I do not own anything related to Hannibal, either thru television, or written books. Everything belongs to Thomas Harris and Bryan Fuller. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!

Chapter 3

Song(s): Nature Boy (Miles Davis)

October

2701 Strada Spatarului, Bucharest, Romania…

8:54pm

Slowly rounding the bottle of Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet Grand Cru '92 in his hand as he watched the white wine re-filling his glass, Hannibal cleared his throat as he sat the bottle aside on the kitchen island. Moving his eyes onto the wooden side table near the double glass doors as he spied his sketch book and charcoal pencils, he moistened his lips as he took up the glass. Stepping out into the shaded courtyard garden, the Doctor sat his glass down beside the leg of a chair before re-entering the house crossing the faded red and beige checkered tiled floor. Flipping open the lid to the record player, he selected a dog-eared vinyl copy of Davis's Blue Moods from 1955 that had come with the villa and as he expertly placed the needle, he closed his eyes as the low sound of the trumpet and drums mixed together to produce one of the most soulful pieces he had ever heard in the history of jazz music.

Taking a seat in his chair as he balanced the sketch book on his knee, he reached down and took up his glass taking a generous sip of the cool crisp wine as a warm evening breeze moved along his smooth cheek.

"O seară atât de frumoasă în București."

Flipping open to a fresh page, he began to lightly draw the lines of the young woman's lips he had committed to memory from their first meeting. Shading in along the upper lip, Hannibal could almost taste her as he remembered the first time, she had thrown all caution to the wind and had kissed him…

(Flashback)

"Good night Ms. Adler."

Keeping his hand on the Bentley, he could feel the young woman's hesitation as she took careful steps around the passenger door, stopping to stand mere inches from where he stood.

You are curious about me Oliveah, as I am you

Catching her hand moving out of the corner of his eye, he didn't stop her as he felt her pressing down on his pea coated shoulder as she angled her head slightly and pressed her lips against his.

How I would like to taste not just your lips.

Slowly parting his lips in a show of acceptance to her gesture, Hannibal brought his hand up and gently traced along the young woman's ear as she pulled away.

Too much

Too soon…

Turning off the sink faucet as she stood in front of the cracked basin, Bedelia Du Maurier stared at her reflection in the mirror, wincing as she barely recognized herself. Running her long fingers through her newly dyed strains of hair, she separated a few and observed the darkness of the color as she reached for the blow dryer. She had agreed to change her appearance once they had arrived and settled in Bucharest, though she had been slightly weary of what changes to make.

Start with the hair, then contacts of a different shade, then a slight accent?

Drowning out her own voice as it went silent in her head with the loud sound of the blow dryer, she switched it to the highest setting as she moved the blower over the ends of her dark brown strains.

Ten minutes later…

Smoothing her hands over the cream-colored slip that she had pulled down over her hips, Bedelia grabbed the matching silk robe and pulled it around her shoulders before tying a knot.

"Keep him pleased and keep him engaged" she whispered to herself as she took a deep breath. Pulling open the heavy door of the closed bathroom, she made her way towards the kitchen as the lingering scents of tender figs and cognac infused sausage from the nights stuffed quail wafted around her. Hearing the low notes of the jazz vinyl coming to an end, Bedelia fixed her eyes hard on Hannibal's black sweatered back as she watched him sitting still in the chair just outside the double glass doors of the yard.

He is sketching again

That is a good sign

For me

Stepping over the threshold, she walked slowly and stopped behind Lecter, setting a light hand down on his right shoulder. Glancing down, she watched as he angled the tip of the pencil to shade in the darkness of the woman's eye as she heard the man's throat clear.

"Did you enjoy dinner?"

Slowly round the seated man, she felt his eyes glancing onto her profile as he was taking in her new appearance. Ignoring the slight plunging of her slip, Hannibal kept his eyes firm on the sketch as he crossed his legs.

"It was delicious, as always. The added hint of thyme really brought out the flavor of the fresh figs" Bedelia spoke softly as she noticed the resting wine glass. Bending down, she picked it up by the bottom of the stem and took a small sip as Hannibal turned the charcoal pencil onto its eraser.

"Brown hair does not suit you Bedelia" he spoke, nodding his head as she sat his glass back down.

Tread carefully Bedelia

I require you only for the charade of a perfect marriage, but behind closed doors, it is an entirely different story

"I thought, that I would act on your suggestions that I change my appearance" she began as Hannibal flipped to a new blank page. Tucking the pencil behind his left ear, he bent slightly and took up his wine, sipping gently as he focused his eyes on her attire.

"You are still sketching her again Hannibal. How long do you think you will continue to do that before you move on to someone who is truly worthy of your attentions?"

Pursing his lips at her words, Hannibal leaned forward and closed the book completely, letting it drop onto the stone walkway beneath his feet as he stared straight ahead and into to the overgrown shrubs along the metal barrier fence.

"Worthy of what attentions Bedelia? My hunger attentions? Or my aesthetic ones?" he questioned, slowly rising to his feet as he ignored his book.

"Both."

Walking back into the villa, the Doctor flipped the vinyl album over and delicately sat the needle to play as he watched Bedelia flipping through his sketches. Clicking his tongue against the inside of his cheek, Hannibal moved towards the kitchen and grabbed the half empty bottle of Montrachet before stepping back out into the cool evening air.

"Do you not have more pressing issues to attend to Bedelia?"

Hearing her name as she closed the book over her index finger, the woman frowned as she felt a deathly cold shiver running down her spine.

"What do you mean Hannibal?"

Angling his head as he returned to his chair, he bent down and took up the wine glass before re-filling it with about half an inch to spare from the rim.

"You still need to select which of your fingers you will be surrendering to me tonight in preparation for dinner's appetizer, tomorrow evening."

…

5 SE Hurlburt Road, Gresham, Oregon…

7:03pm

Feeling the swelling in her ankles as she leaned both her hands on the wooden kitchen counter, Oliveah swore under her breath as she made a mental note to research which foods were good for inducing labour the minute she stepped foot in the Portland Public Library.

"Can't you come early? Is that too much to ask for?" she breathed as high-pitched yipping caught her ears. Looking out the small window that led onto the backyard, she watched as Buster and Winston chased each other around a small log pile before a chewed up white frisbee flew against the metal siding of the wood shed. Pulling the ends of her wool cardigan over her eight-month-old bump, Oliveah swallowed hard as she watched Will walking towards the log pile carrying an axe. Sans shirt and with a heavy beard, he expertly swung the sharp end and split two logs perfectly down the middle as he felt eyes staring at him from inside the cabin.

"I once looked up at your farmhouse Will and said I could see myself living there" Oliveah whispered as she grabbed a glass and filled it up with water. Stepping out into the backyard, she felt the chill of the October air against her skin as she gave Will a small smile.

"Thought you could use something to drink."

Downing the water in three large gulps, Will kept the glass close to his chest as he watched Oliveah crossing her arms over her chest to ward off the chill of the evening air.

"Another couple of cords, and we'll be all set for winter. Next up will be to get the solar panels going before the baby arrives."

Feeling a hard kick against the inside of her stomach wall, Oliveah sucked in a deep breath as Will stepped forward.

"Still about a month to go" he spoke, lightly cupping her chin with the palm of his hand as Oliveah nodded her head. Turning to head back inside, the young expectant mother stared up at the small wooden cabin and ran her eyes over the glass of the kitchen window as she caught sight of smoke rising up from the chimney as she remembered the rest of her to do list.

One, finishing hanging the pictures in the baby's room

Two, finish reading and making notes on Ina May's Guide to Childbirth for birth doula paper

Three…

"A hot bath. My birth doula is coming by tomorrow morning around ten."

Hearing Oliveah's words as he cleared his throat, Will held the axe steady in his hands as he nodded his head.

"You still want me to stay for that?" he questioned as Oliveah already knew her response.

"Yes."

Walking into her soft yellow painted bedroom that was slowly being turned into a nursery, Oliveah sat the kerosene lamp down on the second-hand refinished dresser as she ran her thumb along the smooth edge.

You did a great job Will

Looking down at the framed old Peter Rabbit drawings she had found at a flea market in Portland just after they had arrived, she shoved two nails between her lips and took up the hammer as she angled Jemima Puddle-Duck near the window.

"Gender safe with Peter Rabbit" she muttered as she ran her eyes over Jeremy Fisher and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. I haven't even thought of any names…" Taking a seat in the rocking chair facing the door, Oliveah sighed as she rubbed a hand over her stomach.

"If you are a boy…Dominic? If you are a girl…."

Hearing the whistle of the kettle coming from the kitchen, she groaned as she rose to her feet, shedding her cardigan on the seat.

…

1:12am

Staring up at the ceiling of the nursery as she listened to the distant sounds of an owl hooting in the yard, Oliveah tossed the white comforter off her bare legs as she pulled down the fabric of her black tank top that had risen up over her stomach. Shoving her feet into her slippers, she stepped out into the cool hallway and glanced at Will's half opened door. Hearing his light snores, she felt the pull to enter and close it behind her as she moved her eyes towards the dark kitchen.

I can't do it William

Padding down the wooden floorboards, she rubbed her hands together as she took up a box of matches and lit a trio of thick beeswax candles that lined the middle of the handcrafted table. Spying her black wrap hanging off the edge of the chair, she swung it around her bare shoulders as her eyes fell over a few bottles of Will's homemade mead honey wine. Opening one of the bottles infused with elderflowers and red clover blossoms, she poured two fingers of the sweet drink and took a long smell before taking a small sip….

"Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?"

Nearly fumbling her glass as she heard Hannibal's deep accented voice in her head, Oliveah pushed the glass away from her as she tried to steady her breathing.

"You're always with me Doctor Lecter. You'll always be with me" she added, touching her stomach as she felt the tiredness starting to creep up. Stretching her fingers out across the table, she laid her head gently against the crook of her arm as she closed her eyes.

(Flashback)

Sitting in the back of the ambulance, Oliveah stared straight ahead as she watched the first stretcher being wheeled out into the street from the house, a sheet shielding the deceased body from the heavy rain.

"You have blood all over you, are you cut anywhere? Can you roll up your sleeves?"

"Don't touch me…"

Hearing the young woman's growl as the Paramedic ignored her threat, he reached out and started to pull at the fire blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she threw a palm out, smacking directly into his nose.

"I SAID DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!"

"Leave her for the hospital. I'm sure she'll survive, unlike the others" a curt voice spoke out from the corner of the open door as Oliveah blinked her eyes. Feeling hard cold metal slamming down against her wrist, she said not a word as a uniformed officer handcuffed her to a bar in the back of the ambulance.

"Is Agent Crawford alive?"

Hearing the tall red headed woman's question to another officer as she narrowed her eyes, Oliveah breathed in deeply as she moved a hand slowly onto her concealed tiny bump.

I am being arrested

…

Thank you to Fandomloveall, Soarocks, Ventablackvalentina, Foxtrotoscar, DandelionDani, and Americanlatinajapanesegirl for leaving reviews!

Please read, subscribe and review! I will be updating this story every other Saturday just like before with Part 1.

I do plan for chapters to be longer than this in the future.

P.S Romanian translations:

"O seară atât de frumoasă în București" = "Such a beautiful evening in Bucharest"

Americanlatinajapanesegirl – Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!

DandelionDani – Thanks for your review!

Foxtrotoscar – Hannibal has arrived!

Ventablackvalentina – Thanks for reading!

Soarocks – I am excited to finally be writing Part 2!

Fandomloveall – I have so many ideas for where I am going to take this second part. Part 3 I already have mostly figured out. Thanks for reviewing!