Confrontation

The cathedral was large, empty, and cold, and Clarice didn't like the look of it. Of course it would have to be a desolate place, she'd known, but why this place?

His voice interrupted her thoughts, causing her to jump.

"You look lovely, Clarice, although I must say I've seen you look much better. Could it be that life without your glorious FBI is too stressful for you?"

He walked from behind a large stone pillar, looking very well himself, and he stopped about twenty feet across from her.

"Tell me, do you miss it? The F-B-I, I mean? After everything they've done to you, it surprises me that you still hold them in such high regards."

Clarice cleared her throat. "What is all this, Dr. Lecter? What do you want from me?"

He smiled, and Clarice shivered.

He walked toward her slowly, his hands casually behind his back, and Clarice stood unwavering.

He stopped only when he was unbearably close to her, close enough to feel her breath on his lips, and she stared at him coldly.

"What do you want?" she repeated more forcefully.

Without saying anything, Hannibal pressed his mouth to hers, forcing his tongue inside her mouth, and Clarice stumbled. He pulled her to him so that she couldn't move, and after a few minutes more released her.

"Why ask questions you know the answers to, Clarice?" he asked finally.

Clarice stood up straight and took a step back. Without saying anything she spit in his face, and he smiled. He then licked it from his face with such giddiness that it made one think of a young schoolboy at Christmastime, and Clarice grimaced.

"I sometimes wonder what you'd do without me, Clarice," Hannibal said quietly. "Don't you realize that you'd be lost if you weren't chasing after me?"

Clarice looked at him unbelievingly.

"Here we are, just you and I. You know my whereabouts clearly, as you've known all along, and yet you've done nothing to incarcerate me. Why is that? Don't you want your title reinstated, Ex-Special Agent Starling?"

She was silent as she looked at him, and she realized that he was right, just as he'd always been…but why? What was it that kept her from imprisoning him?

"Is it the fact that you couldn't sleep at night, knowing that I was behind bars, my freedom kept from me for the rest of my life? Or is it the fact that you can't sleep at night because although I am free, I still do not have my freedom…the freedom that, although you don't wish to admit, you so desperately want me to acquire?"

"What the hell are you talking about, Dr. Lecter?" Clarice said, half yelling.

Hannibal smiled at her again, thinking it humorous that she still used formalities. He was then quiet, standing still across from her, and when he closed his eyes and tilted his head back, Clarice heaved toward him. In one swift move, Hannibal caught her by the wrist and grabbed the handcuffs. Holding her hands tightly behind her back, he pushed her against the stone pillar.

"Now now, Clarice," he said as he handcuffed her, "we remember too well what happened before, don't we?"

Clarice struggled but to no avail, and once Hannibal had the handcuffs secured, released her.

"Well then…" he said with a sigh. "What do you think of Venice? Beautiful, isn't it? I myself quite enjoy the twilights here…so relaxing and peaceful…"

Clarice looked around her and noticed a long hallway a few feet away.

"Oh yes, that leads to the courtyard," Hannibal said coolly. "Remarkable courtyard," he added, "lots of mazes to play in…"

Clarice shook her head. She'd had enough.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT!" she screamed.

Hannibal walked towards her quickly, his eyes ablaze. "You silly, silly girl," he hissed. "What do you think I want, Clarice? Hmmm?"

She glared at him, and he kissed her so forcefully that the back of her head hit the pillar.

He broke the kiss and then stared at her. "You are an exquisite woman, Clarice Starling. I must say that I do love you. A life without you in it," he added, "would be very unsatisfactory for me." He then grabbed her hair at the scalp and jerked her head back, and she stared up at the raised ceiling, seemingly oblivious to the pain. Hannibal licked her neck, up to her mouth, and lightly bit her bottom lip. He licked down the side of her neck, and bit her shoulder through her t-shirt, and Clarice winced.

He bit down harder, and Clarice inhaled sharply. "Dr. Lecter…"

He bit down even harder then…