More HTO crack for you and you and you... oh and you! This chapter is dedicated to my sister, Lex Leto. She was so excited to see this made she almost had a poop attack! Well, anyways...

Oh and she had the idea of kidnapping Dean, so... yeah. But she was unaware that Dean and my Cas are a package, so SHHHH! Don't tell her! She IS NOT a Destiel supporter, but don't hold htat against her! Thanks!

Cara: Lex Leto. That is a strange name.

Me: Tell me about it. My mother names my sister lex, you think i'd be the one to get a normal name. But nope. She calls me Muse.

Cara: What is so bad about that?

Me: My mother named me after a word that means 'the source of an artists inspiration'. And now it's a band and people think it's necassary to ask me if that's where my name came from.

Cara:O.o

Me: Nevermind.

For those of you who know what i'm talking about, have pity on me. The name Muse Nicolei (my middle name is pronounced Ni-col-eye) is not normal. Seriously.

DISCLAIMER: I don;t own White Collar. Only the OC (since there's only one) and the plot, which is AWESOME!

So enjoy!


For the next couple of days, Diana dug and dug and dug. But there was a problem. A big one. One that she had to call Peter in for.

"What?" Peter said in astonishment and excitement.

"You heard right. Cameron Moreau doesn't exist. She just doesn't. I traced her back to her school, but a lot of the stuff there was forged. None of it was real."

Peter thought and thought and thought. And then: "No," he gasped. "it couldn't be… but maybe…?"

Diana looked at him in confusion and asked, "Couldn't be what?"

Peter looked at him with such resolve in her eyes that Diana knew instantly that she wasn't going to like what she heard. So she braced herself.

"Type in Cameron Caffrey," Peter said.

Diana blanched. What was Peter saying? "What are you implying?" she croaked.

"Exactly what I'm saying. Try Cameron Caffrey."

Diana started for the keyboard when her head snapped up. "That water bottle… it was Cameron's, wasn't it?"

Peter nodded. "And Jones should have the results any day now. Although, if this works, we might not need it."

"A DNA test is always best, Peter," Diana pointed out.

He nodded. "I know. Just do it, Di."

And so, Diana slowly typed in the new name into her computer. She hesitantly reached for the 'Enter' button and was relieved when Peter helped her push it down. For a moment, there was nothing on the screen, just a swirling circle as it processed the name. And then…

Diana inhaled sharply as several things popped up at once. One was an Elementary School Certificate, another was a hospital bill from when she had been in the hospital from when she was eight.

And then, there was a birth certificate.

She went to that one first and straightaway. Diana and Peter's eyes flew over the page, soaking in every detail of information and when they got to the line that had the father's name on it, both gasped.

Diana looked to Peter. "Peter… what are we going to do?"

He shook his head. "Nothing until we get the res-"

At that moment, Jones walked in, looking a little shaken. He was a good agent and wouldn't have opened the file in any other case. But this was Neal. And he had looked at the results. And he had thought that maybe he was going crazy.

"Peter, you have to look at this."Jones flung the file onto the desk in front of them. He and Diana's eyes were glued to it.

And then, they each snatched at it, almost arguing. They would have, but Jones had snatched it back and opened it. He held it up for the two of them to see. "If this is correct, and it is because I had them quadruple check it four times, then this means…."

They all looked at each other, knowing that Cameron was someone that a lot of people wanted to get their hands on. They realized now that it wasn't just because of Kate.

It was because of Neal.

"We're going to have to tell them," Diana said, slowly getting up and sneaking to the door.

"Yeah," Peter said, his eyes still glued to the DNA test. He didn't see it when Jones quickly followed Diana out.

His only warning was when Diana said, "Good luck Peter!" and slammed his office door closed.

Peter swore silently to himself. Great.

How was he supposed to do this?

Why him?


It was midnight, Neal knew that much for certain in his dream. He slept with a fitful toss and turn, never able to stay still. It was horrible.

He was dreaming of Kate, dreaming of the day she died. He saw the plane explode, just as he was about to tell Peter that he didn't want to run anymore. He felt the pain of the shockwave all over again. He felt the pain that Kate was dead all over again. But this time, he heard screaming. Kate screaming. It was terrifying, the sheer terror in her voice as she wailed.

But wait… was it Kate? The scream sounded younger, almost. Younger and slightly different, with a tone he was somehow familiar with…

And then, Cameron was in front of him, screaming. And then she blew up.

Neal bolted upright in his bed as wind and rain pummeled the window outside. He was sweating and breathing heavy and his head hurt. He dropped it onto his hands and sat there for a moment before he realized something.

Someone was screaming.

At first, he thought it was still the remnants from his dream, but after a while, they broke to the sound of sobbing. Neal was a bit confused. The only other person in the house besides him was…

Cameron.

Neal jumped out of bed as quickly as possible and scrambled out of his room and down the hall. He groggily made his way to her room. When he was outside of it he listened and now he really heard her. She was crying, crying so hard that she was coughing.

Neal threw open her door, worry filling his whole being. And there she was, sitting up in bed, tears running down her face, dripping off her chin and falling to the bed sheet.

Somehow, Neal knew it wasn't the lightning and rain that was scaring her.

She looked up at the sound of her door opening and, although no words passed between them, Neal knew she needed someone right now. He rushed over to her side and sat on the edge of her bed. Instead of just staying where she was, she leaned into Neal and cried, literally screaming in anguish.

He wrapped his arms around her shaking body and rubbed her back as she wailed against him and sobbed to her heart's content. Neal's own heart was hurting, ripping up into pieces as she cried into his chest, wetting his whole shirt. But he could always just change.

After what seemed like a lifetime, she slowed down and just held onto him, literally wrapped up in his arms like a caterpillar in a cocoon. She snuggled close to him and, although she was still shaking, she seemed a whole lot better than she had been before.

"Cam," he whispered into her ear as she just clung to him. "Baby, what happened?" Neal would have stopped himself if he had thought of his words. But he didn't. He didn't want to give her hopes that she would be with him forever, but she needed comfort. And this was all he could give her. So if he had to use pet names and touchy-feely-ness, then so be it.

He really didn't mind and meant every word.

He considered her his baby.

She started shaking her head and when she spoke, she hiccupped in between her words, and although it was a serious and sad time, Neal had to admit that it was sort of cute and tried to hide his smile, glad that the room was dark.

"I-I dr-dreamed of-of her. M-my mom-my," she stuttered out.

"And?"

She started crying again. "And she died! She died all over again, but I could see it! And I cou-couldn't stop it! And then- then M-m-mozz d-died and-and there was blood-a-and…" She trailed off and clung to him, shaking slightly.

Neal found it ironic that they both had nightmares about the same things. But she wasn't done, as he soon found out. "And then… and then you left." She squeezed her eyes closed and shook a little. "You left me all alone to deal with it all!" She cried some more, unable to stop herself. "That was-was the scariest part." She looked up at him now, her bright blue eyes red-rimmed and glassy. "D-don't ever leave Neal. Please don't leave me alone."

Neal tightened his arms around her and said, said and meant with all his heart, "I will never leave you Cameron. Do you hear me? Never. Not even when you want me to." He felt her shake, but this time, it was because she was laughing. "Good."

She snuggled into him more and got a lot more comfortable than Neal expected she should have. But then, he really didn't want to move. She was falling asleep… in his arms. He felt, more than saw, her eyes shut and then, a faint whisper in the night:

"I love you, Neal…"

And then she was asleep. Her breathing evened out and her whole body went soft in his arms. Neal got her lying down on her bed, but then, unable to resist and afraid that she would wake up and freak out, Neal got under the covers with her and wrapped her in a hug. She squirmed closer to his chest and gave an involuntary sigh of content as she slept.

Neal gave one himself and found himself wondering when he had gotten so close to the young teen.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he whispered into the night, to no one in particular.

As sleep took him, he thought he heard a voice whisper back, "I know, Neal. I know."


Neal awoke to the smell of coffee and… was that bacon? How the hell did he smell bacon? He hadn't gone grocery shopping in forever; it was Moz who usually did that. At the thought of his comatose friend, his throat closed and he opened his eyes.

To find himself alone.

The space in the bed beside him was empty and a pair of flannel pajamas were folded at the edge of the bed. He got up and walked to the door, following his nose to the kitchen where an amazing sight beheld him.

Cameron was bustling about, in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, cooking breakfast and brewing coffee. The only thing he could think to say was, "Since when did you learn how to use the coffee machine?"

She turned, slightly started and then, smiled. Walking up to him and planting a small kiss on his cheek, she said, "Good morning Neal." And then, "You need to shave Neal. Your face is like sandpaper." She made shooing motions as he began to protest, confused as all hell. "Go, go. Go get ready and come get breakfast. And don't forget to shave!" she yelled as he walked down the hall and into his room to grab a pair of clothes.

He simple took a black tee and a pair of soft blue jeans with a few holes in the knees. And then he headed for the bathroom. After taking a rejuvenating shower, changing into a fresh new pair of clothes and, of course, shaving (he really had been scruffy, more so than he, and apparently Cameron, really liked), he felt a lot better, a whole lot more awake.

Neal made his way to kitchen and found that the table was already set and that two mugs of coffee were waiting on the counter. He brought those, along with some sugar and cream, to the table and saw Cameron already sitting there.

"Morning," she said, awfully cheerful.

"Morning to you too. What had you up and about?"

She smiled. "Life. Have some breakfast. I busted my ass making this crap for you."

Neal chuckled and ate his meal, finding that Moz had passed down his finesse cooking to her. He must have been teaching her more than how to decode music notes while Neal was at 'work'.

"Seriously. What's with the Early Bird Special?" he asked, actually curious. If she was buttering him up to ask him something, he was definitely ready for it now.

"Honestly? Nothing. I just… wanted to say thank you for staying with me last night. I needed someone Neal." She shrugged, but he could see a fine little blush settle on her face as she spoke, and he realized that it really meant a lot to her.

"Hey," he said and she looked up. "That's what I'm here for." It was his turn to smile and shrug.

She beamed at him. "Thanks." Neal was about to go back to finishing his food when she continued and said, "Oh and Peter called. He wanted to talk to you. I don't know what it was about, but he sounded pretty nervous."

Neal finished his coffee and put the cup in the sink while saying, "Nervous? That's weird. You mind if I head down there?"

She shook her head, getting up herself and grabbing her roller blades. "Nah. Go ahead. I'm gonna go see Mozzie."

Neal froze. She was going to go see Moz… alone? "Are you sure?" he asked gently.

She looked at him like he was crazy and said, "Of course. Don't worry you're pretty little head off. I'll be fine."

There was a moment of silence, which Neal broke by saying, "So you admit I'm pretty? Finally!" Cameron rolled her eyes. "Go on, laugh. I know you want to."

At this, she finally cracked and burst out laughing. Neal chuckled and went for the door, kissing her forehead on the way out and saying behind him, "Bye, Cam!"

"Bye Da-Neal!" she threw back as he made his way down the steps and out the door.

But all Neal could think as he was walking was….

Did she just call me dad?


Neal was still a little dazed when he made it to Peter. He walked through the doors and Diana was the first person he saw. "Hey, Diana!"

She turned and for some reason got really pale. Neal looked behind him to see if there was someone behind him that was freaking her out, but there was no one significant. "You ok, Di?"

"Um.. yeah. I'm fine. What's up Neal?"

"Peter called while I was asleep and Cam said he wanted to talk to me. You know where he is?" Now Diana was really pale. "Hey," he said, trying to break the ice, "I know I'm good looking but the staring is a little bit much."

She shook her head and gave him a reprimanding smile. "He's in the interrogation room." As Neal nodded his thanks and left, she muttered, "Good luck Caffrey. What the hell? Good luck Peter."

And then she walked to go get Jones.

They might have a need for him in a few minutes.


Neal smiled when he saw Peter sitting in the interrogation room. Peter was nervous, just the look on his face screamed it alone! It was great. Neal started planning how he would use it to his advantage when he saw the serious gleam in Peter's eyes. His plans stopped short and he walked in slightly confused.

"Neal," Peter said as he walked in. "Have a seat."

Neal sat in the chair across from him. "Is there something wrong Peter?" Neal suddenly got a really bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Peter?"

"How do I say this to him?" peter was muttering under his breath, over and over. He finally looked to Neal's worried face. "Neal… you have to promise me that when I tell you what I need to tell you that you won't do anything stupid." Neal sat staring forward. "Neal!"

He blinked and looked to Peter, nodding. "Yeah. Ok. What is it?"

Peter sighed. "It's-it's about Cameron…."

Neal's heart clenched. Oh no. "What about her?"

"We…we found her dad."

Neal's world fell apart after that. No, no, no. They couldn't be taking her away from him. How was he supposed to live? How?

"Neal? Neal. Neal!"

Neal's head snapped up. "Yeah?"

Peter sighed. "Let me get this all out Neal." The younger man nodded. "We found her dad and… and he wants to see her."

Neal's mouth dropped open. He wanted to scream, yell, do something. But he couldn't. He just stared in openmouthed stupefaction, silently dying on the inside. "He wants to see her?" Peter nodded. "Where the hell has the bastard been this whole time? Where?" Neal felt rage now. A deep dark jealous rage, one he didn't like very much.

"He didn't even know she existed Neal. He only recently found out." Peter was looking a bit anxious to get on with whatever else he had to tell Neal.

Neal shook his head. "That's no excuse." It sounded stupid to him even. Suddenly, Neal asked, "Can I meet him?"

Peter got his look of absolute fear in his eyes. "Well, the thing is Neal…" He took a shaky breath. "You already know him. Pretty well actually." Neal had no idea what he was talking about, no idea whatsoever.

"Peter, I don't understand. What are you-"

"You're practically the same person," Peter continued, ignoring Neal's complaint and putting emphasis in all the right places in the phrase. He only hoped Neal got the message, because he couldn't say it without bursting.

But Neal got it. Neal more than got it. He was paralyzed when he got it.

"No," he whispered. "No."

Peter felt a wave of relief hit him. "It's true. Here." Peter handed him a file and Neal woodenly opened it. Inside was a birth certificate that had Kate's name, his name and Cameron's name on it. Except it was different. Cameron's name wasn't the way he knew it. It wasn't Cameron Moreau. It was Cameron Phoenix Caffrey. She was a Caffrey.

She was a Caffrey.

And most importantly, she was his.

"I-uh…" He could barely speak. Then, Peter handed him another piece of paper from the file and Neal's eyes widened. "What the hell Peter?" It was a DNA test. Peter had tested his DNA, that was already in the system from his arrest, to Cameron's DNA. The test was, of course, positive, the similarities between them, described as parent to child, making him her father. "Where the hell did you even get her…?" Neal got a weird look on his face. "Her water bottle? You used her water bottle?"

He wasn't really mad as much as hurt that Peter had used him. And Peter knew. "Neal, I'm sorry. But I had to know. I'm sorry, I-"

"No, it's-I'm fine. I'm… would it be weird if I said relieved?"

Peter shook his head. "No. Not at all."

Neal just stared for a while, stared at the papers, stared at all the information they had on her, how every single piece of paper had her name with his last name. No, their last name.

At that moment, all he wanted to do was hug her and tell her and be able to call her his… his daughter.

Because now she really was his baby. His baby.

"That's why she left," Neal then realized. That was why Kate had left all those years. She was… pregnant. She had been pregnant with their baby, with Cameron. And she had asked about baby names so randomly that day because of this. She had left because of this. And the whole art dealer thing? She was playing on words, on what he used to do. Of course, he was a scam artist, but she had never told her daughter that.

And then…

She was going to tell him. She was going to tell him the day she died, tell him that they had a daughter, that that was where they were going.

Neal tried to think of what his life would be if Kate had told them when they were teenagers. He would have definitely taken the responsibility that was for certain. He would have gotten a good job and he would have helped raise Cameron. They would probably still be back in hometown then, and Cameron would be going to school there. She would be used to Neal and his antics and he hers. And they would both have Kate and her loving words and deep care. They would be happy. Kate would be alive. He wouldn't have met Peter, never have gotten in with the FBI.

Neal shook his head. No. That was not how it would turn out. And he didn't want to know now that he thought of it. That future might actually be worse than the one he was living. And anyways, the happy one wasn't meant to be. This hard life of pain and torture was what was destined for him and his… daughter.

With that thought, Neal got up and charged at Peter. The older man froze in complete surprise and almost had a heart attack when Neal hugged him in an honest-to-God real hug. "Thank you," he said around the lump of cotton in his throat.

Peter surprisingly hugged him back. "I got your back Neal. Always."

Neal hugged him a little tighter and for some reason was reminded of the father he never really had. Peter had been more of a father to him than anyone and, although he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he liked it and was happy that someone had finally filled that role in his life, even if it was twenty years late.

Peter was thinking much the same thing, how he never had kids, but how Neal was as close as he would be getting. And he really didn't mind.

Besides, he could really use some grandkids.

They separated, only slightly awkward and said their goodbyes. Peter was going to look into the shootings and Neal was going to go home and tell his… daughter that she was his.

And that's exactly what he did.


Neal rushed into the house and then remembered that Cameron had said that she was going to go to see Moz. But when he strained to listen, he heard her in the kitchen, probably using her new Kung-Fu Cooking Skills to make lunch. She was also expecting him, since the table was already set.

But Neal wanted to have lunch as a family and that meant that he had to tell her.

Now.

"I'm home," he called as he walked in and put his coat up on a peg on his coat hanger.

"Kitchen!" she yelled and he heard something fall and the tell tale signs that the f-bomb had been dropped.

He walked into the kitchen to see her picking a cup that clearly had held something saucy in it out of the sink where it had most likely fallen. "Crap," she muttered as she went to a cabinet to get whatever it was she needed.

"I've got it," Neal said, getting there before her and getting the sauce out for her.

She smiled and he now realized it was the same smile he had when it was genuine. She had the same shade of hair and her eyes were the same type of blue. Her nose had that little turn and her eyebrow was doing that twitch thing that his did. He watched in awed fascination as she cooked, picking out all the similarities and loving how much she was like him. He wondered if she thought that it was weird that he was staring.

Apparently she did. "Neal, are you ok? What did Peter want?" She asked this as she diced some onions and sprinkled them into the sauce she had warming up on the stove.

He snapped out of his reverie and immediately got nervous. How was he going to tell her this without freaking her out or getting her angry? He began to understand why Peter had been so nervous.

He decided to go with Peter's approach. "They found your father," he whispered.

She dropped the spoon in her hand and as it hit the floor with a bang her eyes met his. "What?"

He sighed. Maybe he would have to take it a bit more slowly. "Peter and the team, they found your dad."

She swallowed and said, "Wh-why?"

Neal raised an eyebrow and said, "Isn't it obvious? He wants to see you. He never even knew you existed until recently, so he wants to see you with his own two eyes and hug you with his own two arms."

She looked hysteric and Neal immediately regretted telling her this way. "Why? What if-what if I don't want to see him? Who is he? Neal, who is he?" Her voice was cracking and she sounded panicked.

Neal walked over to her and placed both hands on her shoulders. "Relax," he said, soothingly and she did. "How was Moz?" he suddenly asked, like it was more important than what they were talking about.

"He's still the same. Neal who is he?" She pulled away, tears threatening to fall. He was surprised that he could tell just before the water works were going to come. He guessed that parents just knew those things. He smiled. He was a parent! "Neal! It's not funny! Who is he?" And then the tears started to fall.

"Oh, Cameron, don't cry. Its fine, it'll be fine." He hugged her and then said, "You already know him, Cam."

She sniffled. "I don't want to meet him Neal. I don't."

"You already have," Neal said with a smirk.

He was itching to just tell her, to get past this. But he let her look on in confusion. It would all be clear in a second. "Who?"

Neal took a deep breath. "Don't be mad when I tell you, ok?" She nodded, total fear on her face. "Me." Neal had his eyes closed then. He couldn't bare it to see the anger he knew would be there.

Then, he somehow found the courage to open his eyes and burst out laughing. Her face. It was shocked, happy and unbelieving all in the same instant. And then, she cut him off mid-laugh with a bone crushing hug and more tears and a small laugh and the weak words of, "I will kill you if you're lying."

Neal hugged her back, overwhelmed by all the feeling she was having now. He brought her to the living room where he gave her the papers and her face lighted with surprise and happiness. "My real name is Caffrey?" Neal nodded. "Oh my God!" She hugged him again and didn't want to let go. When they separated, Neal thought he was going to cry. He was surprised since he was never really the emotional type. "Now what?" she asked.

"Now you're mine. Utterly and totally mine, Cameron. You are my… daughter. And I'm never going to give that up. I've missed you for sixteen years. I'm gonna stick around for the rest of your life." He winked then. "Whether you want me to or not."

Her lower lip trembled and Neal counted down mentally. 3, 2, 1…

She cried out and hugged him again, crying again.

"I love you daddy," she muttered against his chest without hesitation.

"I love you Cameron Phoenix Caffrey." He put extra emphasis on her new last name.

She grimaced. "I hate my middle name."

"Even though I picked it out?"

She looked up. "You did?" he nodded. "Of course you did." She shook her head and said, "And how the hell did neither of us piece this together? The two smartest people in New York. We are so sad."

"No," Neal said. "The sad part is that the two smartest people in New York are related to each other and we're father and daughter and we manage to use our smarts for scamming. At least I do. Erm… did."

She laughed at this and said, "No. We both do. Um… did." He smiled.

"Cameron Caffrey. I like it."

"So many C's though," she pointed out.

But then Neal smiled and she knew she had done something wrong and that this wouldn't be good for her. "You're right… CiCi."

She blanched. "You did not."

He nodded moving to the kitchen, knowing his daughter well enough to know that she was going to hurt him for that. "I did."

"Don't EVER call me that ever again!" she called as he disappeared into the kitchen to get away from the furry of her blue eyes.

"Too bad CiCi. It's your new nick-name, sweetheart," he said back.

"DADDY! STOP IT!" he could hear her coming to get him, could hear the smile in her voice. And he found a smile plastered to his face.

He could get used to this.


So much fluff it makes me wanna puke!

Me: how bout you Cara?

Cara: *looking green and coming back from puking* What was that?

Me: *thundercloud* Nevermind.

Review the awesomeness that is Neal Caffrey's life?