Fiction: Hell and Fury - Part 5 - NC-17
INFO Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Present day
Sam closed the door of the motel room and set the takeout down on the table. His laptop sat where he'd left it and John Constantine lay across the bed, his trench coat and suit jacket and tie tossed on a chair. He was reading something. Curious, Sam moved to see what had caught Constantine's attention. It was his father's journal.
"How did you find that?" Sam asked. He always kept it hidden just in case and it was one of the few things of his father's he still owned.
"Just checking to see if he wrote about me," Constantine said, handing the book back to him. Sam snatched it from Constantine and tucked it in his duffel under his clothes. Constantine sat up and took some of the food, unruffled by Sam's attitude. Sam sat down and grabbed some food as well. He was starved and, after what had happened with Lilith, he was tired and even more determined now to get his brother back.
"So you and my father," Sam said, trying to sound as casual as possible. "What kind of relationship did you have exactly?" He suspected that Constantine was probably one of his father's many sources. Sam just wasn't sure why their dad had never said anything to them about the man, since Constantine was obviously knowledgeable.
"We ran into each other a few times," Constantine said, finishing his food and tossing the trash in a waste paper basket. "And I taught him a thing or two about magic." Constantine leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. He'd rolled his dress shirt sleeves up past his elbows and Sam could see pale hairs on his forearms.
"You hunted together?" Sam asked. He tossed his own garbage out and wiped his hands clean on a napkin.
"I wouldn't exactly say that."
"Then what would you say?" Sam said. "You talk about my dad as if ..."
"You mean fondly," Constantine said with a sigh. He stood and stretched. They'd gotten a smoking room this time. Since Constantine had been so good about not smoking in the car, Sam felt this was the least he could do. Constantine lit a smoke and took a long heavy drag from the cigarette.
"Okay, maybe that isn't the exact word I'd use," Sam said, sitting up straighter, his curiosity piqued.
"He was a good man, and I'm here fulfilling a promise I made to him," Constantine said, standing and pacing.
"So you can really help me get Dean out of Hell," Sam said. He was doubtful because of Constantine's lack of disclosure regarding how they would achieve that task. Sam had always assumed that Hell wasn't a place a person could just waltz into. Though Constantine had been fearless in the face of Lilith, the most dangerous demon Sam had ever fought, how could Constantine intervene? When the man didn't answer, Sam walked over and sat down on the bed.
"I'm going to do what I can, Samuel," Constantine said, rubbing at his brow. When Constantine had finished his cigarette, he sat back down on the bed beside Sam.
"How do we..." Sam started to say.
"We don't. I go, and you stay here. I need you to watch over me."
Sam nodded.
"I'll need something intimate that belonged to Dean," Constantine said.
"What, you mean like underwear or something like that," Sam said half-joking, and just a little freaked out by the prospect that they were talking about going to Hell on purpose.
"Not that kind of intimate," Constantine said with a snort. "It could be something he treasured or something that he always had on him while he was in the land of the living."
"Oh," Sam said, realizing that he knew what object should be used. He reached up and touched the necklace he had hidden under his shirt. Sam had not taken it off since that night when he and Bobby had buried Dean. He removed it now with reluctance and held it up for Constantine to see.
"Lovely," Constantine said, taking the necklace. He held it up and said some words under his breath that Sam didn't understand and then he moved his hands up then down then to the left and then right. Sam realized that Constantine was making the sign of the cross with the necklace. "I promise to bring this back in one piece, and hopefully its owner will be wearing it 'round his neck again soon." Constantine slid the necklace on and tucked it under his shirt, hiding it from view.
"What are you going to do?" Sam asked. His heart sped up and his mouth suddenly felt dry. It was actually going to happen. Constantine was going to get Dean back from Hell.
"First thing I need to do is suss out the lay of the land. Since I've no idea where in Hell..." Constantine paused with a smirk. "Pardon the pun. I need to know where to go. It's been awhile since I've done this, but I'm going out of body." He lay down on the bed and settled in with his hands folded on his chest. "Be back soon."
Sam was taken aback at how casual Constantine was being about all this. Was he seriously going to jump out of his body and into Hell just like that? Constantine must have thought that Sam was a fool. It had to be a joke. Sam stood and paced the room, watching Constantine closely. Nothing seemed to be happening. Constantine lay with his eyes close and his chest rising up and down as though he were asleep. Sam crushed the urge to grab the man and shake him until he stopped playing games.
*
He's pacing across the room. Frustrated. Constantine hates the situation as much as if not more than Sam, but he made a promise to a man he once called a friend. He's going to do it and he's going to do it as fast as possible.
He floats up, waves to his body and Sam. He follows the cord he knows is there. It's going to take years off Constantine, but he must do it. He wills himself not to think stray thoughts of wanting away. He wills himself to think only of his task at hand.
Dean Winchester. He's here. He can feel him. He can almost see him. Everything is burning around Constantine. It is Hell. Of course it's burning. That never changes.
Then Constantine is suddenly swept in a tide of pain. He reaches up and anchors himself by holding the necklace in his hand.
He's there, standing right beside him. Dean doesn't see him. His eyes are black pits. Constantine wants to scream, but he daren't because then they would come. The demon in charge, his name is on the tip of Constantine's tongue. He's right behind him, but the thing doesn't see Constantine because Constantine isn't really there. He's only an illusion, but he whispers a few ancient words under his breath. Dean's been in Hell for years already. Time there is different. Constantine hates that part more than anything, but at least his demons can't find him here. He's not thinking about those dead. They're someplace else and this place is far from them.
Dean turns to look right at Constantine, but he doesn't see him. Then it's too late, because the demon knows Constantine is there. Constantine screams when the thing grabs him by the throat. It lets him go and curses the demon blood in Constantine.
It is not for you to take.
Constantine turns to look and he knows he shouldn't, but the sounds behind him are haunting. He knows he'll hear them forever. Dean screams.
NO!
The demon demands. Constantine has only one option left. He reaches out for plan B. He didn't want to use that plan because he hates the thought of those bastards with their hooks in Dean, but he has no choice. If Constantine is right, then someone else, something else will save Dean, something more powerful than any being in the universe.
He puts his hand on Dean's left shoulder and says the words. Then suddenly he is wrenched away before he can tell Dean never to give in.
Constantine sat up, screaming. He held the necklace in his hand. At some point, he must have torn it from his neck.
"You're back," Sam said. He was sitting on the bed, holding Constantine by his shoulders.
"How long was I gone?" Constantine asked. His throat hurt and he felt like he'd been screaming for years. He was sure he'd only spent a few months in Hell, but time had a way of playing tricks down there.
"A few minutes," Sam said. He released his grip on Constantine when he saw that the man had finally calmed down. "You sat up a few minutes after you lay down, and ripped Dean's necklace off, then you started to scream."
"Bloody hell," Constantine croaked, rubbing at his throat. Sam stood and got a glass of ice water. He handed it to Constantine and sat back down beside him.
"Well," Sam said, trying to be patient, but having a hard time. He waited as Constantine sipped the cool water then gulped it down. He fell back on the bed and rubbed at his temples with one hand.
"Did it work?" Sam said. When Constantine didn't respond, Sam grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him up. Constantine grabbed hold of Sam's hands and tried to pry him off. Sam wrapped a hand around Constantine's throat and squeezed. The bastard had fucked with him. Bobby was right. Sam should have listened to him.
"He's there. He's bloody well there, but I can't get him out," Constantine gasped. Constantine struggled weakly in Sam's grip, but Sam wasn't going to let go. The guy had fucked with him and he was going to pay.
"What kind of relationship did you have with my father?" Sam shouted. He loosened his grip, but kept his hand around Constantine's throat. Constantine went slack in his grip, and stared up at Sam, wide-eyed with obvious terror. Sam was much stronger than Constantine and he knew it.
"What do you mean?" Constantine said with a flinch. "I already told you, we were occasional friends." Sam leaned over Constantine until they were chest-to-chest and nose-to-nose.
"I mean tell me the truth," Sam said through gritted teeth. "Bobby told me you're a con man and that I shouldn't trust you. He said that you're nothing but a liar."
"I told you. I taught your father a few things about demons and such," Constantine said. "And we may have fallen into bed together a time or two."
Sam pulled back and frowned. He released Constantine and sat up straight, suddenly feeling deflated. Something caught his eye and when he looked down he saw Dean's necklace still in Constantine's hand. Sam reached down to take it back, and that was when he noticed something else. The palm of Constantine's hand was red as though burnt. Sam took the hand in his and lifted it up to get a better look. He ignored Constantine's cry of pain.
"What the hell is this?" Sam said, feeling his stomach churn from the smell of burnt flesh that suddenly hit his nostrils. Sam released Constantine's hand and stood.
"I touched him," Constantine said through clenched teeth. "I touched Dean. It was my plan B, only I'd never have done it if I'd known how much it would hurt." He stood, clutching his damaged hand to his chest, and walked to the bathroom. Sam moved past Constantine to flip the light switch and turn the cold water tap on. He forced Constantine's injured hand under the tap and held it there while Constantine leaned against him.
"What was plan B?" Sam asked as he watched the water run over the burned hand.
"Your brother was a righteous man," Constantine said.
END
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