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Jean-Baptiste Greuze
1765
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IT WAS at that grey sky day that destiny decided to play a cruel game in order to make two people meet again. To make him bump into her again. "Sorry...-wait, Alice?" His charming smile met her sight.

"...Taye?" She asked surprised. What was the last time she has seen him? Right, when Colin left. That thought just made her even more upset. Her brother didn't appear, didn't give any news, didn't even call on her birthday. That was it, he had forgotten her, forever. "What are you doing here?"

He standed his arms, showing the place they were: the expensive supermarket with fresh products on the beige to white shelves and minucious lightning. "Buying cereal?"

She gave a half smile. He couldn't help but notice she was a bit more...uncolored than the last time he saw her. "Right, I forgot you shop here."

"Is it bad that we bump into each other like this?" He spoke playfully, lifting one of his eyebrows. "Should we un-bump?" Alice sniffed finding him funny as always.

"No...it's alright, I guess." She looked down at the cast she carried, some red fruits for the ice cream Hanninal planned to make to her, a way to lift up her mood. Alice's eyes softned, moving to Taye's shiny ones for a second. "Is-"

"Nadira said they are doing good." Taye could understand it at once just by her expression. Alice nodded quietly, unable not to show her sadness. "But I think he misses you...y'know?"

She gave a bitter smile shaking her head. "I wish that was true. But it isn't. Colin hates me."

"Ah, come on, he can't really hate you." He tried to change her mind. "I'm sure it's just a misunderstandment."

"You are just being nice...I should've told him...I...I only wanted things to work out first, you know? No one was supposed to know about me and Hannibal that way." Taye nodded quietly. Alice gave a weak smile. "You must think I'm a terrible sister."

"No, no." He waved with his hands. "Seriously, from what Colin told us, you were not just a sister, you were a mother to him." He said sweetly, Alice tried to feel better by remembering the past, caught herself missing the feel of having baby Colin in her arms, listen to him pronounce 'bwee!' as his first word, she remembered how she felt at the time, offended by not being her name instead, but also so mesmerized and blessed to hear him speak. She almost cried. "Fights happen, but family is forever." Taye touched her shoulder, Alice smiled to him.

He was kind, maybe similar to her in some way. A very tall, handsome man who cared about his cousin as his own sister. That was Taye Caddel.

"You never told me about you and Nadira. How you became so close." Alice said as they headed to the cashier. "If it doesn't bother you, of-"

"I love that story, actually." He smirked, making her feel more comfortable. "My parents died when I was 11. So my uncle raised me with his wife, in the meantime, when I reached 17, they had a daughter." He explained.

"Nadira." Alice guessed, he nodded, while paying the freckled cashier who attempted to ignore their conversation and just get his work done as soon as possible.

"When I turned 18 I didn't go to college. I decided to help them financially and work in whatever way I could. What I still do, but now with a real stable job." He continued. "So, I was always next to her, talking, playing, raising. We grew up pretty much as siblings, and that's what she is for me."

Alice grabbed the products and put them in her echo bag. His story indeed was the sweetest, and just showed the strong bond he had with Nadira.

"She's lucky to have you." Alice said, heading to leave.

"He's also lucky to have you..." Taye wouldn't let the opportunity go. "...Colin."

"I think he is the one who brought luck into my life." She said briefly.

"I understand what you mean." He nodded.

She met his shiny eyes for a second. It was nice being heard, understood by someone else. Don't get her wrong, she loved how Hannibal managed to read through all her small lines and comfort her as nobody else, but sometimes, all she needed was a step back from the drama or the passion, to only have someone simple, and...average, to listen to her. A friend.

"I should go." Alice returned to reality.

"Yeah, sure. Me too." He replied, realizing it was time to let her go. Alice turned to leave, when he stopped her with his voice. "Hey, Alice." She turned around. "If you ever need to talk, I'm still having pottery classes downtown."

She almost sighed realizing how good that could be, but quickly vanished away the idea. Hannibal wouldn't like it. And she didn't want to feed Taye's hopes, she only could see him as a friend, and that's all. "Are you doing better vases now?" She joked.

He grinned charmingly. "Depends on your point of view." Alice chuckled.

"Good-bye, Taye."

"Good-bye, Alice."

▫️

"So, if I understood correctely..." Alice Mallory positioned the tools the host was going to use, as her eyes did not drift away from the curly haired guest at the dining room. "...Freddie Lounds disappeared. And Will was giving her interviews." She blinked trying to take it in. "Is Jack-"

"Freddie must have more enemies out there. Jack Crawford is making suppositions, theories." Hannibal replied, as Will walked into the living room.

The agent observed the couple. They looked good together, almost connected as one. Alice could guess what Hannibal asked for when he was cooking, or what he would need afterwards, while he instructed her patiently, wearing a white apron tied around his waist, sometimes holding her hands to apply more strentgh into her acts.

"Thank you for providing the ingredients, Will." Hannibal said with that subtle quick smile of his. "Don't worry, Alice and I can take care of this. Darling-"

"Chop the carrots." She guessed, he smiled even brighter, almost sighing. "Oui, chef."

"You make a great team." Will complimented feeling jealous. Alice ignored.

Hannibal smirked "We do, don't we?"

▫️

Hannibal could feel Will's tension as he observed the dish he prepared, specially the meat he brought, now meticulously served in front of him. In the doctor's mind mind, he believed him, believed that Will Graham had killed Freddie Lounds. And brought her meat there, to do much worse.

The agent faced the dish, conflicted. "Is it good?" Alice questioned, realizing he hasn't eaten yet. He met her gaze. "The food."

Hannibal also looked at him, almost intimidating, waiting for him to give a proper response. The air was heavy, the atmosphere shifting and pressuring, as he observed the two friendly faces staring, waiting for him. One oblivious, the other too wise on the subject. The fork's metal glistened with the light and slowly directed itself, towards his mouth, leading a part of the meat, that as soon as it reached inside, melt into his tongue. It was done.

"Yes." He simply replied, his expression was cold, serious.

"The meat has an interesting flavour." Hannibal savored the food and its' details. "It's brazing. Notes of citrus."

"My palate isn't as refined as yours." Will replied.

"Apart from humane considerations, it's more flavourful for animals to be stress-free prior to slaughter." The doctor established cautiously, guessing why it tasted that way. "This animal tastes frightened."

"Can you really taste what 'frightned' is like?" Alice asked confused, but also horrified.

"It's acidic. The meat is bitter about being dead." He answered her question, slowly lifting the fork with a piece of meat towards her. "Would you like to prove it, darling?"

Will and him met glances. The agent tense, but still keeping his disguised expression, the doctor calm, serene as always.

"Your cooking is fantastic, but you know I must refuse. Thanks." She said with a smile, turning her gaze back to the tomatoes on her plate. Will almost sighed in relief.

"This meat is not pork." Hannibal said with a smirk. Will and him spoke in an inaudible language. Human meat. That, in their mouths, were the remaining parts of Freddie Lounds' dead body. Hannibal almost couldn't contain his excitement, indeed he was just like him. The situation could only have been better if Alice joined him into that cursed diet, but that was good for now. He could just watch Will succumb and savor the forbidden.

"You can't reduce me to... a set of influences." Will spoke to his doctor. "I'm not the product of anything. I've given up good and evil for behaviourism."

That was it, she knew it. They were about to start those deep, confusing conversations like they always did. Sometimes she'd just watch, oblivious, giving up on trying to understand their metaphors.

"Then you can't say that I'm evil." Hannibal said subtly. Will couldn't say what he really wanted, due to Alice's presence. "Perphaps you think I'm destructive."

"Yes."

Alice was about to say something, Hannibal delicately held her hand beneath the table, as a sign to show that it was fine, a part of the treatment.

"Is all evil destructive?" Hannibal spoke as a philosopher "storms are evil, if it's that simple. And we have fire, and then there's hail." He exampled to him. "Underwriters lump it all under Acts of God". The agent didn't take his eyes from him. "Is this meat an act of God, Will?"

A solid silenced pause took over them. Whatever happened, Alice couldn't understand, and somehow, in the depths of her mind, Freddie Lounds' voice echoed "Will couldn't beat him, so he joined him." It shaked her head. That was ridiculous. They were just drunk, probably it.

"Well, every living being is a gift by God." Alice said with a light smile, both Hannibal and Will softned at her sight. So sweet, so innocent. They simply adored her. "Now, if you killed it..." She made a grumpy face. "..don't waste it."

"She is correct." Hannibal smoothly said, resting his hand above his fiancé's thigh and caressing it gently. "Don't waste this Act of God, Will. Savor it."

▫️

The knocks on the door were shy, polite, maybe fearing that somebody else was there. But calmly, a friendly face appeared, with a caring expression. "Lissy, darling." Hannibal smiled. "I expected to see you later."

"I just came to bring your lunch...is it a bad time?" She said already regretting to interrupt his work. She knew how therapy sessions could be intense and demanded Hannibal's full attention.

"Not at all, actually, it is a great timing even." He said politely, letting her in and closing the door.

When Alice stepped into the calm office, she could feel a strong and tense energy consume her, as well as the talking of two voices "So you used me." A male familiar voice said.

"Don't act as if you didn't do the same." A feminine one replied. "Sometimes I could swear you didn't even see my face in front of you." She didn't seem bothered at all, almost laughed actually, Alice stepped forward, as the figured revealed itself in the center of the office, one standing, with their arms crossed, the other serene, sitting on the usual patient's chair. "And you mumbled her name in your sleep."

The conversation was interrupted when someone cleared their throat. It was Hannibal, just by Alice's side. "I'm sorry, my fiancé just brough me lunch. Are any of you hungry?" He questioned, as if there was no big deal in the situation.

Will Graham's jaw almost dropped on the floor, he seemed terrified by Alice appearing at that delicate moment. While Margot Verger was also a bit surprised, but not affected overall, she felt victorious, after all, she had finally obtained what she wanted. A heir.

Alice let the food on the doctor's desk. "I'm sorry, I'm leaving now." She whispered, lowering her head, walking fastly torwards the door.

"Margot, Alice is Will's long time friend, do I have your permission?" Hannibal said softly, before she could leave.

"Sure." The woman replied unbothered.

"Alice dear, please congratulate them." Hannibal smiled satisfied, guiding Alice to face the patients again. "Margot and Will are expecting a child."

Alice Mallory couldn't describe the sensation inside her chest, or how her lips parted in surprise, the body froze, as Will's eyes locked with hers in a magnetic process that longed ages in their minds. She wanted to tell herself he didn't mean a thing, that what they felt shouldn't affect her. And yet her soul ached with the jubilant news.

"...A...child..?" She mumbled still oblivious, finally able to glance at Margot, who nodded confirming. "That's...that is..." Her voice failed. She felt weak, her knees trembled, the breath escaped her lungs.

"Marvelous, isn't it?" Hannibal smiled. He knew how Alice felt. Knew that this would make her feelings eventually die. Will wouldn't marry Margot, since she had no affection towards him, but Alice didn't know that. And Hannibal would certainly not inform her either.

"...yes." She nodded. 'Be happy for him', she told herself. 'He is going to be a father, he's expecting his own son. This should be great. You should be happy for him.' Alice Mallory's kind nature took over again. A smile painfully crossed her lips, swallowing down any feelings or protests. A child, a blessing, she told herself. "That is surely great news." She said in a happy note. "Congratulations!" She clapped her hands, Margot found the gesture adorable. "Um...I must go now. It was nice seeing you both, congratulations again!"

"Alice, darling, what about lunch?" Hannibal touched her arm. Her body shivered. If she stayed there any longer she'd breakdown.

"I'm not hungry, I've got some paintings to finish too. Enjoy it you all! See you at home." She kissed softly his cheek and vanished away, exhaling heavily once she reached the door.

Once she reached the busy streets, she finally let her pain be released in the form of tears.

▫️

Alice Mallory couldn't paint anything. Her thoughts were elsewhere, stuck at hushed baby footsteps towards a bearded father with the softest hair curls and a smiling elegant mother with deep shiny eyes. God, their child would be so beautiful.

Set the brushes aside, and avoided to use the ink he had presented her. Played some songs at the vintage record in the living room, but it didn't help her calm her nerves at all.

Her tension was only broken when she heard his shoes entering the hall, setting the coat aside, smelling like the cold winter from outside. "Lissy?" Hannibal's soft voice echoed through the manor, as he entered the living room, finding her sad mess. "Oh, darling..."

"You're back." She tried to smile and not trouble him. "How was at work?"

"You know how it was." He sat by her side, setting one of his arms around her, feeling the coldness of her body even with the heater on. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because Will is going to be a father." He said directely, Hannibal met her scared gaze.

"He's not my ex or anything." She shaked her head.

"But he was important to you."

"I mean, he made me feel like this in the past, didn't he? But even as friends...watching him have a family after his attempts just recently...feels weird." Alice spit everything out of her chest, as if she was Hannibal's patient again. Just then she realized. "Sorry...I-"

"It's alright. Let it out." He said softly, kissing her head. "It isn't healthy to keep this to yourself. Speak."

Alice took a deep breath. In the sofa of that lightned cozy living room with the fireplace burning endlessly, she confessed to him, confessed as if she took a huge rock out of her chest.

"Will always said he didn't wish to be a father. At least not a biological one." She said.

"Why not?"

"He feared to pass these...abilities of his to them. I don't believe in such a thing but...that's the way he always thought...well, I guess until now." She sighed.

"He may not have planned to have a child now."

"You mean it could've been an accident?" She asked, Hannibal tilted his head. "Yeah, maybe, it could've been."

"Why does the idea of him having a child upset you so much?" Hannibal asked. "Besides what you've told me."

She licked her lips, restibg her hands at her lap in a nervous gesture. "Promise me you won't feel...awakward, when I say this? It's kind of stupid."

He feared she would admit she wanted to have kids with will. That was it. He would lose it. "I promise."

"I...I've always wanted to have a kid first." She frowned her eyebrows. "When we talked about this in college we made this...ridiculous bet that I'd have a kid first. I-I wanted it happen." She looked at Hannibal feeling pathetic. "I love children, you know that- but"

"But Will had a kid first. You feel as if he cheated on you."

"It feels like he moved on." She squinted her eyes frustrated. "Like I'm stuck on the past whenever I look at him, but the moment I turn my back he can go on however he likes, while I struggle with it everyday." She looked into Hannibal's eyes. "Like with my father."

"A step into the future."

"A weird step, but a step." She blinked twice. "Luckily the nurses thought the oxygen mask fell by an accident."

"I told you not to worry about it." He said as a perfect partner in crime.

"But it still feels...odd to know that he died...and I just watched it." She rubbed her sweaty palms on her brown pants. "So yeah, that's pretty much it. I'm learning to deal with my ghosts now, and that applies to Will. Feels like everybody moved on and I'm still stuck there, at the same spot, the same Alice from 10 years ago. Who hoped to gather Bree, Colin, Katia and Will all around her table for breakfest." She let it out with sadness. "Who hoped of being an artist, marrying and having a perfect family, a kid or more." She shaked her head and gave a bittersweet smile. "But I'm 33 and still crying."

"That isn't true." Hannibal finally interrupted, grabbing delicately her hands into his large ones, ice against warmness, bringing her attention towards him. "You're 33 and now setting yourself free from the scars of the past. Let this be a lesson for you, a way to finally let another part go."

"Let Will go." She whispered. He nodded slowly.

"Some people are not here as you expected. We can't command the future. But that doesn't mean that what you aim for can't be achieved." He pulled a strand of her hair behind her ear, looking tenderly at her eyes and flushed cheeks. "You will become the artist you dream to be, in my eyes, you already are one." Alice suspended her breath by how kind he was. "You want to marry? Well..." he chuckled, showing the ring on her hand. "...I guess we're already working on it." She squeezed his hand back smiling. "About kids..."

"I know, it's too soon to speak about that, you must think I'm crazy-"

"Yes." She looked at him offended. "Not the crazy part." He smiled as he saw her relieved. "About...having a child with you." Alice didn't know what to say, her eyes sparkled against his. As if a magnetic energy surrounded their figures and a cold but exciting feeling took over her chest. "I didn't share these values before...maybe you changed that in me. When you used to walk into that office so passioned about raising Colin...or when we developed that strong bond we both seemed to share with Abigail...it felt very close to-"

"...a family." She completeded, fascinated with him.

"Yes." He spoke softly. "And I...enjoyed that. To raise someone of our own and watch them grow, to guide and teach them..." She seemed mesmerized with his words. "I can almost see the hearts in your eyes." He teased as she blinked, back to reality, blushing. "You share the same idea as me."

"I...Well, yes." She felt her cheeks burn, he kissed softly her hands, tickling her skin with the contact of lips on it. "You have no idea how happy that makes me feel..." She giggled embarrassed. "Can we talk more about this? I mean, if it's not too much-"

"I'd love to." He said softly, Alice almost screamed excited, pushing his back to the sofa and lying next to him. He couldn't stop laughing, she was so...thrilled as never before. She snuggled into his chest, as he embraced his arms around her, smelling her sweet aroma. "Mhm...will I even be able to speak properly if you keep me like this?"

"Should I let you go?" She looked at him.

"Never" He pulled her closer with an adorable smile.

She absorved the wamrness of his chest and the soft fabric of his shirt. "How many would you like?"

"What?"

"Kids."

"Oh...well.." He thought for a moment. "Maybe one."

"Just one?" She looked at him frustrated, furrowing her eyebrows. Hannibal was frightened.

"Um, is it bad? How many do you want?"

She gave a laugh that almost seemed wicked, his body shivered. That woman was indeed unpredictable. "Some."

"That isn't a number."

"Okay, minimum of two. Maximum...I don't know."

"Two?"

"Is it a problem?"

He reminded himself of his sister and him. Two, well, two wasn't bad. At least they'd have company, someone to care for them. "No...two is a good number." Alice smiled.

"Now, boy or girl?" She questioned.

"Girl." He replied right away

"You look like a dad who loves to spoil a kid."

"Guilty." He admited with a smile, Alice chuckled.

She could imagine it, Hannibal with a daughter that he treated as a little princess, filling her closets with expensive clothes and cooking for her. God, the thoughts just made her want to marry him as soon as possible.

"And you?" He asked.

"I'd like to have both. I already have experiences with boys though."

"You're right...well, whatever they turn out to be, I'm sure you'd make a great mother. The best." He kissed her forehead.

"And you'd the best father...and husband." She added sweetly, pulling his close and meeting their lips, showing all the love she had for him. "I can't wait to marry you."

"You took the words from my mouth." He said hipnotized by that woman.

"God, our children will be so adorable." She said in a thin high pitched tone fangirling. He couldn't stop laughing. "Do you think they'll turn outsmart like you?"

"Or talented as you." he complimented, giving a quick peck at her nose, she squinted her eyes.

"What would you call her?" Alice asked suddenly. "Our daughter?"

He took a moment to answer, but already knew it. "Mischa." Alice caressed his cheek. She knew how sensitive Hannibal was about that subject, but admired the love he had for his beloved sister. "And you?"

"I like Mischa too." She said, he involuntairily smiled, feeling some water in his eyes. "We'll be such a great family, Mr.Lecter." She smirked, Hannibal chuckled.

"I agree, Mrs.Lecter." He knew she adored to be addressed that way. "And thank you. For opening up with me."

"Thanks for always listening." She sighed. "That's how we started after all, isn't it? You listening, while I talked. Our dynamic."

"Our perfect dynamic." He said as she snuggled and closed his eyes.

"Some people say that after marriage and kids, their love grows cold." Alice established. "Let's not do this." She looked into his hazel jewels. "Let's be us, no matter how much time or whatever that happens. Okay?"

"Okay." He said sofly, kissing her forehead.

"Mhm...can we take a nap here?"

"I should clean up the house but...how can I say no to this?" Alice chuckled. "A nap wouldn't hurt."

"Close your eyes at the same time and meet me in my dreams." She played, gripping her hands onto his shirt, closing her eyes in that ragile, soft expression that resembled an angel's.

"I'll be waiting for you." He continued staring at her as she slowly fell asleep. "I'm always waiting for you."

Before Alice could sleep, the cell phone suddenly rang. It was from Jack Crawford. When Hannibal turned off the phone, he turned to Alice, cautiously thinking of what to say not to frighten her.

"It was from the FBI." He muttered as she woke up, realizing he seemed serious now. "They have found Freddie Lounds'...as a burned skeleton."

▫️

The wind hushed, and the airs of Virginia always had that cold welcoming atmosphere towards her, she was used to it though. Maybe going to his house was already something usual to her as well. She gripped tight to the package on her hands, the knuckles becoming white as she mentally rehearsed her speech to sound friendly and kind enough.

She was about to knock on the door when it just swung open. The eyes abruptely meeting into the white scenario of the frontdoor step.

"Alice?" Will Graham asked surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Suddenly the well prepared scrumbled inside her mind and vanished away. "I...um...I...uh..."She mumbled as a zombie.

"You...?" He furrowed those charming eyebrows, the hair messed up, the clothes just a blue sweaty T-shirt and pants.

"I..." She abruptely standed her box, slamming it against his chest. "Congrats." She looked down at the floor embarrassed.

Will carefully took the box, as he tried to ignore his heart fluttering by just brushing his fingers against hers and slowly opened the package. "Ali..." He muttered surprised.

The content of the package was a small pair of white baby shoes. Something she seemed to have carefully picked up with caring. That fact that she gave that gift to him hurt him, and badly. And he knew that it hurt her as well.

"I...I don't even know what to say." He shaked his head.

"Margot seems like a nice person. I'm very happy for you." She nodded. "Really."

"Really?" He seemed a bit disappointed to hear that, expecting a different answer.

"Yeah." She held her hands behind her back, squeezing them a bit by the tension. "Funny how you turned out to have a kid first." She tried to laugh.

"We made a bet that you'd be the first." He recalled.

"Yeah..."She sighed. "Destiny is...unpredictable."

"Sure is." He nodded silent. God, that was crushing her heart and he knew that. If there was someone who wanted a child was Alice, and back then, when they made that bet, he knew they pictured that future together. Now everything was gone. "Ali-"

"Let me be the godmother!" She chuckled with a bright smile while she bleeded inside.

He tried to smile. "Wouldn't think of anyone else for it." He looked into her eyes, the woman he loved, that he would risk himself for, walk through fire for. Now he could only watch her life with him slip through his fingers, loosing her to that devil.

Was Hannibal right? Did him, Will, have Hannibal's same feelings inside him? Would he, if he also had the opportunity, never let Alice go just as him?

"Wait here. Want you to have something." Will instructed, as he went into the house, looking for the gift. He returned a while later, Alice widened her eyes horrified. "If you're afraid of anyone..."He held her hands softly, subtly giving the present to her, leaning to whisper at her ear. "...don't be afraid to use it." He stepped back, as she watched shocked the cold and black metal gun in her hands. "Takes 9 mm bullets. Buy a box, practice." He whispered in an intense gaze, almost as if he trusted his life in her hands.

"Will, what? No-"

"Keep it." He held her hands tight, Alice shivered.

"...you're acting weird..." She muttered slightly scared. "...You know what people are saying? About Freddie? That you..."She gulped in fear "...killed her..."

Will didn't reply, his face continued serious as a stone. And his silence paralyzed her.

Before she could say anything else, he turned her back at her and entered his home. Closing the door and letting Alice there, in the white snow, holding a weapon she barely knew how to use, and neither wanted to, in her hands.

How was she supposed to be normal when her life was always brought back to this torturing and confusing future?

She was sure of something: when she'd return home, that gun would be hidden, along with the painting she had of that lake a decade ago. A secret that she afforded to keep and never dig up.

▫️

"Should I take more clay or do you intend to keep your hands clean?"

Taye's voice was like a remedy. Therapeautical without even trying to, and his expressions, his mannerisms managed to make someone very comfortable in his presence. He was good with public, a natural extrovert, charming effortlessly. Which that's why he was so easy to open up with.

"Hands clean. I don't want to smell like clay before heading home." She gave a half smile, as he grabbed a bench to sit by her side, they were in the back of the calm workshop of pottery class. She seeked for him a day after Will's 'gift'. Alice just needed someone who would take in her speech without picking any sides. Even if that person didn't understand shit of what was happening.

"Why? Afraid someone gonna smell you?" He laughed.

"And guess exactly where I came from, yes." Alice let it out, Taye almost let his smile drop. "Anyway...I have some...stuff, well, a whole baggage, and I thought-"

"Shhh." He tapped her shoulder. "Just let it out. I'm all ears."

Of course, admitting that your ex crush is becoming a father, that you brought him a pair of baby shoes and in exchange gained a gun wasn't easy. But Taye listened to it serious, silent, as if it was an important matter that he truly cared about.

"Well that was...intense." He lifted his eyebrows taking it in. "The baby shoes were sweet of you though."

"Thanks."

"Can't say the same about the gun...well, some people see guns as cute things. Maybe he meant it like that?"

"Doesn't really suit him."

"But like, he believes you're under a threat or something?"

Alice stopped. What threat? The only threat Will ever feared was...Hannibal. but they were on the same page now, weren't they? What else could he be warning her for? Maybe Freddie Lounds? No, she was dead. They even found her body burned in a wheelchair. No, there was something, something bigger happening. And that thought frightned her.

"I...don't know." She shaked her head. "Alana Bloom said he went to Freddie's funeral...he was also very...strange, quiet."

"A killer who comes back to the crime scene?" Taye furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you sure?"

"Maybe, I don't know." She shaked her head. "I wasn't there at the funeral to be certain of it."

"Why?"

"Hannibal said that funerals are not good to me. They made me feel...vulnerable." Taye didn't want to say he was opposed to that idea, so he just let her talk. "God...I can't believe Freddie is gone..."She lowered her head with sadness.

"Were you friends?"

"Not really...I guess." She tilted her head and gave a weak half smile. "I don't know, it was complicated...but I can't help but feel sad for such a tragic ending as this."

"I'm sure she is in a better place now." He spoke considerately.

"I hope so. But yeah...I think that deep inside she was a good person."

"You know, my mother used to say that when we feel sad about something, we should speak out in some way. Through...writting, talking, dancing, whatever." He guided her hands to the clay that spinned. "Or a vase."

"I'm afraid I might ruin this." She made a face. "All I seem to do nowadays is just...ruin everything."

"Alice." He looked at her, his fingertips touched the brown clay. "Just cause everything is hard, doesn't mean it's your fault."

"And whose fault is it? She frowned her eyebrows frustrated.

He looked at her for a moment, thinking deeply for a second, trying to find a way to ease her soul.

"Maybe you need to take a pause and looked around. Step out of the bubble and see what's making you feel bad."

"How do I do that?"

"That..."He tilted his head and let her create a shape in the sculpture by herself. "Is something you need to find out by yourself." They both looked at her hands on the clay. "Sometimes, all we need is a break."

"A break?"

"Once, in my life, everytgung happened as a tsunami." He explained. "I lost my job, my girlfriend, I had debts to pay. It was all very...suffocating." He made a pause. "That's when I just left everything. Left everyone behind and took a travel on my own to Jamaica."

"Jamaica?"

"It's a fascinating country." He smiled.

"I get it, but.... didn't you miss everyone? Weren't you worried, how-"

"It was a moment where I could finally be myself and myself only. There was just me and the quietness of a small rented shack in Port Antonio."

Alice absorved Taye's words for a moment. "And how was it? When you came back?"

"I had courage to overcome all my fears. To find a solution for my problems. All I needed was to let everything aside and take care of my head. Of my thoughts and that anxiety inside of me." He gave a half smile. "And it worked out"

She looked down, admiring his courage to do something like that and become successful now. "I'm not sure if I could do that."

"You'll never know until you try."

"But.."She mumbled, thinking for a moment. "I've never been on my own, I just...I just took care of-"

"Everyone?" He guessed with a smirk. "See? That's what I'm talking about. Allow yourself to be selfish, Alice. Trust me. It's not so bad."

"But if I did that, I'd have to distance myself from everyone, you, Colin, Will and-" Her sight paralyzed, the hands becane rigid on the clay.

"And Hannibal."

Leave Hannibal? Take a break? How could she do something like that? She couldn't just let him go...

"How long did it take?"

"It doesn't matter." He shaked his head. "Each one has their own time. You'll know yours."

"But if I stay away for too long...what...what if he..."Her breath trembled, her heart ached in fear. "I don't know if I can handle the way I am now Taye. But I also couldn't handle if I let him go." She looked at her friend helpless. "What if he doesn't wait for me?"

"Well, if he doesn't, Alice..." He sighed, watching as the shape spinned around. "Then you have already found out one of your problems."

She silenced herself fot a moment, letting his woords take in.

"Look, if you make up your mind...." He took a card from his pocket. "This is the same travelling agent I had when I decided to make my trip. He can give you a good price with my recommendation."

Alice held the shiny card on her hands, feeling it heavier than it should be, all because of her anxiety. "Thank you..."

"Now, let's make this vase." Taye smiled and clapped his hands.

▫️

She had promised not to keep secrets from Hannibal. She didn't want to, of course. But what choice did she have? She couldn't just tell that she was meeting up with Taye. Hannibal would freak out.

But Alice Mallory was naïve.

"Hello, darling." He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

Her smell.

A mix of clay and a fresh aftershave mixed with a citric tone. He had smelled something like that before once, from an actor he did not wish to see ever again:

Taye Caddel.

"What have you done today?" He muttered, attempting to keep a discrete posture, waiting for her response.

"Not much, just passed by some stores." She shaked her head. Lies, again. "I'm a bit tired, I'll go sleep in my bedroom, is it okay?"

She wished to be alone. Something  definetely happened.

"No problem. If you need anything, just call me." He kissed her forehead. She still smelled like that man. He hated that. "Take a bath before sleeping, it'll help you relax."

"Sure will." She nodded and headed upstairs.

He would find out what she was hiding, wanting it or not. Once she turned her back, Hannibal looked at the card he removed/stole from her pocket without her knowledge. A travelling agency? Alice never mentioned she wanted to travel somewhere.

He would have to search about that. Something about that situation seemed even more auspicious than it appeared to be.

▫️

Embraced into a peaceful sleep, wrapped around her sweet dreams escapoing from reality, Alice Mallory couldn't preview the horrifying future that came ahead. Specially, when the artificial light of a flashlight glistened into her room, scanning behind her wardrobe.

A new painting. A very well hidden canvas behind her wadrobe. Should be something exciting. Why didn't she share it? The doctor watched the object, which couldn't be very well seen by the darkness. He had to take it off from the wardrobe to see it, from where it was, he could only spot Alice's signature and the name of the piece.

Kingman's Lake.

Hannibal carefully slid his hands through the brief spaces to remove the content out of its' spot. He left the room with the canvas, reaching the kitchen and turning oj the lights.

The painting was now on the dining table, as he leaned forwrd, watching all the details he could catch from it: romantic figures embraced to one another. Even being just figures, he could have a hint of the curls of the man.

He quickly grabbed his phone and searched the location's name, especially where it was:

Washington.

He connected the dots and stared at the art, feeling his blood boil and that evil, possessive and obssessive side inside him scream at the top of their lungs.

She had painted Will Graham.

▫️

"What do you know about Kingman's Lake?" Hannibal suddenly questioned in a session.

Will adjusted himself in his seat, trying to keep a neutral expression so he couldn't read his mind. "It's a lake in Washington. Why?"

"You studied in Washington, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Did you go to this lake?"

Will took a second to reply.

"Yes."

"This lake prohibits swimming." Hannibal said with a serene expression, a contrast of what he truly felt.

"I never told you I swimmed there." Will caught the doctor in his games. Hannibal gave a playful smile.

"Did you?"

"I did."

"Alone?"

"Why the sudden interest?"

Hannibal leaned a bit further in his chair. "You tell me much things, but your time in college is still a mistery Will." He said softly. "Why don't we talk about this?"

"About a lake?"

"We can talk about this lake for today."

"You seem very interested in it."

"Aren't you?"

"Not enough to share."

"Did your colleagues join you in the lake?"

"Sometimes. After finals."

A flash popped into Hannibal's mind suddenly "I used to do this with my friends in college when exams were over, sometimes we'd jump into a lake too." The same Alice said in that cold snowy night by the bridge theu kissed.

"...Was Alice between them?" He hesitated to ask.

Will knew what he meant, and perphaps that was the perfect opportunity to finally hurt that doctor. After all, Alice clearly was his weakness.

"Yes. Always. It was her idea after all." Will said, watching Hannibal subtly clench his jaw.

"So you'd sneak into the night and swim at the lake."

"Mostly."

"Have you ever went there alone?"

Will grinned, oh, he was going to enjoy this. "I was never alone. Alice was with me."

"Just the 2 of you?"

"Once." He nodded. "Do you want me to describe it?"

"If you feel comfortable enough."

"It is the most comfortable memory in my head, doc." He smirked, resting his back at the chair. "It was the end of my senior year, I was gradutaing in a month, but was very stressed with finals. She decided that we should celebrate instead of bad about it. So we headed to the lake, and watched the stars from the grass." He remembered it like it was yesterday. "It was very cold, but she insisted on swimming anyway, you know...when she puts an idea in her mind-"

"No one can change it." They both said at the same time. Will and Hannibal exchanged glances.

"Yeah, pretty much." Will had to admit, the doctor knew her very well. "And this time..." Will chuckled. "She just went away with it, and when I realized." He glanced at the doctor, savoring his expressions. "She was naked and running into the water."

Hannibal was frozen. Will had that tiny sassy smile of his. How much he enjoyed to finally cause damage at that so well built construction that Hannibal was.

"She convinced me to join her, pratically shoved off my clothes out of the way and we got into that freezing water. The moon seemed twice its' size and brighter. There was nobody around. We used to always swim with clothes, so that was even more risky than before." He explained.

"So there were just the two of you." Hannibal reassured to himself again, unable not to imagine the scene.

"Yeah, and we splashed water into each other, laughed ..we were kinda drunk too." Will laughed. "It was fun." He simplified. "Alice had this bob haircut-"

"What else happened?" He suddenly interrupted him. Will noticed the doctor's fingers gripping onto the chair's arms. "Did you just splash water the whole time?"

Will crossed his arms, victoriously staring at him. "We used to chase after each other too. Like swimming and grabbing each other into our arms. Just young people palying around, you know?" He delightned to watch Hannibal struggle to keep himself calm.

"I understand."

"And, I got her into one of this moments...she was in my arms, it was probably 3 a.m...her eyes were more blue than before and..." Will sighed almost able to see her in front of him.

Hannibal waited for him to finish. "And?"

"And that's pretty much it." He changed the subject suddenly. "So, I've heard you're meeting Mason Verger."

"You didn't finish the story." Hannibal complained.

"It's just a story. Also not just mine." He hinted. "If you want the ending..." Will grinned like the devil. "...why don't you ask your fiancé about the ending?"

▫️

Mason Verger started to have some conversations with Hannibal, as a patient of his. Of course, no treatment would cure that man's mind, and if Margot's plan worked out, he'd be soon gone from his position as the Verger heir.

In one of his visits, Alice was unusually called by Hannibal to meet him, no reason appearently, and she just stayed a bit since he had appointments. She never went to his office at that hour, so when she walked off his office she could spot in a strange man at that waiting room. She had never met him before, and his eyes sparkled at her in a creepy, almost intimidating gaze.

"Hello." He greeted her, Alice replied politely. "Are you also a patient of Dr.Lecter?" He scanned her. His clothes seemed a bit expensive, the eyes were deep, and the dark hair was completely messed up at the top as a maniac.

"No, I'm his fiancé." She replied calmly. "Now if you excuse-"

"Mason Verger." He standed his hand. Unfortunetely, Alice Mallory saw the best in people. When she heard his name, her heart thought about the best intentions.

"Alice Mallory." She shaked the demon's hand. He smelled like pigs. "Wait...are you perphaps acquainted with Margot Verger?" She asked. The man lifted his eyebrows interested.

"I guess you've met my sister." He smiled creepily. "Hope she made a good impression."

"Margot ss a very polite woman." Alice said kindly. "Guess it runs in the family." She joked, Mason smirked, enjoying her presence.

"What can I say? The Vergers are very...unified"

"And the union will only becone stronger now, isn't it?" Alice smiled brightly. "A newcomer always turns relatives' hearts softer."

"A what?" Mason paralyzed.

"I meant the baby. Margot's baby." Alice Mallory had no idea of the mistake she had just committed. "You must be thrilled, aren't you? Congratulations." She touched his shoulder giving a gentle tap, Mason's body shivered.

The engines inside his brain spinned perfectely, now understanding his sister's strange behavior and her hidden intentions. He looked at the joyful brunette in fromt of him, what a useful girl.

"Yes. I am thrilled about it."

▫️

"Carlo, I don't think they had-" Mason Verger spot a figure filled with rage as he standed up on the plataform that protected them both from the hungry pigs beneath them.

Margot Verger had her uterus removed by her brother, stopping her from giving birth to a heir that could steal Mason's position.

The Verger looked into his curly haired oponent's eyes as he walked foward determined. "You must be the baby daddy." Will Graham stopped in front of the man. "Excuse me, if I don't offer you a cigar." Will's blood boiled. His only son, the son he didn't expect but now waited ancuously to come, now was dead, and he was there, facinf the baby's uncle and murderer  His sentence was interrupted by the precisive punch Will gave him on the nose, which bleeded now. But Mason wasn't affected, he tasted the liquid on his face, and madly continued "I'm gonna feed you to my pigs."

Before the heir could throw Will to that miserable destiny, the agent grabbed him by his shirt and pushed him against the edge of the plataform, just enough to almost give him as the food the animals seeked for.

"Who told you?" Will spoke through his teeth, he hit Mason's body against the edge again in a loud metal sound. "Who told you?!"

The man chuckled, not fearing his next step. "A beautiful naive woman at Dr.Lecter's office." Will furrowed his eyebrows at the revelation. "I believe she told me it was his fiancé...what was her name..." He tongue-clicked. "Alice!"

Will's hands trembled while holding the heir. Alice couldn't have done that on purpose. As Mason said, she probably let it out without even meaning to...she must've gone to visit Hannibal...

The doctor had used her again in order to punish him.

"Was she visitting him?" Will asked.

"Seemed like it. She's very talktive you know." He laughed. "Said that he called her that day to see her. Something like it." He rolled his eyes. "You could almost see her eyes sp-"

"Shut it." Will pressed Mason's body over the edge. "Do you think it was Margot's idea to have an heir? That it was Alice's idea to accidentally tell you? My idea to come here and kill you?" Will pulled Mason to the other side, safe from the edge, letting his body fall down on the floor. "The only thing, you, your sister, Alice and I have in common... is the same psychiatrist."

Mason stood up from the ground, but just when he turned around, he was surprised by the click of a cold metal gun against his forehead. He mocked laughing.

"If Dr. Lecter had his druthers..." Will muttered in a chilly breath while holding the weapon "...you'd be wrapped around a bullet right now." He uncocked the gun. "Dr. Lecter is the one you want to be feeding to your pigs."