Charlie stood frozen. It felt like her heart had stopped in her throat, as her eyes grew blurry. It couldn't be. She was afraid to blink in fear he would disappear, but when he turned and his eyes lit up with recognition upon meeting hers she broke.
Ellen expected the room to echo sounds of gasps, but to her shock it remained quiet, almost eerily so. There was a pregnant pause, the room seemingly frozen in time. Perhaps this wasn't the best way to have presented Sir Pentious and redemption.
A choked sod echoed the room and everyone watched as Charlie ran across the floor engulfing Pentious in a tight hug that he welcomingly returned.
It worked! There was always a small chance she was wrong but she truly believed souls could be redeemed and now she had proof. This would change everything. Charlie was overwhelmed, her emotions were everywhere, her thoughts racing faster than she could speak.
Charlie gestured to Pentious, stepping back to get a better look at him. "Look at you. You did it! I can't- Pen you- I'm so proud of you."
If looks could kill, Ellen was certain she would be dead. The anger and hate currently in the head seraphim's eyes were unmistakable.
"This matter will be discussed privately. Emily, Charlie please follow me. And you too, Pentious."
Sera flew down to lead the others out, leaving Ellen one more sharp glare before disappearing through the doors.
Ellen watched as the rest of the room cleared of Angels, all of which left upward, making her wonder why they had doors at floor level.
"What an interesting meeting." Alastor turned to Ellen. "Shall we start on our way back to the hotel? I would love to know how you managed to change the balance of power to myself. That older seraphim did not like me much yet I had control of it all at the end there." He raised a quizzical eyebrow at her as he confidently tugged at his lapels, fixing his jacket.
"Yeah it turns out our marriage is a bit more complicated than we thought. You have power over all decisions regarding me and my wellbeing whether it be legal, medical or -"
She froze as her eyes locked to Cecile's.
"Ellen?"
She pressed on, her eyes not leaving Cecile's, he didn't seem to notice her attention was elsewhere."Um, Alastor I have someone I think you should meet."
He chuckled. "My dear there is no one here I would be interested in conversing with."
Ellen laughed nervously. "Yeah…" She slowly made her way to the corner, her eyes now watching Alastor to try gaging his reaction. She didn't know why she was so nervous all of a sudden. He would be ecstatic to see his mom again. He said so himself, he loved her a lot so this was going to go great. Her stomach seemed to think otherwise.
Cecile moved to meet the two of them halfway, her eyes also on Alastor.
"Ah, I see you've made a friend."
Ellen felt her stomach knot. He didn't recognize her? This was not going to be a good surprise when he inevitably figured out who she was.
"Alastor, ma chère?"
His eyes widened. He clearly recognized the voice.
"Maman…"
Ellen's smile was just starting to lift when Alastor shifted into shadow and disappeared from sight.
There was a long pause, the two women looking at each other, both lost for words.
Alastor clearly knew it was his mother, so why did he run like that? Surely he would want to see her after years of her absence.
"I think he may need a few minutes." Ellen didn't know what else to say.
"He just…he vanished."
"He's quite a force to be reckoned with. One of the most powerful beings in Hell. It helps having added powers and abilities."
"He can just slip into shadow?"
Ellen chuckled. "Yeah it took me a while to wrap my head around that too." She linked arms with Cecile. "Come let's go sit in the lobby. I'll go find him and come back. I'm sure it was just a bit overwhelming."
The two moved into the lobby where they sat on one of the benches by the front doors. Ellen had her eyes peeled for any sign of Aastor but didn't have any luck. Was his shadow here too? She hadn't noticed.
When she was certain Cecile was good, she stepped out hoping to find Alastor. A flash of red had her looking off to her right where she found the Radio Demon pacing almost out of sight in shadow. She slowly made her way over.
"You knew."
She didn't know why he seemed to be so panicked about it. "It's your mom. We found each other and I thought you'd be excited to-"
"-You are mistaken." He stopped to glare at her.
Her face crinkled up in confusion. "I don't understand."
"It doesn't matter."
"Clearly it does. I don't think I've seen you run away so fast."
He turned away. "I didn't run away. It…it was a strategic retreat."
Her eyebrow raised. "From your mother?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me." She crossed her arms.
He let out an exasperated sigh running a hand through his hair. "I'm not the man I used to be. She would be…" There was a long pause and Ellen was starting to wonder if he was just going to leave the thought hanging.
"It would be best if she remembers me as I was, not who I've become."
Ellen moved a little closer, softening her tone as she asked cautiously, "you're afraid she'll be disappointed in who you've become?"
He shook his head before turning to glare. "She wouldn't be just disappointed, she would be ashamed, disgusted, horrified and whatever other repulsive things one can be. I've lost her once, it won't happen again."
He moved to lean against the side of the building.
"You're already losing her again Alastor. She's here, right now and you're hiding out here. You're not going to get another chance at this. And I'm sure when the seraphims are done with Charlie and Pentious we will be politely asked to leave immediately, so go in there and say hi."
"The less she knows the better."
"She knows more than you think. She's not dumb. I've also been chatting with her the past few weeks and while she doesn't necessarily understand everything, she still wants to see you."
He turned to her, his eyes narrowed in a look anyone else would have shrunk under.
"What did you do? What did you say?"
"Once we figured out why we were drawn to each other I was honest with her. I was selective with what I shared, of course, some things are better coming from you, but I answered her questions best I could considering."
"You WHAT!?"
Ellen was a bit surprised his eyes had gone black, antlers protruding and he moved to tower over her. Why was he so upset about this?
"She figured out you wound up in Hell considering you never appeared at the pearly gates. I-"
Ellen bit her lip, turning away. It was a tell, she knew her next words were not going to help the situation and because he could read her so well, he knew too. She did promise to be honest and straight with him. She let out a small huff before continuing.
"I told her you were doing well in Hell and had no interest in redemption. I didn't-"
She didn't finish her sentence as Alastor grabbed her face, pulling it to his, his claws probably drawing blood from her cheeks. She tried not to wince.
"My dear, you don't know what you've done. I have killed many for much less, but you…" His hand shook, her face unwillingly following. "…I can't." The sigh was a mix of frustration and annoyance.
She was let go rather abruptly, landing in a heap on the ground.
"And yet she still wants to see you."
He turned on her quickly. "What else did you divulge, hmm? That I enjoy torturing and devouring souls? That I've killed hundreds for the pure joy of it?"
Each question had him draw closer to her and slowly grow in stature towering over her already smaller form. She resisted the urge to scuttle back. She couldn't remember the last time she was on this side of his anger. Sure they had disagreements, but this was far above that and if she didn't remind herself that she could take his powers if she needed, she probably would have been afraid.
"Perhaps you told her of my twisted delight in manipulating others into giving me their souls? Tell me, does she know I revel in the taste of other demons' flesh? Or maybe that I enjoy others' suffering? That I relish in the screams of my victims?"
"Stop it!"
She tried to keep the hurt from her eyes as she glared up at him. He was clearly upset, but he didn't need to be an ass about it. He knew she would never have discussed any of this with her. He was caught up in his own inner turmoil.
"Oh no, my dear I'm just getting started."
"Alastor…" She warned, finally building up the nerve to stand, to face him head on.
He laughed, the sound deeper than she was used to. "You don't scare me, Ellen."
"I'm not trying to scare you, I'm trying to have a conversation with you but I can't do that if you're going to be like this." She gestured to him, glaring.
He slowly returned to his normal state though his eyes were still slitted.
"Thank you. Now can I explain myself?"
He remained silent and Ellen had to fight the almost impossible urge to roll her eyes.
"I told her I would find her son and help him get redeemed so they could be reunited, that was until I found out you were her son. So instead of giving her false hope, I told her the truth. I told her I got married in Hell and yeah I got the disgusted and horrified looks. Until I told her it was to you and then she couldn't have been happier."
She noticed his glare softened a little, which only caused hers to deepen more.
"She doesn't care what you did, she just wants to see you. And you're being a prideful ass by running away."
His glare returned and she pushed on before he could respond.
"Is she going to be disappointed? Yeah probably, but what parent doesn't hold their kids to a higher standard than their own? You're not perfect, I'm sure not perfect and nor is she. I don't approve of all that you do but that doesn't mean I love you any less. So just…go see your mother."
"Not even you know what delightful atrocities I have accomplished, darling."
"True, but if it doesn't affect us now or our future I don't think I need to know." She would want to know. She would admit she was a little nosy, but that could be discussed at a different time. She let out a tired sigh.
"If I had known you were going to be in that meeting I would've given you a heads up, heck I would have warned her too, but seeing as I had no way of knowing I did the best I could. And honestly if not for some of Cecile's insight it probably wouldn't have gone the way it did."
"She was there?"
The question caused her to lose her chain of thought. Did he not remember that she appeared from the corner? It's not like she appeared from nowhere.
"I snuck her in with me and Pentious. Yeah she was there."
The colour in his face paled. "How long?"
"After the dead angel." She paused for a second putting the pieces together. "That was you wasn't it?"
He didn't answer, his cheeks heating. "She saw you…I…that whole conversation? My tail…?"
She only nodded.
He turned away and groaned. "Perfect." He mumbled sarcastically.
"She doesn't know the exorcist was you…"
"Don't. You've said plenty."
She rolled her eyes and decided she was done here. She didn't have the energy or patience anymore. She had been so excited about sneaking into the meeting that she had spent the entire night before planning and scoping the area. She was so focused she had even forgotten to eat and now that all of the excitement and adrenaline was starting to wear off, the exhaustion was kicking in hard.
She turned back toward the front doors ready to tell Cecile that Alastor would be back in shortly and leave it at that. Whether he did or didn't wasn't going to be her problem. She tried and as much as she wanted the two to reconnect, she knew she couldn't force him.
She was just about to pull the door open when Alastor appeared in front of her, blocking the door.
"Where are you going?"
"I promised your mom I would come back after I spoke with you."
"And what do you plan on telling her?"
Ellen pinched the bridge of her nose letting a deep sigh escape from her mouth. "I'm too tired for this Alastor. Either follow me in or let me go."
"Tired?" He lightly pulled her gaze to his and she let him look for all of three seconds before she pulled her head from his hand.
"Don't. You're mad, be mad."
"I'm not-" He let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm not angry."
That was a lie. She bit her tongue. If she responded it probably wouldn't be something nice, instead she moved to side step him and opened the door and headed in to find Cecile.
Alastor was beside her, keeping to her slower pace.
"You are more than just tired." He gave her a sideways glance.
She didn't really want to admit she was in some pain. Her feet were nothing compared to the throbbing pain in her head. She would have to try harder in ignoring it, so it wouldn't alert Alastor. Why was it so bright everywhere in heaven?
She stopped. "You're right." She gripped his arm for support causing him to stop beside her and she pulled off her heels ignoring the soreness and the blisters. She took some relief in the cool feeling of the tile under her feet. It should alleviate some of the soreness.
Shoes in hand, she made her way again, the soft slap sounds of her bare feet on the tile echoing in the otherwise silent lobby. She found Cecile where she had left her, waiting on one of the benches, her gaze on her hands sitting in her lap.
Upon hearing her approach, she stood, her eyes finding Ellens before they flipped over to her son, where they remained as they continued approaching.
She leaned over to whisper to Alastor before they got too close. "Do you want me to stay?"
"My dearest you need rest."
"I do, but I can hold on a little longer if you would prefer I stay for a bit. It might be a little easier with me playing in between."
"It would."
She managed a weak smile. At least Alastor would be on his best behaviour. She wouldn't have to worry about him making slighted comments, not in front of his mother. "Then stay I shall."
The three stood only a few feet apart in silence for a few moments, everyone else seemingly waiting for someone else to make the first move. Ellen's eyes moved to watch Alastor beside her. He didn't seem to know what to do, just staring, unblinking.
She lightly brushed her shoulder against his arm hoping to snap him out of it. It worked.
"Ma…"
Cecile finally moved, her arms going around her son hugging tightly. Alastor took a few seconds to process before he returned the embrace.
"Oh Alastor…"
Ellen smiled knowing everything would be okay. Even if he ignored all of her words, that hug alone would remove any doubt that she still loved him.
She turned away, taking in the impressive amount of detail in the lobby. There were murals on the ceiling she hadn't noticed until now. She lightly wandered, allowing the other two to have some privacy, but she remained close just in case.
Her hand slid into her pockets, her left hand quickly pulling out after touching something slimy. She slowly reached back in and pulled out Alastor's tail. A shiver ran down her back. What was she supposed to do with this? Why did she keep it? She looked around hoping to find an answer, like she expected it to just randomly be handed to her. Of course, it wasn't. She put it back into her pocket and took a seat on one of the benches close by.
Her feet were done for the day. She took a look to see how bad they were. Both heels had blisters and she even managed to get one one her left pinky toe. Not too bad. The pain in her arch would probably be gone by morning, she just needed to be careful with her blisters.
She put her foot back down and leaned back into the bench. Now that she was seated, she didn't think she had the energy to get back up again. She could probably fall asleep here without really trying, despite the wooden bench being uncomfortable. She could feel herself drifting, the periodic sound of laughter keeping her from succumbing to sleep fully.
His eyes darted over to find Ellen passed out on one of the benches. She had been asleep for a while before his ear started twitching toward the sound of soft snoring. She must have been really tired, not that he doubted it, he could tell when he looked at her earlier.
He didn't realize he had paused mid thought until his mother lightly rested a hand on his arm. "Go ahead. You've both had a busy day."
He wanted to argue, she was already asleep, it wouldn't matter if he stayed a few more minutes or a few more hours. There was so much he still wanted to tell her. He had never been nostalgic about his old life, but an hour with his mother made him want to do it all over again. He truly had missed her greatly. She was the only one that understood him, the way he was, or at least when he was alive. He had Ellen now and even she was still unaware of his past.
And now he would be losing his mother again. He never expected to see her after her death and knowing he wouldn't see her again didn't get any easier a second time.
He shook his head. "I'm sorry ma. I was so lost after you-"
"Shh. It's okay baby." She put a hand to his cheek and he leaned into it. "You don't need to explain yourself to me. I'm just glad you are okay and you are happy."
He grabbed her hand, placing a kiss on the back and bowing slightly. It felt strange being so much taller than her. Of course he had been since about eleven years of age, but he could still remember when she would envelop him completely in her arms.
She turned to look at Ellen asleep on the bench, her expression one of endearment. "I warned you about Janes like her. They're nothin' but trouble."
She looked back at Alastor, a loving smile curling her lips. "But she's a swell doll. She's a good thing for you."
He looked over to his wife, his smile bigger than his usual. "She is," he said honestly.
"Not what I would have picked for you, but I approve of her, not that it matters
He chuckled. "She wasn't exactly what I was expecting either, though I've grown quite fond of her."
"And she's quite fond of you, too." She smiled up at her son. "She's even keepin' you're secrets."
He stiffened. "Secrets?"
She laughed. "Now, now you needn't ruffle your feathers. I'm not going to push. You've always had secrets, just know you can't fool me."
She took another look up and down before reaching up and adjusting his tie.
"I'm so proud of you Alastor." She wrapped him in another hug. "You've become a fine young man."
He tightened his embrace, not wanting to let go. Those words were going to remain with him for as long as he drew breath. Sure she didn't know everything, but that didn't matter. She still loved him and would always be proud of him, and that was more than enough for him.
"I'm going to miss you maman."
"I'm going to miss you too, mon cher."
He gathered up Ellen and with one last glance back at his mother, Alastor slipped into shadow to his hotel room. He focused on getting Ellen comfortable, changed and tucked in, before he found himself staring blankly at her as his thoughts went back to when he was alive, when he was a different man.
AN: I just wanted to pop in and say thank you all for continuing along with me. :) Things are starting to heat up again, I have a few fun chapters already written, so stay tuned!
Little shout out to Shadowflame98 for sharing your thoughts on the past few chapters. I always enjoy reading what others think of my writing. 3
Cheers!