This Fan fiction starts at the beginning of Episode 7(Sorbet): Season 1 of NBC's Hannibal.

Obviously and almost without saying none of the content is mine and belongs to both NBC's Hannibal and of course the fantastically talented Thomas Harris.

It's mostly introductory and perhaps I will write more if people seem interested. Thank you kindly for reading!

Chapter one

The Opera was one of the small things in life that brought Hannibal true peace. He was just a suit in a sea of well dressed men and women until the aria ended. Desperately unassuming. Making him equal parts dangerous and innocuous.

The singer that night had brought him to tears. Her voice was truly pure. She had cleansed his heavy heart with her ethereal rendition of Handel's Piangero la sorte mia.

So when Franklin interrupted with his rude friend Hannibal found his temper fray ever so slightly. Of course he hid it. He charmed his way with Franklin. He never once lost Mrs. Komeda's adulation. She was a women he found almost funny but she served a higher purpose. She kept him popular and important in her influential group of friends. She knew no one that wasn't either of note, highly educated, affluent, or beautiful. Hannibal noticed those characteristics usually overlapped as they did with himself. He was practically all of those things. Mrs. Komeda smiled politely as Hannibal did his best not to humiliate Franklin. Good God Franklin didn't make that easy. Neither did his ridiculous stand offish friend.

"You must leave something for us to discuss next time-" Hannibal begun in another futile attempt to lighten the tone Tobias had set but Mrs. Komeda unwittingly interrupted.

"Charlotte! Darling come here!" she demanded loudly in her trademark tone that sounded somewhere between endearment and scolding.

The young woman turned around swiftly. Her black dress swept around her and she smiled sweetly at Mrs. Komeda. Mrs. Komeda enveloped the young woman in her arms and air kissed her with great exaggeration.

"You," Mrs. Komeda begun with a coy smile. "You. There's nothing more to say is there. What is more to say?"

"Nothing apparently," Hannibal said and the girl glanced up with a smile.

"Hannibal i want you to meet miss Charlotte Claude," Mrs. Komeda said with a proud grasp of the girls hand. "Charlotte meet Doctor Hannibal Lecter."

She dipped her head to Hannibal and smiled at him. He returned the gesture.

He had recognised her immediately. Feline beauty with petite frame. The little Opera beauty he'd listened to less than half an hour earlier.

A great treasure hidden in a banal wrapper. He listened to her chatter with Mrs. Komeda and laugh at the woman's joke. Just another dull young thing with a beautiful voice. She wasn't special. She just had an ability that was rare and he supposed quietly to himself she was worth that at least.

Hannibal drank her in. Soft. Like swirling smoke. Her big brown eyes and soft curling brunette hair. Brown on brown yet anything but plain.

Natural beauty was a strong hand for her and he thought quietly if she was aware of that or not. She could move well in her own body. She moved fluidly and her soft skin illuminated against the black silk of her gown. That was a rare feat for young woman as usually he saw them unsure how their arms and legs were to move at the same time. Tottering in heels and thick makeup. She was chic he would give her that.

He caught her scent and studied it lightly.

Gentle dabs of perfume. Tom ford… Velvet Orchid. Interesting enough. Very expensive. Probably a gift.

He would have picked something french for her but he supposed he couldn't be correct all the time.

The scent almost lost interest to him till suddenly he caught an undertone. It smelt like open fields, cozy fires, babbling brooks, and… what was it?

Was it dog hair?

He unseeingly pressed his finger nails to his palm.

Will Graham.

Undeniable and indelible there was the scent mingled into her expensive perfume of his favourite FBI special agent.

"Your singing tonight was just amazing," Franklin interrupted.

Hannibal glanced up as he was jolted from his flowing thoughts, theories, and curiosities.

"Thank you," she said. A European accent licked her lilt and Hannibal's curiosity widened.

French. How would mall of America Will know somebody French?

"You're french?" Franklin asked brashly.

She gave an unsure smile. She nodded and Franklin beamed idiotically at her.

"Well bonjour welcome to America," he said and she blinked slightly.

"Um… Bonsoir… thank you that's very kind," she said with the same unsure smile.

Hannibal nodded and took the tone to excuse Franklin. He shook his hand and Tobias stalked away with Franklin like a lost puppy chasing behind.

"Who's hungry?" Hannibal asked.

Everyone laughed except Charlotte who merely smiled politely. Hannibal adored when people missed his subtle hints at his sins.

"Oh Charlotte Hannibal is just the most incredible chef," Mrs. Komeda informed and Charlotte nodded.

"Not to seem unoriginal but you were truly transcendent in your performance," Hannibal said and the girl blushed pink.

"She's still so shy!" Mrs. Komeda teased softly. "I found her in New York Hannibal and i said we have to have you because opera is dead in New York don't you know? It is Hannibal I swear! She is wasting her time! She should be here in our arms! She is going to be the biggest star Maryland has ever had."

"Please-"

"No!" Mrs. Komeda interrupted. "I know what your going to say! 'Oh Jillian stop just stop you're too kind!'; well my kindness is not so easily earned- anybody here will tell you that. You're fantastic and you earned your praise. There's a reason you're my favourite."

Hannibal raised a brow and Mrs. Komeda pouted at him with a narrow glare. "If you had a dinner party you'd be favourite again but you've lost it to this beautiful young woman," Mrs. Komeda said with mock nastiness.

"Well," hannibal said with usual soft charm. "I couldn't image a more deserving recipient of Jillian's favouritism Miss Claude."

She blushed once more. A voice interrupted her and she glanced sideward to an older man who looked very important who was beckoning her.

"I should attend to this," Charlotte murmured. "Doctor Lecter it was a pleasure to meet you."

Hannibal took her hand and kissed it and she blushed sweetly once more.

"Come see me before you leave. Promise me my little french flower," Mrs. Komeda cooed and kissed the girl on the cheek.

"Of course. I promise," Charlotte said and wondered to see the older man.

Hannibal didn't really listen for the rest of the evening. He simply keenly watched Charlotte Claude till he gauged she was leaving and he excused himself.

He swiftly rushed from the room to the valet and waited for his car.

He heard her heels clip on the grand stone stairs behind him and smirked quietly to himself.

"No i understand," her voice flowed softly. "No…. No… i do know!"

Hannibal glanced back to see charlotte frowning as an anonymous voice apologised profusely down the phone to her. He couldn't help but hope that it was Will.

"Of course," she said with a long exhale. "I know it's work. I'll catch a taxi to the apartment."

She begun to walk down the stairs, nodding and sighing as she went.

"Well i love you too," she said tiredly. "I know. Goodnight mon cherie."

She hung up and sighed softly.

"Hello," hannibal called. She jumped and glanced down the staircase to him.

"Oh hello Doctor Lecter," she said. "Are you waiting for your car?"

"Yes i am," he said with a smile. "May i be so bold to enquire how you intend to get home tonight?"

"Ah…" she sighed. "A taxi. I am afraid my boyfriend is not so reliable."

Hannibal waited and she shrugged.

"He's at work," she said with a weak smile.

"Do you have a phone number for a taxi service?" he asked.

"Yes i do," she said.

"Where do you live?" he asked.

"Cross Street, Baltimore," she said while stifling a small yawn.

"I live on Robin Avenue," he said with a smile. "That's two blocks from my home. Miss Claude would you like me to drive you home?"

She blinked a few times. "I would be imposing…"

The roar of his Bentley met her ears and she glanced up.

Her brows raised and she hesitated.

"It's a very nice car," she said quietly.

"I wouldn't offer to drive you if i weren't sincere," Hannibal said. "It would be rude to refuse."

She hesitated but agreed and followed him to his beautiful car. She slid in to the passenger seat and stretched on the soft leather.

"This is a nice car," she murmured softly to herself. "This is amazing."

Hannibal smirked once more.

She smiled up at him and bit her lip.

"Thank you Doctor Lecter," she said and he smiled at her.

"Pleasure Miss Claude. Any friend of Jillian's is a friend of mine."

The car rolled forward and she settled deeper into the seat.

"Is your boyfriend usually this unreliable?" Hannibal asked in a leading manner and she sighed.

"It is work," she murmured. "He's important I suppose."

"What does he do?"

"He's a teacher," she said with a small proud smile. "But he is also special consultant for the FBI on occasion. He's very talented at this kind of thing."

Hannibal paused. It was Will. He couldn't have been given a more perfect opportunity to get close to Will if he'd tried. He'd simply ask her.

"Is your boyfriends name Will Graham?" Hannibal asked.

She glanced up and blinked. The realisation rushed her eyes and she pressed her hand to forehead.

"You're Doctor Hannibal Lecter," she said with a long sigh. "Oh how could i…. Will's told me all about you!"

"I doubt it's been particularly flattering," he chuckled.

"It's more than anything he's said about me to you," she said with a knowing jutted brow.

Hannibal nodded and she smiled softly.

"He's a private person," Hannibal agreed. "How long have you been seeing one another romantically?"

"Two years or so," she murmured. "We dated very soon after i arrived from New York. He's very complimentary about you. He says you're one of the only psychiatrists he has ever met that doesn't have designs on him."

"Will's mental conditions hold no lustre to me," Hannibal agreed. A lie. He was fascinated. "He is simply a very engaging man."

"Thank you," she said and hannibal glanced at her.

"For what miss Claude?"

"For seeing him," she said. "And his pains and struggles as well as his strengths. I do think you could really help him."

"Do you find him difficult?" Hannibal asked and she shook her head.

"No i just worry," she said softly. "Especially about Jack's… attitudes to Will. I don't want Will to break."

Hannibal nodded as they rolled down her street.

"It's this one.. on the left… number 11," she gestured at a quartered turn of the century building. Pre war. Beautiful.

"Fantastic taste," hannibal commented and she chuckled lightly.

"Hardly i am afraid this is further kindness of Mrs. Komeda," Charlotte admitted. "It's her husbands property. I spend most my time in Wolf Trap."

"Maybe we can drive up together in future," Hannibal suggested casually. She smiled sweetly and nodded.

She continued to smile as he exited the car and opened the passenger door. She took his hand and he walked her to the doorway of her home.

"You're a perfect gentleman," she said a glitter crossing her gaze. That lovely accent caressing her words.

Hannibal smiled and dipped his head. "I'm just making sure you get home safe. Baltimore hasn't been the safest place of late."

"Ah... the Chesapeake ripper," she hummed. "Jack and his white whale no?"

Hannibal smiled as she rolled her eyes playfully.

"Honestly Doctor Lecter you'd think the way Jack speaks about the ripper that he thinks he's made of smoke and devil's dust," she tutted and Hannibal chuckled.

He reached in to his pocket and removed a business card.

"If you need anything miss Claude," Hannibal said. "Don't hesitate to see me either at work or call the number provided."

She took it and wrapped it tightly in her hand.

"Of course," she said softly. "Of course Doctor Lecter I will I promise."

Hannibal sat in his car and watched the yellow illumination of her lights stream through her curtains.

Hannibal had just found Will's weakest point.

And luckily she'd come in a pretty french package.