The next day, Rana was summoned early into Jack's office, without a proper explanation. When she entered, she realised she was the last person they expected since Hannibal, Will and Alana sat in the three chairs opposite Jack; with only his wooden desk separating them.

"What is going on?" she asked with an eyebrow lifted, considering it had been months since the last time all four of them were gathered.

She walked and took her usual standing seat by the wall, leaning faintly on it and looking from Jack at the other three, who seemed to be as clueless as she was.

"Nicholas Boyle turned up in Minnesota, dead." He informed, causing different emotions in each one of them but the main one was surprise. " He was found in the woods. Frozen. And then he thawed out pretty fast. They couldn't say if he died this week or six weeks ago. Or the night he disappeared."

Hannibal hid his shock and concern with expertise, his eyes glancing for a moment at Rana. The FBI agent showed that she was equally shocked by the news but nothing more since she knew more about the dead body.

She felt his eyes on her and for a moment, adverted her attention to the smart Doctor; since he was the one responsible for taking care of the body. She had not forgotten about that fateful night, her guilt coming back during her dreams or early waking hours to devour parts of her soul.

As time passed, she managed to move on since it was not the first big lie and cover-up she had done; especially one that she hid from Jack. However, it did not mean that it made her feel any less guilty or happy.

"How did he die?" Alana asked since no one else seemed willing to.

"Knife wound. He'd been gutted." Jack explained, causing Hannibal's senses to be on high alert. "Have the body flown down here. I want Abigail Hobbs to identify it"

This immediately made the two Alphas focus more, their shock and inner thinking paused for a moment.

"You already have a positive ID" Hannibal reminded him.

"Not by Abigail Hobbs."

"You can't put her in a room with Nick Boyle's body. She already has nightmares about him" Alana said, quickly rushing to defend the young girl.

"I am curious why"

Rana decided to speak up finally; feeling that Jack was once again putting too much focus on Abigail and that was bad. "Because he attacked her, Jack. In her very own house. I believe this is enough to cause nightmares" she reminded him, her voice stable and hiding any annoyance that had started to build up.

"You can't seriously think she had anything to do with this?" Will said, being the last to speak and also rushing to defend Abigail.

Jack glanced at each one of them, surprised that they all rushed to defend or take her side. It was suspicious and he would not help but wonder if they knew something more. He was not sure and he was not ready to go make such bold accusations, especially against them.

"I think she's the common denominator. Her father, Marissa Schuur, and Nick Boyle, all come back to her. My instinct is she's still got answers I haven't heard." Jack informed, not once showing any remorse for Abigail.

It was clear since day 1 that Jack had his eyes on the young girl and considered her a suspect, if not an accomplice to her father. It was one of the key reasons why Rana agreed to let Hannibal hide the body and protect Abigail, for Jack would not have let her escape all that.

His instinct, while right most of the time, was now being prominent at the wrong time. Usually, Rana would respect it but considering what was at stake, she could not help but momentarily hate it for all the inconvenience it caused.

Not to mention, she did not like how the supposed well-hidden body was suddenly found. She was certain Hannibal would not have done a sloppy job and if it was meant to be found, it would later; hopefully years later when all of this would have been forgotten.

"What are the questions?" Will asked him, curious but also careful.

"I'll start with where she goes when she climbs the walls at the psychiatric facility. Maybe she was meeting Nick Boyle. None of us know what was really between them."

Hannibal tensed, which was unlike him. There was another passive and silent eye exchange with Rana, whose muscles had started to stiffen under the sudden pressure. Will, on the other hand, looked furious at the accusations; his instincts kicking in to protect Abigail more than ever.

"I want to be on record as saying this is a very bad idea. " Alana said, being the one that showed to keep her professionalism the most and having the least amount of micro-reactions to the news. She looked at her former teacher. "Hannibal?"

"Jack looks like a man with no interest in any opinion but his own." He said, his words couldn't be more true.

Jack then stood up. "Alana. I'd like you to observe"

However, Will still had something to say. "If you're putting Abigail in a room with the body, I want to be there"

"No." Was the quick response from Jack, as if he was expecting such a statement from him. "I'm not confident in your objectivity when it comes to Abigail Hobbs."

Thankfully, Rana found the perfect time to interfere as she kicked herself off the wall. "Then let me be present," she said, making Jack look at her.

For a moment, he felt the need to argue. He was not sure how close he was with Abigail, considering he had been aware of any visits. He only knew that she was responsible for the Hospital and the reports on Abigail, which she then transferred to him.

However, as he looked into her determined eyes; he could not help but leave a sigh of defeat. If people said that Jack himself was stubborn, it was because they had never met Rana. She could be equally if not more, especially when her mind was set on something.

In the end, he gave a small nod to his head. "Very well, Rana. I will call you when Abigail is here to meet us at the Morgue" he said and then turned to the female psychiatrist. "Alana"

With no other word, the two of them left the room as the eyes of the three wolfskins watched them in silence. The moment the door closed and they were all alone, a heavy sigh left their lips.

"He could do Abigail irreparable damage, exposing her to this," Will commented, passing a hand over his face.

Rana chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment. "Or damage to us. Seeing the dead body could cause her to act up and it will only take a moment to expose us all" she said, voicing her biggest worry.

After the incident at the Hospital during their visit, it was clear that Abigail lacked control. Unfortunately, Rana could not help her with that or anyone else. That control came from one's mentality and emotions.

Abigail was full of them, feeling them tenfold since she had only recently changed; which only made things worse. A sudden burst of emotion could be enough for her eyes to show and even if it is for a moment, the risk is too much.

Hannibal was quiet for a moment, understanding her worry but there was not much he or anyone could do. Jack had made up his decision and what they could only do, was to wait and see what would happen next.

"Perhaps Abigail is stronger than we think." He finally said, earning a look from them.

"Let us hope so, for our sake" the female Alpha commented.


It was not long before Jack called Rana to meet her outside the morgue. Abigail had already been brought into the BAU and was standing next to Alana, clearly uncomfortable under Jack's sharp gaze.

Upon noticing her, there was this small relief in her eyes; like a child that felt lost until it spotted its mother coming their way to save them. The look she gave Rana was one she had never seen before but she could sense this sudden strong need to protect the child at all costs.

Without another word, Jack led them into the morgue and towards the freezer. Alana and Rana stood at each side of Abigail while Jack was across from them. He pulled out one of the drawers, exposing a body covered by a plain white sheet.

"Miss Hobbs, I want you to look at this man and tell me if it's the same one who attacked you and Dr Bloom. Dr Lecter and Agent Stones in your home?

Rana glanced at the young girl, picking up how her heart had started to beat faster and faster, her senses getting all attuned. There was a clear urge to flee but she remained where she was, about to face her demons.

The female agent placed her hand on the girl's shoulder, her hand heavy but oddly comforting. For a moment, it help Abigail to ground herself and stop before she lost control. She took a deep breath, now more than ever that Rana was by her side; while fully dismissing Alana.

Jack glanced at his former protégé but said nothing and instead pulled back the sheet to reveal Nick Boyle's naked torso. He was still recognizable but he had thawed out and decomposition was setting in fast. There were lesions on his face and a pink front was visible around his lips.

The long ugly wound in his abdomen was tattered and wide, and the bone of his ribs was showing around the edges where decomposition had been quicker.

The gruesome image was a bright and clear reminder of what she had done, of what she had caused by killing him. Everything was too much that suddenly, she felt different.

She was hyper-aware of everything around her, from the silence amongst them to the loud ticking of a wall clock and even her breathing. There was this numbness in her ears, her palms sweaty and her mouth dry, as if she had not drunk water in days.

She felt that inner need and that surge, clawing its way out; trying to be free. Her instincts were kicking in harder than ever, making her so dizzy that she felt she could faint. The warm hand on her shoulder offered a sudden squeeze and she swore she felt the warmth coming from it, as if she was next to a fire.

The warmth spread across her body and it reminded her that she was not alone. In addition, it reminded Abigail of one more thing. It reminded her that she could not lose control, not under the sharp and steel gaze of Jack.

If she did, she could expose herself not only for whom she was but also for her involvement with the body. When that would happen, who could tell her that Hannibal and Rana would not be exposed next?

No, she couldn't let that happen. She had lost her first and original family in the cruellest way possible. She had been shunned and shamed, mocked and bullied for things she had no control over. She had only now, found a new family where she felt she could belong even if Will's absence was annoying her.

She could and was not willing to risk losing it all, not again.

"That's him" she finally said, her voice oddly calm but little quiet while she still fought for control.

Jack looked at her carefully, glancing occasionally at Rana as she had yet to take her hand off Abigail. He understood was most likely an instinct or some sort of moral support but it was not what he wanted or expected from her at that time.

"Have you seen this man since the night he attacked you?" he asked the young girl.

Abigail lifted her gaze to look at him, holding the stare before glancing at the body again. "Could you cover him up?" she asked, still trying her best to remain in control and also play enough acting so Jack would not suspect anything.

"I need you to answer the question," he said but did not make any move to cover the body.

Alana went to do it herself and pull the sheet over the corpse but Jack stayed her hand, all while his eyes never leaving Abigail's form.

Abigail looked at everyone, her lip trembling slightly but managing to hold her control impressively well. "No. I haven't seen him since... he attacked me"

"Nicholas Boyle was gutted. With a hunting knife. You knew how to do that. Your father taught you?" Jack stated, deciding to try and interrogate her now that he had the chance and she was not in her best state.

Alana, quickly stepped in, clearly disagreeing. "Jack, I won't be a party to this," she said, hoping somehow to make him stop it.

However, the man barely glanced at her without a single care in the world. "Then leave. You're here by invitation and courtesy, Dr. Bloom. Please don't interrupt again." He said, angering Alana to the point that she looked ready to curse but she said nothing. He then looked at his former protégé. "The same goes for you, Agent Stones," he said and then focused for a moment too long on her hand, still on Abigail's shoulder.

Realizing the silent minute, she clenched her jaw but withdrew her hand; letting it fall on her side. She could hear the faint breath intake from Abigail, clearly not liking the sudden emptiness and coldness with her hand gone.

"You think I did this?" she finally asked, looking at him.

"Where do you go when you escape your hospital, Abigail?"

"Sometimes into the city. Sometimes into the woods. Sometimes just out. I go get away from this, to be alone where I can think... breathe"

"Did you meet Nicholas Boyle? Did he know you before? Did he know your father? "

Rana kept glancing at Abigail, keeping track of her breathing and her responses. Jack started to pressure her a lot, using his usual technique of constant questions that were meant to pressure someone enough to confess.

She knew that technique, she had seen it and she had even used it herself during interrogation. It was challenging, especially for someone not in the best confidence or one trying to lie in his face without giving anything away.

Surprisingly, Abigail remained the same. "No." Was her simple reply.

Jack, however, was not satisfied yet. "You know nothing about his death?"

"I know he tried to kill me...And when he was trying to kill me, all I could think was I was going to die in that house after all... But I didn't. I survived" she said and looked first at Rana and then at Alana. "Agent Stones, Dr Bloom and Dr Lecter saved my life. They saved me from him" Rana could not help but offer the faintest of smiles.

"You haven't seen this man since?"

"Only in my nightmares"

There were no more questions left and Jack covered the corpse of Nick Boyle, causing a small stream of air to escape Abigail's mouth. Alana quickly placed both hands on her shoulders in a gentle and caring manner.

"Why don't we go get you some water, Abigail?" she asked and glared at Jack, clearly angry about all of this.

She then guided the girl out of the morgue, leaving Jack and Rana to stand there alone; with the corpse in the middle. The scene, suddenly, felt all too familiar in her mind only that Rana was not the adult 30-year-old woman she was currently, but a young child; younger than Abigail.

"I was wondering how objective you could be with her" Jack finally said, breaking the silence existing between them.

Rana glanced from where Alana had left with Abigail to Jack, seeing his stern gaze. She was not affected by it but she did feel the slightest of guilt because she knew what he meant.

"I was as much as I could. I do not believe that small contact played a role" she said, trying to keep her voice casual. "Plus, you wanted to do the same to me back then; only that you hesitated. To be honest, if someone had done that to me back then, I know it would have been better for me"

There was this new emotion in his dark eyes, one that not many would see. "Your case was different, Rana. You were not involved in their murder, she might be. You were also a child back then, barely past the age of 11" he reminded her, his tone less strict.

"Does it matter, Jack? She had been through hell as well and so did I. Suspect or not, she is still a child and deserves some humanised treatment" she said, not once breaking eye contact with her.

Jack did not say anything else, but it was clear he was thinking about it. He understood what Rana said and why he sympathized with Abigail. For that fateful day of their first encounter, he would never be able to forget.

Sometimes, when he looked at her, he could still see that silent little girl covered in blood that was not hers. Shaking that image off his mind, he closed the drawer shut with little more force than he intended, for he had no suspect to pin Nick Boyle's murder.

"Take Abigail back to the Hospital. I need to have a talk with Alana about her interrupting" he said and she gave a nod before she headed to find Dr. Bloom and Abigail.