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Clarice rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she rounded the corner from the front hall into the open living room and kitchen. Her eyes immediately fell to her daughter who was sitting on her usual barstool, one knee brought up against her chest, with a laptop laying open in front of her. "You're up early."

"I've been researching." Bella said, her voice distracted as her eyes continued to absorb the information on her bright screen. "I also emailed the principal about an early graduation from your address. He'll probably call tomorrow about it."

"You requested the early graduation?" Clarice asked, sleep all but forgotten now. She felt a thrill rise inside of her chest, but didn't raise her hopes just yet. "Did you hear from New York already?"

Bella smirked with a shake of her head. "I don't care about that anymore." She turned her computer to Clarice as Hannibal padded up slowly behind them. "I've narrowed it down to either The American College of Greece in Athens or the University of Bologna in Italy. Both offer psychology and visual/performing arts as degree programs. Both cities have dance studios and schools." She turned to her parents, biting her lower lip. "I figured I could still apply for next fall and then I could learn the language before I start college. The only problem is the tuition for the double majors."

Hannibal reached around her to fiddle with the screen. "Don't worry about that. Whatever you want to do or where ever you want to go, I've got that covered." He kissed her forehead before wrapping an arm around her shoulders from behind. "Is this really what you want?"

Bella grinned, reaching up and squeezing his arm around her. "We only have Ardelia and Winnie here. Winnie will be going to college in California, and Ardelia is as busy as Mom. There's nothing keeping us here other than familiarity of surroundings. I want to go."

"Which one are you leaning towards?" Clarice asked, excited to see the colleges that her daughter had seemed to find overnight. She sat on the edge of the barstool that sat empty from her daughter's small frame. "Both places should be loaded with history, which you can't seem to get enough of."

"Hmm, I wonder why." Bella chuckled, squeezing Hannibal's hand gently before he moved to presumably make breakfast. "I'm not sure, but touring the two could prove to be helpful. We'll have plenty of time before the school year starts again."

Hannibal nodded his agreement. "Apply to both places. You should get responses in the next few months. We can plan accordingly then." He opened up the fridge and pulled out an egg carton along with the small jug of milk. "I don't have a residence in Greece, but that could quickly be remedied if you choose to attend college there." He grinned when Bella's eyes twinkled with something purer than happiness.

It was freedom. The same freedom that shown in his eyes when he escaped the confines of the asylum, and that now shown in Clarice's knowing that their long awaited coupling wasn't just going to be another blip in their long history. He was sure she could see his relief in freedom sparkling back at her.

Bella stood, closing her laptop. "As much as I'd like to continue this conversation, I promised Winnie a day of shopping to apologize for my behavior Friday night. I apparently drank the entire bottle of tequila she brought."

"Speaking of which, I should ground you for that. You also kept a secret college application from me." Clarice prodded, looking over her shoulder at Bella. "We don't keep secrets here, Bella."

Bella quirked an eyebrow at Clarice with a smirk. "Shall I remind you of your secret about who my real father was?"

Clarice's eyes narrowed before she extended her hand. "Truce?"

Bella smiled before shaking Clarice's hand. "I shouldn't be gone long. Is there anything I should get or shouldn't say?"

"For now, let's keep the early graduation in our pockets. I don't want that getting around until I get things moving at work." Clarice sighed. "Whatever you do buy, it has to be worth the space in one of your suitcases once we leave. Chances are we won't be coming back to the states for a long time."

Hannibal began heating pans on the stove. "The point is to blend in, so things in the local area where we choose to reside would be better than clothes from. . .is it The Gap?" He smirked when Bella rolled her eyes. "Shall I presume that we'll be dining with Ms. Winnie?"

"As much as I would enjoy whatever you intend on making this morning, Winnie will be here in ten minutes to pick me up." Bella smiled before kissing Clarice's cheek. "I'll call when I'm on my way home."

Clarice waited until Bella's feet bounded up the stairs before turning back to Hannibal. "She's excited. I don't know if she's thought it through completely."

Hannibal cracked an egg into the pan, immediately hearing the sear of the cold yolk hitting the hot non-stick metal. "Most likely not, but is what she said false? She did not just say yes. She sought out a kind of life that would suit the way we need to live." He noticed Clarice bite her lip, and he briefly reflected on the interaction they had shared in her bedroom the night before that caused her to bite her lip like that. "The initial excitement will die down. We have some time to gauge her true reaction."

"Only a few weeks until December. The school would most likely give her diploma to her before Christmas break." Clarice sighed, resting her arms on the counter. "I just don't want her to regret her decision. She's still so young. We'd be tying her to a life where she would have no ties."

"It does seem she lives that way now by her observation of her life." Hannibal concluded. "You said so yourself that, outside of your FBI friend, you have no one and no where to go where you would feel comfortable." He grinned when she cast a glare to him. "My darling Clarice, our little bird will have lots to process in the coming weeks. Instead of our interference, I'd rather her come to her own notions of her future much like I left your decisions about our path up to you."

Clarice stood from her barstool and walked around the island before pushing herself up to sit on the counter next to his standing form. She waited patiently until his eyes met hers, and she wished that she could read him as well as he seemed to read her. "Why did you leave it up to me? I didn't exactly shy away from you that night. Hell, we made a child. You knew that I would eventually come back to you, because you knew my career would revolve around saving the metaphorical lambs instead of playing nice for the politics of the FBI. Why didn't you just take me away?"

Hannibal smiled before returning his attention back to their breakfast. "As much fun as that would have been, I knew all too well what it was like to be in a position without choice or freedom to choose. I savor your passion and anger when it results to benefit us both. But, choosing for you would have created a dark cloud over our beginnings even with our inevitable coupling. Had I known of the Roman goddess you were carrying in your womb, I would have come back sooner to somewhat quicken your shift in perspective."

"Yes, she is still a young thing." He continued. "And, her perspective could change dramatically, ten times over, in the coming future. She still has yet to witness the actions of my darker tendencies, and I assume that you have curiosities of your own." He leaned over and kissed her lips slowly, not demanding or lustful. Purely loving and reassuring. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm very adaptable. I can live with a few unexpected changes."

Clarice reached out and squeezed his wrist. "How about some unexpected requests?"

Hannibal small slip of a smile did not go unnoticed, and she felt a tinge of joy flutter in her chest before he spoke. "Like what, Agent Starling?"

Clarice's body seemed to buzz hearing the familiar metallic he had used when they first met. When she was still under the thumb of Jack Crawford, the tone made her nervous. Now. . .it sent goosebumps coursing across places where she shouldn't have goosebumps. "Leaving the FBI for no immediate apparent reason would raise some red flags. With my history with you, I would need a fairly gruesome excuse to leave with the fear that I might, let's say, cross over to the dark side."

"If only they knew how far gone you were." Hannibal whispered into her ear. He rested his free hand along her waist, softly caressing. "I'm sure something gruesome, as you say, could be arranged. I must say. I never thought that you would request of my other hobbies so soon."

"Then, my next request will really surprise you." Clarice smiled before caressing his cheek. His eyes bore into hers, and she felt heat flood between her legs when she saw his eyes turn black with her next words. "I would like to join you in your hobbies this time."

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