Archive of Our Own ^beta

Azrael pouted, reaching out for Lucifer as the king of hell clambered out of bed. “What? Come on,” he whined, sulking up at the blond as he sprawled across Lucifer’s mattress. “Why not?”

Lucifer laughed, short and harsh, smiling wide as he glanced back at the other archangel. “Are you completely insane? What do you mean, ‘why not’?” With a snap of his fingers he was dressed for the day, stepping in front of a mirror to absently straighten his bow tie. “We were just talking about why not. You remember what happened last time I was up there; why would I ever want to go back?”

“I told you, He hasn’t been around in ages,” Azrael insisted. “We haven’t seen Him, haven’t heard from Him, haven’t even felt His presence; I think He’s gone for good, Lu.”

“And I think it’s stupid to risk it.” Lucifer turned to face them, leaning his hip against his vanity. “I can’t just pop up there and act like everything’s hunky dory; I have a daughter, Az, I can’t take risks like that.”

“Don’t hesitate because of me,” Charlie interjected, sitting crisscross-applesauce at the foot of her father’s bed while Azrael lounged over the blankets, somehow making the posture petulant. “If you’d rather be there-“

“I wouldn’t,” Lucifer stated quickly. “I mean, this place is…well, hell, but He’s not come down here once. I am way more comfortable out of sight and out of mind than I would be up there, just waiting for Him to turn up and throw me out again.”

Azrael’s expression was surly before he heaved a loud sigh. “Okay, fine, don’t move back home…” he grumbled, “but stop by for a visit sometime? Just…a little while?”

Lucifer hesitated, glancing at his reflection and absently finger combing down a stubborn strand of hair; his eyes lingered on the jet black of his fingers against the delicate pale locks before he huffed a sigh of his own. “I’ll think about it,” he answered finally. “That isn’t a yes,” he added quickly, shooting a half hearted glare at Azrael’s excited expression, “it’s a maybe at best, okay? Now get out of my bed.”

Azrael rolled his eyes but complied, taking a moment to stretch his full body, arms above his head and back arching as he eyed Lucifer thoughtfully. “When was the last time you got dressed like a normal person?”

Lucifer glanced over at him, shrugging slightly. “I don’t know. A while ago?” He dismissed, opening his wardrobe and looking through his clothes absentmindedly. “You can borrow some of my stuff, if you want.”

“Mmhm.” Azrael stepped up behind him, setting his chin on Lucifer’s shoulder and looking through his clothes. “What about preening? When was the last time you took care of yourself?”

Lucifer gave a little huff, leaning back against Azrael. “You know we don’t really need to do that, right? I just…take care of it.”

“Thought so.” Azrael reached past Lucifer, snagging some clothes before turning to Charlie as the princess was gathering up their breakfast dishes. “Hey doll face, how would you feel about me setting up a little something for y’all in a couple of your rooms downstairs?”

“Hm?” Charlie looked at Azrael curiously, stacking their dishes and trays together. “What sort of something?”

“Think of it as a gift,” Azrael answered smoothly, reaching to give her shoulder a squeeze. “A way to pay you and Lulu back for being so sweet, inviting me here. I can always undo it if you don’t like it.”

“Oh, that’s so nice,” Charlie praised, smiling brightly. “Okay, Azrael; there’s plenty of rooms we haven’t settled on a long term use for, feel free to use any you like!”

“Thanks babygirl.” Azrael grinned, taking a moment to playfully pinch her cheek. “I’ll get it all set up and let you know when it’s ready to get shown off.”

Lucifer eyed his brother suspiciously, crossing his arms. “You’re plotting something, aren’t you.”

“Oh Dad, don’t be mean,” Charlie scolded lightly. “I’m looking forward to your surprise, Azrael; I’ll see you guys later!”

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Charlie was in the laundry room that afternoon, humming happily to herself as she sorted everyone’s clothes. She didn’t notice someone else joining her until she felt something pawing at her leg; expecting it to be Keekee, she ignored it for a moment. “Just a sec, let me—oh my goodness!”

A puppy was seated at her feet, tail wagging rapidly, covered in charcoal black fur, shaped like some sort of retriever. It had a scroll of paper in it’s mouth; Charlie knelt to accept the roll, unable to resist petting the pup and finding it implausibly soft. “Where did you come from?” She murmured, gathering the little animal into her arms and giggling as it licked her cheek. She held the little creature in one arm, unrolling the scroll and reading the neatly written script within.

“Your surprise is ready; please come to room one oh one,” she read aloud, smile lingering as the little dog licked at her face again. “Oh! Azrael must have made you,” she realized, giving the wiggly puppy a gentle squeeze before setting it down. “Let’s go see what else he made, then.”

The pup seemed to know where to go, trotting along merrily upstairs to the main floor of the hotel. As it neared the landing its tail started wagging faster and it broke into the run, tackling another puppy at the top of the staircase. “Careful!” Charlie warned, running the last few steps to find her pup tussling playfully with another black dog; this one was short haired, thin, with upright ears and a curled tail. 

“So, you got one too,” Vaggie commented, smiling warmly at Charlie as she joined her girlfriend, invitation in hand. “Any idea what’s going on?”

“Azrael said he wanted to make a surprise for us this morning,” Charlie explained, watching the puppies play adoringly. “They’re so cute!”

“Mmhm. Let’s just hope magic puppies won’t ruin the carpet,” Vaggie answered dryly before a shout down the hall caught their attention, both women turning to watch as another pair of pups ran up followed closely by Niffty and Husk.

Niffty managed to snag the tiny puppy, cackling gleefully as it licked her face. “Got it!” she declared triumphantly, all but brandishing the little creature before being knocked over by the significantly larger puppy, the dog nearly the same size as Niffty herself.

“Careful, Niff,” Husk scolded, picking the little woman up and scowling down at the short tailed, short eared puppy with its jowly smile pointed up at him.

“Aw, yours are so cute!” Charlie praised, kneeling to eagerly pet the two new puppies. “Who’s a good baby? Who’s a good little pooch?” she cooed happily, expression overjoyed as the little one licked her fingers and the larger lapped at her face. 

“Uh-huh, cute,” Husk answered dryly. “We need to get rid of these mutts before the boss sees.”

“Why?” Charlie asked in confusion, looking up at the man curiously. Husk shifted uncomfortably for a moment before he answered. 

“Let’s just say the radio demon isn’t too fond of dogs,” he offered finally. 

“Aw, that stinker; who wouldn’t love a face like this?” Angel asked as he approached the group, cradling a wrinkly, pudgy puppy in his lower arms as he joined them. “Anyway, what’s the big surprise supposed to be?” he added, holding out the invitation toward Charlie as the woman stood again.

“I’m not sure,” Charlie admitted, taking Angel’s invite and glancing over it to find it identical to her own. “Azrael said he wanted to make us something nice for us at breakfast; let’s go find out what he put together.”

The group resumed their journey to room 101, all with various expressions of excitement or trepidation. The pups lead the way, the whole little pack scampering along—except for Angel’s, still held lovingly in the spider demon’s arms. Charlie rapped upon the door, trying to listen for any hints of what was inside but not hearing a thing until the door opened; at that point she was greeted by the sound of running water and the sight of Azrael’s smiling face, the man dressed in a pair of her father’s pants and one of his vests.

“Hey! How’d you like the message?” the angel of death asked eagerly as the pups ran between and around his legs into the room beyond. “Pretty neat, right?”

“They’re very cute,” Charlie agreed quickly, stepping forward to give Azrael a tight hug. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet; that was just part one of the surprise,” Azrael dismissed, giving Charlie a tight squeeze in return before stepping back to wave them in. “Come on, get settled; tell me what you think.”

The room was bathed in a warm glow, plenty to see by but not harsh to the eyes; immediately to the left was a sunken section, the whole area seeming plush and cozy and currently full of snuggling puppies. Next to it was a cutesy wooden shed, built like a log cabin with smoke trickling from the chimney. Straight ahead was a large, faintly steaming pool, fed by little waterfalls in the back; to the right of it was a line of padded tables, then a row of comfortable seeming chairs leading back to the door.

“Holy shit,” Angel swore, looking around the room as he finally set his puppy down to join the others. “You made us a fucking spa?”

“What’s the cabin for?” Vaggie questioned, eyeing the structure suspiciously as she stepped into the room.

“It’s a sauna,” Azrael explained, taking another step back as Niffty ran past him to jump into the pool, clothes and all. “I figured you guys might, you know, like someplace to relax.”

“Oh I am so down for this!” Angel declared, already kicking off his shoes and stripping off his shirt. “C’mon, Husk, let’s get wet!”

Husk grimaced, shaking his head. “Uh, no thanks. Not a big fan of water.”

“Then why not try one of the massage chairs?” Azrael offered, gesturing toward the comfy chairs lining the wall. “Give it a shot, you’ll like it.”

Husk’s expression was still doubtful, but he did take a seat. “So, how do I-oh.” The old gambler visibly relaxed, the chair shifting into a reclining position as it got to work. “Oh, this…this is nice…” It took little time for the man to begin purring, eyes slipping closed and missing the fond look Angel gave him from the poolside.

Azrael grinned broadly, taking Charlie and Vaggie both by the hand and guiding them back to the padded tables in the corner. “You two are going to love this,” he assured, patting the tabletop. “Vaggie, if you don’t mind.”

The former exorcist looked like she had reservations, but obligingly got onto the table and followed Azrael’s directions to lay face down. “Wings out,” he instructed, carefully guiding Vaggie to lay her wings on the extended arms of the furniture piece. “I’ve got you.”

Vaggie still looked nervous, shoulders tense as she lay in place. “What’re you going to- oh.” Vaggie relaxed, eye closing as Azrael began gingerly running a small comb through her feathers, neatening and straightening them. “Oh, that’s…hmm…”

Charlie watched, fascinated, as Azrael gently preened her partner’s wings. “Can I?” she asked tentatively, stepping closer to the table.

Azrael beamed at her, passing the comb over. “You need to be gentle,” he explained as Charlie began delicately combing Vaggie’s wings. “Make sure you don’t damage the shaft; just neaten up the barbules and help everything lay right.” Charlie put all of her focus on the task at hand, following Azrael’s direction as she learned how to properly look after Vaggie’s feathers. She was so caught up in the process that she didn’t even notice her father joining them until the fallen angel spoke.

“So,” Lucifer commented dryly, glancing around the room with a bright eyed, upright eared pup in his arms, “this is the big surprise, huh?” With a sigh he set the puppy down, giving Azrael an unimpressed look. “Was this all a ploy just to preen me?”

“What? No,” Azrael dismissed, stepping over to another table anyway. “Only mostly. Come on, hop up; lemme at you.”

Lucifer rolled his eyes, obliging anyway. “What are you wearing?” he criticized as he carefully spread out all six wings for Azrael’s inspection. “You look ridiculous.”

“You said I could borrow your clothes,” Azrael dismissed, beginning to gingerly finger comb some of Lucifer’s scarlet plumage into place.

“Yeah, I did; you could have gotten a full outfit, you know, instead of running around in just the vest. It looks dumb,” Lucifer complained, posture nonetheless relaxing as the archangel began to neaten his primaries.

Azrael rolled his eyes, his touches delicate despite it. “It’s called fashion, genius; I look amazing.”

“You look stupid.”

Charlie liked listening to them bicker; it felt right, the words lacking any real bite as they argued back and forth. Everything about the moment felt perfect; most of the people she loved were here in the room with her, relaxed and happy. Beyond the bickering archangels she could hear Husk’s steady purring and the precious sound of puppy snores along with the gentle waterfalls, an occasional laugh from Angel or Niffty as the two enjoyed the onsen. Everything felt perfect.

Charlie sighed softly, bending forward to press a soft kiss to Vaggie’s cheek. “I love you,” she whispered, heart feeling oddly tight. “So, so much.” Her eyes were closed, taking a moment to breathe in the gentle floral scent of Vaggie’s shampoo; she did her best to commit the perfect moment to memory.

“Well well, what have we here?” The sound of Alastor’s voice drew the attention of most in the room; Angel waded over to the edge of the pool, resting his lower arms on the tiled surface as he waved the radio host over with the other.

“‘Bout time you got here, smiles! Come on in, the water’s great!” the actor encouraged, not batting an eye as Niffty clambered up onto his shoulders for a perch before jumping back into the water again.

It would never fail to impress Charlie how expressive Alastor could be while maintaining a smile; the man looked positively disgusted. “No thank you. If I had any interest in putting bodies in water, I would want it to be much, much hotter.”

It was that moment Charlie noticed the little black animal standing at Alastor’s side; she couldn’t stop herself from letting out a squeal, enamored by the adorable creature. “Oh my goodness, Vaggie! You have to look at Alastor’s little lamb!” she encouraged eagerly.

Vaggie hummed to show she’d heard, turning her head to get a look at the fuzzy little farm animal. “Aw,” she cooed, watching the young ram take careful, measured steps on the tile, “he is cute.”

“Yes, quite the interesting choice of messenger,” Alastor agreed, shooting a glare at the delicate creature. “Can’t say it would have been my first choice.”

“Well, my first choice was puppies,” Azrael quipped, not even looking up as he continued dutifully adjusting and combing Lucifer’s feathers, “but I was feeling nice, so I made an exception. Though if you like, I could always conjure up something else for you; how about a catahoula?”

“No,” Alastor backtracked quickly, ears flicking back for a moment before straightening again. “No, thank you, that will not be necessary. As much as I appreciate being invited to this little retreat, I’m afraid I have a show to do.”

“Aw, that’s too bad,” Charlie lamented earnestly, taking a moment to gently scratch around the tiny bumps on the lamb’s head where horns could someday grow. “You’re welcome to use the spa any time; it should be useful for guests and staff to have a calming place for some self care.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Princess,” Alastor assured, taking a step back toward the door. “I merely intended to get this little one back where it belonged; the thing simply would not stop following me.”

Azrael snorted, grinning broadly. “Yep,” he acknowledged as the lamb trotted over to the corner where the puppies slept, settling down to join them. “Did its job well, huh?”

“Indeed.” Alastor shot the collection of baby animals one last withering look before leaving, closing the door firmly behind himself.

“I meant to ask,” Charlie ventured, looking over at Azrael curiously. “The um, puppies? Are they real?”

Azrael shrugged, expression nonchalant. “More or less. They’re not…entirely real? I mean, they’re as real as the cat or little dragon your dad made.”

“They don’t have souls,” Lucifer clarified, sounding almost drowsy as Azrael tidied his feathers, his face smooshed into the soft fabric of the padded tabletop, “but they have sentience. Basic survival instincts, problem solving skills, that sort of thing.”

“Oh.” Charlie looked back at the sleeping animals, smiling softly as she observed the way they peacefully cuddled together. Soul or not, she decided she liked them; they were cute, and it was sweet of Azrael to have made each one personally for them.

Vaggie straightened up as Charlie finished with her wings, flexing them to admire the sheen on her feathers. “Wow,” she murmured, clearly pleased with the results, “good job, hun; I don’t think these have looked this good since before I lost them.”

Charlie clapped excitedly, amazed by the way her grey wings shimmered in the warm light of the room. “Ooh you’re so pretty!” she enthused excitedly. “Wow, Vaggie!”

Vaggie flushed at Charlie’s praises, slipping off the massage table onto the floor and patting the place where she had been. “Okay, okay; your turn.”

Charlie’s head tilted curiously. “But I don’t-“

“I know,” Vaggie cut in, “but I can at least give you a massage, right? Try to return the favor a little.”

“Well…alright,” Charlie agreed, taking off her jacket and shrugging off her suspenders so they wouldn’t be in the way before she settled into place. “If you want to.”

“I want to,” Vaggie assured, gently shifting Charlie’s ponytail to the side so she could start working at the tension in her shoulders. “You’re so good to everyone; let me be good to you.”

Charlie sighed softly, letting her eyes close as her partner’s strong fingers worked away the knots and strains of her muscles. Her breathing evened, listening to the sounds of the room again; the gentle splash of the water, Husk’s purring, the breathing of the animals, her father and Azrael both humming a melody that she didn’t recognize but somehow felt familiar. It was easy to let herself center here; she felt almost like she was floating.

Charlie was consciously aware of the loosening tension in her muscles, of the way Vaggie’s firm touch untangled the striated strands; she let herself sink deeper, breathing slow as she felt the warmth of her partner’s hands against her back, transferring through her neat button up easily. She usually wasn’t very good at keeping still, but the soothing atmosphere of the room coupled with having so many of her loved ones safe and sound helped to lure her further into that deep place Azrael had lead her to before. 

It felt so nice, floating in the warm glow of it all. Almost absentmindedly, she gathered it into her hands the way Azrael had taught her, feeling the tingling energy in her palms and fingertips the way she had when she’d observed Angel and Husk’s souls. It was a little strange, being in this place without the angel of death’s cool touch to guide her; she wasn’t entirely sure what to do with herself for a moment before she heard Vaggie’s voice, humming a countermelody along with whatever song it was Azrael and Lucifer had started. Maybe it was from heaven? Charlie was tempted to ask, but when she tried to do so she found herself looking up into the most gorgeous, glorious light she had ever seen.

All around her was something soft and shimmery, soothing gossamer grey. It wasn’t until Charlie reached out to touch that she realized what she was looking at: it was Vaggie’s soul. Charlie was rattled, breathless as she took in the beauty of it, ephemeral and pure; Vaggie wasn’t vividly colored like Angel and Husk had been, instead she was all soft grays and delicate lavenders and graceful pinks. The sensation was somewhat coarse, reminding Charlie of lace or crinoline; it was far from unpleasant, but not what she had expected when she’d first seen the subdued light and color.

Carefully, Charlie ran her fingers over the surface, finding it simultaneously firm yet pliable; she stepped closer, leaning her cheek against the rough material and sighing softly as she let herself get lost in the sensation. She was reminded of the way it felt when Keekee would lick her, the scratchy sensation oddly pleasant. Charlie felt as though she could stay this way forever, pressed against the very fabric of her partner’s being, surrounded by the eternal essence of her; as she indulged in the fantasy for a moment, she became distantly aware of someone saying…something. The sound was unclear, as though her ears were underwater.

Ruefully, Charlie pulled away from Vaggie’s soul, turning her head to try to pinpoint the voice. It was familiar in the same way the song the angels’ hummed had been, like somehow she had heard it long ago, but the memory was frustratingly just out of her reach. Charlie stumbled forward, blinking rapidly to try to clear her vision and locate the speaker. Their voice had changed, sounding…scared? That wasn’t right, this was a safe place. She tried to reach out, struggling for a moment to orient herself on this strange plane before suddenly everything, all around her was warmth and light.

Charlie gasped, breathing in the warmth and finding it filled her completely; she could feel the warmth rushing through her body, flooding her veins and sparking along her nerves, pushing through her pores and into the roots of her hair, into her very eyes. The sensation should be painful, but all it was was warm; Charlie felt it in her lungs, breathing for her, moving her diaphragm and pushing oxygen into her bronchioles. She didn’t have words to describe the sensation, let alone the sight before her eyes; it was like she was swimming in light, the golden glow warm and supportive without causing any pressure. It made no sense, defied all laws of physics that she knew; it was like this light had taken over everything else, like the light was all she would ever need to survive.

“Charlie.” She finally recognized what was being said; it was so silly, that she’d been having such trouble hearing her own name being called. The warmth was interrupted, a cool wind settling over her; it was Azrael, she realized distantly, coming to guide her the way he had before.

“Come on, Charlie,” his voice encouraged, taking her hands and pulling her gently toward the surface. “There’s a good girl; come on, sweetheart. Come back back to us, now.”

Come back? Where had she gone? Along with her confusion Charlie felt a touch of regret, finding that as she exhaled that perfect, glorious warmth left with it. She was breathing in her own again, she noted absently; she could feel Vaggie’s hands petting her hair, the rise and fall of her partner’s chest beneath her cheek. Her own hands were being tightly held by… someone. Her back itched and her left foot was asleep; coming back into her body wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience, but she realized that was what Azrael meant. She tried to say that she was fine, that she was with them, but her words wouldn’t come; she cleared her throat, sitting up carefully and looking around in confusion.

Vaggie was on the massage table with her, holding Charlie in her lap and against her chest; it was Lucifer who was holding her hands, Azrael next to him, Angel Dust, Niffty and Husk all hovering close by and looking anxious. Charlie took another breath and realized absently that her father inhaled and exhaled at the same time as her; that was weird, but far from the weirdest thing at the moment.

“What happened?” she managed finally, looking around at them all in bewilderment. “Is everyone okay?”

Lucifer let out a massive sigh, squeezing Charlie’s hands briefly before letting go. “Holy shit, Char-char; don’t scare me like that.”

“You kind of…passed out,” Vaggie explained, hugging Charlie close. “At first I thought you’d just fallen asleep, but then you wouldn’t wake up and— we may have freaked out.”

“May have?” Angel reiterated, incredulous. “Vags, you were two seconds away from a complete mental breakdown.”

“I’m sorry,” Charlie cut in before the two could start arguing. “I was just super comfortable, and it sort of reminded me of when- oh! Oh, Vaggie, Vaggie, oh my gosh!” Charlie smiled brightly, sitting up properly and clasping her partner’s hands as she turned to her, expression alight with excitement. “I saw your soul! You’re so, so pretty, Vaggie! I mean, of course you’re pretty, you’re always pretty, but your soul is so pretty!”

“Um…thanks?” Vaggie smiled softly, not entirely sure what Charlie meant but appreciative of the compliment nonetheless. 

“Maybe let’s try not to do any more unassisted soul dives for a bit?” Azrael suggested, reaching out to give Charlie’s shoulder a squeeze. “I think you may have accidentally disconnected from your body; it happens sometimes.”

“You stopped breathing,” Lucifer elucidated, expression concerned. “Az, maybe— it’s one thing if one of us gets disconnected, we don’t really need to breathe or anything, but Charlie…she’s different. What if it hurts her?”

“It’s just a little snag,” Azrael assured, offering the devil a smile. “She’s picking it up so fast, I didn’t even have to guide her this time; I’m sure she’ll be able to handle it with a little more practice.”

“I’ll be okay,” Charlie agreed, shifting to sit with her legs hanging off the massage table. “Really, I feel fine; it was kind of nice.” At Lucifer’s doubtful expression, she continued, “I mean, I got to see Vaggie, and she was so gorgeous, and then there was something else, all warm and nice and soft, like— It was like sunshine, but more? Like, sunshine if it was solid, but not really solid? It was bright and warm and felt so good, and it was everywhere, and it made me feel so nice and safe!” 

As Charlie rambled Lucifer’s cheeks slowly flushed, the man rocking on his heels and not looking directly at his daughter; Azrael’s expression turned downright smug. “Charlie,” the angel of death interrupted, his tone amused, “that was Lucifer.”

Charlie paused, mouth agape as she stared at her father for a moment before hopping off the table to give him a tight hug. “Oh, wow , Dad,” she murmured, holding him close, “wow. No wonder Azrael’s always talking about how pretty you are— I mean, of course you’re pretty, but your soul is—wow!”

“Haha, thanks, Charlie.” Lucifer patted her back softly, returning the hug and trying valiantly to ignore the flush in his cheeks. He drew back after a moment, rubbing awkwardly at the back of his neck and attempting to ignore the curious looks the sinners were giving him. “That’s, um… that’s me. Yep.”

“I felt you…breathe for me?” Charlie tried to describe, struggling to find the words to explain how it had felt. “I didn’t realize I had stopped. I… I’m sorry, that must have been really scary for you.”

Lucifer waved off the platitude, shaking his head. “Don’t apologize; it’s okay,” he assured quickly. “I’m just glad you’re alright— you are, right? I didn’t hurt you?”

“What?” Charlie’s brow furrowed, confused. “No, of course you didn’t. It…it felt nice? Like a hug, but…better.”

“Okay, good. Great.” Lucifer shifted awkwardly, leaning his weight from one foot to the other before taking a step back away from everyone. “You know, I think— I think I’m kind of peopled out for a while. If you’re sure you’re okay, then… I’m gonna head back upstairs.”

“Oh.” Charlie took a small step back herself, bumping into the massage table and opting to lean against it, trying not to look disappointed. “Of course. You go relax, okay? Love you, Dad.”

Lucifer let out a breath, nodding quickly. “Love you too,” he assured before turning on his heel, all but running out the door.

“Damn,” Angel commented, taking a step closer to Charlie as he watched Lucifer flee the area, “for a shorty, he sure runs fast. You sure you’re good, sunshine?” he checked on Charlie, setting a hand gently on her back.

“Hm? Oh, yeah,” Charlie assured quickly, forcing a smile up at her friend and quickly rubbing the heel of her hand over her eye, hoping the action was quick enough to hide the lone tear that escaped her. “I’m fine, Angel.”

Vaggie shifted so she was sitting on the table behind Charlie, wrapping her arms around her to hold her close. Leaning back against Vaggie’s chest, feeling the strength in her arms, Charlie couldn’t help but think of the stiff but yielding texture of her soul. 

“I’m sorry,” Azrael offered, expression somehow sheepish and sad. “I didn’t think— You were born, not made. I didn’t consider that when I showed you how to see souls; I didn’t think about what could happen if you got separated from your body.”

“I’m fine,” Charlie reiterated firmly. “Really, I’m not— I wasn’t scared, or hurt, or anything. I’m just sad that my dad’s upset— I’m okay.”

Azrael’s head cocked to the side, regarding Charlie curiously. “You are the most interesting girl,” he stated after a long moment. “There’s a chance you could have died, Charlie—you weren’t scared at all?”

Charlie shrugged helplessly. “No? I mean…I wasn’t thinking about it. It never crossed my mind; but if I died, it would just be my body, right? I’d probably just…be here, still.”

“We don’t know that,” Vaggie stated softly, her arms tightening around Charlie for a moment. “You’re the child of an archangel; the only one. We have no idea what could happen to your soul if your body died. You might manifest here, like a sinner, or in heaven, or…”

“Or you might just stop existing at all,” Husk continued, lips pursed as he regarded the princess for a long moment. “You could be gone for good.”

“What? Pfft, nah,” Charlie dismissed, setting a hand over Vaggie’s to offer her some comfort. “You guys are overreacting; nothing happened.”

“Just because nothing happened this time doesn’t mean something couldn’t happen,” Angel pointed out, scowling faintly. “If anything, sister, you’re under reacting; seriously, Charlie, you just had a near death experience. You’re allowed to freak out about it.”

“I’m not freaked out!” Charlie insisted. “Really, I’m— Azrael, what happens to me if my body dies?”

The angel of death shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “You’re a unique case, daughter of the morning star; no archangel has ever died. We don’t have the need for physical forms; if we wanted to, we could exist wholly on the soul plane and just create a new physical body if we ever wanted to come back to tangible existence. But you’ve never existed outside your body before— You’re part human, so maybe you would face judgement like a mortal soul and wind up either upstairs or down here again. Or maybe not.”

Azrael started pacing, hands gesturing absently as he spoke. “Lucifer made you, but he also had you; your soul is unique to you, but I can still see him in you. Maybe whatever part of you comes from him would be returned and reabsorbed? But he used part of Lilith to make you, too; it doesn’t make sense for her to receive anything from your end, that doesn’t happen when human’s loose their children.

“Maybe it would go beyond Lucifer, then; he and Lilith were both created by our Father. Would your soul become part of Him?” Azrael grimaced, pausing in his pacing and shaking his head roughly as though to physically shake off the idea. “Ugh, gross.”

“Uh, speaking of,” Angel piped up, “did you just say that Charlie’s mommy and daddy have the same daddy? That’s some Alabama shit, there.”

“Angel!” Charlie scolded, lightly elbowing the dancer. “Gross!”

“That’s what I’m saying!” Angel answered, returning the gesture playfully. “Maybe instead of a fiddle your old man should play banjo?”

Azrael heaved a sigh, scrubbing his hands over his face. “You know what? Just, try not to die,” he instructed Charlie, offering her a tight smile. “I’m giving myself a headache trying to figure out what would happen to you; I think I’m going to follow Lu’s example and take a little solo time.”

“Yeah,” Vaggie agreed, giving Charlie a squeeze. “I’d appreciate a little one on one with you; your dad wasn’t the only one you scared.”

“Sorry.” Charlie turned to kiss her partner’s cheek, giving her hand another squeeze. “I’m here, sweetie; I’ve got you.”

“Mmhm.” Vaggie turned her head to give Charlie a proper kiss instead, holding her close for a moment longer before letting go so she could hop down to the floor. “Come on; let’s see if I can’t give you a reason keep a better hold on this body.”

Charlie flushed darkly, hurrying after her to the door. “Yes ma’am.”