"Offerings and Takings"  by: Tidia

Beta: GirlSix

"The arsenal is not necessary and won't be that effective," Joshua commented as he waited for Dean. "I can watch your back."

"I'll take my security blankets," Dean said as he stroked the nine millimeter before tucking it in his waistband. He made sure he was leaving Sam with some weapons. Dean placed a gun in an ankle holster, and knives up his sleeves.

The door slammed shut after Sam gave his brother another round of assurances that he was fine and would stay that way until Mackland arrived. The doctor was expected shortly. Dean and Joshua left to meet with the coven, leaving Sam to wait things out alone.

Sam picked at the white bandage across his palm. The matching cut on Caleb had clotted and crusted with Joshua's herb mixture. Sam waited, hoping Caleb would awaken. He needed Caleb to wake up right now.

He pulled the desk chair over sitting near Caleb on the side away from Agatha Hennings's body. He sat down, dropped his elbows to his knees. "He's scared, Caleb. And I'm scared, too." He placed a hand on his forehead. "I don't want to be alone."

Sam looked up to see if there was a reaction, but Caleb remained still. "I wasn't alone at Stanford. Mac made sure to remind me of that. And I had friends, and then I found Jess." His mind drifted to Jessica, little happy moments blending together. She was so fresh, alive, and beautiful. He cleared his throat. "You guys called it selfish." Sam never liked the connotation of the word. He had been following his dream. That wasn't selfish.

He licked his lips. "But there were these times that I thought for sure you were going to show up and tell me something happened to Dean or Dad or both. Or maybe Dean would show up wrecked to tell me you were gone. That time Pastor Jim called and told me about Dean. . .the time you came to school. . . " Sam inhaled a breath, exhaling with a hitch. "I'm not going to be alone. I'm not," he said vehemently.

A dark anger thrashed its way to the surface each time Sam thought of Dean's deal, of being left without his brother. It was unfair. He blamed it on himself, on God and on Dean. He didn't want there to be bitterness between him and Dean. Yet Sam's fear was piquing as each day drew to a close. He needed his family. Dean was leaving him in this position, and now Caleb was succumbing. He wished he had stayed dead, didn't have this burden. He wiped the tear that was tracking down his face. Clearing it, he saw Caleb twitch. "Hey!" He reached out and squeezed Caleb's arm.

Caleb stretched, blinking before his head lolled towards where Sam sat. "Sam? What happened?" He licked his lips.

Sam released Caleb, fumbling to find a water bottle. He felt foolish for having forgotten that when Caleb woke up he would be thirsty. However, a filled water glass was on the nightstand, left by Joshua during his ministrations. He helped Caleb to sit up then passed him the glass. "We tried to leave and you fainted."

Caleb took a tentative sip, eying Sam over the glass. "Fainted?"

"Collapsed to the point of momentary death. Does that sound better?"

"Much." Caleb drank more before returning the glass its prior place. "I feel fine now. Where's Deuce?"

"He went with Joshua."

"Josh was here?" Caleb frowned.

"Yeah. All that stuff on the wall, it's a spell to take power from you and give it to her so she could be young again." Sam pointed to the two symbols Joshua had concentrated on.

Caleb pushed himself up further to a sitting position. Sounding almost childish in his demand, he said, "So just say the magic words and put everything back."

While Sam wanted nothing more than to be able to do just that, the best he could do was place his hand on the older hunter's chest. "Lay back down. You can't leave here, not until they get back."

"What do you mean?" Caleb looked down at Sam's hand.

Sam removed his hand. "There are two parts—the spell and the agent to transfer the spell. She got you with some hand cream. Joshua and Dean went to get the potion from Agatha's coven."

"The stinking hand cream? Embarrassing." Caleb's head dropped back.

"Or you can look at it as you were too much for her." Sam shrugged. "She is dead, after all."

"I like that idea better." Caleb paused, studying Sam. "You volunteered to stay behind to share those words of wisdom? Because Deuce would have kept up the hand cream humiliation."

"We're bound together." Sam lifted his bandaged hand; Caleb's eyes dropped to his open cut. "Joshua thought our link would be better." Sam made his confession, "I thought he meant the demon connection, but he was just talking about us being psychic."

Caleb narrowed his eyes, picking up Sam's bandaged hand. "You don't have a link to demons. Not anymore. And Josh, he's an ass." Sam felt Caleb squeeze his hand.

"Who's gonna save your life," Sam commented with a smirk to lighten the mood. He couldn't tell Caleb they were still connected, that he had been tainted by the Yellow-Eyed Demon when he was six months old.

"That's scary."

"Well, the second choice is death— and I need someone on my side, Caleb. For Dean." Sam patted his friend's leg.

"I've been working on it," Caleb said tiredly as he rubbed his eyes. "So haven't Mac and Bobby . . . "

"What have you been doing?" Since they were alone, it was a better time to press the older hunter for answers. "The truth, Caleb. I'm going to find out."

Caleb took a deep breath, exhaled slowly before speaking. "The amulet that Noah Seaver had...I took it from the farm."

"What? You removed weapons from The Tomb?" Sam was taken aback. Jim had expressly forbidden that. "Dude, Dean will be pissed."

"Technically it hadn't made to The Tomb. I'm not afraid of The Guardian — especially not when I'm doing this for his own good."

"Doing what exactly?" Sam squeezed the back of his neck.

"I figured Noah Seaver wasn't meaning to get himself possessed by old Yellow-Eyes; I mean, who would do something stupid like that? I believe he was trying to 'possess' a powerful spirit...use its abilities for his own purposes."

"But Noah Seaver was a regular man, with no special abilities of his own." Sam was putting the pieces together. "He would have been no match for the spirit or demon."

"Probably thought the amulet would help. But it's only a part of the equation. I think the amulet might have been used by demons to call forth and capture other demons. Then it allows the person who's wearing it to steal the powers of their constituents."

"So it wasn't designed to be used by someone 'normal'?" Sam felt nauseous with a sinking sensation.

"Right. I'm not normal." Caleb looked down then back up at Sam. "Rose got me to thinking. I am part demon and a powerful psychic."

"So you what, man? Thought you could possess demons, use their abilities?" Sam shook his head. Why did everyone in his life have to do everything the hardest way first? "At what cost?" Sam stood up, paced a bit in fury at the older hunter.

"It's working, Sammy. I can possess them, and I can control them...for a while. I mean I've only practiced with lower levels, but when I get better at it..."

Sam stared at the bedridden hunter and followed his train of thought to the nasty end. Caleb thought he could possess the demon who wanted Dean. "No. This isn't a good idea." Sam could already see the physical effect it was having on Caleb. Then there was the damage to Caleb's soul to consider. He had resisted his demonology his entire life; now he was calling it forth of his own will. "You don't know what the amulet might do to you. Possession is dangerous. People die from it. Or worse."

"I've been careful and Jessup —"

"Isn't a hunter. He doesn't know the consequences, which is exactly why you went to him. He's out of the loop."

"I'm not letting him die."

Sam recognized the stubborn set of Caleb's jaw. "You think I want that?" Feeling the anger build again, Sam took a moment to calm his emotions. "I'm scared shitless, but this isn't the way."

Caleb closed his eyes. "I'm tired...What'd that bitch do to me exactly?"

"She almost killed you, but Josh has an answer." Sam sat on the edge of the bed. Caleb had paled. "Proves that no matter what, someone will have an answer, and we'll find it." He urged. "You don't have to do this, man. Promise me we'll work for another way instead. You with me?"

Caleb shrank back into the pillow, blinking heavily. "Just real tired all of a sudden."

"Stay awake, okay? I'm a little freaked out."

"What's the matter?" Caleb slurred, struggling to open his eyes.

"I'm here with a dead body," Sam blurted, but it was his fear of being alone that was causing him distress. They were going down a slippery slope.

"You've seen them before," Caleb mumbled.

"Mac's coming," Sam stated, biting the side of his thumb. Caleb didn't reply, returning to sleep. He hoped the doctor would be there soon. He called and left a message for Mackland to call him.

Sam kept himself busy for the next hour watching Caleb sleep and trying to do some research. He didn't want to disturb Dean while he was with Joshua or worry him for no apparent reason. He checked his cell again to make sure it was working when it started to glow. "Mac?"

"I'm in the rental car and will be there soon. How's Caleb?"

"Asleep, but he woke up for awhile." Sam was looking for more signs that Caleb would wake again.

"Good. That's good."

Sam hoped that was a medical opinion and not a hopeful father one. "You'll be here soon?"

"In thirty minutes."

"I should let you concentrate on your driving."

Despite the voices of Jim, Mac, and his father in his head reminding him that a watched pot would never boil, Sam repeatedly checked his watch. He took up a vigil at the window, waiting, watching, tapping his foot with the ticking seconds. Within twenty minutes Mac arrived, though it felt like longer. Sam waved from the window; the doctor saw him and jogged to the motel from the parking lot.

Mac looked grim at the door; these unexpected, dire messages were probably not good for his health. Sam could see why the ruling of The Brotherhood required three men. Sam gave the doctor a quick hug of relief but immediately opened the way for Mac to get to his son.

The doctor ignored the body on the bed, instead rushing to his son's side. Mac placed a hand on Caleb's forehead, brushing the hair off his face before laying a hand against his cheek. He took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly, his eyes closed in relief. When he opened them, he saw Sam watching him warily. As though it were a relief to admit, Mac explained, "There has been an estrangement between us since Jim's farm."

"Dean's deal," Sam replied. There were a lot of deeper repercussions on all of them than just Dean going to Hell.

"He thinks I should have told him. Maybe I should have." Mac rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. "I've fallen off my pedestal. It happens to all parents, I suppose. Sometimes when you are younger, sometimes when you are older."

Sam glanced down. His father fell off his dais when he made Sam choose between college and their family. "You're a great dad. You're still on a pedestal."

Mackland gave him a small smile. "I compete with a ghost, Sam."

Sam shook his head. "But Dad—"

"Not John Winchester. Isaac Reaves." Sam didn't now how to reply. Caleb had shared more with Dean about his biological family. Mac continued, "There are times when I wonder what his real father do."

"Like fight his way out of Hell?"

"Something like that."

"You've fought for him. He knows it." Sam reached out and squeezed Mac's forearm. Caleb was Mac's son; right now Sam saw how much he loved Caleb, sacrifices he would make for his boy, just like John Winchester had.

Mac patted Sam's hand. "Have you tried to read him telepathically?"

"I thought it was best to wait for you."

Mac placed Sam's hand on Caleb's forehead. "Just a nudge to say we are here, nothing more."

Sam understood. He didn't know the spell's effect on Caleb's mind, what protection his psychic abilities were providing. Like Caleb had taught him, he pictured entering a library, but instead of opening the books, he brought up the image of himself standing in the reference section. 'Caleb, it's Sam. Mac's with me when you want to wake up.' He retreated, breaking the contact, blinking as he returned to the motel room.

"Thank you." Mac smiled. "We'll just wait and see."

They waited ten minutes in silence before Caleb's eyes fluttered open.

"Sammy? Dad?"

Mac again placed his hand on his son's cheek with a beaming smile and watery eyes. "How does escorting Agatha Hennings lead to a beautiful dead girl and you lying in a bed?"

"Sounds like I almost got it right," Caleb said, his voice deeper than usual.

Sam gestured to the glass of water near Mac, who lifted his son's head, placing the glass against Caleb's lips. He waited until he took a few sips before letting Caleb rest against the pillow. "How do you feel?"

"Tired. . . Brutally tired."

"You look like you could use the sleep, son. You shouldn't run yourself down," Mac said in a soft tone, void of any reprimand.

"I can sleep in, like, seven months." Caleb opened his eyes wide but then closed them.

Sam remained silent. He wasn't about to mention what Caleb had been up to with the amulet to Mackland. They had only just agreed to a truce with finding a solution for Dean still the ultimate goal.

"Try to get some sleep. We'll be here when you wake up and everything will be fine. I promise."

"Never known you to break your promises, Dad," Caleb responded as his voice faded out.

"I try not to, I try not to." Mac said, watching as Caleb succumbed to sleep once more. The doctor pulled up one of Caleb's sleeves to take his pulse. Sam was too slow to stop the action. Mac's fingers traced over the burn marks. He glared at Sam. "Do you know anything about this?"

The younger man gulped under the gaze like he was all of five years old again. Sam did not want to lie to Mac either as The Scholar or as a member of their disjointed family. There were too many secrets and lies as it was. "I—"

Mac put his hand up. "I'm sorry, Samuel. I know it has something to do with Dean. I won't ask." He squeezed Caleb's wrist. "Promise me you'll watch out for him. Stop him if you need to. I think you know how to."

"Yes." Sam knew exactly what would make Caleb stop—Dean. If his brother discovered what his best friend was doing, he would put a stop to it. However, he was going to accept Caleb's oath that he wouldn't continue using the amulet.

"Good." Mackland gave a curt nod. "So can you tell me what happened?" He pointed to the dead body. "Where Dean is? Esme also said Joshua would be here."

Sam felt relieved. It was easy to be in the position of providing information. "Dean and Joshua went to Agatha's coven to get the antidote."

Mackland looked startled. "Have they checked in yet?"

"I was going to call, but it'll take them a bit to get to their meeting point. I didn't want to call him unless necessary." They all had jobs to do without distractions.

"I think it is best to give them a call." Mackland pinched the bridge of his nose. "Those two are not known to work well together when there are other people around. What can we expect when they are alone together?"

"Bloodshed?" Sam quipped. Dean perpetuated an air of hostility towards Joshua, though Sawyer did incite it to some degree. It had lessened a notch after Joshua sided with The Triad against his father, but Dean would always be prejudiced. Joshua had been involved in beating Caleb when he was sixteen. When it came to people hurting those he loved, Dean had a long memory and a tendency to be less than forgiving.

"Sam."

"I'm calling him right now." It was a good idea now that Sam thought about it.