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Peter Paul Rubens
1610
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He arrived with a windy and chilly weather, Jack Crawford was on their doorstep completely destroyed, crumbled into pieces. Never during the time Alice Mallory has known him she has ever seen Jack so beated up that way.

When he entered and sat by the table he was awfully silent, didn't reprove any of Alice's attitudes, he was only silent, sometimes muttering to Hannibal, who had also just woken up with her, using the red sweather she bought him and the hair loose, the bangs falling down like dominoes above his hazel eyes.

Hannibal's voice was serene, attempting to calm the agent about his concerns about his wife as Jack nodded from time to time still a bit oblivious, distracted, staring at the window.

"Lissy, darling, breakfest is ready." Hannibal called her, as she entered quietly in the kitchen.

"Um..is it okay for me to stay, or should I-" she whispered to her partner.

"It's okay Miss Mallory." Jack replied instead, sitting by the table. "It's your house after all. Join us."

She forced a smile and sat by Hannibal's side across Jack. She didn't know what to do in that situation though, she barely knew what happened to his wife, actually, just discovered that Jack had a wife.

"Sorry for coming in so early." The agent said, tasting Hannibal's early breakfest meat. "I just...couldn't sleep right."

"It is no issue at all." Hannibal told him.

"I believe..." Crawford sighed "...you already know the situation." He was talking to Alice.

She exchanged glances with Hannibal, confused weather to say something or just stay silent. Either way Jack said it himself "My wife, Bella...has cancer." It seemed hard for him to speak, and when Alice heard it she felt a deep sadness take over her chest.

"My God...I'm...I'm so sorry..." Alice muttered in an empathic tone, as Jack nodded with his head thanking the gesture.

"She thought that she could beat the competition against it by...ending it herself." He swallowed dry. "If Dr.Lecter wasn't there, I can't even..."

Alice instinctively reached for his hand at the table, holding it gently. She used to hate Jack Crawford for what he forced Will to do, but seeing that man so broken, vulnerable in front of her, made Alice realize he was just a man also struggling with his own demons. A man filled with flaws that fought everyday to fix them, like fighting against sea waves on a beach.

Jack on the other way didn't take her hand off or run away as she expected, he gave a small smile, as he thanked her. Hannibal only watched as Alice once again used her kindness in order to comfort others, even the ones she despised. It wasn't pity, but a genuine caring that only she was able to provide.

When he thought it was impossible to love her even more, once again she proved him wrong.

"And how is she now?" She asked softly, attempting not to sound nosy.

"Still at the hospital, but alive." He continued. "Even if she despises the idea."

"I'll pray for her." She said generously. "And for you too." Jack failed to be serious and smiled once again, he seemed truly thankful yet sad.

"I don't know if prayers can help us now." He looked down delicately. "But thank you, Miss Mallory, you're a good person." He looked at the pair. "You both are."

Alice and Hannibal smiled softly towards each other for a moment, and then at the agent.

"Now, hurry up and eat, Agent Crawford, or your food will get cold!" She tried to lighten up the atmosphere, tapping his hand 3 times and letting it go.

Jack chortled, for a moment he set the demons aside and just ejoyed the meal and the company of two new friends.

Until his phone rang.

Freddie Lounds announced the event.

Death knocked on the door.

▫️

"How could something like this happen?" Alice was horrified by the news. "I...I talked with her just yesterday...it can't be..." her head spinned remembering Beverly Katz 24 hours ago at that house talking to her, asking about the case. "Oh my God...Will....he must be..."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, she barely knew the agent yet couldn't help but feel sorry for her death. Actually, the theme of death itself was horrifying to her.

"Oh, Lissy..." Hannibal embraced her softly in his arms as she cried for the one he murdered. "I know...it's a tragedy..."

"She...she even said she'd call me..." Alice sobbed. Well, Betz did call multiple times, but Alice's phone history was completely deleted by Hannibal, and so was Katz's phone. No one would ever know her discovery and her attempt to survive. Not even his lover. "How could someone do that...?"

It was indeed a brutal and horrifying scene. Alice didn't see it, yet she heard what happened. The body of the agent was displayed, sliced in multiple parts and frozen, stuck between glasses as a science exposition, a poetic form for her, a forensic worker, to die, certainly an interest case to work on if you didn't mourn her death.

"Shh...your tears won't solve anything now, love. She's gone." He cupped her face with his large hands.

"It was the killer, right? The second one, from the mural. She found him." Alice asked anxious. "I helped her find him, Hannibal, and now she's dead."

"It isn't your fault."

"No, it's his." She spoke between her teeth, he widened his eyes watching as her expression changed. "That monster. Someone needs to stop him."

"Yes. But that won't be you." He hushed to take off those ideas from her mind. "Leave the FBI to do their work."

"Without Will the FBI is useless. Katz's death just proved that." She just then realized what she said. "Except you darling, I didn't mean-"

"I understand your point." He calmed her. "But you must remember that this isn't your fight, Alice. Actually, Katz put you in danger by involving you into all of this." He spoke fiercely. "I don't want you in danger."

"But Han-"

"No." He ordered serious. "Let them deal with this. Stay here, where you are safe." He gripped on her shoulders. "Do you understand?" Alice nodded still reluctant. "Good." He pulled her back into his chest, embracing her into his arms and whispering at her ear "It's for your own good, darling."

▫️

"You need me to do what?!" Katia lifted her eyebrows surprised.

"You need to go to Baltimore State Hospital For The Criminally Insane for me." Alice leaned towards her friend at the table. The diner was quite crowded but she didn't want to be heard by anyone. "And talk to someone named Will Graham."

"Are you out of your mind?! Why would you ask me that??" Katia exclaimed agitated, making her large golden hoop earrings shake. "And isn't that Will the one you met in college? The same one accused of killing Bree??"

"He didn't kill Bree." Alice replied. "And I need to talk to him, but I can't go there myself."

"There is proof against him, Alice!!" She shaked her hands fastly. "And if you can't go, what makes you think they'll let me in??"

"You're a nurse Katia, you can use your medical license. Hannibal doesn't want me involved into the case, and he knows if I went there talk to Will I'd get involved."

"And you'll just obey to him? What is going on?"Katia furrowed her eyebrows, she couldn't help but find Hannibal more and more strange.

"He is just caring about me. It's dangerous, I know, but Will needs someone now, even if it's just with some words."

"Well, but you won't be there. How would I deliver your words?"

"So you accept going?"

Katia stared blankly at her, curving her lips making a reproving face. She hated that idea. "Spit it out."

"Thanks Katia!!!" Alice almost fell above the table in order to hug her and kiss her cheek in a loud noise.

"Ah-ah okay!! Stop!" She pushed her away but smiled. "What should I do?"

"Give this to Will." She grabbed a letter from her purse. "After that, tell me everything he tells you about it."

"Hm... Okay. But do you really think this is gonna work?"

"It has to." She told her. "Oh, and don't let anyone know I've sent you."

"Got it."

"Let's hope for the best."

▫️

He didn't know who came to visit him this time. Something was said about medical assistence. Will didn't have the time or effort for that, he was grieving for Katz and knew Hannibal did it. He despised, hated him for it with every inch of his soul, and at the same time, Will blamed himself for what happened, for putting Katz in risk.

He wanted Hannibal dead.

He was taken to an interrogation room where he sat across a table and a hispanic woman arrived. Her large and curly dark hair framed her face, she had a strong presence as she walked in, not fearing anything in her jean jumpsters and white sneakers.

She sat by the table, and looked at him up and down, almost as if she judged him. "So you're Will Graham?" She asked doubting it.

"As far as I know..." he squinted her eyes at the woman.

"Heh, at this point I don't know what's Alice's type of men anymore, maybe problematic ones." She smirked as she took off some papers from her purse.

"Alice?" He suddenly paid attention. "Do you know Alice?"

"I'm her friend, Katia." She introduced herself as an obligation. "She sent me here on her place."

"Is she okay? Did something happen?" He asked anxious. Katia realized he did care for her.

"She is fine. But Doctor Caliente doesn't want her snooping around an asilum, first thing I actually agree on it with him." She handled Will a letter. "She asked me to give this to you."

"Hannibal doesn't want her to see me?"

"She explains everything on the letter, I don't know how to explain. Read it." Katia hushed him off.

Will led his eyes towards the thin paper on his hands that he unfolded, the letter had that sublime, a bit tilted to the side, Alice's perfect caligraphy.

"Dear Will,

First, I'm sorry for what happened to Katz, I know you're in pain, and I wish I could comfort you right now. I'd give you a hug if I could, but unfortunetely that's impossible. I know you did not wish to see me since the trial, and after what happened to Katz, Hannibal does not wish me close to any of the cases, that includes visiting you.

The truth is that Katz seeked for my help on the day she died. She asked for my insight about what happened to the muralist, I thought that I wouldn't help much, but with just some words she quickly said she had a clue about who the murderer was, and that it was someone close to all of us, someone dangerous.

I told her about the skin of the killer, a spot where he was sew, probably where the kidney is established, and now she is gone. That just makes it clear that whoever killed the mural's owner was the same who murdered her.

I tried to tell Hannibal my ideas but he didn't listen, he doesn't want me involved into any of this. I know you have your suspicions about him, but he is a good man, he just wants to protect me from any danger.

I don't know what you'll do with this information, if it is of any use to you. I wanted, most of all, only to speak with you.

Will, I miss and care for you. I lied at that trial because I know you didn't do it, I don't care what people say, I know who you are. And deep inside, you are that same sweet boy I've met in college. So please, let me help you, don't push me away.

With love, your Ali."

He set the letter down for a moment, still admiring her handwritten with care. His heart bleeded. Bleeded by the loss of his friend, for his condition and for the love he pushed away, now under the threat of a criminal.

No matter how many times he'd refuse or ignore, he loved Alice. She was and would always be the best part of his life, the memory he would rewind every single night and the beat his heart always skipped for.

"So...did you read it?" Katia asked, watching the man in front of her almost tearing up.

He nodded silent, taking a deep breath and biting his lower lip, trying to stay serious.

"Do you want me to write something back or-"

"Tell her to stay away from this case." He interrupted and Katia surprised herself. "One thing he is right about is that she shouldn't get involved in any of this, she shouldn't risk herself."

Katia took some notes in a small notebook she brought, she knew that she wouldn't be able to remember everything. "And...?"

"I also..." He hesited, looking into the woman's eyes. "This is weird."

"Oh, it's not normal for me either sweetie, but we don't have much of a choice, do we?" She chuckled. "Speak."

Will stopped for a moment. What could he say? That all he wanted was to hug Alice tight and don't let her go, tell her that he loved her, loved endlessly and that he was grateful for what she did at the trial even if he didn't say it. That he wanted to take her away from Hannibal's evil claws and leave with her to somewhere far away, where they could escape that madness. That he missed her badly.

But he wouldn't say it.

"Tell her to stay away from Hannibal Lecter." He spoke fiercely.

"Wait- you mean her boyfriend?" Katia gasped. "Why?"

"That man is no good. He is a wolf in sheep's clothing."

"What? Hold on, did he do something? What is going on?" Katia became extremely worried.

"I can't explain it now. Just tell Alice to stay away from him."

"No, mi amigo, you will explain it right now! That man brought my friend to live with him in his house and she blindly trusts him! If there is something wrong, you need to tell me what it is." Katia shouted and pointed to Will's face. One of the guards yelled for her to stay calm or she'd be kicked out.

"She is living with him?!" Will this time widened his eyes at her.

"Yeah, she is. Now tell me, what's with this man?"

Will's thoughts ran fastly through his mind. The situation was worse than he expected it to be. He needed to keep Alice safe. Needed to eliminate this threat once and for all.

"Just tell her to stay away from him. Trust me." Will assured her. "I will take care of this."

"How? You're stuck behind these stinky bars!" Katia exclaimed. She was unquiet and nervous.

"Just tell this to her. I have nothing else to say. You may go."

Katia got up, still annoyed and nervous, but fighting wouldn't help anyway. She was about to grab the letter when Will refused.

"Can I...keep it?" He asked, his eyes for the first time showed now a fragile boy's ones.

"Sure..." Katia didn't mind. "Take care, Will Graham. And I hope you do as you promised."

He nodded and with those words, Katia walked away, escorted by guards away from the prision cells until daylight.

"Ah..." she exhaled, finally able to breath some fresh air and stretching her arms at the sun. "Dios...me duele la cabeza...(god, my head is aching)." She closed tight her eyes and curved her lips in pain.

"Miss Rojas, how are you doing?" The voice made her jump, frightned, Katia turned around, and her eyes did not deceive her as she wished. The elegant, well built man with creepy aurea was there, just next to her.

"D-Doctor Lecter, hey!" She forced a smile and waved from afar. "I'm good! Yeah, just fine!"

"You seemed in pain." He took one step foward, his eyes seemed to scan through her lies. "Do you need help?"

"Oh, just a headache, nothing an aspirin can't solve!" Katia chuckled in a pile of nerves. She was a terrible liar.

One more step foward, she instinctively stepped backwards. He knew she was lying to him.

"You are pretty far from any hospital." He looked up at the building's sign. "At least an average one."

"I was...just passing by... to see my cousin."

"Is your cousin in here?"

"Um...he is one of the guards."

"I see."

A moment of pure terror in silence took over. Hannibal's sight burned while staring at her, as if he interrogated her without any words.

"I need to go! Anyway, um, good to see you!" Katia replied.

"I could say the same. Please say hi to Antonio and Isabel for me." He indirectely mentioned the people she loved. Katia looked into his eyes, for a moment noticing a sparkle of madness in them, a glisten that gave her chills.

"Of course..."

"Let's have dinner together someday. I believe Alice would love the idea, what do you think?"

There was something passive agressive in his speech. He knew something was wrong and exactly what it was. Katia swallowed dry, still faking kindness. "Definetely, yeah, we should set a date sometime. Now, excuse me."

"Have a great day."

"Yeah, you too."

Once Katia walked away, he entered the hospital, and before talking with Will Graham, he noticed the cursive, sophisticated handwritting in the paper the agent held onto but quickly hid from his eyes.

Alice.

▫️

After receiving the news from Katia and attempting to calm her friend, Alice was still unquiet and slightly irritated with Will. All he cared about was speaking evil of Hannibal, she couldn't accept that. Hannibal was a good person, there was nothing wrong or dangerous about him. There couldn't be.

The door opened, as her eyes flickered at the entrance, today she didn't rush to see him, she was too troubled by Will's words.

"I'm home." Hannibal noticed the lack of her usual excitement as he came in.

"Oh, hi." Alice smiled weak. "How was your day?"

"Busy." He didn't give much details.

"Anything new about Katz's case?"

"The FBI is working on that." He refused to tell her. Alice bothered herself.

He noticed how annoyed she was by his lack of answers and behavior. She tried to talk with Will Graham by herself, and actually did it. Alice was smart, he couldn't doubt that, but he was always one step ahead.

"I saw Katia today." He mentioned.

"Did you?" She looked up trying not to sound suspicious.

"Yes, I was about to see Will when I saw her leaving Baltimore State Hospital For The Criminally Instable." He said serene, not assuming anything.

"You saw Will?" Alice couldn't help but ask.

"Yes."

"How is he?"

He watched the moon cascade into the dark sky decorated with shiny stars. "Still affected by his friend's death, but willing to help with the investigation." He glanced at Alice, she seemed awfully distracted. Will certainly said something that made her uneasy. "I know I told you to stay away from all of this but...he is your friend after all, so.."

She quickly looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I was thinking that...Will needs a friend now. Someone far from FBI or any type of work."

"Do you-"

"I don't see any problem in you visiting him." He confessed. "If you'd like of course."

A smile formed Alice's lips. Of course he wasn't evil. He was the best man that ever existed. He was kind, good. She immediatly got up and hugged him tight. "Thank you, Hanni, thank you!"

He pet her hair as if she was a domestic animal that obeyed to him. "It's no problem, love." He whispered. "After all..." he looked into her eyes. "...I care for you both."

His gesture made her feel slightly guilty for sending Katia there, but she believed it was better not to say the truth. "I know." She said. "I'm sorry for...asking so much, it's just that everything that has been happening...it's a lot." She sighed.

"I know. It's okay." He kissed her cheek. "Maybe I have been too...harsh, on you. I should've explained things better."

"So, we're even?" She smiled sweetly.

"Of course we are." He said softly. "I could never be upset at you, Lissy."

She chuckled softly. "You know, I love that nickname."

"I had to make one in exchange for mine. Guess I did a good job."

"You always do." She mumbled against his lips before kissing him tenderly, gripping her fingers on his shirt pulling him close, immersing herself and smiling against his teeth.

"It's too bad your day off didn't go as planned. I wanted to take you dancing." She muttered.

"We can still do that." He whispered.

"How?"

He smirked as he aparted from her arms and turned down all the lights from the house, opening the fridge that illuminated the large kitchen in a half, yellow ambient.

"Unfortunetely we ran out of candles..." He chuckled.

"We do have dinner by candlelights a lot." She laughed as she grabbed his hand and he set a song on the phone, something vintage, from the 40s or 50s. "But I like it." She whispered back into watching his hazel eyes immerse into her sapphire ones. "I like this..." She let her lips parted for a moment. "What we have."

"Me too." He said, completely passionate over her. Their feet moved slowly, in box steps, swaying over the kitchen between butterflies inside their stomachs.

His hands delicately touched her back, in that perfect stance of his. But she decided to change it. Let both his hands behind her, a bit lower at her waist, as she embraced her arms around his neck, allowing their bodies to become close, brushing against each other.

Hannibal grinned at her gesture. "What?" Alice smiled at him. "A song like this is to be danced close to each other." She touched her forehead against his. "I want you close." She whispered.

He spinned her gracefully only to catch her into his arms again, Alice chuckled softly as he couldn't stop smiling at her. With Alice, life was like that, light, free, irresistibly sweet.

"The thing known as romance, is wonderful~"

The pale moonlight shined above, alice danced cheek to cheek with her lover, and everything for a moment felt right into place.

"It's wonderful~"

"I might be good at nicknames..." he muttered at her ear. "But I believe there is something that would be much more delightning to call you."

"And what that is?" She smiled cutely, looking into his eyes.

"Alice Lecter."

Alice coughed, almost choked, letting her breath escape for a moment and her heart skip a beat. Her cheeks burned and an involutairly smile formed on her lips. "I...my goodness, Hannibal..." she sniffed embarrassed.

"I mean it." He repeated, she then glanced at him, with a small gap between her lips as her heartbeat speeded. "I want you by my side, Lissy. Forever."

"Hanni..."

"Don't take this as a proposal, since I ought to make an appropriate one. A better one that you deserve." He confessed, swaying her through the dance gracefully. "Take this as me opening up about my feelings for you."

"I.."

"You don't need to-"

With a smooth movement of her hands on her neck, she pulled his face agaist hers. His lips crashing into Alice's as she kissed irresistibly, hungry and somehow adorably, completely surrended to Hannibal, and at the end, leaving him breathless. "I love you." She replied into a heavy, hot breath touchin her forehead against his. The dance stopped.

"You-"

"I love you." She repeated again lookimg into his hazel eyes, sure as never before. "And I want that too. To spend all my days with you." She whispered and he felt something unside him tremble. "I don't need a fancy proposal or a wedding ring. Because I'm sure you're the one." Hannibal smiled widely, as she observed both their eyes fill with tears

"I feel the same way." He whispered in that hoarse tone of his. "I want you more than anything else." He breathed heavily, feeling the sensation take over and consume his whole being completely. She chuckled softly exchanging bright smiles with him over the promises they shared."Have I told you that I love your smile?" He replied weak over her. "And your eyes...your laugh, your voice, your intelligence." He squeezed her cheek making her laugh. "Your cheeks." He chuckled. "Your kindness, your talent, your jokes, your body, I..." He ran out of words, they stuck in his throat, hard to let them out, but almost burning to be said he needed to do it " I... love you..." He said it out loud realizing how heavy and meaningful those words were.

Alice stared athim blankly, unable to hold her smile as she finally heard him say those words for the first time. She kissed him once again, slowly, sweet as honey and aparted quickly, leaving his arms suddenly. "Do it." She observed him anxious.

Hannibal stared at her for a second, just then realizing what she meant. "Wait, do you mean...now?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"But, I...No, it's not appropriate." He stuttered suddenly panicking. She wanted to be proposed right then, right now, at their kitchen.

"Hanni." She cupped his face. "Stop thinking so much."

"But...it's not good enough for you...I-"

"You are enough. I don't care about anything else." She whispered. "For me, this is more perfect than you can imagine."

She let him go to make his decision. His whole body shivered, feeling suddenly nervous as a shy boy. "Are you sure?" He asked, but knew that deep inside he wanted that as much as her.

"Absolutely."

He sniffed, still shy. "Just a moment then". Hanninal edvused himself to the room and came back seconds later, holding something behind his back. Alice stared amused, wondering what could be. He then kneeled with one leg on the ground, in front of her, standing one of his hands  with a box and laughing at his own self by how that woman managed to put him into that situation. Only she could make him feel and act like this.

"Alice Mallory..." He started speaking, she felt her heart completely paralyze inside her chest. "Will you give me the honor, and pleasure..." He swallowed dry, a warmness takimg over his chest, sparkles flying through the whole house and the world shifting around them.

"Yes!" She exclaimed excited, already crying.

"Alice." He complained with a laugh.

"Sorry! Go ahead!"

"Would you..." He couldn't stay serious anymore, laughed at her and she chuckled back. "...Okay, nevermind, I'll just say it: Alice, will you marry me?"

"Can I answer now?"

He smiled again. "Yes, you may."

"Then... YES!!!" She gave little jumps sobbing and thre herself at him.

Hannibal didn't have time to get up from the ground, they were both now lied, his body was smashed by hers on the floor, as she brought him closer, with her hands at place on his chest. "This is a disaster." He muttered shaking his head.

"The best disaster." She kissed him passionately, high by the promises and the new relationship status. Letting herself fill up with his love, with his body and with his words.

He opened the boc with carefulness, revealing into the velvet content a charming and bright stone in a ring. It seemed ancient and vintage, something she has never seen before. He slid the ring into on her finger delicately, as she smiled completely helpless.

Nothing else mattered now. The world was only them against everything else. Oaths and lies never felt so good and so right as that moment.

He kissed her hand two, three times, in an overwhelming joy. Alice was his. She agreed to be his. And just that thought made him thrill into a serotonin rush through his veins.

"Well, hello, future Mrs. Lecter..." he pronounced it out loud, as she smiled, savoring the sweet promise that soon would be vanished by the merciless wind.

▫️

Her figure was peaceful, happy, sleeping by his side. Hannibal did one of his favorite hobbies: watched her sleep.

He liked to watch her chest fill up with air and release, to watch her delicate eyelids closed, as she immersed herself into dreams he hoped he was possibly in. Sometimes he'd play with her hair, or caress her cheek, and often adjust the blanket above her so she wouldn't be cold. Those tiny details meant the world to him.

He got up from the bed, still trying to stretch up, was kind of tired due to what their " engagement celebration" they had last night. She sleeped just like an angel, almost unbelivable to believe all the things she could do in that matress with him, simply wicked, and he adored that.

He observed the family relic on her finger, it looked better on her hand than he expected and fit just perfectly.

It was made for her just as she was made for him.

Delivered a gentle kiss above her forehead, and decided to get up the bed, prepare breakfest and leave for a swim at the club, only to rush back at home and stay with her the whole day.

What he didn't know is that Will Graham's admiror, sent by the agent himself, had other plans.

▫️

It was huge. A huge red stone covered in golden details. She had to search it online to know what exactly it was. A ruby. How much was a ruby worth? She widened her eyes at the multiple zeroes. How rich Hannibal was again? That ring seemed centuries old, had a gothic aesthetic, something that resembled Dracula's time. Tried to read the inscription inside in lithuanian.

Right, Hannibal did mention his family was from there. He did speak that language. Searched online again, thank you Google translate. The translation at the transcription was "Lecter". It was a family relic, she knew it now.

Alice wowed herself again at the jewel, unable to contain a smile. And it even fit perfectly. Could she even go out with something like that? Was afraid to be robbed. But it was too pretty to keep it in a box, and it probably meant much to Hannibal.

She'd use it. Final decision.

Alice was at the kitchen, had already had breakfest and used one his shirts, still smilling like an idiot at the memories of last night.

"Engaged!" She said out loud. "Did you see Alice Mallory? What? She is engaged? To who?" She faked a conversation as she spinned daydreaming in the living room. "To aome sort of rich and sexy psychiatrist, called Hannibal Lecter." She giggled as a teenager. "Lucky girl!" She fell on the sofa smiling to the ceiling, standing high her hand in to the sky and watchung the jewel glisten with it's purpose. "He's my fiancé" She rehearsed, blushed immediatly by the next thought. "He'll be my husband..."

Took one of the pillows and covered a high pitched scream while kicking her legs in the air excited. Took the pillow from her face. "Who are you?" She faked a low voice. "Oh, I'm his wife." She replied to later cover a scream followed by laughs until she rolled and fell on the floor. But she didn't mind. She was too happy, too in ecstasy for it. And honestely, she wished that feeling to last forever.

▫️

Hours passed and she started to worry. Hannibal didn't show up, and it was getting late, awfully late. They had already woken up late, almost at noon, but now the afternoon was ending and he still didn't show up. He didn't pick up her calls and appearently did not leave a note to where he was going like he always used to.

He wouldn't simply disappear like that. She knew something was wrong.

"Hello, Agent Crawford?" Alice dialed the numbers fastly.

"Miss Mallory-"

"It's Hannibal. He disappeared and is not picking up my calls." She said right away.

"Wait- he's not with you?"

Alice paralyzed. "No. Why?"

"This is bad. We went to his office and he wasn't there. We thought he would be with you at home." He explained the situation in a calm tone to don't strike one of her nerves, but it was too late for that.

"WHAT?" Alice yelled desperate, almost turning the agent deaf.

"Do you have any clue about where he might have went?"

"I..I don't know..." She tried to stay calm. "He had no reasons to disappear, Jack. Something's wrong."

She said his first name and her tone...Jack Crawford realized that girl was desperate. Somehow, some protective, maybe a hidden fatherly instinct awakened in him, feeling pity for the troubled Alice Mallory.

"We'll track his phone. I'm sending Alana to pick you up, stay where you are."

▫️

Crucified and with a rope around his throat, only alive by an old rusty bucket beneath his feet. That was Hannibal Lecter's situation, sentenced to death by the Baltimore State Hospital's nurse, also Will Graham admiror's, at an inferior floor at the club Hannibal used to swim.

Discovering his victim was the Chesapeake Ripper, the nurse revealed his puporse and his master who requested that mission: no one less than the psychiatrist's old friend, Will Graham.

Feeling betrayled, and struggling for his own life, just when he was supposed to be in one of his happiest moments, Hannibal Lecter could feel the air escape his lungs slowly and feel the strentgh leaving his body.

Jack Crawford and the team had managed to track his phone. Joined by Dr.Bloom and Alice Mallory, he entered the club and went downstairs, with his gun standing ready to any danger.

Faced the unbelivable, the crucifixion of Hannibal Lecter and his kidnapper with a devilish smile thirsty for blood.

"Put your hands where I can see them!" The agent demanded, taking careful steps into the area.

"He has a gun! Jaaack!" Hannibal yelled.

At this moment, Alice, who was at the other floor with Dr.Bloom, immediatly recognized his voice. Her chest ached and she ran downstairs, ignoring Alana's instructions.

She faced the scene in slow motion. The bullet flying in the air, shot by the agent's gun and entering the unknown man's body, splashing small particles of blood as he stumbled, fell on the ground, next to Hannibal, who had his eyes widely forced open, unable to close them.

But she saw it, the moment where everything stopped. Where it all turned into black and white, where she felt she would die, when she started to run, ignoring the yells behind telling her to stop. She saw it: a hand, stretching to hit the metal bucket into a puddle of blood, already mixed between the killer and Lecter's.

And she almost tripped, realizing it was over when the tip of the kidnapper's finger reached the bucket, and, with a strong gesture, hit the structure that kept her lover alive.

She experienced the scene she'd never forget and that would traumatize her forever. The hazel eyes now reflecting a skull, the ghost of death, locked into hers, reaching for help, as the rope tightned around his neck, the leg shaked horribly, uncontrollably.

It was the end, and they had barely started.

His mouth opened, choking for air, as the walls seemed to pressure her, into this destroying, terrifying and agonizing second where he died in front of her.

All alice could remember was standing her arms in the air, standing them strongly, as she heard Jack's steps behind her, as she came closer and her hair shaked by the wind and her face became wet by the tears.

Gripped onto his legs and gathered strentgh to push him up, to keep the knot from tigntning more around his neck. Jack came behind, helping her, who barely could hold his weight, and yelled at Alana to call an ambulance fast.

The agent cut the rope andt the doctor's body fell on them heavily, unable to stand on his feet. Alice sat on the bloody floor with her lover in her arms. His body was sweaty, injured, his arms and legs barely moved, his eyes twitched.

"I'm here, Hannibal...It's me, Lissy." She tried to call him. "You'll be alright, love." She sobbed, pulling the hair away from his eyes and holding him as a broken teacup in her arms. He moved his lips, unable to form a sentence. "Shh, don't speak..." she breathed heavily. "You'll be fine, we're here now....I'm here now..." she adjusted his body in her arms. She heard Jack say that the ambulance was on its' way, but the whole world disappeared and blurred at that moment. "You're getting out of this, okay? You have to." She swallowed a muffled cry as she caressed his face. Jack Crawford standed by her side, admired by that woman's effort to keep the man she loved alive. "Don't leave me, please." She whispered, watching the glow in his eyes fade, his breath become weaker. The man she loved now was just a shell of what she knew, she could see his life fade in front of her sight and that honestely made something inside her panic, her whole world crumble din front of her eyes in a matter of seconds "You promised me." She whimpered frustrated. "You promised you wouldn't leave me like everyone else..." Alice cried. "Hannibal, please..." Jack placed a hand at her shoulder trying to comfort her. "Don't leave me, please..."

The last thing she saw were his eyes peacefully close to an eternal sleep and her soul shatter into pieces once again. She tried to shake him, in a desperate way to awake him. "Hannibal!" A groan filled with pain left her lungs, making her whole body tremble in suffering.

Alice Mallory could never be happy.