Peter Burke … I'm still not sure if he can be trusted. He's working for the FBI. FBI agents and police officers – there's no big difference between those, if you ask me. But then, taking into account my history with them, I might not be without bias. There are too many corrupt police officers I've met and I have fairly regularly bribed FBI agents and judges. Therefore, I am wondering about Burke's motives.

I don't know if I can trust him enough to give him the evidence about Ellen's murderer. Tonight I'm going to meet him for the first time in person. I'll go with my gut and decide based on the impression he makes on me.

As a matter of course, Neal Caffrey helps Burke improve the closure rate of the Bureau significantly. It might have been the reason for the Federal agent to associate with a convicted felon in the first place. But working together with Neal spells trouble. Most of his plans and ideas are on the verge of lunacy and more often than not fly too close to the sun. In the years he's acted as his handler, Burke has covered up for Caffrey many times, and it must have been a huge effort to keep him out of prison. Why would he do that?

Then again, I would know, wouldn't I? Thinking about all these years I spent rushing after him either to prevent him from doing something stupid or mopping up when I came too late...

When Adler blew up his Ponzi scheme company, he'd left enough traces to put the blame on Neal. Thanks to my skillful persuasion and my husband's money, that false evidence disappeared before it found its way into the FBI's files.

Speaking of my husband, I'm still astonished - but deeply grateful - for the strange twist of fate which helped me to find unquestioning love in my second husband when I was only looking for his money. When on the other side, I married the first time for love, and was deceived and wound up with a completely selfish man.

But I'm wandering off topic - Neal and his mischief.

In the years after the Adler disaster, Neal improved his various criminal talents. Fortunately, most of his actions haven't needed my intervention. Only now and then have I needed to grease up a cop or buy a piece of forgery or stolen art before it had aroused the attention of the FBI.

To do the latter, I had introduced myself as a wealthy client to Mozzie. His paranoia was helpful to convince him to keep the identity of his buyer top secret, even to his best friend. Over the course of the years I've grown quite fond of him. He's weird, but he's always acting in - what he thinks is - Neal's best interest.

Entirely different from Kate. I've never understood what Neal saw in her. There was nothing special about her. With her big bubbly eyes, she made him do all sorts of stupid and foul deeds. I don't think that she ever loved him - but he fell for her completely and wrecked his life in order to please her. And I am not saying this because I'm jealous of her.

If you ask me, Kate is the second worst person who influenced his life. Well, it's obvious who's earned the top rank in the 'worst person in Neal Caffrey's life' contest.

After she left him, it didn't get better. No - he got even more reckless to impress her. Those were tiresome years for me - culminating in the Rafael theft. It was almost too late when Ellen called me and told me about the painting Neal had sent.

I had to bring all my influence as an important client of Sterling Bosch to bear to call Sarah Ellis off. Usually I am very careful in my rescue missions and maintain a low profile. I don't want anyone to link my name with Neal Caffrey. If Neal spotted me or suspected me of getting involved with him once again, well, he would bolt - up and away, probably leaving the country or even the continent. He's very uncompromising and unforgiving when it comes to my betrayal.

And, of course, it was because of Kate that the FBI finally caught Neal. For once, I couldn't bribe or blackmail him out of it. All I could do was make sure that the bond forgery was the only crime he was convicted of.

... till the next chapter

AN:

First of all: Thanks again to my beta VoicesInTheWind. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I won't repeat this in all of the following chapters but it applies to all of them.

I think this story is a bit weird. But I had to write it. I flashed through my mind and I couldn't get rid of it. I had to write it down. It's quite different from my other stories so far. As I've told my beta, I feel a bit schizo about it. As if my other personality has developed it. Probably, these are harmful side effects from too much time without new WC episodes.

I try to post one chapter each day.

Finally, I don't own anything from White Collar. I am full of respect for the extraordinary achievements of the WC writer team.