Hello World! So, this is my first multi-chapter story, just a warning. Sorry if this story isn't the next Harry Potter. I would also like you to know that i also have never done a White Collar story -before, so just re-read that sentence again.

Also! This takes place somewhere between season two and three. None of the really big things happen during this story
but i might mention a few of them here and there.

I have NO idea how often i'll update. I hope at the very VERY least i'll update once a month...
Yeah...
I know that i probably wont be the best updater.

ANYWAY!

I hope this story brings you lots of smiles, cuz i know
that i loved writing it.

Read and (hopefully) enjoy!

Whenever something doesn't go your way, or even if your whole life is turned upside down, you always need to remain with a smile on your face. Not to say you should shrug off every bad thing that happens, but moping and whining won't get you anywhere. Keep your head held high, and don't worry about tomorrow. If you put in enough care and effort, everything will turn out all right.

This is what Emily based her life on. For as long as she could remember, it's what kept her going, what held her together. Even if it wasn't the best logic, she had to have something to get her though those years. And it did. She kept her head high; she went on smiling, convincing herself that things would turn around.

But it's hard to have faith when it is tested over and over again, without a break for breath. But she kept her faith despite everything and kept it well. When people asked her how she could still be a happy, non-broken girl after so many deaths and tragedies, she would always tell them what she told herself every single time something happened: Keep your head held high, and don't worry about tomorrow.

Then life burned away her last bit of faith and she shattered. She was done. She was tired of putting up with everything, and just threw in the towel.

She had to leave. There was too much hurt in the home she had known for so long, so she started looking. She was looking for a place where she could escape her father's death: his murder.

Even though she was an FBI agent, and had learned to deal with the trials of death, it's much different when the deaths actually affect you. She had made up her mind that even if she could never help her father, she could at least help other people instead. However, even though she wanted nothing more than to escape her prison, life kept her there for a few months. But if she was going to be stuck in Vermont for a few more months, she might as well take something away from it. She took on more cases and started working harder than she ever had before. She learned how to act and pretend. She learned how to play the part of a real person who actually had a life worth living, not some girl who was broken and shattered. She would smile when necessary and laugh along with the crowd. When her friends and colleagues asked how she was dealing with her father "passing on" she would smile and simply say, "I'm doing fine. Thank you for your concern," when in reality, it wasn't her who was speaking but a mask, and on the inside, she was tattered and broken.

Emily had all the facts about her father's death laid out in front of her. Ever since his death, the puzzle of his murder had become HER case. More than another case, it had become the last thing that drove her in life. Tonight, she was busy compiling more clues she had recently uncovered while working on another case. She kept a list of all suspects and leads that might point to her father's killer. This new information appeared to be the crucial piece she was missing.

She was scribbling down some notes when she heard her phone ring. Startled out of her thoughts, she looked to her phone, then realized, in her shock, she had made a thick line of ink on the back of her right hand. Wonderful… she thought bitterly.

She picked up the phone to see who was calling.

"Is this Emily Cliff?" she heard someone say.

"This is she. And whom might I be talking to?" she asked, forcing her voice to be calm and sweet. She had started pacing about the living room.

"Ms. Cliff, this is Peter Burk, head of the White Collar Division in New York. We've heard a lot about you over the past few months. The number of cases you've cracked recently is quite impressive."

Perter Burk? Why would Peter Burk call me? Yes, the White Collar Division down in the Big Apple was one of her top picks as where to relocate, but why would Peter Burk be calling her?

"Thank you Sir, but, if I may, why are you calling me? Is there something I can do for you?"

"Actually, I think there is something we can do for you. Ms. Cliff, along with your impressive amount of cases, we also have noticed that you are requesting to be relocated. So to answer your question, we're granting your wish. That is of course you if accept all the 'terms and conditions'," he said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

She stopped in her tracks, not quite believing what she was hearing. Was this real? Was she really going to get out of this place after all these months?

"Re-relocated? Like, down in New York?" she stammered.

"Yes. Relocated. You would work with the rest of us here; even have your own desk and everything…"

"Yes. Yes, of course! Um, when-when do I need to come down there? When does it become official?" The conversation ended with her accepting the job and the "terms and conditions." She was going down to New York to work as a detective and/or field agent depending on the case. It was the first time in a long time that she was truly happy and excited about something. She wanted to get down there as soon as possible before something came up to keep her here even longer.

Sometime during the conversation, he had mentioned that he had a partner/consultant named Neal Caffrey. He hadn't said much else about it but that he would have someone send over a file with more information about his partner. They have a whole file they want me to read on a consultant? Who's that important? If he's so important why isn't he in charge? She was one to over analyze things so hearing that she needed to read an entire file on one person sent wandering in all different directions.

You know what? Just shut up. You are overthinking this. It doesn't even matter. You'll probably only see him every once and a while anyways. What does he look like though? Shut up! Stop going on about some unspecified piece of information that might not even affect you!

About a month later she was on her way to New York. Everything was in place; all she had to do now was move down there and start working.

Unfortunately, the lead that Emily had previously thought would be a break through on her father's case was nothing more than another one of the countless dead ends she had faced while trying to solve her case.

Another event that happened during that month was she received the file on "Neal Caffrey."

She was not pleased when she got it.

In the file, Emily pored over pages of crimes that this man had committed! Priceless pieces of art stolen, conspiring with criminals who had done a whole lot worse than steal things. Why in the world would Peter Burk allow this criminal to work beside him?! Her rare excitement was stomped out as soon as she got the file. Suddenly, she was a lot less thrilled about going down to New York.

But she wasn't going to let this little hiccup stop her. She would just have to put up with the criminal's insolent face every once in a while. She imagined a short pudgy man whose face was always cast with a frown and greasy hair that was nothing more than a few strands. The word creepy summed him up perfectly in her mind. Ew. Ok. Looking forward to this even less now. But it's too late now to back out so, New York here I come.

Emily had no idea what was ahead of her. She stood outside the building with a mask of confidence even if all she was truly feeling was fear. But she continued on and marched inside.

She had nothing but butterflies in her stomach when the elevator doors opened and she started to ascend. She was thinking about all the people she would meet once she reached her floor. The sour thought of Neal Caffrey consumed most her thoughts. She mindlessly fiddled with a button on the bottom of her coat as her mind wandered. She was excited to meet Peter Burk, but moreso she was looking forward to all the new distractions this new environment would offer her. The elevator door dinged. She took a deep breath and put on her normal mask before the doors opened. She stepped out and walked though the glass doors to her right. This is it.

As she walked through the door she saw a few people bustling about. She scanned the area, but didn't see Peter Burk. She saw someone with his back to her and approached him hoping to find out where Burk might be. She was about to ask when he started to turn around. He was looked up from his files, and she was greeted by easily the most beautiful man she had every met.

He had cheek bones you would not believe with thick, wavy, dark chocolate hair. He smiled which only increased the number of butterflies in her stomach. And his eyes! The blue orbs that stared back at her looked as if whole oceans were contained inside.

"H-hi." She started, a little startled by his unexpected face. "I'm supposed to meet Agent Peter Burk. Would you mind pointing me in the right direction?"

"Of course! You know, he just went off to grab a file. He should be back any second. What 's your name?" His voice was like pure silk gliding across her ears.

"Emily Cliff. Nice to meet you!" She held out her hand which he shook with a smile and a nod. She decided that her first impression should be to smile back. Although she still had to force her face to run the extra mile, it was much easier this time. So far this man seemed to be nice enough. But he only said two words to you. Stop acting like you can trust him.

Just then, she heard a voice behind her, and she spun around to see who it was.

"Ah, Miss. Cliff! Glad to see your face in real life instead of on a file!" Emily saw that the speaker was Agent Burk. He gave her a smile and shook her hand before handing the file he had been holding to the other man. When he smiled, little rays of sunshine shown from the corners of his eyes.

"I see that you've already meet my partner, Neal Caffrey?"

Emily's mind stopped dead in its tracks. It took all her will power to keep a calm exterior. THIS. Was Neal Caffrey? The man that she had just a few seconds ago saw as trust worthy immediately turned into a rotten criminal that used his handsome features for nothing but getting his way. The voice that had sounded kind and genuine, now sounded full of deceit and malice .

"Oh!" She said turning to face the man that had just been confirmed as Neal Caffrey. "So you're the one that I've heard so much about." She kept up her smile, and her mind hated her for it. It had never been so hard to fake an expression.

Sooooooo?

Thoughts?
What did you think of chapter #1? Yay? Nay? Can't say?

I would love it if you gave me comments! They are so helpful and encouraging.
I love hearing what you all say, especially if you take time out of your day to do it.

People who comment get...hmm...

A SONIC SCREW DRIVER!
(What do you mean i can't really give you that? Shut up! Of cores i can!)

I hope that you liked this chapter and i hope to see you all very soon, but again
I can't really promise anything yet.

Well, that's all for now folks!
Thanks for tuning in.

~Talent

UPDATED!

Revisions have been made to this chapter!

For all of you who read this chapter before, you may have noticed that
there were a lot of spelling errors and clunkiness.

FrozenBananaPanda has made lots good again!

I'm so happy that she was willing to help me with it because other wise it would
have sounded like a two year old wrote it, which is basically the level of my spelling,
thanks to deslexia.
:p

(Fixed 1/14/2017)