Luna opened the door to a disheveled looking woman.
She smelled familiar... She knew it was her aunt.
Her depressed aura made Luna feel the welcoming smile on her face was inappropriate.
A surprise visit Luna thought, what is her aunt up to now?
"I just came from Hannibal's" The doctor's name caught Luna's attention.
"I found something out, i was enraged" Luna's couldn't mask her worry did something happen to Hannibal?
Her aunt carried on with her speech ignoring the concern that painted Luna's face.
"...I got to thinking, Our Fascio did a selfless deed" Corina blurted.
"I realized on my way here that he sacrificed himself to save you Luna"
She looked at Luna coaxing her to listen rubbing a hand on Luna's arm.
"So you... can remember who you are and understand who you are meant to be.
"Self Sacrifice is proof of unconditional Love."
Corina couldn't contain it.
It must have been brought on by the the grief or the wanting for another form of connection.
She felt it fitting to embrace her niece.
"Aunt who's Fascio?" Luna asked as she struggled on her heel to keep her balance.
Corina's face distorted in a confused smile, she didn't let Luna see it.
She just delivered a speech about her beautiful son to someone who did not know she had one.
After she let Luna go "We'll talk about it later".
Luna was intently looking back at her as if gauging her features.
She realized Luna can see her.
"You can see me?" she still chose to ask.
"Yes, i can" Luna initiated the hug this time out of excitement.
Corina didn't know what to say, she just caressed Luna's hair and returned the warm hug back.
Alana came out of the kitchen with 3 glasses, she was setting up the table for dinner.
"I didn't know your aunt was joining us" She sounded excited for Luna.
Earlier today Luna talked about her Aunt's disregard for her since the birthday party.
It had affected Luna gravely.
"I'm sorry" Luna mouthed as she bent her head sideways seeming adorable.
"We have enough for four" she assured her, gesturing Luna to invite her aunt Corina in
"...Or Five" Alana's facial expression made Luna turn.
"Goodevening" Hannibal said as he entered through the door Luna and Corina left ajar.
He apologized for coming unannounced and went straight for Luna.
He engulfed her in an embrace, it felt a bit awkward to her.
But Hannibal thought otherwise.
It was his way of sending a protective message to Corina; staking his claim.
Corina found it absurd, she would never hurt her niece now that she's all she got left.
Alana got out of the kitchen with 2 more glasses after she informed Will they need 2 more servings.
Hannibal went to the kitchen to help and chat up Will.
Corina tried to catch up with Luna.
The grief in her face slowly dissipating; why did she deprive herself of this connection.
Corina was seeing more clearly now that she broke free of Hannibal's spell.
Luna is her own blood, her son was not. She loved him yes, no question.
But she should have loved Luna more.
The table was set, Will brought dinner out.
Alana and Will sat opposite each other so they can talk more comfortably.
"Keep your friends close" Will joked.
Corina and Hannibal sat opposite each other.
"It feels like Keep your enemies closer" Alana whispered a comment.
The only chairs left for Luna are the ones on either end.
Now which end should she take, the one emanating with danger or the one screaming confused.
She chose the latter; she can't be near Hannibal right now.
Will Graham felt it, an air of kill or be killed.
Alana felt it too but not like Will did.
This is going to be one hell of a night.
Dinner was awkward.
Not because Will Graham made dinner but because no one said a thing.
Starting a conversation was not the dillema; sustaining it was.
It was the longest 30 minutes of Alana and Will's life.
They decided not to spend the night; Luna will be alone for the first time in a while.
The 3 of them knew something was going on between Hannibal and Corina.
"Talk tomorrow?" Alana made sure Luna commited as she leaned in for a goodbye kiss.
"Of course" she assured her; as Will leaned in for a warm hug.
"I will call you later" Corina cupped her face in an assuring way; odd but welcomed.
"I would love that" she answered genuinely.
She watched as her aunt and friends walked towards their cars.
Then a hand tugged her by the elbow.
Realizing who was left to say goodbye to sent chills up her spine.
Why did he come? she thought they had this silent agreement for distance.
It hasn't even been 24 hrs yet.
"It was nice to see you Luna" Hannibal placed a tender kiss on her forehead.
She looked up at his face with a confounded look; trying to feel for answers.
When she did not get them "It was nice to see you too" then she smiled.
He left with no question; no hesitation.
Luna cleaned up.
She was ready for bed; but she still had some unpacking to do.
Her phone rang.
She answered and to her surprise it was her aunt.
"I'm coming by in 30 minutes, please wait for me" Luna was tired as hell; but this was a first.
"I will auntie... see you later" she ended the call.
She finished unpacking her things; she went out to her living room to wait.
It was 30 minutes past 9:00 pm.
The doorbell rang, she opened it and saw Hansen standing by the door.
"Hey... what are you doing here" she asked baffled by his unannounced visit.
"I just wanted to check on you, and bring you this..." he handed her a small canister of chicken soup.
"Oh thank you Hansen"
"Oh my god!" their reunion was disrupted by Corina.
She stood by the driveway with horror on her face.
"Auntie... you're here!, let's go inside..."
Corina walked straight towards Hansen and went for an embrace.
Luna's perplexed expression greeted them after they parted.
They understood her reaction; it was expected.
"We should go inside... we need to talk" Hansen started.
Luna hands grabbed onto the edge of her sofa the same way someone watching a thriller did.
It turns out she had an uncle, Her Dad's and Corina's youngest brother.
She let out the breath she held in for so long.
"You introduced yourself as a stranger i even thought you were hitting at me at first"
Hansen, smiled "That was not my intention... i didn't know how to approach you; the investigator i sent wasn't that useful." he defended.
When Luna gave him a questioning look. "I had my security detail follow you... remember Andrew?"
Luna though of the man that dropped her by the safe house the last time she was there.
"Ah yes, him"... she was starting to accept the confusing twisted parts of her life-story.
"So you had her followed" Corina asked bewildered.
"Yes before you came in the picture, to make sure she was okay"
"But I've always shadowed Luna even before, during her college days i enrolled myself in the same school"
"I remember that, i think a memory of that came back during one of my therapy sessions"
"Then you decided to do the job yourself again why?" Corina asked.
"Well you have to admit, with you back in the scene, the task became a little more complex" he explained.
They both laughed... Luna wanted to join in but the exhaustion did not permit it
"I know i should be extremely happy... i just gained an aunt and an uncle, but i think i'm too tired for that emotion".
Hansen looked at Corina; as if encouraging her to say what she was really here for before they let Luna go to sleep.
Corina read his eyes, he knew about Fascio... she was glad he did, he's always been good at reading people.
"Luna... remember the man at Hannibal's house?" The question did not register properly.
Corina tried again "The man who attacked you and Hannibal?" Horror hit Luna like a tidal wave...
"You know about him?" she asked, guilt causing tears to well from her eyes.
Corina felt relief in that, knowing that Luna did not mean for it to happen, that she didn't mean to hurt her son.
"Yes... he's my adopted son" she laid out all her cards.
Luna went from silent tears to weeping "I'm sorry" she said kneeling in front of her aunt holding her hands in hers.
"It's okay... i understand, you had to defend yourself" Corina found her closure, and placed a kiss on Luna's forehead.
"I made him that way... you see, it's all on me..." Corina admitted and it was the release she needed.
Hansen stood up and embraced both women. They were finally a family.