"Regina! Hey!.. Regina! Hold up a minute.." Beth Ann called out as she ran across the busy street dodging cars as she crossed.
"I have to speak with you!" She explained finally stepping up on the sidewalk in front of the Police Station, now out of breath.

Regina turned to face her, "Oh, Beth Ann.. how are you?" A forced smile upon her lips.
"Alright I suppose." She replied.

The morning air was crisp. People on their way to work could just about see their breath when they exhaled walking down the sidewalk, going about their day.
Regina squinted. The sun was particularly bright today, casting its rays out across the town.
"What can I do for you today?" Regina asked, puzzled.
Regina knew Beth Ann was no fan of her. Which made her wonder why exactly she would want to talk with her about anything. Right from the start, Beth Ann criticized her relationship with Emma; never shy to voice her opinions on how she thought Emma could always do better.

"Oh, I'm not here for me, Regina. Actually, I'm here on Emma's behalf."
Slightly taken back, Regina replied "Are you now? And what is it that you think you can do for my Emma?"
"Well.." The young woman began, chasing after Regina.
Not waiting for an answer, Regina turned abruptly and walked into the station, Beth Ann quickly following behind.

"It's not about me, Regina." Beth Ann assured her as the front door of the police station slammed shut behind her, "You're relationship may be in danger. I'm here to help." She smiled.

As if on cue, Regina turned to face her. An angry look washed over her face.
"How dare you!"

"What? What do you mean?" Beth Ann replied confused.

"How dare you come here and make such accusations! You know nothing about our relationship Beth Ann, Nothing!"

"Actually, I know quite a bit, Regina."
She replied, crossing her arms with a smug look.
"I know you're relationship is in danger because Emma talks to me."

"Ok," Regina replied, "And why exactly should I trust you? We both know you've never supported mine and Emma's relationship. For Christ's sake, How do I know you're not just trying to drive a wedge between us?"

"You don't." She replied, "But honestly, what other choice do you have?"

"Pfft! To not listen to you!" Regina rebutted, walking behind her desk.

"Do you know a Rita Castillo, Regina?" Beth Ann asked, determined to get her to listen.

"Mmmn.. can't say that I do.."

"Well, you should. This woman is poison. There is something very wrong going on, and I'm sure as hell she is part of it all."

Regina sat back on her heels, crossing her arms. "So I guess I'll need to give you a detective's badge now? Is that what you're telling me?"
She raised her brow sarcastically.

"Regina, please." Beth Ann begged, "Please trust me when I say this is for your own good. You and I may not like each other, but Emma is one of my closest friends. Heed my warning and look into Rita. You'll know what I'm talking about the moment you set eyes on her... I'm not asking you to do it for me. I'm asking you to do it for Emma."

"Ok Beth Ann," Regina said rolling her eyes. Shaking her head, Regina looked down at the piles of paperwork that awaited her on her desk. "if I get the chance, I'll take a look into this woman."

"Thank you, Regina."

"Will there be anything else, or can I please get on with my day?"

But before she could finish, Beth Ann was already out the door.

Man, that Beth Ann is really something...

Regina thought to herself.

Placing her hands in her hips, she let out her breath as she stared up at the ceiling.

Rita Castillo... hmm. I guess it wouldn't hurt to take a quick look into her, although I don't quite understand what she would have to do with my relationship with Emma..

Regina thought to herself, as she hung her policeman's coat on the back of her chair. Sitting down at her desk, she wiggled the mouse to bring her computer to life. Regina opened the local tab of the Interpol Civilian Search software and typed in Rita's name.

Nothing.

Ok, let's try a few different spellings..
Regina thought.

Nothing.

Hmm.. how can one woman be so dangerous if she doesn't even have any priors??

Giving up on Interpol, Regina sat back in her chair.
Whatever, it's probably nothing. Good ol' Beth Ann with her blabbering nonesense, I'm sure.

Putting her search for Rita to rest, Regina opened the case file of the serial murders case she'd been working on and read over some notes.

Ok.. what do we know so far..

All 3 victims were made to look like a suicide, when in fact, they were not.
The third murder occurred after we made the arrest of our top suspect.
So that means there is definatly an accompliss.

"Hey, Leroy.." Regina turned to another officer who sat at a nearby desk, "The suicide murders.. did we ever grill the husband of Alma Filcott?"

Leroy cleared his throat, "We did. There seemed to be no reason to suspect any involvement.. why?"

"I'm wondering how well the interrogations went." Regina replied.
"Maybe there's something we missed.. There's reason to believe Alma didn't act alone. I'm going to need to watch the interrogation tapes. Can you ring me into the archives downstairs?"

"You got it boss." Leroy replied, picking up his phone to authorize it.

Who would want to assist a serial killer.. a middle aged house wife at that.
Regina thought to herself, skimming over Alma's criminal profile.

"You're all set for clearance, Detective Mills."
"Thank you Leroy." Regina replied standing up. "I'll just need a few minutes with the tapes. I'll be back in a shortly."
"No problem Mills. I'll take your messages until you're back."
Regina smiled at him, "You're a real doll Leroy, you know that?"

*****

"Hey Granny!" Emma exclaimed yawning as she came bursting in through the door of the diner, "I'm feeling like I'm gonna need a double today. I've had a really long night."

Granny looked up from the counter to get a look at Emma as she called out to her. When their eyes met, Emma noticed that Granny didn't look very happy..

"Is Um.. something wrong?" Emma asked her, taking a seat at a nearby table, "Has something happened?"
"Mmmm." Granny mumbled, "More or less." Pouring Emma a hot cup of coffee  and sliding her a piece of blueberry pie, she continued, "Maybe you can tell me?"

Slowly, Granny reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a small folded paper, and slid it toward Emma.
"What's this?" Emma asked, taking the paper.
"That woman, gave it to me. The one I warned you about last week. She asked that I pass it on to you."
Emma raised her brow in surprise.
"Woman..?"
"Rita Castillo." Granny replied, a sour, stern look about her face. "Emma, what in the world would make you get tangled up into the likes of someone like that?!"

Emma chewed softly in thought. Her stomach growling of nerves. Glancing up at Granny she asked, "Why do you say it like that?"
"I may not know Rita personally," Granny explained, "But I've known enough people to realize when someone is no good. And that woman is just plain rotten."
Emma took her breath in, diverting her eyes away from her.
"Ok." Granny finished, "I've said all I can say about it."

Emma waited until Granny walked far enough away before reading what was written on the paper.
Carefully and quietly, Emma unfolded the small white square.
She wondered, had granny read it already?
Hovering over it, Emma read the words  that were staring back at her;

Emma examined the very neat, cursive handwriting that Rita had scribbled out into the paper.

"Ms. Swan, should you find a need for company, give me a ring."

Emma's eyes went wide. Quickly, she refolded the paper to its original square, and held on to it tightly. As if she were afraid someone would remove it from her hands and read it aloud.

A need for company..?!

...Ms Swan?? Only Regina calls me that. Only Regina has EVER called me that!

Emma repeated the words in her head a dozen times over. The more she thought about, the more she became anxious. Her thoughts ran wild.

What does that even mean??

...maybe she wants to be friends?

...maybe she thinks I'm lonely?

I'm not lonely! ...I have Regina. And my friends..

...sure, Regina's been working a lot.. I don't see her as much.

Emma scraped up the last of her pie with her fork.

But that doesn't mean I'm alone.

Finishing up the last of her coffee, Emma stood up and grabbed her jacket.
Wiping the crumbs from her shirt, Emma went to the counter to pay the tab.

"It was a phone number, wasn't it?"
Granny asked Emma accusedly.
"A phone number??" Emma answered nervously, pretending she knew nothing about it.
"No! No, it wasn't. It was um.. it was the receipt from the coat check back when I went to the chateau with Regina."
Granny raised her brow.
"Yeah.." Emma continued, "I guess Rita was just being polite and thought I might need it or something."
"Mmmm.." Granny replied pursing her lips together. "Ok."
"It wasn't a phone number, Granny. In fact, it was nothing."
"Well, it'd certainly be in your best interest if it were actually nothing."
An awkward silence passed between them. Granny spoke out, "You take care, Emma. And please be careful."
With a tight smile, Emma collected her change and walked out of the diner.

*****

Meanwhile, on the very outskirts of StoryBrooke, a happily satisfied Rita walked up the front steps of a friend's home, ringing the door bell.

A familiar face opened the door and greeted her.

"Rita!" A slender, well dressed woman greeted her. "What an absolute pleasure! Do come in.."
"Thank you, Simone. How are you? It's been quite some time!"

"Indeed it has. I'm well, getting by, you know. What brings you into town Rita?"
Both women sat at the sofa in Simone's grand foyer.

There was a golden colored spiral staircase that led from the second floor of the home, down to the front and center of the marble foyer just before the front door. The walls of the beautiful home were speckled with Art Deco paintings and prints that Simone and her late husband had collected throughout the years.
"Well, funny you should ask," Rita explained, "I've purchased the mansion on Blight Street, we're practically neighbors now!"
"Oh, that old thing? It's so run down Rita! How will you manage?"

Rita smiled, sitting back into the sofa.
"Simone, you know me, it's been no trouble at all. In fact, the remodeling is just finishing up this week. You should stop by sometime and see it."
Simone smiled back, "And I shall."
"Would you care for a drink? I was just about to make some tea.."
"Please." Rita answered, "That would be lovely."

A few minutes later Simone returned from the kitchen holding a tray with a kettle, two tea cups and a plate of cookies. Simone poured them both tea before retaking her seat at the sofa.

"So, tell me more about your decision to move to StoryBrooke." Simone began, "I honestly never thought you'd leave Los Angeles.. frankly, I always thought you were born to live out there in the big city life."
"Mmmm.." Rita nodded taking a sip from her cup, "Indeed I am.. but, there's always been something sort of pulling me to this small quiet town. I know you know what I'm referring to, dear friend."

Simone thought for a moment, then spoke "Oh Rita.. please tell me you're not still after that young police woman.."

Rita cracked a smile at the corner of her mouth.
"Rita Castillo!" Simone gasped.
"Now Simone," Rita began with a chuckle, "You ought to know by now that I never give up on something I want. I thought you knew me better."
"So what's the plan then? Certainly you don't really love that woman.. after all, you did try to kill her in that dreadful slum bar five years ago..."

The two women sat in silence for a moment, until Simone continued, "After all, I was the one who lent you the gun. That's a day I'll never forget."

Rita sighed, "Yes, if only I'd succeeded instead of just wounding Emma." Rita sipped her tea slowly as if reminiscing about something sad.

Seconds later, Rita shook off the feeling, turning her eyes back to Simone, smiling.
"But today is a new day, Simone! And I have a new idea to take Emma from my sister. And this time I won't fail."
"You didn't answer my question," Simone continued, "Do you love Emma? Or are you just playing that poor child?"
"Whoever said anything about love dear?" Rita smiled, "This is war."