Understanding A Killer

What will you choose?

Police sirens wailed through the neighborhood, making a crowd form around the house once again. Those that got a good spot watched the black body bag being carried out and put into a vehicle. The word started spreading instantly, and the story about a mad man hiding inside a secret room would become the neighborhood's legend.

A nurse cleaned the wound on Will's head as he watched the procedure play out.

"Sir, you should really get checked out at the hospital." - She suggested worriedly.

"I got it. Thanks." - Will anwsered vacantly as he saw Jack walking towards him.

Well, here we go with the questions.

"Is he done?" - Jack asked the nurse.

"Yeah... That's about all I can do here." - She shrugged and excused herself, leaving the two men alone.

Jack's expression got serious as he eyed Will's bloody clothes. "You care to explain why you went in alone?"

"I wanted to check the place out. But, as you can see, I got ambushed. I'll admit it wasn't very smart."

"I really don't like to see you like this." - Jack shook his head, "Something tells me killing has a bad affect on you."

"I had to defend myself." - Will stated shortly.

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Hannibal took out a cake from the fridge, carrying it over to the dinner table. His guest smiled, admiring the pretty decoration and colorful icing.

"Strawberry cake with vanilla cream." - He put it in front of his guest, "Simple, but effective."

"It looks wonderful." - Eliana observed.

"I'm glad you seem relaxed now. I hated seening you anxious." - He spoke as he cut the cake.

"Maybe the food made me relax a little. That still doesn't mean we're back to being friends."

"What purpose would there be for us dining together if we were not friends?"

"I don't know." - She shrugged, "I don't understand the purpose. Maybe I just wanted to see you."

"It doesn't matter." - He smiled, "What matters is that we enjoy ourselves."

She listened as corners of his eyes lit up, indicating he was telling the truth. And the truth was, in this moment, she felt comfortable. More than she ever did in her hometown, with her so called friends  who just lurked in the dark, waiting to take her spot. There was something pleasant about Hannibal she could no longer deny. Somehow, the man who held her captive for two months felt safer than freedom of the wide outside. Those feelings kept coming back as much as she tried burying them. Honesty felt comfortable, and in his company, she could be completely honest. There were no judging stares of self-righteous moralists, no lies of so-called innocent observes who wanted her in prison years ago.

The feeling kept lurking, calling out to her, filling her mind with a thick fog. So, the reason she came here was to determine whether she should listen to it. Should she choose the lonely innocence, or the charming sin?

The doorbell rang before Eliana had the chance to anwser. "Were you expecting someone?" - She asked suspiciously.

"No." - He lifted both eyebrows, "I'll go see who it is."

Hannibal went to open the door, and Eliana almost jumped from her chair when she heard Will's voice from the hallway. Her face flushed in embarassment as she wanted to crawl in a hole. If he sees her here, it's gonna be very bad.

Eliana hid her face instinctively as Will walked in, cursing at herself for ever coming here. What was he doing here, anyway?

"Well, I wasn't expecting to see you here, Eliana." - Will greeted sourly. The disappointmet in his eyes was visible, but somehow he didn't seem shocked.

"Me neither." - She avoided eye contact, "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same."

"Sit down, Will." - Hannibal interrupted, "Would you like some cake?"

"No thanks. I don't eat sweets."

"Some wine, then?"

"Yeah, sure."

Hannibal went to the kitchen, giving Will and Eliana an opportunity to continue.
"So, Eliana, do you spend much time here?"

"No. Just tonight..."

"Here you go." - Hannibal returned with the wine, "Sorry I didn't prepare something to your liking. I didn't know you were coming."

"Neither did I." - Will responded, "My legs just took me here. Seems like my student had the same tought."

"What a lovely coincidence!" - Hannibal exclaimed, "But as a doctor, I'm curious to know how you got that wound on your head."

Eliana lifted her head at the mention of an injury, taking a look at Will for the first time.

"I had a fight. The usual day at the FBI." - Will spoke coldly.

"What happened?!" - Eliana questioned worriedly.

"The killer almost got me. Good thing I was able to defend myself." - He spoke as he sipped the wine.

"Does that mean..." - Eliana couldn't finish the sentance.

"Yes. He's dead."

"It's a blessing you were able to make it out without major injuries." - Hannibal lifted his glass, "Let's drink to that."

As all three of them lifted their glasses, Eliana's mind went blank. Maybe this is the way it's supposed to be. It felt right, the three of them drinking like this.

At that thought, she finally stopped avoiding Will's eyes. So, she looked at them while he stared into the distance, reminded of the way he'd avoid student's eyes back in class. The confusion was gone, but something else formed as the frown on his forehead disappeared.

She could never fully grasp his mind, no matter how much time they'd spent together. But the blood on his shirt, and the vacant stare that replaced the innocence in his eyes seemed sickening to her. He wasn't looking at her, and his eyes no longer begged her to stay like that night she chose revenge.

No, I don't want to see him like this! - A voice inside her head suddenly screamed.

Then, she remembered his sleeping frame while he waited for Abigail to wake up. Every night, he'd take care of her, gripping onto the fact he was able to save someone, not just kill. She liked the peacefulness on his face when he slept. Maybe, she'd do anything to see it one more time.

As the thoughts flooded her brain, it was as if heavy fog lifted, making her see the truth. She had been under a spell of a false understaning. A promise of fake peace that came at a price of losing constraints of innocence. The choice stood right in front of her.

She got so caught up in her own pain, she no longer saw she still had something to lose. And it took her the absolute absence of guilt in his eyes to finally see it.

But now, the spell had been broken.

You almost had me, Hannibal.