It Only Takes a Second
By: Montez
Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Again I own nothing, the Winchester's belong to Eric Kirpke and the Brotherhood was created by Ridley. Thank you both for sharing your wonderful characters and allowing us to play with them.

A/N: I'm back, this time it's another Wee-Winchester story with some Brotherhood characters thrown in for good measure. I hope you enjoy!--Montez

It was mid-October in Kentucky. The leaves were changing, the mornings crisp and cool with the mid-day sun warming the days to cool, but comfortable temperatures. The last year had found John Winchester on the road more than any other time in his life. It was not the life he had pictured when he had married Mary Campbell twelve years ago, but the events that took place nearly two years ago changed every dream he had about his future and the future of his children; six-year old Dean and two-year old Sammy.

The unnatural, and as he learned a few days later, unholy fire that had taken his wife and nearly taken his youngest son had set him on a path that led to a world he never would have believed existed, a world of shadows and monsters, of true evil that lurks in the darkness ready to steal a life away in a second. But it also introduced him to a group of men that probably saved his son's and his life; the Brotherhood. An organization that can trace its existence back to Merlin and the Round Table, an organization committed to protecting a world that doesn't even know they exist.

His first introduction was by chance, he had contacted a psychic in Lawrence, Kansas hoping to find someone who would believe the unbelievable story of his wife's death. Missouri Mosley not only believed him, but put him in contact with Pastor Jim Murphy; Guardian of the Brotherhood. The Pastor had invited the distraught, grieving husband and father to his farm in New Haven, Kentucky to talk to John about what was really out there in the dark.

John had been in the Marines, had forged a bonding with the men in his unit, that to this day he felt they were his brothers. The men Jim Murphy started introducing him to had started to create a similar bond, one forged through shared experiences, shared losses. John was finding a new family, one that would help him come to turns with what happened that night in November, one that would help him understand what he was fighting against, one that would be there for him and his boys no matter what.

Jim Murphy was not what John had expected upon meeting him, to be honest John didn't know what to expect. He was still so lost in grief, dealing with being a single father of a six-month old and a near mute four-year old. Dean had stopped talking the night his mother died and had not outwardly responded to anyone other than his baby brother, whom he would not let out of his sight. Upon reaching Kentucky John found Pastor Jim Murphy to be a quiet, unassuming man. He was the Pastor of a small congregation in the town of New Haven, the older man was soft-spoken with kind, but piercing blue eyes and more silver than brown in his hair.

However, the things the Pastor revealed to John about what happened, what possibly caused the death of his wife, nearly scared the former Marine away and John Winchester didn't scare easily. Jim had also introduced John to Dr. Mackland Ames and his newly adopted son Caleb Reaves, both powerful psychics', Caleb more so than Mac. John learned Mac could move objects with his mind; telekinesis and locate missing person's by holding a treasured object of that person; psychometry. However, Caleb's abilities were much different, the young boy could read other's thoughts, pick-up on their emotions. He was also learning how to control his ability that allowed him to, for lack of a better word, stop another person from breathing with just a thought. Lastly, but not in the least, the teen was known to have, near-death or death visions. Sometimes his visions were of the nature that help could get to the person in the visions in time to save them, other times the young man could only watch as someone died, helpless to do anything about it.

It was this introduction that had solidified John's allegiance to these men and their cause. It was young Caleb that had given John his son back. The father had allowed Mac to examine his mute son, but the trauma the small child had endured had caused the boy to retreat so far into himself that only his baby brother could reach him. However, Caleb had taken it upon himself to try and reach the small, lost boy. To Caleb, he and Dean shared a common experience; they had both lost their mother's and Caleb his father as well, to evil. That connection helped Caleb relate to the small child and allowed the child to latch onto the comforting connection that the teen was offering, allowing the beginning of a friendship that would surpass the eight year age difference in the boys, making them as close as true brothers.

From that day forward John had accepted these people as family, as people who cared about his family, who would help him protect his family. It was that protection, that safety that John felt wrapped in as he had pulled into Jim's drive two-days ago. He had come off a difficult hunt, but had escaped it with only a few scrapes; however he felt the need to rest and the boys needed a chance to boys for a while. Though Dean was only six, he could aim and shoot a shotgun with an accuracy that surpassed his age and size, it was his responsibility to watch over his little brother, to protect him and that was something the small boy took very seriously.

John knew Jim's farm was protected, it was consecrated ground and there were protection symbols several hundred yards into the tree line of the thirty acre spread of mostly wooded area. John knew his son's would be safe here, that he didn't have to worry about something stealing them away in the night, it was the only place John could ever get a peaceful rest. Plus it would be winter soon and John needed to do routine maintenance on the Impala, to prepare it for the winter months of traveling the country.

The morning had dawned bright, but cool. Jim rose early, as usually, to take care of his morning prayers and the few animals that he kept. The older man was just coming through the back door as John made his way into the kitchen, heading straight for the coffee pot.

"Morning Jonathon." Jim took off his barn coat, hanging it near the back door before retrieving a mug for himself as John took a seat at the table.

"Jim." John was a man of few words, especially in the morning.

"Would you like some breakfast or will the boys just have cereal?" Jim asked as he pulled out a chair, joining John at the table.

"I'm not hungry; the boys can have whatever's handy." John answered quietly. Jim always kept the boys favorite foods on hand for when they would stop by, most notably were the familiar red boxes of Lucky Charms that both boys loved.

Jim spoke quietly as he watched his friend rubbed his tired eyes, "I have some business to take care of at the church today, I'll be gone until later this afternoon, but Mackland called, Caleb and he should be arriving sometime this afternoon."

John stood, placing his mug in the sink, "I was going to work on the Impala, get it ready for winter. Did you still want me to look at the truck?" The younger man leaned against the sink.

"If you have time, I'll take the car into town today." Jim stood as he too placed his mug in the sink. "I really wish you would reconsider staying here for the winter, or at least letting me keep the boys." Jim could see the rise to protest in John's posture as the taller man stood straighter.

"Jim, we've talked about this, the boys stay with me." John knew the Pastor meant well, but as much as he trusted Jim, he was not going to leave his boys for months at a time.

"I'm just saying, the traveling, especially in the winter, it's bound to be hard on the boys and I don't believe it's a wise choice to leave Dean in charge of his two year old brother." Jim braced himself as he saw John clinch his jaw.

"Dean is fine with taking care of Sammy. I don't want to have this conversation again, I appreciate that you let us stay here when we need a break from things, but don't question me on how I raise my boys." John's tone was taking a hard edge that Jim recognized as the younger man trying to control his rising anger, which was one of John's first reactions when someone questioned his parenting style.

"I'll not bring it up again, but know that the offer still stands." Jim turned, getting his keys and putting his jacket back on, "As I said, I will return later this afternoon, if you need to reach me I will be at the church." John watched as Jim left out the back door.

The younger man rubbed his hand over his face. He knew he should take Jim up on the offer to keep the boys over the winter months, or to even stay at the farm himself, but his need to find what took his wife, the mother of his son's was a much stronger pull than normal reasoning. So with a deep-breath John headed upstairs to wake Dean, to let the boy know that he would be in the barn and that it was Dean's responsibility to get his little brother dressed and feed before they came outside for the day.