Sunday night I trampled around my apartment searching for the shiny earrings Alana gave me for Christmas. I was suppose to be out the door 20 minutes ago. I stood on my tiptoes a reached for the top shelf in my closet. I pulled a pair heels down and snatched the earrings on my bed side table. I hooked the earrings in and started rushing to the kitchen but caught a glance at myself in the mirror. The backing my black dress was completely unzipped.

"Fuck!" I swung my arm over my shoulder reaching for the zipper. When my hand finally found it and pulled it upwards. The motion caused me to lose my balance. My foot hooked on one of the rejected dress that surrounded the foot of my wardrobe. I crashed onto the floor.

"Shit!" I yelled. Blood started to drip from the brand new scrape on my elbow. I extended my elbow away from my dress and heels. I carried my arm to the kitchen sink and splashed the cut with water and patted it down with a paper towel. I then snatched my purse and coat from the counter and ran out the door.

Running late, I hurried to Dr. Lecter's house. Already, I was intimidated. His house was huge. I carefully walked up the steps and rang the doorbell and right away Dr. Lecter answered.

"Good evening Ms. (y/n). Come in." He stepped back allowing entrance and offered his hand.

"I'm so sorry I'm late." I accepted his hand as he led me in. His hands were calloused and rough.

"No worries."

"You're hands are very rough for a psychiatrist." I giggled.

"From all the work I do in the kitchen." He chuckled. "Very observant of you." He led me into the dining room where I was greeted by Alana and Will.

"Let me take your coat." Dr. Lecter offered. I handed him my coat revealing my dress. "I must say you look lovely."

"Thank you." I blushed deeply as I made my way next to Alana at the table. She raised her eyebrow at me and I kicked her under the table. Will seemed to be too caught up in his own head to notice.

Dr. Lecter returned with four plates of some fancy meal. He called it something I couldn't pronounce but it looked delicious.

"Thank you Hannibal, this looks amazing" Alana smiled eyeing the food.

We all started to eat except for Will.

"Something going on Will?" I asked.

"Jack Crawford seems to be overworking Will." Dr. Lecter exclaimed.

"I'm thinking about the Chesapeake ripper murders." Will sighed as he glanced up at me.

"Wasn't the last Ripper murders two years ago." I worriedly turned to Alana for confirmation.

Before she had the chance to speak, Dr. Lecter did. "There's been a handful of recent murders. Will theorizes the Ripper resurfaced and is the cause."

I bit my lip and stared down at my plate.

"Will we be ok?" I looked up at Alana with fear. I clenched my hands

"Yes. I promise." She put her hand on my cheek to calm me down. "Did you bring your meds?" She whispered.

I shook my head no and she reached in her bag and handed me two pills. I swallowed them down with water. Alana then quickly changed the subject and carried on with dinner.

Will seemed very dizzy and out of it during dinner. Alana mentioned to me that Will has been acting strange lately. I can tell she's really worried. She insisted on driving him home early while I stayed back to help Dr. Lecter clean up.

"Please Dr. Lecter, let me help." I stood at the second faucet connected to the sink and grabbed a plate and started to clean.

"No no, I insist, you are the guest." He tried taking away the plate but I just pulled it back out of his reach and smiled.

"No no, I insist, Dr. Lecter."I said with a teasing smile.

"Very well" He handed me another plate. I spotted him smirking out of the corner of my eye. "Also, please call me Hannibal."

"Alright, Hannibal." I smirked and handed him back the now clean plate.

"You and Alana have an interesting relationship." Hannibal stated as he continued washing.

"We've known each other since high school. We're really close so we practically take care of each other."

"I've noticed how nurturing you are to one another. Especially when you seemed upset. If I may ask, what did Alana give you?"

"Oh, I take ativan and I sometimes forget to bring it with me. So Alana always carries some of my medication around with her just in case I'll need it."

"Ativan? For anxiety?"

"Yeah." I bit my lip and tighten my grip on the plate I was cleaning, nervous about how he might respond.

"That doesn't change my view of you if that's what you're worried about." He turned towards me. "I deal with disorders of the mind for a living." He chuckled and I smiled. "Your friendship with Alana is admirable. That's very hard to find."

"I'm lucky to have her in my life." I smiled while scrubbing a wine glass. "Do you have anyone like that in your life?" His silence caused me to look up at him. "Hannibal?" I asked wondering if maybe he didn't hear me.

"I have colleagues and acquaintances."

"Colleagues and acquaintances are different than friends." I dried the last plate and placed it on the pile of clean dish ware. I then dried off my hands and leaned my back against the container.

"I prefer not to have intimate relationships. They are messy and distracting." He also dried off his hands and turned towards me.

I frowned "That must be lonely."

"Alone and lonely are two different things." He walked towards the cabinet. "Tea?"

"What kind?"

"Jasmine, camomile, chai, ginger, and peppermint."

"Peppermint please." I watched as he carried tea packets and a tea kettle to the sink and slowly filled it with water. "You say you're not lonely but I don't believe that." Trying to reignite the conversation, "Alone you trap secrets, thoughts, wants, desires, and emotions all inside you. It's not healthy, in fact it's maddening."

Hannibal placed the full kettle onto the stove top as he listened.

"Having some to talk to lessens if not dissipates the burden of holding everything inside."

"You're quiet clever (y/n), have you ever consider a job in the psychology field?" He chuckled.

"Actually, I think I've earned a doctorate for enduring all those years of therapy." I laughed along.

The tea kettle sung. Hannibal delicately poured the hot water into two cups with tea packets already in them. He handed me a cup.

"Thank you." I took a sip and continued, "But seriously if you ever need anything or want to talk just call me." I scribbled down my number on a paper towel and handed it to him.

"And I hope you do the same." He handed me one of his business cards he had tucked on the inside of his breast pocket.

I smiled, "Thanks for everything, Hannibal. I had a really good night. I should get going though, It's getting late. I placed the tea cup down on the counter and turned around to start walking to the door but I stumbled on my heels and fell against the wall.

"Fuck" I whined as the stingy kind of pain started in my elbow. I clutched my arm and pulled away to see a small pool of blood resting in my palm. A red droplet rolled down my arm onto the black and white flooring. The blood droplet complimented the kitchen tiles.