Making it Right

By Dippycippy

Summary: Neal comes seeking forgiveness but will Peter be able to help him. Some minor refrences to past episodes.

Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to USA; I only write about it.

Warning: Contains spanking of an adult. Don't like?Please don't read!

AN: This is an AU story where corporal punishment is an allowed means of punishment.

Chapter 1

Peter was once again exasperated. Will Neal ever grow up and follow the rules? For all of his "disobeying and misbehaving", he usually gets the job done. He knows that is Neal's biggest problem. El thinks Peter is over reacting. Well about the prison part anyway. Of course he didn't want to send him back. Neal means so much to him and there is no denying that Peter is proud of him. Especially after this case and how he helped Evan. His heart is so big and always in the right place but he can't understand what happens to his brilliant mind. He needs to stop being so damn impulsive. When the Keller case was closed, once again Neal Caffrey got away scot free, not to mention all of his shenanigans at Manhattan Prep. Peter needed a drink.

Elizabeth was sensing her husband's anguish. She knew that he was confused and upset ever since her kidnapping and discovering Neal's part in it. He trusted him and Neal broke that trust. As angry as she was at Neal for that she knew that her love for him was unconditional and he was not doing anything deliberate to hurt them. She knew he also loved them and relied on them for guidance. They were his family. She just had to convince her husband of that.

Neal was as confused as he has ever been in his life. When he saw Peter enter the classroom he was well and truly frightened. He had only seen Peter that angry when Elizabeth was missing. The funny part was that he wasn't scared that Peter was going to send him back to prison. He was scared that he had once again let him down. He knew he could help the case and get back into Peter's good graces but once again he had gone about it in the wrong way. Why could he never just follow orders? Peter loved rules and if he could just follow them, then maybe he could stay out of trouble.

The guilt that he was feeling over the treasure and loosing Peter's trust was killing him and he needed to go and try to make it right. The Yankee tickets hadn't done the trick but Peter didn't seem to hate him for all of his lies. He should have been relieved that Keller took the blame for the treasure and Peter covered for him, but relief was not what he was feeling. Peter was the father he never had. Guilt and unconditional love were new concepts to Neal.

Peter and El were surprised to hear the doorbell. They weren't expecting anyone. Peter went to answer the door and was surprised to see a sullen looking Neal. Usually he was oozing charm. "Hey Neal, what's going on?" Peter was worried, it seemed as if Neal was on the verge of tears and Peter didn't know how to handle his tears. Thankfully Elizabeth emerged from the kitchen and happily walked to Neal and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"What's wrong sweetie?" she said as she pulled him into a hug. She walked him over to the couch and they sat down.

"I don't know what's wrong with me! I need to apologize for everything." Small tears were escaping his eyes.

Elizabeth was giving her husband the evil eye and nodding her head towards his young charge. Peter looked so confused. "Buddy, what are you apologizing for?" Peter's gesture broke the dam.

Now Neal was full on sobbing. "I am so sorry about putting Elizabeth in danger and for not listening to you at Manhattan Prep. I didn't mean to have Alex steal the music box from Diana; there are so many other things. You gave me the chance of a lifetime and all I have done is let you down!"

Peter was speechless but knew he had to say something. "Listen, there have been some things that you have done that have disappointed me but mostly I am proud. You are the son El and I couldn't have and I hope that with the right guidance you can begin to learn to always try and do the right thing. I know your heart is in the right place, we just need to get your brilliant mind in the right place also. "

El was so proud of her husband at that moment but she was noticing that Neal still seemed very distressed. "Sweetie, what can we do to make you understand that you are part of our family and we will always love and protect you?" Neal didn't know what to say.

"I need to make this right. I feel so guilty because you give me unconditional love and I do nothing but make mistakes." His breath was hitching. "I don't know how to make it right!"

Elizabeth had some ideas but she need to talk with Peter privately first. "Neal sweetie, I'm going to make us some tea and I have some delicious bear claws to go with it. Peter could you help me?" They left the room and once again Peter had that confused look on his face.

"What is wrong with him El? I have never seen him so upset. What does he want me to say? Yes, he has made me angry but there is nothing we can do to change the things he has done. He just has to live with it and try and do better in the future."

Elizabeth cupped Peters face in her hands and gave him a peck on his forehead. "What would have happened to you if you disobeyed a direct order from your father or if you did something that could have landed you in jail?" Peter screwed his face and absently rubbed his behind.

"I would have been paddled or strapped so that I couldn't sit for a week, but what does this have to do with Neal?"

Elizabeth sighed, "How did you feel after your father strapped you?" Peter looked at her like she had ten heads.

"I felt sore but I guess I always felt like the guilt was gone and I was forgiven. Wait a minute! Are you suggesting that I strap Neal?" Peter all but yelled.

Elizabeth put her finger over his mouth and kissed his head again. "Neal is so distraught and he needs to be relieved and forgiven. He needs to know that there was a consequence for his actions and that consequence is dealt with he will have a clean slate. Other than sending him back to prison, there is no other choice. You know that Neal is more than a coworker and a CI to us…he is our son."

It was Peters turn to sigh now and he slowly made his way back to the living room. "Neal, can we talk?"

Neal looked a bit more relaxed and he wasn't crying anymore. "That's why I came, but I don't really know what to say. I have never been in this kind of situation before. I feel sick to my stomach thinking about all of the things I have done and I don't know how to fix it."

Peter decided to go with El's approach. "What happened to you when you disobeyed your parents?"

Now Neal looked confused. "I really had nothing to obey. I always kinda did my own thing. My mom worked a lot and I was on my own a lot." Peter let out a soft grunt.

"So you were never held accountable for your actions? That certainly explains a lot. When I disobeyed there were definite consequences for my actions but when it was done, I knew that I was loved and forgiven."

Neal looked so lost. "You were very lucky Peter. I wish I had a loving, stable family."

Peter was relieved to hear Neal say that. "You do, Neal. We are your family and as of today I am going to start treating you as such. I am just sorry that it is coming so late in your life but you need to understand that we cannot change the things that you did in the past but we can move on from them and begin again with a clean slate. But before the slate is truly clean, there needs to be some consequences for your actions."