I don't own blah blah blah here is the new series of the white collar stories, that everyone has been waiting for. Twists and turns abound... I would like to thank my fans for their reviews past and future ones and I hope you enjoy this story And now for chapter 1 of A Conman's Legacy and the first story in the Risking it All series.
Chapter 1: Returning Home
Neal walked down the tunnel from the airplane with his brother beside him. "It feels so good to be home after a year, it's not that I didn't enjoy the concert but being away from everyone here for so long really was hard," Neal remarked as they entered the terminal. Nick chuckled as he looked around for his wife. "You just miss the sex, admit it a year without sex was hard," Nick said with a smile as he spotted Catherine standing by the windows with Peter beside her. Neal smiled when he saw his friend and lover standing there waiting for him. As they got closer Neal threw his arms around Peter's neck and hugged him. "I missed you so much, I know we talked often but it wasn't the same," Neal said as he slowly let Peter go and stood in front of him. Peter looked Neal over and smiled. "Your hair is still long and what's with the facial hair?" Peter asked as he looked at the newly growing circle beard around Neal's mouth.
"Don't worry I'm getting rid of it, I just got too lazy near the end of the tour we all kind of did so we wanted to see who could grow one the fastest, it was pretty dead even so we just left them for the last few weeks is all. Before the jet lag sets in can we go I want to shower and just sleep all night," Neal said giving a small stretch. Catherine laughed softly and looked away when Neal looked at her, he was curious to know why his sister-in-law was laughing at what he said. Looking at Peter he saw he was trying not to smile as well. Beyond curious at that point Neal opened his mouth to speak only to be cut off by his brother. "Well Cat and I are going to go, I'll see you two at work in a couple days, don't keep him up too late Burke he gets jet lagged easily and needs to sleep," Nick said as he led his wife away leaving his brother and his lover alone.
Peter smiled again and looked Neal over once more and took his bag from him. "Your luggage arrived in the mail two days ago I'm glad you sent it on ahead I want to get you home right now you look dead on your feet," Peter remarked as he led Neal through the JFK terminal and out into the parking lot where his car was parked. Getting into the car Neal looked at Peter and watched him for a moment as he started up the car. "You know what I'm going to ask you right?" Neal asked as he got comfortable in the car. Peter looked over at the younger man before turning his eyes back to the road. "Yes, you want to know what decision I made after thinking things over for a year, and who I chose in the end," Peter said as he glanced at Neal out of the corner of his eye, a mixture of impatient and worry written on his tired face. Reaching over with one hand he took Neal's hand in his and pulled it up and kissed the back of it. "Who do you think I chose?" he asked with a smirk.
Looking down at their still clasped hands Neal swallowed hard and looked up again. "So how did Elizabeth take it that you were choosing me over her?" Neal asked in a worried tone. "She and I divorced six months ago and we're still very good friends; actually I just had her over for lunch the other day, she even helped with your surprise as did June and Dante," Peter said as he took a turn that led away from June's and headed toward his place. Neal watched as the familiar neighborhood came into to view. As the car pulled up to one house Neal looked out the window before turning to Peter quickly. "What are we doing here?" Neal asked looking at the house he had gotten in his divorce from his ex husband Kyle. "We live here. Well as far as the FBI is concerned you live here now and I'm staying here until I can save up enough money to get my own place, just give it a chance we worked hard to change what it looked like so you won't even recognize the place I swear," Peter said as he turned the car off and walked around the front and opened the passenger door for Neal.
Grabbing Neal's hand gently Peter led him up the stairs and into the house. Feeling nervous about entering the house Neal held back for a second in the foyer. "Trust me…everything is going to be alright Neal, besides I think you're going to like what we did with the place," Peter remarked as he led his lover inside and heard him gasp lightly at the interior of the house. Neal smiled at the how it now felt like a home instead of a nightmare like it had when he lived there with Kyle. "I thought I heard your voices down here," Alex said as she walked down the stairs toward Neal and Peter. Neal smiled as he looked his sometimes friend and fence over. "There is something different about you, but I just can't put my finger on it," Neal remarked as he looked Alex over again trying to figure out what was different about the young woman.
"Why don't you come upstairs I have something to show you," she said taking Neal by the hand and pulling him toward the stairs. Letting himself be dragged up the stairs Neal could hear the faint tinkling of music coming from the smaller bedroom. "He should be waking up from his nap soon, but I thought you would like to see him before he wakes up," Alex whispered as she opened the door revealing a beautifully designed nursery. Neal felt himself being led over to the ornate crib. Moving slowly Neal looked over the railing at the sleeping infant. Alex walked over and reached into the crib and placed her hand on the infant's chest and rubbed it softly. "Neal I'd like you to meet Jayden Michael Caffrey… your son," Alex said with a smile.
Neal froze and stood up straighter. "My…my son, but… how… oh" Neal remarked as he remembered the weekend a year before. "So…I'm a dad… I'm a… dad," Neal mumbled before fainting and hitting the ground hard. Alex sighed and moved from the crib to the doorway. "Hey Peter…he fainted you owe me a hundred bucks," Alex called downstairs with a smirk on her lips. Peter walked upstairs and entered the nursery with a pair of fifties in his hand. After handing the money over Peter walked over to Neal and crouched down and lifted Neal up into his arms, it was at that moment Peter was glad Neal worked out and was so light. Putting him to bed Peter returned to the nursery. "Well I should be going my plane leaves in two hours; you'll explain everything to Neal when he wakes up right?" Alex asked as she grabbed her bag from the corner of the room. Peter nodded as Alex left the room and walked out of the house.
Peter made his way into the master bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed and waited for Neal to wake. Groaning softly Neal slowly opened his eyes and saw his lover sitting beside him. "Hey I was wondering if you were going to wake up any time soon," Peter remarked as he slowly got up. Neal sat up slowly and looked around the room to see how it had been redecorated. "You never gave me a welcome home kiss yet," Neal remarked as he leaned toward Peter only to be stopped by a hand on his chest. "Shave that thing off first, it just doesn't suit you at all," Peter said as he gave Neal a playful shove toward the bathroom. Huffing loudly Neal went in and began to trim the hair down short enough so he could shave.
When he was finished Neal walked out of the bathroom and found Peter sitting on the bed with Jayden in his arms awake. Moving over quietly Neal sat down and watched his son. "Here… this is long over do, but Neal Caffrey I would like to properly introduce you to your son Jayden Michael Caffrey," Peter said as he handed Jayden over to Neal. Holding his son in his arms Neal felt an instant bond to the infant. "My son…he's beautiful," Neal said softly while looking into his son's eyes. Peter bit his bottom lip before leaning down and catching Neal in a soft kiss and just as they pulled apart Jayden began to cry.
"I know that cry…somebody needs to be changed," Peter remarked as he took Jayden from Neal and brought him into the nursery and began to go through the steps to change his diaper. Neal walked into the nursery and looked at the furniture. "This is really cherry, it's all hand carved, June got them for Jayden when he was born," Peter said as he finished changing Jayden. Neal ran his fingers over the railing of the crib. "So where did Alex go?" he asked noticing there was no sign of his son's mother. "She left; Alex and I talked a couple weeks ago. She knew her lifestyle wasn't safe for Jayden so she wants us to raise him and give him a good life. She said she would visit when she had a job nearby," Peter explained as he picked Jayden up and held him close.
Neal walked over and stood before Peter. "Do you remember when you asked me what I would give up being a con artist for, well this is it… a family of my own, a kid, a house of my own and someone who I can love unconditionally," Neal remarked as he watched his son in the arms of the man he loved. Peter smiled. "I have a confession to make, I had a feeling you would say that and I don't want you to give up what you love to do, it won't make you happy so don't give it up just yet," Peter admitted as he moved around Neal and put Jayden back in his crib. "I'm going to change and then I'm going to go downstairs and get a glass of wine and just collapse on the couch," Neal remarked as he pulled his shirt off over his head. Walking into the master bedroom Neal tossed his shirt on the floor and made his way over to the dresser and found a loose band shirt and a pair of thin pants.
After changing Neal made his way downstairs and found Peter on the couch watching the sports channel. Peter looked up and smirked. "Even dressed like that you still look so pulled together…except for that hair, you are going to get it cut aren't you?" he asked as Neal sat beside him and snuggled against his shoulder. "Yeah… I only grew it out for the tour so I would be harder to recognize by possible enemies, that was my brother's only condition for safety." Neal remarked as he fiddled with his now past shoulder length hair. "So how has work been?" Neal asked as he closed his eyes to listen to Peter's words.
"Work's been good, but there is something we need to talk about I wanted to tell you sooner but Nick didn't want to scare you, about six months ago Keller and Kyle broke out of prison and dropped off FBI radar. We have no idea where they could be. Before you say anything I had all the locks changed on the doors and a state of the art security system installed," Peter said as he put a protective arm around Neal and held him. "You are safe here; I'm not going to let anything happen to you or Jayden," he said softly as he pulled Neal closer and kissed the top of his head. Neal sat up and looked down at Peter with a serious look on his face. "Promise me… you need to promise me they aren't getting near us Peter, having my ex-husband and ex-partner running around free is not a comforting thought," Neal said softly as he tried hard not to imagine Peter or Jayden being hurt.
Peter sat up and put his hands on either side of Neal's face and put his forehead against Neal's and looked into his eyes. "I promise, no one will harm either of you," Peter said as he leaned in and kissed Neal. As they pulled away Jayden began to cry over the baby monitor. Holding his hand out Neal sat back. "I'll get him, I need to start getting used to being a dad," Neal said with a smile as he rose from the couch and walked upstairs into the nursery. "Hey Jayden…come here…" Neal said his voice being picked up by the baby monitor in the room. Peter smiled as he listened to Neal talk to Jayden and tell him all about his adventures while being a con man.
After a few minutes Peter noticed Neal's voice getting softer. Curious Peter rose from the couch and went upstairs to find Neal had fallen asleep in the high backed reclining nursery chair that Elizabeth had bought them. Smiling at the sight Peter took Jayden and brought him back down stairs and sat him up a bit in his arms so they could watch the game together. Jayden nuzzled against Peter as he fell asleep in the crook of his arm his little lips wrapped around his thumb.
"You had a nice place…too bad you lost it," Keller said as he jammed his hands into his pockets as he stood across the street from the townhouse Neal and Peter now called home. "The house is one thing I'm more upset about losing my punching bag I'm displeased at the fact that he thinks he can just walk away from me and their won't be any repercussions," Kyle said as he lit a cigarette and blew out a puff of smoke. Kyle looked to his right to a man wearing a leather jacket. "I'm paying you good money to watch them and not be seen, I want you to keep detailed records of their schedules for a week," Kyle said as he pulled and envelope out of his coat and tossed it to the man. "That's ten thousand, you'll get the fifty thousand when the job is done," he said as he walked off with Keller at his side.
The man in the jacket walked away and got into his car and waited. His military training had prepared him for long hours of waiting and watching. Getting comfortable he watched. He watches as the day fades into the night and the lights downstairs go off and turn back on upstairs. By ten-thirty the house is dark. Waiting until morning the man stayed alert.
As the sun rose he looked at his watch and takes out a notebook and began to take notes. Peter yawned as he walked out of the house and grabbed the paper on the steps. Neal came out behind him with a jogging stroller and his son already strapped in. "I'm going to jog around the park for a while, you'll probably be gone before I get back so I'll call you later and remember be careful today," Neal said before giving Peter a quick peck on the cheek and taking off across the street and down the sidewalk to the park. When he entered the park Neal smiled at the scenery before he began to jog down the paved path.
This feels so great, back to my old routine, a good morning jog and I get to spend all day with Jayden since I have the next two days off to get back into the swing of things… Neal thought as he ran down the empty path unaware that he was being followed and watched. After reaching the end of the path Neal turned around and ran the same path back home. Neal smiled at Jayden as he carried the stroller back inside and took Jayden out of the stroller and put him into his bassinet on the table. Pulling his shirt off over his head Neal dropped onto the couch to rest from his jog. After I'm rested I'll do a little cleaning, some painting if I can get to it. Neal thought as he stared up at the ceiling. After a moment Neal got up from the couch and checked on his son before walking into the kitchen and getting himself a glass of water.
Walking out of the kitchen Neal returned to the living room and walked over to the window and tied the curtains back so he could let the sun light in. Looking out the window Neal smiled at the view of the park in front of his house. He looked at the trees poking over the stone wall of the park boarder. Letting his eyes drift he felt like he was being watched. Glancing down the sidewalk Neal couldn't see anyone but the feeling of being watched was getting stronger. Leaving the window Neal made sure the front and back doors were locked.
Letting out a small laugh he walked over to the stairs and sat down for a moment. "I'm just being paranoid, there's no one watching me…" Neal said softly. Just then the doorbell rang making Neal nearly jump out of his skin. Walking to the door he pulled the front door open to reveal Sara Ellis wearing an expensive looking off white skirt and suit jacket with a red top underneath. "Neal… I wasn't expecting you here, I've got files here for Burke, where should they go?" she asked glancing over Neal's shoulder at the interior of the house. "It all goes in the living room by the front windows, just don't make too much noise please." Neal requested as he walked back a couple steps to let Sara into his home.
"Why are you trying to keep the neighbors from knowing you're here stealing something?" Sara asked as she led two men carrying four boxes each into the living room. "Funny did you think of that yourself? I asked you keep quite so-" Neal was cut off by the sound of Jayden starting to cry. Leaving Sara's side Neal walked over to the bassinet on the table and picked Jayden up. Sighing Neal put Jayden's head against his shoulder and shushed softly hoping to calm him down.
Once Sara and her men were done Neal sat on the couch and looked at his son and stuck his tongue out at him to make him laugh. Jayden giggled and hit Neal's nose with his small hand. "I'm going to keep you safe always, and Peter will protect both of us because we are a family," Neal said softly as he kept Jayden safely in his arms.