Disclaimer: White Collar is the property of Jeff Eastin and USA Network. OCs are my own. Story is my own.

A/N: Sorry for taking forever! Since the last chapter I've started college, got a job at Petsmart, quit my job at Petsmart, got a job at my university's library, got a job as a dance teacher, worked by butt off in classes, academic and dance, started a workout regimen with my friend and so on and so forth. But you probably don't care about that. So on with the chapter!

-Side note: NaNo and GothNo are fast approaching, and will consume my time for October and November. I will still try to work on the story, but I can't make any promises on how often it will be updated. For updates, follow me on Twitter (I recently changed my Twitter username).

twitter(dot)com/fancyfedoras


"Do you think he wants something?" Severen asked. He was sketching an angel for a patron that was gabbing with her friends at the front of the shop, boasting about how well she could handle the pain of tattooing and showing off the last piece she'd gotten- a small lotus flower stamped on her wrist.

"What would he want from me?" Lily countered, arranging the little containers of ink at Severen's station and rummaging through a draw for fresh, sanitized needles.

"Money?" Severen suggested.

"He'd know better than to think I had money."

"Then just help, maybe?"

"Help with what?" Lily sank onto the chair that was meant for the bouncy blonde costumer up front. She tugged at the elastic band around her wrist, a nervous habit she'd had for years. "Neal hasn't spoken to me since I was fourteen. He hasn't made any move to contact me, nothing at all. He moved out, and that was that. The only reason I even knew he went to jail was because of a news broadcast. I didn't even know he got out!"

She sighed heavily, rolling her head towards the ceiling. She took a few deep breaths before looking back to Severen. His pencil had slipped from his grasp and was rolling back and forth over the great feathered wing of the angel. Severen himself had turned himself to face his girlfriend, his brown eyes glistening.

"Maybe he just wants to make peace."

Lily shrugged. "Maybe."

She hopped down from the chair and offered a small smile, running her hand through Severen's hair. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her in a little closer.

"Do you want me to go to lunch with you?" he offered.

"That'd be nice." She leaned in to kiss him, but out of the corner her of her eye she spotted Dan emerging from his office in the back, scanning the room, and was reminded of his workplace public display of affection rule. "You ready for her?" she asked, pulling away and nodding towards the bottle-blonde beauty.

"Send her back."


The Garden Rose was a small and quaint café conveniently located across the street from Regal Ink. It had, as its name suggested, roses everywhere- in bouquets on the tables, drawn in pink chalk on specials board outside, laced around the legs of the outdoor chairs. Looking around, Peter felt almost intimidated by the feminine quality of the place. In the seat next to him, Neal seemed tense as well, although something about the rigidity of his consultant made Peter believe that it wasn't the flowers that made him nervous.

"Maybe she isn't coming," Neal suggested, glancing across the street for the umpteenth time.

"Give her time," Peter replied. "We got here early anyway."

Neal was quiet for a few moments, and Peter pretended he didn't see the younger man turn his wrist over every few moments to see that, no matter how many times he looked, it was still going to be 1:16 for the next thirty seconds.

"I thought you wanted to see her," Peter said. Neal shrugged.

"I thought so, too."

An uncomfortable silence settled over them, broken only by the waitress named Donna asking if they'd like anything to drink. They ordered iced teas and then went back to their conversation.

"Maybe she forgot," Neal suggested. Peter shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, but when he started to say his consultant's name, a different voice came out.

"Neal," it said, and Peter whirled around to see Lily fast approaching, her hand glued to that of her boyfriend's, whose name had slipped Peter's mind in the moment.

"Lily," Neal replied, quiet, slowly rising from his seat. The siblings stood still for a moment, neither sure of what to do, until Neal held out his hand and Lily took it, shaking it halfway until she decided the gesture was too simple, too proper, and pulled her brother into a hug. As the two Caffreys embraced, Peter stood and offered his hand to the girl's boyfriend.

"Peter Burke," he introduced.

"Severen Moore," Severen replied, shaking the older man's hand. "I guess you've already met Lily."

"Hm?" Lily said, suddenly back in reality after releasing Neal. "Oh, yeah. Hi, Agent Burke."

"Peter."

"Oh, sure. Sorry. Peter." She smiled to him, and there was the awkward silence again, settling like a blanket over the four.

"Well," Neal said slowly, desperate to end the silence. "Would you two like to sit?"

"Sit?" Lily said. "Sit. Yes. Sit. Sitting would be good. Let's um…Let's sit."

Severen nudged her with his elbow, halting her babble long enough for the two of them to take seats across from Peter and Neal and order their iced teas. All the while Neal was trying not to look at the sister who had been wasting away the last time he saw her. She was still thin, but as deathly so as she had been. She had a healthier glow to her skin. There weren't bruises dotting her arms anymore, and she could speak without sounding like she was falling asleep in front of her.

And then there were the things that were the same. They way she twisted her hair when she was nervous, the ways her eyes darted back and forth like she thought she was going to be caught stealing something. Her nails, chewed down the quick, covered up by dull blue polish. The torn up jeans and the old canvas bag covered in buttons of bands and witty sayings.

"So," Lily said. "What have you been up to?"

"Oh…You know," Neal shrugged.

"Breaking out of prison?"

"Once."

"Working with the FBI?"

"So I don't have to break out again." Peter shot Neal a warning look, and the young con artist gave a sad, apologetic glance. "What have you been doing?"

"Me?" Neal nodded. Lily sighed. "A lot, I guess."

"Are you…"

"No," she almost snapped. She caught herself quickly, shaking her head. "I mean…No. I'm not."

"At all?"

"At all." Neal eyed her carefully. "What, you don't believe me?"

Neal felt her getting hostile. Like a wildcat, her hair was rising, her claws were ready. "Yeah, I guess I believe you."

"You guess?"

"I believe you, ok?" Neal sighed. Lily nodded carefully, and there was the silence again. It seemed like a lurking predator, waiting to wash over them at any moment. Lily was staring at the table, until finally she looked up, her blue eyes latching onto her brother's.

"Neal, I-"

"What can I get you kids?" the waitress, Donna, interrupted. Lily sank back in her seat, listening to all the men take their orders. "And you for you, Miss?"

"Just a Greek salad," she said softly.

"Ok, you're food will be out ASAP!" Donna said with far too much pep. She flitted to the next table. When she came back with the food, everyone ate quietly, a few pleasantries passed, until finally the table was cleared and the four were standing up and readying to leave. Peter said a quick goodbye to Severen, and then to Lily, and told Neal he was going to hail a taxi. Severen made an excuse about accidently leaving something at the shop, leaving the Caffrey siblings alone for the first time in more than five years.

"Neal?" Lily asked softly.

"Yeah?"

"I really did stop."

"How long?"

"Going on three years."

"That's…" Neal paused, looking his little sister over. "That's really great, Lily. I'm really…really proud of you."

"Thanks." Lily glanced at the sidewalk. "It's because of you, you know."

"What is?" Lily gestured to herself.

"This."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that..." She shook her head. "I found out that you-"

"Neal!" They both glanced down the block, seeing Peter waiting, holding open a cab door. "Let's go! Lunch break ended ten minutes ago!"

"I'm coming!" Neal called. "I guess have to go."

"Yeah, yeah," Lily waved it off. "Go. We'll uh….I'll talk to you later."

"You promise?"

"Give me your phone." Neal handed over the Blackberry Peter had allowed him to purchase shortly after his 2 mile leash had been attached. Lily fumbled with the buttons for a few moments before handing it back. "Call me later," she said simply.

"I….okay."

"Promise?" She held out her pinky finger to him, earning a smirk.

"Promise," he said, linking his finger with hers.

"Okay," Lily smiled. The released her brother's finger and slipped into the New York City crowd.