Author's Note: I have noticed that quite a few people have commented on Peter's and Neal's amount of trust in the show. As stated in the first chapter they had just gotten through a very long and boring day. Peter was not in a very good mood that is why he is acting the way he is. I am not trying to sound rude or defensive, just trying to clear up the confusion as clearly as possible. Neal has also used the system to his own advantage a few times on the show and I decided to use that against Peter having complete and total trust in Neal. Don't get me wrong, he still trusts Neal just not completely. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and watches! It really made my day so please keep it up!

Elizabeth Burke sighed softly in a regretful annoyance. She really needed a good night's sleep but now she had a sick feeling in her gut. She was worried about the young con-artist and her motherly instincts were kicking in at full force.

Neal, what have you gotten into this time? Where are you? The questions raced through her head as she pushed the bed covers aside and got up. She glanced briefly at the hand-cuffs on the bedside table next to her and rolled her eyes.

I swear, if men were able to have 'that time of the month' like us woman Peter would be so… El stopped that thought as she turned the TV onto an old NCIS episode. She gazed at the screen, not really watching the show, eyes glassy.

"Might as well shower." She mumbled to herself as she stepped into the bathroom. She took her time and enjoyed the warmth of the water before getting out and drying off. Dressing into some sweats and a long-sleeved shirt, El went down to the kitchen and heated up some hot chocolate.

The silence in the house was eerie and she looked out the window when she heard a low rumbling noise.

Thunder. She rolled her eyes and hoped that this storm wouldn't make the power go out. Last time a thunder storm had gone through here had knocked the power out and the food in the fridge had ended up going bad before the power was restored. She did not want that to happen again.

Peter sat in his office chair staring at his coffee cup disinterestedly. An open file sat on his desk but it was obvious that the FBI agent wasn't interested in its contents. He picked up the cup and drained the rest of the liquid in a long swallow. Sighing, he got up and went downstairs to the coffee machine.

This really can't be good for my health, he thought as he watched the coffee machine refill the cup. And its probably a record for me, fifth one in quite a few hours.

Once the cup was refilled Peter carried it back to his desk and picked up the broken tracking device. He couldn't for the life of him understand why Neal would spontaneously decide to run for it.

The 32 year old was much smarter than that. And it just wasn't Neal's style to send the item back to the FBI.

The alarm bells that were going off inside his head were making him feel nauseas and he got up, pacing the width of his office. Something was just plain wrong.

"Peter, you know you can trust me right?" That question, so innocent and hopeful kept running through Peter's head as he tried to reason out what Neal had really been trying to ask him.

"Promise me you'll be there for me when I need you." Damn it Neal what the hell have you gotten yourself into?

Peter closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly. Work brain, work damn it, he coaxed none too kindly.

Elizabeth was blissfully unaware of the weak knock that tapped across her front door. She was sitting curled up on the couch still sipping out of her cup of hot chocolate. She had a blanket wrapped around her and she was just about to fall asleep when a fist hammered against the door.

She jumped in surprise and grabbed the gun that was locked in the safe and walked cautiously over to the front door. Who the heck is at the front door at this time in the morning? El wondered as she peered out of the peep-hole. Her hands went slack in surprise and she dropped the gun immediately without even realizing it. Her hands fumbled with the lock and swung the door open hastily. "Neal!"

The young consultant looked at her blankly before his eyes rolled and he fainted. His face was white and tremors constantly wracked his body. Neal's clothes were soaked in blood and she could see the precious liquid running down his left arm.

Bending down she grabbed him from under the armpits and pulled forward relentlessly. El knew that he was hurt (duh) but she also knew that she had to get him out this rain and the freezing cold temperatures.

"Neal, you weigh a lot heavier than you look." She informed the unconscious man as she struggled to pull him inside the house.

As soon as she had managed to move him just inside the front door, El left him briefly to shut the door. "Neal, what have you gotten into?" She clucked the rhetorical answer.

"E-l?" The weak reply startled El so much that she flattened herself against the door before she turned around.

"Neal?" She walked over to him and sat down next to him.

Neal grunted and opened his eyes slowly. He made a small whimpering noise as he attempted (and failed) to sit up. He narrowed his eyes in confusion before he remembered that he had come here himself.

El moved her hand to his chest immediately and pushed him back down to the ground gently. "Take it easy Neal." She soothed.

"S'rry." He slurred weakly as he let his body relax again.

"For what?"

" 'Bout the magic ankle tether."

"Neal you don't need to be sorry about that." El told him as she started to check his injuries. At least not to me, she added mentally.

She pressed down on a nasty cut in his side; trying to staunch the blood flow. Neal's back arched in surprise and cried out in pain. He inhaled sharply a few times before regaining control of himself.

"Sorry Neal." Elizabeth apologized, wincing herself as she applied more force to the injury in order to stop the bleeding.

When she didn't get an answer Elizabeth glanced at him. "Neal?"

"M'till 'ere." He slurred drowsily.

"Just making sure. Hang in there." She encouraged. Elizabeth was scared for the young con artist and she knew that she should be calling for help and telling Peter, but she was to afraid for Neal to leave his side.

After a few more minutes of battling the should I's and the should I not's Elizabeth released the pressure on Neal's side and got up stiffly.

It took her a while to actually locate the phone but once she did Elizabeth dialed Peter's number.

"Hello?" Peter answered his phone with a frown. Something must be wrong if El was calling him right now and it only added onto his anxiety.

"Peter? I need you to come home. Now." She sounded scared, worried and urgent at the same time.

"Why? What's wrong?" Peter asked as he grabbed his stuff and started walking out the door hurriedly.

"It's Neal." The statement was simple.

"What about Neal?" Peter asked a little bit exasperated with his wife for not just telling him what was wrong.

"Peter, he's here…" There was the sound of a loud swallow, like she was trying to contain emotions. "Peter he's in a real bad shape."

Peter's heart picked up immediately "I'm on my way. Keep him awake or try to wake him up."

"I will." El promised him. "See you in a little bit."

"I'll see you soon."

Peter's car came to a screeching halt when he pulled into his driveway. He raced out of the car and into the house.

"El?"

"In here, Peter." His wife's voice called back to him from the living room.

Neal was lying on the couch, pale, trembling and panting. The kid was obviously in terrible pain and if it was half as bad as he looked….

Peter shuddered not wanting to think about how much his partner was hurting. It was killing him to see Neal like this.

"He told me not to send him to the hospital." El told Peter, voice laced with worry.

Peter glanced at her sharply. "Do you know why?"

"No." She answered shaking her head.

Peter leaned forward and gently prodded Neal in an area where he wasn't hurt. A low groan answered him and then his hand was smacked away weakly as if Neal was swatting at an annoying fly.

"P- Peter." Neal greeted him.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"Don' take 'e to the hosp'." Neal begged his blue eyes wide.

"Neal, you need to go to the hospital. In case you didn't notice, you look like crap."

The consultant grabbed Peter's fore-arm, his grip surprisingly strong. "No." He hissed sharply. "The'll find 'e if you do."

"Who'll find you?" Peter asked, deeply concerned. What in the world has Neal gotten into? The FBI agent wondered. Only you Neal would be able to get yourself into such a mess. It was true.

Peter had never met a man that was such a trouble magnet before Neal Caffrey had walked into his life.

"The Hawk."

Author's Note: I really am spoiling you guys... updating so fast... writing two White Collar fanfics at the same time...

So spoil me back with a review...

You don't even to write anything complicated, even "Good job" will be good enough for me!