The Family, Burke

By Peppe1951

Summary: How the family came to be.

Warning: The story contains the non-consensual spanking of an adult. If this isn't your type of story please do not read! Disclaimer: White Collar belong to USA Network I only write about it

AN: I've taken some liberties with Neal's age and have made him younger than what he is in the series.

Chapter 1

It was a Sunday afternoon in November, 2011 and El was relaxing with a cup of tea and a favorite book when she heard the joyful barking of their dog, Satch and the laughter of their son, Neal. Peter was so engrossed in the New York Giant football game and hadn't even looked up.

Their son, that took El back a few months when Neal Caffrey first entered their lives. She remembered it well…Peter had come home from work at the White Collar unit of the FBI excited about his new case dubbed James Bonds. He had picked the name himself due to the fact that he was on the trail of a master forger. He had already passed several forged bonds; bonds so good that it had taken an expert to tell them apart and had made off with thousands of dollars.

"You should see these El, they are excellent," Peter had said excitedly. "This guy is amazing," he added as he handed over copies of the forged bonds to show his wife. He often discussed his cases with his wife. She was an excellent listener and often came up with observations that he had missed.

"Who is he?" she had asked as she handed the copies back.

"His name is Neal Caffrey and here is a photograph of him taken from the surveillance camera at the last bank that he hit," Peter replied as he handed her a snap shot of the alleged forger.

El took the photograph and studied it intently before asking, "Peter how old is he?"

"His birth certificate states that he was born October 11, 1990, making him twenty one," replied Peter as he noticed his wife's expression. "What's wrong?"

"He a master forger…right?" she asked and at her husband's nod she added, "then he would have no trouble forging a birth certificate, right?"

Peter took another look at the copy of the birth certificate he had and wondered if Neal had forged that as well. "How old do you think he is, Honey?"

"I would say somewhere between fifteen and sixteen," she replied as she handed the photograph back. "It's his eyes and features that tell the story Peter. He has the height of a twenty-one year old but he looks like a kid."

Peter looked gain at the photograph noting the observations his wife had given him and began to see him for the age he was. "He must be a runaway from an abusive home or something. I'm going to run his photo through our computers and see if he was ever in a foster home and get as much information about him as I can before I continued," Peter vowed as he returned to his computer to do more research.

El thought that was one of the things she liked about her husband. That he would worry with a case until he had the suspect in custody pretty much like a bulldog would worry with a bone. This young man didn't know it but he was good as caught it was only a matter of time. That time came about three months later when Peter was able to use his girlfriend as bait and the kid had walked right into his trap.

It was then that a friendship of sorts began between a veteran agent and the kid who had eventually admitted to his true age. He was fourteen soon to be fifteen in the next month and too young to be put in a supermax prison…those convicts would eat him alive and he would come out broken and Peter didn't want that for him so he petitioned his superior Reece Hughes to let the boy work off his sentence working part time at the White Collar unit as their CI and returning to school for the remainder of the day. He would have to wear a tracking anklet and he and El would become his legal guardians and that was due to a suggestion of his wife Elizabeth.

She knew that her husband liked Neal and that they had played a cat and mouse game for the three months before his capture. She felt he only needed the right kind of guidance that she and Peter could give and maybe once his sentence was served he would come out a better individual…and honest one at least.

Agent Hughes had surprised them both when he easily agreed with some stipulations that neither Peter nor El had considered. "If I agreed to this then you and Elizabeth will be responsible for him in every manner and if he steps out of line, which I have no doubt that he will, then he will be subjected to being punished like every child fortunate to have caring parents is subjected to. Now how do you plan on punishing him?" Hughes had asked bluntly.

That had caused Peter to pause as he considered his options and then he smiled and said, "I will subject him to the same type of punishments I was given at his age and I turned out alright," and at Hughes look of curiosity Peter added, "he will be grounded or given extra chores for any small or light misbehavior but if he does anything major I will wear his butt out. My dad used his belt on me the time I shoplifted some candy from a local store when I was nine and my mom used her hairbrush when I stupidly lied to her. I'm sure we can find something to use on him around the house if we catch him any lies or worse.'

"Try checking out kitchen utensils if you need anything to use as a paddle," suggested Hughes with a grin.

Peter gave him a look as if to say, "How would you know, you have no children," but wisely kept the comment to himself and only said, "Thanks…I'll ask El if she can recommend anything."

"Where is the boy?" Hughes asked.

"In the Juvenile facilities with the guards understanding that he be watched 24/7 for fear if he's left alone he will escape somehow," replied Peter.

"Go to him and explain our solution to his problem. I can't believe that he will want to agree to our plan and it will probably be more along the lines of thinking that escaping from you will be easier than Juvie. We won't tell him about the tracking anklet or the manner he will be punished until after he agrees to our deal and after he signs all documents allowing you to become his guardians. After the judge signs off on it we will introduce him to the rest of his options," ordered Hughes and watched as Peter left to get the boy.

As soon as Peter located where Neal was being kept he had to smile. The agents in charge of the boy decided to make sure he didn't escape by locking him a room with no windows and the only door being

the one they were guarding. Neal looked up as the door opened, "Hello Agent Burke; is there something I can do for you?"

"Nope but there is something I can do for you," replied Peter as he took a seat in the only other chair in the room.

That got Neal's attention right away and Peter began. "Neal we know that you are only fourteen and had to forge your birth certificate so it would appear that you were older."

Neal nodded, he already said as much earlier during the arrest. "I did that so the authorities wouldn't send me back to that foster home I escaped from."

Peter nodded; he figured that it must be something like that. "Well because of your age and the fact that I don't want you sent someplace that would do you some physical harm my superior and I have come up with an solution that you can live with…so sit back and hear me out before you give me your decision," Peter said before explaining their option to him.

Neal sat back and did exactly like Hughes thought he would…he accepted it even to the part of having to wear a tracking anklet. "So you and your wife will become my legal guardians?" Neal asked after he agreed to the plan and after signing his name to the document Peter brought along agreeing to become the Bureau's CI.

"Yes, and I'll be introducing you to my wife after you have met with my superior, Agent Reece Hughes," replied Peter as he motioned for Neal to accompany him.

Chapter 2

As soon as Neal walked into Hughes' office he had a feeling that he was walking into trouble and he soon found out that he was right. Hughes greeted him with "So you're the kid who has stolen $100,000 with forged bonds?"

Neal didn't answer right away. It took Peter nudging him for him to reply hesitantly, "Yes…sir!"

"If I had my way young man, you would be serving a twenty years sentence but Peter feels that he can help you change and I've decided to let him have a try; but if I see that there is no hope of you ever changing then you and I will have a conversation that you will not like!"

"Yes, sir," Neal replied immediately even though he took Hughes statement as a bluff.

Satisfied that he had made the right impression on the youngster Hughes turned to Peter to ask, "Were you able to find a tracking anklet small enough for him to wear?"

"Yes, sir," Peter replied as he held up the device and motioning for Neal to put his left foot up on the chair he quickly fastened it to the left ankle of the boy.

"This will be monitored constantly and if it shows that you have strayed out of your radius you will be picked up by the U.S. Marshalls and returned to me for punishment," Hughes said sternly.

"Yes, sir," Neal replied as he understood the words the older agent had said but not their meaning. He had no idea what type of punishment Hughes would subject him to. He had no idea that Hughes meant some form of corporal punishment.

"Agent Burke all that is left is for you and Neal to go in front of a judge and get your guardianship legalized…and Neal if you do anything to delay that process we will be having words," warned Hughes as he sent them on their way.

Neal took his words to heart and soon Agent Burke was approved as his legal guardian and he was subjected to his rules and punishments. It was only then that Peter took him to meet his new mother.

Before entering Peter turned to Neal and said, "My wife is waiting to meet you and you had better behave yourself, do we have an understanding, young man?"

"Yes, sir. I'll be nice," Neal replied.

With that assurance Peter got out of the car and waited for Neal to join him before entering the house. Satch was the first to greet them going immediately to Peter before sensing someone new and moving towards him. "This is Satchmo or Satch for short," Peter said as he introduced his dog.

It was love at first sight…boy and dog took to each other at once and Neal dropped to his knees to pet the dog. They were having so much fun that when El appeared Neal didn't notice her at first. It took Peter clearing his voice to get him to look up and see the smiling Elizabeth Burke, his new mother.

Neal jumped to his feet and said, "Thank you for having me Mrs. Burke."

"Neal, my husband has been telling me about your skills and it is amazing that someone so young is so good at copying," El replied as she delicately tried to compliment him on his talent. "If you will come with me; I'll show you to your room," she added as she started up the stairs.

"Peter and I thought we would give you the guest room at the end of the hall. It's got its own bathroom and you can decorate it however you like," she continued to say as she walked on. "You have a closet, chest of drawers and a desk with a bookcase nearby. After lunch we will have to go shopping since I see you have brought nothing with you," and left him to explore his bedroom as she went back downstairs to finish her preparation for lunch. Satch decided to stay with Neal.

It was during the shopping trip that Neal learned more about his guardians. He learned that Agent Burke loved sports. It didn't matter what type of game was on he would be the happiest sitting in front of the TV with a beer in his hand routing on his team. He leaned towards the New York teams the most but would watch any and that he was a stickler for following rules and expected Neal to follow his. Mrs. Burke, or El as she liked to be called, had similar tastes to his. She loved curling up with a good book and sipping tea and she loved art. She seemed so easy going that he just knew that she would let things slide; things like some of her husband's rules and that false conclusion would come back and bite him later.

He was amazed at what she bought him. Not only did he have several pairs of school clothes, it was then that he learned that the school he was signed up to be attending was a private and he would be dressed as all of the other students…burgundy shirts with khaki pants in the warmer months and navy pants in the colder months.

El bought him some nice clothes as well and a few jeans and shirts as well and several pairs of sleepwear with robe and slippers and everything that went underneath and several pairs of shoes. After she had taken care of his clothing situation she moved on to his interests in books and bought not only school supplies but some of his favorite authors and art supplies since he obviously had a talent there. She hoped he would paint some of his own creations and not copy others.

For the first two months Neal did everything that Agent Burke had asked of him, not that he was scared that Peter would punish him in a manner he was unfamiliar with. The thought that he would be physically punished didn't even enter his mind...he only thought that he would be grounded or given extra chores to do. The reason he behaved was partly the anklet and partly believing that if he behaved Peter would let his guard down and he would be able to escape. He realized early that the anklet was tamper proof and if he wanted it off he would have to cut it off, but he also knew that he would have to have a plan to keep out of Peter's radar or the next time he was captured it would be worse so he behaved.

He became the model student at school at least to the Burke's eyes...he made sure that his grades didn't go under the 'C' level but he also needed an outlet to make life interesting and so he wouldn't get bored in school. He chose to operate a forging of teachers' and parent's signature racket and charged $5.00 a signature. He soon was cashing in big time.

Peter and El were both happy to have the young teen in their household; they felt that he had potential that with the right kind of training he could go far and do it legally. They were more than happy to help and after a few weeks started to feel more for Neal than they had at first...they started to love him realizing early that he craved it even though he didn't realize it himself.

"Honey, I've got to be gone for the next seven days; I have a conference in Washington, D.C.," Peter said as he returned home Wednesday evening with Neal in tow.

"We'll miss you but we'll be okay, won't we Neal?" El replied as she turned to the teen.

Neal nodded as he headed for the kitchen and a glass of milk. He was always starved when he came home and the Burke's just counted it as a growing boy thing and smiled that he was getting his nourishment.

"Are you sure, Hon?" Peter asked after Neal was out of earshot. "Can you handle our wayward child without my help? If you have doubts I can request that Hughes sends someone else."

"No, we will be fine...you go and have as good of a time as you can at a conference," responded El with a smile and a welcome home kiss.

The rest of the night was filled with Neal doing homework and Peter getting ready to leave and before going to bed that night Peter had a heart to heart talk with Neal. "Son, I'm leaving for the next seven days and I would really appreciate it if you help El with running the house as much as you can and please don't cause her any grief while I'm away. You've been doing well in school; I have high hopes that the next semester you will get your grades a bit higher and soon you will be able to transfer into the next grade. I'm proud of all that you have accomplished while living with us," he concluded before kissing his head and telling him goodnight.

Neal was touched by what Peter had told him and it felt good having someone care but he was too street wise to believe that he actually meant it...in Neal's mind it was a con the Agent was playing to make him behave. Well, two can play this game Agent Burke, Neal thought before he turned over to go to sleep.

Chapter 3

Neal did try the seven days that Peter was gone to behave but on Friday everything went to hell in a hand basket and it really wasn't his fault the way it started. He was heading for class when he was delayed by Thomas Grant, the star quarterback of the school's football team who needed him to forge his father's signature on permission slip. What Thomas didn't tell Neal was that his father had already said that he couldn't go or Neal wouldn't have forged the signature. He believed that Thomas only forgot to get the signature, or so he led Neal to believe, so when later in the day when Mr. Grant called to talk to his son everything fell apart. Thomas then ratted Neal out which caused him to be suspended and for El to pick him up.

"Neal how could you…Peter is going to be so disappointed to find you returning to your criminal ways with this enterprise of yours. Have you been doing this from the moment you stepped on campus as a student?"

"Mostly," mumbled Neal.

"This little stunt of yours is going to cost you mightily, young man. You will be punished as soon as Peter returns," scolded Elizabeth as she pulled into their drive and stopped.

"What do you care what I do…it's not like you're my mother. Agent Burke is my legal guardian and nothing more so just stop trying to con me into believing that you care," exploded the young teen.

Neal's words brought tears to El's eyes but she resisted letting him see how much they hurt and ordered, "Go to your room; I've already cleared it with Agent Hughes and you don't have to go in this afternoon. You are grounded until Peter returns to handle your punishment!"

And with that she left the car and opened the door to the house and waited until Neal had crossed the threshold before closing and locking the door. She watched him run to his room and jumped as the door to his room slammed harshly.

I hope he wasn't a terrible two toddler or this could get painful for him before he gets out of the stage, El thought as she picked up the phone to report this incident to her husband before heading for the kitchen to start supper. She had been right when she told Neal how disappointed Peter would be, but not as mad as he got when he heard about how long his forging spree had gone on and knew that Neal was going to be very uncomfortable after Peter explained why he was never to do it again.

Supper was a very quiet event as Neal stomped down and took his seat. He ate his meal very sullenly and got up as soon as he was finished and went back to his room. The only words he used was to speak to Satch as he came down the stairs and before he went back to his room leaving El to clean up.

When El came up to wish him a goodnight later that night, he only glared at her and turned his back and closed his eyes not caring that his actions were hurting the woman who cared so much for him. Neal waited an hour after El had left his room to put his plan into motion. It was obvious from the way that El acted when she picked him up that he had nothing to fear from her. If he was going to be punished it would be from Agent Burke and so he decided to take advantage of that and go out for the evening. He already knew the security code by a chance occurrence when he saw Mrs. Burke turn it off one day. He would leave and then return before she got up and nobody would be the wiser since he could sleep in Saturday to make up.

Neal left believing that El wouldn't check on him during the night and would have been shocked to find out that El was like most parents who checked often during the night to make sure their children were all right especially if there was sickness or like this time, an angry child. When El looked into Neal's room and didn't find him she started to panic as she hurried downstairs to see if he was there. It was only after she had checked the house thoroughly that she had to come to the decision that he had left, that and the fact that she found Satch at the front door waiting.

"He left, didn't he boy?" she muttered as she checked to make sure the alarm was still set and finding that it was realized that he would probably be back. If he was running he wouldn't take the time to set the alarm and was planning on sneaking in the same way he had left, by the front door. That was one clue and the other was that he left without taking anything so she sat down on the couch to wait for his return and didn't report his "escapade" to her husband. His bottom is going to be sore enough by my hand without adding to it when Peter gets home, she thought as she made herself comfortable on the couch to wait. Satch moseyed over a few minutes later to lie at her feet and she turned off the light as she waited.

It was three o'clock when Satch suddenly got up, waking El as she lightly slept. "Shush, Satch," she whispered as they waited for Neal to set the alarm and walk past before El turned the light on and Neal froze. He turned to look to his right and what he saw caused him to ask, "What are you doing down here?"

"I was waiting for you to get back," El said simply.

"Why?"

"Because I care Neal," El said as she got up to move to his side, "and don't you ever do something like that again!" as she grabbed his ear and yanked him towards the kitchen.

"Owww," yelled Neal who had no other recourse but to follow El as she pulled him along. His hand went to his ear as soon as she let go. "What did you do that for?" It was then that he saw her pull out a large spatula and he frantically started to back up but she grabbed out and captured his ear once again and pulled him over the kitchen table before whaling away at his backside reducing him to tears before he even realized what was happening.

Neal yelled and cried and sobbed but still the impromptu paddling continued until his backside felt like it had caught on fire and wasn't going to be extinguished anytime soon. Then just as suddenly as it started it was over and he was sobbing in El's arms as she patted his back and made soothing sounds. Neal cried long after the intensity of the paddling had passed until he had nearly cried himself to sleep. He had never had a person care that much for him, not even his own mother had cared so much as to punish him when he was in the wrong.

"Come on Neal let's get you into bed…we have much to discuss about your behavior tonight," she said quietly and his hands went immediately to his bottom as to protect them from more assault.

"No, I'm not going to punish you any more for your actions tonight but we have got to talk, or this family could fall apart just as it is getting started," she added as she snagged his hand and pulled him forward.

The walked slowly to the stairs and up to his room as he hissed and winced with each step. The pain his bottom intensified with each step he took and it was all he could do not to give into tears again. As soon as he reached his room he shed his coat and carefully arranged himself on his stomach on his bed.

"Son, Peter and I love you and we want to adopt you as soon as we can. We want to be a complete family…but you have got to help us as well by not doing stuff like you have tonight or what has been happening in school these last couple of months. Now we know you are going to make mistakes and if they are serious enough you will experience another painful reminder why you shouldn't have done it in the first place," explained Elizabeth plainly.

"You want me?"" Neal asked with disbelief, "even though I'm a convicted forger and a criminal?"

"Is that so hard for you to believe?" El nodded as she answered his question with a question of her own.

That brought on a session of tears from both mother and son who had finally received what they wanted for so long…a loving and caring mother and father for Neal and a son for El….a devious and sometimes wayward son but a son that she had wanted for so long and she smiled contently at long last.

It was then that the rest of El's explanation sunk in and his hands went to his butt and he cried, "OH, NO! Mom you don't mean…?"

"That when your father returns he is going to spank you for what was discovered Friday?" asked El with a smile.

Neal nodded.

"Oh yeah…he loves you Neal and he wants you to grow up to be a upstanding adult and he will spank you as many times as it takes to accomplish that…so hold on son it is going to be a rough ride for a few years," she replied before leaning down and kissing his cheek….and lightly patting his sore bottom.

The End

Epilogue:

If Peter was surprised when Neal greeted him on his return with a "Welcome back, Dad" he hid it as he addressed Neal. "I hear that you have been returning to your wayward ways while you have been in school?"

"Yes, sir," replied Neal dejectedly and then smiled as he realized that what was going to happened would be done by a father that actually cared.

Peter noticed the smile at once and asked, "Why are you smiling son…you don't think that you can talk yourself out of your punishment?"

"No, sir…it's just I've never had someone to care so much that I learn from my mistakes. I…I've never had a caring fa-th-er," he added as the tears began to fall.

Peter held out his arms; an invitation that Neal reacted to immediately as he fell into the comforting of his dad and cried in joy. Peter held him until he had finished and then said, "Save some tears son, we still have your punishment to take care of," and placing his arm around his shoulders led him downstairs to his study to take care of just that with the joy of now having a son expressed on his face.

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