Bedelia Du Maurier's head shot up as she heard the soft chime of her doorbell. Placing her book on the nearby table, she pushed herself to her feet, brushing down non-existent dirt from her immaculate dress. Her forehead wrinkled as she opened her front door to find a young girl with cold eyes staring back at her with interest. The sun was setting, a sharp chill in the air, which the stranger was underdressed for.
"Can I help you?" Bedelia inquired, curiously.
"I certainly hope so…I'm Krissy Crawford" The brunette announced, watching a flicker of recognition flash over Bedelia's face.
"Is this police business?" Bedelia asked, her shoulders becoming tense.
"No. More a case of collecting references" Krissy told her.
"In that case, I will have to ask you to arrange an appointment—" Bedelia exclaimed, as she went to close the door.
Krissy immediately took a step forward, pushing her foot in between the doorframe, stopping Bedelia from being able to slam it shut as she had planned. Bedelia's jaw tensed as the younger girl used her taller frame to loom over her, as she moved to grip the large door.
"There's no backing down anymore, Krissy" Her brother's voice insisted, as Krissy tried to ignore her hallucination, her hands balling into fists.
"I'm on a tight schedule" Krissy retorted; her eyes boring into Bedelia's.
"I suppose I could spare a few minutes" Bedelia caved, stepping away to allow Krissy to push the door open further.
"Don't worry, this won't take long" Krissy informed her, allowing her eyes to take in the impressive structure of the house.
Krissy had to do a doubletake when she had arrived at the house, if it could be called that. A mansion was probably a more appropriate word. An architectural feat could be another. Bedelia Du Maurier was rich and had beautiful taste…no wonder Hannibal had chosen her as his psychiatrist, Krissy mused. She had found very little information on Doctor Lecter in the FBI database using her father's badge. Only the most basic details but one thing had caught her attention. He had a very interesting history with his own psychiatrist.
"Stay on task" Ken's voice chided, as she turned back to Bedelia.
"I assume the subject of the character reference you wish to obtain is Hannibal Lecter" Bedelia suggested, sauntering into the large living room, immediately going to a table full of wine bottles.
"Specifically on the topic of Hannibal Lecter and patterns" Krissy announced, walking towards an expensive-looking leather armchair.
"Have you ever heard the phrase 'Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence and three times is a pattern'?" Krissy questioned, taking her seat.
"In passing" Bedelia nodded, pouring herself out a glass of red wine.
"Well…what does four make?" Krissy asked, quirking an eyebrow, as Bedelia averted her gaze to her glass.
"An obsession perhaps?" Bedelia stated, hearing Krissy chuckle.
"I can see why Doctor Lecter likes you" Krissy grinned, as Bedelia came to sit opposite her as if they were undergoing a therapy session.
"So, tell me, Bedelia…was it you or Doctor Lecter that killed your patient?" Krissy inquired, watching as the blonde almost choked on her drink.
"I beg your pardon?" Bedelia gaped.
"Oh, a bit of both, was it?" Krissy went on, as Bedelia pursed her lips.
"I think it's time you left," Bedelia told her, as Krissy's lips twitched into a smile.
"Time to turn the heat on" Ken murmured, coming to loom behind Bedelia's chair.
"I haven't told my father what I know yet, but if you refuse to talk…I will" Krissy warned.
"If you are referring to Neal Frank, he swallowed his tongue while attacking me" Bedelia muttered.
"I read the autopsy reports. Neal Frank's tongue wasn't attached at the time he died. There was also a great deal of damage to his oesophagus, more than there would be from simply swallowing his tongue" Krissy went on, the challenge clear in her voice.
"I thought we were here to discuss Hannibal" Bedelia retorted, as Krissy shrugged.
"I thought we still were…did he kill Neal Frank?" Krissy pushed, as Bedelia took a sip of her wine.
"Hannibal's only crime I have witnessed is influence" Bedelia exclaimed.
"I believe that same influence led to the deaths of Garrett Jacob Hobbs, Nicholas Boyle and Franklyn Froideveaux…although there may have been a little more force used than just influence for that last murder" Krissy explained, as Bedelia stayed quiet for a few seconds.
"If I remember correctly you have been involved in more deaths than Hannibal and I combined" Bedelia challenged, watching the slight recoil on Krissy's face.
"Do you think she's talking about me?" Ken questioned, as Krissy had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.
"Why are you protecting him? Self-preservation or something more?" Krissy asked.
"…You must be such a disappointment to him" Bedelia exclaimed, as Krissy's forehead wrinkled.
"Excuse me?" Krissy questioned.
"I warned Hannibal to be careful who was allowed to see past his human veil…it seems he chose unwisely" Bedelia went on.
"And have you? Seen past this human veil?" Krissy queried, tilting her head a little to the side.
"Pretty and blonde? I reckon she's seen a lot more" Ken grinned, causing Krissy's jaw to tense.
"I have seen enough to know to tread carefully where Hannibal Lecter is concerned. You would do well to do the same" Bedelia insisted.
"I've never been very good at doing what I'm told, Doctor Du Maurier" Krissy scoffed.
"Hannibal will always be two steps ahead of you, even if you think you understand his motivations or emotions…you do not—" Bedelia went on, as Krissy cut her off.
"Well, I don't believe Hannibal has emotions for starters. Apart from maybe amusement. Watching his toys play off against each other…" Krissy trailed off, her lips turned up in a snarl.
"You are far more than a simple toy to Hannibal. He has placed you and Mr Graham on a very tall pedestal. One which no one else can reach" Bedelia drawled.
"You almost sound jealous" Krissy stated, as Bedelia's lips twitched into a smile.
"I believe relieved is the more accurate emotion" Bedelia mumbled, making Krissy frown.
"You wanted to direct Hannibal's attention elsewhere" Krissy suggested, as Bedelia nodded.
"Hannibal's appointments have lessened much in the last year. That is down to yourself and Mr Graham mainly—" Bedelia began, but Krissy cut her off.
"I haven't even know Hannibal for a year" Krissy pointed out.
"But he has known you" Bedelia replied, watching the horror slowly dawn on Krissy's face with reserved amusement.
"…He knew who I was when we first met?" Krissy realised, feeling her heart speeding up.
"Looks like you've got played, Sis. Funny how that keeps happening to you, right?" Ken pointed out, as Krissy tried to ignore his ramblings.
"Your brother was a regularly visited topic before you. To the point of obsession…but I believe even that obsession pales in comparison to the admiration Hannibal now feels for you" Bedelia explained.
"Why?" Krissy questioned.
"Why what?" Bedelia inquired, confused.
"Well…as my mother used to say to me, the only interesting thing about me, is my brother" Krissy muttered, the contempt clear in her voice.
"And let's face it, she was right" Ken scoffed, moving to look out of the windows of the living room.
"I think I am beginning to understand what makes you so special to Hannibal" Bedelia smirked, not noticing how Krissy's eyes had become unfocused.
"I didn't come here to be psychoanalysed" Krissy scoffed.
"Your mother and brother ate away at your mind until there was little left. And you've spent all these years trying to pick up the pieces…but the cracks are still there. Hannibal's slithered into those cracks and made a home for himself there" Bedelia informed her.
"Hannibal is not in my head" Krissy muttered through clenched teeth.
"Lucky for you. Imagine having the two of us knocking around in your mind" Ken sniggered, turning back to the conversation.
"Then why not go to your father already with what you know? If you really believe Hannibal to be this monster manipulating you?" Bedelia went on.
"I need proof—" Krissy began, but Bedelia cut her off.
"That you're wrong. You can't bear the thought of Hannibal being just like your brother, can you?" Bedelia suggested, with a smug smile, pushing herself to her feet.
"No one is like my brother" Krissy mumbled, almost too quietly to hear.
"You're right in a way…Hannibal is smarter" Bedelia stated, walking towards her wine bar once again, as she was in need of a re-fill.
In a split second, Ken was lunging at the older women, smashing the glass in her hand, and holding the pointed shards of what was left to her throat. Krissy was on her feet instantly, her eyes wide as she let out a cry.
"No, don't!" She insisted, holding out a hand.
"…Don't, what?" Bedelia replied, shakily.
Krissy's eyes flickered to the blonde's face, grimacing at the terrified expression she saw. Just as she opened her mouth to reply, she felt a sharp pain in her palm and looked down to see blood running down her fingers. She frowned as she held her hand up, finding one of the glass shards had sliced into her palm. Looking back up, she let out a strangled sound when she found her other hand was gripping onto Bedelia's shirt, looming over her, in the position she thought her brother was. Krissy stumbled backwards, breathing quickly, as the shard of glass dropped to the floor.
"N-no…no…" Krissy shook her head, her eyes darting around the room for her brother, but he was nowhere to be seen.
It was just her. It was all her.
"That's not me…it's not me" Krissy cried, as her eyes snapped up to Bedelia's, who physically flinched.
"I was wrong" Bedelia exclaimed, trying to find her voice.
"Perhaps you are Hannibal's success story" Bedelia finished, watching Krissy's face contort.
Krissy was storming away from the scene a moment later, as Bedelia let out a long sigh of relief. Something had seemed to snap in the brunette, her eyes had darkened and within a split second, she had Bedelia at her mercy. It wasn't the glass being held to her throat that had scared Bedelia, but instead the look on Krissy's face. The pure rage.
Krissy ran a hand over her face as she pulled up to Will's driveway, trying to calm her erratic breathing. She needed to get Will and leave Baltimore before she did something she'd regret. With a shake of her head, she exited the car, insisting to herself she was only suffering withdrawal from the Lorazepam. The hallucinations, mood swings, irritability, that could all be explained away. But the violence? Was that just her?
She rushed through the snow towards the front door, pulling out her keys. A frown grew on her face when she saw no light on inside, not even a bark could be heard from the dogs. Something felt off the second she entered Will's house. Most of the dogs were laying by the fire, but none of them came to greet her.
"Will?" She called out, her eyes flickering to the duffel bag on the floor that she had packed earlier.
"Maybe he left without you" Ken suggested, walking over to pet one of the dogs.
"He wouldn't leave his dogs" Krissy retorted, firmly.
Just as she pulled out her phone to call the man in question, she heard a creaking sound behind her. Krissy whipped around just in time to avoid being stabbed with a scalpel, her eyes snapping up to find Abel Gideon glaring back at her. Before she had time to react he swung the blade towards her, as she held her arm up in defence, letting out a cry as the scalpel sliced through her skin. She raised her leg and kicked him firmly in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards. She tried to make a run for the door, but he had grabbed the back of her shirt, dragging her towards him. With no other weapon at hand, she threw her phone towards him, hitting him directly in the face. Krissy then grabbed his wrist and used her other hand to knock the scalpel from his hand, as it clattered to the floor. However, this left her open to the hard punch he sent her way, catching her jaw. Krissy staggered towards the fireplace, dropping to her knees as the dogs whimpered around her.
"I'm a little disappointed. I expected far more from the infamous Krissy Dixon" Gideon announced, as Krissy heard the unmistakable click of a gun's safety being turned off.
"Well, now you've just hurt my feelings…" Krissy trailed off, lunging forward to grab one of the logs from the fire.
She threw it behind her, hearing a yelp of pain as she twisted around kicked the gun from Gideon's hand. The flames on the log had burnt into the sleeve of Gideon's jacket, burning him as he tried to douse out the smoking embers with his hand. Reaching behind her, she grabbed the same fire poker she had threatened Hannibal with and struck him in the face with enough force to send him flying onto his back. Before Gideon could even try to push himself up, she had slammed the sharp end of the fire poker into his shoulder, all but pinning him to the floor as he let out a cry of pain.
"Unless you want me to stab you in the neck, I suggest you don't move" Krissy warned, as Gideon's hand flew to the fire poker.
"Well, well. You are as tenacious as the good doctor warned" Gideon scoffed, gritting his teeth.
"What are you talking about? Why did you attack me?" Krissy questioned.
"I thought it was time…I met the subject of Doctor Chilton's obsession…I was interrupted with my last appointment with him, you see…so, what better than to go after his precious idol?" Gideon panted, as Krissy kept her grip on her weapon firm.
"I've barely said more than five words to Doctor Chilton" Krissy scoffed.
"And yet I have been forced to spend half of my time incarcerated…listening to stories of you and your brother…perhaps I was being a little petty" Gideon muttered.
"…How did you know I was living here?" Krissy frowned, as Gideon gave no reply.
"I asked you a question" Krissy insisted, twisting the fire poker as it cut in further to his flesh.
"Now, we're getting somewhere" Ken's smug voice washed over her shoulder.
"As I said…the good doctor warned me about you" Gideon exclaimed, his empty eyes boring into her own.
"Hannibal sent you?" Krissy questioned, shakily.
"A rather odd psychiatrist you have. Or is hiring someone to kill you part of his usual foreplay?" Gideon suggested, quirking an eyebrow.
"Kill him" Ken ordered, as Krissy shook her head vehemently.
"He's a killer. He murdered his own family—" Ken began, but Krissy cut him off, twisting around to face him.
"And you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" She spat out, angrily.
In one swift motion, she then yanked the fire poker out of Abel Gideon's shoulder and hit him in the head once again, knocking him out this time. She then threw the fire poker to the floor and stumbled over towards her phone, grimacing when she noticed the cracked screen. Her eyes flickered to the gun lying close by, reaching for it with both hands, her jaw tense. Krissy then turned the safety back on and placed it behind her back, in the waistband of her jeans, a plan forming in her mind.
"I'm not a killer" Krissy insisted, walking into the kitchen, and grabbing a dishcloth to wrap around her bleeding arm, where the scalpel had sliced her.
"Where are you going?" Ken questioned, as Krissy made her way towards the front door.
Winston came bounding towards her as she reached for the doorknob, whining loudly, and knocking his head against her knee. With a sad smile, she stroked his head a few times before gently pushing him away so she could open the door.
"To put an end to this" Krissy retorted, storming out of the house and into the night.
When she arrived at Hannibal Lecter's home she could see a light was on in the house and opted to walk around to the side entrance. Her eyes soon found a window left ajar, allowing her to wrench it open and quietly crawl through. Hannibal's house may have been impressive, but it wasn't very secure. Too many windows and locks were worn down with time. She stayed low as she crossed the corridor, hearing voices from inside the dining room. Krissy's hand immediately went to her gun, feeling her heart rate pick up. She found herself unconsciously backing up, her eyes glued to the doorway. She almost stumbled backwards into an ornament, grabbing it before it could fall to the floor, fearing whether Hannibal may still have heard her. She was careful to place the bronze ornament back in place, a frown growing on her face when she realised it was a stag in her hands.
"I dreamt about the Copycat. Or at least the image my 'fucked up' mind has concocted" Will admitted, running a hand over his face.
"Is it the Devil?" Krissy scoffed, thinking it seemed appropriate.
"It's a stag. It's been, uh…following me. I can't seem to outrun the thing" Will muttered, with a shake of his head.
The memory caused bile to rise at the back of Krissy's throat, her head beginning to feel fuzzy as she took a step back.
"Is that why you let me come home? To find evidence?" Abigail questioned, when they had returned to the Hobbs' house.
"It was one of many considerations" Hannibal announced.
"Are we gonna' re-enact the crime? You be my dad, you be my mom, and you be the man on the phone" Abigail suggested, as she glared intensely at Hannibal, keeping her gaze on him even when Alana had begun talking.
Krissy had known there was something wrong. The threat that seemed to lie behind Abigail's eyes. The way that Hannibal protected her straight away. The quiet talks they had together in private.
"There is an extremeness to both the Ripper and the Copycat's murders. It's almost overkill. But this killer doesn't do anything without a reason. The brutalisation it's like…like a distraction…" Krissy trailed off, her forehead wrinkled in concentration.
"What are they distracting from?" Hannibal asked, licking his lips, leaning forward making Krissy aware of how their chairs seemed far closer than they used to be.
He was pushing her. Hannibal wanted her to figure out who the Chesapeake Ripper was. He always had.
"…You wanted me to fight Tobias" Krissy realised.
"I wanted you to kill Tobias" Hannibal admitted, amusement clear behind his eyes.
The Copycat had never been inside the BAU. But they had known Jack, Will…even her, intimately. He had been playing them like puppets.
Hannibal was the Chesapeake Ripper.
"I wasn't aware we had an appointment" Hannibal's distinctive voice announced, as Krissy twisted around.
"Stay back!" Krissy exclaimed, grabbing the gun from her jeans, and holding it out in front of her.
Hannibal's only response was a slight tilt of his head, as he assessed the situation, thinking better than to speak. Krissy clenched her teeth together, noticing the lack of fear on his face.
"You sent Abel Gideon to kill me" Krissy exclaimed.
"I told him where he could find you" Hannibal clarified, causing Krissy's jaw to tense.
"Why? Why would you want me dead? I…I thought we were friends" Krissy cried, her hand holding the gun beginning to tremble.
"We are friends" Hannibal frowned.
"I'm your plaything. There's a difference" Krissy spat back, as Hannibal let out a soft sigh.
"Did you kill him?" Hannibal asked.
"…That's what you wanted? To see if I could kill him?" Krissy realised, with wide eyes.
"I thought he would be an easier candidate considering your delicate morals" Hannibal explained, earning a scoff.
"Well, I hate to disappoint you, but he's alive. Slowly bleeding to death at Will's house, but he'll make it" Krissy murmured.
"That is unfortunate" Hannibal replied, his lips drawn into a fine line.
"He came looking for the Chesapeake Ripper…and he found him, didn't he?" Krissy suggested.
"Abel Gideon was looking for guidance in understanding who he really is. Do you know who you are, Krissy?" Hannibal asked.
"I'm not the monster that you seem convinced that I am" Krissy told him.
"I think you are much more than that. Or at least you could be, under the right circumstances" Hannibal went on, his eyes dropping to the gun in her hands.
"You wanted me to figure out who you are" Krissy stated.
"We all crave to be seen. I am no different" Hannibal theorised, flexing his hands.
"Well, I certainly see you now…how many people have you killed?" Krissy asked, not sure if she wanted the truth.
"More than your brother" Hannibal admitted, watching the way she inhaled sharply at his comment.
"How do you expect this to end, Hannibal? For me to just brush off the fact that you're a serial killer?" Krissy scoffed.
"You accepted your brother. Would it really be so hard to do the same for me?" Hannibal pointed out.
"I loved my brother" Krissy replied, watching as Hannibal's lips parted, as if he was about to speak before he decided against it.
"...You're bleeding" Hannibal exclaimed, gesturing to her arm, as her eyes flickered down to see a line of blood dripping down her sleeve.
In the split second her eyes were off him, Hannibal strode forward, now far closer than Krissy was comfortable with. He flinched as the gun went off, a bullet flying into the wooden floorboards only inches away from his feet.
"Don't" Krissy warned.
"You have no reason to fear me" Hannibal told her, as Krissy couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up in her chest.
"I have every reason to!" Krissy retorted.
"If I wanted you dead, you would be dead by now" Hannibal pointed out, a fact which Krissy knew was true.
"Then what do you want with me?" Krissy questioned, watching a glint of some strange emotion grow behind Hannibal's eyes.
"I want to help you" Hannibal replied.
"Then you'll come to the BAU with me. Hand yourself over to my dad" Krissy suggested, as Hannibal shook his head.
"I will not" Hannibal stated, simply.
"That wasn't a request" Krissy insisted, her eyes darkening.
"No. I suppose it wasn't" Hannibal said, a genuine smile growing on his lips.
A loud thump from the dining room had Krissy's eyes snapping behind Hannibal's shoulder, her senses on high alert. Was there someone else in the house?
"What was that?" Krissy inquired, raising the gun higher.
"I expect it was Will" Hannibal answered, watching Krissy's eyes widen.
"…Move over there. Now!" Krissy insisted, gesturing to the other side of the room, as Hannibal nodded curtly and did as he was told.
Cautiously, Krissy moved towards the dining room, her eyes constantly darting between the older man and the door in front of her. With her gun still aimed on Hannibal, she entered the other room, her eyes instantly finding what had caused the sound. Her jaw dropped open as she saw Will slumped on the floor, his body trembling, and eyes rolled into the back of his head.
"Will?" She cried, rushing towards him.
The tremors wracking his body soon got worse, as started to make choking sounds. She could see a small amount of bile dripping from his lips, and dropped her gun to the floor, crouching beside him. She immediately pushed him onto his side, as sick rolled down his chin, the tremors slowing down.
What the hell was he doing in Hannibal's house?
The only warning she had of Hannibal's presence was a quick gust of air, and the sound of the gun being kicked away. She had a split second to react, as Hannibal's arm suddenly wrapped around her neck. She immediately pulled out the pocketknife she had been hiding in her boot and stabbed Hannibal's arm with it. She plunged it so hard into his skin, that she could feel it pierce the skin of her collarbone, having gone right through his wrist. With her other arm, she struck him in the face with her elbow, throwing him off balance. Krissy then tore the blade from his arm, hearing a grunt of pain as she twisted around, holding the sharp blade to his neck. Hannibal's movements stilled instantly, as he kneeled in front of her, so they were level.
"You always manage to surprise me" Hannibal smirked, moving his hand to hover over the self-inflicted cut above her collarbone.
"Don't make me do this" Krissy exclaimed, in almost pleading tone.
"Could you do it? Slice into my skin and watch my blood flow?" Hannibal asked, his hand slowly trailing up her arm.
"You deserve it" Krissy stated, cursing the tears that began to cloud her vision.
"But is it what you deserve?" Hannibal retorted.
"…I think not" Hannibal finished, as he felt her pull the blade away just an inch.
Suddenly, Hannibal pulled his head back before slamming his forehead against her own, sending Krissy falling backwards. While she was disorientated, he slammed her arm into the leg of the nearby table, causing the knife to fall from her hand. With a hard kick to the chest, Krissy pushed him onto his back a second later, as she staggered to her feet. Hannibal was following her immediately, his eyes assessing her every move with a predatory sense. Grabbing a vase from the table, she threw it towards him, before jumping over the dining table, landing on the other side with a thump. She made a run for the glass doors at the other end of the table, but Hannibal beat her to it, looming over her. She turned on her heel to run towards the dining room doors, but before she could reach the other end of the table, Hannibal had thrown a chair towards her, as it shattered against the wall, just inches away from her face. She stumbled backwards, sprinting into the kitchen, and towards the doors, she knew were there. Krissy pulled on the handles but was unsurprised to find them locked tight, giving her little hope for her freedom. Hannibal had her right where he wanted her.
A second later, she felt hands grabbing her hair, as a foot kicked her in the back of her leg, causing her to drop to her knees. Her hands flailed around to reach the nearby kitchen counter, finding a kitchen bowl, as she sent it flying backwards, hitting Hannibal in the face. His grip on her lessened, allowing her to spin around with her leg raised out, tripping Hannibal up. He dropped to the floor with a hard thump as she staggered towards the far counter and the knives that laid there. Just as her hand reached one of the kitchen knives, she heard a click behind her, causing her to twist around. Before Hannibal had the time to react, she had sent the knife flying towards him, as he tried to duck. The sharp blade caught the top of his ear, as Krissy was already reaching for the next knife. This time he was prepared as she hurled the blade towards him, watching as he effortlessly caught it in his palm. Her mouth gaped as she watched the blood run down his fingers, the sharp edge cutting into his palm, though it hardly seemed to bother him.
"You should know better than to play with knives, Krissy" Hannibal scolded, grabbing a washcloth from the kitchen counter, and wrapping it around his hand.
Krissy's eyes darted towards the entrance to the kitchen, rushing forward a second later. Hannibal was jumping over the metal counter before she could get far, as he grabbed her arm and threw her roughly to the floor. Reaching up, she grabbed the largest blade from the knife block and pushed herself back to her feet, a dark look in her eyes. Krissy lunged forward, missing Hannibal by mere inches, as he ducked. As she sent the knife the other way, Hannibal grabbed her wrist, halting her movements. Before he could react, Krissy had brought her other hand up, hitting the handle of the blade, the sharp force sending the knife forward and into his shoulder. Hannibal let out a hiss as he kicked out, roughly throwing her into the metal counter. Just as Krissy raised her arm up to stab him again, Hannibal took hold of her arm and slammed it down on the hob. Krissy cried out in pain as the heat from the hob burned into her skin, the knife falling from her hand. She realised then that was the clicking sound she heard only minutes earlier. Hannibal let go swiftly, the slightest look of guilt on his face. Krissy brought the injured limb close to her chest, as the pain continued to radiate through her hand, causing her to grimace.
"Krissy-" Hannibal began, but was cut off as she grabbed a saucepan from behind her, slamming it into his head.
He dropped to the floor, blacking out momentarily, allowing Krissy to make a run for it. She was almost out of the kitchen when she felt a sharp pain above her ankle. She let out a yelp as she turned to see Hannibal kneeling on the floor, a knife in his hand, having just sliced her limb. Krissy staggered forward, finding it difficult to walk as she realised he had cut her achilles tendon.
Always one step ahead.
She limped forward as quickly as she could, stopping only to cast an eye over Will's unconscious body. There was no way she could drag him and herself out of the house without Hannibal catching them. Her best bet was to find help. Pushing forward, she made it into the corridor, her eyes finding the large front doors, as her heart quickened. She was halfway across the corridor when the lights suddenly went out, bringing Krissy to a halt. She couldn't see a thing...but she knew that meant Hannibal couldn't either. She could keep running for the front door or-
A floorboard creaked only a few metres away, as Krissy decided to edge to the side of the room instead. She hoped this change in direction would throw Hannibal off. She slowly zigzagged in the direction of the front door, biting her lip as she tried to calm her erratic breathing. A shiver went down her spine as she heard a sharp inhale from nearby, as if Hannibal could smell she was near. Just as she was reaching out for the wall, she felt an arm wrap around her neck, lifting her straight off the ground. She clawed at Hannibal's arms, as her fingernails scraped over his arm, wounding the skin.
"Get off me-ah!" She cried, when she felt a strange pain in her left arm.
She quickly sent her head slamming into the Hannibal's, causing him to lose his grip on her...a little too easily. She sprung forward, finding that she had almost been at the door, and ripped it open. The cold air of the night hit her, as she staggered forward when suddenly her vision blurred. Before she knew what was happening she had fallen to her knees and would have fallen down the stairs if a strong arm hadn't wrapped itself around her waist.
"No...no!" Krissy exclaimed, trying to fight against Hannibal as he dragged her back into the house.
His arm disappeared a second later, as he moved to close the door and switch the lights in the corridor back on. Krissy tried to move her arms to shield herself from the sudden light but realised she couldn't raise them. Her eyes flickered back to Hannibal as he pulled her towards the nearby wall, allowing her to lean against it as she slumped further down.
"What...what have you done?" Krissy questioned, as she looked down to see a speck of blood on her shoulder.
"A mixture of sedative and a paralytic agent. My own concoction...for special occasions" Hannibal answered, picking up a discarded syringe.
"You bastard" Krissy spat out, trying to move her hands but finding only her fingers still moved.
"You were making things very difficult for yourself" Hannibal pointed out, reaching out to take her hand in his own, inspecting the burn there.
"...Don't kill him" Krissy murmured, a wave of dizziness hitting her, as Hannibal gave her a look of confusion.
"Will. Don't...don't hurt him. Please" Krissy insisted, as Hannibal's eyes softened a little.
"You don't wish to beg for your own life?" Hannibal inquired.
"You're going to kill me anyway...what would be the point?" Krissy replied, her eyes beginning to flutter shut.
"On the contrary, I have far more planned for you, Krissy" Hannibal smiled, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand, as she passed out, leaving herself at his mercy.