#cheryl masters

[pablohunie1993]

me outside of mark waid's window every night: has cheryl met zatara ii? has gemma? do they know he exists? do they know he's john's son? did john tell them? does he have any connection to his paternal family?

[naoa-ao3]

Cries and Whispers

SUMMARY: There's something watching over Cheryl's little brother. It sits on his crib and waits and no one seems to notice. In the absence of a mother and in the wake of family grief, even Cheryl is starting to tell herself it isn't there.

Cheryl's life is very complicated. She had a mum and now she has a baby brother and she doesn't have a mum anymore.

She used to think people were excited about babies but no one seems excited for this one and for a little girl it's all terribly, terribly confusing.

Babies are good, people like them but dad says that this one killed mum and she doesn't know what to think or do.

Adults don't talk to her about what's going on either. Her aunt has come to stay, she looks after the baby because dad won't. Dad won't go near him. He just drinks and Cheryl misses her mum more than ever.

Baby John was sick for a while, he's only been home from the hospital a few days now and even now the grown ups shun her from his room, they whisper to themselves and to no one and the house is a confusing mixture of mourning and new life. Cries and whispers.

Cheryl had looked forward to having a brother, she still thinks babies are exciting but when mum was pregnant she never imagined the baby coming home without her. The whole situation is different now.

For a little girl there aren't a lot of answers. Maybe the adults think they're being kind by sheltering her from it but it scares her more not understanding why everything is like this.

Dad doesn't act right, mum is gone and there's a stranger crying in her house every night. A little baby she doesn't think anyone wants.

She feels sorry for him and she's young, she doesn't think the way they do yet, the way the grown ups do with their hushed voices and their secrets and her dad's liquor.

Cheryl goes from room to room in the house, confused and ignored. Her aunt takes care of the baby but she won't stay forever and even Cheryl is old enough to worry about what that means.

Dad hasn't acted right since he came back from the hospital. He sits in his chair and he drinks and he cries. He doesn't go to the baby and he's being cold to Cheryl now too.

She's heard him muttering. He blames the boy but John is just a baby and she doesn't see how a baby can murder someone.

She doesn't understand what went wrong and no one seems to want to tell her.

She always thought babies were a good thing.

There's something in John's room too. She's only seen it in glimpses, when she hangs in doorways and watches aunt Dolly change his diaper.

It hovers over the crib like a shadow and she doesn't know what it is. She thinks she might even be imagining it and when she's all grown up and most of her has forgotten she'll tell herself that that's what happened, that she did imagine it.

It'll make sense to her that a little girl would make something up to deal with her family's troubles and her family was very troubled after all, even before little John came along.

Cheryl is used to trouble but as she stands in the doorway and watches aunt Dolly fix the baby up her eyes find the hulking thing and she starts to shake.

It's some kind of evil shadow over her new baby brother, it perches and seems to shimmer like blackness. Like unwanted smoke.

Aunt Dolly doesn't notice and it's right at her elbow.

Cheryl think's she'll scream if someone doesn't make it go away. That's her brother in the crib. Her poor, little brother and all of this is going on and something is over top of him and she doesn't understand any of it.

"Look at you hanging there, run this to the bins for me." Her aunt say's, handing her a bag of dirty wipes.

Cheryl wrinkles her nose and does as she's told, looking over her shoulder at the thing hovering over her brother's crib. It's evil and it scares her.

She thinks of imps and goblins in fairy tales. It looks like something from a book, something nasty looking. She doesn't want it near her brother but of course she doesn't get a choice.

She runs to the back and throws the stinking bag into the trash there.

This is new to her but her aunt say's all babies are like this and she was like it once too. You have to look after them and she doesn't mind being a big sister in this way, it's almost normal and when she returns her aunt is leaving the room.

"Got him down for a nap." She say's, wiping her hands on her apron. "Don't go making any noise now, Cheryl. He needs his sleep."

But she doesn't make a lot of noise. The house is quiet now except when John is crying. Cheryl doesn't ever make a racket.

She nods anyway and her aunt run's a hand over her head. It's brief and it's not enough and she suddenly misses her mother painfully.

No one holds her any more.

She even misses the sound of her parents' fighting now. It echoes in her ears sometimes but it's over and done with.

It won't sound again.

Her aunt is back towards the kitchen and she's left alone in the hall. She's alone a lot now and John's door is shut.

She worries about what's behind it.

Not the baby, she knows he's there.

She worries about what else.

She stares at the door and feels panic creeping into her heart, into the souls of her feet. Through her toes. There's something there that's not supposed to be and it's so bad it makes her start to shake.

She wants to cry but that's all anyone does anymore. Dad. . . The baby. . . even aunt Dolly and she doesn't understand why they aren't scared too. Why everyone isn't losing their minds the way she feels she is.

There's something IN her brother's room. Something hovering over him and everyone is acting like. . .

She goes to her aunt in the kitchen and like a much younger girl clings to her skirts. "Aunt Dolly, there's something in John's room." She says, face pressed against her aunt's leg.

The woman allows the clinging for a moment before shaking her off. "Oh, and what's in John's room then?" She asks and Cheryl feels hopeless. Adults don't believe in these things. They think it's all made up.

"I don't know." She says softly, knowing she sounds stupid.

Her aunt gives her a strange look and puts a hand on the top of her head. "Don't you start too, Cheryl. I don't think this family can handle anyone else falling apart." She whispers.

Cheryl's heart sinks even lower, a sick, nauseous feeling settling in her stomach. It's too much to believe. Imps and goblins don't really exist outside of fairy tales and yet she knows she saw something.

"You're a good girl, Cheryl. Go and run this out back for me." Her aunt says, handing her a bucket of potato peelings.

She takes it numbly like she did the bag of wipes and soiled rags. She goes outside and wonders if she should pretend the thing doesn't exist too. Act like the grown ups act.

Outside is fine. Outside looks normal, like there isn't a new baby or a missing mum. The garden she knows well is as it always has been and yet when she looks up at little John's window she knows it's all very wrong inside.

Back inside she climbs the stairs. She's going to take a peak, just a little peak and see if the nasty thing is still there, still hovering malignantly over her baby brother.

Her hand sweats as it closes around the door knob and it rattles as it turns.

Her heart thuds painfully in her chest.

Its going to be here.

Hovering over her baby brother.

She opens the door and sees the crib.

The thing is sitting on the corner and she makes herself approach because that's her brother in there. Her brand new, little, baby brother.

He's asleep, arm thrown back.

She looks at the shadow thing and swallows. "Go away." She whispers. "Just leave him alone."

It does nothing and she grows more afraid. She's still small and this thing is next to her tiny, baby brother and babies are supposed to be good so why is this thing even here?

The door opens and her aunt Dolly walks in, face baffled. "Cheryl, what are you doing in here?" She asks.

Cheryl looks through the bars of the crib and thinks she might start crying. "I was just checking on the baby." She say's.

The thing has vanished but she's afraid it isn't gone.

Aunt Dolly smiles. "You're a good big sister already." She say's. "John's in good hands with you."

Her hands?

Her hands are still small and she see's the thing she thinks, under the dresser. Maybe she'd just imagining it though. No one else seems to see it.

"Want to help me feed him?" Aunt Dolly asks, hands on her hips. "You'll have to learn some time."

Cheryl worries that means dad won't be doing anything. That dad won't feed him.

She hasn't seen him in the baby's room once and nods, almost crying.

She doesn't feel much like a kid lately and as Aunt Dolly get's John up he starts to cry and she suddenly wants to cry again with him.

"Shh now John, there you are. There you are." Aunt Dolly whispers. "No reason for all of that. Come on."

She sits down in the rocking chair that should have been her mother's and get's him settled, get's him interested in the bottle.

"That's it."

Cheryl comes near and Aunt Dolly helps her to hold him, teaches her to mind his head.

She briefly stops thinking about the thing.

She smiles and think's it's incredible that he's actually in her arms. Her own baby brother. She's started to out grow baby dolls and she thinks he's nothing like them anyway. He's far more important, far more heavy and alive in her small arms. A baby doll never felt like this.

"You're a natural." Aunt Dolly say's. "Just like that, Cheryl. You'll be a great mother one day."

She's always thought that that was what girls did. They grew up and became mummies but now for the first time she doesn't know what that means.

She kind of knows how babies are made. . . there are always girls talking at school and the older girls seem to know the most but something had gone wrong with her mum and her mum was dead.

Maybe is was scary too, having a baby. Her friend Margaret's mum has had six kids. She wonders what the difference between Margaret's mum and her's was.

No one will tell her anything and she's starting to think they just don't know.

"Hold the bottle up a little more." Aunt Dolly say's and she obeys without thinking, she doesn't want to mess it up.

John is hungry and she feel's really thrilled to be the one feeding him. To be the one taking care of him.

She thinks she might like being a big sister. "He's got blond hair like me." She say's.

"It might get darker, boy's hair usually does." Her aunt say's dismissively.

She looks at it and John finally slows a little. She hopes it doesn't change.

"There you go, lad." Her aunt say's taking him back and carrying him around the room for a moment.

Cheryl watches and think's she'll be a mum one day. She won't marry someone like her dad though. He's her dad but she already knows that she doesn't want someone like him.

She has no idea of course yet who Tony is or about Gemma. She doesn't know how things will end. She can't even imagine it.

Cheryl doesn't even really believe in what she's seeing over the crib again.

She and Aunt Dolly lay John down and she wishes things were different in the house. That her mother was there and that her father wasn't the way he was.

"You're a good girl, Cheryl." Her aunt say's quietly. "You've gotten rotten luck with this family. I'm sorry."

She doesn't know what that means or at least pretends she doesn't. She's starting to think she might have some idea though.

She feels like her childhood is ending.

It's just her, dad and the baby and dad is drunk. Dad is angry and the baby is helpless.

Aunt Dolly can't stay forever.

She's almost panicking but she holds it in, keeping herself together.

"Come on now, we can play with the baby after supper but it's almost time to eat." Aunt Dolly say's to her, oblivious to the imp or her panic.

She follows her out, looking bleakly back at the thing sitting atop her brother's crib again.

It's silent and still there.

She shakes her head and leaves, wanting to take John with her.

She can't though. Dad doesn't like it when he's out of the room.

Doesn't like it when he's in there either.

They eat dinner quietly at the table. Dad doesn't ask about John. Won't go in and see him and Aunt Dolly isn't asking him to any more. Mostly it's just quiet.

Cheryl feels like she's going insane.

The house is going insane.

After supper she hears Aunt Dolly in the kitchen fretting on her own, sherry out in front of her. Half empty. It's a wonder dad hasn't drank it already.

She stands outside the door and thinks that she's never seen so many grown ups so upset before. They're all crying lately. Like the baby. Like it's a house full of children and everyone is miserable. Maybe that's what happens when there's no mum around.

She stops by John's door before bed and stares at it but Aunt Dolly says he's asleep again and she passes it by, knowing it's only for a little while.

She'll see if the thing is still there later.

She goes to bed and can't sleep. There's a creek through the house and and wind at her panes.

No rain.

Just wind.

She lays in bed for a long moment, heart hammering.

She feels completely useless in bed but eventually she slides her feet from under the covers and sneaks from her room.

She's just gong to check on John and maybe it will all be okay. Maybe things will be different.

Maybe the thing won't be there.

Each step down the hallway however is terrifying and Cheryl's heart in in her throat as she draws near the door.

When she opens the door the thing is on the crib again.

On her brother's crib and she steadies herself.

These things don't exist.

This thing doesn't exist.

"Go away." She say's, stepping towards it.

Towards where John is laying helpless.

It turns it's formless face towards her and seems to glare only it can't. It has no eyes, no real form.

It isn't real.

It can't be.

She walks more loudly than she'd meant towards it and is shocked by the sound of the wind from outside.

She stops and it does too.

Then it looks at her again and in the future, not even the far future Cheryl will tell herself this never happened. She'll remember being young and confused and remember that children handle things in all sorts of ways.

She'll remember that she'd just lot her mum and that everything was wrong and twisted up.

Tonight however she takes a swipe at the thing and her hand passes through it like smoke. "Get away from my little brother!" She snaps, her voice harsh in the dark.

The thing lurches back and springs onto the dresser but she's mad now.

Mad at it, mad at everything. Mad at dad and even Aunt Dolly, all of the adults with their tears and whispers. . . all of the things they won't tell her. She's mad at herself for being confused and mad at the hospital and this thing- this thing that has invaded her home and threatens her little brother. She's so angry she could burst.

She stomps towards it.

Baby John kicks in his crib.

"Get out of our house!" She snarls, all of the anger of the past month burning inside of her.

It jumps towards the window and sits on the sill but before she can get to it and swipe at it again it leaps out and she shuts the window, chest heaving.

There's no rain yet.

She turns to the crib and looks through the bars. She's not tall enough to lift John out yet and instead just looks at him.

He's asleep and she sighs.

Maybe she's imagining things but she feels better.

The room feels more normal.

John is as safe as he's going to get it seems and she watches him for a long time, finally feeling something like relief.

She could be a big sister.

The world might be a mess, a confusing mess but she can be a big sister. She knows this now and as the baby moves in his sleep she feels something normal for the first time in a very long time.

This is how a big sister is supposed to feel and she can't wait to see what kind of person her brother's going to be.

"You're alright, John." She whispers to the darkness. "Cheryl's here."

She leaves the door open just a little in case he cries in the night and heads back to bed, heart feeling years older and steps more sure this time.

[wolfbearingroses]

Hi do u have any gemma headcanons

I do have a few actually! Gemma's a character I feel pretty attached to despite her few appearances. I'm a bit rusty on some of the older Hellblazer so some stuff might be contradictory

•On the rare occassions John was in charge of babysitting her, he'd take her to get ice cream, always at the same place. It wasn't good ice cream but she liked it anyway beacuse it meant spending time with her uncle.

•She has a few tattoos, but not in very visable places. Some are related to magic and enchantments (or at least an attempt to get one with magical properties), like what some versions of John have, whereas others are the usual "dumb teenage decision" ones.

•Her and Chas's daughter, Geraldine, are canonically around the same age, so it would make sense that they went to the same school at some point. They were friendly with each other but not quite in the same circles.

•Magic aside, as a teenager she had a habit of picking up a lot John's old interests. Like she'd listen to simlar songs, or buy a jacket that looked like one of his. She never realised what she was doing, but it quietly scared Cheryl, fearing it was a sign she'd take an interest in the occult.

That's all that comes to mind for now, but I might end up thinking of or remembering more some time.

[excessively-english-jd]

Hi sorry to bother, I saw you said you had 2 fics on Cheryl Masters’ and John Constantine’s relationship and was wondering if you could link them. If not that’s cool!

No problem!!

Lessons Learned technically features Chas and Cheryl, but the focus is on John and Cheryl's relationship.

Another Fence We're Mending is a scene between John and Cheryl taking place after Hellblazer #100 Sins Of The Father. (Mind the tags on this one, but there's nothing worse than the comic)

Chapter 7 in my ficlet collection Never Mind The Bollocks also features John and Cheryl (and Gemma).

I do also have a WIP which features our OC Amon, John's son, which again has a lot of focus on Cheryl and John's relationship which I.... should really fucking finish lmao. If you're interested, I could drop a little preview of that.

Hope you enjoy!!

[ffiamgoku]

I binged the first 6 episodes of The Sandman and couldn’t stop thinking of fic ideas, so I wrote out a quick little Sara/Johanna piece. I mean when Rachel mentioned Johanna’s other ex’s and “Sara” and “Oliver” I couldn’t be the only one thinking Arrowverse easter eggs right? https://archiveofourown.org/works/40853454 Please read the tags, they’re important (and potential triggering subjects are tagged) 

[talentforlying]

john and his niece going for a walk, arm-in-arm, so gemma can confide in him about her ghost problem without worrying her mum......i'm severely unwell about them.

[destinywillowleaf]

scheduling this for when my test starts that i haven't started studying for. because pokemon brain

[nonovyabuisness]

April Fools = Halloween for Pokemon Masters EX.

It’s scarier than the Halloween event.

[yellow-gardenia-48]

Why Nintendo shouldn't give (me) photo shoots mechanics: I present to you "Pokemon (Taylor version)"

Shout out to the person who made the edit of Geeta as the cover of The Tortured Poet Department, I saw it and thought "haha wouldn't it be funny if somebody made the other albums?" And here we are

[debtsunpaid]

the steve dillon constantine siblings live forever rent-free in my head, they both just look so alive.

cheryl just looks so darling, all big soft eyes and chatting away with kit, and john's kinda got this cover-of-a-romance-novel vibe going for him that belongs to such a specific, relaxed, happy version of him. the red sweater and the pink shirt remain some of my all-time favorite outfits for them.

[outfitpolls]

Loser's Round Three, Match 7

[pablohunie1993]

EPISODE THIRTEEN WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT HIS SISTER/NEICE WHERE IS CHERYL WAITING FOR THE MAN MORE LIKE WAITING FOR CHERYL

[naoa-ao3]

The Tape

SUMMARY: Gemma brings a tape home from school that makes her ears bleed. Cheryl asks John to get rid of it. Is there any chance he won't listen to it?

The phone rings and John picks up, hand twitching only a little. Most times when he get's a phone call it's something bad but he answers anyway and this time is surprised to hear his sister's voice on the other end.

He doesn't get around to see Cheryl as much as he probably should. Most of the time he just causes her trouble anyway.

"John, what do you think you're playing at?" She asks before he can speak, she sounds angry and he winces a little, unsure of what he's supposed to have done now.

"Gonna have to be more specific than that." He mutters.

"You bloody know what I'm talking about. The damn tape. I don't know where else Gemma would have gotten it from."

He get's annoyed now because he doesn't know anything about a tape. "What tape?" He asks. "She watch a porno flick or something?"

Cheryl makes a noise of irritation too. "You wish it were something that ordinary. It bloody hurt her."

And he just doesn't know what she's talking about. "Cheryl come off it, I'm all the way in London. I don't know what tape you're talking about. Now is Gemma okay?"

A huff. "Yeah, she's alright. Turned it off and she was fine again but she had all this blood coming out of her ears and then Tony listened to it and he started bleeding too."

"Jesus. . . Glen Campbell's greatest hits then?"

"It's not funny, she said she got it at school but I-"

"She didn't get it from me but I'll take it off your hands." John say's immediately, not knowing what this thing is but understanding and wanting it away from his niece and sister. "I can be by in a day or so."

A sigh. "You promise, John? I don't want this shit mucking up her life. You hear me? I don't want that."

"No, you're right. I won't let it."

He can hear her trouble and disbelief even when she doesn't say anything. "Okay, stay for dinner then? I'll make something up."

He nods. "Won't say no to that. I'll be there, Cheryl."

"Yeah, okay." She say's again. "Sorry I yelled. There was just blood and all coming down her face. No mother wants to see that."

"No of course not." And he knows his sister loves Gemma. Of course she does. She's a good mum. She was a good sister to him when it came down to it.

"So you'll come get rid of the thing?" She asks.

He nods. "Yeah, already there."

He hangs up and rubs at his face, feeling dark. He's tried so hard to keep this shit away from Gemma but it keeps finding her. Just like it found him only she's just a kid and she's young and innocent and it hurts that he can't keep it away from Gemma.

It hurts that Cheryl thinks he could have given Gemma the tape but then. . . Cheryl's dealt with his shit for years. . . who else would come to mind?

He get's the first ride out of London he can get and heads her way, thinking about all the songs that have ever made his ears bleed through the years. It's almost comical except that it isn't really like that. Not literal blood like what was running down the sides of his niece's face.

Of a little girl's face.

It's supposed to be just a figure of speech.

The ride takes forever and there's rain. Too much rain and the inside of the lorry he's managed to talk his way into is wet and cold.

The driver has a thermos of steaming coffee but he doesn't offer to share any and John can smell the burnt crap's stench floating next to the dank humidity of the cab.

The driver is snide. Probably picks people up so he can feel better about himself. He asks rude questions, smirks a lot but John just ignores it.

The ride is mostly silent.

Wet and silent as water droplets form against the inside of the window panes and jump out at him. The old leather stinks and feels gritty under him.

He get's off in Warrington and from there it's an easy trek to Cheryl's.

The familiar streets of his teenage haunts have changed. Progress and modernization have replaced most of shabby exteriors and old Victorian facades. It's surreal but then he doesn't come home much.

Cheryl greets him at her door, eyes troubled, face worried and he knows she's more upset than she wants to let on.

He hugs her anyway. "How's Gemma?" He asks.

"She's alright. You know how kid's are."

He nods and follows her inside.

There's school pictures on the walls of Gemma and a vase of dried flowers on the television. Cheryl's house looks normal. The weird stuff only brushes her life and he suddenly hates that this tape has invaded her home.

She puts on the kettle and sighs unhappily. "Thanks for coming on such short notice." She say's giving him an apologetic look.

There are lines around her eyes now that hadn't been there when they were kids. John feels like a kid around her again. He think's it's funny how you shrink up around family.

He isn't a kid though. "Of course." He say's.

This is the now.

She shakes here head. "I was out of my mind when I called you. I really was. I was so upset. There's no excuse for how I talked to you."

He reaches for her sleeve. "You think I don't know that?" He asks, trying to be comforting.

She smiles weakly. "No, I know you know." She say's and he sees her shoulders finally relax a little. "Gemma's going to be happy to see you." She say's.

He smiled and nods. "She at school, then?"

"Yeah. She's got good grades, you know? I'm proud of her."

"You should be."

She brushes her hair back and yet he can see the tension still there because everything isn't perfect with Tony and now she's got this to worry about. "Sometimes though, John. . ." She shakes her head and then smiles. "I'm glad you came."

He is too and he smiles gently back at her. "Any time you call, I'll turn up."

She laughs genuinely there. "Now don't go pulling my leg." She say's.

That hurts a little but he knows it's fair. He isn't totally reliable and she knows it but just the same. . . he means it to be true.

He sighs to himself and the kitchen is alright. Tony doesn't keep them living in splendor but it's alright.

"Everything alright on your end, John?" She asks.

He nods because it mostly is and what isn't there isn't time to say. "Think so." He say's.

"Good, you always seem to have a lot going on. I worry about you sometimes."

He appreciates that and looks down at the table, the yellow Formica is starting to show some wear now. "Nah, I'm alright Cheryl." He say's because it's easier than telling her all of the things she might not even believe in. "You don't need to worry. You got enough on your plate as a mum."

She smiles a little sadly. "Oh John you know it's not that easy to stop worrying."

He appreciates that too and sips his tea. "So what about this tape, then?" He asks. "What's on it?"

"How should I know? I didn't bloody listen to it."

He laughs a little. "Gemma say?"

"She was in shock, I think. If she even knew it in the first place." She fishes into her pocket and hands over a white cassette tape, shaking her head. "I don't even know how mums are supposed to know what their kids are up to these days." She say's. "I can't check everything she brings home from school. Remember when you had to save everything you got for a new record? It was vinyl then. This thing fits in your back pocket. I didn't even know she'd brought it in the house."

He takes the tape and turns it over curiously. "I remember." He say's, thinking back some years now.

She shakes her head. "We didn't have it perfect but. . . at least our music didn't make your ears bleed."

He laughs and wonders what's on the tape.

He think's he'd really like to know.

A symphony from hell? Some kind of muttered, arcane chanting? The possibilities were endless.

"Gemma should be back soon." Cheryl say's, looking towards the window and sighing. "I told her you were coming." She looks like she expects him to dart out the door.

He smiles, trying to put her eat ease. "Wouldn't want to disappoint, then."

Her eyes find him. "You're staying for dinner, aren't you? You said you would."

He raises his hands in surrender. "I meant it."

"Good because I've got a roast in the oven."

He looks towards the oven and nods. That sounds good. "Wouldn't miss it." He say's, feeling comfortable in her house when it's just the two of them.

He's not that far from where they grew up although Cheryl and Tony have managed to get themselves into a better neighborhood.

Cheryl sighs and looks at the clock on the opposite wall. "Tony should be off soon too. Do you have somewhere to spend the night?"

He glances towards the living room and raises an eyebrow. "If you wouldn't mind."

She shakes her head, smiling a little. "No, go ahead. Couch is yours."

He likes that and smiles too.

These are the easy moments, the moments when everything is working the way it should and if he ignores the reason for his trip, he's just a brother visiting his sister and her family.

He slips the tape into his pocket as the kitchen door opens and Gemma steps in, school bag thrown over her shoulder and shirt untucked.

He can remember shucking off school clothes the moment he was able to, the useless, oppressive uniforms were nothing once the last bell had rung. Once the doors had opened.

She stops and looks at him, eyes bright. "Uncle John!" She say's with delight. "Mum said you'd be coming!"

He lets her hug him and then she set's her bag down and starts working on a snack. "It's cause of that tape, isn't it?" She say's in a voice that's probably supposed to be sly. It tells him she's been thinking about it.

He nods. "Partly but also the chance to see you two."

She smiles and takes her snack off to her room, leaving the adults to talk and he raises his eyebrows at Cheryl. "She get's bigger every time I see her."

"You should come by more, then it won't be such a surprise."

He nods but knows he won't. Tony doesn't like him that much and he brings trouble. It's better if he keeps some distance, especially with all the weird stuff that tracks home after Gemma these days.

They talk for a little bit more and then Tony comes in, also through the kitchen door and the talk stays pleasant, Gemma pokes her nose back into the room too and eventually the kitchen smells like Cheryl's roast and John feels for a brief, fleeting moment like nothing's out of the ordinary.

He eats and talks with his family and manages to get along with Tony and by the end of it he's got his shoes off and is sitting on the couch.

Gemma seems unbothered by the tape but he supposes that it wasn't the weirdest thing she's ever encountered.

She talks about friends and school and asks pointed questions. She wants to know things he knows and he worries for what that means in the future.

When the lights go out he lays back and stares at the ceiling.

He wants to know what's on the tape. He absolutely wants to know what's on the tape.

He looks over at the stereo center against the wall and thinks about turning the down volume real low.

He glances down the hall however and thinks the better of it. It'd be his luck someone would get out of bed.

He pulls the blankets up to his chin and broods about it.

He really wants to know what's on the tape.

They'd said it was music.

He looks at the stereo center again and turns over on the couch. He can wait until he get's back to London.

He eats breakfast with them the next morning.

Gemma is dressed for school and Cheryl is in a bath robe and slippers.

Tony is already dressed for work.

"You're heading out today, are you?" He asks John, who nods.

"Well. . . nice seeing you."

It's awkward but John only nods again. "Same." He say's, getting an approving glance from Cheryl.

Gemma say's she wishes he could stay another night and he assures her he'll be back soon although he doesn't know when that will be.

Then Tony and Gemma are gone and it's just him and Cheryl.

"You be safe heading back today." She say's. "You still hitch hiking?"

He shrugs, guilty.

She shakes her head. "This is why I worry about you."

He laughs. "I'm alright. Never have any trouble."

That's not entirely true but he doesn't want her to worry at all so why tell her the truth?

She shakes her head again and sits with him. "It was nice having you in again." She say's, mug steaming in front of her. "Even if it was only for a night."

He shrugs. "I'll be around again."

She nods and sips her drink. "You're not going to listen to it, are you?" She asks suddenly, eyes on his coat. It's hanging over the back of his chair and he laughs.

"Of course not." He say's, heart speeding up at the thought of what might be on it.

She nods again and sighs. "I wish I believed that." She sounds like she really does wish it.

He grins. "Maybe it'll fall out of my pocket."

"Yeah, right into a tape deck."

He laughs again and it's good, sitting there with her.

He leaves around noon and hitches a ride all the way to Coventry and from there back to London, the tape burning a hole in his pocket.

He's run through all the things that could possibly be on the tape and come to the conclusion that it could be anything.

He get's inside and heads straight for the stereo in the corner.

His hands are sweating as he pulls the damn thing from his pocket.

He needs to know.

He shakes as he tries to fit the tape into the little slot, fucking it up a few times before getting it in and closing it.

He presses the button down and waits, hearing a faint crackle as the tape turns. It's almost unbearable and then a sickly sweet tune starts to emit itself from the speakers.

And they called it puppy love

He winces as a sharp pain starts to build in his ear drums.

It get's worse with each swell in the music and every line makes it so much more unbearable.

He clamps is hands over his ears and feels wetness there. He looks at his left hand and sees red.

He hits the stop button and the pain turns into a dull ringing.

He shakes his head, dizzy and nauseous now.

"Christ." He mutters, taking the tape out and looking at it.

Donny Osmond.

He shivers a little as the music stays in his head. He feels violated in a way and his hand itches towards the tape player again. . . just wanting to be certain but he stops.

His ears have stopped bleeding and he's afraid the song is going to be stuck in his head now.

He tears the tape out of the cassette and breaks the plastic.

Some people just like putting evil into the world and he thinks that whoever made this must have a particularly cruel sense of humor.

He throws the tape in the trash and tries to remember which day pick up is.

[insanepoll]

INSANE CHARACTER TOURNAMENT: REVIVAL ROUND, ELIMINATION, GROUP 1 POLL 2

PROPAGANDA FOR THE MASTER.

PROPAGANDA FOR CHERYL TUNT.

PROPAGANDA FOR MORGANA PENDRAGON.

PROPAGANDA FOR LUCILLE BLUTH.

[ID: Background is a cartoon backyard. It is separated into 4 sections by golden lightning, intersected in the middle by a "VS" sign. In each section, there is a photo of a contestant. /End ID.]

[talentforlying]

THE CONSTANTINE / MASTERS FAMILY: ( top to bottom )

thomas constantine (father, deceased)

mary anne constantine (mother, deceased)

cheryl masters née constantine (older sister, deceased)

john constantine (alive, for now)

the golden boy (twin, deceased)

gemma masters / constantine (niece, daughter of cheryl, alive)

[laughing-moonlight]

Am I wrong?