A/N: Will and Abigail try to come to grips with what they've done.
CH 7: Blood on Her Hands
The bang that followed momentarily stunned Will, and a sharp, disorienting ringing sound echoed through his skull as he looked up at Abigail. She stood there, smoking gun in hand with a look of both horror and satisfaction.
That was when the blood began to flow.
Dolarhyde slumped against him then, and Will jerked to the side, grimacing as arterial spray coated his face, neck and shoulders. The Dragon had been shot through the jugular. He gurgled, pawing feebly at his wound while Will rolled out from underneath him.
Abigail had been around violence her whole life, but the amount of blood was just too much.
She sank to her knees and dropped the gun, letting her overwhelmed mind run wild. Her breathing grew shallow and her chest felt tight as she closed her eyes.
She had killed someone. Again.
Will immediately found himself crawling toward her. "You're okay," he entreated, now holding out a hand to her. "I'm okay, too…I swear to you, Abigail. We're both alright." He took hold of her arms, giving her a gentle shake so that she was forced to return his gaze. The blood was more than likely triggering a traumatic episode, and he needed to gather all of her attention. "Your name is Abigail Hobbs – it's 11:40 p.m. and you're in Quantico, Virginia."
As much as Will resented Hannibal Lecter, that had been one of the few helpful tactics he'd given him to cope. Abigail currently seemed shocked and beside herself, and he couldn't discern if she was feeling guilt or terror – or perhaps both.
Abigail kept her eyes closed as she fought against her rolling stomach and the feeling of how heavy her chest was. She could feel herself trembling and gave it everything she could to stay in the moment instead of spiraling out of control.
She heard Will's voice then, a reminder of where she was, who she was. But it wasn't his words that were grounding her; it was just the sound of his voice. His hands were on her and she flinched violently.
The harsh, shivering breaths catching in Abigail's throat made Will feel sick. It was like no matter what he said or did, nothing could bring about her peace of mind. And how could it? Will had killed and experienced the same sharp, agonizing pain that now consumed her. He couldn't allow her to endure what he had.
With a hiccup of breath, Abigail flinched yet again when he touched her, but this time her eyes rolled up toward his face and she gave a soft sob of recognition. Now burrowing in against his chest, she clung to him tightly as she pressed her face into his neck. Will swallowed past the lump in his throat. Wrapping his arms around her just as tightly, he nuzzled into her hair and kissed her crown. "You're alright," he whispered. "I've got you."
Her breathing was still shallow and Abigail brought her hands up to clutch at Will's shirt collar. The fabric was dripping with blood and sweat, and the smell of what she had done drifted heavily into her nose. Fearfully, she drew herself against his chest and buried her face in the crook of his neck.
Rubbing along her back and shoulders, Will drifted his lips down toward her forehead, now rocking her from side to side as he cradled her against him. "It's over," he whispered, pressing another kiss to her skin. "You're a hero, Abigail – the Dragon can't hurt anyone else." His eyes stung as he held her close. "I almost lost you…"
Abigail had nothing to say as the distant sounds of Alana's team, and probably Jack Crawford, sounded through the trees.
"Will?!"
He jerked, now looking over his shoulder. "We're over here!" he called.
Jack Crawford and a group of armed agents came rushing over the uneven terrain. Upon spotting the cooling body of the Dragon, they went about checking for vital signs.
"Are either of you hurt?" Jack asked.
Will shook his head, though he meaningfully passed a hand through Abigail's hair as she wept. He hoped the message would be clear: she at the very least needed a medical screening.
Jack approached them gravely. "Agent Hobbs, can you stand? We're going to need you to give an account of what happened here."
Abigail continued to cling to Will as his lips brushed her forehead. Gradually, her breathing began to steady itself, but she was unable to keep from crying. She didn't want to think of all these questions just yet…
But she had to.
It was her job.
Slowly, Abigail let go of Will and stood to face Jack as she nodded. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly.
"I was walking through the hallway of the hospital when he grabbed me from behind. I was unarmed due to carelessness, and he caught me off guard. Dolarhyde dragged me through the trees and I managed to run away, but he caught up with me and attacked Will. I did what I had to do to keep us both alive."
Despite her nerves and the clearness that she was not okay, Abigail managed to speak flatly and precisely as she recounted the events of what had just happened.
"It took you long enough to get here," she added, somewhat aggressively.
Jack glared, but there was relief in his eyes that both of his profilers were relatively unharmed. "Dr. Bloom will take you home with her so she can evaluate your condition. Will, can you-?"
"Not necessary," Abigail said. "I'm fine."
"You just killed a man."
"I did it so he wouldn't kill Will."
Finally, Will could no longer remain silent. "Abigail, you should listen to him," he advised. "I know you're shaken, but Dr. Bloom can help. And besides, I'd feel much better if you had someone around to keep an eye on you tonight, just in case you relapse. Three notable traumas in a matter of years is bound to weigh heavily upon you."
"Legally, you need the psych eval whether you get help tonight or not," Jack added. "Without it, we can't allow you back onto the team. It's just a standard precaution."
Abigail was pissed. Fucking livid. She was shaken and full of adrenaline and she had saved Will's fucking life! But – as always – all Jack Crawford cared about was whether or not Abigail was really her father's daughter.
"But present company excluded, right?" she spat. "Did you make Will jump through hoops to get involved, or is that just me?"
"That's out of line and you know it, Agent Hobbs."
Eager to get things back under control, Will decided to relay his own version of their attack. He rubbed his sore neck and looked pleadingly between the two. "I was with Dr. Bloom when we heard screams – Abigail's, from the sound of it – so the two of us grabbed our guns and went after the source of the noise," he said. "Alana and I agreed it would be best to split up, so I came out here while Bloom went to get back-up. Before long, the Dragon caught me unawares and got me into a chokehold. Abigail came on the scene, and amidst our struggle, he dropped the gun and she swooped in, taking aim and doing her duty. We're both alive now thanks to her."
Jack's expression remained grave. "This isn't how anyone wanted the situation to go down, but if this truly is our man, you both will be commended for heroism. We'll need to make a match on his teeth."
"Zeller can do that," Will offered. "Abigail should go home and get some rest." Placing a hand on her shoulder, he added, "We all will. Things will look much clearer in the morning with fresh, rested eyes."
Abigail promptly shrugged him off. "Fine," she spat. "I need to leave anyway."
Abigail started off towards the crowd of people marking the edge of the trees, but turned around again. "If I was half the killer you are constantly considering me to be, Jack, you'd be dead by now. And I'd be in Italy with Hannibal."
Somehow, even though the words had been meant for Jack, they cut Will deep. Even now, with Hannibal behind bars, he found himself believing that a part of Abigail still favored the abusive doctor. Lecter had killed Marissa and Boyle and ensured that Abigail would rely on him and him alone, but even with all of her training, did she truly realize that? Did she even know or care that Hannibal had hurt and severely damaged a part of her without a second thought? Why did Will, a man who genuinely cared for her, have to jump through hoops of fire when Hannibal manipulated her in order to receive her affection? It rankled him inside something fierce. Especially since night after night, Will had spent hours with Abigail by her hospital bed. Hannibal had only been there that first day. Every moment thereafter had been Will by her side, and yet she'd never known – he'd never felt the need to tell her.
Scoffing under his breath, Will turned on his heel and began heading back in the opposite direction. He could hear Jack shouting after him, but he didn't bother turning around. He knew he was being childish – he knew it – but he didn't plan on comforting Abigail when she clearly wished for a different presence.
Abigail, having made her way far enough from the rest of the team, grunted angrily and threw her fist at a nearby tree trunk. The bark took off a layer or two of skin and her knuckles burned as she flexed her fingers. The sound of Alana's voice caught her off guard and she spun around sharply.
"You scared me," she said, not making eye contact. Abigail didn't want to see Dr. Bloom's pity.
Alana frowned. "Are you alright?" she asked. "We heard through the walkie-talkies what happened… My security guards are fetching the body, so before long, we'll be able to do a check on his dental records." Skeptically, she gave Abigail a once-over. "You're sure you weren't injured? Sometimes it takes a moment to feel pain once the initial shock wears off."
Abigail huffed. "If you heard everything, you already know Jack's an asshole and that I'm fine." She flexed her hand again. "Well… mostly fine."
Alana frowned more deeply. "Let's go home. I've already called Margot to get the guest room all set up."
"Alana, I don't want to go to your fucking mansion. I want to go home. To my apartment." Abigail ran her good hand through her hair in frustration. "I fucking killed someone and I just want to have a drink, pet my cat, and go to sleep. Is that seriously too much to ask?"
Alana's mouth twisted, yet she tried to show patience. "I understand, Abigail – believe me, I very much felt the same after…well…" She waved a hand, keeping the other on her hip. "What I'm trying to say is, it isn't wise to shut everyone out. Distancing yourself could be detrimental – especially if you feel the urge to unburden. In instances such as these, it would be best to reach out to someone who can share in your trauma and understand your pain."
"Someone who shares my trauma?" Abigail looked around sarcastically. "I don't see Will anywhere. Do you? Or are you talking about yourself? Other than Mason Verger, did you kill anyone else? Because I'm pretty sure you didn't."
With a sigh, Alana followed the other woman indoors. "I won't press the issue," she promised, "but I just don't want to see you hurt again. Jack won't follow up on your progress, just so long as I hand over my seal of approval, but I, unfortunately, am less forgiving if I don't see genuine improvement. As your doctor and as your friend, it's my job to ensure that you get the help you need." Stopping in front of her office, she added, "Please let me know if you change your mind. Goodnight, Abigail."
She entered her office and closed the door, feeling guilty for not being more adamant about making Abigail spend the night.
Freshly showered and with a glass of whiskey hanging loosely between his fingers, Will sat on the edge of his hotel bed, his phone pressed to his ear.
"Hey, hotshot."
He grinned and unlaced his shoes. "It's good to hear your voice," he said. "It's been…a long day, to put it simply. We think we've got him."
"The Tooth Fairy?"
Will nodded. "Yeah. That means I'll be coming home soon, just so long as the dental records match up to all the victims." Smile fading, he absently rubbed at the bruising on his neck. He couldn't bring himself to tell Molly about the attack – not when he wasn't there to tell her in person. Instead, he tried a different approach.
"Abigail was the one who stopped him," he said. "She killed him, unfortunately, so now she's got another life on her hands. I'm worried for her emotional state. I know you've never met one another, and it's asking a lot, but…if she were to agree to it, what would you say to having her stay with us for a few weeks? I just know I'd feel a lot better if I could keep an eye on her."
Or more specifically, keep her away from Lecter and the tabloids.
Molly mulled over Will's suggestion as she stroked one of the several dogs that surrounded her. "Wouldn't Jack flip his lid if he lost the both of you?" She shook her head. "I mean, wouldn't he be shorthanded if you came home and brought one of his agents with you?"
Molly honestly didn't think she would mind having another woman around, seeing how even most of their dogs were boys. A little something extra to break up the testosterone might be fun…despite her clear jealousy from before.
In spite of himself, Will chuckled bleakly. "Jack would 'flip his lid' regardless of what I decide," he said. "But he's been around the block more than enough times to be able to handle himself on his own. He was known as 'The Guru' back in the day, you know." Absently licking his lips, Will exhaled through his nose. "Besides, he's worried about Abigail. He knows she could be a loose cannon after tonight. Admittedly, I'm worried about it too…ending a life can really take a toll on a person."
"What do you mean by 'loose cannon'? Do you think she's dangerous?"
"W-well no, I just…what I mean is, I think she's fragile and needs some distance from the Bureau. A nice retreat in a woodsy area could do the trick. Abigail used to live in a very woodland home."
There came a pause, then Molly offered, "Ask her about it, and then get back with me. But if she doesn't want to come, don't force her. I know how you are."
Will chuckled. "Will do. Thanks, Molly."
"I love you."
"I love you more. See you soon." Hanging up, he pocketed his phone and checked the clock on the wall.
As she walked back down the hallway, Abigail looked over at the doors to Hannibal's cell. She looked between her options (the hallway and the exit), and sighed as she went down through the doors and deeper into the BSHCI.
"Abigail?" Hannibal's voice was laced with a hint of surprise as he regarded her.
"Hello, Doctor," she said, crossing her arms. "I got him."
Hannibal's smile grew serpentine. "As I knew you would, Abigail. Although I am quite disappointed to hear that the case was finished without me."
"That makes you the only one…" Abigail paused, and then didn't know why she continued instead of leaving. "He nearly killed Will, but I shot him through the throat. He choked on his own blood and the taste of lead. You wouldn't have liked the mess."
Hannibal continued to smile. "That's my girl."
Abigail shifted, suddenly appearing uncomfortable. "I should go. Goodnight, Hannibal."
"Goodnight, Abigail."
And then she went home.
INDIVIDUAL THANK YOUS:
city bookworm: Initially, we were going to write Francis kidnapping Abigail and how she'd be forced to live with him for a while, but my writing partner decided to have Abby shoot Francis instead. It works well for her conflicting emotions/growth. And honestly, our storyline was never truly about Francis, so I don't consider this a major setback. We're focusing more on relationships and character flaws.
Hannibal would have been happier if they'd all run off together, absolutely, but Abigail wouldn't have been. And obviously, Will would have been happier because Abigail would still be alive, but her survival would never be guaranteed. I read a perfect meta by hyperfashionist that explained why the "Murder Family" is nothing but a pipe dream. Since Will is such a conflicted character, he would have tried to rebel again at some point, and each time he "stepped out of line," Hannibal would have used Abigail as a means to keep him cooperative. Abigail would constantly be living in terror. And given how miserable/upset she seemed in the finale, I wouldn't wish that on her in the slightest. Realistically, Will and Abigail (or just Abigail) would probably have tried to escape Hannibal at some point, and a blood bath more than likely would have ensued. I always figured that if Abigail had gone to Italy instead of Bedelia, she would have died in the crosshairs during S3. But that's neither here nor there, since all we can do is speculate. :) P.S. This isn't an invitation for readers to argue with me or meta in reviews, because we all have our own opinions. That's what makes fandoms so fun and diverse! :)
