OOM: The Confrontation

[patterns_bloom]

Heart pounding, Alana fumbles for the lock once she's inside Hannibal's office. X is with her, so she's not afraid as she could have been. She draws a careful breath, and then turns and fires at the door with her gun. She peeks through the bullet hole. Hannibal passes by, making her jump, and she fires again.

"I've found more bullets!" she snarls savagely, intending to bring this bastard down, intending to live despite knowing that another her has already failed once.

She faces down the door, backing away from it while holding her gun high and steady, ready for anything. She flicks her gaze to X. "Should we charge him? I'm following your lead."

Comments

[cutting_edgex23]

X just looks back at her, blood-stained and upright -- even under the weight of the corpse she is removing for disposal.

"This is what I do. It is okay."

And then she turns, heading for the door out of this room -- not the broken one that leads to the office -- and the clattering sounds of the patrons of Milliways beyond.

Honestly, most of them have probably seen stranger things than this.

[patterns_bloom]

X leaving Alana galvanizes her into action. Alana heads to check on Jack first, and, upon finding him alive, assures him that Hannibal Lecter is dead, and that help is coming. She leaves him to go check on Abigail, and crouches by her unconscious body.

"Abigail," Alana says, patting her cheek. "Abigail, wake up."

[unshattered]

Perhaps fortunately, Abigail's first reaction once her eyes flutter open doesn't concern Alana, but herself. She reaches immediately for her neck, in one sharp movement sitting up against the wall and gripping her throat, as though convinced she's bleeding.

She breathes fast, and heavy, and doesn't look at Alana.

[patterns_bloom]

Alana doesn't touch her. The psychologist gives the girl plenty of space, but Alana does move in front of her, into her field of vision. Alana snaps her fingers thrice. "Abigail! You're safe now. Dr. Lecter is dead."

[unshattered]

Abigail does blink to her, but her hands stay on her neck, and she keeps breathing heavily.

After a few second, she does slow enough to manage one word. "W-what?"

[patterns_bloom]

"You're safe now," Alana says again, settling onto the floor before her. "He's dead."

[unshattered]

Finally, Abigail's breathing begins to ease.

But the moment it does, she starts to shake her head. "No, no -"

[patterns_bloom]

Alana holds her hands out. "He can't hurt you anymore. We'll get you some help."

[unshattered]

Abigail shoves herself back against the wall, away from Alana's hands.

"No -" She's still shaking her head. "No, you can't help me -"

[patterns_bloom]

"Why don't you think so?" Alana says, unmoving from her kneeling position in the middle of the room. She listens for police sirens. "You're not beyond help, Abigail."

[unshattered]

But Abigail keeps shaking her head.

And suddenly, she slams her hands to the floor, and pushes herself up. She makes no move toward Alana this time, but jumps to her feet, and starts to run toward the door.

[patterns_bloom]

The motion takes Alana by surprise, so she's slow to stand. "Abigail!" Alana says, trying to follow her. "Wait!"

[unshattered]

Abigail doesn't wait. She jumps down the stairs, not pausing even long enough for one glance back before she throws herself through the front door, out into the rain.

Maybe she's steps out in time to see a taxi pull up in front of the house. But this still doesn't stop her. She only keeps running, disappearing into the night.

[patterns_bloom]

Alana can't keep up with Abigail at a dead run, and she can't leave Jack behind, either. She catches herself on the doorway, gasping, and leans against the trim to catch her breath. The panic of the evening catches up with her, and she sinks to her knees, sobbing.

It's there that Will finds her. She quickly informs him of the night's events, leaving out everything to do with Abigail. Will is stunned. Alana leaves him to deal with the police--who finally arrive--and enters the pantry to help Jack.

She gives her statements to the police, saying that Dr. Lecter escaped after being shot and fighting Jack, trying to explain the blood. Will and Jack vouch for her, and a massive manhunt for Dr. Lecter plays out over the morning news. Alana ignores that entirely.

Hannibal dies. Alana survives. She tells herself that she is not going to feel the slightest bit guilty.

And she doesn't.