Disclaimer: No ONE in this chapter is my creation. But the idea and plot still are! Yay, I have something...I think...
Chapter 3: How This Works
"Daddy!" Shrieked Blair's young voice, in and out of John's dreams. Many times, red fiery eyes would come along with such screams. Palish-blue
"He'll live Ms. Dodgson. There will be a scar, but nothing else." John heard the doctor confirm. The voice sounded like Leslie's, his same doctor now for twenty-seven years. At first, he believed that this was just another dream, but he felt the lights blazing through his eyelids. The quick beeping noise verified that Constantine's heart was beating at a good pace. A dull pain throbbed in John's chest, but he felt that quickly leave after the doctor dared to stick him with a needle.
John lazily opened his eyes, finding Doctor Leslie writing something down as Angela took a seat next to the bed. She slightly smiled, but her eyes were swollen red from obvious crying. The doctor looked at Constantine. "You'll be sleep again soon. You've been in and out of consciousness for two days now John. How are you feeling?"
John held his arm up. There was a thin clear cord coming from his bandaged wrist. "Does it look like I'm ok?" He muttered with his voice cracking from no use in the two days.
Leslie did a small smile. "Good enough to insult me obviously." She marked something on her clipboard.
Angela turned, looking at the Doctor. "Could I please talk to him before he goes back to sleep?"
Leslie nodded. "He'll have about two or three minutes before he's totally out again." She left the room with the door clicking softly.
John had to close his eyes as memories crashed into his mind from his teenage years. The room was obviously one in the Ravenscar hospital seeing that he had visited the place so often. Flashes of the therapy from the hospital wouldn't stop taunting him.
"John…" Angela said in a low voice.
He sighed, opening his eyes again just in time to see tears form in Angela's beautiful eyes. She grabbed his hand. John frowned. "It's Blair," whispered Angela.
"Where is she?" Constantine asked as his eyes searched the room for the missing girl. The memories rushed him. He now remembered the arrow striking them both. He now remembered feeling his daughter's arms go limp about his neck. He remembered the promised revenge. "I'm sorry…" He whispered.
"She's gone John!" Angela choked, tears passing down her cheeks as she laid her head on the side bed rail.
Not sure of what to do, John took his hand from the detective's grip and gently put it to against her head, his fingers lightly treading through her hair. He could bear no tears. The tears never arrived anymore when he felt pain and sadness. They stopped coming after his teenage years, the years that he shed so many.
His eyelids felt too heavy to keep open. His mind seemed to be 'shutting down' though he wanted to worry about his daughter, to plot revenge against the Lord's archangel. John couldn't sleep, for the drowsiness dragged him down into the abyss of bad dreams of that moment when Blair was gone from him.
Leslie told John he could go the next day. Only one more dreadful night in Ravenscar was left. Angela had gone out to work after getting a call from her lieutenant a few hours ago. She was needed for a murder investigation. Constantine sat up in the hospital bed, plotting his revenge on Michael.
John learned from Angela that the way he got to the hospital was by her getting an 'anonymous call' about him getting hurt. Blair's body was never found. The police did say there was too much blood on the floor for the girl to have lived and they knew that the arrow struck her. Blair's blood was found on it. The way John got to the hospital was by Angela getting an 'anonymous call' about him getting hurt. He would find Blair, dead or alive and Michael would get what he deserved in return.
Whose side was the half-angel on? Hopefully, Michael wasn't insane like Gabriel which would be a big pain in the ass, just what John needed at this moment.
A few knocks on the door drew his attention away. A sour look appeared on Constantine's after he saw who entered the room. "Well, well, well." The voice said in obvious enjoyment. "The Constantine, the John Constantine," The man said with a smile as he toyed with the name in mockery. "In a hospital?"
John watched Balthazar cross the room, wanting to jump the half-demon at that very moment. The demon was in his snazzy attire, a black suit with thin yellow lines, a dark purple shirt was underneath jacket with a yellow tie hanging on top of it. He began pulling off the cords taped to his chest. He stopped moving after seeing Gabriel follow the half-demon in.
"I do have to agree John. You? Mr. Constantine, what did you do to yourself this time?" Gabriel said as she stepped up to the side of the bed, but far away enough from John's reach. His fingers traced along the bed mattress on the side that was unseen to the other people in the room. Leslie let Angela bring in, knowing about John's 'visitors'.
John smirked. "And you, the once right hand archangel of God, still bitching?"
Gabriel softly growled with much disdain. "I may not have God's favor as I once did, but I have asked his forgiveness. He has mercy over his ever-fleeing flock, no matter what sin is committed."
Not liking the babble, John retorted, "If God has as much mercy as you say he does, why has Michael taken your place?"
Gabriel growled louder, her hands launching for John's neck. Constantine quickly drew the dagger, putting the silver tip to Gabriel's neck just as her fingers were about to wrap around his own neckline. He would not be helpless in a hospital bed. She sighed, taking a deep breath. The once half-angel dropped her hands.
Balthazar giggled. A half-demon giggling, what a scary sound. "Sin, such an addiction, such a rush, don't you agree Gabriel?" Balthazar shuddered from the mere thought of doing something wrong. Gabriel closed her eyes for a moment, not answering him.
John let his dagger go to side, but he kept a good grip on it. "I killed you, how did you come back?"
Balthazar gave a devious smile. "That is for me to only know and for you to never find out."
Constantine shook his head, knowing the half-demon would give an answer like that. "Where's Michael?" He asked. These two were least likely to know, but John knew he had to try.
"You're not going to ask why we have come to visit you?" Gabriel asked.
John rolled his eyes. "Fine, humor me."
"We are here to make a proposal John. Your help is n--" Gabriel started.
"I'm not helping Hell." Constantine muttered.
"Your ego is agonizing! Hear me out, at the least." The once half-angel said.
"How about this," John gave Gabriel the middle finger.
Balthazar stepped forward and leaned over the bed railing. Constantine pushed his dagger to the half-demon's stomach. The demon looked down at the blade, but showed no fear of it. "You will benefit from it." The demon hissed. "As much as I hate to let the bright little girl go, I must by the boss's orders if you help us. She is much fun to play with." John gasped. "Blair," Balthazar whispered into John's ear. "That is her name, isn't it?" Not hearing Constantine respond, the half-demon continued, "The quicker you listen, the quicker you get her back, the less she will suffer." Balthazar pulled his head back, looking into John's dark brown eyes with his own ones which burned with the red fire of a demon.
"Where is she?" John asked almost in a whisper.
"You listen to us and help, you get her back. That's how this works John." Gabriel said behind Balthazar.
"I swear I will kill you if you don't tell me where Blair is. And I promise you won't come back." John said to Balthazar.
The half-demon chuckled, pressing his body to the blade. "Do it." He whispered. "I'll enjoy it." Balthazar hissed. Constantine slowly pulled back with disgust. "Chicken?"
John only glared. "No, I just want my daughter back."
The devious smile appeared on the demon's face again as he backed up. "Alright then, here's what we need to tell you. There is another part of Hell that is unknown to the people of this world. Those in the beginning of time knew of this place, but it soon to came be mixed with and known as Hell. To tell the difference, we (the demons) call it the Underworld. Something somewhat between Hell and Earth. A torturing limbo if you will. The place has some of the worst of demons there. Kings and warriors pass through there and Irkalla keeps them for herself. The only reason the Underworld has never been a 'threat' to Hell is because they seemed weak, nothing to fear from them we believed." Balthazar explained. "The one who oversees the Underworld is Nergal, but really, his consort, Irkalla runs the place, only running very few things through Nergal."
John's eyes widened, remembering Michael call Blair that name. "Irkalla?"
Gabriel nodded. "The Queen of the Underworld."
"Michael called Blair Irkalla."
Gabriel nodded. "I have reason to believe that Blair, your daughter is like an Irkalla on earth. How do you think the child could see dead people John? She is the Queen on this plane. Blair will become evil and destroy everything on this earth when her body ables her to." Constantine raised his eyebrow at that. He was raising a good smart girl who would destroy the world. That was just great.
"And Michael couldn't wait till she was older?"
Gabriel shrugged. "It's far easier to get her as a child. The way Michael knew that Irkalla was manifested in Blair was by the Queen's stench. Archangels are messengers for God. We visit different places and have been sent to Irkalla a few times. I think we are all just realizing the extent of this war. That is why Michael tried for her death John. He was doing it for the better of mankind."
Confused, John had to ask. "So is Blair dead or not?"
Balthazar smiled. "Oh, Blair is very much alive. I was coming to take the child to force you to help us, but I got to the apartment just when Michael left. I could feel his presence still in the room. I took Blair and left you."
John sighed. "Come to my apartment tomorrow. I need to think now."
Balthazar shook his head. "We'll settle this here and now. You will do as we ask or your daughter will be tortured till the last breath."
"Fine! What do you need an exorcist for in a war against Hell?" Constantine said, frustrated.
"Hell now has another enemy since Irkalla has entered the war. You just need to take her out." Gabriel said.
Balthazar smiled, "You know where to find me." He chuckled with an evil gleam in his eyes. "See you around Johnny boy." He said in slight mockery and walked out of the room. Gabriel lingered at the door. "Sorry John." She whispered.
"Fuck you." He muttered, turning his head to look out of the hospital window, content when he heard the door click into place. Helping Hell…would God understand and still let him into the gates of Heaven?
A/N: Surprise, surprise! lol. I know that barely had any action, but hey, every story has a 'boring/informative' chapter. You favorite insange characters return. XP Please leave a review. I'll have to update on Sunday or Monday seeing that I won't have access to a computer for the weekend. Don't forget to review! Thanks you guys!
Response to Reviews: (I would have had these for the last chapter, but I was way too busy)
Silverbloodrain: Hey! Yay, thanks a lot. Your reviews have always let me know someone was reading my stories. They always kept me goin'!
fanficgeek: I love cliffhangers as long as I'mon the right end.XP I update as fast as I can!
HI: I'm glad you're enjoying this one! It took me a bit to make sure thatI had everything tied together.
HiddenOperaAngel: Hey! You asked how do I come up with this stuff. Truthfully, I watch a lot of movies and read a lot, so I spin my own ideas from stuff. Irkalla herself is the Queen of the Underworld in the Summarian myths. We're reading Gilgamesh in English class and that's where I got her from. I did and will have to change a few things though about her. lol, but otherwise, I hoped I just explained in the chapter what happened to Blair...so pweeze don't hurt me! agg! XD
Karilee Kamicat: lol, don't worry, I got straight to this chapter after reading your review.
no1: I hope you are someone! heh. Thanks for the compliment, it means a lot. As far as Chapter 2 rocking, my friend wanted to kill me for even wanting to hurt John. XP
toomuchchastine: Here it is! I hope this chapter is good enough.
frantastic: ah, but there are many tragedies that come with the hero who saves the world (or anti-hero in John's case) ;)