It Only Takes a Second
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

It was about forty-five minutes later when Dean and Sammy came running into the barn, John was just climbing out of the pit in the middle of the barn, he had just finished changing the oil in the Chevy and was going to get ready to check the brakes and replace the tires. "Daddy!" Sammy yelled as he ran toward his father, John scooping up the smaller child as he glanced at Dean, still standing at the barn's entrance.

"You boy's have breakfast?" John walked toward his eldest.

"Yes sir." was Dean's response as Sammy ran his hand over his father's beard.

"Dede gives me ucky charms." Sammy smiled as his father removed his small hand from his face.

"That's good, I'll be in here for a while longer, Dean watch your brother, especially around the pond." John sat his son down as the small boy ran and stood next to his big brother.

"Yes sir." again was Dean's response, "Come on Sammy, let's play with Atticus." the older child took his little brother's hand as he led the toddler out of the barn. John watched them go before returning to the car.

Sammy loved trying to get the dog to catch the stick he could barely throw a few feet, but Atticus eagerly retrieved whatever the small boy threw his way, slathering the toddler with sloppy kisses upon returning the object in question, Sammy alway giggling in response.

Dean had played for a little while, than sat down near the pond watching his brother. Every once in a while the dog would race toward the edge of the woods barking wildly, then return to Sammy. Sometimes Sammy would try to follow Atticus, but it only took Dean calling his name to stop him.

"Dean!" it was the muffled sound of John calling his eldest that tore Dean's attention away from his brother. They had been playing outside a couple of hours and Dean figured it was getting close to lunch time, giving one last glance toward where Sammy and Atticus were playing Dean raced toward the barn as his father yelled again, "Dean!"

A short time later Atticus ran toward the woods again barking, Sammy giving chase as quickly as his two-year old legs could carry him, "Ticus, stops!" Sammy tried to yell as the dog ignored him and continued barking. The small boy came to a stop next to the dog, squinting in the direction the dog was barking. Seeing a slight movement Sammy curiously started walking toward it as Atticus took that to mean he could take off after his quarry. Within a few minutes Atticus's barking faded over the farm as the dog and the toddler moved deeper into the wooded area.

Ten minutes later Dean exited the barn, looking toward the pond, where he had last seen his little brother, the six-year old felt a hint of panic start to build inside him. He quickly looked toward the house, then did a complete circle looking in every direction. Not seeing his baby brother or Atticus a terrified feeling filled the small child as he yelled as loud as he could, "SAMMY!"

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Mac and Caleb had just landed at the Louisville airport and Mac was now waiting for the clerk behind the car rental counter to finish typing in his information so he could pick up the vehicle he had called ahead and reserved. The Doctor glanced over at his fourteen-year old son who was sitting in a chair a few yards away, keeping an eye on their luggage, which consisted of a carry-on and a suitcase for Mac and Caleb's large black duffle bag the boy insisted he could pack all his cloths into. Mac shook his head as he remembered the 'discussion' in New York as he attempted to get his son to use a suitcase, "Johnny said everything you need should fit into one duffle, then a second for your weapons." the teen had responded and Mac again found himself questioning the wisdom of allowing John Winchester to work with his son, teaching him the ins and outs of hunting. Deciding it wasn't worth the argument for a long week-end trip Mac relented and allowed the boy to pack his own bag. Mac's attention was drawn back to the clerk as she handed him the paperwork to sign.

Caleb was watching his father as the older man looked toward him; he had been surprised Mac allowed him to pack his duffle instead of insisting on him using a suitcase on this trip. The last time the teen had been with John the former Marine explained to the boy that everything a good soldier, or good hunter for that matter, needed should fit inside a single bag, allowing only a second bag for your weapons. Caleb had grown to love his time he spent with the older man, all the military-style training was really started to show as Caleb was slowly changing from the scrawny looking adolescent into more muscular and athletic looking teen, he had even had the coach of the football team at his high school trying to talk him into trying out for the team. Caleb wasn't interested in sports, who would be when you could hunt some of the creatures he had heard John, Jim and Bobby talk about.

The teen glanced at his watch as he saw his father turn around, signing the paperwork that would get them their car and put them that much closer to getting to Pastor Jim, still another hours drive away. It was then that a slow pressure started building behind his eyes, bring his hand up he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Looking back toward his father, his insides started to churn as he recognized the tell-tell signs of a vision. Mac had helped him to recognize them so the teen wouldn't be caught completely off guard when the debilitating visions hit. "Shit," Caleb whispered out as the pain started to build, he leaned forward just as he saw Mac turn to face him, closing his eyes he was able to whisper, "Dad." as the vision consumed him.

Mac had finished signing the papers and was handed the keys, the older man heard 'Dad' echo inside his own head as he turned and saw Caleb leaning forward his hands on either side of his head, "Caleb?" he called out as he ran the short distance to his son as the boy doubled over in his seat, Mac just catching him before he fell head first from his chair. Leaning Caleb against him, Mac could feel the minute tremors that shook his son's body as the vision robbed the boy of any awareness around him.

It was dark and cold; Caleb felt his own body shake from the chill. Trying to look around the teen was unable to make out where he was; only that it was a wooded area. Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting shadows in all directions. The teen could feel himself walking, some how he knew he was searching for something, just not sure what. He came to a halt as he heard barking in the distance, feeling himself close his eyes, he tried to zero in on the direction that the sound was coming from, turning toward his right he felt himself take off running, could feel low branches brush past his hair, scratching his face. He slowed as he neared the slope of an incline, he cautiously neared the edge, there was some brush and trees going down a few yards, it was then that the barking became louder. Suddenly a golden retriever bounced into view, moonlight reflecting off its coat, "Atticus?" Caleb whispered as he started to make his way down the slope. The dog ran toward the teen, then back toward the underbrush, slowly Caleb approached the spot the canine disappeared into, reaching down the older boy raised up the brush and took in the shape of a small child, his mind screaming out the name before Caleb felt himself turn the boy over, 'Sammy!"

Mac felt Caleb jerk in his grasp as the name 'Sammy' escaped the teen's lips. Mac's heart clinched at the name as his son was slowly returning to awareness. "Caleb, you with me Son?" Mac asked as he helped the boy to sit up, the Doctor reached toward his son's duffle, retrieving the soda bottle stuck in the side pocket. Caleb's chest was heaving as he tried to control his breathing, the image of the small child burned into his mind.

"Shit…" Caleb rubbed his hands over his face, tears, unwillingly filling his eyes. "God, Dad I saw Sammy…I don't know what happened…" the teen stood abruptly as Mac stood, backing up, "We need to go…now."

Mac took a hold of his son's shoulders as the teen was hastily trying to grab their bags, "Caleb, what did you see?"

The teen looked at his father, still trying to fathom why the older man wasn't moving yet, "Sammy…he was in the woods, Atticus was with him, he's hurt Dad. He fell or something, he was under some bushes down an embankment…we have to go now!" Caleb tried to pull away from his father.

"Let me try and call the farm first…" Mac knew they were still a least an hours drive away and he needed to see if anyone was at the farm. "Had it happened already or could you tell?"

Caleb rubbed his head, the residual headache that accompanied his visions was starting to make itself known, "I think it was dark…it seemed darker than usual and I remember the moonlight on Atticus."

Mac reached down and grabbed his suitcase, "Okay, let's find a phone and I'll call, maybe we can stop this before it happens." Mac knew that sometimes Caleb's visions were early enough to stop the event or at least get help to the person involved. But he was also well aware that many times the visions came with little or no chance of changing the outcome, as the Doctor spotted a bank of payphones he just prayed it wasn't too late.