Bloody Regrets (Hannibal Fan Fiction)

A Ticking Clock

Elia rolled over onto her side letting the sheets devoured her further. This mess of fabric wasn't as comforting as it was to most. Silence made her uneasy as it gave her mind a chance to wander into the past. She shivered sitting up quickly feeling heart speed as clips of a slide-show from a horrific film called 'life' began to play. Still she needed to get some form of sleep. 

In the morning Elia had a rather busy schedule to keep. Another session with the Good Doctor followed by enrollment into school, but none of that really worried her as much as the other thoughts that were currently plaguing her mind. She felt a need to repel them far from her, however the way she intended to do such was a much darker method.

Recently she had been given time to wander about the forest without being checked up on constantly with questions about her state of mind. It was part of the reason she enjoyed living with Lecter, he cared little about getting her life story and more about her comfort. Still even now Elia could feel everything starting to slip. 

Upon her last outing she had recovered a dead deer. She hesitated slightly before touching its large pair of antlers. The wounds suggested it had been hunted down by another animal. Still it seemed right to stare into a pair of eyes that had been snuffed of their life. With what strength she could gather the next few minutes were of her pulling and jerking at the creature's antlers until they ripped from its head. The smell of rot began to cling to everything she wore as her hands were getting covered in bits of fur and a thick liquid that might have once been blood.

Elia rolled over again in bed remembering where she had hidden the antlers away and how over the last few days she had started to sharpen the ends further turning them into some twisted version of themselves. She shivered a bit as a small knot formed in the very pit of her stomach. There was a feeling of being almost dirty due to her actions.

The door opened allowing light to spill into her room as the outline of another being stood there watching her. She felt her heart speed slightly as her mind had identified this person as her Uncle. 'How has he found me!?' it screamed starting to look for ways to escape, but when he started to walk towards the bed it welcomed hysteria to slither over ever inch of her. A tremble started making her feel like a child and disgust took the place where the knot was within her stomach.

He sat upon the edge of the bed still allowing only silence to be their form of communication. Elia began to slowly slide her hand in the direction of her desk in hopes of grabbing a pen or something to stab him with. Then something happened he placed a hand upon her head gently rubbing his thumb over her cheek.

"Oh Ellie...." The Good Doctor whispered.

Her entire body went limp letting the panic, disgust, and fear just slide away. He continued to rub her cheek in a loving way. He seemed as though she were really his own flesh and blood in this moment. Elia moved her lips wanting to say something but nothing will come, warmth spreads through her body and all the way to the very tips of her fingers.  This strange spell he had cast upon her was frightening all its own to her but in a different way. 

She could feel herself growing close to him, but she couldn't. She didn't want to allow herself to become something so easily changed. A tear slid down her cheek. Most of all Elia didn't want to be used again like her Uncle did. A sting began to dance over the scars that littered her flesh. Taunting her for her existence. Why couldn't she have just passed this hell along to another? She wanted to be like other little girls. While they played with dolls and thought boys to have cooties she watched men die and women get raped. She never learned things through childish lessons rather the truth was thrown at her in crude and rather hateful ways.

Elia felt him wipe away the tears as he spoke once more "I'm here if you need anything Ellie. Just down the hall. Call and I will come." Hannibal leaned over placing a soft kiss upon her cheek then adjusted the covers and left her closing the door behind himself.

She closed her eyes tightly as another memory set in.

***

Elia scooted back into a corner staring wide eyed up at her Uncle shaking with fear. "How dare you!" he snapped back handing the small being. Sending her into a heap of herself.

He looked to the small puddle of her vomit and growled deeply showing more of his displeasure. A taste of alcohol still lingered upon her tongue. "I'll show you to be ungrateful!" 

The enraged monster walked over to the counted digging around in the drawers for a moment before coming back to her. Quickly and with little effort her bound the child so she couldn't stop his next few actions. Her Uncle gripped her chin roughly forcing her to look at what he held which only caused her to thrash about. 

He took the needle and threaded the black string through the small hole then looked to her with the same sadistic smile he loved to wear upon himself most days. He slammed Elia upon the ground and without hesitation pushed the needle through her lower lip. She went to scream but he held her mouth shut as it moved through the upper lip tugging as it went along. Slowly he started to sew her mouth shut.

The whole time tears pour from her eyes as she prayed to her silent god for release from all of this. Sometimes she prayed for death, and sometimes she acted upon these wishes. 

Her Uncle made it to the other side of her lips and for a moment she thought he might have been satisfied but nothing was ever that merciful when it came to his punishments. He doubled back leaving little black X's over her lips. Causing her to look more like something out of a horror movie than a child.

"If you remove it I'll burn them shut, got it!?" She nodded quickly in response still crying a bit from the ache that now clung to her flesh. 

***

Elia looked to the door biting her lip slightly and slid out of bed to move down the hall. She felt childish for what she was about to do, but that was the point. She had never had the chance to feel and act in such a way that it was comforting all its own.

When she came to Lecter's door she didn't knock the girl simply opened it. He looked to the door to see the teen standing there clutching her arm as she sniffled a bit. Tears staining her cheeks and a red puffiness surrounded her eyes now.

Lecter sat up about to say something when she crawled into bed beside him. He looked down as she snuggled up to him crying. The Good Doctor's features softened as he laced his arms around her in a protective embrace. Starting to run his fingers through her hair trying to fight away the pain that was currently plaguing her.

"Shhhhh, Ellie. Everything is alright." he whispered into her ear.

The night continued on like this until she feel asleep in his arms. He didn't move her nor did he wake her. Hannibal laid there watching this pained being sleep. He smiled softly and closed his own eyes enjoying the warmth beside him.