"What happened, Sam?" Dean asked, coldly. He didn't know if he could forgive Sam for accepting that thing as his mother.

"I was up in the attic looking around and I found this box labeled Karen's stuff. I opened it and then she appeared," Sam said. He could tell Dean was mad at him. He didn't blame him.

"Well, if we sneak up to the attic and burn the stuff, she ought to disappear," Dean said logically. Bobby had stashes of salt, along with silver, iron, and anything else you might need to fight off a fugly, in every room of his house. Gotta love Bobby. He grabbed some salt and they headed quietly up to the attic. Even though, he was majorly beyond mad at Sam, he wasn't going to leave him alone when there was a ghost on the loose.

When they got to the attic, Sam pointed out the box. Dean took everything out and made a pile. He then poured on salt, and picked up the whole pile and loaded it into the old wood stove that Bobby kept operational and stocked up. He lit it and they watched as everything burned.

"That ought to take care of it," Dean said.

"Thanks," Sam said.

Dean ignored him. It was going to take a while for Sam to get back into his good graces after forsaking his family like that.

"I'm going to go downstairs and check on Bobby," Dean said, making it clear that he did not want Sam to accompany him.

Sam nodded and headed into the bedroom. Even though, he had slept most of the day away, he was still tired.

When Dean got downstairs he was horrified to see Bobby and the ghost sitting on the couch. The ghost turned to him. "Time for bed, Dean."

Bobby nodded to Dean telling him to listen. He remembered why he and Karen decided that they wouldn't have children. Karen had been abused as a child and she was afraid that she would do the same to her children. Bobby hadn't thought that anyone as sweet as his wife could do those things, but when his niece and nephew had visited one weekend, he had found out that he was wrong. His wife had a lot of love for children, but she also had an ingrained sense that they needed to be punished for every little infraction. He couldn't imagine what she could do to these boys as a spirit.

Dean headed back upstairs frustrated. Now what?

SSS

The next morning, John returned to Bobby's. He tried to open the door as when they were staying there, they never stood on ceremony and knocked. He found it locked, though. "Hey, it's me," he yelled, when nobody answered his knock.

The new family was sitting around the breakfast table. "Dad, help! We're being held prisoner by a ghost," Dean yelled wondering why Sam and Bobby didn't seem to be bothering to care about the fact.

"Inside voices, Dean," Karen said.

Sam froze. He was afraid Dean was going to get punished. "Apologize," he whispered under his breath.

"What? No way."

John heard the shout. "What ghost?" he yelled back, knowing that an identity was the most important part of getting rid of one.

"Don't answer," Karen warned.

Dean ignored her. "Bobby's wife," he yelled back.

"I told you not to answer," she raged. She placed her hand on Dean's head and he felt pain like he had never known. Thirty seconds later she removed her hand and he gasped for breath.

"What brought her back after all this time?" John yelled through the door, having no idea what was taking place inside.

Not to be deterred by a little punishment, Dean answered once again. "Sam opened a box of her stuff. I burned all of that, though."

"You are not to speak to him," Karen said, and again placed her hand on Dean's head, this time for a whole minute. He couldn't help but cry out in pain.

"Are you OK? Dean?" John yelled, when he heard his son's cry.

"DO NOT ANSWER HIM!" Karen warned.

But Dean didn't want his Dad to worry. "We're fine, Dad," he yelled back.

"You know, I've been watching you all in this house for a very long time," Karen informed Dean.

"Creepy, but what's your point?" Dean asked, sarcastically.

"It means I know a better way to keep you in line than punishing you," Karen said ominously.

Dean was kind of glad about that, because that punishment sure hurt.

"Where is she buried?" John yelled.

Dean looked to Bobby. Bobby didn't want Dean to get hurt again so he didn't answer. However, Dean suddenly remembered one time when he and Sam were both really young, and John was out on a hunt, Bobby took them to his wife's grave. "That graveyard at the south end of town. Way in the back."

"You guys hang on," John said and left. He didn't usually do graveyard salt and burns in the middle of the day, but he was going to have to make an exception this time.

Karen looked at Dean and said, "I warned you." She put her hand out, but instead of reaching for Dean, she reached towards Sam. Sam knocked over his chair in his attempt to get away, but of course, she was faster. He whimpered, while she kept her hand on his head for a minute and a half. Every time Dean and Bobby tried to interfere, she simply shoved them off. She loved being a ghost. She was so strong.

"Boys, clean up the breakfast mess. Your father and I have some things to discuss," Karen said.

"But, Karen, Sam's in no shape for…," Bobby was cut off when Karen angrily interrupted.

"Sam has been coddled every time after being punished the last couple of days. He needs to toughen up a bit. Come upstairs with me. We need to discuss how to foil your friend." Karen smiled when her back was turned from everyone. She knew why she was still around and it had nothing to do with her bones. But, the longer the rest of them were kept in the dark, the better. Bobby followed her upstairs to get her away from the boys. He hoped John hurried with that bone burning. He didn't see how Karen expected to stop him from here.

When they were gone, Dean rushed to Sam. "Are you OK, Sammy?"

Sam nodded through tears. He felt like a wimp, but it hurt so bad and every time he was punished, he felt like a little bit of him was drained away each time.

"Sam, I'm sorry," Dean said.

"It's OK, you didn't know she would punish me," Sam said.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that, too, but that's not what I meant," Dean said.

"What did you mean, then?" Sam asked, confused.

"I was so mad at you for calling her mom and doing everything she told you. I had no idea that she had been hurting you."

Sam turned away. "She hurt you, too, and you still defied her," Sam pointed out.

"Yeah, but I don't think I would have been able to after another round. Besides, I was only defying her, so Dad could get rid of her. I had an end game in mind," Dean said. He didn't want Sam feeling bad about this. He was only a kid after all.

"We'd better clean up the kitchen," Sam said. There was no way of knowing when she would come back downstairs.

"I'll do it. You rest," Dean said. He hoped his dad fried her bones extra crispy for what she had done to Sam. He couldn't understand how Bobby could have married someone like her.