Sleep was a foreign concept Lydia couldn't grasp anymore. She was up all night. Drinking coffee as if it were air, the bags under her eyes got heavier each hour. She'd find herself at work, drooling on her desk, her eyes wide open. Nightmares kept her awake. Hannibal Lector was fussing about in her head, opening drawers, throwing out what was in them, then starting the pattern again.

"Lydia?"

She glances up to notice Jack standing in her doorway, his hand raised as if it'd been knocking. He slowly walks into the room, as if he were approaching a wild uncaged animal.

"I've been knocking for quite some time." Jack says slowly, squinting at her, "Are you all right?"

Lydia shakes her head, delicately reaching for her coffee mug, "Haven't been sleeping, that's all." She sips out of the mug, "What's up, Jack?" She sighs, setting down the mug.

Jack slaps down a huge stack of files on her desk, "We're investigating Will Graham." He announces without looking at her. Like a prosecutor who won't look at whom he's just convicted.

Lydia chokes on her coffee, "What?"

"We have reason to believe he's the Chesapeake ripper." Jack says, jutting his chin up.

"Are you serious?" Lydia pushes away from her desk, "Have you lost your mind?" Her chair hits the wall.

"No, I haven't, but we have reason to believe that Will has. The bureau wants to see you in the morning. Until then, I want you to read over these files and tell me just how saint-like your boyfriend is after you're done." Jack starts to get all professional, no more friendship.

Lydia walks around her desk to stand in front of Jack, "He's your friend, Jack. Do you really think Will is.. is capable of something like this?" She lowers her voice, as if she's afraid by saying it outloud she'll confirm numerous suspicions.

Jack folds his arms over his chest, "I didn't think so until recently. Hannibal Lector came to me with some concerns."

Lydia freezes on his name, her heart pulsating, she closes her eyes for a second, "What did he say?"

"Nothing you want to hear."

Lydia's eyes flash open, "So where is Will then?"

"We've.. we've put him into a special facility."

The vistor badge was threaded through Lydia's top as she walked through the screaming hallways. A mental hospital. They'd put Will in a mental hospital. Lydia had been so busy in her own head she hadn't realized someone else had been riffling through Will's head as well. She's led to his cell and told to stand on a line and to not pass it. For fear of what he might do.

"You always thought I was the sane one." She hears a voice chirp from the bed, she glances over to see Will in a grey jumpsuit, looking horribly defeated.

"I'm not wrong." Lydia itches her elbow, shifting awkwardly on the line, "What are you doing here, Will?"

"I voiced some concerns that you'd brought to my attention. That Hannibal Lector is the Chesapeake ripper."

"You're in here because of me."

"No."

"Yes."

"I dwelled deeper. Hannibal Lector.. he's not as he seems, Lydia." Will wraps his longer fingers around the bars, staring at her desperately, "You have to be careful around him, Lydia. With me in here.. he's going to come after you now... to get to me."

"This is my fault, if I hadn't said anything-"

"Then you'd be in here."

The silence confirms it.

Tears quickly brim Lydia's eyes, "They're painting you out to be a murderer, Jack let me read the case file."

Will looks down, "I didn't want you to see that."

Lydia takes a few steps off the line, close enough that he can see the light in her eyes, "It said they found Abagail's.. ear.. in your stomach, Will." She whispers, "You can't refute that."

"Hannibal.. he's been.. using an extensive type of therapy."

Lydia starts crying and she can't stop. It shakes her entire body. She's never been put into a situation like this before. She loved to help people, that's why she signed up for this job. She wanted to save people. Yet how did she become part of the collateral damage? She sniffles, "We have to do something."

"Jack's offered a plea bargain."

Lydia looks up at him through her wet eyes, "It involves you staying in here for a while, doesn't it?"

"Yes."

"You aren't taking it though, are you?"

"No."

Lydia nods, wiping her cheeks, "What if you.."

"We'll see in court then, won't we? Court is going to reveal a lot of things, they're going to cross examine you, and rip you open. I'm.. I'm sorry I dragged you into this."

"No, it's fine. Being dragged is what I'm best at, it seems." She dryly laughs.

He reaches forward in the bars, barely fitting through, he places a light kiss on her forehead, "You'll be perfect."

Nothing shakes up a girl quite like seeing her boyfriend in a mental facility. When she walks back into the station, she bumps into the last man she'd ever want to see, Hannibal Lector.

"Pardon me." Lydia says, her lips barely moving, frozen in fear.

"You're at no fault, Miss Evans, purely my fault." He steps aside, clearing the way for her.

Lydia's about to walk past but he grabs her arm.

"I'd advise that you not do anything reckless while Will is occupied." His voice is low and almost sounds like a predatory growl in her ear. Her skin shivers and she looks up at him.

"On trial for murder isn't exactly 'occupied'." She can't help but snap.

Hannibal smiles slowly, "Sometimes the evidence speaks more than people do, Miss Evans."

Lydia looks away from him, his hand slowly falls from her arm, "Are you going to help him, Doctor Lector?"

"I'll do the best I can, Lydia." That's the first time she thinks he's ever said her name, his thumb innocently strokes the side of her cheek, "We will save Will Graham."

She takes a shy step away from him. "Lets not forget who put him in there."

Hannibal's eyes flash up to meet her's, "Yes, lets."

Lydia nods, taking another step from him, "I suppose I'll be seeing you in court then, Doctor. Which side do you think you'll be taking?"

"I will not be taking sides, Miss Evans, I will showcase Will and I's lessons and let the evidence speak for itself." Hannibal folds his coat over his arm, "You have nothing to worry about, Miss Evans."

"I sure hope not." Lydia scratches the side of her neck, "I have to go, today has been.. a lot."

"Well, just know my office is always open to you if need be."

Lydia's eyes draw up to meet his, "Thank you, Doctor Lector, I will take that into consideration. Have a nice evening." She walks past him and he lightly touches her elbow but doesn't say a word.

The games have begun.

When she gets home, she goes over the case files again and again until she's throwing them against the walls. She looks over the files and can't even begin to see a glimmering hope that Will is going to get out of this.

"Human flesh found on his fishing things?" Lydia says, laying on her bedroom floor, her hand on her forehead while the other holds a phone to her ear.

"I told you, Lydia, the evidence is stacked against him." Jack states from the other line, "I'd start looking around at things he gave you, Lydia. We wouldn't want you tied into this."

Lydia bolts up, "Jack, what are you trying to tell me?"

"I'm telling you to be careful." Jack's voice lowers, "Burn it all, Lydia."

"They're trying to tie me into the case."

"Not if you don't let them."

Lydia stands up, going over to her desk and opening more case files, "What do they have on Will and I, Jack? They don't have anything, there isn't anything!" She flips open the files frantically, "What is there?!"

"They think they have something with Leon Andrews."

"Andrews?" Lydia runs a hand through her hair, "What do they have, Jack?"

"On one of the bait.. they found some.. some remains of Leon Andrews."

Lydia sits down on her bed, "You have to be kidding me. You were there, Jack! There is no way-"

"I don't know what's going on, Lydia."

"Did you call me to check up on me or to coax a confession out of me, Jack?" Lydia asks pointedly.

"I need to know if you were involved so I can at least help you. It's too late for Will, Lydia."

Lydia closes her eyes, "Jack, I didn't do anything. Neither did Will. I have to go." She abruptly hangs up the phone and she cries for what feels like the millionth time that day.