**Author's Note:: Helloooo! Thank you for reading! Please review and let me know what your opinions are! I really love writing this story because I really love John Brown's character! Sooo thank you for supporting me! :-)

I hope you enjoy this chapter! **

Rena was running, the nerves in her body burning as if they were on fire. She couldn't stop herself from climbing the stairs although she knew that fire was blazing only feet away.

Rena burst into the hallway from the stairs, her heart about ready to explode from her chest.

She looked around quickly, trying to find the room where the extra equipment had been stored. Naru had planned on putting up more cameras if they'd gotten enough evidence during their first watch, but he'd had Monk put the extras in a back room.

Rena turned around to run down the hall, but then-

The creature was suddenly there, at the end of the hall- staring at her, engulfed by flames.

She took a few steps backwards, fear coursing through her veins- had it been a trap?

Had this- this creature influenced her again? To get her to run right to it?

Rena's legs were moving suddenly, and she started walking toward the creature.

"No," she gasped, trying to hold on to the walls, desperately trying to stop herself.

The beast held a clawed hand out, beckoning her toward him, making her walk to her death.

As the creature stared at her, she heard a voice. It whispered in the crackling air, not really coming from any place in particular.

Rena couldn't break eye contact with the beast.

"Cursed... Damned to hell... Forever..." the voice whispered all around her.

The creature opened it's beaked mouth, showing black pointed teeth- Rena's hand reached itself out toward it on it's own accord.

She was staring into the eyes of the beast, unable to comprehend anything but... but going with it...

Her fingers were so close to the claws of the creature's; he could snap out and grab her wrist at any moment...

Wham!

Suddenly, John rammed himself into her, sending them both sprawling on the ground, thumping against the wooden floors loudly.

The creature opened it's mouth again, making the appearance of a grin show on it's bat-like face.

It took a step toward them-

"In the beginning was the Word!" John yelled suddenly, turning toward the beast, a cross in his left hand. "And the Word was with God, and the Word was God!"

The creature paused in it's steps, staring at John with it's black gaze.

"He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made! In him was life! And that life was the light of all mankind!"

The creature reared back it's head and tried to take another step toward John and Rena, who were still on the ground. It screamed into the sky, piercing the air. Something glass shattered again, the sound flat against the sharp sound of the wailing.

"The light shines in the darkness!" John screamed over the creature's wails. "And the darkness has NOT overcome it!"

The beast suddenly shot into the sky, screaming the entire time, disappearing into the darkness up by the high ceilings of the church.

It was silent for one moment, then Rena realised that everyone had woken up and was standing at the top of the stairs, staring in shock, all in their pajamas.

The fire was gone- nothing was left behind as proof of the creature.

The hallways were completely empty and silent.

"What- what WAS that thing?!" Monk exclaimed in disbelief.

John and Rena were still on the ground, but John turned to her with wide eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, removing himself from where he had partly laid across her to shield her from the beast that had been approaching.

"I- I think so," Rena replied, putting a hand to her temple. "What happened?"

John sighed, seeming relieved. He stood up and took her hand to help her up. She got off the ground onto her shaky legs and wrapped her arms around herself, flashes of what had happened popping into her mind.

"That thing was no spirit," John told them all, especially meeting eyes with Naru. "That was a demon. It's never been in human form." He turned back to Rena, with a worried expression. "It almost took ya."

"Took me?!" Rena exclaimed, her face paling.

John nodded, putting his cross back in his pocket.

"It's a strong one if it's been residing here at the church," John added. "Usually if a demonic source goes into a holy place, it weakens it, sometimes even destroys it..."

"Wait," Naru's apathetic voice cut in, and everyone turned to look at him. "Father Brown, have you ever heard of a demon residing in a church before this?"

John thought for a moment with a hand to his chin.

"No," he replied. "Never."

"So, you're saying that it is extremely unusual for a demon to be on holy ground, yet that is exactly what we're dealing with now," Naru stated.

Everyone was silent.

"I reckon so," John replied. "That's exactly what I'm sayin'."

Naru looked around the room with half-interested eyes, only everyone's breathing audible in the quiet room.

"Father Brown and Miss Kiyoko, get back to your post down at the computers," Naru ordered. "Your watch still has an hour. Everyone else, get back to bed."

"Well, alright," Ayako replied, dubiously.

"If you say so," Monk added, with a hand behind his neck.

"And," Naru said, turning back to Rena and John, his eyes full of something like anger, "if you see something suspicious, get Lin this time. Your bad judgement almost cost us the entire investigation, not to mention the church could have burnt down to the ground."

Rena's face fell with surprise, as John laughed nervously and closed his eyes.

"It's not our fault," Rena told Naru insistently. "It's like something is messing with us. Besides, don't blame John. I'm the one who ran upstairs."

"You both made bad decisions tonight, so I won't pin it on just one of you," Naru replied angrily. "Just get back downstairs, and try not to get killed this time."

"Right," Rena said, grabbing John's arm and dragging him back down the stairs behind everyone else.

The church grew silent once again as everyone went back to normal.

But Rena's eyes met Naru's as she left, and knew that he was up to something.

She wondered what it was...

...

Rena and John didn't have any conversation for the last forty-five minutes of their watch.

Honestly, they were both exhausted, and quietly watched the computer screens for any other signs of paranormal activity.

They switched out the screen that had shattered for a new one, but they didn't see anything else suspicious on their watch.

Monk and Mai showed up at exactly three o'clock, looking exhausted themselves.

Monk approached Rena and clasped her shoulder, a sour half-smile on his face.

"See anything else worth mentioning?" he asked of her.

Rena shook her head.

"No," she replied, as John and Mai stood beside them.

"Good luck, mate," John told Monk as he watched Monk and Mai take their seats in front of the glowing computer screens.

"Thanks," Monk replied with a sigh.

"See you both tomorrow!" Mai added happily.

Rena and John nodded at them and slowly started walking down the short hallway that contained the bedrooms for the boys and the girls.

"Hey, John?" Rena asked, and he turned to face her a bit as they walked.

"Yes?"

"Earlier, upstairs," Rena started. "When I was in that odd trance... Did you hear a strange voice?"

"Strange voice?" John repeated, surprised.

"Yeah, it sounded like a whisper," Rena added.

"I didn't hear anythin' like that," John answered, seeming a bit disturbed by the thought.

"Oh," Rena said. "Just forget I said anything, then. I- I could have imagined it."

John didn't reply as they neared the spot they would have to part ways.

They both hesitated in the hallway, as if neither of them were ready to leave just yet.

Finally, Rena cleared her throat.

"Goodnight, John," she said.

"Er- good night, Rena," he replied, giving her a shy smile.

Rena felt her cheeks grow warm and turned around quickly to face her door. She opened the knob and walked inside, hoping John didn't see her blushing.

She heard her door click shut as she stepped into the darkness, but didn't hear John's door click shut for another minute or so.

Why did all of the strange things have to happen to her? Why was she feeling this way for a man who was a priest? Was it the spirits messing with her emotions? That had to be it; it was too coincidental.

She sighed and quietly plopped back down on her blankets, falling to sleep almost too quickly.