What Could Have Been- A Hannigram Fanfiction

We Could Disappear Now

"The most glaring example I can think of is the night before I stabbed you." Hannibal reaches around to caress Will's stomach. He traces the wide scar gently with his fingers, almost apologetically. "When I offered up the opportunity to leave early."

"Oh, man." Will leans his head back. "The greatest mistake I've ever made was refusing that offer. I could have saved us so much trouble." He chuckles, but not with humor. His face has flushed red.

"Again, there is no need for regret." Hannibal pulls him close. The television program has been long forgotten, the sound on mute. "We are merely entertaining possibilities."

"I'll entertain the possibility that I agreed to go. So, you tell me-- what would have happened then?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We could disappear now. Tonight."

Will turned his head to look at Hannibal, searching for any sign of deceit or manipulation. There was nothing-- just that blank stare that he always held.

"Feed your dogs," he continued, "leave a note for Alana and Jack, and never see either of them again." He smiled softly. "Almost polite."

Will stayed quiet for a long while. After all of this planning, all of this artifice, he'd never considered just...leaving. He'd despaired for months over what he was going to do when the day finally came, and he often found himself wanting to go with Hannibal. He just didn't want to deal with the bloodshed that was bound to come with that choice. He didn't want to see Jack, his colleague, his friend, murdered in cold blood.

He didn't want to side with a killer.

"I...the thought never really crossed my mind, to be honest." He rubbed his temple, staring down at the floor. The office was dark, so it was hard to pick up on Hannibal's microexpressions. He wondered if that was intentional.

"What is stopping you from agreeing right away?" Hannibal tilted his head. "What holds you back? Because if your allegiance lies with me, then you would have already agreed."

Will felt his heart sink down to his stomach. He slowly lifted his gaze up to Hannibal's, noticing a glint in his eye.

"...You already know," he said softly.

"No matter what happens, we are about to make some big headlines, Will. I'm glad that Freddie Lounds is still around to enjoy the story."

Will closed his eyes and slumped down in his chair, defeated.

"Tell me what holds you back."

"My morality. Desperately trying to hang on by a thread." He sighed. "Even though I've already bridged the gap between morally grey and just plain evil. I've destroyed everyone in my wake."

"We've spoken of this. Destruction and evil are not connected. Are thunderstorms evil? Hurricanes, tsunamis?" He leaned forward towards Will. "The redwoods would not flourish without the wildfires."

"I don't know why I'm still trying to hang on. Trying to do the right thing when all I've been doing is wrong."

"You don't want to face who you truly are. And that's understandable, up to a point. I believe we've reached that point." He frowned. "You have deceived me, Will."

"I have. But I also haven't." Without thinking, he reached forward and grabbed Hannibal's hand. "Killing Randall, displaying his body the way I did-- that was the truth. All of that was the truth."

"Of course. I saw it with my own eyes. But you were working with Jack Crawford the whole time, making sure you were granted immunity. None of it counts."