The Next day, it was early morning when Hannibal arrived at his office. He didn't have a lot of clients today, for he had to return home early and prepare cooking for his guests that would come by nightfall.

He was surprised, however, to pick up a familiar scent and find Rana sitting on one of his waiting couches, outside of his office. She was staring at her hands, deep in thought but she had picked up that he was arriving for she stood up.

"Dr Lecter…Hannibal…" she started. "Is that offer of friends over a glass of scotch still going?" she asked.

Hannibal tried his best and succeeded in containing his smirk, feeling so nice finding her waiting for him…calling him by his name. He kept his composure, not giving away what he was truly thinking and wanting at that moment. "Of course. Please, come in"

He said as he unlocked the door to his office and allowed her to walk in first, taking a moment to savour her intoxicating scent that he had found missing. A scent that had remained in his mind and refused to be forgotten or go away anytime soon.

"If you have patients now, I can go" Hannibal took off his coat, hanging it before offering to take her jacket.

"You can rest assured, Rana, I have no patients for at least two hours. We have plenty of time" she passed him her brown leather jacket before he motioned for her to take a seat.

He moved into one of the smaller inside rooms that hosted a small but well-equipped kitchen with a fridge and a few cabinets. He got two glasses, one he filled with his favourite wine and the other with a well-aged Scotch that she seem to prefer; something that was proven the night he came to his house to check on Abigail.

He came back with them, passing her the glass before taking a seat by her side on the couch. However, he made sure to keep a moderate distance between them, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable when she had made such a big step.

He took a moment to notice her straight dirty blond hair that had been pulled back into a low ponytail and her faintly sharp jawline that was accompanied by almond-shaped eyes and a fitting noise. It was the first time he could study her features in peace, under the natural sunlight and without her wearing that tough-woman mask.

"Thank you for it. I was not aware you had your bar stocked up in here as well" she said, taking a sip as she did not feel ready to tackle the main topic of the conversation.

He realised that but he did not comment, deciding to go her way and allow her to take her time. It was clear she wanted to speak more about other things but she hesitated, something completely normal.

"I have spent many late hours here, finding myself in the company of a good drink. I also have friends and associates coming over, getting a drink together along with a small talk" he explained.

Rana glanced from him to her glass, leaning back fully and taking a few sips, while he was by his side, one hand on the back of the couch close to her neck and his body turned to an angle that allowed him to look at her without straining his body or looking unprofessional.

"This is…I am not even sure why I came here in the first place…" she admitted, feeling the need to scoff and scold herself.

"There is nothing wrong with approaching someone to talk to. Everyone needs someone they can have a conversation without being judged"

She pressed her lips to form a thin line as she took a deep breath. Her eyes glared at the brown liquid inside her clear crystal glass. "You were right…yesterday…I don't sleep that well lately and the cases have been hitting me a little more than I want to…" she admitted.

Hannibal was glad to hear her open up, mostly cause it showed she started to trust him more. Good, he wanted that…he needed that. Opening up was also a great way for him to study her, find things that ticked and worked on her…things that triggered her. The better he could read and know her, the easier it would be to pass through her defences.

"It is quite normal. Each and everyone one of you, especially you and Will, put yourself in those cases. You both struggle to find a solution and you are hunting down the one responsible to bring him to justice." He explained, taking a sip of his wine, his eyes never leaving her. "It can be tiring, even to someone like us. And I am not talking about physical but rather mental exhaustion…the worst of them all"

Rana remained silent for a moment before she took two deep sips of her alcohol. Swallowing, she took a moment to focus on the bitter and burning sensation of the alcohol going down her throat. "It's not just what the cases do to me…but rather what they do to others…"

"I suppose the others are Will and Jack?" he asked, finally making her look at him, not hiding her surprise. "It is clear that you see them as part of your pack, even though Jack is human. You have grown attached to them and wish to protect them…its only natural to you"

"And what do I do when I end up failing in protecting them?" she asked. "How can I sit and do nothing, while it unveils in front of me?"

Hannibal brought his face slightly closer, finally seeing that pain she always hid in her eyes. That look she gave him, of someone looking for answers like a man praying to god…it was new and he liked how it made him feel deep into his chest. Personal satisfaction warming up his very core.

"You cannot protect them from life, no matter how hard you try. Better be there for them, support them and let them fight their battles. It is theirs…not yours" he said, making her faintly scoff.

"That's easier said than done"

Hannibal remained serious as he decided to speak without holding himself that much. "You try to control their lives, protect them from their failures because no one protected you as you grew" her lips parted to say something but he continued. "You wish to protect others because others failed to protect you back then. I believe, Rana, that for you to learn how to let them go…first, must learn how to let your past go. One man once said: Life must be understood backwards. But it must be lived forward"

Rana looked back into her glass, swirling the brown liquid inside of it. "Soren Kierkegaard" she called the man's name, making Hannibal look at her with a genuine look of surprise and pride. She didn't have to look at him to know she had caught him off guard. She did that often when it came to that topic. "Philosophy is kind of my hobby. Offers some odd personal satisfaction when you look at the world in a different way than others" she admitted, before tossing her head back and emptying her glass in one go. That gave her enough courage to look him in the eyes. "So, I guess I should start coming more often? To work on my past that I hold on to it?"

Hannibal took a few sips from his wine, never looking away from her. Whenever she did that, he took the chance to study her profile and every little detail of both her face and her body as they sat in good proximity to one another. He liked what he saw and his mind was suddenly filled with so many new notes that he had to write down in his patient book that he had made for her.

After a moment of silence and more staring, he gave a small, satisfied smile. "If you wish so, It will be my pleasure to help you" this earned him a small smile from her. "However, for a start. I believe you need a change of setting. Just for this once"

This made her lift an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I am having a few acquaintances of mine coming over for dinner, including Dr Bloom. I would like you, to join us. A simple night of talking, among different people than those you find yourself in daily."

Her lips parted faintly, suddenly the idea feeling too surreal. Her? Meeting other people? Especially people that must be like Hannibal, cultured, well mannered and highly educated? She felt already how much she would stand out and not fit at all in that specific circle.

She ended up shaking her head slightly. "I do not think this is a good idea"

However, he was not going to accept a No for an answer. "Please, try it. If you do not feel like continuing upon arriving, you are free to leave us early. I firmly believe, it will do you good, allow a sort of more specialised exit to help you separate your life from work"

Rana remained quiet, looking at her now empty glass and then at him….unsure of what she should do.


It was around the time Hannibal had told her that Dinner would be served. Rana's SUV pulled into the driveway, standing out against the many fancy and expensive cars belonging to Hannibal or his guests.

She hesitated for a moment, looking at the fancy house that was brought to life by the lights inside. She could hear the sound of classical music and jazz, playing in the background of talks and gentle laughter.

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. She had dealt with some serious situations in her life and yet she was hesitating to get off her car. For a moment, she felt like scolding herself before she finally decided.

Took her less than a minute to lock her car and head towards the door. She stood right behind it and rang the doorbell, hands feeling suddenly awkwardly placed and she ended up holding her bag with both hands, feeling the night chill passing through her jacket because of what she wore beneath.

Finally, the door was opened and she locked her gaze on Hannibal, before offering a small smile. "I hope I am not late," she said, lips coloured by a nice shade of gentle red and her face with a nice touch of makeup.


Hannibal was checking the clock on the wall, all while listening to his guests talking amongst themselves and at him as well. He could not help but wonder if Rana would come or if he had planned wrong. The second idea felt ridiculous for he doesn't make such mistakes.

"Waiting for someone, Hannibal?" Mrs Komeda asked him with an amused expression.

Hannibal was not once taken off guard by her question or the subtle curiosity behind her words. "There is one more guest I am expecting" he confessed before the sound of the doorbell ringing was heard. "That must be her. Please excuse me"

He started to walk towards the door, not failing to pick up what that woman turned to say to her husband; thinking he did not have a such sharp hearing.

"Did you hear this? It's a she"

Hannibal allowed his glass to rest on the little wall table placed by the door before he opened it. His gaze immediately locked with Rana's, not failing to take every detail of her face; never seeing her with any sort of make-up or earrings for that matter.

"I hope I am not late," she said.

Hannibal pushed the door wider and stepped to the side, allowing her to walk inside. "Not at all. You are right on time. Punctuality is something I always find to be a missing trait amongst most people nowadays" he said, closing the door behind her and offering to take her coat, like a true gentleman.

She allowed him to do so, exposing the dress she wore underneath. It was a simple but well-designed black dress, with one strap across her right shoulder while the other was left bare and exposed. The back had a small cut, stopping around the length of her chest, exposing only part of her smooth skin.

His eyes roamed her body, noticing how the dress hugged her faint curves around her waist and elegantly flowed down her legs. The most eye-catching part is the open slit by the left leg, allowing it to be exposed to everyone; from the knee and below. It also gave a perfect view of the short heels that she had chosen to wear.

Needless to say, Hannibal was left stunned for a moment. Since the first day they had met, Rana stood out amongst almost every other woman he had met in his life. She did not mind getting her hands dirty and focused more on practicality than beauty. Of course, he did have her capable of showing a different side if she wished to…something that she had just proven to be right.

If one would see her now curled hair that had a part been braided into a halo around the head, or the dress she had chosen; they would not truly believe that she was the same woman that led a team of armed FBI men just a day ago.

"I am glad to hear that," she said, making him focus once again on the real world.

Hannibal offered his most gracious and charming smile as with one hand motioned towards the living room. "Please, join us. We are about to start dinner very soon"

Rana gave a nod, placing her bag among the others and walking proudly into the room. Her walking was a little stiff, less ladylike but the whole combination of hair and clothing made up for it.

Hannibal watched her go, eyes never leaving her form until she had taken the turn and entered his living room. Taking a few breaths to compose himself, he grabbed his glass to get a few more sips of his wine before deciding to head into the kitchen to start bringing the dinner out.


Rana walked into the living room, trying her best to keep her head high and hide any insecurities or second thoughts she might have. 8 unfamiliar faces quickly entered her vision, eyes landing on her with curiosity and silent judgement.

Only one face was familiar among the crowd and she would never believe that she would be relieved to see the one and only Dr Alana Bloom. Dressed also for the occasion, the brunette quickly recognised her despite the big change of attire.

"Rana, I didn't know you would also come," she said with the most innocent smile as she met the blond woman halfway.

"It was a last-minute invite by Dr Lecter. It would be rude of me to turn him down" she explained just as an older woman with a short sharp haircut approached them, wearing a fancy red dress.

"It is indeed, especially if you have never tried his cooking… it's like…" the woman thought for a second, searching for the right words. "An entire performance, pure art" she explained and Rana felt the need to explain that she had already tried his cooking but did not say anything. "I am Mrs Komeda and this is my husband," she said, motioning for the man standing by her side like a loyal watchdog.

Rana graced them with a smile that could have fooled almost anyone. "It is a pleasure to meet you both. I am Rana Stones" she offered her hand for a shake which both took it, the woman less pleased than her husband, whose eyes roamed quickly when they shouldn't.

To the rescue came Hannibal, who started to bring in the tray and the plates with his latest cooking. Everyone took their places by the table, Rana thought about sitting at the far edge but Alana had guided her to sit closer to the head of the table… in other words…Hannibal's seat. The psychologist took the chair by the right, sitting right across from Mrs Komeda while Rana sat next to the only other person she knew, face to face with Mr Komeda.

As the dishes were brought out, everyone applauded Hannibal, who graced them with unique and extremely fancy dishes, all meat-based. One would look at their extravagant design and decoration and would feel guilty about destroying it by eating it. However, the strong smell made everyone's appetite appear as if everything smelled divine.