Rites of Passage

By Tidia

Disclaimer: Eric Kripke for creating Supernatural and Ridley for creating The Brotherhood

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Chapter 3/4

Caleb watched the tea boil; waiting the requisite time Joshua said was required. He glanced at the injured hunter when he stopped talking. Joshua was laying down, an arm over his eyes, obviously in pain.

They had made it a halting three miles before the psychic had to admit they needed to stop. Joshua was taxed, and although the blond hunter was tall and lanky, he was still heavy.

Caleb poured the tea into a tin cup and pressed it into Joshua's hand. "Here, your tea is ready."

Joshua groaned as he curled in on his side and tried to get into a sitting position.

Reaves snorted, and placed a firm hand behind Sawyer's back and helped him. He had to get the blond hunter to a hospital.

"Thanks," Joshua muttered as he took a sip of the tea.

Caleb held him up for awhile to provide support, feeling the shivering wracking the other hunter's body. "So we should get a move on because there is the cat to think about."

"How do you know about my cat?" Joshua wrapped his fingers around the cup.

"Pru?" Reaves recalled the name. "Let me guess- hot sister from Charmed?"

"Shut up," Sawyer retorted, but it was without the tone of usual stinging rebuke. He covered his eyes with his hand.

Caleb stood up. They were losing daylight, and he wasn't about to spend a night in the forest when he could easily get them out in an hour. "Look, it's five miles back to the road, and then I can get to a ranger station and get some help."

Joshua uncovered his eyes and looked up. "And if the rangers get nosy? They will find a burning body a few miles back. How are we going to explain that?" Sawyer looked at the cup and raised it. "I'll drink some tea, and we leave. I won't burden you."

Reaves raked a hand through his hair, then crouched down near the blond hunter once more. "Fine. Jesus, you're a prickly bastard. You know that? I'm just trying to return the favor."

Joshua gave a twisted grin, wiped the sweat from his upper lip. "Funny, the debits and credits don’t really add up. I do you a favor and then you threaten me instead of repaying me."

Caleb saw the evidence of a fever-the glassy eyes and reddened cheeks. He hoped the tea would work fast. "That's just our way." The psychic smirked.

"You know how long it takes for me to set up identities?" Joshua scuffed his boot back and forth. "Forgery is an unrecognized art form."

Reaves rolled his eyes. "Your mother would be proud. Does she know about that particular talent?" Caleb easily slipped into his dynamics with Josh.

Sawyer gestured with his finger between the two of them. "This is exactly what I mean."

The bantering was over. It was time for decisions. "Josh, we gotta make our way down, and hate to tell you, but you're not going to make it down in the condition you're in right now."

Caleb knew Joshua was faithful to his gym workouts. He also remembered Josh ran long distances in high school. The blond hunter's endurance would not be enough.

"What happened to leave no man behind?" Sawyer shifted uncomfortably with a wince.

"We're not in the Army." And then the problem occurred to Caleb. Joshua did not trust him. "I will come back for you."

Joshua didn't reply. He used the back of his hand to wipe his forehead. Caleb reached out and placed a hand there. Joshua was warm to the touch. And the contact allowed Reaves to probe the older hunter's mind. He didn't want to be left alone.

Sawyer weakly batted the hand away. "Make a travois."

"Okay, but you need to stay awake. You know, I listened to your story, but I remember some things too." Caleb stated as he collected what he would need to make the travois.

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Caleb didn’t know how he came to be in the backseat of the Ford Explorer. Joshua was dabbing his face with gauze. He spoke in a hushed tone. "Drink this. It'll help." Sawyer forced a canteen on to him. Shaking Caleb brought it to his lips. The water tasted off, and Joshua tipped it up so that he took in a few mouthfuls.
"Good." Joshua said after Caleb had finished the canteen. "I'm going to pack your nose to stop the bleeding."

It was uncomfortable and forced him to take shallow, metallic breaths through his mouth. He was hurt, his body betraying him. "No hospital." He ground out. His last stay at a hospital involved him being restrained.

"No, no hospital," Joshua agreed. "But you really need one."

Caleb frowned. The comment didn't seem directed at him.

"He doesn’t look too good." Fisher turned around in the passenger seat.

Reaves closed his eyes. He was tired, and according to Fisher probably felt like he looked.

"You need to stay awake." Joshua grabbed his chin. "Can you do that?"

"Yeah, yeah." Caleb swallowed. "Where we going?"

"To the farm." Sawyer lifted his shirt, snapped the ice packs and rested them on Reaves's abdomen. "We should be there in an hour."

"An hour," the teen repeated.

He didn't know how awake he remained because the next thing he knew the SUV had stopped, and the car door was open. Joshua had an arm under him and guided him to the steps of the front porch covered in darkness because of the late hour. Ian relaxed against the driver's side door of the Ford, twirling his keys with Fisher next to him.

The porch light flashed on, and Caleb narrowed his eyes at the onslaught of light. The door opened, and Joshua backed away slightly.

"What the hell?" John said as he took in the scene, immediately crouching by the teen's side. "Caleb?" John lifted the psychic's chin.

Caleb opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by a growl. John tackled Joshua, plowing into him and forcing him against the Ford Explorer. Winchester brought his hand around Sawyer's neck. "What the hell happened out there?"

The teen's view was blocked by Pastor Jim, who laid a comforting hand on the side of Caleb's face. "John! That's enough!"

John relinquished his hold on Joshua, who slumped to the ground and then attacked Ian, flipping him over his shoulder. Bobby exited Pastor Jim's home, made quick work of the stairs and cornered Fisher.

John had Ian on the ground with Hastings struggling to free himself from the mounted position. Bobby had Fisher's arm behind his back, and the young man winced in pain as Singer lifted the elbow higher on the younger hunter's back.

Caleb wanted to speak up, but also wanted the other hunters to be punished a modicum for what they had done to him. Silence was his momentary friend.

"We didn’t do anything!" Ian yelled. "Tell them Reaves!"

Caleb licked his lips. He had to lie to protect those he cared about. It had been a brutal awakening. He had thought The Brotherhood was made up of honorable men, like the Musketeers. "It was the poltergeist." Reaves grabbed the pastor's arm. "Let them go."

Jim placed a reassuring hand on Caleb's shoulder. "John, release them."

Winchester exhaled sharply. He picked Ian up by the shirt collar so his head lifted off the ground. "Kid, are you sure?" John had a wild gleam in his eyes.

The teen nodded. "Yeah, can we just go inside?" He tried to pull himself off the porch.

John dropped Ian so his head hit the ground with a thud, and stood up, failing to give the fellow young hunter a helping hand or an apology.

Jim's arm on Caleb's shoulder kept him firmly in place. "No, my boy. You need to go to the hospital."

Caleb's heart rate increased. "No more hospitals." He looked beseechingly at Murphy. The time at the psychiatric unit had left its scars. He never wanted to be in a hospital, restrained and lacking control. "You can take care of this, Jim."

"My boy. . ." Jim started and Caleb knew the pastor would not waver.

John kneeled beside him and he sought his mentor, hoping to convince him. "Don’t make me go, please, John."

Winchester cocked is head at Murphy who shook his head. "This is Mackland's son, John."

Reaves shook his head. "What about the boys?" Dean and Sam could not be left alone, or worse- be left under the care of Ian, Fisher and Joshua. Caleb had to remain at the farm to keep an eye on things. "Where are they? Someone needs to stay with them."

"Hey, hey, calm down." John frowned. He laid a hand on Caleb's head. "The boys are upstairs sleeping."

"We can't leave them alone. . ." The teen felt himself struggled to remain conscious and coherent.

"I'll stay here." Jim nodded and made a gesture with his hand.

John placed his arms under Caleb and lifted him. "Quick trip, we'll get you checked out and come right back."

"I can walk." Caleb felt embarrassed for having to be carried. But, he stopped protesting the visit to the hospital. Jim would protect the boys.

"Like to see him try." Bobby snorted. "You going to let me drive the Impala?"

"Damn, kid, you're a lot of trouble," John said with affection.

"But I'm worth it." Caleb slurred and rested his head against John's shoulder.

"Best babysitter around." Winchester settled the teen in the backseat of the Chevy. He slipped the car keys to Bobby. "Just this once, Singer and I'm watching you."

"Go with them Joshua." Caleb heard Jim order, then saw the blond get into the passenger side front seat with Bobby.

John sat next to the teen in the back, and talked to him in low tones, lulling him to sleep as Bobby drove with swiftness down the quiet streets.

When he woke up he was surrounded by whiteness and glowing sunlight. "Mom? Dad?" He said as he turned in the bed and then opened his eyes, and saw the ceiling tiles, IV pole and monitor.

"Caleb?" John Winchester loomed over him in concern.

The teen closed his eyes to compose himself. It had been a moment of temporary confusion. "What happened to in and out and I'd be right home." Caleb queried. He sounded off to his own ears, and felt the tape against his nose. It was broken and swollen.

One of John's brows rose. "Kidney contusions, cracked ribs and broken nose earned you a stay."

Caleb fumbled for the bed controls, and finally the bed hummed into a sitting position. "Where's Mac?" His adopted father was working in Hospital in Texas, but Caleb had learned that he was a priority in Mackland Ames’s life.

"He's coming." John replied.

Reaves shuddered, remembering Hastings’s words. "Dean and Sam?"

"Pastor Jim is bringing them by for a visit."

Bobby waved from the recliner chair across the room. "What about me? I had to help haul your ass here then get reamed out by Mackland.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Caleb said to the mechanic. He hoped Mac would continue to let him be a hunter. There was nothing he wanted more. “He didn’t say anything, did he?’

John shook his head. “He’s not happy you’re hurt, kid.” Winchester glanced over to Singer with a silent communication, then returned his gaze to the teen. "You want to tell us what happened out there?"

Caleb was not in a hurry to lie to his mentor. He spied the glass of water with a white straw and brought the plastic cup to his lips. As he gained his wits, he decided on a half-truth. Lies should never be complicated. "They had no intel. Totally unprepared."

John crossed his arms and sighed. "And you're only as good as your information."

It was a lesson he had already instilled in the teen. How to follow and observe without being noticed to gather the necessary data.

"Think maybe they need a lesson." Bobby groused from the chair. “One they wouldn’t forget.”

“I’ll deal with them later.” John added with an ominous tone of retribution.

Caleb tried to get a psychic reading from the Knight, but John always had his guard up. The teen was unsure if he was believed or if Winchester was angry regardless because Reaves had been hurt by the other hunters’ ineptitude. “Look, they just don’t do things your way. . .”

John grinned, a tight smile. “My way is the right way. I thought you knew that, kid.”

And Caleb understood John felt guilty since he had given permission for the teen to go on the hunt. Further discussion was interrupted by hospital room door swinging open. Eight year old Dean Winchester and his four year old brother, Sam, entered. The youngest Winchester was tightly holding his brother’s hand, but broke free upon seeing his father in the room.

He ran towards John. "Dean said we had to be really quiet because Caleb was sleeping." He looked up at his father for confirmation. "Am I quiet?"

"Sammy. . ." Dean reproached his brother.

But the four year old ignored him, instead his father had scooped him into his arms. He now peered down on Caleb. "Your eyes are open. Are you awake? Why do you have a band aid on your nose?"

"Yes, Runt, I'm awake and I broke my nose so that's why I have a band aid on it." Reaves chuckled. The youngest Winchester was what Mac had termed a strong willed child, precocious and very verbal when he was comfortable with the people he was with. "How was the zoo?"

"I liked the giraffes the best.” Sam craned his neck in an imitation of a giraffe. “Dean said the lions were cool." Sam moved his hand to point out the window, John grabbing the chubby hand as it almost poked him in the eye. "The sun followed us here. And then I saw our shadows and Pastor Jim's shadow was the tallest."

"You don't say." Caleb tried to concentrate on Sam, but was wondering what was keeping Jim. "Where's Pastor Jim?"

"He's talking to Joshua." Dean answered, coming closer to the bed, and tentatively placing his hands on the railing at the foot of the bed.

Caleb needed some levity. He was oblivious to the pain of his injuries; whatever being coursed through his veins was providing needed relief. “So you spent the day with the Taylor girls. How did that go?” The girls lived next door to Jim’s farm.

“Caleb. . .” John warned.

Dean ignored the coy questioning. “Pastor Jim said you had an accident.”

Caleb glanced towards the door, hoping the pastor would return. He hated how one lie blended into another. “I did. No big deal.” He raised a shoulder in an attempt of a shrug.

But, Caleb saw there was more involved according to Dean. “But who was watching out for you?" The boy looked up to his father. "Dad?’

John frowned and then his face softened, losing the reprimand he was about to utter. “I wasn’t there, Ace. . .”

Caleb had witnessed Dean's devotions to his father. It was clear the eight year old doubted his father's ability to provide protection and safety. “I’m fine, Deuce. Your dad got me fixed up.”

Thankfully, Bobby interrupted further questioning from Dean.

"And we cooked up a little surprise for him too." Singer brought the recliner back to a seated position and rested his feet on the floor. “And before you go get hot and bothered, it ain’t that kind of a surprise. We got kids in here.”

"Is it your birthday?" Sam smiled as he squirmed in his father's arms.

"Noooo," Caleb replied, trying to figure out the surprise. Bobby had already eliminated the possibility of a girl being brought in to keep him company.

"It's a surprise just because, Sammy." Dean deciphered his brother's question. At eight years of age, Dean knew the gift was a result of guilt. John had made a mistake, and was trying to make up for it.

"I think that surprise was left in my yard this morning." Jim said as he entered, understanding the conversation from the midpoint. "Towed there by a woman named Fiona."

"That was the surprise? It's all broken." Sam threw his hands up in the air, then looked at his brother for confirmation. "And she was scary. Dean said she was a witch."

"What's all broken?" Caleb shifted in the bed.

"A blue Jeep Wrangler." At Dean’s young age he already had an interest in cars, knowing the year, make and model of all the cars Jim, Mac and Bobby drove.

"Fiona picked it out, like the color of her eyes." Singer said wistfully.

"Can't believe you're still together." Caleb explained further. "He took me to this place last year. . ."

Bobby cleared his throat, and shook his head.

Reaves was not about to divulge the fact that Singer had taken him to a cathouse last year. John was not a womanizer, and although he looked to his mentor for guidance, if it were up to Winchester, Reaves would still be a virgin. "-well, anyway, he met her there."

"Don't get to see her too much being busy and all." Bobby added with a sad shake of his head.

"She has no teeth." Caleb delivered the information with snickering glee. Fiona was not attractive, nor a stunning conversationalist, but there was sort of chemistry between Bobby and the tow truck driver.

"Caleb, that is no way to speak about. . ." Jim seemed shocked and began to reprimand the teen, regardless of the fact he was injured.

Bobby put his hand up to halt the lecture. "Jim, I know she isn't a looker, but she's got a heart of gold." Singer patted his heart.

The Winchester boys looked at the other hunters in confusion. John cleared his throat, signaling a suggested change in the topic of conversation.

Reaves decided to get back to the original discussion. "So you got me a car?" He would get his license as soon as he returned to New York at the end of the summer. He was excited and had been hinting to Mac that he wanted a car.

"Needs some work, but it'll be ready when you are." John jutted his chin at Bobby. "Every kid who gets their license needs a car to drive."

Singer nodded. "We know your Daddy can buy you any car you want, but we thought you'd want something with character."

Dean interrupted. "Pastor Jim called it a death trap."

Caleb smiled even though it hurt his bruised face. "Mac's gonna hate it." Their vehicle conversation of late had Caleb wanting a sports car, and his adopted father countering with a boring sedan.

“Why don’t you all head back to the house, get some rest." Murphy looked at the two older hunters. They had been spent the night at the hospital tending to Caleb. "Mackland should be here shortly and then I’ll return.”

Dean frowned in disappointment. "Can't we stay a little longer?"

John placed a hand on his son's head and tousled the boy's hair. “We got a car to work on, Ace.”

“I get to supervise while I’m recuperating.” The teen retorted. “I’m thinking a big eagle painted on the hood. . .”

“I’m thinking not." John rested Sam on the floor. He gave a nod to Caleb. "We’ll see you later.”

"Bye, bye Caleb." Sam waved, and his father clasped his hand.

"Deuce, work on your father for me, will ya?" The teen noticed the eight year old was still holding himself stiffly. Caleb got the reaction he was looking for.

Dean rolled his eyes. "I can write Damien on it." He said with a grin.

"No thanks. Blue will be good." He gave the boy a mock salute as he ran after John, Bobby and Sam who had just opened the door.

With the hunters and the boys gone, the energy in the room changed. Jim pulled a chair over to Caleb's bed. "How are you?"

Reaves shrugged. He was uncomfortable, but didn't want to admit to the soreness. He didn't want to seem weak in front of Jim. "When will Mac get here?" He hated hospitals, but when Mac arrived at least there was a chance he could be released to his famous father's care.

Jim smiled, and leaned forward. "Soon. I know how much you dislike medical facilities and I brought something to pass the time, just in case." The pastor pulled out a battered copy of The Count of Monte Cristo from his jacket pocked. "I remembered you were a fan of Alexander Dumas."

Caleb nodded. Jim had visited him in the psychiatric facility when he first was introduced to Mac and the supernatural. At that time he was reading The Three Musketeers. "It's only about one guy, and he's getting revenge on his enemies."

"But still the ideals of chivalry and valor. I think you can still relate." Jim opened the cover, and folded it back. "I spoke with Ian and Fisher and they supplemented your story. They said the poltergeist trapped you in another room, and they tried to get to you, but were unsuccessful."

“Yeah.” Caleb looked at the marks on his arms which he could see. It was consistent with a poltergeist. And he had felt trapped. Trapped with the knowledge his biological family had destroyed the Winchester family. He would have to live with that for the rest of his life.

Jim rested the book in his lap. "I know I have led you to believe that all hunters are honorable men, but sometimes that isn't the case. Bobby told me you had an incident with Duran Hughes."

Caleb was startled. The incident had happened a year ago while the teen was visiting Bobby. Duran had stopped by to utilize one of Singer's books, and had left the teen and the older hunter alone for a few minutes to deal with a business matter. A casual conversation turned into one of a salacious nature. When Bobby returned, Duran had his hand on Caleb's arm. Singer had taken one look at the scene, and pulled the teen into another room, telling Hughes to take the book and return it later. Bobby had given Caleb a stiff drink with a warning to steer clear of Duran Hughes. They never discussed the matter. "It was nothing. Bobby's imagining things."

Jim rubbed a hand down his mouth, then sighed. "Hunters are human, Caleb. People believing they are doing right and fighting evil, but using their own personal perspective. You can see how that can become skewed."

"Johnny says that humans are unpredictable."

"John is always the optimist." Jim said with a shake of his head, but then returned to his serious demeanor. He shifted the book, and placed a hand on it. "Caleb, I will always believe you. I trust you. You can tell me anything, and I will listen."

He understood the pastor was giving him an opportunity to say what really happened with Ian, Fisher and Joshua. And maybe the book choice was appropriate, but Caleb didn't wanted revenge. He wanted inclusion. "I want to be a hunter, more than anything, Jim.” He picked at the white sheet. He didn't want to lose everything. “But, I know I’m tainted, Elkins said so.”

Jim reached out and patted the teen's hand. "We don’t know if any of what Daniel says is true." Caleb looked down at their intertwined hands. "We all know the boy we see before us. You are no more influenced by a demon than I."

Caleb knew why he had sworn loyalty to his man, and to The Brotherhood. He was part of something that was good, and would bring him redemption. "Then I'll only start to worry if you start acting like Bobby and take up with Fiona."

"I would say that would be one of the signs of the apocalypse." Jim retorted and turned to the first chapter of the book.

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