Title: Sacrifices (Part Four)
Author: fatedtoflames (DJ)
Pairing: John Constantine/Chas
Rating: Strong PG-13, may go up later
Spoilers Movie: Lots.
Summary: Chas is changed for heaven's purposes, but that's one thing John won't accept. He stages his own personal war against heaven to win back the young man's spirit that he knew and loved, but everything has a price…


It took John the whole next day to figure out what the numbers meant.

"You could've made it easier, you asshole," John muttered to Chas, standing in front of apartment number 243. The rest of the number, 533-4730, was the phone number for this residence.

Now he just had to figure out why Chas had sent him to this residence.

It looked like a normal apartment from the outside. It was a pretty beat up building, with syringes and empty beer bottles littering the hallway. He hesitated again before knocking on the door.

"Noah! You fuckin' get that!"

John raised an eyebrow at the harsh, slurred voice, and he heard a shuffling and a 'bang'. Then, the door opened, and behind it was…

…Chas. Chas, looking very human, chewing on a piece of red licorice.

John's breath caught in his throat, and Chas…well, evidently Noah…raised an eyebrow at him.

"What do you want?"

Definitely Chas. Assassin angel by night, and this is where they have him during the day. This is his home off the job. God must be some cruel bastard.

"Look, buddy, if you're tryin' to sell dope, he doesn't buy door-to-door. You'll hafta catch him out of the house," Noah said, obviously close to slamming the door in John's face.

John was too busy being in shock to speak. God had not only screwed him over with the job, but he'd set him up with a druggie and drunk by day? This was too much. Far too much.

Noah started to close the door, but John grabbed him by the arm and yanked him out into the hallway.

"Come with me," he ordered, and Noah immediately began to struggle and scream. John rolled his eyes and pulled the reluctant teenager along.

"Let go of me!"

"Look, kid, I'm not gonna hurt you. We're just goin' for a ride."

"You can't rape me, I have AIDS!"

"No you don't."

"Okay then, herpes! Chlamydia! The fuckin' black plague! Let go, you sick bastard!"

"I'm not gonna rape you, Chas."

Noah stopped his struggles for a moment and looked at John curiously, still being pulled along, out the apartment building. "Who the hell is Chas? You've got the wrong kid!"

"Just come with me, you damn half breed…"

"No!"

John sighed, and then pushed Noah up against the nearest wall, getting down nose-to-nose with him.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to rape you. Now, if you'd rather go back and sit in that shit hole delivering beers and answering doors, go right ahead. But if you're smart, which I know you are, you're gonna come with me to figure all this out."

He let go and took a few steps back, expecting Noah to bolt, but he didn't. The boy stood there, beautiful as ever in the dim light from the setting sun, and looking quite a bit confused and distraught. He ran his hand through his hair, and then he sighed heavily.

"You could at least tell me your name."

"Constantine. John Constantine." Asshole.

"…That's one helluva fucked up name. I'm gonna be late for work, you know that, right?"

"The cab company doesn't care," John said, starting to walk and lighting up a cigarette.

"Yeah, they…wait a second! How'd you know I work at a cab company?" Noah demanded, rushing to catch up.

"Lucky guess."

John led the boy to Midnite's, and that familiar feeling was back, that feeling that his back was covered if he needed it. That comforting feeling that Chas always brought when he was near. It took all John had to keep from just giving him a hug, and telling him how much he'd missed him.

Noah looked around nervously as they walked down the steps, and John steered the boy around the bouncer, quickly muttering 'cat on a tightrope'. The bouncer let them pass, and John kept a tight hold on the wide-eyed boy's arm as they made their way through all the demons and angels alike.

It was obvious that they could tell Noah was a half breed, could see his wings. The demons looked at him almost hungrily, some angrily, while the angels gave him nervous glances.

Everyone in here except Noah knew what he was capable of, should the angel in him have to take over.

As soon as Midnite's door opened, John pushed Noah in and shoved him down in the chair across from Midnite. Midnite looked from Noah to John, his eyes narrowing.

"John, this was not smart…"

"Forget smart, Midnite…look at him. He doesn't even know. He's an abused kid by day, murderer by night, and I want you to tell me what I can do to fix it. Now."

Noah looked positively flabbergasted now. "I what?"

"You should not have brought him here, John. This was a mistake," Midnite said harshly, standing up. "You don't know what you've compromised."

"You've been in on this from the very start! What else have you been hiding from me!" John demanded.

"I will not be treated as a criminal within these walls!" Midnite screamed, slamming his fist down on the table hard, making Noah jump about a foot off the chair and whimper. "Yes, the boy works for me! I needed Heaven's assistance to keep certain demons from tipping the balance, and they sent him to me when he died. John, this is how things must be," Midnite growled, and John glared at him in disbelief.

"You fuckin' bastard."

Midnite was about to speak, but something stopped him. Namely a shimmer, a flash of light, and then Noah was no longer Noah. Chas was sitting there, dressed in white, wings fully visible and a smirk on his face.

"Are you boys going to argue about me all night?" He asked, eyes flashing gold.