I do not own anything related to Hannibal, either thru television, or written books. Everything belongs to Thomas Harris and Bryan Fuller. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!
Chapter 1
Song(s): Seven Days Walking/Day 1- The Path of the Fossils (Ludovico Einaudi), Botanical Romance (Isobel Anderson)
April 30th
11:23pm
1 North Clinton Street, Baltimore, Maryland…
Parking the blue Ford Focus down at the far end of the alleyway, Hannibal Lecter stepped out into the rain and walked to the backyard of the still under renovation townhouse that had been Oliveah's home for the first two years of her life in Baltimore. Grabbing the ends of the wet green tarp with his good arm, he flung it perfectly over the hood before bringing it up to rest over the remainder of the car.
Stepping over the fence, he strode up the yard towards the backdoor as he wrapped his wet bloody hand around the knob, pushing in hard as he stepped out of the rain. Walking across the hardwood floor past a table full of carpenter's tools, he took up a black flip phone and texted in a number before thumbing a quick message. Closing the lid, he laid it on the table and grabbed a small belt sander before smashing it down, ignoring the pieces as they flew about the room and onto the floor.
Carefully peeling off his wet blood-stained shirt, he dropped it into a bucket before taking up the black duffel bag that he had hid the day after Oliveah had discovered Andrew's charred body in the kitchen. Due to the house being off limits from its current renovation as a crime scene, he had felt relaxed enough to bring items here to store. Staring down at the second bag of Oliveah's belongings, he grabbed it and tossed it whole into the bucket on top of his shirt, not bothering to explore its contents.
Wincing as he felt a thin trail of blood running down the inside of his forearm from the bullet wound in his shoulder, Hannibal groaned before swearing under his breath as he moved to his bag. Pulling open the zipper, he took out two glass tumblers and a bottle of Bourbon.
This was to be their celebratory drink to freedom
Freedom from Crawford, freedom from the Chesapeake Ripper running amok in Baltimore, and freedom from William Graham
A new life together
Killers created
A child to shape
A fresh start
Roughly picking up one of the tumblers, Hannibal whipped it against the far wall as it exploded into pieces all over the floor. Feeling his carnal anger growing at the thought of the young woman who had chosen to stay behind, he dropped down onto one of the mismatched chairs covered in dried white paint wincing as more blood dripped down from the bullet hole in his shoulder and onto the floor boards.
"You had better pray Jack that I don't find out you have survived" he groaned, hearing the sound of the front door to the townhouse closing. Sitting back in the chair as it let out a sharp creak, he listened to the cautious light footsteps approaching as he wrapped his fingers once more around the Bourbon bottle, re-filling the tumbler for his guest.
Catching the woman's eyes as she slowly rounded the corner of the wall, he took in her dyed auburn colored hair and black rimmed costumed glasses before lowering his gaze onto the black doctor's bag in her right hand.
"I'm happy to see you answered my text."
Hearing Hannibal's words as she noticed the tumbler, Bedelia moved cautiously to the far side of the table before setting her bag of medical supplies down. Clearing her throat as Hannibal pushed the glass towards her with bloody fingers, she shook her head as he downed the entire glass in one gulp.
"What, happened Hannibal?"
Catching her eye as he reached over for the bag, Lecter pulled it toward him as he carefully mulled over his simple answer.
"Death."
Swallowing slowly as she took out her matching flip phone, she laid it on the table and looked around for a suitable tool to smash it with.
"There is a toolbox on the counter, find a hammer."
"Did you kill…everyone?"
Taking out a curved needle followed by a pair of medical tweezers, he knocked his knuckles on the table for her attention as Bedelia returned to the table with a small hammer.
"Bedelia, why not just ask me straight forward."
"Is, Oliveah alive?"
Holding out the pair of tweezers towards her, he watched as she took them between her long fingers before taking up a white hand towel.
"Yes."
"You let her live? Even though she rejec…" Bedelia began, feeling the rush of words falling from her lips.
Don't poke the beast
"Oliveah is pregnant with my child. She is due to give birth in November."
Freezing at his words, she lightly dabbed the towel against the bloody gunshot wound before tossing it aside.
"Would you have let her live if she wasn't pregnant?"
Remaining silent as he lowered his eyes onto her fingers, he watched as she concentrated on pulling out the bullet before setting it down carefully on the table top. Hearing the cannibal's low growl escaping from the back of his throat, Bedelia took up the curved needle and started to thread it across the wound, closing it shut with expert precision.
Catching sight of his blood covering her fingers and the side of her hand, Hannibal moistened his lips as he thought back to the first time, he had tasted Oliveah's blood…
(Flashback)
"You need some attention as well Miss. Adler" Lecter spoke as Oliveah turned in his direction.
"I'm fine."
Letting go of Will's wrist, Hannibal reached his fingers out and gripped her elbow firmly raising her arm up. It was only then that she felt warm liquid streaming down her arm.
"Oh…"
Watching the head of the needle disappearing into her skin, Oliveah followed his fingers as he expertly began to sew her skin back together.
"Dr. Bloom mentioned that you were once a Medical Doctor" Oliveah spoke, breaking the silence as Lecter pulled the needle towards him.
"I was once a practicing surgeon in my early years" he replied, never taking his eyes off his work.
"Why did you choose to become a psychiatrist?"
Tying the thread closed, Hannibal snipped the needle free as he ran his finger along the edge of the cut almost admiring his work.
"I killed a patient."
Hearing his honest reply, Oliveah closed her mouth as Hannibal wrapped gauze to cover and secure.
"Your upper arm will be numb for a while, keep it dry and I will apply clean gauze in the morning."
It was all he spoke as he stood to his feet.
Nodding her head in silent thanks, Oliveah ducked out of the washroom and without further word left the motel room carrying her sweater.
Rubbing his hands together, the doctor took sight of Oliveah's blood that was starting to dry on the outside of his right hand. Bringing his hand up, Lecter dragged his tongue over the blood and closed his eyes…
"Did Oliveah ever tell you that she found me in New York City?"
Hearing Bedelia's shaky words as he heard a rumble of thunder over the quiet townhouse, Hannibal leaned forward and grabbed the bottle of Bourbon before hooking his finger along the rim of the tumbler.
"I read your hand-written letter of warning."
Slowly moving her eyes onto the table, she swallowed hard as she watched the fingers of the serial killer's good hand slowly flex open and close.
"She never ran from you."
"Unlike you. Were you really surprised Bedelia?" Hannibal growled as he pushed the woman's hand away before rising to his feet. Taking out a clean dry black long sleeve dress shirt, he swung it awkwardly around his defined shoulders as he ignored the woman's greedy eyes running over his naked pectoral muscles.
"You need me to complete your picture Hannibal" she challenged calmly as the Doctor pursed his lips.
"For the time being."
He's not going to kill you Bedelia
That just wouldn't be smart on his part, and he is very rarely ever impulsive
"If you believe that I am not going to kill you Bedelia, you are gravely mistaken" Hannibal offered as pulled the end of a leather belt through the loops of his black trousers.
"Wh…when do you think, you would ever entertain such an idea Hannibal?"
Licking his lips as he ignored the searing pain from the split skin, the cannibal continued to dress in silence before gathering up everything off the wooden table, dumping the items into the bucket before he reached for a small pack of matches that sat on the counter ledge.
"When I decide, to come back and collect my family" he offered simply as he struck a single match, allowing it to fall into the bin as it caught everything on fire.
…
4 Months Later
August 5th
7:12pm
"You really have no fear of me Oliveah, and that is not wise."
Feeling Hannibal's hand tightly gripping her wrist, she ignored the pain as she tried to twist away from him. Wincing with the touch of his fingers closing in around her throat, she simply stared up into his dark eyes as he refused to blink.
You gave up believing in promises by the age of ten Oliveah, why would you believe anything that falls from this man's mouth now?
I promised that I would never kill you Oliveah. But I never promised, to leave you in one piece
Bringing a hand up against his, she laid her fingers over his as she felt her wind pipe slowly closing
A lack of oxygen to the brain can cause permanent damage in as little as four minutes…
Watching Lecter's tongue licking slowly along his lip as the smear of blood disappeared, Oliveah found it harder to swallow as Hannibal narrowed his eyes.
He is going to kill me
Us
Staring into his dark almost burgundy colored eyes, she braced herself to feel the sharpness of the knife against the hardness of her belly just as she felt the pressure of his fingers starting to lessen around her throat.
"In the end, you won't choose me."
Hearing the clang of the knife against the floor, she felt the wetness of his bloody fingers trailing down her throat before all physical ceased like an electric current…
Jolting awake, the young woman let out a yelp as she felt Buster's tongue licking her hand from his cradled sleeping spot near the crook of her arm. Straightening up awkwardly in her seat as she felt a sharp pain in her hip, twenty-three-year-old Oliveah Adler let out a tired sigh as she leaned the side of her head against the cool car window pane.
"I'll pull over at the next rest stop."
Closing her eyes as she tuned in to the raindrops hitting against the window, Oliveah felt the small terrier curling up against her shoe as Winston let out a whimper from the backseat.
I know boy
I know
Laying a hand on her six-month pregnant stomach, she inched her fingers beneath the fabric of her light pink t-shirt as she felt a kick from the unborn child.
I could find out if you are a boy or a girl
I could name you
I could try, to prepare you for what is coming…
Hearing the low frequency of the radio waves as they scanned over the dial for any station, Oliveah leaned back in her seat and stared out the rain drenched windshield as Will Graham cleared his throat from the driver's side.
"Next rest stop is in about twenty minutes."
Feeling her growing child resting hard against her pelvis, Oliveah nodded her head as the radio finally caught a frequency…
We talked about the weather,
You said it couldn't get much better,
And then you asked me,
If I would go for a walk.
Maybe it's time to move on,
For he was long ago,
And isn't there to care anymore…
"It's only day two of our drive and already, I'm so uncomfortable" she muttered as Winston let out another whimper.
You said it Winston
"You could stretch out in the back? I'm sure Winston wouldn't mind sitting up front" Will offered as he caught Oliveah's quick glance.
Packing up a few meagre possessions from the white farmhouse in Virginia that mainly consisted of tools, flannel shirts, and a hunting rifle, Oliveah glanced back to the two duffel bags and three boxes that contained nothing which belonged to her.
Everything I had was in Hannibal's house
I own nothing except the clothes on my back
I own nothing, but you…
Touching her stomach one last time, she was relieved to spy off in the distance a gas station that would have a bathroom and the promise of some sort of greasy style food. Feeling the black Jeep Cherokee slowing in speed as Will steered it into the lot, he grabbed the Pittsburgh ballcap from the dashboard and held it out for Oliveah.
"Just until you can change your appearance."
Accepting the hat, Oliveah gathered up her hair and pulled it into a ponytail before slipping it through the opening at the back.
Change my appearance
Because every news outfit in America including Lounds's Tattle Crime bullshit has run some kind of photograph.
Grinding her teeth as Will turned off the Jeep engine to re-fuel, Oliveah stared at the dashboard as she wondered just how much money Frederika Lounds was making by selling her pictures and running her intimate knowledge stories from her time as a student at Hopkins and under the direction of Alana Bloom.
I will not ever, set eyes on her website again
That, I promise
Throwing her door open, she watched as both Buster and Winston took off at a run towards the side of the building, relieving themselves for nearly a minute each. Rounding the back of the Jeep, Oliveah lifted the trunk hatch and ran a hand over the duffel bags before spying the bag of dried dog food. Grabbing two stainless steel bowls, she filled each one up before setting them on the ground near the tire.
"Where are we right now?"
Hearing Oliveah's question as he continued to pump gas, Will cleared his throat before running his free hand over the scruff of his beard.
"On the I70 just outside Everett. We can either keep going for a few more hours, or we can find a motel room, if there is one around here."
Turning back around to look at the small building, she would ask for the closest and cheapest accommodations just as a rumble of thunder sounded off in the distance.
"I'm going inside to use the washroom."
Making her way across the lot, she stepped around a large puddle before pulling open the door to the sound of a dying buzzer announcing her presence. Looking around, Oliveah spied a washroom sign and began walking towards when a throat cleared from behind the cash desk.
"You're gonna need a key Miss."
Tossing the bathroom key that was attached to the dirtiest piece of wood she had ever seen onto the edge of the rusted sink, Oliveah slammed the stall door shut as she took a seat and cradled her head between her hands.
I'm tired
No…
I'm exhausted
It had been four months and three days since that bloody night inside the Spring Lake house. A night where nearly everyone had died physically.
He had let her live, though she had not escaped unharmed…
(Flashback)
Sitting quietly in the darkness of Will's hospital room the second to last night before he was released, she listened to his soft snores as light rain drops fell against the window pane. Dragging her thumb along the bottom of her stomach, she shifted as she closed her eyes and pictured the blade of the scalpel stabbing through her skin.
An abortion had been constantly on her mind since nearly day one, and as she moved her eyes onto Will's slumbering face, she swallowed hard as she felt the child kick.
You know what I'm thinking…don't you little baby
Leaning forward to balance her forearms on her knees, Oliveah breathed in deeply as she spied shadows moving on the other side of the door in the corridor.
The Federal Agents
Closing her eyes as she decided to lean back against her chair, she counted how many weeks pregnant she was before remembering one of the last things she had Googled on her laptop before Hannibal had made her pack it away in his study.
Surgical abortions could be done during the first or second trimester, and include procedures like aspiration (used up to 16 weeks after the last period) and dilation and evacuation (used after 16 weeks)
"According to Planned Parenthood, but everyone is different" she whispered as she heard Will turning over in his bed.
"Who is different?..."
"Miss, are you alright in there?"
Throwing her eyes open at the sound of the loud banging against the bathroom door, Oliveah quickly finished her business before pushing open the stall door, stopping in front of the sink. Staring into the dirty mirror, she poked at the bags under her exhausted eyes before turning on the cold faucet. Letting the water flow over the puckered skin of her wrists, she quickly scooped a handful up against her face and licked at the drips before grabbing a generous handful of paper towel from the broken dispenser.
Pulling open the door before remembering the key on the counter, Oliveah shook her head and closed it behind her before walking over to the beverage fridge. Grabbing three bottles of the cheapest water, she also grabbed two packs of peanut M&M's and a box of Oreos.
"Your husband already paid for the gas, but he left an extra twenty here for your…groceries" the cashier smiled as she held a hand out for the washroom key.
"He's not my husband, and the key is on the counter back in the bathroom."
Walking quickly across the wet pavement towards the Jeep, Oliveah caught Will's smirk as he leaned against the open trunk.
"The essentials?"
Feeling Will's fingers helping with the bottles of water, he opened one and poured it into the empty food dish as both dogs took turns lapping.
"Oreos and M&M's are not going to keep you full. We'll find a restaurant somewhere and take it to go." Taking off her ballcap, Oliveah raised her eyes to the sky and breathed in deeply as the raindrops fell on her cheeks.
"He's out there somewhere Will. Be in somewhere in America, or..."
Feeling his hand settling on her shoulder with a firm squeeze, Will stared off into the distance as a lightning bolt pierced through the darken sky in the exact direction they were heading.
"We'll find a room here tonight so you can relax."
…
(Flashback)
Clutching at the fabric of her blue scrub top as she felt the beads of sweat around her neck, the young woman threw her eyes open and twisted her wrist painfully as the sharp metal of a handcuff bit into her flesh.
"Where…where am I?"
Pulling on the cuff once more as her blurry eyes started to focus on the guard rail of the bed, Oliveah heard the sound of a clearing throat from the other side of the room. Moving her eyes, she spied a young Federal Agent sitting still in a chair, thumbing a message into his mobile before rising to his feet. Moving her hand once more, she watched as the Officer rose to his feet and pulled open the door, sticking his head around the corner to speak to someone she couldn't see.
"HEY! ANSWER ME!"
Yelling loudly, Oliveah winced as she watched a middle age nurse push her way past the federal agent as she held onto the stethoscope that was around her neck.
"Okay seriously? I know you have a job to do, but so do I…" the woman spat before grabbing Oliveah's chart at the foot of her bed.
Moving her unrestricted hand across her stomach, Oliveah dipped her fingers beneath the fabric of her top as she felt the hardness of her stomach and the wires of the fetal monitor.
She still had her baby
"Is…"
"You had a minor placenta abruption and some bleeding but all the tests look fine and the baby's heartbeat is strong given what you and it has been through tonight."
They know
Everyone must know now that I am pregnant
The local authorities, the FBI…
Kade Prurnell
Rubbing the tip of her thumb along her small belly, Oliveah kept her eyes focused on the closed hospital room door as she felt her palms starting to sweat.
"Am I under arrest?"
Scribbling down on the chart, the Nurse sneered down at the coldness of the metal handcuff before taking a step backwards to check the fluid levels of the vitamin bags.
"I don't know."
Hearing the creaking of the room door, she dared not raise her eyes, for she knew exactly who it was walking in over the threshold.
"I'm glad to see you are awake and alive Miss Adler."
Hearing Agent Prurnell's deep voice, Oliveah turned her eyes and watched as the tall woman crossed her arms across her chest before glancing at the handcuff.
"My agents and Baltimore PD are shifting through Doctor Lecter's house as we speak. Care to tell me if they will find anything interesting? Like maybe, your fingerprints on a knife? Or a piece of evidence that you forgot to clean up?"
…
So, January….
Sorry for not getting this second part up sooner. I was having such a hard time deciding how to get this started. The first chapter is always the hardest! Life has been so busy and time flies so fast I couldn't believe it was already March. I'm trying to decide on a posting schedule for Part 2 so please, subscribe and/or follow for updates!