Clarice sat in the coldest room in the apartment reading Marcus Aurelius. She never called this apartment a home. She never had a home, except with her father and mother back in West Virginia. Now, since her father was gone and not talking too often with her mother, Clarice was alone. Even dearest Ardelia had left, due to the Bureau's making her Assistant Director Mapp. The only thing Clarice had now was her apartment and her puppy, Lucky. Clarice never felt happy now, except a few moments playing with Lucky, and even then she felt something was missing. She had felt that since Dr. Lecter had left her alone at Chesapeake. Chesapeake. The only thing Clarice wanted to forget, and to not forget too. She wanted to forget Paul Krendler's greusome demise. She wanted to remember how Hannibal had injured himself to save her pain.
She placed the bookmark back into the book and sat it quietly on the table. Lucky was asleep on the other end of the couch. She then picked up a small, shiny object on the table. A key. "How stupid was I? If I had given him the key, he wouldn't have hurt himself." Clarice laid the key back down onto the table. It was one of the few things she had to remember him by. The FBI had taken away not only her Lecter things, but her job and health benefits too. "Fcking Bureau of the Insane is a better name for that "organization". Come here, Lucky." Clarice picked up the papillon and petted her. "You're the only one who loves me for who I really am" Clarice said gently to the dog.
Hannibal Lecter stood outside the window and said to himself, "That's what you think... Clarice."
"Well, Lucky, it's time to go to sleep. You have a vet's appointment tomorrow for your shots. Then you will be "Unlucky". Oh dear God I'm talking to a dog." Clarice smiled to herself. Lucky hopped into his little dog bed and fell asleep. It wasn't that easy for Clarice to fall asleep. It's hard to fall asleep when you know that you will wake up to the awful screaming of the lambs. She didn't know that Hannibal Lecter would be there tonight to save her from that.