AFTER THE FIRE
AN: I am writing this as possible fallout from Season 5, so far. Neal goes back to jail, a 10 year sentence. But with good behavior he's out in 6 years. This story starts just after Neal is released.
Neal stood and waited as the gate opened. This time it was different. He felt different. There was no FBI deal this time, no confidential informant. It was just Neal Caffrey, being himself, in New York City. But he had worn so many masks, played so many roles, he wasn't sure who Neal really was, or if he would like the person he had come to be.
At least he had a home. June Wellington had offered him the use of his old home, his loft. He asked the guard at the gate the time. They had actually let him out early, he still had a few more minutes to wait before June and her driver would be there to pick him up.
Neal was so lost in thought that he didn't even realize he had company. He looked up when he heard the voice.
"This is familiar." Agent Peter Burke said as he walked up to the waiting Caffrey.
"No anklet and no deal, Agent Burke." Neal said. "I did my time, I'm a free man." Neal paused. "And the answer is no. It will always be no."
"You need a job to pay your bills." Peter replied.
"My landlord is very generous." Neal explained.
"It's going to be hard…" Peter started, and he didn't have to finish. Neal knew he meant hard for an ex-con to find work.
"I've already got some jobs lined up, thank you." Neal said, turning his attention to the traffic. He hoped that June would get there soon.
Peter just stared at Neal for a second, wondering what Neal meant by jobs. Peter opened his mouth to speak.
June's limo pulled up, and Neal opened the door to get in. "I have no interest in being your C.I., Agent Burke, paid or otherwise. But beyond that door…" Neal said, pointing to the prison. "…there are plenty of guys who would love the chance. Talk to them." Neal then got into the car and the limo pulled away from the curb and into traffic.
Peter sighed, slowly walking to his car. He knew Neal had been hurt by what he had done. Peter knew Neal had only tried to help him out by taking Hagen's advice, and making a false recording of James Bennett confessing. Peter also knew that Neal had tried to make things right, as best as he could, anyway. And all Neal had gotten in return was jail time. Peter needed a fall guy, and Neal was it. He got to take the fall for everything. Neal was busted for the coins and the stained glass window. And those charges were made to stick, even though the window was immediately reassembled and returned. The coins eventually turned up, and Hagen was put back in prison. It was discovered that he had wanted the window stolen.
It was told, and believed, that Hagen and Neal had become partners-in-crime soon after Hagen's release. It had been a nice way to explain things and to wrap things up, even though it could not have been further from the truth. It had helped a newly-promoted agent keep his job and avoid certain jail time. And it served as a blanket explanation for a multitude of sins. That was because, somehow, somewhere the fact that James really had not confessed, that it was really not James on tape, had never come up. When certain senators made certain compromises, certain other people reaped the rewards.
In the years Neal had been incarcerated, Peter had excelled at his job. He had added more agents to his team. He even had an agent he knew could handle Neal, though that really wasn't an issue anymore. White Collar led the New York FBI divisions in solve rates and convictions. A lot of that due to the things they had learned from Neal in his time as C.I.
Peter had kept his promotion and his life had changed, a lot. But the biggest change, for them all, was that he was no longer Neal's handler. Peter had told Neal that things needed to change. He had called Neal just a criminal. He had seen the hurt in Neal's eyes, and at the time, he had not cared. He needed Neal to know that there would be no more shades of gray, all black and white. And, of course, he was being a hypocrite, because that little speech of all things being black and white had applied only to Neal. Peter should have still been in a jail cell, not because he had killed a senator. James Bennett had framed him for that. But he should have been in because he was, even at the moment, withholding information about James's 'confession.' It was a deep dark shade of gray that had the power to ruin Peter's career and his life.
Neal had already lost his freedom and his relationship with Peter. But Peter had talked to the powers that be in the FBI and had managed to get Neal a paid position after release. Peter thought that that might go a little way to making things up to Neal. At least Neal would have a job and something to look forward to, upon release. Neal would be a federal employee. And as such, and an ex-con, he would have to abide by certain rules, but that was all just part of the job.
Peter visited Neal in prison, but the visits were not like before. Neal opted for the booth with the thick glass and the telephones. Peter hadn't understood Neal's choice. But he had not questioned Neal on it. And Peter hadn't expected Neal's reaction to his news. Neal had turned him down flat. Then Peter had shown up, when Neal was released, to try one more time.
TBC