Possession (Hannibal x Reader)(Book One)

chapter 12

You wake up to the sound of probably Ardelia knocking at your door, you and her had plans to work on the Buffalo Bill case at your apartment you scurry around looking for clothing to hide the bruises and marks Hannibal left all over you. Finally feeling you've covered everything you head to go answer the door, when you open the door Ardelia busted through already beginning to speak "they found the ambulance" she tells you, you don't answer her you just continue walking to your living room floor where you spread out the Buffalo case file.

Ardelia hovers anxiously beside you "in a parking garage at Memphis airport. The crew was dead. He killed a tourist, too. Got his clothes, cash... By now he could be anywhere" Ardelia says to you, you look up at her, her eyes are red-rimmed with exhaustion, and something close to despair, you know exactly what she's thinking. "no, He won't come after me" you say to try and ease her mind 'He was already here, but not to hurt me, he just wants me to be safe until we can finally be together' you think to yourself "why not?" Ardelia asks, you try and play it off how old Y/N would answer, the Y/N that didn't have feelings for a serial killer "it would be rude. and he wouldn't be able to ask anymore questions.." you tell her, Ardelia then sits beside you, touching your arm "Y/N, you did the best anybody could have for Catherine Martin. You stuck your neck out for her and you got your butt kicked for her and you tried. It's not your fault it ended this way." Ardelia says to you in a soft tone.

"The worst part - the thing that's making me crazy - is that Bill's right Infront of me. Only I can't see him.." you touch the case file "Hannibal said, everything I need to catch him is right here, in these pages" you say "Lecter said a lot of things" Ardelia tells you, memories of last night trying to fight there way back into your head but you push them away for now "he's here, Ardelia" Ardelia just stares at you.

When it got darker out you both headed down to the laundry room, you spread out the case file along two washing machines. Ardelia sat cross legged on top of one dryer "hey, is this Lecter's hand writing?" Ardelia asks surprised holding up a map, with it's location markings for the kidnapping and body dump sites. You grab it and take a look, with newly inked words in Hannibal's precise, elegant hand reads "Y/N doesn't this random scattering of sites seem overdone to you? doesn't it seem desperately random - like the elaborations of a bad liar? ta... Hannibal Lecter." you look up at Ardelia puzzled but excited "'desperately random' what does that mean?" you ask "not random at all, maybe. Like there's some pattern here...?" Ardelia suggests "but there is no pattern. There's no connection at all among these places, or the computers would've nailed it! they're even found in random order." you say "well, except for the one girl" Ardelia says "what girl?" you ask "the one that was weighed down. Who is she? Fred something" Ardelia says, you both search amongst the inserts. you find the graduation photo "Frederica Bimmel, from Belvedere Ohio. The first girl taken, but the third body found...Why?" you ask "'cause she didn't drift. He weighted her down." Ardelia answers "but why? he didn't weight these others." you ask confused, you move around unable to sit still "the first, what the hell did Hannibal say about... 'first principles,' he said. Simplicity... What does this guy do, he 'covets.' How do we first start to covet? 'we covet what we see -" you stop, turn towards Ardelia, you grab the photo of Frederica and stare at it. You look up, trembling "-everyday" you finish what you were saying before "hot damn, Y/N" Ardelia says softly "he knew her...!" you say.

With that new information you took it straight to Crawford. Your both seated Infront of Director Burke, who's at his desk. Another chair is empty, because Krendler is pacing. All four are nearing there boiling points. "maybe he lives in this, this Belvedere Ohio, too! Maybe he saw her everyday, and killed her sort of spontaneously. Maybe he just meant to... Give her a 7-up and talk about the choir. But then -" you start talking but Krendler interrupts you "Y/N" he says "But then he had to cover up, make her seem like all the rest of them. That's what Hannibal was hinting!" you begin speaking again "the market in Lecter hints is way down, today, okay? I've got two good men dead in Memphis, and three civilians. I've got-" Krendler says but gets interrupted by Crawford "who the hell's fault is-" Crawford begins saying "- a U.S. Senator who's half out of her head because her daughters going to be murdered today! and all because of your mind games with fucking Lecter!" Krendler shouts angrily "if you hadn't of interfered, he'd still be in custody in Baltimore!" Crawford yells back "Jack-" Burke says "you sent in green recruit, with a phony goddamn offer-" Krendler says "your just trying to cover your ass for letting him escape!" Crawford says "THAT'S ENOUGH! all of you..." Burke yells out.

A long silence, as they all struggle to regain composure. Crawford, who was at the point of striking Krendler, finally retakes his seat. Burke looks sadly at you and Crawford. "Y/N, I'm afraid I have no choice. Your suspended from the academy." Burke says but Crawford starts to interrupt "not another word!" Burke continues "this is pending a reevaluation of your fitness for the service. I promise you'll get a fair hearing." Burke says to you "Jack... Your ordered to take compassionate leave. You'll spend the rest of the day briefing the AG's office, then transfer command of the task force, effective by 1800 hours. I'm sorry, Jack... Go home. Take care of Bella." Burke says to Crawford, you and Crawford both stare at Burke, drained. A long very painful silence. Not even Krendler looks happy.

You and Crawford walk out slowly, stand there a moment, not knowing what to say, not wanting to face each other. "all his victims are women... His obsession is women, he lives to hunt women. But not one women is hunting him - except me. I can walk into a women's room and know three times as much about her as a man would" you pause "I have to go to Belvedere." you tell Crawford "you heard them. I don't have that authority anymore." Crawford says to you "you do until six P.M." you tell him, Crawford just stares at you sadly. He looks, for the first time, defeated, old beyond his years. "Ohio is a cold ground. Picked over, ten months ago. Our people worked it, so did the locals." Crawford explains "but not from this angle. Not thinking he knew her. You've got to send me!" you exclaim "I'm bureau for 28 years, Y/N. I won't disobey orders, not even now." Crawford tells you "but I just became a private citizen. I can go anywhere I want to" you tell him "with ID and a gun...? impersonating a federal agency is a felony." Crawford says "he's going to kill her, Mr. Crawford. This morning, or maybe at noon, but today, and belvedere's our last chance. I'm flying there, right now, unless you stop me. You want my Id? Here take it.." you say.

Crawford just stares at you, a long moment. Catherine's life. Your passion, and future. His loyalty to the bureau, Crawford pulls out his wallet "there's about $300 here... And a hotline code number. They'll patch you through to me, wherever I am." Crawford says, you raise your hand to him, to take his money and card "thank you" you said to Crawford, Crawford watched, frightened for both of you as you back away, you smile and turn racing towards the surveillance van.