Disclaimer: The characters of Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling belong to Thomas Harris. For now, I am only using them to try to entertain you.

Chapter Two

At first she thought she was imagining it. Someone in her house? Breaking in? Quickly she jumped from the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. Her mind was spinning. Panicking she wrapped her hair into a twist. She stood still for a moment. She couldn't hear a thing. It was at times like these you wished you never fixed that creaking floorboard. Wait! Yes, someone was making his or her way up the stairs, silently and slowly. She got herself ready. Standing still she pretended not to hear the intruder.

That's right Clarice; pretend you never heard the bastard. Then, when they try to sneak a look at your naked butt. You pounce! She looked to the edge of the door. There was a little slit, someone would be able to see her standing there. Then she saw the intruders shadow. It was then she decided to pounce. She quickly opened the door and flew herself at the intruder. She fell into the bastards chest and flattened him. He was momentarily shocked. She let out a breath of air and looked down to the intruders face. What she saw astounded her.

Dr Lecter! He was lying underneath her. He was as surprised as she was. She stared into those eyes. She felt as if she was falling into a black hole. She couldn't take her eyes away from his. He said her name.

"Clarice"

No one said her name the way he did. It rolled off his tongue. It hung in the air for minutes. It made her knees weaken. It made shivers go up and down her spine. She shook herself. 'Clarice, you cant feel this way. Sure, you've missed him, but he's a criminal, a serial killer. If you did get together, hypothetically speaking. Once he was bored of you, he'd kill you and eat you.'

However, the other voice tried to persuade her of her feelings.

'Sure he's a criminal, but look at him. Look at the love in those eyes. He loves you Clarice, you, and him both know it. Why don't you two put those feeling into action. You guys were meant to be together. It's now or never. If you don't take matters into your own hands this time, this could be the last time you see him, alive.'

She stared into those eyes once again and she spoke for the first time since this meeting.

"Dr Lecter, what the fuck do you think your doing breaking into my house and sneaking up on me?"

He looked at her, the way her jaw clenched. He smiled a little and cleared his throat.

"To see you of course Ex Special Agent Starling. I must say, seeing you with nothing more but a towel clothing your body, is having quite the affect on me."

He winked at her. He could see she was embarrassed. She grew red in the face. Her cheeks burned. Damnit, how could he say that? The cheek of him.

She got up off him, checking that her towel was still in place. She glared at him. He looked at her and stood up, brushing himself off. Clarice felt uncomfortable standing there. He was fully clothed while; one yank of the towel and all her flesh would be bared.

"Dr Lecter, while me standing here with nothing but a towel on might amuse you. I'm feeling rather cold. I'm going to change, try anything, and ill shoot you on the spot, without any hesitation. Do you understand?"

He looked at her and put his hands up as if he were surrendering.

"Understood."

She walked to her bedroom and closed the door. Dressing herself in a pair of woollen trousers and a white shirt, stood at the mirror and looked at herself. Her eyes were all black from the lack of sleep. There were crinkles at the end of her eyes. That was one way of showing herself how old she was actually getting. She was too thin. Even she knew that. Looking at herself, she knew she looked ill. A couple of months everything was all right. Ardelia, still kept in touch, they were still friends. They used to go out for a couple of drinks a couple of nights a week. To her friends, Clarice looked as if she were coping. However, inside she was a wreck. Sure she tried to have a good time, but that didn't drive away the memories. That's all she ever heard. That one question. It was tearing her to pieces, but now he was here. She could tell him everything; she could explain how she felt these past few months. She could break down into tears and he wouldn't see her as weak. He would see her as being truthful to herself. If anything, honesty was the best policy.

She turned the handle to her bedroom door and walked outside. He wasn't there. Where the hell was he? Did he think she was lying about shooting him? He had another thing coming if he did. She walked slowly towards the stairs. Walking down them, she looked above the banister. The living room door was slightly ajar. Nothing unusual.

Saying that, she didn't expect the lights to go out. The whole house was covered in darkness. She started to shake. She was worrying about Dr Lecter now. He was obviously wanting her to play cat and mouse, but how would the game end? She made her way down the little stairs that were left. Tripping down the last one she came into contact with the hard brick wall. She made a little 'oof' noise. Nothing too loud. She turned the corner; the kitchen windows blinds weren't down yet. The moonlight was pouring in. She could see her way to the kitchen. No-one was there. If he wasn't in the kitchen and he wasn't downstairs. That meant, he must be in the living room.

She walked cautiously towards the door. Opening it slowly, she walked in. She stood in the middle of the room. She was shocked. Her eyes widened at what she seen before her.