A/N: Hey, everyone! Wow, finally finished Federal Custody. Hope you all liked it. This is (as I'm sure you already know) Aftershock. It's set exactly a year after the explosion, and Chris is struggling, to say the least. I'll shut up and let you read it. Let me know what you think. I still own nothing but my amazing OCs (sorry, I love bragging!) and my... odd imagination. -A

Chapter 1: Remembered

"Hon," Peter called into the kitchen. "Where's Chris?"

"Isn't she up in her room?" El asked, walking out while wiping her hands with a dish cloth.

"No, I was just up there." El bit her lip.

"I think I know where she is..." Sighing, Peter nodded.

"I'll go get her," he said grabbing his keys. She walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't." He turned, about to say something, but she cut him off. "Honey, do you know what today is?" A sad look crossed the agent's face, telling her that he definatly remembered. "Let her have some time alone today." Sighing, Peter nodded and sat down.

"I feel like I'm breaking my promise, El," he told her. She looked confused.

"What promise?" That's right, he hadn't told her...

"Right before Neal went into the warehouse, he made me promise that if anything ever happened to him, that we'd take care of Chris. Sure, she's alive, she's got a roof over her head, but I don't think I've seen her smile once in the past year. Do you remember when you're cousin brought her son over and he wanted to watch the Lion King?" he asked.

"Yeah, they made it to the part where Mufasa dies before Chris ran out of the room, almost in tears... I see you're point, but anyone would be acting just like Chris. She's trying to cope, Peter. She needs time."

"I know, but I'm worried about her." El smiled sadly and sat next to him.

"I am too, but we're doing all we can do. The rest is up to her. She'll come back eventually."

WC

Chris stared blankly out the window. She was numb, almost unfeeling. She should be crying, she supposed, but she didn't see the use. It's been a year, after all. A year ago on that day, Neal Caffrey was ripped from the world in a violent, untimely death. They never even caught the son of a bitch who killed him. Him, Geo, and six other forgers. They were all lost in the blaze, an explosion she still had nightmares about.

There were soft footsteps behind her, footsteps she'd come to know as Mozzie's. It suprised her that he came, yet at the same time, it didn't. She hadn't seen him for nearly four months. He'd stopped at the Burke's for a while on El's birthday.

"Hey, Moz," she greeted without turning around. "It's been a while." He said nothing. "I suppose you're hear for the same reason I am?" Still, no answer. She sighed.

"I figured Sara would drop by, but I've seen her about as much as I've seen you lately. She became a full-fledged work-aholic... How'd you get in? June's visiting Cindy and she gave the staff the day off." Nothing. "I suppose you either have a key, or you picked the lock... I have a key. June likes the company, but she said she couldn't be here today... She cried when she left, I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what to say." Chris shook her head.

"I suppose I should have told Peter and El I was coming here, they worry about me. I should probably call before it gets too late, Peter tends to come bursting in if I don't tell him I'm leaving." Again, she sighed. "I saw Alex last week. Can't believe she dyed her hair blonde... It's a good look for her I suppose, but I think her natural color was better." Mozzie still said nothing, he hadn't move an inch. This annoyed Chris for some reason. As she spoke she spun around. "Are you going the stand there all day or are yo-" but her words were cut off by shock. It wasn't Mozzie.

Tears started streaming down her cheeks as she stared at the man in front of her. It was impossible. She couldn't find her mouth to speak. After a moment, she was able to choke out on word. "How?"