SEVENTEEN| THE EXORCISM OF
JOHN CONSTANTINE

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OLIVIA WATCHED OVER her unconscious father as he lied on a hospital bed. After Anne Marie was able to talk down the officers, they ended up in the medical wing of the prison. Zed had slipped out moments ago while Chas was still dead in a body bag on the other side of the room. There was this silence between Olivia and Annie who stood on the other side of John. Despite wanting to fill the silence, Annie decided it was best to leave the young girl be. Olivia was in no mood to talk right now, especially to her of all people. Olivia still saw her as the cause of all this pain. Deep down she knew it was a little unfair to put all the blame on Anne Marie. It wasn't like she knew John would have done this, and she tried to tell herself that in a way she did this to save two innocent babies. But she wasn't in the right head space to listen to the rational side of herself.

Olivia reached over to grab her father's hand when his eyes had snapped open. Constantine snarled loudly that she lost her footing falling onto the hard tile. His body jolted and moved around animalistic that it drove fear into her heart. Anne Marie swiftly pulled out a small blade, but just as before she couldn't get herself to use it. Olivia pushed herself up into a sitting position using her hands for balance. John eventually broke through allowing both Olivia and Annie to finally breathe.

"I wasn't sure it would be you coming back." Annie told him breathlessly.

"I'm hanging by a thread here." He took a quick glimpse of the room. "Where's Zed?"

"She managed to get outside during the alarm. I talked the guards into letting me and Olivia stay with you." The nun answered.

"The knife was your one way out." John said suddenly bringing back the tension in the air. "You should have done it."

She gave him a smirk. "And what would your angel say?" She teased him lightly.

John pretended to think on it. He shrugged sluggishly. "Probably would've shaken your hand." He smiled for the first in a while and it made a smile tug at Olivia's lips.

"Could use a hand!" Chas grunted as he tapped on the bag for anyone to get him out.

"Ah, it's alive." John exclaimed tiredly. "Might want to get him out of there." Anne Marie ran to the body bag when John glanced down at his daughter who still sat on the floor. "What you doing down there?" He teased knowing fully well she fell because of him.

Olivia threw him a playful glare, and it felt like old times. "Shut up." She muttered as she pushed herself back on her feet. She could hear John's soft chuckles as she brushed the dirt off her jeans.

Chas pushed himself up. His face coated in sweat. He let out a huff. "It's hot as hell in these things."

Anne Marie smirked as she patted his chest gently. "Welcome back."

Chas's sight then drifted to the blond bonded to the hospital bed. Sorrow filled eyes that turned her stomach into knots. "So...what's the new plan?"

"There is..." John paused. He let his back sink into the thin, cream colored sheets. "No new plan, mate. There's no time left for a straight-up exorcism."

"What about the mill house?" The nun suggested hopeful. "Jasper's defenses might weaken the entity enough for the ritual to work."

"We're out of options, so I say this one is worth a try." Olivia said masking the pain in her tone with faux strength. She fought the feeling of her fathers intense gaze burning the side of her face.

Chas nodded slowly. "But even if we could get John out of here, that's a twenty-four hour drive."

"Ah, I'd never make it." He groaned out as he felt the dark entity stir deep within him. He slammed his back against the bed. Olivia grabbed his hand tightly when his breathing had turned shallow. "This demon's ready to claw its way out."

"Unless we can slow it down." Olivia saw the way Anne Marie's face lit up at the mere thought of a solution to their problem. She waved to Chas as she spoke. "Look for sedatives, sleeping pills."

John watched as Annie ran to search the medical cabinets. "That's the right idea, but it's the wrong dose. Chas...I need you to track down a guy named Julio." Chas gave him a sharp nod then left to search the courtyard. Anne Marie continued her search for anything that may be useful later. John took this time to speak to his daughter. He looked from their intertwined hands that held her attention to her fair face. "Liv...."

His hush whisper reached her ears, and her eyes shut momentarily. She dreaded the conversation she was sure they were about to have. She exhaled a shaky breath then met his gaze. "I need you to know....if this doesn't work." He swallowed, and she saw the way his eyes suddenly looked glassy. "If I don't make it, I need you to stay with Chas. He and Zed already agreed to look after you for me. But I need you to know that I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything. I left you to keep you safe. It shouldn't excuse my actions nor give me a pass for the pain I caused you for ten years. That I know."

"I just-" he exhaled but sounded more like a painful gasp for air to Olivia. "I didn't want you to end up like my mother. Or Gary. Or Astra. I didn't want to add you to the long list of names that keep me up at night. The long list I'm greeted with at the end of my glass at the bar every night. But I want you to know that I do love you. I know I don't always show it, and don't ever say it. But it's the truth. I love you, and I'll crawl through the darkest depths of hell to keep you safe. Even long after I'm gone."

Olivia could barely make his shape through her blurry vision. If he could, he'd wipe the tears that streamed down her cheeks. "I love you, kid."

She nodded her head vigorously. A bittersweet smile graced her features. "I love you too, dad." And she saw the biggest smile he had ever sport cross his face. It warmed her heart while simultaneously shattering into a million fragments.

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The plan to get him from Mexico back to the mill house worked perfectly, which had shocked her a bit. Since when did their plans ever work on the first try? However, she wasn't gonna complain. Olivia sat on the edge of her bed staring down the photo of her and her mother. The white frame that had an inspirational or cheesy quote-depending on your point of view-was perched on the black slightly worn bedside table.

John had begged that she'd stay upstairs for the ritual, and for once she didn't fight him on it. The only thing she knew of this ritual is from what she's seen on tv. And if they're anything like the movies, then she wasn't so sure she wanted to witness what would happen to John. She didn't know if she could stomach watching her own fathers death had it take that road. But when all the light bulbs in her room shattered out of the blue, she had no choice but to gain her strength back.

Olivia screamed as she threw herself onto the ground to avoid the shards from scraping against her skin. The eerie silence matched the complete and utter darkness she was trapped in. She didn't know if this met the ritual worked or worse they had failed and John was no longer her father. She rose to her knees and searched the darkness for the outline of what could be her phone. Once she had the device in her grasp, she quickly turned on the flashlight. The blonde gradually made her way through the hall and down the stairs.

She took the corner and was greeted with her father tied to an old bed. The room was a mess and lit up with green lights emitting from glow sticks. "Annie, it's not John! Don't listen to him!" She heard Chas shout.

John snapped his head in his direction. "And you, Chas, the mindless lackey, losing your family, even your precious daughter." He threw his head back laughing darkly at the nerve he hit. "And all because of the freak that he made you." His voice was so raspy, so sinister. This wasn't her father. This was something dark, something evil entirely using his body as a toy to wreck havoc. It angered her.

Chas lunged for John, but Zed stepped up before he could wrap his hands around his throat. She pushed him back gently. "Stop it, John!"

"Why stop now? Mary." He sneered, and the psychic stiffened at the name that rolled off his tongue. "You came crawling to him for his council as he dragged you into eternal darkness that you can never escape." He glanced over at Anne Marie briefly who was practically shaking. "Annie crawled to her convent and you'll do the same as you go crawling back to your daddy."

He raised his head up toward the ceiling. His eyes looked haunting, and he salivated like a rabid animal. "When this one's purged, I'll razor your eyes and feed them to the fallen and the damned." He snapped his head towards Annie. "And all because of you! Because you just didn't have it in you."

Olivia watched in horror as her father's body rose off the bed. He screamed loudly as he shook chaotically. She finally found her grip on the reality of the situation and bolted into the room. "Anne Marie, you have to finish it! You have to complete the ritual or he'll be lost for good!" She pleaded desperately as she grabbed ahold of her forearm.

The nun shook her head. She couldn't tear her eyes from John. "He's too powerful! My faith isn't strong enough. I can't save him. I can't save him! I can't."

"Zed!" Chas shouted as he ran over to John, holding him down the best he could. But he knew he couldn't hold him for too long.

Zed joined Olivia on the other side of Anne Marie, learning over towards her now kneeling figure. "It's not the demon that's preventing the exorcism, it's you."

"No, I tried."

"I saw a vision. Your hatred and your rage. You make your own prison. The ritual needs for you to believe that John can be saved. You have to find a way to forgive." Zed explained.

"Crawl back to your convent, you craven whore!" John hissed and Annie flinched noticeably. "Where you think you're safe."

The nun looked to Zed. She couldn't mask the fear written all over her face. She felt the entity was right about her. "I have forgiven him, I swear."

"Then maybe you need to forgive yourself." Olivia told her gently as she rubbed her arm with her thumb as a form of comfort.

"Liv's right." Zed chimed in. "You have to forgive yourself. You feel guilty for introducing him to magic, for creating John Constantine."

"I can't hold him." Chas yelled from nearby.

The brunette ran to Chas's aid and held Constantine's legs down. "Whatever damage he's done-whoever he's hurt-was never because of you, but if John dies and this demon is released, that failure will be yours Anne Marie." Zed continued.

"It was never your fault, Annie." Olivia whispered. "You may not have been able save him back then, but you can save him now." The nun looked to the daughter of her first love. The only thing that she's ever seen John truly love. The unconditional love of family. She look straight into her pleading blue eyes. "Please...save him."

All sense seemed to come back to Anne Marie as she physically shook all her fears from her body. Olivia slowly rose to her feet as the nun quickly stood up. "Oh my, god." She muttered before running to pick up the forgotten bible. She came to stood between Chas and Zed, with her palm out exposing the rosary she shouted, "filthy hell spawn, leave this vessel and be gone. I command you to release John Constantine, this humble servant of God!"

Olivia with careful fingers grabbed the bowl of holy water and handed it off to the nun. The former Newcastle member dipped her fingers in before flinging the water at the host. "Go back to hell, beast! Back to that filth that spawned you! This is one not yet ready for your embrace."

Annie walked over to his trembling figure. She placed her hand now coated in holy water against his forehead. Olivia flinched at the cries of pure agony that left her fathers lips. She had to repeatedly tell herself that it was the entity within him whom was hurting, that John was fine. Zed felt the pain radiating from the blonde beside her, so she pulled her into her side. Olivia hugged the psychic, her head resting on her shoulder as she couldn't look away from the horror film being played out in front of her. "Forgive him his trespasses, Lord, and protect your servant from this abomination. Return to hell and the fiery where you belong!"

John screams came to a sudden halt as he sunk back in the bed. The darkness that swallowed them whole diminished with the fluorescent lights that flickered on illuminating the mill house once again. "John? John? John, are you...are you, are you all right?" Anne Marie asked him softly.

Constantine groaned. His sight landed on the brunette before him. "Far from it. But I'm free of it, and that's on you." John flashed his usual cocky smile although it was a tad weaker. He pushed himself onto his elbows. "And I don't know about you lot, but I could murder a bloody drink."

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The mill house was now under a comfortable and much needed silence as they dealt with the aftermath. John had gone to shower, Chas had disappeared to who knew where, and Zed and Anne Marie were off talking in the other room. Olivia had pulled her hair into a messy ponytail as she begun to clean up the destroyed room. Shaking the shards of glass off the last book that flew off the shelves, she placed it gently back into its rightful spot.

She heard footsteps heading toward her as she begun to sweep up the broken glass and other forms of debris. The familiar chuckle made her smile to herself, although her back was facing him so he couldn't see it. "You don't have to do that." John told her with a smirk. It was nice to see him back to his usual self. "I put you through enough to last a lifetime. I'm not gonna make you clean up after me."

"Good. I'm not your maid." She fired-back finding her own usual spunk. She held the broom out for him to take. "I believe you're gonna need this. I do, however, wanna stick around to watch you clean. It's something I've never seen before." She titled her head to the side. "Do you even know what this is?" She teased, and he scoffed.

"Ha ha. So funny. Give me." He snatched the broom out of her hands, and she laughed. "Hey." He called to her softly when she turned away to retrieve back to her room for the night.

"Yeah?" She turned back around, but before she could prepare John pulled her into his chest. Olivia stiffened at the unexpected embrace, but she naturally allowed herself to have this moment. Her eyes shut as she wrapped her arms around her fathers torso. She fought back her tears. He was alive and that's all that mattered now. After a minute of peace he hadn't felt in a long while, he pulled away but not before placing a soft kiss to her forehead.

Olivia smiled sweetly. "You should probably go thank Anne Marie." She reminded him, and he sighed. He knew she was right, but he was afraid to face her. Olivia glanced over at the nun who was hugging Zed in the other room. She jerked her chin in their direction. "Come on. You big baby." She made sure to get a tease in. They were being too father and daughter-ly for her taste. It was nice but a little weird and not them. She enjoyed their unique relationship. The one that consisted with them constantly teasing and picking on each other.

John let her walk ahead. Purposely, of course. And the minute she tripped and had to reach over and grab the chair to steady herself, she knew why. "Jerk." She told him with a playful glare. John chuckled under his breath, and with his hands buried in his pockets he allowed her to shove him toward his former lover and friend.

"Like I said, there's no reason for you to hurry off down south so soon. We always made a great pair, you and I." John told her as he leaned his arm on the railing to the spiral stairs.

Annie smiled brightly. Olivia thought an actual smile looked good on her. She should smile more often. "Seems we've both grown up a bit since then."

His face turned a bit somber. "You know, I probably never got the chance to say this, but, uh...I know what I put you through, and, uh...I'm sorry."

Annie studied him for a moment, before a grin broke out on her face. She shook her head. "No, you're not." Both her and John laughed under their breath. "John Constantine doesn't do sorry. Pity it took me almost twenty years to figure that out." She gave him a gentle peck on the cheek, before ascending up the stairs.

Chas almost walked passed him, car keys in hand when John took them from his grasp. "I've got this one, mate." He looked to his friends and daughter. "I put you guys through the ringer on this one. I suppose if I was to offer my thanks, you wouldn't believe me, either?"

Olivia snorted. "Yeah, no."

"Probably not." Said Chas.

Zed grinned. "Not for a second."

John playfully rolled his eyes. "Well, if you're sticking around for the ride, you better buckle up."

"What turned up in Mexico is just the start."

A/N

You guys don't understand how excited I am for the legends portion of the book. It's gonna be so much fun to write cause the show is just a lot of fun in general. I just wanna skip to it already! 😭😂