Chapter Two
Chapter Two A Moment of Weakness

"...For that's the way it is with life, as some of the most beautiful days come completely by chance.  But even the most beautiful days eventually have their sunsets."
- Author Unknown

Dr. Lecter approached Starling's grave. It was two weeks after the funeral, and he was almost sure no one would be looking for him at the cemetery any longer. He bent down and placed a lily on her grave. After a moment of silence with her, he new the matter was closed. His mind simply tied a neat ribbon around it and his grieving was finished. Hannibal Lecter did not often experience regret, but he regretted not coming to see her before her death.

All right, just give him a few minutes to pay his respects, I mean he did have something for the girl, then pounce

Clarise was apart of his past. She had her own place in his memory palace, next to mischa's, and he could take a picture of her out whenever he missed her. Her room began with that first image of her, her fresh face, and her dark hair, bravely standing in front of his cell in Baltimore, and ended with this last picture of her tombstone.

He walked past it, now. It was all over; probably the most interesting specimen he had ever found was at rest. He had always wondered if he would out live her. Now, on with the show. Back to Florence...perhaps a quick stop in London, it had been a while, and London was beginning to hold quite an appeal due to the weather …

NOW

"Dr. Lecter put your hands up, you are under arrest!" He recognized the voice, Agent Mapp. He sighed; he wasn't in the mood to kill anyone, especially a friend of Clarise's. He turned around to find not Mapp, but around twenty FBI agents emerging from tombstones about 100 feet away, each gun raised and aimed. How had he not smelled them? Could he really have been that absorbed in his grief?  There was no way he could kill them all…ten at best, and he couldn't out run them either. This was it…for now.

Agent Mapp emerged from a tombstone. "Dr. Lecter, put your hands behind you head and get down on the ground." She called, holding handcuffs. How very noble, they were going to let her make the arrest in honor of Clarise.

"Well done agent Mapp." He paused, slowly, in the most manipulative voice he could manage, he asked, "And how are you? Do tell me, how are you handling Agent Starling's death, hum? Do you wake up to her voice screaming for your help? Do you wish you'd been there, at that arrest gone bad? Could you have saved her? Do you really think my arrest will give you the closure you so desperately seek?"

"Dr. Lecter, on the ground!" she called more forcefully. Her pain was tangible, she was taking him in, but he had his fun with her. Dr. Lecter obliged, slowly getting to the ground, agents rushed in. His freedom was gone, all because a moment of weakness.

"I wish they would only take me as I am."
-Vincent Van Gogh