Will pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, hoping the pain would go away soon. Shivers racked his body and he felt like every part of him was ablaze. He felt his teeth chatter violently, he was losing control over his body and there was nothing he could do except lie writhing on the floor until the seizure finished. He felt his knees crumple beneath him but instead of hitting the cold tile floor like he'd done last time he fell into the arms of Hannibal Lecter. The thought of how Hannibal had appeared in his kitchen crossed his mind for a split second but flames engulfed his mind and his thoughts were choked in smoke.
"Shh." Will thrashed and kicked in Hannibal's arms but suddenly became still, deathly still. The doctor's fingers flew to Will's neck searching desperately for a pulse. Without a shred of warning Will's eyes flew open and he bolted straight up out of Hannibal's lap. Like a man possessed he scrambled away from the psychiatrist. "Will. What's the matter?"
"S-stay away from me!" Will stammered.
"Will. Take a breath. You're safe-"
"No! Shut up!"
Fear. Hannibal could smell it hanging off the profiler's frame like a thick coat as he scampered for the door. Once out of eye sight Will took off from the house, his dogs barking and whimpering for their master to return. Hannibal chased after him into the night air. Arms and legs pumping furiously Will's bare feet crashed through the tall spring grass and over gnarled tree roots. With forest on all sides Will stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes grew wide, the black of his pupils overlapping the ocean blue irises. The monster that had laid dormant beneath his calm exterior for so long had finally come out to play.
"Will!" Hannibal shouted, "William!" The profiler stood stark still, seeming to glow in the eerie moonlight.
"Will?"
The man standing in front of Hannibal was no longer the Will Graham he knew. This man was the killer Hannibal had been waiting for, the monster he knew Will could become. "Hello Hannibal." He answered, his eyes as black as the dirt caked on his feet.
"How are you feeling?" Dr. Lecter stepped closer to Will. His clothes still said innocent introvert but his body said professional psychopath. Will breathed deeply through his nose, taking in the smell of dark and nature. "Powerful. Strong." he answered and his voice seemed to boom off every surface.
"That's good."
"Yes, I think it is." Red blood dripped on to the ground from a gash above his eye. Will's t-shirt was torn to shreds, hanging loosely off his chest, exposing the skin below. In spite of the burning in his muscles and mind Will shivered. Hannibal shrugged off his coat and draped it around Will's shoulders. Will growled at his closeness and the touch of his finger upon his wound. "I can fix this. If you'll allow me to."
Somewhere in the back of Will's mind said not to trust this man, screamed at him to run as far and fast as he could away from him. Pushing those thoughts down he nodded stiffly and followed the psychiatrist out of the woods and back home.
