Title: Shaken (Part Four)
Author: fated to flames (DJ)
Pairing: John Constantine/Chas
Rating: PG-13 for swearing and some violence
Spoilers Movie: No, takes place before the movie
Summary: Supernatural crises are no problem for John Constantine. But when Mother Nature throws her gauntlet down on John's life, will he and Chas be able to handle the consequences?
X-Posted to three Constantine communities(total) and my private LJ.
It had been five fucking hours.
The whole hospital was a bustling place, the injured and dead being brought in and out constantly, disoriented people sitting in the hallways sobbing, people trying to find their loved ones, and general disorder. John, however, was disconnected from all this; he was sitting in the waiting room in a daze, unresponsive, staring at the floor with a gazed over look. People had been asking him questions, bumping past him, asking if he was okay and sending him odd looks the whole time, but none of them received any response. He'd tried multiple times to light up a cigarette, but each time his efforts were thwarted by pushy nurses who wouldn't have him smoking in the hospital.
I should've said yes, just this once. If I would've trusted him, just this once, he wouldn't be in this position.
Thoughts like that were the only thing John was conscious of, that and the passing time. He kept telling himself that it was only taking this long because of how busy the doctors were, but then he'd wonder if they were neglecting Chas, leaving him alone on some stretcher in a dark hallway.
If those doctors don't do their job and do it well, I swear to God…
"Mr. Constantine?"
The voice sounded familiar, and John looked up to see the doctor that had met them at the door. The man certainly looked frazzled, and still had blood all over him.
"Is he alright?" John asked, standing up.
"He'll be fine. We were afraid at first that the bruising on his lungs was too extensive, but he's lucky. It wasn't as bad as we first thought," the doctor explained, and John sighed with relief.
"Can I see him?"
Another stretcher rolled past, a severely injured woman on it, screaming in pain. "Sure, room 113," the doctor said before rushing after the stretcher.
John made his way down the crowded hallway to room 113, which had three other stretchers set up in it to occupy more patients. He immediately spotted Chas by the window, eyes closed, an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth and an IV in his wrist. John hesitated, looking down at the floor for a few moments; it was hard to look at Chas like this.
He slowly walked over to the bed, glancing at the man in the bed next to Chas's. He wasn't as lucky; he looked like the entire left side of his body had been put through a meat grinder. The other two beds were empty right now.
"Chas…you awake?" He asked gently as he sat down. No response. He sighed and buried his face in his hands, taking a few moments to gather his wits.
"Damn bastard…why'd you have to leave like that?" He muttered, looking up. Chas was so pale that it scared him a little, and the steady beeping of the heart monitor was like a clock, ticking away suspenseful moments of dread that the boy would never wake up.
John sighed again, more out of frustration this time, frustration with both himself and Chas. Before he realized he'd moved, his hand was clasped tightly onto Chas's. He swallowed hard, gently rubbing Chas's knuckles with his thumb.
"Come on, kiddo, wake up. I'm not feelin' particularly patient," he said with a nervous, quiet laugh.
"I don't believe you've ever been patient, John."
John looked up only to find Gabriel standing on the other side of Chas's bed, the vague glowing outline of wings barely showing against the wash-white wall behind him. John snorted and shook his head.
"Shouldn't you be out doing angelic shit, like saving all the other trapped people?"
Gabriel smirked. "The balance, John. I can only give my blessing, not my strength."
"Even when people are dying."
"You know the rules."
"Better than most," John pointed out, and then quite suddenly realized that he was still holding Chas's hand, and he jerked his hand back. Chas stirred and groaned softly, but didn't wake up. "So, Gabriel…why are you bothering me? I'm kinda busy."
"You're always looking for an opportunity to aid the side of good…"
John shook his head. "I'm not leaving. Especially not for one of your 'jobs'. I have to be here when he wakes up."
Gabriel seemed amused by this insistence. He circled around the bed and placed a hand on John's shoulder, and he tensed up.
"He's not going anywhere, John. All I'm asking is that you go and exorcise a few rogue demons from this plane. They got through during the earthquake."
"I was told they started the earthquake."
"Also true, but fortunately their plan didn't work. Only a few made it through to this plane," Gabriel explained.
"Possessions or demons in true form?" John asked.
"Mostly possessions, and most of the possessed are injured or dying. It's very simple, John…I have faith that you can handle it in very little time."
John looked back down at Chas, who still seemed to be sleeping peacefully. It couldn't hurt to leave for an hour or so, get a few more brownie points with God. Chas was injured anyway, he wouldn't be going anywhere.
"Alright, I'll…"
By the time John started to speak, Gabriel was already gone. John slowly stood up, instinctively reaching for his cigarettes and forcing himself to stop halfway through the action.
"I'll be back, kid," he said, reaching up and brushing the sweat-soaked curls back from Chas's forehead. He hesitated, unwilling to let go, but after a few moments he pulled his hand back.
He turned and walked out, shoving aside the turmoil over the sudden attachment he was feeling to his young apprentice…