Something I'll Regret
AN: This fic is based on a request from Princess135656. She asked:
"Will you please write a White Collar fanfic from the part in season 4 finale where James said DON'T MAKE ME DO SOMETHING I'LL REGRET and that Neal does do something which forces James to do it. Please, please will you write it out. Please something with wrist grabbing or and tying up."
I already had some thoughts along that line, wondering what James might do if Neal tried to stop him. So here goes, I hope you enjoy.
Ms. Beta, ccluvshorses101, didn't help me on this one, so all the mistakes are my own.
James turned and looked at Neal. "Don't make me do something I'll regret."
Neal saw the look in his father's eyes. But before he knew it he grabbed James' arm to stop him from leaving.
Neal stood in shock, his hand to his face from where he felt the punch. Then he saw the gun pointed at him. Where had James gotten a gun? Neal thought as he stared at the piece aimed at him.
Neal then looked at his father. "James, what are you…I don't…." Neal said shaking his head, his head pressed to the side of his face where his father had hit him.
"I didn't want to do that, Neal." James admitted, but he didn't lower his gun.
Neal put his other hand up and backed away. "Look…just…just go."
"I can't…do that now, Neal." James stated. "There are things you know that Peter really shouldn't."
Neal looked at James confused. He didn't know anything. He shook his head.
James explained. "You know where the box is. The Empire State Building…the fiftieth floor…Peter can't know that. I need that box. I need to destroy what's inside it. Nobody can know what Ellen left, except me."
"She wanted me to have that." Neal stated, remembering the video tape message.
"Yes, she did." James admitted. "She wanted you to know the type of man I am. She couldn't break your heart at such a tender age, Neal." James sighed. "But now…it's time you know. You can take it now, especially since you turned out just the same."
The last statement made Neal angry. He forgot about his face and the gun pointed at him and stepped forward. "I would never point a gun at my own flesh and blood!"
James seemed unfazed. "Oh, you would be surprised at what you will do in the 'heat of the moment.'" James still had not lowered his gun. "Now I need to buy some time. You're coming with me."
Neal looked at his father speechless for a moment.
"You're going downstairs before me. If we encounter June you will make an excuse and we will both head out the door. I have a car down at the curb. We'll get in. I have a place I can keep you away from Peter for a while, just long enough for me to make my getaway. Then I'll make a call."
Neal opened his mouth to speak.
"You won't be able to get to the street and get away. I have…some people outside. You won't see them, but they're close. I've instructed them to shot if I gave the word." James replied. "So, any thoughts of escape…."
Neal nodded. He wasn't sure James was telling him the truth about his thugs outside. But he couldn't take the chance. He had found out a lot of…surprising things about his father. He didn't want to risk his life to find out if he was being conned.
Neal and James went downstairs. They did not encounter June. And Neal had, in a way, hoped that they would. He wanted a witness, somebody to tell Peter, to question why James and Neal were leaving the house together.
Neal felt the Taser seconds after he got into the car. He woke up sometime later, realizing, at some point, his hands had been cuffed behind him. He knew where they were, the row of abandoned warehouses at the pier. He also knew he was outside his radius. Hopefully the US Marshals would be descending on them at any moment. He decided to keep this bit of information from James. James had not doubt forgot the anklet since he had not asked Neal what his range was. And then there was the fact James had knocked Neal out, thinking he could now drive his captive anywhere in the city to do whatever it was he had planned.
James and Neal got out of the car, Neal moving slowly because of the cuffs. James grabbed his arm and practically dragged him inside one of the buildings. They made it up to the second floor, where a single metal chair and two thugs waited for them.
"Tie him up!" James demanded as he let go of Neal's arm.
"James, Dad…why…?" Neal started as the men tied him up.
"Because you went to visit Ellen on Roosevelt Island…you left with something. I need to know what that something was." James said remembering the cardboard tube he had seen in Neal's hand.
Neal shook his head. "That had nothing…."
James gave the signal and one of the thugs balled up his fist and struck Neal in the face.
"Don't. Lie to me!" James said, stressing the word don't.
Neal shook his head and the thug then hit Neal in the chest. Neal groaned and involuntarily sucked in a pained breath.
"It was a Raphael I stole, years ago." Neal said when he found his breath.
James shook his head. "Don't lie to me, Son."
The thug hit Neal again, in the same spot, this time cracking a rib.
Neal groaned. "Sara Ellis…you met her…ask her." He groaned again, struggling against his bonds.
"What does she have to do with this?" James asked.
"…after me…insurance…recovery." Neal said, in obvious pain.
James seemed to be considering what Neal said. He instructed a thug to riffle Neal's pockets. The thug found Neal's phone and handed it over. James found Sara's number and called. It was no longer connected.
"The number's not working, Neal." James stated, throwing the phone to the ground, in anger, where it shattered in a thousand pieces. "It's been disconnected."
Neal realized, in horror, that Sara had had her phone disconnected, in preparation of moving to London. He explained. "...going…London…phone disconnected." Neal said, feeling like he was going to pass out and fighting it.
James looked at his son. "Well, isn't that just…convenient." He said sarcastically. "Have fun, guys." James said, giving the thugs permission to work over his son. "I'll give you 10 minutes before I give Burke a call." He said as he exited the building.
WC WC WC WC WC
James stopped in his tracks when he looked outside the warehouse windows. He had heard the sirens a ways off, but had not been alarmed. It was a common sound in New York City. James hurried down the stairs, anyway. He was so close to getting away. He exited the building just as the sounds get closer. He realized then they were headed his way.
Marshals and FBI were streaming into the building as James tried to make his escape. He was cuffed and lead to a car as Peter, Diana and Jones made their way up the stairs to where Neal was.
Peter found Neal unconscious and bleeding, tied to a metal chair. The Marshals came in behind Peter and arrested the thugs. He took them down the stairs and out of the building as Peter assessed Neal's injuries. Neal was suffering from a concussion, contusions, a dislocated shoulder and broken ribs.
Peter took of Neal's handcuffs and then cut the ropes holding him to the chair, Jones and Peter caught him and eased him to the ground. Neal didn't open his eyes or acknowledge their presence.
WC WC WC WC WC
"He threatened me in the apartment. He held on gun on me as we went down the stairs and he tasered me once we got in the car." Neal paused for a second then continued with his story speaking into the microphone Peter had sat on his bedside table. He was still recovering and he wrapped both arms around his injured ribs. "He handcuffed me and tied me to a chair. He asked me about Roosevelt Island. He knew I had been there. He thought the Raphael I had left with was something to do with him." Neal paused again, in obvious pain. "He didn't like my answers. He thought Ellen had given me something on him. He instructed his thugs to…encourage me to be more truthful." Neal let out a breath, he had finished his statement and was exhausted.
Peter, satisfied, turned off the tape recorder and removed the microphone. He had enough evidence to put James Bennett for a good, long time.
THE END