Authors Notes:

- Unbeta'd, all mistakes are my own.

- Challenge fic for collarkink meme on Livejournal

- Edited Jan 15th 2012

Warnings: asphyxiation, dub-con, severe trauma, angst, implied slash, eventual slash

The Perils of Ecstasy

"Jesus Christ!" Peter exclaimed as he stepped into the bedroom and saw Neal on the bed laying on his side with his hands bound behind his back and completely naked. Peter's first reaction was to raise his hand to block the sight and glance around the room to see if Neal's playmate was still around but something struck him as instantly wrong… Neal hadn't moved, and after he'd been as loud as he had with his explicative the other should have at least made some sign of hearing him. Not to mention the fact that he'd knocked rather loudly before coming in.

"Neal..?" He queried as he stepped into the room, one hand moving just above his gun as he glanced toward the closet and bathroom doors. He peeked into the bathroom first, then edged the closet open before turning his full attention on Neal. The sight made his heart tighten until he couldn't breathe. For a moment the world seemed to stretch out, a rushing silence overtaking everything as his senses grew hyper focused on the one thing in the room that mattered… Neal, and he wasn't breathing.

Peter rushed to Neal's side, taking in in an instant the burst capillaries under the eyes that made him look something like a movie zombie and the blue tinged lips. Not only was he bound, but there was a belt around his throat which was obviously cutting off his oxygen. His hands went instantly to the belt and he ignored the voice telling him to use gloves and preserve the evidence. He needed to get the belt off to check for a pulse. His hands moved as quickly as they ever had as he unbuckled the belt, hating the fact that he actually had to press it further into Neal's already too tightly bound throat in order to get it unfastened from the makeshift hole that someone had cut into it.

"Damn it Neal…" He whispered as he searched for a pulse against the bruised but still warm skin. The warmth encouraged him slightly but he wasn't warm enough.. And he couldn't find a pulse. Wait! No! He had a pulse, it was thready and fading but it was there. Instantly he was on his phone calling in a man down while simultaneously rolling Neal onto his back and beginning CPR. He didn't care that the other man was naked, or that it was obvious they were in a bed where there had been definite sexual activity recently, all he cared about was that his partner was nearly dead and he was going to do his damnedest to keep him alive until the paramedics got there.

Apparently things were still touch and go.. When Neal's heart had stopped as the paramedics rushed him to the hospital, Peter's almost had as well. He knew he hadn't breathed until he heard the fragile rhythm that signaled Neal was still alive start up again. Now he stood pacing back and forth in the waiting room almost an hour later. He had no idea what was taking so long but his calls back and forth organizing his team to get over there and gather evidence had gotten increasingly more frustrating until it had been all he could do not to bite Lauren's head off the last time they spoke. Calls to him had stopped after that and left him with no way to vent his frustration other then pacing the room and sending cold looks to anyone who got in his way or tried to suggest he have a seat.

When a doctor came out and sought him out the man couldn't seem to look him in the eyes and it made Peter's insides ice over to watch the man so obviously try and avoid his gaze. He looked down at the chart he was holding and back at Peter.

"Mr. Burke, you're listed here as next of kin… you're Mr. Caffrey's partner?" When Peter just gave a stiff nod the Doctor shifted a bit uncomfortably and stared a hole in the chart. "I see.. Well, he's out of ICU and in stable condition but he's going to have to stay with us for a while. I can't really tell you any more then that at the time. Additionally Mr. Burke, I'm afraid that we cant allow you to see him until he's regained consciousness and been able to speak with a counselor. If he's able." The doctor seemed to find some bravado then and straitened, shooting Peter a rather disapproving look. "I suggest that in the future you be more careful with your partners." With that the doctor turned on his heels and went back through the double doors that separated the no admittance area from the waiting room, leaving Peter standing there dumbfounded.

Peter understood far too well the embarrassed looks, glares and disgusted snorts directed his way by the hospital staff later when a local LEO had come to ask him questions about his part in his 'partner's accident' as they put it. A few angry words and a flashed FBI badge later and the cop was apologizing profusely for the mix up and he was storming through the ER doors to the room the cop had specified. He jerked his hand angrily through his hair as he stood above Neal's bed, watching the man breathe in and out slowly, a rather beautiful sight at the moment considering how horribly still Neal had been when he'd found him.

Neal looked so pale. His eyes looked slightly bruised and the skin around them was lines with small red lines, like crackling paint due to the capillaries that burst, his lips looked dry and blended in with the rest of his pale face and instead of looking at peace he had a slightly pained look… and his neck. His neck was badly bruised and reddened. Whoever had done this to Neal had either been trying to kill him or was a complete idiot. Again the thought of Neal being forced against his will flashed through Peter's mind and it was all he could do not to punch something. Settling into a chair beside Neal he got as comfortable as he could and prepared himself for a long night.

Peter was going over file on the evidence gathered from Neal's bedroom with a frown. There was no sign of struggle or forced entry into the house, June hadn't seen anyone unusual around but had told him that occasionally in the past Neal had brought a friend home, and they weren't always the same. He glanced up and Neal, angry at him for just a moment before it faded into the chilling fear that had been gripping his since the Doctor apologized to him for the earlier misunderstanding and then explained the reality of Neal's condition to him.

It was quite likely that if Neal woke up it was going to be with brain damage due to the lack of oxygen which was made evident by the other signs of strangulation injury he had suffered. Whoever had done this to him had damaged his larynx and caused him to be intubated until they were sure that he would be able to breathe properly on his own. He was gazing at him with worry when the blue eyes opened slowly. Peter shot out of his chair and leaned over Neal, looking at him intently and telling himself that it was just the pain medicine making him glassy eyed and distant looking. "Neal.. Hey, Neal look at me.." He urged softly, but received no response before the eyes shut slowly as Neal faded back into unconsciousness.

There had been no response, no signal that Neal had been conscious, or had the mental capacity to answer him. Peter jerked his hand through his hair, sat down for a moment and then stood, grabbing his jacket and heading for the door. He needed to get out of there. He hesitated for a moment in the door frame, looking back at Neal and then shook his head and left. He didn't want to leave Neal alone but he needed to be doing something or he would go crazy.

Twenty-four hours later he was sitting across an interrogation table from an attractive young man named Mike Saunders. He was a rather large individual, at around six foot two and obviously something of a 'gym bunny' judging by the physic displayed in the rather tight tee and clinging jeans. He was also obviously extremely nervous which just made Peter all that much more angry with the guy. This was the man who matched the DNA left at the scene of the crime. They had picked him up as soon as the results came in, lucky because his DNA was on file thanks to an assault charge from a few years back which had later been dropped.

Peter was careful to contain himself despite the anger that was obviously rolling off him. He normally wouldn't be involved in this sort of investigation but the lead on the team for violent crimes of this nature had allowed him into the interrogation because he was always professional and had an excellent track record for getting things solved with professionalism. He managed to stay quiet throughout most of the interrogation, giving the guy a grim look every time he nervously glanced his way. At first he denied ever seeing Neal. Then his story changed, and again. Finally the fourth time it changed Peter stood, causing both the lead investigator and the suspect to look at him.

Spreading his hands on the table and leaning forward he looked into Mike Saunder's eyes, letting him see all the cold fury contained there and said quietly. "I think you may want to consider the truth and tell us exactly what happened. We already have evidence that puts you at the scene, intimately.. And if that's not enough you may want to consider that he is with the FBI." He nodded to indicate the picture of Neal on the table, "We look at things a bit more harshly when suspects are non-cooperative. So unless you want to be charged with obstructing a federal investigation in addition to the other charges I suggest you tell us exactly what happened."

Apparently it worked, because after a few moments of stunned silence the man began to weep openly, telling them a tale that made Peter's gut churn slightly and finally admitting that he had left Neal for dead. Peter stood and left the room, leaving O'Brian to finish up the interrogation while he ducked into the recording room and gave the technician and the members of O'Brian's team the evil eye for a moment.

"I don't want a word of this getting out. Not ever." Whether or not Neal had willingly done the kinds of things that Mike Saunders was saying he did Peter was not going to have his partner's name smeared. If any of this got out he would be bashing some heads later. He knew O'Brian at least he could trust to be discreet but sometimes probies got excited.

Seeing that his implied threat was clear he ducked back out of the room and went to his office to grab his jacket in order to head to the hospital. He felt a bit more at ease knowing that the suspect would at least be booked for not calling an ambulance - which would have at very least been manslaughter had Peter not arrived. He headed back to the hospital to check on Neal and see if he'd woken up.

- Please review the fic, liked it, didn't like it? What do you want to see happen?

- Please note this will not be a Deathfic or an OT3 fic.