LABOR PAINS

The moment he reached the foot of the stairs, Hannibal heard his wife call to him. Not the familiar, H. Not her normal lovingly sarcastic tone. This, his Christian name, was cried out, not called.

"Hannibal!"

The sound of it seared his heart. Hearing the pain leeching from her voice Hannibal's body reacted like a coiled spring quickly released. Spontaneously, he tossed the bag from the jeweler onto the table and sprinted toward the staircase. Terror tore down the walls of his memory palace calling to action all that he is and ever was to aid his wife.

Clarice…

Hearing the woman he loves vocalize her pain, primal instincts still fully engaged Protector burst from its door. The raging flood of adrenalin, combining with the increased hormonal output from killing the intruder earlier, caused Hannibal's heart to punch against his sternum as he ran toward the staircase. He gripped the handrail clawing hand over fist as he vaulted forward using the bannister as a spring board to further speed his progress. He reminded himself of her strength and the normalcy of the event.

Pain is customary during childbirth. She's fine…the baby is fine.

The worried husband and no doubt soon-to-be father bolted down the hall and burst into the birthing suite. Out of breath, more from unaccustomed anxiety than physical exertion, Hannibal reached for his wife's hand and kissed it. He reined in his disquiet as he spoke softly, squelching the tremor in his voice to lend confidence to Clarice.

"You called for me, my Love?"

Just getting over a particularly intense contraction his wife clutched at his arm, the nails digging in creating small, crescent shaped impressions on his arm.

Hannibal could see the pain etched on her features the sight of which was disconcerting. For the first time since they were reunited, his wife looked truly vulnerable. The windows in Hannibal's unique mind suddenly aligned. He could see straight through from this point in time, to the moment she returned to the glass with the indignity of Miggs spattered on her face. Now, as he had then, Hannibal wanted to take her in his arms and make the pain go away, but now, as it had been then, was not the time for such things.

I'm here for you Clarice…I'll always be here for you.

Settling down as the pain faded she gathered herself quickly wanting desperately to know what happened with the intruder. Though she yearned for the details she understood that topic would be impossible to discuss in front of Lora. The most Clarice would be able to garner would be a general statement or two. She breathed deeply to vent the remnants of the contraction, inquiring the details of his activities as covertly as possible.

"H! Thank God you got here in time. I was worried you wouldn't. Is everything okay? Did you take care of all of your errands?"

Hannibal understood the phrasing of her sentences contained a hidden inquiry and paused a moment to consider his response.

He squeezed her hand gently and assured, "All my tasks have been finished. I picked up the package at the jewelry store as we discussed."

"Okay, so you got the present. What about the other errands I asked. Did you get everything finished?"

Hannibal smoothed his fingers over his wife's hand, "I attended to all of your concerns without incident so you needn't worry further. There isn't a force in heaven or on earth that could have prevented me from sharing this time with you, Clarice. All is well and soon, we will be holding our son in our arms."

"So there'll be no unannounced visitors?" she confirmed.

Looking into her eyes, his firm and confident he winked, "Not anymore."

Now satisfied that his wife understood the individual that had caused so much concern had been dealt with, he continued to evaluate her health. She needed assurances that Hannibal had taken care of her concerns even as he needed assurances that her delivery was progressing normally.

Hannibal turned to the nurse and pressed her for analysis, "Lora…your assessment?"

Lora looked up, concerned but obviously in control of the situation.

"Her water broke approximately one hour ago. She only had two contractions at ten minutes apart. The next contractions went straight to four minutes and they've remained that way for the last twenty minutes. She's dilated 7 centimeters."

Hannibal began peeling the waxy paper from a small round foam disk and attached it to Clarice's chest. He repeated the process several times affixing the pads to various points on her chest, ribs and abdomen. He then snapped various colored wires to the metal points and fastened the wires to the telemetry pack in order that he might monitor Clarice's heart rate. He then wrapped a tiny wire sensor to the top of her nail bed, affixing it with a flexible adhesive tape to monitor her oxygen levels.

Doctor Hannibal Lecter, in full physician mode, was indeed an impressive sight.

Hannibal began making mental notes, projecting the progress of the labor, "What was the time of Clarice's last contraction?"

Clarice interjected, "Hey, I'm sitting right here."

In a tone that was slightly more condescending than his wife would have preferred, Hannibal spoke plainly, "Of course you are, Clarice. I don't mean to speak around you however, you are not the most accurate judge of your own medical status so forgive me if it seems I am dismissing your opinion. Though it is valuable, it isn't the most medically informed."

Pointing her index finger as if impaling the air she warned, "Watch it, H!"

With an extremely flirtatious tone designed to deflect her anger, Hannibal teased.

"I assure you, Clarice. I will be watching it very carefully over the next several hours and I must say, I am looking forward to it tremendously."

Laughing at the innuendo as she placed the oxygen cannula beneath Clarice's nose, Lora responded, "She was having the contraction right up to maybe thirty seconds before you arrived. She called out for you at the end of it and the next thing I knew, you were in the room. I have to tell you, it was like she felt your presence. It's really kind of surreal the connection you two have."

Calming now, Clarice added, "You think it's surreal now, it was really crazy when he was in Baltimore State."

Picking up on the word crazy in conjunction with his stay at the hostile ward, Hannibal joked, "Was that pun intended, my Love?"

Clarice smacked her husband's arm, "Very funny, H."

Hannibal grabbed the hand that smacked him and bringing it to his lips, bit it playfully. Plainly proud of his witty contribution he agreed, "Yes…it was."

He's always with me…like a bad habit.

Clarice pulled his hand back to her and kissed it lovingly as she continued, "Seriously, there's always been a tangible connection with us. I have to say, back then, because I was so young and he was so formidable, it really freaked me out. Now, that connection is more important to me than the air I breathe."

Moving quietly in the background as his wife spoke of her love for him, Hannibal smiled. He realized that childbirth was often a long process with periods of inactivity that could prove frustrating, especially for one as impatient as Clarice. Waiting for the next contraction he understood it was good for Clarice that Lora was there. She was friendly, and obviously caring; her presence would be a steadying influence creating the appropriate balance for Hannibal's intensity and Clarice's passion.

Lora laughed, "Baltimore State! It's funny, when you say it like that. You make it sound more like a University than the hell hole it really was."

"For me, I guess it was like a University. I'll admit I learned a lot from H there."

After having seen Hannibal restrained and subjected to horrific treatment under Bloom, this topic genuinely interested Lora. She watched how unperturbed Hannibal seemed to be when the years of his incarceration were discussed. He seemed sincerely unaffected by the topic. Intrigued, Lora pursued, "Hannibal?"

Busying himself with the telemetry, Hannibal looked up momentarily, "Yes?"

"It doesn't bother you to look back at those years? I would think the memories would be painful."

Hannibal stood stock still for several moments as he considered the question. He honestly didn't understand the preoccupation the women had with feelings. He took the palm of his hand and smoothed his hair straight back from his forehead as he responded dispassionately.

"No, it doesn't bother me in the least. Memories are neither painful nor joyful; they are simply stored experiences. Though I remember virtually every moment of every day spent, I have no emotions connected to that place. While I was there, I occupied myself with pursuits that interested me very much the same as I did when I left."

Amazed, Lora proceeded, "But it was so restrictive. Doesn't it enrage you to think of that?"

"No, you can restrict a body, not a mind." Hannibal lifted the telemetry pack and reviewed the display. Satisfied with the numbers he continued to assess the situation. "Has she been given any pain medication?"

Lora, working fully independently from Hannibal, was currently palpating Clarice's arm for intravenous access. Intently focused on her task and as such momentarily ignoring Hannibal, Lora focused on Clarice, "You're going to feel a slight pinch."

The nurse pierced the flesh and adroitly placed the line. When Lora was certain the access was secured, she turned her attention to Hannibal. Shaking her head, her voice brimmed with compassion as she spoke, "What can I say, Hannibal? I offered but she refused it."

Checking her arm, running a finger over the bump on her skin caused by the embedded needle she tracked the newly placed line to the hanging sack of clear fluid.

Clarice pointed as she questioned, "Okay, so what's in the bag?"

Lora responded, "Just some fluids."

"Just fluids…" Clarice's proclamation the form of a question, "…no medication?"

Lora shook her head and avowed, "I wouldn't do that to you, Clarice. Hannibal's not only the doctor, he's your husband so he might have the nerve to overrule you, I wouldn't."

Not bothering to deny the pronouncement that he might not bow to her wishes, Hannibal kissed his wife quickly on the lips and rested his palm on her forehead. He continually brushed her hair back with his thumb, as he spoke gently, "Clarice, it need not be painful."

Adamant in her refusal, Clarice reached for her husband's shoulders and looked into his eyes, "H, I don't want any medication so don't bother trying to convince me by telling me it won't hurt the baby because you don't know that."

Though he heard everything she said, Hannibal ignored her declaration and immediately began to assess her condition. He reached for her pulse to gauge her progress as he spoke, "While it is true that most medications administered will cross the placenta and as such enter the child's bloodstream, it is not true in every case. If it were to happen, the dosage would be trace amounts and as such wouldn't significantly impact our son's health. The Apgar score should remain within the acceptable range."

Clarice emphasized her apprehension by grabbing her husband's upper arm pulling him to her. As her grip closed on the limb her fingers pressed firmly into his bicep, asserting her anxiety. She desperately sought to convince her husband that her fear was legitimate.

"Please pay attention to this, H…I'm worried."

Hannibal, hearing the abnormally plaintive quality to her voice, stopped what he was doing and took note of her obvious apprehension.

"Forgive me, Clarice. You have my undivided attention."

"H…you've got that enzyme problem so there's a better than average chance the baby carries the same genetic marker and I'm really afraid of that."

"You have nothing to fear, Clarice."

"You're not afraid because you don't remember anything from the time they shot you with the dart because you were unconscious. H…you stopped breathing right in front of me. I watched you crash to the ground like a felled tree and you're a big guy! Our baby isn't strong enough to withstand that kind of shock to his system and I don't care how painful it is, I won't do anything that might hurt our baby."

Hannibal held his wife's hand as he explained, "There is nothing to worry about my Love. There is no guarantee that our child will inherit an insufficient pseudocholinesterase level. That mentioned if you have difficulty and I am forced to administer succinylcholine to prepare for a possible caesarian section or forceps delivery, I assure you it is highly ionized and as such will not readily traverse the placenta."

Clarice pulled Hannibal close and whispered in his ear as if speaking the sentence aloud would in some way cause it to come true. The worry in her voice was tangible as she unfurled her fears, "H if even the slightest amount does cross the placenta...could it kill our baby, H?"

Hannibal understood her anxiety and sought to assuage her fear. He wrapped his arms around his wife and spoke against her cheek hoping the contact with his flesh would lend comfort.

"No, Clarice, it could not kill our baby. If the child has an enzyme deficiency the abnormality would have to exceed a seventy-five percent deficit to produce a significant reaction. Trust me, there is virtually no chance of injury to our son."

Clarice held his face to hers and asserted, "No medication unless you have to cut me open. Got it?"

Hannibal remained joined to his wife as he relented, "Yes, Clarice. I most certainly do. There will be no medication administered unless I have the need to operate. But, you must agree that if I deem it medically necessary I will do as I see fit and I will not tolerate your refusal. I am your husband, and as such, am concerned with your wishes, but if an emergency arises, Husband must be supplanted. I will be your physician alone and as such, will consider your safety alone."

She seized him by the lapels and pressed against his flesh, "And you don't cut me open unless there's no other way, got it?"

This was a promise Hannibal did not wish to make. He was concerned, if the need truly arose and he was forced to operate, that his wife might waste precious time arguing. He needed to keep this option on the table.

"Clarice..."

Fully entrenched in her decision she asserted, "Got it, H?"

Understanding that his wife was making an effort to put their child's health above her own he yielded to her wishes, "Yes. I have it, Clarice. I will agree that you have the right to refuse medication if that is your wish. However, if your condition alters and the need arises I will disregard your wishes and tend to your medical needs as I see fit. Know that I will gladly face your wrath to protect your life, Clarice"

Suddenly, a contraction began to radiate causing Clarice to clutch at Hannibal's belt buckle. She began to tug firmly as this contraction gained strength.

The pain now firmly entrenched, she snarled, "Now is not the time to fuck with me, H."

A scandalous smile lightened Hannibal's features as he mused, "That is most certainly true, at least not for a minimum of four weeks post-delivery, though I assure you, I will be counting the days, my Love."

"Don't be such a…"

Before Clarice could finish her sentence, she winced. Lora checked the monitor as Hannibal checked his watch.

Hannibal was approximating the time elapse since the last contraction.

"Didn't you say the last contraction was thirty seconds before I arrived?"

Lora was positive. "Yes. Definitely."

Hannibal walked around the birthing bed. Clarice's feet were in the stirrups, but her knees were touching modestly. He moved closer to her.

Preparing to assess his wife's status Hannibal sat on the stool in front of the bed aligned directly in between his wife's legs. Taking off his suit jacket he rolled up his sleeves, placed his hands on his wife's knees opening her legs to him and proclaimed proudly,

"Okie-Dokie! Let's have a baby."

Until the next chapter my friends!

LH