Disclaimer: the characters of White Collar do not belong to me.
Beta reader : Ignie
Neal's last escape
When Neal arrived at work all the agents were there, but no one spoke to him. Actually, no one seemed to see he was here. They were in their works and didn't even looked at him.
He hesitated to join his desk, but after a while he chooses an other way and took the elevators.
At last he ended at the roof and sat sadly on the top. Thinking about his life. His life who seemed not be his owned in reality. Who was Hagen's and FBI's ownership. His painful heart beating harder in his torso he looked at the town. This time the view got him no relief. He sadly thought that this time he has no more hope for him to be free. Except if he freed him by himself. His last escape, which made him free forever. No more Hagen, no more FBI and at last, no more problems. He knew perfectly what to do and how to free him definitively. However he still hesitated, it was a difficult and irreversible decision, he perfectly knew that fact.
Peter was looking at the office, he had enough about all these paperwork, he wanted to change his mind for a while.
When he looked at Neal's desk he had the bad surprise he was not expected for. The conman was not at his place.
Peter looked around the place, but Neal was not here. No more near the elevators.
Peter frowned and walked down the steps, stopped near his CI's desk. Papers on the desk were well tidied, exactly like the previous evening.
Peter was tired, so he closed his eyes for a while. He had the hope that it was just an illusion, and Neal will sat at his place when he will open them again.
But it was not an illusion and Neal was not sat at his place when he open his eyes. The chair was still empty.
Peter turned himself and called Jones.
- Yes boss ? answered Jones.
- Can you look for Neal's tracer ? I want to know where he is just now.
Jones agreed and looked at his computer.
- He is still here.
- Here ? Where exactly ?
Jones sighted and made some adjustment, soon he had an answer.
- He is on the roof.
Peter frowned again. He had a bad feeling.
- Thanks Jones.
He walked slowly, joined the elevators and after the roof. He glance for Neal and at last saw him sat at he edge of the roof.
The conman seemed absent, lost in his thoughts.
Peter walked near him and Neal did not react.
- Neal ? What's wrong ? asked Peter.
He saw Neal stiffening immediately. The young man moved around slowly to face him.
- Nothing, I'm fine. he answered by reflex.
- You and I know perfectly that it is false, Neal. Tell me the truth.
- You want the truth Peter ? You really want the truth ?
Peter was not sure, but it was too late. The conman started to tell him all he had in his mind. He let the mask slip.
- You left me behind. I did my best during four years, only when I try to save me, you and others. But it is not enough... all the progress I made were gone now... Elizabeth asked me to made all I can for freed you... and I have done it. So I put myself in Hagen's hands.
- Let my wife out off this ! protest Peter immediately.
- You asked me to said the truth Peter, this is the truth. Elizabeth asked me this. She wanted you at home, and I wanted it too. It was my fault, I put my trust on James.
- He is your father.
- No he's not ! And I have to take my responsibilities. Siegel is dead because of me. He was behind me and certainly saw Hagen with me.
Neal was very close of the edge of the roof, Peter started to be nervous about it.
He looked at him, anxiously. Neal did not pay any more attention on his position. Neal moved a lot, apparently restless.
His eyes returned to Peter at last and he stopped to moved.
- I have done this for you Peter, just for kept you. But it was too late... I had lost you also.
Tears started to shine at corner of Neal's eyes.
- I know what you are thinking, you and the others. When you looked at me you only see a criminal. You said lies, during years. I wanted to trust you... I needed to trust you, because it was the only way to survive... but now...
Neal shook his head sadly.
- You were my family Peter... like Helen, Kate or Sarah. Kate and Helen passed away, Sarah was gone and after that, after helped you to get out of the prison... I saw you welcoming by all of them, they gave you honors, better situation.. and you... you gave me a new tracer. I kept the truth inside me. The fact I made the proving who had makes you free.
Peter's eyes wide opened with shock.
- You made the proving...
- Yes. It was not James on the recording. It was me.
- You dare to...
- Yes ! All my apologies for helped you to return home... be with Elizabeth and had a better life !
Neal's blue eyes were full of tears, he tried to force them back. Kept his hand on his pocket, their shivers were not Peter's problem. Nothing about him were not Peter's problem any more. Now Seigel is dead but Neal perfectly knew the fact, soon or late, Peter will give him an new handler. Neal did not wanted an new handler, he had enough about this. Freedom was out of his possibilities, he perfectly knew that fact. He also knew that his situation will be worse when Peter will gone for Washington. Tired, he prayed to see Peter went away from the roof, leaving him alone. Before he said worse than he had does.
After all, they were not any more friends, Peter had made a complete break with their friendship.
The feeling in his heart became more hard when he looked at Peter.
Peter who kept silence and did not seemed to have regrets. Who looked at him with an anger gaze.
This gaze was more than Neal could endure.
His last hope broke in a multitude of small pieces, and so was his heart. Irreparably broken.
- I'm sorry Peter, I can't do anything more for you, except disappear. I wish you could be happy after that. Please, forgive me, don't think it's a betrayal. It's just the only way I have found to solve the situation.
Neal had a strange smile, he looked at Peter and jump from the roof.
Peter's move came too late, the young man was out of reach, Peter's hand closed on the space. He could only watch his falling.
Neal fell without a sound, their looks crossed themselves for the last time, there was no fear into Neal's eyes, just an unbearable sorrow.
Peter looked at him until he reaches the ground and until the one who had been his partner is not more than a body broken on the asphalt.
People came around with terrified exclamations. some of them looked at the top of the building.
Peter knew he had to move, go down on the street and made something for preserve Neal's body, but he could not move. Hands on the edge of roof, at the same place Neal was sat a moment ago, he looked at the street. He swallowed with difficulty, had feeling of tears who rolled on his face. At last he stopped to be frozen by shock and run at elevators, heart contracted.
An word, just one, was into his head : No !
He did not want to accept the reality. Neal was not dead, he's still alive on the street. He should be alive. It was impossible he could be dead.
His heart refused the fact his mind had already accepted. Neal had no chance to survive.
But when he put his look on the broken body who is still on the floor, rescue team was not yet near that place, he knew it was too late. Neal passed away before he came. His blue eyes were still open.
Peter moved close to him and knelt down on the floor. He held out the hand to close Neal's eyes, it was too painful for him to see them open. Some people were speaking but no one tried to stopped him.
He stayed near Neal's body a while, and at last, rescue team came and asked him to let them do their job. Peter got up slowly, walked around and stopped at four steps.
The rescue team looked at the body and one of them heaved a sigh.
- He passed off, I go to take a corpse bag.
Peter clenched teeth, He wanted to protest but... He did not have the right. They had done their works. Nothing more. He turned in an other direction, did not want to see Neal's body put in the bag. This act did not prevent him from hearing the sound of the zip which went back up. An awful sound to hear for him, who let him having shivers.
- Is there someone who could explain what happened ? asked the chief of the rescue team.
- I will do, I saw all. answered Peter quickly.
He was ready to follow them in the vehicle when suddenly he heard Diana's voice. A really worried voice. A voice who brought him to reality.
Neal was dead, there's nothing to do for him, but Peter had FBI's White Collar division to lead.
He couldn't follow Neal's body, and insure it.
He had to do his job. Nothing else.
So he looked the rescue team go away and return himself inside his place.
END