1B: Tiny Confessions
Waking up, the last thing Neal could remember was a man wearing a white suit leaning over him with a large needle. It was full of a mysterious concoction that was injected into his arm.
Feeling his head ach from the spinning, his stomach lurched and he had to fight to keep the contents down. Battling through nausea with deep breaths, he managed to calm the worst of the effects, but he still didn't feel right.
Trying to move, he was still restrained in the chair. No matter, a little work and he had his hands free which made it almost simple to release his feet from the straps. Almost simple because leaning over brought the symptoms back.
Taking a break for a few moments, he breathed until his system had settled the world into a stationary position again. Then it was time to escape the next level of his trouble.
Looking around, he noticed the lab through the window, likely were they created their concoction, and a solid door on the other side indicating an exit.
Standing up, he had to fall back into the seat when his legs gave out on him.
Listening, there were sounds of something going on in the hall. He needed to move before his captors returned. Trying again, he made it a few feet before it was overwhelming.
As the noises got louder, he saw the floor rushing up at him while the world turned to darkness.
Leading the rescue team into what was supposed to be an abandoned warehouse, Peter was surprised to see what appeared to be billets for personnel to sleep. Searching the premises, it wasn't hard to find the well-worn path to the secret entrance, take the stairs down to a sterile hallway, and then follow it to the door.
There was a scuffle with the guards at the end of the hallway, their security had obviously alerted them to the intrusion, but the SWAT team managed to take them down easily enough. It was unfortunate they had to resort to shooting, but the guards started the confrontation.
With the path cleared, Peter opened the door with Jones and Diana flanking him. Taking in the surroundings, he felt a tension caused by the creepy environment. There was nothing like a secret underground lab to start the mind wondering into conspiracy theories. He had been around Mozzie too much so he shook his head to dispel the ideas inspired by the little man's stories.
Moving through the side door into the next portion of the room, he was dismayed to see Neal lying prostrate on the floor where he had collapsed.
Hurrying to his friend's side, he felt for a pulse. It was too rapid to be good for the kid, but at least it was present. Gently turning Neal over, Peter began checking him over for damages. He wasn't okay, but he didn't seem to be physically injured beyond a few bruises resulting from his capture.
"Get a medic in here. They gave him something and he isn't waking up." He shouted for the support staff.
"The medic is coming down, and an ambulance is waiting upstairs," Diana reported.
Having cleared the rest of the room, the two agents stepped forward and crouched next to their boss.
"What do you think they gave him?" Jones wondered.
"Nothing more than a strong sedative, I hope." Peter worried at the way Neal seemed to be burning up. His temperature was rising and his breathing seemed to be more of a quick pant than was natural. Something was definitely wrong, but whether it was a reaction to the sedative or a result of something more sinister was yet to be determined.
Arriving on the scene, the medic had the agents step aside while he gave Neal a general check-up. "Nothing seems to be too wrong with him, except his temp is up, he is panting, and unconscious. It might be a reaction to a strong sedative, but we'll have to run some tests to be sure." Radioing for assistance, he requested a stretcher be brought down so they could transport him to the hospital.
"I'll ride with him," Peter stated.
"We've got the scene," Jones reassured.
Looking grateful at his agents as they moved to process the bust, Peter assisted in maneuvering Neal through the awkward environment until they were back on the surface.
The ride to the hospital was uneventful and then Neal was moved into the Emergency Room while Peter was relegated to the waiting area.
Taking his seat, he dialed his wife to let her know what was going on. She was out of town visiting her sister, but she could at least help talk him through his initial worries while he was forced to sit and wait.
"It's probably just a reaction like the medic said. You've been around Mozzie too long if you think they're some kind of experimental scientist who started the process of turning Neal into a monster." She shared the outrageous to make the mundane appear more acceptable.
Laughing, Peter did feel better for her comment. "I have been around Mozzie a lot, but not that long. Perhaps you ought to take a vacation from the little man? After all, you are the one who suggested that as a possibility in the first place."
"True, but it's more humorous than your theories; less worrisome too." Being called away, she had to end the call, but at least she was aware of the circumstances and had been able to lighten his mood.
"Thanks, hon." Peter was grateful for their conversation. It helped his perspective from fearing poisons, and unknown experiments to being glad it wasn't some kind of monster potion… because that was impossible, wasn't it?
Trying to rein his imagination in, Peter focused on his phone calls with the team and tracking every medical personnel to walk through the doorway leading back to the examination rooms.
Finally, a doctor walked out and asked for him. Getting up, he wasn't comforted when he was led to the doctor's private office instead of the room where Neal was being held.
"I would like to discuss the results of the tests with you in private." Was the only explanation he could get until they were behind closed doors.
Seated in front of the large wood desk, Peter knew the news wasn't going to be good.
"We have run several tests on the concoction that was given to your consultant. So far, we have no idea what it is. The mixture mostly contains various forms of plant and mineral matter, but we haven't been able to identify half of it. Mr. Caffrey appears to be suffering a mild reaction similar to an allergy, so we have given him antihistamines and mild Tylenol to help reduce his fever. We have taken extra samples to send in for further testing, but there is nothing more we can do for him at the moment. My advice is to send him home, ensure he is supervised, and call us if anything else appears." The man gave a card with several contact numbers for all hours of the day.
"When can I see him?"
"Follow me, he is awake and asking for you, but we wanted to talk with you in private considering how uncomfortable it seemed to make him when we had this discussion the first time." The doctor explained as they walked down the hallway.
Entering a small examination room, they found Neal staring at a poster on the wall. Peter assumed he was focused on reassuring his brothers, but the doctor didn't need to know about the triplets 'twins thing' communication. It still seemed odd to Peter if he thought about it, and that was even after having witnessed it.
"Mr. Caffrey." The doctor got his attention. "Nurse Williams will be here in a few minutes with your discharge papers. Relax, and don't do anything too strenuous until the effects of the concoction have left your system." With a few last recommendations, the doctor left them to wait for the nurse.
Standing awkwardly, Peter wasn't sure what to say.
"My brothers are worried too. They are aware of my abduction and concerned about the unknown contents I was injected with. You have the same expression I'm getting from them." The kid observed calmly.
"I figured you were reassuring them," Peter stated. Changing the subject, he asked if they could be around to watch over him.
"No, they're both on missions right now," Neal suggested Mozzie or figured June could drop in and check on him from time to time.
Shaking his head, Peter wasn't hearing it. "No. Elizabeth is out of town, and you aren't supposed to exert yourself. You're staying with me and no excuses." His tone was firm to reinforce his words.
Sighing, Neal recognized the expression. Peter was in a protective mode to ease his concern, and he didn't have Elizabeth home to distract him. "I take it you are bored without Elizabeth there to distract you?"
Not willing to admit it, Peter came up with other reasons. "You are my consultant and responsibility both to the bureau and your brothers. If anything happens to you, I will have a pile of paperwork and two furious agents on my hands."
Laughing, Neal could sense his real motive. "You're just scared of my brothers."
"The paperwork actually, but your brothers do provide extra incentive." Peter smiled. It was a roundabout way of saying he was more concerned for the kid himself than scared of his brothers.
Entering in a timely manner, the nurse went through the discharge paperwork with Neal and got him ready to go. Stepping back to the side, Peter allowed the nurse to do her job while observing Neal for himself.
When it was time to go, he assisted Neal from the wheelchair into the passenger seat of his car. Diana and Jones had worked together to ensure his car was available for the drive to Neal's for clothes, and then back to the Burkes for the weekend.
Walking Neal into his home, the kid was able to stand on his own and looked more like himself which was reassuring to Peter.
"I still don't feel right, but at least whatever was wrong seems to be going away," Neal reassured him as they entered the Burke's.
"Good, but I still don't want to relax until you have the all clear." Peter was trying not to hover, so he continued to observe the kid to ease his concern.
Leaving him to shower and settle his things upstairs, Peter took Satchmo for his evening walk and ordered a pizza. Then returning to the house, he took a quick shower and also changed into a comfortable tee shirt and sweats.
When the pizza arrived, they got their food and settled in to eat. Peter had already done the basics towards locking the house up for the night and all that was left was to relax and eat before going to bed. It had been a long and stressful day, so they were enjoying the simple atmosphere.
When they had finished, Neal insisted on helping with the cleanup process.
Dropping the pizza box, Neal froze at the entrance to the kitchen. Something was wrong, he didn't feel right.
Turning around, Peter noticed that Neal was staring blankly off into space. Although he had no idea what, he knew something was wrong. Kicking the box to the floor next to the trash can, he grabbed Neal's arms. "What's wrong?"
"I don't feel right." He suddenly leaned into Peter's shoulder and grabbed a fist full of his shirt. Crying, groaning, and shaking in pain, he appeared to be in agony before sinking down toward the floor as he shrunk.
Stunned, Peter stared and the little boy in sweats and a tee shirt standing before him with big eyes gazing back at him.
"Neal?" He reached forward hesitantly, uncertain of the sight before him.
"Don't hit me!" The kid exclaimed and turned like he was going to bolt.
Peter automatically reached out and grabbed the little kid before he could run away. He didn't even think about the effects the move could have, he only thought to prevent the scared little boy from running away from him.
Fighting in terror, the kid appeared to believe he was going to hurt him.
Lifting him up despite the mindless kicks to his stomach and the little fist pelting and pushing at his chest in desperation, Peter wrapped him up in a blanket and settled down onto the couch. Holding the boy firmly in his arms and safely in the cocoon, he hoped to calm him down. "Whoa, Neal. You're alright, I'm not going to hurt you, but I need you to calm down."
Sobbing, the little boy didn't seem to hear him.
Resorting to more physical contact, Peter tried to reassure him that he wasn't going to hurt him by the gentle strokes through his hair and down his back. Those were supposed to be comforting, right?
Talking quietly to ease Neal as if he were his own little son, Peter found himself falling into father mode rather easily, despite his lack of experience. "It's alright, Neal. We'll figure this out. You're safe." He crooned various phrases until the boy ran out of fight.
As Neal began to hiccup from the force of his sobs, he seemed to hear more of what Peter was saying to him. Instead of relaxing though, he still held a stiff posture and seemed to twitch every time Peter moved.
"Why do you think I would hit you?" Peter questioned softly.
"Be...cause, because the men always do." Neal managed to get out.
"What men? Peter's tone took an emotionless edge to it. He was trying not to scare Neal, but the implication he was hinting at didn't paint a very good picture.
"Mom's boyfriends. They always hit me." Neal admitted.
Closing his eyes in horror for a second, Peter realized what Neal had meant by protecting his brothers. "And they didn't hit your brothers, did they?" He already knew the answer.
"Uh-uh." Neal shook his head obediently. "I did my best to make sure my brothers weren't left alone with them, and that they took whatever we did wrong out on me."
Certain his brothers were getting an earful from their end, Peter tried to get Neal to keep talking. They all needed to know what he had gone through to ensure that the people responsible had faced the penalties for their actions. It would also help them to better understand him and hopefully help him move beyond whatever had been done to him.
"Did they hurt you a lot?" Peter needed to know if he had any sensitivity beyond the perspective of a little boy. It could be serious if he reacted wrong in the field.
"Some, others would just occasionally hit me when they had a bad day. The cop… trigger…" He shuddered and tried to make his escape again.
Holding tighter, Peter wasn't letting him go. For one, he didn't need to be worrying about a missing child, and for two, Neal was safer in his arms than the big world out there. "No, Neal. You can't run away anymore. You're safe, and I won't let them hurt you ever again. But I need to know who hurt you to keep them away, and what they did to you if I'm going to be of any help."
Shaking, Neal began to babble. He told Peter of the abuse he had endured, and the crime he had witnessed. "When he learned I had seen him, he… he shot me and put me in a dumpster overnight. It was morning before they found me." Neal seemed to be reliving something of the trauma.
"Please, Neal. Tell me these men paid for what they did to you, that they went to jail?" Peter begged.
"I told, Ellen, and she told the Marshals. They were all arrested." Neal seemed to be traumatized. "Please, don't hurt me." He pleaded again. "I told you everything you asked of me."
Horrified, Peter hadn't realized his need for answers was coming off as threatening. "No, no, no. Neal, I would never hurt you, even if you hadn't told me." Peter hugged the kid into his chest and bowed his head over his. As the tears flowed, he wasn't sure if he was crying for Neal's childhood, the adult Neal who was being deaged to relive this misery, or his inability to handle it correctly and thereby making it worse for the kid. "I'm sorry, Neal. I'm so sorry." He cried.
Looking out away from the confusing situation, Neal could see a reflection of Peter cradling him against his chest and his pained expression. Peter really did care about him, and he wasn't playing a role because someone was watching. Slowly, he eased his posture and relaxed his defenses. Maybe he had truly found an adult male he could look up to without fearing the repercussions? With his walls down, he found himself crying too as the emotions escaped. He wasn't fighting them, and it wasn't a panicked rush, more a release of pressure his body had needed for a very long time.
As he and Peter clung to each other, he could feel his brothers collapsed in their respective safe houses as they each learned what he had protected them from. They were astounded by what he had endured, given the extra imagery of his memories, and horrified that they had missed it.
Each promising to visit after they finished their operations, they felt the need for physical reassurance that he was okay. Despite their connection, such childhood horrors mixed with the mind-boggling perspective of a deaged child was too much to process from a distance.
Drifting off to sleep as his tired little body gave in to the exhaustion; Neal felt the safest he had in a long time as he was secure in the blanket with Peter's strong arms around him. Once he got past the fear of him being an adult male, he was relieved that Peter was willing to comfort him so personally.
Feeling the little body in his lap get heavier and more relaxed, Peter realized that Neal was actually falling asleep. Shifting the two of them so they were more comfortable, he settled in for the long haul himself.
There was no way he was going to leave Neal alone after that reveal, especially since he was in the form of a small child which would make him feel more vulnerable and exposed.
Wrapping the blanket more securely around the sleeping boy, he kissed the top of his head. It seemed right to do for the terrified little boy, and it provided a sense of comfort to him as well. Neal was like a little brother to him most days, and a wayward son at times. Now holding him in his arms like a small child, Peter felt that paternal protection more than ever.
"I promise, I'll look them up and ensure they are nowhere near you and not hurting anyone else. Then I'll keep an eye on them just in case." He hugged the sleeping boy closer as the scenes of what Neal described ran through his mind again. "There is no way I'm going to risk you going through that again."
Cuddling the boy for his own comfort, he was glad he had already closed up for the night because taking care of Neal was too important.
Falling into slumber himself, Peter was focused on the repetitive motion as his hand gently moved up and down Neal's little back. The more his mind drifted, the slower the motion got until his hand was stilled and he was asleep.
Waking up in the morning, Neal realized it wasn't just a dream, but reality as he was stretched out on Peter's chest lying on the couch. Hearing the annoying rumbles as the agent snored, he understood what had woke him up.
Trying to move, he was slightly disappointed when Peter's arms tighten around him and held him in place. "No. Not going to let you hurt him."
Startled, he hadn't expected Peter to be dreaming about what he had said. Apparently, it was still strong on his mind… which meant no getting away from it.
Sighing, he tried another means of escape, only to be thwarted by Peter again. Unable to help it, he was amused by how thorough the agent was at protecting him, even in his sleep.
Giving up for the moment, he was somewhat embarrassed, but also comforted to have Peter taking care of him so. He was a grown man so cuddling on the couch wasn't really something to relish, but the feeling of his best friend watching out for him and ensuring his safety was nice.
Closing his eyes and focusing on his brothers, he decided he might as well see how they were doing.
Not surprisingly, they had been kept up by his dreams of the repressed memories from the horrifying events of their childhood. Suddenly, after years of him shutting them out, they finally learned the secrets he had been keeping. It changed their entire perspective of him.
They were too sleepy to be conversationalists, after spending their nights working on cases and trying to process his reveals as they were pelted by childlike nightmares. Still, their general thoughts as they rested were enough for him to understand their perspectives.
Now if only he could have a telepathic connection with Peter… but then again, that might not be a good thing. Peter would only need to think his speeches instead of putting forth the energy to say them, and that might encourage him to reiterate them more often. Then there was also his other secret, something even his brothers didn't fully know about. Shutting that thought down before it could get started, he didn't want to share the rest of it in case they were alert enough to remember it.
It was odd, how he had been so good at closing them out when they were children, protecting them from the horrors he had witnessed. But here he was, a full grown adult, and the shock of being deaged had taken down all of his barriers.
Feeling Peter shift beneath him, he was certain the agent would be waking up soon. Closing his eyes to pretend he was asleep, he didn't want to face Peter's concern or inquisition just yet. It was awkward enough already.
Changing his breathing and shifting more as he woke up, it only took a few minutes for Peter to breath deeper indicating that he was awake and remembering what had happened. "I know you're awake, so you can stop faking it, Neal." The agent ruffled his hair playfully.
Opening his eyes wide, Neal hadn't been expecting that reaction.
"Like I said last night, I'm sorry Neal. I shouldn't have gone into interrogation mode on you, but… that wasn't a reveal I was expecting, and with a background in law enforcement, it is something we are trained to take seriously. You're personal, so the rest of the training kind of went out of my head in the heat of the moment. I'm also sorry I scared you, I would never hurt you." Peter had sat up and made sure Neal was looking him in the eyes as he stated what was obviously weighing strongly on his mind.
Accepting the apology, Neal was again surprised when Peter pulled him into a hug.
Releasing the kid after a moment, Peter lifted him to the floor and got up himself. Then looking down at the little boy, he couldn't help but smile. "How about breakfast, half-pint?"
"Half-pint?" Neal questioned.
"Would you rather shorty?" Peter teased. "Maybe kiddo, or kid? Hmmm, what about…"
"Alright already, I get your point." Neal lightly glared up at him before rolling his eyes.
"It's not every day there is so much distance here," Peter emphasized his point by raising and lowering his hand to denote the height difference between the two men.
Relaxing some, Neal felt better with Peter's gentle teasing. It was more normal in their relationship. "Maybe I should call you the jolly green giant." He leaned his head back to see all the way up to Peter's smile.
"Half-pint flows easier, so I think I have the better end of the deal." Peter didn't complain. It wasn't like this was going to be permanent; at least he hoped it wasn't. Sure, it could be fun to spend some time with his friend miniaturized, but he preferred a full sized version who could go into the field and was the age representation he was supposed to be.
Moving to the kitchen, the two prepared breakfast with Peter happily doing the heavy lifting while Neal helped.
Taking their meal in to sit at the table, Peter brought up another troubling subject. "Jones said he and Diana were going to be stopping by after breakfast to see how you were doing and to update us on the case."
Neal didn't remember that, so he asked when that was.
"This morning, while you were really still asleep," Peter admitted. It meant he had woken up, answered the phone call, and then watched Neal sleep before settling back himself.
"That's how you knew I was faking it." Neal acknowledged. "Did you tell them about me being small?"
"Sort of… I told them it had an effect on you, but that they weren't going to believe me if I told them. They are supposed to let themselves in when they arrive."
Glad he had finished his food before learning of his colleagues impending arrival, Neal settled back into the seat.
Quietly finishing his food while Neal absorbed the situation, Peter noticed the way Satchmo perked up his hears and looked towards the door. The agents had arrived and were going to be entering his home in the next few seconds. "Neal…"
Something in his tone alerted Neal to the circumstances and he stiffened his posture defensively.
Moving to crouch in front of Neal, Peter promised. "It's just Jones and Diana. We aren't going to spread this through the office, and you aren't going to be treated like a science experiment. Okay? I promise."
When Peter stood up to greet Jones and Diana, he felt Neal slip off of his seat and hide behind him. The kid had a fist full of his sweatpants for security while he peaked around his leg at their friends. Putting a hand on the kids head, he tried to comfort him.
"Why is he scared of us?" Diana asked.
Crouching down in front of him, Jones greeted him like he normally would.
Sensing Neal's impending terror, Peter didn't want him to go into a panic attack again. Glancing for Jones to back up, he picked Neal up and held him securely in his arms again to remind him he was safe. "Let's just say, Neal didn't have a good environment as far as adult men are concerned when he was little. He was terrified of me last night."
With their eyes going wide, the other two got the implication of what it meant, but they had no idea how bad it truly was. Shaking his head at them, Peter indicated he wasn't going to be detailing it for them either.
"I got another phone call this morning with all of the names associated. They won't be a problem for Neal anymore." Peter meant he was going to be watching them, but he also meant he wasn't going to let them hurt his friend.
Stunned, Neal hadn't expected his brothers to work with Peter to protect him. Something must have been said that they heard and he didn't.
Giving a basic update on the case, Jones and Diana tried not to stare at Neal, but their eyes kept glancing towards him. He was their friend so they were concerned, but it was also odd to see him so small.
When they had finished, they both promised to be a phone call away and left.
Feeling Neal melt into his shoulder, Peter reached up to hug the kid closer to him. "It's only temporary, and you should be back to normal by Monday. As much as I like this experience for a onetime thing, I don't want it to be permanent."
Relieved and feeling tired, Neal nodded his head in agreement.
"What do you say to a baseball game?" Peter was enthusiastic. It was his favorite past time, and Neal wasn't up to his usual activities.
Shrugging, Neal wasn't too concerned. He might just go to sleep anyway.
Walking over to the couch, Peter turned on the TV and grabbed his puzzle book for something extra to do. He could tell by the way Neal was leaning into him that the kid would sleep, but he also knew the world was still scary for him in his child-sized body.
Getting comfortable, he settled Neal in beside him so that it was more acceptable to the adult, but cuddled to comfort the child perspective. It was the best compromise he could offer and Neal seemed to accept it as he fell asleep.
Holding Neal with one arm wrapped around him, Peter knew he would be researching those names on Monday to ensure Neal's safety, but until then, he was still enjoying the comforts of having his friend safely by his side.
After a while, Neal woke up and was feeling more energetic again. Deciding on what to do, Peter pulled some case files out and laid them across the coffee table. There he could work on some familiar tasks with the kid, but not overwhelm him as he seemed to tire more easily from all of the stress.
Passing the time, they moved into the afternoon before getting a late lunch, or early dinner as the case could be.
With the evening coming, Peter insisted on taking care of Satchmo before choosing a movie as it was more relaxing. This time Neal followed Peter on the cleanup work more because he felt safe near to Peter than for a wish of helping.
Putting on another movie, Peter figured Neal wouldn't last until the end of it as his body was once again showing signs of fatigue.
Holding Neal into his side, Peter wondered if he would change back as painfully as he had shrunk, or if it would be worse for his body to stretch instead of compress.
Letting the kid sleep, he did his best to comfort him when he trembled and shook, put a cooling rag on his head when his temperature rose, and in general did his best to help him through the night.
Eventually, Peter was too exhausted to stay awake any longer, and he had faithfully seen Neal through the painful transformation back to adulthood. This time Neal hadn't been as aware of the slow progression through various stages as he returned to his normal size.
Waking up in the morning, Neal was surprised to see the world from its normal perspective. He wasn't a child anymore, but back to his usual adult self.
Leaving Peter to sleep, the agent looked exhausted from watching over him through the night. Slipping away, this time Peter couldn't restrain him which caused a smile, Neal settled Peter into a more comfortable position before tucking him in. Then with his hand resting on Peter's head, he quietly thanked the agent for everything he had done for him.
Heading upstairs, it was time for a shower and change of clothes.
Coming back downstairs, Neal noticed Peter waking up on the couch in a panic. Moving to his friend's side, it was his turn to crouch in concern while providing comfort. "Whoa, Peter. I'm back to my usual size, and I'm fine. Relax, no one grabbed me while you were sleeping." He smiled as Peter became more coherent.
Rubbing his eyes, and running a hand over his face to wipe the sleep away, the tired agent yawned. "I know you're back to normal. You spent most of the night going through the process slow enough you seemed to sleep through it."
"I take it you watched over me every step of the way?" There was no need to question.
"Of course, I wasn't going to let you go through that alone, although, I seem to be the only one aware of what you went through. Based on your expression, it didn't register in your exhausted mind, at least not in a way that lasted." Peter noted.
"My brothers are traumatized apparently, so I'm sure I'll get the picture later when they have finished the last little bit of their assignment," Neal promised.
"Don't…" Peter didn't want him to go through that, but then it wasn't as bad as his childhood, and it wouldn't hurt for him to know in case the concoction had any after effects. "You do know I will be restricting you to desk duty for a month?"
Frowning, Neal didn't like that. Bickering back with Peter, he tried to persuade him to reduce his sentence.
"Not a chance, half-pint."
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