As they walked it became evident that this part of Hell was much more put together than where they'd landed. The eyes were still everywhere, but the garbage was gone and the buildings were much better maintained.

It may even have passed for having nice vibes if every door didn't slam and every window wasn't quickly shuttered at their approach.

The main thoroughfare was completely emptied as they came to a stop in the middle of town. Emily scanned the surroundings, it was obvious the area had been cleared in a hurry. An ice-cream stand lay toppled on it's side and a lone go-cart trundled down the road before coming to a rest in the gutter.

"Oh look." Peter pointed to a small park, there was a bench just outside if it with what looked like an old antique pram sitting next to it.

The curious Angels approached the carriage cautiously, inside was a bundle of pink blankets. "Naww!" They both cooed.

"Why hello there little one!" Completely forgetting where they were with the prospect of cuddling a baby. Emily reached in and took the infant in her arms without thinking, bouncing and rocking her gently.

"My Baby!" a woman's voice screeched "By the Root of all Evil! Someone please! Save my baby!"

Confused, Emily looked down at the swaddle and went cold at what she saw. Instead of a bubbly little bundle of joy, all pink pudge, and coos what she instead cradled absolutely terrified her. It looked like a creepy porcelain doll with large black voids in its eye sockets that filled her with existential dread.

The infant stared back up at her, a look of terror on its face. It was almost like it was too scared to cry or even move.

A metallic click shocked Emily out of her thoughts.

She looked up to see a very tall skeletal creature, no, a woman standing in the middle of the road in a cordovan and rose vale coloured dress that looked like it was straight out of Earth's Edwardian period.

Her skin was ivory like death and her hair was as white as cotton. She had a long neck and reminded Emily of an undead swan. Her eyes were the same horrible black pools as the strange creature in her arms, but more importantly she was holding a double barrel shot gun and it was aimed right at them.

"Put the kid down and step away from him, now!" The terrifying lady demanded, revealing a row of sharp snarling teeth.

Emily opened he mouth to speak but barely got a word out when a loud boom echoed in the empty street and when her brain had caught up with reality, she realised the woman had shot at Peter's feet. He yelped and jumped backwards. He was so scared at this point he looked in the mist of a nervous breakdown.

"Now, you listen to me you genocidal swine, these are blessed bullets. Not going ta do much to a seraphim, but they're sure to wipe your pigeon-livered friend here from the face of existence." She cocked the gun again and aimed it right at Peter's head as he whimpered. "I won't ask again, put the baby down and step away."

Not wanting to provoke the mad lady, Emily wordlessly placed the infant on the ground and they backed away from it.

"Good… now get out of my territory and don't ever come back." She spat. The young angel had never heard such venom.

The divine beings turn on their heels and made off at a brisk trot holding on to each other tightly for safety, trying to get away from the angry corpse people as fast as they could.

As the scary woman faded into the distance Emily distinctly heard her order someone to get someone named "Al" on the phone for her immediately.

The pair speed walked until they couldn't see any early 20th century architecture anymore, finally slowing down to a stroll when they came into a more industrial type of district.

Surely this wasn't the skeletal lady's land anymore. The streets were completely devoid of life and there was a distinct sting to the air, more than just the heat. It smelt of burnt rubber and metals. The buildings were grimy and the edges of the roofs almost looked like they had had acid raining down on them.

They were still holding hands as they passed by all the shuttered roller doors, to scared to lose each other in this strange land despite seemingly being the only two people here. Peter waved his free hand in front of him in an attempt to wave the smog away, it didn't work.

He sighed in resignation. "I'm Sorry Emmie."

Her snow white hair whipped around her as she turned to him in alarm. "Sorry? Sorry for what Peter? What's wrong?"

"I just… I've been so utterly useless. I'm sorry, I'm such a coward. I've been… I-I."

"Peter! What are you talking about!" She interrupted, horrified that her friend could think such things of himself.

He looked to her with big sorrowful blue eyes, but he was determined to get this apology out. "I was sent down here to support you, but all I've done is be a weak little burden. I guard Heaven's gates, that's not even a remotely dangerous job. I can't protect you, I can't even protect myself… I'm a pathetic excuse for a man."

Something hot and stormy filled her in that moment, she recognised whose words those last few were. And it made her very upset, no, more than upset, but she didn't quite know what. Even after he was gone, Adam was still hurting people. Hurting her friend.

The little seraphim took a big breath and let it out slowly to try to calm herself. It didn't quite work as well as she would have liked, the acrid air catching in her throat a bit and causing her sinuses to burn.

"You're not a coward Peter, if anything you're the bravest man I know."

Golden locks bounced as he lifted his gaze from the dirty footpath. "What? But I..."

"You were terrified to come down here with me, I could tell from the moment Sera asked you. But you did it anyway. You pulled me out of the sand when I faulted, you faced down a holy shotgun with me, and you're still here, holding my hand. If that's not courage, then I don't know what is. I wouldn't want anyone else at my side."

St. Peter's smiled warmly, taking her hand in both of his. "Thank you Emmie, you have no idea how much that means to me."

Emily's heart welled, pulling her friend into a hug. "And besides, Adam and the exorcists all came down here back when they thought they couldn't be harmed. We now know we can and yet you still came, so they really have nothing on you."

As they broke apart she noticed Peter had an odd expression on his face, almost like he hadn't thought of that.

A slight movement over his shoulder caught her attention, seeing her face he whipped around. "W-what? What did you see?" He stammered.

"I thought I…" She peered into the dingy alleyway, but there was nothing there. Just a dumpster overflowing with big black bags of trash. "No, it was nothing. Sorry to make you jump Peter." She took his hand and motioned him along. "We'd better keep moving if we're going to find this Hotel."

Peter followed eagerly, like he'd just remembered why they were there.

But Emily's brow furrowed, for a split second she could have sworn she saw the silhouette of a little deer bounding between the shadows. How strange.