Standing in Will Graham's presence once again was almost akin to breathing air again after nearly drowning. The look on his face and laced into his very body language stung... but there was relief , and acceptance too.

"I was wondering when you'd finally show up."

"Sorry it took me so long. I'm assuming you want to talk." Her voice comes across equally clipped.

Will let out a slightly unhinged chuckle as he stood up. "Where to begin?"

"I've looped the camera and audio feeds. We can start whenever you'd like."

"Did you know what he would do to Abigail?"

The only physical reaction the teen had was her gaze wavering for a second. "No."

"But you knew what he was?"

"Yes." He wanted a reaction... anything besides her stone cold apathy, but Ashley refused to give Will one as he practically interrogated her with a quick paced series of questions.

"Ok, I have one more question: how old are you?"

Ashley blinked once then twice. "Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to ask a lady her age?"

Will gave her a pointed look. "You said you'd tell me anything I wanted to know," he chuckled slightly before continuing, "and don't say twenty two because we both know you're a lot younger than that."

Ashley inwardly scowled. She had said that, hadn't she? "I don't see how it matters, but you just missed my 16th birthday."

It went deathly silent for a moment. "If it makes you feel any better, there wasn't much of a celebration, unless if you count a two day sword fight a party. In my family, it might as well be."

"Happy belated birthday."

Ashley tilted her head slightly. No one had even acknowledged it since she was 11 besides Ed nonchalantly placing a piece of cake in front of her once a year.

"Thanks."

After that, their conversation took a softer, gentler turn into discussing what was to be done about Hannibal. Ashley had suggested murder, while Will had argued that it would be too kind. Torture, then, Ashley had countered with a deadly smile, how splendid!

Their conversation had been cut short by a guard finally catching on that their prisoner, sorry, patient wasn't alone. Naturally, Ashley had exclaimed "You'll never catch me alive!" In a fit of what could best be described as 'maniacal laughter', the teen had quite literally back hand spring-ed into the shadows and out of room.

≈§≈

Ashley should have known from the second she decided to break into Hannibal's office, of all places, she was utterly doomed. Perhaps she had, but in all honesty, everything was a blur after she felt that needle plunge into her neck.

The notes, I need the notes, I need..,

Someone was screaming, yowling to be more accurate and she was falling. The ground shattered and attempted to swallow her whole. A deep disembodied chuckle rang through her mind.

Oh, she thinks distantly to herself, that's certainly not good. That was Ashley's last coherent thought as the neon yellow-green liquid flowing through her veins takes over completely.

And that was exactly how the BAU finally found her, writhing on the floor in blissful agony while screaming her lungs out.