She was severely malnourished.

Hannibal was glad forensics had been so quick at their jobs the girl couldn't even stand and when they were done she collapsed into his arms. He could see Alana's surprise as he didn't even wince at the dirtying of his crisp suit.

And yet even in her unconsciousness she clung to him as if afraid even in her sleep that he'd leave her.

When she was at last in a hospital bed, a iv drip full of nutrients feeding her.

At first due to her size they thought her in her early adolescence, but his instincts were telling him otherwise.

She had no telling marks on her body, no identification; a Jane Doe until she woke at least to see if she remembered anything.

A notification from his phone told him that the DNA results came back, the blood wasn't Will Graham's. They checked it across databases but nothing came up, a mystery just like the girl in the bed.

Alana came to relieve him, a fox plushie under her arm, only for a hand to tighten around his and a hoarse whisper, "What a pretty little fox, who is it for?"

"For you little one."

Blue eyes glanced at him and he shrugged with a wry smile, a dry chuckle came from the girl.

Her other hand lifting to take the fox, she curled it into her side before speaking in a whisper full of humor, "I am 25."

"Oh." Alana looked like she was going to take the plushie back but stopped when the young woman tightened her grip on it.

"I like foxes though, sly and mischievous creatures. They do love a good game."

Alana blushed, looking at Hannibal at he'd save her from embarrassment.

"I'll just..tell them you are awake."

"What's your name?" Were the first words he spoke to the young woman now that she was awake.

She turned her head toward him, "I've had so many, how should I choose?"

"What's your favorite one?"

She closed her eyes and he thought at first she might have fallen unconscious again, but then she opened those blue eyes again.

"I don't have a favorite one. Would you like to name me?"

"You would give me such a great honor?"

She nodded.

The smallest smirk came to his lips, as she had been found in Will Graham's house... "Willa or Willow? Which do you prefer?"

She gave him her own little smirk as if she knew what he was doing, and perhaps she did.

"Willows often symbolize grief and mourning but they can also symbolize immortality and rebirth. A bit on the nose... No, I think I will pick Willa."

"Willa Renard." He nodded toward the fox and she gave him a bright parched lip smile.

--

Hannibal would never admit he was reluctant to leave when Willa let go of his hand to let him go home and rest.

He found himself there bright and early the next morning, something about the strange young woman drawing him toward her. She was honest in a way that others would find dangerous, and yet he found she didn't really reveal much either.

Taking a look in her dim lit room he saw she was still asleep, taking a quick glance around before checking her chart he noticed her name now listed as Willa Renard (Jane Doe) then further down the chart was something quite curious. "Claims to have AGS (alpha-gal syndrome) but specific to only mammal meat."

His eyebrow rose, how curious with a sprinkle of convenient.