Shattered Innocence Epilogue

A Few Years Later

It was a simple picture of Emily holding her newborn son surrounded by her family.

Emily is then heard calling out, "Callum!?"

The boy sets the photo album and an older Callum with a more prominent horn turns to the door to his bedroom. "Here, Mommy!"

The door opens and Emily walks in. "There you are. Nice to see you're ready. Your Aunt Sera will be here soon," she then notices a particular book. "Looking at your life?" she smiles as goes over to sit next to her son and picks up the book to search through it. So many pictures of her son and her family. From his first birthday to his first taste of ice cream. She then closes the book and examines the front picture. "Here's the whole family."

Callum looks up. "The whole family?" he then glances back at the cover photo.

"Yes, well," The mother wears a sad smile. "Almost," she then gets up. "Now, let's go. Aunt Sera is supposed to take you to the movies today," and she exits the room.

The boy looks at the book before setting it down, with the cover photo missing before running after his mom.

They walk into the living room where Carmilla wearing a fine dress is finishing putting on some earrings next to Zestial who has on one of his best suits.

The matriarch spots her youngest and grandson. "Are you sure about this, Emily? We can reschedule so that we can keep an eye on Callum for you."

Emily shakes her head. "You mean, keep an eye on Sera?" There was silence. "I know that you're not easy to trust but I trust Sera, Mom. So, please, trust me? Besides! This is yours and Dad's first anniversary. It's the first moments that are the most precious."

Carmilla shakes her head. "I hate it when you use my own words against me," she faces the Ancient Overlord as he lets out a delightful hum.

"Thy still has yet to grow tired being called that."

"Very well," the Arms Dealer turns back to her youngest. "I do trust you. Now, Odette is running things at the company and Clara and Sy have quite a few deliveries to make, so you will be alone most of the day."

"I know," the fallen angel shrugs. "I'm oddly okay with that."

"I'm sure," Carmilla looks back down at the little boy. "Parenting is a full-time job with no days off. But a break once in a while could do you some good," she plants a kiss on her daughter's cheek and then one on her grandson's. "We'll be back later and, Emily, Whatever you have in the oven, keep an eye on it. We've already remodeled the kitchen twice. Do not need a third time," she opens the door to let herself and Zestial out.

"But wasn't the first time your fault?" Emily jokingly asks and her mother holds the door open to glare for a moment before finally shutting the door.

.oOo.

On their way down, the Carmine's run into a certain Seraphim.

Carmilla glares. "Sera."

The High Seraphim keeps her composure and politely nods. "Mrs. Carmine."

And the two pass one another. However! The Matriarch pauses for a moment.

Sera reaches the penthouse and rings the doorbell.

The door opens and the little boy jumps up into her arms. "Aunt Sera!"

The Leader of the Seraphim was quick to catch the child. "Hello, Callum," and laughs at his excitement. The woman looks up at her sister with a sad smile. "Emily…"

The fallen angel takes a deep breath. "Hi, Sera," she then kneels in front of her son. "Now, Callum. Remember to behave for your Aunt Sera."

"I will, Mommy!" the boy smiles happily.

Emily then looks back up. "Make sure he's back before his bedtime."

"Emily," Sera speaks up. "I know that you still haven't forgiven me, but I do wish you would trust me more."

"Sera," the young seraphim looks down before back up with a smile. "I'm leaving you alone to care for my son. That's the greatest form of trust I could give anyone."

With that, the High Seraphim returns the smile. "I'll have him back before nightfall," and the two left.

Once the door closes, Emily runs to check the oven and then rushes to set the table with plates, some glasses, a candle, and to finish off with one last detail. The fallen angel then heads to her room to find her best dress, a silvery one to change into before quickly adding some makeup.

The doorbell then goes off. "Coming!" and goes to answer it.

"Hello, Lu…" Velvette stops midway to look her girlfriend up and down in her stunning dress. Then looks at her own trendy, yet simple attire. "Now I feel underdressed. Emily, Darling. I thought we were just staying in?"

"We are," Emily squirms. "This I'm not really comfortable doing this out in public."

The Influencer raised a brow. "Doing what?" she then catches a whiff of something. "What's burning?"

"No!" the Carmine runs back into the house and into the kitchen to find smoking coming out of the oven. As soon as she opens it, more smoke bursts out, causing her to cough. "Oh, no!" Emily removes a pan that has what used to be meat.

"Emily?"

Turning, Emily finds Velvette standing over a set table. The Overlord turns to her with a tiny box with a ring.

"Were you, were you going to propose?" Velvette looks up in disbelief.

"I was!" the Carmine nods. "I thought I had everything planned out correctly. I even timed it for when everyone was out. But it seems like I still can't cook anything right."

"Oh, Luv!" the two kissed. "I love you. But please do not make me eat your food again," she raises the box. "Want to do the honors?"

Emily smiles as she takes the ring and slips it onto the Influencer's finger. "There's something else I want to give you," she walks over to the table to blow out the candle.

"Oh, Emily, Luv, I don't need anything but…" she stops as the Carmine turns to reveal something else in her hand. "Are you sure, Luv?" Her hand is grabbed and is led down the hall. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"I know," Emily takes Velvette into her room. "But I want to," and slowly closes the door. "And I know that you want to as well."

"Well. Cannot deny that?" the Influencer shrugs.

"I really love you, Velvette. I may not have any good experiences with this but…" the young seraphim takes her hands again and pulls her towards the bed. "I want a good experience and I want it to be with you."

"Only if you're okay with me ripping that lovely dress off you," Velvette then pushes her onto the bed. "If it's too much for you or if you get hurt, just say so, Luv, and that will be the end of it."

Even though this was her idea, Emily finds herself blushing as the Influencer gets on top of her and leans in for a kiss.

.oOo.

Sera exits the movie theatre with her nephew, unaware that they were being followed.

"How'd you like the movie, Callum?"

The boy smiles brightly. "It was incredible! Especially the way the heroes used the giant robot's own arm to beat it."

"That was a clever use of resources," she smiles at the boy. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," then notices the child suddenly going silent. "Is there something on your mind?"

"You're family. Right, Aunt Sera?" the boy asks.

"Indeed, I am," the High Seraphim nods.

"You're Mommy's sister but not my other Aunt's sister?"

"That's…," Sera looks away in sadness. "…complicated, Callum."

"Then there's the picture."

"Picture?"

The boy takes out the photo of him from the day he was born with him and shows it to his aunt. "Why weren't you there?"

The Seraphim takes the photo and examines it. "I was there for a moment, but I did not deserve to be in the picture," she then grabs the boy's hand and leads him to a nearby bench. "Your mother and I were not on the best of terms. I had done something terrible to her that let to something worse," Sera then looks up at the Pentagram in the sky. "To her and to so many others here in Hell."

"Why?"

"Because I was doing the right thing," she looks down. "Or at least that is what I kept telling myself back then. In truth. There were so many unknowns and that scared me. I then let the fear manipulate me through a very bad man that we used any excuse we could come up with that he was actually good. All because we did not want to admit that we made a mistake… that I made a mistake," the woman turns to her nephew. "The truth is that I made a lot of mistakes. But I'm doing everything in my power to make up for them. Sometimes though, I wonder if it's worth it if Emily will never love me again."

"She does love you," a voice approaches from behind them.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" the boy jumps off the bench to run up to his grandparents.

"Careful, Callum!" the Arms Dealer chuckles as she catches her grandson. "Don't want to hurt yourself, do you?"

Sera regains her composure, "Mrs. Carmine?"

"Carmilla is fine," Carmilla faces the Seraphim. "Emily is still saddened by what happened to her and does not overlook how she got into that situation. But these past few years, she has started talking fondly of you. She's only afraid to admit it because she fears that once you two get close again something will happen to pull you apart again. Either by your hand or hers."

The Leader of the Seraphim blinks at the Carmine before back at her nephew and walks up to run a hand through his hair. "I would never want to repeat the same mistake I made before. As for Emily," she looks back up at Carmilla. "If she deems me unfit to be a part of her life, that is her choice."

Carmilla smiles and sees the photo in the seraphim's hand. "That is a bit outdated for a family picture. It could use an update," she then looks back up at Sera. "With everyone this time." That puts a smile on the angel's face. "Why don't you join us for dinner?"

"I thought you two were celebrating something?"

That's when Zestial speaks up. "The two of us shall be able celebrate our bond any other night. But due to thou's own duties in Heaven, it is not often for thou to be here with family."

Sera smiles and accepts the offer.

.oOo.

Just as they reached the penthouse, Odette, Clara, and Sy quickly exited the home.

"Girls?" Carmilla turns to each one. "What's going on."

Sy only gives an "Um…"

But Clara tells them. "I believe Velvette's here. And there's a scarf on the door."

The matriarch's eyes widen before narrowing as she starts visibly shaking.

A few moments passed before Zestial says, "May thy suggest having dinner elsewhere?"

Odette then raises her hand. "All in favor, say I!" With that, everyone other than Sera and Callum responded with 'I' and started walking away from the door.

The confused Seraphim looks at the door before following the rest of the family with her nephew holding onto her hand. "What is the meaning behind the scarf?"

Callum shrugs. "I dunno! No one tells me. I only know that no one is supposed to enter the room when the scarf is out and that it's usually used for Aunt Clara's and Aunt Sy's private time," he then looks up. "And sometimes Grandma and Grandpa."

"What kind of pri…" the words dropped as here brows rose as the realization dawns on her. "Oh!" she then moves faster, nearly dragging her nephew. "Eating out sounds like a wonderful idea."

With that, the boy sighs. "No one tells me anything."

.oOo.

After finding a nice family restaurant with a big enough table for everyone, the group enjoyed chatting about their lives.

Just as she was laughing and enjoying the good time, Carmilla's phone went off and the matriarch checked it. "If you'll excuse. I'll only be a moment," she gets up out of her seat just as the other demons checked their own phones with Callum leaning over to check his Aunt Clara's.

Sera just raises brow as Carmilla leaves the table. She then notices the Ancient Overlord setting quite a bit of money on the table.

"That is a generous tip, Sir Zestial."

"Tis no tip, Ms. dear angel."

Clara then says, "He's paying in advance for the damages," she's covering her nephew's ears.

"What da—" what the seraphim was about to say is lost by the sound of crashing, thumping, shattering, and clanging followed by the Carmilla shouting. All originating from the restaurant's kitchen. "What in Heaven's got her to act in such a vile way? Carmilla is usually much more well maintained."

Odette then passes her phone to the angel. "This may have something to do with it."

The device shows a picture of Emily and Velvette in bed, covered, both smiling brightly with the fallen angel having a deep blush. The Influencer is holding up her hand to show off a ring. There's a caption at the bottom.

Looks like I'm going to be a Carmine.

She's a little shy.

So, it took a lot to convince her to let me take this photo.

Callum, with his ears still covered, looks up and shouts, "Does this mean Velvette's going to be my other Mommy?"

A wide-eyed Sera who is still processing this information tells the child. "It would seem so, Callum. As long as they make each other happy, then that's all that matters."

End

NOTE: At this time, there is no plan for a sequel or a one shot. But that doesn't mean I'm not open to the idea in the near future.

NOTE 2: Imaginary cookies to anyone who guesses what movie Sera took Callum to watch.

NOTE 3: Not sure when my next update would be for my other stories. I want to finish A Little Hazbin 3 but I'm sadly suffering from writer's block and it was a struggle to finish this one. Hopefully it won't be too long.