Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter 10

Caleb shrugged. "Demon killed your mom, travelled a lot, raised like soldiers..."

"Yeah... we moved around a lot, every month for a while there. It was just us... me and Sam alone for a lot of it. Just the two of us against the world when Dad would be gone too long and the money ran out... Sam; he's always been real good at knowing who can be trusted. He had a teacher one year, was petrified of him. Turns out he had good reason to be, no one else realised anything was wrong. We were raised to believe family's everything... Sam obviously sees something in you that he trusts, that he connects with as family. That's good enough for me."

"Gee... could it be the fact that I look just like you?"

"Considering Sam was nearly killed by something that looked like me, no." Dean disagreed.

Caleb rolled his eyes and snorted. "I do not understand."

"Yeah, I'm getting that. Honestly I don't know how to explain to help you understand. Sam's just always been different to anyone else. As far as he's concerned you're our brother and... you're growing on me too. So no running off in the middle of the night or anything."

Caleb stared at him like he had grown a second head. "You SHOT me!"

"I know and I know you have no reason to trust me or believe a word I say. If I could go back and change it I would but I can't. I didn't know anything about you Caleb; you were just a stranger wearing my face. Automatic thought is shape shifter or demon." Dean admitted.

Caleb sighed and shook his head. "Let me guess... if I hurt Sam... You'll kill me?"

"I get the feeling you've had a similar threats before. Besides... call me crazy but I don't think you'd willing hurt him." Dean admitted.

"Affirmative." Caleb replied going back to looking out the window. "What will you do if I leave in the dead of night?"

"Try to keep Sam from killing himself looking for you while looking myself." Dean assured him with a grin. Caleb snorted. "Don't believe me? You've never seen Sam on a rip, he will literally stop eating and sleeping unless made to."

"On a rip?" He looked at Dean confused.

"Hmmm, it can be useful on a hunt to have him that focused but honestly it scares me sometimes, what if he's alone and ends up dying because he forgets to eat or something? He just gets so focused it's like the rest of the world vanishes for him." Dean told him. "You have yet to see that side of him. So far he's been sick or tending your injuries."

Caleb nodded and yawned. Resting his head against the window. Dean saw and started looking for a motel, after what they'd been through they could all use a good night sleep in an actual bed. He saw the turnoff and pulled into the parking lot. "I'm gonna go get a room; just keep an eye out, okay?" Dean asked him as he turned the car off.

"Affirmative." Caleb yawned again.

Dean headed for the office, getting a room with two queens and then he headed back to the car. "Okay, room ten. Grab your gear." Dean told him, tossing him the room key even as he opened the back door to get Sam up.

Caleb caught the key and grabbed his gear. He went into the room and flopped down on the bed farthest from the door, curling around a pillow.

Dean got Sam and their gear, supporting Sam as they moved since as Sam stumbled around, his eyes still closed. Dean paused when he saw Caleb, unable to stop the small smile and Sam staggered forward, collapsing beside Caleb on the bed, curling up around him for warmth. Dean shook his head but grabbed a blanket and put it over them. Caleb tensed at Sam's leech impression and looked over his shoulder at the tallest Winchester. Sam was already deeply asleep again, body trying to cope with and recover from the damage caused from fighting off the demonic virus.

Caleb tried to wriggle away. Sam didn't move, his arms wrapped around Caleb as he slept. Dean chuckled at seeing them as he came out of the bathroom. "Need anything?" He whispered.

"Get him off me?" Caleb looked panicked.

"What's wrong?" Dean whispered, moving closer.

"He is holding me!"

"Okay, and? Sam's always been a snuggler, it doesn't mean anything. He's just looking for warmth, he's still not recovered."

"Why me?" Caleb whined.

"Because he trusts you and you're there. Just go to sleep Caleb, we need to keep moving in case someone looks too hard at what happened."

"Trusts me... he is crazy!"

"No he's not. Just let it happen kiddo. I doubt even a demon could pull him off you at the moment."

Caleb sighed and tried to relax, this cuddling thing was driving him nuts. Sam mumbled in his sleep, nuzzling at him and Dean chuckled, walking over to gently rub Sam's back. "Sammy you're freaking Caleb out. Loosen the grip." Dean whispered and Sam hmmed but loosened his arms a little. Caleb blinked up at Dean in surprise at that. Sam listened.

"Hunters sleep with one eye open, or at least vaguely aware of our surroundings, no matter how deeply we sleep. Too dangerous otherwise."

Caleb nodded, he could understand that. He relaxed more, eyes falling closed soon. Dean watched them for a bit before going to bed himself, knife under his pillow like usual.

Caleb woke in the middle of the night and wriggled out of Sam's grip. He looked over at Dean before slipping out the door with his stuff. He had to see if what Dean said was true. He didn't believe it though. Sam rolled over and then blinked, his heat source gone. He sat up and looked around in confusion.Caleb sighed once he was outside and started west at a decent jog. Sam stumbled up and over to the door, flinging it open. "Caleb?" He called out. "Caleb!" This time it was a scream that had Dean jerking awake.

He heard the yell but didn't go back, they didn't need him. They didn't really want him.

Sam didn't wait for Dean, he just took off, his bare feet aching but he ignored it. He knew where Caleb was, he didn't know how he just knew. He just hoped he could catch up. Caleb was jogging, not flat out running, but when he heard Sam's feet he broke into a dead run.

Sam stumbled as he tripped on a rock but picked up his pace, knowing Caleb was pulling away. He relaxed a little as he heard Dean running after them. Caleb swore under his breath, they were relentless! He did his best to outdistance them. Sam cried out in pain as he fell, tearing his palms on the ground, blood seeping form the wounds. He struggled to get up again but his strength was waning, he hadn't eaten since being sick or anything. "Caleb!" he cried out in distress, tears of pain and fear stinging his eyes.

Caleb faltered at the yell, something inside him keeping him from running. He stood there frozen, shaking violently. Sam crawled determinedly, needing to get to Caleb. Then he saw him and nearly sobbed in relief. "Caleb?" He whispered. Caleb turned to look over his shoulder a bit at the whisper. He kept shaking, tears falling silently. Sam struggled to get up but didn't have the energy, holding a bloody hand out to Caleb, pleading with him for help.

Caleb looked at the hand and moved, grasping him around the wrist and tugging him to stand. Sam whimpered in pain, his feet no better than his hands form running barefoot, leaning against Caleb, trusting him to help him stay upright. "Don't leave." Sam whispered.

"Why? You do not need me," Caleb choked out. "I am a tool." He let Sam lean on him, holding him upright as Dean came running. Dean paused, knowing something was going on that didn't need him at the moment.

"Need Caleb, stay." Sam pleaded. "Little brother"

"How?" Caleb asked, his legs giving out. "You do not even know me..."

"Want to, please." Sam whispered, using a bloody hand to gently touch Caleb's face, hoping to make him want to stay.

Caleb swallowed when Sam touched him. He could smell the blood. He gave one short nod. "Okay... I will stay. Hope you do not regret it."

Sam smiled at him in pure joy before his eyes rolled back and he collapsed, exhaustion, blood loss and the lingering weakness form the virus all taking their tolls on his battered body. Dean moved closer to make sure they were both okay.

Caleb grunted in surprise but easily held Sam's weight. Sighing he got Sam into a better position and started back towards the motel. "Your damn brother has radar..."

Dean just grinned and walked beside him, amused by how easily Caleb could handle Sam's deadweight despite Sam being so much taller than him. He looked Sam over, hating the condition Sam was in, if they hadn't gone to Rivergrove... Dean couldn't get their Dad's words out of his head, was this what he'd been talking about? How was Sam able to fight the virus off? Caleb he could sort of understand, he wasn't entirely human and came from the future but Sam?

Caleb sighed and dropped Sam on the bed. He looked Sam over and shook his head. He got a wash cloth and wet it, cleaning Sam's hands and feet. "I need gauze."

Dean wordlessly got the kit and started helping clean Sam up and bandage his injuries. The sight of Sam's hands and feet so torn up... he should have caught up to him!

Caleb disinfected the wounds before wrapping them then got up, looking for a place to sleep. He then gave Dean a pathetic look. "If I do not sleep next to him he is going to come looking for me, right?" At Dean's smirk he whined and lay down next to Sam. Sam whimpered in pain but then curled closer to Caleb, seeking comfort and warmth. Dean watched them, putting the left over supplies away before redoing the salt lines at the door and getting into bed himself. He left the lamp on low and settled in to keep watch in case Sam needed help. Caleb relaxed a bit and nuzzled against Sam. After a while he fell into a deep sleep, curling with Sam, an arm flung around him. Dean watched them for a few hours before going to sleep himself.

Sam woke up to a pounding head and throbbing extremities. He whimpered and moaned in pain. Would someone just shoot him and put him out of his misery? He swallowed, his throat dry, and tried to talk, call for help but all that came out was a dry rasp. Caleb woke at the moan and moved, getting him some aspirin and water. Holding him up as he drank. "Shh... you are all right."

"Caleb." Sam coughed as he drank the water, staring up at him, happy he was still there.

"Yeah, that is my name." Caleb replied, making sure that Sam didn't choke on the water. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I went hand to hand with a demon." Sam whispered.

"Maybe if you were not so stubborn... and what is with the radar? You knew exactly which direction I was going in." Caleb shook his head amazed at Sam.

Sam reached out to him with a bandaged hand, the bandages and cast making that arm very heavy and awkward but he needed to touch Caleb. "Don't know, just did. Psychic freak boy." Sam muttered.

Caleb rolled his eyes at the freak thing. "Yes, and I am normal." He undid the bandage to check Sam's hand.

Sam winced but didn't complain as Caleb inspected his injuries. "Please don't do that again, don't leave." Sam asked him.

"You had me in a death grip all night." Caleb replied. "Could not get out of it if I wanted to."

"Caleb please. Promise you won't leave." Sam pleaded.

Caleb cocked his head to the side, "You're very curious."

"Oh?" Sam moved to lean against Caleb.

"Yes. You do not know me, yet you are desperate not to lose me, for all you know I could be plotting to kill you both."

"But you're not. You tried to save me from being infected by Pam, if you wanted us dead you wouldn't have done that." Sam argued.

"A ploy to win trust."

"No it wasn't. I saw your face after, when Mark said I was infected. You were really upset. We don't know you because you haven't talked about yourself. You can, I want to know about you."

Caleb sighed and turned so he was staring at the ceiling. "You always this stubborn?"

"Yep." Sam answered, managing a small smile for Caleb.

Caleb groaned and threw his arm over his eyes. "So you know for sure, that I am not trying to kill you."

"Yeah, I do." Sam told him.

"Sam has good instincts for this stuff. You're not here to kill us. You two planning on going back to sleep?" Dean grumbled form his bed.

"What are you gonna do if we do not?" Caleb asked, not moving his arm from where it laid. Dean lifted his head to glare at them and then shoved a pillow over his head.

"Considering we spent time out in the cold chasing your ass down... Sam you need more sleep to recover so sleep!"

Caleb moved his arm to look at Sam to see what Sam does. Sam just smiled and settled down on his pillow, tugging at Caleb, wanting to curl up with him again.

Caleb let him, curling around him protectively. "Stubborn."

"Yep." Sam mumbled, already drifting off again.

Caleb sighed and pulled him closer, it actually felt kinda good, having someone wanting to touch him, curl around him. He started to fall asleep to the sound of Sam's breathing.

Dean grinned and settled down to sleep himself. Silly kids.

TBC…