Chas listened to John rant, knowing that he clearly needed to get this off his chest, he also knew his mate well enough to know he was a stubborn fool and would blame himself as he was now, no matter what. "John, listen to me. Kay is no damsel in distress. She survived years on the streets between here and the UK before she met you. She's a tough cookie, so is Serena. You and me both know getting shot will stop anyone in their tracks." he said.

"but there is one thing you won't be doing. Putting Kay at risk and holding her back. You two are bonded for a reason, we may not know the full reasons why yet, or how the two of you are mesnt to save phoenix kind, but you two will figure it out, we all will with you both. It won't be easy, your path has never been easy, but neither has hers. Everyone, including you John are allowed to have bad days and yeah, even you won't get a win at times. But that don't mean you go down to pity party for one alright? Kay is there, with you, right now. Don't shut her out" Chas continued before John could speak before he was done talking.

John listened as he slid down and sat on the floor. He sighed and said “your right mate…I’ve just never had anyone in my life like this…that it hurts to even think their in danger…that I couldn’t help…”

"I know mate, but it's a new thing you're gonna have to start adjusting to" Chas replied, hearing him slide down a wall over the phone. "she's really made an impact on you hard ain't she?" he added.

The doorbell rang and Sam instantly stood up and headed to the front door, opening it and smiling when it was the takeout driver. She handed him the money and took the bags of food before closing the door behind her and walking into the living room. She put the bags on the coffee table, "I'll grab the condiments from the kitchen and some drinks, feel free to start pulling out your food from the bags" she told Kay and Lara, as she then went to the kitchen.

John sighed and said “ya…I don’t want to let her down…I don’t want to fail her like so many others have…and I did. And I let Serena get hurt. She’s still recovering…oh heck Josh is going to slug me…”

Sam could see John from the kitchen but he couldn’t see her. He added weakly “I see her with Sam and I know I can’t screw this up…I don’t want to be a reason to make her fall back into the dark hole she has been in”

Chas couldn't help but smile ever so slightly even though he couldn't be seen doing so. "you won't let her down John, I have full confidence in you. If Josh punches you, he punches you and you take it, but I saw him texting earlier and he said Serena is okay, even if she's under the weather. But he'll be okay." he started replying back, before continuing on, "if she thought you would be a reason for her mentally dipping again, I don't think Kay would have taken the chance with you. Yeah, you're massively flawed John, but you do have a damn heart. You need to try and not put so much pressure on yourself" he replied.

Sam could overhear and see John from where she was, his words making her pause what she was doing to listen to him, a brief glance toward the living room where Kay was before she looked back to John. Kay being in a dark hole mentally was not something she wanted to witness again either, but even she could see how content Kay seemed with John.

John sighed and held his head. “Ya…your right. I just feel like crap and I don’t want her to see it right now…she’s happy…she’s finally back with Sam and I don’t want to ruin it with me being like this…I’m hiding right now like a coward…”

Chas audibly sighed down the phone as he listened to his mate talk. "John, Kay isn't going to have anything ruined right now. Yeah, she's probably happy she's back with her sister, but she also cares a lot for you and I wouldn't be surprised if she's worried sick about you and where you are right now. I think you need to be talking to her about this when you get a chance. You don't wanna mess up what is growing between you both? Then talk to her about this, I know you're not great with talking about your feelings, but you gotta start from somewhere" he replied.

Sam quietly grabbed condiments and various drinks from soda to alcohol an dput them all on a tray whilst eavesdropping on what John was saying. She knew she'd have to make her presence known, and she ho eatly felt sorry for the guy, so instead she brought everything back to Lara and Kay and looked at Kay. "I think you should go get John" she told her. Kay nodded, standing up knowing the look Sam was giving her all too well, and went to find John. "John? Food is here" she softly spoke when she found him.

John heard his name and sighed. “Looks like it might be now mate…wish me luck. We will see ya tomorrow alright? Kiss the girls for me…and josh too if he seems distracted” he hung up and looked up at her. “

“Sorry love…just needed a minute…I didn’t want to ruin your time with Sam with how I was feeling…”

Chas smirked hearing what John said, "yeah yeah, go, relax and enjoy having some normal company for once!" he said before hanging up and going back to his family and Josh and Trish.

Kay smiled softly at him and waved off his apology. "it's okay, but know you can always talk to me okay? Now come. On, these apparent best burgers in Seattle are getting cold" she smirked, nudging his shoulder with hers. "we're gonna be okay, alright?" she reassured him.

John smiled weakly and said “I’m sorry…I failed you today…you and Serena. But it won’t happen again…I promise” he slowly got back up, favoring his leg a little as he stood up

Kay frowned when he said what he did, standing in front of him she made him look at her. "John Constantine... You listen here. You did not fail us alright? Don't you ever say that you did because you didn't. I won't have you blaming yourself for today's events. We're all back here alive, that's what matters." she told him.

"come on, let's just forget about that for a while and enjoy good food, a few drinks and hopefully some good rest" she added, hugging him.

John hugged her back and nodded. “Alright love…alright” he kissed her head and moved to head back to the others, holding her hand in his. “I’m sorry…”

She smiled when he kissed her head, glad that he was willing to try and put his stresses and blaming himself to one side for a while. She knew it would be difficult, she knew it all too well, but she also knew they had to try and look more positively, even if it was the most difficult thing to do. "it's okay" she told him as they walked back to the others hand in hand.

With their reappearance, both Sam and Lara smiled, "Everything all alright?" Sam asked, to which Kay nodded. "Yeah, it's all good." she replied, walking back to the couch and sitting down, grabbing her food to put on her lap, and then grabbed the ketchup and put a big dollop on her plate for her fries.

John limped in and sat down, grabbing his food and said “ya, just had to check in with Chas on something…” he took a bite and sighed, remembering it had been ages since they had last eaten.

Kay wasted no time in taking a bite out of the burger she ordered and just as Lara said, it was phenomenal to her. "bloody Hell that's good!" she said after swallowing a mouthful. Sam smirked and chuckled at Kay's comment, "she did tell you they were the best" she said amused by her sister's reaction, but there was also a pinch of sadness in her heart at the reaction, sure she had witnessed Kay express delight at good food before, but never to this extent and the fact it had been so long, it made her realise how long it had been since she witnessed such mundane things with her sister.

"you weren't kidding! This has to be the best burger I've had since I was a kid and dad would make those insane tower stack burgers on the barbecue" Kay beamed at the memory. Sam chuckled, "he'd make them so damn big neither of us could fit them in our mouths! I remember one time when you tried to bite into it when we all said deconstruct it first, you were so stubborn and refused and the burger patty came flying out the other end, smacking dad in the chest!" Sam laughed.

John listened to the stories, eating quietly as they talked of old times. He was glad Kay had Sam back, even if it was just for a time. He wasn’t sure how it would work for them but he would make sure Kay stayed in contact with her from now on.

He finished his burger and sighed, feeling dizzy for a moment. He closed his eyes and tried to hide it as the girls kept talking.

Kay, Sam and Lara spoke together for a good hour as they ate and chatted. Kay never realised how much she missed Sam, but here and now it bece extremely evident to her just how much she really did. During their chats however, she felt through the bond that John still wasn't feeling great but as he wasn't bringing it up, neither was she.

The food and drinks had been eaten and drunk and it wasn't long before Sam and Lara decided to head to bed, but not before they left pillows and a duvet for Kay and John. With their good nights said, they went to bed and left Kay and John to it. Kay looked at John with concern in her eyes, "how you feeling?" she asked.

John waved goodnight and looked at her smiling softly. “I’m alright love…do you think we should check on Serena before hitting the hay?” He didn’t want to worry her anymore so he wasn’t bringing up that he was still out of it.

Something told her that John wasn't fully okay, but if he wasn't going to say anything then neither was she for the time being. At his suggestion of checking on Serena she nodded, "I'll go check on her, you wanna get duvet and pillows sorted for us?" she replied.

He nodded and said “leave it to me love…” when she was out of sight he got to work on the bed. But as he was finishing he felt drained suddenly and had to sit on the floor, breathing hard.

Serena was sleeping peacefully for once. She was curled in a ball under the blankets. She looked weak still, the affects of the vines showing to be rougher then they thought.