A/N: Thank you to Coles Guardian for adding me to their story alert. This chapter is posted for you. As for the other readers, if there are any other readers (I wouldn't know because no one reviewed) thanks for reading but I am pissed that not a single person reviewed. Shame on you.
Peter's POV
I was lounging on the couch after dinner going through some case files while Elle loaded the dishwasher, I would unload and dry after they were done. But I was quickly getting distracted and so pulled out my laptop to check on Neal, if anyone asked it was just force of habit just to make sure Neal wasn't up to any of his old shenanigans. Though to be honest I simply could not buy the 'Neal is a flight risk, he might break the rules any second now' thing anymore. I trusted Neal perhaps against my better judgment but I did anyway. Neal was a good man just a little misguided: hit by both a really bad childhood and Kate. That woman was no good for Neal and she had better stay away from him or he would come down on her sorry, selfish, lying, cheating, worthless ass so fast she wouldn't even realize what happened. I snapped out of my thoughts when the computer beeped slightly indicating that it had finished loading. I checked out his position from the last few hours and saw that he had gone to a bar and stayed there for quite a while for a while. I pulled up his current location and realized he was on his way to June's. I told Elle that I was going over to June's and that I was worried about Neal since he had been at a bar for around 3 hours. She smiled supportively at me and told me that she would be over in the morning with supplies. Sometimes I wonder what I had done to deserve a wife as amazing as Elle; I don't know what I would do without her. I got my car keys, my phone and my badge and bolted. I drove pretty recklessly but I did get there fast and in one piece in my defense. I rang the bell and tapped my foot impatiently as I waited. When the door was opened I rushed in and up the stairs leaving one very shocked housemaid in my wake. I banged on Neal's door and yelled that he had better open it or else. When the door was left closed I knelt down and silently thanked Neal for teaching me a few tricks. Once I got in I looked around and saw a half empty bottle of vodka and a completely empty shot glass next to it and cursed softly under my breath. I looked around the rooms and then went to the balcony, failing to find him there I cursed loudly and walked back in as I dialed Clinton's number, but just before the call got through I noticed a faint light seeping out from under the bathroom door and realized that Neal must be there. I disconnected the call at once and jiggled the door knob once and realizing it was locked knelt down and put my lock-picking skills to work again. (A/N sorry but there's something sooo hot about Peter picking a lock….or maybe that's just in my really messed-up head…..please don't kill me *slinks away *) Once he got the door open he noticed Neal immediately. He was slumped on the floor against the wall. His usually immaculate hair was extremely ruffled, his normally sharp gaze was unfocused and his clothes were all unbearably non-Neal Caffery-like-wrinkled. It was unsettling, kind of like the world has to have ended or at least have started rotating and revolving in the opposite direction. At any rate he was obviously good and soused and also a rather mellow drunk. I mean he wasn't even throwing a fit and breaking stuff or having a crying jag, he was just sitting there. I should have known better than to actually have expected him to though, a good con never lets his true feelings be known and Neal is the best one there is. I walked over to him and crouched down next to him. It was only then that his gaze shifted to my face and he said my name, just like that, so simply and hollowly that my heart ached. After having been 'his-own-FBI-stalker' for a period of time, then his 'handler', then his friend and partner, I think I can see through at least some of his mental walls and screens a little way into the enigma that is Neal. So that even in that apparent blankness and emptiness I saw a little flash of pain, and then I realized that if I had been able to see even that little bit than he must be feeling it pretty damn bad. I felt a sharp burst of pain lancing through me at the thought that something could have hurt Neal so much. I carefully put my arm around his shoulder and asked him to come back in with me in a soft voice. He complied without a sound and walked with me into the living room. He sat on the couch and after going to the kitchen to make some coffee using June's heavenly Italian roast I got him a glass of water and followed suit. We just sat there for a while in a slightly awkward silence. He was obviously very deeply immersed in his thoughts, so I took the opportunity to watch him. I mean really look at him, I see him everyday but I didn't see into him so much, I'd never had the opportunity to…he's generally too guarded nowadays, more than usual. Anyway I took in his tense body language, the slight amount of discontent in his mind-blowingly blue eyes, the slight darkness that marred his perfect skin. God he was beautiful!…..wait WHAT? I didn't just think that I mean; I'm his partner! Worse than that I'm his handler! I had power over him; it could be misconstrued as coercion! I'm straight! Neal's straight as well…...probably! He had Kate! He was also pretty messed up because of her! Neither of them needed this right now! And I didn't just leave Elle off the little list in my head because I forgot her, no I left her for the last because she's the most important reason! Anyway I just thought that Neal was beautiful, which he is. There's nothing wrong with that! Nothing at all! Neal was looking at me oddly now and I had better snap out of my thoughts really fast. So I blurted out the question I had been planning to ask him before I was sucked into that stupid little vortex of thoughts- I asked him what was wrong. He stared blankly at me for a couple of seconds which in itself worried me; Neal has always been quick-tongued. Then he said "Nothing is wrong" now this really got on my nerves
"Neal people don't get this drunk when nothing is wrong!" I snapped. "Tell me"
"Okay fine. There is something wrong" he amended
"What is it Neal you know you can tell me anything right" I said softly
"I can't tell you this Peter. Please" he murmured looking so broken
I put my arms around him and pulled him in tightly as the first tears trickled down his face. I held him till his sobs subsided then guided him to his bed. As I turned to leave and get a blanket and pillow for the couch, Neal grabbed at my hand peered at me through half-closed lids and said "Please don't leave me Peter" in a very small voice. I took one look at him and that was all I needed to make up my mind.
I said, "I won't Neal, I promise"
I sat on the edge of his bed and talked to him about nothing in particular until he fell asleep and his death grip on my arm loosened a bit and then I went and pulled a chair up for myself.
A/N: the next chapter will be in Elizabeth's point-of-view