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Dean patted the sheets next to him searching for his omega’s hand. He rolled over, lengthening his reach before he realized that his fingertips were sliding over the far edge of the bed. His eyes didn’t even hesitate against the light; they flew open immediately to view the empty space beside him. There was no warm body next to him.
As he took in more of his surroundings, he could smell the scent of fresh coffee coming from down the hall. The alpha sighed heavily and rolled back over onto his side of the bed. Sam had just gotten up before him, that was all. The morning sickness was starting to ease some and Sam was actually able to eat breakfast in the mornings again. He must have been in the kitchen working on something for them to eat.
After a few more minutes, Dean finally got himself motivated enough to leave their bed, grumbling at the cold as he pulled on his boxers and trudged out to the kitchen. The coffee scent greeted him stronger, but the scent of his omega didn’t. The pot was full and there were some scribbles on the notepad fixed to the wall next to it.
“Dean, went on a quick hunt this morning. Easy salt and burn for the ghost of a little girl, didn’t want to bother you with it. I couldn’t sleep, anyway. By the time you get up, I’ll probably be back. --Sam”
No, he wouldn’t do that. That wasn’t like Sam. He wouldn’t go on a hunt by himself, not if Dean wasn’t there to protect him and not while he was pregnant. He could get hurt; the baby could get hurt. Something was wrong.
Dean went back out into the hallway of the bunker, checking room after room in their labyrinthine hideaway, hollering Sam’s name. He checked the storage rooms, the library, hell, even the dungeon. He wasn’t any of those places and Dean’s panic grew each time a room turned up empty. Dean’s heart was trying to squeeze its way out from behind his ribcage and he wanted to vomit. Sam wasn’t here.
“Oh god, fuck.” His hands grabbed and pulled at his hair as a he tried to keep from screaming. Someone had to have gotten into the bunker and taken Sam. It was the only way this thing made sense. Sam wouldn’t just leave without telling him.
He ran back into the library, searching between shelves, checking for any sign of his brother and coming up empty again. “Cas!” he yelled, but got no response. “Cas, I need your help, please!” Dean heard the way his voice cracked, the way all that fear and hurt seeped in, but he couldn’t think about anything else than getting that angel down here to help him find his brother. Dean called and called until his voice started giving out, but he didn’t come. He slumped down into a chair and slammed his fist on the table. How could this be happening? How was he going to find Sam if he didn’t have the angel’s help? How did he let th—
“Dean?”
He stood up so fast that the chair shot backward. Sam was descending the staircase, coming into the room, his small duffle slung over his shoulder. Dean never heard the lock click or the door open and close, and then suddenly Sam was in front of him. He wasn’t sure, but it was likely that his legs would have collapsed if Sam hadn’t immediately dropped his bag at the base of the stairs and come over to grab at Dean’s arms.
“Dean, what’s wrong? Did something happen? Are you ok?” Those strong hands, too big for an omega, were all over him. Shoulders, arms, sides, along his face. Trying to ascertain why the expression Dean was wearing was so pained. “Dean, talk to me.”
For an alpha’s voice to be small was something almost as uncommon as a friendly spirit in their line of work, but it was the only way to describe the way the words fell from his mouth. “You were gone.”
“I left you a note.”
“Thought someone had taken you.” Dean’s hand worked its way under Sam’s red plaid outer shirt, palm pressing to the side of the slight bulge in his stomach. “Taken both of you.”
Sam could feel the slight tremor in Dean’s hand against him and it wasn’t due to anger. Alphas, mated or unmated, were prone to anger. That voice and the possessive growling. But a mated alpha with a pregnant omega? Their initial reaction was fear. He should have known what would happen if Dean woke up before he was back. “I’m sorry, Alpha. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You could have gotten… gotten hurt.”
“Simple salt and burn. Went off without a hitch.” Dean’s shaking got worse the longer he tried to stay still. “I promise I won’t go out without you next time.”
Dean nodded and managed to take his first full breath since he found that note. “Sam, I—”
“I know, it’s ok. Come here.” He moved over to the chair that Dean had previously been occupying before he came in and sat down. “I know what you need.” Sam leaned back, his head resting on the back of the chair, and moved the hem of his t-shirt up over the swell of his belly.
The older Winchester was on his knees in seconds, both hands pressed gently to the sides of his brother’s stomach. He let his fingers spread over the skin that was beginning to grow more taut with the passing weeks. It was as soft as Sam had always been, even when they were much younger. Nuzzling his nose along the underside of the soft swell as he continued to pet Sam’s stomach, Dean allowed the scent of omega, mate, his to wash over him.
That smell was helping to calm him, allowing him to start thinking clearly through the haze of fear that had settled in him. They were both safe and home where he could take care of them. He placed a soft kiss to his brother’s stomach and Sam chuckled.
“Why don’t we all go lay down for a bit, hmm?” Sam carded a hand into Dean’s hair, playing with the short strands. “Will that help you?”
Dean nodded against his skin before pulling Sam to his feet and toward their bedroom. He laughed lightly. “I could think of a few other things that would help, too.”