Abigail Hobbs had brown chestnut straight hair. She looked so young. Elizabeth felt that she was too young to have this life put on her. She could see from the forming bags under her eyes from sleep deprivation that she felt guilty about her father's victims.
"Who is she?" Abigail questioned Will and Hannibal.
"I'm his sister, Special Agent Elizabeth Graham," she answered. "I'm being forced to stay near them because they think that I am some feeble woman who can't defend herself."
"There is a serial killer after you," Will argued incredulously.
"It's been a like a week since then," Elizabeth reminded him. "He hasn't done anything."
"Yet. He's trying to wait you out, have you think that you're safe before he could attack again." Will countered. "Toying with you."
"The only people I really care about are already around me." She sighed. "And Meredith Hopkins, but she's fine."
"I'll never understand why you're friends with her. She's worse than Freddie Lounds," Will muttered.
"I've heard of that woman from Alana," Elizabeth replied. "I would like to meet her sometime."
"Oh no," Will immediately chuckled.
She frowned. "Why not?"
"Because you'll eat her alive I'm afraid," Hannibal teased.
Elizabeth raised an amused eyebrow at him and gazed at him from under her lashes. Hannibal smiled as well and his fingers touched her palm without anyone noticing. She had been spending most of her time with Hannibal since the ripper had broken into her house, played a threatening song, and took a necklace from her jewelry bow on his way out she guessed. It was her favorite necklace of a silver moon pendent that her father had given her when she was little. They had three dates since then; they would spend time looking at cases together, but silently working. They shared various kisses, but they were surprise kisses give by Hannibal. He always made the first move, but gave her time and space.
Elizabeth enclosed her hand around his fingers and then he asked, "Am I feeding you tonight?"
"If you're willing to have me, Hannibal," She confessed.
Hannibal smirked. "I am worthy of you, my Ella."
"Ella?" Will questioned with clear amusement. "I'd never thought I'd ever see the day where you accept nicknames like that…the world must be ending."
"Well, actually, it's 'my pearl' on Sundays if it makes you feel any better," Hannibal added.
"Really? A Pride & Prejudice reference?" Will inquired. "It's very humorous how two can communicate through literature. You are a strange kind of couple."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Will."
"I know you from somewhere." Abigail said softly to her, her face formed into thought. "Where have I seen you before?"
Elizabeth shrugged. "I-I don't know."
After a moment, Abigail sat up on the bed that she was currently sitting on. "On the news…that butcher in the U.K."
"Yeah, I lived there for a while and was called there to work on the case of the butcher," she explained.
"Just like Will for my dad's case. He murdered girls that looked like me."
"I'm sorry. Rog-I mean the butcher had begun to kill women who looked like me as well."
"Will killed my father," Abigail said to her casually.
Elizabeth moved away from Hannibal after seeing Will look down in shame when she had said those words. Her brother seemed haunted by the death of Garret Jacob Hobbs. Though Hannibal had assured her that he is slowly getting better. She could not help, but let herself worry about him instead of being happy.
"And I killed my unborn baby," Elizabeth confessed firmly. "Hannibal killed Tobias and you killed Nicholas Boyle."
All of them turned their eyes to her in shock and Will asked hesitantly, "How do you know?"
"You guys, it's not that hard to figure out. Why did you kill him, Abigail? Be honest with me please," Elizabeth asked her sympathetically.
Tears were in Abigail's eyes as she admitted, "I-I was so scared. H-He…it was on accident. It was self defense, I didn't mean to kill him, it just happened. He ran into the knife."
"I actually believe you when you say that it was self defense," Elizabeth said honestly. "You can't blame my brother for what he did to your father. It was self defense since your own father was trying to kill you. Same with Hannibal and Tobias who trying to kill him."
"What about your baby, huh? Did you kill it?"
"With my unborn baby, it was either I live or the baby. My baby's father was the butcher," she said.
Will turned to her sharply. "You didn't…why didn't you tell me?"
"The butcher's name is Roger Kane and how do you suppose I started the conversation, Will? Apart of me wanted the baby, but my fear of what it would become overgrew the hope. I had a miscarriage and so in a way I felt responsible for killing my baby. We are all killers in a way. But I will confess that there is not a day that goes by that I don't wonder what my life would have been like with that child in this world. I do regret sometimes and sometimes I don't. My brother deeply regrets what he's done to your father, but then again, he doesn't because you are alive, he and Hannibal saved you from someone who wanted to kill you, Abigail. Do not blame him for your father's death just like you wouldn't want to be blamed for self defense."
Abigail gulped nervously. "Why didn't you tell Agent Crawford about what happened?"
"Because Jack would automatically condemn you to be guilty without another thought," Will answered.
"He's right, Abigail," Hannibal agreed. "And so is Elizabeth. We're here to protect you. We don't want to see your future ruined because of something you had no control over."
Abigail nodded as Elizabeth told Hannibal and Will, "We should leave her alone right now."
They nodded and walked out of the room, Hannibal's hand resting on the small of her back.
"Do you want to come over?" Hannibal asked as he gazed down at her and then pulled her to his side.
Before she could answer, a woman with bright bouncy red curls came running to stand in their way. She had this smug grin on her face when she saw the group of people. She held her hand out immediately to Elizabeth.
"Agent Elizabeth Graham I presume," She said as they shook hands. "Hi, I'm Freddie Lounds."
"We were just discussing how I would apparently kill you if I ever met you." Elizabeth joked.
"Oh, so I guess being insane runs in the family then," Freddie told her calmly.
She raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"What happened on the 13th of December in 1992? There was an incident with you and your half-brother, Will, I believe he-"
"No comment, Ms. Lounds," Elizabeth replied coldly. Now I hate her. "I've always hated journalists."
"I see the apple doesn't fall down far from the tree then," Freddie chuckled.
"I see you alone everyday, Ms. Lounds…I guess your family couldn't-oh, I mean wouldn't stay near you anymore, huh? Will is my blood and therefore I consider him my full one and the only that I need. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do like save people's lives and put the bad guys behind bars."
"Then why is your brother roaming about then?"
"Why are you still roaming about is what shocks me most?"
"Because I'm not insane and don't break that law."
"Everyone breaks the law, Ms. Lounds…even you. It's inevitable," Elizabeth reminded her with a smile. "Let's go, you guys."
Once they were far away from Freddie, Will smirked at her. "Thanks."
"For what?" she asked curiously.
"For being your overly protective self and my sister," Will teased.
"Right back at you," she said. "I'll be with Hannibal tonight so don't wait up."
Will nodded in response and walked to his car, getting inside and driving off. When she turned to Hannibal, he suddenly kissed her very softly on the lips, cupping the back of her neck.
They ended the kiss and she whispered, "You and your surprise kisses, Hannibal Lecter…"
"But you like my kisses, do you not?"
"I like them," she whispered so softly that he almost didn't hear her. "I'm simply starving right now, Hannibal. Let's go eat."
Hannibal nodded. "I shall cook a meal for you that you will never forget."
A meal that has your former love as a key ingredient, he thought amusingly and then kissed her forehead.
TBC…
THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS, FOLLOWS, AND FAVORITES! I hoped you a liked this chapter.
REVIEW. FOLLOW. FAVORITE. Until next time…