More one chapter...
Bonkers4Reid: Thank you, thank you, thank you, ...
Day after day Neal felt increasingly ill. The pain in his stomach became more frequent, resulting in him throwing up every day, sometimes more than once. When the pain was stronger he would go the whole day without eating anything.
He continued working without even calling in sick once, even when the pain was such that he could hardly walk. He felt his suits beginning to hang loosely off his slimmer frame and every time he looked in the mirror his face was paler and the circles under his eyes were darker.
He couldn't take his pills for pain and nausea for much longer. He was unable to keep them down long enough for them to take effect. He had no alternative but talk with Christie, who gave him an injectable version of the drugs.
Neal watched Peter and noticed that the agent realized that something was off with him. Peter seemed cautious, but didn't ask any questions besides a simple, "Are you okay?" Neal wasn't yet ready to tell Peter. If he told Peter, he probably wouldn't let him work anymore if he looked like he could drop dead at any moment.
Sara also seemed to notice that something was wrong. She looked more interested, but hadn't asked many questions. She was staying in a hotel while her apartment was under renovation.
It was raining when Neal met her in front of the Four Seasons. He gently put his umbrella over her, and as they walked they discussed Neal's former life.
Their day changed course drastically when Sara was drawing money at an ATM and noticed that her account was empty. Neal took the case to Peter and discovered that Sara wasn't the only one who'd lost money. 125 million dollars had been hacked and transferred to the account of Cameron Duponte, most likely an alias.
Sara could no longer afford the hotel and her apartment was still being renovated, so Neal was very worried about her. He did the only thing he thought was right to do and invited her to move into his apartment temporarily.
He, Sara and Mozzie put together a plan to lure in the hacker. For that Neal had to impersonate Cameron Duponte.
"What do you think?" He asked. He looked in the mirror to see if everything looked right. He dressed in a suit that wouldn't showcase the weight he'd lost. "Do I look like Monsieur Duponte?"
"You are a veritable master of disguise." Sara chuckled as she approached him. Even though Neal was very thin and pale he was still very handsome and attractive. "Zip me up?"
"You know, helping you dress seems so counterproductive." He flirted while doing what she asked.
" Monsieur Duponte!" Sara exclaimed, turning to him. "If only we didn't have a previous engagement…" He kissed her neck, but stopped when she addressed him, "Neal... there was a box on the bed…"
"The banker's box?" He asked.
"Yes."
"Yeah, I moved it." He said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Where?" She looked at him pointedly.
"Right there." He gestured to a corner of the room.
"That is a box of Sterling Bosch case files, which means it is very off-limits." She said.
"Ooh, now you got me curious." He said with a playful smile and started walking toward it.
Sara grabbed Neal's arm, "Stop it. I'm serious. All right? Some things are private."
"I thought this was about not having any secrets."
"Okay. So you start." She pushed.
"Me? Start with what? "
"You're hiding something, and it seems serious." She accused.
"It's nothing, okay?" He replied, trying to change the subject.
"Don't tell me you're okay when you obviously aren't." She wanted answers.
"I'm really not." He decided to say, "I just don't want talk about it right now."
"Neal ..." Sara didn't want to end this conversation so soon.
"Come here," he said hugging her, "We'll talk about it, but now isn't the time"
"Okay," Sara let it go, but just for now. "But keep your hands off my banker's box."
"Oh, yeah? We'll see about that." He retorted jokingly.
"You're trouble." She said returning his kiss.
Their plan went over very well... A little too well. Neal had asked for the bank to reissue Duponte's card after Sara changed his information. They spent the money and waited for the hacker who'd struck the blow to appear. Neal hadn't expected Peter to discover his plan before they'd found the hacker. The discussion wasn't pretty, Neal had to admit it.
When the case had been solved Peter called Neal in his office. His facial expression said it all.
"Yeah?" Neal said when he entered.
"Come in and close the door." Neal obeyed. "Neal, you need to tell me what is going on with you."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Neal replied, pretending to not understand.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about." Peter accused.
"No, I don't know." Neal wasn't ready to reveal the truth just yet.
"Take off your jacket and roll up your sleeves." Peter demanded, giving Neal a sense of déjà vu.
"Again, Peter?" Neal looked around the desk, "Do you have a polygraph hidden somewhere I'm not seeing?" Neal chuckled slightly.
"Just do it, Neal."
Neal knew it would be worse if he refused. He didn't understand what Peter wanted, but did it anyway. He cursed to himself as he rolled up his sleeves and the needle marks were in plain sight."
"When were you planning to tell me?" Peter seemed very angry now… Angrier than the day the U-boat exploded.
"I don't know, maybe in a little while."
"Why would you do something like that Neal?" Peter asked putting his head in his hands. Neal hated the glass walls at that moment. He quickly lowered his sleeves again.
"I don't understand. You were fighting me for not telling you and now you're mad at me for telling you?" Neal was very confused.
"No, Neal. I don't understand why you'd want to mess up your life like that. "
"You've lost me, Peter. What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb. I'm referring to your drug use, Neal. I've never imagined you going down that path. It's not what I would have expected you wanting for yourself." Peter was practically shouting now.
"Peter, it's not what you're thinking…" Neal started.
"It's not? Then what is it?"
"I'm not a junkie." It was all Neal could say. He wanted to cry in frustration, but he couldn't show Peter how vulnerable he was.
"Oh, okay. That's what all junkies say."
"Peter, would you please lower your tone?" Neal practically whispered. "You're embarrassing me."
"Okay, you know what?" Peter didn't change the tone. "The case is closed now so you can go home. I can't talk to you anymore today."
"As you wish." Neal grabbed his jacket and left the office, heading toward the elevators ignoring whoever was watching him. Once again Peter didn't trust him and he didn't know why it still bothered him so much. He was more than accustomed to it, but that didn't mean that Peter's distrust hurt any less.
I don't know if the end of this chapter going to take a way that pleases you, so I need that you tell me what you think about it. I like the way that story goes, but I need to know if you like. Please review. :)
