It was so cold in the corridors. Will instinctively shivered and tugged her coat tighter around herself. The walls were dank and cold in the Baltimore hospital for the Criminally Insane and she wryly though that perhaps it was done as a deterrent to would be psychos. Her high heels clattered on the stone floor and she nervously peered into the cells she passed trying to get a feel for the place. Will knew it probably wasn't a good idea to make eye contact with the prisoners but her empathy seemed to override her common sense and forced her to do it. She inhaled and took a deep breath trying to remember why she was here in the first place.

Last Week

"I am done with the FBI Jack, I handed in my resignation eight years ago ever since-"Will suddenly stopped shuddered, vivid and horrific memories flooding her brain.

Jack Crawford looked at her with a mixture of pity and determination before ploughing on as he had before. "You are the only one that can get to Lecter and you know it Will. Don't you owe it to the victims and their families to find the killer by any means possible?"

"That's not fair Jack," she burst her, pain marring her pretty features. "I have myself and my son to think of now. I don't need a Lecter tornado entering my life again. Once was bad enough!"

"Please," Jack said with the right amount of desperation in his voice. "I know you can't sit back and let people die, you are too good for that."

Will whispered a silent apology to her son, asking for forgiveness for what she was about to do. She didn't want to sell her soul to the Devil but she had no choice if people's lives were at risk. She nodded her head abruptly praying for any deity that might be listening to have mercy on her soul.

Will snapped out of her train of thoughts and violently shook her head. It was no use backing out now. She mused that perhaps if she had been a stronger or more selfish person she could have turned Jack Crawford down and continued to live in the Deep South with her son and dogs. Feeling guilt and self-pity welling up inside her, she hurried on down the corridor to the one prisoner she wanted to see.

As she turned the corner she steadied herself. It had been so long and this visit had not even started yet but had already begun to pray on her mind. After taking another calming breath she straightened her shoulders and tried to act like she possessed some modicum of courage. She positioned herself in front of the plexiglass and stared into her son's eyes.

"Hello Will," the familiar voice said, drifting through the breathing holes.

"Hello Doctor Lecter," she whispered back, heart beating rapidly.