Happy Valentine's Day or Single Awareness Day if you are like me... Thanks for all the great reviews! This chapter was really difficult to write. I struggle when it comes to writing Mozzie's character. I hope to get better so please, if anyone has any pointers they can throw my way I would really appreciate it! Enjoy!
"I snuck out to look for Mozzie."
Peter's head snapped up when he heard his nephew whispering something to him about Mozzie. He was working on filling out the rest of Neal's medical records which was proving difficult since he didn't have much to go on about the boy. Pretty much all he knew about his sister's son was his name and age. "What did you say bud?" He asked as he put the clipboard and pen on the nightstand next to Neal's bed.
Neal rubbed his hand up and down his new blue cast as he lay in the big hospital bed. Peter hadn't brought up the subject of why he was out in the city all night and it was making Neal nervous. The little boy knew he must be in trouble so why wasn't he getting yelled at? He took a big intake of breath and slowly released it before he repeated his explanation to his uncle. "I snuck out last night to find Mozzie. Then I got stuck in the rain. I'm sorry Peter. I didn't mean to cause trouble. I just didn't know who else to call. I wouldn't blame you if… if you didn't want me anymore." By now big crocodile tears were streaming down Neal's cheeks. All the words were coming out between little sniffles and broken sobs. His head was bowed and he still hadn't made eye contact with Peter so Neal had no idea what kind of punishment he was going to receive or if Peter was just going to leave the room and never come back.
Neal closed his eyes as he waited for the reprimand or abandonment. But neither of them came. He did however feel a hand gently rest on his arm. He opened his eyes to see Peter looking at him with kind but worried eyes. "Neal, El and I will never leave you. You have to know that. We are family, remember? Families stick together no matter what." Peter grabbed Neal's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze and remained holding it.
Neal nodded his head as he listened to Peter's comforting words. They were helping a little but he still had a nagging feeling that everything wasn't all right. He looked at the clock on the wall and dreadfully realized Mozzie must be waiting for him down the street from his Uncles and Aunts house.
"Neal, you said you went out to find Mozzie. You didn't find him did you? Do you know where he is?" Peter asked. He searched the boys eyes for any hint of what possessed him to walk around the city in the dead of night in a rainstorm.
"Uncle Peter, you say families stick together no matter what. Mozzie is family to me too. That's why I was trying to get a message to him last night. I got the message to him but no, I didn't actually see him. He is waiting for me now though." Neal's voice was shaking so much he thought he might cry again. He tried really hard to hold it in. He was acting ridiculous. His Dad wouldn't have approved of the way he was so openly showing his true emotions.
"Where is he waiting for you?" Before Neal could answer his question, El walked into the room. She looked nervous as she eyed her husband with the 'we need to talk now!' look. After ten years of marriage they knew what the other one was thinking or trying to say just by the look on their face and now the look on El's was frantic. "I'll be right back Neal." Peter said as they finally let go of one another's hands. Peter gave him a wink before he followed his wife out into the hallway.
"Peter, when I was about to leave to the hospital, uh… we had a visitor. I brought him with me." She said as she led her husband down the hall to the waiting room.
"Let me guess, it's Mozzie." Peter grunted before they rounded the corner and arrived in the waiting room he stopped her.
El averted her eyes to the floor. He was an FBI Agent, of course he knew already. "Hon, what were you planning on doing with him? We're just going to waltz him into Neal's room? How is Neal going to feel when his best friend has to leave tonight and be thrown back into the foster care system?" Peter knew he was being harsh to Elizabeth but he hated being caught off guard without a plan.
El wasn't surprised by how Peter was reacting to her news. That was exactly why she wanted to talk to him first in private. Mozzie was very eager to see his young friend but she knew it would be disastrous to have him walk in without first warning Peter. Mozzie had finally agreed when he thought about the negative effects his life would have if he was on bad terms with a Suit. "Peter, just listen okay? Mozzie really cares about Neal. They have lived with each other for years. Mozzie has practically raised him since he was five. He knows so much about Neal. On the way here he told me dozens of things about Neal. Did you know he is allergic to strawberries? And he is afraid of the dark. He loves to sing and he is extremely good at drawing and painting. He is also fluent in French and he loves Chinese food. Did you know all of that Peter, because I didn't. Not only does Neal need Mozzie in his life but I have this weird feeling that we do to."
"El, you just met the kid. I just don't know if it's a good idea for Neal and him to spend time together. The longer Neal lives with us though, the more we are going to learn about him also. Maybe I should go talk to him." Peter said as he pointed towards the waiting room.
"Peter. Just go easy on the kid, okay? Neal's not the only one who is hurting. Try not to act so Special Agent Peter Burke and just listen to what he has to say. You may be surprised." She said as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and headed back towards Neal's room.
Peter quickly gathered his thoughts as he watched his beautiful and very smart wife walk back down the hall. He drew in a shaky breath and turned the corner towards the waiting room. There were only a few people waiting in the small room. Peter's eyes immediately located the small teenager sitting in the corner. He recognized his thick framed glasses that sat on his round face from the photo in his case file. Mozzie sat in the corner plastic chair and absentmindedly skimmed through a National Geographic magazine. Peter never got nervous before he walked into an interrogation room and interviewed sleazy art thief criminals but standing there in the entrance to the waiting room, he couldn't make his feet move towards the teenager. He was about to crush the boys hopes of seeing Neal and he didn't want to be the one to deliver that news.
"Just get it over with Burke." Peter whispered under his breath as he walked towards the boy. "Are you Mozzie Haversham?" Peter asked although he already knew it was.
"Why yes I am. You must be Peter Burke." Mozzie said as he extended his hand towards Peter. He tried to hide his cringe as his hand embraced the Suit's hand. He never wanted to be this close to an FBI Agent but he had to make a good impression for Neal's sake.
"Listen Mozzie. I know you came all this way, but I'm afraid-" Peter said as he sat next to the boy.
"Wait! Mr. Burke are you not going to let me see Neal? You don't understand, he is practically my brother. I know he has a family now but please can't you just let me see him?" Mozzie was almost frantic as he tried to reason with Peter. So much for making a good impression.
"Mozzie, I just don't know if that is such a good idea. Neal has a lot on his mind and I am just not sure if seeing you is what's best for him right now."
"What's best for him?! I know what's best for him Mr. Burke! He and I have been inseparable for three years." Mozzie realized the few people who were in the room were all staring at the two of them in shock so he decided to lower his voice to an almost whisper. "I was there for him when no one else was. When his Dad was out getting drunk every night I took care of him. I made sure he had food in his belly and I stayed with him at night in case he wet the bed because of his intolerable night terrors. He never went to a day of school but I taught him everything he needed to know. He knows three different languages and reads at a middle school level. I know what's best for him Mr. FBI! You are just scared that maybe you are not what's best for him." Mozzie could see a strike of pain in Peter's eyes after he had finished his rant. He immediately felt guilty for saying that last part but he wasn't about to let some Suit make him feel inferior.
"Are you done?" Peter asked quietly but sternly.
Mozzie just gave a quick nod and looked at the linoleum floor beneath his shoes. "You're right, I don't know if I am cut out to raise Neal. I have zero experience with kids but you are just a kid yourself. You obviously know a lot more about Neal than I do but you also had an extra three years or so to learn all that stuff. I know with time El and I will hopefully learn all those things about him too. You are a smart kid with a lot of potential. You have been so focused on being a parental figure for the last three years that you probably haven't had a chance to be a teenager. El and I are here now though so with your permission, will you please let us take over that role?"
Mozzie knew when he told that officer in the police cruiser who Neal was on the way to the hospital, he was giving up his right to ever be apart of Neal's family again. So why was he so surprised now that Peter was telling him he couldn't see Neal? Maybe he didn't think it would hurt so much. "Yes sir. Just please promise me you'll take good care of him. And will you give this to him? It's his favorite book." Mozzie said as he handed him a torn and tattered copy of Oh, the Places You'll Go.
Maybe it was the way Mozzie's face looked totally and completely crushed as he gave his parental rights and the book to Peter or maybe he just didn't want to be the cause of Neal's suffering when he told him he wasn't allowed to see Mozzie anymore but something in Peter changed and before he could stop himself he was calling out to Mozzie, "Why don't you give it to him yourself."
Mozzie slowly turned just in case he had imagined Peter's words but sure enough Peter was standing there holding the colorful book out to him. "Is this some sort of Good Cop Bad Cop scenario that I should be worried about?" Mozzie asked wearily as he tentatively took the book from Peter's hand.
"Let's just call it a trial basis. Sort of a probation period." He said as they walked towards the hallway. Peter didn't know why he had just done what he did but he sure hoped he wouldn't be regretting it anytime soon.
"Neal, Satchmo really misses you. He was whining the whole time I was at home." El said as she fluffed his pillow behind his head. She hadn't mentioned the whole Mozzie ordeal just in case Peter's mind was really set.
"I miss him too. When can I-" But his question was abruptly cut off when he realized who had walked through his hospital room door. "Mozzie!? Mozzie!" He shouted as he jumped off his bed and into the outstretched arms of his big brother. "What are you- How did you know-" He didn't know where to begin asking his questions so he just decided to let them wait until he got over his initial shock that he finally had his brother back. He didn't care how his prayer was answered it just mattered that it was answered at all.
"Thank you Estelle." Neal said as he continued to cling to his friend he thought he would never see again. He feared that this was all a dream and if he let go, Mozzie would disappear.
El and Peter gave each other quizzical looks but didn't bother asking. They had a whole lifetime to learn about their nephew. His secrets, his past, his hidden talents. Today it was strawberry allergies and phobias of the dark. Maybe tomorrow it would be who this Estelle woman was. They would just have to take this whole parenting thing in strides.
