Amelia went to see Abigail several times during the week. She kept a subtle eye out for the two handsome strangers she ran into on her first visit, to no avail.
As she walked through the halls to Abigail's room, she heard three voices in the room. She knocked, the voices going quiet.
"Who is it?"
"Only your sister."
"Come in."
As she opened the door, she was surprised to see the men from her first visit. They both kept their eyes glued to her as she neared.
"Abby, aren't you going to introduce us?"
"Oh, right! Amy, this is Will Graham from the FBI."
"Mr. Graham," she greeted, sticking her hand out.
"Just Will," he mumbled as he gave her hand a light, quick shake.
"And this is Hannibal Lecter."
"Dr. Lecter," she said, extending her hand to him as well.
He approached her with a small smile.
"Please, call me Hannibal," he insisted, bringing her hand to his lips.
She felt him take in a sharp breath, a gust of air being lifted from her skin.
Did he just… sniff me?
Daisies, he noted with an almost inaudible pleased hum.
After their introductions were out of the way, she gave Hannibal a shy smile; his lips slightly quirking up at her innocence.
She nodded to him and turned back to Abigail.
"How are you feeling?"
"I want to go home. I need closure. I want to say goodbye to my life in Minnesota before I move here permanently," Abigail explained.
"Whatever you say, Abby. Saying goodbye to Bloomington could very well be the first step to recovery. And… I'll be moving out here with you. If you want me to."
"What happened to Mark?"
"I checked the security cameras in the house and saw him with some bimbo. I told him to be gone when I get back."
"I'm sorry, Amy."
"Don't be. It's been a long time coming."
She felt Hannibal and Will behind her, trying to not pay too much attention to their family drama.
"I'm sorry, it was rude of me to come in and commandeer the conversation."
So polite, Hannibal thought as he observed her.
"Not at all, Mrs. Pruitt."
"Please, call me Amy."
"I venture to guess that's short for Amelia."
"Yes, it is."
"Lovely. Would you mind if I used your full name?"
"Not at all, Hannibal," she lightly giggled, blushing.
Hannibal felt an unfamiliar feeling in his chest. A tightness that came with hearing her voice, saying his name. Attraction? Infatuation?
Will cleared his throat, attempting to get everyone's attention back on the subject at hand.
"So, Abigail, you want to return home?"
"Yes. Yes I do."
"And you're willing to face our friends and neighbors who may not be so welcoming?"
"I'm not returning the next time I leave. This will be my final farewell."
Will regarded her with a sympathetic look. The air hung heavy between the four of them.
An orderly poked her head in, making Amelia jump slightly.
"I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over."
"Goodnight, Abby. Sleep well," Amelia bade her with a kiss on the forehead.
Hannibal and Will wished her a goodnight as well before the three of them left together.
As they started to walk towards the exit, Will was the first to speak.
"I'm sorry about your mother. We did what we could for her, but she was gone."
"It's alright. She was a good lady, and many people will miss her. Did they bury Garrett?"
"It's… complicated."
"In what way?"
"In the way that they want to study him and his brain for abnormalities to teach students at the academy in Quantico."
"Oh."
"His body will be given a dignified cremation and interment after they're finished with their study if that means anything to you."
"It doesn't. If I had it my way he would be put in an unmarked lost grave. And even that's more than he deserves."
"Have you always held this much resentment against your step-father?," Hannibal questioned.
"To an extent, but not to the point it's at now where it sickens me to even think about him."
A conversation for another day, Hannibal considered, and there will be more of them; She's already bordering on falling into instability.
"This is where I leave you. Thank you for your company. And most of all, thank you for your kindness toward Abby," she commended them with a sad smile.
Will gave an awkward "you're welcome", while Hannibal remained stone-faced as she got into her car and drove off into the night.
TWO DAYS LATER_
"Good morning, Will! Good morning, Hannibal! How are you today?," Amelia asked as they approached that terminal.
"Sleepy," Will yawned.
"Very well, since I get to begin my morning with two lovely ladies," Hannibal quipped, his lips tugging into a soft smirk as Amelia lowered her head and smiled shyly.
So different from Abigail's manipulative nature. The perfect blank canvas, he mused to himself.
They began boarding the plane.
Amelia couldn't say whether she was overwhelmed or just numb from anxiety, but she felt as though she did little aside from exist since she said goodbye to her mother. The look on her corpse would haunt her for the rest of her life. She took her seat next to Abigail.
She looked at her sister as she slept, succumbed to long overdue slumber not long after they took off. She reached out a hand and cupped her face.
It's just you and me, Abby. Us against the world.
About an hour after they were airborne, Amelia felt eyes on her back. As she turned, she noticed Will, several rows behind, looking at her with contemplation. She flashed him a demure smile. When he realized he was caught staring, he went slightly rigid and turned back to Hannibal, who was in the seat next to him.
What a funny guy. Can talk about my dead parents with me just fine, then has the opportunity to chat with me most of the day and barely acknowledges I'm here.
"He's becoming a bit of a simp for you, you know," came Abigail's groggy voice as she awoke.
"I-I don't know what you mean."
"Oh please, Amy; the way he vehemently avoids eye contact with you, the fact you catch him staring and he panics when you do… It's cute."
"Well… he is quite handsome; we hardly know each other though."
"I get the feeling that for someone like Will, with an empathy disorder, it doesn't take long to form an attachment to a person they can read."
"I doubt he can read me that well."
"But he does. You can tell in the way he looks at you. Sympathetic, yet like you can weather any storm. He admires you."
She turned back to look at Will again, seeing him asleep; she couldn't help but smirk. Not long after, they touched down in Minnesota.
As they disembarked and stepped foot into the airport they were bombarded with journalists and photographers.
"Abigail! Abigail! Did you have anything to do with the murders your dad committed?"
"Are you related to her?"
"Was this a hidden family secret?"
Will and Hannibal came to their sides and escorted them through the throng of reporters, nudging their way to the exit. They quickly went through the process of renting a car and motored off to the Hobbs' home.