Disclaimer: I don't own "Hannibal" or any of the books by Thomas Harris. I don't own the characters such as Hannibal nor Clarice (but I have them in my closet /grins/)

A/N I'm so sorry for not writing for soo long time. I know that you were waiting and that most of you probably don't remember the last chapter but I had really really REALLY hard time. I don't want to upset you or look for your pity I'm just trying to explain the best I can that I simply couldn't write. But I at last found some time and I'm baaack :D another twist in this twisted story My friend read it already (thank you soo much Edith!) and she asked me not to end this story so soon. Thanks to her this is NOT the final chapter as I expected :D still I don't know what to do with Hannibal and Clarice. Kill or not kill? Edith says: Don't kill! Show mercy! But my sister says: Kill them all! Soooo I'm asking you for advice. Do you want the famous doctor dead or alive? Still there's some chance for a happy ending. Please write me what you think! If you won't tell me I won't be able to continue /puppy eyes/

Chapter 9: The Hope

Dr. Brown was observing his patient with curiosity as her eyes became open wide with fear. Nurses had to catch her from falling.

"Don't be so afraid little one. It won't be as painful as you think. Maybe after all you will enjoy it as much as I will." said dr. Brown and smiled at her shock. He nodded at the nurses and they bounded her on the chair before she could react. They let her wear her underwear as long as the doctor wouldn't tell them to cut them off. The girls heart was racing painfully in her chest. Thoughts fighting in her head. She couldn't focus on nothing else than the memories of old nightmares. Dr. Brown dismissed the nurses and began to clean his hands carefully. Some soap, water and then the soap again. A ritual. Skin had to be extremely clean. Clean and dry. He used the paper towel. Always drying his hands three times. Never less but sometimes more.

"My name is Dr. Brown and I will be your doctor. With every single problem you can come to me and we'll try to solve it together."

He tried to look fatherly but in vein. His eyes were cold like he was looking on a dead frog he would examine

"You will get a room with a bed and a chair. I can assume you it will be more comfortable than this one" another fake smile from a man with no sense of humor" You will be safe here under my custody. With your cooperation your visit here may be shorter than you expect it to be. Now I will have to examine you for diseases. Stay calm and try to relax a bit."

He laid a hand on her shoulder and felt the tension under his skin. "Is it only fear or something more?" he thought and to prove his new idea he moved his hand lower to her chest. His fingers circling her breast but not touching them. He could see her nipples harden at the sensation. Was it the coldness of the water or his touch? He didn't know and he was ready to find out. He slipped his fingers between the buttons of her hospital gown (A/N Lets just assume that this is a different kind of a gown with buttons not on the patient's back :) and started to rub the delicate skin of her breast . Her sobs didn't stop him. His hand left her chest and moved to her inner thighs watching her disgust at his touch, her panic at his movements. He was pretty sure that she was abused. Her eyes told him this. He had some experience with abused woman and he could easily see what is the problem about. Is it possible that Hannibal Lecter would hurt his daughter in this way? Dr. Brown was flying over the moon with this thought. This single case could give him so many rewards. He stopped his actions.

"Tell me, my child. Did somebody touched you like I did? Maybe somebody did it without your permission ?"

The sudden fear in her eyes and nightmares behind them were the best answer he could get. His smile made her even more uneasy. Where was he heading for?

"What do you feel about your father? Is it fear, anger or disgust? Was he visiting you at night? Coming to your bed? Hm? He was a psychiatrist. He knew the way to manipulate you so don't worry. It wasn't your fault." he said while observing her sobs. It was clear to him that she was abused. "Further examination can only make her worse and I will lose this case." He thought and left the room calling the nurses to put her in her new room. He has to act quickly. Maybe if they will find out about his discovery they would gave him Hannibal Lecter himself. But will the FBI believe him? Maybe they would need some evidence? Dr. Brown stopped in his tracks and thought about recording Melissa's words but he decided to call FBI first. It was late but they were busy with Lecter case so they would be interested in his words. This information can buy doctor Lecter and his wife few more days of life. Hannibal Lecter as an abusive father? Dr. Chilton would be delighted.

The room where she was put in was small and looked like a hospital room besides the bars. She was lying on a bed and nobody cared to cover her sore and cold body. Straps kept her immobile. Moonlight dancing on the white sheets and white floor. She missed her big and warm room. Sudden thought about her family forced her tears to fall on the pillow beneath her head. Memories of her brother comforting her made her swallow screams of despair along with another sobs. Her mind sent her to sleep soon from exhaustion. That saved her from thoughts about the things she did that day.

Another day woke her up with a sharp pain in her wounds as a nurse was checking them. She was given few pills and injections. Nobody looked in her eyes but she felt their gazes on her. Fear mixed with anger. She was just too tired to fight with the tears. After few minutes she heard a conversation between two nurses. It was distant but from what she heard she understood that her parents supposed to be dead in few days. She would be here forever because of people she killed. Criminally insane as they called her. A guinea pig for dr. Brown. They said something about sexual abuse and dr. Brown's meeting with her father this afternoon. Mel realized what was it all about. Dr. Brown thought that her father abused her so he would talk with him to gather more information. She had a little plan.

Meanwhile few rooms away from her was a small meeting of nurses. They were smoking nervously cigarettes in a small room. Smoking was forbidden and dr. Brown punished everyone that was caught out with a cigarette. But it was worth it just to try. Working in a mental hospital wasn't an easy task even when patients were quiet. Looking in those empty eyes of their patients, giving them another pack of pills to keep them silenced even when they would vomit after that, was traumatic. When someone opened the door all cigarettes were thrown away through the open window. But it wasn't dr. Brown.

"What the fuck are you doing here punk!" said the tallest male nurse and grabbed the boy who had entered the small room by his collar.

"I..I…was sent by dr. Brown because…I…I…I'm a volunteer.. and.. and" said the boy.

"A volunteer! Andy is sick or something? Whatever. Probably you're here to help with light cases, bring food or something like that, er?"

"Yes, yes. Only light cases, caring the food or medicals. Stuff like that. Andy was busy and.."

"Great. Go with Mr. Stevens. He will show you what to do." Said the nurse and the boy was quickly dismissed.

Mel was sitting on her bed and staring on a wall. Pills made her dejected and sleepy. She didn't care anymore about anything at all. Stooping and lightly waving her feet in the air she was waiting for dr. Brown to meet her. After a rasp of a lock somebody entered the room slowly and closed the door behind him. Melissa gritted her teeth and searched the air for a scent of soap so characteristic for dr. Brown but she found none. Surprised she looked at the stranger and met his eyes. Familiar facial features, red hair without gel, small holes from earrings.

"Trevor" she whispered as not to wake her up from a dream. Trevor suddenly embraced her to hide his tears from seeing her in this poor state. She was so beautiful even in a hospital gown , pale and with hair on her face.

"Don't worry it'll be just fine. I'll get you out of here. I don't know how but I'll figure something out. What happened to you girl? I heard there was a massacre and that you were wounded. Why did they take you here? Who is your father? Too many question I know, you'll tell me later. Now we have to hurry up.." he said but she interrupted him.

"No, I have to help my parents. FBI will kill them in few days. You won't understand that, probably you will regret that someday but please, you have to help me to free them!"

"Are you crazy! How do you think we will be able to help them! Just go there and help them escape! It's impossible! First we'll have to get you out of here. "

"I CAN"T escape without them! Listen, dr. Brown will be here to talk with me and then he will go to my parents. I will send them a message somehow, I don't know how, but I must try. Return here at midnight with a plan to run from this hell. Maybe you'll give me some clothes? Never mind, come back later."

Trevor looked at her concerned and after few seconds he was surprised to see her blushing slightly under his gaze. He opened his mouth to say something but footsteps stopped him and he had to run from her room. He returned to his fake work. Andy was his friend from school days. He wasn't a real volunteer. In hospitals he worked for medicals and syringes. It was illegal but his help was needed so some hospitals preferred to employ him as a volunteer and pay him with medicals he wanted only for his use. Sometimes when Andy was absent he gave his work for his friends but only those trustworthy. Trevor could easily get into dr. Brown's hospital as Andy's friend as long as he didn't pull attention and didn't take drugs in the hospital area. That was a great urge in this nervous situation. First he escaped the FBI agents using his dagger. Blade sinking in human's flesh will always be in his nightmares. They weren't going after him too hard because they were too busy. He was quite quickly forgotten. Whole area was taken by FBI agents so he couldn't come back there without being spotted. Holly helped him to hide. They heard sirens and saw ambulances. Later in the hospital they heard about the massacre and saw Matt being treated by doctors. From his conversation with some FBI agents they found out about the trap and Mel's stay under dr. Brown's custody. Trevor shook his head at the memory of Matthew talking about Melissa. Rage sipping from his lips like a poison. How could he be so mean for her? She was so vulnerable. He remembered again her flushed cheeks. She's never acted like that before.