It had been a long time since Dean was completely alone. No Sam waiting for him back at some run down motel or at his side like a welcome shadow, no John to command him and be Dean's biggest critic, it was just him and road. He spent that time putting distance between him and all of his worries and guilt and the farther Dean got, the more he felt he could figure it all out on his own. This was a lonely, exhilarating and frightening path to take but he took it, with the foolish bravery of a teenager.

Dean missed Thanksgiving because he was stuck down south, hunting what he thought was a swamp beast. Going by what the frightened locals told him, Dean thought he might come face to face with an actual bigfoot. For once, he was glad Sam wasn't with him because the kid would torture himself over the moral dilemma of killing something so human. In the end it turned out to be a brown bear and Dean left him there to do whatever it was that bears do in their free time, like get ready to hibernate in this case.

December 23rd, 1996

Dean was greeted by his brother who hugged him before Dean could get a foot in the door. Be damned the snow pummeling his back, Sam had enough warmth to keep Dean's important parts safe. Bobby's truck was gone which explained the greeting Dean got from his brother and so he went with it and backed him into the hallway before closing the door. He tightly hugged Sam and sniffed his soft, shiny hair that smelled like berries.

"Mmm I like your shampoo, you smell like a fruit pie."

In that delightful, innocent way Sam had about him, he looked at Dean with those puppy eyes of his and replied, "Bobby got it in the dollar bin at the grocery store and he even got the conditioner too. He said I need to keep my tresses healthy…I didn't know what tresses were so I looked it up. I think he also bought it because Jamie comes here once in a while and he has long, curly hair."

Dean began to laugh because it was just all so perfect. He could picture them in the grocery store and Bobby spotting a bargain. Sam's description of how, when and why was the cherry on the sundae.

Dean was home with his people.

….

Dean woke up to the mouthwatering smell of fresh baked something and it lured him down to the kitchen. There was Jamie, who must have appeared out of nowhere in the middle of an evening snowstorm to get there. How he got in without alerting three other hunters was a testament to his skills.

Jamie was freshly showered and his curly hair was set free to air dry. There was a softness about him which Dean now recognized as the omega nesting instinct. It didn't necessarily happen only when one was pregnant, it also happened after an absence from one's tribe, clan or whatever it was he called his people.

Dean went through this right after he got back home. That wonderful feeling of being able to breath and relax. Omegas would eat and sleep more and fuss over their mate and children. All of it natural, inborn behaviors. For Dean it was a bit more complicated when it came to Sam.

Jamie wasn't the most attractive omega in the world, but this morning Dean found him very pretty, dressed in Bobby's long flannel robe all clean and natural.

Jamie's face lit up when he first saw Dean. This was a kid with a huge appetite and he'd appreciate the two pans of sticky buns the omega had made. Dean seemed to have grown more and by Jamie's estimations, he must have been nearing 6'1". He still had the face of an angel and a smile that could melt hearts.

"Well good morning, beautiful. I made you some treats."

"Oh man, Jamie you are awesome! Do you know how long it's been since I had some home baking?"

"Judging by how skinny you look; it's been a long time." Jamie hugged Dean and felt his body relax. This kid needed all the hugs he could get.

Sam got plenty of hugs as well, there were advantages to still being a fresh-faced kid with dimples. The hugs to him were warm, wonderful and remined him of a mommy but also secretly gave him a thrill. Sure, he felt a little guilty about that but not enough to stopping seeking those welcome hugs.

Sam watched as Bobby got his hug from Jamie and it was a far superior hug than the one he got but it was also quite different. He'd already had sex ed and he knew what the deal was, well sort of. They slept in the same bed now so Sam guessed they were doing things in there. The thought of that grossed him out while Dean thought it was kind of funny, mainly because it grossed his brother out.

Christmas was good, great even. Having Jamie there made things easier for Sam and Dean and those unspoken feelings going on between them. Bobby was clueless but Jamie picked up on everything and so they spent their time together as brothers, just as it's always been.

Dean thinking, he could just run away and distance would solve his feelings for Sam was a failure. There was a kiss under the mistletoe which was totally legit to Sam and Dean because tis the season. Then there was also that New Year's Eve kiss, because of course you had to kiss someone at midnight. Both kisses were done out of sight from the two adults, an unspoken acknowledgement between the brothers that what they were doing was wrong in some way.

There was a day of sledding where Dean forgot all about his impending adulthood and got to be young and free, surrounded by other teens and kids. They had cocoa after that and watched A Charlie Brown Christmas.

The visit was sappy, wonderful and boarded on a Norman Rockwell Christmas.

….

Dean and Jamie sat together, drinking beer and watching the fire dance in the fireplace and all was quiet except for the pop and crackle from the wood.

"Dean, did you ever go to that address I gave you?"

"Nah, I've been dealing with stuff on my own. Besides, you didn't even give me a name or tell me what this place is."

"I thought you would just go and find out for yourself because that's the best way. Go in blind with no expectations because otherwise you'll get cold feet. It's the address and number of my former teacher."

"No thanks, I'm not heading back to school."

"Cal is a teacher, mentor, counselor or whatever you want to call him. He's also a healer, historian and a kind of holy man, a throwback to the old ways. Look, I can tell you've got things going on. I sense a tension between you and your brother. As far as your dad goes," the omega tensed up, "he's a whole other story."

"I'm really sorry he fucked you up because of me."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on man, I can put two and two together."

"Don't worry about it ok? I'm fine now and I'd do it all over again."

"Ok."

"Another thing Dean, I don't think you ever really came to terms with being an omega."

"What do you mean? I deal with it alright."

"I want you to love who you are and embrace it. If a magic fairy appeared and told you she could make you an alpha or beta would you jump at the chance? Please tell me if I have you all wrong."

Jamie could see tears spring up in the young omega's eyes.

"Who in the hell would want this? All the crap I went through just to present and then everything that comes after. Do you know what it's like to have your old man think you're a loser because of what's between your legs? Don't forget all those assholes who think they can have a crack at me or think that I want it. Then the really dangerous ones, the men who want to kidnap you for who knows what. The heat cycles and the birth control and all these fucked up feelings I have…your goddamn right I'd take the magic fairy's offer."

"Well pretend I'm a magic fairy giving you a lifeline, something to help you make sense of it all."

…..

January 2nd, 1997

Dean watched as the school bus took his brother away from him and back to normality. There was a job waiting for Dean out in Colorado, some skiers with their hearts ripped out, the usual thing. After that breakdown he had in front of Jamie, Dean promised his friend that he'd head check it out.

Jamie told Dean once he met Cal it would be like a "coming to Jesus" moment and then he laughed but wouldn't elaborate on what was so damn funny.

…..

March, 1997

Looking for one address in the vastness of the boreal forest of North America made it difficult for even a seasoned navigator like Dean. He'd been his dad's navigation system for years but four thousand miles is a hell of a stretch for anyone. At least he knew the state and general directions, sure he could have just called that phone number and gotten some details from this Cal guy, but then he'd lose the element of surprise. Dean always liked to know what he was walking into if possible.

Then one morning like a miracle, Dean spotted a carved teak sun the size of a garbage lid on a post and next to it the fire number.

The gravel road going in had a locked metal livestock gate so Dean parked just outside it and locked the doors. He hopped the gate and hiked the narrow road which cut directly through the trees. Just when he thought there was no end in sight, the woods opened up and there stood a sturdy, two story cabin. It was a far cry from the dumpy cabins Dean had stayed in. There was smoke coming from the stone chimney so someone was there.

With his binoculars, Dean looked the place over but all seemed quiet. He sidled up to the home and peeked inside the lower windows.

"Damn, you could fit a whole hog in that stone fireplace. Shit, there's a caldron hanging in there, oh man, I hope he's not a witch! Bet there's an unbaptized kid in that pot. Nah, Jamie wouldn't send me to some man witch…"

Dean inwardly chuckled at his pun, "Great, now I'm hungry for a Manwich…"

He didn't have much time to contemplate his next meal before he was knocked onto his back with his arms pinned and some guy sitting on his hips. He was well and truly fucked.

The stranger with the long, dark hair and angry looking amber eyes, was clad in some sort of long black tunic made for winter.

He grabbed the impertinent teen by the jaw and turned his face side to side. Dean used his free hand to try and choke the guy with his own necklace.

The stranger growled, "Who are you?"

"I guess I should have called first."

TBC