The Eyes of a Lamb

Contact

Clarice knocked lightly on Will Graham's door, hearing the barking of dogs coming from the other side of the door. It was early morning and Clarice hadn't slept all night. Too many bad thoughts plagued her mind when she fell asleep, too many thoughts about Hannibal Lecter than she cared for. The way the doctor had looked at her...well, she hadn't been looked at like that for a long time.

The shuffling of feet was now heard as Will opened the door groggily, his eyes barely open as he peered out from the crack of his door.

"Clarice?" he said hoarsely.

"Sorry" Clarice said shrugging "I couldn't sleep last night."

"I know the feeling" Will said opening the door in just his boxers. Clarice looked at him with wide eyes for a moment, her eyes trailing over him up and down before she became embarrassed with herself. Will suddenly realized how he looked and desperately looked about his living room for something to cover up with.

"Sorry about that" Will said as Clarice walked in while he clumsily grabbed a robe from the sofa. The greeting of all of Will's dogs distracted Clarice as she had to say hello to each and every one of them, giving them a good scratch on the ear before moving on to the next.

"Are you a dog person?" Will said watching her as a genuine smile was plastered on her face.

"I have my Barney and that's it" Clarice said as the dogs looked up at her lovingly. Will smiled and went into the kitchen to make some coffee.

"I have an affinity for strays" Will said from the kitchen as Clarice looked around "It's one of my many problems that Dr. Lecter has pointed out to me."

"I saw him yesterday" Clarice said as she looked at some of the pictures hanging on the wall "He's very blunt."

"That he is" Will said coming back with two cups of hot coffee "What did you talk about?"

"About what happened to me" Clarice said shaking her head "Jack Crawford..."

"Wanted to make sure you weren't going to turn into me" Will said with a sad smile as he took a sip of his coffee.

Clarice sighed and went to sit down, the dogs following her and resting wherever she went. Will took the seat opposite of Clarice and watched as she simply studied her surroundings, her blue eyes trailing over everything, making mental notes along the way. She reminded Will of a less jaded version of himself, although her eyes held more sadness than his did.

"I don't like talking about what happened to me" Clarice said firmly "I've spent years trying to get over the fact that I was a victim of a victim, and that Jame Gumb was just lashing out at the things that happened to him as a child" Clarice bit her lip without thinking which sent Will's skin on fire just watching her do such a simply thing.

"But Dr. Lecter finally got it out of me and now I feel the need to let someone else know, somebody who I trust" she said looking up at Will "And I trust you."

"You trust people fast" Will said with a smile.

"No I don't" Clarice said "But you and I think alike, I can't help denying that. But before I tell you anything, I need to know that you trust me."

Will looked at her for a moment, the sureness in her eyes, the logical way she was dealing out her emotions without hesitation. It was him in a more controlled state, her mind was like his only a stable anchor in a sea of treacherous water. If anyone could handle a intense situation, it was going to be her.

"I trust you" Will said nodding his head.

"Then you can know everything" Clarice said calmly.

And she did tell him everything, although she left out the part about her uncle's ranch. That did not need to be discussed with Will, just everything that dealt with the case. Her capture, Jame, what he did to the other girls, how she escaped, etc. Will sat there and listened, his face turning in features from anger, to pity, to understanding from where Clarice was coming from. It made sense now why Jack Crawford wanted Clarice on this case. She knew the way Jame thought, more than Will ever could because she had been a victim of his. She knew the stakes better than anyone, and what would happen if they didn't find those girls.

Two hours had passed, and when Clarice was finally done telling Will what she knew, Will simply stood up and placed his coffee gently down on the table next to the sofa. Clarice watched him walk over to her and simply gestured that she stand up. Clarice did so as Will took her hand in his and wrapped himself around her in a gentle hug. Clarice sighed, liking the feeling of Will holding her, happy that someone understood now. She leaned into him, her eyes closing, and then suddenly the image of Dr. Lecter flooded her mind, her body leaning into his instead of Will, the smell of his scent around her as he gently put his head on hers...

Clarice suddenly moved away, much to Will's surprise.

"I didn't mean" Will said shaking his head "I was just trying to comfort-"

"No it's okay!" Clarice said holding up her hands "I'm sorry I know you weren't trying to pull anything I just...it's been a long time for me...human contact that is... and I just jumped that's all."

"Okay" Will said watching Clarice instantly calm herself.

Clarice sighed and gave Will a smile "Thank you for that though, I think I did need a hug. I don't think the good doctor gave me everything I needed when I went to see him."

"How do you like Dr. Lecter anyway?" Will said taking her empty cup of coffee.

"He's forward" Clarice said "But very insightful. He did not seem to judge whatever I said."

"He has a good way of doing that" Will said "Understanding people that is."

"He wanted to know a lot about my experience though" Clarice said shaking her head "More than the usual things. Like he wanted to be there himself."

"Dr. Lecter does a good job of keeping people's minds going" Will said "He keeps the brain racking for new clues to whatever you are having a problem with."

"I guess so" Clarice said "He's quite the gentleman too."

"I know" Will said with a smile "His fashion sense doesn't hurt either."

Clarice smiled thinking of how Dr. Lecter always dressed in the nicest suits and sweaters and she wondered if he ever did dress as casual as Will in his torn up robe.

"I'm meeting with Dr. Lecter today if you would like to join me" Will said.

"You are checking out the houses together with the bear paintings?" Clarice said with wide eyes.

"There's really only three" Will said "And I would like Dr. Lecter to be there as a second pair of eyes. Having a third wouldn't hurt either, especially yours."

"Alright" Clarice said "Then get dressed."