(Chapter 6)

They found Neal unconscious in a cemetery. Jones and Diana went when the call came in. One of the caretakers had been roaming the grounds late at night when they saw a figure curled up before one of the stones. They called out but the person didn't answer. Slowly they approached and found a man half-naked, hurt and unconscious. The caretaker had to check to see if the pale figure was truly alive and found a weak pulse. He called 9-1-1 immediately. The police called the Bureau when they realized there was an APB already out.

Jones got there first, early enough to see them putting Caffrey on the gurney when they took him from the grave site. He sighed seeing where the young man had been. Peter would find it significant he knew but for now he just cared the consultant had been found. Everyone would be happy even Hughes who had initially been angry with all these delays in other cases due to the search for Neal. He had been asking about Caffrey almost as much as about Peter. At least now the search was over and everyone could finally rest. He turned when he saw Diana show.

"How is he?" She stood there watching as the gurney was put into an ambulance and gasped at how the normally lively young con looked.

"Not good but they think he'll survive." He made a motion towards a certain stone nearby and she blinked looking between it, Jones and the ambulance.

"He was found there? Peter will find that curious if nothing else. Have you called his wife yet? Not sure Burke is awake." Diana looked at Jones who shook his head.

"Was going to wait till Caffrey was taken in. They're going to the same hospital per Hughes. I'll call them on the way."

()()()

Neal could sense her, faint as her presence was. He knew she was there somewhere. He curled up near the last place he knew she had been. He touched the words on the stone and lay down and whimpered softly. He shuddered as thoughts of fire and a loud sound filled his mind.

Kate.

Sadness filled his mind and he whimpered quietly till exhaustion overcame him. His body was cold, aches and pains evident but he slept on till someone touched him gently, talking words he knew but ignored. He wanted to sleep, to be with her as he let the darkness take him.

It was later he felt warmth, people were gently touching him, talking but there was also noise and some pain. He whimpered softly but soon the pain was replaced with blissful darkness and she was there, hugging and comforting him. There was no more pain at least while he dreamed of her. He felt his humanity returning slowly as her memory warmed him and memories of fire and flame vanished. She had been the one to save him before when the scarred man took him. He and Alex escaped but were separated and Kate was there. He had been afraid at first but her kindness overtook all and soon she was all he had to live for. She was far removed from all the pain he had experienced and made him forget the torture of his past.

The memories soothed him as did a hand caressing his hair. He felt some callouses there but the hand was large, firm and gentle. Someone talked to him and he whimpered at first, not wanting to leave her even if it was only a memory but the voice made him turn. He turned and talked to the man behind it. He felt a kinship with this person like a father figure or older brother.

You told everyone good-bye but me... why?

You know why.

No, I don't. Tell me.

Because... Because you're the only one who could convince me to stay.

The scene replayed in his mind along with several others. His whimpers were fading and slowly changed to sighs of relief. He wasn't a wolf. He was free of that nightmare now. He was not a beast but a man. He could still run but did he want to? His mind pondered the question as the darkness brought him much needed solace and his mind was finally at rest.

()()()

Neal woke up to a dim glow off to his right. The room was otherwise bathed in darkness but he heard a voice talking somewhere nearby. He couldn't hear what was said but the voice was familiar. He glanced around the sterile room, noting the mussed sheets and pillow strewn across the sofa by the window. There was soft light from behind the curtains, just enough to indicate it was nighttime. It didn't matter though. His mind felt free of the past.

The door opened after a moment, flooding the room with light a moment as the person talking walked in. He could hear their voice speaking quietly.

"He hasn't woken up, El. No I'm fine. I was sleeping when you called. They released me today but I'm going to stick around. Yes... I love you too."

There was a beeping sound as the figure hung up their cell, their face momentarily illuminated by the soft blue glow of their screen before it faded to shadow. He was watching them with wide, curious eyes and then they turned and saw him. He watched the figure blink in the darkness, a hint of brown eyes twinkling back at him.

"You're awake. May I?" The voice asked as he nodded and they turned on the lamp beside the bed. Neal blinked and closed his eyes a moment, squinting when he opened them up again.

"Sorry... let's see... there. That should be better." Peter said as he turned the switch and it dimmed to a lower setting. Neal nodded, both men quiet a moment as they stared at one another. Peter still held his cell in his hand, the soft glow of the screen showing a faded image of the three of them: Peter, Elizabeth and Neal. It was a fuzzy picture from a not so recent party they'd gone to for the Bureau. Neal had sent it to Peter as a joke, nobody noticing the very unobtrusive rabbit ears till later when El started to laugh. Peter hadn't known why and then Jones noticed it and later Diana. Still... it was there. Neal thought that must mean something.

"How is Elizabeth? I..." Neal was remembering some of what happened before. He had repressed much of it but slowly it had started to come back. She had seemingly forgiven him, an invitation to dinner missed due to himself and Alex being taken. He hadn't actually seen her much since all the craziness. He turned his head away from his friend a moment, the gentle hand of Peter on his arm bringing his glance back.

"She's fine. Every one's been worried about you. She should be by tomorrow with June." Peter smiled at him softly, Neal nodding as he closed his eyes a moment, flashes of memory coming back to him. It all seemed like a dream to him.

"Good... I was worried. I wasn't sure if she..." He paused trying to think what to say. He had never gotten to talk to her much after the fact so he still felt guilt at what he had done. Peter nodded.

"El's worried about you, Neal. She understands what happened." He patted the young man on the arm, carefully avoiding the hurt shoulder. Neal seemed incredulous, unsure of his place.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Peter was staring at him, Neal shrugging.

"Just thinking... Still tired." He yawned, stretching as best he could, head starting to slump. Peter mussed his hair.

"Sleep, Neal. See you in the morning." Peter was yawning now, the bags under his eyes obvious before he turned off the light. Neal watched Peter walk over to the sofa and sit down, turning off the lamp. The room was bathed in the dim light from the window. Neal's eyes adjusted quickly, watching the dark form of his friend lay down upon the sofa. He yawned and listened as he heard the soft breathing of Peter and then a quiet snore. He smiled and fell asleep.

()()()

It was another week before they let Neal out. The wolf bite had taken a lot out of him and they were worried about how it would heal. It was fortunate the bite had missed any major arteries and muscle. It would heal well they thought but for some scarring. He had been lucky on that part but it just made him think about the man who had caused it all. The scarred man might be dead but now Neal was marked. It didn't surprise anyone when he did his best to use every balm and cream there was to try and minimize the wound's appearance. In a month, it was noticeable but somehow he'd managed to keep the skin from looking as badly as it could have. Mozzie had helped, recommending a Chinese healer he was friends with.

The hardest part was therapy. They had gotten rid of Dr. Brooks and found another therapist who was less stuffy and a little more friendly. He was just a bit older than Peter and had a fascination with Neal's background. They got along well, the agent surprised when his consultant looked relaxed and content after the third week of therapy.

"You look happy. What did you talk about today?" Peter doubted it was anything useful but Neal looked calmer if anything. The con smiled.

"You actually. He asked how I liked the other side. Everyone likes to ask that question for some reason. Dr. Brooks didn't ever ask it but he was a bit of an ass." He didn't seem too keen on Brooks but changed the subject quickly as was his way.

"So... how is the Argheny case going?" He seemed anxious to hear about it obviously disappointed he couldn't participate. Hughes was informed of some aspects to what Neal was going through enough that he knew the younger man needed therapy. He was happy for it, thinking it had to do with Kate's death and a final closure of sorts for their consultant. He told Peter to let him know he was missed which surprised Neal and made him smirk slightly to hide his feelings. Peter finally answered him, running a hand through his brown hair as he sighed.

"Slow. He's a smart guy. He's covered all his bases and I could use your eyes on this if possible. I can't do anything official to put you on the case but if you can look into a few things..." He kept his voice coy in a way, Neal nodding.

"I can do that. Maybe my contacts will know something." Neal watched Peter smirk since he knew the extent of the consultant's contacts. At that moment there was a knock at the door and Neal stood to answer it.

"I have some info on... oh you have company. Why didn't you TELL me." Mozzie's voice was obviously annoyed as he peered around the corner with a tight smile on his face.

"I can come back another time." He just looked at Peter a moment then up at Neal as if asking to go when Peter stood.

"Mozzie... just the person I wanted to see." Peter was smiling and he saw Mozz cringe and looked at Neal as if he was about to be fed to the sharks. He followed Neal back into the room his manner nervous.

"Suit... you wanted to see 'me?' Why would you want that?" His voice was tight but curious and somewhat forced as he tried to smile. Peter held up his hands.

"Nothing bad or conspiratorial. Just a thanks. You helped find where they held Neal and myself. I never had a chance to thank you. Consider it a favor owed; no catch." He bowed his head to the strange man watching a look of confusion and thoughtfulness form. Mozzie was scratching his chin, a weird gleam in his eye.

"Favor owed? From a Suit? Hmmm... This could be interesting." Mozz was smiling brightly before Peter shook his head and rubbed a hand over his face. His voice was but a mumble.

"A promise is a promise... So, Elizabeth asked if you wanted to come to dinner tonight. Rain check for last time." He was looking at Neal who blinked and nodded. Mozzie nodded too.

"What's on the menu, Suit? Lady Suit makes a mean lasagna." Mozz looked a bit excited, Peter rolling his eyes.

"No clue yet. So... after dinner we can discuss this case?" He was looking at Neal who smiled and nodded.

"Sure. I had some ideas from before..." Neal's voice trailed off as his phone rang, excusing himself as he walked out on the terrace. He had noted the number and spoke quietly.

"Alex?" He waited, glad the fence was calling. He hadn't heard anything from her since the incident.

"Neal..." She didn't say anything else for a moment, the sound of a car horn below echoing up and also in the phone. Neal moved to the edge of the wall and looked down. A small figure beneath an awning across the street looked up at him.

"He's gone. He's never coming back." He hoped she would say something but there was still silence as they looked at one another across the space. He couldn't quite see her face but he heard her breathing on the phone.

"You know how to find me." She didn't say anything else as the phone clicked and the call ended. He continued to look down at her as she pushed the phone back into her pocket and disappeared into a crowd of pedestrians. He hung up the phone and pushed it back into his pocket. He was still looking down at the spot she had been in when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"You ok?" Peter seemed to sense his worry but he shook his head, smiling slightly.

"Yeah... Just a wrong number. So... what is it that El is making tonight?" Neal turned, leaning back against the wall as he faced the agent. Peter shrugged.

"She told me it was a surprise. I didn't mean to invite Mozz but uhm... I do owe him." Peter tried to keep his voice quiet but it hadn't worked.

"I heard that Suit. I can take a rain check. I still may have a favor to ask of you since you so kindly offered." He was smirking, looking happier than ever for some reason. Peter sighed while Neal grinned, nudging the agent.

"Don't worry, he never asks for anything 'too' big." Neal patted his friend on the shoulder as he moved into the main room. Peter looked at him with a curious glance that was almost fatalistic.

"TOO big. What do you mean by that? Neal? Hey..." He missed grabbing the consultant who quickly darted into the bathroom and locked the door.

"Can't hear you! Getting ready for dinner!" Was all Neal shouted before the sounds of water running could be heard. Peter sighed and turned to find Mozzie suddenly beside him.

"He's right you know, Suit. I never ask for anything big. I'm a man of simplicity. Tuesday was a perfect example of that. How I miss it." He sounded so wistful as if the place had simply vanished into thin air. Peter rolled his eyes.

"I apologized for that. I got you a new rake and everything!" He was feeling exasperated but Mozzie shook his head as he removed his glasses and cleaned the lenses.

"You read the message if you truly returned with a new rake. I also said "a place where no suit will ever go again... At least not while I own it. I no longer live there. It was sullied by your conspiratorial energies, the chi darkened. But the rake was nice." He pushed his glasses back on and smiled quirkily, turning his head when the bathroom door opened up. Neal walked out looking fresher than ever, that ever so charming ambiance oozing from him. He rubbed his hands together and smiled brightly.

"So... we ready?" He pulled on his jacket and grabbed up his hat as Peter nodded and headed for the door. Mozzie followed smiling up at the two and then over at Neal.

"Tell me what she serves and I'll see if that's what I want for my meal." Mozzie spoke as if he were talking about some sort of cafe or fancy restaurant. Peter rolled his eyes as he started down the stairs.

"I'll be in the car when you decide to follow." Peter disappeared down the stairs as Neal and Mozzie followed looking between the other.

"You're going to tell him you're joking, right? He probably thinks you're going to ask him for something strange like that scavenger hunt thing. He never stops talking about it when certain topics arise." Neal smirked slightly at the thought of Peter and Mozz during that time. Mozz shrugged.

"Maybe..." He winked, diverting down into the dining room as June walked in. He greeted her as Neal waved.

"He's going to eat with the Suits. Won't tell me what it is they're having. It's a surprise." Mozzie made air quotations around the last word before he crossed his arms over his chest in mock annoyance. Neal walked over and briefly hugged his landlady.

"I should be back later." He smiled, kissing June on the cheek before they heard the honk.

"Don't keep him waiting." She kissed him on the cheek and he nodded as he ran to the door and left.

"He's like a puppy sometimes. Peter pulls that leash and he goes running." Mozzie sounded a bit annoyed, blinking up at June who was looking at him oddly.

"Oh... bad analogy. So... you up for a game of Parcheesi?"

()()()

Neal was quiet the whole ride to Peter's. It made the agent a little uneasy after the mostly friendly and normal banter they'd had up till then and he tried a few times to get the young man to talk but he got nothing but monosyllables and a few nods. When they pulled up to the curb in front of Peter's, Neal seemed a bit more anxious.

"Neal..." He peered through as he stood on the street, door open. Neal turned and nodded, removing his seat-belt and opening his door. Peter closed his and walked around meeting the younger man as he closed the door and they started walking up the walk. When they made it up to the door, Peter thought he sensed a slight nervousness to the young man, Neal tapping his foot ever so slightly.

"El, I'm home!" Peter took off his coat and hung it by the door, Neal doing the same as they walked inside. Peter moved across the den to the dining room and kitchen as Elizabeth walked out.

"Peter!" She hugged and kissed him looking up to see Neal and smiling.

"Hey, Neal." Her voice was soft and sounded no different than before. She finished hugging Peter and walked over to give him a quick hug.

"I have something simmering... anyone care to set the table while I finish up?" She was looking between the both of them, Peter nodding.

"Will do. Come on Neal, let's wash up."

Both men went upstairs. Peter went in first then into his bedroom as Neal took the next turn. He closed the door and looked in the mirror as he washed his hands and stared at himself. He stopped when he heard Peter's knocking.

"Coming?" Peter said as Neal opened the door. He nodded and turned off the light as he followed the agent downstairs. Both were rather quiet till they reached the ground level and Peter poked him. Neal nodded as he helped the agent with grabbing plates and place mats. They finished setting up the table when El motioned for them to help bring out food. While Peter took a bowl of salad out of the kitchen, El stopped Neal handing him an oven mitt.

"Would you take the chicken from the oven?" She smiled at him as he blinked at her then nodded, bending over and opening up the oven. He carefully pulled out the pan of chicken and lay it up on the stove top. El patted him on the shoulder as she placed a plate nearby and she started to move the chicken over. She handed the tongs to him after a moment to continue as she walked over to the counter and removed her apron, hanging it up on a peg.

"Neal... You don't have to be nervous." She was standing beside him again, taking the tongs and placing them on the plate with the chicken. He blinked at her but she just smiled, giving him a little squeeze on the arm.

"We're good?" She was looking at him with a hopeful gaze of her blue eyes. He finally nodded, his manner relaxing as he grasped her hand in his. She grinned.

"Good... now take this out there and I'll grab the wine."

()()()

Dinner was good, everyone chatting and laughing and it seemed everything was back to normal. Neal and Peter helped clean up afterwards before sitting for coffee to discuss the Argheny case. Peter had barely sat down on the couch when Satchmo padded over and growled at him. Neal sat beside him, blue eyes narrowing as the dog continued to growl softly. It wasn't a threatening growl but it made Peter nervous thinking about all the recent events. He was about to call Elizabeth when he heard another growl off to his side and realized Neal was doing it. He gulped, uncertain what was going on.

"Neal?" Peter looked at the young man worriedly. Neal turned and gave him an odd look then started to laugh. Peter blinked looking at the young man and then at the dog who was suddenly sticking his tongue out and panting as if he were laughing. He didn't get it.

"Peter... it was a joke. Stand up." Neal was motioning for him to stand, poking at him as the agent did so slowly. Neal grabbed something from the sofa cushions and tossed it out to Satchmo who chase it happily. Peter sat back down looking relieved.

"What was that all about?" He glanced at his friend worriedly, Neal shrugging.

"No idea but I saw you sit on his toy before I could say anything and he was growling and figured that's what he wanted." He saw the incredulous look on Peter's face as if thinking back to the recent events. Neal looked at him seriously, Peter nodding with a more relaxed expression.

"For a second there... well, let's take a look at this case." Peter was redirecting and poorly but Neal nodded.

()()()

When Neal got back to June's he found Mozzie asleep on his couch and June sitting on the terrace. She stood when he entered and smiled.

"How are you Neal? Was your dinner with the Burkes good?" June kept her voice low, giving him a quick hug. He nodded.

"Very good. How long has he been asleep?" He was looking at his friend curled up on his side. June shrugged.

"A little too much wine and too much Parcheesi. I'll get him a blanket." She squeezed his arm and left the room, Neal removing his jacket as he draped it over the hook by the door and quietly slipped off his shoes.

"So what was on the menu..." A sleepy voice said as Neal moved around to see Mozzie staring up at him in the dimly lit room. Neal smiled as he sat on the coffee table beside his friend.

"Rosemary Chicken. I brought some back for you." He pointed at a small Tupperware up on the kitchenette. Mozzie sat up and glanced over.

"I should go home. June was more than gracious and I have some work." Mozzie stood up and stretched looking at the younger man curiously before he shrugged into his jacket on the edge of the sofa.

"I'm ok, Mozzie. Alex is too I think. She called earlier." He was looking at his friend who was still glancing at him with that concerned look.

"The wrong number? Figured. Call me. I should get going." Mozzie walked over to the counter and grabbed up the Tupperware making a motion. Neal nodded.

"Just bring it back when you're done." Neal smiled as his friend left. He heard June talking to Mozz in the hallway and stood walking over. June stood outside his door with the extra blanket, a thoughtful look on her face.

"I guess you're going to retire? I'll be going to bed. Here's an extra blanket if you need it." She smiled at him in her motherly manner, hugging him before she left. Neal told her good-night as he closed the door and walked back into his room.

()()()

Another month passed and Neal decided to go visit with Peter. It had been a week since he'd heard from his partner and wife. He slipped out of the cab and stood on the sidewalk outside their home. Neal looked up to see the full moon staring down at him above the haze of the city as clouds passed before it. It didn't bother him anymore, memories of the scarred man disappearing. His sessions had been helping, the current therapist still a fun guy to chat with but also a very good listener even if Neal didn't tell him everything. All the creams and balms he was using made his scar from the wolf bite barely noticeable.

He walked up the stairs and knocked. After a few minutes nobody answered and he glanced back. The Taurus was parked in its usual place but now he noticed the windows were darkened. Maybe they had gone out?

Neal turned to leave, seeing another cab coming his way when he heard a low growl and a yelp of pain from inside the home.

Satchmo?

Neal felt his hackles rise, moving back to the door then thinking better of it and moving around the building to the back. He deftly vaulted over the stone fence, quietly dropping into the yard and looking around the darkened landscape. The yard itself wasn't very large, maybe 20 feet at it's widest point. Neal let his eyes adjust to the gloom as he approached the house, his eyes focusing on the backdoor. In the dimly lit space he could see that lock had been broken and the door hung partially ajar. The interior of the home was dark but a soft light came from the windows along the lower end of the house where the basement was. He could hear faint voices.

()()()

"It's a shame your wife wasn't here." The speaker had a thick Brooklyn accent with a bit of a nasally tone. Peter watched him with wide brown eyes as the man slapped him hard across the face. The agent gave a weak groan as he slumped again the ropes that suspended him, his feet dangling a few inches above the floor of his basement.

"Argheny doesn't appreciate you poking around in his business. It's a good thing he knows someone was looking for you. He can pin the wrap on them." The man smiled, several teeth missing and replaced with gold ones. He reminded Peter of a bad villain from a James Bond movie only this wasn't make-believe. The agent just glared at the man, struggling as he could as the ropes bit into his wrists. His eyes widened a bit when he saw Satchmo peering in from the top of the stairs. The dog was strangely quiet then bounded down the stairs and started to growl.

"You didn't tell me the Fed had a dog!" The man yelled at his associate, the huge lab attacking him which was a surprise to Peter. He'd never seen Satchmo do anything like that before. The dog was growling and snarling but the other man came over and kicked the dog hard, Satchmo flying off the first goon and yelping in pain. The original goon stood up and pulled out his gun about to shoot the dog when Satchmo managed to run back up the stairs.

"Stupid mutt! Now... where were we, Fed?" He took out his gun and held it up to Peter's temple, the cold metal pressed hard against his skin. The agent gulped, struggling as much as he could against his bonds.

"You're not going to get away as lucky as that mongrel of yours. We shoot dogs in my hood for less." He was smiling ever so coldly when the lights suddenly went out. He heard them curse in the darkness, the gun thankfully removed from his temple as the man hissed at his cohort.

"Figure out what's going on! Hurry!"

Peter heard footsteps hurry out of the roof and up the stairs. He was as confused as his captors at the loss of power. He turned his head ever so slightly and thought he saw a shape near the outside window. It was only briefly before it was gone. Several minutes went by before he heard the remaining captor walk away and the stairs creaked with his weight.

"Dammit Louie! What's taking you so long?" The man hissed up, the stairs continuing to creak under his weight in the darkness. Peter hung from his bonds, arms aching as he continued to pull and try to free himself.

"Louie!" He heard the man hiss again and then a sound interrupted them. It started out low and then grew in intensity. Peter froze, wondering why Satchmo was coming back but the sound was different.

He could only just see a shape hunched in the doorway above the stairs. The figure was tall and lean, the shadowy form of the goon looking up at it gun in hand.

"Louie, is that you?" The man spoke warily, the sound of a gun cocking echoing in the sudden silence. The growl came again just as a flash of something flew down the stairs at Peter's captor. There was a pop as the gun went off, silencer making the sound quiet. Still whatever was there continued to attack the man as he screamed and there was a sickening crack as something broke. Peter stayed still, uncertain what was going on but knowing he was glad the lights were out so he couldn't see.

The room was absolutely silent except for the soft sound of heavy breathing that slowly approached him. Peter jerked his head around to see but the shadowy form would appear and disappear it seemed from his sight. He could only just see the still form of the man who had captured him laying still on the floor. He jerked his head again as he heard movement near him and then felt the rope holding him loosen as he collapsed to the floor. His wrists were still bound but he was at least no longer dangling, Peter reaching to pull the tape from his mouth and spit the rags out.

"Who's there?"

His voice was hoarse as he tried to move slowly to a sitting position, his back against the wall when he heard something move nearby. He held his breath as eyes glittered dangerously close to him in the darkness. Peter could just make out a bluish tinge to the eyes and knew this wasn't Louie or Satchmo as the figure growled ever so softly before the sound turned to a whimper and finally a human sigh. Someone leaned against him heavily and Peter nudged the figure who continued to slump against his shoulder. His wrists were still tied. He worked on the knots finally getting his hands free to push the figure away.

"Hey..." He nudged them in the darkness but could only hear their ragged breathing as he stood and felt around for something. He was going by memory when he found the flashlight and turned it on. Peter felt ill when he saw his captor, face contorted in pain that had ended quickly. The man's neck was broken and he was covered in several scratches. Peter turned the flashlight away from the horrific scene but not before he had grabbed up the man's gun and saw the blood trail from the stairs moving back to where he just sat.

"Neal?" Peter gasped as he saw the figure of his friend laying on the floor of the basement. Neal was pale, body twitching a bit as he seemed to be fighting something in his sleep. Peter drew closer seeing a bit of blood where the goon had hit him with the gun. In the light of the flashlight it seemed to be only a flesh wound. He sighed in relief, gently nudging his friend as he tried to wake him.

"Neal... Wake up!" He watched the young man's face twitch slightly before his eyes opened and two glassy blue orbs glittered up at him exhaustedly.

"Pe... ter? What... happened?" He saw a truly confused look on the young man's face, his fingers somewhat bloodied. He shook his head, gently brushing the young man's hair.

"Just rest, Neal. It's over." He watched the younger man nod as he closed his eyes and passed into a relaxed sleep. Peter looked up as he heard another sound and saw Satchmo in the flashlight's glow. The dog hobbled down the stairs towards them, laying his head on Neal's chest. Peter patted the dog on the head, checking the lab's wounds.

"Good boy." He saw the dog look up at him then back at Neal. Peter sighed.

"I think he's ok. Watch him." Peter patted the dog one more time before standing up shakily. He walked up the stairs to the kitchen slowly in the glow of the flashlight as he headed up stairs. He crossed through the kitchen to the den to use the phone when he saw him. Louie didn't look quite so bad as the other goon. He looked a little more peaceful as if he hadn't expected what happened. His neck was also broken and he was covered in scratches. Peter just turned his head as he reached for his cell on the coffee table and sat down on the sofa in the darkness.

"Jones."

Peter's throat felt dry all of a sudden, his stomach churning at the evening's events but he had to call someone.

"Clinton... it's Peter. I need you to come over here now." He was speaking breathlessly, the knowledge of what had happened starting to sink in. He heard movement on the other end of the line.

"Peter, what's wrong?" The agent spoke worriedly but Peter just repeated himself.

"Just come over here. Bring Diana. Hurry. I'm home." He didn't say much else as he hung up the phone and slid down to the floor. He was tired, so very tired but he had to cowboy up a bit longer. He sighed as he pulled himself up to his feet and headed upstairs. He grabbed up a first aid kit from the bathroom in the glow of the flashlight before he headed back down, through the kitchen and down to the basement. Satchmo looked up when he arrived then settled down again.

"It's ok boy. Someone's coming. Let me look at him." He watched the dog sit up and move a bit away as Peter worked on Neal's injury. It was a shallow wound on the outside of his arm and took only a moment to clean and dress.

They would have to deal with this at some point but for now, he would let it go.