All characters protrayed in this fic are fictional characters. Any depiction to any person or event in real life is purely coincidence. All characters depicted are works belonging to their respective owners and are used without permission - but used in the purposes of fanworks and utter love and worship for the characters and their respective series. This is a work of fan fiction and is meant as a work of praise to the original authors, at no point is any money being made from this. This is a work of love to celebrate the amazing works of these series.
All characters protrayed in these fics are of legal and consenting age when appropriate situation applie.s

Lost Causes 1: Showdown

By Cheshire

"Shit!" John gasped as the pain of yet another of the killer's well placed blows lanced through him. "In the name of Jesus Christ…" but he never finished the prayer. A loud noise off to the side caught his attention and he swiveled his head, expecting to see another surprisingly powerful attack heading towards him.

'Fireworks…?' His brain finally catching up to his senses, he didn't even have time to realize his mistake before the older magic user informed him of it.

A sharp laugh, then the darker haired man spoke in that soft, hissing tone of his. "You're more stupid than you look." John would have grimaced at the almost casual way the other spoke, if he had been given the chance. "You let the fireworks distract you."

He shut his eyes against what he knew was coming, muttering as he tensed in anticipation of a blow. "I guess I lost my cool…."

Instead of the killing stab he was expecting, the blade sliced through the skin at one shoulder and drew a ragged scream from the Asian-American. He fell, body slamming against the water before he could stop himself, the hard impact of solid against semi-solid liquid bringing all of his injuries into harsh relief. Cringing, he pulled himself up, not using his powers to stop the bleeding just yet. 'I need everything I've got just to survive against this psycho.'

A moment after he thought that, another, more pessimistic but rational voice replied, 'You need more than everything you have. He could have killed you before now, he's just playing. Cat and mouse, with you as the furry little rodent.'

John began another prayer, only to have the other attack once more, the sting of metal going into places nothing should ever touch brought the Catholic's defenses to a crumbling halt. But the brunette didn't let him fall.

Instead the man grabbed onto one of his arms, using it to dangle him above the waves, and cruel smile forming over the killer's futures as he spoke vague threats and insults. If John hadn't been dizzy from blood loss he might have realized that something more was about to happen. And then it did, and not even his cloudy mind could ignore it.

The other's fingers on his body, not even bothering to strip him of his clothing, but instead pulling his pants down slightly. The brush of magic in a way the boy had never conceived of before, bringing goose bumps to his flesh that had nothing to do with the cold water he was soaking in. And finally an act he chose not to notice, that his mind shut out but his body rejoiced in. That was the worst, John knew the other was aware of that fact…making him enjoy such a thing shattered something inside of him, some innocence not yet lost during battle after battle with the spawn of Satan.

Waking up in a strange bed wasn't an unfamiliar feeling for the young man, nor were most of the aches and pains that suffused his being. The emotions boiling just below the surface, though, those were new. And most unwelcome.

Getting up was a slow process, he found himself pausing on many occasions to catch his breath, fight back the pain and nausea that threatened to over take him. When he finally made his way to the window, he was happy to just stand there, basking in the warm glow that reach through the transparent glass.

He heard a sound outside his door, but paid little attention to it, instead focusing on his own thoughts. The turmoil where once all was placid would not do, so he practiced once more something that was becoming common place. He bundled up the last few memories of the fight, pushed them back into the farthest corners of his unconscious mind, and locked them up behind a door with no key.

Her hand across his face stung. The blow wasn't nearly as bad as any her pet serial killer had dished out, but somehow managed to hurt so much more.

"I got a call from the hospital….They said they found you near Dragon Head Rock…they were about to declare you dead on arrival….Do me a favor, John. Don't make my world any harder. My life is tiresome enough without having to worry about you."