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Will is standing outside of Hannibal’s house and has Garret Jacob Hobbs standing in front of him with a gun pointed at his temple. He needs Hannibal to confirm this isn’t another one of his delusions. He just needs Hannibal.
“Will, what are you doing here?” They’re now standing in his dining room, Will between Hobbs and Hannibal. Hannibal’s eyes flickering from Will to Hobbs, but he doesn’t seem to notice, he’s too far gone.
“Nothing feels real, I feel like I’m losing mind! I can’t differentiate between what’s real and what’s not. I just- I didn’t know where else to go…” His voice trailing off. He puts his gun back up towards Hobbs, not realizing he let his hands fall.
Hannibal’s voice doesn’t falter, “You’re in Baltimore, Maryland. Your name is Will Graham. Will, repeat after me. You’re in-“
“I don’t care! I just need you- I need you to tell me if he’s real.” Will’s voice is shaky, he doesn’t have time for Hannibal’s grounding techniques.
“Who do you see, Will? Who’s standing there?” Hannibal eyes Gideon, gesturing him to be quiet.
Will, softly, “Garret Jacob Hobbs.” He’s shaking, the gun tight in his grasp. He’s making direct eye contact, ready to pull the trigger.
“I don’t see anyone. There’s no one there.” That alone cause Will to convulse, shaking his head. He doesn’t believe him. Garret Jacob Hobbs is right there. He’s right there and he is going to kill him.
At Hannibal and Will’s next session a week later, they talk about his delusions and the event that happened at Hannibal’s house the week prior. Hannibal is worried for Will (he’s not, but he has to carry on the charade. He can’t let Will find him out).
“Will, have you discussed with another doctor about these delusions you have been experiencing? I think it would be good for you to have another person’s judgment.” Hannibal is calm. He can’t let his person suit start to unravel. Not in front of Will, not yet at least.
“I’ve tried. I know I should have consulted you beforehand, but to be frank with you Dr. Lecter, you haven’t been quite helpful in the slightest.” Hannibal blinks as a means for him to continue speaking. “My hallucinations have been getting worse. I’m not sleeping, and if I end up falling asleep, I wake up in unusual locations or I’m having nightmares. Your techniques work in the current moment, but not in the long run.” He’s quite upset and making sure Hannibal is aware.
“What has your doctor said about this?” Completely ignoring Will’s words, he’ll have to deal with that later. “Have they discussed giving you the proper care you’re looking for?” Not showing he wants Will under his care. Yes, he’s caused these hallucinations, but for good reason. Will is so close to finding out he’s the Chesapeake Ripper, he has to keep him far from finding him out and this was the best way to go about doing so. Without killing him, of course. Though, tasting Will’s flesh would make Hannibal pleased. He wonders how he’d taste.
Will is still pacing, Hannibal’s eyes following him as he walks back and forth. “They’re not doing much. They said they can’t properly give me treatment without insurance, which I have , but it’s not enough apparently. ‘We’re doing the best we can with your current insurance, but our hands are tied. I’m afraid you have no other option.’ It’s just too expensive.”
“Well, Will, it just seems like you’re more so stressed with work. On top of that, Jack hasn’t given you a break. I think he’s more to blame.” Hannibal will have to do more research regarding Will’s insurance holder. He has a few words he wants to say with him.
“My job is important. I’m helping people, I save lives.” Will doesn’t even get to finish his speech on why he can’t just “take a break” from work before Hannibal interrupts him.
“I’m afraid our time here has ended, Will. I shall see you again soon.” Hannibal is ushering him out. Not wasting a second, he’s pulling out his tablet to look him up.
Not long after, he’s found himself on the sidewalk outside of the Manhattan Hotel, briskly walking behind the United HealthCare CEO, but keeping his distance.
He pulls the gun out from his vinyl poncho pocket and takes his shot. The echo of the gunshot is prominent. As if shooting him wasn’t enough, he strides forward a little quicker and once he’s caught up with his body twitching on the concrete, Hannibal takes his neck in his hands and bashes his skull on the sidewalk.
With his face close to his, he says, “Killing must feel good to God, too. He does it all the time, it must feel good to you, doesn’t it?”
It wasn’t for a few weeks before headlines start to show up.
UNITED HEALTHCARE CEO FATALLY SHOT OUTSIDE MANHATTAN HOTEL.
Citizens heard a single gunshot, blood stained sidewalk outside the building, but FBI didn’t find the body until two weeks later, mangled and contorted into the shape of a heart. It took them three days to identify who this body belonged to.
This was Hannibal’s love note to Will.