On The Hook, Again

AN:This story is a tag to the previews from the season 5 finale. I have not seen the episode yet, and depending on how things go, some of this may be changed.At any rate, I hope you all enjoy.And I thank you, in advance, for your reviews and alerts.

It was a familiar scene, Neal Caffrey in cuffs. But this time the situation was vastly different. Special Agent Peter Burke and other members of White Collar had seen Neal jump on a helicopter, headed for parts unknown. They could not follow the copter and soon lost it from sight. And now 6 months later and far from home, Neal had been recaptured. He was headed back to New York.

Neal hadn't said much during his capture. And now he was choosing to look out the window on his side of the small plane.

"Neal, we…." Peter started.

"What are you doing here? You said we were going back to New York. Why aren't you in D.C.?"

Peter opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't tell me they unchained you from your desk long enough to hunt me down."

Peter studied Neal for just a moment. The young man looked tired. He had a bruise on the left side of his neck, and he was favoring the right side of his chest. Peter imagined huge, nasty bruises and cracked, if not broken ribs. He would call and have an ambulance waiting for them when they landed in New York.

Peter knew Neal would not let him close enough to check out his injuries. Every attempt Peter had made had been met with an evil look. And Neal pulling away, causing himself more pain in the process. What he did get was Neal staring at him, expecting an answer.

"I didn't take the D.C. position." Peter replied.

"Why?" Neal fired back, his pain coming out as irritation.

"Somebody had to find you?"

Neal grinned but there was no humor in it. "Yeah," He said, trying to readjust and immediately regretting it as pain shot up his injured side. He bit his lip to keep from crying out. "…so you can finally prove your point, once a criminal, always a criminal."

"…because I'm the one who knows you best." Peter stated.

Neal dismissed his comment and closed his eyes, turning his face to the window. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Agent Burke."

Peter sighed. He didn't say anything else. The sad part was that Neal believed what he said. That was how he saw Peter now. Peter had made that comment, and others, in a moment of anger. He had said a lot of things that had caused a lot of damage to Neal and to their relationship that he had not intended. It was part of the reason, Peter guessed, that Neal took his helicopter ride in the first place. There wasn't anything left for him in New York.

Peter waited until he heard Neal softly snoring. He then checked out his C.I.'s injuries. And they were as bad as Peter had imagined. Peter had heard that somebody had spread a false rumor about a price being on Caffrey's head. It had sent money-hungry locals into a frenzy; much the same as it had in Cape Verde. Except in Cape Verde, Neal had had friends, help. In his latest adventure he had been on his own, and he had paid the price. Peter could only think that rumors of a con man in residence made the rich vacationers hold onto their wallets even more tightly.

Neal opened his eyes and groaned. He felt the plane descend as he looked around him, a little disoriented. The events of the past few hours came back to him. He was back in NYC, and most likely on his way back to prison.

"You didn't answer my question." Neal stated.

"I did, Neal. I had to find you." Peter replied.

"You don't seem to be aware of this, but the White Collar Division in New York City is full of agents. You know…all those people you used to work with." Neal knew he was sounding like a sarcastic smart ass, but he didn't really care.

"I still work there. And yes, White Collar has some great agents. But none of them know you as well as I do."

"I'm going back to prison, why is that relevant?" Neal asked.

"I can't be a handler without a C.I." Peter replied.

"Again, I'm going back to prison, why is that relevant?" Neal then realized what Peter was saying. He shook his head. "You told Jones not to waste his career on me. You left, and I was going to be the next guy's problem."

Peter, hearing his own words repeated, they stung. He had no idea how Neal even knew what he had said.

Neal smiled. Again, it was not a happy smile. "Your attitude told me I was going to be the next guy's problem. A tiny little bug I dropped in your pocket told me what you said to Jones."

"Neal!" Peter started.

"No! Don't…you don't get to do that! You're a smart man, you had to think…or at least entertain the idea that I really hadn't gotten James to confess. That had to have crossed your mind. But…strange thing was, you waited until you're a free man before you said anything!" Neal was angry, and he was hurting. And the pain he was causing himself trying to stand only added to both feelings. He swayed as he stood. He grabbed onto the seat in front of him to steady himself before he tried to take a step. Neal felt Peter behind him. And strangely, it both comforted him and made him angry, all at the same time. He didn't want to appear weak in front of Peter. Peter already had enough ammunition against him.

Neal made his way, slowly, off the plane. He saw the ambulance waiting for him, and he was ecstatic. His chest was killing him, and he was not sure he could make it much further. He took only a couple more steps before he collapsed.

Peter caught Neal from behind as he passed out. The EMTs rushed forward with the stretcher to take him to the hospital.

TBC