Author's Note: A simple idea, mixing the outcome between Hannibal and Will in Red Dragon and the events so far in NBC's series. Can't wait to see how Bryan Fuller captures Hannibal.
Hannibal and characters belong to Thomas Harris and Bryan Fuller
Dr Frederick Chilton took to himself the prize of being front-sitted at the awakening of Hannibal Lecter. It was a matter of honor foremost, and retribution closely second. Of course, he would also enjoy the extensive media coverage of emprisioning the most notorious serial killer alive. This time, for real.
The Chesapeake Ripper was his to begin with. He deserved this moment, he deserved this capture.
Specially after everything that happened.
Chilton was the most frequent non-medical visit Hannibal Lecter had in his hospital room after the doctors took him out of the induced coma state. He didn't miss the mirrored parallels between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter recovering in similar fashion due to the extension of their different wounds - that parallel was something Dr Lecter would find an interest in, and Chilton wanted to get into his psyche and study it as much as possible.
However, throughout a considerable amount of days Chilton had to suffer the embarassement of spending as much time as authorized by both medical staff and the FBI staring at nothing more but the unconscious serial killer and hearing the constant soft beating of his monitoried heartbeat. The triumph of the hero-over-the-killer scene wasn't as easy to reproduce in real life as it was in movies.
No one could deny Hannibal Lecter was strong. Chilton could testify to that first handed, but surviving four gunshot wounds to the chest was just as impressive as surviving one to the face.
It didn't really occour to him the wild idea of wishing Hannibal dead, or that he could do something to have him killed in the weakened state he was in. The real satisfaction would be to see him alive and studied under his surveillance, and this vulnerable image was pleasant in itself. Mason Verger would be a much more threatening presence to Hannibal's life, but that man had a lot more recovery to do, if he would ever recover.
By the eleventh time he entered the room, he was greeted by sharp and focused eyes that turned to him the moment the door hissed, as if he had known all along Chilton was waiting on the other side.
"Dr Lecter," Chilton bit back the annoyance and disguised it under an attemptted victorious smile as if he had been the one to fire the bullets that finally took the monster down. However, his own still healing face wound made his muscles atrophy and his smile became a grimace that no plastic surgery could correct. "It's good to see you awake. Gunshot wounds are tricky, aren't they? Take a lot more time to recover than you'd think."
Chilton was sure a silent 'Not enough time' was added in Hannibal's mind.
The nurse attending to Hannibal was quick to finish her check-up and existing now that the monster was awake. The FBI agent stood silently near the door, a safety insurance that Chilton found little comfort in but wouldn't do without either.
"The doctors say you still have some time ahead of you, but you will soon be relocated to your new facilities, Dr Lecter. I don't suppose I have to tell you where they are."
Hannibal didn't reply, but moved his eyes away from Chilton to the opposite wall.
"The Chesapeake Ripper. However, I'm afraid that name will soon be forgotten. Hannibal the Cannibal is a lot more sounding." He had been the first to say the name, so he felt a personal pride it was such a fitting one.
Again, no reply or reaction. Of course not. He would never give anyone the satisfaction of getting to him, less alone Chilton.
But no matter. Chilton knew exactly what buttons to push.
"Speaking of your new facilities, Dr Lecter - we can cut to Hannibal from now on, can't we? - I've had a few alterations made since the last occupant left, suitable for your person. Bars aren't just enough, the staff needs more appropriate protection from you."
"How is Will?" Hannibal's voice was hoarse from the ET tube and not having spoken since the doctors had removed it, but it carried the exact same calm tone.
He didn't reply immediately not to give away the lie. Hannibal knew about behaviour science but so did Chilton.
"He's dead."
The man Chilton had accepted as a cannibalistic serial killer so many months before turned his eyes again to him and made no other moviment.
"Not everyone can survive being gutted. I did. And to being shot to the face, by your courtesy. Not everyone's that lucky. If you didn't want him dead, you shouldn't have disembowled him.
Of course, Will Graham would be his trump card. He wouldn't be able to play the Dead Will stunt for long, but soon enough Hannibal would be in Baltimore's State Hospital for the Criminal Insane, under his full watch and authority.
"I once asked Will Graham why you hadn't simply killed him, and his reply was you wanted to be his friend. How did that friendship work out for you, by your regards?"
A voice in the back of his mind told him it would take years to take anything out of him, and the hardship he had had with Will Graham would be a ridiculous kids' play compared to this. And Chilton was determined to prove that voice wrong.
"We will have loads to talk about during our future sessions, Hannibal, and you do know I can be presistent. We can start now by... say... the basics, why not. Sharing our thoughts about each other. I'll start."
His face twitched as if to present an argument in itself.
"I don't hold it against you, butchering FBI agents in my house, leaving Gideon half-eaten in my guest room, trying to destroy my life and having me killed... oh no, wait, I do. I do hold it against you. I don't particularly like having people to try and kill me, it's not my particular fantasy."
«But Will Graham tried to kill you, at least two times that I know of. Indirectly at first, and now with his own hands. How does that make you feel? Are you angry with him, or do you wish he was still alive?"
«No reply? What about when he used Matthew Brown to make you chose between hanging or bleeding out? How did that make you feel?"
«No reply? Than maybe we can return to the previous topic of how we feel about each other. Perhaps they are easier than your complex and obssessive thoughts about Will Graham?"
"Your tongue is feisty, Frederick. I should have ate it, en Papillote with Duxelle Sauce." And hoarse voice didn't make it fragile and less frightening, quite the opposite.
Chilton felt the shiver run coldly through his spine, and the FBI agent moved as if to remind everyone of his presence. If the agent reminded himself of other things, he could also remember Hannibal had eviscerated two FBI agents alone when he framed Chilton for it.
"You are a terrible psychiatrist, Dr Chilton, and an even worse liar."
After so many years and experiences in the field, Chilton did grow a backbone capable to resist to the most horrible monster. "Well, unfortunately for you, you will endure both my poor psychiatric skills and lies for the rest of your days, Hannibal. We will have loads to talk about."
"You most certainly will endure your frustration and fear of me for the rest of your days, Frederick, and we will have loads to talk about in our dinner together."
Even through the oxygen mask he wore, Hannibal's lips curled to one of those micro smiles of his. After that, he ignored both Chilton and the FBI agent until Chilton was forced to leave the room by the medical staff.
Author's Notes: I had the idea and wrote this during a bus trip. Nothing much, but I thought 'why not'. If I was to return to fanfiction 3 years later, why not Hannibal.
I tried to do some research on the matter of induced comas to add to my general knowledge, and as I supposed, it is induced to prevent brain damage but that doesn't 100% exclusively mean it is because of a brain injury; damage to other vital organs and extensive blood loss could cause the choice of induced coma to protect the brain. So Will was nearly disembowled and Hannibal suffered multiple chest gunshot wounds. If I'm wrong, please share your thoughts with me and forgive the ignorance.
Also I know in the movie he was shot 2 times but I prefered 4.
The name of the tongue dish was confirmed through the 'Feeding Hannibal' blog, which is fantastic.