Chapter 10

Author's Note: Finally- an update! Once again, I apologize for the delay. Without further ado…chapter 10! Please review- it means a lot. =D

Peter sat at the kitchen table, drinking his morning coffee with the paper. He needed the caffeine boost; the past two nights had been spent (at Elizabeth's insistence) sitting with Neal through the nightmares that wouldn't stop. His broken leg prevented him from being able to move, the painkillers blurring his thoughts. Peter felt sorry for Neal now, as he thought about how much torture the young man must be going through right now. Kate had been the only constant in his life…even if she wasn't the best choice.

Right now, the younger man was sleeping in the bedroom, due to his overall exhaustion combined with the pain meds. Satchmo sat protectively next to the bed, sensing that Neal was sick and needed someone to watch him.

El had left for work, though she'd done so regretfully. The maternal woman's instincts told her to stay with the weak man, but the important gala started at 11 so she had no choice but to leave Neal under Peter's supervision.

While Peter cleared the table, his cell phone rang. "This is Burke."

"Burke, it's Hughes. How's Ne-Caffrey doing?"

Peter smiled to himself as he heard his boss almost refer to the ex-conman by his first name. Although no one in the office ever admitted it, they all seemed to have become fond of Neal.

"He seems a little better, but right now he's asleep. I don't think I'm gonna be able to make it today, because El had to go to work."

"Don't worry about it. There's not much going on right now."

"Thanks, Hughes. I'll talk to you later."

Hanging up, the FBI agent decided to go check in on Neal. It was almost 10 and he hadn't heard anything from the bedroom.

Knocking on the half-closed door, Peter called softly, "Neal?"

Hearing a reply, he entered the room. Propped up on the bed was Neal, looking a little pale and in pain, but better than he had been in a while.

"Morning Peter."

"Hey Neal, how're you feeling?"

"Better, actually. Think I should take some pain meds though…my leg's killing me."

"Okay, but not on an empty stomach. Let's go into the kitchen and I'll make you some toast." Peter moved forward to help Neal up, but the consultant hadn't seemed to register what he'd just said. "Neal, you there? Hello?"

Neal's head snapped up. "Sorry Peter. I was just thinking…" He didn't need to complete the sentence.

The two men stayed silent for a few minutes-awkwardly for Peter and wistfully for Neal-before the younger man snapped to reality. "Do you have any coffee?"

A few hours had passed, and the two men sat in the living room after lunch. Neal was half-lying on the couch, and Peter was leaning back in the recliner. Both were dozing off, when Neal suddenly spoke up. "It was her favorite song, you know…"

Startled by the sudden burst of conversation, Peter sat up. The doctor had warned him that the medicine would put him in a slight daze and confusion, so he decided to see where this would go. "What song, Neal?" he asked gently.

"It was our song. She said it was about us…how we were gonna get married and live…called Together We Will Live Forever."

Peter fell back in his chair, not knowing what to say, what words could heal the hole that had ripped through Neal's soul. So he said the first thing that came to his mind, hoping it would help Neal get over his grief. "Can I listen to it?"

Another Quick Author's Note: Just to let you know, I plan to write two more chapters of this, and then epilogue. Can't believe it's coming to an end so soon…