(Chapter 7)

Neal felt a hand on his shoulder and stood, turning quickly to pull it away.

"You're safe, Neal." El was speaking to him, her face pale. She was draping a sheet over him when he had woken up. Dr. Ambrose sat nearby, arms crossed and apparently asleep. Neal stood up and the doctor's eyes opened. He looked tired.

"I haven't done that in quite a while... actually since I was a kid. My late grandmother would be proud I kept the skill intact." He started to stand and stumbled a bit, Neal catching him.

"You ok?" Neal saw the doctor nod with a soft smile, standing on his own.

"Yeah, just takes a lot out of you and I'm out of practice. I'm sorry you didn't find your friend." He placed a hand on Neal's shoulder and patted it gently. Neal sighed, looking at the door.

"I'm going to visit Sam. I... maybe I can talk some sense into him if we can talk alone." He turned to leave when someone grabbed his arm. It was Ambrose.

"Let me come with you. I felt hostility there. It may not be safe."

()()()

Sam looked where Neal had stood and felt a pang of jealousy. It ate at him how the con could slip so easily in and out of things. He felt the anger filling him till he couldn't control it, walking over to a corner where a gurney sat. There was a figure laying there, strapped in securely, brown eyes staring blankly ahead. The man had a large scar at the base of his forehead under the widow's peak. Sam looked at the figure with little emotion.

What's so special about Caffrey, Peter?

Sam turned at the sound of someone walking into the room. It was Goru. The man looked at Sam and then at Peter curiously.

"Having a heart to heart with your former boss?" Goru walked towards Peter and took the man's chin in his hand, moving those unseeing eyes towards him. Peter didn't blink or respond, face pale and emotionless. Goru shrugged, releasing his hold and turning to Sam.

"Jealous?" He looked at Sam who just stood there unblinking. Goru laughed.

"Doesn't matter. Watch him. Caffrey is sure to come for him."

()()()

Neal walked into the ICU, Dr. Ambrose following behind him. Elizabeth had given him a hug and kiss on the cheek for luck before he left. Neal walked over to the still form of Sam Jackson laying amid the tubes and monitors helping to keep him alive or at least stable.

"Sam... It's Neal. We need to talk." Neal sat beside the agent and crossed his arms over his chest, then placed them in his lap. He seemed nervous. Finally he leaned over and whispered into the agent's ear.

"I'm sorry Sam. You think I abandoned you but I didn't. I know you feel angry, I hope this helps." Neal pulled the bracelet off his hand and slipped it over the agent's wrist.

"Do what you want but help me free Peter." Neal touched his hand to the agent's and felt the tingle as the scene changed.

Neal felt hands immediately grab at him, incapacitating the con. Sam stood there before him, a gurney to the side holding Peter. He saw Sam looking at him smugly, holding up his wrist which held the bracelet. Neal didn't fight, looking at Peter.

"Let him go. Return what was taken from him and yourself. I'll stay." Neal shrugged helplessly, Sam's expression still smug as he shook his head.

Nobody's going anywhere.

Sam sounded angry, a scalpel in his hand as he approached the con. Someone bared the young man's neck, Neal gulping as the agent approached. He felt the cool metal of the blade push against his neck, pushing against his skin.

"El?" Neal moved his eyes to see who was speaking and saw Peter move slightly.

"El..." Peter was calling for his wife. Neal felt tears filling his eyes. Elizabeth must be talking to him on the other side and Peter can feel it. Peter was ok! He saw Sam turn and look at his boss curiously, pulling the scalpel aside. Neal watched as the agent crossed over to Peter and looked at him.

"El..." Peter's voice was sad and longing despite the lack of emotion. Neal noticed the scar on his friend's forehead and could only imagine what had happened. He watched Sam looking at Peter.

"Set him free, Sam. Please..." Neal was pleading with him.

()()()

Elizabeth wondered how Neal was doing, her cheek nestled against her husband's as he lay there unconscious. They had set him up in his own room, nobody able to figure out why he was unconscious. The tests came back negative but the MRI indicated his frontal lobe had little to no activity. She sighed, holding his hand and whispering softly to him.

"Peter... Wake up. I'm right here. Please." She pleaded with him, burying her face in his shoulder and crying. El continued to sob, holding her husband's hand in her own. She sat up when she felt him squeeze her hand, lightly but enough she felt it.

"Peter?" She kissed him lightly on the lips and forehead. He felt cool to the touch, her hand brushing at his hair.

"Peter, I know you can hear me." She hugged him and squeezed his hand again. She felt it this time. He had squeezed her hand. She smiled and nestled her cheek to his. She would have continued but for the sound of an alarm down the hallway. She froze and turned to look at the door. What was going on?

"El?" Peter's voice was barely audible but she heard it, turning and hugging him.

"Peter, I'm right here. Just open your eyes." Elizabeth didn't hold back her tears, waiting as she watched his eyes flutter slightly. They didn't open though and she saw his face contort ever so slightly, his brow furrowing.

"Sam... don't do this. Don't... Neal!" Peter held her hand tightly, his other hand seemingly reaching out to someone that wasn't there.

()()()

Sam made a motion and the faceless mob pulled Neal as he walked towards that cabinet. He pulled out something from his scrubs and handed it to the con, the mob staying in place but letting him go. Neal looked down to see his lock picking kit he had given to Peter.

Neal didn't hesitate, he knew Goru could show up at any time so he cracked the lock and opened it after bracing himself. He found the jars marked 'Sam' and 'Peter' and pulled them out without looking at them directly. Sam took both jars, the mob grabbing hold of Neal as the agent walked towards Peter. He stopped about half-way and turned, breaking his own jar and grabbing what was his. Neal watched seeing Sam return to himself. The agent looked surprised, removing the surgical mask and looking like he had on the day they had been captured. He seemed to peer down at Peter's jar as if unsure of something, walking back to Neal and putting it back in the shelf, locking it.

"Sam? What are you doing? Sam?" Neal struggled, seeing the smug smile on the agent's face. Something was wrong. This wasn't the person he had gone undercover with. Sam had changed.

"You're good at slipping in and out of places. You figure it out." He smirked at the con, holding up the bracelet and smiling darkly. Neal fought but the faceless mob held him securely.

"Dammit, Sam!" A hand covered his mouth, the mob pulling him to a nearby gurney. Sam picked up the lock picking kit where Neal had dropped it and pushed it into his pocket.

"I don't think you'll be needing this anymore. It's a shame that both you and Agent Burke won't wake up any time soon."