Chapter 31
Hannibal was laying in the guest bedroom at the residence of Dr. Alexander Wright. Clarice was sitting on the side of the bed holding Hannibal's hand in hers. Ardelia and Dr. Wright were both downstairs trying to give the two some privacy. Clarice was the first to break the silence.
"I thought I had lost you."
Hannibal smiled and stroked the side of Clarice's face, "My dear…it would take a lot more than that to keep me from you."
"But had I not shown up at the right time…I mean you could have bled out….alone…you could have-"
"Silence Clarice. That was never going to happen, ever."
"But how can you speak so confidently?"
"Just a few short years ago, I met an FBI agent in training, on a mission to solve a case that has been pushed upon her by her superiors. But even walking into the unknown, she was confident, walked upright with pride, and faced it all head on. Clarice you were the first person who ever really looked at me in that cage. I had lots of visitors, but their gaze never met mine. You however, you looked at me. I never lost hope because I had the best FBI agent on the case of my rescue. I knew you would come."
Clarice started to tear up and she smirked, "That's former FBI agent, Dr. Lecter."
Hannibal chucked, "Of course, so tell me former FBI agent," Hannibal rested his hand on her belly, "when were you going to tell me about this little one?"
"After we finished with Will. I didn't tell you while we were hunting him down because I was worried. I was worried you would get distracted and that you wouldn't let me come along to help. I didn't want you to take this journey alone."
"Clarice, my dear, you will always have a place by my side as long as that is what you want. I will never leave you behind. I think its more important that we stay close together to watch over each other."
Clarice bent over and kissed Hannibal, and then they were interrupted by a knocking at the door.
Dr. Wright came through the door carrying two syringes.
"Sorry. I was trying to give you two some more time, but you need your medication Hannibal. I also brought you something to help you sleep."
"Of course Dr. Wright. I trust your judgment." Hannibal held up the arm with his IV.
Clarice stayed by his side until he drifted to sleep and then she left the room quietly shutting the door behind her. She walked downstairs and found Ardelia on the couch half asleep.
"Dee, get some rest already. You have really pushed yourself too hard."
"I'm good….just need to rest my eyes for a moment."
Clarice walked into the kitchen where Dr. Wright was preparing a light dinner.
"What are you doing Doc?"
"I thought you and Ardelia might be hungry, so I am just making a light meal."
"Food actually does sound good right about now. But I had a question."
"Ask away."
He turned to get some milk out of the fridge, "How much longer til Hannibal is back on his feet?"
"Well a normal person should take a couple of weeks to recover from those injuries. But Hannibal has always been quick to recover. I am sure he will be on his feet in no time. He just needs rest at this point."
"Thank you for taking us in. I didn't know who else to turn to."
"Not at all Clarice. Now, if you will excuse me, I let Max out a little while ago and I need to get him back in the house."
Clarice stepped in front of him, "No, please allow me. I'll go get him."
"Thank you Clarice. Then I shall finish dinner preparations here."
Clarice walked outside and called for the dog, but he never came, "That's odd, he usually loves people." She walked around to the side of the house and heard Max barking. Clarice wasn't sure if it was her instincts from all the years as an FBI agent or being on the run with Hannibal, but something seemed off. Almost like she could hear footsteps. She crouched down low and tapped the ground to let Max know to come to her. He ran over and curled around Clarice in a protective stance. But whatever he was barking at, came from the other side of that fence.
She pulled out her gun and started to look through the fence posts until she heard a popping sound coming from inside the house. To an untrained ear they wouldn't recognize that sound, but Clarice had recognized it as a silencer on a pistol. She crouched back down and looked in through the window. She noticed Mapp was no longer lying on the couch. She scurried her way to the back door entrance to get in to the kitchen. There she saw Dr. Wright laying on the ground with blood pouring from a gunshot wound in his chest. She very gently opened the glass sliding door and crept in, but was quick to shut the door back so Max couldn't get in the house. She went to Dr. Wright and spoke softly.
"Doctor are you ok?"
He was choking and struggling to speak, "T…three men. All armed. F…B…I…"
He gasped a few times then ran out of air. He exhaled sharply and that was it. His body was there in a pool of blood, motionless. Clarice got her gun at the ready and went into the living room. She saw two men checking all the rooms downstairs. She steadied her aim but was stopped just short of pulling the trigger when Ardelia grabbed her arm from behind.
"Dee? Are you alright?"
"No! One of those fuckers shot me in the leg. I heard them shoot Dr. Wright when they came in. I tried to stop them but they got me first. I managed to hide but they are searching the house now. When they double back, I will get the tall blonde one. I owe him for shooting my damn leg."
"Got it."
They both steadied their aim waiting for the men to come back in the room. When they finished searching the other rooms they met back in the living room and spoke.
"No fucking sign of any of them except the Doctor in the kitchen."
"I know I heard Clarice's voice over the mic ok? We need to find the dog and get that chip back. I know she is here and so is Ardelia, stay alert til Pearsall finishes upstairs."
Clarice and Ardelia both fired their guns and the men hit the floor. Clarice immediately stood up and sprinted upstairs.
"Claire baby wait!!!! For all we know there could be more." Ardelia tried to follow but her leg was bleeding and throbbing. She was unable to put any weight on it.
Clarice ran upstairs and bolted through the room and found Pearsall standing beside the bed Hannibal was in. Gun was drawn and ready to fire at any moment.
"Ah, Clarice. I knew you would show up if I just waited patiently for a while."
"Get the fuck away from him."
Pearsall looked down at Hannibal who was sleeping peacefully. "Doesn't seem so scary to me. Especially not in this condition. This man, this…monster. He has caused a lot of pain and suffering Clarice. This is how its all going to end. Right here, right now, and by my hand."
Pearsall glanced down at Clarice's protruding pregnant belly in disgust, "I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. You were the Cannibal's whore after all."
"Drop your gun Clint."
"And what if I don't? True, you could shoot me, but I wonder…do you think that you could kill me quick enough for me not to shoot him? Risky gamble Starling."
"It is not Starling, not anymore. My name is Clarice Lecter."
Pearsall flinched, "What the hell happened to you Clarice? You were one of the best agents around. So why?"
Clarice smirked, "You must be joking. How about the fact you believed a bastard like Krendler over me time and time again. How about all those endless hours I put in only to be punished later. How about the fact I told you that Verger was trying to kill Hannibal and you just blatantly ignored me. The FBI is full of a bunch of people who only care about their status, power, and money. It doesn't stand for anything I wanted to represent anymore."
"Come on Clarice. That is probably the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. So you run off with a psychotic, cannibalistic serial killer instead?"
"No. I ran off with Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The FBI has killed far more people and some of those people I personally know never deserved it. But we were under orders to perform. You always had us dancing on strings like a bunch of puppets. You didn't care. But now, now I am in full control of my life. I can decide my future and my life how I see fit. I don't have to worry anymore about being sent out on damn suicide mission by some bigot moron sitting in his FBI office in safety. What you say is true Clint. Hannibal and I are far from perfect. He has done some terrible things and I have too. However, this is my life and I have chosen my path. Trust me when I say this to you Clint, but if anything happens to Hannibal, you are going to wish I had just pulled this trigger to end it all. Now back away."
Clint frowned, "He will die Clarice and you will die. I don't really care about what happens after. So long as you two are gone!"
Suddenly! Hannibal's hand shot up and grabbed the pistol Pearsall was holding. He turned and spun quickly slamming Pearsall into the wall. Hannibal was careful to keep the gun pointed upward away from Clarice. They struggled as Hannibal kept pressing Pearsall against the wall. Clarice kept her aim at the ready, but she didn't want to shoot yet for fear of hitting Hannibal.
Pearsall snickered, "So you were awake huh? Good! Now you get to watch me kill your wife. Your grip is failing you, I can tell you are weak!"
"Clarice," Hannibal called out, "Are you ready?""
"Always," she smiled.
Hannibal spun around with Pearsall and now Clarice had a wide open shot and she fired. Clint's body fell to the ground lifeless. Hannibal dropped to his knees breathing rapidly. Clarice ran over to him and knelt down.
"Hannibal! Hannibal, are you ok?!"
"Yes my love, always. Just a little tired. Where is Dr. Wright and Ardelia?"
Clarice placed Hannibal's arm around her shoulder and helped Hannibal to his feet. She carefully guided him down the steps. Ardelia sat at the very bottom.
"Claire! Hannibal! Thank God you two are alright. Where is Clint?"
"Dead," Clarice responded.
Ardelia nodded.
Hannibal spoke up next, "Ardelia, are you alright?"
"Bastard got me in my leg Doc, but I got him back."
"We need to take care of that. Where is Dr. Wright?"
Clarice gently turned Hannibal so he had a clear view into the kitchen and a clear view of Dr. Wright's lifeless body on the ground. The dog Max was laying down next to the sliding glass window whining. Hannibal frowned, "Sorry for getting you caught up in all this old friend. Thank you."
Clarice lowered Hannibal next to Ardelia so he could look at her leg. Clarice wondered into the kitchen to get Max. She sat down in the floor and Max rested his head in her lap. Clarice patted his head. She took the collar off of him and found the chip Will had planted. She crushed it between her fingers.
It was another two hours, but Hannibal managed to get the bullet out of Ardelia's leg and to stitch up the wound. Dr. Wright luckily kept a lot of medical supplies around the house. It had been a long night and the next 48 hours would prove to be trying.
They began loading the car up, Max was in the backseat laying down. Hannibal handed the keys to Clarice and smiled, "I will need you on this first step of the journey."
"Of course."
Hannibal glanced over Clarice's shoulder and Clarice turned around to see what he was looking at. Ardelia was standing behind her. Leaning on one leg to take pressure off of the other.
Hannibal broke the silence, "I will be waiting in the car to give you two some alone time. Take your time."
Hannibal climbed into the vehicle and shut the door. Then Ardelia spoke almost laughing, "If I really thought about everything that has occurred within the last 24 hours I think I would lose my mind."
Clarice smiled, "Never a dull moment with Hannibal around."
"So very true. Thank you, both of you. I would be dead if it weren't for you two."
"There is no need to say a thank you, we wouldn't be here without you either. Come with us Dee. There isn't anything left for you in the FBI."
"You're damn right there, but I can't go with you two."
"Why?"
"Because you have both opened my eyes. I have spent a lot of time with a few guys, but-"
Clarice interjected, "A few?"
Ardelia chuckled, "Oh come on! Give me more credit than that. Like I said, I guess I just want to settle down, and I want to get away from all this. But I expect baby pictures of the whole family. Got it?"
Clarice smiled softly, "You got it. Be careful out there Dee."
They embraced each other. Deep down Clarice always knew her and Ardelia would part ways. Ardelia was far too strong of a woman to just tag along. She would undoubtedly go off and have her own adventures. And if Clarice had to guess, she would also say that Des from the bar would be going with her too.
Clarice got into the driver's seat and glanced over to Hannibal, "There is no one I would rather have at my side than you."
Hannibal reached over and held her hand, "Then I promise to never leave your side again."
A/N: THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY JUST THE END OF A SECTION. Next chapter will see our favorite couple again as they continue to explore their lives, only this time, they will have a little baby with them.