Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to us. Everything belongs to USA Network an Jeff Eastin
There was one thing Neal hated the most since he worked with the FBI: paperwork. It felt like he had to report a parent what he did the whole day. Of course he used every opportunity he could get to dodge it, like every one in the unit did from time to time. So he sat now on a bench in a park and enjoyed this feeling of being free for a little while. Neal had been sitting there for a while with his eyes closed and face up to the sun when his almost ruminant peace got disturbed. Surprised he blinked and saw that a ball was the reason for this disturbance. The next moment a little boy approximately at the age of six came running with red cheeks from playing and got his ball. He mumbled "Sorry" and left again. Neals gaze followed him who yelled something at a younger boy. The little one was about four years old and obvious the little brother of the other one. Their mother sat a little aside with a toddler on her lap and read him or her a story. It was the perfect family picture.
Neal became melancholic even if it was a sunny day. He could perfectly recall how Mozzie asked him once if he ever thought about having children of his own. He had thought about it a lot. Sometimes he even felt unmanly because of it but the most important thing was he always knew if he kept on going to live like he did a family was never an option. A life on the run wasn't the best for children. Neal had to smile when the thought hit him what Peter would have done if he had to catch a whole bunch of Caffreys. The agent would be close to a mental breakdown that was for sure. Surely it wouldn't be easy to keep children with his knowledge at bay. By the age of ten they would be able to pick every existing lock and think it was a game. And not only would Mozzie be delighted to teach the new generation of gifted Caffreys but also to make sure they would know more than their father and Neal would have to get really creative to keep them all safe, even if he knew his paranoid friend would never do something that would put them in danger. All these years this was somehow his part even if he didn't did it on purpose.
On the opposite side of him the little boys had played enough with their ball and cuddled up close to their mother. In this very moment Neal decided one thing: If he would ever have children he would make sure they wouldn't learn something illegal till they turn 21 to make sure they could enjoy their childhood. He smiled and put his head back and enjoyed the last warm sun rays of the day.
"If you keep on sitting like this you will have a stiff neck tomorrow, mon frère."
"Thanks for worrying, Moz."
"What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you and the suit fight a war against paperwork?"
Neal shrugged with his shoulders.
"I am not the guy who fights against windmills and thanks to all the undercover assignments I have overtime hours..."
"...so you decided to be lazy and sit here in the sun."
"Let's go."
He smiled at Mozzie who looked at him pretty confused.
"Everything alright?"
"It couldn't be any better."
Before they left Neal looked once again to the family. This was what he wanted for his children.
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