New endings, New beginnings by Deoceres (Becky) Rating: G Story: Using the alternate ending of Hannibal the film, goes off canon. "...would you ever say to me 'Stop. If you loved me you'd stop.'?" Clarice Starling stared into his eyes for a split second, before answering: "Not in a thousand years." Not in a thousand years would she use his feelings for her as a cheap form of defence. Not in a thousand years would she beg him for anything. He looked a little surprised. "Not in a thousand years..." As though to test her, he leaned forward, baring his teeth. When she didn't react at all, he allowed a small smile to cross his features. "That's my girl." Before she knew what was happening, his lips were pressed onto hers. Clarice wanted more than anything just to give in to the kiss, but she couldn't allow herself to. She tried not to think about what was happening. He continued to kiss her, trying to coax her to return the love he revealed to her, but she remained stoic. Realising she wasn't going to respond, he backed away from her, thinking that for once, he had misjudged her emotions. As usual, his face showed no traces of his feelings, but for a split second, she saw the great pain in his eyes. Why was she doing this? Why couldn't she just give in to her feelings for him? Because he's a deranged serial killer. (But he's never let me see that side of him. He is far from deranged, and he would never do me any harm. I know he loves me.) Because he's one of the F.B.I's ten most wanted, and youre supposed to arrest him, it's your duty. (What have the F.B.I done for me lately? And I feel more loyal to him than to them....) Because he's a monster (I could never see him that way. He's the most incredible man I've ever met.) Because- (I love him.) I love him. ....Love? She knew she had strong feelings towards him...but love? I really do....I love him. I'm in love with Hannibal Lecter. Not Hannibal 'The Cannibal'....just Hannibal Lecter, the man that he is. I love him. In the few seconds all this had been racing through her mind, he had moved away from her. Giving her a small smile, acting like it wasn't tearing him up inside, he said "Bye..." and began to walk away. "Stop!" That froze him in his tracks. He slowly turned to face her. She continued. "If you love me, you'll never leave me again." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I love you...Hannibal...." Smiling, he closed the distance between them and kissed her for the second time, and this time she returned it. It didn't seem normal, their first kiss together; pressed against a refrigerator with her hair caught in the top, an ex F.B.I agent and a wanted criminal, with a dead guy sat to the side of them. She smiled. Their relationship would never be classed as 'right' by the 'normal' people...but she would never want to be one of them anyway. Not in a thousand years Fin