____

Edvard Munch
1893
____

1 month before

THE paintings of the Louvre stared back at her in mockery. There she was, as a fool, trying to fill her mind with art in order to make her feel better or maybe less conflicted with the hell inside of it.

He standed by her side, the same imponent presence she managed to always avoid between those 7 months. No matter what country they were, in this case, France, she didn't wish to speak to him, and she wouldn't let the marvel of the foreign places they visited let her opinions change.

"Mona Lisa." He muttered. "You always said she was overrated."

"She's even smaller than I imagined." They both smiled.

Alice glanced at the man by her side, the same Hannibal she once adored, that managed to take her breath away at every single moment. Sometimes, if she just closed her eyes, she could forget everything and just remember the lovely person she met at first.

But then everything would come back again.

"You can't buy me with travels to the Louvre, Hannibal." She complained turning to the paintings again. "That won't change what I think about you."

"I know you've set a goal in your mind." He nodded as they observed the details in the painting, the tourists behind them became impatient to take pictures. "And if that is what you truly want, go ahead. Take this only as a small trip of ours." He responded charmingly. "It was part of our honeymoon plans to come to Paris, remember?"

How could she forget it? The promises, the plans they shared. Alice expected a romantic overture with him, to be high on his love and attention, center her whole world only on him and the city of lights surrounding them, but all of that was gone now.

"I just want to go home." She replied.

Hannibal looked down ss they walked towards another painting. He couldn't do that. Whenever she asked that it just broke his heart. She wanted her to stay, to wish to stay, and yet all she could do was see him as a monster.

He gave her time, he gave her space, and she still only saw him as a cold blooded beast who hurt her.

"Do you know what was the first time I saw you?" He suddenly spoke as they walked through the elegant hallways of the museum.

"At your office." She rolled her eyes finding it obvious. "Why are you telling me that?"

"I saw you at the local Baltimore Museum." He confessed. Alice stopped on her feet. He didn't turn around. "You were wearing this short black dress and mumbling sorry to a rude woman." He could rewatch it as a movie in his mind. "We sat with our backs turned to each other and you guessed the painting I was staring at."

"The Red Tree by Piet Mondrian" She gasped, her whole body shivered as she could finally recall it. How couldn't she remember that before? "It was you."

"I had no idea of who you were that day. But you didn't fail to amuse me back then." He told her softly. "When I saw you again, at the doorstep of my office this time..." He glanced at her, something nostalgic, meaningful blossomed inside his chest. "...You amused me again." He gave a half smile. "When you gave me that painting, when we shared ice cream, when we went to that game, when we saw that opera...all those times Alice, you amused me until leading to the common and most clear thought of it all."

The crowds passed by as they were surrounded by the history of those paintings, sculptures and the smell of the sweet past inside their lungs like dust and webs stuck inside them.

Paris wasn't the way she imagined it to be. It wasn't daydreaming or cute as she expected. It was bitter, sour, and tragic. Because in Paris, she realized it.

"Everytime you amused me, I fell more in love with you." He admitted. Her heart sunk on her stomach. "And until this day, you amuse me, Alice Mallory."

She realized that the one who broke his heart, was her.

The best revenge on Hannibal Lecter wasn't his death, but playing with his feelings. And at that moment she had his heart in her hands, bleeding.

She knew he was hers.

But for how long?

▫️

"Hello!" A man shouted as Hannibal Lecter exited his new job's building, he appeared joyful, helplessly optimistic, fastly walking only to meet his lover at home. "Bonjour?" The man stopped the cannibal's walk, standing in front of him, trying to be recognized. "Mr.Jakov, isn't it?" The younger man shaked his hand. It came back to memory now: the brown messed up hair, that annoying attitude, the malicious dark eyes and the light beard on his squared shaped chin. "We met in Paris a few months ago. Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, here I was...and then you were...I never forget a face."

"Anthony Dimmond." Hannibal recognized the frustrated poet.

"Nice to be remembered" Anthony smiled.

"You're hard to forget."

"What you're doing in Florence? Working with Roman?" He asked interested.

"Dr.Fell?" He lifted one of his eyebrows.

"I heard he took an appointment at the Capponi library."

"Yes, he is the new curator and translator at the Palazzo Capponi."

"Evidently, the last one eloped with a woman or someone's money or both." He tried to be funny.

"That's the commonly held belief." Hannibal commented. "You just missed Roman." He lied.

"Did I?" Anthony pouted. "Was hoping to take the piss."

Hannibal took a moment to answer. That man could reveal the truth and ruin his disguise forever. He was a walking and unstable threat that just got closer and closer by each second.

"Spare the piss for the time being." He smirked. "If you're free, my wife and I would love to have you for dinner."

▫️

1 month before

The view of the night city above the tower was as charming as it can be if it wasn't so cold. The air frozen on her arms, the hair shaked by the breeze, as her eys spot the multiple tiny lights on the parisian streets that resembled night sky stars.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the cotton cure around her shoulders and the slight brush of his fingers on her skin. Hannibal Lecter set his coat above her in order to preserve her from the cold.

She was about to remove it. "Keep it." He insisted. "Do not freeze to death only to contrary me."

"As if you would care if I freezed to death." She rolled her eyes, relying her arms at the balcony of the iron plataform.

He blinked twice, not able to believe in what she was saying. "Are you serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I keep reassuring my love for you and you still doubt if I care for you." He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Someone who cares wouldn't hurt me the way you did."

"I didn't try to hurt you. I truly cared for you. Did someone ever cared about you even half the way I did?" He replied a feeling slightly annoyed.

"...Will cared."

The silence consumed them. The romantic Eiffel Tower now received two dramatic hosts who couldn't solve their feelings and instead hurt each other with words.

"Will pushed you away before."

"To keep me safe. What have you done?" She looked into his eyes, her back turned to the spectacular city. "Kill and kill and kill."

"Will Graham isn't diffetent than me. What lies in him is something beyond your eyes." He replied.

"That is why you were so obssessed with him. To turn him into you."

"I never needed to. It is his nature." He took one step foward, cornering her against the balcony. Their bodies and faces just inches away from each other, the eyes meeting into a gelid but spicy stare. "That is the nature of both men you love, Alice." He smirked as he watched her schocked expression. "Wanting it or not, you're attracted to it."

"No, I'm not..."She could feel his gaze at her lips, the heart increasing its' speed. "I don't want this."

"This what?"

"This insanity into my life...I just want..." Her voice failed. "...all I wanted was..."

"What did you want?"

She stared deeply into his eyes, his hands relied on both sides of the balcony, stopping her from attempting to rub away, her cheeks flushed with the truth in her mind.

"I wanted the man I loved before." She whispered surrended. "The man i expected to live a life with...who understood and cared for me...but not as madly as it became to be..." She took a deep breath. "That was all I wanted."

"I am that man"

"No, you're not."

He sighed over her, the lips barely touching, the city pulsating loudly, reverbering with their beating chests. His hand slowly caressed hers, tickling into a delicate touch that just burned his soul inside. The lips touched briefly, just a part of it, not even being able to be considered as a kiss for a mere second, and just that made her mind drift away for a second and her stomach fill with cold butterflies.

"Give me a chance." He whispered closing his eyes.

That hurt more than she imagined it would. The bullet inside her was stuck, deteriorating and becoming a poison that slowly consumed her. That bullet was Hannibal Lecter.

It was impressive how she could love and hate a person at the same time.

"No." She responded at once and moved away, throwing the coat at him and going downstairs, leaving the tower.

Hannibal Lecter stood there, holding the coat that still smelled like her, realizing that she could probably never give him another chance again.

And that made him want to die.

Alice Mallory reached the botton of the tower, relieving feelings she expected to bury and remembering happy moments she wanted to forget.

She needed to escape or kill him.

There was no other choice.

▫️

Alice didn't like the man who sat across her at the fancy dining table. She didn't like his jokes or his smiles at her partner, who politely responded to everything he said.

She didn't like Hannibal's sudden invitation without consulting her, she didn't like the fact that he served human meat perfectly disguised to his guest, and didn't like even more to play the perfect wife role.

"So...Mr.Dimmond.."

"Just Anthony, please." He smiled trying to make her feel more comfortable in presence. Alice didn't.

"Anthony..." She corrected, cutting some vegetables on her dish. "How well do you know the Fell?"

Hannibal glanced at her, he informed Alice that this man knew they weren't the Fell, and that, honestely, worried her for a second. He would be caught, but Hannibal didn't worry at all.

Maybe, Alice thought, maybe he would kill that man tonight.

But the more she saw Anthony and Hannibal getting along, witnessing his charming attempts at her husband, she didn't feel like helping him escape that tragic ending.

"As well as anybody. Which'd be not really." The guest took a sip of wine in the perfectly transparent crystal glass with golden details. "Lydia a friend of yours?"

Alice hesited to answer. "Not really."

Hannibal only watched as the scene developed, and he could notice his fiancé's discomfort next to the man. But he didn't dare to say a word about it, he just wondered where this would lead to.

"I'd be surprised to hear she had one." Anthony talked trash about others again.

"Why?" Alice asked confused.

"We share a mutual detestation. She disapproves of my disapproval." He smiled.

Alice held her urge to groan tired of that conversation. Hannibal discretely smiled, noticing how frustrated she felt about it all.

"What do you disapprove of?" Lecter asked, as he did some preparatives of the meat.

"Roman, mainly. Lydia isn't quite bright enough to see I'm just intimidated. Roman does, of course. How he loves to strike fear."

"Dante wrote that fear is almost as bitter as death." Hannibal commented as he served his guest with a portion of meal. Alice's stomach twisted inside with disgust.

"Dante wasn't dead when he wrote it." She whispered low enough so Anthony couldn't hear it.

"Are you traveling alone, Antony?" Hannibal asked, and Alice subconsciously wished for his answer to be no, that somewhere in that story he wouldn't be so interested in her fiancé as it seemed.

"The only way I travel." Dimmond replied, Alice pursed her lips and skillfully cut her meat as she stared at the man smilling to her fake husband again.

That didn't pass unoticed by Hannibal's sight. "Lydia Fell will paint to the Studiolo Friday. You should come."

"Lydia? Painting?" He asked confused. "I didn't know she ever touched a brush in her whole life."

"I've heard she is a remarkable artist." Hannibal looked at his lover, Alice held her urge to scream for him to stop playing games. Whatever were his reasons to risk it all, she didn't like them.

"Sounds appropriately hellish." Anthony chuckled as he ate with great satisfactuon, giving many compliments to the guest. His eyes suddenly stopped at Alice's plate. "Are you avoiding meats?"

"I'm a vegetarian." She responded. And that is none of your bussiness, was what she wanted to reply instead.

"Interesting. Why?"

Alice stared into his eyes, she wanted to tease the hell out of that man and kick him out as soon as possible. "My husband has a very sophisticated palate." She mocked with a dark joke "He's very particular about how I taste."

Hannibal looked at her, surprised by her sudden attitude, and smilling at the joke only they could understand. The sudden act of his enjoyment at her sentence made her feel suddenly better.

Anthony, on the other way, didn't fail to make her blood boil once again. This time with a incredulous suggestion she never expected to listen. "Is it that kind of party?"

Alice almost choked on her vegetables but kept her posture. Her face blushed heated in a mix of embarrasment and anger. Hannibal, on the other way, didn't reply, only stared back at her with a sassy expression.

"No." She replied fiercely, forgetting about her manners. "It's not that kind of party."

Hannibal chewed his meat holding a smile as he stared back at her enraged figure. That was hot.

Anthony seemed a bit perplexed by her cold answer, but that didn't shy him not even a little. "Shame. You were both suddenly so fascinating."

She let the knife fall off the dish with a loud noise. Hannibal chuckled softly. That was a night to remember

▫️

"Buonasera." Dimmond waved as he exited the mansion.

"Buonasera." Hannibal replied as he closed the door.

When he turned around he could only face the angry brunette with her arms crossed in that tight expensive dress staring back at him.

"You let him go." Alice complained.

He looked at her, pretending to be numb. "What did you expect me to do?"

She took a deep breath, turning away her face. She was furious as never before and couldn't understand why. Just the thought of Anthony inside the house or next to Hannibal infuriated her as never before.

"...Did you wish for him to stay?" Hannibal dared to tickle the beast.

"WHAT THE FUCK, HANNIBAL?!" She yelled pissed off at him, shaking her arms. "You can't be serious!"

"It was a joke, calm down." He tried to hide his smile.

Alice walked around the apartment storming. "That was clearly not a joke to him!"

"Maybe he was just-"

"He's flirting with you!" She yelled in front of him. "In front of me! He's hitting on you and all you do is smile back and feed his desire while I watch it!" Her voice pictched at the last words with anger. Her fists closed, almost making the nails cut her skin by the strentgh applied in them.

"And you're angry about that?"

"Of course I am!" She shouted, needing to take some air to regain her voice. "I don't want this man back here ever again."

"Why not? Isn't his company...excentric?"

She pointed to his chest as her eyes burned against his. "Why do you want him here? What do you want from him?" She spoke through her teeth. "You must have a reason, all you do has a hidden reason, I know it does."

"Can't I fancy his company?"

"No!" She pushed him, angry. Tears filled her eyes and her voice became sore, it wa slike flames consumed her soul into that angry episode, she felt as if she eould be burned until she'd die, collapse into that floor in front of him. "No, I don't want you to fancy his conpany, I want you to fancy-"

She stopped. The expression paralyzed as she staree at him.

"What, Alice?" He asked, stepping foward. "Why do you care so much anyway?"

Alice suspended her breath furious, the eyed burning against his almost melting the ice blue of her pupils. Why did she care? She shouldn't, he was right. She should just wish for him to die, and yet, couldn't stand that possibility.

"If I see that man again..."She threatned poke through her teeth. "I will..."

"What will you do?" He asked intrigued, the heart beating faster with passion, trying not to smile. He loved that dark side she attempted to hide.

"You can't feel anything for him." She warned her partner poiting to him. "Don't you dare to."

"Why would I listen to you?"

"Because you...!" She reacted angry, and confused, her head spinned. "Because..."

Her hand suddenly griped onto his nape and roughly pulled him against her, crashing their lips onto one another in a hungry, tasty and long missing desire that made him sigh surrended.

Alice wasn't gentle as she always used to be this time. She was jealous, awfully jealous, her kiss on his lips was planted as a minefield to intruders, claiming her territory so he could remind himself of the owner of his heart.

No, she never cared for someone as she cared for him. And the thought of him giving even the smallest part of that love to someone else made her mad.

Hannibal on the other way was in pure ecstasy. My God, how much he missed her. And her touch, just her touch managed to drive him crazy. That way she pulled him, almost making it impossible to breath, the way she pushed her body against him as lusty sounds escaped his throat. He'd let her use him the way she wanted, how much she wanted. All he needed was to be hers again, to be wanted by her again.

Alice's hands explored his body with a formidable speed and accuracy, the skins were heated as fite, the breaths shaky and hitched as she devoured him between those poisonous kisses. It was hard to admit it, but she missed him, missed him badly, she barely could take her hands off him, and neither he could take his from hers.

When they realized, she had removed his blazer and she pushed him brutally against a wall. Hannibal moaned surrended, almost begging to be loved by her.

Alice took a moment to breathe, their chests moved up and down euphoric, tired, as she looked into those deep and loving hazel eyes. Her hands cupped his sharp cheebones, the foreheads touching, as their breaths mixed heavily, heatedly.

"Because you're mine." She whispered at last, his whole body shivered. He closed his eyes, preparing himself to another kiss, but all he felt was the warmth of her body aparting from his, the hands leaving his face along with her forehead.

Hannibal opened his eyes, and all he could hear was the clicking sound of a bedroom door. She had locked herself again.

She cursed him into a spell only so he could suffer in her absence.

But what a delicious spell.

▫️

She couldn't sleep that night. She couldn't stop thinking of what she had done.

She kissed him. Kissed Hannibal Lecter, the man she loved, but also a merciless assassin she swore to destroy.

But Alice couldn't help it. She couldn't help but think about the good times, his kind acts, his carings, his touch. He made a mark on her, not physical, but mentally, emotionally.

She almost couldn't see him as the person she discovered him to be sometimes.

And she couldn't stand the thought of sharing, or worse, giving up on him to someone else. No, they made promises, they swore to love each other forever, to don't leave each other, he promised to be hers and no one else's.

Deep inside she wanted him to keep that promise.

"You love him, don't you?" A familiar voice spoke through her ear.

"Now you became another ghost inside my head?" She gave a bitter smile. "What a creative way to torture me."

She looked at the curly haired man sitting by her side on the cold floor. That same sweet, soft expression that managed to confuse her every time.

"You can't hate him, even after all he did." Will Graham muttered to his friend. He seemed so real that almost made her cry. She couldn't believe he was dead.

"I am sorry." She whispered helpless. "If I listened to you...if I...if I let you shoot him back then in Minesota, all of this-"

"You say words you don't mean." Will replied serious, crossing his arms. "You can affirm that you regret it, but deep inside, we both know you don't." He looked deeply into her eyes, murdering her with his words. "You are sadistic enough to endure it all again just to be loved by him again."

"Don't say that." She begged in a breathy weak sentence. "I never wished for you to die, I never wished for anyone-"

"You can revenge all of us now. But what do you do?" He replies serious. "You come back to him again. You feel jealous of this criminal who killed your sister."

"He didn't know she was my sister-"

"Is that your excuse now?" The words made her paralyze. "You're already forgiving him"

"I'm not." Alice tried to deny the truth, hugging her legs in a defensive mannerism. "I am not forgiving him, I'd never-"

"But you don't want to let him go." Will glanced at her. "You let all the others go, you let me go. But you can't do the same to him."

"I never wanted to let you go." She whispered with tears in her eyes, standung her hand to helplessly touch the ghost.

Will's illusion smiled sweetly, feeling pity and empathy for her. "I guess you didn't." He nodded slowly. "But you must admit the truth, Ali." She stared at him intensely. "If you stay here, if you play his game, you won't be able to escape." Alice swallowed dry, that confirmed all her suspicions. "Because you still love him."

She pursed her lips holding back the urge to sob. "I do." She admited to herself finally, holding her heart in her hands and watching it bleed. "...I can't kill him, Will...I'm such a stupid...I can't do this...I-"

"You need to leave, Alice." He encouraged her. "Listen to your reasonable side. You can't be by Hannibal's side anymore. Once opportunity strikes..." Alice took a deep breath and softly touched the lips that still resembled her lover's touch. "...you must go."

▫️

Having all the members of the Palazzo Capponi gathered together, academicals with great knowledge in the past and its' culture, people from the high elite of Italy, just to watch Alice's show was indeed terrifying to her.

Hannibal seemed calm, easy, his expression couldn't be more peaceful, while Alice almost brokedown at each step.

The room was dark, illuminated by only a central light at the front, where an easel standed with a blank canvas for her to paint on it.

The audience was in front of it, in multiple rows, almost as if they watched a movie, gossiping lowly to each other, waiting for a failure to drag the Fell name on the mud.

Alice took a deep breath, trying to make up confidence that matched with the white long sleeved dress that contrasted into the dark night. Her heels loudly stepped on the floor as she stepped foward, led by the elegant gentleman by her side.

"Don't be nervous." Hannibal whispered to her. "You're extraordinary. You can do anything, darling." She glanced at him, a bit touched, as he smiled sweetly, letting her stand there now, alone, in front of that crowd, as he took a seat in the front row, next to professor Sogliato.

Her angelical figure loosen inthose long sleeves and tight up corset straightned her posture and lifted up her chin. She wouldn't appear weak in front of those people, no, she would destroy them.

"As you may know..."Professor Sogliato standed and walked until her. "Mrs.Fell accepted to entertain the Studiorlo Night and paint us an impressive work in just 3 hours." He smiled in mockery, showing his thin moustache with pride. "The Palazzo Capponi members voted and elected the prestigious work that will be served as a challenge for her. Which is..." He turned to Alice with a teasing expression "The Transfiguration, by Raphael, dates from 1516 to 1520."

Alice didn't want to show surprise, but that was one of the worst suggestions he could've made. After all, that was considered one of the most complex works ever done in art. No doubt this would be a challenge, and in 3 hours? Impossible.

"A painting that was done within 4 years to be done in 3 hours?" She smirked trying not to show her panic. "You really enjoy to win, don't you professor Sogliato?"

The man chortled at her disgrace. She knew she wouldn't be capable of doing it. No one would be capable to do it.

"Good luck, Mrs.Fell." He walked away back to his seat. "The timer starts now."

An hourglass at a desk next to her was turned, the sand running down as Alice tried to calm her heartbeat. She walked towards the easel, facing the canvas that should be transformed into an acient masterpiece.

Her hands shaked as she grabbed the brush. The materials provided were top quality, with many colors and sizes, something she never expected to use before, but there would be useless without skill. She could feel the crowd's eyes burning into her skin, making her sweat under the spotlight.

Started hipervatilanting, regretting to be so impulsive as her brush trembled so much that fell on the floor with a nitid sound.

Sogliato and a few mates of his made sure to laugh at her gesture, as Alice shut close her eyes trying to ignore that awful treatment, but it was impossible. Opened her eyes again, and, for her surprise, her gaze immediatly fell onto a supportive presence in the crowd.

"You can do this." Hannibal mouthed without letting out a sound. His eyes sparkled with admiration and strentgh, his smile was the softest, sweetest of them. If she dared, she could still pretend they were back in his office, in one of his sessions, as he supported her to dry her tears and realize she would survive.

Alice grabbed her brush once again, as she meticulously ignored the crowd and started to paint. Her concentrated expression just charmed her fiancé even more, the only one confident about the result. And the only correct one about it.

▫️

"Time is over." Sogliato standed as the hourglass appeared empty. "Brush off the canvas, please, Mrs.Fell."

Alice stepped back, still holding the brush in her hands, as Sogliato smirked, already expecting to make fun of her in front of the crowd.

"Before we announce this work of yours, Mrs.Fell, would you like to say anything in your behalf?" Sogliato tried to humiliate her.

"Sure." Alice smiled, as she let the painting aside and looked at the crowd. "You asked me to paint a miracle, aware that it is impossible to recreate such perfection and accuracy. It is, indeed, a challenge what you presented me." She glanced at the man on the back, standing and crossing his arms, relied on the wall, Anthony Dimmond. Her tongue became bitter, prompt to spill her poison. Two staff grabbed the easel, as they turned it around so the crowd could see it. "Then I present you, dear gentlemen, your miracle."

The gasp of the crowd was unanimous. The image seemed almost fake, a copy. The shades, the brushes, everything was completely the same. The holy fugure that levited almost coming out of the paper, the movements almost realistic enough to become alive.

Professor Sogliato tried to hide his frightened expression, almost as if he saw a ghost. "Wait...but...how...you were still painting..."

"Oh, that." She grinned pointing to the edge of the canvas. "Just writting my signature but I couldn't finish it, as you may see."

Some may affirm that the man almost had a heary attack but he wouldn't freak out, specially after Hannibal Lecter standed and applauded, as the crowd followed, immediatly impressed, shouting "Magnifico!" At the art and the painter.

Her eyes stuck at her most dedicated fan, his smile was just of pure happiness, impressed as always, eager to give her a hug and complimemt her endlessly, and, impulsively, she smiled back to him, unable to keep that warm sensation inside her chest, and the sensation of that work, dedicated specially to him.

The crowd dissipated slowly, not before giving their compliments and greetings to Alice Mallory, even the most high ranking members of the Palazzo Capponi couldn't help but amuse themselves at her.

Hannibal was observing her from a far at the saloon, when he stared at Alice he was sure that miracles existed, not because she was one, but because she provided them, in his eyes, she was a goddess herself.

"Mrs.Fell." A red bearded man came to greet her, shaking her hand enthusiastically. "I am Elogio Valiante, I am one of the directors of the Palazzo Caoponi. I must say, your work is just spectacular!"

"Oh, thank you, Mr.Valiante." She smiled politely as she watched from afar Anthony Dimmond staring at her husband.

"I was discussing your talent with the members of the board, and we achieved the commn conclusion to ask you, if you'd like to be a member of the board."

Alice blinked twice, not believing her ears. "Me?"

"Yes, as the art director curator." Elogio explained. "You proved both your knowledge and skill are oustanding, Mrs Fell, and, since your husband's already a member of the board, it only ensures our trust in your efficiency."

"That is...wow..."She sighed still surprised.

Alicr always wondered about being recognized as an artist, to be applauded by her skills and knowledge, and when that moment finally happened, it still felt surreal.

But she needed to remind herself of where she was, and who they thought she was.

"I am very, very honored, Mr.Valiante, but I must-"

"Please! Take some time to at least think about the offer, signora, we'd hate to not have someone with your talent between us." He pratically begged to her.

Alice struggled no to accept his offer, but her mind remembered her the true reason of being there the moment she spot Professor Sogliato, Hannibal and Anthony continued Dimmond talking together.

After a minute, the professor left them talking, as he met Alice still standing there alone.

"Mrs.Fell." He greeted her.

"Professor Sogliato." She muttered back, watching as she watched her heart bleed while Hannibal walked with Dimmond through the palazzo.

The professor cleared his throat, adjusting his tie. "I believe I deserve to admit that your work is indeed...distinct, than everything we've ever seen."

She looked at the man, now nervous, shy and intimidated in her presence. Maybe he didn't feel the same way about Hannibal, but she could feel it that now he respected her.

"Thank you." She simply responded keeping a neutral expression.

"May I ask how did you do it? Do you have any tricks?" He asked curious.

"I wish there were tricks so that wouldn't bring so much attention to myself, Professor Sogliato. But there are none." She replied kindly. "My mind just assume control of my being and my hands."

He lifted his eyebrows impressed and nodded affirming that he understood. "Well, that is indeed original." He curved his mouth. "May I ask...how did Mr.Fell met you? At an exposition of yours?"

"As a magician keeps his own secrets, a lady also keeps hers." She pointed out charmingly. Sogliato adjusted his tie to breathe better, amused by the woman's presence. She glanced at Hannibal across the room, still chatting with Anthony, who, at this point, already knew they weren't who they alledged to be.

"It's your chance." Her long gone friend's voice whispered at her ear.

She felt pain across her chest, like she could die. She'd leave him. Leave him so someone else could take her place. So she could not deal woth this bittersweet sufferment she was falling into again. Her eyes filled with tears just by idea of never seeing him again.

"I was wondering, if you're free tonight-"

"If you please excuse me, Professor Sogliato, I must go." She hushed, causing the man surprise and disappointment. "Good-bye."

"Oh, uh, goodbye, Mrs.Fell...will I see you soon?"

But she didn't reply, she didn't say a word.

All she did was hope not be noticed by Hannibal and his comrade, and unfortunetely, she failed in that.

▫️

The bags were prepared, she grabbed them in her hands, prompting to leave. Her heart heavier than the luggage, as she glanced once again at the Florence apartment where she has been stuck for the past few months. Shaked her head. There was no time to regret it. She needed to leave.

Took a deep breath, walked towards the door, grabbed the handle and...

A pair of bloody hazel eyes suddenly met hers.

She tripled on her feet, almost falling because of the heels, letting the luggage fall on the floor as the door opened completely, revealing both Hannibal and Anthony Dimmond with sininister conspiratory expressions.

"Mrs.Fell." Anthony gave a creepy smile as if they plotted something behind her back. Alice's breath hitched, she couldn't disguise her fear. "You were incredible there tonight."

At each time she inhaled air, her body trembled. She glanced at Hannibal, unable to solve the puzzle that laid in front of her.

"Or actually...what should I call you anyway?" Dimmond lifted one of his eyebrows playfully. Alice's body was frozen. "Hence you are not the displeasant Lydia Fell..."

He walked towards her, as Alice stepped back in fear.

"Back away from me." She muttered scared.

"What are you going to do to her?" Dimmond asked with a smirk to Hannibal. "If we intend to fool the Capponi together, you should get rid of any obstacles." He stared into Alice's eyes with mockering. "Even shiny pretty ones."

There was no time to think about anything else. It was just done within the blink of an eye. When Alice realized, blood splashed around, scattering across the floor, along with Anthony Dimmond, who was hit in the head by a small sculpture that served as a decoration on Hannibal's desk.

She couldn't speak. The mouth was wide open as an "O" she watched the man on the floor, and Hannibal just behind, holding the heavy greek decoration now red stained, as he breathed heavily, letting his hair fall above his dangerous eyes.

Her whole body shivered tense as he stared back at her and Dimmond tried to crawl for his life on the floor. The doctor set the decoration on the desk again, and took off his coat, ouing his sleeves as if he prepared to do some labor work.

"Observe or participate?" He suddenly questioned her.

Her scared teary eyes looked at him "...What?"

"Are you, in this very moment, observing or participating?" He repeated as he walked towards her.

Anthony Dimmond crawled with his nails onto the floor, sliding toward sthe exit slowly, letting a trail of blood behind him. Alice was horrified, since Will and Abigail's death, he never made her witness him murdering again, sometimes it just didn't feel real to see him doing it.

"I...I...I'm not..." She stuttered unable to answer properly to his question. Hannibal took something in his hands, a pen that was previously above his desk, putting it on her palms. She stared at him confused. "Why...why did you kill him...?"

"He knew the truth. Did you know what he was going to do?" He muttered. "And he is dead...yet."

"He..."She breathed heavily watching the man struggle for his life.

"The last time he came here, you seemed surprised that I let him go." He recalled. "What did you think I was going to do at first?

"I...I thought you were going to kill him."

"But I didn't. What did you feel?"

She stared into the hazel again, her palms becane sweaty as she held the pen, at that very momemt, as her heart pumped inside, she couldn't lie. "...Disappointed."

"You wished I had killed him."

Her mouth parted in surprise, but she couldn't deny it. She wanted Anthony Dimmond dead. "No...I..."

"That is participation, Alice." He explained as she stared at him horrified. He pointed to the pen in her hands. "You said you'd do something if that man returned. He is back, what will you do?"

"Are you...?" She gasped, changing her sight between Dimmond and him.

"You doubted my devotion to you. Here I present you proof of it." They both looked at the man bleeding on the wooden floor.

The creepy sentence somehow lightened a fire inside her soul. What Hannibal said wasn't just some stupid promise they shared between kisses and laughs as before. It was real, heavy and honest. It had meaning and importance. It was concrete and was happening at that very moment.

He would kill a man for her if she wanted him to.

And let her kill someone for him if she wanted to.

"If you hit one of his arteries quick enough in his throat and take the pen off, he will die within seconds." He informed her with great knowledge. "You will end Anthony Dimmond's life."

"...and if he lives..?"

"He'd be a threat to us." He remembered her. "That same man just now suggested that I killed you, so he could join me. Imagine the damage he could cause if he survived."

She turned to Hannibal in a mix of schock and fury. Her blood boiled. "So I-"

"You were right about him."

Alice looked at the man on the floor. The same one who tried to take Hannibal from her, kill her. Something primitive, dark awakened inside her being. Something she felt back them towards her father, towards Miriam Lass...and now, protective towards Hannibal.

When she realized, she had made her own way towards the body and closed the door just when Dimmond tried to reach the handle.

He miserably looked at her, frightened, as Alice's expression somberly faced him, as she stepped on his hand, watching him agonize and scream. Hannibal's eyes sparkled, his heart speeded as he watched her finally reveal the nature she kept hidden for so long.

After breaking Dimmond's hand with her heels, she walked towards his back, hopping on the man's body and stopping his movements, inhaling deeply fire inside her lungs as her face twitched into a diabolical semblant. Alice leaned foward at his ear, as she whispered coldly "Now you see it, don't you?" She smiled satisfied to watch him agonized.The pen fastly moved in the air, hitting and entering skin, as the blood dripped. "He's mine." She pulled the artifact fron his throat and the blood flew away, splashing the floor, her face, and staining her white dress, as a gore bloody mary watching as Dimmond finally collapsed his head onto the floor and stared into oblivin, facing his death.

When Alice realized what she had done, she stared horrified at her red hands tremblingg as the pen slided through the liquid. The crimson smell invaded her lungs and almost madd her cry. Not for pity for Anthony, but for what she became.

She knew there was no turning back now and the choice she needed to make was done.

When she turned around and looked at the man who proudly stared at her, she knew: Alice Mallory had chosen the devil.

She got up, stepping away from the corpse, letting the pen on his back, as she standed there, in front of Hannibal, soaked in blood across her delicate dress and her face, a vision of a fallen angel surrended to his spell.

A tear dropped from her eye. "I lied." She swalloed the urge to cry. "I care. I do mind." She pursed her lips. "I don't want it to be over." She closed her fists as Hannibal stared at her appreciating the bloody art displayed in front of him.

He exhaled heavily as a smile crossed his lips, his eyes also watered with emotion as if his chest was about to explode. There was no veil to cover anything, there were just them, with their souls fully exposed intimately to one another sharing what they felt. Hannibal sighed, as if he had ran miles to get there, with a smile that just tore her apart, realizing how much he ached to be accepted by her again.

He stepped foward, slowly at first, standing in front of her, hesiting to touch her, as if he asked first without any words. Alice turned to him, looking into his eyes as she could, somehow understand partially his insanity. His hand intertwined with her bloody one, as he used his other arm to pull her close.

His lips melt into hers, slow but passionate, just like a hot summer rain of an endless passionate afternoon. When she tasted his lips, now embracing them and not trting to run away from what she felt, Alice replied even more hungrily, her hands ran through his hair as his explored her body, deadly missing every single spot of her skin.

It was if they connected themselves again, and he could feel it, sourly mixed with the sweet kisses, the tears that fell down from her eyes, as she killed a part of herself to embrace this new tortuous one. He knw it hurt her, knew the pain she felt to ignore his acts and surrendrr to him again, but she couldn't help it, what they had, that connection within souls, was deeper than the ocean, thicker than blood.

"I love you" She sobbed within the gaps of their kisses. "I love you, I love you." She pulled him back as she craved for his touch and presence again. There were sighs, grips and almost bites from how starved they seemed to be for one another, like an eternity had passed since they finally fell into each other's arms.

When they could finally apart from each other, Hannibal still tried to catch his breath, staring at his muse with flushed cheeks and increased heartbeart. She was so beautiful. She was beautiful for her kind soul, to her humanity but also her darkness. For how she loved him after all he has done and for how sinister she could be to keep someone she loved by her side. Beautiful for all her traces and the blood that stained completely her dress. She was worth it. Every second in her presence was worth it, every breath he took, every beat of his heart and every confession word spread into the air, everything made for her was worth it.

He caressed softly her cheeks as he immersed himself into those blue fragile eyes. "I may have lied to you in the past. But all I felt, all we did, all I confessed to you, everything was true, darling." He whispered softly. "All I ask of you, is if you can love me completely, as I present myself to you now." Alice watched how vulnerable he felt towards her, he was being honest, honest as never before. "Because I can't forget you." He gave a half smile in pain. "The mark you've made in my soul is deeper than my whole being, it is inconvenient, messy and permanent....but I wouldn't wish it to he any other way." He touched her forehead with hers, opening his chest to her. "Because you taught me what love is again. And I know it now. I an certain of it." He breathed heavily. "I can no longer exist if not in your presence. I love you, Alice Mallory. And even if you killed me right here, in this very moment, I'd still love you in the afterlife."

Alice could barely stop crying. She was damned. Cursed for what she felt. She knew heaven was long gone now. She betrayled her faith, her morals, and the people she loved for him. Colin would never forgive her, neither would the dead ones by his hands. No, not wven her old self would forgive her.

She couldn't stand the thought that she thought that she still loved him, and couldn't stand the thought of not loving him.

"I forgive you." Alice whispered to her lover, feeling his heart beat against her red palms. Hannibal's expression was so sad but so relieved, so joyful to have her in his arms again that for a moment she believee he would pass away. "We..." She took a deep breath. "We can work this out...can't we..? That's what we always said."

They both smiled to one another, Hannibal nodded subtly. "Of course we can, love." He kissed her dirty hand. "I promise you, we will."

Alice hugged him, sinking her head into his chestvas she always used. And when she inhaled deeply his cologne hidden between the smell of blood, she knew it: she was home.

Her eyee turned to the body still lied on the ground, she trembled by realizing what they did. They killed a man together. She had killed a person.

And worse, didn't feel guilty for it.

"...What are we going to do to him now?" She asked delicately.

'We'. She describe them both, as a unit, a team, a duo. Hannibal caught himself smilling as she accepted and united herself to him. They were together now, just them against the world.

"Leave it to me."