Author's Note: I do not own White Collar or Leverage or any of its characters. Please enjoy!
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Neal looked around at the FBI holding pen he was in. It was the typical set up – there was a table, two chairs, the glass window that beyond it had people talking about him. He did a stupid thing – he knew it – and so he sat and waited. He looked around for a clock before turning his attention to the door unlocking. He smiled as he saw Peter enter the room. "We really need to stop meeting like this," he said with a shrug.
Peter didn't show any emotion as he moved to sit down in the chair opposite Neal with the file folder in his hand. He put it down on the table and opened it, not looking at Caffrey as he took out different pictures of stolen artwork and other such items. He finally looked up at Neal. "We could not meet at all if you decided to not live a life of crime."
"Everyone has to make a living," Neal pointed out with a shrug. "I don't see why what I did is so wrong." He added in an innocent smile, even though he knew that it wouldn't work on Peter. He wasn't sure that anything worked on Peter, save for Peter's wife. But considering that he didn't have a way to speak to her, he was going to have to try his own charm. It just didn't help that it was failing.
"There are better ways to make it," Peter said as he flipped a few pages in the file. "You know how much is on you in this file, Neal. You're smart – you could have made a living doing anything. But yet you decided to steal."
"Get more women that way," Neal said, a bit flippant. He knew that he didn't need to be lectured to. Even if it was the FBI agent that he liked and sort of admired. "Peter, we both know that your preaching won't work on me. So why are you trying it?"
"Because I hope that it will get through that thick skull of yours sometime and possibly go to your mind," Peter retorted as he pulled out a picture of a priceless Faberge egg. "Do you know what this is?"
Neal looked at the egg. It was true that he wanted to steal the egg – hell, he was planning a job right now to do the very thing – but, of course, someone else got to it before him. "Yes," he says. "Although, Peter, I'm surprised that you don't. I thought Elizabeth would have taught you better."
"I never said that I didn't know what it is," Peter replied. "I wanted to see if you did."
"And I do," Neal said with a shrug. "It's the first Hen egg. It opens up two show two surprises. One was a gold and diamond replica of the imperial crown and the other was a tiny ruby pendant and a chain. The pendant was for the Tsarina, considering that the Egg was made for her as an Easter present from the Tsar. Both were missing until recently when they were returned to be with the Egg." He took a pause. "May I have a glass of water?"
"No," Peter replied before continuing. "You know your Russian history. Where's the egg, Neal?"
"I didn't take it," Neal replied as he leaned back in the chair. He crossed his arms in front of himself. He decided not to add on the fact that he was planning to steal the egg in the first place.
"Neal, your tools were found at the museum," Peter said to him as he took out additional pictures. "Also, your fingerprints were found where the egg and the two surprises were laying."
Neal blinked at Peter, a bit in shock at hearing about his fingerprints. "I didn't do it," he said quietly. "Yeah, I wanted it, but I wouldn't go and take it. If I did, I wouldn't be so damned sloppy about it. You know me, Peter."
"I do," Peter replied. "But you also let yourself be taken by the police to here by just walking out for getting Chinese food. So I think you are getting sloppy Neal. Or tired. If you're tired of stealing, I wouldn't blame you."
Neal just looked at Peter, uncrossing his arms and looking at the different pictures. "I think you're missing the bigger picture, really. For one, the glass is just smashed. That's an unsophisticated move for someone like me, along with the fact that both guards were hit on the back of their heads hard. There's a way to get around them, as there are blind spots. Plus you could make it seem more like an inside job rather go through all of this trouble."
"That's the way you would do it?" Peter asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yep," Neal said as he looked at the photos again. "Yeah, this wasn't me."
"Got an alibi to confirm that?" Peter asked.
Neal blinked as he heard that. He did have alibi for the night that the egg was stolen. He was with Kate, like he was every night. They were celebrating their anniversary – she had gotten him that painting that she didn't realize was one of his forgeries – and it was a very nice night for the both of them. His gift was one that he didn't have to steal, as he had enough free money to get her exactly what she wanted. But telling Peter all of that would open himself up for the forgery of the original piece of art along with Peter wanting to talk to Kate. He really couldn't see that happening at all. For one thing, Peter would try to talk Kate out of staying with Neal, even if things got sticky from time to time. He couldn't risk it. She'll come visit me in prison anyways, he thought to himself as he looked at Peter. "No, I can't," he admitted quietly.
Peter looked at Neal. "If it's Kate, you can just say that."
Neal looked at Peter oddly. "I said I don't have an alibi. So just do what you're going to do, Peter."
"Fine," Peter said as he cleaned up the photos off of the table. "But would she do the same for you, Neal?"
"Yes," Neal replied without any hesitation.
"Considering what I know, I doubt it," Peter replied as he got up and left the room.
Neal sighed as he sat back in the chair. It wasn't long before two policemen came in and took him down to his new cell. He made himself comfortable on the bed that was there, not knowing how long this could take. He drifted off to sleep before he heard a loud hiss.
"Neal! Wake up!" Parker said.
Neal blinked his eyes awake. "Parker?" He asked quietly.
"Yeah," Parker replied quietly as she started to pick the lock. It took her only a few moments before the door swung open. "Come on!"
"What – I – what are you doing here?" Neal asked as he stepped out of the cell and followed Parker.
"Getting you out," Eliot said quietly. "Come on," he said as he ushered them through a different corridor than the one that Neal went to the cell in.
"Why?" Neal asked quietly as he followed Parker and Eliot out through the tunnels. He was met with silence until they got all the way outside. He blinked as he looked around at where they ended up. It was Wacker Drive and Sophie smiled at them. "Oh – hi Aunt," he said, a bit sheepishly.
"You're welcome," Sophie said with a chuckle as Kate moved over and hugged Neal tightly.
Neal hugged Kate back tightly, grinning at that. "Sorry – I was very careless."
"We know better for next time," Kate said quietly. "And I didn't think you were going to get out of there."
"Peter didn't want to let me go," Neal replied and sighed. "Remind me to send him flowers in the morning."
"It's not best to antagonize the person chasing you," Sophie said as she heard that. "Take it from someone who knows."
"I don't know – I liked what you would leave behind sometimes," Nate said as he stepped over to where the rest of the team was with Hardison. "Good to see you again, Neal."
"Likewise, Nate," Neal said with a nod of his head. "And thank all of you for getting me out."
"It was nothing," Parker said as she handed Neal the envelope with his effects. "Where are the two of you going now?"
"Our next stop was New York, but we might go to the backup place for a while," Neal replied.
"We've got a car ready if you're ready to go," Nate said with a nod towards the van. "So let's go before we're spotted."
"Right," Neal said as he, Kate, and the rest of the group went to the van. They drove away, getting Neal and Kate to a safe spot where they could go on the rest of their journey.
The next day, Peter went to work as usual. The only thing out of place was the phone call he got from Elizabeth due to flowers arriving for him from Neal. He had the flight back to New York to stew about the fact that Neal got away from him for the second time. However, he knew that third time would the charm for him.