Unforseen chapter 2
Clarice regained consciousness slowly. The pain in her abdomen was there but less sharp and not as bad as before. But her throat was again sore and dry. She fought to try and open her eyes.
"Drink some of this"
A straw was put to her lips and her head raised of the pillow. She drank gratefully. The relief was glorious. The hand lowered her head back to the pillow, but stayed to run fingers through her hair.
"We've been here before" her voice was hoarse and scratchy. The room was coming into focus more and more.
"Yes. It's becoming quite a habit"
"Ow, no making me laugh" she smiles into the hand cradling her head. "What happened?"
"Your kidney started bleeding again where they removed the bullet. The damage was more severe than they first thought. They had to go in and remove it" Dr Lecter tells her gently, still running his fingers through her hair.
Clarice was quiet, and closing her eyes tried to process the information.
"OK, so what does that mean? People donate kidneys all the time, right?"
"Quite right. It will mean a few adjustments, but shouldn't impact you too severely"
"What type of adjustments?" she asked a tad suspiciously.
"Less junk food for one. You'll have to watch your sodium and potassium intake. And no excessive alcohol consumption"
The room was much clearer now. It seems she was recovering from the second bout if general anesthesia faster than the first round.
"Well, it's not as if I'm drunk every night. But I'm going to struggle without some of the main food groups"
"I'm not quite sure I follow, but I think I have an idea. To what food groups are you referring?"
"Cheeseburgers, French-fries and pizza"
"Yes, well" Dr Lecter chuckled "those might have to be rationed yes. Your uncouth American taste buds will just have to learn to adapt"
"Ow" Clarice holds her side again "seriously, no making me laugh"
The nurse entered and smiled at the exchange.
"Welcome back Mrs Ciccone. You seem to be recovering well. How is your pain level?"
"Not too bad at the moment. I'll use this thing if I need to" Clarice waved the morphine pump
The nurse fused with her i/v line and chart before leaving again. All the while Dr Lecter kept stroking her hair.
"OK. So, no more kidney" Clarice signs
"I gave them the go ahead to remove it. You weren't exactly in a position to make the decision"
Clarice waived it off
"Whatever. If it had to be done, so be it. How long till they'll discharge me you think? What day is it today anyway? I think I'm only booked at my hotel for tonight"
"If you keep improving, and handle being switched to oral medication well, they'll probably let you go by tomorrow. I booked out of your hotel for you"
He smirked at her raised eyebrow
"It wasn't particularly hard to figure out where you were staying "
"Well yeah, I wasn't trying to hide"
"Indeed. Why Florence? You could have gone anywhere. Somewhere in the US would certainly have been closer. Make an effort to answer now"
"I've just woken up from surgery. Surely, we can leave the interrogation for later?" She says, trying not to sound irritated.
He took his hand from her hair and sat back. She missed the feel immediately.
"No interrogation, merely a question. But allowances can be made, I'm sure. Shall I tell you my theory? Subconsciously you hoped to run into me. It's interesting to speculate what you'd have done had that happened"
Clarice looked discomfited, but did not drop her gaze from his. Bravery had ever been her companion.
"What do you plan to do now? You'll not be allowed to fly for the next four to five days"
Clarice eyed him a bit exasperated. "Seriously? My flight is tomorrow morning"
"I'm afraid that's not going to be happening. Allow me to propose an alternative?"
Clarice took a deep sign and regretted it as pain stabbed through her her eyes, she fought to regain her balance.
"Let's hear it then"
"Stay with me. I think it's evident that I mean you no harm. It would have been considerably easier to have left you bleeding on the pavement, as you so eloquently put it. Let me show you an alternative to your dreary job"
Clarice was quiet observing him. It was true that she had been deeply unhappy in recent months and disillusioned with her job and life.
But to do as he suggested?
"And then? I just get on the plane to be dismissed after a few days once you tire of me?"
"Why so quick to assume I'll get tired of you? You sell yourself short by a considerable margin. But yes, if after five days you feel duty bound to return, and it is safe for you to fly, I won't stand in your way. But I intend to make you choose to stay"
He took her hand again. It felt really nice.
"Like, for good. With you? In what capacity would that be?"
"Yes, with me, for good" he said with a small laugh "and in whatever capacity you find most to your liking"
Clarice looked at him solemnly.
"Can I have some time to think about it?"
"Certainly. I highly doubt that you'll be discharged today, so you have some time to think it over"It was already late afternoon.
With that he got to his feet. Now that Clarice could look at him properly, she could see the exhaustion on his face. She had never seen him as anything but perfectly composed and put together. Even in the asylum, with Chilton trying his level best to dehumanise him, he was never anything but perfectly composed. Seeing him like this made him look more human. Vulnerable.
"I'll go home for a bit to shower and to change my clothes and give you some time to process. I'll see you again later, yes?"
"OK" Clarice nodded. She wanted to say more, but the words stuck in her throat. He was almost at the door when she called him back.
"Dr Lecter? I..um... thanks. I don't really know what to say. But thanks"
Be bowed his sleek head to her in acknowledgement
"You are most welcome"
And with that he opened the door and was gone.
Clarice watched the ceiling and lay thinking.
Could she do as he suggested? Stay with this man? He was singularly violent and sadistic and yet, he'd gone to extraordinary lengths to save her life. She had no doubts that that was exactly what happened.
What was waiting for her back home? Ardelia had moved to New York and was happy as can be. Her own career seemed to have stalled. It was months since she last did proper field work.
OK, let's take these five days and see where we are, she decided.
She dozed again on and off, but woke when her surgeon appeared to check on her. He told her pretty much the same thing as Dr Lecter had.
The night passed fairly peacefully. Or at least as peacefully as it can in a hospital. Now that Clarice was more aware, it became obvious that this was no mere hospital room. The furnishings were a lot grander than your typical hospital stock and looked almost like a hotel. She had her own room, and though she woke when the sisters would check on her and take her blood pressure, she managed some sleep.
When the catheter was removed the next day, Clarice was beyond relieved. The sister assisted her to the bathroom and back and though she felt a bit weak, was assured that it shouldn't last particularly long.
Dr Lecter returned just as her breakfast arrived. He looked rested and was immaculately dressed in a grey three-piece suit, sporting a bright blue pocked square.
"Good morning, my dear. You are looking better. Did you manage to get some sleep" he said sitting down, sweeping his fedora of his head and perching it on his knee. Clarice found herself watching the smoothness of his every move. Like one of the big cats. A leopard, maybe. The endearment wasn't lost on her, and though she tried to convince herself that it was for the benefit of the staff, she knew better.
She felt a bit self-conscious of his appraisal, but if he noticed, he gave no indication of it.
"Good morning. Yes thanks, some. And you? You look more rested."
He seemed pleased at her comment.
She was picking at the food on her plate. Scrambled eggs with fresh toast, some sort of porridge and a bowl of freshly cut fruit.
"Yes, thank you. You'll have to eat something, or they won't be able to switch you to oral medication"
That was all the encouragement she needed to eat more of it.
Dr Lecter presented her with her own suitcase later that afternoon. It was weirdly comforting to be presented with her own belongings and to dress in her own clothes. She dressed in the only dress she had brought with her, and had yet to wear on the trip. It was a loose-fitting pale blue sundress. Clarice was by no means a vain woman, but she blushed a bit when she saw Dr Lecter's face when he saw her in it. He schooled his features but left a slight shimmering in his eyes. Clarice was surprised to find his gaze neither intrusive nor unwelcome. She was used to those kinds of unwelcome stares.
The hospital insisted she use a wheelchair to leave, which made her chafe at the bit. An orderly pushed her chair to a waiting Jaquar as Dr Lecter brought her battered old suitcase. It looked very incongruous and slightly comical. Dr Lecter chatted amiably in Italian with the young man as they approached the car and her nervousness grew.
Am I really going to do this? Get in a car with a known serial killer?
Dr Lecter gave the young man a tip and then assisted her in getting into the car. He must have sensed some of her trepidation as he squatted next to her open door.
"I can call you a taxi to take you back to your hotel if you prefer. They should have a room and if not, they should be able to help you get a room somewhere else"
Clarice looked into his eyes. He kept his expression blank but she thought she detected just a hint of sadness there. That, more than anything made up her mind for her. She surprised them both when she reached out and straitened his fedora.
"No. I'll stay with you"