I own nothing but I wanna give a huge shoutout to all of the reviews and RedHood001's wonderful words. It really does fill my heart so full.
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Charlie strode into the lobby the following evening. She had barely slept. Alastor hadn't returned since the hallway incident and her urgent apologies were wallowing inside her fit to burst. She felt her heart light up as she saw the angel sitting with Angel Dust at the bar. She hadn't expected her to be so social so soon but the tinkling laugh echoed through the room as she conspired with Angel at the bar. Their bubbling drifted across the large room to her ears, a slight echo from the high pitched tone of the angels tinkling voice.
"...But WHY a spider. In heaven we all still look so human...I suppose I still don't understand why you all look...well...look like…"
"Freaks?" Angel interjected with a laugh. The angel's eyes widened but her stuttering apology was waved away. "Nah I guess I don't know really? It's weird, yeah? But hey it coulda been worse. I coulda turned out like Pussy Cat over here. Hows bout a drink Husk?" Angel gave the sleeping Husker a hard shove, knocking him off the stool on the floor with a yowl.
The angel was immediately on her feet to help but Husker groaned and waved her away. He shot Angel a glare but rubbing his head opened a bottle and poured a light brown liquid into two cups, taking a swig from the bottle himself before each pour. He pushed one of the glasses towards the angel who fluttered her wings and blushed. "Oh, oh no. Thank you but no. No thank you."
"Aw c'mon, you're in hell now. When in Rome amiright?" Angel declared pushing the glass closer to her.
"Leave her alone Angel," Charlie interjected and laughed when they both turned her way.
"A'right so this can't happen. Sorry toots but I'm the Angel around here so you gotta give us a name."
"Katherine," she offered with a smile. "I'm pretty sure Michael called me Katherine." There was a slight twitch to Huskers ears but no one noticed. All eyes focused on the angelic presence.
"Told ya?" Angel replied. "What do you mean-"
"No memories," Charlie interjected, helpfully.
Katherine nodded with a small smile. "They wipe our memories when we get to Heaven. No more worries, cares-"
"Yeah but what about...you know, the good ones?" Angel was enthralled, drink forgotten. "I mean surely you'd want to remember the good stuff. Parents, kids, pets….lovers? I mean you don't know your name is even real."
The angel giggled. "I know it sounds strange, but it's for our protection. The memories have such terrible feelings. When you care for something….you...you miss it. I don't remember what that felt like any more but I remember it feeling horrible at the start. They don't all go away at once." She saw them exchange a look, and realized she was making them uncomfortable. "Think about it this way. No thoughts jumbling around. You don't feel the highs from Earth...or well...here...but you down feel the downs either. It's all just...level. Serene. Like take you for example," she pointed at Angel Dust. "You're here because of drugs. You feel great on them I'm sure. Euphoric even. But the crash can't feel-"
"No I get it." Angel said softly. "I guess it does sound kind of nice." The spider demon leaned his head on his hand, seemling entranced by the woman's big brown eyes. Charlie couldn't help but notice how….vulnerable...he looked. Wistful, a sad longing. She had spent so much time and had never lulled him into dropping his persona and this girl had done it within a day. They were staring into each other's eyes as if they were lost in some private thought. Katherine just smiling at his softened face. Even Husker had put down his bottle, looking between the two.
It didn't last as Fat Nuggets nudged against Angel's leg, snapping him out of his daze. He gave an uncomfortable laugh as he lifted the pig into his lap, suddenly very aware of the other's gaze. "Well I can't imagine forgetting about Nuggie though," he joked awkwardly, giving his pet a poke on the nose. Katherine didn't stop her gaze on him but gave a small hum of a laugh. He began to feel uncomfortable under her watch and turned his attention back to her glass. "Well are you gonna try it or not. You're only here for bit so you might as well partake!"
"No thank you," she said, finally ending her intense gaze, and turning it to the cup. Not in disgust, but curiously. He looked back up. "But you still didn't answer. Why do demons look like...Why a spider?"
"Dunno toots. Maybe it was cuz I was so good with my hands," Angel Dust shot her a wink and relished the blush on her face. He broke into a wide grin, feeling he had turned the table back. "Oh this is gonna be fun having you around. Between you and Al I get to shock and awe all you fu-"
"That's no way to speak to a lady or for a lady to be speaking, my spider-y friend."
Angel Dust jumped at the staticky voice and all eyes turned to Alastor who was standing in the doorway.
"Yeesh you gotta stop sneaking up on people like that Smiles. You're creepy ass is gonna kill me a second time."
But Alastor's eyes were trained on Katherine, a smile plastered on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes. Charlie felt a jolt of fear although she wasn't sure if it was for herself or the guest. "And how are you settling in my dear?"
The angel gave him a bright smile, half as wide but nowhere near as unnerving as his. "Very well actually. I have to say Hell really isn't as terrible as I expected. And neither are all of you." She gave a girlish laugh. "To be honest you seemed more scared of me than I was of you earlier."
The statement was delivered with such naive sincerity, but every demon present took a sharp breath. Alastor's smile never faltered but his shoulders stiffened. A weird frequency filled the room, like a radio searching for a station, and his eyes flashed for a moment. Charlie started to rise from her bar stool but it only lasted a second before the Radio Demon chuckled and adjusted his monocle. "Yes well, it's not every day we meet our heavenly neighbors."
Charlie and Angel Dust exchanged a look of shock at his easy admission as Alastor took a seat at the opposite end of the bar, immediately burying himself into a newspaper and humming.
Charlie took her opportunity. "So Katherine."
The humming stopped. Glances were thrown in Alistor's direction, but he hadn't moved. He had only gone uncharacteristically silent.
Charlie cleared her throat. "Katherine I was just wondering...we're so happy to have you here but...why are you here?"
Katherine cocked her head to the side. "Well to...I mean...keep an eye on you. Report back to Michael."
"Yes, but I guess...I guess I'm asking is...that to help...or…?"
Katherine's easy smile never dropped but her eyes seemed to grow warm towards Charlie. "Well I can't say I know. My orders are simply to observe and report back. I don't think they're too happy to be sure about this...project of yours but we aren't shutting it down. Only keeping an eye on things."
"She's a rat," Husker growled over his bottle. Charlie winced. Katherine felt a twinge of guilt...something that she hadn't felt in a very long time. And it felt terrible. There was something about the cat demon's accusation that seemed to strike an unfamiliar chord.
"Well like I said they didn't. I think you're nice, but you know...you're demons. You're supposed to...they really didn't tell me anything I just know that they're worried because they're afraid you guys are gonna end up in Heaven where you don't belong." Another twinge shot through her as she felt the tension become palpable. Her heart began to beat faster and she felt...sad? Guilty? She couldn't remember exactly but it had been so long and it felt horrible. She kept her smile but put her hand to her chest. Willing her heart to slow. "I'm sorry, I seem to be feeling…"
"Like an asshole?" Angel Dust offered helpfully, taking a swig of his drink.
Her smile had slipped away and her forehead began to crease. "I think I misspoke," she tried again. "I meant that...well that I...I think you seem nice but you had to have...there's a reason that...I mean take for instance these forms. I can't for the life of me imagine why a spider or why a winged cat, but its only natural that our crimson friend is a deer..."
Everyone's eyes shot to Alastor who didn't look up from his paper, but the static couldn't be missed. Husker uncharacteristically put down his bottle and almost looked as though he might intervene but Angel Dust beat him to the punch.
"Wait wait, you know why Bambi over here came back with a set of little antlers? Because I woulda thought...you know...somethin' more intimidating-"
"Oh he's not a deer, of course. Insatiable, cannibalistic and murderous tendencies, a siren like draw….He's a Wendigo." Suddenly the static stopped and all noise seemed to be suctioned out of the room, leaving a tension that could be cut with a knife. Alastor didn't look up from the paper but it was clear his eyes were frozen in place and everyone else in the room felt stuck themselves. "It's a creature...from folklore...consumed with…" She took a breath, gulped, and looked back down at the bar sheepishly. "I think I'd like to try that drink now."
She looked with fearful eyes at Angel Dust and Charlie and although Charlie gave her a forced smile Angel Dust let out a celebratory yell and lifted his glass to her. "Alright this chick doesn't pull her punches. You seem like a firecracker babe, I don't know how the other side got ya!"
Katherine gave a weak smile to the spider-demon, but her eyes couldn't be torn from the silent figure behind the paper.
"You won't like it." Alastor murmured from across the bar. His voice sounded… small… soft… almost human. Charlie felt a shiver go down her back. The angel half-heartedly clinked glasses with Angel Dust and took a large gulp, immediately regretting it and spitting whisky right back into the spider demon's face.
She immediately started to apologize but the porn star was laughing so hard it was infectious. Soon everyone was laughing, even Charlie seemed cheered. Alastor stood unnoticed as they laughed. Nichole didn't sense he had moved until he was standing behind her. "Gin and orange juice my good fellow," he said to Husker, making her jump. He leaned down close, their noses almost touching. "You'll love it. Tastes just like a Christmas morning."
And with that, he disappeared into the shadows. The demons stayed up for hours laughing, joking, answering all the questions Katherine could think to ask. Husker was seen to be uncharacteristically involved in the conversation, the sour puss even offering cards for a round of a game he taught them that he had learned from old friends back on earth. Katherine refused to gamble but sparkled as they played for fun.
The room was filled with their laughter and an almost imperceptible static from the radio next to Husker. Which got just a tiny bit louder when Katherine declared that orange juice and gin were actually very tasty.
