What he hadn't counted on was the whole room going up in smoke. The book caught fire too quickly to be natural and the room itself began to smoulder, as if incensed John would dare harm one of its own. The room was on fire in a matter of seconds, but John didn't move. He was watching Chas, his gaze on another plane for an awful moment. Then he seemed to snap into himself, eyes wide like a panicked animal as he realised where he was.

Angela gathered Midnite up and began shuffling towards the door.

'John, we need to go!'

'No shit,' he said, and then immediately started coughing.

John and Chas grabbed at each other as they scrambled over to the others. The group passed through the open doorway into Midnite's office where the smoke was already penetrating the air, and then the door out of Midnite's office wouldn't open and it occurred to John that he might die. Angela screamed in frustration.

'You know what's really good for breaking down doors? Guns.'

Midnite made a sound that could have been laughter. He was either out of it from the combination of a near choking and smoke inhalation, or the sight of his club burning was making him insane.

Chas turned back into the artefact room, Angela and John yelling after him, only to return moments later holding one of the gargantuan bolts he'd ripped from the cross. It glowed red from the heat, a scolding boulder that should have scorched his skin.

'Move now,' Chas threw it straight at the door. The wood burst outward, smoke rushing around them to fill the space. Everything was too loud, and it was really fucking hot. John kicked the splintered remains of the door in and pulled himself into the stairwell. It might have looked like he'd done it to help them all but in reality he just couldn't get out of there fast enough. Angela started to hand Midnite through but Chas took him from her like Midnite was a child.

They clambered up the stairs in a tangle of limbs, half blind, before they reached daylight.

Outside now, Chas lowered Midnite to the sidewalk where Angela checked him over. Sirens wailed in the distance.

The fire wasn't strong enough at street level to pose a threat, but the smoke was already filling the air. Now that he wasn't in danger of choking to death, John could see it wasn't the dirty grey/black of normal smoke but a smoky blue that seemed to mix with the daytime sky. Even in their rage the holy things of the world were too plain to see unless you stood up close.

Chas' wings shook out like a birds when they got wet. He didn't take his eyes off the fire.

'John.. Why did you do that?'

'It was the best available option.'

'What the fuck do you do when they run out of Happy Meals?'

The sirens grew closer, giving John itchy feet.

'Shit, I can't be seen here,' said Angela.

'Chas,' said John, 'Take her home.'

Chas looked at him like he wanted to ask something but didn't know how.

John nodded, which was the universal sign for, 'I'm okay with this,' which he wasn't, but it needed to be done. Angela needed to get away from the scene, Chas needed reassurance, or permission, and John didn't need them here.

They left without a backwards glance, but John felt his awareness extend with them like a child learning their parents still existed when they left the room. He didn't need them here, but they still mattered.

The fire brought him back to himself. The sound that had seemed intolerable inside was reduced to a dull roar from the curb. It reminded him of the ocean, and how the big things in the world absorbed the smaller things. It was harder to care about the approaching sirens in the face of that.

'So Constantine,' said Midnite, his chest heaving. 'You come to me for help. Then burn my fucking club.'

'Guess I won't make that mistake again.'

Midnite laughed, though it clearly cost him. His breathing increased in pace until it sounded near hysterical and then slowed, his chest heaving. He closed his eyes like he was centering, then slowly pushed himself up to stand. Level with John he gripped his shoulder and looked him in the eye.

'No, John. I think your mistakes are just beginning.'

John felt a sudden heaviness in his limbs, his energy leeching away and into Midnite's hand. He pulled away only to stumble. As he watched, Midnite again closed his eyes, and that same throbbing energy that dissolved the door in his office now folded in on itself like a star collapsing into a black hole. The sound of the fire died instantly, leaving only smoke behind.

John shook, the stolen energy replaced with anger. He slammed Midnite back against the wall.

'You wanna talk about mistakes? Mistakes got me a cop covering my tracks, and a crazy bastard strong enough to crush your throat at my beck and call. What's being perfect gotten you? Or maybe you blacked out and missed the part where I set fire to your livelihood without even thinking about you.'

He shoved him away, feeling disgusted. Midnite slumped again and this time John left him.

Smoke and sirens behind him, he walked into the day.


A/N: I found this and neatened it up for presentation; this fic is ancient now but if anybody's reading, thank you. I hope you enjoyed this out of the blue chapter!