FIVE DAYS EARLIER (AT THE HOSPITAL)

Peter left the hospital room late, when the sun had set and visiting hours were long past over. Neal slept most of the time, and when he woke he seemed disoriented and slightly panicky. But he never sustained consciousness for too long, and Peter left with Elizabeth only after promising the sleeping man he would be back in the morning.

Neal was left alone, until the early hours of the morning when a shadow slipped into his room. It sat in the chair that Peter had vacated earlier, and stared down at Neal.

Neal started stirring a half an hour after that. He groaned, his injured body making itself known.

Mozzie was standing by his side in a second. "Hey Neal."

Neal's eyes blinked open slowly, and locked on Mozzie's. "Moz?" he croaked.

"Yeah, it's me, Neal. I had to see you at some time. What happened?"

Neal frowned, and started scratching at his ear again. Mozzie grabbed his hand and lowered it. "What are you doing?"

"Mozzie?"

Mozzie realized something wasn't right. "Neal, can you hear me?"

Neal started to panic. "Mozzie? Mozzie help me, I don't know what's wrong with me."

Neal's heart rate monitor sped up, and Mozzie put a finger to his lips. He was not supposed to be in there, and he definitely didn't want any doctors to show up. Neal stayed quiet, but the look of panic was still in his eyes.

Mozzie rooted through the messenger bag he brought, until he found a pen and a piece of paper. He scribbled down a note and showed it to Neal. Can you hear me?

Neal shook his head furiously.

Mozzie added below it, Can you hear anything? He showed it to Neal, and then crinkled it up right next to Neal's ear. Neal shook his head again, and his heart rate was still too high.

Ok, relax. We can deal with this, but not if any doctors come in.

Neal looked at him questioningly, and Mozzie pointed at the monitors tracing the lines of Neal's heart beats. Neal nodded.

Mozzie pointed at his lips next.

"Read lips?" Neal guessed, his voice hoarse and low.

Mozzie nodded. "Can you?" he asked, annunciating slowly and carefully.

Neal's eyes screwed up in concentration, and then he nodded slowly. "A little. But I've never been as good as you."

Mozzie shrugged. "Always time to learn something new."

Neal nodded, and Mozzie smiled, knowing he understood.

"Mozzie?" Neal squeaked out, and his voice was trembling slightly. "What's going to happen to me?"

"If you want," Mozzie mouthed without any sounds coming out, "no one has to know."

Neal's eyes shut for a second, and he took a deep breath. Then he nodded. "Teach me."