A father.

He was going to be a father.

The thought of it all was still just unbelievable for Moxxie. After waking up, he had given his wife the biggest kiss of all time and happily agreed with her to spread the news to everyone they knew. She had just left to phone her family back in the Wrath Ring to give them the good news while Moxxie asked for a moment to himself. He was currently looking out a window from the same level where Blitzo was staying, where he could see his wonderful wife happily screaming into the phone. No doubt that Lin and Joe would be all ecstatic that they were getting a grandkid, the first among their children. Something Millie was clearly going to rub in Sallie May's face.

No doubt that she, along with the rest of the family, was going to be surprised that Moxxie got their little Millie pregnant in the first place. Despite his best efforts, he knew that the family never really approved of Moxxie being their darling little murderer's husband. While part of it was that he wasn't physically strong as the rest of the family, preferring to kill from a range instead of up close and personal, the other part of it was that, unlike the rest of them, he actually grew up outside of the Wrath Ring despite being born there originally. There was always prejudice stigma between the imps who actually lived on the farms that fed most of Hell and those who didn't, especially if they weren't born in the Wrath Ring. Wrathborn imps always thought that outsider imps were weaker, haughty, and refused to do the great service for Hell they were meant to do by feeding it. Outsider imps believed that the wrathborn were uneducated hicks content to being servants (Or Slave Labor for the more radical) for the higher-ups of Hell while narrow-minded in their thinking by refusing to see alternate paths for themselves.

Still, Moxxie never stopped trying to get his in-laws to accept him. Maybe I can do that by being a good father? I certainly can't be worse then...

Closing his eyes, Moxxie refused to think of his real father. Or his mother, for that matter. He didn't even want to begin thinking of how they would react to knowing that they had a grandchild, and as far as Moxxie was concerned, he didn't want them knowing anything at all. He hadn't seen them for years, and he had no plans of changing that. Not unless he had a fully loaded shotgun with angel buckshot ready to wipe them out. Mainly because they would be trying to kill him with just as much vigor.

Of course, nobody knew that. Not even Millie knew of the terrible (and that was putting it lightly) relationship he had with his parents. It was the one secret Moxxie had kept from her both because it was painful to reflect upon, and it was to protect her. The truth about his parents was something he would never tell anybody so long as he lived. All he said was that they were dead, and that was it. And hopefully, that will continue to be believed.

He saw Millie wave from outside the hospital and smiled as he waved back. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about terrible memories. Now was the time to be happy that he was going to have a son or daughter in a few months. There was so much to plan and do, but right now, he just wanted to tell the others about the good news as fast as possible.

"Hey, Moxxie!"

"Huh?" Moxxie turned around to see some devil kid in a hospital gown with a water balloon in his hands. "Do you need something, little one? Wait, how did you know my-"

SPLASH!

"Gah! Phhhttt! What the hell was that...wait a minute...is this pee?!"

***

"...and that's why I'm not allowed to use rusty spoons as weapons anymore," Loona finished her story while Octavia looked at her friend with a disturbed face. "What? Too gruesome?"

"Sorry, I just..." Octavia took a moment to collect herself. "You did what with his spleen?!"

"Everyone always double flips about that part," Blitzo said with a chuckle as he shook his head. "Seriously, even I was impressed by that one."

"I learned from the best," Loona answered with a wink. She could feel her tail wagging behind her as her father continued to talk about some of her other famous kills growing up. Mostly against a few perverts who didn't know the meaning of "hands-off." What really made her happy was that Blitzo seemed to be in a good mood today compared to the previous night when he kept the hospital up at night with his nightmare.

It wasn't the worst night ever, thankfully, but it was always a pain to deal with. Not just because Loona found herself returning to the hospital every few days because Blitzo had a breakdown, but because it was a reminder of just how much her life had changed for the worse since six months ago. Loona never admitted it before, but I.M.P. was her family, and without Blitzo there at the center of it all, it just felt so wrong. Not to mention the fact that he went through a living nightmare that nearly saw him mentally shattered and killed. Her father was everything to Loona, and to lose him would be like losing her entire world. Sure, there was Octavia, who was her best friend, and the imp couple who she had gained a lot of respect for since fighting to save Blitzo from those Goetia assholes. But her father was the one person constantly in her shitty life that was always there for her. Yet, he needs me now more than ever, and I feel powerless sometimes to do anything to help him because I can't tell if he's getting better or not. And even if he is, how long until another nightmare ruins that?

Her thoughts were interrupted when the M&M couple walked in. Millie was smiling as bright as the sun and seemed to be ready to explode in excitement for some reason despite the fact she was sick earlier. Moxxie, meanwhile, looked annoyed, and there was a strange smell to him. He had obviously tried to wash it off since there was also a smell of water and soap to his clothing, but her nose wasn't just for show. Loona sniffed and then giggled upon realizing that he was drenched in piss despite looking like he dried himself off in the bathroom recently. She thought back to what Blitzo told the kids if they saw the little imp and smirked upon realizing one of them did it.

"There you two are," Blitzo said, greeting the couple. "What took so long? Moxxie needed to get his baby weiner checked to see if it grew an inch in the past few months?"

"Glad to see you're doing well, Sir," Moxxie said, rolling his eyes. "We actually got Millie finally checked up."

"So, is she alright?" Octavia asked, tilting her head.

"Better than alright," Millie said gleefully before she spread her arms in the air. "I'm pregnant!"

Loona felt her jaw drop upon hearing this before putting on a big smile and letting out what sounded like a mix between a bark and a laugh. Octavia had also cried with excitement as she covered her mouth with joy before all three girls hugged each other. Sure, it wasn't what neither goth girl was known for doing, but there were some cases where you could ignore your image. And learning someone was having a baby was definitely one of them.

"Holy shit! Seriously?!" Loona asked with a big smile as she looked at Moxxie with a grin. "Damn, Moxxie! About fucking time! And here I thought you just didn't know where to put it!"

Rolling his eyes, Moxxie responded, "Yes, Loona. I know where to put it, thank you."

"So the whole puking thing was just a sign of you having a baby?" Octavia asked as Millie nodded happily. "What about the acid thing?"

"Don't know, but it must be some kind of side effect in my genes," Millie said with a shrug before there were stars in her eyes. "Oh, but it would be cool if my son or daughter could make acid attacks! It would really make him or her a great assassin if they could do that."

"Millie, do we really need to plan our child's future already?" Moxxie chuckled, rubbing his horns. "I mean, we don't know if they're going to be an assassin-"

"Yes, they are," all three girls said with raised eyebrows as if that was not even up for debate considering who the mother was.

"...Yeah, like that was a question," Moxxie muttered as he sulked before perking up. "But I'd say this was great news. Wouldn't you say so, Sir?'

Loona waited to hear a reply from Blitzo, but there was nothing. Curious, the four of them all turned to the imp who was just staring at Millie with a shocked and wide-eyed expression. The four looked at each other and then at Blitzo, who just sat there as still as a statue. Walking over, Millie waved her hand in his face. "Hellooo? Pentagram to Blitz? Are you there?"

"Wow, he's really shocked," Octavia said, crossing her arms before rubbing her cheek. "Um, actually. He kinda looks..."

"Dad?" Loona asked, walking over to his side. "Is something-"

Loona felt her breath come to a halt, and she was sure everyone else was as well. Blitzo had finally reacted, but it was not with a smile or cry of laughter. Not even with a joke at Moxxie's expense.

Instead, he was crying.

Blitzo's eyes were letting a cascade of tears drip down his cheeks as he gazed straight ahead into nothing. Warning bells began to trigger in Loona's mind as she gulped and felt uncertain what to do despite knowing what was happening. It had occurred before many times, and these often were the worst cases to deal with.

A memory trigger.

And from the silent sobbing, it was a terrible one.

Before anyone could do anything, a red blur knocked Loona and Millie over, which caused Moxxie to yelp and rush to his wife while Loona fell flat on her ass. Octavia was also pushed aside as Blitzo, sweating and breathing heavily, smashed through the door while gripping his chest as if his heart was about to burst out. Loona felt something deep inside her stomach turn as a bad feeling came down like an anvil from the sky.

"Dad!" Loona screamed with worry as Blitzo gasped over and over again in the hallway. Shivering and shaking, he rushed downward despite numerous cries from the others to stop.

***

"I'm pregnant."

He heard what Millie said, but he didn't see Millie say those words. He saw her. He saw Zella. It was as if he had been sent back in time. The two of them are in her room with him by the door while watching her play her piano. Her green tail swished back and forth as he eyed her with a gaze of worship because there was no other being in the universe like her. She ends her melody before turning her lovely blue eyes, which is a rarity to find in Hell as most are born red or yellow. She then speaks the two words that change everything in his life as multiple emotions come into being upon hearing them.

Shock.

Fear.

Joy.

And sorrow.

At that moment, Blitzo couldn't breathe. His lungs were caving in on themselves. Everything was getting shader and murky in color, like a painting melting in a fire. He saw the others talking, but all he could hear was his wife speaking in his mind. A voice he had tried to silence for over a hundred years because each time he listened to the voice of his angel, there was great pain each time. He felt the hook of guilt dragging him deeper and deeper into a familiar pool of shame and regret that flooded his insides as he sank to the bottom in despair.

They say Hell was designed to be a place where regrets and sins burdened you endlessly. For Blitzo, that experience had become an everyday nightmare.

The others, what blurs he could make of them, were talking to one another. He didn't know what they were saying or what they were doing. Their colors and lines just turned into blobs as sweat poured down Blitzo's face that began to mix with his tears. They were speaking, maybe to each other, or maybe to him? He didn't know because all he could hear was her voice. Her sweet-sounding voice made him want to cry each time he heard it.

"Blitzo, what are we going to do? If father finds out..."

Blitzo didn't know why, but he had to get out. He saw the figures looking at her and began to panic. Were they friend or foe? Where was Zella? Zella. He had to find her. He had to find his wife. He pushed the figures out of the way and burst through the door as hard as he could. The whole place was pure white, with figures wearing the same color also moving around. This wasn't the mansion or even any of the locations that Don Ziggler owned. Was this Heaven? No, why would angels want to capture an imp alive even if he was a bodyguard for an Overlord?

"Do you want to have the baby?"

What kind of question was that? Of course he wanted the baby! He never thought he would fall in love, much less with Don Ziggler's daughter, but how could Blitzo not fall in love with Zella? She was the one thing in all of Hell that had to be an angel in a previous life. She was sweet, kind, and never stopped living life like the roaring 20's themselves.

He rushed down the hall, pushing past the figures that were in his way. Where was he? Where was Zella? Where was their baby?

"What should we name the baby? How about...if it's a girl, we name her Luna?"

Luna? Or Loona? Which was it?

Why did the name sound so familiar?

Why was his name being shouted? Who was shouting? Zella?

There was a light at the end of the hallway. An opening. A way out.

Blitzo rushed as fast as he could as his heart continued to beat harder in his chest. There was now screaming and people trying to stop him, but he just needed to get to that light. He jumped through it and felt the wind in his hair as he heard Zella whispers one more time.

"I love you, Blitzo."

Everything feels so free and flowing as the sun brightens everything for him, and he looks down to see the world coming towards him at breakneck speed.

"DAD!"

"BLITZ!"

"Huh?" Blitzo shook his head and noticed a big red car that he was falling towards head first in the hospital's parking lot. "Oh, shit..."

SMASH!

And then there was darkness.

***

Octavia wasn't sure who screamed first. Maybe it was Loona or someone else, but Octavia had already teleported herself to the outside parking lot the moment she heard Blitzo's body connect with the red car. If this was the first or second floor, there wouldn't be cause for alarm, but this was the eighth floor. And Blitzo jumped out head first like he was trying to escape a burning building. Octavia didn't want to think yet if this was suicide or not. No! Focus on saving Blitzo, then worry about the reasons for this later!

The car alarm was blaring like mad as Octavia nearly froze upon seeing the damage. Not just to the vehicle but also to Blitzo himself. The imp's face was covered in broken glass to the point that she was sure there were even some in his eyes. He looked like a porcupine covered in shards of jagged mirrors. It nearly took her entire willpower to not throw up upon seeing the torn open lips and cheeks that were flowing with blood. His arms and legs were bent in positions that shouldn't be possible, no doubt he had broken a good portion of his bones, and that was not even counting for the internal damage. Not to mention that the amount of blood pouring out of him was making his skin turn pale.

Once again, Octavia cursed herself for not knowing medical spells and thanked the stars they were right next to a hospital. She levitated him off the car as gently as possible to avoid more damage, just as a doctor and nurses rushed over with a stretcher. After placing him on it like a newborn, the staff went to work as fast as possible, with the nurse casting spells while the doctor kept screaming for them to get an emergency operation ready. IVs were implemented. A heart monitor was turned on as they put patches on Blitzo's body. His hospital gown was ripped open as one nurse was levitating pieces of glass off of him slowly as possible while they continued to rush inside.

Octavia did nothing but follow as they continued to work on the broken imp. Everyone who was in their way jumped out and gasped upon the sight or looked with indifference upon seeing it was just an imp. They barely managed to get to the ICU wing when she spotted a running and teary-eyed Loona rushing towards them from the other side of the room, followed by Moxxie and Millie, who looked as pale as ghosts upon seeing Blitzo's body.

"DAD!" Loona shouted as she tried to touch him, but Octavia held her friend off. "Let me go! Let me go, or I'll fucking eat you!"

"Loona, no!" Octavia shouted as she gritted her teeth to force the hellhound back. She could already feel her claws digging into her feathers and drawing blood, but Octavia held firm, much to her surprise. She knew the hellhound could easily knock her down or rip her apart and noticed that both Moxxie and Millie were grabbing her tail from behind. Forcing Loona to look at her, eye to eye, Octavia snapped at her, "You have to let them work on him! They-"

And then there was a long and frightening beep. A beep that made everyone freeze in place as the entire dimension of Hell seemed to come to an end for one split second.

Everyone turned with horror as the heart rate monitor went flat. Dead flat...

"Fuck! Code Blue! Code Blue!" The doctor, a tiger with black and white spots that were living eyeballs, shouted as he ordered his nurses to get the paddle under the stretcher. Octavia felt Loona fall from her hands and onto the floor as she stared at Blitzo's unmoving body while on her knees, hyperventilating as tears streamed down her eyes. Grabbing the paddles and rubbing them together, the tiger doctor shouted, "Clear!"

He pressed them on Blitzo's chest, jolting his body as the burst of electrical currents went through.

Nothing.

"No...boss...Blitz...no..." Millie sobbed as Moxxie held onto her. The two imps shaking as they held their breaths.

"Again! Clear!"

A second shock. Another jolt. Still nothing.

Octavia felt like she was going to be sick. What was she to do? Call her dad? Cast a spell? Pray? She closed her eyes and turned away, unable to look.

"Again! Clear!"

A third shock. Another jolt.

And then there was a beep. Followed by another. And another.

Octavia felt the oxygen leave her lungs as she turned back and saw the heart monitor beating again. She was pretty sure Moxxie had collapsed to the floor with Millie, and Octavia was close to joining them.

"Alright, he's back! Let's move it, people!"

***

Three hours and still nothing.

The four of them just sat there right next to the ICU's surgery wing doors and just did nothing but stare into the wall across from them. Octavia didn't do anything but hold Loona's paw when the hellhound started crying. That and try to work up the courage to call her father. She should have done that the moment Blitzo came back from being temporarily dead, but she couldn't move from her spot. She was afraid of doing anything except just waiting for the result of what was going on and praying that Blitzo would be okay.

Octavia was also afraid of what her father would do if he discovered that the demon he loved had been dead for about ten seconds before coming back to life. Satan knows he would turn into his true form right then and there and fly all across Hell just to get here, which would bring all sorts of attention. That, and Octavia's mind was still reeling from what she just saw. Blitzo outright jumped, headfirst, out of a window in a tall building. On the eighth floor. She really wanted to believe that he wasn't trying to kill himself. That something snapped the moment he heard Millie said that she was pregnant, and it triggered something.

Yet she just wasn't damn sure.

She slowly moved her head for the first time in hours and saw Loona, who had cried her eyes out non-stop for so long, just looking like a tiny puppy who had been whipped. She couldn't imagine what her best friend was going through. To see your father nearly die like that...all the blood and mangled limbs...not to mention seeing his heart stop for a few seconds...

If it had been Octavia's father, she would have been tearing everything around her in a panic.

Loona had never once let go of Octavia's hand, squeezing it for support every so often, and she would squeeze back to let her know everything was going to be okay. Such a thought almost made Octavia snort. "Okay" was a loose term to lose at this point, considering all that had just happened. God only knows what Blitzo would go through emotionally and mentally if he survived his latest near-death experience. She knew it had not been easy for Loona these past six months. How many times had the hellhound needed to drop everything to calm her father down? How many nights did she go to bed sobbing in her sleep when she was sure nobody was listening in. Not to mention how many wine bottles she had taken from the cellar to compensate for her pain?

There was only so much a demon could take. Even one as tough as Loona.

Octavia turned her gaze to the once bright couple who had learned of the joyous news were now as silent as the grave. Octavia had gotten to know the couple quite well since the incident six months ago, and never before had she seen Millie look so broken. The perky psychopath was known for being optimistic even in the face of danger or feeling sadness. There was always a tiny smirk on her lips. Now, it looked like Millie wished she never found out she was pregnant at all. No doubt blaming herself for what had just happened. After calming down, it didn't take a detective to realize that Blitzo reacted this way because of the announcement that Millie was having a baby.

Despite it being six months, the details of Blitzo's past were still a mystery. Even if they knew the name of his apparently dead wife, Zella, there were still no answers to what had happened. Octavia had to guess that Zella hadn't just died but died pregnant or after being pregnant, which must have led Blitzo to suffer that flashback trigger. Octavia's father had tried looking into who Zella might be and the deaths of Blitzo's family; another psychological issue for him. Zella, sadly, was a popular name in Hell for girls and a name was all they had.

Meanwhile, the only thing that they could find out about the circus that Blitzo used to live in was wiped out somewhere around the 1910s, but that was it. No details of who did it or if there were any survivors. With Blitzo being tight-lipped about his past, there was nothing to work on even when pleaded by the others.

A door opened up, and the four quickly stood up as the tiger doctor, covered in bloody operation clothing, walked over them and took off his masks. "We were cutting it close, but he's alive. He'll need a lot of time to recover physically, but I'm more worried about his mental state."

"Is he going to be okay?" Loona whispered.

"I don't know," the doctor admitted with a sigh. "I've read his files. Quite frankly, if you want me to be honest, he's a lost cause. It's only a matter of time before he kills himself or does something that gets him killed. We have an angel toxin for euthanization. All it would require is someone of his next of kin to do it and-" There was a loud slap, and the tiger doctor winced before glancing at Loona, who was growling with her eyes piercing into his soul. "Never mind, I get the point. We'll start advanced healing treatments for his physical wounds. You'll have to figure out what to do with him afterward, but I suggest you stop thinking this imp is going to be saved when it's clear he can't or doesn't want to be."

"What kind of a doctor are you!" Millie shouted, nearly reaching for a knife in her pants.

"The kind who's giving the hard truth of reality that my colleges are not giving you," he replied before turning around and walking away.

The I.M.P. crew soon walked away with the imps helping Loona as she moved back towards the chairs before collapsing with her hands covering her head. She looked like a cross between wanting to tear someone apart or curl up into a ball and cry. Octavia just stood there before slowly moving in the opposite direction while taking out her phone.

She had her answer.

Fuck the risk.

Her friend needed help. Her friend's family needed help.

Blitzo needed help.

She speed dialed her father's number and waited for him to answer.

"Via? Is everything okay?"

"...do it," Octavia whispered, closing her eyes as she accepted that there was no going back.

"Via?"

"Dad...do it...whatever takes...save Blitzo..."