Boot heels clicked on the stone walkway as Emilia walked up the steps to the front door of a lavish house. A house that belonged to a Doctor Hannibal Lecter. Emilia once again found herself waiting on one side of a door for the Lithuanian doctor. It wasn't long after she rang the doorbell that the large door opened, and the smell of cedar and rosemary drifted to her.
"Ah, Ms. Monroe" Dr. Lecter said with a smile. "Please come in."
The man stepped a side and gestured for the woman to step through the threshold of his home. If Emilia thought Dr. Lecter's office was beautiful, his house was even more so. The man asked for her coat and she nodded, barely listening as her eyes took in the room before her. The marble floors and dark hardwood were stunning, not to mention that every surface looks so immaculately clean. Emilia began to unbutton the from of her camel trench coat and just as she was about to push it off her shoulders, she felt strong fingers grip the fabric and slide it down her arms. The woman tried to hide the shiver that ran through her as Dr. Lecter's skin brushed her bare arms on the way down. She walked into the centre of the room and slowly twisted around. "You're home is..." she trailed off, lips parted to speak, but her mind was lost in the elegant details of the foyer. The doctor let out an amused chuckle as he came to stand beside her, gently brushing his knuckle against her chin to close her slightly open mouth. "I think that is my favourite reaction yet".
Heat rushed to the young woman cheeks at the slightly intimate gesture. "Sorry... I, ah, still live in the same apartment when I first moved to Virginia." Emilia tried to lightly the heavy embarrassment she was feeling, and failed. She tried again. "Uhm, is Abigail here?" She asked. The man seemed to be enjoying her flustered behavior but nevertheless motioned in the direction of what looked like the dining room. They walked through the room to a bright kitchen. A brunette blur moved from around the kitchen and soon Abigail Hobbs was standing in front of Emilia, arms wrapping around her neck in a hug.
"Hi Abigail" Emilia said softly with a smile. As she stood with Abigail beaming up at her, Dr. Lecter by her side, she was struck with the mental image of they family they formed in that moment. She shook it from her mind quickly. Will Graham wasn't the only one making a family out of the situation apparently.
"Come, both of you. We will prepare dinner together."
As Dr. Lecter walked further into the kitchen he picked up a small remote and pressed a button before setting it down again. He circled the counter to stand on the side opposite the two women while the soft note of a familiar classic song filled the air.
"Is this Romeo and Juliet?" Emilia asked, approaching the counter as well.
Dr. Lecter smiled at her. "It is. Prokofiev score for the original ballet performed in Russia. I'm impressed, Emilia."
"I loved Shakespeare when I was younger. I've scene almost every play. A few I saw performed as ballets as well."
"Do you see many now?" He asked.
The older girl shook her head. "Unfortunately no. My roommate isn't one for the arts. Plus I find it hard to find time." Hazel eyes drifted to the younger girl beside her. "Do you have any interest in theater, Abigail? I know it's a bit of a dying art now."
Abigail shook her head. "I prefer concerts over that kind of stuff. Well.. I preferred concerts. I feel like who I was before is long gone now. I'm now just some killer's daughter."
The girl sighed and looked out the large back doors in the kitchen.
"It is important to know when it's time to turn the page" Dr. Lecter reminded her, resuming his peeling of the potatoes in front of him. "Have you thought about applying for schools?"
Abigail too a small intake of break as her eyes fluttered down to her shoes. "My dad killed girls at all the schools I applied to." There was a hint of annoyance to her voice, like her father's crimes were inconvenient to her more then they were heinous.
The doctor considered her words for a moment, "perhaps that can wait then."
Emilia reached out and put her hand gently on the hand Abigail had resting on the counter. "There are other options" she said with a small smile. "You have a chance to really start anew. Maybe go somewhere for something you never considered in the past. You have plenty of time to think thought, no one is going to rush you into anything."
"We'll make sure of it" Dr. Lecter with a smile and a somewhat playful glint in his eyes. Abigail smiled at the pair, obviously warmed by their words of care for her. However Emilia couldn't help the strange suspicious she felt and the way the doctor was looking at the two of them.
Abigail spoke again, we more eagerness in her voice then before. "I want to work for the FBI, like you Em." The older girl smiled at the nick name. From the other side of the counter Dr. Lecter remarked that he would feel safer with the young girl the in bureau, protecting his interests. "They wouldn't let me though, would they?" Abigail continued. "'Cause of what my dad did."
The man never looked up from the potatoes he had finished peeling as he spoke. "Only if they believe that is in your nature too."
"Nature verse Nurture" the younger girl commented.
"I can help you with that, Abigail" Emilia affirmed. "I can help you prep and get all your qualifications, if that's what you really want to do. I believe you could do great things with us."
The young girl opened her mouth to speak, her eyes downcast in defeat already.
"You're not your father's daughter. Not any more" Dr. Lecter cut in, finally meeting the young girls eyes again and fixing her with a intense stare. "What if it weren't so painful anymore? To think of him?"
Both girls looked at the doctor in slight confusion. "My dad?" Abigail clarified.
"Yes." Dr. Lecter confirmed. " Have you ever tried psilocybin?"
"I'm sorry, what?" Emilia interjected, starting to piece together the possible outcomes of the conversation. Hazel eyes darted to the tea pot that had been steeping something since she arrived in the kitchen. He couldn't be serious could he?
"Mushrooms." Abigail stated. "That's what's in the tea?"
Dr. Lecter confirmed. Emilia couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew he wasn't wrong in stating that some psychiatrist found such chemicals to be helpful in therapies, but she didn't think that kind of therapy was appropriate for a 18 year old girl. Let alone one that had gone through a large trauma recently. The woman had joined the doctor over at the counter that the tea wear had be sitting on. Emilia slipped around to the same side as Dr. Lecter and placed a hand on the one that was about to lift the teapot. "You want her to do drugs?" She asked in slight disbelief.
"I want her to do this drug, with our supervision." Dr. Lecter shifted his hand so he could pour the liquid into the neighboring cup. He placed the pot back on the table and picked up the cup.
"Do you trust me?" he asked Abigail, holding out the cup to her. Large blue eyes looked between the pair of adults before the girl slowly nodded and took the cup in her hands.
The doctor shifted his body to face the older girl and let his maroon eyes fix her with an intense stare. "Do you?" he asked, his voice a bit softer then when he asked Abigail. Emilia swallowed. As much as she wanted to protest, she really did trust Dr. Lecter. He seemed to really care about Abigail Hobbs, and truly wanted to help her. He wasn't wrong about the practice of psilocybin in therapy and this was a contained safe space. She nodded slowly before turning to face the younger girl. "It may help a bit Abigail."
That was all the affirmation the girl needed. Without anymore hesitation she raised the glass to her lips and took a large sip. Her eyes met Emilia's again, who offered her a small smile. Abigail smiled back and continued to sip the warm beverage in her hands.
"Will the effects take long to show?" Emilia asked. Dr. Lecter had returned to his original place at the counter and was continuing to cut potatoes. "No," he replied. "Being steeped in water allows the chemicals to react more quickly in the body. Only a few minutes will be needed."
When hazel eyes turned back to the girl, as if on cue, the young girls blue eyes had become hazy and a small frown pulled on her lips. As Abigail stared at the cup in her hand, her fingers slowly loosened their grip until the ceramic slipped from them and shattered on the floor. Emilia quickly rounded the counter, worried that the girl might hurt herself on the broken shards, but Abigail turned away from the scene and walked shakily to a nearby chair.
"Dr. Bloom said this was okay?" she asked in a slightly slurred voice. Emilia bent down and started to collect the piece from the floor, but let her gaze follow the doctor that was coming to join her. She hadn't really thought of Alana Bloom's involvement in all this. The woman was Abigail's psychiatrist after all, not Dr. Lecter. It was a fact she kept forgetting, since the male doctor seemed to actually care for the young Hobbs girl.
"Not at all" Dr. Lecter replied. "We often have a difference of opinion." He knelt down in front of Emilia and wiped the damp area with a cloth.
"More secrets for us" Abigail said somewhat happily from the side of the room.
Emilia looked up at the doctor with an eyebrow raised. What did Abigail mean by that?
Dr. Lecter smiled and the woman and winked, choosing to reply to Abigail rather than answer Emilia's silent question.
"Oh, you and I will have many secrets. All of us will I think." His maroon eyes never left Emilia's, neither did his small smile. Gently taking the broken pieces from Emilia, the pair stood. The woman walked over the the young girl on the chair, sitting on the arm and trying to ease the feeling of worry in her. Abigail rested her head on Emilia's leg and smiled up at her drowsily. Dr. Lecter commented on how the drug can aid in therapy as he disposed on the teacup pieces.
"Psychological trauma is an affliction of the powerless" he continued, coming to stand in front of the young woman."I want to give you your power back."
After a moment Abigail lifted her head from Emilia's leg and grabbed the older girl's hand. "I don't feel so good" she said in a shaky voice. Worry flashed through her hazel eyes as she looked to the doctor, squeezing the girl's hand in comfort. Dr. Lecter knelt in front of Abigail, telling her that the feeling will pass and instructing her to let it wash over her. He placed his hands gently on either side of her face, commanding her attention with his stare. After a few moments the feeling had indeed passed, and Abigail became distracted by the sizzling of the frying pan.
"You're making breakfast for dinner?" Abigail said with a small smile. The doctor smiled back and rose to his feet. He placed a warm hand on Emilia's shoulder, squeezing it gently before turning back to the kitchen. "High Life Eggs" he explained. "A chef in Spain called Muro claimed to have invented it in the 19th century."
Emilia looked back to Abigail, the girl's eyes were still glazed over and unfocused but she seemed happier than a moment. The older girl stood and offered the young girl a hand to help her up. Dr. Lecter tossed a potato the air and caught it with the blade of his knife. The young girl made a face to show she was impressed and chucked. Emilia couldn't help but smile as she tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear. She needed to stop worrying. She trusted Dr. Lecter, and Abigail did seem fine now. Worrying too much could do more harm then good, and she didn't want Abigail to push her away like Ashley did. The mood in the kitchen quickly began to lighten, all thoughts of traumas and crimes gone as the picture of an almost family like dinner scene began to unfold. Perhaps this is what Abigail needed now. Some sense of normality and a family like unit.
"I used to have breakfast at dinner all the time when I was younger" she offered, continue to lighten the mood the the beautiful kitchen. "I went through a serious eggs Benedict phase in my youth."
Dr. Lecter smiled at the older girl as he handed her a knife to aid him in cutting. "I will have to prepare them for you one day then" he said. "Now, I did say we would be making this together."
"I look forward to that" Emilia replied, taking the knife and the pulling a potato towards her. "I have to warn you though, I'm a pretty tough breakfast food critic."
The man chuckled lightly and smiled. He then rounded the table and came to stand behind her. "I hope your a better food critic than chef. Here, you're holding your knife all wrong. May I?" The Doctor wrapped his hand around Emilia's and guided it to the the potato on the counter. Grabbing her other hand, he placed the vegetable between her index finger and thumb. He brought the blade down and slowly sliced through. "You needn't hack at it, like you're trying to saw off somebodies arm" he chuckled softly and continued to guide her hand. The woman let out a small laugh-like breath. "You sound like my roommate, she a far better chef than I am."
When Dr. Lecter spoke, he spoke in a soft voice close to her ear. "Well if you'd ever like to learn, I would be happy to teach you" he commented, warm breath fanning over her shoulder. Emilia swallowed, her throat suddenly quite dry. She tried hard to focus on anything other than how comfortable Dr. Lecter's warm arms felt around her. Luckily, Abigail caught the doctor's eyes. The young girl stood against the counter, smiling widely at the pair. She swayed slightly, causing the doctor to remove himself from the agent and firmly grasp Abigail's shoulders.
"You look a bit tired, Abigail. Let's put you on the couch for a bit before dinner is ready."
Emilia watched them exit the room and let out a breath. She continued to try and cut the vegetables in front of her but found her mind too preoccupied. Dr Lecter soon entered the kitchen again. "She felt asleep as soon as she sat down" he commented. " She needs a good rest, her nights at Porthaven have been plagued by nightmares as of late."
Hazel eyes stared into the dark room which held the sleeping Hobbs girl. Emilia spoke without thinking."I don't blame her. That place is something out of a nightmare itself. It does more harm than good for most of the poor girls in it's shitty walls." She had hoped the nightmares would be staring to subside by now. When she turned back to the kitchen she was met with a burning maroon stare. Thin lips curled in a smile before parting to speak. "I have a question for you, Emilia."
Shit. The woman realized she'd spoke a little too honestly about the facility. To a psychiatrist on top of that. Dr. Lecter had already asked her about her strong desire to help Abigail, this would only fuel it. Letting out a slow breath, Emilia nodded.
Before continuing his inquire, the doctor pulled out a bottle of white wine and two glasses. Prokofiev's last pieces for the ballet played softly in the background, barely above a whisper to blood pumping in Emilia's ears. After pouring both, he extended one to Emilia.
"I find you very curious, Emilia. Jack has spoken so highly of you, and you've been his right hand many times. Now suddenly your relationship is strained. You're sneaking around behind his back, and Jack has a new right hand in Will Graham. Are you envious of Will taking you position?"
Emilia let out a sharp breath. She hadn't really thought of it that way. "Not at all" she replied. "More so a case of good timing. Jack's focus on Will keeps me out of the spotlight. As I'm sure you've psychoanalyzed already, this case hits a bit close to home. My actions may seem off because they are slightly out of the norm but I'm not doing anything wrong. As I said before, Abigail is innocent. She was taken advantage of by her father into doing things because she as scared for her life. Jack made up his mind before Abigail even had a chance to change it. Someone needs to be in her corner or she won't make it out of all this."
The woman tried to brush on the inquire, but she only added more fuel to the fire in the doctor's eyes. He didn't look shock in the slightly, merely stood on beside the woman with his lips turning in the smallest smile.
"I'm sorry if my question seemed out of turn, Emilia. I assure I had no intention of accusing you of anything. I do apologize for any 'psychoanalysis' you feel may have been done, it was not done intentionally. Sometime it is hard to turn off who we are."
"It's fine" she said. "I'm sorry I got so defensive."
Dr. Lecter gently tilted her chin upwards with his knuckles. "You needn't apologize."
Emilia offered a small smile. "I must say I do admire you passion. " the doctor added, his thumb brushing against her chin. His Maroon eyes bore into hers, something bubbling behind them that she couldn't yet understand. The doctor finally step away from he agent. "May I make one more 'psychoanalyses'?"
The woman nodded. Dr. Lecter had been nothing but nice to her and Abigail Hobbs, maybe he could help her explain all this to Jack when everything was said and done.
"In any previous conversations you rarely spoke of family, and never any siblings. Yet you don't display the common personality traits found in only children. Abigail Hobbs has just lost her family. I think it's fair to say you're trying to help her, and yourself, build a new one. Am I close?"
The brunette laughed before taking a sip of wine. "Will Graham did say you were good."