Eleven

Dean found himself sighing in contentment as he stretched himself in bed the next morning.

Beside him, Roman was still sound asleep but with a soft smile on his face. The MMA fighter ran his fingers gently through those silky raven locks while admiring his love's beauty.

"Good morning," Roman greeted, eyes still closed.

"Good morning," Dean replied with a laugh. "Back to school today?"

"Yeah I miss my kids. But we'll spend more time together when I come back, alright?"

That was the hard part. As much as Dean wanted to lay in Roman's arms all day, there was something called life and it came with responsibilities. "I'll try to visit you during lunch," he offered.

"Are you sure?" Roman's grey orbs were staring intently at him. "You don't have to."

"But I want to."

"Alright. Lunch date it is. With a little making out in the car."

"Sounds wonderful."

When Roman left for school, Dean cleaned up their home. Might as well do something to pass his time.

"Hello."

The sound of the deep voice took Dean off guard while he was dusting the TV console.

Turning around, he found an old man standing in front of him dressed in what he guessed was a traditional attire. He appeared to be of Polynesian descent. "Hi," Dean greeted him. Had to be from Roman's side. No way in hell would a random Polynesian-

"You know who I am," the man said. Wasn't a question but a statement.

"Yeah I guess?"

The old man smiled. "You know why my descendant gave you his blood?"

"Because he's… wait… so you are part of the Anoa'i family?"

"Yes."

"I knew you had to be from their family."

"Roman always has stars in his eyes whenever it comes to you. Adores the hell out of you. Loves you to the moon and back. Hopelessly. His father often said that was his biggest flaw, his weakness. But his father's wrong; Roman's heart, his love for you is his strength. These men in the underworld think that his strength's like my son's but it's nothing like that at all. Everything he has ever done has revolved around you. Wants you to be proud of him. Did you realise that?"

Dean cocked his head. "Well he has done some-"

"He's good at hiding. I mean he hid his love from you for years. Always thinking of ways to repay you for all you've done for him. Those two times he punched the ground… did you notice the similarities?"

What was the old man talking about? "The ground?"

"No, Dean," the old man chuckled. "You. You were the common factor. You were in danger during the battle and he didn't want to lose you. Same goes for the disconnection "ceremony". He didn't want to lose you or that bond. His love for you is his strength and that's why, Dean, you won't be turning evil. Your blood is drawn to whatever source is around you. In New York, it was the pendant. You were given a bit of your soulmate's blood. What do you think will happen?"

"Sunny looks amazing, Mr Reigns," Jake beamed proudly.

Roman smiled at the dark haired boy. He had taken the class down to the nursery to see how their flowers were doing. "She sure does-"

"Are you kidding me?" Kenny scoffed. "She looks fugly."

"Plants can't look fugly," Jake countered. "Unlike your face-"

"Boys," Roman reprimanded sternly. "Be nice. I don't want to hear you disrespecting one another. Kenny, I do believe you owe Jake an apology."

"Do I have to?" Kenny whined.

"Yeah, you do. But you need to think why what you did was wrong before you do it."

"Why?"

"So that you know why you're apologising."

"But what if I don't know?"

Roman smiled. "Kenny, do you want anyone in this class to say The Destiny Flower was… fugly?"

"No."

"And what if someone had?"

"I'd punch them and demand an apology… oh."

"No punching, okay? As a matter of fact, no violence when giving an apology or getting one."

The rest of the class were busy watering their plants.

Roman smiled at their enthusiasm at this project; it was truly a heartwarming thing to see.

"Mr Reigns, did you plant your own seed?" Katie asked him.

"No," Roman answered. "I haven't gotten around to gardening yet but I will." He got distracted by Edward trying to eat a worm. "Edward, put that down. The earthworm plays an important part in the environment."

The boy quickly placed it back on the ground. "How?"

"Well, earthworms burrow holes and these holes have pores in them which allow oxygen and water into it. Their faeces are good for the soil because it contains nutrients which also helps gardens to grow. You want your plant to grow and stay healthy, don't you?"

Edward nodded. "Yeah." The small boy petted the worm. "Nice worm."

"We've only got ten minutes before it's time for lunch."

"Thank you, Mr Reigns," some of the children chorused to Roman's surprise. He never taught them that.

"I love you, Bella," Edward cooed as he patted the soil.

Kenny rolled his eyes at that.

Their lips were inches apart, eyes quietly admiring one another.

The warm smile on the Samoan man's face always tugged at Dean's heartstrings. Roman was a ray of sunshine.

This.

This was what Dean had to fight for more than anything. The idea of losing their love was terrifying and he knew he'd have to fight harder.

Roman leaned in then to press his lips lightly against his. Dean savored the feel of his lover's lips before their kissing turned passionate in the car, hands clinging on to one another.

Fuck. This was lunch hour and they were supposed to be eating...

But Roman… oh how Dean loved being in his arms again…

His boyfriend trailed hot kisses down his neck, nipping occasionally and if they didn't stop right now, he'd have to demand the grey eyed man take him there and then.

Dean moaned into Roman's lips as he claimed his lips once more, tongue colliding. He wanted to kiss his darling till the end of time. Almost fifteen years - twenty one counting their friendship - and Dean only wanted Roman.

The man made his heart beat fast, took his breath away…

"Roman?" Dean asked after they pulled apart from their intense kissing. "You know that I'm proud of you, right?"

"Yeah, I know that."

"How?"

"From the way you look at me."

"You know that I'm proud that I'm yours, right?"

"I know." Roman gave him a soft kiss. "You're making me mushy, baby boy."

"You're always mushy, Roman."

"Not so much lately. I feel on the edge half the time. With those creepy kids and that damn goat-"

"Seth is still there?"

"This one's all black with red eyes. It appeared on Monday."

"And today?"

"Still there."

"It can't be Seth." Was it his former brother? Seth was out of his mind if he wanted to play the same game again. "Seth's smarter than that. Maybe it's from the underworld."

"Anything is possible at this point."

"But we already have a war with them." Dean glanced at his watch. "Woah. You have fifteen minutes left."

Maybe a quickie could be fitted in...

"Dean?" Roman asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"What do you think of us having kids?"

He finally asked the question Dean had been dreading. "Roman-"

"I think I'll make a good father; I think you will too."

"Roman, I… I just don't want any. It's not you. It's me. I'm not cut out for parenthood."

"You don't know that."

"I do, actually. I'm a spoiled little brat and… Roman, I hate to do this to you but I can't see us having kids. But if you feel it's something you want and I can't give that to you..." Then what? Dean asked himself. They had to ask themselves what they really wanted and then compromise-

"Yeah, I understand."

Dean felt as if his heart had been ripped out when he heard the tone in Roman's voice. Maybe he couldn't give his boyfriend that but he could find ways to give him a life of comfort.

They listened to music while talking about other stuff like how Mrs Reigns was doing. His boyfriend was obviously trying his best not to show his hurt but Dean could see right through him.

He resolved to find other ways to make Roman happy.

When the last bell rang for the day, Roman waved to some of his students - Kenny wanted a high five - and then proceeded to pack up. Dean would be waiting for him outside and they'd go out for a stroll in the park.

That conversation had turned out just as he had thought; it was worth the shot anyway. Maybe Dustin was onto something with fur babies...

When the elementary teacher turned around to erase the writings on the board, he took a step back at what was written on it: HE'S OURS.

"Not if I can help it," Roman growled.

BAM!

The front and back door of the classroom slammed shut then.

The Samoan man turned then only to have his desk slam him against him towards the wall. Thinking quickly, he jumped on top of it before landing on his feet.

"So now you're in the furniture business, Seth?" Roman shouted. "I should have killed you on Sunday."

One of the students' desk flew at him then, reeling him by surprise.

Roman quietly chanted the healing words before standing up.

La la la la la la… Brother Dean is coming home…

Fuck.

A chair flew at him next but Roman caught it and used it to swing it at another student's desk coming towards him.

You cannot save him… la la la la la la…

"Roman?!"

Dean.

He must have felt him and-

A chair knocked him on the side of his right arm. Roman winced, holding it. "Dean, get out of here!" he shouted. "Go!"

"Roman!" The door shook; his boyfriend must have been trying to get in now. "What's going on?!"

When more chairs starting flying about, Roman took cover under his desk. His cellphone buzzed. "Dean, go!" Roman ordered.

"No!" Dean countered over the phone. "I'm trying to get in but that thing is not budging."

"It was slammed shut just now-"

The desk sheltering him flew across to the other end of the room.

Roman dove to the other corner of the class when the AV projector almost hit him in the face.

"Roman!" Dean sounded frantic. The door kept shaking. "Roman!"

The windows all shut.

"Fuck!"

The Samoan man could hear a loud boom; his boyfriend was probably throwing his body against the door.

Not wasting time, Roman dodged two desks and ran for the door, using his full strength to pull it open. Dean touched his face when he walked in. "Are you okay?"

BAM!

The door slammed shut again, trapping both of them in. Walking backwards, they bumped against the teacher's desk.

"He's ours?" Dean read out the writing on the board. "Fuck, Seth! I'm not yours or Mark's!"

The scribbling changed to: YES YOU ARE, DEAN. COME HOME.

A gush of wind was present then in the classroom. Roman held Dean's hand tight. "He's not coming home with you, Seth. I've told you before; his home is with me!"

Books were being flung now.

"You call yourself a King Slayer, Seth but you are nowhere near anything like that. You're just a coward playing with Daddy's toys and leftovers. Face me like a man at battleground or hide behind these antics like the little boy I think you are."

Almost immediately, everything stopped.

The furniture rearranged quickly upon that. The books were back on the shelves, the AV projector back in place.

Roman looked around; it was as if nothing had happened. As if he wasn't almost injured gravely by moving furniture.

"You okay?" Dean asked him, touching his face lightly, most likely tracing for scratches. "I don't feel anything."

"I'm good," Roman replied, hugging him before kissing his forehead. "You okay?"

"I'm always good."

"That's my boy."

"Let's just go home."

"Yeah."

"Mum?" Roman asked when he closed the car door behind him when Dean and him arrived straight home from school. "You didn't tell me you were coming over..."

His mother had been sitting on the porch chair, wearing a floral sundress. "Came to surprise you."

Roman gave her a fierce hug. "You sure surprised me alright."

Dean gave her a bear hug next and she laughed. "Hi, Mum."

"Hi, Dean." She had the proudest look on her face when she looked at the auburn haired man. "Feeling better?"

"A little better," Dean answered. "I'm going to go and buy pizza from the kiosk. Can I get you anything?"

"No, it's fine."

Roman knew his boyfriend wanted to give him privacy with his mother. "You know what I want."

A cheeky grin with dimples appeared. "Me?"

"Dean!"

Throwing his head back, his lover laughed as he accepted the car keys before bouncing down the steps to the car. Shaking his head fondly, Roman opened the front door and allowed his mother to enter in first. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Some cold water is fine" his mother replied, a smile on her face.

"Sure."

As Roman took out a cold bottled water from the fridge, he couldn't help but wonder what was on her mind. "So you just came here out of the blue?"

"Call it a mother's intuition but I guess you needed someone to talk to. Someone other than Dean?"

He handed her the bottle and sat down beside her on the couch. "How did you know?"

"I gave birth to you, son."

Of course. Typical reply from her...

Roman took a deep breath. "It's just that… Dean and I want different things in a relationship, that's all."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I want kids and he doesn't. He thinks he'll be a bad parent though for the love of me, I have no idea where he got that idea from."

"Given his unorthodox upbringing, I guess it's not that hard, Roman. Maybe he fears he'll do the same to his own child."

"But he's in a stable home with me. When you put aside the war and all that… I shouldn't have asked. He already told me before he didn't want any. I guess I just hoped he had changed his mind."

"Having kids is a huge responsibility."

"I'm prepared for it."

"But he's not. Maybe someday he will be. You'll never know."

"He said he doesn't see us having any." Roman closed his eyes. "I'm going to just let this go. I shouldn't even have brought it up."

"Love is a mighty power, a great and complete good; Love alone lightens every burden, and makes the rough places smooth. It bears every hardship as though it were nothing, and renders all bitterness sweet and acceptable."

Roman looked at her, puzzled. "What?"

"Thomas A Kempis. It's one of my favorite quotes. Helped me through when I was going hard times with your father. God bless him."

"But what does that-"

"You know that Dean loves you?"

"Yes. And I love him too."

"Good. Do you remember your birthday party when you had just arrived to Lakeview? I believe that you and Dean had just started being friends. He came over once or twice a week-"

"I remember."

"Do you remember how you were worried that there would be no one who would come?"

"Yeah. They couldn't make it but sent lots of presents."

"Those weren't from those kids. Those were from Dean."

"There is no way Dean could afford so many-"

"His mother told me herself once when we were having tea; you guys had moved to Milwaukee then. Dean's grandfather had passed away and left a sum of money to the family. He used his share to buy your presents and had your classmates write their names on each one."

Roman's heart dropped then. "What?"

"Yes. He knew you were new in town with only your cousins. He wanted you to feel welcomed."

"Mum-"

"I know it hurts now. But you should know, Roman, that Dean would give up anything for you in a heartbeat if it meant you being happy."

"He would."

"And you mentioned before he's always beating himself up that you didn't get into Juilliard. Lamenting that you're not living out your career goal while he's living out his. When his pay didn't match what he expected, I'm sure that he's lamented over the fact that he can't give you the best life there is. He once told me that he thinks you can do better, be happier. Even if that happens to be with someone else. And as to seeing how much you mean to him, I'd imagine due to his fear of being a bad parent, he didn't want to disappoint you with something you adore."

Sounded like him...

"Any other stories Mrs Ambrose shared?"

"A few." His mother gave him a knowing smile. "Why?"

"Because I want to know."

"Well… let's see. Remember how you had the science project and neither of you were good with it? Remember how Dean bailed out on you and you were so angry?"

"Yeah. He said he couldn't make it all the time with silly excuses: his hamster died… his dog chewed his bicycle tires… he didn't have either of those pets. I didn't speak to him for two days… oh you've got to be kidding me."

"And you got Clarence Mason to be your partner and your grades went up?"

"That's Dean."

"Couples who are meant to be are the ones who go through everything that is meant to tear them apart and come out stronger. I read that in a site once." His mother held his hand. "Let your heart heal. Move on together."

"No one else I'd rather be with. He and I will be alright, Mum. Don't you worry."

Dean slowed the car down when he saw the sight in front of their home upon returning back from the kiosk.

What the hell, he thought as he climbed out of the car, his blue eyes unable to tear away. He stared at the line of children standing in front of him, breathing hard.

They had black goat masks with red eyed over their heads dressed in black outfits with white collars.

And all of them had their hands stretched out to him.

His mind was cloudy, disoriented. Never in his life had he wanted to take someone's hand so much.

La la la la la la Brother Dean, please come home...

A/N I hope you guys enjoyed the story; please drop me a word if you have :-) I'd like to thank those who have continuously left me comments. I appreciate you more than you know.