The Ripper's Love

calm before the storm

You feel your throat close up, your hands trembling violently. You try to force yourself to take a breath, but you can't.

Your entire body heaves, and you feel as if your going to suffocate.

Hannibal drives, Will taking the opportunity to crawl into the back.

You feel his leg pressed against yours, but you don't move. He takes your hand, trying to coax you into looking at him. You keep your eyes firmly on the ground, embarrassment and fear making you afraid to look up at him.

"Sweetheart, look at me." You sniff, take a trembling breath, and meet his gaze.

He smiled softly at you, and moved a piece of hair out of your face. "We're going to be okay. We can deal with this. You trust us, don't you?"

You nod your head, wiping away the wetness still on your face.

You try and take slow, steady breaths, and feel yourself lay on Will's shoulder, hands still shaking. He lays his head on yours, holding your hand.

"I'll get you some napkins. I promise it's gonna be okay." Hannibal immediately responds to Will, reaching over to the glove compartment, grabbing napkins, eyes still on the road. He hands them back, and you look up, seeing the unspoken worry in his face in the rear view mirror.

"We have about thirty minutes until we're at Hannibal's house. Do you think you can calm down by then?"

You nod, using the napkins to wipe away the remaining tears from your face. You take a deep breath, closing your eyes again, and lean on Will.

After a time, you control your breathing and your hands stop shaking. You slowly open your eyes, bracing yourself for the thought of what was inevitable.

If all three of you were going to leave this alive, sacrifices were going to have to be made.

Hopefully Jack wouldn't find anything, but you knew he was more perceptive than that.

The idea of having to fight Jack to escape made you nauseous, but you knew if you wanted to stay alive and free if he found something, that's what was going to have to happen.

You stay curled up to Will's side, deep in thought about what was about to unfold. Will's warmth made it easier to rationalize, easier to understand why you had to do what you had to do.

You brightened at the thought that Jack wouldn't look in the kitchen, or the place Hannibal had put the meat, but you remembered months ago. The four of you had come to the conclusion that The Ripper was eating the trophies he claimed.

You remember the pure disgust on Jack's face as he came to the same conclusion you three had stated. He looked sick, and you had to fight laughing hysterically. He looked ill at the thought, and yet he had eaten with the three people in this car too many times to count, and enjoyed it.

You slowly came back to reality as you felt Hannibal park on the curb. You breath deeply through your nose, convincing yourself that everything was going to be okay. Hannibal gets out first, but looks back at you, smiling softly.

You get out after, relaxing yourself.

As much as you didn't want to do this, you knew it was inevitable. You dig your nails into your palms, remembering the first time you had really met Hannibal and Will. The blood you had cleaned out from under your nails, the scratches that had taken days to heal on your palms.

You realize, as you walked, that you are okay with whatever outcome was produced from this, that you would accept it, as long as you had your boys by your side.

You walk into Hannibal's house, following Jack's tense form. He looked back and forth, but didn't look back at you and the two behind you.

You prayed to whatever God existed that Jack wouldn't think to look in the fridge or the freezers. He looked in the rooms, in Hannibal's study, seeming to be more relaxed as time went on.

You almost breathed a sigh of relief as he seemed to be done, when you saw him straighten up, tense again.

You knew where he was going next.

He walked into the kitchen, and you felt Hannibal and Will behind you, one with a scalpel, the other ready to reach for a knife.

You relax your shoulders, the feeling that came over you that night with Will, returning.

You knew how sinister your smile looked as Jack opened the refrigerator.

He turned back, anguish and anger on his face.

It turned into pure fear and horror as he saw three killers behind him, ready to eat.

***

Uh, so I normally don't upload this frequently, I do every Sunday, but.

Dear god y'all- I keep getting comments and votes in the middle of class, and I'm terrified one day my teachers gonna be like "hm what's this?"

But in all seriousness, thank you for all the votes and support on this story- see you guys next Sunday!

Also, anyone want scones? I'm bakin!