Dean Winchester woke one morning, feeling very poorly. He had the presence of mind to look around for a bucket to relieve his sickness in and then lay back on the bed, his mind following his body in unrest as he tried to understand the reason for this condition. Such unpleasant experiences happened scarcely to him for he had a strong constitution, and those were memories he had no pleasure in visiting, for the last time he ever felt that way was the last time he had partaken in drinking alcohol.

He remembered the way his head had hurt, as he listened in incomprehension to Lisa, who was thanking him for the night of passion they had shared. The fact that he had no recollection of this had frightened him dearly and when this folly had born consequences for her, he had sworn to always be in control of his actions and never allow himself to be weakened again.

Like every morning, he had a prayer for this son that did not know him, then sat on the edge on the mattress to get ready for the day. He was prevented to do so by a strong fainting sensation. He looked around, recognized his room in his father's house and tried to chase down any explanation for his present state.

The very first thing of importance to come back to him involved Castiel. This was not surprising, as the gentle omega was in his thoughts on many occasions through the day, but this time, he remembered being quite upset at him. He even remembered crying, something that he never wanted anyone to witness. He became more and more agitated, his chest like a furnace, a terrible thirst ravaging his throat. The image of Castiel tending to him with worry and affection appeared as clear as day and he cried:

"Caaass..."

A door opened to his left, but he was not greeted with the sight of his beloved. The man wore a wig and had a stern look to himself. He knelt next to Dean and touched his forehead, whispering:

"It seems the fever has returned once more. I shall ask for another colleague's opinion on that matter..."

"Are you a physician?" Dean tried to ask, but he could barely talk. The man did not answer and disappeared again. Dean's thirst remained unabated.

Some times later, Dean was woken again by an uproar next to the bed. His father was arguing about Dean's health with an unknown party.

"He is the best physician in Harley Street! And he only treats alphas of high breeding. The Miltons asked an omega... The indignity!"

"I've received an answer from them, we are talking about Doctor Constantine. He was the one who treated me back from the war. I trust his judgment ten times more than the arrogant one you are paying too much for."

The voice raised Dean's attention for it sounded like his brother's, which he could not believe possible. He turned on the bed to find out but was stopped by an intense pain down his abdomen.

His scream broke the dispute and both men ran to the bed. Sam was indeed in the room and his sight made Dean feel much better, all of a sudden. He forced his voice to come out stronger to say:

"Father, listen to Sammy... Fetch the other doctor... I remember him now, he sounded intelligent... This one did not even give me a glass of water."

"Do you hear that, father? Would you lose your first born rather than listen to reason just this once? I cannot bear seeing Dean suffer in that manner."

Mr Winchester was a stubborn, proud alpha but he did relent and the physician was fetched. All this struggle had exhausted Dean and he fell in a stupor filled with nightmares of Castiel rejecting him.

Doctor Constantine had apparently filled his time on researching Dean's condition and so, he was able to calm the fever for long enough as to be able to examine him more thoroughly. He finally said:

"I believe, sir, that I have found the cause of your infection."

"Have you? Can you heal it?"

"It is a complicated case and a sensitive one too. It is about your alphahood."

Dean blushed but did not avert his eyes. He wanted to live, if not for his sake, then for Sam, whose mental well-being would be severely affected by his death, and to see Castiel again.

The physician was very direct, which reassured Dean on his competences:

"It would appear that you have recently experienced a very deep attraction for another gender, woman or omega, and thus, your organ has started preparing itself for knotting."

Dean blushed again but did not deny it.

"My observation is that you were born with a small defect, resulting in superfluous skin that prevents the act of knotting. The pressure coming from the desire and the maturing has created an inflammation that explains your fever and could have been fatal. Luckily, it is possible to perform surgery and have you live to your full alpha potential" the physician added with a grin.

Dean was so astounded that he let the doctor finish before he could object:

"I do not want to doubt your expertise, but I know for a fact that I am not impotent. I fathered a child already."

"I do not believe that."

"I do, I am mated and have been for a few years. Maybe the problem developed afterward, as I have lived like a monk since that only night."

"I am sorry to insist but I am certain that you could never have conceived a child. Your condition prevents it and it never appears after birth, you must have been born that way."

"Then, where is Ben coming from?"

The doctor put a kind hand on Dean and asked with absolute patience:

"Sir, are you sure that your partner was virtuous? Maybe you were chosen as a replacement for the real father. Do you remember your mating in detail?"

"No... I was rather drunk that night. I have no memories..." Dean said, aghast at the discovery.

He had known Lisa to be ambitious and unyielding, but to take advantage of him in such a way... He had told her he could not tell his father at first or he would be disinherited and suddenly she had withdrawn, taking her son with her. Dean could feel his mind ready to burst from the shock but already, the doctor was asking:

"You say you were drunk that night. What were your symptoms when you woke up?"

Dean gave any answers he could remember, all the while feeling a strange sensation growing inside his heart.

"What you have told me is not an effect of alcohol. I would suggest that it was created by the ingestion of a drug that may have been given to you to make you unconscious, so that you could be persuaded the mating had taken place. I assure you, once again, that it was not the case."

Dean recognized the feeling now. He was free. If he survived that surgery, Castiel was within his reach. At least, if he still cared for him.