It's so good to see you hija." The moth demon called Inez said, embracing her beloved daughter. "You don't visit as often as you used to."

"I know. I'm sorry Mama." Vaggie said returning the hug. "I've just been so busy helping Charlie with the hotel, it takes up more time than I thought it would."

"Well to be honest, I don't think this whole redemption thing she does is even possible." Inez said. "But I am grateful to her for giving you a home and friendship. That's more than I can say about anyone from the world up there."

After Vaggie's father abandoned Inez, her life just fell apart. No child support from him, she lost her job because of her depression, and ended up evicted from her apartment, forced to live in a dirty shelter full of druggies and thugs. One day she snapped and became a serial killer for men, offing any male who she deemed a lowlife like her ex husband. Half her victims had it coming, and the other half were innocents that her delusions declared guilty. A rapist, an adulterer, a homeless addict who killed for crack money, a wife beater, a happily married man who was just having dinner with his sister, a divorced man who was still devoted to his children, a lawyer who merely defended a male criminal. Her mind had been horribly warped.

And her actions left Vaggie effected. Now Inez did love Vaggie and took good care of her, but she had raised her to believe that all men were scum and her manic episodes would cause Vaggie to be very afraid, depressed, angry, and violent. She would lash out at others and have violent outbursts. And the depression and rage just kept building up and building up until...Well let's just say that Inez outlived her daughter.

The two made up in Hell, and Charlie was able to get Vaggie some counseling and Vaggie had been trying for decades to get her mother to do the same. However Inez didn't trust doctors. Medical ones or psychological ones.

"She's done more than that Mom." Vaggie said. "She's really helped me get over a lot of my issues. My depression is completely gone and while I still have anger issues, it's not as bad as before. My fits have lessened to once a month."

"I'm glad that things are going well for you my pequeña mariposa." She said. "I hope things continue to go well for you."

"Things can go well for you too Mom. If you would just see the counselor Charlie recommend-"

"Vagatha you know how I feel about doctors. They're just another form of capitalist pig-dogs."

"But Mom you need help, just like I needed help. It's nothing to be ashamed of, lots of people see psychiatrists and the sessions are completely private."

"They're for people who are wrong and there's nothing wrong with me."

"Then why are we both down here?" Vaggie wanted to say, but she knew that would cause her mother to throw a fit and that's the last thing Charlie needed.

Charlie could relate very easily to Vaggie's situation with her mother. Inez never could admit when she was wrong and she always believed that she was right, and Lucifer was the exact same way. It was frustrating growing up with a parent who believed themself to have no faults.

"We'll talk about this another time." Vaggie said. "Let's just go downstairs and mingle. Try to enjoy the holiday."

"Agreed." Inez said.

The two women then exited the room where Inez was staying and head down the steps, into the lobby where all the guests were getting acquainted as they waited for dinner to be served.

Marie and Lilith seemed to hit off almost right away. Being happily married to psychotic mad men proved to be an excellent thing to bond over.

"I think desperation for affection is how I ended up married to Etienne." Marie said. "I was born from affair between a married white man and a colored washer woman, so obviously my father wasn't in the picture and my mother took her resentment toward him out on me. I was completely unloved until that night at the Cotton Club where I sang on stage with Etienne in the audience. Oh he was beautiful. Sharply dressed, deep brown eyes, and he could read. But people never understood what I saw in him and called me crazy."

"I feel your pain." Lilith said. "If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me, 'How could you marry the pure embodiment of evil?' I'd have more money than God."

"But I can't deny that I don't understand their reasons for saying things like that. Etienne has driven me to see a therapist on several occasions."

"Lucifer has actually made me see a priest once."

"How did that go?"

"It went just fine until he found out I was a demon. Then he screamed and jumped out a window."

"Goodness."

"Yeah but I can't say that I didn't see that coming."

"Tell me, does he ever make you doubt your sanity?"

"Once or twice. But you know what's one of the greatest perks that those morally-challenged maniacs have?"

"What?"

"They're terrific in bed." Lilith smirked as she ogled her husband's ass.

"Oh yes." Marie agreed with a slight blush. "Very much so. Etienne never gave me a dissatisfied night."

"Mother!" Alastor scolded at her implication.

"Oh come on Cap." Etienne said. "You know that you didn't come from a damn stork. You came from seven nights of unbridled passion."

"Father!"

"Seven nights?" Lucifer said looking at Marie and Etienne utterly amazed. "You mean when you two were together, every night a week, without fail you had-"

"Yep. Right after dinner." Etienne said.

"Good God, I'm married to a succubus and I still have to beg to get laid."

"Dad!" Charlie cried out in horror.

"Begging turns me on." Lilith said.

"Mom!"

"Love-making was a healthier outlet for Etienne's rage and murderous desires." Marie said. "And according to him, I thrilled and soothed him better than any violence or torture could."

"Dear lord, please exorcise me now." Alastor bemoaned with a face palm.

Meanwhile, Husk was performing an adorable little magic show for his nieces and nephew.

"Is this your card?" Husk said holding up the card that his nephew had picked.

"No." The boy said.

"Really?" He looked at the card. "Oh you're right. Might as well get rid of it then."

He tossed the card up ward and poof! It changed into a demonic black bird that flew out the window. The children clapped and awed at the trick.

"Thank you, thank you, you're a wonderful crowd." He said. "Sorry that it wasn't a pretty dove but those birds aren't common down here. I had to improvise."

"That's okay. It's still my favorite trick." Said Anya.

Vaggie was impressed. When Husk put magician in the special talents section of his application, she thought that he was just blowing smoke or maybe he was drunk when he filled it out. But seeing him perform in front of those kids, she saw that he was actually a very good magician. He knew magic tricks that she didn't even know were possible. He actually made it look like Lucifer's ear had fallen off and was then reattached.

She was just about to ask Charlie if she needed help in the kitchen, when she noticed that someone had been staring intently at the entire display at a distance. Out of the corner of her good eye, she could spot Angel at the top of the stairs, looking over everyone. Watching all the relatives laugh, smile, hug, and embarrass each other, she could tell that he felt terribly left out and longed to feel the same pleasure.

He then felt Vaggie's gaze on him and their eyes met. She was beautiful. Wearing a lovely yet simple dress the color of purple Autumn leaves, and her pretty white hair was styled into a Spanish bun. She definitely cleaned up very nicely, and she looked so much prettier when she was smiling and not looking pissed.

Angel wanted to explain why he was staring but suddenly became too anxious to think of the right words. He just high-tailed it out of there and back up to his room. Vaggie almost followed him, however a knocked at the hotel door stopped her. Her smile grew when she heard Charlie answer the knocker.

"Oh hi! I'm so glad you two were able to make it."

"Sorry we're late." A female's voice said. "If my bull-headed brother here had just stopped and asked for directions-"

"I do not need any damn directions!" A male voice interrupted.

"You almost drove us off a cliff."

Angel's room was quite a distance from the lobby, but not so far that he couldn't hear anyone down there. He heard those two new voices, although they were certainly not new to him. He knew those voices, he'd recognize them any where. Yet he still couldn't believe it.

"Angel." He heard Charlie day before lightly knocking on his bedroom door. "There are some people here who want to see you. But you don't have to see them if you don't want to."

Angel didn't know what to do. He could only just stand there behind that door, perfectly still. He couldn't even tremble.

"Anthony?" Another woman's voice called lightly. A woman's voice that he'd never thought he'd hear again. "Anthony it's me. Can I come in?"

He couldn't answer. But Fat Nuggets could. The pig gave the door a nudge and it slowly creaked open. There they stood, two spider humanoids, one tall, white and pink like him, and the other short and black all over. Despite having had no contact with them in years, he had learned what their afterlife appearance looked like due to keeping track of them on several occasions. From what he knew, the male black arachnid went by the name of Arackniss and was continuing the family business of running a mafia, while the lighter-colored female devoted her time to helping lost souls in limbo move on.

"Hello Anthony." She greeted with a smile.

It was five minutes before he could re-gain the ability to speak.

"Hello...Molly." He finally said.

His sister smiled brightly at Angel and her eyes sparkled, she immediately ran into the room and threw her arms around him.

"I can't believe it's really you." She said holding back tears. "I looked for you down here for so long and when I couldn't find you, I was so afraid that you had been exorcised. You can't imagine the relief I felt to find out that you were still in one piece."

"You've been looking for me?" He asked surprised.

"Ever since I learned that you went to Hell and that I could go there to see you. You had changed your name down here though and your appearance had changed, so finding you was not easy. But Angelo and I never stopped looking."

Angel's surprise increased ten-fold upon hearing that last bit of information and pointed his shock gaze at Arackniss.

"Is that true?" Angel asked. "You were looking for me too? I always thought you considered me too stupid to give a second thought to."

You could tell that the shorter spider demon was not one for tender moments and talking about his feelings, but in his eyes you could see deep love and regret.

"Don't misunderstand. I still think you're a moron who never learned to properly use his brain." He said. "But I never wanted you out of my life for good. That's why I was always so hard on you growing up. I wanted you to stop acting so different because I knew Pop would throw you out for it eventually. And maybe I was too harsh but you remember what our old man was like, he never would have accepted you and I...I just didn't know any other way to help you stay in the family."

"But what Dad thinks doesn't matter to us." Molly said. "We still love you and we never stopped wanting to see you again."

"But how can you say that Molly? After everything I put you through. I lied to you and took money from you. I forced you to face your worst fear."

"We all make mistakes, we all hurt the ones we love, but it's all in the past now. And you're getting better. The princess said that you're clean now and I'm so proud of you."

Angel couldn't help the tears spilling from his eyes. What he was hearing seemed like a miracle. His brother whom he constantly fought with had loved him all along and his sister whom he had constantly hurt, had long forgiven him and still loved him. It seemed too good to be true.

"I'm awake right?" He sobbed into his sister's shoulder. "I didn't fall asleep and now I'm having a dream, right?"

"Does this answer your question?" Arackniss said before giving Angel a pinch.

"Ow!"

"See? You're awake." He laughed.

Angel glared at his brother but was greatly relieved and overjoyed that this was not just a happy dream. It was real.

"So are we going to go eat or what? I'm starving." Arackniss said.

Molly laughed and then the three spider siblings happily joined everyone else in celebrating Thanksgiving. When dinner was finally served, everyone sat an incredibly long dining table that was set with a most mouth watering feast. Corn, greens, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, bread rolls, and no turkey but the venison was just as delicious and satisfying. Traditional food wasn't the only dishes served either. There was feijoada, tamales, chicken and rice, chick parm, frittata, lasagna, crawfish, cornbread, and Louisiana hot peppers.

You wouldn't think that even with that many people, anyone would be able to finish that entire smorgasbord but they did and they still had room for dessert.

"The beignets are c'est magnifique." Marie said, patting a napkin to her sugar covered lips.

"Really Mother?" Alastor asked hopefully. "I did them just the way you like them? No mistake?"

"None at all." She assured him.

"And this pumpkin pie is pretty good too." Husk said helping himself to a very large slice.

"I must say Alastor, I am very impressed with your culinary skills." Lilith said.

"Yes you cook a divine meal." Gabriel added.

"Not bad." Lucifer admitted. "Not bad at all."

Alastor smiled at them pleased, Charlie took hold of his hand eagerly and turned to find her smiling at him. She just knew that dinner would be a great success.

After dessert, they began to gather around and chat about how things were going in the present and recall family memories from the past. They all laughed, some even cried, and for the first time in years, Angel enjoyed himself on Thanksgiving.

"You know still can't believe you guys are here." Angel said, sharing a few shots of liquor with his siblings. "I mean I know you two are here but it's just so bizarre. How did you guys even find me?"

"Some broad called up Molly and told her where your new digs were." Arackniss said.

"Some broad huh?" Angel said. "Let me guess, Charlie?"

"Oh no." Molly said. "That other nice girl. The one with the white hair and an X over her eye."

"Vaggie?" He said, not expecting that answer.

"Yes. It was like she was Heaven sent. She called me and told me how much you missed me and suggested that maybe I come to Thanksgiving dinner. I then called Arackniss and invited him along. She did warn us that there was no guarantee you'd see us and we weren't going to make you, but she wanted us to at least come so you'd know that we still cared."

"Hey is there any chance that she's available?" Arackniss asked.

"No!" Angel said fiercely. "I mean…I don't think so. Not available to you that is, she likes women,"

"Damn!" His brother cursed.

"Hmm…I don't know." Molly sipped her drink with a giggle. "I prefer Italian men but my first love was from Wales."

"What does that mean?" Angel asked.

"It means that sometimes our heart doesn't go toward our preferences. In other words, she may prefer women but I think she has a soft spot in her heart for one man. And while you brother dear, may prefer men, I have the sneaking suspicion that you might make an exception for one woman."

She winked at Angel which made him blush a little at the implication.

"That's…That's dumb."

He took another shot. Molly rolled her eyes and grinned, but said nothing more on the subject. Later that night, when all the guests retired to their rooms to sleep off the enormous meal, Angel quietly approached Vaggie's room and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" She called from the other side.

"It's me. Can we talk?"

She opened the door, she was still in her dress but she had taken her hair down.

"What is it?" She asked him.

"Molly told me what you did."

"Did what?"

"Oh come on toots, I know you're not stupid so don't pretend to be."

"Okay." She confessed. "I may have extended your sister an invitation to dinner. Is that a problem?"

"No but I'd like to know why."

"Why what?"

"Why did you do that for me? I expected like this from her royal sunshiness, but not you. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you did it but why?"

Vaggie became bashful and looked down at her feet.

"I…I don't know. You were so depressed about the holiday and all, I just thought it would make you feel better."

"That's another thing I don't understand. Why are you suddenly so concerned about me?"

"What are you talking about?" She replied, looking up at him.

"When we met you were ready to rip off my head and using it as bowling ball. You couldn't stand to be in the same room as me. Now all of sudden, you're worried about me? You want to make me happy? I don't get-"

But he was cut off by her sudden move to grab hold of his cheeks and pull him into a surprise kiss. There was no number for how many times Angel's eyes blinked in that moment, he was sure that he had to have passed out drunk from taking too many shots and was now having the wildest dream of his entire life, but why wasn't he waking up? He kept opening and closing his eyes rapidly, and even pinched himself with his extra arms, but Vaggie didn't disappear. She was still standing there and kissing him.

When she finally released him, her lavender face had become cherry and his face turned to the same shade as well.

"Uh…" He said mouth agape. "Uh…I…Wha…Huh?"

"Does that make things clearer?" She asked, now avoiding all eye contact.

"Oh…Um very." Angel said.

"If you brag about this to anyone I will sneak into your room and cut off your favorite appendage."

"Well that first part sounds nice."

"I can make it look like an accident. Don't push me." She kissed her pointer and middle fingers, and pressed them to his lips. "Goodnight Angel, and Happy Thanksgiving."

She went back into her bedroom and closed the door. Angel stood in silent shock for two minutes and then went on back to his room with a smile on his face.

"Best Thanksgiving Ever."