Hi there, my faithful readers. I've recently re-watched "Constantine", so for those who like to conform to canon I note that the previous chapter in my semi-AU should be considered as a substitute for a scene where John first comes to Midnight's club :P

This chapter a rewriting of John's and Balthazar's last meeting. As you've noticed, they both don't really clash with the rest of the story, so all the canon events happened exactly as in the movie :)

As always, many thanks to my reviewers and those, who consider my story good enough to add it to their favourites and alerts.

***

I'm waiting for him. I know that he will come today. And it's not even that I followed all the events and was witness to the deaths of those who he thought comrades if not friends. I feel his approach as if he is a missing part of me, the one part that completes my being. Actually, that is exactly what he is to me…

But our meeting will be the last for a very long time. Mammon isn't very clever, and believes that I have motives other than those I've disclosed to him. So he will try to get rid of me, send me back to Hell, where my arrival is certainly awaited with great anticipation. Lucifer must be furious by now, so my punishment will be at lest several centuries long.

Oh well, I've been ready for it since the moment I decided to orchestrate an early Apocalypse. The only thing that matters is that He will be safe: Mammon will not be able to break his oath no matter how much he struggles.

John's arrival is flashy if a little unorthodox. The glass, scorched by dragon's breath, melts but I'm not harmed by the blast.

"You filthy underworld scum, hypocrite, traitor," John tries to unleash all the anger, resentment and pain that were brewing in his soul since we last met. "All this time you've pretended to be my friend, you made me believe…" his voice hitches and he tightens the hold on his strange weapon. "Why? Why did you stage all this farce? What use was my trust to you? Or did you want to mock me? Crush all the joy I've left?"

"John, stop." I know that he won't believe anything I say now, but I just cant bear to see him torturing himself over what he perceives as the ultimate betrayal. His presence is like a magnet and I step towards him against my will. One step, then another, and I draw his weapon aside. He watches me as if mesmerized without trying to resist. "I don't want to lose you," I finally say, having considered and discarded dozens of possible explanations. "I'm a demon and my methods are far from what you consider virtuous. But you will understand my actions in time. And you will hate me all the more for it, though I want your hate less than anything in this world. I don't want to be banished again." My words obviously don't make any sense to him anymore, but I say them mostly to myself by this point, trying to justify my actions for the thousands' time.

And than I kiss him. His lips are as soft and sweet as before, and I hasten to use every last opportunity to dwell in my Heaven. He answers me mindlessly as if he isn't quite in control of his body.

In the next moment a vial of holy water smashes against my face. In my moment of distraction he adds a blow with a knuckle-duster to the already damaged cheek, and I fall back on the table in the middle of my office.

This water is tricky indeed. It doesn't stop at destroying my first glamour hiding the appearance of a common half-breed demon, it peels off the second one, baring my true face.

His hand stills, suspended for the next blow. I let both masks melt away from me and watch as his surprise morphs into dim recognition.

His eyes open wide and he steps back instinctively.

"Y-you," he stutters, unable to articulate his epiphany.

"Me?" I prompt.

"You… It was you, back in Hell," he gets out finally. "It was you who let me return."

"Yes."

"Who are you?"

"I am Balthazar, bearer of Measure. Although mortals know very little of Hell's hierarchy. I'm one of those who determine the cycle and level to which new souls are sent."

"But… I thought than Heavens decide that," he says, confused. The original purpose of his arrival if temporarily forgotten in the face of this unexpected revelation.

"They don't have time for it," I shrug, straightening up. "They just stamp 'guilty/not guilty', leaving all the dirty work to us."

"Then how did you manage to return me?"

"Easy. From the moment your soul fell under Hell's jurisdiction we've got the right to do with it as we please. That includes sending you back to the mortal realm."

"But why did you do it?"

"I wanted to give you one more chance."

"Why?"

"For purely selfish reasons."

No matter how I feel about him, I'm not going to bare my soul. Our separation will be quite painful as it is.

He obviously doesn't know how to interpret my answer. And understands that I wont be saying anything further.

He tries to rub his forehead with the hand still adorned with the knuckle-duster, and that jolts his thoughts to his original task.

"What is your interest in the coming of Mammon? I know you have a part in it so there is no point in denying."

"I'm not going to explain. You'll take it the wrong way."

"At least tell me what method can Mammon use to enter the mortal realm?"

"I wont."

"I hate you!" he savagely smashes his fist in my face. "Why are you doing it? What are you trying to pull? What's my part in all of this?"

"You will understand in due time," I answer calmly, not trying to defend against his blows.

"Why did you come to Earth in a guise of a common half-breed? What's with all the rescuing, talking and the rest…?"

"Can't you guess?" I smile, though a bit crookedly.

"Demons are not capable of love," he says with conviction.

"Demons aren't," I agree. I doubt he notices the emphasis.

"Stop mocking me!" he rages. "I don't give a damn for who you are, what you are doing here and what your purposes are. Just give me the method that Mammon will use to enter this world!"

His words sting, though I thought myself prepared for harsh rejection.

"Fine," I spit out, not sparing a glance to the barrel of his strange weapon trained at my head. The Harbinger is near so there is no point in prolonging this painful encounter. "He needs a powerful medium. Actually, your little friend which you've conveniently brought with you, will do nicely."

It's hard to meet his eyes: in them I see anger, hurt and, worst of all, badly concealed grief. The Gates of my Heaven are closed to me now.

"No matter what you've planned, it will not work," he declares, and there is a world of betrayal in his words. "Go back to Hell, you bastard!"

The pointblank shot gives my some relief.

I patently wait for the Harbinger.

"Medium is in this building," I inform him. "Our bargain still stands. Protect him, don't let him return to Hell."

There is bewilderment in he Harbinger's eyes. Mammon obviously thought that death from John's hand will change my desires. Demons born in Hell are depraved of much indeed.

In the last moments before my spirit separates from the mortal flesh I smugly think that now my John will be safe no matter the outcome of this debacle.

***

Don't worry, this isn't the end of my story. I'm all for happy endings :P

The next installment will probably be last, so stay tuned.