Neal couldn't believe it. He was stunned. He'd managed to smile and congratulate them and he was sure they hadn't noticed. He stayed long enough that it didn't look suspicious.

He walked home; he didn't even feel the cold. All he could think about was what could happen. Maybe Peter would want to leave the White Collar division now. What would happen to him? He was sure Jones would want to work with him but some of the others at the division would be glad if he was shipped back to prison.

Why did everything have to change? Just when he thought he had a family it was being ripped away from him and there was nothing he could do. Peter and El looked so happy, he envied them so much.

He went into June's house and up the stairs to his apartment. He might have to move from here as well. It was such a mess.

He sat at the table and picked up his pencil. He pulled the pad towards him and started to draw. He drew El, Peter and himself sitting on the sofa with Satch lying on the floor. He smiled at the picture and then scrunched it up. He threw it across the room.

He picked up the wine glass and bottle and filled the glass to the top. It tasted good as it trickled down his throat. Soon he had filled another glass. He waited for the feeling of numbness. Nothing. He poured another glass and drank it down. Why wasn't it working? He picked up the bottle to throw it but then set it down. If June heard the crash she would come up to see what would happen. He set it back on the table.

He opened another bottle and drank it down.

He woke the next morning his mouth tasted horrible and his head felt as if it had a big drum banging in it. Then he realised that someone was knocking on the door. He pushed the chair back, scrapping it against the floor. He winced.

June gasped when he opened the door. "What on Earth is wrong Neal?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said running his hands through his hair and not making it look any better.

"Neal!" she admonished.

"I just had a drink June, that's all. Now I better get ready for work, Peter will be at the door soon."

"Neal it's Saturday," she said giving him the look that El often did. That was enough to make him angry.

"I'm fine June. I'm just going for a shower." He closed the door. He felt bad as he saw the surprised look on her face.

He stood under the shower for a long time. He heard his cell ring four times but he didn't want to speak to anyone. He had just got dressed when someone knocked on his door again. Why couldn't they leave him alone?

He opened the door. Mozzie walked in. "Want to tell me what's wrong?"

"There is nothing wrong Mozz. I don't know why June phoned you."

"She was worried. She said you'd been drinking."

"So! I am an adult."

"It's not you though Neal."

"I am allowed to drink my own wine in my own apartment. And if I want to drink two bottles of it then I can."

Mozzie could see that Neal was getting angrier. This was not like him at all. Neal seldom got angry. "Now please go."

"I only want to help," Mozz said.

"I do not need help. I am fine. I just want to be left on my own."

"Fine," Mozzie held up his hands. "I'll leave."

Neal wanted to scream. He put on his shoes and grabbed his jacket. He ran down the stairs and out the door before June could try to speak to him again.

He started to walk. He needed to walk off his anger. He had to be able to get through this. Even if Peter didn't leave their relationship would change. It would have to. He looked down. His light was red. He took three steps back and it went green again. Damn this anklet, it tied him down.

He started walking around, keeping to his radius. He went into the park and sat on the bench. He watched the people walking by. He used to come here when he first came to New York. It was the place where he had perfected his pick pocketing skills.

He watched the young mothers pushing their babies through the park. He had never targeted them. He watched the rich men walk through on their way to meetings. They had expensive watches and he was sure they had wallets to match. He couldn't resist.

He got up and started walking. He made his way towards a man who had just entered the park. He was just about to knock into the man when his wrist was grabbed in a tight hold. He was pulled away.

Neal looked at the person who had stopped him. It was Peter. His face blanched and he stopped moving. "Keep moving," Peter said.

"I…"

"Don't. Don't try to justify this."

Peter pulled his arm again. "Let me go," Neal said.

Peter swung him round. "Do you know how serious this is? If you'd taken that wallet I'd have had to send you back to jail."

"So!"

Neal thought steam was going to come out of Peter's ears. His face went red. He swung Neal around and delivered a hard swat to his backside. "What the…" Neal said. Neal's face went red, he saw people looking at him and smirking. "You have no right to do that," he said angrily. Peter smacked him again. "Ow!"

"I am so angry at you just now. You jeopardise your future by taking a wallet. Why?"

"Maybe I wanted to. I'm fed up being a pet criminal," Neal shouted.

Peter looked round; people were starting to watch them. "Come with me."

"No!"

Peter pulled out his badge and showed it to everyone including the two police officers who had been moving towards them," FBI, I'm just taking this person into custody."

He pulled out his cuffs and put them on Neal. "Let's go."

They made it to the car before Neal pulled back. "Alright Peter you can let me go now."

"Not going to happen." He pushed him into the back of the car.

"You're arresting me?" Neal kicked the seat in front.

Peter bit down on his lip to stop him shouting at the kid. He couldn't believe how he was acting. He'd thought Neal was happy for them. He felt another kick. "I promise you Neal, if you do that again I will stop this car, haul you out and give you a spanking you won't forget."

Neal looked at Peter's face in the mirror. He had never seen him so angry. He sat back, keeping his feet well away from the seat.

"The FBI building is the other way," Neal said.

Peter didn't answer. He just kept driving. The car drew up in front of Peter's house. Peter got out and opened the back door of the car. He almost pulled Neal out of the car. He turned him round and took off the handcuffs. "In!" was all he said.

Neal bounded up the stairs and went in. El was in the living room drinking coffee. "Hi Neal."

"El."

"Sit!" Peter said.

Neal almost laughed when Satch sat down but one look at Peter's face and he did as he was told.

"What's wrong honey?" she asked Peter.

"Do you want to tell her?" he said to Neal. El looked at him. He shook his head.

El looked puzzled. "What did you do?" He couldn't look at her. She sounded so disappointed.

"Do you know how upset June and Mozzie were when they phoned?"

"They phoned you?"

"Yes and I am so glad they did. If they hadn't I wouldn't have tracked your anklet and caught you trying to take a wallet."

"You what?" El said.

"I caught him in the park about to steal a wallet."

"I wouldn't have been caught if you hadn't grabbed my arm," Neal said.

Peter strode over and pulled him up. "No!" Neal said. He delivered two more swats and then pushed him back down."

El looked astonished. "Peter!"

"He deserved it, El. He got drunk last night and then he went out to steal. I don't know what's got into you."

"Nothing, "Neal said.

"This is not nothing. Look at me Neal," Peter said.

"You don't need me now," he said softly.

"What?" El said.

"I'm happy for you really, it's just I felt…"

"What did you feel?"

"That I was part of your family," he said.

Peter and El looked surprised. "You are part of our family."

"You won't need me now."

"Neal the baby won't need change anything."

"Yes it will. It's bound to. It'll be yours. I'm just.."

"Our son," Peter said. "Maybe not by birth but through choice."

"No you can't. I'm a conman."

"Who do we invite for dinner? Who comes for Thanksgiving and Christmas?" Peter said.

"But.." Neal was still determined to argue.

"Do I need to make my point more forcefully?" he asked raising his hand.

"No," Neal said. "Never again." Peter smiled.

"As long as you behave," Peter said.

"El tell him, I'm too old for that."

"I agree with my husband on this."

"What?" Neal squeaked.

"You are going to have to be a good example for your brother or sister. And next time you begin to feel that your place is not in our family talk to us."

"I will," Neal said. "I do not want to push you again."

"I'll make coffee," El said.

Neal jumped up. "You sit there, I'll make it."

El smiled. "You better phone Mozzie and June and tell them everything is alright."

Neal came through, "I better apologise to them," Neal said. "I wasn't very nice to either of them."

"No you weren't. Phone now."

Peter watched as Neal dialled June's number. He almost laughed as the expression on Neal's face changed. He put the phone down. "I think I'll leave Mozzie for later. Could I stay here tonight?"

Peter and El laughed. They knew their life was never going to be the same but they were so going to enjoy themselves. "One thing Neal. You are not to teach your brother or sister how to con people."

"You take all the fun out of it Peter," Neal said laughing.

The End