Yah! Chpt 3! Thanks for all the encouraging reviews!
Add the usual "I bow to the creator that is Harris"
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"Over to that alley there. Walk slow and keep your hands where I can see them, doctor" the voice hissed in his ear.
He knew he was in trouble when she called him 'doctor.' As soon as he had reached the entrance to the ally he was spun around and pushed up against the wall. Clarice was standing in front of him, with her gun lowered slightly. She was really pissed off, in fact he couldn't remember her being this mad. He supposed that she did have a valid reason to be mad. If mad was the word to describe the current state of Clarice's emotions.
"Honey," he said in a pleading tone only to have the gun leveled at his chest again.
"Don't you 'honey' me you jerk!" she ground out between clenched teeth. "You've been following me." It wasn't a question.
"Well…" Hannibal said, desperately trying to come up with an excuse. She didn't give him a chance.
"Did you think I wouldn't notice you trailing me? That was one of the many things they managed to teach me well back at the F.B.I." She drew out the letters in a mockery of his speech so many years ago. He winced slightly at the coldly furious tone she used. He was used to loud, profane screaming fits that he could weather until she calmed down. This was another kind of anger all together. Her blue eyes were like slate as she stared relentlessly into his. A part of him noticed how magnificent she was; a memory he would savor at the proper time.
"Why? Are you such a control freak that you have to know where I am and what I'm doing every single minute of the day?" her volume was starting to increase, but she stopped suddenly as something clicked in her mind. He almost thought he could hear it.
"This is about last week, isn't it? You think I'm having an affair! You actually think I'm having a fucking affair behind your back! You still don't trust me!" She didn't give him a chance to respond, as she stepped back into firing stance and leveled the gun at him once more. "You know, I'm mad enough to blow your fucking head off," she said as she stared at him over the barrel of her gun. Talk about stating the obvious he thought silently. "And I could get away with it too. I've also learned a few things from you," she said quite calmly.
In that moment, Hannibal knew a moment of real fear. Fear like he had not experienced since his childhood. Part of him vaguely wondered what he had created in Clarice, while another part of him was sure she was going to pull the trigger. Then as suddenly as she had been there she was gone. Hannibal released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. He didn't follow her further.
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That night Clarice came in well after supper. Hannibal was sitting in the library thinking. She didn't come in and he didn't seek her out. She went upstairs and he heard water run in the bathroom. It was two hours later when he heard the door to the room softly open.
"Hannibal?" she questioned quietly as she padded barefoot over to his chair. Well she was back to using his name, that at least was a good sign.
"Yes," he said and turned to look at her. She was wearing a light robe and he could see the strap of the camisole she liked to wear to bed on one shoulder. She was biting her lower lip, but released it as she reached his side.
"I'm sorry about what happened today," she said in a rush and then quickly looked down at the floor. She missed the startled look on her husband's face; she still continued to surprise him.
"Why are you sorry?" he asked.
"Well, most regular couples don't deal with each other at gun point," she said still looking at the floor.
"We're not exactly a regular couple, my dear. Besides which, it brought back fond memories from our um… courtship?" he quipped. This brought a small chuckle from Clarice and she peaked at him from under her lashes.
"So, you're not mad at me for pulling my gun on you?" she asked.
"Are you still mad at me for following you?" he asked her instead of answering.
"No, not really. I proved I can out-sneak-you, so I guess we're even," she said with a smile.
"I'm not mad at you; I never was. Surprised but not mad. And as for being able to 'out-sneak-me'?" he commented with a quirked eyebrow, "I wasn't even trying." At this comment Clarice's head shot up.
"Tell me where you where going today and where you went last week," he said quietly.
"No," Clarice stated firmly. His head tilted to one side in question. "I'm not telling, because you need to trust me."
"And just what would it take to make you tell?" he asked with a devilish grin.
"Wild horses couldn't drag it from me," Clarice announced dramatically as she turned and headed for the door. She'd gone about two steps when she heard a soft growl in her ear and found herself being lifted off her feet. He tossed her on the sofa in front of the fire and stood menacingly over her.
"Let's see if I can tickle it out of you," he hissed before he attacked her with relish. He was merciless but her shrieks and giggles soon degenerated into something much more interesting and Hannibal forgot all about extracting information.
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It was sometime after midnight when Hannibal awoke to hear Clarice padding cautiously toward their bedroom door. Her obvious stealth had him intrigued. Now what was she up to? He gave her a few moments to see if she would return and then got up and moved silently down the stairs. He could hear her voice murmuring from the direction of the kitchen. He stopped in the hall, as her words became distinct.
"Yes, please hurry. No I don't think I can hold on much longer. Yes I'll be waiting. Goodbye." At her words Hannibal stood stunned. It could only mean one thing. She had regretted her decision and had turned him in. Turned him in to her precious F.B.I. in hopes that they would take her back. How could he have been such a fool? The rage boiled up inside him. It seemed she always insisted on learning the hard way. He whipped around the corner and pinned her against the wall before she could draw breath. His grip was merciless and his cobalt eyes burned with an icy fire. She looked slightly shocked at his sudden appearance and he decided to let her know that he was in on her little secret.
"So the little starling has decided to leave the nest, has she? Unfortunately for her the cat has other ideas." Her eyes widened in fear as she realized his intent.
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umm, ya. Let me know what you think. I have a few different ideas for the end – which will be the next chpt. Should be posted soon – I managed to write my midterms in my spare time – I'm such a multitalented girl… hehe luna.