Wings of Heart and Gold

Chapter 3: Help from a Few Friends

Chapter 3: Help from a Few Friends

At the Goetia mansion in the living room, the demon prince heard his telephone ring, so he picked it up to answer it.

"Hello, Blitzy," he greeted.

"Yeah, Stolas, I don't think our cowboy recruit is feeling well today," Blitzo told him, "I doubt it has anything to do with his job here. I think it's about something else or someone he fears."

"Oh, Blitzy, I think I know just what you mean. I think it has something to do with my wife."

"I'm thinking so, too."

Luckily for Blitzo, Striker didn't hear the conversation between the two as he was being comforted by Moxxie (despite their disagreements), Millie, Loona, and Bombproof. Besides, Blitzo was inside his office speaking to the prince privately.

"It's okay, Striker," Millie whispered gently to the cowboy as she rubbed his back.

Striker turned to look at her. "So, you do this with Moxxie, too, Mildred?"

"Of course."

"To relieve my stress," Moxxie finished for her.

Back in the mansion, Stolas continued, "Yes, of course, Blitzy. Bring him over by all means."

"Thanks, Stolas."

"I'll be a good help to him, I assure you."

"Yep. I'm sure you will."

"See you soon. Ta-ta!"

"Bye!" Blitzo hung up his phone and exited his office. "Alright, troops! We're bringing him in!"

...

Blitzo was driving his van with Loona up front, and Moxxie, Millie, and Bombproof consoling Striker in the backseat.

"Where are you taking me?" Striker asked uncomfortably.

"You'll see, Striker."

"Hopefully not the nut house. I can't go there."

"It's nothing like that, I assure you. We're not going that route. You didn't do anything wrong. You just seem traumatized."

Striker gasped. "Traumatized?! How?"

"Trust me, Strike. I can see it in your eyes." Five minutes later, Blitzo reached his destination. "Well, we're here."

Everyone except Striker stepped out of the vehicle.

Noticing one of the back doors still being opened, Loona went to carry the poor cowboy and closed the door.

"It's okay, cowboy," Loona assured him.

"Thank you for carrying him, Loony." Blitzo winked at her.

"No problem, Blitzo."

Blitzo made his way to the two front doors and knocked on one of them. Then someone went to answer it.

"Oh, Blitzy, I knew you'd come!" Stolas said enthusiastically and then someone in the hellhound's arms caught his eye. "And this must be the cowboy you were telling me about."

Blitzo rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Yeah. You met him before."

"Oh, right." Stolas realized what his "impish plaything" was talking about. "Bring him in." He opened the door for his guests and closed it once they were inside.

"Alright, but we're not here to satisfy your perverted bird needs, you got that?"

Stolas smirked.

Blitzo stormed right over to him, ready to choke him, much to Striker's amusement, in spite of the state he was in. Blitzo clutched onto the collar of Stolas' cape. "Are we clear?"

Striker couldn't help but laugh a bit at the scene.

Stolas, seeing Blitzo glare at him, told him he was serious. With a gulp, the Goetia replied, "Crystal."

"Good." Blitzo let go of the cape and they made their way to the living room.

Suddenly, a girl Goetia decided to join her father and I.M.P.

"Glad you could make it, Octavia," Stolas said proudly.

Octavia nodded. "Hi, Striker. Remember me?"

"Yeah. Octavia, right?"

"Yep."

Stolas wrapped his arm around Striker. "Alright, Striker, Blitzy has been telling me that you're not feeling well."

"I was afraid everyone would be scared and leave me."

"We're not going anywhere, Strike," Blitzo said, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Blitz is right," Millie stated, "Take a deep breath in and let it out." And Striker did just what the female imp instructed him to do. "Very good."

"We won't judge, Striker, I promise you," said Moxxie. Despite everything that happened between them, he decided the cowboy needed comfort.

"There's nothing to tell. Everything is fine," Striker lied.

"The way you were acting told us differently," Blitzo reminded him.

Striker sighed. "I'm just not ready to tell."

"Take your time," Millie told him gently.

Striker took a look around at everyone in the living room, eying him up with concern, hoping they'd at least get an answer. Giving in, he took another deep breath. "I...I have b-been h-having recurring nightmares about Stella," he stuttered and felt a chill down his spine. "S-she yelled at me for failing to kill Stolas." Stolas and his daughter gasped, but let him continue his story. "She also tried to shoot me and I was really scared."

Everyone else was just as stunned as the Goetia father and daughter.

"Wow, Striker," said Blitzo, astonished, "That's one hell of a nightmare."

Striker nodded. "It was."

"Do you feel better after telling us?" asked Stolas.

"A little, but I'm afraid she'll come back to haunt me in my dreams."

"Don't worry, Strike, how about we give you the rest of the week off?" Blitzo offered.

"Really? You mean it, Blitz?"

"Cross my heart." Blitzo used his fingers to draw a cross on his heart. "Oh, and I think you could use some company. Why don't you come over?"

Striker sighed again. "I suppose." He may be a lone ranger, but he didn't mind company.

...

That night, Blitzo invited Striker over to spend the night at his house and suggested they sleep in the same bed. After some consideration, Striker reluctantly agreed to sleep in bed with his boss. It was a given since Blitzo wanted to make him feel better.

Even though the cowboy imp was sleeping beside him, the former was panting and gasping in his sleep, still having the same nightmares about Stella until he woke up.

"Come one, Strike, you need some sleep," Blitzo told him.

Striker was still shaken up a bit, but Blitzo rubbed his back soothingly.

"I know just what might help."

"What is it, Blitz?"

Blitzo grabbed a necklace his mother, Tilla, gave him as a child and moved it around side to side in front of Striker's eyes. "You are getting very, very sleepy...your eyelids are getting heavy...so heavy that you cannot hold them up," Blitzo said in a slow voice. Striker felt his eyelids were getting tired, but chose to listen to what else the former had to say and he yawned. "Your eyelids are getting heavy." Striker's eyes began to slowly close and Blitzo set the necklace on his nightstand. "You cannot keep your eyes open any more...you are falling into a deep sleep..." Blitzo rubbed Striker's back. With the snap of his fingers, Blitzo added, "Sleep."

It worked. Striker had already fallen asleep, snoring and Blitzo smiled, deciding it was time for him to turn in for the night, as well.