A/N: Thank you for all of you who have reviewed. I appreciate the feedback as always.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Look at the Prologue for it.

Chapter 2: Hell Hath No Fury

Audrey's eyes snapped open and her dipped head shot up. There he was, in all of his elegant glory. Shoulder leaning against the wall opposite of her and legs crossed casually like it was an everyday occurrence. Dressed up in a new tailored suit and a smirk on his lips. As if the sky itself wanted the moment to be more dramatic, a cloud passed over the sun causing shadows to fall over his features which gave the doctor's face a semi-skeletal look. The reaper himself had apparently paid her a visit, holding a Spyderco Harpy like a miniaturized scythe in his nimble fingers. His thumb stroked the flat side of the blade as glittering maroon eyes regarded her through dark lashes with interest. The glass slid from her fingertips and shattered on the floor near her feet. It only caused Hannibal's smirk to grow wider.

How in the ever loving hell did I miss him? I must've walked right pass him—

Oh. Well, that explained the cologne. Apparently, anger gave her tunnel vision. Good to know. He also had not lost a single ounce of love for theatrics given his dramatic reveal. Also good to know.

With the first shockwave over, another proceeded to hit her in the face. He had watched. The bastard stood there and watched her have an emotional breakdown over him. She knew, she knew, just by looking at him and all his arrogance that he had witnessed the entire thing. He had treated himself to a private, vulnerable moment in her life as if it was some kind of show.

Her wrath returned with a cold vengeance. Without breaking eye contact, she swiftly reached over to her jacket and and grabbed her Civilian. She flicked the blade open and held it in his direction threateningly, her body in a rigid stance. "Get out."

Hannibal's expression morphed to one of hurt but his eyes continued to dance with glee. The doctor snapped his weapon shut and placed it in his pocket. "Audrey, you wound me." He placed his hand over his heart. Audrey was not even remotely amused at the placement. Her look and blade clearly didn't bother him because he took a single step in her direction. "There is no need to be violent."

The mocking was winning him zero points. A snarl curled on her lips. "If you think you can just stroll back into my life after twelve years of nothing, I have some really unfortunate news for you."

Hannibal tilted his head ever so slightly. It was a simple gesture but one that spoke volumes. And one she was all too familiar with. None of this surprised him. He had planned this. Down to the last detail. "My dear, do you think the first time I have seen you since regaining my freedom?"

Deliberate words. Purposeful phrasing. Not the first time he had seen me… not seen each other. Which means… The weapon trembled slightly in her hand as she pieced it together. Her knuckles turned white as her grip tightened. "Have you been spying on me?"

A brow was raised at her incredulous tone. "I did not want to interrupt your transformation but I did wish to check in on you." A darker emotion akin to pride swirled in his eyes. "You have become quite the killer. It is simply a privilege to watch you work." Something must have changed on her face because, for a brief moment, he actually appeared to be offended. But it vanished before she could be sure. "By that, I mean stalking your victims," he smoothly added. "I would not do something so obscene as to watch you in your ritual before the act. Really, Audrey, has your opinion of me dropped that low?"

Obstinate silence answered his question. With a sigh, his chin dropped as if out of exasperation though he maintained his locked gaze with her. "What am I ever going to do with you?"

"I know what I'm going to do to you," she snapped back, tossing her hair over her shoulder with a quick head movement. It was futile to threaten him. That was not lost on her. At that point, her angry words were having the same effect of a house cat meowing at a lion. Not exactly intimidating but she was determined to draw a little blood. Physically or otherwise.

"Oh?" The delighted grin returned. "Do tell."

"I am going to kill you," she fired back viciously but they both knew the emptiness of her words. Even her Civilian drooped in her hand at the absurdity of the statement.

"You couldn't hurt me. Let alone kill me." Hannibal took a few more steps in her direction and she took in equal amount away from him. To her horror, Audrey felt her lower back graze the counter behind her. She didn't need to look around to know that she was trapped. A stove to her left (which she could not get over before he snatched her) and a wall with cabinets to her right. Thankfully, her stance didn't falter. "Besides, my dear… I'm not your type."

If the situation had been any different, she would have cracked up from its ridiculousness. But it only earned a low growl from her. "I wouldn't be too sure of that."

"Do explain to me how I could possibly have been unfaithful." Her mouth opened but words were lost on her. She had nothing. "It's quite alright, my dear. Allow me."

Given that we are currently in a platonic relationship and not lovers—" An obnoxious and unnecessary amount of emphasis on that word. "—as well as the visual display you, albeit unwillingly, presented before me minutes ago, there is but one explanation: You are jealous of your sister as she has held my attention these past years." Cruel mirth flooded into those last few words.

Hearing the words out loud shook her to the very core. The frankness in his voice made it all the more callous. Audrey would rather die than give him the satisfaction of knowing he got to her. It didn't matter his eyes told her he was already very well aware.

"Don't fuck with me," Audrey warned. She had meant her words to come off as harsh but the effect was lost when she had to bite her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. Angry tears filled her eyes but she would not let a single one fall. Self-loathing filled her at showing weakness, especially to him. "You have no idea what you've done to me." Her voice was much quieter and a small waver was clearly audible.

He was now standing a few feet away from her. Her blade was level at his chest but, as much as she wanted it to, the weapon did not taste flesh and blood. She was far too mentally invested in what he had to say for himself. She wanted an explanation. She needed one. She deserved one.

"Yes, I do," Hannibal replied, hands locked behind his back. Not even an attempt at defending himself but he didn't need to. Those three words did far more damage. "If I had stayed, do you truly think you would have become who you are today? No. You needed my absence in your life in order to flourish. Your abandonment issues were deeply rooted in your psyche and, rather than a gradual separation, I decided a 'cold turkey' method was better for you. Yes, I broke you but you, and only you, put the pieces back together. Despite the lies you might have told yourself over the years, you never needed me in your life." Audrey made an involuntary noise of protest resulting in a thorough mental slapping.

Shut up, you dolt.

"Upon my return, I expected a healthy amount of growth. Stability. Independence. Perhaps a kill here or there when a slow night trickled in. Imagine my delighted surprise upon watching you hunt. The fluid elegance of your movements and the meticulous seduction of your target… It was as if witnessing the creation of a new masterpiece." His head dipped a little like a subtle bow. "My dear, you have become magnificent."

Audrey continued to glare at him but her fury was beginning to die down. Her gaze no longer held an icy inferno. Deep down, she knew he meant every word but that didn't mean she wanted to accept it. Or had to, for that matter. She was well aware he liked to dabble in the unorthodox.

Her eyes gently shut, allowing her to process the new information without the visual distraction that was Hannibal Lecter. As much as she loathed to admit it, what he said made sense. Audrey wasn't sure if it was a manipulation tactic. If it was, it was a very good one. His words explained everything but she didn't want them to. She didn't want logic and reason. She wanted him to pay. She wanted to make him feel everything she had felt. And, at the same time, she wanted none of that. She wanted to be held in his arms. She wanted that dangerous mouth of his on hers. She wanted…

Quite frankly, she didn't know what she wanted.

Her jaw set stubbornly as she opened her eyes. Audrey had far too much pride to allow him to know her indecisiveness. He gazed at her with a combination of mild amusement and… something else. Admiration? Not likely. At the present moment, her trust in him was wobbly at best and the glass of whisky she had chugged down earlier wasn't doing her any favors judgment-wise. Then again, he always did like headstrong people. His history with those he got 'close' to showed that as a reoccurring pattern. Those who would stick to their ways without caving under his gaze. Those who stuck to their wits until the end.

He closed the small gap between them with strides of endless patience. Hannibal had her exactly where he wanted and he was in no hurry. Her hand and eyes followed his movements. When he stopped, the Civilian was at his throat but he gave it no attention. His maroon eyes bored into hers but his facial features had visibly softened. Having him so close to her was a tad distracting. She couldn't help but notice the physical changes. He had aged over the years. It would have been a bit alarming if he hadn't. Though aging had done nothing but improve upon his looks. Touches of wrinkles here and there with a wisp of graying hair above his temples. Some things hadn't changed. Still slicking back his hair, still a little taller than her. She wished she would have kept on her heels.

Hannibal gently touched her wrist, holding it in place as her hand had begun to tremble after keeping her arm up for so long. The physical connection almost made her heart stop. It had been approximately twenty years since they had touched. Perhaps it was the alcohol fogging up her mind, but the physical connection appeared to be having an effect on him as well. His eyes were clearly a shade darker.

Speaking of which, they were close enough now that she could feel his warm breath on her lips. His free hand slowly came up and brushed away some of her loose midnight strands. Hannibal's fingertips danced over her skin as if testing the waters before gently cupping her cheek. She didn't lean into it nor did she jerk away.

Sweat began forming on the palm of her hand. As she moved her fingers to adjust her hold on the Civilian, her nails lightly scratched against his throat. A deep rumble came from his chest.

Such a dangerous game they were playing.

"Audrey." His tongue seemed to caress each syllable. So much was said in that single word. No longer was he mocking her. It was serious. It was intimate.

But it could be a lie.

"I would not have caused you pain if I did not find it to be a necessary endeavor." There was a pause. "However, if you still wish to fulfill your desire to harm me, I will not stop you," he said softly. His eyes reflected the sincerity of his words. Or at least they shared the same deception.

Audrey bared her teeth at him but, mentally, at the Civilian. A part of her wanted so desperately for her hand to move. To end all of it. To close this chapter of her life. He had brought her so much pain…

Yet, he was, equally, the beam of light in the abyss. Initially without him, it was like she was falling infinitely in a black void. But she had managed to rise above it. She became The Black Widow. She had moved past most of her issues. She was healing. She didn't need him anymore.

Which is exactly what he said. Weren't you listening?

His thumbnail distractingly grazed her bottom lip, shaking her attention from the voices in her head. Her body went stiff as a board again. She could have sworn his body was even closer than it was before.

He leaned forward, just a hair, forcing the blade flat against the skin of his neck. A flick of her wrist would end this madness. It would be so incredibly easy.

"I am yours to do with as you please." The liquid velvet of his voice was an octave lower than normal. Audrey almost lost her grip entirely on the blade. Thankfully, she didn't drop it. Her pride lived for another day.

Or another thirty seconds.

Stillness overtook the kitchen soon after. The tension was a fog rolling in thicker with every second their breath mingled together. It was as though she had been knocked off her feet by a powerful wave and swept underneath the unforgiving waters below. Turned around without anyway to know which way was up. Her thoughts were muddled. There was no way out. Nothing Hannibal did was accidental. Every move calculated meticulously to perfection. He was always three steps ahead of everyone. Life was a game of chess to him and she was in check.

As Audrey felt herself surrendering to Hannibal, a memory came to mind. Like a bright red buoy bobbing on the ocean's surface. Strangely enough, it was one of the last conversations she ever had with her father…

"There's an unspoken rule when playin' chess," he twanged away with that horrid West Virginian accent. "If you're put in a tight corner and it's impossible for you to win no matter which way you're lookin' at it, I have a guaranteed Starling-trademarked secret move to gecha outta it."

Her eyes went wide with wonder. "What is it, daddy?"

"Flip the board!" He grinned and smacked the board, causing her to burst into high-pitched giggles…

Hannibal's eyes came back into focus as she returned to the present. The emotional panic and indecision was slipping away. Her raw nerves were healing. It was like breathing sweet, sweet oxygen after almost drowning. Her heart hardened, armoring itself for what was about to come. The victory in those depths of his was beginning to melt away. He was noticing the changes in her micro expressions. Determination swept through her veins. It would have to be quick.

Let's flip the whole fucking board then.

Audrey's shoulders relaxed and the rest of her body followed their lead. A tilt of the head followed by a slow blink and a smile as crooked as they come. Hooded indigo eyes flickered to his thin lips and she leaned up to meet them with her own. Almost instinctually, his hand drifted into her dark locks while the other loosened from around her wrist.

"Fuck you," she muttered sweetly. Her bottom lip gently brushed his and she heard the breath catch in his throat. Not letting him process the moment, Audrey shoved him away, hard, and ripped away any physical contact in the process. Triumph washed over her body at the genuinely shocked expression on his face. A rare treat and one oh so tasty. He hadn't been expecting it but his reflexes were quick. Hannibal latched onto the counter, right about where she was when he announced his presence. Perfect.

He wasn't the only one who could be theatrical.

You want a show? Well, you're on my stage and I'm about to give you a performance worthy of Shakespeare.

She was a predator hunting her prey. Not a damsel in distress. She was a seductress of men. Not a woman irrevocably in love with a man who would never reciprocate it. She was a notorious murderess. Not a plaything to manipulate.

She was Audrey.

Not her sister.

Hannibal would never doubt who he was in the presence of ever again.

Audrey wasted no time and stalked forward towards Hannibal, mindful to not step on shards of glass. The distance closed quickly. It was just icing on the cake that he hadn't recovered a hundred percent. Made it oh so much more satisfying when she molded her body flush against his. Her hands locked like claws onto the edge of the countertop with her wrists facing him. She still had her blade but she no longer needed it. Her body was the only weapon she needed.

The doctor's face was unreadable but he was speechless. Only points of crimson remained visible as his blown pupils seemed to disappear into his irises. A victorious smile replaced the smirk as it seemed his eyes were not the only part of him being affected by her body's closeness. Knowing she had that power gave her a thrill like no other.

Hannibal was good at making the world believe he was above his primal instincts involving intimacy. At the end of the day, however, he was a man. A remarkably intelligent, sophisticated man. But a man nonetheless.

Was this situation against the rules? Possibly. But the rules of the game only mattered if everyone involved wanted to follow them.

"My dearest Hannibal," she purred, head tilting up and to the side, savoring every bit of the situation. Indigo eyes flashing with animalistic hunger. "I am not your human toy you get to obsessively fuck around with until it breaks. You best remember that, darling."

Audrey didn't even bother to linger. Her work was done. Her point was made. Pulling away, she snapped the Civilian shut with a soft click and tossed it near her jacket. Without a single glance behind her, she strolled towards the kitchen's exit with confidence in every step. For the first time in a while, she truly felt in control.

And the sensation was simply euphoric.

She paused at the doorway, lightly caressing the wood paneling with her fingertips. "I'm going to go workout," Audrey announced over her shoulder, focusing her gaze on the door frame. "In the meantime, be a lamb and cook up one of your famous dinners, please. I imagine I will be rather famished after I'm done." She could feel his eyes piercing a hole in her back. It was definitely from her purposeful word choices. "It is the least you could do as you so rudely entered my home without my permission."

Her nails scratched against the wood as she left him there with only his thoughts.

Fiery shades of orange, yellow, and pink set the evening sky aflame outside the tall, narrow windows. Gothic architecture was a shared love between Audrey and himself. When she discovered it during an art history class, she seemed unable to cease speaking of it for a solid month. So for her fourteenth birthday, he had taken her to Italy. Her Italian was simply atrocious but all was forgiven the second she smiled. Everyone adored her. But all the smiles in the world couldn't hide the brokenness behind her eyes.

Upon escaping from captivity, he had immediately gone to see her. Clearly something had been keeping her from seeing him. No words could accurately capture what he felt upon seeing the rundown apartment complex she had been living in. A graffiti covered bus stopped near the buildings and he watched Audrey exit the vehicle wearing what appeared to be a fast food uniform. He couldn't hear her but he knew she thanked the driver. Always polite.

The people living there were unworthy of her presence.

Her household was created with Audrey in mind: The inside was just as unique as the outside. To any lesser architect, the strange combination of modern and gothic architecture would have been a nightmare. The one he had handpicked to build it accepted the challenge with a rare eagerness absent from most in the workforce. Luckily for the ambitious artist, he understood discretion and money. It would have been a damned shame to be forced to kill such talented youth.

Hannibal's eyes cut away from the large living room windows as the broth before him had sufficiently begun to boil. As much as he would love to get lost in cooking, he kept sliding back to Audrey. The doctor could not shake her from his thoughts.

Others had managed to get the better of him in the past, but underestimation on his part played a rather large role in their success. Without that key factor, Will and Clarice would have failed spectacularly in their deceptions.

No, those two situations did not bother him in the least. In fact, Hannibal found them mildly amusing. He had simply become caught up in Will's friendship and in Clarice's innocence. A simple fix.

Perhaps what plagued his thoughts was how Audrey's deception did not fit into that pattern.

At first, it had. Her choice filled up the box nicely. The bold move to 'kiss' him had thrown him off. His pride was not of such bloated proportions he could not admit that. After witnessing the delectable sight of Audrey in the midst of raw vulnerability over his notes and gift, his suspicions over the years had all but been confirmed: She had feelings for him. Possibly leftover from an unaddressed crush in her youth but he was sure they went deeper. The events afterward proved as much. An undeveloped, fleeting feeling like infatuation would not have elicited such an explosive reaction.

With her affection for him in mind, her move became that much more impressive. When filled with determination, Audrey's self-control was applaudable. A true master of total discipline over her emotions. Even his, as absolute as it was, had faltered under her touch. An intriguing rarity, indeed.

The standard pattern of deception held true. He allowed arrogance over knowing another's psyche go just a hair too far. In this particular case, his mind had slipped back to that fateful night at Chesapeake Bay. How could it not? Despite being fraternal, it was truly remarkable how alike the two were. Both sisters, upon being trapped by him, held equal amounts of stubborn fire and doubt over their own wills in their eyes. Whether or not Audrey had intended the situational similarity to be the core source behind her advantage mattered little. She had pounced on that opportunity regardless.

A delicate brush upon his lips as she whispered her vulgar defiance ever so sweetly. Not even a kiss. A teasing caress. He had felt the words before hearing them but, by then, it was far too late: Hannibal had fallen into her trap.

Quite a strange situation, being the puppet rather than the puppeteer. The doctor should have been enraged at the role reversal, but, much like the other two, delight won out over his anger. Clever people were so few and far between, to kill one would be similar to killing an animal of an endangered species. He recalled as he had held himself up that his thoughts were filled to the brim with small psychological taunts to throw back at her. He had even predicted to feel a light breeze filled with her scent as she stormed past him.

None of that happened. Instead, Audrey proceeded to pull the rug out from underneath him yet again. Once was an unusual occurrence. Twice, however, was a bit disquieting. Even more so in such a small time frame.

Perhaps underestimation was an incorrect word choice.

Audrey had changed far beyond what he had been expecting. That much was undeniably clear. His distance and lack of communication did something to her. Yes, it broke her but so much more had occurred.

Maybe it was something behind her eyes when she stalked towards him. Her movements had been so elegant and magnetic. Primal and confident. Deliberate and sensual. No messy ignorance. Everything was perfected from experience. A lot of experience if the Tattler's body count was to be trusted as being accurate…

His teeth clenched behind his lips at the memory causing Hannibal to pause his vegetable slicing. Yet another strange occurrence. That number had become far too high to be acceptable. He would need ponder on it later.

Those indigo eyes with raw hunger locked on him, burning a hole into the ashes of his soul. Her body lingered on his as if it had seared a permanent mark against his skin. She had offered everything to him so very willingly… Yet challenging him, daring him, to take her right then and there. But he had found himself unable to move. As if the murderess had placed him under a spell. Twisted him up into her web. Injected her venom into his veins.

Oh yes, she knew what she was doing to him. That knowing smirk on her blood painted lips grew into a victorious smile said everything.

Checkmate.

A smile tugged on the doctor's own lips.

What were those delightful words of hers?

I am not your human toy you get to obsessively fuck around with until it breaks.

Not at all, dear.

Not anymore, at least.

Cooking was a delight, a privilege. An art form in its own category. She did not deliver it as a punishment because it simply wasn't one. Her words, to any other, would have been received as an order. To him, they were the barest tip of the iceberg containing her forgiveness. His Audrey enjoyed cooking nearly as much as he did.

Unfortunately, she enjoyed holding a grudge even more.

No, the punishment was her absence. She had left him with only intrigue and a primal craving for more bubbling just beneath his skin. The true game had only just begun, but the first round was quite promising.

Well played, Audrey. Well played.

A/N: Ideas hit us in the weirdest of circumstances and always from the strangest places. Yes, she rode the bus because gas is expensive as hell and she isn't going to drive her car everyday to work.

In the game of chess, for those who don't know, "checkmate" is a term signifying a completed game. If your opponent can neither move their King, interpose a piece, nor capture the attacking piece, their King is "checkmated," and they lose the game. On this board, Audrey is a Queen and Hannibal is a King. Kings determine the fate of the game and Queens are the King's generals. While Queens are the most powerful pieces on the board, Kings are the pieces the whole game revolves around. Clarice's "piece" is a Knight. If I recall correctly, the only piece that can threaten a Queen and not be threatened by a Queen in return is a Knight. Audrey cannot do anything to her sister (whether she wants to or not is up for debate at this point) because it would ruin her relationship with Hannibal.

Any feedback is appreciated!

Ta ta,

Dreamiest Nightmare