is short for my name?” She seemed unsure, eyes darting to look at him before back over his shoulder. He hummed, it was cute and gave him an impression of de Ja vu. Wherever he’d heard it before didn’t matter. Charlie was bonding with Little Duck! 

“It’s perfect!” He beamed, watching her light up before lifting Vaggie into a hug. It would seem those two had fixed his mess. “How about, I fix dinner?” 

“No need! It is my night to cook.” Not even Chatterbox could pull his mood. He’d made his Duckie happy. “Why don’t you, four, enjoy some time in the lobby.” The sound of music drifted to Lucifer. The easy sway of the music reminded him of balls and candlelight. 

“I think that’s the only good suggestion you’ve had since we met!” Lucifer laughed, turning slightly to meet Alastor’s eyes. The red demon stared back for a few seconds, his head slightly tilted, before tapping his cane and disappearing. 

Well one good deed, circle, something. With a small wave of his hand, he Created two barstools that Alastor and Angie could sit in comfortably. Husk perked up in surprise before giving Lucifer a nod. 

“Who’s up for a game?” Charlie exclaimed while pulling Vaggie towards the lobby. Lucifer felt his body soften as he watched the two laugh and smile. It was clear as glass to him. Those two were meant to be. 

“I wonder if you’d make a good flower bearer.” Little Duck blinked up at him. “Maybe an honor thing. Well plan later.” He assured, shifting his hold as Little Duck leaned against him. 

Chapter Text

Michael pulled on the cuff of his sleeve. The soft blue fabric gave a minute protest before it was pulled over his knuckles, hiding the heavy scars across his hand. His mind wandered again, pulling his thoughts around as the memory of Sera’s subterfuge whispered in his ear. 

“-Lucifer is involved, setting up an audience for his misguided daughter.”

Heylel a father. Michael turned the idea in his mind. 

“And what of when she arrives? Will you attack her outright?”

Michael could feel his bones shifting and cracking as he tightened them to fists. 

No. His niece would be given every protection. Every care afforded to her. She would be safer than any Creation to exist. 

“Relax your hands, Brother.” Hands darkened by centuries of work settled over Michael’s. He watched as they gently pulled his fingers from his palms, gently gliding soothing cool air over the rigid scars. He could barely feel his brother’s magic, but even with what little he did feel his stomach churned. “Billi says you haven’t eaten.” Gabriel’s soft baritone held no judgement or question. 

“Billi is a brat and I’m not hungry,” Michael replied. It was only a half truth. He had not eaten in part because of the news, and in another for what he had learned. “I’ll probably be sick if I try.” 

“Perhaps a light drink? You wish to share your thoughts, or am I mistaken?” Finally Michael looked up at his brother. Gabriel was likely the tallest of the Archangels as well as the only one to resemble their mortal brother Joshua. Skin darkened by sun, with hair the color of fresh soil, his topaz eyes stood out as if shards of captured fire. 

“I,” he hesitated. Once more reaching to cover his hands before forcing them palm down on the table. “Our army is gone, our warriors allowed rest. And yet, yet I still feel the edge of a great battle.” 

Michael heard more than felt the clink of an iced drink by his hand, and without hesitation he snatched and downed it. “I sought out the Head Seraphim after hearing whispers of Angels covered in blood and wearing masks.” 

“Yes, you requested Rasul,”  Gabriel spoke up. 

“Billi suggested it. He, the cats of Heaven hear and see much more than we will ever notice. For good or bad,” Michael trailed off. Had it ever truly been for good? Had it been right for him to send his cat to trail after Heylel? Or had it been for the worse? It had led them to do horrible, unforgivable things. 

“Michael,” his brother’s tone dragged him back. Eyes of fire met eyes of late evening, and Michael wondered again if it would not be justice to have his brother burn him as he had allowed done to Helel. “What have you learned?” 

“Father’s Creation, Adam. He and the Head Seraphim, Sera, are doing something to Heylel. Something to do with the demons he has under control.” Michael finally said, a weight in his chest lowering to his stomach when Gabriel’s eyes flashed. “He’s sending his daughter to speak with them and they wish to keep her a secret.” 

“Daughter?” As if Father had clapped his hands, Gabriel’s anger changed to wide eyed surprise. “Heylel?” 

“We have a niece,” Michael smiled. Part of him hurt from the knowledge. A greater part understood his brother’s actions as well. Why would Heylel tell him, any of them, about his life when Michael had failed to pull him from Father’s fire? When Gabriel had failed to stop his Fall? When Raphael had failed to soothe Father’s anger? 

How much had Heylel changed? How much hatred did the Morningstar hold for the Court of Heaven? Was it not justified? If their niece looked at any of them, would she know who they were? Would she acknowledge the blood between them, or would she see the failures they were? 

“When will she arrive? Will Heylel be with her? What of Lilith?” Gabriel’s soft smile and warm glow made Michael want to hope again. 

“I don’t know. I’ve sent Mačka and Neko to watch the Gate. As soon as she arrives I’ll know. Neither will keep her.” Michael assured, “I’m hoping to show her Heaven. Perhaps more. But,” 

“But you fear who she will meet. The elder twin of Heylel, or the Sword of God.” Michael bowed his head, folding his arm to hide his hands from sight. 

He had been the one to bring Heylel before their Father. Had been the one to learn of his time in Eden with Lilith. It had been his fault when Father burned away Heylel’s wings. His fault when he couldn’t stop any of it. 

“Michael,” he refused to lift his gaze. “What Father did, it was not your fault.” He had heard his siblings all say those words before. Heard every variation. “What He did, was cruel, mad, and unjustified. You were children.” 

“Gabriel, please,” Michael begged. “I don’t need platitudes for my mistakes.” He looked up to see his brother close his eyes and sigh. “Help me find what Adam and Sera are doing. Help me put a stop to whatever they are doing to Heylel. Help me protect hi- our niece.” 

“You ask as if I would not have called for Jeramheel and Uriel to assist us. Consider Heylel’s daughter your charge. Guide her, assign a Guardian, do whatever you see to protect her. I shall investigate with our siblings. The Head Seraphim and Adam shall both answer soon enough.”

… … …

Lucifer sneezed. His head felt like it attempted to split from the force. He blinked and smacked his lips, trying to guess what had caused it. 

“Ya alright, Short King?” The spider boy, Angie? “Scared Womb Nugget with that one,” He laughed. 

“I’m good! Sorry,” he waved off. “Where were we?” He looked over the mess of cards and then back to his hand. Something to do with numbers, reaching 11 points, and a broom. 

“Hey Dad, when did you say the meeting with Heaven was?” Charlie asked as she walked into the lobby with a notebook. “I mean, I know you said end of the week and that’s only three days away. But I was hoping for a time frame? And how long we’d be there? Should I pack specific outfits, or something formal? Royal formal or business formal?”

“Char, Duckie, relax,” Lucifer jumped up. “Heaven is, I mean, Sera. She probably will meet you at the Gate and take you to an office. Or a conference room. You’ll be there long enough to talk with her and then you’ll portal back here.” He explained with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Half a day, tops. And hey, maybe Vaggie will take you on a date? Show you a few spots in Heaven?” He ignored the chill he felt go down his spine. He didn’t need his daughter being scared when she got there, but he couldn’t shake his worry. 

All of Creation would suffer if something happened though. He swore it. 

Chapter Text

“I’m a little blue whale, swimming in the sea!” Lucifer sang as he slid Little Duck around the bathtub. She gave a loud squeal, swinging uncoordinated limbs through the piles of bubbles and holding a red toy fish. “I’ve got a blue tail, come swim with me!” Little Duck let out a squeal as Lucifer gently let go so she could ‘slide’ into a pile. “Oh no! Where did my little blue whale go?” He gave a laugh when Little Duck gave a cheer and cleared away some of the bubbles. “There she is!” Lucifer would never get tired of being a parent. It didn’t feel like time had passed, but it also felt like it was moving too fast. 

Little Duck was getting close to crawling, now sitting up and bouncing in place. He could swear just last week Little Duck couldn’t lift her head, and now she was able to sit up for a bit and roll around! Charlie had sat up and seemed to start crawling immediately. Little Duck not doing the same did make him worry a bit, but she was still so small. He didn’t want her to grow up. “Are you ready to slide again?” Little Duck grasped at the side of the tub, big eyes sparkling as he double-checked she was clean. Her eyes sparkled as she let out a squeal when he carefully pushed her over and through some bubbles. 

He let her enjoy herself for a bit longer, adding a few piles of bubbles with a snap of his fingers just so she would clap and laugh. Charlie hadn’t necessarily hated bath time, but she never enjoyed it unless it was with Lilith. His two girls were so different. It made him wonder how Lilith would have handled Little Duck being more of his while Charlie had very much been hers. That’s not to say either would be jealous, or he hoped not. Lilith had teased him quite a bit when Charlie had preferred her over him as a baby. 

“Let’s get those bubbles out,” he laughed. Moments he’d had with Charlie might not have been as constant, but he’d had them. Lots of them. He cherished them so much, but he also felt nostalgic for them too. “Big spill,” he warned while grabbing a small bowl to pour water from. “Uuf, my Squeaky Duck is so shiny!” He sang, letting himself fall into a peaceful silence as he summoned a towel from behind him. Little Duck made a twittering sound as he pulled her out of the bath and dried her off. It made his chest fill with love while he wrapped it firmly around her the way he’d done with Charlie. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend Lilith was in their room waiting with a baby brush and clothes. 

“Ububub!” Little Duck was shivering against him, her wet hair pushing under his chin as she nuzzled against him. “Charlie bought you the prettiest pajamas!” He kept talking, trying to push away the imagined scene of Lilith. Little Duck gummed at his collar, chewing the wet fabric with a sigh as he walked them to the large, empty bed. 

Lucifer was grateful that Charlie loved her younger sister, ecstatic in fact. If she hadn’t liked Little Duck, he probably would have torn himself apart. She was his Pride, his greatest creation, his light! She deserved so much more than a single Dad whose focus was split. Lilith was so much better than him. She should be the one here, helping Charlie with her full attention. Not him. His Father be damned, he needed her here! He was going to ruin everything, for Charlie, for Little Duck. They’d hate him. 

The thought hit Lucifer hard enough, he actually stopped walking. His demons had been so quiet, never silent, no. But they had seemed to wilt to the corners in his mind while he stayed in the Hotel. It’d been so calm, but it seemed they’d waited patiently for a reason to slip close and take a deep breath to whisper once more. 

It’d been months! Good months! He’d managed so well, for so long! Why did they come back? Had he done something? Who was he kidding, of course he did. Why couldn’t he just focus on the present, why linger on a past that was better left covered in dust? 

“Aaa, boo,” Lucifer looked down. Little Duck hadn’t seemed to notice his distraction. He wanted to vomit as his emotions twisted in his chest. What if he’d dropped her or worse? He couldn’t afford to let his mind run. Lilith wasn’t there to help him. She wasn’t there to make sure Dowan would be safe. It was all on him. He had a baby that needed him! A baby focused on some type of grey shade. 

“What in the-Hey!” He yelped as Little Duck was pulled out of his arms and into the air. She gave an excited scream, waving her arms as Lucifer threw his wings out and lunged for her. “Daddy’s got you!” He ignored the shake of fear in his voice while darting to the ceiling before dropping to the floor. His wings clipped a bedpost, sending a bruised pulse through two of them as he ran to his left. Little Duck, thankfully or not, seemed to be enjoying the new ‘game’ they were playing. Lucifer on the other hand was becoming more furious. 

Lucifer let out another growl as he was forced to close his wings and swing his arms about to keep his balance. His room, a mix of warm colors and bright lights, was now decorated with shadows and the mess of chaos. Shadows he was able to recognize after a face appeared above Little Duck to mock him. 

“You,” he turned furious eyes to the fiend in his room. Little Duck floated in their arms, face flushed a light red as she giggled madly. He didn’t want to unleash his annoyance in fear of how it would hurt Little Duck, but his Father be damned! “I will End you,” he promised as Little Duck was swung over his head and he attempted to jump for her. If it were possible, Little Duck’s laughter grew louder as his head connected to the floor. He was going to reclaim his Little Duck from the Songbird’s Shadow and absolutely destroy it.

Shifting to balance on his elbows, he glared at the silent creature as it swung side to side on the wall in front of him. Little Duck was absolutely enamored with the Shadow. Light sparkles of rose gold popped between her tiny feet and hands while matching green sparks bounced along her touch. If not for the chaos around them, Lucifer would say it was quite sweet. 

“It’s late, don’t you have somewhere to be?” He grumbled while snapping the space around him clear. Little Duck was barely wrapped in the towel, but he worried what would happen if he tried to summon her to him. “Little Duck, look what I got,” he cooed, holding up Mrs. Feathers. The Shadow gave him a narrow stare, a tendril or tail of some kind holding Little Duck captive. “I will flick you from existence.” His warning was met with the Shadow making an exaggerated ‘harrumph’ motion. 

Lucifer’s fangs cut into his lip when it proceeded to spin into a dark corner and wave a hand at him. Little Duck didn’t seem at all bothered, babbling and cooing with the thing while Lucifer struggled not to leash Hellfire on it. 

“It would seem you’re at an impasse.” Lucifer did not jump. He merely spun on his heel and slipped on a shirt he’d missed. 

The room was silent, save for Little Duck’s babbling, while Lucifer pulled himself up. With a snap, he cleared the floor of the mess and rolled over to glare up at the other. From this angle Lucifer could admit, he wasn’t annoying. He was quite impressive and quiet. 

“Your radio gimmick is off,” surprise had Lucifer’s eyes widening as his annoyance faded. “You can turn it on and off?” He asked with an incredulous tone as he looked away from Lucifer. 

“Return the Little Doe,” Alastor ordered. Lucifer frowned slightly, but even being ignored didn’t bother him when the Shadow shook itself and wrapped further around Little Duck. “Now.” Alastor’s body seemed more statuesque while his eyes narrowed. 

Lucifer quickly returned to his feet, attention split between the angry Cardinal beside him and the shady fiend above them. He desperately wanted to flare his wings and snatch Little Duck close. He could feel the itch of his feathers when he rolled his shoulders. She was so close! He could just-! 

“There now, safe and unharmed.” Lucifer blinked slowly as he watched the Shadow gently release his baby. Little Duck yawned as she was handed over, rubbing tiny fists over her face before warbling and nuzzling against Alastor. “Hmm, now, now Little Doe, I believe someone else needs you.” Lucifer felt like he was being handed glass as Alastor placed her back in his arms. The bind on his chest released as he buried his face against her dark red hair. 

He could feel Alastor’s presence still beside him, and slowly, he shifted so he could at least look at the male. He still felt fury in his chest, the emotion twisting like the snake he was said to be. But over that, he felt soothing relief. “Thanks,” he mumbled. The other hummed again before spinning his staff and turning away. 

“Shamefully, my Shadow is attracted to mischief.” His static like filter had returned and with it a crooning voice singing. “Your space is rather ill-fitting for a child.” Lucifer felt a curl of resentment at the male, but he was honestly too relieved to be holding Little Duck. 

“Yeah, chasing ghosts does that.” He mumbled, kicking a broken bed post away. What had he become that he was agreeing with the Sinner? “Look, get out already. I thanked you and I won’t End your Shadow.” He added for good measure. The music changed, going from a set of deep vocals to a fast and catchy piano. 

“Why your Highness, my Mother raised me much better than that!” The Songbird grinned back at him. If Lucifer was in a less forgiving mood, he’d say the other sang the words before he began using more shadows to clean and repair his room. “There! And now, I bid a sweet night to the Little Doe.” He said with a flourish as he turned to face a very sleepy Little Duck. 

“What no good night for me?” Lucifer joked and cocked a smirk when it seemed to make Alastor glare. He waved a hand of dismissal as he moved around Alastor to set Little Duck down and finally get her ready for bed. He didn’t feel Alastor leave until the music changed for the fifth time, settling on a station of smooth and slow instruments. Little Duck gave a tired coo as he slid a long sleeve pink and purple ‘tie dye zippy’ onto her. Honestly, he thought it was adorable and matched well with her cheeks and eyes. He let out a sigh once she was dressed, watching the slow rise and fall of her small chest. “Lilith would love you,” he whispered. 

The glint of his ring drew his gaze and tears. He closed his eyes, letting the last memory of Lilith pull at him as he settled his body to lay half on the bed next to Dowan. She’d been so beautiful; fire in her eyes and a determination he could now only see in Charlie. Her regal air had shimmered with the power of her anger. She’d kissed him. Kissed him as if they were going into battle again. 

A small foot tapped his neck. He opened his eyes to blurriness that he hurried to blink away, wiping fiercely at his tears as he was kicked again. He let out a breathless laugh as he looked down at Little Duck pouting and looking to be fighting sleep. “I’m sorry, did I wake you?” He whispered, sitting up to lift her before moving them both to rest by the headboard. Little Duck grumbled as he snapped his clothes for a soft shirt and boxers, but settled quickly when he pulled her to rest beneath his chin. 

Chapter Text

Alastor slowly made his way through the Hotel. His Shadow, normally a constant companion for such times, was missing. He hadn’t thought much about it during his evening broadcast, but the evening had moved to night and he found his absence odd. 

His attempts at summoning them had only led to the sensation of being beaconed too. Hence his appearance near the room Lucifer had been given. Where Alastor had chosen to reside a distance away from the Hotel’s occupants, Lucifer resided at the opposite end of Charlie’s Hall. The resident piker had actually managed to shift Alastor’s view of him. 

Not by much, mind. But by enough that he didn’t feel the need to constantly irritate and remind him of his failure with Charlie. The girl reminded him too much of the dames he’d find hurt by the rag-a-muffins posing as gentlemen. Oh yes, at first he had simply claimed a parental nature to Charlie to push at Lucifer. He’d enjoyed pushing him, but he would admit to feeling a bit impressed when the Devil had effectively ‘saved’ his two daughters. He had assigned his Shadow to Charlie’s own while sending a minion to loosen the chandelier. 

Lucifer had immediately given the impression of knowing it had been Alastor, but instead of physically attacking him, had initiated a musical battle! He hadn’t had such fun outside of hunting, since he was young. 

In only four days, Lucifer had changed how Alastor viewed him. He wasn’t sure how he felt about it. On one hand, he felt a bit of satisfaction in knowing his previous knowledge of Lucifer was wrong. On the other hand, he felt as if he’d been left the bag. Lucifer was lazy, irresponsible with his duties, childish, and a complete loss. 

“Little Duck, why?” The Royal Pike’s voice drifted to his ears as he approached. He could sense his Shadow was close and paired with the tired voice, he felt his smile grow. “Nooo, no! No, no, no, Little Duck!” The crash and loud giggles that followed only made his own enjoyment grow. How entertaining that his Shadow had chosen to bother the King and Little Doe. That didn’t mean it stopped his own irritation, but it did temper it. 

“Little Duck, look what I got.” Alastor heard as he slipped under the closed door. Lucifer was surrounded by an absolute mess while holding a blue and yellow doll. His Shadow was unimpressed, moving along the wall in a swaying motion as it folded a portion of itself over the captive babe. “I will flick you from existence.” Alastor raised a brow at the threat, surprised at the tendril of power behind the words. Lucifer’s eyes glowed a dangerous red that reminded him of stories his Mama had shared with him. Stories of a vengeful beast that haunted the night life of their communities looking for misbehaving children. 

“It would seem you’re at an impasse.” He spoke up, deciding to let his presence be known with a laugh as Lucifer jumped in fright before slipping to land on his back. He looked down at the male groaning at his feet. How strange, he didn’t feel powerful standing over the Disaster King, but instead fond amusement. 

“Your radio gimmick is off.” Lucifer’s surprise, mirrored in tone and gaze, reminded Alastor of Charlie’s own innocent nature. “You can turn it on and off?” He questioned as Alastor shoved the thought aside and looked up at his Shadow. The extension of himself was smiling smugly at him as it held the Little Doe, giving off an air of contentedness and peace. Neither feelings he felt often outside of his minute circle of colleagues. 

“Return the Little Doe,” Alastor ordered his Shadow. He would need to review the strange emotions he faced when around the King and his children. But not in the presence of others. “Now.” Alastor’s body stiffened as he brought his Demonic Energy to the surface, causing his Shadow to shake itself and wrap further around Little Doe.

He felt a small piece of power brush against his own as his Shadow twisted but came closer. The small sting of contact made his ears lift as he carefully took the naked babe and pulled her against him. It was similar to the power he could feel building next to him from Lucifer, but different from both Lucifer and Charlie’s own. Was this because Little Doe was reaching out with it to take a bit of his own? He could feel a dusting of it being siphoned away from him through his hands. 

“There now, safe and unharmed.” He spoke softly, meeting the more red tinted eyes with what he hoped was a softer smile that hid his curiosity. Little Doe was unafraid, yawning and brushing tiny hands over her face as she gave a sound akin to an owl as she settled against him. “Hmm, now, now Little Doe, I believe someone else needs you.” He added in the same low volume, reluctantly turning to give her to Lucifer. The male looked stunned, his hands shaking slightly as he took her. Alastor almost made a comment on it, but even he was not so cruel as to mock a man with tears in his eyes holding something precious. 

The babe made another sound, similar to the mourning dove’s he’d heard in his youth. Lucifer appeared to relax as he rubbed his face into her dark red hair. How unexpected that he only now noticed how different Little Doe appeared from Lucifer and Charlie’s appearances. Where Charlie appeared a copy of her Father, Little Doe did not. Alastor assumed they took after their Mother. Would any children his Mama would have bore looked like her? He was nearly a copy of his Father. The few traits he’d gotten from her had been his eyes and smile. Would any siblings have shared something similar? 

“Thanks.” The soft word broke through Alastor’s thoughts the same way a train would scream into a station. Keeping the Morningstars’ company made him nostalgic apparently. 

“Shamefully, my Shadow is attracted to mischief.” He pulled the radio waves around them closer, layering them against him like he would his clothes. “Your space is rather ill-fitting for a child.” Alastor added, eyes trailing over the mess in the room while Fred Astaire began to sing from a fallen radio. 

“Yeah, chasing ghosts does that.” He mumbled, kicking a broken bed post away. Alastor chose not to point out that ghosts did not exist. Let the fool make his own excuses. “Look, get out already. I thanked you and I won’t End your Shadow.” Alastor sharpened his smile. The room didn’t even have a cradle for the Little Doe! No toys, or things to occupy the babe. Add in that it was now a mess thanks to Alastor’s Shadow’s mischief. 

“Why your Highness, my Mother raised me much better than that!” He grinned at Lucifer. He summoned a few small shades, giving silent orders to repair the bed while he and his Shadow moved through the fabric debris to fold and gather clothing. It took a bit, Alastor letting the sounds of Fred Astiare change to Louis Armstrong and then to Fats Waller before he felt satisfied. “There! And now, I bid a sweet night to Little Doe.” Lucifer hadn’t moved from where he stood. Alastor wanted to push him over, interrupt his impersonation of a statue, but the gentle hold he had on Little Doe would be disturbed. And again, Alastor was a merciful killer, not a cruel monster. His Mama raised him after all. 

“What, no good night for me?” Lucifer’s half smile made him grit his teeth and narrow his eyes, but he chose to be the bigger man. Not a hard thing to accomplish when he straightened from his bow. He watched as Lucifer finally moved. The other seemed to carry a weight heavier than the world. Alastor stayed through another song before returning to his rooms. 

What was wrong with the King? Was it something he could get involved with? If he assisted the King in some way, he could gain a favor. And a favor was just one step below a deal. 

… … 

Charlie’s office was far different from her shared space with Vaggie. A white board and a cork board shared one wall. Directly opposite of that wall, she had filled a shelf with books, journals, and loose paper to use for ideas. The outside facing wall held only a window, framed with soft purple curtains that were tied to the side to let in Hell’s natural lighting. A folding table sat level with an old and battered desk she’d retrieved from the Hotel basement. Currently the large table space was covered in pencils, crayons, flashcards, and an open laptop that she’d had since her last year of schooling. 

The usually dim office was lit by Hell’s lighting and a lamp with multiple colored shades. If she had to make a comparison, she’d say it was a smaller version of her Dad’s workshop. But that was if she was comparing it to how she’d seen it years prior. She doubted it looked the same now. 

“Babe, I think you’re going overboard.” Vaggie’s fond tone was easily ignored while Charlie pinned another note to their board. “Heaven won’t care how, ‘the meaning of redemption is more than a chance’.” 

“Vaggie! What if they think it means something else? What if they think we’re trying to buy Sinners a way to Heaven? Everyone’s working so hard!” Vaggie’s sigh and gentle shake of her head told Charlie enough though. 

“Fine, but you don’t need all these definitions. Maybe, use your own words?” Vaggie mumbled, turning to face the desk while Charlie bit her lip and clasped her hands. 

Charlie would not admit to being anxious. She was just excited, in a painful way. She had one more day before she would be meeting with Heaven. Her Dad had set up the meeting, but it was on her shoulders that it would happen. She needed a proper plan, one that would show Heaven that Sinners deserved a second chance and that her ideas were an amazing first try. 

She knew she was overdoing things. Logic told her she didn’t actually need dictionaries, old Extermination reports, or even crime rating before and after Exterminations. But she wasn’t able to stop herself from gathering all she could. Because what would happen if Heaven asked a question and she didn’t have that answer? Would they mock her like Adam? Ignore her like they’d done to her Dad? What if she forgot something and it was because of a single note she should have written down? 

“Hey Charlie, you and Vagina haven’t been outta here for hours. You two gotta eat.” Angel’s exasperated tone as he barged into their office made her smile. Five months ago, the male spider wouldn’t have even bothered them. Now he was carrying two trays of delicious-smelling food and had opened up to them. “Short King said somethin’ about ya Uncle visiting too. I gotta hit the studio, Val’s loaning me to Velvette for some line she’s workin’ on.” 

“Thank you Angel,” Charlie told him. She was so proud of him and everyone. Things for the past few days had been far more hectic than usual. Her Dad showing up with a five month old, Heaven moving the Exterminations, she’s surprised she- “Uncle?” 

Vaggie seemed just as confused and was quick to chase after Angel while Charlie tried to organize her notes quickly. If one of the Sins was visiting she needed to get ready. If it was her Uncle Mam she needed to hide her budget books. If it was her Uncle Satan she needed to make sure he got the gift for Devland she’d gotten him. 

“Charlie! It would seem your Father has arrived with a guest.” Alastor’s sudden appearance no longer surprised Charlie. The fact his Shadow seemed to be holding something did. Alastor wasn’t holding anything aside from his cane. 

“Al?” The man gave a hum as she carefully pointed behind him. She then winced and dug her nails through papers when he let out a loud static burst. “I think, I should, right. Guest! Downstairs!” Charlie stumbled as she rounded her desk and made for the door. Alastor seemed to be angry with his Shadow and after a scene in the kitchen, she wasn’t willing to stay and see what would happen. 

Her fast steps turned into a light jog as she made it to the stairs and she quickly left the second floor behind. Her Dad had seemed absent at breakfast, and her sister hadn’t seemed happy. He had seemed to come back when Charlie tried to take her. Even laughing and summoning a camera from somewhere while Charlie spooned oatmeal for Doe to try. Admittedly, breakfast had been followed by a quick shower while Vaggie babysat with Lucifer. 

“Uncle Ozzie?” The large, vibrantly-colored, and burly demon turned to her with three wide smiles. He was dressed in a navy blue vest with four glowing white stripes on the upper half, worn over an untucked red dress shirt with navy pants and jagged, black thigh-high high-heeled boots. She hadn’t seen the Sin in almost a decade, and yet he looked just as he had at her graduation. 

“Little Hoofer! Look at you~ You look just like your Mom!” He greeted her, meeting her at the stairs and pulling her against him so he could spin them around before holding her out to look her over. “The red looks lovely. I see you went with the original suit.” He added with a wink before setting her down. 

“It’s great to see you too, Uncle Ozzie. How, I mean, what brings you to,” Charlie tried to speak before she was snatched back into the male’s arms. Even she wasn’t immune to the need to breathe. 

“Who’s the Angel?” The slow build of Demonic Energy pulled against Charlie’s own as she pushed her head free and tried to squirm. 

“Ang-Oh! Right, Ozzie, this is Vaggie! Charlie’s girlfriend,” her Dad’s voice seemed to reassure her Uncle because he let her go almost immediately. 

“The Girlfriend!? Lu Doll! You didn’t say she was a fighter! Oh~ You and I need to talk!” Charlie quickly scrambled over to where her Dad and Vaggie stood, grabbing Vaggie’s arm when she was close. 

“Uncle Ozzie! Wait, Vaggie and I, um, we,” Charlie did not. Absolutely. Did. Not. Want her Uncle to hurt Vaggie. Not after, well, everything. Vaggie seemed too scared to move. Her hands flexed for her spear while her bow stood straight and stiff with her own swell of muted Angelic Energy. What was with her family fighting in the main lobby of her Hotel? 

“Charlie, I promise not-” 

“Ooo!” The loud squeal of excitement drew everyone’s attention to the bouncer sitting at the bar. Dowan was bouncing so much that Husk had put down his cleaning rag to hover both hands near the seat as Dowan waved and smiled at the group. Charlie knew her sister loved the bouncer and could almost tell the difference in her noises, but she was currently at a loss. 

“Ozzie, meet Little Duck. She’s a big fan of blue.” Her Dad spoke up with a laugh, moving away from them to free her sister. “Little Duck, meet your Uncle Ozzie!” He introduced with a flourish. It was a surprise to all of them when Dowan reached for the tall demon with a demanding whine. 

“Hi Little Duck, wow you’re so small. Charlie, you were so much bigger than this one. Oh, does she do the- Oh!” Charlie heaved a sigh of relief that turned to a wince while Vaggie snorted a laugh. It seemed biting was something her sister was going to do with every member of their family. “I think I have candy that would be better.” He mumbled as Dowan continued to hold and chew on his hand. 

“I’ll go grab a bottle,” Charlie exclaimed. “Dad! Why don’t you annd Uncle Ozzie catch up? Vaggie!” She added as she practically lifted the smaller woman off the floor as she escaped to the kitchen. 

… … 

Lucifer watched Ozzie attempt to free his hand, relaxing as his brother and youngest interacted. He hadn’t been able to sleep for long. Or really much in the past few days, something that had affected Little Duck too. His mind haunted him with nightmares and worries, what little sleep he did end up getting had been with the radio on. Something he was never going to admit. 

“I’ve got to call Bel about her biting people. Charlie only did that when she was teething.” Lucifer spoke up, motioning towards the lounge as he summoned a chair he kept for Ozzie from the Manor. He had to cover his embarrassment at his dirty appearance with a cough when it landed with a plume of dust. “Spiffy will clean that,” he mumbled. He let himself sink into another armchair while snapping his fingers to clean Ozzie’s chair. 

“Lu, are you alright?” Lucifer wanted to bury his face into his shirt. Oz and Bee were his closest siblings, and because of that, could feel his emotions far better than others. Lilith had been the same. He wondered if she still could? “Even the Nibble is upset,” He added. 

“What? Psh, I-we’re fine! I mean, Little Duck didn’t sleep well last night.” Lucifer scrambled to explain as he summoned a tea set and tried not to meet Ozzie’s gaze. 

“Lemme rephrase, I know you’re not alright. You summoned the plain set instead of the goose and duck set Bee got you.” He pointed out with his left head smiling fondly while his center head raised a brow. Lucifer tried not to grumble a curse as he purposely covered the tea kettle with his hands to heat the water inside. “How about, you let me make that. Last time you made anything distracted you covered half a wing in pink webbing.” 

“That was an experimental gift for Mam! I didn’t realize the sugar would break down so fast!” Lucifer argued but traded the tea kettle for his Little Duck. She gave a sad whine, looking up at him while reaching for the other male. “Guess we know your favorite.” He mumbled with a twisted pang in his chest. Who wouldn’t love Ozzie? He was the literal guy for love and Little Duck’s favorite color. To her, he was probably perfect. Unlike him. 

“You feel like you need a break.” Ozzie didn’t speak or force a response from Lucifer. It was comfortable, familiar, in a way he’d only had with his siblings. Little Duck reached for his hand, grunting before he let her hold his fingers. He couldn’t help the soft smile when she pushed her face into his palm. 

“You know, my bus-partner. My partner,” all three heads shared a dopey smile, “Suggested I bring you a baby gift. I told him, you probably had everything. But I think he was right about this.” Ozzie explained while spinning his hands to reveal a soft doll roughly the same size as Little Duck. 

“Fizzarolli, my partner, picked it out.” Ozzie explained as he held the bird-like creature between his hands. It was black and white with a jester collar and hat. “Fizzy got some friend of his to retrieve it from Earth. It’s called,”

“A pen goon,” Lucifer laughed. He hadn’t seen one of those since Michael had proposed them to their Father. He had been helping Lucifer with his design for ducks when he came up with a design of his own. They were much bigger than ducks, and needed far more color than white, black, and orange. But they were something his brother had made. He hadn’t known they’d made it to Eden. 

“Fizzy called it a ‘squish mallow’. But I guess it does look like a penguin.” Ozzie admitted as Lucifer freed his hand to grab the soft spandex. “He has a lot of them.” He added as Lucifer moved Little Duck to face the toy on his lap. She seemed surprised before reaching forward in a clumsy grab. 

Little Duck happily smooshed her body into the toy, causing Ozzie to laugh loudly when her squeal seeped through the material. “That makes up for the biting,” he laughed. 

The two basked in the warmth and peace. Little Duck would lift her head with a bright smile before burying herself again; playing a strange game of peek-a-boo. Lucifer could almost forget how tired he was. How absent he’d been. How, 

“Lu, why don’t you let me hold her?” Ozzie’s soft voice trailed like silk over his thoughts. “I’ll stay right here,” he added. Lucifer hummed and let his eyes slowly lift to look at the other. He felt off. Not in a bad way, but more like he’d been cuddling in a warm embrace and didn’t want to move. 

“Oh, that’s not fair.” Realization had him immediately grumbling as he felt the comfort and love roll off of Ozzie. His brother gave him a cheeky grin while reaching over to scoop Little Duck into his own arms. “Cheater,” he tried to growl as it became harder to keep his eyes open. 

“Fair is fair in love!” Ozzie’s voice was cheerfully smug as a blanket settled over Lucifer. “Now, Little Duck, let’s find that scrappy girlfriend!” He heard before slipping into sleep. 

… … 

Vaggie was being kind when she said Charlie’s family wasn’t a problem. Or well, it hadn’t been an issue. When she had been hiding her own identity. When she decided she was better off a Sinner in the home of the literal Devil’s daughter. When she had thought, arrogantly, that she’d never meet any of them. 

“Vaggie, what do we do!?” Charlie rambled, pulling on her hair and darting back and forth. Calling her movements pacing would have been a lie, and Vaggie wasn’t sure she could do any more of those. “If I had known he was coming- No, that doesn’t matter! Ugh, I should, no, that’s a bad idea.” 

Vaggie wanted to reach out and pull Charlie close, but even she felt frantic. What was she going to do? This was not something she ever thought would be a possibility. Sure, she had assumed she’d meet Lucifer one day. In a far, far, distant future. But not any of the Sins. She didn’t blame Charlie for panicking. Vaggie was panicking. 

It was only logical that they’d hate her. She wouldn’t be shocked if Lord Asmodeus had lied out in the lobby. The presence of a baby really censored most people. Now her thoughts ruminated on how she was going to survive, or if not survive, how she would ease Charlie after her permanent death. 

“I love you, Charlie.” The words came out so suddenly, it made both of them freeze. “That sounded,” 

“Ominous,” Charlie finished. “I’m sorry, I’ve been freaking out and I haven’t even asked if you’re okay! Gosh, I am so sorry!” 

“I,” 

“And don’t say you are. I know you’re not.” Charlie interrupted, walking over to cup Vaggie’s face and pull her close enough to press their foreheads together. 

“I won’t.” Vaggie relented, happy that she didn’t need to explain to Charlie. She closed her eye and took a deep breath in, trying to organize her thoughts. “I’m, anxious.” She was not going to admit she was scared. “You’re a Princess and I keep forgetting that that means you're related to some, impressive, people.” She slowly spoke, letting her arms wrap around Charlie’s waist. 

“I,” she hesitated. “I never thought I’d have this.” She whispered, letting Charlie sway them gently as Vaggie felt her throat hurt. “Meeting your family, building a life, being honest about what I am. I…” 

“You were always going to have something like this. Even if it meant finding out later,” Charlie assured her softly. “You are my second chance. And if the rest of Hell hates us, then I don’t care. You, Vaggie, are more important. You’re the angel to my demon.” 

“You stole that from Angel,” Vaggie snorted. Charlie’s huff of laughter and the feel of her smile finally made Vaggie open her eye. “I’m so telling him you used that.” She added for good measure before tilting her head to give her a kiss. 

“Better?” Vaggie hummed her confirmation, letting her body relax into Charlie’s arms for another moment. “We should probably check on my Dad. Did Husk leave his snack plate?” 

“Hello to the lovely ladies!” Vaggie felt every nerve zing as the Sin of Lust ducked through the door. “Got your Dad taking a nap. But I think this Little Duck needs a bone!” He laughed, revealing the five month old holding some round plush and gnawing on her hand. 

“Hey~ Uncle Ozzie,” Charlie greeted. If Vaggie still had her wings, she would be using them to fly both herself and Charlie far away. Instead, she was trying to force a calm air as Charlie frantically looked from her to the male. 

“You know, I have a few food tricks that can really relax you two.” He spoke up tilting his three faces to look directly at Vaggie. “A meal for family brings out a lot of love.” He admitted with a soft smile that reminded Vaggie of Lucifer. 

Vaggie slowly took in the male. He was tall, towering over Charlie, and gave off an immense amount of Demonic Energy. But he was also watching her with a relaxed air and holding a baby. 

She purposely crossed her arms and shifted her stance to one more relaxed. “How do you feel about spice?” 

“Oh doll, you have no idea,” he laughed. Vaggie felt her own smile form as she looked over at Charlie watching with excitement. “Spice is what everyone needs!” 

Chapter Text

It had been barely half an hour. Vaggie and Uncle Ozzie were comparing cooking techniques and speaking in a mix of Vaggie’s home language and the synergistic language of the Afterlife. 

Charlie had been holding her sister and carefully letting her gnaw on apple slices when she began to sniffle. Her tiny nose turned up at the treat and she’d pushed away from Charlie as her sniffles became whimpers. 

“Hey Doe,” Charlie hummed, “it’s okay. What’s wrong?” Her sister gave an unfamiliar cry in response. Charlie immediately looked over to the others for help, meeting Vaggie’s concerned eye just as Dowan burst into loud tears. The cries were different from the ones she’d make for their Dad, food, diapers, or attention. She sounded pained. 

“What’s wrong?” Vaggie spoke up, moving around the counter to reach for Dowan before jerking back when she remembered the mess on her hands. Charlie replaced Vaggie’s reach with one of her own, gently lifting Dowan under her little arms before settling her on her hip and trying to look her over. Charlie winced when sharp nails pricked her skin with the feel of needles. “Let me wash my hands.” Charlie barely heard her over Dowan’s climbing cries. She couldn’t find a source of pain, but holding her seemed to be making her feel worse. Charlie wanted to burst into tears herself! 

“Let me see her?” Uncle Ozzie spoke up, cleansing fire dancing over his hands as he moved around to Charlie’s side. She only felt slight guilt when he pulled Dowan away from her. Not that she was any happier with the change of hands, Charlie’s blouse released with a tear of the collar as the Sin shifted her to lay in his palm. 

“Charlie!” Chaos erupted as the kitchen door was blown open, flying past them and into the exposed shelves of the pantry. Charlie let out a scream at the same time as Vaggie threw a knife, and her Uncle lashed out with a whip of fire. The kitchen was filled with dust, crying, yelling, and warring colorful flames. Charlie coughed harshly as plaster dust hit her lungs, trying to pull her sleeve over her face as she opened her eyes. 

The glow of blue fire waved in a friendly manner next to her, providing a shield around her as she looked up into the concerned gazes of her Uncle. Dowan was held against his chest, her cries smothered against the fabric of his shirt. 

“Charlie! Dowan! Are you okay?” Her Dad’s Demonic Energy felt like a heavy blanket, suffocating but comforting. “Asmodeus!” Her Uncle shifted at her Father’s call, letting his fire retreat back into him as he stood up and let Dowan’s cries free from his chest. 

“Everyone’s alright, Lucifer.” His tone was a mix of fond and tired as Charlie looked around for Vaggie and found her already rushing to her side. The two shared a comforting hug, mutually reassuring that the other was indeed alright before turning to where her Dad now hovered next to Uncle Ozzie. 

Charlie didn’t have time for the spindle of jealousy to latch onto her before he was also in front of her. He tilted her head, cupping her face in both hands as his eyes frantically looked her over before pulling her against him. 

“What happened? Are you hurt? I heard crying! What’s wrong?” His fast questions and frantic motions made Charlie feel warm and her face flushed as she gently pulled away from him. “Oh, Father! The door! Did I hurt you? Shades! I am so, so sorry Char.” 

“Dad! I’m fine, honest. I think we all just got,” Charlie looked at Vaggie. “Startled, and reacted. Dowan was crying.” She explained and relaxed when she felt Vaggie’s hand tighten in hers. Her Dad, because he was back to his usual appearance and feel, carefully pulled her back into his arms and wrapped his wings around her. It reminded her of when she was small. 

“Are you absolutely sure? I swear,” he cut himself off. Charlie felt his arms tighten before he let her go and floated completely to the floor, his wings folding and disappearing with the feeling of a box lid closing. “Ozzie, why is my baby crying?” Even though his attention had visibly shifted, Charlie could now feel his Angelic Energy holding her. 

“That’s what we were trying to figure out. Before you decided to make an entrance.” Vaggie snorted next to her but was looking away when Charlie turned to her. “C’mon Lu, you know nothing will happen!” Her Uncle poked as Dowan -still crying- was passed over to their Dad. 

“Then why is she crying?” He prodded back, settling Dowan to lay in his arms as he too checked her over. 

“What the Hell?” Husk’s gravel tone was loud as he appeared in the entryway. His wings were also spread, implying he had flown from his room to the ground floor. “What is with the destruction ‘round here!?” He demanded but walked away before anyone could respond. 

“Little Duck, shhh, I’m right here.” Their Dad soothed, clearing a part of the table and summoning a soft purple blanket as he laid her down. Dowan ignored him, straining away from his hands as he unzipped the onesie and pulled her free. Her skin under it was flushed an angry red, making Charlie feel worry squirm in her chest. “Hey, it’s okay, oh!” The surprised tone, followed by the immediate calm of Dowan’s cries, had everyone pausing. 

“Is that, a tail?” Vaggie spoke up, breaking the silence as a small spaded tail waved itself free before settling around Dowan’s leg. The baby sniffled before she heaved a large sigh of relief.

“Awe,” Charlie wasn’t sure who said it first, but she was lamenting not being able to summon a camera. Their Dad lifted Dowan back into his arms and turned massive eyes on them when her little tail moved to wrap around his left wrist. 

“I’ll call Bel,” Uncle Ozzie’s words barely registered. 

… … 

Bel’s tail whipped in agitation while a trail of fire and sand traced over Vaggie. Lucifer had been pinned to a couch in the lounge area with Little Duck tucked against his chest. Ozzie had been thrown beside him when Lucifer had attempted to stand back up. The Sin of Lust now sat with a leg across his lap while using one of his faces to try and cheer up a still fussy Little Duck. Charlie had been ecstatic to see her aunt before the female pinned her to her side with her tail. Vaggie had immediately jumped to pull her girlfriend free before she too was trapped. 

“Idiots,” Bel grumbled, pulling a portion of soft purple sand from her side to settle across Vaggie’s face. “Stubborn and stupid.” She added as Vaggie sneezed and glared at the Sin of Sloth. Lucifer really wanted to speak up, and ask questions on what she was doing, but the low whimpers of Little Duck kept him quiet. That and he knew Bel was royally pissed. 

“Aunt Bel, um, why, are we, um?” Lucifer looked over at the chair his oldest was trapped in. She wasn’t tied or pinned to the chair, but the pink and orange sand moved when she did. 

“You are underweight and vitamin deficient. Dowan has too much Demonic Energy. Your Father is at the end of a mania episode.” Bel spoke up and Lucifer felt offended when she sent a glare to him while Ozzie bent to add his own. “And this one barely has enough Angelic Energy to stay alive. Stubborn. Stupid. Idiots.” She repeated with a terse edge to her tone that made Lucifer’s jaw click shut. 

He couldn’t deny he felt a large amount of guilt as well. How had he not noticed Charlie was too thin? Or that Little Duck wasn’t getting a balanced mix of Energies? For crow’s sake, how did he not notice the literal angel barely had any energy? 

Lucifer sighed and let himself sink into the couch further. Admittedly, he had thought Vaggie was producing her own mix of Energies. She was Fallen. When angels had fallen during the War it had taken a while for them to adapt to Hell, but they had and it had led to the Ars Goetia being born. In addition to that, Vaggie acted as energetic as Charlie. In a different way, but still energetic! 

“She only Fell recently,” he mumbled absently. “When did you Fall?” He asked in a louder tone, blinking his eyes into focus as Vaggie attempted to lunge away from Bel. He had just enough time to slap a hand over his mouth as Bel successfully flipped Vaggie back into the chair and pinned her with a bright orange mass of sand. The woman looked ready to start yelling when the Sin of Sloth blew another cloud of lavender dust into her face. 

“Rest,” the order paired with Bel’s magic, had Vaggie sagging into the chair. Lucifer was impressed she didn’t fall asleep outright. Vaggie still glared at the Sin but didn’t fight to get up as she moved over to a fidgeting Charlie. “You need protein and high-calorie foods. You don’t weigh enough to balance your own energies.” She reported out loud while grabbing Charlie’s wrist and holding it in one hand while placing the other on the hollow spot between her shoulder and collar. “Fifteen pounds. Two weeks. I will call Beelzebub.” 

Lucifer discreetly tried to stand up, managing to slide slightly away from Ozzie before he noticed and pulled him back. Bel was still checking over Charlie, tracing her own Energy Lines to show the dull colors. He felt a wave of guilt when the usually warm red and rich gold appeared in sharper, electric shades. How could he have missed these things? 

How could he let either of his daughters suffer? Was he so distracted with his idiocy that he was ignoring them? Charlie was overworking herself and he hadn’t cared until a few days ago. Dowan was changing right in front of him! Of course, he was being an awful parent! This was why Lilith took Charlie away! Why he should have let Dowan go. He was so stupid and wrapped up in his mind he was hurting them.

“Lucifer, focus on Dowan,” Bel spoke up. Lucifer’s eyes instantly fell on his youngest, his fears only growing as he took note of Little Duck’s tired whimpers. “Calm yourself,” the order came from a good place. Logically he knew his sister was just trying to help. 

“I am!” He snapped back, scowling at the group before gently running a hand up and down Little Duck’s back. 

“Lu Doll, you,” 

“I know what I’m doing!” Lucifer bit out, ignoring the sharp sting of little nails as his baby started to let out strained cries. “It’s okay, you’re okay. Bel! What the,” 

“Relax.” The order paired with the heavy purple sand in his face kept him from keeping his hold firm around Little Duck. “The Angel will hold her.” He heard Bel over his coughing fit. His lungs felt like he’d inhaled candied glass. Which wasn’t an outlandish description. 

“What the fuck!? You can’t just,” he opened his eyes. “Dowan is a baby!” Vaggie snarled, adjusting her arms around Little Duck as Bel’s tail retreated to her. Charlie moved to stand beside Vaggie’s chair, a hand reaching out to brush over Little Duck. 

“She’s fine. Lucifer, when did you relax last?” Bel waved off, pale eyes glowing slightly as she looked him over. He felt anger push at him as his siblings touched him. He knew. Knew logically, they were trying to help him. But the feeling of guilt, anger, and inadequacy snarled inside him. 

“Get off of me! Charlie!” He demanded and felt betrayed when she hesitated. 

“Dad, I think you need a break.” He swatted at Ozzie, showing his fangs to keep him at bay. “Aunt Bel is right. You’re stressed to the max! Do you even realize your tail is out?” 

Lucifer blinked, twisting to grab at his tail before realizing Bel had shackled his hands. “Bel! I swear to Father,”

“You will take a nap, eat, and bathe before picking up your children.” She interrupted with an exasperated tone. “Asmodeus will stay with them,” -Ozzie preened at her- “Charlotte’s Angel will not overpower her, and is the logical choice for letting Dowan settle.” 

“I have a name!” Vaggie spoke up, interrupting any argument Lucifer could have made. He knew he was being unreasonable. But he needed to be a parent. He was making so many mistakes! He could, no, he would, fix them. He just, 

… … 

Charlie winced as her Dad slumped backward. Her Aunt and Uncle quickly caught him, but that didn’t ease her worry over him. She hadn’t noticed until her Aunt had pointed it out, but his actions over the last few days had been manic. 

“Allow me to assist.” The radio-filtered voice made Charlie’s shoulder sag in relief. She hadn’t considered asking any of the others for help. Not because she didn’t trust them! She did! She just, 

“Who are you?” Her Aunt asked, dark pink/red sand shifting around her feet as she looked him over. 

“Alastor! Radio Demon of the Pentagram and Hotelier of this fine establishment.” Charlie shared a look with Vaggie, silently asking if she was alright. Vaggie nodded, letting Dowan slide to lay more across her lap.

“Alastor is a friend, Aunt Bel,” Charlie spoke up, giving the male a grateful look as he straightened from his bow. “He can,” 

“You have a familiar Energy. Dowan has taken from you.” The blunt words had Charlie jumping in place to look at Alastor. Aside from the one time she’d seen him holding her, he hadn’t interacted with her. 

“Yes, she seemed quite enamored with my Shadow. And he her.” The aforementioned Shadow spun up from Alastor’s feet, posing over his shoulder to wave. “I thought nothing of, sharing, my own power. She is just a small thing.” Charlie felt like clapping her hands and hugging the man. Even if he claimed he wasn’t a good person. She knew he was! How many Sinners would help a baby? 

“Stay away from her. Her Demonic levels are too high.” Alastor’s eyes twitched at the demand, but he nodded before Charlie could speak up. “Lucifer needs rest. I will take him to his room.” 

“Allow me to show the way,” Alastor offered. 

Charlie watched as Alastor led Bel and her Dad up the stairs. She wanted to help but knew she’d only get in the way. That didn’t ease the guilt she felt, but it did help her justify moving to settle on the floor beside Vaggie. 

“Char, I’m going to make a few calls.” The warm blue of her Uncle's flames drifted closer before a hand settled on her shoulder and back. “¿Estarás bien?” 

“Sí, las tengo,” Vaggie’s warm tone and her Uncle’s reply drifted to the back of her mind. So much had happened in only a couple of hours. Charlie settled to rest her chin on Vaggie’s thigh. Vaggie herself seemed exhausted and Charlie was surprised she wasn’t asleep already. Her Aunt’s ability to put people to sleep was practically legendary. 

“Think your Dad will be okay?” Vaggie’s soft tone paired with her brushing Charlie’s hair helped her relax. 

“Hmm, yeah. Aunt Bel’s pretty good at,” Charlie stopped speaking. Vaggie’s nails had found the perfect spot, making Charlie moan and nearly melt. “That’s cheating.” She tried to grumble even as she felt Vaggie laugh. 

“Is that you or Doe purring?” Charlie gave a noncommittal hum before frowning slightly. Purring? 

Little Duck was awake but quiet, her soft red eyes following Vaggie’s other hand as she absently brushed the baby’s hair. Her tail, a near mirror of Charlie’s own, laid across her stomach with the spade held in between her hands. A soft vibration rose and fell in time with her chest. If Charlie had the energy she would be cooing at her little sister. 

“I didn’t know she could do that.” She whispered, eyes glued to Little Duck. Her sister yawned, stopping the purrs for a second before she squirmed closer to Vaggie. “I think she wants real cuddles.” She laughed as Vaggie moved to pull Little Duck up to her shoulder. 

“I think we all do.” Charlie’s smile widened at the suggestion. With a grunt, she climbed back to her feet and held out her hand to Vaggie. 

“The couch is a lot comfier,” she sang softly. Watching Vaggie huff in amusement and roll her eyes, holding Dowan close. Charlie felt like she was looking at her future. One day. She’d ask Vaggie to marry her. She’d ask her to be more than her other half. 

Vaggie held out a hand, a silent request that Charlie happily accepted. With slow backwards steps, Charlie led Vaggie to the couch. 

“You’re going to fall.” Vaggie teased as Charlie began to hum. 

“You’ll catch,” Charlie barely had a chance to recognize she was falling before Vaggie grabbed onto her arm. 

“Charlie! Are you okay?” The other woman asked with a wide eye. Charlie attempted to answer but froze when both heard a snap that drew their eyes behind them. 

Instead of a view of the lobby, they were met with a field of clouds and a path. The soft colors and distant figures that moved around the clouds reminded Charlie of the sands her Aunt Bel used. The light around them made everything seem so clean as well. 

“Hiya! Welcome to Heaven! Name?” 

Chapter Text

“Hiya! Welcome to Heaven! Name?” A male voice behind them had both women jumping. Charlie instinctively moved closer to Vaggie, resting a hand on her shoulder. 

“Oh shit,” the same shoulder where her diaper-only clad little sister was resting. 

“Uh sorry?” The blond and pink figure looked up at them in surprise. “Oh, you three must have passed unexpectedly. Well, not to worry!” 

“Vaggie!” Charlie hissed, sharing the same look with her girlfriend. Her Dad was going to lose his mind when he woke up. She was going to lose her mind! They were in Heaven! The place she was supposed to have one more day to prepare for! She didn’t have any of her notes, or appropriate clothing! Shades! Dowan was in only a diaper, and Charlie was already feeling a chill. Maybe if she took off her button-up? She had a tank top on, they could wrap Dowan in that. 

“Calm down. You freak out, she freaks out.” Vaggie spoke up, her shoulder bumping against Charlie’s side. “Stay with me, mi Riena.” Vaggie whispered as she pulled Charlie into facing her and took an exaggerated breath. Charlie forced herself to take a few deep breaths, pushing her hands through her hair. Vaggie was her anchor, leaning against her and breathing slowly so she would match. If not for the way she was shaking too, Charlie wouldn’t know she was just as freaked out. Dowan seemed oblivious, content in the space between the two as she looked up at Charlie. 

“-lo? I still need your names? My, it’s been a long time but most people are usually okay.” The male speaking drew them out of their own conversation. Charlie looked up at the male, feeling like a child back in school. She had been so short until she hit puberty. It felt weird not even to be able to meet this person’s eyes. 

“Oh! Uh, sorry, um, name! Names! I’m Charlie Morningstar! And these are Vaggie and Dowan Morningstar.” She needed to focus! She could spiral later, right now Vaggie and Doe needed her. 

“Huh, Morningstar, Morningstar.” the male said with a nervous ruffle of his wings. She looked down at Vaggie, seeing her shrug her shoulders before moving Doe to her other side. Charlie couldn’t help smiling at the sight. Even with her mind attempting to pull her into a spiral, the sight of Vaggie holding her sister and whispering to her reassured Charlie like nothing else. 

The sound of voices seemed distant as she kept her eyes on Vaggie. Even with them being in Heaven. Having a real chance to pitch the Hotel and talk to someone about the Exterminations. The plan had been for Charlie and Vaggie. Not her baby sister that -according to her Aunt Bel- was dealing with too much Demonic Energy. Admittedly, she had been worried when Aunt Bel said Vaggie suffered from a lack of Angelic Energy. It had made her wonder about how lethargic Vaggie would be sometimes. Had she not drawn any Energy from Charlie? Could she even offer something like that? She didn’t even know how Doe drew Energy from her. Sure, she felt it when it happened, but it was like feeling sand trickle through the back of her mind. 

The feel of something textured and then furred made her jump, letting out a surprised bah she would deny forever. “Bah! Hello.” Charlie looked down at an orange and grey cat sitting at her feet. It was smaller than Doe and wore a soft blue vest that reminded her of a train conductor. The feline gave her a slow blink to her before turning its head to look at Vaggie. “Aren’t you adorable!” 

“Charlie, that’s a Sentinel,” Vaggie spoke up, the apprehension of her tone making Charlie pause in the process of bending down. She vaguely remembered Vaggie explaining something about Sentinels. They were the animal version of something. Charlie knew they were important to Vaggie, but her mind was such a mess and she was too exhausted to try and figure out why. “Just, don’t, pet them. They aren’t friendly.” Vaggie explained as a furry weight knocked over Charlie. Charlie giggled when she heard Vaggie groan and Doe squeal. 

“Is there another name? I’m not seeing you on my list. That’s so odd!” Charlie shook her head, trying to think and not drop their new companion. She was so going to get Vaggie to agree to have a friend for KeeKee!

“My Dad got me a meeting?” Charlie heard him mumble something at her words and flip a few pages. “Maybe try, Lucifer…Morningstar?” 

“Oh fuck!” She tried not to laugh when the man fell and she heard Vaggie snort. “Oh hoooo, yikes! Am I right? Are you, uh, sure you’re in the right place?” 

“St. Peter,” a calm voice spoke above them. Charlie looked up at the bright Angels, feeling her jaw drop as their forms flashed with light and they looked more human. “We can take it from here. Daughter of the Morningstar, I am Sera, the High Seraphim of Heaven.” The taller, regal Angel spoke up as she and another much smaller figure glided down. Vaggie's gaze turned from Sera to Charlie and then back with fear and worry in the pale pink eye. 

“Hi! I’m Emily!” The second interrupted with a squeal, running forward to bounce in front of them. Charlie felt her smile grow to match the other and gave a laugh. Was this how everyone else felt around her? “I’m the other Seraphim. But you can call me Em, E, Emmy? Whatever you want! I can go by whatever.” She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the cat in her arms giving a low grumble when Sera coughed.

“Emily.” Charlie lifted her own eyes to look at the woman as Emily took a step back and gave a half bow. Her grey-blue eyes met Charlie’s golden red before moving over to Vaggie and Dowan. “I was unaware there would be a child.” 

“Uh, yeah, sorry,” Charlie spoke up, letting Vaggie move behind her to cover Dowan more. “I sort of, fell, through the Portal? And Vaggie tried to catch me, and we didn’t realize we brought her with us. I promise this was a surprise.” 

“It’s no problem! Heaven’s welcome is for all of you!” Emily turned her bright smile to Vaggie, leaning around Charlie to look at her. “If you’d like we can go to some of the smaller shops for clothes. It’s not as busy and I promise it won’t be a problem.” She offered with a softer tone and Charlie felt herself relax. Turning to Vaggie, she noticed how tense she was. Dowan had even turned to hide her face, her small tail tight around Vaggie’s arm. 

“Actually, we need to take her home. Our Dad doesn’t know she’s with us.” Charlie tried to explain, feeling small again when Sera’s eyes seemed to pin her in place. “A-and we don’t have any supplies. She was actually about to take a nap! Vaggie was too, I mean, we all were. It’s been a day,” she stumbled. “I don’t want to be rude, and this meeting is so super, mega important. But if we could just, take her home.” 

“A moment, please.” A new voice greeted them and Charlie scrambled to catch the cat that had jumped from her arms. “Thank you Mačka.” The blue clad male looked like a version of her Dad. The same face, the same build, the same half smile. It was unnerving and sent prickles down her back. 

“Archangel Michael!” Sera looked as if she had been caught somewhere she wasn’t meant to be. Charlie’s gaze darted from her and back to Archangel Michael. The male wore loose blue clothes that looked like a cross between the hospital scrubs she’d seen in Sloth and a set of pajamas. “What brings you to the Gates?” 

“One of my friends told me there were guests.” The level tone and neutral gaze were such a contrast from her Dad, Charlie knew who was greeting them. “I thought it was prudent I meet my niece and her family.” 

Her Dad didn’t speak of his Heavenly Family. Her Mom had been the one to tell her about them. Sharing small snippets of things about his different siblings. She knew her Uncle Raphael had a love of hedgehogs similar to her Dad’s ducks. She knew her Aunt Uriel preferred wearing a blindfold so she could see the stars as soon as they appeared. She knew of a sibling prank that had happened between her Dad and his sister Jerahmeel. She knew so many stories from her Mom, but she only knew one thing about her Dad’s twin. 

“Charlie? I, don’t know if you know of me, but I’m Heylel’s brother Mika'il. You can call me Michael or Mike.” Charlie stared at the male pulling on his sleeves and giving her a half smile. 

Michael had been the one to reveal her parents to Heaven, the person who had gotten them cast out. 

… … 

Lucifer’s fingers were dripping blood. The edges of a portal wavered in front of him before flickering away. The Embassy was the Holiest place in Hell. He was still an angel, Fallen or not he held Angelic Energy purer than any Exorcist. 

“Lucifer.” He released another scream before slamming against the Embassy. His babies were gone. Out of his reach! Out of the span of his protection! He could have controlled himself had Charlie willingly stepped into the portal. Paced and rummaged through the Hotel. He would have forced his focus onto keeping Dowan in his arms. Sending messages to Charlie off the stupid phone, if not outright calling her to try keeping up with her. But that was if things hadn’t gone the way they had. 

He had been forced to sleep for hours! Hours that Bel and Ozzie had used to search the entirety of the Pride Ring for them with no luck. Charlie would never have left without telling someone. He didn’t know Vaggie well but hoped she wouldn’t have dragged them away somewhere. When he had woken up, it was to the small cyclops watching him. 

“The Princesses and Vaggie went to Heaven!” The words had confused him before they had registered. He had never been so terrified. He had raced through the hallways of the Hotel, feeling the walls close in on him before he just leaped out of a window and took off to the Embassy. 

Without his phone, he couldn’t call Sera. Without that call, he wouldn’t know if Charlie or Dowan were safe. What if Heaven hurt them? Surrounded by unfamiliar Angelic Energy? Dowan would already be suffering. Charlie may not notice it at first, but she could suffer even more! She had always been around Hell’s Demonic Energy. He hadn’t ever considered how she would react to pure Angelic Energy. What if her maturity meant she couldn’t handle the change? He needed to get to Heaven! 

Golden blood decorated the faded lilac door, splatters glowing against his shadow as he uncurled his fists. His throat was raw, his hands broken, but he would End himself before he gave up. 

“Sire, a moment,” the static grated his nerves. Rage unlike any other had him spinning to grab the moron stopping him. 

The choked noise Alastor made when Lucifer threw him against the door did nothing to stop his claws from digging deeper into the Sinner’s throat. “My babies.” The flicker of Hellfire danced above them as he felt a clawed hand wrap around his wrist. 

“Lucifer, wait.” Asmodeus’ soft tone filtered to Lucifer in a way that resembled syrup soaking into something. “He, has an idea.” His brother continued. Lucifer tightened his hand, feeling blood drip around his claws while he debated letting the bastard go. He needed his daughters, and if that meant dealing with Sinner filth. He’d walk in Holy Fire to do it. 

“Speak.” He ordered while releasing the Sinner. He let out a snarl when the pest took time to adjust his coat and clear his throat. 

“Yes, now. I believe Mrs. Carmine may have at least a way to contact Heaven, if not a direct connection to it.” Alastor’s words had Lucifer’s wings shaking as he registered the words. “A powerful woman with a way to bend and mold Angelic Steel. Something no Sinner, Hellborn, or Immortal has learned. It begs the question of how,” he stated with a feral smile. 

“Why are you telling me this?” Lucifer was suspicious. This Sinner was an Overlord. He was a psychopath. He was a man out for himself. Yet he was sharing information he could have bargained with. 

“Consider it a sign of faith,” he laughed. Lucifer growled but the weight of Ozzie’s hand on his shoulder kept him from doing anything. 

“Take me to Carmine.” 

… … 

Vaggie kept looking over at Charlie. Her girlfriend had been different since the Seraphim and Archangel Michael had appeared. Seraphim Emily had offered to find clothing for Doe, but Charlie told her not to and asked if they could just open a portal back to the Hotel. 

The High Seraphim had seemed strained when she admitted that the portal back to Hell would take time to open. Vaggie was decently sure that excuse was said only because Archangel Michael was there. Charlie had seemed hesitant, biting her lip before nodding. 

“We will meet later in the evening, before sunset at the Courts.” The High Seraphim told them before bowing to Archangel Michael and flying away. Seraphim Emily had immediately burst into a welcoming song, joined by Peter as they entered Heaven. 

Vaggie had felt blinded by the rush of music, Winners, and the overall feeling of Heaven. She could only imagine how Charlie felt. Neither had to imagine how Doe felt since she had begun to cry in the second verse. Archangel Michael had flinched at the crying while Vaggie and Charlie worked to soothe the baby. Neither had noticed Emily holding up a small blanket until Charlie took Doe from Vaggie. 

“Oh! This one is adorable!” Seraphim Emily squealed, holding up a bright red romper with snowflakes. Charlie smiled, holding a hand out for the outfit before letting Doe touch it. “I guess that one’s a no?” The Seraphim laughed when Doe tried to tuck herself into Charlie’s shoulder. 

They were now in an open market. Seraphim Emily had pulled them over to a clothing stall filled with small outfits that reminded Vaggie of the website Charlie had nearly bought out. Vaggie had to hide her laughter whenever Charlie would find an outfit and attempt to measure it against her sister. Doe was refusing to be moved from her spot against Charlie’s neck, and even Vaggie could see where the five month old had started to chew on Charlie’s shirt.

“Your Charges are safe here.” The mirror of Lucifer made Vaggie jerk away from the clothes rack and twist to put him in her view. “You have my word,” The Archangel assured.

“Right,” Vaggie mumbled. She wasn’t fool enough to think that all the stories about the ‘Sword of God’ were true, but she also was smart enough to know they had to come from somewhere. She wanted to say something, gather information, and figure out what the High Seraphim and an Archangel wanted. Family or not, Charlie hadn’t looked happy to see the Archangel.  

Vaggie had hoped she wouldn’t have to go to Heaven. Even when helping Charlie plan and discuss different things that she remembered. She hadn’t felt much more than bitter nostalgia. Heaven had been, well, Heaven. But it had also been a place where she had been lied to. She didn’t want to taint Charlie’s visit with her own mixed emotions. Not that it mattered. Charlie had seemed distant and close to an edge of panic since the Archangel’s appearance. 

“I,” Vaggie’s eye darted to her peripheral, seeking out Charlie as she let out a laugh. Doe seemed enraptured with an outfit, holding the fabric while Seraphim Emily attempted to pull it away. 

“It is, rare, for a Guardian to have two Charges.” Archangel Michael’s words felt weighted, pulling on Vaggie in a way that reminded her of when Adam first gave her her position. He’d called her a guardian then too. 

She wasn’t sure if that word meant the same thing to her as it had then. When Adam had told her she would be a ‘Guardian of Heaven’ it had meant being an exorcist covered in the blood of Sinners. She had fought against a threat that held faces just like hers. She was ashamed it had taken her so long to realize that. 

“Only a Guardian acts so with such loyalty and protectiveness with their Charge.” He explained with a half smile. “It is not something you should hide. Not many Angels can obtain that title.” He added, his voice sounding too much like Adam’s for Vaggie’s comfort. 

“I’m not an Exorcist anymore.” She muttered while looking back at Charlie. “I’m just, protective, of them. Because I love her.” She explained and felt a flush of warmth when Charlie turned to smile at her. 

If she were to be a guardian, it would be at Charlie’s side. She would offer her protection, strength, and a hand. Whatever Charlie needed, Vaggie would give it to her. 

“Do you not know that’s what a Guardian is? Were, were you never trained? Is that,” Vaggie pulled her attention to the famed warrior. He looked confused, his head tilted back slightly and his lips pulled into a frown. If his wings had been visible, Vaggie wondered if they’d be pinned to his back. “That’s. You don’t realize how much Protection you’re giving to them? You,” 

“Vaggie!” Charlie called out before she could ask anything. “Look at these tiny shoes! Aren’t they adorable?” Vaggie could see how tired both Morningstars were. Charlie’s eyes were slightly off when she blinked, while Doe would whine into Charlie’s collar whenever she was moved. 

“That’s great, Babe.” She admitted with a smile. The shoes were adorable with tiny pink and yellow flowers. “Maybe we should get some food and a place to relax?” 

Charlie opened her mouth to protest and winced when her stomach growled. “Okay, food wouldn’t be a bad idea.” She admitted with a halfhearted laugh. 

“If it would be alright,” Archangel spoke up. “I can place an order for food and we can talk in the park near the city’s center.” He suggested with a hesitant air. Vaggie looked up at Charlie, knowing she would differ to whatever she wanted. “We don’t have to, but I, I mean, if,” 

“I think that’s a wonderful idea! We can have a picnic!” Seraphim Emily’s excitement and the way her wings sprang apart to reflect it made Vaggie smile. The longer they were around the young Seraphim, the more she realized how similar she was to Charlie. 

Archangel Michael looked nervous, pulling on his sleeves and fluffing his wings. “I can, go, set up an order. Is it the Di Angelo building? Near Neveah Ave?” Emily nodded while pulling a slip of paper from a pocket on her dress. She used the two Angels’ distraction to pull Charlie to the side. 

“Are you alright?” She looked Charlie over carefully, lifting a hand to cup her face and let her lean against her. “I know, this wasn’t the plan. If you want to go home, I will force Seraphim Emily to open a portal home.” Charlie smiled as she spoke, turning her head to kiss her palm before lifting her hand to cup around Vaggie’s own. 

“We got this. We’ll just, deal, with my Dad. He’s probably terrified though.” She admitted and looked over at the Angels as Archangel Michael left. “Can you hold Doe? I’m going to ask Emily, for something.” She asked while pushing Doe against Vaggie. 

“Are you sure? I don’t think leaving you around all this cute stuff is a good idea.” Vaggie teased, laughing at Charlie’s pout before looking around for the time. “Looks like we only have a couple hours till our meeting anyway.” 

“You’re so mean,” Charlie whined but bent to kiss Vaggie’s cheek and Doe’s head. “I’ll be back in just a minute.” 

Vaggie nodded, letting her eyes linger on Charlie as she approached the now alone Seraphim. “I think we both could use a break from everyone,” Vaggie whispered as Doe whined and snuggled closer. Vaggie let herself hum a half remembered tune, allowing small bits of melancholy verse to slip out while she rocked Doe side to side. 

Maybe she should mention the Exterminations to Archangel Michael. She knew that they were kept from most of Heaven, but maybe if she spoke with him? She wasn’t sure if her word would mean anything. She wasn’t Charlie, but she could do something. 

“Vaggie?” She looked up at the love of her life. Charlie was practically radiant, standing within arm's reach with a drool stain on her shirt and her hair pulled into a messy ponytail. Anyone else would look at her and see a mess, but Vaggie only saw the evidence of how much she was doing for everyone. She felt unworthy. “Are you okay?” 

“Uh, yeah, Doe just fell asleep.” She waved off and freed a hand for Charlie to take. “You are so beautiful.” Charlie blushed at the compliment and squeezed her hand. “I think we all need a nap.” She admitted and leaned closer to Charlie’s embrace. 

“That’s great since Emily said the walk was a bit far. We have to go through the Promenade, around the High Offices, and then we’ll be at a perfect hill for our picnic.” Charlie told her proudly and Vaggie had to laugh. “So we have time for Doe to enjoy a long nap.” She added and folded her arm around Vaggie. Vaggie let herself relax and enjoy the rambling conversation Charlie and Emily started up. The people around them could be nonexistent for all she cared. 

Chapter Text

Adam choked around his soda as he and Lute passed Emily and two very familiar faces. “Holy fucking, shit balls! Am I seeing who I think I’m seeing? Lute!”

Lute had already spun around, her wings half lifted as she glared at the group’s back. “What is she doing here? How did she even get up here?” She demanded and Adam felt a kinship when he noticed her reaching for the sword she usually kept on her. 

Adam felt his mask reflect his snarl as he pushed around Lute. “Who cares? I'm handling this shit right now!” Only to spin on Lute when he felt her pull his robe and keep him from moving. 

“Wait! You want to start a fight on the promenade in front of everyone? In front of a Seraphim?” She demanded. Adam purposely relaxed, throwing his soda into a trashcan -perfectly- and crossing his arms. 

“It’s better than waiting for the fucking Exter-” He let out a ‘manly’ sound as he was rudely yanked by the front of his robe to be eye level with a pissed off Lute,

“Sir! What was the Seraphim's one rule?” Lute hissed with her hand over his mouth. 

“Don’t fucking shush me, bitch. And I know. ‘No one but the Exorcists can know about the Exterminations.’ Fuck you.” He ground out, shoving Lute off of him before looking back at the now vanished group. “We gotta figure out why they’re here,” he grumbled.

“We will sir. But we need more information first.” Lute told him, her tone appeasing and Adam chose to let it settle. The more he thought about it, the better that sounded. 

“You should listen to your Lieutenant, Adam.” The sudden appearance of Sera behind them had Adam flaring his wings, nearly summoning his weapon before he realized who had appeared. He had just enough time to register the movement of her wings before their surroundings changed to being Sera’s office. 

“Fuck! Sera! You can’t sneak up on a guy like that! Jeez!” Adam growled at the stern face of the High Seraphim. Sera’s eyes narrowed as others opened on her wings. “What if I had hit you? Huh?” 

“Your Highness, forgive us, but what are the Hell Spawn doing here?” Lute interrupted, stepping up to Adam’s side and bringing the attention of a dozen eyes onto herself. Adam leaned back and crossed his arms as Sera forced her eyes closed before answering. 

“Archangel Michael has involved himself with the Morningstar’s Daughter. I want you to do whatever you need to do to keep this problem from getting worse. An Archangel being involved is the last thing we need.” Sera explained with a clipped tone. Adam would never admit that a chill ran down his spine at the news. 

“So what? Cancel the little meeting bullshit.” Adam argued as he walked over to Sera’s refreshment table and snatched one of the treats there. “I mean, can’t say shit if there’s nowhere to say it.” He said around a mouthful. 

“I would agree, if it weren’t for the new involvement. We do not know if he has been made aware of your activities.” 

“Woah, woah! Bitch, this wasn’t just my idea. You were just as happy with it.” Adam interrupted with a glare. “If you had listened to me, we wouldn’t have to worry about any Sinners, and Lucifer and his little bitch wouldn’t be a problem.” He argued and smiled when Sera had no response. “Look, we’ll take care of it. Mikey will go back to his little palace and I’ll handle the rest. Lute, come on.” He waved off. They had another bitch to find. 

… … 

Vaggie winced as Dowan let out another scream, a part of her wanted to set her down and just cover her own ears. Charlie had left with Emily to try and find Archangel Michael, wanting to see more of Heaven but not wanting to drag her sister around. Vaggie had offered to stay back. Charlie deserved to see as much of Heaven as she could. If that mean Vaggie got stuck babysitting, she’d handle it. 

Dowan had seemed fine at first, sleeping peacefully dressed in a lamb decorated onesie Charlie had picked out. Vaggie didn’t think much about it, hoping she would sleep through their meeting. But as soon as Charlie left she had woken up and began to cry. She kept turning her head and screaming for her sister, and Vaggie was ready to scream too. 

She couldn’t be blamed for nearly bolting for the door when she heard a knock. “Geez Vag-asaurus! Can’t you shut the brat up?” Adam was scowling as he pushed his way in, his favorite Lieutenant with him. Vaggie felt her exasperation twist into weary frustration at their entrance. 

“What the,” she stopped herself. “Look, she’s hungry. Charlie will be back,” she growled while trying to adjust the blanket. 

“Not looking for the blonde, I’m looking for you.” Vaggie felt her shoulder rise and tried not to tighten her hold more. “Ugh! Give me the kid, Vag.” He ordered with his hands out. 

“No way!” Vaggie spat at him as her anxiety and fear rose. Dowan stopped sobbing long enough to latch one hand on her hair while biting into Vaggie’s neck. “Dowan!” She yelped, trying to pull away instinctively. “Wait! Don’t!” 

“Fuck’s sake, the brat’s freezing!” Adam admonished as he pulled Dowan away from Vaggie and settled her into his arm. “Lute, give me that pillow.” Vaggie watched bewildered as Lute gave Adam a pillow and he proceeded to swaddle Dowan with the pillowcase and blanket. 

“Right, that’s better, ain’t it?” Adam spoke to Dowan, and Vaggie was stunned when Dowan stopped screaming. “Right, Vag-gee, pop a tit. Kid’s hungry.” 

“What the fuck!?” Adam gave her a deadpan look, pointing at her chest with one hand. “Okay first off, you have no right coming in here. Second, did you not hear me when I said Charlie,” 

“Oh, so she’s the Mom.” Adam interrupted with a nod. “And I said I was looking for you.” He shifted his arm when Dowan let out a whine. Vaggie felt her heart in her throat as she watched Adam run his fingers over the swaddle. Lute took that chance to step around him, drawing Vaggie’s eye to see disgust aimed at her. 

“You think I’d forget about one of my top girls just ‘cause you’re out of uniform?” Adam demanded, swinging his arm carefully while Lute moved closer to Vaggie. “You left the band! Tried a solo career! Or I guess more of a duet?” Vaggie tried not to cringe at his wording. Being a killer had not been a musical career. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She denied, forcing her voice not to shake and her own stance to relax. “Now give me Dowan. She has nothing to do with this.” 

“Ha! To think someone as useless as you managed to bag Lilith’s little hottie. Congrats on the family!” Vaggie took her chance when Lute gagged. Jumping forward, she reached for Dowan as the baby let out a new cry. “Woah! Taco Tits! No one’s gonna hurt this little one.” Adam laughed as he moved away from Vaggie and lifted Dowan more to his face. 

“Now, if you want to protect both of them. I’ll need your help shutting this kindergarten snowflake bullshit down.” Adam didn’t even look at her, his face instead tilted to Dowan as she screamed and waved an arm free. “Wouldn’t want your precious Mrs. Love and Bullshit,” 

“Charlie knows,” she blurted out. “She, she knows. All of it. Who I am, was. What I did. She knows and she doesn’t care!” 

“Awe, it’s almost cute you think that,” Adam joked. 

“Your love is vile and blasphemous,” Lute spoke up, eyes pinning Vaggie in place as if she were a moth under glass. “How you had a child out of it is a miracle,” She snarled. 

“Hot as fuck though,” Adam spoke up to both their disgusts. “I’m sure your relationship is great, even better now. Just remember what I said.” A whimpering Dowan was pushed into Vaggie’s arms as the duo left. She could vaguely hear Lute say something as she tried to rock Dowan. 

“I’m so sorry, Little Duck,” Vaggie whispered when Dowan moved to look at her. 

… … 

Michael kept his breath even as he stayed tucked inside an alcove with bags of food at his feet. He had hoped to speak to Charlie and learn more about her and her Guardian. He hadn’t expected to learn Adam and his own Guardian were present. 

“Kid’s cute. The red hair throws me off though. Looks like,” Michael waited for the First Man’s voice to vanish before relaxing. Pulling on his sleeves he tried to figure out why he would seek out Charlie. Was it strictly to antagonize Heylel? Or was it because of something else? What did they know that made Adam and Sera worry? 

He desperately wanted to call out to his brother Gabriel. Ask him how the pieces of the puzzle fit. But he was searching for the source of the rumors of Masked Angels while Michael took care of their neices. 

He let out a growl of frustration, fisting his hands together till they glowed softly with Ichor. How was he supposed to help keep his niece and her family safe? How was he to protect Heaven as their Father decreed if he was unable to find answers? If Heylel or his children were hurt.

“No. I swore.” He reassured himself and forced his hands to unfurl, evening blue eyes watching as the marks healed before he wiped his hands on the inside of his shirt. Approaching anyone with blood on his hands wouldn’t give him the answers he needed. 

He didn’t want to bombard Charlie’s Guardian and have her think he was pushing them into danger. He needed to speak to Vaggie, the female who loved his niece. How could he separate the two though? From his limited time watching them, it seemed the Guardian Bond had been formed from her love for Charlie. If he went in demanding answers that love would turn to wrath against him and he would lose any chance he had with knowing anything. 

He needed a level head and a list of questions in order of how they affected everyone. Yet, he didn’t have time to make one. He needed to decide now before a blow no one saw coming landed. Before they were burned and more hatred pooled around him. Before, 

“Archangel! Sir! I didn’t,” Vaggie’s voice caused him to tense. She was scared. 

“What were Adam and his Guardian doing?” He blurted out, ignoring how he had missed the others' approach. “Where’s Charlie?” He demanded when he realized she only held the baby, Doe. 

“Archangel Michael! We were looking for you.” The joyful greeting yanked him from the half-formed anxiety in his mind. The young Seraphim Emily stood a step ahead of his niece, smiling as she held out her hands. “Let me help.” 

Michael didn’t argue as the sacks of food were taken. His niece’s eyes lingered on his hands and he wondered if she’d ever been told about him. There was nothing in her gaze that told him of hatred or anger, but her body language was cautious and stiff. The warrior who had trained to watch his enemies tagged her as inexperienced and an easy target. The person he had become since his twin’s Fall saw the edges of dislike and fear. 

“I,” he wanted to reassure her. But how was he to do that? What if he said the wrong thing? What if, 

“Charlie!” Michael flinched as Vaggie moved around him and jumped at Charlie. Old instincts begged him to grab onto her and shift her momentum away, but the cries of the baby once again stayed his hand. 

“Vaggie! Are you okay? What happened?” The way Charlie brushed over her Guardian, hands and eyes searching for a problem reminded Michael of Raphael and their tendency to worry. He should consider pulling them into this. 

“Adam was here. He threatened you, both of you if I didn’t stop you.” Vaggie rushed out as Charlie’s hands hovered over the baby. 

“Stop you?” Michael asked in bewilderment. “Stop you from what?” 

“From talking to Sera about Redemption,” Charlie explained. Her eyes were tinted with more red and he could see the edges of her fangs pushing around her lips. “I have a plan. For stopping the Exterminations. I want to help Sinners,” 

“Exterminations? What are those?” Emily spoke up, her bewildered eyes turning to look at him as he felt something begin to burn inside his chest. 

“Mass genocide,” he mumbled to her. “But what would Sera,” he trailed off. His eyes went back to Vaggie. She was on the darker side of a Guardian’s typical coloring, but he had thought it was due to her being in Hell. But Adam’s Guardian had a similar coloration, though it was more black and white. 

Charlie moved Vaggie behind her as Michael’s head spun. Pieces of a puzzle flew to make connections as he stared at Vaggie. Demonic Energy built around the trio from Hell and he wanted to reach out and reassure them, but he couldn’t move. Sera was sending Guardians to Hell. Sera was sending Guardians to Hell for the slaughter of thousands. 

“Maybe we should all go inside, and sit down. I think we all need answers.” Emily’s slow words sounded as if they came through a blanket. But Michael allowed himself to be herded into a small hotel-style room with everyone. 

Whatever happened next, Michael hoped his brother wouldn’t hate him.

Chapter Text

Alastor led them through the streets of Pentagram City with a nonchalance Lucifer would normally envy. He had ordered Asmodeus to stay at the Hotel before stationing a clone at the Embassy with orders to continue seeking a connection to Heaven. He desperately wanted to snatch the Radio Box into the air and fly the way to their destination but kept his claws and wings close as chaos moved around them.

Sinners of all skins screamed and rioted around the two as they walked. Blood, gore, and questionable pieces gave the air a taste of potency that made him wish that he didn’t need to breathe. The paved streets were shiny in a way that told him it was more than oil that was spilled on them, while the sidewalk was tinted a mulish grey-red to match. Drones and cameras turned to follow them but seemed to smoke and sizzle when they were deemed too close. All in all, Lucifer’s already frayed temper was slicing rivelets into his patience. 

“Explain. Again. Why we couldn’t open a portal or travel through less, gross, means?” Lucifer snarled, kicking a decapitated slug away before setting a splash of liquid on fire to keep away from. 

Alastor turned his head slightly to look at him, grin closed while his eyes flashed. “As I said, it would be rude to simply barge in! Besides, it is just past this street.” He added and Lucifer let a bit of fire tease at the Sinner’s heels. He had hoped the Sinner would just move the shadows around them and have them save time, but it seemed he wished to test Lucifer’s patience. “One would think his Highness didn’t enjoy seeing his subjects!” The laugh track that followed his words made Lucifer’s forehead itch. 

“We will be talking about that.” He muttered as they passed a set of smoking drones. Within a few meters, he noticed how the chaos began to recede and the lights around became brighter. An idea formed at the back of his mind causing him to look behind them with a contemplative frown before returning his gaze to Alastor. The bright lights overlapped, leaving the only shadows to be randomly placed with no overlap. Could that be the reason he chose not to use them to travel? Was that why he insisted they walk? It was so stupid, Lucifer believed it was possible. 

“Hark, Alastor. How fare thee this day?” The older style of speech perked Lucifer’s attention as an obscenely tall and thin Sinner appeared from a darkened doorway. “Ah, His Majesty, forgive my trespass. I’ve seen naught of you in an age.” 

“Greetings Zestial! I see you know our dear sovereign.” Alastor introduced with a track of trumpets that made Lucifer’s scowl deepen to a glare. They didn’t have time for this! 

“Hello Zesty, sorry but no time to stop and chat. Al is taking me to see Carmine.” He explained with a quick tone, attempting to push Alastor onward and nearly tripped when the other stepped to the side. 

“Carmilla? T'would be grander folly by far to assume thine visit is to reminisce. Allow my accompaniment.” Lucifer could feel his horns emerge as the duo became a trio. His children were in danger and the more time they wasted the worse they could be! 

“Join. Don’t join. I don’t have time for this!” Lucifer snarled with flames licking at his lips. Both Sinners finally seemed to catch on to his lack of patience, moving at a brisker pace than before. 

“Forgive his highness,” Alastor spoke up. “I trust we won’t be interrupting Ms. Carmine?” 

“Nay, she hath stayed in her office whittling numbers,” Zestial answered while he fell into step alongside Lucifer. The thin Sinner had been regarded as a friend once upon a time. Lucifer could remember Lilith bringing him around before Charlie had even been a thought. It was actually because of him that Lucifer had learned of several plots against the higher Echelon of Hell. He had also been the one to introduce Lilith to a love of spiders. 

He felt some of his anger ebb as he remembered the time she’d spent watching Zestial’s creatures spin webs. The room that would eventually become Charlie’s nursery had been filled with stained glass and paintings depicting the webs. It had been as strange as it had been beautiful to watch Lilith work with spiders gently walking along her arms or spinning a web between her horns. One of her favorite blankets, one he still kept close, was made with spider silk. 

“My King,” Zestial’s soft tone interrupted his memory. An elevator stood open before him with Alastor already inside and watching him with his head tilted. “Carmilla awaits.” 

“Right.” Lucifer shook off the grip of memory. He would think of Lilith after he retrieved their daughters. 

“What hath brought you to the steps of one such as Carmilla?” Zestial’s question in the small space should have been expected. “Rumors speak, but tell little truths.” He added and Lucifer forced himself to pull his emotions closer and return to his ‘normal’ appearance. 

“Al said she may have a way to reach Heaven.” Lucifer answered in a low voice. He wasn’t stupid, no matter what Sinners thought. If he had taken a minute to think, he would have thought of Zestial. Maybe. Probably. 

“And pray what tales of this?” The elevator stopped, opening to show a young Sinner holding a stack of papers. They didn’t hesitate to reach in and press a button to close the elevator without them. Lucifer appreciated that their journey continued without another extra. 

“Theories and stories,” Alastor spoke up while playing with his microphone. “It is rather nice that Ms. Carmine has developed a way to counter our mutual threat.” The words were inconspicuous and Lucifer even rolled his eyes at the Radio Box’s tone. But the way Zestial’s reflection turned to look at Alastor had Lucifer second-guessing. 

“Aye, t’would seem a boon if such proved worthwhile,” Zestial admitted as the elevator stopped. “Come, Carmilla awaits.” 

The office was more akin to a display than an office. The walls sported weapons of glowing Angelic Steel, interspaced by support beams decorated with a shield boasting a sigil Lucifer vaguely recognized. The red carpet muffled his steps, but he could feel the hard floor hidden beneath it and wondered just how strong the building was as a whole for her to justify floors of heavy metal. 

“Welcome High King Lucifer, please take a seat.” The tall demoness shocked Lucifer for a moment. Her tall horns, regal air, and stern demeanor had caused an overlay of his wife to appear before him. It made his heart ache when he blinked and it vanished. 

“Carmilla,” Zestial greeted as he took a seat off to the side of her desk while Alastor easily slid into an open one in front of it. Familiarity pushed at Lucifer’s mind as he met the white iris of the other. 

She was no simple Sinner. That he could tell immediately from the gentle sway of her own Demonic Energy. The familiar movement of the energy demanded to be recognized and seemed elated when he pushed his own out as a greeting. If he hadn’t been watching so closely he would have missed the ghost of a smile as the demoness motioned for him to sit. 

“I apologize for the lack of refreshments. I wasn’t expecting guests.” Lucifer waved off the offer, letting his cane slide to his side as he took the seat. “Zestial, Alastor, what brings you here?” She greeted with a question, eyes lingering on Alastor. 

Lucifer grimaced before leaning forward. “I have a favor to ask. In exchange for your help, I offer you one deal. The only restraints to it are that I cannot End a Soul and that it cannot harm any I have Named and Claimed.” 

Lucifer could feel the weight of his offer in the air. The invisible chains beginning to build around him were a weight he was far too familiar with. They represented so much of what he hated. 

“Before striking such a deal,” Carmilla sat down, “I need to know why and what you need.” Lucifer didn’t respond other than to nod his head in ascent. “A question for a question. You specified that no harm to any you have Claimed and Named. As far as I am aware, Princess Charlotte is your only child.” 

“That’s not a question.” Lucifer countered, again seeing the ghost of a smile as Carmilla lifted a pen and began to write on a blank page. 

“There hath been rumor of thy taking on a new babe.” Zestial spoke up as a young half demon entered the room. Lucifer immediately caught the tension Carmilla tried to hide. 

“Leave Odette.” Carmilla’s order had the blonde demoness freezing in place only steps past the door. Lucifer eyed the girl carefully. She wasn’t much younger than Charlie, probably only in her late teens. She was thin, her physical appearance telling of many missed meals. While her eyes shimmered with Life.

Lucifer snapped his head back to look at Carmilla. Zestial had moved slightly, now facing Lucifer more than Alastor while Carmilla was glaring past him. If he wasn’t looking for it, Lucifer would have missed the fear he saw there. 

Lucifer was known for many things. Most of them he hated because once upon a time, they had been true. He was a monster of Heavenly Creation, but he was also a parent. “As one parent to another,” Lucifer spoke up. “I offer the full protection of my Name to your children in exchange for your aid with mine.”  

The room was silent at Lucifer’s words. Carmilla’s eyes had even widened while the pen had fallen from her fingers. Zestial spoke up with eyes alight at Lucifer’s offer. “And what would thy full protection be? Tis not a simple matter to say thy Name without weight.” 

“I’m offering Hellborn protections and an acknowledgment of them being family to me. Passage between the rings will be given to each of your children, with the exception that if they cause trouble for a Sin, that Sin is allowed to ban them. An account will be made for each to use in the pursuit of whatever their interests will be. If ever they are in need, I will answer.” Lucifer laid out for Carmilla, feeling more than seeing Alastor watching with interest. 

“And what aid would you ask for such a high reward?” Carmilla’s hands folded in front of her face as Lucifer felt the edges of her Demonic Energy nudge the chains around him. 

“I need a way to protect my daughters. Charlie is nearly grown but she’s, she’s untrained and she and Dowan are currently in Heaven with no idea what to do to stand under that level of Angelic Energy. Charlie may be fine, and if she is, that’s great. But Dowan is a baby. If I can’t get Heaven to listen to me, then I’m going to need some way to get there. I’m hoping you, know how?” 

“My dealings with Angelic Steel are just that. Mine. I have no deal with Heaven or its’ reaches.” Carmilla started from behind her hands, her gaze attempting to pin against him. Lucifer felt his dying hope twist in his chest. If Carmilla didn’t have a way to contact Heaven? If he couldn’t get to his babies? 

“I vouch for the truth of Carmilla’s word, my King.” The ancient Overlord spoke up, drawing Lucifer’s gaze. “The venture of Angelic Steel is mine friend’s ingenuity. She hath made and remade blades with no connection to the Blessed Guardians.” Zestial went on to explain with a nod towards the woman. 

“Then how,” Lucifer stopped. “I need some way to get ahold of Heaven.” Alastor almost felt guilt as he watched the man beg. “As one parent to another, please.” 

“I may know someone who can help. Give me an hour to contact them and I will have an answer for you.” Carmilla’s words helped, but Lucifer still felt that he had failed. His children had been gone for nearly the entire day. What were they facing without his protection? 

Chapter Text

The room felt smaller now that they had spoken. Charlie and Vaggie both had explained everything they knew about the Exterminations, and their idea for the Hotel. Emily had filtered through emotions similar to the way Husk would shuffle cards. Her wings had flared periodically before settling when Vaggie would explain something. Charlie felt relief and guilt that the young woman hadn’t known what had been happening. It meant that maybe others would disagree with the Exterminations. 

It was Michael’s glazed and absent stare that worried her. He had seemed stunned, before becoming an impression of a statue. Not even having the food placed in front of him had changed anything. 

Charlie couldn’t eat. The food felt like thick glue in her mouth and no matter how much water she swallowed she couldn’t get it down. Dowan was silent, cuddled against her stomach and sucking against her tail. She had tried getting her sister to eat, pinching off small pieces of food, but Dowan refused. If Charlie wasn’t so worried about what would happen next, she would worry more for her sister. Instead she tried to keep herself from spiraling deeper into her thoughts the longer Michael stayed absent. 

“I think, with how ‘intense’ Adam was about our meeting with Sera. She may not know about the Exterminatio-” 

“She knows.” Michael interrupted with a monotone. Evening blue met pink-yellow with a heaviness that even Charlie could feel. “I, before you, before both of you came. We didn’t, none of us knew about you.” Michael bowed his head and ran his hands through his hair. “I had a friend listen in on Sera, after I started hearing rumors about Angels in masks. I didn’t, I thought it was nothing! Abaddon or Azrael stirring a bit of trouble!” Charlie carefully reached across the table to push a glass of water towards the male. She could see Vaggie smiling at her from the corner of her eye and felt her hand rest against her side, but she kept her focus on Michael. 

“You didn’t know. Neither of you,” she acknowledged softly. “Maybe Sera had a reason,” 

“ She’s the one who let Adam take Guardians down there. Even with, protections, what if? No, she’s not innocent.” Michael argued with a firm shake of his head. “You said you were going to meet with Sera?” The fire in his eyes reminded Charlie of the painting her Dad had made of a human sunset.  

“I think we should all see Sera.” Emily spoke up, turning her head to look at each of them. “There has to be a reason Sera and Adam are hiding all of this. Exterminations? Exorcists? Ending Souls? It doesn’t make sense! I, we need answers and I think we should all go to this meeting.” Emily’s voice rose with her words along with the hope in Charlie’s chest. 

“That’s great and all, but if Adam’s not the leader. It might be Sera.” Vaggie spoke up, sharing Charlie’s expression as Emily looked at them in disbelief. “Sera is probably the one who came up with the idea. Adam is a strong fighter, but he’s not, smart.” Charlie agreed as she shifted Dowan to rest more comfortably in her lap. 

“I only met Adam once,” Charlie gave her input. “He likes to ‘put his name on shit’ but he doesn’t seem like he knows anything. Unless you count his need to talk about himself, or his,” she looked down at Doe. “Night life.” 

“Then we need to make a plan.” Michael suggested. “This has been going on for centuries. Sinners are punished enough without facing an End.” He explained with a tone that did more to reassure Charlie than if he had just said he would handle it. 

“Should we call a meeting of the Court?” Emily’s suggestion made Charlie’s anxiety spike. “If we tell others about what’s going on, they’re bound to help us!” Vaggie’s hand found hers. “Especially with The Princess of Hell and her Guardian speaking on Hell’s behalf!” Charlie forced herself to take a deep breath before squeezing Vaggie’s hand. 

“Maybe if we mention Redemption, and how we have an opportunity to try? I mean, we don’t know that it’ll work, but,” Charlie rambled. 

“But even then. We can try.” Michael finished for her. The warmth in his expression paired with the hope Charlie felt made her smile return with full force. They really had a chance!

… …

Alastor loved to play games with people. He had enjoyed it in life, and he enjoyed it in death. There was something more appealing about it after death though. Knowing no matter how far he pushed, he wouldn’t be gone permanently. Oh sure, that fool Vox had tried. Had nearly succeeded thanks to his palookas showing up. But he hadn’t gotten much more than a handful of Souls with his win. 

Alastor had gotten far more in that fight. He had learned after that encounter that the games he so enjoyed could become so much more. He only needed one deal in order to play and power unlike any he’d had would be his. He had thought he could easily find a loophole in the deal. He had thought, naively, that he would outsmart the other player. Oh, how wrong he had been.

Attending to the whimsy of Hell’s Princess had been a low stoop for him. Following her ideas with plans of action, trailing behind her with tools to fix things, he felt like little more than the slaves his Mama had told him of. He hated it. But he hated not having his Soul more, and if getting it back meant enduring the Princess. Then so be it. He would sing, dance, and play any part needed. Even that of a parent to the wayward girl much to her father’s dismay. 

He enjoyed making the King squirm. Admittedly, his fun had simply been with obvious shows of affection to his daughter. But then the fool had actually shown a modicum of humanity! He spoke ill of Sinners and made no secret of his disdain. But watching him struggle? What he had thought was a game to the King, wasn’t. Attempting to connect with Charlie, taking in a babe not his own, floundering to be kind to the residents. Alastor was curious enough to set aside his games.

Alastor valued a good game. One with adventure, mystery, intrigue! He enjoyed them all! But puzzles? Puzzles were always developing, twisting and changing with the pieces that made the bigger picture. They weren’t exactly a game, but they were still enjoyable. And Alastor was -as the youth claimed- game to figure this Luciferian Puzzle out. 

“Your pacing is rather irksome,” he spoke up. “Can you not,” Lucifer’s tail swung and snapped, “sit.” He finished. 

“We’re wasting time!” Lucifer grumbled while moving to stare out the window. “I can feel something’s wrong.” 

“And yet you never felt Charlie’s loneliness? Her sadness?” The warning glow of Lucifer’s eyes did little to deter Alastor. “What about Doe’s own mishaps? Hmm?” 

“I’m not, perfect.” He grumbled, turning away from Alastor with a sigh. 

“No,” he agreed while standing. “I don’t think anyone truly is. The stories of parents, well there are as many as there are Souls.” He admitted with a motion to the city below them. Lucifer didn’t respond, but his shoulders did lose their tension. “Charlie is quite intelligent. Vaggie also has a tendency to be overprotective. The three will be fine.” 

“Ha, almost sounds like you’re being nice. Feeling sick, Dubstep?” Lucifer huffed with a half smile as he relaxed. 

Alastor tried to tug his smile into one of confusion. “What is a dubstep?” 

Before he could get an answer, Alastor’s ears twitched to the sound of the door opening. “Pardon the intrusion, but I seek an audience with his Majesty.” Zestial said as he came through the door with a young Hellhound at his side. “Refreshments,” he added as the Hellhound moved to set a tray of tea down before quickly leaving. 

“Has Carmilla found them?” Lucifer demanded, quickly moving away from the window to approach the Overlord. 

“Nay,” Zestial admitted. Alastor sighed when Lucifer’s tail swung out and snatched the teapot to send flying. “Hmm, I shan’t say that was polite.” He heard the older Overlord mutter. 

“If she hasn’t then get out.” Lucifer ordered with glowing eyes and the nubbed beginnings of horns. Zestial seemed oblivious, moving a hand to summon a new teapot. “I don’t,” 

“Thy children will be returned. Abaddon’s blessing hath not retreated for this.” Alastor shifted at the information, watching Lucifer and Zestial silently stare at each other. “As I have before, I lend my blade and crown. Least thy doubts be made, the surety of both mine and Carmilla’s Souls.” Two crystal spiders appeared on the table, facing Lucifer and glowing softly with inner light.  

Alastor could swear Lucifer hadn’t so much as twitched. Yet, both Overlords were pushed to the ground by the very weight of the Fallen Angel’s energy. It was as if a great tree had fallen and settled on top of his back. Vibrations distorted his ever present radio waves, with the motions of claws ripping through them. Invisible flames licked at the edges of Alastor’s very being as he choked a mouthful of blood out onto the carpet. 

And then it was gone. 

Alastor gasped, pulling his limbs close to his chest as sulfuric air filled his heaving chest. His body felt so weak. Weaker than even when he had first arrived in Hell. Was that truly the power of The King of Hell? 

“Abaddon.” Lucifer’s low tone felt like it invaded Alastor’s very being. “You went to Abaddon?” 

“Aye, as he is,” 

“I don’t care! He would sooner kill my daughters than help them!” Alastor had not felt like a newcomer in so long. Lucifer’s desperation and fear shook against Alastor as he slowly reclaimed his seat. “They are Named of the Morningstar! Claimed by my blood! You would send a,” 

“He would not.” The Spanish accent had never sounded so unwelcome to Alastor’s ears. Just when he was about to gain new information, of course Carmilla would interrupt. “Abaddon owed me a favor. I simply called it in.” 

“What favor would a Fallen have with a Sinner?” Lucifer sneered. Alastor was impressed when Carmilla didn’t react, ignoring Lucifer’s disdain like she would an unruly Overlord. 

“Nothing that concerns the King, your Majesty.” She explained with a dismissive wave. “Our deal will be sealed upon the return of Princesses Charlotte and Dowan. Agreed?” 

“Yes.” Lucifer grit out through his sharp teeth. Carmilla nodded and ignored him to help Zestial to a chair. “If they’re hurt,” 

“I know,” the weapons dealer interrupted. Alastor looked at Lucifer, watched him closely. He had heard of Abaddon. Many whispered about the Fallen warrior that was said to guard the sheols of Hell. No one had seen or heard of him in decades. And yet, Carmilla had a deal with him. 

Lucifer fell into the chair nearest to Alastor, staring off while his tail twined patterns between them. Abaddon shouldn’t be a concern to someone of Lucifer’s status and power, and yet he was. How puzzling.

Chapter Text

Charlie felt the world around her blur again. The sound of voices dimmed as she felt her heart pulse in her head. Heat traced over her like a wave before fading as it all passed. She wanted to lean against Vaggie or ask for help, but she feared what would happen. Slowly, she eased her body back until her back gave a sharp throb as it made soft contact with her chair. 

“Babe?” Vaggie’s concerned gaze immediately drew Charlie away from her pain as she tried to smile at her. “What’s wrong?” Charlie wanted to tell her; to speak up and admit how much pain she was in. 

“You ordered a massacre!” Someone above them yelled, sending out a wave of soft white energy as the figure in purple robes flew over them. “Destruction! Slaughter! How was that not akin to what Roo is?” They demanded as Charlie bit her lip and tried not to throw up. 

“She protected Heaven!” Someone else called back, floating down to stand next to Sera. Charlie absently wondered if they were related to Piamon with their Ars Goetian appearance. She couldn’t focus on them as her world tried to tilt and her body pulsed. 

It felt like she was going to fly out of her own body. It was a mix of nauseating dizziness and pulsing heat every time an Archangel used their powers. The pure Energy made her feel like her limbs weren’t fully attached while at the same time as if sand was rubbing her skin. She could only assume her sister felt similar. Dowan was tucked under her shirt, sucking on her shoulder and pulling what little Demonic Energy she had to her. Charlie didn’t mind, Doe seemed to go past misery and closer to pain the longer they were in Heaven. The only way for her to stay at least mostly quiet had been for Charlie to hold her. 

She kept telling herself it was only fair she protected her little sister, but the resentment and jealousy in her mind were insistent. A ripple of different Energies crashed over her, scattering her thoughts as she fought down the urge to groan. 

“High Seraphim had no right,” 

“She disobeyed!” Someone in orange interrupted. 

“And you knew?” Another angel demanded.

The meeting had devolved into a mess of pointing fingers that had seemed happy to forget Charlie, Vaggie, and Doe. She should use the chance to get them away from everyone, away from such strong Angelic Energy. 

“Charlie, look at me,” Vaggie’s voice was distant. Charlie forced her arms to tense and tried to sit up. Doe was silent against her, or was Charlie’s hearing muffled? Pain pulsed along her spine and neck while heat made rings around her arms. It was so much all at once, she needed to get away before, 

… … 

Vaggie had just enough time to tuck herself behind the sisters before Charlie slid from her seat and to the floor. Her skin was clammy, her pulse nearly non-existent under her hands, and her eyes were devoid of consciousness. Vaggie felt fear grip her throat as she ripped her shirt open to pull Doe away to find the baby girl in a mirrored state. 

“Help!” She didn’t know who it was that yelled. Herself? An angel? No one? 

Old training pulled her into action as she pulled Doe’s body to her ear, trying to hear the baby’s heart. Someone in green slid to Charlie’s other side, and gloved hands pulled her onto her side just as she began to vomit. 

“I need a stethoscope and pressure cuff!” Vaggie heard as another set of hands attempted to grab Doe. She let out a scream at the action, yanking Doe away as she registered the person as Archangel Michael. 

“Vaggie, we need to move.” The male said in a soft command. Vaggie shook her head, turning to look at Charlie as she was rolled back onto her back. “Raphael has her, we need to check Dowan.” 

Vaggie was torn. She couldn’t leave Charlie. She couldn’t! But Doe was limp against her. Charlie would hate herself and Vaggie if she didn’t get her help. But that meant separating. What if they needed information? What if they hurt Charlie? 

Vaggie wasn’t even aware she was biting her lip till she tasted ichor. “Vaggie,” Michael called her. Vaggie swallowed, forcing herself to push her emotions aside as she reached a hand to the other. “Forcas! Get a stretcher! Peliel, make a path!” The sharp tone was a sharp contrast to the usual hesitance, but Vaggie didn’t care as she felt for Charlie’s Energy. 

“Lost it!” Someone called out from behind her. Vaggie turned in a panic, watching as the green-clad angel began chest compressions on Charlie. “Epi,” they said loudly as Charlie was given an injection. “I need a,” 

Charlie gasped before they could say more. “Hey, Princess. We need you to open your eyes.” Vaggie wanted to fall to her knees in relief. 

“Vaggie, is Dowan breathing?” Vaggie’s heart couldn’t take much more of the constant up and down. “Charl- Dowan may need help too.” Michael stumbled as Vaggie moved her arms to look Doe over. 

The baby was gasping, eyes closed and lips turning blue while her body stayed limp in Vaggie’s arms. 

“Raphael!” Michael’s sharp yell drew what felt like thousands of eyes as Angels turned to them. “Here,” he said. Vaggie didn’t fight as Doe was taken from her and thrust into the green-clad Angel’s arms. The figure didn’t even struggle, hesitate, or speak. In the span of Vaggie’s heartbeat, they took off with Charlie being pulled behind them. 

… … 

Michael picked at the ridges of scar tissue on his hands, pulling and scratching as he listened to his siblings. Raphael had sent a messenger a few minutes previously to explain their nieces were alright. He wanted to know more, needed to know more. What had caused her to fall over? Why was she so ill? Was it because of him? Was it because of the food they had eaten? Or had it been a combination of things? He bit his lip to stop the flinch of pain when he felt his right hand sting. 

“The matter isn’t that simple,” Uriel spoke up. “We need more information before we,”  

“You would End a Soul for the damage they already face Judgement for?” Jerahmeel demanded, flaring her wings. 

“I think we are at an impasse,” Gabriel admitted in a neutral tone.

The room fell silent, each of the siblings shifting to settle in their chairs. The room was rarely used, each choosing to either speak in person or ignore the others. Michael chose to look over the room their Father had made. 

The walls of the heptagon room were painted to show each of them. Uriel’s orange wall showed a scale of balance, Gabriel’s yellow wall a rolled scroll, and Raphael’s green wall portrayed a staff with wings. Azrael’s indigo showed a set of glowing paths, and Jerahmeel’s violet wall showed love and compassion between different Souls. His eyes lingered on the once-red wall that had portrayed Heylel. It was covered by heavy velvet, but he knew beneath it showed a burned wall that had once depicted a rising sun with a sword pointed to the sky. If he were to turn and look at his wall he knew the once ombre blue would be covered in patches of mismatched plaster and the thrown results of a bucket of paint. Once it had shown a sword pointed down with a shield. It had made him proud and filled with purpose. Now it reminded him how he was unable to protect. He hated it and what it meant. 

“Should I call for a meal?” Gabriel questioned in the silence. “Without Raphael or Azrael we,” 

“No, we need to settle this.” Michael interrupted, “I, we need to return Heylel’s children to their home. Without worrying if they will live to be seen again.” He pulled his hands into his lap, focusing on the throbbing of his right hand. “Adam is also a threat. He’s made himself the leader of the Guardians, pulling them from who they should be and pushing them to become,” he made a disgusted face, “Exorcists.” 

“On Sera’s orders. She will be punished. Adam is not,” Uriel was interrupted by Gabriel. 

“Both the High Seraphim and Adam were equal in their involvement. We cannot simply let Adam slip to the side.” Michael nodded, eyes flitting to look at his sister Uriel to see her listening. “My investigation shows that the two began their, movement,” 

“Don’t sugarcoat it, brother. They were committing genocide .” Jerahmeel sneered. “The Ending of Souls was led by the ‘Father of Humans’ and his own Guardian.” 

“Yes,” Gabriel admitted with a raised hand. “But the question isn’t just punishment. It is also, how they came to that conclusion.” Michael nodded at his eldest brother’s words. “These, exterminations, they began sometime during the rise of Greece. A formal meeting was made to add annotations to Heylel’s contract to allow them around the era of Crusades and then again during the Carnatic War.” 

“What were the annotations made?” Uriel questioned with a passive ruffle of her wings. Gabriel hummed before simply pushing a scroll to his left for her to see. “You retrieved a copy of their contract?” 

“I did,” he nodded, “Tell me what you see.” 

“Protection for Souls born to Hell, agre-” Michael tensed as Uriel stopped speaking. “This can’t be,” her tone of disbelief had all of them turning to look at Gabriel. 

“In exchange for the protection of those born to Hell, Lucifer Morningstar agrees to close off access for Sinners to enter any Ring aside from his own.” Gabriel quoted while folding his hands and propping his elbows onto the table. “The amendment created the overpopulation of the Ring of Pride.” 

“You mean,” Michael felt his stomach turn. Gabriel nodded but did not look at any of them as Uriel reached for another scroll. 

“The second states that Adam himself is forbidden from attacking any Soul Named and/or Claimed by the sovereigns of Hell and its ruling body. In exchange for their protection, neither Lilith the First Woman, Mother of Demonkind, and Queen of Hell nor Lucifer Morningstar, Father of Pride, and King of Hell will aid their people during the purge of Sinners for twenty-four hours.” Michael tried to fight the bile rising up his throat. Jerahmeel seemed to do the same. Uriel’s tanned complexion had turned white, her citrine eyes resembling reptiles, as she forced the second paper out of her hands. 

“The truth,” Gabriel stood and moved to the wall hidden by velvet. “Heylel had no choice. He was forced and paid the price. Yet, a loophole remained.” 

“His children,” Jerahmeel whispered. “His children could stand in! They can fight, they,” 

“Are children,” Michael interrupted. “Charlie has no instinct to fight and Dowan is a baby! He would risk? Oh Father forgive us.” Michael panicked as his thoughts raced. Heylel had left a loophole of possible protection for the Souls of Hell, but in doing so had left his children to fight for him. 

Had that not been what their Father had done with Joshua? Send a son to fight for him? 

“We don’t know that that is the case.” Uriel’s forced calm mattered little to Michael. He needed to get his shield. He needed to sharpen his weapons. Heylel forgive him, but he would not let his family face slaughter. 

“Micha,” 

Humming interrupted whoever had spoken. The doors slowly opened to reveal a figure dressed in the common threads of a shepherd with indigo wings speckled in white ash. If not for the shimmering of power around them, they could easily pass for a Winner. 

“Hello siblings, I have arrived!” Azrael greeted with a wide smile that lowered at the lack of joy around him. “What happened?” The brunette asked before he was shoved aside by another late sibling. 

“Can one of you come get the stupid Guardian? I am going to sedate her otherwise!” Raphael snapped while waving their arms around. “And Mike? Get your feathered butt to the clinic. I’ve told you not to scratch your hands!” The siblings all looked over at Michael as he flushed and tried to pull his sleeves over his hands, realizing only then he had gouged into them and they were bleeding heavily. 

“How are our nieces?” Gabriel asked with a half smile as Jerahmeel and Uriel began moving. Raphael rolled their eyes at him before crossing their arms and lifting a hand to rub their face. 

“Wings! The girl grew wings!” The exasperated tone was ignored as Jerahmeel let out a high squeal of excitement. “Oh no you don’t! Jera, I swear to Father!” Michael watched in bewilderment as his sister lifted into the air and took off with their sibling chasing after her on foot. 

“We have nieces?” Azrael questioned as Uriel grabbed Michael’s arm. “When did we? Gabriel?” 

Michael was pulled more than led down the hallways to the exit. His mind worked to function and only seemed to snap out of it when Uriel smacked his other arm. “No touching.” She ordered as a single orange bind pushed his right arm to his chest and she kept ahold of his left. “Raph already has to heal what you just did.” 

… … 

Abaddon approached the Gates of Heaven with an annoyed air. Lute watched with a careful eye as the figure brushed past Peter without a word. She knew the half-son of Seth was welcome to Heaven, but he rarely showed. According to Adam, Abaddon hated that neither his father nor his immediate family had appeared in Heaven.  

Adam had been so happy to see his grandson. He had danced, partied, and sang for days when Abaddon had appeared. Then he left. Adam admitted he may have pushed the male to forget the others. But they were in Heaven, in paradise! Yes, Adam missed his family, but now he had Abaddon! That had to mean that more of their family would arrive. Abel, Seth, Aclima, Azura! 

Lute didn’t know why Adam had been the first Human Soul in Heaven. He had told her how he buried so many of his family with only the hope that he’d see them again keeping him sane. 

“Lute,” a voice of stones rubbing together made her tense. “Still following my Gran’da?” 

“Why are you here Abe?” Lute demanded as she landed behind him and folded her wings. The tall male tilted his head back to stare above them before rolling his shoulders. 

“Don’t. I’m not,” he started before shaking his head. “I’m here as a favor. I ain’t staying.” He told her as he finally looked at her with a face that looked as if Adam had been mirrored but with eyes of solid white. “Since y’know so much, where’s Princess Charlotte, Princess Dowan, and their Guardian?”

“In court.” Lute spat before crossing her arms to glare past him at a building. “If you’re taking the whores and their spawn,” 

“Not. Another. Sound.” Lute scrambled to break the hold Abaddon had her in. Her nails slid against the armored skin with no luck of purchase. Her feet kicked uselessly against the male’s legs with pain flaring briefly when he used a knee to land a blow to her lower back. “My favor is just to get them home. But I will hurt you,” he grabbed one of her wings, “badly, if you keep talking like that.” 

“You, wouldn’t!” Lute gasped out, trying to look around them for a weapon or person that wasn’t there. 

“You wanna try?” He growled into her ear. Lute continued to struggle for a minute, not wanting to give the man any relief of her giving up before going still. “Good. Tell Gran’da I came by.” He ordered before shifting and throwing Lute away from him. 

Lute’s wings flared out to catch her and she winced when one gave a painful twinge. “Abe!” She yelled as she rolled over in the air, but the other was already gone. She knew from previous attempts that trying to find him now would be futile. “Shit.” She muttered before changing course to find Adam. 

If Abaddon was there to retrieve the Princess and her cohorts, then there was a chance they could still cover everything. Ideas and plans moved in Lute’s mind as she went to the shadowed edge of Heaven where Adam preferred to stay. 

The Archangel’s knew about the Exterminations, but if they could convince them that they were protecting Heaven? Lute knew Adam had a copy of the contract showing that Hellborn were safe, and they weren’t attacking any other rings. Pride was where the Sinner’s were! They weren’t the monsters. It was a simple thing of control. If there were too many wolves, the rabbits would vanish. 

Chapter Text

Charlie woke up slowly. The bed was soft and smelled like a memory. She could feel a hand as it brushed over her face, softly tracing her cheeks and nose. Soft laughter echoed faintly as she wiggled her nose and pulled her hand up to wipe her face. 

“Charlie~” the soft song of her name had her gasping to wakefulness. 

The room was empty. Painted a neutral cream with windows looking out over Paradise City that allowed the last light of a sunset in. Someone had removed her clothes, changing her to a thin hospital gown but covering her in a thick quilt of mismatched fabric. 

Her body felt heavy and fuzzy, the pain from before distant but still present. Turning her head to her left showed Vaggie sitting with her knees tucked against her chest in a chair. One hand rested near the edge of an odd crib, while her other was draped around her legs. Even with the obvious discomfort she could see, Charlie couldn’t help but smile at how soft her girlfriend looked. 

The dark blue sky growing outside told her she had probably been asleep for a few hours. Today had been absolutely exhausting and she wasn’t sure how much more she could take. 

The chaos of seeing her Dad get overwhelmed by Uncle Ozzie and Aunt Bel seemed like years ago. Then she’d met Heaven and her Dad’s twin! Add onto that, they had learned that Michael hadn’t even known about the Exterminations, or her. 

Emotional pain sharpened a blade against her ribs as she remembered how distant she’d treated him. She didn’t hate him, or dislike him. But she felt as if she should! He had been the one that tattled on her Dad. It was Michael who had told Heaven’s Council about her parents. If he hadn’t said anything! 

She turned her face into the pillow to hide her tears. She wanted so badly to not like her Uncle. She wanted him to be an evil person or someone like Adam. Instead she had met someone who was concerned for her. Someone who seemed unsure how to treat her but wanting to reach out. He didn’t have to meet them at the Gate. He didn’t have to insist on getting Doe clothes and then food for all of them. He didn’t have to trust their word about the Exterminations or their plans for the Hotel. 

But he did. He listened! He called for a meeting with all the members of the Council. He put Sera on trial and revealed everything.  

It hurt something close to her Soul that he hadn’t even questioned her dream while her own Dad had. 

Guilt swirled and pushed like bile up her throat as she kept her face down. Logically, she knew she’d have nothing to vomit but she didn’t want to wake Vaggie. She was surprised but not upset that her girlfriend was resting. Maybe being around Heaven had bothered her in a similar way to her and Doe? 

Her stomach gave a loud grumble as she attempted to sit up, and she felt a wash of vertigo before it settled. Laying back down she felt something strange move under her shoulders. Laying directly on her back caused the pain to sharpen, so gently she twisted and tried to reach around to touch whatever was attached to her. 

Soft fuzz met the tips of her fingers before she felt it flinch away. Panic began to build as she attempted to grab the things now moving and hurting her back. 

“Ow!” Her triumph of grabbing one of the fuzzy things was replaced with sharp and sudden pain. She let go out of instinct and snapped her attention to Vaggie as the woman leapt from her chair. 

“Charlie!” The chair tipped over from her exit, bumping the crib Vaggie had been touching. The domino effect led to the reveal of her sister being inside and very unhappy with the chaos. 

“I thought I said rest!” Someone yelled as Doe let out loud cries. Vaggie held out a hand towards each of them as a brunette stormed over to them. 

Their build reminded Charlie of Alastor, but where the Hotelier wore a red suit, this figure wore green robes. Their soft brown hair was in a low ponytail with bangs framing their face. 

“Biological development is better during sleep! But does anyone listen? No~!” The figure grumbled as Vaggie moved to her side and let the other check Doe. “C’mon little nugget, you need a new nappy.” 

“She’ll be okay,” Charlie heard Vaggie soothe while she debated going after the stranger. Luckily, they didn’t go far, just over to a counter to change Doe. Honestly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to deal with her sister when she wasn’t sure what was wrong with herself. 

“How do you feel?” Vaggie asked, hands hovering around Charlie instead of holding her. It hurt her to see the worry on Vaggie’s face. A hollow ache that felt too big for her to hope to not fall into. Everything was just too much and she wasn’t sure if she could even stand. “Does your,” 

“Hold me?” The words slipped past her lips before Vaggie could finish her question. Charlie lifted her arms a bit, wanting to reach out and latch onto her but scared to fall apart. Vaggie’s eye traced over her with a pinched expression, her own arms stopping their motion of reaching for Charlie as she was inspected. Had something happened that had hurt Vaggie? Was Vaggie scared of her or actually worried? Had Charlie hurt her? 

“Mi Reina, mi amor,” Vaggie’s whisper brought attention to the tears falling from Charlie’s eyes. The immediate weight of her arms around her, the easy shift of Vaggie slotting into the bed with her. It felt like she could hide for a minute. Let someone else carry her. 

“Your nugget wants you. Feel up to it?” The medic -because who else could they be- asked while holding an unhappy Doe. Charlie didn’t have the energy to say anything, just tightening her fingers on Vaggie’s shirt as the other freed one arm. 

“Again, she’s not ours.” Vaggie stressed with a tone that reminded Charlie of Husk. “She’s Lucifer’s daughter, Charlie’s sister.” Doe made a huffing bleat, sounding like an upset goat. 

“Still makes her one of yours.” They shrugged as Vaggie moved Doe into Charlie’s lap. “Hi by the way, I’m Raph, an Auncle or whatever. Prefer just Raph though.” The figure introduced and Charlie felt her mind click. 

“Uncle Raphael,” she noted and turned her head to nod before she deflated when the other winced. “I’m sorry, I,” 

“No, no.” They waved at her, green eyes no longer met hers as they reached for a notebook. “Not sure what Heyl-Lucifer called me. But I’m not an Uncle. Just a mix. Neither.” They explained with a detached expression. “Em’s outside with Mike, I’ll let them in.” 

Charlie felt the feeling of hollowness return. She should have kept her mouth shut. Everything that had happened since she introduced Vaggie to Uncle Ozzie had been her fault. If she just learned to control herself! 

“Hey, Charlie,” Vaggie tilted her chin till she could make eye contact. “There you are.” Tears blurred her vision again before she was slamming herself against her girlfriend. She let out a gasp that ripped at her chest. She wanted to explain, to thank Vaggie, to scream, something! “Shh, todo estará bien. You’re okay. No te preocupes. Estoy aquí, lo prometo.” 

Charlie hadn’t cried so hard in a long time. She didn’t think she’d cried like that in front of Vaggie, much less against her, ever before. She was so drained after that she wasn’t even sure if she wanted to stay awake. Her back hurt as if she had broken something. Her shoulders felt weighted, and if not for the nerves tingling along her spine, she would assume she had broken something. 

“Vaggie?” She whimpered and tried not to yell when something touched her back. Vaggie hummed at her, gentle nails brushing through Charlie’s hair as she looked down at her sister. Doe was watching her with sad eyes. The tip of her tail was devoid of fluff and appeared raw where she was suckling it. Someone had changed her clothes again, dressing her in a soft green sleeper with matching mittens and booties. Charlie was a mess, physically and emotionally, and she couldn’t help the anger she felt for her sister. 

Doe was just a baby! She didn’t understand that taking from Charlie would end up being a bad thing. She didn’t understand that there was no Demonic Energy around them for Charlie to draw and replenish from. They were in Heaven and surrounded by Angelic Energy. She hadn’t planned to even be there for longer than a few hours. She hadn’t thought they would meet so many powerful Angels. 

If her sister wasn’t with them, would Charlie still be a mess? If she had been allowed to take Doe back to the Hotel, could she have avoided Michael? If Doe wasn’t with them would she be in so much pain? Would she be dealing with the bullshit that was the so-called Council? Her Dad’s family? Probably not. She hadn’t wanted Doe to be here. 

She thought it would be a nice visit with Vaggie. A meeting to maybe establish a trial period for the Hotel, or even a zone of protection for guests. After she and Vaggie could explore and maybe Charlie could hear the real stories about Vaggie’s past. Instead she was babysitting! And their not-Uncle, but Auncle, Raph thought Doe was her and Vaggie’s baby.

Her hands tightened around Doe, gripping the girl hard enough for her to whimper. If. If. If. 

“Charlie?” Soft lavender grey hands cupped her face and pulled her gaze from the baby. Vaggie looked so concerned, her gaze searching Charlie’s. 

“What’s wrong with me?” She felt her eyes burn but she knew she couldn’t cry anymore. “If I had just,” 

“No, don’t go there.” Vaggie ordered, pushing her palms into Charlie’s face. “You haven’t done anything wrong. We just,” she stumbled to speak, “ended up being the…”

“The one who revealed that Heaven is stupid.” A woman with long blond hair spoke up as she flew into the room. “Hi! I’m your Aunt Jera, Emily and Mike are kind of busy. So I’m here!” Charlie furiously rubbed a hand over her face as she pulled away from Vaggie. “Your fluff is so cute! Oh! I remember when Mike and Hey still had down. Hey’s was a bright pink sort of like yours. Though the purple is an adorable compliment.” 

“Fluff? Down?” Charlie looked over at Vaggie. “I’m sorry, what?” Doe was pulled out of her lap to rest against Vaggie, squirming in her hold and reaching for Charlie. 

“You have wings, Charlie.” Vaggie told her with a smile. 

“WHAT?!” 

… … 

Lucifer had been waiting for three long hours for news. During that time, he had summoned up some fancy paper to write up his Deal with Carmilla. Specifications for her half demon daughters, a clause for any other children she birthed, notes to the side for passports and medical charts to be made. It was a half decent distraction. 

The red sky of Hell was slowly changing to the dark maroon of night though, and he was getting anxious. Alastor, usually annoying to a deadly degree, had disappeared after the second hour before returning with a boxed meal for them both. He hadn’t expected the light tortilla wrapped sandwiches or salad. He hadn’t wanted to eat though, only taking one to be polite. 

He was on edge. He’d scribbled a few ideas on leftover paper, and over the rough drafts he’d made. Ideas mixed with fears as he stared out at the clock on the Heavenly Embassy. Had Charlie eaten at all through their trip? Had Little Duck gotten a rash or even a change since they left? Did Vaggie know what to do with either of them? 

“Your Majesty?” A young woman with cocoa skin and fluffy white hair gave him a half smile as she walked into the room. “Don’s about to open a portal, but he said to tell you that all three are okay.” 

Lucifer wasn’t sure if he could melt from the relief, but he forced it aside to focus his legs into movement. “How soon?” 

“Very soon, Mamá asked that he open it at the Hazbin Hotel. She’s called for a car to take you.” Lucifer nodded and snapped his papers into a pile. He let his eyes rest on the finalized copy of his Deal before looking up at the girl. 

“Tell her I’ll send her a copy of the deal as soon as Charlie and Little Duck are safe.” He decided, waving the stack to his room in the Hotel before looking over to where Alastor was straightening his coat. “Think you can stand me a bit longer?” He joked and rolled his eyes when he sniffed at him. “Right, thanks for the lift,” he trailed off. 

“Clara, and it’s not often the King visits. So my pleasure,” the girl’s easy attitude drew another huff of amusement from Lucifer before he tapped his cane on the floor to open his own portal to the Hotel. 

“Don’t worry about the car. Here,” he reached into his pocket to retrieve a card. “It’ll vanish after a certain amount is spent.” He warned before walking through to the hotel. 

“A good day, Miss Clara.” Alastor laughed as he followed and the portal snapped shut. 

It took another hour of waiting before a glowing disk of white began to form near the bar. Lucifer had to fight the need to bounce as it slowly rotated in a circle until a mirage of some sort of office appeared. It looked as if someone had attempted to turn it into a bedroom with no clue of what to do. 

“Dad!” Charlie’s exuberant voice was betrayed by the fact she was being supported to stand. Immediately, Lucifer flew forward to pick her up only to be met by the solid shield of Heaven keeping him out. 

“Shit!” He hissed, stumbling backwards as a few voices echoed around him. His body felt like an electric bolt and nails had been thrown at him. Opening an eye showed Charlie looking at him with wide eyes as someone lifted her up. He thought it was Adam and nearly snarled before taking note of the rugged ‘Southern Boy Aesthetic’ and solid white eyes. “I’m fine Apple, promise.” He assured and held out his hands as his daughter was carried through the portal. 

“Dad! Are you sure you’re okay?” Charlie asked, practically falling against him before she could fully stand. “Shit, I’m so sorry!” Lucifer opened his mouth to assure her again and ask about Little Duck before he folded his arms and felt two soft flightless wings. 

“Charlie! You have wings!” He exclaimed, flaring his own wings out as he lifted himself a bit to peer over her shoulders. “Hatchling Wings!” He laughed, eyes tracing over the dusty purple wings before gently stretching one to reveal the pale red underside. 

“She does, with a secondary set possible.” A familiar voice spoke up behind them and from the other side of the portal. “I wrote some notes, a few things are bound to be an issue if you don’t have your own Doctor. I could set up something to have Charlie and Dowan checked on frequently.” Lucifer felt a mix of emotion as he looked through the portal at his brother Raphael. 

The centuries had been long, but it seemed Raphael had stuck with his desire to heal people. Their hair was pulled back, now long enough to stay in a low tail with bangs framing his now emerald eyes. There were a few less signs of laughter on his face, and his once present blush was gone, replaced with trails of freckles. Lucifer wasn’t sure if he’d grown, but he’d guess he was still as tall as Gabriel. 

“The nugget will need some rest, so will Charlie. Her more than the baby since she could still grow the secondary wings. Those will probably be lower and around her mid back. Honestly, she should’ve grown wings as a child!” Raphael continued, folding the clipboard in his hands into an envelope that he threw through the portal. “You’re lucky the baby doesn’t show signs of wings. The amount of preening is going to be a nightmare.” 

“If y’don’t need me. I’m getting out of here.” Abaddon spoke up, glaring at Lucifer as he opened another portal. “Tell Carm we’re even.” The male snarled as he walked into a circle of darkness. “Feed your brats, Lollipop.” 

“My! What a rude fool!” Alastor huffed, his Shadow making a silent raspberry before moving to wrap around Vaggie and Little Duck. “Greetings Archangel! Apologies for the rude welcome from our King.” 

“Have at least two heavy proteins a day until she’s up to weight. And you should double check your own stress levels.” Raphael continued speaking to Vaggie, either not hearing or ignoring Alastor. 

Lucifer wasn’t sure he cared. His siblings in Heaven were pricks and entitled. But they had taken care of his daughters. 

“I’m so sorry we left without a note, I swear it wasn’t intentional.” Charlie mumbled into his chest, clinging to him as he shifted his arms around so he could carry her like he had when she was younger. “I didn’t mean for Doe to come. I thought we had more time.” She continued, letting out a yawn that made one of her wings flutter against his arm. 

“Shh, I gotcha, Dad’s got you.” Lucifer whispered, carefully making his way over to where Vaggie stood talking with his brother with Little Duck swaddled in her arms. “Hey brother,” he greeted softly. 

Raphael flinched at his greeting before looking him over with veiled neutrality. “Just Raph, they, them.” Lucifer blinked in surprise before feeling a grin nearly split his face. 

“Hi Raph! I’m Lucifer he, they, she, depending on the day.” He reintroduced himself, feeling pride swell beneath his wings when his sibling relaxed and brushed a lock of hair behind their hair. “Thanks,” he moved Charlie slightly while nodding towards Vaggie and his baby, “I, thank you, for taking care of my girls.” 

“It wasn’t just me.” Raph admitted, “Mike was actually the first. Then Gabe and then me. Not that it matters. Um, you, you should really make sure you’re all eating right. You look like a Cherub could knock you over.” 

“I’ll make sure,” Vaggie butted in with a smile. “For now, I think we all need some sleep and a meal before we collapse.” 

“Right, yeah, I’ll, I’ll tell Mike you guys got home. I’ll send a messenger with any updates on the Trial.” Raph said before the portal snapped shut with the smell of burnt plastic and cinnamon. 

“Trial?” Vaggie sighed but nodded. 

“It’s been a long day.” Doe squirmed in her arms until bright red and orange eyes found him and she whined. “And I think both of them need you right now, Sir.” Lucifer would never deny that he felt the same. 

“Here, let me just,” a portal to his room opened, “I’ll summon some food and we can eat later.” 

“Au contraire!” Alastor’s usual static broke through the calm with the talent of a show host. “I’ll prepare a large breakfast. Your, sibling, left quite the list to review. I insist.” Lucifer didn’t feel like fighting or even speaking to the other, but he had been helpful. 

“Thanks Al,” Vaggie spoke up before he could. “See you in the morning.” Lucifer quickly followed the other Angel through the portal before he needed to respond. 

Setting Charlie down proved difficult and took a few attempts before Lucifer was able to get her to roll onto her side with her wings facing the edge of the bed. Vaggie attempted to put Little Duck down beside Charlie but quickly scooped her up when she began to fuss. 

“Let me have her,” Lucifer demanded with his hands out. Vaggie hesitated, “You should lay down for a bit. Bed’s plenty big enough for you two.” He assured and summoned the rocking chair he usually slept in from the palace. Settling down made his entire body relax and he made quick work of summoning a bottle and formula for Little Duck as Vaggie slipped into the bed beside Charlie. 

Even with how tired he was, he doubted he would get any sleep for the night. Bel would probably hate him for staying awake, especially after the day they’d all had. He should set a reminder to call her tomorrow as well. She could use the notes Raph had thrown to them. 

“Oh, was my Little Duck hungry?” He teased when Dowan latched onto the bottle with her hands and tail. “Oh, baby, what happened to your tail?” He winced, carefully grabbing the spade to inspect the raw tip. He definitely would need to call Bel. 

A familiar Shadow made its appearance about an hour after he’d gotten Little Duck to sleep. It gave him a sheepish expression before spinning across the wall above Charlie and Vaggie. Lucifer watched it reach out and brush a hand over the duo before making its way to him and draping across them. 

“You’re a lot nicer than your Master.” He grumbled, letting the shade settle across him like a cat. “Just don’t bother her,” he ordered as Little Duck gave a deep sigh and began to glow a faint green. 

Chapter Text

Lucifer didn’t want to close his eyes, but exhaustion was now settling into his very bones. Aside from the nap yesterday, he couldn’t remember the last time he actually slept. 

Vaggie had been up and down throughout the night with dreams that made her jerk awake. He had struggled helping her down from more than one panic attack, but Vaggie had finally slipped into a deep sleep near dawn. Charlie had woken up a few times due to pain from her new wings. It had pained him to hear her whimper and bite back sobs. Pain medications only did so much, and he ended up having to set Little Duck down to gently rub over Charlie’s new joints until she fell back to sleep. 

The first time he set Little Duck down to help one of the others, she let out weak whimpers that changed to full blown cries when she tried to suck her tail and drew blood. He had been forced to summon a clone to help him. He could feel the immediate drain from his clone and had a few seconds before it vanished. Instead of having to scramble to her side and away from Charlie, he had turned to see Alastor’s Shadow gently cradling Little Duck and glowing a brighter green. 

He felt like a ball on a roulette wheel, constantly rotating between the three with no rhythm or plan. He wouldn’t deny that he collapsed more than sat as Hell’s morning glow crept into the room. Charlie was tucked under Vaggie’s chin, the woman finally relaxed and matching Charlie’s soft snores. Little Duck was swaddled in a much smaller form of the Shadow, its glow no longer noticeable. Lucifer could only assume as his baby drew in Demonic Energy from the Shadow, it couldn’t replenish as quickly and thus grew smaller. 

He could give Little Duck an actual bath. He doubted Vaggie or Charlie would wake up for a while. He knew he should get a bit of rest too. Especially with all three being asleep now, but he couldn’t. There was a list of things he should be doing, or at least putting in an attempt for. Calling the Sins, reaching out to Bel for another visit, go over the papers Raph had given them, look over his rough sketch for an indoor Eden. 

Lucifer sat up with a groan. A bath first, Little Duck needed a pacifier to replace her tail and he needed to bandage it so she wouldn’t gum it off. Could she do that? He couldn’t remember if Charlie had ever chewed her tail so much. He knew she had at some point, but Lilith had been quick to replace it with other items. Maybe he should look into that. Bee may have some type of substitute. 

“Alright Little Duck, let’s get a bath, yeah?” His baby gave him a tired blink before reaching a hand up. He let his own shoulders slouch as he freed her from the small Shadow and settled her against him. “You had such a long day, huh? Duckie and you had so many adventures!” He whispered while gently pulling her tail away from her hands. She whined but folded it around his wrist as he moved them to the bathroom. 

“I think we can forget bubbles.” He continued in a soft voice, chuckling when Little Duck gave a huff and tried to bite him. “Okay, a few bubbles. But Daddy needs to relax too, I can’t have you sliding everywhere.” He admonished with a hum. He used his magic to muffle the sound of water filling the tub and cleared an area near the sink to summon the things they’d need. 

Soon the bath was filled with warm steam and the smell of vanilla and lavender. He couldn’t help the half smile on his face when he lowered them into the tub and both made a similar sigh of relaxation. “Just like Daddy, huh?” Little Duck used her tail to splash the water, waking up a bit more to twist and watch her tail. 

Lucifer easily shifted to free his own tail and flicked a bit of water at her, laughing at her offended surprise. Her retaliation was her own splashing and peals of laughter as bubbles formed around her. 

They could enjoy the water for a bit. Lucifer had an arm loosely holding Little Duck on his stomach, he would wait a few more minutes before soaping them both down. 

… … 

Shadow was tired. He wanted to return to his Master, but the Little Doe still needed him. She was far too weak; weaker than when his Master had first appeared. If not for the Bright Star’s presence, he would have simply taken her to his Master. His power could fill the Little Doe with Energy three times over! As it was, he feared poking at this mess by vanishing with her. He had let her drain from him to the point that he was nearly incorporeal.  

His Master would be able to help! He was a powerful being! Little Doe was being held by the Bright Star and was safe for now. With a silent chitter, he slipped under the door and made the exhausting trip to find the male. 

… … 

Alastor had been working in the kitchen for an hour or more when his Shadow returned to him. He tensed when he felt it slink into the room, its Energy nearly depleted and its form more opaque than usual. 

“Where have you been?” He hummed when the creature formed a faint pool under his feet, draining a good portion of his own reserves before answering. “Interesting,” he muttered when he received the image of the King holding his baby in the bath while the other young ladies slept. “That won’t do.” He said to no one, quickly cleaning the ingredients he had prepped before retrieving his coat. The previous day had proven exactly how much of a disaster the Royals could handle. They needed a break. 

By the time Alastor appeared in the King’s room, he found almost everyone asleep. He felt something in his chest twinge at the obvious bags under the eyes of the sleeping King. He had seemed to fall asleep dressed in only a pair of shorts, and Little Doe swaddled in a soft towel,

“Hello Little Doe,” Alastor greeted with a whisper. Little Doe turned herself away from Lucifer’s chest, cooing around her tail with bright eyes. Tilting to lean over the two, he let himself relax and give the babe a genuine smile. “Ah, such a small fawn.” He teased even as he scooped the child free from Lucifer. Alastor hummed when almost immediately she let go of her tail to bite his coat lapel and take his Energy. 

“Such a hungry one, aren’t you?” He teased, freeing his coat to replace with his finger. She seemed much happier as she began sucking the knuckle behind his claw. It made him wonder how she would handle a stronger source of Demonic Energy. She very clearly needed it and drew it with fervor from skin to skin contact. 

Would she be satisfied with a spoonful of blood? It was far more potent. Lingering on that thought, he carefully moved to an abandoned chair facing the still oblivious Lucifer. If Little Doe were able to be satisfied with Demonic Blood, would it matter the strength of the demon? Sinner Demons held small amounts of Demonic Energy though it could be built upon, hence the Overlords. Hellborn Demons held a higher quantity but were often limited by their own biology. The only ones Alastor could recall seeing putting their Energy to use, had been Hellhounds and members of the Ars Goetia. He had seen only a handful of Imps use their own Energy, usually to carry items around in a sort of invisible space. 

What of a Sin? Or even an Overlord such as himself? Alastor looked down to inspect Dowan, eyes meeting a shade similar to Charlie’s. Little Doe already took his own Energy, adapting it to her needs without much fuss. Theoretically that could mean she would be able to ingest a bit of his blood with no rejection of the Energy. The question then would be, could she take blood? Human children didn’t have blood as part of their diet. He wasn’t sure Hellborn Demons were an exception, and seeing as Lucifer was a Fallen Angel. Well, a thought for another time. 

“Let’s see what we can cook up. I’m sure you’d like a snack.” He hummed, letting out a chuckle as Dowan grumbled when he pulled his hand free. “Ah, least we leave the King in a panic.” He added, summoning up a quick note for Lucifer and resting it on the other’s face. He couldn’t miss it. And if he added a bit of thread to keep it in place? Well, who could say? 

It was easy from there to simply shadow back into the hallway and leisurely walk down the stairs. Occasionally, he’d stop to inspect an area needing repair, or look out a window as Dowan watched. It was rather…peaceful. 

The child reminded him of a better time, one that slipped and shied away throughout his mortal life. He never felt the draw of having a family. To be honest he still didn’t. But the tethers he found himself casting with this ragtag group were not unpleasant. 

Even now. With the appearance of his Royal Annoyance, he felt his stance in the Hotel was firm. More so now even. While Charlie’s easy acceptance of him as vital to the Hotel grated against the King. It was thanks to the disaster of yesterday that sealed his place at the Hazbin Hotel. 

Husk was just coming out of his own room as Alastor got to the second floor. The man still seemed half asleep, his eyes barely open and clothes put on haphazardly. “Good morning, Husker!” He laughed when Husk’s response was to flip him off. 

“Too early,” he grumbled even as he fell into step alongside Alastor. “Reason you got the kid?” Husk offered the baby one of his claws, and offered her a rare smile when she latched onto it. “King know about it?” 

“His Pigheadedness is currently asleep, as are Charlie and her paramour.” Alastor explained, eyeing the connection between the two with a bit of curiosity. “Even I know not to leave a baby unattended and hungry.” He scoffed while shifting Little Doe higher against his chest and shoulder. Husk rolled his eyes but took back his claw with no show of Energy. 

“What?” The feline male demanded. Alastor chose not to answer, instead moving down the stairs and to the kitchen. 

Alastor got to work as soon as he settled Little Doe in a deep basket. She quickly squirmed her way into sitting up and latched her hands on the sides. “Careful Little Doe, we mustn’t fall.” He teased with a gentle tap on her nose. She gave him a wide gummy smile and reached up to latch onto his finger again, drawing a bright green spark of Energy from him. “How curious.” He mumbled while he let her latch on and bring his hand to her face. 

She hadn’t drawn any Energy from Husk, even with direct contact. Was she drawing Energy consciously? Did that mean she chose him? Red-gold eyes looked up at him as drool began to pool over his fingers. Alastor didn’t know much about Lucifer's youngest. 

According to overheard conversations between Vaggie and Charlie, the Princess of Hell hadn’t even known about her. There were no rumors of the King having a consort, and his reaction to the jab proved he wasn’t going to consider one either. Going off of only appearances, Dowan looked a great deal like Lucifer. Aside from her dark red hair, she was very much a Morningstar. 

“Oh the story you could tell,” he mused. “Now! I do believe you have some teeth coming in. How about a meal? Hmm? I’m sure I can prepare something much more appealing than my hand.” He promised with a wave of music. Little Doe jumped in surprise at the music, releasing his hand to look around. 

Alastor retrieved some diced beets and tossed them into a small pot of water before cutting Hell’s versions of a ginger and mint. With the sound of a knife and music, Alastor made quick work of creating a meal for Little Doe. If he closed his eyes he could imagine he was alive once more. Cooking and listening to tunes while his Mama chased little ones around outside. It was nice. 

“Hey Smiles! Didn’t expect ya!” And now his peace was destroyed. Alastor felt his ears tilt backwards as Little Doe greeted the spider with a laugh. “Awe! If it ain’t my favorite little womb nugget! How ya been? Oh! Look at ya little tail! You’re so cute!” 

Alastor turned just in time to see Angel get smacked by the spaded tail. The other didn’t seem entirely bothered, not even when Alastor began to laugh at the streak of drool now on his face. “Yeah, I get it. Auncle Angie smells pretty bad.” He laughed, using a spare hand to wipe his face while placing her back into the basket. “Whatcha make? Is that blood?!” Angel exclaimed. Alastor rolled his eyes before turning back to the pot of gently bubbling puree. 

“I have standards! She’s much too young to be having meat.” He jabbed, making a show of summoning a knife and the cutting board of diced beets. It did look a bit like bloody chunks of something. “A hearty meal after yesterday.” He said by way of explanation. 

“Right,” Angel mumbled. “Well! I ain’t changin’ her diaper.” He shrugged and ruffled Little Doe’s hair as he made his exit. “I’ll be back after a shower!” He called over his shoulder. 

Alastor summoned a few shades to clean the kitchen as he poured a bit of the puree into a bowl and settled down in front of the baby. She cooed at him and lifted her arms, giving him a confused warble when he sat down. Alastor took a minute to check that there were no chunks in the food, as well as made sure it was cooled down, before lifting a small bite to her. 

She made another confused noise before attempting to grasp the spoon. Her surprise made Alastor laugh before he attempted another bite. Little Doe seemed surprised when he managed to feed the next bite to her, half of it spilling past her lips before she again grabbed at the spoon. He was a bit grateful she was sitting on a towel as she managed to knock the spoon away on the third bite. She let out a loud babble, shocked at the smear of puree now on her chest. 

“We mustn’t expect perfection on our first meal.” Alastor said as he lifted a corner to wipe away the mess. “Perhaps a,” He hadn’t thought he was holding the bowl so close. Little Doe decided to make him second guess himself as she tilted forward and somehow fell face first into the bowl. 

He did not panic. He was controlled and careful when shadowed tendrils shot from his back and lifted the babe from drowning. His chest loosened from its sudden tight grip as Little Doe looked at him in shock before letting out a sneeze that splattered puree onto him. 

“Well. That went well.” He muttered just as the door slammed open. 

“Dowan!” Lucifer stood in nothing but a loose pair of boxers, his horns and tail on full display as he took in the scene. “YOU” Alastor raised a brow at the Demon King before he was being thrown to the side. 

Alastor slammed into the far wall, coughing up blood and spit as Lucifer sent a crescent of fire towards him. Thin spikes erupted from his shadow, forming a crude barrier that barely allowed him to dodge the flames. Lucifer followed him, flames licking around his face as he threw punches, elbows, knees, and kicks that Alastor couldn’t avoid. He could feel his bones breaking even through the rushed attempt to use his Shadow as armor. 

Alastor didn’t just take Lucifer’s attacks though. He threw his own Demonic Energy out, cracking his limbs out in a mix of claws and bone as he hacked and ripped at the King. Gold and red mixed as the kitchen became ruins and they moved through the walls. Alastor’s eyes remained locked on Lucifer as he forced his own form to grow and for shaded minions to erupt from shadows around them. 

“My Daughter?!” The words were felt more than heard; shooting through Alastor’s soundwaves with the force of lightning. Talons of Holy Gold latched onto the sides of his face, forcing him still as eyes of brilliant white fire stared into his own. 

The entire world seemed to slow as Holy Energy was forced into Alastor with the sharpness of nails fired from a gun. Colors seemed to pop, tiny particles of green Energy attempting to meet the wounds. Pain like no other seared into Alastor, forcing the distressed call of an elk from him. Blood trickled down the sides of his face as his vision blurred. 

Fragile instinct or the indomitable Soul in him, something flickered at the edge of his awareness. Alastor didn’t have the mind power to name what drove his fist into the soft underbelly of the Beast holding him. 

Lucifer buckled from the blow, releasing him. Alastor didn’t wait and swung again, batting the male like a fly. His fist hit like a train, sending Lucifer to the ground with enough force to create a crater. Alastor had seconds to retract his shades to condense into armor before Lucifer was back on him. 

“DAD!” The sound shattered the fighting between the two Eldritch Beings. “STOP!” Charlie stood at their eye level on the second floor. Horns of deep red, a spaded tail of ebony, and glowing eyes of red and gold framed with black lashes. She was every bit the scene of power and elegance. If one ignored the startled fluff spread wide over her shoulders. “Do you have any idea,” 

“Charlie!” 

“No! You could have killed everyone! Residents! Us! Doe! Why?” Charlie interrupted, eyes narrowed as she snarled at the two. Alastor slowly pulled himself back to his natural shape. Pain bloomed over his body as he became aware of his injuries. 

“He took your sister! He was going to eat her!” Lucifer yelled, pointing an accusing finger in his direction as he attempted to hold composure. He was decently sure his ribs were piercing at least one lung from behind. “She was covered in blood and he was holding her to his face!” He snarled, fire again moving around him as he spun to tackle Alastor. 

“I was not!” Alastor attempted to snap. Blood flew past his lips as he was forced to take a knee. “She was hungry. You were asleep!” He growled, dials flickering in his vision as tried to force himself to stand. “She fell into the bowl.” He explained, hating how his vision was swimming. Reaching for more of his power gave him a new pain, one around his neck that pulled him closer to the ground. 

Alastor couldn’t focus. His rage at being so weak only made blood pool in his mouth as he attempted to snarl. Hands pulled at him as voices ranged in distress around him. The desire for consciousness to leave him warred with his need to not be seen at such a disadvantage. 

“Blood?” 

“Al!” 

“Heal,” 

But beneath it, he felt something pull at him. His Shadow wasn’t on him. It was, 

“Doe,” he managed to whisper. His Shadow had her, but when had it retreated from him? Was it keeping her safe? Had it left with her? Was that part of why Lucifer was so adamant on killing him?

He needed to call it to them. Show them Doe was fine, safe. But he couldn’t even push the hands on him off. 

“Shit. Call Bel!” 

Chapter Text

Bel was going to create an isolation ward specifically for Lucifer and his children. She was going to place them. All three of them! Into an enclosure bed and use Carfentanil to keep them there. 

“Bel,” 

“Not. A. Sound.” She grumbled, using her tail to smack Lucifer while drawing a vial of blood from Charlotte. Lilith had never been a problem patient. In fact, she had corralled more than one Sin into her office. Bel could recall with fondness how the First Woman had hauled Satan and Lucifer into her office by their respective tails after more than one fight. 

Charlotte winced when she retracted the needle and slapped gauze onto the spot. Bel took a deep breath; she didn’t need to take her aggravations out on her patient niece. With softer motions, she placed a childish Band-Aid over the gauze. “Beelzebub will be here soon. Have her make you all a meal.” She ordered and let her hand linger on her niece's arm. “High calorie but avoid heavy sugar.” 

“Yes ma’am,” the blonde mumbled as she attempted to stand on shaking legs. 

“Babe, wait,” Vaggie moved to assist at the same time as Bel used her sand to brace the young woman’s legs. 

“You’ll need to work on your balance. Stretch your wings. Your angel can help.” Bel went on, waiting till Charlotte was balanced again before pulling her sand away and turning to her first patient. 

The Sinner Demon was in one word. Exhausting. How Lucifer hadn’t killed him in their spat was only due to his paranoia and exhaustion. If Lucifer had been in his right mind, Bel had no doubt he would have skipped the torture and snapped the Sinner’s Soul. 

“Bel, I promise,” 

“Lucifer Morningstar. Silence.” Bel turned her head to look at the man. Shortly after her arrival she had wrapped her brother in a mix of cotton and silicon carbide. The solid bundle not only kept him in place, but also worked as a conduit for his explosive Energy. 

She didn’t usually care what humans did or created, but she did enjoy the many uses they’d come up with for sand. Lucifer attempted to pull himself out of the hold, straining his neck and shoulders against it before trying to tempt her with remorseful eyes. “You are not hurt. You are exhausted to the point of vacuous decisions. Shut. Up.” 

Bel returned her attention to the Sinner, waving a hand to provide minute adjustments to his limbs. The Sinner flinched but remained tightlipped. Under normal circumstances she would have ignored the creature and let his punishment of eternal suffering heal him. But Lucifer had used both Energies to attack, and Angelic Energy was not something he would heal from. 

Angelic Energy, for all that many Souls considered it ‘pure’, was more of an acid than an alkaline. Angelic Energy was vinegar while Demonic Energy was baking soda. In the beginning years of their Fall, Lilith said that Lucifer would have bouts of explosive insanity that -when he could move- led to him ripping denizens apart. She had seen the scars Lucifer carried and knew from Lilith’s stilted comments that when insanity plagued him and no outlet was found he would turn on himself. 

It wasn’t until Leviathan joined them that any of them began to create a way to bond the two Energies into anything resembling what they were now. While Paimon, the Sins, Abaddon, and several others had developed a way to bond the two Energies. Many Fallen hadn’t. She had seen too many literally burn away in golden hues. 

Looking over the Sinner she could see the way the Angelic Energy burned around his injuries. Glowing embers smoldered around the various open wounds weeping blood. She could sense the Sinner’s Energy attempting to heal the many broken bones as she set them and wanted to grumble as she had to waste time doing minute fractures to keep the bones from resetting wrong. 

“I must say,” the Sinner’s tone was tight as she forced his neck straight, “I hadn’t expected a Sin to swaddle his Highness.” His attempt at a joke ended with him coughing a mouthful of sandy blood when Bel’s hand slipped into the slit on him. 

“I am not swaddled, Songbird!” Lucifer snarked back to Bel’s annoyance. “Bel, just let him die. Last thing Charlie or Dowan needs,” Bel’s sand easily hardened around her brother’s mouth. 

“Thank you, he was being quite,” Bel let out a sigh as she muffled the Sinner too. Turning to her last patient, she inspected the three beings snuggling the sleeping Dowan. 

Dowan had been dressed in a soft heart themed shirt from one of Charlotte’s residents. Someone had wrapped her tail spade in gauze and then done the same to her hands. Her face, especially her lips, was stained from some type of food. Beside her lay Razzle and Dazzle, each of the Hellborn had curled around her to provide a barrier while a Shadow had wrapped around her as a see-through blanket. 

The Hellborn brothers barely twitched to acknowledge her approach, but the Shadow lifted its head to give her a snarled expression. Bel didn’t have the energy to roll her eyes at the protective Shadow. Weaving her tail between the trio, she lifted Dowan out of the pile. The Shadow raised claws to keep itself attached, an action that drew curiosity from the Sin of Sloth. 

Gently, she lowered Dowan enough for the Shadow to ‘jump’ and wrap back around her with a soft green glow. Razzle gave a soft baa, claiming the Shadow was half Dowan’s. She rumbled back for a more in-depth explanation. Razzle shared a look with his twin before both shrugged. Why couldn’t anyone give a straight answer? 

“Sinner. I told you to stay away from the Princess.” Bel wanted to send the Sinner into the depths of the Wrathian Desert. Did no one listen to her when she spoke? Did no one think that she knew what she meant when she said things? 

Summoning up her own Demonic Energy, she carefully traced a claw over the crown of Dowan’s head, pushing aside her hair to show the beginning of new growth on her ears and the tiny stitches of Demonic Energy taking root to her Soul. 

Lucifer’s Angelic Energy was so muted now, it was only present if Bel searched for it. The babe’s Demonic Energy was mixed so thoroughly with the Sinner’s she could pass as his own. She doubted either adult patient realized what was going on. Then again, it would explain why Lucifer didn’t kill the Sinner. 

“Lucifer. Why didn’t you End the Sinner?” Bel demanded as she waved a hand to remove his muzzle. 

Lucifer gave an exaggerated gasp for air, almost making her sigh at his theatrics. As if the King had been smothered. She wasn’t so tired as to deny him oxygen. Yet. “I was about too! Then Charlie told me to stop, and she, she didn’t, I mean, she doesn’t have the Energy. So, I, well, I um,” 

“You stopped.” Bel said with a sigh. “While you continued giving her Energy.” A wave of her hand released the Sinner, the screech of static disturbing the sand over her form as she narrowed her eyes. This Sinner was powerful, almost to the point of a Goetia. How could a Sinner have so much power? It could explain why he was able to give it to Dowan, but not the reason for it. 

“Are you typically so rude to the impaired?” He demanded with a snarl-like smile. “His Highness aside. For a renowned figure, you have terrible manners.” Bel felt her sand tighten as it broke the carpals in his wrist. 

Bel turned back to Lucifer, moving Dowan closer to him before pulling back the babe’s hair. A small shell ear with tufts of fine black hair. Turning her again, Bel made sure Dowan was facing Lucifer as she gently scratched under her chin to make the small ears and tail flutter and poke out. Lucifer looked on with wide eyes and an open mouth. 

“Unlike Charlotte taking after her father. Dowan seems to have taken after her mother.” The combined noise from both men caused Dowan to wake up with a cry. Bel grumbled at the ringing in her ears and rewrote her plan of confinement to include sound proofing. 

… … 

Angel was careful as he pulled Charlie’s right wing while Vaggie moved her left. He hadn’t expected a trip to Heaven would have such dramatic changes. Not that he was going to complain. The amount of fluff Charlie now had was better than him! Plus, it was ridiculously soft. He’s pretty sure he could make a fortune if he got even a handful. 

“Watch the basal phalanx, don’t bend it.” Vaggie ordered, her hands tracing along the stretched limb before carefully letting it fold. Charlie heaved a huge sigh when she let go, and Angel felt a bit bad at his own touch. “I think that’s enough exercise.” Vaggie’s softness changed as she looked over at Angel, replaced with a look of worry that she wouldn’t show Charlie. 

“Yeah, I think Husk usually gets a shower after he messes with his wings.” He spoke up, lifting his hands in a helpless shrug while waving his second set in a questioning motion. Vaggie rolled her eye, nodding to the commandeered kitchen and then to Charlie. “Or we could check the kitchen.” He added as Charlie’s wings shook themselves and she attempted to stand. 

“Woah!” Her exclamation was followed by nervous laughter when Angel had to reach out and catch her. “Sorry!” 

“Always knew I was the better option!” Angel teased as he pulled Charlie back to the couch. “Hag, go get us a feast! Me and my new girlfriend are starvin’!” He joked, laughing at the blush on Charlie’s face and the middle finger from Vaggie. Angel flipped his legs up, using them as a belt of sorts to keep Charlie from trying to get back up, before leaning close. “Now, ya gotta tell me. What was Heaven like?” 

Charlie smiled at his question, a contrast to her usual bouncing excitement. He relaxed as she quickly fell into a ramble of pink clouds and lots of pastels. Angel only half listened. He wasn’t sure he cared about the trip. Not that it meant he wasn’t happy about the supposed stop of the Exterminations, but he was more concerned with how his friends came back looking like they were going to turn into soggy paper. Charlie more physically than Vaggie. 

A hushed conversation between him and Vaggie had led to him learning why. While Charlie had been examined by her aunt, Vaggie had told him how Charlie had essentially been a bottle for her sister to suck dry. Then to add to Charlie’s freaky Demon Energy stuff being drained, she grew a set of wings! Angel wasn’t sure if he was high, but the request for Vaggie to stab him had gotten him slapped with a shoe. She should be more forgiving! This whole mess was full of freaky magic, and he was only used to seeing Mr. Creepy-Strawberry-Pimp and the Vees using any of it. 

He’d seen Val use a lot of power. From spending his Energy making repairs to the studios, to busting his boyfriend into the bed. He’d spend it on shows of power and act like it was nothing. But there had been a few times where Angel had seen him use too much. Val would look like he’d wilted. His wings would drag, and his venom wouldn’t be as potent, or not work at all. That combined with his lack of coherent speech? Well, Angel had enjoyed the time off from being Val’s favorite toy. 

Seeing Charlie in a similar state didn’t make him as happy though. If anything, it made him remember the days his sister would get so sick she would stumble around their home. The way she’d look like a faded version of herself but still try to get him to smile and laugh. He missed his sister. More than anything, he was grateful he’d never seen her in Hell. She didn’t need to see how far he’d fallen, or how far he’d keep falling to keep her safe. 

“And there were these beautiful stars! I didn’t know there could be so many! I wanted to take pictures, but we, heh, we kinda left our phones. Plus, that was when Don came in.” Angel hummed. He remembered the stars; his brother Nick had painted some above his and Molly’s beds. He snorted at the memory. “What?” 

“Huh?” he asked, blinking back to the present to see Charlie looking at him in confusion. “Ah, nothin’. Just remembered somethin’. My brother? He, uh,” Angel hesitated. He didn’t share much. He didn’t like how it made him feel to remember sometimes. Part of why he liked crack was because it let him fall back into those memories as if they were still real. “He painted, the stars. Me and my sister, Molly, I don’t know why he…Never mind, it’s nothin’.” Angel struggled, feeling his throat clog as he remembered more of that day. Of how Molly had been so upset that they couldn’t see some dumb star thing the night before. Of how Nick had gone out and stole white paint from some store. 

“What was it like?” Charlie whispered, laying her hands across his boots to play with the zipper. “Having siblings?” Angel wanted to make a joke. Tell her how annoying and dumb it was having someone shoving you around or them tagging along no matter where you went. 

“It’s…nice.” He settled with instead. Nick had a habit of sharing Sugar Babies and candy buttons whenever he got them. Molly had been his back up in a bar one night even after he’d called her names. They were all mean to each other, but at the end of it. “They always got ya even when it’s dumb.” He added before nudging her and gave her a wide grin. “I’d trade ‘em for a dime though.” 

“You wouldn’t!” Charlie gasped, her look of outrage and disbelief making Angel burst into stomach hurting laughs. “Angel! You’re kidding, right? Angel!” 

… … 

Contrary to what everyone thought. Husk did know how to cook. He didn’t like doing it, but he could make a decent selection of food. Nothing fancy like Al could, but the man had given him a complement or three when he was very drunk. 

“If you swap the butter for sour cream, it’ll taste better.” He wasn’t correcting the Sin of Gluttony. Just offering a preference. Wasn’t on him if she listened or not. “Second fridge, top shelf,” he added while taking a deep swallow of his whiskey. 

“Breadcrumbs or crackers?” The bee-fox hybrid asked as she flitted to the pantry. Husk had cleaned up most of the destroyed wall, Niffty helped. The duo had managed to make the kitchen presentable when a massive Hellhound and the Sin had shown up. The Hellhound, Texas? Husk didn’t care enough to remember. The Sin had shown up with bags of food. 

“Breadcrumbs. Leftover garlic loaf behind the barbeque sauce.” He answered just as Niffty came in with Pentious following. 

“Oh! Are we cooking?” The snake asked with his hands clasped. “I shall make biscuits!” Husk rolled his eyes as he slithered off to the freezer. Husk stood by his argument that frozen cookies weren’t normal. Sure, the batter still worked, but it just tasted off. 

“No worries, babes! I got cookies, Mac ‘n Cheese, two pies from home, burgers, and like a ton of potatoes.” Beelzebub listed off as she moved around. Her Hellhound partner seemed used to her antics. Husk watched as the man laughed and held up a jar of what smelled like sugar. 

“Don’t forget the crispy treats!” His laugh made the Sin’s hair wave as she gave him a smile similar to what Charlie gave to Vaggie. Oh, lovers. That explained a bit. 

“I would still like to help.” Pentious said as Niffty ran around him with a stack of plates. “If you would allow it, Mrs. ?” 

“Ew! None of that Mrs. shit. Call me Bee,” she waved. “You are one hyper Sinner. You stick around.” She commanded with a sharp grin at Niffty. Husk paused for a beat, not to make sure Niffty was safe or whatever. He just didn’t want the woman to try and stab a Sin for getting in her way. “Here, take Char,” 

“Hello Miss Vagatha!” Pentious greeted, turning Husk’s attention away from Niffty to see the tired angel wander in. 

“Not my, you know what. Whatever.” Vaggie grumbled, “I was hoping to grab a plate?” 

“Perfect! We got chips and salsa to start! Rasher burgers are almost done and then we got some good comfort food for when Luci and Bel come down.” Beelzebub’s partner slid a platter closer to where Husk sat, raising a brow and grinning when Husk glared. He was not a busboy. “Think Lolli will want peach or apple pie? Luci’s a slut for any kind.” She asked while flipping a slab of what smelled like bacon into a skillet. “Well, he was a slut. He looked off last time I saw him.” 

“Babe, the last time you saw him, you were face first in a bucket.” Texas teased, laughing and bouncing away when the Sin tried to hit him with a towel. Husk snatched the platter as Vaggie reached for it. He did not want to be between a Sin and their partner, playful or not, he was not cleaning the kitchen again.

Chapter Text

Alastor knew he shouldn’t be up and about. His body felt much like when he had first rejuvenated after being killed. His spine shifted painfully, pulling on his ribs in a way that made him wish to gasp for air. His hands curled to relieve pain that danced across the bones in them. His feet, particularly his right, refused to handle much weight so he had been forced to create a set of braces to keep them from buckling. Radio waves brushed around him but he barely heard the noise through his cane. 

If not for the smile permanently stitched to his face, he would be scowling or at the very least fighting not to frown. But he needed time. Time to wrap his mind around information. Time to heal. Time to think how this would change his plans or if they would. 

If he had known what it meant to have the little spawn take his Energy. If he could have stopped her. How could he not realize what it meant? Demonic or angelic, it apparently didn’t matter as long as he gave his Energy willingly. 

She had seemed so curious when she had reached out with her own Energy. He had known her draw to his Energy had been strange. He took note and questioned! How could he go on now? Knowing that, that, 

“Alastor?” The upper-class New York accent dragged him from his thoughts. When had he arrived at Rosie's Emporium? The woman herself was looking at him in confusion, lips pulled down and eyebrows furrowed to show her concern. A quick scan of the open floor showed a handful of customers, of which only one seemed interested in his arrival. 

“Rosie! I hate to interrupt a busy day!” He greeted her with a wave of his cane. If the onlooker let out a sound of painful surprise? Well, he was a chump and should know better. 

“Nevah for you! Did you come for that deal or something else?” Rosie asked, smoothing her dress as she passed something to one of the ladies working. “You know, I got more than one schmuck talkin’ like they can skate around. Could use a few kicks, if ya know what I mean.” The quick way Rosie moved to his personal space and lifted a hand told him how off he seemed. Normally he couldn’t stop his friend from pulling him in a hug or grabbing at his face. 

“My groceries were dwindling dangerously and I’ve been feeling peckish. Shall we discuss more?” Alastor asked with his hand held out. She seemed to consider it for a moment, searching his face before gently taking his hand. 

He kept his weight off of her until they left the storefront. Rosie barely stumbled when he let himself stumble, moving her hand to wrap around his waist and led him towards a settee. He took the seat with care, hissing when the magic around his legs vanished and pain throbbed from the bones. Old habit had him motioning to his Shadow before he remembered it wasn’t with him. 

“A sound like that tells me, you’ve got a story.” Alastor hummed in reply. He wasn’t sure how to begin, or actually to put it into words. “Tea or coffee?” 

“Coffee,” he responded. “I seem to be behind the eight ball, my dear.” His eyes looked over the warm space, lingering on the small traces he had left there before moving again. 

The space, painted in cherry wood and soft greys, reminded him of his home. The cabinet and heater between his seat and Rosie’s hosted a radio he had had while alive. He wondered if he were to ask, would Rosie retrieve the bourbon she kept in the false back? He didn’t care for it warm, but she favored it on the rare cold days in Hell. 

Rosie had just set a plate of thin meat cuts down while he tried to think. Taking a few bites was only polite; it wasn’t to save him from speaking. 

“That seems to be a runnin’ thing for ya.” She teased, as she placed two kettles on the heater. Alastor couldn’t return the humor, his body reflecting the wince he couldn’t truly show. “Can you explain?” He knew from the way her gaze flickered to his neck she was asking if it involved his Deal.  

“I’m not sure.” He admitted with his eyes on the plate. “It’s possible,” he mumbled. The chain around his neck involved Charlie, not Dowan. The wording had been for ‘the daughter of Lucifer’, could the constraints have amended themselves to include Dowan? She too was a daughter of the King’s. 

“Well. Past experience says that Deal will stop ya.” She motioned for him to eat. “Tell me what the problem is.”  

The Sin of Sloth’s words kept playing on a loop in his head. He felt ill. His usual comforting static felt muffled and he wasn’t sure if it was due to him still recovering or because of what he’d been told. 

Rosie was a gem, letting him sit in silence as she moved around the space to make his coffee and pushed another plate of food towards him. She turned on the radio, settling on a more modern station that played jazz from the 1950s. Alastor usually found some type of peace in Rosie’s home. More than once he had entered the building nearly blind with rage or bloodlust, and been soothed. He had helped build and remodel the place to what it stood for now. Yet, his mind whirled through the same thoughts.

“I don’t know what to do.” He finally admitted, feeling like a young man again. “I,” he shifted his hands to cradle his cane. “It would seem, even in death there is something to be said about the carelessness of a man.” He tried to joke but even to his ears, it sounded flat. 

Rosie hummed and set their drinks down before answering him. “Not that I disagree, but what brought this on?” Alastor bit his lip and recalled the explanation Belphegor had given him. 

“It would seem I have a progeny.” In other circumstances, he would laugh at the idea. Oh, what a joke it could be! If it didn’t infuriate him as much as it terrified him. He knew from his past, and proven by Lucifer, that children were a weakness. One he never tried to use unless said children were aware of their actions. Yet despite his morals, he had managed to Claim one. 

“Sinners are infertile.” He nodded his agreement, lifting his eyes from the pitch colored liquid to meet Rosie’s. “You never cared about that sort before. What happened?” The unsaid question hung in the air and Alastor scoffed. “It’s a simple enough question.” She grouched as she carefully reached out to lay her hand across his. 

“Sadly, this is my own folly.” He admitted and allowed himself to grasp her hand with one of his while using the other to pinch the bridge of his nose. “The results were not intended, but I seem to now share a child with the King.” He went on, letting out a dry laugh. “In the process of provoking the King through Charlie, irony has seen fit to entrap me.” 

“Y’know,” he looked over at her teasing smile. “I didn’t think getting a favor from the Princess would get you a baby.” Alastor raised a brow at her as she broke into giggles. “How did you manage something so,” 

“Insane? Foolish? Irrational?” He asked as the music changed to the sound of a jive. “If not for Belphegor herself explaining, I’d think this was another convoluted scheme of Vox’s.” He went on with an air of exhaustion. His body and mind hurt fiercely. Without his reserves or Shadow, he felt vulnerable and exposed in a way he hadn’t in years. 

“Out with it then! How does the Radio Demon wind up with a baby of all things?” Rosie badgered, leaning forward to rest her chin on one hand while still holding his other. “I’d heard rumors the King had another child. Didn’t put much to ‘em, since no one ever sees him. But, now! Give me the Tea!” 

He proceeded to tell her everything that had happened over the week. It was hardly a few minutes of talk and by the time he began explaining his idea of why Heaven had given Charlie a sudden lift, the Hellscape outside was dimming into late evening. He had, at some point, recovered enough to prepare them a meal. The easy motions of cooking were calming and helped him focus less on what had changed, and more on what he needed to do. 

His Mama had suffered with irregular and hateful visits from his paternal fool. He had grown up in a time when it wasn’t uncommon for a woman to be ‘ruined’ by a man and left to make do. He had seen firsthand how many suffered being a single mother with a child out of wedlock. He had grown up under the mantle of a bastard and being too colored and not colored enough. He would not put that moniker on another child. Intentional or not, he had Claimed a child as his own and would own up to it as a proper man. He would sooner let Vox on his show before he ignored what he had done. 

“What’s got that head of yours turning?” Rosie’s gentle nudge brought him up short. Was he truly convincing himself? Even though he had not done anything to Lucifer directly? 

“I seem to surround myself with dilemmas.” He admitted while stirring the small pot of vegetables. “Children are innocent compilations of mess with an inclination for chaos. They are time-consuming, stubborn, and can be fooled with a simple kind word. To have someone rely on you for every small detail because they cannot keep themselves alive? Exhausting.” He ranted to Rosie as she slid a pan of bread slices into the oven beside him. 

“Why would anyone have one?” He demanded, glaring into the side dishes on the stovetop. 

“Well, it can be for a lot of reasons,” Rosie answered with a thoughtful tone. “Some people want a legacy. Others, someone to love and to be loved by.” 

“Yes, but why?” He stressed, “Children are a leech of finance, emotion, and,” 

“Show us a perspective of the world we can’t see.” Rosie interrupted, “Al, at the end of the day, you didn’t do anything. Whatever child exists, doesn’t mean you have to be a Father to them. Talk with His Majesty! Tell him you don’t want to be in the child’s life more than you need to be.” Alastor stilled at her suggestion. A vague memory of longing and questioning drifted through his mind at her suggestion and he hated that it made something in him twist and burn. 

“Lucifer is incompetent at the best of times, and while Charlie is a bright and cheerful girl, I suspect that is in spite of him rather than because of him.” He countered as he poured portions onto plates. “While I do not particularly like children. I was raised to take care of my mistakes.” He explained as he moved to the dining table. 

Rosie let him be as he worked to plate their meal. He knew what the outcome of his decision would be. He was a far better man than to assume he could just walk away. As loath as he was to be a parent, he was not one to shirk a responsibility. He would simply be a teacher. Not only to Charlie as he originally intended, but now also to Dowan. 

“No, I will be in her life. I will not be like the filth that forced my existence.” He told her with a sharp nod. “Besides, this will only benefit me. A connection to the powers of Hell? The possibilities are now closer to reality with two connections to Lucifer.” He added as Rosie took her seat. 

“So this is all for your benefit?” Rosie raised a brow at him. 

“Heavens no! I will be ensuring that the future heiress of Hell is also prepared for the reality of her home. Lucifer will hide away soon enough. Charlie and the little Doe will need proper guidance.” Alastor explained. “They will need someone to show them -both of them- that Hell is not a place one can simply sing into compliance.” Unlike what Lilith had been known to do, he thought quietly. “Charlie, while an adult in her own right, is also far to naive to be trusted to handle a kingdom. Pride is only moderately stable due to the Overlords ruling in Lucifer’s absence. No, I will be teaching them.” He argued with fierceness. He would handle Hell from behind the shadow of Lucifer if that’s what it took to protect teach them. 

“So you will be taking on a mentor roll for both Princesses?” Rosie questioned, “Teaching them how to handle life?” Alastor hummed in agreement, his mouth full. “Well, be sure to bring those girls around to visit their Auntie Rosie.” 

“Of course, my dear! What kind of fool would I be if I didn’t?” Alastor asked in confusion, tilting his head when Rosie let out a laugh and shook her head at him. 

“It sounds like you know what you’re doing.” Rosie’s teasing tone made him roll his eyes but he let it go as both fell into silence as they ate. “Before you leave, I need to gather a few gifts for you to take with you.”

... ...

Lucifer was trying to distract himself with the phone Angel Dust had gotten him. Bee had called Oz and Levy, while Bel had called Satan and Mam. All the Sins would be coming to Charlie’s Hotel for a small meeting. Not that it was ever a small thing with any of them. He very much doubted Charlie would be able to do more than stay on her feet once everyone arrived. 

At the moment she was sitting on the floor across from Bee and Vaggie. There were trays of snacks and a few other things around, but Lucifer couldn’t bring himself to reach for much. Little Duck was rolling between his legs, babbling and trying to grab at the Shadow still with her. 

His immediate reaction aside, he felt apprehensive and angry at the idea of the Radio Boy being Little Duck’s other parent. Angry, because her Mother should be Lilith. Little Duck was his and his wife’s. She deserved someone who would be there! Who would hold her! Who would love her! Not some asshole who got enjoyment out of the suffering of others. How dare that overgrown music box try to Claim his baby as if he had any right!

But those thoughts also bled into his fear. He hadn’t seen Lilith in years. Would she even want to be Little Duck’s mother? Would she be willing to take on a baby that Lucifer had taken? As much as Lucifer hoped she would, he had to acknowledge that in his moments of weakness, Alastor had stepped in. Not just in helping Charlie, but also in taking care of Little Duck. It seemed -to him at least- that as soon as he got to the hotel Lucifer had left all responsibility for her on Charlie’s shoulders. 

As horrible as he considered Sinners in general to be. Greedy, destructive, vile, and horrible. Alastor had proven himself to be faceted. He had been the one to think of using his connections to find Charlie and Dowan when Heaven took them. He had been the one to have his Shadow cling to Little Duck while he stayed near Charlie. He had shown he cared enough to let Lucifer rest while he took care of her. 

He hated him! He hated that Alastor hadn’t intentionally Claimed his daughters and was a better parent to both of them! Why couldn’t he be there for Charlie? Why couldn’t he help her before any of this? Why couldn’t he be what she deserved and needed? 

He desperately wanted Lilith there. He needed her. Not just for Charlie and Dowan, but for him too. Because admitting he needed help hurt. 

“Where d’fuck is the ankle biter?!” A thick Aussie accent yelled as someone broke through the door. “Oi! Luci! I know y’hear me!” 

“Mammon, I said to wait.” An exhausted voice floated from the door. “You have no idea where you’re going.” A second voice with a similar cadence but an annoyed tone added. 

Mammon stood in the doorway with three gift bags and a box of what Lucifer hoped were gummy worms. The green hued Jester glared behind him as a lithe two headed figure walked in. Levy, or Levi depending on which you asked, was dressed in her usual dual ensemble. Her left side wore a skintight midnight top that flowed elegantly into a looser long sleeve for her right. A skirt of muted lavender swayed around her hips and stretched to the top of her knees. Lucifer wasn’t sure if she was wearing pants due to the heavy combat boots that purposely stepped on the feet of Mammon’s right side. 

“Aunt Levs!” Charlie called out as a greeting, a wide smile on her face as Razzle and Dazzle helped her to her feet. “I’m glad you and Uncle Mam could make it!” 

“Of course!” The left head greeted with a sharp smile. “Bee told us you grew wings,” the white scales that made up the left side glowed a faint blue/purple. 

“But she didn’t say you still had your down!” The right head, more draconian in appearance gushed as she stretched her neck to wrap around Charlie’s shoulders while her arms pulled her close. “Even has the new,” 

“Luci!” The left side cheered. Lucifer winced at her high pitch but easily picked Little Duck up as Levy let go of Charlie. 

“Eh! Watch it, Lovey. I got dibs!” Lucifer grunted as sharp spindle hands grabbed his shirt and yanked him out of her path. “Look at ya, you old cod. Got a new mite an’ never even told us! Gotta hide all that drool in’ diapers, yeah?” Mam rambled as he tilted to hunch over Lucifer’s head and poked at Little Duck with surprising care. 

“I remember when Charlie was this small! Fuck, the brat was makin’ every ear ring with those bahs!” Mam laughed, looking up and around at the crowd. “An’ there’s my favorite girl! Haven’t seen ya at any shows! Here, got a bag for ya’. Real deal too! A pass to a couple shows with first one 10% off! Got some clown twins. Hot as fuck and decent routine I tell ya.” Mam, in a lot of ways, was like a seagull. Constantly making his presence known so attention was always on him, and trying to take a bit of everything. 

“Th-thanks Uncle Mam,” Charlie said from under the strain of a hug. If not for the way he was keeping her wings free, Lucifer would have stepped in to help. As it was, it looked like Vaggie and Angel were about to. 

“Lucifer! Te amo, mano. You never call,” Levy finally greeted. Lucifer let her slide over him, relaxing as she held him for a moment before stepping back. “Levi has been scratching Satan’s horns trying to keep him in line without you.” 

“I have not. I’ve simply been reminding him of the rules.” The right head, Levi, grumbled before twisting to look Little Duck in the eye. “Ooh! She has your face! Look at her little eyes Levy!” Lucifer laughed as he tried to get Little Duck to turn around. 

“Ladies, meet Dowan Morningstar.” He introduced to the cooing duo. Little Duck did not appreciate the sudden attention though and angrily bit Lucifer’s chest. “Ow!” 

“She’s teething. Here, it’s a quick trick that‘ll help.” Bee said as she joined them with what looked like a piece of fabric. “No worries! Popped it in the freezer when Bel asked. It’s got a little fruit juice, she’ll love it. Won’t you, Lolli?” 

“Bee’s known?” Both heads asked with a look of betrayal and disbelief. Lucifer didn’t have time to explain as a scratchy voice yelled a greeting. 

“Hello Happy Hotel!” An imp in an eccentric clown costume was perched on Ozzie’s shoulder as he entered the Hotel. He was pretty sure Angel let out a squeak before grabbing Husk. The man gagged as his bottle was forced to his throat. 

“Hey Oz!” Lucifer called out, ignoring Charlie’s friends as his brother walked over to free him from their sisters. “Little Duck, look who’s here!” 

The Hotel felt different with the Sins present. Noises of different kinds, Energies tangling and collecting, everyone settling as if no time had passed. It made Lucifer relax and push his worries to the side. Charlie was laughing and trading jokes with Bee’s partner Twister. Vaggie was in a passionate discussion with Levy and Levi. Angel was sitting with Husk and Fuzzy laughing as Mam and Oz argued. If he closed his eyes and let his senses go, he could ‘see’ the mixed Energies warming everyone around him. It was beautiful. 

“Haven’t seen you this happy in a while.” Bee dropped next to him, perched on the arm of his chair. “Hey Little Duck,” she greeted with a laugh. Lucifer smiled when she looked up at Bee before returning to watching Lucifer’s tail. 

“Yeah, it’s, been a while,” he breathed out. His family was just as chaotic and wild as the last time they were all together. Why had he closed himself off? It hadn’t been any of them that had left him. He had left them. 

“Hey,” the nail poking his cheek pulled him out of his own head. “Don’t be all bitter syrup. C’mon, eat and introduce everyone! Satan’s going to be a huge buzzkill when he gets here.” Bee groaned, flying them both up till he was standing. 

“Hey, Short King! You didn’t tell me you knew The Fizzarolli!” The light tease was welcome as Bee let him go with a push towards Husk and the others. 

Lucifer was decently sure Imps couldn’t shapeshift, but he wasn’t above saying he could be wrong. “Oz!” The stars in the male’s eyes as he stared at Little Duck made Lucifer preen though. “Ozzie!” 

“No way, nuh uh,” the response sounded rehearsed even to his ears. “Lu Doll, please do not give Fizz any ideas!” His brother joked as Little Duck let out a squeal when the guy shook his hat over her. 

“Your Majesty, we will always be able to babysit!” Fizz assured as he tried to play with Little Duck while Angel Dust laughed. 

“You’d be the first!” He teased, “Short King hardly lets her or Charlie get far without ‘im or Creepy Face.” 

“Oh! That’s the red guy, yeah?” Bee called over. “He’s got the radio show. Tex loves his playlists.” She told everyone as she flew to hover over her partner. 

“Am I late?” A gruff cowboy accent greeted them before Lucifer could question how Bee knew about Alastor. Satan stood in the entryway, dressed in a black cowboy aesthetic that complimented the vicious red of his scales. 

Lucifer hadn’t changed much of his style in well over a century, but he had at least updated it. Satan looked as if he had walked off the untamed plains of North America. 

“Welcome Satanas,” Bel greeted as the red draconic Sin shook off dust and sent him a sideways glare. “Eat before the meeting begins. We have a lot to discuss.” 

Chapter Text

Lucifer could not stop checking his phone. He wanted Charlie to be in the meeting to learn how things were usually handled. He also wanted to keep her and Little Duck beside him, but Bel had refused. Separation anxiety, she had said as if that explained anything! Lucifer wasn’t afraid of being separated. Psh! He just wanted to ensure he was close if something happened. What if Little Duck started teething on her tail? What if Charlie’s back began hurting? What if either one needed him? 

“Little mite’s wings are lookin’ pretty nice. Thought you and Queenie said she wasn’t gettin’ any?” Mam’s loud voice drew his eyes from where Charlie and Vaggie were trying to do something with Little Duck. 

“She wasn’t,” he muttered before checking the screen. Charlie and Vaggie were on the floor with Little Duck. Charlie patted her knees and smiled while Vaggie held Little Duck by her waist. He felt some tension leave his shoulders as he watched them try to teach her to crawl. He was decently sure Little Duck wasn’t ready. She had only started sitting up on her own a few days ago.  

“Due to the influx of Angelic Energy, Charlotte’s body metabolized it to create wings. With her return to Hell, she is unlikely to grow another set, but not impossible.” Bel explained before pushing Raph’s file to the center of the table. “Lucifer is not well enough mentally or physically to handle raising a baby, running the Kingdom, controlling his Ring, dealing with Heaven, and helping Charlotte.” 

“I can,” Lucifer started to exclaim, “do some of it.” He mumbled when Bel turned to glare at him. 

“You have proven otherwise.” Lucifer couldn’t help but shrink under her words and gaze. “Satanas, you will take over the courts and law of the Kingdom.” 

“My pleasure,” the Sin of Wrath nodded. Lucifer did not pout, but he did scowl as Bel gave Ozzie another one of his responsibilities. He felt calmer at the sight of Charlie lying on her stomach and playing with Little Duck. Vaggie had disappeared from view but he was content watching his daughters. 

“Not that seeing, most of, you isn’t great.” Mam made a noise of offense to Ozzie’s words. “But why are we all here?” Lucifer fidgeted under the combined stares and wished again that he had Lilith. 

Bel gave an exaggerated sigh. “Charlotte met with Heaven. We do not know the extended results of her meeting, but we do have a report.” She trailed off with her head turned to Lucifer.

“Oh, right. Heaven’s cleaning its mess. I don’t know if the Exterminations have stopped but we shouldn’t have another one till the end of the year.” Lucifer explained, trying to remember what Vaggie and Charlie had told the Hotel crew. “Here’s everything Charlie and Vaggie told us about Heaven learning about the Exterminations.” He purposely highlighted the portion on how Gabriel and the others didn’t know about them. “The Contract is still active, but the, um, Council, isn’t happy.” 

“Course they ain’t! Bunch of swot rags probably mad we ruined their fun!” Mam growled, earning more than one nod of agreement. 

“If Heaven’s retreating, they could be preparing for a larger assault.” Satan leaned back in his chair to cross his arm. “We should gather our own army.” he proposed. 

“Pulling people into a fight sounds too much like we’re betting on one,” Ozzie argued with a vocal agreement from Bee. “We should close borders. The elevators to each Ring should,” 

“I ain’t closing shit! Y’know how much money that’ll cost?!” Mam burst out, slamming a hand onto the table. “It’s not like the dirt can get through.” 

“It’s not about Sinners getting past the barrier.” Levi argued, “but about leaving an opening that would expose the other Rings.” 

“Closing off Greed wouldn’t matter in the long run,” Ozzie shrugged. “Whatever you have, is a rip off of the rest of us.” 

“You take that back! My Ring is the-” 

Bee grinned as Levs, Ozzie, and Mam argued. “Luci, what do you think?” 

“Sinners can’t pass through without one of us.” Lucifer tried to remind the group while creating a note for himself. “And blocking off the elevators won’t work long term. If we change a few of the sigils,” he mumbled while spinning his pen across the page. “There should be a blood tablet. If we adjust for it, we can use the attacks as a power source.” He looked around at the group. 

Satan huffed while Bel nodded in agreement. “Then we should put a blockade in place. I can have,” 

“Putting up a blockade would announce there is an issue.” Bel countered immediately. “Leave operations alone.” 

“And invite angels to the other Rings?” Satan countered, “If Adam and his army get past the elevators then that leaves my people open to slaughter. Sinners should be the only ones to suffer. It’s their punishment.” He snarled, making Lucifer wince. The arguing group seemed to settle at Satan’s words, and murmurs of agreement shifted to the background as Lucifer tried to calculate how much of his blood would be needed to twist the barrier around the elevators. It had been a long and painful process to account for Hellborn passage through the Rings. If he tried to change any of it, he would need fresh blood that identified each species allowed through. 

But, if something were to happen. Father forbid it. He needed to know that his daughters would be able to leave Pride and get to a Sin. Having them spill blood, even the palm full he would need, was out of the question. He would need to think of how to allow Charlie and Little Duck passage without a guide. 

“This is all on the assumption that Heaven will attack.” Ozzie said as Lucifer tried to adjust an equation. “If Gabriel is aware of this, and he’s leading the punishment for Sera and Adam, who’s to say they won’t try to renegotiate the Contract.” Lucifer paused as his brother’s words settled in his mind. “We could rewrite all of it. Add protections we couldn’t before.” 

“Asmodeus makes a valid point. But if Heaven decides to contact anyone, it will be through Lucifer.” She pointed out before looking at him. “You will need to draw up a Contract before they appear.” She told him before letting out a tired sigh. “Our next concern is introducing Dowan. She is nearly six months and Lucifer has Named and Claimed her.” Bel explained while Lucifer glanced at his phone and tried not to shred his papers. 

“Yeah, but has Lilith?” Bee spoke up in confusion. “Where is she anyway? She finally back?” 

Lucifer winced at her question. He hadn’t wanted to explain Little Duck’s parentage more than saying she was his.“Ah, no, and, um, not, not exactly?” 

“What do you mean?” Satan questioned with narrowed eyes. Lucifer took a deep breath and tried not to let Satan’s accusing stare affect him. 

“Dowan is mine,” he stated firmly. He didn’t want to discuss how Little Duck had been a sacrifice, but he also knew they deserved to know. 

“But not Lilith’s,” the growl paired with the smell of ash made Lucifer stiffen. “You cheated on-”

“I did not cheat!” Lucifer yelled, slamming his hands on the table. 

“But the bastard is yours?” Satan countered with words that made Lucifer snarl. 

“She is not a bastard.” He growled back, meeting the magma-lit eyes of Satan. “She is mine. ” 

“Then who’s the lucky wench?” Mam butted in, leaning up on the table with one set of hands while another set threaded string. “Not that I’m doubtin’ ya skills Luc, but last I heard. Ya gotta have ‘least two.” 

“No one!” He snapped, falling back to his seat and crossing his arms. “Can we move on? Charlie’s intro,”

“The other parent is a Sinner named Alastor. He has laid a Claim.” Bel explained. “Dowan has been feeding more off his Demonic Energy since their return from Heaven. She is -in part- the reason Charlotte has grown wings. Charlotte and Lucifer’s reduced Demonic Energy was not adequately feeding Dowan’s growth.” Bel raised a brow when Lucifer shot her a glare. “As I said, Dowan needs his Energy until she can safely make her own.” 

“Wait, she latched onto a Sinner!?” Levi exclaimed in disbelief. “I would have thought she latched onto a Goetia!” She added as Levy nodded in agreement. 

“Oh, gross! You knocked up with a pleb!?” Mam’s outright disgust made Lucifer’s back itch to flare his wings. 

“I did not-”

“Why not one of us? We could have helped!” Bee argued as more voices joined in and began to devolve into arguments. 

“ ENOUGH ,” He growled. “Dowan latched onto him. He didn’t, choose this. He’s made it clear he won’t choose this either.” He told them bluntly and ignored how saying it hurt something in him. After Bel had explained, Al had taken off. He wasn’t even sure if the Cannibal was close by. 

“Lucifer is correct. Alastor has no choice if we wish to keep Dowan healthy.” Bel said with a tired air. “Alastor’s Energy is compatible enough with the Demonic half of Charlotte’s that Lucifer’s lingering Angelic Energy does not attack it.” Bel explained and pushed a set of papers forward. “These are notes of Charlotte’s one year introduction ceremony.”

“Wait,” Satan grumbled as he adjusted in his seat to lean forward. “You’re saying Dowan latched onto a powerful Demonic source that Luc’s Angelic Energy recognized?” Satan explained with a curious drawl. Bel gave him a slow blink. “Angelic Energy doesn’t just accept any other Energy. What you’re saying, it doesn’t make sense.” 

“He’s right,” Levs spoke up in unison. “For Angelic Energy to share space with its opposite.” Levy began. “It has to be known and accepted.” Levi finished. 

“So?” Mam shrugged. 

“So~, what she’s saying is Lucifer’s Energy knows the Sinner’s Energy because it’s close enough to Charlie’s.” Bee joined in. 

“Okay, yeah, but Sinners don’t have even a trace of the same Energy as any of us.” Lucifer argued with a shake of his head. 

“But Charlie does,” Levi spoke up. “All of you seem to forget. Lilith was a sinner before her fall. She was the first human to defy Heaven.” Her twin head nodded before turning to look out at Oz. 

“Hold up!” Ozzie held up his hands as Mam shook his head. “You-” 

“Just ‘cause the blitters are half an’ half doesn’t say shit about them snatching Energy.” The Sin of Greed argued and Lucifer had to agree reluctantly. “Give me the mite and blow the twat from the Ring. My Energy’s better for my nib.” 

“That’s not the point. If a Sin-” Ozzie tried to speak. 

“Something in Alastor’s Energy is similar enough to Charlotte’s for Dowan to draw from it without harm.” Bel interrupted, bringing the attention to herself as Ozzie’s flames flared angrily. 

“Exactly.” Satan agreed before lifting a hand to wave over them. “And we should consider it has something to do with Lilith.” 

Lucifer shook his head and forced himself to stand, leaning forward till both his hands were flat on the table. “Why would my wife have anything even close to him? She’s been gone for seven years!” He snapped at the group. 

“Has it occurred to you that, that could be it exactly?” Satan argued back, meeting Lucifer’s anger with his own. “She’s gone . Yet, somehow, another Soul has enough Demon in them, close enough to a match of Charlie’s, that a baby has imprinted on it? How are you so dense that you can’t see what we all see!?” Satan growled with smoke trailing his lips. 

“See what!? Sounds like a load ‘a crap if ya ask me!” Mam broke between the two, throwing a ball of green-tinged silk at each. “Lilith was a fine broad. Like. A damn good looker. But even I ain’t dumb enough to suggest that .” Mam spoke up with surprising firmness. 

“I hate agreeing with the Ass, but c’mon. We’re talking about Lilith!” Bee joined in, turning her head to look back and forth at everyone. “Levs you know Lily!” 

“How old is this Sinner?” Levi asked with a hiss while her left head winced when she met Lucifer’s gaze. 

“This is ridiculous! You are all,”

“Early 30s, he has been in Hell for a century,” Bel said with a yawn. “Lilith’s last Summons was a century and a half ago.” 

“Ha! That means she couldn’t be his parent!” Lucifer decreed with a smug air that deflated when no one argued or spoke. “What?” 

“She may not be his parent, but she could be his grandparent.” Satan argued before twisting his wrist to show a glowing root system. “Blood has a way of showing up and very few things could have caused his Energy to match her’s.” 

Oz spoke up with his chin rubbing his main head. “You just said it yourself. Lily could have given him a blessing or-” 

“A deal,” Lucifer whispered. 

“Will all of you stop inter-”

“That fits with Queenie!” Mam cheered before he let out a screech when Ozzie flared his flames and launched himself at the other. 

“But why would Lilith make a deal with him ? What could he have?” Lucifer questioned, looking at the remaining members. “She’s been gone for seven years . If she gave him some kind of order, wouldn’t it have gone into effect sooner?” 

“We will need to speak to him for answers.” Bel told the group while she rubbed her face. “Not until all of you are healthy. Charlotte needs to gain a healthy weight. You need rest. There are six months and two weeks before the scheduled Extermination. I am going home.” Bel’s form quickly dispersed and vanished in a swirl of sand.  

“Bel’s right,” Lucifer sighed. “Everyone can return to their Ring. I’ll text tomorrow,” he waved to the others. Lucifer would need to figure out how to protect his people before they met up again. On top of that, he needed to talk to the Jukebox and figure out what he was doing. 

“Lucifer,” he heard as he turned away. He couldn’t deal with any of the Sins right now. He didn’t want to. They had accused Lilith of cheating on him! How dare they accuse her of having another family! 

Even if somehow Lilith were to, to, do that . She wouldn’t have created something so egotistical and narcissistic! Look at Charlie!

“Finally finished with your reunion?” Speak of the sinner and he will appear. Lucifer looked him over. Was there any trace of Lilith? He was tall. His eyes were far more expressive than his face. Maybe if Lucifer was exceedingly drunk and squinted his eyes? “Nothing to say? My, my! A first!” 

Lucifer couldn’t see a trace of Lilith in the Sinner. So many traits were so common nowadays. Height, color, and habits, all things that could be traced back to Eden. If Al was a descendant of Lilith’s, could it be in the same way Dowan had been his? 

“What is going on in that minuscule mind of yours? One can hear the gears whining.” It didn’t take much for recessive genes to pop up, but it could take time. Who’s to say that it hadn’t been a Summoning from centuries ago that had allowed Lilith’s dormant trait to appear generations later? Some traits also weren’t physical. But that was if he was a descendant. What if Lilith had given a favor or blessing to an ancestor of his? He could recall a few Summonings where someone had traded their Soul for the protection of their children. 

“How do you know my wife?”

Chapter Text

Static blared through his microphone and scratched the walls around them. He had expected a few different responses to his teasing. He fully expected to be snapped or yelled at for leaving and only returning after dark. 

“She is the Queen?” He responded with his head tilted. The King seemed to be searching for something. His eyes flared briefly as he seemed to peer up at him and then through him. “Testing! One, two! Is that brain working?” He used his cane to push at the man’s forehead while he attempted to regain his own footing. 

“Knock it off,” Lucifer grumbled as he batted the cane away. “My daughters, somehow, like you.” He said as if that explained anything. Alastor hummed instead of verbally replying, letting the fool reveal his thoughts without input. “Something about you, your Energy, it’s familiar to them. I want to know why.” 

“How entertaining!” Alastor laughed, “I assume simply being present for Charlie has been enough to endure me to both of them.” Lucifer shook his head before he could finish speaking. 

“No, that wouldn’t explain it.” Lucifer told him with a furrowed brow. The riveting conversation was interrupted by the flashing of a phone in Lucifer’s pocket. “Vaggie?” It was a parlor trick to tilt his ears enough to listen in on the call. 

“-ting you know, we’re going to bed. I was wondering if you wanted to let Doe stay with us?” Vaggie said into the phone. Alastor watched the conflict on Lucifer’s face and wondered if now would be the better time for him to speak with the short snake. 

“I’ll be there in a minute. Just, wait a few minutes.” He mumbled into the small speaker. Alastor hummed as narrow red eyes looked up at him. “Look. I don’t like you.” 

“The feeling is mutual.” Alastor interjected, hiding a wince when Lucifer poked his abdomen. 

“Shut it. If you hadn’t Claimed my baby, I would snap you from existence-” 

“What does that mean, exactly?” Alastor was many things, dimwitted was not one he claimed to be. “Claiming involved blood, or was I misinformed?” Lucifer seemed frozen, blinking up at him before opening and closing his mouth. “I have not, nor have I ever, given anyone my blood.” 

“Claiming doesn’t always mean blood.” Lucifer mumbled with a headshake. “It’s, there’s a, how much about Claiming do you know?” Alastor, absently wondered how many times he could hit the diminutive fool on the head before he made any sense. “You know what, no. We ,” he motioned to them both, “are not having this conversation. I am going to check on my daughters and get some sleep.” 

Alastor let a laugh track play from his microphone. “Your Highness! With all that emphasis, it sounds like you're insecure.” The way Lucifer’s Energy weighed on him was warning enough, but when had he listened? “Perhaps I should check on Charlie myself? Before you overthink something else that isn’t there.” 

“You absolute- ARGH!” Lucifer growled, “You are so lucky! So! Lucky!” 

… … 

Vaggie wasn’t someone who trusted easily. She would listen, yes. She’d let someone speak and spin whatever they wanted to her, but she didn’t trust them. Trusting Adam had gotten her pulled into an army. Trusting Lute had led to her losing her Halo and wings. Trusting Charlie…Trusting Charlie had given her something better than she could have ever expected. It had given her a family, love, hope, and safety. That didn’t mean she trusted anyone else the same. She never would. 

Which is why she was standing outside Carmine Industries with Sir Pentious. The uniform cinder block building was three stories high with reflective windows that faced out to a small field of shipping containers and Souls. Sinners broke up the greyscaled chaos in neon vests and bright hard hats. If she took note of how some looked too young to be there, she kept it to herself and no one else had to know. 

“Mrs. Carmine is very big, on manners.” Sir Pentious explained as they moved closer to the door. “Not to say, you are unwelcome,” he continued while pulling at his hands. “I just did not, expect you to come?” 

“It’s fine,” Vaggie waved off as she caught sight of a familiar dark skinned girl walking with a Hellhound. “If she makes a big deal out of it, I’ll leave.” She wouldn’t, but Pentious seemed to relax at her words. “That’s one of the Carmines, right?” 

“Huh? Oh! Yes, that is Miss Clara, she helps with deliveries.” He told her with a smile that made her quirk a brow. “She is a wonderful Academist, and helped me with my Egg Boys.” Vaggie hummed at his words, wondering exactly what he meant before a tortoise faced Sinner blocked their path. 

“Gig?” The slow and dry tone matched the Sinner’s appearance but not the quick flickering of his eyes as he looked them over. “ ‘llo Pen.” 

“Salutations, Mr. Tumnus!” Pentious’ excitement had the guard smirking as he bobbed his head. “This is my colleague Ms. Vagatha,” Vaggie glared at him for using the wrong name. “We are here to see Mrs. Carmine.” 

“Gig?” The other repeated with his eyes on Vaggie. 

“Ah, yes, she’s joining me.” The tortoise hummed without taking his eyes away from them. Vaggie was getting ready to summon her spear when he turned his head to look at Pentious. 

“Your problem.” The two were waved forward and Vaggie kept a half pace behind Pentious as they walked on. The greyscale building loomed higher and cast a deep shadow over them. It made Vaggie feel insignificant and she wondered if her plan would even work. 

“Hi, Sir Pentious!” A cheery voice greeted them as they entered into a lavish lobby. The mix of warm colors and soft conversations reminded Vaggie of the Eatery the Exorcists would meet up at. “Meeting with Odette?” 

“Not today, I am here to see Lady Carmine. If possible.” Pentious said as the girl he had pointed out approached them. The dark skinned girl looked them over with a sharp glint in her eyes, something Vaggie had seen enough times before to know something would happen. Just not what. 

“Perfect,” she said, and in a whirlwind of motion, Vaggie found herself separated from Pentious and in some kind of tea room. At least, she thought it was a tea room. The amount of art on the wall and the soft furniture implied it. “It’s not exactly the best,” Clara waved over the room. “Hope you don’t mind, but I have questions and you have answers.” 

“Questions? To what? I don’t know anything.” Vaggie scoffed with her arms folded as she watched Clara fall across a chair with a laziness she couldn’t understand. Vaggie was an enemy and this girl was acting as if they weren’t. 

The other woman had to have seen enough death, horror, and trauma to know no one was truly safe. She had to have suffered from something to be able to lounge in a room with no protection. Or she was confident in what she knew that she didn’t see Vaggie as a threat. The thought made her pause. 

“-Morningstar name. It’s got a lot of weight even if no one uses it.” She was saying, waving a hand above her head. “So why would he let us have access to it?” She finished with a raised brow. 

“I don’t know,” Vaggie settled with. She wasn’t going to admit to not listening. “Look, I just need to talk to Carmine.” 

“About what?” Clara was easily going to get on her nerves with the lack of care. “She’s pretty busy so whatever you need, I can handle.” She explained as she rolled over to sit up. “Unless it’s a Soul Contract.” She added with a smirk. 

“No!” Vaggie snapped, moving her arms to cross over her view before letting them drop. “Look, I don’t want to make a deal with you, or Carmine. So, can I just see her for five minutes?” 

“Nope!” Vaggie was seriously considering bringing her spear out. Repercussions be damned or whatever. “If you’re not here for a deal, what do you need?” 

“Nothing from you,” Vaggie snapped back. The other girl rolled her eyes before snapping her fingers. Vaggie didn’t even have time to react before she felt something press against the back of her neck. 

Clara stood with a flourish Angel would have been jealous of as she tiptoed closer. Her eyes glowed dangerously as she leaned into Vaggie’s space with a smirk as the needle point pushed against her skin. She could feel anger and disgust burn under her skin as she realized she had been trapped. So much for situational awareness, if Vaggie got out of this she was going to put herself through Hellish training. 

“You must have been a shitty exorcist.” Clara laughed as Vaggie felt her stomach drop. “Now, let's make this clear. That point on your neck? A liquidized test for Angelic Steel.” She commented without moving away. “I’ve been dying to test how well it’ll work.” 

“How-” 

“Did I know you’re an exorcist?” Clara interrupted, her eyes temporarily leaving Vaggie’s to look behind her. “You’re not exactly hiding it. X over the eye, wielding an Angelic spear without safety measures, and that’s just the most obvious.” Vaggie felt the needle push a bit harder, nearly breaking the skin. 

“What do you want?” She grits out through clenched teeth. Clara gave her a considering look before taking a step back. 

“You know Angelic Steel can hurt you.” Vaggie felt the needle be removed and tried not to spin on the secondary person. She needed to keep her head and not get herself killed. Because she would if she did anything. She had no doubt now just how outclassed she was. Maybe she could have dispatched Clara with no issue, but that was if she was alone. 

“Wasn’t hard to figure out.” She snarked back as a blonde nearly as pale as Charlie walked from behind her and made a show of putting a syringe in her lab coat. “How’d you know?” 

“A question for a question.” The blonde spoke up with a narrowed gaze. “You have ten minutes before your colleague is finished with his meeting.” Vaggie clenched her jaw shut to keep from making any demands. She was at a disadvantage and these young women weren’t like the Sinners on the streets. 

Wordlessly, Vaggie lifted the edge of her shirt, revealing a puckered line of scabbed gold. “I tested the idea after hearing a rumor. How did Carmine find out?” The duo looked at each other with surprise and confusion trading across their faces before the pale woman looked at her. 

“We encountered a unit during the extermination and reacted accordingly.” She explained with no detail. 

“That’s, that doesn’t make sense. You’re Hellborn, you shouldn’t have-” 

“My turn.” Clara interrupted, “Why would the King offer us his Name?” Vaggie hesitated to answer. How much did she know about Lucifer? Not enough to be able to explain his actions, that’s for sure. 

“I don’t know,” she was wasting time, but she was also curious now. What she had learned from Charlie meant that giving a Name or setting a Claim was a huge deal. The Carmines were a lynchpin in Hell’s Overlord hierarchy, but that didn’t mean much with the other Rings. Unless you counted how Carmine was the only one to be able to reuse Angelic Steel. Not even she knew how her weapon had been made, or how to turn it into something else. “What was the deal?” 

“A deal with Abaddon.” Clara shot the other woman a glare at her words. “Your return to Hell, in exchange for his Name.” That made sense, Lucifer cared for Charlie and Doe immensely. Him making a deal like that wasn’t a surprise. “But that does not justify something so immense.” 

“A life for a life,” Vaggie told them with a shrug. “Look, I need a weapon. A knife I can keep on me. Angelic Steel or something that can put down someone long enough to capture them. What would it cost?” Vaggie wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but she knew Pentious had to be close to done. She needed a weapon. 

“Get us a meeting with the King and we’ll give you a knife.” Clara spoke up, leaning against the armrest of a chair behind her as the blonde pulled out a small tablet. “Odette can give you a selection to choose from. But you won’t see anything until we have confirmation of a meeting. Deal?” 

Vaggie’s hair rose. All this hassle just to get the duo a meeting with Lucifer? She was missing something. Lucifer offered these two his Name and they wanted her to get them a meeting. If they were so close to him that he Named them, why couldn’t they reach out and speak to him? No, something was off. “No deal, you have his Name. You do it.” She didn’t know a lot about the details when it came to Name and Claim stuff, but she knew enough. 

The duo shared another look and Vaggie couldn’t bite back the growl. What were they doing? Was there some skill of telepathy she didn’t know about? 

“Just because he offered his Name, doesn’t mean we can see him anytime we want.” Clara said slowly as if Vaggie was stupid. Which, to be fair, she felt like she was. “Odette can explain the whole thing better than I can, but it’s not just an easy ‘Yeah, I’m whoever’ and move on.” 

The blonde, Odette, hummed and slid her tablet inside her coat. “A Naming is akin to being added to another family or circle without losing your previous one. The closest resemblance on Earth is the relationship of a Lord and their ward.” Vaggie nodded to show she was listening as Clara pulled out a phone. “They are a member of another family so they can be protected and learn something from their Lord’s family without losing their own.” 

“So it’s like being adopted without your birth family giving up rights?” Odette nodded. “That doesn’t explain the ‘gets a piece of their Soul’ part.” She added and saw Clara slip to the floor while Odette’s eyes grew. “What?” 

“That’s! That is not, I,” Clara sputtered as she climbed back to her toes. “Getting a piece of another Soul when you’re Named isn’t,” Clara made a show of throwing up her hands before taking an exaggerated breath. “A long time ago, yes, that would be a thing. But no one’s given a piece of their Soul to anyone they Named without there being some kind of Claim as well.” 

“But I thought-” 

“Giving someone a piece of your Soul means allowing them a piece of your power.” Odette interrupted and Vaggie had to fight not to snap at being interrupted again. “The more pieces of a Soul someone has, the more power they can give and/or gain. It’s the basis of a Soul Contract, but instead of there being an exchange for only one side receiving a Soul’s power. It’s more of a give and take.” 

“It’s how Soul Contracts became a thing.” Clara spoke up, “Now. Time to leave. Get us a meeting with the King and we’ll talk weapons.” She added as she began to push Vaggie to the door. 

“Wait! We didn’t agree to anything,” she sputtered, “I’m not-” 

“Have a good day! Pleasure doing business!” The woman talked over her as Vaggie was pushed towards a waiting Pentious. “Hi Pen! Tell Tumnus his shift’s over. BYE!” If Vaggie wasn’t thrown -literally- she would have latched onto the woman and demanded a better explanation. 

“Are you, alright?” Pentious’ caution only made her groan as the two left the building. “Should we return to the Hotel?” 

“No, go without me. I have plans.” Vaggie grumbled, turning her head to give the Carmine Industries building a glare. 

Chapter Text

Charlie was tired. She just wanted to soak in a hot bath and try not to think of all the missed activities she had planned. Angel was still at work, though he had responded when Charlie sent him new pictures of Doe in the swing he’d made her. She wasn’t sure who gushed more about how cute her sister was. 

Her phone was filled with pictures and short videos of Vaggie and her trying to teach Doe to crawl and discovering she could -and would- make loud squeaky bleats. 

The first time she made the sound was when Vaggie put her down on her stomach. Charlie felt her heart jump at the unhappy cry, but not in the same way it had when Doe cried for their Dad. Vaggie chuckled at her sound and tapped her tiny nose, causing Doe to squeak another bleat. Charlie immediately snatched her phone from charging to turn on the camera as Vaggie put Doe on all fours. 

Doe had not been happy with the manhandling and had let out a set of angry bleats that had summoned Alastor’s Shadow in a fit. The creature had appeared so quickly that Charlie didn’t have time to react as she was shoved to the floor and Vaggie was tackled away from Doe. 

Doe had thought it was a game, letting out small giggles that made her ears flap as she rolled over onto her back. A glance behind her showed Vaggie trying to wrestle with the Shadow before being shoved aside to allow it to return to Doe. 

Charlie wished she’d gotten more than two minutes of the incident on camera. If only to prove that at least some part of Alastor did care. Angel and she agreed that the Radio Demon’s Shadow was secretly the emotions he wouldn’t show. 

-Angel D. “Need a tiny radio outfit.” 

-Angel D. “I got a wand for cane”

Charlie smiled at the idea. Doe would look adorable dressed like Alastor. She could even make a game out of it and get outfits that matched everyone! 

-Angel D. “Her an Nugs can match!” His text read before the image of two baby imps dressed as possums loaded. 

Charlie squealed at the image. Doe would be absolutely adorable! They could even dress Razzle and Dazzle up too! 

-Charlie~! “Angel you are amazing!!! I’ll order some!” 

… … 

Valentino paced in the lavish dressing room that he graciously supplied Angel Dust. The spider had been denying his advances lately and barely working his hours. Valentino did not like how distracted his best whore had become. Ever since he moved out, he had been falling more and more under Princessa’s thumb and ignoring him. Him! The guy who made him famous! 

It wasn’t his fault that Angel had to work double since he moved out. With him being so far away, it cut into production, and slow production meant slow income. If he could just get it through that twink’s fuzzy head! Val was being so lenient, and kind, and Angel was just ignoring him! All because of some rich ditz with tits! Angel didn’t even like girls! He had to be there for the money. Everyone in Pride knew the Princessa was loaded. Fuck! Even Vox had tried to get her money once. 

The chime of a phone behind him made him pause in his rant. 

Angel had left his phone. Angel had left his phone, and the princess had texted him. 

Red eyes narrowed at the blurry screen as it dinged a few more times before going dark. Angel’s phone wasn’t something Val usually cared about. It was one of the few things he didn’t pay for, so he didn’t care unless Angel refused to answer him. Which he had been. 

He wasn’t stupid. Contrary to what many Souls thought, Val hadn’t gotten his spot as Overlord for no reason. He’d used every piece of charisma, manipulation, and skill he had to get to the top. He was good at finding weak-willed talent, and even better at using people’s desires. 

A decision was made, and he slid the phone into his pocket. Angel would be busy doing rounds with some of the lower whores for hours. Plenty of time for Val to have Vox open the phone and show him exactly what had his whore distracted. 

“Voxy~” Val called out as he left his studio. He knew Vox would know he left immediately and counted on him appearing from one of the hundreds of cameras in VoxTower. It was too easy for him to add a curl of suggestive smoke to add to his call. It wouldn’t do having his fellow Overlord thinking he was forgotten. What would the media think? 

“What is it now Val?” The moth smirked as Vox appeared with a sharp and bitter burst of static. 

“Mi chiquito, you look stressed!” He crooned as he turned to face the shorter male. Vox rolled his eyes at him and kept his arms crossed as Val moved closer and laid a kiss on the side of his screen. “You know I can help with that.” He rumbled, letting thin pink smoke curl from his lips to brush over the open ports that served as Vox’s ears. 

“Not now,” Val wasn’t happy to be pushed away. “Later. Maybe. What do you want?” Vox wouldn’t look him in the eye. Instead, he seemed focused on one of his many phones and hardly seemed to care that Val was in front of him. “And don’t tell me it’s you wanting another time slot. The week’s booked.” 

“Ah, no no. It’s just, Angel forgot his password. He’s been so distracted, just like you.” Val carefully moved closer to pull Vox into his space before holding up the phone. “Maybe I should lavish you tonight? Remind you how important you are?” Val felt his charming smile shift to a smirk when Vox leaned into his touch and a line of red fell from his lips. 

The distracted glaze on Vox vanished as soon as he opened Angel’s phone though. 

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” He jerked away from Vox as if he had been struck. Val let loose a string of curses as he stumbled a few steps away to recover from the burst of static and sound. Vox continued to let out a manic-style series of words before vanishing into the cameras. 

… … 

Lucifer was working on a mess of equations to build a park like Alastor’s bayou while Little Duck napped. He was supposed to be working on her introduction ceremony, but the idea of writing up a list of people to invite made his skin crawl. He had tried to work on the equation for an elevator pass, but that had spiraled into him wondering about other things. Which led him to the mess of paper and a tiny mirage of a park floating in place of one wall. 

He could place an anchor along the furthest wall to secure a path into the park, but filling it was something he needed to be meticulous about. Each creation would need its own array, which would lock into the larger one and connect to the anchor point. Some of the arrays wouldn’t work because they were too heavy. 

He could do a grassy knoll for the border and have it slope down to a duck pond. The pond would need to be big enough for Charlie to stretch her wings, but not so deep he would need to worry about either of his daughters drowning. That meant adding a ‘loop’ so they would always find their way to the pond wouldn’t work. Most likely it would send them to another part of the Hotel. 

If Little Duck was like Charlie, she would want to run around endlessly. Meaning the ‘loop’ would be necessary if he didn’t want her randomly vanishing and reappearing around the Hotel. That thought made his heart race. He needed a different type of border. Something that could easily loop on itself, so it returned to the room without revealing it was a limited space. 

Plans and ideas began taking firmer shapes in his mind as he stood up and began to move. He would need to clear the far wall that looked out to the farmlands of Pride. The outside light would work to establish a day and night cycle for the animals he could create. They wouldn’t be real, but they would still provide more for the nature of the space than Alastor’s empty swamp. 

He was jerked out of focus by the sound of banging on his door. 

“What!” Husk stood on the other side, his chest heaving as he tilted to stare up at Lucifer. “I’m a bit busy!” He hissed at the male, ignoring the way his card themed wings flared behind him. 

“Carmine’s downstairs. Said it's urgent and Al just took off.” Lucifer raised a brow in disbelief. He was interrupted because of a guest? “Charlie’s freaking out.” That grabbed his attention faster than Bee could grab a snack. 

“Why is she freaking- Wait.” He quickly turned around to retrieve Little Duck and her sling. “I think I know.” Little Duck let out an unhappy cry as she was moved, opening a bright red eye to look at him before squirming into the sling. “I know, waking up is so rude.” He cooed with a smile as she reached a hand up to pull at his vest. 

The trip downstairs was too long and not long enough. Lucifer’s mind kept creating ideas for the park before jumping back to the present. Worry and the soft pull of Little Duck’s weight kept time with his steps. Curiosity nudged beside questions of why and what with the patients of a toddler. 

By the time they entered the Lobby, he was convinced he’d forgotten something important, and Mrs. Carmine was there to call him out on it. She wouldn’t be the first or the last, but he felt guilty at the idea of her thinking he had dipped on her deal. That was the right term, right? He couldn’t keep track of language as well as he should. It was only thanks to radio broadcasts that he was even sort of current. 

“Your Majesty,” her warm Hispanic tone was neutral as he met the crystal-white irises of the Weapon Overlord. “Princess Charlotte is quite, welcoming.” Her stiff tone and pointed look at Charlie standing by Vaggie made Lucifer snort.  

Charlie was very welcoming—probably too welcoming—but he would never stop her. “Thank you. I trust your travels were uneventful.” Lucifer felt the Energy from the demoness poke his own with amusement. 

“They were,” she gave him a nod. “May I introduce my daughters?” Lucifer relaxed as she stepped to the side to reveal the half-demon girl he had seen before alongside another. Both shared the general appearance of their Mother while contrasting enough as individuals. Lucifer wondered if they favored their Father the same way Charlie favored him. 

“Hello, Your Majesty,” the young woman with short curly white hair spoke up with a nearly perfect curtsy. The blonde quickly copied her sister, though no sound left her lips. 

“Apologies for our abrupt arrival,” Carmine spoke up. “Can we speak in private?” The odd request came in an almost concerned tone. Lucifer looked over at Charlie holding a group conversation with Sir Pentious, Vaggie, and Niffty. She reminded him of how Lilith would host a meeting. Standing at the front of the group and talking about something with passion. “Your Majesty?” 

“Hm? Oh! Right, um, hold on.” He had no idea where they could speak other than the kitchen. It wasn’t private, but perhaps he could block the door with a ward or something. “This way,” he motioned to the woman and her children. “So, what brings you to my daughter’s hotel?” 

“After speaking with Alastor,” she placed a phone down in front of him. “I don’t believe this was known.” 

“What the fuck?” He muttered as he snatched the device. Someone in Box-whatever, had gotten a personal picture of Little Duck and created some attention-grabbing article. This was terrifying! Who had gotten the photo? When had they? How did it happen? An article with Little Duck as the centerpiece laid in front of him. Her bright smile and outreached hand were framed with the words ‘New Royal? You Won’t Believe!’ 

He needed to handle this. He was going to kill someone. End them permanently. Rip them apart with the very bones inside of them. 

“Speaking as a parent. I am offering the use-” 

The screech of a microphone ripped through the air with physical force. Glass and ceramic shattered, the countertop cracked, and the windows turned into fine powder. Lucifer could feel a surge of power rise before being cut abruptly as the majority of Pentagram City turned dark. 

Lucifer flipped his thoughts, focusing on Little Duck screaming her lungs out. “Hey, Little Duck, you’re okay. It’s okay, you’re safe.” He flared out his Angelic Energy, seeking out Charlie while looking up where Carmilla Carmine had pulled her children closed. 

Charlie’s Energy warned him seconds before she ran into the kitchen. “I think Alastor attacked VoxTech!” 

… … 

Little Duck wouldn’t settle no matter what Lucifer tried. He’d summoned Mrs. Feathers, a swaddle blanket, even a rubber ring for her to self soothe with. Nothing he did seemed to help! 

“Help me out, Little Duck.” Charlie hadn’t been like this, had she? He couldn’t remember her crying nearly as much. Little Duck warbled out a sound between a cry and a bleat and pressed her face against him. She seemed to be in pain, but he couldn’t get Bel to answer her phone or a Summons. 

“Fuck!” Sharp claws latched into his skin through his vest and shirt. The tiny pinpricks burned for a second before his Energy smothered them. Little Duck screeched at his raised voice, gripping harder with her hands and feet and bumping her head into his chin. 

“What are you doing?” A static tone asked over her noise. “Quite the deja vu here,” Alastor smiled as glided into the room. His Shadow moved over the wall, the expression on its face one of concern and pain. 

Little Duck let out another mixed sound that made Lucifer wince and Alastor’s ears fall back. “Yeah, well it’s your fault, Dubstep.” He spat while gently swaying. The movement seemed to help before something else set her off into a new round of tears. Lucifer wanted to join her screaming. 

“My fault? Sire, I assure you I have nothing to do with this.” The Radio Demon motioned to the entirety of Lucifer and Little Duck. “Why haven’t you called your-” 

“I know what I’m doing!” Lucifer snapped with a flare of Energy. Holy fire danced above his head as he met Alastor’s eyes. “I know, I know what,” tears filled his eyes as his frustration bled through him. Little Duck’s crying, Charlie’s new wings, the Sins taking his work, his inadequacies being laid bare to everyone. No matter what he did! No matter how he tried! He couldn’t fix any of it! 

He tried to force his tears back and turn away from the Sinner, but his knees felt like sticks and his eyes burned. He was trying! He was trying so hard! Some King he was, he could only make disasters. 

He watched as Alastor passed his cane to his Shadow, allowing the creature to consume the item before he brushed his hands together and approached. Lucifer snapped his tail in warning even as he let the Sinner approach. Little Duck continued to cry as Alastor slowly rested a hand on her exposed back. 

“Hm,” Alastor traced her spine slowly. Lucifer watched as he carefully laced his claws through her hair, scratching her scalp with a gentleness that he’d never seen. Little Duck didn’t react until he reached her ears, letting out a pained bleating sound and scratching Lucifer with fury. “Her ears,” Lucifer watched the small appendages flick away from Alastor’s claws. “She heard my radio?” 

“Ev-everyone, heard it.” Lucifer hiccuped, shifting his arms to cradle Little Duck more as Alastor’s hand began to glow a soft green. “What are you?” Alastor didn’t respond as shadows shaped around Little Duck’s ears before shifting to a crown over her head. 

“Her ears,” Alastor spoke in a soft tone with no hint of static. “The wave of sound possibly blew out her eardrums. A painful experience,” he explained as Little Duck began to quiet. “She’ll need a doctor, but these will help.” Little Duck sagged against him as the shadow earmuffs glowed softly. 

Alastor stayed close, his eyes watching Little Duck closely as Lucifer sniffled and tried to control his emotions. Neither moved until Little Duck turned her head and caught sight of Alastor. The red themed male stiffened when a small hand reached for him. Lucifer let out a wet laugh when she gave a soft but demanding squeak. 

“Here.” Was he really offering to let Alastor hold his baby? “She wants you,” he added as she made another demand. Alastor didn’t move, reacting only when Lucifer pushed her into his chest. 

“I will not-” Too late Little Duck latched onto Alastor’s bowtie and rubbed her face against him. “Disgusting,” he grumbled despite folding his arms around her in a comforting hold. Lucifer stepped back enough to make sure he wouldn’t let her go before moving to collapse in an overstuffed chair. “Before you decide to foist your second child into my care. Would you care to explain what a Claim actually is?” 

Lucifer raised his brows in confusion as Alastor rolled his eyes and his smile sharpened with agitation. “I have learned of three varying explanations explaining a Claim. As the oldest being in Hell, I would assume you know exactly what it is.” He explained as his own armchair formed from shadows. 

“You really wanna know?” Lucifer asked with a wave of his hand. “Basically, when we Fell, Lilith was mortal. She, wasn’t, like me.” He tried to explain. “Her mortality couldn’t handle Hell, so I gave her my blood and Energy so she could survive. It was a way to give her protection without losing her.” Lucifer kept his eyes on his baby as she chewed on her hand, wanting to smile at her relaxing but unable to stop memories in his mind. 

“A Claim is a blood relation,” Alastor summarized with a hum of low music. 

“Not really,” he admitted. “I Claimed Lilith to give her protection, not to force her to be mine. Her power shares my power, but she is and always has been her own person.” 

“So, you gave her your blood as a way to force her to be like you.” Alastor said with carefully veiled anger. Lucifer would have seen his calm as natural if he hadn’t been waiting for the traces of anger in his eyes. 

“No,” Lucifer continued, “I didn’t think of making her anything more. Just that she was enough that she would survive.” 

“Then what of a Name?” Alastor asked as a bottle of Rye appeared on a table between them. “Our dear Queen is known as a Morningstar after all.” 

“That’s easier,” Lucifer nodded as he poured a gracious amount of Rye for them both. “Ready for a story? Even though I claimed Lilith as mine to protect, as my blood, she, she was suffering.” He stared into the warm red liquid as he remembered the pain Lilith had gone through. “It worked for a while, but she started to wither. There’s no sun in Hell and all the food was toxic. Even with my blood, she wasn’t living. She was dying with my blood trying to keep her tethered to living.” 

Lilith’s skin had turned molten with bruises, her hair had slipped from her head in clumps. Her eyes had changed from the vibrant blue of Eden’s sky to milky orbs that struggled to see. He had watched her age without the passage of time. He had watched as she had grown frail with sickness that none of them could help. Her pain and struggles still haunted him millennia later. He still felt hatred at how he had been unable to stop his own madness long enough to help her, to do something more for her. 

“Giving her my Name meant giving her,” Lucifer forced himself to breathe. “I gave her a piece of my Soul. I basically yelled at the Universe that she was mine. I took a piece of her Soul and a piece of mine and bound them together so that whatever happened to her, happened to me.” He explained and let out a laugh of self-deprecation. “I knew Father wouldn’t want my punishment to end so easily, so I gave her my power, my Energy, my everything to her and somehow her Soul returned the same.” 

He tilted his head to drink his glassful in two swallows. “We had no idea what we’d done until a tether appeared from where I had bonded our Souls. The Universe had accepted us having each other's Souls and gave her my Name.” Alastor didn’t respond verbally but the low music changed to something deeper, something that settled in his chest like a heartbeat. 

“That Naming is what created the ability for Souls to tie each other together. I don’t know how it’s, it’s become so twisted now.” Lucifer continued, “I gave a Claim because I wanted Lilith to be safe, to be able to survive with me. I gave her my Name because I couldn’t watch her die. Now there’s Sinners running around, twisting what I’ve done to own each other.” 

“I can’t speak for other Sinners, but I can say that what you did was inspiring.” Alastor said in the ensuing silence. “To Claim is to offer a means of change and power, not just the promise of protection. While to Name is to bond Souls together to aid each other. Am I correct?” 

Lucifer nodded and pointed at Little Duck quietly resting on his chest. “Claiming has visible changes too, while Naming doesn’t. It’s why no one looks like they all belong to the same family even if they’re all tied to the same ‘name.’ So at least she got your ears and not your creepy smile.” He laughed, smirking when the radio gave a short burst of soft static. 

Chapter Text

Lucifer glanced at Angel over Charlie’s shoulder. Charlie had pulled Lucifer into a large, empty room shortly after breakfast. He was supposed to be helping Charlie care for her wings, and possibly fold them away, but he was being easily distracted. 

“Aaand!” Angel blew a breath directly into Little Duck’s face, making her burst into a fit of giggles. Angel held her as she swayed with her enjoyment, bringing an easy smile to the male’s face as well. 

Little Duck was much better after an evening and night of silence and rest. Lucifer had been weary when Alastor’s earmuff-crown had lingered throughout the night, but Little Duck seemed much happier thanks to it. That hadn’t stopped him from demanding a visit from Bel. The Sloth Sin hadn’t answered any of his texts, but he was planning on opening a portal to her Ring later. 

“Dad!” Charlie jumped, letting loose her own giggle when he brushed through the underside of her wing along her shoulder. He smiled as the appendage waved and stretched before resettling. He forgot how sensitive and ticklish wings could be. It wasn’t something he ever thought he’d share, much less share with his daughter. 

“Sorry Apple,” he teased, “I thought I saw some glitter.” He laughed as Charlie blushed and carefully stretched out both wings. One of his hands stayed braced in the space between her wings while the other moved along the delicate bones. Charlie’s balance had improved since her return, though Lucifer could see the edges of bruises peeking from beneath her modified top. 

The rag-tag group that made up the Hotel’s people, had quickly figured out that an unbalanced Charlie led to things hitting the floor far more often than not. Vaggie and Angel had stepped in to help her balance, with Husk occasionally joining the duo. Lucifer had alternated with writing up different plans for the Sins to use, checking on his daughters, and trying to adjust to dealing with the Songbird randomly appearing near them. 

Alastor had disappeared after the fiasco that had been breakfast. Lucifer had wanted breakfast but didn’t want to leave Little Duck with the Sinner. Alastor hadn’t argued when Lucifer took a still sleeping baby from him. In fact he had disappeared with little more than his signature smile as a goodbye. 

Lucifer had gone on to take over the kitchen with a flourish. Setting Little Duck in her bouncer, he had summoned a radio and gotten to work. Within a few minutes, Lucifer had the kitchen filled with the smell of ingredients and music. He had been laying strips of bacon in a pan when Little Duck had let out her newest sound. It had been a soft sound and he hadn’t noticed it at first. Then she had gotten louder as she woke up and Lucifer had been reminded of Charlie’s childhood. The squeaky bleating had grown as Lucifer turned to check on her. Her face was flushed with the signs of an oncoming tantrum as she squirmed in her seat, demanding to be free. 

“Little Duck,” he’d barely gotten her free when a shadow morphed into Alastor. The man had looked almost frantic, his eyes flitting over the room before zoning in on Little Duck as she let out a loud bleat. 

“Give her to me, you insufferable-” 

“Woah! She’s my-” 

“She’s crying!” 

“Probably because of you!” 

“Such maturity! How quaint.” 

“I’ll show you quaint!” 

“Aah!” The loud bleat had made both men pause with their faces inches apart. Little Duck’s tail was snug around Lucifer’s wrists while her hands tightly clenched Alastor’s vest. 

Lucifer wasn’t happy with their setup. He didn’t want the Sinner anywhere near his daughters, but he’d sacrifice everything to protect them. He was willing to sacrifice Sinners for Charlie’s safety. Putting up with having a cannibalistic narcissistic Sinner to keep his baby healthy was nothing. 

“Alright Apple, focus on letting them relax and,” he forced himself to the present, “let your Angelic Energy slide over you.” 

Charlie let out a groan of frustration, “You make it look so easy!” He let out a laugh as he let go and watched Charlie fluff them out. 

Another round of giggles drew his attention again and he felt something warm pool in his chest when he saw Angel holding Little Duck above his head. He wished Lilith was with them. He wished she would be there for Charlie’s first proper molt and to see her first flight. He wished it was her with their daughters. 

“I think I got it!” Charlie cheered, her excitement pulling him from his spiral. He carefully split his focus, watching Charlie flex her wings with his eyes and his Energy. He was still worried she wouldn’t have enough Energy, but the soft greeting of her Energy was reassuring. 

The sharp scarlet and acidic yellow that Bel had shown all of them three days ago had darkened. Warm crimson danced alongside butter yellow, sparkling as they stretched over her wings like a slow molasses. Lucifer had no idea how long he watched, only that by the time the Energy eclipsed the wings fully, Charlie was shaking. 

“Let go, Apple.” He ordered in a soft whisper, reaching a hand out to gift her his Energy. As his fingers brushed the soft down, the wings faded away. Charlie staggered at the weight loss, tilting dangerously before Lucifer was able to catch her. Sweat collected on her brow and her body shook from the exertion, but the smile on her face was so bright Lucifer could feel his own trying to match. “You did it!” 

“I did it!” She cheered with him. Laughter spilled from them both as Lucifer swept her up into his arms, spinning them around like he had when she was small. “Dad~!” She sang through her joy, resting her hands on his shoulders before falling over him in a hug. “I did it!” She whispered in his ear, disbelief and pride coloring her words in equal measure as he set her down. 

“I knew you could,” he assured her, moving his arms so that he could cup her head and hold her tightly. “Lets get you some food,” he suggested, “Bel’d kill me if I didn’t make you eat something after all that.” 

Charlie’s stomach grumbled as if it had been waiting for his idea. “I guess food would be good.” She laughed, while standing and wiping her face. Lucifer pretended it was only sweat he saw. “Angel! C’mon, lets grab lunch.” 

… … 

Vox paced his office area. Thanks to making a copy of everything on Angel Dust’s phone, he knew all about the new Princess of Hell. 

Maybe he shouldn’t have released the article so quickly. Maybe he should have waited. But then he wouldn’t have gotten the reaction he had from Alastor. The man had attacked Vee Tower directly. He’d taken out their signal tower and killed almost a hundred employees! 

That wasn’t the Alastor Vox knew. Alastor was calm and collected, smart and confident, a smartass with a quip for everything. He wasn’t someone who lashed out without knowing everything. He never just reacted and moved on. His plans had plans!

He sped up his pacing. It wasn’t a secret that the Queen had vanished without a trace years ago. At the same time Alastor had too. Vox had sent a handful of reporters to try and get an interview with the King with no luck. He’d been roadblocked at every turn trying to get to the King and his daughter. 

Yet somehow Alastor had done it? What did he- 

Vox jerked to a stop. Looking at one of his many screens. A closer look at the baby pictures had Vox scrambling to connect dots. 

Vox knew, like everyone else, that Sinners couldn’t procreate. But he also knew that Claims existed. Look at Carmilla and her brats. She’d gone as far as to offer her Name to a bunch of teens when they signed Contracts with her. 

Beside the point. Vox wasn’t stupid. He could see the similarities between Alastor and the newest Princess. It wasn’t hard! But that meant he had a connection to Lucifer. Was that why he was helping with the hotel? Alastor hated kids! But Charlotte was an adult. That still didn’t explain the baby. 

Alastor abhorred touch. He would never let Vox get more than a handshake or a side hug. He’d never do anything with the King. Would he? 

What if the offer had been in exchange for power? What if he stayed under the King’s thumb for seven years? Vox had searched everywhere for Alastor. Who’s to say he hadn’t been with the King the whole time? Training under the most powerful being in their existence. Learning manipulation and tactics under the very first Sin. 

What deal did he make with the King? 

Could Vox make a similar deal? Probably not, but maybe he could do something about the situation. The Royals and Alastor were staying at the hotel. Perhaps if he offered up some Souls and a security system? He could even be there for the install. If he did it right. He’d have a perfect opportunity to see what Alastor was doing. 

Chapter Text

Everyone was lazing around the Lobby after a heavy lunch made by Husk. Charlie hadn’t felt so full since Angel had made baked ziti before her meeting with Adam. Husk had made a mix of food he claimed were taught to him in Life. Carna asada, flavored rice, beans, and a mix of grilled vegetables. Charlie was decently sure Vaggie had eaten twice her weight in food.

“Hey,” Vaggie’s soft voice pulled Charlie away from her doze. Lifting her head with a hum, she peeked her eyes open to see Vaggie reaching up to brush her hair back. “Tired?” Charlie hummed an affirmative before leaning into Vaggie’s space. She was absolutely exhausted, her whole body felt like she’d gone through a new dance routine and then did laps up and down the stairs. 

Her Dad had left earlier with Al, something to do with his radio show. She was happy they were getting along, but also confused since neither seemed happy with it. She could only guess it had something to do with Doe. 

Since their return from Heaven, Doe had seemed to latch onto Al with a clinginess that Charlie had only seen between Razzle and Dazzle. That wasn’t to say Doe wouldn’t let Al leave her sight. His Shadow seemed to stay with her whenever the Radio Demon had something to do. It was kind of cute. The Shadow acted as if Doe belonged to them. Vaggie had told her that he acted like a cat with their kitten. 

Currently Doe and Al’s Shadow were playing on the rug between everyone. The wooden clinking of toys and her soft sounds were soothing. Charlie would easily fall asleep if not for the radio clinking on with the hum of static. 

“Salutations! Wayward Sinners, near and far!” Alastor’s smooth voice drew everyone’s attention. “Today’s special broadcast comes not only from Hell’s highest seat! But with a surprisingly unremarkable guest appearance!” Charlie forced herself to sit up as Alastor spoke, her curiosity nudging against her desire for a nap. “Welcome to the condenser! His Royal Stray Light, The King of Hell!” 

“Oh, shit! Smiles is interviewin’ live?” Angel exclaimed as the radio gave a scratching sound before her Dad’s coughing filtered in. 

“He’lo Hell,” the glitch in his words didn’t hide how uncomfortable he sounded. 

“Now, I’m sure everyone is wondering. Is that truly the King? No one’s seen you in years! What brings you out now?” Alastor jumped back on, the radio giving off a green spark that cleared the static sound away. 

“W-well, um, I,” Charlie felt sympathy surge up from her chest. At least she knew where she got her own uncertainty for interviews from. “I was, busy. King stuff, y’know.” He laughed, the sound making everyone wince from the screech of feedback. “But, um, I’m back.” The hesitance in words made Charlie wonder if he didn’t have any notes. At least Vaggie had made sure she kept her notes on her for her first attempt at an interview. “I’m back, because my daughter is working on an, interesting, project.” 

“Ah yes, Princess Charlotte! Quite the imaginative and innovative young lady! She’s showing much promise with her newest project. The Hazbin Hotel!” Alastor complimented. “So you’ve appeared for her?” 

“Yes!” Her Dad’s confident answer made everyone in the room relax and settle back into their respective spots. “She’s got this idea. Redeeming Souls. Can you believe it?” A week ago, Charlie would have thought his words were condescending or said as a joke. “She’s got all these wonderful plans too! And she’s proving that with a chance, some Souls really are willing to change.” She could hear the amazement in his words as he gushed about her idea of putting up a safety ward for any guests seeking Asylum. She hadn’t put much thought into it, or so she thought. But the way her Dad was talking, it made her feel like she could do it.

“Now, aside from the many plans the memorable Princess has. There’s been rumors floating around.” Alastor interrupted just as Doe made a loud sound and laughed. “I’d love to hear if any are true. Would you care to share, your Majesty?” 

“Well, depends on the rumors, Son-Radio Demon.” Charlie rolled her eyes at her Dad’s slip while Angel snorted a laugh. “Are you referring to any in particular?” Charlie moved so she was sprawled between Vaggie’s arms, her angelic girlfriend smiling and shifting so they both were more comfortable. A quick glance around the room showed Husk with his feet propped up nearest to the radio. Niffty had appeared at some point and was sitting with her legs underneath a chair as she sewed a patch onto an armchair. Pentious was fiddling with a set of gears with his Egg Boys beside him holding more. Angel was laying on his stomach pushing a few toy ducks closer to Doe, letting her throw them for the Shadow to fetch. Everyone was happy. 

“Why the rumor of a royal baby!” Alastor exclaimed dramatically. Charlie could almost swear the whole of Pride went silent. Doe warbled from where she sat, drawing Charlie’s gaze. “It’s been some time since you and the Queen announced Princess Charlotte’s arrival. Will you be doing the same for your newest addition?” 

“Yes,” her Dad’s tone had shifted. “But not through some scrambling device or rag piece.” The stiff tone drew Doe’s attention, her red and gold eyes -eyes Charlie shared- landed on the radio. “My children will not be seen as a spectacle Sinners can drag around.” Doe gave a confused warble towards the radio, leaning to her side till she fell over while facing the device. 

“Of course, of course!” Alastor assured, the sound of an audience making an appearance for the first time. “Everyone knows, children are off limits.” The unsaid threat made the radio spark and had Husk quickly moving his feet. “But that does mean we have a celebration to look forward to! Will there be any special guests of honor?” Charlie kept her eye on Doe, watching her rock back and forth, her tiny toes catching on the carpet as she tried to kick forward. 

“A few, I guess.” Doe let out another warble, face scrunched in determination as she put her face to the floor and kicked more. Charlie wanted to get up and help, but Angel motioned for her to stay in Vaggie’s hold. She kept one ear on the radio, listening, but most of her attention was on Doe. 

Her tiny sister clawed at the carpet, kicking her legs till the knee of one leg seemed to catch her weight. Exhaustion and curiosity made way for excitement as Charlie realized what Doe was doing. When the second leg managed to catch the same way, Charlie had to cover her mouth to stop from squealing in excitement. Angel was on his own knees, bent forward with his phone in one hand, another resting near Doe’s back, and two more braced slightly above as if to catch her. 

Doe grunted, scooching herself into a ball as her tail waved behind her. Then with a demanding sound, she lifted her head enough to slide forward on her forehead. Charlie was too proud of her to laugh, but Angel wasn’t. Vaggie shifted and started to speak before Charlie slapped her hand over the other’s mouth. 

The trio watched as Doe made a slow but determined worm impression over to Husk’s chair before giving up. Traveling the almost meter distance seemed to be her limit before she rolled onto her back and gave a loud bleat. 

“Fuck, kid!” Husk grouched, having yanked his legs into his chair at the sudden and close noise before registering just who it was. “How’d you get here, huh?” He asked, leaning far enough forward that his body and wings cast a shadow over an unimpressed Doe. 

“She crawled! Vaggie! Did you see? Holy shit! She crawled!” Charlie cheered, scrambling to stand up and pull Angel into a hug. “She’s crawling! Oh shit, she crawled!” Charlie felt her excitement leave as realization dawned on her. If Doe was crawling, the Hotel needed to be safety proofed. There were so many things she could get into! 

“Woah Toots!” Angel cried as she shoved him away and ran to grab a notepad. She needed to make a list and prioritize what were the most dangerous areas of the Hotel! 

… … 

Husk raised a brow as he watched Charlie take off, before leaning over to lift Doe from the floor. Tiny fingers dug into the fur over his hand as he pulled her up by her outfit, before setting her in the bend of his arm. Vaggie had stood up, eye darting between Husk and where Charlie had disappeared too. 

“Go,” he grumbled. He could watch the baby without her hovering. She’d be a lot easier than trying to watch Niff. Vaggie gave him a grateful nod before disappearing as well. 

The voices on the radio faded as Husk looked over the tiny baby. Her eyes seemed to do the same to him as she gave a soft ‘oo’ sound and gummed at her hand. Her forehead was a bright red, almost blending into her dark red hair until Husk brushed it back to inspect the carpet burn. She didn’t seem upset with the action, her eyes closing with peace as he let his claws gently roll through the fine hair. The ear not pressed against his chest flapped when he got close, reminding him of Al’s ears. Were they as sensitive to touch? 

“You look good with a baby,” Angel broke the silence. Husk would have glared at the remark if not for the genuine and soft look on the other’s face. Husk put his focus back on Doe, letting his claws gently trace close to the ear before letting out a huffing laugh when a tiny foot nudged his chest. “Guess she don’t like that,” Angel softly laughed. Husk grunted in reply, one eye watching as Angel reached over to grab one of Doe’s feet. “Christ, her feet are so tiny. Look at these tiny toes!” He exclaimed at a normal volume, smile fond as he let her go and traced a finger under her sole. 

Doe kicked at the action, squirming in Husk’s arm as Niffty appeared at the man’s hip. “She’s not so bad.” She admitted to no one’s question. “Kinda quiet,” she added and Husk winced. If that wasn’t a jinx waiting, then he was swapping his liquor for a beer. 

“Miss Niffty is correct. Doe,” Pentious spoke up, “is quite the delightful baby.” Husk wanted to throw his head back and groan. Did none of these idiots understand what a jinx was? 

“Well, when she starts screaming. Leave me outta it.” He settled on grumbling, knowing from his own past that when a baby started crawling, teething wasn’t far behind. 

… … 

Lucifer felt like melting as soon as Alastor flipped the ‘On Air’ sign off. The interview had been a spur of the moment idea. He hadn’t wanted to give anything to the public about his daughters. He couldn’t stop Charlie from making any public appearances, but Little Duck was a baby! The fact Lock had put out some weird tabloid paper on her pissed him off to no end. If Alastor hadn’t already destroyed their transmitters, Lucifer would have gladly just struck the building down. 

“Well, imperfection is the butter of humanity’s bread.” Alastor said as he leaned back in his own chair. The Radio Demon stared out the large windows that circled most of his radio station. “I will need to know exactly when your ‘Introduction Ceremony’ will be.” 

“Yeah, to announce or whatever.” Lucifer waved off, shifting so he leaned forward. His elbows dug almost painfully into his knees, but it was grounding. “I,” he hesitated, “I didn’t want to,” 

“What’s done is done.” Alastor interrupted and Lucifer hummed his agreement but sighed with exhaustion. He didn’t want Little Duck dealing with the weight of their family. He could already picture the mix of responses from more than just the Pride Ring. “Perhaps the ceremony can be set for next month? The day of the cancelled second extermination.” Alastor contemplated out loud. 

“You want to have a party on a day planned for slaughter?” Lucifer looked at him incredulously, watching the man’s ears flick forward before he sat up to grab a mug. 

“Indeed,” he said without explanation. Lucifer wanted to demand him to explain, but honestly he didn’t want to deal with talking any more. Even without the presence of dozens of people in the interview, Lucifer felt as if he’d faced far more than just Alastor. 

He needed to sleep. He needed to check on his daughters. He needed to check his phone for the Sins. There were so many things now set in motion and he wasn’t sure he cared enough to keep up with it. 

“I’ll take care of Charlie and Doe for the rest of the day.” Alastor broke through his sluggish thoughts. Lucifer lifted his head, confused when he met a raised brow and strained smile. “You, Sire, are exhausting.” 

“Well, you try dealing with all of this!” Lucifer demanded with exaggerated motions. “I have,” 

“You have obviously not paid attention.” Alastor interrupted as he used his microphone cane to tap Lucifer’s head. “You’ve worn the same suit for days. I have handled things thus far, I can continue to do so.” He argued and Lucifer couldn’t say anything. Because the stupid Songbox was right. 

“I’ll be fine.” He muttered while opening a portal. “Why don’t you take a shower? You smell like a damn swamp!” He threw over his shoulder and smirked at the sound of radio screeching. 

The portal closed with a snap, leaving him alone in his designated room. Little Duck’s messy rags and used diapers gave the room a memorable smell. The blankets from the bed were cumbled and pulled into a pile against the headboard. Lucifer didn’t want to consider how many rubber ducks he’d scattered around the room, or look at the pile of paperwork he’d let accumulate on the desk. 

“This place is a mess!” He hoped saying the words out loud would give him some kind of motivation. “What am I doing?” Depression weighed across his shoulders like an overpriced rug. He was just like this room. A mess, and he needed to be better. For Charlie. For Little Duck. “Shower and clothes.” He settled on. One step and all that, right?

Chapter Text

Alastor was in the process of making a pitcher of sweet tea when he felt it. Forced habit kept his hands steady as the sensation of fabric pulled against his throat. A warning, one he hadn’t felt in months but knew intimately. 

Two small minions formed from his shadow, one a lanky hunched figure with a smile like his own, while the other was slightly taller with long arms and a spaded tail. “Stay with them.” He ordered as his Shadow was pulled into the room. The expression it gave him was one of disgruntlement and anxiety. A mirror of the emotions he wouldn’t show. “Come along.” The words barely left his mouth before he was pulled to a new location. 

Modern music drifted from somewhere as Alastor settled on his feet. The room was spacious, if rather empty. A shelf hosting a variety of books that changed at random along with an assortment of items one would see in tourist shops. A couch was pushed against a cream colored wall with a short coffee table covered in scattered papers and mug rings. Light emitted from a bulb embedded into the ceiling, shining with the brightness of a clinical light. The room would not be remiss as a simple display; no pictures, no windows, no touch of personhood. 

Turning fully around to the door, Alastor could have pretended that a mortal stood before him. Standing at his chest, the figure had regal features that Alastor had seen every day for months. Minus the darker coloration of the figure, they shared many traits with the Princess of Hell. A darker touch to their complexion could have placed them anywhere around the world. Their champagne hair pulled back into a low tail, and held the same heavy wave as Charlie’s own. A splatter of freckles dotted their cheeks where Charlie’s permanent blush would be. If the Princess were to ever attempt a human form, Alastor idly thought she would resemble them.  

“Hello Eve,” Alastor greeted the woman scowling at him. Eyes of amethyst narrowed as the fair haired female continued to stare at Alastor. Neither spoke, not because Alastor had nothing to say. On the contrary, he had plenty to say to the Mother of Humanity. The biggest was a demand for why his Energy had changed. Past experience had taught him that Eve wasn’t one to answer right away though. Time had not been kind to the forgotten and betrayed wife of Adam. 

“You were supposed to protect her.” Eve’s lips never moved but her voice pushed at Alastor’s hearing. “She’s supposed to stay safe. Not flouncing around Heaven!” Prey instincts had Alastor’s knees shaking as he forced himself to remain still. “An Exorcist? Another purge? Adam threatening her?!” Eve listed off while her eyes darkened with power. 

“All taken into account and adjusted for,” Alastor dismissed. Eve snarled, the growl hitting Alastor in the chest and making the music around them screech and warp with her voice. “In fact,” 

“Shut up! You fucked up.” Eve spun on her heel, disappearing around a support wall into what Alastor knew to be a kitchen. “Adam is planning to go after her. He’s pissed that the Seraphim got caught. Roo’s hiding him and I don’t!” Alastor ducked with his Shadow as a pan was thrown past him. 

Alastor waited as Eve charged around the space and allowed her power to whip around them. Alastor would have been concerned if he wasn’t worried about what Eve hadn’t mentioned. Lucifer and Doe were factors that Eve hadn’t considered. Lucifer had been tucked away for years, and had been ignoring Charlie for longer. Yes, Alastor had considered what to do if Lucifer decided to show up. He’d considered many different plans when he’d gone to see the Princess. From simple kidnapping to integrating his power into hers so fully he could force her to do what was necessary. 

He had never considered a baby. 

“You will do everything. Everything. To keep her safe.” Eve stood in front of the pieces of her couch, panting as power flickered a demonic overlay on her. Curled horns of ebony flickered in and out of view over her head, while a spiked tail whipped behind him. Mortal and Demonic, human and monster. 

“As if our Deal would allow anything else.” Alastor said with canned laughter emanating from his cane. Eve turned her head to glare back at him. “She will be safe.” He assured her before holding out his cane. Eve didn’t move for a beat, the angry music settling into a soft country melody before she nodded her head in ascent. 

An easy wave summoned a few mindless shades that quickly set to work repairing Eve’s tantrum. The woman watched them before turning and facing him once again. Alastor forced his ears still as amethyst eyes looked him over with the scrutiny of a spyglass. Hard-won skill kept his eyes on the space between her own and his legs from making a retreat as she walked closer. 

“Lucifer has even reappeared.” Though her lips never moved, Alastor heard the words edged in wonder as Eve scrutinized him. “What brought Lucifer back?” She whispered as fire gently cupped his face. Alastor felt the sensation of fabric around his neck stiffen as Eve pulled on his chain. “Why aren’t you angry?” 

To lie and claim no knowledge sat on the edge of Alastor’s lip. He could tell her Lucifer had appeared as a passing fancy, a way to remind Charlie of his presence. “He wants to help.” The truth tasted like the first sip of a strong coffee. “He hopes to make amends and not repeat his mistakes.” 

“Amends?” In for a penny. “He abandoned her, spouted nonsense about my children’s worth.” Eve’s voice grew like the beginning of a flame. “He focused more on himself than he ever did on his family.” She growled with the edge of her fangs touching her lips. “Lilith and Charlie suffered for years because he couldn’t-” Demonic features shimmered like heat waves over the woman’s face. 

“It would seem,” Alastor carefully moved away from Eve. “Old dogs can learn new tricks.” The laughter from his cane seemed more static as he watched Eve calm. “Congratulations, your youngest niece is quite the charm.” 

… … 

Husk was keeping one eye on Doe as she squirmed around the Egg Boys and one eye on Niffty. The woman had decided to put barriers all over the Lobby, ripping apart throw pillows to stitch soft cushions around any hard surface. Currently she was turning a side table into an ottoman with scraps from a pillow. 

“You’re very small!” An Egg exclaimed as another lay across from her. 

“Yeah! And you smell!” Another added before it was pushed away by a fourth Egg. How Pentious kept track of the things Husk wouldn’t know. “Watch out!” Husk rolled his eyes, feeling his years as he moved to sit on his knees and push the creatures away before they tumbled over Doe. Pentious was too absorbed by his project to help and Husk could see how Doe was getting cranky. 

“C’mere runt,” she fit snugly against his chest. “Go help Niff,” he ordered the Eggs. It shocked Husk how much he could remember from his life as he shifted his arm enough to balance Doe. The girl met his eye with wide innocence and curiosity, reminding Husk of things he’d thought gone. “Shit!” The grit in his tone was covered by the coo as tiny fingers yanked his whiskers. 

Husk bit his tongue to keep any other curses from slipping out. Doe was just doing what all babies did, grab and pull. Least she hadn’t bit him or tried to lick him. Small nails, akin to puppy or kitten nails, pulled on his lip as he moved them both over to the bar. Thanks to the King’s renovations, there was a small fridge under the bar that he kept a few things inside. “Here,” a small but shiny necklace was pulled from the device and placed over Doe. “Chew on that.” He ordered as Doe leaned back and grabbed at the new item. 

Husk had a lot of time on his hands, not everyone drank as much as he did. So that left him with time to craft the metal lids into small things. Doe, instead of investigating with her mouth, decided to shove the cold, smooth metal into his. Husk smirked when he caught it between his lips, careful not to let it get into his mouth before blowing it out. 

“Aa!” Doe squealed in delight. Husk let her do it a few more times before settling her in an empty sink. He would have used the playpen, if Niffty hadn’t started taking it apart to use for barriers as well. Years of habit allowed him to keep an eye on Doe, Niffty, and the rest as he fixed orders. 

“Gimme,” Angel appeared with a tension in his shoulders and a frown on his face. Usually Husk would reach for an amber mix of alcohol that would ease those things for the spider. “Whatcha got, Womb Nugget?” He laughed as Doe gave a bleat from being picked up and gently manhandled to face the male. 

“Work?” Husk already knew the problem, but he still spoke in case he was ever wrong. Angel hummed but kept his attention on Doe as she attempted to grab at his face. She gave him a wide smile when he playfully bit at her hands before she discovered his chest fluff. 

“Val’s trying to tell me I need ta make up hours.” He explained, tilting his head and laughing when Doe buried her face into the space under his chin. “I am the softest!” Husk rolled his eyes with a half smile while sliding a ginger ale with cherry syrup onto the bar. 

“She’s gonna pull,” Husk warned. Angel used one of his hands to wave him off as he took a sip of his drink and continued to hold Doe. 

“She’s a baby, they do that.” Angel told him as Doe leaned back to look at Angel again. “You’re just a baby!” Doe just smiled before twisting to look around. “I’ll probably leave early, get it all done.” He explained as he absently shifted Doe to a more secure hold. Husk nodded, ears twitching towards where Pentious had caused a mess. 

“Out! Out, out, out!” The snake Sinner yelled to his eggs. Husk pulled his focus back to Angel, watching the duo cuddle at his bar. It was oddly nice. Maybe having a baby around wouldn’t be a bad thing. 

… … 

Lucifer watched the last rolled up invitation vanish with a puff of ash. His hands were cramped, his back hurt, and his eyes felt like he hadn’t blinked in hours. After a quick shower, he had set to work writing out a few letters to the Sins to explain the radio broadcast. Then he attempted to clean his room. Key word being attempted, because in the process he had remembered he needed to give everyone a warning for what he’d done. 

“Ow,” the groan of his voice hurt his ears. The room was still a mess, and he was still in only a towel. His skin felt too dry and pins and needles raced from where he’d kept his legs and feet bent. How many letters and invitations had he written? 

“Dinner with the girls and then a nap.” He told himself as he fell over and closed his eyes. “I’ll make grilled cheese and soups.” He mumbled with a smile. The simple dish had been a favorite of Lilith’s. He could remember Lilith making three or four at a time to eat with salsa or tomato soup. He hoped Charlie could forgive him for not making them as good as Lilith, but he liked to think they were pretty decent. 

… … 

Michael sighed as another one of his friends padded away with no news. He’d started searching for Adam after Sera had been forced from her position as High Seraphim. Jerahmeel hadn’t wanted to let Emily fill the position, saying she was too young. Uriel had demanded they needed someone as a High Seraph. Azrael had suggested placing an angel with a domain. It had devolved into an argument that hadn’t ended till Gabriel had spoken. 

Until Emily was considered to have learned enough from each of them, the position of High Seraph would remain empty. The duties of the position would be split amongst the siblings as they had been in the beginning. Gabriel would take the various message forms, Uriel the prayers of Souls, Jerahmeel would assist the Winners, and Michael would take over the overview of law and rule. 

It was tedious, slow, and empty. Something he hadn’t expected. He’d been on edge because of the absence of action. Sera and Adam had led the exterminations for decades. Adam had stood at the head of an army made of Guardians. Michael scratched at his hands while his mind tried to figure things out. 

“Mrup,” Billi forced his way into Michael’s lap. His small fuzzy body pushed between his hands as he worked his paws into Michael’s chest. Purs spilled from the cat as Michael slowly began to pet him, running blunt fingers through the fur while his mind settled. 

“Where would Adam go? Hundreds of Guardians,” he mumbled. For all that Winners claimed, Heaven wasn’t endless. It had as many layers as Hell, with dozens of hidden pockets that were rumored to overlap with Earth. In theory, Adam could have gone and hidden in one. He had been in Heaven for nearly a millennia, so it would make sense for him to know a few of the secrets. 

“Mike,” Raph greeted as they entered his office. “Kebi said you’d be here.” They explained while inspecting the room. “Father, this place is a mess.” Mike wanted to roll his eyes at his sibling, but Billi headbutted him before he could. “Is that the same clothes from our last meeting?” 

Michael glanced down at his shirt and tried to remember how long he’d been in his office. From Raph’s words and tone, the meeting had been a while ago, but how long ago? He couldn’t see any unusual stains or smell anything to imply he needed to change. 

“Nope! You are coming with me.” Raph ordered, moving around the desk to grab him as Billi jumped away. 

“I’m fine,” Michael tried to argue. “Raph-” 

“You weigh as much as Dowan! We’re going to eat and you are getting fresh clothes.” Raph manhandled him out the door with a smug Billi following them. Michael made several attempts to speak, but Raph continued to berate his timekeeping and clothing skills. It was enough chaos that Michael would have missed the small grey and white kitten if he hadn’t been desperate for a distraction. 

“Gatinha!” The small ball of fluff jumped in surprise at his yell, but quickly ran over to them with a roll bigger than her on her back. “Let me,” quick movement and Michael was free of his sibling. 

“Yeet.” Raph’s monotone made Michael want to stamp his feet and throw the other. “You’ll get this. After you eat and change.” They told him while holding the roll of paper in their own hand. 

“Raph, this is important!” Michael grumbled as he lifted the tired kitten into his hands and stood up. “That’s a letter from-” 

“From Lucifer,” Raph read. “If you want to read it, you need to hurry up with what I said.” Michael debated the merit of tackling the other. He could easily pin them down and snatch the roll away, but what if it ripped? “Tick tock, hurry up.” Raph ordered while shoving the roll into an oversized pocket on their shirt. “Food. Clothes. Letter.” 

Michael did not use profanity often, but the terms he did have Raph’s face imitating a red light bulb. 

Chapter Text

My sincere apologies for the lack of an update for two weeks. Due to a combination of work and then a short hospital stay, I have been unable to write. I am better and in recovery, but struggling with simple tasks. 

It has been suggested I use voice to text for the time being, with a close friend acting as a proofreader. We will see how that works as typing is difficult. 

Again, I apologize for my lack of updating. Please be safe and be kind, thank you!

Chapter Text

Lucifer continued rocking and humming, biting back his need to yawn or even move as Little Duck finally settled down. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t relieved. Carefully opening one eye, he peered down at the flushed face with closed eyes. Tears and drool gave the tiny face a glistened appearance, but Lucifer could tell from the warmth she pulsed with it would dry quickly. Her tail, normally kept wrapped with a bit of gauze, lifted up and down in a soothing manner as Little Duck teethed. A whisper that sounded distinctly like Bel, reminded him to remove the appendage, but he happily ignored it. 

He was so tired. He had managed for so long though. He could keep going, right? 

The beginning of a cry made him jerk forward. “Hey,” he tried to soothe Little Duck as she coughed and began to cry. He could feel his emotions burning in his eyes, as she pushed against him. “Little-” his attempt to soothe was cut off as his baby let loose a screech that would put a harpy on edge. 

He waved a hand to muffle the noise around them as Little Duck twisted out of his lap and into the blanket around them. He hated himself even as he pulled his hands over his ears. He couldn’t! He just- He needed a break! Just a small one! 

Maybe it was the lack of sleep. Maybe it was the mental exhaustion of dealing with everything. Lucifer couldn’t bring himself to think, much less move, as his surroundings changed. The cries stayed the same as the room became colder. He tried to fight the oncoming flashback to no avail. 

His head hurt from all the people demanding things of him. His body felt like the trigger of a trap. He wanted to see his wife and daughter and rest, but Charlie’s insistent crying was grating even from outside their room. Charlie had been miserable with the appearance of her first teeth. Crying, screaming, and biting, his precious heart had made sure everyone knew how unhappy she was. He and Lilith had tried so many things to help ease her pain, from rubbing her gums to summoning soft wood for her to bite. They struggled. 

A massive storm of bitter cold ripped apart the Pride Ring. Brilliant cold lightning arched over their home, and the wind drove fragmented ice into the thick walls. As the temperature dropped, storm clouds pressed down with the weight of a mountain. And for the first time, he hadn’t walked into a warm bedroom. 

Charlie had been on their bed, wearing a half-changed outfit that did nothing to battle the cold. The door leading out to a balcony stood open and the curtains that usually helped shield them from the cold snapped with movement. He rushed to his daughter's side, rapidly pulling her into a swaddle before opening his shirt to pull her against his skin. 

He couldn’t remember if he’d said or done anything else. He couldn’t remember if there had been a noise or a feeling that nagged at him. All he could remember of that next moment was the look on Lilith’s face as lightning flashed. Her skin had been peppered with scratches from the flying ice, and her dress pressed against her from the wind accented the sharp lines of rib and hip bones. The color of her eyes had been tinted by blood, resembling the pale purple of another. How had he missed her change? How had he not noticed her pain?

He had dropped Charlie onto their bed as Lilith had tipped over the balcony edge. He had flared his wings on instinct but entrapped himself in the room, unable to move through the broken doorway. He had felt his heart fall as he watched her slip out of sight. 

Lucifer forced himself to take a deep breath as he left the memory. How had he not remembered just how much they struggled? How much Lilith had struggled? Lucifer could remember how she had seemed perfect after Charlie’s arrival. Nothing had seemed to phase her or make her doubt herself. He thought, maybe if he threw himself into running their Kingdom and let Lilith take over things would be fine. He thought she didn’t need him. He’d been wrong. 

Little Duck sniffled and opened her eyes at his shaking inhale, a muffled warble reminded him of the present. 

He pulled his knees close as he settled back on their bed. “I guess, this is what Lilith dealt with.” He pulled pillows and blankets around them into a nest. “I thought,” he trailed off, “I thought I could be better.” Lucifer let his head fall back and closed his eyes. Little Duck whined before relaxing when Lucifer offered her his hand. 

He let sleep pull him away, hoping to forget and simply rest. He would call Bel later. He just wanted to sleep for a minute. 

… … 

Lucifer smiled as he walked down the main stairway, looking over the birthday decorations with only a small bit of confusion. Charlie would know what was going on. 

“Daaa!” A young child yelled as they ran towards him. They were small, barely coming to his hip, with dark red hair and a smear of something white across their face. Dressed in high-waisted shorts and a striped shirt that matched their black and red animal ears, Lucifer considered they were a young boy. Their wide smile and laughter filled the lobby, and their bare feet slapped on the hard floor from the force of their running

“Not this time!” Someone else yelled back as a woman with long silver hair pulled in a high ponytail followed quickly behind. Vaggie was dressed in her familiar red and black ensemble but with the addition of a looser fit. “Get back here!” She demanded just as the child ran into Lucifer, tiny arms wrapping around his thighs before scrambling behind him. 

“Da’dy help!” They squirmed until Lucifer had to bend his knees to accommodate them climbing up his back. 

“ Somebody got into the freezer.” He heard Vaggie’s voice laughing as bony limbs settled on his back and Vaggie came to a stop in front of him. “That was Charlie’s ice cream, Doe.” 

Doe? Was there another Sinner at the Hotel named that? Well, good for Charlie in getting another Soul. “Her’s has spin’kles.” The child on his back argued, bringing Lucifer out of his confusion. “An’ I didn’ eat a lot.” They added as Lucifer instinctively moved to hold the child as Vaggie rolled her eye. 

“Right, so the half eaten carton is just a surprise?” Lucifer had to bite back a laugh when the child hummed. “Well,” Vaggie met his gaze with a half smile. “I guess that means you three will be replacing the ice cream?” 

“Huh? Three? I, uh, well,” Lucifer was beyond lost but he could handle a bit of false confidence. “O-of course!” 

“Right, dinner’s in an hour.” Vaggie waved before walking away. Lucifer watched her leave, taking note of her relaxed air before his face was pulled to the side and red eyes met mirrors of his own. 

“Don’ tell Mama.” The tiny child, toddler honestly, said with so much seriousness that Lucifer had to fight a laugh. “Deal?” 

“Of course,” Lucifer promised and shifted to swing the toddler around to his front. “Now! What kind of ice cream did you grab?” 

“You two and your sweets,” a familiar radio voice complained. “Hello Fawn,” Alastor greeted as Doe squirmed to escape Lucifer. “Now, now, what do we say?” 

Lucifer was surprised but proud when Doe stopped squirming and took a deep breath. “Down p’ease.” He easily let the toddler go, laughing as they launched into Alastor the same way they had him. 

“Good girl,” he praised with a head pat before bending to wipe her face with a handkerchief. “Where are your shoes?” He asked, getting a confused look that mirrored Alastor’s. “Lucifer, we talked about this.” 

“We did?” Lucifer was dreaming. There was no other reason for what was going on in front of him. The Radio Demon and he hadn’t had more than a passing conversation that hadn’t escalated into an argument. That was ignoring his baby being a toddler already. That was a crisis he wasn’t going to think about. 

Alastor gave an exasperated sound before scooping Doe to rest by his chest. “Yes. We did.” He grouched and Lucifer had to admit, the other somehow pulled off looking intimidating with a toddler playing with his buttons. “Doe, where did you put your shoes?” He asked while his Shadow moved away, waving a finger of reprimand at Lucifer before disappearing somewhere. 

“Choose make tap tap,” she explained before squirming. “Do~wn!” She whined as Alastor twisted his arms to keep her in place. When Alastor didn’t immediately let her go, she twisted to reach for Lucifer. 

“Ah, non mon petite,” Alastor teased as Doe managed to flip herself upside down still reaching for Lucifer. “Your feet are filthy.” Lucifer didn’t think the sentence itself was nefarious, but Doe seemed to think otherwise. 

“Mama, no!” She screeched. 

Lucifer jerked awake. His room was still dark, shapes covered in shadow reassuring him that he wasn’t still dreaming. Once he caught his breath, he looked to his side, finding small but very awake eyes watching him. 

Lucifer easily slid his arms under Little Duck and pulled her against his chest. “Alastor isn’t Mama.” Little Duck warbled and patted a wet hand on his chest. “Freaky radio guy, stupid dreams,” he muttered. 

Chapter Text

Charlie laughed as she held Doe on her lap. Her sister was happily bouncing, really dropping, her weight into Charlie’s lap. Vaggie had left to do something with Angel, so Charlie had taken the surprising free time to check on her Dad and Doe. 

In the nearly two weeks that her Dad had been in the Hotel, so much had changed! She got a little sister, met her Dad’s old family, found out she was with a literal angel, and she got wings! Admittedly, she was in a bit of an emotional nightmare, but Charlie was optimistic that she could -no, would- figure it out. 

“You’re just having so much fun!” She teased as Doe leaned back with her tiny hands holding tight to Charlie’s fingers. “One, two, three!” Her sister squealed and kicked her legs as Charlie carefully lifted her above her head. 

“Careful, she just ate.” Their Dad told her with a smile. Charlie let Doe settle back into her lap, relaxing with an easy smile as Doe bounced herself. “Breakfast is almost done,” he told her while plating an omelet. 

“Dad? I was wondering,” Charlie hesitated. “Could we, if you’re not busy? I mean, if you are, we can totally skip it. I just-”

“Breath, Duckie,” his soothing voice made Charlie gasp for air. She hadn’t even noticed when he’d moved to her side, or when a clone had taken Doe. “You can ask me anything, you know? Whatever it is, I’ll do it.” 

“Thanks, Dad,” she mumbled and pulled herself into his arms. Sitting down while he stayed standing made her feel so small and safe. She missed when she could do that with either of her parents. Feeling his Angelic Energy fold around her was amazing.  

They stayed like that for a while, Doe’s babbling made a nice background as Charlie felt her hair gently played with. “What is it you wanted?” Charlie felt anxiety return with a thrum along her nerves. Logically, she knew her request wasn’t a big deal. Even if her Dad said no, she still had the Sins and even Alastor to help her. She just…really wanted her Dad. “I’m pretty sure, I can’t read your mind.” Charlie tried to smother her face in his chest as he teased. 

“Could,” now or never Charlie, “I wanna learn Magic.” She mumbled. She could feel more than just his body tense as his Energy seemed to tighten around her as well. “Da-”

“Of course!” The exclamation cut off not only her apology but Doe’s babbling. “We, I, Magic! I can, I’d love to teach you!” Charlie let out a yelp as she was suddenly lifted off her seat and spun around. “This is! Oh! I can teach you all kinds of things! Your Mom’s better at vocal magic, but we can try that too. We can-”

“Dad!” Charlie laughed, “We’re going to knock something over!” She wobbled when he set her down but was too excited to care. “I don’t have anything planned till this afternoon’s session with Sir Pentious.” 

“We can start today! Right now!” His excitement reflected in his Energy and he spun around the room. “Only, only if you want. We won’t do anything big.” 

“Aah!” The loud bleat from Doe reminded them both to calm down and Charlie was only slightly disappointed when he turned to her sister. 

“Oh,” she felt that disappointment twist with jealousy and irritation as her Dad’s face morphed into a wince. “Well,” she prepared for him to back out of her request. “I-I guess, the Songbird, can,” Charlie felt her eyes grow wide. “Babysit. Yeah, Doe probably needs some Demonic Energy anyway. Yeah, that, that works.” 

“I’ll find Al!” She blurted out, suddenly afraid she was dreaming. “Right now!” 

“Wait, Charlie!” She heard her Dad calling as she took off. She wasn’t going to let this chance at bonding go. She just needed to find Al! 

… … 

Alastor was lounging in the roots of a tree, enjoying the sounds he pulled from his memories. Part of him wished to return to his notes and the text he had been given. Needs outweighed desire though and the small whisper died off to the sound of happy laughter and splashing. 

“Enjoying yourself?” Lifting one eye open, he looked over to the small basin he had made. Doe was bare, sitting in the shallow water with enough mud covering her, Alastor suspected Lucifer would be finding it for the foreseeable future. The baby smashed her hands down on the mess around her with another happy sound while Alastor shifted to be more comfortable. 

From what he could infer, Doe’s intake of his Demonic Energy had the effect of giving her traits of his. She was losing whatever traits she had gotten from her other parent and replacing them with ones from him. The more she took from him, the more she lost from whoever Lucifer had joined with. 

Alastor felt strange about it. On one side, he found the thought hilarious and all too delightful as it furthered a connection to power and entertainment. Who wouldn’t find delight in reminding the Annoyance of Alastor’s permanent connection to him? On the other side though. He felt a bit sorry. He had taken such pride in the few traits he’d gotten from his Mother, that when he had arrived in Hell to see them gone. Well, he couldn’t claim to have been smiling about it. 

“Aah!” Alastor opened his eyes with a huff, letting his smile soften as Doe sat on all fours facing him. “Aah!” She bleated again, rocking a bit before managing to move a bit closer. Her expression could almost be one of anger as he watched her focus. 

It took her a few minutes, but upon reaching him she gave him the brightest smile he’d seen aside from Charlie’s. “What a feat, cher!” He praised the girl before leaning forward to pull her off his legs. His nose crinkled and his whole body stiffened at his mistake though. More than mud seemed to have decorated the crawling child. “A bath then.” Doe moved easily from his hands to his shadow tendrils. 

Moving out of the bayou and into his suite, he frowned. It wasn’t an appropriate place for a baby, much less one that had discovered crawling. Snapping his fingers placed a mesh grate over his fireplace, while a wave of his hand fixed pillows on the floor. His shelves of books would need to be raised to keep her away from the delicate texts. He wished he could use his shades to move them but knew from previous experience the disaster he would face. 

He would have a few shades fix the space and bring the playpen from the Lobby to his rooms. Doe was far too small to be handled by his shades without his supervision. If the height-impaired idiot could handle it, Alastor would have no problem! 

Doe stayed in the limbs of his shadowy tendrils as he set the shower to a pleasant temperature before moving over to a cabinet to retrieve a towel. Somehow in the seconds he had turned his back, Doe had managed to squirm her way into being upside down. Her comically confused face and swaying hair drew a startled -genuine- laugh out of him. 

“Let’s get you cleaned, hm?” He was hesitant to carry her into the shower, worried that her small ears would be filled with water and cause his own to fold back. If her ears were more like his own, he could cover them with a washcloth to fold them down and away from the water. 

Suddenly a shower seemed like a horrible idea. He’d gotten several ear infections before he’d learned how to wash properly. Doe was far too small to deal with such pain. Perhaps he could simply rinse her in his sink and wash her clean with a rag. It would be ineffective long term but he wasn't her primary caregiver. 

Just as the thought occurred in his mind, indignant frustration reminded him that she was indeed his to care for the time. How would it look if he were to return her in such a state? No, he would just be careful and diligent about keeping her ears from being filled with water. 

Doe looked up at him in shock as he walked them both under the spray. He felt a small laugh build as he watched her try to fold under him, small hands trying to reflect the water away. It took him a moment to let her adjust before he reached for a bar of soap. 

… … 

Charlie was struggling with the amount of power she was putting into her casting. Lucifer thought it had to do with her lack of skill, but even after walking her through smaller spells with success, he was confused. 

“Is it, supposed to look like that?” Her uncertain tone matched how he felt as both looked at what was once a large stack of pillows. The soft material should have made the spell easier. 

“It looks, uh, very,” Lucifer had no idea what to call it. He’d asked her to create a massive pillow out of the stack. “Artistic.” 

Instead of that, Charlie had created a sparkling Hell creature that looked like a very soft water boiler from the 19th century. A handful of feathers floated over it, somehow not floating off as the creature breathed. 

Charlie groaned and buried her face into her hands. Lucifer understood her frustration, but he also knew that telling her to try again was not a good idea. Especially when he heard fabric rip. 

He thought it had been the creature and turned to inspect it, but Charlie’s wordless yell of frustration changed his mind. Her fuzzy wings flared their full length, representing her frustration with uncoordinated movement as she tossed aside her ruined blazer and top. He could see the beginnings of her horns before she turned around to throw a ball of pure magic away from them. 

“Char-” Her tail snapped like a whip as she let loose a growl and threw another ball. Part of him was impressed. Charlie hadn’t lost control of her appearance because of a lack of Energy, but out of frustration. Maybe, he could teach her to focus her magic through emotion instead? 

Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice the appearance of more people. He didn’t notice the creature that had been essentially dormant begin to move. Perhaps if he had, he could have done something. Instead, he was too focused on his own head to consider those around him. 

“Al!” The panicked tone and the blast of magic that shot past him stunned him. It was far stronger than anything Charlie had shown him so far. Turning to follow the sparkling blast, he expected to see the Songbird poof away. He didn’t expect to see him holding Little Duck and fending off Charlie’s creature! 

Memories of Lilith fighting off Hell’s beasts flashed as an overlay as he tried to fight through the syrup of time. Fear gripped his neck in the same way hands had once done to throw him aside. His wings felt like immeasurable weights and his feet slid away from him. 

He wasn’t going to save her! He wasn’t fast enough! 

A barrage of light and color pushed him back before he felt a boom rock his form. He wasn’t sure if his ears had blown out or if fear made them ring. He ignored the echoes of disaster in his body and shoved himself forward. Seconds dragged like centuries as sound filtered in. Crying, a mix of frantic high-pitched screams, and the bleating of a fawn. Rock or something similar scratched under his boots as groaning mixed into the cries. 

His eyes were still blind, but he furiously rubbed his sleeves over his face as smoke, plaster, and feathers tried to smother him. “Dowan! Charlie!” He yelled and cursed when his ankle became trapped and twisted beneath him. “Girls!” The crying hadn’t changed, but he could hear the scratch of hooves on concrete before feeling hands on his arm and shoulder. 

“I got you, Dad.” Charlie’s voice was reassuring, but Dowan’s continued distress pulled more fears up his throat. “C’mon,” she led him through the mess of the rooftop with only a bit of trouble. Lucifer wanted to use his wings to clear the air but pushed them away. What if he created a gust that made things worse? What if he hurt someone? “Al?” 

“Don’t fret,” the annoying voice was like a blessing to his ears. “We’re alright, simply startled,” Alastor spoke, his static reduced to the point of nothing. Lucifer felt his eyes clear a bit just as they stopped moving. Shaking his head a few times, he took in the outline of the Radio Demon hunched over something before slowly waving his wings. 

It took a few beats before the air shifted, or was it his sight clearing? He could see -and hear- that the other male was folded over his baby. A black dome with green etchings gave him a sizzling feeling as he dropped down to his knees to get closer. The other didn’t fault him and let them dome disappear. Little Duck’s cries grew before Lucifer picked her up and pulled her close. Somehow she was unharmed. Somehow she smelled of warmth and trees. 

“Is she…?” Lucifer turned at his eldest’s apprehension and simply yanked her down into his arms. Relief made his muscles lax, but he still held them both tightly against his chest. Thank his Father neither of them were hurt. “Dad, I’m so sorry!” 

“Shh, Apple, we’re okay.” His voice felt like he’d swallowed glass. “You’re safe,” he reassured. Slowly, he opened his eyes to look at the other. He deserved something for keeping Little Duck safe. He expected the male to be grinning at him with an air of superiority, or ready to make a snide comment. Instead, Alastor’s gaze hung onto Little Duck with wide eyes and his whole body tensed. His sharp grin appeared almost lax as his ears twitched, seeming undecided on tilting forward or laying back. 

Charlie’s bright hair was dull, the mess of the explosion diluting all the color around them, but Lucifer managed to shift her a bit to reveal her sister. Little Duck was pressed facefirst into his chest, with her tail clinging tightly to his arm while the spade worked as a soother. Her hair was mussed, lifting up into two peaks that tickled the edges of his face. 

He frowned, that wasn’t right. The hair twitched as his breath hit it and laughter bubbled up his throat. Oh. Charlie’s magic ball. 

“Dad?” Transformation, destruction, whatever had happened; Lucifer found he couldn’t help but laugh at it all. Oh, if Lilith could see them now. 

Chapter Text

The only reason Lucifer hadn’t already Ended the damn Radio Boy stood defiantly between his target and himself. His claws itched to sink so far into the Sinner’s chest that he’d find his Soul and rip it from the tethers that kept it to his realm. Hellfire glowed in a mockery of a halo as he flared his wings with the rise and fall of his chest. Rage stronger than Satan demanded the blood and gore of the fuckhead that had done this to be splattered at his feet. Holy and Demonic Energy twined over his physical form like a snake coiled and ready to strike. 

“Dad-” 

“No.” He would not back down from this. His children would eventually forgive him, but right now, their upset was the least of his concerns. 

“Dad, if you would-” Charlie’s repeated attempts to stop him were endearing on a normal day, but were grating against him currently. How could she not see what that Sinner had done? He should have never left Little Duck alone. He should have set up a barrier around her and kept her close while he taught Charlie. Father above! How could he be so stupid!? “-trying to help!” 

Lucifer tried to reel in his temper before he did something he’d regret, but his oldest was pushing it. Alastor sat in a chair behind Charlie, his face tilted to watch Little Duck but his ears were pointed directly at the other Morningstars. His baby was content sitting in the Sinner’s lap and enjoying a bottle; her new ears moved with every swallow. 

“Charlotte!” His words warped as he spoke, flaring his wings as he turned fully onto his eldest. Wide eyes met his with emotions that made him feel miniscule. “Cha-” His chest felt hollow and his arms felt chained as he watched Charlie’s gaze glimmer. 

“No.” She repeated back at him, not letting a single tear fall as she stood tall in front of him. “No. You don’t get to use my name like that.” She tore into him with a tone sharper than a blade. “You’re so worried about us being hurt by someone that you don’t see that’s exactly what you’re doing! Alastor was helping! That’s all he’s ever done! An, and you keep fighting him!” Her voice cracked and Lucifer felt his wings fall. “You’re judging them just like Heaven,” he dropped his eyes from her’s. 

… … 

Charlie watched her Dad shrink at her words. She knew he was hurt, that he was only acting like that because of what she had done. But… 

“I,” a portal opened as her Dad took a step back. She imagined that the light from behind him framed him the same way the shadows covered his face; holy and broken. She’d done that.”I’ll go wait for Bel.” The soft detached way he spoke made Charlie want to take back her words, but she knew she couldn’t. She couldn’t undo what she’d said. She couldn’t undo whatever she’d done to Doe. She couldn’t undo what Valentino had done to Angel. She couldn’t fix anything! 

“I think time apart should help you. Both, I think.” Alastor’s light voice made her stumble. “Take a seat, Dear.” Even though he hadn’t moved, Charlie could swear she felt his hand on her back pushing her to a plush armchair. 

She sat for only a few seconds before she was back up and moving around the room. Frustration at what she’d done mixed with guilt at what she couldn’t fix. She understood from a logical standpoint that her Dad had dealt with the worst Humanity had to offer for thousands of years. She knew that a set pattern was hard to change. But logic couldn’t override how hurt she felt that he wouldn’t see what she was doing. He wouldn’t look at what she was doing as anything but a mistake! 

“Disgusting.” She whirled around at the word, feeling her wings flare and her horns emerge. 

“Shut up!” She snapped, “I could say the same things about you!” She snarled at Alastor before she could think. Panic gripped her as she slapped her hands over her mouth. Why had she said that? Would Alastor leave too? She couldn’t exactly blame him if he did, she had just insulted him. 

“My Dear, you could say anything about me.” Alastor’s ever-present smile seemed sharper. “A fair bit, true even.” Charlie watched as he summoned a handkerchief to wipe spit-up off her sister. “What you will not say, is that all I am doing is helping.” 

“But,” His words contradicted his actions. Charlie could see - and had seen - Alastor care for them. He’d helped Husk with the bar! He’d made sure Niffty was always safe after trapping herself and that Angel always had something for pain after work. He made lunch and dinner three times a week! For fuck’s sake! He’d used his own Energy to create a shield around Doe at his own detriment! He cared! 

“I am simply here for entertainment.” Doe let out a small bleat before grabbing his hand to chew. “How am I to have that, without being present for it all?” Charlie’s ire renewed at his words. 

“You’re a liar.” Her words made the other pause and let drool cover his hand. His Shadow spun around her, keeping her from moving unless she used her full strength. She wasn’t entirely sure that would help though. 

“What did you say?” Alastor’s bones cracked and the whole room seemed to go dark as he grew into a monstrous form. “I am many things, a liar is not one.” Green stitching pulled at different joints and places, appearing almost hazy when he spoke due to the static in his voice. The room felt heavier and Charlie could feel the fine fur on her body rise at the threat. 

Despite his words and threatening form, Charlie could see Doe still held gently. Alastor’s hands had grown to match his size, but instead of clenching his left hand into a fist or throwing it out, he held Doe. Doe, who was unafraid. Her sister, who instead of screaming and crying in fear, was playing patty cake with the giant palm. 

“Right,” she mumbled. Alastor seemed to take that as her retracting her words and released his form back to his natural state. If her Dad could see what she saw, maybe things would be different. If he just listened to her! 

“I will be back momentarily.” Doe being pushed into her arms shoved away her thoughts. Charlie felt bile burn the back of her throat as she looked at the light bruises on her sister’s face before she registered Alastor’s words. 

“Al! Wait!” The man was already gone. “Ah, shit.” 

“Sssssst!” Charlie’s whole body flinched at the new sound Doe made. “Aah!” She needed to be careful her first word wouldn’t be a curse. 

“What am I doing?” She moved over to the balcony, walking out till she was overlooking the garden. Pentious was directing his Eggs around the space below. “If he would just,” she let out a growl. Her mind spun around the contradiction that made Alastor, and prodded at her Dad’s actions. She needed both of them to stop posturing and just get along, but no matter what she did or said! 

Her tail coiled tightly around her leg as she tried to think. Her head itched from the horns beneath her skin. Energy shifted beneath her skin and made her thin fur bristle. “Why can’t anyone listen?!” She demanded from no one, or maybe from anyone. Sir Pentious remained oblivious, shouting orders she could barely make out. She wanted to understand her people without having to deal with riddles or contracts or two-faced actions! Was that too much? Was she asking for the impossible? 

“Listening, is kind of our thing.” The sharp enunciation made her spin around and flare her Energy. Sparks danced over her hands and made Doe whine as she looked around the empty space. “Sorry! Sorry!” The voice laughed, drawing her eyes to an unsteady drone just above her head. The drone whined and smoked before glitching and sending a thin bolt of neon blue to the railing a meter away. “Man, getting one of these in here. Wow! Lemme tell you.” The figurehead of the V’s spoke. “Princess Morningstar! Allow me to introduce myself!” 

“Overlord of the Vee’s, Vox!” The slim TV Sinner made sitting on the railing look easy, and appeared as if he did it frequently. “Oh! Almost forgot,” Charlie pulled Doe closer as the Overlord stepped onto the balcony with his attention on her sister. “Hello Little Princess,” the childish tone and the way he reached towards her with a neon claw had Charlie reacting without thinking. “Oops! Sorry, didn’t realize.” Her tail tightened around the man’s wrist before letting go when he stepped back. 

“Why are you here?” She didn’t need any more problems! Doe’s claws dug into her collarbone at the same time as her tail smacked her cheek. 

“To listen!” Vox laughed, pulling on his suit with a relaxed smile. “I know, I know, ‘what is Vox doing?’ But, I know what it’s like, to have all these changes and no one listening.” Charlie blinked at the words. “You’ve got a new business! A deadline looming! And a whole new set of rules with a family that is being too stubborn to listen.” 

“That doesn’t mean I can’t handle it.” She argued half-heartedly. “It’s fine.” 

“Is it? Or are you just telling yourself that?” Vox’s words hit hard. Was she just telling herself that? Was she just letting herself struggle with no help for a reason? “Look, I’m not asking for a deal, or going to force you to do anything. But take my card. Hell, if you just want business advice, give me a call.” The sleek black card was held out like an offering.  

“Just like that?” She wanted so badly to believe there was no ulterior motive. She wanted to have someone actually believe her and help her without hiding something. 

“Just like that.” He told her with a relaxed smile. “No deals, contracts, handshakes. Just an offer.” Doe moved in her arms, twisting around to look at Vox while Charlie’s eyes moved from his bright red eyes down to the card being offered. It was only a card, nothing sinister. So why did reaching out to take it scream at her instincts? 

“Thank you,” Vox gave her a nod as she took the card. Without another word he zapped away and the drone took a shaky flight away from the hotel. 

… … 

Vox groaned as he materialized in his office. He was exhausted from talking with the Princess. Fuck! When did he become some kind of Errand Boy? 

“What’s got you in a mood?” Velvette’s sweet voice made him grumble. Another issue for him to handle, he was sure. “What? Another shit meeting?” Opening one of his screens for a better view without moving, Vox looked over at where the other was sitting on his couch. 

“Making connections.” He didn’t feel like elaborating. One upping Alastor was exhausting, but if he could secure a place with the oldest Princess? It would all be worth it. He’d done his research. She was a bisexual, and her current girlfriend was worried about their relationship! All he had to do was swoon her and be a listening ear! Then, once he had her with him, she’d be all for giving VoxTech a boost for the other Rings! “Any new information from Val’s Whore?” 

“Nothing really,” Velvette waved him off. Annoying brat. “Him and the greyscale anemic twat have been talking about the crotch nugget for the past two hours.” Vox rolled his eyes but let her insults go. 

“Have an intern order us something. I have adjustments to make.” Vox shifted upright into his chair and cracked his knuckles. If the Princess didn’t get dumped, he’d need to have some kind of back up. “Actually, send me the top five, eh six, best looking ones.” Back ups to back ups. 

Chapter Text

Adam stepped among the trees as he threaded his way up a gentle slope. Moonlight filtered down from above, the brittle silver dappled the ground as branches swayed from his path. Dropping to his knees he scraped wood litter into a pile till the immediate area around him was clear. 

Keeping busy was good, because a wave of rage and disgust was building within him. 

He had messed up. 

Sitting back, he stared into his new fire, trying to push his emotions into the flames eating at the wood. He felt the rage overtaking his disgust. Claws like jagged obsidian clawed and cracked at his composure. He put his head in his hands and ripped at the halo over his head, trying to stop the scream writhing up his throat. 

Wood cracked with the sound of bone. Memories of his children, whispers of their voices, filled his mind. His sons. His daughters. All of them had been taken by the Snake of Eden. He had not seen any of them since his ascent. He sucked in a long, ragged breath, pushing his memories back. He couldn’t let them overwhelm him. 

“Oh Adam,” someone whispered. Adam lunged to his feet, kicking through the fire that wouldn’t burn him, and twisted to inspect his surroundings. “Are you that upset?” Laughter danced between branches as he snatched a half burned stick up. 

“What d’ya want?!” He snapped, trying to keep his back to the dancing laughter. 

Cold claws traced over his cheek and chin as a bone chill draped over his back. “Is that any way to talk to your-” 

Adam roared and lashed out, swinging embers at the creature behind him. “You are nothing!” His rage only seemed to entice the being, drawing a melodic laughter from them. Out of the shadow stepped a beautiful brunette woman. She was slightly shorter than Adam, and looked young, but not much younger than Adam, with small lines around her eyes and mouth. As Adam’s gaze met hers, she smiled, but it offered no comfort. It was the kind of smile one gave a fool when they believe they can fly and then leap off a cliff. 

She stepped to him with the lethality of a mountain lion. Adam tightened his hold till he could feel the wood attempting to pierce him. 

“Our deal is over, Roo.” He bit out, spitting at her feet as he flared his wings. “Sera’s facing Judgement. The Council knows about her Contract. Lucifer’s little brat even got to Michael.” He told her with power dancing over his wings. 

“Oh, that’s not a problem. A blessing actually.” She waved off, looking around them as the shadows seemed to edge closer. “You could actually say it’s our newest chance even.” 

Adam’s tension lessened a bit as he considered her words. Shifting his stance, he let his club lower. “What are you talking about?” The sharp smile she gave him reminded him of the needles Eve had made from fish. “Without Sera we can’t get to Hell.” 

“Sera was always going to be caught. Her part of the deal has lasted long enough anyway.” Adam was confused but refused to let her get to him again. How screwed was he that he had listened to her for so long? He was the First Man, the Leader of All, and he’d let some bitch. “Lucifer has another daughter now.” 

Adam grunted, disgust pooling at the base of his throat like bile. “Yeah, bastard snake already forgot Lilith.” How could he move on? Even Adam would admit -only to himself- that he’d never been able to move on from what he should have had with Lilith. Sure as the centuries went by and he learned more, he understood that screwing his twin was considered taboo, but she had been made for him. Eve had been great, and he did love her. He loved Eve so much, but Lilith would always be what he should have had. 

“Her introduction to Hell is in three weeks.” Roo hadn’t stopped talking. Adam wanted to roll his eyes and tell her to piss off but the shadows behind her made his throat close. Silhouettes of his children danced around him. Cain and Abel jumped from cold moonbeam to cold moonbeam. Aclima laughed and twirled next to Seth. Lucifer had taken his family. Lucifer had taken everyone from him. He had taken them and twisted them into killers, rapists, thugs, Sinners. 

“It’s not fair that his family never left him, when your’s was ripped away.” Roo was right. Lucifer should have suffered with Lilith being gone. Adam had, so why hadn’t he? Instead of wallowing around in that stupid crypt, he’d gone and got another brat!

The grip on his makeshift weapon slackened as he lowered his arm. “What’s your deal now?” He wasn’t stupid. He knew Roo still needed him. Why else had she appeared? He was the best of all of Humanity! The First Human in Heaven! He set the standards everyone else sucked to find. 

“Something only you can handle.” He watched her step into a moonbeam and felt a curl of interest in his lower stomach. He’d forgotten how good she looked. “I’ll help you get revenge, as promised. You,” she placed a frigid hand over his heart, “bring me his daughter.” 

… … 

Lucifer sighed, his chin balanced on a fist, as he watched Little Duck inspect a new toy with her mouth. Three tiny teeth were coming in at once and he wished that were his only problem. 

Niffty had given it to her when he’d brought her downstairs. Lucifer had been too tired to care past checking it wasn’t made of bugs before giving it to his fussy baby. It resembled a molecule of influenza, with chilled protein spikes of varying colors that sometimes squeaked. The tough silicone seemed to have some kind of ice inside it that kept the whole thing cold. It was surprisingly modern and poked at his curiosity to know where she’d gotten it. 

“Ssst!” Little Duck giggled, rolling onto her back. Lucifer tried to smile at the adorable sight, but he felt deflated. He knew he was being distant, falling into old habits, but he couldn’t bring himself to care either. The worry and fear that he should feel because of it also felt muted and distant. He felt more like an afterimage than a being. Charlie wouldn’t even stay in the same room as him. It’d been four days since he was confronted; since Charlie had told him, he was the problem. Was it wrong of him to protect her? Sinners…He hadn’t seen anything good in them in centuries! They were dangerous! And only got worse with each generation! 

He’d seen them turn rocks into blades and then blades into bullets. He learned depravity grew inside them like weeds. His hands had been ripped and bitten to nothing every time he tried to help. Lilith and he had spent years trying to help them. Decades and centuries building safer havens for the Souls that fell. He knew in an abstract way that they weren’t all guilty of immense sin, but watching them? Watching as a Soul’s only fault morphed and twisted into something worse? 

He could remember when Eve and others joined them. She’d brought Cain and a few of her other children with them. Lilith had cried for days and weeks when they learned the sins of the children had been their very purpose. Lucifer had tried. He’d made them a home! Crafted pieces of Eden from memory so they could hold onto hope. But he also watched them whither and become brittle. He watched as time twisted the guilt of murder from Cain into a pleasure for torture. He watched as Aclima’s need for safety morphed into a demand for control. Seth’s nimble fingers that snatched and hoarded became claws that claimed more than flesh. Claims and Names became chains and contracts. Souls became currency as veins of darkness stretched like a root system out into Hell. 

Charlie being born was nothing short of a miracle. He’d spent so long drawing plans to protect her. Terror had fueled him with images of what Sinners would do to her. His beautiful child seemed more fragile than gossamer threads of spider silk. But just like that silk, she was so much stronger than she appeared.

When had he missed how alike she was to Lilith? How had he not seen how proudly she stood up for people who didn’t deserve her? Maybe it was because of Lilith’s stories of strength. Maybe it was Eve’s whispered encouragement to find hope. It could have even been a combination of the two fierce individuals shielding the duckling beneath wings of rainbow feathers. 

Her words felt heavier than physical blows. He almost wished they had been; if only to have evidence of his pain. Was he hurting her trying to protect her? Was he seeing roots where there were none? How could he put into words the thousands of years of betrayal and failure? How could he explain endless amounts of chances and opportunities that ended not only in his pain, but in her Mother’s pain? 

Lucifer wished Lilith was there. He wished she was present more now than ever before. He wished that he couldn’t see how when Charlie had stood against him, he had seen another young woman with fire in her eyes doing the same for him. 

His eyes itched and his throat felt tight, but he couldn’t feel enough to even cry. Instead, he remained sitting on the floor watching Little Duck bang her new toy against the carpet. 

He quirked his lips into a half smile when she threw the thing out of reach and turned to him with a whine. A simple hand wave brought it back to her, but he couldn’t make himself add a flourish or flare to the action. His baby seemed happy regardless, bleating happily before using the strange teether as a hammer. 

Bel had managed to make adjustments to Charlie’s magical mishap. Little Duck now sported an entire head of red hair with black ears. Soft peach fuzz spread over her pale skin and returned a faint human color to it. Thankfully, she still had toes. Lucifer adored Charlie’s baby hooves, but Father above she kicked! Her eye shape and nose also had changed, though neither were as angled as her…

Lucifer pushed his observations aside. Little Duck was healthy. That’s all that mattered. He needed to focus on Charlie. On finding some way to amend, beg her forgiveness, or something. He couldn’t go back to the way things were. He couldn’t face loneliness again. 

He’d given her a promise. He promised he’d try. He wanted, desperately, to keep this promise above any other he’d given Charlie. Even if it meant more pain. Even if it meant possibly hurting her or Little Duck. He needed to protect them and try to help them. He needed to find some type of middle ground. 

Pins and needles crawled over his limbs. A hollow void grew in his chest with painful slowness. Did he even have the opportunity to try?

Chapter Text

Vaggie was worried and tired. Charlie hadn’t been sleeping, or if she had, not in their bed. She’d tried talking to her but Charlie had just brushed her off. She’d caught the other woman zoning out whenever she wasn’t on her phone, and she could see a tremor in Charlie’s steps that scared her. 

Vaggie could remember vividly the last dissociative episode Charlie had had. Charlie had been out of it for three days. Vaggie nearly called Lucifer herself before Charlie had come back to her. Razzle had been almost as frantic and became Charlie’s shadow for two weeks. 

It had been four days since Charlie had changed. She -along with the others in the Hotel- knew it involved the King, Alastor, and Doe. The Sin of Sloth had been summoned after some kind of crash on the roof. According to Husk it had been where Charlie had been practicing magic with Lucifer. 

Vaggie had assumed the worst, but when she tried to check on Charlie, she’d been brushed off. Lucifer had isolated himself, rarely coming downstairs and only when everyone else seemed busy. Niffty became their source of information on him while Husk worked in the kitchen to keep easy food on demand. 

She dropped into ‘her’ armchair in the library. It seemed like when things began to settle, they shifted again. She was tired of having to jump and catch up whenever something happened. She was worried about Charlie. She was terrified of why the Morningstars and Alastor were being distant. She was upset that Charlie wouldn’t talk to her. She…

“Pulling your hair out, ain’t gonna fix anything.” Husk’s low timber made her blink and realize how she was spiraling. She looked over at the usual grumpy drunk and was surprised. 

“You can read?” She winced at the glare she received in reply. “Sorry, just, never mind.” 

“Go pick a fight with Carmine.” He grumbled and whether he meant it as an insult or suggestion, Vaggie wasn’t sure. It wasn’t a bad idea. 

She hadn’t had much of a chance to spar since her Fall. She still practiced her stances, but without a real opponent that fought back she knew she was rusty. The memory of the Carmine daughters trapping her made her flush. She prided herself on being aware of her environment, even with the loss of her eye, but they’d proved her wrong. “Thanks Husk,” she tossed over to the male as she stood up to leave. “Tell Charlie I went out.” 

“Doubt she notices.” She heard Husk grumble and felt guilt twine across her heart. Even if she couldn’t find a sparring partner with the Carmines, she’d come back with a clearer head. She’d come back with some idea of how to help. 

Besides that, the Carmine sisters still owed her a knife. 

… … 

Michael sat down, endeavoring to keep his face as blank as possible. He preferred the dangerous missions he once went on to maneuvaring the mess left behind by the High Seraphim and First Man. He wasn’t able to hide in his rooms without someone searching for him. Most of the time, it didn’t bother him. He felt guilt at what his negligence had created and did want to atone for it. Just not by sitting in the middle seat of discussions. He missed when he was simply a figurehead. Because now he had to deal with the demands and responsibilities of an audience that he simply wanted to ignore. He’d spent years away from people, he could easily go and hide. If not for Raphael taking the letter from Lucifer, he would. 

Gatinha kept his hands occupied. The small kitten alternated between rubbing his fingers for small pets and biting them. Occasionally, she would climb to his chest and give a glare towards Raph. Even she was annoyed at his sibling taking Heylel’s letter from him. 

The side walls of the chamber were decorated with new tapestries. A few of them depicted the rise of the Rebellion and the fall of his brother. But most, luckily, depicted moments from the prior eras, created by the many Souls that filled Heaven. 

Raph sat to Michael’s right, a stack of evidence and random statements in front of them. They’d been at this for hours, with only their most recent break being to get food and rest for a bit. 

“While it is difficult, we must consider the issue of the Trial,” Gabriel said. 

“Not this again,” Jerahmeel grumbled. Michael sighed, eyes darting from her to Gabriel. 

“As I’ve said, the others have again suggested a public Trial,” Gabriel said. “They wish to see and hear High Seraphim’s crimes.” 

Michael shook his head. “No, we’ve already agreed. She is guilty and will face Judgment.” 

“We cannot claim the matter settled.” Uriel spoke up, rubbing her temples around her blindfold. “The Souls of Heaven demand proof. If they don’t have it, who is to start the whisper of us being compliant with her?” She made an illusion of scales tipping rapidly back and forth before waving it away. “Will we demand obedience from them and subjugate those who ask questions? Will we become like the High Seraphim?”

“I can see how that might happen,” Jerahmeel said truthfully. “But given it’s been dealt with-” 

“Dealt with would mean the contract would be broken,” Uriel snapped. Even through her blindfold Michael could feel her glare. “Even if we deal with one, the First Man is still free. The contract remains in place.” She added, getting nods and silence from all of them. 

“Uriel is right,” Azrael spoke up for the first time. “Besides, we all agreed to do our own searches for him. If Adam missing is still a problem, then it’s only our fault.” 

“If this is so difficult to accept,” Gabriel smiled at all of them. “Perhaps we should make use of the Guardians we can trust?” 

Michael wished he could laugh as he watched Uriel flush and settle back down. He looked over to Raph, hoping he wasn’t alone in the thought. The Healer was biting their lip, eyes alight with amusement as they watched the game. 

“Is it really so urgent?” Jerahmeel asked finally, “if Adam is hiding, shouldn’t we be thankful?” 

Uriel pounced. “I don’t think it’s fair to have you be against it. When it was you who was so quick to sentence the Seraphim.” 

Jerahmeel shrugged. “There’s no reason to compare a certainty to an uncertainty,” she said. “But even I’ll admit, it would be irresponsible to leave Adam’s whereabouts unknown.” 

Jerahmeel was either a genius or stupid, to call them all irresponsible after everything they’d done. Still, Michael could see how uneasy it made everyone to know the First Man was missing and unknown. He could interrogate the Guardians, to try and find something. But they were already under watch and hadn’t shown any evidence of knowing the whereabouts of the First Man or his Guardian. 

So he sat, saying nothing and waiting for the meeting to end. 

“Moving on from what can’t be fixed. We’ve gotten a letter from Lucifer.” The Energies around them all shifted at Raph’s announcement. Michael felt his shoulders relax as the sharper emotions settled into soothing ones. “He said he’ll be hosting a ceremony to introduce Princess Dowan to Hell and would be happy to see us. Obviously, we all can’t go, but we should figure out who can. It’s to be held in two weeks.” 

Chapter Text

Lucifer and Charlie had been avoiding each other and everyone for a full week now. Vaggie had been trying to help Charlie, but had ended up spending more time at Carmine Industries with Sir Pentious. Lucifer was more of a ghost. The only time any of them saw him was whenever he came out with Little Duck. Niffty had told all of them he sometimes hung out with her in the common spaces when she cleaned, but no one knew what to think about that. Alastor made his presence known through his broadcasts, shadows, and the occasional meal left in the kitchen. 

Angel was aggravated and was about to pull his teeth out. Regrowing teeth wasn’t an experience he was okay with, but he’d done it a few times already. He would deal with it. Especially if it meant the Royals got their shits together. 

“This is a shit plan,” Husk grumbled, leaning beneath Angel to peek around the corner. 

“Ya got a better one?” Angel looked down the hallway. “Sides, the best plans are the simplest.” He explained as both continued to stare down the short hallway. 

Vaggie had helped get Charlie and Lucifer in a room. Now it was just a waiting game. 

… …

Charlie was staring out the window. She wanted to say something, but where could she even start? Would it be when she first brought up helping their people? Should she skip around and show how helpful the Hotel was proving to be? Should she show her Dad the charts and notes she’d made on the residents to show their changes? 

Vox had told her that she was doing well. Even with the slow start and lack of a ‘full hotel’, he’d seen some changes already with Angel Dust. Maybe he was right, that it just took a small step. Maybe she could put that into practice here? 

“Angel, is nice.” Her Dad’s voice was rough and made her flinch from how tired he sounded. “Offered to, uh, stand outside, with,” he trailed off. 

“Oh.” What could she say? Part of her wanted to jab a finger at him, crow out how she was right, but it didn’t seem right. The silence was oppressive. 

“Once we have proof,” Charlie turned away from the window to look at her Dad. His posture screamed exhaustion, and she felt regret and hurt that she was part of the problem. He was slouched forward, his hands folded beneath his chin as he stared at nothing. Looking closer showed his usually pressed attire was wrinkled and sported a few stains. There were lavender bags under his eyes, and a raw spot along his bottom lip from chewing on it. “Not all Sinners,” she tried to stiffen her spine. “I believe if we gave them a chance!” Her forced enthusiasm withered, and she dropped her hands to balance herself against the desk. 

“I’m just trying to help them,” she mumbled. He didn’t speak, letting the silence grow, and she wanted to snap and yell. She wanted to demand he give her dream, her hotel, her family a chance. Hadn’t he fought for the Sins and other Fallen to have a chance? How was she doing any differently? 

“You’re Mom’s the same way, you know.” She looked up at his words. “She wanted to separate the Sinners into places based on sin. Give them a chance for something else.” He waved a hand and created a golden illusion of what he talked about. “I tried to help. I built so many places for them. Lilith worked to establish some kind of community for each sin.” She watched as small villages became towns and then became ruins. 

“No matter how many times they showed how violent and depraved they could be. We’d rebuild. We’d give so many chances.” Her Dad lingered on the illusion of a figure standing above a crowd. “But they saw this place as a way to become worse. A Soul that stole some grain for survival began stealing out of greed. A Soul that preached forgiveness started whispering lies.” Charlie watched the illusion showcase sin after sin. It made her sick, but she knew she needed to watch. “Maybe there are Souls that could change, but they aren’t here.” 

“I don’t want you to get hurt, Charlie.” There was no oppressive force, no threatening gaze, not even a low growl. Lucifer looked at her with exhaustion etched into his frame, the same way roots stretched over the ground. “All I want is to protect you. Both of you.” 

She took a deep breath and moved around the desk to settle beside him. “Let me try, Dad.” She carefully placed a hand on his arm. “Let me figure out things and learn. Even if we can’t get anyone into Heaven. Maybe we could stop them from becoming worse?” 

“And when they do? Charlie, these people -our people- they’re horrible! They see being here as a way to just keep doing whatever they want!” 

“And what if what they want is a chance?” Charlie interrupted with her voice raised. “What if they just want a place they can be safe? There are rules here, even if I push for acceptance and gentleness. I know it won’t be easy! But without holding out a hand, how will anyone know they can be safe?” She explained, pulling her hands up to beg him to listen. “Dad, just, let me try.” 

Lucifer seemed to deflate as he sighed. “Alright,” he mumbled, and Charlie relaxed. “But I’m staying here. To keep an eye on them.” 

“I love you, Dad.” She whispered as she hugged him. “And thank you.” 

“I love you too, Apple.” 

… … 

Alastor quietly enjoyed his mug of coffee while reading the newest print of the day. It seemed there was an Imp business offering deals, nothing of interest to him. 

“Oh, look at you!” Rosie cooed happily. Alastor’s eye caught on a bit of news involving rumors around the Carmine District. Speculation of a third Carmine daughter seemed to be making even the papers! “I’m just gonna gobble those little piggies!” A happy squeal answered Rosie’s threat. “Oh, yes, I am!” Giggles erupted as Rosie mimed the threat and laughed with them. 

He flipped the page to look over the various stock news. Bringing Doe to see Rosie was possibly his best idea in a while. It guaranteed him some peace, good company, and the assurance that no one would bother them. How difficult was it to care for a child? Not at all! Alastor wouldn’t go so far as to say he was an expert, but he knew to utilize the Souls he had to care for his Claim. 

Leaving Angel Dust in charge of Doe. Of all the ignorant things the Royal Pike had done lately, this was the most humiliating. Did he wish for their child to catch some sort of disease? Doe could be exposed to the truly disgusting parts of Hell’s population through the effeminate Sinner. Husk at the least would have a cleaner disposition in comparison. Alastor wouldn’t wish to trouble Niffty with the task of caring for Doe, she was planning an ambush against the Hotel Bugs.

“Looks like someone’s got some fangs comin’ in!” Rosie sang, stepping around him with Doe in her arms. “Did you bring a chew, Al?” Rosie’s voice drifted as she moved. Alastor was decently sure that he could afford a few of the lower stocks; they looked promising. “Al, are those ears listening?” 

… 

Rosie harrumphed at the man ignoring her. It seemed, no matter the era, a man would rather be content in his own head than help with the children. Blackened eyes looked down at the baby, investigating the soft lace of her collar. “Let’s find you a bone to chew.” She decided as she moved to the fridge. 

Rosie loved children. Once upon a time, she had competed with Carmilla over who adored them more. In recent times, though, the two simply worked together to be sure that all young Sinners were protected. There were a few teen Sinners that stayed in Cannibal Town, but for the most part, Rosie supported the child Sinners, and Carmilla took in the teen Sinners. 

It made for many interesting transition periods. Children were precious; everyone knew and acknowledged it. Rosie made sure to heavily enforce the rules regarding them. Which is why when Vox released a magazine with Alastor’s fawn on the cover, she was quick to call Carmilla. 

It didn’t matter if the Vees were ignoring the rules or simply trying to make a grab at attention. What mattered was that a baby, something no one had seen since they were alive, had made it to Hell. Monsters lurked in Hell. Monsters that, every year, managed to slip through the cracks and continue on with their afterlives. 

So far, the soft whispers had been tracked, and Zestial had captured three Sinners. Rosie was certain there were more, but was willing to defer to Carmilla for the search. Her daughters had come up with a rather interesting relay system with Zestial’s network. 

“Oh!” The sharp tang of fresh blood made Rosie jump from her thoughts. Looking down found Alastor’s Little Doe with her tail in her mouth and tears in her eyes. Bright red beads appeared on the corners of her mouth before she opened it and let out a wail. “Oh, Love, did you bite too hard?” Rosie soothed, gently petting the baby’s soft hair and ears. 

“What happened?” Alastor appeared in a flourish with his cane raised. “Rosie!” 

“Oh, hush! She bit her tail. " She rolled her eyes. The poor thing has some sharp teeth, is all.” She dismissed, “Well, I’ll be. It looks like someone wants their dear nanny,” Rosie smiled.

Alastor stood in a rigid imitation of a deer. Little Doe leaned towards him with her arms outstretched, her little face twisted up with her cries. Rosie wanted to push her friend, give him the baby, and watch him fall for her charm, but she knew how adverse he could be. It took an increase in her crying, but Alastor did take her. Rosie watched as he settled her against his chest, one arm tucked and holding her from her bottom while the other lifted his knuckles to her mouth. She was surprised when a small spark of green jumped from him to her as she bit down on his finger. 

“A metacarpus from the middle finger, or a calcaneus, should do. Not easily broken, large enough not to be a choking hazard.” Alastor’s laid-back tone was absent from its usual static. “If you have it, warm milk as well. She’s due for a nap.” Rosie watched him quickly settle her down, feeling both envy and pride as he did. “And I am not her nanny.” He added, successfully ruining the moment. 

“Sure you ain’t,” Rosie agreed with a smirk. “I think Darla’s boy Thaddeus has a few bones. I’ll send for some.” 

Chapter Text

Returning to the Hotel brought a different set of annoyances for Alastor. Burdened with three bags of assorted items, Doe in a new dress, and a box of ‘donated’ children’s clothes. Alastor had to wonder how he would explain Rosie’s gifts to the King. It was clear when Rosie gave him a sharp look at his protesting that he would be a mule. How was he to keep his trip a secret if she burdened him with so many things? His Shadow had looked positively fat from hiding the items!

“Ah-Lah-Gay-Tor,” he sounded out. Dowan made an ‘ah’ sound in response, grabbing at the page of his book before looking up at him. “Yes, a very docile reptile. Unless you decide to bother it.” He explained as Dowan leaned into him. “This-” 

“No way!” Lucifer’s loud declaration interrupted, earning a glare from the Radio Demon. Doe’s small ears flicked with interest as she turned to him as well. “Not happening!” The King continued with his arms crossed in an X motion. 

The Sin of Gluttony groaned but marked something on the papers around her. “You weren’t this against them with Charlie.” The Sin gave a wave to the goop that made up her hair. Or was that a visible trait of her Sin? The Sin of Lust had strutted with ostentatious and arrogant behavior. The phrase ‘Love is a fire’ seemed fitting for the flaming rooster that the Sin had taken the shape of. So perhaps the idea that ‘food fuels emotion’ was more fitting for the liquid-like appearance? 

“I didn’t know half of this stuff was a choking hazard,” Lucifer grumbled with a dramatic flop back into his seat. “Why can’t we just do the announcement and leave?” 

“You know why, Lu,” the Sin dismissed. “Now, focus! We have two weeks to plan the greatest Introduction Ceremony ever!” She proposed with an excited buzz that grated against Alastor’s nerves. How this female kept such hyper energy reminded him of a hummingbird. It didn’t help that she had brought a Hellhound with her. 

He returned his attention to Doe before he decided to plan a hunt on the mutt. She seemed content to stay in his arms for the moment. Perhaps that was due to his reading aloud to her? She had seemed just as enamored with Charlie’s beloved story. It could also just be that she enjoyed the sound of his voice. Either way, she was in his arms with Lucifer in her line of sight as well. 

Reading to her provided him with the opportunity to not only eavesdrop on the Ceremony planning, but also the chance to begin teaching Doe a few basics. She was babbling with more than vowels, he would love for her first word to come from him. The proverbial feather in his cap and the Mickey taken out of the King would be lovely. 

… … 

Hell was dangerous. Charlie knew that. But it was also full of hiding places and areas that could be turned into one. She was going to protect her people and city. Even if it meant a deal with an Overlord. She was going to make sure everything worked. If someone needed a place to hide, or help, or even just somewhere safe. More than her Hotel would be an option. Expansion was the next step in protection and redemption! 

“Where have you been?” The words caused the table to freeze. She hadn’t realized anyone would be in the Lobby when she got back. 

“What?” The question bit at her like a sharp spark when Vaggie’s glare sharpened. Vaggie seemed to always be hovering, especially since she screwed up during her magic lesson. 

“Where have you been?” Vaggie repeated more firmly and waited as Charlie pulled out her phone. “You’ve been gone for hours . And you come back like it was just a visit to the grocery.”  

“Nowhere.” Charlie bit out, trying to keep her temper. She knew logically that Vaggie was just worried, but situations like this made Charlie feel like she was being treated like a little kid. “Why does it matter?” Vaggie’s arms crossed, and she refused to back down. “Sorry, I just. I just needed space.” The half truth felt like sand in her mouth when Vaggie relaxed and walked over to her.

“Charlie,” she brushed off Vaggie’s hand on her shoulder. 

“I’m going to bed.” She interrupted before Vaggie could say anything more. Charlie was tired, but more in the way of overthinking than if she had physically done anything. Learning business skills with Vox was draining, but worth it. With his advice, she could feasibly work out plans for expansion and safeguards! She just needed to look over the applicants he was offering. She needed to be sure they would be willing to work for redemption and not just for VoxTech.

“I know about Vox.” The words made her freeze. “I know about your meetings and how he’s using you.” 

“You,” she sputtered in disbelief. “Are you spying on me?” 

“Charlie! It’s not like that!” Vaggie snapped, the pain on her face bringing Charlie’s frustrations to the surface. 

“Then what is it like?” She demanded, turning from the stairs to face Vaggie. “Do you think I’m stupid? Are you sure I’m not using him?” 

“I don’t know anything, because my girlfriend won’t talk to me.” Vaggie answered coldly, her tone making Charlie’s power twist in anger. “I’m not saying you’re being reckless, but you have to see it from my view.” She went on, and Charlie scoffed in disbelief. “Whether you know it or not. Just working with Vox looks bad.”  

“Like you going to Carmilla, doesn’t look bad?” Charlie demanded. “What about all the time you’re over there? She works with Angelic Steel, maybe you’re helping her!” She could feel her horns grow as she argued. 

“And if I am, I’d talk to you about it! What has gotten into you!?” Vaggie threw back, meeting her eyes, but Charlie refused to acknowledge the emotion she could see. “You’re never here! You don’t even talk to anyone unless it’s to say you’re leaving! I haven’t even held your hand or worked on the schedules with you in a week!” 

“I’ve been busy!” Charlie snapped, stomping her hooves and cracking her tail. “I’m trying to fix this mess, and all you’ve done is get adopted by Carmine! We have two weeks before Adam makes a move on his threat for a second Extermination! Instead of looking into defenses or hiding places! Everyone’s been planning a stupid party and making friends!” Charlie yelled with her arms thrown out. 

“What are you talking about?” Vaggie’s worried tone made Charlie scoff and retreat a step. “Charlie, Heaven backed off on a second Extermination.” 

“Heaven lies!” Charlie gritted out through a snarl. “They lied about Dad, about the Exterminations, about my family! They’re lying about backing off, too.” She explained with a growl. Vaggie reached a hand out to touch her, but Charlie refused to back down from this. Vox had shown her the pattern Heaven had used for years. He’d shown her how they’d say one thing for her Dad to tell everyone, only to turn on it and make him the villain. She wouldn’t let it happen with her family. She refused. “I’m staying in my office. Good night, Vaggie.” The other looked close to tears as Charlie spun away and stormed to her office. 

She wouldn’t be sleeping any time soon. She might as well work on Vox’s idea of a defense against the angels. 

Chapter Text

Lucifer’s rooms in the hotel weren’t as crowded as the ones he kept in the palace. Meaning that pulling Bee into the space so he could put Little Duck down for a nap wasn’t as nerve racking as it would have been had they been at the palace. Instead of piles of mess, he kept it decently clean. With Little Duck’s new talent for movement, he’d made extra sure that nothing would hurt her. Niffty had been a great assistant when it came to covering small areas that could prove dangerous. He hadn’t even considered the danger of the space under his bed till the cyclops woman had emerged with an oriental roach stabbed onto her needle. With her help, he had scrubbed the room with a blend of herbs and oil before putting barriers around the bed and bathroom.  

Lucifer should have been paying attention to the call Bee had him on. But Bel’s mention of different containers for foods had sparked an idea.  He was inspecting the rudimentary ‘key’ that -in theory- would allow someone with Sinner blood to leave Pride. So far he had a container made of rhodium with a teaspoon of his blood inside. He’d need to add Sinner blood to figure out if it would explode or not. On top of that, he needed to figure out if it would only work with only the Sinner that he got the blood from, or if it would work with any Sinner. That could lead to more problems than necessary if that happened. He could already picture the chaos that would spread if Sinners figured out how to get Angelic blood to make a ‘pass’. 

“We made much better plans for the Introduction Ceremony.” Levi spoke over the phone. A quick check of the ratio he could make between his blood and white phosphorus had him flipping back to his idea of using gallium as a binding. 

“I know you did not just say that!” Bee jumped up, her lava-like appearance flaring. “I am organizing this party!” 

“It will need to be a ball, and we host the best.” Levy’s voice spoke up. “I even have seamstresses that can put together the outfits.” Lucifer slowly pulled his notes closer as he took in the anger on Bee’s face as Levy and Levi continued talking. 

“There will need to be an event for the city too.” Satan grumbled, “Sinners will need to be watched if any are stupid enough to show.” The Sin of Wrath’s voice came through Lucifer’s phone and was loud enough to speak over Bee’s phone. 

“It’ll only be Overlords.” Lucifer told him while keeping an eye on Bee’s now rapid fire texting. Little Duck’s introduction would have to involve Radio Bust since he was also her parent. “I’ve already handled those invites.” He added with a dismissive wave. Honestly, he had them written out for only Carmilla and Zestial, but he knew better than to assume Alastor wouldn’t bring someone. Whether they would be his meal or not would have to be discussed. Maybe he could get Sinner blood that way? 

“Paimon wants a meeting with you, Lu.” Ozzie’s change of subject peaked his and Bee’s attention. “He’s insisting one of his kids be sworn to her.” Ozzie explained with a tired drag in his voice. 

“It would be better if she already had a dog loyal to her before the ceremony.” Satan agreed in his rude way. Bee gave the phone a scowl and crossed her arms. 

“Hellhounds are not dogs.” She grumbled, sparking one of the oldest arguments between them. “They are Hellborn Sentient Beings-” 

“Hound. Dog.” Satan argued, “They should be honored-” 

“Dowan is not getting a bodyguard.” Lucifer piped in. “She’ll be raised just like Charlie.” 

“Bel said it herself,” Satan argued, “You’re overstretched. Get her a guard or a nanny. Devland and Charlie,” 

“Devland and Charlie both had two parents.” Ozzie broke in with the sound of factory work behind his words. Lucifer motioned to Bee to show his agreement. “They also had us helping too. Which, Lu, Fizz already volunteered us for-”

“Fuck off ya bully brick!” Mam yelled, surprising not just Lucifer with actually having been paying attention. “Give the mite one of Charlie’s little flyboys.” He suggested, and Lucifer had to admit it wasn’t a terrible idea. “They know how to do all that.” 

“A dog would at least be able to ignore senseless whining,” Satan countered. “I think one of Paimon’s would be decent.” 

“Alright, that’s it. Call them dogs, one. More. Time.” Bee snarled into her phone. Lucifer ran a hand over his face before looking back at his notes. His siblings were like a physical representation of his notes. 

The mess of papers ranged from half dotted lines, to equations with hieroglyphs. He’d need to organize and condense it down before he actually did any Creating. He’d also need to be sure that no one was around for any explosions or slips into different realms. He did not want to take the blame for another plague. 

“Oo~” The soft warble pulled him away from his thoughts. Little Duck hadn’t made that sound in a while, in fact she hadn’t made it at all since Charlie’s first and last magic lesson. Lucifer winced from a mix of the memory and standing on bloodless limbs. 

He needed to talk to Charlie about getting back into lessons on her magic. But he had just gotten her to talk to him again! On top of that, their last argument had been about the Sinners and giving them a chance! The last thing he needed was her to get so angry with him that she kicked him out or ignored him. 

Pushing aside his need to spiral, he walked over to the playpen. Little Duck’s ears moved at his approach and she was quick to coo and wave happily when she saw him. “Hey Little Duck,” he mumbled while inspecting the destroyed remains of a quilt and a soft toy. Little Duck let out a happy laugh as he lifted her out of the fluff and slobbered against his face when he settled her against him. “Let’s find something to eat,” he offered. Mrs. Feathers was held tight in small hands, somehow escaping the massacre, but it seemed the only soft item that hadn’t fought for its life. 

“Hey, guys?” Bee stopped mid-rant. “Why don’t we take a break and get some food?” He suggested and felt relieved when Bee nodded and he heard multiple agreements. The need to just flop onto his rocking chair hit as Bee ended their calls and flitted over to his side. 

“Look at those little teeth!” She cooed, laughing when Little Duck smiled and waved her toy. “Y’know, it’s not a bad idea.” He hummed as she spoke, leading them both out of his rooms and downstairs. 

“As dumb as he is, Sats got a point on some kind of bodyguard for Little Duck.” She explained with a thoughtful air. “I wouldn’t want one of mine to get stuck with it, but maybe creating another Razzle Dazzle could work.” 

“Maybe later,” he agreed but his mind was back on the ‘key’. The need to trap himself in his workshop and Create was pulling at him with more urgency than if it was just another duck. Something deep inside his being was urging him to work. 

Baby babbles and his sister’s voice became white noise as he mentally disappeared to Create.

Chapter Text

It was raining fiercely over Pentagram City. The sizzling hiss supplied a twisted bit of comfort while hitting the rock and mortar that made the buildings. Centuries and millennia had seen Hell grow from crops of dust and fragmented bones of Creation. Generations of twisted Souls had been housed in the crater of the Fallen Son. Generations more had scattered and grown in the cracks it had marked the many Rings with. 

Lucifer’s gaze lingered on the steady stream falling outside his window. Steam obscured the city, leaving the view closer to one he had seen ages before. Shapeless grey blobs, hills from memories, blocked the distant streams of filthy water and half made shelters. If he closed his eyes, he’d smell the yellow brimstone and distant river of magma that gave Hell its heat. Stories and theories abounded of what lay past the edges of known land. Of where the materials they used or found started and ended. Even though there were Seven Rings for each Sin, the land surpassed their boundaries. Lilith had been excited to go out and explore. Each of the Fallen had gone with her on those outings and had returned with tales of grandiose and misery. 

Describing the untouched areas and forms that called it home had filled hours of their time. Things forgotten by Creation, eldritch shapes that had no names or words, lights brighter than Eden, darkness deeper than starless skies. They had gawked and exclaimed over all that had been found. It had been refreshing and amusing to see them all flit and play amongst it all. 

Things of emotion that had no shape. Materials that glittered with and absorbed light. Creatures that towered as Titans of storms and disaster. They’d encountered dozens of things, each more stunning and odder than the last. Each of them had taken to marking down their finds, but it had been Lilith who kept track of the hundreds of drawings. Lucifer had kept notes. Each of them filling books with knowledge of their finds and more. 

Lucifer looked over the old and faded drawings while unfurling scrolls and old tomes. Meticulously searching through them for the one that would work. Lilith’s preservation spells had survived the passage of time with only minor burns and faded words marking their disintegration. Pictures of water hounds and fragmented animarum settled between passages of Titans and territories of eternal ice and fields of reeds. 

But his mind kept returning to the same sketch. A tree with a dome shape and shading a bed of roots. The drawing didn’t show many details, but Lucifer knew them. He knew how the branches interlocked like Lincoln Logs. He knew how the dark leaves shivered in nonexistent air and splashed oiled colors around them. He knew how sharp and jagged the bark felt under his hand and how it didn’t so much cut as it did bite into any skin. 

His mind hovered over the memories of that space. Of how centuries had been spent with the being that came from the tree. They had all been so young. Cain hadn’t even been born to Eve. Lucifer had been thrust into leadership and had so many depending on him. He knew now, with the wisdom of age, that he had been a child who had been taken advantage of. But logic rarely bowed to emotion. 

The being they learned from had been a shadow; only taking a form when presented with a physical body. When more and more of Heaven fell and joined them, Lucifer learned how to manipulate his Creation skills to form areas of safety. Whispering advice and teaching all of them what it meant not to just survive in Hell, but to Rule it. Years of trust and bonds were made between them and the being. It wasn’t only Lucifer who listened and valued them as family. So when they told Lucifer that Heaven planned to smite the Fallen who had joined them. 

They planned for war. 

Lucifer had watched so many die; on both sides. Golden blood had painted fields like wheat. It was only when Sera had yelled, demanding why Hell had risen against them for no reason, that doubt was planted in his mind. It took them decades before Leviathan revealed the crack that had been created and grown. All the Sins had worked together, wove magic, blood, skill, and sweat, to trap the being that had taught them so much. 

The Root of all Evil had screamed and raged. They’d sworn they would make them all suffer, to destroy what they had made the Sins into. 

For millennia, they checked the tree that was sealed away. Each of them had added and adjusted whatever they had seen. Roo never made a sound. Without a willing host and trapped as they were by all their Energy and might, they would stay that way. Lucifer couldn’t remember the last time he had checked the tree. 

He’d been so distracted. He needed to make sure Little Duck had someone like Razzle and Dazzle. He needed to check on Charlie and her needs. He needed to meet with the others and discuss the Ceremony. He had so many things pulling at him. Even with Bel having taken a large part of his responsibilities away, he was still bogged down. 

He knew he was floundering. Knew that he was one step away from not being able to pull himself away from bed. He didn’t want to vanish or become a ghost of himself. He’d done that to often. He had missed most of Charlie’s adolescence. He wouldn’t miss any more of her years. 

His reflection stared back at him as a bolt of lightning flashed. “Give them a chance,” he repeated with Charlie’s voice echoing in his mind. 

Looking over the mess he had made, he made a decision. He would ask the Sin- the Residents of the Hotel to help create a companion for Little Duck. Fresh perspectives always gave him new ideas. 

… … 

Alastor was enjoying his coffee and looking over a set of notes for his broadcast while a young host did a show on his radio waves. He didn’t normally listen to the lady, but today he had decided to allow the sharp piano and electric mix to play. 

“ Ain’t nothing gonna break my stride/I’m running and I won’t touch ground ” 

The tune was catchy, Alastor would admit, but what had most of his amusement was the bouncing and rocking motions Doe was making. Either something was in her clothes and diaper, or she was a fan of the music. 

Alastor watched her squirm, clap, and squeak to the music that played. Perhaps the newer musics were odd, but they were still a far better show of creativity than Vox’s drivel. Doe whined as the song ended. Doing an impression of an inchworm, she made her way to Alastor’s ankle. 

“Now, now, a lady mustn’t do that.” He gently scolded even as he let her pull the hem of his slacks. The young radio host was reading the forecast for the day and making a joke of some sort. “Music of a ‘modern era’ hmm? Perhaps, but it sounds quite like howling and electric boogaloos,” He mumbled. 

The two enjoyed another hour of music. Occasionally, Alastor would watch Doe explore his tower or ‘dance’ to music, but for the most part, he worked. It was around the time she began to fuss and pull at her ears that he stopped for lunch. 

He summoned a bottle from the communal fridge, alongside a container of puree, before retrieving the fussy fawn. He was careful with his claws as he slowly pulled her smaller claws away from her ears. She whined and squirmed but eventually calmed down. He grimaced with displeasure when he saw the red freckles of blood on the small ears. Her claws were certainly sharp, but a hindrance till she would be much older. 

He lifted a tiny hand to inspect them. A pale red, not quite pink, set of claws scratched into the grooves of his hand but stayed otherwise slack. They would need to be trimmed before she managed actual damage. He tried to remember where or if Lucifer had some type of nail trimmer before an idea had him snorting a laugh. 

He could chew her nails. He was a cannibal! He’d eaten his fair share of keratin tipped fingers. Besides that, if he didn’t swallow them, an opportunistic Soul could find them in the rubbish. Who knew what someone could do with bits of another person at their disposal? Oh yes, he did. He couldn’t summon his Shadow to search through the King’s things, it was tailing Charlie. So why not? At least with his teeth, he could be certain where her claw ended and her finger began. 

Practice helped him set her into the crook of his arm to take the bottle first. Once she had the bottle secured by her tail and hands, he used his free hand to grab one of her own. Impossibly small and so easily damaged. One wrong move and it wouldn’t be a missing limb he’d need to worry over. 

But wasn’t that a thrill of its own? 

Alastor paid microscopic attention to how and where he placed his teeth. Freezing when he felt and heard the soft crunch of a broken claw. He trained his eyes and ears to the baby, waiting for some sort of reaction. When none came, he continued to the next finger. And the next, and the next. Until all that remained were the small clippings he’d carefully spit out onto a handkerchief. 

Doe seemed fascinated by her fingers now. Chewing on the dulled ends and watching Alastor as he contemplated what to do with the pieces. 

He knew of several ways to torture someone, bind them to him, and a way to enslave them. He’d learned ways to create harm and to protect in life and death. It wasn’t difficult. What mattered was intent. In his lifetime, he had met an old Bakongo man who swore his conjure bags held simba spirits. He could remember the man being dismissed by the wealthier people until the Great War began. The ‘crazy witch doctor’ had made many Mojo Bags for leaving soldiers. 

He knew from speaking with Zestial that there were once Romans and Greeks who fell to Hell and used apotropaic magics to save themselves. If we were to use such, he would need to speak with the Overlord and bargain for knowledge. He knew through vague recollection that the practice of Bulla bags had at least lived on among certain Imps. 

He could search among his deals and find one that could provide knowledge of Romani traditions. There had been a family in Yscloskey that would visit for Mardi Gras in New Orleans; he could remember their stand of odd foods and beautiful art pieces. His mother had bought him a dark red vest with golden buttons once. 

So many ideas of what the small claws could be used for brought up so many more memories. Alastor may have only lived a short while on Earth, but it had been over a hundred years since his death. He’d made sure to learn anything and everything. One must always be prepared! And in a place such as Hell, there was much to learn. 

“Aaaah!” The demanding bleat pulled both his ears and his attention back to the curious babe. Her tail pulled on his arm while a hand flexed on the empty bottle. 

He would need to come up with some sort of solution, but later. He would instead settle them both into his seat as he let music play. The Souls under his command would be sending him their reports of news around the city. He would need to see what would be useful for his broadcasts and what he could use for future deals.