There's a little bit of description of violence here so if that is a trigger or not your thing feel free to skip this chapter. If not, enjoy!

Chapter Twenty One

Charlotte Claude was sure that the invitation was created from spite. Deep, pulsating hatred that Mason Verger breathed.

A party at the Verger's mansion. A casino theme charity night that the board had put together for the investors of the Verger empire. This time however Hannibal had been invited. Charlotte had been ready and waiting on will's porch when Hannibal arrived. She slunk to the car in her red gown, with a look upon her face that Hannibal had privately named 'the warrior' expression.

She wasn't amicable that night. They drove in near silence as she squeezed her fists opened and closed against the black leather of his car. Hannibal wanted to talk with her. He wanted to know what had caused her cold front to him. He wanted to know about Will, about Jack, but mostly about Margot. How was Charlotte coping such a cruel twist of fate? He wanted to dig that conversational knife in and see the blood poor but Charlotte had no patience for it. She was not interested in any of it.

She simply glowered. She had thanked him quietly when they arrived before quickly being whisked away by the staff, someone muttering that they had been waiting for her, while another commented lightly she looked 'a vision'. At least that was true. Hannibal never found her more beautiful than when she was angry. The hardness that sat behind her brown eyes in her rages made him glow with adoration for her.

The party had been boring and dull. Hannibal circulated the cocktail reception, frowning at the gauche gambling tables, all sporting soiled green fabric across the top of them. He'd never seen a room so full of people that he found so repulsive. Chubby investors with sycophantic smiles, each and every one of them slapping Mason Verger on his tuxedo suited back and schmoozing 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!'. Hannibal had spotted Margot once. She gave him a sparkly, dry eyed glance before disappearing back in to the crowd. He frowned softly at her reaction only to realise she must have seen him arrive with Charlotte.

Charlotte performed several jazzy duets with a young man from the company she worked for. He wasn't quiet as talented as her but he was handsome and the room seemed to forgive him for his singing short comings. They crooned to one another, swaying about to songs that would be on the playlist made by every middle class American entitled 'dinner party music'. Charlotte was an avidly professional performer as always but Hannibal could see the resentment glimmer ever so softly behind all that she did.

By the time she was done so was he. Hannibal had had his fill of drab for the rest of his life at such a naff evening. He tried to move to her quickly to try and redeem the night. He'd not been able to mentally catalogue either of the Verger's and all the conversation he had made with such pathetic stock market players had left him burning for something interesting. He'd needle Charlotte on the way home till she burst and told him it all. He wanted to know everything she had been hiding from him and his patients was waring thin. He stalked to her but felt a jolt of excitement run him when he saw Mason Verger swoop to her and quickly hurry her from the room. A twitch of a smile caught Hannibal's still face as he followed the pair from the room just far enough behind that they would not hear.

Luckily for Hannibal however Mason Verger was a loud talker so snippets of his words floated back to him as he followed them through the snow.

'…Show you something…'

'…My father's idea…'

'…It's visionary, really…'

Hannibal watched Charlotte's body stiffen beside Mason as he marched her towards a towering warehouse on the east side of Muskrat Farm. She followed him in despite her apprehension and Hannibal stole behind them and into the fortress.

Most importantly the first thing Hannibal heard with a scratching, frantic noise coming from the floor of the room, followed by the pungent smell of mud and animal blood.

"Pigs are remarkable creatures," Mason's voice floated from the metal staircase that he was leading Charlotte up. "Remarkable. Clever things, smart as you and me if the training is correct. Useful."

"How interesting," Charlotte commented evenly. Hannibal stayed at the foot of the staircase and found himself softly amused to hear that there was not a lick of fear in Charlotte's voice but instead on irritation. She was finished with Mason Verger. Finished with his games and his teasing and his constant condescending. Hannibal moved slowly in the shadow by the platform till he could catch the two of them standing a few feet apart, over viewing whatever was making the noise he had heard before. Stood between beside the edges of the enclosure and the platform he watched the two of them keenly, feeling the sparks of hot interest ignite in him.

"I bred these pigs differently," Mason said in the same theatrical rasp that he often spoke in. "Wild boars almost but they've got a taste for something now."

Hannibal watched from his place the ugly twist that caught Charlotte's lips. She'd already guessed what cruelty Mason was about to impart to with.

"Human flesh," Mason said, smiling knowingly to see no expression steal her features. She did not respond, she simply stared down at the flurrying of wild animals in the gilded mirror that hung above them. Mason watched Charlotte expectantly and let out a burst of laughter when she gave him nothing at all. "Not even a little impressed?"

"Do you have much use for this?" Charlotte asked quietly. Hannibal was impressed that she still did not seem afraid. Cautious and wary in normal amounts but not yet afraid.

"Not yet," Mason admitted with a nasty grin. "But we will. We just need them to get accustom to screaming. Pavlov's dog."

He fished in his pocket for a small remote before clicking it. The sound of shrill shrieks of terror filled the room and the pigs grew frantic and rabid in the enclosure below.

"We are nearly there!" Mason roared over the sound. He turned it off quickly and watched Charlotte lean back from the edge of the platform. Just slightly, but it was enough for Mason to pounce.

"Could just be an accident," he crooned softly as he took a few slow steps behind her. His hand hovered behind her red gown, twitching in anticipation. "I could just… push… and then you'd be all gone forever."

Hannibal considered for a moment if he should let it play out, if he should just let Charlotte fall and be devoured by pigs but then again… no. That didn't seem fair to him. All the moulding and constructing he had done to Will, the mastery had created over her life, and the loyalty he had gained from her. He went to move swiftly to her aid but her soft voice stopped him.

"I don't think you would Mason."

It was the first time she had ever called the male Verger by his first name and Hannibal felt a tug of excitement crawl him. Mason paused and took a step away from her, lifting a brow in pleasant surprise.

"You don't?" he questioned carefully. She turned slowly, a deep, burning fierceness in her gaze. Hannibal almost applauded to see his petite friend make Mason Verger literally shirk away. It had been off of instinct of course, the man drew himself to his regular height almost immediately, but it had been an achievement never the less.

"You don't want it on your hands," she continued in the same, soft, almost inviting voice.

"What makes you think that?" Mason chuckled darkly. "Your daddy?"

Hannibal watched the twitching smile greet Charlotte's painted lips. They pulled at the corners, soft and deep like rich red velvet.

"Yes," she said softly and simply. "My daddy."

Mason let out a loud laugh and stepped towards her. She didn't shirk. She stood her ground, smiling serenely at his attempt to intimidate her.

"How would I kill you then?" he asked her slowly, annunciating every sound with harsh perfection. She was so calm in the face of his cruel conversation Hannibal once again internally congratulated her. She was impressing him now, to see her stand her ground so easily in a situation that he would have thought she would crumble in. Maybe she had been trained though. Maybe her years of torment had taught her to never fear a man who tried to hurt her with words. Maybe she should thank her father for that.

"You would not kill me," Charlotte said easily. "You're not the kind."

"Hypothetically speaking," Mason corrected with a fresh snigger. "Obviously."

Charlotte considered him carefully through a lazy lidded gaze. She watched him with ease and grace and let out a soft sigh at the thought.

"Your hands," she said as she stepped towards him. They were so close now, Hannibal was sure that each others scents were invading each others nostrils.

Mason stilled at her words and tilted his head. He hadn't expected her to answer and seeing the smug, spoilt heir of the Verger throne so quiet nearly made Hannibal smile.

"You'd wrap them around my throat," Charlotte said in a low voice. Her almost seductive tone echoed off the bare brickwork around the wall, carrying high above the vicious scratching of the pigs below. Her soft accent caressed her words and made Hannibal strain his ears in anticipation. "You'd lie above me Mason and slowly but surely squeeze the life from me. You'd watch it pour out of me like a trickle, before breaking in to a flood. You'd watch the life leave me through your fingers… and it would feel so good…."

Mason licked his lips at her words, a small click sound echoing from his throat. She let out a breath of laughter and leant a little closer.

"You'd watch me beg with my gaze for your mercy but you wouldn't grant it. It would be intimate and slow… and Mason it would be the most alive you've ever felt… enchanting ecstasy to see such power exerted over me but…. you wouldn't," Charlotte finished softly. "It's not your pathology. You're not that man."

"I could be-"

"No," Charlotte interrupted harshly. All softness was gone from her now, she looked disgusted by him. "You're not."

She said nothing else as she side stepped him and headed back to the staircase. Hannibal stole away quickly, ensuring that he was outside the door by the time she exited. He turned an easy stare to her when she started at his presence.

"Hannibal," she said softly, eyes flickering him worriedly. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to hear you taunt Mason Verger," Hannibal replied evenly. A blush caught her cheeks and she glanced away. He almost laughed to see her turn so quaint. "Do you think that is a good idea Miss Claude?"

"I am not afraid of Mister Verger," Charlotte said softly. Her words may have been soft but her gaze was not. Hard as stone her eyes almost seemed to dare Hannibal to suggest different. He paused thoughtfully before nodding slowly.

"Just be careful Charlotte," he told her carefully. Her eyes softened at his concern and her timid blush returned. She was beautiful in that way, how fluid she could be, how unstable and uncontrollable she was. Hannibal mirrored her thankful smile, feeling some what satisfied by her words spouted to Mason Verger before. She opened her mouth to speak but the rasp interrupted her.

"Doctor Lecter!" Mason Verger's voice cut through the cold air. Both turned to see him walk towards them quickly. Hannibal noted softly that he was in no means a graceful man. He walked in a way were his limbs seemed to have no knowledge of each other. Bulking and quick as he trudged to them. Charlotte took a slow step away, clearly through with Mister Verger for the night. He chuckled to see her do that, but the lightness never met his bright blue eyes.

"Miss Claude I need to speak to our good friend here, alone," Mason said with a quick lick of his lower lip. He dipped his hand in to his pocket once more and fished out a crumpled hundred dollar bill. He snatched her hand and pressed it in to her grip. "Go play a game, have some fun on me."

Charlotte looked bitterly disgusted that he had touched her at all. She scrunched it tightly before turning away. The two men watched her walk back to the house, dropping the money in the snow on the way.

"Ungrateful little twat," Mason said snidely, chuckling at his own comment. "Now Doctor Lecter back to my point."

"How can I be of service Mister Verger?" Hannibal asked evenly. He despised Mason. Ever since he'd recently come in to his psychiatric care Hannibal had spent most waking moments fantasising how to rid the earth of Mason Verger. He thought of different dishes, and decided most likely that Mason would make a fine pork sausage to be served to Margot.

"Your little friend," Mason said, jutting his head in the direction that Charlotte had departed in. "She has an influence on my sister that I don't much care for."

"That's not really my purview Mister Verger," Hannibal replied evenly.

"Then make it your purview," Mason said sharply. His jocular anger was dissipating quickly, his frustrating robbing him of the little charm he had. A twitching smile snatched his lips and he shrugged three times in quick succession. "Doctor Lecter. It's not a request."

"How has Margot rebelled Mason?" Hannibal asked with the same coolness he always managed to keep.

"I'm not sure," Mason admitted. "But I feel like she's planning something, she's being sneaky, shadowy-"

"Do you believe that she is planning another attempt on your life?" Hannibal interrupted coolly.

Mason's lips curled to a cruel smile as he let out a breath of laughter.

"No," Mason said with a snarky grin. "She'd be left with nothing because I am the only heir."

"Of course," Hannibal said with a dip of his head to note his understanding. "Could you remind me again of why that is?"

"Only a male Verger with Verger blood can inherit my fathers fortune," Mason said proudly. "And I am the only one."

"And it is not possible that there could ever be another?" Hannibal prompted softly. Hannibal waited patiently as a soft flicker of realisation to quickly covered Mason Verger's face. If such a thing was possible Hannibal was sure his whole face had lurched with a twitch, his eyes searching Hannibal's blank expression with panic for only a second.

"She's close to Will Graham isn't she," Mason said with a shallow lick of his lips, his eyes darting all across Hannibal. Hannibal said nothing at all. He simply bowed his head as a goodbye and left Mason alone in the snow.

Charlotte dozed peacefully on the drive home. Hannibal watched her from the corner of his eye with silent consideration. She would be thankful, even if she didn't know it, for what he had done. He had done her a favour by planting such a seed in the mind of the manic Mason Verger. A dangerous, growing, strangling seed that would see that Charlotte would not have to suffer the pain and the humiliation of watching Margot Verger bring a baby with her blood in to the world. Charlotte would never need to tell Karl, she would never need to harbour such a secret. She didn't know it but Hannibal had given her a beautiful gift in doing what she never could.

Will greeted them when they arrived. He lifted her from the car, not bothering to wake her. She shivered in the winter air but stayed asleep in his arms as she cuddled close.

"Did she have a nice night?" Will asked softly. Hannibal could still see the rampart worry that ran in Will when he was forced to leave Charlotte alone in Hannibal's company. Hannibal did not care for it but he understood it and wouldn't argue it.

"A fine time," Hannibal said evenly. "She was a pleasure as always."

And Hannibal had rewarded her for what a pleasure she was. Even if she did not know it yet. Even if she would never know what a gift he had given to her.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

sorry that these are taking so long but I promise some fun, moral bending stuff is coming up. I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter and didn't find it too disturbing but then again if you're a Hannibal fan i'm sure you were just fine. Thank you for reading and please leave reviews if you would like to see anything in the next few Chapters or if you have any ideas of how this story can flow with the end of season two while allowing the possibility of continuing in time with season three :) xx