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Chapter Text

“Sir,” the collared alpha said softly, leaning into Castiel’s space.  The rest of the board members continued talking as it was nothing new for an alpha bodyguard to interrupt if news was urgent to any of the members.  Each one controlled large portions of the country and they had to remain connected.  News delayed could mean loss of life, loss of territory, or loss of confidence.  Very few of the board members would begrudge the others from attending to home business if it was indeed urgent enough. 

Castiel shared a glance with the golden-haired man next to him before leaning back in the silent signal for the bodyguard to continue.

“The raid is underway.” The vivid green eyes of the bodyguard glanced at Castiel’s face to only gauge his reaction.  The dark-haired leader’s mouth thinned and his nostrils flared, an obvious instance of anger, but not at the bodyguard.  The blue-eyed man seated at the table finally waved a hand in dismissal, waiting for the guard to move back before leaning forward, returning to the discussions.  He tapped his watch face twice, causing the blond man he’d shared a look with to raise an eyebrow and frown. 

“Brothers,” the well-dressed blond man said, standing up from his chair. He reached to button his jacket, a clear indication that he wouldn’t be sitting again. “I believe we have reached an agreement on the current dilemma in Michael’s region and you already know where Cas and I stand on the last few agenda items to cover.” There were a few murmurs and nods before Michael, head of the family, raised a hand and nodded once.  Castiel stood, returning his nod.  “We have some business to attend that requires more oversight than normal, so we will say our ‘good days’ to each of you and will await the final meeting minutes to be signed off on within a few days.”

“Gabriel, Castiel,” Michael said, still seated, “your attendance is always appreciated.  Go, do what you must.  I’ll expect a report sooner rather than later.” He gave them a raised eyebrow as more of a command, before turning back to the rest of the table to discuss the final items on the agenda.  Gabe and Cas turned and left the room, each followed by their personal bodyguard. 

“Dean,” Cas said as soon as they had closed the solid teak doors behind them. The alpha bodyguard, broad and muscular, quickened his pace to get within a step of his boss.  “I want to know what’s going on, as soon as you know it.”  Dean nodded, falling back a few steps and bringing his hand up to tap the wired earpiece that was nestled into his left ear.  Gabe glanced back at the green-eyed guard.

“We should have been there before they went in,” the Gabe, the shorter of the two, growled, keeping pace with Cas, Gabe’s own burly, bearded alpha staying ahead of them and opening doors as they went.  Cas frowned.

“Would you have been able to look into his eyes and still let them put him down?” The question from the normally quiet man next to him made Gabe blink, then sigh.

“No, you’re right.  There’s no way I’d have been able to kill or even watch them kill our own brother.”  Flanked, front and back, by the two alpha bodyguards, the brothers confidently left the headquarters’ main building and climbed into an armored Range Rover.  Dean claimed shotgun so he could continue to follow the communications from the earpiece.  The other alpha drove, taking them quickly to the airport.

*****

“You really think I’m going to let you take my prize possessions?!” Lucien yelled loudly, spraying the corridor with an automatic weapon.  The raiders, all in riot gear, covered faces, assault weapons, and stealthy as hell, had breached his main building within minutes of the report of the fight at the front and back gates.  Even the emergency tunnel guard had reported intruders before communication had shut down. 

A few of those who had attempted to take him where he had hidden in his office were dead or dying in the hallway, but the others had fallen back to wait for a break in the spray of bullets.  They had been told that there was a panic room built off the office, but Lucien had, so far, made no move to dive for the safety of the sealable, supposedly unbreachable room.  The assault team in the hallway could hear gunfire from other areas of the building and echoes from their own earpieces where other teams were taking down other areas of the compound  There were sporadic reports of rooms cleared, team members down, etc, but their mission was clear.  Lucien Shurley, aka Lucifer, organized crime boss, was to be killed or captured by the end of the day. 

The dirty blond man in the office cackled as he continued to fire.  It sounded like he was getting closer, moving out of the room into the hallway.  There was just a hint of insanity in the laugh and the team leader nodded to himself, having made the decision that he knew would have to happen.  Lucien would have to be dead before he’d allow anyone, including his brothers, to stop his illegal activities. 

“Yellow reporting in,” a gruff voice crackled in his ear.  “Alpha kennels located, evaluations commencing.” 

“Copy, Yellow.  Violet has cleared targets two and six. Green?” There was burst of weapons fire, some distance shouts, and a crackle of static that covered Green’s reply. “Say again, Green.”

“Green has cleared targets three and four.  Moving on to target five.”

“Copy, Green.  Orange?” The assault fire had stuttered to a halt so the team leader gestured for them to move in and take him. They rushed past and he heard the gun clatter to the floor and a mad rush of feet.  “Orange?” He asked again when there was no response.  There was a burst of fire and a yell, then the sound of a body falling. A quick look around the corner showed Lucien down, his team pointing their weapons down at him.  The boss was writhing, one bloody hand over a hole in his chest, the other hand was groping along the ground. 

“We have a problem, Red,” finally came Orange’s reply.  The team leader walked up to the downed crime boss, his team parting for him.  With one pull, the final bullet splattered Lucien’s brains over the floor. 

“Red reporting, Target one is down.  Repeat, target one is down.”  The team leader took a deep breath.  “Orange? Problem assessment?” The others moved out to finish securing the building.

“Uh, um,” came the response.  Red team leader tensed.  Orange team leader was known for being confident and decisive.  Having her unable to answer a basic question was raising every hair on his body.  “This problem requires input from Heavenly Host, sir.”  Red team leader froze for a moment.  Anything that required the angels to step in was bad. 

“Red team leader on the way to your location, Orange,” he said after a deep breath, as he turned and jogged out of the room.

*****

Dean had been reporting to Cas and Gabe as he’d gotten updates.  They were in the jet, about an hour out from landing on Lucien’s private air strip on his compound when they’d noticed Dean’s tension and concerned look.  The alpha bodyguard had been rescued from one of Lucien’s alpha fighting rings down in South America, but he’d been one of the few who had survived the viciousness and the feral madness that overtook most of them.  And once feral, alphas had to be put down as feral alphas were no longer able to control their murderous instincts. 

“Dean?” Cas asked before Dean could open his mouth to relay whatever had disturbed him.  The alpha held up a hand and pulled out his phone, putting it on speakerphone. 

“They are requesting input from an angel, sir,” Dean said once the connection crackled from the phone speaker.  All of them, Cas, Gabe, and Benny (Gabe’s alpha guard) felt their eyebrows shoot up as they leaned in. 

“Red team leader?” Gabe asked, “Report.” All four were now leaning forward, concentrating on the unsure voice that came through.

“Angel, Target one is dead, the compound has been cleared.  Except for the training bunker.  There is one unexpected feral still running free, giving all of us a great deal of trouble.”  Cas frowned and tilted his head.

“One feral?  If he’s truly feral, take him down. It’s a mercy.” He and Gabe shrugged in confusion at each other. 

“Um, sir,” the scratchy assault project team leader said nervously, “It’s an omega.”  There were gasps all around.   Even the stewardess who was distributing drinks flinched, but the professionalism kicked in and she went back to the bland smile quickly. 

“But that can’t be,” Cas nearly whispered. “The Omega Purge of 2012 wiped them all out.  Where would the kid have even come from?”

“A feral omega kid?!” Gabe said loudly.  He gestured at the stewardess, who immediately turned to let the pilot know the urgency in the situation. 

“No, he’s an adult, sir,” Red team leader said urgently.  This gasp was louder.

“He?” “How?” Was a simultaneous question from the group. 

“We have a tech team going through Target one’s records, but nothing has been found yet.  We’ve also attempted to tranq the omega, sir, but he’s wiley; fast, and amazingly agile.  We thought he was an alpha at first, due to his size, but one of the salvageable alphas gave us a heads up. I’d, uh, prefer not to discuss any further particulars not face to face, sirs.” 

“Understood, Red team leader,” Cas responded. “Let him be for now.  But do not let him escape.  We will be arriving in…,” he turned to the stewardess, who had returned and was standing quietly, waiting.  She responded in sign language. “…37 minutes.  Have someone at the landing strip to guide us directly to his location.  And keep looking for more information on where he came from.”

“Roger, sir,” the team leader replied.  With a nod from Gabe and Cas, Dean took the phone off speaker and pocketed it once again, the communications returned to his earpiece. 

Gabe sat back in frustration and huffed.

“I have no experience with omegas, Cas,” he said after a moment. “I don’t know anyone who does. I mean, they were already super rare before the purge.”  They all looked around when Dean coughed to get their attention.

“I have a little experience, sirs,” he said once they were looking at him in surprise.  “My mother was an omega, as was my little brother.  My mom died before my brother’s first birthday and he was killed by our father as soon as he presented at age nine.”

“This is the same father that sold you to Lillith for the alpha fighting rings?” Cas asked.  Dean glanced at his boss’ blue eyes, then back down to the table and nodded.

“Yes, um, yes, sir,” he replied.  He kept his hands steady on his thighs as they all looked at him. 

“Do you think you can calm him down or something?” Gabe asked. “Ever since the A/O Rights Act of 2015, it’s been the illegal to kill omegas, but none have been born that aren’t registered, or well, known to have been since the purge.”

“But they don’t usually fully present until 12 or 13, so any born after the purge would still only be ‘potential omegas’ as they could still be normal, or, er, betas,” Cas said, giving an apologetic look to Benny and Dean on his verbal slip. 

In 2005, a report had been published that what used to be called ‘betas’ were actually normal, and that alphas and omegas were the deviant genomes.  A virus nearly 100 years before had mutated human genes.  It took decades before the differences in the mutations were fully recognized and compartmentalized.  There was a xenophobia from all the wars already, so anyone who showed as alphas or omegas were killed or imprisoned. In an effort of eugenics, the omegas, being dominant carriers of the genes, were sterilized so they could not breed.  Alphas were aggressive but that rage could be controlled and channeled into training them as soldiers and guards. 

The report once again put the ‘mutated genes’ into the spotlight and all alphas were sterilized so they could not breed, but left with their hormones and alpha glands so they would still have the aggressiveness.  Any omegas were gathered and ‘humanely’ slaughtered to prevent the gene from continuing to be passed. Any child born after the purge of 2012 was tested and if they were potential omegas, they were genome sequenced, killed if determined as an omega, and their parents sterilized to stop other omegas to be born from that bloodline. 

In 2013, further studies that had been conducted in secret were published that had been managed by the governments and the UN that proved that the A/O genes were not as bad as people thought, that while there was extra aggression present in alphas, they could control it and that the entire purpose of the omega gene was to counter that extra aggression by being calming and the opposite of aggressive.  Their scent and presence were what kept most alphas from going feral, a condition where the only way to curb murderous tendencies was to have them put down.  After the purge, more alphas had gone feral than ever before, and suddenly, everyone wanted an omega of their very own to help them manage their alpha bodyguards or soldiers.  Omegas had never been known to go feral or be uncontrollable as most were extremely submissive. 

Now, omegas were to be protected and required to be registered and submitted to the government for ‘proper training’.  Thus, most families hid their potential omega children and those who didn’t, lived happily off the compensation from the government.  Adult omegas, male or female, were currently an impossibility.  The purge had been the ultimate in xenophobic responses.  All the omegas had been destroyed and all the alphas had been rounded up and collared, given ultimatums to either be soldiers or bodyguards, and any insubordination would not be tolerated.  Alpha fighting had become the favorite pastime of gang members and the rich, hyping them up with drugs if necessary, then throwing them into rings to tear each other apart.  That was also illegal, but the heads of the regions had made it their top priority to take out any and all alpha fighting rings and prosecute those who owned or managed such things. 

It had honestly been a surprise when the Shurley brothers, the defacto leaders of the regions, who were all born as betas with ‘borderline alpha’ differentiation, found out that their oldest brother, Lucien, was the head of the largest alpha fighting outfit in the Americas.  The Board had sanctioned the raid to shut him down, quietly, as not to undermine the public’s confidence in the other six Shurley brothers who pretty much ruled the world.  The Board was inherently good, with a few minor exceptions of ones who were choosing to be in power only for the sake of the power itself, but they were overruled and kept in check most often by the rest of the Board. 

“Your brother presented at nine?” Gabe asked, drawing attention away from Cas’ faux pas.  Dean nodded.

“He had always been ahead of everything,” said Dean, a fond smile creeping along his face.  “Learned to read at age three, played the piano by age six, was helping me with my homework after school every day.  Four years younger than me and smarter already than I could ever hope to be.”  One rough hand came up to rub over his mouth, wiping the smile away. “The day he fully presented, he was so scared.  I tried to hide him, but dad came home and figured it out. 

“Locked me in the bathroom, then beat him to death.  Wouldn’t even give him a quick death.” His eyes were haunted now and he cleared his throat. “It was the same day my alpha side fully presented.  Hearing him scream and beg…I went nuts, broke down the door, but it was too late.  He was dead and dad beat me too.  Just enough to knock me out and teach me a lesson.  While I was unconscious, he disposed of his body.  A few years later, I woke up to two guys tying me up, dragging me out of the room and my dad was smiling, counting a wad of cash.”  He took a deep breath, then seemed to remember he wasn’t alone there and looked around. He shrugged.  “Was taught to fight, put into the ring, then rescued during one of the raids on the training grounds. You know the rest.” 

Benny was nodding to himself.  Most alphas had similar stories.  He knew he and Dean actually had it pretty good with the Shurley brothers.  Gabe and Cas were good men and only made them wear the collars so no one would ever bother them about being alphas without owners.  Especially as they were covered in scars from the fighting ring days. 

Cas and Gabe, however, blinked, Gabe with his hand over his mouth in shock.  They’d known some of the story, but this was a revelation.  They both realized they never really sat down and talked with the alphas they employed, or really any of the other betas they employed.  With a glance at each other, it was silently agreed that this would be their next priority: to stop treating employees, especially alphas, like meat suits there just to take care of them. 

Benny reached over and patted Dean’s knee companionably. 

*****

By the time they’d landed, Dean and Benny were back to being fully professional bodyguards, stoic faces and ready to stop anyone not authorized to interact with Gabe and Cas.  Orange team was at the strip, Orange team leader stepping up to welcome them.  She held her armored helmet and face shield under one arm, her assault rifle slung over her back. 

“Orange team leader, sirs,” she announced, snapping to attention.  The brothers nodded to her.

“Hannah,” Cas said. “Any new information?”  He and Gabe immediately fell into step with the tall, dark-haired woman, the two alphas following a few steps behind, eyes constantly scanning the area. 

“Our techs found some files that are too horrific to speak about out loud, sirs,” she said, making a disgusted face as she marched along quickly.  “Red Team Leader said he would go over the particulars with you so they could get the angels’ POV and maybe some direction on handling the omega, sirs. But the raid was otherwise very successful.” She pulled a small ipad from her inside pocket of her vest and handed it to Cas so he could peruse the information as they walked.  “Lucifer and four of his generals killed.  67 alpha fighters found.   28 rescued.  15 staff members taken into custody. The compound has been cleared except the one floor of the training bunker.  Red team has moved everyone else out and the remaining five members are covering all the exits, including ventilation shafts.”

Cas nodded, handing the tablet off to Gabe, their coats, Cas’s trenchcoat, and Gabe’s windbreaker, flapping as they walked.  Turning a corner, with floodlights surrounding the building, the door was pulled open on both sides by members of Orange team.  The five of them, Cas, Gabe, their alpha bodyguards, and Hannah, continued on, hitting the stairwell and going down.  Three flights later, they came to the landing where the training grounds were in the bunker.  One of the Red team was there on the door. He nodded to Hannah and she stepped back to wait there for them to return.  The Red team member announced them on the comms, then opened the door to let them inside.

Red team leader was waiting just on the other side of the door.  He reached out and shook hands with Cas and Gabe, his armored helmet still on his head. 

“Sirs, glad you made it,” he said as they looked around.  He had a tablet similar to the one Hannah had given them, but hesitated to hand it over.  With a deep breath, he began.  “Charlie, on the tech team, found some buried files pertaining to an Omega ‘farm’ Lucifer had been working.” All the others frowned, the alphas clenching their fists, faces tightening in anger.  “He had bought some omegas from other ringleaders and was using them to try to produce more omegas and alphas.  The abuse the omegas were receiving, between the beatings and the, um, rapes,” he swallowed hard with a grimace as he finally handed over the tablet, “killed most of them quickly. Only a few survived the trauma.”  The first image was a pile of rotting bodies in a corner of a room where several cots were placed, handcuffs hanging from metal frames. 

Neither of the alphas even glanced at the image after the first second, keeping their eyes scanning over the part of the training grounds, with the familiar cages, racks of torture tools, bloody chains hanging from the ceiling or attached to concrete walls.  Cas and Gabe had paled at the image, then swiped to the next, Gabe making a rapid swallowing noise to keep from throwing up.  The gore was graphic and intense. 

“That was one floor down,” Red team leader said, “Not a one of them was older than 14, probably only recently presented, but he’d been trying for more aggressive alphas so had his champions attempt to breed with them.  A few of the corpses appeared to have been pregnant at the time of death.  It’s…uh, really horrible down there, sirs.”  Cas turned a questioning look on him.

“Any successful births?” he asked but the team leader shook his head.

“Charlie says there was only one, born as a potential alpha.” He looked around. “We haven’t been able to identify if it was one of the ones rescued yet as they only had barcode designations on the back of their necks, but Charlie’s working on matching up the ones we shipped to the medical facility with the records on file here.  The omega that birthed the alpha, we believe, is the one hiding in here.” He waved his free hand around at all the shadowy places that could be hiding him.  “Thought he was an alpha at first, because he’s big, even for an alpha.  Much slimmer, which we assumed it was from malnutrition, but he ran and hid and never attacked.  One of the rescued alphas begged us not to kill him, told us that he was omega and the only reason the ones who were still sane hadn’t gone full feral yet.”

“How did you verify that the alpha wasn’t lying and that it was indeed an omega?” Cas asked, handing the tablet back over.

“His scent, sirs,” the man replied in a low, whispery voice. “The entire assault force is beta, but once any one of us got a whiff of his pheromones, none of us wanted to hurt him.  Only Hannah and one other of Orange team got a decent look at him, but he says he’s tall and broad of shoulder like an alpha, but narrow hips and slender build like an omega.  Long hair, and I mean, not like ‘need a haircut’, but like ‘it grows too fast to bother trying to keep it short’ long.  And they described his eyes as color-changing and expressive.  I’ve never heard of that with any alpha, ever.”

“Anything on where he came from?” Gabe asked, shucking his coat and suit jacket, rolling up his sleeves. 

“Charlie said all she found was an old, faded bill of sale and a first name. Purchased in 1992 from Lawrence, Kansas, from a guy named John.” No one except Benny noticed when Dean’s head shot up and he tensed, listening closely.  “Condition was listed as ‘acceptable’ but there were notes that private doctors were brought in to treat him within the first week.  First name listed is-“

“Sammy,” Dean said with a tremble in his voice. All heads swiveled to him.

“-Sam.” The team leader raised an eyebrow in his direction. “How did you know his first name is Sam?” Dean blinked and looked at them in agitation. 

“Dean?” Cas asked, but Dean was doing everything he could to follow his training and not race past them.  Gabe caught on faster than the rest and put a hand on Cas’ arm.

“Go find him, Dean,” Gabe said with awe in his voice.  He gave Cas a look that clearly said it all without saying it out loud.  Cas opened his mouth and closed it a few times before turning and growling at his alpha bodyguard.

“Go.”

*****

With that release, Dean was off and jogging through the large room, head up, eyes scanning and nose flaring to take in any and all scents.  Most of it was just the sight and smell of death and torment, but he caught a whiff of patchouli and lilacs, the ghost of a familiar scent that had haunted his nightmares for many, many years. 

“Sammy?” he called as he jogged, trying to follow the scent.  He could hear the others muttering, talking quietly where he had left them and feared they would come after him or try to interfere, but it seemed they understood, and well, the Shurley brothers trusted him.  They would stay there and keep everyone else back as well, and when he found the errant omega, hopefully they’d give them a minute.  He heard a soft sound to his right as he reached the far corner of the room, the area furthest from any of the exits.  Slowing down to a slow walk, he pulled off his suit coat.  He dropped it over one of the implement racks.  “Sammy? Is that you?”

There was another soft sound and this time he caught a faint movement in the shadow.  Taking a deep breath, the familiar scent was stronger here and he crouched down, trying to present a less imposing figure, as he had done when his little brother had been scared by something long ago.  Their father had simply stormed into his hiding places if he was found and dragged him out, but Dean had always approached gently, allowing Sam to come out in his own time.  Even before knowing the tiny boy was an omega, he’d know Sam was very sensitive and needed delicate handling to bring out the best in him. And damned if he hadn’t nurtured the boy as best as he could, notwithstanding all the times their father had mocked them for being not ‘manly enough’ to be his kids.

He saw the shadow move again, low to the ground and smiled as those hazel eyes, so familiar, appeared in the faint light.  The description had been accurate. His hair was falling long and matted, dirty around his shoulders, skin covered in blood and muck.  Even being hunched over as he was, Dean could tell he was tall.  But unbelievably slender. 

“Heya, Sammy,” he said softly, holding out a hand, palm up, a request, not a demand.  He felt his eyes watering and a smile was planted on his lips that quivered in emotion.  “Been a long time.”

The omega’s eyes narrowed in concentration.  He eased further forward out of the shadows, crawling on filthy, bleeding knees, the thin, worn fabric of what had used to probably been hospital scrubs at one time, doing nothing in the way of protection.  He wore no shoes and the shirt was loose and ragged, also filthy.  The face was long and gaunt, nearly skeletal, eyes sunken, but still retaining that exotic tilt that their father had claimed did not come from his side of the family. 

“Yeah, Sammy, you know me,” Dean cooed at the man, still crouched, hand out in offer.  The omega’s hand drifted slowly out of the darkness and reached tentatively for the outstretched hand.  At the last second, he snatched it back, his eyes darting around, looking for the trap, the hidden taskmaster waiting to drag him out.  His breathing sped up as he eased to his feet, ready to run, but Dean never moved. “I’ve missed you.”  Sam’s eyes snapped back to him, head tilting as though trying to figure out how he knew this alpha.

 The lone omega whined quietly.  Dean closed his eyes and nodded sadly but kept his hand out.  When he finally opened them again, Sam had eased out further and had his long fingers hovering over Dean’s hand, as though afraid to touch.  Upon seeing the alpha’s eyes open, he breathed out and let his fingers fall gently into the alpha’s open palm.  Dean took in a deep breath and moved his fingers slowly, not gripping, only brushing against Sam’s. 

“Do you remember me?” Dean asked, just trying to keep the momentum going.  Sam frowned deeply but eased fully out to kneel in front of Dean, submissive to the alpha, even in his fear.

Sam whimpered, bowing his head and waiting for the alpha to make a move.  He looked up in shock when he felt the alpha also go to his knees in front of him, bringing up his other hand to cup his cheek, pushing the long hair back a little. 

“Sammy,” He said with a broad smile, but it faltered when his earpiece, that he’d forgotten he had in, crackled and Cas’ voice spoke to him.  He listened, then nodded sadly.  “Will you come with me now?  I’ll keep you safe.”  There was hope in the request, but when Sam’s eyes darted up and then around to the other men slowly approaching from the far end of the room, the hope turned to sorrow as the omega whined and tried to pull away, to turn and run, but Dean clamped his hands down, one over his hand, the other around the back of his neck to hold him in place.

Sam began to panic and fight, hissing and keening.  Dean started to let him go but heard the whisp of air and saw Sam flinch as the tranquilizer dart hit him in the shoulder, then another in his back as he twisted away. 

“Noooo, nooooo!” Sam was whining sorrowfully as he tumbled sideways, losing his balance as the medicine took effect.  Dean scrambled closer and pulled Sam into a hug. 

“It’s going to be okay, Sammy,” he cooed, brushing the matted hair back from where some strands stuck to his tearful cheeks.  Sam’s eyes changed to a stormy blue-gray before they closed in sleep.  The panicked breaths eased but Dean began rocking the long body gently.  “I’m here, little brother.  I got you.”  He bowed his head over his brother as he heard ‘omega is secure’ in his earpiece and the footsteps behind him to know that the four he’d left at the doorway were approaching from behind.

He tensed and turned to give them an alpha growl, low, but warning only.  When he saw, however, that the rest of red team were running over, he turned and growled louder, pushing Sam behind him protectively.  Red team leader wisely waved them back, stopping several feet away himself.  Benny also stopped, understanding that an alpha in full protective mode may not recognize friend from foe if cornered.   Cas and Gabe, however, slowed, but didn’t stop.  They stopped outside of bite range though and crouched down to face him.

“Dean, it is him, isn’t it?” Cas asked, not taking his eyes off his bodyguard’s face.  The green eyes were nearly glowing in alpha fearsomeness, which faded as he recognized his boss and knew that they were not there to hurt, but to help.  Gabe ran a hand over his face.

“Holy crap!” he muttered, taking in the sight of the curled-up omega, filthy, bleeding, and unconscious behind Dean.  He idly marveled at the sight of an adult omega, alive.  Filthy, malnourished, but alive.  “Dean-o, I think we need to get Sam cleaned up, doctored, and fed, don’t you?”

The alpha stared at them both, then nodded, turning to pick up the omega, easily lifting the long, lanky body as though it weighed nothing.  Gabe reached out to lay hand on the omega’s forehead but a growl from Dean and a quick yank back by Cas saved his fingers. 

“Right, sorry, right,” he mumbled, grabbing Dean’s jacket to give his hands something to do.  He darted to Red team leader, giving instructions to him and the assault teams to fully secure the building.  He had Benny run ahead to have the jet ready to get them back to their own complex, where they could get Sam treated and start the healing.

*****

The ride back on the jet had been fraught with tension and emotions.  Dean had immediately carried his brother to the very back corner and laid him out on the long couch there, sitting so that his head full of dirty, matted hair laid on the alpha’s lap, with Dean gently brushing one hand over the forehead and mess that probably smelled horrible as well, and his other hand draped protectively around the omega’s chest.  Gabe had been the first to notice that Sam’s long, filthy legs hung well off the end of the couch, blocking the path to the onboard restrooms.

“Um, why don’t you just take him to the back lounge room?” Gabe suggested before the jet could take off.  The look Dean gave him was one torn between caring for his long-thought-dead not-so-little brother and his job as Cas’ bodyguard. 

“I got this, brotha’,” Benny said softly, gesturing with his head towards the door beyond the restrooms.  “I’m alpha enough to watch over these two while we’re in the air.  Now, just get him in there and close the door.”  Dean looked down into the gaunt, shadowed face that lay deeply drugged in his lap, then glanced at Cas and Gabe for confirmation.  Both of the Shurleys nodded, Cas gesturing to the back room as well. 

“Thank you, sirs,” He grumbled as he moved to bundle up the long and lanky male omega, then shuffled gently down the slim hallways into the back room, where Cas had already gone back to pull the couch into a bed.

*****

Arriving back at their shared estate, things went just about as smoothly as they expected. The omega, Sam, had partially revived before they had him fully secured in medical and fought tooth and nail to escape every chance he could get.  Dean did everything he could to soothe his not so little brother, but Sam was, as they had already suspected, nearly feral himself.  Dean, being in an emotional turmoil, was relieved of his regular duties and assigned to the medical wing to reconnect with his long-long brother. 

At first, keeping everyone else away from him seemed to be the only way the nearly feral omega could be calmed.  It didn’t help that Dean’s alpha instincts had kicked into high gear with Sam still weak but mostly awake and terrified.  Add in that Sam remembered the recent betrayal by Dean on the training floor, and it turned out that they had to drug his food to do his workups and medical treatment.

Every time Sam awoke, the day would start over with him snarling at first, then cowering in the presence of the alpha in the room.  Dean’s heart broke every time but he was always there when Sam woke up and would gently hold him when he went to sleep at night.  They had separate beds in the shared, locked room, as well as a shared bathroom, but the first time the lanky omega slipped quietly into Dean’s bed, the alpha froze. 

He forced the tension out of himself so as to not frighten Sam. It took some time, but it worked, the tall omega finally letting himself curl against Dean and deeply taking in his scent.  Sam’s fingers tentatively touched Dean’s cheek.

“Freckles.” 

Dean felt a hot wetness of a tear breaking free even as he choked out a startled laugh.

“You used to always want to count them before bedtime,” Dean sighed softly, turning his head to fully face his brother. The hazel eyes looked back at him in curiosity. “Do you remember me, Sammy?”

“Sammmeeee,” Sam muttered slowly, a frown furrowing his brow.  Dean leaned his face fully into Sam’s touch. 

“That’s your name, little brother. Sam, but I call you Sammy.  Do you remember?”

“Sammy,” Sam said again, trying it out, then he blinked up at his brother. “D…Dean?” More hot tears spilled as Dean tried hard to control his sudden urge to grab the tall slender man and hug him to him tightly.  He nodded with a smile.

“Yeah, it’s me. Dean.”

Sam tilted his head and then the furrow cleared and the frown smoothed into a slight smile.

“Dean. Missed you.”

This time, Dean couldn’t resist and pulled Sam into his arms, gently at first until he felt Sam squeeze back.

“I missed you too, baby brother.” They lay there for some time, just breathing each in, for some time. 

Dean disregarded the camera in the corner that was watching them and he was sure than Sam didn’t even know it was there.  But if either had considered it, they wouldn’t have heard anyway, the coo coming from the computer tech who was monitoring them.  Charlie quickly sent a clip with a message to Cas, Gabe, and Benny.  From where they were in other parts of the compound, going about other business, there were collective sighs. 

Chapter Text

That first night, Dean slept both the worst and best he remembered since losing Sammy the first time. 

He was overwhelmingly happy and settled, but at the same time, as the lanky omega snoozed, snuggling into his side, he awoke at the slightest movement, afraid he’d accidentally hurt his brother.  Or that he’d wake up and it would have been a dream. Or a nightmare with a happy but unattainable ending. 

Sam did begin to twitch around 2am with a nightmare, whining and pulling away.  He had been having nightmares since they had rescued him from Lucifer’s compound so he wasn’t surprised.  It wasn’t until Dean started whispering soft reminders that he was safe now and released the hold he found Sammy was pulling against, that the omega settled again.  It had been weeks of acclimatizing Sammy to not being abused and only allowing Dean in the room with him while he wasn’t drugged before this breakthrough.

When Dean had counted a full ten minutes of Sammy sleeping peacefully again, he ran his free hand over his face and took a deep breath.  It didn’t take much for the flashbacks of that night he’d first lost Sammy to swim to the surface. 

*****

-Then-

When he’d woken up that morning, at first he’d grumbled that Sammy must have gotten hot and left the window open again, because he could smell Mrs. Borden’s lilacs all through the house, even over the rotting wood and moldy carpet.  There was a hint of patchouli, but he was used to that as they’d gotten some second-hand clothes last week and the entire bag had smelled like the stuff. No amount of washing could get it out all the way. 

“Sammy, close the window,” he’d gruffly called over to his little brother’s bed.  They used to share a larger bed, but their father had put a stop to that a few years ago, claiming it would make the boys sissies.  Sam had quietly cried himself to sleep quite a few times after that, not always without a bruise from a backhand from John. 

“Dean,” he heard coming from under the pile of blankets on the other bed. “Dean, I don’t feel right.” 

With a grumble, but still concerned, the older boy sat up and scrubbed his face.  Glancing to the window, he wondered if Sammy being sick was why he’d left it open, but blinked in confusion when he realized it was still closed.  His head snapped around to the other bed and he realized the smell of lilacs came from that direction, not the closed window on the other side of the room.

“Sammy,” he whispered, trying to tiptoe quickly over to his little brother’s bed. Upon approach, he could feel the heat through the pile of blankets.  They moved a little as Sammy squirmed, then the top of his head and his eyes popped out the top. Today, they were a vibrant green-blue, like the earth drawn by a little kid, and red-rimmed, as though he had been crying.  Or had a fever.

And the scent of lilacs, with a touch of the patchouli poured out of the opening.  His eyes went wide as he realized what was happening.  His class had just had sex ed class a few weeks ago and he instantly picked up that his sweet little brother, the sometimes annoying brat he shared a room with, was an omega.  And was way too young to present. 

There had been a lot of reports on the news about protests and government stuff about how alphas and omegas were ‘poisoning’ the human race or some such crap and at 13, he had been hoping like hell that he and Sammy would turn out to be betas, or ‘normal’, like their dad.   And wasn’t that a kick in the ass that he wanted either of them to be anything like their drunk, abusive father. 

Their mom had been an omega before she died in a housefire when Sammy was just a baby.  Dean had always wondered if it was her death that had flipped their dad from the loving man he knew before then to the racist bastard he was now.  They couldn’t afford the expensive testing to make sure the boys were going to be anything except betas, but John made it well known, especially lately, with the way the world was leaning, that if either of them were one of ‘them off breeds’, then he’d know they weren’t his and he’d know for sure Mary had been cheating on him.

Dean wasn’t the smartest in his class, but he knew that just because John wasn’t an alpha didn’t mean that Mary had cheated.  Being an omega, she was a dominant carrier, a phrase he’d learned, that just meant their kids had a higher chance of being alpha or omega.  And ever since those classes, Dean had silently begged whatever deity that might have listened that he and Sammy would be beta and could just live their lives and escape John when they were old enough.

In this moment, however, Dean felt his world suddenly go dark and infinitely too bright and visible. 

“What the hell is that smell?!” John roared from the living room, where he’d fallen asleep in front of the tv last night with a few beers.  Dean heard the clatter of mostly empty cans as the man stood up and stomped in their direction.  Dean jumped into action. 

“Sammy,” he whispered, yanking the blankets off of his little brother.  There was a tremulous whine because the flushed boy had heard John’s yell. “Sammy, you’re going to have to do exactly what I tell you. Trust me and we’ll get through this, okay?”  He was already up and running across the room to throw the window open when their bedroom door crashed open.  “Sammy, go,” Dean yelled as the threw himself at the door. “Run to the spot and hide!” 

Dean tried to tackle their father, but John was bulky and just grabbed the 13 year old and held him up.  Dean kicked and kicked but John just looked him up and down before sniffing.  John’s eyes narrowed and he tossed Dean across the room, leaning down to grab Sam by the ankle before he could escape from the covers fully.

“Daddy, noooooo!” Sammy cried, falling hard off the edge of the bed.  His eyes wide in terror, he was yanked backwards, to be held against the wall while his father growled at him.  Sammy automatically turned his head in submission, but for some reason, it made John even angrier.  It was said that some betas had alpha tendencies and they tended to be more aggressive than other men.  But as long as they weren’t an ‘alpha’, they weren’t discriminated against.

“You put him down,” Dean yelled, launching himself again at his father’s body, only to be punched by his father’s free hand in his stomach, knocking all his air from his lungs. 

“You fucking stay put,” John snarled, dragging Sam out of the room.  By the time Dean gathered himself enough to chase after, there was already the first thud of a fist against his brother and a cry of pain.  “Of course you had to be a fucking omega,” John yelled as he pulled back to swing again. 

Dean grabbed his arm and bit the man as hard as he could. 

John paused only long enough to throw Sam against the wall where he crumpled in a sobbing heap, the first specs of blood on John’s fist and on the wall where he hit.  He turned and punched Dean again, then bodily lifted him and shoved him into the tiny bathroom, where the tiny window had been painted shut before they had moved in and had reinforced glass.  Dean attempted to skirt by the man, but he was shoved into the bathtub just as the door closed and he heard something heavy, probably the couch or that ugly chair scraped in front of it.  Dean tried again and again to break the door down, but it was locked and wouldn’t budge. 

“Dad, please, no! It’s Sammy, he’s your son!” Dean yelled again.  But he was ignored and the next half hour was full of smacking flesh, thuds, breaking wood, and Sammy’s screams and cries.  Sometimes there were words, but Dean wasn’t sure if it was his own blood pressure in his ears from his panic or damage John had caused on Sam’s face or throat, but Dean couldn’t tell what Sammy was crying out.  He imagined it was ‘please’, ‘stop’, and worst of all ‘Dean’. 

The thuds continued, diminished, as Sammy’s voice disappeared.  There were no more screams or crying or attempted words. And that made Dean’s heart stop in his chest.  As he took his next breath, he felt a rage come over him.  Much worse than any fear he’d ever had.  His whole body felt swollen hot and his clothes were too tight.  His eyes had burned away all the tears and his teeth felt somehow sharper. 

A deep growl built in his stomach, then up to his chest, out to his shoulders and suddenly, the door was open, well, broken and the chair that had been in front of it, was barely still a chair.  He saw John’s eyebrows go up as he turned to look at him, then down as John took in the absolute rage on Dean’s face. 

“So, both of you are bastards,” John snarled, wiping a bloody hand across his mouth, smearing more of Sammy’s blood across his lips and chin.  Dean looked down at John’s feet, past all the blood splatters, at the pile of bloody clothes and limbs that weren’t moving.  The once shiny, chestnut hair was matted in blood, dark and onerous.  One of his thin arms was broken and hanging behind the mush that remained of his ribcage. Dean blinked, a red haze falling over his eyes. 

When he came back to his senses later that night, his little brother’s body was gone, only broken furniture and blood, and the scent of lilac and patchouli, remained.  From that day on, his own life no longer mattered.

*****

-Now-

So many nights, Dean had had that nightmare memory.  So many nights he’d cursed the deities for their lack of protection for his little brother, countless other little children who were beaten to death because nature singled them out.  His own experience of being sold into alpha fighting slavery didn’t cause him bad dreams like living through Sammy’s death had.  And when that study had come out about how omegas, as rare as they had been, were actually really docile and submissive, just the thought that such a sweet gentle died in pain and terror like that because he woke up smelling like lilacs. 

Alphas also presented with a scent, but it was usually something musky, like Benny’s applewood campfire or Dean’s own fresh cut pine scent. In a lot of the fighting rings, once an alpha went feral, their scent changed to death and decay. No one had ever dealt with a fully feral omega, at least on record, so no one knew if their scent would change. 

The one thing Dean did know, however, was that once an alpha went feral, he would attack anyone, friends, relatives, handlers, children.  And the scent of feral alphas often sent the other alphas into a killing frenzy that couldn’t be controlled.  In the alpha fighting rings, a feral alpha was only good for the feral rings, where no one was left alive at the end.  All the feral alphas would fight until online one survived, then they were put down.  The owner of the last feral alpha took home the prize money, but they had to make sure they kept the ferals away from the non-feral, otherwise, it would spread amongst the pens. 

Dean had not known how he had stayed sane, but when he’d been rescued it had been Benny that had talked him into not attacking, not seeking death.  They’d been given a new life and even if they were still deemed ‘damaged’, Castiel and Gabriel had rehabilitated them and offered them ranking positions as personal bodyguards.  It hadn’t hurt that both alphas had been part of Lucien’s underground world, although having only seen the south American compounds.

Neither had been around any omega adults, only young children who were not yet presented, but had been designated omega at birth from gene sequencing.  They had just enough of a scent to keep some of the alphas sane.  Dean and Benny had bonded over protecting the young omegas from being mistreated as much as they could.  Having lost his younger omega brother had made Dean especially protective.  And Benny, having lost his omega wife, joined him in fighting over overly aggressive alphas or those that had gone feral. 

Lucien, or Lucifer, as the underworld knew him, had a few favorites and usually offered them the close to presenting omegas as ‘rewards’ for doing well in the rings.  Dean would have been a favorite, except for his predilection for protecting those same omegas.  Lucifer had gifted a young, barely in double digits, omega girl to Dean once, and was enraged when he came back the next morning and got the report that the alpha had merely spent the night braiding the girl’s hair and talking to her about her family. 

He'd never seen the girl again and Dean had been shocked with cattle prods for an hour.  He’d seen other young omegas amongst the favorites, but he’d never been ‘gifted’ one again. 

And now his own brother, long believed to be dead was laying next to him. 

Dean closed his eyes and breathed deeply and steadily.  He couldn’t imagine what his little brother had gone through.  The beating had been bad enough, but he’d at least thought the bright-eyed boy had been freed from this plane of existence.  Now to find out that not only was he alive, but he had belonged to the same man, the same monster. That the grown omega they had found was finally filling in all the crevices where his bones shouldn’t be showing, slowly but surely.  That Sammy had spoken real words and not just the snarls and whines and screams.  That his Sammy remembered him and in a good way, not as the failure Dean saw himself as. 

That had to be enough for now.  Charlie, the beta tech girl who Dean really thought could have been like a sister if he’d allow himself to feel that way about anyone, had brought some additional information to Cas and Gabe from Lucifer’s records, but Dean had asked not to know any of it yet.  He just wanted to reconnect with Sammy for now.  As Lucifer was finally dead and all his generals dead or in custody, there would be nowhere to focus his rage if he found out anything worse.  And he had no doubt there was worse, but he and especially Sammy needed calm and loving brother, not raging alpha protector at the moment. 

Dr. Fitzgerald, the skinny little doctor who was overseeing all of Sammy’s treatments, had been very communicative with Dean about when he’d have to drug Sammy for tests so as not to traumatize him more.  He also seemed omega leaning himself, so Sam didn’t freak out as much as he did when anyone else came to the room, either delivering clean linens or food.  Just that night, before they had dimmed the lights for the brothers to be able to sleep, the camera light had flashed three times, Dr. Fitzgerald’s signal that breakfast would be drugged. 

Dean sighed, looking forward to the day when Sammy was coherent and trusting enough for them to not have to sneak medicine into his food just to make sure he was okay. 

Chapter Text

“Dean.” Cas’ voice startled him.

Dean had been standing bedside, closely watching Dr. Fitzgerald take Sam’s vitals. He was trying less invasive ways to get fluids and such for testing, but needles still had to be involved.  From the last few times Sam had awoken to new spots where needle pricks had happened, his response had been to acknowledge the spot, but then moved on.  Dr. Fitzgerald had explained to Dean that there had been bedbugs and fleas and lice in the dormitories.  All of the rescued alphas, as well as those who had been put down, had been found with at least one variation. Most with all three. 

It was most likely that Sam assumed it was just an annoying insect and knew nothing of the medical aspects of it.  But since Sammy still wasn’t saying much and Dean refused to bring up anything that would traumatize his big little brother any further, it would have to wait. 

Dean didn’t just flinch when Cas spoke; he spun, and full protective mode engaged, he barely pulled his powerful punch at the last moment. It saved the beta from a broken nose, but the bloody lip was not to be prevented. 

Cas’ head flew backwards and he tripped over his own feet, catching himself from falling to the floor, his hands coming up in a placating gesture.  There was a flash of fear in the blue eyes that made Dr. Fitzgerald quickly step to the side, out of the line of fire.

For a moment, as Cas caught himself and the doctor spun to keep his front to the alpha once he made it to the other side of Sam’s bed, Dean blinked, breathing fast, heaving and trembling as he reeled himself in.  He kept both the betas in his line of sight as much as he could while keeping himself nearest to his brother. 

“My fault, Dean,” Cas said, slowly reaching up to gingerly probe his lip.  He looked at the small spot of blood on his fingertip and frowned.  That spark of fear was muted but not yet gone.  “I knew better than to engage you from behind.  It’s entirely my fault.”  Straightening up, Cas took a tentative step towards the alpha. 

Dean growled, head dropping to protect his neck between his shoulders. 

Cas stopped.  He gathered himself and stood up straight, attempting to be non-threatening, but at the same time, exuding power.  He glanced over at the doctor, who hadn’t moved from where he crouched down on the other side of the bed.  Once he had the doctor’s attention and ascertained that everything was okay, Cas nodded slightly before turning to meet Dean’s eyes again.

“Dean, I apologize, my friend,” he started.  Dean growled again, but it was quieter. “You’re only protecting Sam. We know this.  We’re not trying to hurt him.”  He turned his gaze to the unconscious omega, then back to Dean, to acknowledge him.  “You’re doing a really good job of protecting him, Dean, but he’s safe. I promise, on everything I hold dear, that Sam is safe here.  He’s safe with the people here. He’s safe with you.”  He paused and let the words register.

Another moment and Dean’s eyes flicked from the doctor, back to Cas, then over his shoulder to make sure Sammy was still okay.  He took a deep breath, his shoulders and clenched fists dropping in increments.  He took another deep breath, taking in the lilac and patchouli, then grunted, dropping the fighting stance.  He was still tense, as though still in guard mode, but when he huffed through his nostrils, it was the signal Cas needed that Dean was finally hearing him, but it was also a warning that endebted to Cas or not, he would not hesitate to return to violence if anything happened to his brother.

Cas nodded and took another step forward, this time more towards the end of the bed, towards the doctor, to keep from directly intimidating the alpha and remove some of the tension of trying to be vigilant in multiple directions.  A few steps, with Dean’s keen eyes watching every movement, his gaze divided only as he tried to keep the room door in his peripheral as well, and Cas was at Dr. Fitzgerald’s side, offering him a helping hand.

Cas turned away from Dean, offering his back as he addressed the doctor.  It was a sign of trust that he was facing away from Sam, but also making himself vulnerable to the alpha. 

“You okay?” He asked the doctor, who stood up next to Cas and shook his head. 

“I think I should be asking you that.” He immediately reached out to examine the swelling section of the beta’s lip, reddish and beaded with blood in the small split in the flesh.  Cas pushed his hand away.

“I’m fine.  I’ve taken more than a few hits in my lifetime, doctor.” He glanced at Dean with a sigh.  “This is only a minor injury.” 

Dean huffed again, and stepped sideways, putting his hip directly against the edge of the bed so he could reach out and brush the back of his knuckles over Sam’s bare chest, directly over the center, pausing to allow the omega’s breathing to push against his knuckles.

Cas prudently waited for Dean to pat the younger’s man’s sternum gently.

“Dean, how are you doing?” When Cas asked that, Dean tilted his head, thinking to himself.  Then the corner of his mouth turned up as he thought back to before the raid, how he’d been content with his life. His only mission at that time had been to be Cas’ bodyguard, backup bodyguard for Gabe when Benny was assigned elsewhere, and helping the raid teams plan Lucifer’s fall.  Now, he was on edge, constantly vigilant against everything that might harm Sammy.  And that included EVERYTHING! If the room was too cold, he gave Sammy his blankets and shivered.  If it was too bright, he’d put his shirt over the light.  If Sammy whined about anything, Dean literally threw himself at the problem. 

The people controlling the room, including bringing food, whatever, tried to respond without being asked, as Dean refused to actively engage anyone outside of the absolute necessity for caring for Sam.  But he smiled. 

He was happier because after all the dark, all the evil he’d seen, Sammy, who was the bright light that had been his sun and moon when they were kids, the warmth and peace that he had thought had been ripped from the firmament, was here.  The light may have been dimmed for now, and the warmth and peace were more biting and agitated at the moment, but every day he had Sammy by his side, it was a little brighter, a little warmer in the cold, dark recesses. 

“Honestly…I’m good.” He turned his half smile towards Cas, finally relaxing. “I got my Sammy back, sir.” His eyes lit on Cas’ lip and he grimaced. Gesturing with his free hand, he sighed. “Sorry about that, sir.”  Cas’ hand came up to stop him.

“Again, it was my fault. You hold no blame, Dean.” Dean huffed softly.

“Good thing I was done,” the doctor coughed, moving to pick up the scattered vials and devices that had fallen onto Sam’s bed before. 

“Yes,” Cas said with a sigh. “Actually, Dean, there is something I’d like to discuss with you.” He glanced down at the omega significantly. The doctor noticed the look.

“Oh, he’ll be out for another hour or so.  And I’m heading to the lab with all this.” He gestured with everything in his hands before scuttling out of the room, a small smile back across his shoulder at his patient. 

Once he was out of the room, Cas put his hands behind his back and casually wandered the room, Dean turning to keep him in view at all times.

“There are some things we found in Lucien’s records that we will need to track down, such as all the alpha rings we hadn’t known about previously.” He paused, looking thoughtfully at Dean. “And where all the alphas ended up, who the other omegas were, etc.”

“If you need me to look through names or identifying marks, just give me some time, sir.” 

“Hmm, yes,” Cas hesitated. “Benny has already been helpful with a few of those. What Gabe and I are more concerned about are two items that are connected to you and to your brother.” He looked up and met Dean’s concerned eyes.  When Dean did not respond further, he took a deep breath. “The child…and your father.”

At that point, Dean’s eyebrows went up.  The child was something that had been itching at the back of his mind from the moment he’d learned that the only successful, living child from the omega was Sam’s, but he’d left it up to his employers to get information before they acted. And they had assured him that he’d be informed before any information was put to use. 

As for Dean’s bastard of a father, that was a non-starter.

*****

-Then-

There was a story that Dean had heard, half-remembered, and who knew if it was true, about how there were betas, or ‘normies’, outside of the alpha rings who actually loved and hid their alpha and omega relatives and friends as best they could.  Not that Dean, Benny, or any of the alphas they had ever known in their lives had any experience like that.  There were a few of the alpha fighters who had not been sold or given to Lucifer, who had been kidnapped, stolen from their families. Those were the ones that didn’t survive more than a few fights.

They had no rage, no ingrained, burning desire against injustice. They were afraid and a strange faith that someone would be coming to save them.

No one came to save them.  They died bloody.

The one time Dean had escaped the alpha ring was because he’d been in the middle of a vicious battle with an older alpha everyone had called ‘Golem’ because he was massive and rarely spoke, often standing like a statue until told to do something, and Dean had glanced over and seen the face of someone he’d had nightmares about for many years. 

John fucking Winchester was in the pit seats, called the ‘Skints’, near the ring.  They were closest to the action but typically cost less because whoever sat there would invariably end up splattered with blood.  The beta was filthy and looked almost feral himself, snarling up at the combatants.  He was years older and looked worn out, a straggly beard and shaggy hair. His jacket was torn in places, clearly not cared for, like the man himself. 

But the ticket he held clutched in his hand told Dean even more.  The beta that had fathered the brothers and then done despicable things to them because they didn’t have the right blood, had sold out his family, his life, and now gambled with whatever money he had to watch alphas, people, tear each other apart for entertainment. 

Dean’s existence of pain and blood and misery was all because of this one man who probably didn’t know or care that his own flesh and blood was one of the ones currently ducking Golem’s heavy hits, darting in to leave long claw marks along the bigger alpha’s flanks.  And Dean was all at once furious and horrified.  It had cost him as one of Golem’s hits had landed on his shoulder, nearly dislocating it. 

But never let it be said that Golem was stupid. He was quiet and he was massive, but he was amazingly bright, even if no one outside of the few alphas in this pod cared.  He grunted, gesturing with his eyes towards the man he’d seen Dean eying.  Dean’s short nod as he paused on the other side of the ring to catch his breath a little was enough. 

Golem nodded back, turned his back to the razor wire fence that circled the ring and hooked his hands together.  Dean didn’t hesitate as he raced towards Golem.

None of the spectators knew what kind of move was coming but they were all screaming for blood as Dean stepped into Golem’s hands and was launched upwards. By the time they realized one of the alphas was over the top and had landed on top of a few of the spectators, Dean was already launching himself at the beta. 

John’s eyes went wide and he scrambled backwards, trying to escape, just like the rest of the cowardly betas who screamed for the alphas to fight each other, but were terrified of being within reach of one.  He slid sideways out of his chair and scuttled backwards, his mouth opening and closing in terror.  But he didn’t let go of the little betting slip.  He kept a good grip on that. 

As this wasn’t a typical happenstance at the alpha rings, the room security was slow to respond.  They shuffled the wealthy patrons out first, shoving the Skints back to make sure the rich betas escaped without harm.  A few headed towards Dean, cattle prods out. 

Dean strode over to where John still scuttled backwards and leapt on top of him. The man let out a weak scream that was lost in the chaos of the room.

“Hello, dad,” Dean snarled, leaning down into John’s face.  He watched the confusion, then recognition and horror wash over John’s face. 

“Dean?” John squeaked. His voice was gruff from years of yelling and smoking and drinking and having a fully grown alpha crouched on his chest, knees holding his shoulders to the floor, he couldn’t get out more than a pathetic squeak.  The alpha reached out and grabbed John’s throat, squeezing his fingers into a claw.  When the first puncture through skin popped under his fingers, John’s eyes went impossibly wider and he heaved himself to try to throw the alpha off.  “Mercy,” he gasped.

“Say please,” Dean growled, squeezing tighter, bringing his other hand up to slam two of his fingers through John’s eyes, feeling them squish over his skin.  He pulled his fingers from the ruined eye sockets and stuck them into John’s open mouth.  “Beg for me to let you live,” Dean snarled, even as he heaved forwards, shoving his hand all the way into the beta’s mouth and tried to grip his tongue.  But his eye jelly coated fingers were slippery.  So he was only able to tear at the tongue and inside of his mouth. 

John gurgled and twisted, still trying to get away. His hand came up to grab at the ratty fight pants that Dean wore. The other hand, the one that held the ticket, never let go of that filthy piece of paper. 

Dean was gleefully snarling his victory when he felt the sudden pain of several cattle prods from different parts of his body.  The electricity ripped through him and Dean felt a momentary euphoria that John was also feeling it, feeling the pain and misery, but then he felt himself go limp and he fell backwards twitching. 

He didn’t remember much but Golem gave him the full account later, in his quiet, gruff accent.

John had lain there twitching and screaming for help as Dean had been hauled away, unconscious after several rounds of shocks.  No one had bothered with Golem in the ring as he had stood still as a statue as soon as Dean cleared the top of the ring.  He had watched as the head of security, a rather unpleasant, weasel-like man that the others called Alistair, had come over to survey the damage.  John had continued howling in rage and pain until Alistair had pulled out a gun and shot him in the face, cutting off the sound.

By then, the room had been cleared of everyone.  Only Alistair and Golem remained.  Alistair had snorted derisively, then plucked the wrinkled ticket from the dead man’s hand and delicately handed it through the razor wire, not even flinching when he nicked himself a few times, to offer it to Golem. The alpha had taken it and eaten it before returning to the handlers to be punished. 

Dean had been punished much more severely than Golem, but Alistair had finally come to end both of their punishments.  His only acknowledgement that he knew why Dean had done what he had done, was a quiet murmur in Dean’s ear as he hung from the shackles where he bled from multiple slashes from the barbed whipped.

“No more fathers. As your sire, I will mold you into an instrument of pain.” 

*****

-Now-

“My father is dead,” Dean snorted.  Cas watched him carefully, before reaching into his pocket to pull out a slip of paper.

“Yes, that was noted in your records.  We hadn’t thought to look until recently.” He turned the slip of paper around a few times before holding it out to Dean.  “There was nothing left to claim for you from his estate, which I assume you knew.”  Dean didn’t respond, but he kept his eyes on the paper.  He couldn’t see what was on it from this angle.  “But we also found this.  It’s a birth record.” 

Dean reached out slowly to take the slip of paper.  It was amazingly small for such a heavy item.  He brought it closer and turned it to see the few words it held.  They made no sense to him so he looked up at Cas in question.

“Sam had a healthy little boy.  He was sequenced and found to be a potential alpha but hasn’t presented yet.” 

Dean blinked. He was stunned. His brother was a parent.  He looked back at the paper then back at Cas.

“We know where he is and are working on getting custody.”  There was a weighted pause. “The problem is that the father of the boy is listed as Lucien himself.” 

Chapter Text

The next few days were hell on Dean.  And everyone else. 

Cas’ announcement had struck a chord in the alpha, who had gone nearly silent, only snarling and snapping at everyone.  He listened to no one as he processed.  He became so completely protective of Sam that they couldn’t drug the food because Dean wouldn’t let Sam eat when he sensed the medications in it.  He attempted to tear holes in the walls, nearly ripping the door off its hinges when he couldn’t get them to open and let him escape with his brother. 

He was nearly feral, so much so that he even attacked Dr. Fitzgerald and Cas the next time they tried to enter the room.  They got away with minimal injuries as Benny had been in the area when the alarms went off.  Benny wasn’t as lucky.  He was currently in a hospital bed in another area of the infirmary wing, unconscious, bandaged and sedated. 

They had sedated Dean while Sam had whined and howled in terror from the far corner, tucked behind an overturned shelf, shredded fabric and blood splatter all across the floor.  They’d had to sedate Sam as well as soon as Dean had been subdued.  The omega had gone partially feral himself, throwing himself at the burly beta guards who were chaining up his brother.  They had used multiple tranqs on Dean, but Sam was still so weak it only took one to weaken him.

“Stop! Stop! Hold your fire!” Gabe had shouted at the guards who had swiveled towards the attacking omega.  The guards were unnerved not because they had been dealing with an aggressive alpha.  They had dealt with many of those since the Shurleys had taken on the task of enforcing the A/O Rights Act, closing down alpha fighting rings, finding potential omega children and giving sanctuary to their families.  But this was Dean Winchester. 

The alpha had been the first one after Benny that had somehow kept his sanity and his personality after rehabilitation.  And he’d earned the respect of everyone he met.  He and Benny had been chosen as the personal bodyguards for Castiel and Gabriel Shurley.  There were other alphas on staff, as part of security, but only Dean and Benny had full access and privilege to all parts of the Shurley properties and no one questioned their authority. 

To see the gruff but personable alpha completely lose it like this unsettled them all.  They all knew that it was due to the unusual circumstances, that no other alphas were allowed in this area of the compound because of the emaciated omega who turned out to be Dean’s long-dead little brother.  They had all heard the stories the alpha had told about the small but whip-smart little brother.  They understood his melancholy and the dark looks that came across his face when he’d let slip anything to do with his father, Sam’s death, or the alpha rings. 

Sammy was his heart, even dead.  And anything that wasn’t Sammy was only cold, hard facts. 

Now that Sammy was alive and back under Dean’s protection, it was only now that they truly understood how deep the connection had been and still was for the alpha and his omega brother. 

The beta guards, Ketch and Davies, kept their hands on the unconscious alpha, making sure to cuff his hands, as well as his ankles, while the security specialist, Bevell, kept her finger on the trigger of the tranquilizer gun.  She’d heard Gabe’s shout and paused, but narrowed her eyes and smirked as she pulled the trigger again, the second dart catching Sam in the neck as he finished his slow slide down the side of the bed, scream dying in his throat, wide, terror-filled eyes filling with tears.

“Damn it, Toni!” Gabe shouted, running forward and shoving the tranquilizer gun down so that the third dart she fired went into the ripped pillow next to Sam’s head instead.  He yanked, then yanked again and shoved her backwards.  She turned her narrowed eyes on him, then appeared to remember herself and let it go and stepped back, moving to straighten her uniform.

“Mea culpa, sir,” she tried to feign innocence, but Gabe’s own eyes narrowed and he caught the look that Ketch and Davies passed between the two of them.  “It was the adrenaline, sir.  Fighting off an alpha brings out extraordinary necessity to reacquire safety.” She fought a smirk even as several orderlies and the temporary head of medical, Doctor Hess, eased into the room and bent over the barely breathing omega.

Gabe found himself holding back a growl as he glared at her. She didn’t really appear apologetic at all, her faced flushed and eyes sparkling. 

“Doctor Hess?” He barely glanced behind him, finding himself wanting to keep Bevell in his line of sight.  Ketch and Davies had moved on to lifting Dean only a fresh medical gurney that had been wheeled in and attaching the cuffs to rings built in just for that reason.  He saw Bevell glance past him at the omega and Doctor, and then back up to gauge his reaction.

“He’s alive,” the older woman said from her spot on the ground, her voice tinged with disappointment as she continued. “Barely.  In his condition, a third would have stopped his heart.”  Bevell finally wilted as Gabe did growl. 

“We already knew that omega’s need very little sedation, much less than alphas,” he told her.  “And I know you heard me tell you to stop.”  She rolled her eyes, a definite error on her part.  “You’re dismissed. I cannot have you working security if you cannot contain any personal prejudices.”  Her mouth dropped open.

“I’m not prejudiced against omegas, sir,” she sneered.  “He was nearly feral and clearly a danger, and you’ve seen how his presence has affected the alphas here.  And not just his brother!”  Gabe jerked back, not missing the look she shot to the doctor behind him. He turned just in time to see the woman in the doctor’s coat drop the smile she’d shot Bevell behind his back and her eyes back to the omega.

He had to pause, he was stunned.  With Dean being the problem at the moment, Benny out of commission, Dr. Fitzgerald currently being treated in another area, and Cas, newly sporting some scratches and bruises courtesy of his own bodyguard, off the property for a meeting with the children’s services people, he realized he was at a disadvantage. He wasn’t sure if the people in the room with him were plants or loyal employees.  And he couldn’t let them know he doubted them as he could be surrounded. 

“It’s under control now.” He told her, straightening his own suit.  “We’ll get them both checked over, and put into one of the alpha cells.  Until Dean learns control again, we cannot put anyone else in danger, and it’s still not prudent to separate him and Sam.”  He caught a noise from behind him, but ignored the bitten off word from the doctor.  “And as this is very important, I’ll be overseeing this myself.”  All his employees turned to look at him in surprise, only Bevell really protesting, but he glared at her as he pulled his phone from his pocket.  Without taking his eyes off her, he tapped a few buttons and put it to his ear. 

“Hey there, Gabriel.  What’s shakin’, bro?” 

“Bal, I have a Meta level situation.” The phone went quiet, then Gabe hear fingers snapping and hushed words over the line. 

“Understood,” Bal’s now serious voice returned. “Should I drop by for a visit?”  Gabe sighed, the tension transmitting back to his brother. 

“I’ve got my hands full so I’d appreciate some fresh eyes.” 

For Balthazar, the brother known as the ‘Eraser’ in the family, this was as good as Gabriel begging him to help save them from the apocalypse.  The tall, slender blond man squared his shoulders.

“Make sure the room with the hot tub is made ready.  I won’t be deprived of relaxation time.”  Gabe had to grin a little. 

“It’s all yours.”  He hung up the conversation and motioned for Bevell to precede him from the room.  She shuddered a little as she turned her back on him, but clacked away on her heels.  Gabe followed, but stopped outside the room, making sure he wasn’t leaving at least Sam without someone watching him the entire time.  Grumbling internally, he called Charlie, his tech whiz and told her that Balthazar would be arriving soon and make sure he was given entrance.

It was enough for her to figure out something was up.  For Gabe to call her instead of the main security office, it meant security was probably compromised and she’d be needed to override the gates for Balthazar and his crew.  And she could electronically lock the compound down if needed.  She set the locks on her own offices and prepared to be battened down until given the all clear.  This wasn’t the first time the compound had been breached. 

Lucifer had tried a preemptive strike on his brothers some time ago, when he’d first found out they were coming after him, and Charlie, as well as Balthazar’s tech genius, Frank, had teamed up and used the technology they had to stop the breaches and isolate the attackers until Dean, Benny, and the rest of security could take them down, and out if needed.  That was when she’d taken a shine the two gruff alphas and they had taken her into their care like family.  She’d even gotten them into LARPing with her and her friends once a month. 

The Shurley brothers had since put codes and plans into place with specific people in them employ to prevent it from happening again.  This time appeared to be an inside job from what she could gather with how his request was phrased, so she immediately dug into the records of the security teams and started pulling at threads. 

What she found when she really looked deep enough, prompted her to open an encrypted line with Frank and she began sharing her findings.  If she was taken out, she wanted him to be able to avenge her.  And Frank was a paranoid SOB but he was the genius uncle who got her started after her mom was hospitalized when she was little and helped her get a job with Cas and Gabe. 

If nothing else, she owed him and he wouldn’t hesitate to use his skills to drop the ISS if it meant protecting his family.  And oddly enough, Frank didn’t like Benny for some reason, but he begrudgingly thought of Dean as a family member.  Frank had been keeping in communication with Charlie ever since the raid, keeping up on how Dean was doing with his returned-from-the-dead omega brother.

As Dean wasn’t allowing anyone really near the omega, nor talking to anyone, she didn’t have much to share except what Garth, the doctor, was willing to share.

Either way, something was going on and The Eraser and his team was incoming. 

*****

The tension spread throughout the compound.  There was talk about Dean and his going feral, about the omega going feral, about the alpha beating his own brother to death, about the alpha killing several unnamed staff members, about Dean dying and the omega having to be euthanized.  There were whispers that Cas and Gabe had put Dean down so they could use the omega like their brother had.  There were rumors that Cas and Gabe were picking up where Lucifer had left off, that the raid was merely a ruse to take Lucien out and take over his businesses.  Not everyone listened to the gossip but they spread like wildfire.  So when the first armored vehicles of Balthazar’s entourage pulled up to the outer gates, the tension ratchetted up exponentially. 

Frank and Charlie had worked out that the safest option was to simply lock everything down, then let Balthazar’s team and Gabe sort everyone one by one.  All 47 people on the compound.  All were accounted for currently, Gabe in the alpha cell with the unconscious alpha and omega.  Upon the signal from Charlie on his phone, Gabe had everyone leave the cell, then stepped back as it had slid closed and locked, him inside, the metal shields coming down around the bars on the open wall.  The alpha cells were the most secure inside the gated walls, besides the panic room and tech ops and security office, and Gabe refused to leave the most vulnerable alone. 

His phone beeped and he answered, pacing the cell. 

“Dearest brother,” Bal opened the conversation.  “How should I proceed?  Is this a Gadreel or a Crowley?”  Gabe stopped and closed his eyes for a moment.

“Crowley, with invasion.” He could hear Bal hum softly. “I need Gadreel at the cells.”  There was some background shouting outside the cells, as well as over Gabe’s phone. 

“Yes, Your Charlie and my Frank have been very busy, so we’ll proceed in that direction. I’ll send the team through with Crowley, but I’ll accompany Gadreel to your location.  I’m absolutely giddy to meet Lucien’s omega.”  Gabe rolled his eyes.  Bal was ruthless in business but he loved to poke and prod for reactions.

“Do NOT call him that,” Gabe growled, running a hand over his face.  “That’s all we need is for Dean to go truly feral and rip out your throat.  I might even miss you, but I’d mourn Dean more.” There was a snicker over the phone.

“Okay, all right. No need to get snippy. On our way.”  He hung up.  Gabe dialed Charlie.

“Patch me in,” he told her.  There was a click and he knew he had an open mic to the intercom system on the grounds.

“Stop what you’re doing and put down your weapons,” Gabe started, putting as much authority in his voice. “This is Gabriel Shurley and this is a preventative measure in light of recent information.  My brother has come with his team to assist with internal dissidents.   You are all locked into your current areas and when you hear the locks disengage, do not resist. Once you are vetted, you’ll be taken to the community room until everyone has been reviewed. 

“I repeat, stop and put down your weapons.  I give you my word that if you do not resist, you will not be injured.  This is a precaution only.  Please trust me that I wouldn’t ask this unless it was required.”  There was a click after he’d paused for a few, and Charlie came on the line.

“Wow,” she said. “I’m watching the monitors and mostly everyone is just putting down weapons and holding their hands up.  There are a few over near you and the main offices that seem to be panicking, like Toni and her brother, Ketch. Never did like either of them.” 

“Just keep working with Frank and when Bal and Gadreel get here, let me know.” He turned off his phone as he heard a sound.

Dean was waking up.  He grimaced. This wasn’t the best time, but he was locked down and Sam was here and safe, so maybe that counted for something.  He glanced over to where the omega, unhindered, was still unmoving.  He moved to the side of Dean’s bed.

“Dean, you’re safe. Sam is safe.” Gabe said, staying just out of range of the reach Dean may have had even in the handcuffs.  The alpha growled lowly, his eyes moving behind the lids.  Gabe glanced up as he heard gunshots and pings off the metal shield around the cell.  Someone was panicking, trying to get to them.  But were they attempting to kidnap or kill the alpha and the omega? Or just him?  Didn’t matter at the moment. 

His phone rang and he answered without looking.

“Charlie?” He started, as he assumed it was his tech genius letting him know Bal and Gadreel were getting close.  The shouting and gunshots around this local area was getting louder and more frequent, the metal ringing with each it. 

“Gabriel, what the hell is going on?!” It was Cas. 

“Bevell and Dr. Hess are plants, I believe, so I called in Bal and Gadreel.  Code Meta.”  There was swearing.

“I finished early so we’re on our way back.” There was a pause as there was a young voice in the background. He heard Cas mutter something.  “I won’t bring him into the middle of this, so I’m heading to the hideaway.  Call me when you’re done.”  He hung up. 

“Damn it.” He muttered, running both hands over his face.

Chapter Text

The noise rose and rose.  Dean was finally coming around. He’d violently tested the bonds, snarling and growling, the bursts of gunshots making him howl. It really only took Sam to whine as he started waking up for Dean for the metal of the handcuffs to screech and the chain between the cuff on his wrists and the metal rail of the beds to snap, allowing the alpha to roll off onto the floor into a crouch.

His eyes were glowing a bright green as they swept the room, taking in Gabe, hands up and backing away, Sam tossing on his own bed towards the back of the room and the solid metal shields over the door and two windows.  They narrowed as the sound of bullets pinged and then Dean swiveled to stare at Gabe, glancing over at Sam.  One more growl as he appeared to actually be thinking, Gabe swallowing, trying not to move and trigger the raging alpha.  Then Dean huffed, gestured for Gabe into the corner furthest from the door and lifted up his brother and deposit him next to Gabe with a light growl, a warning.  The alpha stretched and flexed as he turned to face the door, the protector watching for anything that made it past the door and shield. 

By the time the noise cut off, Sam was staring wide-eyed at the door and had actually allowed Gabe to crouch next to him in the corner.  The tension coming from the alpha in front of them was strong, close to vibrating.  The sudden silence included both Gabe and Sam holding their breaths, but they could better hear the alpha’s low rumbling, an obvious warning to anyone nearby. 

There were muffled words from outside and several scrapping sounds.  They jumped when Gabe’s phone rang. He slowly pulled it out and put it to his ear. 

“Please tell me I’m not going to die today.” 

“My dearest brother,” he heard Balthazar’s voice sigh. “Your lack of confidence in me is astounding. Why would you call for my help if you thought even for a moment I’d fail.” Gabe sighed deeply, letting most of the tension melt away. Beside him the omega seemed to mimic him and leaned closer into his side. Dean huffed, but stopped vibrating. He instead began to pace the room between them and the shield.  “That being said, five more minutes so we can secure these dastardly brutes and the property will be back to your command.”

Gabe closed his eyes and smiled down at the wide-eyed omega.

“It’s going to be fine, Sam. Your brother and mine are fantastic protectors.”

When Sam offered a wavering smile back, Gabe felt the warmth from such an offering.  There was another huff and they turned to see Dean standing, and slowly shaking out the tension in his muscles.

“Dean?” Gabe said tentatively. The alpha shook hard all over then stood up to his full height and the glow dimmed in his eyes.  “You back with us?”

“Sammy?” he said, coming over to crouch in front of his brother. “You okay, little brother?”  There was a glance over at Gabe, but Dean really only focused on Sam, who launched himself into his brother’s arms.  He whined a little as he curled into Dean, the alpha’s arms holding him tightly.  “Sammy.” 

“Dee,” Sam finally said, head buried in Dean’s neck.  “Was scared.”  Dean closed his eyes, ignoring the corner where Gabe still crouched, head back against the wall. 

“I got ya, little brother.”

By the time the phone dinged again (Charlie checking in to make sure it was safe to raise the shields), Sam had stopping whining and was rumbling so softly, it was nearly a purr, his eyes closed.  Dean’s arms were still holding him, but one hand was brushing through the long strands of hair. 

“Gabe,” Dean said while they waited for the shields to be removed. He looked a little embarrassed, but his eyes still glowed a bit.  “Look, I gotta apologize-.” Gabe held a hand up to stop him.

“Nope, not gonna accept it. No need to apologize since you were just protecting Sam.” Dean nodded.

“I guess when I woke up and realized that you were actually protecting us both from whoever was outside, attacking the room,” he shrugged. “It was like my brain came back online. I knew you were safe.  Cas too.”  He cleared his throat. 

“Dee okay?” Sam asked softly.  Gabe smiled gently over to where they sat side by side on one of the beds, Sam curled over into Dean’s hold.  Dean chuckled.

“Yeah, Sammy. I’m okay.  You’re okay too.  We’re both…all okay.” His green eyes flicked up to meet Gabe’s.  Gabe nodded, turning to the door where there was a light rap. 

“Who’s there?” Dean said loudly, standing and making sure Sam was fully behind him, gesturing with his head for Gabe to get behind him too, which he partially obeyed.

“Anyone need a restroom?” A playful voice called. Dean rolled his eyes and relaxed. He knew the brother and his horrible sense of humor. Gabe snorted.

“We’ve got one, thanks,” Gabe responded.  “But it’s safe to open the door.”  It swung open slowly, revealing the slender blond man who smirked at them.

“Never gonna find a better joke, sir?” Dean asked. Bal waved his hand dismissively as he went over to his brother for a hug.  Behind him in the doorway stood another familiar face, a stoic alpha, tall and solid, who only shared a nod with Dean as he scanned the room, stopping on Sam with a furrowed brow.

“Listen, Dean-o, Ignacius Patrick Freely is the absolute perfect joke and as a codeword, who else would dare?” Bal turned and threw up his arms as though showing off his own fabulousness.  Dean wanted to roll his eyes but he kept his eyes on the other alpha and edged sideways to keep Sam behind him. 

Gabe caught the movement and slid around them towards the door, dragging his brother by the arm.

“All right, okay. You’re awesome, brother, but Gadreel’s not making Dean very happy right now.”  He pushed past the massive alpha, with Bal following closely behind, patting Gadreel’s cheek as he passed.

“Gad, respect Dean’s space. I know you’re fascinated by his omega brother, and really, we all are, but right now is not the time to be brutish.”

“Or British,” Gabe quipped darkly, Bal slapping him playfully on the back of the head as Bal had a bit of a British accent from doing boarding school overseas.  They disappeared down the hallway, with Gadreel sniffing the air, then reluctantly turning to follow them.  Dean waited until the scent of the other alpha was gone before turning to where Sam was huddled, shivering behind him. 

“Hey, Sammy.” He sat down and once again pulled the taller man into his chest, surrounding him with his own strength and scent.  “I got ya. There are other alphas here.  I think I owe Benny an apology after attacking him.  Gadreel tends to be possessive and I’m not his favorite person, but you’re safe with me.  And Gabe and Cas.  Okay?” 

He stroked his hand gently down Sam’s back until the shivering subsided.  It was a soft moment.  Dean had gotten so violently protective of his brother, he hadn’t been sure who to trust.  Their own father had done such horrible things to them both, not to mention Lucifer, and he didn’t want to imagine what his poor, sweet brother had gone through, first as probably the only omega in an alpha barracks.  And the knowledge that Sam had born a child that had been fathered by that evil bastard.  It had been too much.

He'd become paranoid of everyone and everything. Cas’ accidental startle had kicked his protectiveness into high gear.  All the terror in Sam around all the strangers, the doctors’ poking and prodding, another alpha being so close that Sam was terrified of.  Benny had done his best to be non-threatening, but Sam had been on edge already and when the gruff alpha had called Dean ‘brotha’ in his offhand way, Sam had howled.  Maybe Sam thought Dean had replaced him. Maybe Sam had been abused by other alphas who were brothers. Until Sam told him, he didn’t know, but it had sent Dean into a nearly feral state.

He'd seen red and remembered very little of his attack on Benny and the doctor.  He remembered being locked down with Sam and he remembered Davies and Ketch coming into the room.  Both had come on board as part of security around the same time and Davies was weird, but okay, but Ketch had always pinged his radar, even if Charlie couldn’t find anything bad in their backgrounds, and both were betas.  Then Toni Bevell, who had always shown some disdain for all the alphas in the household, had been revealed as Ketch’s sister. It had been too much.

But when he woke up in the cell and found himself, his unconscious brother, and Gabe there, with who knows what going on outside the shielded door, hearing the shouting and noise and gunshots, he’d realized that Gabe and Cas weren’t the enemies, that they really were still protecting him and now protecting his brother as well. 

Balthazar was a different story, but he was on the opposite end of Dean’s radar.  Balthazar was dangerous to A/O hate groups. He actually advocated a lot for A/O rights and became the Eraser, someone who hired on as many alphas as would work for him and had an elite team of military trained alphas to eradicate alpha rings or A/O hate groups.  He was also a giant goofball, worse than Gabe.  Gadreel was Balthazar’s personal bodyguard.  As an alpha, he had been a lot like Golem, stoic and massive, but he and Dean never hit it off. They were more co-workers than friends. 

Nothing like he and Benny.  The gruff alpha that had been in the same group as Dean had was older, but calmer. He had actually been married once upon a time, his omega wife his pride and joy.  Both having suffered loss of loved ones, they had bonded, becoming close like brothers.  He trusted Benny with his life and knew Benny trusted him as well. He really, really would need to hold it together next time he saw the older alpha. 

With a sigh, he breathed in Sam’s scent and curled around the lanky man.

*****

“Beta Majority of Law?” Cas was aghast when Gabe called him.  

Balthazar and his men had been gone for a few hours and those who had been vetted again under Frank’s scrutiny with Charlie’s help were back to work straightening out the mess on the compound.  All told, there had been eight of them hiding amongst the staff.  Cas, and the other 16 staff, mostly night guards and house staff that had been off the compound during the fight, had all been vetted fully.  If there were more that had gotten past the vetting process with both techs on the case, Bal was certain Gadreel, and his secret weapon, a woman named Meg, who had been trained by some of the best interrogators in the world, would know before long. 

Toni had arrogantly told them most of it as soon as she’d been captured.  She was so certain that her group would come to free them all that she’d explained their plan in vague sweeps.  BMoL was well known as a hate organization.  They believed alphas and omegas should be rounded up and studied to root them out and make them slaves and pets. They wanted to return to the old laws that had once subjugated alphas and nearly wiped out omegas from the world.  As the Americas was where the Angel brothers had the biggest influence, the BMoL headquartered in England.  Which was Uriel’s district.  Uriel, one of the brothers who was mainly operating by the rules for the power, not for justice. 

Michael, the head of the family, as well as their retired father, Charles, had been notified of the findings and Michael had gone silent before hanging up.  That was the clear signal to Bal and Gabe that there would be a shakeup among the brother’s districts soon and possibly a hole that would need to be filled by one of the younger nephews or cousins. 

“Yeah, Toni and her brother, Mick, Dr. Hess-,” Gabe was rattling off, tapping his fingers absently on his desk.  He kept an eye on the monitor to where Dean and Sam were in Benny’s infirmary room.  Dean had convinced Sam to go with him to visit the other alpha and a few of the orderlies were armed with tranq guns just in case Dean lost it again, but so far, as long as Sam stayed behind Dean, but within touching distance, the alpha was contained and quietly talking to the other alpha, who was smiling up at him, already forgiving his friend. 

“Hess? Oh my god,” Cas interrupted him.  They were back on the road and heading back to the compound, now with an escort from Balthazar’s men to make sure they were safe. 

“Yeah, that new hire Benny was worried about, McGillicuddy.  Um, Charlie’s assistant that she didn’t want…”

“Serena? How’s Charlie taking that part?”  Gabe grimaced.

“About as well as you’d think.”  He heard Cas hitch a breath. 

“Oof.” 

“Yeah.  Oh, and Rawlings, but that should have been obvious.  Him and Watt.”  There was a hum of acknowledgement. Both Rawlings and Watt had been hired on Bevell’s recommendation, although neither Cas or Gabe cared for either of them. They both seemed a bit brash and smug for their tastes, but they’d trusted Bevell. “I won’t lie, Cas.  It kind of hurts.” 

“Let me guess, it’s because we found the omega, wasn’t it?” 

“Yep,” he said, popping the last letter.  “She said that us finding Sam, an adult omega, had been the ‘clarion call to begin the annihilation’.” Gabe rolled his eyes, spinning the chair to look out the window overlooking the grounds. There were guards still jogging around on high alert.  It would probably be that way for a while. “They said they have spies in all our households, so Bal has Frank working overtime to finish clearing them out here, and they’ve alerted the trusted techies and guards everywhere else to begin weeding the garden. I’m thinking this is going to be a huge kick in the ass for our brothers.” 

“What a mess,” Cas sighed.  “We’ll be at the gate shortly.  I’d like to get the boy settled before having to bring them all together.”

Gabe grimaced.  After seeing how Dean had taken just being around his friends and found family, he’d had worried consideration for introducing what could be a bad trigger for both the brothers. The boy was the innocent one, but Sam had been violated, then the child ripped from him and Dean had his own issues with Lucifer and his own father, and now this boy being a reminder of all that trauma for Sam. 

“I think it’s more going to be a Dean issue,” Gabe finally said.  “Although we don’t know much about Sam yet, except for Dean’s memories and what the other rescued alphas had to say about him.” 

All the other alphas had painted Sam as a gentle omega.  He’d fought the abuse any time, had tried to protect the younger possible omegas, had forgiven the other alphas, or at least the ones who hadn’t been too rough with him.  If records of omega sensibilities were true, Sam wouldn’t blame the boy for who his father was, but it might trigger the horrible memories of the violations by Lucifer himself.  And no one knew that story but Sam, who may or may not ever tell that story. 

“We’ll see you soon, Gabriel.” 

Gabe laid the phone down on his lap and leaned back.  There would be a dna test to confirm that the boy was Lucien’s son. If so, he and Cas had agreed that Cas would adopt him as his own so the boy would officially be part of the family.  Their other brothers were worried about him actually being their nephew.  Not because he could potentially be an alpha, but because it would confirm that their brother’s depravity had been much worse than they’d previously known. 

Their mother had been a staunch bigot of alphas and omegas and had actually killed herself when the A/O Rights Act had been signed into law.  If she’d known her little blond boy, the one who had been the one who brought light and joy into the life like none of the others had, had turned out to have relations, if you could call what Lucien did that, with an omega, she’d have killed herself again. 

Charles, who had gone by Chuck when he’d thought life was all about wrongs being righted, had denied that name since her death and Lucien’s betrayal.  He’d retired as the business patriarch, turning it all over to his sons, with Michael at the head.  And while Michael wasn’t always the nicest, he did follow in Charles’ beliefs and enforced equality for all amongst the brothers, giving chance after chance to the ones who didn’t quite agree.

This, however, was a step too far for him with Uriel, who most likely knew about the BMoL in his district and agreed with them, so he allowed it to happen.  The bad part was that once you were out of chances with Michael, you were done.  For good.  They had a very large family, all males, all betas, and they had their differences, but no one liked losing a brother. 

Lucien, it seemed, had set off a domino effect and the Shurley’s were about to go through a complete makeover.

Chapter Text

It took two days between Cas and the boy arriving and finally getting him in the same room with Dean and Sam. 

The boy was nervous, having known for a while that his father was a rich and powerful man, but only recently learning that he was also a very bad man.  He had just turned 12 and it was highly likely that he would present as an alpha.  He’d already started showing the signs so the foster home where he’d been had been very happy to hand him off.  That had hurt too, that the people who had raised him for the past 12 years were eager to get rid of him.  He’d known he wasn’t really loved as much as the other boy in the house, their biological sun, but he’d assumed they’d actually wanted him.  When the man he had called ‘dad’ for his entire life had told the strange man in their living room that they hadn’t been paid enough to keep the boy once he presented, he had cried. 

His foster mom hadn’t even come to see him off. She had been more standoffish from the beginning.  His brother, though, had cried with him.  They’d been born around the same time and while the one had never known who his parents were, they had grown up together, shared a room as little kids, and had played sports together.  Sean had helped him pack, bringing him a picture of them together that a friend of theirs had taken at a soccer game.  There were none on the walls in the house with his face in them, only mom, dad, and bio son.  That had hurt, but this hurt more.

Now, he was being driven by a man who claimed he was his uncle, who appeared worried about something happening back at home.  He’d talked to him as much as possible, but his uncle, who introduced himself as Castiel Shurley, had said that there was a lot to tell him, but they needed to verify their biological relationship first.  As a foster kid, he was used to not being wanted because he wasn’t biologically related, but Castiel had assured him, that he planned to give him a good life even if he wasn’t biologically related.  The tests were because it would determine which of the family members would adopt him as their son. 

It was confusing the say the least, but he knew so far that his father, a beta, the one who was a really bad man, was dead, and that was how the other brothers had found out that he even existed.  His other parent, he’d been told, wasn’t exactly in the best place right now physically or mentally, so they needed to know for sure before telling him more, or introducing them.  But, Castiel said, the boy looked so much like both his proposed parents, that he was pretty certain that the test would prove them right. 

The fact that the strange man who he had just been handed over to might be a pedophile or murderer didn’t even cross his mind until after they’d suddenly taken a side road and ended up at a log cabin in the woods for a few hours, his ‘uncle’ pacing the yard and talking urgently on the phone.  Then some other people had shown up, mysterious men who looked like high priced bodyguards.  Only one, apparently the leader, had spoken to Castiel, barely glancing at the boy.  Then Castiel had ushered him back into the car and they’d gotten back on the road.

He'd not even pretended not to listen as the man answered a call from his brother and the parts he had caught sounded like something out of a spy novel.  By the time they pulled up at a massive gate hung on a well-fortified fence being guarded by a lot of armed men, he was sure his life would never be the same and he wasn’t sure if that was a bad thing or not. 

His eyes widened at the sprawling estate, the beautiful gardens surrounding the driveway up to the main house that looked more like a mansion.  There was a shorter man with blondish hair standing on the front steps, along with more guards.  When the car came to a stop, he and Castiel sat there for a moment, just taking a breath. 

“Listen,” Castiel said finally, turning to look at him with concern. “I’m really sorry your life has been so shitty so far and for what more you may discover in the near future.” He sighed, looking out the side window at the man who was now slowly descending to meet them.  “But Gabriel, that man, my closest brother, and I…we want to make things right and it may feel like you’re a pawn in things over the next few weeks.  And I’m sorry but we’re working to right some wrongs and its wrongs that’ve been done to you, as well as some other friends of ours.  And I honestly believe that with enough patience from all of us, this can end up a good thing.” There was a pause and the other man had stopped just steps from the car, his eyes jumping from Castiel to take in the boy in the passenger seat. 

“Um, okay,” he said quietly.  Castiel turned to look at him and smiled. 

“If you ever feel uncomfortable with anything or upset or anything, please let me know.  I’ll make sure you’re happy and healthy and taken care of, even if one of our other brothers has to be the one to adopt you, but I’m really hoping it all works out and you can become my adopted son.”  He reached out like he was going to pat the boys knee but stopped himself, nodded, and took a deep breath before opening his car door. 

“Gabe,” Castiel said, greeting the other man with a hug.  The boy took a deep breath and opened his own car door, stepping out slowly, swiveling to look up at the house that looked even bigger than it did from inside the car. 

“Cassie,” Gabe returned the hug.  “Glad you’re back. You missed out on Freely’s visit.”  He heard his uncle huff in exasperation. 

“I guess that’s a great code, because you’ll always know it’s him.  No one else is weird enough to use it.”  His other uncle chuckled, then patted the darker haired one on the back and released him. 

“And you must be Jack!” 

*****

“Sam,” Gabe said as he entered the room.  He stopped at the door to make sure Dean acknowledged him before he approached.  Once the alpha had looked him over and glanced over at his brother, who didn’t flinch like he would have a few days ago, he nodded at Gabe.  “Sam, do you think you might be ready?” 

From where Dean leaned against the end of the couch where Sam was folded up, wrapped in a light, fluffy blanket, he saw Sam duck his head with a frown.  Once upon a time, he would have instantly jumped between them, assuming Sam was disagreeing and upset.  However, over the last few days, his brother had started gaining confidence, trusting Dean implicitly and had nearly stopped cringing every time anyone except Dean entered a room or got within arm’s reach. 

Charlie had amazingly been the first one who had broken through Sam’s sphere of fear.  She’d squealed when she’d come down to grab lunch from the kitchens, and Jody had called Dean over to taste test some special soup he’d told her about getting from a neighbor when he and Sam were little.  His recall was a little faulty but Jody was trying to make better memories for the alpha she felt was like an adopted son and his way too slender omega brother, who pinged her motherly instincts like crazy. 

The younger man was already devouring everything put in front of him, bread, raw vegetables. His favorite was fruit, especially apples.  Jody had put in a special recurring orders so apples stayed stocked in the mansion at all times.  When she’d boldly told Gabe, who signed off on the grocery bills, why she was ordering so many apples, the man had closed his mouth, smiled and signed off, with a playful joke that if he ever found the fruit bowl in the lounging room out of apples, she’d be fired.  She’d smacked his arm and sent him away laughing. 

Charlie had danced into the room, the music in her earbuds driving her fast, but fanciful footsteps.  When she’d looked up, mouth open to make some joking comment to Jody, but instead saw the long haired man curled around an apple core and staring at her with multi-colored eyes of wonder, not fear, she’d beamed a smile.  Sam’s eyes had been staring at her bright red hair and flamboyant clothing, so having her plopping down next to him on the bench in the little nook he was tucked into, startled him out of his wonder at the colors. 

“Oh my gosh, you must be Sam,” she gushed, pulling the earbuds from her ears. The music bled out and he tilted his head to listen closer.  She noticed and reached to turn it off, wondering for the first time if she’d scared him. His hand reaching out to take one of the tiny speakers from her fingers stopped her.  He glanced up at her and she smiled encouragingly.  He leaned a little closer, keeping his eyes on her face and put the earbud closer to his own ear. “It’s Cold Play. They’re like so good.”

She grabbed the other earbud and pressed it to his other ear so he could hear it in stereo and he smiled at her, bopping his head a little.  She beamed down at him, then glanced over to where Jody and Dean were both staring, wide-eyed and frozen, at their interaction.  She frowned in confusion.

“Um, what?” Dean seemed to shake himself a little, but then he tilted his head, watching Sam relaxing with the music. “I mean, he’s a grown man, right? Not like I have to ask your permission for him to listen…right?” She stopped and glanced down to where Sam was listening, eyes closed, enjoying this new experience.  She looked back to where Dean and Jody watched them.

“No,” Dean swallowed as something got stuck in his throat. “He’s a big boy…”

“A very big boy,” Jody muttered, now smiling softly.

“I just never…thought about him liking music.  Like even wanting to hear music,” Dean said slowly.  Charlie nodded and turned back to smile at Sam, pulling the earbud she was holding up away from his head.

“Hey, Sam, you want me to get you your own ipod? We can sit down and let you pick out some more music you like or I can even open up my personal library so you can hear it and pick and choose.” She shrugged and when Dean looked up at her, he glanced over at Dean, then reluctantly handed the earbud back to her.

“Can I?” he asked, breathlessly.  “De? Can I?” Dean blinked back the sudden moisture he felt at the back of his eyes and nodded.

“Of course, Sammy,” he said a little gruffly, not covering up the break in his voice. “Charlie’s great with that stuff.  We can get together and get you set up with your own music.”  Sammy beamed up at Dean, then leaned his head down to brush his cheek against Charlie’s. 

“Um,” Charlie said, turning her own wide eyes back on Dean, who chuckled.

“You’ve been marked, I guess.” Charlie looked more confused and a little alarmed.

“Little known fact about ‘megas,” he said, relaxing against the counter. “If they really like you, they’ll rub their scent on your cheek so their pack knows you’re accepted.  You’re the first he’s done that to…besides me.”  Jody choked on a small sob next to him, so happy Dean had to reach out and hug her with one arm.  Charlie beamed up at him, then leaned down to rub her own cheek against Sam.

“I like you too, Sammy,” she said, when he sat back and shrugged his shoulders with a shy smile. 

That seemed to be the real turning point with his brother.  Sam had begun to be more open to meeting and interacting with others that Dean appeared to trust.  He still had issues with being within arm’s reach of Benny or any of the other alphas on the guard, so it was decided to introduce them slowly and from a distance to get Sam used to them.  Benny was the only alpha besides Dean who could get within 20 feet of the omega without causing him to cringe back behind Dean.

And with the betas, a few had found their way into Sam’s circle of friends.  Cas had scarce lately, but Dean knew that he was spending time with the boy they had found based on Lucifer’s records and he’d stayed away so that the boy’s scent didn’t trigger anything with Sam, until it could be Sam’s choice on what he wanted to do.  The dna test had proven that the boy (Dean had requested the name not be spoken around Sam just in case) was definitely the natural son of Sam and Lucifer, so Cas wanted to adopt him as he was a blood nephew.  But of course it wasn’t that simple.

It all depended on Sam.  If he wanted the boy to be his son, they would work to rush through the paperwork to get Sam returned to legal status and both would be cared for all their days at the mansion. If he didn’t want the boy, but was okay being around him, Sam and Dean would remain at the mansion, but Cas would adopt the boy as his legal blood relative.  If Sam wanted nothing to do with the boy and didn’t want to be around him at all, he and Dean had the option to be given a place to live out their lives comfortably and the boy would be adopted by Cas, or, in the extreme, if Sam and Dean refused to leave the safety of the mansion, the boy would be sent to be adopted by one of the other brothers, most likely Michael or Balthazar.

Dean had no say, really, but he was still working on accepting the boy existed at all.  He was a physical reminder of the horrors that his brother had suffered under the same monster who had tormented Dean, along with many other alphas, and young omegas too young to be able to handle the trauma, either during or after.  As Sam had been the only omega to be found alive and the boy was the only surviving child that they could find record of, he’d abide by Sam’s choice, but Dean still struggled with the idea.

He kept his mouth shut and gave Sam time to give it some thought.  When they’d asked him if he remembered giving birth, he’d gone pale and nodded.  Dean had allowed only one more probing question from Cas.  They had asked if Sam remembered any other babies being born alive in the pits, Sam had shaken his head vigorously and then started mewling piteously.  That was when Dean had growled until they’d left, then spent the rest of the night cuddling Sam, trying to distract him by helping him choose songs from Charlie’s massive music library.

“Does he look like…him?” This was quietly asked as Sam looked up with frightened eyes.  Gabe sighed and shrugged.

“A little, but he looks more like a younger you,” the beta said without hesitation. And he was right.  Dean couldn’t deny that the boy looked like a young Sam. The last time he’d seen Sam, he’d been only nine, and the boy was now 12, but he really did look a lot like the little brother he lost long ago.  He’d seen the boy from a window as Cas had been taking him out to buy him more clothes. 

Dean had learned that the boy hadn’t had the best foster family and really had very little in the way of clothes or toys or anything.  He felt for the kid, but just the knowledge of who his father was still clenched his heart.  He took a deep breath now and waited for Sam’s response.  He was surprised to see Sam didn’t even look over at him, just took a few deep breaths and then nodded.

Gabe smiled and sat down next to Sam, holding out a hand.  Sam reached out and took it as Gabe was accepted and trusted, as was Jody and Robert, the house manager, a gruff older man who had taken one look at Sam and huffed a ‘welcome, boy’ at him before holding his arms open for a hug.  Sam had been tickled and had folded down into the shorter man, who Dean had always associated with acceptance and family. 

“So, just some basic information since I don’t know what you know or don’t know.” He caught Sam’s eye and waited for him to nod. “Okay, his name is Jack and he’s pretty smart.  He looks a lot like you but he does have Lucien’s blond hair and blue eyes.  But he’s so kind and so much nicer than I ever remember Lucien being.  Kind of like you, I guess.” That got a shy smile from Sam.  “He’s not loud, but he’s curious and he’s asked about you.

“He knows about his father, in broad strokes, I guess, that he was a well-known bad guy and had to be removed from society. He knows he’s dead.  He knows you’re his other parent and the only living adult omega that we’re aware of.  He’s worried about making you sad or upset.” Sam inhaled sharply.

“But he’s my baby…,” Sam said hesitantly, now looking up at Dean who had to school his features, so he didn’t influence his brother.  It was a lot like how Sam had been as a young boy, always worried about upsetting others, less concerned about his own feelings.  Dean nodded in confirmation and Sam turned back to face Gabe, who gripped his hand lightly.

“That’s true,” Gabe smiled softly.  “But you deserve peace and happiness and we’ll take good care of him either way.” Sam yanked his hand back.

“He’s my baby. He’s good, right?” Gabe nodded and Sam returned it, sitting up straight and pushing the blanket off him so he could put his feet on the floor and stand up. “He de…deserves happiness too.” Gabe stood up and reached over to pat Sam’s forearm.

“He’s excited to meet you, but he’s scared too.”  Sam paused for a moment.

“He knows I’m…slow?” Sam said gesturing to his own head. Dean and Gabe shared a look. 

“You’ve been stunted by circumstance, little brother,” Dean told him, coming around from behind the seating to stand next to Sam and offer him a hug, which he accepted. “You’re slowly learning, but you’re not slow.” Gabe snorted.

“You’re already reading books I have issues reading and from what we know, you haven’t been allowed to read since you were in single digits.”  Sam blushed in embarrassment, but Dean chuckled.

“Always smarter than I ever was, but now you’re smarter than Gabriel, one of the most influential men in the Americas.” Gabe snorted and shrugged.  Then he gestured towards the door, where he stopped in surprise as Cas was standing in the doorway with a pre-teen boy who stared past Gabe with wonder in his eyes.  Sam gasped, his hand coming up to his mouth and Dean immediately pulled him behind him with a low growl.

“Whoa, whoa,” Gabe said, putting a hand up between them.  There was a shuffle, then Dean’s eyebrows went up as he half turned.

“De, move!” Sammy said, tugging on Dean’s arm to come around him so he could see better.  He glowered at his brother for a moment then turned to look at the boy again. “Hi Jack.  You got big.” 

It was the icebreaker they all needed.  Jack giggled and held out his arms to turn in a circle. Gabe snorted and even Cas couldn’t hide his smile.  Dean was flabbergasted.  He could scent the boy who was on the cusp of presenting, but Dean could already smell the hint of patchouli that had always been a part of Sam, as well as a darker, loam scent that was very faint, but wasn’t even close to the horrible rotting leaves smell he’d gotten from Lucifer. 

“Couldn’t be a baby forever,” Jack said finally, putting his arms down.  Gabe stepped back hesitantly and Sam stepped forward. His eyes were watering, threatening to spill over. 

“I missed so much,” Sam whispered wetly, blinking as the first tear slid down, but he dropped to his knees to be even in height with his son.  They all stared at Sam in confusion until Sam opened his arms.  Jack’s eyes went wider and went watery as well as he realized that the parent he had always wanted, really wanted him too. 

Jack fell into his arms and both began to cry quietly against each other, Sam rubbing his cheek against Jack with vigor, turning his head to gently sob into his hair, their arms wrapped around each other.  There was a muffled sob, joined by another and within moments Cas and Gabe were standing side by side, arms around each other and crying gently at the tender moment.  Dean dropped to sit on the chair behind him, and rubbed a hand over his lower face in astonishment. 

So much had happened so fast.  Not that long ago he’d been in the midst of being rescued by Cas and Gabe, along with his only friend, Benny.  Three months ago they’d held the raid and found Sam, his omega brother that he’d long believed to be dead at the hands of their father.  There had been his near feral protectiveness and then the BMoL attack.  Now, he was watching his brother and Sammy’s own long lost son and it was a lot to take.  He was still iffy on the boy and worried that once he presented, he might react badly, but watching Sammy be so happy and his nephew, wow, his nephew, who looked like the boy he’d missed watching grow up, he realized it was going to be okay.

He had Sammy and Sammy had Jack.  And Cas and Gabe and Charlie and Jody and Robert and Benny and all the rest were the family he’d always wanted.  It was going to be okay.