Charlie was a sight to behold the next morning. Hair limp, eye's dark, skin pallid. Everyone who saw her asked if she was sick and she simply forced a smile, waving away the concern.

It's a big day, she yelled down the hallways, marching to some invisible drum. She was only slightly manic, prone to shouts of extreme volume at any mild provocation.

For a brief second, Alastor wondered if he ought to have waited until after the grand opening to tell his business partner of his plight.

But she was just so funny, he mused, watching her get into another fit of gleeful panic as she looked high and low for the giant ribbon cutting scissors.

He made her promise not to tell anyone, that he would deal with it in his own time. She still wanted to show her father, however, swearing that he had to know something she didn't.

The Radio Demon watched as Lucifer sprang to action, conjuring forth KeeKee the cat and turning her into a makeshift pair of scissors. Ever the helpful one. Alastor was hesitant to trust the ruling King of Hell but at this point his options were limited. Even Zestial, the oldest overlord he knew, was stumped by the question, never having been faced with the scourge.

Zestial pitied Alastor (and he hated this), not knowing himself what would become of his fellow overlord. The ancient demon swore himself to secrecy and said he would consult all that he knew and may contact Alastor in the future. It was a start at least.

On a whim he also sought out Carmine. An expert in weaponry and machinery, he thought she might have a clue as to how to mend his broken cane. She was hesitant of course, but Zestial and his thoughtful nature talked her into it, without use of any deal-making. They would need a powerful ally like the Radio Demon were it to come down to it, and they needed him at full strength in order to fight whatever enemy may come.

He walked towards the window and admired the sizable crowd that had gathered outside. It wasn't the saddest lot he had ever seen, but it was a group definitely worth the effort of throwing a party to begin with. Some came to just watch the inevitable shitshow, this was something he was sure of, but others he sensed their earnestness.

Alastor felt suspiciously calm about the whole matter. Just weeks ago he was determined to seek freedom at whatever cost, but now… Now that he knew that freedom was even further from his grasp…

"Al!" Charlie spotted him lurking around the windows and rushed over.

"Why hello dear! How're things this morning?" he asked. "You're looking an absolute vision!" noting her messy appearance.

"Haw haw. Things are greaaat, we're almost ready to start. Did you see that crowd out there? I can't believe they've all come to join our hotel!" Charlie was giddy with excitement.

"Now, now, don't jump to conclusions. Most of those drooling dimwits might be unworthy of our little establishment. Keep that in mind! We have to vet these sinners carefully."

The blonde nodded in agreement. "But they're here and that's all that matters!" Charlie sighed dreamily. "I can't believe this is happening!" She spun in place before adopting a more confidential tone of voice. "How're you though?"

"Why I'm perfectly hotsy-totsy!" Alastor sang, eyeing his companion in warning.

She completely missed it however, in her more frazzled state of mind. "Yeah but how is the… you-know-what?" she wiggled her eyebrows at him and gestured with her chin.

"If I didn't know better, I would think you were making eyes at me, dear!" His gaze narrowed into slits, his smile glowing fiendishly.

"Making whosa whatsa at whom?" Lucifer interrupted, landing perfectly in the middle of the pair.

The blond ruler of Hell pushed Charlie about two feet back from the Radio Demon, who was grateful for the interruption. In the middle of the lobby was the last place he wanted to discuss his current issue. Too many eyes, too many ears. Charlie's attention shifted immediately.

"Dad! Is the camera ready to go?"

"Nearly there! Your lovely girlfriend Maggie is getting it set-up as we speak." Lucifer made sure to emphasize the word 'girlfriend.'

"It's Vaggie, Dad."

"Exactly!"

The deer demon re-inserted himself, walking between Lucifer and his daughter. "What possible use could we have for a crummy ol' camera, dear?"

"Well," Charlie started, shyly. "We didn't really get a chance like this before, so I wanted to at least remember this moment and capture it forever! It was Vaggie's idea."

"Of course it was," Alastor grumbled.

"And it's a perfect idea!" said Lucifer. "There's nothing more rewarding than seeing memories on a screeeen, huh hun?" He placed his hand on Charlie's shoulder and began leading her away, completely ignoring the Radio Demon.

"See you at the ribbon cutting, Al!" She called after him.

Alastor merely nodded, feeling peeved, and evaporated into black.

"Dad, I wish you and Alastor got along better," mumbled Charlie once they were out of earshot.

"And I wish that demonic clown would stop skulking around my daughter!" he sang as he dragged her further away.

"He's really not so bad once you get to know him."

"He's worse the more I get to know him! Trust me, Char-Char, I know guys like him, and they're all the same."

Charlie shook her head, determinedly. "He'll prove you wrong, I'm positive. Plus, I, uh, we have to discuss something with you later," she whispered. "In private. And it would be best if the two of you were on the same side."

The implication of whatever she could possibly mean wrapped around Lucifer's mind and squeezed.

"He's not gonna ask for your hand in marriage, is he?" Lucifer rambled out the first thought that came to his head.

"What? No, of course not, dad!"

"Oh thank the devil," he breathed out a laugh, smacking himself on the knee. "'Cause you know I'd have to kill the guy, right? Haha!"

" Dad!" Charlie exclaimed, aghast and embarrassed at the same time.

"Alright, alright, I'll wait until after the ceremony," Lucifer shrugged, and then quickly shifted gears. "Are you ready, my girl?"

"More than anything!"

The hotel residents and all its staff gathered outside in front of a shuffling crowd of sinners. Even Vox's news channel was there, though not invited, they squared up to capture the pivotal moment. What they'd say on the air was a whole other matter entirely but nothing that registered to Charlie at this time.

A bright and glittery red ribbon was stretched across the hotel's glimmering new front door. Charlie held the KeeKee turned scissors and she posed, blades open towards the milling crowd.

Vaggie was behind the camera, corralling the crew to line up. Angel, Husk, Niffty, Lucifer, and even Cherri Bomb appeared, all in various states of weariness and dress, run ragged by the beloved hotelier in the days prior.

The only one missing was Alastor and this was something Charlie deeply took notice of. It bothered her enough that she paused the whole ceremony to look for him. She scanned the crowd and saw him standing back, amongst the other demons, smiling with his hands behind him.

She waved him over and mouthed 'get over here now' and with a roll of his crimson eyes, he obeyed.

He teleported next to her and placed a clawed hand upon the ribbon like the others were doing.

"You recall I didn't help in the building of this hotel at all, right?" he muttered to her.

Not taking her eyes off the crowd, she whispered back. "You're why any of this is happening in the first place." She turned to him, smiling. "I need you here with me!"

Angel and Husk exchanged glances after hearing that. Both arching a brow.

Vaggie set the camera on auto and sprinted back to them to pose for a video. Charlie said a few words, tears in her eyes the entire time. She welcomed all sinners in Hell, thanked her supporters (what few there were), and announced the goal for the Hazbin Hotel going forward.

The crowd was a mix of awkward silence, jeers (Alastor and Lucifer flashed glaring eyes at them), and genuine applause.

Finally, Charlie cut the ribbon. A cheer broke out from the group, a testament to the progress they've all made together.

"About time, Charlie! I'm ready to party!"

The lobby was instantly bumping. The crowd from outside all stuck around for the party, as well as some random nearby stragglers who heard all the commotion. The food served by Alastor's minions was mostly edible and delicious. And the favors Angel called in from his friends actually turned out to be genuine music artists.

The darkened dance floor was colored by a rainbow of flashing lights and was filled with energetic dancers. Husk manned his bar but eventually Niffty had a drink or three and jumped on top of the cat demon's head, pulling him out to the center by his ears. Angel and Cherri followed shortly after, laughing and a bit boozed up.

Charlie had her own little booth set up filled with packets of information about the hotel. She shouted over the loud music and dragged over unsuspecting sinner demons to go ahead and apply for a spot.

Vaggie jogged over after a particularly passionate plea was made to a fish demon.

"Charlie!" she shouted over the music, "you're allowed to relax, you know? It's a party!"

"I know," the demoness sighed, "I just feel like I can't relax until I know I've done everything I can!"

"And you have, hon. Here," Vaggie grabbed the papers Charlie was holding and placed them back on the booth. "Let's leave this here and people can come and sign up if they feel like it, okay? They might be scared off having you pounce on them."

"You're probably right!" Charlie conceded, offering her girlfriend a silent thank you. She saw Vaggie closer now and noticed her pink cheeks and droopy eyelid. "Have you been drinking?"

"A little bit!" Vaggie yelled, with a playful smile. "It's your turn now!"

Giving in, Charlie followed the gray angel to the bar where a line of shots waited for them, along with Husk, Angel, Cherri, and Niffty.

Cherri swung her arm around Charlie's shoulders, already drunk. "Took ya long enough, didn't it? C'mon then, shall we?"

The group nodded in agreement, raising their glasses up for a toast.

"Ay, where's that smiling bitch of yours, huh? He should be here for this! And your dad?"

"My dad went back home! He figured the cityfolk might not be able to let loose with him around."

"Makes sense– and oy! Smiles! Git your weirdo ass over here! Your lady's about to give a toast!" Cherri called.

In a second, Alastor was there, picking up a glass of his own. Vaggie tried to hide her disdain, managing an awkward smile. They were all there, together as a team, it would be best to put aside differences for the night. They owed each other that much, right?

"My lady, hmm?" the Radio Demon quipped before raising his glass as well. Vaggie's eye twitched.

Charlie was severely emotional by now as she looked around the circle. "I love you guys so, so much," she said through tears, her voice cracking. "I wouldn't be here without you, and neither would this hotel," she sobbingly inhaled, "I dedicate this night to you all."

"To Charlie!" Angel yelled. And the others followed in unison. "To our fearless leader!" "To our delusional boss!" "To cleaning!"

The Princess of Hell was so overwhelmed she could hardly stand up right. As she was about to take her shot, Alastor chimed in as well. "Cheers to you, my dear," and he clinked his glass with hers. She shot him a radiant smile and downed her glass.

Vaggie did everything in her power to not mind their interactions, no matter how friendly. They were all friends here and Vaggie would direct her attention away from the two next to her. She could ignore it, and pretend it didn't exist. Because at the end of the day… Charlie was hers. She smirked, locked her single eye on Alastor, and downed her drink.

Husk poured Charlie another shot, which she finished with glee, finally allowing herself some freedom to let loose. Angel and Husk were enjoying it a bit too much, wondering how much she could handle, and just how did the half-angel of Hell react to a bit of hard liquor?

"Have another, sweets!" Angel poured Charlie one more.

"Okay, you guys, if you insist! If there was any night to do it!" Charlie was more than game by now, spurned on by the feel-good atmosphere.

A little wobbly, Vaggie pulled Charlie onto the dance floor, staking her claim. Angel, Cherri, and Niffty followed soon after them.

Alastor stayed behind with Husk at the bar. "Nice of you to join in, boss. Never thought I'd see the day."

"You mistake me for some sort of boring brute! I always know how to have a swell time."

Alastor leaned back on the bar and watched the blonde swing about the dance floor. Her movements were drunken and uncoordinated but he could tell she was enjoying herself. It brought a tender grin to his face.

"What a sweet expression you've got on," commented Husk, already quite tipsy. "Who could you be lookin' at?"

Alastor's smile instantly quirked but he perked it back up. "Why all of these potential lost causes!"

Husk chuckled, "Sure boss, whatever helps you sleep at night."

As the evening wore on, the group drank even more. Niffty was long passed out in a cubby hole somewhere and even Vaggie was reaching her limit. She never drank this much and usually she knew how to handle her tequila. But tonight of all nights, she felt like she needed to forget, or to just not feel anything.

She brought herself to a lobby couch and tried to stop the room from spinning. Keeping her eye on Charlie across the room, Vaggie sat and wondered if Charlie would even notice she had stepped away.

She watched the blonde demoness dance with Angel, standing out like a shining beacon amongst the crowd.

Her gaze swiveled over back to the bar where Alastor stood and a sudden anger overtook her. He couldn't stand his face. She didn't trust him before but after he goaded Charlie into a deal, he was as good as dead to her. He tricked the all-too-trusting demoness and the price was yet to be paid. It irked her to no end, not knowing what he was thinking. How were they all so foolish as to let their guard down around him? A literal wolf in deer's clothing?

She ruminated on this for a while, before Cherri Bomb plopped right next to her.

"Oy Vags, down for the count already? The night's just gettin' started!"

Vaggie groaned and rubbed her arms over her face as a response.

"Didn't think you were such a lightweight!" Cherri stood and reached out an arm. "Let's get you offta bed."

"No, no, wait, I have to watch Charlie," she slurred.

"Princess?" Cherri asked. "She'll be fine! We'll all keep an eye on her. Plus the deer boy been watching her all night already!" She waggled her single brow.

"That's the problem!" Vaggie exclaimed. "That psycho freak looks at her like she's a piece of meat he can't wait to eat."

They paused to both glance at the Radio Demon across the way. He was sipping a whiskey and looking into the crowd with that unblinking red gaze of his.

"He looks like he wants to do more than eat her!" Cherri commented, laughing.

"You're not helping!" yelled Vaggie. She covered her face and rolled onto her side. She longed to rid herself of this feeling, afraid of how it might manifest next in her actions. The gray angel felt somewhat out of control.

Things between her and Charlie weren't the same after each argument. Ever since it was revealed that she was a former angel, there'd been a rift. Yes, they loved each other and cared for one another deeply. But the rift between them kept getting filled and filled with more misunderstandings, accusations, and anger.

And her anger grew and melted again into despair. She felt like a cornered animal and cornered animals turned desperate.

Vaggie wanted to blame it all on the red demon, and she also wanted to fix it. But she just didn't know how.


AN: I loveee the group interacting and everyone getting along and bouncing off one another. I'm a sucker for happy moments lol, who needs drama!? Also, poor Vaggie, I love her but for the sake of this fic... she's not gonna have a good time lol

Thank you to everyone who has been reading and commenting! I appreciate it so much! I'm always curious to know what your thoughts are on the story/writing/etc.

I've done some art for the last couple chapters as well! See you next time~