Hannibal blinked his eyes in mild confusion as he came to, and felt a sharp stab of pain. He reached up and prodded his swollen eye, vaguely remembering the crack of Clarice's fist on his face. He looked over at her, no longer sleeping peacefully, but twitching and murmuring urgently. Reaching over, he gingerly shook her awake.

Clarice came out of her dream with a start, sitting up with a hoarse gasp, breathing hard. She turned to Hannibal and saw his bruised and swollen eye and looked down at her bruised fist. She felt a moment of panic, and quickly suppressed it, observing that his look was more contrite than angry. Still, she apologized.

"Oh, Hannibal, I'm sorry. I was just so tired. I don't know what got into me."

"It's all right, Clarice. I realize it was rude of me to have assumed you would want to forfeit sleep in favor of more…rigorous…nocturnal activity. We seem to have little time for that part of our relationship with…H-Hanni," he stumbled over the name, "around all day."

"Hannibal! Do you realize that's the first time I've heard you call our son by his name?"

Hannibal found himself feeling a little confused and wondered if he was suffering from a concussion. The dream had seemed so real that he was forgetting what she did and didn't know about his past. Gradually, he worked through the muddled memories of dream versus reality and decided it was time to tell her. But as he began to explain to her why he'd not only shied away from the name, but also a relationship with his son altogether, he saw her eyes widen as she whispered: "I know."

"You know? What do you know?"

"About Mischa." She was still whispering.

Their eyes widened and they both said at once: "Hanni!"

They ran from the room, grabbing up their robes as they ran out the door and down the hall to their son's room. They quieted themselves when they saw him lying peacefully in his bed, still tucked in. They backed out of the room and carefully shut the door, walking back to their room arm in arm as they discussed their odd dream experiences.

Throughout the morning, there were no recriminations for secrets withheld. Each word spoken was healing balm to old wounds, as they mapped a new path for their family's future. It was as if each of them had been exorcised of their demons, and left them behind in hell where they belonged. Things would be different now.

Down the hall, Hanni lay staring at the ceiling as the morning light shone through the windows. If you looked closely, you'd see any reflection in his bright eyes took on the shape of the Overlook Hotel.

And the sum of the world

In soft miniature lies

In Hanni's eyes.

Notes: The words of the topiary lion to Hanni were taken from "The Sphinx" by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Daedalus was the inventor and builder of the Labyrinth in Greek mythology.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed my little tale. Please come visit us again sometime.

Ta,

Overlook Management