First impressions: the office newbie.
The pair are in the conference room. They returned in a flustered mood after being absent most of the morning. Or at least Agent Burke had. With Caffrey it was harder to tell, but by the way Burke had marched him through the office, fist bunched in the jacket worth more than a month's salary, it was obvious something hadn't gone to plan.
More than a few Agents are hanging around the break room when he enters, probably because, like him, they all want to know what's going on and it just so happens the break room is located conveniently adjacent to the conference room, affording a good view through the glass walls. Neither Burke or Caffrey appear to notice the gathered crowd or surreptitious looks being thrown their way. There's lots of arm swinging and hand gestures from Burke, a clear sign he is not happy. This goes on for a full minute, Caffrey sitting obediently on one of the chairs before a definitive finger point, an implied order for Caffrey to stay put. Now what normally happens on occasions like this is Burke yells, Caffrey smiles and everyone gets on with their day. But this time that doesn't seem to be happening. Burke leaves the conference room, storming across the mezzanine and marches straight into Hughes office. The hand actions are lessened, but still there. Urgency is what everyone is seeing now, not the usual levels of frustration associated with a Burke-Caffrey stand-off. Looking back to Caffrey, he's doing as he's been told and not moved. That's another clue something isn't right.
Burke and Hughes head into the briefing room together. Up until this point things were unusual, but not entirely out of the realm of possibility. That is until Hughes steps forward and crouches down, bringing him eye level with Neal, who's slumped in his chair. The look on Hughes face matches the one on Burkes. Hughes doesn't linger. He reaches out and checks Caffrey's pupils, squeezing his shoulder as he stands. Hughes exchanges a few words with Burke by the door before leaving them to it.
He can't look away now, even if he wanted to. Surreal doesn't cover it. Burke steps forward taking Hughes place. Caffrey's less compliant with him. With Hughes he'd played the perfect child, sitting still and nodding in all the right places. Now Burke is talking, hands holding both of Caffrey's arms and Caffrey is fidgeting, trying to pull away. Burke takes no crap from him any day and, grateful something's haven't changed, he watches Burke give Caffrey a firm shake before giving up on talking and simply hauling him up.
That's when things go all bizarro-world. The fight leaves Caffrey quickly. There's no smiles, no words, clearly no thought to his behaviour since Neal allows Burke to pull him in. Burke whispers something into his ear, and by god he'd love to know what was said because Caffrey's fight dissolves right then and there, folding into Burke like he's the only thing holding him up, going so far as to rest his head on the guy's shoulder. Now, he maybe the office newbie, but he caught on pretty quickly Burke isn't like most section leads. Even so, that knowledge does not prepare him to understand what he's witnessing unfold before his very eyes. He looks around to see if anyone finds this as surreal as him, but it seems the break room is suddenly empty, the gathering having quickly dispersed without him noticing.
Turning around to do as he'd originally planned and grab a coffee, the answer to why is clear.
"Need something Agent?"
He hesitates, humming and awing, shuffling back and forth unsure how to answer in a way that won't result in Berrigan wanting to kick his ass. She's damn scary on the best of days and today obviously wasn't one of them, having returned shortly before Burke and Caffrey looking just as beat up and twice as pissed off.
He quickly shakes his head, showing her his empty mug. Berrigan accepts his answer with a nod, but still waits for him to refill and leave. Walking back to his desk he can't help but throw a glance up at the conference room once more. The pair are still there. Settling down at his desk, placing the coffee on the outside edge, barely seconds pass before EMTs burst through the main offices double doors.
He keeps his head down and try's not to stare as they make their way through and up to the conference room.
Eight weeks he's been in White Collar, he'd thought he'd seen just about everything there was to see when it came to investigating embezzlement and mortgage fraud. Turns out he couldn't be more wrong.