JGOB, Friday morning

[trigons_child]

Raven had decided to do some holiday shopping in Fandom, and she had several of her charges in tow, as they had clamored for a chance to go to the island. Karina, Finn, and Tilda had all been in Fandom for Halloween, but this was Jens's first trip

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[glacial_queen]

With Nyles and Cora spending the week with Saetan and Jaenelle and Warren visiting Lucivar to keep him out of a heavily pregnant Marian's hair for a few days, Karla had leapt at the chance to grab Kayla and accompany Raven for a trip to Fandom.

After a night of dreams that seemed to dredge up every last horrible thing that had happened to her, however, Karla was less than thrilled to be here. "Bloody everlasting Hell--o children!" she said, her snarl turning into something a little more age-appropriate. She knew how quickly little ones were to repeat what they'd heard. There were some words that Kayla just loved to trot out around company. "Raven," she added with a smile that was more than three-quarters grimace, "we have a problem."

[trigons_child]

"What is wrong?" Raven said, motioning for Karla to sit. The children were debating the merits of donuts versus danishes, and weren't paying attention for the time being. There was a danger of sugar highs in the near future.

"You look like you did not sleep very well, either," Raven said, concerned.

[glacial_queen]

"That's because I didn't," Karla said, practically dropping into the chair. Kayla, conversely, looked fresh as a daisy, wriggling around in her mother's lap to take in the whole building. Whatever the children were getting, she was going to demand one as well. "The problem is, those weren't normal dreams."

Dreams were a Black Widow's specialty, after all. "They're not true dreams, either. Not prophetic or whatever, but there's...intent there," she said, trying to make her tired mind come up with the right words and concepts. "It feels a lot like the dreams we have when the rock is summoning the dead. Dreams brought about for a specific purpose."

[trigons_child]

If Raven hadn't been trying so hard to not think about her dream, she might've come to that same conclusion, that it was not merely a normal dream. A sick feeling washed through her, and without even thinking about it she strengthened her shields.

"I dreamed last night as well," she said softly, not wanting to alarm Kayla or the others. "I dreamed of my brothers. That is not out of the ordinary, for they sometimes haunt me there. But this dream...it felt different."

[never_dull]

After a rather uncharacteristically restless evening, Hannibal had woken, indulged in quite a bit of coffee, and headed for his office - the trip cut short when he encountered some rather unsavory looking beings.

He blinked and looked for the nearest cover, then smiled when he spotted Raven and headed in. "Hello, Raven. How are you?"

[trigons_child]

For a moment, Raven wasn't sure how to respond. It had been well over a year for her since she'd last seen Hannibal, and she had feared his silence meant that he was angry with her for what she'd done to Jono while under her brothers' influence.

"Doctor Lecter," she said, inclining her head politely. "I have been well, thank you. I hope the same is true of you."

[never_dull]

"It is." Hannibal held out his hands to her with a smile. It hadn't been nearly so long for him, and he was pleased to see her. "It's been too long. The children are keeping you busy, I see."

[trigons_child]

"Very much so," Raven agreed, her tone affectionate. "These four had wanted another visit to Fandom. Some were here for Halloween. Finn" -- she pointed out the boy with white frosting smeared on his face and in his blond hair -- "was dressed as General Starsmore, hero of Glacia."

She looked at Hannibal's hands, still a little uncertain, then set down her tea and rose to her feet. "It has been quite some time," she said. "I...I had feared you did not wish to speak to me anymore."