JACK CRAWFORD WAS AN ASSHOLE.

At least that is what Teresa Brooks concluded that morning, when he forbade her to join the team in another mission, something quite extraordinary, such as a tall totem made of human bodies on a beach.

Perhaps it was for the better that she was starting to despise him, it would be easier to accept the truth that he left her and her mother. It would be easier for her to finally conclude the work she had been preparing herself to do.

But for now, Teresa remained there, eyes glued to the sweater she was making, where the stress made her miss some points and create holes in the semi-perfect lines. She sighed slightly annoyed, as she would take the line again and restart that part when the doorbell rang. Curious, she went to pick up the door, and she surprised herself at the image of the trembling man outside.

"Will? What are you doing here?" Teresa furrowed her eyebrows as she spotted Will Graham in front of her, wearing heavy winter clothes, gloves, and even a knit cap on his head as his eyes widened back to her. "Shouldn't you be in Grafton?"

Will looked once again at her, then at the hallway where he stood, and his face resembled a lost puppy's in the rain, eyes oblivious to a world of his own when he declared "I...I don't know how I got here"

When this sentence left his mouth Teresa already knew. She clenched her jaw subtly, observing carefully if that was indeed the Will Graham she knew and not some serial killer he impersonated, then opened space for him. "Come in, I'll get you some tea."

It's been some time since  Will had entered her apartment, and all the times he went there before they only had one strict goal: fuck. But this time, as he now observed the calm white walls or the many plant vases she had around, he would never guess she would be the type of person to take care of them. Something about that small cubicle made him see a small fragment of Teresa Brook's persona that she barely let out, something soft, gentle, and detailing.

As he sat down and took off the gloves and the many winter clothes, they were replaced by a warm blanket, and soon enough there was a warm chamomile tea on his trembling hands. H was still very much paralyzed, sitting there and waiting until Teresa sat down next to him and finally asked "Okay, what the fuck just happened?"

A deep breath anticipated his answer "I...I was at the beach..."He responded and she nodded. "...and I blinked and when I...when I opened my eyes I was here"

"Here where?"

"Here." He responded seriously. "At your apartment's door."

Teresa gulped worried. No sign of blood in his hands, nor some possible weapon he carried easily with him, if he did have one and had the intention to murder someone by now, he would have already done it. She stood up, looked at the window outside, facing the street, and noticed his car just across her building, and it was parked correctly even.

"Your car is there, so you probably derived your way here." She replied as she returned to her seat next to him. "Will you be in West Virginia, that's fucking 3 hours from here."

"I wasn't sleeping..." He mumbled.

"Of course, you weren't, you drove here." She interjected as she watched him drink the tea, his hands trembling still in shock. "You...you did..the thing and then you woke up here? Is that what happened?"

He nodded and Teresa ran a hand through her hair in concern. "There's something wrong with me." He said in a whispery, helpless tone that made her feel so bad for him.

"It's not you, it's..."She sighed as her hand started to move in an anxious rhythm, it was like a whole movie passed through her mind, recalling her from a tortured past where she couldn't save the one she wanted to save back then. "It's...it's the work, it's what you do, it's Jack, you're being fucking abused"

"I'm not being abused," He said annoyed, refusing to see the truth. "I'm saving lives"

"Spare me of your savior complex bullshit, you are literally being used as a muppet by Jack, can't you see it?" She furrowed her eyebrows already angry at him. "You have been hallucinating, talking to yourself, sleepwalking, and now this." She looked right into his eyes. "How long are you going to pretend this is normal damnit? That's not normal!"

His shoulders fell defeated, and he sighed as if the heavy weight he carried had just gotten worse. In all this time Teresa has never seen him so defeated, so broken, so vulnerable. And for the first time, it hurt her, it hurt her like that was a part of herself that people were cutting and bending, breaking little by little until it would turn into nothing but ashes of shattered pieces of what once was.

"...Maybe I should have my brain scanned." He added, now a bit more silent.

Teresa hated to have yelled at him in this condition, but she couldn't stand the current situation.

"Maybe you should take a break." She said instead as he shook his head. "Will, it's not just you, even if you find something, whatever it is, I'm not sure continuing-"

"Jack needs me, the team needs me."

"Well, I need you too!" She screamed at last, and the silence hung upon them, making Will's heart vibrate heavily as never before. "We...we all need you too." She corrected herself. "What's gonna be of you if you try to save everyone and you don't save yourself?" She scrunched her eyebrows and that almost took his heart away.

He nodded, a bit subtly, but still not arguing back. She knew that attempting to change his mind so suddenly wouldn't work, but she needed to try. She needed to try with all she had.

"Talk to Hannibal." She suggested. "I don't know, make him prescribe you a break from work to take care of your health, I don't know, doesn't he see that you are not okay?"

"Kind of." He responded.

"Then what are you waiting for?" She pleaded as she held his hands, putting the tea aside, the warmth of her skin contaminating his. "Just promise me you'll try something, okay? Anything."

With such a dear, overwhelming, and intense request, how could he deny her wish? How could he say no to those round, shiny, and dark brown eyes he found eternity in? And how could he lie when touching that smooth black skin he adored to worship?

"Okay." He answered in a whisper as Teresa sighed relieved.

"Okay then." She nodded back, as she tapped his hand gently and went to the kitchen to grab more tea. "You...can stay a bit longer, I don't want you wandering around in this state yet." She didn't even give him time to think otherwise, as now she returned with another cup.

Teresa stood by his side, sharing the large blanket, as he now watched her knit a large piece of cloth he had no idea what was supposed to be. There was something so peaceful in that act, something so...ordinary yet rare that he could watch it for hours.

"Thought I would die before watching the strong and untouchable Teresa Brooks knit." He joked slightly and she gave a half smile. "What's that supposed to be?"

"Can't you see?" She lifted her creation to his eyesight. "It's a sweater."

"That's not a sweater, not a chance." He chuckled.

"What do you mean it isn't?" She asked now annoyed. "Look at the sleeves!"

"This shit is full of holes, how's that supposed to warm anyone?" 

"Shut up." She laughed and Will melted at the sight of her smile. "Drink up. It helps relax." She suggested as he took a sip and rested his head on the sofa. "Here." She patted her shoulder, and his eyes sparkled with her idea. "Don't get used to it, just this once."

Will Graham failed to hide his grin as he let his head fall on her shoulder, eyes almost closing asleep as he rested the teacup at the coffee table, watching as her skillful fingers worked on the sweater. A thin rain fell outside, the blanket wrapped them in a shield of warmth as his heartbeat became steady, erasing all doubts and chaos away. A soft melody escaped her lips, that sweet voice he once witnessed her sing to Abigail in the hospital, now echoing through her apartment like a delicate lullaby sending away all ghosts that hid in his consciousness.

There were no more words needed, as now his eyes met hers in a silent "thank you" and closed again, drifting to a small moment of oasis and comfort, now shared by dreams and the deep sleep he didn't have in years, now only possible because of her.

...

It's been quite a while since Teresa Brooks hadn't visited Abigail Hobbs. It was quite sunny when she decided to do it. Maybe she could sneak her out and they could have ice cream, maybe create a new happy memory to escape her past, be there for her.

But when she overheard the whispers by the door, and pushed it slightly open, visualizing those red curls, her blood boiled instantly, setting it all on fire.

"I want you to tell my story." Abigail declared clearly to Freddie Lounds, who, at this point, had already managed to confuse the chaotic girl's mind.

"You want her to what?!" Teresa stormed into the room, making Abigail gasp at her sight.

"Miss Brooks, what a surprise," Freddie said with fake friendliness as by now the two knew they couldn't stand one another. "If you don't mind, Abigail and I are having a private conversation."

"You're fucking brainwashing her to make money, that's what you are doing." She pointed to them. Teresa quickly went to the girl. "Abigail whatever she's convincing you to do, I am telling you, it's not worth it."

Abigail Hobbs was in a tug of war as a little flag wrapped in the middle while those two pulled the rope to their sides. She cared for Teresa, she knew she was only trying to protect her, but she also knew that she couldn't count on her forever, she wasn't her mother, and one day she would be alone again. She needed to make a name of her own, needed money to survive, and most of all she wanted to escape the guilt.

"Abigail is capable of making her own choices, I am only clarifying the situation for her." Freddie stood up from her chair, child held up high with magnitude.

Teresa's blood boiled beneath her skin, and her breath was unsteady, as if all that happened in her life wasn't enough to drive her mad, now she had to deal with that redheaded problem.

"Clarifying?" Teresa scoffed while crossing her arms. "Spare me of your lies, what about your blog? You only write shit about me and Will."

"Will Graham is a killer trained to catch others. He is dangerous." Freddie remarked, only enticing the tension of that situation. "While you, Miss Brooks, are a very petulant, discourteous, and unstable agent." She tilted her head with a small mocking smile. "Just as a stray dog. barking to the wind."

Teresa clenched her jaw so tight that almost broke her teeth, how was she even supposed to remain cool before such treatment? And worse, Abigail didn't seem to back away from her decision either.

"You can't be serious about this," Teresa said as her heart broke to see that girl betray her so easily. Abigail looked down, ashamed, but didn't dare defend herself. "After all we did for you..." Teresa felt the bitterness of ungratefulness in her tongue, perhaps that is what her aunt Delilah felt when she discovered her niece's true intentions in the FBI after all these years. "This woman is not as good as you think she is." Teresa pointed to the journalist who remained still. "You think she understands you? Once she gets her money she'll leave you, Abigail." Teresa remarked. "Do you even know the atrocities she writes about Will? He's not a killer, but she...oh, she is a liar."

"He did kill my dad," Abigail said in a somber tone, making Teresa want to yell at her.

"He saved you." She corrected. "All Will did was for your safety, he cares about you."

"But he can't help her, can he?" Freddie interjected, now striking a nerve. "He doesn't even come here often, why?" She smirked. "Perhaps because he remembers Garret Jacob Hobbs...because he feels like him."

"Like a killer." Abigail followed Freddie's thoughts, making Teresa almost gasp offended. "I-I'm sorry, Teresa, but I think she's right...I want to tell my story-"

"And what do you think it'll come after that, huh?" Teresa now used a harsh tone, something straight out of her days in the FBI academy or the tone she would use in an interrogatory. "You think people will accept you? That they will believe you?" She spit it out, having enough. "Wake up!" She now said louder. "They hate you! And they will not change their mind so suddenly! They will talk about you, curse you, damnit they might even chase after you!" Teresa yelled pointing to the room. "All of this you have will be gone. Is that what you want? Sleepless nights and rocks at your window, 'cause that's what you'll have for a long time."

Abigail's lips quivered at her words, slightly startled by Teresa's sudden change of mood, but Freddie Lounds, otherwise, wouldn't back off so easily without a fight. And what a fight.

"Now you're just scaring the girl, Miss Brooks." Freddie clicked her tongue showing disapproval. "Why don't you return to your gruesome FBI team and let me truly help her?"

"Over my dead body." Teres took a step closer and hissed at her.

Freddie scoffed at her. "Will Graham could provide that easily." Teresa was practically gone by now, she pursed her lips, and her eyes sunk into Freddie's gelid ones. "What's wrong?" She whispered teasingly, scrunching her nose while Teresa remained quiet. "Did the dog get tired of barking?"

The last thing Abigail Hobbs spotted before closing her eyes, was Teresa jumping at Freddie and taking hold of her hair as the other woman screamed hysterically at the attack.

They had it coming.

...

"YOU FUCKING PULLED HER BY THE HAIR!"

"SHE WAS ASKING FOR IT!"

Jack Crawford would also tear his hair apart if he had it, as now he had Teresa across his desk, still cleaning some red hair strings from her clothes and trying to defend herself. 

"Security had to take you from the scene, do you understand how terrible this is?" Jack retorted pissed at her. "How will I justify this to my superiors now? How will I explain that my special agent, who was supposed to be our great star in the team, jumped at a journalist's neck in front of a core victim and witness under the FBI's protection?!"

Maybe he was right, maybe she did mess it up. She messed up big time, but how could she leave and let Freddie tell all those lies? How could she let the young Abigail be fooled so easily? Abigail...my God she probably saw her as a monster now, she probably despised her. And maybe deep down, even if not want to, she did hold a small grudge about the girl, after all the help, the support she received, she did the one thing she wasn't supposed to. That, in Teresa's conception, was fucking selfish, but who was her to say anything? 

After all, now she was attempting to fight to protect her job and avoid being sued.

"I had warned you. The insubordination, the impulsive behavior, I had warned you, Brooks." Jack said fiercely and tired at the same time. "But you didn't listen."

"Agent Crawford she is fooling Abigail, she-"

"You're suspended." His sentence made her freeze in place, her eyes widened as a little girl who had just been called out for the first time by her father. "You're suspended from all her activities until further notice, do you understand, Brooks?"

"Sir.."She shook her head helplessly. "Sir, please, I know I didn't follow an appropriate conduct, but I assure you-"

"You need to learn to control yourself, watch your mouth." He pointed. "You're great in your work, I know that Texas knows that cause they sent you here. But if you don't learn, you won't go too far." He warned. Teresa barely could answer him. "You talk so much about Will Graham, but you're causing me more problems than him."

Teresa took a deep breath not to curse him. "That's not true-"

"You need help. Psychological help." He suddenly determined and Teresa was paralyzed.

"You can't be serious." She spoke through her teeth. "I am not mad, I-"

"You can't be trusted in the field like this. What if you argue with a teammate? Or worse, with the victim's family, or someone like Lounds again? I can't risk it again, Brooks." Jack spoke decided. "I'll ask Dr.Lecter or Dr.Bloom if they may recommend someone to help you since they can't because you already know them informally." As he spoke these words he had already turned her back at her, organizing some shelves as if the subject was over.

"Sir, please.."

"Take your things from your desk before 6 p.m."

She shook her head, fists closed. "You're making a mistake, you need me here, Jack, I can't leave now-"

"It's Agent Crawford for you." His eyes shot as missiles against her, showing again the ocean of distance and coldness they shared, while their true nature remained hidden, breaking her heart.  "Bid your goodbyes and pack your stuff. This discussion is over."

Teresa was ignored, and she may have remained there for some solid 3 minutes before she had the courage to leave, her heavy steps and her hands trembled as she closed the door behind her, eyes lost to the floor as her mind processed what had just happened.

How could she even have revenge if she wasn't even there? All her purpose was gone in a matter of seconds, slipping through her fingers.

Jimmy, Brian, and Katz watched confused as she put her belongings into a cardboard box, the colorful highlighters, the cheesy Keanu Reeves calendar, and even the old snacks that were already rotten inside those drawers.

"What are you doing?" Katz asked as they approached her. But they already knew by now, everyone in their division knew by now that Teresa Brooks had attacked Freddie Lounds as an MMA fighter.

"He suspended me," Teresa said as her voice barely escaped her throat, her eyes stuck to the box.

"What?!" Jimmy gasped. "Can he do that?"

"Uh... technically yes," Brian responded.

Katz pushed their shoulders making them shut up for a moment, then she turned to her friend, who seemed defeated.

"You're suspended, not fired. That means he recognizes he needs you." She spoke reasonably. "I'm sure he'll notice that soon and you'll be back in no time."

Teresa gave a half smile, grateful for her words, even if still hurt. She sighed deeply, as he watched the hallways becoming even more empty, it was already night outside.

Katz instead, noticing the melancholy of the occasion, tapped her friend's shoulder. "Come on, let's have a drink."

The other two men stared at her confused. "What about work?" Jimmy asked.

"We are practically done with work, it can wait till tomorrow." Katz looked at them seriously, making them notice this was important.

"Uh...yeah, yeah it can wait." Brian lied terribly.

"I don't know, I don't want you guys getting in trouble because of me..."Teresa mumbled.

"Ah, shut up, we are not getting in trouble." Beverly Katz rolled her eyes to her. "Come on, I'll pay you a double shot, is that enough bribery for you?" Teresa chuckled in return.

"Oh!"Jimmy exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "I know just the place!"

...

"Jimmy you never said we were going to a club"

"Especially not a gay club."

"But gay clubs are the best clubs." Jimmy smiled as he waved to an acquaintance. "Besides, Teresa's also part of the fam, so..."

Teresa chuckled at the colorful atmosphere with neon lights, Jimmy seemed to be a local customer, he knew everyone, even the DJ who put on the playlist he especially liked.

It was different seeing the lab team out of their white coats, Beverly was always stylish with her boots, and jackets, Brian was more laid out, with long sleeves and Snickers, while Jimmy was more carefree, some random Big Bang Theory T-Shirt but always a smile on his face.

They were truly sunshine on a rainy day, and as they sat down, the laughs didn't stop, and neither did the dance floor.

"Vodka!" Jimmy celebrated but the liquid burned his throat and he couldn't complete it in a single shot. "Ahh, it burns, damn!"

"What's wrong party boy, too much for you?" Brian joked as he discretely asked the waiter for a lighter shot. "Thought you were a recovering alcoholic."

"I'm never recovering." He lied. "But I prefer something more tender."

Katz otherwise stuck to something more casual, mixed with fruits. "We should play a game."

"There she goes..."Brian feared. "What is it this time?"

"What about, Never Have I Ever?" Teresa suggested.

"Oh, I'm in." Jimmy raised his hand and Katz followed, Brian sighed with no choice. "Alright, who starts?"

"Me" Brian offered. "Never have I ever been in a gay club."

"You're literally in a gay club now, Brian." Teresa mocked and he realized his mistake. "Everybody drink up!"

The group laughed and exchanged more shots through the night.

"Never have I ever wished to kill one of my siblings." Teresa winked as Katz sighed and drunk up, Jimmy followed. "I always forget you have a twin."

"An evil twin." He hissed dramatically.

More shots continued.

"Never have I ever been compared to a dog." Katz mocked and Teresa pushed with her body.

"Now that's just an excuse to make me drink."Teresa laughed as she drank up, now relaxed.

"That was such a low move from Freddie." Jimmy shook his head  "No class, and her grammar's also horrible."

"It isn't, but I thank you for the support, Jimmy." Teresa cheered their glasses together.

Brian looked down, a bit conflicted, somehow ashamed. "I've got something to tell you guys." The group turned to him. "Maybe it's the beer or...I don't know some of my little pony type of friendship shit, but I wanna be honest." He sighed. "I slept with Freddie...more than once."

Jimmy almost choked on his vodka, Teresa stopped shocked, while Katz yelled at him "What the fuck Zeller?!"

"I know, it was a mistake and quite some time ago, but still, I messed up." He sighed. "It was before she started posting about Will, okay? It was casual but...maybe I've talked about work once or twice and she dug up the info...and well here we are...Sorry. Really."

Teresa looked at him still incredulous. Who would've known Zeller could have been one of Freddie's primary sources in all this mess? He did realize the problem and didn't meet her again, but still, she would've never guessed.

"If I knew what she was going to, that it would cause all this mess, I-"

"You were trying to hit it, you wouldn't have guessed that bitch was a psycho," Teresa said instead, surprising the group and finishing her tequila glass at once. "Is she at least a good fuck?"

He tilted his head.

"Damn Zeller." Katz chuckled and the group's tension vanished away in the ajr.

"Thanks for being honest with us."Teresa raised another glass shot to cheer. "To Zeller's dick!"

He went red as the friends repeated. "Oh My God, I hate you all." He chuckled as the friends celebrated.

The songs, the noise, the taste of drinks in their mouths pushed Teresa's sadness away fast, she liked that whole energy, the mood of the occasion, and the good laughs shared. Funny how she didn't expect to be close to anyone when she arrived in that city, but now she couldn't imagine a life without those 3. It would be hard to go to work and not see them again.

"Oh, I've got one,"Jimmy spoke excitedly. "Never have I ever...slept with a coworker."

"Oohhh" Katz spoke joyfully. "Now you're talking."

Teresa fazed at her friends, who only stared back at her.

"Seriously?" She raised an eyebrow. "Not even Jimmy?"

Her friend chuckled and shook his head. "My close friends at work had other plans, like fucking redheads."

"Low move!" Zeller chuckled. "It's not like you'd ever have interest in me anyway."

"That's what you think." Jimmy winked and Zeller felt his cheeks heat up.

Teresa took that small moment of distraction to drink, but she didn't pass by Katz's eager eyes.

"Ha." She laughed and the other two pointed to Teresa. "How many times, come on.".

Teresa sighed, looking up at the ceiling that was already rotating above her. "Uh...Sometimes, I don't know." She responded honestly.

"Damn." Brian chuckled. "Is Will that good in bed?"

"Have you looked at him?" Jimmy retirted. "He doesn't even need to be good, his looks already pay off any flaw.  Although I doubt he has." Teresa nodded agreeing with him. "See?"

The group continued to joke, burning the problems away as the woman with sparkling aquamarine eyes and distinct clothes approached them, she seemed rich and wasted, mascara running down her eyes like she had cried before but continued partying, even disheveled she was stunning like a doll.

"Hey." Her velvety tone made them turn to her, as her eyes landed on Teresa. "Wanna dance?" She asked the woman. "Or should I just ask for your number?"

"Okaaay!" Jimmy chuckled, appreciating her courage.

The group curiously waited anxiously to Teresa's response, but instead of saying "hell yeah!" as she usually would, she gave a half-sympathetic smile and shook her head slightly.

"My bad but I'm just drinking with my friends tonight." She replied and Jimmy widened his eyes at her.

"That's okay, enjoy it." She smiled and winked. "If you change your mind I'll be over there." She pointed to a certain direction and left their table.

"Why did you just skip that baddie?" Jimmy asked curiously just as the rest of the group "Seriously if I wasn't gay I wouldn't have thought twice."

"Real, you fumbled a good one." Brian nodded.

"I'm just not feeling like it right now, okay?" Teresa tilted her head, her fingers making circles at the edge of the glass.

"Or you have someone else in mind," Katz smirked and the group gasped excitedly as girls in a pajama party.

"Don't," Teresa warned.

"Oh my God, our broken boy rents a place in your heart! I'm screaming!" Jimmy laughed.

"Who would've known, Will...that motherfucker, did it."Zeller teased.

"I'm not thinking about him, shut up," Teresa replied annoyed and stole Zeller's drink, letting it burn down her throat. "You guys don't know shit."

"Okay, okay!" Katz ended the discussion. "Let's have another round then, since you enjoy so much our company" She smirked and the group raised their glasses. "To the lab team!"

"To the lab team!"

...

Jimmy relied on Zeller's body, he was sleeping by now, completely drunk, as the group waited for a taxi.

Katz's cheeks were rosed as Teresa let out a shaky cold sigh as the wind brushed past them furiously. She knew her friend was right for now, but the reality would be even harder the next morning.

"Hey," Katz called her, and Teresa turned to her. "Jack's an idiot for what he did to you." The girl stood there, touched. "You were only thinking about everyone's best, Abigail, Will, the team...that only shows you care."

Teresa gave a weak half-smile as she let her friend wrap an arm around her shoulder, tears in her eyes.

"I messed up." She exhaled heavily. "I should have controlled myself, Katz, I should've-"

"It already happened now. You can't go back to the past." She advised her. "But you can outsmart them now." She continued. "Go to the sessions, keep a good behavior...Jack will miss you, trust me." Beverly tapped her shoulders and gazed at her with true concern. "Just keep going and kick that bastard's ass."

Teresa smiled at her and nodded in confirmation. She wasn't looking for friendship, but Beverly seemed always there for her, she seemed so honest, so real.

It almost made her wish to let her secret out, just this once.

"Taxi's here, come on girls," Brian said as he dragged Jimmy to the vehicle, waking him up, he was covered in glitter and smelled like vodka.

"Actually, I called someone else to pick Teresa up." Katz smiled as she watched the lights of a familiar nearby.

The car approached as they were about to get in the taxi, and the driver revealed himself as he got out of the vehicle. Large shoulders and a wide chest, curly hair over his eyes, and a timid aspect but also intoxicating at the same time.

Jimmy's jaw dropped. "I want a taxi like that" 

Teresa felt her cheeks burn as Will Graham approached the group and greeted them all, his eyes always landed on her. "What the hell are you doing here?" She furrowed her eyes, struggling to keep her weight balanced.

"I'm driving you home, come on." He gestured to his car with his head. He seemed to have dressed in a rush just as he picked up Katz's call, shirt with the upper buttons open, the hair messed and hot, posture shy to the club's loud noise but also an intimidating boyish posture.

"I'm going with Katz and the guys-"

"The hell you are." Brian poked her forehead. "Will, she's all yours."

"Careful she vomits a lot," Jimmy said as he petted Teresa's hair goodbye.

Katz gave Teresa a final hug and whispered in her ear "Everything will be alright." Once they separated, she turned to the man. "Take care of her, okay?" He nodded shyly. "Now I gotta hurry before Jimmy and Brian do shit, have a safe drive home guys."

Teresa watched as their car disappeared in the horizon of Virginia's dark glowing night lights, and while she watched them, Will watched her, a small half smile to her messed up figure, heels on her hands, barefoot on the sidewalk, glittery hair, mascara gone.

"You smell like a bachelor party's bar." He joked as she made a face. "Get in the car."

"I can walk home." She crossed her arms.

Will scoffed, even drunk she was a force to be reckoned. "Oh yeah, sure walk  home  and sleep in the street, I'm sure that'll be just fine."

Teresa held tight her shoes and tried to take a step, her body tilting to left and right, like she was on a tightrope, and she almost fell if Will didn't pick her up in his arms beforehand.

"I..I had it all under control." She mumbled stubbornly.

He grinned, showing that beautiful smile that made her all nervous inside. "You definitely had."He was having too much fun seeing her that way. "Now can I drive you home?"

She looked at him for a minute, her hand wandering through his face, fingers tracing a patter on his beard as his gaze melted to hers, completely taken by her presence, to have her in his arms on that cold evening.

"Magic word." She mumbled and Will laughed loudly this time.

"Get in the car, damnit." He chuckled and she pushed his face away. "Okay! Okay..." He sniffed. "Teresa Brooks, could you please let me drive you home?" He insisted now, raising an eyebrow and smirking charmingly.

She only made some weird, random sound in response, unable to say a proper sentence, and tried to walk to his car, of course, he had to help her get there, open the door for her, and put on the seat belt on her, or else she would just fall on the pavement.

Once he set his way to her apartment, Teresa suddenly mumbled. "Jack suspended me."

He nodded. "Katz told me." His gaze was stuck to the road. "I'm sorry about that, he shouldn't have-"

"I took some of Freddie's hair, the bitch screamed." She chuckled like a naughty kid and Will found that hilarious. "I don't regret it though."

"I wish I could've seen it."He chuckled.

"I can demonstrate it." She touched his curly hair and Will instantly retreated as she laughed.

"I'm driving your idiot."He smiled. "Sleep a bit, I'll wake you up when we get there."

He didn't have to ask twice, her eyes shut down to sleep lazily, as he only grinned, gazing at her from time to time.

...

To make her remember her password, get in the apartment, and lie on her bed was a challenge, but Will Graham succeeded in it. Luckily he knew the place like the palm of his hand by now, especially the room, so he sighed relieved once he let Teresa fall on the comfortable king-size bed, still giggling like a teenager.

"What are you laughing at now? His hands were on his hips as he looked down on her.

She raised her body, knees on the mattress as her hands slid on his chest, setting his heart on a supernova's speed limit. "Lie down with me." She smirked, stamping red kisses on his neck.

"Brooks you are drunk." He chuckled as her lips burned on his skin, driving him insane. "No, no, come on stop it." He gripped her wrists and looked right into her eyes. "You're drunk and I'm sober, wouldn't be right."

"Then get drunk too!" She pouted.

Will chortled. "You should rest, you had a long day." He couldn't help but smile at her like a young boy. "God you're such a mess." He tried to clean some of the makeup on her face, but she shook in reluctance. "You're impossible, stand still." He removed the eyeshadow with some humid cotton and soon enough her face was clean as day. He loved even more to observe her that way, to spot each trace and detail of her skin, the same way she would be when they used to wake up together on the next morning of a hookup.  "Off to bed." He advised.

"You're not my father." She threw a pillow at him.

"That's it, come here." he grinned and threw the pillow away, getting on the bed and pulling her to lie down as she giggled and shrieked, arms wrapped around her as they both lay down, facing one another.

Silence. That same shared unspoken connection consumed them again, as he pulled a strand of her hair off her face, admiring those eternity-like eyes that made him feel himself again, present, chasing away the shadows from his mind.

In those moments she made him want to give everything up and just stay there, staring at her forever.

"Thanks for standing up for me."He whispered to her, thumb caressing her cheek, warmness shared subtly, as he barely knew how to react to her strength, her character, he found her simply...extraordinary. "I'll try to convince Jack-"

She shook her head. "I can handle this." She muttered back. "Maybe he's right, maybe I should have more self-control...and I hate that he's right," Teresa confessed. "I hate that...I somehow need to be fixed..."

"You're not broken, don't say that."

"No, but I need to be better." She spoke determinedly. "So I can come back stronger."

He smiled in acceptance of that argument. She seemed to always know what to say or what to do, sometimes he envied that in her. "Well, I find you amazing as you already are." He declared, softly being honest for once. He chuckled. "How can you look so pretty even when wasted?"

She giggled. "It's an art."

She snuggled against his chest as he cuddled with her in bed, lips softly touching her forehead as everything became quiet, only except for their heartbeats and their calm breaths. "Sleep tight troublemaker..."He whispered as she closed her eyes, inhaling his perfume and drifting to the world of dreams. "...I'll be here for you." He promised while holding her carefully. "...always."

...

It was an organized and secluded office on a calm rainy street where all the houses seemed empty except for this place. The grey clouded seemed especially heavy that afternoon when she walked in and sat on one of the minimalist and comfortable armchairs that faced a bamboo garden outside. It had that sort of Zen vibe but not too much of it, a tranquil energy that surrounded the elegant furniture and monotone atmosphere that wrapped in shades of black, white, and grey.

The woman's blonde hair contrasted her decoration, and her clothes made curves on her body, almost like a lawyer in court, so formal yet so contained, something royalty could never even copy, as she walked and sat right across Teresa Brooks, who just wore some old, purple sweatshirt to that session.

"I apologize for my delay, I had some matters to attend." The woman said in a distinct eloquent tone that called Teresa poor in 5 different languages. "Please allow me to introduce myself" The woman smiled politely as she crossed her legs, showing her saint-laurent heels. "I'm Doctor Bedelia Du Maurier, and I was indicated by Dr. Hannibal Lecter to be your psychiatrist during the time you are suspended from your activities."

Teresa could've said a million things. She could've asked the reason Hannibal indicated her, or how they knew each other, she could've complimented her house, she could've only introduced herself, anything was possible at that moment.

But she only choose to say "Holy shit, they really assigned a milf as my psychiatrist"