Abigail paced the kitchen. Friday had come too soon. The time to tell her story to someone other than Hannibal had arrived and she wasn't sure she was ready. She knew she wasn't ready. She slid her palms against her black skinny jeans while shrugging her shoulders. Hannibal smiled as he stirred his coffee while watching this. She was nervous. She always paced and shrugged when she was nervous.
"I hope Alana gets here first…" She said quietly.
"You seem to have grown quite fond of her."
"She's stopping looking at me like a psych paper, and has started looking at me like a human being." She said.
"Here drink the tea I made you it will calm your nerves." She slowly nodded and took the teacup in hand. She stared down at the floating lemon amongst the caramel colored beverage. She slowly looked to Abigail with big blue doe eyes.
"What if I say something wrong?" she asked softly.
"Just tell the truth."
"The whole truth?" she asked with a quirked eyebrow and he smiled.
"Maybe not the whole truth." She smiled softly as she looked off.
"Today tell Freddie what you told me a few days ago. The stair case incident… Other incidences where he was cruel to you as a child… Build your way up to the harder things." She nodded with a soft expression.
"I uhm…" she smiled. "I looked at my back for a whole 15 seconds today." Hannibal smiled instantly.
"Well done Abigail… Just for that I think you deserve sticky buns in the morning." She laughed softly.
"I mean it… I'm proud of you." She smiled softly.
"Thanks…"
"How did you feel when you looked at them?"
"Didn't feel anything just… Remembered how they got there."
"How did you feel about those memories?"
"I didn't feel anything about them." He nodded.
"You're compartmentalizing again… You have to look at those scars and allow yourself to feel when you do so…"
"That's harder than just looking at them." She said quietly.
"You're strong Abigail." She looked to him. "I'm sure you can get through it."
"Maybe." She said and he smiled. She went to say something before jumping as the doorbell rang
"I'll get it." She said in a near sing song voice before heading out of the Kitchen. Hannibal already knew who it was. He knew that cheap perfume anywhere. "Freddie." He heard Abigail greet in a happy tone.
"Abigail Sweetheart." Hannibal resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Just as the door closed the door bell rang again. Hannibal smiled, Abigails buffer had arrived. Hannibal walked out of the kitchen to see Alana shaking hands with Freddie.
"Ladies welcome." He said. "Can I get you all anything? Some tea perhaps?"
"Sounds lovely." Alana said and Freddie nodded.
"Excellent, please my study is at your disposal I'll bring the tea in shortly." As Freddie walked into the room Abigail didn't miss the way Freddie eyed him up and down. Hannibal didn't miss the way Abigails eyes narrowed on the reporter.
"Coming Abigail?" Freddie asked.
"I already have tea, it's in the kitchen I'll be right there." Abigail said and both Alana and Feddie nodded as she headed into the kitchen. Hannibal smiled as he followed.
"Not very lady like…" she muttered to herself as she grabbed her teeth. As Abigail went to walk out Hannibal let his hand slide across her stomach making her come to a stop. "What is it?" she asked and he merely kissed her temple. She smiled softly as she looked him over.
"Go on." He said and she nodded before heading out of the kitchen. Abigail walked into the study and smiled seeing Alana and Freddie already set up.
"We left the chair open for you." Alana said.
"Thank you." She said with a smile as she slowly took her seat.
"So how does this go?" Abigail asked.
"Well I'm going to record you for later uses in my writer, I can't remember every thing after all." Freddie said and Abigail nodded. "I'll also be taking notes as well about how you look when you're talking the feeling in the room things like that."
"Okay." Abigail said as she watched Freddie grab a note book while setting out the digital recorder.
"When you're ready." Freddie said and Abigail nodded.
"When you're ready Abigail." Alana said in a more meaningful tone and Abigail gave her a soft expression.
"I don't know where to start other than my earliest memory of my dad and his cruelty towards me…" As Abigail spoke about the stair case incident Alana and Freddie hung on her every word. They hadn't even noticed when Hannibal had brought in tea and tea cakes. Something he had expected. After all Abigail's tale was an extraordinary one. When he left the room he didn't walk away. Instead he leaned against the wall outside the room and listened in.
"How did it make you feel when your mother asked you why you had made your father break your arm?" Freddie asked after the tale came to an end.
"I couldn't focus on my own feelings… I just kept thinking about the kitten… How much I wanted that kitten… Maybe that's stupid I don't know but… I just wanted something I could hold. I… I don't remember ever being held as a child. The first time I got a genuine hug was after J-." her voice hitched. "Jessica Raynes." She said softly. "He was so angry when I tried to free her but after he had killed her he had me…" her hands shook. "Gut her… He was so proud… He hugged me… kissed my cheeks… took me to an actual hospital to get stitches after I had stabbed myself… He loved me… For the first time someone loved me…"
"Is that why you continued to help your dad bait the girls?"
"No I continued to help because he was going to do it with or without my help." Abigail said. "The way I saw it if I did bait the girls I had a chance of saving them."
"But you couldn't save them." Freddie said and Abigail took a deep breath as she looked down at her hands.
"No." Abigail said her jaw clenching.
"After you failed so many times why did you continue to try and help those girls? Why did you not just give up an give in to your fathers demented needs?"
"Those girls were like me… They were young… They had hopes, and dreams. Wants for their futures. Some of them even had loves they though were the love. Just like me."
"You sympathized with them."
"How could I not? I was just as trapped as they were the only difference was my torment was to be everlasting or at least until my father died which thankfully was early in my life instead of in the middle of it…"
"You believe your father would have continued killing."
"Why would he ever stop?" Freddie nodded.
"A good point." She said. "Tell me about the first girl…"
"I wasn't there for the first girl…"
"Then the second… Jessica Raynes…" Abigail took a deep breath before shaking her head.
"I'm sorry… I can't…" She said softly. "Not today…"
"That's alright Abigail." Freddie said and Alana was surprised. "In your own time… I have plenty to writer for right now…"
"Thank you." Abigail said and she nodded as she stood.
"Net week we'll meet and look over the first draft. You'll ell me any concerns you have and then if you're ready we'll talk more. I do hate to run but I want to get started as fast as I can on this."
"Of course…" Abigial said walking out with her and heading to the front door. "Thanks for not pressuring me."
"Of course… You've been through so much the last thing I want to do is pressure you into saying anything you don't want to say." Abigail nodded as Freddie gave her a hug. She watched her leave before closing the door. Slowly she turned to see Alana.
"Is she trying to manipulate me?" She asked and Alana smiled.
"Glad you saw it so I didn't have to point it out…" Alana said walking to her. "You did good handling her."
"I felt better with you there." Abigail said with a smile as they headed back into the study.
"Would you mind if we talked?" Alana asked.
"Of course not." Abigail said pouring herself another cup of tea. "Do you want some?"
"Yes thank you." Alana said and Abigail nodded as she poured more into her cup. "You seem to be very affected when you talk about Jessica Raynes…"
"I'm affected by all of them… you just haven't mentioned any of the other girls."
"Well they're all just starting to be identified… So many of them we hadn't realized they had been snatched… such as Jessica… This whole time we thought Denise Woodword was the first victim…"
"I wish I knew who the first one was… Jessica was only my first… I'm sure dad had been killing girls long before he brought me into it."
"I just wish I could be more help…"
"You've been a lot of help. If it hadn't been for you. Jack would have never found that storage freezer."
"I guess… I just wish I knew who the girls were that he hurt before he brought me into it…"
"Evidence never dies… We'll find those girls…"
"No we won't… he would have honored every part of them… I bet you anything he made glue out of their bones and that putty is helping hold up some neighbors pipes." She said with a disgusted expression, one Alana could understand. "Jesus I just don't want to think about it right now…" She said as she ran her fingers through her hair.
"Oh no…" Alana said walking to her.
"What is it?" Abigial asked.
"I don't want to be rude but I can see your roots…" She said.
"You can?" she asked before looking to the mirror. "Damn… Right before the party too…"
"I was going to go to the salon after this, you're welcome to join me. We can get our hair done together. Maybe even a manni petti."
"I've never had a manni petti…" Abigail said and Alana smiled.
"Well that's a crime, so it's settled we're going to the salon. Go get your coat and purse and I'll go tell Hannibal."
"Okay." Abigail said with a smile before heading out. Alana walked out of the study and to the kitchen.
"All done?" Hannibal asked with a pleasant look.
"Yes Freddie just left."
"How did it go?"
"Freddie is trying to manipulate Abigail… What's interesting is Abigial spotted this right away but didn't stop Freddie from doing so… She's allowing Freddie to think that she has Abigail wrapped around her little poorly manicured fingers…" Hannibal smiled. "Oh uhm speaking of Abigail, I'm taking her to the salon for some much needed girl time. My treat. My birthday gift to her… If it's alrigth with you of course."
"Of course it is." He said. "I uhm have to go out and get one of her gifts, the shop keeper was terribly neglectful and put it off to the last minute. I was supposed to have it a week ago."
"Well this will be a perfect distraction." She said as she grabbed her coat and bag. "I'll have her back before eight…"
"I'll have dinner waiting."
"I was thinking I might take her to dinner."
"No fast food." He said instantly with a point.
"I promise I promise." She said with a smile as she walked out.
"Alana I mean it." He said quickly walking to the doorway. "Don't ruin that pallet I've been working so hard on building." She only laughed and Hannibal looked off. "She's going to give her fast food… I just know it."
"Bye Hannibal." Abigail said and he looked to her to see she was smiling.
"I'll see you in a bit Abigail." She nodded with a smile before heading out with Alana.
"Did I hear something about fast food?" Abigail asked and Alana smiled.
"Hannibal would kill me if I polluted your organic fed body with fast food. But I do know this quaint little diner that serves burgers made from grass fed beef."
"I haven't had a burger in soo long." Abigail said.
"Which is also a crime." Alana said making Abigail laugh softly.
-o-
Hannibal walked into the knife shop and took a deep breath as he looked around. Many different scents began to fill his senses. Oil and Acrylic paints. New and old leathers. Soft charcoal. Fresh paper. He smiled to himself, he loved the smell of art he really did. In some ways it reminded him of his Abigail.
"Can I help you?" Hannibal turned and looked to the young shop owner.
"Yes. I have an order that was supposed to be ready last week but has just been completed today… I'm here to pick it up."
"The name?" He asked.
"Lecter."
"Oh yes…. Would you mind waiting for just a moment?"
"Of course not." The young man quickly walked into the back of the store and a few seconds later an older gentleman, the one he had given his order to walked forward. A larger leather bound book beneath his arm.
"Mr. Lecter thank you for being so patient with this order, but I wanted to take my time with it…" He said. "Before I wrap it up I just want you give it a look over. I want to make sure everything is perfect." Hannibal tilted his head. The man seemed very excited about the work he had done.
"You certainly took your time with it…"
"Well it's the most exquisite leather I've ever worked with. Imported from Vienna just as you wanted. Salvaged from a 300 year old portfolio…. The pages are made out of ten time hand pressed papyrus. It's the finest portfolio I have ever made… Perfect for a young aspiring artist."
"She already is artist…" Hannibal said. "It's perfect."
"Shall I wrap it for you then?"
"Please do." He said. Hannibal looked to a stack of cards on the counter and took on in hand before sliding it into his coat pocket for later use.
-o-
Abigail smiled as she looked over her ruby red toe nails. She wiggled them at herself before laughing softly and looking to her hands which were currently being painted by a young French woman. She looked to Alana who was smiling to herself.
"So…" Abigail said. "Excited to see Will tomorrow?" Alana looked to her and Abigail smiled innocently.
"Will and I are just friends."
"Mhm…" She said and Alana laughed.
"I'm serious we're really just friends." She said with a smile.
"Mhm…" She said again before laughing. "So no interest then?"
"You know I don't usually discuss my love life with my patients."
"Oh so you usually get pedicures and manicures with them then?"
"Touché." She said. "We're just friends." she reiterated.
"He seems fond of you though."
"He talks about me?" Alana asked.
"Not one bit."
"And you think that means he likes me?" Alana asked looking to her.
"The only time Will is around me is when he's around Hannibal. He tries his hardest to stay off you as a topic which tells me he doesn't want Hannibal to know how he feels about you." Alana looked to her.
"You see more then you let on." She said.
"Now that I'm thinking about it…" Abigail said looking over her manicured hands. "You try not to talk about will also when around Hannibal… Which if I use the same reasoning as I did with Will it would mean you also don't want Hannibal to know that you have feelings for will which means you do in fact have feelings for Will even if you keep trying to say you two are friends."
"We are just friends though."
"No you're not." She said with a laugh before looking to her. "You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You're too close to one another to be friends." She took on a serious expression. "There is a pull you two share to one another. One that can't be ignored. It's like he's a planet, and you're the sun. He keeps circling and circling you… Though you two never touch you can't break free of this pattern, this orbit. You can't because he the planet can't move any closer to you then allowed by your gravitational pull, and you can't touch him because… You simply just refuse to move towards him."
"Why do you think I refuse to move?" She asked.
"Because you can't ignore what you see in Will."
"And what do I see?"
"I don't know." She said as Alana looked to her. "I'm not you. I can tell you what I see when I look to Will though."
"What do you see?"
"A hero." Alana smiled softly before looking over Abigial.
"You're going to make one extraordinary psychiatrist someday…"
"Thanks." She said with a girlish smile before looking down at her hands. "This was lovely… Thank you Alana…"
"Of course." She said with a smile.
-o-
Hannibal paced the kitchen. It was nearing eight and Abigail still wasn't back. If she didn't go to bed soon, she wouldn't be well enough rested for her party tomorrow. He stopped pacing hearing the sound of a car and waited patiently. A few minutes later Abigail unlocked the front door and headed in. Hannibal walked out of the kitchen and came to a stop. Her hair was different. Still long and gorgoues but now she had bangs sweeping across her forehead falling slightly into her eyes. He smiled. He liked the style. More so he liked the color. No longer a Freddie Lounds red but instead a burgundy. One which was deep and resembled that of freshly spilt blood.
"Abigail…" she turned and looked to him. She smiled softly as she ran her fingers through her hair.
"Is it okay?" she asked.
"It looks lovely." He said with a smile and he saw her relax.
"I wasn't sure about the bangs but the woman doing my hair talked me into it."
"It looks perfect…" She smiled.
"Thank you…" she said as he walked over to her.
"Grass fed beef…" He commented. "But a bacon burger still."
"Don't be cross with me, it would have been rude to decline such hospitality."
"Indeed." He said. "How do you feel?"
"A little ill."
"Well that's what happens when you eat something so unrefined…" He chastised before he pushed a strand of her newly dyed hair behind her ear. "Very lovely…" He said before pulling away. "Heading to bed?"
"I thought so, we have an early start tomorrow."
"Indeed we do." He said with a smile.
"Good night Hannibal." She stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek.
"Good night Abigail." He said as he watched her head to the hidden stairwell to go to her room.
-o-
Hannibal smiled as she pulled his waist coat on. He had chosen something easy to move around in considering today was the day of the party and there was going to be much to do. As he pulled a blue tie on to go with his white pin stripe oxford shirt, and grey waist coat, his eyes kept drifting to a small box on his dresser. One of many gifts that Abigail would receive that day. He smiled softly, it wouldn't be the first one. The gift he looked at now would come later in the night. When they were alone. When he was all fixed up he headed out of his bedroom and headed down to the main part of the house.
Abigail took a deep breath as she felt the heat of the sun shine in through her window and set upon her face. Her eyes slowly opened and instantly she could feel something had changed. She slowly looked to her left and smiled softly seeing a large present on her bedside table by a grouping of Latin lady roses. She quickly sat up and brought the gift into her lap and carefully unwrapped the paper. She smiled instantly seeing a beautiful leather bound book. She smiled and opened it up to see a note written on the inside.
My dearest Abigail,
Put your dreams to paper…
Hannibal Lecter
She smiled softly before flipping through the book smiling at the clean fresh paper scent that puffed up around her. She smiled as she held it to her chest before setting it on her desk. She then turned and looked to the roses smiling even more. She had never been given roses before. She smiled even more before heading to her shower to get ready for the day. When she was done she pulled on something easy to move around in. After all she and Hannibal had much to do. She decided on a pair of fitted boot cut jeans and a white cotton t shirt. She threw her hair up into a pony tail her bangs now framing her face as she headed down the stairs. The second she hit them she could smell it. Sticky buns.
"This day is going to be awesome!" She said to herself before heading to the kitchen. "Good morning." She chimed and Hannibal smiled.
"Good morning Abigail. Did you sleep well?"
"I did. How about you?"
"I slept quite soundly." He said.
"Thank you for the drawing portfolio… It's really lovely… Also the roses, they lit up my room."
"Lovely roses, for a lovely lady." He said before stepping aside. Abigail instantly smiled seeing a present set up on the counter.
"What is that?" She asked with a smile.
"Go ahead and open it and find out." He said and she smiled instantly before moving forward and slowly unwrapping the present. Hannibal smiled at the way her eyes lit up when she saw the expensive knife block filled with custom made stainless steel chef knives.
"Oh they're beautiful." She said with a smile.
"You've done so well with your knife skills I thought it time for you to have your own set of tools." He said as he walked around the counter to stand at her side.
"They're so gorgeous..." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she smiled softly as she looked up at him. "I hope I do them justice."
"I'm sure you will." He said with a smile as he kissed the top of her head. "Now let's start with giving them a good sharpen we'll need your extra knives for all the work that needs to be done for dinner tonight." She nodded and instantly took them in hand. Hannibal watched proudly as she sharpened her new knives like an expert.
"Well done Abigail. Well done." He said.
-o-
Abigail took a deep breath as she looked over her dress. It hadn't been something she had picked out. It had been a present from Hannibal. One he had laid out on her bed in a white box from channel. It was a burgundy dress with gold embroidered lace on the blusterier satin top and tulle skirt. She smiled at the capped sleeves which her black draped lace. It was adorable, and just a bit sexy. She took a deep breath and slipped her heels on before turning and looking at the back which was completely made out of the gold lace material. She felt beautiful. For the first time she felt truly beautiful. She maneuvered her red hair and put it over one shoulder, the shoulder near her scar so her hair would cover it. She caught the reflection of Hannibal in the mirror and smiled brightly.
"How does it look?" She asked turning to face him.
"You're a vision, worthy of being a work of art in the louver."
"You see, when you say things like that I'd never think you'd have some guy chained up in your cellar waiting to become your next meal." He smiled as he walked over to her. She tilted her head seeing his hands behind his back. "Hannibal…" she said and he stopped.
"Yes?" he asked with a rare excited smile.
"Another gift?"
"I like to spoil you is this so bad?" he asked.
"It's just I may get overly used to it." She said.
"Good…" he said with a smile. "Just… One more gift at least for tonight."
"Well… If you insist." She said with a smile.
"Close your eyes." She instantly did as he said and he smiled as he closed the distance between them. "You do that without any reservation."
"Of course I don't have any reservation. I trust you completely." He smiled as he looked her over.
"Then you are more than deserving of this." She heard a pop and tilted her head. "Go ahead open…" She slowly did as he said and took a deep breath. Before her were a string of blood red pearls inside a black velvet box.
"Hannibal…" she said her fingers gingerly touching them. "These are for me?"
"They are." He said. "Do you like them? You're not saying anything…"
"I'm sorry I'm just so speechless." She said and he laughed.
"Here let's put them on you." He said and she turned instantly. He draped the pearls around her neck and smiled as he watched her touch them again. "I knew they could only be more stunning if draped around your neck."
"I love the color it's almost like-."
"Blood." He said and she smiled. "Fitting for us don't you think?" he asked. She turned and wrapped her arms around him.
"Thank you so much… For everything." He smiled as he bowed his head into her shoulder and breathed in her sweet scent.
"It's nothing you don't completely deserve Abigail." The door bell sounded and she pulled away.
"Now come, we have a glorious eighteenth birthday party to attend." She smiled brightly as she linked her arm with his and they headed out of her bedroom. "Tonight will be a night to remember… I'm sure of it." She looked to him with a soft expression excited for what was to come."