Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! Hazbin Hotel and all of its characters belong to Vivziepop and Amazon Prime.

Charlie stared up at the portrait of Sir Pentious. Her father had painted it himself in honor of the snake sinner's bravery and self-sacrifice. Tears blurred the corners of Charlie's eyes as she placed her hand on the picture of her fallen friend and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry, Pen. You deserved so much better," she whispered, curling her hand into a fist. "I won't give up. I'll prove redemption is possible, I promise."

"Charlie!"

She turned at the sound of her name. Vaggie stood at the top of the stairs overlooking the Hazbin Hotel's lobby. "Your dad needs to talk to you! We found something in the records. You're gonna wanna hear this."

Charlie ran up the stairs and followed her girlfriend into her father's private suite. Lucifer was seated at the table pouring over Hell's law and regulation tomes. "Dad? What's up?"

"We have a problem," he answered, straightening his back.

Charlie frowned.

"What's wrong?"

Lucifer handed her a copy of the book he was reading. "Remember that old bylaw that said Hell must always have an heir in case its current or future rulers perish?"

"Yeah?"

"When I signed the agreement with Heaven, no one knew angels were susceptible to permanent death by angelic steel."

Vaggie cocked an eyebrow. "So?"

"The law states that every ruler must provide at least one heir before they ascend the throne. Charlie doesn't have one."

Vaggie tensed. "And we can't conceive a child together because we're both women. Are you telling me she's going to have to marry someone else and have their child?"

Lucifer threw up his hands waving in surrender. "Whoa—No! No, no, no—nothing like that. The law allows her to choose a surrogate mother and father who will sire and carry the child on her behalf."

"How does that work?"

"Charlie and I will transfer some of our powers into a potion. The surrogates drink it and the powers transfer from them to the fetus once the baby is conceived. If anything happens to me or Charlie, the rest of our power transfers from us to the heir ensuring its status as ruler of Hell."

"What kind of surrogates would I need?" Charlie asked.

Lucifer pointed to a specific line of text. "According to this, you have the right to choose whoever you think is best. It doesn't even matter if they're hellborn or sinners."

Vaggie leaned in to read the fine print. "I thought sinners couldn't reproduce."

"Normally, they can't. Charlie's mom added the loophole in this particular case because she considered herself the first sinner, which makes me the first true hellborn, I suppose."

Charlie flopped down in the chair next to him still clutching her copy of the book. "I don't know anything about what makes a good surrogate. Can't I just…I don't know…wait until Vaggie and I are ready to find a sperm donor or something?"

"You might've been able to put it off," Lucifer said giving her an apologetic look, "but word's gotten out about the angelic weapons. If someone takes you out before you have a designated heir…"

"Every power-hungry prick in Hell will be chomping at the bit to get their hands on your crown," Vaggie realized.

Charlie leaned back in her chair and groaned. "Fuuuck."

Lucifer sighed. "It has to be done, Char-Char."

Vaggie put a hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Don't worry, babe. You can do this. And I'll be with you every step of the way."

Charlie sat up to look at her. "Really? You promise?"

Vaggie gave her a reassuring smile and nodded. "Hell yeah."

Vaggie scowled. "Oh, hell no."

Charlie blanched. "Vaggie!"

Alastor folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at the ex-exorcist angel. "My sentiments exactly."

Rosie sat in the chair beside him. She'd known when she'd walked in that Charlie's invitation to the hotel would be anything but a social visit or some half-hearted attempt at trying to talk her into becoming a resident. The girl had sounded nervous over the phone. The empty glass in Alastor's hand had only confirmed her suspicions. He'd already downed two bourbons by the time she'd joined them at the bar for a bit of liquid courage.

She took another sip of Bordeaux red before addressing Charlie. "Don't misunderstand, sweetie. We're honored you'd consider us for such a…er…that's a lot to ask, princess." Rosie didn't know how else to put it. Fighting exterminators with the promise of food for her people was one thing, but conceiving a child she'd have to give up?

"I know it is," Charlie admitted, "but you're so warm, friendly, supportive, and loving. I figured…since you're that way with your cannibals, maybe…"

"That's why it's not a good idea," Rosie explained, "I'd never be able to carry a baby for nine months just to hand it over to someone else. The idea of being separated from my own flesh and blood…of not being in his or her life…"

Charlie's eyes widened. "What? No! Rosie, we'd never do that to you or Al." She reached across the bar and took the cannibal leader's hands in hers. "You'd both take part in the child's upbringing. Vaggie and I—we're gonna need all the help we can get."

"You can say that again," Angeldust muttered from where he was lounging on a nearby sofa. "That kid's gonna need major therapy with Smiles and Dollface as its parents."

Rosie glared at Angel. "No one asked you."

Alastor ignored Angel's jab. He didn't like where this was going. The softening of Rosie's expression and voice when she spoke to Charlie of children unnerved him. He shook his head. "Absolutely not."

"But Al—" Charlie began.

He cut her off. "Charlotte, what in Satan's name ever made you think I'd be a suitable option for surrogacy?"

Charlie hesitated. "Well…I mean…you're protective of the hotel, and…you took on Adam for us during the extermination, so I thought…"

Static crackled as the weight of his stare bore down on her. "The hotel is an investment. And Adam was a challenge, which is something I enjoy."

"Parenthood is a challenge," Charlie replied sheepishly. "It can be an investment too…right?"

Alastor exhaled in exasperation. "Not for this demon. I have no desire to play a role in this endeavor. Now if you'll excuse me…" He set his unfinished drink down on the counter and turned to leave.

"Al, wait—please!" Charlie stood up to follow him, but Rosie intercepted her.

"Let me talk to him," she said, giving Charlie's forearm a gentle squeeze.

"But…" Charlie released a dejected sigh and lowered her gaze. "Okay." She watched Rosie make her way up the stairs and down the hall until she disappear around the corner leading to Alastor's room.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Vaggie murmured.

Charlie swallowed the lump of emotions in her throat. So do I, she thought.