TUESDAY

Hughes marched into Agent Burke's office holding high a little piece of paper feeling mighty proud of himself. "Oh ye of little faith my good man. Behold, one official immunization certificate issued at the Sega Center two weeks ago."

Peter couldn't resist a smirk. "Let me see that."

Reece handed over the certificate to his subordinate. "You should have more trust in your partner, Peter. I'm a little disappointed." Although the comment wasn't made with any seriousness.

"Yes, Reece. I should be ashamed of myself. The young kid deserves more." He handed back the evidence and Reece headed for the door. "Of course, you would have checked out the validity of the certificate? Knowing full well that the young man in question is one of the best forgers on the planet?"

Reece stopped mid-stride. "Oh for crying out loud, Peter. Get the Sega Center on the phone!" The older man had lost his good humour.

Peter had not. He was enjoying this way too much. He put the phone on loud speaker.

"Hello, Sega Center Main Management Office. How can I help you?"

"Hello, this is Agent Peter Burke calling from the FBI White Collar Division. I need to speak with someone who may be able to help me with a query I have about a walk-in immunization clinic you held in your center two weeks ago."

"I'm sorry sir but there's been no immunization clinic recently."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes sir. Our center has been closed to the public for the past three months while we undergo an intensive restoration project."

"Thank you for your help."

"Thank you sir."

The phone line disconnected and Reece glared at Peter before charging out onto the balcony. "Caffrey!"

Neal saw the two finger point and bolted up the stairs. Peter just shrugged sweetly at the younger man as he passed his office.

"Shut! The! Door!"

Neal put himself in a seat. Clearly he was in a lot of trouble. "Yes sir?"

Hughes loomed over his desk and slammed the offensive piece of paper onto the table top. "You lied to me Neal! You lied to me Sunday night, you lied to me yesterday, and you lied to me when you handed me this!" Reece slammed his hand down hard on top of the certificate.

Neal flinched but remained silent.

"What do you have to say for yourself young man?"

"Three strikes, I'm out?" Neal tried to lighten the very dark mood in the room.

Reece walked around the desk and stood over the top of the seated CI. He reached down and lifted his chin so he had direct eye contact. "Wrong answer," he growled. "Six pm sharp. Don't. Be. Late." He released his hold and Neal shot to his feet, taking a quick step to the door.

"Yes sir."

W-C

Reece paced back and forth across his living room, shooting the occasional dagger at his young brat who was seated on the couch. Neal steeled himself for what would surely be a painful lecture and an even harsher punishment. He couldn't wait!

Reece finally joined the younger man on the couch and wrapped a caring arm around his shoulders. Neal was happily surprised. "Look young one, I understand you're not too keen to get a shot at the clinic tomorrow but I think it's very important. Last winter, we had a dreadful flu virus spread through the Bureau and there were so many agents knocked off their feet for a fair stint. I'd hate to see you that ill and if there's even a small chance the immunization will prevent you getting the flu then I think it's well worth it. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir." Neal snuggled in close to his top.

"I'm relived to hear that young one." He pushed the kid gently away from his body. "Now, go get me the paddle please."

Neal sprung to his feet. "What?"

"You heard me."

"So what. Now you're going to spank me because I didn't want to have a needle?" It was Neal's turn to pace, only he did it with more flare.

"Neal." Reece stood up and blocked the next pass. "I'm not about to spank you for being worried about having a needle, I'm going to paddle your behind for blatantly lying to me. Three! Times!" The agent held up three fingers right under the younger man's nose.

"Fine!" Neal stormed over and removed the heavy wooden paddle from the antique drawers of the sideboard. He handed it over to his top and waited impatiently while Reece unbuckled his pants and pushed them along with his boxers to the ground. Neal slid across his lap, clearly unhappy with direction this had headed.

"Neal." Reece patted the back of his young brat. "I'm paddling you for lying to me. Please don't confuse this with anything else."

"Fine."

Reece, realizing he wasn't getting anywhere, picked up the paddle and slammed it hard against the young man's unprotected backside. He delivered another half dozen swats and then placed the paddle on the arm of the chair. Neal had started crying softly but soon stopped and turned to look back up at the older man. "Is it over?"

"Yes, for now." He used his firm agent voice. "But be warned young man, any more lying, for whatever the reason, will see you back in the same position, only next time, I'll add on the ones I should have given you tonight. Clear?"

"Yes sir."

Reece rubbed his hand gently across the light red surface of the young man's backside. "It's going to be okay, young one. I'll take care of you."

Neal loved the sound of that more than anything. Now if he could just get through the next three days without his top killing him, everything would be right with the world.

WEDNESDAY

Neal was sitting across from Peter in the agent's office when the boss walked in. "Here's that report on the Grayson Robbery you asked to be sent through from DC."

"Thanks, Hughes."

"Oh, by the way," he turned to the CI, "is now a good time to steal Neal away from you Peter? He needs to head down to the clinic."

Peter looked across at his young partner and watched as his face went a ghostly shade of white. "Yeah. Any time is fine."

"Okay then young man, let's go."

"I think I'm quite capable of heading down three flights of stairs and back without an escort." The young CI stood up and continued with his indignant tone, "The last thing I need around here is to be seen with the boss holding my hand while I get a little shot." He swung his jacket over his shoulder. "Please, it's insulting."

Reece studied the young man and then relented, "Fine. But I'll be checking up." He pointed a warning finger at the CI.

Peter just rolled his eyes. Could he possibly be that gullible? The man was in charge of a division that investigated conmen and fraud and yet he was oblivious to it in his own back yard. Unbelievable!

Neal returned thirty minutes later holding an immunization certificate. He handed it over to Hughes who took it for close examination. "Now, was that worth all the fuss?"

"No sir. It was no big deal. I'll be better next year." He gave his boss a dazzling smile and turned towards the door.

"Not so fast young man." Neal stopped and turned back.

"Yes sir?"

"I said I'd be checking up." He held up a finger while at the same time pressing a couple of digits on the intercom. "Reece Hughes speaking. I need you to check your records to see if a patient by the name Caffrey has had his immunization yet."

"Yes, I'll wait." Reece tapped his fingers on the desk while Neal waited patiently by the door.

"He has, yes, fine, thank you." Reece hung up the phone.

"Well done young man. I'm very proud of you." The agent almost gave a smile to his young CI.

"Thank you sir."

"Now…"

"I know, get back to work." Neal gave a little nod and trotted out the door.

W-C

Hughes called in to see Peter later that afternoon. The younger agent was standing behind his desk trying to put on his suit jacket. "You just caught me, Reece. I'm just going to run down to the clinic before they close. What's up?" Peter checked his watch.

"No don't worry, it can wait till later." Reece retreated out the door and headed back to his office.

Peter made himself comfortable in the chair opposite the nurse and rolled up his sleeve. He chatted with her casually while she gave him his shot. Peter asked if anyone had given her a hard time today and before he knew it, they were talking about Neal. She remembered the young man clearly. His startling blue eyes, his smart dress sense, how he'd come when she hadn't had any other patients and they chatted for a while. He had looked a little pale and she'd offered to go get him a glass of water but no, he hadn't required a flu shot, he'd already had one.

"Two weeks ago?"

"Yes, that's right. Said he'd gone with a friend to get in early."

Peter reached for the computer on a table to the side and pressed a few button. Neal's face appeared sweetly on the screen. "This the guy?"

"Yes. That's him."

"And he didn't have a shot."

"Absolutely not."

Peter pointed at the immunization book on the desk and tapped his finger on a very familiar name. "Yet your records here say that he has."

Two hours later, Neal Caffrey found himself lying across his tops lap, getting his bare backside soundly spanked. The older man was only using his hand, but that was certainly painful enough where Neal was concerned. "You. Will. Stop. With. All. The. Lies. Young. Man." Each word was followed up with a very hard smack to Neal's stinging butt.

Reece stopped the spanking and began to rub gentle circles over his brat's back. "Listen Neal, tomorrow I'm going to help you through this. We'll go early before anyone else gets there and I'll go with you. I shouldn't have let you go by yourself. I'm sorry, young one."

"Snot your fault." Neal managed to get a few words out between sobs.

"Well I feel like I let you down. I won't do that again." Reece began to play with his brat's hair while the young man calmed himself down. The crying had stopped but his breathing was still irregular. "Tomorrow morning, we'll call in at the pharmacy on the way and I'll get you an Emla Patch."

"Aren't they for little kids and babies?"

"And also for little brats who have a big needle phobia. See any one like that around here?" Reece gave the young man's backside another swat.

"Hey!"