A/N: Hello, people!

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Will sighed. He was returning to Wolf Trap after a month of being away. The dogs would have wide open space again and everything would be back to normal, sort of.

On his first night back, Beverly Katz paid him a visit. She'd been given the go ahead on a new case and was trying to find something on the killer. From what she'd taken from the clothing, there was a significant amount of pollen on the clothes and they weren't from the victim, since he'd been stuffed with flowers.

Will let her in and together, they poured over the photos of the crime scene, coming up with conclusions and ideas until a simply sentence from Beverly slotted everything into place.

It was the Ripper. Meaning Hannibal was back in his harvesting mode for some reason.

"Almost all of the organs were taken," Beverly said.

"So he's planning for something."

"I'd say so. Two other people turned up though not as detailed with the varicose vines and all, but their organs were mostly gone too."

What was Hannibal up to?

Why would he need that much meat? It wasn't like he was planning to throw a party or anything.

Unless… he was.

Yeah, that dinner party that Will and Kailani had declined his invitation to.

That would explain the mass collection of organs. The Ripper was already finishing his first sounder then. And how many more before he was finished altogether?

Will would literally go out and warn Jack, just so Hannibal's evening would be difficult, but who was to say that anyone would listen to him? All he had was Kailani who even dared to put all the facts together and he really didn't want to deal with more disbelieving looks that questioned his sanity.

The party was dated for two weeks in the future - Hannibal had sent out invitation two weeks ago because he liked to be prepared - so the possibility of eight to ten more bodies wasn't so farfetched. But was Hannibal really foolish enough to serve human at a dinner party when someone had accused him of being a killer?

"I expect you'll be finding more bodies like these. The Ripper kills in sounders of three, always. Four to five bodies usually."

Beverly frowned, "And you're... certain it's Hannibal?"

"He's the only person I know that fits the profile. But don't seek him out, just drop it."

"Well, I've heard he's been seeking you out."

"Yeah, and I've been ignoring him," admitted Will. "We shared a vegetarian dinner a few nights ago but besides that, I haven't allowed him to get near me."

Beverly was silent for a moment, before she fixed him with a calculating look. "You're convinced he's the Ripper and that he's a cannibal. But you don't seem to care about those facts all that much." Her head tilted just a bit as she mentally reviewed what she was going to say. "In fact, you think he set you up and made your illness worse and frequently mentioned how you thought he was your friend."

She was getting there.

"That's it isn't it? You feel betrayed and that's why your angry with him. Not because he might be a cannibalistic serial killer?"

Will decidedly looked away at that, not really wanting to admit it because he was sure she wouldn't understand like Kailani would.

"Will, if you truly think he's such a bad person, why be around him at all?"

"Kailani's ex girlfriend is a serial killer with multiple personality disorder who threatened to hurt herself after killing all of Kailani's family and friends. Kailani says she still loves her even after what's happened. I know who Hannibal is and he knows who I am and while I am hurt over what he's done to me, I can't stop myself from liking the bastard," Will sighed. "But that doesn't mean it's going to be easy. Kailani said that if he wants me as much as he claims to, then he'll have to grovel for forgiveness."

"Even though he could be a murderer?" Beverly pushes, trying to get to the heart of everything.

"Even then. It's hard for me not to like him despite it all."

"Are you sure this isn't some form of sick, Stockholm Syndrome?"

The former profiler snorted, "If it is, it wouldn't be the first problem I have."

The spent the rest of their time in companionable silence.

Beverly couldn't help but sigh. Alana Bloom was still arguing over whether to not it was safe to leave Will alone, especially since he'd tried to shoot the man whom he believed to have betrayed him.

It wasn't rocket science, Beverly could clearly see that Bloom was infatuated with both Dr. Lecter and Will and couldn't decide which was more important in her life.

Beverly also knew that Will had feelings for Hannibal Lecter and they were most likely reciprocated completely, yet Will also felt that Hannibal was a mass murderer and wasn't even offended over that fact. He was just hurt over the perceived betrayal.

That part unnerved Beverly a lot.

Will was her friend and she didn't want to see him suffering, but at the same time, the fact that the deaths he'd been blamed for didn't bother him, showed a whole new side of him. A side that she was certain wasn't created just from walking through the minds of killers.

She was sure it had been there all along, but the Will Graham she had met before Price and Zeller, was not like the one she knew now. He would never have talked so casually about someone's death or even how they'd been murdered. He'd obviously been disturbed by what he saw and had to relate to Jack and the Team. So something must have pushed him and she knew that since Will barely had any friends, it was one of the people he had regular contact with.

That meant, Jack, Alana, Kailani, Hannibal, Beverly, and to a small extent, Jimmy and Brian. Will never spoke with his students he 'spoke to them' in his own words. Jack was the one who pushed him too far without remorse, Alana was the one who tried to pull him back, Hannibal was supposed to be helping him keep safe and sane, and failed, her mine supplied. Kailani was like a bodyguard/best friend who knew the ropes and kept him on his toes always, due to shared anxiety issues. Beverly just wanted to be there for him and Price and Zeller didn't have much of an influence on Will's life to change him so drastically.

Factually speaking, the only people capable of pushing Will into this new, darkened persona, were Hannibal or Jack. Jack would obviously never condone such talk and actions which left only Hannibal and the more she studied up on the Ripper profile in her spare time, the more she realized that he indeed did fit the profile very too well.

What if Will was right all along?

Beverly had promised not to go searching for evidence because Will was certain Hannibal would hurt her, but that didn't mean she couldn't snoop a bit.

And what worried her most of all, was the fact that if Will was right about Hannibal being the Chesapeake Ripper and the Real Copycat, then why did he still want anything to do with him?

And should she say anything to Jack, or let Will have his peace?

Will had a sudden change of heart the day of Hannibal's dinner party. He kind of maybe just a little bit, wanted to go now. Not for the party or the people or even the - he gulped, socializing - no it'd be so he could see Hannibal in a public environment.

He'd drop in. He did get an invitation after all, even if he had declined so rudely. And he still had a key to Hannibal's front door. He'd checked when they shared that dinner a week ago. Hannibal hadn't changed the locks.

Since the only good thing he had was the suit Kailani had forced upon him, he had to subsist to that. Though he had to admit, it did make his ass look nice. And at least it was black. He hated suits that were obscene colors and always wondered how Hannibal managed to make plaid and paisley go so well without looking atrocious.

Will decided to forgo the glasses. It wasn't like they actually helped him at all. He simply used them as a distraction, staring at the rims instead of the eyes of people around him.

His scruff was coming back in thankfully and he no longer looked like a twelve year old boy! He had just a small bit growing, but it was enough to give him a few years back. He still looked young though, early twenties at least, but it was so much better than being a prepubescent boy!

Still, he had to make sure that he looked good since Kailani would ask for details when he finally told her that he went and he had to 'play hard but be charming'. He had to disarm Hannibal with his 'cuteness' - horrible word to use when describing him, really - and yet be distant and aloof at the same time. He was up for a long night.

Will fed the dogs and made sure that he laid out the small mat for Godiva, before leaving the house, making sure to add one more 'fluff' to his hair before dropping the comb on the seat of his car.

The drive to Baltimore was silent with Will simply ruminating on what he'd do for the duration of the party. Hannibal had no doubt invited his opera friends, so if any of the people that had ogled Will from the last performance were in attendance, he'd chat them up. If they weren't there, then Will knew to steer clear of the food.

The entire street was filled with expensive cars and for a moment, Will wished he had a large truck just so he could see over the tops of all of them.

He parked a block away instead and made his way over, clutching the invitation in his hand. He knew for a fact that Hannibal only required people to show their invitation to prove they could join the party. He didn't keep a guest booklet to sign or anything, it was all inside his mind.

For a moment, he marveled over how much he'd listened when Hannibal spoke. Just how long had he been pining?

The man who serviced the door, bowed from the waist and accepted the invitation, waving him inside with a flourish. Will smiled lightly, ignoring the flush creeping up the young man's face.

Hannibal's opulent house had been turned into a mini restaurant. It was ten times worse than the opera had been, but with a little less space for people to mingle in. Waitstaff walked back and forth, offering possible peopletizers to the guests who laughed about inconsequential matters and tilted their heads so their noses were just high enough to display their arrogance.

He had to wonder why Hannibal associated with such people at all. Some of them seemed so… rude.

Classical music was playing, coming from the little group ensconced in the corner. Hannibal held nothing back at these things. His harpsichord was on full display as well and Hannibal stood right beside it, with Alana Bloom smiling at the doctor like he could do no wrong.

Will withheld a scoff.

Across the room, Will saw Jack Crawford and standing with him, was none other than Dr. Chilton.

All around him were familiar faces.

Will easily slipped into a far corner, where he could observe without drawing too much attention. Luckily, he didn't stand out among the crowd and only few spared him any glances.

He took the small armchair in the corner, next to a decorative table holding a vase of Belladonnas. A waiter came by and offered him a glass of something and Will took it graciously, smiling charmingly at the man, who stuttered just a bit in his departure.

A moment later, Will was accosted verbally by Chilton, who was looking at him like he was mad. The man was probably right.

"Well if it isn't the former FBI profiler of renown. What are you… doing at a party hosted by the man you tried to kill?" Chilton asked, feigning ignorance and doing so terribly.

Will smirked, "And what are you doing in the house of a man whom you know is very dangerous and wouldn't think twice about serving you with a nice blood, red sauce?"

Will could play this game all Chilton wanted and his snarky remark drew the man's attention to the hors d'oeuvre in his hand.

Chilton's nose wrinkled and he placed it on a nearby waiter's platter, wiping his fingers together a few times. "You won't find me eating anything here."

"That's okay, you only came to posture yourself to the masses of Baltimore's so called elite. I understand."

Chilton snorted, "Hannibal the Cannibal is not someone I would anger. I don't want him to assume that I'm a threat."

"Keep calling him that and you'll succeed perfectly in doing the exact opposite of your intentions," Will said, a small chuckle slipping form his control. "And you aren't a threat to him, Dr. Chilton, and he revels in that fact."

The man looked decidedly unnerved and gave Will a stiff nod, before wandering off to schmooze the masses, cane tapping obscenely against the floor as he went.

Will was left to himself for about ten minutes before a familiar young man from the opera, found him and claimed his attention.

The man was a subtle flirt, not overbearing and he didn't make Will feel uncomfortable in the least. Will talked amicably with him about a few things and the weather was not one of them. Basically some art and literature.

They were just about to discuss Dante, when a familiar, accented voice washed over them and Will looked up to find Hannibal standing with a flute glass in hand, staring at Will like they were seeing each other for the first time in years.

The young man - Jim, Will remembered - excused himself, though he sounded reluctant and a little annoyed. That cemented the fact that Hannibal was going to kill him. Such rude actions weren't to be tolerated especially in Hannibal's house.

"You decided to come."

Not voiced as a question but Will could certainly see that it was meant to be one.

Will stood slowly, putting he and Hannibal on even ground. "I realized that I may have been a little… harsh in my response to your invitation and decided that perhaps I could make up for my rudeness."

Hannibal's dark eyes flashed a little, but it didn't worry Will in the least.

"Then welcome," Hannibal smiled, placing a hand on the small of Will's back and 'guiding' him across the room and far away from Jim.

Will had come!

Hannibal's memory palace was in full celebration and he didn't feel like stopping it.

He knew how dangerous it was to place his happiness on someone else, but Will was the kind of person who was worth it. Now, how to make Will want to stay for the length of the party?

Hannibal took note of Alana's worry instantly. She'd been nervous about Will for weeks. Despite the fact that Will had been innocent and had not killed anyone but Garret Jacob Hobbs, he had still tried to kill Hannibal - and wasn't wrong with his reasoning - and she was hyper aware of him.

Will barely spoke a few words to her, keeping close to Hannibal's side and ignoring the curious glances of the people around them. Many had thought Alana was Hannibal's date for the evening, but Hannibal didn't have one. Yet. Though he certainly planned to treat Will as if he was Hannibal's date.

"So, did you get to speak to Jack?" Will asked when Alana turned to get another drink from a nearby tray.

Hannibal looked around for the man, having not seen him.

"He was here about half an hour ago, speaking with Chilton."

Hannibal's eyes narrowed, not seeing Jack anywhere and Chilton was standing off to the side, looking uncomfortable and glaring at a platter of hors d'oeuvres as it rested on the table beside him.

"And then Chilton came to bother me."

"Did he want something in particular or simply came to exchange pleasantries?" Hannibal asked, hoping to convey nonchalance but knowing that Will understood his meaning without him having to expound.

Will snorted, "There was nothing that society would consider pleasant about the topic of our conversation."

So it was about Hannibal and the food, basically. Both Chilton and Will knew about Hannibal, but Chilton was as skittish as a lamb and Will was simply ignoring it… possibly. He hadn't brought it up yet so it was the assumption Hannibal would go with until otherwise changed.

Hannibal sent Will a small smile, that Will returned, though his seemed more amused.

"Jack came and left without seeing you. I hope that your food doesn't have any surprises in it."

Hannibal smirked in return, "My butcher is very careful with how he handles his meat and I can assure you that there is nothing wrong with the food, despite former revelations that may linger on the mind."

Will hummed and sipped the rest of his wine, licking his lips when done. "Well, if you say so. In the words of Kailani though, 'if you get caught, you deserve what's coming to you'."

Hannibal had not used any of his special meat in the evening's specials. He wasn't that foolish, especially when Beverly Katz and to a lesser extent Jack Crawford, were looking into him because of things Will had said. He couldn't help a little fanfare though, because drama always spiced life up so nicely.

"I'm flattered by your worry for me, Will."

Will had no rejoinder, but the his small snort spoke volumes.

Hannibal was content to enjoy his evening with Will by his side where he should be. He'd worry about other things later.

A/N: Another is done.

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