The sun was shinning through her window, and she looked out through her groggy eyes, and put a pillow over her face. Last nights hangover made her sleep like a log, passing out and not waking up till noon. The doorbell is what woke her from her restfull slumber. She looked over at the clock and sighed, wishing she didn't hear the doorbell.

Ding Ding Ding. Whoever it was was relentless and wouldn't give up until she was dragged out of bed to answer the annoying ring.

Pulling a robe over herself, and clearing her eyes, she walked and answered the door. A young man handed her something to sign, asking her if she was Clarice Starling.

She signed, trying to get it over with so she could go and sleep again. He handed her a manila folder, and bid her good-day and left. She walked back into her bedroom, and sat down, fumbling the folder open.

She pulled out a glossy photo. Hey eyes widened, and her stomach turned as she looked at the image it rudely showed her.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter was embracing another woman. Her smile radiated off of her as she was hugging the Dr. Clarice looked it over for a good long while, and realized there were more photos in the folder. She dug out the next one, and saw the Dr. kissing the same woman.

A fit of jealousy came across her face, and her stomach was now telling her it was going to explode. Running for the bathroom, she spilled all her hatred, and last nights booze.

Gaining composure, she walked back into her room, and took the photos in her disbelieving hand once more. She tried to remain calm, and tried not to get upset, but it wasn't working. Not in the least.

Clarice got into the steaming shower, and washed all the hate out of her body for the time being. Getting dried off, and dressing, she walked out of her house on a mission.

She walked steadily into her boss' office, and took and seat as she waited. Jack Crawford came into his office and saw her sitting there. He looked at her, and smiled.

"Well, good afternoon Starling. You're not supposed to be in today, are you?"

She smiled politly, "No Mr. Crawford, I am not. I just came in to request some more time off."

He eyed her closely, "How much time Starling?"

"A month."

Her eyes searched his, "May I ask why?"

She looked down, "A friend of mine is sick, close to death actually...and I need to go be with her."

He looked at her, "Alright Starling. You can have the month off, but be back as soon as possible alright? You know we're busy, and I need your help."

She smiled and shook his hand. "thank you Mr. Crawford."

Clarice walked back into her house, satisfied, and got on the internet looking for the cheapest ticket to Florence she could buy. She booked the ticket, and closed her computer. She would leave tomorrow morning.

Walking over to her dresser drawer, she took out a white piece of paper. It had an address written on it.

"You'll see me soon enough Dr. And then we'll figure out who is really supposed to be in your arms."

The plain ride was long and tedious. She awaited the arrival with eagerness, and anticipation. She wanted to see him, wanted to see who this lady was who was stealing him from under her nose. There was an underlying jealousy just waiting to see this bitch face to face and kill her.

That's right.

Clarice Starling, morally uncorrupted would kill to be with him. Why? They loved each other. There was a night when she asked him if he loved her....They were trying to gather information before making a decision. She decided against leaving with him...not her best judgment of course, but it was still her choice. That didn't mean she wouldn't come running when she felt her place was being stolen from her. Hannibal Lecter would love no one else, she wouldn't allow it.

Hailing for a cab, Clarice gave the address where she wanted to be. She paid the man, and looked out to the house. Beautiful, just as she imagined. She waited for the cab to be out of sight before she approached the door. She didn't bother to knock, she just walked in, and closed the door slowly behind her, trying not to make a noise. She didn't hear noise in the house, and since it was dark, she assumed he was either asleep, or he was out. He was normally a night person anyhow.

She walked up the stairs and walked towards the master bedroom. She heard a loud noise now, and walked faster, fearing the pang in her stomach would prove to be right. She walked in, not trying to be discrete, and saw Hannibal lying ontop of the woman in the photo. He stopped, having heard the door open, and looked into Clarice's eyes. He stopped, mouth dropped, as the woman under him looked over at her.

"Who the hell are you?" The woman said loudly.

Clarice and Hannibal looked at each other, lost in a gaze, as Clarice let the tears fall from her eyes. She looked at Hannibal, and gave him a look that broke him in two. She turned and walked out of the room, not bothering to close the door behind her. She heard Hannibal move away from the woman as she was screaming to her hearts extent "Whats going on??"

Clarice reached for the door, as a naked Hannibal ran after her. He slammed himself against the door, and breathing heavily looked at her. Her eyes were full of tears now, and she couldn't look at him. She looked down, and spoke lightly. She came here with the intent to see him, and to kill the woman. But seeing him with the woman in bed made her want to kill herself, and him for putting her through the pain.

"Clarice...." His voice shook.

Her eyes didn't move, she wouldn't look at him. "Let me pass Dr."

He winced at her calling him "Dr." it took him months to get her to stop that habbit, and it made him understand she was comfortable with him when she would call him Hannibal.

He reached out to touch her and she backed away, slapping his hand away from her.

"Don't touch me you deceitful bastard." She looked into his eyes now, and her hatred and tears were apparant.

"Clarice...why are you here?"

She took the photos out of her purse and threw them at him, "that's why. I was tipped off Hannibal. Someone wanted me to come here and see you with her. I've had your address for many months now Lecter, and I didn't hand it over. Fuck me...fuck me..." she said, her voice sorrowful and filled with tears that would not stop.

Her pain was killing him, and he knew it was his fault. As much as he loved to cause others pain, the sight of seeing his iron strong Clarice crumble infront of him pained him to no end. He didn't know what to say.

She looked at him, "Move. I will not stay here. I had planned on being with you Hannibal, I came here to stay...but..." she pointed up to the room, "That bitch has taken my place with you, so I will be leaving now."

The woman amazingly didn't get out of bed to see what all the commotion was about. Clarice had expected to rip her hair out when she came down stairs.

She looked at Hannibal whos eyes were breaking now.

"I won't let you leave."

She sighed and pushed him out of the way of the door, but was tackled in return. Hitting the floor hard, she winced and screamed out, and looked up at Hannibal on top of her refusing to move.

"Get off of me Hannibal! You've made your decision when you decided to let that whore sleep in our bed! Get off of me!" She was squirming and to kick. Her pleas to get away faded and so did her squirming. She sat there, under him, and looked into his eyes.

"Why?"

He looked down at her and kissed her sweetly, "my dear, I did not mean to cause you pain..."

"You meant it, or you wouldn't have betrayed me."

He looked down at her and kissed her passionatly, keeping his hands on hers so she could not punch him when he was vulnerable. Amazingly she did not move. She responded to his kiss in kind and tried to move her hands. He wouldn't let her.

The woman now moved, and came down stairs. She looked at the display infront of her and sighed.

"I assume this is Clarice?"

Their kissing stopped, and Lecter looked over at her.

"Yes. This is Clarice."

The woman smiled, "Well then, I'll be leaving. My job is done."

Clarice looked at him confused. What the fuck was going on???

He met her confused look with a kiss as the door closed, and the woman left. She squirmed this time, not wanting to kiss, but wanting an explanation.

"Hannibal, what the hell was she takling about?"

He sighed, "My dear...I had to do something to make you come to me. I didn't think I had to take it to such drastic measures as sending you those photos...and having you catch her here with me, but it was the only way i was sure you would come. I know you, and jealousy is a good motive."

"You were fucking her in our bed Hannibal."

"Actually my dear....I heard the door open, and since I knew you were coming...I put on this little display myself."

She was still confused....

"It was the only way I could be sure Clarice."

"Of what?"

"That if you came here on account of jealousy, and seeing me in bed with her, and you still stayed...that it was for sure. that you would never leave after this."

She understood now....

"It was a lie Hannibal. You did this to me...to hurt me....to make yourself feel better?"

He sighed, "My dear, when you are the kind of man I am, you would do anything."

They shared another long kiss, and Hannibal took her up to the room. He lied her on the bed and kissed her tenderly.

With one long look in his eyes, she could tell he wasn't really with that woman...that he did what he said. At least he didn't lie.

He kissed her and whispered in her ear, "Never leave..."

And she didn't.