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Title: That Single Bright Light
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Will Graham/Matthew Brown
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
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.

***


He always hated talking to Chilton.

Will sank back against the wall behind his bunk, closing his eyes as he let his shoulders slump. Finally, he could relax and let the tension drain out of his body.

Talking to Chilton always made him feel tense. It was a dance of words between them, a clash of swords. He could never feel free to say exactly what he meant; Chilton was too close to Hannibal, too ready to believe that Will's greatest enemy was a decent, upstanding citizen.

But maybe, just maybe, Chilton was starting to believe some of the things that Will had told him. He had seen the doubts in the other man's gaze today.

If he kept chipping away at Chilton, maybe he would get through.

Still, that was a chance he shouldn't take, Will told himself, mulling over the things that he'd said to Chilton this morning in their "therapy" session.

He knew that the man hated him; he knew that Chilton would more than likely side with Hannibal no matter what situation they might be in. But at the same time, he knew that he had seen doubts in Chilton's eyes. He knew that Chilton was halfway to believing him.

If he could get Chilton to believe him, then maybe he could talk Jack Crawford around to his way of thining, as well. It was a long shot, but it was his only hope.

But Jack didn't come around any more, Will thought with a pang of fear. Had Jack given up on him, turned his back and left him to rot in this place?

He didn't want to believe that Jack would do that, but Hannibal had drawn the net around Will carefully and skillfully. He had set his traps so well that Will had fallen right into them -- and he had managed to pull the wool over everyone's eyes, not just Jack's.

After all, more than one person had defected from Will's side of the story to Hannibal's, buying everything that monster told her hook, line and sinker.

That was just more proof that he couldn't really trust anyone.

Except for Matthew, Will thought, a smile curving his lips as he thought of his lover. Matthew was the one bright light in all of this, the one person he could trust.

No one else was on his side, not really. His lawyers believed that he was guilty; everyone thought that he was crazy, that he was a psychotic murderer. But Matthew didn't believe that. Matthew knew the truth; Matthew knew that he couldn't have done those horrible things.

Matthew was the only person he could turn to at this point. No one else was on his side; no one else would believe a thing he said. Only Matthew.

He was alone -- except for that single bright light in the darkness.

Matthew was the one thing in his life that gave him purpose now. Well .... there was one other thing that made him want to wake up every morning and go on living.

He wanted revenge. He wanted to expose Hannibal Lecter's evil to the world; he wanted Hannibal to be here in his place, to know what it was like to be hated and reviled, to have his freedom taken away, to feel as helpless as Will did every day that he spent here.

He would have that revenge, Will thought, fists clenching at his sides. He would have it, and when it came, he would absolutely revel in it.

He would come here to see Hannibal in his cage, just to let that bastard know that in the end, he had lost and Will had won. Somehow, he would make it happen.

He didn't know how just yet, but he would see Hannibal behind bars. Though first, he had to get out of here himself, Will thought, sighing again. And he didn't know that was going to be done. It seemed as though Hannibal had had already put a noose around his neck.

Or a needle in his arm, he told himself, shuddering at the thought. He knew that his time was running out; if he couldn't make someone believe him soon, the verdict would be pronounced.

Once that happened, he was as good as dead.

He had to get through to Chilton. That was his only hope, really. He had to make someone in charge believe him, see that Hannibal was the guilty party.

How was he supposed to do that? he asked himself, his fists clenching again, a wave of helplessness mixed with anger washing over him. Hannibal had done such a good job of framing him that it seemed as though he would never be free of this entangling spider's web.

Would Matthew help him find a way out? Will thought of his lover with a stab of longing; he wanted to see Matthew so badly today, to talk to him, to have his reassurance.

Matthew could always make him feel better.

All he had to do was gaze into his lover's eyes, and he would feel renewed. That was all it took. Just seeing what Matthew felt for him reflected in that steady gaze.

If he could make Chilton, and by extension, Jack, believe that Hannibal was the one guilty of all those horrific crimes, then he could get out of here and make a new life with Matthew. They might have to start over in a new place, but he could do that. It would be worth the hassle.

That thought made his heart beat faster, and made hope rise within him. Yes. He just had to convince Chilton, and talk to Jack. He had to find the words that would make them believe.

It might not be easy, but he would do it.

And Matthew would be with him every step of the way.

***