John stared at Chas, horror crept into his eyes but he kept his expression still.

Chas stared at John, horror all over his face but his eyes still, pleading and confused.

Slowly John released his grip, just enough to allow the creature to sit upright without its neck exposed. If this really was Chas he wouldn't appreciate the hair pulling, if not then John wasn't going to risk letting it go entirely. He was close enough to be vulnerable.

Should've gone straight for the shotgun. Would've been simpler.

It was a rare moment for John that he truly didn't know what to do next. He knew he had to find out what was going on here, if this creature really was Chas somehow then he needed to know how and why he was here. If it was a demon the same questions applied, plus he needed to kick its ass.

But, if it was a demon, why not attack while he was caught off guard? He hated to admit it but seeing this thing in his apartment a child could have taken him such was his shock. Why go to the trouble of adopting such an elaborate disguise if you weren't going to use it to your advantage? For that matter if this thing was smart enough to penetrate the enchantments keeping demons out why not just attack him the moment he entered through the door?

All great points against the demon-in-disguise theory. Yet something in John knew that whatever was in front of him, it wasn't the same kid he had known. Something was wrong, outside of the small detail that Chas was dead.

Besides, he would never take an attack from John without something to say about it. He remembered a time Chas had caught a blow from an unfortunately aimed demon-slam on his part and he had spent a week walking to exorcisms just to avoid the complaining.

'Talk', John said in a restrained voice.

'You wanna let me go first?'

'No. Talk.'

'What do you want me to say John? "Hey, nice to see you again, tell me when exactly did you go crazy!?"'

That's more like it.

'Who are you?'

'What?! John I know you like a drink but maybe it's time to quit'

'Fine, let's start with how you got in through the barriers.'

'Spells are for demons John and I'm.. Not a demon.'

John felt his patience wearing thin. He grasped tighter.

'I can play at this all night but I've got better things to do. Tell me how you got in.'

'God I used a key John! How do you think?'

'Where did you get a key?'

Chas twisted in his grip and seethed, 'Agh, I had one copied. '

'You had my key copied?!'

'Yeah I did it ages ago after you left me waiting outside for 2 hours because you had a hangover, contrary to what you might believe John I also have better things to do.'

Really sounds like Chas. Inside knowledge too.

'Why are you here?'

Chas groaned. 'I didn't know what else to do.'

Avoiding the question.

'Why did you fight me?'

'What? Are you serious? I'm really sorry John but from where I'm sitting you attacked me.'

'You fought me off.'

'Self-defence! How was I supposed to know you'd lost it?!' Chas looked down and lowered his voice. 'And I don't exactly control it, they– They just sort of react.'

John raised an eyebrow. 'They?'

Chas looked up. 'Them, these things..', he looked John hard in the eye, as if he were trying to block out the limbs and wings around them. 'John, please. I don't know what's going on here but I really need for you to not be crazy right now. It's me.'

He said the last part softly. He really did seem to believe John was acting crazy.

I suppose from his point of view John, you are.

John made his decision.