A/N: Okay, so the Zombie fic is going to take a sit on the back burner, due in part because of severe brain farts, and Love and Marriage is almost done, maybe three more one shots and I'll shut it down, for now, I have another fic in the making, which is why I haven't been posting (That and a 7 page paper I need to write out for a class...but hey...) Anyhow, on with the show! Enjoy!

Rating: M

Disclaimer: Not mine, I don't own JE characters, I wished I did, we would have so much! ~w~

Warnings will be posted with each chapter

Genre: Fantasy/ Romance

Les papillons d'or

Stephanie's First Encounter

"Please, don't do this, it's just my job!" The woman said, backing away from the hulking figure, toppling over the small coffee table to try to keep distant in between her and the figure, "Please it's not real, I only do this-"

"This isn't real?" A distorted voice said with a sneer, moving to the woman, "You're a fake, using people's emotions and problems for your monetary gain? You are the lowest of the low…scum in my books."

The woman let out a sound as the figure took out a lethal looking serrated knife. The figure smiled in the dim light before charging at the woman, causing her to scream in horror as the person brought the knife down on their head.

"DON'T KILL ME! NO!"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"NO!" A woman screamed, waking up and clutching her chest, "Don't kill me, no!"

The woman gripped her dress and bed sheets, her chest heaving and her eyes wide and wild. It took the woman a while before her breathing calmed down and she was aware that she wasn't being killed in the dark. The woman let out a shudder and then climbed out the bed, walking over to the small vanity table that rested in a corner. The woman looked at the time and said, "Two-ten, and another dream…this must be a sign, someone is trying to tell me something."

The woman pulled a thin robe on and made their way out the bedroom, downstairs and into a small parlor. She sat down at a desk and then opened a small desk drawer, pulling out an old piece of parchment and a tattered quill. She rarely did this to herself, but she needed to know what was going on.

The woman lifted the quill up and placed the tip on the old parchment, standing it straight up in the air. The woman let go of the quill and watched as the quill stood up on the parchment paper by itself, before it began to move on the parchment, faded black ink appearing on the thick paper. The woman looked down as an image began to form on the paper. The woman let out a sharp breath of air, watching as the image finishing forming on the paper, the quill dropping on the parchment paper with a soft thud.

"No…" the woman said, her eyes wide, "This….no…"

Sitting on the faded parchment paper was the faded image of death, carrying a scythe. The woman gripped her chest and stood up from her small desk, before she stuffed the parchment into the drawer, turning off the side lamp and making her way up to her bedroom, trying to get the warning of death out of her head.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Any skips for me today?" Stephanie asked, looking down at Connie, who looked up at her, the electric blue fingernail polish halfway to her nail, "Well?"

Connie placed the fingernail polish back into the bottle and said, "Well, nothing but big skips, you can look through them, maybe there's something in there that's low."

"I hope," Stephanie Plum muttered as she shuffled through the files, "I could use the money."

Stephanie really could use the money, it had been a slow month at the bails bond office and Stephanie was feeling it. People weren't going out and committing petty crimes like they used to. It was the mild month of April, crime was usually high because of the mild weather. This month, however, Stephanie was lucky if she could bag a shoplifting grandmother. Rent was due, and she needed some food in her apartment, though she was supplementing the no food thing with going to her parent's house for meals, but, that was getting to her, seeing as her mother still nagged her to get married, pop out some children and settle down. Fat chance that was happening.

Luckily, Tank offered her a part time job at Rangeman doing searches, so she would be getting a paycheck, when she couldn't catch any skips. If she couldn't find a low bonded skip today, she was going to Rangeman and asking for a full time job.

"Looks like you're right, nothing but-" Stephanie paused, as one file slipped onto the floor, "Hold on…here's a skip for me."

Stephanie bent down to pick up the file, but paused, as her fingers touched the edge of the file. She felt something tingle, running up her arm, it felt like fuzzy soda water. Stephanie lifted her hand up and then picked up the file. She opened the folder and said out loud, "Heidi Kingston, age 23, arrested for shoplifting a can of peas….that sounds…awkward, oh well, she's worth about a thousand bucks. She lives on the edge of town, close to the woods, oh…this should be really easy she looks like a good gust of wind could knock her out."

"That's strange," Connie said, snatching the file from Stephanie's hands, "Where'd this come from? I didn't see this earlier today, oh well, go and get her, you know, for a small crime, she sure did get a huge bond set for her."

Stephanie plucked the file from Connie's hand and said, "It's okay, I gotta go, I have to make money and all that jazz."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Heidi Kingston lived in a pretty two story cottage on the edge of Trenton. Stephanie had actually never been to this area, it was almost like a picture out of a crappy calendar. The cottage was painted a pretty white, with black shutters around the windows. The door was painted black, with what appeared to be golden butterflies fluttering in the corner of the door. The front yard was a massive garden exploding with colors, there were several fruit bearing trees in the midst of the garden, just producing leaves, but in the summer would produce delicious fruit. There was a small pond tucked away, hidden in the garden behind a hydrangea bush. With the wood nestled behind the cottage, it finished the cottage picture.

Stephanie pulled her '95 Sentra in front of the cute cottage and said to herself, "This is a very nice area, I wish I could afford to live here…" turning off her car and climbed out the car.

Stephanie made her way to the front door of the cottage, using the stone step way to climb up to the large wrap around porch that was situated around the cottage. Stephanie knocked on the decorated door and said, "Heidi Kingston, Stephanie Plum, Bail bond enforcement, you missed your court date and I-"

The black door opened up slowly making Stephanie yelp as it opened. Stephanie peered into the opened door and asked, "Miss Kingston…are you in?"

Stephanie took a step inside the house, turning to look at the door, to make sure the woman wasn't behind the door, ready to ambush her. She wasn't, so…how did the door open? Stephanie stepped fully into the house and yelped as the door shut itself with a soft click. Stephanie turned, hearing soft footsteps on the wooden floors. Stephanie turned and saw Heidi Kingston, standing in the foyer. She looked a bit better in real life than in the pictures. She was shorter than Stephanie by a few inches, with milk chocolate skin, soft eyes that were a dark amber colored, her eyes, though, it made her seem that she wasn't quite there all the way. She had long black hair, which was tied up in a high ponytail. She was dressed in a pair of capris and a short sleeved shirt that was white with butterflies across a sleeve.

"Hello," Heidi said with a smile, walking over to Stephanie and shaking her hand, "You already know me…yes, well, come in, come in, let's go to my parlor, I'll serve you some tea and cakes, you do like cake, right? And tea, I hope, I don't like coffee, it's pretty icky."

"Wait," Stephanie said as Heidi led her into the parlor, "I am here to take you down to the police station and get you booked, come on now, let's go get you rebooked, Heidi come on!"

Heidi sat Stephanie into a soft chair, before she shuffled out the parlor muttering about tea and cakes. Stephanie looked around the parlor, sitting back in the chair. The parlor was decorated with antique pieces, hell even the chair Stephanie sat in would fit in nicely in the 1800 time period. Though the most crazy thing was that every piece of furniture had butterflies hidden in it somewhere. Stephanie turned her head, and paused, looking at the small writing desk that was situated in a corner. Stephanie got up from her chair, and walked over to the desk, seeing a piece of thick paper on the table and a tattered quill. Stephanie reached over to pick up the quill, the urge to pick up the quill strong.

"Don't touch that, Ms. Plum," Heidi said walking into the parlor with a tea service set, "You aren't ready for that yet, now, sit down and enjoy some tea and sweets, right, yes. Take the chocolate cake, I know you love chocolate cake, sorry I don't have Boston Crème doughnuts or pineapple upside down cake, those are your all time favorites, but I prefer chocolate."

"Did I ever…" Stephanie started, looking confused, her eyes wide, "I never told you about…my favorite sweets…"

"Of course not," Heidi said, waving her hand and then pouring Stephanie a cup of tea, "You didn't need to tell me anything, I just happen to know these things."

"Uh…." Stephanie said before accepting the cup of tea Heidi made for her, "I really need to take you downtown so you can get rebooked at the police station."

"Oh, can't it wait, besides, it was only a can of peas," Heidi said, eating her cake, "I want to know all about you, Stephanie Plum, that's the reason why I stole the can of peas, to get you to come to me, our meeting was fated, Stephanie, I was meant to meet you, I didn't know how to actually, but I got the answer, shoplift something. I thought a can of peas would do fine."

"Oh, why was your bond set so high?" Stephanie asked Heidi, as she sipped her tea, "For a can of peas?"

"Uh…I may have called the judge a bad name," Heidi said, her face flushed, hiding her mouth behind her hand to giggle softly, "Which was why I got such a high bond. Before I go off to jail…maybe I can grab your hand, for a moment?"

Heidi held her hand out and asked, "Please….pretty, pretty please!"

Stephanie placed her tea cup down and said, "I don't see why we're doing this…" holding her hand out so that Heidi can take it.

Heidi took her hand and hummed, looking at the lines that resided on the palm of Stephanie's hand. Heidi looked up into Stephanie's eyes and said, "You are very troubled, Stephanie, darling, ," running small hands over Stephanie's hand, "You're worried about money, nearly everyone is, but you are worried because you have bills to pay, rent is due in four days and though Doug may be kind and all, but there's only so many times he'll accept late payments."

Stephanie looked at Heidi, who smiled softly, looking back at her. Heidi hummed and said, "Now, let's go to your love life…oh dear, two men? Hmmm….there's an Italian, and a Cuban man. Now the Italian man wants you to become his wife, to bear his children and to stay at home and cook his meals, right?"

Stephanie, too stunned for words, nodded her head, making Heidi smile and trace a finger over Stephanie's palm.

"The other one, the Cuban, he has commitment issues, he loves you, but he doesn't want to be with you, he's afraid his…lifestyle, that's what he told you, yes? He's not here, 'in the wind,' I can't tell you were he is, classified, but he is in a warm place, nice yes. Hmm…what's the nickname he calls you…oh yes…."

"Babe…." Stephanie stood up snatching her hand away from Heidi, giving her a wide eyed look. Heidi giggled sweetly and said, "Well...I guess we should be on our way to the police station, yes, I'll just put this tea away."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"She's not FTA," Big Dog said to Stephanie, who shook her head, her eyes wide, "She's not even in the system, Steph."

Stephanie turned to Heidi, who sat on a bench, having an animated conversation with a bald man who was wrapped with shackles and chains, "Big Dog, she has a file, see look, she stole a can of peas!"

"She got arrested for stealing a can of peas?" Big Dog asked looking over to Heidi, "I doubt that, Steph, especially since at the store, peas are only 45 cents a can, are you sure about her arrest, I'm pretty sure…she's never been arrested for anything, that file of yours is a flop, sorry about that."

"It's not your fault," Stephanie sighed, before she slipped the file into her purse and made her way over to Heidi who looked up and smiled at Stephanie.

"So am I headed to the big slammer?" Heidi asked, standing up to go over to Stephanie, "Well it was nice meeting you, I'll be going off to get a prison tattoo and to start a hustle."

"You're not going to jail, you're not even in the system," Stephanie said to Heidi who frowned and crossed her arms, "I'll take you home, since I dragged you out and all."

"Thank you," Heidi said, before Stephanie led her out of the police station, "It's okay, I returned the icky peas anyways, I don't eat vegetables, they only get in the way of the real food."

"They only get in the way of real food…." Stephanie echoed as Heidi climbed into Stephanie's car.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Well," Heidi said with a smile, taking the file from Stephanie's purse and tossing it in the air, watching as it exploded into golden butterfly glitter, "No need for that anymore now, I know the bail bond business is a little on the slow side, so uh….you want a job?"

"What?" Stephanie looked over to Heidi, who was flicking glitter in the air, "Did you just offer me a job?"

"I did," Heidi said, before shaking glitter off her frame, "I need an assistant, due to the nature of my job, because…I uh want one, the pay isn't terrible, and it has some benefits, like you not dying, but I could use an assistant, and you fit the mold."

"I fit the mold," Stephanie said softly, looking over to Heidi, who nodded her head, "I have a job off-"

"You do have an offer at Rangeman, I know, but! I'm offering you a job as well, a full time job, besides, we'll have fun….say please….pretty please!"

Stephanie looked at Heidi, who clasped her hands together, bowing and whimpering to Stephanie. Stephanie could use the new job opportunity, bounty hunting wasn't what it used to be. She could hear her mother now, 'Don't you take that job! You don't know this crazy woman, she could kill you-'

"Uh…your thoughts are so loud," Heidi said, giving Stephanie a glare, "Come on, just take the job, I'll give you a sign on bonus…"

"Well, I guess, if you're giving me a sign on bonus," Stephanie said with a shrug, making Heidi squeal with glee, "I'll take the job.""

"Great!" Heidi said, clapping her hands, "You won't regret it, we are going to have so much fun! You can drop me off at my house, and come back tomorrow, so we can like do all the legal junk and get you started on your new job."

Stephanie parked her car in front of Heidi's house and said, "Okay….I hope we're doing nothing crazy…"

"I'm a legit business owner, the only crazy things I do is tell people what they want to hear," Heidi said, before she opened the car door, "Not what they should hear, have a good day Stephanie."

"Well," Stephanie said, watching Heidi dance her way into her house, "This is…new, I hope she isn't going to get me to cook for her."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Heidi closed her door with a soft click and turned her head over to her parlor. She walked through her foyer and into the parlor. She made her way over to the china cabinet and opened it, looking down at a basin full of clear water. Heidi put her hands on hips and said, "That was a good meeting, I knew she would accept the job offer, but it's always wise to expect the unexpected."

She pulled the basin out of the cabinet and placed it on a side stand. Heidi leaned over the basin and whispered, "Tell me, if the dream I had last night was real or not, tell me if the Quill is lying to me."

Heidi faltered, as the water in the basin began to swirl, steadily turning into a pink color, the pink getting darker and the water getting thicker. Heidi leaned back as the metallic tang of blood assaulted her nose. She took a step back as the water finally turned into blood, the blood bubbling and over flowing the basin, spilling over the edges and onto the wooden floors.

Heidi let out a gasp as the vision hit her like a train. She was laying there, in a pool of her own blood, looking up at a figure who was cleaning the serrated edge of a hunting knife. She could feel the knife wound, so many of them, all over her body, the pain never ending. Heidi lifted her hand up to her neck and let out a gurgle of agony, causing the figure to look down at her, cocking their head to the side like a puppy. Fingers pulled back her blond hair and then the figure hissed, "This is what happens when you use people's emotions to make a profit, I kill you…."

Heidi let out a cry, opening her eyes. She wasn't dying on some floor, she was in her parlor, alive. Heidi looked over to the basin and let out a sigh of relief, seeing nothing but water. Heidi picked the basin up and placed it back into the china cabinet. She sat down in a chair and leaned back, looking up at the ceiling.

"Something's going on," Heidi said, before she closed her eyes and placed a hand over them, "And I get the feeling, it's going to affect me."

TBC..

(Great start, yes? Reviews are loved, feedback is always welcomed.)

* Les papillons d'or= The golden butterflies*