The room was tense as everyone was crowded into the lobby. Angel Dust was holding his pig, dressed more conservatively than normal. Husker was wiping down the bar for the 3rd time in an hour. Nifty was flitting about, nervously cleaning. Charlie and Vaggie were cuddled on the couch whispering and playing with each other's hands. Alastor and Katherine whispered quietly in a corner, small bouts of weak laughter drifting from them now and then. Sara sat silently at the bar with Husker, making no move to interact. A nervous energy seemed to permeate through everyone.
"Happy Judgment Day," Nick shouted, appearing in a flash of light. He was met with scowls and rolled eyes which he took in stride, chuckling to himself. "I'm surprised at you all. I expected a bit more jubilee."
Charlie stood from Vaggie, squeezing her hand before moving to the angel. "I think everyone is just a bit…" she whispered, playing with her hair. "...apprehensive."
"Nonsense," Nick answered, not bothering to whisper. "The past few months were when you lot should have been nervous. Now it's all done. Cards on the table."
"I suppose you don't need a good bedside manner to get into heaven," Alastor quipped from his corner and Katherine swatted at his arm.
Nick squinted at him, amused. "Bedside manners are for the downtrodden. Have a little faith, old friend."
There was a flash of light as the Angel Michael appeared behind him, already looking annoyed.
"Good morning Michael," Nick smiled warmly.
Michael gave him a bored look. "Yes, let's get this over with shall we?" His eyes roamed the room, sending distasteful looks at all the occupants as he did so. "And of course Lucifer is late." He rubbed at his temples, summoning his white arm chair to slouch into.
Charlie nervously moved next to Nick, playing with her hair. "W-Welcome to the hotel," she mustered up all of her energy, "We really appreciate you taking the time-"
Michael's eyes shot to her in a haughty look that brought her to silence. "Charlotte I presume?"
She squeaked and nodded.
"You look exactly like your father," He drawled, concerning himself with his cuticles. "A very different sort of bothersome than him though, aren't you?"
She didn't seem to know what to say and Nick gave her arm a squeeze.
"Can we get you anything?" Charlie tried again, just as the door opened.
"Finally," Michael exclaimed, the chair disappearing as he stood and fluffed out his wings. "Oversleep for all of your daughters' presentations?"
Lucifer slunk in with a smirk. "Fashionably late." He turned to his daughter who lit up. "Big day Charlotte," he cooed in a tone that couldn't be deciphered for being supportive or condescending.
Charlie swallowed. "Thanks…Dad… I'm…umm…really happy you're here."
He had already turned his attention to Nick.
"And how was your stay?" He quirked an eyebrow. "Catch up with some old friends?"
Nick gave a small shrug, smiling. Something harder behind his eyes.
"Can we PLEASE get on with it?" Michael groaned.
Nick rubbed his hands together, bouncing back into motion, "Yes of course. If you all will just step into my office we can go over my reports." He shot Alastor a wink who bit back a laugh.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When the doors opened again, everyone stood at attention, Nick exited first, flanked by a very unhappy Michael and Lucifer.
"I trust you'll do the honors, detective?" Michael huffed.
Nick nodded looking at them all with glittering eyes.
"Just to reiterate, this is a pass or fail system. You all ascend or none of you do and this whole project ends with this group." Alastor eyed him closely, taking in the man's wolfish smile. Everyone fidgeted nervously.
"First up, Nifty," Nick moved to the shaking cyclopian, leaning down to her height. "Pass."
He snapped his fingers and she was overtaken with light. Her eye separated into two, height raised slightly, natural red curls framing her face. She squealed as she spun in a circle, trying to see her new wings poking out the back of her white tunic. With a small jump they fluttered and she dropped on her bottom, giggling.
"Annie," Nick turned to Angel Dust and his pig. Angel Dust looked down at his feet, hugging the Fat Nuggets tightly. Nick's smile twisted into something more contemplative for a moment and in the silence Angel Dust seemed to shrink. Dejected. Nick lifted his chin with a finger. "Pass."
Angel Dust's eyes widened. Another snap of the fingers and the light replaced Angel Dust with a young woman, hair fluffy in a blonde pixie cut. Angel Dust gasped, poking and prodding at her body, her face, peeking under the tunic. "Wait…I'm…"
Nick put a hand on her shoulder. "You're Annie. You're true form." He ducked to meet her eyes. "Is this ok?"
Angel Dust dove into him, wrapping her arms around the detective who laughed and embraced back.
Angel finally pulled away, wiping at her eyes. "Thank you."
Nick nodded before turning his attention to Sara. "Pass."
In a flood of light a girl Alastor recognized was standing in the demoness's place. Only different. Happier. He saw her smile as she looked at her human hands and felt a small buzz in his chest. He never helped get her out of town, but at least she was out of hell.
"Husker." Alastor felt his mother grab his arm as Nick leaned on the bar to face the cat demon. Husker kept his face still. "You were a tough one to crack," he quipped. Husker's face twitched. Nick winked. "Pass."
Katherine ran to the cat demon while he was still mid transformation wrapping him in her arms as his wings turned white, his fur melting into ruddy skin and thick black hair. "I knew you could do it, I knew you had it in ya, you old Tom Cat," she gushed as she pulled him back to Alastor, wrapping them both in a hug. Alastor shook his hand around his mother's bear hug, tears starting to brim.
"Keep it together," Husker shot at him gruffly, smirking as he wiped his own eyes.
"Vagatha…." Nick lost his smile and gave her a sympathetic look, taking her hand. They stared at each other for a minute before he sighed. "Pass…I'm so sorry."
The light rose and faded on a forlorn Vaggie. Now human, she gave Nick a curt nod before going back to Charlie. Charlie fought to smile at her girlfriend but both couldn't keep the defeated looks from their faces. Alastor chanced a glance at Lucifer who was frowning.
Charlie held Vaggie and sniffled as she looked at the room. She took a deep breath and summoned as much pep in her voice as she could. "Well guys, we did it! Congratulations everyone I'm so proud-"
"Actually we're not quite finished yet Princess," Nick cut in gently. "One more to go."
They all looked around confused before following Nick's eyes to Alastor. Alastor suddenly looked panicked, his head beginning to spin. He replayed the deal with Lucifer in his head, searching for any loophole. Anything he had slipped in the wording. HAD they actually said if he were a part of the judgement? If he was, they'd all be damned. He turned his wide eyes to Lucifer and then to the smirking detective and glared as the angel moved towards him. Every part the clever wolf he should have remembered.
He felt his fists clench. Another game. He should have known better than to trust any of them.
"Ali," Nick sauntered towards him, smirking. "Via the terms of your agreement with the King you may not ascend and shall remain in Hell for eternity or until exterminated. Your exclusion from this experiment however was not clearly specified in that agreement so I have made the argument that while you will not leave this place, you are eligible for redemption and one of our candidates."
Alastor felt the air crackle with static as anger shot through him. He felt insignias form. He had been a fool. Tricked by the devil and caught by the same dog again. He saw similar looks of panic on the others. They were going to lose.
Nick's eyes danced. "You're here as a Wendigo for your counts of greed, murder, cannabalism, engaging with demonic entities as a human, enslaving your fellow friends…..As we're all aware, this is a pass or fail system"
Alastor's eyes glowed red. Nick raised an eyebrow.
"And you pass, old friend."
Alastor's jaw dropped, the buzzing ending with a pop.
Nick cocked his head to the side expectantly. "Speechless? This is a first…" he teased.
Alastor leaned on his cane, suddenly feeling dizzy. Wondering if he had misheard.
"What you did for everyone here. Giving up everything. In life you took every measure to bind and control your loved ones and for this experiment you were willing to sacrifice your own chance at redemption to give them a slight chance, knowing it meant they would leave you. You were willing to take a chance on losing your position here as overlord to give someone a second chance. You were selfless, you were compassionate, and you did it all at your own expense. If that kind of altruism shouldn't be rewarded I don't know what should be. And frankly it's all in complete opposition to your actions in life so a great sign that with a second chance you could change. I'm willing to take the bet on you to be a patron angel to help with the hotel."
Nick laughed at the dazed look on the radio demon's face.
Finally Alastor gave a nervous chuckle. "Well I'll be damned," he muttered, sending everyone into a relieved giggle.
Nick snapped his fingers. Alastor suddenly felt warm all over as claws retracted into fingernails and antlers retreated into mouse brown hair. He looked at his hands in shock, a free unstrained laugh tearing out of him. He felt a hand touch his chin and felt Nick turn his face so they were almost nose to nose. "Theeeeeere he is," Nick whispered. They smiled at each other before throwing themselves into a tight embrace.
Nick playfully shoved him away and jerked his head towards Katherine who was already running to them, dragging Husker behind her.
"My BABY!" she shouted, grabbing his face and kissing him all over.
"Mama," he laughed, his voice void of any radio influence. He felt a sharp punch to the shoulder and saw Husker smiling at him as well.
"Congratulations, Al," he heard Charlie's voice behind him. Her eyes went wide as he scooped her up into a hug, spinning her with her feet off the ground.
"You did it Princess!" he dropped her, grabbing her by the arms. "Congratulations to you."
"Almost done," Nick cut over the celebration, guiding eyes back towards himself. "Katherine will be taking all of you up to Heaven. Congratulations and happy ascension. I'll be remaining here with Alastor and Charlie."
Alastor looked at him, confused. Nick smiled and gave a small shrug. "I've been deathly bored since your demise. This is the most fun I've had in decades. I'll continue my position for judging the new residents now that this is a fully fledged operation." Nick paused, his mouth suddenly twisting shyly as he ducked his head. "I'd rather stay down here with you."
Alastor blushed, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. Nick cleared his throat, letting go of Alastor's hand to run his fingers through his own hair awkwardly.
"And finally…I've negotiated visitation once a year for our new angels and we have an open position for an extra guardian…" he looked pointedly at Vaggie, "If anyone would like to volunteer to stay."
Vaggie smiled bigger than anyone had ever seen her smile as Charlie kissed her on the cheek. Alastor saw Lucifer roll his eyes.
Chatter and tears and laughter filled the room for only a moment before Michael's frustrated voice broke through. "If we're all QUITE done here," he snapped. "I believe we should take our leave."
The room sobered a little as the new angels moved towards Katherine. Tittering goodbyes. "I'll see you soon, pigeon," Katherine whispered to Alastor before they all disappeared in a flash of light.
Lucifer slowly clapped his hands in the sudden quiet, a devilish grin on his face. "Well played," he whispered to Nick and Alastor as he passed. Charlie's breath caught in her throat as he moved towards her.
"Charlotte," he said sternly. She gulped. "Good work," he said with a curt nod.
"Th…thank you," she stuttered.
"Bit silly this idea of yours I think," he sighed, and her posture drooped. "But you're stubborn as your mother and I'm happy to see you ruffling THEIR pretentious feathers I suppose."
And with that he sauntered towards the door, calling back over his shoulder in a bored sing-song tone, "Proud of you."
She lit up, grabbing Vaggie's hand.
Alastor looked at Nick who's eyes were roaming over his new human form.
"Something wrong," Alastor challenged.
Nick hummed thoughtfully. "I might miss those antlers."
"We did it," Charlie cheered, grabbing them both in a hug.
"We have work to do," Nick countered, giving her a wink.
