A young girl of ten whimpers of as she looks up to see her mother, she had long since taught her cat to hide from the vile woman, " I have something for you to copy, get to it, or you don't get any food today. "
The girl with shoulder length dark hair and blue eyes sighs with resignation and starts to copy the stolen Monet. Once she's well underway she whistles softly for her cat. When her cat with white legs, a white belly, white around his nose which was pink, orange on his back, sides, tail and most of his face, with his right eye blind appears she ties the bag with the memory card, flash drive, and letter stapled to it around his white collar. " Find papà, Mango. He can help me. Stay off the streets, take the sub way. Go, quickly. "
She continues to do the work her mother, a forger and fence made her do. She knew that unless she got help she was finished. So, she continues to do her work and signs her painting forgery the way her papa taught her.
Chapter One
It was a usual day for Neal Caffrey, get up, eat a breakfast and have coffee at June's with Peter, head in to the FBI building and work for White Collar as a CI. Until around eleven in the morning Neal feels something twine around his legs, he looks down and his eyes widen upon seeing a cat he hadn't seen in five years. He takes in the White Collar and the bag tied to the collar, then he sees the letter stapled to the bag. He tore the letter off and opened the envelope, then he unfolded the letter:
Papà,
Devi tirami fuori di qui, mi sta usando per fare falsi e se non mi muore di fame. So che alcuni suoi conoscenti mi stanno eying in modo non buono ho paura che li lascerò fare ciò che vogliono. Ho racchiuso prove sufficienti per aprire un'indagine. Mi manchi, papa, non lasciarmi qui più a lungo. Aiutami.
Aislynn Caffrey
" Caffrey, what's with the cat? "
Neal looks up at Agent Peter Burke, " His name is Mango, he came with a message. "
" Who would use a cat to send a message to you, Caffrey? "
Neal sighs, he had worked so hard to hide her existence from the Feds but now he'd need Peter's help to get his daughter back, " His owner, my daughter. "
Neal can feel the shocked look Peter was sending his way. Neal unties the bag and hands it to Peter, " She says her mom is using her to make forgeries and that she enclosed sufficient enough evidence to open an investigation. "
They head to Peter's office, Mango following, as per his mistress' wishes, he was to stay with Neal until everything was resolved. Peter looks at the flash drive first and his eyes widen, " Caffrey, your daughter is in huge trouble, White Collar has been trying to nail her mother for years, and now she's being used as an accomplice. "
" No, she's being forced to, her mother threatens to withhold food if she doesn't comply, " Neal says, " Look, I know my daughter, I gave her Mango. She hates her mother, in fact, I had a hard time convincing her to stay with her mother, when I couldn't take her with me. "
" What'd she think of Kate? "
Neal winces, " Hated Kate, from the very beginning, and Kate didn't like her either, though she tolerated Aislynn for my sake. Peter, we have to get her out of there. "
Mango jumps up onto Peter's desk and sprawls out, as if to say that he was going to be there for the duration. Peter glares at Mango and he just flicks his tail in response. Neal smirks, " Let me guess, Aislynn told you to stay with me, right, Mango? "
Mango lifts his head and looks right at Neal before nodding. Peter looks at the tom cat in astonishment, " Did that cat just nod at you? "
Neal smiles outright as Peter has Jones take the flash drive and memory card to the tech heads for analyzing, " Mango's an unusual cat. Now, Peter, I believe we need to start digging into this situation, because I would like to have my daughter back. "
" Why don't you just go visit her now? "
" Outside of my range, probably had Mango take the sub to get to me. She's in Brooklyn. "
" Well, why don't I go with you? " Peter asks when Diana comes in with a painting, Turner's Snowstorm.
Neal was already examining the painting and found what he was looking for. The signature he had taught Aislynn to make. He had to admit his daughter had talent, it was an excellently well-made forgery, with the correct lighting, " Well, Caffrey, real or fake? "
" Fake, but an excellently well-made forgery. The artist is a prodigy. " Neal says, only Peter heard the pride in his voice.
" Diana, have the other suspected forgeries brought up, Neal's going to look at them all. " Peter says firmly.
Once Neal has looked at each forgery he found five more that Aislynn had done, all of them Matisse's, and Neal knew she hated Matisse's work, and they had slight imperfections, Aislynn's rebellion for having to forge Matisse's work. Neal wasn't too fond of Matisse's work either. Once the other agents are out of the office Peter turns to Neal, " The ones you picked out are all her work, huh? "
" Yeah, others I'll need to look closer at. She prefers Monet's, and hates Matisse's work. Now, let's go, we'll drop Mango off with June and then I'll direct you to my daughter's current residence, I have Mozzie keep track of her. " Neal says.
Once at his daughter's home Neal's entire demeanor changes, he was gearing up for a fight with his ex. He rings the bell, " Well, if it isn't the dog of the FBI. "
" Hello, Bella, I'd like to see Aislynn, now. " Neal says.
" Hell no, she's mine now. "
" No, we still share equal custody, remember, you tried to win that custody suit only to have it backfire on you. I have a very good family attorney. She's works my cases pro bono. " Neal fires back.
Suddenly Bella is shoved aside as Neal is dragged inside by Aislynn. Bella glares at Aislynn while Neal hugs her tight, " Tutto bene? "
" Meglio ora che sei qui, papà. "
" Go get your things together, you're going to be staying with me for a while, and well, I'll deal with your mother. "
Peter watches from the door way as the little girl races off to pack up her stuff, " You can't have her. "
" Wrong, Bella, you have shared custody and now that Neal's out you will be honoring the agreement, or I will see if I can have you declared an unfit mother, still should. " a new voice says.
This voice belonged to a girl a decade younger than Neal, wearing jeans and a t-shirt, with a messenger bag slung over her left shoulder, so it was laying on her right hip, " As Neal's family attorney, I can make your life hell if I choose to do so. I can afford to take his cases pro bono, because I make so much on my other clients, plus, he's my brother, which would give him a family discount if I wasn't doing this pro bono. "
Bella snarls at her, " Well, Ella Caffrey has crawled out of the woodworks again. "
" Neal sent me a text, asking me to meet him here. Ready for another round, Bella? "
Peter looks startled at this, he hadn't known Neal had a sister either. Just then he answers his cell as Aislynn races back in, she had all of her stuff and Mango's packed up, well, all the stuff she wanted to take. Her papà or aunt could get her new art supplies. Plus, she needed new clothes and shoes too. She'd also like to go to school, but not a stuffy, boring one. Ella takes her stuff while Neal picks her up, Aislynn might be ten, but Neal could still carry her, and he wanted to at the moment. Neal makes sure his sister knows his address and heads to Peter's car, once at the car he sits Aislynn down and they both get in, Neal handing her a brand new sketch book, he'd been planning on sending it to her through Ella for her birthday.
Disclaimer: I don't own White Collar, and Mike Ross from Suits will make appearances.
Author's Note: This is my first non-crossover White Collar fic. Please review as they make my happy.
Letter Translation:
You have to get me out of here, she's using me to make forgeries and if I don't she starves me. I know some of her acquaintances are eying me in a not good way, I fear she'll let them do what they want. I've enclosed enough evidence to open an investigation. I miss you ,papa, don't leave me here any longer. Help me.
Tutto bene?- You all right?
Meglio ora che sei qui, papà- Better now that you're here, papa.
