AN: Short little update for Lady Avotil, thanks for the sweet review I hope this update came quick enough for you! :)
-o-
Hannibal gripped onto the steering wheel as they drove down the road. It was true, what he had believed all along about Abigail. She wasn't born with violence deep within her. It was created by the trauma sustained by Garrett Jacob Hobbs. Still he couldn't believe all this time she had been worried about getting arrested when she couldn't have dodged it all completely by telling the truth. He looked to her. He could tell she didn't believe what she had done wiped her of any wrong doing. He imagined the guilt she felt over her failure to rescue the girls made her feel like she was more responsible than her father. Still he was angry she had kept this from him.
"Why didn't you tell me you tried to save those girls?" his voice shattered the silence and Abigail took a shaky breath. She hadn't expected him to speak.
"Because I failed… I failed and my father still killed them. So what would be the point of me telling you?"
"Don't you see if you had told them this before-."
"They wouldn't have believed me." He slowly nodded, her reasoning was valid. They wouldn't have believed her. "I never knew the camera was there… I never saw it. How could I have not seen it?" She asked looking out the window. "He hated cameras… Mom bought a lap top with one and he burned it in the backyard… I want that DVD… I want the footage." She looked to him. "Can we get it?"
"I'm sure Connor we'll try if we ask."
"I don't want anyone to ever see what's on there."
"It would clear your name Abigail."
"I don't care… The families shouldn't have to see what he did to them…"
"What about what he did to you?" he asked and a dead silence filled the air.
"You know most of it…" She said quietly.
"No I don't think I do…" His hands gripped onto the steering wheel. "You said you wouldn't Lie to me."
"I'm not lying I'm just not telling you everything." He instantly pulled the car over.
"I said the same thing to you once and you were enraged by it so how do you expect me to feel at that excuse?" He asked turning to look at her to see she was staring forward.
"Can we just go home?" She asked her eyes shutting tightly.
"Why did you keep these things from me Abigail, why are you still keeping things?"
"I just want to go home."
"We are having this discussion Abigail."
"Please just start the car." She said.
"No you will start talking and telling the truth-." She got out of the car instantly. "Abigail!" He yelled getting out himself and chasing her into the forest they had pulled up next to. "Abigail!" He grabbed a hold of her arm and wheeled her around to face him.
"What do you want to know!?" She yelled. "You want to know that he used to beat the shit out of me? Fine he did every fucking day of my life! You want to know if he tortured me!? Every time we went to the cabin! Any type of torture you can think up he did to me! Water boarding, electrocution, burning all the classics! He made me drink their blood Hannibal!" She screamed. "Pints and pints and pints and if I threw it up he'd make me lick it up off the ground! There's more too, more I can't say because honestly I can't remember it because I blacked out from the trauma and the agony!" He blinked as he looked her over. "Happy?" she asked tears cascading down her face. "Glad you got all the juicy details!?" A sob escaped her and instantly Hannibal wrapped his arms around her tightly bringing her in close.
"I shouldn't have pushed you…" He said as she held onto him for dear life.
"I just didn't want you to see me like that, as some broken thing."
"I've already told you I don't." He said. "I could never. I've seen your strength and it's unmatched."
"I want to go home Hannibal…"
"Alright… Alright let's go home Abigail…" he led her back to the car and helped her inside. As he drove home things were more quiet then they ever were. When they got to the house they were even quieter. Hannibal watched as Abigail walked up the stairs her head hung. He followed her to her room and watched as she merely laid down on her bed. Her knees pulled to her chest instantly. He took a deep breath and walked to his bedroom to retrieve a pill bottle. He knew she wouldn't be able to sleep, he also knew that was the best thing for her right now. He came back to her room and knelt at the side of her bed a glass of water in hand.
"Take this for me Abigail."
"What is it?" She asked softly as she slowly sat up.
"It's a sleeping pill."
"I'll have nightmares."
"You won't have anything with this pill I promise." He said. "Just a nice calming abyss."
"Nothing is calming about an abyss." She said softly looking down at the little white pill.
"Take it Abigail…" she slowly nodded and took it out of his palm before placing it on her tongue. Hannibal held the glass to her lips. Her hand rested over his as they together tilted the glass making water pour gently into her mouth. She instantly swallowed the pill.
"How long will it take to kick in?" She asked as she laid back down.
"Any minute now…" he said taking her hand as he set the water glass down on her bed side table. She took a deep breath and she could hear the sound of it echo in her head.
"It's… Working fast…" she said and he smiled as he pushed a strand of her red hair behind her ear. "Will I feel the same in the morning?" She asked.
"Depends, how do you feel now Abigail?"
"Hopeless… Scared."
"Of?" he asked.
"That I'll wake up…" she said softly as her eyes drifted closed. "In…"
"In?" he asked.
"The cabin… That you were never here… That I was… never…" She took a deep breath. "Here… with you…" He took on a soft expression. "I like being here with you…"
"I like it too Abigail…" he said kissing the back of her hand.
"I won't leave you…" She said her eyes opening for a moment. "I won't leave you unless you wish me to be gone…" She reached out and set a hand on his cheek as she took on a soft expression. "I won't ever leave you Hannibal… You're perfect." No one had ever said that to him, and to be honest he was in awe at her words. "Don't change… Please…" she took a deep breath as her eyes drifted close. "Don't change…" With those last words her chest began to rise and fall evenly with her breaths. She was fast asleep. He thought about leaving her in the bed but after the words she had spoken, he couldn't. Instead he lifted her up into his arms and carried her down the hallway to his bedroom. He laid her down in the massive bed and pulled the covers over her body. He thought about leaving, but the way she looked in his large bed was near vulnerable. She was completely helpless in that bed alone.
He sat down beside her on the bed and rested his back against the head board. For a while he sat there, still, listening to her breathe. Then Abigail shifted in her sleep. She turned onto her other side facing him. He pushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. As he pulled away his fingers brushed across her cheek. He stopped his hand and allowed his fingers to linger there. She was so warm. So incredibly warm. He moved down on the bed and lay beside her his hand still resting on her cheek. He watched as Abigail reached up in her sleep and took his hand before holding it to her chest and curling into it. Hannibal took a deep breath and slowly pulled Abigail to his body.
He had never done this. Just held a woman in his arms, especially not in his bed. He now saw the appeal of it. He felt needed as Abigail wrapped her arms around him as he moved and lay on his back causing Abigail to go with him and rest her head on his chest. He smiled softly at her scent which began to waft around him. He was completely surrounded by the almond and cherry aroma. He would make sure to be gone by morning. So she wouldn't wake up in his arms, but for now he wished to sleep. Like this. With Abigail in his arms. It was funny to him in a way. He gained so much out of the death of others and yet now as Abigail breathed deeply in his arms, he was gaining so much from her life.
-o-
Abigail took a deep breath as she began to put new clothes on for the day. She felt more rested then she ever had been. She could hardly even remember closing her eyes to go to sleep. So much so she had been confused when she had woken up in her own bed. Hannibal had left a note at her bed side table. Telling her he didn't want to wake her, and that he was going to work, and would be home late. She had expected as much. Still she hated to be alone. She walked over to her phone remembering what Hannibal had asked her to do earlier the night before. Before she could dial the number, one flashed up at her. She smiled as she answered it.
"Miss Lounds I was just about to call you." She said with a smile.
"Abigail we need to meet and we need to speak… Why didn't you tell me about the press conference?"
"What press conference?"
"The press conference the FBI just held. Clearing your name. Why didn't you tell me about how your dad basically kept you hostage and how you tried to rescue all those girls…"
"There was a press conference?" She asked.
"This morning."
"I'm sorry I slept through it I came home early this morning from the FBI after meeting with them about this new development… Look we can talk about it tomorrow night if you wish. Hannibal wants to invite you over for dinner to talk about the book."
"I would love that."
"Excellent how does six sound?" Abigail asked.
"It sounds amazing."
"Alright I'll see you tomorrow Miss Lounds. Sorry again for not telling you I thought we'd get a chance tomorrow before the FBI spilled everything."
"Not at all. As long as I help tell your story."
"Definitely. Until tomorrow Miss Lounds." She hung up the phone and held it to her chest before heading to her computer. She too a deep breath as she brought up her newsfeed to see her name on it over and over again. It seemed her innocence had made headline news. She brought up her favorite news sight the NY times and tilted her head seeing her face on the headline page of the website with the byline "SURVIVOR." That word brought her relief instantly. She smiled to herself for a long moment before grabbing her phone and dialing a number. She knew he wouldn't answer, he hardly ever did.
"Hello?" She blinked.
"Will?" she asked.
"Abigail yes, did you not mean to dial me?"
"No I meant to. I meant I just didn't think you'd pick up. I was wondering if tomorrow night you'd like to come over to Hannibals for dinner. Freddie Lounds is coming to talk about the book and I know you wanted to be with us when we discussed it."
"Yes. I would very much like to be there. What time should I swing by?"
"Six?"
"I will be there."
"See you then Will. I'm glad you'll be here to help me through it."
"Of course Abigail." She hung up the phone and stretched before heading out into the house to fill her time, with what she wasn't sure.
-o-
Hannibal took a deep as he headed up to the house. He could smell something. Something delectable. As he unlocked the door and opened it up the intoxicating scent slammed into him like a brick wall. He smiled as he closed the door seeing Abigail moving about in the kitchen. As he walked towards it he moved through the dining room and smiled seeing it was set up for two. He wasn't used to having dinner already prepared for him when he walked in.
"What is this?" He asked and Abigail smiled as she turned to look to him.
"Dinner." She said with a smile. "I followed one of your recipes to the T." she said. "A sautéed Pork Tenderloin Medallion with an Orange Compare sauce. I've already decanted the wine you paired with it." He smiled as she handed him a glass.
"I'm impressed."
"Well I figure you cook for me all the time it's the least I can do for you." She said with a smile. "I will say though that it's actually pork tenderloin… I thought about carving our meat slab up but I didn't want to butcher him…" She laughed softly. "Butchered…" He smiled to himself. "So I ran to a nearby butcher instead and got the cut needed." He watched as she began to beautiful plate the food. "Go ahead and settle in it should be ready in just a few moments…" He smiled as he nodded.
"I think I will." He smiled as he walked into the dining room and sat down. He took a long sip of the wine and sighed contently as he looked over the table. A moment later Abigail walked in and perfectly set down the plate before him before setting her own down. She looked over the table for a moment before smiling and taking a seat. Hannibal smiled as he looked her over, she looked incredibly proud of herself. Then he saw it doubt flashing across her face.
"What is it Abigail?" he asked.
"What if it doesn't taste as good as it looks." He smiled.
"I can already tell by the scent of it that it will be amazing." He said as he took his first bite. His eyes drifted closed for a moment. It was incredible. Near to the level of cooking that it took decades to learn. "That is stunning Abigail." She smiled brightly as he looked to her. "Absolutely stunning to the palate. You may be doing the cooking around here from now on." She smiled.
"Thank you." She said. "I'm so glad you like it." He smiled as he continued to eat. "So how was work today?"
"As interesting as it usually is."
"So it wasn't?" He smiled.
"Exactly." He shifted in his chair. "I sometimes regret snapping Franklins neck…" He looked for a reaction in her. "After all he could be so interesting in his neurosis." She only smiled.
"He was a bit neurotic wasn't he? He was constant asking me if you'd like his suits or not…" She said looking up in thought before laughing softly. "Not to mention he did have a friend who was a serial killer so that always makes for interesting fun."
"Indeed." He said with a smile as he looked her over. He found it relaxing to just be able to speak his truth without having to worry about her judging him or being scared of him. There was only acceptance with Abigail, and it was completely refreshing. He looked over the meat on her dish and tilted his head. "You're taking it rarer than usual." He said with a smile.
"The recipe called for it. As I said I followed the recipe to a T."
"How do you like it?"
"I really, really like it." She said with a smile. "Oh speaking of dinner I invited Freddie Lounds and Will over for dinner tomorrow night to discuss the book."
"Excellent." He said taking his wine glass in hand. "We'll prepare something delectable for them… We'll have to visit our own private butcher shop tonight though." She looked to him with a smile.
"Will I be learning something tonight?"
"I think you will." She smiled.
"I didn't make dessert tonight, I thought we'd do that tomorrow for our guests."
"A good choice. We mustn't over indulge." She nodded with a smile.
"More wine?" She asked.
"Yes please." He smiled as he watched her stand and pour it for him before sitting back down.
"You know when I pulled the wine, I noticed that there's very little room for all your vintages."
"Yes I just started collecting wines and am running out of room fast."
"I may have a solution." She offered and he looked to her intrigued.
"I'd like to hear it."
"I was familiarizing myself with the kitchen while I cooked." He nodded. "There's a large walk in pantry you have near the leather chair. If we took the shelves out of it and replaced it with a wine fridge and a wine case it would make a fine wine closet." He looked up in thought.
"Yes… That might work." He said.
"It's large enough you could also make it into a prep room… For your… Specialty cuts." He smiled as he looked to her.
"That's what the cellar is for…"
"The cellar is dark and dreary, not at all the right place for your art if you ask me." He slowly nodded.
"Yes your right, I do hate prepping the meat down there, half the time I come up here anyways to package it…"
"Which could be dangerous in case of unwanted, or unexpected visitors."
"You're looking out for me."
"You look out for me." She said. "I thought it would be good to return the favor." He smiled as he toasted her and she smiled back.
"So you must be feeling relieved or have you not heard you were cleared of all charges and given a formal apology by the FBI?"
"A little relieved." She said with a shrug. "But I can't help thinking Agent Crawford will change his mind about me."
"He seemed sincere."
"Maybe." She said. "Is Connor really going to sue the FBI?"
"Depends. Do you want him to go ahead with a case against the FBI?"
"What's the point of it?"
"He would most likely win the case awarding you a substantial amount of money you could most likely live off of for the rest of your life, while proving to the rest of the world that you were truly innocent and sustained an incredible amount of emotional distress under the deformation of your character by the FBI."
"That doesn't sound half bad…" She said quietly looking off. "If I got a large amount of money I could go to any school I wanted…" He tilted his head. They hadn't talked about her plans for the future in a long while. The thought of her leaving for school though made his stomach twist in an unnatural way. "What do you think Hannibal?" she asked looking to him. "Should I move forward?"
"If I were you?" he asked and she nodded. "Yes I'd move forward… But I want you to think long and hard about this."
"I will." She said with a smile.
"So if you did win and you could have your pick of any school where would you want to go?"
"Before the dream was Julliard for piano…" She said. "But I know I'm not a concert pianist."
"What's the dream now?"
"FBI field agent." She said looking to him. "I could protect you better if I was on the inside of the FBI… With what you do, what we do, it would help to have some pull on a federal level… I know academically and physically I could pass everything needed… It's the psych tests I'm worried about… But with your help I'm sure I could pass those as well."
"If you sued the FBI though that could hurt your chances."
"Or prove to them that I'm further plucky… They like those who are driven." She said with a smile.
"Indeed." He looked her over. "What type of field agent would you want to be?"
"A profiler… Yale has an amazing Forensic psychiatry department…Also, it's only four hours away, so I could stick close to you here." He smiled, it made him feel better that she wanted to stick close to home.
"Well if you want to go to Yale, I have a few friends who can pull some strings. Now that your name has been cleared it may be easier to get you in."
"You don't have to do that."
"Of course I do… Besides it will give me a chance to brag about you to my colleagues." She smiled.
"Well thank you, any help would be much appreciated."
"Of course." He said with a smile.
-o-
Hannibal smiled as he walked to the entrance of the cellar. He smiled to himself as he put his apron on before watching Abigail do the same. He liked the way it fit around her hips perfectly, accenting her tiny waist and her delicious curves. She tied it in a perfect bow in back and smiled as she let her hands smooth it out in front. She looked to Hannibal who tilted his head.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Lead the way." She said.
"We'll go together." He took her hand in his and led her down into the cellar. The flipped on the lights and Abigail stared at Clarkson who stared wide eyed at Hannibal who slowly stalked towards him, his hand leaving hers as he did. "Hello Dr. Clarkson." Hannibal greeted as he walked past him. Clarkson made a frightened noise not being able to see Hannibal who was opening a cabinet on the far side of the room. She moved forward seeing many knives and instruments for butchering. It seemed the knives he carved human flesh with he kept separate from the ones upstairs.
"Helleee!" Abigial looked to Clarkson whose mouth was muffled by the respirator down his throat. "Helleee!"
"Help me?" She asked and Hannibal turned. "Are you really asking me for help?"
"Try not to engage Abigail." She slowly nodded. "Besides he's just desperate he's even asked me to help him a few times."
"He must be desperate then…" She muttered walking to Hannibal. "So I'll just watch tonight?"
"No… We'll be getting hands on you and I…" She nodded with an eager look.
"What we'll we be taking from him?"
"An extraction of his shoulder…"
"Planning on slow cooking for tomorrow?"
"I am indeed." He said proud she was starting to know her cuts. "Also we will be taking his rump… For later use."
"He'll survive all this?"
"If he doesn't, we'll extract everything else… But I assure you I plan on making him live for a very long time… You have so much to learn after all…" He handed her a knife which she took before walking her up behind Clarkson. He set his hands on hers so he could guide her through the process.
"He will scream Abigail."
"I'm prepared." She said taking a deep breath.
"Good… Now you'll hold the knife but let me do everything else."
"Okay…" She said softly. The second the knife made contact with Clarksons bare back he began to scream. Hannibal smiled seeing Abigail not so much as even jump. He put pressure down on the blade and instantly it began to slice at Clarkson flesh making blood drip down his naked body.
"Good Abigail…" Hannibal said his chin hovering above her head. "Very good."
"I'm not doing anything."
"You're doing a lot… Even if you don't realize it." She smiled softly to herself as she felt the blood of her rapist begin to flood over her hands as he screamed in agony. She found it healing in a way watching the man who had caused her so much pain get his just deserves at her hands. Then again it wasn't just her hands. Her eyes went to Hannibal's which engulfed hers completely. Guiding them, helping them cut flesh and muscle from bone. She wondered if it was strange that she found this all to be a bit erotic. "Good girl Abigail…"
-o-
Hannibal walked up from the cellar and stopped at the door way. He leaned against it as he watched Abigail clean one of his knives. She was humming something softly. Something lovely. He watched as she moved her neck to the side and rubbed it with her hand as she shifted from one foot to the other foot. She was near dancing as she hummed to herself lightly. Hannibal felt his feet carry himself up right behind her.
He watched as Abigail wiped the blade of the knife with a cloth drying it and polishing it at the same time. He'd never forget the look of that same knife in her hand as she carved away at Clarksons skin. He found watching her handle a knife incredibly erotic. The way her hand would set against flesh as her other knife wielding hand would slice it in long drags. She set the knife aside and went to turn only to have Hannibal set his hands on her hips stopping her from moving.
"What was that song you were humming?" he asked lowly. "It sounded familiar…"
"Just… On my own from Les Mis." She said with a soft expression. "I wasn't aware I was humming it, it's stuck in my head I'm afraid."
"It sounded lovely even with you just humming it…" She only shrugged and took a deep breath as she felt him pull her long hair back over one of her shoulders exposing her neck.
"Thank you…" She said. "I just have it stuck in my head… I practiced it earlier today on the piano."
"You played?" he asked and she turned quickly.
"Was it wrong?" she asked. "The piano was just sitting there and I was waiting for the oven to heat up-."
"It's perfectly fine Abigail I was hoping you'd start playing again." She smiled softly. "This is your home you may go, touch, and do whatever it is you wish here…" She nodded with a smile. He took her hand in his and led her to his study where the piano sat in the corner. He sat her down and took a seat next to her. "Why don't you play something for me?" he asked incredibly excited to hear music come from his charges hands.
"Oh… No I'm… I'm not any good anymore…"
"Non sense." He said. "Play something."
"You enjoy the finer things I don't want to ruin music for you." He laughed and she smiled.
"I wish to hear you play though. I find it unfair that Tobias got to hear your music and I never did…" She slowly nodded and flipped up the cover of the keys.
"If I mess up-."
"It's been a long time for you, I can forgive it." She smiled softly feeling better.
"Before I start I have never claimed to be a concert pianist."
"Of course." He said with a smile.
"Alright just…" She cleared her throat. "Wanted to put that out on the table." She let her fingers dance across the keys for a long moment before taking a deep breath. "Oh wait something fun or something mellow?" She asked and he smiled. She wanted so much to please him.
"How about something to match you?"
"Match me?"
"Something beautiful." She smiled softly as she looked back down at the keys.
"Something beautiful…" She said quietly before resting her fingers on the keys. "Something beautiful…" He watched as her fingers began to slowly dancing across the keys emitting a lovely tune. It was slow, beautiful, but whimsical all at the same time, also with a bit of a sad tone to it. Much like Abigail. One thing that was really surprising him though was the level of skill she had. With a little practice she could pass as a concert pianist.
"Yiruma…" He said recognizing the tune.
"Kiss the rain…" She said with a soft expression. "One of my favorites… also the song I practiced most today…"
"It's lovely… You play beautifully…" She smiled softly.
"Thank you…" As she continued to play Hannibal let his eyes travel over her. She had perfect form, and truthfully he had never seen a more beautiful pianist. He wondered if her talent would go to waste at the FBI or if they could allow all her talents to flourish where ever she went. When the song came to an end he was disappointed, because he wished her to play more.
"I may have to get a better piano, one worthy of your talents."
"I like this one, she sounds beautiful…"
"She?" he asked.
"Yes this is clearly a female piano, just look at its curves." He smiled before looking to her.
"I hope you will play for me again…"
"Whenever you like…" She smiled as she took a deep breath.
"You seem very at ease right now Abigail…"
"It's nice to be able to play and not have to look over my shoulder as I do… I never thought I'd get to do that."
"Your father kept you from playing?"
"The second he realized I was any good he got rid of my piano teacher thinking there was no way I could learn without one… The truth is once you know the basics you can teach yourself." He nodded. "I played at home but he always got angry when I did so I started to sneak playing… Between the time I got back home from school and he got home from work. It was only twenty minutes but that was twenty minutes doing something that made me happier than anything." He looked her over. "Then one day dad came home early… He was so upset to know what I had been doing. He said he was angry because I should have been focusing on my school work but I knew it was because the piano made me smile… He hated it when I smiled and it wasn't caused by him…" her jaw clenched as she looked down at the piano. "The next day I came home from school and my piano was gone. I looked through the window and saw my dad stretching in the backyard next to a pile of wood." It was Hannibal's turn to let his jaw clench. "I ran out and asked him, Dad where's my piano?" She took a deep breath and Hannibal looked to see pain in her expression. "He said winter was coming and… We needed the firewood… I spent the rest of the night trying to pick the ivory keys out from the wood thinking at least I could practice the hand movements if not make any music from them…"
"You never have to be fearful of engaging in your talents here… I will never try to bury them or destroy them…" She looked to him. "Only encourage them."
"Thank you…" She said with a smile. "Truth is I've felt more at ease with you here then I have anywhere else. Thank you for taking me in… Giving me a home."
"You don't have to keep saying thank you." He said and she shook her head.
"Yes I do, you have laid upon me a debt I will never be able to repay…" She said looking to him with a soft expression.
"There's no debt Abigail." He said. "None at all."
"It's sweet of you to say…" he cupped her cheek in his hand and let his thumb drift over her cheek. She took a deep breath and smiled as she looked off to the side.
"I think I'm going to head up to bed…" She said quietly before standing and walking around the bench. Hannibal reached out and took her hand in his. She looked down at their entwined hands for a long moment before setting her eyes upon Hannibal who slowly stood. He set his hand on her cheek and let his thumb drag across her blush. He moved forward and slowly captured her lips with his in a slowly kiss. Her eyes drifted closed as she felt him wrap his arm around her waist bringing her in closer. Before she could revel in it Hannibal pulled back and rested his forehead against hers.
"Good night Abigail." He said.
"Good night Hannibal…" She said quietly before heading out of the room.