A/N: A huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed. You are all amazing. Especially those who are reading because of my writing and have never watched he show. It makes me feel all giddy inside :)
A special thank you to my beautifully sleepy beta Same Here :) x
Part 3
"Can I go home yet?" Neal asked as he sat up more on the bed. The doctor, a middle aged man who spoke to him like a child, much to Peter's amusement, had just finished checking him over.
"Do you live alone?" The doctor asked. "You'll need some help moving around, and the painkillers I'm going to give you are quite strong."
"I'm sure I can manage." Neal sighed. He hated hospitals, there was something about the smell, the clean walls, the sounds of sick people that made his skin itch.
"He can stay with me. Till he gets on his feet." Peter said, his mind not catching up to what he had just proposed until the words were already out of his mouth.
"I..." Neal frowned at Peter. He hadn't expected that at all.
"Elizabeth is out of town, I have a spare room." Peter said, adopting the doctor's tone and talking to Neal like a toddler. "It's no trouble at all." He sighed. "And I'm not taking no for an answer." Neal shut his mouth, and tried to suck his lip in, it would do no good pouting right now.
"Okay," Neal said instead. "Thank you."
"It's no problem," Peter smiled, relieved that Neal hadn't put up a fight.
"I'm going to run you up for a scan, now that you're awake we can get a better reading. Make sure there's no bleeding," The doctor smiled. "You're fully responsive and I'm confident that they'll come back clear but its procedure."
"We understand." Peter smiled, before Neal could say it wasn't needed. "We don't mind waiting." Peter swore he could see Neal's lips mumble something about that, but he ignored it. One more scan and then they would go back to Peter's house. The doctor smiled and walked out of the room. "Don't say anything Neal." Peter laughed. "You need to be checked over before you can leave."
"I'm fine Peter." Neal sighed.
"Really?" Peter raised an eyebrow. "That's why whenever you move it looks like you're about to scream in pain, or when it gets louder you hold your head?"
"Awh, Peter I'm touched you've noticed." Neal said sarcastically, but honestly he meant every word.
An hour later, Neal was sent for his scan. Peter and Mozzie were both glad that the nurse had come to get him; he had spent the hour moaning about hospitals and how much he wanted to leave. "You know I could stay at his place," Mozzie said, once it was just him and Peter.
"He'll only just convince you to leave." Peter smiled. "I don't mind looking after him, to be honest I'm kind of bored on my own,"
"Okay," Mozzie nodded. "If you're sure..."
"I am." Peter said strongly. He didn't want Mozzie to change his mind about this. "I can keep him busy, look at cases and things."
"Okay," Mozzie nodded. "You know you're good for him." Peter frowned at the statement, he wasn't expecting Mozzie to say that. "He used to be just a con man."
"And now?" Peter asked quietly.
"And now he's mostly just a man." He said softly.
"Well I'm glad." Peter smiled, he didn't know what else to say. Though he could see the change in Peter, a part of him wouldn't let himself believe that Neal was changing, he made himself believe that it was a con. It would hurt less when Neal left him, he was sure.
"In an odd way, suit, so am I." Mozzie smiled. Peter nodded, knowing that was a big thing for the shorter man to admit too. "I'll go to his apartment, get some more of his clothes." Mozzie said.
"Thanks." Peter smiled, and with that Mozzie left, leaving Peter alone in the hospital room.
Sighing tiredly, Peter collapsed back onto the chair and stretched. Now that Neal was awake and okay he could just breathe. After taking five long breaths he pulled open his phone and sent a text to Elizabeth, telling her that Neal was okay. She had wanted to fly back from her parent's house to see Neal, and to make sure Peter was okay, but Peter didn't want her to see him like this. He couldn't be strong for her if he was a wreck. Peter then grabbed the bag that Jones had brought in and pulled off the bloody shirt, and pulled on the FBI training tee that he had brought for him to change into. Peter pulled a face at the smell and realised he should probably have changed days ago, he just hadn't the energy to. Finally, he called work. He told them of the situation, and put in a last minute holiday request taking at least a week off. They all understood and nobody questioned it. Peter did say if they really needed him to call, but had been assured they'd be fine. Peter hoped so. He had come so close to losing Neal, that at that moment he didn't want to let him out of his sight.
As Neal had deemed before the scans, the tests showed no sign of brain damage, no bleeding or any other problems his beatings could have left. Neal was fine to go home and was itching to leave. "I can walk." Neal said loudly as the nurse wheeled a black wheel chair through to their room. Peter rolled his eyes at the glare Neal was giving the chair. "Peter. You are not wheeling me around in that." Neal protested.
"Neal." Peter sighed, "You're hurt. Getting from the bed to the scanner must have hurt a lot, you look exhausted, and I'm not carrying you."
"I can make it." Neal said stubbornly. "Please, just let me try." Neal added quietly, looking at Peter with wide eyes. He needed to do this, he couldn't give up.
"Okay." Peter sighed, though he knew it was probably a bad idea, especially when the doctor was looking at him in a way that Peter read as 'have you lost your mind?' Peter wasn't sure if he had lost his mind yet or not, but he knew trying was important to Neal, so he would give him that.
Neal stood up slowly, putting pressure on his legs made them buckle, but Peter was at his side and wrapped an arm around his waist and helped him walk. The nurse followed with the wheel chair, they all knew at some point on their journey from the fifth floor to the ground that Neal would need a rest. One slow but sure step at a time they made it to the elevator, Neal was breathing heavily as every muscle in his body ached. Peter wondered if maybe the decision for Neal to leave the hospital had been too hasty, was Neal ready? Peter wasn't sure, but he knew that he would help him. Neal was too stubborn to agree to stay in the hospital. He would have discharged himself and gone home alone, who knew what would have happened if he had done that! Peter squeezed his eyes shut and looked down, all he had in his head was the image of Neal falling from his bed, his body curled on the floor, unable to get up.
"Peter, you okay?" Neal asked looking at his handler with worried eyes.
"You're in complete agony, and you're asking me if I'm okay, it's my turn to be touched." Peter smiled, hoping to distract Neal from his original question.
"You look tired, you haven't slept much since it happened have you?" Neal pressed.
"Not as much as you, no." Peter smiled honestly. "I'll sleep when we get in, I'm sure your painkillers will probably knock you out."
"Probably." Neal grimaced. He hated not being in control, and that is exactly what would happen being sedated as a result of medication.
Peter smiled and pressed the button for the elevator. As he stood he held Neal up, he could feel the younger boy's body sagging against him. "Please get in the chair." Peter whispered. "It doesn't make you weak Neal."
"It doesn't?" Neal asked tiredly.
"It doesn't." Peter confirmed and helped him in to it. He took over the nurse's role of pushing the chair and guided him into the elevator, he pressed the button to get to the ground floor and once they arrived there he pushed him to the parking garage. "You should sit in the back, more room." Peter said, looking down at the man in the chair who was already fast asleep. Peter looked at the nurse and together they helped him gently into the back seat of Peter's car, belting him in and putting him into what they thought to be a comfortable position without waking him up.
Peter thanked the nurse and slid into the front seat, he let his head rest on the steering wheel and took a deep breath. They were finally going home, out of the hospital and Neal was awake and Neal was okay. He shook his head, calming his thoughts as he started the car, driving them back to his house. Getting Neal out of the car took a lot of work, mainly because Neal was heavier than he looked, and only just awake enough to help himself get to the spare room. Peter didn't bother about changing him, he just helped him with his shoes, laid him down and gave him his medication. "Get some rest." He whispered, putting the blanket around him. Neal didn't reply, he was already fast asleep.
Slowly, Peter walked out. He headed to the bathroom and stripped out of his clothes, he put the shower on and stood under the harsh spray of cold water, not bothering to wait for it to warm. He washed away the past few days, his own body more then exhausted. He wiped his face, he wasn't expecting to feel tears as well as water droplets on his face, but he didn't question them. He put them down to the fact that it had been a long couple of days. He got out of the shower, pulled on some sweat pants and an old tee and curled up on his bed, not five minutes later he was fast asleep.
