16 Years

This is my first so be nice please. This is what I think might have happened if Neal had been on the plane with Kate when it blew up. The story date is the day I wrote the story but 16 years in the future so it's 26/08/2026.

It's been 16 years: 16 years since the plane blew up, 16 years since I lost my partner and friend, 16 years since Neal Caffrey died. Mozzie just ran to god knows where. Alex started drinking herself to sleep every night. What did I do? I went by in a daze every day. El tried to help me, but I just couldn't understand what was happening.

I visit his grave every day, sometimes I find flowers I think they are from Alex when she's sober, I tell him what's happened and how dull life is. But one day something happened that shocked me from my daze, I got a letter.

Great a letter. Probably say sorry for your loss. I thought.

I opened it, but it wasn't 'sorry for your loss' card as I had thought but a letter asking to meet and talk to me.

Odd. I thought.

I tried calling Mozzie, but he never picks up anymore. Alex was way too drunk to listen. So, I asked Jones and Diana, they had gotten married 6 years ago, if I could talk to them.

"I got a strange letter today," I said.

"About what?", asked Diana curiously.

"I don't know. Here," I said, giving them the letter.

Dear Agent Peter Burke,

We need to talk. I know I should not be bothering you today of all days.

But I need to talk to you. It's extremely important that we talk today. Please meet me at Neal Caffrey's old room. I'm sorry for asking to talk with you today, but it is the only day we can.

P.S. Please bring Jones, Diana, and Alex.

"What did they mean by- oh. I'm so sorry, boss," said Diana.

"Can you both come?" I asked sadly.

"Sure. Should we try and get Alex sober?" Jones and Diana said at the same time.

"Yep," I said.

-1 hour later-

We had finally gotten Alex sober enough to know who we were. But she had a massive hangover.

"Where are we going again?" Alex asked confused.

I sighed.

How does she still not know where we were going, she's only asked about 35 times! I thought.

"I got a letter asking to talk with me at-" I stopped unable to continue.

"Neal's old room," Diana finished for me.

"Oh," she said.

"We'll be there in about 5 minutes," I said still sad.

Meanwhile Jones was thinking.

What did they mean by 'today of all days'? He wondered.

Then Jones remembered what day it was: the day Neal died.

-5 minutes later-

"June?" I called out knocking on the door.

June opened the door and asked confused, "Agent Burke?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, but someone sent me a letter asking to talk with me in Neal's old room," I said.

She nodded.

"Go right upstairs," she said.

"Thank you, June," I said.

We walked upstairs and I knocked on the door to Neal's room, no answer. So I opened the door. But no one was there.

"No one's here," I said more sadly now.

But as I turned around to walk to the door and leave, I heard a voice I hadn't heard in over 16 years.

"Peter?"

No. It can't be. He's dead.

I turned around slowly. That's when I saw a man I knew to be dead for 16 years: Neal Caffrey.

I actually was so shocked and surprised to see him alive, I stumbled backwards, tripped, hit my head and fell unconscious.

"Neal?" Jones and Diana asked stunned.

"Nealie!" shouted Alex before seeing the wine and walked to it and drank.

"Ummm… 4 things:

1 Why did Alex go straight to the wine?

2 Why are you guys here?

3 Alex did you just call me 'Nealie'?

And 4….HELLO!" Neal said.

"B-but you're dead," Diana said still stunned.

"Really? I hadn't looked in the mirror lately."

Diana walked up to Neal and slapped him.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT'S BEEN ON ALL OF US? ESPECIALLY PETER? ON THIS DAY EVERY SINGLE YEAR HE IS SO SAD THAT HE NEVER COMES TO WORK? BECAUSE HE THINKS YOUR DEAD!" Diana screamed at Neal for about 20 more minutes.

I woke up looked around, and said "What happened? Why is Neal's face red and why is Diana yelling at him?"

"He wants to know why we are here, why Alex called him 'Nealie', and his face is red because Diana slapped him about 20 minutes ago," Jones said stunned and amused.

I got up, walked over to Neal and…poked him.

"Did you just poke me?" Neal asked.

"You're not a dream!" I yelled happily.

"I'm not? Here I thought I was?" Neal said sarcastically.

Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke.

"Stop poking me!" Neal yelled.

"Wait... where's Alex?" I asked.

Looked around, saw the wine and…yep there was Alex drunk and asleep again.

"We all thought you were dead! Because of that Mozzie ran away to god knows where, Alex drinks herself to sleep every night for the past 16 years," I yelled, now angry.

"Oops," Neal said quietly.

"'Oops'? We thought you were dead for the past 16 years, Caffrey? And all you can say is 'oops'?" I yelled.

"Look! I got a cat. I named him Peter because he's always grumpy," Neal said, holding up his cat happily.

"Wait…. Where'd Mozzie go?"

"No one knows!" I yelled.

"Hmm… One second," Neal said, putting his cat down and grabbing his phone.

"He won't pick up," I said.

"He'll pick up," Neal said.

"Hello?" said a voice on the other line better known as…

"MOZZIE!" Neal yelled happily into the phone.

"Neal?" Mozzie whispered.

TO BE CONTINUED