Time seemed to freeze as Dean watched the shot blast into Sam's shoulder. Blood spurted from the wound but Sam barely flinched and his face didn't move. His steely gaze stayed on John who backed away slightly. He had faced and killed hundreds of monsters during his time as a Hunter but never before had he been so unnerved by one. Not since his earliest days of hunting.

"What are you?" John finally spoke. He tried to hide his fear but he couldn't quite keep it from reaching Sam. It was obvious to John that this thing wasn't human. He had known that Dean would succumb to his nature sooner or later and now here was the proof of what he had known all along. His son would give into the evil within him. He was voluntarily spending time in the presence of a monster. This was just the beginning.

There was silence for a few moments until Dean squared his shoulders and moved forward.

"Dad, what's going on?" he asked quietly.

Sam stepped back, letting Dean address his father.

"Please. Just tell me Dad. I need to know. How can I fight something I don't know anything about?"

"You wont fight it Dean. You'll give into your nature. It's in your blood. You already have and right now you're just proving my point. This thing isn't human Dean and you're helping it?"

"He's a friend Dad and he saved my life. What is Sam talking about? What did you do to me and what happened to my memories?"

Dean jumped slightly when he heard Sam speak from behind him. He had managed to get control of his emotions while Dean was speaking and his voice was, once again, steady and calm.

"And remember I'll know if you're lying to us. How did you tie Dean to you?"

"I don't need to explain myself to a freak. I shot you with silver, you should be dead."

"It takes more than that to kill me and you'll never find out how. Now answer the question. How did you take away your own son's free will?"

Dean's gaze darted between Sam and his Dad and Sam could feel his confusion

"Dad, what does he mean?"

The man didn't say a word until Sam drew a long, wicked looking dagger and stepped closer, eyes narrowed in disgust.

"Do you want to tell him or will I?"

John just glared defiantly, not saying a word.

Sam wanted to beat the truth out of this man but he wouldn't do that to Dean. But he didn't want to have to tell Dean. The truth would devastate him and the heightened emotions in the room were getting to him. Damn he missed having his full powers.

"There's a link between you. I don't know how but he's tied your soul to him. That's why you couldn't leave even though he treats you like shit. Even though you wanted to go you're always compelled to stay with him. Why you've been fighting the urge to return to him the past few days. He's compromised your free will"

Dean's eyes widened as he said quietly "Is that true Dad? Please tell me it's not and that Sam's wrong."

John said nothing just stood glaring. Nobody spoke until Sam lost his patience again. There was a quick flash of silver and John winced as a throwing knife embedded itself in the wall next to his ear, quivering slightly. John felt a sting on the side of his head. He reached up and his hand came away slightly bloody when he touched his ear. Sam didn't say anything but the implication was clear.

"He needed to be controlled. After what happened to my wife because of him I couldn't let him run wild. He has to be controlled!"

Finally he spoke directly to his only son.

"You understand. The blood in your veins has corrupted you! I've seen it and now you're making friends with other freaks. After everything I've done for you!"

He went to move towards Dean but a quick glance at Sam made him stop.

"How did you black out his memories? Was it a witch or a psychic?" Sam asked. He hoped it would give him a clue how to break this bond.

As John remained silent Dean thought of the one thing that always made him uncomfortable. That for no reason he never liked.

"It was a psychic" he whispered. He looked his father in the eye "wasn't it? Once a year we went back to that psychic didn't we. Who was it Dad? What don't you want me to remember? Why don't you want to remember? At least tell me that."

"Listen to me son. Don't do this. The path will lead you down a route that will destroy the world. It's already corrupting you. Look at what you just let your new friend do."

Dean ignored him and just kept speaking, finally asking questions that he'd always been too scared to ask.

"How old was I when this started?" He trailed off for a moment and his eyes turned distant as if he was thinking back. "Sixteen." He said quietly then his voice sounded stronger, more sure of himself.

"I was sixteen wasn't I? Or slightly before that"

John gaped as Dean started putting pieces together. "You're giving in! How can you know that otherwise! Your reading my mind."

"No Dad. I know because that was the first time you hit me. You punched me on the jaw for asking questions. You hit me and told me never to ask any questions again and to just follow orders. You never looked at me the same way after that. That's when and why you stopped caring about me isn't it? And then we went to see the psychic for the first time." Dean frowned as he fought to remember. "And I never asked any questions again. I cant remember what he looked like"

Dean's pain filled the room and overwhelmed Sam's defences. He stood in front of Dean, blocking him from Johns gaze, hoping to give him a chance to gather himself together. He had never wanted to hurt someone so much as he did at that moment.

"Who was the damn psychic?"

John clenched his jaw then surrendered when Sam's eyes turned black as finally his full powers returned. His telekinesis had returned and John felt it as Sam pushed him against the wall, forcing him to drop the gun that was still held gently in his hand.

"He goes by the name Papa Midnight"

Sam hid his reaction as his barriers slammed back into place in his mind, his empathy was once again fully under his control and his telekinesis was back. Could this get any worse? Of all the evil sons of a'bitches that had to be involved, it had to be him.

"You do know he's not a real psychic don't you? He's a damn voodoo priest. And a strong one at that. What did you pay him for his services?"

"Nothing. I don't make deals."

"Well he sure as hell didn't do this for free. He doesn't do anything for free and if you didn't pay him then someone else has"

He would have to pass that information onto Ash.

"What did he make Dean forget?"

Finally it was as if John just gave in. As if he wanted to let out the truth. He pointed at Dean before yelling, causing spit to fly out his mouth

"He drank the fuckers blood. He's a god damn monster just like the thing that killed his mother and my baby boy! He's destined to destroy the world!" his voice dropped to a whisper "and I let him live because he's my son. I should have killed him years ago but I thought I could save him from turning. But he's with you so I've failed."

"Who told you this?"

"An old friend"

Dean interrupted "That woman who attacked me. She said she knew you."

"You God damn idiot. Did your source go by the name of Meg by any chance?" Sam said, remembering something else. John looked completely blind-sided by that. Sam had just barely managed to return to his calm demeanour.

"She's a demon you idiot. You've been getting your information from a corrupted and twisted human soul that's escaped from Hell. You're the one that's been working with evil. Papa Midnight has probably been working with her too."

John glared at him as Sam released his grip, refusing to believe what Sam was saying was true.

"What did she tell you?"

"The truth" John growled out. "He's important to the Yellow Eyed Monsters plan. He'll destroy the world!"

"That's it? That's all you know? You've been having your son's memory messed with by a voodoo priest based on the word of a demon and that's all you know?"

This time Sam was completely incredulous.

Dean interrupted "I want my memories back Dad."

"It can't be done"

"What about this soul bond? How did you do that?"

"I don't know but you cant break it."

"Just you watch me" he said quietly, turning slightly towards Dean but not leaving his back exposed to the hunter. He already had one bullet in him after all. "I think I know someone who can help" Sam added "Let's get out of here". He shot a look of disgust at the hunter.

As they both turned away John yelled after them "He needs to be controlled" then the yell turned into rage "If you walk out that door don't ever come back!"

Dean hesitated and Sam felt his pain and for a moment he thought Dean would turn back. Turn back towards the years of abuse, giving into the tugging of the bond but knowing it was there gave Dean strength. Dean squared his shoulders and carried on walking out of the door.

It had started to rain while they had been indoors but Dean barely felt the water striking him as they walked to Sam's car. When they were seated in the warmth of the car they simply sat in silence. Dean was trying to take in the things he had learned, feeling nothing but revulsion for himself. And now that he was aware of it he could feel the tug inside him that was a dull ache pulling him back towards his father. That was where his father had placed a chain on his very soul. Taking away his choice.

Sam didn't know what to say. Listening to Deans Dad talk about him with such disgust made him think of the way his own father would speak to him and the pain it had caused him. He didn't know how to break the silence so he just waited for Dean to speak.

"Do you really have a friend that can help me with my memories?"

Sam hesitated before speaking. He didn't want to give him false hope. "I don't know for sure but he's crossed paths with Papa Midnite before so knows his magic. If anybody knows how to break his spell work it would be him."

"Is he a witch?"

Sam wasn't really sure how to describe the man from Liverpool

"Not really. He's, well, he's something else."

"Right" Dean sounded sceptical. "When can I see him?"

"No time like the present. Give me a minute" Sam pulled out his phone and flicked through the numbers till he hit the number just marked 'C'.

Sam paused a moment. He wasn't entirely sure he should get the Occultist and Master of the Dark Arts involved. Working with him brought its own set of problems. Sam also wasn't positive he would be willing to help. He had a bad attitude towards hunters, although he did have a good reason for it. He had tangled with hunters before and it hadn't ended well for any of them. But Sam was in over his head with this. Ash had disappeared and the Hell Chasers were just as likely to kill Dean as help him. And Dean needed his memories back. In order to help him they both needed to know what happened that night.

He got out the car and stepped away from Dean, hitting the Call button on his phone.

Finally the highly accented and annoyed sounding voice spoke

"It's 4 in the bloody mornin' over here mate. What the bleedin Hell do you want?"

"Good to hear your voice too."

"Let me repeat that. What the bleedin Hell do you want Sam?"

Blunt was always the way to go with the Occultist.

"How do you fancy messing up some of Papa Midnite's plans?"

There was silence on the line so Sam kept talking "I've got a friend here that's in trouble. Papa Midnite has wiped his memories somehow and we need to get them back."

John made a strange snorting sound "I'm not welcome in New Orleans mate and you know that. I don't fancy picking a fight with your boss. Why isn't he helping with this anyway?"

"I can't reach him"

"Of course you cant. That's the Gods for you. Never around when you bloody need them and interfering when you dont"

"If there was anybody else I could go to I would. This kid is in trouble and he needs help. And if Papa Midnite is involved I figured it's probably your kind of trouble."

There was silence on the line before he spoke quietly but Sam could hear the surprise in his voice. "You care about this kid, don't you?"

Sam knew it wasn't really a question so didn't bother with an answer "I need your help John."

"I know geography was a bit different back in your day but I'm in London mate so it'll probably be a few days."

"That's bullshit and we both know it. If you really are in London then you know exactly how to get here without having to fly" Sam's tone turned to steel when he spoke next. "You owe me John and you know it."

There was silence on the line.

"Fine. I'll grab my gear. I wont be able to tell if I can do anything till I see the kid so I'm not making any promises. I can be at your place in a few hours."

"One more thing" Sam knew John could probably hear the hesitation in his voice. "The kids a Hunter" Sam could hear the swearing over the line as he hung up.

He got back in the car with Dean who was staring into nothing and for once it was Sam who couldn't stand the silence. "He'll be here in a couple of hours. He wont know if he can help or not till he sees you and gets an idea of what was actually done to you."

Then Dean looked at him with such heartbreak in his green eyes Sam had to throw up his solid walls that had now been returned to him. The pain there would have been agonising for Sam.

"How could he do this to me? How could my own father hate me this much?" And Sam didn't know how to answer. Then Deans own walls sprang up and his eyes hardened. He straightened up. Above all else he was a hunter and he wouldn't fall apart. When he spoke he sounded stronger and more put together than Sam had seen him. His pain was hidden once more. "So who's this friend of yours?" Then he noticed the difference in Sam. "Your eyes are dark again. Does this mean your powers are back?" It wasn't just the eyes he saw. The outward signs of Sam's temper had vanished and emotions were tightly controlled once more. Sam face had returned to how it had been before. A mostly emotionless mask but when he spoke there was a barely there hint of humour.

"He's an asshole. I saved his ass when I was stationed in England and he owes me."

"Do you trust him?

Sam considered how to answer him, he didn't want to lie to Dean. He'd had enough people doing that to him his entire life.

"I don't trust many people Dean. It's how I'm still alive after so long but I trust he wont screw us. Not over this. And as I said he owes me and he doesn't like having debts."

Dean just looked at him and for a moment looked like he wanted to argue or at least push for more information. But to his surprise Dean just said "I guess that will just have to be good enough"

Sam started the car and they headed back home.

Meanwhile in an Interdimensional bar in London an irritated Occultist finished his pint and his round of poker with a kelpie, a shadow fey and a half demon assassin whose name he never got.

"Oi, Priest!" he yelled to the short, skinny bar maid who was actually a powerful dream walker "I need to use the portal to get to New Orleans. Wan'na give me a lift?"

She tossed her hair back and glared. "You know the cost John."

"Yeah, yeah. Add it to my tab Love."

She scowled at him and walked towards a curtained off area that could only be entered by her with him following her, cursing Sam, Hunters and New Orleans in general.