RESPONSIBILITY

a Covenant One-Shot by .writer

A/N: I nearly clawed my laptop screen with jealousy after watching Sarah arrive at the Fall Fest with Reid and Tyler as her escorts. One on either side, her in between...what a girl would do to be in that position...

Also, you may be interested in dropping by my newly-created forums. You can find them at forum . anneisfiction . com (take out the spaces). There's an entire section for the Covenant, including a Reid fanclub...come on, you know you want to join!

The day after his eighteenth birthday, Caleb went to the hospital to see Pogue. Sarah went with him so she could check up on Kate. They kissed in the lobby, slow and sweet. Sarah laughed at the amused looks they were given, but Caleb could see the strain in her eyes and around her mouth. The last few days had been hell for her.

When he got to Pogue's room, Tyler and Reid were already there. They looked up when he walked in.

“Hey,” Caleb said without looking at them. He walked over to stand next to the bed, where Pogue was scowling at a magazine. “How you feeling?”

Pogue grunted. “Like shit. And I'm pissed because that son of a bitch totally screwed up my bike. I'm gonna have to replace it.” He tossed the motorcycle magazine aside and looked up at his best friend. “What about you?”

Caleb shrugged. “I've been better, but considering how I could be...” He sighed and slumped into the chair next to the bed.

“Yeah. I know how you feel, man.”

The pair chatted for a while, ignoring Reid and Tyler, who stood in the corner silently. After half an hour Caleb stood up. “I'm going to go see how Kate and Sarah are. Any message...?”

Pogue thought for a minute, then answered. “Tell her I'm sorry for being such an asshole.”

Caleb half-smiled. “Alright. Get some rest.”

Pogue grumbled as Caleb walked out of the room, Reid and Tyler following him.

Caleb shot the younger Sons a glance. They were looking at each other with uneasy expressions. “What?” he asked shortly.

It was Tyler who spoke first. “Look, Caleb, we wanted to apologize. We screwed up.”

Reid nodded, his blue eyes dark. “Yeah. We should have watched her better.”

Caleb looked away from them. He stared at the hospital wall, letting the silence hang like autumn leaves. “She could have died,” he said eventually. “She almost did.”

“We know.”

The newly Ascended Son bit his lip, then rubbed his hand over his face. “I have to go check on the girls.” He walked away, taking the stairs slowly with the walk of a much older man.

The two younger men watched him go without speaking. They stood like that in the hall, silent, as impossibly long minutes passed. Then, they left.

THE END