Surviving El's Love 1

By Peppe1951

Summary: After disobeying Peter's orders Neal finds himself trying to survive the wilderness in winter. Warning: Disciplining of an adult. Don't like? Don't read! Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to USA; I only write about it.

This is the third story in the Family series.

It was Thursday afternoon in January and Neal and Peter were congratulating each other over the recent completion of an art forgery case when Jones burst in.

"Sorry Boss, for disturbing you but look at this," he said hurriedly as he placed an open folder on Peter's desk.

It only took Peter a glance to realize that this was serious and turning to Neal he barked, "You are going into hiding until this case is solved!"

"Me! Why?" asked Neal as he jumped up from his chair.

"Because Kenneth Fuller just escaped and his last words were that he was personally going to make you suffer," replied Peter seriously.

"He was just mad; I'm sure he has cooled down since then," replied Neal as he looked into the face of father and agent, Peter Burke. "I don't want to go into hiding," he added whining. "I was going to go to El's reception at the Met tonight."

"Too bad…El will understand and you will have plenty of time after Fuller is back in prison for you to attend others," ordered Peter before turning to Jones and asking,

"What safe house can we use for this?"

"Let me check and I'll get back to you," Jones replied as he left Peter and Neal alone.

As soon as Jones left Peter sat back down and motioned for Neal to do the same thing. "Son, let me explain something to you. When I give you an order I mean for you to obey me or we will be having a discussion of the painful type. I want you to be safe and because of that you will obey me now and stay at the safe house until Fuller is caught and sent back…do we understand each other?" Peter asked seriously.

"Yes sir," Neal replied bitterly, "I guess I have no other choice…just do me a favor and catch him quickly."

"I'll do my best," Peter replied as he got up and ruffled Neal's hair knowing how much it annoyed the younger man and left to get more details on the Fuller escape.

It had been a week since Fuller's escape and there hadn't been any sign of him anywhere. Neal was bored…so bored that he was about to disobey not only the order of Peter Burke, White Collar agent but his adopted father as well.

He was only going to go for a walk to the nearby museum…he had to do something or he would go mad stuck in this house one more hour. He would have no trouble breaking out since he had made a career of breaking into places.

"Neal, I know that you are bored, but until we can recapture Fuller the safest place you can be is at that house. You are being protected by FBI agents so just get it out of your mind about stepping one foot outside," Peter recalled his last conversation. He knew that his art consultant/son was bored and a bored Neal is never a good thing so he was going to drop in unnoticed and make sure he was obeying his orders by staying inside.

Peter pulled up just as the agents guarding Neal rushed out…and a bad feeling just settled in his stomach. "What's wrong…where is Neal?" he barked as he hurried from the car.

"I'm sorry, boss," Jones said sadly, "he managed to sneak out while I was talking to Agent Phillips."

"Scatter out maybe he's still in the neighborhood…and when you catch him, confine him to his room…and Jones be sure to remove all of his clothing…from his body as well as his room…he will not be leaving again!" ordered Peter angrily as he returned to his vehicle.

"I'll drive around and see if he's anywhere to be found," he said before he drove off.

Peter had only driven a few blocks when he did indeed locate his missing son coming out of a local museum. He was just about to pick him up when a black SUV screeched to a stop in front of Neal and he was thrown into the SUV and it took off with a screech.

Peter was on his cell seconds later as he took off after the SUV sure that it not only had his son but most likely Fuller as well. He decided to only tail the vehicle hoping that nothing serious would be done to Neal until he had backup to take Fuller. "Jones…found Neal…he's been kidnapped. I'm tailing the vehicle that took him," Peter said as he added the vehicle's tag number and his location. "Track Neal's anklet for as long as possible…but if it comes to a stop without me telling you the same continue to follow my cell phone."

Peter started to get worried as the SUV headed out of town going to the mountainous countryside where winter was in full force and remembered that they were in for some more snow later in the day. It would be worse in the mountains than in the city and hoped that he would be able to recover Neal before the weather got worse.