h3 style="margin: 6.45pt 0in; font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center; background: #f4effc; vertical-align: baseline;" align="center"span style="font-size: 15.5pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #2a2a2a; font-weight: normal;"Course Four – Appetizer/span/h3
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"He served them dinner on the balcony and they both drank the bottle of wine. Fynn wasn't used to drinking much and she felt tipsy as he led her to the elevator to leave. They flirted and laughed all the way to the theatre. When they got there, she read the marquee and it said that 'beauty and the beast' was playing. She wondered what the significance was because she knew him well enough now to know that he didn't do anything without a purpose. She put her hand on his elbow and let him lead her inside. They walked around and Hannibal talked to several people she had never met, and she wasn't even sure if he knew them himself. She smiled and nodded and tried to keep up with conversations that sounded like gibberish to her nearly drunk mind./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"When they sat in their box seats hanging above the right side of the stage she leaned over and whispered, "I think I'm drunk."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I'll bring you some coffee," he said and left to fetch it. Once he was gone she had time to look around and take in the theatre. Everything was very gold and dark, there was a huge painting on the ceiling directly above the stage of a garden with a woman in the center and what looked like a child on each side behind her, then a few more creatures off to the edges, it was an odd scene and she'd have to ask Hannibal about it when he returned. The box seats only held three people at most but he had bought all three seats so they could be alone. Not that they had total privacy because the boxes stuck out of the wall and didn't have sides. But they had the top one closest to the back and had some privacy due to the curtain on one side of her and the box on the other side of them was down in a step formation. The entire place was magnificent and luxurious. Hannibal finally returned with a foamy cappuccino and a biscotti which he said would help her sober up./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""What is that painting above the stage?" she asked him once she had finished the coffee and felt more sober./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""That's a mural painted originally by Vincent Maragliotti, it's an allegory. There highlighted in the center is Athena, the Greek goddess of the arts, she is flanked by Clio the muse of history, Terpsichore muse of poetry and dance, and on the edges Thalia of comedy and Melpomene, tragedy," he explained./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She smiled at him, "and I bet that's just the surface of what you know about this place."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Indeed, but I'm afraid if I told you all of it you'd need another drink," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She laughed and put her hand over his, he looked at it and seemed to be deciding something before he finally took his other hand and patted hers./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Have you seen this show before?" he asked her when he noticed her looking at the playbill./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Just the cartoon," she laughed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""What do you think… of the story?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She knew he was asking for a reason and not just conversation so she thought her answer over carefully before speaking, "I think it can be taken a lot of ways depending on how you look at it, but the intended message is obviously that you shouldn't judge people too quickly and with the right kind of care, people can change."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""That's the message but do you believe this?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""That people can change? Of course, to an extent. I don't believe that women should go around hoping to change a man, people have to want to change on their own, for themselves. But the beast didn't need to change necessarily, he was always good deep down, his anger was from his hurt and trauma," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Always the psychologist," he teased./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Aren't we all?" she said, he raised an eyebrow meaning he wanted her to explain, so she did, "I mean we all walk around trying to figure each other and ourselves out, why did that person do this? Why is that bus driver staring at me? It's human nature to want to know why people do what they do, most people just do it without being educated… and that is what I think is the downfall of humanity."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""And what of the characters? Why did Belle love the beast?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Because he saw her, and listened to her… and he let her go, he put her needs and wants before trying to control her, the real monster was Gaston, he didn't hear one single word she said, not one, yet expected her to marry him, it was all about him, it's very realistic," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Do you think the Beast has ever eaten anyone?" Hannibal asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"Fynn laughed but Hannibal didn't, so she stopped, "I mean, who would he eat?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Hunters, or people wondering through the forest," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""That's not part of the story," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""But if it were, do you think that would be forgivable?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""This is very specific," she said with a giggle./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I'm a psychiatry student as well, humor me," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Well I guess it would depend on why he did it," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You're so interested in the 'whys'," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""There is always a why," she answered./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""There is where we disagree," he said but he grinned as he said it. The play started and they watched it and held hands. During intermission they mingled again with the glamourous crowd. She noticed more now that she was sober, and a lot of the couples seemed to stare at them intently. Men turned their heads to watch her and Hannibal didn't seem to mind, women stared at him and he ignored them completely./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"He introduced her to several people as his inamorata, that's the word he used. She wasn't sure all of them knew what that meant but she did. Only because he had used it referring to someone else's girlfriend and she had looked it up out of curiosity. Hearing him say it now, about her, she knew he had only said it previously to make sure she'd know what he meant by it when he called her his. He was a clever one. Eventually they made their way back to the box and sat down and waited for the rest of the show./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Did I mention how beautiful you look tonight?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""A few times," she smiled. The show started and they watched it in silence until Hannibal leaned over like he wanted to whisper to her. She leaned toward him and he got close and kissed her ear. She giggled and he continued kissing and nibbling her neck and ear./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I thought you were going to tell me something," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I can tell you many things," he said between kisses, "would you like me to?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Yes," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Your skin is the finest silk brushing my lips and I could kiss you a thousand years and not tire of it," he said. She moaned her approval and he continued, "you're a queen and I would love to kneel before you in adoration and taste your royal sweetness, giving you the greatest pleasure with my tongue…" he paused to watch her reaction. She let out a pained sigh and bit her lip, he watched her, amused./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You wouldn't do that here," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""No one would see," he grinned./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She giggled a little but shook her head, "you wouldn't do it because it's not appropriate."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Do you think I always behave?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She studied his face, trying to see him, deep down, she spoke hesitantly, "no… no not always, there's something about you that is definitely naughty," she paused and giggled a little, "but you'd never do anything tacky or impolite."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"He stared at her for a long time without speaking so she said, "am I right?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Darling, you are going to be one of the best psychologists in the field," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""So, will you show me your naughty side?" she teased./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"He cleared his throat and shifted, pulling away from her, "not all of it, not ever."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She started to giggle but saw that he was serious, so she just let the subject die. After the show he didn't talk much but was a perfect gentleman as usual. When he walked her to her building, Kalisi was coming out the door./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Hey, I thought you were home," Kalisi said, looking confused./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I've been gone all day and evening," Fynn said looking at Hannibal./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""What did you hear?" he asked Kalisi./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Just normal sounds like you were home, but…" Kalisi started./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Someone's in there," Fynn started to panic./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Calm down, I will go up with you," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Maybe I should call campus security," Kalisi said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""That won't be necessary," Hannibal said, pulling up his pants leg and taking a small revolver out of his sock./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Whoa," Kalisi said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You just carry that around?" Fynn asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"He looked unfazed and nodded, before she could say anything else he walked to the door, "please unlock the door."br / Fynn fumbled with her keys and Kalisi held hers up because she'd just left her dorm. She walked over to Hannibal and handed him the key. Fynn walked up behind him and he turned to her, "you should stay down here until I call you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You won't know if anything is different," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I just want to make sure it's safe," he said kissing her hand and quickly going in and shutting the door behind him. He knew she could follow him anyway, but it was a more a gesture to show her that he was serious. She stood there shaking and Kalisi put her arm around her and held her. She waited to hear gunshots or something, but none came, the night air was completely silent aside from a few frogs in the fountain./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Did you have a good time?" Kalisi asked, trying to break the tension./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Yea," Fynn said distractedly, she was starting to worry that Hannibal was in danger. Her teeth were chattering, and she couldn't stand still./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I'm sure he's just making sure it's all clear," Kalisi said. Fynn's phone started to ring and they both jumped. Fynn flipped it open without even looking at the number./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Hello?" she shouted into it./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""There isn't anyone here anymore," Hannibal said completely stoic./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Oh, thank God," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You should come up now, bring your friend so you aren't on the stairwell alone," he said. She hadn't even thought of the stairwell, whoever was up there could have saw them from her window and hid on any number of hallways in the floors below her room./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I'm scared," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You will be fine," he said, "I can come get you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""No, no that's silly, I'll be up in a minute," she said then hung up, she looked at Kalisi, "do you mind walking up with me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Sure, I want to check things out myself," Kalisi said. They rushed up the stairs and Fynn kept an eye out on every landing. At least there was a door to every floor, and no one could come out to the stairwell without them hearing the door open first. They made it safely to their floor, the fifth and Hannibal was out in the hallway leaning against the wall. Fynn ran to him in her heels. She threw her arms around his neck more carelessly than she'd ever been with him. He put his arms around her waist and patted her back./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I'm so glad you're okay," she sobbed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Why wouldn't I be?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I got worried, you were gone a while," she sighed, blinking back tears. He tilted his/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"head like he hadn't expected such a grand display of emotion. It seemed to confuse him, but he shook it off and smiled down at her. He let her lean on him for a moment before taking her arms and holding her out in front of him. He leaned forward almost as if he were speaking to a child, "you can see that I am alright," he said. She nodded. The three of them went into her dorm and she looked around. Nothing seemed to be missing but a few things were out of place./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You didn't move anything," she asked Hannibal. He shook his head no./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Oh my gosh, that's so scary," Kalisi said, then she looked at Fynn, "oh my gosh I'm so sorry I don't want to freak you out but… this is weird."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You're not wrong," Hannibal said, "I think you should stay with me tonight."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" She thought about it, "well I don't want to be alone, Kalisi where are you going?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You are welcome to come too if you are frightened," Hannibal told her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" Kalisi smiled gratefully, "thank you, but I was going to David's, you know that guy I've been talking to, I was planning to spend the night with him."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Well at least you won't be here and alone," Fynn said, then she turned to Hannibal, "I just need to grab a few things." He nodded lightly and she grabbed a bag to pack some things. He walked over to her kitchenette where Kalisi was standing by the sink looking freaked out./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Do you remember any of the sounds you heard?" he asked her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "The shower, umm… the tv? I'm not sure I wasn't paying close attention, I feel bad," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Don't feel bad, why would you be keeping track if you didn't know you needed to," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I just wish I knew who it was," Fynn said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I have some ideas," Hannibal said, "I want to come get a closer look in the morning with you, I'm sure you're tired and in the morning you'll be more alert to look for anything suspicious."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Okay," she said, feeling defeated. Kalisi walked with them downstairs because Hannibal told her to wait to check on her own dorm as well because he didn't want to leave her there alone. Fynn liked that he was also protective of her friend whom he had just met. They got halfway to his condo when she gasped./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "What's the matter?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I forgot to bring anything to sleep in," she said, "I brought clothes to wear tomorrow, a sundress, I can't sleep in it."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" He chuckled, "I have things for you to wear to sleep."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I am positive you don't own a t-shirt," she teased./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Actually, I do," he said, she eyed him suspiciously until he spoke again, "I admit they are only worn to work out and as undershirts, but I own them."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" She giggled, "I kind of believe you, but it's kind of chilly so can I wear a dress shirt instead, like a button down?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You can wear whatever you like," he said, he looked over at her and grinned and she forgot all about being scared of who was in her dorm./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"He served them dinner on the balcony and they both drank the bottle of wine. Fynn wasn't used to drinking much and she felt tipsy as he led her to the elevator to leave. They flirted and laughed all the way to the theatre. When they got there, she read the marquee and it said that 'beauty and the beast' was playing. She wondered what the significance was because she knew him well enough now to know that he didn't do anything without a purpose. She put her hand on his elbow and let him lead her inside. They walked around and Hannibal talked to several people she had never met, and she wasn't even sure if he knew them himself. She smiled and nodded and tried to keep up with conversations that sounded like gibberish to her nearly drunk mind./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"When they sat in their box seats hanging above the right side of the stage she leaned over and whispered, "I think I'm drunk."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I'll bring you some coffee," he said and left to fetch it. Once he was gone she had time to look around and take in the theatre. Everything was very gold and dark, there was a huge painting on the ceiling directly above the stage of a garden with a woman in the center and what looked like a child on each side behind her, then a few more creatures off to the edges, it was an odd scene and she'd have to ask Hannibal about it when he returned. The box seats only held three people at most but he had bought all three seats so they could be alone. Not that they had total privacy because the boxes stuck out of the wall and didn't have sides. But they had the top one closest to the back and had some privacy due to the curtain on one side of her and the box on the other side of them was down in a step formation. The entire place was magnificent and luxurious. Hannibal finally returned with a foamy cappuccino and a biscotti which he said would help her sober up./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""What is that painting above the stage?" she asked him once she had finished the coffee and felt more sober./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""That's a mural painted originally by Vincent Maragliotti, it's an allegory. There highlighted in the center is Athena, the Greek goddess of the arts, she is flanked by Clio the muse of history, Terpsichore muse of poetry and dance, and on the edges Thalia of comedy and Melpomene, tragedy," he explained./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She smiled at him, "and I bet that's just the surface of what you know about this place."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Indeed, but I'm afraid if I told you all of it you'd need another drink," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She laughed and put her hand over his, he looked at it and seemed to be deciding something before he finally took his other hand and patted hers./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Have you seen this show before?" he asked her when he noticed her looking at the playbill./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Just the cartoon," she laughed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""What do you think… of the story?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She knew he was asking for a reason and not just conversation so she thought her answer over carefully before speaking, "I think it can be taken a lot of ways depending on how you look at it, but the intended message is obviously that you shouldn't judge people too quickly and with the right kind of care, people can change."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""That's the message but do you believe this?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""That people can change? Of course, to an extent. I don't believe that women should go around hoping to change a man, people have to want to change on their own, for themselves. But the beast didn't need to change necessarily, he was always good deep down, his anger was from his hurt and trauma," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Always the psychologist," he teased./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Aren't we all?" she said, he raised an eyebrow meaning he wanted her to explain, so she did, "I mean we all walk around trying to figure each other and ourselves out, why did that person do this? Why is that bus driver staring at me? It's human nature to want to know why people do what they do, most people just do it without being educated… and that is what I think is the downfall of humanity."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""And what of the characters? Why did Belle love the beast?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Because he saw her, and listened to her… and he let her go, he put her needs and wants before trying to control her, the real monster was Gaston, he didn't hear one single word she said, not one, yet expected her to marry him, it was all about him, it's very realistic," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Do you think the Beast has ever eaten anyone?" Hannibal asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"Fynn laughed but Hannibal didn't, so she stopped, "I mean, who would he eat?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Hunters, or people wondering through the forest," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""That's not part of the story," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""But if it were, do you think that would be forgivable?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""This is very specific," she said with a giggle./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I'm a psychiatry student as well, humor me," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Well I guess it would depend on why he did it," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You're so interested in the 'whys'," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""There is always a why," she answered./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""There is where we disagree," he said but he grinned as he said it. The play started and they watched it and held hands. During intermission they mingled again with the glamourous crowd. She noticed more now that she was sober, and a lot of the couples seemed to stare at them intently. Men turned their heads to watch her and Hannibal didn't seem to mind, women stared at him and he ignored them completely./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"He introduced her to several people as his inamorata, that's the word he used. She wasn't sure all of them knew what that meant but she did. Only because he had used it referring to someone else's girlfriend and she had looked it up out of curiosity. Hearing him say it now, about her, she knew he had only said it previously to make sure she'd know what he meant by it when he called her his. He was a clever one. Eventually they made their way back to the box and sat down and waited for the rest of the show./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Did I mention how beautiful you look tonight?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""A few times," she smiled. The show started and they watched it in silence until Hannibal leaned over like he wanted to whisper to her. She leaned toward him and he got close and kissed her ear. She giggled and he continued kissing and nibbling her neck and ear./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I thought you were going to tell me something," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I can tell you many things," he said between kisses, "would you like me to?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Yes," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Your skin is the finest silk brushing my lips and I could kiss you a thousand years and not tire of it," he said. She moaned her approval and he continued, "you're a queen and I would love to kneel before you in adoration and taste your royal sweetness, giving you the greatest pleasure with my tongue…" he paused to watch her reaction. She let out a pained sigh and bit her lip, he watched her, amused./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You wouldn't do that here," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""No one would see," he grinned./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She giggled a little but shook her head, "you wouldn't do it because it's not appropriate."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Do you think I always behave?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She studied his face, trying to see him, deep down, she spoke hesitantly, "no… no not always, there's something about you that is definitely naughty," she paused and giggled a little, "but you'd never do anything tacky or impolite."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"He stared at her for a long time without speaking so she said, "am I right?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Darling, you are going to be one of the best psychologists in the field," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""So, will you show me your naughty side?" she teased./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"He cleared his throat and shifted, pulling away from her, "not all of it, not ever."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"She started to giggle but saw that he was serious, so she just let the subject die. After the show he didn't talk much but was a perfect gentleman as usual. When he walked her to her building, Kalisi was coming out the door./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Hey, I thought you were home," Kalisi said, looking confused./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I've been gone all day and evening," Fynn said looking at Hannibal./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""What did you hear?" he asked Kalisi./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Just normal sounds like you were home, but…" Kalisi started./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Someone's in there," Fynn started to panic./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Calm down, I will go up with you," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Maybe I should call campus security," Kalisi said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""That won't be necessary," Hannibal said, pulling up his pants leg and taking a small revolver out of his sock./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Whoa," Kalisi said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You just carry that around?" Fynn asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"He looked unfazed and nodded, before she could say anything else he walked to the door, "please unlock the door."br / Fynn fumbled with her keys and Kalisi held hers up because she'd just left her dorm. She walked over to Hannibal and handed him the key. Fynn walked up behind him and he turned to her, "you should stay down here until I call you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You won't know if anything is different," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I just want to make sure it's safe," he said kissing her hand and quickly going in and shutting the door behind him. He knew she could follow him anyway, but it was a more a gesture to show her that he was serious. She stood there shaking and Kalisi put her arm around her and held her. She waited to hear gunshots or something, but none came, the night air was completely silent aside from a few frogs in the fountain./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Did you have a good time?" Kalisi asked, trying to break the tension./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Yea," Fynn said distractedly, she was starting to worry that Hannibal was in danger. Her teeth were chattering, and she couldn't stand still./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I'm sure he's just making sure it's all clear," Kalisi said. Fynn's phone started to ring and they both jumped. Fynn flipped it open without even looking at the number./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Hello?" she shouted into it./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""There isn't anyone here anymore," Hannibal said completely stoic./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Oh, thank God," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You should come up now, bring your friend so you aren't on the stairwell alone," he said. She hadn't even thought of the stairwell, whoever was up there could have saw them from her window and hid on any number of hallways in the floors below her room./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I'm scared," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""You will be fine," he said, "I can come get you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""No, no that's silly, I'll be up in a minute," she said then hung up, she looked at Kalisi, "do you mind walking up with me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""Sure, I want to check things out myself," Kalisi said. They rushed up the stairs and Fynn kept an eye out on every landing. At least there was a door to every floor, and no one could come out to the stairwell without them hearing the door open first. They made it safely to their floor, the fifth and Hannibal was out in the hallway leaning against the wall. Fynn ran to him in her heels. She threw her arms around his neck more carelessly than she'd ever been with him. He put his arms around her waist and patted her back./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;""I'm so glad you're okay," she sobbed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Why wouldn't I be?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I got worried, you were gone a while," she sighed, blinking back tears. He tilted his/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"head like he hadn't expected such a grand display of emotion. It seemed to confuse him, but he shook it off and smiled down at her. He let her lean on him for a moment before taking her arms and holding her out in front of him. He leaned forward almost as if he were speaking to a child, "you can see that I am alright," he said. She nodded. The three of them went into her dorm and she looked around. Nothing seemed to be missing but a few things were out of place./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You didn't move anything," she asked Hannibal. He shook his head no./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Oh my gosh, that's so scary," Kalisi said, then she looked at Fynn, "oh my gosh I'm so sorry I don't want to freak you out but… this is weird."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You're not wrong," Hannibal said, "I think you should stay with me tonight."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" She thought about it, "well I don't want to be alone, Kalisi where are you going?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You are welcome to come too if you are frightened," Hannibal told her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" Kalisi smiled gratefully, "thank you, but I was going to David's, you know that guy I've been talking to, I was planning to spend the night with him."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Well at least you won't be here and alone," Fynn said, then she turned to Hannibal, "I just need to grab a few things." He nodded lightly and she grabbed a bag to pack some things. He walked over to her kitchenette where Kalisi was standing by the sink looking freaked out./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Do you remember any of the sounds you heard?" he asked her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "The shower, umm… the tv? I'm not sure I wasn't paying close attention, I feel bad," she said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Don't feel bad, why would you be keeping track if you didn't know you needed to," he said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I just wish I knew who it was," Fynn said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I have some ideas," Hannibal said, "I want to come get a closer look in the morning with you, I'm sure you're tired and in the morning you'll be more alert to look for anything suspicious."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Okay," she said, feeling defeated. Kalisi walked with them downstairs because Hannibal told her to wait to check on her own dorm as well because he didn't want to leave her there alone. Fynn liked that he was also protective of her friend whom he had just met. They got halfway to his condo when she gasped./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "What's the matter?" he asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I forgot to bring anything to sleep in," she said, "I brought clothes to wear tomorrow, a sundress, I can't sleep in it."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" He chuckled, "I have things for you to wear to sleep."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I am positive you don't own a t-shirt," she teased./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Actually, I do," he said, she eyed him suspiciously until he spoke again, "I admit they are only worn to work out and as undershirts, but I own them."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" She giggled, "I kind of believe you, but it's kind of chilly so can I wear a dress shirt instead, like a button down?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You can wear whatever you like," he said, he looked over at her and grinned and she forgot all about being scared of who was in her dorm./p