It was early morning when the knock at the window woke Serefina from the fitful sleep she had been having. She jumped at the sound and opened her eyes, everything was blurry but she managed to stumble into the main area of her apartment. She could see the pale morning sky through the gap in the blind at her window, she frowned – 'who the hell is knocking at the window?' she wondered as she made her way over to the window that was on the opposite side of her apartment to the front door.

She fumbled at the cord that controlled the blind but couldn't quite grasp it, there was a loud knock at her door and she turned – 'why suddenly so popular?' she thought.

She turned to answer the door but the knock came again at the window, 'what the…?', she grabbed the cord this time and yanked it – the morning light came flooding through the window and with it came a huge Grey Demon with huge wings on its back, glass exploded all over the room as it crashed through the window, it knocked Serefina off of her feet and into the wall next to the door which she had just walked from.

She landed on the floor with a thud, the demon snarled and jumped over the chair to get nearer to Serefina who was currently trying to climb back on her feet, knocking the chair over as it came. Serefina stood and looked up at the Demon just in time to see it scream and run towards her, she yelped and ran into her bedroom – the demon slammed into the wall where she had been stood two seconds before. Neither Serefina nor the Demon had noticed the consistent banging at the front door of the apartment.

Serefina realized her mistake as soon as she had made it, her bedroom had no windows and no other doors – only one way in and one way out, and that one way was currently being blocked by one ugly looking Demon and it was running at her quite fast. Serefina tried to jump over her bed to get away from the creature but before she could it had grabbed her arm and yanked her back and had thrown her down on her own bed. She tried to scream for help but the demon wrapped its hand around her throat and proceeded to squeeze her air pipe, she tried kicking the demon from atop of her but it sneered and held her legs down with one of its own.

She tried to beat it off with her hands but her vision was becoming blurry and it felt as though her hand was moving through thick treacle, it was a struggle to keep her arm suspended in the air. The demon laughed when it realised that it was stopping any chance of her scream escaping – not that she needed to scream for help though, her hero had just managed to knock down her front door.

John Constantine assessed the damage to the room in front of him and worked out that the woman and demon were in the room off to the left, he took three strides and was at the door of the room, the scene that met his eyes would have reduced any normal man into a screaming pool of jelly – but this was not the case, John was used to this sort of thing. With a growl he reached out and grabbed the demon by the back of its neck and threw it against the dresser on the far side of the room – he turned to tackle it but before he could even begin to say 'this is Constantine…' the Demon was gone in a wisp or dust, this startled John and for a few seconds, Demons usually fought back, it was one of the only times he had ever seen a Demon leave so quickly. He stared at the place where the Demon has been and then he remembered why he was at the apartment,

Serefina.

He turned his attention back to the bed and looked at the girl, she had propped herself up on her left elbow and was staring back at him with an amused look on her face. She had bright red scratch marks down the left side of her face and her lip was cut too, she also had red marks around her throat, her hair was messy from being in bed just minutes before and she was wearing her black pajamas, not quite what John Constantine had expected the amazing psychic he was looking for to look like. 'And you would be…?' she asked him in a slightly hoarse English accent, he realised he was staring and looked away, 'Constantine, John Constantine' he said matter of faculty, when he looked back at her he could tell from her face that she recognized his name.

She climbed off of her bed and walked past him into the main room of the apartment, she was a head shorter than him, he watched her walk past but didn't move anything but his head. When she saw the front door laying on the floor she sighed and shook her head, 'did you really have to break it down?' she asked turning to look at John who was still standing in the same place in her bedroom, when she got no answer she shook her head again and picked the door up and placed it against the frame – to keep her nosey neighbors out.

She then turned her attention to the mirror next to her door and saw her face, she winced and poked the cuts on her face with her fingers, Serefina turned to look at John who had moved to the doorway of her bedroom, 'well, what can I do for you?' she asked picking up the chair that had been thrown over.

John paused for a moment before he replied, 'I was told that once I had found you – you would tell me what I was here for' he said not moving from his spot in the doorway, he was lying on purpose, he wanted to see what kind of psychic she really was.

He didn't stop looking at Serefina with his icy eyes and she didn't stop looking at him with her cheery blue eyes – she was one of the only people John knew of that had ever stared back at him, the other was Midnite. 'Oh really' she answered smirking – 'and the person that told you this – was he the same guy who told me that a tall, dark handsome stranger would rescue me from a Demon in the next few days?' she asked smiling.

John swallowed and chose to ignore the 'tall, dark handsome' comment, 'Midnite told you that?' he asked her but Serefina shook her head, 'no – but I knew you had been sent here by Midnite, thanks for the confirmation' she said as she made her way to one of the chairs in her apartment and then sat down.

John swore under his breathe at his sudden stupidity and mentally slapped himself. 'Now why don't you sit down and tell me why you are really here' she said nodding at a chair opposite hers, 'and no lies this time Mr. Constantine after all I can read your mind' she said smirking as John crossed the room and sat in the offered seat.

Their eyes never parted, John felt drawn to her eyes and Serefina was simply keeping John's emotions and thoughts in check – he was after all a total stranger and Serefina knew not to trust strangers, especially when they were as mysterious as John Constantine.

There was a short silence but Serefina broke it. 'so…' she said raising an eyebrow 'why did Midnite send you to me?'. 'Beelzebub' was John's answer, he didn't need to say anything else, 'Beelzebub?' she asked leaning towards John slightly, 'what about him?' she asked when John nodded, John surveyed the girl, he wasn't sure if he should tell her right here and let her deal with it, after all he was just the messenger, or whether he should take her to Midnite and break the news to her there, after all she was going to be very shocked when she heard what he had to say.

Usually John wouldn't have cared about the effect a message had on the receiver but for some reason he felt compelled to care about the effect it would have on this stranger and he chose the weak option. 'I can't talk about it here' he said looking towards the broken window and then at the door that was leaning at an odd angle against the doorframe.

'So where do you propose we talk about it?' she asked him also looking at the door, John smirked and looked back at her, 'we're going to have to go to Midnites' he said standing up and walking to the window so that his back was all that she could see.

Serefina sat watching the man for a few seconds before her voice kicked in. 'why to Midnites?' she asked, 'what the hells going on?' she stood and faced him but he didn't answer. 'Fine, I'll go get dressed' she said and walked silently into her bedroom closing the door quietly behind her. John turned back to the room the moment she had closed the door – he didn't want to appear to be caring, he was after all John Constantine, miserable Exorcist extraordinaire, not some caring neighbourhood hero.

Serefina was ready in a few minutes, she exited the bedroom wearing a pair of black cords, a white t-shirt and a long sleeved black cotton jacket. Her hair was loose, a mess of black curls that fell over her shoulders, back and her face. She looked at John and smiled, 'what are we waiting for?' she asked him.

They arrived at the elevator doors and John hit the button. They both waited in silence, neither of them knowing what to say. The 'ding' of the elevator broke the uneasy silence and the doors slowly crawled open, John entered the lift, 'so much for ladies first' Serefina thought, mentally laughing, and then followed him in. Serefina pressed the ground floor button and the doors slowly closed and they began their descent.

'Thanks by the way' Serefina said not looking at John, breaking the uneasy silence that had followed them into the elevator. He looked at her, no emotion playing on his face and then turned to look at the door again, Serefina looked at him and then at the door smiling, 'don't mention it' he said after a while and they continued in silence.

The ride to Midnites was uneventful, both sat in the back of the cab in silence, neither looking at each other. It was the cab John had traveled to Serefina's in; the return fair had already been paid. They arrived at Midnite's club and both climbed out of the cab and made their way inside.

it had been over a decade since Serefina had last been there, memories came flooding back.

They had gotten past the doorman and had walked quickly through the dance area and waited for the door to open to Midnites private area. It had done and they had entered.

Papa Midnite watched them walk in silently, and when they door closed behind them he stood and walked around his desk. John was stood to the left of his desk and Serefina was still standing by the door, she was looking around the room and when she saw Midnite she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. John watched as Midnite and the girl stared at each other, 'Serefina' Midnite paused, 'its been too long' he smiled at her but she didn't smile back. 'What are you hiding from me?' she asked, a strange look coming over her face.

Midnite frowned, 'Serefina...I'm not…' but Serefina interrupted him, 'Gabr…' she started in a whisper, a confused look spread over her face, she leant forwards slightly and grabbed the side of her forehead and closed her eyes.

'What's going on' John asked but he got no answer – Midnite grabbed hold of Serefina's arm and she yelped with pain and tried to break free of his hold. John was confused as he could clearly see that Midnite was only holding her arm gently, 'what the hell are you doing to her?' he asked, but before he could get Midnite away from her she had collapsed into a sobbing heap on the floor.

Midnite stood up and looked down at her. 'He was lost without you to mentor – he thought he was doing the right thing.' John stood in a mid stride position, not knowing what to do or say. Serefina was sat on the floor cross-legged, silent tears were rolling down her face,

'And where…where is he now' she asked quietly, not even looking at Midnite as she asked the question. 'He comes to see me a lot, he used to go to the theological society building but stopped after a few choice words with a certain exorcist', Midnite looked at John and that's when the penny dropped. They were talking about Gabriel. 'Gabriel?' he growled, a sneer forming on his face – 'what the hell is that half-breed to you?' John asked Serefina.

She looked up at him with a shocked expression on her face but couldn't bring herself to talk, instead she slowly climbed onto her feet and looked around for a chair, she saw the one by the desk and collapsed into it. Midnite stayed where he was, as did John – the two men were looking at each other. 'Gabriel is…was my mentor' Serefina spoke softly, not looking at John.

'your mentor?' he asked her, 'mentor for what?' but before Serefina could answer Midnite interrupted, 'that doesn't matter right now, the reason you are here is to find out why Beelzebub is after you' he said talking more to Serefina that John. Serefina's head snapped around in Midnites direction, 'after me?' she asked, 'what the hell do you mean he is after me?' Midnite looked at John, 'you didn't tell her did you?' the wise man asked the exorcist who in answer turned to look in the other direction and sighed.

Midnite shook his head with a smile forming on his face and made his way around his desk, as he walked he spoke 'it looks as though I have a lot of explaining to do', he took a seat, 'do you want me to give you the buttered up version, or the straight version' he asked leaning forwards and resting his clasped hands and elbows on the desk. 'The straight version' Serefina said looking over his desk at him, 'okay, here goes – Beelzebub killed your family and he's coming back to kill you.' He said matter of faculty.

John who had been looking at an odd painting on the wall to his left turned and looked at Midnite, shocked at his bluntness. He then looked at Serefina to see her reaction and was surprised to find that she was sitting calmly in her seat looking at Midnite. 'What does he want me for?' she asked him quietly. 'You're not going to like this Sere' he said leaning back in his chair, 'tell me' she said leaning forwards in her chair, John noticed that her hands were curled up into fists.

'He was promised you by Satan as his "prize" for helping to bring our world closer to hell' he said simply. Serefina's face went blank, she sat in her seat opening and closing her mouth like a fish, but nothing came out. 'You mean the rise in the number of demons trying to get through is because of Beelzebub?' John asked Midnite, who nodded in response.

'The only way that Beelzebub will continue his masters work and bring their world into ours is if he is presented with you Sere, until then the two worlds just remain…ah…very close' the wise man finished. There was a long pause in which nobody moved, nobody knew what to do.

'Serefina, I need you to leave, there are some things me and John need to discuss alone' Midnite said standing, Serefina stood with him. Serefina opened her mouth but Midnite silenced her by raising his hand in the air.

'I have already told you too much friend, but all I will say is, that when the time comes, you will know what to do.' Although this was meant to reassure Serefina, it didn't really do the job, 'okay then' she said raising her eyebrows slightly, 'I guess I'll be seeing you' she said looking at John briefly, and with that she hurried out of the room.

The two men watched her leave and stood, or in John's case, sat, in silence for a few seconds until the exorcist broke the silence, 'since when did you loose interest in the balance Midnite?' he asked. The other man turned to look at him, an all-knowing smile slowly spreading over his face, 'around the same time that one of my closest friends became hell's next victim' he said simply and then sat down behind his desk.