I've gone for too long living like I'm not alive
So I'm going to start over tonight
Beginning with you and I
When this memory fades
I'm gonna make sure it's replaced
With chances taken
Hope embraced
and have I told you?
Paramore, Miracle

Two Weeks had passed since Hannibal gave the Omegas and Betas their choice. All of the Betas that had helped Hannibal had chosen to stay, as had Joshua and Kari which had surprised him a little. As expected most of the Omegas had left, going back to their families. The only ones to stay where Rain and Rex, Abi had decided to stay as well but Hannibal thought that was mainly because she wanted to be with Will. Alana was something of a mystery to Hannibal, she had left to go live with her half brother yet every morning she came in with Price and set about helping where she could. Alana acted more like a Beta than an Omega, maybe it was because she was raised with Price, who Hannibal had come to respect.

Price had kept to his plan and burnt the Bonsai tree that Jack had so cared for, making way for the office to become Hannibal's. The Alpha had brought a few things to really make the place his own, one of which was a small statue of a stag. The stag was heavy but it worked wonderfully with the dark wood panelled walls. He didn't think it was fair for him to redecorate while the few remaining Omegas looked at grey walls and so he brought them pain of every colour imaginable and told them they could make their bedrooms more homely. Hannibal was pretty sure Abi cried when he told them. Rain's room became a lavender purple with slightly darker purple stencil butterflys all around the room, he had brought a wardrobe for each room and hers was now covered in the same butterfly's. Hannibal had to admit it was nice, not his taste but nice nonetheless. Rex had chosen the dark navy paint and then made himself a work of art consisting of a feature wall that had white and navy strips. Abi's room was Hannibal favourite, it was in deep greens and Rex had made her a feature wall of her own that looked like the setting sun was shining through the forest trees. It was simple yet elegant.

Hannibal decided that the large storage room to the left of the stairs was to become a dining room so they would have somewhere to eat together, and of course for Hannibal to serve his fine cuisine. The guest lounge stayed pretty much the same, as did reception, the staff room and security. Will had the idea to turn the basement into a media area for everyone and Hannibal had wasted no time in having the chains ripped out. He didn't want any of them to have to see them again, especially his William. Rex seemed to be a natural artist and so he asked him to decorate the dining room and soon to be media room.

Hannibal was just coming back from the basement and hearing Rex's ideas when he saw Rain sat on the patio just outside the door, it was cold so he wondered what she was doing there playing with a leaf. Hannibal went outside.

"What's wrong?"

He didn't need to see her face he could tell by her posture she was upset. Rain startled and turned to see the Alpha.

"I'm sorry."

She didn't even know why she apologized, it was just something her Omegan DNA made her do. Hannibal sat beside her on the patio step.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Rain." He took a breath. "I do not command respect via fear."

Rain seemed to relax a little, there was even a faint smile.

"Now. Please tell me what is wrong."

Rain turned slightly and showed him the leaf.

"Do you know why I'm called Rain?" Hannibal shook his head. "When I was born, it was raining and my mom loved the way that the water collected on the leaves." She took a breath. "My dad though, he wouldn't let her call me leaf, to be honest I'm glad about that. So Rain it was."

Hannibal responded in his perfect Psychiatrist voice.

"Some things are so important to us that we name our children for them. My daughter is named after my sister."

"Valentina?"

"No her middle name, Mischa. It's the same way Claude's is Hansel, the name reminded Will of Beverly." Hannibal spoke honestly.

The two sat in quietude for a while until Rain finally broke it.

"The Betas are all re-purposing rooms, Rex is painting everything in sight, you and Will are running the place and Alana is getting Abi to be more confident, getting her to talk. I'm useless."

"Rain there are always things to do. What would you like to do?"

Rain sighed.

"I don't know Doctor Lecter. I'm not good at art, all I can do is keep a plant alive and Price burnt the Bonsai."

Hannibal thought for a moment and then said.

"What about this?" He gestured to the large open space between The House and the forest.

"What about it, Doctor Lecter?"

"You can call me Hannibal, and this looks a little old and decrepit. You could turn it into a real garden. Since you can keep a plant alive." He added the last bit as a joke and it worked making her grin ear to ear.

"Really?" She looked like a kid in a candy store.

"Yes of course. The others would love to see it, I'm sure. You can do whatever you wish with the garden, as long as you wear a coat. We don't want you getting ill." Hannibal gestured to her thin cardigan.

Rain pounced on the Alpha hugging and squeezing him. Hannibal couldn't help but smile. Omega's where not normally that brave, especially towards a mated Alpha.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She chanted into his neck. "I'll get a coat."

With that a very happy Rain charged into the house off to get her coat. Hannibal just sat their smiling.