After watching Forging Bonds, this scene just stuck with me. I think it says so much about Neal, so I've tried to convey what I thought he was feeling onto paper, as a look inside his head, I guess you could say.

He jumped into action the second Mozzie said he found her. Yeah, it looked like—was almost definitely—a trap, but it didn't matter. Nothing else mattered to Neal Caffrey but her.

'Kate, Kate, Kate, Kate, Kate, Kate, Kate,' his mind was screaming. His heart was racing. He was desperate. How long had it been since he lost her? Kissed her? Touched her? Felt her lips on his skin, her voice traveling from his ears all the way down his body?

He missed her. He wanted her. He needed her.

Trap or not, he was going to find her.

She was there. Right in front of him. Finally. Kate. He watched her work, taking her in. It wasn't healthy, how much he needed her. How crazy it drove him when she was gone. He wouldn't lose her again.

He spoke, and their eyes met. He started out light, then started begging for forgiveness, explaining himself, uttering confessions of his love for her. Although, how much he loved her was never really a secret.

He realized he was holding his breath, just staring at her, waiting for her response. She might hate him. She should hate him. He was praying, praying that she wouldn't turn him away. And Neal Caffrey wasn't a man of prayer.

But, somehow, she didn't hate him. Somehow, she still loved him, and when she spoke those words, those words that made his heart soar, that made him feel like everything was going to be okay, the distance between them closed.

He was holding her in his arms, where she belonged. Kissing. Hugging. Just looking at each other. This was right. This was perfect. This felt like home; as close to home two con-artists could get to. As real as two con-artists could be.

And then, too soon, the realization came, followed by the pounding. Pounding on the door, the pounding of booted feet, armed men, against the ground. The pounding of his heart in his ears, no longer because of Kate, but because he wasn't ready for what came next.

She looked up, and he saw her eyes widen in fear as she backed away. His face mirrored hers, and he sighed. He wouldn't lose her, not again.

Taking a deep breath to compose himself, he turned around, hands in the air as a surrender, but not before murmuring, "It's going to be okay." Half for Kate, half to convince himself.

"Agent Burke." Despite the same suit, Burke looked different from that day outside the bank. Smug. Confident. Not as friendly, or concerned.

"Neal Caffrey. You're under arrest."

As Neal looked the man over, he was shocked by the gratitude that flooded him.

"I know." There would be no pleading. Desperation. Panicked, anxious looks. No conning his way out this time. He didn't want to, didn't have to.

Kate was back, his again. That was all he ever needed.

So, he stuck his hand out, while Burke just stared, hiding his confusion.

And then he spoke the most honest words he had ever said to a fed, "Thank you. I never would have found her without you."

Burke, smugness returning, slowly replacing the shock Neal was sure he wasn't supposed to see, grasped his hand, and shook.

"It's my pleasure."

The cuffs came, clasping his wrist, joking with the FBI agents. They took him away from Kate, with one last look, like he knew they would, but it didn't matter. She was his again, and he would always be hers.

I hope that you enjoyed it, and it didn't seem OOC.

Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!