Disclaimer: All characters in here belong to Thomas Harris.

A/N:
Greetings from Spain!

I just arrived to the summer house in "el pueblo" as they say here and I'm already writing the next chapter. I've heard a rumor that the only pub/bar in town has a WIFI connection… I might just check it out. Who am I kidding. I WILL check it out XD

Let's see where this chapter takes us :)

Enjoy!

I've had this chapter out for a while and no one has reviewed. 0. as it is. What Am I to think? You guys are the only thing that are driving this. Can we make 20 reviews? It's two reviews guys... come on

Chapter Six

Hannibal Lecter couldn't help but smile as he slipped off the straightjacket and let it fall to the ground. He massaged his arms, bending his fingers and looking around the room. His cell was very different from the last time he was there. His bed had been returned and so had the rest of his things. His few belongings were scattered around the room, much like they had been before they'd been removed. His books were on the shelf and a stack of drawings had been placed on the table.

"Take off your mask and slip it through the drawer along with the straightjacket." Barney's voice sounded behind him. As Hannibal lifted his arms to remove the straps that secured the mask, he felt his whole body protest. His ribs did not like any new movements, which he'd become far too aware of in the few hours a week he'd been allowed to get out of bed to stretch his muscles in an attempt to rehabilitate him. It was with great effort that he bent down to the floor and took the jacket into his hands. He was suddenly glad they couldn't see his face.

"Here you are Barney." Hannibal spoke as he turned around to the glass wall, looking directly at the big orderly. Chilton scoffed as he was being ignored completely.

"Thank you Dr. Lecter." As the orderlies received the things through the drawer, they were placed in a bag and Barney nodded with a smile. "I think that's all. I will bring you breakfast in the morning. Does that sound good Dr. Lecter?"

"He will get it when the rest of them do. Don't make it sound like he can change anything." Chilton sneered at Barney. "Get back to your posts, everyone!"

The orderlies filled out, walking past the cells that lined the wall. Hannibal turned his gaze to Chilton, who'd remained behind. Dr. Lecter waited for him to speak and watched as the man made a face of distaste.

"Agent Starling is coming by tomorrow." He informed despite his obvious reluctance. "They call it "maintaining good relations with work subjects". If I had a say in this, that girl would never make it anywhere near this building again."

Hannibal remained silent, staring at his captor. Chilton sighed in defeat and turned around, leaving without a word. For a moment, Hannibal stood completely still, listening to the footsteps as they disappeared in the distance. He closed his eyes, breathing in slowly. Freedom.

He quirked an eye open as the notion hit him. Freedom? Really Hannibal? He glanced around the cell and took a step towards the bed. Well… it was definitely better than being cuffed to it.

Now, what had Chilton said? Clarice was coming. He smiled at the thought, sitting down on the bed. It had been nearly a month since he'd last seen her and her absence had made him ache for something he couldn't really describe. He supposed the concept of butterflies in ones stomach could be applied for the feelings he had, when he thought about her. A sigh escaped him as his thoughts landed on the far too many nights in the hospital bed, where he'd been caught up thinking about her. In the end, he'd have to mentally reprimand himself as his ache for her became physical. He cursed the damn handcuffs that had kept him from relieving himself.

Well, he was back in his cell now and as soon as the lights were out, he could probably do anything he wanted to… but would he? Somehow he doubted it as his thoughts landed on the last time he had attempted (and succeeded for the record) in relieving himself. Things had gone quite wrong…

He closed his eyes and ignored the camera that was pointed straight at him as he lay down on the bed. It was quite cool down here compared to the upper levels in the med wing, but the cold air felt good against his skin. He breathed in and out slowly, feeling the drowsiness that had surrounded his mind for so long return. The light from the overhead lamps made the inside of his eyelids seem red and when the lights turned off; it became black. He shifted on the bed, blinking and opening his eyes. The red light of the camera was the only thing that could be seen as he stood up and removed his jumpsuit. The temperature was dropping quickly and he slipped under the covers of the bed as fast as he could, though he still took himself time to fold his clothes properly.

Clarice is coming tomorrow, he thought as he closed his eyes. She was always quite lovely and it bothered him that they once again had the glass wall between them. He just wanted to be able to touch her hand and feel the softness of her skin like he'd done in the basement. Why did his thoughts always return to that place? He'd felt human for a moment; loved. It was like that every time he was with her actually, but why did he have to torture himself with that exact memory? He'd become hard again and he glanced back at the camera pointed at him.

He couldn't do anything about it. With a sigh, he turned around on his side and put his hands under his pillow, where they were caught under the weight of his head. Hannibal ignored the throbbing between his legs and stared hard at the wall.

Now, what should he recite to fall asleep?

Clarice clutched the picture in her hand as she walked out of the grey building that held the office of her doctor. As soon as she was seated behind the steering wheel, she glanced at the little piece of paper in her hand. If she hadn't been told what it represented, she wouldn't have been able to guess it. It was in black and white and as she touched the round shape that she had been told was a head, she felt her heart pick up speed.

It was her baby.

The ultrasound didn't show much, but the doctor had been able to point out several limbs to her. It was weird, seeing it like this. It suddenly became very real. She had gained weight and if you knew she was pregnant, then you could definitely tell by her tummy, but she wasn't really showing yet and seeing this picture made the concept of motherhood so much more real. There was actually something growing inside her…

She put the picture in her wallet and started the car. It was a little to nine in the morning and she had to be in Baltimore by 10:30 so she headed for the road. Clarice just never made it that far. Pulling out of the parking lot, she suddenly found herself craving something very badly. It started in the back of her throat and the insistent hunger spread through her chest. She could really eat some chocolate. Not just any chocolate, but the expensive kind with different fillings; caramel, nougat, nuts, more chocolate and… mmm, more chocolate…

Her surrender came within the second as she pulled in outside a small store. Their selection of chocolate was limited, but she did manage to find a box that seemed promising. Hardly two minutes had been taken out of her trip as she was back on track, driving towards Baltimore. It was with perfected skills that she drove and ate almost half the box within ten minutes. As her crave diminished, she put the box on the passenger seat and sighed. By the time the baby was born, she was going to look like her old neighbor from back in West Virginia or like any other woman who'd discovered the true pleasures in life; chocolate and lots of it.

The trip to Baltimore had become somewhat familiar to her, though it was almost a month since she'd last been there. When she'd called yesterday, she'd been told that Hannibal was much better and that he was being sent back to his cell. Wait a minute… since when did she think of the Doctor by his first name? Clarice ran a hand through her hair. Lately she'd been doing it more and more often. Not a day went by where she didn't think of him and his insistence that she call him Hannibal was slowly seeping into her thought pattern. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as she pulled into the Asylum's parking lot. There was nothing she could do about it. Dr. Lecter was slowly but surely gaining a foothold in her mind. Everything would be fine as long as she didn't slip in front of Crawford and said "Hannibal".

As she left the car, she took one last glance inside and saw the box on the passenger seat. She only hesitated for a moment before she picked it up and put it in her bag.

It didn't take long, before she was walking down the hall towards Dr. Lecter's cell. Chilton hadn't even come out to greet her and she'd been too relieved to even think about going by his office. Barney, on the other hand, gave her a friendly smile and told her he'd started to think that she'd forgotten about them. He told her that everything had gone smoothly in the transition of Dr. Lecter from the med wing to his cell and that he was in good health. Now though, she wished he'd stayed in the med wing as she went past the occupied cells. No one was rude to her, but the quiet stares she received were bad enough. Finally, she reached Miggs's empty cell and then the Doctor's.

"Hello Clarice."

He looked good, was her first impression as she saw him standing in the middle of the room with his hands clasped on his back and a smile that would have made any woman soft in her knees. The bruises had completely faded, leaving his face as pale and smooth as when she first met him. But first looks could be deceiving and as Clarice stepped closer into view, she saw that things weren't as they seemed. His face was gaunter than she remembered and the dark circles under his eyes hadn't been there before. His jumpsuit didn't stretch across his chest as it used too, but seemed to hang looser than normal. He'd lost weight and a considerable amount of it too.

"Good morning Hannibal." As she used his name, his smile grew even wider. "You look better."

He winked. "So do you."

She could feel her cheeks reddening and to hide it she made a hurt face. "Doctor, I have never… Are you saying that I didn't look perfect last time I was here?"

The Doctor just kept smiling and Clarice felt a tug at the corner of her lips as her mask started slipping.

"You are always perfect Clarice but every time I see you, you manage to become more and more beautiful." He walked closer to the glass. "I don't know how you do it."

"Well thank you Hannibal." She bit her lip as she felt her heart skip a beat.

"Do sit." He gestured to the chair. Clarice placed her bag on the floor and sat down. Hannibal did the same behind his desk.

"How are you feeling Hannibal?"

"Much better."

"Are you eating properly?"

"Why, Agent Starling, are you concerned for my health?" He winked again, leaning forward over the desk. It was a subtle way of avoiding the question and Clarice accepted his privacy.

"Of course I am." She said. "You need to be fattened up and I have just the thing to help you."

She lifted her bag from the floor and pulled out the box of chocolate. Dr. Lecter leaned away with his lips slightly parted. Their eyes met and she noticed that they had gone wide.

"You shouldn't have done that Clarice." He said it as if he stated a fact; his voice void of any emotions.

"Why? Is there a rule against it?" She asked with a lifted eyebrow. "Besides, Barney already checked my bag and didn't say anything. And I should probably mention that I already ate half them… sorry Hannibal, they were good."

Dr. Lecter nodded and she noticed the smile that was growing on his face.

"Thank you Clarice." He said in a low voice. "But you should probably avoid sending the box through… it has sharp edges."

"Oh, I already thought about that." Clarice opened her bag and withdrew a paper napkin. She put as many chocolates in it as she could and folded it neatly like giftwrapping a present. She put it in the drawer, sending it through and Hannibal placed it on the table in front of him. He glanced up at her as he unwrapped the napkin. Clarice noticed how his nostrils flared before he picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. He ate it slowly and it looked like he had difficulty swallowing it.

"Don't you like chocolate?" She asked, suddenly feeling very nervous.

"Yes, yes I do." He nodded. "I just haven't had any in a while…"

"Oh… well, eat up then."

"I'd rather wait till later." He wrapped the napkin neatly and gave her a quick smile. "Something to pass the time."

A moment of silence passed between them as Hannibal gazed at her with wide eyes and Clarice could feel her heart pick up speed as she found herself leaning closer to the glass involuntarily. Hannibal's eyes were more brown than red today and he seemed tired. He licked his lips and looked away, placing his hands on the table and stretching his fingers out before him. Clarice had almost forgotten about his extra finger and it suddenly occurred to her that it was probably genetic. So were his eyes….

She cleared her throat, feeling a lump in her throat as a sudden burst of nervousness consumed her. "I should probably get going…"

With the strap of her bag on her shoulder, she rose from the small plastic seat. Hannibal did the same, quickly walking around his desk and standing close to the glass. "Clarice…"

"What?" She halted, turning around to face him. He had his hand reached out before him and she knew he would have touched her then and there if it wasn't for the barrier. She went closer, until she only had an inch between her and the glass. When she looked up, she had to contain a gasp as Hannibal had moved closer as well, leaving three inches between them. He didn't say anything as her pupils dilated from the fright he had caused and just looked at her, searching her face with his eyes.

"I want you to know something." He spoke so low that Clarice had to strain her ears. "I'm grateful. I truly am. For everything. I like your visits and I don't want them to end."

"You know that I can't promise you that they won't end."

"I know." He lowered his eyes and looked away. "Goodbye Clarice."

"Goodbye Hannibal." Clarice stepped away from the glass and headed down the hall. Her heart was in her throat and she found it difficult to breathe as tears threatened to fall. She stopped before she reached the end of the hall and took a deep breath, ignoring the man in the cell in front of her. Hannibal had been sentimental before, but never in this way. He'd never acknowledged that he was in prison before or that their time together was limited. This was the first time he'd spoken with her like things weren't in his hands; that he couldn't control what was happening. There was something not right about that. It was plain wrong. Doctor Hannibal Lecter was always in control.

Clarice composed herself and faced Barney as he let her through the door. She wasn't sure if her eyes were red, but if they were, he didn't comment on it.

"Barney…" She said quietly before he could say goodbye. "Is… is everything okay?"

"What do you mean?" Barney asked, scratching his neck.

"You see Han… I mean, you see Dr. Lecter every day so you might not notice this, but he's not… he's not well…" Clarice cleared her throat. Her eyes landed on the surveillance screen that showed Hannibal's cell. He was standing exactly where she had left him; his nose nearly touching the glass. "He has lost weight and it looks like he hasn't slept for a while…"

"You think?" Barney glanced at the screen that showed Hannibal. "I mean… I haven't really noticed. I guess… now that you mention it."

Barney leaned closer to the screen as he took in Dr. Lecter's diminished form. He glanced at Clarice and she saw his brow furrow as a thousand apologies passed through his eyes. His lips parted as he glanced back at the screen. "Do you think it's finally getting to him?"

"What?" She asked.

"Everything… Being here, what happened with the guards and he's always complaining about the food… The prospect of staying here for the rest of his life. It's very normal. I mean… for any other patient…"

Clarice shook her head. The lump in her throat was growing and she was afraid it might show in her voice. "I haven't known him as long as you Barney, but it doesn't… it's not something Dr. Lecter would be bothered by. He hasn't before so why now?"

Barney suddenly smiled from ear to ear. He avoided her eyes as his smile turned sheepish. "Maybe he's in love…?"

Clarice's mouth fell open as her heart started racing. Barney bit his lip and glanced at her. The words stumbled out of her mouth before she could stop herself. "But he's not capable…"

The big orderly raised an eyebrow. "What do you think Agent Starling?"

"Oh fuck…" Clarice stopped the car on the side of the road, leaning her forehead against the steering wheel. It became harder and harder to breathe and when she finally managed to gasp for air, a sob escaped her. It felt as if someone had stabbed her in the heart as tears started rolling down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and put a hand over her mouth, trying desperately to strangle another sob and then the next. Oh God… If what Barney had said was true… what had she done to make Hannibal feel like that? Fuck, shit, did she report this somewhere? Or did she keep it to herself? This was exactly what Crawford had wanted from her, right? Or was it?

She leaned back in her seat. And what about herself? Clarice knew that her pregnancy had caused her to feel things that she shouldn't, but crying because a serial killer was unhappily in love? Even that was a bit ridiculous. She dried her eyes and sniffed. Well, he wasn't just in love… he was in love with her…

A few deep, reassuring breaths later, Clarice felt ready to go home. Things would turn out just fine; she was sure.

The trip felt longer than normal. She was trying desperately to keep the tears back the entire time and it was with a sob of relief that she opened the door to the duplex. The relief didn't last long.

"Clarice?"

Ardelia stepped out of the kitchen, immediately noting her red eyes and the fresh tears that were already falling. Clarice's bag fell to the floor as her lips formed an "o" in surprise. She tried to calm herself by taking another deep breath, but it only sent another stab through her heart and Ardelia hurried forward, giving her a hug. Clarice hugged her back and put her head on her friend's shoulder. Sob after sob escaped her and the tears drenched Ardelia's t-shirt. Clarice's friend patted her on the back in an awkward attempt to calm her, but the tears kept falling and Ardelia took her by the elbow and led her into the sitting room, placing her on the couch.

"What did he do now?" Ardeila asked as they were seated. Her dark eyes searched Clarice's face and she tried to avoid her friend's gaze. "I know you went to see Hannibal Lecter today, remember? You told me."

"He… he d-didn't do any-anything." Clarice stammered through the sobs. "I don't know why I-I'm cry-crying. Well… yes I do… but it's not a good reason!"

"Aww, girl…" Ardelia said, biting her lip. "What is it then?"

"It's nothing…" Clarice tried to calm herself and she managed to stop sobbing. Stupid hormones, she thought. "I mean, you can't tell anyone I said this… It's just, sometimes, it's hard to remember why he's in there. It's like… he can be so nice and then the next moment he turns cruel. He used to get cruel, so it was easy to remember why he's in an asylum, but now… lately… he has been nothing but nice and he likes me. He said so. I just… I feel like he deserves better."

"Clarice, don't you see what he's doing?" Ardelia spoke apprehensively, hoping not to upset her. "He's trying to make you like him, so it will be even easier to play with your feelings. He's winning you over and he's succeeding… besides, don't you think it's just your, you know, hormones…"

"Well, yes…" Clarice stopped midsentence and her eyes went wide as she realized what Ardelia had just said. Hormones? What did she mean by that? Did she think it was her time of the month or… how could she know? Clarice was pretty sure she hadn't told her yet. "My hormones?"

Ardelia breathed through her nose and nodded. The watch on the wall ticked as Clarice waited for her friend to respond, explain, anything.

"I'm not stupid Clarice." Ardelia finally spoke. "There's nothing called morning flu that's just a flu. You've been eating some really weird things lately and with all your crying… besides, I took some of your things into you room a few weeks ago and quite frankly; single, non-pregnant ladies don't read the kind of books you had on your nightstand…"

"Oh…" Clarice's heart was racing and she felt the heat rise to her cheeks in embarrassment. Ardelia had known for weeks? Well, she had been planning to tell her. "I-I didn't want you to find out like that Delia… I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you tell me right away?"

"I wasn't sure…" Clarice felt her stomach churn as she remembered how she'd reacted when she'd found out about the baby and she spoke the next part as a whisper. "I wasn't sure if I should keep it."

"Aww Clarice…" Ardelia placed a hand on her knee. "What made you change your mind? Why even think so in the first place?"

"I don't know…" Clarice looked away from Ardelia as she remembered how she felt when she saw Hannibal in the hospital bed. "There's no father, but that's not the baby's fault and… I don't know. Please don't ask me any questions."

"Wait, does that mean that you won't tell me anything? Who's the father? Do you know if it's a boy or a girl? When are you due? Are you going to get fat? Does the Bureau know? What are we going to do with a baby in the house?" Ardelia talked so quickly that Clarice couldn't help but smile.

"We?" Clarice asked.

"Yes, we, did you think I was going to let you do this alone? Besides, it's my godchild…"

"Who says you're going to be the godmother?"

"Says I." Ardelia stuck out her tongue and laughed.

Clarice picked up a pillow from the couch and giggled as she hit Ardelia with it. They ended up chasing each other through the house and Clarice had to barricade herself in her room. With a smirk, she realized that she'd avoided most of Ardelia's questions quite smoothly.

A/N:
So this took much longer to write than I had anticipated… especially since I started writing the second chapter to the crossover I've published. If you like Hannibal Lecter/Clarice Starling and Harry Potter, you might consider reading it ;)

And the family takes up a lot of time too... at the moment, we're 10 people in the summer house...

Plus, I just found out that I failed my written exam so I have to do it all over again. That sucks. Less time to write :/

Please review. I'm writting my crossover till we make 20 here.