Author's Note:

This was a prompted asked for by JtellersOldLady. I am more than happy to write this and am already enjoying so. I hope you and everyone else enjoys this!

Chapter One

Manny stared at the demonologist. John Constantine wasn't a man of many wonders. He was a man made of ill gotten choices, lurid manners and morally wrong aspects. The Angel hid himself from prying eyes, the demonologist included and folded his arms.

Why exactly, was John Constantine their first choice but last resort?

Manny could take out a legion of the demonic army with one sweep of his holy light. Sometimes he wondered why they needed John.

But then he remembered the sacrifices that only John was capable of making. John was a selfish and lying bastard, but he was also a sacrificial bastard.

Looking at John, Manny shook his head in annoyance. John was a lost cause. What was the point of doing things the hard way? He was even becoming an increasingly bad habit on Zed.

Speaking of...

Manny didn't look away from the bleeding demonologiest as he spoke. "You're cheating, Auriel."

The angel in question stepped up from behind him and looked down upon the demonologiest who somehow managed to light a cigarette through bloody fingers. She was as light as Manny was dark, the complete opposite, female and male, but fighting for the same cause. "Like you with the map?" She questioned.

Manny scoffed. "The map is a guideline."

Auriel leaned against the railing, watching events take place on the first floor below them. Both angels presence went dully unnoticed, as was meant to be. If the demonologiest in question knew how often this occurred, he wouldn't be very happy. She smiled. "Zed is a guideline."

"Only because you're cheating."

"The map is a cheat, Manny." Auriel murmured argumentatively.

Manny rolled his eyes. The moment he'd seen Zed, he'd seen Auriel behind the physic brunette. John Constantine wasn't the only one who came with a guardian angel. Every human had a Guardian Angel, but most remained on the side lines.

Constantine thought he knew everything there was to know. But he had no clue...

"Your human has a bad tendency to put mine in danger."

Manny looked away from John and to Auriel. "Tell me again why you put her in Constantine's path..." He reminded the other angel, daring her to argue the consequence. Auriel may be the reason for Zed's visions, but only because Zed was capable and believing of the opportunity presented.

"ZED!"

Auriel looked away from Manny as Constantine stumbled further into the mill and then kicked the door shut. Blood soaked the left side of his white shirt from a shoulder wound. Zed peered around the corner and her mouth dropped open, the color draining from her face when she saw the blood and surprisingly pale John.

"Oh my God, John, are you OK? What happened?!" She rushed forward and grabbed ahold of his uninjured arm and urged him onto the couch and started on the buttons of his shirt.

John plucked the cigarette from his lips and grimaced before dropping the cigarette into an ash tray. "And here I thought you didn't want to get me naked." John muttered, wincing as he shrugged out of the bloody side first.

"Shut up. Tell me you didn't go after him alone..."

"You just told me to shut up. What is it, luv, talk or shut up?"

Manny sighed, watching the scene with annoyance. "John's a mess."

"They're an even bigger mess together." Auriel agreed. She had never seen two people who were so lost together. It was amazing how easily the two humans co-existed. They were perfect together, but wrong for the journey that would defeat the Rising Darkness. It was amazing how wrong the right turned out to be. No one else was more fit for the role of savior than the two below.

How...inconveniently convenient.

Manny gave a soft laugh. "That they are." His expression sobered. "But John's a fool when it comes to matters of the heart."

Auriel remained silent, staring down at the two humans. Manny preferred a more upfront approach when dealing with his mortal. She preferred to remain unseen, which was how things were meant to be. She was Zed's guiding hand. She didn't need to expose herself. She was tempted though. "I don't always control what she feels. That's all on her human side." Human emotions were too delicate to dictate.

"Like I said, John's a fool." Manny repeated.

"They do make quite a pair." Auriel murmured thoughtfully. John had a bad habit of pushing people away. Zed had a bad habit of running away. Zed wasn't letting John push her away and John wasn't letting Zed run from her problems.

A thoughtful expression crossed the angels face.

"Bloody hell woman." John garbled out when Zed poured a generous amount of brandy over the wound in his shoulder.

Manny studied Auriel. "...what are you thinking, Auriel?" He knew that look on the angels face.

"Oh, I don't know...shall we?" Auriel asked pleasantly.

Manny eyebrows snapped down. "We don't have time for games, Auriel."

Auriel laughed. "We have all the time in the world." Her lips turned down in a frown just as suddenly. "Who doesn't deserve love?"

Manny rolled his eyes again, clasping his hands together. He didn't completely disagree with her. "Let John hear you say that. 'Love is as unrealistically boring as life without smokes.'" He quoted in an oddly familiar British accent. But watching the two, even he had to agree how he didn't see how two people could be so dense when it came to the opposite sex.

But maybe John's abstinence towards Zed was his way of showing he cared. The good Lord above knew John wanted nothing more than to spend his days fucking. And Zed, she was a whole different story. She cared for John even in his darkest hour.

Quiet frankly, Manny was tired of the go-around between John and Zed. The jealously, the sly looks and the fear of losing the other was getting old.

He smiled.

Auriel mimicked his smile and both Angels suddenly appeared before the two mortals.