Gadreel had to admit that it was nice to finally work on something without worrying about Heaven looking for him. While he was still weary about trusting Cain, he was at least sure that Heaven wouldn't find him while staying in his place. After all, if the most wanted man in Heaven and Hell could remain undetected like this despite their efforts to find him, then Gadreel would be fine. Provided he didn't do anything to piss Cain off.

He also had to admire the facilities that were granted to him for his help in Operation Nephilim. A project that, if successful, would be revolutionary in ways nobody imagined. He was working with the only mortal human in this little hidden cabal of Cain's: Doctor Spencer. She was typing on a tablet while checking out one of the many glowing tube capsules containing human bodies floating in a sea of blue liquid. The bodies were slowly decomposing and reforming, with the nanomachines interacting with the very molecules of the bodies. They acted as little constructors who followed their programming to ideally modify and reconstruct the body into a new form. This made the skin change to a metallic white while slowly growing similar angelic-looking wings. There were over thirty of these, fifteen on each end of the room they were currently in. All while access to the most advanced computers money could buy on the black market or from secret private channels only the richest could afford.

Checking the latest batch, Gadreel took notes on his tablet while watching the arms of a human in his capsule slowly dissipate as the nanomachines broke them down and started reconstructing them to make them stronger, faster, and more robust. This was a genius way to try and recraft the human body into a perfected means of advanced physical prowess. Combined with angelic and demonic technology and some magic, this would start a grand army the likes never seen on Earth.

The only upsetting part was that Gadreel was not the original designer of this idea. He wished we were, but this was Cain and Dr. Spencer's brainchild. He was helping them along. Usually, he would hate doing someone else's project, but that was a small price for protection.

"You're getting blood on the floor again," Dr. Spencer pointed out without looking at Gadreel's direction.

"Yeah? When can you convince God to end my curse? I'll stop," Gadreel said as he rubbed his eyes and face with his handkerchief—one that he magically blessed always to stay clean. Considering how his eyes never stopped bleeding, it was a necessary item.

"Does it ever stop?" Dr. Spencer asked.

"So long as there is some kind of war going on? No," Gadreel admitted. "Even small local conflicts count so long as they are fought as if they were in war. Every death in every war is my punishment to bear for teaching humanity warfare."

"So I guess we have you to thank for humanity fighting itself pointlessly," Dr. Spencer snorted.

"Hey, I might have taught humanity all how to fight, but you are the ones who uses it for your own stupid purposes," Gadreel growled as he turned to the human. "I still don't understand why you are doing this. What do you gain from helping Cain? You know that God is real. He is your creator. Why stand against him?"

"Because I believe in Cain's vision for Earth. A world ruled by no gods or demons or angels. Only mankind. What has the so-called "Divine" being and his angels done for the world but only let it rot in misery while humanity wastes time praying to him out of fear of displeasing him. Limiting our potential within and denying us the right to become gods through our own means," Dr. Spencer answered as she turned around to glare at Gadreel. "Heaven and Hell drag us into their issues, and we're forced to suffer because of it. If such a thing were to be removed? Mankind would enter a golden age."

Gadreel couldn't help but snort and turn away while shaking his head. He's known humans like this before in history. The ones who think they can throw off the spiritual needs for science. Hasn't worked out before and never has. Personally, he didn't give a damn about who ruled the Earth. All he wanted was to survive.

The doors to the lab opened up, and they turned round to see Cain cloaked and walking in. "How is the progress?"

"Better than expected," Dr. Spencer said as she looked at the data. "Cellar reconstruction has now increased by 9%. Accurate limb configuration is up by 7%. And the neomithic skin plating is adapting around 8% better than last time. I hate to say it, but Gadreel's been a big help."

"Then we are on schedule?" Cain asked.

"Yes, a bit further than I expected, but overall, we are," Dr. Spencer answered.

"Good," Cain said with a nod. Would you mind giving Gadreel and me some privacy? We need to talk."

Dr. Spencer nodded as she walked out of the room. Once the door was closed, Cain turned to the fallen angel. "How are you adjusting to living here now?"

"It's alright. Kinda miss my old place in the Pentagon. Any idea how Michael and his forces managed to track me down?" Gadreel asked.

"I'm not interested in finding out when I have more important things to focus on," Cain dismissed, which made Gadreel mutter under his breath. "I did, however, learn of some interesting news. It seems your apprentices, the Imp couple, are still alive."

This made Gadreel nearly drop his tablet in shock. "They are?! I thought they were killed when the I.R.A. was destroyed?"

"Apparently not. I don't know where they are, but one of their children has been trying to find them. A traitor among their kids helped H.I.S.S. destroy them, and he knows where they are," Cain answered. "How useful would they be to us?"

"They were the only ones I taught everything I knew, and they were brilliant. We had different goals, but I think I can persuade them to join," Gadreel said.

"Excellent. Then, I will keep an ear out for any other news. In the meantime, about those battle drugs of yours..."

"Yeah?"

"What do you say we have them get tested in Hell?"

***

Even though Millie had left the farm for city life and a chance to make something of herself on her own, especially in the killing field, there would always be a place in her heart for the country. The honest hard work at the crack of dawn with the fresh smell of harvest in the air was a much-needed soothing relapse for the pregnant assassin. Her family was happy to let her stay with them, especially when she mentioned she and Moxxie were...having issues.

She had to tell her brothers not to go out and kill Moxxie by lying about how they were going through something and needed space. Not just because she didn't want her husband and family fighting but also because she was sure Moxxie could quickly kill them. Especially since he was "made" to be some kind of weapon of death. It was still unreal to think about. Her husband had lied about everything. He wasn't technically even an Imp at all in some ways. Just some biological creation made to be a weapon for a terrorist organization, of all things.

Millie was not blind to the mistreatment of Imps. She'd face it a lot growing up from the other demons that lived in Wrath. It may have been the home of most of the Imp population in Hell, but that didn't mean they were the only ones living in the ring. Some of the wealthiest and most influential people in Wrath were non-Imp demons. So, she could understand the frustration, but Millie was not a supporter of terrorism, especially the I.R.A.

She grew up hearing about them, and they were always a mixed reception among Imps in Wrath. Supported by one-half of the population for fighting for better or equal rights for their kind or hated by others for their twisted and sick actions that made things worse. Millie might have been a psychopathic killer, but she had limits. She would kill anyone so long as there was justification. The I.R.A. had no excuse, especially when they targeted their own kind just because they all didn't support them. Her family were loyalists anyway. Always supported Hell and saw it as their duty to help supply the population with food. To them, the I.R.A. was an organization they would never support.

And yet Millie's husband had been one of them. Not by choice, he was born into it, but still...

"Mills? Mind helping me with the produce?" Sally-May, her transgendered sister, asked as she carried apples to the cart that her Pa and oldest brother, Rodney, were taking to market.

"Yeah, sure," Millie said as she picked up some cabbage and put it in the truck. Her family wanted her to take it easy since she was pregnant and all, but she wasn't going to sit on her ass doing nothing. She still had time before she got too big-bellied to move.

Once it was all stacked up, Millie and her sister signaled the boys to go and headed off to town. Sighing, Millie walked over to a straw bale and sat down before drinking some water out of a canteen nearby.

"Glad to see that all that city work hasn't dulled your work ethic," Sally-May said as she sat down and took the canteen for herself.

"Still a country girl, Sal," Millie chuckled.

"So what's really going on, girl?" Sally-May asked her older sister, who looked down at the dirt. "'Cause everyone here is wondering if we need to start hunting down ya husband or convince ya to divorce him based on how ya look."

Millie bit her lip, and a part of her wanted to tell the truth, but she knew it would only worsen things. Moxxie's real identity would only cause her family to try to keep her from her husband. Despite how confused and angry Millie was, she didn't want to lose him. She loved Moxxie, but did she know Moxxie anymore?

Deciding to give a half-truth, Millie answered, "I recently found out that Moxxie lied about his past to me. I can't go into detail about it, but...needless to say, someone is after us now because of it."

"Do we need to get the full family together and keep you and my future niece or nephew safe?" Sally-May asked in concern.

"I don't know," Millie whispered as she hugged her stomach. "Honestly, I'm probably safer at Stolas's place than here, but I needed time away from Moxxie to think. I...I still love him, but..."

"Ya don't trust him?" Millie's sister said, which made her nod. "Well, sometimes coming out with the truth isn't easy. Especially telling people about it. I mean, look how long it came for me to come out as trans. You were the first person I told because I loved ya the most out of all my siblings, and you were the first to tell me it didn't matter if I was a boy, a girl, or even non-gendered. We were family."

Millie smiled as she thought about that day. The day that "Salem" told her they wanted to be "Sally-May." It was one of the closest moments they had as siblings, and Millie always made sure to defend her sister from the assholes who called her a "trany-freak," primarily by carving them up and hanging their entrails on fences.

"Sometimes the truth holds painful feelings we're afraid to face," Sally-May continued as she wrapped an arm around Millie's shoulders. "Look, I ain't the biggest fan of yer husband. I doubt any of us here are, but we cannot deny that you two love each other and make a good couple. Sure, I think you can do better, but Moxxie ain't that bad. Ya could have done worse."

"So what are you saying?" Millie asked.

"I'm saying to look at it from his point of view. He feared losing you, so he kept it a secret. He didn't want to hurt you but himself as well. Was his past that painful?" Sally-May asked.

"Very..." Millie muttered with both sorrow and rage. She wanted to cry and hold Moxxie for all the trauma he was forced to endure, as well as the loss of the one good family he had in his life. At the same time, she wanted to know where Moxxie's "birth" parents were so she could kill them bloody and raw.

"Then maybe you need to cut him a little slack. Trauma isn't something you get over easily. Even years later," Sally-May sighed. "When he comes for you, you'll figure it out."

"Comes for me?" Millie asked in confusion.

"If he really loves you? He'll be coming here to take you back," Sally May said as she got up and headed back to the house to leave Millie in thought.

***

Things have felt really depressing in the Goetia Household since Moxxie's revelation about a week ago. Because of the danger that his brother posed to them, Stolas made sure to increase his security while having Grimbeak use their contacts to look for any remnants of the I.R.A's old powerbases to see if Tyson could be found and eliminated before he did anything to threaten Moxxie and Millie. Stolas had to admit that he was still surprised that he saw the two as essential people in his circle of friendship, but after years of getting to know them, he had come to see them as family. It also helped that they teamed up to save his lover, and they say strong bonds are formed in the fires of combat.

However, Stolas felt utterly useless regarding the marriage problems between Moxxie and Millie. For one, his marriage was not the highest of regard, especially considering what Stella had done. While he and Stella never loved each other, they respected each other and worked together to benefit themselves and Octavia. He could trust her and saw her as a friend until her betrayal. But Moxxie and Millie were different. They legitimately loved each other, and anyone could see they were soulmates. But Moxxie had lied about his origins, which endangered not just Millie but their child as well. All because he was afraid of telling her the truth.

The poor former terrorist locked himself in his own room for days and refused to talk to anyone or get out. Reginald had to deliver his food to the door and let Moxxie have something to eat. Nobody had tried to talk to him, believing he needed space or was unsure what to do. Even Rachmiel was unsure what to do, and he was an angel.

"Isn't this the kind of thing you guys do? Make people feel better and shit?" Loona asked the angel as they sat in the living room.

"Well, technically, yes, but I was never given proper training in terms of guidance and inspiration. I'm a doctor. Not a counselor," Rachmiel said with a sigh. "I kinda wish I knew what to say, though. I feel bad for Moxxie."

"Well, if you don't know what to say, then I don't know what to say," Octavia sighed as she looked through her phone. "I still can't believe he's a former terrorist."

"Not like he had a choice," Loona grumbled. "He was practically made to be a weapon."

"Reminds me of the child soldiers they have in Africa," Rachmiel said grimly. "No child deserves to be a killing machine."

Stolas was about to agree when Reginald walked in with a nod. "Your Highness? You have a call. Private one."

"Thank you, Reiginald. I'll take it in the lounge," Stolas said as he got up and politely dismissed himself. Once he was away from the room, he asked. "Who is it?"

"It's from the Hazbin Hotel. I assume they wish to talk again about the deal you made with Lord Metatron," Reginald answered as they made their way down the hall. "May I ask a question?"

"Of course," Stolas answered.

"When do you intend to tell Princess Octavia of her mother living and working at the hotel?" Reginald asked, which made the prince stop in place. "Considering what has happened between Moxxie and Millie, I would think it would be best if you tell her less there would be tension between you two."

"...I know I should tell her, but every time her name is mentioned, Octavia acts with utter hatred and anger," Stolas sighs as he rubs his forehead. "I'm afraid she'll do something drastic with the knowledge of her mother living in the Hazbin Hotel. I will tell her. I promise, but only when she is ready to handle it."

"Very well, Prince Stolas," Reginald sighed as the two continued their walk.

It didn't take long for Stolas to reach the lounge room and shut the door before heading over to the phone. Picking it up, he answered, "Hello?"

"Hello, Stolas," Stella said on the other end, much to his surprise.

"Stella? Why are you calling?" Stolas demanded with a surprise hoot.

"Honestly, I'm calling because Charlie asked me to. She's busy with something at the moment. And I am technically a member of the staff, so this is Hazbin Hotel business," Stella said with a sigh. "Look, I know things are tense between us, but let's keep things professional?"

"Ugh, very well. What do you want?" Stolas.

"You know that angel you have living under you that will help with the hotel?" Stella asked.

"Yes, I have mentioned it to Princess Charlie in our past calls," Stolas said as he frowned. It was part of the promise he had to uphold to Heaven to give them Rachmiel to help with Blitzo.

"Well, can you bring him to the hotel in the next few days? We recently just got our first new resident," Stella explained.

"Really? Who?" Stolas asked curiously.

"You're not going to believe this, but he's an Overlord named Sir. Pentious," Stella sighed. "He used to be an annoying guy who attacked the hotel every so often, mostly to try and beat Alastor, who then pretty much manhandled him into humiliation. He came to us seeking help to get better as a person, but anyone with a brain could see it was a lie."

"So why did Charlie take him in?" Stolas asked in disbelief. Even the Princess, hopeful as she believed the best of people, couldn't have been that naive.

"Because she believes in second chances—and apparently thirds. As soon as it was exposed that he was a spy for the three Vs, Charlie offered to give him another chance to be better for real this time, and he accepted it. I guess he was moved by her kindness. Now he's living with us, and Charlie wants to start getting him redeemed right away."

"Well, I suppose I can bring him over after the weekend, but Blitz's treatment comes first," Stolas warned before getting even more serious. "And you will protect this angel with your life, Stella. He's the only thing I have to cure Blitz, and if he's lost, I will personally burn that hotel down. Princess of Hell be damned."

"I promise nothing bad will happen to him," Stella vowed as she sighed deeply. "How is curing Blitz?"

"We're making progress, but things are a bit on hold at the moment," Stolas said, not wanting to discuss Moxxie's private life.

"Alright, I just hope things get better. Take care, Stolas," Stella said before the line went dead.

Putting the phone down, Stolas turned to Reginald. "Schedule Rachmiel to head to the Hazbin Hotel next week. Also, Grimbeak is to watch over him at all times. Especially when Alastor is there."

"Understood," Reginald said with a nod.

"By the way, have you seen Blitzy? I haven't seen him all day," Stolas asked, realizing his lover had been missing for the past few hours.

"I haven't seen-"

Suddenly, the sound of doors slamming was heard echoing from the levels above, and in an instant, they knew who it was.

***

He fucked up.

Moxxie should have listened to Danarius sooner about telling Millie the truth. Fuck, he should have done it the first time Tyson appeared. But he didn't. Because Moxxie was afraid of losing her. And now he might have because of his lie.

He barely moved from his bed save to eat or use the restroom, but it felt like he was just going through the steps. What was the point of doing anything without his wife there? He couldn't remember what it was like to sleep in a bed without her by his side. Her arms wrapped around his waist, and he a kiss from her warm lips before going to sleep and waking up hours later.

He missed all of that, as well as the feeling of their child developing in her womb. Moxxie wanted to believe that Millie would return, that she would return because they still loved each other. But there was a part of him that feared that she wouldn't, that he would never see her again or even see his child.

All because he fu-

SLAM!

Moxxie jumped out of his bed as he saw his boss, who had kicked his door open, walk inside with a determined look on his face. "Pack your bags, Mox. We're going to get your wife."

"H-Huh? Sir, what are you-oof!" A suitcase hit him in the face as Blitzo went through his closet and tossed clothing and stuff onto the bed. "Sir?! What the fuck are you doing?!"

"What's it look like? I'm getting your sorry pity-party ass out of here and going to get you to talk to Millie," Blitzo said as he put another suitcase on the bed and started packing it. "Because, seriously, Moxxie, a week has passed, and you haven't moved an inch? Disappointed in you as always."

"Sir, I can't just go to my wife when she's mad at me!" Moxxie said as he got out of his bed. "She hates me!"

"Wow, you're a fucking idiot," Blitzo moaned as he face-palmed. "Millie is never going to hate you, dumbass. She just hates that you weren't honest with her. She's hurt and confused, and you must make it clear that you are sorry. And staying here isn't going to make it happen. If anything, the longer you wait to do anything, the more cowardly it's going to make you look!"

Moxxie tried to say something, but he couldn't. For some reason (and a part of him didn't believe it), his boss actually made sense.

"Look, I get it. You feel bad. Trust me, I know how you feel," Blitzo sighed as he looked at his best friend. "I...I was in your shoes once. I never told my wife...my Zella, the truth about me, and I lost her because of it. I had many chances to tell her the truth, but I didn't, which cost me everything. I'm not going to let my best friend go through that. You...you still have a chance to fix this. A chance to do what I couldn't. Tell her you're sorry."

"But...But..." Moxxie shook his head. "What about your treatment?"

"Fuck my treatment. I'll do it another day," Blitzo growled as he walked over and put his hands on Moxxie. "Look, do you love her?"

"Yes," Moxxie answered without hesitation.

"More than anything?"

"Yes."

"And you love your kid?"

"Yes."

"Then stop being a fucking dickhead and let's go get them," Blitzo said with a grin.

A few seconds later, Moxxie couldn't help but laugh and grin before grabbing a suitcase to pack up.

He was going to get his wife and bring her home.