Peter Burke finally breathed a sigh of relief. He was out of the cave, reinstated to his previous position in the FBI. Neal was back, safely. Since Neal had willingly returned, the trust between the two partners was stronger than ever. Everything was finally perfect in his life.

Brown eyes followed the movement on the terrace. Neal and Sara were talking, things looking serious from the furrow marring the otherwise smooth contours of his partners face. Neal seemed to have reached an epiphany, his eyes lit up with determination. He placed a chaste kiss on Sara's cheek and came inside.

'I have some urgent business to take care of, I'm afraid I have to leave. Please, carry on the party. I'll join in the fun soon.' Neal said, and with a tip of his hat and a final pat on peters shoulder, the conman left his apartment.

Neal's absence did little to dampen the cheerful mood that consumed the group. Today was a day to celebrate, after all.

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(four hours later)

'There are no such things as aliens, mozzie!' Peters frustrated voice cut through the paranoid mans tirade on ET life.

'How do you know that!? I'm telling you suit, the government has evidence in their secret underground headquarters!'

'Moz, i think that only happens in the Transformers movie.' and amused diana added her two cents to the absurd conversation.

'Lady suit! I took you as a more open-minded type!' mozzie declared mournfully.

'Let's all go have a celebratory dinner!' El's voice interrupted their pointless argument.

'Oh, that sounds like a great idea El!' Peter happily jumped at the chance to get some real food in his stomach. The food Neal had left them had been something fancy, and unsurprisingly Peter couldn't pronounce the name of the complicated dish that had appealed to everyone's palate but his own.

'I'll call Caffery, let him know where to join us.' Jones added helpfully, phone already pressed to his ear. The call went straight to voicemail. Jones frowned. Caffery always picked up his phone. Something was wrong.

Mozzie whipped out his own phone, listening to Neals voice helpfully telling him to leave a message if he dared being heard by Big Brother. 'Something is really wrong, suit. Neal always picks up when i call from this number. Even when he has company over.' he shot a deliberate glance to Sara who was nursing a glass of Bordreux in her delicate hand.

'I'm sure its nothing. But i'm going to check his tracking data. He could have found some gallery with a new exhibit and is probably staring at it while we act ridiculously paranoid.'

Still, Peter took out his phone and dialed the US Marshalls office. Requesting the position of his troublesome partner and friend. 'Subject is present in Lenox Hill hospital. Do you require any assistance?' a monotonous female voice replied to his inquiry.

The blood drained from Peters face when he heard the word hospital. He thanked the woman after turning down the offer for assistance. Stride powerful, he made his way to the door. 'He is in the hospital, i don't know why but I'm going there now. If anyone needs a ride, come with me.' peter said, hoping that his charge wasn't hurt.

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Neal caffery was freezing. He didn't know how long he had been sitting on the cold, hard floor. His back to the wall as he stared ahead, not focussing on anything in particular.

He was in shock, he was certain of that. But having that knowledge didn't mean he reacted any better to the situation than he would have if he wasn't aware of the fact.

Ellen was dead.

He felt numb, his mind unable to grasp the fact.

She had asphyxiated on her blood, died choking on the otherwise life giving fluid on the ride to the hospital.

Drawn her last breath while weakly gripping the devastated young mans hand.

Neal drew in a shuddering breath. She was gone. Just like Kate was gone. Just like his mother. He had no family left now.

He pushed himself to his feet and looked at the hospital bed where the pale figure of the woman who had raised him up laid unmoving. Running a hand through his now completely dishevelled hair, neal took another gasping breath.

He stood next to her, holding her cold, limp hand with both of his. Her hands were tiny, he noted absently as he continued gazing at the body that had held the life of his dear friend. Neal gasped for breath again, as if the bullet had torn through his lungs, not allowing him to breathe.

Neal's eyes lost focus as once again he lost himself in his thoughts.

WCWCWCWCWCWC

Peter Burke rushed to the hospital morgue. Flashing his FBI credentials at the reception desk and demanding to know the whereabouts of his missing consultant had gotten him a quick response. A harried nurse pointed the group to the direction of the morgue, telling them that their friend had been there for the past two hours and refused to leave.

The door to the morgue opened with a slight creak to reveal a sight that Peter never wanted to see again. Neal stood, both his hands holding a small, still one as he gazed ahead, his eyes unfocused. Tears ran silently down his pale face.

Peter heard Elizabeth draw a sharp breath from his left. an oomph of pain from mozzie as he slammed into his back when Peter had suddenly stopped.

Peters eyes focused on the body lying on the gurney as his feet took him forward on their own accord. It was Ellen.

Peter heard, rather than saw Diana and Jones backing silently out of the room, not wanting to intrude on a moment so personal, so raw.

He had seen Neal lose Kate, had felt his pain as he screamed and fought to get to the burning plane. This was different. Neal looked devastated. He was in shock, too out of it to notice anyone's presence which scared Peter more than anything.

He made his way to his friend, pulling him into a hug. Neals muscles tensed, resisting the comforting touch.

'I'm so sorry, neal.' Peter softly said. it seemed to be what Neal had needed as he desperately returned the hug, burying his face in peters shoulders and gripping the lapels of his jackets tightly. Peter held onto his weight as Neal's legs crumpled beneath him, both men descending to the floor.

Neal was never going to be the same again, such a lot of pain in such a short amount of time seemed to have shattered his young partner. He knew one thing though, he would do everything in his power to help his friend.