The lone occupant of the room was breathing heavily. He had narrowly escaped Europe without being dragged into a loveless marriage.

Sure, he had to drain all of his powers and place a seal on himself to escape their net, but he had done it. And he didn't regret it a single bit.

Sighing, he got up and went to the first bar he could find. That was where he met her.

Amelia.

"So what's your story? I mean why are you in some back woods motel in the middle of nowhere?" she asked.

"Had a life, ran away before it could close in and kill me. Word of advice, never go to Europe unarmed and untrained. Not worth the headache," he said. He still had a hint of a British accent.

"Ran away from my ex. If he ever found me he'd kill me," she said. She shied away from the alcohol.

"Sounds like we could both use fresh starts," he said.

"Amelia."

"James. James Novak," he said, taking inspiration from the flickering light outside. In the motel two blocks away the 'No Vacancy' sign was flicking on and off, leaving the 'No Vac' the only things still working.

The two clinked their glasses and a few months later were married. Shortly after 'Jimmy' not only beat the crap out of Amelia's drunken ex-boyfriend, but had him arrested.


Jimmy looked at his daughter with warm eyes. Every since he found Amelia in that tacky bar out in nowhere, he had dedicated himself to keeping his new family safe. Amelia became religious, believing god had sent James her way to save her life. If Darren had found her alone, he would have absolutely have killed her at the very least.

Claire was the light of his life. However, a few short months after her birth, Jimmy realized his daughter inherited his magic. He would not let the magicals brainwash his child like they had his former friends. James placed the same seals he had on himself, keeping her core hidden from everyone.

As far as anyone would believe, Claire had been born a squib.

But James knew the seal wouldn't last. He would have to reapply it every three years to keep her safe.

Which was why, late one night after spotting an owl where it shouldn't be (and throwing things at it to get rid of the thing before his wife saw the letter) he began to write.

"Dear Amelia,

If you are reading this, then the worst has happened and my past has come to haunt me as I have always feared. Know that no matter what will happen, I will always love you and Claire.

However there are certain forces in this world which I have deliberately kept you unaware of. Forces that will try to tear you and Claire apart once they learn that you are connected to me. In the event I go missing for more than a week, take Claire to Salem, Massachusetts and tell Claire to look for the sign called the 'Charmed Brew' near where they held the witch trials.

Inside are people who can explain the things I never could, and connect Claire to her rightful inheritance as my daughter.

I have tried to keep our family safe, and throwing away my past was the best option. I can only hope you forgive me when you learn all the things I kept from you.

If I ever find a way to keep the past from coming back, know I will do everything in my power to come back to our family.

Love, James."

Jimmy sighed, then placed the letter someplace Amelia would find it if something were to happen to him. Behind their wedding photo. Then he wrote a letter to Claire, explaining one of many things he had kept from them both.

About how she inherited her magic from him, the fact that people would want to use her because she was his daughter, how she owed nothing to the English despite what they might claim otherwise... but most importantly he explained why he sealed her magic away in order to keep her safe.

Magic had only made his life ten times worse, not better. He still had nights where he almost woke up screaming from the way his life had gone because of that damn 'gift'.

To him, it was more like a curse he could never fully walk away from. About the only spells he used now were to reapply the seals keeping the magic away from his life.


Ten years later...

"Jimmy? Could you take out the trash?" Amelia called out from the kitchen.

Jimmy sighed, but put his coat on anyway. It was cold enough that even the short walk to the cans was too cold for his liking, and he had practically grown up in one of the most muggy countries in the world. He still hated the rain.

Halfway to the garbage cans, he heard a strange hum. That was soon followed by an almost blinding light.

He nearly drew his wand when he heard the voice in his head.

James Novak, I am an angel of the lord. I have need of your assistance.

Jimmy tried to find the source.

"What kind of assistance?"

I need a vessel to operate among humanity. You have been chosen by heaven.

Jimmy had the feeling this 'angel' was going to keep asking or worse, try for Claire if he didn't agree. He would rather act as a... vessel...than drag his child into this mess.

"Do you have a name?" he asked finally. This was mostly to cover him undoing the spellwork keeping the letters hidden to Claire and Amelia. He had the distinct feeling that this was going to take quite a long while before he could return home. Or worse, old habits would kick in and he would end up staying away.

In any case, if there was ever a time for Claire to learn her heritage, this might give them a chance to cope without having to deal with the worst of the fallout of them learning he had magic.

Amelia was a very, very good aim with her frying pan...as the lump on his head could attest when he forgot their wedding anniversary while she was pregnant with Claire. He did not want her to use any more kitchen utensils on him for keeping something that big until she had plenty of time to cool off first.

My name is Castiel.

That would be the last thing Jimmy would remember until he felt something stabbing him in the shoulder. The wound healed almost instantly once the knife was out, but the fact was that he still felt it.

Castiel never noticed Jimmy wake up, and he had learned a long time ago the value of information. So he kept his silence and observed.


It was official. Angels were bigger assholes than most of the European magical communities. They just hid behind the lie of being 'holy' instead of 'superiority'.

And here he had thought Malfoy was a monumental dick. The seraph Zachariah was now the biggest douche he had ever met.

Fortunately Castiel didn't pick up such thoughts, though Jimmy did sense he disliked the angel as well. He sometimes wondered how that jumped up featherbrain would react if he knew who Castiel had taken as his vessel.

However the short enjoyment he would have gotten from their expressions was nothing compared to how pissed they would be if they learned who had robbed the armory after Balthazar faked his death in hell.

They didn't know who got past the wards, and no one would suspect Castiel of stealing. He was too much of a boy scout.

Jimmy silently snorted.

Castiel was entirely too trusting, a fact he took full advantage of. When he had dumped Dean in the past, Jimmy managed to slip into control long enough to set up an account that would keep growing until he could access it again. Castiel never thought twice about the new key in his pocket, believing he had been waiting in heaven in an unused location until he had to intervene with Dean. Jimmy let him believe that, instead of letting the angel know he had been awake all this time.

From what little Jimmy saw of the Winchesters, he actually sympathized with them. They were good people being screwed over by heaven, hell and everyone in between. And Dean... he was trying to be a good big brother, but Sam's addiction was slowly driving a wedge between them.

And Zachariah not only didn't care, but he was counting on it.

Jimmy was never the religious sort... too many bad things had happened to him over the years for him to ever truly believe in heaven. He could barely believe in angels, and one was riding him. But the fact Zachariah was doing the same crap his old headmaster used to pull before his death, and even then the things he left behind, really pissed him off.

The first chance he had, he was going to rewrite the rules.

So when Zachariah felt Castiel was becoming too sympathetic to the brothers, and yanked him out of Jimmy by force, he knew his time had come.


Jimmy looked at the Winchesters, acting like he had no idea what was going on.

Castiel couldn't lie to save his own life, but Jimmy was a master of misdirection...and the puppy dog look. It was the only reason he had been able to survive the hormonal swings of Amelia when she was pregnant.

Once they were in the hotel room, Jimmy keeping up the ruse until he set the wards, he turned to find very confused brothers.

"You're both being played by heaven and hell."

"What?" said Dean.

"Zachariah and several other angels are not only aware of Sam's continued association with Ruby, but they're counting on it. Contrary to what Castiel believes, they aren't trying to keep Lucifer in the cage. They're deliberately trying to rip you two apart so that you'll kill Lilith and set him loose," stated Jimmy flatly.

"How do you know all this? I thought Cas said the vessel remains dormant?" asked Sam.

"Normal vessels are dormant. However what Castiel was unaware of was that I am not a normal human. I'm a wizard from Europe who got tired of the bullshit and sealed my magic away to escape the nonsense that was going on. Unlike normal vessels, those with a magical core can remain aware during possession...especially when they're as strong as I am."

Seeing the two brothers start at the word 'magic', Jimmy rolled his eyes.

"Do you really thing a boy scout like Castiel would possess a demon witch?" he said flippantly. That got them to relax.

"If magic exists, then why haven't we run into any yet?"

"You probably have. The SOP for any normal human caught witnessing magic is to erase the memory of it. And since the witch trials they become exceptionally good at hiding," said Jimmy.

"So why tell us?" asked Dean.

"Because I've been in a war where no one gave me a straight answer, and frankly there would have been a lot less death and destruction if someone had told me the truth when I actually needed it, rather than find everything out the hard way. This is guaranteed to piss off that douche Zachariah off immensely when he finds out who Castiel took possession of on Earth," said Jimmy vindictively.

Oh how he would savor the look of outright shock and disbelief when that arrogant bastard learned who Castiel accidentally found. He knew the angels were still looking for him, as was practically every other magical community.

He was one of the most powerful magical beings on the planet, and he had been living his life in suburbia for several decades. The idea he had sealed his own magic away had never occurred to any of them!

Then Jimmy winced.

"Besides...this gives my wife a chance to cool off once she reads the letter I left her. The last place I want to be is anywhere near her and a frying pan when she finds out most of what I've been keeping from her," said Jimmy sheepishly.

Dean snorted in amusement.

"So you're on our side?"

"More than heaven or hell at this rate. They forced Castiel to return because they felt he was becoming too sympathetic towards you two. Heaven doesn't want people to think, they demand blind faith and obedience."

"Why would the angels want Ruby to keep me hooked on the blood?" asked Sam.

Jimmy gave both brothers an unreadable look.

"Because you two are the true vessels for Micheal and Lucifer. If you're hooked on demon's blood then it will be easier for him to slip into your mind and convince you to say yes to him. Just like Heaven will try to force you to say yes to Micheal," said Jimmy, looking at Sam and Dean respectively.

Seeing them pale at that news, Jimmy continued.

"Zachariah wants you to abandon Sam. They want the two arch angels to fight, even if Earth is torched in the process. They don't give a damn about humans, and if all they have to do to bring 'paradise' to Earth early is to rip the bond you two have apart, they won't hesitate to do it. Personally I think it's about time humans retook control of this mess, because I'm sick and tired of dealing with this bullshit," said Jimmy flatly.

Dean's eyes took on an all-too-familiar glint Jimmy had last seen in his own eyes.

"So where do we start?"