Now

Once outside, John opened the door. "Get in, Sam."

Sam got in and John shut the door.

"Isn't this better?"

"Yes, sir," Sam said in a monotone.

John liked the sound of that. No more backtalk.

SSS

"You hear from your dad?" Bobby asked. He liked spending time with Dean but it had been days. Kid was getting antsy and that meant he was getting annoying.

"He said he'd be here tonight and we'll either take off then or in the morning depending on how late he gets here."

Bobby checked his watch. "It's 10:00. Even if he gets here now, you should spend the night. I'll make those pancakes your brother likes so much in the morning."

"And bacon?"

"I've been making you bacon every morning, idgit," Bobby grumbled.

"There he is," Dean said, recognizing the sound of his dad's engine. A few second later, John appeared with Sam following closely behind.

"Hey, John, Sam," Bobby said.

"Hey, Bobby," John replied.

"Cat got your tongue, Sam?" Bobby asked.

"Say hey to Bobby," John said.

"Hey to Bobby," Sam repeated.

"Cute," Bobby mumbled.

"I gotta hit the head," John said and proceeded upstairs to the bathroom. Sam followed behind him.

"Where you going?" Dean asked.

John turned around to find Sam following him. "Stay here," John said and continued up the stairs. Sam remained standing on the first step not moving.

"What's with you?" Dean asked.

Sam made no answer.

Dean and Bobby exchanged a glance and shrugged.

"Hungry?" Bobby asked.

Again there was no answer. John came back downstairs and Sam followed him into the living room.

"What's with him?" Bobby asked.

"What do you mean?"

"He keeps following you around and he doesn't speak."

"Sam answer Bobby and Dean when they talk to you," John said, hoping that would solve the problem.

"Seriously, what is wrong with you, Sam" Dean asked

"Dad put a spell on me," Sam answered.

John sighed. He had told Sam to answer Dean and Bobby. He was going to figure out how to properly control Sam before taking him on hunts. But, Dean was going to figure it out anyway.

"What's he talking about?" Dean and Bobby asked at the same time.

John shrugged. "He was going to leave for college, so I put an obedience spell on him. He'll only do what I say."

"John, that's a bad idea," Bobby stated what he considred to be the obvious.

"Take it off," Dean said. "This isn't Sam. He's some shell of himself."

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I don't know the reversal spell. And I wouldn't even if I could. This is the Sam I've always wanted."

They all looked towards SAm when they heard a noise. A stream of urine was coming from him.

"Well, that's great, dad. He can be on his own, but he can't actually go to the bathroom."

"Clean it up, Sam," Dad said.

Sam got now and started wiping at it with his shirt sleeve.

"John, you've obviously got to be very specific with him. Maybe you should clean it up yourself while I try to figure out how to break the spell."

"NO!" John yelled. "Sam, come on, we're leaving."

Sam started following John out the door.

"NO!" Dean yelled and grabbed onto him. Sam struggled to follow John. He was supposed to leave with him. He knew nothing but following orders.

John stopped afraid one of his sons would get hurt in their odd tug of war. "Stop." Sam stopped struggling.

"Dean, it can't be reversed. What's done is done. So, come with us. We'll be a family. Like we always have been."

"I bet you can reverse it," Dean said.

"I said I don't know how," John said.

"What are you thinking?" Bobby asked.

"Just tell him to think for himself. He has to obey you, right?"

"That might just work," Bobby approved, giving Dean a proud smile. Sometimes people forgot how smart Dean was since Sam was suppsed to the brains of the outfit.

John could tell everyone was against him and he doubted it would work anyway. 'Think for yourself' wasn't specific. Well, he had no choice. He had to do it or he would lose Dean.

SSS

The witch realized the amulet was useless. Did John Winchester really think she would let him get away with that? She had control over her spells, no matter the distance. She had some choices. She could just cancel the spell. She could transfer the spell to herself so that Sam Winchester would only do what she said and, of course, she could communicate with him telepathically from anywhere. She could give him an obey everyone spell. She could make him do the opposite of everything John Winchester told him to do. She could make him obey nobody which would basically turn him into a breathing statue.

She made her decision. She concentrated on Sam and said "Run out the door and keep going until you collapse and then obey everyone except your father. Do the opposite of what he says." Combinations were always the best, she decided.

SSS

"Think for yourself," John said.

Sam couldn't do that. He didn't even understand what that meant. But, he did understand the command he was hearing in his head. He ran out the door and kept going.

"I get he was mad at you, but I can't believe he didn't even say goodbye," Dean said.

"I don't think that worked quite as we planned," Bobby said. "I don't think Sam is in full control. Probably some kind of literal thing. He wanted to run away before the spell, so he's running. We better go after him."

They ran out and hopped in the Impala, the closest vehicle to the door. Dean took off right outside the drive. "There he is," they saw Sam still running.

"Cut him off," Bobby said.

Dean drove in front of him and Sam ran straight into the car and fell back. John got out of the car, "Get in the car, Sam."

Sam got up and backed away from the car.

"Well, I guess he's not obeying you anymore," Bobby said. "Sam, are you OK?"

"Yes, sir," Sam answered. He was physically fine.

"Please get in the car Sam," Dean said.

Sam got in the car and Dean drove back to Bobby's. When everyone got out of the car, Sam stayed where he was. He followed Dean. Dean was the last one to give him an order so he had to follow him until told not to.

"Let's try to figure this out in the morning," Bobby suggested.

"Sam, go upstairs, get in the bed you usually sleep in and go to sleep," Dean said.

"In his clothes?" John asked.

"Least of our problems, Dad."

SSS

The witches phone rang. It was a hutner she owed a favor to. These were getting out of hand.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I've pissed off the entire hunting community. But, I need another set of hands for a hunt," he said.

This was perfect. She knew this man and John were enemies from way back. Two birds with one stone. "Sam Winchester do?" she asked.

"He sure would," the man said. "But, John would never allow that."

"Don't worry about John. Where are you? I'll send the boy to you."

"He won't work with me. I'm telling you John hates. I don't eve think his boys know about me."

"Not a problem. He's under an obedience spell. He's practically a robot."

"That's no good. I need someone who can think on his own. Not just blindly obey literal commands. I know how you witches work."

The witch smiled. Gordon Walker was always quick on the draw, if a little bloodthirsty.

"I'll change up the spell. He will have to obey you and only you" and me, of course, she thought to herself "but he'll be unable to disobey a direct command. Will that work?"

Gordon thought it over. "Sounds like it."

SSS

Sam woke up to the voice again. Telling him to very quietly leave the house and make his way to a specific hotel in Omaha. Telling him to do whatever he had to get out if they did hear him. Whatever was happening to him was changing. He still had to obey but he could think. He tried very hard to not tip toe out the door. Tried very hard to call out to Dean, but it was no use. He was trapped in his own body. "HELP ME!" he screamed inside his own head.

"Sorry, Sam. This is your father's fault. He came to me for the spell and doublecrossed me and now he has to pay. And you're the means of payment. Now, go."

Sam had no choice. He went.

SSS

Sam pulled into the hotel parking lot and was met by a man he had never seen before. "Celeste said you'd be along any minute. Come on inside."

"Who are you?" Sam asked, surprised his voice worked.

"My name's Gordon Walker. Ever hear of me?"

Sam shook his head no. "What do you want with me?"

"Need a little help with a hunt. You'll help me won't you, Sammy?"

"Yes, of course," Sam said, knowing the moment those words came out of his mouth that he was now firmly under this man's control even if he was allowed to think. "What are we hunting?"

"Vampires."

"No such thing," Sam countered.

"Looks like I'll have to catch you up before we start. Have a seat."

Sam sat down and began to learn all there was about vampires.

SSS

"Sam's gone," Dean said when he came downstairs. Bobby and John already sitting at the breakfast table and poring over books.

"What do you mean he's gone?" Bobby asked. "I didn't think he could do anything unless someone told him to."

"I didn't either, but he's not in his room and he's not in the bathroom and he's not down here and that pretty much means he's gone."

John had gotten up to look outside. "So is your car."

"Maybe the spell was broken," Bobby suggested.

"Or maybe the witch called him to her," John said. I didn't want to say anything, but I kind of doublecrossed her. Maybe my telling Sammy to think for himself wasn't what changed the spell."

"Do you know where to find her?" Dean asked.

"I think so."

"Let's go then."