Title: Secrets
Beta: None, all mistakes are my own
Rating: G
Pairings: P/E, hints of P/E/N to come
Warnings/Triggers: None.
Summary: Peter discovers one of Neal's secrets.
Notes: Written for Prompt Fest IV. Prompt was Neal – Stars.
Minor editing and additions to the original posting.
Disclaimer: I don't own White Collar. :-(

"Do I really need to go tonight?" Neal asked in his best pathetic voice.

Peter snorted and rolled his eyes at his partner's protest. Neal hated surveillance with a passion, and he drove everyone crazy during the enforced stillness with his complaints and constant fidgeting. Peter understood why Neal hated the van. Even before prison Peter had noticed that Neal had an almost endless supply of energy. Being closed up couldn't be easy for someone as active as Neal, so most of the time he didn't make Neal go on surveillance. Usually, but there were exceptions, like now: whenever his errant friend wanted to get out of van duty it usually meant that he was Up To No Good. The FBI agent confirmed that niggling suspicion when he snapped the folder he was holding shut and gazed at his partner with a stern glare. It was hard to keep a straight face at Neal's dramatically petulant, woebegone expression but somehow Peter managed to keep his face from betraying his amusement.

"You got somewhere you want to be, Caffrey?" Peter demanded, sharply but not unkindly. Neal was all wide-eyed innocence, his expression only shifting ever so slightly when Peter asked his question (definitely Up To Something).

"No, I just don't want to be stuck in the van," Neal explained. The dazzling smile Neal suddenly beamed at him made Peter's stomach do an unpleasant flip as he considered all the possible things an innocent looking Caffrey could be up to. All of them scared him silly. "I could look into some of those cold cases you pulled this morning," he added helpfully.

There was something off in his tone; something that made Peter's neck prickle like it did whenever Caffrey fed him a half-truth, and that decided him. Whatever Neal was up to, it would save all of them a lot of trouble and grief if Peter kept him occupied instead of allowing him to do...whatever the hell it was Neal wanted to get into.

"Sorry, Neal. We need you tonight," Peter apologized, half-meaning it as he saw the small droop in Neal's shoulders. If Neal would just be honest with him... But he wasn't going to and Peter couldn't take any more risks than he already had with Neal. They were already skating on thin ice; they couldn't risk getting into any more trouble. "I'll pick you up at six, all right?" Neal nodded silently and left the office, leaving Peter to feel as if he'd kicked a puppy.

It wasn't until ten that night that Peter finally found out Neal's secret. The young man had been oddly silent during the surveillance. He'd sat quietly and played with his phone while he half-listened to bugged office of Alicia Carson. It was a bust for the night, although she had set up a meeting for the next night that looked promising. Peter made the arrangements for another surveillance team for the next day and sent everyone home. Neal was leaning against the Taurus, gaze fixated on his phone. Being a little taller than Neal had its advantages and he clearly saw what was on the screen of his partner's phone.

Neal snapped the phone off with an annoyed and embarrassed expression. Peter held up his hands, a small feeling of horror at what he'd seen. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I won't tell anyone," Peter said. The two men got into the car, an awkward silence falling over them.

"So you're going to tell Elizabeth?" Neal asked sullenly.

"I have to," Peter said. "I can't keep this entirely a secret, but I promise she's the only one I'll tell."

Later, as Peter recounted his tale, Elizabeth sat and held his hand and rubbed his back. "I didn't think Neal of all people would be involved in something like that!" Peter said. He'd said that several times now. Obviously the poor man was still in shock.

"Honey, you said yourself. Prison can change a man," Elizabeth said. It was a struggle to contain her own emotions at this enlightening information regarding Neal, but she didn't understand why either of them was so upset. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Peter rubbed his eyes and this time when he looked at her it was with a grin. She giggled, and Neal, who was sitting on their sofa, watching the television said crossly, "I can hear every word you're saying, you know."

"Oh honey," Elizabeth said, and abandoned her husband to sit beside their friend. "You have to admit, finding out that you're such a big fan of Dancing With the Stars is kind of funny."

"No it's not," Neal retorted, but the annoyed expression was melting away and less than a second later he'd joined the Burkes in their laughter. "Ok, maybe it's a little funny," Neal finally conceded, which sent everyone into another fit of giggles.

When the laughter died down, Peter went into the kitchen and finished making his famous (as in, famous in the Burke residence) caramel popcorn, and then brought it out in a bowl along with some wine for the three of them to drink. He poured them each a glass and pressed the play button for the DVR. Then he settled on the couch beside Elizabeth, who was sitting precariously close to Neal, and watched one of his least favorite shows with his two favorite people.

For Christmas Peter purchased Neal a DVR so he never had to miss another episode of his favorite shows ever again.

~fin