Hearth

Three years. Three years he had traveled across the country with Sam, until Sam had grown weary of his moods and returned to Stanford. After dropping Sam off, he had slowly drifted back. He hadn’t even realized at first where he had been driving to; it hit him when he had a double take at the sign on the interstate junction. So, he had ended up back here. He had tried to stay away, to go back to the way things were before, but nothing had worked. He had considered staying in the town, but the marsh pulled him with a peculiar force, and after a couple of weeks he finally gave in and drove to it.

And now, after all these years he stopped Baby by the side of the narrow gravel road and stepped out. The strong scent of the marsh attacked his nose and he inhaled deeply.

It smelled like home.

Who would’ve thought that Dean would find his home in a fucking marsh? He had never had an actual home, always driving around first with his dad and Sammy and then just with Sam, chasing an odd job here and another one there, unable to stay in one place for long. The longest he had stopped was the time he had spent with Lisa, but it hadn’t worked out, even though Lisa probably had wanted it to. It stung a little - spending time with Ben had been awesome and Dean would've been more than happy to act as the kid’s dad, and Lisa would’ve gladly let him. But it would’ve been wrong no matter how nice it might have felt. The sad thing was that when he had decided to leave, he had probably given up his only chance of being a parent. And that sucked rocks.

He drew a breath and was instantly calmed. Yeah, he was definitely home. In a marsh. Way to go, Dean.

But then, who would’ve thought he would end up mysteriously mated to someone he didn’t remember? Not properly anyway - during his ruts he had been haunted by a scent of rosemary and white lilies and a sense of infinite blue, and he still had no fucking clue what that meant, and it drove him nuts. He had the sprig of wild rosemary permanently tucked under the sun visor of his Baby, and even though its scent had long dissipated, the sight of it was oddly comforting in the midst of his pent-up frustration.

Dean stood for a long time staring at the marsh, leaning on Baby, and thought hard. If this really was home, the only place he had felt at peace in years, he should stay and build his home here. Which was insane, of course, and, perhaps for that reason, the only rational thing to do.

He had seen no other houses on his drive here, which meant that the area was as vacant as it had been three years ago. He would have to start from scratch: there would be no electricity, no plumbing and no municipal infrastructure. Dean had only a GED, no steady income and no special skills apart from doing odd jobs repairing things. But he did have an innate sense of how things worked, although he didn’t have any official education in building or engineering. If he really was going to do this, he would be a pioneer in so many ways he didn't even bother to count them.

The inhabitants of the small town of Dunsmuir (And what the hell kind of a name was that anyway?) were suspicious of him at first. The gruff old Beta from Singer’s Garage remembered him (or actually Baby) from Dean’s previous trip, and served him a narrow-eyed stare when Dean greeted him. His gruffness didn’t subside even a bit, but after he made Dean fix an old Ford he had been battling with for months, he conceded in giving Dean a job in his garage. Dean was overly happy and set himself to the task of proving himself to be a hard and trustworthy worker.

He took his time with his plans of building himself a home at the marsh. Dean was used to running on low money and saved every penny he earned up to the point where Bobby cornered him and asked if Dean was in a trouble. When Dean came clean about his plans, the look on the old Beta’s face was priceless.

”You want to build a home at the marsh? You dim, boy?”

Dean shrugged and turned his face aside.

Bobby narrowed his eyes and pushed his cap a bit further from his brow. ”You smell mated. Is your mate aware of your plans?”

Dean rubbed his face with his hand and shook his head a bit. ”It’s… complicated.”

Bobby sat down at his table and sighed, opened a drawer and pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He poured two shots and pointed to Dean to sit down at the chair on the other side of the table and beckoned him to take the other glass.

”You’re the Alpha I went to pick up from the marsh three years ago,” Bobby stated. Dean nodded and wondered why Bobby needed to talk about it.

”Are you aware of the tales surrounding the marshland?”

Dean blinked. ”Um. My brother mentioned something about them afterwards.”

Bobby took a gulp from his glass and Dean followed his lead.

”The marshland is a dangerous place to be during a new moon,” Bobby said. ”I’ve lived here my whole life, and the tales have always been the same. There’ll be a blue flame beckonin’ and callin’ young Alpha males, and after they venture into the marsh, they’re never comin’ out. We townsfolk know to avoid the marshland during the new moon, but every now and then there’ll be some idjits who won’t listen to reason. We’ve got several young, unmated Alphas gone missin’ over the years, never to be found again. But since you, nothing. Something’s changed after you were found alive and well.

”And now you come back and tell me you want to build a house at the marsh. So I’ll ask you again: are you dim, boy? Or is there something else you’re not tellin’ me?”

Dean swallowed, took a sip of his whiskey, and thought hard.

”You know… if you truly want to build a house there, you should start with coming clean to me, first.” Bobby’s voice was blunt but there was a strange glint in his eyes.

”It feels like… I dunno. Home.” Dean sighed and huffed. ”I know it sounds crazy, but that’s the way it is. I’ve spent the last three years driving around the States, trying to escape the feeling that something’s missing, and after I dropped my little brother off, I drove here. And I didn't even realize it until after I was practically here. And when I drove to the marsh, I felt complete.” He shrugged, waiting for the older man to call him insane.

Bobby gave a noncommittal sound and slowly swirled the leftover whiskey in his glass, before squinting at Dean.

”Nobody’s gonna help you, you know. Even if you get the permission from the town council, you’ll be on your own. You’d have to do everything by yourself. It’s gonna be a hell of a job for a lone Alpha.”

Dean flashed him a grim smile. ”Honestly, I don’t give a damn.”

Bobby nodded. ”Suit yourself. It’s your life, after all.”

He got summoned in front of the city council after two weeks, and he really thought he was going to freak out. Turned out that Bobby was actually a member of the council and had obviously buttered the others up for Dean’s case. He was asked to explain his previous trip to the marsh, his memories and his feelings afterwards, and the reason for his return. He tried to be as honest as he could, because he got the feeling that if he screwed this up, he would not be permitted to try to appeal to the council again.

It was probably the weirdest interview of his life. He was stared down by seven council members representing all first and secondary genders, and while Dean kept waiting for them to laugh him out of the town hall, he had an odd feeling that everything was not as it seemed, but he had no fucking clue what was really going on.

After the meeting he was physically and emotionally wrung out, and it didn’t lessen the feeling of trepidation and doom hanging over him. He was anxious to know what the council had decided, but he was asked to go home (or in his case, to his motel room) instead. When he tried to ask about the whole ordeal from Bobby the next day at work, Bobby shook his head and told him to wait.

He met the town council twice more before he was able to convince them that he was not insane, but actually and honestly wanted to purchase a piece of land near the marshland and build a house there. Thanks to Bobby’s warning, Dean was prepared to present them a rudimentary floor plan and preliminary sketches for environmentally friendly plumbing system with absorbing field. The council members raised their brows and rolled their eyes, and muttered under their breaths something about hippies, but Dean didn’t mind even a bit. If his plans would grant him the permission to build the house he wanted, he didn’t give a flying fuck what he was called.

When the news reached the townsfolk, he was instantly adopted as the official village idiot.

It took him a year to collect enough funds to start building. Surprisingly enough, he had some help from the townsfolk, perhaps because they were genuinely interested in the odd Alpha lunatic who wanted to build a house at the marsh. Dean didn’t complain, but accepted all help offered with gratitude and smiles instead.

The house was not going to be a big one. A bungalow with two bedrooms, a living room and a small kitchen, and a tiny bathroom with a sitting tub and a composting toilet. Dean used as much recycled materials as he could, the only brand new components being the toilet system and the solar panels he installed on the roof. He gathered turf from the marsh to create a turf roof around the solar panels, and, instead of central heating, he installed a heat storing fireplace in the middle of the house. Combined with the thick insulating layer of dried hay he believed his house should be warm enough for the winter to come.

He had had some problems with figuring out how to get water for cooking and washing up, but turned out Bobby, along with a couple of other men from Dunsmuir, had felt pity for him and helped to drill him a well. It still meant he had to haul the needed water inside with buckets, but it was way easier than buying it from the town. Of course, he still needed to buy gas for his stove and small fridge, but solving the water issue was a huge relief. The practical gift in the form of a functioning well was oddly touching, and in a way it made Dean feel that he was, if not wholly accepted, at least not openly scorned anymore.

The house took almost two years to build and it nearly drove him both bankrupt and out of his mind, but when it was finally finished, Dean had never felt so happy in his life. Yeah, he didn’t have a TV or a stereo, let alone a laptop, and he needed to charge his phone at Bobby’s garage, but he didn’t mind. He was content: for the first time in his life he had a home.

The townsfolk still thought he was insane, but now that he had gotten his house ready, it meant that to them, he was a highly functional cuckoo and rose to the status of local pet. During the first few weeks after he had moved in, a surprisingly large amount of people wandered around to see the finished building, and Dean was more than happy to indulge them and give a tour around his small home.

When he called Sam, his brother nearly choked with laughter. After Dean had convinced him that he was serious, Sam turned up with a petite, cute blonde beta, and Dean was proud and happy to give them the second bedroom for their use. Even though Sam didn't exactly get why Dean had built the house, he was still pretty impressed. Sure it was a little crowded and his home was straining to house two extra adults, but they pulled through.

”What are you going to do now?” Sam asked Dean after dinner, when they were all stuffed in the small living room.

Dean shrugged. ”Don’t know. Live. Work.”

Sam gave him a Look. ”Okay. So you’ll just drive to the garage and then back. What kind of a life is that?”

”A happy one,” Dean assured. ”Look, Sam. I know you don't understand, but that’s okay. For the first time since the incident here six years ago I feel like I’m home. I can’t explain it, I just know that I’m supposed to be here and nowhere else. It’s like I belong here, that I need to be here. Fuck if I know what’s going on, but I’ve never had a home before, and now I do, and I’m fucking happy.”

Sam shook his head. ”Yeah, I don’t understand, but I guess I don’t have to. I just… Shit, Dean. You were so out of it after the whatever happened that I was sure you had gone crazy. And now you’ve built this eco-hippie-house right where I came to collect you. You can’t blame me for being a bit concerned.”

”There’s been no new disappearances after me,” he said quietly, and Sam snapped his mouth shut.

”What?”

”Yeah, Bobby told me I was the last one and nobody knows why. That something that has been going on has been going on for generations, and now it’s stopped. So I don’t think I’m in any danger. Besides, I’m mated, remember,” Dean added, but Sam didn’t pick up the punchline.

”Mated, to someone you don’t know or remember,” Sam said flatly. ”But yeah, you’re right. It’s none of my business. If you’re happy here, then you’re happy here. As long as you don’t wander off and set up an outpost in the middle of the marsh.”

”As if, bitch,” Dean snorted.

”Oh, I bet you would, jerk,” Sam grinned, and Dean threw a pillow at his face.

Sam and his would-be-mate Jess stayed for two weeks, and as much as Dean had enjoyed the company, he was very glad to be on his own again. He had grown accustomed to his slow and silent life, and he grew nervous if he had to spend a long time with other people. In a way a job in the garage was ideal for him: minimum contact with people, otherwise spending his time with cars.

Two days after Sam and Jess had left, there was a knock on the door. It was an early Saturday morning and Dean wondered who it could be. Mostly he was left alone, and on those rare occasions he actually had visitors, they called beforehand. Perplexed, he walked to the door and opened it.

The visitor was a boy of roughly six years old, with dark mess of a hair and piercing green eyes. He was clad in a light tunic and trousers and he had no shoes on. He had a serious look on his face while he stared at Dean with an intensity uncommon for little boys.

”Hi there, kiddo. Are you lost?” Dean said, peering around and seeing no-one.

”No.”

”Um. Okay. Are you alone?”

Nothing. Well, fuck. ”Where are your parents? You seem to be alone.”

The boy cocked his head to the side, and the motion nudged something inside Dean.

”Hello, dad.”

Okay. Like. What the actual fuck? Dean gaped at the kid standing calmly at his door, watching him expectantly. He blinked and huffed and shifted his weight a little, then peered around again, seeing no-one.

”Okay, kiddo. What’s the story here?”

The boy frowned. ”What story?”

”Um. The one where you end up at my door saying that you’re my son?”

”What about it?”

”What do you mea-.” Dean drew a deep breath. ”What are you doing here?”

The boy’s face split into a bright smile. ”You’re my dad. I came to live with you.”

Dean could’ve sworn his jaw dropped to the floor. This was way too weird even for the odd people of Dunsmuir to pull, but it had to be a joke, right? Right?

”But. How?” He sputtered, completely at a loss.

The boy shot him a sideways glance. ”You are an adult, dad. You should know how pups come to be.”

”No, that’s not–. What-.” Dean closed his eyes and made a conscious effort to calm himself. ”How old are you?” He finally managed.

The boy tilted his head a little and got a faraway look in his eyes. ”Somewhere around five or six. Father wasn’t exactly sure.”

”…Father?” Dean asked faintly.

Somehow the boy’s green eyes were suddenly way too old and sad for his face, and Dean felt trapped in their stare.

”Yes. He told me that you probably wouldn’t remember,” the boy said softly.

It was all too much, way too much, and Dean backed away from the door. As if it wasn’t enough that he was mysteriously mated to someone, now he had a son with a male Omega? It was overwhelming and too cruel and Dean just couldn’t deal with it. He closed his eyes and turned away while a dry sob escaped from his throat.

He felt a little tug on his shirt and when he opened his eyes, the boy was staring up at him, hands raised expectantly. Dean was too dumbfounded to do anything but to automatically lift the kid up, and the boy hugged him close, like an octopus, and without a second thought Dean buried his nose in the kid’s soft hair. The boy smelled like wild rosemary, fresh grass and rain, with an undercurrent of pine and earth and musk, and with a start Dean realized that the boy smelled like him.

Dean raised his head and stared down at the kid with wide eyes.

”Of course I smell like you, you’re my dad,” the boy said. And, okay, rolling their eyes at their old man wasn’t very polite.

”I don’t understand,” Dean said a little hoarsely.

”That’s okay, dad,” the boy said and hugged him tightly, and Dean really had no other choice but to hug him back.

Somehow they ended up in the kitchen. The boy was fascinated by just about everything Dean had in his meager kitchen, and wouldn’t stop asking questions that varied from inquiring what an apple pie was to how gas burned to heat the pan at the stove. Dean tried to keep up and answer every question, while having a nervous breakdown paired with a panic attack somewhere in the back of his mind.

”You’ve seriously never had pancakes in your life?” Dean interrupted the boy when his brain finally caught up with the constant babbling.

”No, I’ve never had the chance.”

Dean opened his mouth to ask the kid and then decided against it. He might just as well make the damn pancakes and leave thinking for later. For example, the time he wasn’t tripping on some weird marsh fumes or something.

Cooking for the kid felt good, natural even. Better than it had when he had cooked for Lisa and Ben, and Dean idly wondered if it was because the kid was actually his. He had no fucking clue how, but he couldn’t deny the fact that the kid carried his scent in his base scent, just like Dean and Sam carried the scents of their mom and dad in their base scents. There was no way it could be faked, but it didn’t change the fact that he had no idea how he had ended up being a dad.

Suddenly Dean realized he didn’t even know the kid’s name, which was just embarrassing.

”What’s your name?”

”My father sometimes called me Daniel,” the boy answered, his mouth full of pancakes and strawberry jam.

”Sometimes?” Dean frowned.

The boy nodded and swallowed. ”My father… doesn’t talk much. It’s not his way. But he did call me Daniel and told me that it reminded him of your name.”

Dean was struck speechless. ”Oh,” he managed after a moment of silence.

The boy - Daniel - didn’t seem to notice, but stuffed his mouth full of pancakes again. Dean was pretty sure he hadn’t seen anyone eat that much pancakes after, well, Sam. He sat down and drank in the sight of the boy (Of his son, for fuck’s sake!), and wondered how his, their, life would turn out now.

When Daniel was done with the impressive pile of pancakes, he burped, and immediately whipped his head to look at Dean with wide eyes.

”You’re welcome,” Dean said amusedly. When Daniel just looked at him, he grinned. ”Some say it’s bad manners to burp after eating, but I take it as a compliment. You liked the pancakes, didn’t you?”

Daniel nodded enthusiastically and smiled. ”They were the best thing I’ve ever eaten!”

Dean chuckled. ”Oh, you’ve tasted nothing yet,” he said and ruffled Daniel’s hair. He took the empty plates and put them in the sink, adding a little bit of water to soak them for easier cleaning later on. Daniel watched him with sharp eyes, and without even being asked to, Dean found himself explaining to his son (His what? Did he really have a son?) about the well and how he carried all the water in with buckets and where the dirty water ended up later. The kid sat at the table, his head cocked to the side, being the most attentive audience Dean had ever had.

The rest of the morning went smoothly, with Dean giving his son a tour around his (Their?) little house, telling him how the eco-toilet worked, showing him the well outside and, of course, Baby. Daniel was absolutely fascinated with the Impala, and Dean beamed like a proud father, which might have been a little weird, but hey, whatever. He asked Daniel if the kid wanted to have a little ride, and the boy almost tripped over his feet out of excitement.

They ended up driving to Dunsmuir, partly because Dean had to do some shopping, partly because somewhere deep inside his mind he had this weird insistence to introduce his son to the townsfolk. Or at least, to Bobby.

When they got to the town they received several odd looks, but mostly it seemed like everybody took Daniel at face value. They went to the garage, and Daniel was again all over himself with excitement, scurrying around, asking stuff and gradually making himself all sooty, and Dean thought he might spontaneously choke on the daddy-feels.

”What the hell is goin’ on here?”

But not even pissed-off Bobby was able to dampen Daniel’s good mood, and the boy practically jumped at the old Beta with shining eyes.

”Are you dad’s boss? Do you own this place? This is awesome! So much of… of everything!”

Bobby squinted at Daniel and turned a suspicious eye at Dean. ”Dad?”

Dean shrugged.

”Didn’t know you had a son.”

”Well, neither did I, until this morning.” Dean said, keeping a sharp eye on Daniel, who was again running around the garage.

”Hm,” was all Bobby said. Then, ”Kid’s got your eyes.”

Dean glanced at the older man, surprised. He hadn’t even noticed, but now that Bobby mentioned it, he did see that the green stare was familiar. He looked at it every morning in the bathroom mirror, after all.

Bobby cleared his throat and Dean guessed what was coming.

”So, where’s his mom?”

”My father is having some family issues to sort out, and we decided it was best for me to stay with dad for the time being.” Daniel was in Dean’s pit, his voice chiming hollowly from under the car that was hoisted there. Before Dean had the chance to order the kid the hell out of there, Daniel climbed out and bounced to them.

Bobby nodded, deep in thought. ”You might want to start with buying a pair of shoes,” he deadpanned.

On Monday Dean took Daniel with him and they drove to Dunsmuir again. Dean had made a deal with Bobby to sort out Daniel’s schooling in the morning, which was why they turned up in the parking lot of Dunsmuir Elementary School. Daniel stared at the school building with his mouth hanging open, and Dean had to actually nudge the kid to get him moving. They went to the principal Barnes’s office first to fill out the necessary forms (and Dean was going to owe the principal royally for overlooking the lack of certain documents), and after that Miss Barnes escorted them to Daniel’s class. They were welcomed by a middle-aged Beta who introduced herself as Missouri (”We have no need for titles in this class, right kids?” – ”RIGHT MISSOURI!”), and almost immediately Dean was shooed out of the room. He felt a little lost, standing there in the empty hallway, but he figured that he would be informed if Daniel needed him.

Bobby was waiting for him when he got to work. The gruff Beta watched him for a while with a shrewd look before he commented, ”I guess there was a reason for you to build that house after all,” before he went to his office. Dean stared after him for a moment, confused, before slowly walking to his work station, wondering if he would ever learn to understand the folk of this Twin Peaks cousin of a town.

Dean had agreed with principal Barnes that after school someone would walk Daniel the short distance from school to Singer’s, where he could do his homework and wait for his dad to get off from work. When Bobby heard about the arrangement, he said that they should head home early.

”It’s not that you’ve been off too much from here. You deserve some quality time with your son, boy, better take the chance now when I’m offering it.”

Dean only nodded mutely and continued working. He felt overwhelmed and over his head, with all these sudden changes in his life. A couple of days ago he was a mysteriously pseudo-mated bachelor, now a single parent. Someone somewhere must have had a good laugh. He shook his head and focused on his job, determined to get as much done with his limited time as he could.

Daniel was fascinated with Dean’s job. After he had been escorted to Singer’s by Missouri and he had done his homework (Dad! I got homework! But only this much… Will I get more homework later?), he scurried over to Dean’s pit to watch him work. Dean needed to bark at him about the safe distance only once and after that Daniel sat silent, concentrated on Dean’s process, eagerly absorbing everything Dean explained to him. At some point Bobby wandered over, grumbled something under his breath and shoved a chocolate bar at Daniel to eat. Dean wasn’t that keen on giving the kid chocolate for a snack, but the widening of his eyes at the taste was pretty much priceless.

As the autumn went by, their lives slowly settled into a routine. Daniel was an exceptionally bright kid (Just my luck to raise another Sammy…) who enjoyed school and expressed an unstoppable desire to learn. There were times when Dean felt completely out of his depth with the boy and lay awake at night contemplating the turn his life had taken. He couldn’t believe his good luck, how it was possible for him to have a family of his own, even if it was a small one.

Sometimes Daniel walked the short distance from the house across the gravel road to the edge of the marsh and went to sit by the bank and stare at the marshland silently with his head tilted to the side. It looked like he was listening intently to something, but he never said anything. The first time it happened Dean had gone nearly insane with worry and lectured his son about the hazards of the marsh. Daniel had looked at him and frowned in confusion and said that he would be totally safe in the marsh. Dean still didn’t know what to think about that, but since Daniel had never actually ventured into the marsh, but sat silently and patiently still at the bank and came home in good health, Dean decided to let his son have his moments.

It struck him that at times the kid didn’t seem exactly human, like there was something ethereal and otherworldly in Daniel, especially when he returned from the marsh. Sometimes he seemed like he was almost glowing, but that was probably just a freak of light, a trick of the silvery waning moon. Dean noticed that his son was unusually subdued around the new moon, almost brooding, which was very much out of character for the normally happy and outgoing kid. He wanted to ask Daniel about it, but decided to wait for a while, and let the boy come to terms with whatever was going through his mind.

His waiting was rewarded in September a week after the new moon.

”Dad, we need to talk.” Daniel’s voice was quiet, but there was a serious quality to it, something not entirely normal for a kid, but somehow it didn’t surprise Dean.

”Okay,” Dean said and poured himself a cup of coffee. It was a Sunday morning and Daniel was about done with his breakfast. The weather was chill and there was a hint of frost in the air.

Daniel put his spoon down and pushed his bowl to the side, frowned at his fingers. He looked worried and Dean’s heart ached for him.

”You know you can talk to me about anything, right?” He said with a reassuring smile.

Daniel blinked and nodded. ”You know that I’m not entirely human, don’t you, dad?”

Okay, Dean definitely hadn’t seen that coming. ”Uh,” he commented intelligently.

”Six years ago you met my father. My father was… not supposed to let you go, but he did. He chose to do that and he chose to have me, later. I didn’t know who you were, at first, and I had to corner father several times before he told me about you. His choice left him alone, because the others abandoned the marsh after they found out he had mated with you and wanted to have me. We lived alone for a long time, and then you came back.”

Daniel spoke with measured words, like he had rehearsed his speech - and maybe he had. Dean stared at his son with amazement, not really knowing what to say. He sat completely still, giving Daniel the time the boy needed, because it was painfully obvious that this was extremely important for him.

”We watched you, all that time you were building this house. Father was so proud of you when you got it ready, but when I said that I wanted to come and live with you, he got mad.” Daniel paused and his brow furrowed in thought. ”Or he wasn’t mad, not really. I think he was afraid.”

”Of what?” Dean asked.

Daniel raised his eyes at him. ”Of you.”

Dean blinked and opened and closed his mouth several times, before he was able to utter, ”Why?”

”He was afraid he would lose me forever.”

Dean stared. His mind was buzzing with questions and all kinds of possible rational explanations to this ludicrous conversation, but somewhere deep inside he knew his son was telling the truth.

”Why?” He asked again, desperately wanting to understand.

”Father is not human, he is a spirit,” Daniel explained carefully. ”He’s able to take solid form once a year, and that’s when you met. Because I’m your son I’m half human and, therefore, able to take human form. But once I do it, it’s permanent: I can’t change back. Father was afraid that you would reject me, and then I would be completely alone. I wouldn’t have been able to return to father or have a way to survive in the human world by myself.”

The boy cocked his head and looked Dean straight in the eye. ”But I knew you wouldn’t reject me,” he said and smiled.

Dean’s throat was dry and he swallowed. This… faith his son had had in him, what had he done to deserve it?

”I watched you for two years, dad. It’s more than long enough. You are a good man – a good Alpha, and I knew you’d be a good dad, too.”

Dean closed his eyes, ducked his head and drew a shaky breath. ”You are a weird one, Daniel. I don't know what I’ve done for you to have such faith in me, but I promise I’ll try to be a good parent to you.”

Daniel beamed at him. ”I know you will,” he said and reached across the table to smack a sloppy kiss on Dean’s cheek.

It was October and a strange trepidation settled over the house. Dean grew irritated and snappy and got barked at by Bobby and chided by Missouri. Even Daniel got a bit weary of him and fled to stare at the marsh several times a week, and Dean felt awful. What if the honeymoon stage of his and Daniel’s relationship had come to an end? What if Daniel now found out what a crappy dad Dean actually was and started to regret his decision to take human form? What if he lost Daniel? What if–?

His thoughts wheeled in a continuous dark loop and he felt a desperation settle somewhere inside him. He could honestly say that he loved being a dad to Daniel, and the boy filled an aching hole inside him, but now there was a peculiar itch under his skin and he didn’t know how to scratch it to make it go away. He watched Daniel walk once again across the road to sit by the bank of the marshland to stare into the murky horizon, and felt miserable.

Dean really wanted to get drunk, fuck you very much, but he hadn’t had any alcohol in the house since Daniel moved in. He remembered all too well how his own dad had been, and he was determined not to follow in his footsteps. Unlike John, Dean wanted to provide his son a stable, permanent home, and a dad with a steady job without a drinking problem.

He needed to get this… feeling out of his chest, and in sudden fit of desperation he called Sam.

”Dean? What… Is everything alright?”

Dean cleared his throat. He’d forgotten that it was probably past midnight for Sam, and by his voice he could tell he had actually woken Sam up. But it was too late to reverse this.

”Uh, yeah, I’m fine. Sorry to wake you. I just-. I dunno. Wanted to talk or something.”

There was a rustle and Jess’s muffled voice from the background. Dean groaned internally - so he hadn’t woken up just Sam, but Jess too. Great.

”Okay, what’s wrong? You never call because you want to talk.”

Dean sighed. ”I’m having daddy issues.”

”Um. Okay? But why now? Dad’s been dead for almost fifteen years.”

Dean grimaced when he realized he hadn’t told Sam about Daniel yet. ”It’s not about him, it’s about me. About me being a dad, to be specific.”

He heard Sam sigh on the other end of the line. ”Why are you thinking about that?”

”I–. Uh. I’m a dad.” He winced and braced himself.

Sam didn’t disappoint him. ”WHAT!?”

”Yeah.”

”Dean, did you knock up some girl?”

”Um, no.”

Silence. Then, ”…an Omega. You’ve impregnated a male Omega, haven’t you?”

Dean sat on his couch and rubbed his face. ”This is going to sound crazy, but just listen to me, please?” When Sam didn’t interrupt, he took it as a yes.

”Remember when I told you that there had been no other Alphas missing after me? So, after you and Jess left, this kid showed up on my porch and said I was his dad. I thought it was a joke at first, but… Fuck, Sam, he smells like me!”

”What?”

”I know, right? But his base scent is half mine, and you know there’s no way to fake it.”

He heard Sam exhale a long, shaky breath, and waited.

”Okay… so, where’s his Omega dad then? He’s the one you were mysteriously mated to, isn’t he?”

Dean chewed his lip and thought hard. He hadn’t exactly given any thought to how to explain Daniel’s father to Sam, and he knew that if Daniel’s appearance was strange, the business considering his father was downright mental. But then, maybe it was just the only option left.

”Dean…?”

Well, fuck this. ”Daniel isn’t entirely human. His father is a spirit that chose to mate with me and have Daniel, and was abandoned by his entire family because of it. And before you claim I’m hallucinating, Daniel is real," he added in a rush. "He goes to school and the folks in Dunsmuir have seen him. But that’s not why I called, exactly.”

”Uh… Okay?” Sam’s voice was careful and Dean couldn’t really blame him.

”It’s just… The kid has this faith in me. He said they observed me while I was building the house, and he stated that he knew I was gonna be a good dad. I mean–,” he huffed. ”How the hell can he say something like that? I don’t know shit about kids, and he’s decided that I’m awesome. But what if I’m not? What if I’m gonna ruin it all? What if I can’t make it?” His voice went a bit strangled in the end and he clenched his other hand in a fist.

”I– I’m not entirely sure what I’m supposed to say here, I’m sorry.” Sam said. ”It’s a lot to take in.”

Dean snorted. ”Yeah, tell me about it. But he’s a great kid. He’s bright and funny and he makes this house feel like home.” Dean glanced around, and nodded in affirmation to his statement.

It was true: Daniel’s presence had turned his cozy little house into a true home, complete with a sense of rightness and belonging. Dean had been content before, but Daniel had made him happy. He blinked and launched into a narration of what his life was like with Daniel, what they did during the evenings and weekends, how he had taught Daniel to bake cookies and roast marshmallows and help tinker with Baby. He told Sam what made Daniel laugh and how he loved school and observing Dean working. When he finally stopped he realized that the gloomy depression had lifted and he felt lighter.

Sam was silent for a moment, then he said, ”You sound very happy.”

”I am. I really am.”

”That’s good. I can’t really say anything about… ah… the origins of your son, but Dean. I don't think there’s anything you need to worry about. If your rant is anything to go by, you’re doing great and Daniel’s a lucky kid to have you as his dad.” Sam paused. ”You’re not our dad, Dean,” he said softly.

Dean swallowed. ”I really fucking hope so. I’m doing my best not to be like him. I just… What if it’s not enough?” His voice broke a little at the end, but he couldn’t give a damn.

”Dean, you’re going to be an awesome dad - you are an awesome dad,” Sam said firmly. ”After dad died it was you who took care of me, and I can vouch for you in this. Okay?”

Dean nodded, although he knew Sam of course couldn’t see him. ”Yeah, okay,” he muttered.

There was a moment of silence, then Sam ’hmm-ed’. ”So, he’s a smart kid? He must take after me then.”

”Shut up, bitch,” Dean snorted and smiled.

”As if, jerk,” Sam retorted. ”But anyway, I want to meet my nephew soon. How about Thanksgiving? I’m pretty sure we could make it to fly there.”

”Sure. Thanksgiving sounds good,” Dean grinned. It would be awesome to introduce Daniel to his gigantor Uncle.

”Okay,” Sam yawned. ”I’m going back to bed, it’s three am here. Say hi to your son from me.”

”I will,” Dean said. ”And Sam? Thanks.”

”Anytime, Dean.”

The gloominess lifted, but the itching stayed. The further along October went, the more restless Dean grew, until he thought he would claw himself out of his skin. It was frustrating and grating and annoying and he had no fucking clue what was going on.

The answer came from Daniel.

”Dad, I think I want to go over to Adam’s for a slumber party this weekend.” Daniel announced.

Dean frowned absently. ”Okay. Wait– what? Why?”

Daniel cocked his head and regarded him with those too-old eyes of his. ”Because father is coming to see you and I don’t intend to be here then.”

Dean stared, his mouth gone dry and his thought suddenly in scatters. ”Why would he want to do that?”

Daniel shrugged, a little uncomfortable. ”Adult business, I think,” he said and picked at his toast.

”Oh,” was all Dean said.

Adam’s mom Kate was a nice lady who was more than happy to take Daniel for a sleepover and didn’t pry too much when Dean shrugged and mumbled he had some personal business to take care of. Dean knew that his mated-but-alone status was a common topic in Dunsmuir and the arrival of his son had only spurred the gossip. He was pretty sure that him having ’personal business’ would be public knowledge by Monday, and he would receive a fair amount of staring and whispering during the next few weeks.

They agreed that Kate would pick Daniel up from school on Friday and Dean would collect him either on Sunday evening or on Monday after school. The latter option was suggested by Kate with a saucy wink that heated Dean’s cheeks, and he was friggin’ glad that Kate was a Beta and wasn't able to smell his mortification that keenly. He muttered a lame answer and promised to text her on Sunday and inform which option he was going to use.

By Friday Dean was on pins and needles. He was so jittery at work that Bobby was forced to ask what got his panties in a twist, and in the end the old Beta threw him out of the garage and told him to go home and get his shit together. Dean tried to protest, but left when Bobby’s glare turned narrower. The old bear could be fucking intimidating when he so chose.

He checked the time and decided to do some grocery shopping. Daniel hadn’t exactly said when his father would come or how long he was going to stay, but it never hurt to be prepared. So he got his groceries and even bought a bottle of wine, just to be sure, all the time aware that him doing so would also be public knowledge by Monday. He sighed. Dunsmuir was a nice place to live in, but the cons of a little town were sometimes a bit too much.

When he got home he unpacked his shopping and made a quick sweep around the house, ensuring that everything was in order and ready for a visitor. He prepared a bowl of pasta salad next, because it was easy to mix up and wouldn’t need reheating. After a moment of hesitation he opened the wine to give it some air and took a quick shower.

And then, Dean waited.

It was already dark outside when he heard a single, soft knock on the door. He got up from the couch, nervously brushed his hand through his hair and swallowed. Here goes nothing, he thought and opened the door.

There was a man - an Omega - standing behind the door, clad in a rough, thin tunic. His head was bowed and Dean could only see a mess of dark hair and pale skin, before the Omega lifted his head and looked Dean straight in the eye. His eyes were burning blue flames, and then Dean remembered.

”You!” Dean whispered.

The Omega cocked his head a little, and the gesture reminded him so strongly of Daniel that he could only stare. There was a flicker of uncertainty and apprehension in the eyes, and Dean wanted it gone. He raised his hand carefully and touched the Omega’s cheek gently. The man closed his eyes and leaned into the touch.

”I dreamt about you: your scent and your eyes,” Dean said softly. ”But I didn’t remember you. I thought you were just a dream, but you are here, now.”

He leaned his head forward a little, rested it against the Omega’s forehead and let out a breath he didn’t know he had held. His hand still cupped the Omega’s cheek and the other circled around the slender waist of its own volition, and before Dean realized, he had the Omega in a tight embrace. There was only a moment of hesitation, and the Omega hugged him back. They stood there in silence, enjoying each other’s presence and touch, like two halves made whole (And he was never ever going to tell Sam he had thought that!).

Then the Omega turned his head a little and pressed a chaste kiss to Dean’s neck. Dean raised his head carefully and asked, ”Would you like to come inside?”

He was rewarded with a hint of a smile and a slight softening of the blue eyes, and Dean took it as a yes. He moved aside to let the Omega (His mate?) inside and closed the door behind them.

Dean watched with curiosity as the Omega walked slowly further in, blinking and tilting his head in the birdlike gesture that was so much like Daniel. Dean cleared his throat and walked to the man-, spirit-, whatever, and touched his shoulder.

”Would you like to see the rest of the house?”

Again the ghost of a smile, and Dean nodded.

”So, this is the kitchen. It’s for preparing and storing food, and probably Daniel’s favorite place.” Dean grinned, and when the Omega cocked his head, Dean launched into a narration of Daniel’s favorite foods and his endless craving for pancakes. It was an odd conversation with only Dean talking, but he still felt he got feedback in the form of the amused and accepting air of the Omega listening intently.

They moved to the living room, then Dean showed him Daniel’s room. The Omega’s posture sharpened and his eyes got even more intense when he scrutinized the room, sat on Daniel’s bed, rifled through his schoolbooks and touched his clothes. Dean grew slightly uncomfortable witnessing what was evidently an emotional moment, and he fidgeted a little. The Omega turned to look at him.

”I can’t even begin to understand what you’re feeling,” Dean said quietly. ”Daniel’s been with me for only a couple of months, but I already feel like he’s been here forever. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t be with him.” He closed his eyes and rubbed his face. ”He misses you. He’s always a bit sad after going to the marsh, but I try my best. I don’t know if I’m doing a decent job, but I’m trying.”

His voice had grown hoarse towards the end and there was a peculiar stinging feeling in his eyes. He didn’t have the opportunity to wonder about it though, because he was suddenly crowded by the Omega, who cupped his cheeks with firm hands and gave him a solemn look before kissing him softly, first on the forehead, then on the lips. It felt like a blessing and an acceptance, and Dean didn’t know what he had done to deserve either. He gave a strangled sob and hugged the Omega close.

After a moment the Omega pulled off and tilted his head with a mischievous air. Dean blushed and chuckled.

”Ah. You probably want to see my bedroom? Okay, it’s right here,” he said and led his partner there. He didn’t have the chance to say anything more when the Omega kissed him harder, and his mind went blank. They lost their clothes in a flurry, and before Dean realized what was happening, they were in bed, the Omega straddling him and tracing his hand along Dean’s torso, like he was re-memorizing his body. Dean got momentarily worried that he had somehow coerced the Omega into having sex, and then he remembered how freakishly strong the Omega actually was, and relaxed. Most likely he couldn’t force him into anything, no matter how much he tried.

When the Omega’s hand touched the spot right above his heart, Dean felt an odd tingling throughout his body. He frowned, and then it hit him.

”You marked me, didn’t you?”

The Omega turned his head and his gaze slid away from Dean’s. It wouldn’t do, so Dean reached his hand out to turn the Omega to face him again.

”It wasn’t an accusation,” he said softly. ”Sure, it prevented me from getting anyone else, because you basically mated with me. But without your mark I wouldn’t have returned or have Daniel. I wouldn’t have met you again.”

The blue eyes widened a fraction, then narrowed when the Omega dropped his eyes to Dean’s chest. The Alpha was pretty sure he knew what that meant.

”You can mark me again, if you want to. It’s your decision, after all.”

The eyes turned into furnaces and Dean’s breath hitched at the pure passion that flowed from them. The Omega dropped forward to devour Dean with his mouth, demanded entrance, and Dean submitted to him like he felt he was meant to do. He was lost in the sensation of being thoroughly mapped with teeth, tongue, lips and hands, and after a moment he stopped trying to reciprocate the attention and just relaxed into his Omega’s ministrations. He was lavished in attention from head to toe, and somewhere in the middle he became aware of the Omega’s scent. It had grown fuller, headier, and more alluring, and it took a moment for his brain to realize that the Omega was going into heat.

Dean felt humbled and honored. Sharing a heat was always a privilege, but sharing a heat for a second time with an Omega that wasn’t your mate was quite rare. It didn’t matter to him that the Omega in question was not human, Dean was deeply awed anyway. He raised his eyes to meet the Omega’s gaze and caressed his face before cupping his cheek.

”You know that I’m yours, if you’ll have me,” he said quietly, trying to convey his feelings through his words and eyes both. The Omega kissed him, deep, messy and hot, then he reached back, gripped Dean’s cock in his hand and with a couple of lazy strokes made it turn from pleasantly hard to a throbbing rock before sinking down into it.

Dean choked at the sensation, torn between intense bliss and concern about the rapid penetration, but his coherent thoughts fled in a flurry when the Omega started to ride him in a slow, gyrating pace. Dean tried to match the pace thrust by thrust, but the Omega held him still, making him lie still and just take it. And because Dean was a polite Alpha, he obeyed and rested his hands on the Omega’s hips, and looked at his partner in open adoration. He was a glorious sight: the plains of pale skin flushed with exertion, lips kiss-swollen and pink, eyes closed and jaw slack with pleasure, breath coming in short puffs when the Omega rode him into oblivion. The sight of him was enough to push Dean over the edge and he came with a strangled sob. The Omega snapped his eyes open at the same time and slammed his hand over Dean’s heart again. This time Dean felt a jolt of heat and a surge of electricity go through him, and then the Omega climaxed and fell on top of him in a sated heap. Before he passed out, Dean was sure he felt a word float in his mind.

Castiel.

They woke up tangled together. The Omega’s heat was settling in fully, and in the confined space of his bedroom and in the cocoon of his blanket, the concentrated scent of heat pheromones was well on its way to affecting Dean. He snapped his eyes open to look at the blue pools only inches away from his face. Dean smiled and pecked a kiss onto the Omega’s nose.

”Good morning,” he said. Then something tugged his memory. ”Castiel?”

The Omega’s eyes went impossibly wide and he drew in a sharp breath. The emotion in his eyes was evident to Dean - it was soft and hopeful and brimming with something he couldn’t name.

”It’s your name, isn’t it? I heard it in my mind last night before I fell asleep,” he said wonderingly. ”Is that how you communicate with Daniel? Through telepathy?”

The Omega - Castiel - didn’t answer, but tucked his face into the hollow of Dean’s throat. Dean was a little confused, but if Castiel needed to collect himself somehow, Dean would give him all the time he needed. He settled on rubbing slow circles on Castiel’s back and hips and kissed the top of his head.

”You combined our names when you named Daniel. I think it’s great, now he’s always carrying parts of us with him, no matter where he goes.” Dean kissed Castiel’s hair again. ”He’s a great kid. He’s got everyone in Dunsmuir wrapped around his little finger - even my gruff boss. I’m so lucky to have him, you have no idea.” He had to stop for a moment to take a breath.

”You know, I always wanted a family of my own, but I wasn’t that sure I’d get it. I-.” Dean sighed. ”My dad wasn’t a very great dad. He hauled me and my brother Sam around the country, because he was unable to keep a job. He got himself killed in a bar brawl that was later determined to be a ’territorial alpha fight,’ or some crap like that. After that, I swore I wouldn’t be like my dad: that I would be a good Alpha to my mate and my kids, if I ever was lucky enough to have them. I had lost all hope when I met you.

”Daniel told me about you. That you are a spirit and able to take a solid human form only once in a year.” Dean stopped and felt an ache in his chest at the thought of not being able to wake up beside Castiel every morning. ”But if you are willing to offer me that, then it’s enough for me,” he said instead.

Castiel raised his head slowly from Dean’s chest and regarded him with a serious expression. He let out a soft noise and lightly touched Dean’s temple and then his own. Dean frowned and then his brows shot up.

”You mean that I could learn to communicate? Like you do with Daniel?” He asked incredulously, his voice laced thickly with hope.

Castiel’s brow furrowed and his eyes looked confused.

”You don’t know, right.” Dean deduced. ”It’s okay, I’ll ask Daniel for help.” He pressed his forehead against the top of Castiel’s head and sighed, relieved. ”I can wait for you, Castiel, but I can’t deny that it would be nice to talk to you sometimes.” He kissed Castiel good and proper before getting up. ”I need to eat. Do you want or need anything?”

Castiel cocked his head and gave Dean a suspicious look. Dean chuckled and beckoned him to follow him into the kitchen. He didn’t bother putting on any clothes: his was the only house in the vicinity, and they were going to have copious amounts of vigorous heat-ridden sex soon anyway.

Dean ate a healthy portion of the pasta salad he had prepared earlier, offered some to Castiel as well, and nearly inhaled a slice of cucumber at the Omega’s dismayed expression at the taste. So, his Omega wasn't into pasta salad. Oh well, more for him then. Then Castiel noticed a chocolate bar left behind by Daniel, and after Dean’s prompt tasted it carefully. The wonderment on his face was priceless, and Dean would’ve gladly spent the whole morning watching Castiel eating chocolate. But he didn’t because as soon as Castiel was done with the chocolate, Dean had his lap full of an Omega in heat.

He growled possessively when he lifted Castiel up and carried him back to the bedroom. His steps faltered and he nearly dropped his precious cargo, when the Omega wrapped his legs around Dean’s back and impaled himself into Dean’s cock before they were even out of the kitchen. Dean nearly ran into the bedroom and lowered Castiel’s torso onto the bed, took hold of his hips and set about fucking his Omega into the mattress. By the harsh panting and keening noises Castiel let out, he had nothing against it. When Dean felt his knot start to swell, he flipped Castiel over to all fours (knowing full well that Castiel let him do it) before ramming his cock back in. When he pushed his knot beyond Castiel’s rim, Castiel tilted his head to the side and bared his neck while reaching back to Dean with his hand and tugging Dean’s hair. Dean’s rhythm faltered when he realized the meaning of the gesture.

”Castiel, are you sure?” Dean gasped, holding back his orgasm with sheer force of will. The Omega glared at him over his shoulder and tugged harder. Well, who was he to argue with his Omega, and so he lowered his head, mouthing at Castiel’s neck. He thrusted a couple of times, small, gyrating pushes within the limits of his knot, and when he came, he bit down. The bite made Castiel come with a shrill cry, and then they slumped on the bed, panting with exhaustion.

Dean unlocked his jaw and lapped gently at the fresh bond-bite. He had no idea if the bite would be there the next time Castiel took human form, but he didn’t really mind. He felt overwhelmed with the reality that Castiel had offered to bond with him in the first place. Dean was a fully mated Alpha now.

They made slow love throughout the remaining weekend, falling asleep plastered together, with Dean quickly running to the kitchen to grab something to eat before returning to his mate. He was painfully aware of the passing of time, of the reality that after Castiel’s heat was over, he would be gone again, returning only when another year had gone by. Dean fervently hoped that they could figure out some way to communicate, even if it was him talking and Castiel announcing his presence through his scent or a rustle of leaves or something. He sincerely doubted he would ever have full telepathy like Daniel, because he just wasn’t built like that.

But he would take what was offered to him and be content with it. Even in these small bits it was more than he had ever wished for himself.

It was Sunday evening and Castiel’s heat was waning. They were in bed, cuddled tightly together, but Dean could feel Castiel slip away already.

”Can you stay until morning?” He asked, even though he already knew the answer, and Castiel’s tender touch on his lips confirmed his fears. He drew a shuddering breath and gave Castiel a soft kiss before they got up. Castiel put his thin tunic back on and Dean dressed in a t-shirt and pajama pants, and in a way it marked the end. They walked to the door hand in hand, and the closer they got, the heavier Dean’s heart turned. He opened the door and Castiel raised Dean’s hand to his lips to kiss his knuckles before he turned to go. But Castiel didn’t get further than a couple of steps when Dean let out a sobbing breath, grabbed his shoulders, turned him around and kissed him with desperation.

”I love you,” he said and couldn’t help the tears that leaked from his eyes. ”Please come back to me.”

Castiel cocked his head, his eyes soft and bright like the summer sky, and he traced the tears on Dean’s face with his finger. Then he leaned slightly forward and kissed the tears away, pressing a gentle kiss on Dean’s lips at the end. He cupped Dean’s cheek for a second, then he turned and started to walk towards the marsh.

Dean stayed still, leaned on the doorframe, but he couldn’t watch and squeezed his eyes shut instead, concentrating on his breathing and the familiar, soothing sounds of the marshland around him. When he finally opened his eyes, Castiel was gone, and there was only a faint, blue halo of light before it, too, was gone.

He drew a shaky breath, turned, went inside and closed the door behind him.

He could do this. He could be a good dad to Daniel and he could learn how to communicate with his mate. Determined, he walked into his bedroom and removed the love-stained sheets and remade his bed with fresh ones. He called Kate and said that he would come and pick Daniel up in an hour. He changed his clothes, laced his boots, shrugged on his jacket and walked to Baby.

He could do this. He could wait for a year.