Author's Note: This is part 2 of 3.
Other: And, a continuing thank you to my betas for this story, vrskaandrea and Wildfire Flame - any remaining errors are solely my own.
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Saint of the Sinners - Part 2
Dean had served as a Marine for fifteen years and had been out of the service for two years - making him thirty-five. His son Ben was fifteen and growing into a carbon copy of Dean just without the tragedy in his life and with more than a bit of Gabriel's prankster like behavior. Ben loved learning vehicular mechanics from Dean, but he also liked learning how to bake from Gabriel. His daughter Emma was twelve and was already showing signs of Dean's more aggressive side - and proficiency with knives.
Emma did not in fact like learning Dean's 'trade' or Gabriel's for that matter but she had taken up with Gabriel's older brother - and coincidentally Michael's younger twin brother - Lucifer. Dean by no means liked that fact, but despite Lucifer's asshole-like behavior and prior criminal record, he actually seemed to have a soft spot for Emma. He was also teaching Emma how to take her aggression out on something that wasn't going to land her in juvenile detention or outright jail. The fact that Lucifer was better with knives and guns than Dean was concerning especially given Dean's military record but as long as Emma didn't get hurt or go out and become a serial killer, Dean figured he could learn to tolerate her hanging around Lucifer.
At first, Jack had been angry at Dean for Cas' death, but after several discussions with Gabriel, Michael, Adam, and one very awkward conversation with Lucifer…Jack began to realize that there had really not been anything Dean could have done to save Cas. And, while still technically in Gabriel's custody, Jack actually spent more time around Ben and Emma than around Gabriel. He also had a sweet tooth to rival Gabriel's but actually preferred the kinds of foods that Benny knew how to cook - and the fact that Benny smelled like cherry pie when he wasn't wearing blockers kept him close to Benny. Dean had started to teach Jack to drive but should have known better than to use Baby as the teaching implement especially when Jack wrecked Baby by accident.
Dean hadn't lost his temper though inside he was mentally cataloging the damage done to the car. Dean told Jack he had to help Dean fix the classic car before he would even consider trying to teach Jack again about driving. Jack readily agreed to do so as he felt bad about being so reckless as to tear up the whole drivers' side of the car and even when the car was fully restored Dean wasn't sure he was going to try to teach the young man again until he was eighteen and even then it would not be in Baby again. Not until he knew that Jack understood the basics. Dean was the only one close to Jack that could teach the young man since Gabriel had lost his license years ago and Benny didn't drive anymore. Dean was just glad that Jack didn't seem to hold a grudge against Dean for Cas' death.
Jack had presented as a beta shortly after Cas' funeral - being a beta wasn't easy to catch unlike an alpha's first rut or an omega's first heat. Ben had recently presented as an alpha and while he'd yielded to Dean's orders - as his father and another alpha, there was inherit obedience built into Ben that concerned Dean. So when Ben had taken one look at Benny during his first rut and had appeared flush, Dean knew he had to send Ben to Gabriel's. Gabriel was technically the only omega among the Shurley children; Michael, Lucifer, and Castiel were all alphas. However, it had been years since he'd gone into heat due to a motorcycle accident he'd gotten into in his early twenties. The injuries to his reproductive organs from that accident had left him infertile and somehow less affected by an alphas rut. Also, he knew how to fight in case an alpha tried to take advantage of his smaller stature.
Emma despite being so young had actually presented as an omega around the same time Ben had presented as an alpha which made Dean more protective of her with concerns to her hanging around with Lucifer. He'd actually about come to blows with the man and the only thing that had stopped him had been Emma getting between the two. Dean wouldn't dream of hurting Emma, even accidentally, so he'd backed down…and Lucifer had also stepped back. Oddly enough after that incident, he could tell that whatever Lucifer's interest in her was…it wasn't anything that would have Dean threatening to cut Lucifer's dick off with a rusty spoon.
Adam, Dean's younger half-brother was twenty-five and while he was still in medical school for his doctorate to become an omega specialist, his alpha mate Michael was licensed both as a pediatric hematologist-oncologist and veterinary oncologist. Dean knew that Adam was aware of his issues with Michael being with Adam were simply because Michael actually looked suspiciously like John did when he was Michael's age.
Dean had met Cas' father many times over the years though…and despite the fact that the man was shorter than Gabriel - and coincidentally was also an omega - he looked absolutely nothing like John. Then again, none of the Shurley children really looked like their father - technically, mother…but that was an argument for a different day. Dean also knew that Adam didn't care about what Michael looked like though and outside of a few birthday cards before he was arrested, John had never tried contacting his youngest son which was probably a good thing because Dean wasn't sure what he would do if the man ever reappeared back in their lives. Dean was also not ashamed to admit that Michael was nothing like John outside of physical appearance.
Dean knew that Adam and Michael had been trying for a child for almost four years without success which explained their growing army of cats. Dean was allergic to the cats but had two of his own that he'd considered strays until Benny pointed out one day that his grocery list always included Purina Cat Chow Naturals and Friskies canned cat food. Therefore, he was already on allergy medication and couldn't really complain about Adam and Michael's twelve - or was it thirteen - cats. Oh who was he kidding? He had no idea if one counted their indoor and outdoor cats. There were either twelve or thirteen inside but outside the house? He wasn't even sure either of them would know.
Dean also knew that a lot of Adam's questions concerning omegas just weren't in the books and that he actually had to have the experience to better understand what was going on. But Adam was like Sam had been when he was younger. He was a problem solver and a puzzler. He needed to know how things worked. So he started to ask questions to Benny; Benny whom still wasn't communicating vocally but would text back.
Benny was an alpha, though! Going back to Dean's way of thinking, how was Benny supposed to know the answers to those questions? But whatever Benny was answering Adam back with apparently was settling enough to Adam since Benny was still getting the questions texted to him.
Dean found himself staring at the uneven pattern of the concrete floor that surrounded Baby as he tried to get his breathing back under control. He was still thinking about his past but the majority of the horror was now over and he had been able to finally sit up with his back against the driver's side wheel well of the car. Rubbing his fingers absently over the new tread of the tires he had just gotten for the classic car, Dean felt some of the tenseness start to ebb out of his shoulders as his breathing started to even back out. Still, he wasn't fully aware of his surroundings or of a voice calling for him as his tired eyes slid closed.
Tipping his head back against the car, his left hand fell limply to his side. He barely even winced as he felt a piece of glass from his dropped beer bottle slice into his palm when he had let his hand fall. The pain barely even registered as his memories swept him back away.
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Author's Note: I guess this one's kind of short in comparison to the 1st and 3rd ones.
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