It Only Takes a Second
Chapter 6
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

It seemed like forever to Dean, but it was only a matter of minutes before Caleb's eyes snapped open, "They're nowhere near him…" The teen stood as he ran his hand over his face.

"Did you find Sammy?" Dean stood up on the seat, eager to know if Caleb found his brother.

"Maybe…They're to far away…" Caleb paced in back and forth, "I could never get them to understand where they need to look, he got further than they think." Coming to an abrupt stop Caleb looked at Dean, "I have to go," He reached beside the smaller boy, taking one of the flashlights. "You need to stay right here, tell them I'm going to find him."

Dean grabbed Caleb's arm, "There's only four radios, this is the last one, won't you need it?" Caleb felt the fear and worry coming from the smaller boy.

"You need to keep it to contact Johnny, Mac and Jim. Just tell them I'll have Sammy when I get back." Caleb turned and took a few steps toward the woods as Dean's voice caused him to pause.

"How will you find your way back?" Large moss-green eye's pleaded.

Caleb tapped his temple, "I'll follow your string, so don't move, okay?"

Dean nodded and sat back down as Caleb took off in a run, disappearing into the tree line.

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John was becoming scared and a feeling of dread had taken hold in his chest, it was dark now, his baby boy had been missing for nearly seven hours and they hadn't even heard the sound of Atticus barking. John knew the woods were protected from anything supernatural, but that still left the wildlife as a possible threat. Coyotes had been known to be in the area and the most recent distant howling had confirmed that. There was also the possibility of snakes, there were two poisonous types that John had run across while working with Caleb in the woods, the copperhead and rattle snake, even though it was getting into fall and the reptiles would be less active, they were still a threat none the less. They had checked several areas that had inclines or small depressions on the property and hadn't found anything.

The crackle of the radio caused the knot in the pit of John's stomach to tighten as he heard his eldest son's voice. "Daddy? Mac? Pastor Jim? Can anyone hear me?" Dean using the term 'daddy' told John volumes to just how scared the small boy was.

"Dean, are you all right?" John radioed back as he knew the other men were listening in as well. "Where's Caleb?"

"He said he was going to find Sammy." John stopped and looked at the radio as if he could see his son, not knowing if he heard the six-year old right.

"He's what?" John replied again, "Where is he?"

"Damien's in the woods, he said he knows where Sammy is." Dean's voice sounded shaky.

"How…" John's comment was cut off by Mac.

"Dean, how does he know where Sammy is, did he have another vision?" Mac had tried to explain to Dean what Caleb's visions were, that they were like movies in his head, so the boy wouldn't be afraid if he was ever around when the teen had one. So far he hadn't been, but it worried Mac that maybe his son had another vision with Dean as the only witness.

"He followed the string, like with me." Dean replied as if that answered everything.

"What string Dean?" John was getting frustrated as he started to head back toward the barn. He didn't have time to worry about the hard-headed teen when Sammy was still missing.

"Like hide and seek." Dean replied, as it finally dawned on Mac what he was talking about.

"Jim, John we need to meet back at the barn, I think I know what Dean means." Mac answered as he took off in a jog, making his way back to Dean.

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Caleb had been running for nearly fifteen minutes when a faint barking was heard. He came to a stop and closed his eyes, trying to zero in on the direction it was coming from. Suddenly he took off running toward his right, he started to pick up speed as he felt low hanging branches hit across his face, pulling at his flannel shirt, he had left Dean wrapped in his jacket. The teen tried to block out the near forty degree temperature that had settled in the area, as his sole focus was on following the sound of who he knew to be Atticus barking. The flashlight bounced back and forth across the ground as the barking grew louder, suddenly Caleb found himself shining the light down an incline. Movement caught his attention as Atticus's golden-brown fur reflected in the moonlight; "Atticus" the teen whispered as he started down the slope, he came to a stop as the dog disappeared into the underbrush. Terrified, even knowing what he would find, the boy knelt down and pulled up the brush, "Sammy!"

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Mac broke through the tree line first, reaching Dean, "Dean, which direction did Caleb go?" John soon emerged as did Jim, each man making their way toward the table.

"What the hell was he thinking?" John growled out, "We don't have time to find his ass too."

Jim looked at the big, green-eyes watching them, "Dean what did he say, how does he know where Sammy is?"

The small boy looked at the men before him, suddenly afraid that he had done something wrong. "Like hide and seek." Dean whispered.

"What does that mean Dean?" John stepped toward his son, taking a hold of his arms, the boy jumping slightly at his father's rough touch.

"John…" Jim laid a hand on the father's shoulder, "You're scaring him."

Mac's voice drew John's attention from Dean, "Caleb told me that he has a connection to the boys, he described it as a string, telling him where he can find them. He's done it with Dean when they play hide and seek, haven't you ever noticed how fast Caleb can find Dean." John looked at Mac, confusion on his face, however, Mac did noticed a strange look cross Jim's face, but the Doctor ignored it as he continued, "If Caleb concentrates on Dean, he can find him anywhere, he's only ever done it a couple times with Sammy and that was when Sammy was still a baby, I didn't even know he could still connect with him."

Jim looked at Dean, "Did Caleb connect with Sammy, Dean?"

The small boy nodded his head, "He said he could find him and for me to stay right here so he could follow the string back to me cause he didn't take the walkie-talkie."

"Shit, so we have no way of contacting him do we?" John slammed his hand down on the table, Dean jumped again, but the Pastor placed a comforting hand on the small boys shoulder. "Mac?"

The Doctor had grown quiet over the last couple of minutes; John looked at his friend and noticed the man's eyes closed. John knew there was a connection between Mac and Caleb, they were able to communicate over distances, the younger man could only assume that was what Mac was trying to do now. Jim had stepped up next to Mac as the man's eyes remained closed, suddenly the psychic inhaled sharply, stumbling backwards, Jim's quick reflexes kept the Doctor on his feet. "Mackland?"

Taking a deep breath Mac locked eyes with John, "He's found Sammy."