Hey folks here's the end – entitled "entendre"

Add the usual "I am nothing, I own nothing, so don't sue"

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Hannibal savoured the fear evident in her eyes. She shook her head and tried to speak but his large hand covered her mouth, turning her words into murmurs.

"Beauty and the Beast indeed. You thought you had me wrapped around your little finger, didn't you Clarice?" he stroked her little finger with his thumb where he had her hands pinned against the wall above her head.

"Hannibal the Cannibal fell in love and became as tame as a pussy cat, was that the plan Clarice? Seduce me and then turn me in?" he blew a stray strand of her hair away form her neck. His voice was again the dangerous calm of Baltimore and the gesture was ironically gentle in the face of his anger.

"I was supposed to be so enthralled with your body that I wouldn't know until it was too late. Well, you do have a lovely body Clarice and I have thoroughly enjoyed it…" at this he ground his hips hard against hers and she whimpered, but still he wouldn't let her speak. "…but not enough to return to captivity." He roughly turned her and brought her up against his chest. With his left arm around her body just above her elbows he held her captive, with his right he held his harpy to her throat.

"Now Clarice you're going to tell me who you phoned and when our 'guests' will be arriving, and I shouldn't have to tell you not to lie to me," he held her even tighter, his left hand making bruises on her arm. She took a few deep breaths, or at least as deep as she could manage around the knife at her throat.

"I phoned the pizza place down the street and they'll be here in fifteen minutes," she said calmly. She felt him tense behind her and then heard his forced laugh.

"Always playing the game, Agent Starling, but this time I don't buy it. I overheard you talking to someone at the F.B.I…" Clarice cut him off for the first time in her life,

"What exactly did you overhear doctor? You have such and excellent memory, quote to me exactly what you heard." Hannibal was taken off balance by her commanding tone and replied automatically,

"'Yes, please hurry. No I don't think I can hold on much longer. Yes I'll be waiting. Goodbye.'"

"I was talking to Michele at the pizza place, not to anyone at the F.B.I. I was hungry and had a craving for pizza. Hit the redail button on the phone and you'll see if I'm telling the truth," Clarice argued.

"I know it was good Clarice," he purred, "but I doubt you worked up such an appetite that you would require pizza at two o'clock in the morning. Very nice ploy to try and waste my time, your pals must be close, which means I must be leaving." Hannibal felt her body stiffen away from him for the first time since the confrontation had begun. Perhaps, just perhaps, she was telling the truth. On a whim he decided to give her one last chance, all the while remembering that it was a whim that had gotten him caught the first time.

"All right, my dear, I'm feeling generous. I'll give you one last chance to tell me where you were last week and today, and you better make it good because it might be the last thing you ever say," he inhaled her scent one last time as he prepared to make good on his threat.

"I was at the doctor's," Clarice said quietly, not in defeat but acceptance. She had known from the beginning that she was taking a chance to be with him. It was probably the only thing that could have stayed his hand.

"Why would you need to visit a physician?" Hannibal asked, masking his concern with scorn.

"I'm pregnant," she stated simply. There was absolute silence for a few minutes as Hannibal tried to weigh the truth of her statement. He wasn't about to play the fool twice in one night. The last time he remembered her menstruating was more than two months ago, but he might just not have noticed. At least that was what he tried to tell himself. As he was debating the validity of her claim, a knock came, from around the corner, on the kitchen door. Clarice held her breath as Hannibal made his decision.

"Answer it," he ordered, pushing her away form him, "but believe me, neither of us will leave this house alive if that's who I think it is." Clarice walked calmly around the corner and opened the door.

"Salut Mme. McMillan, un autre désir d'heure avancé?" Hannibal heard a young man ask. 'Another late night craving'?

"Oui, Paul. Combien est-ce que c'est?" Clarice replied with a perfect accent. The business at the door was completed quickly with a large tip for the young man. Once the door was locked again, Hannibal stepped into the kitchen in time to see Clarice put two steaming boxes of pizza on the counter.

"You're pregnant?" were the first words out of his mouth. Clarice didn't face him as she answered,

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked with genuine puzzlement.

"Well, I wanted to be sure before I said anything. I didn't know how you'd react. I know you never bargained on a family and sometimes I think you wish you'd never bargained on me either." She still couldn't turn and face him; so much for her infallible courage.

"You're quite right, Clarice. I never did bargain on you," he said quietly. He noticed a slight tremor along her shoulders. "I planned, plotted, and otherwise schemed until I got you right where I wanted you," he said as he came up behind her, and put her arms around her, "and that's right here." She leaned against him and he nuzzled her hair away from her neck, so he could plant tiny kisses down to her shoulder.

"So you don't mind that I'm pregnant?" she asked quietly.

"Of course not!" he asserted. She turned around in his arms so she could look into his eyes.

"Don't lie, 'cus I need to know," she pleaded. Instead of answering her with words, he kissed her deeply. She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder at his reassurance.

"Why didn't you tell me this afternoon, when I asked?" His quiet question was whispered in her ear.

"You don't trust me," she said simply. Hannibal couldn't argue with that statement, the events of the last 20 minutes were proof. Instead he nodded and sighed.

"Will you promise no more sneaking around without sufficient explanation, if I promise to stop my curiosity from turning to paranoia?" he asked with a self-mocking chuckle. She looked up at him and smiled,

"I do."

"I do too," he said smiling. Never again were gun or harpy to be brought into their relationship.

"Do you want some of that gelatinous mess that passes for pizza before it's totally cold?" he asked looking down at her.

"I'm not very hungry anymore," she said with a little yawn.

"Hmmm…" he grinned as he took her by the hands and started walking backwards towards the hall, "we'll just have to see if we can't find your appetite again, eh?" Clarice laughed and shook her head at her husband's own insatiable cravings.

The pizza was left on the counter until late the next morning.

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Yah, I'm a sucker for a happy ending too! :) hope you enjoyed – please excuse the bad french. I don't know when I'll post my next Hannibal fic – I'm working on an original at the moment. For anyone who likes older blue-eyed antiheroes, you can find it in the horror section. Thnx for the encouraging reviews – luna.