Dr. Bloom's Recommendation

Alana Bloom moved quickly with Jack Crawford by her side, easily matching her pace as they walked outside the academy building. They passed numerous trainees as they moved, all of whom were walking just as quickly as they were.

She had already expressed her opinion on Jack's actions and she didn't for one moment believe that he could keep his promise of making sure that Will Graham didn't get too close to the crimes he was to be investigating. "You don't know for sure you can always keep him out of danger, Jack, that's what frightens me," she shook her head.

"Then you..." he began but she cut across him in frustration.

"I told you before and I meant it; I'm not going to psychoanalyse Will just because you want him in the field," Alana told him sternly, "I think it'll do more harm than good for him."

"He does good work, he's got the best mind for the job..."

"No, Jack, he's got the worst mind for the job, he feels too much, and if you put him out there to fend for himself again I guarantee you it won't end well," she said forcefully, increasing her pace to match her tone.

"Then help him," Crawford replied soon after, stopping in front of her, "I'll help him as much as I can, but he needs someone with him who understands better then I do."

"Don't put yourself down and try to flatter me in the same sentence; I'm still not going to help you, this could destroy him," she sighed, "...You're really not going to back down on this, are you?"

"I'm sorry," he shrugged.

"Well...just so you know - I'm doing this for Will, not you you...if you feel so strongly about it...I know someone who might help you."

"Anyone I know?" Jack asked curiously.

"No, at least I don't think so, his name's Lecter, Dr. Hannibal Lecter."

"Hannibal? Never heard of him," the man shook his head as they started to walk slowly again.

"He mentored me at Johns Hopkins, so before you ask, no, he's not as good as me - he's better," Alana summarised quickly.

"Wasn't going to ask anything."

"Yes you were," she said, "You'll be happy to know that Hannibal used to be an emergency room surgeon - he's more than capable of dealing with crime scenes so you wouldn't have to worry about destroying another man's mind."

"Alana..."

"I don't want to hear it," she waved a dismissive hand as she moved carefully to sit down on a vacant bench. "If you're going to go through with this then he's the one I'd recommend...the only one I'd recommend."

"How far do you trust him? 'Cos if he's going to be helping Will, he's going to gain detailed knowledge of the crime scenes and of the FBI, and I need to know if your Dr. Lecter can be trusted."

"I'd trust him with my life, he'd never do anything untrustworthy."

"High praise, doctor," Jack said, sitting beside her.

"...When you meet him I advise you to be polite," she smiled.

"Aren't I always?"

"Very funny, Jack. But seriously, don't be rude to him."

"Why? Is he like my old school teacher that smacked my hand with a ruler for talking out of turn?" he chuckled, "You trying to make me nervous, doctor?"

"No, don't worry, he won't eat you...or smack your hand with a ruler...but he's a stickler for courtesy, always has been. Anyway, I can show you some of his work if you want."

"Is it good?"

"Of course," Alana answered instantly, "Y'know...when I was first told he was going to mentor me, I had people I'd never even met before coming up to me to tell me how lucky I was. I used to think he'd put them up to it just for fun."

"Did he?"

"No," she scoffed, "That would've been rude..."

"And 'he's a stickler for courtesy'," he quoted her with a smile.

"Right," she nodded, "If he takes a liking to you he might even cook for you."

"I take it that's a good thing,"

"A very good thing."

"In that case, I promise you, I'll be on my best behaviour," Jack told her humorously. "Out of curiosity, what makes an 'E.R' surgeon turn psychiatrist?" he asked after a minute.

"He never said and I never asked," she shrugged, "It was his business, not mine"

"So...he's an ex-medic turned brilliant shrink, a chef and he's mad about courtesy...anything else I should know?"

"Let me think," Alana blinked, amused by his summary, "...He draws, in fact his drawings got him his internship. He loves classical music, goes to he opera, and last I checked, he spoke several languages," she finished.

"It's guys like that, that make the rest of us look lazy in comparison," Jack scoffed in humour.

"He'd love to hear you say that," she chuckled, "But don't think you've distracted me, Jack, I still think you're making a mistake," she said soberingly.

"Sometimes you have to take risks to get a pay off."

"You're not gambling for money, here, you're toying with a man's life."

"I'm not toying with Will Graham's life, I'm trying to put a murderer behind bars."

"I know, but that's your job, not his," Alana reminded him in vain.

"...Are you going to tell me where I can find Doctor Lecter or am I going to have to find out for myself?" Jack asked her a minute later and she sighed in defeat, knowing that if Will was going back into the field, at least he wouldn't be going alone.