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James W. Johnson
2014
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HANDS glued in front of her face, knees on the ground, aching and cold, head curved in an act of respect and obedience as she muttered in holy whispers prayers to an instant, temporary bliss of joy into her life.

Just a miracle, just a chance. That's all she ached for. A chance to be set free from that curse she found herself into.

The colorful mosaics on the walls of saints judged her, the huge altar intimidated her, and the cross above, once a symbol of sacrifice, now haunted her mind into horrifying images she wished to forget.

Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church was awfully and uncommonly quiet at that day, simply empty. Alice could only listen to her heartbeat and her own prayers spread into the air, as many benches from both floors contained blank spaces, filled with her worries and fears.

Touched her shoulders into a holy signal and got up from the floor, watching once again the cross and taking a deep breath in order to face reality. The tall gothic construction with its' dark pillars and beige ancient walls surrounded her, and for a moment, gave her an interior peace to her troubled soul.

Filled her lungs with that sacred atmosphere and turned around, exhaling slowly, as her eyes landed at the last row at the back of the temple, at the hazel vivid color meeting her blue.

He seemed just as holy as that location, as if he was an angel sent from above, but was in fact the devil himself. Walked towards him as a bride to her groom, completely surrended and thankful to heaven for that miracle.

He was alive.

"Are you sure you don't want to pray as well?" She asked, holding his hand. He admired her as if she was the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel herself. She was a gift, a present by the skies indeed, and watching her pray, almost became his religion itself. "We have a lot to thank for."

"I do believe in God." He observed the huge chapel. "But as an omniscient being he already knows my soul."

"Well, I won't force you into anything." She understood his reasons.

The walls pressured all the sounds oitside into a morbid silence inside that temple. It had that strabge peace before the storm that it was impossoible to describe. Alice barely could imagine what would become of her if anything happened to him. Loosing Hannibal was as loosing a part of herself.

"I didn't know you were religious." He muttered as they observed the sanctum.

"I didn't either." She confessed, holding tight his hand, almost as if he'd disappear if she let it go. "I did go to church since I was a kid. I had much faith back then." She explained.

"And what happened to your faith?"

"It was lost, along with Bree." She whispered. Hannibal squeezed her hand in order to cheer her up. "But...after what happened lately, with you...and Will, and all of this..." she shaked her head. "I don't know, I feel as if I have been through a lot, but also blessed."

"You believe God has been testing you."

"I mean, maybe that's a way for me to prove I'm worth of this happiness." She glanced at him with a smile. "And you know what? It's worth it." She assured him. "I'd endure the ashes and flames of one billion hells if needed to be with you."

He gently pulled her close and kissed sweetly her head. She'd regret that oath for the rest of her days.

He contemplated the ring on her finger, a perfect fit that shined by the sunlight. "Looks perfect on you."

She smiled sweetly. "I love it so much. Thank you."

"It has been on my family for generations. Previously belonged to my aunt before she died." He informed her.

"I wish I could've met her, and the rest of your family."

"Me too." He smiled softly. "There's someone very special I wish you have met...you two are very similar in some aspect."

"Which one?"

"You both aspire hope. The best in humanity." And also awakened the good in him. "You would have loved her."

She stopped. Both of them immersed into the gothic dark church and their secrets. "Who is she?"

He stopped for a moment, reflecting weather to say it or not. "My sister. Her name was Mischa."

"And where is she now? Can't I meet her?" He looked down with sadness, a crystalline shield around his eyes. Just then Alice realized. "Oh my God, darling, I'm...I'm so sorry, I had no idea..."

"It's alright, you couldn't have known, I never told you." He said in almost an inaudible tone. The matter was sensitive, Alice noticed it, and just by speaking about it Hannibal uncovered layers he never allowed others to see. She realized by those words how much he loved her, and at the same time, how much pain that 'perfect' man carried over the years. She caressed his cheek and he kissed her hand in a benevolant gesture, grateful for her kindness. "She taught me so much about myself...Abigail reminded me so much of her." He said with sadness. "I treated her as my own daughter." He delicately established."Unfortunetely I couldn't protect her against the cruelty of the world still at a very young age." Alice continued holding his hand, but felt devastated to hear those news.

"She seemed like an angel." Alice said, Hannibal smiled. "Whatever happened, it was not your fault, Hanni." She squeezed his hand, he took a deep breath."I'm sure that high above, she's very proud of you."

His eyes were filled up with tears, one of them rolled down, fragile. And even trying to hide, he couldn't, Alice was faster, cleaned it herself with her hand gently. "Thank you, Lissy." He sighed feeling weak. He loved that woman so much, he couldn't even breath right at that moment and yet she was there, supporting, holding him as a strong structure that kept him standing. "Can we talk about something else?" He whispered.

"Of course, love." She comforted him. "Um...what do you think about this church? I think it's so pretty...maybe, well, maybe, I know it is too soon but..." She gave a cheesy smile. "We could get married in here." Hannibal glanced at her, trying to follow her thoughts. "...Or not, I don't know."

"It is indeed a beautiful construction." He affirmed.

"Don't you have any ideas?" She asked him. "Your taste's way better than mine." He chuckled. "Do you have any special places you can think of?"

He thought for one second. "There is somewhere."

"Where?"

"My memory palace." He looked up at the sky.

"Uh...what?"

He smiled at her. "It is a chapel in Italy, in Parlermo." He pondered. "The Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Normankings of Sicily situated on the ground floor at the center of the Palazzo Reale." He described. "It is a timeless and mesmerizing construction."

"Sounds beautiful." She nodded. "Too bad it's too far." Alice gave a half smile. "Maybe we should think about something...closer."

He felt slightly disappointed at her statement. "Alright..."

"It's not a bad idea, but, Italy is pretty far." She tried not to sound rude. "And I have Colin here."

"Colin?" He expected to have gotten rid of him by sending the boy to the other side of the country.

"Yeah, I mean, I want him at my wedding." She chuckled. "I don't need anything big, but I need my brother there." Hannibal wasn't very pleased by the idea. Colin despised him, he'd never approve that marriage, and he'd try, until his very last breath, to stop them both.

"Did you tell him?"

"Oh...no, not yet. Nobody knows." She curved her lips fearful. "It's gonna take some time until he...takes it in."

"He'll need to respect your wishes."

"I know, of course." She nodded. "I just hope he...approves. Like, I don't need his permission but..." Alice sighed. "I just wanted the people I love here, happy. Just for once."

"I know, love." He pulled her close gently. "I'm sure we'll find a way."

"I really hope so."

"Let's go home now, I'll prepare you a warm bath." He kissed her cheek. "And we'll take the day off. We can rest in bed, you can read a book..." Alice smiled. "I've bought strawberries for you."

"Oh my God, I love you!" She exclaimed.

Hannibal chuckled. "I know."

▫️

Jack Crawford heard Will's suspicions, along with his confession about ordering Hannibal's murder. He was still oblivious, thinking about he said. Hannibal being the Chesapeake Ripper and Hobbs' copycat? Seemed too unreal to be true.

A cannibal? How was that even possible? The man seemed normal in every single aspect!

He barely noticed when a pair of red shoes entered the room with a bouquet of sunflowers and a shy smile until he heard Bella's voice. "Oh...hello?"

"Sorry for coming in without notice. My name's Alice Mallory." Jack's eyes turned to the hospital room's door, recognizing her silhouette. "Are you Phyllis?" She asked.

"Yes...I am." His wife replied in a weak tone, still in bed.

"I've brought these for you." She showed the bouquet. "I'll...um..put these aside for you".

"Thank you...that's very kind." Bella gave a weak but warm smile.

"Miss Mallory?" Jack popped up.

"Oh, hi." She said surprised. He took the bouquet from her hands and set it aside. "Hannibal told me your wife was in this hospital and...sorry, I just wanted to pay a visit and wish her a good recovery."

"Well...thank you." He said, surprised by her attitude but also glad. "It means a lot."

"Mrs.Crawford." She turned to the woman. She was beautiful even in that condition. Her eyes were a deep dark brown, her skin was smooth and clean, and a fabric covered her head, probably because of the hair lost on her treatment. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Actually, when I head Agent Crawford had a wife I didn't believe in it. I mean, who would be able to endure this guy?" She joked and the woman laughed, laughed hard, loud and vivid, a joy took over the room, Jack smiled seeing his wife finally alive through all that time. "But you are a very strong woman who could. And I can see how incredible you are just by the way he looks at you." She whispered softly. "Besides being so pretty." Alice winked.

"Oh my, how much did Jack pay you to brighten up my day?" Bella Crawford chuckled.

"You're right, I should have charged him!" The two laughed. "Mrs.Crawford, please get better soon, we need to have tea together some time."

"I wish it was that easy." She said with sadness. "You're that girl from the case Jack was working in, right?"

"Yes, I am."

"Oh, you gave him a hard time." She chortled. "But I admire you for that."

Alice felt deligtned to hear such a compliment, smiled softly and after wishing her well once again, left the room, sitting by the waiting area with Jack.

"Gotta say I'm surprised." He retorted, adjusting his suit.

"Sorry if it appeared nosy, I-"

"No. It was really...nice." He didn't know how to thank her correctly. "Bella was happy. And...that means everything to me. Thank you."

Alice nodded in silence. That girl was growing on him, he hated to admit it. In some aspect, the way she was stubborn reminded a bit of himself, but she was better, a kinder soul than him. Maybe that's why both Hannibal and Will loved her so much, he realized. She brought the best in people in every way possible. Hard to believe she suffered so much.

"How's Hannibal?" He asked.

"Oh, he's much better." She assured him. "It was really a miracle what happened."

"Agreed." He nodded. But in his mind, Will Graham's words knocked on his consciousness. "There's something...I need to tell you about."

Alice leaned foward, willing to listen. "What is it?"

"It's about the man who attempted to murder Hannibal."

"What about him? Isn't he arrested?" She became nervous.

"He is. That's not what I wanted to say." He calmed her. "That man...he was a nurse at Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Instable." He confessed.

"What? Why would he attack Hannibal?"

"He is also...Will's admiror. The one who killed people in order to impress him during his trial."

"What...Jack what do you mean...?"

"He..."he took a deep breath, attempting helplessly not to make her panic. "You won't take this well, I know. But I think you deserve to know..."

"Just say it already, Jack."

"He was ordered by someone. Ordered to kill Hannibal." Alice was frozen, her eyes wide open, in silence. "The man behind this...it's Will."

Everything seemed to stop. Jack seemed to paralyze, each person in the hallway, the doctors, the patients, all of them frozen along with time and her heartbeat. Sounds faded, her breath escaped her lungs, as her mind created the haunting image of Will murdering Hannibal through his orders, willing to have his hands dirty with his blood, a creepy shiny blaze in his eyes.

A murderer.

And at that moment, she doubted everything. If he tried to kill the man she loved, who could guarantee he didn't kill her sister or Abigail Hobbs?

At that moment, Alice Mallory wanted to die, to curl her body and disappear, holding back the urge to cry in front of all those strangers.

Instead, she filled her sadness with rage.

Things moved up again alive as if she switched a lever in her mind.

"Alice, I know it seems-"

She got up suddenly, taking her purse. The red heels almost in flames as she walked away abruptely. "Where are you going?" Jack shouted.

"Wash this dirty laundry."

▫️

Dr.Gideon's eyes slided at the furious brunette that walked into the area of many cages where he was established. There was some sort of burning fire in her eyes, the mouth a straight line, the sparkling shoes making noise on the floor.

She didn't even notice him at first, seemed too immersed into her thoughts to even care about anything else around her. No, there was something mad, wicked, revengeful in her eyes. To see a woman angry that way, he knew something bad would happen.

Will lifted his brownish eyes from the golden and small cage he was in, as Alice didn't respect the yellow line she couldn't cross. None of the guards had courage to stop her either.

"You tried to kill him!" She yelled, poiting with her finger at his face. "You sent someone to kill Hannibal!"

He continued in silence. She was angry, he knew that face very well, but never in those years, she had used that expression against him.

"How could you?!" She was hystherical. "I told you he is an innocent man!"

"He isn't innocent, Alice. He is the Chesapeake Ripper."

"And you are insane!" She yelled completely out of control. "Hannibal would never hurt someone! Much less go on a killing spree!"

"That's when you mistake yourself." He said in a low calm tone, completely opposite to hers. "He is a serial killer. A maniac. He is the ripper and Hobbs' copycat."

"Now you're accusing him of killing Bree, do you have no shame?!" She retorted, the heart burning, the blue eyes crystalline. "I defended you, Will! I lied in that trial for you!" She yelled. "And now you try to kill my fiancé!"

He paralyzed. "Your what...?"

She showed her hand with the golden ring. "I was going to invite you to the wedding." She teased bitterly. Will's jaw dropped, not believing in what was happening, his heart shattered in pieces. "Hannibal even said he wanted you as his best man..." Alice growled through her teeth. "But nevermind. Forget it. You'll never approach me or anyone I care about ever again."

"I told you to stay away from him and you get engaged instead??!!" Will shouted this time, shaking the bars with his hands. "Are you fucking crazy?!"

"Says the man who is in a nut house!"

"Because your 'fiancé' framed me!"

"Hannibal did nothing but care for you!" She whimpered. "And instead, look at what you've done." She shaked her head, their faces only apart by the bars, locking glances. "Tried to be the hero, the knight in shining armor, and fucked up your head instead. Fucked up everything." Alice sighed heavily, his whole body trembled while feeling her hot breath. Her sight was blurred by the tears but she refused to let them fall, not in front of him. "Enough."

"Ali-" He tried to speak.

"I want you gone." She coldly answered. Will felt as if she had shot him again, this time to kill. "From now on, Will Graham, you are dead to me."

She turned away to leave when she heard him "I regret nothing!" Alice immediatly turned around, her eyes wide open, the lips parted amused. "I'd do it again, if it meant to stop him." Will looked determined, intensely at her. "So he won't put you in danger again."

Alice couldn't recognize her friend anymore. All her heart filled in rage, with hatred and her body shaked, compulsed to hold and keep it together, but also wanted to cry, wanted to sob seeing what became of them both.

"You are the dangerous one here, Will." She whispered through her teeth and walked away. Her eyes lingered for a moment at the man who stared back at her, one of the other inmates, took a moment for her to recognize him. The same man who tried to shoot her but Will stopped in the past. The one who claimed before to be the ripper. Dr.Gideon. But Alice was too angry to ask anything. The whole world could burn at that moment and she wouldn't care. And when Gideon looked back at her, amused at that drama, she had no mercy on him either. "What are you looking at?!"

But Gideon wasn't affected. Instead, he saw the picture of a broken girl loosing someone she loved. He gestured to his own cheek. "You've got something here."

Alice touched her own cheek, and could feel it, a salty liquid rolling down throughbher flushed face. She couldn't hold the tears. Alice Mallory avoided the doctor's curious eyes and walked away fastly, hushing and sobbing.

She needed to get home fastly and wrap herself into her bubble of protection again, the shelf she seeked in storms:

Hannibal.

▫️

Alice Mallory crashed into the house as a mess, all Hannibal did was listen to her running upstairs and crying out loud as a little kid. As he followed her traces, found her purse on the floor, the shoes at the entrance...quite some mess, but considering the crying she wasn't in a good condition, so he wouldn't complain about it.

Went upstairs carefully, as he found the door open to her private room, she used to rest and sleep with him at the main one always, but, if she wished privacy at hers, it was indeed a serious situation. Knocked on the door two times, then calmly called her. "Lissy? Is everything alright?" She didn't reply, but he could listen to sobs across the door. "Lissy?" She didn't answer. "I'm coming in..."

He opened up the door, thankfully she didn't lock it (even though he had a spare key to all the rooms in the house), and entered, finding his lover lied on the bed, with her face buried in the pillow.

Alice's room was bright, radiant, filled with photos of her family, paintings, aromatic candles and christmas lights. It was happy, just like her, but now it seemed to die, along with her figure.

He sat by her side on the bed, placing his large hand at her back, that moved up and down with her sobs. "Alice, darling, what is wrong?" She didn't move, he was worried. Carressed her back gently, and kissed softly her head. "You can tell me...don't keep this to yourself." That's when she rolled, the face wet by the tears, with red eyes and messed up hair. "Oh dear...what happened?" Alice couldn't speak. "Come here." He pulled her gently into his arms, as a drug that entered and calmed her veins slowly, in a slow flow that managed to make her stop the tears from falling down. Once realizing she was more stable, he questioned again. "Can you tell me what happened now?"

"...Jack told me what Will did." She looked helpless into his eyes. "That he ordered your attack" Hannibal looked down for a moment in silence. "You...knew it...?"

"It was revealed to me by his admiror." He confessed. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

"And...you don't feel anger against him?" Alice furrowed her eyebrows.

"Will is sick Alice. I understand-"

"No, this isn't right." She shaked her head. "He tried to kill you Hannibal. And this isn't the first time he puts you in danger. I can't accept this."

He looked into her eyes, and for a second got lost into that sparkling, protective rage. Alice Mallory used to have that rage to shield Will Graham, fo whatever she could, push her limits only to save him. But now she did that to Hannibal. And he found that beautiful.

"Did you see him?" He guessed.

"Yes. And you know what he told me?" She said in a mocking tone. "That you were the Chesapeake Ripper, Hobbs' copycat." Hannibal maintained a neutral expression. "That he didn't regret what he asked that guy to do."

"Well, I can assure you that I'm not what he claims I am." He lied through his teeth.

"I know! Of course, I know, Hanni." She cupped his face with her hands filled with caring. "That's why I don't believe in a single word he says, that's why I..." She lost her gaze for a moment.

"You are doubting him." He completed her thoughts. "About what he did."

"I'll wait court's decision." She muttered. "But in my eyes, after what he did to you, he's already a killer." She looked softly at him, trying to remind herself that he was still there alive. "You care so much for me, yet I'm failing completely to protect you. I'm sorry."

"Don't say that. You were the one who lifted me in that cross, those seconds could've changed our fates." He held her closer, warming up her body. "Having you by my side is more than enough." He pulled her towards him as his lips delicately touched hers into that tender, sweet movement as in synch against his.

Whenever she kissed Hannibal everything faded away, and during those moments all ghosts, threats and insercurities were vanished away. With him, she felt fearless, brave and free.

Aparted into a smile, as he realized she was now better, snuggling into his chest and holding him tight, as if he was a huge teddy bear.

"Let's skip to something happier." He muttered. "I have news."

"You do?" She looked up at him.

"Well, two news." He announced. "The first, you received an e-mail."

Hannibal used to take care of Alice's emails, she was terrible with technology and sometimes used it to comunicate with her brother, but since Hannibal had much more skill, time, and of course, was willing to help her (only with noble intentions, right) he let her manage it and communicate her when there was something important (or that he considered important).

"Did I? From who?"

"Colin." He said, Alice opened a huge smile.

"What did he say?"

"He's coming to visit you, next week."

"Oh my God!" She screamed excited, giving little jumps. Hannibal smiled.

"And he is bringing his new girlfriend along."

She widened her eyes. "Whaaat??? That little...I knew it!" Alice chuckled. "My Goodness Hannibal, this is amazing!"

"Since he is coming for the weekend I had an idea, but I'd like your opinion first."

"Go ahead."

"I was thinking about throwing a dinner party and invite people close to us, such as Colin, Jack, Alana, your friend Katia, some acquaitances from society..." He muttered.

"Mrs.Komeda too?" She asked already frustrated.

"Oh, dear, didn't you hear the news? Mrs.Komeda died." He told her.

"Did she?" Alice gasped."How?"

"She had a car accident with her husband, fell from a cliff into the sea. No one has found their bodies, only some objects to identify their missing. A tragedy." He faked empathy towards the couple.

"Oh my God...that is horrible. I mean, she was a bitch, but still, it's horrible." Alice once again tried to be kind.

"Well, that leaves her out of the guest list." He made a dark joke that Alice tried not to laugh at, but he knew she did. What she didn't know was that Mrs.Komeda's death was much darker and delicious than she imagined. After all, that woman was rude to his lover, how could he just ignore it?

"Well, I like this dinner idea." She nodded. "Even inviting people from the elite, I'll have Katia and Colin there. Jack too. Doesn't sound bad." She smiled.

"I'n glad you think that way." He said "I shall send the invitations then."

"Of course."

"Oh, third new, I forgot to tell." He pointed out. "I talked with Jack, I will no longer consult in crime scenes in the FBI"

"Are you sure? I thought you liked to help them."

"I've come to the conclusion that I've reached a precious moment in my life." He held her hands carefully. "A moment I want to be surrounded with normality, with happiness, and the person I love."

"Hanni..." she smiled.

"Working there only surrounds me to death. I don't want death into our lives Alice." He muttered.

"You are right." She nodded. "I don't either." She wrapped her arms around him. "And if you want love in your life, I'll make sure you'll be completely surrounded by it!"

"Will you?" He chuckled sweetly.

"Mhm." She nodded "Like this.." she kissed his cheeks. "And this..." then the tip of his nose. "This too." His forehead.

"What about here?" He pointed to his mouth.

"I was just getting there." She grinned, kissing his lios slowly, savoring them. She looked intensely into his eyes. That man was her mural, her sky. She adored him with all her soul. "I love you."

"And I love you, darling..." He embraced her warmly. His possessive eyes shining above her shoulders  "... I love you more than you can possibly imagine."

▫️

"You should've let him die." Will Graham muttered to the prisioner by the cage by his side.

"Shoulda, coulda, woulda." Gideon muttered at his cell, resting his back at the same well Will relied too.

"He's gonna kill you, you know."

"Can't get me in here."

"No, here is exactly where he'll get you, Abel." Will shaked his head. "The moment I convinced the chief of staff to put you in a cell next to me, you were stamped with an expiration date."

A lunatic could understand the thoughts of lunatic. "Anyone who gets too close gets got. He's the devil, remember? Smoke. I'd be very nervous if I was Dr. Chilton."

"He's getting close too. The only way you and Frederick are gonna get out of this alive is if the Chesapeake ripper is stopped. Hannibal Lecter deserves to die."

"That's what the girl talked about." He recalled Alice's image in his mind. "You tried to kill him." Will only listened. "You didn't bring me here to help you kill Hannibal Lecter."

"No, I didn't; I brought you here to bear witness. To tell Jack Crawford that I sat in Hannibal Lecter's cobalt blue dining room, an ostentatious herb garden with leda and the swan over the fireplace and you having a fit in the corner." Will explained carefuy, aware that their conversation was being recorded.

"That's where I asked him if he was the Chesapeake Ripper, and he avoided the question and suggested I kill Alana Bloom." Gideon replied.

"Yes. Tell Jack that."

"What about the girl?"

"What about her?"

"She saw me too." He told him. Will suddenly standed. "That day."

"Alice saw you?"

"Just when we entered Lecter's home." The doctor mumbled, rememembering perfectly that night. "She was leaving when we arrived."

"That's why you went after her instead of Alana? Because you saw her with Hannibal?" Will's head spinned, suddenly having a wave of memories hit him.

"Who is he?" Alice's voice echoed as she faced Gideon at the doorstep.

"She told me she didn't see anyone..."Will whispered to himself as the memories flew back into his mind. "He made her lie to me." He felt his blood boil inside his veins again. "Did she recognize you? When she came here earlier?"

"I think she did. But didn't say much, she was too..." He chuckled. "You two had a lot going on huh."

"You need to tell Jack Crawford all of this. Do you understand?"

"I'll tell Jack Crawford everything if you tell me why Hannibal did it." Gideon insisted As his eyes wondered throught the darkness of his cell.

"Because he wanted to see what would happen."

▫️

'That's where I asked him if he was the Chesapeake Ripper and he avoided the question and suggested I kill Alana Bloom." The audio from the record repeated inside those 4 private walls of Dr.Chilton's office.

"Abel Gideon is a lunatic." Jack Crawford, who was invited by the doctor to listen to his discovery, couldn't believe in his theory.

'He is psychotic, not psychic." Chilton pondered, curving his lips.

"We know that Gideon has a history of being susceptible to suggestion."

"The simplest explanation as to why he can describe Hannibal Lecter's home is that he was in Hannibal Lecter's home."

"Will Graham could've given him the details." Jack refused to believe in his theory.

"No such details were given. There has not been a word exchanged between those two men in my hospital that I have not heard." Chilton informed, sitting by the chair in fronr of the agent.

'Then you're aware what Will is accusing Hannibal Lecter of."

"Oh, yes. I am aware. And I am grateful that I have trouble digesting animal proteins, as the last meals I have shared with Hannibal Lecter have all been salads." He made a bitter dark joke.

"Do you believe him?"

"Hannibal once served me tongue and then made a joke about eating mine." Chilton remembered the sick smile on the doctor's face. "It would be narrow to not at least consider it."

"Will is delusional." Jack tried to be reasonable. "He would like to reinforce his delusion with you, with me, with Abel Gideon."

"That doesn't mean he is not right."

'No, it doesn't." Jack agreed. And for a moment locking glances with Chilton, he thought wisely about that sinister idea. "The Chesapeake Ripper is in at the kill again... And Hannibal Lecter is throwing a dinner party."

"Jack, he fits the profile." Chilton retorted. "He is attracted to medical and psychological fields because they offer power over man." He explained, as Jack's eyes faced the wall, wondering. "Cannibalism... cannibalism is an act of dominance."

"What about Alice Mallory?" Jack glanced at him. "According to Gideon she saw him. According to her, she didn't."

"This girl, what is her relationship with Hannibal?" Chilton leaned foward questioning.

"They are...dating." Jack hesited to tell.

"What if Gideon attacked her due to her relationship with the Chesapeake Ripper, Hannibal, in this case?" Chilton made a wise hypthesis.

"If that is true...why would she lie about not seeing Gideon?" Jack furrowed his eyebrows confused. "She has no reasons to do so."

"What if she does?" The questioned echoed in a silence pause between them.

"...Are you suggesting that she's involved into this?" Jack looked into his eyes. "Alice doesn't seem...criminal enough, goes against her nature."

"Maybe she knows, she might not be involved but keeps her lover's secret." Chilton supported his hands in the desk.

Could Alice be able to commit such a crime? Seemed tio unreal to Jack. That girl...she seemed fragile, but not enough to commit a crime or be in favor of such a thing. She was too kind for that, even if she loved Hannibal. Jack wanted to believe in her, wanting or not, he had established that affection, some sort of need to protect her, something familiar, almost fatherly.

"She doesn't know. If that's the case, she doesn't know. I'm sure of it." He trusted his guts.

"Then, there is a simple explanation for that." Chilton relied his back at the chair. "She's being played, just as all of us."

▫️

The airport was quite crowded, many arrivals and departures into tears and laughs, hello's and goodbye's as those huge iron vehicles drifted into the clouds.

Into the middle of grey and white, a colorful, glitterly sign standed up, shaked by an overexcited woman and a silent man standing by her side.

"Do you think they will see it from the gates?" Alice asked him, standing high colorful the sign she made at home with a huge "COLIN AND NADIRA!!!" Written in glitter.

"I believe that with these colors they will see it even from California." He mocked and Alice pushed him slightly with her elbow as he laughed. Hannibal's eyes shifted towards a certain direction, visualizing the rock in his path now back in town. "Up there." He pointed to Alice.

She opened her mouth widely and screamed with all the strentgh she had "COOOOOOLLLIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNN!!!!!!!" Hannibal thought he'd become deaf.

And it turned even worse when the figure, with a girl by his side, saw his sister. "AAAAALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" He yelled back.

People started to stare back, as if they were insane. Hannibal tried to be discrete. "It's a family thing." He justified.

Colin kissed the pretty black skinned girl who giggled by his side and ran fastly the stairs, rushing into his sister's direction until arriving into her arms as a bullet, both of them hugging and spinning, mostly screaming.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Alice said cupping his cheeks. "Oh my God you have a tan!" She chuckled. "Look at you, oh my God...my little boy." She started crying uncontrollably.

"Ali, don't cry!" He tried to calm her.

"These are happy tears!" She made a face trying to stop.

Hannibal watched the reunion in silence, and felt glad to see his partber happy, even if it was because of that annoying boy. That's when he felt a glance in his direction. Turned towards it, facing a black girl with long white pants and a white top, her dark afro hair framed a young, fierce expression with a pair of brown incandescent eyes.

She immediatly felt something odd in him. And that would be dangerous. Dangerous to her.

"Ali..." Colin gestured for the girl to come closer, she approached the two with a sweet smile. "This is Nadira-"

"OH MY GOD YOU'RE GORGEOUS!"Alice screamed thrilled.

"...my girlfriend." He chuckled watching as his sister embraced the girl into a hug.

"It is so nice to finally meet you Miss Mallory, Colin spoke so much about you." Nadira said kindly, holding Alice's hands.

"Well, only good things I hope" Alice retorted joking. "Who's hungry? We can go out for lunch-"

"Oh, Nadira's waiting for her cousin." Colin said. "We are off to his house."

"Your cousin lives here in Baltimore? What a coincidence."

"Yes, he is like a brother to me." She smiled. "He texted me when we hopped off the plane, must be arriving at any minute now."

"He offered a room so I can stay there for the weekend." Colin informed his sister. "By the way, Ali, I can't wait to visit your new place since you told me you sold our last apartment.  "She had explained that she wasn't living there anymord, he didn't mind, wasn't very attached to the building itself but for the people, and specially understood when his sister told him the rent was harder to pay now. But Alice didn't really tell where she was living now.

"Oh, right..." She muttered nervously.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with us?" Hannibal asked, Colin turned to him confused, Alice stopped breathing. "There's a guest room available."

He didn't notice the doctor's presence until now and that bothered him. "What do you mean?" Colin looked at his sister "Stay with you? What is he saying Ali?"

"Um...Colin...Hannibal and I..." she stuttered. Just then her partner looked at her and realized. She didn't tell him, she didn't say anything. Living together, engagement, nothing. How would Colin even handle the news and accept coming to tgeir wedding as she wished? Hannibal would have to solve that by himself.

"Alice moved into my home." Hannibal Lecter said in a calm tone the schocking news.

The strap of his backpack fell on the floor, his eyes widened, the lips parted and the eyebrows furrowed. "You did what...?" He looked at his sister. "You did what?!"

"Colin, let me expl-"

"NADIRA!!"A strong male voice crashed from behind.

Colin's girlfriend, who was silent and tried to maintain neutral, suddenly lightened up and gave a huge smile, running towards a certain direction, as she hugged a tall man that lifted her up from the ground and spinned her around.

"I can't believe you did this! What are you thinking?! Alice this man-" Colin continued irritated.

"I'm still here." Hannibal noted.

"I know." Colin growled angry as never. "He doesn't have good intentions!" He simply ignored the doctor.

"Colin, stop that-" Alice tried to contain the fight.

"Um, guys, can we have a break on the argument for a second?" Nadira came with a serene presence and tapped Colin's shoulder, who became instantly relaxed. Hannibal noticed the act, she indeed had an effect on the boy.

"Yeah, right." Her boyfriend muttered grumpy.

"Oh, my cousin arrived, I'd like for you to meet him." She said excited. "Come here!" She yelled chuckling.

The moment passed in slow motion as the man approached.

The shiny eyes, the friendly smile, and the casual posture, with the hands buried in his pocket and the dark smooth skin shining by the sun. The large chest along with his arms, twice her size and yet humble, kind.

"Taye?"