Updates on Family is Where the Heart should be out soon, I hope. With work, life, and being tired, its been hard to keep up with writing. I came up with this AU short story one day. Hope you enjoy it.

Based off the song, Oklahoma, by Billy Gilman

A Boy's Dream Come True

Dean packed every belonging he owned into his green duffel bag. Since as long as he could remember he's been bounced from foster home to foster home, and met a ton of kids ranging from several ages, and got to know a lot of foster parents, even more he never got the chance. For the last seven months or so, Dean had been living in this one particular home and thought for sure this was the one. The one he dreamed he would call home.

One day, Dean and his foster sister, Jo came home from school to hear his case worker Cass Novak had called to inform them he had great news for Dean. Only, that would entail Dean having to move once again.

Dean did not care if the news was great or not. He wanted to stay with Robert and Ellen Singer. But there were just circumstances Dean couldn't change.

Ellen walked inside the room, knocking first, as Dean was sitting there on his bed. She went over and kneeled in front of him. "It's gonna be fine, Dean," Ellen assured the fourteen-year-old boy.

"Why does he have to move me again, Miss Ellen?" Dean asked, close to tears. "This is the first family I ever felt I could belong."

"I know, sweetie, but there's nothing we can do." Ellen stood up and sat beside the boy, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Maybe this new placement won't be so bad. I really think you'll like this place. But…." She paused before continuing, "…We'll always be here, waiting for you. That won't ever change. I promise everything will work out for the best."

Tears filled Dean's eyes and wrapped his arms around her, tightly.

The doorbell rang at that moment from downstairs, interrupting the hug. Dean shared a look with Ellen.

Robert answered the door.

Cass Novak was standing there on the door step. He smiled, "Good afternoon, Mister Singer. Is Dean ready?"

"I'll check." Robert let Cass in and turned to head upstairs when he saw Dean coming down, along with Ellen. Jo was sitting on the bottom step, crying into her folded arms she had on top of her knees.

"You ready, Dean?" Dean glanced over at his case worker he known since he was very young when he entered foster care at the age of four. He barely muttered an "almost," before turning around to sit beside Jo, wrapping the eleven-year-old girl into his arms, and held her to him, touching his forehead to the side of her head.

Jo lifted her head and squeezed Dean in return, never wanting to let go.

After a few minutes, Cass informed them that they really had to be going, that it was a long drive ahead. Dean finally let go and shared one last hug with each of the Singer family before following Cass outside to the Child Protective Services car, placing his duffel bag in the trunk.

Sliding into the front seat, Dean looked back for one last look as the Singer family waved good-bye from the front porch. Cass started the engine and pulled away from the curb. Dean could feel another tear fall from his right eye.

As Cass drove, he said, "I have some really great news, Dean. After all these years of searching, we may have found your father, your real father. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas." He glanced over to smile at the boy before turning back to the road. "We've already spoken to him and showed him pictures of you. He cried when he learned he had another son."

Dean looked from the car window where he had been listening, over at the man. He couldn't believe they had found his father. A million questions started running through his mind. What was he like? What was his name? And would he be anything like the man in his dreams?

Cass could see the questions in his eyes. "There's nothing to be afraid of, son. I can tell you everything we know," he assured Dean. "Your dad was quite the rambler when he was a young man and made a few mistakes, but he swore he would have been there if he had known."

Dean couldn't help feel more tears start to form but held them in. The long drive there, Cass told him everything he knew, about how Dean's father was married with another son who was four years younger than Dean. Dean felt a little better hearing he had a little brother. He didn't mind Jo being like a little sister, in fact he had become a protective, older brother to her but it wasn't the same as having a little brother. A brother meant rough-housing, playing football, and other guy things brothers liked doing. However, he would still miss her.

Dean looked out his window, once again and tried to imagine what he and his brother could do together as brothers. Would the boy be open to having a big brother? It poked at him but most of all, he thought about finally meeting his real father and the stuff they would do, together. Would they look alike? Have the same interests? Dean always liked working on cars and listening to classic rock, would he? Dean's mind raced with questions and Cass answered as best as he could. The closer they got the more Dean's stomach churned in anxiousness and anticipation. Finally, Cass announced the street they were on was where his new home was.

Dean held his breath as they drew closer and all at once, the tears came rolling in. They pulled up to the fifth house on the right. As Cass pulled into the drive, Dean saw an older man step out onto the front porch who looked back, catching his eye. Dean slowly opened his door and stepped out, watching the man the entire time.

Cass had stepped out, as well. He looked over at Dean and motioned for the boy to go over there, giving him a warm smile.

Dean gave his case worker one last, long look before turning back to the older man. Taking in a deep breath into his lungs, Dean closed his door and made his way over. The man met him, halfway.

A woman close to the man's age had been standing in the doorway, holding onto the front door. She gave the man a warm smile, as well before he had walked over to meet Dean. The man wiped the worry from his eyes as father and son neared each other.

"Dean, right?" the man spoke.

Dean nodded.

The man nodded, this time. "I'm so sorry, Dean. I have made some mistakes in my day but I would have been there if I've known."

More tears came and Dean wrapped his father in a tight embrace. The woman from the doorway walked outside, along with a little boy around ten, pushing a bike Dean's size. The man introduced himself as John and turned to introduce the woman as Mary, and the little boy, as Sam, ruffling the kid's blond hair.

It made Cass smile as he leaned on the roof and door frame of the car, as the now complete family joined together to introduce themselves and exchange welcome hugs. Dean finally had what he always wanted.