*A/N This is another that I thought up when I was supposed to be doing
school work. If it doesn't make any sense, blame my Geometry teacher who
was talking at the time. Math is ebil, ebil I tell you! Anywho…here it
is, my SotL AU ^_^ *
**********
The soft click of heeled shoes sounded down the hallway of the Violent Men's Ward. Doctor Lecter immediately knew who it was that was approaching his cell. He stood and waited for her to come like he did the first time she came.
As soon as she was in front of his cell, she stopped and bowed her head in a polite greeting.
"Good morning, Doctor Lecter. I hope I have not disturbed you, sir. He bowed his head slightly in response to her, and motioned to the chair folded against the wall.
"I find it rather odd that you would visit me so soon after our last meeting, Agent Starling. I thought our business together was concluded. That is, unless you plan on wheedling more information about Billy out of me." At his words, she visibly stiffened in her seat.
"No sir. I came to deliver the case file you asked for." She put it into the sliding food carrier and gently pushed it though. He looked at her for a few moments then retrieved it from the tray.
Upon opening it, he saw a sheet of stationary, not nearly as expensive as he would have use, written on in what he assumed to be Starling's handwriting.
Doctor Lecter,
This might appear a bit odd to you, sir, but I have decided to get you out of prison. I have a plan but I don't feel safe enough to elaborate. Suffice it to say, be ready.
C. Starling
He slightly raised one eyebrow, but other than that made no indication that he had seen the note. He closed the folder and set it down on his table.
Thank you, Clarice."
"Can you tell me anything from the file, sir?" she asked calmly.
"Quid pro quo, Clarice. I tell you something, you tell me something."
"Alright doctor, go ahead."
"What is your worst memory of childhood" he asked as he sat back in his seat.
"The death of my father." She said bluntly, and almost instantaneously. He simply nodded and inclined his head as if to tell her to continue.
'I was ten years old. My father was the town Marshall, and one night he surprised some thugs coming out of a liquor store. His gun jammed, and they shot him. My mother had died when I was little, so my father was the world to me. When he died,, I was sent to live with my Mother's Brother's ranvh in Montana."
"Was it a horse and cattle ranch?" he asked.
"Sheep and horses."
"And how long did you live there?"
"Two months"
"Why so short, Clarice?"
"One night…I just ran away."
"Not Just, Clarice. Did the rancher sodomize you, Clarice? Did he make you perform for lace show?" Doctor Lecter asked.
"No…he was a decent man, a good man."
"Something woke you, what was it?"
"Screaming…I heard children screaming."
"What was it?"
"Lambs…they were screaming" she said, her voice full of emotion.
"They were slaughtering the spring lambs…" Doctor Lecter said as he steepled his hands in his lap.
Clarice nodded. "And they were screaming. I decided to free them. I crept out of my room, and to the barn. They were all huddled together, screaming. I opened the gate and tried to free them, but they wouldn't run! So I took one, and I ran with her. But it was so cold… and she was so heavy. I didn't get very far before the sheriffs car pulled me over. The rancher was so angry, he sent me to the Lutheran Orphanage." Clarice said barely holding back a sob.
"What happened to your lamb, Clarice?" Doctor Lecter asked.
"They killed it." She swallowed hard, then sat up in her seat. "Quid pro quo, Doctor."
"Simplicity, Clarice. Read Marcus Aurelius and the First Principles. What does he do, this man you seek." He asked.
"He kills women." She said.
"No...that is coincidental."
"He-"
"He Covets. And how do we begin to covet?"
"We just-"
"We begin by what we see everyday. Don't you feel eyes foaming over your body, Clarice. And don't your eyes seek out what you want?" he closed his eyes and let the tip of his tongue touch his upper lip, barely on the outside of his mouth.
"What is his name, Doctor?"
Doctor Lecter opened his eyes and looked towards the picture on his wall of the Duomo.
"Have you ever wanted to travel, Clarice?" he asked bringing his focus and attention back towards her.
"Yes. I've always wanted to travel to Europe. I know that if I get up height enough in the Bureau they'll let me travel. But I want to be able to travel without the F.B.I. over my shoulder."
"If you ever do get a chance to travel, Clarice, I recommend you go to Florence. The Belvedere is an especially beautiful place. Now, Clarice, I believe it is time for you to take your leave."
Clarice was quiet, thinking, as she stood and bowed her head once more in a polite farewell.
"Thank you, Doctor Lecter. Good day." She turned and walked out of the corridor, not stopping until she was 'safe' within her pinto. Only then did she stop and think of what he said.
*A/N What did you think? Should I continue…or should I erase it? Lemme know! ~Lady Trek
**********
The soft click of heeled shoes sounded down the hallway of the Violent Men's Ward. Doctor Lecter immediately knew who it was that was approaching his cell. He stood and waited for her to come like he did the first time she came.
As soon as she was in front of his cell, she stopped and bowed her head in a polite greeting.
"Good morning, Doctor Lecter. I hope I have not disturbed you, sir. He bowed his head slightly in response to her, and motioned to the chair folded against the wall.
"I find it rather odd that you would visit me so soon after our last meeting, Agent Starling. I thought our business together was concluded. That is, unless you plan on wheedling more information about Billy out of me." At his words, she visibly stiffened in her seat.
"No sir. I came to deliver the case file you asked for." She put it into the sliding food carrier and gently pushed it though. He looked at her for a few moments then retrieved it from the tray.
Upon opening it, he saw a sheet of stationary, not nearly as expensive as he would have use, written on in what he assumed to be Starling's handwriting.
Doctor Lecter,
This might appear a bit odd to you, sir, but I have decided to get you out of prison. I have a plan but I don't feel safe enough to elaborate. Suffice it to say, be ready.
C. Starling
He slightly raised one eyebrow, but other than that made no indication that he had seen the note. He closed the folder and set it down on his table.
Thank you, Clarice."
"Can you tell me anything from the file, sir?" she asked calmly.
"Quid pro quo, Clarice. I tell you something, you tell me something."
"Alright doctor, go ahead."
"What is your worst memory of childhood" he asked as he sat back in his seat.
"The death of my father." She said bluntly, and almost instantaneously. He simply nodded and inclined his head as if to tell her to continue.
'I was ten years old. My father was the town Marshall, and one night he surprised some thugs coming out of a liquor store. His gun jammed, and they shot him. My mother had died when I was little, so my father was the world to me. When he died,, I was sent to live with my Mother's Brother's ranvh in Montana."
"Was it a horse and cattle ranch?" he asked.
"Sheep and horses."
"And how long did you live there?"
"Two months"
"Why so short, Clarice?"
"One night…I just ran away."
"Not Just, Clarice. Did the rancher sodomize you, Clarice? Did he make you perform for lace show?" Doctor Lecter asked.
"No…he was a decent man, a good man."
"Something woke you, what was it?"
"Screaming…I heard children screaming."
"What was it?"
"Lambs…they were screaming" she said, her voice full of emotion.
"They were slaughtering the spring lambs…" Doctor Lecter said as he steepled his hands in his lap.
Clarice nodded. "And they were screaming. I decided to free them. I crept out of my room, and to the barn. They were all huddled together, screaming. I opened the gate and tried to free them, but they wouldn't run! So I took one, and I ran with her. But it was so cold… and she was so heavy. I didn't get very far before the sheriffs car pulled me over. The rancher was so angry, he sent me to the Lutheran Orphanage." Clarice said barely holding back a sob.
"What happened to your lamb, Clarice?" Doctor Lecter asked.
"They killed it." She swallowed hard, then sat up in her seat. "Quid pro quo, Doctor."
"Simplicity, Clarice. Read Marcus Aurelius and the First Principles. What does he do, this man you seek." He asked.
"He kills women." She said.
"No...that is coincidental."
"He-"
"He Covets. And how do we begin to covet?"
"We just-"
"We begin by what we see everyday. Don't you feel eyes foaming over your body, Clarice. And don't your eyes seek out what you want?" he closed his eyes and let the tip of his tongue touch his upper lip, barely on the outside of his mouth.
"What is his name, Doctor?"
Doctor Lecter opened his eyes and looked towards the picture on his wall of the Duomo.
"Have you ever wanted to travel, Clarice?" he asked bringing his focus and attention back towards her.
"Yes. I've always wanted to travel to Europe. I know that if I get up height enough in the Bureau they'll let me travel. But I want to be able to travel without the F.B.I. over my shoulder."
"If you ever do get a chance to travel, Clarice, I recommend you go to Florence. The Belvedere is an especially beautiful place. Now, Clarice, I believe it is time for you to take your leave."
Clarice was quiet, thinking, as she stood and bowed her head once more in a polite farewell.
"Thank you, Doctor Lecter. Good day." She turned and walked out of the corridor, not stopping until she was 'safe' within her pinto. Only then did she stop and think of what he said.
*A/N What did you think? Should I continue…or should I erase it? Lemme know! ~Lady Trek