Above is a snippet of a comic redraw I did (am currently doing). The original can be found on YouTube under "Alastor finds a baby" idk who the artist is (its in the description I'm p sure) but you can go watch it to see the amazing original!

I just loved it, and wanted to draw it.

Also let me know if y'all like my my art interruptions or if you'd rather it just be the chapters so I know I'm not being annoying 😂

Alastor's POV

Charlie was silent. After I told her what I'd said, her whole body stilled. I don't even think she was breathing.

I put my head in my hands, shaking it back and forth in utter defeat.

"Alastor...look at me..." she said softly, and I slowly looked up. The princess still held that same caring look in her eyes.

I caught myself thinking how is this child more mature than me......sometimes I have to step back and remind myself she's a solid 200 years older than me.

She touched my hand gently, and I had half a mind to yank away from her, but decided against it.

"I think I know what's going on..." she started, and I waited for her to continue, "you may have said those things to her...but you weren't actually talking to her were you..." she asked softly.

I froze.

Those were all things I would have gladly said to Vox...or Valentino...or any of them, really.

The princess kept talking, "you got stressed...you're not used to that, I can tell," she chuckled, "...and you took it out on the wrong person...at the wrong time..." she finished with a gentle smile.

She's right, absolutely right on the nose correct.

I blinked, unsure of how to respond to that.

"Yes...that's...yes I suppose that's right..." I said eventually and she hummed.

"Talk to her..." she said, squeezing my hand slightly. Then she let go and stood up.

I panicked again, snatching her hand before she could disappear. She jumped and looked down at our hands then to me.

I'm sure I looked just pathetically desperate.

But I don't care. I need to make this right.

"What if...what if she won't listen? What if she won't forgive me?" I said, sounding more like a plea.

Charlie chuckled softly, her form beginning to fade away as she teleported back to the hotel.

"Do it anyway."

Once she was completely gone, I pursed my lips. With the wave of my hand a keyhole opened once again.

There she was.

She was still curled up on the floor, but my shadow was curled around her protectively, letting her use him as a bed of sorts.

Her cheeks were swollen and her eyes were puffy. She had her arms around him desperately, her body shivering every now and then. She was asleep.

She cried herself to sleep...because of me.

There was an odd pain in my chest. What is wrong with me? Of all the people I lose my temper with, she should be off the list.

But it's done. I made my mistake.

Now I just need to...try and fix it.

I shut the portal and then teleported down to the lobby. The room was silent aside from the gentle churring coming from my minion.

His eyes opened slowly, creating a blue glow in the dark room. Then they spotted me and turned a very violent red. He curled around her tighter, almost as if he were protecting her from me.

"I know, my friend," I said very softly as to not wake her up. I walked over and knelt down in front of him. He growled lowly and I sighed.

"Please let me fix it...?" I pleaded, holding my hands out. He glanced down at my hands and his eyes slowly turned back to blue. They were a darker blue, but they were blue nonetheless.

"Thank you..." I breathed, gently taking her as he handed her over. Her head lolled onto my chest and her hand found my suit lapel. I could feel my heart hammering in my chest, and I fought the urge to wake her up and get down on my knees begging.

No...I'll let her sleep. In the morning I'll make her breakfast...and then we'll talk. I'll tell her from my perspective what happened...how I was feeling.

That's not an excuse...not by any means, but perhaps she'll take pity on me when she sees that this past week has been a lot for me.

I teleported back up to the bedroom, gently laying her down onto the bed. I tucked her in and brushed the hair from her eyes.

This reminds me of when she was alive...how she would be asleep sometimes when I arrived. I always loved those days. She looks so peaceful when she's sleeping, angelic...

I placed a kiss on her forehead, lingering for a moment before I pulled away.

With that I climbed into bed next to her, giving her some distance.

Quickly, I realized I didn't like the distance...I wanted her pressed up against me, like normal. I wanted to feel her heat, and bury my nose into her hair. I wanted to go back to this morning and take back everything I said to her.

But I can't.

**

Slowly my eyes opened. I guess I fell asleep...eventually.

Immediately I reached over to feel for her, but her spot was vacant. It wasn't even still warm.

I shot up and looked around.

"Darling?" My voice croaked, and I blinked rapidly, trying to get my sight to clear.

I got out of bed, stumbling to the door before opening it. Please, tell me she didn't...she wouldn't...

My palpitating heart calmed when I spotted her on the couch. She was curled up under her favorite blanket.

A heavy, relieved sigh left my throat.

I was scared she'd left...not like I'd blame her.

Walking over I knelt down, reaching forward to touch her shoulder. I was shocked when she yanked away from me before I could even touch her. Her back was facing me, and I now knew she was awake.

"Why did you even come and get me..." her voice sounded broken. She'd been crying again...

"Since you obviously hate me so much," she finished. I couldn't find the will to smile, my mouth forming a distressed frown.

Her words struck me through the heart. The obvious quiver in her voice made this ten times harder.

Her body was coiled tightly on the couch, scrunched into the tiniest ball, facing away from me.

Almost as if she's bracing for something.

She doesn't think I'd...hurt her...? Does she...?

"Ariel...please, will you look at me?" I asked her softly. She shook her head, curling up tighter into a little ball with a whimper. Slowly I placed my hand on her arm.

She tensed up but didn't yank away.

"I need you to know...I didn't mean it...not a single word of what I said, I didn't mean any of it," I spoke softly, I didn't want her to feel like I'm just trying to guilt trip her.

She however, was making me feel very guilty when her shoulders started bobbing again. Her soft sniffles filled the air, and she shook slightly.

"Liar."

This is what I was afraid of.

"Dear, yes, I am a liar. I'm a liar, I'm a con man, I am devious, malicious, and evil..." her body stilled as she listened, "but I am not lying to you. I have never lied to you. I will never lie to you. Last night, I fucked up."

I did. Royally.

Finally she turned to face me, but she still wouldn't meet my eyes. Hers were bloodshot and glossy, staring down at my lap.

Her lip quivered and it was obvious she was fighting the tears her body wanted her to produce. I reached up to wiped her eyes but she dodged me.

Her mouth formed a tight line, the tears building behind her eyes were on the brink of overflowing. She still wouldn't look at me.

I gently tilted her head up to meet my eyes, and she whimpered softly, pulling away to resume how she'd been before.

A sigh escaped my lungs. My hand dropped back to my lap. She can't even stand my touch, how on earth am I going to make her understand how sorry I am...

'Talk to her...'

My hands wrung in my lap, and after a moment of thought I hesitantly reached up once again.

When she didn't make a move to dodge me, I kept going.

"I'm sorry," I said softly, brushing my fingers over her cheek, "and I'm not expecting forgiveness...what I said to you was out of line...way out of line. I just want you to know, I did not mean it...the stress of this last week...losing you...I said some things I would have rather said to someone else..."

I watched in dismay as the tears finally spilled over her cheeks. Her brows creased together. For a moment she had a look on her face as if she were in physical pain.

With one swift motion my hand was swiped from her cheek. She sat up fully, then turned her entire body to face away from me once again.

That action alone caused a deeper reaction...an ache deep in my chest.

"You're so scared to lose me, is that what you're going with now?" She spat out, "I thought it was you wished I were dead? To relieve the burden I've brought to your afterlife, I believe are the words you so eloquently used," she said. She barely turned her head towards me.

The pain behind her tone made my throat feel dry. I had to swallow the lump in my throat and keep talking.

"Ariel I—"

She spun around, jamming her finger into my chest. I couldn't figure out if the look on her face was anger or betrayal...or both.

Perhaps I should've given her a little more time to herself...

"Don't Ariel me. Don't feed me some bullshit excuse, and definitely don't lie to me and tell me you're sorry. You've never been sorry once in your existence."

I leaned away from her out of instinct, flinching away from every word she said. She shoved me away with her finger, turning back around to face away from me.

I was beginning to feel more and more helpless. Weak. Utterly defeated.

I'm so bad at this. What do I even say?

What would mother do...?

Mother could always fix things...she was wonderful at making things better, even when they were not...

I've only ever broken things.

Never once have I had to heal something. To put something back together.

Now the shattered pieces of something I cherish are sitting right in front of me, and I'm just making it worse.

The tears burning my eyes made me feel angry. I don't deserve to cry...what gives me the right?

"Ariel...please..." I barely recognized the voice that came from me. Why, I haven't heard that voice since I was alive.

That little, broken voice.

Her ear swiveled slightly, and she turned to face me just barely. I could partially see her face through her hair.

"I'm sorry...please don't shut me out..." my fingers picked at each other in my lap, and I shook my head, "I didn't mean...I didn't mean it...what I said, I didn't mean a word of it..."

She paused, then once again turned away from me. That little action felt like a stab through the chest.

She slipped off the couch, I stayed knelt down on the floor.

My gaze stayed on my lap as she walked away, the sound of our bedroom door slamming made me flinch.

As soon as she was out of sight I buried my head into my hands.

I dug my fingers into my hair, gripping onto it as my body folded over. I slammed my fist into the floor.

"Dammit!"