There are variations in the dreams, this time around. In this round, Will comes before anything, which is how Hannibal feels it should be. In these, there is no Clarice. Only Will.
And that connection he had felt with Clarice had been transferred to Will, but tenfold. A hundredfold. The self in his dream had been in love with Clarice, to be sure, but she had been his surrogate for Mischa. Much like Abigail had.
Will is different. Will is everything.
"There is nothing you could ask that I would not do for you."