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Sometimes Clarice wondered why she even bothered getting up in the morning only to drive herself crazy at work. Maybe part of her enjoyed the pain. Hannibal had once asked if she was a closet masochist and offered to use his harpy whenever she needed a fix. Her response had been a well aimed pillow to his head. Now, she dragged herself to her door, wanting nothing more than a hot bath and bed, only to find that her door was unlocked. That only meant one thing. He was here.

Clarice groaned. She'd gotten used to Hannibal coming and going, but today had not been her day. Despite her dread, she opened the door and found him on the couch.

"Hello, Clarice,"he said without looking up."Did you know that your cable bill is past due? You had better pay it soon. I know you would hate to miss watching Criminal Minds."(Fans of the show will get the joke.)

Her temper flared."You read my mail?"

"I had to do something until you arrived."

Clarice stalked over and snatched the letter from his hands."Opening someone's mail is a federal offense."

He simply looked up at her and smiled."If I'm get captured again, I hardly think opening your mail will alter my sentence very much."

He had a point. That was the trouble with being friends with a known psychopath. Regular threats did not work. Clarice sighed and fell down beside him. As soon as she did, Hannibal pulled her feet into his lap and began removing her shoes.

"You are way too attached to my feet,"she said before grabbing the half opened stack of mail."Anything interesting?"

"Podophilia is the most common sexual fetish in the world not that I have it, of course. As for your mail, most of them were bills, but there was an offer for a cruise that you should look at. You need a vacation."

She laughed."Yeah right. Even if I could get the time off, I'd never be able to pay for it."

"I'd pay for your ticket. We could even go together."

"Oh Hannibal, it's just what I always wanted. To be on a boat in the middle of the ocean with a serial killer. It's a dream come true."

"Your sarcasm was not required, Clarice. You could have simply said no."

"Sorry. I've had a long day."

He squeezed her ankle lightly and rubbed the sole of her foot."No matter. I know you are probably eager to get out of your work clothes, so feel free to go upstairs. The pizza should be ready in a moment.

She looked at him then."You ordered a pizza?"

"Don't insult me, Clarice. I made it myself."

Clarice moved her feet from his lap and stood up."Sorry. I forgot that you're half Italian."

"Was that a stereotype?"he asked as she headed upstairs.

"Consider it revenge for that little rube speech you gave me when we met."

Hannibal chuckled before going to the kitchen. After the first few visits, they had grown, dare he say it, close. She'd given him a key months ago, proving that she trusted him. He'd immediately went and purchased an expensive silver chain to hang it on. Ironically, the key was more valuable to Hannibal than the chain. He could easily replace both, but he could never replace Clarice's trust. To him, that was more valuable than all the silver in the world.

As he checked the oven, Hannibal was broken from his thoughts by the sound of Clarice's loud swear from upstairs. Forgetting the food, he quickly headed upstairs.

"Clarice!"

In the bathroom, Clarice cursed softly this time before calling out,"In here."

Hannibal heard her and tried the door only to find it locked."Clarice. Is there something wrong?"

Wrong was an understatement."You could say that."

Now, he was really worried and tried the door again."Let me in, Clarice."

Clarice sighed but opened the door regardless. If she didn't, he'd either pick the lock or break it down. He entered quickly, and for once, didn't mask his nervousness.

"What's wrong?"

His concern was sweet, and she couldn't keep from blushing."I can't say."

Hannibal titled her chin back up, forcing her to look at him."Clarice. You know that you can tell me anything. There are not many things you can say that will startle me."

"I'm out of tampons."

Except for that. For once in his life, Hannibal Lecter was speechless. He stood so still that Clarice soon grew worried.

Holy shit, I broke him."Hannibal. Say something. You're scaring me."

He must have heard her because he blinked."Sorry. You were saying?"

"I said I'm out of tampons."

"That was what I thought you said."Without another word, he left the bathroom and headed downstairs.

Great. I've scared him off. Nice going, Clarice.

"I'll return in a moment, Clarice,"Hannibal called from downstairs as he shrugged on his coat."The pizza is cooling on the counter."

Before she could stop him, Clarice heard the door slam. Dr. Hannibal Lecter was going to the store to fetch her tampons. Clarice smiled, and it soon turned into full blown laughter.

Fifteen minutes later, Hannibal stood in the local convenience store utterly confused. As a doctor, he knew all about the female reproductive system, but not even Johns Hopkins had prepared him for this. Sure, he had purchased things for women before, but this...this was something way beyond anything he'd ever bought before. How could disposable items so small come in so many brands? Suddenly, a man only a few years younger than him came to stand beside Hannibal.

"First time?"

The doctor nodded silently, still starring at the packages.

"It's unsettling at first, but after a while you get used to it. Try these."The man picked one of the packages and passed them to Hannibal."They usually work for most women, and they're not expensive. My wife and daughters use them every month."

"Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Mr.-"

"Mitchell. Gerald Mitchell."

"Lester Bennett."

The two men shook hands before Gerald grabbed two packages for himself."Word of advice. Pick up something sweet before you leave if you value your life."

'Lester' chuckled at the irony of Gerald's comment but thanked him again none the less before going towards the freeze section.

After finishing his shopping, Hannibal returned to Clarice's house to find her sitting at the counter enjoying the pizza. She greeted him with a smile as he placed the bags down and unloaded their contents.

"How was your shopping trip? You left before I could tell you what kind to get."

"Come now, Clarice. It was just a trip to the store. I'm more than capable of handling that."

Clarice didn't buy it."You had help, didn't you?"

It was useless to lie."Yes."

She laughed."I figured as much. Thank you for going, but it wasn't necessary."

"You're welcome, and I'd say it was necessary. You need something and could not get it yourself."

She smiled knowingly at him."I never said I couldn't go out. I have a box of pads in the bathroom. They would have held me over until I went to the store. I was about to tell you, but you bolted out of here before I could."

Once again, Hannibal stood frozen as her words washed over him. Though his face showed no reaction, his eyes told Clarice everything. Still smiling, she kissed his cheek before grabbing her plate and wine glass.

"Come on, Mr. Fearless. Psycho will be on in a few minutes, and I know how you like Hitchcock."

Hannibal remained still for a moment before smiling."Anything for you, Clarice."

FIN