Love is a many splendored thing

by Ursula4x

Elizabeth thinks Peter and Neal should go on a date and Neal wants to see the Spring 2010 Emily Dickenson Exhibit. Meanwhile, Peter and Neal are the trail of a thief who steals artwork from a big corporation. Slash

Title: Love is a many splendored thing

Author: Ursula4x

Rating: Teen

Genre and/or Pairing: Slash Peter Burke/Neal Caffrey

Spoilers: None

Warnings: Slash and schmoop

Word Count:

Notes: This was written for the White Collar Valentine exchange for Clumsy Ghost. Clumsy Ghost wanted one of these prompts: Peter and Neal go on a nature hike. (Gen or slash)
2. Established relationship: Neal forces/tries to force Peter into holding hands at work.
3. Anything involving Dilbert comics. (I.e., general conversation, FBI has to track down a comic thief, etc.) I managed to get all three into one story.

Summary: Elizabeth thinks Peter and Neal should go on a date and Neal wants to see the Spring 2010 Emily Dickenson Exhibit. Meanwhile, Peter and Neal are the trail of a thief who steals artwork from a big corporation. The thief leaves copies of Dilbert cartoons at the site of his heists.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners including Jeff Eastin and USA television. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

OooOooO

"You and Neal should go on a date," El declared one Saturday morning at the Burke household.

Neal was sprawled on the floor, reading through a file, Satchmo wedged at his side.

Both dog and man were lying at Peter's feet.

It was as wholesome a family scene as a Chas Addam's cartoon.

Peter's bare foot rested on Neal's back, right on the spot where his shirt had ridden up, exposing his exquisite narrow waist and the seductive dip where his slacks rode away from his skin. From time to time, Peter dug his toes into Neal, garnering a fabulous response from his lover at each instance. El couldn't resist a twitch of her own every time her husband did it.

"Are you listening, Peter?" El insisted.

"Sure, hon," Peter said. He leaned down at Neal's soft chuckle and asked, "Neal, are you reading those Dilbert cartoons?"

"They're in the file," Neal said.

"But only because they were left at the scenes of the crimes. They aren't in there for your personal amusement." Peter said.

"Stop trying to distract me; absolutely, you must take Neal on a date," El said. "Or I will steal him from you and take him myself."

Peter looked as if he was considering challenging El to try, but thought better of it. He said, "El, why? Neal doesn't mind. He's not looking for romance. Neal, you don't need me to take you any place special, do you?"

Flipping over on his back, Neal glanced toward El and smiled, "I think tomorrow we should go for a walk in the botanical gardens. It's spring and lover's hearts yearn for the sun."

"The three of us?" Peter asked.

"No, the two of you," El said. "You and Neal need to create your own memories like you and I have the Italian restaurant and Belize."

Peter's face took on that helpless and confused look that usually made El melt. This time she ignored it. She said, "I will not have you treat Neal as something not fit for the light of day. Not in my home." El knew there was something mildly amiss with light of day in her own home, but the illogic didn't bother her. She stood up and put her hands on her hips. Peter knew what that meant.

"I'm not ashamed of him," Peter said. "I love him."

"Then show him," El said. "I insist. I have an event tomorrow. You spend the day with Neal. Make it beautiful and special with ample PDAs. Please, Peter?"

Glancing at Neal, El's heart melted. Neal's eyes were glowing, his lips were parted and he gazed at El's husband with such patent love that El didn't know how Peter could even pretend to resist.

"Oh, all right, the two of you..." Peter remarked and then his face twisted up with an entirely different expression and his voice was aglow with tenderness. "The two of you..."

OooOooO

Neal woke up in the 'guestroom' with Satchmo for company. Peter never scolded him for this transgression when Neal spent the night in this room alone. Neal never corrected Peter's concern that Neal was unhappy when this happened, but really, he didn't mind. He understood sharing and he didn't mind sharing with El who honestly was a doll. It could have been El if...

But it wasn't. It was Peter Burke. It really had been Peter even when Neal thought his entire heart belonged to Kate.

The moment Neal stirred, Satchmo was awake, licking his face, rolling on his back for a tummy rub and panting.

Neal had always wanted a dog of his own, but the closest he came to it was sharing a dog with a favorite foster brother when he was about ten. The dog had been a long legged, rough haired mutt, but Neal had loved him. He still missed him all these years later.

Satchmo was now one third his and all his on mornings like this. He gave into Satchmo's importuning and rubbed the offered belly then moved up to Satchmo's ears, stroking them and tugging on them gently as Satchmo grinned wide with pleasure and wiggled with joy.

Thinking about getting out of bed could wait. Neal was so comfortable. The faint lavender scent of the sheets overrode the clean doggy odor and soothed him. Neal felt safe, relaxed, and happy.

The gentle tap at the door was certainly Elizabeth. Peter would have just walked in. It was his house, wasn't it? Peter could be such a darling troglodyte.

"Morning, El," Neal replied.

"Are you decent?" El asked.

"As close as a guy like me can come," Neal sang out.

Entering with a giggle, El was dressed in a beautiful suit. She smelled good as she leaned down and kissed Neal. "I want you to have a wonderful day, something to remember when you and Peter look back."

"Have I told you that I love you, too?" Neal said.

"Repeatedly, since the first night you spent with Peter," El replied. "Wish me luck. This is the richest client I've nabbed so far."

"You don't need luck," Neal said. "You have talent."

"You...just say the most wonderful things," El said. "I made French toast. Do not, I repeat, ido not/i feed them to Satchmo. They give him terrible gas."

"Now there's romance to carry me though the day," Neal said to Satchmo.

"Don't let Peter talk you out of your date," El said. "You deserve this and he needs this."

"Peter needs this?" Neal asked, puzzled.

"Yes, he does. He's not good at sneaking around. He needs to feel that his love for you is not something to be hidden," El said.

If El said it, it must be so. Satchmo followed El out of the room and Neal rose from the bed, took a moment to pick through the clothes he stored in the closet and laid them on the bed.

The bathroom smelled of Peter and El in mixed fragrances. It was the scent of home to Neal despite his official residence at June's. His shampoo and body wash were ready for him ...which made him smile, wondering which of them was so thoughtful. As the warm water slid over his body, Neal sang a few lines of his favorite Sinatra song, 'Love is a many-splendored thing'.

As he soaped his lean body, Neal agreed with the Chairman of the Board. Love was exactly that, even as extraordinary as it was to fall in love with the guy who chased you down and put you in prison. Twice.

Neal might have lingered in the shower, thinking about Peter, but El's French toast was always perfect and he was hungry.

The kitchen smelled great. Peter was just setting Neal's plate on the table when Neal bounded down the stairs to be greeted by a kiss. Peter's mouth tasted sweet and buttery. Mmmm, maybe eating was overrated, at least, the food kind of eating. Peter read him too easily and said, "Eat. If we are going to hike around a flower garden, I don't want to hear your stomach growling."

"You are such a romantic," Neal chided, but his plate looked lovely. Two golden French toast pieces, lightly dusted with powdered sugar, perfect crisp strips of bacon, an elaborate spiral of orange slices with a sprig of mint glistening in the flower design. "This is so lovely. What a wonderful person El is."

"She is," Peter said, his voice rough with love. "She is. You are. Don't deserve either of you."

"And yet you have us," Neal said, sitting down. He smiled at Peter. "I adore you all the more because you never realize what a perfect lover you are."

Again, Peter's wry half smile demanded a kiss, but Neal forced himself to eat instead.

If El hadn't already left for work, she would scold Peter for reading the Dilbert file over breakfast. Neal restrained himself from scolding his lover. El was El and Neal was Neal. There were things he knew he was not allowed.

Thinking about the case despite himself, Neal said, "He's a cubicle dweller; that's why Dilbert. The thief works for Yo Yo Dyne Corporation and he has some major beef with them. That's the common thread behind the five art thefts. I think he steals the art because he thinks Yo Yo Dyne doesn't deserve to have it. I know I agree with that."

"Okay, I'll buy that," Peter said, closing the file. "How are we going to draw him out into the open?"

"Bait a trap," Neal said. "He loves fine art, but what if the corporation he hates had an exhibit of original panels of the cartoons he loves?"

"We can get those?" Peter asked, raising his brow.

"I have a friend who owns some," Neal replied. Moz wouldn't appreciate having to loan them but he would do it for Neal.

"Great," Peter said. Neal could trace the thought processes and could have timed it to the second when Peter would ask, "Owns them legally?"

"Yes, legally, my friend did a few favors for the cartoonist," Neal said.

The broad smile was Neal's reward for the assurance. Peter said, "That's great. We'll set it up..."

"Can't get in touch with the friend until tomorrow," Neal lied smoothly.

"Hmm, convenient for you," Peter said, taking a big bite of his French toast at the end of his sentence.

Neal merely smiled and poured himself some orange juice.

OooOooO

Neal's idea of casual wear was a light wool suit in charcoal with a dark blue thread running through it, Italian tooled shoes, and a blue shirt that made his eyes even more electric. Peter couldn't complain even though it made his favorite striped shirt and his best casual slacks looked hopelessly lacking style. Neal looked fantastic and more importantly, he was glowing with happiness. El was right, but when wasn't she in matters of the heart?

Studying the pamphlet, Neal said, "Let's start with the Emily Dickenson Garden."

"Of course," Peter said. Neal looked at him, and slid his arm into Peter's.

Peter drew back and was reproved by the darkening of those blue eyes. He entwined his arm with Neal's and earned a smile. There. Now there were only one thousand more mistakes Peter could make on a day long date. He winced.

"There, there," Neal comforted. "You'll get through this."

The tram that conveyed visitors around the two hundred and fifty acre park was not crowded, but Neal pressed so closely to Peter that it might have been the subway on the worst Monday ever. Glances came their way, some irritated and judgmental, some indulgent. Peter scowled at the older lady who shot them a particularly disapproving glance. He turned toward Neal and placed a soft kiss on his lover's cheek, followed irresistibly by touch. Peter traced the line of Neal's profile with worshipping fingers. Neal's face was amazing, a sculpture of flesh for Peter's awed eyes; Peter's to claim any time he wished.

The Haupt Conservatory held a recreation of Emily Dickenson's garden. Peter wasn't much interested. Neal would have been better served by going with El. Peter decided to spend the day watching Neal's face instead. Now that fascinated him.

Neal tugged Peter's sleeve when he started to follow the docent.

Neal whispered, "Let's not go with the tour. I want to lead you down the primrose path."

"Oh, you took care of that a long time ago," Peter replied. There was time when right and wrong, law enforcement and criminals were separated by a huge line that divided white and black, good and evil. Neal blurred the line, danced in freedom across all those boundaries and Peter...Peter could not help but to follow where his heart led: it always took him to Neal.

Boldly, Peter slid his arm all the way around his lover's slender waist. He leaned close. The air was fragrant with flowers, but he could still catch Neal's scent. Neal always smelled so damn good: clean, a faintly spicy, faintly citrus, and elusive isomething/i that blended into the even more fleeting hint of essence of Neal.

It wasn't that Peter didn't enjoy nature, but this was tame outdoors. He usually enjoyed a more rugged version of a nature walk although it was hard to imagine Neal enjoying a wilderness hike. No, this walk in a recreated flower garden was exactly Neal's style, and Neal was pleased. That was enough for Peter. He didn't need to understand either Neal or El to love them. It's enough to be know that somehow, perhaps because of some unexpectedly generous god, that they were both his.

Neal was the con artist but Peter felt he had pulled the wool over creation for stealing the hearts of the most beautiful creatures in the universe, his Neal and his El.

In another green house, it was roses, blooming roses fooled into believing that it was June. Neal bent over a peach colored rose, inhaling the fragrance deeply as if he was sipping its nectar. Peter remembered listening jealously to Dorsett talking bullshit at Neal about being a butterfly. Even Peter could have thought of a better pickup line than that!

As they walked through the reproduction of Emily Dickenson's herb garden, Neal leaned into Peter's shoulder and recited,

"If you were coming in the fall,

I'd brush the summer by

With half a smile and half a spum,

As housewives do a fly.

If I could see you in a year,

I'd wind the months in balls,

And put them each in separate drawers,

Until their time befalls.

If only centuries delayed,

I'd count them on my hand,

Subtracting till my fingers dropped

Into Van Diemen's land."

An elderly woman a few steps in front of them applauded. She was well dressed, still beautiful with silver hair around her fine boned face and a lovely red hat perched on top. She said, "That's better than the tour. How charmingly you recited that."

Bowing slightly, Neal said, "Thank you, Madame. A tribute to the poetess Emily, rather than to myself."

"Do another?" the lady asked.

"Heart, we will forget him,
You and I, tonight!
You must forget the warmth he gave,
I will forget the light.

When you have done pray tell me,
Then I, my thoughts, will dim.
Haste! 'lest while you're lagging
I may remember him!"

"What a lucky man your partner is," the woman said.

Peter sighed. He saw how easy it was for Neal to seduce, even when he was not trying. He smiled at the woman and said, "You're right. I'm very lucky."

The woman smiled again as she rejoined a group of other ladies in red hats. She must have said something as they all gazed back at Neal and Peter. The sighs flowed back warm as a summer breeze.

As they walked in the arbor, Peter drew Neal closer. "I think you want me to sweep you off your feet," he whispered fiercely.

"Yes," Neal said, "Sweep."

Sometimes Peter felt as if he had fallen into an alternate universe the first time he looked into Neal's blue eyes. Not that he would resist if the chance came again. He would dive right in. He tilted Neal's chin up, looked deep into those windows of the soul and claimed Neal's mouth, sweet graze of lips until Neal's opened to him, dart of tongue meeting, swift intake of breath from Neal, and then the rapture of a kiss that lasted long enough to make them both dizzy.

"I'm going to remember this," Neal said. "El was right. I needed today. Whatever happens, I'll be able to wrap this around me."

"Shush," Peter scolded. "Nothing is going to happen." He raised Neal's hand to his lips and kissed the smooth flesh, cherishing the long fingers, the beauty of that artist's hand. "I'm lucky in love, remember?"

"Hope it cancels me out then," Neal said.

Peter knew he was scowling. He did not like Kate and especially did not like Neal to think about Kate.

Neal laughed and said, "You captured me, Peter. You have me. No more Kate."

Peter's hand cupped Neal's face so he could look into the fathomless depths. He saw only clarity, the love shining out. He had to kiss the eyes shut or he might be moved to unmanly tears.

They walked hand in hand through the jasmine, through a wooded path, and ended on a hill where they were surrounded by the acres of greenery. Peter laid his jacket down like a gentleman and they sat together, kiss after kiss, until Peter had to tug Neal up lest they commit a public indecency.

OooOooO

Sunday was Mozzie day for Neal, and Elizabeth day for Peter. Neal spent the day floating on air: every stray moment spent remembering the scents, the sights, the sensations of his date with Peter.

Playing chess, Neal held a pawn in his fingers. His thoughts were on the lilac garden, walking hand in hand with Peter.

"That's disgusting," Moz remarked.

"What?" Neal asked, his eyes back on the board.

"That besmitten smile on your face," Moz remarked. "Well, at least, he's a safer bet than the last one. It might be useful if he feels the same."

There was an opening. Neal moved his pawn and Moz's bishop, his favorite piece, was taken. Neal made a sympathetic sound as Moz glared at him. "Peter feels the same."

"Are you sure? How do you know?" Moz said, trying to salvage by castling.

"Have you ever loved anyone? Really loved anyone?" Neal shot back.

Moz's eyes sparked. He opened his mouth as if to say something then shook his head in negation. "You have to ask that," was all he could say.

'Oh, Moz...oh my friend' Neal thought, but he said, "I'm sorry, Moz. That was a rude question."

Thinking about Kate, Neal sighed. Moz had never really trusted Kate. He had tolerated her for Neal's sake. "What do you think? Do you think he loves me?"

Moz sighed again, an even more heavy sound. "Yes, he loves you. How could he not?"

Sun invaded the room, sending beams everywhere, gilding the antique wood of furniture and walls, making the paintings shine as if spotlighted, and even creating a halo around Moz.

"I'm happy, Moz," Neal said. "I really am happy."

"Good," Moz said, resetting the pieces on the board. "Less worry for me. Play again?"

"No, let's go to your favorite oyster bar, Moz, on me," Neal said. He had to soften Moz up for those Dilbert panels somehow.

OooOooO

Monday morning was work. Neal brought down two cups of coffee because Peter was running late. He wished Peter had been on time. When Peter was early enough to come upstairs, Neal's day started with a sweet, romantic kiss, enough to last him through the drudgery of the day.

Their hands met over the coffee. Neal saw Peter's eyes warm with affection. It was almost enough. Neal carefully put the locked case with the framed Dilbert panels in the back seat of the agency Taurus that Peter adored.

"That them?" Peter asked.

Neal nodded as he put on his seatbelt. Given the way Peter drove, he patted the belt with genuine affection.

"I spent all day yesterday dreaming about Saturday," Neal said as they waited for a light.

"Yeah, it was a beautiful day," Peter agreed. "After our date was pretty good, too."

"After was exceptional," Neal said. "Peter, do you ever wish..."

"That we could be honest about this thing between us?" Peter said, looking at Neal with soft yearning eyes. "I wish that every day. I'm not good at..." Both of his hands left the steering wheel to gesture and even the fully automatic Taurus needed some guidance. It veered toward a taxi, resulting in a blared horn, an open window, and a medley of the world's most obscene curses at the top of the driver's lungs.

Maybe this was a conversation best held when Peter was not driving...

OooOooO

The office was always moving. Neal had noticed that things never slowed down until seven at night. Since he started working with Peter, he had to revise his opinions about government employees. Perhaps there were parts of the federal government that harbored lazy, incompetent people, but Neal hadn't met them at Peter's office. Jones grinned at them as they entered. He said, "The Westbrook office of Yo Yo Dyne is expecting us in at noon. They have an electronic newsletter that goes out to all employees via e-mail and the announcement is already out about the purchase of the Dilbert cartoon panels for the director's office. I bet we get a bite as soon as the bait is set."

After spending an hour doing research on Yo Yo Dyne on Peter's computer, Neal didn't blame the disgruntled employee who was raiding the corporate pocketbook via art theft. Yo Yo Dyne was Moz's ideal of corporate evil.

Neal sat down and took the stack of employee files. He had asked for people who had a particular grudge against the corporation. The list was awe inspiring. Apparently, Yo Yo Dyne had the deep respect for its employees as a shark had for its prey. Propping his cheek on his hand, Neal paged through the long lists of people with a grudge. Almost unaware, Neal took the cup of coffee someone put in his hand and drank half of it without looking up. When he finally decided to take a break, he saw Peter with his hand on a stack of files. His lover gazed at him with an incredibly fond expression. Neal laughed softly and said, "Is it time to go?"

"Yes," Peter said, offering Neal a hand up. Neal lowered his eyes charmingly before taking Peter's hand and holding it, a beat, another beat, until Peter's expression looked panicked. Peter swung his eyes toward Jones who was gathering up the files to continue reading during the stake out, oblivious to Peter's situation.

"Neal," Peter said. Neal continued to hold his hand. "Neal!" Peter scolded, with a desperate glance at Jones who gazed at them curiously. Having mercy, Neal finally lifted out of the chair, enjoying the strength he felt in his lover's grip. He strutted before Peter as they exited the office, swaying his hips enticingly.

Neal smiled as he felt the brief touch of Peter's hand as he went through the door. Peter couldn't help himself.

OooOooO

That night at the Dilbert Exhibit at Yo Yo Dyne headquarters, Jones was asleep on the couch in the chairman's office. The office was huge with walnut panels and carpet thick and soft. The desk was vast, containing no work, but on the glass surface over the expensive wood, there were heavy, beautifully designed in and out boxes, a picture that held a family as bland as if they came with the frame, and a nametag that said Vaughn Elder. The three of them, Jones, Peter, and Neal were stuck here until the thief struck or until morning, which ever came sooner. The idea was that they would take turns, but as soon as Jones yawned, Peter suggested he take a nap. Neal expected that he would hear the hard side of Peter's mouth as soon as Jones' gentle snores wafted from the couch.

Surprising him, Peter divided his attention between his coffee and his stack of employee files.

The unhappy minions of Yo Yo Dyne caught Neal's attention again so he was startled when Peter leaned close and whispered, "What the hell were you doing back in the office? Do you want to out us?"

"Yes-no," Neal answered in a jumble of honesty mixed with self preservation. "I just wanted..."

Images flew threw Neal's head of El visiting the office, of Peter giving her a peck of a kiss, holding her hand, a hand about her waist.

"Sometimes I just want to be like El," Neal finally admitted.

"In my heart you are," Peter said.

Oh.

Oh my.

Okay, that was enough. Neal felt as if his smile glowed from his face, fueled by the warmth he felt in his heart.

Nodding, Peter said, "Really." That crooked grin flickered again and Peter said, "Now go back to work."

An hour later, Neal said, "This one."

Handing Peter a file, Neal said, "Claude Spender was reprimanded last year for emailing a Dilbert cartoon to a friend. The guy has been instrumental in developing software that has made Yo Yo Dyne a fortune. Only it was in a work group, you see, so he gets no individual credit."

"How do you know he deserves the lead role then?" Peer asked.

Raising his brows, Neal said, "Work groups that included Claude Spender resulted in a larger percentage of breakthroughs compared to those that did not. I ran the stats on your office computer before we left."

"Why did it take so long for you to come up with a name then?" Peter asked. He smirked. "Something distract you?"

"Peter, Peter, Peter...don't get carried away with it all," Neal chided. "Yes, I'm crazy about you, but that's not why. There were overlaps in the more successful work groups. I had to read the files to see who had the most cause to resent Yo Yo Dyne. Spender hasn't had a raise in ten years. He has a half dozen reprimands for minor infractions like sending the Dilbert cartoon, wearing a Dilbert tie to the office, and look at this one... a reduction in pay for coming late three times in a row...during the snow storm last December."

Shaking his head, Neal said, "I'm going to hate catching this guy."

Peter sighed and said, "Yeah, me too. We aren't the judge and the jury, Neal. We don't get to pick which criminals we send to jail. Not the ones we hate and not the ones we ... like."

Neal understood and felt sorry for Peter, imagining the way Peter felt when he had captured Neal and sent him to prison.

"Hey," Neal said, catching a glimpse of movement on the monitor. "I think we got a bite."

As alert as a hound on the trail, Peter grabbed his cell phone and signaled the outside team.

By the time, Peter, Neal, and Jones bounded out to the Dilbert display, Claude Spender had taken down Moz's Dilbert panels. Spender was in his fifties. His shoulders were stooped, his eyes shielded by thick glasses. He had a pale complexion and eyes as grey as the cubicle walls that surrounded Yo Yo Dyne's myriad and downtrodden employees. He sighed and raised his arms as he was surrounded by agents and NYPD backups.

Neal lowered his eyes, feeling like a traitor. Spender seemed to note Neal's reaction and said, "Buck up, kid. Prison means a larger cubicle to me and early retirement."

"You can get computer privileges," Neal said as Spender was walked out. "You can see Dilbert cartoons on line."

Turning to Peter, Neal said, "I didn't like this bust."

"Yeah, I know," Peter replied. He patted Neal's arm. "Like I said, you don't get to pick who you arrest and who your victims are."

OooOooO

A few months later, Neal had his chance to hold Peter's hand in the office. They were working at night, the power went out. First it flickered, then browned out, and finally they were in total darkness. Neal sighed and stood up. "Well, enough work. Right, Peter? Even you can't expect us to work in the dark."

"Nope," Peter's voice said from nearer by than Neal expected. "Come here. I know every inch of this place. I'll get you out of here."

Neal's former occupation required comfort in the dark, but this was intriguing. Peter's hand reached for his and Neal curled his fingers around Peter's. He accepted Peter's guidance as they took the few steps towards the stairs. Peter's arm was around his waist as they cautiously stepped down the stairs. Leaning close to Neal, Peter said in a voice that Neal thought was pure sex, "Here we are, where we work every day, and I have your hand, my arm around your waist, my lips..."

Peter kissed Neal's neck, nuzzled behind his ear. "My lips are kissing you here as we walk down these stairs. Every day, when we walk out, you think about this. Think about me kissing you. Think about me holding your hand. Think about me looking forward to getting you home, stripping off this suit, and making love to you. Will you do that for me, Neal? Will you remember this?"

No question...

Just as they reached the door, the lights came back, but Neal closed his eyes, twirled around, and he could see Peter leading him through the dark. In his mind, there was a halo around Peter, the light of his love shining through.

There were love stories and there were love songs... but of Peter, there was only one and he was better than a song, even one by the Chairman of the Board.

Maybe Peter would never be able to walk hand in hand though the office again, but they would through life, and that was Neal's love story.

The end