Chapter 4:
Dean rose from his bed with a groan. The red numbers on the alarm clock taunted him, 1:18 AM and he couldn't sleep. He glanced over to the empty bed beside him and glared at it as if it was the cause of his stress. Sam had spent so few nights away from him, and Dean couldn't sleep not knowing how brother was doing. He sighed and made his way downstairs and into the kitchen. If he couldn't sleep, then he was going to eat some of the apple pie that was left over from dinner the night before. He was leaning into the fridge when the kitchen light popped on behind him making him jump and turn around. He heard a distinct laugh.
"Jesus Christ Reaves! Warn a guy." Dean whispered.
"I found this reaction much more enjoyable." Caleb said with his typical cocky grin.
Dean rolled his eyes at his friend and placed the pie on the counter, grabbing two forks.
"How did you get here so late?"
"Asked Cullen to help me out with one of his private jets. Told him I had an emergency."
Dean frowned.
"It wasn't an emergency... you could have come out later today."
Caleb shrugged trying to remain casual.
"No big deal, Deuce, I wanted to be here."
"Doesn't make it worth getting in one of those death traps you call a jet."
Caleb smirked, leave it to Dean to try and downplay how worried he was about his brother going off on a hunt by himself. He remembered himself when Dean went off on his first hunt as lead. And while he would never admit it to the younger man, he spent those three days trying to maintain his cool, terrified that the hunt would go wrong. And while Dean had returned with nothing but some bruises and a few stitches Caleb could recall the nausea he had felt knowing his best friend had been hurt with none of his family there to protect him. He could only imagine how Dean felt about Sam.
"So come on, bring me into the loop. What's the case?" Caleb asked.
Dean shrugged.
"Just a Poltergeist."
"So? Sam's handled worse than Poltergeists, hell he could handle a Poltergeist single handedly by the time he was 13 years old. This should be a walk in the park for him."
"Yeah, I guess."
Caleb kicked his friend in the shin.
"Don't 'yeah, I guess' me. What's eating you? I know you didn't call me back to the farm because of a Poltergeist."
Dean sighed and dropped his fork onto the counter. He looked up at Caleb wondering how to word this so he didn't sound like a total wussy. Caleb smirked.
"Chick flick policy on pause for the next 10 minutes."
"Don't read me Damien."
"9 minutes."
Dean groaned and rubbed his eyes.
"Sammy was scared. He was scared to go."
"So was I, so were you. It's just part of growing up in this life."
"Yeah I know, that's not what bothers me."
"Okay... then what does?"
"He didn't want to go. I mean I was scared for my first hunt as a lead, but I wanted it. Sam... he didn't want it."
Caleb frowned and watched his friend.
"And this surprises you? Cause I gotta tell you it doesn't surprise me. Sam has always been a little bit... different than the rest of us. He may not be nearly as gung-ho as you and me, but he is a good man in a fight. Besides you, he is one of the only other people I would trust to watch my back."
"Yeah I guess."
Dean turned to put the rest of the pie back in the fridge when he heard Caleb gasp. He whipped back around as Caleb brought his hands to his head leaning against the counter and Dean ran to his friends aid.
"Damien, what is it?" Dean had seen Caleb have his fair share of visions before, but it never made it any easier. Caleb looked up at him with wild eyes and grabbed at the younger hunters sleeve.
"Deuce, go wake up your Dad and Jim."
"Why what did you see?"
"NOW!"
Dean ran up the stairs to alert everyone and they all ran back into the kitchen.
"Caleb? What's wrong?" John asked, gripping his proteges shoulder hard.
Caleb looked up at John and then over to Dean before whispering into John's ear quietly. John frowned, but then nodded leaving Caleb's side to stand beside his son.
"Alright, now what is it?"
Caleb squinted through the headache.
"The string broke..." Caleb whispered.
"What does that mean my boy?" Jim asked.
Caleb looked at Dean with confusion then up to John.
"Its Sam... I can't feel him..."
"What... what do you mean? He is hunting a poltergeist, what did you see?" Dean yelled.
"I didn't see anything Deuce! I felt... pain... then... I felt nothing."
Dean tried to bolt out of the kitchen, but his father clamped both arms around him.
"DAD! Let me go. I need to go find Sam!" Dean struggled in his father's hold.
"Dean stop it! I'm gonna find him, I swear I am gonna find him." John said wetly.
"Caleb can always find us... if he can't then Sam is-"
"ENOUGH!" John yelled. "We don't know that yet. Caleb's psychic links have been broken before. I am going to find him, but I can't do that and chase you down too. Now you got two choices, one, you can help me find your brother or two I can cuff you to the radiator. Your choice." \
Dean's body remained stiff, but he stopped fighting. John lowered him to the ground and Dean allowed Caleb to squeeze his shoulder. Dean looked at Jim with fire in his eyes.
"He wasn't ready."
"Dean my boy-" Jim started reaching out for the younger hunter who flinched back violently.
"I hate you." Dean spit.
"Deuce, stop." Caleb whispered.
Dean didn't look at his friend, simply stared down at the silver ring on his hand. Then he did one thing he never thought he would. He slipped it off and dropped it to the floor. Dean turned to his father and stared at him.
"You and me? We're going to that house now, and I swear to God if something happened to my brother... I am walking out on you too. I'll meet you at your truck in 5."
Dean walked out of the house and the three men in the kitchen jumped at the sound of the slamming door. Jim bent down to pick up Dean Winchesters ring.
"Jim... he didn't mean it. You know how much The Brotherhood means to Deuce." Caleb said. "Don't take it away from him."
Jim smiled through the tears in his eyes.
"This ring is his when he wants it back... if he wants it back. Now both of you go find Sam, I'm going to call his contacts see if I can get ahold of them."
John and Caleb made their way to the cars, John slid into the driver's seat cranking the engine. Caleb walked over to Dean's side feeling the anger coming off him in waves. But as always when he felt Dean's anger, he felt what was hiding beneath it. Fear and sadness.
"Go away Damien."
"No, I am going to help you find your brother."
"Why? Screw you and The Brotherhood," Dean snapped.
"Hey!" Caleb yelled, pushing Dean against the truck. "This isn't about The Brotherhood. I am here for you and Sam, like I have always been. I've got your back, now get your head out of your ass and be the Dean Winchester that we need you to be. I'll meet you there."
Caleb walked away from his friend and got in his Jeep as Dean climbed into the passenger seat of his dad's truck. Caleb reached out to Dean's mind again. The fear and sadness were still there, but the anger was fading, being replaced by exactly what they needed. The bravery of a hunter.
Caleb reached out for Sam one more time, but as he feared he found nothing. Just empty blackness where the boy had once been. Caleb took a deep breath and drove down the driveway towards the edge of the farm's property.
Sam had once believed in Caleb when everyone had given up and thought he was dead... now it was time to repay the favour. Even with every instinct telling him otherwise.
