Heart Still Intact

9. Nightmares and Head Wounds

After that very confusing conversation with Hannibal, Will hadn't spoken a word. He didn't how to continue after that. The profiler simply watched as the doctor's disappointment hid behind a neutral expression. They stayed that way before Hannibal excused himself. He hadn't bid Will a good night meaning that Hannibal was going to come back.

Just as the door closed, Will grabbed one of the pillows and slammed his face into it. He let out a scream of frustration- the pillow doing a great job of muffling his screams- before he flopped awkwardly on the bed. Everything was so confusing. Sure, because Will was considered to be on the spectrum, human emotion always puzzled him but his empathy usually helped. Now, he was stuck with a serial killer who was ridiculously skilled at hiding his emotions.

It was in times of confusion and frustration that Will would go fishing with Winston. He would usually take the other dogs but Winston was the most behaved, opting to sleep on the river bank as Will waded into the quiet. Calming his breathing, Will stared at the ceiling, counting the wooden tiles that decorated it. Even the ceilings were intricately designed. Within no time, sleep threatened to overtake Will but he persisted to retain his consciousness. Will hummed mindlessly as he continued to count the ceiling tiles.

While Will kept himself busy with his moral dilemma in his room, Hannibal was doing the dishes downstairs. The doctor used this time to let his thoughts roam freely. Will was making so much progress but unfortunately, the need to conform to society's standards keeps the profiler's desires at bay. How much easier would it be if Will let his carnal instincts take over? Hannibal could then shed his person suit but alas, life is unfair. All Hannibal can do is whisper from outside the chrysalis. Hannibal had often found himself fighting the urge to rip through the chrysalis and mould Will into the perfect being. A perfect fit for Hannibal. A matching puzzle block.

Hannibal had perfect plans that needed to be executed soon. It is without a doubt that Hannibal's face would be plastered on the news alongside Will's. The FBI must be looking for them across the entire country but they wouldn't think to look in Virginia. With the headstart that Hannibal had gotten, Jack must presume that he would have to extend his search onto international borders but Hannibal was smarter. He used this presumption to his own advantage by going to one of his safe houses in Virginia. It is quite far away from Wolf Trap but still within the state.

As much as Hannibal would prefer not to, he knew he would have to venture out from the safety of the house to get supplies and ensure that the next step of the plan is ready. His plan was to take Will to Florence. He knew that Will would be happy there. All Hannibal had to do was collect a favour from one of his old contacts. Money wasn't an issue. He would spend all of the riches in the world if it ensured that Will would be with him.

Once all the dishes were dried and placed on the rack, Hannibal made his way upstairs. He had taken the room next to Will's just so he can be close if the profiler has any nightmares. Once Hannibal had made his way to Will's room, there was hesitation lingering in the air. The doctor had no reason to go into the room; the only thing Hannibal wanted to do was to bid Will a good night. With his hand on the doorknob, Hannibal hesitated for a few seconds before softly knocking on the door. When he didn't receive any reply, he slowly opened the door to find Will asleep. He was sleeping on the wrong side with his chained leg hanging limply from the side of the bed.

He must have been waiting for Hannibal. With his heart softly aching at the sight, Hannibal walked in before placing the blanket on top of the profiler. There wasn't much Hannibal could do at the moment. Moving Will would wake him up so Hannibal decided to just let him be.

Staring at the sleeping profiler, Hannibal sighed heavily, letting all the tension show on his shoulders. Lingering just a little longer, Hannibal turned around, switching off the light before walking out of the room. Although he wished not to, Hannibal locked the door before walking into his room.