éclaircissement7 ok this is the big chapter youve all been waiting for!!! yay! Im thinking after this chapter there will only be 2 more and that will be it! ITs amost done. WHo hoo! Enjoy!

ch 7

Hannibal turned out his lamp beside his bed and laid down, thinking about the night's events. He had a feeling what Clarice did earlier wasn't a rejection, but wasn't sure, to be honest, what it actually was. It was her turn in the game still and he decided to just wait and see.He was glad, he decided, he had the virtue of patience. Before drifting off to sleep he drew up the picture of Clarice across from him at the table in his memory palace. He had a screamless night.

Clarice had a plan. She would do what she thought was right and hoped it would work out in the end. For three days she did things at her hotel, making sure she couldn't accidentally meet him somewhere. She wanted to have her plan down to a T before she enacted it. She decided her next move would be her last and the last move of the game was his. Her move would be check and if he went with it, his move would be checkmate. But if he didn't cooperage then her move would be check and checkmate all in one swoop. She hoped it didn't come to that. Putting on what she decided to wear for the evening, she put on her coat over it and grabbed her purse, pulling out his apartment key she got from the boy at the desk and had conveniently forgot to return. Taking a deep breath she put her badge and gun in the purse and left her room, heading for Hannibal's apartment.

When she arrived she approached the clerk.
"Hello. Is Dr Bourtin' in?"
"oh, no madame'. He went to dinner. I don't expect him for another hour."
"alright Ill just go in an wait then. I have a key hey gave me." she started to walk off but stopped.
"Oh, could you not tell him Im here. Id like it to be a surprise."
"Sure."
"Thanks."

Hannibal Lecter entered his apartment building and nodded at the desk clerk. The clerk smiled back at him.
He made his way into the elevator and up to his apartment. When he opened the door, he heard his cd of the Goldberg Variations playing. It was the Aria De Capo. Senses on alert he looked around. He left the music playing as he surveyed his apartment. On his desk he saw Clarice's badge and gun lying there.
*That explains the scent of Le Baiser...*
Assuming that was all he would find he stopped his search for a moment. He picked up her badge and it fell to pieces in his hands. It had been cut up and laid there. The gun he found wasn't loaded as well. Then his ears picked up on a faint rustling sound. Looking up quickly the sight he saw made his breath catch in his throat. He got up and walked towards the source of the rustling. There on his bed was Clarice clad in the night-gown he bought for her, hands tied loosely to the bed frame with silk scarves. Her tresses of hair fell loosely around her face, the scent of the perfume in the air.

"Hello Clarice."
"Hello Doctor."

He moved closer to her until he was a foot or so from the bed.

"So its my turn again I see and it will be the last move in the game. How would you like me to proceed dear Starling?"

"That's entirely up to you, though I would like you to come closer."
He moved to where he sat beside her on the bed. He reached out and touched the butterfly around her neck and she breathed in sharply at the light brush of his finger against her collarbone. He smiled and trailed his fingers up her arms to her hands. He bent down to kiss her, but stopped his mouth inches from hers. She knew he had to make the move and fought the urge to tilt her head upwards and catch his mouth with hers. He moved his hands back down her arms and over her collarbone and lightly over the rest of her frame. She shivered in response. His mouth hovering over hers he spoke to her.
"Tell me Clarice, would you like me to stop?"
Her eyes fluttered and she breathed her reply.
"No Hannibal. If you loved me you wouldn't stop..."
The sound of his first name on her lips overwhelmed him and he bent his head and kissed her with all the pent up passion he felt. She urgently returned his kisses and rubbed against him. He moved to kiss down her neck and up her arms to her hands. He untied her bonds and she quickly wrapped her arms around him, smoothing her fingers through his hair.
"You are so very beautiful Clarice...."
he breathed into her ear and she shivered.
"I love the way you say my name..."she replied.
In response he said her name again and kissed a trail from her neck to her thigh.
"Hannibal...."she said when he returned to her mouth.
"Say it again Clarice."
"Hannibal."she spoke again this time looking in his eyes, seeing the appreciation and passion within them. He kissed her again and they fulfilled their passion there, together. After they were spent, they lay asleep in each others arms, sleeping peacefully.