Chapter 4: Conversations with Dead People

Clarice found herself the next morning in an unfamiliar bed. She looked around desperate for clues to where she was.

Maine. Will. Being invited to stay. Clarice heard the cracking of eggs and smelled coffee. She headed to the kitchen.

Will still didn't trust her. She seemed nice enough, but he couldn't trust her as far as he could throw her. Which, now that he thought about it, could be pretty far.

She padded into the kitchen somehow looking like hell and incredibly fresh looking at the same time. A stray thought or two crossed Will's mind that practically made him blush. Remembering that while he was estranged, he was still a married man he took pity on Clarice and handed her a cup of coffee.

"I know that you don't have faith in me or my intentions. I don't even know if you like me," she said, not meanly but without emotion. "But I'm not looking for your trust or your approval."

Well that's good he thought. Why would she need my approval anyway?"

"I just need some questions answered."

But Will was still reluctant. What if this was just a trap? What would he have for insurance?

"Fine" he said. "But I don't want to be the only one spilling my guts. I want answers about you too."

"Quid pro quo" she mumbled sullenly "I know the drill."

You tell me things, I tell you things, but not about this case, about yourself...

"When do you want to start?" he asked.

"I'm not getting any younger." Her voice came out strained.

Will sat down at the table across from Clarice.

"When did you first meet Dr. Lecter?" he asked.

"I was answering to Jack at the time and he sent me there to give him a survey."

Will snorted.

"And you believed him?" he said incredulously.

"Maybe a little, at the time" she answered defensively.

"And now, do you still believe him?" he inquired, more seriously.

"No"

Graham stopped. He could tell that Clarice had some sort of warm feelings for Jack and he realized she wasn't ready to face the truth about him. Slowly, he would tell her.

"I met Hannibal before he was caught, of course. He was supposed to be helping me with a case before I realized that he was the killer" Will's face betrayed how stupid he felt at being so easily duped. Clarice knew how that felt.

"I testified against him, and he got put away. Everything was okay until I had to go to him for help on a case." Will decided to leave out the fact that he had to go to Lecter twice.

"If you don't mind me asking Ms. Starling, but how did you do it? Not only how did you get him to talk, but how did you do it and manage to stay alive?"

"He saw something he felt akin to in me. He wanted his freedom, and he knew he could get it through me. How did you catch him?" Clarice returned with a question.

Will thought back to when Dr. Chilton asked him the very same question. He gave her the same exact answer.

"I let him kill me."

Chapter 5: What Could've Been

They had both forgotten about breakfast until the smell of burnt toast and scorched eggs wafted into their nostrils.

"Shoot. And I was planning on wowing you with my culinary talents." Will joked awkwardly.

"How 'bout we go out. My treat. I'm pretty sure I saw a diner near here." Clarice suggested.

"You're on." Will agreed.

They took Clarice's car and when they arrived, the diner was reasonably crowded. After being seared and ordering, the two really had nothing to say to each other. But it was Will who finally broke the silence.

"What are you're feelings for Jack?" He asked, out of the blue.

Clarice was surprised, and a bit wary. She knew that Will had some animosity towards Jack and she knew it had to do with Hannibal. She answered cautiously.

"I respect him. And trust him"

"But what was your first impression of him?"

"Oh god." Clarice responded lightly. "I thought he was a prick."

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe you should have trusted your first impression?" He asked, matching Clarice's light tone.

"Why do you hate Jack so much?" Clarice asked.

"You promise to hear me out?" To himself, he wondered why her opinion and understanding meant anything.

"Yes."

"Jack wouldn't leave me alone. He was using me and for the longest time, I couldn't see it. Molly could though." He said dryly.

Clarice prayed that she didn't just feel her heart stop at the mention of his wife, Molly.

"You heard about how I had to be put into a mental facility after I shot a man on the job, right?" Graham asked. He eyed Clarice's surprised experession. "Perhaps not. It was before your time."

Clarice was reminded that Will had been living in this hellhole much longer than she.

"Anyway, Crawford was using an 'It takes one to know one' , or in this case, catch one kind of philosophy. Jack saw me as a tool to catch the really hard psychos, and when he needed me to, he knew I could go to Lecter. And Hannibal saw me almost as a protégée. But my catching him offended him too deeply for him really to consider trying to use me."

Their food arrived, but they both seemed to have lost their appetites. Clarice didn't know what to say or think. What Will was saying made sense, but she didn't want it to. Plus, she was wondering if Will, or anyone else thought of him as crazy. She didn't really want to be bunking with Hannibal, The Next Generation.

"Don't worry," Will answered her unvoiced question. "Hannibal saw only potential in me, I haven't lost all my marbles yet."

His words did very little to calm Clarice. She changed the subject immiedietly.

They finished their meals in pleasant conversation. It struck them both that it was the first they'd had.