Neal came to slowly, his body protesting the effort of cracking open an eye. He settled for just the one, finding it easier than trying to force the other and focus them at the same time. A quick glance told him he was in a hospital. Another look and he could see Peter at his bedside, awkwardly slumped in a tacky blue-cushioned hospital chair.
Neal cleared his throat, which still hurt from when Nikolai had tried to strangle him. The sound started Peter and nearly caused him to falling out of the chair.
"Hey buddy! How are you feeling?"
"About as bad as you look, I guess."
It was true. Neal opened his other eye and took in Peter's haggard appearance. The man's clothes looked like they had been slept in, and it looked like he hadn't shaved in days.
"Peter, how long…? What happened?"
Peter took a deep breather and ran a hand through his hair. He leaned in toward Neal, "do you remember anything?"
The conman thought back. Everything seemed kind of jumbled. There was the party, and then- "It's all kind of hazy."
His friend nodded solemly. "Nikolai had a knife on him. You were stabbed, Neal. You nearly bled out. You would have, if Jones hadn't shown up when he did."
"Oh. Well, that explains a lot. I guess I owe Jones one."
"You- what?!" Peter leapt to his feet. "Damn it, Neal! How can you be so- so casual about this?"
Neal shrugged. "Look, Peter… calm down, okay? I'm all right."
"You're in the damn hospital, Neal! You were stabbed! I saw you lying there, bleeding. I saw you-"
Peter cut off suddenly and turned away from the bed. Neal lay there, completely stunned. He had rarely seen Peter lose himself like that, and it only happened when things went horribly, horribly wrong.
Neal reached out and weakly grabbed at Peter's pant leg. "Peter," he asked softly, "what happened? What did you see?"
When Peter turned around, he looked as though he had aged five years in the span of a few seconds. Tear shone in his eyes, and Neal was suddenly afraid.
"I saw you die."
It was spoken so softly that Neal barely heard it. As it was, it took a moment for the words to sink in. "I saw you die…"
"Peter, I'm sorry."
The agent sat down heavily. "No, Neal. Listen, I'm sorry. I should have been more careful during that bust. I shouldn't have let you go after Nikolai."
The guilt pouring off of the agent was palpable. Neal knew that Peter had probably refused to leave the hospital, feeling as though it was his duty to personally make sure Neal didn't make check out permanently.
"Listen, Peter. You can't blame yourself for this. Even if you had tried to keep me from chasing after Nikolai, do you really think I would have listened? At least it was me, and not an agent that went down there."
The look that settled on Peter's face sent Neal as far down into his pillow as he could physically get. The man was back on his feet, towering over the conman. "Don't you dare say that, Neal! What the hell are you thinking? Why on earth would you think that your life is worth less than theirs?"
Blue eyes snapped up. "You."
That surprised the agent and he took a step back. "What?"
"You, Peter. You're the one who stood there only a few weeks ago and told me that I was just a criminal. After everything we've been through, that's all I am to you? After what I did for you, that's how you thank me?"
"Look, Neal. I told you that I appreciate whatever you did to get James to confess, but-"
"He never confessed, Peter!"
"What?"
Neal raised his head as far as he could, anger fueling his battered body. "Yeah, Peter, you heard me. James never confessed. I left that message. After you were arrested, James went underground. Not even Mozzie's connections could find him. El was getting desperate, and there wasn't anything else we could do without James. So I did what I had to do to save you. Don't act surprised, Peter. After all, I am just a criminal!"
"You falsified evidence?! Damn it, Neal. I never asked you to do that! Do you realize what could have happened? What will happen, once this comes out?"
"So don't tell them. You didn't do it. You've been cleared. Why open it back up at all?"
Peter paced the room angrily. "Because, if this comes up- and it will, eventually- then we are all screwed. You go to jail, I go to jail. Game over, Neal." He turned back to the conman, a mix of emotions warring within him. On one hand, the enormity of what Neal had done left the agent in him screaming. On the other hand, Neal had risked everything to save him. And now…
And now Neal lay in a hospital bed, fast asleep.
Peter ran his hand through his hair again and plopped back into the chair. Damn it, Neal had died two days ago; once in the ambulance, and then again in the operating room. An orderly had come out to inform them two hours into surgery, asking for the family of Neal Caffrey. What he had found was an assortment of lawmen and criminals, all bound together by the man who lay bleeding on the operating table.
Peter pulled out his phone and sent El a text to let her know Neal had woken up. She had already recanted her decision to try and remain detached by insisting that Neal recuperate with them when he was released from the hospital. Peter had agreed, though Neal still had a long way to go until they cleared him to go home.
After hitting send, he tucked the phone back into his pocket. He had left out the conversation with Neal, partly because it could be incriminating and the other because he was still trying to deal with it all. Peter wasn't sure whether to still be mad or feel guilty. Neal had been reluctant to pursue a relationship with his father, but he had pushed him into it. And then Neal had been forced to stand there and watch as his father once again walked out of his life. Neal had tried to find the man, not for his own benefit, but to bring him in to force a confession out of him. When that hadn't worked… Neal had forged his father's voice; had spoken the words that he had longed to hear, but never would.
And what had Peter done? Unknowingly thrown it all back in his face. He had called his friend a criminal, and though he wasn't wrong, he should have handled the situation better.
Peter settled in to resume his vigil, determined to set things right. Neal wasn't just a friend, he was family. And when the younger man next woke up, he would try to figure out what else was going on behind this whole confession business. He and Neal would work together through this obstacle like they had every other, and they would come out stronger for it.
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who read and everyone who reviewed!