[For all the World to see]
"How do you feel today, Will?"
Will glances up at Doctor Chilton, before dropping his gaze back to his hands.
"I think I should be asking you the same question, Doctor. It wasn't too long ago that you were holding your guts in your hands."
Chilton shifts in his chair, but his gaze doesn't waver from Will's face.
"I'm doing fine, thank you, Will. But how are you?"
"What would you like me to say? That I'm feeling crazy today?"
Chilton pauses to write a quick note on his clipboard. Will clenches his hands into fists, but doesn't say anything else.
"There is something I want you to see." Chilton gently eases a newspaper into Will's hands. "Read."
Will gives the doctor a hard look, but he looks down to the crisp paper lying limply in his hands.
The word "Murder" jumps at him, attacking his mind with bloody images.
Will squeezes his eyes shut, not wanting to "see" anymore of this particular murder.
"Will," Chilton's voice breaks into Will's mind, "open your eyes and read on."
Will swallows, but forces his eyes open. His eyes dance across the page taking in the details of what the paper is declaring a "brand new" killer, but Will knows better. Even from the few details that the paper offers, he knows.
"So." Chilton leans forward, his pen posed over his clipboard. There is an eager light in his eyes. "What does this story make you feel? Angry? Hungry for more blood?"
Will takes a moment before he responds. "In a way, yes."
Chilton's pen shoots across his notepad, leaving a scribbled mess in its wake.
"It makes me angry." Will continues.
"That another killer is out there that rivals you?" Chilton asks, looking up.
"That he walks free." Will says carefully.
Chilton pauses, a frown on his face; he's heard this before.
"Who?" He shouldn't have to ask. They both know who Will is talking about.
"Doctor Hannibal Lector." Will answers slowly.
Chilton sighs, sitting back in his chair. "Mr. Graham, we've discussed this before. Hannibal is not a killer—,"
"He's not just a killer." Will interjects, "He's a monster."
Chilton holds a hand up. "He is a respectable psychologist, who's never killed anyone for any reason other than self-defense. The only blame that rests on him is not catching your illness sooner."
Will ignores this, his eyes staring somewhere over Chilton's head. "I'm sure he knew about my…illness before any of us. He knew, but he didn't want me fixed. Not right away. First, he wanted to have some fun."
"Graham." Chilton tries.
"Wind me up and watch me go." Will says softly.
"Will." Chilton says louder.
Will's eyes snap to Chilton's, back in focus.
"We've been through this." Chilton says, "Hannibal was—is your friend. He would never do this to you."
"He did." Will insists, his voice rising, "I know he did. I don't have all the details yet, but I will remember them and when I do I'm going to bare Doctor Hannibal Lector for all the world to see." Will pauses, staring intently at Doctor Chilton, "I will remember."
A/N: I've been wanting to write a Hannibal story for a while and this is what I came up with. I'm actually kinda happy with how it turned out.