It Only Takes a Second
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Atticus continued to chase the rabbit it had started barking at, Sammy trying his best to keep up with the running canine. "Ticus!" Sammy yelled after the golden retrieve before stumbling, tripping over a branch hidden under the newly fallen leaves. It was the small child's cries that stopped Atticus's pursuit as he ran back to the toddler's side.

Big, fat tears were welling up in the two-year olds eyes as he held his knee, "Dede!" he called out, expecting his big brother to be right behind him and make his boo-boo all better. "Dede!" The crying increased as the small child realized his brother wasn't coming, pushing himself up he wiped his dirt covered hand over his face as tears continued to spill down his cherub-like cheeks, "Daddy!" The only sound that responded to the child's cries was the noise of Atticus bouncing around him. As his hitched breathing continued along with the trail of tears that flowed, Sammy started walking, Atticus at his side, farther into the woods, further from his family.

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"SAMMY!" Dean yelled again as he raced toward the barn, John came running out of the structure at the panicked yells of his eldest.

"Dean, what's wrong?!" John dropped to one knee, taking his son by his shoulders, while looking around for his youngest.

"I…" Dean's panicked breaths made it hard for him to talk, "Can't…find…Sammy."

John noticed the silence that had settled over the farm, for the first time noticing that Atticus was missing as well. Standing, John turned and raced toward the house, Dean right behind him. Banging through the screen door the former Marine started racing through the house, "SAMMY!" Dean had stopped in the kitchen as he heard his father yelling his little brother's name throughout the house. The heavy footfalls of his father coming back down the stairs caused even more panic as he realized his dad had not found his brother upstairs.

Returning to the kitchen, John ran his hand through his hair, "Dean…" The father again knelt in front of his eldest, "Where did you last see him?"

Dean had regained some of his breath, but the fear was evident, "When you yelled for me…I left him near the pond with Atticus."

Dean watched as his father's eyes filled with fear at the statement, "Shit!" John stormed back out the door, running toward the pond, again Dean followed his father. The small boy watched as John stopped and looked the pond over, noticing the stick and ball that Sammy and Atticus had been playing with lying near the waters edge, "Nonono…" The older man peeled off his jacket and flannel shirt before hastily untying his boots, kicking them off he glanced at Dean, "Stay here!" Dean had stopped next to his father, then watched as John waded out into the water, then disappeared underneath.

Every few seconds John would surface, take a breath then dive back into the cold, muddy water. After a few minutes he surfaced then made his way toward shore, "Daddy?" Dean's incredible small sounding voice met his father's ears.

John pulled himself from the pond. "I didn't find anything… where's Atticus?" Panic was starting to really affect John, but he tried to push it aside as he needed to clearly think where his two-year old son could be.

Realization showed on Dean's face as the boy turned and glanced toward the woods, then back to his father. "He kept barking at something in the woods, Sammy tried to follow, but I would stop him…"

Dean's voice trailed off as it finally occurred to John, "The woods…" Grabbing his discarded boots and jacket, John again headed toward the house, "He followed Atticus into the woods." He called over his shoulder. "We'll call Jim for help then start looking for him." Entering the kitchen, John dropped his things at the backdoor before grabbing the phone. "Go get me a towel Ace." With the phone in hand John finally looked at his six-year old.

The little boy was breathing rapidly as he stared wide-eyed at his father, "Dean?" John noticed the slight shaking that Dean's small body was doing, the quick breathing finally registering; the young boy was starting to have a panic attack. Dropping to his knees, John pulled his son to him. "I need you to calm down Ace, breath with me, okay?"

"Sammy…" Dean's broken voice whispered out between breaths, "woods…" John pulled the small boy back so he could look in his face.

"We'll find him, I'm going to call Jim and he will come and help okay?" John watched as Dean nodded. "I need you to calm down, can you do that?" again the small child nodded. "Okay, go grab me a towel then find the walkie-talkie's we use when I have you and Caleb in the woods, got it?" another quiet nod had Dean turning and racing up the stairs to find the needed items.

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The soft knock on his office door had Jim looking up as the church secretary stepped through, "I'm sorry Pastor Murphy, but you have an urgent phone call." Jim had been going over invoices for some deliveries that had arrived and had not even heard the phone ring. Standing the Pastor quickly followed the woman to the other room.

"Thank you Sharon," Picking up the phone a million things went through his mind as an urgent phone call could be someone from his congregation with a sudden death or illness, or someone within the Brotherhood with just as bad news or worse. Taking a deep-breath the older man answered, "This is Pastor Murphy…" The voice on the other end sent a chill through the older man.

"Jim, Sammy's missing, he's not in the house and I've just searched the pond, I think maybe he followed Atticus into the woods. I've got Dean getting the walkie-talkie's and we are going to start looking for him." John's calm but rough voice was heard but it took a second for everything he had said to register.

"Sammy's missing?" The Pastor wasn't sure he heard right.

"Damnit Jim that's what I just said, I need some help…" John didn't mean to be short with his friend, but he was wasting time on the phone.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes, I'll radio you when I arrive and we can regroup when I get there." Jim answered as a gruff, 'okay' was John's only reply as the line went dead. Rubbing his hand over his face Jim stepped back into his office, retrieving his keys and coat. Exiting the room he found Sharon returning to her desk, "Sharon, I need to leave, I have a family emergency back at the farm." Quickly the Pastor made his way toward the door.

"Is there anything I can do Pastor?" Sharon asked.

Jim paused, glancing back at the older woman, "Pray." With that Jim stepped through the door, racing to his car.

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Mac had the pay phone held to his ear, the continued ringing tone coming through the line was not helping to settle the fear and worry building in the pit of his stomach, "Come on, somebody answer. " He mumbled as Caleb leaned against the wall next to him, the after effects of the vision zapping the teen's strength.

"Dad?" Caleb asked as his father, uncharacteristically, slammed down the phone.

"Damn it" Mac mumbled as he again picked up the receiver and dialed a different number. Looking at his son as the call connected, "I can't reach anyone at the farm, I'm trying the church." Just then the phone was answered, "Yes, I'm trying to reach Pastor Jim Murphy…" Mac listened as the woman on the other end spoke, "Can you tell me when he left? Ten minutes ago…no, no message thank you." Mac hung up the phone then reached down, picking up his bags. "We need to go…"

Caleb was surprised at how fast his father started for the car, grabbing his duffle he ran to keep up with the older man, "Dad, what? Where's Jim?"

Mac glanced at his son as they headed toward the rental car lot, "The secretary said he got a call about ten minutes ago, family emergency at the farm."

Caleb abruptly stopped, "Sammy?" Mac noticed his son stop, he turned to face the youth, who had lost what little color he had left, "It's happening again…I can't stop it, can I?"

Mac dropped his suitcase as he laid a hand on his son's shoulder, "We don't know that, you said it was dark in your vision. It's still several hours before it gets dark, if it's Sammy we have time…" Mac moved his hand to cup his son's cheek, "It will be all right Caleb." Mac watched as his son nodded but the expression the teen was wearing didn't convey that the young man believed it would be. Mac kissed the top of his son's head, "let's go." grabbing his bag again, they quickly made their way toward the rental.