Between the pints and the sex, John fell asleep hard. For nearly half the night he didn't even twitch.

But dawn began to lighten the horizon and he rolled away from the window.

John! Help me!

Astra's voice cut right through him. And then the shriek of the universe as the demon dragged her away.

John! Help me! Save me, John!

He ran for her and followed her through the portal. John reached out to catch her and she strained to reach for him, but it seemed as if John was standing still. No matter how he tried, he couldn't close the distance.

And then Astra was gone and the dread and the guilt that he carried weighed him down, making it hard to breathe. A clawed hand snagged at his thgh. Another gripped his ankle. John fought the hold, but another snatched his arm and yet another began to pull the back of his coat. Looking around all he could see were teeth and claws and eyes. Horrible, burning eyes. Claws dug in, he could feel his muscles tearing apart. He could feel the way his body strained against it.

John sat up with a panicked cry and panted as he made sense of the real world. Grey dawn. Danny's room. It was fine. It was all fine.

But his heart was racing and he began to cough...

And once he started, he couldn't stop.