Please forgive me for being so tardy about updating! I was just in a show and now I'm on vacation. To make it up to you guys, here's an extra long chapter. I didn't have time to proofread all of this chapter so please please please let me know if you see any typos. Thanks and enjoy!

The next morning felt like a repeat of the first. Will waited outside Hannibal's room as a group of nobles gathered outside. Freddie approached the door, carrying the same tray as the day before.

"You seem a little tired today," she said. Will fought back his irritation, which was only heightened by his sleep deprivation.

"I had a very tiring day yesterday," Will said.

"I expect you'll have another equally tiring day today, but," Freddie paused to let Will guess what she had to say, "I'm sure you already guessed that. The Ripper's killed again."

"The Ripper?" Will asked. Freddie tilted her head.

"Yes. You think it was someone else?" She asked. "You certainly seem to have an awful lot of knowledge on his murders."

"I believe the king is about to rise, if you'll excuse me," Will said, deciding that waking Hannibal a few minutes early was a worthwhile sacrifice to avoid Freddie's prodding.

Will knocked on the door, and after hearing Hannibal's reply, opened the door. Freddie stepped through to place his breakfast down. She left the morning report beside his tea.

"Anything else, Your Highness?" She asked. Hannibal dismissed her with a shake of his head. He read through the report as he sipped his tea.

"The Ripper has killed again. Two days in a row," Hannibal said. He looked up after receiving no reply from Will. "William?"

"The people will be in a panic," Will said, eager to brush away any suspicions. "If someone isn't caught soon, they will only get worse."

"Very true," Hannibal said. "Something must be done to alleviate their worries for now. A speech, perhaps?"

"That could work. And adding a few more royal guards to the service," Will said.

"It has been quite a while since I've inaugurated any new recruits," Hannibal said with a sip of his tea. He peered over the report at the dark hanging shadows under Will's eyes.

"You were very quiet last night," Hannibal said. "No nightmares?"

"If only," Will said. "I had a restless night, didn't get much sleep."

Hannibal raised his eyebrows with concern. He lowered his tea cup.

"That is not very good," he said. "If you are not feeling well, perhaps you should not investigate the crime scene in person. I can send another in your place, who will give you the details later. For now, you can stay in the palace."

"I appreciate the sentiment," Will said, his words slow and purposeful, "However, I am feeling quite alert. I'm sure the citizens would feel more at ease knowing I am investigating the case in person."

"Very well," Hannibal said with a small nod of his head. "Before you leave, would you care to spend breakfast with me?"

"Of course," Will said, having no other choice. He shifted his sword so he could sit down on the chair where Hannibal was motioning. He waited silently and patiently until Hannibal spoke. Hannibal, meanwhile, took his time gently buttering a slice of bread.

"It is quite unfortunate," he said, finally. Will's heart froze, convinced that he was going to confront him about his actions of the previous night. "I fear that with the recent Ripper murders, we will have to postpone relocating to my Palace in the countrysude. I mustn't let the people suspect me of running from the Ripper."

Will released a small breath that jumped from his mouth as a laugh.

"What the people suspect is often the farthest from the truth," he said with a smile. He picked up a cup of tea. The mist from its warm surface drifted across his face.

"How very true," Hannibal said. "It is only the ones closest to us that can ever guess our true intentions."

"Then it would be wisest to be sure those closest to us are our friends," Will said.

"Or perhaps it'd be better to keep our enemies close, so we can always know what their next attack will be," Hannibal said. Will paused sipping his tea, but resumed after a moment.

"Makes you wonder who's a friend and who's an enemy," Will said, still pondering Hannibal's words and the implications behind them. They were confounding, but in a way they revealed a path into Hannibal's head, if only Will could follow it to its end. Hannibal held his empty tea cup in his hand.

"It is easy to discern," Hannibal explained. "We cannot be fully aware of another human being unless we love them. By that love we see potential in our beloved. Through that love we allow our beloved to see their potential. Expressing that love, our beloved's potential comes true."

Will suddenly found himself staring past his empty tea cup. The tea was settling deep in his stomach, dragging him down like a weight. He felt a question forming on his lips, but instead he placed the teacup down.

"I believe the wisest plan of action would be to allow a few days to pass without a murder, and then move to the Country Palace as planned," Will said. "It would be safer there, in case the Ripper situation does escalate."

Hannibal gazed at Will, letting Will see his disappointment. He moved away from the conversation, but it remained prevalent behind his eyes.

"In that case, I will inform Freddie to continue the packing preparations," Hannibal said.

"And I will depart for the crime scene," Will said with a small bow. As he left the room, he silently scolded himself for walking too fast. It felt more like a retreat than an exit.

The savagery of Gardner's murder could be better seen in the daylight, but each time Will looked down the alley, he could only see the thick shadows of the night before that concealed a murderer.

"It's not the Ripper, Jack," Will explained.

"What do you think it was?" Jack asked. "A wild wolf loose in the city?"

Will turned his head to gaze at the sideways claw marks on the wall, now crusty with dried blood. Five claws, five fingers.

"I am still inclined to believe it was a man," Will said. "I've never seen any animal kill this way. Beyond killing, it didn't eat or deface the body."

"Either way, people are going to be scared," Jack said. "We have to catch something."

"Any fur or hair samples?" Will asked.

"We found some, but haven't analyzed it yet," Jack said. Will nodded.

"In the meantime, whoever we're looking for would have previous outbursts. History of bar fights, or skirmishes," Will said.

"There are a lot of people that fit that criteria in London," Jack pointed out.

"He'll also be intrigued, even obsessed, with animals," Will said. "Specifically carnivores with claws," Will glanced down at the bite wounds that penetrated deep into Gardner's throat, "and teeth."

Before Will left, he stopped to talk to Price and Zeller.

"Beverly'll be thrilled to hear you're coming over tonight," Price said, taking off his bloody gloves. "Hopefully by then we'll have also had a chance to analyze these fur samples."

"And hopefully we'll find a clue," Will said.

"Is five alright?" Zeller asked.

"Whatever time is best," Will said. "I'll make sure to be there."

Will arrived back at the palace just in time to catch the end of Hannibal's speech to Parliament. He barely paid attention to his words, because just the sound of his voice felt like a reassurance. From the faces of the Parliament members, it seemed they felt the same way.

"We must not let these murders deter us from living our lives," the king explained. Parliament softly applauded. Lord Chilton tapped his cane on the floor. The familiar red garments of the Archbishop could also be seen, however, he was not applauding. He still looked bitter from the day before.

He seemed to be the only member not pleased by Hannibal's speech or his proposal for more guards. Perhaps the Parliament members mistook Hannibal's enjoyment for caring. The irony of the situation tasted dry on Will's tongue.

"For these reasons, I have chosen to establish more guards to ensure protection of London's citizens," Hannibal said. Another applause went up from the audience. "Thank you."

He stepped down as the loudest applause of them all erupted, a large amount of which came from the upper rafters, where the citizens could watch from. Will doubted they would give the king such praise if they knew him as well as he did. He turned away and followed Hannibal to the carriage.

"Your speech seems to have gone over well," he said. "The people seem less anxious."

"Then I was successful," Hannibal said. "Find anything of importance at the investigation?"

"No," Will said. "It's not even a Ripper murder. The scientists have fur samples though, and told me to return later tonight to hear any possible findings."

"Fur samples?" Hannibal asked. "Do you think it was a wild animal?"

"Yes," Will said instinctively. "At least, it thinks it is."

Hannibal was quiet for a moment. Will shook his head, knowing that his logic wouldn't make sense to anyone else. He waited for Hannibal to ask for an explanation, or refute him.

"Let us hope that your scientists will find something that can help us catch this culprit," Hannibal said. Will nodded slowly.

"In the meantime, we must begin finding and training new guards," Hannibal said. "The sooner the better, for I do not want to delay leaving for too long and chance missing the prime hunting season."

Will kept a neutral expression at the thought of being trapped with Hannibal, faraway from the safe familiarity of the city. The faint remains of a memory long since suppressed tugged at Will's mind, and he briefly remembered his last experience in the country. But that was a long time ago. At least in the country, the city would be safe from the Ripper.

"Then we should start immediately," Will said.

"The candidates are already awaiting us at the palace," Hannibal said.

The prospective guards were dawned in uniform performing drills in front of the palace steps. Will and Hannibal watched from a balcony that overlooked the court and gave them a viewing vantage point. Will was supposed to be watching and picking out the standout men, but his mind was elsewhere. He found himself more focused on Hannibal and the way in which his eyes would lock onto one of the men and follow him precisely, memorizing his defining features and ensuring there were no flaws hiding from his view. After he'd made his decision, his eyes would flicker to the next engaging person. If someone was deemed worthy, the corners of his mouth would nudge up and Will would add him to the list of new guards. Will wondered what his criteria were, and what little details deemed one person inferior to another. Then the thought occurred to Will that he may have used this same analysis on him, when they'd first met. Had he studied him from the shadows before stabbing him in the back, or was it during the Masquerade Ball?

Will realized that he was probably staring, so he looked down at the rows of soldiers all stepping in perfect tandem and tried to divulge what distinguished some of them to Hannibal. The accuracy of their coordination with their comrades, the sharpness of their sword, the polish on their shoes?

Or perhaps it was some unseen quality that lay within their souls? That thought terrified him, for several reasons. It meant there was something lurking within Will, something he was unaware of but doubted it could be considered healthy. Even worse, it meant that Hannibal had been able to look inside his soul and see something he couldn't see himself. The implications of that were too horrific to contemplate further.

"Wouldn't you say we've seen enough?" Will asked. "They've been doing drill practice for nearly three hours."

"Endurance is an important trait for a palace guard," Hannibal said. "But I have picked out all the capable candidates."

"One hundred fifty out of nearly five hundred?" Will asked, picturing the vast layout of the city.

"Quality is preferred over quantity," Hannibal said. "That is why power is seated in the king and not Parliament."

"You better hope Parliament doesn't hear that," Will said. "You might have an uprising on your hands."

"Uprisings are workings of the people, who agree wholeheartedly with my policies and would quickly side with me over Parliament," Hannibal said. "But Parliament is too afraid of facing consequences to act against me."

Will scanned the list of new recruits and attempted to match faces to names. He happened to notice the red setting sun, and pursed his lips at how quickly it'd become so late. He reminded Hannibal of his plans to meet with the scientists.

"Be careful," Hannibal said before he left. "We both know how dangerous the city is, especially at night."

As Will left the palace, he couldn't help but feel its presence remain with him like a wine stain. Its atmosphere seemed to suck his energy, and it felt like ages since he'd ventured into the city when in actuality it had only been this morning. More and more Will was beginning to understand the full extent to which the palace truly was a different world, one which seemed to move at a different rate than the outside world he'd once been so accustomed to. However, now Will found himself more at home in the polished palace hallways than the gritty London streets he'd grown up on.

With his mind so occupied, he hadn't noticed the man following him but the itch of being watched on the back of his neck awoke him from his thoughts. He slowed, and the man slowed. Whoever it was must be very inexperienced. Will quickly turned into an alley. The man followed him, and like a viper Will had his sword pressed to his neck in an instant. The man chuckled as his hood fell away. Will stepped back with surprise.

"Hannibal?" He asked, retreating backwards.

"Forgive me, Will," he said. "I thought I'd accompany you to the scientists. I'm afraid my curiosity has gotten the better of me. But don't you agree that the king should be directly involved in the safety of his city?"

Will ran his hands through his hair, his mind racing. It was clear now why he'd been so blatantly following him, Hannibal had wanted Will to notice and call him out. Now Will was forced to bring him along and face the repercussions of his lies, or convince him to go back to the palace.

"I've worked with these scientists for a long time. They work out of their home and have a policy of having dinner with their guests before showing them their findings," Will said, praying this lie would be close enough to the truth to deceive Hannibal. "I don't know if they've prepared enough for another."

Hannibal smiled, and Will's stomach twisted.

"Will, you have never hosted a dinner party before. A good host always makes enough for twice his expected numbers."

"Fine," Will said, feeling his resolve crumble. "But we cannot reveal you're the king. It's too dangerous."

"Do you not trust these scientists?" Hannibal asked. Will shook his hand.

"I trust them with my life and yours, but they're not the ones I'm concerned about," he explained, and left the alley. He returned to his path to the Zellers' and didn't bother to check if Hannibal was following him.

"Beverly," Will said.

"Will, we're so glad you could make it and...you brought a friend?" Beverly asked, more amused than angry (to Will's disappointment). Will irritance rose with the knowledge that Hannibal was definitely smiling behind him.

"Yes, I apologize for not giving you advanced notice," Will said, still hoping against hope she'd send him away. He was disappointed again. Beverly welcomed them inside and took their coats. Will was barely surprised to see that even Hannibal's muted disguise was still stately.

"This is Hannibal, he's-," Will began to lie but Hannibal cut him off.

"I am a fellow doctor of science. Please, call me Dr. Lecter," Hannibal said.

"Welcome to our home, Dr. Lecter," Beverly said, motioning down the hallway.

"Pleasure," Hannibal said, kissing Beverly's hand.

"Will, your friend's certainly amicable," Beverly said, leading them to the dining room. "You'll want to met my husband and coworker, Dr. Brian Zeller and his associate Dr. Jimmy Price."

"Coworker?" Hannibal asked. Will felt his blood drain from his cheeks as Hannibal trotted over the thin ice of Beverly's work status. It was clear from the sudden intensity in her posture that he'd struck a sensitive subject. She smoothed her dress, and before Will could find a way to change the topic of conversation, she answered him.

"Yes, my father was a doctor. As a child he taught me many things about the human body. There are times when I can be of assistance to my husband, so I offer my knowledge," she explained, understating how often she contributed to the investigations. Will should have felt better after her answer, but the glint that remained in Hannibal's eyes worried him.

Beverly opened the door into the dining room and called out to Price and Zeller. She motioned for Will and Hannibal to sit down, which they did. She sat at the head of the table, Will next to her, and Hannibal across from Will.

"Will!" Zeller said, nearly stumbling into the room in his haste. He was too focused on retying his tie to notice the unexpected guest.

"Honey," Beverly said, her tone too flat and rehearsed. "This is Dr. Lector."

Zeller paused and looked up, appearing a little flustered. He glanced at Hannibal before composing himself and nodding graciously.

"Very nice to have you for dinner, sir," he said, before turning too purposefully to give Beverly an awkward peck on the cheek.

"Perhaps you could grab Jimmy?" Beverly asked. Zeller nodded quickly and left the room again with a momentary wave. A second later he returned with Price in tow, who was quickly tucking in his shirt.

"Jimmy. Brian," Will greeted them.

"Will, took you long enough to get your way over here," Jimmy said. "I swear that king is working you to death."

"Better to be worked to death than put to death," Will said, sensing his comment soften some of Hannibal's stiff silence.

"Jimmy, this is Dr. Lecter," Beverly explained. Hannibal nodded and Jimmy smiled back. "He's a friend of Will's."

"Did you two meet in the palace?" Brian asked. Will opened his mouth to answer, but Hannibal was quicker.

"Yes. Will is the king's personal guard, and I am his personal physician." Hannibal said.

"The king's certainly got a lot of personal attendants," Jimmy joked.

"Think he has a personal attendant to cut his meats?" Brian asked. Jimmy laughed and Will cracked a smile even though he could feel Hannibal's annoyance at having his ego be irritated.

"I can neither confirm nor deny that," Will said. "But I will say you're not far from the truth."

Will couldn't stop himself from tilting his head to give Hannibal a sideways glance. He raised his eyebrows at him, but Hannibal returned his gaze with unamused ire. Will rather enjoyed the Price residence, so he decided he'd better defuse Hannibal's vexation.

"His redesigning the city plan was all his own work, though," Will said. "And that will certainly improve the situations of many people."

"I did hear about that," Jimmy said. "I agree. This city needs some more trees and flowers to lighten it up. It's so gloomy and dreary all the time."

"A park would be splendid for getting fresh air after hours in the work room," Brian added.

"It would also be an ideal afternoon delight for any children," Hannibal said. Will felt resentment ride up his throat at Hannibal's directed intentions. "Are you and Beverly planning on extending your family tree in the near future?"

It was only a moment hesitation from Brian and a slight brush of Jimmy's hand across his forehead, but it was enough for Hannibal to confirm what he already knew.

"We are hoping to bring a child into the world soon," Beverly said in an attempt to save the situation. "Jimmy, help me with the food."

Beverly stood up, and pulled Jimmy along by his elbow. Will fumed at Hannibal's complete contentment after his calculated question. He felt himself glaring, but didn't care enough to conceal it. Brian was abandoned in the disorienting silence fueled with emotions of unknown origins. He prided himself on being a bright individual and having capable social prowess, but he was very confused by the silent conversation he was missing between Hannibal and Will. He clear his throat and tried to revive the conversation.

"Do you have any children, Dr. Lecter?" Brian asked. Hannibal looked away from Will's threatening gaze.

"I consider all my patients children, and I treat them as if they were my own flesh and blood," he said. "But I do not have any biological children."

"Is there a Mrs. Doctor Lector?" Brian asked, noticing Will's scoff and Hannibal's blatant satisfaction at his reaction.

"Not at the moment," he said. "But it was only until recently that I began to truly consider the possibility of having a partner."

"What changed your mind, Dr. Lector?" Will asked. Brian was confused by the animosity in his question, and wonder about its origin.

"I met someone who could understand my personal philosophies. Understand my point of view. See the world through my own eyes, although perhaps not willingly," Hannibal said.

"To see the world through someone else's eyes requires the viewer truly know that someone, know them from their outer skin to their darkest secret," Will said. "Are you ready for that commitment?"

Relief flooded over Brian as Jimmy and Beverly broke the tension in the room with their return. Unfortunately, the dinner continued in very much the same manner as the previous introductions, except for a few compliments from Hannibal to Beverly on her cooking. She thanked him gratefully, but couldn't help noticing Will's piqued expression at Hannibal's comment.

Once they had finally survived dinner Will offered to help Beverly as if he had read her mind that she wanted to have a moment alone with him. Her instincts warned her against leaving Jimmy and Brian by themselves with Hannibal, especially after having witnessed dinner, but she decided it couldn't be too harmful.

"Will, did you tell him about us?" Beverly asked once she and Will were safe from listening ears. Will raised his eyes at her in surprise.

"I wouldn't reveal your secret to anyone, especially not him…" Will said. "He's just perceptive."

"Like you?" Beverly asked, taking Will's plates.

"Not like me," Will said, more forcefully than he intended and Beverly noticed.

"Should we be worried?" Beverly asked, her eyes drifting to the dining room door. Will shook his head.

"He won't tell anyone. I won't let him," he said. He was disappointed to see his good-intentioned words only deepened Beverly's frown.

"Will...have you been feeling alright?" She asked slowly, giving herself time to carefully choose her next words. "I know you were having nightmares-"

"Jack told you," Will stated. She nodded and continued.

"He told me you were having nightmares before, and I don't know if they've stopped, but ever since you went to the palace...I don't know," she turned away and set a plate down before pulling her thoughts together. She turned back to face Will. "You seem angrier and closed-off. I don't think working for the king is good for you."

She waited for Will's reply, expecting a firm denial. If it was anyone but Will, Brian or Jimmy, she'd most likely be given a dismissal of her concern as being mere female emotions clouding her vision. Her worry would just be used as another reason for why she belonged in the kitchen. Yet, she couldn't let that shake her and she would always remind herself of her deal with Jimmy that he'd take care of keeping the kitchen and bedrooms clean, and she'd keep the library ordered and the work room sterile.

"Working in the palace is slowly corrupting my soul," Will said finally. His answer didn't reassure Beverly. "I feel like I'm losing myself and my purpose to the fine wines and cravats. But I can't escape it. Even now, even when I leave the gates, it follows me. It trails me like a wolf, always at the back of my mind. My morals are becoming clouded, dissolving in the London haze.

"And now the king is making plans to travel to his palace in the countryside, and of course I'll have to be going with him. From there, I'll be completely cut off from London, and you, Jimmy, Brian, Jack, and what remains of my sanity. Months trapped with the king. I'm afraid of what it will do to me, who I'll be when I return."

Will could see Beverly's concern etched across her features, and in her alert stance.

"Then you can't go," Beverly said, her patient demeanor shed for one of anger and defiance. "Quit. Leave. If you're worried about consequences then run away to France! I have an acquaintance who studied at a French university and knows people, I could help you find somewhere to go."

"I can't," Will said. Beverly knit her eyebrows together.

"Why not? You said it yourself, he is going to hurt you. Maybe not physically, but certainly psychologically," Beverly said.

"I need to stay because I need the resources that this position affords me," he said. Beverly shook her head.

"You've always been able to get along fine. I don't see what's changed," Beverly said, crossing her arms.

"It's for an investigation. The Ripper investigation. But perhaps something even more," Will said. Beverly noticed him pause to contemplate something. She waited for him to speak, looking as if he knew exactly what he wanted to ask but hated it. He ran his hands through his hair. Beverly could see the pressure hiding in the strands of hair sticking out from the other smoothly combed down ones, in the hurried polish of his shoes, and in the thinness of his face. He must not be eating regularly.

"Beverly, I need your help," Will said. Her arms loosened, and thoughts of the French countryside filled her head. "It's dangerous, and it's essential no one know what you're doing, but I need you to look into the death of the previous king. I think there's more to his death that someone is working hard to cover up. Any notes from the doctors or morgue. You could start with Joseph Gardner. He's deceased and his notes were stolen, or given to the Commander at the time. But some of his knowledge might be floating around. I-"

"Will." Beverly interrupted. Will stopped and looked at her. She saw her own worry reflected and intensified in his eyes, so she stiffened her back and plastered her determination onto her face. The reflection eased slightly, but it was enough to convince her of what she had to do.

"You don't have to suffer alone," she said. "You are not the only one who cares about justice in this city. I will look into it."

"Thank you," Will said, his relief flooding over into his words making them sound breathy and strained. "There's one more thing I need to ask of you, it's much easier."

"Okay."

"I'm hanging on the edge of a cliff right now, the abyss awaiting me miles below, and I feel my fingers losing their grip," Will paused, as if trying to suppress his terror at the thought of falling towards whatever doom he was imagining below. "I need a hand. Some source of sanity. Please, send me a letter once I've gone. If I don't answer, then tell Jack. And mostly importantly, if you find incriminating information, do not write it in any letters."

"I won't," Beverly said, her face turn down for a moment in agitation. "I'll send you letters, but you sound very concerned. There's no way I can convince you to turn away from this?"

Will shook his head and said with soft pain, "No."

They both became lost in their thoughts, and wondered how and what they'd gotten themselves into. There was a need to communicate but there were no words to quite express how they felt at the moment. The closest would be "trapped" but "adrift" would also qualify. Will easily understood her taciturn expression.

A knock on the kitchen door made Beverly jump, which Will instinctively jumped at. She brushed her skirt down, and Will nodded that he had nothing more to say.

"Brian?" She asked, and he opened the door.

"Are you guys alright in here? You were taking a little long," he said.

"Just finishing," she said. Brian glanced nervously at Will then spoke to Beverly.

"We're having some...conversational difficulties," Brian said, then faced Will. "I hope you're not too offended?"

"Not at all," Will replied, his reserved demeanor from dinner returning. "Hannibal is a frustrating conversationalist."

Brian straightened his collar but didn't move away from the doorway.

"I've been meaning to ask...I just, um, noticed during...dinner…" Brian trailed off. He shut the door again and took a step into the room. "Is Hannibal your...um partner?"

Will's first instinct was shock, which then melted into some mixture of unclear strong emotion. Finally the chaotic emotions fixated on anger, as they tend to do. Will breathed down his ire, and stopped himself from distancing his friends.

"We are far from that. We are not even friends. Our relationship is purely one of mutual benefit, but void of emotional attachment," Will explained, his tone sharper than usual. He could see Brian brush it off as merely too much pressure from work in combination with too much wine.

"I live with two emotionally attached men," Beverly said. "And I don't think your relationship with Dr. Lector is strictly apathetic."

Will bristled at her words.

"Hannibal could be a source of sanity for you Will. Even just friendship," Beverly pointed out, her words earnest. Will focused on the table leg.

"Have you told Hannibal about the way you're feeling?" Beverly asked. Will snapped his head up.

"I am not discussing any of this with him," Will said, then took a moment to compose himself. "I understand you're just trying to help, but he is not the answer to my troubles. Anyway, they're probably wondering what's taking us so long."

Will stepped past Beverly and Brian who glanced at each other.

Beverly watched Will don his casual demeanor once more when they reentered the room. Her eyes followed him as he stared down Hannibal, who returned it. Brian and Jimmy didn't notice anything, however, even after they left the table she couldn't stop thinking of what fueled Will's intense emotion towards his supposed friend. Moreover, it was impossible for her to divulge if their silent conversation was between enemies or lovers.

Jimmy and Brian's explanations of their findings back in the workroom blended into the background and she continued to study Will and Hannibal across the corpse. Jimmy conveyed their discovery that the first two victims had been killed by the same weapon, but Joseph Gardner had had his throat ripped out and lungs lacerated. Brian held up the fur samples collected from the body and told them how the fur was too old to have come from an animal but they placed it as wolf fur. If Beverly had been paying closer attention, she may have pointed out that they'd compared it to a Grey Wolf sample from the Royal Academy of Sciences Mammology Collection. Both matched exactly in color, length, and thickness. Unfortunately Beverly was preoccupied by the more apparent mystery before her.

Will asked a question. Beverly didn't hear his words but caught each detail of how Hannibal turned his head to give Will his entire focus. When Will responded with less than animosity to one of Hannibal's comments, Beverly noted how his back straightened out and his eyes crinkled with satisfaction. She assumed Will hadn't intended his reaction because as soon as he sensed Hannibal's joy, his expression became strained. Meanwhile, Jimmy and Brian were still rambling about the incisions made to resew the skin where the livers had been taken from.

Terror filled Beverly when Will and Hannibal began to say their farewells and she'd had yet to fully comprehend the situation. She stomached her curiosity for now, knowing she'd have the chance to ask Will when he wasn't with Hannibal. Although that meant either waiting for him to return in three months time, or asking him in a letter. For the moment, she gave him a tight hug.

"Don't let go," he whispered in her ear.

"I won't," she said.

"Don't be a stranger, Will! And don't work yourself to death!" Jimmy joked. Will nodded with a faint smile. Hannibal thanked Brian for the hospitality and Beverly for the dinner.

"It was truly exquisite," he said. "You must let me cook for you next time."

"Or perhaps we could just have tea next time," Will said.

"Next time," Beverly said as they stepped out the door. Will tilted a final goodbye with his hand and walked down the steps.

"Next time," Hannibal said as Will departed. He tilted his hat and followed Will. Beverly was left with the sickly feeling that Will was closer to the edge than he'd let on and that he'd already slipped away from her grasp.