Chapter One
Since You've Been Gone
This story takes place four years after the movie version, Hannibal. Review and Enjoy. I don't own the book or movie Hannibal, Thomas Harris, Clarice Starling, Hannibal Lecter. I do however own my original character. When things are in '' these kind of quotes it means they're thinking it. I'll try for italics too, but I'm not sure it'll transfer from my computer to this site. Review or there will be no more chapters! Thank you. DarkFoxPriestess
Four years after Hannibal Lecter's escape Clarice Starling was preparing for her wedding. Ah yes, everyone had moved on from the horrific experience, even darling Clarice. She had been forced into retirement by the bureau after the suspiciousness of her being in the same house as the corpse of Paul Krendel and her bullets found at the Verger residence. She had relocated to the beautiful countryside and had found her now fiancé, Joe Andrews. She was to be married to a farmer and couldn't be happier!
Clarice walked through the bridal store pawing through veils and eyeing pumps. The little bell on the top of the shop's door dinged signifying another customer. Clarice looked over expectantly but was sadly disappointed when it was only an employee back from lunch. She turned back to the veils dejectedly.
"Why the long face?" A light voice questioned causing Clarice to jump.
"I wish you wouldn't sneak up on me like that." Clarice sighed turning to face the female leaning against a mannequin.
"Sorry, habit." The female smirked.
"Who needs enemies when I've got a sister like you?" Clarice questioned aloud sitting heavily down in one of the chairs.
"Now, now, that's no way to say you miss me." She smiled affectionately.
"I'll try and remember that Sedna. What a weird name." Clarice smirked as her sister glared.
"I'm not poking fun at Clarice whose major part is rice am I? No, I'm not. I'm being the bigger person here." Sedna said in mock hurt.
Sedna was definitely a character. Even though she was, Clarice's younger sister one would never guess by looking at her. Where Clarice's hair was a dark brown, Sedna's was a bright russet the red hue unmistakable. Sparkling emerald replaced dimmed brown in eye color, and Sedna was of a much more slender frame than her older sister. Though the two were the same height, Clarice looked like she could take down a quarterback while Sedna seemed to set an example for tennis players around the world.
"Good thing I'm lucky. Now are you going to help me pick out a dress or not?" Clarice asked.
"You've convinced me." Sedna chuckled as she followed her sister over to a rack of dresses.
"Are you still going into the Bureau?" Clarice asked after a moment of silence.
"Of course, you know that whole younger sibling ideal; be better than the one before and whatnot." Sedna rambled not noticing the look of pain in her sister's eyes.
"I'm worried for you." Clarice murmured.
Sedna paused and looked up curiously. "Clarice, we've been over this. I was put up for adoption, shipped off to New York okay. I've been through hell and back I think I'll be able to handle whatever flak the big boys try to throw at me." She smirked.
"Still, it's going to be even worse for you just because you're my sister." Clarice informed pulling out a gown.
"Please, I'm the best shot for miles around, most logical person you know, still have my common sense and I've already captured six cereal killers, sorry to ruin your pre-bureau record." Sedna amended.
"Yeah, well you haven't found Lecter yet." Clarice smirked.
"Believe me, he's on my list." Sedna murmured.
"What do you think?" Clarice asked holding up a white wedding dress.
"I think he's the least of our worries." Sedna whispered as she smiled and followed her sister to the dressing rooms.
The next Monday Sedna Constance walked into the main office at the F.B.I. headquarters with no fear in her step and pure fire in her blue eyes.
"Miss Constance, so nice to have you on the team. We've seen your scores from the academy and we're very impressed. Solve twenty cases and captured three cereal killers. Another three after your graduation while you worked three months with the N.Y.P.D. very impressive indeed." Cedric Jones the replacement for Jack Crawford praised.
Sedna barely kept the sneer at bay, the jerk had probably just read all that off of a sticky note behind her. "Agent Constance, and thank you." Sedna nodded not waiting for a seat to be offered instead sitting down in front of the official's desk.
"I'm sure you want to get started right away." Cedric smirked like the frat boy he was.
"Expediency is the most important thing in any case." Sedna informed briskly mentally taking off points for the man not offering to shake her hand.
"We want you to help on a drug bust. It's scheduled for ten tonight. It's Eduardo Alberta, the Spanish drug lord. He's going to be moving his wife from one safe house to another and we're hoping to catch him at a bypass." Cedric explained.
"Doesn't sound that difficult." Sedna said mentally checking her day planner.
"Not at all, we just want to see how you adjust here in Washington." Cedric smoothed giving her a snake smile as he stood from behind his desk.
Sedna glanced behind her to make sure the office door was closed, it was. She stood up and watched like a jaguar eyeing a limping deer as Cedric moved from behind his desk to stand a foot exactly in front of her.
"That'll be all." Cedric informed clearing his throat dismissively.
"Let's get one thing straight." Sedna said quietly closing the distance between them to mere inches. Cedric was taller than most possibly six foot, but Sedna knew how to compensate for her five-foot frame and had worn stilettos.
"Okay." Cedric nodded nervously his Adam's apple bobbing up and down like a deflating doll.
"I'm Clarice Starling's sister; you know that, I know that, the entire agency knows that. But, let's get it right the first time Cedric, I'm not Clarice. Clarice was nice. Clarice played by the rules. Clarice didn't like stepping on toes." Sedna said quietly her cultured tone betraying innocent ferocity as she stroked the right lapel of Cedric's suit jacket. "She let you asses get away with taking the credit for her hard work then let you kick her out the door." Sedna murmured fingering his tie almost lovingly. "I get the collar, Cedric. I get my credit, my vacations, and my respect. I do my job well, almost to perfectly, because I can think like a killer. If I ever get stuck in the mindset of a killer, Cedric, you're the first one I'm coming after. I don't like frat boys and I don't like it when the workplace isn't efficient and clean. Make sure I like it here Cedric, or there'll be hell to pay." Sedna whispered seductively into his ear before stepping back and smiling. She picked a piece of imaginary lint off of Cedric's shoulder and he didn't even breathe. "Clear?" She questioned.
"Yes, perfectly crystal clear." Cedric nodded quickly.
"Good, then I'm off to investigate my office." Sedna smiled picking up her briefcase and walking out of the room.
As soon as the door shut, Cedric collapsed into a chair. He was almost certain he'd soiled himself, his heart felt like it was going to pop, and he knew he had his hands full. He'd talked to the N.Y.P.D. chief and had heard about how bloodthirsty she was but nothing had prepared him for this.
"She's a fuckin' icy she-wolf!" Cedric exclaimed to himself mopping his brow with a handkerchief. Little did he know how correct he was.
Sedna stepped outside Cedric's office and smiled that had been fun. She looked at her office number and smirked second floor. She took the elevator smiling and making friends all the way up. She stepped out of the elevator and walked to her office. She used the key and unlocked the hardwood door. It's amazing what busting a few killers can get you in life. She stepped inside and had never felt more at home anywhere else. The office was a large and spacious room with two large windows and smelled of pine and cherry wood. She walked over to the mahogany desk and set her briefcase down on the top as she walked around. The coloring was an interesting shade of sunset red, emanating power. There was a corner devoted to food with a coffee pot, a small oven, fridge, and two burners, not bad at all. Behind the desk was a sliding door that blended in with the wood paneling of the wall. Pushing it aside revealed a bathroom complete with a closet, shower, and medicine cabinet. Sedna walked back over to her desk and sat in the plush leather chair, propping her feet up on the top she smiled, no place like home.
Well, that's chapter one! What do you think of Clarice's younger sister Sedna Constance? The different last name is because she was adopted when the father died and Clarice was the lucky one that was sent to the aunt's house. They found each other a year after the 'Hannibal' incident. If you've got any questions or comments please don't hesitate to put your input in there! Please review if you want another chapter!