"When were you going to tell me, Krissy?" A deep voice questioned, as Krissy strolled into her bedroom later that day.
"Hello to you too, Dad. Why are you skulking around in my room?" Krissy frowned, dismissing his questions.
"I know about Bella's cancer" Jack announced, watching his daughter's movements closely, noticing how she faltered for a moment.
"…Who told you?" Krissy asked as Jack hung his head with a sigh.
"Similarities to a case I'm working on…so, you did know? How?" Jack inquired, feeling the bed dip as Krissy came to sit beside him.
"I'm a nurse…unfortunately spotting when someone I know is sick, is one of the perks. I really did want to tell you, but it wasn't my place. I never wanted to hurt you-" Krissy began, as Jack stopped her by raising his hand.
"I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself. Neither my wife nor my daughter felt they could confide in me. What does that say about the kind of man I am?" Jack scoffed, pushing himself up from the bed.
"Dad, this has nothing to do with that! When the worst thing imaginable happens, people push away the ones they care about the most. It's a normal reaction, it's not because she doesn't love you" Krissy explained, as Jack shook his head.
"Then why did she want you here, hm? Why did she ask you to come home?" Jack pushed, as Krissy gave him a sad look.
"Because we're not close. She didn't have to worry about hurting my feelings, about the possibility of me leaving her-" Krissy started, but Jack was quick to stop her.
"I would never leave my wife!" He insisted, outraged at the idea.
"Have you actually told her that recently? Have you actually talked to her…at all?" Krissy pointed out, watching Jack's forehead wrinkle.
"…I'm not sure when you became so wise. I certainly don't think you got that from me" Jack muttered.
"You can say that again" Krissy teased, a small smile on her lips.
"What am I going to do without her, Krissy?" Jack asked, a moment later, rare tears beginning to well in his eyes.
"We'll get through this, Dad. Together. Just like with everything else. You are well and truly stuck with me" Krissy promised, standing up slowly.
Jack quickly enveloped her in a tight hug, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, choking back the tears that threatened to fall down his cheeks. Krissy smiled as she returned the hug, feeling like a weight was finally off her shoulders.
"I love you, honey" Jack mumbled, sniffling lightly.
"Love you too" Krissy replied, hugging him tighter.
To say Krissy was pissed was an understatement. Just when she thought she and her father were growing closer than ever, he completely shuts her out of the case that has plagued him for years. The Chesapeake Ripper. She had to find out from Beverley that there was talk that they had finally found the murderer, in a psychiatric hospital, nonetheless. Krissy found it difficult to believe that such a smart predator could go years undetected in such a place, but people were unpredictable. It was possible. She needed to find out the truth. For her father more than anyone else. The last thing Jack needed at that moment was his old adversary poking holes in his already disintegrating life. She was so busy searching the large halls of the hospital for her father, that she almost missed Will sitting quietly outside a block of offices.
"Krissy? What are you doing here?" Will frowned, as Krissy raised an eyebrow.
"I imagine the same reason you are. To figure out if this Abel Gideon is really the Chesapeake Ripper" Krissy replied, frowning at the way Will was ushering her away from the crime scene.
"You shouldn't be here. If Jack finds out…" Will trailed off, knowing that he would bear the brunt of Jack's anger.
"I can handle the scene, Will. No matter how gruesome it is" Krissy insisted, figuring that was why he didn't want her there.
"It's not about the crime scene. This isn't a good place for you to be. Either of us" Will told her, as they heard a door creaking open, followed by quick footsteps.
"Krissy Dixon. I can't tell you what a pleasure it is to finally meet you" A bearded man announced excitement in his steps, his eyes looking her up and down.
"Krissy Crawford. And you are?" She retorted, her jaw tense.
"Fredrick Chilton. The administrator of this hospital" The man informed her, holding his hand out, his intentions clear.
"Oh, so you're the one who thought it was a good idea to leave a violent psychopath in a room alone with a defenceless nurse?" Krissy exclaimed, as Fredrick took her hand in his own, pressing a soft kiss to her skin.
"You have your brother's wit I see. One half of the infamous 'Murder Siblings' in my hospital…I suppose there really is a silver lining to everything" Fredrick stated, as Krissy quickly pulled her hand away from his own as if it burnt.
"I think it would be advisable to stick to the current case, Doctor Chilton" Will warned, standing a little closer to Krissy's side, which she certainly wasn't going to complain about.
"Have you read the file on the scene yet? It's interesting, there are some similarities to one of your brother's murders in England. One which I believe you were present for. Your brother used poker sticks to hang a young lady from a ceiling…at a party, nonetheless. Your brother certainly was a showman, wasn't he?" Doctor Chilton exclaimed, as Will saw that Krissy had turned a worryingly pale colour, about to step in, but Krissy beat him to it.
"Is, Doctor Chilton. And if I remember correctly my brother doesn't appreciate gossip, so I'd be careful what you say" Krissy told him, watching the Doctor shrink a little, but he soon recovered.
"…Mr Graham, if you would be so kind to wait in the foyer with the others. I can show Ms Crawford to the crime scene" Fredrick announced, his eyes snapping to the other man's, the first time they had left Krissy since he had seen her.
"I'm perfectly capable of finding my own way. Thank you" Krissy muttered, the testosterone in the hallway getting on her nerves.
"Ah, but I have a pass and you do not" Chilton pointed out, holding up his badge for her to see.
"Krissy should wait in the foyer with me until her father arrives-" Will began, making Krissy roll her eyes.
"I'm really not interested in being in the middle of a pissing contest between you two right now" Krissy exclaimed, in a snappy tone.
With a sharp nod, Will instantly turned on his heel and began to walk down the corridor, as guilt ate away at Krissy. It had been a stressful couple of days since her father had found out the truth about Bella, and her patience was wearing thin. However, the last person she wanted to take it out on was Will. Just as she was thinking about running after him, a hand was thrust in front of her, ushering her in the opposite direction.
"I hope you don't find it an imposition, but I would just love to properly interview you at some point. Not on this visit, of course, but another time. Maybe over dinner?" Fredrick continued to push, as Krissy's jaw dropped open.
"A-are you asking me out on a date?" Krissy questioned, blushing lightly, despite herself.
"You seem surprised by this. You don't date?" Fredrick inquired, as Krissy continued to look dumbfounded.
"You met me five minutes ago. All you know about me is I'm the sister of a notorious serial killer…that really does it for you, huh?" Krissy stated, raising an eyebrow.
"I have been following your case since the beginning. I feel I know you almost better than I know myself" Fredrick admitted, making Krissy's forehead wrinkle.
"That's impressive Doctor Chilton. Somehow you've managed to make yourself sound even less desirable than me" Krissy mumbled, watching how his lips twitched into a smile.
"And you are exactly what I was expecting" Fredrick grinned, his eyes lowering to gaze over her fully once again, making her want to pull her jacket closer to her body.
"Why are you so certain that this patient of yours is the Chesapeake Ripper?" Krissy inquired, as the man used his badge to let them through a large metal barrier.
"The brutalisation of the body, the removal of organs, mutilation of the abdomen…take your pick" Doctor Chilton stated, as he stopped in front of a door, which Krissy guessed led to the crime scene.
"I hope your stomach is as strong as it used to be" Fredrick exclaimed, ripping the door open, as the smell of blood instantly hit Krissy.
The moment she stepped through the door, she wished she hadn't. The room was a complete mess, beds, tables, and equipment lying haphazardly throughout the room, all of it bloodstained. Gideon Abel clearly had some time to perform the murder, something which didn't seem quite right. Slowly, Krissy allowed her eyes to gaze over the victim. The nurse's white uniform was drenched through with her own blood, bent backwards like something from The Exorcist. There were more poles through her abdomen than Krissy dared to count, a foul-smelling pool of blood beneath her body. There was something oddly familiar about the corpse, leading Krissy to wonder whether Fredrick had been right, and Gideon had taken some aspiration from one of her brother's murders. Slowly, the room seemed to melt away before her eyes and suddenly she was in a field, crows crying all around her. Instead of the nurse's body, she could see Cassie Boyle, impaled on the stag's head, the smell of decay all around her.
"Brutalisation of the body, removal of the organs and mutilation of the abdomen…" Krissy trailed off, her eyes widening in horror.
"Ms Crawford?" Fredrick frowned, reaching out to touch her arm, seeing how she had been lost in a trance for a moment.
"Do you have any pictures of the Chesapeake Ripper's previous murder? The one like this?" Krissy quickly asked, as Fredrick nodded slowly.
"Yes, in my office-" Fredrick started, as Krissy was already rushing out of the door.
Krissy bit at her fingernail as Fredrick to fished out his file on the previous murder, a man killed in his own garage, impaled using his own instruments. Fredrick watched in awe as he could see Krissy's mind ticking away behind her eyes.
"Left on display, in a pose of humiliation. Similar, but not close enough for anyone to catch on" Krissy mumbled to herself.
"So, you agree? Abel Gideon is the Chesapeake Ripper?" Fredrick inquired, making Krissy scoff.
"Quite the opposite actually. I might have just found the proof that he's not" Krissy smirked.
Hannibal was surprised to hear a soft tapping on his office door, just minutes before he was due to leave. Opening the door slowly, he found Krissy standing over the threshold, a conflicted expression on her face.
"Did I forget we have an appointment?" Hannibal inquired, as Krissy quickly shook her head.
"I was just…I need someone to talk to…someone's opinion that I trust…" Krissy trailed off, expecting Hannibal to turn her away.
"Please, come in" Hannibal nodded, stepping out of the doorway, holding his hand out, which Krissy realised was clutching at his coat.
"It's late. I don't want to impose on you-" Krissy began, but Hannibal quickly cut her off.
"My office is always open to you, Krissy. No matter the hour" Hannibal replied, watching her shoulder's practically sag in relief.
"You might regret saying that when you try to unravel my fucked up mind" Krissy muttered, stepping over the threshold and started to pace.
"One of your hunches?" Hannibal guessed, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"I think the Chesapeake Ripper and the Copycat maybe the same killer" Krissy blurted out, unable to hold it in any longer.
"…That is quite the statement. Do you have any evidence?" Hannibal asked, missing a beat only for a second, his interest well and truly piqued.
"Have you heard about the murder at the Baltimore Hospital for the Criminally Insane?" Krissy queried, settling on one of the armchairs.
"I've heard rumours. A nurse was butchered in a way similar to a previous Ripper victim" Hannibal stated, coming to sit opposite her.
"There are similarities, yes. But also, a lot of differences. The organs were removed posthumously. It was impulsive, with no motive whatsoever behind the attack. This killer and the nurse had never even met before. The Chesapeake Ripper seems almost obsessively meticulous. It's not him" Krissy explained.
"What has brought you to the conclusion that the Ripper and the Copycat are the same person?" Hannibal asked, as a conflicted expression grew on Krissy's face.
"Well, just for a moment…this nurse's murder and Cassie Boyle's…they seemed to practically melt into each other before my eyes. But this patient couldn't have killed Cassie Boyle" Krissy pointed out, as Hannibal nodded slowly.
"Hence why you think he can't be the Chesapeake Ripper" Hannibal stated, clasping his hands out in front of him.
"There is an extremeness to both the Ripper and the Copycat's murders. It's almost overkill. But this killer doesn't do anything without a reason. The brutalisation it's like…like a distraction…" Krissy trailed off, her forehead wrinkled in concentration.
"What are they distracting from?" Hannibal asked, licking his lips, leaning forward making Krissy aware of how their chairs seemed far closer than they used to be.
Suddenly, there was a loud ring coming from Krissy's pocket, making her jump and lean back in her chair. With a sigh, she saw it was her dad calling, her train of thought lost.
"Sorry, do you mind if I take this?" Krissy inquired, watching Hannibal nod.
"Hey, Dad. How was your day? Been up to…right. Yeah. Well, I wasn't lying, I was only omitting certain truths" Krissy exclaimed, standing up and turning her back to Hannibal.
Hannibal inhaled deeply, smoothing down his tie as he straightened in his chair, letting his eyes roam over the young girl. She was connecting things she shouldn't be able to. He should have felt on edge, but instead he felt…excited? Krissy had once again succeeded all of Hannibal's expectations. If only he could rid her of the distractions that plagued her life…would she really see the truth of him?
"I know. You were just trying to protect me…yeah. Okay, I will. Um…did you see Will at the hospital? Oh, no reason…I was just…did he say anything?...Well, about me or…whatever. No? Right, yeah. That's cool…Oh, no. You're breaking up, dad. Brsk, brsk" Krissy said, making static sounds with her voice, in an attempt to get her dad off the line.
"Sorry about that. Family drama fully muted" Krissy exclaimed, walking back over to her seat, after putting her phone on silent.
"Did something happen with Will?" Hannibal inquired.
"No, nothing really. I snapped at him at the hospital…I just hope he's not mad at me" Krissy murmured, biting her lip.
"You hold Will's opinions in very high regard. Why is that?" Hannibal inquired, as Krissy squirmed in her seat a little.
"He's my friend. I don't want to push him away" Krissy shrugged, as Hannibal knew he wasn't going to get anything else from her at that moment.
"...What did you mean when you said the nurse's murder and Cassie Boyle's melted in front of your eyes?" Hannibal asked, the strange wording standing out to him.
"Just for a split second, I felt like…like I was back in that field with Cassie Boyle's body. But like I said, it was gone in the blink of an eye-" Krissy started, but Hannibal cut her off.
"You were hallucinating?" Hannibal guessed, watching Krissy's jaw tense.
"I'm fine. Really" Krissy insisted, her hands fidgeting in her lap.
"That wasn't my question, Krissy" Hannibal pushed, leaning forward in his chair.
The side effects of the Lorazepam she was taking seemed to be growing if she truly was hallucinating. Hannibal was helping broaden her mind, helping her connect things she would otherwise be blind to. What else would she realise if given the opportunity?
"…Where were you off to when I barged in?" Krissy questioned, abruptly changing the subject.
"Home" Hannibal replied, simply.
"It's Saturday night. No hot date?" Krissy went on, as Hannibal raised an eyebrow.
"I could say the same to you" Hannibal stated, his accent thick.
"Well, that's not true actually. I got asked out today…by a creepy, semi-obsessed guy who works at a psychiatric hospital…but hey, I'll take what I can get" Krissy shrugged, amused.
"You weren't interested?" Hannibal inquired.
"Maybe you missed the creepy part. Actually, you probably know him. Fredrick Chilton?" Krissy informed him, as Hannibal nodded slowly.
"A man who has had an unhealthy fascination for you and your brother for many years now. I doubt he has your best interests in mind" Hannibal explained, as a smile spread across Krissy's lips.
"Careful, Doctor Lecter. It almost sounds like you care" Krissy exclaimed, holding her hand over her heart.
"Your using humour as a defence mechanism-" Hannibal told her, as she suddenly stood up.
"The fact that neither of us has anything to do on a Saturday night is just too depressing. So…let's change that" Krissy announced.
"Are you asking me out on a date now?" Hannibal asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"You should be so lucky...C'mon, just for tonight, hand over control. You might find out you like it" Krissy insisted, sauntering over to his office door.
"Krissy…" Hannibal trailed off, pushing himself up from the chair, not liking how the night could end.
"Hannibal" Krissy retorted, childishly, opening the door and turning to him.
"Let's go paint the town red, Doctor" Krissy grinned, holding out her arm.
Against his better judgement, Hannibal did as she asked, wrapping his coat around his shoulders, and linking their arms together. Krissy's choice of words had his lips twitching into a sly smile, as he wondered what it would be like to kill with another person.
"Relinquishing control? I know that is not something you take lightly, Hannibal" Doctor Bedelia Du Maurier pointed out, during a therapy session with Hannibal, where he was recounting his outing with Krissy.
"It is something that friends must give to aid an equal partnership" Hannibal replied, sitting up straight in his chair.
"Is that something your interested in with this girl? A partnership?" Bedelia inquired, surprised.
"I have been thinking about what you said at our last therapy session…my person suit. I believe she has the ability to see past it" Hannibal explained, as Bedelia took a sip of her wine.
"It can be comforting when someone sees us for who we really are. But it requires trust from both sides. Trust is difficult for you" Bedelia warned him, causing Hannibal to avert his eyes to the ground.
"You've helped me to better understand what it is I want in a friendship and what I don't," Hannibal told her, watching Bedelia nod slowly.
"Someone worthy of your friendship" Bedelia suggested, her face as emotionless as ever.
"…Yes" Hannibal replied, realising she was correct.
"You build a lot of walls, Hannibal. It's natural to want to see if someone is clever enough to climb over them…but I wonder what will they do once they're on the other side?" Bedelia explained, as Hannibal considered this.
"She could reject me" Hannibal exclaimed, leaning back in his chair.
"You don't handle rejection well" Bedelia pointed out, her hands clasped together.
"What would your advice be?" Hannibal inquired, as Bedelia took another sip from her glass.
"You need to find out more about this girl before you let her peek behind the veil. Show an interest in her, spend some more time with her" Bedelia went on, as Hannibal nodded.
"And what of Will Graham? You thought there was an opportunity of friendship there too?" Bedelia questioned, surprised that Hannibal was yet to bring up his favourite patient.
"Steady progress" Hannibal told her, a smug smile spreading across his face.
Krissy came to a halt when she walked into Will's lecture wall to find him, sitting at his desk, his hand covering his face, but his eyes were wide open. She slowly walked forward, wondering if he was dreaming, but found that his eyes seemed to be following something behind her. With her forehead wrinkled with worry, she called out his name, making the older man jump, almost falling from his chair.
"Are you okay?" Krissy asked, coming to stand beside him.
"I-I'm fine. I was just…thinking of something else…" Will trailed off, a confused frown on his own face.
"You're a terrible liar, Will" Krissy scoffed, crouching down so that she was almost level with him.
"What are you doing here?" Will inquired, turning in his chair to face her, leaning back when he realised how close he was.
"I wanted to apologise for how I was acting at the hospital. Stress makes me rude, it seems" Krissy told him, as Will shook his head.
"Don't worry about it" Will dismissed, even though the encounter had been playing on his own mind since it had happened.
"Alright, then that leaves me to just worry about you instead. Are you still sleepwalking?" Krissy asked, as Will let out a sigh and pushed himself up from his chair, turning away from her.
"I really don't want to talk about this" Will retorted, as Krissy stood back up.
"Well, tough. We're talking about it…unless you want me to tell my dad" Krissy warned, watching Will run his hand over his face.
"Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing" Will mumbled, only just loud enough for her to hear.
"Do you want to stop doing this?" Krissy asked, as Will turned back to her, and went to lean against his desk.
"I don't know…all I know is people die if I stop" Will stated, as Krissy came to stand beside him.
"They're not your responsibility. There's nothing wrong with putting yourself first…I want you to take care of yourself" Krissy explained, as Will looked to her with a frown.
"Why?" Will asked, genuinely not understanding why she cared.
"Because your important to me, Will" Krissy replied, as he searched her eyes for any deceit, but came up with nothing, she had meant what she said.
Slowly, as if not to spook him, Krissy inched her hand closer to his, until their fingers brushed against each other. They both looked down to their hands, as Krissy held her hand out, palm to the ceiling and waited to see how he would respond. Nervously, Will placed his warm hand over hers, as their fingers interlocked, feeling his heart speed up in his chest. His eyes snapped back up to hers, as she gave him a reassuring smile and squeezed his hand lightly.
"Krissy?" A voice suddenly boomed from behind them, causing them both to pull away instantly.
"Hey, dad! Uh, what a surprise seeing you here…" Krissy trailed off, rubbing her neck awkwardly, as she saw her father and Alana walking towards them.
"What are you doing here?" Jack frowned, having seen how close the two had been standing together.
"Just…chatting and stuff" Krissy shrugged, as Will looked a little amused at her flustered appearance.
"Stuff?" Jack insisted, crossing his arms, as he squinted at Will.
"We've come to ask Will for his advice…we have a direct way to communicate with the Chesapeake Ripper and we want to see if we can influence him to become visible" Alana informed them, interrupting the uncomfortable silence.
"Why the hell would you want to do that?" Krissy retorted, not liking the idea one bit.
According to Jack, he was already receiving calls from the killer, in the form of a recording from Miriam Lass, an FBI agent who had disappeared due to his own actions. Not that Krissy had heard any late-night calls, having been dead to the world due to the medication that Hannibal had her on.
"We can't figure out who this son of a bitch is while he's hiding in the shadows, Krissy" Jack insisted, as she gave him an exasperated look.
"This is a terrible idea, dad! You could push him to kill again!" Krissy exclaimed.
"I have to push," Jack told her, as Krissy scoffed.
"Well, I'm not having part of this" Krissy muttered.
"I need to catch this guy, Krissy," Jack told her, as she shook her head vehemently.
"You're obsessed! The Chesapeake Ripper has completely clouded your vision…you're not thinking straight. Alana, surely you don't agree with this" Krissy all but pleaded, as the older woman looked down to her shoes.
"I don't see that there is any other way-" Alana began, as Krissy scoffed harshly, and went to push past the pair, not wanting to hear anymore.
"Good luck with your serial killer hunt…I hope no one gets hurt, for your sake!" Krissy exclaimed, storming away from the lecture hall.
Krissy's eyes slowly fluttered open late the next morning, brushing against her cheek, having felt something there only moments ago. As her eyes adjusted to the light in her room, she realised that the door was halfway open, causing her to frown. She always shut her door. Turning to her alarm clock, she saw it had just gone eleven in the morning and rubbed her eyes. She had been up late researching what she could find about the Chesapeake Ripper, which only consolidated what she already knew about the killer. Her head shot up when she heard a bang from downstairs and realised it was the front door.
"Dad?" She called out, getting no reply.
She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, pulling her dressing gown off the bottom of the bed and swung it over her shoulders. Just as she was about to leave the bedroom to investigate, her phone started to ring, as she looked down to see Jack calling.
"Hey, I thought you were-" Krissy began, but was immediately cut off by Jack.
"Where are you? Krissy, are you at home?!" Jack questioned, panic clear in his voice.
"Yeah, why?" Krissy yawned, running a hand through her hair.
"I just got a call from inside the house. It was from Miriam Lass" Jack informed her, as Krissy quickly felt very awake.
"What…you're not making sense…" Krissy frowned.
"The Chesapeake Ripper has been in the house, Krissy!" Jack stated, as she felt a shiver go down her spine.
The bang from downstairs…her door being open…what had woken her in the first place? Krissy instantly rushed forward, slamming her bedroom door shut and locking it from the inside, her hands shaking. Had the killer been in her room? Were they still in the house?
"Krissy? Krissy, are you still there?" Jack cried, a desperate tone to his voice.
"Please hurry…I heard something from downstairs" Krissy whispered, trying to calm her breathing.
"You just hold on. I'll be there before you know it" Jack promised.
Only thirty minutes later, half the police force was roaming through the Crawford house, while Krissy stayed close by her father's side. She had just enough time to change into a shirt and jeans before the calvary arrived, and she reluctantly unlocked her bedroom door. She was currently sitting on a chair in Jack's bedroom, still visibly shaking, her hands clasped together. Loud footsteps rushing towards the bedroom had Krissy on edge, until she saw who was the owner of the footsteps. She gave Will a small smile as he entered the room, his shoulder's sagging in relief when he saw she wasn't hurt.
"Are you alright?" Will inquired, approaching her, reaching out to place his hand on her shoulder.
"No…but I'm glad you're here" Krissy replied, placing her cold hand over his warm one, as Will's lips twitched into a smile.
"In my house. In my bedroom…where my wife sleeps…" Jack trailed off, angrily, not having seen the interaction between Will and Krissy.
"I've dusted the phone. Got a lot of usable prints. I've got four distinct beauties here. Yours, your wife's, Krissy's and presumably the Chesapeake Ripper" Jimmy exclaimed, patching it through the database.
"Jack, can you come out here for a second?" Brian asked, from the hallway, catching Krissy's attention.
"What is it?" Krissy called out, standing up from her chair.
"…We've found prints on your bedroom door…and from inside…" Brian trailed off, reluctantly.
"Jesus Christ" Krissy muttered, taking a shaky breath.
"I'm going to kill him" Jack said, through gritted teeth.
"Not if he kills you first" Krissy pointed out, shoving past him, and walking towards her bedroom.
"Krissy, it's still a crime scene-" Brian began, but Krissy cut him off.
"It's my fucking room! I want to see if he took anything" Krissy told her, pushing her bedroom door open and walking inside.
"Just let her go" Jack sighed, seeing how Brian wasn't sure whether he should stop her.
"Dad!" Krissy's panicked voice cried, a few moments later.
Surprisingly, Will was the first one who reacted, rushing into her bedroom to find her holding an empty picture frame, her hands shaking.
"He took a picture of me and you" Krissy frowned, looking to her father.
"Why the hell would he do that?" Jack questioned, looking to Will.
"…Maybe he didn't just come here to spite you, Jack. He came in here for a reason" Will announced, looking around the dimly lit room.
"Is there anything else missing?" Brian asked, standing in the doorway.
"I don't…wait…my sweater. It's gone…yeah, I'm sure I left it on my chair" Krissy told them, walking over to the chair in question, crouching down on the floor to make sure it hadn't fallen off.
"The sweater you wore yesterday?" Will inquired, as Krissy nodded.
"Where's his mind at, Will?" Jack insisted.
"He's trying to figure you out, Krissy. He took the picture because…he can't understand your connection to Jack…he's trying to figure out if it's real or not" Will theorised, as Jack crossed his arms.
"And my sweater?" Krissy questioned.
"He wanted to take something of yours. Something he could keep…something that smelt like you-" Will began, as Jack threw his arms up in the air.
"Now he wants to smell my daughter?!" Jack complained, irritated.
"Dad" Krissy mumbled, noticing something off about her bed.
"No, this guy is going to pay! He thinks he can just come into my house and…" Jack trailed off, when he saw Krissy rip her pillows away from the bed, his eyes widening when he saw what was underneath them.
Krissy audibly gulped as she looked down to see a single bullet laying on her mattress, as bile rose in her throat. Her brother's calling card. Fear stricken, she stumbled backwards, almost colliding with Will.
"No, no, no…" She stuttered, her hand flying to her mouth, as her breathing became shallower.
"Krissy, don't. This isn't him. It's the Chesapeake Ripper. He's just trying to get in your head" Jack insisted, placing his hands on her shoulder's.
"What if it isn't?! What if he found me?" Krissy cried, terrified tears welling in her eyes.
Will slowly reached into his pocket to place a glove on his hand and picked up the bullet, taking a closer look. His mouth went dry when he saw something etched into the bullet that gave them their answer.
"C.P" Will announced, turning to the others, indicating to the initials carved into the bullet.
"See…it wasn't your brother. It's okay. Your okay" Jack told her, pulling her closer, wanting nothing more than to shield her from what was happening.
"No. Instead it's another serial killer threatening my life…because of you" Krissy exclaimed, pushing him away from her, as Jack looked at her with a hurt expression.
"He's not threatening you. It's an invitation" Will informed them, as Krissy turned to him with a frown.
"What do you mean?" Krissy inquired.
"He wants to know how similar you are to your brother. This a friendly message in his eyes" Will explained, as Krissy only looked more confused.
"So, he's asking her to come out and play?" Jack scoffed.
"I don't want to stay here" Krissy mumbled, as Jack reached out to her, but she shoved him away.
"I can have an armed guard outside this house at all times" Jack offered, but Krissy shook her head.
"I'm not staying here! I can't…I can't sleep in this bed after all this!" Krissy pointed out, angrily.
"…You could come stay with me" Will offered, as they both turned to him.
"Krissy, I don't think this is a good-" Jack began, but she cut him off with a raised hand.
"Well, I don't really care what you think right now. I told you not to push…and look what happened" Krissy exclaimed, walking over to Will, as Jack shook his head angrily.
"If she gets hurt on your watch, Graham…you'll wish you were the one Hobb's sliced into" Jack warned, storming out of the room, knowing there was no way to stop his daughter.
"Thank you for offering, but you really don't need to. I don't want to force you into anything" Krissy stated, as Will gave her a small smile.
"I want to help you. Let me?" Will asked, as Krissy slowly nodded, returning his expression.
As Krissy walked out of the room, Will couldn't help but wonder if this had been the Chesapeake Ripper's plan all along…to push Jack away from his daughter? Should he really be taking advantage of the situation if that was the case?
Author's Notes: I hope you enjoyed this long chapter! Sorry, this update is a bit late but I found this one difficult to write. I hope no one seemed to OOC in this chapter, I've definitely had to rewrite some of the scenes a few times to limit that. Please leave a review:)
acetwolf94: Thank you so much! I hope you liked this update too:)
BookwormKW: Aw, I'm glad this story can cheer you up! Enjoy the update:)
Bunn: It's great to hear you've enjoyed the story so far:) Krissy is already getting close to realising what Hannibal is up to, and will find out before Will. As for Krissy/Will they'll be growing a lot closer in the following chapter's.