This is a lot longer than the rest.
Warning: Dark content in the next Chapters don't read past this if not to your liking.
This will bring us back to the beginning...
Diary of a CajoleMan
I stand in Peter's office and look out the large window at the city, just waking up in the dark as the sun completely sets and the sky darkens. I ball my hands into fists to keep them from shaking. The only time this happens is when I thought of Kate just after the plane...
"Neal." I turn to Peter," Joseph is in the conferance room." He closes the door," Can you tell me what happened?" He leans on his desk, facing me.
"We went out to meet Moz for some coffee. We sat at the table and Joseph went to order. Moz noticed he was acting funny and I saw the gunmen from the sale. Joseph jumped the counter and one of them went outside to catch him in the alley. I slipped past the one who was in the cafe." I smile.
"By having Mozzie fake a fire." Peter adds
"Yes. Then when I saw the goon had a gun I called you and waalked into the alley. I took the gun from his waist holster. When he cocked the gun Joseph threw something to distract him but he was going to shoot." The words fell from my mouth," And then I shot the gun out of his hand and you guys showed up."
"Neal, Did he talk to Joseph?" Peter rubs his face.
"Yeah, he was asking him a question." I say.
"Do you know what?" Peter asks.
"No. Why don't you ask Joseph?" I gesture with my chin.
"He won't talk to us. Hasn't said a word. Nothing. We tried everything."
"I'll talk to him." I offer.
"You should. For some reason he seems to trust you." Peter crosses his arms.
"What do you mean?" I shift my weight from one foot to another.
"I don't know. He acts... like you that first year. Before Kate's death. Just see what you can get out of him." Peter gestures for me to leave and I walk to the door and down the hall.
Joseph is waiting in one of the chairs, his head down, hair falling into his eyes again. I sigh and sit in front of him,"Joseph?" I whisper.
"Neal." He doesn't look up.
"Are you alright? We need to know if you are hurt." I try.
"He d-didn't t-touch me." He mumbles.
"Are you sure? You won't have to go to hospital. I can take a look if you want." I say.
"I'm not hurt. Really." Joseph glances up at me.
"Joseph, he was speaking to you before I came around. I need you to tell me what he said." He stays silent for a moment then glances up at me.
"He says he wants the r-real p-paintings. He didn't believe m-me when I t-told him I d-d-didn't have them. He t-t-t-told me that if I d-d-didn't..." He closes his eyes and breaths heavily for a few moments," If I d-didn't g-get him the p-paintings he would go for m-my g-g-girlfriend." Joseph puts his head in his hands.
"Girlfriend? Joseph, what's her name?" I ask.
"N-name?" He looks up,"I can't tell you."
"Why not?" I ask, getting frustrated.
"She is... like you. She is a conwoman. I d-don't know where she l-lives."
"She's in danger. Don't lie to me, Joseph." I glare at him.
"Her n-name is G-grace Stanton. She was m-my first foster sister. She l-lives with our first family. They k-kicked m-me out after I k-kissed her. Said we c-could d-d-date but c-couldn't live tog-gether."
"How old is she?" I ask
"Nineteen." Joseph smiles.
"Nineteen. Really?" I raise my eyebrows in surprise.
"Can agent Burke help me?" He asks.
"Yes. Tell him everything you told me and tell him where the meeting place is. He'll help you." I smile and walk back to Peter's office," Pete. He'll talk to you now. You should send someone to the Stanton's. Joseph's girlfriend, Grace Stanton, has been threatened."
"Stanton as in his first foster family?" Peter asks.
"Yeah." I nod.
"I'll send Diana. Jones is going to take you home. I'll bring Joseph in a bit." With that he dismisses me and Jones follows me into the elevator. I sigh and lean on the wall of the elevator.
"Man, had stressful past day or so, huh?" He asks.
"Yeah, definatley." I smile at him then straighten up as the door opens and I follow him to his car. We drive in silence and he walks me up the stairs.
"I'm staying in the car downstairs until Peter comes. call me if someone gets in that I don't see. Anything else happens you know where I'm at." He smiles and heads back down the stairs. I walk in and flop down on the couch.
I wait about an hour then hear knocking on my doorframe,"Neal?" It's Peter.
"On the couch." I call. He comes in and sits across from me in a chair he moves from the kitchen.
"Hey, Joseph is going to come over here for a bit and his girlfriend will be here as well. She is going to be staying in a room downstairs. Can you keep an eye out and make sure she goes down there sometime tonight?" Peter asks.
"Uh, sure. I'll make sure they get to sleep at a decent time." I nod, sitting up.
"Neal, I'm sorry to have you on babysitting detail." He smiles.
"It's alright. He's not that bad." I grin as Joseph walks in.
"Grace j-just t-texted m-me. It will b-be about an hour before she's here." He sits on the couch next to me.
"So, am I going to like Grace?" I ask.
"Yeah." He turns to me," She is so smart. She plays chess really well, not as well as me though, and can read six books at a time. She loves to read. She also writes a lot. She taught me how to paint. My first painting was of her face framed by her hair. It's gold in certain lights. "He smiles shyly,"You're laughing at me." He grins.
I grin and put a hand in his hair and ruffle it roughly," Not at all. It's cute." He shoves my hand out of his hair and shoves me away by the shoulder.
"Shut up." He mumbles, fixing his hair.
"And you didn't studder at all when talking about her." I add, messing with him.
"Shut it, Neal!" He shoves me with both his hands and kicks me anklet.
"Ouch, that kind of hurts!" I laugh.
"Good!" He grunts, trying not to smile.
"Are you two done?" Peter asks. We both straighten and try to keep straight faces.
"Yeah, we're good." I nod but after glancing at Joseph I have to stifle a lough. He grins and looks down so his hair hides his face.
"So, tell me about this painting." Peter adds. Joseph stands up.
"Ugh!" He says and storms out of the room, you people." I look at Peter and he tries to hide his smile.
"That was mean, Peter." I mock scold him. He glances at his phone.
"Grace is here. I'll bring her things up. Joseph. Get in here." He comes back i as Peter is leaving," I'll be right back." Joseph sits next to me and I grin at him until he finally looks up at me.
"Shut up!" He shoves me again and stand to walk into the kitchen.
"I didn't say anything!" I shout.
"You were thinking it!" He accused.
"Yeah, I was wondering why she makes you so nervous!" I shout. I turn around when I hear a very high pitch voice from the doorway.
"Because He's worried that I'll beat him at chess, again." Grace has long blonde hair that has small waves all over, held back from her face with a black headband that matches her white shirt and black skirt. The skirt stops just before her knees revieling long slender legs on a pair of black high heals.
"That was one out of many times." He said, more confidence in his voice than normal.
"but i have been practicing." They glare at eachother for a moment then she smiles and they both move forward, meeting in the middle and hugging tightly, Joseph lifting her by the waist and spinning. He puts her down and they kiss.
Peter clears his throat from the door and we all look at him and grin. Grace steps back from Joseph, but not do much it pulls his arm off her waist.
"So." I stand up to block Peter from lecturing them," This is Grace?" I ask. I put a hand out and she takes it. I smile my most charming smile.
"Neal Caffrey." I introduce myself and it catches me off guard when her smile matches mine. The smile of a professional Conartist.
"Grace Stanton. I see your the one my boyfriend has been having to babysit?" She flashes a mischevious grin at Joseph.
"Babysit, huh?" I ask, putting my newly released hand in my pocket and turning to Joseph.
"Uh, I d-didn't say that. I j-just said you were the one I had to watch b-because..." He can't come up with anything and smiles when Ii smile.
"You're not off the hook." I warn him.
"Well, can Grace and I go watch a movie? In my room?" He asks.
"Yeah. Go on." I turn to Peter who glares daggers at me then watches them go past him. I shrug and smile.
"You had better watch them." He warns," Jones is downstairs. You stay home tomorrow. jones will come get him around 7 in the morning. Make sure they sleep."
"Alright. Night Peter." I nod to him.
"Goodnight, Neal." he turns, sighs then runs down the stairs. I give it about two hour then walk into Joseph's room to tell them to go to bed.
I smile at the scene. Joseph is lying on his back and Grace in laying on her stomach. Her arms are crossed on his chest and she had her head on them like a pillow. One of Joseph's arms is wrapped around her waist loosly and protectivly. I turn off the Television and throw a blanket over the sleeping couple.
As i start back to my room I realise, Jones is picking Joseph up tomorrow. The meeting. They are sending him in without me because I'm hurt. I sit down and take out a familiar notebook and pen. I have thought about this notebook a lot but I haven't had a reason for it before now. I open it and check the time. Midnight. This is where the story takes a turn back to the preamble. I start to think about my father and i start to write. I'm scared. I write to try to calm myself down. I write:
I am Neal Caffrey. I was arrested twice by Agent Peter Burke of the FBI who I was also released into the custody of for four years as an FBI consultant. About two days ago we went into a bust and mock arrested a boy named Joseph Krow. After about an hour with the young man I started to notice how familiar he was.
I looked him up and found that his real name is Jonas Moreau. As in Kate Moreau. I have loved Kate as long as I can remember and never did she tell me she had a son.
He has her eyes. How did I miss those eyes?
I sigh and put the pen down. I start to think,' Is this what my life is going to be? I have a choice.' I start to write again.
...I'm scared. Can I send Kate's son into the wolves?
I sigh again. there's only one choice. I sit for the next three hours and write this all down. They are sending Joseph into the wolves and I am either going to die or go back to jail for what I'm going to do. Sitting here now I think to myself,' joseph might not be my son. This child could be from one of her past boyfriends, But does it matter?" Does it matter?
No. It's only been two days. I see it plane and simple. Even though it's only been two days I see Joseph as my son. I will always see him as my son. I don't need proof. Tomorrow when he goes into the wolves I'll go with him. I'll probably not come out of this. i had to write this down. As I said earlier, Peter will read this. Maybe by then he'll see it my way.
How could I not fall in love with him? How could I not become a father to this boy? I know he may not see it the same way but he'll be my son now, until the day I die.
I wonder how long it will take... I wonder how long it will take for me to go crazy. I wonder if this is what it feels like. I'm scared... I'm scared but who isn't? Th sun rises and I smile. The clock reads 6:50 am. Here we go.
I wonder...
Duh duh duuuun! This is not the end! *Cackles evily*
Review? Tell me what you think.
Oh! And I am thinking of having a sequel from Joseph's point of view. Who's interested? It won't be in first person present tense. Probably thrd person following Joseph around. It'll be a while from now though. Still have a bit of this to do.
:)