It Only Takes a Second
Chapter 12
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

All three Winchester's had fallen asleep after Mac gave Sammy a quick check-up, who other than some scrapes and bruises seemed to be otherwise all right, the Doctor continually casting a worried look toward his own unconscious Son throughout the process. It was still early morning and Mac was debating with himself on whether to take Caleb to the hospital when the teen turned his head slightly, a moan escaping. "Caleb? Son can you hear me?" Mac had moved from the chair that he had been sitting in to the side of the bed.

"Sick…" the word was muffled, but Mac understood and grabbed the small trash can that was kept next to the night stand. The sound of the older boy throwing up woke John and Dean, Sammy still snuggled close to his father was the only one not disturbed by the sound.

"Mac?" John whispered as he watched the father rub comforting circles on the older boys back.

Mac glanced at John, noticing Dean watching closely, "John, maybe it's best to take the boys into Caleb's room until I make sure he's okay." The small boys had been through enough in the last day, hell they all had, but it wouldn't help, especially Dean, if he sat and watched his best friend being sick on top of the worry the small boy had waiting for his own little brother to wake up.

John nodded in understanding as he looked at Dean, "Hey Ace, let's give Mac a few minutes with Caleb to make sure he's okay." Dean moved off the bed, his eye's never leaving Caleb's form as Mac helped hold him upright. John moved slower, trying not to jostle the sleeping two-year old in his arms. The hunter headed toward the adjoining doorway, but Dean lingered a moment, "Dean." John's voice caused the small boy to head toward his father, but his gaze never moved from what was happening on the other bed until he too passed through the doorway, behind John.

Just as the Winchester's passed from the room, Jim came in carrying a clean washcloth and a glass of water. Caleb had continued to dry-heave for another minute before he bonelessly collapsed back onto the bed, bringing his arm to cover his eyes. "Caleb?" Mac again asked as he pushed a few sweaty, black hairs from his son's forehead.

"My head…" the teen gasped through attempts to control his breathing.

Mac looked at Jim, "Can you pull the car around?" Jim knew without being told they were going to make a trip into town, to the small hospital that served the community of New Haven.

"No…hospital…" The argument was lost by Caleb turning on his side and gagging again.

Mac eased his son back once the heaving subsided, "I have to make sure you're okay, what you did with Sammy, I don't know how that may have affected you, just a few tests." Mac ran his hand over his Son's head, resting it on his cheek.

Mac glanced up as he heard John enter the room, "Mac?"

"Can you help me get him downstairs, I'm taking him to the hospital." without another word John crossed the room and helped as Mac eased his Son into a seated position, the teen's eyes still clamped shut, "On three." Mac glanced at John who nodded. On three the two men lifted Caleb to his feet, the boy barely able to hold his own weight.

"I got him Mac." John moved quickly and lifted the teen into his arms.

"Damnit….down…" Caleb growled when he felt John lift him from the floor, "Walk…myself."

"Sure you can." John whispered back as the teen's head, reluctantly rested against his shoulder.

Quickly John and Mac made their way down the stairs, Caleb having fell silent in the hunter's arms, alarming them both when his head dropped further forward toward his chest. "Caleb!" Mac called out as John stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

"He's still breathing Mac; I think he passed out again." John gave the father a moment to check the boy's pulse then they continued toward the kitchen.

Jim held the door as John, Caleb in his arms, and Mac exited. The Pastor then ran to get the back door on Mac's rental. "Jim you drive, I'm staying back here with Caleb." Mac climbed in as John moved back after placing the older boy in the backseat.

The Doctor pulled his son toward him as Jim rounded the car to the driver side. "Jonathon, I'll call you when we know something." John nodded as he watched the car pull away.

Turning toward the house the Knight was met by two sets of little, scared eyes as Sammy and Dean watched from the screen door. As John made his way back into the kitchen Dean spoke up first, "Is Damien okay?"

John sat down in the kitchen chair, Sammy climbing into his lap as Dean leaned into him, "He'll be fine Ace." Needing to distract the boys he looked down, "Sammy, do you feel like eating something?"

Watching a small smile that crossed the face of his youngest, one that just yesterday he was so afraid he would never see again John released a hitched chuckle when the toddler shouted, "Ucky Charms!"

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Caleb regained consciousness just as Jim pulled the car up to the Emergency Room entrance. Running through the doors, the Pastor returned seconds later with a nurse, orderly and a stretcher. The back door was opened as the orderly and Jim reached in and helped the boy out and onto the stretcher, Mac quickly making his way to his Son's side. "What happened?" the nurse asked at they rushed the stretcher through the doors, a doctor joining them at the entrance.

"He's lost consciousness twice within the last six hours and had a nose bleed, he was complaining of his head hurting and he was sick a couple of times." Mac followed the stretcher into the exam room, but the nurse pushed him back as she started hooking the teen to different monitors, the ER doctor starting his assessment.

"Are his father?" The doctor glanced at Mac as Jim came in the room, stopping next to the Scholar.

"Yes, I'm Dr. Mackland Ames, this is Caleb he's fourteen." Mac wanted to step in, take over the care of his son, but he knew procedure and figured if he wanted to remain in the room he better just observe.

"Has your son been ill or hit his head in the past day or so?" The doctor asked as the nurse waited for further instructions from the doctor, "I want blood work and a CAT scan as soon as possible." the doctor stepped away coming to stand in front of Mac, who was watching his son.

"He was in the woods last night, that's where he got the scratches, he's been healthy, he was complaining of a headache yesterday." Mac knew he couldn't tell the man it was a residual headache from his vision and that his passing out was from a psychic link the young boy had done with Sammy in his attempt to wake the toddler. Mac wanted the scans just to make sure what had happened between the older and younger boy hadn't done any damage, especially since this had been the first time Caleb had ever lost consciousness after using his psychic abilities.

"Dad?" Caleb's scared voice was heard from the gurney a few feet away.

Mac quickly made his way to his son, "I'm right here Caleb, I'm not going anywhere."

"Please…" the pleading in his Son's voice tore at Mac's heart, "don't make me stay, I want to go home."

"Just a couple test, please Caleb, just to make sure you're okay. I'll be with you as much as I can." Mac knew where the boys fear of hospitals and doctors came from. This was the first time since Mac had taken him from the hospital he had found the boy in that Caleb had to return to one for care.

"Dr. Ames?" the ER doctor stepped up to the Scholar, "We're ready to take your son to have a CAT scan done. You can go with him, but you can't be in the room as the scan is performed."

Caleb's grip on his father's hand tightened as he heard that, Mac looked back at his Son. "It's all right Caleb…" glancing back at the doctor Mac spoke, "I'm a neurosurgeon, is it possible for me to be in the control booth as the scan is run?"

The doctor gave a hint of a smile, "I'm aware of who you are Dr. Ames, and yes you may be in the room as the scan is performed, but we will still have our own specialist look over the results." The orderly had moved to unlock the wheels to Caleb's bed.

"I understand, thank you." Mac looked at Jim who had remained silent near the door, "Jim could you take care of the paperwork for me?"

"Of course." Jim turned, leaving the room, making his way to the reception area.

Caleb's grip on his father didn't falter as the boy was wheeled toward Radiology, once seeing the table that would slowly go back and forth inside the donut shaped machine Caleb started to hyperventilate, he didn't do well in confined places. The hospital staff started to move toward the teen in an attempt to calm him, which had the opposite effect.

Mac held his hand up, "I'll take care of it, just give me a minute." there was no way Mac was going to allow Caleb to be sedated, but he knew he needed to get his Son calm or that is what they would do. Leaning over his Son, Mac took the boys face between his hands, "Caleb…" he whispered, "look at me Caleb, only me." Mac waited a second until panicked eye's met his, "its okay Son, this isn't that place. I told you I wouldn't let that happen again and I won't, but you have to calm down so they can do the scan." Mac could see tears fill the teen's eyes. "Caleb…listen to my voice, can you hear me?" Mac's lips had not moved as Caleb clearly heard his father's voice inside his head. "Focus on my voice, I'm here, I won't leave you. See the window?" The Scholar motioned slightly with his head as Caleb turned, seeing the window in question. "I'll be right there, as soon as they are done, I'll be back in here. Listen for my voice while you're in the scan, I'll stay with you." Caleb squeezed his eyes shut as he slightly nodded his head, telling Mac he understood what his father wanted.

Mac backed away after kissing his son's forehead, then Caleb allowed the orderly and nurse to help him from the gurney to the table, closing his eye's tightly as he tried to control his breathing, "I'm right here Son, it will be over soon." Mac's reassuring words helped to calm the boy more as he allowed his father's presences to fill his mind.

The scan was over within thirty minutes, as the results flashed on the screens of the control room, Mac knew which areas he needed to watch to see if what his Son had done with Sammy had caused any problems. The Scholar breathed out a small sigh of relief as the scan's appeared clear; of course he would have to wait for official word from the hospital's doctor before he could take Caleb home.