(Chapter 2)
Peter watched the stain on Neal's chest grow larger as he knelt beside his friend. The young man didn't move, his face pale and ashen, blue eyes a stormy gray. The con had pushed him aside and taken the bullet meant for him.
"Neal? Neal talk to me!" Peter was scared, terrified of losing his partner. They were alone, the gunman holding a gun on him. He heard the click of the gun being cocked and refused to go without a fight. Peter turned and pulled his gun from his shoulder holster, firing on the fly. The gunman fired at the same time, Peter feeling something smack him on the side of the head hard, whiplash as his head flew back from the blow and he collapsed to the ground. He twitched slightly as his head connected with the cement floor, his eyes looking up at the ceiling as he felt himself disappearing.
He thought he saw Neal looking down at him from the crate where he had placed him. The young man looked frightened.
Neal? He thought, watching the young man looking at him, before he noticed what was wrong. Neal was sitting up, watching him and yet someone still lay on the crate. Peter blinked although his body remained still, standing up and looking at his friend. Neal no longer sat up, the image fading. He walked over to the crate and looked down as he watched Neal's body twitch and shudder in pain, blue eyes rolled back.
Neal, don't die on me...
Neal..
He touched the young man's shoulder and felt a strange sensation as he was pulled into darkness. He found himself struggling to breath, body in agony, his chest burning with pain. He twitched in response to the sensation as he looked up and saw a surprised Neal standing and looking down at him. Peter wanted to talk but saw his friend move backwards and disappear into another form lying on the floor. He gasped ever so slightly, seeing himself lying there on the floor, eyes staring up blankly before closing, head slumping to the side.
Why was he seeing his own body? What was wrong? Was this some kind of a nightmare? He gasped again, body shuddering in agony from the shot to his chest. Chest? He was shot in the head wasn't he? Peter tried to make sense of what was going on when he saw Jones come in.
"AGENTS DOWN!" Jones was on his phone, moving over to the other figure and talking softly.
"Peter... Peter wake up." Jones sounded worried, shaking the figure gently. Peter was confused.
I'm over here, Jones... Over here!
Jones threw his jacket over the other figure then moved over towards him. Peter felt some relief, the agent looking down at him.
How is Neal? Jones? He thought unable to speak but then Jones nudged him, a worried look on his face.
"Caffrey... how did this happen?" He shuddered in response, his body still burning from the pain in his chest. He made gasping sounds, Peter wishing he could talk. Jones gently touched his shoulder and tried to calm him down.
"Just hold on, Neal. Paramedics are coming." Jones tried to ease his discomfort, Peter confused.
Neal? I'm Peter... I'm...
Everything started to fade away, his mind growing hazy.
Jones... call El. Please call my wife. He thought as he fell into darkness.
()()()
Neal woke up the next day only to find himself in the same strange nightmare. El had come to visit him again, acting as she had the day before. He was surprised how everyone kept calling him Peter but went along with it figuring whatever happened in the warehouse, it had caused this strange hallucination. At least his head didn't hurt quite so much today so it had the day before. El told him he would be able to leave today once the doctor came in for one last evaluation. Neal nodded, feeling somewhat uncomfortable when she kissed him on the lips. He didn't reciprocate which seemed to bother her considering it was his dream. Neal was still concerned as to why he hadn't seen Peter something about that worrying him. If he's Peter than who was Peter? He sighed, leaning back into the pillows and trying to figure things out.
"Peter?" Neal turned to see Elizabeth looking at him curiously. He blinked nodding as she hugged him and brushed gently at his hair.
"I'm ok. Just thinking about Neal." He felt odd saying that but otherwise she would worried and he didn't want her to worry, dream or not. Neal closed his eyes, his mind going back to the shooting and all this craziness.
"Well the doctor will be in soon and we can go visit him once you've checked out." Elizabeth looked at him with a slightly concerned glance. Neal noticed wondering what she was thinking. If it was a dream, wouldn't he know what she was thinking? He thought about that a moment when the doctor came in. It was a quick cursory exam. The physician shined a light in his eyes to check his responses, had him follow his fingers and checked his vitals. Everything seemed good and the doctor smiled, patting him on the shoulder gently. Neal nodded back glad he'd be able to finally see Peter he hoped. He wasn't sure how this dream was going to end up. Elizabeth looked happy, hugging him gently and smiling at the doctor.
Once the doctor was gone, Elizabeth pulled an overnight bag out and placed it on the chair beside the bed. Neal looked at it curiously.
"I brought you a change of clothes, Peter." Neal nodded, sitting up gingerly. They had already removed all but the one little finger clip thing that monitored his vitals. His chest hurt and he felt sore from laying down for two days straight but he felt pretty good regardless. Elizabeth helped him stand up, handing him the clothes. He felt a moment of embarrassment and went into the bathroom, closing the door. He slowly started to dress, his body hurting and wishing he had someone to help but he didn't think it would be right to dress in front of Elizabeth. It took a few minutes but he got the jeans and shirt on, stuff he wouldn't wear but apparently Peter would. Neal sighed, turning to look at himself in the mirror.
Neal gasped loudly, looking at the reflection and feeling a kind of shock. He waved at the mirror and saw the hand move and yet, it wasn't his hand he saw moving. Neal kept staring into the mirror.
"Peter honey, you ok?" Elizabeth's voice spoke softly through the door. Neal was still in shock staring at the odd reflection, his head shaking, unable to speak.
"Peter? Did you need help with anything?"
Neal heard the door opening and reached to lock it. He heard Elizabeth rattling the knob and talking.
"Peter? The door is locked. Let me in." She sounded worried but he wasn't sure what to do. He kept looking at his reflection, seeing Peter's face where his should be.
()()()
Peter was trapped in darkness. He could hear voices, Jones had spoken to him briefly before he passed into a deep unconsciousness. After some time he found himself floating in the darkness looking around but unable to do more. He felt cold, his body less than substantial. He thought he heard a soft beeping sound in the background along with the soft hissing of something off and on. He began to realize the hissing sound is a respirator because he can feel his chest move up and down in response to the sound. Peter wonders where his wife is, feeling lonely as he hears the faint voices of what he can only guess are doctors and nurses talking to him as he lay there. The voices pass and he hears a new set.
"Neal? Can he hear me?" Peter recognized the voice although it did take him a moment. June. He smiled but wondered why she was calling him by his partner's name.
"I don't know. He looks so pale." It was his wife's voice. Peter wanted to open his eyes and look at her, hug her and kiss her. He heard June reply.
"I brought a bag of clothes for Neal but I don't think he will be able to use them till he wakes up." She sounded worried, tone full of sadness.
"Peter's been asking about him all day. Tomorrow he should be checking out and we'll come by to see him." Elizabeth sounded happy, her tone tinged with worry about Neal. Peter blinked despite being unconscious. He was right here but Elizabeth spoke as if he were elsewhere.
"You said Peter was confused when you talked to him earlier? Poor dear." June's voice sounded as if it were moving, the sound of soft footsteps moving to his right.
"Yes, I wasn't sure what was going on. He kept telling me he was Neal. Maybe he feels guilty for what happened?" Elizabeth sounded upset if not confused. Peter wasn't sure what to make of what he was hearing.
"He told you he was Neal? What did the doctor say? Maybe it has to do with his head injury?" June sounded worried, clucking her tongue.
"I don't know what to make of it. When I said I was going to get a doctor he told me he was just confused. I guess he could have been. He sounded so sincere though." Elizabeth sighed, both women quiet for a bit. Peter wondered why Neal would insist he was him and why they were talking about him as if he weren't laying there in front of them.
"I'm sure he'll be fine once you get him home. Peter will feel better once Neal wakes up. We all will." June sounded certain, hopeful as their voices faded to silence. He was unconscious again, the darkness falling over him like a thick blanket. He felt suffocated, smothered but he fought to stay in control. Soon the darkness changed into the image of a room. Peter watched as the room formed into that of a nice wood paneled library or study. It was the kind of room you'd see in a mansion or fancy estate. There were books filling the walls with only a few shelves empty. Peter found himself walking over to a shelf and pulling a book. He read the title, words in a fine serif font of gold lettering. It read: N.C. 1999-2009. Peter blinked wondering if NC was what he thought it meant, Neal Caffrey. He opened up the book and suddenly a rush of images flooded him.
Peter closed the book and fell back into a comfy arm chair exhausted, the book falling to the floor. It seemed to pulse with a life of its own as he stared at it. He looked around as a distraction noticing that the room was styled similarly to the rooms Neal had at June's. There was a large full length mirror along the wall near a wardrobe. Peter stood and walked towards the mirror and started when he saw his reflection. Although this was a dream, (what else could it be at the moment?) he found himself staring at a strange sight. Peter looked in the mirror but he saw Neal staring back.
"Neal?" The reflection although that of his partner spoke when he spoke. Peter gawked, trying to figure out what this meant. How could he be staring at his reflection but seeing Neal instead? He tried to wrap his mind around it when he heard voices around him again.
"Peter... what's wrong?" Elizabeth's voice broke through the darkness. Peter listened, trying to figure out what she was saying. He heard movement and someone breathing loudly as if in panic.
"How can... it's not possible!" He heard a familiar voice speaking, one he heard rarely at least not from his current perspective. Peter felt himself swimming upstream or so it felt as he pushed through the darkness. He had to see who was talking.
"Honey, I'm sorry. Did you want to go?" Elizabeth's voice was worried, but who was she talking to? Peter had to know. He felt an odd sensation and pain washed over him like an icy breeze. He gasped for air, mouth gaping as he felt himself begin to wake up. Eyes fluttered open and he heard El and the other person make sounds of surprise.
"Peter, he's waking up! I'll call a doctor." He heard footsteps hurrying away and then the same panicked breathing continuing, a voice whispering to themselves.
"It's not possible... it can't be..."
Peter opened his eyes and found himself focusing in on the voice, staring at the blurry figure a moment. He blinked several times, trying to see the figure clearer. Finally he could see who stood there; Who had been speaking to his wife. They stared at each other a moment, the other man looking afraid if not terrified. He felt a similar fear, unsure of what he was seeing till El walked back in with a doctor.
"He's just woken up, doctor." He heard her voice, soft and worried but she didn't come to his side, she stayed by the other man's side. He wanted her with him but someone else had her attention. Someone who looked exactly like him.
