Title: Aftermath (Part Four)
Author: fatedtoflames (DJ)
Pairing: John Constantine/Chas
Rating: Strong PG-13, may go up later
Spoilers Movie: Lots.
Summary: Chas had a family, of course, though John had never made an attempt to get to know them. But after Chas's death, secrets are revealed that may force John to get to know them better than he'd ever wanted…and force him to protect them from forces beyond their control.
X-Posted to three Constantine communities(total) and my private LJ.

By the time Constantine finished at Father Lawrence's home, it was just in time for the local middle school to be letting out class. He figured that would be the best place to talk to Jodey without Chas's mom going postal on him.

He took a cab to the school and stood outside, watching as the kids ran around like rabbits on drugs.

Chas wasn't ever like this…was he? John thought, watching as a few boys stopped and dropped their backpacks to have a quick three-on-three at the basketball court. They would occasionally stop to catcall at passing girls, but it was mostly showing off.

Geez, you're gonna look like some kind of pedophile standing here like this…but that's what you are, right? After all, the way you felt about Chas…that wasn't a fatherly feeling, by any means. He's only seventeen, and you…

He was broken from his thoughts when he saw Jodey exit the school building, two of her friends flanking her like bodyguards. All three looked completely normal, including Jodey.

"Jodey!"

Jodey turned at the sound of her name, and she frowned as she caught sight of John. She waved goodbye to her friends, who giggled, stared, and gossiped as she ran over to Constantine.

"You're Chas's boss…right?" She asked warily.

"Yeah. I just wanted to ask you a couple questions."

Nothing. He was feeling nothing abnormal from her. From the outside, she seemed a completely normal teenage girl…and even with John's powers and abilities, nothing exuded a supernatural energy.

"Look, Mr. Constantine, I really don't think I should be talking to you," Jodey said, beginning to walk away. John caught up, falling into pace beside the girl.

"And that's exactly why I want to talk to you, kid…"

Jodey stopped and held up her hand, giving John a look that very much reminded him of Chas. "Mr. Constantine, maybe Chas let you kick him around and call him 'kid', but I have a name and I'd like you to use it."

John's eyebrows furrowed. "Kick him around? What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on, you think we didn't notice?" Jodey asked incredulously, rolling her eyes. "All the times he came home with bruises, cuts, and burns, and you think we wouldn't put two and two together?"

The attacks from Jodey…she's letting it play off that I abused him, John thought, barely concealing his anger. Damn fuckin' demon hell creatures.

"Is that what your mother thinks? That I hurt him? Is that why she's so upset?"

Jodey just nodded, not seeming to care.

"Is that what you think?"

Jodey shrugged. "I don't really care. He's dead. What difference does it make now?"

John's fists clenched tightly and he once again barely restrained giving her a good slap. She's just fourteen, John, she doesn't know what she's saying, calm down…

"It does…make…a difference," John said slowly, and Jodey laughed.

"I'm surprised he stuck around for you. You know what? He got accepted to UCLA for a free ride through college. And you know why he put it off? Because you'd told him you had cancer, and he was going to stick with you till the bitter end," Jodey said harshly, and then she laughed bitterly. "But looks like that was yet another lie you told him. That's why Mom is so upset…he stayed for you when he could've had so much more. He was always her favorite anyway, and boy, did you screw that up..."

She shook her head and walked away before John could respond; not that he could've formed a coherent sentence at the moment, anyway.

Chas had been accepted to one of the top colleges around. Free ride, full scholarship. And he'd put it off…to keep helping him. To keep being a slave to him, more like it. To keep driving him around. And where had it gotten him? Six feet under.

John took a deep, shaky breath, headed to the nearest convenience store, and then bought a pack of cigarettes and a cheap lighter. He stood outside the store, silent, smoking his first cigarette in two weeks.

"John!"

John ignored the voice calling his name, even though it seemed achingly familiar. He took a long drag off his cigarette, staring at the ground, thinking.

"Yo, Heaven to John…"

John finally looked up, and he blinked a few times.

"…Chas?"

Chas grinned, his wings fluttering. "You rang?"

John was so tempted to just pull Chas into the tightest hug of his life, hold him close, tell him how much he'd been missed…

"You didn't tell me about UCLA."

…Or just start a fight right off the bat.

Chas's face visibly fell, and his wings slowly faded. "You send a distraught priest after me because I put off college for a year? That's pretty fuckin' lame, John."

"You didn't tell me about the scholarship."

"Christ, John, is that all you wanted? Cause you know, I could've gotten this by runnin' back and sayin' hello to my mother-"

"Who happens to think I abused you, by the way."

Chas dropped his gaze to the ground. "It was either that or try to explain Jodey to her."

They fell silent for a few moments, the uncomfortable lapse in conversation giving John a chance to take another drag off his cigarette. Chas was right; there was no way he could explain off the abuse by saying Jodey did it. His mother would never believe him. He was forced to let her think what she wanted to.

"Is that all you wanted, John?" Chas asked quietly. "Cause I left you everything I know about it in that box. The tapes, and the cross."

"Where'd the cross come from?"

"I found it in her room."

Now, that didn't make any sense whatsoever. A demon, who happens to have a cross in her room? It was unheard of.

"You don't know anything else?" John asked, and Chas shook his head.

"I couldn't find anything in the literature about a case like that."

John nodded, and then turned to walk away. He was mad, so mad at Chas, mad at himself, mad at Jodey…mad at everyone.

"John…John, wait!" Chas called out. "Is that…is that it? Cause geez, John…I thought…"

John turned and looked at Chas. Those wide, dark hazel eyes looked at him pleadingly, and he swallowed hard. He wanted nothing more than to walk back and take Chas into his arms, touch that soft, curly hair, tell him everything that he'd been thinking, how much he'd missed him…but he couldn't. He'd already screwed so much up for this boy, ruined his life…

"Chas…go back to playing your harp. I'll take care of things here."

He could practically feel the boy's disappointment and hurt, but this time, he didn't turn back.