Disclaimer: I don't own White Collar and never will. No copyright infringement intended.
Once Peter was cleared, James was sent to jail, and everything settled down and went back to normal, Peter and Neal sat down in his apartment to talk. Neal grabbed some beers and handed one to the FBI agent as he sat down.
"How are you doing with all this?" Peter was worried about Neal. It couldn't have been easy to send his own father to jail, let alone deal with him being framed for it.
He shrugged. "I'm over it now. James betrayed me and that's that." He was lying and Peter could tell, but he hoped he wasn't called out about it.
Peter eyed him warily and was about to let it go, but decided to say something anyway. "Neal," he warned.
Neal sighed. "Fine. It hurt, still does actually, but I'll be okay. I'm sorry he framed you for murder." He felt guilty over it even though he knew he shouldn't. If he had insisted on helping his brother, none of this would have happened.
"Hey, you don't have to apologize – It wasn't your fault. And I'm not going to let you blame yourself for what happened so stop."
He cracked a smile. "Okay, I get it. I won't blame myself anymore." He probably was, but Peter didn't need to know that.
Peter did know he hadn't gotten through to Neal yet so he wasn't going to let this go. But he had another question he wanted to know the answer to. "So, how'd your fake proposal to Sara go, anyway?"
Neal looked down and started playing with the paper on the bottle before finding the courage to look back up again. "Well, it took a surprising turn. I went off script and it got real, and the next thing I know, we're both crying. I kind of got rejected." He and Sara were still together, though, and talked as much as they were able to.
Peter stared at him in shock. "So you actually proposed? Wow, did not see that one coming."
Neal laughed at his response. "Neither did I. But we're happy. Getting married isn't going to change that. I love her."
"Does she know that?" Peter desperately wanted to know and he did love giving advice about Neal and Sara's relationship. Plus, it was a welcome turn from their many discussions over the past few weeks.
Neal opened his mouth a few times and then closed it when he realized he hadn't said it. "No?"
He rolled his eyes. "Neal, she needs to know. Maybe it would have turned out differently if you had actually told her how you felt instead of spontaneously proposing during a fake proposal. So call her and talk to her."
"Okay, fine." He was a little bit worried about getting rejected again, but Neal didn't mention that. He was sure Peter already knew anyway.
"Good. Now, you're coming over to our house for a celebratory dinner tomorrow night. Elizabeth insisted, and you know how she gets. So be there by six. I'll gotta go, so I'll see you at work tomorrow." He stood up and went to leave, but was stopped in his tracks when Neal pulled him in for a surprise hug.
"I'm glad you're free now and things can get back to normal." Neal had wanted to mention the fact that he had told James that Peter was a better father to him than he ever was, but he was terrified to bring it up. What if Peter didn't feel like he was a father figure to him?
"Aw, thanks, kid. Me too." Peter held on to the hug for a few more minutes before pulling away and leaving.
Neal was about to call out for pizza when his phone rang. He was surprised to see Sara's name on the screen since they weren't due to talk for another few days. She was busy hunting down something stolen and barely had any free time. "Sara?"
"Yes. Okay? My answer is yes." Sara sounded like she was in tears, worrying and confusing Neal at the same time.
"Your answer to what is yes? And are you okay? You don't sound so good. Are you hurt? I'll figure out a way to come see you if you're hurt." Neal hated the fear that pulsed through his body at the thought of his girlfriend being hurt.
She sniffled and then tried to calm down. "My answer to your proposal is yes. I can't stop thinking about it and I couldn't figure out why at first. But I want to be with you."
Neal was definitely in shock. He hadn't been expecting this tonight at all, and it was perfect time considering what Peter had told him to do. "Let me get this straight for a second. You want to marry me? You're actually saying yes to my fake real proposal?"
Sara laughed. "That is what I am saying. I want to marry you. And it'll happen once I'm done here, but I know we can make this work."
Neal laughed with her, mostly from shock and happiness. He couldn't believe this was happening. "Okay, I want to say something first. I love you. You need to know that because it's the truth. You are who I want to spend the rest of my life with."
"Damn it, Neal. I just stopped crying, you bastard. But I love you, too. Also, don't even think of proposing again because I don't think you could top what happened on that rooftop. It was perfect. And I don't care what the ring looks like." All she wanted was to like the ring. She really had no preferences, as long as it wasn't big.
"Okay then. I'll take Peter and Mozzie with me to the jewelry store soon. Maybe June, too. Can you believe we're doing this? We're actually talking about getting married." He really couldn't wait until Sara was his wife. He hadn't planned on this happening, but he was glad that it had.
"I know, right? Alright, well I have to get back to work, but I'll talk to you tomorrow." She needed to cry some more because her emotions were overwhelming her, but she wasn't about to worry Neal like that. He'd probably overreact and panic.
"Alright. Love you." Neal hung up the phone and just stood there for a few minutes, trying to process what had just happened. He was actually engaged and going to marry the woman he loved. Well, first he had to find the ring, but he didn't think it was going to be all that hard. He knew what Sara's tastes were like and he was sure he could find the perfect one. Once he recovered from the shock of it, he finally ordered pizza.
The next day, Peter noticed something was up when Neal couldn't stop smiling. "What is up with you? You're unusually happy this morning." He had his suspicions, but he wanted his consultant to tell him.
"I'm not telling you until dinner today because I don't want to explain this twice. Sorry." Neal went back to checking over the piece of fake art again, ignoring Pete's inquiring stares.
That night at dinner, Elizabeth stared at him and tried to get him to break. Peter had told her that something was up with Neal and she wanted to know what. "So are you ever going to tell us why you can't stop smiling?"
Neal was bursting at the seams with the news. He really couldn't hide it anymore, especially since he was so happy. "Sara and I are engaged. She called last night."
Elizabeth squealed and rushed to hug him while Peter clapped him on the shoulder. "Congratulations, kid. I'm proud of you." He was just glad Neal found someone who was good for him and loved him.
"So, how did it happen? Give me all the details, please!" Elizabeth hoped she could plan the wedding for them, but she wouldn't ask unless they did.
Neal explained the story to them, and this time, Peter found out more details than he had gotten the night before. Elizabeth had tears in her eyes when he finished enlightening them on what had occurred at the Empire State Building.
Neal and Sara talked nearly every night for the next several months. And when she returned home, he got down on one knee and presented her with an engagement ring. "I love it. And I love you. Thank you so much." Sara was the happiest she had been in a long time.
"You're welcome. I love you too, Sara. So much." He stood up and kissed her, ignoring Peter and Mozzie clapping at them and Elizabeth and June's tears.
Sara and Neal married six months later, and fifteen months later they welcomed their first child, a daughter they named Constance Luna Ellis-Caffrey. Her brother, Connor Peter Ellis-Caffrey, followed three years later.
That trip to the Empire State Building had changed Sara and Neal's life for the better. The proposal had been unexpected, but it had been real, and they loved their life as a couple. They were grateful that had a con had accidentally set them on this path in the first place.