A/N: I am going to attempt to stick to a once a day update for this story. I have a head start in writing it as I currently have six chapters written. Weekdays might be difficult to post due work schedule. We'll see.

Angel woke up with the worst headache. Guess that's what he gets for chugging a whole bottle of booze before bed. Still, he preferred waking up hungover rather than sober. He grabbed his phone to check the time.

"SHIT!" Angel yelled, alarming and waking Maggie and Fat Nuggets, "Get up! We gotta go!"

Angel jumped out of bed throwing on his striped blazer, black miniskirt and four cerise gloves which went just below his elbows. Maggie's long hair was a mess, but he didn't care. He'd brush it at the studio if he had to. Angel stumbled to see Maggie was just kneeling on the couch.

"Come on! Val is gonna have a shit fit if we're late!" Angel barked, but he paused.

Maggie was kneeling for a couple reasons. She was terrified for sure, but she also didn't know what to do. She didn't have any other clothes.

"Listen, ya can mope about your shitty life later. We gotta…ohhhh," Angel realized, "Ya ain't got no clothes. Ugh, fuckin' dick didn't even pack you a bag."

Angel looked around his clothes for something she could borrow. He found one of his old robes, and he launched it at her, "Put that on! We'll get you some clothes later!"

Maggie took off the t-shirt, and she put the robe on. The sleeves went past her tiny hands, but it was something to cover her up on the way to the studio. Angel said goodbye to Fat Nuggets as he pulled Maggie's hand and slammed the door.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit," Angel muttered the whole way, "Val is gonna blow a fuckin' gasket when we show up late."

Maggie didn't like being pulled on, but she understood the urgency. She felt bad that she was making them late.

Angel sighed, "Look, it ain't all your fault we're runnin' late. I overslept too."

Maggie looked down as Angel kept pulling her. She was surprised, though, for the rush they were in, he was still gripping her rather gently. She'd never met someone who could be so cold but gentle at the same time. Angel tried to think of an excuse for their tardiness, but he couldn't come up with one. He just hoped Val was in a good mood and would just let them off with a warning.

Valentino was talking with some of the other employees when Angel and Maggie walked in. Angel tried to sneak past him to the dressing room, trying to be as silent as possible.

"Angel," Valentino hissed which sent a chill down both the spider and the imp's spine, "You're late."

"I'm sorry, Val, it won't-" Angel pleaded but Valentino cut him off.

"Happen again? It better not. Why were you late? Was it the little cunt?"

Angel didn't like anyone being called that, so his eyes narrowed a bit. Maggie flinched back, but she stepped forward. She was willing to take the blame? Angel was shocked. Most others would look for any way to avoid blame. He'd even told her it wasn't really her fault. Yet here she was, stepping forward to her new boss to take the blame. Angel could feel something spark in him…

"Well? Was it you, bitch?" Valentino asked again getting into her face, blowing his red smoke into her.

Maggie was dazed by the smoke a bit, and Angel caught her. She was a bit surprised when he did so. Angel was still in shock that she'd do this for him. Did she…know what Val would do if he took the blame? Had she…been through something like this? She looked up at Valentino, timidly, and she nodded.

"Well," Valentino narrowed his eyes at her, "since you're new here, I can let you off with a warning. But don't let it happen again!"

Valentino grabbed the robe, pulling her off the ground, and he pulled her up to his face. She shook and nodded.

"Now, go get ready," Valentino threw her to the ground.

Angel helped her up, and he turned to Valentino, "She, uh, needs clothes, Val. Her dipshit father didn't pack her any clothes."

"Well, with what she'll be doing, she won't need clothes," Valentino replied.

"A-about that…" Angel struggled, "I wanted to talk to you about, uh…that."

"Well, go on," Val said with a hint of irritation.

"Maggie, why don't'cha go to the dressing room? I'll be there in a minute," Angel ordered, and Maggie obeyed.

"The fuck did you just call her?"

"Maggie, it's uh…what she'd prefer to be called," Angel said nervously, "I think we should ease her into all this. This seems new to her, and she might be a bit more cooperative if we take baby steps."

"Why the fuck should we care about whether or not she's comfortable? She's a mafia bitch. She'll be fine."

"You asked me to mentor her as my final job. Just trust me on this. She'll listen better if she's-"

"Are you…talking back to me, Angel?" Valentino hissed again, "You're not out of the woods yet, you little slut."

"No, no!" Angel pleaded, getting scared, "I just…I think it'll be better for all of us if she works at her own pace. I'm willing to stay as long as it takes, but I'll work with her."

"Oh, really? You'll stay as long as it takes? Even if your contract expires before then?"

"Yes…just…let me work with her," Angel begged, "She ain't like all the others. I can tell she don't want any of this."

"Well, of course she doesn't," Valentino rolled his eyes, "That's why her daddy brought her here. She's a pussy little asexual bitch or whatever the fuck you call it."

Angel's eyes widened, "She's…what?"

"Our mission is to break her. Beat her if we have to. Whatever it takes," Val continued, "A good enough beating, and she'll do whatever we say. At least that's what her father said."

Angel was horrified. He, of all people, knew Valentino was a horrible person, a monster even…but this? This was too much. He began to shake as his eyes slowly moved to look at the dressing room door where Maggie was still standing. She flinched a little, realizing she was probably going to get yelled at for not obeying.

"I…" Angel was at a loss for words. How could somebody be so cruel? This was too much even for Val, "I…"

"Whatever, if doing it your way gets the little brat to cooperate, go for it. At least then you're under my thumb even longer. I'm warning you though, Angel, if she fucks up…it's your ass that will take the punishment."

Angel cowered, backing away from Valentino, breathing heavily. He could feel his hands shaking. He'd trained other people for this, but he never had to break them. He never had to force them out of their comfort zone. This…this was just too cruel for him to comprehend. Hearing that this was what he was forced to be a part of now? He couldn't bear it. Angel hadn't realized that his knees buckled, and he fell over. The panic attack, followed by the booze mixing with stomach eventually made him throw up.

"Really, Angel," Valentino said apathetically, "don't get yourself worked up over that little bitch. Just do what you gotta do."

Angel could feel the room spinning, but he had to fight the urge to hurl again. He stood up, fighting tears, "She still needs something to wear."

Angel's voice was so broken and quiet that Val barely heard him.

Valentino rolled his eyes, and he strutted over to a rack of costumes. He pulled off a purple dress, and he tossed it at Angel who was starting to be in touch with reality again.

"Hurry up. You two were late, so now you're working late, capiche?" Valentino then yelled for someone to clean up the vomit.

"Yes, Val," Angel choked out, and he carried the dress into his dressing room.

Maggie followed him in, expecting a beating for not waiting for him inside. She couldn't help it, though. She had to know what was going on. It's not like she was going to snitch on anyone. She braced for the beating, cowering but embracing. Angel looked down at the ground, and he stared at the little imp in front of him.

"You're ace?" he asked, and she nodded, "Fuck…I…"

Maggie broke her posture, surprised he wasn't going to beat her. At home, any disobedience was met with a slap in the face. Seeing this reaction, Angel began to break down again. He didn't want any part in this. He'd die again before he let anyone hurt this poor girl anymore. Tears began to flow now that he was away from Valentino.

"I'm so sorry," Angel apologized, "I…I had no idea. I…I'm such a piece of shit, and the way I treated you…"

Maggie looked down at the floor before picking up the dress. She didn't know what to think for the moment. Only one other person cared about her, and he'd probably never see her again. She wasn't used to another person caring for her, so how could she comprehend it? Maggie flinched and dropped the dress as Angel grabbed her shoulders with his lower two arms and cupped her face in his upper hands.

"I swear to…to…God, Lucifer, whoever the FUCK I have to, Maggie, I. Will. Protect you," Angel declared, his accent getting stronger as his voice cracked, "I'm not letting anybody else hurt you ever again."

Maggie stared into his eyes, and she could tell he was being sincere, but she didn't know if she could believe him. She'd been burned by that bridge before. She looked down, and she pushed herself out of Angel's grasp. Her tail flicked sassily. Angel wasn't sure what to think. Maggie picked up the dress, and she began to change. Out of respect, Angel turned his back to her again. He hugged himself with his arms. Fucking Valentino, of course he'd make this his final job. The worst part was that even if Maggie ever…broke…she wouldn't be freed of him. He owned her soul.

It was like raising a pig for slaughter…and, now, Angel was the farmer.

A/N: I think this is the shortest chapter of the story. As much as I wanted to write more of it, I really wanted to end it on that sentence. I promise the other chapters will be longer though. Hope you enjoyed it. I know it seems like Angel did a 180 pretty quick, but I genuinely feel like he would act that way if he was met with a situation like this. Anyway, see y'all next chapter. Byyyye