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[abrightboy]

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[abrightboy]

It’s not like Malcolm never cries.

“You know… the biggest and worst problems in my life were because of my father, but… not everything that he left with me was bad. If you want to hold on to something… something that was… special…. There’s nothing wrong with that, either.”

[empathicfault]

He rubs at his face a few more times as he thinks that over. "Yeah, I suppose not. They were few and far between, but- I found him in an art gallery in Florence once. We enjoyed the Boticelli exhibit. Nothing wrong with that."

Not until Will tried to stab him, anyway. But that was after they'd left.

"It makes it harder, when there are good things mixed in. Doesn't it?" he asks quietly. "Like you have to, somehow, judge pieces of a person, not the whole."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm nods grimly.

“Relationships are complicated. Love is complicated. And it doesn’t go away just because you want it to or just because you realize it’s bad for you. …Your stories… you never mention anyone in your life that you really could rely on.”

[empathicfault]

"There wasn't much," Will concedes. "My Dad tried, but he was a single parent and a cop- it's a lot to juggle when you've got a 'special needs' sort of kid. I kind of floated through everything else. My time at the FBI was...not supportive. The one person I found recently, she- I ruined it."

He looks up at Malcolm. "I mentioned I was married. Molly- she was fantastic. Supportive and beautiful. She liked dogs as much as I did. And she was innocent. She didn't know the world I'd run away from, even after I told her. She didn't know until Hannibal sent the Great Red Dragon to her house to kill her and Walter. All because I couldn't say no to..." He searches for a word. "-hunting again."

He has gotten off track, he realizes. He didn't mean for that to go so sour. "But the couple of years I had with her were good. I felt relatively safe, for a short while."

[abrightboy]

“She left after that?” Malcolm clarifies. “You weren’t in touch anymore afterwards?”

[empathicfault]

"We couldn't go back home, not until the Dragon was taken care of," Will explains. "He wasn't used to failure, he would've just gone after them again. I talked to her and Walter in the hospital and- we weren't the same people we'd been when I'd seen her last."

The look she'd given him was heartbreaking, and he'd put it on her face. "I resolved to finish things- with the Dragon, with Hannibal- one way or another. So that's where we left it."

[abrightboy]

"Did she blame you?" Malcolm asks.

[empathicfault]

"She was trying really, really hard not to," Will replies. "I think if Walter hadn't been there, it would've been a lot easier for her."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm watches him for a long moment.

"Do you blame you?"

[empathicfault]

"Yes."

It's quiet, but he's not denying it.

[abrightboy]

“Do you ever blame him?” Malcolm asks.

[empathicfault]

Will breaks into a bit of laughter, and he realizes it sounds rather unhinged. "That is why I tried to kill him multiple times, yes."

He shakes his head a bit, calming down. "But this one- it's on me. He'd turned himself in after I told him I didn't want to see him anymore. He put himself in that same damn hospital so I would 'always know where to find' him. All I had to do? Was not go there."

[abrightboy]

“Easier said than done,” Malcolm points out.

[empathicfault]

"Sure is," Will agrees. "But I still was the one who made the choice."

Thinking about it, he adds, "You know, I can lay some blame on Jack Crawford as well. He pulled me back in, knowing full well what was likely to happen. I told him no, multiple times, and he showed me photos of the victims. There's...plenty of blame to go around."

[abrightboy]

“Why did he care about his solve rate more than he cared about you? What was his damage ?” Malcolm asks.

[empathicfault]

"That's a good question," Will notes, as if he could possibly be objective about it. "He'd always instinctively thought of me as a tool to be used, but- he used to at least feel bad about it. I think he... hardened after he lost his wife. It became all about work. And it is important work."

He doubts either of them could argue that. "That doesn't mean I'm okay with him deciding I'm a sacrificial lamb for the cause."

[abrightboy]

“No. It’s not okay,” Malcolm agrees. “Was he the first to use you like that?”

[empathicfault]

Will looks down, searching his memories for another example. "He was the first to realize I was useful. So, yes. I suppose so."

[abrightboy]

“How did he find out about you?” Malcolm asks.

[empathicfault]

"Alana- Dr. Bloom. She knew me through work- we both lectured for the FBI Academy. She wasn't there full-time, but I did end up seeing her a lot. She sat in on a few of my lectures and- she was impressed, I guess."

He closes his eyes for a moment and imagines the lecture hall. That feels like a lifetime away. "It was supposed to be only once, but I was apparently indispensable."

[abrightboy]

“She really did you not a single favour, huh?” Malcolm observes wryly.

[empathicfault]

"Oh no," Will contests, suddenly looking amused. "No, she did me one single favor. It was-"

God, how was he even going to approach this one? He sort of laughs and shakes his head. "So- Mason didn't die after the whole 'cutting off his face' thing. Hannibal broke his neck. Even as an invalid, he was a horrible monster. At least he finally looked it."

There is only derision for Mason Verger. He suspects Malcolm will understand. "He set up a bounty for Hannibal's capture. He had Alana as his 'psychiatrist'- I'm sure that was an arrangement to learn more about Hannibal. With all that money, his team caught Hannibal- and me- in Florence. And back off to the Verger Estate we went. Mason wanted to-" Will squints his eyes and takes a measured breath to help emphasize this stupid idea. "-steal my face, and then eat Hannibal with my face." Man didn't have an original idea in his life. Will's sure Mason must've thought it was 'poetic' or something.

"Alana freed Hannibal, on the condition that he promised he'd save me."

[abrightboy]

“I take it he actually did it?” Will survived to jump off a cliff.

[empathicfault]

Will nods. "Hannibal keeps his promises. It's just- they're usually more like threats. He freed me and took me home. Cleaned me up. Waited for the paralytics to wear off, and then we had a talk." He looks up to Malcolm and shrugs. "He would've done that, anyway, given the chance. But Alana didn't know that."

[abrightboy]

"Do you forgive any of them?" Malcolm asks softly.