I'm sorry for the delay in updates, midterms were truly hellish :\ BUT I did really well on them so YAY! Also I apologize if this seems ooc or rushed, I hope it's okay.
Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING
On the elevator ride up to Jack's office, Hannibal watched as Will fidgeted beside him. He pondered for a moment if Will would fidget the same way in other situations, but let the thought dissolve away. "Does informing Jack bother you that much?" Hannibal asked.
Will halted his fidgeting and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Not particularly, Jack is just prone to yelling," Will said.
"He is a rather loud man."
"You haven't heard him yell at you."
"Perhaps he'll yell at me this time?" Hannibal's suggestion was rewarded with an amused grin. "I will have to be properly scolded for snatching up his best profiler."
The comment encouraged a laugh out of Will. "Is that what you've done? Have I been snatched up? Am I your next victim?"
Hannibal was mildly impressed with Will's audacity to imply his hobby while in the territory of his would be captors. "Never a victim, dear Will, though it does paint a very alluring picture. Tell me, do you enjoy the image of me snatching you up? Stealing you from those around you, because I can assure you they will not be getting you back."
Will's small shudder made Hannibal's grin come back. "Yes, you are very intimidating and attractive, now come on, we can't avoid telling him for much longer."
Informing Jack that they were soulmates went as well as they believed it would go. He had looked at the two with narrowed eyes, searching for any hint of a lie.
"Are you sure that you are soulmates?" Jack asked, "Because I know you want to get out of seeing a psychiatrist, Will."
Hannibal felt rage bubble up in his chest at the accusation, but managed to quell his anger for the moment. It wouldn't do him any good to murder the man in front of him even if it was to defend the honor of his soulmate. It was an odd feeling, to suddenly be compelled to truly look out for another with good intentions in mind.
Will made a noise beside him and decided to speak up. "I watched my eye color drain from his and pool with his own. I felt connected and whole for the first time without having to gaze into the depths of smoke and mirrors of my dreams. I know he's my soulmate, Jack," Will said, his voice tight.
It was wonderful to be able to bask in the glory of Will, to listen to his other half defend their destined state. Hannibal had not felt this taken by someone since Mischa, and he knew the feeling would only grow as time passed and they got to know each other better.
"I may add that I am transferring Will to a colleague of mine to take over his sessions," Hannibal said, "Bedelia Du Maurier is an excellent psychiatrist and is well respected in the field. I'm sure I can coax her out of retirement to at least take on Will." He did not add that she was his own psychologist as well, but he did not feel compelled to tell Jack this. He watched with no small amount of amusement as Jack heaved a heavy sigh.
"I suppose a congratulations is in order?" Jack asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I am happy for you both, but there are some things we need to discuss."
Feeling pleased that Jack dropped his skepticism of their relationship, he settled in to listen to what Jack had to say.
"Abigail Hobbs woke up from her coma and her doctors thought it would be for the best that she was moved to Port Haven Psychiatric facility," Jack said, shuffling the papers on his desk.
Will nodded his head absently. "Does she have any remaining family members to look after her?" Will asked.
"No, and even if she had any they won't come forth to claim her. Her house has been sold and the money will go to the families of her father's victims," Jack replied.
Hannibal watched as Will fished for more information on Abigail. It would seem Will's pure empathy has decided to connect him with her as a paternal figure. Hannibal lets the thought mull around his brain. If Will wishes to become her father, Hannibal will as well. He has not been any sort of familial figure since Mischa and he wonders if Abigail will act in similar patterns. If nothing else, it will be entertaining to watch it play out.
"Would it be possible for us to see her, Jack?" Hannibal asked, inserting himself into the conversation.
Jack stared at him before leaning back in his chair. "It won't be for long and I can't guarantee that she'll want to see you," he said, directing the last bit at Will.
"Perhaps she won't, but I think she could use a familiar face even if that face isn't one she wants to see again," Will said.
-Koi No Yokan-
Abigail looked better than Will thought she would. Her neck was wrapped in thick, white gauze and her eyes had dark circles underneath them, but other than that she looked fine. She stared at Hannibal and him with suspicion, but that seemed to dissipate as time went on.
"Abigail, you're looking well," Hannibal said, walking closer to her. Will envied the ease in which he was able to switch his skins, and tried to mimic his calmness.
"Who are you?" Abigail asked, clenching her hands in her sheets.
"I am Dr. Hannibal Lecter, and this is FBI Agent Will Graham," Hannibal said.
"You're the one who killed my dad," She said, looking into Will's eyes.
Usually Will would have felt wounded by hearing someone say that and avoid eye contact, but he made sure he kept it with her. "Yes," Will said, "I was trying to save your life."
Abigail looked like she wanted to say something else, but she just nodded her head. Not wanting to lose her attention just yet, Will pulled out the gift he had brought with him.
"I thought you might want something like this," Will said, handing Abigail the scarf. Hannibal had been the one to pick it out, but had insisted that Will be the one to give it to her. "It's a fashion statement and people won't look too closely into it."
Abigail's previously closed off expression perked up at the proffered gift. "Thank you," she said softly, moving the fabric to delicately encircle her neck. It was a deep red color and Will remembered the hesitance he had about Hannibal's choice in color when he noticed that it looked like blood. "So, why are you here?"
Will fumbled with the right words to say when Hannibal spoke up. "We understand that none of your family is stepping into the parental role you need. We have come to offer to be your guardians," Hannibal said.
Will and Abigail stared at Hannibal in bafflement. Will hadn't expected Hannibal to be so direct, and had been expecting a more subtle ease into the idea. Abigail looked hesitant and confused about the idea.
"You want to be my dads?" She asked.
"Only if you so desire," Hannibal said.
Seeing Abigail's hesitancy still prevail through her eyes, Will decided to step in. "If you want, we can get to know each other before you make your decision."
Abigail stared intensely at both of them before nodding her head slowly. "I- yeah that might work," she said quietly, "I just don't know anything about you and you don't know anything about me so I just don't know why you want to adopt me."
"Paternal instinct can set in at a moment's notice, and Will's instinct set in when he first laid eyes on you," Hannibal said calmly.
Will coughed awkwardly and turned his attention to Abigail's side table. "Does your soulmate know you're here?" Will asked.
Abigail's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know I have a soulmate?" she asked.
"I have an inclination to people's actions, sometimes their thoughts," Will said.
Of course Hannibal wasn't satisfied with Will's lackluster answer. "Will has a remarkably vivid imagination. Beautiful, pure empathy. There is nothing that he can't understand," Hannibal said, pride licking at his words.
"Except social situations, I can't understand those," Will added, to help break any tension that was building. It garnered a smile from Abigail, so Will counted that as a win.
"She doesn't know I'm here," Abigail admitted, "Actually, Marissa only knows that my dad murdered my mom and tried to murder me."
"So she does not know that you're alright?" Hannibal asked. Seeing Abigail confirm this, he continued. "Would you like to visit her?"
Abigail's eyebrows shot up. "Are you serious?" Abigail asked, "I thought I wasn't allowed to leave."
Will watched as Hannibal's lips spread into a small smile. "I hear your psychiatrist is Alana Bloom, I believe that I can convince her to accompany us on our visit," he said.
It was interesting to see Hannibal and Abigail get along so well, not that Will was complaining. Having a soulmate was turning out to be more interesting than he thought. He just had to hope his soulmate didn't exercise his hobby while they were on this trip.
Or at least extend the invitation to have Will come with him. Perhaps it was because they'd finally met and the bond had formed, but Will couldn't find it in himself to truly deny the exhilaration of Hannibal's hobby. Murder husbands, he could see it now.
There it is! I hope you enjoyed this chapter *gives you all a plate of cookies and a glass of milk* Please leave a review if you have time and tell me what you think! :D