A MOMENT IN TIME
by Fyre


Dr. Lecter looked calmly over Will Graham's shoulder as the younger man furiously flipped through papers, jotting down words and phrases on a legal note pad.  As he had told Dr. Lecter, Will felt he was close to a breakthrough with the Chesapeake Ripper case.  He was determined that there was just something in his papers that he had missed, a key that would make it all click together.  Dr. Lecter had simply nodded when Will announced this and graciously let Will take over his study.  The oak desk was covered with case files, pictures of the crime scenes and notes that Will and Lecter had themselves made up.

Quietly, Lecter told Will that he was going to make a cup of tea.  Distractedly, Will half-raised a hand and waved his acknowledgement.  Dr. Lecter amusedly noted how absorbed Will was.

While in the kitchen, which was attached to the study, the phone rang.  It was one of Dr. Lecter's patients, one Jessica Wissbrod, who had been referred to Lecter by her doctor after trying to kill herself.  Ms. Wissbrod attempted suicide on an average of once a week and after each time saw fit to call Dr. Lecter.   Interrupting the young lady, Lecter popped his head into the study to tell Will that he had to take this call.  Again, the distracted hand wave.

Fifteen boring, redundant minutes later, Dr. Lecter walked into the study sipping his tea.  Will seemed slightly slumped over the table, his head hanging.  Lecter simply raised an eyebrow and walked toward the desk.  On closer examination, the young man had actually fallen asleep sitting up.  He still sat straight up, except for the slight aforementioned slump of the shoulders.  Shifting his cup of tea from his left hand to his right, Dr. Lecter brushed his fingers against the back of Will's neck.  The sandy brown head immediately shot up and Will turned to look at Lecter, his eyes wide.

"Yes?"

A small smile graced Dr. Lecter's features as he calmly informed Will, "You fell asleep."

Will's eyes widened and he glanced at the papers strewn on the desk.  He replied, "I guess I did."

"Maybe you should take a break," Lecter suggested.

Again distracted, Will started to organize the papers into a neat stack.  Shaking his head slowly, "I can't, I'm so close."

Lecter's hand still rested on Will's neck.  His grip tightened slightly and massaged the tense muscles steadily.  Holding the stack of papers, Will glanced at Dr. Lecter.  Lecter said, "At least have a cup of tea."

Meeting Dr. Lecter's eyes, Will nodded once, silently.  They gazed at each other for seconds on end until finally Dr. Lecter moved his hand and went to get Will's tea.  Sighing reservedly, Will turned back to his papers.