SURPRISE!

…"She's your daughter too"…

The words echoed in his head as he tried to grasp the concept that he fathered a child. Though his face revealed nothing, inside was a different story. His heart stopped at the words Clarice uttered. There is very little that catches Dr. Lecter off guard, and Clarice is one of the few who can catch him off guard with a few well chosen words. Just like now. As the words echoed in his mind, he realized he was still looking down upon Marie. He found himself studying her more as he came to grasping the idea more. How was it that this child was his sire?

Looking at her hands, he saw that they were similar to his only in a much more feminine shape and already she showed signs of wiry strength that both he and Clarice shared. He then recalled Marie's eyes as she looked at him during his visit when he came to call upon Clarice not too long ago and again at the store. Her eyes were so intense for a child and much more perspective and intelligent than most people. At first he thought she had her mother's eyes but no as he recalled more, he realized they were very much his again much more feminine. While he reviewed her characteristics in his brilliant mind, Clarice waited silently and patiently for a response of some kind. Or a sign of some sort in his language, in lack of a better word.

Clarice suddenly realized that she finally came out with the truth after ten years of secrecy. At first, she made the decision on not telling him at all in an effort to avoid a reason for his capture and to evade the horrifying truth. Now suddenly without any warning of any kind, she told him. She realized that this was not the best way to come out with it and was rather spontaneous and unexpected.

I don't think he could ever really predict what I do.

Hannibal, now sure he had his resolve under control said, "You had never planned on not telling me at all about her, isn't that right Clarice?"

She could only tell him the truth. "Yes"

"Why had you planned on not telling me, Clarice? Was it because you were afraid of my influence on the child? Were you afraid I may try to press the child to adapt my dietary habits? Or was it simply because you were being selfish, hm?" replying coldly.

"No! I was not acting on any selfish desire and no I was not afraid of any 'influences' you might have had on Marie. If push came to shove, I would have trusted you unfailing with our child welfare even if you did not know of her existence. The reason for my decision was completely selfless and it was also an evasion. I thought that she deserved a life where she wasn't discriminated because of her parentage or covered in shroud of her father's shadow. I believed that she deserved much more than that. A better childhood than either of ours. Isn't that selfless?" her accent coming in heavily to play on her contractions.

During her outburst, Hannibal had been observing her and couldn't help but think that the once small cub full of potential was now a strong lioness with a cub of her own. He had once told her in a letter during her dire time of need of closure that she was the most stable element in the scientific table. Between iron and silver.

Now as she finished, he thought 'What a protective lioness she is.'

"You may not agree with me, Clarice", choosing his words carefully knowing the wrong word could break the trust so hardly formed between the two of them, "but I believe I had the right to know I fathered a child. One, I might add, who is almost an exact replica of you and me"

His words triggered the memory of their tryst together ten years ago to resurface. In a temporary rented home in Amsterdam during her leave of absence after the Chesapeake incident they had decided to meet anonymously to avoid his capture. This involved switching planes four times before she was 'safe' enough to meet him at their rendezvous. At the time they were having dinner on the terrace in the late evening; no human entrees were served this time around. Filet mignon was one of the main dishes they had along with oysters cooked with some slightly browned butter, side dishes were soufflés and strawberry dipped in chocolate ( Clarice's favorite desert). How he managed to guess her favorite desert was beyond her though she did give it much thought as she concentrated on the meal in front of her.

In the soft candlelight, he recalled the modest neckline of her dress which clung to every luscious curve on her body. Wrapped in a delightful golden dress with a one shoulder wrap as she wore Gucci on her feet. A gift from him. He once told her he was cursed with taste in an off handed way. Good bag and cheap shoes. He watched as she brought the meat to her mouth and slowly chewed as she savored the delectable flavor. Closing her eyes, showing her graceful long lashes sweep across her cheek as it cast shadows. She smiled at him then, saying it was wonderful and he politely smiled and raised his glass. As they took their desert in the drawing room in two comfortable loveseats as they started a conversation on religion. What was their religion, and how had it defined them.

Halfway through the conversation Clarice had subtly taken off her heels and placed her feet in his lap which he then unconsciously began to massage. In the firelight, she did not seem like the federal agent and he did not seem like the most ten wanted criminal. While the conversation drew on to the subject on how their religion came to be they had moved steadily closer to each other until they were mere inches apart. Though neither noticed because they were lost in each other's eyes.

Though he did not know it because despite the contrary theory he could not read minds and he could not tell then what was running through Clarice's mind. Hannibal recalled that she finally removed her foot from his grasp bringing to the fact he had been massaging her foot, shapely feet he once told her. Placing her hand on his chest, she felt his heartbeat steadily in strong thuds against her hands. Recalling how warm and delicate her hands had felt then. It seemed to surprise her when it beat in accord with hers. He, on the other hand had known this for a long while but he would never confess how long. She looked up at him with her ocean blue eyes with something akin to affection in her eyes. He had no idea what she was going to say.

She brought her face close to his while he savored the closeness and turned to his ear subtly insinuating how much warmer her bed would be with another occupant. If one did not know any better, they would think it just an innocent request for warmth on a cold night but he was no fool. Though slightly taken back by her request, he told her that she may come to regret it whether be in the morning or in time but she merely nodded and brought his face down to hers and kissed him igniting something that wasn't so superfluous and cheap.

To say the move was a bit forward was an understatement.

If he recalled correctly, though there is no need to doubt his memory, the occasion was that Clarice was resigning from the FBI. This occurred perhaps a month or two after the Chesapeake incident.

That was ten years ago.

Clarice realized that he had a point in his argument, the child was half his. She wondered what would have been if she had told him once she found out she was pregnant. This brought back the memory of her kneeling on her bathroom floor staring unbelievably at the stick that read pregnant. This was a jeweled moment for her because she was not one to reflect often. She supposed that he would have acted calmly as he normally did, just as he did now, and would have addressed the situation properly and settled it with proper arrangements and most likely have offered her to run with him despite its unlikelihood. As she thought about it, she realized the chances of her going with him to gods know where would have been quite high if the opportunity had presented itself. But sadly it hadn't.

Time seemed not to have been present then because a few hours had passed with the two of them just standing there lost in their own thoughts, reflecting the what if situations.

One recalling the softness of one's skin in the silver moonlight as their bodies, slightly covered in perspiration, swayed in rhythm with the other's body in a dance as old as time itself amongst the bed sheets while the other realized the unfairness of their action in withholding vital information from the one important person in their life however much they deny the fact.

If one were to enter Dr. Lecter current thoughts they would find thoughts of the once and only tryst of he and Clarice together, held in such high esteem in his memory palace not because of the act but the complete wholeness of Clarice's trust and complete surrender of, dare we say, heart to him. Every detail so astute within his mind that every smell was prominent in his recollection. One scent that stood out the most was the scent of Clarice, its perfume so avidly delicious he could not help but be lost in it as he loved Clarice. How oddly cliché it sounds, he thought, but utterly true. Her blue eyes were the one feature that surfaced the most. They had darkened to a midnight blue in the haze of passion as her lids lie half closed, reminding him of a stormy ocean blue. There were no words to describe the memory. There were only emotions.

Whereas if they were to enter Clarice's thoughts, one could see she was ridden with guilt of having concealed a child from their father. It is quite obvious she regrets the decision but holds firmly that she was justified in her reason for it. As we have stated earlier, she is incorruptible in her morals. It is mostly Clarice that reflects on the what if situation.

Neither of them noticed the third pair of eyes watching them both.

Marie had been awake for the past thirty minutes to find her mother and Dr. Lawners standing by her bed, her father she corrected herself. They apparently had not noticed that she was awake. Then she noticed the faraway look in her mother's eyes slowly start to vanish as she looked into her father's eyes. Turning her gaze to him she noticed his faraway look included a look she was unsure of. She knew though it contained passion. His also faded as he connect with her mother's eyes. Marie became curious of what would happen next.

Clarice finally managed to turn her thoughts away from feeling guilty and came back to reality. Hesitantly, she looked into Hannibal's eyes to see he too was lost in his thoughts though it contained a heated look in them and passion. Then slowly he came back quite subtly and must have sensed her looking at him and turned his eyes to hers. The intense blue was even more profound than before and had a certain amount of lust in them. Seeing that, she tried to deny seeing them but there was no denying it. He must have been thinking of our first time together in Amsterdam in his home. She, too, remember that time in her memory though not as detailed as Hannibal's recollection. Instead of vivid details, hers was more of feeling. Recalling every feeling he made her feel.

Adoration, trust, attraction, passion, desire, and contentment.

Passion and desire stood out the most in her mind, mostly because those were the most prolonged. Thinking about it brought a blush to her cheeks and heat to her eyes. At the time she trusted him with her body not to make her feel cheap like the boys in the sticky fumbling in the back seats of cars had. She was right in trusting him with that.

Seeing the flush in her cheeks, Hannibal felt drawn towards her just as he did during their dinner together. Noticing also that heat shimmered in her eyes, he knew then that she recalled their tryst together also but in what way remained unclear. She seemed irresistible like this.

Both parties had forgotten the child who was watching them with interest.

Ever so slowly they moved towards each other, still holding their gaze with a bit more heat in them. It wasn't long till they stood so close they could feel the other's breath upon their face. Clarice's breathing became shaky and fast, and the only sign of change in Hannibal's breathing was it was deepening and heavy.

Because of her vast intelligence beyond her age and maturity, Marie knew what was going to happen next and felt like an intruder but couldn't help but continue to look on as curiosity got the better of her.

Still oblivious to the third party, they continued to hold each other's gaze through half lidded eyes. Desire flooded through their veins as they gave in to touch each other's lips. While her hand caressed the contours of his face, his brushed against her cheek and ran his fingers down her neck unhurriedly to caress her collarbone. They were lost in their world of sensuality. Their lips brushing every so often, the sheer texture of their lips was tempting them to give in, in their battles of will though neither was willing to give in. Whose was the strongest? They did not know nor did they care. Brushing became a slight pressure, a slight pressure became a soft kiss, a soft kiss became a more heated kiss, and soon their passion took complete control over their bodies.

Marie watched on in curiosity, she had seen couples and lovers do such things in public and private though not with the air her mother and father had. It was as though the air was electricity and crackled and each new touch they made.

As though it was choreographed, their bodies came together in a tide of passion, arms wrapping around the other in a tight embrace as their lips connected in an effort to satisfy their need. One last breath was taken by both parties before they became completely involved with each other.

The moment seemed to last forever . . .

Eternity even.