Notes: I apologise – I did not realise that the asterixes that I was using to 'split the worlds' were not coming across when I uploaded. The story must have been very confusing! Neither, it would appear, do forward slashes! Nor x's! So I have had to settle for oooo's! Hope this helps!

Sam sat on one of the small leather couches and couldn't remember when he had last eaten such a good meal. His real brother had often surprised him by proving to be an extremely good cook and it was obviously a talent that he shared with his look-alike.

The new Dean had asked if they could pick up food supplies as they had returned home that evening as every single cupboard in the bunker seemed to be empty of anything remotely edible and Sam had happily agreed, on condition Dean came into the store with him.

And to his surprise his brother had.

Although it had probably been more to do with the fact that there had been only two other customers in the shop at that time of night, and he had never allowed Sam to get more than a single Dean-sized pace away from him, and, although Sam had expressively forbidden his brother to hold his hand in public, he was perpetually aware of Dean's constant touch against his arm; his back; his shoulder; his waist as his brother's fingers slid covertly beneath Sam's jacket and shirt (which caused Sam to suddenly feel very, very warm and to break out in a slight sweat); against his face as the smaller man reached up to brush his hair out of his eyes for him and asked for his opinion on the freshest produce.

Which actually in itself was amazing.

Because this Dean wanted fresh greens, and fruit. And fresh salmon! And different sorts of flour - Sam had never realised there was more than two, but there was. And the rest of what would be needed for baking. And fresh rolls. And fresh juice in cartons. And bottled water.

And it was Sam who went for the six-pack of beer and the bottle of whisky, only to feel his face redden as Dean stared at him in genuine amazement. But he said nothing other than to take them from the younger man and put them in the small trolley. "Do you think we need anything else?"

"I don't think we'll starve."

Then he sighed as Dean had all but backed into the tent of his larger body and tried to hide beneath his right bicep because the young female store assistant had tried to start an obviously flirtatious conversation with him. Sam could feel the slight tremors of fear travelling through Dean's body against his and wondered just what sort of world the other came from, where any attention directed at him was such a source of genuine terror.

And he couldn't help but worry about his brother and if he was safe.

In the end he had made himself deliberately put his arm around this Dean's shoulder and nuzzled his lips against his cheek in a public show of affection, aware not only of the checkout girl's wide-eyed expression, but wondering what the real Dean would make of it when he returned, should he ever have cause to go into that store!

But at least his touch seemed to settle this Dean enough for Sam to hurriedly finish purchasing their items, hand him the smallest couple of bags and the car keys to hold while he scooped up the entire rest of their packed purchases in one long strong armful, before catching up his brother's free hand openly with his larger one to lead him safely to the exit.

"You are angry with me?" Dean's voice was quiet as he unlocked the car door for Sam to unburden himself of the produce. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"Huh? You didn't! I'm not mad at you."

"Your scent has changed slightly: you are giving off stress. I did not mean to cause that: I only wanted to be able to provide a decent meal for you, I'm no good at anything else. Please don't leave me alone in this world."

Sam dropped the bags in the back of the Impala and stood up straight to stare at him, realising with a slight shock that he had been wrong: Dean was still shaking a little and had obviously been biting anxiously at the inside of his bottom lip for the last few minutes.

"Oh Dean." He stepped forward without even thinking about it to embrace the smaller man, crushing him slightly between the car and himself as he held him tightly against his own chest, purposely ignoring the gaping eyes of the cashier who was now watching the two handsome men openly through the shop glass. "I am certainly not angry at you. Definitely not. And I am never going to just abandon you! I'm going to work out how to get you home and how to get my Dean back!

But I am worried about him!" he released the other and moved to open the front door of the car. "You seem to be so terrified of where you come from, so... what might be happening to him there, Dean? Anyway," he pulled at his brother's hand to get him to climb into the Impala then followed him in as Dean slid across to the passenger's side. "That's why I'm probably a little stressed. But not at you, I mean that. And I will do my best to keep you safe, and to get you back to your children, okay?"

He had hoped to get some answers to his questions. Actually he was beginning to realise that he needed to. But Dean was still pale and looking as if it wouldn't take too much to reduce him to tears, so he kept quiet for the time being while they returned to the bunker.

But Sam determined to return to the subject later.

And it had been a nice evening: Sam had cleared and set the table while Dean bustled about preparing and baking a really delicious salmon in flaky pastry with a lemon butter sauce and green vegetables, and a fresh fruit salad for desert. And he hadn't wanted Sam to help clear up but the younger man had insisted, making him sit down with a coffee while Sam both washed and dried. And it was strange, Sam reflected, how this sudden domesticity felt perfectly natural, just the two of them together.

As if that was how they should be.

oooooooxooooooo

Dean sighed as he watched Sam: the larger man was all but slouching in his study chair. Since his return that afternoon, his brother had managed to keep an outwardly calm and normal appearance for the sake of his children, but Dean knew him better than anyone and could see how shaken he was about what had occurred earlier. And he had been really, really quiet since then, even through the family meal that Dean had cooked.

But now, as Dean watched him, he could tell how... brooding...he was being over something else as well, and the human had the horrible feeling that it was to do with him and how he had openly disobeyed the Alpha in public.

Perhaps he should have just taken the beating.

No way in hell.

He became aware of Samuel approaching him, his eyes also turned to look into the room where his father was slumped in the leather chair. "We should be really worried about this man, shouldn't we, Dean? Do you think he would hurt my little brother and sister?" His voice was quiet, but worried.

"From what I saw of him, Sammy, yeah, without hesitation. He's not someone you want to argue with. But that's the job your dad took on, putting people like that away. And if there's not someone brave like him to stand up and do it, then men like this just get worse and worse. There have got to be some restraints put on them: that's just the way it is. So I'll support your dad as best I can, and if that means looking after you three and keeping you safe, then that's what I'll do. And Samuel...?"

He finally turned to look at the boy, only to find he was standing staring straight at him. "I'd appreciate your support. We don't need to frighten your brother and sister, but I would be grateful knowing that you'd be ready to follow whatever I ever tell you to. No matter how strange you might think it... or me."

The green eyes that so perfectly matched his own met his without giving away any emotion or expression at all, apart from a slight flaring of the nostrils as he inhaled. But then the boy nodded, just once, and broke his gaze to again turn back to the chair where Sam was sitting.

"It's all over my school as well, how you defied dad earlier. Someone put it on the internet within minutes."

"It got filmed?!"

"Oh yes, isn't everything?"

"Crap, I really screwed up, huh?"

Dean felt his heart plummeting: no wonder Sam had hardly spoken two words to him since he had arrived home that afternoon.

"Omegas are supposed to behave, to just do as they're told as if they're nothings, no matter what. No matter how humiliating." Dean watched the boy's lip curl in a snarl of derision. "And some Alphas really get off on that: public punishment, often stripping them to beat them, hell, forcing an omega to have sex right out in public is common here. They get off on it.

But not dad.

And not me."

He turned to face the older man once more, meeting his eyes straight on. "I am proud of you for standing up for yourself today, Dean. Really proud. And all the kids who think they might be omegas are as well: it's all over the school. You gave them hope that they have a choice. But..." He again turned enough to glance into the study.

"You reckon I should apologise to your dad, huh?"

The boy shrugged, a lanky, lazy, long loose-limbed shrug, and wandered away without giving any more response. Dean turned his attention back to Sam and sighed.

He wasn't sure how to go about it. His instinct was to go and stand in front of his brother, out of range of his long arms, but this was this world, and this Sam, and it would take more than that. A little part of Dean told him that he should perhaps kneel instead: well, fuck that. Or perhaps sneek in and give a surprise massage to his shoulders a little to try and relax him? Nah: too chick-flickie.

Before he could decide what to do, the two younger children were running at him, asking for their story that night. "Ok, I'll be there in a few minutes: you both get yourselves ready for bed. I've just got to have a word with your dad, okay?"

"Is this about what happened at school?"

Dean winced at the straight question: "Yeah, a little. Did you see it?"

"Oh yes, we watched it over and over at break. But the teachers were excited about it as well: they were all whispering. Is daddy angry at you?"

"I'm not sure. I'm gonna go and find out."

"If he's mad at you, then you won't be reading us a story." The disappointment in Johnny's voice was palpable.

"Why wont I?"

"Because dad will expect you to take his knot."

"I...what?"

" My friend Lee's dad says it's the only thing omegas are any good for, but you'll find out, Dean. It's what mom always has to do when dad is upset about something."

"I'm gonna have a knot!" the little girl suddenly piped up! "Just like daddy! And an omega just like you of my very own, Dean!"

"Mary-Anne!" her brother admonished. "How can you possibly be saying that! You're far too young to know!"

"I know! My friends all tell me I have the hallmarks of one! I'm loud!"

"You're certainly obnoxious!"

"And they say you're so quiet and int...inter...intro... well, you're definitely going to be an omega, Johnny." The little girl wasn't abashed in the slightest, in fact she was eager! "Perhaps I'll claim you, like dad took mom?"

"Whoa. Whoa!" Dean had the disconcerting impression that, of the three of them: himself and the two children, he was the only one that didn't fully understand this conversation. "And nobody is going to claim anybody, not without both parties consenting, you got that! Jesus, what is this world! Look, just go and get ready for bed: I'll come and read you both a story in a few minutes, okay. Move! And brush your teeth!"

He stared after them as they ran off hand-in-hand, argument forgotten, and wondered what the hell exactly was a knot? And how could a little girl have one? But then he knew he couldn't put off facing Sam any longer.

With a sigh, he wandered into the study and came to a halt to the left of the comfortable chair that his brother was sitting slumped in. "Sam...I... Look, I know that I acted incorrectly this morning. I didn't mean to embarrass you at the school: I just wanted to apologise. But I did mean that when I said I will protect your kids with everything I have: I meant every word of that."

There was no response. He wasn't even sure Sam had heard him. With a sigh, Dean went to his knees beside the chair and moved to touch his brother's hand gently: "Sam, I'm sorry. Please... I..." His words stalled, he didn't know what to say... or do.

But then Sam was stirring in the chair and straightening up. He twisted slightly to stare at Dean, fixing him with a look of such intensity, then slowly, gently, he reached out to run his long fingers down the human's cheek, ensuring that they lingered against his lips.

In the next instant his whole upper body was following, leaning sideways over the leather armrest as his outstretched left hand extended even further to glide around the back of Dean's head and pull forwards. "Sam? Wait!"

But his protest was cut off as his brother's mouth was suddenly on his, and he was being kissed with a passion, and a desperately probing tongue, that he couldn't quite escape no matter how hard he resisted. "Sam! I...!"

Dean fought down panic as he felt Sam's right hand also touch his body, covering a good half of his chest in one open-fingered palm, then it's grip was being tightened and he was being manhandled despite himself to move closer to the front of the chair, pulled to walk on his knees to try and stop himself from being toppled on to his face as Sam simply used his greater reach and strength to force him to move to where he wanted him.

Even as Dean tried still to struggle away, to his alarm he felt something touch across the front of his knees and realised that it was his brother's large socked foot as Sam was sliding his entire body to the front of the chair and using all four of his long limbs to reach his target with. Then both his feet were hooking themselves around Dean's waist and supplying the final act of unyielding propulsion that meant Dean ended up finding himself kneeling on his heels directly in front of Sam's chair, without being given any choice whatsoever in the matter.

And the larger man had himself slid bodily down from the chair to sit with his weight fully on Dean's lap, both legs now tightly wrapped around the human's waist, almost taking his breath with the crush of the muscled thighs squeezing his torso. Similarly both of his arms were now held into his own body by his brother's tight, forcibly tight, embrace around them. The only movement he had was his head, and that again was being controlled by Sam's long fingers wrapping themselves in his short hair and tugging downwards, not painfully but with the promise of being so if he didn't concede, until Dean had no choice but to tip his head back and bare his neck to his brother.

He felt his breath catch as Sam hunched himself to bury his nose into the virgin flesh there and inhaled deeply and intently for several minutes. "Sam? I'm not...!"

"Mmmm. I know you're not my Dean, Dean! But...oh, Our Lady... your scent! It is his! I want him so badly! Need it so much. Need him here." He breathed in again, causing Dean to feel the suction against his neck, then to the human's horror and discomfort, began to lick and nibble at his exposed skin. "You taste like him as well...Oh, I want to knot you so much. I need to. Need to know you're safe beneath me...around me. That's the only thing that's kept me going today, Dean: knowing that my Dean is away from this and safe. If only I could get my children away as well...

But, oh, by the Moon herself, I need you so much right now. Need to be buried in you. If I could control myself not to knot you, can I have you, Dean?" Sam was beginning to lean his body forwards, forcing Dean's to bend backwards beneath him in an un-natural arch, especially where his bent, folded legs beneath him were concerned.

"Sam? Sam!" Dean felt that his knees were going to break beneath the weight of them both as he was pressed awkwardly back. It was with a real sense of relief that he felt Sam suddenly twist to swing his own legs back so he was kneeling astride Dean instead, using his tight grip around his torso to pull his brother's slighter chest up to meet his own, giving the human the much-needed chance to alter his position. He would rather have to lie flat beneath Sam than be bent double under him.

Although if he had his choice, they wouldn't even be touching let alone be in so intimate a pose.

Sam helped him stretch by catching his hips in his right hand and lifting them bodily as well, allowing Dean the space to unbend his legs without what might have been painful twists to his knees. But even as Dean tried to straighten his lower limbs, Sam was knocking them apart with his own until they were both lying fully out on the rug, with the younger man on top and between his brother's legs.

But it wasn't only Sam's weight that Dean could feel. To his horror, he became aware that Sam was fully erect. And huge! Even through both sets of their clothing he could feel his cock pressing so hard against him that it was uncomfortable.

Dean caught his breath and forced himself not to panic as the memory of how Sam had told him about how he had claimed the other Dean flashed through his head. He looked up and tried to meet Sam's gaze steadily: they stared into each other's eyes for a long moment.

Sam broke the silence. "As much as I want you, Dean, I won't. It's just...your scent. I will never be able to explain to you just what Dean's scent means to me. What yours does to me..." He inched himself physically up the other's body enough to be able to claim one last, lazy, arousing kiss, and rub his groin deliberately against him then, with a sigh, got to his feet and returned to his seat, leaving Dean slightly shaken on the floor.

"I'm not angry at you for earlier, in fact I'm angry at myself. You were right, I should have stood up for you against Sara. Especially as this is your first day here: it must all must be so different. But I could wish that you hadn't managed to draw quite so much attention to yourself! It's gone viral for Our Lady's sake!"

"I'm sorry, I just..."

"It's ok. That's not important. Not like...I couldn't believe...him turning up at the school. Knowing who I am. Knowing who you are! That terrifies me, Dean. That really terrifies me." Again he slumped in the chair, his face ashen.

"What's changed?" By now Dean had managed to get back on his feet and was crossing to lean his head against the coolness of the window, desperate to try and cover the fact that he was still trembling a little.

"What?" Sam looked over at him without understanding.

Dean turned where he stood to face him. "What's changed? Why today? What's suddenly happened in your case to force him to act, to try and threaten you off? There must be something."

"I can't discuss the case with you, Dean!"

"I'm not expecting you to." He crossed back over to the chair where the other was sitting and again knelt beside it, but this time it didn't feel embarrassing. "But think! Something's making him nervous, something you've got on him. Whatever it is, you make sure you use it, Sam."

He stared up into the serious hazel eyes that he knew so well, as intently as they stared back into his. Then Sam was nodding: "There's an informant, we've got him in hiding. I can't give you any details, but it's one of his own that Manolli betrayed, and he came to us! The details he's giving, Dean! I was half wondering if he was playing us, but if we can get him to testify..."

"You get every detail, Sam. Make copies of it in case. Check it all thoroughly, don't leave this Mr Manolli a single issue to raise doubts about. You've got him worried, Sam. Use it. Force him to make the mistake!"

"Mistake?"

"He gets nervous, he gets reckless: he'll make a mistake, Sam. If he's as important as you're suggesting, then... yeah, they've got men to do their dirty work but when it comes down to it, the really serious stuff... none of these bosses will ever trust anybody else to do it. Not the really important things. They always want to see it through themselves, to make sure it's done right. He'll make a mistake, Sam. You've just got to make sure you're in the right place when it happens."

"I thought you said you hunted monsters: you seem to know a lot about this."

Dean smiled at his brother. He thought of Dick Roman, and shuddered a little when his thoughts turned to Lilith. "Trust me," he told Sam. "The higher they are: the less they'll trust anyone else not to screw up! Anything really important, they'll be there. Make sure you are as well."

Sam nodded thoughtfully, never once looking away from his eyes. "Okay."

"Okay." Dean smiled and started to return to his feet, only to have Sam put his hands over his arms to hold him gently but firmly where he was. With a sigh he stayed where he was. "O-K... That reminds me, what's the F.A.O?"

He winced in pain as the large hands suddenly tightened, his brother's manicured nails digging in even through his borrowed long-sleeved sweater. "Where did you hear that, Dean?" Sam's tone was short, clipped.

"What is it?"

He tried to remain calm as Sam tried to stare him down. It was the younger man who broke the sudden tense silence. "The FAO. Freedom for All Omegas. An underground movement that claims to hide and provide for omegas that have been forcibly claimed against their will, who are being abused and deliberately humiliated, who simply don't want to be possessions any more. That's if they exist."

"You don't think they do?"

"There's no proof! Omegas vanish from their admittedly miserable lives and are never seen again!" Sam finally released his hold, threw up his arms and got up to pace the floor. "Perhaps they are safe! But perhaps...

I hate how we treat omegas, Dean! I hate it! As they get more and more scarce, so our society should be treating them like... well, like royalty! But instead they're being more and more restricted: losing more and more of their rights every day. Laws are being ignored and they're being treated like...possessions! Everyone's terrified of them being taken even if they're already claimed, so rather than that being the issue, it's the omegas who's lives are being destroyed! They're being forced to stay in hiding in case they're taken.

And they are, Dean! Omegas are being stolen! Or sold out in the streets like so much... you saw it! Forced to live and breed with the highest bidder. Or worse: they end up in the sex trade. Which is big money! And getting bigger each day the more the shortage of omegas! It's a vicious circle!

They're drugged deliberately to keep them in a state of permanent heat, begging for anyone to knot them, willing to let anything be done to them to try and get through the madness. Which will only end once they're wrung out completely physically, and all but destroyed mentally and emotionally."

Sam stopped pacing and instead came over to kneel on the floor beside Dean, leaning slightly over him and catching the older man's face in his large hands. "That's why I want D.A, Dean! Perhaps I can try to make a difference, to try and influence a change, however small. It's a start! What if our kids turn out to be omegas, Dean? Probably not Samuel, but Johnny? Mary-Anne? What if they're omegas? What the hell sort of life are they going to have?

I can't bear the thought of them always being as terrified as...well, as you are! But the FAO isn't the answer, Dean: it might even be the sex traffickers in disguise! It's a perfect way to get hold of omegas! So, tell me where you heard about them and don't you ever go near them! I mean it, Dean! I'd tie you into the bedroom before I let you get anywhere near those people!"

The other's eyebrows rose, but he remained silent. Sam nearly shook him in his frustration, he knew he was holding Dean so tightly that he must be leaving bruises all over his cheeks and jaw, but he needed him to understand.

The only place safe for his brother in this world was this house.

Eventually he got his fraught emotions under control and released his grip, wincing as he saw the already blackening marks on the other's skin. Sam struggled back into his chair, feeling even more guilty than he had previously, without looking around.

He couldn't look round at Dean.

Finally, as his brother swore under his breath at his once more painful knees and started to try and get his feet beneath him ready to put his weight on them, Sam spoke. As calmly and controlled as he could. "Are you going to read them a story? They'd love that, especially Johnny: he's a quiet child but he's really taken to you. I think he might be an ... I'm worried he is, Dean. But, anyway...once you've finished, then come back in here with me.

Please.

I've got a lot of work I need to do, especially if I'm going to be at the school every morning and afternoon from now on, but I'd like it if you're here with me. There's room on my chair for two! Or Dean...my Dean...often likes to bring a book in and sit against my legs. If you want to..."

He didn't look up as Dean finally stood up and wandered back to the window.

Risking a glance outside, he watched the car opposite with its permanent occupants momentarily and wondered about mentioning it, but decided that his younger brother was stressed enough at the moment. Then, as he heard the children impatiently calling for their story, his attention went up to the now beginning-to-wane moon shining above.

"You abandoning me to this world?" he felt like saying to it. "To this place? My brother seems to think my 'place' is on the floor at his feet! Great.

Just fucking great."

ooooooooxooooooooo

Sam smiled as Dean approached the sofa, book-in-hand. "May I join you?"

"Of course."

Sam tightened his grip on his laptop and went to slide along the seat a little, but to his surprise Dean simply moved to sit on the floor, leaning his body without hesitation against Sam's long denim-covered legs. Even as Sam blinked with surprise, he felt the other's right arm brush against the back of his left calf, as Dean pushed his hand between his brother's booted feet to take a firm hold around his shin and pull himself even closer to the younger man's touch.

"Erm...Dean?"

"Yes, Sam?" The genuine innocence in the older man's voice left Sam a little stumped for what to say. So...

"Whatcha reading?"

Dean closed his book enough to show Sam the title: 'Lore of Werewolves and Lycanthropes: an Amalgamation of Fifty Years of Field Research'. "I figured if that's what you and the other Dean were hunting, then I should know about them. I found it amongst all your books: I hope that's alright."

"Good thinking."

Sam tried to return his concentration to his research about the building, but felt small droplets of sweat break out on his top lip as Dean adjusted his position slightly, moved his arm down, and his fingers somehow started to creep up his brother's leg beneath his jeans.

Again his touch on Sam's skin: again the effect that it just should not have! What was it about this Dean that made Sam respond like this?

He shifted in his seat, resisting the temptation to pull completely away from the other. Bad move: Dean also shifted imperceptively and leant further across, his hand sliding further up Sam's long limb under his denims until his fingers were wrapped just under his knee on the inside of Sam's leg, stroking softly against the flesh there, and his head was resting against it on the outside, his soft short hair only separated from brushing against Sam's skin by the thin material.

Despite himself, Sam wondered how soft his brother's hair was.

Despite himself, he reached out to gently touch Dean's head, then began to softly stroke his hair as if he was petting a small animal. And Dean relaxed into his hand, nuzzling against his long fingers almost with a cat-like intensity of pleasure.

If he had started to purr, Sam would have come in his pants there and then.

He knew he had to distract himself: "Erm...I was wondering. We got nowhere today with returning you to your world, so would you help me hunt these weres down, Dean? Your ability to scent them would be incredibly helpful. I'm not giving up on sending you back! Never! But at least we can do this in the meantime, try and stop any more people getting killed.

And... tell me about your world, Dean. Why are you so terrified of being out in public? Is it that dangerous? And...my Dean? Will he be okay? Will whatever you're so scared of be after him as well?"

Dean's hand stilled and he became tense. "It's not a good world to be an omega in. Not anymore. We're too highly prized."

"Prized? As in...?"

"We're being taken. Stolen. Forced to breed, or be sex workers. I don't like being outside: too many watching eyes, too many touchy hands. Too many people who want."

"But Dean's not an omega! He's a human!"

Dean twisted slightly against his leg and nuzzled into him with his nose, inhaling deeply. "You look like my Sam. You smell like my Sam. And he's an Alpha. And if you look and smell so very like my Sam, and you say that I look so very like your Dean, then it is very likely that..."

"That he smells like you as well." Sam felt his blood suddenly run cold. "In which case..."

"In which case, he has the scent of an omega. Which is not good, Sam.

It's not good at all."