Krissy recognised the look on Margot's face. It was an emotion beyond exhaustion, beyond despair. Broken. Her brother had tried to destroy her life, and Margot didn't seem to have anything left in her to fight back. Krissy hadn't seen any more hallucinations since her encounter with Mason, but it had still set her on edge. It was getting harder and harder to overlook her own dark thoughts, and how dangerous she was becoming. But for now, she had to push those fears down. There was too much at stake to lose her head. She sat perched on the armrest of the chair Margot was hunched forward on, trying to keep the pity out of her gaze.
"They could have done what was done laparoscopically, but my brother told them to leave a scar" Margot announced, in an emotionless voice.
"He branded you. Mason wants you to know this can never be undone" Hannibal suggested, understanding Mason's thought process a little too well.
"Mason can be undone" Will pointed out.
"Not without taking everything I have with him. He's all I've got now; that's exactly what he wanted. He won. He always wins" Margot sighed, as Krissy shook her head.
"You're still alive, Margot. And you're not alone" Krissy insisted, as Margot gave her a small smile.
"This won't make you human, Margot, so much as give you the ability to make yourself human and move on" Hannibal explained.
"There's no resolve to this. There's no resolution" Margot muttered.
"Moving on isn't just a distraction... it's a rebuke. Show your brother how strong you are. Survive him" Will went on, as Krissy stood up from the chair.
"She shouldn't have to just survive! She should be able to cut Mason's neck open and watch as he bleeds out on the goddamn floor!" Krissy exclaimed, surprising the two men with her outburst.
"Even in death he'll take everything from me" Margot stated.
"Fine. We'll paralyze him, give him brain damage, throw him off a cliff for all I care, but we have to do something!" Krissy pushed, as Hannibal pursed his lips.
"Krissy may be right. Mason has a taste for blood now. He could come after you. Perhaps all of us" Hannibal exclaimed, clasping his hands together on his lap.
"So...we deal with him first" Krissy announced, as her companions couldn't help but agree.
"He's given me nothing, Jack. Nothing actionable. He has confessed to nothing. He's acknowledged only vagaries" Will admitted, as he and Krissy found themselves in her father's office later that day.
"I need more than vagaries. You have killed someone, Will" Jack pointed out.
"Who was trying to kill me" Will scoffed.
"I don't know if I can prove that. You mutilated the body! We made a public spectacle of Freddie Lounds's death. I'm out on a limb here, and the limb is going to break!" Jack shouted, growing angry.
"He knows" Krissy murmured, as both men turned to her in confusion.
"Hannibal knows you didn't kill Freddie Lounds" Krissy clarified, as Jack raised an eyebrow.
"What makes you say that?" Jack frowned.
"Because I know him. You haven't gained his trust, Will. You've done the opposite. He's still playing you. Both of us" Krissy sighed, leaning back in her chair.
Why Hannibal was continuing to play this game, she didn't know. Maybe he simply found it amusing watching everyone scurrying around him, desperately trying and failing to catch him out.
"You're one to talk. I heard you this morning, trying to push Hannibal into killing Mason Verger. Coming off a little strong, don't you think?" Will suggested, as Jack gave them a look of disbelief.
"You're trying to do what now?" Jack gaped.
"If anyone deserves to die, it's this man" Will exclaimed, anger laced into his tone.
"We're talking about putting a man's life in danger" Jack insisted.
"You know, sometimes, Jack, a good plan is less about finding the best alternative, than it is about finding one that works" Will went on.
"Don't let empathy confuse what you want with what Lecter wants. Either of you " Jack warned, knowing how intertwined they had become.
"I know what I want" Will mumbled, in a quiet tone, his eyes catching Krissy's for just a moment before he forced his gaze away.
"We have to use the right bait. When Hannibal tries to kill Mason Verger, I'll arrest him, and you'll have three witnesses" Will stated, as Jack pursed his lips.
"We might have four. I'm a good fisherman too, Will" Jack smirked.
True to his word, Jack had found a surprising witness in the form of Doctor Du Maurier. The woman may have been smart, but clearly, she had underestimated Jack and his need to find her. He brought them both to where Bedelia was being kept in an interrogation room at the BAU. She was wearing an expensive red blouse, clutching at the black bag on her lap, eyes darting around nervously. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. But Krissy knew better. It was just an act, Bedelia's own person suit. After a lot of convincing, Jack finally agreed for Krissy to speak with the older woman, whom she hadn't seen since she was kidnapped.
"It's been a long time, Doctor Du Maurier" Krissy announced, walking into the room, as Bedelia gave her a timid expression.
"Perhaps not long enough" The blonde retorted, making Krissy scoff.
"There's that wit I remember so well. Shame you weren't smart enough to leave the country. You could have avoided being dragged into this mess" Krissy explained, as she pulled out the seat opposite Bedelia, glancing at the camera in the interrogation room for just a moment.
"I could say the same to you" Bedelia countered.
"Let's talk about Hannibal Lecter" Krissy exclaimed, not wanting to spend any more time than necessary with Bedelia.
"Some psychiatrists are so hungry for insight that they may try to manufacture it. How deadly that can be for the patient who believes them" Bedelia stated.
"Did you know he was drugging me? When I came to visit you, had he told you already?" Krissy pushed, as Bedelia nodded slowly.
"He thought it would make you more...open to him" Bedelia confessed, as Krissy pursed her lips.
"And you didn't think to stop him? To tell anyone?" Krissy muttered.
"I acted in my own best interest. As I have always done" Bedelia replied.
"Was it in your own best interest to murder your patient then?" Krissy went on, quirking an eyebrow.
"I believed it was self-defence. And to a point, it was. But beyond that point, it was murder. Hannibal influenced me to murder my patient, our patient" Bedelia confessed, surprising Krissy with her bluntness.
"You weren't coerced?" Krissy frowned.
"What Hannibal does is not coercion it is persuasion. He uses his words to get inside your head, to twist your thoughts and emotions. But you already know this well, don't you, Krissy?" Bedelia exclaimed.
"How would you catch him?" Krissy asked, wanting to veer the subject away from herself.
"Hannibal can get lost in self-congratulation at his own exquisite taste and cunning. Whimsy. That will be how he will get caught" Bedelia explained, as Krissy's brow furrowed.
"Hannibal isn't known for being impulsive" Krissy pointed out.
"He has been where you or Mr Graham is concerned. You bring out a strong emotion in him, one he doesn't quite understand himself. As close to love as he can muster" Bedelia informed her, watching as Krissy tensed.
"And yourself? What does Hannibal feel for you?" Krissy inquired, as a smirk grew on the blonde's lips.
"You have no need to feel the sting of jealousy where I am concerned. I have no plans to return to Hannibal Lecter's inner circle" Bedelia stated, making Krissy scoff.
"Well, Hannibal might have different ideas. He can feel the snare tightening around his neck. He could use a friend and he might not give you a choice" Krissy explained, as something akin to fear flashed across Bedelia's face.
"Was that a threat?" Bedelia questioned.
"Just an observation" Krissy shrugged, pushing herself to her feet with a smug expression.
"...Do you still see him?" Bedelia inquired, stopping Krissy in her tracks.
"Excuse me?" She frowned.
"Your brother. Does he still speak to you?" Bedelia asked, as Krissy grit her teeth together.
"Or do you suffer from other hallucinations too?" Bedelia pushed.
"If you're asking whether I hear voices in my head, Bedelia, there's only one in here right now. And your damn lucky that I don't do what it's telling me" Krissy snapped, lips drawn back in a snarl, before storming out of the room.
Later that evening, Krissy and Will joined Hannibal in his office, sharing a bottle of red wine between them. Krissy sat at Hannibal's desk, leaning back against the leather chair, eyes darting between the two men who sat opposite each other. There was tension in the air. All three expected the others to strike, but in what way, none of them knew.
"There are extraordinary circumstances here. And unusual opportunities. For all of us" Hannibal announced.
"Mason Verger is an opportunity?" Will inquired.
"Mason Verger is a problem. Problem-solving is hunting. It's a savage pleasure, and we are born into it. A pleasure we can share" Hannibal explained, as Krissy wondered what pleasure he was talking about exactly.
"You're fostering co-dependency" Will muttered, taking a sip of his wine.
"Is that what I'm doing?" Hannibal replied, far too innocently.
"Isn't that what you did to Abigail? Got her to take a life so she would owe you hers? I bond with Abigail; you take her away. I bond with barely more than the idea of a child; you take it away. Krissy and I begin having intimate relations, and you take her away from me" Will explained, his eyes flickering over to the brunette for a moment.
"Krissy was not yours to keep" Hannibal stated, making Krissy scoff.
"I wasn't yours either" She pointed out.
"You don't want us to have anything in our lives that's not you" Will went on.
"I only want what's best for you both" Hannibal suggested, as Krissy pushed herself up from the chair.
"The problem is, Hannibal, that what you think what's best for us, is being consumed by you" Krissy exclaimed.
"You have both spent many years hiding behind the lines of polite society. Playing the part those around you want you to play. I want you to have your freedom" Hannibal told her, as Krissy took a sip of the wine in her hand, missing how Will gulped at the gesture, able to taste the bite of alcohol on his tongue.
"Free-range lambs. Makes us taste better" Krissy mumbled, as Hannibal stood up, walking over to her, a predatory look in his eyes.
He hooked a finger under her chin, before leaning in to press a kiss to her lips, feeling Will's intense gaze on them. Despite her words, Krissy responded eagerly to the kiss, reaching out to clutch at Hannibal's suit. Hannibal brought his thumb up to brush against her bottom lip, before leaning in to capture her parted lips, his tongue darting out to meet hers as he deepened the kiss. Krissy was breathing heavily as he eventually pulled back to allow her to catch her breath, his fingers trailing over her jaw.
"It does" He answered her earlier words, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Killing Mason will lead the police right back to you. It's a little impulsive, don't you think?" Krissy exclaimed.
"You want Mason Verger dead, and I am more than happy to oblige" Hannibal responded, as Krissy quirked an eyebrow.
"Why?" She pushed.
"He is discourteous. Discourtesy is unspeakably ugly to me" Hannibal confessed.
"Then you should be the one to do it. Show me how's it done" Krissy suggested, leaning forward to capture his lips, as she saw Will approaching them from the corner of her eye.
"You did say it was a pleasure we could share, Hannibal. Krissy and I want him dead, but you need a kill. Your desires run deeper than ours" Will went on.
"I desire much, Will" Hannibal countered, turning to the younger man.
" I know. We are just alike. You're as alone as I am. And we're all alone without each other" Will answered, as Hannibal pursed his lips.
"What do you suggest?" Hannibal asked, eyes flickering to Will's lips.
"That you both stop hiding behind clever words and take what you want" Krissy insisted, as both men turned to her.
"Will you join us at the table, Will?" Hannibal questioned, reaching out to wrap his hand around the nape of Will's neck.
" Yes " Will answered, in a shaky tone.
Hannibal then surged forward, as their lips crashed together, passion and fury overwhelming them both. He kept his hand firmly on the back of Will's neck, in a vice like grip, exploring every contour of his mouth. Will nipped at Hannibal's bottom lip in response, as Hannibal's fingernails cut into his skin, just enough to draw blood. Krissy watched the violent fight for dominance, neither man wanting to admit defeat. No matter how much Will insisted on his deep hatred for Hannibal, there was clearly a great deal of lust and attraction mixed in. He wanted to be consumed as much as Hannibal wanted to consume him.
" Do you really think there will be a happy ending here? " A familiar voice exclaimed, as Krissy's jaw clenched.
She shut her eyes, desperately trying to ignore the voice she knew was just in her head. Why was she hearing her brother again after all this time? She could hear how Hannibal's desk creaked, feeling someone jump up onto the desk beside her.
" Either they tear each other apart and leave you for dead or they run off to Europe together and forget all about you. Either way, you'll lose, Krissy " Her brother insisted, as Krissy reluctantly opened her eyes, but still refused to face her hallucination.
" Or maybe you're really deluded enough to think you can manipulate Hannibal. Get him to hand himself over to daddy dearest? Right, and pigs can fly " Ken mocked, as Krissy grabbed her glass of wine, downing the remnants.
" Truth is, you've never been able to save anyone. Not even yourself— " Ken began, but his voice was cut off Krissy slammed her glass down on the desk, smashing it into pieces on impact.
The men broke their kiss, turning to Krissy, hands still clutching each other. She grimaced, seeing she had cut her hand on the broken glass, as her blood mixed with the wine that had been left in the bottle, which now dripped over Hannibal's desk.
" Maybe you should do everyone a favour...and just kill yourself " Ken murmured, grabbing a piece of the shattered glass, as Krissy clenched her teeth together.
" Shut up " She hissed, clutching at her pounding head, dropping her head into her hands.
"Krissy?" Will called out to her, placing his hand on her shoulder, his face contorted in concern.
"What do you see?" Hannibal asked, coming to stand in front of her.
"I...I'm fine. I'm fine" Krissy repeated, taking a deep breath, and straightening her back.
"Is it your brother?" Hannibal pushed, as she looked up at him.
Just as she opened her mouth to admit the truth, she spotted something behind his shoulder, which had her clamping her mouth shut. Ken stood a few metres away, dragging the glass over his neck, as blood poured out, dripping onto the floor. Krissy grimaced as he gave her a sickening smile, his neck continuing to bleed.
"...I want to kill Mason. Tomorrow night" Krissy insisted, tearing her eyes away from the sight.
She started seeing her brother again after she met Mason. Maybe if he was dead, her brother would leave her too. She wanted him gone. She needed him gone.
Krissy attempted to keep her face impassive as she placed the cold glass of water to Bella's lips, the older woman's hands shaking too much to even try to drink for herself. Bella swallowed the cool liquid down with raspy breaths, grimacing at the pain that shot down her chest. It was difficult for Krissy to see the woman who was usually so strong all but falling apart in front of her. Bella had been suffering just as she had for the last year. While Krissy had spent nights wondering if her father was even looking for her, she hadn't even spared a thought to what he might be going through. His wife was dying and his daughter was likely dead. How could anyone cope with that?
"You've always been good at this" Bella murmured, giving her a sleepy smile.
"At what?" Krissy inquired, taking the glass away and placing it on the bedside drawer.
"Being a nurse. I never...I never understood why you of all people would take that job. But...I see it now" Bella rasped.
"I don't do it because I'm good at it. Or because it's a good job, half the time it's... it's shit. But someone has to care for people, don't they?" Krissy stated, as Bella's forehead wrinkled.
"So, this is your penance?" Bella frowned.
"Helping people...helps me get through the day" Krissy shrugged, as Bella reached out to touch her arm, forcing Krissy to look at her.
"You should go back to it. After all this" Bella suggested, making Krissy scoff.
"I'm not sure there is an after anymore" Krissy admitted, as Bella tightened her grip on Krissy's arm.
"Don't you dare. You listen to me. Don't you dare. Jack needs you now more than ever. And I won't have you abandon him" Bella insisted, sounding more like the woman Krissy had known for years.
"I won't" Krissy nodded, as Bella's grip went limp, her face contorting.
"Are you in pain?" Krissy asked.
"Just every time I breathe. I suppose this is my penance...I always wanted a daughter. But Jack and I...it just never seemed like the right time. And then you came along..." Bella trailed off, into a coughing fit.
"And ruined everything?" Krissy smirked, making Bella roll her eyes.
"I never hated you, Krissy. But I could never trust you either" Bella confessed, as Krissy nodded again.
"...Was...was there anything I could have done? To make you love me?" Krissy couldn't help but question, as Bella mulled over her words for a moment.
" No. No, I'm sorry. I never felt...it. A connection to you. You were always just a s-stranger..." Bella muttered, letting out another hacking cough.
"I could have loved you" Krissy suggested, in a quiet voice.
"I don't think I wanted the kind of love you give" Bella stated, watching hurt flash across Krissy's face.
"But I am sorry. I wish...things had been different" Bella exclaimed, as Bella reached out to place her hand over Krissy's.
"And I know I don't have the right to ask. But I need you to do something for me. Think of it as a last request" Bella told her, as Krissy nodded slowly.
"I need you to choose your father" Bella stated, as Krissy's brow furrowed.
"I don't know—" Krissy started, but Bella cut her off quickly.
"I need you to choose him over Hannibal. I... I know, Krissy. I always had my suspicions about Hannibal, but when you came back...you sound like him. He's the one who took you" Bella explained.
Krissy opened her mouth to reply, but clamped her lips together a moment later, not sure what she could say. Bella knew her too well to believe a lie. Hell, it seemed like she understood a lot more than Krissy realised. Just how many people knew Hannibal was the Chesapeake Ripper now?
"...He's my dad. I'd choose him over anyone" Krissy replied, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.
Could she really send Hannibal to his death just to save her father?
Jack circled Bedelia a few times, bitterness etched over his features, dropping her deal of immunity on the table. Somehow the blonde had managed to escape Hannibal without even a scrape. She would be able to move on with her life with ease, unlike Jack and his daughter. If Hannibal was taken down, he knew the killer would try to take them down with him.
"So, you managed to avoid prosecution. I gave you every opportunity, to tell the truth, but you ran" Jack announced, as he went to sit opposite Bedelia, clasping his hands together on the table.
"How do you think the FBI could have protected me? You couldn't protect your own daughter...you still can't" Bedelia pointed out, watching as Jack's jaw clenched.
"Don't pretend to care for my daughter's wellbeing, Doctor" Jack muttered, leaning back in his chair.
"I don't. I think she's dangerous. Nothing makes us more vulnerable than loneliness, Agent Crawford" Bedelia went on.
"Krissy's not alone" Jack retorted.
"No, she's not. She has Hannibal by her side now. Understanding her better than you ever could" Bedelia explained, as anger grew behind his eyes.
"Hannibal thinks Krissy is a killer. Do you still believe she is your killer?" Bedelia inquired.
"Krissy has only ever killed in self-defence. She isn't like Hannibal...or you" Jack told her, making Bedelia's lip curl.
"Hannibal's only crime I witnessed was influence. Influence works best when we're unaware. But I believe Krissy is very aware. She's too smart not to be" Bedelia suggested.
"Meaning?" Jack huffed.
"Meaning she doesn't know herself as well as Hannibal does" Bedelia murmured, as Jack shook his head.
"Krissy has more reasons to see Hannibal caught than any of us. He abducted her, abused her...God knows everything he's done to her..." Jack trailed off, not wanting to think of it any further.
"Yet, she has kept his secrets all this time. She lives under his roof, does she not?" Bedelia pointed out.
"If you think you're about to catch Hannibal, that's because he wants you to think that. Don't fool yourself into thinking he's not in control of what's happening" Bedelia warned, watching Jack's eyes widen a fraction.
Krissy had already told him she thought Hannibal was aware of their plans, but he hadn't listened. What if it was Hannibal that was laying a trap for them?
Krissy and Will sat in the latter's car, on the edge of the Verger farm, a tense silence growing between them. Mason's henchmen had told them they would soon be returning with Hannibal, ready for whatever sadistic scheme Mason had in mind. Krissy knew Hannibal would not go easy and could feel anxiety bubbling in her chest at the thought of him getting hurt as a result. It was ridiculous. She was planning to help her father and Will send the man to prison, yet there she was, practically vibrating with concern. Her eyes snapped down when she felt a hand on her thigh, realising her leg had been shaking for the last few minutes.
"Sorry" She mumbled, turning to Will.
"You don't need to do this, Krissy" Will told her, as she quirked an eyebrow.
"And leave you to bacon boy's evil clutches?" Krissy joked about the eldest Verger, making Will snort.
"Bacon boy?" He laughed.
"I've had about seven concussions this year, you know. You're lucky I can even talk in full sentences" Krissy stated.
"The scales have fallen from both of our eyes" Will pointed out, as Krissy's eyes flickered down to where Will's hand was still against her thigh.
"Yet, we're still here" Krissy replied, pursing her lips as Will pulled his hand back, seeming to have only just realised it was there.
"Yes, we are" Will mumbled, as Krissy turned fully in her seat to face him.
"If we go through with this, and Hannibal gets arrested...you know what could happen to him" Krissy stated, as Will nodded.
"And we might finally be free from him" Will suggested.
"Free to do what? Do you really think either of us can have a normal life again after all this?" Krissy muttered.
"So, we do what instead? All leave together?" Will asked, as Krissy gave a small shrug.
"I don't want him dead, Will. But if we back him into a corner, he's going to respond. And I know first-hand what his wrath can be like" Krissy scoffed, rubbing at the burn still scarring her arm.
"I won't let him hurt you. Not again" Will insisted, as their eyes connected.
"It's not me I'm worried about" Krissy admitted, as Will continued to hold her gaze.
"Maybe it should be. Why...why didn't you tell me you were hallucinating that first time? Before he took you? I could have got you help" Will explained.
"And sound even crazier? No. I...I wanted you to like me" Krissy confessed.
"I already did, Krissy" Will told her, as Krissy's eyes flickered to his lips.
Before she knew what she was doing, Krissy was leaning forward, as their lips crashed together, catching Will by surprise. Any physical affection they had shown each other since Krissy had come back had been in front of Hannibal, part of their ruse...but this was different. There wasn't anyone watching them now. Will readily returned her kisses, his hand coming up to cup her cheek, his touch gentle. His other hand came to rest on her hip, no strength or pull behind the action. It was all too...soft. Too forgiving.
"Why are you holding back?" Krissy murmured, against his lips, pulling back just an inch.
"You don't even know what you really want anymore. Neither of us do" Will sighed, looking away from her.
"You used to want me" Krissy insisted, grabbing the hand on her hip, wrapping her fingers around his and pressing his palm harder into her skin.
"What are you doing?" Will exclaimed, knowing the grip on her hip had to be bruising her by now.
"Just...just make me feel something more " Krissy all but pleaded, as Will ripped his hand away.
"What, you...you want me to hurt you?" Will gaped at her, being able to read her far too well.
He should have. She abandoned him when he needed her. Betrayed him. And now she was doing the same thing to Hannibal. What if he was already dead? Mason was certainly impulsive enough.
"Verger's here" Krissy mumbled, nodding over to where Mason was exiting the barn, a skip in his step.
He soon brought them inside, a manic grin on his face as they ascended the staircase, to the landing above the maze of pigs below. Krissy could hear the snorts and rustling from inside the maze, expecting that Mason's prize pigs weren't the run-of-the-mill animals. Bred to have a taste for blood. Just like she was.
"You're a professional revenger as well, I suspect" Hannibal's voice echoed, as they reached the landing.
Hannibal was hanging in the air by a winch, a straitjacket restraining him, a line of blood running down from his eyebrow. He hid it well, but Krissy could tell from the shallow breaths that left his lips that he was in pain. She wondered how Mason had been able to catch him in the first place.
"With you...it is personal now" Carlo, one of Mason's henchmen, muttered, taking out a pocketknife.
"I take it Matteo didn't make it...did he foul himself? I imagine he smells worse than you by now" Hannibal mocked, as Carlo stormed forward, placing his blade to Hannibal's neck, who didn't even blink.
"Kill him and you will get no money! Carlo! Carlo!" Mason warned, grabbing the older man's arm and pulling him back.
It was then that Hannibal seemed to spot Will and Krissy, his face remaining as impassive as ever. Everything was going according to plan, so far at least. Of course, it all depended on who Krissy and Will would truly side with. Hannibal had left himself vulnerable, after all.
"Ho, ho. Those little piggies are going to go eeeee all the way home" Mason giggled, looking down at Hannibal's bare feet.
"Yes! The swine may be shy with starting with the toes so we need to encourage them with a-little-sauce, huh? So we're gonna cut your throat" Mason shrugged, grabbing Hannibal's swaying form to force him to look at him.
"Padrone, he killed Matteo" Carlo insisted.
"We can give Matteo's family Dottoroni's cojones, for comfort. Capisce?" Mason replied, as Carlo reluctantly gave the crazed man his knife.
"You are an odd psychiatrist. We could've had some good, funny times together. It's a damn shame!" Mason stated, as Hannibal's eyes remained on the pair in front of him.
Mason then twisted around to grin at Krissy and Will, holding out the knife to them, his lips pursed, clearly trying to decide which killer to give the blade to.
"Eenie...meenie...minie...mo..." Mason mumbled, swaying his hand back and forth between them, until the knife was pointed toward Krissy.
"I've muzzled the dog; now, it's time for you to put him down. Make your brother proud" Mason exclaimed, grabbing Krissy's hand and placing the knife in her palm.
She stiffened a little at Mason's words, glaring at him, as she gripped the blade in her hand. She debated about whether to stab Mason in the eye at that very second but decided against it. She needed Hannibal to kill him.
" That doesn't mean you can't maim him a little " Her brother's voice echoed from behind her.
With a quick shake of her head, Krissy marched forward, finding Hannibal had a surprisingly soft gaze as he looked back at her. There was no fear there. Reaching up, she pressed the sharp blade to his neck, pushing down the urge to swipe the knife across his skin.
" Kill him. Save yourself " Ken told her, as she suddenly felt his hand on her arm, pushing her on.
"Don't bleed him out! Just...just a little nick. Just enough to give the pigs a taste" Mason scolded, as a line of blood began to run down Hannibal's neck, who tilted his head, seeing the dark look in Krissy's eyes.
" You won't get another chance, Kris " Ken insisted, causing her to grit her teeth.
She then grabbed onto Hannibal's arm and twisted him around, cutting the straitjacket with the knife, as Hannibal fell forward, landing on his feet with ease. She could hear how Mason shouted for Carlo to attack, but the warning came too late. Krissy whipped around and sent the knife flying, hitting Carlo in the neck, and causing his feet to falter. He let out a choked sound, before falling to his knees, ripping the knife out of his neck as blood sprayed across the landing. Mason stormed forward, an angry expression on his face but Will was suddenly pouncing at him, his muscular arm wrapping around Mason in a headlock. Mason's other henchmen went to make a run for the stairs, but Hannibal was quick to catch up with him, grabbing him by his hair. A moment later, he was throwing the man into the pig's maze, as the squeals from the animals grew louder. The man's blood-curdling screaming soon drowned them out. Krissy turned back to Mason, who was almost unconscious, as Will continued to cut off his air supply.
"Should we do it here?" Krissy asked Hannibal, who shook his head in response.
"Mason deserves a more intimate setting for his demise" Hannibal suggested, as the man finally went still in Will's arms.
While Hannibal left with an unconscious Mason in the back of Will's car, Krissy and Will remained to clean up the crime scene. That meant throwing Carlo's body into the pig maze to be disposed of. They needed all the crimes to be blamed on Hannibal if they had any hope of him getting convicted. A chill ran down Krissy's spine at the thought of betraying Hannibal, for him only to get let off due to lack of evidence. He might have been fond of her and Will, but the betrayal they were planning would run deep. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she and Will headed back to his house, finding it dark as they entered, the dogs strangely quiet.
"I just love your dogs" Mason's garbled voice called out from the shadows.
Krissy frowned as she spotted the blond sitting in a nearby armchair, his arms and hands covered in blood. She grew more concerned when she saw he was feeding some sort of meat to Will's dogs. Her eyes trailed over how blood appeared to drip from his face, but it was still too dark to see where the blood was coming from. Had Hannibal cut him?
"How is that? Is that good? Do you want another piece?" Mason exclaimed, feeding more ribbons of meat to dogs.
"Mason?" Will mumbled, pulling his attention away from the dogs.
"I should have put you both in a cage with Dr Lecter. I'm curious about what would've happened. Who would come out on top?" Mason suggested.
"What are you feeding my dogs?" Will frowned.
"Ha! Just me!" Mason giggled, leaning forward so his face finally came into view.
Krissy's mouth went slack as she saw all the flesh had been torn off from Mason's lower jaw, ribbons of skin hanging down from his chin. He grinned at them, his teeth shining in the moonlight, as blood dribbled down from what was left of his mouth. Krissy had seen a lot of disturbing things, but as she realised it was Mason himself who had mutilated his face, even she could barely stomach what was in front of her. She stumbled back a step, feeling a warm body suddenly standing behind her, looking up to see Hannibal looming over her.
"What Mason is experiencing isn't restricted to reality, so...reality has to be forced to adapt" Hannibal informed them, coming to stand in between the pair.
"He fed his face to my dogs" Will stated, sounding unimpressed.
"He broadened their palates as I broadened yours" Hannibal responded.
"Murder or mercy?" Hannibal asked, turning to his companions.
" He's certainly creative, I'll give him that. I wonder what he'll do to you if you betray him " Ken's voice muttered, just behind her shoulder.
"I'm hungry!" Mason complained, as Hannibal looked at him with irritation.
"Eat your nose then" Hannibal suggested.
"Eat my...eat my nose?" Mason mulled over it for a few seconds, before he sliced off that part of his face, causing Krissy to grimace.
"Hannibal, stop playing with your food" Krissy exclaimed, as the man in question raised an eyebrow.
"Taste is housed in parts of the mind that precedes pity. Pity has no place at the table" Hannibal pointed out.
"We're not gonna kill him" Will informed Hannibal, who pursed his lips.
"He was going to feed you to his pigs...after he fed them me. Weren't you, Mason?" Hannibal told them, as Mason nodded quickly.
"He's your patient, Doctor. You do what you think is best for him" Will exclaimed, as a small smirk grew on Hannibal's lips, knowing of endless possibilities.
"Perhaps there is a way that Margot can gain her father's estate without killing his heir" Hannibal explained, as Krissy tilted her head.
"I wasn't aware you cared about what happened to Margot" Krissy frowned.
"What pleases you, pleases me also" Hannibal replied, before he reached out to take her hand in his own.
He pulled her toward where Mason was absentmindedly cutting into his palm, seeming to not have a care in the world. He moved them so they were both standing behind the armchair, her back to Hannibal's chest. He brushed her hair over her shoulder, leaning forward to rest his chin on her shoulder, his breath tickling her cheek.
"Take his chin in your hand" Hannibal advised, as he placed his own palm over her hand and then moved it into position.
Placing their other hands on the side of Mason's neck, Krissy realised a moment too late what Hannibal was planning. He was suddenly wrenching Mason's neck to the side, as a loud snapping sound echoed throughout the room. Mason's neck flopped to the side, as Hannibal's fingers pushed past her own, feeling for Mason's pulse, feeling the steady flutter of his heartbeat still. He then moved Mason's head back to keep his airway open but remained flush against Krissy's back.
"Tu pasirodei gerai" Hannibal mumbled, pressing a kiss to her shoulder, as Krissy's eyes snapped up to Will's.
What the hell had they got themselves into?
Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It's going to be time to delve into Mizumono next update, which will probably come out around Christmas time, so you have that to look forward to, haha. Also, big news, I'm meeting Mads next week at Comic Con! My 2015 self is screaming right now, haha. Please leave a review:)
sleepinglionzz32: Really glad you're still enjoying this story so much! It was funny seeing how your emotions changed throughout reading the chapter, haha. If nothing else, I need to make sure Winston makes it to the end of this fic! Thanks for the review:)
FeliciaMartinez: They certainly are! Things are going to get crazy next chapter, we'll have to wait and see who survives, and in what condition. Thanks for reviewing:)
BrittStar1199: She will choose her side in the next chapter...and everything will immediately fall apart after that! Thanks for the review:)
Eep: Aw, thank you!