Title: Give Anything to Forget

Fandom: White Collar

Pairing: none

Rating: pg

Summary: Post "Out of the Box" There wasn't much about Neal that Peter didn't know...

Spoiler: Out of the Box

White Collar and all its characters belong to USA Network. I just like to borrow them from time to time.

There wasn't much about Neal that Peter didn't know, or at least Peter liked to think that there wasn't much about Neal that he didn't know. He had spent half his FBI career studying him, learning his every move, chasing and eventually catching him. At time, Peter felt like he could write a book on Neal Caffrey.

He knew how Neal liked his coffee, what suit he wore when he was stressed. He even knew which of his "cartoon looking" fedoras was his favorite. He knew how he had that charming bravado about him that often fooled people and like most; he knew that Neal's taste for the finer things often got him into trouble. But there was one thing that Peter knew, that no one else did, not Alex, June, or even Mozzie. Yet it was something that he would give anything to forget

And that was way Neal's eyes looked the day Kate died.

As Neal walked towards the plane, Peter felt like he had lost a fight he should have given up on years ago. Neal had finally gotten what he had sacrificed his freedom for all those years ago. She was the reason that he had been caught in the first place yet he didn't show any regret. He loved her and there was no changing that. Neal had made up his mind and there was nothing Peter could do about it. He would get on that plane and disappear out of Peter's life forever.

"Neal," Peter yells and Neal stops in midstride.

"Peter," He turns away from Kate to face him. "What are you doing here?"

"You said goodbye to everyone but me. Why?"

"You know why."

In one final attempt, "Tell me."

"Because you are the only one who could get me to change my mind," Neal says barely above a whisper.

Peter just looks at him, surprised that he heard those words come out of his mouth.

"Thanks Peter, for everything."

Peter looks down and sees that he has pressed his Consultant badge into his hand. Neal turns away and Peter just knows that he is looking at him for the final time. Because he knows, better than anybody, that once Neal disappears there's not much of a chance of finding him. And Peter can't go through that chase again. He turns around and begins to walk towards the plane.

"Neal!"

And suddenly the world in front of them is ablaze. The plane burning a mixture of orange and red and smoke is billowing out of it towards to sky. Neal tries to run towards the plane in a suicidal attempt to save Kate but Peter holds onto him, trying to salvage what he can of the man whose heart and soul has just been literally set aflame. And that's when Peter sees it, Neal eyes, those bright blue expressive eyes. The ones that show his every emotion are in a state of pure heartbreak. Tears begin to fall freely down his face. Yet his eyes don't like the eyes of teenagers after they've been heartbroken, no Neal's eyes are heart wrenching.

Peter lets go of him with one arm so that he can call the fire department. He lowers Neal to the ground and puts his arms back around him. To afraid that he will try to run towards the plane even though there is no way anyone survived.

The tears have stopped and the only evidence of them is the drying tear tracks on his cheek. His eyes are no longer heartbroken, their just looking off into the distance. At first Peter thought that it was a mask but then realizes that their showing Neal's true emotion. Broken. He just watched everything he cared for, worked for, lived for, and breathed for burn in front of him. Neal was broken to his core and his eyes showed that clearly.

There wasn't much about Neal that Peter didn't know, but the ways his eyes looked the Kate died was something he would give anything to forget.

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