"Offerings and Takings" by: Tidia

Beta: Household Six

Disclaimer: I surely do not own Supernatural, and Ridley C. James created the Brotherhood universe

Joshua pulled the phone away from his ear as the sharp thump crackled. He stood up from his desk chair. "Hello? What happened? Caleb?" There was no reply. He listened keenly, trying to make out what was being said.

"Jesus, I don't think he's breathing."

"Pick up the phone!" he yelled, wondering if his yelling would bring people to his office. Joshua heard the phone being picked up. "Hello?"

"He's not breathing. Caleb's not breathing." It was Sam Winchester sounding panicky.

"Bring him back into the room," Joshua directed. "Hurry!" he ordered, trying to stimulate action through the phone line. Thankfully, Sam hadn't closed the connection. He heard the younger Winchester relaying the information to his brother. The spell was connected to Caleb, and to complete it, Agatha needed him there. She had cornered Caleb masterfully, leaving him no route for escape.

"He says we need to bring him back in."

"What?"

"Just do it."

Joshua rubbed his mouth, waiting patiently, hoping he interpreted the symbols correctly. "Okay, okay, he's breathing," Sam said, sounding somewhat relieved. "Now what?"

Joshua echoed Sam's relief with a sigh. "Where are you?"

"Lancaster Motel in Jameson, Virginia."

Sawyer was thankful they were relatively nearby. "I can make it there in an hour." Before he hung up the phone, he added, "Stay put."

He opened the door to his office, making sure he could leave unimpeded. When he didn't return to the meeting, there would be repercussions. He liked his job. He gave a nod of reassurance. He would be back. Joshua made it out of the building to his car. He used his headset and called the one person he knew could help in this particular situation.

"Mother, are you with Mackland?" He said it plainly, without a hint of accusation. Joshua never asked about the relationship. He and Caleb had agreed that it was better not to know.

"Pardon me?"

Unfortunately, he still shocked his mother. However, time was working against them. He needed to be blunt. "Caleb was escorting Agatha Hennings to some sort of summit?"

"Joshua, I didn't want you to be involved —"

The devoted son in him was hurt that he had been unaware of a summit. He was also surprised Carolyn hadn't told him. She was probably ordered not to inform him. Joshua frowned, but he focused on the matter at hand. "Mother, I am involved. Agatha Hennings is dead. She used some sort of powerful spell which has affected Caleb."

"Oh, Joshua. Is he. . . ?"

"He's alive," Joshua assured his mother. He would never want to be bearer of such bad news. "I'm meeting the Winchesters; they're with him. They sent me some pictures of the markings. I'll send them to you."

"Glyphs wouldn't be enough. There would need to be an agent."

"So I thought. I'll know more when I get there. But Mother, any help. . ."

"Of course. Mackland was supposed to be flying to D.C. to meet me. I'll call him. Joshua, about the summit: I wanted to protect you —"

"I am accustomed to being shunned by them." His personal dealings with the covens had been rare at best. Jocelyn had given him history lessons about the coven, so he knew their methods. He was aware of their vindictive nature, knew the covens were willing to plot for a long time before exacting revenge. The summit would have placed her in peril, too big of a risk for her to take. "Mother, I am more concerned about your direct involvement with Brotherhood business. It shows The Scholar can be swayed. You could be viewed as a threat."

"Joshua, oh, Joshua. I promise to be careful. Try not to worry. I love you. I'll call you with whatever I find out."

He ended the phone call, the loss of contact with his mother instantly weighing on him. Joshua hit his hand against the steering wheel. He hoped his skills would be enough to help Caleb — and his mother. If Caleb died, he didn't know what would happen to his mother or how to protect her from The Brotherhood itself.

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Half a dozen jokes that didn't seem all that funny about Caleb being dead weight came to mind as Dean pulled the comforter off the bed and helped his brother get the older man onto the other double bed in the room. He placed a pillow beneath Reaves's head while Sam arranged the older hunter's still body. Both were trying to make Caleb comfortable.

"We need to call Mac," Sam said as he sat on the corner of the bed.

"I'll call him," Dean sighed as he pulled out Caleb's phone. Either way, this would be a jarring phone call, but Mac was expecting a call from Caleb, not Dean.

Dean dialed the number, his eyes locked on Sam's while he waited. His free hand he kept on Caleb's chest, reaffirming his heart was beating and he was breathing steadily. He nodded to himself, telling himself that his friend was still in there. He'd had to do that far too often lately.

"Caleb, everything going well, son?" The voice was warm and friendly.

Dean closed his eyes. "Mac, it's Dean."

"Dean, what's happened?"

Mac's voice immediately took on the pronounced weight of a concerned father, shaking Dean. He didn't know how much to say. He tried to be as direct as possible. "We were helping Caleb with Agatha Hennings. It seemed she was kidnapped."

"Is he alright?"

Of course Mac would know something went wrong; Dean was calling instead of Caleb. "Not exactly. You need to get here, Mac. Agatha put a spell on him. She's dead, he's unconscious." He glanced at Caleb and then at Sam, who winced in sympathy.

"A spell? I need an honest assessment, Dean. How bad is Caleb?"

He was not going to give Mac bad news, not in this lifetime. "Josh is coming. He's going to figure this out." And if Sawyer did not figure it out, he would.

"I'm at the airport now. I can change my flight. Where do I need to be?"

Dean passed along the information. He shut the phone and put it on the nightstand. He took a seat on the corner of the bed. "I hate witches."

Sam was standing over Caleb, looking pale and in shock. He asked, his voice hoarse, "What are we going to do about her?"

Having no real answer, Dean's eyes flicked over the dead body. He had thought she was beautiful. He had no mercy for her now. He stood up, walked over to the body and pulled the comforter off, letting it pool at the bottom of the bed. He grabbed one of Agatha's arms. Sam had come over, helping to pull Agatha so she was lying in the middle of the bed. Dean took the comforter, threw it over the body. He tossed the pillows to his brother. "Take his shoes off and place his feet on the pillows. His legs should be higher than his heart."

"Good point." Sam followed the request, then assessed his work. He gave a nod to his brother. "I'll go get our stuff from the car."

"'kay," Dean replied. He took a seat on the bed again as Sam left. "Damn, you need some Odor Eaters." Dean waved his hand in front of the other hunter's stockinged feet. He sobered quickly. "Sam's only giving me a few minutes." Dean put a hand over his mouth, contemplating his next words for a moment before saying them. "I'm sorry, Damien. Damn sorry."

He placed a hand on Caleb's knee. "I did this. . . Well, not this." He smirked. "But you know what I mean." Dean punched the bed. "I see what I did. Tearing you up, tearing Sam up. I'm tearing myself up." He shook his head, then looked at Caleb's passive face.

"I'm not afraid to die. Doesn't make me want to get there any quicker, leaving you guys unprotected or worse." Dean swallowed, focused on the ceiling for a moment to get his emotions back under control. "I don't want to turn into something used against you and Sam. Can I ask you to kill me if that happens?" Dean waited for an answer. "I know. You can't do it. I couldn't kill Sammy either. Gawd."

He studied Caleb, taking in all the cracks that were noticeable in his appearance. "You know, I notice things, like the fact you look like shit. This isn't cool. Not cool at all." Caleb actually looked leaner, which was unusual. "I want to live, but I don't want you risking your life for me. I want you and Sam to have a long life, part of The Triad."

He waited a moment, hoping Caleb would answer. Reaves wanted to be The Knight — he was the epitome of Pastor Jim's Brotherhood. Dean needed Caleb to take the position if only so that his year would end with some spark of hope. He needed Caleb to wake up and tell him he understood that. Dean heard the footsteps coming down the hall, Sam on purpose making noise to warn his brother. Dean appreciated it.

"We should have more conversations like this," he quipped as Sam walked in with their bags.

"Where the other person is unconscious?" The younger Winchester tossed the duffels on the floor.

"He agrees with everything I say." Dean shrugged. He pointed to his head. "Can you mind meld with him? Like you did before?" When Caleb had been beaten up by other hunters, Sam had been able to connect with an unconscious Caleb.

"I'd rather not with the spell. I'll wait for Mac." Sam picked at his hand. "He's going to pull through this, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. He has to, man," Dean was reassuring himself as well. Caleb and Sam had to remain safe.

"Just like last time," Sam said like he was trying to convince Caleb and Dean just as much as himself.

"Right," Dean agreed. Sam was referring to their last Christmas when Caleb had been poisoned. Joshua had made an antidote, and they'd been able to make it to Virginia to do a proper holiday, safe and sound. Of course, that was when they first discovered there was a faction in The Brotherhood against them. What would happen now?

Sitting waiting for Joshua with a dead body and an unconscious Caleb did not make time go by faster. The Winchesters went through their father's journal, and then Dean looked at his watch repeatedly, willing Sawyer to their location sooner rather than later.

He came one hour and seventeen minutes later. Sam was watching for his car from the window, announcing his arrival.

Dean opened the door for him before he knocked. "You're late."

Joshua adjusted the strap on the messenger bag slung across his body. "I got here as soon as I could. My car does not have wings."

Dean crossed his arms, barring the entrance.

"Are you going to let me in? Time is of the essence."

"Dean," his brother prompted. Dean stepped away, allowing Joshua to enter.

Joshua gave a curt nod to Sam, a brief glance to Caleb, then walked up to the decorated wall. His finger glided along each glyph. He mumbled to himself about the symbol. "I need to see the body."

Joshua frowned once Dean removed the comforter and revealed the body. "That's not Agatha Hennings."

"According to Caleb, it is," Sam explained.

Sawyer traced a few of the symbols once more. "She used a spell to make herself young. I didn't believe it," Joshua uttered, but Dean didn't know if it was to them or himself.

"And to take out Caleb," Dean added. It was not a coincidence the future Knight of The Brotherhood was in this situation. It was never coincidence when Caleb looked like this. "Black magic shit."

"This isn't black magic; you people are so quick to call everything that. Black magic involves a sacrifice — animal or human, bone or blood — to bring about a harm. Crafting is the origin point for most sciences—using herbs and such to do some sort of transformation," Joshua said as he examined the body, very unlike a doctor. He turned her hands over, opened her mouth. He then did the same to Caleb.

"I still hate witches."

Sam frowned at his brother. Dean feigned innocence with a shrug. Sam gave a pointed look between Dean and Caleb. This was about him, not Dean. While they held their silent conversation, he also asked Joshua, "What are you looking for?"

"Do you have any of her things?" Joshua countered.

Sam got up to get the bag he had brought in earlier. Dean stopped him. "Can you answer the question? We don't like being in the dark, Josh."

"I don't like to be pulled out of work, Dean. So we're even." Joshua rolled his shoulders. "There is a symbol up there about power. It looks like she took power from Caleb to make herself young. But that writing is only one part. There needs to be something that makes the transfer."

"Like a potion?" Sam asked as he pulled the contents out of the bag, setting them on the floor. "Not much in here."

Dean crossed his arms in frustration, not trusting himself not to lash out with his fists at Joshua. He didn't understand what a toiletries case had to do with helping Caleb. "Are you going to be able to fix this?"

Joshua crouched down, touching each of the bottles and containers. "Ideally, it would be nice to bring her back, but she died of natural causes, and the spell wasn't completed because she is dead and Caleb is alive. I'd guess an aneurysm. Right now, it is about trying to figure out the puzzle." He sniffed one of the bottles.

"You suck at puzzles." Dean recalled times at Jim's house when Joshua would refuse to work on the pastor's puzzles.

"Then you better let me concentrate all the more." He opened another container, testing the cream between his fingers. "And for the record, I don't suck at puzzles. I find them boring."

Agatha Hennings used a lot of products. Joshua sniffed, touched, and tasted. "To complete the spell, she needed him here. How did you locate her?"

"Caleb gave her a mini hunter." Dean paced around the older hunter, watching him work, unsure what to do.

"A what?" Joshua scrunched his nose as he sniffed another container.

"Tracking device," Sam explained, giving a hard look to his brother, which said he needed to stop instigating Joshua.

"And she used it against him. She was determined, so I assume there was another plan in place so Caleb would find her."

Joshua brought up a good point. The spell along with the plot against The Brotherhood would have to be unwoven. However, Dean knew in the end it led to Griffin Porter. "She didn't count on us being with him."

Joshua tested another lotion. "This is it." He pulled his phone from his pocket.

"You phoning a friend, now?" Dean snorted.

"Can't you deconstruct it like they do with antidotes?" Sam glared at his brother, making a slashing motion across his throat with his hand.

"Yes, but I need help." He placed his phone to his ear. "Mother, I found the agent. I just need to. . .I know it would take time. . .No, we don't." His eyes flicked to Caleb. "They've agreed? Or is this a negotiation? . . . Promise me I don't have to worry about you. . . Very well."

"What did she say?" Dean prompted after listening to half the conversation. He glanced back at Caleb, wondering if he was suffering in his state.

"She arranged a meeting with Agatha Hennings's coven. It takes time to deconstruct a potion — time we don't have. The coven will be familiar with her style and ingredients." Joshua rubbed his face. "We need to leave, but I need to buy us some time with Reaves."

"Buy some time? Start explaining, Josh. I don't hear your inner monologue," Dean said. He had limited knowledge about what Sawyer did on a good day.

"I guess I can dumb it down for you." Joshua was still wearing his messenger bag; he went over to Caleb, pulling out items on the bed. He removed some wet wipes, washing down the psychic's hands.

"Baby wipes?" Dean snickered. Sam's eyes bugged out at him emphatically one more time with a sharp gesture at Caleb. This time, Dean didn't even bother to acknowledge it.

"They are antibacterial and soft," Joshua retorted.

"Softening his hands is not the problem we are trying to solve." Dean knew part of the problem with Joshua was his own attitude, which Sawyer didn't ignore. Instead the older hunter escalated the conversation.

"She used hand cream do deliver the agent. There are some herbs I can use to the slow the progression of his death, because this will lead to death, but I need to bind him to someone, someone has to stay with him because he can't leave here. There is a tenuous link between them." He gestured to Agatha. "He leaves this room, he's dead."

"I'll do it," Dean volunteered. He didn't know what was involved, but he would give what he could to Caleb in order to help him.

Joshua shook his head. "I was going to suggest Sam since they have a connection."

"A what?" Sam looked taken aback. Dean didn't comprehend his brother's reaction.

"Your psychic abilities." Joshua sighed.

"Oh. That," Sam replied. "Sure, if it'll help."

"I think it will. Especially when using anise seed, which increases psychic energy." Joshua unwound a leather pouch, removing a small silver knife. "The rest? Think of it as being blood brothers. Your hand?"

Sam winced as Joshua made a slice across his palm. He picked up Caleb's hand to cut it; Dean noticed the scar on his friend's hand from when Duran held them hostage. Dean clenched his fist where he had a scar. Sam would have one now too, linking them all as blood brothers.

Joshua scattered some powders onto Caleb's cut. He then placed Sam's hand on top, holding them together.

"It feels warm," Sam commented.

"You okay?" Dean asked his brother, wanting to make sure Sam wasn't affected.

Sam looked at his brother, giving him a nod. "It's for Caleb."

"That means it's working," Joshua answered. "He's taking some energy from you. He may even wake up." Sawyer held his hands in place for five minutes before releasing them. Joshua glanced over to Dean. "You can cease the daggers at my back. It's not energy Sam will miss."

Dean rifled through his duffle, finding the first aid kit. He opened an alcohol swab, grabbed Sam's hand and cleaned it, ignoring the hiss from his brother. He then bandaged it.

"Don't wrap his up," Joshua warned when Dean was about to tend to Caleb's oozing slice.

Dean stepped away, awkwardly holding the medical kit. There wasn't anything for him to do except go with Joshua. "Will this coven give us the antidote?"

"Possibly," Sawyer answered while he packed up his supplies.

"Possibly?" Dean growled. "Start talking, Josh."

Sawyer put his hands up. "Covens don't give out their secrets without a high price."