White Collar: The Eye of Sita

Chapter Seven

"Sara?"

When Neal and Peter returned to the hotel Sara was waiting for the elevator. She turned as Neal called her name and flushed with a hint of embarrassment.

"I forgot my purse." Sara admitted. "It has my hotel key in it."

"Sorry, I kind of chased you away."

"It's okay...you feeling better?"

"Uh..."

"I think I'll take the stairs." Peter announced and quickly made an exit.

Neal wasn't sure if he was grateful for Peter leaving them alone or not. An uncomfortable silence fell over the pair as they continued to wait for the elevator. Sara shifted her weight uneasily as the silence stretched on. Neal was about to apologize when the elevator arrived. Sara hurried onto the elevator and Neal followed. Once the door closed he reached out and gently brushed the back of Sara's arm with his fingertips to get her attention. Sara turned to face him and forced a smile.

"Sara, I'm really sorry." Neal apologized again. "Something came up and had to talk to Peter."

"It's okay, Neal, really. I always knew that you and Peter were kind of a package deal."

"Package deal?"

"Can't take one without the other." Sara chuckled.

"As long as I'm wearing the anklet I suppose that's true."

"I think it will always be true."

Neal took a breath to protest, but Sara stepped in close and stopped him with a friendly kiss. Neal reached up and carded his hand into her wavy hair to keep her from stepping away. Sara didn't resist as Neal rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes for a moment. Stressed from the events of the day Neal just enjoyed the simple touch.

"Neal?" Sara asked softly. "Is something wrong?"

"Can I stay with you tonight?"

"With me? What about Peter?"

"He won't mind."

"...Okay." Sara agreed hesitantly.

"Thank you." Neal pulled away as the elevator opened on their floor. "Hold the elevator, I'll go get your purse."

Sara waited by the elevator while Neal slipped down the hall. Peter made no protests about Neal leaving for the night. He mentioned that he trusted Sara more than most when it came to keeping him out of trouble. Neal returned to Sara with her purse and they walked across the Mall to where she was staying.

Sara offered Neal some red wine and they settled down on the couch together to share a drink. Sara seemed a little distant at first, but after a few glassed she relaxed a bit. Neal put his back against the arm of the couch and stretched one leg out along the back so that Sara could lay down with her back against his stomach.

Neal wrapped one arm loosely around Sara's waist while absent mindedly running his free hand through her hair. Lost in thought he found some comfort in having her close, however, his uneasy tension was still obvious. Neal's thoughts were stuck on the large black diamond. There was only one event in his life that he would consider truly 'evil'. He had never managed to truly put it behind him, but until recently it had been shifted to the back of his mind.

"I've never known you to be so quiet." Sara broke the silence.

"Just thinking."

"About?"

"Nothing."

"Not thinking about diamonds?" Sara asked knowingly.

"Diamonds?"

"Don't even bother denying it, Neal." Sara warned gently. "You think I just wandered back towards my hotel after I left?"

"You followed us?"

"I'm an insurance investigator, it's what I do: investigate."

"What did you hear?"

"Everything." Sara admitted freely.

"So you know about the Hope Diamond?"

"Why else do you think I'm in DC?"

"Sterling-Bosch insures the Hope Diamond." Neal pieced together. "That' why you were at the Smithsonian. Trying to track down a lead."

"And I found one."

"If you heard Peter and I you know that I don't have it."

"But you have some ideas as to who might." Sara pressed. "Neal, I have to find that diamond."

"You'd earn enough to retire if you do, eh?"

"I certainly won't have to worry about money if I do, but that stone is worth more than just money, Neal. The NSA is getting involved."

"The National Security Agency? What do they have to do with a jewel theft?"

"It's not just any jewel. The Hope Diamond is famous for having the tightest security in the world. If someone can get a hold of the Hope, people will realize that nothing is safe. The media would go into an absolute frenzy if they knew the stone was missing."

"The Smithsonian knows it's a replica." Neal smiled. "They're helping in the cover up. I was wondering how the curators could be fooled by a forgery, and of course the best answer is that they weren't."

Sara sat up and turned around so that she could face Neal. Neal was contemplating the implications of the Smithsonian knowing about the theft. The new piece of information opened a whole new set of scenarios. Sara could see that Neal wasn't paying attention anymore and put her hand on his cheek to get his attention.

"Neal, I need to know who gave you those diamonds."

"I don't know."

"You're lying. I know you are. Peter knows it too, he's just more willing to play along with you than I am."

"Sara I don't know, honestly. I don't have any reason to protect whoever took the stone."

"I don't think you're protecting the thief, I think you're protecting yourself." Sara accused. "I don't know from what, but I think this thief knows more about you than you'd like."

"Sara..."

"Neal, I saw the look on your face when you came back, something had you spooked to the core. When you didn't show up for our dinner Peter tracked you, you left the Smithsonian and walked in aimless circles for hours. Peter tried to play it off, but I could see his concern. He tried to get me to leave, but I wasn't going anywhere. It was killing him to just sit there and politely offer me dinner while you continued to spiral. If you hadn't come back within the next five minutes he was going to give up on pretending everything was 'fine' and hunt you down."

Neal fell silent. Sara didn't look angry, but she looked like she could easily get there if given even the slightest excuse. He realized that he had underestimated her even though it was her intelligence that had drawn him to her in the first place. Neal reached out to take her hand. Sara allowed him to take her hand and hold it in his own.

"I need a little time to figure this out." Neal said. "I think I know who gave me the stones, but it doesn't make any sense."

"Why not?"

"Because they died a long time ago."

"You're trying to tell me that a ghost put the Hope setting diamonds in your pocket?" Sara asked doubtfully.

"No. I don't believe in ghosts, but I think someone wants me to. I don't have a name, that I swear. I've already asked Peter for help, so you know that I'm not trying to hide."

"Just because you went to Peter doesn't mean that you don't have a secret agenda. I know you, Neal."

"You want to know why I was walking in circles?"

"Why?"

"Because I was trying to decide if I wanted to deal with this mystery person or if I should just run away."

"Why did you come back?"

"I'm tried of running." Neal said simply.

Sara gave Neal a distrustful look, she clearly didn't believe him. She pulled her hand away and folded them on her lap. Neal hadn't been sure of his feelings for her before, but now that she was pulling away from him he discovered it hurt far more than he thought it would. Unlike Kate she didn't want anything to do with his criminal side. She expected better of him, even though she knew she probably wasn't going to get it.

Neal suddenly realized that she had no reason to believe him. There was one huge lie that was constantly between them. If he ever expected her to trust him, he was going to have to trust her first. When he tried to touch her again she leaned away and got to her feet. He got up as well, but kept his distance.

"Neal, I'm sorry, I think you should leav..."

"I stole the Raphael." Neal said suddenly.

"Wha...what?"

"The Raphael, 'Saint George and the Dragon'. The one that you were so convinced that I stole. I did. I was desperate to get Kate's attention and she loved that painting so I took it in hopes that she would know I was back in New York. The fact that she knew and didn't try to find me should have told me something, but that's another story."

"Where is it now?"

"I don't know. Lost somewhere in the black market."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you're important to me. Because I want you to believe me, I want your trust. I want you to see that I'm trying my hardest to earn more white diamonds."

"I...uh...I don't know what that means."

Neal could see that rather than bringing her closer his sudden confession was just alienating her further. His heart was racing painfully, telling Sara about the Raphael was one of the riskiest things he'd done in a very long time. He could see that Sara was thinking about her options, she turned away from him before hesitating and turning back to face him.

"You really piss me off some times, Neal."

"I know."

"I don't understand you, and I don't understand why I can't just label you a 'criminal' and move on with my life."

"Does that mean you're willing to give me a little more time before you make any decisions?"

"I want so much to believe that you can be a good man."

"That makes two of us."

Sara was caught a little off guard by Neal's response. Neal was exhausted in every sense of the word and was wondering if he should ask if he could sleep on the couch or if he should just go back to his own hotel. Before he could make a decision his phone rang. Automatically looking at it, he saw that it was Peter calling. Even though he knew it was not going to help things with Sara Neal knew it had to be important and he had to answer.

"Peter?" Neal answered.

Neal listened to what Peter had to say without interrupting him. The news did not come as a surprise to Neal, even if the timing could be better.

"I'll be there in ten minutes." Neal assured Peter as he hung up.

"What's going on?" Sara asked.

"I have to go."

"What?"

"I'm being arrested."

"Come again?" Sara asked in surprise.

"Walters came to the hotel room to arrest me."

"For what?"

"I'm not really sure. All I know is that it has nothing to do with the Hope Diamond. This is some sort of political pissing match between Walters and Peter."

"So...you're just going to willing allow Walters to take you in?"

"That's the plan." Neal smiled. "I don't want to keep him waiting, it will just make him harder to deal with."

Sara looked to be in shock. Neal took the opportunity to close the space between them and kiss her cheek. She didn't return the affection, but she didn't pull away or strike him either. Neal figured that it was progress since he knew that she could easily best him in a fight if she wanted to.

"I'll take you out to dinner soon, I swear, but I have to take care of this first."

"Just so we're clear, if you end up back in prison I haven't decided yet if I'll wait for you or not."

"Don't worry, you won't have to make that decision just yet." Neal assured. "This isn't anything serious."

"How can you know that?"

"Because if it was Peter would have come here and arrested me himself."