Cerulean [Hannibal] ✓

tenderness

Hannibal had never before right out send away a patient during a sitting but that very day of November he did just that. Because the very emergency alert he and his wife had installed had begun to ring.
"I will have to stop the session right now. My apologies.", he says, jumping to his feet. "What? Why?" Patrick Ackles, his patient, protests. "Personal reasons that I am not obligated nor willed to reveal to you, Mr. Ackles." That has the disgusting man slowly scramble towards the door and Hannibal swears to himself that he'd slit his throat the next chance he'd get.
Finally out of the office after excruciating long minutes he locks it all off, tells his secretary he got the call and to cancel all following appointments for the 7 days, then hurries to his car. His phone blinks.
She was already at the hospital. They had taken to always having personal at home to watch over her. Although Saturn had not been too happy he was relieved he had stood his ground.

Hastily making his way into the hospital he walks up to the front desk. "My wife is currently giving birth. Saturn Atlas-Lecter." "Ah. Yes. Are you faint of heart when it comes to blood, Sir?" "I have been a surgeon for a large part of my life. No. I am not." "Follow me." They finally enter the room where Saturn is already in the large bathtub. It appears the contractions had already been too much for her. "Saturn.", he says her name, gaining her attention.
She already looks exhausted but he knows she would never give up. "Hannibal.", she smiles. Gently he takes her hand into his, enduring it as she clenches it, the pain of giving birth taking back her focus. The doctors are buzzing around them but Hannibal's attention is on her. The small, beautiful young woman he had chosen for this, to birth his children, and that he was certain he wouldn't let go again. He didn't want to comprehend a life without her laying beside him in their bed.

It had taken Saturn four hours of labour but There she was. In the bloodied up water. As the doctors take the child to make sure of her vitals functioning the little girl let's out her first wailing little scream as her mother presses one last time, finally ridding herself of the afterbirth. She had done it. Kissing her lips he lingers by her side as the doctors hurry to take care of her, get her dry and clean and into a hospital bed that is brought into the maternity ward. 
Soon enough doctors bring her in. Their little daughter. Crying and wailing like the infant she after all was. Saturn opens her arms to her child and holds her to her chest.. The wailing subsides and blue eyes, as children usually have, look up at her. "What is her name?" Saturn and Hannibal exchange a smile before he answers. "Cassiopeia Atlas-Lecter." The woman writes it down on the birth certificate that he signs as the legal father before turning to his wife and daughter. Brushing his thumb over Saturn's soft cheek he gets himself a tired smile before lifting up the infant into his arms. Her red little body in his arms was so fragile he could easily crush her. But he felt a certain inability to do so he had only ever felt with Mischa and Saturn before. Her small hand closes around his finger and she gives him her first smile. Toothless but speaking of happiness non the less. This was what it felt like to be a parent. Prideful, possessive and protective. A tenderness he hadn't felt ever before. He gently kisses her little head before handing her back to her mother where she is breastfed for the first time. The first important experience in the little girls hour of life. "Hannibal." Saturn's hand takes his. Their golden wedding band shimmers slightly in the neon lights of the hospital room. "Yes, my love?" "You are crying." He reaches to touch his face and indeed. A single salty tear has left his eyes. "Tears of happiness. I promise." "I love you." "I love you too." And this time he was sure he actually meant it.