To avoid confusion, the currency in Hell is "souls."

Title Song: "All Or Nothing Nothing At All" by Frank Sinatra (though more upbeat than this chapter's tone)

The Hazbin crew quickly learned that this new batch of guests was nothing like what Tina had brought in. Most of them were just looking for a place to crash. When they learned that attending group therapy was required at least once a week, they were out the door in a minute.

Some accepted the terms, as it was better than being homeless on the streets. One such sinner was the same, skinny, feline trumpeter who'd provided accompaniment for Tina. The trumpeter, who called himself Skinny, even offered to play for the Valentine's Day event, and to teach trumpet Music Mondays, Charlie's latest activity.

Others genuinely seemed to want to give the redemption idea a try. Like Crymini, a young dog demon, who Proxy took an immediate liking to as they were close in age.

A few agreed to come to therapy so long as they didn't have to pay rent. Like Baxter, an angler fish keen on finding a place to conduct his experiments. No one really saw much of him, except at mealtimes when he'd come down, grab a plate and leave. Charlie was sure he'd come out of his shell eventually, and since he mostly kept to himself, Vaggie tolerated his patronship.

Then there were the obvious problem cases. Naturally, the ones the least interested in redemption, proved to be the most aggressive. Within a week, there had been twenty cases of vandalism, seven cases of theft Proxy had not been responsible for, fifteen cases of assault, and six cases of attempted murder.

Needless to say, Tina was not as lenient with these sinners as she'd been with her own employees. Despite Charlie's protests, the Songbat insisted that all third-time offenders be kicked out. Vaggie was inclined to agree, and Alastor made a majority vote. As entertaining as all the senseless violence was, his wife had been caught in the crossfire one too many times.

The day after the advertisement went viral, Tina's room had been ransacked. Proxy had been the first to be interrogated, but she'd claimed to be innocent. After all, her job was to clean the room, not leave it a mess. And the fact that nothing was stolen had convinced Tina that the racoon was telling the truth.

Then there were the sleazebags who wouldn't leave the females alone. Alastor had nearly gouged out ten sets of eyes for merely looking at his wife, and almost amputated five hands for trying to cop a feel from her. Tina had beat him to it each time, often with a slap or immediate dismissal.

Those fools were lucky his wife was more merciful than him.

The only newcomer Alastor didn't loathe so far was Skinny. Not only for his proficiency in jazz, but his gentlemanly demeanor. This was demonstrated when the trumpeter approached Tina with a love letter that had been slipped under his door. Apparently, it was signed in her name.

Alastor, hiding in the shadows, had been about to make cat casserole, until Tina said, "This isn't my writing. Someone must be pullin' a prank on ya. My money's on Angel Dust."

"Oh, thank Satan!" Skinny sighed in relief. "Not that you ain't a looker, boss, but that would've spelled danger, with you being the Radio Demon's gal and all."

"I ain't his gal."

"Really?" Skinny scratched his head. "But the way you were singing and dancing in the square, how he seems to follow you everywhere you go, not to mention how he gets when a dude so much as looks at you, I thought you were—"

"It's," Tina said with a blush, "complicated. Still, I didn't write this note, and I ain't interested in no relationship right now."

"Eh, it's cool. I'm more into dudes, anyway."

Angel Dust popped up behind him. "Ya don't say!" He put two arms around Skinny. "How much money ya got on ya?"

Tina wagged a finger. "No prostitutin' on hotel property!"

"Aw! Why don't ya just saw my dick off while you're at it?"

But the biggest issue with the recent wave of guests was apparent when Charlie, Vaggie, Tina and Carrie Canary met up in the main office to go over the budget. Vaggie and Carrie checked each other's calculations.

"How bad is it?" Tina asked.

Carrie forced a smile. "W-W-Well—"

"Very," Vaggie said. "With all the new guests we have to feed, and the employees we'll have to pay at some point, that leaves us…fifty thousand souls overbudget."

Charlie's jaw dropped. "Fifty thousand?"

Tina put her head in her hands. "Should've seen this coming."

"Unless we get five thousand guests to attend the party," Vaggie said, scrolling through her spreadsheet on the computer, "or five hundred guests to buy two drinks each, we might have to start charging guests for their rooms."

"We can't do that!" Charlie said. "That would defeat the purpose of the hotel!"

"Not to mention it's the only reason half the sinners come here," Tina said.

Everyone stared at her.

"What? Someone had to say it."

"Well, we can't leave our employees unpaid," Vaggie said. "What's it gonna look like if a hotel for rehabilitation uses slave labor?"

"I-I d-don't mind w-waiting f-for my p-paycheck," Carrie said.

"Thanks, Carrie," Tina said. "But I don't think the rest of the crew will be too keen on that idea."

"How did you avoid bankruptcy at The Reckoning?" Charlie asked.

"Well, it helped that we had an actual income. Our nightly shows brought in the money."

"Ooh!" Charlie clapped her hands. "What if we turned the ballroom into a club and hosted nightly events?"

"We're not in a financial position to be hosting nightly events, hon," Vaggie said. "And with all the other activities you've come up with for the guests, it'll be too much of a hassle. The only way we can come up with fifty thousand soul bucks this fast is if we got a big donor or something."

"H-Hey, H-Highness," Carrie said. "I-Isn't your f-father the K-King?"

"I've pretty much used up what little allowance he gave me. I doubt he'll give me more." Charlie flumped her head onto her desk. "He thinks I'm a failure."

"What if I asked him?" Tina suggested.

Vaggie raised an eyebrow. "If Lucifer won't lend money to his own daughter, what makes you think he'll lend money to you?"

"Oh, I'm sure I could convince him once I remind him that he's responsible for ruinin' my afterlife. If he hadn't introduced me to the Radio Demon, I wouldn't be in this mess right now."

All eyes were on Tina again.

"What?"

"Um." Charlie pressed her hands together. "Maybe my dad isn't the best, err, rich demon to ask for a donation?"

Vaggie sighed and pinched her nose. "I hate to say this, but you have a point. Though I don't like the idea."

"What?" Tina glanced around. "What's everyone else seein' that I ain't?"

"It's just that," Charlie said with a nervous grin, "it seems silly to ask for a donor from the outside, when we already have a demon on the inside who can help us. At least hold us over until Valentine's Day."

Tina's eyes widened. "Wait. You're not suggestin' that—?"

"We ask Alastor," Vaggie said. "Yeah."

"Or rather, you ask Al," Charlie said.

"Me?" Tina put her hands to her chest. "Ask Alastor for money?"

"Well," Vaggie said, "you are the only one he listens to."

"Barely!" She stood from her seat. "Y'all really expect me to walk up to my ex, after ten years of sayin' I don't need him, and demand that he lend me money? Do ya have any idea how degradin'and downright anti-feminist that would be?"

"R-Right, Miss Tina." Carrie held up her fist in a weak cheer. "Y-You're a s-strong, i-independent w-woman who needs n-no man."

"Look," Vaggie said. "I'm all for feminism and female independence, but Valentine's Day is in a week, and we don't have the funds for the dance. So if you could just convince Alastor to donate a few thousand—to the hotel, not to you—or I don't know, use his Voodoo to conjure up some extra supplies—"

Tina scowled. "I thought ya didn't like Al helpin' out."

"I don't, but these numbers are forcing me to be practical. And if it's you asking, he's least likely to weasel a deal out of you."

The Songbat clenched her eyes shut and pulled at her hair. "Ya obviously don't know much about our relationship."

They made deals all the time. They were in the middle of a deal right now. And oddly enough, in these twenty years, Tina had never asked Alastor for money. Never. Maybe the occasional change at the supermarket, but never an amount as large as fifty thousand souls.

"We know it's a lot," Charlie said, "but it wouldn't hurt to at least ask, would it?"

Tina slammed her hands on the desk. "Then why don't you go ask your daddy for the money, huh? It wouldn't hurt, right?"

The Songbat stormed out before she could see the broken look on the Princess's face.

Five steps from the office, and Tina was struck with guilt. Charlie didn't deserve to be yelled at. She had good intentions, though misplaced.

Tina was about to go back and apologize, when her sensitive ears picked up the voice of the man she was supposed to negotiate with:

"I'm at my wit's end, Husker! Her trial period ends in two weeks, and I'm no closer to winning her back than I was before!"

Out of curiosity, Tina crept towards the lobby and peered around the corner.

"At least you two are talking again," Husk said as he wiped down the bar counter.

"Yes." Alastor propped his elbow on the counter and slumped his cheek onto his fist. "But all we ever talk about now is work, work, work! 'Al, check over this list!' 'Al, have you seen my planner?' 'Al, you're late for therapy!'"

He growled and pulled at his antlers. "And the fact that she won't let me drown out my frustration in drink is even more aggravating!"

Tina slipped back behind the corner and pressed her back against the wall. This certainly wasn't a good time to be asking him for money.

Alastor continued his rant. "And how am I supposed to woo her without any romantic gestures? I can't even say anything romantic! You have no idea how many compliments I've been holding back so she wouldn't find an excuse to break our deal!"

Tina touched her brooch and closed her eyes.

"Doesn't she realize how torturous this is? Seeing her every day, but not being able to tell her how wonderful she is? Not being able to comfort her when she's upset, not being able to hold her in my arms and…" His voice softened into a dreamy tone. "Press her lips to mine and—"

"Stop before I fucking hurl," Husk said.

Tina didn't have the same sentiment. The proposed fantasy sent a tingle through her arms and lips.

"You said I shouldn't try too hard." With each word, Alastor was sounding more broken. "Mimzy said I shouldn't treat Tina like a business venture. Well then how am I supposed to act around her, hmm? Answer me that, Husker!"

"I don't know," Husk said. "Why don't you just ask Tina?"

"But she might think of this as another romantic ploy and call off the deal!"

"Well I don't know what exactly the two of you said when you made this deal, but any deal that prevents a husband and wife from being honest with each other is just bullshit."

"If only it were that easy." Alastor sighed. "I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to make amends, if only she'd tell me what she wants me to do."

His words did not fall on deaf ears. They were advanced ears, but not always the best listeners. Yet they listened this time.

The truth was that Tina had been holding things back as well. Like how much she appreciated all the hard work he'd been putting into the hotel this past week. How proud she was of him abstaining from alcohol and attending therapy. How much she'd enjoyed singing and dancing with him again.

How lucky she was to have him for a partner.

Tina wiped the tears from her cheeks. She needed a serious talk with Alastor before she could ask him for anything.

"Miss Tina?"

The Songbat opened her eyes and jumped. "Carrie? When did you get here?"

"I wanted to see if you were alright," Carrie Canary said with a sweet smile.

Her stammer was gone. This didn't surprise Tina, as this was how Carrie normally talked when it was just the two of them.

"Did you ask the Radio Demon about the money yet?" Carrie asked.

Tina blinked. "W-What about all ya said 'bout being a strong, independent woman?"

"Oh sure, but…I talked it over with the Princess and her partner and…" The bird tugged at her choker. "Well, considering you and the Radio Demon are still technically married, all his money is your money, so it wouldn't be completely unreasonable for you to ask him about it."

"That's…sort of true." Tina shook her head. "Even so, this really isn't the right time to be—"

"Miss Vaggie says we need the money now." Carrie twirled a lock of her hair. "There might not ever be a right time."

"But I—"

"Hey, when my car broke down and I asked my then husband to pay to fix it, he didn't see any problem with it."

Tina raised an eyebrow. "Didn't ya say your husband was an abusive bastard?"

"Well, yes." Carrie readjusted her headband. "Which just goes to show that even abusive husbands can be reasonable when it comes to money."

"But I've never asked Al for money before."

"That only gives him less of a reason to turn you down." Carrie pointed at the bar. "He's right over there. I can come with you for support, if you'd like."

It wasn't much of an offer, as the canary would fall back into stammering as soon as she met the Radio Demon's gaze. Still, her loyalty was commendable.

"Fine," Tina said. "But if the room starts gettin' all staticky, save yourself. I know how to handle Al's tantrums, but you don't."

Carrie nodded and took her boss's hand. The two women walked into the lobby together. Alastor's head was on the bar counter. Husk was still cleaning without a care.

Then the cat spotted the approaching women and said, "Well, speak of the she-devil."

Alastor lifted his head. "Is Lilith here?"

"Nope." Husk tilted his head in Tina's direction. "Just your wife."

The Radio Demon spun his stool so fast, he tumbled off. Then he scrambled to his feet and summoned his staff in an attempt to appear regal.

"Evening, Tina!" Noticing the tangled state of his hair, he quickly smoothed it out. "And to you too, Miss Canary!"

Back in her nervous state, Carrie ducked behind her boss. "M-Miss T-Tina wants to t-talk t-to you."

Alastor thrust his face into Tina's. "Yes?"

Forcing a grin, Tina gently pushed his face away. "See, Al, uh…the thing is…"

She glanced back at Carrie, who gestured for her to continue.

Tina took a deep breath. "We just had a meetin' with the Princess and Vaggie…"

The corners of Alastor's mouth dropped an inch as he straightened up. "And none of you cared to invite me?"

"Vaggie's idea, not mine." She wrung her hands together. "Anyway, we were runnin' numbers and…well, we're overbudget."

Alastor snorted. "Not surprising when you don't charge guests rent."

"I know. We're hopin' to real in some cash on Valentine's Day, but until then, uh…" Tina rubbed the back of her neck. "Ya know a while back, ya offered to help with finances?"

He cocked his head. "Yes?"

"Well, I…we were wonderin' if you could donate…" She squeezed her eyes shut. "Fifty thousand soul bucks."

The Radio Demon said nothing at first. And that worried the Songbat. Slowly, she opened her eyes. His gaze was glowing. The grip on his staff caused it to splinter.

"So that's it," he said though his teeth. "All you want from me is money."

"For the hotel," Tina stressed. "Look, I wouldn't've asked ya if I wasn't desperate."

"So I'm your last resort." He shook his head. "You'll only come to me after you've exhausted all other options."

"Al. This isn't about us. You agreed to help with this hotel. Before that, you said that if I wanted anything from you, all I had to do was ask."

Tina immediately regretted playing that card.

Alastor's eyes narrowed. "Oh, so now you care about what I said on our wedding day? You'll only acknowledge our marriage when it is beneficial to you?"

"Al." Tina held up her hands. "We agreed not to fight in public, remember?"

He inhaled through his nostrils. "You're right, dear."

With a full turn of the head, he sent Husk a death glare. The cat didn't need to be told twice.

"Uh, hey, Carrie." Husk beckoned her over. "I, uh, need some help with inventory in the back room."

Carrie opened her mouth to say something. Then the Radio Demon's head spun back in her direction. She squeaked and skittered to join Husk in the back room.

As soon as the door was closed, Alastor said, "There. Now that we're alone…"

His voice crackled as he loomed over Tina. "After ten years of having nothing to do with me, you finally ask me for a favor, and it's money?"

She tried to use Carrie's arguments. "Is it really so wrong of me to ask? I mean by the laws of Satan, your money is technically mine."

"Oh, ho, ho! That's rich, coming from you! You go on and on about female independence, and yet you married a man solely for his status and wealth!"

She scowled. "Hey, this whole marriage was your idea! That 'I'm all rich and powerful' spiel was part of your damn proposal!"

"And that's all I am to you now, is that it?" He took his staff in both hands to prevent them from lashing out. "Is what they say in the tabloids true, then? I'm nothing but your Sugar Daddy? No, that doesn't seem to be an accurate term, as I seem to be giving you everything while you offer me nothing in return!"

A week of silent frustration was bubbling to the surface on both sides. Tina clenched her fists as she attempted to keep her voice steady.

"If you'll recall, the times I ever asked you for anything were few and far between. And when I did, it wasn't even that much."

"Wasn't even…" There was a record scratch as Alastor's staff was snapped apart. "Wasn't even that much?"

"Yes." She squared her shoulders. "Cuz I made my own money. If I'd wanted anything, I'd've bought it myself. All those jewels and dresses ya gave me, I never asked for. The only big thing I really asked from ya was to move into your mansion, and that's hardly an unreasonable thing for a woman to ask her fiancé."

"Unreasonable," Alastor said under his breath. "Didn't ask much."

What remained of Alastor's staff crumbled in his fists. "And what about what I asked of you?"

There it was. Ever since they'd been reunited, Tina had feared this conversation. The elephant in the room they refused to address.

Even after two weeks of interacting with him, she wasn't emotionally prepared for this.

"One thing, Tina." Alastor held up a finger. "One thing was all I asked! That you would wait! And you couldn't even do that!"

Tears pushed against her eyeballs. She knew he was right. That made it sting all the more.

"Can ya blame me?" she murmured. "With how long ya made me wait?"

The tear that escaped down her cheek softened Alastor's heart. But only enough to stop him from yelling.

"You say you didn't ask much." He turned his back to her. "A child, Tina, was a lot to ask."

"I know." Tina approached him. "But it was the only thing I asked of ya that mattered."

She raised a cautious hand towards his shoulder. "I never cared about the fancy mansion, or the expensive gifts. I only cared about you, and wanted us to have everything a family should have. I wanted us…to feel complete."

"I was complete." He shrugged her hand off. "You were all I wanted, and you knew how I felt on the subject."

Still facing away from her, he allowed his smile to drop. "Yet you pushed me, despite knowing how it would make me feel."

Tina did not respond. How could she respond to that?

She should've never asked him for the money. Not when their relationship was this fragile.

Worst of all, there was nothing to justify her actions.

Alastor's ears picked up her muffled sobs. A sound he had come to loathe.

He slowly turned his head. She was covering her face in a poor attempt to hide her dismay.

It was pointless to stay mad at her now.

Alastor fully faced her, bent down, and summoned a handkerchief. "Please don't cry, darling. You can yell at me all you want, but please don't cry. You know I hate to see you cry."

Tina lowered her hands. That eternal smile was gone. Which meant he was at his most sincere.

She accepted the handkerchief, and drenched it with her snot.

"I didn't mean it," he whispered. "Really, I didn't."

"No, you…" She sniffed. "You're right. I shouldn't've acted so entitled."

"No, no, dear." He took her by the shoulders. "You were well within your right to ask. I did say you could come to me for anything."

Her watery eyes locked onto his. "Are we talkin' 'bout the money or…?"

His fingers tensed. Alastor had avoided this topic for a reason. They'd been separated for such a long time. Was it something she even wanted anymore?

He had to ask. Just as she had asked about the money. If for nothing else but to clear the air.

"You…made a point." Alastor hung his head. "One's patience can only last so long. I know that more than anyone."

After all, he'd been forced to wait for her.

"You deserve…everything." He took a deep breath. "Which is why I—"

The front doors burst open. The couple turned to see Angel Dust standing there. His right eye swollen, his hair matted, his pink dress torn at the shoulder.

Before anyone could utter a word, the spider's legs gave out.

Man I'm mean to these characters.

Yes, I'm aware that the canon for "Hazbin Hotel" is that sinners can't have children. Unfortunately I didn't know this until AFTER I'd had this entire story planned out. So, bearing in mind that this is a fanfic, and I need what was said in the first story to make sense, I'm staying consistent with my initial headcanon. I mean I did make Alastor a married man, so I think I'm allowed to bend the rules here.