Chapter Twelve - Home

Turned out, people had been looking for them, just not in the right place.

When they finally arrived back on the mainland, there was no fan fair, no welcome home party, nothing. Just their families waiting in a giant warehouse, surrounded by guys in black suits, wearing shady as fuck sunglasses and ear pieces.

Dean cradled his pup close to his chest, who was thankfully a pretty heavy sleeper. Cas, Sam and Gadreel had him practically surrounded, but for once he was happy for their protective alpha scent. It calmed him and allowed him to focus.

They were escorted towards the small group of people waiting impatiently behind more goons.

"Dean!" The man in question jerked his head towards the voice, so familiar it made Deans very bones ache to hear it after so long. He didn't even think, just let his feet carry him towards the man who had stepped up and raised both him and Sam when their parents were cruelly taken from them.

He heard Cas rumble curiously beside him as he took off, but luckily his mate followed him without question. It probably helped that Sam was running right alongside him, a huge grin plastered across his goofy face.

Bobby grabbed them both by the neck, a pretty tough task when the size of Sam was factored in, and pulled them both into a crushing hug. Dean had just enough time to angle his pup away from the wall of familial love before Bobby suddenly pulled back.

"Boy, are you tellin' me, it took being stranded on a desert island for you to find a mate and –" Bobby nodded towards the bundle in Deans arms, the skin around his eyes crinkling with happiness. "Start a family?"

Dean shrugged, shifting his pup around as he was beginning to fuss. "Yeah, well, thought I'd get with the program." He smiled when Cas came to stand beside him, placing a protective hand over their child. "Everyone else seemed to be doing it." He gestured towards his mate, who extended his hand towards his surrogate father. "This is Cas, my mate."

Bobby puffed up his chest and stuck out his hand, grasping Cas' firmly. They had their little alpha pissing contest, which had Dean rolling his eyes, but eventually they settled their alpha tendencies and broke apart. Bobby moved onto Sam, who launched into a quick summary of their events on the island.

Dean took the chance to turn to Cas, who had been joined by Gadreel. Cas hadn't really talked a whole lot about his own family, but he expected some representation.

As if reading his mind, Cas shook his head. "No one is here for us, Dean. Gadreel and I, well, it's only us." Cas dropped his eyes to the ground, and the tangy waft of sadness permeated the air. Dean was having none of that.

"No, it's not." Cas looked up in surprise, and Gadreel cocked his head to the side, clearly eager for Deans answer. "You've got Sam, Bobby, Ellen, you'll meet her later," Dean shuffled their pup around to face his father, who he blinked sleepily at, "but most importantly, you've got us." Cas couldn't fight the smile that crossed his lips, and even Gadreel had uplifted the edges of his mouth.

"Thank you, Dean. That means so much, to the both of us." Gadreel was a good man, he was glad Sam had such a good mate.

All around them, their small group was being reunited with their families, and Dean felt a sadness well inside him for those that wouldn't have that reunion. So many people had died, who the hell would be held responsible for that?

Before he could ask Bobby what the hell had gone down while they had been out of contact, the crowd quietened, and turned towards an annoyingly arrogant voice.

"Now, I know you're all wondering why you're here."

Dick Roman was, well, a giant dick with a capital D.

He was rich, powerful and apparently knew all the right people to make the inconvenience of a boat load of people getting stranded on one of his very private islands, mysteriously disappear. No matter that a whole lot of people died, and were essentially stranded for what they assumed was the rest of their lives.

The easiest thing to do with a whole bunch of survivors, to a man worth more than a small countries treasury, was to throw ridiculous amounts of money at them.

So that was exactly what he, or more accurately, his corporation, did.

Dean didn't really know how to feel, looking at the amount of zeros in his bank account, but he knew he was angry. The injustice of it all, that Dick Roman wouldn't be held to account for blocking the authorities for so long, making it impossible for them to be found. Because of course they all had to sign a damn blanket gag order that stopped them talking to anyone or pressing charges. But he had a kid to think of, and the stress of a drawn out court battle and all the media… he didn't even like thinking about it.

Dean was inherently a private person, just like his father had been. All he wanted was a good, quiet life for him and his family, but that didn't stop him from donating a good chunk of the money used to essentially pay them off.

Anonymously, of course.

Life continued on, as it always did, and the world kept turning. Dean found himself swept up in caring for his pup and new mate, but he couldn't shake that feeling of something missing. Ever since their return from the island, Dean had felt so caged by society.

Bringing his feelings to the attention of his mate was easy, Cas just guessed.

"Something is troubling you," Cas settled himself next to Dean on the couch, draping an arm protectively around the omegas shoulders. "Please let me help, if I can." Cas was always so considerate and kind, but he showed his alpha side when he needed to. Dean chewed his lower lip, debating whether it was worth voicing his concerns at all. It wasn't like anyone else felt the same way.

Dean sighed, and relented. "Ok, so, ever since we got back from the island, I've just felt, I dunno, weird." Cas frowned, and cocked his head to the side, indicating for Dean to go on. "I just feel like, on the island, we just, we lived, you know?" Dean sighed; because of course Cas thought he was crazy.

"Our time on the island, while perilous and fraught with danger, was preferable to the way we are living now." Dean's head snapped up and he stared at his mate. Surely Cas couldn't be agreeing that the island was better? "You know I am at odds with society, and the current "regime" rubs me entirely the wrong way." Dean almost laughed at the air quotes, but it was a serious discussion after all. It could well change their whole lives.

"What're we gonna do, Cas?" The alpha sighed, and rubbed his chin, an indicator of a plan forming.

"Let me make some calls."

Six months later.

Buying a national park that the new government was selling off, wasn't as hard as the group thought. Pooling their money together, they managed to buy the Rocky Mountain National Park. It wasn't cheap, but the money from Roman Industries bought the group what they had desperately sought, peace and quiet from the outside world.

Dean, Castiel, and their brothers moved in first, clearing out and remodelling the old hotel. There was plenty of room for everyone, by the time they were done. Gabriel and Balthazar joined them after a few months, having completed their round the world tour of debauchery. When Dean asked about it, Gabriel just chuckled and replied with "Deano, what happens on tour, stays on tour."

To which Balthazar replied, "Except for that lovely tattoo on your ass."

"And your crabs!"

Dean really shouldn't have asked.

After everything was ready, they started taking clients. Teaching people how to survive in the wilderness was their calling, with Dean and Sam teaching survival skills such as building shelter, hunting and what to do in certain situations. Castiel and Gadreel handled first aid and working with what nature provided. Gabriel and Balthazar, besides providing the entertainment, taught wild food preparation and cooking.

A few months in, Dean was watching Sam give a demonstration on how to start a fire, when he felt a hand on his back. The omega turned, and smiled at his mate. He took their pup, James, after Castiel and Gadreels father, and settled him on his hip.

"You smell very happy, Dean." Dean smiled, and kissed his stubbly cheeked alpha.

"It took me a while to find where I belonged, Cas, but I've finally found it." He watched as Sam made their small group laugh. "I've found my home."