A/N: Hello, people!

I don't own Hannibal.

I have no beta.

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Will had to wonder what game Hannibal Lecter thought he was playing. He seemed to want Will to trust him completely, even though he was also trying to prove that Will's knowledge of who he was, was false. But Will wasn't crazy.

He was finally seeing things clearly and Hannibal was the one. He exacerbated Will's illness. Let horrible things happen while claiming to be Will's friend. They weren't friends. Will was drawn to the man, true. Liked him a little more than as a friend, but he was not going to continue.

Will was done with being everyone's fool.

Done.

Hannibal had not expected any of this.

Kailani had gone as far as she could in order to help Will. Hannibal felt a little foolish, just a little.

She'd been with Will that evening. She'd been with him after Hannibal had left. Apparently had sex with him in his hospital room too. And Hannibal could be honest with himself when he hadn't thought of the Cassie Boyle case. He had just known that he had to get to Minnesota first and had made preparations. He probably should have taken into account that Will wouldn't have the funds to make two flights in such a short time span, or the fact that there was a log on every person to enter the FBI Academy.

Sloppy work and he was annoyed with himself.

Such a fact had also shed light on Will's record as a professor. He did his job, he did it well. Most of his students passed his class and the ones that didn't were carted off because of negative behavioral issues that were disruptive to the other students.

Will's good record hadn't changed for work unless called away by Jack, with classes suddenly disrupted and ended by the head of the BAU. Even with declining mental health, Will had done his job as a professor well and testimonies of his students were all of high praises, even though some wished he'd make eye contact now and then.

Hannibal glanced up at the young woman who was stacking his files, she looked carefree. As if her friend wasn't behind bars. He couldn't help but inquire.

"Well, Kade Prurnell and the FBI are going to get a nasty wake up call and Jay is going to make sure that Will walks away from this, with a lot of money and a lot of apologies on his tail."

She said nothing more and returned to the waiting room.

She knew the defense attorney, that was why things were going so well. And they were planning to drag the FBI's good reputation through the mud.

Since Hannibal didn't want Will behind bars for the rest of his life, Hannibal decided to play along. He'd help get Will fully acquitted, by using his ability to manipulate.

He just needed a little more time.

Will wasn't being very compliant.

But Hannibal did notice that Kailani had said nothing about him being the one to frame Will. Maybe Will hadn't told her.

If so, he wondered why.

Will's trial continued and Freddie Lounds was brought to the stand.

Will, dressed in the same ensemble from last time, sighed when he saw how she had dressed. To try to symbolize her grief. The large hat was ridiculous and barely fit because of the mop on her head.

She spun a sad tale of woe and pain and how she and Abigail were 'close'.

By the time Jay stood to ask his questions, Will could see that people were feeling sorry for her.

And the Jay spoke and it all went downhill.

"Ms. Lounds, how many times have you been sued for Libel?"

She blinked, startled by the question and mumbled and answer.

"I'm sorry?"

"Six," she said clearly into the microphone.

"'Six'? Wow. And how many times have you settled?"

"Six."

"How many times have you desecrated a Federal Crime Scene?"

"Objection! Your honor, this has nothing to do wi-"

"It has everything to do with whether her word can be trusted. The facts are all here, I just want her to admit them aloud," interrupted Jay, holding up the file in his hands.

The judge ruled in Jay's favor, surprisingly, looking at Freddie like she was some kind of bug. Maybe the man hated journalists?

"Ms. Lounds, please answer the question," the old man ordered.

"Twice," she admitted.

Jay did not stop there.

"And is it true that you were charged with a ten thousand dollar fine when Kailani Taikefu found you standing outside Hannibal Lecter's office, illegally recording his session with his patient Will Graham?"

"...Yes."

"And is it true that rolled up in your purse, was Mr. Graham's patient file, which you stole from Ms. Taikefu's desk drawer when she wasn't around?"

Through gritted teeth, Freddie answered, "Yes."

"Ladies and gentlemen of the court I find it difficult to take the word of a woman who obviously can't be trusted. She has infected crime scenes which is an obstruction of justice, has lied her way into buildings and cases, been sued for more than just Libel and has been found guilty most of the time, and has even stolen information right out of a doctor's secretary's desk. Her word is as good as nothing.

No more questions, your honor."

Jay sat.

Freddie was removed and Will felt a deep well of satisfaction fill him. She looked put out, embarrassed, and annoyed. Her plan didn't go the way she thought it would. It was delicious and he could only thank Jay and Kailani. Kailani was like his personal hero and if she hadn't caught Lounds that time in the office, he didn't what would have happened today.

He was probably getting too much enjoyment out of this.

Alana was called up to the stand and she answered every question easily, having already faced them before. Jay had made sure she'd know what to expect because she'd never had to be a witness for someone before.

She defended Will and his mind. Said that he shouldn't have pushed himself so hard, even if it was for the sake of other people. Jay twisted and turned everything, making Will out to be some selfless teacher with barely any friends who just wanted to help people the best he could.

Jay proclaimed that Will was never paid for consulting with the Behavioral Analysis Unit and that he helped of his own free will to save others at the expense of his deteriorating health and sanity. Alana went right along with it and once again, Will received a look or two of pity and sympathy. The judge looked even less cross than before.

Maybe he was warming up to Will?

Who knew?

Jack didn't know what to think with the body of Sykes.

So, he brought the evidence to the judge in charge of Will's trial and Kade Prurnell had managed to get wind of their discussion and butted her way in. She really wanted Will to get the death penalty, it seemed. Jack despised her.

"Your honor, you have already acquitted Will of two murders. Your bailiff was murdered in a perfect replica of every murder Will Graham was acquitted of and the three he's still on trial for. Will has pled not guilty from the beginning. He had been found not guilty of two fifths of his charges. And now this has come along.

You can't tell me this doesn't raise questions."

Kade asserted herself before the judge could say anything earning a glare from the man.

"Will Graham is a psychopath, it doesn't matter if he's innocent of one murder or another."

"Yes, actually, it does. If he turns out to be completely innocent of his actions and the fact that you have stopped all investigations to prove your claims of murder against him, you could bring legal trouble upon the FBI altogether!"

The stern woman took a step back at his tone.

"I don't know what you're thinking, Jack-"

"I'm thinking that we may have misjudged Will. And I know that he has friends with connections."

"Kailani Taikefu," said the judge, finally rejoining the conversation.

"Exactly. She has plans for you, Ms. Prurnell. She and her lawyer Jay Pringle have been all over the academy and main building. Asking questions and getting answers. Verbal confirmation, records, pictures, anything possible. They already know you have stopped investigations into Will's case by anyone of the FBI, which is malpractice, I believe. Even tried to convince the lawyers provided by the FBI to make him agree to a guilty plea, or personally meeting him and telling him to make the plea."

The judge was an honest man. He did not like liars, which was why he disapproved of Freddie Lounds. Jack was going to use that.

"Freddie Lounds has posted many a terrible thing about Will. Because of her, a man was murdered and another person almost murdered simply because her article drew the attention of a serial killer and made him want Will. Maybe another serial killer is targeting Will. The last wanted his attention and possibly friendship and Will brought him in to us. This one seems to be smarter and is taking control of their actions."

The courtroom door opened and in walked Jay Pringle, Will's lawyer.

And things just went from interesting to hilarious with Kade Prurnell stomping from the room.

'I want you to believe in the best of me.'

Did Hannibal even have a best part of himself?

Will was conflicted because he wanted revenge for what Hannibal did to him. He still very reluctantly liked the man despite everything, but he wanted revenge. If Hannibal thought Will would want to be around him after everything he did, without getting even first, he was sorely mistaken.

Will craved Hannibal's attention to a degree, but just because he wanted it didn't mean he needed it and Will had great self control. Until he felt that Hannibal Lecter had learned his lesson, Will would not buddy up to him or give him what he wanted.

Will's friendship came at a cost, now.

'I don't want you to be here.'

It wasn't like Will wanted it either.

The next day of the trial held Hannibal and Kailani in the stand.

Will was bitter over Hannibal and refused to look up from his desk. The man would understand Will's displeasure one way or another.

Even with the European buttering Will up with praises stealthily hidden in normal seeming comments and even blatantly admitting that the murdered bailiff of the court case was too similar to the murders Will was charged and acquitted for, Will was still unhappy with the man.

You don't let a deadly illness boil in your friend's brain just because their reactions interest you.

When Kailani walked into the courtroom, Will was relieved to see her. She wore a simple, black pantsuit and had her hair down, parted in the center of her head. She looked good and confident. She swore to tell the truth, though frowned at the Bible, and sat.

Jay asked about her relationship with Will. She was blunt and to the point. How they met and kept meeting and how finally they traded numbers. How she tried to influence him on vigilance and being prepared for anything.

Her eyes bore into Jay's as she spoke, barely blinking.

Freddie Lounds, Tobias Budge, their coffee shop meet and greets. Everything.

And then the plaintiff's attorney tried to coerce Kailani into admitting horrible things about Will.

Kailani fixed the woman with a smirk and answered everything in a measured and controlled tone.

"Why did you have sex with Will Graham?"

Kailani blinked and looked to the judge, where Will's eyes had also landed. The man was glaring holes into the crude woman.

"Quite the invasive question there," said Kailani. "Why does anyone have sex?"

Jay was shaking his head and a the crowd of people attending the trial and shifted. It was considered impolite to laugh in court and Will was certainly holding himself back.

"Answer, please?"

"Because I challenged him and he defeated me."

"And what did this challenge entail?"

Kailani's smirk spread wider, showing more teeth. "He had twenty-four minutes to get me off before the nurse came to check on him. He got me in twenty-one."

The woman sputtered and the judge's head fell into his palm.

The line of questioning was declared over.

Just as Kailani was stepping down from the stand, an officer burst into the courtroom screaming.

"There's been another one!"

And so Will's trial was postponed again, because another victim had been found.

Later on, Will received a visit from Beverly who told him that a man was found shot in the head, his throat cut open with the neck of a cello shoved down it, his body had been speared, and his heart, liver, and kidneys were surgically removed. All perfect replicas of well known murders.

"I think this copycat is taunting you," she said.

"It's different. This one knew information about those deaths. Information that wasn't found by Lounds or in the papers. The first victim was a perfect replica of many murders, yes, but those murders were open to public scrutiny thanks to Lounds. This is a different person than the one who killed the bailiff. The Real Copycat.

The Bailiff Copycat was trying to please me. The Real Copycat is trying to free me. Keep me alive until he thinks it's my time."

Beverly looked ready to give up.

"And you are certain… this is Hannibal?"

"I think he's a part of it. There are parts of his past that match up to the profile so far on the Ripper. And if the Ripper and the Copycat are the same person, then so be it. But I don't want you looking for anything on him anymore. If you get hurt because I'm so damn insistent, I'll feel terrible. Just… come to me if you need help and I'll help. No more Hannibal Hunting."

"Are you sure? You were so enthused."

"Your life is more important than my revenge."

Beverly sighed, "You obviously don't trust him and with this whole case looking in your favor thanks to your friend and your lawyer and their digging, I'd say it's not wrong to be wary. I won't actively search, but I'll keep and eye and ear out anyway, okay?"

Will nodded, "Okay."

"Thank you, Will. I'm sure you'll be out of here soon."

"I hope so."

He really did.

A/N: Another is done.

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