Title: The Birth of Venus
Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.
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Clarice and the doctor walked down the path, admiring the silver gleam of the flowers in the moonlight and discussing whatever caught their fancy – politics, guns, cooking, Clarice's childhood. Clarice had learned by trial and error not to mention Hannibal's, so it was just hers they were currently discussing. It was a subject of great interest to Doctor Lecter.
"So," he continued, "did you ever find out what happened to your sister?"
Clarice nodded slightly. "She left her foster family when she turned fifteen and traveled around the world for a bit before she realized she couldn't get very far without money. Put herself through law school by becoming a prostitute…"
"I imagine it must have been quite a lucrative business if she looks anything like you."
She gave him a sidelong glance. "I think I should take that as a compliment."
He laughed. "Yes."
A rustle in the bushes caught his attention, and he turned around quickly enough to see the dart speeding towards him and shove Clarice out of the way.
Thud.
Clarice managed to draw her gun before a similar dart hit her as well.
Thud.
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Sandro stepped out of the shrubbery and stared at his prize. He checked her face for bruises – not a one. He congratulated himself for being so proficient in his newfound craft, then made sure the Dottore was still breathing. Shallow, but steady.
He made the Dottore comfortable on a nearby bench before packing Clarice into a box and carting her off.
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A/N: Finally, the moment everyone was waiting for! Clarice gets kidnapped! Woo-hoo!
Lol.
Anyway, in the deleted scenes it was implied that Il Monstro was one of the caretaker dudes at the museum, so that's where I got the idea. Lecter totally knows that it's him – but as he didn't think he'd go after Clarice, left his criminal activity unfettered. :) We'll see Hannibal display his knowledge of Il Monstro's crimes in the next chapters.
Also, I did make Clarice have a sister… she's only mentioned in idle passing, though, so don't worry. It was all for filler.
And to SheriLovingLecter, no, this is not one of those fics where Hannibal dies. I couldn't write that!
Thanks for the reviews, and enjoy!