He reappeared in his radio tower and immediately ran frustrated hands through his hair and pulled at the roots. The inexplicable anger that coursed through him was unfounded and he couldn't get a grasp on it.

The fear of his current situation, his life on the line, and the people involved in it, it all scared him. That his life could be in the hands of another, it didn't make sense. That someone might care if something happened to him, it didn't add up. Alastor always thought he was the master of his own destiny and he reveled in this fact, gloried in it even. Being weak, out of control, vulnerable… It scared him more than anything.

His shadow appeared then, a disappointed blue frown sticking out from the shade.

"What?" hissed Alastor, static seething through his teeth.

The shadow prodded at him, pointing at his neck. "You were quite harsh to the Heir of Hell. I do not find that wise."

Ignoring his shadow's comment, Alastor brought himself to the window's reflection and undid his collar. Just beneath the edge was the twisting mass of blackness, having spread since he last looked. It pulsed and billowed, far more unctuous than before. It consumed the air, choking the red demon with its slick perfume. It compounded his rage and he took clawed hands to his brand new radio console.

The Radio Demon was the fool and it irked him to no end.

…

A day passed by in silence. Charlie had not heard from the Radio Demon and he had not made his presence known to anyone else in the hotel. She quelled her fear and turned it into a ripe anger, not wanting to give in to whatever else was brewing below the surface.

She told herself that Alastor was aggravating, maddening, infuriating… but the hotelier knew deep down that he was hurting. She couldn't hold on to what anger she kept trying to conjure from the depths and it often simmered back into worry.

He had been so kind! For a solid minute, the pair's connection was so amiable and warm. Charlie inwardly cursed at her forwardness but at the same time felt justified in her overinvolvement. She wasn't wrong for trying to help him, was she? No, she wouldn't let self-doubt stop her from caring about a friend. It went against everything she was trying to do at this hotel and perseverance was the last thing she had left. Her eyes narrowed and she nodded to herself.

"You alright, Char?" asked Angel. He sipped wine at the bar with Husk. Both of whom were eyeing her.

"Fine!" she said with too much energy, plastering on a happy smile. "Great!"

"Well you don't seem great," commented Husk. "Did the boss do something to you?" Nailing it on the first try.

Read like a book! Charlie fumed, puffing out her cheeks and marching towards the pair at the bar. "Now what makes you ask that!" she said, too loud. The duo cowered under her unhinged expression.

"No one riles you up like Smiles," snorted Angel, swinging around his seat. Charlie crossed her arms and huffed, unable to provide a rebuttal.

Husk chuckled, downing some cheap booze. "I saw you two out on the dancefloor the other night," he added. "Pretty damn amazing seeing the boss like that."

"Like what?" Charlie couldn't help but ask, pulling herself a seat at the bar.

"I've never seen the smiling freak dance unless he was trying to get his way or convince some poor simpleton that he was only there to help–" Husk coughed into his paw, moving on. "But the way he looked that night…"

"How?" Charlie urged, leaning forward.

"Smitten like a kitten," finished Angel.

The blonde demoness waved her hands and laughed. "You weren't even there, Angel!"

"Didn't needta be! I saw him the rest of the night, it was the same thing. And the way he came to your rescue– oh boy! Woulda had me swooning."

"He was just drunk," defended Charlie, not sure why she felt she had to explain away his actions. "Plus, he was there to defend you, not me!"

The spider demon shook his head as if admonishing a child. "Whatever you say, babe. But you're lucky to have someone like that in your corner."

Charlie looked crestfallen, not quite cheered by the sentiment. "I'm not so sure he's in my corner anymore."

Husk raised a long brow, disbelieving of that statement. "I wouldn't bet on that and I've made far riskier bets in my time."

"What happened, toots?" Angel asked.

"Well, I can't go into detail but I think I got too personal," she sighed, "things between us felt so good, I guess I felt I could intrude on his life like that but apparently not…"

Angel resisted making jokes about the way she worded that and mulled over what she said. "Don't get too down about it, Char. Heck, you've intruded on my life loads of times and after stewing on it long enough, I end up feeling grateful that someone gives a damn." He sipped his wine thoughtfully. "Give the goon some time and he'll figure it out."

The cat demon nodded. "Or let him be the sad sack he deserves to be."

"Thanks guys." Charlie smiled sadly at the two of them before asking about themselves. Not much had changed for Husk, and Angel was still anxiously awaiting Valentino's response to the previous night's incident. The pair broke into an argument about why Husk missed Angel's performance and she took her leave then, promising her support.

She'd been struggling to work, still not even choosing candidates for the hotel. She had her favorites (all of them) but still felt something would be missing if she didn't get Alastor's blessing. But who knew when she'd see the Radio Demon again?

She sighed again and tried to busy her mind with more hotel plans. Logistics, budgetary, lesson plans... The half-angel had her work cut out for her. But her mind kept drifting to something the red demon had said, and it stuck in her craw the more she thought about it.

"You are not one of us, you realize?"

A throwaway statement for the Radio Demon, something he said without thought, but it ground her to her core. Of course she knew she wasn't a sinner demon. She was never human, and she could never hope to understand the struggle of having lived an entire life before descending into Hell.

As she looked upon her gleaming hotel, she felt the naivety of her dream take on a whole new meaning. Was it all for naught? Was it all hopeless?

Charlie shook her head furiously, having gone down this mental path before. It hurt her to recognize the fault in her own goal, but it hurt even more to feel that gap between her and the others. Did Alastor really feel that way? That she would never, could never, understand him? And further yet, that she didn't deserve to?

She kicked down at the carpet, frowning, and shuffled her way back to her office.

…

Alastor was on a tear.

It had been a while since the Radio Demon had wrecked a little bit of havoc. And he often resisted his more primal urge to enact destruction these days. But he couldn't help himself this time. He felt the need to destroy and flex his powers, as limited as they were. He breathed heavily as he smashed another tentacle through a wall. He wasn't hurting anyone, as he might've before, and that realization only made him more pissed.

Why did he say those things to Charlie, was the dominant thought swirling through his head. He felt oddly guilty, knowing she was just being exactly who he knew her to be. But in the moment he had wanted to hurt her somehow, knock her down a peg. And he felt mildly sick with himself.

He needed help more than ever before and yet he still resisted her sincere offer, drenched in unending goodwill.

He raised another clawed fist and down went another building. Alastor knew he was throwing a bit of a tantrum and he was getting nowhere. He knew he'd have to return eventually to the hotel and face reality and receive the help so generously offered, as much as it pained him.

Most of all, he knew he must apologize to the Princess of Hell.

She was getting close, too close, to the Radio Demon and he was feeling his sincerity with the demoness grow. His guard often dropped, his mockery making way for honesty. It was perplexing to remember that the pair had only recently become involved (in business together), and how far the stakes had grown in too short a time. She was emblazoned within his life now, an unshakable inscription on his fate. Alastor didn't know if this thought pleased him or scared him more.

As he prepared to swing out another tentacle, his will died in midair and he dissolved his black magic. His chest heaved from the effort and he felt incredibly drained. The rampage was slightly satisfying but it left a sour taste in his mouth. It all suddenly felt like a huge, petulant, waste.

Doubling over slightly, Alastor used the last of his energy to teleport away with a snap of his fingers.

…

Vaggie and Charlie were sipping tea in the parlor, going over ideas, when there came a knock at the door.

Not expecting company, the Princess of Hell raced over before Vaggie even had a chance to realize what was happening.

The blonde swung the door open and on the other side was none other than Odette, Carmilla Carmine's daughter. She had a delivery and graciously let herself in with a long brown box.

"For the Radio Demon," she said, professionally, offering a tablet for one of them to sign. "It must go directly to him."

Vaggie rounded on her in a second. "He's ordering weapons now? To the hotel?"

Odette hardly looked up from her papers. "Not necessarily. I, for one, don't actually know what is in this box, just that it belongs to the Radio Demon."

"I'll sign for it!" Charlie perked up, her mind already swimming with possibilities.

The gray angel stuck her arm out to block the blonde. "No, Charlie! It could be a bomb or anthrax or something!"

"Oh Vaggie, what use could Alastor have for that stuff?" scoffed Charlie. She waved a hand in dismissal and signed the form.

Odette bowed and took her leave, thanking them for their time. As soon as the door swung shut behind her, Vaggie turned on Charlie, who was cradling the brown box in her arms.

"Give me that, hon," warned Vaggie.

The demoness pulled the package even closer to her chest, sensing that the ire radiating off of her girlfriend could not be good. "It belongs to Al, I'm going to take it to him. It's his business!"

"And it's on our property! We can't be taking who knows what to that smiling cabrón, sight unseen!"

"You're not suggesting we open it, are you?" Charlie asked, aghast. "That's a huge violation of privacy!"

"And he lost that privilege the second he ordered a weapon here!" Vaggie was squaring off with Charlie, the two facing each other, feet planted on the floor.

Charlie released a heavy sigh, sensing another argument on the topic gaining ground. Vaggie had been in better moods lately, with Alastor's current absence, but so easily the peace was disturbed. "We don't know what it is–"

As Charlie loosened her grip, Vaggie made a play for the package, swiping it out of the demoness's hands. At the last second, realizing what was happening, Charlie lunged back for it, grabbing it at its edge. Her nails were sharp, and Vaggie's hold even tighter. With a deft swipe, the gray angel flung the package away and there came a loud tearing sound.

The pair fell back on their bums on opposite sides. The contents of the package, mangled but wrapped still, in the middle of the floor. Charlie immediately stood, saw the damage, and looked at her partner in disbelief. But Vaggie was quick to recover. Ignoring the fury directed at her, she went to the package and pulled aside the wrappings.

Inside was Alastor's broken microphone, and a note, which read: "Sorry, nothing in Hell can fix this. - Carmilla"

"It's his cane…" came the surprised whisper from the former angel.

Charlie swooped in, gathered up the remains, and delivered a harsh glare towards Vaggie kneeling on the floor. "How could you?" she said, astonished that her girlfriend would do such a thing. The demoness turned away in a sweep of hair and stomped up the stairs.

Vaggie stayed rooted to the spot in the middle of the lobby and sighed.

…

Charlie locked the bedroom door behind her and gently placed Alastor's cane on her bed. She looked at the mangled microphone with a heavy heart. She hadn't even noticed that Alastor was missing it. How badly did it bother him that it had broken?

And how upset would he be the second he finds out that Vaggie had tore through the last remnants of his belongings and privacy. It was already hanging by a thread as it is, what with him running off, and Charlie didn't know how much the Radio Demon could take before enough was enough.

She didn't want to lose his trust in her, what little remained.

She ran pale fingers over its edges, the metal spine bent and crooked. At the sheared points there was a blackness, like a burn, but darker than she'd ever seen.

'This must've happened during his battle with Adam,' Charlie reasoned, caressing the microphone's eye-like face. She wasn't sure how it worked, or even what it was, but it was special to Alastor, and unique only to him.

She picked up the succinct note and ran her eyes over it a few times, re-understanding its meaning. "Nothing in Hell…can fix this…" she muttered to herself.

Charlie placed a warm hand over its broken center, and conjured up a gleam of golden magic.

"What about in Heaven?"

…

"Alastor! Now what brings your tall, dark, mysterious self to my doorstep this morning? I haven't seen you since the big Extermination day!" Rosie called, delighted at the friendly visit. She swept open her arms in greeting and peered around his head. "But no darlin' Princess Charlie with you? A shame, I do enjoy that girl's spunk!"

Rosie chuckled warmly before she noticed Alastor's less than jovial mood at the mention of the demoness. He seemed sullen, his smile lacking a bit of its usual shine. His clothes were tattered and loose, like he dressed in a hurry.

"Rosie, my dear," he greeted, "forgive my intrusion but I find myself…" he grimaced, "in need of a little company."

His overlord friend immediately nodded in understanding and moved aside to let him into her Emporium.

"And company you shall have! You're always welcome here, rain or shine! Come in, come in, I'm just setting down for a bit of tea."

The pair moved quietly inside, taking a seat by the window. Serving up some biscuits and tea, the two old friends got to chatting. Rosie shared news about the people of Cannibal Town. "Since the battle with the Exorcists, everyone now craves angel meat! It's positively diabolical! They're chomping at the bit for another Extermination!" she laughed and Alastor joined in, eventually loosening up after a stiff start.

"Now," Rosie continued after a bit of light catching up. She placed her cup down and looked sincerely at the Radio Demon. "What's put all those lines on your face, dear? You're creasier than a cotton coat! Spill, I'm all ears."

Alastor's upbeat demeanor dimmed, his grin bending at the corners. "I'm afraid it is my own doing," he began, "and now I owe… someone… an apology."

"An apology from Alastor?" Rosie questioned in mild wonder. "Never thought I'd see the day! Must be a pretty important person," she hummed, looking closely at the deer demon. "This doesn't happen to be about little miss Charlie, does it?"

"Perhaps," drawled Alastor, steepling his fingers in front of himself, giving everything away. Rosie was perceptive, too perceptive for her own good. "Were it so, what would you recommend my next move should be?"

"Flowers, absolutely," Rosie nodded. "Cook her dinner and write a heartfelt apology. Maybe sing a song as well! You're good at those, darlin'!" She continued on, listing a number of ideas on her pointed fingers.

The more she spoke, the further Alastor sunk into his chair, not enjoying the thought of any of those options. He was beginning to regret his decision to consult the Overlord and began to rub circles over his bleary eyes.

"Sweetie," she continued, after her lesson on How to Apologize to a Lady. "What happened between you both? You two went together like coffee and cream the last time I saw you!" Rosie huffed. "I figured it'd take a lot to ruffle her feathers, even with you."

"Let's just say, I said some unbecoming things and then fled mid-conversation. It was not my finest hour."

"Oh Alastor, you dog! That's all? I was expecting worse, much worse! Like maybe you killed and ate her girlfriend!" Rosie shook her head with laughter.

"I'm fairly certain it is her girlfriend that would like to kill and eat me."

"With a catch like you around? I wouldn't be surprised!" Rosie reached forward to pat his hand. "I think a sincere apology from the heart is all you'll need this time."

"That is something I can manage," the deer demon relented.

"I will say though, you're looking absolutely worn to pieces! This must be really eating you up," she continued, eyeing him further. "You haven't… lit a flame for dear Charlie, have you?"

"Nothing of the sort!" he immediately replied, looking strained. He couldn't tell Rosie the whole story, as much as he'd like to. There was still so much he had to play close to the chest, quite literally on his chest. "There happens to be a lot of raucousness these days and I've been run ragged."

"I was going to say…" Rosie grinned. "The princess wouldn't be able to handle you!"

Alastor sipped his tea and offered a warm grin. "On the contrary, it's me that struggles to keep up with her."

"Oh, you're sweet on her! I can tell. A lady can always tell!" Rosie winked, tapping herself on the nose.

Alastor chose not to respond, finding he had little to say. He was still debating with himself on whether to reveal the pulsing blackness across his chest. The Radio Demon wanted to discuss his inevitable death, his confusing anger, and even more infuriating reaction to Charlie wanting to help him; Charlie caring for him.

But to reveal that, is to reveal everything else and he did not feel ready or able.

"Rosie, you are such a doll," he said instead. "I have to thank you for all the wonderful times we've shared."

"Pssh, Alastor! You say that like we will never see each other again!"

He realized belatedly what Charlie was trying to do for him. And it was not out of pity or grating charity but out of… he had not the word for it.

In time it will come, but for now he would enjoy the fine company of his old friend… while he still could.

AN: Rosie makes an appearance! More people prodding at the two, making fun...

Thanks for reading! Enjoy the chapter and can't wait for your thoughts!