[Author's Note: This fic began as a fill on the Collarkink site but has evolved into a chapter story. Thank you to Anon OP for the original idea, for the use of the title and for a couple of very thoughtful reviews that inspired my brain into coming up with a grander backstory.]

WARNING: This fic contains spanking. If it's not your thing, please hit backspace now.

THORNS

Neal jumped out of the back of the little blue Corolla and thanked the two young guys in the front that had been kind enough to give him a lift all the way from the service centre at the entry to the interstate. He gazed up the long gravel track that led to his much beloved park and began the thirty minute trek wishing for not the first time that he'd brought a sweater and a water bottle. Peter always insisted. He delighted in coming to this place with Peter and in a very short time, had accumulated many fond memories of day trips into a land of wonder that was unlike any place he had ever been exposed to growing up. Peter wasn't with him this afternoon and his feelings were a world away from the joy and excitement he'd felt seven months ago when he'd first travelled up this track with his partner. It had been one of his favourite days ever, despite everything turning disastrous long before they'd even left the house….

*** Early Spring – 7 Months Earlier ***

…Neal arrived at the Burke's doorstep right on 7am. He was so very excited. Peter had promised him that as a treat for helping to break a particularly difficult case he would take him to Walker's Park this morning for a bit of rock climbing. There was a small

set-up at the park with professional aids and hire equipment. Peter had told him they would be leaving not a minute past 8 o'clock so he had better not be late. Neal only hoped that the Burkes were no longer sleeping as he rang their door bell.

"Neal! Come in." Elizabeth looked as perfect as always in her cherry red cashmere dressing gown. "You're early."

"Didn't want Peter changing his mind," he explained as he walked in through to the dining area where he found Peter hunched over a coffee and the paper. "Morning Peter."

Peter looked up and glared at his young charge. He was about to make some disapproving comment about him learning to read a clock when he took note of the appearance of the young man standing before him. Knee length shorts, white sports shoes with ankle length socks, a tee-shirt with NY NY in big bold letters – all new he expected and what got to him the most was the sweet, genuine smile on Neal's face. "Morning Neal," Peter replied brightly. "I see you're all ready for our little adventure." This comment brought Neal's smile out even further. Peter loved it. "Ok. I'll go and shower and we'll leave as soon as you've had breakfast." Peter directed a glare at Neal with the last statement which effectively stopped Neal's 'not hungry' protest before it had even surfaced.

Peter watched Neal walk into the kitchen to retrieve a cereal bowl and milk before heading upstairs to prepare. He was actually looking forward to this morning, spending time with Neal away from the office. It was the type of thing that other families did, why not his.

Unfortunately for Peter and even worse for Neal, the Taurus picked this particular morning to crack up. Peter turned the key to the ignition, only to be greeted with a whirring sound coming from the engine. Peter was no mechanic but it sounded like a flat battery.

Peter was on hold with the MotorClub but all his attention was focused on his young charge. Neal paced impatiently back and forth across the front lawn, up and down the porch steps, walked along the footpath, circled the trees and returned, hands in the air, hands by his sides, hands behind his head… "An hour to an hour and a half?...Ok….Thank you." Peter hung up the phone and took in the barely contained energy emanating from his partner. He sighed and resigned himself to knowing it would feel a lot longer than the allocated time that the MotorClub had give him.

Peter resumed reading the paper after explaining to Neal that he wasn't allowed to borrow a car so they could leave earlier. Peter had hoped it hadn't meant what his first instincts had told him. He needed to trust Neal more. Elizabeth sat on the couch working through some mundane bills. Neal…well Neal couldn't sit around any longer so he went out the back to talk to Satchmo. He would have taken him for a walk but he didn't want to trust his luck and leave only to have the MotorClub arrive the minute he turned the corner.

-W-C-

Peter had just begun his crossword when suddenly he heard an almighty crash coming from the back of the house. He sprang out of chair with lightning speed and still only barely made it to the back door ahead of Elizabeth. They ran out and were both, stunned and relieved to see Neal crawling his way out of the hedge plant that backed onto the house directly under the kitchen window.

"Neal!" Peter was anxious as he spoke. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm ok." Although he sounded otherwise. He reached around to his butt and began pulling his shorts away from his skin.

El took one look at his behind and ordered, "Come on, let's get you inside."

Neal let Peter help him into the house and the young man stood still while both Burkes checked out his injury. There were little spiky needles all over Neal's shorts. "Neal take off the shorts and I'll clean them up for you," El offered.

"Thank you anyway Elizabeth but I'll be ok."

"Neal," It was Peter's turn. "Did you bring a spare pair of shorts?" Neal reluctantly shook his head knowing exactly how this would end up. "So you're not getting in the car wearing those shorts in that condition. Give them to El. Besides, you are wearing boxers, right?"

"Yeah." It was almost a whisper. Neal was terribly embarrassed as he removed his shorts and handed them to Elizabeth. After she retreated to the kitchen with the shorts, Neal twisted his body around and began to pick at the concealed tormentors through his boxers without too much success. Peter gave him a pitiful stare before walking to his side to assist.

Peter gently held Neal's upper arm while he pulled back his partner's boxers for a closer inspection of the damage. Peter winched upon seeing at least a couple of dozen spiky needles on his butt. Poor guy. Damn that must be smarting. Neal didn't need to look at his Peter's face to know it wasn't good news!

Peter thought quickly, pulling him over to the couch and without warning, guided his young friend over his knee. Better not to have a scene for half an hour and then still have to do it, Peter justified.

"Peeteer?" Neal whined as per the script.

"Look Buddy. I know it's hurting and I'm going to help you even though I'm pretty sure the next words out of your mouth are going to be 'I can take care of myself, Peter.'"

Neal opened his mouth to say exactly that but closed them when he realized how it would only serve to reinforce Peter's case. He did however let out an embarrassed groan when Peter pulled his boxers down to his ankles. "Can't I just lie on the couch?" Neal protested as Peter began to pick at the needles carefully to avoid leaving any partial remnants behind. "Why do I have to be over your knee?"

"Sorry Buddy but I won't be much fun rock climbing later if I have to kneel on the wooden floor for half an hour while I repair your butt." Peter continued to gently remove the little spiky nuisances one at a time.

Neal groaned some more and buried his head into his folded arms on the couch. He was however, beginning to feel some partial relief with each needle that Peter removed so he began to accept his predicament and lay quietly hoping for it all to end soon.

Peter knew this wasn't easy for Neal so he tried to take his thoughts away from what was happening. "How long since you've been to Walker's Park?"

"I've never been." Neal stated simply. Peter's heart cracked, again. For someone like Neal, Walker's Park was an adventure land. Weekend enthusiast would travel the 45minutes out of the city in droves to tackle the hiking tracks, mountain bike paths and of course the natural boulder formations that were a rock climber's dream. Peter made a mental note to himself to take young Neal to Walkers at least once a month.

Peter inspected the backside that lay before him. He was pretty sure he had pulled all the menacing needles from Neal's butt. To be sure though, he ran his hand lightly across the surface of the skin, feeling for any imperfections.

"You done, Peter?" Neal's tone was a mixture of relief and anxiousness.

"Almost." During his final inspection, Peter discovered a splinter that had imbedded itself completely under the skin. "El!" Peter called out, bringing his wife out from the kitchen carrying a neatly folded pair of shorts. "Would you mind getting the tweezers from the bathroom for me please?"

"Not at all." El placed the shorts on the arm of the chair and returned moments later handing the tweezers to her husband.

Neal took the opportunity of Peter's distracted attention to spring from his handlers lap, pulling his boxers up as he went.

"Neal..!" Peter warned.

Neal took a step back towards the fireplace, standing defiantly in his silk boxers with puppy head prints. "No way, Peter! There's no way in hell I'm letting you do what you're planning!" Neal indicated the tweezers in the older man's hands.

"Neal," Peter spoke gently and patted the space beside him on the couch. El sat down on the arm chair. "Come here and we'll just talk okay." Peter leaned forward and placed the offending tweezers on the coffee table.

Neal complied and only winced slightly when his butt hit the couch. "Neal," Peter asked, "What are you planning on doing about that half-inch long splinter that remains under your skin?"

"I plan on ignoring it till it goes away," Neal said indignantly.

Peter wrapped his arm around Neal's shoulders and pulled him in close. "Listen son, it's only going to get worse and you know that already. You also know that where it's positioned it would be physically impossible for you to remove it yourself." Neal's head dropped further into Peter's shoulder. "I'm going to take it out now Neal. You are going to lie back over my lap, I'll take it out, I'll be very gentle. It won't take too long and then we'll be already to go when the MotorClub gets here."

Neal chanced a glance over to Elizabeth who gave him a loving smile before looking up into his friend's eyes. "Sure, Peter," Neal agreed before maneuvering himself back over the larger man's lap. Peter once again pushed the boxers back to Neal's ankles before resuming the task of removing the splinter. Peter was true to his word. He was both gentle and fast "All done, Buddy."

"Can I get up?"

"In a sec. I'll just rub a bit of cream over the area." Peter applied a light film over the affected area. El had been thoughtful enough to bring it down from the bathroom earlier. Neal was content to lay there and be pampered. He was beginning to get used to the idea that Peter and El were the genuine deal. They had been slowly inching their way in sideways as his surrogate parents for a while now, or was it that he was inching his way in as their adopted son? Either way seemed like a good deal for Neal.

Now if only he could get off his 'dad's' knee before Peter connected that his 'son' was all fixed up and commenced the interrogation as to what he was doing in the hedge plant in the first place, all would be good with the world!