Cerulean [Hannibal] ✓

visit

Will Graham stands before the large home of the Lecter family. Next to him is Jack Crawford. Both had been invited for dinner that day. It was their first time at the large home and if they were honest.. It was almost intimidating. The door is opened by Hannibal before either of them can ring the bell. "Please do not ring the doorbell. Cassiopeia is sleeping and my wife still at work.", he says, as they look a bit overwhelmed and gestures for them to come inside. "Is it such a good idea for a pregnant woman to work this many hours?" "She worked in the medical field for long enough to know when to stop. Do not worry. I am sure she'll be home before you are leaving. Please. Your coats?" They hand them over and he hangs them up, then leads them towards the dining room. "I must say this is a beautiful home." "Thank you. I am pleased you enjoy it. The appetizers will be out in a moment. Wine? We have Rosé, White or Red." "We leave the choice to you doctor. After all you know what compliments the dishes best." "Red it is." As they sit and he leaves for the kitchen they look around curiously. The dark luxurious wood is complemented by the golden chandelier, blue tablecloth, golden candlesticks, white and gold plates, golden cutlery and white, elegant and comfortable chairs. There is a large painting that looks to be real and handmade, a few small statues and figurines. Everything speaks of the opulence one would guess to be unwelcoming but the whole room feels homily.
Just then Hannibal returns with their first dishes.

It had been perfect timing. Just when the little girl steps into the room with her small, bare feet the front door opens. "I'm home.", Saturn calls out and the little girls interest is suddenly completely gone. She rushes away, happily squealing.
"Mama!" "Hello my baby. Come here! I missed you."
"Excuse me." Hannibal gets to his feet and walks to the entrance hall where his wife is still kneeling on the ground, their daughter clinging to her neck as both beam in happiness about being reunited. "Welcome home my love. We have guests." "We do? Who is it?" Saturn gets up, Cassiopeia on her arm as they share a small kiss. "My colleagues. You met them in the hospital." "Will Graham and Jack Crawford was it, right?" He nods as he helps her out of her jacket. And stabilizes her as she slips out of her shoes and into some house shoes he still thinks to be ridiculously adorable on her. Guiding her to the dining room she immediately catches the eyes of the two guests. "Good evening. Good to see you again. I hope you are enjoying your stay." Saturn smiles amusedly and both men too find themselves cracking a small smile. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." "Why don't you join us?", Jack suggests, gesturing towards the seats. Saturn shakes her head. "I'd love to but I need to make myself and probably this little one here something to eat first. Then I'll prepare myself some tea and we'll join you.", Saturn smiles, brushing her fingers through her suddenly very shy daughters hair. "Enjoy the meal. I'm sure it is lovely." With that she leaves and Hannibal takes his place again. "Do we intrude, Doctor? It seems she doesn't want to sit with us.", Jack Crawford asks, only for Hannibal to shake his head. "Not at all. I believe she is merely not too well with the presence of meat in the room." "That's right. She said she was not able to process meat." "She and my daughter both.", Hannibal nods, "The desserts I've prepared however are completely harmless to her. So she'll probably be back around that time. I hope neither of you will mind that our daughter will be around as well." "Not at all. Although I was surprised to find you having children. Do already know what the next one will be?" "By current estimates a boy." "Congratulations, doctor." "Thank you. His name will be Orion." "Orion?" "Named after the star constellation." "Quite the name, but I believe it fits your family well." "A friend of my wife suggested it to us and it caught right on. The godmother to our daughter."

They finish their meal and with the dessert, like Hannibal had estimated, Saturn returns, Cassiopeia, who shyly looks around, attached to her leg. With her a cup of tea and a small bottle of juice for their daughter. "There I am.", she smiles, sitting down at the table close to her husband and lifting her daughter into her lap. "How are you, Mrs. Lecter?" "Oh. Very good. And exhausted. But satisfied. I had quite a lot of experiments to control and had to monitor a few tests so that I can finally take my maternity leave and work from home.", she explains quickly, giving a small smile. "Anything of interest coming from it today?", Hannibal asks, curious as always. "We found nothing that could be seen as world changing. I although I wasn't in the radiology department from where they've reported good results.. But I can hardly go and see for myself.", she sighs softly. "How may be understand this, Mrs. Lecter?" "We are attempting to mutate viruses to with the help of radioactive rays to target mutated cancer cells and destroy those. It would not be as harmful as a chemotherapy and just as, if not maybe even more effective. And since the virus wouldn't be able to multiply in the cancer cells it would be the ideal solution. Research is slow but steady I'd say so maybe, in a few decades, we can cure cancer." "Mama. What's cancer?" "A very bad sickness, sweetheart." "Like a fever?" "Even worse, sweetheart. By don't worry baby. You are as healthy as it gets and I'll keep you that way." The little girl snuggles into her mother, closing her eyes. "Fascinating. Truly fascinating.", Crawford comments. "I think so too. It's a wonderful place to work at, even when most of what I do has been reduced to management operations..."
They talk for a little while longer until Cassiopeia has fallen asleep in her mother's arms and Hannibal had taken it upon himself to take her to bed, carrying her out of the dining room, whispering gentle words into her ears as she sleeps peacefully.
"Do you plan on having more children?" "We haven't ever really talked about how many. We just knew we wanted children. We'll see I guess. As long as our experiences stay as positive as with Cassiopeia I do believe we might have one or two more.", Saturn shrugs, brushing her fingers through her short hair. "I do believe you two to be a marvelous couple." "Thank you. So do I." They share a small laugh, then wait until Hannibal's return to say their goodbyes and take the two men to their door. "Goodbye. You are always welcome to return. Have a save drive home.", Saturn tells them, then, once they are in their respective cars she closes the door. "Hannibal my love?" He looks at her amusedly. "Yes, Mrs. Lecter?" "Lean down here, will you?" "Why should I?" "Just do it please." He does and she wraps her arms around his neck, then kisses him lovingly. Pulling her as close to him as possible with her ever swelling belly he embraces her, kissing her back. It felt still just like the first time he did kiss her lips. It felt unbelievably right. "I just needed you to know that I adore you." "And I you, my love. May I whisk you away now?" "I'd like nothing more." He lifts her off her feet and quickly carries her up the stairs into their large master bedroom and through the the bathroom connected to it where he lets her down and helps her out of her daywear although she really doesn't need help, while testing the shower temperature. Setting her down on the bench they had installed in their large shower during her first pregnancy he watches as her body is dowsed in warm water. "You are spoiling me too much, my love.", Saturn chuckles, glancing at him. "It's never enough."