Murder Family Values

She's up

By the time Ashley Al'Ghul arrived in Abigail Hobbs's room, it was already overflowing with people, including Freddie Lounds. Her green eyes narrowed at the conniving redhead. "Is she allowed to be here?"

Ashley got two simultaneous answers, one no, one yes. The brunette smiled widely. "Well, then, I guess that gives me the right to kick her...I mean kindly escort her off the premise."

The reporter opened her mouth to protest to which Ashley firmly responded in Ancient Greek: "Γιούχα εσύ πόρνη." (Pronounced: Geia sou pórni. Loose translation: Boo you whore.) This has earned her sharp and yet amused glances from both adults — although Will wasn't even aware she had switched languages — and a confused look from Abigail.

Will cleared his throat awkwardly. "Abigail, this is Doctor Lecter, and Ashley Al'Ghul, a trainee. Do you remember us?"

She nodded after a second. "You killed my dad." Her eyes flitted to Ashley, who had found herself standing in front of Will and Hannibal. An almost flirtatious smile crossed Abigail's face. "And you're the girl who saved my life."

The other teen's brain seemed to short circuit at the statement. She was almost tempted to look around confused at the statement, but it was obvious that the teen wasn't talking about either of the adults. Ashley noted that the remaining Hobbs was far cuter awake than comatose.

Half of her whispered she's a murderer, pull yourself together. The other half of her response was simple: so are you. She's cute, go for it. Murder Girlfriends.

Ashley returned the smile, which she had decided, was in fact, flirtatious. "Well, I approve the way you remember me."

Will awkwardly cleared his throat. "Well, you've been in a coma for days. Why don't we go for a walk?" That was enough to pull the brunette girl back to the situation at hand. Gods, what's wrong with me? I've never lost track of my goal before, so why now?

Ashley was the last to leave the room and skipped a step so she could walk beside the other teen. "We're sorry for your loss. By the time we got there..."

"She was already gone, I know. I saw him kill her. He was loving right up till the second he wasn't."

That silenced the brunette. Abigail reminded Ashley of herself. She had bared witness to her Mother kill more people than she wished to count. At some point or another, violence and cruelty had become expected.

Talia Al'Ghul had claimed to love her daughter, and perhaps that's why she stayed as long as she had. Yet the woman's actions couldn't help but betray her. She didn't love me...she wanted me gone. I defeated the purpose of her firstborn being a male heir, after all. I simply fulfilled her wish.

"I believe you." Her voice came out as a horse whisperer. Ashley opened her mouth again before closing it. What was she supposed to say? They always are? "You're not to blame for your Dad's actions and there is no use questioning the causes. 'What if' scenarios are the best way to drive yourself insane."

The second the words left her mouth, Ashley couldn't help but regret them. Despite her tired — and almost airy — voice, her simple words probably sounded harsh and unforgiving. Assassins show no mercy, and the concept was foreign in the underworld. She could feel rage. She could feel sorrow and her entire past seemed like one big regret at times. But other than that, Ashley's emotions had been snuffed out like a campfire, leaving only cinders behind.

Yet, despite all of this, Abigail Hobbs let an almost ironic smile slip onto her face. "I know. I'm gonna be messed up, aren't I? I'm...I'm worried about nightmares."