Just so you know, this story was written months ago. I am far from finished, and I'm just posting a few at a time so I can catch up. I thank you all for your support and constructive critiques. Also your forgiveness for not following everything according to the almighty canon.

This particular part was written aabout the same time as What Happened to Fredrick? Which is why Kathryn is with who she's with in this story...at least for now.

Well, boys and girls, I am done trying to keep this thing consistent with what ABC's doing. Having seen previews and synopses for episodes 13 and 14, I'll let them do what they want to do and let me do what I want to do...AU all the way.

How do I see these characters...well, this story set one year ahead. Emma and Regina certainly are in love and its strong. So is Snow and Charming. I won't use their Storybrooke names because in this Universe everyone has their memories and The Curse really was a set up for something worse.

I have developed a special place in my heart for Kathryn/Abigail. This is a woman whose been screwed left and right and not in a good way. My portrayal of her IS a bit more sympathetic, and I am hoping she will play a major role as my story progresses.

ABC owns it, I borrowing.

Update: A)Lana Parrilla is one of the nicest people in the world. One day I'll tell you why. B)Holly...you're the reason I do this story.

Day 6 8:22pm

There were only two floors to the building the housed the offices of the Storybrooke Daily Mirror. Usually the building was empty, save for a dwarf doing janitorial work (they weren't really dwarfs, they were just called that in the Realm and the name stuck). But tonight there was only one person burning the late night oil in the building, in his office overlooking Main Street was one Sidney Glass. He had just finished staring at the darkened street of the small town, and now his attention was focused on the two main reasons the newly-re-appointed newspaper editor came up to his office tonight.

Namely a bottle of Crown Royal and 40-odd tranquilizer pills still in their containers. It was his intention to empty both bottles into his body sometime tonight.

Somehow, probably because of where he was at the time, he managed to make it into Storybrooke with memories intact. Memories of a genie who gave out wishes on command. Memories of a lonely woman trapped in a loveless marriage. Memories of a love gone wrong that trapped him behind a mirror.

And in all of this, he was never his own man. The slave of whoever got him out of the bottle, or the woman who trapped him in the mirror, and now the man who freed him. The difference was that in the first two cases it was only for pretty selfish reason. But the man who freed him from the bottle had bigger fish to fry. And he realized what role he had in it.

In essence, Glass was working both sides if the street. He was the man who filtered all that Mills and her Sheriff/lover Emma Swan were working on to stop the persons who freed him from his glass prison. Just a few minutes ago he called to warn that freedom giver that strange things were happening at the Mills compound. First, a fireball shot up from the vicinity and quickly disappeared. That was followed by what seemed to be red, grey, and blue streaks that shot up from the compound and came back down...except for the blue streak that seemed to want to fly around the area. And Glass thought he actually heard a woman going "wheeee!" as the streak was flying by.

What was worse, it seemed, is that the person on the other end did not think of his correspondent as mad. In fact, that person seemed angry not at Glass, but at the turn of events that was happening.

It was after the the call ended on Glass that he made the decision. No more lies. No more tricks. And no more having to spy for a man who he hated more than anything. No more dealing with Mr. Gold. Or anyone else who wanted to control him

No more.

It's funny how, when one focuses on something, that everything seems to be blocked out. And as Sidney pours the whiskey into the shot glass that was next to the bottle, he was oblivious to the sound of the elevator just outside his office arriving on the second floor. Oblivious to the six pairs of footsteps walking briskly toward that office. It was only then, when the door opened, and faces of six familiar people came toward him that his concentration was broken.

The one he recognized most walked up to his desk, looked at both bottles, then took the pill bottle in her hand.

Regina Mills then looked at Sidney and smirked. "None of that tonight. You don't get off that easy." Then she turned to the lavatory that was in the office, opened the door, turned the light on, poured the pills in the toilet and flushed.

Then the mayor joined the sheriff, the teacher, and her husband-to-be and pretty much surrounded Glass at his desk. Archie and Kathryn watched the door.

Emma was very blunt towards her former confederate: "I'll get right to the point Sidney...we know you've been feeding information to Gold. We also know he's planning something for Boston."

Charming quickly added to the demand: "We just want to know what...and when."

Sidney Glass had his head in his hands in a down position. He did not want to hear anymore. However, it was Snow White's turn to try to reach whatever humanity that the former genie may have had left in him.

"Sidney...there are thousands...millions of innocent people...we all had the dream, Sidney..." Frustration set in with Snow, now. "Look, we all dreamed red dragons. Four or five, maybe. What do they mean?"

Without outward emotion, Sidney responded, "It means four...or five...red...dragons."

There was a great bit of silence in the room at that. Then SIdney continued. "Look, I know what happened at your house today...or at least I think I did. I just didn't know you would use your powers here, Regina."

"You still know how to flatter a woman after all these years...but none of it was me." Sidney looked a bit confused until Emma raised her hand. "I threw that fireball."

"And Charming and I were those streaks you saw," Snow added. "Actually he was trying to bring me down. I always wanted to fly, you see..."

Sidney was silent for a few moments. The silence was broken by Archie. "you see, Sidney, the power of magic was never limited to witches, wizards, and fairies. It was always there. What we discovered is that anyone can harness that..."

The mayor continued, "...and with that power, we WILL defeat Gold."

Sidney took a deep breath, trying to soak it all in. Then Regina leaned over the table Sidney was at and spoke directly: "Look...I know what I did, and I know I hurt you..." She paused and took a breath. "I'm not asking you to join us...or even stop Rumple. But think about what you are doing. Innocent people, Sidney. That's not you.." Regina then withdrew. More silent stares, and then.

Emma: "C'mon...let's get out of here." The sextet filed out of the office and left Sidney Glass as alone as he was a few minutes before. He stared at the door a few minutes...then he threw the shot glass at it

Day 7. Morning

The dreams had now become targeted thoughts throughout the day. It was like everyone was getting individual marching orders from whoever was broadcasting the thoughts. But the main point was that Gold was on the move, probably in or near Boston, and there was no time to waste.

The were many hubs of activity. Those who were going with Regina...Emma, Snow and Charming, Ruby, Ella and Thomas, were given a crash course in, what Ruby called, "advance magic for dummies" at Regina's new home, just on the outskirts of town. Regina encircled the compound with a spell to prevent anyone from seeing exactly what was happening.

It seemed that everyone was a quick study in learning how to control the poweres they recently discovered, especially Emma and Snow. As a matter of fact, Snow was able to release a good deal of deep-seated resentment towards the woman who trapped her in Main 28 years ago. There was flying, zapping, a few curses (some of the not-so-magic kind) flying around. Finally, Snow managed to trap Regina against a wall with a powerful force spell. She was just about to finish the Evil Queen off when Emma screamed "NOOOOO!" That plea from her daughter was enough to get Snow to release the spell...but instead of an attack, Regina...to the shock of everyone...gave Snow White a big, wet, smooch across the lips!

The group was flabbergasted, until Regina pretty much gushed, "That was awesome shit! The last time I got that kind of a workout was with Maleficent! You..are...gooood!"

More than slightly bewildered, a wide-eyed former Mary Margaret Blanchard meekly replied to her former adversary, "thank you...I guess" And as the group chuckled loudly, Emma Swan teased her mom, "Just remember...she's mine!" Then kissed her on the cheek.

Regina later explained that the reason Snow performed so well with magic is that "magic works with emotion. The more emotion, the more power you have. That's why hearts are..." Regina stopped for a bit. Memories were flooding her. Memories long since forgiven, but still there. She inhaled deeply and continued..."...that's why hearts are so important. They are the connectors to the soul and to emotions. For magic to work, you have to want that outcome more than anything else in the world. Anything."

"How the hell you think I got your asses to Maine." That set off a gale of laughter.

And that's how it was for the next two days. A crash course in wizardry with Regina training the "away" team at the new castle and Frannie training the ones who would be left in Storybrooke at Granny's.

They know that time is precious and they had to get good because...

Day 7. Boston. The roof of Hancock Place overlooking the Charles.

It was not as windy as the weatherman predicted. But windy enough. The two men who walked out of the elevator to the roof of The Hancock. At about 230 stories they could see the entire city. Both men wore long black trench coats and black baseball caps with no insignia. The taller one also wore a muffler that hid his facial features. The shorter one had his face exposed, but walked with a cane. The shorter one observed the skyline and observed.."This will be...magnificent!"

And with that, Rumpelstiltskin grew on his face a most evil, malicious smile.

TO BE CONTINUED.