Will's POV

Joan laughed as the newest addition to our little family shook himself dry, splashing her in the crossfire.

I haven't seen a smile like that on her face since I came home from work to find her and her mom washing Sammy off in this same tub, about a year ago…..just before the accident.

Sammy was a very sweet yet feisty, brown and white mutt that Joan had found scrounging around in our garbage, when she was getting off the bus from school one day….or rather, he found her. He took a liking to her almost immediately and it was love at first sight.

He's definitely got some Australian Shepherd in him, though difficult to place exactly what else.

"So, you're really set on Winston?" I asked her, as he attempted to drown her face in slobbery kisses.

"Of course I am, don't you think he looks like one?'

"Well, sure I do, I just didn't know Winston was the name of a Winchester character." I explained.

That made her laugh again. "You mean a Winchester brother from Supernatural? And what do you know about Supernatural, anyway?"

"Apparently not much." I chuckled, drying him off properly with the towel. "So, Winston it is, then."

"Yes, Winston." She repeated. "...Maybe we'll name the next one Dean."

I smiled. "Perhaps we will." Of course there will be another one, sooner or later.

We coaxed Winston into a kennel and brought the rest of the dogs outside, keeping them some feet away from the kennel, to make proper introductions.

Sammy raced over to Joan, clearly jealous of the attention she'd been giving this newcomer. Buster, a smaller terrier type, made his way over to jump into my lap. I gave him a little scratch behind the ears before redirecting my attention to Winston, in the kennel.

"Winston…" I said. "This is everyone. Everyone, meet Winston."

Sammy immediately barked in response to my introduction, as if asserting his role as Joan's companion.

She gave him a good scratch behind the ears, before moving her hand down to scratch his back. "I think somebody's jealous."

"Apparently so." I agreed.

She turned her attention to scratching Sammy's belly as he rolled over into his back.

"Awww... " She cooed. "You're still my special boy. Yes you are, yes you are!"

I awoke early the next morning to the sound of the doorbell and the distant sound of voices, belonging to Joan and another who sounded oddly familiar.

The dogs followed me as I opened my bedroom door, making my way down the stairs.

"Who was at the door, Joan?" I yawned, immediately having my question answered when I looked up and my eyes met with Dr. Lecter's, who for some reason was standing in my doorway. He had some small containers of food in his hands.

"Good Morning, Will." He greeted.

Joan turned her attention to me, curiously. "Friend of yours?"

"He's not a friend." I sighed. "But we did meet, very briefly, yesterday."

She nodded, still understandably suspicious.

The dogs had moved from my side and were now investigating the assumed intruder.

"Where's Crawford?" I asked.

"Deposed in court, the adventure would be yours and mine today...may I come in."

I nodded and turned to Joan. "Why don't you go ahead and take the dogs out, while we...talk."

Joan looked suspiciously towards Dr. Lecter again, and then reached for the dogs' leashes on the nearby hooks, carefully attaching them to each of their collars. "Come on guys!"

"There's plenty here for you too, if you want some." He offered Joan as she stood back up.

"Thanks, but I'm a vegetarian. Excuse me." She made her way past him after he stepped in and let the door slam behind her.

I turned my attention back to him. "She's not really a people person."

"Takes after her father." He said, as I led him into the dining area.

"You've come to ambush me again, I see."

I stated as he set his containers down on the table.

"I'd actually like to apologize. But then again I know I'd just be apologizing again, and you'll soon tire of that, I'll just have to use my apologies sparingly."

A peace offering then?

"Just keep it professional" I sighed.

"Or we could socialize like adults...God forbid we become friendly.

"I don't find you interesting."

"You will." he proceeded to change the subject. "Agent Crawford tells me you have a knack for the monsters."

"I don't think The Shrike killed that girl in the field"

"The devil is in the details. What didn't your copycat do to the girl? What gave it away?" He appeared intrigued.

"It's like he had to show me a negative so that I could see the positive. It- that crime scene was perfectly gift wrapped."

"The mathematics of human behavior, all those ugly variables, some bad math with our shrike fellow. Are you reconstructing his fantasies?" He asked

"Heh"

"What kind of problems does he have?

"Uh... He has a few"

"You ever have any problems, Will?"

"No"

"Of course you don't, you and I are just alike. Problem-free, nothing about us to feel horrible about. You know Will, I think Uncle Jack sees you as a fragile little teacup...the finest China, used only for special guests.

"How do you see me?" I laughed.

"The mongoose I want under my house when the snake slithers by...finish your breakfast."

He wore a slightly smug, to my opinion, unsettling, grin as we pulled up to the sight. "What are you smiling at?" I finally asked.

"Peeking behind curtains" he explained. "I'm just curious to know how the FBI goes about its business when it's not kicking in doors."

"Well you're lucky we're not doing house to house interviews" I chuckled. "We found a little piece of metal in Aleece Nichols clothes, a shred from a pipe threader."

"Must be hundreds of construction sites all over Minnesota."

"A certain kind of metal, certain kind of pipe, certain kind of pipe coating, we're checking out all the construction sites that use that kind of pipe."

"So what are we looking for exactly?"

"Anything at this stage, mostly anything peculiar."

A woman sat, talking on the phone at her desk while we rifled through files.

"What did you say your names were?" she finally asked

One name in particular stuck out among the rest. "Garret Jacob Hobbs?" I read aloud, ignoring the question.

"Those are all the resignation letters, plumber's Union requires them whenever members finish a job." She explained.

"Does Mr. Hobbs have a daughter?"

"Might have..."

"18 or 9...wind-chafed, plain, but pretty? She'd have auburn hair, about this tall..." I motion my hand.

"Maybe...I don't know, I don't keep company with these people."

"What is it about Garret Jacob Hobbs you find so peculiar?" Hannibal asked curiously.

"Phone number, no address"

"So that means he has something to hide?" he asked.

"The others all left addresses, plus he's missed work for days at a time" I turned my attention back to the woman. "You have an address for Mr. Hobbs?"