At least the internet worked the same.

Dean resisted the temptation to see what the porn sites in this strange other world were like and closed Samuel's laptop down with a sigh, making a mental note to teach his nephew...son... was he any relative at all really?... how to properly secure his devices. The search on the history of the warehouse had yielded nothing: there had been no strange disappearances; no unusual occurrences; not even any fatal accidents recorded despite the tough working conditions that must have existed in the warehouse.

He wanted to go and check it out for himself, but... well, it would just have to wait. Circumstances had suddenly changed.

The two younger children had asked him to walk them to their school that morning, and Sam had agreed to let him as it would be a good test, although he had insisted on accompanying him. And he had suddenly insisted on Dean wearing the other Dean's used clothes from the day before that hadn't been dry-cleaned yet, although the human had had the small satisfaction over winning the battle to keep his comfortable but hard-wearing boots.

Dean would hate to admit it even to himself but he had been grateful for his brother's...thing that looked so much like his brother's... presence.

Well, at least he had been at first.

Dealing with victims and relatives of victims of horrific assaults and murders was easier than dealing with obsessive parents of young children. Much easier. Especially as he was now supposed to be one of the proud parents.

Little Mary-Anne had held his hand tightly and skipped all the way there: Sam had spoken to both her and the younger of the two boys that morning about how important it was to call Dean 'mom', and not to tell anyone the truth, despite how exciting they were finding it having a mother that wasn't. But the incessant chatter that the child had managed to keep up since the instant they had left the house was making them both nervous.

Johnny had walked quietly the other side of him: Dean could see he was a deeply-thoughtful and intelligent child who reminded him incredibly of his real brother at that age. The moment they had reached the school he knelt and spoke to him quietly. "Any questions you got for me, I'll try and answer them when you get home. But I've got to admit that I'm probably more confused than you! But I'll try, okay?"

"Will mom be okay? No one will be hurting him, will they?" He could barely hear the gentle whisper.

"He should be with my brother, my Sam. As long as we were swapped, which so far I haven't had any reason to presume different. And as long as he's with my Sam, then he'll be safe. Sam will look after him, I guarantee it."

The young man gave him a relieved smile, the dimples showing themselves for the first time. And then a sudden hug that nearly crushed Dean's ribs before he was rushing off to greet his friends. The human struggled to his feet just as other parents began to cross to meet them. "Okay. Showtime."

"Sam! It's a long time since you bothered to come to the school!" There were a couple of women coming towards them: one an incredibly showy blonde. And three or four others hanging back as if nervous, Dean noticed. Then Sam's tight grip was on his right arm and he was being pulled slightly backwards until he stood a step behind the other. "Hand on me at all times!" the order was hissed.

Dean fought down the instinct to tell him to go to hell then was distracted by the little girl bouncing up and down with excitement next to him, still with his left hand in her death grip. Quickly he knelt to her. "Can I introduce you to my friends, De..."

"Mom!" He interrupted her. "And you promised, M-A. Not a word!"

"M-A! I like that! Okay, I won't say anything: I promise! Love you!" And she was nearly knocking him over with her hug and a whispered "send it to mommy," then racing away, squealing with excitement as she joined some other little girls who were discussing the latest cell phones.

"Sounds expensive." He commented, as he stood back up again.

"It is." Sam sounded irritated about it. "When I think of how you and I were brought up, making do with hand me downs and being dragged around all corners of the country, and now they all expect the latest of this and the next generation of that. Until of course, the next one comes out..."

"Family life isn't so peachy?"

"Shut up," it was snarled at him. "Joely! Sara!" And he was moving to greet two of his friends, swinging his left hand back unobtrusively for Dean to take hold of. And squeezing the other's hand aggressively almost to the point of painfulness, at the slight sigh with which it was reluctantly taken.

"Sam. Good to see you." The blonde crushed him in a huge embrace then turned immediately towards Dean. "Oh Sam... What have you been doing to him? You've all but smothered his scent! It must have been some session to do that! I'm surprised he can still walk!"

Dean tried desperately to understand the conversation then suddenly realised. And blushed redder than he had ever done in his life. They were talking about him! About his sex life! Openly! And as if he wasn't there! Worse: they didn't care that he was there! He stared down at his feet because he seriously couldn't bring himself to look up at these two really obnoxious women.

And his brother.

"Although I can understand it. He is gorgeous. Seriously, if you ever want to sell him, Sam."

Again the scent of anger pouring off the younger man. "And what about Annie, Sara? How would she feel about you talking like that?"

Dean risked a glance and noticed a smaller, very pretty woman standing further back who was just as red in the face as he was: she had obviously heard her mate's obnoxious comments. But Sara wasn't concerned in the slightest.

"Oh, you know I'm only joking, Sam. Nobody would dare try and take Dean from you, but it is sensible for you to start accompanying him here. What with these strangers starting to hang around this last month or so... he is the only male omega here."

"Strangers?" And Sam was straightening up, glancing at Dean, tightening his grip on his hand even more until the latter could swear he was going to feel the bones inside cracking at any moment. Carefully he tried to ease his fingers out from the death grip.

"I'm...er...I'm going to talk with Annie, if that's okay, Sam?"

The other gave him a look of such absolute possessiveness... and such extreme love... mixed into one that Dean really wasn't sure what to do or say next. Then Sam forced himself to relax and released his hand. "Stay where I can see you. I'll be over in a minute. Tell me about these strangers." He was turning back to the two women but without any semblance of friendliness this time. And Dean could still smell his anger, even as he hurried to cross to the other omega.

She was pretty, really pretty: petite, dark-eyes, long dark hair. Great figure. Only early twenties. The type he would have tried to hit on in just about any other circumstance. Even as he crossed to her, Dean tried desperately to remind himself that she was a mother. And he was. And they had both just taken their kids to school, so behave yourself, Dean!

"Annie?"

She nodded, but still looked hesitantly over at the loud obnoxious woman still laughing loudly and overly-shrill with Sam. Who still wasn't smiling. "I'm sure she didn't mean that... I take it you heard?" He backtracked quickly.

"Unfortunately, yes she did." Annie sighed. "And with me only managing so far to have the one little girl, who is already showing all the signs of being just a beta..."

"She might still present. " Dean tried desperately to remember what Sam had been telling him the night before. "What's her scent like?"

"Well, you should know, Dean! Lauren spends as much time at your house as she does ours! You know so far she's only got that basic stagnant scent associated with betas. And it doesn't get any stronger ever, no matter what her emotion! No, Sara's looking around alright. She'd love a nice fertile omega like you... she wants to have an Alpha son like your Samuel."

"But she wouldn't leave you?"

The woman's eyes lowered. "I don't know, Dean. I know she doesn't love me like your Sam does you. She only managed to claim me because I was stupid enough to run from my father. Oh, Our Lady: how could I have been so stupid?"

"It will be okay, Annie. I'm sure she loves you. In her way."

She sighed. "Yeah, I guess."

What does he do now, Dean wondered? Was it okay to put his arms around another omega in public? Or was that frowned upon in this strange world where some of the population were living possessions? The quandary was resolved for him by Annie: "Dean... I could really do with a hug."

"Is that okay? I don't want to get to get you into any more trouble with Sara."

"To hell with her." And they were embracing suddenly with Annie reaching up on her toes to whisper in his ear: "I'm going to find out how to get in touch with the F.A.O: oh I know what you're going to say, 'be careful, you might be getting mixed up with sex traffickers', but I'm going to try, Dean! I'm not going to just be used and thrown away as if I'm a nothing!"

"Annie..."

But the conversation was interrupted by another couple of seemingly anxious women coming to join the hug in a mutual huddle in the playground. It seemed to be a thing that omegas did, which actually, Dean thought he could get used to! But then they were going again hastily, leaving just Dean and Annie as their two Alphas loudly approached.

Well, Sara was loud anyway. "Oh look, Sam! Don't they look good together? Perhaps we could organise a night with them both? You and me? And the two of them? Wouldn't that be great! Or if not, then perhaps I could just borrow Dean for a night and have a chance of real action..?" This was said so that everyone still standing there could hear: Dean had never wanted to punch anyone so much in his whole life as the pretty and petite woman beside him once more flushed scarlet with embarrassment.

"I don't think so!" Sam winced as the words angrily burst out of his 'mate'! "I've got pretty high standards, despite what you think of me!"

Sara paused in her monopolisation and stared at him with even more appreciation: "Ooh, he can get feisty! I always knew he could! Our Lady, I bet he's good in bed: I bet you end up doing all sorts of things just to keep him contented, Sam. If he ever gets too much for you, just let me know. And Dean?" As she reached for her mate's hand and started to lead her away. "If ever you need a real Alpha, you know where to find me."

Dean's retort was bitten down as Sam grabbed for his arm and squeezed it hard enough to cause pain, deliberately this time. "Enough!" he hissed. "You're attracting far too much attention to yourself!"

"Me doing it! You all just stood there and completely embarrassed that poor woman and me by talking about us as if we were nothings! Worse than nothings: sex objects! That's the sort of conversation I'd expect from a drunken night in a working men's club, not out in a playground for God's sake! What the hell is this place?" And he was pulling away from Sam and turning to head back in the direction of his surrogate family's house.

He was stopped by the taller man grabbing at the back of his neck and yanking him backwards so abruptly that he almost fell onto his knees. Sam leant over and down to him to snarl straight into his ear, sounding really irate. "You are embarrassing me! Do you not realise what you are doing: showing an Alpha up in public! You are making it so that I will have to punish you!"

"Oh yeah! You just try it, Sammy! You stood there and discussed having a foursome with that...woman... and her mate in front of everyone around! And you wonder why I'm upset!"

"I didn't discuss it, Dean."

"You didn't stop it either, Sam! You didn't stop her. Not even after seeing how upset Annie was getting! Not even when I was!" He was trying to calm down, to remember where he was, to remember what a strange world this was. And oh god, how he already hated it!"

"I understand that, Dean. But I'm still going to have to punish you: it isn't... done... to humiliate an Alpha in public. I have no choice." He added desperately: his brother stared up at the anguish in his eyes. "I have no choice, Dean! Now come here."

He straightened up and stepped back, holding out his left arm without a smile and at the same time, his right hand came up ready with an open-palmed slap. Dean watched him in silent anger, and complete disgust.

"You do that? Speak about me like that? And expect me to just come and get beaten by you? For sticking up for myself and Annie? You just try it, little brother! You just dare!"

"Dean. I have no choice! If you misbehave in public you have to be brought into line!"

"Because it's what's done here? And you think that makes it right?"

"Having trouble with your omega, Mr Winchester?"

Their stand-off was brought to an abrupt halt as a deep, educated voice cut through their argument. Both brothers turned to see a tall man: not as tall as Sam but about the same height as Dean; late forties, perhaps early fifties; clean-shaven; blue eyes; smile that didn't even come close to reaching them; well-cut tailored suit; hand-made shoes; expensive watch.

Behind him stood three other men, also in smart suits but going by their builds and demeanours they were obviously bodyguards. But then Dean was noticing Sam's reaction: his brother was going pale, really pale. And nervous. And reaching out blindly, groping with his hand for Dean's arm as if he had suddenly found himself standing alone in the dark.

Despite himself, Dean took his outstretched hand and was dragged forward suddenly and sharply to stand safely behind the protection of the taller man, Sam's arm going around him in a backwards one-armed embrace of defence.

And this time Sam's aroma wasn't one of anger, but a definite one of fear.

"Mr Manolli? What are you doing here? How did you...?"

"Oh...I just thought we should meet, Mr Winchester. You are the lawyer building a case against me after all: I just like to know who I'm up against. And you must be Dean?"

Even as Dean opened his mouth to respond, Sam was both interrupting and giving him a small backwards kick to the front of his calf in warning at the same time. "Yes. But how did you know?"

"Like I said: I like to know who I'm up against." The more mature man began to walk unhurriedly around Sam: Dean glanced around them and suddenly realised that the interested audience that had gathered for their argument and his inevitable public humiliation, had vanished just as simultaneously. Then he went back to watching the newcomer.

Who was expressing just as much interest in him.

"Samuel Winchester: youngest Lead Attorney in the State of Missouri and looking to be the latest Assistant D A. If this case goes well of course: the publicity will be immense. Happily mated with three children. To a male omega, no less!"

He by now had completed his excursion around Sam and was standing behind him, studying every inch of Dean with his eyes. Eyes that were glinting with lust.

"But the reports my men have been sending about your mate didn't do justice to just how stunning he is. Nor how stubborn. And brave. He stood up for himself when you didn't. I like that."

He stepped closer until he was staring straight into Dean's eyes. "Green. The images didn't show them clearly, but...just beautiful. I think you would definitely be a challenge, omega. And I like that as well."

Sam was stepping around his brother then, his arm tightening even more around Dean's waist as if he would pull the other right inside the protection of his own body if he could, anger finally breaking through his nervousness. "He's not for sale! He never will be!"

"I wasn't offering to buy him, Mr Winchester." Finally the man was stepping away, accompanied by his men. Then he paused momentarily. "But everyone has their price: it's just a question of working out just what that tipping point might be. Goodbye for now, Mr Winchester...

... Dean."

The latter name was said with a smile but there was an underlying unpleasantness in the tone.

There was no doubt about the threat in how Sam's name was said.

So now Dean was stuck in the house waiting for Sam to return from work.

They had returned at Sam's pace that morning the moment Mr Manolli was out of view, which meant the larger man had literally dragged his protesting and stumbling brother by his arm the two blocks home, and all but thrown him inside through the open door. "They're watching us! Sara said the men at the school have been there for a couple of months: that's about when I first took on this case! I can't believe this: he's been watching us! That bastard! If he tries to hurt our kids! You stay here!

I mean it, Dean!" As his brother had once more got to his feet and looked like he was going to protest. "You're to stay here, safe inside. I can't risk you being hurt. Or worse! I saw the way he looked at you! I've got to go and tell my office that I'm withdrawing from this case. I'll pick the children up this afternoon in the car: I'll call Samuel and tell him to wait for me at his school... I can't do this case, not if it's putting you all at risk!"

"I take it that was this mob boss you mentioned? If you give up, Sam, he'll win. He'll just carry on threatening and killing and carrying on. Unless you can stop him: unless you can put him away."

"He's threatening our children, Dean! I didn't sign up for that!" He scrubbed his hands through his long hair in desperation.

"You know, Sam. If you really want to be D.A., then you'll have no choice but to get that cut!"

The younger man stared at him incredulously: "How can you joke? How can you be so...? I did this to try and help people! I can save them, Dean! If I can just take men like this down, I can save them! But not if it's risking all of you!"

Despite himself Dean had to wryly chuckle. "I've heard my Sam say nearly those exact same words! And how many tens of thousands of people paid for that with their lives?" He shook himself out of his saddest memories: "The point is, Sam: you can't give up. This man wouldn't be approaching you like he did if he's not getting worried that you have a chance of winning the case. That's the job you took on, so you have to see it through, Sam. You have to."

"But he's threatened you!" There were tears threatening in the soft hazel eyes.

"He's threatened the other Dean, yes. But he don't know me, Sam. I may not understand this world at all, but there ain't no way he's hurting those kids. Not while I'm here."

"But..."

"He ain't touching those kids, Sam. You just get on and do your job. Make it count, okay?"

Sam had nodded numbly and obeyed, stumbling a little in shock as he left the house.

In which Dean was now stuck waiting.

He resisted the temptation to 'browse' the internet.

He resisted the urge to steal a car and return to the building where this had all started to search it. Because if he did, and whatever had happened to bring him here...suddenly took him back again, then this family would be left helpless.

Sam and these children would be left helpless.

The Sam of this world might be strong, super-intelligent and completely up-himself, but he didn't know how to fight. He hadn't been taught how to. Not like Dean had. Not like he knew he would if it came to it.

Dean crossed quietly to the window and drew back the blind, just enough to risk a glance outside. He had half noticed the black car outside as it had followed them back from the building with the cellar the evening before, but only half noticed it.

But now, as he watched it suddenly pull away and disappear from view, just before Sam's modern car with the three children all safely inside appeared around the corner to draw up on the driveway, and the nondescript car that had been travelling immediately behind the family park inconspicuously a short distance across and further down the road ready for its two occupants to take up their surveillance of the family's house... he sighed.

He wasn't going to be going anywhere soon.