Disclaimer:
Me: I do not own any of these characters.
Dr. Lecter: Of course, why are you wasting their time, no one owns me, or my Clarice.
Clarice: Hey I know that writer over there doesn't own me, but you sure as hell don't own me either.
Dr. Lecter: (chuckles) I've always enjoyed your warrior spirit, Clarice.
Clarice: I've always enjoyed your silky voice, you naughty doctor.
(They start making out)
Me: Ahem...Can we please get on with the story now?
Dr. Lecter: If you must.
Me: Okey dokey here we go...hehe
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Luckily Clarice and Hannibal were able to find everything they needed. It was hard for Clarice to not look suspicious. She had spent so many years looking for criminals, it would take a while for her to become one. As they were standing in line with the other billion people, or so it seemed at the time, Clarice kept having the lurking feeling that someone would notice them. He was Dr. Lecter for Christ sakes!
"They won't notice anything."
Hannibal said into Clarice's ear as they stood in line. A shiver went up her spine before she was able to wonder how he always seemed to know what she was thinking.
"How do you know?"
"Well one can never know anything for sure. However, just look at them. People have their own lives and own routines that they are loath to interrupt. Believe it or not Clarice, but most people do not have your little habit to seek out people and things that do not want to be seen."
Clarice thought about what Hannibal said as they slowly moved up in the line. By the time they were walking out to Crawford's car she had begun to walk with more calm confidence than before.
Somehow Clarice convinced Hannibal to let her drive so that he could get some rest. The bullet wound had healed well, but Clarice still didn't want him to do too much.
As Clarice started to drive away from the Wall-Mart parking lot, Hannibal directed her to the freeway that they had left that last night. She only had only to follow the interstate West, he said simply. After tuning the station to a soothing classical station he leaned back and slowly closed his eyes.
Clarice smiled, as she looked over at him. It was the first time she saw him so relaxed. Actually it the first time she saw him sleeping at all because it was she that had fallen asleep first the night before.
As the hours passed they slowly left the populated city area. The mountains were very beautiful Clarice mused as she drove along. She was starting to look forward to the unexpected hike she would be going on later that day.
Just when she was starting to relax and think that perhaps she wasn't doing such a bad job on her first day as a fugitive she heard something that all that made her heart skip a beat.
"We interrupt this usual radio broadcast to report the appearance of Dr. Lecter and his now believed to be accomplice, Clarice Starling. They are said to be driving a black 1998 Ford Crown Victoria, License plate number: 4JRCl7. They are each wanted on multiple charges and are considered highly dangerous. If you have any information or have seen one or either of them please contact your local police station immediately."
Clarice hurriedly looked around. Although the highway was in no way quite as busy as before, there were still several cars around. A hundred questions ran through her mind. But before she was able to answer any of them Dr. Lecter slowly opened one eye,
"Just keep driving, Clarice. Get off on the next exit."
Clarice gave him a quick glance.
"I thought you were sleeping?"
"I was. Hearing your name spoken during a radio interruption is not exactly conducive to an unfettered slumber."
"Oh...sorry." Clarice mumbled as she pulled off the highway.
"No need to apologize, you don't have any control over that. Actually I am surprised it took them so long to realize Crawford's car was missing."
"Oh cut them some slack, your car isn't really the first thing on your mind after having your head bashed into a door by your nemesis." Clarice chastised with a small grin. Hannibal looked over at her to make sure she was only kidding and not really too upset over his treatment of Jack.
"He shot me, I think I was perfectly within my rights to have done that. Turn here." Hannibal said, they were now traveling down a deserted road. The signs showed that they were heading towards a mountain town called, "Darcy".
"So do you think anyone noticed our car back there on the highway?" Clarice asked tentatively.
"Probably not. But even if they did, cell phones don't work in this terrain. And by the time they make it to a phone and the policy arrive, we will be far away from any place they might look. O.k. turn here."
"Here?" Clarice was surprised because Dr. Lecter indicated a dirt road, well not even a dirt road, just a break in the dense tree line.
"Yes, here. In later situations that are more...dire than this, I ask that when I request something of you that you obey without question. I'll answer any confusion you may have later. Understood?" Hannibal added, as Clarice hurriedly turned car, almost missing the barely noticeable entrance.
"O.k., sorry. Just making sure, no need to get pissy." Clarice said as she slowly drove up the dirt road.
"Pissy?" Hannibal asked, looking totally confused.
"Yea, you know...uppity, disgruntled, frustrated. It's a side effect of that fetish of yours, you know." Clarice said with a knowing smile.
"Oh, so you're the psychiatrist now?" Hannibal asked, forgetting his anger and laughing at how she was able to sound so serious, as if she was actually diagnosing him.
"Yes, and you're lucky too because you're mental health was in dire need of a laugh."
Hannibal stopped laughing and only sighed, it was not often that he couldn't come up with a witty and cutting response. Clarice only smiled in the silence.
"Pull in the car here and stop." Hannibal directed her, pointing to a small alcove of trees, slightly off the dirt road. Hannibal got out first and went to the trunk, he started dividing the packages between himself and Clarice. They quickly both changed into their more durable hiking boots and thicker jackets. He tossed Clarice her own small pack. They each had water, several protein bars, a compass, a map. After that was done, Hannibal spread out one of the maps out on the back of the car. He pointed out to Clarice where they were headed to and how to get there.
"When did you think of all of this?" Clarice asked with surprise, quite taken aback at the depth of his plan.
"I have several places such as this in major parts of the world where I'm likely to be spending time. However, I must admit this particular estate is one of the most special. And it is one of the most difficult to get to. Especially when I am without my usual...supplies."
"Supplies?"
"Yes, counterfeit id's, a car with an untraceable license plate number, money, the usual."
"The usual?" Clarice asked incredulously. She knew that Dr. Lecter had many resources, not that extensive though. No wonder she was hard pressed to keep up with him over the years. Dr. Lecter only gave a knowing smile in response, leading Clarice to question further.
"Exactly how did you come by all of these estates, cars, and wealth."
"That Clarice is a question for another day. For now it's time for us to put as much distance between this car and us as possible."
After putting up several strategically placed branches around the car, assuring that it wasn't visible from the main road, Hannibal and Clarice started off on their hike.
It was only 2:00 pm by this time, insuring that the couple would have at least several hours until the sun set.
As Clarice followed Hannibal up the winding almost invisible dirt path she finally felt a sense of calm return to her, something she hadn't felt in a very long time. At first Clarice looked all around, marveling at the forest during mid day. Then as the terrain became more treacherous she found her self watching the ground more than the sky.
Even with the help of her eyes her feet still got confused and she almost tripped a couple of times. The last time she looked up at Hannibal's back and realized that he hadn't faltered once. So she decided to follow his footsteps exactly. It actually worked out quite well... until she started to grow bolder and end up tripping again.
This time her foot got caught behind a rock and she was unable to catch herself. Luckily Hannibal quickly turned around and caught her before she fell too far.
"Are you alright?" Hannibal asked.
"Yea. Um...thanks." Clarice managed awkwardly as Hannibal helped her get to her feet. Clarice mentally slapped herself for not paying enough attention.
As Hannibal was about to turn around and resume their journey, Clarice asked,
"I never thought of you as the outdoorsy type, how'd you get so good at this sort of thing?"
Hannibal sighed as he continued up the path. Clarice almost thought he wasn't going to answer until he said very quietly
"I spent much of my childhood in a forest...very similar to this one."
"Is that why you like this estate we're going to so much?"
"Yes.." a beat..."and no."
Clarice looked confused and was about to ask for clarification when Hannibal started speaking again.
"How would you feel, Clarice, say if you lived in ranch house, with horses, cows, sheep, and all types of things necessary for the perfect farm life."
Immediately Clarice thought she would be blessed. Actually, she had wanted exactly that as a child. But then Clarice remembered why she had stopped dreaming of that life. The night when she watched her uncle slaughter the spring lambs had quenched any real desire she had had to one day live on a farm, no matter how much the idea appealed to her at first.
"So, Clarice would you enjoy living there?" Hannibal asked again.
Clarice found herself echoing back his earlier reply.
"yes...and no"
Hannibal only nodded, content that Clarice understood why he was unable to give a straight answer before.
Clarice took a deep breath and wondered... Did Hannibal have a similar experience as she did when he was a child. Is that why he understood her so well? She knew that if she didn't ask now, she would never know the real answer for certain. She took another breath and tried to keep her voice steady as she asked,
"Who was your lamb, Hannibal?"
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Yea Clarice is a little...blunt, but hey she wanted to know. So that's what Hannibal and Clarice have been doing, more on what Jack and Ardelia are doing coming up in the next chapter. One day the stories will converge again, never worry. Please let me know what you think, I'm trying to keep them in character, really! Any comments or criticisms are welcome. Thanks for reading, now go on and press the review button, Dr. Lecter knows you want to...