WHO Diana & Constantine WHAT Discussions of Fate and things to come WHEN This evening, after her drinks with Carolina WHERE The Park WARNINGS none STATUS Closed | Completed Gdoc
John needed to talk to Diana. She needed to know what was going on and what Cassie was going to try to do so at least if Sunshine tried to do it there would be someone helping her make better decisions than she probably would on her own.
He’d at least managed a shower and a shave along with some clean clothes but he still looked extremely rough around the edges from all the alcohol. There was no way in hell he was going to go to her place to find her since that could lead into running into the Bat. Instead he sat on a table in the park and sent out the thread of a spell to turn her feet his way and lead her to him. While he was waiting he had a cigarette or two and a quick nip from his flask.
***
Diana was not unaware of the fact that Cassandra had been spending more and more time concerned about Constantine. Their paths were becoming more and more intertwined and she was unsure if they would be able to undo it or prevent anything else from happening. Cassie meant well, but she did not fully grasp or understand the weight of the things she said. There was so much potential for something to go wrong that she didn't know where to start.
She was lost in thought as she turned the problem over and over in her mind, walking without purpose. Or so she thought. Diana smiled tiredly when she saw Constantine sitting at one of the park tables.
"You could have simply called," she pointed out as she took a seat across from him.
***
“Where’s the fun in that luv?” As soon as he saw her coming his way he’d put out the cigarette. John might need one soon enough with the subject but he’d like to start out on the right foot. “This way there’s no trail or complicated questions from your boyfriend. I like it that way.”
There was definitely no love lost between John and Bruce, never would be. “Needed to talk about your meddling teenager.”
***
She rolled her eyes at him, but there wasn't any heat behind the gesture. Diana didn't particularly want Bruce and Constantine in the same room together and the less Bruce had to worry about, the better. At least he didn't have to worry about her ending up in bed with him again. Those few days as teenagers had been enough for many lifetimes, including the consequences.
"What has she done now?" Diana asked, serious in her concern for her ward. "She does not understand in the same way you and I do, John. But we are running out of ways to explain it to her." She'd tried to impress upon Cassandra that it was important to chose her words carefully, to respect the will of the Gods and the hands of Fate. Diana could only do so much though.
***
“She doesn’t understand and I am pretty sure she doesn’t want to understand. It’s time to stop trying to get her to think and just try to mitigate whatever she decides to jump into.” Cassie was too headstrong and jumped in too fast to deal with so maybe they just needed to do damage control.
“She came to see me. Found out more about this.” He held his hand out to show her the mark. It was irritated looking, when he’d shown her before it was just a mark on his skin like a tattoo but not it looked more like it was cut into his skin.
***
Diana sighed. She knew she'd have her hands full with Cassie, but now she was certain she'd bit off more than she could chew. She would need to inform Bruce so that he could keep an eye on her as well. Her ward was going to need all the help she could get. "Fate has plans for us," she mused as he held out his hand.
"What is this?" she asked as she took his hand in both of hers to be able to observe the Mark more carefully. "It looks to be a Mark of great power." But it was not of the Greek Gods, so she was unclear of its origins.
***
“You remember when Dean Winchester went off his nut and died before he went home and came back?” She wasn’t touching the mark so she didn’t yank his hand away from her. He knew she’d been around then but wasn’t sure how much attention she’d paid to it at the time. “This is the mark that let me kill him. Only thing that would kill him was the blade that was making him crazy. But I needed this to do it.”
Fate indeed had plans for them but Cassie was going to end up with more part than she wanted if she wasn’t careful. “Thing was I left the blade on the vampire dimension. But it made its way back and it was and is affecting me.”
***
Diana furrowed her brow as she tried to remember and it did sound vaguely familiar. She made a mental note to ask Sara more about it, because as much as she had come to trust John Constantine, she knew there were sometimes things he didn't share. For now, she just inclined her head to indicate that she did remember and then turned her attention back to the Mark, careful not to touch it as she observed it from as many angles as she could.
"And I assume Cassandra offered her assistance?" Diana managed to keep a lid on her desire to break something out of frustration, and perhaps a little bit of fear. "If I lose her because of this..." Diana wasn't sure what she would do with herself if she lost Cassie.
***
“Of course she did.” John snorted and rolled his eyes because the kid just leaped right into everything feet first. Yes, she was strong and a good fighter but that didn’t mean there wasn’t something out there that would kick her ass. Especially in the world of things he dealt with.
“This is Lucifer’s mark, can’t get rid of it until I do him a favor. The fact that the Universe made sure I couldn’t by sending him home for a bit makes me pretty damn sure that it needs to be around. But with the Blade in the same dimension it’s harder to deal with.” And if she went and talked to Sara she’d find out how he’d tried to kill Zee as well. John really didn’t want to talk about that.
“The magic killer has the Blade.” Scarlett was the one they gave it to he had no idea she’d recruited a new keeper for it. It was probably better that way.
***
Diana’s touch took on a more comforting nature for the briefest of moments before she let go of his hand. The Mark of Lucifer. A blade needed to...do what? Power it? She didn’t fully understand, but she had more of the pieces now. Sara would know more, and Sam, and then she would be able to adequately warn Bruce.
“I will aid her in whatever she has promised you, John,” Diana swore, because she would do everything in her power to protect her ward. “Cassandra will not deal with this alone, and neither will you.” Even after everything that had happened between them, Diana could not wish ill will toward the mystic. His life was a difficult one and she understood all too well why Cassie wanted to help.
She just hoped it wouldn’t get them killed.
***
She’d get the full monty...so to speak...from Sam and Sara so he wasn’t going to try to fill her in on the details. “Don’t worry about me. I always have what I need.” The universe made sure of that. It just didn’t make any promises about him being comfortable or happy with it.
“My point is whatever’s coming I can’t think but it’s bad if it feels like it needs all of us involved. And I don’t know how long I can hold on to myself wearing the mark. Already can feel it eating at me again so depending on how long until it’s needed can’t be sure I’ll be up for using it.” And even though he didn’t like the idea of passing it on it might be necessary to keep him sane. Just no Winchesters were allowed to wear it. Oddly enough the Bat was a good candidate to be a temporary keeper as much or more than Diana or Cassie. His willpower was staggering for a human.
***
Diana grimaced. “Let us hope Fate sees fit to allow us to assist.” She would add this to her prayers to the Gods. With the Dome, she was unsure of what was heard and what wasn’t, but she no longer asked to be returned home. She simply asked for patience and strength, courage and understanding, and protection for those she loved.
“I fear Fate may be providing those clues. I spoke with a woman the other day who had been on a ship named Tartarus. If your Mark is one of Hell, perhaps it is related.” Perhaps it was a warning. She would pray for guidance and seek out more information from those willing to share.
“If you cannot hold the Mark, perhaps others can assist you.” Diana suggested it easily and then groaned. “Cassandra offered that, didn’t she?”
***
“Give the pretty lady a kewpie doll.” He gave in and pulled out a cigarette and lit it as soon as he had it stuck in his mouth. She caught on quick to what her ward had done. Bats was going to fucking blow a gasket when he heard. Hopefully he wouldn’t decide to take it out on him.
“Another Tartarus? Something is pushing the message hard. I don’t like this.” He frowned and rubbed his hand over the stubble on his face, the shave had been a quick one and not one to shave him close enough to leave the skin smooth. “She’s going to push for helping, she’ll go asking around. It might be best to help her and when she’s happy you’re helping you put rules on it.”
***
She didn't know what a kewpie doll was, but she understood his meaning well enough. She also understood that she was going to need to talk to Bruce sooner rather than later. Cassandra had really stepped in it by making such an offer without thought for the consequences.
"I do not think anyone will like what comes to pass," she replied. This was unfortunate. Diana had half a mind to ground Cassie as soon as she got home, but she knew that wasn't going to help anything. Bruce would not be pleased either, so it would be important for her to have the beginnings of a plan together before approaching him with it. John did have words of wisdom, which she intended to use to her advantage. "I would ask you not to give her the Mark, but I know there is little we could do to change Fate's design."
She sighed deeply and murmured, "Hera, give me strength." Diana had a feeling she was going to need it sooner rather than later.
***
“Better she gets it first rather than when whatever needs to be killed is being fought.” John had thought about that part quite a bit. It would be better that Cassie wasn’t the one wearing the mark when the bad shit hit the fan so maybe they did her as the carrier first.
“Just something to think about. She can’t say we didn’t let her help...an that’s apparently an issue...because we let her wear the mark. Just not at the worst moment.”
***
For as much as he said he didn't care, Diana knew that he did. He cared more than anyone in his position should and it was all the more reason why she was glad that he was looking out for Cassandra as they got tossed together repeatedly. At least the dome hadn't seen fit to toss them together during the latest bout of weirdness.
"That is cunning," Diana replied, appreciative. "How does one take on the Mark? Does it need to be given freely?" She worried that it would not be easy to get the Mark transferred from her ward to someone else, so it was better to know now.
***
“Not sure. That’s something I’m going to find out. I know I can give it but can we move it on without her permission? That’s the question.” And the best way to figure out that was to ask the person who had given him the mark. John hated having to talk to Lucifer but at least this time he had some ammunition to get him to move the way they needed.
Hopefully anyway.
“Once we know that I will line up a list of candidates. And then there’s not much more we can do but be ready.” And he was very glad there hadn’t been any throwing together or him losing his identity again. It was getting old.
***
"I am on that list," she replied firmly. "I will find out if Bruce and Tim are willing to be as well." And Sara, though she'd understand if her friend was cautious given her closeness to the Winchesters. Diana would be stopping by the club sooner rather than later to discuss with her.
She reached across the table once more to give his hand a squeeze. "I know that she is not easy to deal with sometimes, and I know that you would prefer us out of your life altogether. That being said, I am glad, at least, that you are protecting her as best you can." Diana knew that it wasn't always possible, but the fact that Constantine was trying mattered to her.
***
“Not Sara.” Constantine shook his head. Sara had been through a Lazarus pit and lost her soul for a bit, there was a darkness in there that would call to the Mark too easily. “And not Tefe. She’s got a demonic bit to her so even though she’s stronger than the rest of us in some ways it would probably go tits up pretty fast.”
There were others in town that were probably good for the list. Maybe the supers, or that Rogers guy if they needed more volunteers.
The look she got was pure irritation for her basically thanking him. “You don’t cock up the innocent if you can avoid it. That’s all there is to it.”
***
Diana inclined her head. If he believed Sara and Tefe were not fit for it, she would listen to him in this. He knew far more about the Mark than she did at this moment in time. Time would tell if that would remain the case. "Very well. I will keep that in mind when it comes to thinking of others for the list."
The look he gave her told her that she'd worn out her welcome. Diana withdrew her hand and moved to get up from the table. "If only it were that simple." She paused for a beat and then added, "Good evening, John." With that, she headed off toward her home, thinking anew of the worries to come.