The Blood-stained Deer

Chapter 6: The Result of Shopping for leads and infamy

The next day I was driven once again back to the office with Jack. This time I was more open to socialization. I was better at finding my way around and jack was more comfortable with letting me go on my own. I went in search of Will Graham, but he was not in his class. Instead he was in the observatory lab.

"Death by diabetic ketoacidosis." Will said as he paced around the bodies, holding his chin in his hand. The others just watched him with serious expressions on their face. I had read books about things like this and I was eager to learn more.

"Did you know they were diabetics?" Asked another man who I had not known yet. "We don't know they were diabetics." Countered another as he held an incredulous tone in his voice. I knew about this and eagerly stepped in.

"No, they're all diabetics. He induces a coma and puts them in the ground."

This took the others by surprise. "You know about this stuff?" Beverly asked as she glanced at the door that I had just opened to walk in. "I read books while I wait for Will to be done his appointment with Hannibal."

"Okay, how is he inducing diabetic comas?" asked the man who was incredulous against Will.

"Changes their medication. So he's a doctor or a pharmacist or he works somewhere in medical services." I said as I poked a mushroom.

"He buries them, feeds them sugar to keep them alive long enough for the circulatory systems to soak it up." Said the man, now understanding. "So he can feed the mushrooms!"

"We dug up his mushroom garden."

"Yeah, he's going to want to grow a new one." Will said as he put an arm around my shoulders.

I was brought along to the superstore where they had a suspect for the case with my extra information, seeing as I couldn't stay on my own. Will told me to get what ever I wanted off a shelf and that he would pay for it. I grabbed a candy bar and a drink and settled down in hiding like they instructed me to.

I got scared but knew I would be, relatively fine. After a while I heard them return. I peaked around the corner of the shelves I was leaning on, and saw that they were collaborating around a computer. I slowly stood up, and walked over. Will heard my footsteps and turned around. "Go off and play, we'll be done soon."

But that didn't stop me from seeing the title. "Bambi arrives, but is it a different story." Goosebumps ran up my arms, and tears sprang to my arms and neck. I ran my hands up to touch the small stubs that I usually tried to hide with my thick hair. I hung my head and ran back to my shelf where I cowered on the lower shelf, hidden among the paper towels.

They soon found me amongst the towels, and Will coaxed me out of them, gently taking my hand. He hugged me, and Jack said that they were going to take care of it. They dropped me back off at the FBI headquarters, and asked Hannibal if he would keep an eye on me to which he agreed, tossing a sympathetic glance to me.

I was lead back to his office and now, on the main floor of his office, I laid down in his cushioned lounge chair nearest the window. I coiled myself up, holding my legs to me, similar to how I did in the basement of Hobb's home. I could feel a subtle set of eyes landing on my shaking back which was soon followed by a voice.

"I will not force you to talk but I am here if you want to. Silence can be therapy in and of itself." Hannibal said as he sat in his desk.

I blinked as I stared at the red and white drapes against the wall, covering the windows. "If eyes are the window to the soul, I must have drapes perpetually covering them..." I said to my own surprise. Hannibal put down a writing utensil and stood from his office chair. His soft but sure footfalls were slowly approaching. "Sometimes we need others to help, but drapes can always be opened." He said, following the analogy.

Hannibal opened one of the drapes on the tall window in front of me. Letting the light in. The light made me squint a bit until my eyes adjusted to it. "When their open, the light blinds you... until you adjust. But how long will it take to adjust. And how much pain is caused by the blinding."

Hannibal then sat down next to my balled-up figure and placed a gently hand on my thigh. "It varies from person to person. The light at different times of the day are less painful. I cannot erase the pain, but I am here to dull it as much as I can. We all are. For you, the blinding is already happening, and soon, you will adjust."

Just then, the door slowly creaked open and Will poked his head in. "Oh, I do not wish to interrupt anything I will just – "He began as he saw us conversing.

"We were just finishing. Elain, if you wish to grab a book from the shelf you are welcome to, I will talk with Will for a moment."

I nodded and left the room with a leather covered book in my arms. I planted myself into a leather arm chair and opened the book. On the first page after the cover, was a note.

To Hannibal,

Hope you find a good use for this book, like I did.

From: Bedelia Du Maurier

I carefully turned the page and began reading, it was a novel on the history of art. Every page had an image of a famous painting, that the section would be describing and writing about. I was so invested into the book that I jumped a little when the door opened. I stood up to return the book to Hannibal.

"It is very, eye opening, thank you." I said as I attempted to hand it to him.

"If you would like, you could borrow it. You seemed rather invested in it. We will talk again tomorrow if you wish." He said as he held up his hand. A smile grew on my face and I thanked him as I retucked the book under my arm.

Will came out a few moments later. He thanked Hannibal for his time and stepped out of the office. "Jack left, so I will be taking her home with me. If that's okay with you, I could drop you off at his house you know." Will said as he turned to me.

"I think it is a good idea to take her home with you. That way she gets to know others. To adjust..." Hannibal said as he also turned to me. "But the final decision does not rest with me."

I nodded and smiled. "I wouldn't mind going with you Will."