"Miriam Lass was recruited to the Ripper case awhile back." Alana explained on the car ride to the FBI building. "Jack Crawford thinks Miriam discovered who the ripper was. That's why she went missing two years ago."

"Wait. If you found another victim won't that clear Will's name? He couldn't have done anything while locked up." I said hopefully while holding my seat tightly.

"Not necessarily. Unlike all the other ripper victims, she was alive when we found her."

"That means she knowns who the real Chesapeake ripper is." I smiled. Will will be free and we can lock up the real monster.

"Not exactly." Alana frowned at she drove. "Miriam has been gone for two years. She has experienced serious post traumatic stress. She's not talking."

"Will she be ok?" I rubbed my hands to prevent myself from biting my cheek.

"It'll take awhile but she will recover."

"How did you find her?"

"Three days ago we found Miriam's left arm."

I gasped.

"I didn't tell you because I knew you would worry even more. Will suggested running more tests on the tissue of the arm. They found organisms that only live in a certain aquatic environment. Then we traced that organism to habitats nearby. That led us to a small pond outside an abandon shed. Miriam was found in a well inside that shed." Alana's eyes didn't leave the road.

I couldn't believe what I heard. The poor girl was locked up for two years while everyone was busy pinning the murders on Will. My heart broke for her. That monster ruined mine, Will's, Miriam's, and so many other's lives. It took everything in me not to cry. I squeezed my eyes shut and squeezed my fists. I wish Hannibal was here.

The car was quiet for some time then eventually Alana broke the silence. "Jack thought that you might be able to break through to Miriam. The Ripper tormented both of you. Maybe not in the same way, but enough for you to empathize with her."

I released my fists, "I-I can't talk to her!" I turned towards Alana.

"Why not?"

"What if I say the wrong thing or I can't get through to her?" My leg started to violently shake.

"You don't give yourself enough credit. You are the kindest person I know. Just be yourself." She flashed a soft smile.

Alana brought me to the interrogation room where Miriam Lass sat on a metal chair in front of a matching table. The artificial lights were way too bright. The room temperature wasn't any better. She was shivering. It's as if they were treating her like a criminal. No wonder she hasn't been talking.

"Here, have this." I gently spoke as I pulled off my jacket and helped her put it on.

"Thank you." She whispered, avoiding eye contact.

I dragged the other chair next to her. I sat down facing her. "Hi Miriam. I'm (y/n)." I kept a soft voice in order not to startle her.

"I know you're scared. I understand. The Ripper came to my house and planted a knife in the side of the building." She slowly looked up at me. "I want to catch that bastard as much as you do, if not more after seeing what he did to you." I delicately held her hand. "Can you remember anything about him?"

"N-no." She looked down.

"Hey, it's ok. Do you think you'll be able to try something for me?"

"Yes."

"Close your eyes." She hesitantly did so. "imagine you are with the Ripper. What do your surroundings look like?"

"Uh, I-it's bright. Everything is bright." She said confidently.

"Now, the Ripper is standing right in front of you. What do you see?"

Miriam squeezed her eyes tight.

"It's ok I'm right here." I squeezed her hand.

"I can't see his face. Only his silhouette." Her face was scrunched up. I could tell she was trying her hardest. "But I can hear his voice!" Miriam exclaimed. She opened her eyes.

"That's very good!" I said smiling "Do you think you could hear his voice again and identify it?"

She nodded certainly.

"That's great Miriam!" She returned my smile.

Alana came into the room.

"Miriam, we have a recording of a suspect during an interrogation. Do you think you'll be up for listening and identifying his voice?" Alana stood at the doorway.

Miriam nodded. As she was being led out she looked at me. I didn't want to leave her alone with people she's unfamiliar with so I followed behind her.

Hannibal was waiting outside the interrogation room for me. He seemed worried. I smiled at him to signal that I'm ok. Miriam followed my gazed and stared at him.

Miriam sat in front of a computer with a recording of Will's interrogation playing.

"Does he sound like the Ripper?" Jack asked.

Miriam shook her head. "No it's not him."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes." Miriam made direct eye contact with Jack. She wasn't lying.

Jack and the other agents looked at each other. They arrested an innocent man and tried pinning the murders on him.

"Alana." Jack glanced at me and nodded to Alana.

"(y/n), lets get going." She led me away. "Thank you so much you were a big help."

"Will's innocent does that mean they're going to let him go?"I looked back at Miriam and then Alana as we continued to walk away.

"I honestly don't know." She stopped to look at me. "But that's not for you to worry about. You're safe." She handed me off to Hannibal. He took me to his house. Which I now call home.

"They need my help with Miriam. I'll be home in time for dinner. Call me if you need anything." Hannibal kissed my forehead and left through the front door.

I sat down to collect my thoughts.

So much has happened in the last two weeks. Will the Ripper ever be caught? Did he forget about me? He hasn't left any 'gifts' recently. Maybe that's the plan. Lure me into a false sense of safety and then when I'm least expecting it, kill me. Or worse what if he kills Hannibal. I don't know what I would do if Hannibal gets hurt because of me.

I felt that familiar overwhelming suffocating feeling. I tried to take a deep breath and count to ten, it didn't work.

I could hear my heart pounding against my ribcage. I can't breathe. I tried calling out for help but my voice was only a whisper. No one would hear me anyways.

I wanted to run but how can you escape your own body?

My breaths were short. My lungs felt nonexistent. I was sobbing on the floor. I couldn't move. I couldn't reach my medication.

My nails ripped into the palms of my hands. I had no choice but to wait it out. It felt like years but in reality it was only minutes.

My heart rate returned to normal but I couldn't bring myself to leave the floor. I laid there with tears still falling. I stared off into the distance.

When day was turning into night I heard a knock on the door. Was it Hannibal? But he has keys.

I peeled myself off the wood polished floors and trudged to the door. I slowly opened it. There stood Will.

"What are you doing here?" I quickly shut the door as he hurried inside.

"Is Hannibal here?" He looked around nervously.

"No, he's at the station."

"Good."

"Will, what's going on? You're suppose to be at the hospital."

"I was released after Miriam cleared my name."

I sighed in relief at the good news. "Why are you here though?"

"I have something to tell you." He glance one last time at the door. "Hannibal is the Chesapeake ripper."

I stood there staring at him. "What?" Maybe I didn't hear him correctly.

"Hannibal drugged me, he brainwashed me, he framed me, and killed all those people."

"Will, maybe you should go home and get some rest. You're under a lot of stress."

Will grabbed my shoulders. "(y/n), please you need to listen to me. Hannibal is the Ripper."

"He can't be. I was with him the night you were frame, he was with me when the Ripper left that knife at my house. The timeline just doesn't make any sense." I stepped back from Will. Then I thought back to what Hannibal said when we went to visit Will. If you're right about Will being framed then Dr. Chilton is my first suspect. Dr. Chilton had a lot of contact with Will. What if he suggested Hannibal being the Ripper and Will ran with it? Fredrick Chilton didn't seem to enjoy Hannibal's company too much either. Possibly he plans to pin everything on Hannibal, just like Will.

"Please (y/n) you have to believe me you're in danger." He tried to grab my arm. I pulled away.

I looked away. "I think you should go." Will obviously wasn't in his right mind. Why would he say all those things about Hannibal, he's his friend.

"He's a murderer!"

Suddenly, Hannibal stepped through the front door.

"What's going on?"

Will froze then quickly whispered, "Get out before it's too late." He then glared at Hannibal and left.

"Why did Will come by?"

"He came to warn me." I looked down at my hands as I squeezed them together.

"About what?" He place his coat down and walked over to me.

"He said..." I slowly looked up from my hands "...You're the Ripper."

"He said that?" He seemed surprised.

"Yes, I told him you weren't but he didn't believe me."

"Will has gone through a lot. He desperately wants answers. So much so that his subconscious is making them up."

"Do you think someone may have given him that idea to incriminate you?"

"It's a possibility. Why do you ask?"

I bit my lip. "I was just wondering."