Sharing Demons

a small Federal Air Marshal One shot that takes a look into Josiah's secrets. Set on Halloween so it seemed a good day to post it.

Balancing a steaming tray of roasted chicken Josiah weaved his way through the crowded, noisy room. He passed the food to a volunteer and wiped the moisture from his hands on his jeans. A cheer erupted from the far corner of the mission's great room signaling that the Halloween piñata the kids had been working on for the last fifteen minutes had finally succumbed to the abuse and burst. He smiled as he watched Buck and JD struggling in the center of the mad scramble.

Not far from the chaos Ezra and Nathan helped a quieter group of youngsters carve jack-o-lanterns. This smaller group consisted of the "shy ones" as Josiah privately referred to them. The kids who'd lived on the streets, in their parent's cars or in shelters and missions for so long now they rarely let their guard down long enough to enjoy a few minutes of fun. Sanchez marveled to himself at the easy way both Standish and Jackson had gained their trust and even evoked a few genuine smiles and laughs.

"Hey Preacher, you day dreaming again?" Mario Albert's voice cut through his meanderings.

"You expected differently?" Josiah grinned and followed the large man as they moved toward the mission's kitchen.

"Nah. You brought some good workers for me today." Mario motioned to Chris and Vin in the serving line.

"I try."

At Josiah's short answer Mario frowned. "What's on your mind?" he asked.

Sanchez shrugged. "Can't explain it really," he told his good friend. The two men had been running the local mission together for the last two years and knew each other quite well. Despite their closeness Josiah just couldn't put into the words the cause of his growing unease. He was thankful for his team's willingness to help out but something else was making him restless and he couldn't name it.

"Afraid we'll get all the wild ones tonight?" Mario tried again, running his hand wearily through his close cropped black curls at the thought.

Josiah shook his head but didn't answer as Mario patted him on the shoulder and disappeared into the depths of the kitchen.

Leaning against the wall, Josiah tried to place the cause of his worry. People were eating and laughing, enjoying the family atmosphere that always seemed to surround the small mission despite the hardships endured by most of its patrons. There was even a sense of anticipation. The holidays were coming and at Mario's…there was a place to go with genuine warmth and care.

Glancing toward the children again, he realized Nathan was watching him with concern and he smiled trying to reassure his friend that he was really okay. By the look on Jackson's face, Josiah realized he hadn't been very convincing. He was debating going over to talk with the team medic when his cell phone rang. A quick check assured him that they weren't being called into work for an emergency but his sense of worry grew as he answered. "Sanchez"

"Mr. Josiah Sanchez?" A confident sounding woman's voice asked.

"Yes."

"I'm calling from Haven House."

"What's wrong?" Josiah interrupted anxiously, his fear heightening and his unease making sudden sense. There was a pause on the other end of the line and his grip tightened on the small phone as various scenarios sped through his mind.

"I'm afraid your sister is having a difficult evening." The voice sounded less confident than a moment ago.

"Define difficult," Josiah commanded, already moving toward the front door. He paid no attention to the looks he received as he plowed through the crowd and once outside headed to his van. He didn't even notice that Vin had followed him until Tanner climbed into the passenger seat right before he pulled out of the parking lot. Too distracted to put up a fight about the unwanted company he continued to collect what details he could about what was happening with his younger sister.

Angered by the information he received he tossed the phone violently onto the drink tray and stepped on the gas. It wasn't until he caught a glimpse of Vin's white knuckled grip on the dash that he realized he needed to calm down.

"Sorry Brother," he muttered, still driving fast but in more control.

"No problem." Vin grinned and breathed deeply as he sat back in the worn leather seat. "Where're we going?"

Josiah didn't answer, instead keeping his focus on the road. He'd never told anyone on the team about his sister, anyone at all for that matter and he wasn't sure he wanted to. Part of him desired nothing more than to kick Vin out of the van at the next stoplight; the other part craved the support of a friend right now.

Vin didn't ask again, he simply watched as they left the city and headed into the suburbs. Thirty minutes later they were pulling into the driveway of a large home. A scripted sign read "Haven House." Though the building looked like a normal suburban home, Vin recognized it as an institution immediately.

Josiah pulled into a visitor's parking space and slammed the van into park. He was out of the van and halfway to the front door before Vin caught up with him. Together they entered the front door and found themselves in a small parlor area decorated for Halloween. Orange and black streamers of crepe paper seemed out of place with the slight medicinal smell that permeated the building. Somewhere in the depths of the large house someone was crying hysterically and Josiah stiffened, his heart twisting, as he knew he was hearing his sister.

A small overweight woman approached them with a strained smile. "Mr. Sanchez?" She recognized Josiah immediately. "This way please." Together the threesome navigated a long hallway toward the back of the building.

"What happened?" Josiah asked demandingly. The crying was louder now.

"We're not sure." The lady in front of him admitted. "Hannah was enjoying the Halloween festivities with everyone else and then suddenly was having this episode. We've tried a sedative to calm her but she's so worked up right now we don't dare give her anything else for the moment." The woman stopped walking and turned to face Sanchez. "I believe she thinks you're dead."

Josiah swallowed the lump in his throat and gave a short nod of understanding. He knew now why they had been forced to call him. It was only a minute more before he was being allowed to enter the room where Hannah was being held. It reminded him of a padded room he'd seen in the movies a long time ago. Hannah was crouched in the corner, rocking back and forth and crying loudly, her long blond hair matted and snarled. At the sound of the door she looked up and her frantic blue eyes met his. Instantly she was silent. Josiah could see the fear and disbelief playing out on her face and slowly approached her trying not to startle her into another fit.

"I'm here Hannah," he whispered softly. Dropping to the floor in front of her he reached forward and gently took her hand in his. When he was certain she wouldn't pull away he placed her palm on his chest and pressed it against his heart. "You feel that?" He asked gently. "He lied to you Hannah. He lied."

It took only a minute for reality to break through the tortured memories of Hannah's mind and when it did she collapsed against Josiah, sobbing quietly. "He-he told me."

"Shhh, I'm here. He lied, Hannah."

An hour later Josiah found Vin sitting in the front parlor snacking on a handful of candy corn. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he apologized as he eyed the bowl of candy and debated enjoying some himself.

"No problem." Vin wiped his hands on his jeans. "Everything okay now…with your sister?"

Josiah sighed heavily and then nodded. "As well as they can be." Quietly the two walked through the darkness to the van. "Not sure how to explain." Sanchez admitted once they were in the cold vehicle.

"You don't have to really," Vin answered.

"Hannah, she took a lot from my father." Josiah started the van and beat the heater with his fist a couple of times encouraging it to work. "A lot I should have been there to protect her from."

Vin listened, not sure how to respond.

"She was head strong and rebellious and fragile all at the same time." Josiah chuckled and rubbed his hands together. "He broke her," he admitted sadly. "He used to tell her that I was dead, tried to take away any hope that I might have come back for her. By the time I did…it was too late." His voice had fallen to a harsh whisper. "Tonight must have been a flash back of that."

"So you take care of her here?" Vin asked.

Josiah nodded and slipped the van into reverse. "Try to. I didn't really mean to keep it a secret, I just."

"No need to explain." Vin stopped him. "I came along cause you looked like you needed someone. If you want to tell the others, fine. If not…they won't hear it from me."

They drove in silence for a while, Josiah having to drive more cautiously through the small town as children were out and traffic was heavy. "Yeah well," he spoke quietly, hoping that Vin would understand how much he appreciated him being there. "Maybe it's about time I stopped trying to handle all my demons alone."