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DECISIONS

Pearsall called Ardelia and asked her to bring Clarice in for the meeting with Doctor Burgess. Clarice's response was plain and simple. No…well, not just No... but, Hell No!

"What the hell do you mean she refuses to come in, Agent Mapp? She's your friend, drag her ass in!"

Ardelia covered the phone with her hand and turned to Clarice.

"He is not pleased. He wants me to drag you in."

Clarice sat calmly at the kitchen table with her arms defiantly crossed.

"You tell that son of a bitch I won't talk to a single soul about this case until I can talk to my husband, face to face, not through any goddamned glass either. If I can't see Hannibal, alone in a room without the FBI involved, I won't come in and I won't talk to anyone."

Ardelia uncovered the phone and prepared to tell Pearsall what she knew he would not want to hear.

"Yeah, well Sir the thing is she wants to see Hannibal. If you can get that arranged, as soon as she talks to her husband, she'll talk to your psychiatrist. If not…her pregnant ass isn't going anywhere."

Ardelia believed she could hear Pearsall seething through the phone. She leaned on the kitchen sink and awaited his response.

"Look Mapp, Lecter left specific instructions that no one aside from the participants in the case be allowed access to him. No visitors. No exceptions. If we lose his cooperation, we lose the girl. Tell that to Starling."

Ardelia felt she could answer that herself. Clarice could care less about anyone or anything but Hannibal, but she relayed the message.

"Clarice, he said your hubby was specific…no visitors…no exceptions."

"Then no interview…no exceptions."

"Pearsall thinks the girl might die."

Clarice didn't answer. She merely stared blankly at Ardelia as if her mind could easily be read. It could.

"Yeah, she doesn't care. She wants to see Hannibal. Get it done and I'll have her there ASAP."

Pearsall's voice boomed through the phone.

"Jesus Christ this is ridiculous! I'll talk to the crazy bastard and see if I can get him to change his mind."

"Thank you, Sir. We'll wait for your call."

Ardelia hung up the phone and turned to Clarice.

"Okay, he's going to talk to Hannibal. We'll have an answer within the hour."

"Just take me down there, Dee. Hannibal was just trying to protect me. He really wants to see me."

Ardelia grabbed her cell phone and texted Pearsall that they were on the move and to text her with Hannibal's response.

Pearsall arrived at the prison, checked his cell, and shook his head.

You've gotta be kidding me! They probably beat me here.

He moved quickly through the entry, flashed his FBI credentials, and was taken directly to Lecter's cell.

The correctional officer opened the food port and spoke quietly, unsure because of his stillness if Hannibal was awake or asleep.

"Excuse me, Doctor Lecter…I'm sorry for disturbing you. Deputy Director Pearsall is here to see you. May I open you cell and allow him to enter?"

Hannibal sat up quickly.

Allow him to enter? Getting brave are we Deputy Director?

"Yes, of course officer."

Hannibal spun on his bunk but didn't feel the need to stand. He watched carefully as the door opened.

Pearsall walked in and stood quietly in the center of the room. He had made several mistakes in handling Lecter during their previous interaction and he was determined not to make the same errors.

"Good afternoon, Doctor Lecter." Pearsall said calmly, his vocalizations not at all reflecting the sheer terror he was feeling. He would show trust if it killed him…and he thought it just might.

Don't tear my face off you crazy fuck…let's play nice.

Lecter could smell the fear, but was impressed that Pearsall was attempting to show a level of trust that the psychiatrist had not.

Pearsall turned to the correctional officer.

"That will be all, Officer. I'll knock on the door when I'm ready to leave."

Hannibal smiled inwardly. Alone in the room with the monster, Mr. Pearsall…I'm impressed.

Hannibal did not move from his bunk. Pearsall stood in the center of the room. He twitched slightly when the tumbler to the lock spun, trapping him in the cell with Hannibal. Lecter smiled, thoroughly enjoying Pearsall's obvious discomfort.

"May I offer you a seat, Mr. Pearsall? The accommodations are minimal, but adequate. Though I am not certain many more of your cooperating witnesses are forced to endure such hospitality."

Pearsall took the only other seat available. The metal chair bolted to the desk within striking distance of Lecter.

"You'd be surprised at the accommodations some of our other witnesses have had to endure."

"Yes. I am certain I would at that. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

Pearsall shifted uncomfortably on the stool. "Your wife is refusing to cooperate. She won't speak to the psychiatrist. Without that interview, the pardon office will not send your file to the White House."

"On what did Clarice base this refusal?"

"She has been banned from seeing you as per your instruction and she is not at all pleased about it. In fact, Doctor Lecter…she's on her way here right now. If you were to rescind your instructions and allow her to visit with you, we will be able to move forward. If not…I don't know what our next move will be. The psychiatrist will only clear you once he has spoken to Clarice. Kind of a Catch-22 situation."

"Yes…did you say that Clarice is on her way now?"

"You know her better than I do Doctor and even I know there is no way, aside from arresting her and tossing her in a cell of her own, that I am going to be able to keep her out of here."

Hannibal smiled and bit his lower lip to stop from laughing. The sight of an obviously amused Hannibal Lecter caught Pearsall quite off guard.

"It is true…my wife is extremely determined. If she has set her mind to something it is quite impossible to dissuade her. She is pregnant and quite emotional. It was unfair of me to ask this of her, especially without consulting her. I fear I am in the proverbial dog house."

Pearsall nodded. "Yeah, I wouldn't want to be you right now…trust me she isn't pleased."

"Though I am certain it is difficult for you to imagine, Clarice loves me very much and is quite protective of me, as I am of her. May I ask a favor of you, Deputy Director Pearsall?"

"Sure, if you'll do me the favor of seeing your wife so we can move this process along."

"Yes, of course I will see her as soon as she arrives."

"Then, if your favor is in my power, I'll take care of it."

"Could you please be certain that my wife is well protected? I fear this situation is about to escalate dramatically and her welfare is my one and only concern. I would have her safe. Can you attend to that? I would consider it a personal favor and I would be in your debt."

"I'll put a couple of agents on her to make sure she stays out of trouble."

Pearsall's cell phone went off signaling a text. He checked it, quickly responded and placed the phone in his pocket.

"I hope you are ready to defend yourself, Doctor. Your wife is on her way up."

Hannibal nodded. "Normally, if I were penitent I would face her with gourmet chocolates and a candlelit dinner. Perhaps jewelry as well, if the offense demanded such."

"Sorry, Doc…you're on your own." Pearsall knocked on the door and the officer let him out.

Hannibal sat bolt upright on his bunk, waiting for Clarice. Several minutes passed before there was another tap at the door.

"Come." Hannibal responded. He could smell the scent of her from beneath the door. His heart raced.

The officer pushed the large door open and allowed Clarice to enter.

"Take as long as you like, Mrs. Lecter. When you knock on the door, I'll open it. Until then, enjoy your privacy. You will not be disturbed."

Clarice nodded her thanks and smiled. She had never been called Mrs. Lecter before. She liked the sound of it.

Hannibal stood and lowered his head. "Forgive me, my Love. This process has been…difficult."

He was expecting her anger and was more than willing to accept it. Instead she rushed across the small space and into his arms. Neither spoke. He simply held her, binding her to him as tightly as he could manage. They sat on the bunk, leaning against the cold stone wall, holding each other.

"I needed to talk to you, H. I need you to explain to me why it is a good thing that the entire world is about to find out that we are not only both alive, but together."

She placed her head on his chest, comforted by the beat of his heart.

"I warned that this would go against your instincts, Clarice."

"It sure as hell does and I would feel a hell of a lot better about it if I knew why."

"Clarice… aside from the FBI and those law enforcement officials assigned to the case, does anyone else know that I am currently occupying this cell?"

Clarice sat up and seriously considered the question put to her. She reached for his hand and held it.

"No…no one knows, H…Why is that important?"

"It is important, my lovely wife, because if no one knows I am here, what is to prevent my current captors from holding me indefinitely?"

"We have an agreement."

Hannibal took her face in his hands and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Clarice, the offer of commutation is only valid if they find the girl alive and if they find me sane. Both pieces of the puzzle must be in place for this plan to come to fruition. If the girl is not recovered safely it can simply be said that I remain a threat, at which point, they have me and they may keep me."

Clarice's eyes widened. She knew he had placed himself in jeopardy but until that moment, sitting in his cell with him…she hadn't allowed herself to fully realize just how much.

"That's why you didn't want me to come here? You were afraid they weren't going to let you go."

Hannibal sighed deeply and smoothed his hand over her thigh.

"Yes, Clarice. In the event that they do not release me…I did not want you to remember me like this. You are pregnant and I am concerned about your safety and the safety of our child. I know how difficult this has been for you. I would spare you pain if it is in my power to do so."

"It's a lot more painful when you isolate yourself from me, H. I keep telling you, you are not alone anymore. I'm your wife. I'm by your side…no matter what."

"That fact is a constant comfort to me whether you are physically present or not."

Hannibal lifted Clarice's chin and began to kiss her. She put her arms around his neck and held him to her. They remained this way for several minutes, the kisses soft and tender. Both partners expressed their love for one another without words.

Though they were careful to not escalate their passions, Hannibal shifted uncomfortably. His physical response to his wife, especially without the ability over the last two days to find relief in the expression of that passion, caused some distress.

Clarice noticed and pulled away from him.

"I'm making this harder on you aren't I, H?"

He winked and flashed a wicked smile. "You have no idea how much."

Clarice slapped him playfully. "I didn't mean it like that! You are incorrigible!"

Hannibal's expression shifted and took on a much more serious tone.

"Clarice, I have asked Mr. Pearsall to assign agents to protect you. You must remain vigilant. You must be extremely cautious from this point on. You know what is going to happen when the Tattler hits the stands tomorrow."

"The proverbial shit is going to hit the fan."

"Your words are profane and profound as usual, my Love."

There was a slight commotion just outside the door as Pearsall was attempting to gain access to the cell.

The Correctional Officer assigned to Lecter stood outside, waiting patiently for Clarice. He would not allow Pearsall access.

"Open that door, Officer. I need Starling out here now for an interview."

"I will not open this door, Mr. Pearsall. Doctor Lecter and his wife are entitled to some privacy and I will afford them that small luxury. Mrs. Lecter will leave when she has finished her conversation with her husband."

"Since when does an inmate get a freaking conjugal visit in his own cell?"

"It is not a conjugal visit and Doctor Lecter is not an inmate. He is our guest at your behest. If you do not like the accommodations we have provided for him, perhaps he can stay at your home and keep your wife company while you're at work."

"Don't be such a smart ass…fine. I'll wait."

Pearsall paced up and down the tier impatiently.

Hannibal could hear the entire conversation though it was far too muted for Clarice to detect.

"Deputy Director Pearsall is growing impatient my Love. Perhaps it is time for you to leave. You may return whenever it pleases you. I will keep you from me no longer."

He stood and extended a hand for her to do the same. She sat on the bunk, shaking her head.

"No…not yet, H… I'm not ready to go."

"You will never be truly ready to go, Clarice. Better to leave now and get that interview underway so the pardon application can be processed. There is one more piece to this puzzle and I will not set it into motion until the confirmed document approving my sentence commutation is in hand."

"What is the final piece of the puzzle, H?"

Hannibal crossed the small space and reached for an envelope on the metal desk. It was sealed and the name Clarice was written flawlessly in Hannibal's impeccable copperplate script.

"Do not open this until you are safely at home, Clarice. It is for your eyes only, not the psychiatrist or the FBI. You may share what you wish with your friends, but at home only…understood."

"Yes, H…understood."

Hannibal took her by the hand and led her to the door. He knocked on it firmly and just before it opened fully, he kissed her a final time.

"I love you, H."

"And I love you as well, Clarice. No matter what happens…never forget how much."

The door to the cell now tightly closed, as the lock engaged, Hannibal returned to his bunk, renewed.

HER INTERVIEW

Clarice walked quietly beside Pearsall to the interview room. She did not speak and was not comfortable in his presence.

Pearsall spoke first. "Can I ask you something, Starling?"

"You can ask anything you wish, Mr. Pearsall. Whether or not I choose to answer remains to be seen."

"Do you really love Hannibal Lecter?"

They arrived at the door. Clarice paused before going in. She looked Pearsall in the eye and, without blinking stated very firmly, so there would be no question in Pearsall's mind.

"He's my husband and he's the father of my child. I love him now. I will love him always. He is my life."

Pearsall opened the door and allowed Clarice to enter.

"I guess there's no accounting for taste." He commented. She glared at him.

"The same might be said for your lovely wife, Clint."

She brushed past Pearsall and walked directly to Doctor Burgess, already seated at the same table Hannibal had been chained to hours earlier. Clarice shook the doctor's hand and took her seat. She flipped the hoop that was welded to the bracket in the center.

"Did you have my husband shackled to this, or did you show trust enough to face him unrestrained?"

Burgess was surprised by her reference to her husband being restrained.

"It wasn't a matter of trust. It was a safety issue."

"Whose safety are you referring to…certainly not Hannibal's?"

"No, I was referring to my own safety. I was, at the time only familiar with your husband through what I had seen in the press and on the news."

"I'm curious, Doctor… now that you have met him and spoken to him has your opinion changed at all."

"Yes, actually I found him to be pleasant and quite cooperative."

"Not the blood thirsty lunatic everyone ascribes him to be, is he?"

"No. I was actually quite surprised by that. He is an intelligent and engaging man and he is quite dedicated to your safety and well- being. He loves you very, very much."

Clarice shifted in her seat, her eyes never leaving the therapist. "He has given up everything for me."

"It could be said that you, too have given up everything for him as well."

"If I gave anything up for him I did it gladly. He is my life."

"How did you come to leave with him?"

Here we go…remember what he told you to say.

"I am not fully able to explain how."

"Why is that?"

"I was not conscious the entire time. The facts are somewhat hazy."

"Were you drugged?"

"Yes."

"Hannibal drugged you?"

"Yes."

"For the purposes of?"

"One would assume the purpose was to fake my death so that no one would come looking for me after he faked his own death. He knew I wanted to be with him and he didn't want me to be complicit in the situation so he took matters into his own hands. Hannibal surmised correctly that we would be safe if we were presumed dead. The FBI doesn't chase ghosts that I'm aware of."

The doctor scribbled notes furiously.

"When you realized you were permanently in the company of Doctor Lecter, were you frightened?"

"No. I was thrilled. I've never been afraid of Hannibal."

The therapist looked up from his notes shocked at this comment. "Never? You can honestly say that you have never been afraid of Hannibal Lecter?"

Clarice leaned forward across the table, her hands clasped much as her husband's had been hours earlier.

"I have never been afraid of Hannibal. I have felt safe and more secure with him than I have ever felt before with anyone else…ever."

"Why do you think that is?"

"Because he is the most moral man I have ever met and he has never lied to me. There is not another person alive that I would trust more. You would have seen it yourself had you un-cuffed him. If he gives you his word…he keeps it. "

"Has Hannibal recently shown any predilection toward his previous habits?"

"What do you mean? Killing people or eating them?"

"Either."

"Don't be ridiculous. First of all we are never one without the other. Secondly, he knows I would leave him if he did. No, he has made adjustments that suit his predatory habits."

"What adjustments has he made?"

"He hunts."

"Gun…bow...?"

"His Harpy."

"Is that his weapon of choice?"

"Yes, it is."

"Where does he keep it?"

She wanted to say 'In his pants' but didn't think he would get that she was joking.

"Either I have it with me or it is kept in the drawer of his nightstand, beside our bed."

"He lets you hold it?"

Hell yes he lets me hold it! It takes two hands…probably not the same for you though, it is Doc?

She couldn't resist being a little provocative. This was just too, too easy!

"Yup…he lets me hold it whenever I want…He lets me hold a lot of things." Clarice teased amused at the process and enjoying it thoroughly. She was certain Hannibal had this idiot jumping through hoops for him.

"You stated that you share a bed with Doctor Lecter."

"We are married and I am having his baby. I didn't get pregnant through Immaculate Conception, Doctor Burgess. His incarceration is the first night I have not slept in his arms since leaving the States several months ago."

"And forgive my bluntness, but your sexual relationship with your husband is adequate?"

"I don't know if I would define my love life with Hannibal as adequate."

"Explain please."

"He was locked up a very long time, Doctor. He is far more active than most men…especially for his age."

"You have relations with him how frequently would you estimate?"

"I don't have to estimate. Last night was only the second night since we have been together that we did not consummate our relationship."

"That certainly is much more than adequate. Do you find his libido to be a problem?"

"No I find his libido to be challenging, but very, very entertaining."

"Then he is a sensitive lover. Your needs are met."

"More than I could ever have imagined or could have had the right to expect."

"When this situation is resolved, what is your intention, Ms. Starling?"

"Mrs. Lecter, thank you, Doctor Burgess. My intention is to return to my home with my husband, to have his baby and to live our lives."

"Do you ever see yourself leaving Hannibal Lecter?"

"The only thing that will separate me from Hannibal is death. Until one of us passes from this life…I will spend every day by his side and every night in his arms."

Clarice smiled as the psychiatrist closed his pad and placed it in his briefcase.

"It has been a pleasure, Mrs. Lecter. I must say that this has been a very eye opening experience."

"Can I ask what your recommendation to the pardon office will be, Doctor Burgess, I would like my husband released as soon as possible and I am certain your word will carry the greatest weight."

"I will recommend that the pardon board commute your husband's sentence. While he may have had significant mental health issues in the past…I believe you have been the answer to whatever it was that drove him to his crimes. There is only one circumstance by which I see your husband reoffending."

"What circumstance would that be, Doctor?"

"If your life were in any way threatened, Mrs. Lecter… I would fear for the man that had to face him."

Clarice nodded an acknowledgement. Hannibal still battled his demons…he always would, but If she were threatened, nothing would restrain those demons and nothing would contain Hannibal's rage. What Clarice did not know was how very soon she would be threatened…how very soon Hannibal would have to face those raging demons and just how monstrous would become her husband's revenge.

Thank you to all my faithful friends who are reading and reviewing! You make every day a joy. You are truly appreciated! To my new friends, thank you for reading. Drop me a note and say hello! Taylor say hello to Mum for me! You are awesome!

Until the next chapter, my friends!

Ta-ta

LH