Thank you to anyone who takes the time to follow, favourite, and most of all review. Your effort is very inspiring and definitely helps me write. Thank you to anyone who continues to read this story. I hope you'll feel engaged as I enter season 2. Please enjoy Chapter Ten my darlings, much love to you all xo

Chapter Ten

Will hadn't seen Charlotte since he'd arrived at the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. He felt he was neither sick, criminal, or insane so he'd been anything but productive in his many appointments with Doctor Frederick Chilton.

Will hadn't had a lot of previous contact with the green eyed psychiatrist. Charlotte had described her sessions with Frederick as cathartic but Will couldn't see why. She adored her Doctor more than anything. In Will's previous experiences with Doctor Chilton he had found him obnoxious and haughty. Chilton honestly seemed to believe he was God's gift to psychiatry. Will often thought during their many therapy sessions it was a miracle that Hannibal Lecter hadn't killed Frederick yet. Frederick had short patience and Will couldn't help but smirk when he saw the Doctor desperately try to fumble his way through Will's thoughts. His lines of questioning were lazy and transparent at best, and clichéd at worst. It was only two weeks in to his stay that Frederick had finally found the crack in Will's ambivalent facade.

Frederick had apologised, albeit insincerely to Will for running late to their therapy session due to the fact his last appointment had run long. He'd casually mentioned Charlotte's name, not really thinking much of it till he saw Will's eyes sparkle ever so slightly at her mention.

A smug expression had lit Frederick's face as he realised he finally had something Will Graham wanted. Charlotte wasn't allowed in to the hospital for the first thirty days of Will's incarceration. The BSHCI had a very strict 'Isolation & integration' program that prevented all new patients from having any contact that was not police officiated for at least the first thirty days of their stay. Will had considered this was perhaps a fallacy until Alana Bloom had confirmed it during one of their memory retrieving expeditions.

So Frederick would trickle pieces of information about Charlotte's well-being and Will in return would answer a question. Often his answers were lies but Frederick didn't mind, at least he was talking to him now. The details were vague at best but Will soon was able to draw up a rather substantial report. She'd moved back to Baltimore as she was too distraught to stay in their home, she was working extra hours for distraction, no one had seen much of her- that particular piece of information was of huge comfort to Will, and last but definitely not least she believed him innocent.

Frederick had revealed that last fact as though it were battery acid burning his mouth.

"She is too good for you," Frederick had growled but Will had simply smiled pleasantly.

Charlotte could simply not believe Will was a killer.

Beverly had confirmed that fact after Will had helped her with one of their more pressing crimes; a disturbing human made tapestry that preserved and presented a perfect colour palate of human skin. She'd mentioned Jack was murderous at Charlotte's completely lack of cooperation.

"Your Charlotte's the only thing in the world that can needle Jack Crawford," Beverly had said with a wry grin and Will couldn't help but smile back. "She doesn't know who did it. She just says it couldn't have been you."

Charlotte's strong beliefs of Will's sanity had finally tethered him. He felt a new confidence to start to explore other options. He imagined every eventuality till he settled darkly on Hannibal Lecter.

Will had greeted that certainty with joy and hatred. He finally had his thin red thread that linked everything together. Will had imagined his reckoning with sweet delight but had decided to cover Charlotte's eyes from the truth. He hoped against hope that she would arrive just as soon as her thirty day probation was through. He'd considered telling her but a sickening feeling crawled through him when he realised her fear of Hannibal might end up costing her her life. Hannibal could frame her disappearance with ease. He could forge that she'd gone home to France and not a single person would question it; given that her circumstances were as dire as they were.

Will had silently decided to himself that he would watch over her from his cell, ask Jack to protect her as best he could, and he would not let Hannibal drag her further in to their terrifying game. Charlotte's safety was of the upmost importance and Will decided when in doubt to use one of histories greatest sayings as guidance: 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer'.

To Will's relief and delight she had arrived like clock work on day 31 of his time at the BSHCI. At 8.05am he was marched to the interview room by an orderly. The orderly made a crude comment that Charlotte had 'slim ankles and a great ass' but Will had ignored him. Nothing would ruin his meeting with Charlotte and he wouldn't risk not seeing her for simply arguing against staff.

Will watched as four people greeted him. Jack Crawford, Doctor Lecter, Frederick, and finally Charlotte stood in a line as they awaited his arrival. Will felt sickeningly uncomfortable at how close Hannibal Lecter chose to stand by Charlotte. His hand hovered on her lower back. He gave Will a dark, goading look. Something in Hannibal's demeanour had snapped since Will was arrested. Will noticed that Hannibal spent most of his time subtly challenging him. It was as though he wished nothing more for Will to make real the monster he'd painted of him. Charlotte's attention held firmly on Will. The orderly walked Will to a cage but Chilton shook his head and gestured to the interview room.

Chilton had followed Will in to watch him be carefully cuffed to the table.

"This is for her," Chilton said in a low, cold tone. "She's my patient Mister Graham and I won't allow her to be further emotionally traumatised by having her speak to you through bars."

Will had thanked him regardless of his reasoning. Chilton waited by the door as Charlotte entered.

"Don't abuse your privilege Charlotte," he warned before he closed the door and left them alone.

She didn't sit down straight away. Will watched her hesitate by the door and glance about the clinical room.

"I'm glad to see you," Will finally said as he broke the silence.

He saw a flood of relief flush her face and she smiled with a heavy sigh.

"Yes?" she asked shyly.

"Yes," Will confirmed and smiled at her.

Charlotte thought he looked burdened. A tortured element had taken his features. It was heart breaking but at least he didn't look so unwell anymore. His eyes were clearer and his skin less wan.

"Your hair is so long," she murmured as she slowly walked over to gracefully sit in front of him.

"They won't cut it," Will commented and she chuckled.

"I like it," she said softly as she eyed him joyfully. "You look so well."

"I thought you wouldn't come," Will confided in a low tone. A stubbornness overcome Charlotte's gaze.

Frederick watched through the glass and frowned as her demeanour changed. There she was again. Being brave. Being strong.

"Of course I would," she said firmly. "Will of course I am here."

She reached forward and touched Will's hand but jumped back when the orderly banged on the glass.

"No touching," Will muttered and she nodded with an irritated blush.

"How are you feeling?" Charlotte asked quietly. She glanced her three companions waiting outside and Will followed her gaze.

"Better," he replied honestly. "Clearer. How have you been?"

"Smothered," she replied frankly. "Especially by Jack."

"Jack?" Will asked with bemusement. She chuckled lightly and nodded as she tucked some stray hair behind her ear.

"He feels so guilty," she muttered. "Which he should. He absolutely should. He sends Hannibal to check on me a lot. Frederick is a good doctor, but all the worry is so overwhelming."

Will nodded slowly to her account.

"I shouldn't complain though, I've faced worse," she said with a glum smile and Will returned the flickering mirthless gesture.

"I wouldn't be mad if this was too much for you," Will told her quietly. "If you felt like you needed to start fresh and-"

She raised a hand to silence him.

"I don't want to go anywhere," she said firmly. "I want you Will. You couldn't have killed those girls even if your fever had gotten to 205 degrees."

Will nodded slowly and she took a deep inhale. She fidgeted for a moment before pulling a small picture from her pocket and pressed it to her chest.

"I have something to show you," she murmured quietly. Will waited patiently, interest sparked in him.

"Don't be mad," she uttered anxiously. "And before I tell you I need you to know this isn't influencing me. I believe you're innocent Will because I've seen monsters of men and that's not you. I just know that in my heart you couldn't of... done it."

"I believe you," Will murmured quietly. "I do."

She nodded very solemnly and finally slid the picture across to Will. He lifted it and glanced across it as soft confusion clouded his features. It was a grainy, black and white photo of what appeared to be nothing more than a small blip. Suddenly however it struck him like a bolt of lightening.

"Your-"

"Yes," she said with a hesitant smile. She watched him view her ultrasound photo in pure shock.

"How long-"

"Ten weeks," she interrupted with excitement. She knotted her fingers together and rested her elbows on the table.

"Ten?" Will asked and she nodded animatedly.

"It has finger nails," she said. Will glanced up with confusion. "Our baby. It has finger nails."

Will blinked a few times more and further examined the photo. The news hit several strong emotions in him. This made Charlotte desperately vulnerable to Hannibal Lecter, but perhaps Lecter would feel he had some twisted duty to protect Will's child. Evidence was built strongly against Will but he had a good lawyer and he wasn't sure Hannibal would simply let him die for something he hadn't done. That felt banal and Hannibal Lecter was anything but banal.

"I wanted to say something earlier," Charlotte anxiously interrupted Will's concerned thoughts. "But you were so sick. I didn't want to burden you."

"It's not a burden," Will replied quickly. His response caused her to beam brightly and press her knuckles to her lips.

"Our baby," she whispered quietly. "It's head is so big."

"It's supposed to be," Will chuckled. She smiled with subtle delight at his happiness.

"I know it's just a grainy picture," she whispered with soft embarrassment. "But I have never loved anything as much as I love this baby. It's not even really a baby yet. It's more like an idea of a baby. I love it Will I'm so-"

She looked up to see him still staring at the picture with staggered shock.

"I'm rambling," she murmured anxiously. "I'm sorry."

He glanced up and shook his head with a vague smile.

"It's beautiful," he told her. He fell a little more in love with her as a soft flush took her face.

"I know," she murmured. "It's going to speak French."

Will chuckled and examined the photo for a moment longer.

"Do they all know?" he asked throwing a gaze to the three authority figures standing outside their glass room.

She nodded. "Everyone has been very helpful," she mused. "But I'm so relieved you're happy."

"I'm sorry I'm here," Will said but she shook her head.

"Imagine we are at home," Charlotte whispered. "That's what I'm doing."

Will and Charlotte had spoken for sometime longer about the particulars of pregnancy till the orderly told them their time was up. Charlotte had nodded politely, stood slowly, but dashed across the table and chastely kissed Will before the orderly caught her arm and dragged her back.

"I love you," she mouthed as a mischievous grin took her face. He'd smiled and watched her move away with the three men who all held his life in their hands.

Hannibal noticed how buoyant Charlotte was immediately after her meeting with Will. The dark shadows that hunted her were no match to the joy Will Graham brought. Hannibal watched as she spoke hurriedly with an irritated Frederick Chilton as they exited the hospital.

"You shouldn't have kissed him," Frederick scolded.

"I know," she said bashfully. "But he was happy Frederick. He's so happy."

Hannibal had noted she had an exceedingly close relationship with Doctor Chilton. He'd been her therapist for two and half years and Charlotte had recently confided in Hannibal that she felt that Frederick was more 'rock than psychiatrist'.

Frederick clearly liked Charlotte because she made him feel like a good doctor. It obviously helped that Charlotte herself was quite likeable but Hannibal had been slightly surprised by how two way the agreeableness was. They had an odd teasing short hand that interested Hannibal. Frederick didn't seem to be a man who could take a joke about himself but when Charlotte had teased him gently for shaving his beard away and 'shaking off that mountain man look' he'd simply given her a sarcastic gaze and a smug smile. Hannibal had originally believed Charlotte's liking of Frederick was due to the fact English was her second language and she missed the snideness to his words. On further inspection Hannibal reasoned that that may have been the exact reason she liked Frederick so much. He'd seen her, all of her, her scars and her dark shadows, and Frederick Chilton still liked her on a human level. He laughed at her jokes, smiled at her teasing, and worried about her health. It validated her more than anything else in the world.

Charlotte's overjoyed behaviour that Will had reacted so positively boded well for Hannibal. She'd even been nice to Jack as they'd bid their goodbyes while she'd slid in to Hannibal's car.

He'd taken to driving her nearly everywhere. He noticed that if it were just the two of them and the situation was commonplace she'd often let small pieces of information slip. She was usually so guarded and careful but once in a while, when a black mood dragged her down she'd tell him some horrific fact from her childhood, or some horrible nightmare she'd had the night previous. Hannibal always silently added them to his collection of facts about her.

Hannibal wasn't entirely sure if Charlotte believed Will was innocent. He couldn't decide if she was sincere in her convictions or if it was because she couldn't face anymore tragedy. Either one of those options didn't make her any less steadfast on her beliefs. She'd often lectured Hannibal that it simply had to be someone else, that Will had gotten 'too close'; and 'yes he'd gotten burnt', she'd admit that, but she knew he 'wasn't a killer'. Hannibal had nodded in agreement and soothed her when she'd spoke furiously about what she believed to be a 'disgusting misstep by Jack Crawford'.

He'd been insidious in his insertion in to her life. He noticed with vicious pleasure that she allowed him to take control of nearly every situation. The highlight had been when he'd taken her to her Obstetrician appointment and she'd actually waited for his opinions before answering questions about her own pregnancy. He had also been her protection for the last month from Jack's constant questionings. Jack Crawford had insinuated in the first week of Will's arrest that she couldn't have lived in the house and not known about the murders. Hannibal had defended her. Jack soon dropped the theory but the damage had been done for Charlotte. If she had not liked Jack previously she all together hated him now.

"He tears my life apart at the seams," she had hissed one night over a casual dinner at Hannibal's home. "And then asks me if I've ever killed anyone. How dare he."

So as Hannibal drove her home he felt the tug of new opportunities as he watched Charlotte simply sit with deep contentment as her hands pressed to her stomach.

Charlotte had not been particularly vulnerable previously. Vulnerable in the way that she cared for Will but her impenetrable ability to just keep her head above water despite any adversity had been equal parts frustrating and fascinating. Finally Hannibal had something tangible in his grasp. Nothing was more fragile in the whole world than an unborn life. Hannibal considered his option in the car as they cruised easily through the Baltimore streets. What a palpable way to mould or punish Will. What a fantastic way to bring Charlotte to her knees. The little unborn Graham was Hannibal's most prized possession, filled with countless opportunities to keep him in complete control of everyone around him.

"You're happy too," Charlotte interrupted his thoughts. Hannibal glanced down at his pretty young counterpart and smiled.

"Yes Charlotte," Hannibal replied with a subtle smirk. "I'm happy too."