Chapter Seven:
They were sat on the couch together, and Hannibal was telling Clarice, in detail the warnings he had gotten from Ardelia with regards to their 'relationship'.
Clarice had just walked from the room to go upstairs to change leaving Hannibal sat in the kitchen with a wary Ardelia Mapp.
"So… Dr Lecter, May I be frank with you?"
Hannibal nodded and took a sip of his coffee managing not to grimace.
"Are you in love with her?" Hannibal looked at her, impressed; she really was going to get straight to the point. He could see that Ardelia cared about Clarice, and so knew the need to be honest.
"If I said yes would you believe me Ms Mapp?" She looked at him, considering.
"If I believed you were being honest with me, yes."
"And do you?"
"I don't think you would lie to me Dr Lecter, not about Clarice."
Hannibal nodded in acceptance, Ardelia continued.
"What are your intentions towards her Dr Lecter?"
Hannibal smirked and couldn't help raise an eyebrow.
"By intentions are you referring to our relationship, or my more exotic dietary habits?"
Ardelia's lip twitched slightly before becoming serious again.
"I will let you decide that one Dr Lecter, but Clarice has always been of the firm belief that you would never hurt her."
"Mm, then she is right." He said in a low voice so that Ardelia's ears strained to hear his words.
Hannibal decided to take the direct route, he didn't need to play games with Ms Mapp, he doubted it would make her more approving of Clarice's relationship with him. He didn't want to cut her off from her friend and he believed that Ms Mapp cared first and foremost about her friend over the FBI, if however Clarice was to say he had hurt her he didn't doubt that Ms Mapp would hesitate to call them.
"Ms Mapp, you needn't worry about Clarice's safety around me, I can guarantee you she is more safe with me than anywhere else in this world, I would never hurt her and nor would I let any other. As to my intentions… What I would like and what Clarice allows will be two different things, and she always manages to surprise me.
What I would like to do would be to lavish any and everything she wanted upon her, to dress her in fine clothes and watch her become and believe she is the beautiful and courageous woman I see when I look at her. To introduce her into fine wine and food and to love her for as long as she will allow it. If however she decided against that, I will take whatever I can get Ms Mapp."
Her eyes were wide and her mouth formed a slight o, before she cleared her throat and nodded.
"Good, because if you hurt her, I swear Dr Lecter the FBI will be the least of your worries."
Hannibal smiled at her and nodded watching as Ms Mapp went back to cooking breakfast.
Clarice was laughing into Hannibal's chest as he finished re-telling this morning's events, then she sat up and kissed him softly expressing her gratitude for his honest words to her friend.
"So what does happen next, Hannibal?"
He looked down at her in contemplation; she wasn't going to like what he had to say, they couldn't leave together, one of the first things Jack was going to suspect was her leaving with him. He would have to go ahead of her maybe by a month; he would need to get things ready for her, maybe even a house… That was even if she wanted to leave with him.
"I can't stay in America Clarice, you know that." She nodded at him and he carried on.
"I will have to leave, soon Clarice…" She nodded again.
"And you want me to come with you, where are we going?"
Hannibal turned to look at her properly. "No Clarice, you can't, not right away." He saw the rejection surface in her eyes as she began to pull away from him, physically and mentally, he stopped her by holding her to him.
"Do not take that as a rejection Clarice, I would love nothing more than to whisk you away but at the moment, I cannot. It would look too suspicious; our mutual friend jack would suspect me and as a result would be tracking your movements. You will need to arrange it properly over a few weeks, tell him you feel like a change and don't want to stay in America any longer. Whilst you are here I will find us a new residence somewhere else, get everything in order before you come over, I will send you plane tickets, we have to bide our time Clarice, until the time is right. And then if it pleases you, I would love nothing more than for us to live together."
She seemed placated and held on to him as he held her.
"Where would we live?" she asked rather timidly.
"Hmm… Somewhere beautiful I think, with a wonderful view. I do have several properties available and if one of the suits you we could go there. They are located all over… Paris, Brazil, Lithuania, London and I think I might have one in the east, the world, as they say Clarice, is your oyster."
"Mhm, Paris sounds nice…"
"It is, believe me, it's beautiful..."
"Who would have thought it eh? Clarice Starling actually running away with Dr Hannibal Lecter, I don't like the idea of you being away for a few weeks though."
Hannibal frowned and turned her head with his hand and smiled slightly. "Clarice Starling, are you pouting?"
"No…" she grumbled and hid her head in his chest, he chuckled at her.
"I know Clarice, I don't like being away from you either, but it is necessary, I will get you a new cell phone, and I will phone you."
"Promise?"
He lifted her hand and placed it over his heart; she could feel his steady heartbeat.
"I swear it, Clarice."