Chapter 11

For once Neal had no desire to go anywhere but back to his room after leaving

the Courthouse. He wanted to see Katie again but didn't think he would be good company considering the state he was in, unable to sit, much less move without pain. Why did they both have to spank me with only an hour in between, he thought as he let out a whimper of pain whenever he took a step, the chafing of his slacks irritating his ultra sensitive bottom.

Peter heard the whimper and pulled him into a hug before murmuring, "It will be okay Neal. I'm proud of you for facing up to your misdeed, and accepting the consequences of your actions. I know you are hurting now but by tomorrow you will be able to sit a little easier, and you will be able to enjoy your last day here instead of picking up trash along the highway. I know you don't think so now but you did the right thing by accepting the licks."

Neal looked at him and asked, "How did I do the right thing? I just didn't want to have to spend my last day picking of trash so I took the licks, which by the way was really only one, and got it over with."

"Do you remember the judge telling you that he was going to offer you the same deal he had Tommy?"

Neal nodded.

"Well, Tommy picked the option of picking up trash along the highway when he was brought in front of the Judge for smashing mailboxes instead of the licks, which would have done him a world of good. So instead of learning not to appear in front of Judge Marshall again, he was laughed at for picking of trash which made him mad enough to get even, which in turn got him in more trouble than before. This time he was sentenced to three days of picking up trash plus ten licks daily with the Persuader. So each morning Tommy is brought to the Courthouse, given ten licks by the bailiff, and you can be sure that they are given with a heavy hand before being driven to the stretch of the highway where he will be working, and of course he will be dressed in the county's orange jumpsuits," Peter explained seriously.

"Wow…I got off easy. Do you think that the judge likes me?" asked Neal as he unconsciously rubbed his backside.

"I think he saw potential in you, to sentence you to two licks but only give you one; it probably had something to do with the fact that you saw the error in your judgment and tried to correct it before it got worse. Now come on let's get you home and into a more comfortable position than you are now."

"Can I ride home lying down?" asked Neal, with his puppy dog eyes.

"Sure, I can see the same potential as the judge and show you some mercy," laughed Peter as he ruffled his son's hair as they walked on.

"Dad…not the hair," groused Neal.

The first thing Neal did when he got to his grandparents was to head to his room so he could lie face down on his bed. His sigh of relief was quickly followed by calling Katie and talking for an hour, thanking her for a wonderful time getting to know her during this visit, and asking to take her out on a date the moment he returns, hopefully during the summer months.

El tiptoed from her place at the door, in order not to disturb the two young people. She had only come up to check on him but when she returned her smile wasn't hard to miss by the rest of the family.

"I take it that our son is fine?" Peter asked dryly, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Oh yes, he is happily talking with Katie and if I call this right, I think we can say that Neal has a girlfriend, one that will make sure he stays out of trouble," El said with a smile.

The next time it was Maggie who went to check on Neal, to tell him that it was time for lunch, and found him still talking. "Neal, it's time for lunch, say goodbye to Miss Katie and join us for lunch," she requested and waited until he did so.

"Are you feeling better now, son?"

"I'm still sore but guess what Grandmom? Katie has agreed to go out with me as soon as I come back. It should be summer and we are going out for a picnic lunch some place that she is going to pick," replied Neal excitedly, as he started to walk with her and then, remembering what she said about lunch, picked up a pillow from his bed and smiled sheepishly at her and said, "I may need this to enjoy my lunch."

Maggie smiled at him as they walked to the table, to find that the rest of the family had also brought pillows to cushion his seat, and he felt like the princess and the pea, or should that be the prince and the pea, while he struggled to sit on top of five pillows stacked on his chair.

"Comfortable Neal?" asked Tim, as he tried to keep a straight face.

"Yes, sir, but let's eat before I slip off," he quipped as the room erupted in laughter.

The rest of the day went smoothly for Neal as he visited with his family, telling them about his life before Peter caught him and ending it with, "It really wasn't much of a life...just staying ahead of this guy but in the end I'm glad he caught me and eventually made me a part of his family...your family...my family."

The trouble for Neal didn't start until later that night as he dreamed. Talking about his life before Peter caught him opened up memories that he had thought he had hidden, had put behind him. His mother died when he was ten, leaving him in the clutches of an uncaring father who mistreated him until the day he died, leaving Neal an orphan in the care of the state.

It was then that Neal experienced a new education: how to steal, from unscrupulous "foster parents" who only wanted the money their little "Dodgers" could bring them. That was how he learned to pick pockets. It wasn't until Neal tried to pick Mozzie's pocket that he was saved. Mozzie took him out of the system when he saw the potential in the young pickpocket, and took him under his wing.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO...OWWWW...DON'T...I WON'T...IT'S NOT TRUE...IT'S NOT TRUE" screamed Neal as he woke the entire household, in the grip of a nightmare he couldn't waken from.

Peter was the first one there, kneeling by his son's bed to try and comfort him. He had to dodge flailing fists as Neal fought the persons in his dream. He finally managed to grab him and pull him into a hug which Neal fought, until he realized that it was his dad who held him and not the evil man in his dream.

"D-DAD...oh, Dad...h-he said that you wouldn't w-want me anymore. That I had s-screwed up t-too much and h-he would come and t-take me away...please tell me that it isn't t-true," sobbed Neal, as he grabbed a hold of Peter's pajama top and wouldn't let go.

El pushed her way to Neal's other side to warmly comfort him. "There's nothing you can do that will drive us away from you, son...nothing. We love you. We will discipline you when you need it but that will never change how we feel about you." She began to stroke his hair in an attempt to calm him while Maggie and Tim added their comforting gestures and words. Eventually Neal's sobs lessened, finally stopped, and he was able to sit up and talk clearly.

"Neal, who was the man that you were referring to in your dream, the one who was going to take you away from us?" asked Peter.

"Someone I bumped into after a heist...he was an FBI agent, too. He was smart like you Dad, but he was so cold. He knew that I was guilty but he never could catch me doing anything wrong. I guess I had dodged all of the museum's cameras in his city and they never had any proof that I had taken anything. He knew who I was but that was all. He told me that when he caught me he would take me away and I guess it became a part of my nightmare. I'm sorry I woke all of you," Neal said apologetically.

"There is no reason to apologize, dear. You didn't do it on purpose," replied Maggie, as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Grandmom, I'm not sleepy now. Do you think I could have a slice of cake...it might help me get back to sleep?"He asked impishly.

"I might agree as long as you have the cake with a glass of milk," she replied with a smirk.

"Yes ma'am," he cried, as he jumped from his bed, carrying his pillow and raced from the room.

"Mom, if I bring a pillow can I have a glass of milk with my cake, too?" asked Peter as he grabbed Neal's other pillow to chase after his son.

"Like son, like father."

The End.

AN: There will be more in this series coming in the future. In the next one we will find out about the man in Neal's nightmare.