Author's note: I do not and never will own USA's, White Collar, also i apologize for the bad grammar

Being a criminal is lonely, even the infamous ones that would forever be known in history were lonely. Neal knew that, but god this was torture! He had been staring at the same damn off white hospital wall for 3 hours and the doctors he had so trusted with his Peter. Yes his, over the last year the straight laced Agent Burke had become simply Peter (well at least in the thief's mind. Calling him that out loud was asking for a lot.) A minute smile ghosted on thick lips, and if anybody had been really looking they would see that those same lips trembled a little. They were the only signs that his cool facade had crumbled. Unshed tears made charming blue eyes look glassy. Impatience made confident, sure palms shake. Anger and fear made him anxious and unable to stay still. But these were normal signs for someone in distress. These were common for a man like Neal Caffrey who's amiable personality got him a few friends.

Something was different though. And of course his ever curious and strategic mind had to find the reason. Mentally he did a full body check making sure to cross out the probable cause on his mental list(see how bad it is? He has lists!) Finally he had found it. It was his heart. He snorted, the same little lump that he had been told countless times that he did not have. The same thing that he himself had started to believe he did not have nor needed. Through all the hell he'd been through, Peter being shot drove his heart a mile a minute. He raised a shaking fist to his chest, he knew what he had to do now. A pen tapped him on the shoulder bringing him out of his revelries.

A doctor by the name of June frowned at him with concern. Instantly he had misread that face. The tears that he had been trying so hard to hold flowed. An overwhelming sadness weighed him down.

"So... is Peter dead?"

He winced at how small his voice had become. He felt the edges of his world fray and fall away into darkness. What will I do? Will I survive this if she says yes? Please let me make it through at least this.

"No he is not. It's a miracle too, the bullet almost severed an artery. Luckily his will to live was strong enough to jump start his heart. He's in ICU right now."

Neal's smile seemed to shine so bright that it nearly blinded the doctor. His already racing heart kicked into a higher gear, Peter was alive!

He took off down the hall, paying no attention to any of the complaints aimed at him. Peter was alive! And as far as he was concerned all of them could kiss his ass, he had somewhere to be.

Soon enough he stood at the head of the agent's bed staring brightly into surprised and suspicious chocolate brown eyes. Slowly he came to stand beside the injured detective. He could glimpse the edges of silk tape peeking just under Peter's gown and once again it came back full force just how easily he could have lost the other. Peter broke the silence first.

"Have you had your fill off staring at me, Neal?"

"You're alive," the thief whispered, if he had spoken any louder he knew his voice would crack. Peter frowned up at him.

"Of course I would, I'm not done living yet," the agent clasped the hand closest to him and squeezed a little. Neal practically threw himself at the older man, sobbing all the way. It was kind of hard for Peter to hear between choked sobs and his gown but he tried to listen in anyway.

"I was so scared! I mean you jumped out of cover in a shootout and then I saw you fall down blood pooling around you. You- you didn't answer and your pulse was low and -oh god- your body was going cold. I thought you were going to -hic- leave me." Caffrey hugged tighter; laying his head right over the bandages covering the heart of someone he adored and loved so much. He kissed the other passionately conveying in it all the hurt, love, joy, and pain he had ever felt since they had met, only parting when the need for air became too much for them. He carded his through the older man's hair.

"Please don't ever scare me like that again."

"I don't know about this Neal what will my wife think about all this?"

"She agrees one hundred percent," a foreign voice spoke from somewhere behind them. Slowly they turned caught in the red. Elizabeth stepped away from the door jamb and walked farther into the room a blinding smile gracing jaunty features.

"You don't know how long I have been waiting for you two to do this."

Looking adoringly at each other, Neal and Peter invited Elizabeth into the bed with them.

Once upon a time there was a heartless con man

The End

Author's note: did you like the story? Poor Neal being shook up like that... oh well it made for a good story though (shrinks away from Neal's scorching glare, I'll have to put all my stuff under lock and key today ;) anyway R&R is always a plus!