Author's Note

Thank you Luna and kar-main for looking through things, and provided feedback : )

I want to also thank two other people. One of my close friends, who honestly, has a brilliant mind. I had him read the long conversation the characters will have without much context of the story and to provide to me their thoughts of what was said. I did it to make sure my thoughts came across as I intended and since they're pretty much a genius, their thoughts on the chapter were important to me. Thank you, Asher, for taking the time to write your thoughts for almost every point made, which gave me confidence to post this chapter up.

Also, I want to thank my psychotherapist as well. I went into my latest session with all the notes that will be used to create the dialogue from Husk, Charlie, and some from Angel, regarding Adam's situation - I had thought about this chapter for a while now. They reviewed everything with their education and professional experience to make sure points were made accurately. She just enjoys diving deep into issues with me since she says it also helps me in a way for my own stuff - I'm not the best with opening about my own issues, hahaha

I'm kind of 'old' I would say in this fandom, and I've pointed out how I used to study such topics as well due to certain reasons which I won't dwell in. So yes, had to once again, do all that reviewing to make this chapter correctly

Anyways, this chapter is a bit of intense, and I know some peeps may interpret things differently and if you have any questions on points I was making, let me know in the comments section. I definitely tried to have the right people to help this chapter be done as I intended - been waiting for this chapter for a while : )

I did my best to not go over every bit of Adam as well, and didn't want the characters to be too perfect about the things that are said- i would end up writing a huge essay basically if i did that-, just because they are 'human' and sometimes one can't just know what points to make at that exact moment. I did make one seem a bit wiser just because i thought it fit them : ). But at the same time, I did my best to remember they are pretty old humans and experienced a lot so they are in a way

I want to thank one of the commenters who made a statement and definitely was just perfect I had to use it, thank you peep, don't want to say your name in case you don't want me to, hahaha. it was just such perfect timing for the chapter as well, hahaha

Anyways, I got some fan art too~ Enjoy peeps~

Response to Guest : hahaha, they are losers together3

Chapter 15

Present

After walking with Adam back to his room and asking him to take a much-needed shower as kindly as possible – days had passed since his last one - she returned to her friends. Alastor and Nifty were nowhere to be seen, which made her confused at the way they've been gone often. She settled on the ground by Vaggie, who handed her the drawing Adam had done before he left the room. The horrific dark figure with a wide smile and haunting eyes seemed so strangely familiar to Charlie and made her feel slightly nauseous.

"Definitely looks creepy," Angel remarked to Charlie, pausing his own sketching for a moment. "But I gotta admit, the dickhead is pretty good. Think he could do a portrait of me in my best self?" he added with a mischievous smirk.

"Are you seriously gonna ask the father of all mankind to draw your naked ass?" Husk quipped, raising an eyebrow.

Angel stared at Husk for a while, his mind slowly processing what his friend said before his eyes widened with complete horror. "Holy shit… you're right… he's like my… great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-times a thousand-grandpa..." He shuddered at the thought of having any lewd thoughts about Adam now, since basically, yeah, he was a direct descendant of the fallen angel. It was hard enough already when he found out a while ago people in hell were all basically related in some way. "Now that I think about it, damn… he's fuckin' ancient."

"Compared to us, yeah," Charlie agreed, placing Adam's drawing on the table face down as it was giving her the creeps. "I'm glad he's finally eating something," she said. "But he's going to need more than just two smoothies. Otherwise, he's going to continue losing weight fast."

"Yah, he's a big guy," Angel agreed. "I guess I could get some of that protein powder or, I don't know, I'll think of somethin'."

"Thank you, Angel," Charlie smiled at him, who just waved her off like it wasn't a big deal.

"So… am I the only one who finds it fucked up what Adam went through?" Angel pondered aloud. "No childhood, no parents. He and Eve kicked out to fend for themselves, thousands of years all by his lonesome, since he had no pals."

"Definitely explains his terrible social skills," Husk said. "They're as bad as carrots in a cabbage patch."

"No kidding. I thought Heaven was all perfect." Angel's concern for Molly crept into his thoughts now. If Adam, the first man, had a rough time in heaven, what did that say about his sister? Was she doing okay up there? Did she have friends? Was she actually happy?

"People in Heaven are happy," Vaggie stated with firmness.

"And how would you know, huh? You literally just told us earlier you were a shut-in up there. Did you even have any human friends?"

"Everyone seemed joyful when I visited," Charlie murmured as she visibly recalled the humans singing and dancing in heaven and others just enjoying their lives.

"Looks can be deceiving," Husk interjected. "Just like how Adam pretends all those years alone didn't mess with him, but we all know it's a load of crap. Unless he somehow blocked it out of his mind, which is possible. I've met people who do that sort of thing."

"Well, he genuinely thought Vaggie was lying when she told him no humans had entered heaven for a thousand years after his arrival…" Charlie pointed out. She then recalled how terrified he was back in the other dimension, begging the angels not to leave him alone again. It seemed at a subconscious level Adam did understand what he went through, but somehow, as a defensive mechanism, he automatically would push it aside as much as he can to protect himself. She supposes he had no other choice in order to survive all those years alone.

"I still don't get what their deal was with them by not lettin' your mom, Eve, and the dickhead have a childhood." Angel frowned.

"I don't see the problem with that." Vaggie commented. "I never had a childhood either."

"Do angels even start out as babies? Do they ever get to experience the whole kiddo thing?"

"No?"

"Then you never being a kid makes sense. But it doesn't for the dickhead."

"Angel has a point," Husk said calmly to Vaggie. "You mentioned Adam and Lilith were prototypes for humanity, yet they were infants forced to mature in the blink of an eye. Children thrust into adulthood prematurely tend to have lingering issues. Now, imagine what it would do to one when they're completely deprived of having even a minute of such experience."

"Would totally fuck them up," Angel remarked.

Vaggie wore a frown before turning to Charlie. "You've shared stories about your mother. She seemed like she came out fine."

Charlie paused, rubbing her arm. "I mean, yeah, she was… loving, kind, and usually incredibly composed. But… there were moments when she'd get really upset, like… to the point she would throw a chair across the room, but most of the time she would step away for a while to cool off, or at least that's what Dad would tell me because she didn't want to do something she'd regret."

"Sounds like she struggled with anger issues," Husk observed. "But at least she knew when to step back, to avoid making things worse."

Charlie nodded. "Dad said it was rough in the beginning, but Mom learned. Thanks to Dad, she managed to do things differently."

"Your dad supported her through a lot, I'm assuming."

"Absolutely. They loved each other. Dad hated seeing her struggle so much when they first arrived here."

"Your mom had the support she needed to grow mentally and emotionally," Husk said. "Now, I wonder, did Adam have the same thing in heaven." He turned to Vaggie.

"Adam was provided with everything he needed when he was created, all the knowledge necessary to live life," Vaggie asserted.

"Sure, he might have had the tools for his life in the Garden of Eden, which I'm assuming was the plan the angels had for him, but what about surviving outside of that place? To emotionally handle other people and situations?" Husk countered. "And it doesn't matter if they fed him all that information as well. Learning about it and experiencing it are entirely two different things."

"A good example is, Adam couldn't empathize with his children because he never was one," Charlie said.

"Now, this makes me wonder if the angels ever bothered to teach Adam anything."

"Well, I know they would assign him responsibilities," Vaggie said. "Tried to keep him busy."

"Keeping busy and actually teaching him to grow aren't the same thing," Husk pointed out.

"Vaggie, did the high-ranking angels ever try to address Adam's bad behavior?" Charlie asked her girlfriend, recalling how Adam acted like a child with no restraints when she first met him during their meeting. He definitely acted as though he could do anything he wanted.

"Usually, no one ever lectured him or confronted him," Vaggie admitted. "Sera and the others just allowed him to be chaotic. At least, I never seen them punished him in some way. And since he was a symbol for all humans to follow, the great example, at least that's what the high-ranking angels would say, which is ironic, since he was the complete opposite of what heaven should be, he was regarded as a higher rank above the rest of humanity. Humans basically worshipped him. My sisters were always okay with him slacking, excusing his behavior just because he's Adam, as if that itself was all he needed to do whatever he wanted. Lute, in the beginning, was pushing him to be responsible, but eventually she kind of stopped. No one dared to say a thing to him, especially since he was their superior, and their idol."

Charlie was silent for a moment, her brows furrowing, now wondering if the confrontation between Sera, the other high ranking angels, and Adam was the first time he was ever called out on his behavior directly. And if that was the case… they went about it so wrong, especially since they were so cruel to him.

"Well, if Adam didn't have anyone to call out on his bad behavior or teach him some emotional maturity, then we really shouldn't be surprised he's a total jackass," Husk remarked.

"So, what? We're just going to excuse him out of everything he has done?" Vaggie asked, a bit with annoyance.

"I don't think that's what Husk is saying, Vaggie," Charlie was quick to jump in. "What Adam has done is terrible. But this situation we have with him, it's not a black and white scenario. It's more complicated than that. What Husk is saying is, how do we expect Adam to know how to handle things correctly and in a healthy way if he wasn't taught it? Just because he's thousands of years old doesn't mean he's going to automatically wake up one day without a helping hand," Charlie explained.

"No one made him act like an asshole."

"Unless he wasn't given the proper tools to be any different," Husk stated.

"It just…doesn't make any sense," Vaggie said, frustrated. "He used to be better, quieter. For years, he was the example Sera and the others wanted others to be. I remember seeing him once when I was accompanying Wimdor to a meeting, in my first year of creation. Adam was stepping out of the building we were entering. Wimdor talked to him, and Adam just stood there silently, actually listening, respectfully. Almost made me think he was just like the rest of the humans, except for those gold wings that stood out even though they were folded against his sides. He was entirely different from the Adam that returned from Earth," Vaggie concluded, her tone reflecting a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

Charlie took a moment to think through everything Vaggie just said.

"I promise I'll be the same Adam who walked through those gates, the same great Adam you wanted me to be," Adam begged, tears gathering in his eyes. "I won't swear anymore, I promise. I won't play any of that music you hate. I'll stop playing the guitar, I'll eat less, I promise I won't talk back. I'll stay quiet, please, I'll be good again, I'll be better."

Charlie pulled back from the sad memory that made her now starting to wonder if Adam was the 'example' heaven wanted others to follow because he was… submissive? Completely obedient…? Was that why he was in heaven in the first place?

She then started to recall the things he had said earlier.

"The angels barely helped us, except to nag me about what I should be doing. And then they kept pushing us with the whole, 'Go make some babies', shit. And let me tell you, those were a fucking nightmare."

"You didn't like your kids?" Angel asked.

"Um, no, why would I?" Adam asked with a frown.

"'Cause… they're your kids …?"

"I was told to keep 'em alive, and that's what I did."

Adam's words… definitely sounded like he used to follow what the angels said to the dot and eventually didn't and were not okay with it…

"What do you mean he went to Earth?" Angel asked, curiously.

"In 1985, he and another angel named Lepin went to visit Earth and didn't return for 12 years. When Adam came back, he was different. He was loud, obnoxious, disrespectful. He shook Heaven itself when he performed a rock and roll concert for the first time in front of so many souls. I wasn't there when it happened, but I remember how Heaven trembled with his music. My sisters started going to his concerts whenever they could and became his huge fans," Vaggie explained.

"Hmmm," Husk hummed, taking the new information in mind.

"He became the celebrity of the winners and that definitely raised his ego. The higher rank angels seemed to just let him do whatever for some years before they assigned him to become captain of his own squad without any sort of military experience. They probably did that because he demanded his own squad to boss around or get constant attention from us. I used to tell Lute he was obsessed with being the center of attention," Vaggie recounted.

"I mean, thousands of years isolated and neglected would do that to you," Husk remarked.

"I don't think he was neglected. He was, at least I used to think, was the high-ranking angels' favorite 'toy,'" Vaggie admitted.

Her words immediately made Angel feel something in his chest boil in anger. "Adam ain't a toy," Angel said right away, annoyed.

"I... know that."

"Oh, don't give me that crap, because you don't. You just thought he was some douchebag who only cared about himself. But he's a human, with feelings. And was left for thousands of years alone. I bet he only had himself to depend on all that time. Yet, you expect him to care for others while no one fucking gave a shit about his own emotional state before?"

"Angel," Husk interjected calmly.

"What?!" Angel snapped at Husk, his shoulders shaking as he thought of his own life. How shitty of a father he had on Earth, forced to help the family with their crimes. How he arrived in hell, trying to survive with so many terrible monsters around him, taking advantage of him while he sought out his sister, to no avail. Then getting stuck with Valentino for basically forever, becoming his 'toy', no one actually giving a damn about his emotions, about how he was allowing himself to find ways to completely break so he could finally be free. It made him so mad that Vaggie expected someone who suffered alone so much to just be the 'better' person somehow. And not only Vaggie expected people like Adam to be better without getting any sort of help, but the rest of the high-ranking angels did as well. "It's fuckin' bogus, this whole fucking thing. Who do these freaking high-rank angels think they are? Stripping Adam and Lilith of their childhoods, punishing Lilith and Eve permanently, and judging all of us? Expecting Adam to be some sort of perfect example all heaven should follow. And the worst part is, they made Adam believe he's fine, that it's no freaking deal that he has no parents, no childhood, that waiting alone for thousands of years is fucking okay. He literally just brushed all his trauma off as if it was nothing. They don't give a shit about his or anyone's suffering." Angel glared at Vaggie, especially as she used to also judge him big time when they first met. "Screw you guys. We're not fucking toys. Our issues are a fucking big deal."

Charlie and Husk looked at Angel with concern, both felt Angel was projecting big time, and probably because he related to Adam for different reasons. Husk definitely understood as well where Angel was coming from.

Meanwhile, Vaggie was looking off to the side, looking ashamed for having such condescending thoughts about Adam years ago.

"Do you know how it feels to be fucking alone for so long? Having no one to count on? It fucking sucks," Angel said coldly at Vaggie.

"Angel," Husk tried to get his attention.

"No, she doesn't fucking understand how-" Angel began to retort, but Vaggie interrupted him.

"I do understand," she stated firmly, her eyes watering up as she tried to hold back her own emotions. She then looked at Angel with a somber look. "Before... before I got stuck here, I didn't have friends. My sisters, we barely talked. Lute was the only one that I kind of got along with, but then she got close to Adam, and I ended up alone. And it may have been just some years compared to you and Adam's, but..." She closed her eyes, doing her best to keep her emotions in check. "Then... I met Charlie. And for the first time in my life, I didn't feel so alone… I felt understood." Vaggie paused for a moment, her voice trembling. She found Charlie's hand clutching hers tightly. She looked up to meet Charlie's soft, loving smile, making Vaggie smile as well, quickly brushing her eyes to make sure no tears would escape.

Her words calmed down Angel, the anger that was suffocating him easing. He watched Vaggie before he looked down. "Sorry, I… shouldn't have lashed at you like that," he mumbled, actually feeling ashamed how he lost his cool and assumed Vaggie had a wonderful life in heaven, to the point where she might not have been able to empathize with others who have struggled in solitude.

"I should apologize too, for… honestly, a lot of things," Vaggie said to Angel. "I forget how complex humans can be. And, honestly, I was mad at Adam, mad that he took away the only sister who would talk to me. I blamed him for making me feel lonely. And the way he just abandoned me in hell as well, was a betrayal that I don't think I can ever get over. I honestly thought he was just this spoiled man who thought of himself as a god, but..."

"I mean, weeks ago, he made himself sound like that by expecting everyone to worship him 'cause he was the first man," Husk pointed out. "So, I can't blame ya for that, especially 'cause he truly is a dick."

"And Vaggie, you may be an angel, but you're also very human," Charlie said to her girlfriend softly. "You're learning, just like all of us are. Mistakes will be made, and that's normal. You were given all that knowledge when you were made, yet that didn't prepare you when you first started to trust me, or when we both were falling in love. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Vaggie tightened her hold on Charlie's hand, still trying to understand since she first met her how she was lucky to meet someone so kind… and honestly, kinder compared to the majority of the natural born angels in heaven.

"So… back with Adam," Vaggie said as she was trying to divert the attention away from herself. "What do you guys want to do? You want to teach him to be better?"

"He had no childhood, therefore, he never grew up," Husk said. "The trauma he's experienced all those years halted his learning; he's stuck in that stage of a child in a way. So, if we want him to grow, we're going to have to address a lot of issues he has, especially his bad behavior appropriately."

"I learned from some books years ago that experiences of a child are important," Charlie chimed in. "We need to heal that inner child of his that's craving love, but…" she bit her lower lip. "From what I read… such trauma can damage someone's mental health forever."

"I don't think he's a complete lost cause," Angel added. "Earlier today, while I was holding him, he talked about my sister." He smiled, surprising the others. "I didn't even ask him about her; he just brought her up randomly. He mentioned how she has her own bakery."

"Adam may never become the best role model for children to follow, but I think he'll still be better off with some help," Husk said, then he focused his attention on Charlie. "But I do want you to know that if we're going to be helping Adam become better, we're gonna have to address his trauma as well. He's gonna to have to be open about his feelings on it. And, if he's indeed blocking out all that trauma or is in denial, the moment he faces reality, things are gonna get very ugly," Husk cautioned. "He looks like the sort who doesn't share with others his true feelings about anything, and probably isn't used to dealing with his emotions well."

Charlie recalled how Adam had flown into a rage and attacked her father, his anger manifesting to destroy anything around. But then she remembered the moment he broke down, defeated and broken, terrified of being abandoned.

Adam was suffering, and she no longer wanted him to continue to drown in that misery alone, nor allow him to keep pushing it away to the point it will overcome him one day.

She was incredibly worried as well that he hadn't talked to her or anyone else about what happened to him in the other dimension. There was no way for him keeping such things to himself was healthy.

She was afraid what might happen if Adam continued living the way he has been for thousands of years.

"The right path is never easy," Charlie murmured. "And I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help him. Not just because he's my uncle, but because it's the right thing to do," she affirmed with a smile. "And, hopefully, once he learns to be better, he will also be sorry for hurting those he has hurt. After all, what he's done should not be brushed off as if nothing happened."

Vaggie was quiet as she took Charlie's last sentence to heart. She has killed so many sinners, and she has yet to apologize to those that she might have affected.

Husk chuckled after a moment, causing Angel to raise an eyebrow. "What's so amusing?" Angel inquired.

"I just think it's funny how we humans never stood a chance," Husk remarked, making Angel blink with confusion. "The first humans got screwed over big time. And their descendants, lacking proper love and role models to thrive, continue to mess things up until eventually, some learned to get it right. But that generational trauma, passing down through others, maybe even genetically... the majority of us never had a chance. We were left in a world with fucked up people. It's so damn easy to let shitty thoughts and feelings run the show, and Earth just let that crap thrive for ages."

"Yeah…" Angel sighed.

"And those who wanted to improve themselves would usually get tainted by others. Seems like it really took certain special people to be worthy to enter Heaven."

"I'm not really sure," Charlie mumbled, still thinking about her theories about why Adam was in heaven. She then pushed such questions aside and focused on the important task at hand, which was to help Adam with, well… a lot of things.

"Husk, why are you so damn wise?" Angel asked with amusement, elbowing the man with one of his lower arms.

Husk chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I wouldn't say that, but you be surprised what sorts of things you learn when you let people ramble on."

"I think the first thing we should do with Adam is gain his trust," Charlie pointed out.

"Well, I think you and Angel here are already at a good start," Husk said, making Angel chuckle.

"Yeah, maybe," Angel said with a shrug, trying to sound humble.

Vaggie was sitting there when suddenly she felt her phone vibrate from a text message. She pulled it out to see it was from Lucifer and it read: 'Keep Charlie occupied. I'm going to deal with Adam right now.'

Vaggie felt a cold dread wash over her while Charlie was chatting with Husk and Angel about ideas they could do to build Adam's trust with them. She quickly shot to her feet, making the other three turn to her in confusion.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Vaggie said stiffly, defaulting to the first excuse that had served her well in the past, before she ran out of the room while trying to text Lucifer back.

"And she thinks I'm the weirdo," Angel snorted to Charlie, who just offered a playful smile to her friend.

As Charlie left his room, Adam silently retreated to the bathroom, exhaustion catching up to him more as time went by. He didn't want to shower, but Charlie asked him to and of course, he was going to do as she asked. Begrudgingly, he stripped himself down naked and got the tub filled with steaming water. He sat down on the chair next to the tub and began to wash himself with a damp cloth, gingerly avoiding his bandaged wounds before tending to his hair with shampoo.

While taking his 'shower', thoughts crawled in Adam's mind about the revelation regarding Lilith and himself being thrust into adulthood from infancy. Running his clawed fingers over his face, he pondered how he must have looked like as a child. Was he a cute kid? Or did he have an oversized head? Memories of earthly parental affection flooded his thoughts, during his visit on Earth with Lupen, between parents and children. He wondered how it would feel having a small hand himself and held by a larger one softly and how it would be to have a tiny body, held protectively by someone who emitted warmth and love.

He then thought about what Charlie and the others said about Sera and the rest of the high-ranking angels as his 'parents'. Adam's emotions churned painfully, exacerbated by Sera's dismissal of their familial connection. He chastised himself internally for yearning for parental figures, for having curiosity of being a child.

He reminded himself he didn't need a parent nor a childhood. He was Adam, and he was…

Immediately, he made his mind go blank, unable to end his thoughts because he knew he couldn't without feeling so pathetic. But… honestly, who was he now? He was Adam, but… what else? Was he just some pathetic fallen angel that was stuck in hell forever?

Adam got up and began to dry himself with a towel before taking notice of the dampened wrappings around his chest. He sighed with annoyance, though, they did have to be changed later that night…

He removed the wrappings and gauze and couldn't help but grow confused when he took notice of the absence of the once-severe burns, replaced by ominous black stains.

Maybe his body was healing itself? And the black marks were merely scars now?

Dismissively pushing aside his concerns, Adam proceeded to dry himself, before from the corner of his eye, the mirror next to him caught his attention. He hesitantly turned to look at it, for the first time taking a good look of himself after waking up from the dead.

His greyish-pale complexion looked sickly, and he could easily notice the loss of weight he had endured. He wasn't as big as he used to be, maybe just the 'average' weight now, and he wasn't sure what to think of it.

He stared at his eyes, seeing the blackness surrounding the gold orbs that were slightly dimmed instead of the nice glow they used to hold. The large, curved horns on his head were the main thing that made him feel sick, especially as they basically replaced his beautiful halo…

"Look at you…" Adam mumbled to his own reflection. "Fucking disgusting…"

He drifted his gaze away and decided to just put on the fresh clothes that Charlie gave him and go to sleep. And that's what he was going to do after he stepped out of the bathroom with the baggy grey t-shirt and navy-blue sweatpants and was making his way to his bed when suddenly his body tensed up when he felt and heard something from behind him.

He quickly turned to see Lucifer appearing before him, red particles lingering around the once high-ranking angel.

Lucifer's gaze bore into him, coldly, as he swung his staff in a solid motion, making a portal appear right behind Adam.

The door to the room burst open with Vaggie standing wide-eyed in the doorway.

"Lucifer, wait," Vaggie pleaded, but before Adam could react, Lucifer blasted him harshly through the portal, sending him hurtling across a forest. Adam hit the ground with a thud, confusion and anger ran through him as he sat up to glare at Lucifer, who stepped through the closing portal. Vaggie leaped through just in time.

Struggling to his feet, Adam was close to snapping at Lucifer, but then he couldn't help but feel himself grow cold as he slowly glanced around to spot the countless familiar trees stretching around him, and a sky blanketed in white.

His eyes widened as he realized where they were…

They were back in the 'Garden of Eden'.

Author's After note

Yah, that ended in such a cliffhanger... like damn, things were going so wellllll

I told myself, man, too much softness has been happening, time to fk things up! Jk, the tag of 'things get worse before it gets better' was there for a reason...

Next chapter, some harsh truths will be thrown...

Let me know what ya all thought of the chapter and what ya think of Vaggie too now : )

Thank you peeps for the kudos/comments/reviews/feedback/fanart I appreciate them : D. If you can leave a kudo on the archive of our own website, i would be honored 3