"So what happened between you and Will?"
Alana Bloom blinked and sat up in Hannibal Lecter's bed in order to avoid his eyes. She clutched the sheets to her chest and tried to instill coolness in her voice. "What makes you think something happened between me and Will?"
"I cannot think of any other reason why you would come over here for…"
"Dinner," Alana said, shooting him a sharp look over her shoulder.
"Of course," Hannibal nodded. Alana returned to avoiding his curious gaze, but she could still feel it burning into the back of her head.
"Alana," Hannibal continued after a brief pause, "I know you wouldn't have come here if you didn't want to talk about it."
He watched her shoulders rise and fall in a deep sigh. "Yeah…and I'm regretting it," she said, hugging her knees to her chest. "Should've just gone home and cried into a pint of Ben & Jerry's."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I've had quite a nice time with you tonight."
Alana did not reply, only sighed again. After another minute of silence, she finally said it.
"He kissed me."
She did not look back at him, so Hannibal Lecter did not have to pretend to be surprised. He could smell attraction as well as fear. He nodded and played the role of psychiatrist. "And how do you feel about it?"
She shook her head slowly. "I wanted it," she said quietly. "I want it."
"But you feel that you cannot have it."
He waited for her affirmative nod. "Is it because of your professional curiosity about him?"
She gulped nervously and said, "I told him…that the way I am in relationships isn't compatible with the way he is."
"Is that the truth?"
Alana Bloom closed her eyes tightly to combat the stinging tears that were threatening to spill over onto her cheeks. "I don't know," she said, in all honesty. "I don't know," she repeated, forcing back a sob.