Chapter Text
“Abaddon, you ok?” Asked Esther, as she took a step outside whilst Abaddon could only look up, at the sunny skies. The apocalypse had been averted, at least..he hoped so. He smiled softly, looking back at Esther.
“Yes, I think I am…” He says, and genuinely means it.
“Great! You should come inside, I put marshmallows in Ben’s pocket and any minute now-” Esther and Abaddon both chuckled, as inside Jessica was trying to get at Ben. He knew he had made the right decision in this moment. He had lived the history of this world over a hundred times, and at last he got it right. For weeks…Abaddon was on alert though, making sure they didn’t return and on the lookout for any red skies and geysers.
It all went by so fast…
Abaddon had always known of course, that it would. One minute Esther was a little girl, the next she was a teenager. Things stayed the same, but were different. She didn’t have as much time for adventures as they used to. Which was fine, mostly he kept himself contained to the vents. Katherine, was still struggling to keep the Hotel afloat, all the while Nathan remained ever chipper and tried to be the voice of reason…even in his more outlandish moments. He could see Ben slowly, beginning to count the days until he could leave for college.
Leave this hotel, with its ghosts and ever present dangers.
Then one day he did…
Abaddon remembers it well, he had packed up all his things and said his goodbyes.
When did he get so tall, wondered Abaddon. He still had his youthful freckles and gap tooth, but he was now a young man who was ready to embark on a new chapter of his life. He was ready to move on. Nathan tried not to cry, as did Katherine, Esther hugged him and teased him…..and Abaddon simply gave him a bag of bones.
“What’s this for?” He’d asked.
“For luck on your travels.” Had said Abaddon, and Ben had smiled knowing he meant well.
“Aww Abaddon.” He’d said, hugging him…and tentatively, Abaddon had hugged him back. He watched Ben and Katherine leave, as Katherine drove him to school.
He rarely saw Ben after, only when he came to visit for the holidays.
He actually missed him. It was strange, walking past Ben’s room, and not finding him there. Annabelle had moved on, perhaps with Ben gone she had no reason to stay? Maybe? He didn’t know. All he did know, was that Ben’s room seemed so much colder now.
He was left with Esther, Nathan, and Katherine.
Esther however, was going to be leaving in a year, and somehow her leaving hurt a little worse. When she did leave, Abaddon stayed in the vents. He didn’t want to say goodbye, because saying goodbye would hurt. And yet it wasn’t supposed to hurt. He was a demon! This was par for the course. He knew children grew up and left the home, he knew they’d leave and be with their own families. It was natural….so why did his chest grow tight? Why did his….feelings hurt when he thought of them being out there in the world, with no way for the demon to protect them? How could anything like this…be right?
It’s just him, Katherine, and Nathan.
Katherine is getting older, he sees it. She overtook Nathan in age long ago, her honey blond hair is turning white steadily, and there are more wrinkles on her face. He can see it hurts Nathan, when he sees it. She’s alone now, and has the hotel to look after…but it’s hard, Abaddon knows it is. The ghosts don’t make it easy, the monsters don’t make it easy. So…he tries.
He tries to keep away the monsters, any guests that do show up Abaddon guards.
Because Katherine…looks so exhausted and tired, and Nathan tells him he’s doing a good job and that he’s proud of him. But he can see it’s not enough. This place, it’s draining her. Then Ben comes home to stay, he becomes the hotel’s chef and prepares meals for guests. It helps with business, and he can see some of that weight being lifted.
Then it’s him, Katherine, Nathan, and Ben….
Until one day, Esther comes home from school…..pregnant. She needs help. She doesn’t say what happened, doesn’t like talking about it, doesn’t mention anything about it…but it must have been bad…because Abaddon hears her crying at night, hears her waking up from nightmares. Katherine is warm and understanding, she after all went through the same thing, when she had Ben.
She continues online school as day by day her belly grows.
She’s bigger now….
Abaddon sat on the bed, as she sat finishing an assignment. He placed a hand, when he saw movement within, and his eyes widened when something kicked back. Esther giggled as he recoiled. She gently took his hand and placed it against her belly, and again…the baby kicked.
“It’s ok, he’s just kicking.” She replied, and he blinks looking at the belly while the baby within kicks his hand.
Then it’s him, Katherine, Nathan, Ben, Esther, and Joseph.
The baby boy is tiny and energetic, and he likes to follow Abaddon around a lot. They say he has to be careful though, infants are fragile. So, Abaddon tries to be. Except the baby is…well…a baby, and as he grows from baby, to toddler, to child. He gets more and more rambunctious. Abaddon finds himself being more of a babysitter..but this is his version of helping. Katherine needs a cane now, and Esther has taken over in running the hotel. Ben is still in the kitchens and Nathan….he can feel Nathan growing more proud, but also…more distant each day.
So, one day he asked.
“Why are you different?” Asked Abaddon softly.
“No reason bud, it’s just…it’s hard…I died and my family’s growing up.” He said watching the sun setting. “I’m proud of them though, Kathy…she stayed, and she’s a grandma now….my little sister’s older than me now….and the kids, they’re all grown up…”
Abaddon nods, as Nathan gives a wistful sigh.
“I’ve always wondered what my final business was, I don’t think it’s spaghetti…I think…maybe…it was making sure they were…happy.” He said softly, and Abaddon’s eyes widened. Why did it sound like Nathan was saying goodbye? He remembered a talk like this, before Abaddon found him in his chair.
“Do you think they are?” Asked Abaddon softly, hoping Nathan wouldn’t say what he was going to. Nathan looked back at his family inside, watching them go about their business. He smiled warmly, and turned to Abaddon.
“Take care of them for me…” He says, before closing his eyes.
Abaddon gasped, and before he could say anything…
Nathan was gone…
Now it’s him, Katherine, Esther, Ben, and Joseph….
Ben meets someone, of course he does. They talk more and more, and…he marries her eventually. As much as he likes the hotel though, and loves his family…..he leaves once again. His mother and sister are understanding, but Abaddon isn’t. How could Ben just abandon them? Why didn’t he just live here?
So this time when Ben leaves….he says nothing.
Now it’s him, Katherine, Esther, and Joseph.
Joseph is a teenager now, and he’s often playing video games or messing with the ghosts. He’s not like his mother, something that Abaddon knew from a young age. Even so, the young boy has always seen Abaddon as a brother. Following him, trying to emulate him, idolizing him….now as a teenager though, he’s begun to treat Abaddon more like a little brother and he hates it.
“Hey, Abaddon, check this out!” Says the teenager, he looks one way and then looks another before taking something out of his backpack. “I found this on the side of the road, I thought you might like it!”
The teen pulls out a trashbag, and Abaddon’s eyes widen. Roadkill. It’s covered in maggots, and dried blood, with some bones poking out. He sniffs…it’s so thoughtful! He smiles at the boy, differences aside…they do care for each other.
“Thank you,” Said Abaddon softly, and smiled at him.
“Hey, Abaddon….we’re friends right?” He says, and Abaddon nods. “Ok um, so I’ve been invited to this party, and I’m gonna be out a little late. Can you promise not to tell my mom about it?”
“Why should Esther not need to know about it?” He asked.
“Well…the thing is, we’re gonna be…drinking and other stuff and I know my mom is gonna freak.” Said Joseph, and Abaddon knits his brow because that sounds not that right to Abaddon, after all Joseph was still a teenager, a child. Sure he knew teenagers did those things, but it didn’t seem right now that someone he cared about was doing it. Before he says anything, Joseph hugged him and went to the bathroom….and Abaddon looked at the roadkill. Yes, they were friends….and that was why, Abaddon immediately went to Esther.
Because something, didn’t feel safe…didn’t feel right.
Esther has a long talk with her son, and gently pats Abaddon’s head.
“You did the right thing.” She says, but Joseph just ignores him. Something that Abaddon, feels bad about. He continues, Ignoring Abaddon, when he tries to say goodbye, and that hurts more than it should. Begins lashing out, and one day Abaddon has enough.
“Why are you just ignoring me and being rude?” Asked Abaddon.
“Because, I told you something in confidence! I thought I could trust you.” Said Joseph, glaring at the demon.
“You can, I was only doing what I thought was right….and from what I heard, the ones who invited you didnt seem to like you so-”
“You were eavesdropping?” Exclaimed Joseph, and Abaddon recoiled…he’s never seen the boy so mad at him before.Even so, Abaddon stood his ground.
“Tone! I may be in the body of a child, but I am an immortal demon, and you will speak to me with respect! I’m sorry you got in trouble, however I have a duty as a protector of this family to step in when I think something is wrong.” Said Abaddon, and the teen scoffed.
“What because some ghost told you to? He’s not here anymore!” He exclaimed, glaring at him before reaching into the cupboard and pulling out the artifact that sent things to the beginning of time.
“What are you doing?” Asked Abaddon softly.
“You betrayed my trust, you hurt me… so now I’m going to hurt you!” He exclaimed, throwing it down, smashing the relic into pieces. Abaddon ran over, and grabbed fragments of it.
“No!!...no…” He said softly, now there was nothing he could do to go back. He looked up, at the teenager who stormed out. Abaddon sighed, looking down sadly. He doesn’t tell Esther about this. Years pass…and Joseph leaves for college.
Now it’s just him, Katherine, and Esther….
Katherine is older, frailer….and though Ben does come to visit, mostly it’s Esther whose running things now. Eventually, Katherine gets sick….and both her children are there to care for her, and help her. She was never the same after Nathan left, Abaddon knows this..it was as though all the grief was slowly catching up to her. Her body growing weaker, and weaker as months turned into years.
Until she was gone.
Now it’s just him and Esther.
Ben doesn’t visit anymore, the siblings will call, and hang out, and on holidays Esther will visit him…but he doesn’t come by anymore. Abaddon misses him. Joseph rarely visits, and when he does show up, it’s to tell his mother to sell the Hotel and leave. She doesn’t. This is her home, she argues. So mostly, it’s just her and Abaddon..and it’s hard. She tried to keep this place going, she really did. She even set up a small shop selling potions and charms on the premises to make a little extra money…but he can see…the years are getting to her as well.
Joseph comes by every so often…sometimes bringing a wife, and children. Abaddon tends to stay away when he does. But Joseph is growing older too. He can see it. He watches, as even those children…turn into teenagers, who turn into adults. All the while, Esther grows older…and older…and older. It’s going by so much faster than he wanted it to.
One day, Esther was in bed. Coughing into her handkerchief. She was a frail old woman now, her hair was white…but she still smiled.
“I left something special for you in the vents.” She says weakly.
“Thank you…” He said softly, as she gently cupped his face in her hands. A tender smile on her face, like she used to.
“I know it’ll be easy for you…to move on, but never lose that part of you deep down that does care…if only a little.” She said and he nodded. She raised her hand. “Shemon…”
“Demon…always…”
Before she could finish…her hand went limp.
It was just him.
He could not attend the funeral, due to being a demon…so he stayed at the hotel. This hotel, with its ghosts all of whom were also grieving in their own ways. After all, they had gotten close to the Freelings too. Abaddon couldn’t even go back, due to a child’s temper tantrum, having destroyed the relic. He was left alone.
He looked up, as one day…Joseph entered. He was older now, with salt and pepper hair and lines on his face. His beard was gray though, it didn’t make sense. Abaddon faced him, as he glowered down at him.
“Still angry with me?” Asked Abaddon, and Joseph scoffed.
“I only came, because I decided to give you the courtesy of a final goodbye. I’m putting this place for sale, I refuse to be burdened with this…haunted hotel, and all it entails.” Said Joseph, and Abaddon just looked down. He had expected that. “Especially you.”
“All this because I spoke up about a party? What are you, Maleficent?” Snarked Abaddon.
“It wasn’t about the party, it was about trust. You broke it.”
“Once, I broke your trust once….after a lifetime of keeping secrets, and never telling her anything. I didn’t tell her about the time you and your girlfriend snuck into the woods, I didn’t tell her about the times you would sneak out int he middle of the night, I didn’t tell her about the bad report cards, or the missed assignments, or any lies you told….and all it takes is one time?” Asked Abaddon softly, looking at the man he once considered a brother.
“Sometimes, one mistake is all you get.” He said, and Abaddon shook his head.
“Did I hurt you? In another way, even unknowingly….because this cannot be from just one instance of broken trust.” Said Abaddon, because this definitely seemed like an overreaction. So..had he harmed the boy in another way and he didn’t remember? Had he done something else to cause this much rage, and pain?
“It wasn’t fair…you weren’t even her child and she coddled you, loved you…”
“Wait, were you jealous of me and Esther?” Asked Abaddon softly.
“She took your side, for a lot of things, she cared for you more than she ever cared about me.” Said the old man, and Abaddon shook his head.
“No! No…she loved you and-”
“Enough, my mother is gone…it doesn’t matter, what matters is I never have to see this place again, or see you.” He sneered, before leaving closing the door behind him. Abaddon looked down, the thing was he never saw it. He always saw Esther as loving the both of them, being kind to the both of them, so he didn’t really…understand this vitriol. He just sat there…alone.
But fine.
His family is gone, he has no way of getting them back this time.
There is no magical relic, that can save them and bring them all back to him. There is no going back, and finding them through time and space. There is only the demon. So..any potential buyers that come, he frightens them, driving them away from his property. After all, if Joseph wants him to be an enemy…that’s what he’ll be. His true family is gone, and….he hardens his heart. The Freelings are no longer his family, the ones he cared for are gone, and the new ones who have come after despise him…. and he was here first. So, he scares, he menaces, he becomes that fierce demon, that he once was so long ago….
That cold hearted demon, with no love in his heart for anyone.
Eventually no one comes by anymore, they’re too afraid…and Abaddon is fine with that. Let this place fall into a deeper ruin.
Then one day, as he sits in his hole he hears someone walking.
It’s like deja vu, there’s a figure blocking the sun…and a man kneels before him hand outstretched.
“Hey bud, you ok?” Asked the man, and Abaddon looks at the hand, looks at him….and this time he refuses to take it. He scurried off deeper into the woods.