Usual disclaimers apply.
------------------------
Here it is! The part you've probably been waiting for since Chapter One! Enjoy! I'll be posting Chapter Six soon, if I can!
------------------------
Chapter Five: Reacquainted
It has been over five years since she has heard his voice, but she believes that she will never forget it. She looks up, startled but not afraid, into the handsome face of Hannibal Lecter. "Dr. Lecter," She manages, tears still trailing down her face.
"It's good to see you again, Clarice. I only wish it were under different circumstances," he says with true concern. He reaches his hand down to help her up. When she stands, he wipes the tears from her face and lets his hand rest on her cheek. He massages her cheek with his thumb and says, "My poor Clarice. I can't possibly imagine what you must be feeling right now. I'm so very sorry, my Dear."
Clarice, the fire he was used to seeing in her gone, only smiles. She never imagined she would be so happy to see him again, but she has no other friend in the world. Yes, somewhere in her heart she considers him a friend. After, all he had done all the things friends do: point out your faults and try to help you succeed in life, tell you the truth even when you don't want to hear it, and are always there when you need them the most.
"I've missed you, Clarice. But I kept my promise. I would never harm you or your son." Clarice honestly believes that, and she knows Lecter may be the only hope she has of finding her son. For that, she would give her own life if she had to. Lecter senses that she is not her normal self, and his suspicions are confirmed when, instead of trying to bash him over the head with a candlestick, she simply asks, "Dr. Lecter, would you like something to drink?"
"No, Clarice," he replies. "But thank you." He offers her his hand and says, "Do you mind if we have a seat?" She nods and he leads her to the sofa downstairs. "I love what you've done with the place, my Dear. It's very beautiful."
"Thank you, Doctor," she says as they sit down.
Still holding her hand, he says, "Talk to me."
Fighting back tears, Clarice says, "Nick is all that matters to me anymore, Doctor. And now he's gone. I feel-" She pauses to wipe her eyes. "I feel like I'm losing my mind..."
"Clarice, do you have any idea at all where Robert might have taken Nicholas? Think carefully."
"I've been asking myself that all night, and I still have no idea. But Robert had a whole other life I knew nothing about."
Lecter can see the sadness in her eyes, and it pains him unlike anything has since the death of his sister Mischa, and he knows that Clarice must feel as helpless now as he did when he tried to save his sister. The courage he was so used to encountering in Clarice is gone, and he can hardly bear to see her this way. "Clarice," he says, his hands on each side of her face, "We'll find Nicholas. I promise I'll do everything I can to get him back. But for now, I have to think about you, and what you need is rest. You'll be no good to Nicholas if you're too tired to think clearly." He helps her up from the sofa. "Now come on, let's get you to bed, and we'll decide what to do in the morning." He leads her to the stairs, and she ascends them emotionlessly. As she reaches the center steps she collapses and Lecter barely catches her before she hits the banister. Lecter quickly gathers her in his arms and carries her to her bedroom. He tucks her in, and goes to get some blankets for himself so he can sleep in the chair by her bed.
------------------------
Here it is! The part you've probably been waiting for since Chapter One! Enjoy! I'll be posting Chapter Six soon, if I can!
------------------------
Chapter Five: Reacquainted
It has been over five years since she has heard his voice, but she believes that she will never forget it. She looks up, startled but not afraid, into the handsome face of Hannibal Lecter. "Dr. Lecter," She manages, tears still trailing down her face.
"It's good to see you again, Clarice. I only wish it were under different circumstances," he says with true concern. He reaches his hand down to help her up. When she stands, he wipes the tears from her face and lets his hand rest on her cheek. He massages her cheek with his thumb and says, "My poor Clarice. I can't possibly imagine what you must be feeling right now. I'm so very sorry, my Dear."
Clarice, the fire he was used to seeing in her gone, only smiles. She never imagined she would be so happy to see him again, but she has no other friend in the world. Yes, somewhere in her heart she considers him a friend. After, all he had done all the things friends do: point out your faults and try to help you succeed in life, tell you the truth even when you don't want to hear it, and are always there when you need them the most.
"I've missed you, Clarice. But I kept my promise. I would never harm you or your son." Clarice honestly believes that, and she knows Lecter may be the only hope she has of finding her son. For that, she would give her own life if she had to. Lecter senses that she is not her normal self, and his suspicions are confirmed when, instead of trying to bash him over the head with a candlestick, she simply asks, "Dr. Lecter, would you like something to drink?"
"No, Clarice," he replies. "But thank you." He offers her his hand and says, "Do you mind if we have a seat?" She nods and he leads her to the sofa downstairs. "I love what you've done with the place, my Dear. It's very beautiful."
"Thank you, Doctor," she says as they sit down.
Still holding her hand, he says, "Talk to me."
Fighting back tears, Clarice says, "Nick is all that matters to me anymore, Doctor. And now he's gone. I feel-" She pauses to wipe her eyes. "I feel like I'm losing my mind..."
"Clarice, do you have any idea at all where Robert might have taken Nicholas? Think carefully."
"I've been asking myself that all night, and I still have no idea. But Robert had a whole other life I knew nothing about."
Lecter can see the sadness in her eyes, and it pains him unlike anything has since the death of his sister Mischa, and he knows that Clarice must feel as helpless now as he did when he tried to save his sister. The courage he was so used to encountering in Clarice is gone, and he can hardly bear to see her this way. "Clarice," he says, his hands on each side of her face, "We'll find Nicholas. I promise I'll do everything I can to get him back. But for now, I have to think about you, and what you need is rest. You'll be no good to Nicholas if you're too tired to think clearly." He helps her up from the sofa. "Now come on, let's get you to bed, and we'll decide what to do in the morning." He leads her to the stairs, and she ascends them emotionlessly. As she reaches the center steps she collapses and Lecter barely catches her before she hits the banister. Lecter quickly gathers her in his arms and carries her to her bedroom. He tucks her in, and goes to get some blankets for himself so he can sleep in the chair by her bed.