chapterthree


Ardelia sat speechless for a moment, then remembered to breathe.

Lecter! How the- The doctor moved swiftly, yanking open the car door and grabbing her arm in one smooth motion.

Special Agent Mapp. he said calmly.

Clarice will be thrilled to see you. She did miss her friend in the first few months. Of course, now she has me. His eyes seemed to glitter as he tightened his hold on her.

A car, outside my home, same time, same spot. Naturally I was suspiscious. Quite rightly too, you've been snooping. I know you aren't armed, but I am. I will get in, and you will drive into the gates, go in, be nice and civil, and see Clarice again. We'll take it from that.

You can't... people will notice if I go missing. He stepped in on the passenger side. They didn't seem to miss Clarice too much. And your body would be found with a with apparent head trauma, inside your car, in a lake off a peak, a rental car not checked often enough. Nice little story for the records, car accident, close the file and stamp it, then Special Agent how-did-you-spell-her-name-again is in a grave outside Washington. Ardelia just swallowed and drove inside the gates.

Thank you. Walking around, Lecter opened the door and grasped her arm. He escorted her inside, the large door closing with a deathly thud. Lecter walked her down to a rather large library.

He said, gesturing towards an armchair beside a fireplace. Ardelia sat down, looking for a way to get out or call someone. To her dismay, the only windows faced a steep drop, the only visible door the one she had come in.

Don't bother. The phones aren't in here, and the door is the only one. The windows are twenty feet up, you won't get far with a broken leg. Lecter said. The door opened. A tall woman, with light red hair stood, clutching a robe around herself.

Hannibal, whose car is outside- The woman bit off her sentence a stared at Ardelia for a moment.

Hello, Ardelia.

Hello, Clarice.
The woman moved and sat down in a chair across from her. Close up, Mapp could see the woman was clearly pregnant, perhaps seven months. She looked amazed. Lecter walked up behind Clarice and put a hand on her shoulder. Ardelia would have flinched, but Clarice seemed to draw strength from him.
Why, Ardelia? I told you I was happy.

Mapp got angry. Happy! With a murderer, Starling! He's killed, why won't he kill you too?!

Clarice smiled faintly. Because I am not Starling anymore. We're married.
Good god, no!
Ardelia was on the verge of screaming. You ran off after he killed Krendler, who was not one of the finest people around, but like that! And not just Krendler, how many more?
Clarice looked upset.
Please don't, Ardelia, I want to be able to let you go away unharmed.
Not unless he goes too, in a straight jacket! Mapp did scream.

Clarice's eyes flashed. You'd want them to take my husband and children, just like my career? I had nothing left, Ardelia, nothing! You couldn't have helped!

Mapp's breathing was eerily normal. You said children? Twins, you're having?



The word rang like a shot.
she gestured to Clarice's distended abdomen isn't your first. As in the two of you.

Would you like to meet them?

Lecter rubbed his thumb in circles on her shoulder. My dear, is that really a good idea? Agent Mapp would know what they look like. Clarice looked up at him, arms circling her belly. They will be safe.

There she goes with the plurals again.

Clarice gave an odd smile, close to crying but not wanting to.
She took Mapp's hand and led her out the room and up a back flight of stairs, down a hall framed by high windows on either side. Ardelia had seen this from the car, this second-story annex. They stopped at a door. Clarice swung open the door carefully, making sure the hinges didn't squeak. At first Ardelia couldn't see anything, but her eyes adjusted to the dim light. In a corner stood a large elaborate dollhouse, and a bay windowseat facing the valley, a little tea set, a bookcase, wardrobe, and directly in front of her a bed. She could just make out a small figure lying in it, sound asleep. A Starling hatchling.

Ardelia, meet Antonia. She's going to be four in a week.
Mapp couldn't understand how calm Clarice's voice could be so calm, as if they were dicussing this in a ncie little suburban house in Alexandria, with this girl's name being Antonia Brigham, or at least Noble. But no, God just had to screw with fate, twisting little knobs and pushing buttons until it came out a mansion in Langes, Spain, with little Antonia Lecter.
Ho-ly shit. Ardelia didn't say anything.

Clarice led her out into the hall and to a door across from Antonia's room. It was difficult to make out the objects in this room most of them were scattered across the floor. Except this room had a spacious crib instead of a bed in it.

John's very messy for two. It's really nice in here after the maids get to it but before he does, he has Legos, and all sorts of stuff. I named him after Brigham.

Ardelia whirled around to face her old roommate.
How could you! Name a child of Lecter's after Brigham! Deface a dead man with an evil's baby! she shreiked. At this point the figure in the crib stirred and began to cry, so Clarice walked over and picked up her child, rocking him. Lecter came into the room then, flicking on the lamp closest to the door. Mapp could see Clarice's face was streaked with tears.
The boy does look like her.

Lecter's eyes glittered again, with anger and something.... not pity. Not regret. Almost sadness. But not for her. For Clarice. He really loves her. If he hugs her, I'm gonna get violent., Mapp thought.

Lecter didn't go to her, but Clarice handed him the child. John. Lecter held his son, and walked him out into the hall.

How could I, Ardelia? Do you really want to know? To mark an occaision. The official realization that I didn't matter, that my best friend didn't matter, that my work didn't matter, all that mattered that I was another cheap plastic pawn in the game! Because John Brigham was my best friend who died for the government of his country cause some chauvanist bastard didn't wann take an order from a woman! Clarice screamed the last sentence, then gasped and fell to the floor. Ardelia ran to her and knelt down.

Clarice, are you alright!? She asked. Then Ardelia noticed the water on the floor. Lecter came into the room and shoved the little boy into Mapp's arms. Hold him. The boy, John, clung to Ardelia looking fearfully at his mother. Lecter picked up Clarice, who was conscious and breathing shallowly. He stood up mumuring something reassuring to her and began to walk out of the room. The girl, Antonia, had come out of her room. She watched her mother, looking knowingly at Ardelia. She looks like him. She acts like him. But she had Clarice's gray-blue eyes.

Oh, Agent Mapp, Lecter had stopped and turned to look at her. If Clarice or any of our children as a result of this investigation,- well, you will have the rest of tonight to dwell on that.

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Hope you like it! I think two more installments and it will be done.
And the unmentioned-best-friend-who-still-hasn't-read-this-story, read the d@mn story already!