Y'all I PROMISE its gonna get lighter. Just exposition so we can get into the fun battle between heaven and hell. Thank you for the follows! Always love feedback. And bear with me. It'll get fun.

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A beautiful demoness twirled and shimmied across the stage. A seductive jazz beat thumping. Wolf whistles, some from wolf-like patrons resonated throughout the room as she winked and blew kisses. The dancer on stage finished her routine and struck a pose, but was surprised to hear no one clapping in the silence. Looking into a sea of stunned faces she frowned. With a flourish of her skirt she opened her mouth to chastise them but was quickly cut off by a low voice behind her.

"Sorry darling, I can promise you aren't easily upstaged."

With a look of horror she turned to see none other than the Radio overlord over her shoulder, yellow sharp teeth glinting in the stage lights. With a squeak she rushed backstage leaving her glove behind her.

Alastor chuckled, the sound of a radio switching stations and scooped up the glove from the ground. "Luuuuuuucy," he growled, voice amplified, eyes faintly glowing. The stunned crowd remained silent. His features suddenly lightened and he gave a heartier laugh, materializing his microphone staff. "Luuuucy!" He repeated in a more jovial, transatlantic way. "The lovely ladies backstage say you aren't here but I find that hard to believe? But no fear jokes. I have plenty of jokes to entertain you with until he arrives….and if I run out of those…" Static began to fill the room, and his shadow stretched. "I have other things to broadcast about."

The audience began to A young demoness came skipping across the stage and tugged nervously at his sleeve. She gasped as he jerked down to her level, almost falling backwards.

"Yes my dearrrr," he held the microphone to her lips and she shuddered, looking nervously at the back of the room. Adjusting his monocle he leaned his ear. She whispered something frantically and his smile grew wider.

"Sorry lovelies, but it appears I'll have to turn you over to the lovely ladies again," he said jubiliantly, still clutching the glove. And with that...he vanished into shadow.

The demoness looked awkwardly at the crowd, now alone on the stage. She fidgeted for a moment, giving them a wave before scrambling out of the spotlight.

…..

Everyone sat in stunned silence as Husker began pouring glasses and sliding them along the bar. The angel's face was blank as she stared off. Her head was churning. So many emotions filled her that she hadn't experienced in so long. Sadness, anger, confusion...guilt. How could her son have become a monster. How did she deserve her wings if she hadn't raised...She couldn't even think about it. She jumped a little when she heard the drink tap down in front of her. Orange juice and gin.

"He knew my drink," she muttered, the tinkle was falling from her voice. She sounded human. And sad. A bit of southern lilt overtaking. Husker gave a sad chuckle. "Tastes like Christmas morning...What...what DOES a Christmas morning taste like?"

"Can't give the kid too much credit there. It's the ONLY thing you drank. Two every year, only on Christmas morning. Or at least any Christmas I was with you guys. I'd stick to the gin and we'd give Al mostly orange juice and just a splash...he'd still act like he was tipsy over it." He shook his head fondly. "You two would sing enough Christmas songs it would've made Saint Nick sick of 'em. You remember any of that?"

"Pigeon…" she said. He nodded encouragingly. "You gave him an old saxophone one year. He couldn't play it worth a spit and about drove me crazy. I thought you did it on purpose."

Husker laughed. "I probably did." He was suddenly uncomfortably aware of everyone else in the room and felt himself grow nervous. Alastor probably wouldn't want everything aired out like this. He was painfully regretting it coming out in front of the whole hotel. "I'm thinking...maybe this isn't something we should-"

"No," Katherine said. "Charlie should stay. Annie-Angel Dust...do you mind?"

Angel visibly pouted but took the hint, grabbing up Fat Nuggets and sauntering away slowly. No one noticed that he stopped at the hall to sit in the shadows. His curiosity overwhelming his respect for the situation.

"I wasn't a good mother...was I?" Katherine said softly, and Husker felt his heart break at the sadness in her voice.

"You were the BEST ma any kid could ask for," he reassured, taking a drink. "Honestly, you shouldn't have trusted me so much. You bailed me out left and right and always let me come running back...Al did a couple things when he was at the Radio. Ratted out his boss for drinking and all that...fell in with some rougher business guys. Wouldn't have met them if I hadn't snuck him out to some of my hangs."

"What exactly….what exactly did he do?"

Husker sighed. "He was getting kinda frustrated at the Radio. His boss had a drinking problem, mom was dying, and so I figured he just needed a good night out. Took him to a speakeasy down on Bourbon Street and met one of the big bootleggers. Frank. Real piece of work. Frank talked him to a deal. Figure out his bosses supplier, rat him out. More business for Frank with that guy behind bars, no more alcohol for boss man, and he'd have to step down for trial and probably to dry out...Alastor gets the job. He was a dumb kid. He didn't know how much trouble it would cause...or that his boss wouldn't get PAID leave. Couldn't keep affording the hospital bills and...well the guys mom didn't make it much longer."

Katherine didn't react, soaking it all in. Husker, felt the urge to reach out but didn't. Something about the idea of his demon claws touching her arm...felt wrong. "Kat you gotta understand. He really didn't know. All the kid talked about was gettin' big on the air so he could take care of you. Wanted you to retire comfortably, be proud, the whole...ya know. He got in over his head. And you'd bailed me out of worse. But his boss kinda...went off the deep end. Cornered you both on the street when ya was heading to some award thing...spouting off a bunch of nonsense...I had been off the grid for a month but when I saw in the paper he'd...shot you...I couldn't even bring myself to come back. I'm sorry Kat...I just felt so ashamed. And the longer I waited… I mean...How was I supposed to face him? And the idea of that house without you...I should have...but I stayed away."

"What...what was the deal? That you made?" Katherine still hadn't looked up at him.

"I...I finally came to see him. Try to help. He was a mess. You wouldn't believe the way he looked. All outta sorts. He'd practically been sleeping at the church before they asked him to leave. The house was a wreck with a bunch of voodoo hoodoo whatever he had tried. Had this crazy look in his eye. He made me make a deal. All was forgiven as long as…."

"As long as what?" Katherine finally looked up and he felt himself falter.

"As long as I...didn't leave him…" Tears began to well in Katherine's eyes. Husker felt himself overcome with shame. "I didn't make a deal for anything the kid didn't deserve. He just didn't want to be alone. He started getting...more wild...really losing it. I didn't say anything. Figured it wasn't my place. All those girls were...he was trying to hurt the guys ya know. 'Cept Nifty. She was Frank's kid and...well...you read in her file how he was. Burned him up in his house before Al could even get to him. He made a deal with her, stay with him and he'd protect her. Just...ya know...didn't wanna be alone. The night the dog's got him...I had a heart attack. Like we were linked ya know? The magic stuff didn't do what he wanted until after…I think it was probably the same with Nifty...dunno. But all this here...all the stuff he was trying up there."

"What about the...the…"

"Cannibalism?"

She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Only way he can stay fed down here...but it's not what you think...he sorta...it was my pinky finger...for some weird...potion witchy thing. Brother's flesh. Didn't work since we ain't blood."

"You were though... a brother to him...That's why he's a wendigo…It all manifested in death. Magic doesn't work the way humans think."

"Yeah...yeah I guess so. But it's like you said...he coulda...ya know...turned out different…"

There was silence as the two stared at each other.

Charlie cleared her throat and they both remembered she was there. "He said he was leaving because...well...because he thought this hotel might work. And he didn't want to get in the way. But he wanted me...he wanted to make sure you and Nifty went through the program. I think he's trying to fix it."

A weak smile parted the angel's lips. "My little Pigeon. Always so dramatic. But such a good heart." She looked at Husker and reached across the bar to take his hand. "You want redemption ya ol Tom Cat. You're gonna help me bring my boy back into the fold."