Disclaimer: I don't own John Constantine or any of the movie's characters. 'Constantine' is the property of Warner Brothers. So there is no copyright infringement intended, nor do I intend to tick anyone off – so please don't sue me, I'm poor enough already! All you'll end up winning is a rust bucket car and a load of rescued animals with attitudes that make Constantine look like a cute little puppy! But I do own the story itself and the characters of Bo, Sele and non Constantine types…. :O)

This is my first Constantine fanfic. It is based on the movie and my own (twisted) imagination! I do not intend to rip off any other writer (I just can't wade through so many pages of stories to check, I'd lose the will to live!) so if this premise has been done before I'm sorry, I just hope mine is different enough for it not to be too boring. But if I digress from the movie a little, don't shoot me as I'm old and the brain (what little I have) is not what it used to be. Plus I might also change things to fit the story a little better –sorry. But that is what artistic license is all about! LOL

I watched the film again recently; mainly because it's so good (well, that and I adore Keanu Reeves) and thought it time to do a Constantine story.

So here it is – it's going to be fairly harsh, with BAD LANGUAGE (so be warned) and somewhat romantic …and in places it will be humorous (I hope!)….. It is nothing but fluff, so if you don't like this sort of stuff please don't read it! If you've read any of my other stuff and liked it, hopefully you'll like this too.

WARNING: BAD LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE, SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL.

All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please; and I will try to update regularly.

'—' signifies thoughts.

"—" signifies speech.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

ANGELS

Chapter One – Bonnie

Bonnie Castillo walked into Midnight's club warily; she hated coming here as it always meant trouble, but he was insistent.

"What's up Midnight?" she muttered, careful to keep her head down as she entered his room - so she never saw the man sitting away from her, watching her come in…..

"Bonnie Castillo, this is Constantine – John Constantine actually; but people just call him the latter."

She glanced up at him through her lashes and nodded "right - so?"

"I need your help….." Midnight smiled.

She rolled her eyes "No shit Sherlock – and there I was thinking this was a social call; 'come chew the fat Bo, have a coffee Bo – how's life Bo…."

Constantine stifled the smirk, but she glanced round anyway "oh, don't you get so carried away enjoying yourself at his expense Mr Constantine…..I suspect you're the bloody reason I'm here."

"Got eyes in the back of your head? Oh and it's Constantine – no mister."

"Nope, just the ones at the front - though with what I suspect you're used to dealing with I suppose I shouldn't be insulted. I'm a medium, know what that is? Of course you do…." She ignored him then and looked at the black man smirking across from the other "So, why the urgency?"

"There's a problem……."

"Again, note the lack of surprise on my face at that statement." She sighed at Midnight's raised eyebrows "Who with and what about?"

"Sele…."

"What's wrong with him this time, or should I say who has he fucked off this time?"

"He's being stalked by Vathal."

"Oh, those two are always arguing, and Sele should know better. Honestly, I think God must've been watching 'It's a wonderful life' too much when he sent that boy down as an angel! If Sele tells me once more that every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings, he'll be ascending again sooner than he thinks!" she grumbled, then rolled her eyes at the ceiling as a distant rumble of thunder sounded.

"Sorry, sorry! But come on, You have to admit I have a point here!" the thunder rumbled again, but more gently. "He's attentive today isn't He? I usually get away with a lot worse than that."

Midnight grinned "What can I say? He likes the boy, hence you're here and He's paying attention."

"What do I have to do? Please no baby-sitting, not this time." She shuddered.

"Nope, hunt Vathal down and send him back."

"What about the 'status quo'? I can't see the boss downstairs being very happy about that."

"New rule, recently instigated – there's been a few terrorist attacks and a couple of natural disasters; both areas are getting busy. Upstairs can cope, downstairs are running short of operatives – if the lesser ones get sent back there'll be no complaints."

"Can't they just do a recall?"

"We're not talking about a run of the mill office here." Constantine felt he ought to point out they were dealing with more than some errant postal workers on a nervous breakdown binge "This is Heaven and hell."

Bo stared "Really? Wow! Thanks for clearing that up for me – and there I was thinking it was some great big office in the sky I worked for." She glared at Midnight "Tell me I don't have to work with Mr Obvious here…..if I do, I'll be helping him move forward pronto – up, down, I don't care which as either means he's not my problem."

Midnight smiled and sighed "Bo, you don't have to kill everything."

"I don't, only things that piss me off."

"Then that would be everything."

"Well, what can I say? I have a short fuse."

"No, you have no fuse – a short fuse would be what he has." He gestured to Constantine "there's a split second of contemplation before he reacts – with you, there's nothing; no hesitation at all."

"Because hesitation would mean I'm walking with dead people, not just seeing them."

"Would it kill you to think of the consequences just for once?"

"1. I don't believe thinking of anything literally killed anyone; 2. Why? All it would mean is I'm thinking I have one less demon to deal with, which lightens my workload and ends with a "Yay me!"

Sadly I never was cheerleader material; not even for myself – not a blond see. I can't even crack gum, twirl my hair and go" she briefly copied a valley girl accent "he is sooo like a total like hotty!" convincingly." She pretended to think "you know for brain dead morons they can multi-task if you think about it; after a fashion, but still…..cheerleaders - plankton...cheerleaders - plankton" She weighed her hands like scales "I mean you don't see plankton doing the splits and trying to flirt with the entire college football team at the same time; so I reckon the bimbettes edge it."

By now Constantine was biting his bottom lip to keep from laughing; she turned round "So the rumours about you having your humour removed surgically were vastly exaggerated then?" He merely nodded; the suppressed smile tugging painfully at his mouth.

She noticed "oh go on live a little – smirk. I won't tell and neither will he" she pointed to the black man opposite "he's a neutral and not allowed to. Anyway, it's only a smirk, hardly counts as a smile; I can always say it was a new type of frown." This time it did surface "oooh, I can see I'm going to be a bad influence on you, that teetered on being an actual smile."

She looked again at Midnight "So I hunt and send back Valath and then what? I finally get a vacation? I mean it's only been 20 years..."

"Yeah, I suppose…"

"Right, let's not get too excited for me – I probably couldn't stand the stress." She turned to Constantine "Well, come on….I don't plan on spending the night trading insults with my neutral friend over there."

However as they went to leave Midnight came round the table and hugged her tightly, much to John's surprise "take care little bird…..I don't want to see your wings getting clipped."

She rolled her eyes at him as she stepped back "don't worry old man – I can always get Sele to ring the bloody bell."

"Just try to think of…"

"I always try – I can be very trying." The thunder rumbled again, very loudly "see even God agrees with me…..for a change." There was a flash of lightening "Alright, alright – sheesh, lost Our sense of humour much?"

Midnight's laughter followed them from the room…….

0-0-0-0-0-0

Once outside on the street she turned to Constantine "we'll go to yours…." They drove there in a comfortable silence. He eyed her from the passenger seat; he was 6' 1" and she was a good few inches shorter than him he could tell, dark auburn hair and a curvy build (thank God, as he hated women who though looking like a living lollipop was cool; not that he cared really…..she was nothing to him). On entering his apartment she stood silently while he threw his keys on the table and pulled the chain that opened the shutters.

He stopped and looked around with raised eyebrows "What? Suddenly you're struck dumb?"

She shook her head "my mother always told me if you can't say something nice don't speak…..." she looked around briefly "I can't speak."

His eyes flashed "Hey, no one invited you – you brought yourself."

She took a breath and smiled tightly "No...this is fine, really…….minimal" she opened the fridge "not much food, not much furniture, not much of anything except roaches and spiders." She shuddered "Very……..'dumpster sheek'.

"Dumpster?"

"Okay - 'mausoleum sheek', 'prison sheek'...take your pick."

He glared and she shrugged "your fault, you should've let me be quiet." She glanced round once more "actually this could be nice with……stuff in it."

"I have stuff….." he was defensive as he flapped an arm.

"Yeah…a bed, table, couple of chairs, cooker and sink...and, eerily, a lot of bottled water – sure you're not also called Howard Hughes?"

"It's Holy water….always useful."

"What do you expect to do with it, bathe the enemy to death?" She tugged his arm "come on, we'll crash at mine - its decadent…." He arched an eyebrow as she added in a conspiratorial whisper "it even has a sofa."

Rolling his eyes he let himself be lead outside "We can get real food and drink too…..I don't smoke, so can't ingest nicotine as an alternative to food like you. Still, I can say I've seen the lair of the legendary John Constantine now."

"So you do know about me then?" he muttered as they walked to her car.

"Yeah, who hasn't? John Constantine, demon hunter turned all round good guy; now has an 'enter Heaven free' card brought about by one act of selflessness….…"

He snorted derisively before asking "why call me Mr Constantine and act like you hadn't a clue who I was?"

By now they'd reached her car; he'd noticed that she'd kept her head down the entire time – but now she looked directly at him; her eyes were……weird - a light blue with black and gold flecks in them. She caught him staring and smiled "weird aren't they? Been like that since my accident, I just tell people they're specially made contacts. As to pretending not to know you, I like to irritate people – I was told you were easy to irritate." She shrugged "They lied."

He nodded "takes more than that to rile me" then asked bluntly "are you an angel?"

She roared with laughter "I've been called many things Constantine, but an angel ain't one of 'em – no, but you could think of me as a present day Joan of Arc; only without the army, the virgin mary visions, and the armour…..however I do work for the Man upstairs and, despite my mickey-taking, I am totally on the side of good and try to do the right thing as He would want me to."

She smiled "right, serious stuff done and dusted….now for pizza and a beer. We regroup tomorrow with my motley band of helpers and then we get down to business."

"Helpers? I work alone." He decided honesty was the best policy here "I didn't even need you, but Midnight was insistent."

"No you don't work alone…or you didn't." his head snapped round to her and she nodded "I was told - sorry your friends died; still, Gabriel'll be paying for that little act of insane insubordination for a very long time – trust me on that one." Strangely, for him anyway, he did.

"What are they like?"

"Who; my little lot of mental helpers?" she thought for a minute "think of the Scooby gang only without the dog; though I do have a cat – Piewacquet."

"Who?" he did a double-take.

"Named after the cat in the movie 'Bell, book and candle'; kind of appropriate really."

"Right, seen it; but well, no – you're not a witch are you?"

She chuckled "good point."

She got him to order a pizza on her mobile and they picked up a six pack of beer at the store she lived above, and got back just as the food arrived.

"Hey 'Lonzo – how's your ma?"

"Much better Bo – thanks for helping her; it was very generous."

"Nah, it was selfish – it was great to cheat the docs out of some cash." She grinned as the boy took the tip and wandered off with a wave.

"What was that about? I also get the impression you have pizza a lot if you're on first name terms with the delivery boy."

She patted her curvy figure "yeah well, I didn't get these by starving myself to lollipop standards." She motioned to the boy with a disinterested nod "his ma was sick, I helped." He arched an eyebrow as she let them in "I'm very good with natural remedies, and I had a few medicos that owed me some favours…nuff said."

He shrugged at the explanation, she obviously didn't wish to elaborate and he didn't care enough to pry………

0-0-0-0-0-0

Later on as they sat on the sofa devouring the pizza that was between them along with the beer, another six pack Constantine had gone to fetch, he asked about Sele and Valath.

"They were brothers in Heaven apparently. Devoted too, until Valath followed Satan down below; Sele was the younger, and never forgave his big brother for abandoning him; and Valath was eternally angry at his little brother for not obeying him."

She sighed and rolled her eyes "unfortunately innocents regularly get caught in their crossfire. Sele, bless him, has the intelligence of a very brainy snail and so doesn't realise the damage they're doing – Valath on the other hand does but couldn't care less, that's why he's the one being sent back. Though I think it's only a matter of time before we're helping Sele to return 'home' too." She sighed "for lesser entities they cause enough trouble. I've had first legion demons who've been less of a problem."

He nodded "I had a thorn in my side too – Balthazar. I killed him."

"Oh I'll take great delight in despatching Valath – but Sele's different, hurting him is like kicking a particularly cute and incredibly stupid puppy. You wait until you see him….." she sighed.

"What's God like?"

She stared and, once again, her eyes caught him off-guard – she realised and smiled "that's why I don't stare at people, it really unnerves them." She thought for a minute "Well, I've never met Him obviously; but I think of Him like a cute old grandpa, something akin to Santa." There was a low rumble through the apartment. "Sorry, but I do – You love us and want to help us; like everyone's favourite grandpa, and most people think Santa looks like that too – so ipso facto so do You." she chuckled "I'm not saying that it's so….but he did ask."

"Do you really believe He looks like us?"

"Well we were created in His image – so yeah. What, you think He looks different? Like what, a Martian?"

Constantine shook his head with a smile and then stared at her "When did you become….like this." He waved his hand up and down and at her eyes.

"I was in a car accident…..I died for about 5 minutes, but they brought me back."

John stopped "Where'd you go?" he asked, his mouthful of pizza and beer.

"Heaven….."

He sighed and nodded "figures." He saw her quizzical look "I tried to commit suicide when I was 15…..went to hell. What's Heaven like?"

She sighed with a distant smile so bright he was envious "cool, light, calm; it was wonderful. My granddad came for me; but told me I had to go back, that God had stuff for me to do. He told me my life was going to be really hard he….." she hesitated suddenly, all the usual bravado gone – her eyes pricked with tears as she continued "he cried, and he never used to do that…..told me he was sorry, but it was what I had to do and I would be alone. I thought he'd got it a bit wrong as I had my brothers, my parents." She readjusted her gaze to John, tears not falling as they subsided "course he was right, I didn't – they were dead."

He nodded "yeah, figures." He looked around the apartment; it was wider than his. But with definite rooms – and all of them full of…..stuff. Photos mostly, four people kept recurring – two smiling little boys, one about 6 and the other about 4, a smiling couple and a young girl with dark auburn hair and a big grin. "You were a lot slimmer back then."

She grinned "I was 15, I'm 35 now – 20 years of no mum making me eat right. I don't think she'd count pizza as healthy; cheese and pepperoni don't really count as part of the four food groups really do they? "

"If you were 15, they wouldn't have let you live alone – so what happened?"

"I went into the 'system'. Sent from foster home to foster home; remember that show about the guy that God buzzed from place to place?"

John thought for a minute "Quantum leap?"

"Yeah…." She grinned "that was it, I loved that show; well, that's pretty much what I did. I was sent to different places, as soon as I sorted it, I was moved on; I had no Al though….or Ziggy. Though frankly I was never sure whether that bloody thing was a help or a hindrance."

Serious hazel eyes regarded her "Are you always so upbeat?"

She pushed her wide strapped watch and some leather and bead bracelets out of the way and held out her arms……deep scars marred both her wrists, stitch marks clearly visible "Answer your question?"

"Did you go to hell that time?"

She shook her head "I didn't die; Matty found me – one of the scoobies, you'll meet him tomorrow. Called the paramedics and got me to hospital just in time…." She looked closely at him "what's it like – hell?"

"Hot, dark, angry." He said bleakly as he felt her hand touch his arm.

"I won't let you go back there – I promise." He shouldn't have believed her, but he did. He cursed himself for being sappy, but he did.

He nodded and shrugged her arm off "when did your eyes go like that?"

"After the accident like I said – when I came round my eyes were like this. Doctor's couldn't explain it. But I always saw……things differently; it just made it easier somehow."

He looked around the apartment again "how do you afford this place? Do you work?"

"Apart from my 'God Squad' job – as I like to call it – no. Demon hunter, angel protector and medium would look a bit odd on a résumé wouldn't it? I afford it because the death of my family left me very well off in insurance payments, which I invested – He makes sure the investments do well enough for me to live, and also to help people out if I want to." she smiled at the ceiling "have I said thank you lately? Because, You know, thanks." The walls shook and her smile broadened. She looked at Constantine "What?"

"Do you always talk to Him?"

"Why not?"

"He's God."

"So? He's also the father of us all….don't you talk to your father?"

"No – he's dead."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I didn't talk to him when he was alive either."

"Well maybe that's why you don't talk to God either."

John felt suddenly angry and leapt to his feet "Oh spare me the damn religious mumbo jumbo! Unless you've seen hell you don't know the half of it!" he snatched his lighter and cigarettes out of his coat pocket and went to light up – her hand stopped him.

"Not in here." He saw the gold in her eyes spread "there's a balcony – you can smoke out there."

"You don't like ciggies?" he moaned even as he felt oddly compelled to go outside.

"No, I don't like cancer – the reason I had no other family to go to after the accident was because they were all dead." she came and stood by the door as he leaned with his back to the railings "18 members dead from cancer in 10 years, most from smoking." She stood for a moment as he blew a smoke ring at her "I'll go make some coffee….if you adore nicotine, I'm sure you feel the same about caffeine; though I find sleep is usually a good substitute for it."

He shrugged and turned his back; she went in and he heard her moving around the small kitchen. "Hey John. You know those things are gonna kill ya……again."

He spun at the sound of the familiar voice "Beeman?"

"Yeah…."

John regarded the bespectacled man before him "You look well."

Beeman grinned "Heaven'll do that for you John."

"Is that where you ended up?" the other nodded with a smile "Good, I'm glad…I…I…."

"I know…but you can see I'm fine. So are the others."

"Others?"

"Hennessy, Chas, you know."

"You're altogether?"

Another smile "No John, that's not how it works; but I see them occasionally; we have a laugh and a chat." He glanced back towards the kitchen, John followed his gaze, Bo was immobile her eyes focused on the wall in front of her, a golden glow coming from around them. "She's nice…..tough as granite, ruthless when she has to be – but nice. It's coz of her I'm here."

John pulled a face "she summoned you to get round me! I knew she was too good to be true! DAMMIT!" he slammed his hand on the railing.

"No, John, no; She is a medium, literally - I wanted to come see you, and I can……through her. If she lets me – she does. You should say thank you."

Constantine sneered, Beeman sighed "John listen to me, I have to go soon – but I must tell you; she's not like she appears, she's lonely John; so very, very lonely. No one gets close, she can't risk it – they always die. You'd understand that John right? So play nice, even if it's just for a little while – let her see what it's like to have a friend."

John hesitated then nodded, he put a hand out but Beeman jerked away "look, but no touch John; that's the rule." He saw the look in his old friend's eye "What is it?"

"Can you see any of the living?"

"Yeah, why?"

"How's…..how's Angela doing?" Constantine averted his gaze to out over the street.

"Fine….she's fine John." His friend said gently "Married to another cop and having a baby, a little girl – she'll name her Isabel." There was a beat "you did the right thing to let her go."

"I know, I know…but still…"

"It's hard…." Another beat "listen, I gotta go – but….ask Bo about her husband. It might make you realise that you're more alike than you think. Oh and John? Don't make her eyes go black, trust me; don't." He smiled once more "I'll try and come back again some time – if you won't talk to God, maybe you will an old friend yeah?"

A shrug "yeah, maybe…." When he looked again, he was alone – he glanced at Bo, she was moving slowly towards the sink and then threw up.

"You okay?" he frowned.

She turned towards him; she looked really pale – almost white like snow – her eyes standing out even more starkly than before, though the gold was fading. "Yeah, fine." She seemed to hesitate "did….did someone come for you?"

Should he say? He decided yes "Yeah, Beeman…..an old friend."

"Oh…right." He was surprised she didn't ask more.

She approached with the coffee; taking a deep breath, he locked his hazel eyes with hers "Tell me about your husband."

If it was possible, she paled even more "He died….it was my fault……." The mugs smashed on the floor and he only just caught her.

"Great…just fucking great!" He hoisted her up and began making his way to what he figured was the bedroom.

"Hey! What are you doing with my friend!" an indignant voice called from the balcony.

He swung round; a young man of about 23 stood on the platform – hands on hips.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Matty - you?"

"John Constantine."

"What did you do!" Matty strode towards him, but it was more hesitantly – John smirked inwardly as he realised the boy recognised his name.

Constantine backed up; tightening his grip on the unconscious woman in his arms "I asked about her husband, she fainted. Problem?" He noticed a blue eyed Siamese yowling from the kitchen, trying to get his attention. Something suddenly occurred to him.

"How did you get on the balcony? There's no stairs there; the fire escape is on the next window along."

The young man flushed deeply "Bother!" suddenly two wings jutted out.

John was about to drop Bo and fight, figuring a mild concussion was preferable to death – for both of them – when Matty, or whoever he was, held up his hands "No, no – don't drop her, its fine….I'm a friend…..well, sort of…."

"Who the fuck are you!" he growled.

"Sele….."

Constantine rolled his eyes as Bo began to groan and he noticed her nose was bleeding, badly 'fuck, I need another cigarette!'