A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.
Leslie's Point of View-
I woke Olivia up at 6:30 AM to get her ready for school, she was always good at going to school.
"We going to see Neal today?" Olivia asked.
"I don't know Olivia, I got work."
"I liked Neal mommy." Olivia said as she sat down eating the bowl of cereal I made her. I helped her finish getting ready for school, before we left to walk the five blocks to her school I grabbed Neal's business card off the fridge sliding it into my pocket. When we arrived to her school, I walked her up the front steps to the front door where we stopped, I squatted down in front of my daughter. "You want me to walk you to your room?" I asked fixing her uniform jacket.
"No, I got it." Olivia said, she has grown up so much.
"Be good, I'll be right here at 2, I got work at 3 so you gotta come with me."
"Okay." Olivia said as I kissed her cheek before I stood up opening the door for her letting her walk in and do her own thing. I did the walk of shame down the steps and back towards my apartment with my hands in my pockets holding tightly on Neal's business card and the change for the pay-phone that I had pulled out of my wallet last night in my other pocket, I haven't had the money to invest in a cellphone yet. I got to my apartment building stopping at the pay-phone picking up the phone and depositing the change before I punched in Neal's house number hoping he will be home. "I will give it to the fifth ring." I said to myself as the phone clicked on.
"Hello?" A female asked.
"Hello?" I asked shocked and confused.
"Who is this?" The female on the other side asked.
"Sorry, I must have the wrong number." I said hanging up and figured I will call back later. I went up to my apartment changing into my work clothes before I laid down for a nap. I woke up in enough time to grab a half sandwich before heading out of the apartment building trying to call Neal's house again but the lady picked up yet again, I hung up the moment I heard her say 'Hello?' I headed to Olivia's school picking her up and we headed to my work that was across town after I pickpocketed someone for cash and bought Olivia dinner with it for her to eat while I'm working. We walked into the diner, I sat her at the bar so the waitresses could keep their eyes on her and I could see her through the little cooks window. It was an average work night, she did her homework, ate and played on the kids menu until she fell asleep, I knew Olivia wishes she didn't have to come with me to work but until I can pay for an afterschool program or babysitter, this just has to do.
Neal's Point of View-
I walked into the house after walking home from the FBI headquarters.
"Neal, your home early." June said walking out with a vase of new flowers.
"Peter let me go early because there wasn't any work for me to do..."
"Thats good."
"Did I get any calls?"
"No...are you expecting one?"
"Yeah, at least I hope I would be..." I said starting to climb up the first couple of steps twirling my fedora in my hands thinking about Leslie.
"It wouldn't be a female that your expecting a call from is it?" She asked, I turned on the two steps I were on to look at June whose back was to me fixing the flowers in the vase.
"Why?" I asked curiously resting one of my hands on the railing.
"A girl called twice today, she didn't leave a name...she claims she had the wrong number..." June said as she looked over her shoulder at me, "You okay?"
"Yeah...when did this person call?"
"Last time was about 1ish..."
"Did she leave a number?"
"No...she hung up after claiming she had the wrong number..."
"Thanks June..." I said smiling before walking up rest of the steps and down the hall to my room seeing Mozzie sitting at the table working on his latest project. "Hey Moz." I said walking in hanging my hat on the edge of the chair and hanging my jacket on the back of the empty chair.
"Your home early, just in time to help me..." Mozzie said as I pulled out the chair and sat down.
"How can I help?" I asked as he scooted closer along with the project as he told me how to help him finish the project. "What is it?"
"You don't know?"
"Not really." I said standing up heading to my closet taking my tie off hanging it with my other ties.
"Fine...whatever..." Mozzie said as I walked back out grabbing the jacket and hat taking it with me into the closet. I hung up the jacket and put my hat on it's rack and begun unbuttoning my shirt to change it. "The art gallery is having an exhibt tonight."
"Anything that caught your eye?" I asked loud enough for him to hear.
"A few pieces...you want to come with?"
"Not tonight Moz..."
"Why not? We go to every one of these..." Mozzie said as I turned around seeing Mozzie standing in the door way.
"I'm going to Leslie's..."
"Leslie? That girl? Did she even call?" Mozzie said unenthused and in a bitter tone and he crossed his arms to show his emphasis.
"Not technically."
"Then why are you going to go over there then?" Mozzie asked undoing his arms throwing them to his sides.
"Because you of all people should know I don't give up."
"But what is the big deal about this girl?" Mozzie asked as I started tucking my shirt in.
"Because...she's one of us Moz."
"Fine...suite yourself..." Mozzie said as he left taking his latest project with him.
"He is such a weird man..." I said to myself after he left, I grabbed a coat that matched and my cell phone before I headed out of my loft a few moments after Mozzie.
"Where you off to? You just got home..." June said.
"I'm going to go see a girl..."
"I won't wait up then..." June said getting us both to smile. I walked out of the house trying to remember how to get to her apartment from my place. I found my way to her apartment building, walking up the steps to the door trying to open it but it was locked.
"Hm..." I said as I looked at what type of lock it was and try to see if they had any alarm systems. I went back to my loft grabbing the proper tools to pic the lock, I went back and begun my examination of the lock and begun the torture on the lock trying to get it to unlock when I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"What are you doing?" Leslie asked, I jumped up dropping my tools.
"Nothing..." I said as I squatted down picking up the tools I just dropped.
"To me it looks like your picking the lock." Leslie said as she climbed up the steps carrying Olivia in her embrace.
"Okay, you caught me."
"So besides being a pick pocket extradonire you are an expert at picking locks?"
"I am well-rounded...may I come up?" I asked.
"Okay...at least next time you try to break an entry you will know which room is mine." Leslie said.
"That may help..." I said chuckling a little as I put the tools in my jacket pocket. Leslie pulled her keys out handing them to me. "Which key?" I asked looking at four different keys.
"That one..." Leslie said pointing to the one key, I moved the keys around to where I held that key in my hand, I slid the key into the lock unlocking it and opened it for her. I walked in behind her and followed her to the stair case.
"You want me carry Olivia?" I asked.
"Nah, I got her." Leslie said as she started up the stair case, I was climbing up behind her to the fourth floor where we went down a hallway.
"There are this many people living her?" I asked kind of shocked.
"At the time I got this place, yes." Leslie said as she stopped in front of a door and I took note of what room it was.
"Which key is it?" I asked fumbling with the keys before she grabbed them from me doing it herself, I walked into her studio apartment behind her. I watched her lay Olivia down on the only bed they had as I locked the multiple locks she had on her door, at least I now know that they are somewhat secure in this room, I looked at each lock making sure it was a good brand of lock and each of them were well enough.
"Let's go in the bathroom." Leslie whispered.
"Why?" I asked curiously.
"So we won't wake Olivia."
"Right." I said as I followed her into the bathroom, we left the door cracked enough where we could hear her and hear the door in case someone would try to break in.
"What are you doing here?" Leslie asked.
"I came by to see if you tried to call earlier..."
"If I did?"
"Have you thought about my offer?" I asked sitting on the edge of the bathtub, it was odd.
"If I say no, are you going to pick your way into my place again?"
"I may..." I said smiling as she sat down beside me.
"I think I may be interested in learning more, apparently you know more than you let on."
"Yeah, more than you know."
"When are we having these 'teaching sessions?'"
"When can you make time?" I asked.
"I don't work on Tuesdays and Thursdays."
"What times you work?"
"I work from 2:30 PM to 10 PM." Leslie said.
"Well...why don't you come by Saturday?"
"What time?" She asked.
"Obviously before 2:30...why don't you come by my place about 9, I will cook you guys breakfast." I offered.
"That sounds great Neal, but are you sure?"
"Positive...my address is on the card...next time, call my cell."
"Will do..." She said smiling, we both stood up from the bathtub and she walked me out to the hall. "I would walk you down, but I don't trust this part of town."
"Don't blame you...be safe for me please?"
"Will do." She said as I nodded and went on my way, I stuck to myself and kept my eyes open for anyone and everyone as I left, I went back to my loft trying not to wake June since it is now almost midnight. I went into my empty place pulling out my laptop trying to do research on this 'Leslie' girl to see if I can find any good information about her but I didn't know her last name. I was getting so tired to the point where I couldn't read the screen due to the heaviness of my eyes. I shut the laptop off and changed into my pajamas to catch only a few hours of sleep before I had to go to work. I got up on time surprisingly and went to work grabbing a Starbucks on the way to work. I rode the elevator up to the White Collar unit and sat at my desk staring at the computer blankly taking sips of my coffee every few seconds.
"Long night?" Peter asked as he stopped by my desk sittng on the edge drinking from his #1 FBI agent coffee cup.
"You have no idea..." I said rubbing my face.
"I bet...I looked at your ankle bracelet record, what were you doing on the bad side of town, especially that late?"
"I was following up on a lead." I lied.
"That must of been some lead..." He said sipping his coffee, "What'd you get?"
"It didn't turn out well..."
"Come on..." Peter said.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Boss, you need to see this..." Diana said getting Peter to get off my desk, Peter and I followed her to the meeting room upstairs next to Peter's office.
"What do we have?" Peter asked.
"Another theft." Diana said as she flipped the sceen on as I took the seat at the end of the table setting my phone on the table. I started to read over the folder that was set down in front of me by a FBI agent when my phone began to ring, I looked at it not recognizing the number but figured it could be Leslie.
"Neal..." Peter said giving me a look than glanced to my phone.
"It's important..." I said standing up answering it as I made my way out of the room, "Hello?"
"Neal?" Leslie asked.
"Leslie, what's up?"
"I have no idea where you live, I've never heard of Olive View Rd."
"Okay, go down to 106th street, take a left and go to the second light which should be Elm, take another left to go to the first street which will be 107th, take a right and Olive View is the next street." I said in hopes she was able to remember it.
"I think I got it...what side is it on?"
"It'll be on the right." I said smiling.
"Okay...thanks."
"Have you told Olivia?"
"No, I figured it'll be a great surprise." Leslie said as I could tell she was smiling.
"It'll be fun..."
"I hope your right Neal..."
"I am." I said smiling.
"I'll see you tomorrow..."
"See you tomorrow." I said hanging up leaning against the railing holding the phone between my two hands smiling and excited for tomorrow, now I had to figure out what to cook.
"Who was that?" Peter asked walking up beside me.
"No one...got work to do..." I said before he could ask anymore, I went to my desk looking up recipes that a girl Olivia's age would like before I tried searching through their database for any Leslie's that lived in that area.
Peter's Point of View-
When I arrived to work, there was already a folder on my desk with the listing of places Neal had been throughout the night and when he checked in there. I had requested that I have one of these on my desk every morning when I get into work that way I can keep a tab on him and read it over before he arrives. As I was reading it over, I noticed one thing that stuck out the most and Neal would never be on that side of town so I knew something must be up that he isn't telling me. I looked up from the paperwork seeing Neal sitting at his desk sipping at his Starbucks coffee and staring at his computer blankly like he was barily keeping himself awake. I stood up putting the folder away before I exited my office with my #1 FBI agent coffee cup that Elizabeth had given me as a present. I filled it up with fresh coffee that was made in our break room before I went over to Neal's desk.
"Long night?" I asked sittng on the edge of his desk taking a sip from my coffee cup.
"You have no idea..." Neal said rubbing his face.
"I bet...I looked at your ankle bracelet record, what were you doing on the bad side of town, especially that late?"
"I was following up on a lead." Neal said making eye contact with me, but yet deep down I didn't believe nor trust him with that answer even though I really wanted to.
"That must of been some lead..." I said sipping my coffee, "What'd you get?"
"It didn't turn out well..."
"Come on..." I said hoping he will just give in.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Boss, you need to see this..." Diana said as I stood up from the desk as Neal and I followed her to the meeting room upstairs next to my office.
"What do we have?" I asked being handed a folder with the case work in it.
"Another theft." Diana said as she flipped the sceen on as I took the seat next to Neal seeing him rest his phone on the table as if he was expecting a call. I watched and listen to Diana go over the file as I will occasionally glance to mine to see exactly what she was talking about when I heard Neal's phone ringing, I looked up from the file looking at Neal who was staring at his phone confusingly like he didn't know the number.
"Neal..." I said in a stern tone in hopes he will ignore it or shut the phone up.
"It's important..." Neal said standing up answering it as he made his way out of the office talking on the phone with someone on the other end, I kept an eye on him but tried to stay focused at the crime on hand. I saw Neal hang up his phone smiling for once, it was a smile like his plan went well or something good is going to happen. I stood up exiting the office standing beside Neal leaning against the railing with him.
"Who was that?" I asked curiously.
"No one...got work to do." Neal said walking past me and down to his desk watching him begin typing away at his computer like he got an instant boost of energy added to him. I stopped Jones before he walked past me.
"Yes boss?" Jones asked.
"I want you to pull up everything Neal is doing on that computer and have it on my desk before I leave." I said.
"Yes sir." Jones said as I kept an eye on Neal as I went to my office watching Neal's every move until he finally got up leaving, he waved good-bye as he headed out of the office building. I waited the few moments while Jones printed out what I needed and bring it up to me, "Here you go sir...it wasn't much...he was mainly looking up recipes for breakfasts and searched our databases for a girl named Leslie, no last name though...but he did narrow the search down to Leslie's with a daughter..." Jones said handing me the report.
"Thanks Jones, good work..." I said taking the report from him.
"Anything else I can do sir?" Jones asked.
"No, your free to go." I said as I looked it over, "What are you doing Neal? Who is Leslie?" I asked trying to rack my brain to think if I have ever met a Leslie that is linked to Neal and I was hoping that she isn't another bad connection like Kate or Alex. I gathered my work files taking it home with me, I shut all the lights off as I was the last to leave the building yet again. I drove home trying to think of Leslie's, when I got home Elizabeth had surprised me with dinner and wine. "This is sweet honey..." I said kissing my wife on the lips as I set my breifcase next to the door, I loosened my tie and took my overcoat off hanging it on the coat rack.
"I thought you would like it after another long day at the office." Elizabeth said as we both sat at the table, but I couldn't stop thinking about this 'Leslie' girl Neal is searching for. "What's eating at you?" Elizabeth asked.
"I had Jones pull up what Neal was working on at his computer...it was weird...I am worried that he is planning something, and it's not good."
"Why do you think that?" Elizabeth asked as I pulled it out.
"He was searching breakfast recipes, then he was searching the FBI database for any girls in New York named Leslie with kids..."
"Yeah, that seems REAL weird..." Elizabeth said emphasizing real.
"Honey...who is Leslie? Why won't he tell me about her?"
"Maybe because you do stuff like this?" Elizabeth said as I looked to her. "Honey, you got to trust Neal, obviously she isn't that bad if he is looking up breakfast recipes, maybe he just wants to cook her breakfast." Elizabeth said.
"Maybe...how do I know that this 'Leslie' isn't going to distract him like Kate or Alex?"
"Has he been acting distracted lately?"
"Kind of..."
"Well, in a good or bad way?" Elizabeth asked.
"Neither..."
"I wouldn't worry about it until he begins to act up or you think it's interfereing with your cases again."
"I just can't shake this feeling..." I said finally digging into my dinner.
