Sweetheart

Chapter 18: The Escape

Angel sat on the couch drinking a small bottle of bear as Alastor sat next to him. Cherri sat on the other side of Angel, rubbing his back.

"How could she say those things?"Mimzy muttered as she paced the room. Angel took another sip from his bottle as Husker handed him another one. Fat Nuggets nuzzled Angel's legs in comfort.

"Well in all fairness," Vaggie placed her hands on her hips, "you trapped her in her room even though one of her favorite things to do since she was three is greet the new guest who come to the hotel. Also, she may have killed someone, but it was in self-defense."

"I have to agree with Vaggie." Charlie put a hand on Vaggie's shoulder. "Besides, I don't think Ashley meant to kill the demon. She can hardly stand seeing a bug get hurt." Alastor put his head in his hands. He started thinking.

"What if-" he began, but stopped when Agni ran downstairs.

"She's gone!" Agni screamed frantically.

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"How did she get out!?" Charlie asked Agni as they ran to the elevator.

"I don't know! I was in the bathroom and when I came out, she was gone!" The Hazbins arrived at Ashley's room.

"Ashley!" Angel yelled as he tore the room apart. "Come on honey, where are you! We're sorry!"

"Angel." Alastor said calmly as Angel threw open the closet door. "Angel!" He said a little louder. Angel whipped around with tears on his face. "She's not here." Alastor walked over and held Angel as he cried.

"Come on." Husker said. "Let's check the rest of the Hotel." They all ran out to the elevator, except for Agni. As soon as he heard them get into the elevator, he turned to see the bedroom door about to close. He stuck his foot out to keep it open.

"There gone, Ashley. Let's go." He whispered into the room. Ashley crawled out from the hidden room in her closet. Her eyes were red from crying silently. She wore a hoodie that covered her wings, her tail was looped around her to look like a belt, she had the hood up to cover her face and hair, and her hands were covered by brown leather gloves.

"We need to take the stairs to the roof." She whispered as she flung a bag over her shoulder.

"Ashley...are you sure you want to do this?" Agni whispered to her as they climbed the stairs to the roof.

"Yes. I can't face them after what I said. Besides, I'm loosing control. Ever since I killed that demon, I feel like something is trying to take control of me. I felt it when I called them those horrible things. Whatever it is wants me to let it take over, but I'm not letting that happen." They had made it to the roof. Ashley stepped to the edge and looked down. Her wings protruded out of the thin slits she had cut into her hoodie. "I can't let whatever it is hurt my family. You shouldn't come with me, Agni. I might hurt you." Agni stormed over and put a hand on her shoulder. Ashley jumped a little.

"Excuse me, but if I hadn't taken you to that cove, none of this would have happened. We're in this together and I'm not running away. That's what friends are for." Ashley smiled a little. Suddenly, the Hazbins burst through the door.

"Ashley!" Alastor cried. "Get away from there before you fall!" Ashley Kuu started shaking. Her wings grew and get tail changed as it slid out of her belt loops. A halo flickered above her head.

"Ashley." Angel said softly. "It's okay. We know you didn't mean what you said. Now come here, so you don't fall." Angel held out his arms. Ashley Kuu started crying as the halo stopped flickering and stayed above her head. Agni's eyes widened.

"Get back!" Ashley screamed as her face started to change.

"Ashley-" Nifty began.

"Stay back, please!" Ashley pleaded. "I don't wanna hurt you." She squeezed her eyes together as if in pain as her face changed more. Alastor took a step forward.

"Ashley....you could never hurt us." Ashley shoved Agni at her father as her face settled on the face of an exterminator.

"Get....BACK!!!" Ashley screamed as spears of light appeared out of nowhere. Ashley slammed her fist on the ground and spears penetrated the roof, making a wall that blocked Ashley off from the Hazbins and Agni.

"Ashley!" Agni struggled against the grip of a crying Alastor. Alastor's grin remained his face, but tears sprang out of his eyes. "Ashley, no!" Agni cried again. Agni stared into her eyes, but it wasn't Ashley Kuu that looked back, it was the thing that killed the demon. "Ashley..." Agni whispered with tears on his face. The thing then made Ashley turn and fly away from the people who loved her most.

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When Ashley was finally out of sight, Alastor let go of Agni and took quick steps to the door on the roof.

"Alastor, wait." Angel reached out to his lover, but stopped when he saw Alastor's black eyes with blood drop pupils. They weren't the eyes of his fury, they were the eyes of his sadness. Alastor's smile was gone now, replaced with a frown of someone who had lost something or someone very dear to them.

"Don't, Angel." The radio static was gone, but that only made his tone worse. "Just-" Alastor never got to finish because Angel had wrapped him in a hug.

"We'll get her back, hun. I swear we will." Husker walked over and put his arms around Alastor, the Nifty placed a tight hug around Angel and Alastor's legs. Charlie and Vaggie joined the hug as Fat Nuggets nuzzled Angel's legs. Cherri did her best to give Angel a comforting hug, and Mimzy, who hadn't said a word since Alastor and Angel had been insulted by Ashley, hugged Alastor the best she could.

Agni looked at the family and felt even worse. When they broke apart, he tried his best to speak up.

"Please...let me help." Angel turned to Agni and got on his knees so he could look Agni straight in the eye.

"Ya don't just wanna help cause she's ya friend, do ya?" Agni blushed slightly.

"What do you mean?" Angel gave a smirk.

"You like Ashley, don't ya?" Agni's blush intensified. Agni stumbled over his words, which made Angel chuckle a little. "Look kid, I speak for both me and Alastor when I say that as long as you do your best to make her happy, you can help." Agni didn't speak, he only nodded. "Good. Now let's find Ashley."