Linda wheeled the maid cart up to room six and was about to knock when the sound of music and exuberant singing gave her pause. Linda peeked through a crack in the curtain to see what was going on.

Dimples was jumping on one of the beds, clapping his hands and singing off key at the top of his lungs. Freckles was singing into a hairbrush while he gyrated around ala Elvis Presley.

Linda recognized "Shambala" by Three Dog Night and damn if it wasn't one of her favorites back when she was a rebellious, pot imbibing hippy. She left them to their joy. Sheets and towels could wait but happiness was something you had grab whenever you could.

Wash away my sorrow, wash away my shame
With the rain in Shambala…..

Sam hopped off the bed and Dean tossed his hairbrush microphone, they clasped each other's hands and danced going around in a circle.

Everyone is helpful, everyone is kind
On the road to Shambala
Everyone is lucky, everyone is so kind
On the road to Shambala…

Sam tossed his head back as he howled the chorus at the sky above, or at least the one in his imagination.

Ah, oooooooooh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…

"Dean, pretend we're free at our cabin in the woods!"

Dean let go of his brother's hands and raised both arms to the heavens like a tent revival preacher as he danced right to end of the song. He pictured a someday at this place in his brothers imagination.

Afterward they each flopped on a bed. Dean felt great today with energy to burn. Later they planned on getting a couple bikes from Linda's rentals and ride into town because it was free sample day at the grocery store.

Sam was pleased that Dean was happy today. His brother didn't realize how much his emotions affected him.

Dean let out a chuckle when Sam went full dimples and said, "I hope they have trail mix in those little paper cups."

"Only you would wish for trail mix. Who the hell wants nuts and granola, the chocolate candy is the only good part."

….

Dean took a third mini hotdog and popped it in his mouth and so far the samples lady only gave him side eye. He knew he was pushing his luck when he took a fourth one. When she cleared her throat and pursed her lips, Dean knew his cuteness had gotten him as far as could.

Sam was at another sample spot taking pieces of cut up toaster pastries and eating them as fast as he could while the sample dude was busy extoling the wonders of "Poppy Pastries" to two women with babies in tow.

The guy finally noticed the boy shoveling down his platter full of samples. "Hey kid, that's enough. Go find your mommy."

Sam looked up at him with genuinely sad puppy eyes, "I don't have a mom."

Dean saw an opportunity, he went right over to his brother and wrapped a protective arm around the boy's shoulders, "Geez mister, what are you, some kinda creep to bring up a kids dead mom?"

The brothers walked away with a plastic cup full of mini hotdogs and two whole toaster pastries. The day just got better and better.

Mary would have been proud.

…..

Dean spotted an aisle marked "Omega Personal Care", he stood there chewing his bottom lip as he tried to decide if it was safe to venture down it and find out what personal things omegas needed.

"Sam, go find some eggs, bread and an industrial size jar of peanut butter and some strawberry jam."

"Ok, do we have enough for bananas and apples?"

"Sure, here take the cart."

Once Sam was out of sight, Dean entered the forbidden zone, or at least he used to see it as a forbidden place used only by mysterious creatures called omegas. Doing this was admitting what he really was and that was a hard pill to swallow. His dad sure wasn't going to help and he couldn't burden Sam with his problems.

Dean was shocked by the vast array of products and brands all specifically made for omegas. There were prenatal vitamins, scent blockers, pads, vaginal inserts similar to a tampon but made for an omegas heat cycle and the list went on and on.

The postpartum section scared the crap out of Dean, he couldn't imagine a time in his life when he'd need a cream for sore nipples or heavy duty pull ups for leakage.

The section specifically for newly presenting omegas was what he was looking for. He picked up a pack of thick pads with a picture of a smiling, good looking teen omega on the front and then put it back when he saw the price. There were creams to numb the new newly opened vagina and all sorts of things that sent Dean's mind spinning.

There was a sign directing omegas, their owners or spouses to the pharmacy counter for heat suppressants.

"Must be eighteen to purchase with a valid prescription…"

The word "owner" let Dean know that this world hadn't really changed at all for omegas and "the powers that be" only slapped a little paint on laws to pretty them up and seem more palatable to the masses.

"Whoa, what's this for?"

Dean about jumped out of his skin when he heard Sam's voice. The kid was holding a box of vaginal cream.

Sam read the directions out loud, "It says to apply to the lay-bee-ah." Sam frowned, "what's a lay-bee-ah"?"

Dean turned ten shades of red, "Never mind what a labia is, put it back."

Sam did as he was told. He point to a young, smiling boy on a package of pads, "There are a lot of happy guys on these packages."

"You're killin' me, Sammy."

…..

"Hey Dad, I guess you're still in the field with Bobby…so give me a call when you get this." Dean placed the receiver back on the old black rotary phone. He pushed a dollar across the counter to Linda and she pushed it back.

"Don't worry about it, Dean." She felt bad for the kid; it was his third time in two weeks trying to get ahold of his salesman father. Linda didn't believe for one second that big dick alpha was a salesman but she let the two boys have their secrets. Secrets came with reasons.

Dean's face was pale causing his freckles to stand out a bit more. The normally robust boy looked like something was eating at him but when she inquired Dean always said he was fine. Linda brought them supper some nights telling the boys she made way too much and she didn't want leftovers.

Dean was the kind of person that would see not being able to provide for his brother as a personal failure. It was a way to get around that and not upset him.

Linda asked once again, "Dean is everything ok? You can tell me if something is wrong."

Dean ignored her and instead pointed to a photo on the wall of a pretty, long haired young woman astride a Triumph Bonneville with her arms around the waist of a bearded man, "You were a real hottie! Nice bike."

"Yeah, don't change the subject."

His easy smile appeared out of nowhere and for a few seconds he didn't look that miserable, "I'm five by five."

…

Beams of morning light broke the canopy of green above and the air smelled of lush, dark earth soaked with rain from just hours before. This forest was something out of a fairytale with unspoiled beauty all around the two hunters. They didn't have time to admire their surroundings. John and Bobby were searching for yet another branch of the Bramble pack that had moved from out east for better pickings.

John had to laugh when Bobby told them the werewolves had actually given a name to their massive group. Bobby didn't laugh with him because he'd seen what these invaders had done first hand. The trouble was the pack splintered off to cover more territory and for preservation of their kind. If one group was wiped out there were several more that survived. Bobby had another couple of hunters on the north end of the wild life preserve picking up the slack, or so he hoped.

Bobby was still pissed off at John because he didn't bring the boys. Sam would have stayed behind, safe and sound at the house and Dean would get more training. He knew the boys had been left alone before for long periods of time but when John came here there was no excuse to leave them.

The alpha had about blown his stack when Bobby asked about Sam and Dean. Bobby put him in his place right quick, he didn't take lip from anybody, not even John Winchester. The elder alpha decided to ask about the boys when John inevitably got drunk again and his tongue loosened up.

…..

The hunters headed back to Singer salvage to clean up, reload and plan their next move. There were three different messages from Dean, each one sounding more and more emotional. It wasn't what Dean said but more the way he sounded by the third message.

He called and was put through to their room where Dean answered the phone. The boy sounded relieved. Dean asked if his dad was ok and it was more than John deserved and he knew it. It softened the father up just a bit.

"Are you and Sam keeping out of trouble and doing your training?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good."

The seconds of silence between them felt like forever. John didn't want to ask his sons status because he couldn't handle the answer and Dean didn't want to reveal how he was feeling because he didn't want to look weak in the eyes of his father. It was a dance they'd done for years. Sam spoke to John briefly and they said their goodbyes.

….

Sam was sad to see his brother was withdrawn and seemed to be hurting again. It was so frustrating to the little boy because he couldn't help Dean if he didn't know what was wrong.

For the first time ever, Sam cooked supper in the kitchenette. It was just scrambled eggs and toast but he felt pretty proud when Dean gobbled it all up and told Sam it was really tasty.

Afterward they settle on one bed to watch a rerun of MacGyver but Dean only made it halfway through. He headed for the bathroom saying something about a shower. Sam heard the water running and thought nothing of it; he was too busy watching MacGyver make a trap with a rubber band, paperclip and some dental floss.

…

Something very bad had happened to Dean, he felt the small, thin stretch of skin between his legs tear open when he leaned over to grab a bag of chips on the nightstand.

Somehow he avoided crying out but even walking to the bathroom felt like fire between his legs as the torn, raw edges of skin rubbed together. By the time Dean stripped off his jeans and boxers, they were stained with blood mixed with a clear, thick substance similar in texture to aloe gel which slowed the flow of blood and serum.

The slick was the body's defense against too much blood loss and as lubricant to keep the raw flesh from rubbing too much. Later on the slick would come for a very different reason.

"No, no, no! This can't be happening….what do I do, what if I die?"

Dean stood beneath the spray hot water so Sam couldn't hear him moaning in pain. He touched the bits of torn skin surrounding the opening and then ran his fingers over the new, tender, soft lips but couldn't make himself go any further.

Not knowing what else to do, Dean sat in the tub with his legs open and watched as a slow trail of blood and fluids flow down the drain. That was when he started to cry as quietly as possible.

TBC