A/N: I have decided to give a little extra Neal whump time, but for those of you who want him safely with Peter immediately don't worry, because more whump equals more Peter comfort when Neal admits to his past. However there still is that clue from the last chapter, remember? I'm evil, I know. Plus for those people saying I should rate this story M, no "unpleasant activities" will be happening now that Neal is an adult. Only physical pain, not sexual. There was only that mention, and possibly slight others later, but when there is I will put a warning in the author's note.

Please enjoy!

Neal watched as his father left the room. His stride was slightly swaggering. He must've had s drink before beginning the video for Peter.

Peter. Neal wondered if Peter was looking for him. He probably was. No, he definitely was. He had to believe that someone was out there looking for him. He wondered if Peter had picked up on the message he'd been trying to send. Using your eyes to point something out isn't the most clever way of dropping a hint, but if Peter understood it, that's all that mattered.

Neal tried standing up, using his cuffed hands for support, and managed to get into a half-standing half-hunching over position. His ribs really hurt. He took several shaky steps towards the camera, but just as he reached out to turn it on, he collapsed in front of the bedside table.

…

Peter arrived at the FBI office at 5:10, just as Jones was pulling in. They walked together to the bullpen, where Peter instructed him to put his things at his desk and meet him in his office. Jones did as he was told, and when he reached Peter's office, Peter's laptop was already out and turning on.

Jones walked over to Peter's chair and looked over his shoulder. Peter was pulling up the video from the previous night.

"What's this all about, Peter?" Jones asked.

"Neal was sending us a signal. Watch." Peter said, smiling in spite of himself. Any clue that helped them find Caffrey was good to him.

Jones leaned over farther, interested. He watched as Peter fast-forwarded the video to the right scene, and hit play. It was when Neal first showed his face to the camera.

"There! See how his eyes are darting back and forth?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, so what? Maybe he's just paranoid. I would be." Jones replied.

"But watch where his eyes go, Clinton. Look over to the side." Peter said, trying to make his fellow agent understand.

"It's just a window there, Peter." Jones said, growing more confused by the second.

"Look out the window!" Peter said. Did he really have to spell it out for him?

Jones said nothing at first, but just as Neal's father went to move the camera downward toward Neal, who was now lying on the ground, Jones saw it.

"It's a hospital." Jones said.

"Exactly. Saint Mary's Hospital, to be exact. There are only two of those in near Manhattan, and judging by the amount of time between Neal's kidnapping and the first video being made, they couldn't have gone too far." Peter said, smiling. He had that slight adrenaline rush feeling inside him that he always gets when there's a major breakthrough in the case.

"Peter, I don't mean to ask a stupid question or anything, but did you trying pulling Caffrey's tracking data yet?" Jones asked. He assumed the highly intelligent agent had, but since he didn't witness it himself, he felt the need to ask.

Peter gave him a look that said, 'Do you think I'm an idiot?'. "Yes, I called up the Marshall's office as soon as I realized Neal was gone."

"And?" Jones inquired.

"And he altered the signal. It was telling them he was with me." Peter replied, solemnly.

"I'm just makin' sure, boss." Jones said. "Did you cross-reference hotels in the areas of the two hospitals?"

"Yeah and I got five results. Two are near the hospital in Manhattan, and three are near the one on the edge of town. But one of those three isn't close enough to see it that well out a window. So we have four to work with."

"Great. Which four?" Jones asked.

Peter handed him the list.

"I'll go call and see if and James Caffrey's checked in." Jones said as he began to walk out of the office.

"What if he used an alias?" Peter called as Jones was walking down the stairs into the bullpen. He stopped and turned back to Peter.

"We'll have to hope he didn't."

…

Neal had managed to do somewhat of a combat crawl in order to get back into his corner before his father came. He was just pushing himself up into a sitting position when the door burst open. His father walked past him, taking a bottle of wine and a glass off the counter. Neal watched as his father poured the wine into the glass, licking his parched lips. It'd been awhile since he'd last had a drink of… well, anything. He hadn't eaten anything either, but that didn't phase him. He didn't tend to eat regularly anyway.

He felt like he needed to say something to his father, but knowing him, he might just get angry and hurt him further. Neal didn't know how much of this he could take. He was never good with fighting back, he had learned at an early age that it was best to spend your time shielding yourself rather than defending yourself. He hoped Peter was close.

Neal looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was only 6:00am. He still had 14 hours left until his next chance at trying to slip hints to Peter. He needed to think of what else he could do to give more information. He couldn't do mores code with his hands cuffed and out of the camera's view.

Or could he?

…

Peter was in his office, watching parts of the video over and over. He didn't like watching the scenes where Neal was hurt, he instead focused on ones where Neal was looking at the camera. He was trying to figure out if there were more signals he'd missed. It didn't seem to be the case, but he kept looking regardless. He had also spent awhile with the video paused on the image where the window was closest, looking for any other landmark-type buildings or signs, but could only see the hospital's large sign and several building tops that had no significance. They looked like any other sky scraper roofs in New York.

Jones came in and Peter's head snapped up from the computer. He had a moment of dizziness, probably from staring at a computer screen for almost an hour. It quickly passed and he asked Jones if he had any luck.

"No James Caffrey's checked in at the hotels."

"Dammit." Peter said, even though he hadn't expected Neal's dad to use his real name. It had merely been a small shred of hope that Neal's father wasn't as smart as his son.

"But…" Jones said after Peter interrupted him.

"But what?" Peter asked, hope rising in his chest again.

"Someone did check in to Ellsbury Hotel penthouse suite yesterday. A man by the name of Vincent Adler."

"That's the name Neal's father used when the court requested he testify at Neal's trial! When he said he never had a son." Peter said, blood pulsing through his veins at 85mph.

"There's only one problem." Jones said, much to Peter's dismay.

"What?"

"We can't go in there without a warrant, and we can't get that without telling Hughes. And we can't just knock on the door; if Neal's dad sees us and panics he could kill Neal."

Peter sighed heavily and rubbed his hands down his face. He hated to admit it, but it was true. They would have to tell Hughes. But Peter knew damn-well that he wasn't letting him give the case to some other team. He would put his career on the line if it meant being the one to save Neal. He needed the younger man's trust. Neal wasn't one to trust people easily, but he hoped Neal realized that he was looking for him. And that he would get him out of there.

Peter got up from his desk and called over his shoulder to Jones, "I'm going to tell Hughes" as he walked out of his office.

A/N: Yes, I know, there was no Neal whump in this chapter. I just needed to stick a little boring one in there to explain how things are going at the bureau. The next video posting will be in the next chapter, which I hope to get up by Wednesday, but I can't make any promises. I have to babysit on Tuesday, and watch the NEW WHITE COLLAR where Neal talks about his past! So it probably won't be up until Wednesday or later. SO excited about the new episode. Please review! You've all been so helpful and loyal!

I'd like to send out a shout-out to babybluepineapple, who's been very helpful and encouraging with this story, including giving me the idea of combining my two story ideas. I may or may not do that, you will have to wait and see. Thanks BBP!

-AgentDiNozzo13