Part 7: Four Years Later

Four years ago, I could never have dreamed that I would be living at the Hannibal estate in Lithuania with Will Graham and my twin daughters, Mischa Simonetta and Abigail Augustasia.

Finding out I was going to have twins, with Hannibal as one of the fathers of a twin, and Will as the other father of the other twin, was quite a shock. One would think it medically impossible, but there have been a few cases where two men share fatherhood of twins. Heteropaternal superfecundation is what the doctor's told me it was called.

Crazy indeed, but here we all were… all of us except for the second father, Hannibal.

Today, September 21st, was the four year anniversary of Hannibal. We did nothing special, but I never forgot to remember him every day since.

The sun was strong so I sat on the grass below the beautiful willow tree in the back yard, watching Mischa, Abigail, and Will playing in the garden. They were my sunshine and I couldn't help but smile as I watched. Will was a good father and he adored both of our daughters.

I was just reaching up to wipe away a tear that had slipped from between my lashes when I felt a shadow fall over me. At first I thought it was a cloud blocking out the sun, but the sky was cloudless. Then I felt a large hand gently brush along the back of my neck, playing with my curls.

I swallowed hard and slowly turned, expecting nothing to be there except the wind and the Hannibal house. Nothing but a ghost. But it wasn't.

The sun framed the tall silhouette of a man with shaggy grey brown hair that fell to his shoulders and brown eyes filled with love.

His face wasn't as full as it used to be; it was thinner and his cheekbones more prominent. But it was still the same, despite the years.

I let out a small sob as I struggled to my feet, still unsure if he was real.

It wasn't until I reached out to him, touching his chest, touching his hair, running my fingers along the bridge of his nose, and tracing the arch of his lips that I knew he wasn't a ghost.

My voice was the barest of whispers. "Hannibal."

His smile was like a gift from the heavens as he reached up and cupped my cheeks with both of his weathered, rough hands. His voice was the barest of whispers as well. "Midnight."

My tears could no longer be held back as I flung myself into his arms, my wails of happiness echoing all the way to Will in the garden.

Will stopped what he was doing, confused, until Hannibal's face came into view over my shoulder. He fell to his knees, tears falling down his own cheeks.

Mischa and Abigail didn't understand. They wrapped their tiny arms around Will and kissed away his tears. "Daddy, what is wrong?"

Will wrapped his arms around them as well, not bothering to stop crying as his voice croaked. "Nothing is wrong, loves. It's just that your other dad has finally come back."

Mischa and Abigail frowned and looked up to where Hannibal and I were still hugging. "But I thought you were our daddy, dad."

Will let out a choked laugh and hugged them both tighter as he stood, propping each on his hips and waited until they wrapped their legs around him. "I am, loves, but so is he. We both are. And God gave him back to us."

Mischa laid her head against Will's shoulder. "Does that make him an angel?"

Will choked on his answer as he stopped infront of Hannibal and I. "Yes, Mischa, that makes him an angel."

Hannibal waited for Will to sit the twins down before releasing me from our hug and offering the same to Will. Will slowly walked into Hannibal's arms, his whole body shaking.

"I'm so sorry, Hannibal. I'm so sorry."

Hannibal's arms wrapped tightly around Will and he laid kisses across his face. "There is nothing to be sorry for, Will. You did nothing wrong."

Will shook his head and buried his face in the hollow of Hannibal's shoulder and neck. "I killed you, Hannibal."

Hannibal let out the gentlest of laughs. "If you killed me, then how am I still alive?"

Will pulled back then with a sniffle, leaving a wet mark on Hannibal's shirt. "How are you alive?"

Hannibal moved back so that we both could see him together. He touched his side where Will's bullet had ripped through him. "You subconsciously shot me in a place that wouldn't kill me, but would make me bleed enough to look like I had. And then I just faked being dead."

Will clenched his fists. "You… you faked being dead?" Will was finally angry. "For four years, you made us think you were dead, but you weren't? How could you do that to us?"

Hannibal's eyes closed and he let out a slow breath. "I did it so that you both could start a new life without all the drama and pain I would bring to it."

I knelt down and held my arms out to Mischa. She walked over and hugged me so that I could pick her up. "Then why come back?"

Hannibal opened his eyes once again and I was taken aback by their beauty once more. He could take my breath away with just one look. "Because I couldn't stand being without you anymore… and because someone wouldn't let me."

I frowned. "Someone?"

Hannibal nodded and beckoned to someone behind the willow tree. A tall, beautiful Japanese woman stepped into sight and stopped next to Hannibal.

Hannibal smiled at Will. "I believe you know my friend, Chiyoh, Will."

Will finally smiled again. "Chiyoh! It's been many years. It's good to see you're doing well. You look as beautiful as ever."

Chiyoh laughed. "It's good to see you are doing well as well, Will."

Hannibal looked over at me, his smile gentle. "Chiyoh was the one who technically saved my life, patched me up, and took care of me for the past four years. She is also the one who booted me out of her house and sent me back here to you both."

I finally looked Chiyoh in the eyes, giving her my full attention. I wanted her to know how sincere I was. "Thank you for giving him back to us. I don't know how I can ever repay you. I…" Tears started streaming down my face again and I angrily wiped at them. "I thought I would never see him again and my heart broke every day since the day he was taken away from me." I looked over at Will, at Mischa in my arms, and at Abigail looking up at the towering Hannibal. "From us."

Chiyoh's elegant face flushed pink and she turned, heading away from us as she spoke over her shoulder. "There is no need to thank me. Just live a long life and never stop loving each other."

When she disappeared around the house, it was just Hannibal, Will, Mischa, Abigail, and I.

Hannibal slowly reached out and touched Mischa's beautiful brown curls the fell around her angelic face. "So, you and Will had twins then? They are beautiful." He reached out and touched Abigail's beautiful brown curls as well. She let out a little giggle as she clung to Will's leg.

I shook my head. "Not just Will, Hannibal. You're a father too."

Hannibal's eyes turned back up to me and I could see the utter confusing at my words. It was kind of funny to see. "I'm a father? Surely that's impossible, since I've been gone for four years."

I rolled my eyes. "Trust me, Hannibal. Just because you've been gone doesn't mean you couldn't have helped make a baby."

"But…"

I held Mischa out to Hannibal and Mischa held her arms out, waiting for Hannibal to take her into his own arms. He did and the both of them stared at each other before Mischa reached up and ran her hand against his hair. "Hi, daddy."

Hannibal looked from her, to me, to Will, and then down to Abigail before returning to look back at me. "I'm really a father?"

I nodded, tears still streaming down my face. "Mischa is yours, Hannibal. She is ours. Together. Just like Abigail is Will's. I have a beautiful daughter from each of the two men that I love with all of my heart."

Hannibal hugged Mischa to him and buried his face against his daughter's hair, letting his tears fall. "I'll never leave you all again. Ever."

I wrapped my arms around Hannibal and Mischa before Will picked up Abigail and hugged Hannibal, Mischa, Abigail, and I together.

We were finally one big happy family. Forever.

Hannibal pressed a kiss against Will's forehead. "I love you Will Graham." Then he leaned over a little and whispered into my ear as he pressed a kiss against my cheek. "I love you, Midnight Lecter."