Chapter Text
Will adjusted his tie for what seemed like the eighth time that hour. Despite his protests of not being nervous he couldn't stop twitching. A spec of dust on his suit, a lock of hair out of place. All seemed to require his immediate and utmost attention today.
"Still not nervous?" Alana asked with a grin as she came up behind him and placed her hands on his shoulder. Will smirked and tried hard not to blush
"For some reason today I've seemed to adopted the personality of a perfectionist" will said as he smoothed down his hair again, for the fourteenth time that day.
"It's only natural" Alana said helping to smooth down his out of place hair. "It is a big commitment and nerves are only natural, even when you love the person" she took a step forward so as to see his reaction.
Will had a full blown smile on his face and finally, unable to control the blush creeping up on him had spread to his cheeks. Today was his wedding day. Even after a six month engagement Will still had a hard time wrapping his head around the idea that he was going to be married. Not such an unusual event, as thousands of people were married all over the world everyday. What was so hard to believe that today he would now be one of them. He, William Graham, Empath and Profiler to the FBI, had found someone who has not only willing, but wanted to spend their life with him. Though it had taken many obstacles and hurdles to get to this point Will was finally marrying the man he loved, Frederick Chilton.
If someone had come to him three years ago and told him that he would one day find himself in a relationship with his, at the time, hated psychiatrist he would have probably beaten them to a pulp in a fit a rage at the thought of one day being with the man who was his tormentor, while he was imprisoned at the Baltimore State Institution for the criminally insane, when he was imprisoned for being suspected of being the Chesapeake Ripper.
Will shook his head at his turn of thoughts, not wanting to revisit these terrible memories. For soon enough he was cleared on all charges when it was proven that Hannibal Lecter was the Chesapeake ripper but not before Will was eviscerated, Alana thrown out a window, Jack stabbed in the neck and Fredrick, who found himself at the time imprisoned when he too came under suspicion of being the Chesapeake ripper, was shot by Mariam Lance and was severally disfigured from his wounds. Though he was able to hide his disfigurement through makeup, false teeth and contacts it was a thing which in more than a few instances Will found himself trying to comfort the older man as it gave Fredrick bouts of low self esteem and and with that depression in the belief that he was too hideous for anyone to ever want him. Let alone Will, whose soft curly hair, and piercing eyes, gave him an almost angelic appearance.
Will shook his head once again at the painful thoughts. He would not let them to ruin what was suppose to be the Happiest day of his life, of both of their lives.
Instead he turned his thoughts to when their courtship began. After Hannibal left him to die on his kitchen floor it didn't take long for paramedics to arrive. Due to the seriousness of his injuries Will was sent in for emergency surgery the second he arrived. Almost miraculously he survived. Hannibal, obviously didn't want him to die, if he had he would be dead, he only wanted to wound him.
Due to Will having no family, and with Alana and Jack recovering from their own injuries Will received little to no visitors. So it was a surprise when during one late afternoon while he was still recovering in the hospital, Frederick Chilton walked in.
“Expecting someone else?” Chilton asked, almost timidly.
While he had been the last person Will had expected to see he was grateful for the company, even if it was from a man who, the the time, he thought he despised.
“I’ve been better off to not expect. I would have been nothing but disappointed so far if I had.” Will said meaning to lighten the mood but seeing the hurt look on Chilton’s face he could see that his comment had the opposite affect.
“I’m sorry, having been cut open and left for dead has robbed me of my good mood Will said as he placed his left hand upon his bandaged abdomen. “Please” he nodded towards the chair next to the bed, indicating for Chilton to sit down.
“You know he has escaped, possibly to somewhere in Europe" Chilton informed Will as he eased himself into the chair keeping his grip on the walking stick he has used ever since he had been cut open and had his organs removed by Abel Gideon, another former patient.
Will didn’t need to ask to know who he was speaking of. He knew once he had been discovered, Hannibal would most likely flee the country for somewhere abroad.
“Good Riddance” Will said with a sigh
“You aren’t going to go after him?” Chilton asked surprised.
Even though he should, Will just couldn’t bring himself to care. He had enough of Hannibal Lecter and the misery that came with him. Let someone else, whether it be someone else in the FBI or Interpol go after him. Will wanted peace.
“I allowed Hannibal to pull me into his darkness once. I won’t allow it again by going after him. That is what he would want, for me to chase him to where he is going so that he could draw me in again. I won’t allow it, Dr. Chilton”
“Frederick, please” Chilton said as he leaned his hand heavily on his walking stick. “And I don’t blame you” he continued “Having been a witness to the horrors he was capable of I wouldn’t want to return there either.”
Surprised at Chilton’s understanding and unwillingness to urge Will to take revenge, Fredrick provided what he desperately needed at the time understanding and a sympathetic ear. He found himself talking about anything and everything that didn't involve Hannibal Lecter. He spoke about his dogs, his home in Wolf Trap, Virginia, he spoke about working as a teacher, he spoke about anything that would help him to forget, at least for a moment to forget what had happened to him.
Before he knew it two hours had passed and he found himself being drawn, unwillingly into the depths of sleep.
"It was good speaking to you, I really enjoyed it" Fredrick said as he went to stand so he could leave Will to sleep.
Before Will even knew what he was saying he asked of the man he would have treated with scorn a day ago if he would be back soon since he did not think he would be released from the hospital anytime soon.
Surprised for the second time that day Frederick swallowed hard before he answered slowly "I can come back sometime later this week if you would like?"
“Thank you, Frederick.” Will whispered, just starting to drift off into sleep while smiling, the first one he had since before he was injured.