The First Of Many Courses

Chapter 4

Katherine awoke the next day still feeling a bit groggy but not overly hung over, thankfully. She was still in her dress from the previous night, she felt a little embarrass about the whole situation and a little nervous about having to go get her car from Hannibals house but it would be a good excuse to keep her promise to herself to exercise. She changed into a pair of yoga pats with a pink band at the waist and a matching pink tank top and opted for a plain black hoodie to put over it, she wasn't sure how cold it was and plus she needed something to keep her keys and phone in, jogging with a purse would be annoying. The blue-gray eyed woman threw her blonde locks up into a messy bun, pulled on her only pair of sneakers and made her way to Hannibal Lecters house.

Half way though her jog Katherine's phone began to ring, she glanced at the caller ID, it was Will.

"Hey Will," she said a little out of breath.

"Hi, Katherine. I just wanted to let you know I wont be able to come over and help you out with you bedset today."

"Oh." she said, her voice filled with disappointment but she understood Will was a busy guy.

"If you need anything else feel free to call, now I have to go dig up a serial killers mushroom garden." and with that rather cryptic and confusing message, he hung up.

"Well okay then." she muttered, not quite sure what to think about what he'd said.

-H-

The blonde eventually arrived in Hannibal Lecters driveway, feeling considerably out of breath, it showed just how out of shape she really was. They didn't even live very far away. Just as she was about to climb into her Honda, she heard a certain Lithuanian accent hit her ears.

"Good morning, Katherine."

She grimaced a little, she was really hoping the doctor wouldn't see her after her shameful behavior the night before. The blonde woman had been hoping to have til Monday to collect herself. Kathrine looked towards the door to see Hannibal standing in the door way, he was dress semi-causal but still looked elegant in just slacks and a dress shirt.

"Good morning to you too, Dr. Lecter," She called with a small smile. He probably thought she was a slob who couldn't handle her alcohol and hated his friends. Which wasn't true, she felt so ashamed of her behavior. She was a disgrace. "I was just getting my car." she gestured to it awardly.

"Wont you join me for breakfast."

The blonde hesitated, she didn't want to offend Hannibal by saying no but she wasn't entirely certain she wanted to stay. Surely she looked like a mess and she probably smelt bad from her little jog.

"Please, I insist on it." The doctor said with a smile and how could she say no to that? She privately sighed to herself, it was pathetic how she had no real resolve. Then Katherine was ushered into Hannibal Lecters house for the second time.

-H-

Katherines blue-gray eyes observed the breakfast Hannibal brought her and could hardly contain her glee. It was all her favorite breakfast foods, homemade sausage, bacon, eggs, and even pancakes. He;d made some much food, it made Katheine slightly suspicious that he'd suspected she'd come in the morning. Was she so easy for the doctor to read? She knew he was brilliant but was she really so predictable to him?

"Thank you for making me breakfast, I haven't had a proper breakfast in so long." Which was true, she honestly hadn't even eaten breakfast since she'd left Wills house. "And thank you for driving me home." she added quickly to the end."

"Don't tell me I need to start cooking you breakfast in addition to lunch to now?" The doctor joked, causing Katherine to choke on her orange juice as she fought a laugh. She was lucky her drink didn't come out her nose. "And no need to thank me, I'm here for you any time. I trust Will has given you my private number for emergencies?"

"Yes he has Hannibal."

AS the two began to converse over breakfast the doctor began to ask questions about her life in West Virginia. At first, Katherine was very hesitant to talk about it but the doctor convinced hr that the only way to truly move on was to face the past. So she began to talk to him.

"You said your ex-boyfriend was the son of a Senator, which on if you don't mind me asking?"

Katherine rolled her eyes. "James Hutchinson, the one who had the scandal last year with two mistresses."

After talking for a little while longer about her ex and how he'd treated her, it did make her feel a little better to let it all out.

"What started your fight on the night you left?"

"He told me he was cheating on me." It still hurt a little but she'd convinced herself he was scum. She wasn't the prettiest or skinniest girl but she knew she didn't deserve that, no one did but with a father like his she should have known better. "I told him to get out of our apartment or I was going to punch him in the face and that I was leaving him. It had been an empty threat to punch him but I was so upset. Then he punched me in the face and said he'd kill me if I left him, that I was his property." Tears welled up in her eyes and began streaming down her face "Then he left the apartment, probably to go drink, I don't know. I just grabbed as much stuff as I could and went to Wills house."

Katherine quickly got up from the table and ran towards the door crying but was stopped by Dr. Lecter grabbing her wrist and pulling her into a hug. "Its okay Katherine, he can't hurt you now." he patted her back a little bit and she cried harder. She'd loved Matt more than anything in the world and he'd betrayed her so deeply. "He'll really kill me if he ever finds me Hannibal." she muttered into his shirt.

"I don't doubt he would."

-H-

That afternoon Hannibal sat in front of tablet, he'd just finished reading Freddie Lounds most recent article on Tattle Crime about Will investigating killer who apparently planted his victims in a mushroom garden. She'd also gone into great detail about dear Wills psychological state. Miss Lounds was naughty indeed. Now though, the doctor was looking up information on a certain Senators son. Mathew Hutchinson. For what he'd gathered he was arrogant, with violent tendencies, he'd be perfect for what Hannibal had in store.

Hannibal looked up Mathew Hutchinsons number and called him on private.

"Yo," a voice drunkenly slurred on the other end of the phone "Who the hell is this?"

"Listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you. I can help you find Katherine." The doctor then gave Mathew Katherines address and hung up.

A small smile graced Hannibals face. He didn't dislike Katherine, she was well mannered and pleasant but he couldn't help but wonder what would happen to Will Graham if his cousins, probably the only family member he seemed to have a relationship with, died.