Note: This chapter contains strong violence. Now: I believe we were somewhere in a field…

ARDEUR ET NEIGE

a Hannibal fanfic by JetNoir

CHAPTER FIVE: In Case of Retribution

Alaska

"Up to me?" snarled Marie, "Up to me? What a fascinating, and deeply flawed concept! How dare you suggest such a thing, Doctor Lecter. You interfere with other people's lives, destroy entire families, for your own, twisted amusement. How dare you suggest this is up to me. You butchered my husband, and ate him! We couldn't bury his body whole, because he was in your digestive system. How dare you suggest that anyone else could ever be in control, when the case is never so. What had Nathan ever done to you? Hmmm?"

"In response to your question, Marie, Nathan never did anything to me. I always said I preferred to eat the rude, and your husband was nothing, if not civil. Sometimes I have to make do. Do I regret my actions? Regret is immaterial, and inappropriate. Regret will not bring him back. Nor will it bring my sister back. Did you use purple contact lenses, Marie? That was an especially nice touch, I thought."

"I had to bring you here," said Marie shifting the blade slightly, causing a droplet of dark blood to spill onto the pure snow, "and what better way than bait? It worked. You are proving that by your very presence."

"Quite so," said Hannibal, who with a slight twitch of his eye, turned to Clarice, who was still pointing a gun at Marie's head: "now Clarice, you've been quite silent. Do you have anything you wish to add."

"Not really," said Clarice, "more an act of commentary. Your blade, Marie, the one that absorbs light. I realise where it's from. It looked familiar, and it's been bugging me. I read the case file, for Hannibal's murders. That belonged to your husband, didn't it? Hannibal murdered your husband with it. With his own blade. That set me thinking on a tangent, with this elaborate, albeit linear game you've created. I must presume you wish to take your vengeance with that blade…ergo, you will at some point have to remove it from my friend's neck. We have guns pointed at each other, but I don't trust your hand. You've already drawn blood, any tighter and you'll crush 'Delia's windpipe. Lower the knife."

Marie cocked her head sideways, and turned it to Clarice: "Odd," she said, "I never would have anticipated such loyalty. Wait, I'm contradicting myself. You may have abandoned your friend, but here you are, to try and protect her. In a field, once painted, then hanging in this bastard's office. These is still strange, no matter how many times I get my head around it. I just want you, Doctor Lecter, to die. I'm not a sadist, it will be quick and painless. But I want peace."

She lowered the knife, but not the gun. Ardelia moved to the side, and started to walk towards the edge of the fence, after Clarice gestured her to do so with a flick of her head.

"So you want closure?" asked Hannibal. Marie nodded, and Hannibal continued: "That's merde, Marie, and you know it. There is no such thing as closure. Grief is never closed, it remains for all of time. It never goes away. Like my sister, whose name you stole. You're not fit to wear her name, you're no innocent. It's bloodlust, plain and simple. Admit that at least."

"As long as you die," said Marie, "I don't give a damn about what else happens." She lunged forward, dipping her head, her gun dropping downwards. Clarice fired twice, but the bullets flew over Marie's head.

The blade outstretched was aimed at Hannibal's torso, but just before it could hit, Hannibal simultaneously twisted away, and with his left arm, deflected the arm diagonally upwards. He kicked outwards, catching Marie's shin, and she barked in pain, but remained upwards.

Meanwhile Clarice kept her gun trained on Marie, but couldn't fire, for risk of hitting Hannibal.

Hannibal leaned forwards, and with his left hand, grabbed Marie's right wrist (which held the blade), and with right hand, slashed her shoulder with the harpy he had just withdrawn from his pocket. In response Marie threw her head forward, hitting Hannibal's forehead. He was knocked backwards, and lost his grip on her wrist, but recovering quickly and with the same hand from the wrist, smashed it forward, open-handed, into Marie's face. He heard a horrible crack, as Marie's nose broke inwards. Blood gushed from beneath his palm, and Marie howled. With the strength borne of those who desperate, she stabbed viciously twice, catching Hannibal in the arm both times. He didn't make a sound, except for a violent exhalation of air from between clenched teeth. Using the harpy, he sliced downwards, and penetrated the back of Marie's knife-wielding hand. In reflex, her hand opened, and the obsidian blade fell to the grey ground. Marie looked upwards, into the monster's eyes - which revealed nothing, but two, identical, dark sparks, which glittered and danced.

It was the last thing she would ever see. Hannibal's arm lashed out in a wide arc, slashing her throat. She died almost instantly, falling slowly to the ground.

Hannibal's head twisted round glancing at the two women in his peripheral field of vision.

"You might want to put that gun down," he said softly, blood on his face. Clarice did so, turning herself to Ardelia.

"What are you going to do with me?" asked Ardelia, her eyes concerned.

"We came here to rescue you, Agent Mapp," said Hannibal, walking toward her, and taking the gun from Clarice, "but I know you would deny my freedom in a second."

"We're happy," said Clarice, "Ardelia, I love you, and always will. You've always been my sister. But I'm happy now, and that's how I want to remain."

"Now," said Hannibal, "I regret the pain this will cause you, Agent Mapp, but it will be brief." He raised the butt of the gun, and brought it crashing down on her temple. Ardelia fell herself, unconscious before she hit the ground.

The Next Day

Extract from Rouen local news; (English Translation)

"Special Agent Ardelia Mapp, of the American FBI has been returned unharmed, after being missing for three days. Agent Mapp was unavailable for comment, and the FBI have released no statement, apart from to confirm Agent Mapp's wellbeing.

Onto other news, the man who planted three car bombs, in Rouen, Paris, and Toulouse, that killed seven people has been arrested and charged today. Earlier beliefs that he was linked to Islamic Extremist's have been proved unfounded, and grossly negligent. It is now believed his goal was merely anarchy, pain, and suffering…"

Rouen

"You know, I feel awful for hurting Ardelia," said Hannibal Lecter, serial-murderer, "and it's ever such a strange feeling. The only person I regretted hurting. There was no need for it, except to facilitate our escape. And I've killed people to escape, many people. Pembry. Boyle. Pazzi."

Hannibal and Clarice were tucked up against each other, the covers drawn high to ward the chill from outside. A full moon provided beautiful illumination. Hannibal particularly found Clarice's mouth, and it's many intricacies fascinating in the moonlight. He leaned towards her, and kissed her tenderly.

When they had broken away, Clarice said: "Remorse isn't something you feel much. Is it?"

Hannibal shook his head: "No. It isn't. And when we delivered Agent Mapp's comatose body to that local sheriff, then knocked him out. We managed to escape Alaska before they regained consciousness, or were discovered…which was what I was, frankly, expecting… but it almost descended into farce."

"Look on the bright side," said Clarice, "we're safe, and I enjoyed out stop-overs in Mexico and London. Despite the brief amount of time we spent there."

"Yes," said Hannibal, "we'll have to replenish our fake passports from those lockers. We can never use them again."

Clarice nodded wearily: "But we're safe. And together. Hannibal Lecter, words can never express what I feel for you. With all my heart, I am yours. And while I still think the fire was a bad idea, I have never been this happy, this content, this peaceful. I want that to never end."

"And it never shall," said Hannibal Lecter, "it never shall."

EPILOGUE: In Case of Rapture

So, in conclusion, Ardelia is safe, and resting. Her head still aches, and the doctor's want to keep her overnight for observation, but she will recover fully. She grieves Clarice as one now dead. Dead to her world.

But she is healing.

Hannibal and Clarice, continue their life in Rouen. Eventually they tire of the city (but not each other), and they move. They are never bothered again.

And Clarice is becoming quite a gifted fencer.

Spare a thought, however for Marie, wife to Nathan. Her intentions were at least pure, in her desire for retribution, though her methods were, dare we say, deeply flawed. She has been murdered, like her husband, and because she has no family left, and drove all her friends away after Nathan's death, she is buried, with no mourners to weep at her passing.

They found her body, after Ardelia told them where to look, and it was perfectly preserved in the ice. Or it would have been.

Hannibal Lecter, in anger at Agent Mapp's treatment, in an act of pettiness, set the deceased body alight.

So it is here, in this deserted field, that Marie's life has ended.

In flames, and in snow.

fini

Note: Well, I must admit I had tremendous fun writing that. It was nice, for a change, to do something a little simpler, and as I wrote before Chapter One, I've always wanted to try a romantic fiction. Admittedly, there wasn't much romance, but it was still there. I now find myself at a bit of an odd situation, I have only one chapter of Her Burning Heart before I've finished ALL of my Hannibal fan fictions. So I guess I'd better start coming up with some new ones! I would like to thank: doctor katy, Penelope S. Cartwright, Kurby14, mangekyou kakashi, Nanci, Katherine, Annibal (get well soon!), Lecter's Girl, Little Lecter, Clarice's Lamb and Nocturne, for all of your kind reviews and thoughts - they have been deeply appreciated. Finally, I hope you enjoyed this conclusion, and please review!

Disclaimer: Hannibal is copyright to Thomas Harris; and the story, plus original characters to me. This story has been written on the understanding that you may read it and print it out; but you may not pass it off as your own, hire it out, or sell it for money. You also may not put it on your own or any other web page (that includes links) without my express written permission. Thankyou!

JetNoir