I tucked up my knees close to my chest as I sat in the bath tub, washing myself off after today's events. I kept thinking about what Kolnas said to me. Henry could still be alive, at the Lars estate. But that ground holds too many memories it hurts. I also kept thinking about Hannibal. I built many walls around myself and Hannibal's starting to climb over them. Trust is a difficult thing for me to do, but it's like he's teaching me how to trust. He's helped me understand what I want in people, and what I don't. I'm getting attached, and I don't want that - I don't need that. They all disappoint me one day, no need for me to stay around to see that happen. I got out the tub and wrapped a towel around myself.
I walked into my bedroom to see Hannibal and Oscar laid down on my bed. They both seemed to be asleep, with Hannibal's hand on Oscar's stomach to keep him secure in place. I crept over to my dresser and pulled out panties and an oversized shirt to sleep in. I quickly put them on then I crept into bed with the two of them, Oscar in the centre of us. I stared at Hannibal for a few moments, to see how easy he could sleep - which I wish I could do. Oscar suddenly started to whimper so I quickly removed Hannibal's hand from Oscar and picked him up, putting his head on my shoulder and patting his back. Oscar kept whimpering and I was worried that he would suddenly burst into tears. I left my bedroom and I went into the kitchen to get his dummy.
Oscar fell asleep again as he gently sucked on his dummy, with a few dry tears on him. I carefully put him back into his crib and I went back into my bedroom. Hannibal still seemed to be asleep so I got back into bed with him and stared up at my ceiling. He suddenly wrapped his hand around my stomach and pulled me closer to him. I looked over at him and he wasn't even asleep. I lightly chuckled and he smirked at me, squinting open his eyes. I rolled over onto my side, then Hannibal and I just stared at each other.
"Are you still thinking about Henry?" He asked me, very quietly. I sighed and hesitantly nodded my head. He also slightly sighed, his breath imprinting onto my face.
"I don't even know if he was lying..." I whispered to Hannibal. He adjusted some hair strands in front of my face and pulled me in for a cuddle. I rolled onto my other side and he held me close to him.
"Try get some sleep, then think about this in the morning" Hannibal whispered in my ear. I hesitantly closed my eyes and even though I was in the arms of a serial killer, I felt safe.
——— the Lars estate ———
I clung onto the horse while my mother held onto the leash.
"You're not going to fall, because you're in these" Mother fiddled with the stirrups and patted my thigh, assuring me.
"You've got this!" Shouted father. I looked over to see father holding Arthur and Henry was leaning on the fence, watching with a smile on his face.
"Okay... okay" I whispered to myself, taking in deep breaths. Mother hurried up her pace a little and my horse went a little faster. I leaned forward and lifted myself up a little, to be a little more steady.
"That's it, Grace" praised mother, making me smile.
After an hour of a bit of horse riding, I took off my helmet and ran over to father, Arthur and Henry. Arthur hurried out fathers hands and he climbed through the fence to hug me. We both laughed as we hugged each other and then we let each other go.
"That was awesome" gasped Arthur, making my smile grow even more.
"Eh, it was alright" teased Henry. I smirked and I climbed through the fence.
"Your mother used to be going on her horse everyday" father told me. I raised my two eyebrows and my mouth dropped.
"Everyday?" I whispered to father, shocked since I barely saw her horse ride.
"Every-day" he responded.
——— Grace's home ———
I squinted open my eyes and stretched out to realise Hannibal wasn't in bed. He must've fled to the FBI or gone back home in case Jack got onto his back, it didn't entirely bother me. I slumped out of bed and I walked over to the bathroom.
I brushed my teeth and splashed my face with some cool water, mentally preparing myself for today. I still kept thinking about Henry and if he's still alive.
I walked downstairs, into the kitchen and it came to my surprise to see Hannibal stayed, feeding Oscar at the breakfast bar. I stopped in my tracks and my mouth slightly opened as I watched Hannibal wipe off Oscar's mouth gently. He glanced up at me and gave me a slight smile, I gave him a smile back then hurried over to the sink to pour myself a drink.
"I thought you left" I said to him, turning around and leaning on the counter as I looked over at Hannibal.
"I thought it would be rude of me to leave like that" he responded, putting Oscar down onto the ground and he quickly hurried over to his toys again.
"I wouldn't of cared" I promised him, finishing my glass of water. He slowly approached me and I adjusted my posture.
"We can't go to the crime scene we both made yesterday, with the FBI today" I whispered to him.
"I know. I called Jack before you awoke to exclaim to him that both you and I have business to attend to, and cannot be there" Hannibal informed me. I raised an eyebrow and smiled a little, making him also smile a little.
"We were sloppy yesterday" I whispered to him.
"Indeed we were, nothing like the chesapeake and Baltimore ripper" he whispered Back to me, making me lightly laugh.
"Why don't we run away together?" He asked me, stroking my arm. My eyes slightly widened and I tilted my head at him.
"Hannibal, that's..." I couldn't even find any words to describe how insane his idea was.
"Insane, yes. But I would love to show the beauty of Florence to you" he pleaded to me, with an expressionless face on, but I could smell his desperation.
"I uh... I don't know" I whispered to him.
"I understand that you need time to consider. I heard that your new psychiatrist is Bedelia?" He asked me.
"She is, know her?" I asked him, as he was still gently stroking my arm.
"She's also my therapist" he informed me, I raised an eyebrow and he smiled, seeing my face.
"A therapist with a therapist... interesting..." I teased him. His smile grew a little and then there was silence. He looked me up and down and leaned forward a little, as did I. Our kiss was gentle and also a little awkward but I ran my fingers through his hair and he held me close to him. Oscar made a little noise, making us both pull away and check on him to see he was just really enjoying himself playing with his toys. I smiled seeing him like that and then I got a call from my phone. Hannibal let me go and I leaned over the counter to grab it, to see it was a call from Will. I had many thoughts in my head and I considered if Hannibal and I were caught. I pressed the phone against my ear and sat down at the breakfast bar.
"Hi, Will" I said down the phone.
"Grace, hey, I had to call because it's about... another murder" Will confessed to me. I got very intrigued and bit my bottom lip.
"Uh-huh, tell me about it" I replied back to him, wondering how Will Graham was stuck on a case.
"It's a sloppy case. Jack says it's a ripper case but it was so badly done... they also just left the body, didn't claim their kill" Will exclaimed to me. Normally, it would offend me if someone called my work sloppy but I knew that Hannibal and I performed terribly yesterday.
"Your point?" I asked him.
"What I'm trying to say is... maybe the two rippers have met" Will said to me, slightly whispering down the phone.
"You're saying they don't work well together?" I asked him.
"They both want the same thing from the seems of it. Two psychopaths will do anything to anyone to get what they want" Will said to me in a sassy tone.
"They're not psychopaths. Well, one of them Isn't Atleast" I scoffed to Will, taking offence to what he said that time but I still kept a calm tone in my voice.
"So what are they? Gods gift? The fallen angel?" Will asked me.
"They're unique, they kill with reasons. We just gotta find out How" I replied back to him, not entirely answering his question.
"And how can we do that?" He asked me, I could imagine him crossing his arms or planting a hand on his hip.
"We just gotta find out their past" I said to him, slightly smirking as I said that.
"Okay... I hope your business or whatever you're doing goes well, see you around" Will ended the call and I groaned out loud.
"What's the matter?" Hannibal asked me. I turned around and saw he was holding Oscar, standing at the door frame.
"They know something. I don't know what but it's something" I stood up and walked past Hannibal and to my bedroom.
I closed the door and I rested my head on the door, to cope with the many thoughts in my head. I had to leave, that's for sure, but does it have to be with Hannibal? I know he still has thoughts about killing me, and I used to have them thoughts but not anymore - doesn't mean I'm afraid to hurt him.
——— the therapy session ———
Bedelia was an attractive women, with blonde hair and ocean blue eyes as she sat so still on her chair, waiting for me to say something. I looked back over at her to see she was analysing me, but I couldn't care less.
"Why did you come here if you won't say anything to me?" Bedelia asked me, in an angelic voice. I slanted my head at her and laid back on my chair, crossing my legs.
"I only admitted to treat you because you seemed interesting. I'm a retired therapist you see, a patient attacked me a while back" she confessed to me. I knew she was only saying this for me to feel guilt or such, into saying something. As a response, I just stared at her and waited for her to say something else.
"What's relations did you have with Doctor Lecter? What he did- .... what you both did, has some serious consequences behind it" she warned me. I stretched out my neck and checked the time on my wrist. I knew I was being rude, I wanted her to stop treating me.
"He's dangerous" she suddenly spat out. I glanced back up at her and wondered what she knew.
"I suppose you already know that" she added on, crossing her legs. I tilted my head at her and slightly smirked, she was an intelligent woman.
"So what do you know about him?" I asked her. She seemed happy that I said something as a slight grin appeared from the corner of her mouth.
"His secret ingredient" she whispered to me, referring to his cannibalistic ways.
"Impressive that you're still alive" I smirked to her.
"And the very same goes for you" she replied back to me. I sighed under my breath and shrugged my shoulders at her.
"He's had his chances to kill me before. Twice. Maybe even more" I informed her.
"And how many times have you had a chance to kill him?" She asked me with her head held high in the air. I held our eye contact as I considered if I should tell her or not. She hasn't told on Hannibal but I am not as close with her, like Hannibal is.
"Atleast twice, probably more" I answered her, as truthful as I could get. There was a moment of silence but Bedelia wasn't afraid enough to break our eye contact.
"Then maybe you're made for each other" she whispered to me.