Chapter 10

When Neal awoke a couple of hours later he jus laid there as he gathered his thoughts. He didn't remember why he was sleeping that is until he rolled over on his back and his sore butt reminded him of the "discussion" Peter had with his earlier and he scampered quickly out of the bed. Wincing as he walked Neal called out "Peter?" and when he wasn't answered went in search of the older man. He wandered out into the front room and noticed something next to the coffee pot, picking it up to read.

"I wondered where he went," Neal asked out loud as he walked out back. He knew he couldn't sit comfortably yet and didn't want to go back to bed. He would go for a short walk in hopes that Peter will return by the time he came back. He did remember to leave him a note, 'I don't won't him to get worry or for us to have another discussion about it later,' he thought as he hurriedly told Peter he was going for a short walk.

It was about thirty minutes later that Peter arrived. He first checked to see if Neal was still sleeping and when he didn't find him noticed the note and smiled. "Great that should give me plenty of time to set up my surprise and hurriedly did just that. He arranged it to be overlooking the gorgeous scenery behind the cabin. When he was satisfied he went out looking for Neal and found him down by the stream.

"Neal…are you feeling better?" he asked as he came upon his friend.

"Yep, except for sitting…Peter, where were you?"

"I just thought about something you said last night and decided you needed a present," Peter said with a smile.

"You bought me a present?" asked Neal excitedly. "Where is it?"

"Back at the cabin…come on," replied Peter as he turned and led the way back stopping a few steps from where he had the surprise set up. "Now close your eyes…and I'll lead you there," ordered Peter as he took Neal by the arm and led him next to his surprise.

"Open your eyes," instructed Peter as he stood back and watched Neal.

Neal walked to the objects and picked them up looking at Peter in surprise,

"you bought all of this for me?"

"Yep, you told me that Mozzie recognized your art talent and used it to lead you into forgery…well that had better be behind you and now I want to see your natural talent back at work by doing some of your own art. I bought you the easel and all that you see here. I've set it up overlooking the lake below and showing such a scenic location…now it is all up to you to see if your talent is still there. It will be a natural outlet for you when you want to relax," Peter added as he ruffled Neal's hair in a brotherly manner.

"I've never done anything like this before; I've always had something to copy from," protested Neal.

"And you still do but instead of someone's piece of art you have nature to draw or paint from…just look at it as one big art work and copy from it," encouraged Peter.

"I've never thought of it like that before," Neal said thoughtfully, "I'll give it a try and see if I can do you proud."

"You just do yourself proud and that will be enough for me," replied Peter as he left Neal alone.

Peter was putting up groceries when Neal suddenly came in and went into his bedroom and out a few minutes later after he had shower, dressed in a pair of jeans and an old shirt and returned to the patio where he stayed until Peter called him in for lunch.

"Peter, this is great," referring to the painting, "it brought back the feeling I had when I was young and just discovering art…I don't know how to thank you," Neal said enthusiastically.

"Just paint me something that you can proudly put your name to; and I'll hang it up at home," encouraged Peter as he saw another side of his friend.

"I'll do it…something for both you and El will like," promised Neal as he consumed his burger and rushed back outside to work some more on his painting and he didn't come back inside until later that afternoon with finished painting in his hands.

"What do you think?" Neal asked hesitantly as he held up his first piece of art.

Peter took it from his hands and looked it carefully over; it was a scene from the patio of a stream flowing through woods. It was simply done but with so much detail and color that Peter could only gasp with pride. "It's beautiful Neal…you have captured the beauty of the scene…and I see that you have signed it in plain view and not hidden so that it needs to have a fluorescent light to see it by."

"Yeah and I like it in the corner better, too…just like the artist do," replied Neal with a sparkle in his eyes.

By the time Sunday had arrived Neal had produced another piece of art this one was for June.

He had come to Peter Saturday afternoon after he had finished his first painting and had asked for his help. "Peter I want to do something for June and Mozzie but I don't know what; do you have any ideas?"

"I know for a fact that June loves you like a son so why don't you do a self portrait for her…something she put with all of the other pictures of her 'kids'," Peter replied.

"But I don't want mine to be that big," Neal had complained, "all of those other pictures are of her actual kids."

"Why don't you do her a colored pencil portrait, one that you can make smaller," suggested Peter.

"Yeah, she would like that but I don't have the materials here; I guess I will have to wait until I get home."

"Or you could just use what is in this bag," replied Peter mysteriously as he handed over a large bag.

Neal looked in and suddenly pulled out several sketch books, or different sizes along with several boxes of colored pencils. He looked in amazement at Peter. "How did you know?"

"I saw them and thought that you could carry the smaller one around with some pencils to occupy yourself at work instead of pulling pranks," replied Peter with a grin, "because if you don't you might be sketching standing up."

Neal smiled and impulsively gave Peter a hug of thanks, picking his pocket as he did. He had another idea for him and El but he wanted it to be a surprise and hurried off to work on June's portrait. He didn't come back until he was finished and then he came out showing his portrait. "What do you think?" he asked shyly.

Peter looked up and saw the younger man in one of his signature outfits including the hat, which seemed to be his trademark, giving a shy smile.

"I think she is going to love it…what do you have planned for Mozzie?" Peter asked as he handed the sketch back.

"I thought I would do one of my holding the first painting as if I was stealing it…he might get a kick out of it," explained Neal with a grin, but first I'm getting hungry can we go out to eat?"

"Will you be able to sit?" asked Peter pointedly.

"I don't know, let me give it a try," Neal answered honestly as he tentatively sat down and grimaced as he stood back up at once. "Nope, but I'm still hungry."

"While I was out I also picked up some steaks with potatoes and thought we could have them tonight…do you want to cook or shall I?" Peter asked seriously.

"That sounds great," replied Neal; "how are you with steaks?"

"I've heard no complaints from El…but I'm afraid that steaks and fish are about all I can do besides putting potatoes in to bake. If you want something different than that, we either eat out or you cook," admitted Peter.

"I think we can manage with those choices until we get home," Neal said with a smile. "And while you are cooking I'll go back to my art."

Peter nodded his understanding as he started his meal. First he scrubbed and pricked the potatoes before placing them in a 350 degree oven to bake; 'that should take about an hour,' he thought as he pulled out the steaks and began to marinade them with seasonings and Italian salad dressing before replacing them in the refrigerator and picking up a book he brought to read, all the while not realizing that his wallet was in the hands of Neal as he ruffled through his photos looking for one that featured him with his wife. He wanted to do a sketch similar to the one he did for June only putting himself between Peter and El as the third member of their family.

Finally Neal found the one he liked, it was a picture of the two of them romping with Satch, and Neal had taken it a few months ago along with several others. It was his favorite and he was surprised to find out that obviously Peter had liked it as well. "I shouldn't have any trouble inserting myself in this picture," Neal murmured to himself.

It was Sunday and they were ready to leave. All in all they had a great time of course there was that time yesterday that Neal hadn't enjoyed when Peter took him to task for his misdeeds of the preceding week; but all was forgiven when Peter presented him with the art supplies and Neal discovered that he had a real talent for painting; one where he could actual take real pleasure in his talent and not use it for forging works of art for illegal purposes. He had really appreciated the fact that he could sketch while lying on his stomach in bed since his backside was still too sore to sit on.

"Come on Neal, its time we were leaving especially if you don't want to make El mad for missing her Sunday noon meal," cried Peter as he urged Neal to hurry.

"Peter," Neal said as he held out his hand, "I want to thank you again for bringing me here and getting me the art supplies; although I could have done with out the hands on approach to my behavior…I'm going to have to lie down in the back seat for the return trip."

Peter smiled but took his hand as Neal pulled him into a brotherly hug of thanks using the motion to return his wallet.

"Are you ready then?" Peter asked as he looked at Neal.

"Yes."

"Then lets get on the road," replied Peter as he allowed Neal to proceed to the him to the car. He watched as Neal crawled into the backseat and muffled a laugh as he yelped when his butt brushed against the seat.

"Comfy?"

"Yeah," Neal replied as he lay on his side waiting for the journey to begin.

El had been looking out the front window for the last thirty minutes waiting for her family to return. It would be good to see both Peter and Neal again. She had hoped that when Peter did punish Neal that he hadn't been to severe but then again as she thought about it she concluded that if he had then it was clearly needed; they couldn't lose Neal to his rashness he had to learn to follow the rules her husband was forever trying to teach him.

She had only just returned to the kitchen to check on her pot-roast when she heard the front door open and Peter calling, "El, we're home!"

"Finally, I've been looking for you for the last thirty minutes…where is Neal?"

"It takes him a bit longer to extract himself from the back seat," replied Peter mysteriously.

"Why?"

"'cause the only way he could ride was on his side in the back seat…I'll explain later….here he is now," replied Peter as Neal walked up.

"EL, it's good to see you," greeted Neal with a smile as he thrust something at her. "I drew this for you and Peter," he added with a shy smile.

El looked at the smile picture and gasped, "Neal, it's great…I love it," she added as she showed it to Peter. It was the sketch of El, Satch and himself in the back yard, only now it had Neal seated in between him and El with his hand petting the dog…it looked so familiar with the exception of Neal. "This is the picture I had in my wallet…you picked my pocket, Neal!"

"I had to, Peter; I needed a picture to use as a model and this was the one I liked the best that you had in your wallet," replied Neal as he darted behind El, just in case.

"You lifted it when you hugged me Saturday and returned it just before we left…Neal, what did I tell you about picking pockets?" Peter asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Not to…but I wanted it for a surprise and if I had asked for a picture you would have known…don't spank me," he pleaded.

"Neal, Peter isn't going to spank you…I promise; are you Peter?" El assured Neal.

"You aren't?"

"No, of course not…I understand and as soon as we get it framed we are going to put it on display. El you should see the painting he did and the sketch he did for June; now she will have a picture of all of her "kids" on display in her house," explained Peter.

"I want you to tell me everything you did on your mini vacation, don't leave anything out…but now my lunch is ready and Neal I've got your place ready, go and have a seat while Peter helps me in getting everything on the table," explained El as she pulled Peter with her and motioned for Neal to have a seat.

Neal winced at the thought of sitting that is until he went into the dinning room and saw a chair topped with several pillows and had to laugh in spite of himself; it was good to have family.

"So you bought him art supplies and convinced him to try again at producing art and not using it for forgeries," summarized Elizabeth.

"Yeah, I guess I did; I also told him that when he has extra time at work to do a sketch instead of a prank; I'm sure Hughes will be happy for that change," explained Peter.

"Yeah, he implied that if I didn't I might be standing up for a long time," Neal added with a wince.

"Are you still sore?" asked El sympathetically.

Neal nodded remorsefully, the pillows had made eating easier but they hadn't taken the soreness completely away and he was still sore.

"Peter! You shouldn't have hit him so hard!" El said gave Peter a glare.

"Don't El; I had what he gave me coming. I understand now that I am important and if I don't stop doing things like that I might not be. I can truly say that he has made an impression on me to be more careful in the future," Neal said remorseful.

"And when did you reach that conclusion, Neal?" asked El softly.

"When he admitted that he thought more of me as a little brother that needed protecting. He didn't actually say those words but that is what he meant…that and when he tore into me with that wooden spoon and his belt. I could tell that it was hurting him to punish me as it hurt me to receive it; only I think it hurt me more physically."

El looked at Peter and said, "so you did tell him; well little brother how do you like being part of the family?"

"It feels great, Sis," replied Neal.

"Oh, Neal," cried El pleased as she gave him a hug.

"I have a family with you and Peter as siblings and Mozzie as a father and June as a mother…dysfunctional but a caring family none the less," cried Neal happily.

"And one that will be happy to take you in hand whenever you stray away," Peter and Elizabeth said lovingly.

The End

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