Chapter 10: A Balance Maintained

Armaros started to get caught up in his evil acts against many men, women and children of all kinds. Los Angeles was his playground and it was almost too easy because they were so willing and stupid to accept little offers that would eventually end in corrupting their soul… it had changed him and he started lose sight in his purpose.

The business crowds were out and about heading to their jobs in the early morning. Theft…murder…lust and other gluttonous acts he suggested to the minds of others in simple whispers and others in full conversation. The only problem was that he still needed many more souls before he'd be free.

Azazel watched as the other demon worked the crowds doing Samael's bidding. Another idea popped into the semi-demons mind…it was brilliant; maybe too brilliant…He laughed loudly to himself and moved out of view. He knew a way to destroy Armaros…by first destroying the others.

"Is he ever coming back?" The night had passed, morning arrived and still Armaros hadn't returned as promised.

Gabriel rose up from his chair, "I don't know, he didn't say anything when he left… How are you feeling?"

Cassiel opened her eyes partially, "Like crap…This baby sure wants out and it would get its wish if he grew claws."

Gabe gave a small laugh, "No claws…he will be human remember?"

"Yeah I know…maybe I wish he did have claws. Why did this have to happen again anyway? Wasn't it enough to go through having Mammon? I don't think I'm cut out for raising a child after being forced to raise an evil one."

Gabriel sat down next to her on the bed, "Consider Mammon a test of faith…and this child a blessing." He tried his best to reason with her because they had a long road ahead of them raising the child with the constant threat of Samael.

"Ugg how long is this going to take?" she cried out.

"Don't worry…shouldn't be more than a couple of days..." he replied.

Cassiel felt something strange, "Uhm…Gabe I'm bleeding…" she showed him her hand, covered in deep red blood that came from between her legs.

"No…this can't be," he stated confused as he knew this was a bad sign. "A doctor…you need to see one now..." Gabe remembered the place he had seen Camael and knew they must be able to help. He picked her up from the bed…revealing a large spot of blood on the bed.

"She's going to die you know…" Azazel said sitting down beside Armaros on the city bus.

Armaros looked at him shocked… "Samael sent you?" he started to laugh unable to control himself.

"Yes…and I'm setting out to do what you had not accomplished. Camael is dead…the others are next and then I'll come for you last." Azazel left a shocked and confused Armaros and got off the bus with an evil grin.

Armaros looked at a piece of paper he had in his pocket…it was a count of how many souls he corrupted, "damn…"

He took off running once he got off the bus and went back to where he had left Cassiel and Gabriel. Armaros knew he needed to be there so he could protect them. When he got to his apartment the door was left open and no one was there.

"Where in the world did you go?"

He looked around for a note but none was left and he started to wonder if they had a feeling Azazel was after them. But when he went into the bedroom and saw blood on the bed. He stared at it for a while and tried to think where they could be. The hospital. It was the only place that made sense.

"How far along is she?" A doctor asked Gabriel as they took Cassiel into the emergency room...they figured that Gabe was the father.

"Uhm…I don't know, I believe she's due in a few days."

Of course he didn't mention that she had been pregnant for only a day. He waited outside while they took her to a place he could not go and was told to take a seat in a waiting room.

Gabriel decided that he'd visit Camael quickly and see how his friend was doing. But when he got to the floor there were a lot of police and yellow tape blocking off Camael's door.

"Excuse me…what happened? I left my brother here earlier…he came in with a wound to his arm, in that room." He pointed.

The nurse frowned, "Oh….I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this…he was murdered here last night. The authorities are trying to find who killed him. Maybe you could help them out, I'm sure they want to talk to you."

Gabriel pushed his way to get a look at the scene and saw Camael's lifeless body in the bed with a gunshot wound. They tried to question him but Gabriel went back downstairs to see a ton of doctors going into Cass' room.

"What's going on?" he demanded to know from one of the nurses leaving the room.

"She's not stable we're losing her…"

He tried to move into the room but she pushed back, "Sir you cannot be in here…don't make me call security."

Gabriel growled as he waited again outside…he lost Camael and he couldn't afford to lose any more of his team...they were his family.

Armaros made it to the hospital and saw Gabriel waiting in the hall.

"Tell me she's alright? Azazel said he killed Camael and was coming after you two…I went back and saw the blood and came here," he said out of breath.

"Azazel was the one?...Of course, he'd sent another." Gabriel shook his head, "they won't tell me anything…something happened, she was bleeding badly and they are saying she might not make it."

Armaros looked alarmed and went inside the room not listening to the nurses…just as they delivered their child.

"It's a boy," the doctor announced to Armaros and he managed give a small smile back, but went to Cassiel's side.

"It's a boy Cass…Can you believe it?"

She took his hand, "John…I wanna name him John." Her eyes closed partially, "I love you," she whispered.

Armaros responded back with the same words but after that she didn't respond.

He got pushed out of the way and eventually into the hall as they worked frantically to restart her heart.

"She's half angel and Camael too…tell me this can't happen? GABRIEL DO SOMETHING!"

Gabriel rubbed his shoulder and tried to calm him down as people started to stare, "I didn't think so either till I saw Camael dead earlier."

"But…she will just go back to Heaven right?"

He shook his head no, "angels or demons…half or not simply cease to exist in the event of serious bodily injury. And since we have the bodies of humans we are at a larger risk for this, for death…but otherwise we will live forever here to serve," Gabriel explained.

The doctors came out of the room and it was quiet since they had turned off the machines.

"I'm sorry for your loss, but the child has survived," the main doctor said to the two before leaving down the hall.

Another doctor pushed little baby John to a care unit to be monitored since he was born prematurely and under traumatic circumstances.

The semi-demon started to get furious…at himself for not being there before and he blamed himself because it was their child that killed her.

The two entered Cassiel's room and closed the blinds for privacy.

"Gabriel…I...don't know what to do. I can't raise John, not with Azazel after all of us and with what I've become…" he opened his demon wings and looked down at her, "John wouldn't be safe, Samael would find a way…you've got to hide him Gabe, we can't let anything happen to him."

He nodded, "Before you arrived to the hospital I was considering an alternative. There is a man named Thomas Constantine. His wife was in labor and she died along with the child…I think right now John would be a blessing for him. Tell him nothing of the prophecy…so he will not be in danger. That would be the best…When John gets old enough we'll tell him."

Armaros looked to be getting sick, "I need to do something…" he said coldly, closing his wings he kissed Cassiel's head before leaving the room.

"Come out Azazel…I know you're around here. I've got a message for you," Armaros whispered under his breath as he went into the stairway area where they would not be seen by others.

Azazel followed grinning like madman, "Now that…was pretty wild wasn't it? I didn't have to kill her…that little spawn of yours did the dirty work me!"

"Shut up!" Armaros pulled out a gun from his coat and pointed it at him.

"Ohhh you going to kill me? Think you can actually pull the trigger? 'Cause I have the feeling…"

Armaros shot him in the chest.

Azazel coughed, "Big...mistake. Samael will make you pay for that." He slide down against the wall and his dead body rested against the stairs.

Quietly the half demon walked up the stairs to the roof access…he knew Azazel was right, but he couldn't stand the thought of him out there threatening the life of his child. Slowly he walked out onto the roof the ledge still holding the gun in his right hand.

As he stood on the ledge he looked down and frowned; all of these people were below him…unaware of the battle that was going on over their souls. Armaros wanted no part in it anymore and there was only one way…

He fired a round into his head and his body fell over the side of the building. Armaros landed on the busy street below…he was dead.

Gabriel went after Armaros after he failed to return for some time. It didn't take long for him to find Azazel's body in the stairway. As for finding Armaros…Gabe began to follow the bloody shoe prints on the ground. They led to the roof.

Once he got up there it was empty…no one was there, "Strange..."

Then the moonlight reflected off of something near the ledge. It was a gun. Then as he looked over the ledge he saw a crowd of people gathered around Armaros's broken body. Gabriel winced looking away and slowly went back down to check on John.

When he got to the nursery he saw Thomas there, with tears still in his eyes as he looked at the other babies.

"Mr. Constantine?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes? How do you know my name?"

He turned to him, "a nurse told me what happened…a friend of mine died while in labor…right after yours."

"Oh…" he said sadly but nothing else.

"The boy survived, but his father has abandoned him. I was wondering if you'd like to adopt him." Gabriel pointed to John's crib.

"Are you?..sure? I don't know…if I'm the right person or a good father."

Gabe gave him a warm smile, "John deserves a father…and I am not able to be the father he needs. I think after losing your wife and son that you deserve to have him."

Thomas shook his hand, "You can't be serious? I can't….I can't thank you enough. Thank you….thank you so much," He gave Gabe a hug.

It was on May 10, 1953, that Mary Anne Constantine gave birth to John Constantine and died during labor….leaving him in the hands of his father Thomas. That was story John knows, but his real origins have yet to be revealed to him by Gabriel, his mysterious guardian.

Completed: September 26, 2008