149 days.
She had been stuck in the same four walls for all that time, barely able to crawl out of her bed, wires attached all over her body. Keeping her breathing, monitoring her heart, pushing fluids into her veins that had all but collapsed. The doctors hadn't expected her to wake up, stating if she did, she would likely never speak or move again. How disappointing it was that she had proved them wrong, that she was forced to keep going. Krissy hobbled over to her bedside drawer, a wooden cane clutched tightly in her palm, looking down at the picture of her and Jack, taken years ago when she graduated from nursing school. Their smiles were so wide and innocent, having no idea of the turmoil they would soon face. She leant her cane against the drawers, and picked up the photograph, placing her thumb against the glass covering her face. She pushed down harder and harder until the glass splintered, cutting into her thumb as blood seeped into the crack, smearing her face entirely. If only she could do that in real life.
She smelt rather than heard her visitor arrive. A sharp smell of pine and dog invaded her senses, bringing up a strange sense of nostalgia. She didn't need to turn around to know who had finally caved into seeing her.
"Did you keep your dogs?" She asked, placing the photograph face down on the drawers.
"They didn't have anywhere else to go" Will answered, as Krissy leant down to pick up her cane, allowing her to twist around to face him.
"Just like the rest of us then" Krissy murmured, allowing her gaze to travel over him.
He appeared well groomed, brown curls of hair framing his face, and familiar glasses resting atop in his nose. She hadn't seen him wear his glasses for a long time, thinking he no longer needed the safety they provided. The barrier between his eyes and another. It seemed they were back to being strangers.
"You look good" Krissy exclaimed, as Will's own eyes darted across her body.
"So do you" Will replied, receiving a harsh scoff.
"You must need new glasses" Krissy muttered, gripping her cane and limping toward him, her movements uncoordinated and jerky.
She had lost weight, which was evident to see from the hollow of her cheeks and collarbones peeking out from her shirt. Krissy's skin was pale, even appearing a little yellow in the bright hospital lights. Will's gaze dropped to where her left arm hung limp at her side, her hand swollen around the wrist. She appeared to be dragging her left leg somewhat, her foot barely able to make it off the floor as she took another step. The makeup she wore on her face appeared to mask her pain well, bringing some colour to her cheeks, thick mascara covering her lashes, emphasising the red gloss on her lips.
"You look...pretty" Will told her, after attempting to find the right word.
"You should have come round a couple of weeks ago when I still had my catheter in. Now, that was sexy" Krissy huffed, earning an amused look from Will.
"...I didn't think I'd be welcome" Will suggested, as Krissy raised an eyebrow.
"I might not remember things well anymore, but I can still tell a lie when I hear one" Krissy stated, as Will averted his eyes to the ground.
"Honestly, I'm happy you haven't visited. I couldn't even speak until a couple of months ago. Would have meant for a real boring visit" Krissy went on, hobbling over to a duffel bag on top of her hospital bed.
Will could tell the chipper; the nonchalant act was just that. Krissy's eyes had told a different story, now appearing far older than she was. It was no surprise, not after all she had been through, body and soul.
"You're healing well?" Will couldn't help but ask.
"Considering my first CT scan showed half my brain was dead...I'm doing great" Krissy mumbled.
It wasn't an exaggeration either. She had seen the scans for herself once she was alert and orientated to understand them. A blood clot had dislodged from her stab wound and found its way to her brain, cutting off the blood supply to the organ keeping her alive. The doctors and surgeons did what they could to minimise the damage to her brain, but it was already too late by the time they realised she had suffered a stroke. When she first awoke, her lips would move but no sounds would come out. It was a similar story with her left side, which stayed motionless no matter how hard she would try to move. Months of physiotherapy, speech therapy and standard psychotherapy meant she had now been given the seal of approval to be discharged from the hospital.
"If I never have to hear the word 'therapy' again in my life, it'll be too soon" Krissy informed him, as she began stuffing her clothes into her duffel with her good hand.
"Jack told me your memories...you were having problems with your memories" Will clarified, watching as she stilled.
"What I remember is muffled, like it happened to someone else. They're not sure if it's down to my stroke of if it's a trauma response. Still, the end result is...I don't remember much of what happened to me. Guess that's not really a bad thing, is it?" Krissy explained, her back still to Will.
"Do you remember me?" Will frowned.
"Bits and pieces. I remember what dog food you'd buy, and the smell of your aftershave, but...the important things are all jumbled. I don't know which are memories and which are things I've just made up to fill in the gaps. But...but we were friends, right? That's real?" Krissy pushed, turning to face him, as Will's lips twitched into a smile.
"We were. We still could be, if that was something you wanted" Will told her, as Krissy pursed her lips.
"I think I need to be a little more selective about who my friends are in the future" She replied, as Will nodded slowly, his mind instantly going to the elephant in the room.
"I'm sorry about Abigail. My dad said you two were close" Krissy exclaimed, a few moments later, watching Will's jaw clench.
"Do you remember anything about that night?" Will inquired, not sure what else he could say.
"I remember the blood. How it felt being stabbed...you know, if it was an inch more to the left, I would have died almost instantly. An inch. Still here because of an inch..." Krissy trailed off, her eyes becoming unfocused.
"I'm glad you're still here" Will told her, as gave him a quick smile.
"My, uh...my court date is next month. They're gonna' decide whether I spend the rest of my life in jail or not. You fancy coming?" Krissy questioned.
The home Hannibal had kept her and Beverley in had been searched countless times, coming up with further evidence each time. Most of it pointed toward Krissy herself. She remembered some of the murders and had been able to tell them where Hannibal had buried at least some of his victims. Of course, the rest of the evidence had been devoured long ago.
"No one in their right mind would find you guilty, Krissy" Will stated.
"Problem is...a lot of people aren't, are they?" Krissy retorted, as Will found he couldn't argue.
Krissy sat outside the courtroom, playing with the hem of her blue dress, picking at a line of cotton that had become dislodged. She kept her head down as people walked past her, their hushed voices gaining a scandalised tone as they neared her. She still questioned whether her statement of diminished responsibility was the best route to go. She was guilty, after all. Maybe the best place for her was prison.
"Did your lawyer pick out that dress?" A familiar voice asked, as Krissy's hand snapped up.
Margot was smiling down at her, dressed in a smart, expensive-looking suit, her hair curled to perfection. Krissy swallowed down her surprise at seeing the older woman, moving her cane over so Margot could sit next to her.
"Blue doesn't have many negative connotations. And let's face it, I'll need all the positives I can get" Krissy scoffed.
"I visited you. Just a few times while you were still in your coma. He really did a number on you, huh?" Margot suggested, as Krissy's eyes flickered to the ground.
"How's your brother?" Krissy asked, quick to change the subject.
"As well as someone could be who ripped off most of their jaw. I keep him on a tight leash now" Margot smirked.
"You should be careful, Margot. Mason won't think twice about biting the hand that feeds him" Krissy pointed out, as Margot pursed her lips.
"I was concerned you might have forgotten about my family escapades" Margot admitted, as Krissy gave a small shrug.
"I guess you must have been pretty memorable" Krissy replied, causing Margot's smirk to grow.
"Isn't that like the pot calling the kettle black?" A voice exclaimed, from behind Krissy's shoulder.
"Alana? Huh, looks like we have two things in common now" Krissy stated, gesturing to the older woman's cane.
Neither needed to voice what else they shared, something Krissy was grateful for. Margot pushed herself to her feet, coming to stand beside Alana, whose eyes softened at the gesture. It only took a few moments for Krissy's brain to catch up with what she was seeing in front of her.
"Make that three things" Krissy mumbled.
"I just wanted to say before the trial that...I'm sorry, Krissy. I was so caught up in the whirlwind of my own mind, I didn't stop to think of anyone else" Alana explained, as Krissy grabbed her cane, forcing herself up onto her shaky legs.
"You don't need to feel guilty, Alana. What happened would have happened with or without you" Krissy retorted.
"Still. When I take the stand, know that I'm on your side. That we both are. What Hannibal did to us—" Alana began, but was cut off by Krissy's sharp tone.
"I need to go find my Dad" She muttered, limping past them, as Alana took note of the way she had flinched at the name of the person who should have truly been on trial.
The prosecution was the first to put their case forward, their argument that Krissy killed alongside Hannibal as a partner rather than a victim, was unsurprising to everyone in court. Krissy paid little attention to the accusations the female prosecutor sent her way, too busy racking her mind for who might be called as a witness. Alana was to testify for her defence, as was Will. But the prosecutor seemed eerily confident, something that Krissy knew to be wary of. They always had something hidden up their sleeve.
Krissy allowed her gaze to turn to the Judge, finding that their eyes met from across the room. The Judge was around fifty, with a wedding ring on her finger, and tiny traces of cat hair covering her robes. A woman with a family. Kids, maybe. How old would they be? Around her age? Krissy could play on that and—
No. No, that was what...
Krissy scrunched her eyes shut, pushing the thought out of her mind. A moment later, the court appeared to erupt into chaos, whispers growing from the chairs behind her, as Krissy turned to see her own lawyer had a look of disbelief on her face. When the prosecutor repeated her words, Krissy found she too shared the expression.
Krissy had been called by the prosecution as a witness.
Her lawyer suggested she used her fifth amendment to stop the request, but Krissy was quick to shoot her down. That would only make her look like she had something to hide. Besides, out of everyone in the courtroom, Krissy felt she was the person who cared the least about the outcome of the trial. At least this way she might be able to defend herself.
"I would like to speak to you about Matthew Brown. Do you remember the man in question?" The prosecutor asked.
"Vaguely" Krissy replied, deciding to keep her answers short and precise.
"Do you also vaguely remember killing him?" The prosecutor questioned, as Krissy's lawyer was jumping to her feet.
"Objection, your Honour. Leading a witness" Her lawyer insisted.
"Sustained. Choose your words more wisely, Miss Pierce" The Judge pointed out, reminding Krissy of the prosecutor's name.
"Matthew Brown was killed after an attempt on Hannibal Lecter's life. Something you were witness to correct?" Miss Pierce stated, as Krissy cursed the way her jaw ticked at the mention of Hannibal's name once again.
"I don't remember the event itself" Krissy told her, as Miss Pierce scoffed.
"How convenient. Perhaps I might be able to jog your memory. I am about to play a tape recording to the court between Krissy Crawford and Hannibal Lecter, obtained in his hospital room after his attack" Miss Pierce announced, causing Krissy to frown.
She really did have no memory of that day, much less any encounter she and Hannibal had afterwards. Her brain seemed to have thankfully attempted to block a good portion of their encounters out from her mind. Trying to protect her from the pain and sorrow of it all. Miss Pierce's smirk grew as the tape began to play through the court speakers.
You're awake.
Krissy's own voice echoed through the room, muffled but still clearly her. She wondered how exactly the tape had been obtained. The FBI, maybe? They would know—
So, are you.
Krissy couldn't stop the sharp inhale she took at hearing Hannibal's soft tone. Her mind was so confused and muddled that she couldn't trust her own memories and had thought she might have made up Hannibal's distinctive voice. But there it was, as clear as day. She could feel her heart speed up as the conversation between them continued, out of fear or something else, she couldn't know.
You killed again.
Hannibal's words had Miss Pierce's smirk growing, as whispers erupted once again in the courtroom. Even absent, it seemed Hannibal was somehow able to taint her life.
To save you. Which has made me realise something. You underestimate me.
I have always seen your potential. More than most.
You want me to be a killer….then why not your equal?
Krissy's brow furrowed at the words, desperately trying to remember the encounter, but it was to no avail. She was in the dark as much as everyone else.
Do you feel I have not treated you fairly?
I'm not one of your playthings, Hannibal. I'm not Abigail. Or Alana. Or anyone else that you might have had fun twisting over the years. If you really want what you crave, you're gonna' have to start giving back.
Krissy's eyes found Alana's from across the room, who remained expressionless. There was no contempt in her eyes. Krissy assumed that if tapes were ever leaked of her relationship with Hannibal, she too would suffer the consequences.
How would you like me to prove my…giving nature?
The almost playful tone of Hannibal's voice was evident, as was the sound of hospital sheets ruffling. Not only was the tape incriminating Krissy in murder, but also in her relationship with Hannibal.
We're gonna' do things my way. Starting with getting Will out of prison.
Will's eyes had been on her the whole time she had taken the stand, but even from across the room, she could see how his gaze softened at her words. That was one thing she could be sure of. She had never given up on Will.
Is Beverly still alive?
The apprehension was clear in her voice as she spoke, as if she didn't really want to know the answer. Had she thought Beverly was dead?
She is. And she will remain to be as long as I am not apprehended.
I want to see her.
If it pleases you.
...So, what do you say, Hannibal? Partners?
As if those words weren't bad enough, the sound of a passionate embrace was played out through the court speakers, the sound of Krissy's lips against Hannibal's causing the jury to appear even more scandalised than before. She was thankful when the tape ended abruptly.
"You seem to have a fair bit of control in that conversation. In fact, some could argue you were leading the plotting" Miss Pierce pointed out.
"I was playing Ha...his game" Krissy responded, finding she couldn't say his name without stuttering over the word.
"And what game would that be?" Miss Pierce inquired.
"Making myself a more desirable captive" Krissy stated, vaguely remembering having said the same thing to Abigail once.
"But you weren't Hannibal Lecter's captive at this point. You were free—" Miss Pierce began, but Krissy cut her off instantly.
"Free? Do I look free to you?" Krissy muttered, gesturing to her cane.
"You had ample opportunity to tell law enforcement what really happened to you. Your father is an FBI agent, is he not?" Miss Pierce went on.
"He would have killed Beverly. Then he would have killed my dad. And then...then he'd kill me. I was just trying to cut out the middlemen" Krissy exclaimed, as Miss Pierce pursed her lips.
"What exactly was your relationship with Hannibal Lecter?" Miss Pierce asked.
"Complicated" Krissy retorted, causing the woman to huff out a laugh.
"I will rephrase my question. Were you sleeping with Hannibal Lecter?" Miss Pierce clarified, watching how Krissy's jaw clenched.
"...Yes" Krissy admitted, after a few tense seconds, as a few shocked gasps rang out through the room.
Her eyes flickered to her lawyer's, growing confused when the woman didn't appear as exasperated as Krissy was expecting. Wasn't she throwing herself under the bus?
"Why?" Miss Pierce asked, bringing Krissy out of her thoughts.
"Excuse me?" Krissy frowned.
"I think it is important for the jury to understand the context at hand. Did Hannibal Lecter perhaps, coerce you into this sexual relationship—" Miss Pierce started, but was immediately cut off by Krissy.
" No. No, he wasn't like that" Krissy mumbled.
"So, it was consensual?" Miss Pierce went on.
"He didn't force himself on me if that's what you're trying to get at. That's not why he...he was..." Krissy stuttered over her words, closing her eyes for a moment.
"Go on" Miss Pierce suggested, eyes narrowed.
"He was lonely. So, was I. He didn't take me because of some twisted plan to fuck me" Krissy snapped.
"Miss Crawford, this is a court of law. Careful with your choice of words" The Judge scolded her, as Krissy held her good hand up in a mock gesture of defence.
"You appear quite defensive about your relationship with a killer, Miss Crawford. You do accept that he is the Chesapeake Ripper, do you not?" Miss Pierce exclaimed.
"Yes. I do now" Krissy murmured, quietly.
"Do you think Hannibal Lecter kidnapped you because he felt you could forgive him for what he had done? That you could accept him?" Miss Pierce suggested, as Krissy averted her gaze to the floor.
"Probably" She stated.
"And do you? Accept him?" Miss Pierce asked, as Krissy's forehead wrinkled.
"I understand him" Krissy muttered, as the prosecutor's head tilted.
"Do you believe he loved you, Miss Crawford?" Miss Pierce pushed, as Krissy's head snapped up.
"Objection, your Honour. This line of questioning is irrelevant—" Krissy's lawyer began, but the prosecutor simply spoke over her.
"It is a simple question. Do you think Hannibal Lecter is in love with you? Is that why you continually defend him?" Miss Pierce repeated, seeing the anger growing behind Krissy's eyes.
"I think Hannibal made his feelings toward me pretty fucking clear when he stabbed me" Krissy spat out, bitterly, as the Judge slammed her gavel down, but the prosecutor continued talking.
"A ploy, perhaps? A plan made between you both to lessen the evidence of your guilt? A stab wound that doctor's themselves admit was done so that it would not kill you" Miss Pierce accused, as Krissy grabbed the wooden stand in front of her and pushed herself to her feet.
"You think I wanted this? You think this is a ploy?! He tried to kill me! " Krissy shouted.
"Miss Crawford, please sit down or—" The Judge argued, but Krissy was done listening.
"No. No, you want to see what he did to me. Fine! He ripped my fucking chest open and left me to bleed out!" Krissy yelled, as she attempted to unbutton the top buttons of her shirt, much to the horror of the Judge.
With only one hand to use, she found she couldn't even manage to pop the first button open, only adding to her anger. With gritted teeth, she simply ripped the buttons away from her dress as they clattered to the floor, revealing the long scar that ran down the left side of the valley of her breasts. Even the prosecutor seemed shocked by her actions, stumbling back a step.
"He... he left me to die " Krissy cried, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt traitorous tears growing.
No matter what she tried, the Judge had been able to rein in the reactions of the court, and a recess had to be called. The prosecution finished their argument the next day, having brought in expert witnesses to tie her into the bodies that scattered her former home. It was strange. For some reason, she had more memories of the country house, than she had in the home she had lived in for years with Jack. She could see all the rooms with such vivid detail that if she closed her eyes, she felt like she was still there.
"We're lucky. Alana's testimony worked in our favour" Her lawyer mumbled in her ear.
After her outburst, Krissy had thought her lawyer might just refuse to defend her any further, but it seemed the opposite had happened. She almost appeared...pleased? Still, Krissy knew she had to trust the woman. Her father had chosen her. She was supposed to be one of the best in the state.
"How many cases have you lost, Miss Cole?" Krissy questioned her lawyer.
"Two. Out of three hundred" Miss Cole stated, as Krissy pursed her lips.
"Well, I'm sorry for increasing the total to three" Krissy sighed, leaning back in her chair.
"I wouldn't count us out just yet" Miss Cole smirked, as the doors to the court opened to reveal the next witness.
Krissy's eyes doubled in size as she watched Beverly Katz approaching the witness stand, giving Krissy a small smile as she walked past her. She had only had a few short conversations with her former friend since she woke up from her coma. It was difficult for Beverly to be around her. She might have saved Beverly's life, but she was still the reason she had been taken by Hannibal in the first place.
"You are perhaps the only other person in this court apart from the defendant who saw behind Hannibal Lecter's mask, Miss Katz, and you suffered greatly for it. Can you describe for the court what happened on the night you arrived at Hannibal Lecter's country home?" Miss Cole announced, standing from her seat.
"I heard fighting from inside, I broke in for a window in the kitchen fearing that Doctor Lecter may be attacking Krissy. But instead, I found Krissy and Abigail fighting. There was...there was a lot of blood" Beverly answered, as Miss Cole nodded.
"And Hannibal Lecter arrived shortly after?" Miss Cole suggested.
"Yes. I...I'm not sure where he came from. I think he might have been following me that night. Krissy...she had warned me before that he would always be one step ahead" Beverly exclaimed.
"How did the defendant appear before she was kidnapped?" Miss Cole inquired.
"Skittish. Like her thoughts were all jumbled. I realise now this was because Hannibal Lecter had been drugging her. For weeks. She asked me to look into Franklyn Froideveaux's murder just before she disappeared. She all but begged me, she was terrified" Beverly informed the court.
"What do you think she was so afraid of?" Miss Cole replied.
"Hannibal. She knew he was a killer. And no one would listen to her" Beverly explained, as her gaze caught Krissy's.
"And how had her behaviour changed the next time you met? While she was Hannibal's captive?" Miss Cole pushed.
"She couldn't look at me...no, it wasn't that. It was more...she couldn't look anywhere but Hannibal. She approached me, and I raised my gun to her, but she kept coming. I think Hannibal may have warned her not to. She then told me that she thought Hannibal deserved to die, but she couldn't let me kill him" Beverly accounted, as Miss Cole pursed her lips.
"She then disarmed you and—" Miss Cole began, but the prosecutor interjected.
"Objection, your Honour. The defence is brushing over the fact that the defendant cut Miss Katz and then handed her gun to Hannibal Lecter" Miss Pierce pointed out, as the Judge raised an eyebrow.
"Stick to the facts, Miss Cole" The Judge argued.
"She didn't hand him the gun. She just...didn't fight him. I saw the look in Krissy's eyes, it was the same damn look I had by the time the police rescued me" Beverly sighed.
"Defeat?" Miss Cole asked, as Beverly nodded.
"He made you think that fighting against him was useless. That it was easier to give in. And...and he was...it sounds wrong to say, but he was good to me. As gracious as a kidnapper could be I suppose. Sometimes I even found myself wanting to please him. I thought it would help keep me alive" Beverly went on, as Miss Cole turned to the jurors.
"Miss Katz spent three months with Hannibal Lecter. The defendant spent an entire year. Fifty-three weeks to be exact. Three hundred and seventy-one days. Can you imagine? He drugged her, kidnapped her, abused her beyond—" Miss Cole started, as Krissy found she couldn't keep her mouth shut.
"He didn't abuse me" Krissy exclaimed, as Miss Cole turned to her.
"Do you feel sympathy for Hannibal Lecter, Miss Crawford?" Her defence lawyer inquired, as Krissy gave her a confused look.
"...To a degree" Krissy replied.
"Thank you for your testimony, Miss Katz. I would like to bring the defendant's court-appointed psychiatrist to the witness stand to explain the argument for diminished responsibility" Miss Cole announced.
Up until that point, Krissy had been under the impression that her psychiatrist would speak on her trauma, perhaps even diagnose her with PTSD. She certainly hadn't been expecting the diagnosis the psychiatrist read out to the court.
"Can you explain to the jury what Stockholm Syndrome is please?" Miss Cole exclaimed, as Krissy watched on in horror.
"Stockholm syndrome is a psychological response to being held captive. People with Stockholm syndrome form a psychological connection with their captors and begin sympathizing with them. By working with and not fighting against an abuser, victims may secure their safety. When not harmed by their abuser, a victim may feel grateful and even view their abuser as humane. During our sessions, I found Krissy's thoughts toward Hannibal Lecter remained positive. She spoke of him in a very high regard" Her psychiatrist informed the court.
"This is bullshit!" Krissy cried, as Miss Cole gave her a disapproving look.
"Miss Crawford, I have told you before to watch your language" The Judge pointed out, making Krissy scoff.
"I'm not crazy! And Hannibal didn't fucking abuse me, how many times do I have to say it?!" Krissy argued.
"The stab wound on your chest suggests otherwise" Miss Cole snapped back, annoyed that Krissy was destroying her own defence.
"He thought I betrayed him. He thought he had found someone who could understand him...and I stabbed him in the back" Krissy murmured, bitterly.
"As you can hear ladies and gentlemen of the jury, Miss Crawford does not try to defend herself, only Hannibal Lecter. She still believes—" Her lawyer argued, when Krissy suddenly stood from her seat.
" Your Honour. I would like to waive my right to attend this trial " Krissy announced, as her lawyer's eyes almost popped out from her skull.
"Miss Crawford, this would be a most unusual and unwise decision" The Judge warned her.
"I would like to spend my last few days of freedom somewhere I actually want to be" Krissy exclaimed, as the Judge reluctantly nodded.
"As you wish, Miss Crawford. Are all parties involved in agreement a fair trial can continue with the defendant's absence?" The Judge inquired, earning a quick response from the prosecutor, who seemed very happy with the outcome.
"I would not want to remove any more choices from the defendant" Miss Cole nodded, as Krissy grabbed her cane, and started to limp out of the courtroom, finding her father was close on her heels.
Krissy let out a loud exhale as she slid down the kitchen counter in Hannibal's home. And just like that, for the first time in months, her thoughts quietened down. It was peaceful. The smell was still there, of garlic and herbs, but also of Hannibal. A rich smell, tinged with something else she didn't want to acknowledge. But it was enough to have her drifting off into sleep. She knew Jack would be looking for her, questioning why she had ordered a taxi to take her somewhere, instead of just asking him. But how could she explain wanting to visit Hannibal's home? To feel at peace with the ghosts there? She remembered very little of that night . Flickers of blood and bodies raced behind her eyes, always seeming just out of reach. But she could still feel Hannibal's arms wrapped around her, his hand brushing through her hair as she grew weaker. As she died. Did he really mean for her to die there? Is that what he had whispered in her ear before he lowered her to the ground? If she could just remember what he had said, maybe it would all make sense. Maybe the pieces would all come together. She was so tired of feeling alone.
A sharp ringing sound grabbed Krissy's attention, as she looked up past the kitchen counter to find the landline ringing. Her brow furrowed as she crawled to her feet, having to steady herself against the counter for a moment. She wondered whether it was her father calling. Had he figured out where she would run to?
She found her heart speeding up when she saw the caller ID on the phone, realising it wasn't originating from America. Before she knew what she was doing, Krissy was picking up the call, and closing her eyes as she pressed the phone to her ear.
"Hello?" She spoke, hearing nothing but silence from the other end.
She knew it could have been a prank call, or maybe even the wrong number. Wouldn't the police have shut off Hannibal's landline by now? Unless...they hoped he'd phone there. That someone would bait him to. Krissy had seen Freddie Lounds in court and knew the redhead had likely already written her sensationalised version of events on her website. Could Hannibal have read that? Would he really take all these risks?
" Hannibal? " She exclaimed.
The slight inhale from the other line told her all she needs to know. It was strange. She thought she had forgotten so much about Hannibal, yet just hearing him breathe was enough to have memories whizzing through her mind. Some were happy, but a lot of them sad.
"How did you know I'd be here?" She asked, not having known for sure herself.
She still gained no reply, but she could hear his breathing clearer now as if he had the phone pressed up close to his cheek. Just like she did.
"Did you want me to die?" The words fell from her mouth before she could stop them.
Nothing. No response was given. In fact, she was beginning to believe that the person on the other end might not have been Hannibal when she noted the change in their breathing. They seemed distressed by what she had said. That was something, she thought.
"If you have anything to say to me, you ought to say it now...once my trial ends, I don't think you'll be hearing from me for a long time" Krissy explained.
She could hear a shuffling sound on the other end of the phone, as if the caller had moved, perhaps lowering their head or standing from their seat. But no words.
"Hannibal. Why did you call?" Krissy questioned, softly.
Just as she opened her mouth, ready to threaten she would hang up, an all too familiar voice spoke. His gravelly tone delayed for a few moments due to the distance between them, his voice sounded strangely thick with emotion. Krissy closed her eyes as he spoke, able to imagine he was standing there beside her when the phone cut out.
I miss you.
Those three words hurt Krissy more than she thought they would. Tears welled in her eyes, as she placed the phone back on the kitchen counter, finding she felt emptier than she had before. Because she felt the same. She felt like she had part of her ripped out. She missed him too.