The Owl House Oneshot Collection

Making the Hardest Choice

Word Count: 4,064

Originally Finished: 08/10/2023

Rating: General

Warnings: N/A

Characters: Caleb Wittebane, Philip Wittebane, Evelyn Clawthorne, Flapjack

Relationships: Caleb Wittebane & Philip Wittebane, Evelyn Clawthorne/Caleb Wittebane, Caleb Wittebane & Flapjack, Caleb Wittebane & Everyone

Other Tags: Character Death, Fratricide, Canon Divergence, Grief, Angst with a Happy Ending, Feels, Domestic Fluff, Childbirth, Pre-Canon

Summary: What if Caleb saw what was happening with Philip and was able to do what he had to to stop him and protect his family?

"You came. You actually came." Caleb gasped.

Philip stood awkwardly in front of him, staying a few feet away. His beard was growing in nicely and he was still wearing Caleb's old blue overcoat, though it had become highly stained. Philip refused to look Caleb in the eyes, though Caleb could tell Philip was holding back tears. Whether they were of sadness, anger, or joy, he couldn't tell.

"Of course I came. You told me to." Philip said, venom in his voice, "Though I am quite displeased you had us meet here. On that witch's property."

"I know, I know, but this is the only place that I can show you what I want to."

Philip continued to not look at him. So, Caleb walked over and took his brother's hands in his own.

"I'm taking us home, Philip."

Philip's eyes widened and he finally looked up at his brother. He was overwhelmed with shock and disbelief.

"What?" He choked out, starting to cry.

Caleb reached into his pocket, the other hand still holding Philip's, and pulled out a vial of Titan's blood.

"Evie- I mean, the witch and I found a large stash of Titan's blood. We have some buried in both this realm and the human realm and hidden with rebus'. The progress on the portal door is going well but...but I knew before we finished it I had to take us home. I love you so much, Pip. I don't want you to be stuck in the world you hate so much."

"You'd really leave? For me?"

"I'd do anything for you. All I care about is what's best for you."

"I've gone to eclipse lake recently, that place was supposed to be one of the last sources of Titan's blood. And the lake is already so low. Where did you get yours?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm taking us home."

Caleb led Philip back a few steps then chucked the vial at the keystone of the archway at the back of the Clawthorne estate. The blood dripped along the edges and formed a portal. Philip was in awe.

"You really did it." He chuckled, smiling widely.

"Of course I did."

As they took a few steps forward, Philip suddenly collapsed to the ground and clutched his arm in pain. He began breathing heavily and Caleb noticed his eyes beginning to glow blue. Hurriedly, Philip started to dig through his bag for a palisman, but Caleb stopped him. He reached into his own satchel and pulled out a bundle of soft palistrom wood bark and handed it to Philip. He looked at the wood and then to his brother suspiciously.

"Just eat it. It's much like the chewing tobacco father used to have, except this you can actually swallow. It'll help with your...affliction."

Philip reluctantly ate it and began to chew. Once he swallowed it, he did look better. Caleb smiled at him and helped him stand up.