Story Title: The Sounds of Silence

Author: SidleMyIdol73

Rated: K+ I guess.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dottore or his Darling Starling, but I am borrowing them for your amusement.

Chapter Summary: Based loosly on Hannibal the book; set after the ending. Hannibal has left Clarice alone in their house for a few months now. She doesn't go out of the house, for fear of someone recognizing her. He left because he knows the woman he created was not the real Clarice Starling.

A/N: The prologue switches back and forth between Hannibal and Clarice's POV. Don't worry, the next 2 chapters will be more exciting, TRUST me. But, I had to write a prologue to set up my story. SMI73.

Prologue

He didn't know how long he had been away from Clarice, but then again, Hannibal was never one to worry about Time. His mind always made a point of storing his experiences in his 'Memory Palace'. But as old age crept up slowly, the clarity of his memories diminished. He could no longer remember the sweet scent of his beloved Clarice, or the soft intonation of her voice. Ergo, his heart continued beating, but no longer felt her love flowing through his veins. No matter how hard he tried to rid Clarice from his thoughts, she insisted on flooding his mind. He held onto their past as tightly as he could, but sometimes remembering is not enough. Sometimes, one must create new memories.

Clarice was empty. She had thrown away her entire life to be with Hannibal, and now, she was left with nothing. Clarice had given up months ago that he would ever come back, but she still hoped, still dreamed that he would one day walk back into her life. She didn't have any plans of leaving the house, for his presence still lingered in the walls. Although she didn't eat much, there was plenty of food stored in the cellar for her to survive. Is survival the same as existence? She would never know. She spent her days alone in the darkness, re-playing their moments together in her mind. Hannibal had taught her that every experience was capable of being remembered, if she was able to tap into her 'Memory Palace'.

Hannibal didn't believe in the word 'sin' and therefore did not feel guilty about leaving Clarice. But, deep inside he knew he missed her presence in his life. Throughout the years, she had begun to intrigue him. Not just because she reminded him of his sister Mischa, but because she was the only person he could never fully control or understand. He had watched her turn into this sort of zombie who obeyed his wishes. It was then that he realised that he had to leave her. He missed the old Clarice…the Special Agent Clarice Starling he met when he was behind bars; the young woman who ran away from the screaming of the lambs. He would never admit it, but he was angry with himself for moulding her into someone she wasn't meant to be.

Clarice had never been musically inclined, but she missed the melodies of his music, and decided to put her excess of Time to some use. The process was slow and gruelling, but eventually her fingers memorized the key patterns, and she learned to play from her heart, instead of her mind. In some remarkable way, the music brought her closer to him. Every note emphasized the feelings they felt for each other. But the music wasn't enough, and she knew that if he never came back, she would wither away into nothingness.

Subconsciously, Hannibal had packed his things and loaded them into his truck. It would be a long journey home, but seeing her in the flesh would be more than worth it. He knew he had to make it up to her somehow, but couldn't think of the right way to say 'I'm sorry'. He got into his truck, and left the lonely cottage; his hideaway. As he drove, he noticed a small farm up ahead and turned into the darkdriveway. He grinned slightly as the perfect idea presented itself to him. The plan unravelled easily in his mind and he headed towards the farmhouse, confident that Clarice would appreciate his gift beyond expression.

TBC...

Ta-Ta,

SMI73