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“You have to promise me something...” Michael whispered, his breath hot against Castiel’s neck in the darkness.
“Anything,” Castiel immediately responded. The word tasted salty on his lips.
“You have to promise me,” Michael had to stop, to draw a deep, rattling gulp of breath before he could finish. “Promise me...You’ll shoot me.”
The silent tears that had been pouring down Castiel’s cheeks, the tears that he’d been struggling to hide from the alpha, finally wrenched a hoarse sob from his throat.
“I can’t.”
“Have to,” Michael insisted weakly. “You just promised me anything.”
Castiel shook his head, even though he knew Michael couldn’t see him. It wasn’t fair of Michael to ask him this, wasn’t fair for his alpha to leave him like this.
But none of it was fair, was it?
It wasn’t fair that Michael was bleeding out on the floor of a dark closet in an abandoned house, wasn’t fair that Raphael had been damn near gutted by a horde of mindless monsters just last week. Wasn’t fair that, as far as Castiel knew, all of his friends and family were dead, as good as devoured by that same bloodthirsty mob.
But most of all, it wasn’t fair that he and Michael had come so close, so close, to reaching the sanctuary past the outskirts of the city, out in the middle of nowhere. Days of careful planning and traveling, mindful vigilance and never ending lookouts—all ruined by sheer happenstance.
They’d simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time...
“Castiel!” Michael hissed. “Promise me,” another deep, wet breath, “that you’ll shoot me...in the head.”
“There’s only one bullet,” Castiel tried. “How will I protect—”
“Bullshit,” Michael rasped. “There’s three. Enough to...” he trailed off, but Castiel knew what he meant. Enough to shoot him in the head and make it the few remaining miles to the sanctuary.
“Please, Casti...” the final syllable broke off in another angry breath.
Castiel ran his hand through Michael’s dark hair. “Okay,” he finally whispered. “I promise.”
The breaths were coming more slowly now, more painfully.
“Do you remember...” a long pause, almost as if he’d fallen asleep mid-conversation, as he had so many times before, but then he continued. “That day by the quad...”
Now Castiel’s sob was almost a laugh. “You were the clumsiest alpha I’d ever seen.”
“Only ar...only a...only...you,” Michael gasped. Only around you.
His unspoken request was clear.
Castiel spoke silently in the claustrophobic space of the closet, his gentle words competing with Michael’s final gulps of air. He told his alpha the story of them one final time, listened as he slipped away, breath by breath.
Then, when there were no more breaths, he brought the gun to Michael’s temple, drew a deep breath, squeezed his eyes shut. Then he pulled the trigger.
—
Dean’s head popped up at the sound of the gunshot.
“You hear that?” He asked Benny.
The giant beta looked up from the body he crouched over. After a moment he nodded, his eyes narrowed in concentration.
“Came from that house,” he drawled.
Dean’s mind raced. Had that been the couple that the men had been joking about before Dean and Benny got to them? The gang they’d just finished off—and yes, once upon a time Dean would have felt bad about killing actual humans, but these men had only been out for blood, adding to the mayhem by attacking innocent civilians trying to reach safety, which meant that they were just as bad as the real monsters out there—but they’d talked about an alpha and omega couple...
“Let’s go check it out,” he grunted. Benny nodded, imperturbable as ever as he wiped off his machete then fell into step behind Dean.
Dean tread up the walk toward the front door, careful to keep his senses alert in all directions. He paused at the closed door, drew a deep breath, then reached for the handle and pushed it open. He only released the breath when he found the living room empty.
Dean always knew that any closed door might be his last. He’d learned that early on when Ash...well, he hadn’t been so careful with a door they’d been opening. The damn monster inside had latched onto him before the poor guy could even let out a yell.
After working methodically to clear the first floor, Dean and Benny climbed the stairs quietly, pausing to listen every few steps.
As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, they could hear the muffled sobs. Dean followed the heart-wrenching sound down the hall to a closed bedroom door. Another breath held. He pushed the door open. Another breath released.
“Hello?” He called out as he stepped into the room. “Who’s in here?”
The sobs, which Dean could now tell were coming from the closet, faltered. Dean looked to Benny, who simply shrugged.
“I’m Dean, I’m from the sanctuary,” he tried again, staying clear of the closet door, just in case whoever was inside decided to shoot.
A sniffle, then, “My name is Castiel.”
“Anyone else in there with you?”
A long pause. “No, not anymore.”
“I’m gonna open the door,” Dean warned, then reached for the handle.
There, at the back of the deep closet, sat the omega, and curled up on the floor with his head in the omega’s lap, lay the alpha.
“He made me promise,” the omega—Castiel—whispered. Only then did Dean see the revolver in his hand. He glanced back down at the alpha, to the obvious hole in the temple, but his eyes skipped past it to the prominent bump of the omega’s tummy.
Pregnant. This omega was pregnant.
“Was he infected?” Benny asked from over Dean’s shoulder.
Castiel shook his head. “There were these men...” a sniffle escaped. “They attacked us.”
Dean nodded. “We took care of them downstairs.”
“Good,” the omega whispered. He looked back down at his alpha, down to where his blood-soaked fingers stroked through dark hair. “Michael was worried I might not make it, if they were still around.”
“Come on,” Dean stepped into the closet, held out a hand toward Castiel. “Let’s get you back to base.”
“I don’t know if I can,” the omega whispered. “I can’t just leave him...what about...” Sobs erupted from the omega’s throat as his body shook, trembled. “We were so close!”
Dean took another step forward and cautiously plucked the gun from the omega’s grasp. He’d learned the hard way that some people just couldn’t leave their loved ones behind, even if they were dead.
He handed the gun back to Benny, then slowly crouched down in front of Castiel.
“Michael would want you to be safe, right? He’d want you and the pup to go somewhere safe.”
Castiel nodded but didn’t speak, probably couldn’t speak past his tears.
“The sanctuary is set up in an old hospital, and we have some doctors and other people who can help you and your pup.” He tried to smile reassuringly. “We can keep you both safe.” A somewhat empty promise in the face of...everything, but it got the omega to finally look back at him in contemplation of his offer.
Castiel stared at him for a long moment, then finally nodded. Dean reached for the alpha’s body, gently pulling it from the omega’s grasp and laying it prone on the floor, then offered a hand.
“I don’t know if I can stand,” Castiel admitted, but still he reached for the alpha’s help.
He was a little wobbly on his feet for the first moment or two, but then Dean was wrapping a secure arm around his shoulders and guiding him toward the door, out of the abandoned house, down the empty street...away from Michael.
—
As soon as they reached the sanctuary, Castiel was pushed into a wheelchair and rolled away to the infirmary by a red-headed omega named Anna. She maintained a kind yet professional air as she checked his vitals and performed an ultrasound with some equipment they’d scavenged from what used to be the maternity ward.
Once she’d assured Castiel that both he and the baby were perfectly fine, something gave way in his body. He felt so worn down, exhausted by weeks of running and the day’s emotional toll. He managed to nod once, acknowledging that he’d understood, then he lay back in the bed and was asleep within seconds.
—
Two days later, Anna released Castiel from the infirmary under the watchful eye of a good-natured beta named Donna. She immediately whisked him off, promising to get Castiel “squeaky clean.”
Babbling away as she led Castiel down one hallway then another, she pointed out the different living areas and made sure to introduce Castiel to anyone they passed. He already knew that he wouldn’t remember any of their names, and they seemed to know it too.
He only tuned back in when he heard a name he recognized.
“Now Dean’s the boss ‘round here. Used to be special forces back in the day, so he’s got all sorts of survival skills. Sammy, that’s his younger brother, is his right-hand man. Benny too, I guess.”
Benny was the beta who’d been there earlier, Castiel’s disjointed mind supplied.
“Well, here’s the showers. Do you need help, or do you want me to wait outside?”
Castiel stared at her, uncertain. He knew that he didn’t need help; he was only four-and-a-half months along. But he dreaded the silence of an empty shower.
As if she could read his mind, Donna waved a hand. “I’ll just sit outside your stall if you need me.” She followed Castiel into the room, still chatting on, but left him to step into a curtained stall alone.
—
Ellen was the omega in charge of the kitchens, which was where Donna bustled Castiel off to after his shower. Ellen sat him down at one of the tables near her workstation and watched as he gobbled down three plates of rations.
“Usually you only get one serving per meal,” she explained over his eating. “But after what you’ve been through, plus pregnant! It’s a miracle you haven’t starved to death.”
“Just what I said,” Donna agreed from across the room where she was helping chop up food for dinner that evening.
“How far along are you?” The young alpha woman seated across from Donna asked. Her name was Jo, and she was Ellen’s daughter. Her mate, a beta named Ruby, was somewhere in the facility, but Castiel had yet to meet her.
Castiel tried to chew quickly so he could answer, but Ellen spoke up first. “I’d say just over 4 months?”
Nodding gratefully, Castiel shoveled another bite of food into his mouth.
Donna whistled lowly. “So we’ve got five months to go! This is exciting!”
Exciting might not have been the word Castiel would use, and from the look Ellen tried to hide, he could tell that she felt the same. He simply smiled blandly and kept eating.
“How’s it going in here?” Castiel heard from the door. He turned to find Dean standing there, but couldn’t find it in himself to provide much of an answer.
“Good, now that we’ve gotten some food in him,” Ellen answered for him. She rubbed the omega’s back as she grabbed his empty plate to wash.
“Good to hear!” Dean smiled encouragingly at Castiel. “Come on, Cas, I’ll show you where we’re setting you up.”
As Castiel—or Cas, as Dean had apparently dubbed him—followed the alpha through the halls, Dean explained the setup of the sanctuary.
“This place used to be a sanatorium, way back before it was a hospital,” Dean said. “Still got those old, high walls and everything. Before the outbreak, I used to drive past this place and think it was a survivalist’s wet dream.” He shrugged with a rueful smile. “When the shit hit the fan, I knew exactly where to go.”
Castiel nodded but still remained quiet.
“It’s all a bit much to take in, I know. Especially when...” Dean trailed off, a red blush staining his cheeks as he stopped himself from stating the obvious. “Anyways, we all keep sleeping quarters pretty close together. It’s just up here down this hallway.”
As they drew nearer to the living quarters, Castiel began to hear high, ringing voices, giggles, cries. When Dean made to turn the corner, Castiel just kept walking straight, headed down the hall to find the source of the ruckus.
He found a large common room where dozens of children and tiny little pups played, cried, laughed, all running or crawling around. It was the kind of mayhem that Castiel was well accustomed to.
There were about five bedraggled omegas running around in the midst of the children, but it was clear they were outnumbered. He wondered if any of them had ever worked with so many kids before.
He looked down to find a tiny little guy, maybe a year old, crawling toward him, drawn to that sweet, pregnant scent that put children at ease. With a smile, Castiel bent down and scooped up the pup. The small guy fit perfectly against his hip, a comforting weight he was used to.
“Looks like someone’s trying to make a run for it, huh?” He teased. The baby lunged forward and pressed a wet kiss to Castiel’s cheek. “Thank you!”
“You worked with kids before?” Dean asked from behind him.
Castiel glanced back over his shoulder, his small smile still in place. “Yeah, I’ve worked in daycare since I was big enough to hold a baby myself.”
He looked down at the baby, his mind whirling. He should go to whatever room they’d picked out for him and get some rest. But here, with a pup on his hip and the sound of the kids’ laughter in the air, it was almost like normal. It was like...like Michael would be at home waiting for him at the end of the day. It let him push everything away, just for now.
“Do you mind if I...?” He gestured into the room, and Dean nodded.
Castiel stepped into the mayhem, immediately drawing the attention of several children near the door. A young girl of about eight or nine jumped up to greet him.
“Is that a baby?” She poked his stomach.
“Indeed it is! His name is...” he turned to the child he held, “What’s your name again?”
Several children let out giggles as the girl cried, “No! In your tummy!”
Castiel smiled kindly. “Yes, that’s a baby too.”
“What’s its name?” Another small boy asked loudly.
“I don’t know. We haven’t decided on one yet.” His mind immediately skipped at the words. Hadn’t. They hadn’t decided on one.
Before he could dive down that spiral, Castiel pushed the sadness from his mind and kept a bright smile plastered on.
“Who wants to play a game?”
—
From the doorway, Dean watched in mild amazement as Castiel got all 32 of the children settled into a circle on the floor for something called “the silly game.” Rachel and Hanna, along with whatever volunteers they could wrangle in for the day, they were great. But watching Castiel now, it seemed obvious by comparison alone that the two women didn’t have the childcare experience this omega had.
Even the little children who hadn’t spoken so much as a word the entire time they’d been here were drawn into the game, given the opportunity to express wordless noises and actions. But the connection went both ways, obvious by the way Castiel had broken from his own wordless funk.
Dean had to admit that he’d been worried at the way Castiel had closed up, unwilling or unable to talk when they’d arrived back. Now, to see him taking lead and guiding the kids through a game...it was night and day.
Dean glanced back over his shoulder when he heard footsteps coming up the hall to find Sam striding toward him.
“Look at this,” he murmured, as if afraid to break the spell Castiel had set over the children.
“That the new omega?”
“Yep,” Dean nodded.
“Well, at least we won’t have to find him a job.”
They both sighed as they thought of Brady, a high-level management guru in his former life. Unfortunately for him, high-level management gurus were not in high demand during an apocalypse.
“Who knows, maybe trash duty will be the one that sticks,” Dean muttered.
With a smirk, he turned away to follow Sam back down the hall so they could discuss the renovations they were starting in the basement.
—
Castiel watched as the last of the children wandered away hand-in-hand with her mother, enthusiastically relating the games she’d played and the stories she’d heard.
Well, Jessie was the last of the children who had parents here in the compound. Castiel turned to the other six children who remained and smiled warmly. Whether their parents were dead or simply missing...
“I think it’s about time to get washed up for dinner,” he spoke brightly.
Having sent the other workers away for some much-needed rest, he was left to lead the children—or in one child’s case, carry—down the hall to the bathrooms.
There was a pair of siblings, Leah and Micah, a pair of cousins, Brian and Amy, and two individual children, Ginny and Kaiden. Luckily most of them were above the age of five, making them sufficient enough to wash their hands and faces. Micah was three, but Leah seemed adept at helping him. Kaiden was the small pup who’d first greeted Castiel, and he’d stuck to the omega’s side since.
“Make sure you get underneath your nails,” Castiel reminded as he bent down and washed Kaiden’s hands with his free hand.
“My mommy used to do that with Micah,” Leah suddenly announced, her voice sad.
“She did?” Castiel encouraged.
“Yeah. You’re really good at it too.”
“You’re doing a pretty good job yourself,” Castiel nodded to where she helped her younger brother. A small smile lit her face, and she returned to her work.
—
When they stepped into the dining hall, Castiel found that most people were already seated and eating. After scanning the room for a minute, he figured out the system and guided the children toward the food line.
“Well, that didn’t take long!” Ellen grinned at him from behind the glass as he lined the children up single file to pass through.
Castiel shifted Kaiden from one hip to the other and smiled ruefully. “It’s what I’m used to, and if I keep busy...”
“I understand,” she said, her voice kind.
“Hey, Cas!”
Castiel turned to find Dean coming up behind him with a smile.
“Dean!” Micah yelled and flung himself at the tall alpha’s legs.
“This little troublemaker causing any problems?” Dean asked, but his tone was teasing.
“No!” Micah cried indignantly. He spun around to Castiel. “Tell him I’ve been good!”
Castiel smiled gently. “You have all been wonderful.“ He grabbed a plate from the top of the counter and handed it to Micah. “Hold onto this tightly with both hands.”
He handed a plate to each of the children and sent them along to a nearby table.
“Here, let me help you with this,” Dean offered, as Castiel was left with two plates and an armful of baby.
“Thanks,” Cas smiled gratefully and turned away to join the children at their table with Dean following behind.
As they settled into eating their dinners, Castiel was keenly aware of the attention he drew from everyone, but especially the alphas.
He knew they couldn’t help it. Their instincts demanded they care for the pregnant omega, claim it. Castiel hid a shudder.
“Something wrong?” Dean asked, his brow furrowing.
Castiel shook his head. “I’ve just...I’ve never gotten so much attention from so many alphas. Michael was always there to...to...” he trailed off as he bit back the sudden tears.
His expression grave, Dean nodded. “If anyone gives you trouble, just let me know. We’re supposed to be a safe place, for everyone.”
“Thank you, Dean,” Castiel whispered as he tried to ignore the stares. But even trying his best, he couldn’t quite escape the dark gaze of the alpha sitting at a table in the back corner. Castiel shuddered, obviously uneasy, and the nameless alpha smirked triumphantly.
Best to stay far away from that one.
—
The next couple weeks, Cas fell into an easy schedule. Wake up, bathe, get the kids ready if it was his day, breakfast. Once he was in the playroom with Rachel and Hanna, his schedule was just as it had been before, complete with snack time and group naps. After, he’d help his six wash up then herd them all down to dinner where he’d eat with Dean and a few others, like Dean’s brother Sam and his mate Eileen, or sometimes Jo and Ruby.
Castiel grew so used to his routine that, when the day finally arrived that Dean wasn’t waiting at the usual table, Castiel actually felt disoriented.
Once he had his six settled and eating, Castiel walked over to where Sam at another table to ask about the alpha.
“Supplies trip!” The tall beta explained. “He’ll be back in a couple days.” He smiled kindly. “Did you need something?”
Cas shook his head profusely. “No, I’d just gotten used to seeing him, I suppose.”
Sam’s smile grew, as if that news pleased him somehow. “He’ll be back soon, don’t worry.”
Castiel offered his own timid smile then returned to his usual table to eat with the children.
After dinner, Castiel led the children back to their rooms for some downtime. Usually he was too busy answering inane questions and lending a guiding hand to notice his surroundings, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched...studied.
He looked over his shoulder once, twice, but saw no one there. With an uneasy hum, he hurried the children along.
—
Once Castiel had gotten the children safely tucked in for the night, he wandered down to the bathroom to brush his teeth before bed. He’d just barely turned the corner when he felt it again, that inescapable certainty that he was being watched.
After only a moment’s thought, he spun around to face whoever was there, only to find the hallway empty.
“You really are awful at this game, aren’t you?”
Castiel froze at the low voice right next to his ear. He didn’t recognize it, whoever it was. Instead, he shook his head.
“I didn’t know we were playing a game.”
“Little tease like you?” Suddenly there was a nose pressed to his neck. The omega jumped away with a yelp, finally spinning around to see the alpha who’d been staring at him in the dining hall.
“What do you want?”
“I just want to get to know you,” the alpha said, leering at Castiel knowingly. “Pretty little pregnant thing like you probably knows lots of tricks.”
Castiel shook his head. “I don’t know anything?”The alpha chuckled at the tremble in his voice, and Castiel knew with absolute certainty that there would be no mercy. This alpha...he enjoyed the scent of an omega when it was afraid.
“I don’t know who you are, or who you think I am, but I’m not that,” Castiel tried to keep his voice firm. “Your games aren’t interesting.”
“Oh Castiel,” the alpha rumbled, leaning over Castiel, trapping him. “I know exactly who you are. I know what you want, and I’m gonna give it to—“
Just then a door opened down the hall, and a young Asian man stepped out of his room.
Gordon sneered at the young man then shot one final heavy look toward Castiel. “We’ll finish this later, omega.” Then he spun and walked away.
The young man, Castiel’s savior, came to stand next to him. “Are you okay, you don’t look so good...”
“Who was that?” Castiel whispered.
“That’s Gordon. He’s kind of a dick.”
Now that the alpha, Gordon, had gone, Castiel couldn’t stop the trembling. He reached out to grab the young man’s arm and squeezed tightly.
“I need to see Sam.”
—
Dean strolled back into the compound, whistling merrily as he nodded at different people he passed. It had been a damn successful trip, and now they had rations to last them a long while.
He spotted Sam standing near the stairs and strode up to greet him, slapping him on the shoulder genially.
“Sammy!”
“Dean,” Sam’s expression was tense, guarded. “Everything go well?”
“Yeah,” Dean’s good mood faltered. “What happened here?”
“It’s Gordon...”
Dean let out a long sigh. Of course it was.
“What was it this time?”
Sam grimaced and shook his head. “Apparently he took a liking to the new omega.”
“Cas?” Dean blanched as Sam nodded. “Shit...”
“I guess he tried to make a move on him after dinner the other night...luckily Kevin came along, stopped him from doing anything.”
Dean was breathing deep and slow, trying to keep his temper under control. That bastard had no problem attacking a helpless omega? In Cas’s condition?
Sam gripped his shoulder, tried to keep him present in the conversation. “I shuffled some things around, moved him to the night crew downstairs. He’ll have different meal times, different sleep times.”
Dean growled lowly in his throat. When he looked back to Sam, he could see that his brother was taken aback.
“Dean, your eyes...”
So they’d gone red, then. Dean didn’t care, he had other priorities at the moment.
With a snarl, he spun on his heel and stormed away.
“Where are you going?” Sam called, tailing after him uncertainly.
“I’m gonna go have a little chat with Gordon.”
He found the alpha in the basement, just finishing up his night shift. There was no warning, no preamble. Dean simply grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against the nearest wall.
“You been harassing omegas?” He shook Gordon roughly. “In my compound! I brought that omega here, promised him safety, and you attacked him?”
Gordon bared his teeth in a savage grin. “He was asking for it.”
“He wasn’t asking for shit, not from you,” Dean seethed. He leaned in close, just enough for Gordon to hear him whisper. “I oughta throw you outside the walls right now.”
“Dean,” Sam warned from behind him. “He’s got the message.”
Dean slowly released Gordon’s collar, took one step back, then another.
“If you so much as step within twenty feet of him again,” Dean paused, let his words resonate. “I’ll push you out the front gate myself.”
—
Dean waited until his alpha had settled and his eyes had bled back to their usual green before he tracked Castiel down. The poor thing had already had one bad scare from an overbearing alpha; he didn’t need another so soon.
He stood just outside the doorway, peeking in to watch as Cas sat in the middle of a circle on the floor, laughing with the children as they sang a song about teeth.
When they finished singing, he turned to a young boy. “See, Tyler? It’s normal to lose teeth.”
The boy grinned, his tongue swiping to play with a loose tooth.
“Do you think the tooth fairy will be able to find us here?” Another child asked.
Castiel shrugged. “That sounds like a good question for your mom. I bet she knows all about the tooth fairy!”
Castiel turned to the children on the opposite side of the circle. “I think it’s your turn to start the snack line. Why don’t you go get lined up so Rachel can give you snacks?”
As the children started to walk toward the table at the far end of the room, Castiel slowly pushed himself to his feet and meandered toward the door. Dean smiled at the way Cas threw one final glance over his shoulder before slipping out into the hall to join the alpha.
“You’re back!”
“Yep, just got in a few minutes ago,” Dean hedged. “How are the kiddos?”
“They’re doing great! A few of them are still unsure of what’s happening, but that might be for the best...”
“Yeah,” Dean ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Look, Cas...”
Castiel sighed and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, Dean.”
Dean’s mouth turned down at the edges. “Of course I’m gonna worry about it! I promised you a safe space, and instead...”
“Sam took care of it,” Castiel assured him, his tone that same soothing level he used with the children at nap time. “And I haven’t seen him since.”
Dean shook his head. “It shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
With a gentle smile, Castiel laid a hand on Dean’s arm. “You can’t control what everyone does. I know it’s the alpha in you, but you just can’t.”
After studying him for a long moment, Dean nodded. “I suppose you’re right. Just...I can’t have anything happening to you.”
Castiel’s heart stuttered in his chest at the vulnerability in the alpha’s tone.
“To me?”
Dean’s eyes widened, and he cleared his throat. “I can’t afford for anyone to feel unsafe!”
“Of course,” Castiel murmured, desperately trying to ignore the blush staining his cheeks. “I just...I understand.”
“Good, good,” Dean muttered. “So, uh, see you at dinner?”
Cas nodded hastily and turned to head back into the playroom, listening as Dean’s footsteps faded in the opposite direction.
—
“So you’re headed out again?” Castiel asked, his hand smoothing back and forth over his tummy. He didn’t let himself think about the fact that it was a soothing gesture, didn’t want to think about what that meant, that he only really did it when Dean was going out on supply runs and scouting trips.
“Yeah,” Dean sighed. “Some punks were causing trouble for this latest group we got.”
Cas glanced past him to where Benny and a few other guys were gearing up with a variety of firearms and blades.
“I wish...” he trailed off with a sigh. It was no good to wish; Dean felt this was part of his duty as the leader. He’d always do his duty.
“Hey,” Dean ducked his head to catch Castiel’s eye. “We’ll be back in just a couple days. And if Gordon gives you any trouble, Sam will handle him.”
Yes, that must be it. Castiel was just worried about what Gordon might do when Dean had left again. That’s why he was so upset.
He offered Dean a timid smile. “Please be safe?”
Dean winked. “Don’t worry. I always am.”
—
Four days later, when Dean still hadn’t returned, Castiel let himself worry.
—
When the group of bedraggled men stumbled into the compound after another three days—a full week after they’d left—Castiel almost burst into tears. Dean was back, alive and safe. It was Benny whose leg had gotten hurt, holding up the group’s return, but even he seemed fine, aside from needing to be supported between two other men for his leg.
Castiel stepped forward to go greet Dean, welcome him back, but before he could get very far, Cassie was there, throwing herself onto Dean with a loud cry of, “I was so worried about you!”
Castiel turned and headed back toward the stairs. He had to get back to the playroom... The children would want to hear the good news about Dean’s return.
—
With a groan, Cas heaved himself from the floor where they’d been seated for story circle. At six months along, he was getting too big to sit down there with the children. His body ached and protested more and more these days.
“Let’s go wash up for snack time. Everybody find your buddy!”
He watched as smaller children grabbed onto older children, thrilled at the prospect of being “buddies” with a big kid. The older children, having already been given a talk about helping out and doing their part, loved that they were old enough to have such an important responsibility to help Cas.
The system also took some of the hectic responsibility off the busy workers, which they were all grateful for.
“Now march!”
As the children fake-marched down the hall with Hanna at the head and Rachel at the middle, Castiel brought up the rear. They were just turning into the main hall when Castiel heard the now familiar, “Hey, Cas!”
Even though Dean’s greeting was familiar now, Castiel still tensed for the briefest of seconds before he recognized the voice. Even though it had been weeks since Gordon had cornered him, he still flinched at every unexpected noise.
“Dean,” Cas smiled as he turned to face the approaching alpha. “How was the supplies run?”
“Awesome!” The alpha declared. His eyes seemed tight around the edges. “Better than we hoped. Listen,” here he faltered with a bit of uncertainty, but Castiel smiled encouragingly and nodded for him to continue. Dean cleared his throat. “I noticed, the last time I stopped by the playroom, that you’re having a little more trouble getting up and down from the floor. So, uh...” he ran a hand over the back of his neck, “well, we found this really nice rocking chair.“
Castiel’s face broke into a wide smile. “Really?”
Dean seemed surprise by his reaction but nodded. “Uh, yeah. Jo’s scrubbing it down right now, but I can bring it up to the play room later?”
“Thank you!” Castiel enthused, squeezing the alpha’s forearm excitedly. “I was just thinking today that I’d need to figure something else out besides the floor.”
“Awesome. So I’ll see you in a bit?”
“See you soon,” Castiel responded, watched as Dean walked back the way he’d come. He ignored the little flip his heart gave at the realization that Dean had thought about him, had brought him back a rocking chair, of all things.
—
Dean knew that Jo wouldn’t be finished with the rocking chair for a few minutes yet, so instead he detoured down to the basement. He found the work crew, made up entirely of engineers and construction workers, at the back of the room, planning the underground expansion the compound desperately needed.
“Gordon,” Dean called, his tone brooking no argument. The tall lanky alpha broke away from the others and stepped up to Dean.
“Dean,” he responded easily, but his eyes were wary.
“Have you been going up by the playroom?”
Gordon snorted. “Don’t worry, I haven’t gone near your precious omega. You can ask these guys,” he gestured back toward the other men on the crew who were all pretending not to listen.
Dean glanced at Victor, the crew chief, who gave a brief nod of affirmation.
“Good,” Dean murmured. “Don’t forget my warning.”
I’ll push you out the front gate myself.
“I never do,” Gordon replied lowly.
—
When Dean set the rocking chair down in the corner of the playroom, Castiel actually giggled.
“Thank you so much, Dean!”
Dean smiled at his enthusiasm and gestured toward it, “Why don’t you give it a spin?”
With a nod, Castiel slowly levered himself down into the chair. As soon as his weight had settled and his feet were relieved of their burden, Cas let out a long, happy sigh.
“It’s perfect!” He declared even as his eyes slipped shut. “Just what I needed.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Dean murmured.
Cas’s eyes fluttered open, his stomach flip-flopping again at the fond smile Dean wore.
Oh, Castiel was really in trouble now.
—
Long after Dean had moved on to deal with business in other parts of the compound, Castiel sat in his rocking chair, thinking things over. He smiled at the thought of those kind, green eyes and that ready smile. Those broad shoulders and that tight—
With an internal groan, Castiel wrenched his thoughts away from the alpha’s physique. Not the time or place...
Dean had enough on his plate with running the sanctuary, keeping everyone safe and fed. He didn’t need some sappy omega who’d caught feelings pining after him, especially an omega who was pregnant with another alpha’s pup.
When Cas had first arrived, with Michael’s death a fresh wound in his heart that reopened every night, he never would have thought of even looking at another alpha, much less wanting one. But now, as weeks and months had passed, Castiel knew he couldn’t keep ignoring those little things about Dean—how he was kind to everyone, always helpful, always ready with a smile, even in the midst of stress.
Cas had recently begun to realize that he looked forward to those warm smiles and bright eyes a little too much. When Dean went out on patrols with others, it was Dean that Cas worried about the most. And he always felt a little too giddy when Dean stopped by the playroom to check in.
And wasn’t that a terrifying realization, that not only was Castiel moving on after Michael, but that his heart had actually found someone new...
He considered, for the briefest of seconds, ignoring Dean, giving himself room to figure out the emotions, adapt and hide them. But almost as soon as the thought crossed Castiel’s mind, he dismissed it. With their tight quarters here, ignoring Dean just wasn’t feasible.
So if Cas couldn’t ignore Dean, he’d just ignore his feelings for the alpha. Easy peasy, right?
Plus, if Dean were inclined to take a mate right now, he’d probably choose from the multiplicity of unmated omegas they had here, several of which regularly sought Dean’s attentions, like Anna or Cassie.
No, Castiel would do well to remember his situation and just keep those pesky feelings far away beneath the surface.
—
Dean poked his head into the playroom, a fond smile stretching across his face when he saw Cas passed out in the rocking chair. He stepped up beside the sleeping omega.
“Cas.”
Cas groaned in complaint and turned his head away. Dean, although tempted to touch that dark hair, reached down to shake his shoulder.
“Wake up, Cas.”
“No,” the omega grumbled. “I’m napping.”
“You’re missing dinner is what you’re doing,” Dean responded easily.
Cas’s eyes flew open as he looked up at Dean. “What time is it?”
“Past seven, now.”
With another groan, Castiel dropped his face into his hands and rubbed at his eyes. “I’m so sorry!”
“Don’t be,” Dean chided. “I brought you a plate.” He brought the food around for Cas to see, and the omega let out a happy sigh.
“Thank goodness!”
He grabbed the plate from Dean and began to shove food into his mouth.
“You happy I woke you up now?”
Castiel hummed and nodded, then paused to glare up at the alpha. “But this is the only good reason to wake me!”
Dean chuckled as he settled on the floor across from Cas’s chair. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
When Cas had finished up his plate, he set the dish aside and leaned back contentedly. “Ellen is such a good cook.”
“Yep, always has been,” Dean confirmed as he leaned back on his hands.
Castiel’s head tilted to the side, his expression curious. “You’ve known her since...since before?”
Dean nodded. “She practically raised me and Sammy.”
Castiel seemed indecisive, like he wanted to ask more but was afraid of overstepping. Dean knew what he was going to ask anyways.
“My mom died when Sammy was just a baby,” he explained. “House fire.”
Castiel nodded sadly.
“And Dad...he couldn’t handle it. Drowned himself in the bottom of a bottle by the time I was ten.” He shrugged. “Ellen took us in.”
“I’m so sorry,” Cas murmured.
Dean jerked his head toward Cas. “What about your parents?”
Castiel blushed, looked away. “They, uh...they disowned me ages ago.”
Dean tried to keep his expression neutral, but his mind was whirling. What could sweet, kind Castiel have done to deserve such drastic action?
“Did you...” Dean hedged, “murder someone?”
Castiel let out a weak chuckle. “No, no...” he wouldn’t quite meet Dean’s eyes. “They just...they didn’t approve of my relationship with Michael. We weren’t, uh...” he toyed with the hem of his maternity blouse. “We weren’t true mates.”
Dean frowned. “What was it to them? That true mates stuff ends up being complete bullshit most of the time.”
Castiel’s eyes shot up to meet Dean’s, his expression soft and grateful. “That’s what he used to always say, too.”
Dean smiled warmly. “Sounds like a pretty smart guy.”
Cas nodded, his throat thick.
—
Later that week, Castiel walked into dinner refreshed from an afternoon nap, only to pause in confusion. There, in his usual spot at the kids’ table across from Dean, sat Anna. Cassie sat at a nearby table with Sam and his mate Eileen, glowering across the aisle at them and the domestic little picture they presented.
Castiel walked up to the table and petted Kaiden’s hair to greet him. The pup immediately hid his face against Castiel’s belly.
“Cas!” Amy yelled. “I told her this was your seat, but—”
“Stop being so bossy!” Brian grumbled from beside her.
“Amy, there’s always room for a couple more people at our table,” Cas reminded her. “It’s not very kind to say things like that. I’ll just sit next to Leah tonight.”
“But...but...” Amy let out a long, defeated breath. “Okay.”
“Don’t forget,” Castiel reminded as he ruffled her hair teasingly. “I was the one who was late for dinner.”
“Is everything okay?” Dean spoke up.
Castiel smiled at him. “Of course! It’s just the baby.”
“Babies make mommas tired,” Leah quoted.
“They sure do,” Cas nodded at her.
“Well here,” Dean jumped up. “Have a seat, I’ll grab your food.”
As Castiel settled in beside Leah, he smiled across at Anna. “How were things in the infirmary today?”
She returned his smile, but it seemed tight. “Pretty good. Only a few hurt fingers and tummy aches.”
“No news is good news, right?” Cas teased before turning to Micah on Leah’s other side. “Can I cut up your hot dog for you?”
The child gratefully pushed his plate toward Castiel and watched as the omega broke the food down into manageable bites.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize,” Anna mumbled, heat flooding her cheeks. Castiel smiled at her encouragingly.
“Honestly it’s just practice. Lots and lots of practice.”
“You’re going to be a great parent,” she blurted out, then seemed embarrassed by her own assumption.
“I certainly hope so,” Cas muttered as he handed the plate back to Micah.
Dean returned to the table with Cas’s plate and set it down gently in front of him. “There you go.” He leaned down to speak softly in Cas’s ear. “I asked Ellen to sneak you an extra portion.”
Cas kept his eyes on his plate, concentrated on maintaining his usual expression despite the million butterflies that rose up in his stomach at Dean’s nearness.
“Thank you,” he murmured back before tucking into his food.
When he finally dared to glance back up, he found Anna studying him, her eyes narrowed. Oh no, had she seen? She had to know, right? Cas tried for a weak smile before he returned his eyes to his plate, desperate to escape the other omega’s scrutiny.
He spent the rest of the meal with his eyes on his food, only distantly listening to Dean chatter about how well the plans for the basement were coming along.
—
Now that Anna was joining them for dinner, Cas knew that Cassie would find some way to fight back, to push her way in with Dean again. It was only a few nights later, as Castiel guided his six toward the bathroom so they could wash up before bedtime, that Castiel learned her plan.
As usual, the children’s chatter was peppered with random comments and questions that ranged from “I like macaroni the bestest,” to “What if your baby has too many toes?”
Tonight’s question, which came from Ginny (who usually remained quiet), was “Why is she going into Dean’s room?”
Castiel glanced up just in time to see Cassie slipping through Dean’s door. He felt his stomach drop, his heart shrivel in his chest. Almost distantly he heard the door click shut and the lock slide into place. It was one of the more painful sounds he’d ever heard, and that was considering that he still regularly had nightmares about Michael’s final, labored breaths.
Now it seemed almost silly, the decision he’d made a few days before to keep his feelings hidden. Even if he were to try offer them up to Dean, the alpha wouldn’t take them. Oh, he’d be kind about it, sure, but it was obvious that his interest lay elsewhere.
Hurrying the children forward, Castiel smiled down at Ginny, although he could feel how false it was across his lips. She’d used her sparse words to ask a question, and he needed to answer or risk her pulling even further inside herself again. “I think she needs to ask him a question.”
The girl seemed to accept his answer, nodded, and followed the others as they filed past Dean’s closed bedroom door toward the bathroom.
Once Cas ensured that they’d all brushed their teeth and washed their faces, he allowed them to say goodnight to the children who were there with their own families before herding them back out into the hallway.
As they neared Dean’s room, Cas kept his eyes downward, focused on the children. He didn’t want to see that closed door, didn’t want to think about what was happening inside.
What he hadn’t expected was for Micah to shout “Dean!” and run ahead. Castiel’s head shot up to find Dean’s door wide open and Dean himself lounging in the doorway in his pajamas. Had Cassie needed to use the restroom or forgotten something in her room?
“Hey, man! You all ready for bedtime?” Dean asked as he scooped Micah up in a bear hug.
The young boy giggled and began squishing Dean’s cheeks between his pudgy hands. The others rushed forward to crowd around Dean, leaving Castiel to hang back uncertainly.
Cas’s heart swelled at the sight of Dean, wonderful and handsome and unattainable as ever, being so kind and genuine with the children.
“Did Cassie get to ask you her question?” Ginny spoke up.
Dean’s brow furrowed. “What?”
“We saw her going into your room earlier,” Micah hastened to share the important news. “And Cas said she probably had to ask you a question.”
—
Dean looked up at Cas, but the omega wouldn’t meet his eyes. Oh no...no, no, no. Of course Cas would’ve seen that.
Dean cleared his throat, licked his lips, then spoke slowly, measuring his words for the children’s sake.
“She came looking for something, but I couldn’t—I didn’t have it. Not for her.”
Castiel’s eyes finally lifted to meet Dean’s, and the alpha let out a sigh of relief at the understanding he found there.
“Here, let’s get you all to bed,” he declared, still holding Micah firmly. The sooner they got the kids into bed, the sooner he could talk to Cas, set things straight.
He led the group down the hall, listened to the children’s inane chatter and occasionally supplied a response, but his senses remained alert on the silent omega beside him.
When they reached the children’s room, Dean watched as Castiel led the children through their nightly routine—climb under the covers, a goodnight kiss on each forehead, a shared memory from the day, and then Castiel was shutting off the light and stepping out into the hallway with Dean, finally alone.
Dean smiled warmly and inclined his head toward the bedroom door. “It’s amazing, how well you handle them.”
Castiel blushed and glanced down at the floor. “It’s nothing, when you’re used to it.”
Dean shuffled closer. “It’s not nothing, not to me. Not to their parents and families, wherever they ended up. What you’ve done, the way you’ve stepped in...” Dean sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not nothing, Cas.”
“Thank you,” Cas murmured.
“And uh...about Cassie.” Dean could see Cas tense, but he had to get this out there. “She came into my room, yes,” he shook his head. “Caught me by surprise. But I told her very clearly that I’m not interested in her. There’s someone else—another omega—I’ve fallen for.”
“I understand,” Cas assured him, still not meeting his gaze. “I think that you and Anna will make a lovely couple.”
Dean’s brow furrowed as a confused frown tugged his mouth downward. “Anna? Who said anything ab—?”
“Dean!”
Castiel looked past the alpha to where Sam sprinted toward them. Slamming to a halt, the beta bent over with his hands on his knees, catching his breath.
“Down in the basement; you gotta come see!”
The door to the children’s room clicked open and Brian poked his head out. “What’s happening?”
“I’m not sure, Sweetie,” Castiel murmured, allowing the boy to plaster himself to his side. “Dean will find out for us.”
Dean looked up from where he’d been whispering with Sam.
“It’s nothing too bad,” he assured them as he stepped forward to ruffle the young boy’s hair. “But Cas, we need to ta—”
“Let’s go, Dean!” Sam called from the end of the hall.
“I’ll be right back,” Dean promised. “Maybe just...stay with the kids for a few?”
Nodding somberly, Castiel ushered Brian back into the bedroom and locked the door behind them. The other children, all roused by the noise outside, were sitting up in their beds.
Castiel settled himself on Brian’s empty lower bunk, then patted the mattress beside him. Immediately the children clambered from their beds and dog piled around him.
Castiel laid a hand on Ginny’s arm. “Will you please get Kaiden out for me?”
Ginny nodded mutely and moved to retrieve the whimpering pup from his crib. As soon as she had him within reach of Castiel, the baby made a desperate lunge for the omega.
“Is it the monsters?” Leah whispered into the silence that fell over them.
“I don’t know,” Castiel admitted, but he repeated his earlier promise: “Dean will take care of it.”
—
Down in the basement, Dean stood at the back wall—or rather, where the back wall used to be—as Victor explained what had happened just after dinner.
“We knew there were some inconsistencies in the prints, but we never imagined that this was what’s back there,” the crew chief explained.
The bricks they’d ripped away from the wall exposed a giant iron door with an elaborate locking mechanism. Despite the lock, the door hung open on its hinges, revealing a gaping black void beyond.
“A chute,” Sam supplied.
“A chute?” Dean asked, his voice wary.
“Back in the old days, a lot of these sanatorium places had these chutes where they could dispose of bodies without alarming the patients. They’d use the chutes to transport bodies out to a mass grave.”
“As in, there’s another side that lets out onto a mass grave? A bunch of dead bodies ripe for infecting?”
Victor grimaced. “I know, I wouldn’t have tried ripping it open without you here, but Gordon...”
“Gordon’s a loose cannon,” Dean sighed, rubbing a hand over his mouth. “I guess we just got lucky.” He glanced around. “Where is he now?”
One of the workers lifted his hand and pointed toward the chute. “He and a few of the other guys went in to check it out.”
“Of course,” Dean muttered.
“What should we do?” Sam’s tone anxious. “Lock it back up until we can spare workers and time to explore?”
Dean shook his head, “We’ve got guys in there, we can’t just leave them.” He reached for the giant flashlight on a nearby workbench. “I’ll go get them.”
Sam grabbed the other flashlight and clicked it on. “I’m coming with.”
“No, Sam,” Dean shook his head. “No way. You’ve got your mate, your family. No.”
“And you don’t?” Sam countered. Dean didn’t argue, couldn’t argue, because whatever he had with Cas, it was more than passing, and even Sam knew it. “You’re my family too, Dean.”
With a sigh, Dean gave in. “Okay, but the first sign of trouble, we get the hell out of there.”
Dean turned to Victor and the few remaining men. “Wait here, on your guard. If we’re not back in fifteen, shut it.”
Victor nodded grimly, but Dean knew that he’d obey. As a former law enforcement officer, the man knew all too well the cost of lives.
“Let’s go,” Dean jerked his head toward the dark tunnel and Sam followed him in.
—
Unseen by the workers who all faced the door, Gordon slipped from his hiding place behind the boiler and crept toward the basement stairs.
—
Dean and Sam tread carefully through the dark, yelling for Gordon and the others. They’d been walking for five minutes when Sam just stopped.
“Dean...”
“Guys?” Dean called down the tunnel. “Stop goofing around, time to head back.”
“Something doesn’t feel right about this.”
“No shit.” Dean swung his flashlight beam back and forth, up and down. Suddenly, he froze and swung his flashlight beam back down to the ground. There were the three missing workers, all shot in the head and left to bleed out.
“Sam,” he choked, and just as Sam spun around to look at him, at what he’d found, the dark silence of the oppressive chute exploded in a cacophony of light and heat and sound, flinging both men backwards.
Dean heard Sam grunt from somewhere on his right, and then he heard nothing more.
—
“What was that?” Micah whispered as he and the others burrowed tighter against Castiel’s side in the aftermath of the loud noise that had erupted from below.
“I don’t...” Castiel couldn’t finish his thought. That had come from the basement, from where Dean had...no, no it couldn’t be.
Castiel’s eyes slammed shut. “Please don’t let him be hurt, please don’t let him be hurt,” he chanted under his breath.
Long minutes ticked by, each excruciating in its uncertainty. Then sudden relief coursed through Cas as he heard the deadbolt turning in the lock; only he and Dean had keys to this room. He jumped up from the bed to greet Dean, but the smile froze on his face. He stumbled back a step at the looming figure that filled the doorway.
“Gordon...”
“Hello, Castiel.”
Recognizing the dark, angry figure that had scared Castiel so much before, the children on the bed started crying.
“Gordon, what’s going on?”
“What’s going on is that I’m finally getting what’s mine,” Gordon seethed. “That asshole thought he could keep me away with a couple empty threats?” He laughed darkly. “No, see, I’m the one who follows through. And look, I’m standing here while he’s down there, dead.”
“No,” Castiel gasped. “No, he can’t be.”
“Believe it, Sweetheart.”
Castiel’s mind reeled, but one point became evidently clear. Even if what Gordon said was true, Castiel needed to get him out of the room, away from the children.
“Look, let’s just go outside, I’ll go with you wherever you want.”
Gordon chuckled, shaking his head as he stepped further into the room and kicked the door shut behind him. “No, I think we’ll stay right here.”
—
Dean lifted his head, groaning at the throbbing that rose up behind his eyes.
“Sammy?”
The answering groan filled him with relief followed closely by adrenaline. “We gotta go, man.” He pushed himself up by his elbows, fought to gain his knees.
“We gotta get out of here, Sammy,” he crawled towards the answering groan, feeling along for the giant body. When he hands brushed over something warm and wet, he gripped it tight and shook. “Sam!”
Suddenly, with a burst of light, voices flooded the chute.
“Sam! Dean!”
“Benny?”
“Come on, brother.” The giant man hauled Dean to his feet even as two other men helped pull Sam up.
“You shouldn’t have...” Dean tried to protest.
“I know, I know. Victor wanted to close up the chute, like ya ordered. You can be mad at me later.”
“But...”
“Dean, you’ve practically got a mate with pup who needs you. I couldn’t have that on my conscience!”
And with those words, Dean went ice cold, because the fear that had been nagging at the back of his mind was fully realized.
If Gordon hadn’t been down in the tunnel, there was only one place he could be...
—
“Let’s go, Gordon,” Castiel tried again, no longer able to hide the tears that thickened his voice. “Just you and me. I’ll go with you anywhere.”
“No, we’re gonna stay here with the little ones; makes your scent so much sweeter...” Gordon pulled in a deep breath, dragged his nose up Castiel’s throat. “God, your smell so intoxicating...drives me wild.”
The door suddenly burst open behind them.
“Well then, you’re gonna love this!”
A baseball bat swung down on Gordon’s head. With a growl, he spun around, only to be met with another vicious swing of the bat to the side of his skull. One final upward swing met his jaw, and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Donna poked her head into the room, a grin lighting her face. “How we doing in here?”
“Donna!” Castiel flung himself into her arms. “It’s Dean! He hurt Dean.”
—
When Dean came to, he immediately recognized the astringent smell of medicine the soft scent of omega. His eyes fluttered open, darting back and forth as he tried to recognize his surroundings. Infirmary?
Suddenly a head of fiery red hair popped into his line of vision.
“You’re up!” Anna chirped. “Welcome back.”
Dean groaned and allowed his eyes to fall shut again. “Sammy?”
“He’s doing just fine in the next room,” Anna assured him as she began checking his vitals.
That primary fear assuaged, Dean grabbed her arm. “Cas...”
Suddenly another face entered his field of vision.
“I’m right here.” It was Cassie. “I haven’t left your side once!”
Dean shook his head. “Castiel.”
—
Castiel had just finished setting out the kids’ snack, ready for their return from the bathroom, when Donna slipped into the room.
“Dean’s up!”
Castiel froze, his eyes wide and fearful. “Is he...is he okay?”
Donna nodded vigorously. “He’s asking for you, let’s go!”
Castiel followed Donna up to the infirmary ward, his breath tight in his throat. What if...what if Dean made him leave? Castiel had essentially been the reason for Gordon going insane and trying to blow the place up. No, Dean wouldn’t be so cruel, not with the due date only weeks away...
Castiel stepped into Dean’s room with his head high and his gaze steady. Dean, who’d been sitting upright on his bed, looked over, and his face immediately broke into a wide, relieved smile.
“Cas.”
Then Castiel found himself at Dean’s bedside, wrapped tightly in the alpha’s arms, all dignity gone as he wept into his chest.
“Thank god you’re okay,” Dean breathed into his hair.
“Me? I thought you were dead! Gordon told me he’d killed you,” Cas sobbed against him.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you,” Dean murmured.
Castiel pulled back enough to shake his head. “Its okay. I had Donna looking out for me.”
“Donna?” Dean quirked an eyebrow.
Cas managed a watery smile. “She’s got a mean swing.”
Dean smiled fondly as he passed his fingers through the omega’s hair. “Cas...”
And suddenly it was all so clear. Dean had said that he was interested in another omega...
“It’s me, isn’t it?” Castiel suddenly asked. “I’m the one you fell for.”
Dean nodded somberly, seemingly unsurprised by the abrupt change of subject. He brought a trembling hand up to cup Castiel’s wet cheek.
“I know that we’ve only known each other for a few months, and you’re still grieving for Michael...and that’s good, you need time.” He swiped at the tears that coated Cas’s cheek. “But I’m ready to wait. For you, I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
Castiel licked his lips, tried to find the words past his soaring heart and the lump in his throat.
Dean wanted him. He was the omega Dean chose. Despite everything...
Cas could only whisper his response, “I don’t think you’ll have to wait very long.”
The corner of Dean’s mouth lifted in a smile, then a full-fledged grin. “Really?”
Cas nodded mutely, and then Dean was gathering the omega close, close, closer, hugging him tightly. “God, it’s been torture for months...” he pressed the words into Castiel’s neck.
“Months?” Cas murmured.
“Pretty much since you got here, the way you just scooped Kaiden up and immediately accepted all those little things into your heart, despite what you’d just been through.” Castiel could feel alpha smile against his skin. “How could I not love you?”
“I’ve only known for a few weeks now,” Castiel admitted.
“The rocking chair?”
Castiel nodded, “The rocking chair.”
Dean huffed an incredulous laugh. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“Why didn’t you?” Castiel countered, only half teasing.
“I thought you were still getting over Michael.”
“I thought you wouldn’t want...” Castiel trailed off, but the way his hand dropped to his bump finished the unspoken thought.
“I do, Castiel. I really do,” Dean promised.
“Oh my god!” Sam’s voice echoed from the room next door. “We get it, you want each other. Now kiss!” Eileen’s high pitched giggle followed the command.
Cas turned to find Ellen and Donna peeking around the door frame.
With a rueful chuckle, Dean pulled Castiel back to face him. “You heard ‘em.”
There was a pause, a moment of anticipation, and then Dean’s mouth was brushing against Cas’s, soft and sweet and exploring, months of hoping and waiting caught up between their lips, until suddenly it wasn’t so sweet anymore.
When Jo let out a loud whoop from beyond the door, Dean pulled back with a shuddering breath.
“Please tell me,” he whispered for Cas’s ears only. “You’ll be spending the night in my room as soon as they release me. We don’t have to do anything, I just...”
Castiel nodded at him with a shy smile. “Every night, for as long as I can.”
“Thank god!” Dean groaned as he yanked the omega back in.
—
Only four weeks later, Dean and Castiel were back in the infirmary, but for a much different reason.
“Dean,” Castiel whined, his face twisted in pain as another contraction hit.
“I’m here, I’m here,” the alpha murmured into Cas’s temple. “I’ll always be here.”
—
Dean laid in the narrow bed beside Cas, both of them staring down at the bundle in the omega’s arms.
“I think I want to name him...Michael,” Cas whispered, but his tone was tentative.
“I think that is an excellent idea,” Dean replied.
He hadn’t realized how much tension Cas’s shoulders held until it was all released. Obviously the request had weighed heavy on Cas’s mind.
Dean tucked a finger under Cas’s chin and bent to press a kiss to his upturned mouth. “I fully intend to love and raise this pup like he’s my own, but he will grow up knowing about his father. I think bearing his name is a good place to start.”
“Thank you,” Cas breathed as he reached up for another kiss. “For everything, Alpha.”
—
It was well known around the compound that Dean’s omega had the alpha wrapped around his pinky finger, and soon their young tot mastered the same trick.
Castiel still dreamed of Michael, of course; he always would. But now when he woke from the nightmares, he found his alpha there to soothe him back into peaceful sleep.
Dean, left with a permanent limp from the explosion, could no longer go out on missions and patrols, but he found he didn’t mind passing the responsibility off to the younger men. He was perfectly content to remain within the safety of the walls, his omega and their pup at his side.