A/N: I made one of my besties give me five words and she gave me: front yard, lip balm, preacher, mountain, never. This is what I came up with. Reviews will be appreciated. :)
It's not about the height
Neal Caffrey feels like he's on top of a mountain when his contract with the FBI ends after four years of exciting, but also painful events. A mountain seems like a good comparison. It's as if he's back on his true feet, on top of the world. The truth is that the top of the world is a cold spot as well, just like that mountain and Neal tells himself that he's not about to freeze to dead. No, he wants to switch that mountain for a hill. He can still be himself, but without running. Peter has given him that possibility and fleeing feels like a mistake.
For the first time in his life he dreams of the possibility of a stable life. He can picture himself finding someone to fall in love with. He has not forgotten Kate, but he knows she's gone for good and that maybe he should move on. Maybe he wants a kid one day, even if he's not entirely sure of his capabilities as a father. A nice house with a front yard becomes something not entirely unreachable. That is if Peter allows him to stay his partner and consultant. Either way Peter is his friend now and he doesn't want to betray that friendship.
Peter may sound like a preacher every once in a while, but Neal can handle that, he knows the agent's words are ignited by concern. He's like a dad, a brother and a friend. Elizabeth is just as important to him. She's the one who takes care of him as a sister, orders him to use lip balm for his chapped lips as a mother and listens to his problems like a friend.
Neal would never change his family for the world. He settles for a hill.
The end