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Pierre-Auguste Renoir
1876

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"I USED to have this pair of shoes..."

"Shoes?"

"Yeah. Red ones. Like Dorothy's from Oz. "

"And...?"

"And I believed they were magical."

"Magic shoes?"

Alice nodded sure of her maddening answer. "I believed they were unique, since I couldn't find anything similar."

"And why would you think they were magical?" Hannibal asked, attempting not to laugh at that ridiculous statement of hers and the colorful outfit she wore that day with pigtails.

"Because it was my mother's." She confessed. "It was one of the last things I kept from her. One of the only memories I have from her actually."

"So the magic is actually the feeling you developed to the shoes attached to the love for your mother." He psychoanalyzed.

"Yeah, you made it technical but I think that's it." She chuckled adorably, he had started to notice those tiny details, how her charming how her smile was, or how her eyes lightned up while talking. "I know, they're just shoes....it's funny to speak about it to someone...I think only my siblings and Will knew about it. He laughed so hard when I told him that."

Hannibal lifted his eyes towards her from the notebook he drew in,.resting the hard working pencil for a moment. "Will Graham?"

"Yes." She said without making much of a deal about it."But he understood after I told him about the meaning."

His expression remained neutral, or maybe impossible to understand what he was really thinking. "Do you still have the shoes?"

Alice stopped. Her eyes reflected a core memory of the past, something filled with tragedy, anger and sadness, a true storm that filled her inside. She shaked her head. "No, not anymore. I've lost them."

"You lost the shoes your mother gave to you? Suddenly?" Her statement seemed unlikely to the doctor, something in her stance gave her away, how she stared at the grey walls with apprehension.

"Actually someone took them... so I don't know what happened to them." She confessed. "I haven't seen them in almost 10 years, I guess. I only have the pictures of me wearing it at college."

"Who took them?" He asked, slightly curious.

"I...don't know." Her tone wasn't uniform, changed within the sentence, her eyes avoided looking into his, the legs were glued to each other.

Hannibal Lecter knew she was lying.

"That's a shame." He responded. He would let her lie...for now. It was no use of insisting anyway, wasn't something important to him.

Alice adjusted her green skirt and the blazer she was wearing. Her clothes used to be funny yet adorable, sometimes Hannibal would catch himself waiting for what her next combination would be.

"How is your head?" She asked suddenly. Hannibal looked at her confused "Will told me about Nicholas Boyle."

He thought for a minute in silence. "I'm fine, luckily it was just a scratch." He said, Alice nodded. "He told you he is the suspect of Hobbs' copycat?"

"Yes, he did." She replied.

"And how do you feel about it?"

"It's...hard to explain." She sighed, fidgeting her fingers. "I mean, if it's really him I'm quite...glad, to have found him. But if he isn't-"

"The nightmare continues." He responded. Alice blinked in agreement. "What would you say to Nicholas Boyle if you faced him?"

Alice took a deep breath, her sight on ghe rug beneath her feet. What would she say to her presumable sister's killer? Words seemed to escape her, stuck in her throat.

She looked intensely into Hannibal's eyes "Why?" The sentence seemed to cut the air with an eletric energy that consumed both of them. Piles of secrets vanishing into the air with grief and hidden plots covered in blood of innocents. "Why did you do it?"

Hannibal Lecter stood in silence. He could feel Alice's broken glance at him, so instinctive, destroyed and fragile. In front of him she would appear often joyful or put together, but in moments like this she revealed the true disaster inside her soul. It was something intriguing, almost entrancing to watch.

She sighed, shaking her head, a bitter smile on her lips, cutting the tension. "Well, until then I think I should prepare a better speech." She avoided the subject.

Or a better way to kill him, Hannibal thought, but he wouldn't say that to her.

Alice wanted to change the subject, theorizing about Nicholas Boyle being the murderer would only make her feel worse. She wouldn't tell Colin either since there wasn't a solid conclusion yet. She needed the real statement, the way to ease her soul and unify peace into her house once again. Until then silence seemed to be the best option.

She assumed a light, joyful posture again, as always, glancing at the doctor "Can I ask you something?" She said curious.

"Of course."

"It's just that it's always me speaking... and I know barely nothing about you." She smiled at her own comment, finding it funny.

"Would you like me to say something about myself?" He felt intrigued, leaned foward. "Alright...what would you like to know?"

"Hm..."she thought for a minute, making a duck lip format that made his eyes stuck on it for a hot second. "oh, I know. It's something you ask me often, so it's fair." She snaped her fingers, then crossed her legs, imitating his postition at the chair and positioning her arms like his. Alice cleared her throat and talked full of politeness and fancy tonality in her voice "Let's start with something simple, Mr.Lecter..." she said, he found her imitation cruelly funny, and tried to hold his laugh. "Tell me about your parents."

"Farewell." He answered, not feeling intimidated. "Both my parents died when I was young." She surprised herself by his answer. Alice expected him.born in a wealthy and stable home, but appearently she was wrong. "A notorious orphan until I was adopted by my uncle Robertos when I was 16."

"An orphan just like Abigail Hobbs..." she realized.

"I think you and me will discover we have much more in common with Abigail than we realized." He made a suspenseful pause."if you already didn't."

Alice met eyes with him, her breath stopped. He knew.

"Please don't tell Will about it." She responded quickly, fearing for her friend's reaction.

"You visited Abigail Hobbs before she went to Missouri, didn't you?" Hannibal asked.

"I did." She nodded, unable to keep hiding the truth. "I wanted to ask her about Bree, well, if she ever saw her actually..."

"What was her answer?"

"Nothing. She has never seen her. " she shaked her head disappointed "Even though I'm heartbroken, I do feel relieved not to involve that girl into more tragedies. Well, she did get involved now with Nicholas Boyle and her friend anyway...I feel so bad for her."

Hannibal agreed with her, but couldn't understand her kindness. "You barely know Abigail Hobbs. Why would you care about her?"

Alice tilted her head, curving her lips. "You're right, I know barely nothing about her." She sighed, tapping her fingers at the chair's arm. "But I can't help but feel emapthy towards her." She reflected "she's been through a lot. As you said, I do have that in common with her."

Alice tried to take away the sadness inside her chest, and he helped her in that. "Any more questions?" Hannibal said in a light tone.

"May I?" She asked with a sassy smile, Hannibal nodded with a charming smirk. "Um...okay, what-" Her phone started to ring loudly. It was her alarm, the session has ended. "Wow, time really flies!" She chuckled. "I believe this is my cue, Dr.Lecter."

"Is it over already?" He checked his clock fastly, catching himself surprisingly disappointed by the truth.

"I shall leave you to your next patient." She got up from his seat, adjusting the purse's strap above her shoulder.

The last thing he wished was to see Frank now. Hannibal got up from his seat as well, following her until the door.

"Right...we shall see each other wednesday then" He responded.

"Wednesday? No. Don't you remember?" She rejected.

"What?"

"Colin has a game on wednesday and Bree used to go before, so..." she tilted her head, already implying the end of the sentence.

"You need to be there for him." He understood but couldn't help but feel this strange frustration. "But isn't he injured?"

"Oh, he will take the cast in 2 days, so he'll be in great shape for the game, that little beast heals fast." She joked, Hannibal just smiled for politeness. "So, we'll see each other, let's see..." she started to count with her narrow pale fingers "the following week after!" She exclaimed trying to be positive.

"Of course." He replied in a fake casual tone. "Wish Colin a good game for me."

"Sure." She smiled "See you doctor." Alice waved adorably and in a mere instinct he did the same, an uncommon scenario that made her laugh. Once she was about to cross the door, Alice stopped, spinning on her heals towards hin again. "Hey, Dr.Lecter?" she questioned.

"Yes?" He responded promptly.

"Do you like football?"

He grinned "I can try to."

"Do you think Abigail would like too?"

▫️

Alice had a troubled day at work, she had drove for so long in that scooter that her fingers and back were quite sore. Once she entered through those doors, she let herself collapse into the sofa, feeling an instant comfort that amde her exhale heavily.

"You're here." Colin said, arriving at the living room, spotting his reckless sister lied in a starfish position.

"Hey. How's your leg?" She asked, but didn't move from where she was.

"I'm fine." He walked in a circle to prove it, now he had taken off the cast "see?"

"That's great, wish I could say the same about my back..." she exclaimed trying to turn to the other side "...bloody hell, it hurts!"

"You should go to the hospital." Colin said, sitting at an armchair next to her.

"I'm fine, I don't have to go to a hospital" she retorted stubborn."Besides, you have a game tonight."

"I don't want your back cracking on the game, Ali, you should take care of yourself." He complained.

"Shh, I'm the oldest, just shut it and listen, okay?" She told him to be quiet, Colin groaned annoyed while walking towards his room."I've heard that!"

One deep breath after another, that's how she treated herself and calmed her nerves. Perphaps that way she could get up later and get ready for that damn game.

"He's been harder to deal with lately, isn't it?" A voice haunted her mind.

"Bree, please, not now." She complained, running her hands through her face stressed.

"But he's saying the truth." She popped in front of her now, squated on the ground, the hair slightky covering her face ans shiny eyes. "Can you really go to those bleachers and root for him like this?"

"I could root for him even without both legs and arms, Bree. Don't underestimate me" she said showed her teeth in a hostile aspect "And get out  of here, you're not real."

"What are you wearing anyway?" Bree walked around the apartment ignoring her requests. "You invited that doc and the girl, right?"

"I thought it would be nice for Abigail to experience some normality after what happened." Alice gave up and talked back with the hallucionation, staring back at the ceiling above.

"What about the doctor?" Bree glanced at her with a mischuevous smirk on her pink lips.

"He's someone she trusts to go with. Will and him saved her."

"And why didn't you invite Will instead then?"

"He doesn't answer my calls, after that night he didn't say anything. And I've heard he's very busy, something related to some missing kids case."

"Yikes." Bree exclaimed. "So you invited the hot doc."

"I've never called him hot." Alice furrowed her eyebrows.

"I'm in your conscience, you didn't say it, but you thought about it." She pointed to her own head. That didn't mean she eas wrong though.

"You are so annoying, almost looks like the real Bree."

"Thanks!" She smiled.

"Go away." Alice replied serious.

"Dress something niiiice!" She sang obnoxiously.

"I said: go away!"

"Byeee!"

Alice closed her eyes for a short moment, and when she opened them again, finally, she was gone.

▫️

"Hi."

"Hello, Abigail." Hannibal smiled softly. "I'm glad you accepted my invitation."

"I was a bit surprised." She said while entering his house, observing the elegant building. " Did Alice really invite me?"

"She did." He closed the door behind her.

"She's really something else." The girl said while admiring the vintage furniture. "Are you both friends?"

"She is my patient." He replied, going to the kitchen, something smelled deliciously.

Abigail followed him, the doctor's sleeves were pulled up, and he used a formal pink shrit as he tried to cook something full of red meat above the counter.

"And she invited you to her brother's game?" Abigail made a face, finding the situation odd.

"I believe it was a way for her to make me bring you along." He understood Alice's intentions. "We both agreed that some normality and...fun, would be good for you."

It was unlinkely for Abigail to imagine anything normal since what happened to her parents, Marissa and Boyle, but being in that game with Hannibal, someone who she strangely trusted, was better than staying locked at that hospital.

He seemed to be un a dilligeng process of shaping the meat in his hands, setting some bread aside as well.

"Does Dr.Bloom know?" She asked with a conspiratory tone towards him.

"She doesn't need to." He said, watcghing the meat grill with a fuzzling sound.

Dr.Bloom and the others didn't know many things, and the secrets only grew up more between Abigail Hobbs and Hannibal Lecter. Specially after she killed an innocent person and he hid the body for her. Abigail was burying her own grave with that relationship, but still did it, helplessly seeking hopemin someone who almost resembled the paternal figure she lacked now.

"And what are you wearing for the game?" She asked him, changing the subject.

Hannibal looked at her confused. "What?"

She analyzed his clothes. "Are you wearing a suit to a high school football game?"

He looked at himself, attempting not to be offended by her statement. "Should I change the shirt's color?"

▫️

"Make me a score!!" Alice shouted and Colin yelled agreeing with her whike speeding into the field.

The game was crowded, fortunetely a good place for Abigail to hide within the crowd. The field was illuminated and decorated in tones of blue, like the young cheerleaders' and the team's uniforms.

Alice also wore a blue blouse with white shorts to match with the sport spirit. Her cheeks were painted with blue lines and she even made decorated signs with the writtings "Go Colin! Go Knights!"

Maybe she was overly excited as Colin described before they left home, but she wanted that game to be special, not for Colin to feel sad and miss Bree in those bleachers. She was definetely better than Alice in that, but the brunette now would do everything she could to make him feel happy that night.

"Alice?" A feminine voice called her, making Alice turn around.

"Abigail!" She exclaimed and hushed to give the girl a hug she didn't expect, but appreciated it. "Come on, sit here." Alice said, showing the room she saved next to her.

"This place's really packed." The girl said a bit fearful of the crowd.

"Don't worry, no one will recognize you." She tranquilized her. "Also..." She grabbed a blue cap and put above her head. "You also need to be in the game's spirit!"

Abigail chuckled softly, her pale skin seemed to gain a bit more color, feeling a bit of comfort she didn't feel in a while.

"Where is-"

A tall man wearing a black sweather seemed to squeeze into the crowd making their way towards the two. At first Alice barely recognized him, but those white hair strands and the large shoulders could never deceive her.

"I've finally manage to park the car, the amount of vehicles around this neighbourhood is quite impressive..." Hannibal Lecter commented arriving next to Abigail. But the sentence was cut in half when his eyes met Alice's for a moment. His hair was down, like someone brushed it on purpose that way, the grey pants were still a bit formal, but the knit sweather made him a mix between academical and "casual chic", it was unusual not seeing him wearing a suit, but that didn't manage to make him less attractive, or make Alice speechless for a moment either, involuntairily smiling at him.

"Dr.Lecter, you arrived." She could finally speak, regaining conscience. "Nice style." Was all she could say in order not to appear overly admired.

He looked at himself a bit awkward but thanked the compliment. Abigail indicated for him to sit at Alice's right.

"So, is Colin on the field?" He asked her.

Their shoulders brushed against each other, Abigail was comfortable, since she sat next to the exit, but Hannibal was stuck between Alice and a random crazy football dad that yelled before the game had begun, squeezed in the middle.

"Yes, over there" she pointed as he could see a teenager with brunette hair within the others dressed in blue. He seemed overly excited and energetic. Resembled a lot Alice in that aspect.

When the boy turned around, Alice waved excited, Abigail just smiled, but Hannibal waved as well. Colin's eyes stopped at his figure, wondering who was the man by his sister's side. But he couldn't ask since the coach called to join the rest of the team.

"Who is playing?" Abigail asked Alice.

"The Knights Vs. The Cavaliers." She replied "Colin is from the Knights, the blue ones."

"That explains the blue." Hannibal checked her out, attempting  not to appear vulgar, which was quite hard due to the way his sight stopped at her legs, the skin more exposed than usual because of the white shorts. He quickly tried to look away, swallowing dry.

"I thought it was a football game." Abigail made a face seeing the field.

"What do you mean? It is a football game." Alice chuckled.

"That's soccer." She responded in her Missouri's accent.

Hannibal gave a small smile at the two talking. "I believe we had a misunderstandment here." He responded in a serene voice. "Ms.Mallory is brittish, for her, soccer means football as well."

"Oh, I always mistake it." Alice facepalmed. "Sorry."

"It's alright, soccer is better actually." Abigail giggled finding funny Alice's little mistake.

"I agree." Even though Hannibal Lecter knew barely nothing about that game and had revised at home American Football rules just for that occasion to impress them, now realizing it was a complete waste of time.

Thinking again, why did he have all that effort anyway?

"Right..." Alicen popped suddenly grabbing a small recipient from her back. "Abigail can I paint your face?"

The girl furrowed her eyebrows at first, finding it strange, but also felt included, welcomed by her gesture, so agreed. After the two lines of blue on her very white cheeks, Alice turned to the doctor.

"Your turn, doc!" she smiled showing the ink to him and her blue stained fingers.

"I don't think...-"

"Come on, Dr.Lecter." Abigail seemed carried by the moment and the warming energy. She was relaxed as never before.

Hannibal strangely felt happy to see her like that. And Alice...she was so excited, so bright, it was almost contagious. He couldn't refuse.

"Don't draw anything weird." He gave up.

"I promise" she chuckled.

Alice dove her finger into the blue paint, then slowly used it as a brush above his cheek. His face close to hers as he watched her fully concentrated on the task. The sensation of her skin against his was different, soft and vicious, and when she looked up and smiled to him a cold feeling took over his stomach.

"Lookin' good!" She joked, as Abigail checked the result.

"Oh, God...!" The girl laughed.

"What is it?" Hannibal made a face. "Ms.Mallory..."

"Calm down!!" She shaked her arms in the air and grabbed her phone. "Okay, before Dr.Lecter here kills me...say cheese!"

She held her phone in the air, and after both Abigail and him approached to stare at the camera, she took the picture.

"Aw, that's cute." Alice melted.

"Please send me a copy later." Abigail asked, completely in love with the picture.

"Of course!" She exclaimed, then showed the picture to Hannibal "what do you think?"

He had a soft half smile without showing his teeth, his cheeks had blue hearts drawn, his head touched Alice's, who was the most excited giving a wide smile, and at the other was Abigail, laughing like never before. It was one of those pictures that warmed hearts just by staring at them.

"It is a good picture." He commented, without admitting he wanted a copy as well.

A loud buzz echoed through the field, the game was about to begin and the boys gathered around, screaming and jumping.

"WOOHOO, GO COLIN!" Alice shouted, as Hannibal almost jumped from her reaction. "Do you think he heard that?" She whispered to the doctor.

"Probably everyone in this stadium did." He commented but Alice didn't mind.

The game had started and Colin ran through the field with his teammates, Alice seemed focused on the game and talked with Abigail sometimes. Hannibal didn't care much about the match, but certainly enjoyed to see the two women bonding so well.

"Do you think he's going well?" She whispered to Hannibal, who barely could listen to her through the noise. "I have no idea how this game works."

He glanced over the field, Colin seemed to help others while passing the ball, if that meant as a good game then probably.

"Yes, he is." He said pretending to be sure of it. "He's great."

Alice smiled proud, waving her hands in the air even though her brother couldn't see her at the moment. Her excitment was beyond that game, it was a love for life, for hope, for her family.

"Have you told him?" He asked suddenly. "About Boyle"

Luckily Abigail Hobbs was too entertained at the game to listen to their conversation.

"No." Alice's smile vanished, the crowd was now shouting at two boys who ran towards the goal. "I don't even know how...I just..." she sighed "I just wanted Colin to have a normal life, you know? Of course it would never be completely normal after what happened but..."

"You still try."

She gave a weak smile towards him. "Yeah, basically." Colin managed to avoid the enemy's score at his team. "Sometimes I think he's doing way better than me though."

"That doesn't mean he doesn't need your guidance." He spoke softly while watching the game. "You are protecting him, he might not understand it now, but someday, he will."

"Is that what you're doing to her?" She tilted her head discretely at the girl by her side. "She's lucky to have you and Will there for her, you know."

Hannibal almost felt touched, indeed, Abigail and him had a connection now, he guided her, oriented her as if she was his own. Maybe he could admit he cared for her. "I feel responsible for her after what happened. After the consequences."

"But you still didn't need to." Alice insisted. "That's just..." she lifted her shoulders indifferent. "Caring." She smiled, Hannibal surprised himself at the word. "That's really cool of you to do, Doc."

He just looked down, unsure for once of what to say. The game continued, Abigail made a wave gesture along with the crowd and Alice got up from her seat two times, screaming at the judge, even though he didn't even listen to her.

It was possible to smell some hot dogs in the bleachers being sold to a family nearby. The young Hobbs' stomach started to growl loudly.

"Someone's hungry" Alice commented "Wanna buy something?" She suggested looking through her purse.

"Oh, no need, Hannibal brought snacks." The girl answered.

Alice turned to the doctor, who 'tried' to appear humble while taking some packages from his bag."No way, really?" She said with a smile "that's so sweet, but you didn't need to-"

"I insist." He said politely, delivering one of the packages to Abigail, who started to eat immediatly. "Ms.Mallory..." He delivered another to her.

When Alice opened the package she didn't get so surprised as she expected to, after all it was a common mistake that happened very often to her. It was just a little awkward to explain.

"Hamburguers...!" She smiled embarrassed. "That's...delicious..." she attempted not to sound rude. Hannibal waited for her to eat, while she exchaged glances between him and the food muiltiple times. "It's very kind, really." She repeated, he nodded, still waiting patiently. "Please don't misunderstand me by refusing or being impolite, please, but..." she squinted her eyes, fearing his reaction.

"Is something wrong?" He already questioned her suspicions. Did she know about something?

The boys speeded with the ball towards the goal, Colin leaded them with enthusiasm and courage.

"Your food looks really good but..." Alice tried to explain.

The suspense was already killing the atmosphere. The ball ran fastly through the field, Colin made a curve past the adverseries, he was close now.

"Would you care to explain what is the problem, Ms.Mallory?" Hannibal's head already worked on wicked schemes against any incrimatory proof of murder against him. Where could he hide a body in the bleachers?

Colin prepared to shoot, the target was set, he applied strentgh...

"I'm a vegetarian."

"You're wh-"

"AND GOAL FOR THE KNIGHTS!" The narrator yelled through the speakers that echoed across the field.

Alice got up from her bench excited, celebrating with Abigail, as Hannibal tried to clap, still schocked with the confession, the world seemed to spin and his head ache. His disappointment was immeasurable.

She sat again next to him on the bleachers, the expression happy, tired of screaming, recovering her breath. "He did it!" She said excited.

"He did..." He agreed, deciding not to argue about the food, still a bit schocked.

"LAME!" Someone shouted after the boys who celebrated. "CHEATING!!"

"Who's saying that?" Abigail asked.

At the row in front of them one of the soccer dad's who dressed in red, the adversery's team color, complained about the score. He attempted to throw some of his popocorn at the Knights, and insulted the teenagers.

"GET THAT IDIOT OUT OF THE GAME!" He pointed to Colin. "CHEATER! WHERE'S THE JUDGE?!"

Alice's blood boiled, Hannibal only watched, waiting for her reaction. According to the files, Alice Mallory could become unstable, but how? What were her limits? Could she simply jump one row and throw herself at a random man for insulting her brother, or would she just accept the insults in silence? Either way, he was willing to watch it crash and burn.

"Hey!" She shouted. The man didn't hear it at first. "Sir!" He didn't turn around. Alice got up from her bench, and tapped the man's shoulder.

"What do you want?!" He growled to her with his big and nasty orange beard.

"The score was legal, so please respect the team." She said politely.

"Ha! Let me guess, one of them is yours? Of course you'd say that!" he scoffed "Soccer's not for ladies, missy, get out!"

Hannibal noticed Alice close her fist slowly in an act of contained rage. There was something fantastic about watching her lose her temper.

"Anyone can see that the score was legal. It is not my fault that you sir, are a sore looser at a kids' game." She complained. The man stuffed his chest towards her, attempting to appear intimidating. "Besides, no one can call my brother an idiot besides me." She looked into his eyes, blazes burning into the air.

"Oh, someone wants a fight" he gave a disgusting smirk towards her. "Is that what you want? Huh? Wanna fight?"

Alice attempted to give one step behind, after all that man was twice her size, she would never stand a chance against him. But the adversery wouldn't back off, he stuffrd his chest, already preparing to an upcoming attack.

"No, she doesn't." Hannibal put his arm between them. "Please contain yourself, sir."

"Ooh, gonna ask your boyfriend for help? Coward!" The man teased.

"That's it." Alice groaned, attempting to touch her feet. "I'm gonna throw my shoe at him!"

"What- Ms.Mallory no, no-" Hannibal attempted to hold her shoulders. She couldn't be serious. A shoe?!

"Rufus, please" A blonde woman who seemed to be the orange bearded man's wife tried to stop him.

"Come on!!" The man encouraged. "Where's your brother huh? Gonna tell him his sister's a coward!"

Alice already held her green sneakers on her hands, ready to throw at the man. Hannibal Lecter gripped onto her shoulders, making her face him.

"Ms.Mallory." he spoke, tryung to cover the man's image with his body. "Listen to me." She finally stared back into his hazel, intense eyes. "He isn't worth your time."

"I need to defend my brother." She insisted.

"Would Colin want this?" His question caught her off guard. She stood in silence for a moment.

"If Bree was here-"

"Would she do the same?" He questioned. "Get into a fight and kick Colin out of the game for mere impulse?"

His serious expression sinked into hers, and she could feel his hands embracing tight her shoulders, the knuckles becoming white by the tension. For a moment she could forget the man screaming, the game that was happening, and Abigail's fragile and scared expression at the chaos. Hannibal Lecter managed to control the beast within her, slowly creating an influence that would soon consume her completely. A dangerous act.

Alice finally gave up, sighing heavily, as she nodded slowly towards him, internally grateful for his attitude.

The man shouted a few more times but Alice ignored, sitting again at the bench by Hannibal's side. "What a rude behaviour." He commented at the red bearded attitude.

"Yeah, unfortunetely there are plenty like him in the world." She retorted. "Sorry about that, I can be pretty...intense, when it comes to people I care about" she made a funny face.

"I understand." He replied calmly, she felt a bit more relieved.

"Even though I'd have loved to throw my sneakers at that guy." She joked.

"It would be certainly an interesting event." He sniffed softly, as she looked back at the game smiling, now relaxed, and he contemplated her view, and watching the night change, along with his own self and thoughts about her.

▫️

"Look at my champion, oh my God!!" Alice ran fastly towards her brother, who came sweaty from the field.

"Ali don't call me that" he complained embarrassed, but also thankful for the support.

"You were incredible!!" She gave little jumps.

"Thanks, I..." his speech stopped when he saw her two other partners behind her. "Alice, who are those?"

Alice turned around, Hannibal and Abigail still standed there, in silence, waiting to be introduced to the soccer star of the night.

"Oh, right!" She snapped realizing she didn't say anything about them. "Colin, this is Abigail, I met her at the hospital when you hurt your leg" she showed him the brunette, both of them waved friendly at each other. It was a relieve for Abigail to have for once, a normal introduction to someone in a while.

"Great game." The girl complimented.

"Thanks" Colin said, but his eyes didn't avoid the tall man's one by his sister's side. "And you are...?"

Hannibal was faster than Alice, standing his hand towards the boy with no intimidation. "Dr.Hannibal Lecter."

Colin made sure to shake his hand firmly, with all the strentgh he had. Lecter was sure at that moment that he didn't appreciate his presence there. "Nice hearts." The brother mocked the painting at the doctor's face.

"Thank you, Alice did a great job, didn't she?" He replied in a passive agressive tone, Colin made a face. "You had an impressive performance on the field."

"Where do you know my sister from?" Colin furrowed his eyebrows suspecting that man's good manners as the protective sibling he is.

"I am-"

"A friend." Alice replied instead. "Also Abigail's tutor." She lied. Hannibal didn't say anything else, just standed there, agreeing and watching the situation develop itself. "So be nice." Alice discretely told her brother.

Colin sighed, exchanging glances with the doctor one last time. His eyes were cold, deceiful, and somehow deep. There was something wrong about his structure  that didn't feel right, he could feel it in his bones. But anyone would argue it's just silly sibling's jealousy.

"Would you like a hamburguer?"

▫️

"Thank you so much for coming." Alice smiled at the parking lot at Abigail Hobbs.

"And I thank you for the invitation, I've had so much fun." She replied radiant, but already anxious for the dark future that awaited her once she left that dream.

"Glad you enjoyed it, we should hang out once again if you feel like it."

"I'd love it." Abigail said excited, until she observed Hannibal waiting for her to enter the car. "Maybe someday..."

"Sure. Have a good night Abigail. It was nice seeing you."

"You too, Alice."

Once Abigail Hobbs entered the car, Hannibal Lecter walked towards the Mallory's matriarch. The night now was silent, serene and cold. Colin waited by the scooter a bit away, complaining about what was taking Alice so long.

"She is very happy." Hannibal said, no matter how many times Alice would stare at his hair brushed down she wouldn't get used to it. It was adorable, and she almost wished to touch the soft strands. "Thank you for inviting her. She needed it. Maybe step by step Abigail can inherit a new life."

"That's what I hope for as well." She said observing the girl turn on the radio inside Hannibal's car. "You guys made my night too." Alice said "Sorry for dragging you here, I know you're just my therapist-"

"You wanted to bring Abigail and I was the best mean for it, I understand." He explained. "And honestly, it was turned out better than expected."

"So you did enjoy yourself?" She asked excited.

"Mhm." He nodded without much importance.

"Sorry about your burguers." She said in a funny note.

"Oh, I can't force one to change their diet, as insipid as it might seems." He retorted, Alice chuckled. "I'll make sure to prepare a vegetarian option next time."

She tried not to retain herself to the world "next time", almost as if he called her to go out again. Maybe it was just a way to say the sentence.

"But there is one thing I'd like for you to ellaborate." He spoke softly.

"Which is?"

"Why did you lie to Colin?"

Alice let her breath escape as the wind rushed through her air, the blue in her cheeks almost matched with the paint's now. She tried to warm her hands inside her pockets.

"I did tell him I was going to therapy but..." she tilted her head "I don't think he would like the idea of me dragging my therapist around, you know, even if it's true, might sound like I'm crazy."

"You aren't crazy, Ms.Mallory."

"Do you think so?" Her eyes glistened. "Looks like. Half an hour ago I threatned to throw my show at a guy." She chortled bitterly, it was almost sad to watch it.

"You were being protective with your values and the ones you care about." He corrected with a warm tone. "That isn't crazy, it's character. And I do appreciate that."

Alice felt something inside her chest bloom with his speech. It was almost like he knew exactly what to say whenever he felt to. Were all therapists like that or was Hannibal just...special?

"Thanks" she said in a whisper. "That means a lot."

There was something about that cold air that felt magical, eletric. She couldn't take her eyes out of him, and neither could him out of her.

"Would you like for me to give you both a drive home?" He offered, unable to believe the night was over.

"Oh, no" she smiled softly "I don't think Colin would find that a good idea." She shaked her head. "Really sorry about him also, it's just, you know..." she continued "he doesn't see me next to any men often"

"He cares about you." Lecter showed no grudges against him.

"In his own way." She agreed. "But thanks for the offer, you should take Abigail home instead."

"Of course." He confirmed. "Goodbye then, Ms.Mallory."

"Goodbye Dr.Lecter" she replied with a sweet smile.

It took one solid minute for them to turn around, and at each step, Alice could still feel his presence. Daring to turn around and stare at his back, two seconds later he did the same. But their glances didn't meet.

"Finally" Colin rolled his eyes once she arrived at the scooter. "What took you so long? And what's between you and that guy?"

Before Alice could reply to her brother's avid questions her phone started to ring.

"Hello?" She replied.

"Hello? Is someone there?" An unknown voice replied. "Are you Alice Mallory? Do you know Will Graham?"

Her eyes widened at the sentence, someone called from Will's phone in the middle of the night. That couldn't be a good sign.

"Yes, yes I am, what happened?" She asked worried. "Is he okay?"

"Ali what's going on?" Colin asked confused.

"Shh" she told him.

"We found your friend wandering through the woods here at Virginia. He's home now, but don't know how he got there. Officer Rogers by the way." The cop introduced himself. "Your number his emergency one, so we thought you'd might be an important person he could call to."

"Of course." She nodded fastly, her hands tremblimg. "I'm...I'm not in Virginia now, but I'll go see him right away." Colin furrowed his eyebrows at her comment. "Is he safe? Did he get hurt?"

"He is fine for now Miss, just lacking memory of how he got at the road."

"Thank you officer." She responded politely. "I'll make sure to take care of him, thank you again."

Once the cop hang up, Alice looked at her brother, who was even more confused than before. Hannibal had already gone. She dialed a taxi's number fastly on her phone.

"What is going on? Virginia? Are you going there?" Colin asked.

"Someone needs my help." She replied trying to keep calm.

"At this hour? Who?" Colin wanted answers but she didn't provide them.

"Yes, at Aubrey Center, please come fast." She talked on the phone. "Thank you."

"Alice who needs you? What is going on" Colin asked impatient, the night became colder. "Why don't you tell me?"

Alice sighed, touching her brother's shoulder, and told him slowly, in a way to make him understand. "I need you to go home, okay?" Colin's eyes were the image of full resentment and frustration. "I can't tell you now, but I promise I will, soon."

"I thought we didn't keep secrets from each other." His tone was slightly offended, cutting deeply her heart.

"And we don't." She said, feeling like a monster for lying to him. "But I need you to please do what I say, get the scooter and go home. Now."

Once she let him go, Colin hopped on the vehicle, putting the helmet, letting a short sentence escape before he left. "Who's so important anyway for you to go after them so promptly?"

Alice shievered with the question. "Someone I've failed to protect. And I can't allow that to happen again."