I have been trying to figure out how to do this series. Considering that what's on TV right now, maybe I should try to write my own series. There may be canon influences, but this will be as far from canon as possible.

Also note that I'll try to wrap up Handcuffs, Righteous Flock 2, At the End of the Day, and my Heroes crossover, Braver New World as soon as I can. I might even finish Cold.

The usual disclaimers for OUAT and, yes, Frozen.

And before I start, and since this may be my last chapter of 2014, let me just say this. Heroes get happy endings. Villains do not. But most of us are neither. We just do the best we can. And if we go the right path, we may find something better than being a hero or more awesome than being a villain. You may become both. THAT is when the fun starts.

Enjoy.

Prologue/Pilot

"You know the game is rigged. You know the villains never win. We're just trying to change the rules..." Of the quartet of "evil" confronting Regina, Emma, Henry and Belle in that mansion's library, Ursula was the most direct. Cruella stood silent, attitude fixed. Of the three, Maleficent seemed the most conflicted. Yes she was a villain, the epitome of Evil. But since, she survived the blade of the Savior, found love and a family. Still she was tied to her anger and her connection with the other two.

Then there was Gold. Rumplestiltskin to be exact. His desire...his need...for power had cost him his son, his wife, his town. He lost everything in a split second, and he desperately believes that power will get all of that back, if only because he know what lack of power cost him before.

"Well my mom changed, she deserves a happy ending!" Henry retorted with the passion of a son's love for his mother. Two, in fact. Both villains to a certain extent, both seeking a happy ending of their own.

And then there's Belle. Mere days ago she had been loved. She had been happy. Only to wake up to find out that it was nothing but a lie, an illusion. But, as a librarian, she noticed something. Almost all of the books in the library were blank. No names on the covers or words in the books. Of all the people in that library, Belle was the one who realized that there was more than just happy endings at work here.

Suddenly the sound of a door opened. It was not a big entrance, but it was a man who looked like a very well-preserved 70 or 80, stocky, well-groomed, with white hair, a silk robe, and an ascot that pretty much screamed the man being the Author that the eight people in wooden-paneled room had sought. This is the man who had scripted the lives of almost everyone in Mist Haven. And now, the people in that room have come to him asking...or demanding...a rewrite. Or at least the ability to ad lib.

The old man sat in the over stuffed chair next to the ornate wooden fireplace roaring with warm flame, there was a certain familiar air to the gentleman that Emma Swan noticed immediately...

"Well, if it isn't the Priceline Negotiator. Nice to meet you..." The Sheriff was definitely in sarcastic mode. The Author replied with equal sarcasm, "I've been told that." Emma thought to herself that Captain Kirk there can dish back what he can take. She liked this guy already...so far.

Not to waste time, Gold spoke for the group. "The reason that we are here, Sir, is that many of us have been labeled 'villains' because of some of our past deeds. We feel that many of us have worked to redeem ourselves, and that we deserve what heroes get..."

"And that would be, Rumplestiltskin...?" He was the Author, after all, so he should know everyone in the room. Still there was a bit of astonishment. But Gold gave him his answer: "We request a change in our stories. A change that would give us...a happy ending."

The Author looked in deep thought, and then proceeded to go around the room and ask everyone what their vision of a happy ending was.

Cruella wanted just to be happy and warm and secure.

Ursula wanted someone to care for her. Love she never thought she received from her parents.

Maleficent said she had found happiness with her lover and the girl's niece. She no longer felt the need or want to intimidate people.

Gold seethed at the question. Everyone he ever loved was taken from him. His son. Both his wives. He wants them back...and the power to keep them from being taken again.

Belle stayed quiet. She just kept looking at Gold. Looking at him with anger. Or sadness. Or maybe love that she still feels.

Regina was uncharacteristically reserved and quietly emotional. All she wanted was her son. And her true love...who ever that is. And as she spoke it she turned to look at Emma.

"And young man." the Author asked Henry what he thought his happy ending would look like.

"Just for my moms to be happy." Both adult members of Team Mongoose looked at Henry, then again at each and beamed.

However whatever joy Emma felt quickly turned to annoyment as the Author asked the question to her. Emma knew she was odd woman out. All of these people were fairytale characters. Emma was real. Or at least she thought she was.

"I must say that, in aggregate ,you have a pretty shallow want list.." The Author showed that his smirking ability could rival anyone in the room.

Maleficent started looking a bit annoyed at all this: "Well, what do you want us to say...we want to rule the world then finish with a loud cackle...?"

"Actually," the Author retorted, though that would not be necessary, it would probably be closer to the truth for all of you.."

"Well at least we know where we stand, so I'll get to the point," said Gold. "What must any of us do to get that happy ending.?"

"Rumpelstiltskin, I do like your style." was the Author's reply. "First, you need to understand one thing...a 'happy ending' (quotation marks with fingers) is exactly that. An ending..."

The eight others in the room looked a little puzzled as the Author continued to explain...

"When a story says it's 'the end," it is, literally, THE. END. That is, unless, someone decides to write a sequel, but that is very rare. When you get 'happy ending," that exactly what that is...an ending."

Then the Author changed demeanor from that of a stern instructor a person delivering a happy message...or at least a more positive one. "Now that does not mean that you cannot get what you truly want."

Regina: "...and that would be..?"

The Author: "A happily ever-after."

Now the the eight were really confused. If they read the man right, a happy ending would mean death, so what would happily ever-after mean? But even while they were pondering this conundrum, the Author dropped the other shoe...

"You need to prove to me that you...and your contemporaries...deserve a happily ever-after"

Regina offered counterpoint infused with acid: "You mean like those two idiots, Snow and Charming..."

"One second, your Majesty," the author retorted, "Neither Snow White, or David, or their child are assured a happily ever-after. A happy ending, yes, but not a happily ever-after. Neither does anyone else in Storybrooke. You will have to work together to prove that you all deserve happiness. And that will be an all or nothing proposition."

Cruella looked at the stately old man quizzically: "So, how do we...make our case, so to speak?"

The Author smiled. Like a reptile. "I like your style, Ms. De Vil. What will happen is that I shall give Storybrooke a series of tasks, Now some will be directly involved, and some will just have a hand. But all of these tasks would be designed to correct problems and show how much heart you all have. And you have more heart than you realize..."

Emma was a bit agitated: "So, all we have to do is be good boy and girl scouts and you will write us happy...whatevers..." (understanding what happy endings, at least, were not...)

Now the Author regarded the Sheriff sharply "considering that you've been slacking at your job as the Savior..."

And then the old man started rattling off names to the Sheriff. Ingrid. Zelena. Neal. Cora. These and others could have been saved, said the Author. None of them, not even Regina's mother, was truly evil.

"But what about Regina?" Emma entangled her fingers with the Mayor's.

"I understand, Miss Swan. But then, you are in love with the woman..." The Author's declaration elicited knowing smiles from the heroes, a cocked eyebrow from Cruella (aka the New Kid, a knowing smirk from Gold, and the type of looks from Maleficent and Ursula that spelled out "its about damn time, sister!"

"But don't worry, as you go through the tasks, you will have a chance for...how do you say it...do-overs. You all will. And if you noticed, I have given you the abilities to perform the tasks in question. The powers you possess..."

"Powers..." noted Regina, "such as...magic?"

"Yes. Magic...and other abilities that are possessed by the people of Storybrooke will help you accomplish your goals. Not to mention additional help that I have, shall we say, added to the story."

Gold,.always the one seeking that escape clause. "So, Sir, assuming someone decides to go, shall we say, off script...what would be the consequences...?

The Author was nonchalant in his reply: "Depends. A little improvisation is a good thing. However..." The old man leaned in the general direction of Gold, but wanted to make sure the others would hear: "If someone attempts to leave this story, their ending will be quite immediate and very un-happy." The author needed to give no further clarification.

"Now be on your way, your first task will be given shortly. Good day."

Everyone tried to get a final question in, but the Author pointed in the general direction of the exit. A fight would be meaningless, at least at this point, so it was silently decided by all that discretion was the better part of valor. But Emma Swan had to ask the dumbest question of the day. Before she made her exit, Emma turned around and looked at the old man.

"Are you...are you...God?"

And it would have been...if it wasn't for the Author's answer: "No...but you're on the right track. Goodbye."

And with that, the eight departed the house.

And when they had left, the old man went to white phone, that resembled the old rotary General Telephone models, except this one had push-buttons. He dialed seven numbers. Two rings. And answer.

"They're ready. Oh...and Sheriff Swan...she's smarter than we thought. Your senses were more than correct."

Then he Author hung up and smiled.

The heroes were headed for the bug, the villains to Cruella's ornate Panther De Ville. There was much squabbling about what to do about all of this as they gathered in front of the vehicles. Emma, though was in deep thought.

Emma stayed quiet on her drive back into town. The four people the old man mentioned. Why did the mention those four. Did he know about Neal being the father of Henry? Could she have saved Ingrid from her sacrifice? Could she had stopped Gold from killing Zelena or her mother from killing Cora? And why was this her responsibility anyway. Gold and Zelena, Cora and Snow, Ingrid and Elsa...all of them, in their own way, dug their own their own way. It was not Emma's responsibility to save everyone. Hell, she had a hard time saving herself, let alone others. As someone said, it takes a village. And, at least to Emma, this is a fucked-up village.

And in that village, there was a diner and home-cooked food that would rival anyplace on Zagat's five-star list. With convenient parking on the street across. There were three parking spaces. The VW could leave space for an additional one, while the Panther took up two. As everyone departed from their respective vehicles, Ursula made a remark that Cru could trade in the old Panther, Cru responded that she kept it for sentimental reasons. Regina remarked to the sea witch that she could relate and gave Emma, then her Volks That Look. Belle remarked that when she and Gold were still together, she contemplated taking the forget-me-not potion, sneak over to Portland and get a Tesla Model S, but Emma reminded her that Gold drove worse than Henry, who rolled his eyes and simply thought to himself "well, they're getting along, at least."

In fact, the one person who was not adding to the banter was Mal. Meeting Holly Morris and her precocious niece Madison Bailey two years ago during a Boston adventure was, like Regina and Emma, a turning point. The former Empress of Evil actually made peace with the woman she turned into a sleeping beauty (she wasn't really angry at her at all, just the girl's parents). And before all that, her initial battle with Emma left her with a lot of damage that was repaired by the healing waters of a certain lake, but also admiration for the young woman's courage. But she was still a villain, and she owed favors to the Sea Witch and De Vil. But there was a more personal reason.

"Mallie, by the way, how's our friend from Boston?" Regina asked Mal as the eight crossed the street to Granny's Inn. Mal's voluptuous lips curved into a smile when she replied that Holly was fine, especially her heart. One bit of happiness Mal could share with her oldest friend.

It was when the group crossed the Inn's threshold that all emotions took a 180. Seated at the table were a group of people in animated conversation. A young woman with long, straight blonde hair wearing a light blue blouse and black jeans. Another blonde woman, older, sporting blue jeans and a black shirt that said "KEEP CALM AND STAY COOL." And even older woman, brunette, decked in black leather, coat and pants, black tee. Still another woman, 30s perhaps. Red hair, green pants and coat and a hat that looked like it was stolen from an Elf-On-A-Shelf. And the only man at the table, broan hair, trim beard, black Dockers, sneakers, and solid navy blue shirt, sporting a Yankees cap.

The newcomers had trouble placing the names with the faces, but the ones who had lived in Storybrooke for some time had no problems. Outside of the fact that, supposedly, the dead could not come back. Rule one of magic.

But before them, having a rather intense conversation about something were, in order, Elsa from Arendelle, Ingrid the Snow Queen, Regina's mother Cora, her half-sister Zelena, and Gold's son Baefire, aka Neal. Dead people all unaccountably not so.

No one said a word. Cru and Ursula were the only newcomers to the town and probably wondering why the others seemed frozen in their steps and rapt astonishment. Suddenly, both Gold and Regina went down to the floor in a hard faint. As others rushed to their aide, the only thing that may have kept Emma from joining the pair was an urgent sounding beep emanating from her wireless. The Sheriff whips it out and reads the message.

"WTMW NEWS. 5:21PM TONIGHT. YOUR FIRST TASK."

And it's 4:00 now.

And that is when Emma Swan realizes that as strange as this day has already become, the real good stuff is still ahead.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Three things. First, thank you fro your help in getting this chapter done. And if you have not read Atonement, do so. This is what Season 3 SHOULD have been.

Next, comments are really being asked for. I really need to know how I am doing.

Finally, the 'tasks' that will happen will definitely be in the REAL WORLD. I need ideas. And I don't mean battles with Marvel villains or Stormtroopers. If you have any original ideas, PM them to me and if I use them, I'll give credit.

Happy 2015!