The silverware screeched as it dragged across the plate's surface. (y/n) pushed the peas around her plate. She watched as they rolled into each other.

Hannibal stared at the plain expression on her face. "Are you going to eat?"

"I'm not hungry." She put down her fork and pushed her chair out. (y/n) carried her full plate to the garbage. The food made a wet sloshing sound when it fell to the bottom of the trash can.

Hannibal gently took the dish from her. "Let me." He placed it in the sink. "You seem upset. What's wrong?"

"I'm just bored. Ever since I quit my job after the accident and pregnancy I feel as though I'm rotting away in this house." That was half the truth. She couldn't tell him she missed Will and still wants to visit him even after Hannibal forbid her. Or that she still finds Hannibal's late night excursion bizarre and doesn't entirely believe his excuse.

"Soon you'll give birth and have plenty to do." He rubbed her stomach. "Tomorrow we can go on a walk."

(y/n) pushed a smile and nodded.

That night she couldn't fall asleep. She turned to make sure Hannibal was still asleep as she crept out of bed. The clock read 11:00 at night.

The thought of Will lingered in her head along with guilt. He tried to kill her husband yet she still wanted to contact him.

(y/n) didn't exactly know why Will occupied her thoughts. She just knew that Hannibal's odd behavior triggered an itch that Will may be able to scratch.

She picked up the landline and dialed the number to the prison Will was staying at. She knew no one would pick up this late but she still tried. The dial rung till it died. The answering machine told her to leave the name of the prisoner she was trying to contact. She hesitated, but did.

(y/n) knew she was just being paranoid. Obsessing over small things just because she had nothing better to do. She glided a hand through her hair and went back to bed.

The next day Hannibal left for work. When (y/n) was laying on the couch watching television she heard the home phone ring.

She pick it up and froze at what she heard.

"You are receiving a call from an inmate at the Virginia State Correctional center. Do you accept this call?"

"U-uh y-yes."

"(y/n)?" Will asked.

"How'd you know it was me?" She dryly chuckled.

"You are the only one I would expect to call me."

"What about Alana?"

"She only visits once in a while."

"Oh." It went quite. She never thought out what she would say to him. Should she apologize for not calling him since he was locked up? Or is he the one that should apologize for trying to kill her husband?

"Why'd you call?" He asked. He sounded tired.

"I-I was just checking in to say hi."

"No you aren't. Why did you really call?" Will could read anyone like an open book.

"It's Hannibal..."

"What happened?" He raised his voice and pushed the phone closer to his ear.

"Nothing." She tangled the phone cord around her finger. "He's been acting odd lately." (y/n) surveyed the room to make sure Hannibal wasn't here. He was miles away but she was still terrified that he might hear her. "You knew things about Hannibal. Maybe you can tell me what you know." She bit her lip and tighten her grip on the phone.

"Is he with you right now?"

"No"

"Hannibal is a bad man. You can't see it now because you're too close."

"How is he bad?" (y/n) sunk to the floor. The cold tiles tried to bite through her clothing.

"He is the Chesapeake Ripper."

"Will, the Ripper was already caught and is dead. It was Chilton."

"I read. But Hannibal framed me, he could just as easily frame Frederick."

"Will, you're keep making stories up to paint Hannibal as a monster."

"Or are you making excuses for the man you love in order to not see him as a monster?"

Calling Will was a mistake. (y/n) should've listened to Hannibal.

"Does he disappear and lie about where he was? Does he feed and cook you 'fancy' meats? You've never seen him go to a deli to get the meat, have you? He probably came up with some lie as to where he would get it."

"How does that have anything to do with him supposedly being a murderer?" She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"(y/n), he takes the organs of people he killed and eats them." Will spat. He hated how no one but him could see through the web of lies Hannibal weaved.

(y/n)'s heart dropped. She felt sick. Is Will saying that Hannibal has been feeding her and her child human organs all this time? She swallowed the hot bile that came up her throat. "W-Where-where's your proof?"

"A old friend of mine at the academy can run a DNA test. All you have to do is rub a cotton swab against one of the organs, bag it, and send it to my friend. He'll let you know the results." He told her where to mail the sample and who to make it out to.

(y/n) balled the fabric of her shirt into her fist. "I can't. It's completely ridiculous. Hannibal would never kill someone."

"You called me because you know deep down that something is wrong with him. Doing this will give you answers."

He's right. The test will turn out negative and I can put the paranoia to bed. (y/n) thought. But guilt started to creep in. Hannibal would be heart broken if he found out she did that behind his back. Their trust would be completely broken. "I can't do that to the father of my child. He'll never trust me again."

"You had a child with him?" Will's disgust translated through the phone.

"I'm pregnant."

"Hannibal will kill your baby."

"What?" (y/n) wrapped an arm around her stomach.

"He's obsessed with you. When he realizes that child will pull your attention away from him he will kill it." Silence lingered on both sides. What does one say when their told their husband will kill their child? "I'll let my friend know. I'll keep it discreet. You can decide what you want to do after you get the results."

(y/n) didn't like the way he said that. It's like he already knows what the result will be.

After the call, she laid on the floor for a while. Going over in her head what she was going to do. If she sent the swab Hannibal would have no way of knowing she did it. Right? (y/n) pulled herself off the floor and trudged to the kitchen. She swiped a cotton swab over the glossy heart she hoped belonged to a lamb.

Three days later the Lecter residence got a call.

"Hi I'm calling about the test results on the swab you sent in."

Hannibal paused. "Yes." He decided to play along.

"The sample you sent in tested positive for human DNA. I can run the DNA in our data base if you'd like, to find out who it belongs to. But I would have to obtain permission from my superior before doing so."

"That won't be necessary. Thank you." Hannibal hung up the phone while slamming it down. Hannibal was a smart man. But it didn't take a smart man to figure out what (y/n) did.

He stared out the window. (y/n) was sitting outside. The wind pulled her hair and wrapped it around her neck. For a second Hannibal imagined his hands around her neck, squeezing down. He was enraged that she went behind his back and did this. Was she planning on turning him in? Did she not love him anymore?

The anger faded and sadness took it's place.

His mother was right, no one could ever love a monster like him.He felt liquid pouring into his hands. He looked down. The blood of all the lives he took covered his hands. Blood dripped down the walls.

A wheeze came from under him. He slowly looked down. He was standing on his mother's neck.

This can't be real. He watched his mother and father die years ago. He was sure of it. He heard another ragged gasp. Hannibal's mother was gone and replaced by his pregnant wife.

"Hannibal are you alright?" (y/n) asked as she closed the door behind her. He dragged his eyes from the floor to her face.

The blood on his hands and walls disappeared. The body beneath him was gone.

"Hannibal?" (y/n) pulled him into a hug and stroked his hair. "What's wrong?"

He collected himself. "I thought I saw something." He leaned into her. She then kissed him and smiled. She smiled that contagious smile. Hannibal couldn't help but mirror her.

But a horrifying thought crept in and ruined the moment. Was she faking this? Was she just putting on a show because she was scared of him?

~~~