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Title: Written on His Soul
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Will Graham/Everett Hobbs (Original Character)
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Everett's face is Benedict Cumberbatch.
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Will Graham or Lee Fallon, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

It actually felt odd to be leaving this place.

As much as he'd dreamed about getting out of jail, seeing the walls of the Baltimore State Hospital For the Criminally Insane for the last time, it felt strange to leave.

Will walked slowly along the corridor that led to the outside world, a world he had been sure that he would never see again except as a prisoner being transported to court and back. He had given up all hope of ever getting out, of having his life back.

As much as he trusted Everett and wanted to believe in him, he'd been sure that Hannibal had framed him so expertly that no proof of his innocence could possibly be found.

And now, it seemed that proof had been discovered -- but by the FBI, not by Everett. Will was sure that Hannibal had set that up, too -- for some reason, his nemesis had decided that Will was of more use to him as a free man than as a prisoner behind bars.

Whatever had made Hannibal decide that, he almost felt grateful for it. It was just a relief to know that he was free now, and that he could pick up the threads of his life.

Only now, he had more of a life than he had when he was sent to prison.

Everett was waiting for him outside those doors -- waiting for him to walk out of here and into the life that they would build together, as a couple.

They hadn't said those words to each other, but he had felt that it was what Everett wanted. He had been able to sense it in the way that his lawyer had looked at him, in the intensity of those pale eyes when their gaze had rested on Will's face.

Everett felt the same way he did. They both wanted a future together -- but with the specter of Hannibal hanging over them, that might not be as easy as it seemed.

Will wanted to walk out of here into Everett's arms, to know that they had a firm and strong foundat8ion on which to build a future. But there was so much that they didn't yet know about each other; at the moment, their future was shaky, at best.

But they would strengthen it, day by day, Will told himself firmly. If they both wanted this badly enough, he knew that they could make it happen.

There was still so much about Everett that was a mystery to him.

For one thing, why did Everett seem to have such a vendetta against Hannibal? Just what was it that made Everett so eager to put him behind bars?

Why was he so convinced that Hannibal was indeed the Chesapeake Ripper? Will hadn't even had to put that theory to him strongly before he'd embraced it.

It was as though Everett knew that Hannibal was the Ripper because he'd seen something with his own eyes -- or had been a victim of Hannibal's crimes. Will would have to talk to him about, ask him to tell all that he knew that couldn't be told within the prison walls.

Will wanted to know all of Everett's thoughts on the matter; maybe the two of them could put their heads together and figure out just how to manipulate Hannibal into a corner.

That was what he wanted now, as much as a future life with Everett -- to make sure that Hannibal was put where he had been, where he could never harm another person.

Everett could help him do that, he was sure. Together, they would make a good team; maybe Everett had been unable to find the evidence to get him released from prison and prove his innocence, but that was only because Hannibal's false "evidence" of his guilt had been so convincing.

He could have had to spend his life in this hulking place -- an idea that made his soul shrink and his heart stutter. He didn't even want to think about that.

Will knew that he would never be able to forget what it had felt like to be incarcerated; this place would be written on his soul forever. He'd never be completely free of it.

He might not be inside this place any more, but it would always be inside him.

But he would be free of it in the physical sense, Will told himself, trying to stay optimistic. He wouldn't be inside those four walls any more. He would be free.

He and Everett would figure out a way to prove what they knew about Hannibal. And now, he was also fairly sure that they would have Jack on their side. He'd seen something new in Jack's eyes the last time they had talked, a respect and belief that hadn't been there before.

Jack was on his side now. Will wasn't absolutely sure of that, but he thought so. Jack was ready to believe him, to accept the fact that Hannibal was the Chesapeake Ripper.

Will didn't know what had happened to bring Jack over to their side, but whatever it was, he felt grateful for it. With Jack in their corner, they would hopefully have the resources at their disposal to prove Hannibal's guilt, and put him where he belonged once and for all.

Of course, that wouldn't be possible if Hannibal didn't screw up and make a mistake at some point, one that they could pounce on.

It had to happen. Hannibal's own hubris would trip him up sooner or later.

And when it did, they would have him cornered. Will didn't doubt that it would happen; he just hoped that it would take place sooner, rather than later.

He wanted all of this to be over; he wanted to be able to forget about his past, forget about this place, and start a new life with Everett. He didn't know where that life would lead him, but wherever it went, whatever path it took, he would follow.

It was time to put his past behind him, and embrace something new and different. This place might be written on his soul, but it didn't have to cast a shadow over his life.

Blinking in the bright sunlight, Will walked out of the shadows of the building that he'd been afraid he might never leave. And there, standing beside a silver Lexus in the parking lot, was Everett, a smile on his lips, one hand outstretched towards Will.

It was time to cover up what this place had written on his soul, and write a new chapter in his life. One that would be a lot happier than the past had been.

Smiling, he walked toward Everett, his pace quickening with every step.

***