𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞: A Hannigram Love Story

Chapter Ten

It was a long journey from the Lecter country home towards the safe house Alana had spoken of. The winding roads were private, hidden, and it was rare if any other vehicles passed them. Darkness coated the never ending pavement, the car's tires gliding across the surface smoothly, like a piece of ice sliding against a marble countertop. There weren't many houses that the two passed by, so the only thing that Will stared at was the almost black silhouettes of the towering trees that made up the lush forest. Raindrops were pitter pattering against the glass of the car, the only thing separating Will from the outside world. The angels were weeping for the torn lovers.

Events that had conspired only a few hours ago seemed like a dissonant dream, like it wasn't real. Watching his lover bleed so heavily was like he'd been shot himself. His heart was bleeding out, stinging with a deep yearning to be reunited with Hannibal. The universe was morbid. It brought the two men together, just to rip them apart over. And over. And over again.

So many questions were borderline boiling over the compartments that used to be tucked so neatly in his mind, which now threatened to spill over. His  psyche was toppling, and his perception was tearing itself apart. It felt like Will was unraveling.

"We'll be there in about an hour," Alana mutters, her tired eyes still fixated on the road. "Do you have any idea as to who may be doing this to you?"

Will took off his glasses, using a clean spot of the fabric of his shirt to clean off the glass frames. He watched as specks of dirt and dried blood were scrubbed from the clearing glass, not responding immediately. "No," he finally replies begrudgingly. "If I would've known who it was, we wouldn't be having this conversation without Hannibal. They'd be dead."

"I'm sorry for what happened with Jack and I," Alana began, "at the hotel. I wasn't trying to-"

"Intrude on my privacy?" Will interrupted. "Force me to hunt after Hannibal?"

"In our defense, you knew where Hannibal was the entire time," Alana countered.

'In your defense', Will thought bitterly. In my defense, I'm in love with a serial killer.

"Will, this wasn't me. I didn't do this to Hannibal."

"It was sloppy," Will says after a few fleeting moments. "The way we were being hunted, I mean. I know it wasn't you, or else it'd be more concise. Whoever is doing this is acting out of- of rage. Anger. Possibly even hurt. He wasn't- aiming for me. He was aiming for Hannibal the entire time. And now he has him." Will pauses. "He shot Winston."

Alana's expression falters, taking a handful of glances at Will apologetically. "Oh, Will...I'm so sorry. Is he..?"

"Dead," Will finishes for her. It wasn't a question, it was a statement of factual information. "He bled out quickly, I think. It went into his neck. It looked like the bullet went into his throat. Right in front of Hannibal's heart. The shooter was hoping it'd go straight through Winston and into him." This realization made all of the color from Will's face to drain. "He's probably dead."

"Not necessarily," Alana says slowly. "Was the shooter ever aiming for you?"

Will shakes his head. "Not that I'm aware of. The bullets were always closer to Hannibal more than myself."

"So he has something that you care about?"

A lightbulb went off in Will's head, and suddenly, he regained some sliver of hope. "You think he might be keeping him alive to target me, to lure me out of the darkness."

"Precisely." Alana makes a turn down a different road, which was alleviating. They must've been getting closer. "When we arrive, do you mind...looking at the crime scene photos-"