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Andrea Kowch
2013

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"NAME?"

"Mischa Blanche Graham"

"Age?"

"18 years old."

"Any history of mental illness in your family?"

"Not as far as I'm concerned" Blanche curved her lip in a funny gesture.

"Have you ever had therapy sessions, Miss Graham?" The interrogator continued to ask as he took notes in his small pastel blue notepad.

"My mom never wanted me to go to therapy."

"And why is that?"

"She hates therapists." Blanche clearly recalled her mother's disapproval. "She finds them...invasive. Don't ask me why." She tried to explain, but deep inside she never obtain a real answer to why her mother despised those professionals so much.

The grey and half illuminated FBI looked even smaller now that she was finally inside it. She used to wonder how it felt like to interrogate someone in the future, but never exepcted to be considered a suspect who would be questioned that way.

"You've entered Quantico Academy 4 months ago, is that correct?" The man with  circle shaped glasses continued, he had an exquisite accent and his hair was blonde as the sun.

"Yeah." Blanche answered a bit annoyed by that whole occasion. "Can't you just go straight to the point?"

The man sighed with her impatience, shaking his head. He looked at the dark glass window where other agents watched outside and then at the girl again.

"Miss Graham, you disappeared for 3 months and claim that in the meantime you've met..."He looked at the file. "...the dangerous cannibal and serial killer, Hannibal Lecter."

"Yes! Yes, I did! And you need to believe in me!" She said promptly. "I talked with him, he was there!"

"Miss Graham, Hannibal Lecter has gone missing for nearly 15 years. He fell from a cliffside, authorities already consider him as dead."

"But you never found his body-"

"Miss Graham what you say is completely nonsense-"

"I know what I saw!" She slammed the table looking fiercely into his eyes. "And it was him."

The agent massaged his temples and lookee again at the glass window. He got up from his seat abd left the room without a word.

Then, without warning, another presence took iver the room, a rather familiar and sad one, that fell on the chair tired by the years.

His eyes sunk into the young Blanche's ones, almost as if he looked into Will Graham's twisted ones again, realizing his ridiculous mistake with both father and daughter.

He broke them.

"Blanche." Jack Crawford said softly, his old features growing even more exhausted after these months without being able to sleep properly due to his concerns.

"Grandpa Jack" She held to his hands for the sake of her life, with a desperate and hopeless expression that killed him inside. "You need to believe in me."

"Kid...kid I really want to believe, you know I do, but..." He sighed. "...what you're saying makes you look nuts. I was there when the cops arrived. There was just you." He looked at. "There was just you...and a bunch of bodies. " He said with an enormeous pain taking over his soul.

"Jack those people...they are not who they seem to be. You need to believe me I didn't do that...Hannibal was there-"

"Hannibal is dead, Blanche!" Jack shouted frustrated making the girl's eyes go wide as she stared at her guardian with disappointment and surprise. "He is dead." He whispered. "I was with the cops that day, the day he fell off the cliff."

"Then how did it happen?!" She said frustrated. "You never told me what happened! Who was there? And how is Hannibal related to my father?"

"He tried to help your father to contain the Red Dragon. He was convinced by a negotiation with the FBI to grant him some privileges in return for his help." Jack said the same statement he has told her whole life. "That's all."

"No, no there's more and you're hiding it from me." She said fiercely. "You know you're hiding it from me, Jack!" She said irritated.

"ENOUGH!" Jack did what he has never done to her. Yelled, yelled as a thunder, a storm that made her bones tremble and her whole body shiver in fear. "Besides our personal relationship, you still are a trainee and I am your superior. You need to have discipline, Miss Graham." He said taking in a deep breath, he hated to do this, to play the boss and hurt her, but he had no other choice. "You were found last night mumbling nonsense at the forest area of Baltimore..." He tried to gain courage as he handled her the folder with images. "...you were covered in blood, with 5 bodies dead on the ground, while you held a blade, the crime weapon in your hands." He looked at her fiercely. "Blanche, you are in a tight spot, and if you don't cooperate, they will diagonistify you with dementia. So, explain to me, Miss Graham: What happened yesterday?"

"Hannibal was there. I already told you." She begged. "You need to believe in me."

"Did you kill those people, Blanche?" He asked at once.

Her silence killed him once again. The other agents gasped in surprise and horror. "Like father, like daughter" some would gossip. As Jack tried to calm his heartbeat.

"I'll ask once again: did you kill those people?" He asked once again and she avoided his eyes. That just confirmed all he needed to know. The tension in that room grew further as Jack asked the next question. "If, hipothetically, you are correct." He said softly fearing her answer. "If Hannibal Lecter is alive...what do you want us to do? To arrest him? To kill him?"

Blanche leaned further, her hazel eyes sparkling, the blood pumping in her veins with speed as she answrred with most certainty as never before. "I need you to protect him."

▫️

4 Months Before

"I can't believe it's finally happening! You are going to college!" Alice cheered as she hugged her daighter multiple times. "I am so sooo proud!"

Alice Mallory could appear to be a cold person in the outside by the black clothing and the platinum blonde hair, but deep inaide, she still was that joyful, exciting and adorable presence that lightened up a room.

Through those years she gained increased popularity and profit with her work, but her most important achievement was her family. She cared for Blanche with her own life, and assured her that she would never be alone.

Her daughter was thankful for that, of course, she had a comfortable life, love to fill nations, and a found family that opened their arms to her. So she knew that celebration was fated to happen some time and that it would break her mother's heart. If Alice's wishes came true, she'd have her daughter there, in London, by her side forever, but she knew that wouldn't be possible, she needed to let Blanche follow her dreams, so she did.

"So, John Hopkins University..." Ethan Byrne, Alice Mallory's assistant at the gallery for nearly 5 years now approached the woman and her daughter. "...Those are fantastic news, it's one of the best in America, isn't it?" He had a joyful smile on his face, but his hand shivered while holding the glass champagne because of his shyness.

"Yes!" Alice said happily. "Blanche will study music and I couldn't be happier for her." She tapped her daughter's shoulder as Blanche contained her urge to roll her eyes. "I expected her to try Art instead, such as drawing since she is so talented in it, but I believe the piano will be a much better and original path for her."

"Well, I couldn't be happier for you all." Ethan said amicably. "You did a good job in raising her, Alice. You've got a great mother there, Blanche." He winked as Alice waved at him humbly.

"Oh please, Ethan." Alice smiled gently. "That is my duty as a mother after all."

Ethan's admiration for Alice began when he visited one of her expositions for the first time. He was amused by her works, and when he met her in person he fell even harder for her knowledge and her looks. She was, in his words, an improved version of the Mona Lisa.

After proving his efforts and experience in the art world, Alice hired her as her personal assistant in the Bhalnni gallery, and since then they had a quite good friendly relationship. His feelings for her were always obvious, and never in those 5 years Ethan was witnessed dating anyone, his eyes were only for her. Still, Alice showed no romantic interest towards him.

Blanche didn't find him a bad guy, quite the opposite, he has always been polite, hardworking and gentle. He seemed to worship the ground her mother walked on, but as much as he attempted to, never made her laugh (his jokes were quite lame).

He was...adequate enough. And if her mother gave him a chance, she would be okay with it.

When Ethan left, Blanche turned to her mother. "How long will you reject him?"

Alice blinked twice. "Excuse me?"

"Ethan. You know how much he cherishes you." Blanche explained as she drank her strawberry juice. "I know you miss dad, and that nobody will ever be like him, but-"

"Ethan is a good man. He is very smart, sweet and polite. I am aware of that" Alice said promptly, quick to end that conversation. "But I do not seek anyone else, Blanche." Shs caressed her daughter's cheek. "If you ever experience a love as I had, you'll understand what I mean. No one could ever sparkle that feeling inside me again." She smiled not worried. "So yes, I'll reject him as many times as necessary, and hopefully someday he will realize he deserves someone who will truly make him happy."

"But what about you, mom?" She looked at her sadly. "Don't you deserve to be happy?"

"I am happy." Alice smiled gently. "And as long as I get to live and look into your eyes, all the love I felt will continue to live on." She said. "Now, enough of this, finish packing your stuff, or I'll change my mind before I let you go to the airport."

Blanche sighed and did as she asked. At a corner she spot her favorite person in the room, and her smile was wide open.

"Hey, little Nugget." Jack smirked and messed her hair with his large hand. "So, ready for college?"

The two chuckled in conspiracy to their plan. It's not as if Blanche didn't love her mother, she did, and immensely, but her pritectiveness could be overwhelming, and often overlook what her daughter truly seeked in life.

"I am so excited!" Blanche gave small jumps as a kid.

"Dorms are prepared for you, and as soon as you get there, the trainment begins." He informed her "I'm sure you'll be just fine...."He winked. "...Agent Graham."

The title made Blanche radiant, while Jack...well the name gave him flashbacks. But he truly hoped that kid could make it. If she had anything inside her that was a bit like her father she could be one of the greatest agents of all time.

"Make you rounds and be ready once we set off to the airport." He informed.

"Sure thing, sir." She made a continence and he laughed.

She hushed upstairs, where she already found her bags and some other things she prepared in a box. Mostly memories of the years, of her conquests as the perfect daughter: impressive grades, musicals as the first chair in the front row, prizes for perfect sketches.

She was proud of those achievements...well, her mother was. And as she held those small mementos covered in dust through the time, she couldn't help but feel that her life was finally beginning at that moment. In 4 hours she would begin a new journey in secret to pursue the dreams she kept to herself for so long.

Blanche took polaroid in her hands, this one the favorite she kept at the back of the phonecase all the time, taking it away all the time to admire it.

There he was, the curly hair strands that framed a happy face tired by work, with dimples across his cheeks and chestnut brown eyes that sparkled against the child in his arms. The child was only 3, her hair was the same as her mother's and the eyes showed a hazel tonality in them that no one could describe why. But the most tender part of that picture was the way the father looked at his daughter, with so much love and caring that warmed Blanche's heart whenever she stared at it.

Her fingers brushed slightly Will Graham's face at the picture with a nitid sorrow for the old times and nostalgia. She remembered like it was yesterday when her mother told her what happened, when she realized that dad wouldn't come back anymore, neither be at her birthday as he promised to be. But she never got drustrated over the past, she knew her father, knew he was a hero who died defending this nation, knew that he loved her mother and her, that gave his all only to protect them. And with that version of a hero in her mind, she would never forget him.

Otherwise, she admired his work through the years, investigated the available news about him, and turned him into this idol, this role model she wished to follow.

"I'll keep your legacy alive, dad." She whispered to the picture and kissed it softly. "Just you wait."

▫️

The bags were on the doorway, and a crying mother tried to appear string in front of her offspring.

"She's gonna be back for spring break, kid, calm down." Jack tried to comfort Alice as he put Blanche's stuff at the back of the taxi. "And I will accompany her until she gets safe at Colin's home, don't worry."

"I know you will." She wiped away a tear and took in a deep breath. "Jack can I..."She whispered to him "Can I have a word with you for a moment?"

He looked back at Blanche and gestured for her to wait as him and Alice took some steps back and talked.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Blanche is going to America and leaving me of course I'm not okay." She says crossing her arms. "But that's not what i'm most concerned about." Jack felt some tension for a moment, could she have discovered what Blanche was really going to study? "It's Baltimore. She's going back to that city."

"And what about it?" Jack asked pretending to be numb.

"Jack I've created this bubnle around Blanche for 18 years. She is unaware of how her father truly died...well, she knows part of the version, of how he died as a hero, but never got to know who Will was completely, how were his skills in the FBI." She shaked her head. "Baltimore holds too much memories, too much about the past and..."she sighs "...and she doesn't know about Hannibal."

"Ali, why would she know about him anyway?" Jack said gently. "He's dead. Will is only one who matters to her, with all due respect."

Of course, besides Will nobody truly knew who Blanche's biological father was, and Alice intented to keep the situation that way.

"I know but..."She sighed. "I don't want her to dig stuff up from the FBI you know? Blanche can be very impulsive...naive too. She has a good heart, Jack, and you know what the world can do with a good heart." Alice said with her own experience on the subject. "So please, I'm trusting in you."

He felt a sting in his chest. He could just tell her the truth right the  and right there, eliminate teh concerns of a caring mother and killing the dreams of a rebellions child, or he could keep this a secret and have a prodigious agent saving the world again.

Jack put a hand on Alice's shoulder, gathering courage to look into her eyes. "Don't worry. I'll keep her away from any sort of trouble. You can count on me." He lied through his teeth.

Alice smiled sweetly to him and grabbed his hand in gratefulness. "Thanks, Jack, truly. I'm so glad to have you." She said softly, unaware to the betrayal that would hurt mercilessly her heart.

"Are you two done? I'm going to lose my flight!" Blanche exclaimed from the taxi.

Both of them promptly came back as Alice hugged tightly her daughter, attempting to be strong enough to say goodbye.

"If anything happens, if you need my help I-"

"Mom, I can take care of myself, don't worry." Blanche reassured her as Alice tried to hold back the tears. "I'll be fine."

"I know you can. I know." She whispered softly as she felt the warmness of her embrace as if trying to convince her to stay one last time. "But..sometimes things can get messy on the way. We all make mistakes, and it's okay to make mistakes." She cupped her daughter's child, and when she looked at her, she could see that small child she had the challenge to create on her own again, the girl she'd gave up on the whole world for. The fruit of the love of her life. "And it's okay to seek for help, to come back home." She told her softly. "Because whatever happens, I'll be here for you." Shs smiled sweetly, pulling away a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I love you."

Blanche almost moved by her words, maybe some slight guiltiness crawled in the back of her mind, but she still tried to shake it off, her stubborness was stronger, and following her fatr was greater than the comfort she was offered.

"Thanks, mom." Blanche only muttered looking down as Alice sweetly kissed her forehead.

"Don't forget to answer my calls." She chuckled. "Tell me everything, and if you don't, your uncle will tell me!" She teased and Blanche grinned in response. The mother's eyes fell on the black cab once again, feeling her heart taken away with her.

"Mom." Blanche whispered. "You need to let me go now."

Alice nodded, forcing a smile as she swallowed dry. For a  woman who has lost so much, cried and suffered so much, it was hard to let another piece of herself go so easily. When she realized, Blanche's soft embrace was gone, and her sweet little girl entered the cab, waving at the window to her as she mecanically did the same not to fall from sadness.

Blanche could only watch her mother's silhouette disappear in the horizon in a mix of pain and relief.

She only hoped she was making the right choice.