Will had told Rachel about the Great Red Dragon and his conversation with Hannibal from earlier that day as the two of them laid in bed that night. They had put Annie to bed in the room next door before retiring after a glass of wine with Margot and Alana. He had packed to travel to Brooklyn the following morning to see the Great Red Dragon painting, but he had no intention of going that night after speaking with his wife. She was still shaken about what Hannibal had said to her, even though Will suspected she had no reason to panic.
"So you are going to Brooklyn to see a water colour by Blake?" Rachel checked with him. "Why do you think that this man is so interested in the Great Red Dragon?"
"It is something to do with him becoming the dragon. He is being reborn…it's…it's worrying, Rachel," Will admitted to his wife, wrapping an arm over her shoulders as she leaned against him, closing her eyes and relishing the moment. They hadn't had chance to be together as often as she would have liked since he returned to the field.
"You will catch him," Rachel promised him in a small whisper, kissing him squarely on the lips. "I have faith in you."
…
Will had gone by the time Rachel woke the following morning. He had left a note on the bedside table, promising to call her after his time in Brooklyn. She had climbed out of bed then, seeing his discarded pyjama set on the bottom of the bed. Moving to her feet, she used the bathroom quickly, brushing her teeth and showering. She changed into a white woollen jumpers and dark jeans, slipping her boots on her feet before heading into the living room.
She took Annie out for the day with Margot and Morgan. The two of them deciding to go to some indoor soft play area. Will had called as they sat at a table with coffee; both of them watching the children have fun while they conversed. It was only when Will called did Rachel panic over what she heard from him. He had come into contact with the killer. He had been there looking at the painting when Will had shown up. Will had been knocked to the floor, but he had insisted that he was fine.
"Will, what the hell is going on?" Rachel fretted, her hand tugging through her hair. "You found him…he was there…did he know you were going to be there?"
"No," Will said confidently and it sounded like he was climbing into his car. "Hannibal knew where he was going to be. Hannibal was the one who sent me. I think that he knows who the man is. I think he knows and he isn't telling us because…well…for many reasons, but mainly because he is enjoying this. He is enjoying the game."
"Christ," Rachel whispered. "Where are you going now?"
"To see Jack and Alana. We are meeting at Jack's office," Will said. "I might not make it back until late tonight. Are you alright? Is Annie okay?"
"We're both fine," Rachel promised him. "We're out with Margot and Morgan at some play area."
"Send Annie my love, alright? Tell her I will be home very soon," Will spoke and Rachel fond herself smiling despite everything.
"I will," she said.
"Okay…I love you, Rachel…I'll be home soon, okay?"
"I know," Rachel whispered. "I love you too, Will."
Hanging up, Rachel looked down at the screen on her cell before dropping it back into her pocket. Looking to Annie, she saw her daughter laugh at whatever Morgan had just said. It was another moment before Annie looked over and around, her gaze intrigued by everything she was seeing. She was so young and innocent. One day she might find out what her parents had been through. If only she knew what Will was working on. The innocence of his home life compared to his work life was startling. Annie could never be dragged into that. Will and Rachel would never allow it.
….
Will was still away the following night when Rachel put Annie to bed. Alana was still at work and Margot was at a friends catching up. Rachel had promised to look after Morgan and she had already put the little boy to bed. He was as good as gold, brushing his teeth and changing into his pyjamas when Rachel asked. Annie had been harder work. She was missing her father.
"When is daddy coming home?" Annie wondered. "When are we going home?"
"Daddy will be back for tomorrow morning," Rachel said, not entirely certain if it was true, but she wanted it to be true. "So, when you wake up in the morning, I need you to be a good girl and get ready for when daddy arrives."
"Okay," Annie nodded her head. "I miss daddy."
"I know, baby," Rachel said, tucking her daughter's hair behind her ear and kissing her on the forehead. "Now try and get some sleep. I will see you in the morning."
Kissing Annie on the forehead, Rachel stood up. "Goodnight, mommy," Annie yawned and laid her head down on the pillow.
"Goodnight sweetheart," Rachel said, turning the light out as she closed the door.
Moving into the living room, Rachel yawned loudly and flopped onto the sofa. She didn't bother to put the TV on; instead she picked up a book she had been reading that Margot had left lying around. It was some crime thriller Rachel had never heard of before, but it passed the time. Flicking through the pages as she lounged on the sofa, she only moved when the clock struck eleven. Turning the main light out, she wondered if Margot and Alana were okay before moving into her bedroom. She pulled her clothes from her body and shrugged into her pyjamas, buttoning up the checked material.
Tying her hair into a ponytail, she moved into the en-suite before she heard what sounded like a door shaking. Rolling her eyes, she suspected it was Annie getting out of bed. Moving out of her bedroom, she looked at the door next to hers, but it was perfectly still. It was then when she heard a door handle rattle again. Looking at the end of the hall, she saw the main door to the apartment move.
Suspecting it was Alana or Margot, Rachel moved down the hall, but then she heard a grunt from behind the wood. It didn't sound like a female. It was a male's grunt. Placing a hand to her mouth, Rachel instantly felt fear in her body. Hannibal's earlier words came haunting back to her as she moved backwards down the corridor. It couldn't be Will. He would have called and asked her to let him in. She had heard nothing from him.
She didn't know what was going on. She didn't know what was on the other side of that door. Moving to Morgan's room, Rachel didn't turn the light on, but she leant over the bed and looked to him, shaking him softly.
"Morgan, sweetie, I just need you to come with me, okay?" Rachel said as the bleary eyed boy looked up to her.
"What?" he whispered and Rachel forced herself to smile.
"Everything is okay, baby, but I need you just to get up," Rachel urged, grabbing him from the bed and holding him in her arms. He wrapped his small arms around her neck as she moved back into the hall, the door handle still turning quietly.
Moving into Annie's room, she dropped Morgan to the floor. Annie woke up slowly as Rachel ran her hands down her hair, holding her face gently.
"Baby, I need you to wake up," Rachel said, helping Annie from the bed as she let her stand next to Morgan. Bending down to look the two children in the eye, Rachel looked between both of them.
"I need you both just to stay here, okay? Mommy will be back in a minute. Please…just stay here and be quiet," she urged of them, holding her hands out to indicate they stay still.
Rachel moved with haste, her breathing coming out in heavy pants as she went back to her bedroom. She turned the light on and went into the en-suite, turning the water on in the shower and letting it flow. She left the en-suite light on and turned on the radio in the bedroom, a soft tune humming out. She moved back to Annie's room then, keeping the light off and shutting the door.
"Annie…Morgan…I just need you both to keep quiet, okay? I need you both just to do as I say," Rachel urged from the two children, dressed in their askew pyjamas, their hair mussed up on their heads. Both of them looked scared. They looked terrified. Why wouldn't they? Rachel had come to them in the middle of the night and woken them with no prior warning. "Everything is okay, I promise," she lied to them, squeezing their shoulders as she looked back to the door and pressed her ear to the wood.
It was then when she heard footsteps pass by down the corridor and she inhaled a sharp breath, her hand holding the door handle as she longed for the man to walk towards the source of noise. She moved quickly when she heard the footsteps disappear, holding her hands out to Annie and Morgan. Bending down, she grabbed Morgan into her arms and took her daughter's hand once she had opened the door to the room.
Stepping into the hall, she looked down to the open door and then to the main door which was still wide open. She moved then, trying to be quick and silent as the two children remained mute. Coming to the main door, she stepped into the foyer and looked to the elevator. Pressing the button with her fingers, she heard it ping open before ushering Annie inside. Turning to look out the doors and back down into the apartment, she saw the man leave the bedroom. He wore a black mask, a gun in his hands as Rachel shielded her daughter, pushing her behind her body as she heard Annie scream and begin to sob as the man advanced towards them and the door shut. He raised his gun, firing in their direction as Rachel turned around, her back to him as she dropped Morgan to the ground, shielding the two children.
"Mommy!" Annie shrieked as the gunshots echoed through the small space and the doors firmly shut and the elevator began to move downwards.
"It's alright," Rachel said to them as they cried loudly. "It's all okay…I've got you both…it's fine…look at me."
She forced both of their gazes onto her, holding their chins tighter than she had intended. "Are you both okay? Are you hurt?"
They both shook their heads as they heard her, looking at her with worry as the elevator doors opened again, showing the lobby. Rachel took hold of their hands and rushed into the foyer, looking for the concierge. As she saw a man perched on the chair, she realised in an instant that he was dead, a single bullet hold in his forehead. Rachel almost shrieked before looking to the stairwell and knowing that he would be behind them. She picked Morgan up again before reaching for Annie's hand, the little boy wrapping his legs around her waist.
"Come on," she urged from both of them. "We need to go…we need to get out of here."
Rachel pushed the door open and moved onto the street, wishing that it was slightly busier as she began to run down the sidewalk, Annie stumbling by her side. Turning her head over her shoulder, she saw the masked man emerge from the building, still holding his gun. Ducking around the corner, Rachel didn't know where to go. She didn't know what to do. But then she saw a car. Jumping onto the road after leaving Annie and Morgan on the pavement, she waved her arms frantically as the vehicle stopped suddenly, brakes squeaking.
"Rachel?" a voice questioned as she saw Alana move from the car. "What is going on?"
"He's in the apartment, Alana," Rachel said, tugging the back door open to the car. "He's in there and following us."
"Get in," Alana demanded, but Rachel was already bundling Morgan and Annie into the backseat. She slid in after them as a gunshot echoed down the street. The children yelled loudly and Alana pressed her foot to the gas, the car moving down the street as Rachel covered the children, her body covering them as she kept them down and they drove past the Great Red Dragon who still continued to shoot at the car until it was round the corner and too far away.
…
Will looked into the office as soon as he entered, his eyes wide and his breaths coming out in short, sharp pants. He had spent far too much time in Alana's office recently. His wife was sat on the sofa, covered in a blanket, Annie balanced on her lap and also covered in a large blanket. Rachel's chin rested on Annie's head as Annie's eyes remained wide and she looked around.
Morgan was in between Margot and Alana, both of them cooing over him as Will saw Jack Crawford talking with Alana. Will wondered how Jack had gotten there so quickly, but he said nothing. Instead he moved to his wife, his footsteps attracting her attention. She was clad in her plaid pyjamas; a pair of black boots on her feet that looked borrowed from Alana. Annie was also in her penguin pyjamas, her bed socks dirty on her feet from where she had ran on the sidewalk.
Looking over to Will, Rachel tried to wipe away the tears in her eyes, but she failed miserably. She moved to her feet and Will grabbed hold of his wife and daughter, bringing them into his arms as Annie nuzzled her head against his neck. Will moved a hand to her the back of her head, holding onto it tightly as his other hand rested in the small of his wife's back.
"It's okay," Will whispered to both of them. "It's all okay."
"He was there," Rachel whispered as Annie reached out for her father and Will took her into his arms, letting her legs wrap around his waist as she clung to him and he kissed the top of her head.
"I know," Will responded to her. "I'm not…I'm so sorry…Rachel…I'm so sorry."
Rachel shook her head. "It wasn't your fault," she responded as Will continued to hold Annie to him. "It was one person's fault…"
"I should have listened…taken it more seriously…I should never have left you," Will said. "He is trying to ruin everything…. ruin us…again."
"I know."
"I'm not going to let him," Will said with a shake of his head. "I'm never going to let him."
Rachel nodded as she moved to kiss Will on the cheek, letting her head rest on his shoulder, her hair by his neck as she moved her hand to Annie's back. Closing her eyes, she could picture the masked man in the darkness. He knew where they lived now. He knew where they were staying. And it was all due to the man downstairs in the psychiatric hospital. Will would make Hannibal pay. He would see to it.
…
A/N: Not sure if anyone is still reading, but do let me know what you think!
